#anyways since getting older i get nauseous a lot easier and i want to ride the roller coasters >:(

[starspaceace]

im trying to look into anti nausea / preventatives bc im going to disney in a few weeks and they make like? anti nausea wristbands? but i cannot tell if its just a weird placebo thing or what

[likeshipsonthesea]

how you made me feel

...hello. so. remember two months ago when i fulfilled a prompt from a list, “I could never forget you,” and dumped, like, a whole bunch of nurseydex graduation feels on everyone’s laps and just, like,, sprinted away?? well the sequel i promised is now here. (to any who haven’t read the first part, it’s like kind of necessary)

my apologies for the long gap between then and now. i’ve been having weird writer’s block recently, where i can write but then halfway through i get doubts and think the whole thing is shitty and stop.. so i;ve started a whole bunch of things but finished none, and this is the first substantial thing i’ve finished in a while, and while it’s not, like, monumental, it feels like a lot to me right now :)

AND me finishing this was due in no small part to @rhysiana​ who beta’d this and helped me feel confident in writing again.. so thanks :))

no warnings for this (i know, a surprise for me, right?) but thought i’d tell y’all that the title is from a maya angelou quote that i repurposed a little.. now without further ado, here’s the sequel

         It’s not the type of place Dex would pick to spend an afternoon. It’s not even the sort of place Dex would spend a five-minute break, if given the option. Coffee houses make Dex feel on edge. The thick, rich smell makes him nauseous, gives him a headache like long car rides do. He’s always gotten carsick on long drives—that is, if he’s not the one driving. The lack of control makes him sick, he thinks, or that’s how he imagines Nursey would put it, if Dex ever told him about it.

         Dex stares up at the menu board above the counter. The drinks are all named with literature-themed puns and their descriptions—the fancy type of coffee, the origin of each individual bean—doesn’t clarify anything. Dex sways slightly and glances out the window of the shop.

         It’s still pouring. He still doesn’t have an umbrella and his apartment is still too many blocks away to run, risk the wetness seeping through his bag and reaching his laptop. He sighs into the coffee-laden air and swallows, turning back to the counter.

         It’s his turn.

         “Um, hi.” Dex smiles awkwardly at the barista, who smiles back, big and blank. “Do you have, like, regular coffee?”

         The barista winces and tries to stifle it, and Dex opens his mouth to apologize, instinctive, when he hears a heavy, incredulous utterance of his name.

         Dex turns, the chill running through him completely unrelated to his soaking clothes, and—yes. It’s him.

 *~*

           A summer rain in New York is a heady thing.

         The sweet, cool weather smothers the hot asphalt roads in steam that clings, heavy and metallic, on the back of Nursey’s tongue. A rain in the city is an inconvenience—those that walk are forced into cabs, subways, packing everything too full of frustration and humidity. The streets are barer, eerily. Nursey stands in a thundering cityscape, utterly and intoxicatingly alone. There are two things Nursey thinks could clear a city street—rain or the apocalypse.

         The rain around him, then, is to him the reminder that the world has not ended yet. It makes his blood surge in that desperate kind of way, that want to live kind of way. It pushes him, jittery, as he runs down the empty street, feet pounding against the sidewalk in slapping splashes of water. His hair is ruined, a mop of unmanageable curls that drifts into his eyes, sends water cascading down his forehead, lets raindrops cling to his eyelashes, clumping, blinding. The smart button-down stretched across his shoulders is freezing and drenched, tight like a second skin and peeling. His shoes, and the socks inside, squish with each pounding step and he knows—in that inevitable way that tends to send him into anxiety attacks—that he will be unbearably uncomfortable when he reaches the coffee house and he is then the only soaking thing there.

         Even with all that, though, Nursey grins as he sprints.

         What a thing it is to be one with the world around you. The raindrops against his skin, cold and [cloying], are the same ones shuddering all around him, and even as Nursey’s body recoils at the drowning, it knows in that way all natural things do that it is simply returning to something it was, once, or will be, one day. It’s a comfort that does not know its own name—a comfort older than its name, even.

         And for moments, as he runs through the streets on the familiar path to his favorite coffee place, Nursey feels home like he hasn’t since the day he stepped off campus for the last time.

         Even the ache of knowing it is fleeting can’t touch him, now.

 *~*~*

           The coffee cup in his hands burns. Dex juggles it between his left and right, holding it in each until it hurts more than he can handle.

         He could leave. It’s a fleeting, foolish thought. The door is there and his feet work and, yes, even the rain seems to be mellowing in the wake of this monumental shift, but none of that means that Dex can actually walk away. For one, Dex doubts Nursey would let him. For another, it’d been hard enough to do it—to leave Nursey—the first time. Dex doesn’t want to see if he can do it again.

         Nursey orders. Dex watches for a lack of anything else to do. The barista writes Nursey’s name, Derek, on a cup, then works out Nursey’s change. She holds out a few coins and Nursey takes them quickly, dropping two in his rush. He hurries to pick them up and smiles in that charming, self-deprecating way. Dex used to think it was put-on, one of those things rich people learned, like dining etiquette or handshakes, that kept them above the rest, above Dex. He doesn’t remember when he figured out that it was one of Nursey’s more honest reactions, that smile.

         Dex’s fingers twitch against the coffee cup, burning.

 *~*~*

           The coffee shop is warm in a grounding, shocking way. Nursey has come to be familiar with the place, enough that the judging looks he receives from its dry patrons can be interpreted as the confusion of visitors who will be gone soon anyway.

         It is not quite Annie’s, but then again, most things here are not quite Samwell. Even the rain outside, though liberating, is not New England rain. A rain in New England is less heady. It does not distract, fleetingly, but awakens. A New England rain, thick and clean, characterized by dew-drenched grasses and shuddering, screaming trees, it is a wholly sobering thing. Late-spring rains, the ones caught between winter and summer like the unsure smile following silence but before the laughter. Post-playoffs rain, when the seasons were dictated by nature once again, when life stopped happening between game days and practices and plays, when life just started happening, once again. When bare skin in shadowy spring sunshine made the need to touch all that more insistent. When flower petals tucked around edges of yards and landscapes, behind ears for jokes and softness, made for contrasting reminders of the winter preceding it. When possibility was perched on the edge of every blade of grass, twined within the tunes of birds, newly home, all a reminder that things will change, always change, and sometimes that can be good, too.

         This is what Nursey tells himself, has been telling himself, when he steps into the coffee shop, since he came home to this foreign place.

         He takes a deep breath and sighs against the not-quite-right. He steps up to the line, musing to himself over which drink he should order today, when the voice, “Um, hi,” shudders through the world like the right kind of rain and Nursey’s heartbeat—too fast like the endless rush of people through his streets—for a brief moment, settles.

