#also feel free not to match length

[sarayoonc]

SETTING: lincoln park ; saturday, morning AVALABILITY: closed starter for seong hyun woo | ( @hyunwooxseong )

Sara couldn't help but smile as Hanbin started helping her set the picnic things down on the blanket they'd brought for their morning together. Hyun Woo was supposed to join them too, which, Sara wasn't at all happy nor comfortable with, but she needed to remind herself that this was for their child and not for her happiness. By now, she had, in a way, accepted that happiness wasn't exactly in the stars for her. Otherwise, why else would she keep been thrown these curve balls all the time, right? Alas, here they were, and she was going to do her best to seem okay with Hyun Woo's presence there.

For Han Binnie... this was all for Hanbinnie.

They had already began munching on a few apple slices as they started painting out on their little notebooks too when Sara noticed Hyun Woo approaching their comfortable picnic area by the shadow of a tree. "Bin-ah." She said, gently touching his arm to get his attention, and then proceeded to sign, motioning her hand to the tall man close to them. "Do you remember Hyun Woo ahjussi?" Yes, because that's what he was. A stranger she no longer knew. A stranger her son was starting to get to know. "Do you think we could invite him to eat and paint with us?" Hanbin nodded excitedly already getting up from his spot and running towards Hyun Woo's direction. "Ahjussi! Come join eomma and me! We're painting! We have fruit!" He said, already taking Hyun Woo's hand and practically pulling him to where he and Sara previously were, babbling nonstop about everything under the sun... as he usually did.

"Don't pull him like that, Hanbin." She couldn't help by chuckle at his excitement and waved him over, so he could sit by her again. There was always the lingering fear of her son being taken from her by the man near them. "You're welcome to join us, Seong Hyun Woo-ssi." Sara announced, still using formal honorifics with her ex husband.

[scnsibilitics]

the ruby of the season.

the queen had designated mercy as such that morn and what a peculiar position it had thrust her into. she had gone from practically being snubbed only to be drowned in attention in a mere moment's notice. it did not help that mercy was not in search of a match. now she could not get the men to leave her be !

such as now. promenading beside a mr. talbot. an older man who evidently was in search of his fourth wife mercy did not dare inquire as to what happened to the other three. all he prattled on about was his achievements ( if one could call them that ) and how cold and empty his house was without a woman's touch. with perfect timing, mercy slipped from the conversation. gravel crunched between her heels as she made her swift escape. but the moment she believed herself to be safe, she caught sight of mr. talbot conveniently popping back up, marching his way over to her. her solution? she approached the first person she saw, slightly breathless as she conjured a faux smile onto her lips as if they had been engaged for more than a mere millisecond. "oh, stop ! you are too much, truly." then she forged a laugh, not sparing a glance back in fear the older man would not take the bait. | @londonhigh-societystart

[nathan-caruso]

Location: The Cozy Cup, coffee shop in Midtown Wilmington Featuring: @kyewinslcw

After the morning rush ended, Nathan was busy wiping the semi-dirtied counter from the spills and splashes of coffee, creamer, and whatever else the customer wants in their coffee. Nathan didn't judge; he's poured alcohol in 'em before for people. Whatever gets a good tip, y'know? He smirked at the thoughts, his hazel hues drifting across the patrons sitting in the shop. People watching was another perk of the job. Seeing one of his favorite tippers, his hands naturally reached for the decaf pot of coffee and oatmilk in the lower cooler before strolling over to Ms. Woods. The 68 year old woman inherited her ex-husband's very wealthy estate years ago and pretty much told anyone who listened. Was it kinda wrong to be so nice to someone just for money? Nathan's thoughts raced before remembering his ma and four younger siblings. "Judy, I noticed you needed a refill." The young male mused in a semi-loud tone. Despite having so very much money, Judy Woods didn't have that great of hearing aids. Nathan went ahead pouring some of the decaf into her almost empty cup. Clever idea getting his boss to switch to the clear mugs that he ensured him was very hipster and in right now. In reality, Nathan used it to ensure a cup was never empty around him. Maybe that's why regulars loved him so much. He splashed a dash of oatmilk in the cup before smiling at Judy. The usual routine occurred then: Judy would stir the mug two times, take a sip, and smile at Nathan while saying, "Your coffee just taste the best, my dear." Nathan's grin grew, the sweetness of the woman actually causing it for once. Grant it, serving her so many times over the many months did cause Nathan to become a little attached to her. "Thank you, Judy. How's the kids?" Nathan would always start to talk about her family or her dogs or even asking about whatever book she was reading. Seemed to always make her happy and well, again, it all came down to Nathan getting a decent tip. So he did endure a bit of repeated stories for the money in the end...

