#Kathy Forester

[scoutingthetrooper]

kathi otreba

[myxomycota]

Tubifera ferruginosa by Kathy Laroche

[rwpohl]

13 frightened girls!, william castle 1963

*

the collection, the twilight zone 2002

[noh07]

list of mixed name ideas (october 29, 2024)

i sorted them into three categories: androgynous, feminine and masculine.

in this list, there's any type of names (mostly for english-speaking people though): typical first names, noun names, mythology names, etc.

if you have more ideas of names for trans folks, writers, etc, just lemme know! (Can also be not-so-cool names for the writers, we need them for the asshole side characters :3)

i update the list every time I have a lot of new name suggestions. this is not the newest version, but you can find it under the tag #updated name list on my profile.

(alphabetical list with 553 mixed names under the cut)

--- androgynous ---

Addie/Eddie

Aki

Alex

Alexis

Alli/Allie/Ally

Ares

Ari

Artemis

Aster

Azure

Bennie/Benny

Beverly

Billie

Blair

Charlie

Chrissy

Crimson

Edie

Eli

Ellori/Ellory

Emerson

Emi/Emmie/Emmy

Evie

Finn

Forest/Forrest

Frances/Francis

Gray/Grey

Hayden

Hunter

Jackie/Jacky

Jamie

Jess

Jessie

Jupiter

Lark

Lenny

Lori/Lorie/Lory

Lou

Louie

Mag

Maggot

Mars

Max

Mercury

Mika

Miko

Mizu

Neptune

Noah

Paris

Ollie

Quinn

Rafa

Reg

Robin

Ronni/Ronnie/Ronny

Saturn

Shilo/Shiloh

Skye

Val

Venus

Vin

Vinny/Vinnie

Wilson

--- feminine ---

Abby

Abigail

Adelaide

Adeline

Aileen/Eileen

Aimee/Amy

Alana

Alena

Alessia

Alexa

Alexia

Alexandra

Alice

Alissa

Alli/Allie/Ally

Alura

Amalia

Amber

Amelia

Amelie

Amity

Angie

Anna

Ann/Anne

Annie

Anastasia

Andrea/Andreea

Antheia

Arabella

Astra

Atlanta

Audrey

Aurora

Azura

Bailey

Becky

Bella

Belle

Bettie/Betty

Beverly

Billie

Brenda

Brie

Candace/Candice

Carla/Karla

Carolina

Caroline

Catherine

Celina/Selena/Selina

Celine/Selene

Charlotte

Christina/Kristina

Christine/Kristine

Claire

Clara/Klara

Chloe/Cloe

Cora/Corah

Daniela/Daniella

Danielle

Dalia/Daliah

Debbie

Debora/Deborah

Delilah

Diana

Dianne

Dora/Dorah

Eburia

Eda

Elena

Eleanor/Elenor

Elisa/Eliza

Elizabeth

Ella

Ember

Emerson

Emery

Emi/Emmie/Emmy

Emilia

Emilie/Emily

Emma

Euphemia

Euphoria

Esme

Esmeralda

Eva

Evie

Evelyn

Felicia

Fenya

Finya

Fia

Fiona

Francisca/Franziska

Freya

Gaia

Georgia

Gina

Ginny/Jeanie

Hanna/Hannah

Harmony

Heather

Hecate

Hera

Hestia

Hope

Iana

Irena

Irene

Iris

Isa

Isabel/Isabelle

Isabela/Isabella

Ivonne/Yvonne

Ivory

Ivy

Izzy

Janice

Jasmin/Jasmine

Jenna

Jenny

Jolene

Julia

Julianne

Julie

Juliet/Juliette

Katarina/Katharina

Kathy/Katy

Lana

Lara/Larah

Laura

Lauren

Laurel

Lena

Leia/Leya

Levina

Levinia

Lia

Liara

Lili/Lilli/Lilly/Lily

Lilian/Lilien

Lilith

Lisa

Livia

Liz

Lizzie/Lizzy

Loanne

Lola

Lorelei

Lori/Lorie/Lory

Louisa/Luisa

Louise/Luise

Luce/Luz

Lucy

Luna

Maggie/Meggie

Meg

Madeline

Maira/Myra

Margaret

Marge

Marla

Marlene

Maria/Mariah

Marie/Mary

Melanie

Melissa

Mellie/Melly

Mia

Michelle

Milly

Mina

Minerva

Minnie

Miriam

Mona

Naira/Nyra

Natalia

Natalie

Natasha

Nellie/Nelly

Nessie

Nina

Nora/Norah

Nori

Oliv/Olive

Olivia

Ollie

Paris

Pascale

Patricia

Paula

Peggy

Penelope/Pinelopy

Penny

Petunia

Philippa

Pia

Polly

Poppy

Ramona

Rebecka

Regina

Robin

Rose

Roxanne

Sara/Sarah

Sofia/Sophia

Sofie/Sophie

Stella

Stephanie/Stephany

Tara/Tarah

Tatiana/Tatyana

Tess

Tessa

Tia

Tiana

Tina

Valerie/Valery

Vanessa

Venus

Veronica

Victoria

Vivian

Viviana

Willow

Yana

Yasmin/Yasmine

Zoe/Zoé/Zoey

--- masculine ---

Aion

Alex

Alexander

Amon

Anthony

Anton

Arcturus

Ares

Ben

Benjamin

Bennie/Benny

Benson

Bill

Billie/Billy

Bob

Bobby

Brendan/Brendon

Brian

Bruno

Calvin

Carl/Karl

Chad

Chase

Chris

Chrissy

Christopher

Conan

Damian

Dan

Daniel

Dave

David

Davon/Devon

Dionysos

Don

Donald

Dorian

Dylan

Elia/Elijah

Elio

Eliot/Elliot/Elliott

Emerson

Emilio

Erion

Evan

Felix

Fred

Freddie/Freddy

George

Gian/Jan

Hannibal

Harald/Harold/Herald/Herold

Ian

Icarus

Jack

Jackie/Jacky

James

Jamie

Jimmy

John

Johnny

Jona/Jonah

Jonas

Jones

Julian/Julien

Julius

Jupiter

Justin

Kevin

Larry

Laurence/Lawrence

Lenny

Leo

Linus

Lori/Lorie/Lory

Louis/Luis

Louie

Lucc/Luke

Lucas/Lukas

Luigi

Marc

Marco

Mario

Mars

Max

Mercury

Michael

Mickey

Mike

Milo

Nathan

Neptune

Nick

Nico/Niko/Nikko

Noah

Oliver

Ollie

Orion

Paris

Pascal

Patrick

Paul

Pete

Peter

Philip/Philipp/Phillip

Raymond

Reg

Reginald

Regulus

Remus

Rob

Robbie/Robby

Robin

Ron

Ronald

Ronni/Ronnie/Ronny

Saturn

Sean/Shawn/Shaun

Sebastian

Sirius

Steve

Steven

Theodore

Tim

Toby

Tom

Tommy

Tony

Valentine

Victor

Wilson

Yan

Zach/Zack

Zeus

If you want me to add meanings, origins, etc., just tell me! ^^

[half-a-life]

If you ignore your feelings they will get your attention in other ways.

Kathy Kalina

Road in the forest

Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium 🇧🇪

[miffyvirtuales]

pairing: sim jake×named reader genre: fluff, crush campus warnings: none words count: 1270 words miffy's note: this is so lovely actually. . . .

synopsis: During a university camping trip, Kathy finds herself unexpectedly sharing a tent with Jake, the charming classmate she’s secretly admired from afar. What starts as a night of nervous anticipation turns into something more when they wake up to find themselves accidentally cuddling under the moonlit sky. As the warmth of their shared moment lingers, Kathy begins to wonder if this could be the start of something new between them. In the quiet of the forest, will a simple accident lead to a budding romance?

The sky was painted in hues of deep orange and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. The warm, golden light of dusk filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the campsite. The university had organized this camping trip as a break from the stress of exams, and students from all over the campus had signed up for a weekend of nature, bonding, and relaxation.

Kathy was standing by the campfire, chatting with a few of her classmates, trying to shake off the nervous energy that had settled in her stomach. She had always enjoyed camping—the fresh air, the crackling of the fire, and the stars twinkling in the night sky. But tonight, there was something different. Something that made her heart race in a way that wasn’t just from the excitement of being out in the wild.

It was Jake.

Tall, with tousled dark hair and an easy smile, Jake was the kind of guy who seemed to have it all together. He was confident, charismatic, and effortlessly charming. They had shared a few classes together, and Kathy had always found herself sneaking glances at him across the lecture hall. But they had never really spoken outside of academic settings, and she doubted he even knew her name.

That was until earlier that evening when the camping group leader had announced the sleeping arrangements. Due to a mix-up with the tents, some of the students would have to double up. And as fate would have it, Kathy had been paired with Jake.

Her heart had nearly stopped when she heard the news, but she forced herself to play it cool, smiling and nodding as if it didn’t bother her in the slightest. But now, as the night crept closer and the fire began to die down, she couldn’t ignore the nervous fluttering in her chest.

“Hey, you okay?”

Kathy jumped slightly, turning to see Jake standing beside her, a concerned look on his face.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” she replied quickly, hoping her voice didn’t betray the butterflies in her stomach. “Just thinking about tomorrow’s hike.”

Jake chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yeah, it should be fun. I heard the view from the top is amazing.”

Kathy nodded, grateful for the distraction, but she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the tent they would be sharing tonight. She wondered how on earth she would manage to fall asleep with him so close.

As the last of the embers glowed in the firepit, the group began to disperse, some heading to their tents while others stayed up to stargaze. Jake and Kathy walked together in comfortable silence, their footsteps crunching on the leaves as they made their way to their tent.

Inside, the space was cozy, with just enough room for the two of them. Their sleeping bags were laid out side by side, and Kathy tried not to think about how little space there was between them.

Jake unzipped his sleeping bag and slipped inside, turning on his side to face her. “I promise I don’t snore.” he said with a teasing grin.

Kathy laughed softly, grateful for his lightheartedness. “Good to know. I don’t either, as far as I’m aware.”

She climbed into her own sleeping bag, trying to get comfortable as she turned off the small lantern they had brought with them. The tent was plunged into darkness, save for the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the thin fabric.

For a while, Kathy lay there, staring up at the ceiling of the tent, listening to the sounds of the forest outside. She was hyper-aware of Jake’s presence next to her, his breathing slow and even as he began to drift off to sleep.

She closed her eyes, willing herself to relax, but sleep was elusive. Every time she shifted, the fabric of her sleeping bag rustled, and she worried she was disturbing him. The tension in her body only grew as the minutes ticked by.

Eventually, though, exhaustion began to take over, and Kathy felt herself sinking into sleep. She didn’t know when it happened, but at some point in the night, she rolled over in her sleep, instinctively seeking warmth and comfort.

When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was the feeling of warmth enveloping her. She was snuggled up against something soft, her head resting on what felt like a pillow. For a moment, she remained blissfully unaware, her mind still foggy with sleep.

But then, she realized that the “pillow” beneath her head was moving. And it was warm. Very warm.

Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring at Jake’s chest, her cheek pressed against the fabric of his shirt. Her heart lurched as she realized she had, at some point during the night, cuddled up to him, her arm draped across his waist.

Mortified, Kathy tried to pull away as gently as possible, but as she did, Jake stirred, his eyes fluttering open.

“Morning.” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

“Morning.” Kathy whispered back, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She tried to shift back to her side of the tent, but Jake’s arm tightened around her, holding her in place.

“Sorry.” he said, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I guess I’m a cuddler.”

Kathy couldn’t help but smile, despite the awkwardness of the situation. “Me too, apparently.”

They stayed like that for a few moments, neither of them making a move to break the embrace. The awkwardness slowly began to melt away, replaced by a surprising sense of comfort. Kathy had never imagined that being this close to Jake could feel so… natural.

Finally, Jake sighed, loosening his hold on her. “We should probably get up before the others start wondering where we are.”

“Yeah, probably.” Kathy agreed, though she couldn’t deny the pang of disappointment she felt at the thought of leaving his warmth.

They slowly disentangled themselves from each other, and Kathy quickly busied herself with rolling up her sleeping bag, trying to ignore the way her heart was still racing. But as she stole a glance at Jake, she saw that his expression was just as flustered as hers.

As they packed up their tent and joined the rest of the group for breakfast, Kathy couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened. She wondered if Jake felt the same way, if he had been as affected by the accidental cuddle as she had.

The day passed in a blur of hiking and exploring, but every time their eyes met, there was a shared understanding between them, an unspoken connection that hadn’t been there before. And when they returned to the campsite that evening, Kathy couldn’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation at the thought of sharing a tent with him again.

As they settled in for the night, Jake turned to her, his expression serious yet soft. “Hey, Kathy… about last night…”

Kathy’s heart skipped a beat. “Yeah?”

He hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words. “I didn’t mind, you know. Cuddling, I mean. It was… nice.”

A shy smile spread across Kathy’s face. “Yeah, it was.”

Jake smiled back, and for the first time, Kathy felt like there was something more between them than just shared classes and a camping trip. Something deeper, something that had started with an accidental cuddle but could grow into something much more.