 *~*~*

           Nursey turns from the counter with his drink, still smiling. It’s duller, this smile, more conscious than Dex would prefer. “The good table is open,” he says, gesturing with his cup. Dex follows the direction to a circular two-seater by the window, squished between a bookshelf and a decorative wall. Dex takes a seat in one of the cushy armchairs, lower than he likes, and understands instantly why Nursey deems this table “good.”

         The coffee shop chatter dims the moment they sit, and Nursey’s smile twitches a bit wider, honest, in response.

         “So,” he says, and takes a sip from his drink so he can raise his eyebrows at Dex over the rim. Dex looks away, drumming his fingers on the lid of his own drink. “You’re in New York.”

         Dex wishes they were in a place, still, where he could just nod and Nursey wouldn’t push any more than that. (Quietly, though, he really, really doesn’t.)

         “Yeah, uh. I—I work here.”

         Dex doesn’t look at Nursey’s face, where he knows eyebrows are rising impossibly high.

         “You work here?”

         Nod.

         “How long?”

         Clench jaw.

         “…oh.”

 *~*~*

           It’s difficult, has been difficult, to be himself in this place. In the city, Nursey’s skin is itchy, tight and ill-fitting, and his steps are heavier, like each forward movement simply increases the distance between the safe person he used to be and the stranger he seemingly must become. Calls with the team make it easier. Facetimes with Chowder and Dex as Nursey hangs upside down on his bed, hoping it isn’t too obvious the way his eyes lock onto the screen in spreads of constellation-tan freckles. With the pixelated gaze of his two closest friends focused on him, smiling, even from hundreds of miles away, he felt settled, comfortable. Home.

         Now, with Dex watching, that familiarity returns to his fingertips—if, unfortunately, in the form of his typical clumsiness. He fumbles his coffee order, stuttering, and drops the cold coins the barista hands him, his body suddenly warm from the cold. The raindrops dripping against his skin are hot, confusingly, and he doesn’t know what to do with the knowledge that it is Dex’s gaze making them so.

         Dex waits, seemingly patient, and Nursey worries at the change until he notices the way Dex shifts his cup from hand to hand after a handful of blinks, the way his body sways with the movement. As an editor, it’s probably worrying that Dex has been the easiest thing for Nursey to read since he came to this city. Maybe, he thinks, as he collects his drink, it’s the writers’ fault, and not his.

         Then again, he thinks, falling into step behind Dex, an impossible standard is hardly fair.

 *~*~*

           Nursey says nothing for a long while.

         Dex, greedy, grasping, stares unrestrained. He didn’t know how much he missed this, wouldn’t let himself dwell on it, until now. Nursey eyelashes, drying but still glistening, flutter against the dampness of his cheeks. Green, bright eyes, like all the good parts of Maine Dex wants to remember. The softness of his ears, hidden under sodden curls, the hard lines of his neck, his shoulders. He’s been working out since he left, Dex can tell, but nothing like the routines they had at Samwell. And after the heavy playoff season, after the summer sun, Nursey looks smaller, calmer. More at ease.

         This is what I wanted, Dex thinks, breaking. I wanted him to be happy without me.

         Even without speaking the words, the familiar bitter taste of a lie sits heavy on his tongue.

 *~*~*

           Nursey doesn’t know what to do with this.

         With Dex, sitting here all sun-soft and freckly, real and in person and absolutely way too much. With the fact that he’s been here, been within seeing distance, visiting distance, for almost two months, and he said nothing about it. With the part of himself—the aching, lovely, desperate part of himself—that doesn’t even seem to care, wants to reach out and hold and pull comfort from regardless of mistruths or omissions.

         “Why?” he finds himself asking, without quite knowing if he wants the answer.

         Dex’s eyelids flutter momentarily, the way they do when he’s wondering whether or not to be an asshole, and Nursey loves it—missed it too much not too—and wants to curse, yell, something, because Dex didn’t want to see him, has been here in this foreign place and didn’t want Nursey as much as Nursey has wanted him and—and he’s going to be a dick about it?

         “Dex.” Nursey swallows, fingers pressing too hard against the paper cup. “Why did you—why didn’t you—”

         “Nursey.” Dex’s lips flatten. He’s decided, it seems, and Nursey exhales, slow, thankful. “I didn’t tell anyone,” he says, and going by how he doesn’t look up from the table, he knows that is a shit excuse. “I—I don’t know how to—it wasn’t you. Well. Sort of. I…”

         Nursey waits. Dex has taught him a kind of patience he didn’t think he could have. A kind where his hands do not shake, his shoulders do not tighten. When the waiting isn’t worrisome, because the result—long-awaited and slow-coming as it is—will be worth it, must be worth it, because Dex does not know how to leave expectations unfulfilled. Good expectations, that is. Dex is the smile at the end of a good play, the laughter after a clever chirp, the summation of four years of growth, both a constant reminder pushing for the best and the monument to the work it took to be better. Dex is what Nursey has learned to wait for, for better or for worse, and he realizes as he waits that this is the thing that’s been missing since he got to New York.

         Someone who knows what he came from, someone who can appreciate the progress, someone who loved all of it and will continue to do so, no matter what.

         “Your life here,” Dex says, and Nursey’s too-quick heart suddenly doesn’t care what he’s about to say. “I don’t fit.”

         “Bullshit.” Nursey’s mama always told him his quick tongue would get him in trouble one day, and that was before he sorted his body out enough for his mouth to work along with his mind. He’s ruined, now, Nursey thinks, watching Dex’s lips part into a pretty pink ‘O’. Dex is in New York, Nursey thinks, delirious. Dex is here.

         “Really,” Dex continues, because he’s nothing if not the stubborn, snarky ginger Nursey met on Taddy Tour, and fuck, Nursey missed him. “You—you’re supposed to be a fancy New York writer, with friends who read, like, interesting novels, and travel to places I don’t even know the names of, and you go to weird hipster places like—like this—” he gestures all about himself, absurdly insistent and frowning all wrinkled up and Nursey can’t help the smile pulling his lips apart, because it’s ridiculous, and Dex is ridiculous, and he’s here— “I feel like you’re not listening to me,” Dex says, mildly deflated, pouting a bit but mostly just annoyed, and the laugh bursts from Nursey’s tongue, sweet.

         “I’m totally not, dude, wow. First of all, this place? Not hipster. You want hipster, go to Totally Caff’d two blocks over. That place is hipster. Second?” The smile feels too wide and Dex is staring at him like he’s crazy and everything feels right in a way that would be worrying if it was their frog year, or Nursey liked himself a little less, or Dex wasn’t the bright ginger ball of change and assurance and perfection that he is now. “Just so we’re clear, my life is always better when you’re in it. And third,” Nursey says, barreling on doggedly even as the lovely pink embarrassment flush floods Dex’s freckle-tan face, “you are the most ridiculous person I have ever met.”

         Dex blinks, sighs, and—after a moment—says, “Frustrating but probably true.”

