#have to keep telling myself that 6 months isn’t that long but yeesh. it feels like an eternity to me

[thetwilightroadtonightfall]

all the Project E wips in the past 6 months because I keep forgetting what I’ve already posted and also because I’m literally going insane inside an enclosure of my own making. girl help

[skrltwtch]

Silverware

Prompt: on a first date and A is a werewolf and doesn’t know the cutlery is silver (Source in master list)

Word count: 4,897 words

Genre: Fluff, romance, supernatural

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

I buried my nose in the bouquet of lilies and roses Jake had bought for me. It was the perfect emblem of summer with its warm, sunny hues and fresh, tangy scent — and the perfect segue to the next part of our date. The first part was a visit to the local farmers market, out of which we were now walking. Coming here had been his suggestion. It was something different from the usual first date stuff like coffee or a movie, and I liked it a lot, notwithstanding my initial reservations. I liked him a lot after what I’d seen of him at the market. I felt like the place helped bring out a certain spark between us. For one, there was constant talk about planning for date number two using what we’d seen and bought. If that wasn’t promising, I didn’t know what was!

‘Thank you, Jake. I love it,’ I said about the bouquet.

‘You’re most welcome,’ he said, a broad grin brightening up his face. ‘And thank you for the flavoured olive oil. Makes me kind of wish we didn’t have this dinner reservation …’ His grin turned sheepish in nature. ‘But that’s what’s making me look forward to our next date.’

See?

‘Do you want to call for a taxi or walk?’ he said.

‘What time’s our reservation?’

‘6:00 p.m. on the dot.’

My watch came alive with a flick of my wrist. ‘Let’s walk, then. I want to walk off all the cheese I sampled.’ I’d sampled a lot. In my defence, it was almost that time of the month — and that other time of the month. ‘Do you know the way?’

‘Google Maps can teach me.’

The route Google Maps recommended was scenic. London Bridge looked lovely at this time of day. Its appeal was heightened tenfold with Jake by my side. Could you believe we met on Tinder? It still felt unreal to me. Getting this match used up all my good luck for the year, and we were only at the halfway point. Well, if it meant burning the roof of my mouth most of the time I ate to be able to quit the dating scene for a reasonable amount of time (“once and for all” seemed a little ambitious, though that would be nice), who was I to whinge about the hand fate had dealt me?

The restaurant was located within the Four Seasons. We had been overdressed for the market. Now we were … dressed. I was flattered as fuck that he picked such a lavish place for dinner for a first date. I hadn’t the faintest clue what it was about my profile and our conversations that made him think of a high-end French restaurant helmed by a Michelin-starred chef in a five-star hotel. I did try to talk him out of it (gently). It wasn’t about the cost. Food was one of the things I was more than happy to splurge on. It was just … I never had anyone think this highly of me before, and I wondered if that’d change if … and when … he knew the truth about me.

The host led us into the main dining room and to our table. An amuse-bouche and warm bread came together with the menus. The prices were as expected of the type of establishment this was. Everything sounded good, though this was my first time coming across some of these words. Looking up what each one meant would add to the time something would take to reach our table, and my stomach would sooner eat itself out of desperation.

‘Please don’t hold back,’ said Jake, sensing my indecision. ‘The price is not an issue.’

I did have to hold back. The coincidental timing of this month’s full moon and crimson tide amplified every-fucking-thing I could possibly feel to a divinely hellish degree in the days leading up to them. As it was, I could easily polish off a five-course meal by myself. If Jake wanted this date to go in a less chaste direction after dinner, hell would freeze over before I’d even dream of talking him out of it, first date etiquette be damned. Was the fact that he was such a goddamn catch helping anything? Absolutely fucking not.

‘No, it’s not that. I can’t — I can’t decide what I want,’ I said. It was technically true. I was torn between the beef (never mind that it was £98) and veal … and both of them at once. ‘What are you having? Maybe I can get some inspiration from you.’

‘I was thinking the turbot … or the pigeon. Yeah, I can’t make up my mind either. I’m leaning toward the pigeon …? No, the turbot. Or the scallops …? Fuck. I need an adult.’

‘Let’s choose for each other.’

‘Promise not to hate each other’s choices — or each other?’

‘Pinky promise.’

We locked our pinkies together. I hoped touching him would never grow old.

Once our promise had been sanctified and we separated from each other, Jake signalled for the nearest available waitstaff. One came over almost instantly. The restaurant was bustling with activity, a far cry from however long it had been since we arrived. She took our order in a cordial fashion, not making a bigger deal of how we were ordering for each other than it should be. I chose the scallops for him; he chose the veal for me. I convinced him to start our evening with the langoustine; he sweet-talked me into ending it with the rhubarb. The waitstaff validated all our choices with a knowing smile.

‘I’ve been meaning to ask — and I hope I’m not stepping on your toes here,’ Jake started when our table was just the two of us again. ‘How did you get that scar on your arm?’

It was a matter of time. And bless him. I would never be offended by being asked about the memento of what’d changed my life forever. I would be offended by an adverse reaction to how exactly my life had been changed forever. I raised my arm, giving the scar in question its time in the limelight: brownish-pink, leathery circles arranged in the shape of a crescent, the ones at both ends abnormally large and ragged-looking.

‘My ex-boyfriend’s dog bit me,’ I said. More like my ex-boyfriend was the offending canine. ‘That’s not why he’s an ex, in case you were wondering.’ I’d wanted to be turned. He’d been more than happy to lend a helping set of fangs. Sadly, the idea of us being cute werewolves together was yet another one of those things that simply sounded nicer on paper. It wasn’t all sour between us. We’d sometimes meet for romps. It got lonely sometimes, and it wasn’t like there was an online forum for werewolves to socialise or whatever. I doubted he’d have known of one anyway: he was literally an American werewolf in London.

‘Did it hurt? It’s such a huge scar. Did anything happen to the dog afterward?’ He held up his hands. ‘Am I being nosy? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.’

I smiled in the hope that it’d soothe his worries. ‘You’re not being nosy. It was … okay for what it was.’ Euphoric. ‘The dog’s fine. It wouldn’t be fair to punish it for an instinct thing.’ Yup.

‘That’s good to hear. I think it’s a bad-ass scar. And I didn’t think it’s why he’s an ex.’

‘Thank you. Most people did. Yeesh. Give me some credit.’

‘I’m not most people … I hope.’ He smirked. The apples of his cheeks turned pink.

He really wasn’t. And I wanted so badly to tell him the truth there and then to see if that’d still hold true in the face of a bombshell like that. I had yet to tell anyone about my lycanthropy: if movies, television shows, books, etc., were anything to go by, I’d assume most people would react with fear or disgust, or both. Chris had been thoroughly flabbergasted when I reacted the way I did to learning why he always turned down my suggestions to go stargazing on nights with full moons. I got what I wanted … eventually.

Maybe I should tell Jake sooner than later. Separate the wheat from the chaff. Then I wouldn’t have wasted my time having pined for someone who thought I was some kind of freak of nature.

That conversation — or rather, thinking about that conversation would have to wait, as our starter, bearing a strong resemblance to a flower arrangement with colours befitting the season, had arrived. Food was always the perfect diversion. So would the inevitable back-and-forth about who could have the third and last langoustine. Splitting it was not an option, for one piece was as big as my thumb. I loved the portion sizes of frou-frou fancy food. So much bang for one’s buck.

‘Bon appétit,’ said Jake. ‘That’s one of … four French phrases I know. The other three are “bonjour”, “omelette du fromage”, and — I can’t say the last one in a public place.’

‘Is it by any chance … “voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir”?’ I made no effort whatsoever to lower my volume — or maintain a straight face. Brazenness blazed through my cheeks.

He put a hand on his chest, feigning surprise. ‘Well!’ He tittered. ‘Since you asked ever so nicely, and in French … This is why your choices tonight have been shellfish, isn’t it?’

‘You got me.’

‘Looking at their portion sizes, I don’t think your plan’s going to work very well. Not that I’d need the help of — shut up, Jake.’

‘Keep going, Jake’ was what I’d have said and wanted if my stomach hadn’t started getting on my case for letting good food get cold. (‘Rubbery lobster? Gross!’) There was something hot about someone like Jake — a posh, proper Englishman, the polar opposite of Chris … okay, no, stop bringing him up, stop thinking about him, goddammit — talking openly, confidently, about his prowess. Such words … coming out of his mouth … in that accent … I quickly pressed my legs together to quell any desires. Which hunger of mine was responsible for this?

Wanting to satiate the one appetite I could at this very moment without earning myself prison time for my troubles, I said, ‘Bon appétit, Jake’, and picked up my fork … which promptly fell onto my plate with the fucking loudest clang. The smell of burning flesh tickled my nostrils — my burning flesh. My fingers were sizzling where the fork touched them. Sizzling! I prayed it was only my nose that could pick up this delectable aroma.

I stared at the cutlery. Trust a high-end French restaurant helmed by a Michelin-starred chef in a five-star hotel to use real silverware, not that cheap silver-plated shit. I prodded the fork handle — and withdrew my finger immediately. Not one of my finer moments. Please don’t tell me Jake saw it.

‘Is everything okay?’ said Jake.

Ah, fuck.

‘Yeah,’ I said, examining my palm. Good news: the burn hadn’t healed and wasn’t healing as quickly as my wounds and injuries (not that I had many of them) did after I was turned, so that was one less question to dodge. I didn’t want to keep lying to Jake. I didn’t like that I had been. How would I explain the absence of a second-degree burn that existed mere seconds ago anyway? Bad news: was this never going to heal because of what caused it? I had been so careful with silver since I was turned. How would I explain a perpetual second-degree burn? Would it out me as a werewolf to people who knew what to look for? Was now really the time for Twenty Questions?

