#I’m going to stop here because this got waaaay longer than intended.

[arkhampsych]

@spirit-x-ing | 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄𝐃.

𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 ? Crane swiped his messages away and returned to his contact album. He realized after scrolling through page after page that the connection he planned to call was criminal — of course he didn’t save their number. He sighed and placed his phone back in his pocket. He’d have to track down this pyromaniac in Gotham’s cesspool of crime and poverty : 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴.

A bit more work than he would’ve liked.

He strode down the steps to his warehouse’s lower level, grabbing his briefcase off the industrial table occupying the center of his room. After switching off the lights at a power control panel, he exited through a side entrance — more convenient than messing with the lock and chain keeping the large front doors shut.

His mind hadn’t registered the half - hour of scenery that passed outside his car between the warehouse and Narrows. He parked his car by an old diner and pulled on a pair of fitted black gloves. The city was always deceptively quiet just before entering the heart of its corruption. 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮. Crane opened his briefcase, taking stock of his equipment,

𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦 — not as practical as it was stylish. 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘴. 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. and his new contraption, 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦.

He removed his watch from his wrist, replacing it with the cuff laced with his deadly neurotoxin. This method of weaponized fear was more convienient than reaching into his coat for the glass syringe he kept tucked inside a black leather pouch. He stood before an alley entrance, his breath clouding at his mouth in a similar fashion to the vapor billowing out of a sewer grate.

Other than the fact the alleyway ran parallel to Park Row, it’s dampened brick walls and littered walkway appeared like any other. After walking only three minutes, a door opened — from the smell, Crane assumed it was the back entrance to some seedy bar. Two men dragged out a helplessly intoxicated man, and proceeded to beat him as he was cornered against a wall. The Good Doctor stepped around them, leaving the gentlemen to sort out their business in privacy.

The establishment he was searching for was only a twenty minute walk. He arrived at an open door, smoke wafting from the entrance. A man sat with his back to the doorway, blasting music through a small speaker while sautering a worn sheet of metal, clad in long johns, a stained thermal, and a face gaurd. The entire room was lined with shelves displaying broken electronics. A bin, occupying the center and blocking much of the walkway featured carelessly tossed or fenced computers and radios. Crane waited patiently for the sounds of searing metal to cease before speaking. Only, his presence was discovered by the demolitions expert first. He spun pointing a gun at Crane from across the room, “ Get out ! ” the man yelled from beneath a metal face gaurd. Crane ignored the firearm, stepping towards a shelf and switching off the speaker blasting noise. “ Hey ! ” The Man stood, lifting his face gaurd and glaring at The Doctor with wide, blood shot eyes, “ Who the fuck do you think you are ?! ”

“ I was referred to you, two years ago … ” The Man looked at Crane skeptically. “ I commissioned a series of remote detonators. ” The Doctor added. The Demolitions Expert grinned, lowering his fire arm “ o h … you’re that nutty professor who wanted to blow the university sky high. ” Crane smiled stiffly at the severe oversimplification of his objective, “ yes. that’s … yeah. ” he nodded to himself. In retrospect, attempting to level Gotham U was, perhaps, a bit frenzied and reckless. “ Listen teach, after the flood I pawned off all the detonators you commissioned to some guy online but — ”

“ oh no, ” Crane interjected, “ I’m here for something else. ” he stepped forward. “ eh ? ” The Man lit a joint, “ What’s that. ” Crane held his breath as smoke was absently blown his way. “ chemical warfare. ”

“ you gonna napalm some poor bastards professor ? ” The Man smirked, his crudely rolled joint dangled from the edge of his mouth and wagged with each word. “ no. ” Crane smiled as patiently as he was able, “ I would like to expose a group of people to a vaporized psychotropic compound. ” The Man stared at him. “ a gas. ” Crane simplified.

“ Wait here. ” The Man tossed his lighter onto his work desk and grunted as he stepped around the bin of defunct electronics. Crane approached the work desk, curious what The Demolitions Expert had in mind. “ You’re looking for some kind of emission device right ? ”

“ preferably one that can be activated remotely. ” The Doctor specified. “ Uh huh. ” The Man pulled a box off of a shelf and carelessly dropped it onto his work station. Crane opened the box and looked up at The Man in long johns, “ what is this. ” The Man picked up a circular device that sat comfortably in his palm. The side had a small black button and several wires connecting to a vent in the middle of the disk. “ Take off the back, ” he flipped the disk over in his palm and picked up a screwdriver, “ Put whatever shit you want your students to choke on here — ” he tapped a small pocket of space intended to hold cartridge, “ Screw the back panel on, press this little button here on the side to calibrate it, and use this remote. ” He reached into the box, grabbing a small cylindrical device with a metal button on top.

“ how much. ” Crane asked flatly. The Man squinted at the device and brushed it with his thumb, “ Shit I dunno … seven hundred. ”

“ each ? ” “ Yeah. ”

Crane exhaled and laid his briefcase on the table. He popped it open, taking out two rolls of one - hundred - dollar bills. “ this should be more than enough … ” He closed his briefcase and lifted the box, carrying it under his arm. The Demolitions Fanatic counted the money he’d been paid as Crane made his way out the door. “ What, you don’t gotta know math to get a degree ? ” The Man scoffed, “ This ain’t even half. ” Crane turned impatiently, glaring at The Fanatic from outside his shop’s doorway, “ it’s more than enough. ” He reiterated. “ Fuck you man — ” The Man tossed a radio out the doorway, It shattered on the ground, springs and screws skipping down the Alleyway. Crane froze, watching the man approach with a gun from his periphery. “ What kind of shit is this ?! ”

The Doctor calmly set the box down, turning towards The Man and raising a hand while reaching into his coat. His other hand re - appeared, clutching burlap. He pulled on his mask, raising both hands to indicate that he was unarmed. The Man stepped back warily “ w — ? ”

Crane thrust his wrist forward. Poison cascaded from his sleeve, tainting the air with terrible 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 and 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. The Demolitions Expert choked on The Doctor’s corrupted drug, his heart beat violently against his ribs as the ceiling above him stretched. He dropped his gun, cowering from the phantom that towered over him.

Crane observed his compound’s effects on the once brazen 𝘱𝘺𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘤. When he was satisfied by the foolish man’s whimpers, he returned to the box he’d left in the alleyway and set in stride towards his car.

[invertedeidolon]

The Longest Library #6: The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondo

This is a series in which I attempt to read and review all (or most of) my library of 297 books.

Rundown: Chiaki is a twenty something on her own, with a messy apartment that's been attached to a lifetime of failed relationships (although a lot of them seem like unrequited crushes she tried waaaay too hard for). The clutter and the drain it causes literally buries her own dreams and aspirations. Even if you don't intend to use KonMarie's method for things, it's a cute and concise way to see the impact it has when properly applied. Very wholesome, 5/5, would even give to my grandma.

Because of copyright and being respectful to the authors and artists, I'm going to try and keep pictures to a minimum, and do my best to describe things without them. Such is the hazards of reviewing a manga.

First off, before you even open the book, it's got this really nice matte satin finish on it. It's extremely pleasant. I had to just pause and say that for a second.

When I first picked this up in barnes and noble about a year ago, I didn't expect it to be so... I guess rich? There was no part of it that felt wasted or unnecessary. All of it felt good, and if it wasn't good, it was better. The art is pretty simplistic, almost all of it done in the same pen, and if you look close enough it all retains that human element. You can tell a hand did that. But it's still so consistent and, I suppose experienced, that it doesn't become distracting. The characters stay on model and don't look too weird, even when drawn tiny and comedically.

