#Pebbles cosplay asks

[cameroneatsdirt]

assuming the five pebbles cosplay ask thingy is alive:

pepsi fella

may i offer you a singular glass of wa'ah in this trying time

My first pebbles cosplay ask! This is really exciting :) I tried to remain as in-character as I could with the response. Now that I have one done hopefully more will come :) small note that the default timeframe of these asks will be at survivor/monk’s campaigns [Heads up! For future notice asks can only be responded to on weekends. Also, I won’t be available to respond to asks like this starting Monday (this will apply for a week (as of march 2024). That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t send the asks, it’ll just be a bit until I can reply)

I’ll try to use the ‘#pebbles cosplay asks’ tag when responding to these :3

[Image ID: person in five pebbles cosplay holding a glass of water saying “… I am in no current need of extra water at the moment as the groundwater supply is plenty. Regardless, I can’t really ‘drink’ using my puppet anyway. A neighbor of mine, Looks to the moon, would probably have more appreciation for this after my… excessive consumption of water previously, if she’s somehow still around that is”. /.End ID]

I haven’t done an ID before so sorry if that sucked lmao

[amenalyme]

Moon cosplay photodump

hiiiiiii so I finally had my full moon cos this weekend :3 at Burning Pumpkins Fest in Tallinn

I took a couple photos myself plus a couple people also asked for photos with/of me but i dont have those

anyway!!

(Also mine and @kotikaleo ‘s artist alley table for anyone curious 👀)

Anyway heres the fanservice (and by fan i mean @excessive-moisture )

(Pebbles is also Kotikaleo)

Anyway con was awesome!! Im tired as hec

Depending on how things go, next time might be at Desucon Frostbite in january 👀👀

[cocoagenie]

𝙄ñ𝙖𝙠𝙞 𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙮 𝙭 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙛𝙚𝙢 | 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝘿𝘾𝘼𝙉𝙊𝙉 <3

[P💕: i crave him]

[Dividers by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more !]

Shenanigans

☆ Iñaki can definitely be troublesome if he's bored. I'm talking face/body paint cosplays, hiding your things, pranking you with his perfect acting skills type of trouble

• its truly hilarious and a bit concerning to catch him with his whole face green and a dinosaur stuffed hat clipped around his head

☆ "ki.." he has his back to you and stares at the walls like there much more important

• will scream over games in his phone, for instance if iñaki runs out of time and fails a challenge you can here him crying out from the bathroom

☆ he suggests the craziest things on tiktok and you are a sucker for a good time despite you both hating to clean up behind yourselves. You have an eighteen minute long video of you both slipping on the soapy kitchen floor btw ;p

• iñaki often walks around your apartment a bit weirdly so he's bound to stub a toe or bump his shoulder into the edge of the wall, always cursing in Spanish which makes you burst into laughter

☆ you both truly are unfiltered around eachother and hes feels so lucky that he got two for one, (you're not only his best friend but your his girlfriend too.) Iñaki thinks that's epic

• skating time is sublime.

• "you– geezer, just hold onto me?" You laughed as Iñaki rolled around the skating ring like an elder on life support, he obliged but that cost you with the way he gripped your hands.

☆ "Damn, kiki!"

• "Slow down!!" He wobbled.

☆ "We not going no damn where!"

• on the court he will demolish you. Iñaki's always in your face, running around you as he dribbles the ball and shoots, it hits the rim sometimes

☆ "you're ass.." you kick some pebbles as he jogs for his rebound and runs back to you with a grin. Sweat beading at his forehead and wetting the roots of his curls.

• "oh? well then you make the hoop" you both are nearly the same height but he's still slightly taller. (He looks scrumptious in loose tanktops fyi) The basketball is pushed to you as you roll your eyes and take it. Iñaki situates beside you and watches you move forward but hands on your hips pull you back.

☆ "Do it from here." You got ready to argue but just huffed and dribbled the ball once to make sure it was hard enough and not flat. Your dominant arm bended and launched the ball for the edge of the square. It rolled around the rim but fell off and Iñaki suppressed a laugh.

• he talks so fast in English and Spanish that you often tell him to slow down. He laughs at that because he's still getting used to someone truly listening instead of talking over him

☆ iñaki flexes his facial hair and that often gains your attention so he ends up getting his mustache and sideburns cleaned up while you're on his lap

• "please amor, don't cut it too much."

☆ "shh shh, look?" You raised the mirror and when he saw the results iñaki felt ten times more flashier and he thanked you with a big kiss of course

• bro looses his marbles when he can't find his glasses and you love to watch him suffer as he looks everywhere while their RIGHT ONTOP OF HIS HEAD.

The sweet things

☆ he needs to have you by his side but doesn't like to really admit it so when you're doing something or simply lounging around he'll come to you like puppy and lean on you, or play with/link your hands

• iñaki bites and asks before hand too lol

☆ teaches you his first language and loves how you have your way of pronouncing certain words, he also praises you and says you sound like a natural after correctly saying a sentence

• love love lovesss your cheek kisses since your lips are already plump and soft. Fall is here and it tends to get chilly so iñaki jokingly asks you to prescribe him with some so he doesn't freeze to death

☆ let's you play in his hair especially when it grows out, you put it in ponytails, side cornrows and twists until he's snoring against you

• iñaki doesn't have a foot fetish but will massages your feet when their sore. He's the best at it, courtesy of the practice with his mother

☆ since you love vinyls and CD's he brings you shopping with him at special stores that sell hand me downs, movie cds or song records

• you both enjoy a good thrifting spree!

☆ picnic dates are sweet but getting something to eat downtown and exploring the lower city makes you feel like jasmine and iñaki is obviously your aladdin <3

• "should we jay walk?" You look at the currently empty street as iñaki's hand is gripped in yours, his eyes keep flickering down both ends of the street before he suddenly tugs you across with him

☆ "Vamanos, vamanos!" You snort and run across as you both eventually make it to the car.

• he often asks you why you fell in love with him and you're always ready to provide an answer.

☆ "You have this weird charm that I'm drawn to.. plus you were kinda mysterious with the way you used to sta-"

• "okay okay I get it!"

☆ "Nah you used to stare into my soul remember?"

• Iñaki felt incredibly shy around you, he still does now that you're both together he just knows how to hide it now ;)

☆ matching charm bracelets and rings. 😭

• he's the pure embodiment of "just happy to be there!"

☆ will always polish the hand you can't do

THE END ♡

[A/N: I AM SATISFIED.]

[desertsportshipping]

Youve seen Steven Stone? Now get ready for Wes pebble!!! (Offbrand Steven Stone cosplay. Bonus points for Aqua and Magma grunt Espeon and Umbreon outfits.)

Gloria and Hop tried to dress up Umbreon and Espeon but they gave up after they kept getting bitten.

The ask game.

[thepariahcontinuum]

For the Worm power asks:

A striker/trump cape who has the power to bestow a "curse" on to any inanimate object they touch. These "curses" are instantly transferred to the next person who touches that object.

The effects of the curses are vague and random, usually along the lines of impaired senses, weakened body, weakened mental state or impaired perception of time. The curses can also affect other capes powers, reducing super strength, impairing control or weakening abilities. The curse effects are always detrimental but never lethal.

The severity of the curse depends on the amount of time the cape is in contact with the object and the weight/mass/density of the object. For example, a large rock could hold enough "curse" to severely hamper a victim, a small pebble would not be able to hold enough "curse" to be noticeable. However, the curse effects can accumulate. If the cape put a small amount of "curse" on every object in a person's house, the victim wouldn't notice right away that anything was wrong. After a short time touching many different things, they would notice themselves becoming more and more impaired and might not be able to realize the cause before becoming incapacitated by the accumulated curse effects.

The limitations of the power would be that the cape cannot apply curses directly onto a person or any object directly touching them. The more solid an object is, the easier it is to apply a curse. Curse effects fade out over time, quickly if the cape is far away, more slowly if the cape stays close by.

I have no idea what kind of trigger would lead to a power like this. This def feels like more of a villain power but could be used by a hero too. I wonder if the name Curse is already taken. But by now, the word curse is starting to sound weird.

Okay so conceptually this is a fun idea.

Personally I'd make the effects less random, more the idea that it's the symptoms but they might come in a different order, sensory impairment, loss of motor control, weakened powers and general illness and a fever.

Because making this a villain is so obvious I'm gonna go the other way and see "Indie Hero with image problems and bad marketing"

I'm thinking mid-late teens, styles themselves as some sort of malevolent deity, maybe with a fly motif but on a low budget.... I'm thinking rags like Stain in MHA....Overall aesthetic is a mix of wandering hero, Tokusatsu cosplay and some variety of goth.

Cape name "Beelzebug"

Preferred tactic is carrying a lot of "cursed" items and using them as caltrops and projectiles and putting enemies in a position where they have to call for help...Wrap a "Cursed" Bola around someone's arms and then they get a friend to get it off that person is cursed as well.

But also.....It really made me think of this movie

[cielettosa]

That poll you posted had like 200 votes lmfao and thats just from Japan. Eren and Mikasa are more popular worldwide. Plus eremika tag has the most views on tiktok. More than flop Levi. So let me say again, Eren and Mikasa are more popular. Levi has been dethroned by a genocider. Levi is nothing

The only thing more predictable than your daily Levi hate mails is the sunrise.

Seriously, why the Levi obsession? Is it because those cleaning wipes just can't scrub away the fact that deep down, you secretly admire his sparkling dedication?

Constantly spamming me with these anonymous messages about Levi? It's getting creepy. Maybe put that devotion towards, I don't know, actual productive works?

And seriously, "Levi is no popular"? "Levi is flop"? Those insults are so weak. The only thing flopping here is your attempt to start a fan war.

You think spewing nonsense about his popularity will somehow magically convert everyone into Levi loathers? Dream on.

And your "evidence", TikTok tag with the most views? Wow, groundbreaking. Popularity on a platform notorious for fleeting trends and fabricated challenges? Deep.

And your evidence is last ask, a random tweet with someone's opinion on "iconic" anime characters? That's your counter-argument to a poll that gathered actual votes, even if limited to Japan. The internet is a vast ocean, and you're throwing a pebble at it and declaring it a tsunami.