As they drifted off to sleep that night, side by side in the same tent, Kathy felt a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with the sleeping bag or the fire outside. It was the warmth of possibility, of something new and exciting blossoming between them. And as she closed her eyes, she couldn’t help but hope that this was just the beginning of something beautiful.

— I hope you enjoyed.

[accioprocrastination]

One Day At A Time (Part 4/?)

Jake Seresin x Reader

Summary: Hangman's POW fiancée attempts a prison break and Jake gets the call he been longing for

A/N: Sorry I don't think this could've taken much longer to write!!

T/W: Anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, POW, gun violence, hints to torture, death

Reader POV -

You don't give yourself time to strategise, you grab the boy's hand and Ghost's jacket and force them to follow you. You're back tracking through the building to a side door you noticed when you fell.

The sound of your heart hammering in your chest is the only thing you can focus on while your hand tremors above the door handle. You force yourself to ignore your rising panic and make a silent prayer that this door is unlocked.

Ghost echoes your sigh of relief when you try the door and it quietly swings open. You quickly survey the surrounding area from the doorway: there's no other guards in your eye line, and no visible watch towers that cover this section of the camp as far as you can tell from this vantage point.

Directly ahead, a few hundred metres away if you had to guess, you see a break in the fence and a small seating area just beyond it. They have a makeshift smoking area.

"Let's go." you say, not waiting for a response before breaking out into a sprint.

It's eerily quiet as you lift part of the chain fence, forcing it wide enough for the boy to shuffle through. Ghost watched in horror as you do not react to the metal cutting into your palms.

You gesture for Ghost to go first and he obliges. You feel blood start to run down your wrists as you force the metal to gape open wider.

Ghost visibly jumps when a second round of gunfire bellows from the building behind you. You shudder at the thought of them killing the people you left behind.

How can anyone have such little regard for human life? You've not encountered a single person here who looks marginally remorseful for their actions.

The wait for Ghost to get through the fence feels like a lifetime.

They're going to come for me, please move. You mentally chastise Ghost for the hold up.

Fear threatens to swallow you as you hear the back door burst open. It hits the wall with such a monstrous thud, that you feel the sound ricochet through your body.

"Don't turn around." Ghost warns you.

Both of you know the door is close enough that anyone with half decent aim could shoot you right now.

Ghost lets go of the fence and you feel your heart sink for a second thinking after all of this he could just leave you right now.

It takes you a minute to realise he's moving to get himself out of the firing line. He drops down to hold the fence at a much lower angle.

You're thrown against the fence as a blistering pain radiates through your shoulder.

"Go." you instruct Ghost, ringing blaring in your right ear.

"I'm not leaving you here Seresin." He says grabbing you through the fence and forcing you downwards.

You army crawl through the fence screaming from the pain of the bullet wound. "I'm not a Seresin." You say as soon as you're through the fence.

Ghost hoists you upright. "Not yet." He says with a small smile plastered on his lips.

The next few minutes are a blur - you're hazy from blood loss and running when none of you are in peak physical condition. It takes the three of you fucking ages to cover even the smallest of distances.

Every few yards Ghost slows down panting and coughing like he can't get enough air to his lungs which you know is a very real possibility now that he's sick.

You keep walking waiting for him to catch up - clutching your arm to maintain pressure.

The roaring of wardens behind you is getting closer and closer with every passing minute.

You've got to get out of this forest.

You need to get to a hospital.

Even if you meet your own version of Kathy Bates in Misery you'll have a higher chance of survival than if the guards catch you.

The two of you know from how many planes you've seen overhead since being moved to that camp that there has to be an air base nearby.

You either keep walking and hope to stumble upon it or find someone, anyone to help you.

Knowing the latter is unlikely you decide to just head to the edge of the forest.

You need to find civilisation.

Arguing breaks out nearby as the wardens question what direction you may have gone. Ghost rapidly responds halting you and placing a hand lightly over the boys mouth to muffle his weeping.

I don't know where to go. I don't know what direction will lead me out of here.

You silently stand behind trees hoping if you're quiet enough the men on your heels will give up and let you go home.

Reaching into your jumpsuit you grab the broken locket and stare at Jake's happy face.

I'll come back to you, you mentally promise him releasing a shuddering sigh in absolute dread over whatever you're going to have to do to get out of here.

*

Jake POV -

Hangman doesn't hear the phone ring from where he stands bickering the in garden with Rooster.

Javy on the other hand is inside, engaged in a discussion about his best friend with Bob and Phoenix. Trace looks at him knowingly, "are you going to get that or shall I because we both know Hangman is not in the mood to talk to someone else." she says.

Coyote gestures for her to hand him the phone. He instantly regrets having the responsibility when he answers the call from Admiral Simpson saying he needs to speak to Jake directly.

Knowing he cannot say this is not a good time to the admiral, Coyote pops his head of the sliding doors and calls for Jake.

"Work is beckoning you." He informs Hangman who instantly stands up straighter.

"Why?" He asks knowing his paranoia made him check that he had today off nine-thousand times.

The minuscule walk from the barbecue to Javy holding the phone out of the door is enough for Jake to plaster on his bravado. Whatever presumably horrible thing someone Is about to say on this phone call, cannot hurt me.

Jake puts the the phone to his ear and it's like everything else is in slow motion.

"At 16:00 on Tuesday an unauthorised fighter plane flew over the California. The plane had no coms with the US Airforce but landed upon request at a private airport." Cyclone starts.

Jake remains quiet, wondering what the hell does this have to do with me?

"The woman who was flying the plane has not been identified and was unconscious by the time that she was removed from the plane." He says.

Okay, and? Jake thinks still unsure on how this relates to him.

"The police have contacted all of the different defence agencies to see whether anyone has an MIA pilot matching her description." Cyclone continues.

"I am at the hospital and she is unrecognisable." He states making Jake even more confused.

"Sorry Sir but I am not seeing how I factor into this?" Jake speaks up not caring about the consequences of interrupting him.

"I am going to be honest and say you might not but I need you to tell me if this sounds familiar. The woman had a locket in her possession - the photo is tiny and dirty so I'm not saying this with any kind of certainty but it looks like you in the picture." Cyclone stops talking.

You're alive.

"I'm j-" Cyclone starts talking again but Jake interrupts.

"What hospital?" Jake asks feeling like he's barely breathing.

Simpson reels off the name.

"I'm on my way." Jake mutters.

Without saying anything to the others, he runs into the house and grabs his car keys from the bowl in the kitchen that he always shoves them in.

"Where are you going?" Javy questions as Jake grabs a jacket off the back of the door.

"I've got to go but I'll be back soon. You guys don't have to go... if you do, take the spare keys to lock up and then post them through the door - I don't know how long I'm going to be." He states shoving on the jacket before sprinting up the stairs to grab his backpack. He empties it onto the bed quickly - for once in his life not caring about being neat as he shakes it out.

He swings open the door to your half of the wardrobe and picks out your joggers and one of his t-shirts alongside underwear, socks and your trainers. Just in case you have to stay longer he grabs toothpaste, your toothbrush, deodorant and a scrunchie from the box of your stuff still sat in the bathroom cupboard.

"That'll do." he mutters running down the stairs and out the door before anyone can stop him.

Jake's fairly sure he's been caught by at least one speed camera as he steps out of his car in the hospital parking lot. He speed walks to the reception only nudging one person of out the way to get here as quickly as possible.

He asks for your room number and ward before breaking out into another run when he gets the answer.

Admiral Simpson and a ton of police officers and random other officials stand in the corridor and Jake knows that means you're in the room behind them.

"Lieutenant Seresin?" One of the police officers asks.

Jake nods, "Hi."

"You're right, he does look like the picture." One of the others says to Cyclone.

"Before we take you in to identify her, please can you come with us to somewhere more private?" Cyclone asks.

"Yes Sir." Jake responds.

*

Jake cannot sit still as the detectives start talking. He's aware that everyone in the room is hyper focused on him so he will not stop twitching.

"Can I see the locket?" He questions nervously.

Jake can see a crushed looking pendant but nothing more as the detective reaches for it.

They push it towards him on the table and Jake could cry looking at the state of your first anniversary present.

"That's Nova's" He confirms opening the plastic bag to have a better look.

"That's us moving me into her really old apartment." Jake elaborates.

"I was told she was killed in action." Jake says tears silently falling down his face.

He sniffs and wipes them angrily away.

"We don't know that the woman in that room is her, but whoever that is we think they were POW." Cyclone theorises.

"When she went down she was with her weapons system officer - was anyone else in the plane?" Jake asks.

"Yes. Someone was in the back seat but they were dead long before the paramedics got there." One of the officers responds.

"We don't know if it was Ghost - they are comparing his DNA to the database" Cyclone admits.

"How did he die?" Jake's voice cracks.

"The plane had taken quite a bit of fire - the canopy was broken. The man on the backseat was struck by some of the glass." The police inform him.

Jake shivers from the thought of the world's happiest WSO dying of blood loss - at the thought of you having to sit there and listen to that.

He stands up not wanting to hear anything else.

"Can I see her?" Jake queries, not beyond begging if anyone objects.

"Not before we talk about the kid." a random lady chirps.

"What kid?" Jake counters feeling bile rise in his throat at the prospect that you might have a kid that isn't his.

"He's too old to be hers; let him go see her." Cyclone says to the officers.

Jake raises his eyebrows in confusion but they gesture that he's free to leave so he doesn't delay this any longer and starts striding towards your room.

*

"I need to warn you that despite surgery - this is quite shocking." Cyclone says holding the door handle, "She's been put into a medically induced coma to try and reduce some of the swelling."

Jake nods not really hearing him.

I need to know if this is you.

Admiral Simpson carefully opens the door at lets Jake through.

Jake looks at your face and he doesn't recognise you.

The bruising is obscene - this person's face is purple and yellow.

Thank god she's unconscious because I can't imagine how painful this would be.

"Is it her?" Cyclone asks as Jake steps closer.

Jake refuses to admit that even he cannot tell from looking at your face. Your features are too swollen to properly see.

His hands shake as he brushes some of your hair out of the way to look under your ear for a scar you got learning to ride a bike as a kid.

He uses his free hand to rub the tears from his eyes.

It's there. The scar he's kissed a thousand times.

He pulls back, lip trembling in the horror that anyone would hurt you so much that he cannot recognise you.

"It's her." Jake verbalises as he takes you hand.

The whole world melts away behind him as he stares at what's been done to you and actually takes it in.

"You're okay sweets, I'm here. I've got you." Jake whispers running his thumb across the back of your hand.

Part 3 if you missed it

Part 5

Masterlist

@inthestars-underthesun

@rainy-darling

[lily-blue]

I look at you like you're perfect for me

☆ characters: half-dark elf!theo & you ☆ genre: dark fantasy au, soulmate au ☆ warnings: mention of blood, violence and death, manipulation, slight mention of self-hatred ☆ summary: having a soulmate sounds like a fairy tale, doesn’t it? too bad that yours could have been easily written by one of grimm brothers or the queen of dark fairy tales, @dat-town herself ☆ words: 11,2k ☆ also: just like every year, this soulmate au was written for my own soulmate, kathy ♥ the tenth year of our friendship brought along a lot of changes; and i’m immensely happy to know that there is no such thing in our relationship as too much distance between the two of us. thank you for sticking by my side through all these years, starting from my super awkward high school years, and please, stay with me for five times this many (and even more) ♥

There had been a time when you had hated yourself for being born the way you were: without magic. However, shortly after your twentieth birthday, when the Dark Elves came knocking on your door, this rare deficiency - that less than one hundredth percent of the population had the misfortune to experience -, was what allowed you to survive when your village went up in smoke. You see, your people lived in one of the most lavish and dense forests of the Northern Kingdom. Even with magic running through your community’s veins, you stood no chance against the flames. Many died before they could have even thought about running.

Not that abandoning their roots helped a lot of people. Because the Dark Elves were ruthless just as the stories suggested and killed everyone who bumped into them on their way towards the border of your village. Gender or age… neither of those mattered. Once they sensed your spiritual core, the magical energy deep in your soul, there was a target on your back and their soldiers never missed aim.

The bile was burning your throat when you heard yet another body fall on the ground with a loud thud a few steps from behind you, but you willed yourself and kept running. This time the screams were louder; they came from a lot closer and it terrified you. The implication that you would be the next.

However, that arrow, you were so sure was meant to pierce through your heart, never came. It was as though they couldn’t see you. As though you were completely invisible in the open while people who tried their best to lay low lost their lives due to their stalling. You couldn’t grasp what was happening around you, but to be honest, you didn’t have time or spare energy to ponder over the reasons and theories. You needed to get as far from the chaos as possible before your weak legs gave up.

You had never been too athletic. You were driven by your sheer will to survive.

You weren’t sure how long it would take to get away from the stomach-churning screams and the distinct sound of wood burning; however, you had to be a lot deeper in the forest than you had ever been in because the awaited sense of safety didn’t embrace you as soon as you entered the realm of Mother Nature. You had to keep running. You had to keep moving forwards even when your feet hurt and your lungs begged for a break.