Noticing Jake had been waiting on me to provide some kind of elucidation on my well-being, I said, ‘I guess I have a silver allergy. Can you believe it? Who’s allergic to silver?’

He didn’t need to say, ‘What kind of allergy burns someone?’ for me to hear it in my head.

‘Can you eat, then?’ he said.

I shook my head. As far as I was concerned, silver was lethal. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. If a perpetual second-degree burn was the worst thing to come out of fleeting contact with the metal, so be it. I’d consider myself a lucky lycan indeed.

‘Pardon me,’ Jake said to the waitstaff who’d come with our entrées, ‘would you have any disposable cutlery perhaps? My lady’ — he did not — ‘is allergic to the silverware.’

The waitstaff did an excellent job of not acting like this very dashing gentleman had just dropped the barmiest string of words on her during her entire employment in this line of work. Even I didn’t quite believe it myself. ‘I’ll see what we have, sir, ma’am,’ she said, cool as a cucumber. After she finished setting down our food, she collected all the silverware on my side of the table and left.

‘I don’t think whatever she comes back with would help with your veal. I could cut it up for you?’ said Jake.

Oh, my God. Getting burnt by silver must be the universe’s way of course-correcting the unusual jackpot I’d hit with him. Good Tinder matches were a myth!

‘No, it’s fine. Thank you. I’ll manage … somehow,’ I said. The wooden cutlery the waitstaff had returned with didn’t inspire confidence in me to not fling a piece of meat or a utensil at someone while cutting into my food.

‘We could swap dishes. I’d be fine with the veal. It was in my top five earlier.’

I suffocated a sigh. His scallops looked more like an appetiser than a main. But what choice did I have? I could either eat the veal like the animal that put me in this position or go through the restaurant’s entire supply of wooden cutlery with nothing to show for the effort in my belly and possibly injure someone in the process. Neither option would do any favours for my image in the eyes of the guy I liked and whose bones I’d like to jump at some point, enhanced animal lust or not.

So, I agreed. I tried to draw out the meal for as long as I could. Between the teeny serving and the unwieldiness of the wooden cutlery, I was having a miserable time. Dinner had become a silent affair, a far cry from everything prior to this point. Contrary to the vibe I was putting out, the food had nothing to do with my dour mood. For the first time since I was turned, I wasn’t happy about what I was. Could I never truly lead a normal life? Did I have to lie to every potential suitor and fret about whether they’d accept that other side of me on top of all the intricacies of dating?

There ought to be a dating app for verified supernatural creatures.

‘How’s the veal?’ I said. I had to speak up: I wasn’t being fair to Jake by acting like a sullen teenager over something he had zero control over, and the silence was deafening.

‘It’s — I might’ve done you a favour. How about my — your scallops?’

‘As good as three bites can get. I can’t tell if it tastes funny because of the wooden fork.’

‘This has been a disaster, hasn’t it?’ He flashed a wry smile. ‘Can I be honest? I have no idea what possessed me to pick a place like this for a first date.’

‘It’s a nice place. And it hasn’t been a disaster.’ If anything, I was the disaster. As always.

‘How was the market?’

‘The market was great. I had an amazing time.’

‘Thank God. I’ll take one out of two.’

I reached across the table and placed my hand on top of his. He made things extra saucy by interlocking his fingers with mine. ‘Jake, it’s fine. Today has been wonderful. I should be sorry for making things awkward with my … allergy.’ Nope, that still sounded silly.

‘What? No, don’t be. It’s not your fault.’

It … kind of was.

‘How about ice cream after this? My treat. I’m certain the rhubarb will be so very pretty and so very … nothing.’

He hit the nail on the head. The food we had would do wonders for my Instagram feed while having done nothing for my diet. I appreciated his offer, though I was afraid it would take more than ice cream to fill me up properly … Then again, that was a problem that rested solely in my dominion, not his, and it was one I intended to solve by trawling the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats in the comfort of my underthings at home — the one true way to enjoy food.

I asked for the bill the second dessert arrived. I wanted to leave here as soon as possible. I had quite enough of the wooden cutlery. I felt like a child using them. And like I told Jake earlier, I was on the fence about whether to attribute the food’s slightly off taste to them or my unrefined taste buds. Even the rhubarb wasn’t spared. Dessert was supposed to be my safe space, dammit!

I footed the bill in its entirety despite his objections. It helped that the waitstaff presented it to me because I’d been the one who asked, and that I was quick with my card. Sisters watching out for each other, everyone. The plan was then to go about the rest of the evening as if it had slipped my mind to ask him for his half or even bring it up in the first place. It was the least I could do for putting a wee damper on dinner with my … me-ness. He was going to treat me to ice cream anyway. There. We were even now.

The best-laid plans of mice and men often went awry: Jake snatched the bill folder and, taking out his phone, said, ‘Do you have Paym, Pingit, or PayPal? Why am I only noticing now that they all start with P?’

I admitted defeat: ‘Paym.’ It might be harder for him — or anyone — to believe I had none of those apps than that I was a werewolf. Did I want to put that to the test? No.

My phone buzzed with the confirmation that my plan had been a dud. ‘Thank you. Now let’s blow this popsicle stand and head to a real one.’

We left and worked on our next destination outside the restaurant. The staff had to want us out of there as much as we wanted ourselves out of there. The time of day meant we had limited options: ice cream parlours in London seemed to think people would lose the mood for sweet treats the moment the sky turned dark and the air cooled. Inanity. We had to return to where our date started for the one place that was open at this hour. It was just as well: I needed the walk this time to clear my head after what happened at dinner. It hadn’t seemed to dull the shine of his opinion of me, at least. He was as chipper as ever. Unless he was a good actor and paid up as soon as he did so he could ghost me after this and find himself a date that didn’t have some bogus allergy to silver …

Me? Over-thinking things? Never.

‘Do you want to do takeout or eat in?’ I said when we found ourselves less than fifty metres away from the parlour tasked with plying us with ice cream for tonight without a say in the matter.

‘Let’s do takeout and walk back to Borough Station. Full circle.’

The place was crowded: the most logical outcome for the only ice cream parlour open at this time near a tourist hotspot in the middle of summer. Customer turnover was quick, however, and we left with our orders within fifteen minutes. As tempting as their sundaes and waffles — towering, decadent creations of sugary indulgence — looked, we went back to the basics after our overly sophisticated dinner. Unlike before, what we wanted came to us in a snap: for myself, a speculoos gelato; for Jake, a gelato, too, but make it salted caramel.

And this time, we could help ourselves to each other’s food. With permission, of course.

‘A fraction of the price, but infinitely better,’ I said.

‘I hope the same can be said of our second date.’

‘And what would that be?’

‘Dinner at Chez Walker. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?’

‘I do think so.’

‘It would have to be the weekend after next, though.’

‘Why? Got another date next Saturday?’ I had a firm enough grip on reality to recognise and accept that a guy like him had to be neck deep in matches.

‘No … next weekend’s the full moon. I thought you’d know.’

I stopped dead in my tracks. ‘Why would I?’ I buried my stammer under a bemused scoff. Like, why would anyone — any not-werewolf, which, as far as Jake was concerned, was what I was — care to know when the full moon was?

He, too, stopped walking and looked me dead in the eye. ‘Imogen, I know what you are.’

I wiped my palms on the front of my dress. They were suddenly so sweaty. So sweaty. Why were they so sweaty? Could he see that they were so sweaty? I tried to defuse the situation the best — and maybe only — way I knew how: ‘Are we quoting Twilight? I’ll have you know that I liked the book when I first read it in 2007. And I thought the movie wasn’t too bad either.’ This was true, and I wasn’t ashamed of it. Any female millennial who said they had felt nothing for Edward Cullen was a filthy liar.

‘I’m not ashamed either to say I read the book and watched the movie. But I’m serious.’

‘Okay … say it, then. Go on.’ Was that how the line went? I wasn’t going to look it up now. On a list of things that mattered in this moment, accurate movie quotes was nowhere near the top twenty.

‘You’re a werewolf. And I know how this sounds, so don’t humour me or —’ His tone had taken on a jittery lilt, uncharacteristic of someone who ought to be humoured, ridiculed (what his next word had to be), or — my worst-case scenario — feared.

‘How did you know?’

His mien changed in a manner that suggested that wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting. Fuck it. Chris had trusted me enough to tell me the truth after a handful of dates, and he did it because he liked me a lot and he wanted to get it out of the way as soon as possible so that we could move on in some way. (Me asking him to turn me was the real curveball of that conversation.) The least I could do, really, was to extend that same courtesy to Jake. I liked him. I liked him a lot. If he had a problem with what I was, it was better that I found out now that he did than many months down the road. There was no element of compromise to my … condition.

‘You mean I’m —?’

‘Right? Not crazy?’ I showed him my palm. The burn had taken about an hour to reach the healing stage normal people would reach in a week or so. ‘Yeah.’

‘Damn …’ He cleared his throat. ‘How did I know? I was brought up on a steady diet of horror movies and read way too many young adult supernatural books in the day, more than I’d care to admit. That, and my ex-girlfriend’s second uncle was killed by a werewolf.’

‘Shit.’

‘I’m kidding — about the last part. The first two are true. My ex-girlfriend was a vampire, and one of her uncles — I can’t remember which one; it could’ve really been her second — was with a werewolf when we were together. Vampires and werewolves get along quite well, actually.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

‘How the tables have turned … I’m not.’ He went through his phone with his free hand and, upon finding what he’d been looking for, passed it to me. ‘Look.’