*Ten minutes later*

"Judy, I am sorry to have to leave you mid-conversation, but I'm afraid I have a customer coming in the door." Nathan pouted, nodding towards the person that he assumed just walked through the door. "Oh, sweetie, don't you be sorry! I appreciate you always talking to this crazy old lady. I need to get going anyways. They are installing the hot tub today in my the updated patio today. Did I tell you Jackie and the girls are coming over this weekend!" Judy said in an excited tone, openly holding out a 100 hundred bill to Nathan. And, like every other time she's given him a large tip, Nathan simply grabbed the bill from her hand and smiled. "Thank you, Judy. You enjoy that hot tub, but stay safe. Don't be breaking no hips or nothing." He joked causing the older woman to chuckle before she left the ship and Nathan walked back behind the counter. The 100 dollar bill felt like a victory in the front of his apron. Smiling at the new customer, Nathan settled into his spot at the register. "Hello there, how we doing today?"

[charmwisp]

WHERE: coffee shop in the down the rabbit hole underground mall WHEN: first week of june (no specific date, just current) WHO: anyone! ( @anchoragestarters ) CAP: none for now! (may cap later on)

Rika wasn't quite sure how to explain the feeling that came over her as she skimmed through the front page article, declaring that the strange creatures terrorising the town of Anchoage these past few weeks as nothing more than a hoard of vampire bats, but she suspected it wasn't too far from the feeling one might feel when they are losing their mind. If these things were just bats then why did the reports line up so neatly with what she had seen? Why had she been forced to take an unscheduled break from work after a customer had asked her if she'd heard the rumours and then gone on to describe the exact creature she'd seen in her nightmares? Nightmares she'd yet to tell a single soul about? She'd woken up, night after night, in so much pain that she thought she might be sick, only for reality to finally settle and the hurt of being stabbed to fade into nothing but a dream. It seemed as though, any time a mystery was presented to the authorities, they were determined to wave it off with the easiest, most digestible answer and move on. The same had happened with the seven of swords lead at Halloween; the police had zeroed in on the word sword and nothing else, brushing it off as nothing more than a reference to the victim's costume. (If the seven of swords was a symbol of betrayal and deceit, perhaps it was fitting after all; the cops were certainly betraying the trust of the townspeople by refusing to do their damn jobs.)

With a weary sigh and a neat frown fixed on her face, Rika set the newspaper down in front of her. “So,” she said, speaking clearly and impressing even herself with how well she'd masked her mounting frustration, “What do you make of this?” She rotated the paper, so that her view of it was now upside-down, and slid it across the table. As much as she wanted to say exactly what she made of it, the fear of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, or as though she really was losing her mind after all, kept her from saying too much. Living in the States hadn't helped in making her a more direct person either, despite her early hopes, and she still tended to shy away from rocking the boat unless it felt absolutely necessary. “Weren't there rumours about these things carrying off livestock? Could a bat do that? They're not very big...”

[awkwardcourage]

semi-plotted starter | @gingerspiice

It felt like cheating, even though there was no romance to anything they did. Hughie saw Robin in the corner sometimes, a brief flash of disappointment and judgement. She was never there when they did drugs, when Hughie actually wanted to see her. It was only when he and Cherie fucked that Robin haunted him.

Cherie didn't mind smoke in her apartment and it was nice to share a spliff, lying sweaty and naked in bed together, coming down from one high only to replace it with another. Hughie didn't like the taste of weed, but he still took deep drags.

"What are you thinking about?" Cherie asked, coaxing the spliff out of his mouth.

There were only ever two things on Hughie's mind: A-Train or Robin.

"I wish I could kill him." Hughie murmured, letting the spliff be pulled from his lips. "Or... break his legs so he couldn't run again."