         “Most def true,” Nursey says, just because it makes Dex’s nose wrinkle the way it always does when Nursey uses bad slang. “Now come on, Dexy-do.” Nursey stands from the table and the coffee-house chatter floods in, but he hardly pays it any mind because Dex stands up without hesitation even with the adorable confusion on his face. “We’re going to go on a walk,” Nursey says, reaching out to take Dex’s hand (prompting a darker, lovelier shade of pink to overtake his face), “and catch up.”

         Dex, delightfully, lets himself be led out of the coffee shop into the freshly washed world. Nursey’s shoes squish, wet, against the sodden sidewalk, and Dex still has this dazed look on his face—though it is distinctly pleased. The air is warm, and damp, and unquestionably, wonderfully new.

[5hfanfiction]

A Summer Away - Chapter Thirteen

“Hey Mila darling,” Her grandmother called out from the kitchen. “Can you please wash off the counters real quick?”

Camila was currently messing around with a few notes on the piano, trying out a few things for a song she was writing when she heard her grandmother’s call.

“Coming!” She yelled out. She dropped her pencil and closed her book. She didn’t want wandering eyes to glance at it, especially the green dazzling ones.

It was Friday morning and a few days after Camila posted the pictures of her and Lauren on her social media and to say the least, it was everywhere. And that was an understatement.

She didn’t mind and Lauren didn’t either but it was sort of weird seeing their pictures everywhere she went. The magazines in the store, the internet, the television. She would honestly be surprised if someone in the world didn’t see those pictures.

The one thing she was worried about though was Austin’s reaction to them. Honestly, she shouldn’t care less about what he thinks but what he said when he was on the news segment worried her. When he got angry about something, it was scary and when they were together, she made sure to try to stay away from him if it was even possible. But he has been silent about the whole ordeal and Camila didn’t know what to think about it.

With a shake of her head, she entered the kitchen and grabbed a rag. As she was rubbing down counters, she continued to think about her past few days. Unfortunately, Lauren has been extremely busy around the barn and Camila was the same with her music so they haven’t had a lot of time together. She didn’t even have time for the ride that she and Jake planned.

She felt bad about it but he understood completely and they decided to move it to a later date when they were both free. Lauren was happy about the news but just moments later, her scowl came back when Camila mentioned that they were just going to postpone it.

The thought of the green-eyed girl brought a smile to her face. Their first date was tonight and Camila was kind of nervous.

Just then, two familiar arms wrapped around her waist.

“Guess what today is.” A husky-voiced filled her ear as the lips tickled the skin.

Camila hummed and brought a finger up to her chin teasingly, “I don’t know. I do know that it is Friday. One of the best days of the week.”

Lauren smiled. “It sure is because I am taking this beautiful woman out on a date later tonight and I can’t wait to see her.” She playfully looked around. “Actually, have you seen her around here? She’s a little over five feet with dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. She also has this dazzling white smile that brightens up the whole room. Oh, and let me tell you about her butt-“

“Okay, that is enough!” Camila raised her voice slightly as she couldn’t control her giggles.

Lauren froze as her hands were held out as she was trying to give her an example as to how big this butt actually is.

“But I was just getting to the good part,” Lauren complained.

Camila laughed as she wrapped her arms around Lauren’s torso and squeezed her tightly.

“For the record, I’m excited about this date too.” She spoke into Lauren’s neck.

“Good.” She smiled. “Make sure you are ready by seven.”

“I’ll be the one coming down the stairs all dramatically as you look up in awe at how beautiful I look and then you will be all sweet and chivalrous, which you already are anyway so that is a good thing.”

Lauren laughed at Camila’s scenario. “You read too many books.”

She shrugged, “Hollywood taught me all of that cheesy crap.”

“So, you don’t want me to do all of that cheesy crap?”

Camila laughed. “I was joking. I would love it if you did all of the cheesy crap.”

Lauren flashed her lopsided grin and Camila smiled back happily.

“So, I was wondering if you had a few extra hours today,” Lauren suggested.

“Why?”

“Well,” Lauren cocked her head to the side. “I was wondering since we didn’t have enough time to do so yesterday, that we can start training this black stallion.”

Camila’s big smile was enough of an answer for the older woman.

“I would love to!” She squealed excitedly. Lauren laughed as she bounced in her arms. “Well, as soon as you are done here, meet me in the barn and we can get started.”

Camila nodded and the two shared a kiss before Lauren walked out, leaving Camila to finish up with the counters.

It didn’t take long for her to finish and as soon as she was done, she pulled on her boots and grabbed her hat before walking out and meeting the warm summer breeze.

As she walked into the barn, Lauren was right there all ready to go.

“Are you ready to start?”

Camila flashed her a confused look, “Yeah but how are we going to get him in the round pen? Don’t we need a halter?”

“Good luck on harnessing him.” Lauren shook her head. “We are going to have to lead him to the gate in the back which leads to the chute. Then, we can open that side gate and it leads him to the round pen where we can start working.”

“That is a lot.”

“Yeah,” Lauren shrugged. “But it’s the best thing we got.”

Camila nodded and Lauren led them to the pasture gate. After Camila walked in behind her, she closed and locked it.

“So, what do we do?” Camila asked.

“He is going to be afraid of us and a horse is a natural prey animal. They are born to run so that is what he is going to do. He is going to run in the opposite direction. So, the two of us have to lead him into the chute. I already opened the back gate before you came out here so all we have to do is lead him to it and he will run in.”

Camila gulped. “Don’t you think this is a little dangerous? What if something happens?”

Lauren took her hand. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Camila nodded and stepped away as she walked over to the other side. She stepped forward slowly towards the black stallion. His head was down as he was grazing but she had a feeling that he could see them.

When they stepped a few feet closer, he picked up his head which made her flinch. He turned his head and stared at her as she just stood there. She couldn’t bring herself to move not even an inch more.

“Camila,” Lauren called out softly. “It’s okay. Just move slowly.”

She bought herself to move her right foot again and he flicked his ears towards her and froze.

“It’s okay.” She whispered. She didn’t know whether or not she was talking to herself or to the horse. She took a deep breath before speaking up again.

“It’s going to be okay. We are here to help you.” She whispered to him. She didn’t know what she was doing or that if he could even understand her but she hoped he could. It would make things a lot easier.

But she got her hopes too high. He was an animal, after all, an unpredictable one at that. Horses get spooked easily, especially if they sense danger and they feel afraid. This horse did just that.

One moment he was just looking at her and the next, he bolted throwing his head around and kicking up in the air. It was just like the day when he first came here.

She felt Lauren’s arms around her as she was picked up off the ground. She didn’t even know she fell and felt herself being carried over to the closest fence rail.

“C’mon Camz.” Lauren ushered her as she helped her climbed it. Camila fell onto the other side on a grassy patch and watched as Lauren hopped the fence easily and landed safely next to her.

