#shitttttttttttttttttt

[cypric-rat-hyperfixation]

Trans rat rock :>

Have a good day :D

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[owlf45]

I AM SOOOO FUCKING SMART

[rainbowangel110]

OP HOLY FUCK!?!?!? THIS IS SO COOL!!!!!!!!

This is the few art pieces I started and actually finished since May bc school killed me lowkey.

Anyways rare art post on here.

Need to try to make this my art account like I intended to lol

I’m late to toh and I’m sad.

[bisexuel]

BOR'DOR? EXCUSE ME?? OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDD EVIL BORDOR REALLLLLLLLLLL

[pickl3mickl3]

Althea!

SO SO proud of this drawing...I redesigned one of my girls and HOLYYYYYYYY SHITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT im so happy with how she came out...

[gengarartblog]

:D (yes i hc ditraina as genderfluid/nb, no i totally didnt had this idea in the afternoon haha what)

your brain is so big holy shit

genderfluid sazantos and ditraina holy shitttttttttttttttttt 10/10 thank you so much!!! HGKJDFHGKDFH

[nanamimizz-archived]

LAMB BLOODBORNE THEME???????????????? IM GONNA LOSE MY SHITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT YESSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS PEAK PEAK PEAK PEAK PEAKKK

yes :33333 im happy u like it sora 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

[gnc-tits]

at this cringe point in my life where im like wahhhh i miss how things used to be at LEAST 16 hours out of the day and its like not even that i really miss it im just sooooooooooooooo #not content rn and like i gotta keep goinggggg i get ittttt but like holy shitttttttttttttttttt #STOP! like oh my god

[antrea]

CATESY HOLY SHITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

[thejournalofandokklaklet]

the first book is at 53k words holy shitttttttttttttttttt

im only halfway done chill out

[almadosol]

i’m done with this dating shit fuck this shitttttttttttttttttt i hate it it its so hard why ju

[the44magnumisamonster]

I fucking love it when albums blend their songs together like holyyyy shitttttttttttttttttt that was sexy

[meranie]

Holy shitttttttttttttttttt

Final Fantasy VI - Sabin René Figaro, Heir to Figaro

[looselucy]

Vitae & Mortem

Dystopian AU - Read the previous chapters

Part Seven

4:39PM I stared with wonder in my eyes to the graffiti on the wall ahead of us, Marby’s eyes painted so blue it almost felt as though I’d never truly noted the colour and its beauty before that moment. They’d painted crimson flowers that cupped and circled around her delicate face, blended perfectly with her bright blonde hair. “We never said thank you.” Harry spoke quietly, tracing the tips of his fingers across the new mural, some of the paint so fresh that it stained his skin. “We need to tell him we’re thankful.”