You didn’t stop until your body was physically incapable of moving. And then… Then, you crawled behind a thick trunk to placate your aggressively beating heart. 

The Sun was already peeking through the trees by the time you more or less managed to regulate your breathing and came up with a semi-well-thought-out plan. Obviously, as much as you wanted to see your family, you couldn’t have just gone back to your village to look for other survivors. You didn’t have any weapon on you to fight your way though an army, any experience in close combat other than those playful fist fights you had occasionally had with your neighbors or magic to rely on against other magical creatures. If the Dark Elves were still around, you would have died the moment you set foot in your home.

However, your chances might not have been that horrible if you hadn’t been alone. If you had had other people backing you up while fighting back against the Dark Elves. Therefore, what your next move should have been was clear: you had to find the nearest village and see what was going on there. Had they been spared by the monsters who had chosen the most peaceful moment of the night to destroy your home? Had they been already slaughtered? Would they have been the next victims of their conquest?

Either way, you had no time to waste.

So despite the tiredness in your bones that became more significant after the adrenaline left your body and the minor injuries you had obtained during your escape, you pushed yourself into a standing position and headed east. You had never visited any of the neighboring farms and villages before, but you were a regular at the market, so you had met many vendors from the area. You had heard stories about their families, about their lifestyles and homes, hence you knew where to start looking for people who might have actually been willing to lend you a helping hand. There should have been hunters on the other side of this forest who would have felt for you and your family. They were more empathetic than lone farmers around the western regions.

Following the Sun, grateful for its guidance, it was easier to disregard the pain in your feet, caused by the cuts and bruises on your bare soles, than you would have initially thought. You had never been a warrior, after all. What wasn’t easy to shut out, however, was the grumbling of your stomach and the feeling of emptiness in your gut. When was the last time you had eaten? You were pretty sure you hadn’t skipped dinner last night, so why? Why was your body demanding food so desperately while numbing the pain?

Your mind was switching between daydreaming about your mother’s roasted sweet potatoes and the pictures of your loved ones falling on the cold ground like sacks of rice, hence in no time, you felt like you could have thrown up the minute your mouth touched anything edible. You were so damn hungry, but all the death and suffering that lingered in your mind made it hard to digest that you were still alive. Why were you still alive?

Your steps faltered then came to an immediate stop when the unmistakable sound of horses trotting somewhere in front of you registered in your brain. Your heart was in your throat as you looked around in panic, trying to find a place where you could have hidden. A bush that was dense enough to hide your figure, a hollow in one of the thicker trees, a branch low enough for you to use as leverage, so that you could climb on the top. Something. Anything.

In the end, you did come across a branch that you could reach on your tiptoes, so you quickly ran towards it and used your momentum and the sturdy trunk underneath your feet to aid your above-the-average muscles. You pulled yourself up on the tree and hugged the trunk in hope of blending into your surroundings. 

A voice inside of your head - a gentle yet teasing tone akin to your beloved older sister’s - scolded you for breathing too loudly and staring in the direction of possible danger, so you swallowed down your fears, willed your body to comply and closed your eyes like your father had taught you during the first and last hunt he had taken you on. You remembered how ridiculous he had sounded to you when he had told you and Nobara that every creature could feel it when they were being watched. You, for that matter, had never experienced such a thing during any of your hide-and-seeks with your friends, but your sister had paid a lot of attention to your father’s instructions, so you had mimicked her serious expression.

Despite your best efforts, your father had never taken you on a hunt after that one occasion. For months, you had been sulking, convinced that it had been because he could have seen the skepticism in your eyes. Later, your sister had told you that he had only been worried about you because at that moment he had realized that you truly couldn’t sense other creatures’ watchful eyes without magic.

Life without magic had always sucked.

The tingles came unexpectedly. At first, it was as though tiny needles were pricking on your skin, but later, as your rational thoughts resurfaced, you realized that was hardly possible. So you thought the sensation came from tiny insects creeping under your clothes, and you prayed that they weren’t poisonous. You were without your loved ones, you felt miserable for sure, but that didn’t mean you wanted to follow them to the afterlife in case they were already six feet under.

You gulped and resisted the urge to lift your hand and scratch your nape. You willed yourself not to open your eyes.

However, as the seconds ticked by, it became significantly harder to stay still. You had never been a hyperactive person - you loved spending time at home, helping your mom and reading in the barn or on the field -, but at that moment, there was this slowly growing urge inside of you that made you want to reveal your hiding place. It encouraged you to climb off the tree, and it scared you how your nails had to dig into the trunk consciously, so that you wouldn’t have given in to this irrational temptation.

‘Keep heading west. I’ll catch up with you,’ you could hear one of the riders send away the rest, making you wonder what his reason could have been for both staying behind and staying alone without any backup.

You wanted to sneak a peek at him so much. Your hands were trembling as you held onto the tree desperately. What was wrong with you? Deluding yourself into thinking that you were out of harm’s way just because he was alone was the worst thing you could have done. This rider could have easily been one of those who had attacked your village the previous night.

Your arms jerked and your hands let go of the trunk when something big and warm landed on your shoulder. You could have pinpointed the exact moment you lost your footing and your body fell forwards, then towards the cold ground underneath.

You could phantom the pain that was surely about to come with the collision, but you did not feel the crash. Instead, your bare feet touched the grass gently like you had been floating on your way down and your balance was supported by two strong arms that enveloped your torso. Those palms that appeared on your hips were big and warm. Familiar in a way you had a hard time to explain.

‘Aren’t you gonna open your eyes, little one?’ The same rider asked you with a pinch of playfulness to his voice that immediately disarmed you despite your better judgment. A part of you was still aware that you knew nothing about this person. Your concerns and worries and fears were still there, somewhere in the back of your head. They just didn’t seem to reach you when you needed your survival instincts, your defenses the most. 

Why else would you have called him out on the nickname he had chosen for you instead of on how he had sneaked up on you and endangered your life.

‘I’m not little,’ you sulked, linking your arms in front of your chest, which later you realized was only proving him right. You acted like a little girl, but you couldn’t have decided whether it had been already too late to back out. Should you have held your chin higher or let your arms fall back by your sides?

Indecisive, you let your body posture stay the way it was, but stopped pouting to lessen the spoiled brat attitude.

‘U-hum,’ the lone rider hummed out, taunting you with a pout similar to the one you had just abandoned and simultaneously urging you to fight back. However, you didn’t have any good retort and even if you had had any, the words would have stuck in your throat the moment your eyes met his ash gray orbs. He looked breathtakingly beautiful.

Inhuman. 

‘Like what you see, little one?’ The rider teased, and that alone would have earned a scoff from you if you had been able to close your mouth while you were taking in his appearance.

The boy didn’t look older than twenty-three; his complexion was pale as though his face was lit up by the Moon even in daylight. He had fair hair that fell into his face and ears as sharp as needle ice. He was an elf. There was no question about it and yet, your feet made no attempt at putting the well-needed distance between you two.

‘Are you without a horse?’ His more reasonable question pulled you out of your head and you nodded on instinct, although admitting that you had no means getting away from him might have been a mistake.

It seemed like you were making one poor decision after another in this stranger’s company. Who was he anyway? And why did it feel like he was someone important to you whom you should have kept close?

‘Are you heading west?’

‘East,’ the truth fell from your lips easily as if you weren’t in control of your own actions, and in a world where magic was more common than people without power, the possibility shouldn’t have been brushed off as quickly as you had just done so. It was just… as soon as the thought could have formed in your mind, your heart rejected it without hesitation.

‘Do you mind if I take you to the nearest village? The forest isn’t the safest place right now,’ the rider reasoned and a part of you wanted to ask how he knew that the area was dangerous, but before you could have parted your lips, he had already taken your silence as a permission to touch you.

The boy’s palm was warm against your skin; his fingers fit around your wrist like a bracelet. Your body followed him towards his horse with minor protest. You didn’t come back to your senses until you were standing in front of the mighty animal and your company took his hand off you to fix the saddle, so the horse could carry the both of you.

‘I… I didn’t say that I’d go with you.’ You took a step backwards. You still didn’t sound too eager to turn your back on him, but it was a baby step towards the right direction.

Why did you have to remind yourself that you didn’t know him? You knew that you had no idea who he was and what his intentions were with you. You were completely in the dark regarding his reason for sending the rest of his group away and you were also unaware whether he had known about your presence when he had done that. 

Not to mention that he was an elf. That in itself should have been a good enough reason for you to run in the opposite direction. Yet, you stood in one place, with your chin held up high. Your breath hitched when your eyes met for the second time.

‘You didn’t say you don’t want me to take you there, either,’ the elf exclaimed, his smug grin both annoying and charming - a thought you would have liked to bury deep in your mind, so you could have never accidentally blurted it out. ‘You want to stay here alone?’

You didn’t. You didn’t want to be alone.

‘You’re an elf. My village has been destroyed by elves,’ you forced the words through your gritted teeth as you simultaneously fought the tears in your eyes. You shouldn’t have shown weakness in front of a stranger. You shouldn’t have cried and mourned your family when you hadn’t known for sure that they were gone. They might have made it. Just because your sister had told you to run and she had stayed behind, it didn’t mean that she had failed to find a way out of the chaos. 

You didn’t notice that you had balled your fists or that your arms were trembling due to your frustration and anger until your eyes fell on the rider’s face and you noted that he was staring at your hands. You relaxed your fingers immediately.

‘Did I destroy your village?’ He asked a tad tentatively and you gulped when you picked up on the sadness in his voice. You hadn’t meant to offend him. Yet, it was hard to convince yourself that if he had seen the shoe fit, it had been absolutely on him.

You felt like an asshole.

‘I mean… I don’t know for sure,’ you mumbled under your nose, looking at everything but him, so the unexpected tightness in your chest would have eased up a little. ‘Did you?’

The rider scoffed, but didn’t call you out on the bluntness of your question or the rudeness of the implication behind your words. Instead, he took a step further from his horse to encourage you to climb on the animal.

You bit into your cheek from the inside, waiting.

‘I’ve just arrived from the east with my group,’ he stated, his words aligning with what you had seen and heard mere minutes ago. The noises had indeed come from that direction, while your home had been located in the opposite way. Even on horseback, it sounded unreasonable that they would have taken such a huge detour just to get ahead of you and fool you.

Without magic, you were no match for their kind.

You looked down at your bare feet littered in cuts and bruises, then shifted your gaze to the horse. It would have been a lie to say it wasn’t tempting; however, letting the elf take you to anywhere was really the good choice?

‘Are you a dark elf?’ Another blunt question, another wave of guilt that washed over you the moment the last word had left your mouth. Since when had you been so concerned about a stranger’s feelings when your safety was at risk? He could have been as easily related to the monsters who had killed your people as…

‘I’m a half-elf.’

You sank your teeth deeper into your flesh. The pain in your body had been bearable before. Your feet had been numb and your wounds superficial. You could have made it to the other side of the woods on your own. A part of you was even determined to do so, so why… Why were your feet dragging you towards the horse?

‘Good girl,’ the rider complimented you when you climbed on the horse on your own, then got on the animal behind you, keeping you stable with his arms around your body.

You swallowed down your nerves.

You tried to swallow down your nerves.

Surprisingly, the journey towards the closest village was spent in calming silence. The only sounds breaking the tranquility were one of Mother Nature: the light breeze playing with the withering leaves, the foliage getting crushed underneath the horse’s hoofs, mosquitos and other insects buzzing into your ears. 

In hindsight, you should have picked up on the telltale signs and known that something was really, really wrong when no birds or squirrels came out of their nests, but you weren’t as experienced as your other family members were when it came to the neighboring forest. So obviously, it hit you in the face when you arrived at your destination and it was also burned to the ground, just like your home. If it hadn’t been for the half-elf, you would have fallen off the horse due to the shock that shook you up quite badly. Just a week ago, you had been talking to this old man from this village at your market, promising him to buy an extra sack of potatoes from him if he introduced you to his grandson.

Now, they might have been both dead.

‘Hey, where are…’

The rider’s question didn’t register in your mind as you jumped off the horse and ran in a random direction, calling for survivors and looking for anyone who might have needed your help. It took you less than twenty steps to bump into the first half-burnt corpse and seven lifeless bodies in total to find the old man.

Overwhelmed, you didn’t realize how much the sight affected you until your knees hit the ground beside the man and your head crushed into a firm bundle of muscles, albeit less roughly.

The last thing you heard was the rider’s voice before your brain shut itself down.

Later, when you woke up, your wounds were dressed in clean textile and your head was put on something soft that gave enough support to your neck to not be in pain despite the hours you might have spent sleeping on the ground. It had been still pretty early when you had reached the other side of the forest; however, based on the blinding sunlight that shone down on you at a sharp angle from the sky, now, it had to be way into the afternoon.

What had happened while you had been out? Had there been any survivors? And where were you exactly anyway?

Where was the ri…

‘Good morning, sweetheart,’ a distinctly familiar, deep voice greeted you, and you made the mistake of trying to get in a sitting position as soon as possible to look at the half-elf, letting out an involuntary whine in the process. Hell. The middle of your forehead was throbbing; you felt so dizzy as if you had a head injury. Had you gotten hit on the head or something? You seriously couldn’t remember.