Cherie hummed in thought, pausing to take a drag.

"I know a guy."

Hughie snorted. "What, a guy who kills supes?"

"Yeah."

"... Can I meet him?"

That was how Hughie wound up at a club he'd never even heard of, nostrils still burning from the coke he'd snorted before they'd gone out, the bass thrumming in his bones. There was comfort in not knowing if his heart palpations came from anxiety or narcotics. Cherie led him over to a tucked away booth. The man that was waiting for them didn't look like a supe killer. Hughie stared for far too long before Cherie nudged him into the booth. Hughie slid in, quivering with adrenaline and narcotics and offered an awkward wave in greeting.

[stxinedpxges]

▷"Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library."

The quote by the english poet Walter Savage Landor was one that Devin had always found truth in. Although most people thought all libraries to be the same, Devin couldn't disagree more. He felt that each library was different. That each library not only held the stories of the books they shelved but the stories of those that chose to read those books. Much like the quote Devin had always taken pleasure in exploring the libraries of all the places he had been but his love and belief in that quote had been thoroughly tested amongst the shelves of the Helltown public library.

It's not that there wasn't a decent selection, there was, maybe not the newest titles but there was enough to keep a regular reader interested but much like the rest of the town the library was a little run down, the books weren't as cared for as they should have been, the shelves creaked and groaned and dust swirled in the air, weighing heavily on the lungs of anyone who had spent far too much time there. It only added to Devin's curiosity within the town and he had found himself spending a few afternoons there after classes, not only to do research but to grade papers or write if the mood took him in that direction. He sat at one of the tables in the middle of the library, books piled and scattered around him. His notebook was half filled with notes and comments and he'd honestly forgotten what he had initially come in here for, his mind had been side tracked on numerous occasions onto a variety of topics and now he tried to piece it all together. The shelves creaked and he cast his eyes up from the page he was looking at to spot another person in the library with him, they were scanning the shelves which he had taken a few books from. He cleared his throat ❝Apologies, if ive taken something you're after. Feel free to come take it back.I'm just...well im not even sure what im really doing.❞

[sugcrxspice]

( july 25, down the rabbit hole underground mall ) @anchoragestarters

Ava knew this was a bad idea. Worse than that, she felt like she was regressing, resorting to something she used to do for kicks as a high schooler, and she wasn't exactly eager to revisit the tumultuous days of her adolescence. On the contrary, it was embarrassing for the youngest Adler to admit to herself that she was even considering the possibility of petty theft as a way to entertain herself. But after the events of the last few months, a newfound sense of restlessness had settled into her bones, refusing to let her function normally without feeling like she wanted to jump out of her skin, so she was itching to do... something to quiet the festering feeling brewing in her gut.

Ambling through a cosmetics stand, she looked around to make sure no one was paying close attention to her, eyes running over the items on display with practiced disinterest. She let her fingers run over the merchandise, picking up a few tester items and eyeing them for a moment before she wandered over to the array of lipsticks. Carefully slipping a tube off of the display, Ava tucked it into her jacket pocket, a small grin blooming across her lips at the long-dormant thrill that ran down her spine over the miniscule victory. But of course, that was the exact moment she looked up and made eye contact with someone just a few feet away. Did they see that? Should I just play it cool? She was usually quick on her feet, but in that moment, the brunette felt like a deer in headlights, tactlessly blurting out, "Uhhh... heeeey. What brings you here?"

[becameundone]

funhouse of mirrors, evening of 31st october / @anchoragestarters

Tomo was doing his very best not to freeze, in spite of the dawning realisation that he may have showed up to this stupid event in the single most skimpiest costume of anyone here. (The event wasn't stupid, sorry, he's just taking his anger out in the wrong place. And he can't really complain anyway, not after his own Halloween event went abysmally wrong. But that's not his fault, right? Nobody could have seen it coming.) All night he'd been telling himself it was worth it, beauty is pain or some dumb cliché shit like that, but now he felt rather like grabbing the Tomo from a month ago, whose idea this costume had been, and giving him a good hard shake. In an attempt to find some warmth beyond the biting cold of the Alaskan night air, blankets of frost already beginning to settle on the lifeless soil, Tomo bundled himself through the first door he'd encountered and slumped onto the floor in a shivering heap.

