#cause i mean.. they’re not stupid. they had to have seen straight away that ariana grande for instance had a much better chance of making it

[cats-jade]

i just found out my friend didn’t even consider this possibility before i mentioned it as if it was an obvious fact, so: do u guys also just immediately figured that victoria justice was picked to be “nickelodeon’s hannah montana” despite not being the best performer because someone had a gross pedo crush on her since they worked w her on zoey 101? like i really hate to say this but i’ve always just thought they made that choice cause it was so comfortable to invest on an actress they had built a relationship with since she was a kid so she probably had a more “compliant” personality because of it

it’s disgusting to think of it but… was i the only one who thought of it??

[chasseurdeloup-retired]

Puppies and Poltergeists || Layla and Kaden

TIMING: Before the exorcism LOCATION: White Crest Animal Shelter PARTIES: @laylacooke and @chasseurdeloup SUMMARY: Layla just wanted to see cute puppies and met Mamma Langley instead. AKA alright maybe this is why people don’t trust Kaden to do his job.

This ghost shit was bad. Really bad. But it wasn't exactly a good excuse for Kaden to give to his boss as to why he had to stop working for a bit. And he just took time off, too, he couldn’t do it again so soon. Plus, normal everyday shit should be fine. It would keep his mind off it while he waited. The animal shelter was a welcome break from all of it. He could do something normal, actually help something maybe. Instead of just destroying everything wherever he went. He got a warm greeting from the staff as he walked in and said hello. Everyone there knew him by now and he did his best to keep up with all the changing faces of volunteers, but he knew the core staff well enough by now. More importantly, he knew just about every animal in there at any given moment. Hopefully today was a day when he wouldn’t have to clear out any stray monsters that found their way there by accident. He was in the kennels checking on all the dogs, saying hi to some of his favorites when he felt a chill run down his spine. Normally he’d suspect werewolf but now… Now he was worried it could mean a ghost. His head shot around to look, as if he’d see anything if it was the ghost. There was nothing unusual, though. Just a girl. Teenage if he had to guess. Red hair. “Can I help you with something?”

Layla had needed something remotely happy in her life, and puppies always made her happy. She had looked up the local animal shelter online to see what their hours were, and even though she was sure Ulfric, Celeste, and Ariana would say no, they couldn’t say anything about her just visiting. So when she had arrived and signed in, the sound of tiny barks, big barks, deep barks, and all kinds of barks made her heart warm. It had been the first honest smile in weeks, and she didn’t want to ever have to leave. Seeing a small fuzzy dog sitting in the corner of its kennel looking sad, Layla felt her heart melt, “Hey little guy. Having a rough time too?” She was just about to open the cage, when she heard a voice behind her. Turning around, she noticed a man standing there, “I just came for a puppy pick-me-up. It’s been a rough week, to say the least. Have we met?” He looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him.

His mouth pulled into a thin line, trying to determine if those were his hunter senses or just the paranoia sending signals tingling through every nerve. Kaden couldn’t deny how on edge and anxious he felt every single moment since the bar and then Blanche. It could be a werewolf, it could just be a typical teenage girl. Something deep in his bones really hoped it was the latter. “Well, can’t argue with that. If you’re looking to adopt, I can help you find someone. I mean, they’re all great dogs but you know, sometimes a fit is better than others.” He approached the cage, crouched down, and started calling to the dog. “This is Indy. Aka Indiana Bones.” Tentatively, the small fluffy dog pittered over to the front of the cage. “He’s a good boy, but was found on the streets. He’s just a little timid. Could be a really good companion, though.” Now that the dog was up at the front of the cage, licking Kaden’s fingers, he nodded to her to indicate that she could reach in and pet the dog. It’d be fine, he wasn’t a nibbler and didn’t startle too bad. “I don’t know if we’ve met, though. If you’ve called out animal control recently, though, you probably saw me. Kaden, by the way.”

Why did this guy seem so familiar? She couldn’t place it, but did it really matter? Instead, she watched as he crouched down to greet the small dog. Layla couldn’t help but smile at his name, “That’s adorable.” Watching Indy walk over to the cage and lick Kaden’s fingers had warmed her heart. Bending down, she slowly approached the cage, not wanting to startle the little dog. Reaching out with the hand she had broken, she let him sniff the cast, before feeling him lick her fingers, which caused her to laugh, “O-m-g, I wish I could take you home with me, but I don’t know how my housemates would feel.” She was already falling hard for the little dog and letting her heart get attached. “I haven’t called animal contr-” Kaden. Animal control. It was coming back to her now. Wow, Grandpa, you’re actually kinda hot. She didn’t dare say it outloud. She had already had beef with this man online, if she were right in her assumptions of who he was, “Sorry, animal control. I blanked for a moment. Thought you were someone else.” With a soft, hollow smile, she looked back down at Indiana Bones.