I like how the very first step is deciding that you want to tidy up. Even if the method described is much different than what everybody thinks it is, still coming at it with that same willingness and energy, resolute to do some real work, is necessary. It isn't as frantic and energy consuming as the heavy cleaning most people think of, but instead the method can be emotionally and mentally taxing. It requires that same decision to dedicate yourself to it.

Even though my house isn't as fine tuned as it would be had I used the konmarie method, I still make a point to do small tidying sessions as soon as I see there's a need for it. I come from a hoarder house and so do my partners, so there's an extra motivation to keep the space as far away from that as possible.

That being said, I recognize the main character's exhaustion. The startling mess that comes from such a professional seeming young woman just doesn't really register, she just kind of lives with it 'for the time being' (this is a phrase that pops up later).

As an aside, When she goes to answer the door, there's this curtain she pulls over to kind of hide the rest of the apartment behind her. I have no idea if it's a staple of Japanese apartments (in which case, what a neat idea! Nobody who's just at the door needs to know what my home looks like). If it's just her, deciding that she needs a curtain to hide her embarrassment, however... just damn.

So the reality of needing to tidy up sets in when the neighbor accidentally DOES see what her apartment is like. (He initially came to tell her to please get the garbage off her balcony because it's starting to stink... she kept putting it there, intending to bring it down in the morning, but then forgets). So a valiant? effort is made. But the roadblocks to starting on such a huge mess is apparent. Can't do garbage, there's too much on the balcony already. The sink is so backed up and she can't find the sponge. You kind of move from task to task and can't really find a place to start because you don't know HOW to start. And tackling something that huge in more manageable pieces isn't for everybody. Sometimes you can make messes faster than you can clean them. So it feels like treading water, like you're not getting anywhere. And that's usually where people give up. So she does.

Also, I find it hilarious that she found out about KonMarie while on a search for proof that there's people who are way messier than her.

She was totally expecting a Hoarders type situation. Nope! It's all just you and this tiny fairy woman.

So this being my first exposure to KonMarie, I was actually super invested when she asked this question. I appreciate this question so much. My (literal) garbage television of choice is Hoarders, and usually on that show, if they set goals, it's extremely short term. Mostly because they have only so much time that the workers can be there. Sometimes it's even so small as 'clear this one hallway so that my husband doesn't fall and break his leg and potentially die in his own home'. Meanwhile KonMarie is over here like 'what's your life going to look like after your place is clean'? Which is a very good question to ask, especially if you don't want someone to fall back into old habits. Cleaning is basically making room for yourself and your life, instead of just your stuff.

So, living 'for the time being'. I see this way of living as a form of energy preservation. You don't make the effort to do the 'right' thing, which would be expending the small effort to clear your coffee table so you can have a nice place to eat breakfast tomorrow. That's okay, it's just temporary, right? But then the next day, you go to have breakfast. You see the messy table and immediately deflate. You need to eat standing now because you don't have the time to clear the table AND make breakfast. You don't feel as great as you could be, but that's okay, right?  The trend unfortunately continues. It also spreads to other areas of your life. Unfortunately, by preserving energy by not doing the small tasks, the small tasks become bigger ones. That you no longer have the energy for. Especially now that you're having to SPEND energy working around those large tasks. Doing the small thing in the first place would mean you would RECEIVE energy as a result. Clearing the table the night before means a nice, calm peaceful breakfast, and you get to the rest of your day feeling energized now that you've had that bit of quiet to yourself. If you find yourself avoiding tasks, you might need to do something specifically to restore yourself. That's what self care is about in the context of maintaining your space.

“Nine out of ten items demoted to loungewear...are never worn!”

So, I have this talent for knowing where everything is in the house at all times and remembering what I have (a Forbidden Skill that comes from living with hoarders and also a shitty birthgiver who would arbitrarily throw stuff away). And I know exactly which pieces of clothing she's talking about. The huge pair of pj pants that I barely use unless it's abnormally cold. The various camisole tops with the missing underwire that I don't wear because the straps are synthetic and melted at the ends so it makes this unfortunate stabby bit. Yeah. I should get rid of those. Tshirts and shorts are better off as loungewear because that's what I use them for apart from exercising.

"Besides, why would you wear joyless clothes inside when you would never wear them outside? Your time at home should be special too."

This is something I've come to appreciate during quarantine. I feel TONS better when I'm wearing something nice, even inside. I get more work done and I feel more professional when I actually 'get dressed' instead of trying to work in my nightgown. Even putting on an apron makes housework feel more purposeful. (I'm going to take this to the next level and eventually make my own apron)

This is what I mean by it becoming draining over time. Even a good day is hampered by coming home to a cluttered area. Even having one space to sit that looks nice helps. (for context, Chiaki only just tidied her clothes, but nothing else yet, so she had an amazing day, feeling great in clothes that made her feel great, and then came home to this.)

"Books that haven't been moved in a while are dormant, so it's hard to judge whether to keep or discard them."

I appreciate this humanizing element of objects. I feel like a lot of us are taught early on to stop caring so much about our belongings, especially when they're no longer age appropriate, and we're pressured by peers and parents to 'let go'. When I give any object in my home a character or spirit, I find I take much better care of it. It's also partially the basis of my teddy bear medical project (the stuffed animal is essentially an emotional mirror, and taking care of the bear helps it echo back a need to care for yourself). Also interesting, to quote from wikipedia: "Kondo says that her method is partly inspired by the Shinto religion. Cleaning and organizing things properly can be a spiritual practice in Shintoism, which is concerned with the energy or divine spirit of things (kami) and the right way to live (kannagara)"

Also on the subject of books, I readily agree that #thelongestlibrary is a way for me to avoid immediately throwing away books. But now that I can make regular content out of them, they all have a purpose now, don't they?

This bastard. No matter how many times I purge my writing stash, one of these always shows up. Why is it sticky??????

"That's right. Things that are kept 'just because' are stored 'just because', and accumulate 'just because'."

This is true. However, I'm in a weird place because of my skills and profession. Can KonMarie please come validate my decision to keep crafting supplies and surplus packaging???

"Instead of buying storage goods to make do, wait until you've completely finished and look for ones you really like" "You mean don't buy things 'Just because!' "

I don't know how many times I've seen a messy house with a stack of brand new storage bins, never used, or storage bins overstuffed and sometimes broken. Something I forgot to mention that is a huge part of the KonMarie method, is organizing by category, and not by room. You get ALL of one object in the house, and put it in a pile in the middle of the floor, so you can see just how much you have (clothes, books, cosmetics, etc.) If you clean by room, you may have gotten all the clothes in the bedroom put away nicely, but they there's still dirty laundry, and also the workout clothes in the living room, and some in the bathroom, and it all doesn't fit and has to go in a storage container or gets stuffed in a weird place and you never see it again! So don't get storage. If it doesn't fit in your house, that means it likely doesn't fit in your current life. And either the object has to go, or your life needs to change.

"Wait, it's not the things I'm discarding, but the things I'm keeping that are in this room!"

This is a principle that I think didn't really occur to me, or a lot of people. Getting rid of excess stuff is important, yes, but making sure what you're keeping is meaningful is equally and sometimes even more important. It's something that could be applied to all areas of your life.

"Your home is linked to your body. If it isn't comfortable to live in, you'll feel exhausted, just like I did."

KonMarie puts so much love into her method. If you've never seen her show, I highly recommend it. It isn't like Hoarders at all. It's like the difference between American Gordon Ramsey and The Great British Bakeoff. Even if the families depicted are a little tense, it's clear they still love each other deeply and just need to be guided into making their home a place where that love can happen unimpeded.