On the screen was a photo of him with his arm around a hazy figure in clothes that were otherwise in focus.

‘Drove me quite mad at first, thinking something was wrong with my phone. Then she went a little … overboard once, and the rest was history. She shared everything about her world — your world — with me. And I’m also in several online paranormal communities, so there’s that. It’s not all as hush-hush as one might think. It just takes an open mind.’

I returned his phone to him. ‘How did you figure me out?’

‘Your “allergy”. I had my suspicions about your scar. Your reaction to the silverware confirmed them. Allergies … don’t do this.’ He took my hand and stroked my palm. The sensation of his fingers on the raw skin was … electric. ‘I’m sorry I put you in an awkward position and you weren’t ready to tell me. What I said … just slipped out. I understand. It has to be fucking terrifying. It’s okay if you don’t want to see me again after this. But I want you to know that what you are doesn’t change a thing about how I feel about you. How you were turned is none of my business. The whole thing is, really. I did an arse thing. I’m an arse. First with the goddamn restaurant, now this. Way to fucking go, Walker,’ he said to himself quietly.

I flung my empty gelato container into the nearest bin, and then my arms around him. I helped throw away his for him, too. ‘You’re not an arse, Jake. This doesn’t change anything about how I feel about you, too. I like you a lot.’ His cheeks flushed deeply under the moonlight. ‘I was freaking out about this whole thing during dinner because I like you a lot. I am so relieved that we’ve gotten to lay our cards on the table.’ I fanned myself with my hand. Don’t cry, Imogen! ‘And because I don’t want there to be any more lies between us, it was my ex-boyfriend who turned me, and he did it because I wanted it.’

‘Oh. Yeah, it still doesn’t change a thing.’ His lips landed on my forehead in a peck. ‘Okay, I never imagined the topic of our exes would come up so often during our first date. Oh, well. Guess they had more of an impact on us than we’d like to think.’

‘Yeah’ — I chuckled, ‘let’s keep walking.’

I peeled myself off him. Our hands remained intertwined. Like dinner, the remaining walk — as short as it was — to the station was a quiet one. Unlike dinner, it was more so that we were simply basking, revelling, in the afterglow of our attraction to each other and each other’s presence. The world felt right again, just as it did at the farmers market.

The next time we spoke was on the train platform. ‘Thank you for the lovely time,’ I said, ‘and for being such a sweetheart.’ I waved my bouquet at him. It still looked pristine despite all the walking we did. ‘For everything.’

‘Thank you, too. I had an amazing time with you today. I can assure you that Chez Walker will serve larger portions than what we had earlier.’

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

‘The weekend after next, then?’

‘Yes,’ I said, grinning. ‘I’d be down for any time before the weekend, too, if Chez Walker is open then.’

‘I’ll speak with the chef.’

He moved in for a goodbye kiss, which I seized wholeheartedly. His smell and the sound of his heartbeat flooded my senses. I could feel his heart beating against his chest under my touch, thumping, thumping away for every second our lips lingered on each other’s. I had to contain myself and keep things G-rated and light, as such kisses were wont to be, though my instincts were screaming, baying, at me to get to satisfying at least one craving tonight. I was the one to break off the kiss for fear of going too far.

‘Just in time,’ said Jake, his eyes doing that thing they did whenever he smiled. ‘My train’s here. I’ll see you next week?’

‘I thought you said you’ll speak with the chef about next week.’

‘I realised I don’t care what the chef thinks. He’ll be fine with it anyhow: he doesn’t have to bust out the good silverware.’

‘Goodbye, Jake.’

‘See you, Imogen. Message me when you get home?’

‘I will.’

We waved at each other, right before the train doors swallowed him up. My train came soon after, too. I spent the entire ride home wondering not what to fill the void that was my stomach with, but what fresh hell the universe had in store for me in return for scoring me a guy like Jake.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #175

“imagine living like a king someday, a single night without a ghost in the walls.”