Something about the way she was looking at him made him slightly suspicious. How did she know him exactly? And should he know her? Kaden was pretty sure he’d remember the red hair at the very least if he did. Still, the dog liked her and she seemed good with him, how bad could she be? “Who did you think I was if you don’t mind me asking?” He couldn’t let it lie. Even though he should. “Do you want to take him outside in the fenced area so you can visit him pro--” Before he could finish his question, a gust of wind burst through the kennel and the dogs started barking. All of them. Sure, it happened a lot that one would start, a few would join in. Not like this. Putain. “Actually it might be best if you come back tomorrow. I can reserve him f--” The lights flickered. He knew he shouldn’t have come here. But why now?

Crap. Layla was about to have to explain herself. Should she tell him who she was? All it would take was calling him grandpa. Of course, then he might have kicked her out and taken away the one bit of happiness she was experiencing, “Uh, just an old teacher I had back in high school.” It was a bullshit answer, but maybe it would work. Luckily, for her, he had moved onto the possibility of taking Indy outside. However, before he was able to ask her, she felt the same gust of wind come through leaving her feeling uneasy; her sensitive ears picking up on the same thing the dogs were. Chills ran down her spine, and she turned her attention back to Kaden, “You know, that might be a good idea…” Seeing the lights flicker had raised Layla’s heart rate. But hearing the soft moan of Indy sent her eyes straight back down to the small dog that was back to cowering in the corner, “What about Indy? Is there any way I could take him home and bring him back tomorrow?” Stress apparent in her voice, she wanted to get out as quickly as possible, but leaving the poor little creature there was pulling at her heart.

Kaden’s face scrunched. “A teacher? Really?” He wasn’t old enough to be a high school te-- Shit. Guess he was. Just put into stark perspective how young she really was. Considering she looked like she was fresh out of school. And somehow looked like she’d seen more hard times than a lot of people twice her age. As much as he’d like to help her, he was glad she agreed to leave with him. For a moment. Putain. That look she gave the small dog tugged at his stupid heart strings. It was worse when Indy whined for her to come back. As much as he wanted to help her and the dog, now wasn’t the time. “Not right now. Processes. Have to-- He’ll still be tomorrow.” And if we don’t leave right now, you might not. He put a hand on her shoulder. The lights cut out again, this time taking longer to come back with an eerie flicker, “Come on, we have to go.” He tried to keep the panic rising in him out of his voice, but he hardly succeeded.  “I’ll keep him safe, I pr--” He cut himself short. He needed to keep that word from his vocabulary. “I assure you, I will make sure he’s safe.” There was a rumble in the ground; it felt like an earthquake was coming. The growls and whines only escalated. They couldn’t stay here, the ghost would tear this place apart. “He’s safer if we leave him right now. Trust me!” Kaden tried to drag the girl away from the cage. But where? Shit. Closest way out was through the back hall that lead outside. He ran and pushed the door open only for it to slam in his face first try. He pushed again with his shoulder and it was open long enough for her to go through and for him to follow behind.  

There was some freaky shit going on, and Layla could sense it. Whatever had decided to join them had caused her ears to hurt and had almost made her want to bark and howl along with the other dogs in the area, but she resisted. He definitely didn’t need to know she could howl. However, she did take his warnings seriously and as much as she wanted to grab Indy, she knew there probably wouldn’t be time. Instead, she moved towards the cage one last time, and swore she’d come back, “I promise I’ll be back. I swear it!” Her fingers held onto the wire frame of the cage for as long as she could, until she was led away, “What the hell is happening in your animal shelter, Grandpa?!” Shit. She just revealed who she was. As she watched him manage to keep the door open long enough, Layla slid through, but the sound of barking and howling broke her heart. Please leave those precious things alone. Please. The thought had quickly crossed her mind to try and get back in, but she stopped herself knowing that it wasn’t the smartest or the safest move. She did, however, have Kaden to deal with, since she had accidentally outed herself.