Your confusion must have been written on your face, because the next thing you knew, the rider crouched down in front of you and picked up a torn textile from the floor. Then, he rinsed it in a bowl of water and pushed you on your back, placing it back on your forehead.

‘You accidentally hit your head when I put you down, so that I could look for something to eat,’ he explained with an apologetic smile, the expression making it obvious even for your smashed brain that it hadn’t been you, per se, who had hit your head, but him who had been too careless.

You didn’t call him out on his wording, though. Mostly, because he had carried you to a safe place and stayed with you regardless of being strangers. In spite of your rude questions and open distrust. He hadn’t been obliged to protect you after you had accused him of killing your loved ones, but he had still done so. To you, this spoke volume.

‘Would it help if I told you my name?’

The question made no sense to you. Why would it have helped with anything if you had learned the rider’s name? And with what exactly did he think you needed help? 

On the other hand, would knowing his name have made anything worse? You could have pretty much stopped referring to him as a rider and a half-elf in your head, which might have actually taken less out of your already drained brain power. Hence, you nodded (and hissed when it triggered yet another mini explosion behind your forehead). Ouch. That hurt.

‘Theo. My mom was a maid at the Light Elves’ Court in the south,’ he introduced himself, although the revelation that he was one of the creatures known as the least worse out of all monstrous magical beings did add to your guilt. He might not have been a good guy, either, but he wasn’t out there, killing thousands of innocents, either, and as bad as it sounded, that was already more you could have wished for.

So you told him your name in exchange and what had happened to your village the previous night, leaving out the teeny, tiny detail that the reason you could have run away was the lack of magic rushing through your veins. You didn’t have any proof.

Not to mention, saying that aloud could have still put you in danger - a voice akin to your mother’s warned you quietly.

After the most crucial pieces of information were shared and there was a semi-solid base that your acquaintanceship could have been built on, Theo brought up some lighter topics to ease the mood while you were munching on berries and rose apples. They might not have been as delicious as your mother’s kimbap rolls and chicken salad, but they were filling and that was all that mattered.

‘You should rest some more. I’ll stand guard,’ the rider reassured you and covered your upper body with his jacket before you could have protested. And you were grateful for him. You were grateful that he didn’t give any chance to your stubborn ass to claim you weren’t tired. Because you were. You were so exhausted, sleeping a couple more hours sounded exactly like what you needed.

‘Hn,’ you gave in with a low hum, enjoying the phantom touch of his fingertips against your skin and in your hair moments before you fell asleep.

Your initial plan to look for help at the nearest village, obviously, had been thrown out the window. However, it wasn’t like you could have just given up and not do anything. You had to find your family - or at least their remains if that was all that was left of them - and you couldn’t have possibly done that alone. You still needed people. You still needed survivors. Warriors. Anyone with weapons and will to kick elf asses.

You also needed a companion. And Theo was offering his help to you on a silver plate like he had nothing better to do despite those elves he had sent ahead - those elves he had promised to catch up with - right before your encounter. It was weird but appreciated, and you weren’t exactly in the position to look the gift horse in the mouth.

Thus, you made a deal: he would stay with you until you found a village that was spared by these monsters and in exchange, you promised to tell him those details he knew you had left out of your story about the massacre. It sounded like giving out nothing for everything, but you guessed, everyone had different values. What wasn’t valuable to you might have been a treasure to someone else.

You got on horseback a day after you had woken up after fainting from overstimulation and traveled from village to village just to meet more destruction than you had ever seen in your life. Honestly, before the night you had been separated from your family, you couldn’t have even imagined something so brutal. The fire wasn’t even the worst part. It was the smell of roasted flesh and the sight of those personal belongings that had somehow survived. The first time you had seen a pile of ash next to a half-burned doll, you had been crying for minutes for a child you had known nothing about.

Losing hope was too easy. It took you no longer than a week of constant failure and you felt like you didn’t have it in you to keep going. What was the use? You had gotten further and further from your home and still had no army that could have challenged the elves. Not to mention how hard it had become to work up an appetite with the stink of death in your pores, your hair and your clothes even after taking a bath in a stream or lake (depending on what the two of you came across in the afternoons). In short, there was no use and you had no energy to start a fight.

A magicless one-man-army had no business to start a war. It would have made no difference if you had just given yourself up. In fact, that might have been less embarrassing.

‘What’s making you so conflicted? Your forehead is all wrinkly.’ Theo sat down by the fire beside you, his rough fingertips trying to smooth out the furrows on your forehead, around your eyes and between your eyebrows. You pressed your lips together to suppress a whine. It was exhausting, thinking and talking about your feelings. They were so negative and draining these days.

You let out a sigh, watching over the fish you were roasting on wooden sticks.

‘Do you think what we’re doing is useless? As far as we know, the Dark Elves could rule the whole kingdom by now,’ you voiced out your second biggest fear, too scared to bring up the possibility of your family’s death. Talking about that would have made it real and a stubborn part of you refused to believe they hadn’t made it.

Could there have been a safe haven out there somewhere for those who had survived? Were there others trying to accomplish the same goal as you, albeit with more success?

‘I’m pretty sure we’d know about it if they took control over the whole kingdom, sweetheart. Don’t worry your pretty head about them. Let’s concentrate on finding an unaffected village,’ he slid his fingers to your jawline, tapping on your cheek once, twice, three times before he pulled your head against his chest.

Instead of complaining, you buried your nose into his loose shirt, sniffing his characteristic, musky scent that made you feel safe. You wanted him to be right so much.

‘I don’t know what I would do without you,’ you mumbled under your nose when the silence stretched too long, giving in to the urge to close your eyes and get lost in his closeness. The warmth of Theo’s body enveloped you like a fluffy blanket on an unforgivingly cold winter night.

‘You would be just fine,’ the rider insisted, and you appreciated his faith in you, even though a voice in your head insisted that the only reason he said this was how little he knew about you. He had no idea that under the pseudo-confident, stubborn facade you were weak. You had been born weak and being sheltered by your entire village, you had never gotten the chance to grow strong.

You didn’t even know which berries were edible in the woods.

‘I really wouldn’t,’ you admitted defeatedly, closing your eyes and taking a few shallow breaths as an attempt to gather enough courage to speak the truth. If Theo had really meant what he had said, that meant he hadn’t yet figured out that you couldn’t have backed him up in a fight in case you had come across danger. It wasn’t fair to him that you kept him in the dark. ‘I don’t have any magic. Nothing. I was born without an ounce of magic in my body.’

You wished you could have taken back your words as soon as they fell from your chapped lips. It scared you, the rider’s non-verbal reaction: his arms coming up around your torso and pulling you impossibly close. Why wasn’t he saying anything? You needed him to say it, to say something, even if that something was a scolding or a series of profanities.

‘Theo?’ You tried to pull away to be able to look him in the eyes, but his hold on you was too strong, and you barely managed to tilt your head backwards to at least see a bit of his jawline. It didn’t seem tense, which gave you hope that maybe, maybe his silence didn’t mean that he was angry with you. Your confession must have rendered him speechless, that was all.

You bit into your lower lip, counting to ten, fifteen, thirty in your head before you decided that enough was enough. You needed him to come back to the present instead of stucking in his head.

‘You know…’ you started, not quite sure what you could have said that would have made the situation better. ‘I might be a deadweight, but I think you make me stronger, so it’s not like it’s as bad as it sounds,’ you explained, playing with open cards as you should have done from the beginning. Or well, from the day you had made that deal about staying together.

At that point, you were so worried about what could have been going through the half-elf’s head that you got a tad taken aback when he gave you enough space to look up at him from a more comfortable angle.

‘What do you mean?’ He asked, confusion written all over his face, which would have made you giggle if the tightness in your chest hadn’t been so suffocating. Should you have told him everything or only a fragment of the odd things you had experienced in his closeness these past few days? Would he have believed you if he had heard the truth or deemed you crazy and left without a second thought?

You gulped, your throat suddenly resembling parchments. It was time to tear off the bandaid, wasn’t it? You had simply said too much to back out.

You gulped another time to steal a couple of seconds in which you pathetically failed to put yourself back together, but it was fine. At least, you told yourself that you would have been fine if he had just packed up and left. Sure, it would have taken a lot of time, but you could have gone back to your village on your own and started the search all over again, going in a different direction.

‘I don’t really know how to explain it, but you remember the first time we met?’ You asked, absentmindedly fidgeting with his loose shirt. ‘I could feel your presence, and while I’m sure it’s not a big deal to you, to me… it was a first.’ Out of nervousness, you casted your eyes down, but didn’t stop talking. ‘The other day, when I was at the verge of a panic attack and you told me to calm down, my heart listened.’ 

You sounded crazy, deep down you knew you did. Because what you were describing was the bond that your parents shared, what your grandparents had shared when they had been still alive and what those who were blessed to have a soulmate shared. Although you lived in a world where magic was real, complete soulmate bonds were almost as rare as your kind. So to have one while not possessing the ability to practice magic, it was unfathomable.  

You wouldn’t have blamed Theo if he had thought you had lost it. Because what you were implying included things you obviously hadn’t experienced, only had heard from stories. For example, the reason why your parents always knew when the other person was in danger, felt happy or needed a hug. Soulmates, after all, shared feelings and had the ability to comfort each other without as much as touching or being in the same room.

‘What? You say I’m your soulmate?’ The boy teased and it would have been a lie to say his lighthearted question didn’t hurt. Was it that unbelievable that you could have been destined for each other?

Well… it wasn’t like you were a hundred percent sure about it, either, but still. Was his soft chuckle necessary?

Whether it was your sour facial expression and pouty lips or something more special, Theo seemed to be able to sense your bitterness and cupped your cheeks with his hands. He looked you in the eyes for long enough to make you feel shy and with that, to make you surrender. As a soft whine escaped your mouth, you leaned forwards and buried your face in the crook of his neck where he let you hide.

‘You’re cute,’ he mumbled against the crown of your head, nosing your hair as he slid his hand back on your waist. You stayed like that for a few moments, soaking in the silence, but not as long as you would have preferred.

If you had done that, the fish would have definitely burned to ashes on your wooden sticks and you would have both been left without food for the rest of the night. There was no way Theo could have caught more of them so late at night even if he was an amazing hunter and a determined provider for the two of you.

And if you had hated your dinner for stealing the half-elf’s embrace from you, you made sure your body language didn’t show it. Which meant, the only way Theo could have known it was if he had been indeed your soulmate. And that was impossible, wasn’t it?

It was time you stopped believing in fairy tales. Miracles didn’t happen to people like you.

It had been around a month that you had run away from the surprise attack that had destroyed your home, and you had yet to come across a village that would have been willing (or able) to help you fight the Dark Elves. With the help of Theo, you had successfully worked through each and every one of your episodes; nowadays, you didn’t feel frustration when your eyes fell upon half-destroyed houses and corpses that had turned unrecognizable after the vultures had had their feast. You still felt sadness, of course you did, but not to the point of breaking down and it might have been a small step to an outsider, but to you, it was another proof that the half-elf’s presence made you stronger.

You were convinced that there wasn’t anything you couldn’t have overcome while he was near you.

However, to your misfortune, the rider couldn’t be near you all day every day. For example, he was in charge of hunting for food and looking for water and your company slowed down both of those processes. As it had turned out, your incapability to sense life mixed with your loud footsteps turned you into a human-alarm for the animals in the area.

You were so focused on setting up the fire for the fish Theo had promised you for dinner that you were completely oblivious to the monster who appeared at the border of the forest you used as a potential hiding place in case of emergency.

You yelped when something sharp and pointy was held to your neck. The adamantine blade barely touched you, but you could feel your blood lazily dripping down your skin. How you got yourself in situations like this all the time, that was beyond you. All this time, you had been convinced that Dark Elves couldn’t have cared less about your existence and yet, here you were, about to be slaughtered by one.

You could only wish Theo wouldn’t come back to your makeshift camp before it was over; your heart ached just thinking of him getting killed because of you. Because you were so weak, you couldn’t have even used the woods to your advantage when the half-elf had told you a million times why it was smart to stay close to the trees. Why couldn’t you have done at least this one thing right on your own?

‘Where is he?’ The monster groaned into your ear, his warm breath tickling the sensitive skin right under your ear. You didn’t like the fact that he was talking to you. It felt humiliating, like he was playing with his food as you were pretty sure he didn’t intend to let you go once you answered his question.

You choked on your saliva when the elf grabbed your hair and pulled your head backwards. His blade grazed your neck and with that, left another wound behind, only a few inches under the first one. It was deeper, bled more, but your loose shirt soaked up the blood diligently. 

‘I asked you a question,’ the monster spat, forcing you to look him in his sharp, silver eyes. His skin had the same glow as Theo had, but in his case, pretty and beautiful were the last things on your mind when you tried to read his facial expressions. ‘Where. Is. H—’

You didn’t realize you were screaming until a pair of strong arms pulled you away from the dark elf and familiar, calloused palms cupped your cheeks, redirecting your focus. With utmost gentleness, Theo wiped away your tears and pressed his lips against your forehead, not letting you go.