It must have been weeks since that first image of Marby appeared in Leicester Square, and slowly but surely more and more images announced themselves across the city, and then suddenly there were paintings and makeshift posters that people lay flowers beside cropping up on every single corner. You couldn’t walk for five minutes without seeing her face. The people of London were finally angry, and they wanted answers, and they had received none. It felt amazing, to see that progress slowly but surely being made, but at the same time it hurt. Because all they were asking was some proof of her being alive. If the Krows were as innocent as they suggested, they would have found her and shown everyone that she was alive and well and that they were helping her. But they hadn’t. They had nothing to show. They had killed her. It was the only explanation, and it was my worst fears finally being realised. “Maybe we should go and see him.” I said, unable to take my eyes off the blue of hers. “I mean… he can’t really find us, so we have to find him.” “We should.” Harry agreed with me, which was a rare thing. “We should just say… we know he’s done everything he can, and that… he’s taken a risk. We need to acknowledge that.” “You trust him now?” “How could I not? He’s got people to care and… talk about what’s happening. He’s got people doubting the Krows, Jax. I never thought I’d see that.” “Are we close?” “It’s not far from here.” He nodded, finally looking away from the painting and down to me. “We should go before it gets dark.” We only knew where his office was, and we knew that he wouldn’t always be there, but it was the only option we had. Even though time was hard to track, living on the streets meant that we could track the habits of London and its residents. From my years of viewing the city work around me, I knew it was likely that he was still there but he probably wouldn’t be there for much longer, and neither of us wanted to wait another day to go and see him, because there was always the danger of not making it through the night. We’d had a few more run ins with the Krows, but nothing like the night where I’d used my knife. We’d somehow managed to keep ourselves hidden, staying with certain charities some nights, but they were usually full. Even so, we got turned away a lot, people wanting to save room for younger children. The older we got, the more at risk we were. In every sense. Harry lead the way, as always, marching us in the right direction before the streets became so utterly crowded it was hard to move. Harry’s long legs carried him with ease as I scurried down at his side trying to keep up with him. “Do you think they’ll let us in this time?” I panicked. “I can’t see why they wouldn’t.” “Well, I think he probably kept pretty quiet about the fact that he’s behind all’a this.” “That’s true. Fuck, what if he’s not even there? What if the government found out it was him?” I didn’t even want to think about that being an outcome, never mind discuss it, so I just stayed quiet. We walked all the way there in complete silence because both of our minds were whirring with the thought of the government tracking him down, because I didn’t imagine they’d be kind or understanding. We were a bundle of nerves by the time we walked through the door, but I was somewhat thankful to see that the woman behind the desk was the woman we’d spoken to before. She didn’t look too happy to see us. She rolled her eyes, and I wondered briefly if Gardan had shared what he’d done with anyone at all. She really had this look on her face that showed she believed we didn’t have a single reason or motive to return there, and that made me think she had no clue what Gardan had done, and the fact that me and Harry had kind of been what spurred him to do it. “I’ve got this.” Harry mumbled to me, before approaching the desk confidently yet again. “We’re here to see Gardan.” He'd tried his best to smile and be polite, but there wasn’t a chance he could hide the snarky tone of his voice, wanting the interaction with her to end as quickly as possible. “I figured.” She groaned. “Just be quick about it. He’s going home soon.” She didn’t say another word. She didn’t even look at us again, leaving us to make our own way around the building. Thankfully, Harry set off right away, obviously remembering where it was we’d travelled to previously, and I followed as quickly as I could, once again trying to keep up with him, and completely baffled by how casually she had let us stroll through the building this time around. Maybe he had told her. Or maybe he’d just told her that we were welcome there if we were to ever show our faces again. I was practically jogging to stay by Harry’s side, for some reason feeling nauseously nervous again, never quite knowing what to expect. Somehow it felt like my existence had been relatively humdrum before Harry came into my life. I was used to routine, battling from one day to the next, but everything had changed the