|| that dark abyss .

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

I'm figuring now is a good time to start
keeping all my dang challenges on one thread.
Sooo that's what I'm gonna do.

comment awaaaay c:

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

ＲＡＮＤＯＭ
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inspired by a song
fan fiction
fantasy
realistic fiction
journal entry | x
action
drama | x
mystery
horror
crime | x
romance | x
suspense | x
historical
adventure
best friends | x
enemies
awkward | x
sad
happy

ＰＲＥＶＩＯＵＳ
ＣＨＡＬＬＥＮＧＥＳ
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one-shots | x
100 scenes | x
rainbow | x

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_________________

person switch | x x x
no dialogue
just dialogue | x
one character
color
smell
weather | x
sound
touch
love | x
anger | x
happiness
humor | x
sadness | x
fear | x
alternate reality | x
alternate ending
interaction
illness
personality break | x
parents

Ｓ Ｏ Ｎ Ｇ
_________________

Any Other Way
I Lived
Seeing Stars
It Will Come Back
Show You
Shut Up and Dance
Alibis
Crazy
Unkiss Me
Helpless When She Smiles

ＣＨＡＲＡＣＴＥＲＳ
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Swindle

(gen. 2)
Erren Elmwood
Rosemary "Rose" Conway
Lily Conway
Marcello Nicchi

(gen. 3)
Constance Elmwood
Anne "Annie" Elmwood
Harlan Bree

(gen. 1)
Scarlet Waters
Vincenzo "Vin" Esposito
Elizabeth "Beth" Watson
William "Will" Conway
Warren Elmwood
Fiorenza "Fia" Nicchi

Shadows of Mysterium
Rune/Nayden Hatch; no powers
Säde; halfblood; light manipulation
Eirian/Phoenix Trint; pyrokenesis

random supernatural loners
Hazel Wood; f; witch; 19
Weylin Lovell; m; warewolf; 18
Piper Buckley; f; ghost; ~300/17
Tiran Effram; m; empath; 19
Khodai Vasile; m; vampire; ~700/22
Avis Roma; f; shapeshifter; 21
Aërolite "Aero" Augustine; f; xylomancer; 23
Gniffeth Threadhorn; m; elemental; 20

this will probably be added to

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3 & 5 heart to heart
6, 2, & 10 lost
5 & 10 rescue 4
9, 3, 6, & 5 end of the world
8 & 1 by themselves.
9 & 10 puppy
4, 5, & 6 ramen
8 vs. 4
6. 4, & 8 reckless
4 & 2 & heavy metal
1, 5, & 7 graveyard
5 & 1 disagreement
9 & 3 "Titanium, by Sia"
2 & 10 "... you're stupid."
6 & 7 "houston we have a problem"
8 & 4 salsa dancing
1 vs. 10
6 & 2 "Just pull it out!"
1, 2, 3, 4, & 9 freebee
7 & 9 maroon
.

1. Scarlet
2. Vin
3. Beth
4. Will
5. Erren
6. Rosemary
7. Lily
8. Warren
9. Fia
10. Marcello

1. Nayden
2. Weylin
3. Phoenix
4. Hazel
5. Sadie
6. Tiran
7. Khodai
8. Avis
9. Aero
10. Gniffeth

I put two lists because... I have many characters.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

reserved
because let's face it
I'll probably need this at some point

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

shadows of mysterium // rune and säde as nayden and sadie // 5,450 words
if säde had been on earth with amnesia rather than rune on mysterium with amnesia.
send help. S. O. S. too long. can't stop. ehhhhh
yolo -continues already incredibly long scene-

__________________________________________________________________

Washington state was not known for it's heat and sunshine. Though there were some cities that proved the stereotype to be a misconception, Seattle was not one of those cities. So, the rare gem of a day that began sunny and warm was taken advantage of, as it could end any second.

A single figure ambled through a forest absentmindedly, hands in his pockets as he kicked at the leaves and undergrowth. The forest was only a small patch of trails in the middle of a bustling city, but it was dense enough that one could easily feel lost and cut off from society only a few steps in. About a year ago, the boy had discovered that if he followed the trails long enough, he would be spat out at a park near the beach, and that was where he wanted to spend the day despite the inevitable fact that the entire city would undoubtedly be there.

As he broke away from the trees along the ravine that ran under a busy bridge, he precariously picked his way along the edge, hardly intimidated by the jagged stones. Suddenly, the wind passed through and blew is long, dark hair into his face and the boy stumbled. Eyes widening, he caught himself, balancing on the edge of the rock he stood on and watched the pebbles he'd knocked loose scatter their way down into the trickling stream below.

It was watching the descent of the dust that made something he hadn't noticed before catch his eye. Freezing in his tracks, he stared in disbelief at the limp figure of a girl at the bottom of the ravine, her arm and platinum hair drifting in the gentle current.

"Oh [censored]," he whispered to himself, glancing around nervously for anyone else hat may have been around. When he saw no one, he looked back down at her and with a shaky release of breath, rushed over the edge of the raving, crouching as to slide down the dusty hill rather than trying to walk without falling.

Stopping himself before he hit the water, he sprung up and strode towards the figure, steps slowing hesitantly as he drew closer. What was he expecting to find? What if she was dead? If he reported it would they think he did this? What if she wasn't and she thought it was his fault? What if she had been part of some kind of mafia conspiracy set out to expose the intentions of the illuminati and they tried disposing of her and would come after him for figuring out their plan?

With a groan, he decided none of those mattered. Priorities sorted, he had to make sure she was alright.

Crouching beside the limp body, he watched for a rise and fall of her chest, but found none. Reaching forward, he pressed his fingers against her- surprisingly warm- neck. Her breathing had stopped, but her heart had not. Yet.

Frantic, he searched his mind for whatever CPR training he'd learned from movies, but it quickly became irrelevant. Startled from his touch, the girl jolted to life, eyes flying open as she twisted her torso to cough up lungfuls of water.

The boy fell back in shock, landing heavily on his hands as he sat back and watched her hack with wide eyes. She was startlingly pale, but he passed it off as a result of her near-death experience. She seemed to be somewhere around his age- perhaps seventeen to nineteen? Then again, he could have been horridly wrong, as he had not gotten a clear view of her face.

When the girl seemed to have all the water rid from her lungs, she brushed her long, wet hair behind her ear with a shaking hand and turned her head. The second she caught sight of the boy, she let out a small, breathless yelp and fall back into the shallow water.

"No, wait-" he said quickly, holding out a hand. "I'm sorry- I didn't mean to frighten you." She paused but continued to breathe heavily, remaining wary. Were her eyes... Different colors? He cleared his throat and shifted into a crouch once more, draping one arm over his knee and reaching the hand of the other out to her. "Are you alright?"

Eyeing him carefully, the girl reached out to take his hand and he pulled her to her feet, both of them standing together. The second she stood, she released her grip and took hasty steps back.

"My name is Nayden," he said cautiously, afraid to scare her away in case she was hurt.

After a moment the girl took a breath to respond, but only managed a single word. "I'm-" She paused and looked to the ground, scanning it in confusion. "I... I don't know." She then looked up at Nayden. "How did I get here?"

He bit back a gasp of surprise at her accent- Russian. "Mafia," he whispered under his breath. "I knew it."

"What?" She asked sharply.

"Nothing," he said hastily. "Uhh-" he then let out a breath and grasped the back of his neck. "I don't know how you got here, I just- I just found you," he explained quickly. "What happened?"

"I don't know what happened, that's why I asked," she said hastily, beginning to shake and trying to focus on taking deep breaths. "I don't remember anything."

"Oh," he said simply, rocking on his heels, as he was unsure of what to say to console her. "Well..." He began. "Would you like me to take you to... A police station? Or a... Hospital..." he offered.

"No," she said hastily. "I'll... I'll remember in a few minutes," she insisted, pulling her hair over a shoulder.

"Alright, well..." He paused to jab a thumb over his shoulder. "I'll just be heading to the beach now. You're welcome to come if you want. Maybe something will seem familiar?"

The girl simply looked to him, then away, slowly turning and wrapping her arms around her torso.

He felt truly terrible leaving her, but he couldn't exactly drag her somewhere against her will. Besides, maybe she'd change her mind before he was gone. Turning on a heel, Nayden began to pick his way back up the ravine with wide steps.

Once he made it back to the top, he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued (slowly) on his way. He couldn't help but grin when he heard scrambling behind him, only stopping to turn when a voice called out.

"Sadie," the girl said, rushing up to his side. "That's my name," she confirmed with a grin. "I told you I'd remember."

"Sadie's nice," he commented, continuing down the path with her at his side. "Suits you."

"Does it?" She mused, then shrugged it off. "What about your name? Where did Nayden come from?" She teased.

"Ugh," he groaned. "It's a combination of my two grandfathers' names," he muttered. "It's terrible, I know, but-" he concluded the sentence with a shrug. "But apparently," he continued suddenly, "It's actually a real name. It means... Found, or something."

"Well then I guess it fits better than I thought," Sadie said with a chuckle. "I'm quite lost, obviously. You would be the one to find me with a name like that."

He let out a small laugh and then continued on in silence as the path gave way to a steep, abandoned road. Her words seemed casual and comfortable, but her body language spoke something else entirely. She lingered a few steps behind him, her expression wary.

The second they broke the treeline, they were met with a powerful blast of wind that made a chill reach the half soaked girl's spine, causing her to tremble. Nayden glanced behind him and stopped short, unzipping his tattered black hoodie to shrug it off. "Oh- here," he offered, holding it out to her with a crooked smile. "Sorry- I should have thought of that sooner."

"Oh- Thank you," she murmured, a light blush reaching her cheeks as she took the thing and thrust her arms through it, the sleeves far too long. She eyed him curiously as they began to walk once more, across a field and towards a park. "Why are you being so nice?" she mused aloud.

He simply scoffed playfully, pushing up the sleeves to the red plaid shirt he wore unbuttoned over a black one. "I literally found you in a ditch," he pointed out. "I think your day has been crappy enough."

"Yeah..." She mused, pursing her lips. "I wonder how I got there."