Do you even know how the internet works? Levi fan art floods every corner, cosplay conventions are crawling with him, and Attack on Titan fanfiction?

Let's just say Ereri is a genre all on its own, and it dwarfs any Eremika scribbles. And Levi has the largest base of fanfictions in Attack on Titan.

Levi doesn't need your validation. Your opinion is about as relevant as a pebble.

Then, if you must message me again, at least have the courage to do it without hiding behind anonymity.

Because, like moths to a flickering meme, people like you flock to the most popular choice, and your taste buds are easily swayed by the latest tiktok buzz.

It's a shame to see a character's journey, their internal struggles and triumphs, are reduced to a mere popularity contest.

I am talking about your grand declaration of Levi being "nothing." Deep. Did you come up with that one all by yourself, champ?

Levi may not be everyone's cup of tea, but to dismiss his entire character arc, his skills, his dedication, as "nothing" just shows how blinded you are by your bias.

The writers who pour their heart and soul into crafting compelling narratives must despair at the sight of these shallow consumers, abandoning well-developed characters for the fleeting validation of trendy picks.

Imagine a shelf stacked with jars of colorful candy. One jar, overflowing with bright red cherry chews, is constantly picked and devoured by everyone. But across the aisle sits a jar with a single, beautifully crafted dark chocolate truffle.

Popularity isn't everything, and the same goes for characters in books, movies, or video games. Just because a character is everywhere, doesn't mean they're well-written.

A well written has depth and complexity. It might have funny quirks or tragic flaws that make them relatable. They might surprise you with their actions or choices, but those choices always feel true to their personality. They grow and change throughout the story, learning from their mistakes or facing their fears.

Even if they're not traditionally "likable," they're interesting.

The cherry chews, on the other hand, are the popular characters. They might be fun for a quick pick-me-up, but they all sort of taste the same. They're one-dimensional, with predictable personalities and easy jokes. Maybe they're the goofy sidekick or the sassy best friend. They fulfill a role in the story, but they're not particularly memorable.

But there is a place for both cherry chews and dark chocolate truffles. Sometimes, a light and fluffy story with a popular character is exactly what you crave. But a truly well-written character leaves a lasting impression.

They stay with you long after you finish the story, because they feel real. They make you think about the world, about yourself, and about the choices we all make.

The next time you encounter a character, don't just be swayed by their popularity. Dig a little deeper. See if there's more to them than meets the eye. After all, the most rewarding discoveries are often the ones you have to search for.

[inferencesarchives]

welcome to the archives, traveler! need help navigating? don't worry, allow me to help you find what your looking for!

`•- MASTERLISTS

genshin impact masterlist

cookie run masterlist

identity v masterlist

im in an idv network!

danganronpa masterlist

honkai star rail masterlist (i no longer write for hsr. please do not request it.)

`•- REQUESTING RULES

`•- REQUESTS ARE CLOSED!

no nsfw, no incest, and no yandere.

platonic only for characters under 16.

be as specific/detailed as you can! it helps a lot :]

only one scenario per request please!

feel free to request character x reader x character polyamorous relationships! poly x reader ships make my brain go weee :D

you can request for a maximum of 5 characters per ask! (tip: if you want to see the same prompt for over 5 characters in different franchises, submit different asks for each franchise!)

characters may be ooc if i haven't written very much for them, sorry! i usually get a feel for their character after writing a few times for them, though!

please specify if you want a gendered reader! non-specified requests will automatically be written as gender-neutral.

`•- ACCEPTED REQUESTS

n/a

please make sure that the character(s) you want to request aren't on the list below. (platonic scenarios with them are fine, though!)

`•- WHO I DON'T WRITE FOR

i don't write for freddy riley (identity v), servais le roy (identity v), bonbon (identity v), joker (identity v), the will brothers (identity v), burke (identity v), leo beck (identity v), kreacher pierson (identity v), bane (identity v), phillipe (identity v), hastur (identity v), michiko (identity v), emil (identity v), ada mesmer (identity v), violetta (identity v), eli clark (identity v), himiko yumeno (danganronpa), hiyoko saionji (danganronpa), chihiro fujisaki (danganronpa), ultra despair girls or dr3 anime characters (danganronpa), yanqing (honkai star rail), pela (honkai star rail), lynx (honkai star rail) or any characters under 16. feel free to request a platonic scenario with these characters though! (keep in mind that this list will change in the future as i see fit.)

`•- ABOUT THE AUTHOR

hello there, dear traveler! it's a pleasure to meet you; i always love it when someone new visits the archives! you can call me orpheus. im the one in charge of taking care of the archives, you see, and i promise to do my very best to keep these archives brimming with entertainment! though, i do apologise for possibly updating at strange times, as i often tend to get very busy. some of my hobbies include writing, drawing, animating, reading, playing games, cosplaying, playing my violin, and watching anime and movies. now, i think that's enough of information about me, but what about you? feel free to engage in conversation with me whenever you desire; i'd love to get to know you! for now, though, i sincerely hope that you enjoy your stay in the archives.

`•- THE AUTHOR'S OTHER BLOGS!

my main blog is @smokyinference , where i post art and animations that i make, and also reblog a few things here and there! i also use the side blog @sillylizardluchino to share ideas and blurbs i think about that can't be turned into full-length fics on their own, and also to reblog a lot of other fan content! im also the person running @asking-antonio , an idv ask blog, though i haven't quite finished setting it up and opening asks just yet.

`•- VISITORS IN THE ARCHIVES

💙 anon, 🧄 anon, 📡 anon, 👾 anon, 🌷 anon, 🦎 anon, and 🐇 anon are all staying in the archives currently!

`•- EVENTS IN THE ARCHIVES

past events in the archives include starlit sanctuary (july 1-30 2023), first archiversary (november 13-27 2023), and the philomena's propellente's countdown to valentines day (february 1-14 2024).

there are no events happening currently.

there are no upcoming events currently.

`•- MISCELLANEOUS HAPPENINGS

the fruity pebbles saga / i hit pitaya dragon cookie with a bus

(for those who followed before the username change, this blog was previously known as fish-bubble.)

[ask-de-writer]

WIND MEETS THE ROM : Part 7 of 27 :

MLP Fan Fiction

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

WIND MEETS THE ROM

Part 7 of 27

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

Cover art by @wind-the-mama-cat

54212 words

© 2023 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 06/01/18

All rights reserved. This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

New to the story? Read from Part 1, here!

///////////////////////

Both Tia and Midnight froze when they saw the simple pebble. Midnight called out in an astonishingly loud voice, “Guards! Assemble before your Princesses! Witness the trial under the Royal Wing of Guard Sargent Hemlock!”

Wind recognized the guard as he was getting to his feet. He was one of the two that their leader had stopped from entering the camp earlier.

Tia ordered, “Remove all weapons from Hemlock, no longer a Royal Guard. Strap his wings.”

Two of the Guard stepped forward, secured his wings and removed all weapons from him, even searching his pouches and saddlebags.

He unwisely snapped, “You can't do this! I was minding my own business, just starting a little sling practice and you nab me for trying to improve my preparedness!”

In an utterly calm voice, that betrayed a volcano about to erupt, Midnight called, “Guard Major Hawkwing, do you know Hemlock's testing scores from the Manual of Rom Custom and Belief?”

The leader of the guards rummaged in a saddlebag and produced a ledger. Examining it, he replied, “Hawthorn scored 98 percent on the Rom testing. I assume that this relates to Rom beliefs in an afterlife and burial customs?”

Voice tightly controlled, Midnight stated, “It does.”

“According to the ledger, he missed none of those questions.”

“This question is for the whole formation. Were you briefed on why we came to this particular Wayside?”

In a ragged chorus, the Guards replied, “You are returning to the Lake of Shansa Na Kili, a long time friend, to Lay the Stones for her.”

Tia could see that Midnight was holding back with great difficulty and interposed for her, “What is the penalty for the desecration of any Wayside burial?”

“Twenty years at hard labor on the Royal Roads of Equestria or other labor as assigned by Your Highnesses.”

Hemlock could see where this was going. He demanded, “All this for ONE lousy pebble? I can just go over to the road there and get you another rock! What is so important about this one?”

Holding her composure by less than a hair, ears laid back and lips snarling back from fangs, Midnight, Princess Luna, growled, “When we closed Shansa's Gateway to the Lake of Paradise, I LAID THAT PARTICULAR STONE MYSELF! Your lack of respect for any custom but your own, we accept. Your VANDALISM and DESECRATION of graves whose custom you know, whether you share the belief or not, we will not tolerate!

“Hemlock is VACANT! The Barony shall be filled according to the Law of Succession. The goods, accounts and all other personal things belonging to Wiltin, late Baron of Hemlock, shall be distributed to his heirs according to the Law of Equestia.

“Guard Major Hawkwing, detail two of the Guard to escort the prisoner in chains to the Royal Road Police station at Haymarket Road Section gate to begin serving his twenty years of hard labor.”

As Wiltin was led away to the jingle of chains, Midnight turned to Wind and asked plaintively, “I am so sorry that you had to see that, Wind. What must you think of us?”

Wind did not even pause, but answered back in Gyptian, “I see that you love Shansa very much. I also saw that, what was his name? Wiltin, knew that he was breaking long standing laws when he did that. He was counting on that bit about it being one lousy pebble to make it a minor infraction. I suspect that it would not have mattered which stone he took. I don't blame you. You simply defended a friend who could not defend herself.”

Midnight gathered her into a hug with her magic and wrapped a big dark blue wing around her as well. Wind felt amazingly safe and comfortable in that hug. Slowly, she became aware of the nature of the wing holding her, lifted free of those Rom sashes and harness.

Looking in wonder at Midnight, Wind stammered, “You, you are an alicorn! From what I have heard, that makes you a Princess on this world.”

Midnight chuckled. “Here we were throwing our weight around as Princesses when Wiltin messed up but it took my wing to tip you off that I can be royalty?”

Wind pursed her lips and carefully pulled the large wing close before replying, “Actually, I had already put it together that you are royalty but my startlement had a different cause. I had a dream last night about the house that I was born in and the graves of my parents. The color of your wing tied into the dream. It was part of my very first adventure. And a very good memory.”