night I met him. I couldn’t help but feel like things had changed for the better, no matter how high our risks seemed. We were outside his door in what felt like seconds, Harry knocking almost aggressively, both of us still feeling rushed and uneasy even though we were there, and we knew him. Somehow, I guess we even trusted him. At least, I knew I did. I think Harry still had his reservations. Gardan answered almost instantly, a bright smile on his face, like he already knew it was going to be us. “I was wondering if I’d see you two again.” He grinned. “Come in.” “We won’t stay long.” Harry mumbled, the two of us stepping inside. “We just… I guess we wanted to say thanks.” He nodded, closing the door once we were both inside and then walking around to the back of his desk, and he looked rather pleased with himself. It made me smile. “It certainly got people talking, didn’t it?” He spoke humbly. “I suppose, better late than never.” “How did you do it?” I asked. “Friends in high places.” He sat down, and gestured that we do the same in the seats across from him. “It’s part of my job to dig for information and facts. Because she was schooled by a charity, it meant I could find her by her name. That’s how I found the image of her, and then I just wanted to… show people. I think a lot of people maybe knew what was happening, they there’s a lot of denial. They choose to ignore it. I just… tried to make that harder for them.” “They’ve not found her.” Harry sighed. “If she was alive, they would have found her, wouldn’t they? They would show us her and prove that she’s alive, because that would shut everyone up. But they haven’t.” “I know it works well for what we’re doing here, but I understand you must hurting. I’m sorry about that.” “I… I didn’t know her.” Harry turned to me. “It was… Jax knew her.” “Well, I’m sorry.” Gardan looked my way. “It’s fine.” I almost whispered. “I guess… I didn’t really know her well, or anything. I dunno.” He looked up to the clock that hung on his wall and noted the time before glancing back to us, and I could see the cogs working in his head, his brows lowering to accompany the questions in his mind. “My work day is over, I’m heading home now.” “Okay.” Harry got to his feet instantly. “We just wanted to say thanks, anyway.” “Would you like a place to stay for the evening?” Gardan asked, raising to his feet too. “I have some spare rooms at my house, and it would be an honour to have you both as guests.” I snapped my head up to the right to stare at Harry, and I’d been expecting him to say no before Gardan had even finished speaking, but he hadn’t. He was just staring, wide eyed, completely in shock over what had just been suggested to us. I couldn’t quite take it in. Our stunned silence spurred Gardan to continue talking. “I live on my own, so you have nothing to worry about. I won’t tell anyone, and you’ll be safe there. I imagine much safer than you are when you’re out on the streets.” He was so calm, collected. “And I’m not offering permanent residence. I understand that would probably require more trust than I’ll ever be able to give the two of you, but if you want to stay for the evening, I have warm food and beds for you both. I think it would be interesting to talk to you both. We all have a lot to gain and learn from each other, don’t you think?” Still nothing, just me and Harry trying to come to terms with the security her was offering us, even if it was just for the night. We had no reasons not to trust him from what we knew of him, but the thought still seemed so daunting to me. That was a lot of faith to place with someone we actually didn’t know. I knew of his work, but in all honesty, I still struggled to read parts. I knew what he’d done for us, and for the community that me and Harry were a part of, but it still felt like it might be too much for us to actually spend the night at his home. Neither of us knew what to say. “I’ll give you a minute.” He left his own office quickly to give the two of us some space, and it was strange, because suddenly myself and Harry completely swapped roles. “I think it’s too much.” I mumbled. “No, we have to do it.” “What?” “I can’t pass this chance up. I just can’t.” He shook his head. “Some proper food and… a bed… Just one night where we can sleep without fear.” “You trust him that much?” “Yes. I think… I think he really is on our side, Jax. He must be. It’s either that or… we’re on the streets again. Even when we’re lucky enough to stay with a charity for the night, there’s always that fear that the Krows will come offering fake sanctuary to kids, and if they find us we’re fucked. They’d kill us. I’m sick of sleeping in fear. I trust him. I just… I want one night. Just one.” He was practically begging me, an almost aching look creasing the skin beside his eyes, and I believed more than anything, that he was tired. He was exhausted, and all he could ask for in that moment was one evening where he wouldn’t be awoken by every noise