"Something tells me you may not want to remember," he said with a ring of seriousness. He stopped short when a soccer ball rolled in front of him, casually kicking it back to the kids it belonged to with a small smile.

Sadie flinched when a flashing object caught her eye. She glanced over to see a silver tag on a leather chord bouncing against Nayden's chest, which had previously been hidden by the hoodie she now wore. "That's neat," she commented in an attempt to create small talk, gesturing to it. "Where'd you get it?"

He looked over at her then down at the pendant before running a hand through his dark, shoulder-length hair. "Eh- my mother gave it to me," he puffed.

"Oh," she said cheerily. "I bet it makes her happy that you wear it."

Nayden cringed inwardly and slid his hand to the back of his neck. "Actually... She's, uh... Gone," he sighed. "Dead."

"Oh," Sadie squeaked apologetically. "I'm sorry... I lost my mother as well."

It took a moment, but after such a short time had past they both exchanged grins. "Hey, you remembered something," he said with a smile.

"I did!" She cheered, then her expression fell once more. "Really wish I hadn't remembered that, though," she sighed, then pinched her brows together. "I don't think it was all that long ago. I think... I think it's only been a couple weeks."

"Woah," Nayden said suddenly, taking her by the shoulders and jerking her aside, out of the way of a child on the swings which she had been too distracted to notice. "Watch out," he laughed.

"Thanks," Sadie squeaked, wide-eyed.

They crossed the bark chips of the playground filled with screeching children followed by the street, continuing along a sidewalk until they crossed a much busier street that lead to a sidewalk along the sand. "You have to be extra careful here," he teased. "Skaters and bikers will mow you down in a second."

Sadie let out a small laugh and scanned the beach, a smile touching her face as she watched all the people. It was extremely crowded and a bit overwhelming. As a subconscious response, she gravitated towards the boy beside her. "Where are we going?" She finally dared to ask, wondering why he never turned onto the sand.

"Not here," he said with a scoff, the sidewalk giving way to a ledge as the sand levels dropped dramatically. He casually leaped upon the edge, walking in a careful line at a steady pace as if it had been a well seasoned practice.

Sadie looked up at him with a mischievous smirk before reaching up and shoving her hand against his arm.

With a startled yelp, Nayden staggered and jumped down into the sand before he lost his balance. He then craned his head back, squinting against the sun, to look accusingly at the girl. "What was that for?" He demanded, though could not keep a laugh out of his voice. She simply shrugged teasingly and he raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I will get you back for that," he threatened.

"If you can get back up," Sadie taunted, as the ledge was higher than his head.

Pursing his lips, Nayden turned his head and spotted a stone staircase back up to the sidewalk a short distance away, then smirked at her. Growing in realization, Sadie let out a laugh and began to run towards the stairs and Nayden scrambled to follow along the beach, struggling considerably to keep up and continuously stumbling in the sand.

By the time he rushed up the stairs, fingertips brushing the wide steps more than once, the girl was far ahead and turned to face him. "Come on, slow poke!" She taunted, her voice startling off more than a few pigeons.

Face crossing with a look of determination, Nayden bolted after Sadie, who let out a laugh of surprise and quickly turned to run.

This continued for a long while before it became clear the boy could not catch her. He continued sluggishly, doubled over in an attempt to catch his breath as Sadie's giggled echoed a short distance ahead. "I surrender," he shouted breathlessly. "I give up." He'd have to think of another way to get her back.

Sadie approached him cautiously, like a hesitant wolf, circling him before standing at his side with a small shove. "Loser," she giggled.

Nayden pressed his lips together with a sigh before glancing around and tapping her arm with the back of his hand. "Hey- this is where I was trying to go anyway." He cut in front of her, leaping a metal rail and swiftly descending a pile of driftwood rather than using the concrete ramp that Sade drifted down with a small shake of her head.

There was not one person on this part of the beach- probably because it was rocky and difficult to walk on. She crossed her arms, teetering on the baseball sized stones and watched Nayden prance around like a gazelle, far more excited than she could make sense of.

"Come here!" He called from beside a scattering of larger rocks.

Raising an eyebrow, Sadie cautiously picked her way towards him. "What is it?"

"I want to give you something," he said earnestly, having kicked a rock to the side before she'd arrived. "Hold out your hand."

A smile pricked at the corners of her mouth. "Alright," she said carefully, holding out her and as instructed.

"Close your eyes, too," he said, and she did so. He bit back a scoff. So gullible. He swiftly bent and snatched a tiny crab from a puddle revealed by the rock he'd kicked over, placing it in her hand.

The second she felt something move, Sadie's eyes flung open and she let out a yelp, impulsively tossing the thing.

Nayden watched with a frown as the little crab hit the ground and scuttled away unscathed before looking at her accusingly. "That wasn't very nice."

"That was a crab!" She argued in a high pitched tone, pointing at it.

"Uh, yeah," he confirmed, kicking over a bigger rock than last time. At least six crabs scrambled for new shelter and he smirked at the girl. "It's a beach."

Sadie stared at them, color draining from her face before she turned and walked away.

Nayden's grin only widened as he rushed after her and grabbed her hand, yanking her forward. "Good idea! Let's go this way."

"Oh god, why," she asked flatly, though wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

He didn't answer, just pulled her across the beach toward the twenty foot beams of a dock that held up a few precariously placed houses. The water under the dock was knee deep, but it did not stop him- nor did Sadie's cries of protest. Finally, he stopped and turned to her with an expectant smile.

She simply looked at him and waited. "What?" She pressed.

His face fell. "What do you mean what? Look around!"

Hesitantly, Sadie looked up and followed the beams into the water- and that's when she noticed what he was talking about. At first, she let out a small gasp, but relaxed after only a moment, even allowing a smile to reach her.

Starfish plastered the first two feet of every pillar, bigger than her hand and vibrant shades of orange and violet.

"Touch one," Nayden dared.

"What?" She laughed, thinking he was kidding.

"Yeah, just touch one," he snickered. "They don't do anything- watch." He waded closer to a pole and leaned over, brushing the back of a starfish. And just as he said, it did nothing. "Come on- or are you afraid?"

"No," she said immediately. "Of course I'm not afraid."

"Come on, then," he pressed, waving his arms towards the creatures.

Sadie looked at him but he only offered an encouraging nod. Tentatively, she inched her way closer and stretched out an arm, barely touching the back of one with one finger.

Rolling his eyes, Nayden seized her wrist and shoved her palm against it, causing a gasp to escape her as she cringed. "It's not that bad," he insisted, grip loosening. "They don't do much. Unless you were a fish. If you were a fish, then you should be worried." He then looked at her innocently. "Are you a fish?"

"No," she giggled, still gritting her teeth at the rough feel. She thought they'd be soft and slimy, but they were not. Instead, they felt like jagged stone and it caught her off guard.

He looked her over, as she did not try very hard to hide her discomfort. "Would you rather go poke some tube worms?" He asked.

Sadie squeezed her eyes shut tight and bit back a groan. "Please don't make me do that."

Nayden snickered and straightened up, releasing her hand, which she hastily retracted. "Alright, alright, I won't make you touch the tube worms," he agreed in mock disappointment.

"How kind of you," she teased sarcastically.

However, he had glanced over his shoulder at the horizon beyond the dock. The sun was nearing the horizon at a dangerous pace. "It's getting late," he pointed out before looking to her with a concerned expression. "Do you remember where you live or... Anything?"

She looked at him in deep thought, then shook her head. "No," she answered with a sigh.

"And you're sure you don't want me to bring you to-"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I'd rather freeze out here than say in a station or a hospital," she grumbled.

"You wouldn't say that if you actually had to," he muttered with a humorless, crooked grin.

"What?" She asked earnestly.

"Nothing," he said quickly, reaching up to ruffle his hair before checking the tattered black leather watch on his wrist. "I know somewhere you can stay, but we'd have to hurry back."

"Oh no, you've done enough alre-"

"Sadie, please," he laughed. "It's no trouble. Come on," he said, holding her hand out to her to keep her steady over the rocks. "Careful not to step on any sea slugs."

Sadie squeaked and jumped closer to him, frantically scanning the ground as he burst into laughter; although, he wasn't entirely kidding.

Though he insisted they head back as quick as possible, the journey back was still delayed by antics and dares. Every now and then, Sadie would remember little things, like her middle name or birthday, but nothing that really helped him get her home. Though he brought it up a few more times, she still stubbornly refused to be taken somewhere for reasons neither of them fully understood.

Nayden grew increasingly nervous as they strode the sidewalk along the busy street. Where he was taking her was certainly no five star hotel, but it was the best he could do. He turned to the street when they came up to a large brick building and he slowed before reaching the door.

It was a church, but not an active church. It was old and practically abandoned, but still fully functioning for the youth group that met there a few days a week. Luckily for him, they left the front door unlocked whenever it was in use. He'd contemplated blending in with the group a time or two, but they weren't exactly his type of crowd.

Before they reached the doors, he turned to face Sadie, pressing a finger to his lips before waving her over. "Don't make any sound until I say so," he said seriously, and she agreed with a nod though curiosity shot through her as to why they had to be quiet.

Slowly, Nayden opened the door, the sound of laughter echoing a safe distance down the hallway. The staircase that led up was roped so the kids would not run off to the higher levels, but it was easily stepped over. He waved Sadie inside and both of them proceeded to do just that, making their way up the stairs.

She followed him up to the third floor, the voices below long gone. White halls stretched through each level, lined with closed doors. However, she did catch sight of a grand hall with ornate stained glass windows and a looming cross hanging on one end.

When there were no more stairs to scale, Nayden walked clear to the other side of the hall, counting the doors before opening one with chipping blue paint. He twisted the knob and pushed it open, waving Sadiw inside with a smile.

She hesitantly complied, peeking through the doorway. It was not a complexly decorated room. There was an upright piano in the corner, two sofas on either end, and a dusty bookshelf with books that had not been touched in years, except for a select few.