‘I’m so sorry, sweetheart,’ he mumbled against your skin right before he pulled away and assessed your injuries. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he repeated, sliding his right palm on the cuts on your neck tentatively.

Theo’s magic coursed through you; however, it didn’t hurt like it did when your neighbors’ son used his power on you, nor did it resemble a strike of electricity such as when your sister healed your wounds. The half-elf’s magic was warm like a blanket. It not only took care of your injuries, but also comforted your soul.

Admittedly a little light-headed, you let Theo pull your head against his firm chest and keep you there while you were looking out of your head. Somewhere in the back of your head, you knew that there had to be a dark elf nearby, or at least the remains of such a creature. Slowly but surely you could recall the knife that had pierced through the monster’s abdomen while you had been still held at blade point. The main reason you had been screaming hadn’t been the shock, but the pain you had felt in your side…

You dragged your hand to the area that you remembered should have been in pain and pulled away from Theo in panic when you could feel the hole in your shirt. You looked down and saw that the fabric was red. Yet, when your fingers finally sneaked under the textile, they touched nothing but smooth skin. You furrowed your brow in confusion.

‘How?’

‘I healed it. There was no other way, but I healed it as soon as I had you in my arms,’ the boy claimed and you looked up at him, lips parted in wonder.

Maybe, you should have been mad at him for putting your life at risk without hesitation. The old you would have definitely screamed anyone else’s head off for less than this and still, as you looked into his worried eyes, that were desperately searching for forgiveness, you reached out to his face and smiled up at him.

‘Thank you. For saving me,’ you whispered like a secret and brushed a silly, stubborn mop of hair behind his ear at the same time he did the same to you. It made you giggle despite the horrific happenings and upon hearing your laugh, Theo’s eyes lit up like a birthday cake.

With what had you deserved someone like him in your life?

With what had you deserved to be alive in the first place?

‘I’ll always save you,’ the rider declared, pulling you in his lap. It was then that you actually noticed you had been both sitting in the dirt all along. It was also the first time that your gaze fell on your attacker’s corpse lying behind Theo mere meters away from you. You pressed your chin into his shoulder and shut your eyes. The whimper that escaped your mouth was unintentional. ‘Shh. I won’t let anyone take you away from me. I promise you. No one can hurt you.’

You wanted to say thank you over and over again. You also wanted to reassure him that you knew you could trust him with your life and today’s happenings hadn’t planted any doubt about him in your mind. He had saved you; how he had done it, what path he had chosen did not affect your opinion. You had long made peace with how cruel the world really was. You couldn’t have afforded to see it only in black and white anymore.

‘Theo…’ The plea that broke out from your throat sounded pathetic even to you, but the rider didn’t seem to mind it or find it as ridiculous as you did.

No, when he put his index finger under your chin and encouraged you to open your eyes, all you could see was determination on his face. You assumed he wanted to prove it to you that he meant every world. He hardly had any other reasons to look so hell-bent at that moment. Maybe the way you phrased your reassurance hadn’t been as fierce as you had intended it to be. It might have come out hesitant due to your shock.

‘I mean it. You know why?’ You didn’t know why, but you didn’t shake your head, nor did you voice out your confusion. Of course, you had assumptions such as the deal you two had made, but somehow, saying out loud that you were a contract to him felt so wrong. Especially after he had saved you from a dark elf instead of looking in the other direction. ‘Because I care about you,’ he confessed, casting a metaphorical spell on you with how he wetted his lips after the last word fell from them.

You couldn’t look away. You couldn’t move. But if you wanted to be honest, you didn’t want to either. Especially when Theo destroyed the distance between your lips slowly albeit steadily, and you could taste yourself on his tongue as he licked into your mouth with ease. The kiss you shared wasn’t eager. He didn’t rush you or push you too hard. He let the moment drag out, then allowed your lungs to fill themselves with fresh air before he dived in once more.

Your lips tingled by the time you stopped kissing and your heart was dangerously close to an explosion. If you hadn’t known better, you would have thought something wasn’t quite right with the heightened reaction it pulled out of you, but you were aware that it was merely the consequence of your inexperience. You had never been kissed before; but you were glad that Theo could be your first. Your second and third.

You lost count of how many times he captured your lips before your stomach demanded some of his attention, too, and reminded both of you of the fish he had promised you.

That night, the half-elf called your lips his dessert when the dinner was gone.

A lot changed after that day; meanwhile, it felt as though you came across the same, hopeless sight whenever you stumbled upon an area that should have been populated: piles of ashes, half-burned houses, death. You didn’t know how it was possible that every time you chose a direction, you ended up at a dead end; however, you couldn’t deny what was right in front of you. You couldn’t deny the lack of survivors and all that misery.

‘Maybe we should go back west?’ You asked after you arrived at another abandoned village. You admitted, you hadn’t been thinking about your family that much nowadays, but the sight of what was undoubtedly a hunter’s hut reminded you of your father, and your longing for him, your mother and Nobara returned with great intensity.

Why were you still marching towards the eastern border when you had wanted to turn back a week ago? Did you have any reason to believe that they had come so far from your home without you?

‘We should go east like we agreed on,’ Theo protested, and while his voice was gentle and the kiss he pressed against your lips light as a feather, something inside your chest felt tight as you nodded.

Oh. How could you have forgotten that you had agreed on that direction because of… What was your reason for heading east? There must have been a reason, a good one on top of that, otherwise, you wouldn’t have said yes. Why had you said yes? Suddenly, going east made no sense.

But then, Theo took your hand and pulled you towards his horse. He stole one more kiss from your lips before he helped you climb on the animal, and the two of you galloped in the previously agreed direction. East.

It took the doubtful voice inside your head a couple of miles to quiet down, but when it did, it became easy to lean into Theo’s body and let him guide you towards your next destination. If it hadn’t been for the dizziness you felt whenever you closed your eyes while riding his horse, you might have fallen asleep in his arms; his closeness was that soothing to you by that point. Or was it the soft melody he was humming into your ear that effortlessly calmed your nerves?

You wouldn’t have been surprised if your acceptance had been a result of both. Or the love confession that was oozing from every gesture he made.

The thought that something was really wrong with how pliant you were in the half-elf’s arms somehow didn’t cross your mind even when your eyes fell on the military camp near the eastern border. What you felt instead while you were getting closer and closer to the huge, black and silver tents was confusion. Did Theo not realize that these were the colors of the enemy? Of those creatures who had destroyed so much already and might not have planned to stop until your whole kingdom was in ashes.

At the first sight of actual dark elves in the area - a part of you hoped until the last moment that what you came across was an abandoned camp -, your body became tense and all you wanted to do was run away.  However, with Theo’s arms around your petite body, it wasn’t as easy as it should have been. Couldn’t he see what you were seeing? Shouldn’t he have felt their presence?

‘Theo, I really don’t think we should keep going,’ you spoke up eventually, your voice barely above a whisper. ‘Maybe they haven’t seen us yet. It’s not too la—’

‘It’s okay, just calm down, sweetheart,’ he cut you off while simultaneously turning you into jelly with his hot breath fanning over the juncture between your neck and shoulder. Even though you pressed your lips together in mild frustration, your body immediately shrank to a smaller size, hence the rider’s chin on top of your head caged you in that much more.

You still felt safe in Theo’s closeness, but it was different somehow. With all those elves suddenly having their eyes on you, with the cogs in your brain spinning at a restless speed, you couldn’t put your finger on what was so off. After all, as far as you were concerned, fear and anxiety were natural reactions to danger. Then, it hit you: as you were helped down from Theo’s horse, your heart wasn’t at the verge of a panic attack. Why wasn’t your heart about to explode? You two had no chance against a smaller army of powerful magic users.

You had no way out now that so many of them were aware of your presence in their territory. Hell, you had walked into their camp like you had the right to be there.

You curled your fingers and let your nails dig into the soft flesh of your palms. Why was your heartbeat so slow?

You didn’t have too much time to dwell on it, though, because the next thing you knew was Theo’s calloused fingers in-between yours and a strong pull that demanded your attention. Oh. You were walking more into the camp.

‘Taeyang. It has been a while,’ a beautiful woman… No, a beautiful dark elf exclaimed with little to no enthusiasm, her gray eyes loitering over the rider for a couple of seconds before they fell on you. You gulped, and she dismissed you with a frown. ‘You have never shown up at the northern frontline. Is this your reason?’

This. Not you, not a human being, not even a magicless creature. This. The elf couldn’t have made it any more obvious that you were worth nothing to her.

You resisted the urge to take a step back and hid behind Theo’s back. Instead, you stayed still and quiet in hopes of not drawing too much attention, although it must have been too late already. The crowd around you was big enough; you honestly doubted there was anyone in the camp who wasn’t witnessing the happenings. The tense conversation between this beautiful woman and Th… Taeyang.

Why did this new name hurt you so much?

‘Only partly, my queen,’ Taeyang said as soon as he went down on one knee, leaving you exposed to the spectators and making you feel unprotected. Your hands were shaking, but not as much as they should have and your damned heart was still at ease as if it had been on a silly mission, trying to please the rider next to you. ‘She is a survivor of the massacres in the forest villages. No one other than me could feel her presence while we passed her by even though she is not good at hiding. This ability is a threat to our plans. I apologize. I had to investigate before sending words to you, my queen,’ the boy explained and his words should have crushed you, but you couldn’t feel the heartache as though your heart was incapable of anything else but remaining calm.

The woman gave you another once-over with a bit more interest this time.

‘She is still alive. Did you not find the answers?’ She inquired, her white locks falling into her face as she put her elbow onto the armrest of her chair and rested her chin on top of the back of her hand. She looked so bored while she was asking for the reason why you were still alive.

‘She means no threat, my queen. In fact, the reason why she managed to escape is that she is so insignificant, our kind completely dismisses her existence. There is not even a drop of magic in her body,’ the half-elf explained before he quickly added: ‘However, she is obedient. She is my slave now.’

‘Are you sure it’s not the other way around, Theo?’ Someone from the mass asked and it did not take too long before your eyes found the golden-haired dark elf who dared to interrupt the conversation between Taeyang and the unamused royalty. He radiated annoyance and pride as he walked up to your trio. ‘Because I saw you protecting this human and killing your kind. Like a lapdog, waiting for their owner’s treats and compliments for doing such a good job.’

The golden-haired elf scoffed and spat on the grass right in front of the rider’s feet.

‘I see.’ It was the queen talking, dismissing the second elf with a simple wave of her hand. If the circumstances had been different, you would have admired her for the power she held - up until that moment you hadn’t even known the Dark Elves had a female rules -, but the situation was everything you would have rather avoided and you had no respect for anyone who talked about human life the way she did. ‘Let’s see how important she is then.’

For the first time in hours, your heart skipped a beat in panic, and you wondered whether it was deliberate or if it was your own anxiety at all that you were experiencing. Why would your heart have suddenly decided to act up when it malfunctioned during this whole drama? If anyone, it should have been Taeyang who felt scared and jittery due to the woman’s vague declaration. After all, you had been a dead human the moment the boy had brought you here. His future, however, most likely depended on the next couple of minutes.

‘What do you wish me to do, my queen?’ Taeyang inquired and you tilted your head as you allowed yourself to really look at him. He didn’t seem nervous and his voice was also too stable for your liking, but his thumb was tapping on his little finger every ten seconds, so your assumption could have been right. You might have actually gotten better at reading him, you concluded, which, for some reason, made you feel proud.

Never in your life had your emotions confused you this much. Nothing made any sense to you anymore. The lack of disappointment, the barely there fear, that damned calmness. Not a single thing.

‘You say she is obedient. I want to see just how obedient she can be,’ the queen answered, not giving too many hints to the half-elf; however, one look at the boy’s firm jawline was enough to you to know he had gotten the message you had unsurprisingly missed.

‘Your wish is my command, my queen,’ the half-elf insisted before he stood up and turned towards you with his entire body.

The brewing storm in his gray eyes clashed with your calm. You were so stuck in the bubble your staring contest created, you didn’t realize the weight of the moment until you heard a familiar voice calling your name.

‘No, no. She can’t be here. You can’t be here, noh-ho…’ your sister cried out, her crazed eyes growing three times their usual size the moment she saw you. The lump in your throat felt big and hairy as you continuously tried and failed to swallow it down.

Why was she here?

‘Don’t move,’ were the first words that left Taeyang’s mouth; you felt both surprised and not when your body shut down and your limbs refused to move. You also didn’t know what to think about your defleating need to be close to your family. Up until that moment, your yearning for your sister’s closeness might have been flickering but constant. Now, when you were finally at an arm’s length from her, you just didn’t know what you wanted. If you had still wanted to hug her. If you should have still wanted her in your life and it unnerved you: that your feelings felt so foreign all of a sudden.

You furrowed your brows and looked up at the rider. What was happening to you?

‘That girl over there…’ the half-elf started as he cupped your cheeks and turned your head in your sister’s direction. Nobara was crying like the world was about to end, but unlike a few seconds before, now she was restricted by magical ropes that had grown from the ground. ‘She wants me dead. And you can’t lose me, can you, sweetheart?’ Theo asked and you could feel your heart clench at the thought of the half-elf’s death, hence you shook your head frantically. No. For some reason, you couldn’t lose him. ‘You have to protect me,’ he whispered into your ear before he pecked your lips.