If you've never gotten into KonMarie, I'd say this is a stellar first exposure. I love the hell out of this tiny, thoughtful woman.

Have a couple of bonus faces because the artist is a gem.

*don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious*

I’ve already lost count of my books. 6 down, 200 something to go.

[ariela-of-aedyr]

Reunion

Ariela and Eder take a detour on their way to find someone who might be able to help them to fix up their wrecked ship, and end up meeting an old friend. Under a read more because this got waaaay longer than I’d ever intended it to be.

They had been walking for miles. 

It wasn't that Ariela was opposed to walking, in fact she rather liked it, in the right circumstances. She'd enjoyed a good stroll in her leisure time back in Aedyr, taking in the beautiful sights that surrounded her hometown, often with a pretty companion of her choosing to keep her company. She'd even found a nice trail near Caed Nua, after settling there, which she'd taken to walking with Vela, teaching the young girl about the flowers and animals that they saw along the way. But trekking for hours through an unfamiliar land, in the aftermath of a storm, still sore and tired from the shipwreck, and... well, whatever it was that had happened to her before that... was not exactly her idea of fun.

The Dawnstars that they'd met along the road a couple of hours before had pointed them in the direction of the nearest town, but Ariela had been beginning to worry that they'd somehow managed to get lost along the way, until the day's light began to dip as the evening came upon them, and she saw the gentle glow of streetlights on the horizon. The end of their walk was finally in sight.

"Doesn't look too much further now." Eder remarked, turning his attention from the road ahead to flash her an encouraging smile. "You holding up OK?"

Ariela let out a long breath. "That's a big question. But, in the short term... I think so?" 

"Good." Relief flooded her friend's face, before he added, "You know, you had me pretty worried back there for a while."

"You mean when I died?" Ariela tried to lighten the mood with a smile, making out like she thought the whole thing was trivial, but in reality, that was the part of her recent experiences that she wasn't handling so well. She'd been starting to remember, as they walked, what exactly had happened back in the Dyrwood. Though she didn't quite have a clear picture of everything- she suspected that she'd been in and out of consciousness for a lot of it- she remembered enough. The ground rumbling; erupting. Pain wracking her body. Screams. 

The screams of people who had trusted her to keep them safe, begging for help, as she laid there powerless to do anything. 

She averted her gaze from Eder's quickly, not wanting to cause her friend any more worry, and swallowed heavily, trying to shake the memories from her mind. "I don't rightly know what happened to you, Ari, but I'm glad that you're..."

"Eder, look!" She hadn't meant to cut him off in the middle of what she was sure had been going to be a heartfelt message of support, though it was true that she didn't particularly want to dwell on the subject any longer. But in her attempt to look anywhere but his eyes, not wanting to let on how she was truly feeling, she had noticed that something off with the ground not too far away. "It's a footprint! A massive footprint. Eothas must have went that way."

"And so you want to go that way too?" Eder looked dubious, his eyes drifting back and forth between the lights on the horizon and the huge indent in the ground, heading off in a different direction. "We're not far from that town. It might be a safer bet."

"I know." Ariela bit on her lower lip, nibbling anxiously. "But the ship can wait a little longer. The crew managed to salvage some supplies, they'll be alright for a little while. If there's people that way..." Her eyes fixed on the direction that the God had apparently traveled. Pain. Screams. Disaster. She didn't want anyone else to suffer. "Please, Eder. I couldn't help anyone in Caed Nua. If anyone else was caught in his wake... If there's still someone that can be saved here, I have to do all that I can for them. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't at least try."

--

It was just when Ariela had decided that there was no-one along this path that needed her help, as the last of the evening light that had been guiding them through the unfamiliar terrain was beginning to fade completely, that they reached the first signs of civilization. It was a ruin of some sort, Engwithan, but the well-maintained and well-lit route deeper into the structure suggested that it was still regularly accessed, or, at least, had been recently. 

"You know, I might have plenty to say to my God, but if he's standin' just around the corner, I don't know that me and you can take him all on our own." Eder remarked, dodging around another of the footprints as they moved along the path. Ariela tried not to dwell on how deep the impact of just one foot had been, tried not to remember the keep she'd rebuilt being crumpled into rubble. "I figure we're gonna need at least another person, maybe even two."

Ariela chuckled, despite her nervousness. "Well, perhaps you should have thought about that before you put me on a boat and headed out to sea to chase a God."

"True enough."

"Perhaps I didn't mention enough how much I hate boats while we were traveling together. Though, in my defense, I did have other things on my mind at the time." Ariela's eyes darted about, looking for any sign of life as she walked, relying on the torches that had been set up along the pathway to light her way. 

It was as the path widened out into a clearing, at the top of a wooden staircase which seemed to be a more recent addition to the site, that she saw them. She might have mistaken them for statues at first, were it not for the unusual positions that the figures were in, forever frozen cowering in terror, and for the fact that she had seen something like this before, all those years ago, when her soul had first been Awakened. These were people, had been people, before their bodies had been turned to ash, souls ripped from them.

"Gods." Ariela breathed, fighting back tears that had begun to well in her eyes. Had this been the fate of everyone back home, the people she had been supposed to protect? Swallowing heavily, she turned for the staircase, leading the way down into ruin. "Come on, let's just... let's see if there's anyone left."

Moving down and into the ruin properly, it became apparent that this had been some kind of digsite; tools and equipment were left scattered across the ground where they had been discarded by users in the moments before their deaths, and a few benches were set up along the way, covered in papers and the occasional relic. She kept moving past it all, searching for any sign of survivors, against all reason.

The first sign of movement raised her hopes, until a blast of flame crashed into the ground just in front of her, and she realised that it was a wurm- two wurms, in fact- and not a person, that she had seen moving. She jumped back quickly, thankful for the quality of her boots and the poor aim of the creature, that had helped her avoid harm. Eder began to move past her, hand already moving towards the hilt of his weapon, but she reached out to stop him.

"Wait!" The creatures weren't supposed to be here, they'd probably been displaced from their actual homes as the God that that she was following had strode through them. They were lost, and scared. This didn't have to end in violence. "I can handle this. We don't need to hurt them."

Reaching out with her mind, it wasn't difficult to influence them, convincing them to leave this place and head back to their homes. It wasn't a permanent solution, when her influence faded, there was every chance that they would eventually make their way back here, but for the time being, the creatures turned and left without any further fuss.

"Hey, that was pretty good!" Eder smiled at her encouragingly. "You should do that for every fight."

"Well, frightened creatures are easier to influence than angry kith, but I'll certainly keep it in mind." 

Moving across to a wooden ramp, leading down to a lower level of the ruin, Ariela found a pair of panthers and a large contraption made out of equipment that Ariela vaguely recognised as having some kind of relevance to the animantic sciences. The panthers she dealt with quickly, scattering them back into the surrounding forest without any need for confrontation, but the contraption required further study. It seemed to be a cage of some sort, she could figure out that much, though there appeared to be no way to open the thing from the outside that she could see. Moving closer, she caught sight of some kind of movement behind the clouded glass walls, and with a little focus was able to make out the silhouettes of several kith inside.

"Hello?" Ariela called out, moving up to the machine properly and trying to focus her eyes on what was inside. "Is someone in there? Are you alright?"

"Are the beasts gone?" A voice asked from inside, and she saw one of the figures move up to the glass, stopping right in front of her, moving their face closer as if trying to get a better view.

"I can't guarantee that they'll stay gone forever." Ariela admitted. "But I drove them off, so it's safe right now."

