#((when will one of my muses be able to meet zane first without making him suffer for it--))

[razzle-zazzle]

Happy Birthday @entersomethingcreativehere​! As promised, here’s some stuff for the Silent Song AU!

1644 Words

Zane was, for the first time in recent memory, cold.

Not because his cell was particularly cold, or because his elemental powers had been taken, but because of the complete isolation of his situation. No guards came to check on him, no mastermind came to interrogate him, and nobody came to feed him—because he wasn’t human, didn’t need to eat or drink.

But there was more to it than that, Zane knew, if the dream that had been haunting him during his time here was any indication. He couldn’t quite remember anything before his imprisonment here, and that emptiness carried with it a lingering sense of cold.

He was missing something, something important, and without that something, Zane had no comfort with which to warm himself in this cold, empty cell.

His throat tightened, the mechanics of his body acting to simulate a human response to his feelings. His face pricked, but there were no tears to cry. Just cold emptiness.

FSM, Zane wished he were anywhere other than here.

If only he knew what “anywhere other than here” was even like.

+=+=+=+=+

Pixal was a blessing—no, more than that. She was the earth and sky, the sun and moon, the stars and the cosmos.

Of course, remembering brought its own troubles. It gave him people to miss, and from that, a reason to cry. And, even worse, it came with the knowledge that the others would not be coming for him—for all they knew, Zane was dead.

“Zane, I’m detecting alarming levels of distress. Are you sure you’re alright?” Pixal’s voice cut through Zane’s thoughts like sunlight through clouds, and Zane felt all the better for it.

“I’m fine.” He said softly. “But thank you for your concern.”

“If you say so.” Pixal’s voice dripped with doubt, but she did not pry. Zane was thankful for that.

Zane returned to his musings, the weight on his shoulders lighter than before. It was a pleasing thought, the reminder that he wasn’t alone. That, even if the others never came for him, he would not have to rust alone, with nobody to talk to.

Still, what Zane wouldn’t give to see his friends—no, his family—again. To hear their voices, hold their hands. To watch Cole draw again, making something out of nothing with only a pencil and paper. To hear Kai’s boisterous showboating, only for him to get shown up by Nya. To see the way Jay’s brow furrowed when he’d hit a particularly puzzling snag in his last invention, the way he slowly figured out the problem. To take care of Lloyd again, for all that the boy forgot to care for himself. To train with Nya again, trading blows on the deck until they were both exhausted.

Zane’s throat tightened again, his thoughts wandering to how the ninja were doing in his absence. Did they mourn him? Move on? Or were they still grieving, grieving someone who wasn’t even dead, who needed to be rescued, not mourned?

“Zane,” Pixal cut in, a warning tone, “are you certain you do not want to talk about what’s troubling you?”

“I am...” Zane began, only to trail off. “I would like that.”

“It is your family, isn’t it?” Pixal asked. “You miss them.”

“I do.” Zane paused, trying to find the words. “I do not find reason to believe they will come for me, and that—that scares me.”

Pixal hmmed comfortingly. “We were both brought to this island for a reason, Zane. Perhaps we shall reunite with the others yet.”

It wasn’t the most comforting thing to hear, but Zane smiled all the same. He really wasn’t giving the others enough credit, was he? He needed to trust them.

They would come. They had to.

Zane didn’t want to believe otherwise.

+=+=+=+=+

Tap tap tap.

Zane stirred at the sound of tapping, his gaze landing on the door of his cell. There was someone there—why was there someone there?

Curious, Zane stood up, coming as close to the door as his chains would allow, trying to peer out through the bars. “Who—” Zane froze.

Because there, peering into Zane’s cell with shadowed eyes, was Cole. There, with tears in the corners of his eyes, was Cole. There, with a wide-eyed smile, was Cole. Cole, crying softly as he lifted a hand to meet Zane’s through the bars. Cole, with bandages peeking out from under the collar of his prisoner uniform. Cole, covered in flour, the white dusting his face and clothes reminiscent of morning frost.

“Cole!” Zane nearly shouted, wanting to break down the door and embrace his brother. If Cole was here, then he’d lost the fight with Jay. But that also meant that Cole could rally the other prisoners, take Chen’s operation down from within.

Except, on a second glance, Cole didn’t look so good. His lip had been split, and his cheek was bruised. The flour that had so cutely decorated his face before only served to show how tired he looked, and Zane wanted nothing more in that moment than to hold his brother, to make whatever had caused that haunted look in his eyes to go away.

“Cole…” Zane said, more quietly.

Cole said nothing, simply resting his forehead against the bars with a smile.

The guard yelled somewhere up ahead, sounding annoyed. Cole stiffened. He began to pull away.

