(A)cademia / closed

[LivingLethal]

𝚒𝚜𝚕𝚊 𝚒𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐

the botanist // location: dartford institute lecture hall // tags: klaus // mentions: students at the orientation

The morning was dull in picture. Heavy rain pounded down on the Dartford Institute's ancient walls, flooding down the drains and pooling in lulls of the courtyard. Thunder roared outside of the dorms. An abrupt crack boomed outside room seven, startling Isla from her nighttime slumber.

Isla rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the gloomy glow that shrouded her new residence. The weather did nothing to accent the Institute's already-weary ambiance. Regardless, she stretched out her legs and slipped out of the bed. "They sure spare no expense on their dorm rooms," she whispered to herself, her hands drifting from the silken sheets she'd slept so peacefully on until the storm's howls. "At least the plants are getting a hefty breakfast."

The botanist pulled on a light sweater and a pair of loose jeans, hoping to be comfortable for the hours-long orientation she'd be attending this afternoon. Finishing up her look, Isla grabbed a pair of socks from her dresser, but she was promptly interrupted by a rasp on the door.

"Hey there!" The voice of the receptionist from yesterday, Lisa, reverberated through the door. "Please make your way to the lecture hall at this time. Your phone will be confiscated for the time being, but will be returned at the end of the presentation. Thank you!"

"Be right out!" Isla retorted, hearing the woman standing at the door for confirmation that she was awake. Isla quickly threw on her slides and followed the group out to the lecture hall.


--

Upon arriving at the lecture hall, Isla sat in an empty chair next to the somber boy from last night. A seat down from her on the opposite side, Effie and a few other girls were sitting; she still needed to figure out her other classmates' names. She smiled softly at Effie, waving, but then set her attention towards the lecturers, who were preparing for the upcoming presentation. A few of the other faces from the previous night shuffle in, and before Isla knew it, a man—one who vaguely resembled Monopoly Man, she noted cheerfully to herself—hobbled up to the podium facing the incoming students. Upon adjusting the microphone, he begins his speech.

The man introduces himself as Colin Partridge, a chief of the board of governors of the Institute. It sounded like a strenuous job to make the decisions surrounding such a historic school. As he began speaking, Isla realized she didn't have anything to take notes on; she admittedly was never the most prepared academically. She'd have to remember whatever she could from the presentation, if it was more than the standard welcoming ceremony.

Tuning back into the presentation, Isla's ears catch a strange phrase from the speaker—"the supernatural," he said. Isla focused more heavily, confused. Was this an initiation prank? She had one of those pulled on her and a few other new classmates when she first joined college, but it seemed... unusual of the Dartford Institute's staff to partake in such a practice. The girl huddled back in her seat, feeling her nerves beginning to fray as the board head continued speaking. The safety of the world, Isla repeated in her head, a slight tremble in her hand.

The man glances back to several teachers further back on the podium, who pull a sheet off a table to unveil a number of books and artifacts. Colin begins speaking again, starting with the first book. He reads a passage from it and a billowy shadow begins pulling away from the book's pages and filling the room. Isla covers her mouth, jumping to the boy next to her and grabbing his arm before they were plunged in the void-like darkness. She was paralyzed within its pool of icy blackness. A spine electrified down her spine as she inhaled frigid air, unsure if it was made of the shadow or not.

Suddenly, the darkness engulfing the students vanished. Colin was left before them, holding the book that he claimed caused the supernatural phenomenon. Isla's mind was frozen, yet running miles a minute; she didn't know what to think, nor what to believe. As the man continued his explanation, picking up and displaying more books of various magical functions, she was working her hardest to stay composed and not shed tears from the traumatic experience of the blackness that had consumed them minutes prior.

Setting the books aside, the man steps back, making room for a slight flitting creature. Isla didn't recognize it; its features appeared human, but it was no larger than a hummingbird. The creature darts between the students' chairs, pausing g, then continuing on its mission. Isla curled closer to the dark-haired boy. Suddenly, it stops in front of her, and an image pops in her mind: a magnificent tree, and sitting beneath, her and the creature. Isla didn't know how, but she knew it meant peace. An overwhelming feeling of relief trickled over her; then, the creature simply flickered away.