Midnight smiled gently. “I am gladdened that you have such a good memory of your first adventure and that it is somehow connected to me.”

Tia put in, “We have heard that you are learning to bake after our fashion. Would you be so good as to roll out the dough so that we can fill the shells?”

For an answer, Wind simply picked up a roller and started rolling out, dusting with flour, folding and rolling again and again the pastry shells to make many fine layers that would rise up and make a puffy pastry around the fillings.

As fast as a shell was ready, it got filled and put to bake by Hanar who was happily chattering away about all the things that the band had been doing for some time past. Wind listened carefully, though she understood that Hanar was not talking to her. She was pausing in her chatter to listen to answers or comments that no other horse or pony heard.

Wind took a moment to whisper to Midnight, who was closest, “Didn't you want to visit with Shansa too?”

Tia overheard and, while kneeding up some more Ka'chek dough, replied, “Hanar is her daughter. Our questions can wait.”

Wind's adventure trained hearing caught the Guard Major Hawkwing saying, “Halt! Sargent Greenforest, you must not enter the Rom camp without invitation.”

There followed something too quiet to make out, followed by, “You just saw what happened to Hemlock! He knew that he was violating the Manual of Rom Custom by that idiot stunt. Going to set them straight about dead is dead could land you in the same boat! What do you mean which boat? The one going over a waterfall with rocks at the bottom! At least as far as your career is concerned.”

There was a pause before he went on, “Let me tell you something, Greenforest. I have been on this duty for more than seven years. Everything will be normal, as much as anything is normal around the Rom. Then, you will see something utterly uncanny. If you are smart, you will figure out that the Rom are way more than Fair going attractions and wanderers.”

Wind quietly filed away the notion that the Rom customs regarding the dead were not universal here. Her revere was cut short by Midnight giving her a new lump of dough.

“Here, Wind, this dough is for your pasties. We added some blood and a shortening from meat to make it tastier for you.”

Wind set to rolling it out with a will! She was surprised when Hanar set about filling her pastries and putting them to bake without any trace of the squeamishness that most of the band exhibited around any sort of meat.

Hanar noticed Wind watching her. She smiled and offered, “See, Mother? Even our new member has noticed. I felt so helpless when you went to the Lake. Not even Marchhare, Hoof Dancer and Black Lotus could keep you here with us. They did try, though. Now I am studying with them to be a healer like they are. It won't stop me from weaving, any more than it stops Hoof Dancer from being the finest dancer among the Rom.”

Hanar continued her happy chatter while she was watching the baking pastries.

Wind, finished with the dough rolling, looked over the work to be done and began washing up. She was surprised to find both Midnight and Tia working along side her.

The quiet slopping of the soapy water and then the rinse made a soothing rhythm.

Midnight said softly, “I do hope that you will forgive my intrusion, but I have been using a Bridge of Dream on you. I wanted to see why your Mama Dragon had you staying here with us for a month, when your wounds will be healed in only another day.”

Not at all alarmed, Wind leaned over and nuzzled her dark blue fur before asking, “Did you find out what you needed?”

“I do believe so, Wind. I think that what you are to get from the Rom is the same precious thing that my Sister and I get. A stable and accepting family.”

Wind slowly nodded. Thinking over all that had happened since she arrived, she had to say, “I hope that you are right. I had not even realized it, but that is what I am feeling. Actually cared about by more than my Mama Dragon. Maybe that is why I dreamed of my kittenhood home.”

“That could be the reason, Wind. Now, these last few pots won't rinse themselves.” They got quietly busy. Soon the last one was set to dry.

Tia raised her voice in a happy trill! “The feast is ready! Let us Lay the Stones and show Shansa those new things and accomplishments that we have done since we last visited her Lake!”

All of the Rom came forward to surround a place just outside of the Wayside. They all waited for Hanar to step forward first. As she did, Wind felt the tug of her magic pulling her gently forward too.

Hanar knelt both of her forelegs and her magic placed a beautiful nearly clear agate with fine mosslike dendrites in it at the center of the grave or Lake, as the Rom called it.

Wind was shaken and shocked by emotions as she saw Shansa's Lake covered with many pretty stones of little value but shining in the sun.

Eyes blinking back tears, she whispered, “Shiva. Donovan. They remember you and care for you, too.” Swallowing hard, she laid her small reddish carnelian alongside Hanar's agate. Hanar's magic softly helped her to make way for old Marchhare.

Wind sat, shivering with tears as the others all Laid their Stones. Tia and Midnight waited to the last. Midnight Laid her Stone and said, “Flowers fade. These Stones will stay bright for so long as there are Rom to remember Shansa Na Kili.”

Wind looked up, eyes swollen by tears, and reached into her bag of holding. She laid out two large, iridescent feathers. One white, almost opaline in appearance, the other of the deepest blue, like a midnight sky.

She shook her head, trying to get her thoughts into order. “I found these in my kittenhood home.” She sniffled, “And somehorse has been Laying the Stones for my parents, Shiva and Donovan. They were killed protecting me. The beast that did it was slow to pursue me, giving me the start that I needed to get away. I fell off a cliff. That is what happened to my arm.”

The others nodded in quiet acceptance. The condemnation that Wind feared for interrupting the ceremony was not to be found in any eye.

Instead, she saw the deepest sympathy. “I hope that I did not spoil your Laying of the Stones,” she ventured.

Hanar nuzzled her and snorted, “A tale like that, backed up by real evidence? What Mom wants to know is how you survived the fall. You didn't finish the story.”

<== PREVIOUS ~ NEXT==>

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[vilelittlecritter]

Hi hi helllo I was stumbling across tumblr in search of some ideas and I tripped over your older five pebbles cosplay concept! I really love how the clothes look and was wondering if I could incorporate some of the designs you included? (Also if so do you have any other concepts for him your art is so yummy)

I entirely forgot to answer this sorry!

Yeah dude go right ahead! kind of flattered to be honest ha ha!

I never really finished the design so its not exactly mine lol

i appreciete that you asked though :)

[theserandomcharacters]

Playlist Masterpost

Fuck it, Spoofy playlist masterpost be upon ye! Some of them encompass more than one OC!

Atticus and Birdie - Old Lovebirds reuniting their fondness for each other.

The Stormfront - Coming like the Storm itself - tearing your world into disarray.

Suburb Kids - An axolotl, a frog and an alligator's outings to the skate park.

Mizz Riptide and the Undertow - Setlist for the Human-Fronted Monster Rock Band

Astrid - Women want her, Men also want her, fish fear her.

Cécé - That one macaw that loves EDM and hates shoes

Demetrius - Lynx Demon living as a summon in Nova Scotia

Ectibod - The Bug Demon. The Papa Roach, if you will

Einar - The Troll-Fae Hybrid Vagabond

Elijah - The Witch studying Fae

Flamma - World's Angriest Firecracker

Flint - World's Worrisome Pebble

Freya - Most Professional-Looking Shadow

Haniel - Tyrannical Seraph Hellbent on Victory

Ira - Vampire "Mommy" Beats to Suck Blood To

Izzy - Scene Game Dev that's a lil silly

Jenara - The Heralded Ice Skater Fairy devoted to the Moon

Juni - The By-The-Books Royal Fairy that cosplays as an office worker.

Karl - The absolute Mad Lad Incubus

Laivas - The Puppeted Witch with Mal

Lysander - Tiger Demon Bodyguard with a voice of gold

Narcissa - Hell's Sleepiest Girlie Slob

Niles - Disgraced Teacher-turned-Mad Scientist

Noxxy - The Shadow Being that "rawrs", ecksdee

Oliver - The Were-Rabbit Teacher-also-Inventor

Ophira - The Witch-Unicorn what will - if you ask - step on you

Paolo - The Wine-Making Goat and a chill dude

Quyen - Displaced Witch with a Possessed Hat and an owly companion.

Ramone - Love Witch Student, also a Prince fanatic

Tamisra - The Baddest Cambrion Bitch in the world (Her words not mine)

Tarmo - Battle-worn Fairy Looking to a Future

Techko - Angsty Lab Assistant and Gecko-Enthusiast

Thermuthis - DIY Crocodile and a Dadlike

Valerio - Reluctant Main Character, Wants a Quiet Life

Waryck - Vampiric Demon, the one LITERALLY raised by Bats

Wilbur - The Grandpa Cat who runs a Curiosity shop and doesn't run short on butterscotch sweets

Yalanda - Avid Baker, Chronic Romantic and Metalhead

Ysrael - Dragon Hitman Living Too Closely to the saying "Fuck Bitches, Get Money".

[cameroneatsdirt]

Because you all liked my five pebbles cosplay so much, I'm now taking asks addressed to the 5p cosplay!

basically like any other 5 pebbles ask, but all responses are picture of the cosplay addressing the ask. Just make sure you specify in the ask it is meant for 5pebbles and I will respond in cosplay!

Things I won't do: anything hateful, NSFW, sensitive topics, anything that's too difficult to edit, anything I'm not willing to do

Will do: pearl readings, image reacts, general questions, commenting on items you bring to me, etc

(Note that the lanyard and neck fan are not apart of the cosplay, I was at a con)

post may be edited if I forgot something

[please reblog]

[amenalyme]

If u dont mind me asking, what was the process for making the head for your moon cosplay? I want to do a five pebbles cosplay but i cant find anything helpful

Aah hello! It was mostly made by @kotikaleo so she can share some more insight but for a simplified overview:

I made a first moon head around a year ago, by making a wire frame around my head and then covering it with 3 layers of thin EVA foam. Then I put tape over all of it and painted it. She didn’t look the best but the shape was solid enough. To make the new heads my friend basically peeled off all the tape from the first head and then used parts of the head to make a new (symmetrical) pattern. From there the shapes were traced onto thicker EVA foam, cut out, glued together and then painted

[boimgfrog]

WAIT YOU AND JANE TEMPTATIONOFADAM HAVE AMNESTY OCS??? HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS BEFORE PLEASE TELL ME EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM /GEN

OH BABY WE HAVE MORE THAN JUST OCS, THERES COSPLAY TIKTOKS, THERE'S FANFICS, THERE'S FANART, LORE, A PLOTLINE, A WHOLE UNIVERSE OF OCS CREATED BY ME, JANE, PEBBLE AND MJ IT'S A WHOLE FUCKING THING-

@rumblingz is jane's hornets oc blog that catalogues a lot of vibes, he also wrote this AMAZING. hornets ocs drabble comp for Oc-tober last year. I also wrote two chapters of an among us au (lol) that gives a feel for a lot of the characters and dynamics, as well as a quick fic abt my oc, Spoon's, chronic pain

some fanart as well!!! heres ronnie patching up spoon <3 I think I have more that I never posted online too rip </3

They are so beloved!! Here's a quick overview to get you started:

Spoon Whitemire (my oc): Spoon's (he/they) a student at the local boy's academy, sent there by his rich parents after getting himself expelled from all sorts of private schools across the country due to various reasons. They end up joining the hornets after becoming infatuated with their leader, Hollis (this is a common theme for Spoon, they are Hm. Quick to pine.) but not after causing a ruckus and wrecking Keith's bike in the process.