It was only when he finally started to regain the feeling in the tips of his fingers that he lifted his head and saw, first, that he'd stumbled into the funhouse of mirrors and, secondly, that he wasn't alone. "Oh, hey," said Tomo, addressing his newfound companion with a lopsided grin and a breathless laugh. "Sorry for intruding--- ugh, I hate these places." He looked about himself, taking in the sights of many different mirrors of all different sizes; some were short and squat, others long and thing and wavy around the rims. No matter how they looked or what they revealed, they were all laid out in a confusing labyrinth of unending reflections. Tomo pulled himself to his feet and brushed himself down. "I don't know why but they just give me the creeps," he said, moving forward to make it further into the funhouse. "But at least it's warm in h—"

Smack! The sound reverbated for a moment, bouncing off every wall and mirror, and was followed by the second sound of Tomo slumping back onto the ground. He had just walked straight into a mirror. "Ow," he complained, rubbing his forehead.

[sixstringcharley]

WHO: Anyone! WHERE: St Pancras Station WHEN: Valentine's Day

Now that the work rush was over, St Pancras had quieted down just a little. Every once in a while, someone hurried past, clearly on their way to catch a train or a taxi, but for the most part, people were strolling--maybe to visit the world's longest champagne bar, maybe to check into the high-class hotel, maybe just looking at the architecture and artwork. Charley had staked out a spot under the giant statue of two lovers embracing, hoping maybe it would entice people to listen to songs about love.

But not his own. Charley had written plenty about his brush with love before--but on Valentine's Day, he figured most people wanted to hear about when it'd gone right.

The terrace was empty enough that he'd taken a little break from performing, though, and had his notebook propped on top of his guitar. He'd play a couple notes, scribble something; play something else, scribble more. It was hard to capture the true depth of a feeling if you hadn't experienced it yourself, and he'd never had the chocolates-and-roses kind of deal. So the next best thing was hearing from someone who had, and when a person passed by close enough to talk to, he asked them, "Have you ever loved somebody?"

[ohkrateia]

starter for @scaffoldheld !

the rain outside hasn't relented in the slightest, bringing a bite to the air that makes des grateful for the thick of her jacket. it's as old as she is — a token of her father's youth that has long since faded — and she wears it akin to a shield as she slips her way deeper into the bar.

settling into the nearest stool, des leans her elbows onto the thick wood of the counter. flagging down a bartender and ordering a drink she naively hopes will warm the flush of cold burrowed deep in her heart, she chances a look to her side. a man, somewhat older than her and likely as exhausted, and with her anxiety over the storm quickly sinking in, des figures a conversation might do her some good.

" i'm desdemona. well, des ," she tries, looking over at him. " do you come here often? " her wince is audible, and she busies her cold hands by combing them through her hair, shaking out her soaked ends. " what i meant to say was: did you stop here to get out of the storm, too? "

[israelskelton]

Israel awoke with a start, his senses instantly on high alert. As his vision adjusted to the dimly lit room, he realized he was in an unfamiliar place, the remnants of a wild night flashing through his memory. Glancing around, he saw the still-sleeping form of the person who had brought him here. Deciding it was best not to disturb them, he quietly slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen.

The sound of his footsteps on the hardwood floor seemed deafening in the silence of the house, making him cringe inwardly. He reached the kitchen and instinctively opened the fridge, revealing an array of food items. His heightened sense of smell detected a familiar scent, and he spotted a box of cereal on the countertop nearby.

With a resigned shrug, Israel grabbed a bowl, poured some cereal into it, and added milk from the fridge. As he poured the cereal into the bowl, Israel couldn’t help but feel a pang of irony. His heightened senses and keen nose allowed him to detect the aroma of the cereal, but he knew all too well that he would not be able to taste it. But the act of eating had become more of a ritual than anything else. He found some comfort in the familiar routine, even if the flavors eluded him.

Just as he settled down at the kitchen table, crunching away at his tasteless meal, he heard the telltale sound of approaching footsteps. His ears perked up, and he quickly glanced towards the doorway, mentally preparing himself for an encounter. The other entered the kitchen, their eyes widening in surprise as they spotted Israel.