While the creature—a fairy, she suddenly realized—introduced itself to the remaining students, Isla recomposed herself. She left go of the dark-haired boy next to her, offering an apologetic smile for having invaded his space.

Colin continued running through the presentation. Isla remained shaken, but the encounter with the fairy calmed her. There was benevolence in this sect of supernatural creatures she'd never known the existence of. The remainder of the show-and-tells were fairly tame, minus the laser-shooting magnifying glass, which admittedly frazzled whatever remained of her nerves, but Isla endured with a respectable amount of composure. As the orientation gave way into a more traditional presentation, albeit on the very extraordinary subject of the supernatural, she felt more at ease. She began making mental notes on the information, but suddenly, as the board head switched to the next slide, a glitch overtook the film. The slide turns black, and a cryptic crimson symbol emerges on top. Bold, foreboding words blinked beneath: "WE WILL TAKE BACK WHAT IS OURS!"

Confused at first, Isla furrowed her eyebrows, trying to understand the meaning of the slide. Colin offered no reprieve; instead, the uneasy expression clouding his face further worried Isla. He explains away the concerning words of the slide, but seems not to know what it meant. The girl looks towards the other students, wondering what their reactions would be.

[skydust]

✧ K ʟ ᴀ ᴜ s xH ᴀ ᴡ ᴛ ʜ ᴏ ʀ ɴ ᴇ
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✧ cis male ✧ 20 ✧ the scientist ✧ tags: Isla (everyone else), kinda open?