As she stepped inside, Nayden closed the door and walked past her, ruffling his hair. "Sorry for having to be quiet," he said in a low voice. "You can be as loud as you want once everyone else is gone," he said, turning to face her with a smile. "They even have drums downstairs." A look of mischief crossed his face before swinging his arms out. "Anyway, I know it's not much, but most of the other rooms are empty."

"What is this place?" Sadie asked, wandering past him towards to peek out of the curtains drawn over the window.

"A church," he replied innocently.

"Obviously," she commented, turning to face him with an air of concern. "Do you always stay here?"

"Well, yeah," he said with a shrug, plopping down on one of the couches with a sniff. "I mean it's got electricity and running water and all the, you know, things essential to life and all," he said with a wave of his hand. "They've even left the x-box plugged into the projector a few times-"

"But why do you stay here?" She interrupted, keeping her eyes trained firmly on him even though he'd tried and failed to avoid them.

With a heavy sigh, he leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees, hazel eyes sweeping the floor. "My parents died when I was thirteen," he said tautly. "I left the orphanage the day after I turned seventeen." He offered a small shrug and looked around the room. "Employers aren't exactly keen to hire a homeless highschool dropout, and better than sleeping in the rain. Or at but stops," he added with a shudder before looking up and pointing a finger up her. "Do not try that. No matter how you wake up it will be unpleasant."

Though the comment was meant to soothe the tension, Sadie's expression only fell further. "I'm sorry..." She said in a breathy voice, but couldn't find any other words.

"Don't worry about it," he said with a smile, waving it off. "At least you won't have to stay long, with your memory returning so quickly."

Somehow, these words did not bring her the comfort he intended. "Oh," she said suddenly, changing the subject as she untied his hoodie from around her waist. She had taken it off to give her shirt a chance to dry in the sun, which it had successfully done. Now, she handed it back to him with a sheepish grin. "Here," she said softly.

Nayden leaned forward to snatch it. "Thanks," he said with a smile, tossing it over the arm of the chair. He looked over when he felt her plop beside him with an exaggerated sigh.

"How many miles do you think we walked today?" She asked breathlessly.

"Three of four," he laughed, eyeing her with amusement.

"Well," she said tautly. "I don't think I'll be doing that again anytime soon." He was about to respond before she cut him off with a gasp and turned to face him. "I remembered something!"

He raised his eyebrows in interest. "What is it?"

She cleared her throat and folded a leg onto the couch so she could face him better and held out a hand. "Give me your hand," she instructed.

Eyeing hr carefully, he obeyed, and she flipped it over so it sat palm up. She traced the lines on his hands with her finger and then stopped it at one particular point. "Well no wonder you're stuck here. Just look at that fortune line!" She exclaimed.

"What are you doing?" He laughed.

"And your fame and money line," she said with a shake of her head. "Terrible."

"Are you reading my palm?" He inquired in amusement.

"Excellent guess!" She teased. "Though I should have expected it- that head line is-" she trailed off and held up an ok symbol with her fingers. Then, something caught her eye and her finger flew back his hand as she bit back a chuckle. "Oh you poor boy."

"What?" He asked defensively, peering at his hand, though the lines meant nothing to him.

"Nothing," she said quickly, a smile quivering on her lips. "Aha!" She shouted before he had a chance to reply, spreading out his fingers with both hands and running each thumb across a different line. "Now these ones are the best."

"Which?" He asked, undoubtedly curious at this point.

"Love and heart," she said, looking up at him with a smirk.

"[censored]," he said flatly.

"No, see!" She said insistently, shifting and leaning lower. She drew a finger across the top of his palm along the first line under his fingers. "This is the heart line," she said. "It doesn't break, it continues all the way across. That indicates compassion and caring. And these-" she said, finger flicking to the side of his hand under his pinky. "These lines right here- the longer they are, the more intense relationships tend to be."

"How the hell-" he mused before giving his head a small shake. "But they're just lines!"

She shrugged with a prideful smirk, continuing to scan his hands. "So far, I can already confirm the truth behind one."

She sat there in silence a while, forgetting to inform him of her finds before noticing nothing had been said and looked up to see him simply watching with an amused expression. "You're really into this aren't you," he teased in a low tone.

"It's interesting!" She said defensively, throwing his own hand back at him.

"No, no, keep going," he laughed. "I didn't mean to spoil the fun."

She crossed her arms and turned away, raising an eyebrow over her brown eye. "I lied about the head line." He eyed her with a smirk before lunging forward and snatching her wrist, turning her hand over. "Hey! Let go!" She screeched, though a laugh still rang in her tone.

Despite her struggles, he flipped her hand over and fanned out her fingers. "Oh jesus, it looks like you don't have a very good common sense line," he said sarcastically. "And which is the love line- this one? Pitiful."

"Stop it," she laughed breathlessly, yanking her hand free of his grip.

Once his laughter subsided, Nayden checked the watch on his wrist. "They should be gone now," he said. "You hungry or something?"

"They have food here too?" She asked, voice still trembling with giggles.

"Pff yea," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "There's a whole kitchen downstairs, and they collect donations for the homeless." He extended his hand to her and hauled her up. "And that currently includes us both."

"Isn't that stealing?" She asked hesitantly, following him out the door.

He shrugged as he made his way down the hall with her in tow. "I don't ever take that much, but... I can't exactly afford to feel guilty."

"Is that why you're so thin?" She teased, though immediately recoiled, wondering if she'd gone too far.

"Probably," he admitted in a good-natured tone, easily striding down the stairs.

The place was lit only by the street lamps outside, Sadie sticking close in the dark twists and turns until a door was open and Nayden flipped the kitchen light on. He avoided turning on lights as most could be seen through one window or another, but the kitchen was safe.

Sadie stood in the doorway as he switched on the stove with a kettle upon it and shuffled through the cupboards until he dug out some ramen cups and tossed her a crooked smile, gesturing to her. "In Soviet Russia, noodle eat you?"

Despite his breathy laughs, Sadie's expression remained thoroughly unamused. Nayden clicked his mouth shut and quietly continued preparing said noodles. "Tough crowd," he muttered under his breath.

The ramen took all of five minutes to prepare, at which point Nayden rushed the two of them up the stairs to the second level where the projector was nestled into one of the rooms. He bounded inside and let out somewhat of a victory cry. "Yes! They left the x-box and a movie."

"What movie?" Sadie asked curiously, wandering in after him.

He shrugged and swiped the case off the table before a wide grin spread across his face. "The Matrix," he cackled excitedly.

Sadie paused and watched as he turned on all the equipment, narrowing her eyes in thought. "I... Don't think I've seen that."

He resisted the urge to exclaim his disapproval. "Well, lucky for you, that's what we're watching." He then paused, freezing wide-eyed as if he'd just remembered something.

"Nayden?" Sadie asked carefully. "Is something wrong?"

"Sadie," he began slowly, straightening up and running a hand through his hair. "What day is it?"

"Are you really asking me that?" She asked flatly.

"... Touche," he grumbled, going back to count the days. "Oh man- it's Sunday."

"And?" She pressed.

He turned to face her with a crooked, sheepish grin. "Weeeeell... As it may turnout, the building could be locked up until... Wednesday..."

Sadie paused, not exactly sure how to react. Ultimately, she decided to shrug it off and plop onto the couch in the middle of the room. "This better be a damn good movie, then."

Nayden paused, eyeing her as he put the disc in the console. "You don't seem particularly keen on being found," he commented cautiously.

A distant look grew in her eyes and she let out a small breath. "I know, I just... Something keeps telling me that I should just... Stay lost."

"You really think that's a good idea?" He asked slowly, swiping the remote off the table before sitting beside her. "People will be looking for you."

She slowly began to shake her head before looking over at him. "Nnno, I... Don't think they will."

He looked at her a long moment before turning to the screen and fiddling with the remote to get the movie going. "Well, then this is the place to be," he said lightly. "No better place to be lost and unwanted."

Sadie offered a small chuckle and nudged him. "But don't you remember?" She commented. "We're both found."

This brought a smile to his lips and he looked over to raise a questioning eyebrow. "And wanted?"

"Don't push it," she muttered playfully and he turned back towards the screen with a chuckle, placing the remote back on the table as the movie began.

Biting her lower lip, conflicted, Sadie paused before lurching forward and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you," she murmured.

Nayden froze then looked at her in surprise before leaning back with a crooked grin and a newfound rosy hue to his face. "Of course," he replied. "Just don't turn out to be some kind of psycho killer in the middle of the night, because, you know, stranger danger and warewolves or whatever."

"Is that a thing?" She said sarcastically.

"Apparently," he replied. "Now shut up and watch the best movie ever."

She complied without another word, but alas, Sadie did not make it through even half an hour, falling asleep with her head slumped against Nayden's shoulder. "In Soviet Russia, sleep falls on you," he whispered, trying to keep his giggles to a minimum as to not jar her awake.

Luckily she had three more days left with nothing but opportunity.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // scarlet and vin // 2,000 words
switch to first person perspective
I'll be writing the same scene twice from different points of view.
This first one will be Vin; something tells me Scarlet's will be much shorter.

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A great many things had changed since I... Died.

God above, that is still unsettling to think about; though- unlike everything else- I do not think that will ever change.

Perspective was by far the most drastic difference of all. Though the world around me remained the same, I felt as though until that point I had been seeing through a pinhole. Waking up to a new life was just that, and I had been reborn. So much fear had plagued my life before, but fear of what? After facing the inevitable threat that looms over us all first hand, fear seemed nothing more than a waste of emotion. Not to say I was void of it completely, but considerably less so. Selfishly, I no longer feared for myself, but rather those I cared for. Not afraid of them losing their lives; no. It was not as horrible as mortal men make it seem. No, rather having to live without them was what I began to dread so wholly.

This shift of fear was cause enough for my behavior to change entirely, and I know others noticed. It made me rethink my priorities and it brought to light what- and who- I truly cared for. Though I emerged bolder from the shell of a coward, I was only slightly more reckless. I do not go around parading every thought I have and I understand, despite the dangers of my occupation, that caution and time are necessary to accomplish the simplest of things.

Though even this did not seem to be enough for some people.