Have you ever had a teacher hit on you? Not to my recollection. Have you ever seen your ex’s new partner? If so, what do you think of them? I don't know or care if he currently has one. Do you think you can last in a relationship for 6 months? Done it twice now, it's not difficult if you're picky and serious with who you date. Does anybody know about your sex life other than your partners? Well my mom was somewhat aware of things that were happening. What was the last piece of candy you ate? Good question. I got my tongue re-pierced because of a bar length issue with swelling, and now this one is just shy of long enough to disable me from biting down entirely (they're snake eyes, so across the tip). I'm only just getting back into eating soft things very slowly unless I want pain, so candy's a no. I have to wait no less than three weeks to get a correctly-sized bar, and it's only been just over one aaaahhh. Have you ever been dared to do something you totally regretted? No. Is your room painted or wallpapered? Painted. What is the best kind of pizza in your opinion? I'm an American I stan them meat lovers. Is there something that someone has done to you that you cannot forgive? No. Well actually idk, I still don't know for *sure* if I forgive him. Like I'm completely over it and it no longer affects me, but I could never ever ever ever look at him even remotely the same or even consider trusting him. I don't think that's supposed to happen when you forgive someone. Have you ever broken a plate/bowl? Accidentally by dropping. What is your favorite restaurant? Olive Garden. Has anyone ever drunk called/texted you? I don't think so. Do you know anyone who has a homosexual parent? No. What type of music could this world live without? Pure screamo (no, not as a carpet term for metal). Are any of your pets “overweight”? No. Who’s the last person you cried over? Does myself count? Did the house you grew up in have a fence? Yeah, but not all around. What’s your YouTube channel name? 0zzkat. Who of your FB friends has the cutest toddler(s)? Uhhhh idk. Anastasia's baby girl is pretty cute, I guess. Did you decorate pumpkins this year? No. :/ They were totally gone the day we were gonna get one (the day before Halloween so no, we weren't that surprised lmao). What’s the craziest color you’d dye your hair? More like what color WOULDN'T I dye it? What’s the coolest hobby one of your friends has? Uhhh. Idk. Name a video game you can play over and over again? Shadow of the Colossus. I've beaten it around 30 times. Would be more if I didn't lose the disc, buuut it's actually coming in the mail now! What is something that will make you laugh instantly? Don't show me that fucking Linkin Park "crawling in my crawl" worm video. Name a movie you wouldn’t watch solely based on its name? None come to mind. What’s your dearest souvenir? *shrugs* What was the last strong scent you smelled? Probably coffee bc of Mom. Have you ever been in an unconventional relationship (long distance, polyamorous, same gender, age gap, etc)? If so, what challenges did this relationship present, and were they worth overcoming? Long instance + same-sex simultaneously. Distance is fucking hard when you really want each other's company, especially for emotional support. Being same-sex makes me nervous due to potential violent homophobics, especiiiiaaaally living where I do. I do it regardless, but even just holding hands leaves me worrying some asshole is going to cause a problem. I know my sister's husband isn't at all fond of it either and I'm 99% sure he's why Sara's never met the kids. But anyway, all those things are absolutely worth it. Would you ever consider something like a poly relationship, assuming everyone involved was alright with it? What are some things you think you would or wouldn’t like about it? Absolutely not, because I strictly believe in the exclusiveness of love. What is the most unhealthy relationship (whether friendship or romantic) you’ve ever had? What made it so unhealthy? Do you still talk to each other? Colleen, probably. We are just about the antitheses of each other, yet we were "best friends." We disagreed too frequently, she was drama-ravenous, we kept leaving and coming back, etc. No, we don't talk now, and I refuse to ever do so again as friends. Have you ever been abusive in any way? Were you able to change or make amends, or, in general, what do you think people should do to make amends in that situation? No. I absolutely do not believe in "making amends" with your abuser. Keep them the fuck out of your life. Have you ever forgiven someone for being abusive or allowed someone toxic back into your life? Did this person change for the better or not? Toxic... you mean Colleen? Did it too many times, and no, she didn't. Do you feel like your age matches your emotional development? If not, what age level or maturity level do you feel best represents where you’re at? Part of me says no, another says yes. I guess it depends on the subject. What is one thing about your personality that embarrasses you, but you can’t seem to change it no matter how hard you try? Have other people called you out on this embarrassing thing? Being socially awkward as all hell, and yes. When was the last time you did something “meant” for children? Do you think it’s okay for adults to do these things (ie. watch cartoons, have stuffed animals, dress in cute clothing, etc), or do you think there’s an age beyond which it becomes unacceptable - and if so, why? I was playing Spyro just earlier today lmao. In almost all cases, no. I do believe that something like a full-grown adult playing pretend with dolls or something may be questionable, but even then there's not a real reason I can give you. What was the last thing to “trigger” you (as in, in a true mental health sense, I’m being serious here) and how did you cope with it? What kinds of things do you tend to find triggering? What do you do either avoid or face your triggers? Something PTSD-related, but I can't remember exactly what it was, I guess because I got past it pretty quickly. There are certain songs I should avoid, I canNOT look at the medicine I ODed on, I don't like seeing or being near large knives at all... If you’re diagnosed with anything, do you feel that it accurately represents what you’re experiencing? All of them, yeah. What is a complaint you have about the mental health industry or about the type of treatment you’ve received from a mental health service? Have you ever had any particularly bad therapy experiences? I feel that too many people working in the field care far more about the pay than the people. I can't guarantee a professional truly cared about what I was dealing with until Holly Hill. I've had one particularly horrible psychiatrist that threw diagnoses and pills around like they were nothing (the most ridiculous being ADHD, which I in no way exhibited), and a long-time therapist I had was pretty bad, something I realized only after I started with my current one. She was strict about that "you've got an hour, you're staying an hour, you're leaving no later" shit, and we always ran out of things to talk about so I'd just be sitting there super uncomfortably and numerous times start crying because I felt so awkward, and she'd just take it as a sign that I wasn't telling her something. She drove "and how does that make you feel" and "what're you thinking of" into the goddamn ground. Yeesh, having been a mental health patient for so long, I could really write a novel here. When was the last time you realized you might be the source of a problem and NOT someone else? Hm, idk. I'm so uninvolved with others that that's a hard question to answer. What are some minor physical discomforts that really bug you (eyelash in your eye, a wedgie, rumpled socks, etc)? HAVING THE BOTTOMS OF YOUR PANTS GET WET. I hate chapped lips, too. Do you prefer vertical or horizontal stripes? Horizontal. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? No. Are you ticklish? YEAH. Have you ever tried to make your own alcohol? No. If you were to join one of the armed forces, which would it be? I wouldn’t. Have you ever been in a submarine? No. Have you ever been in a hot tub or sauna? Only hot tubs. Do you believe there used to be dragons? No. What was your first alcoholic drink? A Mike's hard lemonade. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? Idk, I was a baby. What was your first detention for? Too many tardies. Did you ever have a treehouse as a kid? No. Have you ever been on radio? No. How long has your longest ever phone call been? A few hours. What is a meal you eat extremely often? Or do your meals & food choices vary a lot? Ummm I guess some kind of chicken is common? When was the last time you felt unable or unwilling to speak your mind to someone? Idk. What was the last thing you changed your mind about? Uhhhh how am I blanking, I change my mind on things every five minutes. Who was the last friend you saw, and what did you do together? Sara's both my girlfriend but also the only "friend" I ever hang with now even tho we live several states apart lmao. I was there two weeks, so we did an array of stuff. Who tends to show up in your dreams? Do you ever wonder if you appear in anyone else’s dreams? Hell, I barely ever remember my dreams. Jason still shows up maybe ehhhh around or maybe less than once a month, and I have no clue why other than maybe there's some PTSD effects I don't actually detect or something? It's not like I think about him much, so I really don't see why he shows up, but the theme is constant: awkwardness seeing each other again, and he sometimes tries to get back with me (thank FUCKING GOD even in my dreams, I don't). Sara's in some dreams that I remember. Mom, maybe. What is something you wish you could say to someone who is no longer in your life, or something you wish they could know? Nothing. What is something you do to feel better when you’re scared? I'll usually turn to YouTube for a distraction. Who do you feel you can count on the most in life? Is there anyone you wish you could count on more? Mom. What is the strangest book you have ever read? How did you find out about it? Probably Bite Me by idr-who. I actually don't remember. What was the last thing you broke? How about fixed? Another sensor came off the keyboard. :') I dunno about fixed. Is there a sign or symbol that means a lot to you for whatever reason (eg. seeing certain animals or birds, 11:11 or other repeating numbers, syncs, butterflies, hearts in nature, etc)? Butterflies and semicolons. Hence my semicolon butterfly tattoo. Do you have any personal ghost stories or paranormal experiences? Yeah. What do you get complimented on the most? My hair. What is something unusual that you find attractive? why does?????? everyone hate fedoras tbh?????????? What time do you tend to eat your first meal of the day? And your last? BOY this varies so much like fuck. Sometimes I don't eat breakfast at all, sometimes I do right when I get outta bed. Dinner can be at like almost 10:00 with Mom's schedule, or I may have it like five hours earlier. What was the subject of the last video you watched? I'm getting into a horror LPer and I'm binging her Silent Hill playthroughs. How would you describe your overall aesthetic? I like pink but bloody guts and brains are cool 2. What is the most challenging meal you have ever cooked? N/A What was your favorite thing to do as a little kid? Play video/computer games. Have you ever been close to drowning? No. Do you watch any Japanese anime? Not currently, but I've kinda had the urge to pick an interesting one up? Do you have someone who is protective of you (father, brother, etc.)