A knock on the door causes Klaus to jump awake from sleeping. He immediately regretted opening his eyes, a burning sensation stinging his pupils. He groaned, closing them quickly and rubbing his head. Another knock sounded, this one a bit louder. A person spoke, informing him to get up for the presentation. He could only guess it was Lisa, considering the shrill voice coming from the other side of the door. He gave out a muffled response as he turned, trying to get up. That seemed like good enough for her, because she quickly went on to the next door to relay the same message. Klaus stumbled out of the bed, almost tripping over the sheets as he tried to make his way to his closet. He rubbed his eyes for what must have been the fifth time, trying to relieve the pounding in his head. He finally opened his dark blue eyes, skimming his closet for something to wear. Until he froze, memories of last night flooded into his brain for the first time that morning. He looked down at the clothes he was wearing last night still on his person, and everything he wanted to forget came slamming right into his face.
He wanted to scream at himself. He scrunched up his face, pulling at his hair slightly as he scowled at his closet. He wanted to hit himself in the face for being so moronic. How could he just tell people about his past? Hopefully they only thought it was the alcohol talking. He let out a shaky breath, trying to calm his anxiety and not panic. He could just say he didn't know what he was talking about. That it was just drunk rambling. He closed his eyes for a second, calming his brain for a minute. Before he started once again searching for some clothes to wear to the assembly. He threw on a white shirt, a dark blue blazer with thin white strips on it vertically and horizontally, black pants, and finally black dress shoes paired with equally black socks. He looked in the mirror at himself. His dark slightly curly hair was much curlier than usually. He wasn't surprised, especially considering how he slept. His eyes looked rather bloodshot, and the dark circles under them had not disappeared from yesterday. In fact, they only looked worse. He considered himself rather pathetic looking as he really took himself in. He felt panic surge through him again, but he grit his teeth. Hoping no one would notice, he grabbed a pair of shades to cover up his obvious hangover (and the light that scorched his eyes), before turning on his heel and making his way towards the ground floor at the back of the building.
Checking his watch to make sure he wasn't late, he gave his phone to one of the people confiscating them before sitting down in the lecture hall. He let out a sigh of relief at the fact he wasn't scolded for wearing sunglasses during a presentation, before letting his eyes wander the hall. He realized he sat rather close to the girls from the night before. Lilly, Paige, and Effie all sat together chatting. He also spotted Oliver and Benji scattered throughout the hall as well. He sank down in his seat, hoping no one would notice him sitting here. He really didn't feel like talking to anyone, especially with a headache and an anxiety riddled feeling spreading throughout his chest. He thought he had gotten away with being unnoticed, before another girl from last night sat down next to him. It was Isla, the girl with fiery red hair and a rather green thumb. He swore in his mind, freezing up a little as she waved at the girls in front of them. He was about to sink even further into his seat, before his attention was drawn to the person on the stage. He was a short, balding man, probably in his sixties. Everyone in the hall quieted down as he began the orientation presentation. Klaus groaned under his breath, really not caring for school presentations. He had always found them quite boring. He put his chin in his hand, staring boredly up at the old man in front of him. Klaus almost let his thoughts drift away before he heard the word 'supernatural'. Klaus raised an eyebrow, not really finding the joke funny. Around him, everyone else seemed rather confused at what the old man was talking about. Colin gestured to a table, several teachers unveiling weird looking artifacts. Klaus almost wanted to scoff. Did they really think this was funny? He was about to mention how ridiculous this was, when Colin started to read the first passage of the book he picked up. Klaus froze, panic setting into his system even before all the light was sucked out of the room. Everything about what the man was talking about sounded familiar. He didn't get a chance to think about it before everything was plunged into darkness.
Someone grabbed his arm, and he only assumed it was the girl next to him. He didn't even care that Isla had clutched onto him, the hair on his arms and neck had stood straight up at the sight of magic once again. He already knew that if anyone could see him they'd clearly see the horror written all over his face, even with shades on. Images of his friend's body laying on the ground flooded his mind, and then everything clicked seemingly at the same time the lights turned back on. Colin started to explain how the book worked, but Klaus's mind raced with panic. He was frozen, his blood running cold. He felt like he had been dunked into ice water, and if it wasn't for everyone in the room, he would probably have grown sick. Next they introduced fairies to the audience. The small beautiful creatures fly around the room. His heart practically stopped as one neared him, sending images into his mind. A beautiful night sky full of stars appeared in his mind, and Klaus clutched the handles of his seat. The fairy looked almost confused at his reaction, before turning and flying away. He felt someone uncurl themselves from his side, and he turned to find Isla letting go of his arm and sending an apologetic smile. He tried to give any kind of reaction back, but his whole face felt pale and his jaw ticked with anxiety.
As the presentation continued, he was finding it harder and harder to breath. His heart was beating inside his chest abnormally. And no matter how many times he tried to do the breathing exercises his mum taught him, he wasn't able to calm himself. He saw a will o' the wisp, a magnifying glass that can shoot lasers, a ghost trapped inside the crystal. For the next couple of hours, Colin explained everything to the students of Dartford. The whole time Klaus couldn't get the imagine of his dead friend lying on the floor. He had killed him, but not just killed him. He had killed him with magic, and he didn't even know it until now. Klaus looked at his hands as the presentation went on, the shades on his face hiding the panicked look in his eyes. He had killed someone with magic.
After what seemed like a lifetime, the presentation seemed to be coming to a close. Everything went haywire though. Klaus hadn't let go on the arm of his chair since the presentation started, and this moment was no exception. He clutched it so hard his knuckles turned a bright white as the screen grew corrupt. A glitched symbol appeared on the screen of a red octopus on a black background. The words 'WE WILL TAKE BACK WHAT IS OURS' appears on the screen, and the staff quickly grows nervous. Colin turns it off, but the students all look nervous as well now. He gets off the stage, urgently whispering to his staff members. Behind the dark shades, Klaus's eyes follow him. He couldn't remember the last time he let out a breath, and as the students were ushered out of the hall he tore his eyes away and made a break for it.
He pushes past the students, his sight going into tunnel vision as he tried to make it to his room as fast as possible. Spurts of air escape his lungs rapidly, and he desperately tries to suck in more. The only image in his mind was the spell he did that caused the death of his friend. Finally making his way back to his dorm, he bursts through the door, it slamming shut behind him as he rummages through his school bag. He ripped off the shades, not even caring at how blinding the light felt. He felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes, and his chest hurt so badly he felt like his heart might explode. Shaky fingers searched through the bag, before he found what he was looking for. He was prescribed medication from his psychiatrists for his panic disorder a few years ago. Only taking some when he was having an attack. He quickly unscrewed the cap, taking his prescribed dose and swallowing without water. He didn't even care how awful it felt going down his throat, he was too busy desperately trying to calm his erratic breathing and get his body to stop shaking so terribly. He closed his eyes tightly, his long fingers tangled in his hair as he sat on the ground. He repeated the word 'no' under his breath so many times he couldn't even count, trying to force the image out of his head. Panic surging through his body, prickling against his skin, and clouding his mind more than the alcohol from last night ever could.