"Where the hell is it?!"

Nearly two years with this woman and I still could not understand how her voice could be the sweetest sound one second and cringe-worthy the next.

I watched as she spun where she stood, seeking out the treasure we'd been after since before we'd even crossed paths, her face quickly turning the shade of the hair that held a special place of absolute loathing in the deepest depths of my soul. It would be breathtakingly gorgeous if she'd just take proper care of the crimson curls, but nooo.

A tiny garnet that gleamed a similar shade hung from a tassel in my own hand that she'd untangled from the key to her cabin after discovering it to be one of the hallows we sought itself. As it turns out, it was the key to finding the cuff that would give whoever wore it the ability to bend others to their will. The garnet itself granted fortune- but only at a cost. I thought it infuriating clever that this was the case- any wise man would be afraid of the consequences; forced to rethink his priorities. Luckily, I had already done so and insisted on carrying it, simply because I was afraid. I was afraid that she wanted the hallow more than her own life; afraid that it would take it from her as a repercussion. As long as it was in my hand, she was safe, and hopefully finding the cuff was close enough to a second that it would bring that to us as well.

"Yer effecting it," she said accusingly, suddenly turning to face me with a look I knew well enough meant war in her mind. "We should've found it hours ago. Why did ye even follow?!" She was beyond frustrated, her eyes blazing like white fire. Going back to my shift of fear... The answer was simple. But I would not tell her that. It was something I was hell bent on making her see for herself.

"Maybe I did not trust that you would find it alone." That was the wrong thing to say. Never mind that my tone was sharper than I intended, but I could not think of a worse thing I could have said in that moment- a habit I seemed to be slipping into quite frequently as of late. Luckily for me she had lost her sword a ways back- dropped it down the ravine. She'd demanded mine, but I was no fool. Had I complied, I'm sure there'd have been a high chance of yet another scar inflicted at her hand. Especially with her charging at me like that- oh god.

"Give it to me," Scarlet demanded, throwing her hand out before her.

"No," I answered impulsively, holding the tassel away from her.

She stopped dead as if I'd smacked her in the face, but I steadily met her glare. Looking into her eyes became far less difficult the day I stopped being afraid of her temper and instead found myself lost to them, but as it turned out, this proved to be an excellent strategy. I noticed that each time she figured out that her anger held no power, she'd frantically search for another, unfamiliar method. This time, however, she seemed to be at a loss.

"Hand it over," she spat in a dangerously low hiss. Despite knowing trouble was undoubtedly brewing, I still had to desperately bite back a smile. I had quickly learned that she was practically harmless without a weapon, if you knew what to expect. Admittedly, she'd caught me off guard a good few times, but I could easily restrain her if I was simply ready, and in that moment I could have seen it coming from a mile away.

So naturally, when she reached out to snatch it, I was ready to jerk it out of her way. "Come on," I taunted, allowing a smirk to reach my lips before unsheathing the one sword that remained and tossing it a good few yards off to the side. "I am sure you could get it if you wanted to." That was also the wrong thing to say, but like I said before... Habit.

"Is that a challenge, ye flea-ridden rat?" She demanded, her nose wrinkling in a way that made her look like the rat- or rather, a little mouse that anger simply did not suit. If I were to be completely honest, sometimes I would purposely anger her just to see her nose wrinkle in just the way it did in that moment, as I found few things cuter, though that was a guilty pleasure I would never in my right mind admit out loud.

"If you choose to take it that way," I snickered daringly. She reached for it once more and this time I had to step in a circle to avoid her, holding the gem clear above my head where she could never dream of reaching it. "Did not think so," I said in a hushed manner, half hoping she didn't hear as I continued on our path with the thing still dangling over my head.

By the time I heard the quickening steps, it was far too late. The impact against my back caught me off guard and I managed a curse of surprise before hitting the ground, only able to catch myself with one arm as the other had been seized. It hardly mattered, however, as the weight of Scarlet pressed my face to the dirt. I turned my head in an attempt to escape the gritty mouthful of soil and sand whilst simultaneously flailing to the best of my ability, trying to keep the damned jewel out of her reach.

However, I was fighting blind and it didn't take long for her to pry it from my grip. The second she did, the weight was gone and I lifted my head, glaring at the boots that strode so casually ahead of me. I didn't have to see her face to know a smug grin resided there.

More in an act of impulse than common sense, I crawled forward on my forearms before lashing out to snag her ankle, causing her to fall forward with a yelp and a flurry of red that brought a smile of amusement to my face. I pushed myself to my hands and knees, not having to crawl far before taking the gem from her dazed grip. The grin of accomplishment did not last long before she shoved me onto my back with a noise somewhere between a grunt and a battle cry.

The borderline demon straddled my middle and I flung my fist holding the tassel above my head, gritting my teeth with the effort of fending her off with my free hand. Curses flew from her lips like arrows from a well weathered bow as I snagged her wrists in an attempt to keep her damn claws away from my face, where I was the least keen to receive anymore distorting blemishes.

Still, somehow, a gruff laugh escaped me. "Surely you can do better." I do not know what possessed me to say this, but it must have triggered something as I found that I know longer had a grip on her arm and her hand pressed against my face as she leaned forward and viciously tore the tassel from my hand.

"Ha!" She cried triumphantly, dangling the thing above her head with a victorious smirk.

Oh, so she had been holding back? Well, as had I. Brows furrowing in determination, I wrapped my arms around her torso and more or less tackled her to the side, reversing the stakes. I had no sympathy left when her back hit the ground with a thud that must have knocked the breath from her lungs. If she wanted a war, so be it.

"Yer not gettin' this back," she hissed, voice straining with a cough she was obviously holding back.

"The cuff will not magically appear just because you hold the gem," I argued, frustration rising in my throat. Though... It was not an unpleasant feeling. I never knew anger could be as playful as it became when inflicted by her. I rarely lost my temper entirely, but I'd play her game.

"At this point I'm hoping it'll get rid of you," she snapped, teeth bared as she struggled under my weight. She reached up- no doubt in an attempt to shove me away- but I was swift to pin her forearms to the ground.

"Why ever would you want to do that?" I asked innocently, flashing my best swing at a charming smile in an attempt to sway her if only for a moment.

"Why wouldn't I would be a question with a shorter answer," she retorted, though she visibly paused upon catching my eye, her struggled faltering for a split second. There was something there, I knew there was. I had seen it on rare occasions- the same look on her face I imagine to be on my own at certain moments throughout the day.

Tassel forgotten, I instead found myself letting out a soft laugh. "I think you make me out to be worse than I am."

"I beg to differ," she retorted, though most of the sting in her tone had left her.

"Surely I am no worse than you," I said with subtle sarcasm before I realized I'd been drifting closer. I stopped short, my expression falling. How had we gotten there, so close with far less of a struggle than there should have been? My first thought was to blame the tassel, but I was no longer the one holding it.

Right- the tassel.

Quick as a flash, I snagged the garnet from her hand and stood even quicker, using ever drop of willpower I had not to turn back around. It didn't take long before I heard her scrambling after me, but before she could say a word, I looked over my shoulder and tossed her the tassel with a smirk. I watched her falter to catch it before bending down to scrape up the sword I'd dossed earlier, sheathing the weapon as I continued on my way.

Finally, she found the words I'd been anticipating. "After all that-"

"You know," I interrupted, musing aloud. "Something tells me you holding it will not make much of a difference."

same thing; scarlet's perspective
1,685words

I blamed him. I blamed him for the dilemma, for being lost- hell, I blamed him for the last two years. I should have shot him on sight; no less of a fate than any stowaway deserved. Had he not been given the chance to speak, my crew and I would be rolling in wealth, not off on some wild goose chase for these god forsaken hallows, and I would not be... Emotionally compromised.

I only let him carry the gem because I feared my inner conflict would pose as a problem, but he was obviously no better.

"Where the hell is it?!" The growl in my voice reflected how I felt, which was, at that point, much like some very angry, very rabid animal. I was a mere slave to these rages whenever they overcame me, but at the same time I took no action to change. Why would I? Anger seemed to be one of only two things the men of my world responded to.

Which made this particular man's habitual lack of response particularly intriguing infuriating. I had no influence- no control over this one.

And that really pissed me off.

Turning to face him, I pointed a heavily jeweled finger in his direction. "Yer effecting it," I snarled, hoping an accusation would spark some kind of a rise. I'd lost the effect of submission the second he woke from his sleep that was less eternal than it should have been, and ever since any reaction was good enough for me. Anything. But what did I ever get? Nothing. Or even worse: amusement! Whatever he thought of me as, it was far from a captain, and I intended to figure out why set that straight once more. "We should've found it hours ago. Why did ye even follow?!" I was just looking for words to spout now, for a lack of stones to throw or a damn weapon.

"Maybe I did not trust that you would find it alone."

I paused in pure surprise, looking up at him like he'd lost his damn mind, as he very well may have. The smirk was wiped clear off his face as I marched towards him, the best reaction I'd gotten all week. Pathetic. I help out my hand expectantly, words stiff with a threatening demand despite the yells I so desperately wished to release. "Give it to me."

Oh god. That devastating smirk was returning at a dangerous pace. "No."

What was he, a child?! I frantically searched for a response, but too many suggestive remarks insults flooded my mind to possibly pick just one. "Hand it over!" I burst, voice pitching higher than I'd intended, laced with frustration.

"Come on." I watched in rising interest fury as he tossed his sword aside as if this was about to become some kind of game, and I decided right then that I'd play whatever he wanted. "I am sure you could get it if you wanted to."

How dare he? I mean- how dare he? Taunt me like I was nothing more than a dog when I was the captain of the Obsidian- did that mean nothing?! The lack of respect was relieving sickening. Never before had anyone defied me and gotten so much joy from it. "Is that a challenge, ye flea-ridden rat?" I demanded. Like I said before, if it was a game he wanted, I'd play, but damn if I'd lose without a fight.

"If you choose to take it that way."