Theo stepped away from you a moment later, but not before he pushed a knife into your hand. Your body, led by your determined heart, moved on automatic as you walked up to your si… to Theo’s enemy.

‘You freaking cowards. Just kill me, you hear me! Kill me. Don’t make her do it!’ The faintly familiar girl was screaming from the top of her lungs, making you wonder why the hell did she look so sad despite the curses. Shouldn’t she have been angry or scared?

With one precise cut on her neck and no free hands to put pressure on the wound, the girl fell on her knees and choked on her blood as she said:

‘S’ rr.’

Lacking further instructions, you could almost taste a small part of your free will on the tip of your tongue. Tears immediately blurred your vision, then soaked your cheeks and you didn’t even know why.

‘Oh, sweetheart.’ Theo’s palm was warm against your cheek, his gentle caresses pacifying the raging frustration in your soul. Devastated and confused, but still sort of detached, you let him pull your head against his chest and buried your face in his loose shirt. Something was wrong, something was seriously wrong with you and this situation, and you needed him to tell you what had just happened. ‘You still don’t get it, do you?’

You really didn’t, and you shook your head to signal that you had no idea what was going on. You hoped it would be enough for the half-elf to have mercy on you and fill you in on the details.

Theo pressed his lips against the crown of your head and let out a sigh-laugh.

‘Your theory about soulmates… It wasn’t completely wrong,’ he started, mumbling into your hair. Your heart picked up its rate in excitement and you pulled away from him only a little, just to be able to see his beautiful face. ‘You were meant for me. I’m the successor of your heart. You gave it to me willingly.’

You furrowed your brows, admittedly unsure of what he had meant by that, but then he put his hand on your chest, right above your heart and the warmth lulled you into a state that felt so satisfying, it overpowered your need to understand just how literal his words could have been. You had confessed that you both cared about each other. Sure, it couldn’t have meant more than two unsure I love yous.

You loved him. He loved you.

‘You are dismissed,’ you could hear the queen’s voice from somewhere on your right, but you didn’t turn in her direction until she asked her men to clean up the mess. Then, you snapped your head in  her way without meaning to, and your eyes found the dead girl on the ground once more.

Nobara.

Your lips trembled at the sight of her lifeless body, but before you could have thought too much into your body’s unconscious reaction, Theo pulled you away from the scene.

You were sitting on the edge of the half-elf’s queen-sized bed, swinging your feet back and forth while you were waiting for him to bring you food. The tent that had been assigned to the two of you had the size of a smaller bedroom, which reminded you of people whose faces might have been familiar, but meant close to nothing to you.

You had an inkling feeling, that one of them was related to the dead girl somehow. You just couldn’t quite pinpoint the connection.

‘I hope you like rabbit meat,’ Theo exclaimed with a wide grin as soon as he entered the tent. He had two plates in one hand and a jug of iced water in the other, but he still managed to close the curtain door flawlessly to maintain your privacy.

‘I do,’ you reassured him and took one of the plates from him, placing the porcelain on your lap. The food smelled delicious, and it made you contemplate whether you should have asked any of those questions that had been on your mind while he had been gone. You didn’t want to ruin your dinner when it was your first time eating from actual plates, far from the horrific massacres of…

You furrowed your brows. Just a moment ago, you had been convinced that you were safe at this campsite. However, weren’t they the same monsters who had killed all those people you had never gotten the chance to speak to? Villages robbed and burned to the ground, innocent people killed at their own homes. These crimes had been committed by Dark Elves. You had been almost killed by a dark elf. So why were you so calm about staying at their tent?

And why were you so affected yet unaffected by that dead girl whose bled-out body stuck in your head for no goddamn reason?

‘Theo… Can I ask you something?’ You spoke up in a small voice, only continuing when the boy gave you the green light with the most precious smile you had ever seen on his face.

‘When it’s just the two of us, you can ask anything, sweetheart,’ he said as he wiped some of the juice off his lips with his thumb and sucked his finger clean with his eyes on you. 

You gulped, determined to stay focused.

‘About the dead girl… Who is she? I feel like she is someone important to m—’

Before you could have finished your sentence, Theo grabbed both of your arms and turned you towards himself. Your food, half-eaten and sad, fell on the floor dirtying not only the rugs but your left foot, too. Could it have been that the rider’s “anything” did not include that girl? It definitely seemed so.

You swallowed down the bile that was creeping up in your throat. Your eyeballs were moving from left to right repeatedly in desperation. You had never meant to upset him. You had just wanted to know why your heart was so calm while the cogs inside your brain tried to remind you of something important.

‘Look in my eyes,’ Theo demanded and you willed yourself to focus on one single point on his face instead of trying to take everything in: the small twitches of his jawline, the flaring of his nostrils. ‘From now on, I’ll be the only one you’ll think about. Noone else, only me, you hear me? I’ll be the only one on your mind,’ he said firmly.

Your lips parted for a soft protest, but no words made it through them. And a couple of seconds later, you couldn’t even pinpoint why you would have wanted to think about anybody else but your soulmate. Because Theo was your soulmate, he had to be. There was no other explanation for the warmth you felt in your chest whenever his eyes bored into yours so lovingly.

When the silence stretched long enough for the half-elf to break it, you let him feed you with his own food and also followed him towards the barrel in the back of the tent that was filled with warm water for bathing. A distant memory about how shy you had felt when a few of your boy neighbors had showed up at the stream you had been playing in with your… with someone close to you popped up in your mind, but it disappeared just as quickly, and with that, your reason to ask for some privacy.

‘Come here, sweetheart, and put your hands up for me,’ the half-elf asked and you did as he said with a happy smile, letting him help you out of your clothes and wash your body with a soft cloth while you were sitting in the enormous barrel. These were activities you could have done on your own, a faint voice in your head tried to remind you; however, you shut its nagging out easily and leaned your head back against the edge of the barrel with a content sigh. It felt so nice to be taken care of.

To not have to worry about what was next, because Theo was there for you to make those decisions on your behalf with your best interest in mind.

To be guided and told when the water was starting to get too cold, and be wrapped in a warm towel afterwards. Like this, being carried to your shared bed, it was easy to only think about Theo. To only want to be embraced by Theo.

To live for your soulmate.

‘My beautiful sweetheart. You must be tired, hm? It was such an exhausting day,’ the half-elf mumbled against the top of your head after he tucked you under the blankets and pulled you against his chest. He was stroking your hair slowly, making you hesitant whether you should have told him you didn’t want to sleep.  

It didn’t matter, not anymore. And maybe he knew your body better than you knew yourself anyway. Because you did fall asleep the moment he said:

‘Sleep, my love. I promise you, no one will dare to hurt you until you’re here with me.’

the end.

[theageofsims]

The Age of Sims 2.8- Part 16 - “Leaving His Brother Speechless" *LANGUAGE WARNING*

The tension in the air could only be cut with a knife -- and it was, but only after David started talking at his younger brother like he knew best and William finally snapped.

"I wanna talk to you."

"Sure." David shrugged around a smirk, "Been waitin' for you to open that tight-lipped mouth of yours since I got here. So level with me… what the hell's really going on?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"So the less I know -- the better, is that it? Hm." He shrugged, "Guess she's not really worth mentioning in detail, huh?"

"David…" William started as easily as he could, but he was on the verge of shouting any second.

"I thought you said you were gonna level with me."

"I never said that!" William insisted, "Jesus Christ -- what the fuck is the matter with you anyway? Why are you always saying far more than you have to? You had no right to question her!"

"It was a simple question. I didn't ask her to lie. She should have told the truth." He caught William ready to insist on something he already knew would be untrue. "Don't lie to me, Billy. I can read through stone-cold killers and certified liars -- and I got paid damn good money doing it because that's how good I was at it."

"You'll slip as the years go by…" William muttered, not giving much thought or care to his brother's time spent serving in the military.

"The hell I will. I'm sharper now than I ever was -- so don't bullshit me."

"She already told you everything you wanted to know -- and you sure as hell didn't deserve her honesty."

"She wasn't honest. She held back -- she knows she lied and you know it, too. What did I just say to you?"

"You wanna know what -- David? It's about time you started finding somewhere else to go because I hardly want you staying here one more night -- nevermind when we get to Oasis Springs."

"She's already gone -- off she went after that lengthy argument you two couldn't seem to not have within earshot."

"FUCK YOU!"

"Gladly -- but you wouldn't let me invite some lovely ladies on this nice little trip to the forest." He paused around a face that only angered William more, "Wanted to have all the fun to yourself with what's her name?"

"Gloria." He said through a tight jaw. "Her name is Gloria and she's not some woman I picked up off the street--"

"Course not. That's not your style, but hers? Well…" He shrugged, "Could be her thing. Could be all she's good at."

"Bastard…" He said under his breath, trying to keep his anger in check for the sake of Noah who he could feel around the corner nearby. "You don't even know her -- and you never will. If I find out you've gone anywhere near her again, you'll be sorry."

"Threats, Billy? To your big brother? My… you must really have grown a big pair while I've been away, huh?" He shrugged, "I gotta say. I'm pretty impressed… would be proud, too, under different circumstances, but hell -- guess I can't have everything."

"What the fuck is it to you anyway, huh? Why the fuck does it matter who I'm with now? Jesus Christ, you never gave me this much shit when I was married."

"Because you married right. There was nothing wrong with Kathy. Top-notch woman -- came from money even."

"I never married her for her money!" William felt his mind twist in a million direction like it had so long ago because of the man in front of him.

"I didn't say you did… just made an observation."

"Fuck your observations!"

"There's a lot of fucking of me going on here lately, don't you think?"

"None of this is your business. I didn't ask you to come here to judge me, my life, or the people in. God knows you've done enough of that since I was old enough to take my first step!"

"Oh come on, Billy -- always so sensitive. You're really gonna go that far back? If you haven't taken a good look in the mirror, we're both sporting gray hair from the tops of our heads… and all the way down. That was a long time ago and I've already told you -- I was only preparing you to be a man. I was only showing you the ropes."

"I didn't ask for you to show me a goddamned thing!"

"What else are big brothers for?"

William inhaled sharply, feeling defeated for not being able to get through the thick head his brother wore sternly on top of his broad shoulders.

"Look… all I'm saying is you did the right thing marrying Kathy. Could have done more to keep her, but you fucked up -- it's fine." He shrugged, "You're entitled. You wanted to be the best scientist that the world's ever known--"

"I never wanted to be the best."

"Well -- regardless, you ended up being one of the best… and look at you now. Look what I've come to find my baby brother up to--"

"I'm still the same person, David!" He felt his head pulse with tension he could not explain, "Jesus Christ, what are you even driving at?"

"Elizabeth was your only redemption after divorcing Kathy -- and you fucked that up. You were so wrapped up in that woman and her brilliance and then what -- you fucked up again? How many fuck ups does a man need?"

"Fuck this." William started, his eyes going blurry from rage he was trying to keep at bay.

"Fuck this?"

"Yeah, David. Fuck this -- and fuck you. And fuck every last word out of your mouth."

"HEY!" He hollered, his tone as rough as the soldiers he kept an eye on, "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?!"

"My shithead brother, that's who."

The silence fell around them like someone had lowered the boom and then David roughly turned his head with pursed lips to try to burn his logic into his younger brother's mind -- but it wasn't working in the slightest.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. If you're just fucking around -- God bless you both, but if you're actually serious about this--"

"I'm so serious…" William started with a far away look on his face.

David read it like his brother was in a dream state -- and it only confused him further.

"You can't be serious."

"Why not?"

"Because…" David suddenly felt threatened, like he suddenly couldn't think as quickly as he should, "…because -- a man never changes what he likes."

"A man changes whatever he damn well pleases -- same for a woman."

"I don't believe it."

"You don't believe a lot of shit, David. Talking to you is like stepping into a time machine most of the time and no matter how hard something is staring you in the face -- you're an ignorant ass about every last damn thing."

"Sexual preferences." He offered as a final attempt.

"Those things can change over time, too."

"Bullshit."

"Not bullshit." William assured him, "Sometimes you never really see it coming until it suddenly comes around the corner."

"I don't believe it."

William shrugged, "Not my problem. Chemistry is--"

"Science."

William shrugged. "Maybe… or maybe it's more than that…sometimes, at the least." He shrugged once more.

"You like shoulder length hair. You always liked shoulder length hair. At least shoulder length hair… what the hell are you gonna have to grab on to?"

William looked away from his brother, feeling a number of things -- including feeling somewhat reserved and maybe a little pink in the cheeks, but he also felt a sudden urge to match his brother on his level if only for once regardless of it sounding so unlike anything he had ever said before…

"She's got plenty to grab on to -- and in all the right places."

And that -- left his brother completely speechless.

[the-forest-library]

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The Cure for Burnout - Emily Ballesteros

Grown Woman Talk - Sharon Malone

Unfiltered Enneagram - Elizabeth Orr

Dear Prudence - Daniel M. Lavery

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts: 

A few standouts this month: Only and Forever brings the Bergman Brothers series to an end, and it was a worthy wrap up to these stories featuring MCs with disabilities and neurodivergence.