the night had to offer. I just couldn’t believe it. It was so out of his nature to be that way. “I’ve… I’ve never seen you trust like that before.” I heaved. “Well… I trust you.” He swallowed. “Giving you my trust is… probably one of the best things I’ve ever done.” “Harry-” “Maybe I built my walls too high. Maybe it’s… not all that bad to trust people.” I could virtually see those walls he’d just mentioned falling down around him, crashing against the floor by his feet, and I couldn’t fully decide how I felt about it. Partly, I felt it was a good thing, because he really was one of the most defensive and closed off Lost Children I’d ever met before, but I felt like that was what had kept him safe all those years. I was putting him at risk in more ways than I originally thought. “If you’re sure you wanna, then… I’d like to. I’ve never slept in a proper bed before.” The closest thing I’d ever had to a bed were sheets so thin you’d have to be careful not to tear them as you pulled them over your shivering body, and floormats just about thick enough to stop you from feeling the grooves and dints of the floor you were atop. “We owe this to ourselves, don’t we?” He breathed, finally calming. “I think we do… yeah.” 6:25PM I wasn’t sure I’d ever been to a place to grand before. It was pristine, the building he lived in held together by grand pillars that structured everything so perfectly. It was like nothing I’d ever known in my life, like we’d been thrown back into an era that we’d only ever seen pictures of. It was magnificent. We were sat at his dining table, the distant sound of sizzling coming from the room next door as he hand-prepared food for us, and I was trying my very best to become at ease but neither of us had ever been in surrounding’s like that one. Even when Harry had forced me to eat somewhere that served real food, it had terrified me, not matter how dire the joint was. I was never going to be accustom to places like that, no matter how much I wanted to be. “Jax, calm down.” Harry leaned closer to me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “M'sorry,” I attempted to steady my trembles. “I feel nervous.” “You spend every night on the streets, and now you feel nervous.” He grinned, giggling a little. “Just relax. I’m here! Pretend it’s just me and you, alright?” I nodded, and somehow that thought genuinely did help. I suppose it had started that way when I began spending time with Harry, that uncomforting feeling of allowing myself to be around someone, because I’d never really done it before. This was just something else I was going to have to get used to, and hopefully wind up feeling as at ease as I did around Harry. It was just something I had to allow myself to do. Gardan appeared carrying full, steaming plates of food only moments later, and my stomach showed its excitement in ways it never really had before. “It smells amazing.” Harry took a deep breath in before speaking as the food was placed in front of us. “There’s these ovens you can buy, that you practically throw the ingredients in, and they do the rest of the work. I prefer cooking myself, the old-fashioned way.” Whenever I heard about the technology our world had to offer, it only made me feel more bitter. There were machines that prepared nutritious food for people with minimal effort, taking on all the work that previously needed doing, and yet I knew of children who had starved to death. Hearing about it didn’t help me to ease. We all began to eat once he was seated across, and I’d never felt an immediate satisfaction quite like it. It was real food, and it was mine to eat. I could almost taste the love he’d mixed and sprinkled upon each bite I consumed eagerly. It felt like a true blessing to devour. “I have to ask,” Harry avoided speaking with his mouth full as best he could. “Has there been anything said? About Marby? We only see what’s on the streets.” “It took about a week before it got some coverage on the news, but no more than that.” He told us. “It’s like they’re trying to brush over it. The media is biased that way. It’s more the voices of the people in power, rather than the people. It can be very twisted. I write about Mortemosis a lot, but it’s not often that it’s actually printed in the paper I work for. I have to do it independently. Everything is monitored.” “Oh.” Harry dropped his head, disappointed. “But it’s not dying down.” He barked, hoping to lift out spirits as much as he could. “If anything, it’s getting worse. The longer they stay quiet, the angrier people are getting. The Prime Minister is due to make an announcement tomorrow morning, and I’m hoping he addresses this. I’m not sure he will but… I have some hope.” “Are you going to see it?” “It’ll be broadcast so, we can watch it here. It’s safe here. Any Lost Child who even goes near to Downing Street runs the risk of being shot on site. You can watch it safely here, if you’d like.” We both nodded in time with one another. I’d heard and read