#gonna take a fat nap once the bus reaches my house

[miss-rum-hee]

[noraemon]

love lies bleeding; 1

↠ may love, we pray, like amaranthine flowers, feel no decay

↠ you were desperate and you didn’t know which for -- revenge or life?

↠ taehyung x reader, angst, vampire!au, mature :: warnings: swearing, graphic depictions of violence and blood

✑  5k :: prologue

You were woken up by a loud thud. A loud thud that was caused by you, more specifically your forehead coming into contact with the faux wood of the table you shared with Jimin. You quietly winced in pain because fuck, that hurt and sent daggers to the silver haired boy on your left. 

He simply giggled and continued jotting down notes on the lecture you had given up listening to about an hour ago, deciding to take a much needed nap with your chin propped up in the palm of your hand. It turned out to be a bad idea because it caused all this unwanted attention. People around you gave both you and Jimin questioning looks but you could only give them apologetic smiles and before pretending to pay attention to whatever the professor was saying. “You really wanna pick a fight, Park Jimin?” Your voice hushed. The said boy leaned towards you, still focused on the lecture. “You’re gonna regret not paying attention, Y/N,” Jimin whispered and stood up straight again, ignoring your glare. You knew he was right. But you knew that he knew it wouldn’t make you continue your notes. Working full time at a bustling restaurant had taken up all your energy to do anything and everything. Your feet hurt, your back hurt, and god did your head pound from being overworked and having little to no sleep.  The lecture ended after what seemed like an eternity and Jimin had to practically drag you out of the auditorium because your feet were on the verge of giving up on you. “Want me to drive you home?” “God, yes please Jimin. I’m gonna get shanked on the bus if I fall asleep.” He chuckled and continued to guide you through the crowd to the parking lot. The sun was long gone and what welcomed you was the cool night air and the full moon. “Jimin, wait.” You halted him from going into the dark and endless abyss of cars, making the boy turn back to look at you. “What is it?” “Let me rest for a second. My feet still hurt from running around earlier today,” you slipped your hand out of his hold and carefully sat down on the concrete sidewalk. You thanked yourself for putting on sandals before coming to the lecture and rubbed the soles of your feet. The packed restaurant you worked at were short on staff today so you had to serve more customers than usual (who were all, sadly, scattered around the diner). 

Jimin squatted down and faced his back to you, “Get on, I’ll carry you back to my car.” 

You looked at him hesitantly but accepted his offer, climbing onto his back and thanking him. You circled his neck with your arms and he hooked his under your thighs. If you had to be honest with yourself, you loved getting piggybacks from Jimin (despite this only being the second time). His back was warm and he smelled like clean laundry. But you wouldn’t admit that nor would you request for it. God, he’d tease you without end about it and would most likely call you an adult baby.

“You gained some weight,” he said and adjusted you as he walked next to a row of cars. “It’s a good thing.” He quickly added, making you chuckle. “Says the one who always diets and works out.” The boy was addicted to exercising. He only added the diet as a new part of his ‘workout’, much to your dismay. 

“Jimin, you’re skinny, like skinny to the point where your shoulder blade is digging into my boob and it fucking hurts.” You groaned. He roared, slightly surprised by your choice of words. “I’m not that skinny,” he shrugged, “My BMI’s a solid 19.8, which is in the healthy range if you didn’t know.” You scoffed and rolled your eyes. “Jimin. You’re talking to an aspiring nurse who’s currently completing her pre reqs. I know what the hell a BMI is.” Your unintentional snap made him giggle. “I’m fine, Y/N. I just decided to cut some foods out of my daily life.” He was being stubborn. You knew you wouldn’t be able to change his mind and you knew why he was doing this. God, you’ve been friends since middle school and he still thinks you can’t read him.  “You’re still trying to get scouted?” “I guess you could say that. I gave a few people my contact info but they haven’t called back yet,” he told you. Jimin was a performing arts major. He was an amazing dancer, no doubt at all. You remembered him shyly inviting you to one of his performances at his dance academy when you were in middle school. It was honestly stunning; his expression, his movements, and knowing that he choreographed it himself, how could you put that into words? He was gifted with the power to express emotion through his actions and you have openly told him you envied him for that. He could dance many different styles and seemed to enjoy every one of them, too. But his particular favorites (that you found through extensive observation) were ballet and modern. Fast forward to the present and now he’s trying to get hired by a ballet company. Tapping your index finger against his ever protruding collar bone, you were instantly reminded of his insecurity about his weight and the cause of it. “Jimin, you’re an amazing dancer. You’re not fat or overweight. Don’t ever think that way because they’re proven facts by the JiminIsFuckingPerfect Organization ran by me.” He scoffed and adjusted you once more on his back, unintentionally stabbing you in the boob with his shoulder blade, again.  “Maybe it’s not the right time for you yet,” you continued, “Maybe the right company hasn’t come yet. Just be patient and stay positive. I know you’re gonna make it big.” You told him, meaning every word. You weren’t good at expressing your feelings and raked your brain for the right words to somewhat convey how you felt and thought. 

“Maybe,” he repeated and set you down on your feet. “Jimin,” you gave him a knowing look as he stood up and stretched. He just smiled and mumbled for you to get in his car. The car ride was quiet. He left on his radio and turned the volume to a minimum. The drive to your house would at least take twenty minutes since you lived on the other side of town but it gave you a small window of opportunity to rest. Reclining your seat back, you closed your eyes and gave in to the temptation of sleep. 

There was a nudge at your side and you groaned before turning away. Damn, it was not the time for this. 