[onion]

✿ effie jo / 18 / bisexual / the artist
location: lecture hall > foyer > stairs > first year hallway
inventory: flip camera
tags: klaus

effie blinked. it was like the presentation was just... over in a flash, yet she still remembered all the information presented. it was just... that vision. she felt shaken up, wondering if it was the fae or perhaps just her. nobody else seemed to be disturbed, just shocked and confused as they shuffled out of the lecture hall.
effie grabbed her books and stood, not saying a word to paige or lilly as she left the desk, clutching her belongings to her chest. was it a vision? was it real? what... what was it? that, she didnt know. but with the truth being unveiled to her just minutes ago, anything was possible in the end. she made her way out of the lecture hall and looked up to notice a distressed boy running away from the crowd. he looked like one of the men that was at the bar last night...
this made her curious and a bit concerned. he looked like he was nearly crying, like he was having a panic attack or something, and needed help. quietly, effie began to follow the boy, twisting around the halls and up the stairs until he closed the door just feet behind her. he must not have noticed anyone following him, but he had lead her to... her hall? so yes, he was definitely one of the boys from last night, effie was correct in that assumption.
with this information in mind, she settled in front of his door and took a deep breath, then knocked. "hello?" she called quietly, hoping not to scare him anymore than he already was. he really had looked pale and frightened, so she wondered if it was the presentation, the truth of magic, the logo, or what that spooked him so bad.
"i-it's effie, the... the pink haired girl. are you okay?" effie paused again and gave another small knock, then stepped back in case he opened the door. she shuffled around in the back pocket of her jeans and grabbed her little flip camera, snapping a quick picture of the front of klaus' door so she remembered which number he was. this would help her in the future, she was sure of it. shoving the flip device back in her pocket, she knocked one more time.

♠ aileen jung / 20 / lesbian / the musician
location: lecture hall > foyer > stairs > first year hallway
inventory: rusty pocket knife
tags: lilly

aileen took her seat begrudgingly in the lecture hall, choosing a table that was unoccupied. dressed in a short black mini dress, black garter stockings, black platforms, and a black half hoodie, she didnt stand out at all, especially with the hood up over her head. she looked discreet and kinda scary, so she hoped nobody would come close to her.
tapping her long nails on the table, the presentation began, and she was soon immersed in everything collin was saying. she grinned at the wisp, watching it soar through the high ceiling-ed room with ease. it was fascinating, but not surprising. the school had been rumored to be covered in mysterious lore, and so aileen wasnt even the least bit impressed by all this. in fact, if anything, she was amused.
when the fae were brought out, aileen watched them carefully. they were delicate creatures that looked like they could be crushed in her fists... but they left just as fast as they had appeared. the only thing off about the whole presentation was this symbol that popped up. it looked like a squid or something, with text that said "we will take back what is ours." what the hell did that mean? aileen shook her head a little as the lights undimmed and students because murmuring and leaving the hall. she stood as well, and flipped her hood down, holding a book in one arm. "messed up," aileen mumbled quietly to herself. she began to leave the hall and left for her room.
after climbing seven or so flights of stairs, she stopped at the opening of the hall where she saw two girls. one with pink hair knocking on one door, and another black haired girl. she decided to approach the second one. "i need to talk to you!" she shouted through the door.
"about what?" aileen asked lowly as she approached lilly. she gripped her book tight and tapped her right foot against her left, brushing some dirt off the bottom of her shoe and onto the carpet. "something up with them?"

[LivingLethal]

𝚒𝚜𝚕𝚊 𝚒𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐

the botanist // location: dartford institute lecture hall // tags: open! i see u paige // mentions: klaus, effie, lilly, oliver, benjamin

After the board director told the students to disperse, Isla glanced over to the other students to see their reactions. The group of three girls—Effie, Lilly, and the blonde-haired girl who she'd yet to meet—sat still for a moment. Effie and the blonde looked about as overwhelmed by the experience as she was; Lilly, on the other hand, was scanning the crowd purposefully. Isla followed her gaze to the Scottish boy from the bar last night—Isla hadn't acquainted himself to him either. The man was already on his feet when Colin dismissed the group, grasping tightly to a notebook as he raced off in the direction of the dorms.