words of praise towards our government when I was at school, and I had seen images of the man running our country before, but not much else. I’d never heard his voice, I didn’t know what his views were, what he believed in and what he wanted to achieve for our country, so I was utterly intrigued to hear him speak. Even if he didn’t mention the images of Marby that now littered his city, I was still keen to know what he would talk about. “Can I ask you both something?” We looked up to him a little, still rushing down the food he’d given us, and there was still some surprise in his eyes over the way we ate, like he wasn’t quite expecting to see us so desperate. I nodded. “They say Mortemosis was a mistake. They say its original intent was to kill the children. Which is twisted enough in itself, but… Do you really think it was a mistake?” “Are you saying you think they did this on purpose?” Harry dropped his cutlery for a moment. “I’m asking what you think.” “I’ve always thought they did it on purpose.” Harry almost smirked. “I think they knew exactly what they were doing when they created that disease. They wanted the parent’s dead. They thought they could control us but they can’t, and that’s why the Krows are killing us.” Gardan smiled along with him, the two of them looking almost sinister as they mulled over conspiracy theories that I had only found out existed once I met Harry, and it was clear they agreed with one another. I wished I could even attempt at joining their conversation, but I hadn’t read the things Harry had. I hadn’t been allowed access to the information that the two of them had. I dropped my head again, continuing my meal. “Do you think they have a cure?” He continued his questions, aimed at both of us, and answered by Harry. “I dunno. A part of me thinks they would have used it by now, if they did. I don’t think this worked the way they thought it would.” “Population rates did drop.” “Yeah, that’s true.” Harry sighed. “But I still think that this isn’t what they wanted. But I dunno… no matter what it is, it’s fucking twisted. It’s hard to read the minds of people like that.” “You know curse words.” Gardan’s eyes went wide, a delighted smile rupturing his cheeks. That just made Harry grin even more, his eyes darkening with pride. He loved the fact he knew more than most, that he could meet people like the educated man ahead of us, and surprise them. “I know more than you think.” He replied smugly, exceedingly proud of himself, and he should have been. 9:01PM I couldn’t speak as Gardan introduced me to the room I would be spending my night in. It's simplicity was beautiful to me, nothing in there but pristine cream walls and a bed that looked like you could drown within the sheets, so welcoming to me that I had to bite back tears. It didn’t seem real. Nothing that had happened over the past few weeks seemed real, and I think it all just hit me in that moment. Meeting Marby. Meeting Harry. Losing Marby. Learning from Harry. Learning to read again. Allowing myself to become attached to a boy who had educated himself. Finding Gardan. Killing a Krow. Every single thing punched at my stomach as an ominous reminder that my whole life had been turned on its head in such a short space of time, and all those memories and feelings seemed to be stuffed within the thick duvet that was going to wrap around my body for one night, and one night only. I swallowed thickly, hoping my tears would diminish. They didn’t. They began to fall gently as Gardan flicked on a small light that lived beside the bed, and then he turned around and saw me. “Why’re you crying?” He approached me hesitantly. “I’ve just… never had my own room before. I’ve never really stayed in a proper bed before. It’s a lot to take in, y’know?” He couldn’t understand it, he’d never be able to. This is why Harry had always doubted anyone who wasn’t a Lost Child. They could sympathize, but they’d truly understand our lives. They’d never really be able to wrap their heads around how difficult it was just to exist under our circumstances. “I hope you sleep well.” He nodded after a while, not sure what else to say. “Thank you.” “Goodnight.” He wished. He nodded, and then took my eyes to Harry, who was stood out in the hallway with a noticeable lump in his throat as he waited to be guided to his room, lost for words. And then the door closed, and I was alone. I stood awkwardly on my spot for a long time before I began to slowly remove my clothes, knowing that I would be too warm if I was to keep them on. It was all so foreign, but I was slowly allowing myself to feel excited rather than just utterly overwhelmed. I was so ready to sleep well, for what might have been the very first time in my entire life. I left on a thin layer, that just about covered most of my decency before I lifted the sheets, and placed myself beneath them, sinking into the mattress and feeling like I was floating. More tears fell as I wrapped myself up tightly, and it