“Wake up, Y/N. You’re home. Hurry up and go inside so you can sleep.” Jimin sighed and kept nudging you with his elbow. You stayed stagnant until light touches replaced his elbow on your side. “I’M UP.” You told him and shoved his hand away for the fear of being tickled again. He giggled at your reaction, sitting back in his seat. “See you tomorrow?” He reminded you about his performance at the local theater (which you had forgotten about but in your defense, you hadn’t had a second of rest this whole week). You thankfully had already requested for the day off tomorrow so you could study for physiology, which you hated with a passion and struggled with most. It wouldn’t hurt to take a tiny break between studying, right? “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Thanks for the ride,” you smiled, reaching over to the driver’s side to give him a quick hug before exiting the car and going up the stairs of your porch. Once Jimin saw you get inside your house, he left with a honk of his horn, making you chuckle. You couldn’t wait to jump into bed and fall back asleep but it seemed like there were already plans waiting for you. The sudden sound of glass shattering made you halt from taking off your sandals. You quickly went to the living room where the sound kept coming from and widened your eyes in horror as you saw your mother’s boyfriend swinging a steel bat at the photos on the sofa table. Your eyes wandered around the living room to look for your mother and found her kneeling on the ground behind the couch, silently crying. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing in our house?!” You shouted. He stopped his actions and looked at you before pointing at your mother behind the couch. “That bitch you call your mother is cheating on me! I saw her talking to a guy in front of her office!” He was extremely possessive, delusional even and you couldn’t understand why your mother still stayed with him. Maybe it was out of fear or pity, you could only guess. “I wasn’t cheating on you! That was my little brother’s friend. He came to me to ask about getting an internship at the place I work at!” Your mother cried. “Stop lying, you fucking whore! I know you’re hiding something from me!” He threw his bat against the wall and stomped towards your mother. The dent in the wall was the least of your worries and you instinctively jumped in front of your mother to protect her from the psychotic wrath of the man she claimed she loved. “If you touch her, I’ll fucking kill you with my bare hands.” You spat angrily. The threat didn’t seem to faze him, only making him laugh. “You? You think you can kill me? I’d like to see you try,” he had wild eyes that could only be filled with psychotic thoughts and harmful intentions. Then there was a click. You froze at the sound, knowing or rather assuming what could be behind his back. “Come at me and see what happens. I’m tired of you always letting your mother get away from the beatings she deserves.” Fucking hell, he was a psychotic bastard and you were pissed at your mother for all the times she took him back. Maybe your heart was going to fail from pent up frustration before your physiology grade at this rate. You stayed still. Your mother shook behind you as she, too, knew what could only be behind his back. She held your hand as tightly as she could with her unsteady ones and started to cry once more. “Shut up, bitch! You have nothing to cry about!” The both of you flinched. Damn, you were terrified but kept up the brave front for your mother. You knew that if you crumbled, she would also crumble, which would be bad for the both of you. He then pulled out his silver revolver, pointing it straight at you. Shit, shit, shit. You took in a long and jagged breath as you kept staring at the gun in his hand. “Move before I fucking make you. Right now.” Your feet stood planted in their spot. It probably didn’t matter if you moved or not. He hated your guts from the moment you stepped into his and your mother’s first fight, where you threatened to call the cops. “Y-Y/N.. Move b-before Jinho shoots. I’ll be f-fine.” Your mother whispers to you. You shook your head, afraid that if you spoke, you’d stutter and break the front you had gathered up the courage to make. You pulled your hands from her and held your palm out, hoping that she’d take the hint. And in no time, she handed you what seemed to be like your old baseball from when you played during high school. “Duck when I throw it.” “What are you two whispering about?! I’ll kill you if you don’t fucking move!” You released the breath you unknowingly held and threw the ball as hard as you could without a second thought. The ball came into contact with his eye and humorously bounced back to you, which you quickly caught. “Fuck! You stupid bitch!” He screamed and held his eye, trying to point at you with his gun. “No, don’t hurt Y/N!” Your mother brushed passed you and tried to take the gun away from Jinho. “Mom! What the hell are you doing?!” 

“Run, Y/N! I’ll hold him off and come later,” She said. Just as you were standing up to protest, Jinho shoved her away and quickly aimed at you before shooting. 

Maybe it was just you but it felt like everything was moving slowly, as if you could’ve dodged the bullet if you jumped to the side.There was a loud ringing in your ears though you weren’t even close to the gun. An invisible force pushed you back and you had a second of questioning if you were the one who was shot - that is until a surging pain came from the right side of your chest. You immediately clasped your hand on the wound and tried to ignore the burning feeling that lingered. “Y/N!” Your mother cried. It was getting harder to breathe and you knew it went through your lung. At this point, your lung could collapse at any moment. The hysterical crying and screaming of your mother was was being drowned out but you heard another round being shot. You saw your mother fall to the ground, the hard thud sending vibrations through the wood floor to your feet. “Mom,” was the only thing you thought of at that moment. You knees buckled and you fell to the ground, using whatever strength you had left to reach your mother. Mom, mom, you called her over and over again. Her body was still warm but she laid unmoving. She might’ve been in shock, you thought, she might’ve passed out. You pulled her onto her back and tried to find where the bullet entered her. Tears had spilled from the crevices of your eyes and blurred your vision as you feared the unthinkable. Scanning her body, you saw through your blurred vision a large patch of red on the left side of her chest. Jinho was long gone but you could give two fucks right now. “No.. mom, mom, please be okay. Please wake up.” You cried, shaking her. Breathing was almost painful and you tried your best to regulate it. You choked on your tears as you began to feel your chest tighten up. You started coughing not long after and dear god was it fucking painful. The horrid taste of iron filled your mouth and you turned to quickly spit out the blood that was most likely coming from the puncture in your lung. “If you live from this, what will you do?” A pair of black oxfords suddenly came into your view and you slowly looked up to find the owner. Blinking the remainder of your tears away, you were met with the mysterious gaze of a rather handsome blonde haired male. “I’m gonna go find the bastard who did this to my mom and I’m gonna kill him,” You coughed, expelling more blood. “Sounds exciting,” he mused. “If you give me some of your blood, I’ll make that happen.” You looked at him like he was crazy. You were probably losing at least a liter of blood and would die soon from either a collapsed lung or blood loss but here he was, asking for whatever blood you had left. “W-what?” He sighed and kneeled down to you before grabbing your chin. The male wiped the remainder of your tears away and looked you in the eyes. “So how about it? In exchange for some blood, I’ll save your life? I promise you that you’ll be able to get your revenge and even more... but that’s only if you’re willing to give me some of your blood.” He wiped the blood dripping from your chin. None of this seemed right. It was sudden and you didn’t know why he wanted your blood so much. However, if he could save you and help you kill the psycho roaming on the streets right now, then you’d give anything to him. You were desperate and you didn’t know which for-- revenge or life? Maybe life to get revenge? “Alright, you can have my blood. Just-- promise me you’ll help me find and kill that bastard,” You breathed out and looked him in the eyes. He gave you a faint smile. “I promise I will.” You continued to stare into his eyes for some reason and as you watched, his irises transitioned from a deep chocolate brown to an icy blue. Your lids suddenly felt heavy and the overbearing heat soon faded into a cool air– like the one you experienced just that night while on Jimin’s back.