Isla observed curiously as Lilly ran off after the boy, but her attention split as she heard labored breathing beside her. Suddenly, the boy next to her—Klaus, if she remembered correctly—bolted from the lecture hall, his breath hitching as he went. Isla stood instinctively, his reaction striking worry in her heart. She looked back at the group of girls, wondering if they saw what had happened, too. Effie had, apparently, as she quickly rose to her feet and went after the panicked boy. Coupled with her near-nervous-breakdown earlier in the presentation, Isla froze in place, unsure of what to do. Is he alright?, she shivered. What if Effie needs help talking him down? Would he even want our help? The lecture hall was barren by now, only the blonde girl and Benji still in sight. She stood doubtful of her next move, but wanted to assist nonetheless.

[rose petals.]

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Ｐａｉｇｅ Ｙｏｕｎｇ．
➳ｔｈｅ ｄａｎｃｅｒ．

■ mentions: lilly, oliver, benji ■
■ tags: isla ■

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Paige watched Oliver dart off, which left her a little sad as he was one of the few people she had actually gotten to know a little bit. He was quickly followed by Lilly, who Paige also could say she knew well enough. Although it soon dawned on her that she didn't really know anyone, and that many people didn't know anything about her. The thought of changing that made her nervous... but it couldn't hurt to try, right?

It turned out that a lot of the class seemed to be in a big hurry to get out of there, which the exception of two others. She remembered them briefly from the night before, the boy had seemed rather outgoing, so it might be better to get to know the girl. At least Paige hoped she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself while trying to do a social interaction. Sending Isla a shy smile, she moved over to the girl.

"Uhm, hey there I'm Paige." She said, her mind still reeling from all of the new information. Going out on a limb, the dancer chuckled slightly. "I don't know about you but... wow that presentation was a lot to take in the first day!" Of course, she wouldn't be sure how her hopefully new friend would react, but Paige hoped she'd be sociable enough. Wow, she was really getting out of her comfort zone!

[_seo_]

XXX

X█║ ʙᴇɴᴊᴀᴍɪɴ ᴅʀᴀᴋᴇ ║█X
male || nineteen || the historian || tags(mentions); Joel (anybody left in the room)

indentBen lifted his head to see that everyone had pretty much vacated the room or were already in a conversation and he didn't want to interrupt. That left a few upperclassmen who stood along the walls, but as despite how outgoing he was, he felt hesitant to approach them after everything he had just seen. He felt completely out of his depth, much like the way he felt when he first came to England to live with his new family. Smoothing the fabric of his pants as he stood and that's when reality hit him. This was a university dealing with all things supernatural which meant that with his major and specialty, he would be learning about magical weaponry. His face lit up and a soft smile bloomed on his face, the pounding that had begun to return completely subsided.

indentLet it be known that Benjamin Xiaokai Drake, even on rare occasions when he's anything but happy or excited, is an easy man to please. It didn't take much to return a smile to his face even when he was at the lowest of his lows, the only exception being the day his parents died and its anniversary each year, but that day was not today. Just thought of learning about a different branch of ancient weaponry washed away the confusion from the day's events. His eyes darted to the front of the room where the presentation had been. The words that had appeared for mere moments were seared onto his memory and had ignited his curiosity, something that almost always led to trouble. Curiosity killed the cat, Benny, his mama's voice echoed in mind, the proverb was one she constantly told him throughout his childhood as a warning, but the following line of the proverb is what always stood out him and before turning his head around he spoke in a whisper, "But satisfaction brought it back..."

indentAs he turned his head, Benji's eyes landed on a blonde man standing in the back of the room. The man stood with an expression that some would consider icy, but Benji, of course, was not like most people and thought the expression made the man look quite chic. The blonde reminded him of the models that worked for his mother and occasionally with him. Without realizing it, his feet had carried him over to where the man stood. The man looked even more handsome up close and for the first time since he was a child, he spoke with a little bit of hesitance, "Hello..."

indentAnd just like that the mouse was already caught in the trap.