was silly really. It was materialistic and minor, but at the same time it was everything. It meant everything to me. I was protected, in someone’s home, no risk of the Krows entering at any moment, no harsh winds, nothing but blissful safety and silence. Even so, I left the light on. It was a long time before I calmed, squeezing the sheets ever tighter against my frame, and my head felt heavy, but in a way I hadn’t experienced before. It wasn’t heavy with thoughts, or worries, but somehow it was heavy with utter nothingness. And then there was a small knock on the door. I turned so I was facing the right way, and I watched as Harry slowly opened it. He was wearing next to nothing, stood in my doorway with some black shorts on and nothing else, his face low. I sat up instantly, completely alarmed by the mournful look upon his delicate features. He looked trapped somewhere between confused and heartbroken. “Is everything okay?” I gasped. He lifted his eyes from the floor and let them greet my own, biting nervously at his lip before he managed to speak. “Can I stay with you?” He looked so sad, and I suppose it was difficult to understand. He and Gardan had continued their animated conversation over our food and beyond, talking of theories and thoughts that kept the two of them awake at night, and I had almost seen the conversation breathe this new life into him. He was excited and tested and intrigued by the things they’d spoken about, and I felt like I’d never seen him happier. But seeing him then, stood in the doorway, he’d never looked sadder. So I nodded, hitching to one side of the bed as he shut the door behind himself and approached me, clambering under the sheets as I had, and tucking himself up tightly. I looked into his eyes for a few moments, aching to ask what was wrong, but knowing he probably couldn’t word it. It wasn’t really something he could explain to me, just this feeling of sorrow that had overcome him. I gave him a timid smile before turning and facing the other way, unable to look at the pain in his eyes any longer, wishing there was something I could do to help him. Within seconds of me turning, he moved, forcefully wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me so that I crashed against his body, and although it was quick and harsh, I didn’t feel shocked. I simply accepted the way he’d repositioned our bodies, his lips gently grazing the back of my neck, body perfect against mine, arms tightly wound around me like he was scared I could slip away from him. We lay in silence, breathing in our proximity and closing our eyes, and I eased. “I somehow still felt cold without you.” He whispered. And although I didn’t admit it out loud because I could barely admit it to myself, I knew exactly what he meant, and I had felt exactly the same way. 8:41AM By the time I awoke, I found that I had turned in my sleep, still tucked against Harry’s broad body, but facing him. My eyes fluttered open, and it was nice to awake feeling completely calm, still warm and comforted, and I found myself nudging even closer to the boy whose arms were held tight around my back. I looked up to him, the tips of my fingers subconsciously tracing tiny circles against his chest, loving his steady breathing and how at peace he seemed. I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay entombed there forever, lost within that one moment that seemed so beautiful and simple compared to every other second of my sorry life. Watching him sleep, I knew, was one of the most stunning sights I’d ever been able to behold. I should have known I’d never be able to bask in that feeling for too long, because when he began to sweetly stir, it utterly shattered the temporary existence I’d adorned, and left me craving the imaginary life I’d briefly found myself within. He awoke with as much ease as I did, tilting his head down just slightly so he could see me fully, noting how close we still lay, but not moving. “Morning.” He greeted, and I swear, his arms tightened even more, his voice deep and delightful. “Do you think this how normal people feel?” I whispered up to him. “Some people get to wake up every morning like this.” “This is what I want.” He lifted one hand, beginning to stroke neatly through the hair at the back of head. “My dream. A house and… Waking up with someone there. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.” “I know you thought I’d want something selfless, if I could have anything, but… I dunno. That was before I knew what this would be like.” It seemed him waking hadn’t pulled me from my fantasy at all, instead dragging me further in, letting the fictional world that felt so cruel in its kindness last a short while longer. Suddenly, I felt his lips against my head, pattering a small and tender to kiss to the centre of my forehead as I closed my eyes and breathed him in, wondering if we could possibly manage to stay for one more night. He'd kept us safe, and our trust with him had never been stronger. “How rich do you think Gardan is?” Harry smiled. “We’ll kick him out and force him to live somewhere else, and we can stay here.” It was nice to be laughing, something that felt so rare in my life it was almost like I had to hide it, burying my face into his chest and giggling there instead. “We could make a life for ourselves, Jax. We’re both clever enough. Think of what we could achieve together if we weren’t Lost Children.” “Don’t be silly.” I smiled. “I’m serious! Look at what we’ve achieved already.” “But do you think… if we weren’t Lost Children… do you think we’d even care? Or do you think we’d just ignore the world, like most people do.” His face dropped somewhat, only taking a moment to mull over my question before he answered. “I dunno… And that scares me.” He answered honestly. It was something that terrified me too, the thought that I may be one those people who blissfully went about their lives if we were lucky enough to live somewhere, have homes and lives and jobs. It was easy to say we wouldn’t be that way, but we’d never know for sure. It was a haunting idea, and one we didn’t want to dwell on. “We should get up.” I sighed, unstitching our bodies. He lay there for a while longer as I got up, slowly dressing myself and questioning where our lives would take us from then on. I couldn’t help but feel like maybe things would just go downhill from there, and it broke my heart. Harry lay staring up to the ceiling the entire time I readied myself, obviously not quite prepared to pull himself away from our wonderland. “I’ll meet you downstairs.” I smiled weakly, and didn’t receive a reply. I scurried downwards without looking back to him, feeling sad and wistful and happy and consoled all at the same time. It was becoming increasingly difficult to place my emotions. I was a little hesitant as I made my way downstairs, not sure where I was or wasn’t allowed, what was or wasn’t rude. I moved slowly, letting my fingertips stroke across the walls and objects that I passed on my journey, taking in the building in every way I could before I had to leave again. I eventually found myself wandering towards the kitchen, where I found Gardan preparing even more food. “Good morning!” He greeted cheerily. “How did you sleep?” “V’never slept like that in my life. I… I dunno how to say thanks.” “There’s no need.” He dismissed. “No, I need to find a way. You don’t know what this means to us. How big this is for us. It’s been amazing, so… Thank you.” “I enjoyed having you here. My doors always open for you, I hope you know that.” It dawned on me in that moment, the exact reason I knew that me and Harry wouldn’t spend more nights there, no matter how heavenly it had been. It would demolish that line between everything we had known, and everything we had always dreamed of having. Being there with him, we could turn our backs on our lives, shun our previous existence and begin anew, and somehow that wasn’t enough for us. We didn’t want to become those people we feared, the ones who went about their lives ignoring their fellow human, the ones who slept on street corners and were taken in the middle of the night. Being there had helped us to ignore the world outside, and we didn’t want to do that. We couldn’t. We’d rather continue an honest existence than begin a fake one, no matter how chilling our current one was. Even so, I nodded, and thanked him. “The Prime Minister is about to make his speech. Would you like to watch?” “Yes.” He walked us into the other room, Harry appearing from the top of the stairs and making his way downwards as Gardan somehow made an image appear upon his wall, live footage from outside our Prime Ministers home, reporters stood eagerly awaiting his speech. “What’s his name?” I asked. “Pete Banning.” Gardan answered. “Do you like him?” “I strongly dislike him.” He sighed. “I strongly believe that he is not a good man. Not just politician, but man. A poor excuse for a human being. Some of his policies are literally put in place to make life more difficult for people on poor wages. He’s taken away their free healthcare. He’s lowered wages. He’s even in the process of making it so those who didn’t go to university get paid less, even if they’re in the same job role as someone who did. He’s scum.” Harry came and stood beside me, looking up to the images, utterly intrigued. I just looked at him. We were left alone once more as our host went to finish making our morning meal, and that’s when the image ahead of us showed a man walking through a door marked 10, smiling and waving as flashes bolted across his body like he was being struck by lightning over and over again. “He has to mention her.” Harry whispered. “He just has to.” I wanted him to mention her too; to acknowledge what had been going on in his city, the anger of the people and the fact they finally wanted answers to questions they hadn’t fully dared to ask before. “If he doesn’t mention it, people will just be angrier.” I