? Mom and Sara above anyone else. Where was the last place you went, that you hadn’t been to before? Uhhhhh good question. I don't exactly go to new places often. Do you have any bad habits you aren’t working on changing? If so, do you ever think you’ll try to break them? I don't believe so off the top of my head? Then again I think everyone has little bad habits they don't try to improve upon, but I can't think of anything serious. When was the last time someone surprised you with their reaction or behaviors? I'm sure something with Mom, but idk what. Are you good at committing to things like Nanowrimo or Inktober? Nope. What is your preferred method of expressing yourself? Writing. Or drawing if I'm in the mood. Have you ever reached out to a crisis center for mental health support? If so, how was the experience? I tried to reach the suicide hotline via their online one-on-one chatroom because I was too afraid to actually call, but I ended up waiting I think 45 minutes before the OD happened. When was the last time you did something you were afraid to do, and how was the outcome? I drove at night and ordered food at a drive-thru myself. It went well. What is one positive thing you believe about yourself? I have a strong sense of right and wrong. What is something you have been through that has made you stronger? Depression as a whole. Other than money, what is something you wish you had more of in your life? Social life, success, and motivation to name a few. Is there anything that you tend to ignore for the sake of your sanity? Sure. Mental health stuff flares up sometimes if I think about some things too deeply. What was the last thing you argued or debated about? Did you eventually agree, or did you have to agree to disagree? Getting rid of Bentley, and neither, really. Mom knows we shouldn't have him for a world of reasons, yet she refuses to try to find a far more suitable home for him or at least talk to Nicole about it (he's her dog, but she doesn't live here), who's never even paid him almost any attention. I could rant about this for hours. What is something you wish was different about your family? THAT WE WERE CLOSER. What is your main struggle or focus in life right now? Getting out of the house/becoming more of a functioning adult. Are you more dramatic or stoic? I'm neither extreme, really, but I'd say I'm much further from stoic. Are you on medication for anything? If so, do you feel like it helps? Have you ever been afraid to take medication or had a particularly bad experience with it? A lot, but the only ones I feel don't work are the ones for my tremors and knees. I was on one med for a while that I was scared to take because it made me vomit (safe to say I wasn't on it long), and even my life-saver med made me sick at first, but I took prescription nausea pills to ride that out as my body adjusted. Do you prefer having long or short nails? Short, but not too short. When was the last time you had an argument with one of your parents? Idr. Do you tend to eat the same few things all the time or do you vary your intake? Would you consider yourself to be a picky eater? Are there any commonly enjoyed foods that you don’t like? I'm picky and definitely have a limited palate. Some foods I can think of for the last question include fried chicken, BBQ, watermelon, tacos, all cheeses but American, aaaand I'm blanking again in an area I should have a book about. Do you have good body image? Do you feel more confident about your body or your personality? What is one thing about yourself about which you do feel particularly confident? Ha, as if, so personality. I like how open-minded I am. How likely are you to compliment other people? How do you react or respond when you receive a compliment? What are your favorite types to receive? It depends on the person, the atmosphere, and my anxiety level. I sometimes fear complimenting people because I don't want someone to be like "um why is she talking to me?"/"is she flirting with me?"/"why did she notice that?", etc. I become so giddy (at the very least internally) when people compliment me because of how my self-esteem is, and I really appreciate them. The compliments that mean most to me are regarding my photography. With how badly I want to be a successful photographer, people seeming to genuinely like what I do has actually made me smile like an idiot and giggle publicly. It just means a lot to me. Describe the last thing you reblogged? How many posts do you tend to reblog during a day? A clip of Mark having a fit over a dog in RDR2. How much I reblog varies greatly; depends on how much I get on Tumblr that day, what I feel like sharing at that moment, what I queue... Have you ever lost your cool at work or somewhere else important? What happened as a result? No. Do you listen to your friends’ advice when they give it to you? Depends. If it's Sara, I usually do. What’s the last kind of soup you ate? Vegetable. Have you ever thought about getting your nose pierced? It is pierced. The most memorable time that you skipped school, what did you do? I don't recall. Did you ever have a favorite teacher in high school? What made them your favorite? Coach Collie. He was very friendly, wise, his sense of humor was great, he cared deeply for his students, was super chill, shared life advice all the time, etc. etc. Can you think of a time when you were really obviously judged by your appearance? What happened? Not that I recall. What’s something your mother told you growing up that you actually listened to? Mind your manners. What are three emotions you experience regularly? Stress, content, but also discontent. What is your favorite Halloween candy? Reese's. Is there anyone who refuses to communicate with you? *shrugs* What was the last lengthy packet you filled out? Something for vocational rehab. Is there something you still can’t do even though you’re an adult or might be expected to do this thing? I don't have a job or drive. When was the last time you congratulated someone? Were you happy for them, indifferent, jealous? When I found out one of my closest high school friends is pregnant. I was obviously happy for her. What would you say is your STRONGEST emotion? Maybe not the most frequent, but the most intense? And what emotion do you feel most weakly, even if you might feel it more often? Anger; envy (but it's not often). Have you ever gone somewhere in your pajamas? What makes this acceptable or unacceptable to you? Plenty times, but it depends on my level of shits given and the location. Honestly wish pjs were more acceptable in public places cuz like why not, you've got clothes on, just don't go around where everyone can totally see your dick, ass, or tits. Other than the usual things like IDs, etc, what do you always carry with you when you go out? My phone. What type of photography do you enjoy looking at? Do you take any photos yourself, and if so, what types of things do you prefer to photograph? LOTS!!!! I particularly love fantasy-styled portraiture or macabre work, and omg give me soft lighting. I'm a sucker for emotive or conceptual portraits and the like. I like to photograph an array of things, but my faves are nature and animals. Have you ever gone out for the Black Friday shopping rush? Did you enjoy it, or not so much? Or, what’s the busiest shopping day you’ve ever experienced? Nope. Busiest shopping day I indirectly experienced was when I worked at GameStop during the holiday season... nope. It's a small store and it was flooded. I hated it. Idk about one where I/my family was the shopper. Do you enjoy reading diaries or stories you wrote from when you were younger, or does it embarrass you? If you’ve kept them, was there a particular reason for hanging on to them so long? No. No. No. NO. I can't stomach going any further back than '15 at the RP forum because fucking cringe. All old stuff like physical journals and such, they're long gone because I never want to see them again lmao. What would you say was your first true hobby? What about your most recently developed one? Hmmm, probably video games were the first things I was *really* deep into. Recently developed... good question. Is there one thing that throws off your mood more than others, whether it be lack of sleep, lack of food, heat/cold, etc? I'M FUCKING /CRANKY/ IF I'M HOT. Serious lack of sleep makes me moodier. What is one common area of life in which you feel you have little to no experience (college, children, marriage, etc)? Work and independence. What kinds of things are you likely to complain about? HEAT. If it's hot to me, you're gonna know. I'll complain if my stomach especially hurts, sometimes with other pain. Do you like to put any extra effort into your food in terms of presentation, or do you prefer to just put it on a plate and eat it as it is, no frills? I don't cook, so. But I'd definitely be the latter. When was the last time you were mean or rude to someone else? How about the last time someone acted that way toward you? I hung up on this insurance agency or whatever they are that call me every other goddamn day. I dunno about the second question. What kinds of things are most likely to make you lose your temper? Have you ever done something regrettable or embarrassing while angry? I fucking dare you to ridicule the mentally ill in front of me. Goddamn dare you. For the second part, not to my recollection. Do you have a large dog? No, both our dogs are medium-sized. If not, are you afraid of them? Not at all. Do your parents know that/if you smoke? I don't. What is the reason you last received money? Mom borrowed some from me so she was paying me back. Is anyone in your family sick? Not to my knowledge. Are you very upfront about things or do you "beat around the bush"? The latter, typically. Do you ever write poetry just to get your feelings out? Not really anymore. Middle and high school? I was all about it. I wrote only one poem this year. How many bones have you broken? None. Whose house did you visit last? My sister Ashley's. Have you ever bought a fragrance by a celeb because you liked who it was? No. Do you have a gazebo at your house? No. What’s your favorite brand of bottled water? Essentia.