“Cole, wait—” But he was already gone.

“Something was most certainly wrong there.” Pixal’s voice was succinct, as though talking about the weather.

Zane stepped back from the door. “He didn’t say a single word.”

Pixal sighed. “There were bandages around his neck. Something happened, and I’m not sure I like any of the possibilities.”

Zane sat down. “He didn’t say a single word. Why didn’t he say anything?” Did I do something wrong?

“Zane.” Pixal warned, but Zane didn’t listen. What had he done wrong? Why didn’t Cole say anything?

Desolate, Zane curled up in the corner of his cell, trying his damnedest not to cry.

His efforts proved futile.

+=+=+=+=+

Cole tugged at the bandages around his neck, wincing as they rubbed against the raw skin of his scars. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He rubbed at them, trying to even his breathing before he started to choke again. Cole gave the cell containing his brother another glance, wishing he’d had more time to just stand there and see him.

“Zane” He’d wanted to say, “It’s so good to see you, you tin can!” He’d wanted to laugh, to reassure his brother with a promise of escape. Wanted to yell at Zane for having gone missing for so long, for leaving them all with nothing but his memory. Wanted to hold his brother’s hand and say “I’m here for you. We’re here for you.”

But I can’t. He thought bitterly, absently running his finger along the bandages. FSM, his throat hurt. Every breath felt like sandpaper, but at least he could still breathe.

“Walk faster!” The guard in front yanked the chains holding the prisoners together, causing the whole group to stumble. Right.

Cole gave his brother’s cell one last glance before falling back in line. It was fine. Everything was fine. He knew where Zane was.

Now he just needed a plan.

+=+=+=+=+

Cole grimaced as he coughed up blood. Dammit, not again.

Standing on shaky legs, he walked over to the door of his cell, pounding against it to get the guards’ attention.

Sorry Zane, I don’t think I’ll be able to bust us out today.

+=+=+=+=+

“Cole, wait—” Zane didn’t understand why Cole was insisting on such a fast pace. Had his escape plan really been so impromptu?

Cole grabbed Zane’s shoulder and pulled him into an alcove, where they sat down to rest.

Now that they had a moment of peace, Zane hoped to get the answers he wanted. “Cole,��� he began, “You haven’t said a word since we reunited. Why?”

Cole blinked owlishly, giving Zane a kind of “is it not obvious” look.

“Zane, I think—” Pixal began, but Zane wasn’t listening.

“Please,” he pleaded, holding Cole’s shoulders imploringly, “Are you angry with me? Was it something I did? That I was missing for all this time?”

Cole took Zane’s hands in his own, giving Zane a decidedly melancholy look. He undid the collar of his uniform, giving Zane a clearer view of the bandages around his neck. Slowly, gently, he tapped the bandages, then shook his head. And again.

Oh. Oh no. Oh no.

“I had a hunch that this was the case.” Pixal’s tone was clipped. Zane realized he probably owed her an apology, but pushed that thought aside for now so he could embrace his brother. “Oh my—Cole—I’m so sorry, I should have realized, oh my—” Zane pulled away from the hug to look his brother in the eyes.

“Cole,” he said, more calmly now, “Who?”

Cole shook his head, as if to say “don’t worry about it”. But Zane was unfettered. He needed names, now.

“Cole,” Zane’s tone was ice, “Who did this to you?”

Cole glanced away, his hands beginning to spell out a name.

Zane wasn’t aware that Cole knew NSL—true, the ninja had learned basic signals for when they had to be absolutely silent, but nothing beyond that—though it seemed Cole’s knowledge only extended to the letters. That was fine, Zane could teach him more later.

“Clouse…” The name was familiar, but Zane couldn't quite place it. He supposed he’d figure it out later, when he wasn’t in the middle of an escape attempt.

Speaking of which—

“We should probably get moving.” Zane stood up, “The sooner we get out of this maze, the better.”

Cole nodded and stood up. Grinning, he took Zane’s offered hand.

Zane smiled. In his head, he could feel Pixal’s joy as well.

They weren’t alone. Not anymore.

And with that, they had hope.

[kokosnuss-jaguar]

Ninjago Alternate - The mysterious Green Ninja

___________

~ A universal alternate story, about how the four Ninja met Lloyd, the green Ninja

___________

“It was that guy again!” “Who? The mysterious green Ninja?!” “Yes sis! He was there before us and took already care of the bad guys!” “Could you see him? Could you see his face?” “No..he was already gone..the people told us about it..”, Cole groaned and sat down. “That was the third time this week!”, Jay complained and sat down next to Cole. “Hmmm..you need to find a way to seek him out and talk to him..”, their Master took word. “Why?” “Because he is the green Ninja, the Chosen One, destined to save Ninjago from the ultima-..” “Yeah, yeah! But for being such a hero, he shows us the cold shoulder!”, Jay interrupted Wu and folded his arms. The elder man gave him a dunning glare.