Gritting my teeth, I lurched forward to snatch the garnet but he twisted out of reach and I had to catch myself from a stumble, feeling heat rise to my face. I should have seen that coming. Sometimes I wished I had the strength to refuse a challenge, but I simply did not. Part of my knew hand to hand with Vin was a hopeless case, for I was... Small, and he was not. At the same time, the urge to win was too strong. If I had even a chance to crush that man into the dust, I would take it.

"Did not think so." The words, followed by a hushed snicker, caught my attention and I looked over to find him holding the tassel high in the air, walking away from me.

What a tease fool.

The first rule of any fight is to never turn your back to your opponent. I simply could not keep the corners of my lips from twisting upwards and I braced myself before pushing forward as fast as I could. Speed was not my strong suit, but his mind seemed to be slower than my legs. Before he even had the chance to turn around, I jumped onto his back and sent him toppling, though as we hit the ground I did have to stop and thing for a moment- was I really that heavy?

His immediate reaction seemed to be to keep his arms moving, thinking that would keep me from my prize. The attempt was less than pathetic and I developed a sinister grin, easily snatching the thing before standing and walking ahead. Unfortunately for me, I had ignored forgotten the rule I had silently criticized him for neglecting only moments before. I felt a hand catch my ankle and I clumsily tripped and hit the ground with a small outcry.

I immediately twisted onto my back and saw the bastard crawling nearer. He must have thought I'd been dazed, for it was far too easy to shove him onto his back and pin him there. Chaos broke out as one hand against two proved to be more difficult than I'd anticipated, as he swatted away my arms each time I attempted to snatch the tassel he held above his head. I snarled curses and profanities in his direction whilst simultaneously blowing my curses hair from my face.

A feeling beyond concerning rage hit me when an alluring laugh escaped him, his narrowed dark eyes staring me down with a charming as hell dare and far too much laughter for my pounding heart's liking, as I felt he'd been laughing at my fruitless attempts. "Surely you can do better."

No he did not just make another jab! His words did nothing but humiliate me, and though a large small part of my mind urged me to consider the possibility that he was merely attempting to create a lighter atmosphere, I couldn't help but feel as though my facade pride took blow after blow at his hand.

In a flash of determination, I maneuvered my hand around his and pressed his face back into the dirt where it belonged, increasing the pressure as I leaned forward and snatched the tassel from his hand before snapping back up and holding it in the air. "Ha!" I shouted impulsively, joyous hysterical laughter lacing my voice and a far-too-wide grin spreading across my face.

Suddenly, I found myself being tackled to the ground, and I hit it with a thud that jarred my breath. Despite this setback, I curled my fingers around the garnet with a white-knuckled grip. "Yer not gettin' this back," I wheezed, desperately holding back a cough, or, rather, another reason for me to look even less intimidating in his eyes.

"The cuff will not magically appear just because you hold the gem," he argued, his voice stern. Dark golden strands fell loosely around his face, offering for a more ruggedly handsome look aided by the dirt smudged across his face. Personally, I didn't understand why he insisted on keeping his hair back. To me, it looked far too tame for a man of his stature, who held the ability to look threatening and downright sexy with little effort, but much to my disappointment confusion, he did not take the steps to meet this standard.

"At this point I'm hoping it'll get rid of you," I snapped breathlessly, jaw clenching. I flung my hands up in a feeble attempt to shove against his chest, but he was quick to pin them back to the ground.

"Why ever would you want to do that?" He asked, flashing a ridiculously ravishing smile.

Now that just wasn't fair. There he was, breaking out heavy artillery while as far as I knew I was left with a mere pin.

"Why wouldn't I would be a question with a shorter answer," I continued stubbornly, though it took a moment for me to realize my struggles and sharp tone had abandoned me completely.

"I think you make me out to be worse than I am." And with the undoubtedly seductive laugh that followed that phrase, I knew he was very, very wrong. He was far worse than I'd let on, only in a completely different manner.

"I beg to differ," I pressed, refusing to give up what little grip I still held on my will.

"Surely I am no worse than you," he murmured.

I could feel his breath on my skin, stirring my hair as he drew closer. I tried to shrink back, but one could only sink so far into the ground. Besides, I had no fight left.

But apparently he did.

Before I knew what was happening, the tassel in in my hand was gone and the weight upon me was lifted. Though Vin was gone, I continued to lie there in a daze, letting out a breath I had not been aware I had been holding as my heart rage rose in my throat.

His steps began to fade before I found myself able to scramble to my feet and follow. I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted when he turned and tossed the garnet my way, which I caught as he retrieved his sword and sheathed it.

Finally, I was able to find my voice. "After all that-"

"You know, something tells me you holding it will not make much of a difference."

He cut off my sentence halfway through, but rather than be annoyed I felt somewhat grateful. I think I was too breathless to finish it anyway.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // scarlet and vin // 1,584 words
oop looks like scarlet broke character

__________________________________________________________________

The facade had unraveled as swiftly as the cascading red curls once the hat that had been hiding them was removed from the woman's head.

Scarlet shied against the excessive force, a yelp escaping her as a hand wrapped itself around her forearm and jerked her aside, sure to leave bruises behind.

She'd infiltrated the Grievance in the guise of a man only days before, but alas her sharp nature had been her downfall. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the cruel captain approaching despite the roar of blood in her ears and her breathless insults directed at the man who restrained her. She dared look up only a moment, briefly catching the horrified eye of Vin among the crowd.

That bastard better keep his mouth shut.

"Well, well, well." The voice was deep and chilling and Scarlet kept her head low until the rough hand belonging to the captain took her face in one hand and sharply turned it to face his black, lifeless eyes. "A woman," he mused, peering at her as though she were no more than fine pottery as he turned her face to examine it. "I knew there was something off about you," she man growled, releasing her with a rough jerk.

Scarlet turned her head away with a wince against the force, catching the breath that caught in her throat as she grit her teeth together. She dared not speak. Captain James Kivell was not a man to be trifled with and she knew very well the next words that came out of his mouth could have been far worse.

"Seven lashes," he called out before lowering his voice again and leaning close enough to her that she flinched away from his hot breath. "A generous punishment for an impostor."

Meanwhile, Vin watched with a pounding heart as scarlet was shoved towards the mast, barking insults at those who shoved her against it. She seemed unphased, but he, in all honesty, was terrified. But he could not say anything; he could not give away his position, he could not-

"Come on, then," the captain howled with a humorless grin. "It won't do a thing unless ye can get at 'er skin."

With a snicker, Scarlet was freed of her jacket with a swift tug that sent her stumbling back a step. The man that did this reached for the blouse underneath, but with a snarl she ripped her hand from the grasp of another and swiped her nails across the man's cheek with a forceful blow. "Keep yer hands off me," she hissed through clenched teeth before her arms were pulled forward and bound around the mast.

A din of voices washed over the ship as one of the men readied a whip in hand. He held back nothing, a crack splitting the air as the leather severed flesh in a single swing.

The outcry that escaped Scarlet was quickly muffled as she snapped her jaw shut, screams continuing to slither up the back of her throat. Squeezing her eyes shut she pressed her head to the damp wood and awaited the next bloody infliction, but was met with a sound entirely worse.

"Scarlet!" The cry was fueled by adrenaline rather than logic, Vin's eyes wide as he burst forward only to be held back by the crew. He struggled with grunts of effort, but fell still when he caught sight of a smirk on the captain's face. He narrowed his own eyes from fear to hatred in an instant.

"Oh my," the captain droned, his gaze sweeping to the woman slumped against the mast. With a wave of his hand, she was untied and turned to face him, her eyes remaining fiery and daring despite the pain that burned through her veins. "I knew ye seemed to be familiar," he said lightly, taking wide strides towards her as he held his hands behind his back. "Captain Waters, is it? My apologies," he said with a swift bow. "I do believe I should be more welcoming to a pyrate of your status. Nevertheless-" he paused, face falling to a serious frown. "You and yer friend still betrayed my hospitality." His eyes narrowed and he looked up at the man that held her. "To the brig with 'er," he commanded before looking at Vin over his shoulder. "You, on the other hand have done nothing to earn me respect. And we still have six more lashes at the ready, don't we boys?"

Dark laughter echoed across the deck as Vin was restrained and forced to take Scarlet's place before the mast. Meanwhile, she struggled to look over her shoulder, wild-eyed as rough hands caused her to stumble towards the hatch in the deck floor. Still, she remained silent other than the occasional yelp. As the cage door was lifted, she was thrown into the pit, hitting the ground with a jarring thud, catching herself on her forearms.

Scarlet listened to the door creak and click shut above her, her breath heavy and curls shrouding her face. After she caught her breath, she scrambled to her feet, the cell darkening with the fall of night. Looking up at the sky, she pressed her hands to the wood, not tall enough to grab hold of the bars. "That damned fool," she hissed, tearing her hands from the wall and running them through her hair as she turned to pace.

The footsteps in the cell came to a jolting halt the second the crack of a whip rang through the air, followed by a cry in a tone all too familiar. She'd never heard such a sound escape Vin and it chilled her to the bone; rattled her more than she thought possible. Though what could undoubtedly be considered far worse was the silence that followed the last half of his sentence. The sentence he had inflicted upon himself for her sake. Try as she might to cast him off as idiotic, the fear was consuming.

She had not realized how rigidly still she stood until the hatch opened once more and a second form was tossed to the ground beside her. Blood had never bothered Scarlet and she'd certainly seen much more but the spill of such was generally followed by silence, not preceded by ear-splitting howls of pain. However, the man on the ground had been reduced to mere groans in an attempt to push himself up.

"No," Scarlet whispered insistently, on her knees in an instant with her hand pressed to his arm in a motion to stay down. He winced at her touch and she quickly retracted, eyes scanning his blood-soaked, shredded shirt. She let out a heavy sigh, pressing her lips together with a shake of her head. "Why did you do that, you bloody fool," she hissed, though there was no mistaking the concern in her tone.

"A thank you would do," he moaned, pushing himself into a sitting position despite her instruction to do otherwise, as he did not dare attempt to lie on his back. Pain continued to glisten in his dark eyes as he leaned forward and pressed his hand to his head.