There was some murmured discussion between the residents of the cage that Ariela couldn't quite make out, but relief flooded through her veins all the same. Whatever they chose to do now, at least there were some survivors coming out of this mess. She was glad that they had come this way, even if it had delayed finding someone to help them fix the ship, because at least now she knew for certain there was some hope. People in Eothas' wake may still yet survive.

There was a rattle and a loud clank, followed by the whirring sound of machinery, and Ariela moved back a few steps as the door to the cage began to open, the people inside spilling out. They looked tired, a little shaken, but physically not too worse for wear.

A young man towards the back of the group began cheering that they were saved, but the woman who stepped to the front of the group seemed less enthusiastic. She was human, not yet middle aged- though Ariela was notoriously terrible at judging the ages of younger races- and wore a serious expression on her face. 

She peered past Ariela curiously, as if expecting someone else to be there. "Governer Clario must have sent you to rescue us, no?"

"Um, no, actually." Ariela corrected, with an apologetic expression. "We just... well, we happened to be in the area, and I had to see if there was still anyone to be saved."

"She's like that." Eder remarked, from beside her. "You just kind of have to get used it."

"Well, you are here, and that is what matters." The group spokeswoman seemed somewhat dejected that they had not been an official search party, but considering Ariela was not entirely sure where they were, let alone what local politics might be at play, she decided to let it go and not probe any further into the matter.

"What were you all doing out here?" Ariela queried, supposing it was a natural change of subject. And now that she knew there were survivors, she had to admit to being a little curious about the ruins.

"Hiding, of course!" The young man, the same one that had been cheering as he came out of the cage, remarked.

"We were taking measurements of the luminous adra when something strange began happening." The first woman explained, somewhat more helpfully.

The ground rumbling; erupting. 

"It was fascinating." The young man continued. "The pillar started to dim. The ground shook, and our instruments showed unusual variations of-"

"That's when those of us with a grain of sense got into the cage." An older woman from somewhere in the middle of the group piped up, cutting of the younger man mid sentence.

"What exactly is the cage?" Ariela asked, glancing past the group to look at the work of animancy behind them. It wasn't a topic she knew a lot about, though she'd always found it somewhat fascinating. It was outlawed where she had grown up, after all, so naturally she'd always wondered what all of the fuss was about.

"Something we made to protect ourselves from surges in the luminous adra." Ariela glanced at Eder, dropping her voice a little. "If Eothas is using the adra statue to collect soul essence, that would explain why they were protected inside, while everyone outside..." She trailed off, the end of the sentence apparent without her having to say it.

"What would he need with souls?"

"I... don't exactly know. And frankly, I think I'm a little terrified to find out." Turning back to the survivors she asked; "Did you see what happened?"

The woman at the front of the group nodded solemnly. "The colossus. Some kind of construct made from luminous adra. It passed through towards the pillar. The pillar went dark, and all of our colleagues outside the cage froze. Like they were turned to ash."

"I'm very sorry for your losses." Ariela added, respectfully. "If you need to take a moment..."

"After that was when the panthers and wurms showed up!" The enthusiastic young man took over. "They started going through the tents, it was awful. But Engferth-"

The woman that had been speaking shot a terrifying look in his direction, and he fell quiet so that she could speak once again. She addressed Ariela with a somewhat desperate look. "Some of our people are still missing inside the ruins, including our lead researcher, Oderisi. It could be possible that he managed to hide."

"I... don't know how likely that is." Ariela admitted, carefully. "But I'm perfectly willing to help however I can. I can go and take a look inside, if you'd like? See if I can find more suvivors?"

"You would?"

"Of course. We want to help, that's why we're here." She glanced in Eder's direction, and to Ariela's relief he gave an approving nod.

"Well, if you're going below... you should take Engferth with you." She turned to motion somebody to the front of the group. 

"Oh, don't worry, we're quite capable-" Ariela began, not wanting to drag anyone from the group into potential danger.

At the exact same time, Eder remarked; "Hey, he looks just like-" 

Ariela followed her friend's gaze, confused as to why Eder had cut himself off. Her confusion was short lived, however, as her eyes landed on the person being ushered to the front of the group. She knew the face well, and had, in fact, dreamt about those pretty features regularly over the last few years. The woman may have identified him as 'Engferth', but the man now standing before her was most definitely Aloth Corfiser.

She cocked an eyebrow in his direction, but carefully schooled her expression to be as close to neutral as she could manage as he discretely tapped a finger to his lips. She wasn't a fan of dishonesty, but she trusted Aloth, and if he felt there was a need to keep his identity concealed, then she would respect his decision to do so.

But... that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun with him. Five years was a long time to go without even so much as a letter to your dear friend, after all. Tilting her head curiously, she tried not to let the smirk threatening to play on her lips show. "What else can you tell me about 'Engferth'?"

"I... I don't think that's really-" Aloth began to insist, but the woman had already begun to answer.

"He has only been with us for a few weeks. He's inexperienced, but he came from a glowing recommendation from an academy in Selona."

"Oh, I'm sure he did." Ariela murmured, to herself.

"That's surely a generous overstatement." Aloth interjected, shooting Ariela a look.

She feigned innocence, returning her attention to the other woman, pointedly. "A glowing recommendation, you said?"

"'A pupil of unnatural talent' is the phrase I recall." The woman elaborated, ignoring the further attempts at protest from the man himself. "It seems he was loved and regarded by almost all of his instructors, though misunderstood, I gathered, by his fellow students."

A deep blush had spread across Aloth's cheeks by now, reaching up to the tips of his ears, and despite the glare he was leveling at Ariela, she couldn't help but think that he looked adorable. 

She knew that she should stop her line of questioning now, that the task in front of her was far more important than this, but she'd been wound so tight with the tension of everything that was going on, and now that she'd allowed herself even a few moments of release, she wasn't entirely sure how to stop. "That's all very impressive. He doesn't even sound Vailian."

"Engferth's story is especially sad!" The young man at the back of the group announced. "He was only a boy when both his parents died. In a fire."

"Wishful thinking, surely." Ariela remarked, somewhat more loudly than she had intended. Thankfully no-one questioned her comment.

"He came to the Dyrwood and lived at the manor of a wealthy old aunt from Aedyr until she also died... in a fire."

Ariela turned her attention back to her former travelling companion, and found a sheepish look on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. 

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Aloth remarked; "Well, if that's all, then perhaps we should be off. That is... if you want my assistance?"

"Of course. I'd like nothing more."

--

"Your wealthy old aunt!?" Ariela moved in front of Aloth as soon as they were out of view and earshot of the animancers, a mock frown on her face. "Really?!"

He grimaced. "It seemed like a convenient story. Besides, you do have the oldest soul of anyone I know."

"I'm still younger than you, you cheeky-" 

"Don't mind her, Aloth." Eder remarked, clapping a hand on the other man's shoulder with a chuckle. "She's been in a funny mood ever since she died again."

"You..." Aloth's gaze snapped to her face once more, a briefly horrified expression plain to see, before his eyes began roaming over her, searching for something. "What happened? Ariela, are you...?"

"I'm fine." That wasn't exactly true, but she said it all the same. It seemed easier than the reality. "What's more important is what you've been up to. 'Engferth'. Five years since I saw you last! You don't visit, you don't write."