“Do you know what you did? You created a bond with her.” You kept your eyes closed. The duvet placed over you was warm and openly invited you back to sleep. “Yeah, I know what I did. So what? She was dying and wanted revenge, just like--” “I don’t care. Are you not hearing me right? You created a fucking bond with her. As in you have a connection with her now. Like an emotional connection. And when I say emotional, I mean you both can feel each other’s emotions-- for God’s sake, you’re mates now!” “It’s not a big deal.” “Not a big deal?” the voice let out a dry laugh.

“Taehyung, think about how many people are going to be after her!” That’s it. You gave up on sleep and tried sitting up to see what all the arguing was about. Just a few seconds into having your head off the fluffy pillow, a sudden shot of pain went through your body, igniting a fire to your skin. You winced and cursed under your breath. “Make sure she gets back into bed. I’ll go get Seokjin.” A door was opened then quickly closed. “What’re you doing up? Lay down, you’re not supposed to use your body yet.” A hand came out to brush away the strands of hair covering your face. The voice was calm and smooth like chocolate; it gave you an unexpected feeling of reassurance in an unknown place with strangers. Peering up to look at the owner of the hand, it was the same blonde haired male who was at your house. He put a hand on your shoulder and gently pushed you down to get you into bed again. You winced as you tried to settle back into the bed. “It hurts like hell.” was what came to mind. “I said the same thing, too,” he chuckled, “it’ll go away once you’re used to my blood.” “You gave me a blood transfusion? Wait-- who are you and where am I? How did you know what type I was? ” Your questions came out in the wrong order. “Sleep. We’ll tell you everything later,” he gave you a small smile. You find yourself staring into his eyes a second time and the same icy blue greeted you before your eyelids felt heavy and you were once again in sleep.

Maybe it was the incessant sound of tapping or the terrible stench of roses or the overly warm duvet covering your body but you begrudgingly opened your eyes. The white marble ceiling coming into view reminded you that this place wasn’t home. And upon curiosity (and slight panic), you slowly sat up in bed to try and scan your surroundings. 

You were weary of feeling the hellish burn that welcomed you the last time you tried to sit up but you sighed in relief when it thankfully didn’t come back. The only thing that had come was a throbbing headache and the soreness of your muscles. “You’re finally awake.” an unfamiliar voice spoke. You eventually identified it as a man with rose gold hair as he walked towards the foot of the bed you were in. To say he was handsome was an understatement because wow, was he a beautiful specimen of man. “How are you feeling?” “Better than last time.” “No pain? Does it hurt anywhere?” “Just a headache and sore muscles.” “Thirsty or hungry?” “Not really. I’m just wondering how and why I’m here.” He chuckled at your forwardness. “Can I check your wound first? To see if it’s healed properly.?” You had to think for a second about what wound he was talking about until you realized he was referring to that wound, the only recent wound you had. Sudden flashes of scarring memories went through your mind and you began to panic. “Wait - what about my mom? What happened aft–” “Calm down, Y/N. We’ll tell you everything in a bit. Right now, we need to make sure the wound under your collarbone is healed. Can you–” you instinctively scooted away from the man who was approaching your side. 

“How do you know my name? Why am I here?” you asked a little louder. “She’s getting scared Jin, back off.” a low voice growled. The broad back of the blonde haired male was suddenly being wedged between you and the person, Jin, who was trying to touch you. “If the wound isn’t completely healed then it’s a sign that she’s still not–” “I don’t care. She’s scared right now. She’s in a room with people she doesn’t even know and she’s defenseless.” There was a brief pause before a sigh escaped from the pink haired latter. “You’re right. Sorry, I got ahead of myself.” The back slowly slipped away and the male protecting you stood by your side. “My name’s Seokjin and I’m sorry, Y/N for trying to force something onto you. It’s been a bit chaotic here and I haven’t had enough rest for the past week.” The pink haired male ran a hand over his face before rubbing his temples. “It’s okay.. just-- can I have I my questions answered first?” SeokJin looked hesitantly at the male beside you. “A few questions won’t hurt.” “Alright. What did you want to know, Y/N?” “How do you know my name?” “I’m a doctor. It would look bad if I didn’t know my patient’s name.” “Where am I?” “At my house.” The blonde male answered. “Who’s this guy?” you gesture to the guy next to you. “I’m Kim Taehyung. The guy that saved you.” the blonde answered before SeokJin could. “Why am I at your house and not the hospital?” The two males looked at each other. SeokJin was the one to answer after the long pause. “This isn’t something you can cure per se in a hospital but we did have to take the bullet out, if you’re wondering. It just requires... well, waiting.” 