XXX

X█║ ᴍᴀɪʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴀᴄɴᴀᴍᴀʀᴀ ║█X
female || twenty-three || second year || tags(mentions); open

indentMairead sighed as she leaned against the wall, she remembered when she first learned that the supernatural actually existed and that was before she even started at Dartford. Her fingers fiddled with the necklace around her neck and despite having to be there and having to see the chaos of that presentation, there was some relief in the fact that she hadn't been made to transform into her seal form in front of the first years. There wasn't a single day that went by that she didn't regret ever picking up the cursed necklace.

indent'The Ocean's Tear makes it seem innocent and pretty', she mentally whined, and though part of that was true, the necklace was extremely pretty but nothing about it was innocent. With a sigh, she pushed herself off the wall and walked out of the room, she was stuck with the stupid necklace forever unless she wanted to stay a seal, which on occasion sounded like an excellent idea. But if she did take the necklace off that would just lead to an unsuspecting person taking the necklace and she wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[skydust]

✧ 𝐽𝑂𝐸𝐿 𝐸𝑉𝐴𝑁𝑆
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✧ cis male ✧ 23 ✧ the deceiver ✧ tags: Benji (the main 8)

Everything had gone according to plan. Joel watched as the stumpy old man left the stage, his eyes glimmering with satisfaction at the sight of the panicked staff. The teachers all huddled together, hurried whispers glossing their lips as they made their exit. A sort of frenzied worry lingered in the room, before the students were ushered out of the auditorium with haste. Joel stood, watching as others left the room, some with worry on their faces, others with just a taste of what magic really is coating their faces in a new blossomed wonder. The shadows of the room framed his face, high cheekbones growing sharper and darkness forming under his eyes made of winter. Just a taste of magic could cause such a stir. He knew that feeling all too well, but in his case he was already accustomed to what magic was. He wasn't the least bit surprised when he first saw magic at Dartford Institute. But intrigued with the boundless limits of it, only a sliver shown of what he was told magic could actually do. He eyes bounced from each face to the next, landing on 8 that would soon become frequent visitors for the rest of his life here at the institute. Some more troublesome for him then others he would come to find. His icy blue eyes followed a young man with shades on the bridge of his nose storm out of the room in a blur of anxiety. He found a girl with bright pink hair following him in confusion and worry. His eyes followed an unimpressed girl in all black exit the room. Then they flickered to those in the room. A girl with bouncy red hair and a blonde with a shy smile talked with one another. Wonder and maybe a bit of worry on their faces at what had just occurred. A young man stood in the room as well, looking quite out of place. His eyes then found the person that made his lips turn into a slight frown, barely noticeable. She stomped out of the room in her black boots, following a determined young man with shaggy blonde hair. Lillian Dartford was someone he didn't care for one bit. Her surname alone causing him to bite his tongue so hard he tasted the metallic tang of blood on his taste buds.
He took a deep breath, holding it in his chest until he felt his lungs burning. The pain almost satisfying, a reminder to remember his place in a world full of magic and hidden gods. He allowed his shoulders to relax, remembering the words of his mentor in his head clearly. All he had to do was smile. Feigned innocence, so much so that it clung to his skin as he walked. Be good, stand tall, and be the best he could be. Be so good that no one would ever think twice about who he might be. Follow orders and be the golden boy everyone saw him as. If he could do that, he would achieve greatness and rewards a plenty. Afterall, no one will ever suspect the wolf in sheep's clothing. He'll be another sheep for now, because when the time comes they won't see the fangs and the fire that burns so deeply inside of him coming. The tips of his fingers could cause hellfire to spring from the ground and he'd gladly watch this place burn at his own accord. He wanted magic. He wanted the gods at his mercy. And he would make sure he got it. He would make sure his 'family' got what they desired. It was his duty afterall. Even if the shadows of guilt and the darkness of the night sky consumed him with feverish rage for setting the world out of balance. It was his duty, and he would do it well. He knew for a fact he could. He was so sure of it. He was so sure he could destroy the world with just a smile, that eventually something sinister would catch up to him. He just didn't know that yet. Maybe he never would.
Most of the students had left the room by now, and he was about to take his exit as well when someone approached out of the corner of his sight. He quickly adjusted his body language accordingly. The icy look on his face making way for a pleasant one, his stiff spine relaxing. It was almost an instinct now to twitch a smile on his face whenever he talked to someone. He had drowned out so much of himself to make way for the new one. He could only hope that by the time this was done that whispers of who he was still remained in his lithe frame. His eyes finally found the figure who has approached him. It was someone he had observed previously, a face that he hadn't known until now. A grin found its way to his lips, one that he didn't have to force as he tilted his head at the hesitance in the young man's voice. He reminded Joel of a deer. Flowers of innocence blooming out of his skin, big doe eye filled with curiosity and wonder that could get anyone killed. His eyes found the chain around the man's neck, wondering the significance of something small before his they twitched back up to the mans face once again. "Hello. I don't think I've seen you around before. First year?" he questioned without missing a beat. He played his part perfectly. Of course he did. Not one crack in his exterior. His mind ignorant of the significance of the man in front of him. He looked towards the front of the auditorium, a strand of dark blonde hair falling into his face that he didn't bother to fix before he turned back to the stranger. "These presentations get old after a while, though I'm sure they have to peak first years interest somehow. My name is Joel Evans by the way," he said, holding out his hands to the dark haired man in front of him. His eyes exploring his face trying to memorize every detail, a habit he found himself doing a lot.