swallowed. “If he doesn’t mention it-” “People will riot.” Harry nodded. “So maybe… it would be best if he didn’t.” I swallowed, watching as the man onscreen asked the crowds to calm down, ready to speak. “Maybe… Don’t we want people to be angry?” Harry didn’t get the chance to answer, because Pete Banning began talking, and we both shut ourselves up immediately, our ears pricking with intrigue. “I’d like to thank you all for coming today, despite the weather.” He grinned, and despite what Gardan had just told us, I found myself automatically pulled to the man. He was charming. “I’ve invited you all here today, as I believe it’s utterly necessary that I address the images that have been appearing across our once beautiful city, and the message they convey.” “Once beautiful city.” Harry scowled as he repeated his words. “Like Marby somehow made it ugly. Fuck this. I can’t watch.” He sulked over to the sofa and sat himself down, covering his eyes as Gardan walked back into the room, eyes on the screen as he took Harry’s spot. “I am shocked, by the notion, and the implication, that our Krows are sent out onto the streets of our wonderful city, for any other reason than to help those who need it most.” He continued, strong, powerful. “The taxpayer’s money, would never be used to harm another human being, no matter who they are. What the Krows do, is wonderful work, and it is kept private for many reasons. The scheme they put into place, helps these children to work within our world. We have found them homes. We have found them jobs. We have given them educations, and it’s all thanks to the Krows.” “He’s fucking lying!” Harry spat, practically jumping back to his feet. “People aren’t going to believe this shit. Tell me people won’t believe this?” Gardan remained quiet, staring up to the screen with a sombre look, refusing to answer Harry, which just made us feel worse. Because people were going to buy into what he was saying. It was an easier pill to swallow, and from what Gardan had told us, this was exactly the kind of thing that the general public were susceptible to. “To think that people believe we would send out workers to hurt, and even kill these innocent children, who we have always tried to help-” “BULLSHIT!” Harry screamed. “-upsets me deeply. For many reasons. Not just because I am proud, of the work that the Krows do, and the danger they put themselves in order to make this city a safer place to live. But… because… I have a very personal connection with Lost Children.” He seemed to be losing some of that confidence, and I really couldn’t tell if it was completely contrived in order to make the people of London calm down, or if it was genuine. Harry neared the screen, his eyes wide as Mr Banning tried to compose himself in order to continue. “What the fuck is he doing?” Harry gasped quietly. “What the fuck is he doing?” “I never planned on sharing this information.” The man onscreen continued. “But I feel as though I owe my people the truth.” “This is bad.” Gardan shuddered. “He’s making himself weak. He’s making himself human. Fuck.” “Nineteen years ago,” He continued, his voice broken, and you could just about make out his trembles, the image zooming in on his face. “A woman I loved very dearly gave birth… to our child.” “He’s not doing this.” Gardan quaked. “There’s no way…” We were all utterly transfixed, and I think we’d all taken steps closer to the image without even fully realising we had, our mouths and eyes wide as we came to terms with what he was saying, and what he was about to share. “And before I was even made aware, of the birth of our beautiful daughter, Wendy… Mortemosis had taken the life of the woman I loved. I searched mercilessly to find my daughter… but she had become lost in a school system which abolished her name, and her identity.” I was in shock. I wasn’t even sure I believed what he was saying to be true, but either way, it was shocking. He either had a daughter who became a Lost Child, or he was pretending he did in order to stop people attacking him and the minions he had working for him. I felt sick. “I would never, ever, agree for anyone to hurt any child, as it would feel like hurting my family, my flesh and blood. I aim to keep those children safe, and I’ve never wanted any different. I pray, every night, that my daughter is alive and well, and I would never do anything if I thought it may harm her. I would never want to harm any of those children, who remain strong and noble in the face of adversity. The Krows are available to help, and they will continue their work, no matter the doubts. Thank you for your time.” With one last nod towards the crowd ahead of him, and what sounded like hundreds of voices screaming questions in his direction, he turned, and walked back through the door he had walked out of only a few minutes earlier. And we remained silent, staring upwards, blank words, blank minds, blank hearts.

[calpia]

yuuta only has one mom and its avi i am MAGES ok