“Are you okay?” She asked as she helped her sit up. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to you about it being dangerous. We should’ve done it on horseback instead of being on foot. I’m such a stupid idiot. I didn’t mean to put you in any danger-“

Camila pressed her finger against Lauren’s lips to shut her up.

“Laur, I am fine.” She smiled to show her that she was indeed okay. “I was just startled that’s all.”

“When you fell, I was worried,” Lauren explained as she rubbed her back comfortingly. “He could’ve easily trampled you.”

“I didn’t even know I fell until I felt you pick me up. It was just all so quick.” Camila tried to stand up and that made Lauren scramble.

“Hey, what do you think you are doing?”

“I’m trying to stand up.”

Lauren shook her head, “Nope. Not that way.” She kneeled down and lifted her up in her arms bridle style. She did it so easily that it made Camila wonder how much did she actually weigh.

“Now wrap your arms around my neck and I am slowly going to let go of your legs. My arm will still be around your back so this way, you will be stabilized. I find this easier to do when someone takes a hard fall so they don’t feel as dizzy or nauseous once they stand up.”

Camila nodded and did what Lauren advised. It indeed did go easier than what she thought and once she found her balance, she looked up the taller woman’s eyes.

“Thank you.”

Lauren smiled. “I’m just happy you are okay. You scared me out there.” She looked over at the paddock and found that the stallion was still running up and down the fence line. He kept throwing his head as he made sharp turns and became very vocal.

“Have you figured out a name for him, yet?” She looked back over towards Camila and found that she was watching him too.

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Well, I have two options.”

“What are they?” Lauren questioned.

“I thought of the names Beast and Mystery. Both really fit him and his personality.”

Lauren thought about it for a moment before nodding her head. “What did you decide?”

“Mystery,” Camila said. “I think I like that one a little more.”

Lauren slouched her shoulders and the smaller girl noticed, making her worried about what she said.

“What’s wrong? Are they not good?”

Lauren shook her head and waved her hands. “No, no. That is not it at all. I was just bummed that I couldn’t use my little saying that I just came up with.”

“And what is that?”

Lauren stuck out her arms and pointed to Camila. “Beauty,” she pointed at her and then shifted her body so she was now pointing towards the horse. “And the beast.”

Camila laughed at Lauren’s dorky claim. “You are so cute,” She stated before placing a quick kiss on her lips.

*****

“Dinah!” Camila scolded playfully as she heard her best friend’s suggestion as to what she would wear tonight for her date with Lauren.

“What?” Dinah shrugged her shoulders through the computer screen and smirked. “I’m just saying, it would be pretty sexy of you to wear that.”

Camila glared at her. “I’m not trying to look sexy. This is my first date with Lauren Sexy is not a look I’m going for this time around.”

Dinah sighed. “Fine, I guess we can save that for another night. Maybe when I visit, we can go out and you can wear that outfit!”

Camila hesitated. “Maybe. I’ll think about it.”

“Okay, so what do you do plan on wearing for tonight?” She questioned as she leaned back in her chair. She was currently taking a break from packing for her trip to Ohio as her plane leaves in the late morning hours the next day.

Camila shrugged. “I don’t know. That is why I asked you for some guidance and then you suggest outfits that show way too much skin for a first date.”

“Okay, okay.” Dinah waved her hands. “How about that black dress?” She pointed to the back of the room where Camila laid it out earlier as an idea. “That looks promising. It’s not too tight but it does fit enough to show off your curves. Plus, just add a few accessories, touch up your hair and makeup, and you will be all set to go. Have you picked out what shoes you want to wear?”

Camila then held up a pair of black heels that weren’t too tall to go out with.

“Perfect.” Dinah held up her ‘ok’ hand gesture. “Lauren will not be able to keep her hands off of you tonight. Not that she already can’t, by what I hear.” She teased.

Camila felt her face flush before busting out in laughter. “You are something else, Dinah Jane.”

Dinah flipped her hair behind her shoulder and fixed her position on her bed so that she was more comfortable. “Now change girl! You only have less than fifteen minutes before you have to be downstairs. Good thing you did your hair and makeup already so you only have to do touch ups.”

“Okay, okay, okay!” Camila rushed out as she grabbed the dress from the hanger and got undressed. She didn’t feel uncomfortable changing in front of Dinah since she has done it so many times whether it be backstage at an award show or at one of her own concerts. The Polynesian has seen it all.

Once she pulled on the dress, she realized her dilemma. There was a zipper on the back that made it physically impossible for her to zip it up herself.

Dinah noticed her struggle through the laptop. “Now, this is a perfect opportunity that can’t go to waste.”

“What do you mean?”

Dinah sighed as she realized her best friend wasn’t picking up what she was laying down.

“I mean, Lauren can try to help you zip up your dress or you can just fast forward the night. And since your dress is already unzipped, it is one less step Lauren has to do.”

It then clicked in her brain.

“Oh my gosh!” Camila gave her a look. “Really, Dinah? I swear you need to get laid. You have too much sex on the brain right now.”

Dinah wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh, that is the plan once I come and visit. Any cute cowboys you are hiding from me?”

Camila scoffed, “Goodbye Dinah!”

She waved as she turned off the Skype session and closed her laptop. She shook her head as she laughed at what Dinah said to her.

Grabbing last minute things, she gathered herself and left the room. She slowly walked downstairs as she didn’t want to trip and fall to her death. She hasn’t walked in heels in awhile and the feeling of it again is making her a little off balanced.

With a grip on the railing and her other hand holding her purse, she walked down the stairs without tripping.

As she turned the corner of the steps, she saw Lauren at the bottom waiting for her arrival. Her heart leaped and she smiled at the woman who was standing there, holding a bouquet of red roses and some chocolate.

Lauren was dressed in black jeans that clung to her thighs which showed off the lean muscles. On top, she wore a dark button down long sleeve shirt with the top button unbuttoned neatly. On her wrist was a silver watch that shined brightly in the light.

Her jet-black hair fell down in waves across her shoulders and down her back as her face wore minimal natural makeup that enhanced her green eyes.

“Wow.” Camila breathed out as she stepped on the bottom stair and was able to look at Lauren more closely. “You look-“

“Absolutely beautiful,” Lauren whispered out as she couldn’t keep her eyes off the smaller girl in front of her. She blinked and thought about what she said for a moment before coming back to Earth.

“I mean, you are absolutely beautiful. Like whoah.” Lauren was left speechless.

Camila chuckled at her. “You look amazing as well.”

She stepped onto the floor and with her heels on, she finally was almost the same height as Lauren.

“I have a favor to ask you,” Camila stated.

“Anything.”

With that, Camila turned around, gathering her hair to one side of her neck and showed her bare back to Lauren.

“Can you zip me?”

There was a silence but she soon felt the warm touch at the bottom of her back where the zipper was and she felt it move up slowly. As soon as she felt it meet the bottom of her neck and stop, she immediately felt a pair of lips on the side of her neck where her hair wasn’t draped across.