The fluorescent lights above them started humming and buzzing as he led her through the hallway. Kaden’s brow furrowed as she called him grandpa. “Look I know you said I was old enough to be a teacher but cut the crap.” Kids these days. “And it’s not my animal shelter I just work here and you have to le--” Before he could say anything more, there were sparks shooting off above them as the lights sputtered out. Fuck. This was bad. “Door. Now.” He led her to the end of the hall to the door leading outside only it wouldn’t budge. Not an inch. The handle was shut tight and wouldn’t turn. He slammed on it with his shoulder. Nothing. “Fuck!” he cried out, frantically looking for another option. He ran back to the door they just came through. Same thing. The only door still open was to the one of the storage through rooms in the back. Guess they were going that way. Not where he wanted to deal with a poltergeist but they had few options. “Come on. Dealing with angry spirits here, move it.” One step inside the room and shelves started to vibrate. Bad, this was bad. He heard a crash. “Running would be good, time for running.”

In all the commotion, Layla tried to listen to what Kaden was saying, but between leaving Indy and the other dogs, and apparently fleeing for her life, she was having a little trouble focusing, “Look, you can scold me or whatever once we’re out of here, but until then-” Before she could finish, she was cut off by him directing her where to go. Seeing the distress in his face, she tried not to panic, but she could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest and every instinct was telling her to ‘wolf out’. She couldn’t. Not here. Instead, she kept quiet, except for the occasional scream as she noticed the spirit wreaking havoc everywhere they went. It was when they had gotten where they were going, that Layla realized pretty much anywhere they went, they were shit outta luck, “Are we gonna die at the hands of an angry ghost?” She managed to squeak the words out as they started running again.

Midway through running, Kaden felt something shift, like a cold chill was sinking into his body. His vision blurred and faded a bit, like he was being pushed away. “Oh, I’m not going to die today,” a chilling voice came from his mouth. It was like his own but different somehow. “But you are.” His hand reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders to throw her to the ground. It was his hand but not his will. He wasn’t the one who had pushed her and he wasn’t the one leaning over her now. His body was, but his consciousness was in the back seat, watching. He couldn’t find the control. What was happening, why was he doing this? Who took-- Poltergeist, that was right. His mother was a poltergeist. He had to remember, he had to fight this. Kaden could feel a little control come back and he tried to back away. “No!” he shouted. He couldn’t tell if it was him or the ghost, both were fighting for control. His hand reached back and pulled out a knife hidden behind his belt. The small silver one he kept on him. He hadn’t reached for it-- His mother, she must have-- The floor vibrated and the clatter of the shelves grew louder again. “Your family must be so disappointed in you,” he felt himself saying as he brought the knife closer to the girl.

Before she had realized what had happened, Layla found herself slammed to the floor and the wind knocked out of her. The daze she was in hindered her from getting up, and by the time she realized what had happened, Kaden was leaning over her small frame. His voice had seemed different, like he wasn’t in the driver’s seat any longer. The redhead could see the internal struggle going on, but the words cut deep into her soul, “H-How do you know about my family?” Tears seeped out of the corners of her eyes as fear coursed through her veins. However, a slight glint caught her eye and caused her to shift focus to the knife. Her fear increasing, Layla could feel the change in her fingers as they began to prematurely grow into claws.  

Kaden didn’t know about her family. At all. Why did his mother? Should he know? Was the ghost just bluffing? It didn’t matter. His hand gripped her wrist, pinned down her arms. He was so focused on the claws pushing out from her fingernails that he didn’t even notice the knife sinking into her flesh. He heard the sizzle of her skin, the burn of the silver contacting a werewolf. Fuck. “I knew of them. And I know they won’t let their legacy be tarnished. The same way I won’t let mine be thrown in the gutters,” his mother’s angry wails said through his voice. Kaden still didn’t know what was really happening and he wasn’t one to extend sympathy to werewolves. He considered letting his mother have this one. All werewolves were a plague as far as he was concerned. Whenever he saw a lupine creature snarling in the woods, he never hesitated to shoot first. When he felt the chill down his spine that alerted him to the presence of a werewolf nearby, it made his skin crawl. He’d never killed any wolf while they appeared human, but he wasn’t exactly kind to them either. But now, right now, all he could see was a scared teenage girl. Even with her hands shifting to show the monster within, he didn’t see that. He couldn’t, even if he tried. Kaden knew there was a poltergeist inside of him taking control but in this position he truly felt like a monster. How could he not? His hand rose again, this time aimed at her heart. Kaden forced his voice out, a scream, and tried to throw his body away as the room began to shake even more.