[lunadensmidnightprowl]

New Moon Dreams - Chapter 4

Finally, I’m posting Chapter 4!

(Even though no one seems to be reading the story...)

~~~ Liar, Liar... Why Aren’t Her Pants On Fire? ~~~

 Lila returns and of course goes back to spreading her embellished falsehoods.  Just like Ladybug, Alexia's not having it, there won't be any attention-seeking liars on her watch.  While during the process of attempting to best Lila's lies, exposing her true intentions, shocking surprises are unveiled.  Even without these revelations, things are not like they were last time, a little extra force is required to take the liar down.  Who said you could never fight fire with fire?

~ Lunaden POV ~

        So that's it, I guess.  Me and Chat are dating.

        Come to think of it, maybe it was to be expected, we both sort of hit it off with each other when we first met.  I can only assume really because I can't just flit in and out of Little Cat's head.

        Don't get me wrong, having a boyfriend will be a hella of an adventure, something I can't wait for.  School, something I would rather die waiting.

***

        Walking down the street the next day, my mind kept going straight back to the events of the night before.  I kissed someone, I had my first kiss, and well, my first 'significant other'.  I don't want to straight up call it boyfriend because if I'm bi, I could easily have had a girlfriend if the situation had been different.  

        Compared to what's going on in my life, school is something that's not even worth 2 cents.  But heck, if I stop going my parents are going to make my death slow and painful, so, why not?

        I had come earlier today, Claire was still eating breakfast when I went out the door, I was mainly trying to avoid her endless mirage of teasing.  Unfortunately, I sit next to her in all my classes so my moment of victory is pretty short lived.  

        Mari, late as always, was still nowhere to be seen so Alya was the only person there to talk to out of my close friends when I got there, even Adrien hadn't shown up yet.  My orange tipped, brunette friend was almost always on the money, spotting clues that most people missed, she caught my sudden change in mood straight away.

        "Girl what're you thinking about that's got you all crazy?" she asked me as soon as I approached her.

        "Uhhh..." my face flushed a bit, what could I tell her?  If I told her the truth that I was dating Noir then she would be all over me, pressuring to get an interview from Chat.  When the city finally did find out that Lunaden and Chat Noir were dating, then Alya would be able to expose me as Lunaden, no questions asked this time and evidence irrefutable.

        "Oh my gosh, you didn't....!  Do you have a boyfriend or something?" Darn Alya and her being so smart, she was right on the dot as usual!

        My face only flushed darker as a reply.

        She squealed, "You do!  C'mon girl, tell me all the deets!!"

        I shook the question off, lowering my head in embarrassment and heading to my seat.  Almost exactly as I sat down was when Claire came in through the door, Adrien a second later.

        "What's got Alya all riled up?" Claire asked me as she sat down.

        My blush must've said it all.

        Claire was giggling, an unusual occurrence for her, "Oof, she found out you have a boyfriend, didn't she?"

        "I didn't even say anything and she guessed it right away!" I said exasperatedly.  Glancing down at the front I saw Adrien looking quickly up at me.  For some inexplicable reason, him looking at me made my face go redder, HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!  What really was the kicker was that with sharpened vision from my miraculous, I could see that he was faintly blushing, WHY IS HE BLUSHING?!

        I just ignored it as Mari came into the class on time for once, the teacher then starting the class when the bell rang.  Ms. Bustier however wasn't standing up at the front alone, a girl with long, brownish-auburn hair tied in ponytails, olive green eyes, and of all things, a romper, was standing with her.  (Personally I have nothing against rompers, right here its just the person in it, Lila - the lying bitch)

        "Lila has returned to Paris from her trip to the kingdom of Achu!"  Ms. Bustier said happily, the girl beside her waving and smiling at everyone.

        "Who's this 'Lila' girl?" a voice in my head asks.  The other part of my brain, the rebellious sailor mouth answers it, "A real pain in the ass I'd bet."  A third voice, my Lunaden side, is telling both of them to shut the fudge up.

        The girl opened her mouth, "It's so nice to see all of you again after spending so long in Achu for my charity work!"

        Right now I'm agreeing with Sailor mouth Lexi, this 'Lila' is definitely going to be a pain, she's sucking up to the entire class and LYING to them about charity work.  How do I know she's lying?  Being a superhero means I have to constantly lie to keep my identity a secret, with that practice I can see through almost everyone else's lies, though I have to admit that Lila's seem pretty well crafted. 

        Claire was looking over at me, no doubt waiting to hear my take on the person.  She knew my knack for seeing through deception and being able to easily analyze a person's real character.  I just glared at Lila for another minute, wanting to be sure that my suspicions were correct, I wanted to make sure she was completely sinister before I said anything.  However, after a minute of staring down the oblivious liar, nothing changed my feelings toward her.

        "Don't trust the lying bitch," I mumbled under my breath for Claire to hear, never breaking my gaze on said liar.

        Claire nodded, she was starting to see Lila's lies all around I could tell.  Lila really was a brat, more than even Chloe.  We both pitied Nathanial who had to sit next to her.

        Even though Lila was pretty much sucking up to everyone, there were a few differences I could see when class finally got into gear.  Lila would glare at Mari, Chloe even, when no one was watching.  In the same circumstance with no one viewing her, she stared longingly at Adrien.  I could tell all this just by staring at the back of her head, which for the record, was right in front of me.  Piecing together well thought out assumptions, ah yes, Lila must be irritated between Mari and Chloe because they also have crushes on Adrien.

        "Big mistake bitch," I thought, "You take on my friends, and even my unofficial enemy Chloe, who's more friend than you'll ever be, you take on me.  And believe me, you don't wanna do that."

***

        I was walking down the steps after school, Mari and Alls were held back at the last class, the teacher wanted to talk to them about something.  I don't know to be honest, I was spaced out and glaring at Lila the entire day, oblivious to whatever they had been doing.  Claire jogged up next to me, slowing down to keep pace with my walk.

        "How are you doing?" she asked.

        Snapping out of a trance, mainly thinking about how I could possibly expose Lila's lies, I jerked my head to face Claire with a confused expression, "What d'you mean?" 

        Claire shrugged, "You just seemed off today, I'm guessing it has something to do with Lila?"

        "It's obvious I guess," I sighed, my posture slumping a little, "That's all today is about isn't?  Lila.  I heard so many people gushing over her today, how cool she is, everything she's done, etc.  I even heard her say that she met Lunaden once when she was in Nashville, as if!  For one, I never went to Nashville except for the whole HB thing, second, I've never seen this girl before in my life!  I can't believe they believe all her lies, all day it near drove me out of my mind how dense some of these people are."

        Claire nudged my arm, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, "Well sometimes you can be pretty dense too."

        "And oblivious!" a smaller voice said.  Skai poked her head out of my bag, "And sometimes she can be both." 

        "I second that notion tiny wolf... thing," Claire said matter of factly, pointing a finger into the air.

        "Shush Skai!  Get down before someone sees you!" I hissed, trying to shield the view of Skai until she disappeared back into my bag, away from prying eyes.  I turned to address Claire, "I keep forgetting you haven't met her yet.  I have a lot to tell you when we get back home."

        We had barely made it two steps farther down the steps when a voice called out to us, "Hey!  You two!"

        Turning to face this person, we came face to face with none other than Lila.  Holding back curses and refraining myself from glaring, I greeted her, "Hi Lila!  Whatcha need?"

        "Hi," she said, "You're Alexia and Claire right?  I just wanted to ask if you two are new or something, I've never seen you guys before."

        "Uhh, kinda," Claire started.

        "Yeah, me and Claire moved here about a month ago," I finished, eyeing her, "Why did you want to know."

        "I just wanted to see if we could possibly become friends, I can always help if you guys need it.  I'm sure you'd probably do the same for me," she smiled sweetly.  I was not. Having. It.

        Looking to Claire for confirmation, she nodded, knowing what I was asking to do.  I got right into Lila's face, no longer holding back my glare, if looks could kill, Lila would have been 6 feet under right that second.  "We will never be friends," I spat, "You may have everyone else fooled with your lies and trickery but we are not so easily duped.  Stop before you regret your actions you lying brat."

        Lila glanced around before she responded, no one was paying attention to our little 'chat', there was barely anyone around anyway.  She smirked, this time getting into both of our faces, "I'm not the one who's gonna regret their actions, you two are."  Lila's smile dripped with venom and malice, each word punctuated in the most threatening and confident way possible, "You're new but that doesn't mean I don't know enough about you to ruin your lives, everyone believes me.  I won't be the liar, you two will."

        "Yeesh, what a villain," Claire complained to me as we watched Lila sashay away.

        "She's almost as scary as Hawk Moth," I commented in agreement.

***

        Trying to get Lila's threat off of our minds, I dragged Claire to my room when we got home.  Closing the door and curtains before I spoke to her.

        Skai flew out of my bag, circling around Claire's head a few times before coming to rest on my shoulder.  "Claire," I said, gesturing to the little wolf, "This is Skai, my kwami."

        Claire looked confused to put it mildly.  I held up the end of my braid so she could clearly see the bow on the end of it.

        "This bow is the wolf miraculous," I explained, "A miraculous is a piece of jewelry connected with a certain kwami, Skai is the wolf kwami.  Kwamies are basically little gods that when merged with their miraculous, can give the user powers, they transform the user into a superhero."

        "So... how does this all work?  How is this a little god, that can connect with that?" Claire asked, first gesturing to Skai then to my bow.

        "My most scientific analysis, with all means of science and technology in mind, is that it's magic," I replied, quoting one of my favorite books.

        Claire rolled her eyes at my reference, but I ignored it, my mind had already moved onto something else.  "Hey, you want to see something cool?" I asked excitedly. 

        My sister nodded, "Sure." 

        I turned to Skai perched on my shoulder, "Ready?" I whispered.

        She smiled, "Let's do it!"

        "Skai, Howl Time!"  I transformed into Lunaden.  Laughing at Claire's agape mouth, I smiled, "It's pretty cool right?"

        She nodded.

        I was debating about destransmorming but, heck, I was already in this form.  "Well," I said, "Since I'm like this I'm gonna patrol for a bit.  See ya later Claire."  I waved, opening my window, jumping out of it when I was sure no one was looking, well, other than Claire.

        "You owe me for this," Skai said inside my mind.  Recently she had started talking to me when I was transformed, why, I don't know.  Maybe it was just to bother me, but I didn't care, I appreciated the company.

        "Would a bag of candied fruit suffice Alpha?" I thought back, a smile forming on my face.

        "Indeed it would Beta," she said, I could hear the amusement in her voice.

        I laughed out loud at that, before going back to focusing my attention on where I was going as I ran across rooftops.  It was strange, when I went on patrols I almost never went out in the daytime, that was more of a Ladybug thing.  Chat and I liked to go out at night when we blended into the darkness, using our night vision when Lady could hardly see at all.  Hey, speaking of that, maybe Lady was out, even with Skai inside my head I still could use someone to talk to, preferably one that was solid at the moment.

        "Hey!" Skai shouted inside my mind.

        I snickered, imagining my kwami pouting, her cute little paws crossed and her tail twitching irritably.  

        Sure enough, when I opened my disc, Ladybug's symbol was there as she did her patrol.  She stopped moving abruptly and I was kind of confused, was there an akuma or some other kind of trouble?

        Snapping my disc shut, I took off in her direction, not really sure where because I hadn't looked close enough before I started moving.  Swinging from the rooftops more spaced out, I crossed streets, occasionally I would hear someone cry my name in joy, I was a rare sight to see in the day without an akuma.

        I spotted the red clad figure on a very familiar rooftop, why had she stopped there of all places?  Landing beside her on the roof of my school from a jump from across the street, I think I nearly scared her out of her suit.  Lady visibly jumped with my sudden appearance, a little shriek accompanying it.  It was then that I noticed that the fencing team was running practice at the time in the open area of the building, maybe she was just into fencing.