“I wonder why?”, Zane mused. “He was trained alone and he obviously doesn’t know how to work in a team.”, Wu answered. “That is why you want us to look for him, tell him to join our team and be done with it?!”, Kai raised an eyebrow. “Yes.” “Sure! If it’s nothing else!” “No need to be sarcastic..”, Cole glared at Kai and shook his head. “Sorry..but it’s true!” “I don’t understand, Master..”, Zane come foward. “Why do you think he’d join us?” “I don’t. That is why you have to convince him of it…”

———– “Not so fast, green Ninja!”, Kai growled. The four Ninja finally had found the mysterious green Ninja after days of searching for him. They surrounded him, to make sure he didn’t slip through their grasp again. Slowly, the green Ninjas hand wanderded to his sword. “Please, we aren’t here to fight you. We are not your enemies!”, Zane, who noticed it first, quickly spoke up. The other froze in his movement, yet let his hand where it was. “We are here, because we want to talk to you.” No answer, just a puzzled look. “Yes..as Zane already said, we aren’t your enemies.We fight for the same side.”, Cole explained. “That is why we want to talk with you.” “Talk?!”, he finally answered. “Oh look..he can talk.”, Kai mocked and earned an angry glare from everyone. “You have to excuse our friend Kai here..he tends to be..a bit bold..”, Zane told him. “Speaking of names..it may be in order to introduce us first..” Cole made a gesture with his arm: “The calm and nice one is Zane, the fiercy one is Kai, the one who hasn’t said a word yet is Jay-..” “Hey!” “..quiet Jay!..and I am Cole!” “Whats your name?”, Jay asked curiously. The other hesistated for a moment..but finally said: “..Lloyd.” “It is nice to meet you Lloyd!”, the ice Ninja smiled at him. “Yeah! How cool is that! I was finally able to talk to the chosen green Ninja!” But said Ninja only raised an eyebrow at Jay, unsure how to react to such an energetic bundle. “I take it, you didn’t have much interaction with other people?”, Kai asked surprisingly softly. The others glance went to the ground and he shook his head: “No..” “Then it is time we change that. You are coming with us and we talk some more at our home.” Lloyd however, backed away a little at this suggestion: “I..don’t think that is a good idea..” “Wow..he spoke a whole sentences..”, Jay couldn’t help, but point out. “Jaaay..”, Cole retorted annoyed. “Sorry…” “But Master Wu would like to talk with you.”, Kai insisted, ignoring the other twos chatter. The name seemed to evoke a certain interest in Lloyd: “Master..Wu?!..”, he repeated surprised.  Thinking about it for a few moments longer, he nodded. “I go with you..under one condition…I can leave again whenever I want.” “Alright!” “But Kai…Master Wu wouldn’t agree to it.”, Jay whispered to him. “I know..but he doesn’t. Sshht now!” “Then let us no longer waste any time and go.”, Cole agreed. ————— “Master! We have-..” “A new guest..”, he finished Jays sentences. Wu stood up and smiled at the newcomer: “Hello nephew..” The others gasped. “Excuse me, but..nephew?! You are his..” “Uncle, yes Jay.” Lloyd looked for a while at his uncle, but finally bowed down a little: “Uncle, I am glad we finally we met!” “Wait? You never met before?!” “Yes..there are a lot of things you don’t know yet.” “What things?” “You will learn..in time.” and he walked over to his nephew. “But now, I wish to speak to my nephew alone.” All four Ninja raised an eyebrow, but left the room without any complaints.

“What do you think they’ll talk about?”, Jay asked. “Probably about that green Ninja thing.”, Kai assumed. “You think so? For that, they talk really long..” Coles right! What if-…“, Jay stopped, as soon as the door opened and their Master entered, together with Lloyd. “Listen up students! My nephew will from now on stay and live with us. So treat him with the same respect you treat each other with.” “We treat each other with respect? Since when?” “Jaay..not the best time to make your jokes!” “Of course Master!”, Zane replied. “Good! I leave him to you now.” and Wu left. There they were now, looking at each other in an awkward silence. “Soo…you want to tell us more about youself?”, Jay asked. Lloyd nodded: “Sure…”