"I could have handled it," She insisted, voice cracking. when he did not respond, she lurched forward and swatted his arm away, taking his face in her own hands to find he had been steadily losing consciousness. "Look at me," she snapped. "I specifically told you not to draw attention to yourself," she scolded. "And look where it's gotten ye."

"Better me than you," he replied breathlessly, gaze wandering.

Scarlet had an overwhelming urge to slap him silly but instead, the rage was redirected into tears burning behind her eyes and she forced him to look up at her. "Don't you ever say that," she whispered with a small shake of her head before she drew enough breath to raise her tone to a growl. "Ever."

A lazy grin spread across his face. "Are you worried about me?" He rasped. Though it was meant only to tease, what escaped her lips was the last thing he actually expected.

"Yes," she admitted, voice higher than she intended.

Caught off guard, he felt nothing but an unsettling mixture of accomplishment and guilt. "I... Could not watch you..." He trailed off and pulled away from her with a sigh, forcing himself to his feet only to stumble against the wall.

Scarlet slowly stood and watched him struggle with sorrow in her eyes. She did not hesitate to approach, gently running her hands along his arm as she reached him. "It's an occupational hazard, love," she said quietly. "You cannot save me from it all."

A humorless, breathy laugh escaped him, loose strands of dark gold hair falling around his face and shoulders. "I didn't," he corrected, referencing the one lash that stretched across her back.

Scarlet drew a breath and ran her hand up his arm and neck, stepping in front of him and looking up at his face. "That's not important," she said quietly, her face pinching in thought before looking quickly away.

Looking her over curiously, Vin reached forward to push her hair back before resting a gentle hand on her shoulder, the other arm still propping him up against the wall. "What are you plotting?" He asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Her answer was sharp as the sting of her fresh wound. "What I can do to run that bastard through."

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

shadows of mysterium // nayden // 1,166 words
based on alibis by marianas trench
this is gonna get sad y'all

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It had been a close one, but he'd been through worse. The only broken skin was a cut lip and he could feel the rising of black and blue under his skin. Street fights had become inevitable under some circumstances, and the boy's sharp tongue did not help him in any way. Less than a year he'd been on his own and Nayden had quickly learned that the homeless were not a humorous bunch and his sense of humor was more or less under appreciated. Luckily, the goal this time had been to drive him away and not to leave him slumped against the alley wall as had been the case in the past.

As he walked down the street, curtain of black hair shielding his face from the harsh evening lamplight, he hardly noticed as rain began to fall. He was focused more on the throbbing pain in his knuckle, which he was sure he'd broken on that guy's cheekbone; but more than that, he was focused on reaching his destination.

By the time he turned into the cemetery, the necklace he wore felt like lead. He picked his way around the tombstones, careful not to trod on a single resting place. A graveyard was the last place he should have been on a stormy night, but the only place he wanted to go.

He headed for one of many trees at the top of the slope, it's branches extending far beyond it's trunk. The leaves were beginning to fall and scatter the ground in the early fall, but the intertwining twigs provided enough shelter to shield him from most of the rain. Even if it had warded off none, he didn't care; the tree was not the reason he stopped. The only thing he cared about in that moment was the smooth stone before him.

Camille Jade Hatch
loving mother and wife
1972-2010

As he sat on the ground before the stone, the first thing that came to mind was the way she would have scolded him for the last few months of his life- and for being in the rain without a proper coat. The thought brought a small smile to his face as he pulled his knees in, sitting cross-legged and shifting to directly face the gravestone.

"Hi mom," he whispered, nearly choking on the words and having to pause before he continued. "It's been a while... Sorry about that," he said with a breathy laugh, glancing over his shoulder to double check that no one else was there. "I just..." He looked forward once more and hung his head as he would whenever he'd been unable to meet her eyes. "I didn't know what to say."

He could see her so clearly in his mind, still knowing exactly what expression she'd make with each word he said; her hazel eyes that either blazed green or burned a warm brown against her black hair. He'd always been thankful that he'd gotten her eyes as opposed to his father's black, emotionless ones, but over the last four years it felt like a curse every time he looked in the mirror.

He'd trailed off in thought, tears brimming in his eyes with each memory. "I'm so sorry," he rasped, breath hitching. Then, suddenly, everything simply began to spill out. "I wanted to see you, I did, but I was so scared," he whispered. "Too scared." He took a deep breath and his eyes traced her name scrawled across the stone. "I didn't... Want you to see who I became.'

'It's been so hard, mama," he murmured with a sniff, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie. "I don't know what to do without you. I keep thinking any second I'll see you walk around the corner and tell me how disappointed you are. If you came back... You wouldn't wake up to the same world you left. Hell, I don't even recognize myself." A hushed laugh escaped him. "But what else am I supposed to do?'

'I thought leaving Meril would help-" he paused to shake his head at the ground, hair slicked against his face and neck. "Her and the orphanage were just reminders. I wanted to run away, but- ... Now I'm just too ashamed to go back." Admitting the words allowed forced him to stop his speech, squeezing his eyes shut against the tears that began to fall freely. "Why did you have to go?" He asked with unfair anger in his tone.

"I don't know who I am. I don't know what I'm doing, but whatever it is all it does it make things worse. I don't want to be this person, I don't want to be... Closed off, I don't want to abandon everyone, I don't want to be alone, but I can't-" sobs plagued his rambling, each sharp break sucking in the chilling night air. "I don't know how to be the son you wanted... But I don't know how to stop. I'm afraid... I'm afraid that I can't.'

'I've tried and tried and tried," he whispered, dragging out the words. "I haven't been able to change; I don't want anyone else to bear my burdens. I have no one there to remind me to be good and stay strong... And sometimes I forget," he admitted simply, looking up at the stone with his tears reflecting the green of his eyes. "I've lost myself. No matter how hard I try to get me back, I just fall further down the hole. I've become the kind of person that deserves everything that's been happening." His words became a hiss, looking away sharply. "I stopped caring. I stopped saying no. I tried my damnedest to stop thinking about all the things you told me. It seemed impossible to live up to your expectations without you here.'

'I'm not the boy Meril sees. I'm not as reckless as my old friends think. But I can't help but feel... That I'm just as worthless as the emotionless, homeless kid the world sees walking down the street." He folded his hands together in his lap, white from the cold, and shook his hanging head. "Help me," he begged quietly. "I need you." He leaned forward until his head pressed against the cold stone. "I need you back," he whispered, sobs shaking his body.

"I don't know if I can last much longer," he said, voice high with his tightened throat and words stretching into the darkness. "I have nothing left."

He knew what she would say; what she'd do. She'd take him by the shoulders and tell him he was worth more to her than the life she'd lost too soon. Alas, the cold, hard stone was not her gentle touch, the howling wind far from her soothing voice, and her care belonged to no one else that walked the earth. It was in that moment that he decided any opportunity he had to escape, he would take without a second thought.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

random supernatural beebs // aero and khodai // 2,723 words
maroon, but also red and pink and all that
xylomancer + vampire = yes

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The dreams had been getting stronger over the course of the last few months. However, it was only a last few weeks that she'd began to pay attention. It was not unusual for Aero to have strange, reoccurring dreams, but none had been like this. A new bit was added to the end of each one, and everything would change. The landscape, her looks- hell, even languages. But there was always one constant: the figure of a man. She was beyond frustrated that she could not get a clear picture of his face- or anything, really. She'd read the branches of all kinds of trees more than once a day, but it did nothing to help her case.

Meanwhile, Khodai hardly knew what had driven him to America. Seven hundred years on earth and he'd never left Europe and it's surrounding countries. To him, it was difficult to imagine America as real, having spent over half of his unnatural life without even knowing of it's existence. It seemed a figment of imagination, and in a very short amount of time if became I place he didn't think he'd enjoy visiting anyway. Romania would always be his home, but even that got old. Perhaps he felt the world was growing too small for his liking; might as well discover the other half for himself.

That had been a huge mistake.

The crowded streets and fumes of the east coast cities had caused him nothing but headaches. Even at night lights blazed in the streets, not to mention the lack of people he could actually sink his teeth into without squirming in disgust. It was worse than London.

He made a hasty retreat to the western side of the country, hoping to find refuse in the territories with less people and more trees. It was in western Montana (or really, it might as well have been Canada) that he chose to linger. In the dead of winter, he felt right at home, and though prey was scarce it was also more leisurely hunting in a land of such low population.

As the lanky figure slunk through the snow-ridden streets with not much more than a long-sleeved shirt, his mind was left to it's own devices. Naturally, it began to wander to the woman he loved- or rather, the soul he loved that had, over time, consumed the body of many women. Molly had been the last name he'd known her by- an English lady close to one hundred years ago, dark hair and eyes and porcelain skin.

He'd shared many of her lives, and as he walked through the doors of the practically abandoned bar, they shifted through his mind. One of his favorites had been the one time she turned out Romani, joining his traveling troupe as a lively young gypsy contortionist and fire eater. True, he liked one more than the other, but he'd rarely seen her happier than that live hundreds of ears before. It had been too long since he'd seen her last, his blue eyes glazed in thought as he plopped onto a bar stool. Too long. He was afraid he'd missed her last life entirely; what if he missed the next as well? What if-

"What can I get for ya?" The voice was tired, but soft with hospitality in the dark, empty bar.

He jumped and ran a hand through his dark curls, still distracting. The young woman bartending had neon green hair- why? He never understood the urge to change one's appearance, as the need seemed to grow stronger in the last century. In fact, ti was quite annoying- how could you tell who anyone was these days?

"What have you got?" He asked finally.

The woman raised her eye brows, a small smirk reaching her face. "What is that- Russian?" She asked curiously, referring to his accent.

"Romanian," he snapped, perhaps a little too quickly. Did everyone make that mistake?

"Oh, she said with a simple shrug. "Well, do they like vodka too?"

He could not even contain the hiss that escaped him upon hearing the word.