When the lips left her skin, she felt her gentle hands take her hair and drape it down her back.

Lauren turned Camila around so they were facing each other and they smiled at each other.

“Thank you.”

“Your welcome.” Lauren murmured. “Oh, these-“ She grabbed the flowers and box of chocolates that she got for the pop star from the table next to them and held them out. “-are for you.”

“I figured on an actual first date, you get the lady flowers but I know that you would rather have the chocolates so I got both.” She explained.

Camila chuckled because Lauren knew her so well and grabbed the items from her hands and went into the kitchen to grab a vase for the flowers.

What she wasn’t expecting was her grandmother standing there with a glass vase already in her hands and a smirk on her face.

“I figured you would need this.” She explained. Camila smiled at the act and shook her head because she knew that the elder woman was up to.

“Thank you, Abuela.” She said as she took it from her hands and filled it up with water before inserting the roses and carefully placing it onto the table, along with the box of chocolates that she made a mental note to eat when she got back.

After she was done, she walked back over to Lauren’s side where the stable hand wrapped an arm around her waist. They were about to leave before Grandma cleared her throat.

“We need to lay down some ground rules.” She stated as she crossed her arms and glared at her stable hand.

Camila heard Lauren gulp and tried to hide her smile. This will definitely be entertaining.

“I don’t care that you are my head stable hand, a very good one at that, but this is my granddaughter you have on your arm and that requires some rules.” She started. “First, you will be back before one. Just so I can at least get some sleep when you two get back safely.”

Lauren nodded her head. That wasn’t too hard to follow. What she planned for the night wouldn’t go past midnight the very latest.

“And second, you two will both have your cell phones turned on and with the volume up. If I am trying to contact you, I would like to receive an answer.” She finished with a clap of her hands.

Camila hesitated. That couldn’t be it.

“That’s it?”

Ms. Cabello looked over at her granddaughter. “Well, what else would there be? I have full faith in both you and Lauren that you two will be safe tonight.”

The pop star was flabbergasted. She did not expect this at all.

“I promise I will take good care of her,” Lauren spoke up.

Grandma smiled, “I know you will sweetheart. Now, both of you have fun tonight!” She said as the two girls asked out of the house and into Lauren’s truck. They both waved to the elderly woman before Lauren pulled off down the driveway.

Because it was summertime, the sun was still up keeping it nice and bright outside. When planning the date, Lauren decided to use the science of daylight savings to her advantage. She smiled to herself as she thought about the night ahead of her.

Camila looks over at the girl driving and interlocked their hands and rested them on the middle console between them.

“What got you so smiley?”

Lauren glanced over at the younger girl as she finally exited the long driveway and drove onto the main road.

“You.” She simply stated, which made Camila smile in return.

“So, where are you taking me?”

Lauren chuckled at Camila’s excited tone, “It’s a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises.” She narrowed her eyes. “Just tell me.”

Lauren laughed again, “No. You will find out when we get there. It is only about a twenty-minute ride to our first destination.”

Camila perked up at the last few words and thought about where Lauren could possibly be taking her.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I saw the girls again on Saturday and let me tell you, they were AMAZING! ughh, im in love. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! This story is also posted on my wattpad: beyxnd-the-stars. Have a good day/night!

- Sara

[decimatoroflight]