“And that is how you beat those Snakes?! Awesome!”, Jay exclaimed excited. Lloyd turned his gaze away, smiling a little. “He can even smile. Amazing.”, Kai chuckled, when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. “I am coming Nya! I’ll be right back guys..” “Who is this?”, the green Ninja asked surprised. “My sister.”, the other explained, stopping at the door. “Oh right, you two haven’t met yet! Do you want me to introduce you to her?” Lloyd backed away a little. “A girl?! I..am not sure about this..” “Why? You never saw one before?”, Jay asked amused. “I did. But I..never talked to one..” “It’s easy. Just talk to her like you talk to us.”, Cole explained. The younger boy stared at the earth ninja like he spoke in a different language. “You’ll get the hang of it!” “For sure. Come on, Nya is waiting and I am sure she’d love to meet the legendary green Ninja.”, Kai spoke up again and gestured Lloyd to follow him.

“What is it, Nya?” She turned around. “There you are! I-…” She stopped, when her eyes fell upon the green dressed boy. “Who is this?” Kai smiled, taking a step aside to give a better view of him. “May I introduce: Lloyd, the green Ninja!” Her surprise was obviously visible, as she took a step closer towards him. “So you are the one the boys and Master Wu kept talking about. I am Nya, nice to meet you!”, she smiled. “Uh..h-hey?!” Kai leaned closer to his sister, whispering: “He never had any interaction with a girl before, so don’t wonder if he acts a bit awkward.” “Oh, that is cute.” “Don’t say that out loud or you make it more awkward for him.” “He seems a bit lost.” “Well, he spent most of his time alone.” “What?! Now that is sad!” They both startled a bit, when Lloyd cleared his throat. “We are sorry, we didn’t mean to be rude.” “I just told her you had rare social interactions, so she doesn’t keep bothering you with thousands of questions.” “What is that supposed to mean? I didn’t plan to. Ignore him..”, she said, turning her attention back Lloyd. “You know, I can show you a nice place in the monastery, if you want to be by yourself.” The other only nodded. “I thought you wanted to talk to me?”, Kai frowned. “Yes. I’ll be right back.”

“Here we are. It is quiet, far away from the living room with the boys and their videogame console and you have a nice view too.” Lloyd looked around for a bit. “It does look nice.” “Alright! I leave you to yourself now. You’ll find the way back, in case you want to join us?” Again, he nodded. Right before she was about to leave, he spoke up: “Uh..Nya, was it?” “Yes.” “Thank you.”, he smiled at her. “No problem”, she returned the smile and left.

______

I looked through my phone and the many unfinished FFs/Shorts I wrote over the time, when I stumbled upon this. It’s quite old..around 2017/18 perhaps? I also think to remember I got inspired by @court-royal

[martiniblves]

mijoo and her iconic entrances DFKLSJGDF

yes, i really am recycling the intro some of you probably Just caught when you followed me DGSFLJLGSD

hey y’all, i’m kat, english student and an old hag :/ also slowly coming down from an anxiety moment, hence only deleting old shit now and potentially going rogue from my blog for the night after posting this ( aka, best if y'all send me your d*scord users bc it's much easier for me there ) sfdgjgfd i’m super excited for this group and can’t wait to read all about your muses !  and hoping you feel the same, i’ll get right to introducing avalon bay’s resident messy brat, dahlia !

[ lee mijoo ] dahlia kim, twenty-four, cis female, she/her, radio dj — a world-class traveler in the making, self-proclaimed “ reformed ” groupie, has been a tennant at avalon bay for two years, her cherry blaster obsession is the sweetest thing about her, she slept with an ex-best friend’s roommate and crush as revenge. [ kat, 22, nt, she/her ]

she often goes between dahlia and dia, first and foremost sdfglkj

came from a super small town in upstate new york where there wasn’t much to do or much to see, so growing up she had an adventurous streak that would run rampant when she was able to go off by herself, able to drive, and finally able to leave it behind

her family life was rather average, her parents scraped by financially but her and her two younger siblings never really went without — aside from a toy or two at christmas or a brand new car for their sixteenth birthdays sfgkljgdf

gets on fine with them, but her and her little/middle sister have had an on-and-off contentious relationship that, at the moment, is very much ON SDFGFG

small town life was.. okay overall, she was social Enough and polite but never really maintained any close relationships with her childhood pals once high school came and went, mostly bc the town was full of gossips so everyone thought poorly of each other and passed it onto their kids LSKFDGJGDFL

and yes, i’m kinda basing this off of the antics of adults from my hometown, what about it ??