As the knife began to dig into her body, Layla let out a blood curdling scream. It had been the first time she had ever been exposed to silver as a werewolf and the pain was nothing like she had ever felt before. Tears ran down her face, as she so desperately tried to break free; a guttural growl chasing the scream as her teeth became sharp. Her body was starting to shift and before long the sickness that she felt, mixed with pain, would turn into the breaking and rearranging of bones, but the poltergeist’s hauntingly accurate words sent shivers down her spine, “Leave me alone!” The words were spat out in between the pain she was feeling, but as she saw the same knife, bloodstained already, pulled back and at the ready to end her young life, a defensive growl came out and she ripped one of her hands free ready to slash Kaden. Sending a swipe in his direction, Layla felt her claws connect with skin, tearing into flesh managing to free her other hand. Pushing him off of her, the redhead quickly dragged herself away from him in the opposite direction and as closely to a nearby wall as she could. Fear ran through her body, and she clutched at the left side of her stomach trying to stop the blood that was pouring out, “What do you want from me!? All I wanted to do was look at the dogs...Please just let me leave...I don’t want to die yet. I’m sorry, for whatever I did, I’m sorry.” She was sobbing by now. While instinct was telling her to run, she was afraid to go near Kaden and knowing that the ghost haunting them still lingered in the vibrating room somewhere left her frozen in place.

It wasn’t his will that brought his control back, it was the sharp screaming pain of claws digging into his arm. Kaden slammed into the shelf next to them as she pushed him out of the way and felt some of the air leave his lungs. It hurt like a bitch. All of it. At least he had control back and got to feel every ounce of pain for himself. Still, there was an odd sense of relief that she was alive and that he hadn’t killed her. Shit. He was relieved that he didn’t kill a werewolf? He could hardly argue with the crashes of items falling off shelves, the sputtering and flickering lights. The anger his mother felt was more than fucking justified right now. Bile churned up into his throat. Whether that was because he’d just been possessed and then fucking thrown across the room by a werewolf or because he’d let that werewolf live, he wasn’t sure. “I want you to get the hell out of here,” he croaked out. A shelf in the back came tumbling down as he said that. Shame gripped at him from all sides. He’d terrified a teenage girl to the point of begging for her life. But he was also trying to save a werewolf. He could feel himself splitting in two, trying to grapple with the situation at hand. He had to leave without her, right? That was safest. Shit, but she was bleeding. Who cared? One less werewolf in the world wouldn’t be the worst thing? Would it? But if she didn’t die and he called 911 for her and she implicated him-- Fuck. “I don’t want to hurt you. That ghost does. You need to run!” The shelf near him creaked and he looked up just in time to dodge out of the way as it slammed to the ground. “Now!”

Layla was trying to calm herself down, but with every breath came more pain and the natural flow of blood from her gut. Tears still streaming down her face, she pushed herself back harder into the wall scared to death of both the man and the poltergeist with the death wish. She wasn’t sure if Kaden was talking to her or the ghost, but it didn’t matter. Her eyes had gone down to the slash on his body. She had never intentionally tried to hurt anyone before, and even though it wasn’t the time or place, she had felt horrible for what she had done. She wanted to ask him if he was okay, but his words telling her to get out gave her the permission she had longed for so she could pass him. Scrambling to her feet with a cry of pain, Layla started to take off down the hall, but stopped. She couldn’t just leave him there with the thing threatening both of their lives. With a split second decision, she turned around and ran back to him, “I’m not leaving you here to die. You may not think highly of the thing I was cursed to become, but that’s not me. The bite is not me.” Sticking out her free hand, claws already retracted leaving nothing but traces of blood on the tips of her fingers from the shift as well as where she had slashed him, Layla hoped he would accept her help. They were both going to make it out of this thing alive.

Kaden pushed himself up on his hands and knees, kibble that had been scattered on the floor in the crash crunching beneath him. Whenever he got to his feet, his plan was to turn and run in the opposite direction, hope that his mother’s ire would wane the farther he was from the situation. He fully expected that the girl would bolt for the door just as he said. At least he fucking hoped she had that kind of self preservation. And if she didn’t, he’d have to make the distance himself. When he looked up and saw her standing there, hand outstretched, he froze. Why was she back? “Do you have a death wish?” was all he could manage at first, but his hand was taking hers anyway. What she said hardly mattered one way or another right now. He didn’t know if he did or didn’t believe it. What he did know was working together would only bring more of his mother’s wrath. And he wasn’t wrong. As soon as they started to run, another shelf came toppling over in front of her. Kaden grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back out of the way. Storage tubs burst open and kitty litter lined the floors. This was the last place he wanted destroyed. Too late for that. He climbed on the fallen shelf and offered her a hand for balance as he picked his way through the clutter. The door was so close. How much worse could it get in the meantime?