“Okay, then who’s that guy over there?” You noticed a male sleeping peacefully in the corner of the room on a lounge chair. “That’s Kim Namjoon. Ignore him.” Taehyung told you. The pink haired male interrupted you before you could ask more questions. “And I think that’s enough questions for now, Y/N. We need to make sure the woun–” the familiar burn went across your skin and you sucked in a breath. “That’s why we should’ve checked on it sooner.” Seokjin sighed. “Can you pull down the collar of your shirt for me? So I can check the wound?” He gestured to your shirt. You hesitantly nodded your head and complied to his request. He came closer and inspected the injury, a sigh immediately escaping his lips. “Taehyung, it’s still not finished healing.” “What? We don’t have much time. We need it healed now.” You could practically feel the blonde male’s frustration and impatience. “That’s not going to happen anytime soon but if you want to speed up the healing process a little bit, I suggest you give her some blood.” There was a long pause. “Why would healing a wound require giving blood?” You asked, breaking the silence. The pain was still lingered and shit, did it it feel like someone was raising Hell onto your body. It was like those aches you’d get when you worked your limbs too hard but tenfold that and add a fucking fire to it. You shifted uncomfortably on the bed. “Look, Y/N. Taehyung’s gonna tell you something you might’ve never believed in but you’re going to have to believe in it if you want that godawful pain to go away, okay?” Seokjin seemed pained just mentioning it, like he experienced it before and you furrowed your eyebrows, bringing the duvet closer to your body. “Okay.” was all you said. “Alright,” Taehyung moved from your side and sat next to your feet on the bed, “Don’t think what I’m about to say is a joke because I hardly ever joke.” “He’s right.” Seokjin added. You looked back at Taehyung, his dark orbs speaking millions of things before his mouth could. They were searching for something in yours, though you didn’t know what exactly for. “I’m a… we’re vampires,” he referred to everyone in the room, “You’re also one.” Wait, what. Thoughts ran in your head, including one questioning if you’d ever be able to see the sun again. “Before you say anything, let me explain a little,” the blonde breathed out. You could feel that he didn’t know where exactly to start. And he had a right to feel so. Who would know where to begin when they have to break the news to someone that they were vampires? Hey, I bit you and made you a vamp. Be thankful you’ll live forever or some shit? It certainly seemed like something that didn’t happen often enough to know how to explain the situation to. “I saved you by letting you have some of my blood. Vampire blood is different from human blood and it’s the only way a human can turn into a vampire. That might be confusing right now but it’ll make more sense when you… actually experience it.” he hesitantly spoke the last part but his eyes never left yours. “How bad is the pain, Y/N?” SeokJin asked. “Really, really bad.” You breathed. You could feel the cold sweat you were breaking out in and questioned how you were even able to maintain your sanity when the pain was so unbearable. “So you’re desperate to get rid of it?” “God, yes.” Taehyung’s hand came out slowly to pat away the droplets on your forehead. You gave him a small smile as a show of thanks for his thoughtfulness. “Do you trust me?” Taehyung asked. You hesitated to answer for a bit, your brain contradicting with your heart. He was a stranger but you felt safe around him? Was that even possible? “Yes.” Your heart outweighed your mind. “Then bite my neck.” “What?” “Trust me, Y/N. Just let your instincts take over,” he said and scooted closer to you. “It’ll be okay, you’ll be okay.” Taehyung pulled you closer by your arm until your face was against his chest. He smelled of lavender laundry detergent which was a pleasant surprise. He looked like the type to wear a musky and earthy cologne.

“We’ll give you guys some privacy,” Seokjin goes to Namjoon before pulling him out of the room and shutting the door. You could hear the childlike protests coming from Namjoon on the other side of the door, making you chuckle. He said something along the lines of wanting to keep dreaming about his adventure with a live Ryan doll that could time travel.

“Alright, you better hurry up and take a bite before the pain is too much and I’d have to do it for you, again.” Taehyung said, mumbling the last part.

“Okay.” you breathed out before sitting up straight and finding a comfy spot to settle yourself into. It was awkward to say the least. You were never this intimate with someone before, let alone a stranger.

He was wearing a flimsy tee shirt similar to the one you wore, meaning he must’ve been the one who provided you an extra pair of clothes… including underwear? You shook your head and tried to focus again.

‘Why am I overthinking this? I just have to bite his neck, that’s it. Wait, does that mean I’ll be drinking his blood? Is that he meant when--’

“You’re hesitating. Did you want me to--”

“No!” You said a little too loud, quickly biting your lip afterwards. “It’s fine. I was just contemplating about how to go about it...” You coughed, feeling more embarrassed.

“I’ll start you off, then.” Taehyung raised a hand to his neck. He was trying to break his skin and it made you wince at the sight.

“Alright,” he said, revealing a line of blood rolling down his neck. And in that instant, your senses heightened. You could hear the steady beats of Taehyung’s heart and the quiet talking from behind the door where Namjoon and Seokjin stood behind, waiting for you to finish. But what overwhelmed you most was the smell of his blood. 

God, how could you describe it? You were conscious of the iron smell but it was somehow… pleasant? Was that possible? You didn’t know. But what you did know was that it made your head hazy just looking at it and your mind was slowly filled with the thought of drinking his blood.

“Let your instincts take over.” Taehyung said once more. And you were more than happy to.

You tugged him by his shirt and nestled into the crook of his neck. Just as the droplet of blood fell to his collar bone, you licked the trail of blood before stopping just below the wound he made. You could feel fangs starting to form and carefully bit into his neck. His hands instantly gripped at the shirt you wore.

It only took a second for the haze to disappear and the constant fire burning your skin to slowly burn out. The taste of Taehyung’s blood reminded you of taking an espresso shot. It was bitter, warm, rich, and forced you out of your somewhat lethargic state. It was addicting to say the least but the tug on your hip reminded you to not suck all of his blood out. You slowly pulled away and rested your head on his shoulder.

“Feel better?”

“Much better.” You breathed.

[silaskaine-blog]

two that happened, two that didn’t, and one that will ;

I.

TREES AND LIGHTS LIT UP every store front in Brooklyn, garland wrapped around the posts, New York City was dripping in Christmas cheer. At least, it looked that way. The cheer failed to reach Silas. Eleven years old, he was walking to a deli, wondering if he could manage to sneak onto a bus. It was cold outside, and Silas jerked the black fleece a little higher, an attempt to cover his ears. The wind cut through the too few layers, a testament to the scarce nature of money for things that people needed to live. He looked homeless, except he was clean, and in a lot of ways he really was homeless.