she spent most of her formative years with her head in the clouds and music always around her or on her mind

so you bet she wound up taking guitar and piano lessons when she was a kid and well into her teens, and dare i say she was pretty good at it fsdglkjgdf

having that skill gave her the boost of confidence she needed from middle school onward, having been a tad reserved before then

idk what else to add bc i honestly can’t think of anything else about her past Before moving away. dull as hell probably, more than it’s already been said LKGSDF

upon moving to the city, she attended nyu just to keep her parents from completely losing their minds over her not.. wanting to go on a sure path, majoring in communications and spending much of her time as a dj for the campus radio station’s late night shows

soon began searching for dj gigs at major radio stations once she’d graduated and landed a spot as an intern to meet with artists the station wished to interview, etc, and even had an opportunity or two to interview them herself

through that job, she became more exposed to the groupie lifestyle and — having always been somewhat intrigued — soon became one ( of sorts ) 

sorry if you’re a fan of h*lsey bc this might come across as a dig, but this is where she becomes the chill version of groupie!h*lsey that h*lsey wishes she had been DFLSKJDGSFL

she liked the attention from drummers, singers and rappers alike — plus having sex with talented, rich people whenever they were in town didn’t hurt one bit — and she kept it all separate from her job, although it did help the station land more interviews, tickets for contests, etc

wasn’t big on hard drugs, but she never shied away from a bong being handed to her or a couple of xanax tablets, just so we’re clear here sdflkgjfdgk

however, the no-strings set-up quickly shifted for dahlia upon meeting a rising indie band’s lead singer

he was smooth as hell, which she already knew alongside his tendency to get bored easily with fangirls-turned-groupies like the rest of the musicians she’d met, so when she played along with his game, it didn’t take long for him to maintain an interest in her and for them to forge something of a friendship

she’d never admit it to anyone, but he was her first love as the initial sexual attraction very quickly became romantic after long conversations about music and aspirations, mundane happenings in their lives separate from their encounters and who should’ve won immunity on the recent ep of masterchef; dia knew he wouldn’t settle down now and she knew that while she was his number one at that point, she wasn’t the only one he had. a couple of months passed where it seemed like he was going only to her, that his interest rarely waned to the other girls that would swarm him, which led her to believe he was at least somewhat into her and to her confessing when they were both drunk one night — only to be shut down but not shut out

dejected and heartbroken, she still couldn’t quite distance herself from him like she knew she should and the front she put up — that she exaggerated her feelings and would get over it — made him none the wiser

however, he couldn’t get over the thought of his fwb still being in love with him and cut ties with her abruptly before his nth departure from nyc

it took her right out of her bubble, left a horrible taste in her mouth to even go back to being a groupie for others over how poorly it all went with him, so she abandoned the sexual aspect and potential intimacy of it — but not before taking herself completely out of that lifestyle for a few months to get over him

which.. lbr, she’s only 90% of the way there to this day sfdlkkdfsgl

upon going back, she showed up to shows and parties solely as a friend of the performer.... before that got old Quick and she realized how soul-sucking it was for her sexually frustrated And repressed ass KFSLJGS

though ask her pals and they’d think she’d given it up altogether, hence her supposedly being reformed

.. at least she isn’t indulging in drugs like she occasionally used to, so that counts for something lksdfjlgdf

as for her time in radio, she got promoted to a morning slot as a dj with a couple of co-hosts last year, though once an afternoon slot opened, she high-tailed it out of there

anything to get back to her chill, late night roots and this was the first step

lastly, she moved to avalon bay 2 years ago, after uni was done and she had to move out of the dorms. in that time, she’d become best friends with another girl and had a massive falling out bc the other was. well. changing for the worst sgfjgfd

she became selfish, judgmental, advantageous and disloyal, and soon dia had enough of her hypocritical and generally nasty antics ( and not without a brutal argument that left both of their egos bruised )

dahlia isn’t always one for petty revenge, but when the ex-bff’s roommate and crush — who dia had a slight interest in as well — bumped into her in the hallway of their dorm one night, she took her chance to knock the other down a peg by initiating a flirtatious conversation that quickly turned sexual

with her ex-bff being on the other side of the wall of said roommate’s room

safe to say that their ( final ) conversation in the morning was a fucking disaster SDFLGKJGFDK

it’s not something she’s entirely ashamed about, but dia doesn’t feel the need to disclose what happened

PERSONALITY AND OTHER SHIT

she loves her friends, would die for them, would kill for them. let’s get that straight first and foremost !

does that mean she’s the nicest or even the most tolerable person ?? fuck no SFGLJGKDF

i described her to one of my pals as a “ chaotic free-spirit with a mean streak when she doesn’t get her way, ” which. could also describe a couple of my bitchier muses tbh FLDKGJDS

but she’s stubborn, irritable and has a sense of high self-worth and self-preservation

she obviously has an attitude that can and will come out if you hurt her or someone she cares about/someone she thinks doesn’t deserve it

or if you think you’re a god or something

and it can get ugly.. as explained above dfskgdgkf

however, we love confident women on this blog and here you have one !