Book of Darkness: Chapter 2

Decimator of Light: Book of Darkness Chapter 2: The Circle in the Mirror                It wasn’t long before an ambulance and a police cruiser were both at the pancake house. Cin had his shoulder disinfected and wrapped up and was allowed to put his shirt and jacket back on for the time being, but told he still had to go to the hospital, but not before speaking to the officers who were currently busy talking to the other patrons that had witnessed what had happened. Even worse, someone had apparently called a local news crew, and a few reporters had come and managed to get close enough to speak to Cin.              The person who’d called them had claimed that the waitress hadn’t tripped, but instead, had lunged forward and stabbed the knife straight into Cin’s shoulder on purpose. They shoved tape recorders into Cin’s face, demanding answers, asking if he thought the waitress to be racist, if he thought she was mentally ill, how he was going to get back at her, and other ridiculous questions he could hardly wrap his mind around. Cin kept saying that it was an honest accident, trying to get the reporters to leave him alone, but they only backed away when they saw Officer Habash give them a stern look with his dark eyes and point out they were harassing someone underage. Once the reporters had all dispersed, the officer turned his attention to the teens.              “So, Vincint Luna, we meet again,” the officer heaved a heavy sigh as he lifted a bushy eyebrow at the young man. Cin gave a sheepish grin, and Kazuko covered her mouth for a moment.“Is this the cop with the building-on-fire thing!?” she asked Cin in a whisper that was far louder than it should have been, causing Cin to grimace as he reluctantly nodded in agreement. “And a few other situations,” Officer Habash muttered from beneath his black beard as he lifted his notebook to his face and flipped to a fresh page. “So, son, what happened this time?”“Well,” Cin felt very awkward, but he explained what had happened. The waitress fell – he got stabbed. She was crying, it was an accident. Though even as he said it, the officer’s eyebrow was lifting higher and higher up with suspicion.“That sounds like some awful luck, son,” he said, a little slowly, as his eyes drifted to where the waitress was still sobbing. He then looked to the ambulance workers, tapping his pen against his notebook. “Stay here. I need to have another word with them,” the officer told the teens before walking back towards the waitress.“What? Does he think she did it on purpose, too?” Kazuko asked, incredulous, but before they could find out, Officer Habash’s partner approached next. He was a tall, bald man with dark skin and a broad nose, wearing sunglasses and his uniform not tucked in properly on the left side. His badge read “Henderson”. Something about him made Cin feel uneasy, almost queasy. “You should head home,” the officer suddenly told the two of them. It was especially odd because he didn’t seem to be looking directly at either Cin or Kazuko, and instead, looking very intently at the ambulance workers.“Officer Habash told us to wait here,” Kazuko said, very confused. She didn’t look as on-edge as Cin felt, but she tended to have an easier time with the police than Cin did. “And the ambulance-”“It’s fine. Just head home – now,” Officer Henderson said again, bringing his arms up to usher the two of them towards the parking lot. Kazuko started to protest, but Cin squeezed her shoulder. He didn’t want to be around this officer or even in the general area any longer. He was starting to feel sick. Thankfully, Kazuko took his cue, albeit with considerable reluctance, and followed him to his car, where the two of them climbed inside with no issues. The officer stood next their vehicle, his eyes still on the ambulance workers, still, and waved his arms, urging Cin to get a move on. Hesitantly, Cin put his key in the ignition. He looked at the scene, waiting for some sort of sign from Officer Habash, but he couldn’t even see the man, anymore. Instead, all he saw was Officer Henderson’s waving arms, urging him even more-so than before. Cin turned the key. Still nothing but more arm waving. He adjusted his mirrors, just in case, and signaled which way he’d be pulling out, all of which only seemed to make Officer Henderson angrier. He actually gritted his teeth and patted the trunk of Cin’s car with a surprisingly urgent amount of force. So, hesitantly, with his shoulder still sore and bandaged, Cin pulled out of his parking spot. He stayed there a few seconds, but Officer Henderson knocked on his trunk again, and Cin pulled out towards the parking lot exit. Cin looked one last time at the scene, and, still seeing no signs of Officer Habash, started to drive down the street. First at five miles an hour, then ten, and finally, at the speed limit again.              Cin let out a low groan when he had his back pressed into the driver’s seat and his car was two blocks away from the diner. He hadn’t realized it, but for some reason, he’d been holding his breath the entire time. Kazuko was in the back seat looking behind them to see if anyone had changed their minds and were trying to flag them down, but no one appeared in the road.              “That...was crazy weird. That was crazy weird, right?” Kazuko finally broke the awkward, confused silence, turning around and shaking her head in disbelief. “They guy just made us leave. You were stabbed. STABBED. I mean...That...to fall with a knife in your hand like that? How was that possible, anyway?”              “I don’t know,” Cin murmured, his throat dry. His shoulder throbbed as though to remind him of what had just happened, but he didn't want to think about it. His stomach was still twisting and causing him to feel a bit nauseous, like it was warning him that something terrible was going on. Like couldn’t have figured it out otherwise.              “You've never...Wait, I don't think I've ever even seen you get a bruise,” Kazuko continued, speaking mostly to herself now. Her eyes were down-cast and narrowing slightly as she struggled to remember any possible situation. “You’ve done so much and never...never anything! Not a cut, not a broken bone, no bloody nose...I don’t even think I’ve seen you bump into someone. And now look! And just...just to think, that knife, if you’d been turned only a tiny bit more to the right or something-”              “Shut up.”              Kazuko’s head shot up, utterly shocked. She had never heard Cin use those two words together before, much less directed at her. “What?”              “Just...don't talk about it anymore,” Cin urged her, his dark eyes locked onto the road ahead of him, but his expression strained. He hadn't meant to be so harsh with her, but he honestly couldn't handle her comments at the moment. “I know this stuff never happens to me, I know I was a step away from having the lamest death ever, I know I'm suddenly going from being the luckiest guy in the universe to Mr. Bad Luck. I know all this, okay? I know it was freaky how that guy wanted us to just leave. I know it’s super weird I’m not at the hospital right now. And it does bug me. But, for the love of God, I just want to get home right now, okay? We can talk about this all tomorrow or whatever. Me, you, and Mark.”              Kazuko bit the inside of her cheek, holding her tongue back as she studied him in the rear-view mirror. His usually calm, friendly face was pulled tight with stress with some sweat pooling on his forehead. His hands shook slightly as they gripped the wheel while his left leg tapped the floor of his car impatiently. The blood on his shirt had dried, but explaining what had happened to his family was bound to be a whole other headache that would probably land him in the hospital, anyway. He was going to be in for an even more stressful night. So she decided not to press any further, no matter how worried she was, and turned her gaze away, as though interested in the snowy streets outside her window instead.              “Yeah, I guess that’s fine,” she said quietly, seeing her home come into view. The car came to a gentle stop in front of the brown two-story house that was usually void of life. Kazuko was an only child, and her parents were constantly away on business trips to Japan, Korea, or Taiwan. Growing up, she had always had nannies to take care of her, but now that she was older, her parents trusted her to live alone, granted that she called them every other night. She usually spent her nights at either Cin's or Mark's homes, since neither family ever minded very much. But she and Cin both felt that it was best if she stayed at her own home that night, even though neither exchanged a word about it.              “Thanks for the ride, Luna,” she said as she climbed out of the car, but she paused for a moment, leaving her hand on the door. “Be careful on your way home, okay?” she added with a small smile that Cin weakly returned. Kazuko then walked through her frozen lawn towards her door, and Cin was driving once again, finally alone with his thoughts.              He drove down the quiet streets, passing frozen trees, quiet lawns, and the occasional person shivering as they walked down the block. Nothing seemed strange or out of place, or even mildly exciting. Everything seemed the same as it usually was. The same as it always had been.              So, why? Why was today different for him? Some things were so small -- getting caught sleeping, waking up late for class, stepping on a mirror. But even being stabbed wouldn't have bothered him as much if only those little things hadn't occurred, first. He had always gone through life as though behind a magical shield. He could leap off of cliffs and always end up landing on an old, discarded mattress at the bottom. He could bike in the thickest fog and somehow miss being hit by any car. He could cause an oil fire and then fall back and hit a shelf, spilling salt all over and putting the fire out. He had always been untouchable. And now, suddenly, a year's worth of misfortune was falling onto his shoulders. It just wasn't right.              