He paused outside a store before going in. Nimble fingers moved to shelves, tucking away food into his pockets, wishing it was something warm. He was contemplating on attempting to take something from the deli counter when he was grabbed by the back of his jacket. "Shit." Hauled into the manager's office he unloaded his pockets, watching as the food was taken away. The police were called. The officer showed up and glanced at him. It's Christmas, son. Shouldn't you be home, opening presents? Silas snorted, sticking out his hands to be cuffed.

At the station, he sat. He waited. The cop who took him was working the phones to get him picked up. Silas watched the cop's face, his eyes, pinpointing the exact moment he started to pity him. The rumble in his stomach was loud, but he'd be back on the streets before long, and he'd fix that. He hated that cramped house, the lumpy, too small bed, the smell of alcohol that seemed to drip off the walls, alcohol and cockroach pesticide that never really seemed to work. Suddenly, the cop shifted. He hung up the phone, glancing as another cop gave him a sandwich. You like onions? "I don't care." And he didn't. Without a second thought, the cop opened the sandwich and gave him half. You foster parents will be here soon. Eat. And he did.

II.

SILAS WAS GLANCING OVER THE MANUAL, and he held up a finger. "Stop badgering me, I can install this just fine." He flipped a page and nodded, before ducking into the water closet, a wrench in hand. Wires were the problem for the electric water heater. He heard Rose snort from the kitchen, Whatever you say. She was a sassy old lady, and he narrowed his eyes at her, before setting back to his job. Glancing to the wires and inputs he shrugged. It wasn't that complex. Barely needed to read the manual, he scoffed and set to installing it.

Roughly two seconds into rewiring the input, he yelped a sound that could have only been equated to a kicked dog. "Turns out you have to turn off the electricity!" He yelled to Rose, a small on his face despite nearly electrocuting himself. Oh, really, who would have thought that to install an electric water heater, you'd need electricity. "Right?!" Silas yelled back before moving to the breaker. He flicked it off. "Won't be long now." Did you burn your hand? "Just a little singed, just fine. Nothing like the time I nearly caught myself on fire with the stove." Rose swatted at him with a spoon and Silas laughed and scampered away to finish the task.

"By the way, Merry Christmas. Your son was nearly barbecued." I have no pity when he nearly dies from stupidity. Silas bellowed a laugh, shaking his head. "You'd miss me." He said, but just under the realm that was her hearing. When she popped up a few minutes later, he slammed his head on the door and hissed. "You gotta stop doing that." Also, I left you something on your bed. I know you're not fond of Christmas, but still. Just a little something. Her fingers latched around his neck and she pulled him in to kiss his cheek. "Ay, ay. We're Kaine's. No mushy shit." Every once and while, Silas.

III.

VANESSA'S BODY HIT HIS HARD, an attempt to knock the breath from him. Immediately, she started to nip at him, pressing her cold nose into his warm neck. Silas groaned. It was Christmas, he knew. He knew this because she was up at some God awful hour, despite the fact that they were at a party last night and only got home three hours ago. Their apartment was small, they could barely afford it. Silas was working two jobs and going to college full time, chasing that engineering degree, and trying to put food on the table. Vanessa was consumed with dancing. They had a couch, a bed, a television, but otherwise they were the picture of a struggling urban couple.

He chuckled as she rolled him over, kissing him awake. Get up, I have something for you. He groaned again, "I'm up, I'm up." You're not, your eyes are still closed. "Why do you always terrorize people on Christmas? We just want to sleep." Silas rubbed his face, scratching at his beard. He needed to shave before his shift tonight. Opening his eyes, he looked at her in the half light, and she scooted further down his lap so that he could lean against the headboard. Their apartment was too small to fit a tree, but she had a box beside her.

She was about to press the gift into his hands when he shook his head. "Me first." You got something? We agreed on no gifts. "And look how well that worked out." She snorted. "I got you two actually." Vanessa's eyebrows shot up. Silas hated Christmas, she knew that, everyone knew that. From between the headboard and the mattress he pulled out a small box. "I know we have a lot plans, and right now, they're not really coming to fruition--" Nice word. "I'm a relatively smart guy, baby, I know a few words." He shook his head, getting off track. "Anyway, there's no one else I'd rather struggle with, no one else I'd rather have holidays with, no one else I'd rather build my life with. So, will you marry me?"

IV.

THE SCENT OF PRIME RIB WAFTED THROUGH THE HOUSE, an impressive feat considering the size of home. His mother loved Christmas, and gifts had already been done, the morning giving away to a leisurely afternoon. Silas sat at the bar, watching his mother and father. His father laughed and scrunched his nose at the bitter taste of the cranberry sauce dressing she was using. His mother smeared a streak of the sauce on his nose in protest. And Silas just shook his head, and watched the snow fall a little harder.

His mother was the best at cooking prime rib. Hers was second to none, just as her fudge was the same way. He always ate too much food on Christmas, and then fell asleep on the couch watching reruns of old Christmas movies, his head in her lap. Her fingers would brush through his hair while his father read a book, the fireplace roaring and making the living room smell like nutmeg and warm cedar. From his half sleep, he could hear his father's voice, telling his mother about something interesting that he read. His father loved history, and usually prattled on about some factoid he had found interesting.

The midday nap would end, and then, as was every Christmas tradition, they would get dressed up and head to the alpha's home for a small dinner party. It was filled with laughter, too much eggnogg, his mother rolling her eyes at her two boys, given that Silas and his father usually teamed up to start a football game in the backyard. Or capture the flag. Silas was hoping for Capture the Flag this year.

V.

STANDING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH HIS ARMS CROSSED, Silas immediately regretted the decision he had made. The way Catriona was looking at him was a pretty good indicator she was not pleased either. Worry etched over his face, as he watched Saoirse back the car out of the driveway for the first time. I can't believe you got them a car. "A car, singular, I'd like to point out. It's safe." It was not a luxury model, but for two teenagers who had just gotten their licenses days prior, it could have been a Ferrari. They'd have to share, mostly because he didn't want the driveway to look any more like a car park than it already did. You know they were hoping for the Camaro. They both looked at each other at the same time and said, "Over my dead body."