[skydust]

✧ K ʟ ᴀ ᴜ s xH ᴀ ᴡ ᴛ ʜ ᴏ ʀ ɴ ᴇ
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✧ cis male ✧ 20 ✧ the scientist ✧ tags: Effie

Ripples of panic flooded through his chest. Each tiny wave of disquiet made a shudder spring up his spine. Klaus desperately tried to contain the swirling emotions that threatened to consume him. Each attempt only half succeeding in pulling all the darkness that was Klaus Hawthorne back into the little cage he had made for himself. He dragged himself upwards, the effort almost causing him to collapse onto the floor again from lack of air in his burning lungs. Beads of cold sweat fell down his face from the chills that wracked his frame. The sense of impending doom conquering every crevice of his mind that it could find. Clawing at every bit of his brain until he had nothing left. Only a thin shell that he had to rebuild over and over again. So no one could reach his inner thoughts, his inner secrets, and his inner desires. He could feel his breathing slowly steadying, but it wasn’t fast enough. It was never fast enough. Each second that passed seemed like a lifetime. As if time itself was a cruel construct built only to cause bits of agony for Klaus to endure until his demise. His thoughts only continue to swirl around the death that seemed to coat his every pore, his every thought, and every raggedy breath his took. His thoughts always seeming to focus on the notion of why.
Why did fate have to throw him down this path and continue to mock him with the notice of magic. He decided right there, with twisted up eyebrows, glassy eyes, and hand clutching his chest, that he hated the very concept of it all. Klaus had always been a logical person. He believed in the science of things. In fact, before everything happened. He believed in life, because life was science. That's why he loved the topic so much. Even after giving death a hand in his diligent work, he still believed in life. And he refused to believe that magic was suppose to fall into place with the rest of the logical things in the world. It just didn't. So he decided not to believe in it. Not that he didn't believe in magic, but he refused to believe in the notion that magic could be something good. It came with a price, even if the stupid book or artifact said it didn't. It always came with a price. So he decided he wouldn't pay that price. He would hate magic from here on out. Hate that danced perfectly with the anxiety that already twirled him along to the harmony of destruction. Destruction that had already soaked his hands in blood of someone he cared about. He was so stupid back that. How could he have been so stupid. Klaus let go of the strands of dark curly hair he had clung onto, his wide eyes trying to search for comfort as anxiety punched his chest. Klaus stumbled towards his bed, ready to curl in a ball until his heart stopped beating so fast and his palms weren't so sweaty. Until a knock sounded at the door.
He froze so quickly that his muscles started to ache instantly. A quiet greeting sounded at the other side of the door, the voice causing him to unconsciously hold his breath. Which wasn't a good idea, as he instantly let it out, his breathing rapidly growing once more. He didn't know what to do. He ran his hand through his dark locks, eyes looking around the room for something to save him. Even though nothing was going to be there. Klaus was alone. He looked back to the door. This time a sheen of panic in his eyes, looking almost like he had completely lost his mind just by the fact someone had caught him in one of his many secrets. The girl reintroduced herself as Effie, and he instantly thought of her pink hair and the camera she carried around with her everywhere. He wanted to bark out a laugh when she asked him if he was okay, but all the came out was a strangled sound at the back of his throat. He was panicking again, his chest rising and falling as he stood in place. Klaus heard another knock again, and at the sound he impulsively shot forward. Not really in the state of mind to do anything logical. Not really in the state of mind to hold his tongue. He swung the door open, light pink hair and startled dark brown eyes swimming in his vision. He held the door frame hard, almost as if he would topple over if he let go of it. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out as he realized what he had done. He had exposed his crack shell to someone he never wanted to show it too. So now it was time to start building up his walls once again. The lonely cycle continuing once more.
"What could possibly not get about my door being closed? Did you think it was an invitation to intrude on whatever you think is going on? Did you really think you could waltz in here and help me because you decided to take pity on me? Are you daft or just incapable of leaving people alone?" he hissed. His eyes went a bit crazed as he spat words from his lips that he didn't mean. His brain finally caught up with his lips, and he froze once more. Gapping like a fish at the innocent girl in front of him who didn't deserve to be berated for simply being a nice person and wanting to help.