Ronnie Rumble (janes oc): Ronnie (they/them) is a slightly more seasoned member than spoon, joining the hornets after leaving their hometown, and their shitty ex-gang, behind. They have kind of a on-and-off again thing with Hollis, but they've got a bad history with gang leader romance that keeps them from committing. Them and Spoon have a really close sibling bond, with Ronnie taking Spoon under their wing after he joined.

Bee (pebble's oc): Bee (she/xe [I think?]) Is the youngest member of the hornets, but by far the most vicious. Armed with fireworks and peppa pig bandaids, she's determined to live her life to the fullest, especially now that she's ah...disposed of her father. Her and Spoon have a very chaotic little sibling relationship, and she's probably the member everyone is most determined to look out for.

Bow (Mj's oc): bow (she/they) is the social media manager for the hornets, and the one who captures all their sick moves for YouTube. They get along well with everybody, but have a wicked mischievous streak, often joining forces with Spoon and Bee to fuck shit up behind Hollis' back.

There's other ocs too, like Jane's oc Lydia, Spoon's best friend at the academy, and his other ocs that flesh out Ronnie's past and add dimension to the world, plus my own oc, Celeste (i haven't brought her up in a fic yet i don't think?) Who's a part of Spoon's backstory. But!! That's the gist <3 literally i love these guys so fucking much ty for asking abt them

[eponymous-rose]

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E96 (February 25, 2020)

Tonight’s guests are Taliesin Jaffe and Liam O’Brien!

Announcements: The Chicago live show and C2E2 are imminent! The live show will be on Thursday night, but an hour earlier than usual, at 6 PM Pacific/8 PM Central! Liam will be at the live show, but unfortunately has to leave C2E2 early and won’t be able to make it on Sunday. On Friday, the first behind-the-scenes video for The Legend of Vox Machina animated series was posted on YouTube, introducing the writing team!

Episode 96: Family Shatters

Stats for this week’s episode! Of the 16 times Caleb has cast Teleportation Circle, the M9 have remembered to contact someone prior to their arrival 7 times. Of those 7 times, they were successful at contacting someone at the location only 3. Taliesin: “We’re playing this game like Skyrim, we’re just going through people’s houses breaking pottery.” Caduceus got the straw hat that he gave to Clarabelle in episode 31, about 188 in-game days ago. There were 17 cow-related puns. Dani: “Is that above or below average for a Critical Role episode?”

“Clay was kind of built relatively quickly. I didn’t give Matt a ton to play with. I gave him the order in which they left, I gave him Clay’s attitude and his impression of his family members, which was usually just one sentence, and some basic idea of what their power set might be if they had one. I always thought of him as, from a family perspective, of what would have happened to Percy if nothing went wrong.” He was happy to be the one to run the family business and just hang around at home and run the shrine. “I think the rest of the kids’ wanderlust probably put them at odds quite a bit.” He liked being able to play that conflict and show what Caduceus was like when he was annoyed. Cad took after his father, the girls generally wanted to leave, and Colton is “just sort of a doofus.”

Caleb was an only child, so seeing this many kids was a lot. “They clearly had their grudges and their different dynamics with each other, but that’s normal, for sure. Caleb’s very unfamiliar with it.” He also keeps looking at Nott and thinking about how everything he’s doing is about wanting to rebuild his family, whereas Nott is so conflicted about going back to hers. “He doesn’t understand it, but he doesn’t want to push it” or judge her for it. “I thought I had a really defined direction at the start of the campaign, but my seven best friends have knocked it silly.”

What’s keeping Cad with the Nein? “Caduceus is not ready to go home at all. He’s not done with his walkabout. He feels like he wants to see a bit more. He feels he has an intense debt to pay. He feels he has a mission to see everybody else through, at the very least. Or at least he’s telling himself that. So he’s saved his home, or at least he thinks he’s saved his home, and his family’s all right, so now it’s debts that must be paid. He’s not somebody who thinks you can just get off the bus.”

“Caleb was going to ask [the hag] about the ability to travel backward through time, not really believing that she could do that, but was still like, show me what you’ve got.” Even if she’d said it, he would have thought she was a liar. “Probably would’ve offered to kill the M9″ in exchange, then would’ve turned around to hit her with a surprise Disintegrate. Liam notes repeatedly that nothing could possibly have been as cool as what Laura wound up doing.

On the Nein not worrying about places Cad considered sacred ground, Caduceus “is fine with conflict. He doesn’t even really have to have conflict, he could assert himself if he were so inclined. It’s that he’s aware that there are limits to what these people can do. It’s very much the philosophy of ‘children and drunks can do no wrong’.” He’s picking his battles.

Was there a defining moment where Caleb started seeing the Nein as family? No single moment. “It’s like love by a thousand cuts.” Liam notes that he’s still not sure how Caleb would react if he suddenly had the means to carry out his plans. “He’s got the recovering-addict mentality.”

Cosplay of the Week: an amazing Pumat! (CriticalHitical, photo by Minniemooncos on Twitter)

Taliesin notes that Caduceus is definitely feeling more connected to the group. “If anything, Caduceus is really embracing his role as the spiritual guide to the group. He feels like he really has a lot to offer from that perspective of being the roving therapist. Or at least, he thinks he’s a roving therapist.” Liam notes that Cad is the most mysterious of the group to Caleb. “He’s the most religious character I’ve ever played, too. He’s fun! He really came together very nicely.”

On Caleb being more lighthearted on occasion: “He’s been out of practice being a human being for a long time.” The Nein’s brand of ridiculousness is rubbing off on him.

Why hasn’t Cad been pranking the Nein? “They don’t treat him poorly in that way yet. Siblings, man. I have quite a few siblings, and there is an energy. It’s the same way like when you’re around your parents, you revert to a 15-year-old.” Same with siblings. “There’s just something-- just the urge to torture them is so overpowering.” The moment he got the whistle, he knew exactly what he was going to do with it. Liam was reminded of Taliesin’s real-life siblings while watching these interactions in the game.

On Caleb’s laying on compliments for the Traveler: “The thing about time travel is it’s so implausible. It’s so implausible that I could see us finishing this campaign and Caleb will still have it in the back of his head for the rest of his life. But maybe Artagan could help with that. He certainly sees the potential in Artagan, and it was a balance between wanting to support everything Jester has devoted her life to, so it just felt like everyone was ready to write it off. Life is often like this, life isn’t what you thought it would be, it is what it is. Let’s not damn this yet, let’s feel it out. And if I can use this situation to possibly eradicate ultimate evil, that’s a win.”

Cad found it tough to have family and friends in the same room and play both roles. “I don’t know how much it came across that he was trying to keep them, not necessarily separated, but ‘family, guys, guys, family, ANYWAY.’” He did want to get his family on their way as quickly as possible. Cad is the equivalent of his early 20s, so something like 85-120 years old for a firbolg. 

Liam is asked about the conversation between Caleb and Yasha on watch several episodes ago. "You know what one of the best parts of that scene that played out was, is about 20 minutes or 30 minutes before that happened, I texted Ashley at the table and said, ‘Want to take watch? I have nothing planned, it could be fun.’” He wasn’t expecting it to go that far. “I think he had such an extreme reaction because he felt that he had done a good job of hiding things, and he was suddenly worried that he was transparent, that everyone had been able to read him this whole time when he’d thought that he was-- well, he’s a little in love with Jester Lavorre, and has been for a while, uselessly in love with her. The waltz was probably a little pebble. And in that moment-- this doesn’t play out verbally too much in the show, but he just was worried that this thing that he’s never going to admit to because it’s useless, she’s finding herself, and has her whole life ahead of her, and has other people around her who care about her and are a whole lot better for her than he is. And he’s aware of the way those two [Fjord and Beau] feel as well. It’s just there in the background fucking up his shit. It’s really just a problem. Big fucking problem.” 

Fan art of the week: a gorgeous Clay family portrait! (by Teaweltzer on Twitter)

On Clay being absent for the renewal of his home: “I don’t think his arc’s ending off-screen. I think his arc ends when he comes home to see what’s become of it.”

Is Caleb worried about Beau since the confrontation with her father? “Of course he is. She’s ignoring all the advice that she gave him. He doesn’t like to see her that hard on herself when she’s so competent and probably the backbone of the group. It’s the most judgey Caleb’s been of anybody, really, but he’s very aware of the pain of family and personal stuff. She knows her, and even though he broke his shit in half, he could still see the dynamic in the room when we visited his family, so he feels for her. We need you and we love you and we will miss you, you don’t fucking get to go.”

Each of the temples has a secondary god; what was the Blooming Grove’s other god? “The Blooming Grove is for the Archeart because it is a gift of beauty. It’s the Allhammer, the Changebringer, and the Archeart. It’s kind of a powerplay from the Wildmother, in my opinion. They’re all three based off of very specific types of funereal practices that are common throughout the world.”