Just for the Summer is my new favorite Abby Jimenez book with several laugh out loud moments - especially the raccoon scene - which was hilarious on audio.

The Bookseller at the End of the World is not the cozy bookseller tale you might expect. Ruth led a varied and adventurous life filled with heartbreak and hope.

And I really enjoyed Says Who? - a super accessible and fun guide to English style and grammar.

Goodreads Goal: 150/200

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads | 

2022 Reads | 2023 Reads | 2024 Reads

[justabigoldnerd]

Find The Word Game

Haha thank you so much for the tag again, @the-golden-comet !!

Rules: Share snippets of your work containing each of the words the previous poster selected for you (optional addition: if you can't find the word in your WIPs, or you simply don't have any WIPs, you can just write a sentence around the word)

My Words: hope, realize, tandem, fall

Your Words: chain, country, neutral, instinct

Hope: (From an unnamed MCD ficlet I may or may not have the balls to finish lol)

What if Gaby was right? It wouldn't be unlike their American partner to fake his death. But he would've told them somehow, wouldn't he? Gotten word to them so they didn't think he was actually dead. The CIA, then? Severing the last of his connections to people he cared for, who cared for him? Surely, when Illya opened the left eye, he would see that the man on the table wasn't his Cowboy. Taking a deep breath, Illya pushed upwards, revealing a thin, dull ring of blue in the center of a blood-filled eye, almost swallowed by the blown pupil. A knot formed in Illya's throat. A knot of hope.

Realize: (From "Never Fall In Love With A Stranger", a Library AU)

Illya loves this library. He's been going to it since his mother moved them from Moscow when he was twelve years old. The staff were always kind when the kids at school weren't, so he'd end up there most days. Then when he got older and began getting into fights, Ms. Kathy from the Children's Center always had an ice pack, butterfly stitches, and a snack ready for him. They never asked why or how he ended up with split lips and bloody noses, they just cared for him when he felt that no one else in the world did. He knew every inch of the building, from the aforementioned Children's Center, to the Reference Desk and non-fiction section, even the older ladies in the Heritage Center that he only visited to chat with. So when the first new face in almost twenty years shows up behind the Reference Desk, Illya notices immediately. And he feels….angry, for some reason. Betrayed. He isn't sure why, but the change makes his heartbeat thunder in his ears. There is a stranger in his library. A toddler shoots past him from the Children's Center, and only then does Illya realize he's been rooted to the spot. His face heats and he shakes himself out of his frozen state, pushing forward and resolving to spend the day with Mrs. Denise and Mrs. Patricia.

Tandem: (From "I Am Your Lover (I Am Your Jailor)" . I actually had to write a new sentence to include this word lol I've never written it!)

The sunlight was warm and soft, reflecting off of the last of the dew dampening the forest and making it glitter like emeralds. Solo's jaw was set in a purposefully neutral expression, but his knuckles were white on the reins. Parsdorf shook his coat to shake off some of the tension he was feeling, and Artem, riding tandem to him, sighed heavily.

Fall: (From "The X-Men From U.N.C.L.E.")

Gaby kept a two-way radio hidden on her at all times. She could tap into the frequency of it somehow and hear through it. That was how she was able to hide her deafness for so long. She was in high-school when a pack of boys a grade above her cornered her and took her radio, plunging her back unto silence while they laughed and jeered and threw it between them. The leader of them crouched in front of a trembling Gaby and spat something at her that she couldn't hear, waggling the radio in the air. When she didn't respond, he stood up and let it fall from his hand. Gaby flinched and tears stung at her eyes, but she kept her glare level, even as he stomped it to pieces.

No pressure to make a new one or use these new words for anyone who has already done/is planning on doing on of these!!! Gonna no-pressure-tag my usuals anyway 💕💕💕

@pippinoftheshire @yallwildinrn @huggiebird @too-young-to-fall-in-love @times-up-alone-tonight

@cha-melodius @heytheredeann @thattripleabattery and anyone else who wants to join!!

[goddamnwebcomics]

Okay, it kinda sucks we couldn't see THAT, because that sounds like a girlboss moment.

But unfortunately, there is a sad side to this. After this page, a certain Christopher Scott deleted Kathy Kelloggs's number.

You leave Angry Red Planet out of this, and why is the NURSE A HUMAN??? WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS???

I kind of wish we got the "Outlaw Kathy Becomes A Forest Nudist" arc. That would more than make up the shit we've seen so far.

[ghostflowerdreams]

Witch Films

It’s October! The month in which I watch even more horror movies than usual. Each year I tend to have a theme to help narrow down what to watch. So far I’ve done Zombie Films, Werewolf Films, Vampire Films, Slasher Films, Ghost Films and Lovecraftian Horror. This year's theme will focus on witches, though I'm surprised I haven't already done this.

I think this is my shortest list yet. I expected to find more films featuring a witch or witches, but it seems there aren’t as many as I thought. With fewer actual horror titles available, I had to include some lighter options to add a bit of length to the list.

Hocus Pocus (1993) – an American fantasy comedy film directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, and a story by David Kirschner and Garris. The film stars Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy and Sean Murray.

After moving to Salem, Massachusetts, teenager Max Dennison explores an abandoned house with his sister, Dani, and their new friend, Allison. Skeptical of a spooky legend Allison shares, Max unwittingly brings back a trio of wicked witches on Halloween night. Now, with the help of a mysterious cat, the kids must seize the witches' spellbook to prevent them from achieving immortality and unleashing chaos on the town.

Halloweentown (1998) – an American fantasy comedy film directed by Duwayne Dunham. The first installment in Halloweentown series, it stars Debbie Reynolds, Kimberly J. Brown, Joey Zimmerman, and Judith Hoag.

The story follows 13-year-old Marnie Piper, who uncovers her family's magical heritage after following her grandmother to a hidden world where it’s Halloween every day. In this magical place, Marnie encounters witches, vampires and monsters who live peacefully, separate from the mortal world. But as she learns more about her own powers, Marnie faces a choice: embrace her destiny and protect Halloweentown from a looming threat, or risk losing her connection to this magical world forever.

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) – a Japanese animated fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Eiko Kadono.

At thirteen, young witch Kiki sets off, as tradition dictates, to find her place in the world and hone her skills. With her loyal cat, Jiji, she settles in a seaside town and starts a delivery service to help the townsfolk. But as Kiki navigates her new life, she encounters challenges that test her independence, resilience, and the magic within herself.

The Craft (1996) – an American teen supernatural horror film directed by Andrew Fleming from a screenplay by Peter Filardi and Fleming and a story by Filardi. The film stars Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True.

When new girl Sarah transfers to a Los Angeles high school, she’s drawn to a group of outcast girls rumored to practice witchcraft. Together, they form a powerful coven, casting spells to transform their lives. But as their magic intensifies, so does its darker side, and Sarah soon learns that power always comes at a price.

The Witch (2015) – An period horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers in his feature directorial debut. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy in her feature film debut, alongside Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, and Lucas Dawson.

Set in 1630s New England, a devout Puritan family finds themselves exiled from their community, struggling to survive in isolation near a foreboding forest. As their crops fail and livestock perish, unsettling events begin to plague them, fostering paranoia and mistrust. When their youngest child goes missing, the family’s faith is put to the ultimate test, and dark secrets come to light, suggesting that something sinister may be lurking in the woods.

Sleepy Hollow (1999) – a gothic supernatural horror film directed by Tim Burton. It is a film adaptation loosely based on Washington Irving's 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", and stars Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci, with Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Christopher Lee, and Jeffrey Jones in supporting roles.

New York detective Ichabod Crane is sent to the small, eerie village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of brutal decapitations. He’s a skeptic of the supernatural, but the villagers believe the killer is the Headless Horseman, a vengeful spirit from local legend. As Crane delves deeper, he uncovers dark secrets, mysterious rituals, and a sinister plot that threatens both his life and his beliefs. With each discovery, he’s forced to question what’s real—and what might be lurking beyond reason.

The Witches (1990) – a dark fantasy film directed by Nicolas Roeg from a screenplay by Allan Scott, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The film stars Anjelica Huston and Mai Zetterling.

There's also another adaptation of the novel, The Witches (also known as Roald Dahl's The Witches), a 2020 dark fantasy comedy horror film co-produced and directed by Robert Zemeckis, who co-wrote the screenplay with Kenya Barris and Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth, and Jahzir Bruno.

The story follows a young boy who encounters a group of witches led by the Grand High Witch, who despise children and plot to eliminate them using a magical potion that transforms them into mice. When the boy and his grandmother stumble upon their nefarious plan, they must outsmart the witches and find a way to stop them before it's too late.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) – an American found footage supernatural psychological horror film written, directed, and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez.

Three student filmmakers venture into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, to create a documentary, about the terrifying legend of the Blair Witch. What begins as a simple project quickly turns harrowing as strange, unsettling events draw them deeper into the forest—and into a nightmare from which they can’t escape.

You Won't Be Alone (2022) – a Macedonian dark fantasy horror drama film written and directed by Goran Stolevski. It is an international co-production of Australia, the United Kingdom, Macedonia and Serbia in the Macedonian language, and marks Stolevski's feature film directorial debut. It stars Sara Klimoska, Alice Englert, Carloto Cotta, and Noomi Rapace as some of Nevena's forms, alongside Anamaria Marinca as Maria.

Set in 19th-century Macedonia, the story revolves around a young mute girl named Nevena, who is raised in isolation by her mother, Maria, a witch. After being transformed into a shapeshifting creature, Nevena embarks on a journey to explore the world through the experiences of others, discovering the joys and sorrows of humanity.

I Married a Witch (1942) – an American romantic comedy fantasy film, directed by René Clair. The screenplay is by Robert Pirosh and Marc Connelly and uncredited other writers, including Dalton Trumbo, is based on the 1941 novel The Passionate Witch by Thorne Smith, who died before he could finish it; it was completed by Norman H. Matson. The film stars Veronica Lake, Fredric March, Robert Benchley, Susan Hayward and Cecil Kellaway.

A mischievous witch named Jennifer and her grumpy warlock father, Daniel, are accidentally freed from centuries of captivity and set out to take revenge on the descendants of the Puritan who condemned them. Together, they set their sights on Wallace Wooley, the unwitting descendant. Jennifer plots to enchant him and ruin his upcoming marriage, with Daniel adding his own brand of chaos. But things go hilariously awry when Jennifer finds herself falling for him instead.

Suspiria (1977) – an Italian epic supernatural horror film directed by Dario Argento, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daria Nicolodi, partially based on Thomas De Quincey's 1845 essay Suspiria de Profundis. It stars Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bosé, Alida Valli, Udo Kier, and Joan Bennett, in her final film role.

There's also Suspiria (2018) film, directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by David Kajganich, draws inspiration from Dario Argento’s iconic 1977 Italian film of the same name. It was described by Guadagnino as an "homage" to the 1977 film rather than a direct remake, reimagining the story in Berlin in 1977. It stars Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, and Chloë Grace Moretz, the film also includes a cameo by Jessica Harper, the lead actress from the original Suspiria.

The story follows a young American dancer named Suzy Bannion who arrives at a prestigious ballet academy in Freiburg, Germany, only to discover that the school harbors dark secrets. As unsettling events and strange occurrences disturb her surroundings, Suzy becomes entangled in a sinister mystery lurking within the academy’s walls.

[sleepis4theweak]

FOODIE SIBLINGS AND FRIENDS EXTENDED UNIVERSE MASTERPOST

Owners-

Milkshake: Me! and @mikebeanz

Waffles Pancake: Me

'Sandy' Sandwich : @kredena-dark

Slushie: @buny1

Peppermint: @pinkatint

Kiwi: @banana-pancake5

Mochi: @ilikestarfoxturtles

Pretzel: @ilikestarfoxturtles

Bluecrop Blueberry/Blue/Berry: @trashyandtiredsol

Bill/Bilberry Bun - @minophlia

Sundae - @cosmocafe

Salad/Lettuce- @diona-98

Toffee- @peoplepersonoaktree

Ichigo Miruku - @tinker-the-dragon

Kathy Cookie - @qeelovestea

Blackberry- @artcosmique

Chips- @critter-core

Muffin- @critter-core

Gram- @allyheart707

Mellow - @allyheart707

Cotton Candy- @ofthefrogs

Honey and Maple- @mochi-myles

Caramel Crumb- @delicatechildwitch

Cheddar- @corgiisaloser

Cowtail - @3mutantsinatrenchcoat

Raspberry- @riseleon

Cherry - @artistheworld

Orange Juice- @temva

Cupcake- @riseleon

Strawberry - @riseleon

Bean - @ilikestarfoxturtles

Star/Starfruit- @drillss

Onion- @diona-98

Apple Sweet - @mikebeanz

Candy - @kiyokotheweeb

Baykari/Black Forest cake- @smuggonifico-lmao

Okra - @banana-pancake5

Carrot Cake- @dr-slightly-dissapointed

Pocky- @corgiisaloser

Amyteia/Ruby- @minophlia

Truffle- @qeelovestea

Matcha - @diona-98 and @qeelovestea

Poptart- @doctor-feelings

Spicy Flan- @justletmereadmycomics

Caramel Cheesecake- @tinker-the-dragon

Leatrice Lemon- @buny1

Broccoli- @diona-98

Red Bean- @diona-98 @qeelovestea

Citrus/Tangerine- @/mochi-myles

Mochaccino- @/mochi-myles

Passionfruit- @critter-core

GENERAL TAG FOR THE AU-

#tmnt foodie au

[noh07]

list of mixed name ideas (nov 5, 2024)

in this list, there's any type of names (mostly for english-speaking people though): typical first names, noun names, mythology names, etc.

i sorted them into three categories: androgynous, feminine and masculine.

if you have more ideas of names for trans folks, writers, etc, just lemme know! (Can also be not-so-cool names for the writers, we need them for the asshole side characters :3)

i update the list every time I have a lot of new name suggestions. this is not the newest version, but you can find it under the tag #updated name list on my profile.