She wasn't entirely sure why it bothered her so much that he hadn't been in contact with her since he'd left Caed Nua all those years ago. She'd encouraged him to follow his heart, to do what he thought was best, even if it meant parting company with one another. It wasn't as though one year of adventuring together meant that he owed her a lifetime of acquaintance. No, that wasn't quite right. Ariela did know why it bothered her so much. It was obvious, really. The feelings she'd developed for him during their time together had been beyond those of friendship, and though she'd kept those feelings to herself, she knew that she had been really quite smitten with him. The fact that he had broken off contact with her so entirely, it surely meant that he didn't return those feelings. And, as much as she knew that it shouldn't, that hurt her.

"Ah. Yes. Thank you for your discretion back there. Well, 'discretion' in the loosest definition of the word, anyhow." 

"Sorry," Ariela smiled. "Once I started, I couldn't seem to stop." 

"All the same, I appreciate that you didn't reveal my true identity. We can speak more freely about my movements once we're away from the island."

"Of course." Ariela made to walk on, to head deeper inside the ruins in search of more survivors that she suspected they would not find, but before she could take a step, she quickly changed her mind.

Turning back to face Aloth, she wrapped her arms around him in a sudden embrace, releasing him after a brief moment to find that ever familiar, incredibly adorable flushed face. 

"It's good to see you again."

A genuine smile overtook his face, and, horribly, Ariela could feel herself falling in love all over again. "And you as well." 

[namelesspops]

Third Time’s the Charm

This is the first part of Meet Me in the Hallway series. It’s going to be three or five parts, depending on how it goes lmao I can get a little bit carried away with my writing and it ends up waaaay longer than I intended.

Feedback and comments are so welcome, I know my writing isn’t the best out there but I’m willing to learn and accept criticism. It’s how we grow as a person anyway, right?

Please enjoy.

“Hey, can you help me?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you help me please? I’m lost. I need to get some cash and I can’t seem to put my card in.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I’m desperate.”

“What if I rob all of your money and belongings? I could use some money to pay for my tuition.”

“Listen mate, do whatever you want, but leave me some money for cab. I forgot where I left my phone and I don’t have any cash. I just want to get home. Please.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Just put it in. Please?”

“You’re Flora Sterling.”

“Probably. Cab money. I’m begging you.”

“You know what? Give me your address, I’ll take you home.”

Maybe it’s his kind green eyes or the delicate curve of his mouth, or, maybe, just maybe, Flora is just high and drunk enough to trust anyone.

Maybe it’s her empty, bloodshot eyes or the rosy, tear streaked cheeks, or, maybe, just maybe, Harry is just generous enough to help anyone.

An AU where Harry is a student with a flair for art who’s good at ignoring things and Flora is a girl who has too many people around her and too much feelings, and is not that good at keeping secrets.

One Evening – Feist

“That something you said, the timing was right, the pleasure was mine

The time and the place, the look in your face,

Sincerest of eyes…”

“Hey, can you help me?”

Harry stopped on his tracks. A girl, a stunning girl with scarlet lips and bright eyes, was staring at him. She had a cigarette on one hand and a card on the other. Her hair, long and dark, was disheveled like her expensive-looking clothes. Her arms were bare, Harry could see her shivering slightly against the cool September wind. Harry wondered what the hell this girl was doing standing here alone, in the cold, in the middle of the night.

“Yeah?”

“Can you help me please?” she asked again, voice growing desperate. “I’m lost. I need to get some cash and I can’t seem to put my card in.”

“Are you serious?” Harry half-laughed, baffled. What kind of idiot asked a stranger to handle her card? At 2 AM? In New York?

“Yeah, I’m desperate,” she chewed on her lips, clearly nervous.

“What if I rob all of your money and belongings? I could use some money to pay for my tuition,” Harry raised his eyebrows.

“Listen mate, do whatever you want, but leave me some money for cab. I forgot where I left my phone and I don’t have any cash. I just want to get home. Please,” her card was hanging loosely between her fingers.

“You’re unbelievable,” Harry shook his head in disbelief.

“Just put it in. Please?” she insisted, eyes widening. Harry was sure he saw this girl somewhere. He stole a glance to the name on the card, and it clicked.

Flora Sterling. He mentally cursed himself for not recognising her at first, but it was hard to see her face under the messy hair and swollen eyes. Still, despite it all, she looked gorgeous. Harry had had a crush on her since the longest time. The youngest daughter of Alastair Sterling, a prominent businessman—who owned probably 75% of the properties in his old neighbourhood—and Stella Whitman, a former supermodel. Harry’s sister—bless her—was obsessed with Tanya, the older Sterling daughter, so Harry knew their family and friends inside out. He knew what designer label was Stella’s favourite. He knew where Tanya celebrated her sweet sixteen. He knew what Chloe—the middle sister—liked to have for breakfast. He knew every scandal they’d been involved in.

Flora though, he didn’t know much about, so that’s why he was intrigued by her.

Again, what the hell was she doing standing here alone, in the cold, in the middle of the night, without an army of bodyguards?

“You’re Flora Sterling.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

She continued chewing her bottom lip. “Probably. Cab money. I’m begging you.”

Harry took a look at the state she was in. There’s no way he would leave her alone this way. “You know what? Give me your address, I’ll take you home.”

“You’re not going to kidnap me, right?” Flora asked, her anxious blue eyes staring at him.

“Would you believe me if I say I’m not?” he rolled his eyes. “Where do you live?”

“Alright,” she decided. Chris—her bodyguard—would give her shit for this. But what option did she have? She didn’t know her way around the city, thanks to her dad who insisted she never gets out without a chauffeur.

Flora was too desperate to think too hard. She just wanted to go home, crawl into her bed, and sleep for eternity. He looked harmless enough, so she told him her address.

“That’s only two blocks from here. I’ll walk you home.”

Flora shivered, but she nodded in relief.

“You’re cold,” he shrugged out of his jacket and offered it to her. Flora took it with obvious gratitude and relief. “Thanks.”

“Come on,” he gestured to follow him. “I’m Harry.”

“I’m Flora.”

“Yeah, I know,” he hummed. “You alright?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Just, whoa,” she swayed on her feet. Harry grabbed her arm to balance her. “’M just a bit drunk. Drank a lot. It’s Saturday night,” she said defensively.

“How did you end up here? Why are you alone?”

“I don’t know,” she laughed shakily. “I was in some club, things happened and the next thing I know my phone is gone and I’m stranded here.”

Harry stole a glance at her. She was wearing his jacket, still shivering and chewing her bottom lip.

“Relax. Here, use my phone to call someone,” Harry fished his phone out of his pocket. She looked at it, then shook her head.

“It’s fine. I don’t think I have anyone’s number memorized, thank you,” she turned away. Harry shoved his phone in her hand. She looked at him, confused.

“To call the police if I do something,” he smiled. “I won’t, but in case you’re worried.”

“It’s okay,” she nodded, clutching the phone. “Thank you.”

“You’re still cold. It’s not that cold and you’re wearing my jacket,’ he pointed out. He sensed her tensing beside him. “I’m easily cold, so what?” she replied defensively. “I wish I lived in California with my mum. I hate the cold,” she huffed.

“Your mum’s in California?” asked Harry.

“She moved a while ago. She grew up there, made her career there too. I guess now that she and my dad stopped speaking she figured there’s nothing for her here since both Tanya and Chloe are married, and well, she never cared for..,” she trailed off, eyeing him. “Why am I telling you all of this?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “For what it’s worth, I’m not a gossip columnist,” he added, grinning.

“What do you do then?” she asked.

“I’m doing my master’s degree,” replied Harry. “Architecture, in Columbia.”

“Do you live ‘round here?”

“No, Brooklyn.”

Her eyes widened at his reply. “That’s a long way to go. What are you doing around here then?”

“My mate has a place in Upper West Side,” he shrugged. “I stay there all the time, and he invited me to a party around here. He ditched me for a girl, so here I am.”