Caleb saw giving over the transformation spell to Essek as a returning of one of his many favors. “Caleb likes Essek a lot. They’re like two highly gifted kids at school together. And, you know, he’s quirkily charming and handsome. There’s just no reason not to, in his mind. Outside of the M9, he’s probably the only person that Caleb would see as a friend that he’s made. Everyone else is just sort of scenery around the M9.”

What’s next for Cad? “It’s a little bit of finding himself, or at least finishing himself would be the way to put it.” (cue snickering from off-camera) “He’s also vaguely aware of some of the things that are going to possibly emotionally damage the party on the horizon, and he wants to be ready to deal with, in vague order, whatever’s going to happen to Jester, and then whatever’s going to happen to Fjord, and then whatever’s going to happen to Nott, and Yasha, and Caleb. He doesn’t know how to deal with what Beau’s going through. It’s the one thing he has no experience of, because he has no experience with that family dynamic. When he met people with that family dynamic, it was always at the end of it.”

Some fans sent in death whistles. Brian encourages Taliesin to play one on the plane.

The hat for Calliope was a last-minute thought. The flute could also have gone for Colton, depending on “who I could sneak up on”.

Caleb took a symbol of the Archeart from the Labenda Swamp. “I think it was familiar to me. I think I might have either correctly or mistakenly thought it reminded me of the woman who helped Caleb in the Sanatorium.”

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Caesar Gattuso - Year One

Cassell College, Norton Hall

Norton Hall was not accustomed to this level of decadence. The stately hall had hosted its own manner of events that catered to lords and ladies in the fashion of high society, but this event had the formality of a massive rock concert-slash-frat party. Although the sun had set, it was still technically Freedom Day and Caesar Gattuso had made his presence known in his first year by winning the contest. Now it was time to cement his legacy. As soon as the announcement of the winner was read, trucks rushed to surround Norton Hall and opened their back doors to reveal equipment that had to have been ordered weeks in advance. Huge speakers, stage equipment, sound, lighting and confetti. By the time the guests arrived, the music was loud enough to shake the building. 

The blue and white Sikorsky helicopter, the mother of all helicopters, swooped over Norton Hall blowing the hair of the women and sending decorations flying. A rope was lowered down and Caesar Gattuso - year one - swung down recklessly, a vicious cold smile on his face, firing a gun in the air. There was a moment of gaiety and joy as the new students of the Student Union welcomed their President with cheers and raised glasses and thunderous applause.

Caesar landed cleanly in his Cassell Uniform, that old green, but he quickly tossed away that jacket to reveal his bare muscular chest. A huge crate landed on the ground next to him and he opened it and pulled out a huge gun that looked like a bazooka and fired it into the air. The rocket exploded into bright red fireworks and he laughed, like a joyous king on conquering the enemy capital. The jacket soared into the gathered crowd in the garden where the women in bathing suits pounced on it, tearing and yanking on it like packs of hyenas.  The day was hot and humid and the perfect time for a pool party. There should not have been any time to build a real pool but Caesar anticipated his win so far in advance that he ordered the sculpture garden revamped. The water was just ready enough as he made his entrance and all the guests dove into a new pool that stretched the length of the backyard.

Dancers surrounded the pool in sequined bathing suits waving feather fronds in their own individual spotlights. The walls of the outside of the building were covered in billboard-sized LED screens so people could watch themselves party. The sound and lighting alone had to cost a few hundred grand and the power demands were so great that generator trucks sat outside. But Caesar doesn’t care about time, money, or restrictions. That’s why he hires people. He just wanted it done and Caesar had over staffed. The attendance was bloated with waiters pouring champagne, valets taking clothes to lockers, cooks replenishing the buffet and cleaning up crew to cart away the bottles. He never wanted his guests to wait or wonder when the next plate of hors dourves would pass by. He wanted everyone to get roaring drunk. And they weren't drinking from some old well. They were drinking the finest, top-shelf liquor and spirits a Gattuso could afford.

And that meant all of them, open bar. 

Security detail especially was huge.  Caesar was accustomed to party crashers. Before you could even approach Norton Hall on this night you had to get through layers of checkpoints. If you weren’t on the list, you couldn’t even approach the street the building was on and had to watch and listen from a distance, knowing that you just weren’t good enough to make the cut for Student Union.

Nono was poolside, cooling her toes in the water. Her bikini accentuated the curves of her body and the length of her legs. If anything was worthy about Cassell it was her. Despite the rich and joyous smiles of everyone around, their eyes met easily over the fray and the noise. She was calm as though this was a nice day at the beach and that unruffled manner in a sea of revelry just made his heart beat faster. He made his way over to her and offered her her own glass of Champagne which she accepted with serene grace. 

“Enjoying the party?” He asked, sitting down next to her.

She sipped, her eyes taking in the scene in front of her.. “Hm. It’s certainly fun watching everyone have such a good time. But I’m more curious about what’s happening next door.”

He followed her gaze. The revamping of the backyard to accommodate the pool had left a gap in the shrubbery and they could both see the cars parked out in front of Amber Hall as a shield. “Those flags on the antennae of the cars don’t come from any coat of arms or country I’ve ever seen. What about you?”

“It does seem like a state visit. The student inside registered as His Royal Highness.” Caesar smirked a bit. “But results on his exam are still pending. We’ll see how much of a King he really is.”

“Are you planning to start a war?” Her eyes sparkled with intrigue, that unique shade of crimson that fascinated him the moment he saw it the first time.

“Well, they’ve drawn the battleline already haven’t they?” Caesar’s eyes glittered with malicious humor. “Kings are meant to be conquered.” He finished off his glass and a waiter was there to take it immediately. “But since you’re so interested. Shall we go spy on the neighbors?”

“You’re going to ditch your own party that you paid millions for?” Nono snorted.

“I will if you want to.” He said softly, so that only she could hear.

Nono suddenly felt a perverse rise in rebellion at this but, in fact, she was curious who those people were. She didn’t answer verbally. She just stood up and started walking. Caesar followed. 

The only way to see over the trucks was to rise to the second floor but this mystery family had even thought of that and installed black tarps over the garden where people could go outside if they wanted fresh air. These tarps extended from the second story windows of Amber Hall to the SUVs. The rest of the grounds were empty of people. Nono had her bare legs over Caesar’s bare shoulders on the open air balcony, using binoculars to peer in though a tiny gap between the tarps, watching people pass by a single window. Because they thought the tarps would hide it, they left that window uncovered.

“They look older. The people in attendance aren’t students. But they must all be hybrids. Some of them are armed. I saw one with a gun earlier.” Nono said. “They look antique though. Nothing modern.”

“Old men come to cosplay? Typical royal family. Turns out this isn’t as interesting as I thought it would be.” Caesar said.

As soon as those words left his mouth, a sound reached his ears, soft, but unmistakable. A gunshot. Caesar blinked in confusion, not sure if he had heard right. Then another and another! 

“Something’s happened, the crowd is scattering!” Nono said.

He lowered Nono from his shoulders.. “Get down!”

“Hey, put me back up!” 

But Caesar had already vaulted over the balcony and landed on his feet, dashing towards Amber Hall. Nono followed him, determined not to let him get to know what was going on before she did.

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

While Dominic was taking his royal vows, a pair of green eyes watched him from the upper floor of Amber Hall. Those Green eyes belonged to Tjark - silent T - Beninga. He was also in a Cassell Uniform but stayed in the shadows. He’d heard of Dominic from his family after he got accepted to Cassell, his parents had applied for him to go here as a ‘special assignment’. His family were underground merchants, mercenaries, and the rich people below needed someone to watch their favored son and with his high level blood, he was a shoe in for the job. It wasn’t until after his arrival did he understand that his job wasn’t to protect the little prince, but to keep him from escaping.

Apparently, he didn’t want to be a prince. Tough break. You can’t pick your parentage.

But he didn’t mind being on watch duty. Dominic was easy on the eyes. If he played his cards right, perhaps he could be promoted to his closest side rather than being a peripheral.

When Dominic fell to the floor, he sat up straight watching Sylke race to him with a feeling of jealousy. That is until his black sword nearly took off her head and the gun fired. Dominic was running up the stairs, firing the pistol, efficiently dropping people one by one and he felt his heart flutter with amazement, excitement, and admiration. He hadn’t really believed this guy was an escape artist. Now he could see it with his own eyes. His job was to stop him from getting away at any cost.

The man was racing right for him towards a second story window, but Tjark simply raised his foot to catch his shin. Dominic fell forward but twisted his body immediately to face him. His eyes were crazed and desperate. He was running for real.

Tjark was top of his class in Taekwondo, Karate and Judo and immediately as he saw that fiery bright light in Dominic’s eyes he felt it spark in him. He no longer had to hold back for sporting rules of competition. He wondered how many hits this guy could take as he lashed out with his fists against and again.

But each time he struck, Dominic continued to back away, ducking, keeping his distance and blocking with one arm. Until he reached the window. Tjark saw his plan and hurried to block him from jumping through. That glass wasn’t the safe kind that could break into little pebbles but the kind that would shatter into sharp blades.

Dominic raised the pistol and fired at Tjark’s head and Tjark ducked away.

Dominic recklessly leaped through it, crystal shards tearing into his suit as he rolled down the tarps to the vans with Tjark right behind him. “Are you insane?” He asked, laughing. 

Dominic didn’t answer, he just turned, fired the gun once, but his aim missed.  He leaped down from the SUV and took off towards where Caesar and Nono were approaching with stunned looks on their faces. He passed them with the full unnatural speed of a hybrid.

 “Nice ass, buddy!” Tjark hollered as he passed them. “Just let me handle this and go back to your party! I’ll see you later!”

Caesar sneered.

When Tjark turned back around, Dominic was on him like a tiger. As soon as he realized Tjark was distracted he turned right back around, ran back to him and destroyed his temple with a roundhouse kick that knocked him flat to the pavement. He pulled a pistol and shot him once before turning and running away.

Nono gasped and rushed to where Tjark was lying on the ground.

“He’s fine. That was an alchemy round. He’ll wake up in about thirty minutes.”  

At this time, people were pouring out of Amber Hall. “Find him! Don’t let him get away!”

Caesar’s eyes widened. This was way more fun than a frat party. A game of hide and seek, a scavenger hunt, a chase. He had to keep this in mind for the next Day of Liberty. He turned and ran back towards Norton Hall.