Cin exhaled slowly when his home finally came into view. It wasn't as small as Mark's or as large as Kazuko's. It was just a nice, cozy blue house with a large kitchen and a small porch. He slowed his car before parking in front of it in the street, in the same spot he’d been using since he’d first gotten his license. It was a nice, familiar feeling, and it helped calm Cin considerably. He looked over at his home, pulling his sunglasses up onto his forehead, able to see due to the sun having finally set. Then he frowned.              Why weren't the lights on? His father was usually in the kitchen by now, cooking something while his mother sat next to his little brother, trying to help him with his math homework. But there were none of the usual signs of life inside.              “The hell...?” Cin murmured to himself, slowly climbing out of his car with his eyes fixed on his home. He pressed the lock button on his car keys, but heard no sound, as their batteries had ran out a few weeks ago. His hand then automatically fit the key into its slot to lock the door of his vehicle, but his mind continued to wander.               His parents had to be home. It was at least seven, and were both usually back by five. His brother was always home around three, too. There was no way they could have already been asleep. Had there been a power outage? No, the house of his neighbor right next door had all their lights on. Maybe Gabriel had gotten in trouble again. Despite his angelic look, Cin's little brother got into trouble all the time. But, until seven?              Cin’s hand jerked suddenly, as he failed to pull his hand back from his car. His keys were stuck. How did they get stuck? They never got stuck. He pulled again, twisting a bit and then applying a bit more force, yanking them out.              Though, had that key not gotten trapped, Cin would have never looked down and seen the truck’s reflection in his side-view mirror.              In the split second he had, Cin threw himself over the hood of his car. He heard the deafening sound of a horn, followed by one of the most frightening rushes of wind he had ever experienced, in conjunction with a sickeningly loud crack. His side-view mirror had been snapped right off and connected then with the pavement, leaving a trail of glass shards behind it as it bounced and finally skidded to a stop yards away from his car.               It felt like an eternity before Cin could move again, but finally he rolled off of his car, his sunglasses slipping right off his forehead, and fell roughly onto the snow in his yard. His heart was pounding, and he barely remembered to breathe as he heard breaks shrieking somewhere near where his mirror had landed. His body was covered with new bruises from diving onto his car hood, and his shoulder throbbed more than ever in annoyance, but Cin was in such deep panic that he couldn’t feel any of the pain quite yet. He was gripping his keys so hard in his palm he was half sure it would start to bleed soon.              “Oh my God! Kid, are you alright!?” A large, burly man leaped out of the truck and headed right in Cin’s direction, looking utterly shocked. “I was so sleepy, kid, I forgot to put the headlights on, and you're as dark as the road-!”              “I'm fine,” Cin muttered in disbelief, mostly to himself. He swallowed once, almost like he was making sure his throat still even worked, before shouting, “I’m fine!” louder, keeping his face turned away and scrambling to stand. Once he got to his feet, Cin immediately headed towards his house.              “Kid!” The man shouted again, trying to jog after him. “Kid, I'm sorry, don’t you need to head to the hospital or-”              “I said, I'm fine!” Cin barked over his shoulder, hands shaking as he scrambled to unlock his front door. For some reason the mention of the hospital again today made him feel more frightened. He yanked it open and slammed it closed behind him, locking it the second the door was shut.               Once he was inside his house, Cin pressed his back against the door, panting, sweating, entire body shaking uncontrollably. He could hear the truck driver still attempting to yell things at him through the door, trying to ensure that he was unharmed, justifying his own unsafe driving, really urging Cin to go to the hospital. But Cin didn't care. His mind had gone blank in panic for the walk to his house, but now that he was by himself, the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.              He had almost died. He had really, genuinely almost died. The knife had been one thing; that had been a wound. He may have ended up in the hospital, but it would have only been one cut, deep though it may have been.              But that had been a truck -- a giant metal monster going at least sixty miles an hour, right at him. Had he not noticed the shine of metal as he looked down, his bones would have suffered the same fate as his side-view mirror. It had been an accident that he had barely avoided in time, having been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't even heard the wheels on the icy black road.              The teen tried to let out a calming breath, but what came out instead was a strange mix of a laugh and a choked sob. He’d never been so terrified in his life, but he was still alive, and his body wasn’t sure how to react to such mixed emotions.              Eventually, and very slowly, Cin's breathing somehow slowed down, and his heart began to beat at a relatively normal rate again. At some point, the man outside his door had finally gone quiet, and hopefully, already left. Cin’s knees gave, and he slowly slid down until he felt himself reach the floor, but he kept his back pressed into the door, at least taking comfort in the fact that nothing could sneak up on him from behind. The house was utterly black, and yet, for some reason, that helped him feel safer. The quiet darkness had always been calming to him, ever since a young age, and now, with his mind so jumbled, he realized how thankful he was for it.              But as the minutes ticked past, Cin realized that he couldn't simply sit back and wish for everything to go away. Life was still going on with or without him, and his family still hadn't returned. With a small groan thanks to all the bruises on his arms and legs finally catching up to him, Cin stood up and walked towards his kitchen. He instantly caught sight of something that usually wasn’t there; a small piece of paper hung on the fridge, and a rush of relief washed over the teen, happy that his family had left an explanation.                Part of him had been terrified after everything that had happened, afraid that maybe it hadn’t only been his day that had been filled to the brim with bad luck, but his family’s, too. Though as he read the note, easily able to make out the letters in the faint moonlight from the kitchen window, his relief turned to surprise.              Cinny --              Your father got a catering job for a giant wedding! The couple wants him to make everything in their own kitchen. It's over four hours away, and he got quite nervous about it, so Gabe and I are going with him to make sure he doesn't do anything too silly like forget his keys again. We're so sorry to leave all of a sudden, but we know you'll be fine. There's gas money for you on the shelf, and there's food for you in the fridge, as well as some chips for when Kazuko comes to visit. We'll be back in a week, so take care of yourself! Have fun on your last day of school, and call us if you need anything!              Much love!              MomP.S. Boy, if I come home and your room is still this much of a mess, so help me.              Cin shook his head, unable to hold back a small smile. His father had been rejected no more than a week ago for this job, but apparently, the groom must have changed his mind. Gabe was already on his winter break, anyway, and would always have rather been around their father in a kitchen than sitting back and playing video games with his older brother. Cin only had a day left of school himself, before his two weeks of freedom, and he had told his parents how much he wanted to simply sit at home and relax with his friends. This was his mother's subtle way of letting him have his lazy fun while also allowing her husband to have an all-family Christmas, since they were going to be back in time for the holidays.              Cin gently ran his fingers over the word ‘love.’ If he needed anything, huh?              The longer Cin stood there, looking at his mother's messy, swirly handwriting, the sillier he felt for reacting the way he had to the day’s events. Yes, he had a few bruises and a pretty deep cut now, but there were people out there who had wild bears attacking them or finding out they had terminal diseases. Cin had simply had some very bad luck, and the longer he thought about it, the more he started to blame everything on being simply so sleepy and out of it the entire day.              He left the note on the fridge and headed towards the other door, which lead him into a narrow hallway. At the end of that corridor was a small door with a Yin-and-Yang symbol on it. As soon as he pushed it open, he felt back at home, the familiar smell of dried paint and stale snack foods filling his senses. He dropped his keys carelessly onto the bean-bag chair to his right and turned on the one, dim lamp to illuminate the room. Despite how pathetic the light was, Cin still had to squint for a second to get used to it.              