“Brooklyn’s a long way to go from Columbia,” she pointed out again.

“I know,” he nodded. “I mostly live in Max’s place—that’s my mate who owns a place in Upper West Side—my place in Brooklyn is my sister’s and she wants me to take care of it. So that’s what I’m doing.”

“Are you going back to your place or your mate’s?”

“Tonight?” Harry frowned. “I haven’t thought of that. I think I’ll go home to Brooklyn. Don’t want to listen to Max grunting all night,” he made a disgusted face and Flora laughed.

Harry felt this strange pang of pride in his chest. I made Flora Sterling laugh.

“We’re almost there,” Harry pointed out. “See?”

“Oh, yeah,” she nodded. “Sorry, it’s all so hazy. Besides, I never really pay attention to the road. Arthur—my chauffeur—he knows the way.”

Harry snorted. Of course he did.

“What?” she asked, confused.

“Nothing. We’re here.”

“Oh,” her eyes darted to the doorman behind the glass door. “Oh, yeah, I know that guy. He’s my doorman. Wow, where was I?” she rambled. “Anyway,” she peeled off his jacket then gave it back—with his phone. “Thank you,” she hesitated, but then she planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Pleasure,” Harry he could feel a blush creeping up his cheeks. Flora gave him an awkward wave before turning her back, greeting her doorman—who eyed Harry suspiciously. Harry waited until she got in before he let out a sigh.

Flora Sterling. He just walked Flora Sterling home. His sister would freak out if she knew, but she wouldn’t believe him if he told her he just walked a Sterling home. He probably would never see her again, he thought. Maybe Flora would move to another building—her old man did have tons of them—because a stranger knew where she lived. Tanya did move when a fan figured out her address and camped outside waiting for her every morning. Not that Harry would do such thing, but still.

He bumped into Flora Sterling and she kissed him. What are the odds?

With one last sigh, he walked away. He had a class in the morning.

She – Elvis Costello

“She may be the face I can’t forget

The trace of pleasure I regret

Maybe my treasure or the price I have to pay…”

“Are you following me?”

Harry knew that voice. He turned and there she was, standing with a go-cup in one hand—how the hell did she smuggle a bloody go-cup in?—Flora Sterling. She yanked her sunglasses off, showing off her eyes. Her dull, empty blue eyes. There still were dark shadows under her eyes, contrasting her bright irises. It made her look paler than she already was. To Harry’s relief, strangely, there were no tear marks on her cheeks this time. A progress.

Shut up, you don’t ever know her to be concerned, Harry thought.

“Hey,” Harry waved to her before turning his gaze back to the painting.

“Are you following me?” she repeated. She was already chewing her bottom lip.

“It’s the Met,” Harry shrugged. “Lots of people go here, love. I go here every week.”

“Really?” she seemed to relax a little. “I never saw you here before.”

“Maybe you were too drunk,” he teased, not shifting his gaze. Harry could feel her gaze, so he turned and faced her. “What? You don’t own the place, do you? And I seriously doubt you’re here every day.”

Flora started to chew her lip again. “Actually, I kinda am. Uh, here. Every day. Well, almost.”

“Really?” Harry raised his eyebrows. That was brand new information. He might not follow the Sterlings closely like his sister did, but he knew none of them were interested in art. Well, as far as he, or rather, Gemma knew, at least. “Never pegged you as the artsy kind.”

“You don’t know me,” she huffed. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just an observation,” he shrugged.

“So, I’m gonna..,” she trailed off. “See you around, I guess?”

“Perhaps,” Harry smiled at her. “If you’re really here every day.”

“Not quite,” she smiled back. She stalked off, sipping her coffee, then paused and turned back. “I’m almost done here,” she said quietly. “Do you want to walk me home again?”

“What?” Harry squeaked his question, stunned. “Walk you where?”

“Home?” she replied. Her cheeks were already flaming with a pretty pink colour. Harry found himself terribly endeared with this new development. “Never mind,” she shrugged, already turning away.

“Hey, hey!” Harry nearly shouted after her, grabbing her wrist to stop her from walking away. She stared at his hand on her wrist. He pulled it back immediately, like it was on fire.

“Sorry,” he apologised.

She cleared her throat. “So, um. I need to say goodbye to Paul.”

“Paul?” he asked, frowning.

“Yeah. He’s the head security. He used to work for my father, but then he got this gig. He lets me do practically anything. He knows I love coming here,” she paused. “This is my safe space,” she continued shyly.

“I’ll meet you at the steps?” he smiled. It fascinated Harry, how different she was with the image of her he built in his mind. He always thought of her like Tanya and Chloe, the peacock kind. But there was always a mysterious air around her, because not like her sisters, she was never in the center of spotlight much. If anything, she was the most reserved Sterling woman. But she’s still a Sterling. She’s like a witch, Harry used to think. Mysterious but charming and confident. Or at least that’s how Harry imagined her to be.

Not like this awkward duckling who gets lost, goes to museums every day, and asks him to walk her home shyly like every man doesn’t throw himself at her every day.

Harry thought he liked this awkward duckling.

The walk home was short. Flora didn’t talk much, he noticed. So he tried to fill the silence with his usual chatter. He tried to ask about her family, her sisters, but her face fell immediately at the mention of Tanya’s name. Sensing her discomfort, Harry just decided not to push. So he talked about his family instead.

“Gemma was always the popular one, out of us,” he chirped happily. “She used to drag me to parties, but I never really liked it. I’m the odd brother. But then she moved back to London and I kinda miss her pulling on my legs trying to get me out on a Saturday night,” he chuckled.

“London? Your accent, it’s real?” she asked.

Harry snorted. “What do you take me for?! My mum is British. Spent the first 12 years of my life there. But then my gran fell ill, and we had to follow my dad here so he could take care of her.”

“I hope she’s better now.”

“She is,” he smiled. “She passed away right before I started uni.”

“Oh!” she gasped. “I’m so sorry… I didn’t think…”

“S���alright, love,” Harry assured her. “She said she was happy to be surrounded by her family for the last days of her life. Made it less painful. She’s not suffering anymore.”

“Death is cruel,” she murmured. “Yet strangely fair.”

“Yeah, but what can we do?” he said easily. “We’re here.”

“Yes,” she stopped to turn to Harry. Like the last time, she hesitated first, then she planted a kiss on his cheek. She eased back a little, but instead of pulling all the way back, she planted another kiss on the corner of his mouth. Harry slung an arm around her hesitantly, afraid she would push him away.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she was leaning on him, taking him in. It was in the middle of the day, in the middle of a crowd of people staring at them. She didn’t care. Neither did Harry. Breathing his scent, she buried burying her face in his chest. He kissed the top of her head, inhaling her scent. She smelled like flowers, he thought. He felt like he might float away.

And Flora? She felt like she’s secured to the ground.

Safe. She was safe.

When they broke apart, she was smiling.

“Harry?”

“Yes, Flora?”

“See you around,” she waved, and walked away.

And all Harry could think about was she kissed me again.

Storms – Fleetwood Mac

“I haven’t felt this way I feel

Since many years ago

But in those years and the lifetime’s past

I did not deal with the road…”

“Now you’re the one who’s following me.”

Flora jumped a little on her feet. “Harry?” she asked, startled. “What are you doing here?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one who asked that?” Harry set his book aside. “You’re in Brooklyn.”

“I didn’t know you live here,” she shook her head. Her dark curls fell to her eyes. She brushed it away, gaining a little composure. Harry gave her an incredulous look. “I’m pretty sure I told you I’ve got a place in Brooklyn.”