As soon as he took her hand, Layla was up and following him, but no sooner did they move towards the door, a shelf was thrown in their direction. Clutching her side and heart racing, she was grateful Kaden hadn’t just used her as a shield to block himself, but instead saved her, “Thanks…” Watching him move forward and climb onto the shelf, she reached for his hand, but before she was able to latch on, Layla felt a sudden burst of energy send her flying backwards, her body landing hard on the floor as it slid through kitty litter and other debris coming to a hard stop. Everything around her was spinning, and she moaned, as she tried to move.

Kaden should have known they couldn’t get out of there that easily. Putain. Really the smart thing to do would be leave her and take off, get away. His mother only wanted to see her hurt because he was nearby. If he left, she’d be already. But his stupid heart was bleeding seeing her get tossed across the floor. He grumbled and climbed back over the shelves to help pull her up. “Come on,” he said as he tried to help her up and back over the shelves for a second time, watching her back in case she got thrown again. This time he was ready to grab her in case any forces said otherwise. “Don’t make me regret this fucking awful decision, let’s move!” Hell he’d fucking fireman carry her out of there at this point if he had to. He pushed her along through the shelves. The room was still rumbling like an earthquake, but the door was just an arm’s length away.

Feeling him grab her, Layla forced herself up and held onto him as they had finally made it over the shelves together. Him yelling at her wasn’t exactly helping her head, let alone her nerves, but she knew he had good reason to. They were so close. They just had to make it a few more feet, and they’d be home free; at least she had hoped. As she inched closer, Layla reached out her arm going for the handle. The sound of the poltergeist continuing to rattle the building forced a little quicker step in the young wolf, and before she realized it, she was at the door. Grabbing the handle, she pushed down and started to pull as hard as she could, but nothing, “Why isn’t the door opening? WHY ISN’T THE DAMN DOOR OPENING?!” She was in a state of panic. At this rate, they were never going to escape.

They made it to the door. One more second and they were out. Only the door wasn’t opening. Of course the door wasn’t opening. Kaden nudged her aside and tried the handles himself. No luck. Putain. He saw another option. It was just going to be painful as shit. And he hoped she wasn’t too exhausted. “Come on, you’re a wolf, right? You have super strength?” He turned to the side and leaned his shoulder in. “On the count of three, together. Should be enough to break this down.” He nodded and braced himself. Then counted down. One. Two. Three! He ran and slammed into the side of the door with all his might, hoping they did enough to finally escape.

Layla had taken a beating. Her body was worn out. She was thirsty. And she just wanted to sleep, but she’d be sleeping forever if she didn’t give this one last push, “Yeah. I can do this.” You can do this, Layla. Following his lead, the teenager positioned herself and on his count, she slammed into the door with what little strength remained, which turned out to be just enough. The door hitting the ground and the momentum sending her out into the cool night air was relief if she had ever felt it. While she was concerned for Indy and the other animals inside, Layla knew it would be a death mission if she had gone back in, but she would be back as soon as she could, and her hope was that whatever that thing was had left the puppies alone. Looking over at Kaden, as she tried to catch her breath, a smile slipped over her lips, followed by a laugh with tears chasing it, “I-I don’t know what that was, but...we made it...we’re out…” Chest heaving and adrenaline pumping, Layla hadn’t noticed how much blood she had lost. She was just grateful to be free and alive.

The door rammed down and once he could stop and stand still, Kaden bent over and rested his palms on his knees, trying to remember how to breathe. He wanted to sleep for the next decade. They weren't’ safe yet, though. And her stab wound wasn’t looking great. Not that he should care any. “Poltergeist. Spirit of my dead mother.” He wasn’t sure why he was admitting all this to her. Hell he hadn’t come close to even admitting he knew what a ghost was when he first met Blanche all those months ago. Guess he figured after nearly getting killed by her, she deserved to know. “You good enough to get yourself home? Cause you should go there. Fast as possible.” He looked over at her, hoping she had enough adrenaline to get her to safety. “I’ll put in your name for Indy. The second I can. Just need a first and last.”

Okay, that was the last thing Layla had expected to hear. Never had she faced anyone’s dead mother before, but there was a first time for everything, especially in White Crest, “Well, I guess that makes sense why she was after me then.” She glanced back to the building one last time, before taking a slow deep and quivering breath, “Yeah, I’ll make it. I’m not too far out.” She could feel the sweat dripping off of her face, and with her remaining strength straightened herself up preparing to run home, “Thanks. I don’t know how I’ll be able to get him, but I need that little guy in my life.” She looked in the direction of home, and just before she took off running, she looked back to Kaden, “My name’s Layla. Layla Cooke.” Not thinking anything of it, she took off running hoping to make it home to someone who could help patch her up knowing her own first aid skills were somewhat limited, but knowing this was a night, she wouldn’t soon forget.