Glancing down the street again, Silas nudged Cat. "C'mon, it's fucking cold out here." You're only wearing your thermal. "Wolf blooded, babe." He could feel her eyes rolling. You feed the deer? "Yeah, at like six. They're getting fat, gonna need to lay off the corn a bit." Another eye roll and he laughed. He paused, tapping his knuckles on the counter. "They'll be fine, right?" Trust me, they need to get out of this damn house. Silas nodded, agreeing. He loved them, but every once and a while he wanted time without them. They'd be getting that, it seemed. He exhaled.

"Another successful Christmas," he said and leaned over to kiss Cat. "They're probably going to be gone for a while so..." You're saying Santa came and that-- "The most logical thing to come next is you, exactly what I'm saying. Read me like a book." She swatted at him before dragging him to the bedroom.

[nananora]

So recently I spent two and a half weeks traveling all over Greece with 30 super cool people. You probably saw it on my instagram/snapchat/facebook. This blog post is here to fill you in on what little squares and limited characters can’t. Hang on tight, this will be a long read and a virtual ride! Opa!

I came into this EF College break nervous. I was going alone, and it was my last big adventure before adulthood would begin. The twelve year old in me was suddenly nervous about having to be in a swimsuit a lot around complete strangers, and also wondered if these strangers would even LIKE me. At all. But it was apparent shortly upon arrival that I really had no need to worry. After a super long day of travel, starting at 3 am California time and ending at 10 am the next day in Athens, I was exhausted but excited. And when I met everyone, from all over, with different careers and backgrounds and stories I had yet to learn, I couldn’t help but smile and hope that we would become the family our tour guide Daphne promised we would by the end of the trip. That first day in Athens consisted of bonding by the rooftop pool and bar, learning names and faces before heading out to our welcome mixer, by taking the subway system which was a comforting reminder of the muni trains, but cleaner and with the potential to be pickpocketed… Dinner was delicious, although the wine was a little meh. Our fabulous tour guide Daphne then told us where we could go out, but I took my sleepy butt home to the hotel for a much needed 8 hours of sleep. My roommates came in later in a quiet manner to my apparent snoring (sorry Abbie and Alexa, I know you miss my snora ing)

The next day we woke up for an amazing complimentary breakfast, which for me was a lot of mini croissants and nutella. The Greeks LOVE their nutella. I wasn’t mad about it. We then went on a guided walking tour to see the sights of Athens. We began at the Greek parliament, and I got to watch the changing of the guards, which was a truly emotional experience for me. Before I left, my grandpa had told me that one of my grandma’s favorite things in Greece was watching the guards in their flamboyant outfits, and I understood why after watching their intricate tassle footed movements. We then moved on to the Temple of Zeus which looked pretty much like you expect ruins to look: old, tan, pillars, that kind of make your jaw drop at their persistent existence through the years. We moved on to the main show: The Acropolis. It was giant and gorgeous, albeit a little less than picturesque due to current renovations because they’ve got to make sure the entire thing doesn’t totally fall apart thousands of years later. Basic stuff. It was a humbling reminder of how small we all are in the grand scheme of things, standing at the top of a hill, overlooking a city where democracy, philosophy, and math all began. We then boarded our overnight “ferry” to the island of Crete. I put ferry in quotes because it was basically a cruise ship: giant, with two restaurants and bars, and rooms containing showers, mirrors and charging stations. I’m weird and movement rocks me to sleep, plus the jet lag was still strong so I slept like a happy little bebe until I woke up when we arrived in Crete.

Crete was a beautiful island, and a great place to start our journey through the islands. Full of winding streets, cobble stones, friendly stray dogs, and an awful traditional alcohol that was forced on us more than I’d like, Chania, the first port city we explored was charming AF. I befriended a scragly tan mutt, and named him Murphy. He followed me around all day, then found me again the next night and stayed by my side. He was a dog full of character that melted my heart. He actually responded to Murphy by the time we left, and I miss him dearly. The next day we drove to the city of Heraklion. Full of upscale American shops, a gorgeous “castle” and a fascinating archeological museum that charted the origin of the myths of the labrinth and the minotaur, it was a fine city for a day. Regretfully, I left my favorite pair of jean shorts at a hotel there and had to accept the goodbye.

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The next morning we took a ferry to the stunning island of Santorini. We were told upon arrival at our hotel to put on our best outfits in order to take the best pictures. We explored the streets of Santorini, enjoyed a beautiful wine tasting overlooking the ocean from the top of a hill, and then had dinner with an incredible view of the sunset over the water. It was pricey, but paying for that view was worth it. Plus I had some damn good mushroom risotto. The next day we spent on a boat going to several different small islands. The first was volcanic, but I decided to forgo the hike up it because I’d been there done that at a prettier place in Hawaii, and because it was ridiculously hot. Sorry not sorry. The next stop was in the ocean, that turned into a hotspring. The water changed temperature, the smell of sulfur was prevalent, and we got to play with mud that’s good for your skin. The last stop was at a touristy island, with some of the clearest waters I’ve seen in my life. I had an incredible 2 euro gyro that was mildly life changing. Then we took the boat back to the hotel, cleaned up, and went to “A Big Fat Greek Wedding Show.” Essentially a theater troupe put on a wedding, and we were all guests. We met the family, ate some delicious mezedes, danced, and broke plates. It was so much fun! After we took in the nightlife of Santorini by hitting up some clubs, and then took the bus back around 2 am. The breakfast in Santorini was one of the best. Breakfast at each hotel was included for us, but the spread and the coffee in Santorini was one of my favorite. For day three, we spent time relaxing on a black sand beach, where I drank some delicious sangria and ate these amazing croquettes with fresh pesto. I’m an ambivert, which means I am a mix of introvert and extravert. So I took some me time after the beach to go shopping. Shout out to Natalie at Spicy Boutique Santorini for being the best personal stylist ever. She hand picked pieces that would look best on me, gave honest opinions, and a ten percent discount. I never looked or felt better than I did after leaving that store with three gorgeous new dresses.