she’s chill for the most part, so you ( probably ) won’t have anything to worry about if you stay on her good side gfsdkljgfd

passionate af about radio and music as a career, wants to have a gig like zane lowe’s beats hosting job or even annie mac’s one day

although she also wishes to put out music of her own at least Once before she dies dfgsljdfgk

bit of a wild child, likes to party and just do her own thing — partially bc she’s scared of getting older and having to give that all up/being forced to act her age

doesn’t mean she doesn’t like her quiet nights in though !

closet romantic, just wants to be swept off of her feet..... but no one needs to know that, at least she doesn’t think so FSDJKGFD

won't let you see it anyways, at least unless she's Interested and knows you're not someone who's only useful for her in the short-term

also quietly doting, will never be the mom friend bc it’s too much responsibility and patience, but will always be a good shoulder to cry on who tells you your feelings are valid before she tells you to toughen the fuck up and amend a situation yourself, might even tell you how

some exceptions may apply FDLSJGSFLK

a bit vulgar at times, just warning you now fgldskf

wants to see the world and has travelled a little as it is bc of her connections. loves it

JFKDGS

has a pet succulent bc she Knows she can't look after the big fluffy dog of her dreams rn

named him bobby after one of the characters from the love island game DFLKGSJF

i honestly dk what else to add rn, plus i’m eager af to post this so we’ll end it here ! cute extras can always be posted later !

[constant-calum]

Watercolors (Brandon Arreaga) ~ Chapter Thirteen: Magritte

Summary:   17 year old Amina Parker was far from a blank canvas, but he still managed to make a finger painting with her love.

A/N:  This is the final chapter!  After this there is only an epilogue.  And I have decided against posting the sequel on here, if I ever get to it.

Part Twelve

Amina hated being home alone in thunderstorms, especially so soon after Halloween. She was surprised that her parents would even let her stay home while they took Cheyenne on a weekend trip to their grandmother’s house in Philadelphia.

The sky was almost black, seeing as it was close to 7 o’clock. A white flash seared across her living room window, followed by a roar of thunder shaking the house. Amina just turned up the volume on the tv louder, letting Kevin Hart fill the quiet spaces in between the thunder.

She would have been bored if it weren’t for Zane, who was blowing up her phone with texts about the most recent breakup with Zion. Apparently Zane didn’t like the way her boyfriend was texting with some girl named Kekéli. To make things worse, when confronted about it, Zion claimed the girl was his sister.

The fact that he was texting another girl alone was enough to make Zane rethink her relationship; the fact that he had the guts to deny it made Zane furious.

Amina just raised her eyebrows as each text flooded her phone, filled with curses and the worst wishes for Zion and his “sister”. At some point she found it funny. Only Zane could rant about a boy for 4 hours straight. Amina just snuggled further into her blankets and watched the texts roll in.

Amina jumped when someone rang the doorbell. Anyone outside in this weather must have been delusional. She hesitated, not sure if opening the door would end like an episode of Goosebumps. Instinctually, she turned off the television, to make it seem as if no one was home. When the doorbell rang again, she decided to grab the nearest kitchen knife, and head over.

“Who is it?” She called through the thick oak door.

“Amina, I need to talk to you.”

She was confused, placing the knife down on the table beside the door, and opened the door tentatively. The rain was even louder without the door to muffle it’s sound. There stood Brandon, no jacket or coat, with a wet envelope in his hand.

“Brandon?”

He sniffled. “I got my art midterm back. You were the only person I wanted to tell when I opened it.”

Amina shushed him, waving him inside. “Come in, please. You’re gonna get sick.”

The two moved further inside, with Amina closing the front door behind them. Brandon shivered, and just then did Amina realize he was only wearing a thin, blue, button up PEPSI shirt with black jeans. He must have been freezing. Amina directed him further into her house, into the living room, where the fireplace was blazing under the tv.

“Why were you out there in the rain like that?”

“I had my dad drop me in front of Austin’s house, then I just ran here.  Why?  Are your parents home or something?  I can come back,” Brandon sniffled again.

Amina chuckled, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe how polite yet absurd this boy was. “No, no they’re not here.  You can stay all you want.  But why? You could have just called me, you know.”

As they sat facing each other on the couch, Brandon looked up to meet her eyes, and Amina felt her pulse in the bottom of her stomach. “I wanted to tell you in person. I wanted to see you.”

Amina didn’t know what to make of those words. Sure, her and Brandon were friends, and they were close! But this seemed more than just friendly. His tone dripped with something Amina couldn’t put her finger on. Desperation?