“Where are you going?” Nono asked.

 He shouted over his shoulder. The cold light in his eyes was replaced by a fiery challenge. “This is way more interesting. You’re right! I’m going to join in!”

[kpopcotton]

The Lonely Count ~ Huang Renjun

a/n ~ Happy Halloween! I’m so happy to finally get this out since I’ve been working on it all month!

• Genre: supernatural, high school au, strangers to friends, slight romance, fluff, angst if you squint

• Warning(s): very brief mentions of (fake) blood, it’s overall very toned down

• Reader Gender: gender-neutral

• Word Count: 6.2k

==≎==

   “No.”

   “Are you serious?!” Haechan cries out, his hands reaching across the table to give you a good shake as he speaks. “Come on! It’ll be so much fun! Besides, everyone else wants to and I already told them you were coming so, by law, that means you have to. Plus! Jaemin said he was excited to see you since you haven’t been hanging out with us recently.”

   The mere mention of his friends makes you want to crawl into a hole to hide. You blankly stare at Haechan’s overdramatic pout as he tries to guilt-trip you, his simple act makes you want to go even less. There was no way you were going to spend Halloween night with a bunch of severely good-looking people. Good-looking people meant attention, and attention meant you would be the designated person that people would come to ask for the boys’ numbers. 

   You could imagine it now, the random, crowded Halloween party they were probably planning on attending, and them leaving you alone to find a wall to sit against while they went out and mingled. You already felt like a clown just thinking about it. Maybe I should dress up as one, show my true colors. You remember Haechan’s friends mentioning being introverts that one time you had to take a personality quiz in Health class freshman year, but you find that hard to believe.

   Sometimes, it still amazes you how you’ve stayed friends with Haechan, in all his bubbly, social, annoying glory. “Tell them my mom grounded me,” you mumble, trying to show just how uninterested you are.

   “But that’s a lie! Your mom-”

   “Exactly.” You snap with your gaze fierce. Haechan’s previously open mouth clamps shut, fixing an awkward silence between you two in the booth of the diner.

   You angrily opt for stuffing your face with the fries from your basket instead of talking to him. Your eyes drift to the window as you chew them. Haechan watches you, his foot slowly sliding across the floor to poke at your ankle, his way of getting you to calm down and forgive him for prodding. It has the opposite effect, however, your foot shooting out to give his shin a good kick as you glare at him again. He yelps quite loudly and the waitress who was on her way to ask you if you wanted refills, flinches, turning around to pretend to help a coworker behind the counter.

   Haechan’s face flushes a pale red as he brings his leg up to rub at his shin. “That hurt, you know,” he whines, his bottom lip trembling pitifully.

   “Good.”

   His sad expression disappears in an instant, his face now pressed into clear frustration as he drops his leg back down. “Okay, seriously, what is up with you? If it were any other time, you’d be all over hanging out.”

   “Exactly. I would say yes to hanging out if it was with literally anyone else.” You stressed, sipping your drink. Haechan looks to be at his wit’s end with you.

   “What do you even mean?”

   “What I mean is, I don’t like your friends, Donghyuck. I mean, yes, they may be nice to me, and yes, it is cool that they want to include me in plans, but do you ever stop to think that I don’t enjoy hanging out with them? Or that I’m not a fan of the things you guys like to do? Or that maybe, when I’m with them, it’s like I’m not even there at all?” For once in his life, Haechan is speechless, staring at you with wide eyes as if all of this was surprising to him. And, maybe it was.

   “Y/N, I-”

   “I’m not finished.” You hold up a finger to his lips. “Listen, I get that you don’t want to leave me out of the loop or whatever, but parties and hanging out in bigger groups is not my thing. I’d rather it just be us, like when we were kids, where we ran around town past curfew on Halloween stealing candy bowls so we could get fat for winter. Hell, I’d even be down to explore those “haunted woods” we were always scared of because of that story Johnny told us when we were in first grade.”

   “Did I hear that right? Exploring the haunted woods? I knew you’d come up with an amazing idea for our get together, Y/N!” Speak of the devil and he shall appear. The Na Jaemin graciously plops himself down next to you in the booth with a basket of chicken tenders and fries. Haechan’s other friends, Mark and Jeno, squish Haechan into the wall on the other side of the booth. Jaemin’s smile was almost too bright, his eyes full of childish wonder as he glanced between you and your best friend. “That’s what this is right? A planning sesh? I love those, you know!”

   You ignore Jaemin, your eyes currently stabbing holes into Haechan, but the little coward is too embarrassed to even look at you. He doesn’t remain silent, however, choosing to be civil and answer Jaemin’s question. “Y-Yeah, we were planning what we wanted to do with you guys Halloween night.”

   “Oh goodie,” Jaemin claps excitedly, “Count me in then, guys!”

==≎==

   You were dreading Halloween by the time it came around. You had planned on avoiding them, maybe sneaking out to hang out with the dynamic duo, Jisung and Chenle, from your first-hour Psychology class. But, all hopes were dashed when your mom happily invited all four boys into the house when Haechan knocked. They were already dressed for the occasion; Haechan as an angel, Jeno and Jaemin cosplaying the spies from Spy vs. Spy, and Mark as… himself?

   He must have noticed your questioning glance because he was quick to explain, “I’m dressed as Peter Parker.” He pulls his backpack around to show you the mask conveniently hanging out.

   “He was too embarrassed to wear the suit,” Haechan announces, making you involuntarily let out a chuckle. Your mom coos while patting the latter’s shoulder and Mark’s ears burn bright red.

   “It’s skin-tight dude!”

   “And?”

   Before you could say anything in response, Jaemin was dragging you up the stairs to the bathroom, his arm full of costume things. He was talking a mile a minute about how he found the perfect costume for you and how he was so excited to help you get ready. He sat you on the toilet and quickly drew out the costume bag. 

   “Ta-dah!” His smile is, once again, blinding. You scan the packaging.

   “S-Sexy vampire?” You splutter, almost choking on your spit.

   “Yes! And, I can’t wait to see you in it!” He shoves the bag into your hands before turning around and covering his eyes. “Hurry up! Get changed! We don’t have all night!”

   You slowly get changed into the costume; which is a pair of black slacks, a classic frilly white top with bloodstains that has a very lowcut neckline and a deep v-cut through the back, and a black cheap cape. You stand awkwardly in your costume, it fits a bit tight, as you look at your bright pink face in the mirror. Jaemin spins around excitedly to face you when he hears you stop moving, letting out a sharp gasp.

   “Oh. My. Gosh! You look amazing!” He squeals, clapping with all his might. “Now let’s get you some makeup!”

   You’ve been pushed back onto the toilet in the blink of an eye, Jaemin settling himself between your legs. He can’t stop mumbling about how cute you are and how perfect the costume is. You notice movement in the corner of your eye and see Haechan trying to sneak into the bathroom. You glare at him and Jaemin turns away from dabbing fake blood onto your lip to see.

   “Haechan, look! Aren’t they so hot?”

   Haechan suddenly flushes, pausing halfway through the door to scan your costume. You notice his eyes linger on your exposed collarbones and you tug the thin cape to hide them. “Yeah,” He nods after his once over, reaching up to flick at the plastic golden halo on his head. “I mean, they don’t look half as good as me, but I’ll-” He cuts himself off with a scream when you stand up to go after him.

   Jaemin laughs, his hands quickly grasping your hips to keep you in front of him. “Woah, tiger. Calm down, you can beat him up when I’m done!”

==≎==

   You knew you were radiating the most awkward energy as you came down the stairs in your getup. Your tongue is mindlessly playing with the fake fangs Jaemin had stuck to your canines with tacky-putty, they feel foreign whenever you close your mouth. Your mom, upon seeing your costume, rushes up to gush about it, her fingers pinching your pale dusted face before she begs you all to pose for pictures. Your face feels hot under your makeup and you wonder if it showed through the stuff Jaemin caked onto it. She quickly runs to get her phone, giving Jeno and Mark a chance to compliment your look. You thank them almost silently.

   She won’t stop talking when she comes back, reminiscing about the days when you were all young, fragile, and small. She doesn’t miss the chance to poke at you for being a particularly weak kid, to which you fume over. Haechan tries to add onto it but you stomp your boot on his foot, shutting him up instantly.

   As she takes a few photos, the boys having fun with their poses while you try to join, she then starts to mention that this will be the last time you all go trick or treating before college. A pebble of guilt forms in your stomach when she says this, you weren’t expecting the boys to lie to her about what you were going to do tonight. You start to drift into thought when Mark, who’s standing next to you, loudly stumbles to mention he’s already in college, and that he’s taking engineering classes at the tech college in the next town over. Your mom seems embarrassed to have assumed he was younger, but she brushes it off by saying he should take care of everyone tonight as he is an adult. Haechan pouts at your mom when she says this, saying that the rest of you are technically adults since you’re all 18, and she laughs and pats his cheek which turns red at the contact.

   “Alright, kids, have fun! Stay safe! And don’t be out too late, I don’t want Y/N to wake me up in the middle of the night getting home.” The boys all reply with some version of, “yes ma’am” and start down the sidewalk toward the edge of town where the haunted woods start. 

   Mark and Haechan lead the pack, walking side by side and cracking jokes to the duo behind them. You, on the other hand, silently take up the rear alone. You already feel out of place. It doesn’t help when a group of pretty girls call out to Jeno and you have to follow as they all take a detour to talk to them. Haechan is quick to brag about your plans to explore the haunted woods, one of the girls gasping and indulging him. She’s dressed in a bright red jumpsuit, a headband with matching demon horns protruding from her hair. How ironic. 

   As usual, the girls are all over the four boys, none of them even sparing a glance at you. Typical. Sometimes you wish you had the confidence Haechan possessed to strike up a conversation with them, maybe then they would notice you. It sucked, but you knew it would happen, even when Jaemin said no one would dare ignore a “sexy vampire such as yourself”.