Israel raised an eyebrow, a sardonic smile curling on his lips. Morning, He greeted with a grin, the sharp edge of his canines peeking through. Didn’t mean to raid your kitchen, but a guy’s gotta eat, you know? He paused, momentarily unsure of how to navigate this situation. Awkwardness filled the air, as the memories of their night together resurfaced in his mind. Cracking his knuckles, he broke the silence. So, uh, do you want me to leave? Or… stay for another round? His attempt at casual humor was accompanied by a hint of discomfort, unsure of where he stood with this person after their shared intimacy. If one could call it that.

He watched their expression carefully, searching for any clues as to how they felt about his presence. The tension in the room was palpable, and Israel silently hoped that he hadn’t overstayed his welcome.

@covairecitystarters​

[windsornate]

WHERE: anywhere there's a lake you can see and a trail you can walk. WHO: closed! (capping at 5/5)

The changing of the seasons could now be determined by the twinge of pain in Nate's knee. He'd often heard his father grumbling about the same thing growing up, but he could have never imagined just how annoying it could be.

Saoirse pranced at the end of her lead and red and gold leaves hung proudly on their branches. A light breeze made the surface of the lake ripple peacefully, and for all intents and purposes, it should have been a picturesque morning. Should have been, and yet. That damn twinge in his knee was hell bent on reminding him that the peaks of his life were all in the past now.

Distracted by his own self woe, he didn't see the squirrel darting across the path until after Saoirse had locked onto it, her rambunctious excitement had her pulling the leash right out of his hand as she took off after it. Cursing under his breath, Nate moved into a jog after her, wincing a little bit as he did so. She wasn't in danger of running off, so the sense of urgency was lost until he saw her set her sights on something new entirely: a person.

Nate called for her to heel, but she ignored him in favor of her new friend, taking off in a full sprint until she was jumping up on them. "I am so sorry," he called, catching up several moments later and grabbing her by the collar to wrestle her back down. "The temperature drops a little and suddenly she's a puppy who's never had an ounce of training again. Are you alright?"

[phantomrot]

@evilstalks gets gh.ostm.yers ♥

the hulking figure of michael myers is enough to make anyone's heart race. and tonight, just like any other squishy, terrified mortal, danny is stood before michael with his pulse loud in his ears. only, rather than feeling FEAR, danny is thrilled. they brought the smith grove asylum to its knees together, and as a result, michael gets to walk free. now, sheltered into an abandoned home that danny had prepped for their arrival, he gets to look at him with pure admiration in his eyes.

his own mask was taken off in the relative safety and privacy of the car ride. michael, as large as he is, must have been uncomfortable in the small little vehicle, and danny had heard his stomach growling. so he's putting a can of food into a bowl for his poor boy, settling comfortably into the role of taking care of him. the world will be difficult to adjust to, but danny will be here to guide him.

"they won't hurt you again. not as long as i'm around." a stalwart promise from a man who hardly knows him. "we'll stay here for a while until the police die down." and if that means they must physically die, then so be it. the room is crossed and the bowl is offered, chili with a hunk of bread and a spoon sticking out of it. that will at least get him started while danny begins preparing a place for him to sleep, piling blankets and pillows together in the least dirty corner of the room.

"we'll figure out where we're going from there. i'm, uh..." he smiles, staring over at michael with inky dark eyes. could he really say it? could he tell michael who he really is? "i'm DANNY, by the way."

[sunshineandtheprincess]

Parker knew he’d messed up the moment he realized he had missed his suppressant dose—a whole day late. It wasn’t entirely his fault, though. His family had been going through a lot, and even his mom, who was usually so on top of things, had forgotten to remind him. The next morning, when it finally hit him, he took the dose. But then his father decided to take him on a hunt, and that’s when things really started to spiral. The hunt had been a failure, but Parker tried to play it off as bad luck. No one seemed too suspicious, and he performed his role as an alpha well enough. Every alpha had off days, right? Some teasing and a few questions were thrown his way, but nothing too serious. What they didn’t know was the truth: Parker wasn’t an alpha at all. He was an omega. He wasn’t built to hunt alone; he was only strong with the pack.