        "I didn't know you were into fencing Lady," I smirked, still amused with her reaction when I showed up.

        "Er, yeah, let's go with that," she replied.

        I rolled my eyes, okay, so she wasn't actually into fencing, just here to watch I guess?  About ready to pressure her further, something else caught my eye and I stopped myself.  Lila, walked into the area, sitting down on a bench to watch the practice.  The instructor came up to her not long after she had seated herself, at first it seemed that he wanted her to leave but in the end she ended up, staying?  Was that a smile on the instructor's face after he had talked to her?

        My confused train of thoughts was interrupted when I heard a low growl.  Surprised, I looked around, normally it probably would have come from me but this time it didn't, it actually belonged to Lady.

        Now that I was shocked by, she wasn't usually so... vicious, towards anyone, even akumas.  Did she really hate Lila that much?

        "So," I mused, "You hate Lila too I'm guessing?"

        "I just can't understand how people believe her lies!  Why can't they just see she's a liar, a bad person, she nearly got away with getting me expelled!" Bug ranted until the last line, she slapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide.

        I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, did she just say that?  The only person I knew that got expelled, even though extremely brief, because of Lila was...  "Mari?..."  I voiced my conclusion out loud, my eyes bugging out in surprise too as I turned to face her.  Now that I thought about it, Ladybug really looked like Mari, how had I not seen it before?

        However, Lady's eyes narrowed when I said what I thought, she voiced her entire thought process out loud, "The only people who call me that..."  Her eyes went wide as she looked at me, "Lexi?..."

        We just kept looking at each other, unable to comprehend what just happened, maybe even willinging that it never did.  (Stares in shock lol)

        "I can't believe I never saw it earlier, how could I be so stupid?..." I mumbled.

        "Same, Alya was right then, she told me that she suspected you were Lunaden.  I kind of refused to believe it..." Ladybug said quietly, more to herself than to me really.

        "I'm glad she dropped the investigation though, one more slip up and she probably would have had me," I laughed, Lady was giggling too.

        Something just popped into my head, these random thoughts jeez, "Well, now I feel awkward."

        "Why?"

        "Now you know who I am and I'm also dating Chat," I replied, more sheepishly than usual.

        "I shipped it!" she cried, not loud enough for anyone else to hear though.

        I laughed again, turning my head I saw the fencing class starting to pack up, Lila was approaching one of the fencers.  Said fencer removed his mask, Adrien, I should have known.

        "So that's why she's here," I growled, crouching forward on my hands, looking ready to pounce and like a real wolf, ears flattened and tail twitching.

        Ladybug saw what I saw, it did not seem she was happy about it either, oh that's right, she's actually Mari who has a crush on Adrien too.  Yeesh, this is getting confusing, and kind of old, real fast.

3rd Person POV

        The practice ended and everyone was leaving to change and head home soon after, Adrien was on his way to do just that when Lila approached.  He had to be honest, he didn't remember any of what she said, he had kind of tuned her out as he focused on something else.  Something had caused him to look up, and that's when he saw them, Ladybug and Lulu, they both were on the roof, seeming to have watched the practice, but now they looked angry, possibly glaring at someone. 

        Events from several months before came back to him, Ladybug had unintentionally hurt Lila, trying to stop her from lying when she discovered what the girl was doing.  Unfortunately the event had left Lila bitter, she succumbed to one of Hawk Moth's akumas and became Volpina, a fox themed miraculous user, hoping to prove to everyone that she actually was a superhero, turning her lie into a reality.  They had defeated Volpina for what seemed like the final time a while ago, she was never seen since. 

        What confused him most was how Lunaden was glaring at the oblivious auburn-brunette as well, did Ladybug tell her the story or something...?  Wait, no, that wasn't it.  Lexi had seemed... off, all day, ever since Lila first arrived in homeroom that is.  Maybe she just didn't get along with Lila or something.

        Aforementioned girl was waving in front of his face, calling his name.  He quickly apologized, telling her he had zoned out.  Lila went to repeat everything she had said but stopped when she realized Adrien wasn't looking at her at all.  She followed his gaze to see the two superheroines on the rooftop.  Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Ladybug, a small spark of fear in them when they landed on Lunaden.  Did the wolf hero know she had lied about meeting her?

        Lila shook it all off, turning back to Adrien but he had already disappeared from her sight.  She cursed the bug and wolf themed heroes, they had ruined her chance of talking to Adrien yet again.  Lila went to glare at the figures perched on the roof but they had probably realized they had been seen because they were now gone. 

        This time it didn't seem like it was just Ladybug though that had ruined her chance of talking to her crush, when she had followed Adrien's gaze to see the heroes herself, Lila had seen him looking longingly, almost lovingly, at Lunaden, not realizing in that exact moment what it was.  Now she knew, now Lunaden stood in her way to him too.  That worthless dog would be running home with her tail between her legs when she was done with her.

***

        The large window of Hawk Moth's lair opened, the butterflies rising as light poured into the room.  Hawk Moth himself stood in the center of the room, which was barren of anything but the butterflies.  He felt the young teen's powerful emotions, those of hatred, heartbreak, and the strongest, desperation.  What a combination, this girl when akumatized before had proven to be a very valuable ally, now with these emotions she could prove herself to be of even greater worth.

        A pure white butterfly flew into his open palm, he embodied it with darkness, his powers, the malediction of it showing as the butterfly now had a dark and grisly color.  The evil little messenger flew out of a small opening in the window, flying across the city until it reached the targeted girl, being absorbed into her bracelet.  The all too infamous, glowing purple butterfly outline of Hawk Moth when he spoke through the akuma to his victims, shone on her face.

        "Volpina..."

        "Hawk Moth."

~ Lunaden POV ~

        When I noticed that not only had Adrien seen us, but Lila as well, I grabbed Lady's wrist, ready to run.  Adrien had already left the scene, probably using us as a distraction to get away with Lila.  At school he seemed to tolerate her, he wasn't all impressed with her but more just regarded her as a normal person, more or less.  

        As Lila turned, expecting to face Adrien, who was no longer there, I pulled Ladybug along with me as I made my escape, vanishing from the rooftop.  She seemed surprised by my actions but I would explain once we were far enough away.

        2 blocks away from the school I stopped, looking around anxiously for Lila, could she have followed us?  I knew, mainly from discovery that something had happened between Lila and Lady, both as her superhero self and just as Mari.  Whatever it was, I hadn't wanted to stick around to see Lila's vendetta against the ladybug clad hero.

        "What was that about?" Lady asked me, somewhat irritably as she pulled her wrist out of my grasp.

        "They saw us.  I wanted to get away before...  You have something against Lila, don't you?  As Ladybug and as Mari."  I replied, my anxiety somewhat calming down when I realized we were absolutely alone, at least on the rooftop, no Lila in sight on the ground.

        "Yeah...  She hates me, resents me probably because I ruined her chance to talk to Adrien several months ago," she sighed.

        "Wow, so many girls who have the hots for Adrien," I smirked, "Can't say I'm not surprised, he kind of had it coming."

        "Lexi!" she flushed embarrassed, "I'll ha-"

        "Shush!" I held up a hand to silence her, my wolf ears were swiveling furiously to pinpoint a sound, it came from a distance, not within range to hear our conversation, thank goodness.  But the sound, it was sort of like a... swoosh.

        "We're not alone..." I growled low, just loud enough for Lady to hear.  Snatching my disc off of my back, I held it ready, the air was taunt with tension, something was definitely up.  "Show yourself!  We know you're there!" I called, eyes narrowed, scanning.

        A familiar dark figure appeared from behind the cover of a chimney, "Wow, I can never get anything past you Lunaden."

        "Chat!" Ladybug said relieved, "We thou-"

        I threw an arm protectively in front of her.  "That's not Chat," I hissed.  Hearing something approaching behind us, I expanded my disc to a shield and glanced back.

        "Chat...?" Lady said again, more hesitantly this time.

        I nudged Bug, making it clear in that one action what I was about to do.  She swung her yoyo like a shield, prepared for instantaneous action as I tackled the newly approaching Noir. 

        He squirmed under my grip, "Lunaden, it's me!" he pleaded.

        "Oh yeah?" I snarled, "Then you won't have any trouble answering this question." I dropped my voice to a whisper, "What is my real name?"

        "Lexi," he whispered almost inaudibly, just loud enough for me to hear.

        My eyes widened and quickly got off of him, "Sorry about that Little Cat."

        "Nah, its cool," he shrugged it off, "You did what you had to do."  His voice turned sly as he grinned at me, "I knew you would recognize me sooner or later Lulu, you can't resist me."  

        He went in for it but I gently pushed him away, a light blush dusting my cheeks, just barely peeking out from under my mask, "Later, kitty."

        Ladybug sighed out in relief as we rejoined her, her face then turning inquisitive as her eyes landed back on the Chat Noir several feel away.  "But if he's Chat... then, who's that?"

        "I have my suspicions..." I growled, retracting my shield to a disc, I threw it at the fake Noir.  When it should have made contact with him, he just vanished in a wisp of orange mist, the disc returning to my hand.  "Volpina," I spat.

        Having been revealed, the vixen villain jumped up onto a roof vent, smirking maliciously, "Well, apparently you aren't as dumb of a dog as you look."

        Both Noir and I gave her a warning growl, however the way she was going, they weren't going to be warnings much longer.

        Taking her down should have been a sitch, but heck this damned deceptionist had brains, I'll give her that.  She always seemed to know which illusions to use and when to use them to best benefit her with our few disadvantages.  Always managing to allude our grasp, I was growing desperate, she annoyed me to the moon and back.  Lady still hadn't used her Lucky Charm yet, no plan seemed to be able to go against Volpina, at least just yet.

        If she wasn't going to use her power, then I would, already having a plan in mind.  Throwing my disc into the air, "Eclipse!" I shouted.

        When the light parted I was revealed to be an almost exact replica of Volpina, except that my eyes were my normal electric blue.  My reasoning was to fight fire with fire, the only way to beat Volpina was as Volpina.  I had become Lupina, and when it comes to powers, I have something the Volpina doesn't, something I added when I thought of a form to transform into. (Lil quick thing here: Luna can't use her powers to transform into things, like creatures and such, from her own imagination.  However, she can change things of an already existing form.  Ex. She could transform into you but have feather wings on her back.  Make sense?  I hope you get it, and another thing: No matter what form she takes, her eyes will always be the shocking blue.  Okay, sorry for disrupting the chapter, just wanna clarify all that)  I can create SOLID illusions, only one at a time, but still.

        "Try me little foxy!" I taunted Volpina.

        "You're on little wolfie!" She called back.

3rd Person POV

        Both Volpinas clashed in the middle, hands trying to hold the other back.  It was evenly matched, one couldn't seem to get the upper hand over the other.

        Both vixen themed characters pulled back, pulling their flutes out on each other.  Volpina played a few quick notes on her weapon, an orange ball of light forming at the end of her flute, summoning an army of herself to hide in.  Lupina played a longer tune on her flute, the notes clear and smooth, dripping like honey dew, the ball of energy at the end of her flute became much bigger, not glowing orange like the original Pina, but a pure blue-white, a Lunaden clone appeared.  One of the Volpinas smirked, throwing her flute at the clone, expecting it make the illusion vanish, it didn't.  The Lunaden clone caught the flute, getting a grip on it, she held both weapons, flute and her disc, into a fighting stance.

        It was only a second before a section of Lupina's fox miraculous pendant vanished. "4 minutes left..." the tail seemed to say.  The battle was four on one, what should have been an easy victory for the heroes but Volpina held them off, reclaiming possession of her weapon, swinging her flute left and right, kicking and punching, blocking attacks, and so forth.  