“Oh, right,” she said, an odd expression flashed for a second on her face. “You’re here much?” she nodded to the books. “Odd place to study, a bar.”

Harry smiled. “Yeah. It’s quiet on weekdays, and Mick—the bartender—he likes me.”

“Can I?” she gestured to the seat.

“Yeah, sure.” He smiled again. “So, what brings Flora Sterling to this humble abode?”

“Shhhh,” Flora leaned over to cover his mouth. “Don’t say my name.”

Harry gripped her wrist, setting his mouth free. “Why?”

“I don’t want people to know I’m here,” she whispered.

Harry laughed. “Do you think people care?”

“You’re right,” she huffed a breath, leaned back. “I just… I don’t want to go home tonight.”

Harry studied her face. There was something, something about how she slumped back in defeat, something about her tired eyes. Something about her just screamed vulnerable. What was a rich girl like her doing, running away to a quiet bar in Brooklyn? He wondered. He shook his head and asked her, “Do you want some coffee? My place is just round the corner.”

“Coffee?” she looked a bit baffled, like an invitation to have some coffee was alien to her. Surely it wasn’t? Harry was about to withdraw the offer when she stopped chewing her lip, considering the offer. “Yes, I think I’d like some coffee.”

Harry put his books in his bag. “Come on then.”

Suzanne – Leonard Cohen

“You can hear the boats go by,

You can spend the night beside her

And you know she’s half crazy,

But that’s why you wanna be there…”

“Your place is nice.”

“Thanks,” Harry replied, pouring some coffee to his trusty mug. “Here,” he set the mug gently on the table.

“What were you doing there?” he asked, sitting down. Flora shrugged. “I was looking for a friend, he didn’t show up.”

“What friend?” he asked again, then catching himself. “Sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”

“Billy. Billy Trenton,” she answered anyway.

“Wait, I know Billy,” he frowned. He didn’t really know Billy, but he knew of him. He knew his reputation. He knew there’s only one thing people would see Billy Trenton for. His friend Cal got his goods from Billy Trenton. Harry remembered him turning up in a party to drop some things.

He really did drop things, Harry supposed.

“Were you..?” he trailed off.

“Was I what?” she tilted her head, waiting for Harry to finish his question.

“Never mind,” he decided. He shook his head. It wasn’t his business, what Flora was doing with the likes of Billy Trenton. He could guess, but it wasn’t his business, was it? They only met three times.

“Are you a student?” she asked him, eyeing his bookshelf.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. Columbia. I’m doing my master. Architecture,” he paused. “I told you this.”

“Oh you did? I… I must’ve forgotten,” she said. “Sorry.” She sounded strangely upset, like she was mentally beating herself up for not remembering. There was that odd expression again, flashing for a second before it died. “That explains that,” Harry was just about to change the subject when she abruptly pointed a finger to his drawing table. “Do you draw anything besides your school work?”

“Some sketches, actually,” Harry nodded to the board behind her. “Those are a few.”

She turned to examine the sketches. “They’re beautiful…”

“Thank you.”

“Can I stay here? Just for the night?” Flora inquired suddenly. Her blue eyes were staring right at Harry’s unwaveringly.

“Why not?” Harry shrugged. “But, I, erm, I only have one room and one bed.”

“It’s fine,” she smiled, cupping the mug with both hands. “We can share.”

“You do realize we’ve only met three times and we know fuck all about each other right?” Harry asked, a frown forming between his eyebrows.

“It’s fine by me, Harry,” she assured him. “Or do you want to..?” she trailed off, blushing.

“No, oh my god, no,” Harry panicked. “I will never do that. I’ll just, erm, I’ll sleep first.”

“You’re so cute,” she giggled. “I’m sorry for being such a bother.”

“No, it’s fine,” Harry muttered. “I’ll go sleep. You… do whatever.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

I Will Follow You Into The Dark – Death Cab for Cutie

“If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied,

Illuminate them on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you when your soul embarks,

Then I’ll follow you into the dark…”

“Harry? Are you asleep?”

“Flora? What,” Harry rubbed his face. She was hovering over him. He sat up, glancing to the clock on his nightstand. 3 AM. “What’s the matter? Do you need anything?”

“I’ll go now,” her voice was just a touch of whisper.

“What? It’s late.”

“I know. Something… Something came up,” she said vaguely.

Harry gingerly brushed away some stray hair on her forehead. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly. “What happened?”

“Just… I have to go,” she insisted. “Arthur is picking me up. My chauffeur.”

“He is? Does he know my address?” asked Harry, confused.

“He dropped me off near your bar earlier. Can you walk me there? I’m sorry,” her voice cracked.

“Hey, hey,” Harry reached her shoulder, alarm and concern flashing in his eyes. “It’s okay, I’ll walk you there.”

Flora nodded, casting her eyes on the floor. Harry got up, tucked himself into a pair of jeans and a coat. “Must be cold outside,” he said. He produced his warmest jacket from his wardrobe, draping it on Flora’s shoulder.

“Come on.”

The cold air hit them like a truck.

“Are you still cold in there? Do you need more layers?” Harry gestured to his jacket.

“Why are you so nice to me?” she questioned suddenly. “Like you said, we know fuck all about each other.”

“I don’t know,” he said carefully. “Do I need a reason? Maybe it’s just a product from my mum’s great parenting,” he tried to joke.

She didn’t laugh.

“Wouldn’t know,” she murmured.

He frowned.  “What do you mean?”

“Nothing,“ she let out a heavy breath. “Oh, there’s Arthur.”

Did he dare asking her out? Or merely ask for her number? They did not know each other, after all. But that’s the thing. Harry wanted to. He didn’t want to keep thinking of her as this elusive mythical creature who only lived inside of his mind. She was not it. She was a real person, who got lost because she never had to learn her way around, who hated the cold even though she was born and raised in New York, who went to the Met every day, who ran away to Brooklyn because she didn’t want to go home. Who blushed when she asked him to walk her home and kissed his cheek. Harry wanted to know this person.

He had a split second to decide.

“Flora?” How the hell was he gonna do it? Just ask?

“Harry?” Her stare was so unnerving. Harry felt himself squirming under her gaze.

“Um, wouldyaliketogooutsumtime?” Crap. What was he saying?

“What?” she frowned. “What did you say?”

“Uhhhhh,” Harry rubbed the nape of his neck. “Can I see you again?”

“I wasn’t kidding when I told you I go to the Met almost every day,” she smiled softly. “All you have to do is just go there when it opens and you’ll find me there. But yeah, with one condition.”

“Of course?” I’m gonna have to sign an NDA, he thought.

“Can I come around sometime? To your place?” she looked at him straight to the eye. Her eyes, blue and expectant, met Harry’s green ones.

A smile formed, curving his lips. “Yeah, if you like.”

“Would you like, Harry?” she questioned, her eyes doubtful.

“Yes. Yes, I’d like it very much,”

When she smiled back at him, her eyes were sparkling. So Harry leaned in and kissed her there.

He held his breath, and tested his luck by brushing his lips on hers. He let out a quiet, relieved sigh when she responded, giving in to the kiss and then some more. She deepened the kiss, hands snaking their way onto his back. He gingerly touched her soft dark hair, smoothened the back of her head.

When he finally pulled away, smiling, she touched her thumb softly to the corner of his mouth. There was some colour rising on her cheeks, and her lips were swollen in a pretty I’ve-just-been-kissed way.

Slowly, a smile crept up, curving the corner of her lips.

It took his breath away.

Still smiling, she touched her lips to his cheek. “I’ll see you.”