After the hunt, he ended up with an injury, which forced him onto antibiotics. What he didn’t know was that the antibiotics canceled out the effects of his suppressant. And his mom, the only other person who knew his secret, probably didn’t know that either. It was a closely guarded secret between the two of them. The rest of his family? They had no idea. In fact, their family had always prided itself on being generations of male alphas—never a male beta, and certainly never an male omega. The whole alpha streak had made their family somewhat famous. But that legacy had quietly shattered the day Parker was born.

He had been born surrounded by women during his birth because his father and brothers were had been off training or guarding their territory. When it became clear what Parker was, his mom had been terrified. She worried that if anyone found out the truth—that her son was an omega, a secret that could ruin everything—he might be killed, sold, or worse, taken away. After all, male omegas were often seen as prizes—if they weren’t killed by their own pack. They were at the bottom of the chain, frequently taken as slaves or worse. His mom refused to let that be his fate. Desperate to protect her son, she begged the women of the pack to help hide his true nature. They managed to deceive his father and brothers into believing Parker was an alpha. It wasn’t easy. Years of deception followed. From using scent blockers to faking alpha scents, they had to be careful at every turn. His mom practically never let him leave her side. While his brothers went to school, Parker was homeschooled, making him appear as the precious baby of the family. No one questioned it, especially since his father had no intention of having more pups. He just assumed his wife was overly attached to their last child and let her dote on him.

Parker wasn’t sure if his brothers resented him for it, but it definitely created distance. He wasn’t allowed to interact with them much, always kept apart out of fear that they would figure out his secret. When he was old enough to understand, his mom sat him down and explained everything, eventually making him take on some responsibilities to help keep up the charade. Over time, Parker learned to live a somewhat normal life, though he always had to be cautious. He made friends, and even grew close to one alpha in particular—someone he trusted enough to share his secret with, who helped him hide it from the rest of the pack.

Which was exactly why Parker called him when his body started feeling strange. Well, technically, he was the second person Parker called. His mom was first, but she wasn’t home and wasn’t answering her phone. Maybe she knew something or could at least help him over the phone. Parker didn’t dare call his dad—not if he was with his mom. His dad could easily overhear something or catch the panic in Parker’s voice and rush home. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t like anything Parker had experienced before.

As he waited for a callback, things got worse. His body felt like it was on fire, every nerve buzzing. He couldn’t focus, could barely move. Then, he felt something strange, like something wet trickling down his legs, and that’s when it hit him: Parker was going into heat. Panic flooded his mind, but it barely registered under the surge of hormones that overwhelmed everything else. He knew he needed help—and fast. If someone came home and picked up his scent, the secret he’d kept hidden for so long would be out. Without wasting another second, he called his best friend, the only alpha who knew his secret, and told him what was happening.

His friend promised to be right over but wasn’t sure he’d make it in time. Parker didn’t have much choice, so he did the only thing he knew would help, his mind clouded by need. He began touching himself, fingering and playing with his pussy trying to calm the burning ache consuming his body. It helped, but not enough. Parker lost track of time, his mind clouded by heat, until he sensed the presence of an alpha nearby. He let out a soft whine, his body instinctively releasing pheromones that called out to the male. His best friend came running, but it was clear Parker’s scent was overwhelming him. The alpha’s eyes darkened, his wolf fighting to stay in control.

“Parker,” his friend managed, his voice strained, “we need to get you somewhere safe. My uncle has a ho—” He didn’t finish. Parker was already pawing at him, his body desperate and aching, sending another wave of pheromones into the air. He fumbled with his clothes, trying to strip them off. “Please,” Parker gasped, his voice pleading. “Just once... to take the edge off, then you can hide me. I can’t—it hurts too much—please.” The words and pheromones seemed to be too much. The next thing Parker knew, he was thrown back onto the bed. His friend’s shirt was gone, and his lips were on Parker’s neck, pressing hot kisses into his skin ready to mark, bite and claim him. Parker whimpered and purred, the pain of the heat momentarily dulled by the contact. But as his best friend got lost in the haze of lust, Parker’s awareness flickered back, just for a moment. He tensed, catching the scent of more alphas nearby. Panic shot through him, cutting through the haze. He knew those scents. His brothers. If he could smell them, then they could definitely smell him. // @rencissancealpha

[howthesleeplesswander]

surprise starter for @greedbent because Baizhu saw my other muses bothering his "secret" crush and refused to be left out 😤

"I have a prediction. Would you like to hear it?" Changsheng's voice floated into the front room of the pharmacy from somewhere up in the rafters. She hadn't shown herself once since he'd begun work that morning; Baizhu had assumed she'd been with Qiqi or Gui.