“Um,” Amina hesitated, unsure how to reply.

“I got an A on my midterm.”

Amina felt her smile being reflected on Brandon’s face. “I’m so, so proud of you, B. You deserve it.”

“Honestly, I should be thanking you.” Amina must have looked confused, so he continued. “I never showed you my final piece. And when I say that I couldn’t have done it without you, I mean it.”

Brandon reached inside the large manilla envelope, pulling out a sheet of white paper. From what Amina could see, it was blank, meaning that there was something on the other side. When Brandon looked at the sheet, he smiled. Amina felt her eyes widen and her jaw drop as he turned the paper over so she could see it.

Amina was surprised to be staring at her own face. Well, not her face exactly, but a softer, more vibrant version of her face. She could tell it was a copy of a watercolor, the one Brandon had refused to let her see weeks before. She looked up to meet Brandon’s eyes, and couldn’t help the tears starting to form. She always tried her hardest not to be emotional.

“Brandon,” She whispered.

“I titled it Uzuri, which means beauty in Swahili.”

Amina was awestruck. “My name’s in Swahili.”

Brandon smiled, taking the paper from her, and placing it on the coffee table in front of them. “How does it feel to be my muse, Amina?”

She didn’t know what to say as he placed a hand on her bare knee. Goosebumps formed under his touch. Her heart pounded in her ears, her cheeks were hot, and she felt like an emotional wreck. Part of her wanted to scream for joy and start laughing, but the intensity of Brandon’s stare glued her to her seat on the couch.

Amina didn’t know what came over her as she suddenly surged forward, cupped Brandon’s cheeks, and connected her lips with his. Just as quick as it happened, it was over. Brandon looked her dead in the eyes as she pulled away.

Amina’s eyes widened in shock. “I’m so sorry. Holy shit. I don’t know what came over-“

Brandon cut her off by placing a hand under her jaw, lifting her chin slightly. He slowly closed the gap between them until his lips were on hers. Amina felt a tingle shoot up the base of her spine. This kiss was different from the first one, slower, not as rushed, and way more intimate.

Her hands found their way around Brandon’s neck, then to his hair, slowly tangling her fingers into his almost-black locks, and deepening the kiss. Amina felt it was like her every fantasy coming true. She loved the way he kissed her.  It was soft and gentle, but also meaningful and passionate.  She couldn’t stop herself from rocking forward in an attempt to get closer to him.  Brandon responded by taking Amina’s bottom lip in between his, nibbling in a way that had Amina tugging on his hair. He moaned slightly in response, and the sound went straight to Amina’s core.

Brandon released her lips, and instead trailed kisses down her jaw and the side of her neck. Amina felt her eyes flutter closed as she struggled to keep quiet. She felt Brandon smile against her neck. As he placed his lips back on hers, she could still feel him smiling. With one hand on her waist, and the other against her back, Brandon pushed her down gently to lay on the couch. He pulled away to unbutton and pull off his shirt, the thin blue material had already wetted the front of Amina’s grey tank top.

Amina couldn’t stop herself from reaching up, and running her hands along the hard and smooth surface of his chest. Brandon bit his lip, causing that familiar tingle in Amina’s spine to return. This time laying in between her legs, Brandon leant down to kiss her again. His hands traveled everywhere, from the front of her shirt, down to her navel, to her waist, to the curve of her hips and thighs. Amina arched her chest up, desperate for more contact between the two.

Brandon reluctantly pulled away, chuckling a little when Amina’s lips tried to follow his before realizing what was happening. Her eyes shot open, and she frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

Brandon caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Nothing, nothing. Just, how far do you want take this?”

Amina didn’t hesitate. “All the way. I want to have sex with you.”

“Are you sure? Don’t feel like you have to do this. I’m happy to just take it slow.”

Amina took one of Brandon’s hands and slid it in the tight space in between them. She trailed it down further and further, until it rested right on top of Amina’s core. Brandon felt the damp material of her underwear, causing his eyes to shoot open further.

“Does it look like I want to take this slow?” Amina whispered, making Brandon gulp. “I want this. I want you.”

Brandon nodded, suddenly at a loss for words. He eventually shook himself out of it. “Have you done this before?”

Now it was Amina’s turn to be silent. She shook her head no.

“And you’re sure?”

“Brandon,” Amina whined. “Please! I want to do this, only if you do.”

“I want to. God, I want to so bad. But just,”  He stuttered

“But nothing.  I want to do this, you want to do this.  Everything’s okay, B.  I promise,” she whispered, running her left hand through his damp, curly hair.  “Now are you done with all the questions? Because I’d really, really like to have sex with you now.”