   Soon enough, Mark decides that it’s time to go and they have to pull Haechan away from the demon girl he was flirting with. Again, you all fall into the formation at the start of your journey. Your mood is completely sour, and you contemplate sneaking off. You knew Jisung and Chenle were probably out and about trick or treating, and they had invited you when you said you were forced into plans you didn’t want to partake in. You had told them it was up in the air, and that you might ditch. Jisung said he would save some candy for you and Chenle said he’d buy you a candied apple. You suddenly have a craving for a candied apple. You bet yourself ten dollars that you would have a better time with the two younger boys than with Haechan and his buddies.

   As soon as you turn to make a run for it, Jaemin shouts out, startling you. “We’ve made it! Guys, guys, are you ready for this? The scare of our lives awaits us!” He enthusiastically claps. “Y/N? Y/N! Come take a picture of me in front of the trees!”

   Seriously? “Coming,” You grumble, walking past everyone to wear Jaemin stands, making sure to check your shoulder into Haechan’s.

   You awkwardly take Jaemin’s phone from him after he opens the camera app. His smile is so strikingly perfect, you have a hard time focusing. He skips over to just in front of the tree-line and poses. You follow and take a couple of pictures before holding out his phone to him. “No, no wait. Take a couple more over here. Please, please, please!” You hesitate, trying and failing to hide your disgust when he gets down on his knees to beg. The boys behind you laugh at the scene, mumbling some things back and forth before laughing harder. An odd feeling clenches your heart when you wonder if Haechan was laughing at you, or making fun of you. “I’ll love you forever! Y/N, please, it’s for my Instagram!”

   At that, you shove the phone into his face, causing him to let out a squeak. “Have your boyfriends do it or something,” You then push past the kneeling boy and make your way into the woods. You just want to get this over with.

   The boys grow silent, looking at each other in confusion as you disappear into the thick underbrush. Haechan panics when he realizes just how thick it is, he can’t see you at all through the trees. He quickly apologizes to Jaemin before running after you. Mark and Jeno help Jaemin off the ground before following as well. 

   Once they step through the spot you had, awe overtakes them. The area, despite having a mass of vines and bushes surrounding it, is fairly open and you can see ahead for what looks like miles. It was dark, a lot darker than it was on the sidewalk with the full moon. The trees were all thin, devoid of branches until their very top where their canopies spread and weave together to block out the sky. It was eerily silent and it seems the sounds of life couldn’t penetrate the veil that bordered the entire wood. 

   Haechan could see you already a little ways ahead, looking around with an expression he would have thought cute if it weren’t for the way you had been acting all night.  He stumbles on his way up to you, reaching you much slower than he expected being as you didn’t seem that far in the first place. The three boys behind him let him go, opting to explore the wood together and away from the conflict they knew was about to happen.

   “Y/N, what was that?” Haechan questions you once he’s close enough, his voice low and demanding like you had done something wrong. He tugs on your cape and it irks you.

   “What was what, Donghyuck?” You growl, stepping up so you’re chest to chest with him, a challenge. “You better lay off, alright. I’m not doing this with you. And, in the haunted woods of all places.”

   His angered expression fades instantly as he gawks at you. He isn’t stupid, he understands something has made you upset with him if your use of his real name again was anything to go by, but he isn’t smart enough to figure out why. Before he could ask what pissed you off, Jeno’s voice slices through the silence from up ahead. You both turn to see him pointing to an old, victorian style house in the distance with a smirk. A small feeling of dread pricks at your lungs, deflating them and making you suck in a shaky breath. You forget the argument with Haechan in favor of observing the house.

   The house is large and looks very expensive, most definitely a grand mansion in its prime. The tallest tower’s roofing extends through the canopy and lets in a minuscule amount of moonlight which shines upon the face of the house, glinting off of the second-floor windows. The exterior could use some work, it looks like it hasn’t been properly maintained in years. The roof is missing some shingles, the wooden siding was splintered, and there were cobwebs on the front porch and in the eves of the roof. Surprisingly, even with the signs of age, everything was intact, like it was preserved by the woods itself. How you didn’t notice it before was unnerving to you.

   The five of you gather around the front steps. Upon closer look, it seems like some has been maintaining the house. There’s a potted plant next to the door that looks freshly trimmed and watered, and the garden surrounding the porch is beautifully filled with thriving flowers you were sure weren’t native. You wondered how they bloomed with such minimal light. As the boys discuss a plan of action, you almost curse when you see a faint light floating around inside the house. You pretend you never saw anything, taking it as your imagination playing tricks on you, in hopes to slow your suddenly racing heartbeat.

   “So, we explore it?” Haechan asks, however, it doesn’t seem like it was meant as a question as he’s already on his way to walk up the stairs before Mark’s hand shoots out and yanks him back by the collar.

   “I don’t think so, dude,” Mark quickly responds, his head shaking so fast you worry he’ll give himself whiplash. “Do you want to be killed or something?”

   “Yeah, it doesn’t seem like a good idea,” Jaemin pouts, his voice whiny. “We might get arrested for trespassing or something.”

   Jeno laughs, “Come on, are you guys scar-”

   “Let’s do it.” You suddenly speak up, your voice surprising yourself. You had no clue what compelled you to say that, but it seemed like something inside of the house was telling you to come in.

   “What?” All four boys seem dumbfounded. You don’t get why they’re so startled of you agreeing when they were the ones who suggested it in the first place.

   “Okay, Y/N, you are officially insane!” Jaemin shrieks, his thoughts seem to be racing before he gasps. “Are you possessed? Is that why you’ve been acting so weird tonight?”

   “I haven’t been acting weird,” You defend, already halfway up the stairs before you turn back to speak again. “You four just don’t know me. Now, we came here to get scared, didn’t we? So are you guys coming or not?”

   Jeno nods almost instantly, his expression stoic but you could see faint sympathy in his eyes as he joins you in climbing the old stairs. They didn’t creak under your combined weight, despite looking like they’d cave in if one too many people were on them at once, which surprised you. Haechan was next to follow, whining about the not so subtle dig you had directed at him. Jaemin hesitated before scurrying up the steps to cling to Jeno’s arm, muttering something about Jeno being the one to protect the group if something were to attack you. Mark was last, begrudgingly trudging up the steps with heavy feet, claiming that if things went south, he would leave everyone in a heartbeat.

   You rolled your eyes before turning to the grand main entry. It was a black wooden door, beautiful down to the very last detail, with a shining metal knocker in the shape of a boar with a nose ring. You gently run your fingers over the boar’s head before wrapping them around the nose ring to knock, the metal biting your hand with numbness.

   “Oh, please don’t Y/N, we-”

   Knock, knock, knock.

   “Ah, seriously, you’re going to get us murdered!”

   “Relaxed, Nana, it’s just an abandoned house. We’ll be okay.” Jeno laughed, watching the latter dig his nails into his bicep with a sweet eye smile.

   “Yeah, I’m just being polite,” You turn back to glance at him and the door opens behind you with a swooshing gust of wind. It’s almost strong enough to knock you off your feet, but you only stumble as Mark reaches out to help stable you. Your styled hair is now messed up and you notice Jaemin’s disappointment under the raging fear. All of their eyes are fixed on the door behind you. “What?” You ask, glancing at Mark. “Is there something behind me?”

   “No. Thank goodness. I didn’t want to have to save you,” Haechan walks up next to you, his chest puffing up as he tries to look tough while peering into the dark house. You resist smacking him upside the head for his comment. “It looks empty.”

   “Just like we thought,” Jeno adds, his words meant to comfort the group, but you could tell it was mostly directed at Jaemin who was shaking in his boots. Jeno gently fixes the spy cap on Jaemin’s head before his own.

   “So, we go in?” Haechan asks, again pretending he didn’t just ask a question as he starts to walk through the crack in the door. Mark, again, yanks him back by the collar, to which the former whines about choking.

   “Would you stop doing things all willy nilly?” Mark stresses, fixing the wrinkles he had caused in Haechan’s button-down. Haechan shrugs and Mark sighs, using his foot to open the door the rest of the way.  The darkness fades instantly when the lanterns flicker to life inside the house. “Okay, now let’s go.”

   You all walk inside with you in the front for once, the door closing behind Jeno and Jaemin but you aren’t sure who closed it. There’s an ambient sound of the fire crackling softly from the lanterns. The inside of the house is a stark contrast to the exterior. It’s well maintained and neat down to the very last speck of dust, almost like a museum. The room you had all walked into was the foyer, a thin room almost like a long rectangle with stairs stretching up the right wall toward a landing with three doors. You notice everything is severely outdated, the carpet red with gold floral accents and the walls half dark wood paneling and half faded floral wallpaper. There’s a dark wood table just to the left of you between two dark archways, it holds a priceless porcelain vase filled with stunningly preserved roses and you can smell their faint aroma from where you stand. To your right, just before the stairs is another archway leading into the right side of the house, and next to it is a coat rack which holds a small, but expensive, fur coat.

   “Woah, this place is-”

   “Stunning,” You breathe, your feet taking you down the hall as if you were floating and Mark’s hand narrowly misses your cape. Your eyes trail along every detail. Surprisingly, Jaemin is right behind you, leaving the rest of the boys at the door. You both reach the farthest arch on the left side, practically hand in hand, and you step through it first. The lights in this room flickering to life as well, revealing a lavish living space.

   You and Jaemin both gasp. Floor to ceiling bookshelves line two walls, a marble fireplace between a couple on one wall. There’s dark wood flooring in here but the couches and chairs are the same patterns as the carpet in the foyer. There’s a bearskin rug between the three couches and an antique coffee table sits on top of it. The shelves have collectibles too, dispersed between thousands of books. One of them, you note, is a Moomin figurine which is out of place in the traditional home.

   You glance back at the fireplace, suddenly regarding a large portrait above it, your feet gluing themselves to your spot on the floor. The person in the portrait is beautiful, much like the house. His eyes seem to pierce your very soul as you stare into them, and his expression is that of arrogance and power. He’s dressed in black gothic clothing but he has a stark white choker with a deep red-ruby. His hair is black, pulled out of his eyes but it brushes against his forehead in a few stray strands. You felt you could stare at him for hours, he was that handsome.

   “Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” Haechan chuckles into your ear, snapping you out of your daze as you flinch away from him. Your fist comes out to punch him in the shoulder before you can even process it. He yelps, catching the other boys’ attention from their spot examining the books.