"Alright, alright, jesus mate," she said flatly. "It was just a suggestion." She pushed off the counter and turned, running a finger through the air as she scanned the shelves. "So what's your poison, then? We have just about everything: brandy, whiskey, scotch, rum, tequila-"

"Do you have anything red?" He asked. Khodai didn't drink for the effect of intoxication, as he had no blood to poison; his veins already flowed with venom. He drank for the hell of it, and he'd found that red only made things that much more appealing.

The girl paused and turned to raise an eyebrow before sauntering over to the counter and leaning on it with her forearms. "I've got daiquiri mix and a jar of maraschino cherries in the back," she mumbled, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder.

"Is it red-" the last part of the question caught in his throat as he looked up and met her eyes, freezing to the spot.

"Well, pink," she said with a shrug. She waited expectantly for his reply, but he seemed to be in a daze. "I'll take that as a yes," she said, straightening up and preparing the fruity concoction.

She topped the frozen drink with a tiny pink umbrella, as it was rare that she actually got to use the cute little things. The hunters and lumberjacks that usually came in did not appreciate them in their shots, despite her continuous efforts to change their minds. The man at the counter spoke only to ask politely for a straw, which she'd readily gotten. Other than that he did not speak, and she could feel his eyes on her as she wiped down the rest of the counter. She hardly minded, however, as she was accustomed to dealing with worse behavior and, after all, it was two a.m..

Occupied with making everything look shiny and new for the one or two customers that would come in the nest day, Aero allowed her mind to wander to the dreams she'd been having. The vague figure still bothered her, but the night before she'd remembered significantly more of one of the lives in which he'd been present. She remembered curls, lace, parasols, a violet dress, and the name-

"Molly?"

The voice was barely a whisper, as if she did not respond the way Khodai hoped, he wanted to be able to take it back or pass it off as another word or a figment of her imagination. However, his venom-powered heart skipped a beat when she immediately froze. After a few moments, she simply let out a breathy laugh and turned to face him, tossing the rag she held onto the counter before leaning on it with one hand. "Not anymore."

"Well, obviously," he muttered innocently, looking her over. "But I would have to be some kind of psychic to know your name now," he pointed out.

A smirk reached her lips as she wandered forward and snatched his empty glass with the intention of refilling it. "Or you could ask."

"Alright," he agreed, clearing his throat. "What should I call you for the next hundred years or so?"

"Forward, aren't you?" She laughed, a rosy hue rushing to her face. "Umm-" she mused, looking around the room trying to fight back her grin before holding out her empty hand. "Aërolite Augustine. Or... Just Aero."

Khodai flashed a practiced close-lipped smile and took her outstretched hand, kissing the back of it rather than shaking it like she'd anticipated. This did nothing for her nerves. "I think that is my favorite so far," he admitted.

With a anxiety-laced giggle, she retracted her hand from his icy grip, surprised by how cold his touch was. "Are you sure you don't want something stronger?" She pressed. "Or, at least something not frozen? A bit of brandy would warm you up in a heartbeat."

The smile on Khodai's face faltered. She didn't remember what he was. There had been few times she did, but revealing the truth was like pulling out teeth, and he dreaded it each time. "No," he said quickly. "I'll just have another one of... Those."

"Alright," she agreed hesitantly, eyeing him before fixing another one. This time, she made the umbrella green and didn't forget a straw.

Khodai slid it closer greedily, eyes glazed in wide-eyed thought. Though few and far between, there were times he desperately wished getting drunk was biologically possible.

Aero wasn't sure whether to be concerned, amused, or impressed at the speed in which he sucked down the second daiquiri, and so she settled on all three. "You better slow down," she commented sarcastically, though she would admit she could have gone for something a whole lot stronger herself.

He only scoffed, stone-cold on the outside, borderline hysterical inside, and unwilling to release his lips from the straw.

"So-" she began suddenly, unsure of how to approach the question- or rather, questions- on her mind. "What exactly is happening here?"

Her question was followed by the obnoxiously loud draining of the man's second drink before he slid it aside and met her eye, folding his hands upon the counter top. "You remember me," he answered simply.

"But from where?" She pressed, leaning her forearms on the bar once more.

He let out a sharp, silent laugh. "Just about everywhere," he responded.

Aero pressed her lips into a thin line and narrowed her eyes. He looked away immediately, as he knew that look all too well. Some things never changed. "You're the man from my dreams," she whispered, her narrowed eyes turning into something more like curiosity.

"Well, yes, I always assumed so," he said with a small nod. "But... never actually heard you say it," he mused. He was met with a swat to the shoulder, causing him to flinch and look at her with wide blue eyes. "Ow," he whimpered. "What did I do?"

Aero resisted the urge to groan, pinching the bridge of her nose. He really didn't know. She slammed her hand onto the counter and took a deep breath, calming herself. "I've been having dreams," she said quietly. "A lot of dreams. And I never saw the man clearly, but you seem to be filling in the blank spots. I always change, but... You never do."

"That's right!" He exclaimed cheerfully. Maybe she would remember on her own after all.

"But why?" She asked.

His demeanor slumped in an instant. Or not. He held up a finger, drawing a breath to speak before she stopped him.

"Hold that thought," she said, pulling up her sleeve to check her watch. "I get off in five minutes. Why don't we go for a walk?"

Khodai gave a hesitant nod and watched her rush off and begin shutting off lights. She emerged with keys in her gloved hand and a poofy, maroon jacket with a fur-lined hood, walking around the bar and pausing as she seemed to notice something. "Don't you have a coat?"

"No," he answered simply, standing from his chair. Damn. He was taller than she expected. "I don't need one," he added.

"What do you mean you don't need one?" She laughed in disbelief. "There's a blizzard coming."

"I don't need one," he repeated with a shrug.

Aero groaned and walked past him, opening the door and motioning for him to go first. "Fine. But you better not get sick because I let you walk through the snow with one shirt on."

He passed her, not even flinching at the blistering wind and turning to watch her close and lock the door before shoving the keys in her pocket and joining him. "Alright," she began, flipping up her hood. "Start talking."

"About what?" He asked innocently, but it dawned on him when he met her glare. "Oh! Right. Of course." He cleared his throat before continuing. "I trust I don't have to explain past lives," he stated bluntly. "Very... Very long story short, I've known twelve of you- unless you count you now. Then I've known thirteen of you."

Whatever color in Aero's face that the chill had spared drained. "Thirteen?" She repeated in a high tone.

"Yes," he said with a nod. "Crina, Rozalia, Astrid, Leja, Abigail, Brie, Eliza, Penelope, Gretchen, Helga, Opal, and Molly, in that order."

"Wow," she whispered, then cringed. "I can see what Aero is your favorite."

"You have not had the best luck with names," he agreed.

"What about you?" She asked. "Your names?"

"Just Khodai," he responded.

"Do you not remember any more?" She asked curiously.

"No, it's just... Just Khodai," he repeated.

It dawned on her that she hadn't bothered to ask for his name before, but even when he said it sh felt she already knew. "How have you only have one name?" She asked half to herself, thoroughly confused.

"Well..." He began, (carefully) gnawing on his lower lip. "I don't change like you do," he stated. "You die, and I do not."

"What do you mean you don't die?" She asked flatly. "Everyone dies."

"Less than you thin, actually," he said innocently. "It's just that most mortals don't stick around long enough to notice."

The comment rendered her more or less speechless, mulling over the information. It briefly occurred to her that he was lying, but she knew he simply was not. What else would explain her dreams and visions? No tree had ever read wrong before. Still, her mind was far too jumped to press the subject. "So," she began again, her tone mischievously playful. "Why do you keep following me around, Khodai?"

"I don't," he said honestly. "Our paths cross, just as tonight. The last few times you have recognized me as well."

She frowned again. He was so literal. The sigh that escaped her painted fog in the air. "What I meant was why do you keep sticking around when you do find me?"

"Oh, he said simply. "Because I love you."

Aero scoffed and looked up at him as if offended, though more than that she was amused. "Well," she gasped. "You should at least buy me dinner first."

Khodai furrowed his brows and looked down at her. "Why? Oh- are you hungry? I am sorry, sometimes I forget that you-"

"No," she laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't hurt yourself." He was about to respond, but she quickly cut him off. "Shh. Besides, what makes you think I'll love you back?"

He looked down at her in a mixture of fear and sorrow. "Because you have twelve times," he insisted.

"Maybe so," she said with a smirk. "But you're going to have to work for it this time."

"Is this a challenge?" He mused. "Because I believe you will lose."

"What makes you say that?" She pressed.

A smirk reached his face. "You forget that I've had seven hundred years to learn what you like."

"People change," she countered.

"Only so much," he argued back. Then, with impulse to prove a point, he stopped and swiveled to face her, causing her to stop in her tracks. In one swift movement, he wrapped an arm around her waist and took her hand with the other, dipping her low enough that her hood slipped off as he pressed his lips against hers.

Aero's eyes widened in surprise- not surprised that he'd done such a thing, but surprised that he'd known to do such a thing, as being kissed in just that way had been a fantasy of hers for... Apparently longer than she thought.

Arms wrapped tightly around his neck, the shock must have lingered because once he pulled away a smirk of accomplishment reached his face. "How did you-" she began breathlessly before he straightened up and pulled her up with him. Slipping on the slick ground she stumbled against his chest, too dazed to fight it.

"Because it has worked four times," he told her triumphantly. He then held her back by the shoulders and met her eye, continuing to walk and forcing her to shuffle backwards as he did so. "I told you," he repeated, "I have made you fall in love with me twelve times, and I would be no less than honored to fight harder for thirteen."

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

random supernatural beebs // aero and khodai // 1,524 words
... hopefully this will be funny enough for humor because
... ok this did not turn out as well as I'd hoped

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One of Aero's favorite things about Khodai was that he never slept. Yeah, some girls would long for a soft touch to hold at night and maybe she did just a little but he fit in perfectly with her erratic sleeping schedule. The only problem she'd run into was 24/7 entertainment in the frozen hell that was the barren north, learning very quickly that humans were not the only being to eat due to boredom.