Brandon chuckled, nodding slowly. Amina placed a hand on the back of his neck, and tugged him down to her lips.

-----------------

The fireplace crackled, sending the orange flame up higher for a second before it died back down.  Amina nestled her face further into Brandon’s bare chest, revelling in the warmth the two shared.  The rain was still in full effect outside, except the thunder and lightning hand finally ended.  With the deep, even rises and falls of Brandon’s chest, Amina wondered if he was asleep.  When his fingers trailed up her bare arm, she knew the answer to that question was no.

“Amina,”  He whispered.  “Are you awake?”

Amina hummed in response, otherwise not moving.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,”  she whispered in response.  “I’m okay.”

Brandon’s fingers traced back down her arm as a moment of silence passed.  Amina shifted, which was hard, seeing that they were laying in a tangle of limbs on the couch.  Eventually she was able to look up at him.

“B?”  He tilted his chin downwards so he could look Amina in the eye.  “How long have you felt this way?”

He chuckled.  “Pretty much since the moment I saw you in the park.”

“What?  You didn’t even know me then.  That was ages ago.”

“Yeah, it was.  But I remember looking at you and thinking, I’ve seen her before.  I couldn’t forget seeing the most beautiful girl in the world.”

Amina hit his chest lightly, making them both giggle.  “You’re so fucking corny.”

“But it’s true!  That’s what I thought in the drawing room on the first day of school.  I thought you were so so beautiful.  Your little glitter fetish was cute too.”

Amina turned over, propping herself up on her arms, so she could look at Brandon directly.  She scoffed in fake annoyance.  “It is not a fetish!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.  But still, you were so beautiful, I couldn’t get over it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Brandon sighed, running his free hand over his face.  “You’re gonna hate me for this.”

“I could never hate you.  Try me.”

“Well, it fueled my art, not being able to tell you.  I kept it all boxed up and trapped inside so I could make more art, make better art, and work faster.  I couldn’t have made my final piece if you knew.”

Amina nodded, genuinely understanding.  “And now?”  She whispered.

“All I know now is that you are amazing.  It’s only been two months, and there’s nothing else I can say.  I really, really like you, and I want to spend time with you.  And I think I could love you someday.  Someday really soon.”

Amina stopped herself from cooing at the light blush that took hold on Brandon’s cheeks.  Instead, she used one hand to smooth his curly hair away from his face.  His eyes were hooded through the black frames of his glasses.  She couldn’t stop herself from leaning forward and capturing his lips in a long kiss.  When they pulled away, he smiled.

“Does this mean I get to do more of that?  And we can do more of this?”  He asked cheekily.

Amina jokingly rolled her eyes.  “Perv.”

-------

She didn’t mean to sleep in;  she truly didn’t.  When she finally opened her eyes, sunlight flooded her vision, making the world go white before everything took its normal form again.  She slowly sat up, upset that there was no warm body next to her.  Amina attempted to smooth down her puffed out hair to no avail.  She sighed and glanced at the clock.

10:45 was an hour and a half later than she usually woke up on Saturday mornings, yet she didn’t feel any more refreshed than she normally did.  Looking down at her hands, she realized the nail polish on her left forefinger was chipped.  The matte black surface had been infiltrated with a bit of bare white.

Amina jumped as her door slowly creaked open.  When a framed face peeked in, she sighed in relief.  Once Brandon realized Amina was awake, he chuckled, coming into the room fully.

“B, don’t do that!”  Amina warned.

Brandon smiled as he trekked over to Amina’s full sized bed, placing a quick kiss on her lips.  Amina’s eyes shot open in surprise.  This boyfriend thing was definitely going to take some getting used to.  Amina’s mind was spinning as Brandon settled in to sit next to her.

“How did you sleep?”  He asked as if everything was normal.

“Um, good.”  Amina still didn’t know how to feel.  “You?”

“I slept fantastic.  So, um, when do your parents get home?”

“Not until Sunday afternoon.  Are you planning to stick around until then?”

Brandon shrugged, obviously not really knowing how to handle the change in dynamic between the two.  “Do you want me to stick around?”

“Well, I mean...do you have to be home at some point?”

“Nah, I just called my mom about it.  She thinks I’m sleeping over at Porter’s.”

“So then, yeah.  I do want you to stick around.”

A smile crept its way onto Brandon’s face.  “Then I’ll stick around.”

“Great.”  Amina looked down at her lap, chuckling to herself.  “Oh god, what are we doing?”

Brandon attempted to smooth back the front of Amina’s here.  “I have no idea.  But we’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah.  Of course we will.”