“I’ll see you.”

I guess it’s true what they said, he thought while watching her car drive away.

Third time’s the charm.

[jess-oh]

Reflection

I recently arrived in Chicago! And I was right. It didn’t fully hit me that I’m moving back to Chicago until I actually got to Chicago. And now I know. This is my life for the next 16 weeks. And I am glad that it is. I talked and bonded with Marlena today over pizza. I should ask to venmo her for the food tomorrow, if she has venmo. I also need to deposit the $100 from grandma. I know I should carry some cash on me but honestly, I think I would rest a lot better knowing that I have $550 in my account instead of $450. And I need to buy my two textbooks that I know I for sure need tomorrow and get everything else in order. I got to draw the month of September, design the new layouts, figure out when my meetings are, what needs to be done, etc etc. I have a lot to accomplish tomorrow. Oh! And I need to buy the two small rulers for myself and my sister. I can’t believe she never realized that I both stole and lost her ruler, HAHAHAHA. But I have most everything that I need to do written in my journal so hopefully that is enough. I still need to figure things out with Hangook and definitively decide whether or not I want to stay on board. Because even though “The Squad” is no longer a student organization, there’s still a lot to do and honestly, I’m a lot more passionate about that than Hangook. But I also don’t want Hangook to totally die because they lack leadership and keep putting all the pressure on their advisor instead of putting in the work themselves. But it is also not my job to do their dirty work and pick up the slack. It’s on them. I shouldn’t feel the need to step in and fix it. If I do everything, then they’ll never learn.

But back to Marlena! I didn’t really know what to expect or how to act but things have fallen back into place and I’m really glad that they have. Before, I think I was a lot more uncomfortable with talking about sex and drugs and alcohol and parties. But now, because of Andrew, I’m a lot more open to it. And I’m still not entirely sure whether that’s a good or bad thing. But it’s how it is now. I think it’s good in the sense that I’m more open minded but bad that I’m more prone to temptation now. I just gotta keep myself accountable! >:D But yeah, I was pretty worried that we wouldn’t be friends anymore since I’m come back to Christ and she leads such a worldly lifestyle. But I referenced my pastors and involvement at church and she was fine with it so, I think it’s okay. I just need to work on leading a more Christlike lifestyle so that she’ll hopefully be influenced by my passion and desire for the Lord and come back and meet Him for the first time. She’s my best friend out here so I do really care about her salvation. I need to decide on my Sunday plans as well. And go to Lakeview a few more times as well as check out the other churches that I’ve heard of. I do want to invest there but… I’m still not positive. It felt more like I was forcing myself to stay more than me actually wanting to. But I was also out of options. So, I’m hoping that I can commit to checking out these other churches and seeing if they’re a better fit. Hopefully. But I also feel like I betrayed Lakeview….who knows?

Oh man, it’s 1:12am here but only 11:12pm there. Or maybe it’s 1:12am there? I think it is. I don’t think my laptop has changed timezones. I was right. I just changed it. It is currently 3:15am here. So I guess it isn’t that surprising that I’m tired after all. I had so much fun with Andrew and David this past summer and now, I find myself constantly excited for him to message me. I don’t think this is a crush thing. I think it’s a stability thing. He was an integral part of me back in high school and I thought I lost that last year. But this summer showed me that I hadn’t. And sure, our dynamic has changed but he’s still my friend. I thought about it on the plane and I think we’re the type of friends that can just freely vent to each other. We can be mad together. We can cry together. We can laugh together. And even though we don’t have a lot of common interests, we’re still there for each other when it matters. I’m sure if we went to the same school it’d be different. But I am glad that he is my friend. He does mean a lot to me, at the end of the day. And I do wish we could’ve spent more time together before I left. I know he only brought sex up to tease me and purposefully make me feel uncomfortable at first but then it became a part of casual conversation and I was still really out of place and uncomfortable. But on the plane ride, I thought about my likes and dislikes sexually and how it could potentially affect my future relationships. I do think it’s a good conversation to have before marriage because what if we aren’t sexually compatible? I have thought a little bit about it before but never to this extent. So I guess I have Andrew to thank for bringing this topic up and making me more comfortable with it. But this has opened up the chance that I won’t be a virigin before marriage. Which is a commitment that I want to keep. Because I committed it to God. Not because it’s right or wrong. But I promised the Lord that I wouldn’t have sex until marriage so that’s what I intend to do. I don’t think I’m against BDSM(?) bondage, basically. Nothing to hardcore or extreme but I think I’m into that “scared and horny” feeling. But to an extent. But if, for example, my hands were chained above my head to the bed frame and I was vulnerable. I think I’d be extremely uncomfortable but also strangely aroused at my inability to do anything. But at the same time, I imagined a scenario where my significant other tried to pretend kidnap me and put me in that situation. I think I’d be waaaay turned off by that. The fear would far outweigh anything else. I would just want to get the heck out of there and leave. Even if I later found out it was all a plan, I would still feel way to terrified. Thinking for even a moment that I could’ve been actually kidnapped and/or raped from my own home. That. Is scary. But consensual? I’m open to the idea.

There was more that I wanted to write in my journal for my entry on the flight today but I really wanted to keep it clean and contained within one page so I didn’t add anything more. But I kind of wish that I did. Maybe while I type it, other things will come back to me.

Oh, back to Marlena though. Right when I got off of the plane, I saw McDonald’s and honestly, my heart kinda sank, knowing that I couldn’t stop by because I had to hurry to the Dwight because Marlena was tired. But I hurried to the baggage claim and irritatedly waited for my bag to come out. And honestly, I don’t know if I was just full of adrenaline or what but once I realized my bag was in front of me, I picked it up by the top handle with one hand like it was nothing and just hurriedly wheeled it to the subway. Everything went fine on the subway but I did realize that I forgot the order of the stops for the blue line. I kind of knew where everything was in relation to each other but my memory was still pretty cloudy. I totally forgot about Jackson. I knew it was Clark but forgot about Washington. But once it hit Monroe, I knew I was two stops away. But I couldn’t remember what was in between. Jackson! I even questioned if there was a stop between Monroe and LaSalle at one point. The stairs weren’t too bad this time and I kept hoping that I chose the exit closest to the Dwight. AND I DID. BUT THEN I FORGOT WHERE THE DWIGHT WAS. I started walking towards the University Center, remembering that the Dwight was nearby. But once I hit Dearborn, I knew I was going the wrong way. So then I google mapped it and honestly, it didn’t really help. But then I spotted the “Park” sign that I know all too well and found my way to the building. But before entering, I noticed that Subway was 24hrs! But I thought Marlena needed to rest more than my hunger so I just decided to go in. But after settling in, she offered to take me to Subway and I happily agreed. So then we went to the Sky Lounge and just talked about her mono and how she’s been dying in more ways than one recently while I ate my Subway sandwich. Then, we decided to order pizza. I was about to add toppings to half the pizza at first but then I asked if it’d be more expensive and immediately retracted. We decided to head to the first floor and talk there until our pizza came. And then we feasted once more in the sky lounge and continued to talk and make plans for the near future. Sounds like I’ll be doing a lot of heavy lifting tomorrow but she’s dying so, I don’t mind. And plus, she seemed to be genuinely asking for help instead of just expecting it like my mom and sister :/ And then we part ways and now I’m in my own room on this massive bed with no sheets or blankets. But I do have my body pillow and a normal pillow which is more than I could ever need, HAHAHA. I only have to sleep like this for a couple days! On September 2nd, I can move into my own dorm and finally unpack.

Now Im chatting with Andrew about photography ^_^