[LivingLethal]

𝚒𝚜𝚕𝚊 𝚒𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐

the botanist // location: dartford institute lecture hall // tags: paige // mentions: klaus, effie, lilly, oliver

Vision tunneling in the direction of the dorms, Isla was lost in the indecision of her thoughts. She stressed over Klaus fleeing from the hall, Effie chasing after him, and not insignificantly, the mind-blowing presentation the Institute had only moments ago concluded. On an ordinary day, she would be able to work through this, but not on a day that she learned of the existence of dangerous supernatural existences.

Almost lost to the twister of her torment, a mutter pierced through her internal woes, snapping her abruptly back into reality. It was the sunny blonde from the bar—the one she'd yet to acquaint herself with. The demure girl introduced herself as Paige. She seemed to be trying to make small talk, which Isla appreciated; after all, she was essentially on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Ah," Isla stammered, composing herself as she spoke. Her hand hovered on her chest, as if attempting to still her nerves. "I'm so sorry; I didn't notice you walk over. I don't think we met last night—I'm Isla." She exhaled shakily, shedding her feelings of shock before she continued. "I'm not sure I can even think about what happened, honestly. Are you okay? I'm a bit worried about everyone else, they all cleared out super quickly. Lilly and that Scottish boy you were talking to last night ran off, but I'm kind of more concerned for Klaus and Effie."

[_seo_]

XXX

X█║ ʙᴇɴᴊᴀᴍɪɴ ᴅʀᴀᴋᴇ ║█X
male || nineteen || the historian || tags(mentions); Joel

indentThe tips of his ears flushed pink when the blonde grinned at him, his heart fluttering in his chest. Without realizing it, he returned the grin with a bright smile, "Mmhm..." If he weren't so mesmerized, he would have chided mentally himself for acting so meek. His eyes followed the strand of hair following into the blonde's face, desperately fighting the urge to brush it aside since the man hadn't made a move to do so. Anyone who knew Benjamin well enough, or even having interacted with him for a few moments, would get whiplash from the way he was currently acting. Not even the first boy he ever liked nor the boy who took his first kiss had made him act this way.

indentBenji tilted his head to the side, furrowing his eyebrows, the way the blonde had said that they have to pique the first years' interest made it seem like the hacking had possibly been fake. It had seemed so real and the professors had all looked panicked, it couldn't have been just a ruse, could it? But something in him was telling him not to question why the blonde had said that. When the blon-no...when Joel said his name, he was pulled from the confusion and back into his flustered state. His eyes dropped to the outstretched hand, his cheeks turning pink as he looked back up to see Joel looking intently at his face, "B-Benjamin Drake, I prefer Ben or Benji but you can call me whatever you'd like." He took Joel's hand in his as a flirty smile, though much softer than it typically would be, bloomed on his face.

indentBen liked pretty things, he especially pretty things that gave off a dangerous aura, not that he ever realized it until much later. It could partially be attributed to his fascination with melee weapons, always dangerous and always extremely pretty in his eyes. If he weren't as sheltered as he was, perhaps the sirens blaring and red flags waving would have caught his attention. But they didn't. No one, not even he, could deny that he was chaotic, but never in a way that wasn't capable of being coaxed into submission. If he wasn't so naive or mesmerized by Joel, he might have noticed that Joel was chaotic in a way that could destroy whatever was in its path.

indentBut Benjamin Drake always tries to see the good in everyone, he was a good boy, someone that could easily be corrupted within a blink of an eye.