The next morning we said goodbye to Santorini and headed to the party island of Ios. There I finally got laundry done, at some great pizza, drank too much vodka, and walked out of a club as the sun was rising. That’s because the clubs don’t get going till 3 am there. I went to an Alice and Wonderland themed silent disco, called Shush Bar Ios and it was SO MUCH FUN. There were three different color coded stations: r and b, dance, and top 40 and so everyone could jam out to the same or different songs all at once. There was also a super great Irish themed bar that I ended up in both nights. Not gonna lie to y’all, I danced on a lot of make shift tables and bar stools. I have no regrets. What happens on the islands, stays on the islands (unless I decide to share it in a blog post) #whoops. After such a late night I spent the next day in Ios sleeping on the beach, resting up for an even crazier night out that I remember most of. A guy told me I wasn’t pretty enough for a free shot, I desperately needed a croissant, a guy asked me four separate times to go home with him, I swerved him very hard, and somehow I ended up eating a gyro, getting home via cab and sleeping a full 3 hours before waking up feeling like death and boarding a very painful ferry to Paros.

The decor in the silent disco club

  The ferry was rough, but worth it. In Paros, I saw the clearest water of my life. You could’ve told me it was a swimming pool and I’d believe you. We got to our accommodation mid day, and because I was so dead from Ios and no sleep I decided to stay at the hotel while most of the group went to a beach nearby. I enjoyed a cold shower, long nap, and ventured into town with my friend Stefani for a dang good margarita and a gyro burger. That night, I stayed in and went to bed early. The next day we spent just the 28 of us on a boat sailing all over the waters of Antiparos. We passed Tom Hank’s summer house, stopped and jumped into the clear water many times, at kebabs that were grilled for us on the boat, got some solid day drunk off wine time in, and I got to recreate a photo my grandmother took so so many years ago. That night I had some delicious and unexpected Mexican food near our hotel with some friends. We took a long walk to say goodbye to one of the tour assistants from EF, Jeff and then stayed in again.

The next day we took a ferry to our final island, the VIP destination of Mykonos. Alas, no spotting of Real Housewives or Kardashians occured. Fun fact about Mykonos though, this rich Greek guy with the last name Onassis basically pulled Mykonos out of poverty in the 50s by building clubs and restaurants and taking his rich friends to the island on his yacht. Oh, and he married Jackie Kennedy after JFK’s death, so like, nbd, but kind of a bd. Mykonos was chic, expensive, and gorgeous. From the maze of winding streets in Little Venice, to the windmills on a hill, to the continuously gorgeous sunsets, I understood why everyone loves Mykonos. My wallet however, did not love Mykonos. I enjoyed the nightlife a lot in Mykonos, and I am not too proud to admit that I got up on the stripper pole in a Scandinavian bar multiple times. No one else was doing that pole justice, it was my duty to do so. Again, sorry not sorry. I was also very lucky in that I avoided a gnarly virus that reached more than half of our travel group in Mykonos. I got to go to an all day beach party on a nude beach where the drinks we frozen, tasty and two for one. Then I stayed in that night because one of my roommates was not feeling so hot and I was frankly starting to feel drained. Mykonos provided another really great breakfast, full of pastries, the al important nutella, and great coffee. Checking into my flight out of Athens was a bit of a nightmare as a large group of Asian tourists were on the not great to begin with wifi that all 28 of us were trying to utilize. Luckily I had data and managed alright.

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We took our last ferry back to Athens the next morning. I finished the book I’d brought with me, and ate two bags of chips and was very happy to see Athens again. I bought my final souvenirs, and headed to the goodbye dinner with friends who had, over 17 days become family. It was a bittersweet night, saying goodbye to everyone and hugging and crying and enjoying the last Greek food of the trip.

I got lucky and was on the “later” flight out of Athens at noon, so I went on a bus that left at 8 am, killed time in the airport, and made my long journey back to SF. When I finally arrived, exhausted and hangry, my lovely boyfriend picked me up, took me straight to in n out, took me, home and tucked me into bed. I fell asleep fast, exhausted but so grateful for the trip of a lifetime.

This trip wouldn’t have been what it was without the people on it. So this is where I’m going to take a minute to shout out 28 lovely humans one by one. Bear with me guys, this is the sappy but good part.

To my roomates, Abbie and Alexa: thank you for always making me feel included, for never letting me be too hard on myself, for listening to me talk about my boyfriend a lot and for putting up with my snoring. Alexa, you are so full of light and love, and you can make anyone feel at ease with your sense of humor. You’re going to be an incredible doctor because you are kind and patient. Abbie, I’m not sure if I’ll ever stop saying y’all, but meeting you was more than worth it. You are like a ray of sunshine in human form. I’ve never laughed so hard with someone so much. And don’t be afraid that you don’t know what you’re doing yet, pro tip, no one really does. And if I ever even sense either of you complaining about your perfect bods Imma have to hop a plane and smack sense into you both. Just sayin.

To Steffani: you are one of the sassiest, punniest humans I know in the best way possible. I will always be envious of what the ocean does to your hair. Thank you for making me laugh, and for adventuring with me and always having a granola bar on hand to prevent hangriness. We are going out in SF asap.

To Michelle: Thank you for laughing at all of my jokes, good and bad, for trusting my caption skills, and for making me feel included and confidant. You are such a sweet heart, and I know you’re going to do amazing things. Everyone who gets to watch is lucky.

To Rose: Thank you for sharing drinks, and life advice with me, and also for not being afraid to tan topless with me, lol. You are full of so much spunk and sass, and you’re so beautiful just the way you are, so never change for anyone but yourself.

To Juliet: You are so young, and you’ve already done so much with your life! It is incredibly inspiring, even as someone older than you to know how full of adventure your life is. Never lose your love of travel, your sensibility, or your fearless heart. They’re all incredible assets.

To Haley: You are one of the most beautiful humans inside and out that I have ever met. Don’t try and grow up too fast though, these are the best years of your life, I promise it’s not a cliche. Be yourself, be curious, be kind, and always make sure that your head and your heart reach a healthy compromise.