"Well, don't leave me in suspense," the doctor replied airily. Faced with a break in patients for the afternoon, Baizhu had begun filling prescriptions. Even while conversing, practiced hands moved of their own accord: one adding leaves and petals from the trays of mint and qingxin beside him to a large medicinal cauldron, while the other worked the milky substance within beneath a starsilver pestle.

Naturally though, Changsheng did exactly that. He'd nearly forgotten she'd said anything by the time she divulged her 'prediction.' "Sssomething tellsss me that today isss about to get interesssting."

Baizhu hummed, attention fixed on his work. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

Her answering snicker came from directly above him. He paused as Changsheng dropped onto his shoulders so he wouldn't spill anything. "You'll sssee sssoon enough," was all she said as she adjusted her coils, and the doctor shook his head fondly. With her affinity for the vague and riddled, sometimes Baizhu wondered if his companion wasn't some long-lost adeptus in disguise.

Minutes passed with only the scrape of the pestle along the cauldron's base to fill the silence. Then footsteps sounded on the stairs leading up to the pharmacy—but there was something...unique about them. Not just a rhythmic tap-tap of shoes on pavement, but with an additional tone layered in unison. Metal on stone. Tap-tapclink.

That could only mean...

Ah. Well, in all fairness, Changsheng was rarely wrong about these things.

Baizhu didn't look up until the steps arrived in the entryway. To anyone else, the sight of a man clad in all black, gazing into their shop with such intent, sharp eyes may be cause for alarm. But Baizhu simply smiled, hands pausing to give his newfound visitor his undivided attention.

"Why, Kaz, what a pleasant surprise. How nice to see you." Likely not a sentiment heard often, but it was entirely sincere. He pointedly ignored Changsheng's muttered 'I told you' that tickled his ear. "Is there something I can do for you? Oh—unless you're here for your 'prescription'?"

The code word was second-nature despite there being no one else in the pharmacy to overhear. With a grin so pleasant adorning his features, the doctor certainly appeared to be speaking of a legitimately prescribed medication, rather than the special-ordered poison that currently sat fermenting on his kitchen counter. "It's nearly finished, but I'm afraid it needs another hour or so to infuse for maximum...potency." There was a dark edge to the chuckle that rolled in his chest. "We must be sure it's strong enough to take care of the problem, mustn't we?"

[alonggoodbye]

@obrighta

She never had the stomach to set herself on fire. She could be gasping for air, blood pouring from her lips, moments away from death's door and still be too afraid to heal herself. Leon, however, had always been a little too eager to do it. There was always a glint in his eye that she never truly wanted to ask about, or explore— she was afraid of what she might find instead of the familial love he insisted was there. So, naturally, when Halia called him for help she didn't have to wait long at their usual rendezvous point.

As the woman watched him light dried stalks and husks of corn she realized she was praying to whatever higher power would listen for the strength to do what she was about to do. Oh, please, she thought, I'll never ask for anything again! Halia closed her eyes, her repeated prayers dissipating in the form of a cold morning's breath inches from her mouth. The walls of corn seemed to shudder at her words.

A push from a sudden breeze propelled her into motion and into the blaze that Leon had successfully lit. Her quick movement had caught him by surprise and had caused him to stagger backwards. He had barely enough time to exclaim before she was upon him, sharing the hungry flame that immediately began to consume his form. Panicked hands clawed, punched, and pulled at her grasp on him. Today, no assault would undo her hold. Today, she would feel him thrash— feel him... perish.

It seemed like hours before she moved again. The remainder of him lay smoldering under her, as crisp as fallen leaves when she pulled away.

"I did it," it was less a statement and more of a question at first, but the more she repeated those three thrilling words, the more she felt their true weight. Relief wracked her body. She could feel her sobs before she heard them.

"Thank you," Halia spoke almost breathlessly at the darkening sky above. Thank you! to whatever heard her this day.