When he could open his eyes without strain, the familiar small, messy room surrounded him. A large bed with the covers in disarray, three white bean-bag chairs in front of a small television with a few gaming systems attached to it and a whole slew of game boxes with mismatched disks in front of it, a desk with a working computer humming loudly on it, books discarded randomly all over the floor, a body-long mirror next to a few shelves filled with both clothes and books, a pair of barbell weights lying carelessly three feet in front of the mirror, and a wooden chair in the corner with a half-painted canvas on a stand in front of it, tubes of paint all over the tiny table next to it, all by to the only window in the room. Still next to his bed was the small compact mirror that he’d stepped on and cracked that morning; it must have been his mothers, and he still didn’t look forward to telling her about it. The room was a mess, he knew it was, but he’d been having finals and so his mother had let it slide the past week. Truth was, the exams hadn’t stressed him whatsoever – he was just too lazy to bother picking up after himself if his mother didn’t nag him. Sometimes, he even bribed Gabe to clean up for him, instead.              Cin walked over to his mirror, stepping over the weights as he did so. He shrugged off his jacket with a wince of pain and tossed it into the same chair as his keys, flinching in surprise when he saw the state of his gray shirt underneath. The blood from his shoulder had leaked down and the entire area under his left arm and towards his stomach was simply soaked with now-dry blood. It looked so much more gruesome than it felt. Yes, his shoulder throbbed with pain, but he hadn’t realized he’d lost nearly that much blood before the paramedics had arrived. He hadn’t really been paying attention and had mostly just been in a state of shock. Either way, he didn’t like looking at it, and with another wince of pain, pulled the shirt off and tossed it into the corner with his dirty laundry, already dreading the look his father would have when he found it.              Cin glanced at his mirror. His dark eyes stared back at him, almost completely black, as though nothing but a giant pupil. Thankfully, his very curly black hair didn’t move very much, or else it probably would’ve been in disarray like his straightened, purple bangs, which were matted and oily from his own sweat, and even a bit sticky with blood; he must have brushed them out of his face at one point. He’d been trying new colors every few months, ever since Kazuko had wanted to try experimenting with straightening a bit of his hair out of sheer boredom. He brushed his bangs to the side with his hand and notice that one of the three earrings in his left ear was missing. Not a huge deal – they were quite cheap, but still annoying.              “Aw, damn...” He sighed, noticing his arms. There were blots on his forearms where his skin was reddish or sort of green, from when he’d slammed himself into his car hood. He’d never had any bruises before, not that he could remember, but he hoped once they had time to settle in, his skin would make them more difficult to notice. He then traced up his arm to his left shoulder, taking note of the bandages. They went across his chest and around his left arm, but they felt a little tight and uncomfortable; Cin had the feeling the ambulance workers hadn’t been paying the closest attention for some reason. Thankfully, the cut wasn't too deep, but his family would have definitely noticed it if he had walked into the house with bandages on his shoulder.               Cin shook his head, frowning at the thought. How was he going to cover this up? Should he cover it up? He hated the idea of his family worrying, but those reporters and the cops and ambulance all knew what happened. There was no way someone wouldn’t tell them, even if apparently it had been okay for him to ditch going to the hospital for whatever reason. He sighed, looking back to his face in his reflection.              There, just behind his reflection’s right ear, one white orb stared straight at him from his mirror.              “Holy-!” Cin yelped as the light in his room flickered for just a second, and he stumbled back, tripping over his own feet, falling to the ground and hitting the back of his head. He ignored the stinging sensation on his skull and instantly scrambled to sit up and turn around, expecting to see someone, something, of that frightening white shade staring back at him.               But there was nothing. His room was quiet, silent, and the light had gone back to normal.              Cin just sat staring for a moment, panting, trying to fully register that there was nothing there. Then, he suddenly looked back at his mirror, the sound of his frightened breathing and the blood pounding in his ears deafening him temporarily. But as he looked there, it was himself. Just Cin in the room, just him in the mirror staring back with a terrified and confused expression. After a few moments of staring blankly at the mirror, as though waiting for someone to jump out and tell him it had only been a joke, Cin finally calmed down enough to try and stand up. He propped his arm up, ready to get back to his feet, but stopped when he felt something cold and heavy.              He looked under his hand and saw his dumbbells laying inches from where his head had hit the floor. They were cast iron, with the twenty-five pound weights at the ends shaped like hexagons, and only an inch or so from where Cin’s head had hit the carpet.              If he had hit the ground only an inch higher...              Cin lurched to the left, as though the weights that he usually only used when his mother nagged him to exercise were suddenly made of acid. After a moment of silently staring at them, panting, like he expected the dumbbells to suddenly turn into snakes, he instead scrambled to get his phone out from inside his jacket. Hands shaking, he began calling the familiar number, and without bothering to speak, found the second one to connect to his other line. He pressed the receiver against his ear, swallowing, but that failed to remove the dry feeling from his throat.              “Dammit, Luna!” The angry girl’s voice met his ear, very annoyed that she’d been called, but hadn’t heard a single word of greeting yet. “Talk when you call me, I was watching something important, and I had to get to my room to get the stupid phone-!”              “Kazuko? Cin?” Mark's voice cut her off, quite confused to suddenly be in a three-way call. They never called him at the same time unless something terrible had happened.              “Mark?” The anger in Kazuko's voice faded instantly and quieted down into a worried tone. “Oh, shit...what's wrong, Cin?” She went quiet, waiting for the answer, and Mark followed suit, clearly wanting to know as well.              “I...I...” Cin tried swallowing again, eyes darting around him room, untrusting, paranoid, and not entirely sure why. The words were caught in his throat, not sure what to say suddenly, and not thinking clearly enough to formulate a proper sentence. But, after taking a deep breath, he managed to get out, “Y...You guys think I can stay at one of your places tonight?” That hadn’t been what he’d meant to say, but it was something he’d definitely been thinking.              “Of course!” they both answered at once, causing a weak but grateful smile to spread across Cin’s face, despite everything that had happened.              “My house,” Kazuko said after a small pause. “Mark, get your butt over here if you can.”              “Yeah, it's fine,” Mark said quickly. “I already made food, all of them've finished their homework, and the tiny ones are asleep. My dad's home, too, so they shouldn't need me tonight.”              “Th-Thanks,” Cin managed to croak out, voice still shaky. “I'll be there in...in a few minutes, I have to find my keys-”              “No!!” Both their voices roared at him from the receiver. In that instant, Cin realized the two had spoken of the day's events as soon as he'd driven Kazuko home. He usually would have been angry, but he was secretly too terrified with the idea of driving anywhere alone to actually care.              “I'll pick you up,” Mark said quickly to try and cover up their outburst. “I can borrow my dad's car. I'll just walk from my house after I drop it back off, it's only a few blocks. I can always use the jog. I'm leaving now.”              Before either could argue, Mark hung up.              “...You okay?” Kazuko asked gently after a moment’s pause.              “I...I...I don't know...” Cin admitted slowly, fear beginning to release his heart, but his stomach was still twisting and turning uncomfortably, causing him to be unsure of his feelings. “I'll tell you guys everything once we’re all there, I just...I can't stay alone tonight.”              “Alone?” Kazuko sounded surprised.              “My mom and dad left with Gabe for that job a few cities over. Gabe probably started whining when they tried to leave him with me. Not a big deal, don't worry,” Cin brushed it off easily.              “Okay,” she said, though her tone was suspicious. “I'm gonna go get beds for you guys ready, then. You two get here safe, okay? Mark drives like an old granny, so it shouldn’t be hard.”              “Mm,” Cin nodded, despite being on the phone. “See you.” He hung up the call reluctantly, and his eyes looked around the room one more time. When he was convinced nothing was waiting to attack him, he got up and headed towards his closet and pulled a white shirt over his head. Cin then picked up a sketchbook from his computer desk as well as a small bag with clothes and other necessities that had been lying next to his chair. He, Kazuko and Mark all visited each other so often, they all had such bags in their rooms. He couldn’t remember if he’d filled it with fresh clothes any time recently, but at the moment, he didn’t quite feel the need to check. Cin then sat down on his bed, turning off the one lamp in his room.              He waited alone in the darkness, every ticking of the clock causing him to jump slightly. He could have sworn that he had never noticed seconds could last so long before.