To Molly: thank you for understanding SF, for making me smile and for always being authentic. To be 100% sure of yourself is rare, and admirable, don’t lose that.

To Ridge and Reina: They say that when you travel with your partner you learn a lot, and I saw you two remain so in love with each other, it was an inspiration. Also, your picture skills are on FLEEK. I’ll be hitting you up next time I’m in Maui. Mahalo for being amazing humans.

To Adam: Understated and classy are two words that describe you best. You’re the kind of humble and smart that puts other people at ease. Does that make sense? I hope so. Make good choices, and don’t be afraid to let loose every once in a while. Adulting is exhausting and you deserve to chill. Even in the chill area of SoCal.

To Jason: I have never met anyone as consistently positive as you, and it’s a truly great trait. You never failed to make me laugh, but you weren’t afraid to be straight up either. Stay true to who you are, and remember, be smart with your head and your heart.

To Brenda: I wish I’d gotten to know you better, but you have the best style of anyone I know and you’re always smiling which is such an attractive quality to have. I have a feeling that you’re meant for great things. And I have a feeling you know that too.

To Claire: I admire that you know what you want and don’t want so early in life! Stay true to yourself, and stick to your guns and then there will be nothing that can stop you.

To Skai: Even though you don’t want to go out in SF with me, you’re still a pretty cool dude. I’m rooting for you to snag that billionare.

To Brett: You are one funny son of a gun. While your commentary wasn’t always appreciated, your humor still was. You have a way of making people feel relaxed and happy around you. Just don’t kill any dogs when I’m not watching. Or I’ll have to kill you.

To Lauren B.: You are such a beautiful person, honestly. Your presence is warm, and I can see how you make an excellent teacher, because you are patient, and fun, and kind. I might just have to come to a Royals game and see ya one day.

To Jaime: Thank you for being my photographer, hype woman, drink partner, and so much more. You’re one of the funniest people I know, and your frankness is my favorite because it reminds me of me. Thank you for getting me out and home safe, for making sure I laughed more than I didn’t and for basically making me louve you as a human.

To Kelly: You are one sarcastic mofo. But you’re also really kind, as one of the most intellectual people I know. I’m sorry if my repetative nature and loud volume wasn’t always ideal for you, but you should know you still occupy a special lil place in my heart. Keep being strong, and sassy and fab.

To Katelyn: Thank you for loving dessert as much as me, for thinking I’m hilarious, for taking killer pictures, and for overall just being a super fly gal. Your lack of swearing and inability to tan are wonderful. Some day I will need you to photograph my wedding. And you can bring Tiffany too I guess.

To Maddy: You are literally the kindest, most Disney princess like human I know. Your nurse tendencies to be prepared for anything were much needed, and your stories were wonderful. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a nurse. Also, you’re gorgeous AF and too nice to even hate for it, so there’s that.

To Carolina: Oh my goodness I didn’t know such a big heart could be contained in such a little human! Thank you for always making sure I was safe, aka not letting me fall asleep in a club and getting drunk gyros with me, and for being so open about who you are. You’re one of the hardest working, and most passionate people I know and I cannot wait to watch you take the world by storm. Also, you’re ridiculously beautiful with killer style to boot. Ugh, miss you already.

To Nikki: You are so New York, I love it. Loud, funny, full of attitude, and a killer photographer. You are the definition of what people look for in a ride or die, not afraid to go hard but also always has your back. You deserve to be treated like a princess so never settle for less than that. You’re visiting me in SF with Carolina and Steffani asap. Please.

To Ally Klein: You’re one of those girls that has “it” and doesn’t even know. You light up rooms when you walk into them, and steal men’s hearts with ease. You’re gorgeous, kind and genuine to boot. Keep putting your heart out there, keep adventuring, and never stop spreading your infectious smile.

To Allie Ward: The only chances we regret are the ones we never take, and I know that you know that. You have a big heart, a love of travel, and a downright infectious laugh. You’re a true friend and your compassion is huge and wonderful. Keep taking chances and making new memories because we all only have this one life to live, and it’s way too short to have regrets about.

To Tiffany: You are beautiful, and you deserve to be confidant in that. Never spend so much time out of the spotlight that you forget that you’re a star in your own right. You have so much to give this world that you should never hide. You made me feel so sure of myself, and you were the best hype woman ever. Now make sure that you do that for yourself too. Also I would come to Georgia and humidity just to see you (and Kaitlyn) and for a California girl, that means a lot.

To Jenn: You are one of the most naturally beautiful girls that I know. I love that you’re young and living life on your own terms, so many girls your age aren’t there yet. Keep living the life that you’re proud of and surrounding yourself with people who build you up, because that’s what you deserve. Also, your instagram feed is fire.

To Paisley: I respect the heck outta your vegan life style. You are also one of the sweetest human I know. You meet every compliment with graciousness, and that’s becoming rare today. Your smile is stunning, and almost always on your face! Hold on to that, because you seem to understand that life is a beautiful thing to smile about. Keep your independence and light with you wherever you go. It’ll take you far, promise.

To Mike: You are one sassy and hilarious mofo. Your deadpan comments and facials are everything. You could probably make reading the phone book sound entertaining if you tried hard enough. New York, and the rest of the world frankly, love and need your soul in it. Never ever change, and HAGS. Lol.

CONGRATS! You made it to the end of my longest blog post to date. It took me two hours to write, and hopefully takes less time for you to read.

I can’t say enough about how great EF was too. Our tour guide Daphne, was my travel mom by the end of the trip and was hands down one of the kindest, funniest, most organized woman I know. The accommodations were all really nice, despite the cold shower or two, and a few meh breakfasts. Transportation was efficient, and each day promised something new. I look forward to my next EF trip.

And I’ll leave you with a quote, as always: “Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.” ― Isabelle Eberhardt, The Nomad: The Diaries of Isabelle Eberhard

    It’s All Greek to Me So recently I spent two and a half weeks traveling all over Greece with 30 super cool people.