Used to getting home sometime around three a.m., Aero was nowhere near ready to sleep when she got home at midnight with a sick, twisted, and downright beautiful plan. As she swung open the door, she was welcomed to a freezing house and drawn curtains billowing restlessly before the open windows. Lights dimmed, a familiar, slender figure was hanging upside down from the couch, reading one of her many books on witchcraft- the rest stacked on the floor around him.

"Warm enough?" She muttered, circling the room to close the windows, able to see her breath in her own house.

"Aero, oh my!" He droned, gazing dreamily at the pages before him. "You would not believe how convenient it is to have all of this information in one place!"

"I kinda do," she mused. "I mean, that is why I bought them." Her tone was flat, but she still bit back giggles.

Khodai paused and twisted his head to look at her before pushing himself up into a sitting position on the couch. "Are you alright?" He asked carefully.

"Uh, yeah," she laughed, closing the last window. "Why?"

"Well..." He began. "I wondered if you would be put out by the windows and books."

She paused and frowned. "If you thought it would- then why did you- nevermind," she said quickly, waving the comment away. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Ehh," he groaned. "That depends." He'd stopped watching movies shortly after they were invented, as even then the same stories were used. To put it simply, he found them predictable, especially after centuries spent reading.

"You'll like this one," she promised, bending down to turn on the television and put the disc in the dvd tray.

Before settling on the couch beside him, Aero skirted the house and snagged a few blankets so she could rid herself of her obnoxiously puffy coat. She pulled her knees up and wrapped every inch of herself in the sea of fabric, a wide grin spreading across her face; a grin that Khodai had learned to be very afraid of.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

"Screw you and everything you stand for!" The growl came from the kitchen, as that was the nearest place Khodai could angrily march to.

Meanwhile, Aero's laughter was freely released, flailing to untangle herself in an attempt to follow him. "Oh come on, don't be that way," she cooed teasingly.

"No," he said bitterly, stopping in the corner of the kitchen when he found he had nowhere else to go, crossing his arms.

Flinging the blankets off, Aero rushed into the kitchen but he immediately turned upon seeing her, nose in the air as she crept closer. "Oh come on, Khodai," she giggled, touching a hand to his arm, which caused him to flinch. "What could have possibly upset you so much?" She asked innocently.

He merely scoffed. "As if you don't know."

"Just say it," she pressed. When he remained tight-lipped and silent, she leaned slightly closer and whispered, "out loud."

"Aero!" Khodai cried in protest, arms dropping to his sides. "I'm not some kind of- of- sparkly- mutant- shameful twit with a high school fetish!" He burst, voice pitch rising.

She forced herself to hold back more laughter, as he seemed truly offended. "Oh, it's not that bad," she insisted with a smile. "You didn't even make it halfway through."

"I don't want to," he whimpered.

"Fine," she agreed, arms dropping to her sides as she turned to leave. "Joykill," she murmured. "I'll be going to bed then!" Once she made it into the living room, she glanced over her shoulder and snatched the remote, turning the movie back on before scurrying up the stairs.

6:33 A.M.

Aero was woken by a din downstairs, the muffled chaos causing her to blink sleep from her eyes. With a yawn she looked at the clock at her bedside and frowned deeply before throwing the covers off herself and tip-toeing across the wooden floor and down the stairs.

Hand sliding along the rail, she stopped, a smile reaching her face when she saw Khodai on the couch, a blanket draped over his head in preparation for the coming morning sun, and blue eyes intently glued on the screen.

"Why would they kill him- why would they even joke about that?" He whined under his breath. Were those tears in his eyes?

The creak of the stairs caught his attention as Aero continued down to the first floor and he whipped his head to the side to stare at her. "Aero!" He shouted, then seemed to flinch at his own words. "Did you know that you have the same name as this villain?" He asked, gesturing to the television. "That's very... Unsettling," he added, ending in a whisper.

"Did you watch all of them?" She teased, a laugh reaching her tone.

"No, shh! I'm on the last one!" He corrected.

"You went through my movies and found the rest?" She teased sarcastically.

"Hey, you had the rest," he argued defensively, barely glancing over when she sat beside him.

There was maybe two minutes left and she patiently sat through it, glancing over at Khodai's expression every few seconds in immeasurable amusement.

"I wish I could run that fast," he murmured suddenly.

"Did you have a change of heart about the sparkles as well?" Aero asked innocently.

"No," he responded flatly before eyeing her with a sideways glance. Quick as a flash, he twisted his torso so he faced her, arms draped over the back of the couch behind her shoulders. He couldn't help but meet her widened eyes with a sly grin, just barely extending his retractable fangs. "Are you afraid?" He asked quietly.

Dark eyes wide, Aero stared at him for a few moments before bursting into breathless laughter. "Oh my god-" she had to pause and gasp for air, though the laughs did not cease. "Oh god what have I done," she said, voice trailing into a tone semi-serious.

Khodai frowned, disappointed in her reaction. "You're not supposed to laugh,"

"You're quoting Twilight, I'd be more concerned for the sanity of anyone who took you seriously," she pointed out, corners of her mouth twitching upwards.

An argument sparked in his eyes, but he thought better of voicing it and slowly sat back, slumping against the couch with a glazed look in his eyes. "I think I've begun to question my masculinity," he whispered in horrified disbelief. "And sanity."

"Only just now?" She asked with an innocent air.

Khodai frowned in thought. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She refused to answer, fearing laughter would escape rather than words. Pushing herself up, she wandered over to her shelves of movies to look for something with more explosions.

"Aero?" Khodai voices quietly.

"Hmm?" She responded distractedly.

"You're like my Bella, but... Better."

"How romantic," she mused sarcastically. "You're like my Cedric Diggory."

"Who?" He asked.

She stopped and looked over at him in disbelief. "Okay, I know what we're watching next."

AN HOUR LATER

"He's a wizard too?!" A pout came over Khodai's face and he fell limply against Aero's chest, who wrapped her arms around him in return and toyed with his dark curls. "That's not fair."

"I know, baby, I know," Aero cooed soothingly. "He can't help that he's better than you in every way." This caused the vampire to bury his face in her shirt with a muffled wail, prying a sly grin from her.

"Love me," he whimpered.

With a playful roll of her eyes, Aero pushed him back up by the shoulders. "Has crying and face planting into my shirt worked before?"

"Well-" he began, but she quickly covered his mouth with her hand.

"That was a rhetorical question, darling," she said with a smirk.

His wide blue eyes met hers for a few moments before he hesitantly lowered her hand then pointed at it. "Don't do that."

"There are only so many ways to shut you up," she pointed out.

"I can think of at least three that I would prefer over that," he stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm sure you can," she teased. "Now shut up and watch the movie."

He complied and they both sat in silence a while until she couldn't stand the question on her mind any longer. "So... Does venom actually have a taste?"

"Finding out would paralyze you for a few hours," he warned.

"Nevermind, then," she squeaked, wriggling deeper into the cushions.

He glanced at her and offered a small, smug smile of his own. "But for the record, it actually tastes like pissy acid."

"Charming," she muttered.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

random supernatural beebs // khodai // 739 words
journal entry from Khodai
a little insight on vampire biology

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May 14, 1848

Why seems to be a common question lately.

Here in London, I feel it's around every corner. Even the origins of man are being questioned, but unfortunately I am not of main focus. Molly and I have discussed this in depth, and she pointed out that there must be a method to the madness of what I am. So, to set my own thoughts straight, I have decided myself to ask why?

And so, I have prepared a list of the changes that set me apart from the human species and do indeed to create theories as to why.

Diet: I have tried living on normal food, as it tastes the same as it used to. However, I quickly wither and grow ill. I believe this is because my body runs on nutrients that is found in blood, my own being replaced by venom which I assume provides me with hydration, among other things.

Fangs: Hollow, curved, and retractable. Hollow for excreting the venom that flows through my veins. Why? It did not take me long to figure out the helpfulness of this feature, as it has a paralyzing effect on my victims and thins their blood considerably. I am lead to believe that, if enough be given, it would ultimately liquefy the form completely. However, I have never had that much to spare in order to test the theory. As for being retractable, this makes a casual approach to prey. People tend not to stick around long if you flash a set of unnaturally long and sharp canines, and I will say now that I do not appreciate having to chase them down, contrary to popular belief. The curvature is just as helpful as the other assets, as this makes it quite nearly impossible for my prey to escape my grasp 1. before the sedative sets in and 2. without ripping their jugular. Now that just creates a mess.

Sensitivities: There are many reasons I do not enjoy the sunlight. Being extraordinarily pale thanks to lack of most melanin and bloodflow, I burn easily. I won't be set ablaze in the street, but nonetheless, the results of too much exposure are unpleasant. The venom in my veins runs clear, and whether it was the acidity that burned away my pigment, among other things, or the switch to being a creature of the night, I could not say. As for the garlic rumor, that is actually one of the more mild dangers. Adrenaline alone is enough to cause my veins to burn, but adding acidity to my system is cause for an effect much like a severe allergic reaction. Why others chose to focus on garlic, I will never know.

Nocturnal Hunting: My vision has become infinitely better at night; you would not believe the glare daylight creates. My sight has been enhanced for night hunting. Temperatures are also cooler after the sun falls, which my body temperature appreciates. Without blood being the main source of heat, I tend to run rather cold and do not so much enjoy being warmed up. My core temperature is simply lower, and so I am more comfortable in a cooler environment, as opposed to heat-seeking humans.

Advantages: True, I have grown stronger without explanation. How else am I expected to restrain my victims for the thirty seconds it takes for them to grow still? I would not be a predator without the advantage of speed, stealth, and strength. I am nothing extraordinary, but a slight change is all I need. As for the lack of any blemish, scar, or any sign of aging, I have grown to assume that this has much the same effect as a flower to a bee. One may attract more prey if they are... Well, attractive. Along with this I believe a spark of adrenaline creates a release of some pheromone, as each of my victims has been exceptionally dull of mind.

Creation: I have yet to discover the means of my creation, and I have not met any others of which I could ask this question. This remains a mystery to me, as well as my life span. I have no means to tell how old I grow- does this mean I am void of age completely? Free from the cage of time? Part of me wishes to give into the inevitable desire to be immortal, and the other has never thought a thought more terrifying.