   “What’s wrong?” Mark asks, still on edge as his eyes scan Haechan frantically.

   “Nothing, nothing,” Haechan grunts softly, rubbing his shoulder while he points to the piece of art. “Just making fun of Y/N for falling in love with a painting.”

   “I wasn’t falling in love!” You protest, your cheeks flaring with heat.

   “Okay, then what were you doing? Admiring the art?” Haechan asks, a little quirk to his lips. “Or that guy’s face?”

   You reach out to hit him again and he flinches, running away from you to hide behind Jeno, his tongue poking out to mock you. You get ready to chase him, but you decide against it, not wanting to accidentally knock something expensive over.

   “Oh, Y/N, I don’t blame you,” Jaemin gasps, his hands cupping his cheeks before one hand lowers to fan himself. You look over at him. “He’s so pretty!”

   “Hey,” Jeno suddenly speaks up with a pout.

==≎==

   You all spend the next hour exploring the bottom floor of the house. Jaemin follows you around to take pictures of anything he thought looked cool which was mostly you in your vampire costume doing casual things around the house. “Your vibes, Y/N! You suit this house so well!”

   You didn’t pay him any attention, focusing on finding out who that boy in the painting was. You snoop through the bookshelves in the living room while the others mess around in the kitchen. Jaemin got bored of you ignoring his pose ideas and left to join the others. You found a black and white picture of a toddler in a suit, a bit blurry as it seemed the toddler would not stop moving, but it was definitely him. You barely noticed your fingers starting to trace the boy’s features, quickly withdrawing upon realization, a sharp heat scorching the apples of your cheeks as you walk around and see what other pictures you can find.

   You found another of the boy, a bit older than the last picture, in the front garden you and the boys had gathered in. He was sweetly observing the flowers and a few specks that were most likely bees, and even in the poor quality, you could see the precious smile he wore. Your lips slowly curve into a smile the longer you stare at the photo. You were viciously torn from your daze when a loud shatter rang through the house, loud yelling following after and alerting you.

   “Haechan you idiot!” Mark. He sounded like he was on the verge of bawling his eyes out and, when you find them in the foyer, it looks like he is. The priceless vase that once stood on the table, lay on the floor in absolute ruin. There were shards of porcelain everywhere.

   “What have you done! We’re going to be cursed!” Jaemin wails, his face in his hands.

   “Guys, guys, relax. Just watch out for the pieces.” Jeno’s hands stuck out between the group of boys as a means of mediation.

   Before anyone could speak again, Haechan’s mouth already open to defend himself, the sound of a door opening upstairs alerts everyone. Dread fills everyone’s faces, yours included. Mark is the first to move, snatching Haechan’s collar and bolting for the door as fast as he can, pushing Jeno out of his way in his haste to get out. Haechan’s voice is pitchy as he cries out in fear. Jeno is right behind them, his arms tightly around Jaemin as he hauls him out, both of them muttering to each other what you can assume are comforting words. You try to leave as well, but a voice calls out to you, accompanied by the door slamming shut in front of you. Instantly, you hear faint banging and yelling from the other side of the door, but it seems you have other things to focus on.

   “Who are you?” The voice is soft and would seem timid if it weren’t for the forceful undertone. You slowly turn to face the person addressing you, your jaw almost dropping in sheer awe.

   It was the boy from the painting, standing at the top of the staircase in all his glory. He was even prettier in person, even with the flecks of paint on his cheeks and the casual clothing he sports. He has a pair of spectacles low on his nose that you can’t help but find adorable, he squints at you over the top of them. His hair is a mess, sticking up in all directions as if he was tugging at it restlessly. You notice cute little Moomin slippers on his feet as well.

   “Hello? I asked you a question. Who are you?” He calls, his arms crossing and his pretty bottom lip quickly sticking out in a pout.

   You gulped down the spit that had collected in your mouth. Was everyone in this town drop-dead gorgeous? “I-I’m Y/N.”

   “Y/N?” He tests your name on his tongue, looking thoughtful as he cautiously steps down a few stairs. He gives you a once over, his eyes resting on your exposed collarbones and neck, where Jaemin had created fake puncture wounds, before they met yours again. “I’m Renjun. Now, I don’t usually get visitors. Ever. So, what are you doing in my house? Besides breaking expensive stuff and looking like an overly sexualized version of my friend YangYang? It’s a little rude, you know, we don’t look like that or dress like that, actually.”

   You felt yourself become tense. Great, not only has he trapped me in his house to probably kill me, he’s mocking my costume which isn’t even mine! He said it - wait a minute, “W-We?”

   His lips part in surprise, like he wasn’t supposed to have let that slip. You quickly take notice of a pair of little fangs protruding from under his top lip. Your face quickly flushes, your fading makeup doing little to hide it. He lets out a shy chuckle. “Well, yes, I-I’m a vampire. Do humans not think we’re real anymore?”

   You’re speechless, your mouth opening and closing uselessly like a fish out of water. You can’t decide if you are afraid or in awe. You feel faint, the words almost not processing completely.

   “I-I’m sorry to have dropped that bomb on you, but could we get back to the task at hand? Your friends kind of, you know, broke my favorite vase and ran.” His hand slowly stretches out to point at the collection of shards on his carpet. You shake your head to come back to Earth.

   “Oh right, I am so, so sorry, Renjun.” His name feels funny coming out of your mouth and you feel like you don’t have the right to call him by his name. However, it seems you using his name softens something up in him and he looks away from you shyly. 

   “I guess you’ll have to pay me in some way,” He suddenly says, his eyes finding yours again. You deflate, you knew something like this was going to happen, maybe not getting stuck in a vampire’s house, but you knew you would have to pay for your friends’ stupid actions tonight in some way. It happened when they all forgot their wallets when you went out for McDonald’s at three in the morning and it was happening again, but this time you wondered if you would be paying with your life instead of spare change. “That vase was priceless.”

   You close your eyes, waiting for him to finally attack you. “I understand,” You whisper.

   “W-Wait,” Renjun’s soft voice sounds panicked and you furrow your brow in confusion before opening your eyes again. He seems to have an epiphany. “Ah! I’m so sorry! I’m not going to hurt you! Oh gosh, did you think I was going to kill you or something? Drink your blood?” You nod slowly, even more confused. “Oh, Y/N, I’m not like that! I don’t drink straight from humans, that’s gross.”

   “What are you going to do to me then?” You ask.

   “D-Do to you?” Renjun stammers, his cheeks turning a pale blue hue, and his eyes growing to the size of dinner plates. You nod again, watching him start to frantically wave his hands. “Nothing! I won’t even lay a hand on you! I was just gonna ask you to keep me company!” 

   “Keep you company?”

   “I just - I haven’t left my house in like... years. And, YangYang actually moved to Germany so I haven’t seen him in a while and I’ve just been,” He hesitates, the conflict behind his eyes evident. “I’ve just been really lonely.”

   You feel like you’ve been hit with a brick to the chest, the air leaving your lungs and turning into pain, feeling for the boy in front of you. Even with friends, you know exactly how he feels. It hurts you to know that the first social interaction he’s had with anyone in a while has been you and your friends breaking into his house.

   “Oh, Renjun,” Your arms reach out to pull the boy into an embrace before you can even process it. The way you say his name makes him shudder despite not being able to feel cold. You pull away suddenly when you realize, both of you growing shy. “Wait, are you sure you want to be friends with someone who broke into your house? And someone who’s friends with an idiot who smashed your favorite vase?”

   “Absolutely, I would like that more than anything” He mumbles, finding it in himself to gently take your hands. “You are really lovely -- s-so far, at least. And, I want you to introduce me to this idiot friend of yours, I want to give him a piece of my mind.”

   You both share a laugh after that, and you hug him once more without even telling yourself to. “Then I would love to keep you company.”

   “Th-Thank you.”

==≎==

   “Y/N!” Before you could even close the door behind yourself, Haechan’s arms were suffocating you in one of the tightest hugs you had ever received from him. His face quickly buries into your shoulder and you feel the sticky wetness of his snot and tears on your bare skin. You forgo disgust in lieu of comforting your friend who seems to be more shaken up about the situation than you. You gently pet his hair while he nuzzles against you, rambling through his sobbing. “I’m so sorry! I swear, we tried to open the door, we really did! It was locked!”

   You try to talk, but he hugs you tighter with the rest of the boys quickly following suit, only a puff of air passing through your lips. “We thought we had killed you!” Jaemin cries, his head taking up your other shoulder from behind. You can’t exactly tell whose arm is whose around you. The hug lasts a little longer, Haechan and Jaemin mumbling and sniveling against your neck, and even with the obvious bodily fluids you can feel spreading around, warmth spreads through you at the notion that they care.

   “Was there a demon in there?” Mark asks with a trembling voice, backing away from the group hug with his eyes boring into yours as if to make sure your soul was still intact. He seems to scare himself looking back inside through the windows.

   “Nothing hurt you, right?” Jeno’s hands reach over the two boys still squeezing the life out of you to cup your cheeks and turn your head side to side.

   “I’m fine! I’m fine!” You rasp, “I just… can’t breathe.”

   Instantly, Jaemin and Haechan let you go, apologizing to you and choosing to coddle each other instead. The boys let out a collective sigh of relief. You let a small smile spread across your face before it drops. “Wait, I just realized something!” You gasp, the boys growing tense.

   “What? What? What is it?” Jaemin asks, leaving Haechan to hold both of your hands between his. His eyes worriedly scan your face.

   “You guys grabbed each other and just left me!”

   “Uh oh,” Haechan whispers, knowing your tone all too well. “Run!”

   Instantly the boys take off, much like they did inside the house, however, this time they are laughing. You race down the stairs after them before your body stops and turns you around to look at the second-floor windows. You can faintly see Renjun smiling brightly at you through the moon’s glare, he raises his hand and yours does too. He waves, but your hand doesn’t. Mind control. “Cool,” You whisper under your breath and he laughs from inside the house. You smile and wave back before Haechan calls from the tree line and you run to catch up.

I guess I owe myself ten dollars.