(alphabetical list with 712 mixed names under the cut)

--- androgynous ---

Addie/Eddie

Aki

Alex

Alexis

Alli/Allie/Ally

Am/Em

Amethyst

Ares

Ari

Artemis

Ash

Asher

Aster

Azure

Basil

Beluga

Bennie/Benny

Bermuda

Bev

Beverly

Billie

Blair/Blaire

Calypso

Caramel

Cat

Cave

Celeste

Charlie

Chrissy

Coco

Crimson

Crow

Diamond

Edie

Eli

Ellori/Ellory

Emerald

Emerson

Emi/Emmie/Emmy

Evie

Finn

Forest/Forrest

Frances/Francis

Garnet

Gem

Goldie

Gray/Grey

Hayden

Hunter

Indigo

Jackie/Jacky

Jade

Jamie

Jess

Jessie

Jupiter

Lark

Lenny

Lori/Lorie/Lory

Lou

Louie

Mag

Maggot

Mars

Mauve

Max

Meadow

Mercury

Mika

Miko

Mizu

Moss

Neptune

Noah

Nori

Nyx

Ollie

Onyx

Opal

Paris

Quinn

Rafa

Rain/Raine

Raven

Reg

Remi

Remu

Robin

Rocky

Ronni/Ronnie/Ronny

Sage

Saturn

Shilo/Shiloh

Silver/Sylver

Sky/Skye

Snow

Val

Venus

Vin

Vinny/Vinnie

Wilson

Wither

--- feminine ---

Abby

Abigail

Adelaide

Adeline

Agatha

Aileen/Eileen

Aimee/Amy

Alana

Alena

Alessia

Alexa

Alexia

Alexandra

Alice

Alissa

Alli/Allie/Ally

Alura

Amalia

Amber

Amelia

Amelie

Amethyst

Amity

Andromeda

Anela

Angela

Angelina

Angeline

Angie

Anika/Annika

Anisa

Anita

Anna

Ann/Anne

Annie

Anastasia

Andrea/Andreea

Antheia

Arabella

Artemis

Ashley

Astra

Atlanta

Audrey

Aurora

Autumn

Azura

Bailey

Becky

Bella

Belle

Beluga

Bettie/Betty

Beverly

Billie

Brenda

Brie

Calypso

Candace/Candice

Caramel

Carla/Karla

Carmen

Carol

Carolina

Caroline

Catherine

Celeste

Celestia

Celina/Selena/Selina

Celine/Selene/Seline

Charlotte

Christina/Kristina

Christine/Kristine

Claire

Clara/Clarah

Chloe/Chloé/Cloe

Cindy

Cissy

Cora/Corah

Dana

Daniela/Daniella

Danielle

Dalia/Daliah

Daria

Darla

Debbie

Debora/Deborah

Delilah

Diamond

Diana

Dianne

Dora/Dorah

Dorothy

Eburia

Eclipse

Eda

Elena

Eleanor/Elenor

Elisa/Eliza

Elise

Elizabeth

Ella

Ember

Emerson

Emery

Emi/Emmie/Emmy

Emilia

Emilie/Emily

Emma

Esme

Esmeralda

Euphemia

Euphoria

Eva

Evie

Evelyn

Felicia

Fenya

Finya

Fia

Fiona

Francisca/Franziska

Freya

Fuchsia

Gaia

Georgia

Gina

Ginny/Jeanie

Hanna/Hannah

Harmony

Hazel

Heather

Hecate

Helena

Helene

Hera

Hestia

Holly

Hope

Iana

Irena

Irene

Iris

Isa

Isabel/Isabelle

Isabela/Isabella

Ivonne/Yvonne

Ivory

Ivy

Izzy

Jade

Janice

Jasmin/Jasmine

Jenna

Jennifer

Jenny

Joelle

Joelina

Jolene

Julia

Julianne

Julie

Juliet/Juliette

Juniper

Kaia/Kaya

Katarina/Katharina

Kathy/Katy

Kelly

Kira

Lana

Lara/Larah

Laura

Lauren

Laurel

Lavender

Lena

Leia/Leya

Levina

Levinia

Lia

Liana

Liara

Lilac

Lili/Lilli/Lilly/Lily

Lilian/Lilien

Lilith

Lisa

Liv

Livi

Livia

Liz

Lizzie/Lizzy

Loanne

Lola

Lorelei

Lori/Lorie/Lory

Louisa/Luisa

Louise/Luise

Luce/Luz

Lucy

Luna

Lydia

Maggie/Meggie

Meg

Madeline

Maira/Myra

Mara/Marah

Margaret

Marge

Marla

Marlene

Maria/Mariah

Marie/Mary

Marina

Mauve

Melanie

Melissa

Mellie/Melly

Meryem

Mia

Michelle

Milly

Mina

Minerva

Minnie

Miriam

Mona

Monica

Naira/Nyra

Nancy

Natalia

Natalie

Natasha

Nellie/Nelly

Nessie

Nina

Noelle

Nora/Norah

Nori

Nyx

Oliv/Olive

Olivia

Ollie

Paris

Pascale

Patricia

Paula

Peggy

Penelope/Pinelopy

Penny

Petunia

Philippa

Pia

Pippa

Polly

Poppy

Queenie

Ramona

Rania

Rebecka

Regina

Robin

Rose

Roxana

Roxanne

Ruby

Safira/Saphira

Sandra

Sara/Sarah

Sari

Serena

Silvia/Sylvia

Sofia/Sophia

Sofie/Sophie

Stella

Stephanie/Stephany

Tara/Tarah

Tatiana/Tatyana

Tess

Tessa

Tia

Tiana

Tina

Valerie/Valery

Vanessa

Vela

Venus

Vera

Veronica

Victoria

Viola

Violet/Violette

Viona

Vivian

Viviana

Willow

Xandria

Xenia

Yana

Yasmin/Yasmine

Zehra

Zoe/Zoé/Zoey

--- masculine ---

Achilles

Aiden

Aion

Alex

Alexander

Amon

Angelo

Angelino

Anthony

Anton

Arcturus

Ares

Asher

Audrey

Ben

Benjamin

Bennie/Benny

Benson

Bill

Billie/Billy

Bob

Bobby

Brendan/Brendon

Brian

Bruno

Calvin

Carl/Karl

Chad

Charles

Charlie

Chase

Chester

Chris

Chrissy

Christopher

Conan

Damian

Dan

Daniel

Dave

David

Davon/Devon

Dionysos

Don

Donald

Dorian

Dylan

Elia/Elijah

Elio

Eliot/Elliot/Elliott

Emerson

Emilio

Erion

Evan

Felix

Fred

Freddie/Freddy

Gian/Jan

Gus

Hannibal

Harald/Harold/Herald/Herold

Harry

Hendrick/Henrick

Henry

Hunter

Ian

Icarus

Jace

Jade

Jack

Jackie/Jacky

Jaden/Jayden

James

Jamie

Jasper

Jay

Jeremy

Jerry

Jimmy

Joe

Joel

Joey

John

Johnny

Jona/Jonah

Jonas

Jones

Julian/Julien

Julius

Jupiter

Justin

Kevin

Lance

Larry

Laurence/Lawrence

Lee

Lenny

Leo

Linus

Logan

Lori/Lorie/Lory

Louis/Luis

Louie

Lucc/Luke

Lucas/Lukas

Luigi

Marc

Marco

Mario

Mars

Max

Mercury

Michael

Mickey

Mike

Milo

Nathan

Neptune

Nick

Nico/Niko/Nikko

Noah

Noel

Oliver

Ollie

Orion

Paris

Pascal

Patrick

Paul

Pete

Peter

Philip/Philipp/Phillip

Ray

Raymond

Reg

Reginald

Regulus

Remi

Remus

Rick

Ricky

Rob

Robbie/Robby

Robin

Ron

Ronald

Ronni/Ronnie/Ronny

Rubeus

Sam

Sammy

Samuel

Saturn

Sean/Shaun/Shawn

Sebastian

Simon

Sirius

Stephan

Steve

Steven

Theodore

Thomas

Tim

Timmy

Toby

Tom

Tommy

Tony

Valentine

Victor

Vince

Vincent

Wilson

Yan

Zach/Zack

Zeus

If you want me to add meanings, origins, etc., just tell me ^^

[fallingblueroses]

Something I probably should have mentioned with the first part: I'm imagining this taking place during the 1600's, the age of sailing ships and swashbuckling.

***

Geoff stayed with Kathy while the others wandered off to find food. She couldn't help but worry as they walked out of sight. "It's getting dark. Won't they get lost?"

He shook his head. "We karu have very good sight in the dark," he told her. "And they won't go too far."

She nodded and fell silent for a bit. "...What was that word you called me?"

"Nikaru," he said in his deep voice. "We are karu. You are a nikaru--not karu." He looked at her curiously. "What is your word for your kind?"

"I'm a human," she said, her cheeks reddening at his gaze. She was having a hard time avoiding looking at his bare body--and he wasn't attempting to hide anything.

"Human," he said, trying the word out. "And do you have a word for my kind?"

"Merman," she said. "Mermen for more than one."

He tried that one out as well, then frowned. "Karu sounds better."

"That's what I'll call you then," she said. The darkness crept up on them as they sat there in silence. She shivered a little and drew her clothing around her. "...Aren't you cold?"

"Cold? No, the air is warm."

"Not for me," she said, frowning.

He studied her for a bit, then walked to the tree line. There was still enough light that she could watch as he pulled several large fronds from the trees, then came back to her. "Stretch out."

She did, and he covered her with the fronds. It didn't help much, but it was better than nothing. "Thank you."

He nodded in return and sat back down beside her. A few more minutes passed, and a cry rose from the forest. Geoff's head tilted as he smiled. "Ah, Eli has had good fortune."

After a bit longer Eli came out of the forest with what looked like a goat on his shoulders. It wasn't long before the others returned as well, all holding something. When Cesar got closer he frowned to see Kathy and looked at Geoff. "Why did you bury her like that?"

"She's cold."

"Cold? It's not cold here."

"She is nikaru, and not like us," Geoff reminded him.

Kathy tried to head off an argument. "Once I can find something to help build a fire I'll be all right."

Eli frowned as he began to pull the skin away from the meat. "A fire? What is that?"

She blinked. "You don't use fire? How do you cook your food?"

"What is 'cook'?" Cesar asked.

Kathy blinked. "Cooking is...heating up food to make it edible."

The men all looked at each other, confused. Layne spoke next. "So you can't eat anything we found?"

She looked at the oranges Cesar had brought. "I can eat those." Cesar handed her several and she began to peel one with her fingernails. It was a little disquieting to see the karu tearing the animal apart and eating it raw, especially in the rising moonlight, but she made sure to avert her eyes. After all, how could she complain about their eating habits after they had saved her life? Layne had caught two large land crabs, and J had found some slightly overripe bananas which Kathy also ate.

The six of them ate in silence until Eli asked "How did you get out in the water? What happened to your vessel?"

Kathy swallowed a bite of banana. "I was going on an expedition to explore the new territories," she said. "Our ship got caught in a storm and broke apart."

"Ah, so you are an explorer?" Geoff asked.

She laughed a little. "Oh no. I was hired on to cook and sew for the men."

Layne tilted his head. "Sew?"

"To make and repair clothing." She tugged at the sleeve of her dress for emphasis.

"So you make armor?" Geoff asked.

"No, not armor. Just regular clothing. To cover the body for warmth and modesty."

"Modesty?"

Her face began to heat up again. "We humans...we nikaru...prefer to have our bodies covered. To...keep from embarassing ourselves and others."

Cesar frowned. "How strange. We have no need to do that. We stay warm by ourselves. And why should we cover ourselves for the comfort of others?"

"Again," Geoff said, "she is nikaru and different from us."

Kathy tried to change the subject. "Are there other nikaru on the island?"

J shook his head. "No. This is our island."

Geoff smiled at her. "You will be safe here. We will take care of you." Eli and Cesar nodded.

Kathy tried to keep her face neutral. The prospect of being stranded on an island was more than a little frightening. But at least she wasn't all alone. And surely, eventually, a ship would have to come along.