        Time ran out for Lupina, in a flash of blue light that covered her body, the transformation disappeared and she became Lunaden again, the clone vanishing with the shift.  While she was just coming out of the change of powers and appearance, Volpina got the drop on the wolf heroine, with a sharp kick to the stomach the girl clad in blue went sprawling to the ground.  

        Ignoring the throbbing pain that originated in her midsection and spread through her body, Lunaden raised herself, preparing to fight the fox girl who seemed to be momentarily distracted.  What had taken away the attention from her made all the agony in her muscles leave Lunaden at that very moment.  Chat Noir was charging at Volpina, staff raised as if it was sword, anger clearly clouded his thoughts.        

        "Batter up," Volpina said, smirking and holding her flute like you would a baseball bat.  She hit Little Cat straight in the ribs, sending him flying back into the brick wall of a taller building.  After the impact, he crumpled back onto the roof, not moving for a minute before beginning the stir, weakly trying to raise himself to stand.

        "Chat!  That's it," Lunaden growled, "No more nice little wolfie."   She charged at Volpina with a feral yowl of fury, her jaws snapping, and her sharpened claws raking through the air.  She wasn't satisfied with the level of harm she caused until she felt her claws rip through Volpina's suit, drawing blood.

        "Lulu!" Noir called, the black cat had managed to find the strength to start running towards her, adrenaline no doubt pulsing through his veins as an aid.  The blue diamond in the center of her bow started to flash, less than a minute left before her identity would be revealed.

        Lunaden felt something tackle her, pulling her away from Volpina.  The force of her and said person, Chat she saw, launched both of them off of the roof and into an alley.  Out of sight just a second before Luna transformed back

        Alexia struggled to raise herself after she landed, the wind knocked out of her.  She groaned, putting her arms beneath her and pushing herself up.  Chat seemed a little more okay, he had his miraculous powers to protect him, Alexia had to rely on just physical strength and hoping her body was strong enough to take the hit.

~ Alexia/Lunaden POV ~

        I groaned, raising myself, everything hurt, no bones broken, still, everything hurt.  "You okay...?" I coughed, trying to get my breath back, and asking Noir a question at the same time.

        "I'm fine," his reply was a little shaky, as he recovered from the impact with the ground.  "But why are you asking me that question?  You're the one who just feel three stories without any powers to help cushion your fall!"

        Sitting up with a grimace, I shrugged, "I care about you," I rolled my eyes like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

        Arms wrapped around me, not tight because you know, things hurt, but still comforting as Chat hugged me.  I just managed to process that he had tears at the corners of his eyes as he buried his face into my neck.  Sitting there like an idiot, it was a second before I hugged him back, closing my eyes as I warmed up to the action.  (Lil Lexi/LunaXChat fluff for ya there ^w^)

        "Can't... breathe!..." A little voice gasped.

        We both came apart at the voice, Skai flying feebly upwards.  She shook her head, fluffing out her flattened fur, "Woo, I'm all for LunaNoir and stuff but we still have an akuma or have you guys forgotten?"

        Reaching inside my bag, I pulled out several pieces of candied fruit, offering them to her in my palm.  The little wolf grinned broadly and went to town on them, getting her energy back up.

        "I think I may have a plan," I smiled.

        "I hope it's better than your last plan," Noir smirked.

        "Oh, don't worry," I grinned confidently, "It will be."

        Leaning close I whispered my plan in his ear, "What I want you to do it pretend like I'm seriously hurt, make sure she doesn't see me as a threat.  I'll join you and Lady in a little bit to set my plan into action, see you soon Little Cat."  And with those words of parting, I snuck out of the alley and onto the street.

~ Time Skip - brought to you by the contact lenses store ~

        Coming back to the alley where I had left Noir, to find it empty, I went on with my plan.  Putting a small bag to the side so it wouldn't vanish as my superhero suit appeared, and making sure the light of the transformation wouldn't be seen, I became Lunaden.  With enhanced hearing I could hear the battle between Ladybug and Chat Noir versus Volpina, they were still on the same roof as before.  I was proud of how well Chat had explained my plan to Lady, in between the grunts of the fight I picked up small sobs and traces of anger, good acting Chat.

        Using the same process as before, I used my power, "Eclipse!" I whispered this time, throwing my disc just a few inches above my head.

        When the transformation was complete, I quickly grabbed the small bag I had brought, this needed to be quick, I was running out of time.  Taking a small mirror out of the bag, I saw my new reflection.  I had transformed into Adrien, planning on using Lila's crush on the guy against her, the only difference was my shocking blue eyes.  I reached inside the bag once more, pulling out some contact lenses, sticking them in my eyes, they turned green.

        Scaling up the fire escape of the building with more agility than you can imagine, I peeked over the edge to see the good versus evil fight still raging.  Pulling myself into character, I got onto the roof, ready to draw attention to me.

        "Stop it Lila!" I called, but with Adrien's voice.

        Everyone turned to me, Lady and Chat seemed extremely confused, Lila was just looking at me in shock.  Oh gosh this would be awkward with Mari's and Lila's crushes.  Behind my back, I crossed my fingers, showing it to Noir before I spoke again.

        "Don't let Hawk Moth control you Lila, don't let your anger get the best of you," I said, seeing Chat's recognition out of the corner of my eye.

        Lila's crush on Adrien had taken full control of her now, and while that awkwardness was going on, Bug and Noir went in for the strike.  They grabbed her when she was inches from my face, probably about to kiss me or something... ew.  My time went out at that very moment, turning myself back into Lunaden, oh thank goodness.

        "AcK," I sputtered, "That was so weird."  Rubbing my face rapidly to rid it of the feeling of Lila so close as they freed the akuma, Lady purifying it and throwing her Lucky Charm into the air.  She must have summoned it when I was gone, dammit, I missed all the action!

        They just kept laughing at my disgusted reaction of how things turned out, Ladybug's earrings beeping made her leave though.  Chat, having used his Cataclysm recently, still had some time left once we brought Lila back to the ground.  The 'event' with Lila sparked a song in my head, something I had never thought of for awhile, Copycat by Billie Eilish (I don't own the lyrics!)

Don't be cautious, don't be kind You committed, I'm your crime Push my button anytime You got your finger on the trigger, but your trigger finger's mine

Silver dollar, golden flame

Dirty water, poison rain

Perfect murder, take your aim

I don't belong to anyone, but everybody knows my nameBy the way

You've been uninvited

'Cause all you say

Are all the same things I didCopycat tryna cop my manner

Watch your back when you can't watch mine

Copycat tryna cop my glamour

Why so sad, bunny? Can't have mineCall me calloused, call me cold

You're italic, I'm in bold

Call me cocky, watch your tone

You better love me 'cause you're just a cloneBy the way (by the way)

You've been uninvited

'Cause all you say (all you say)

Are all the same things I didCopycat tryna cop my manner

Watch your back when you can't watch mine

Copycat tryna cop my glamour

Why so sad, bunny? Can't have mineMine

I would hate to see you go

Hate to be the one that told you so

You just crossed the line

You've run out of time

I'm so sorry, now you know

Sorry I'm the one that told you so

Sorry, sorry

I'm sorry, sorry

PsychBy the way

You've been uninvited

'Cause all you say

Are all the same things I didCopycat tryna cop my manner

Watch your back when you can't watch mine

Copycat tryna cop my glamour

Why so sad, bunny? Can't have mine

        I had whisper sung the song when I returned to the rooftops, about to go home.  The song had just screamed "Lila" to me, she was a copycat, I had heard about her little escapade as the akuma 'Chameleon', copying things and making up others just to make her look good.  When she was Volpina for example, to defend herself, she made copies of herself to hide in.

(I wrote almost the entire chapter before I realized I hadn't put a song in it, so I kinda hastily put this song into it, sorry how it fits into the story feels pretty forced)

***

        The now autumn breeze blew through the city, swirling around me as I sat on my perch on the Eiffel Tower.  Leaves were starting to change, soon they'd be flowing on the breeze, a feeling of fall was in the air.  The bright colors of the leaves already changed glowed in the fading light of the setting sun, the trees popping in the darkness of dusk.

        "How can you stand it so cold Lulu?" Chat asked me, a disbelieving look on his face as he shivered.

        I snickered, "It's because I'm a wolf Little Cat.  Wolves naturally can stand colder temperatures, significantly better than cats."

        He pouted, obviously unhappy with my answer.  Having fully warmed up to the idea and practice, I snuggled closer to him.

        "Get used to it kitty, things will only get colder," I sighed content.

        "With you, I know I'll never be left out in the cold," he said, kissing my forehead.

        "That was so cheesy, not to mention you missed," I giggled.

        Noir was confused, until I kissed him.

[hynohtz]

11 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT MY ASS

Okay ffffffffine. I was tagged by a couple of Roomfriends to complete one and I feel nothing but incredibly loved right now. I don't usually do these things but - this has been a fun one to get to know my buddies with so WHY NOT?! Honestly, this is not hard bc .... well, I'm weird. Bwahahaah!! I'm also not shy, especially when it comes to difficult conversations of confrontation. Buckle your seat belts. I'll try not to make it hardcore but all things are what make us , us , right?? I have enjoyed getting to know the fandom and feel like sharing, if it's with the right intentions, can only ever do good. Right? We'll see... Yeesh 😬 1) I'm a proud Lefty. It's cool functioning on the right side of our brains, in creativity and problem solving. It's not cool however when you have to dine at a large table or try to cut ... well, anything with a pair of scissors. I had a permanent pencil/ pen stain on my side palm for my entire school life. lol I assure you I am not from the devil. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard and I'm not particularly kind to those who have changed their children from left to right for these reasons. You'd be surprised how many, and how many ppl are AMAZED that you're a lefty. I swear it's about the equivalent of telling them you were a virgin. The wide eyes and gaps .. lol 2) I was an opera major in my undergrad. I say that as if I went on to get more degrees but I didn't hahaahaha. ( wait I can't stop laughing ) ..... Yes. I hold a Bachelors of Music in Vocal performance from Peabody Conservatory of Music of Johns Hopkins University @tuxedos-are-not-suits yup. No, I don't do it now. Funny thing about opera... you kind of have to like the city or traveling and if ur in just the chorus, it doesn't pay the bills. Insurance is also with the Union ... hrumph. I sing where I can, weddings, funerals, stage, and hold the occasional theater podcast or YouTube lessons (bwahaha, Roomfriends.) 3) I can't dive. I never learned. I found out the hard way had an eighth grade pool party with all the cool kids in my new hot two piece bikini, that placing both hands on your head in the manner of a shark fin and squatting to only then fall in the water ... is not diving. Feet first. Always. 4) I got to be the "surprise" witness in court to a man who was a notorious date-raper around campus and was counter suing his own victim for defamation of character. You should've seen the asshole's face when I showed up that day. Proud to tell the whole court and judge that I would've been one of his victims if I hadn't gotten away from him and called the campus shuttle to pick me up. I said "your honor, there is no counter sue needed as I was happy to tell everyone male and female months before this poor victim that he was dangerous, possibly mental, and to stay away from him." God that was an awesome day. I didn't tell my parents till 5 years later , for fear that my father would hunt him down and kill him 😂 5) I can talk through my nose. I don't think it's amazing but apparently everyone and their mother at a party does... lol I can say the ABCs and sing with my mouth closed. It's my stupid human trick. People love that shit for some reason... 6) I once lived with 3 guys in an apartment just like Jess. They weren't as cute , ( nor was I ) and ruined my furniture and left dishes rotting in the sink, ....but I look back on that experience and smile for the couple of mos it was a reality. Guys will do anything to protect and support the chick they live with. It's almost like a brother/sister thing. Maybe that is where my love for 4D comes from? 7) one night "my boys" went out drinking and left me at home alone. A man got into our apartment and then into my bedroom. He fired a gun behind my head to scare me and tied me up. He didn't hurt me but said he would if I screamed again. He took all my family heirloom jewelry ... and my trust in strangers. He made me lay on the bed on my stomach and left me to ransack the apartment. I made the decision to go over to my bedroom door close it and lock it in hopes that maybe if he came back to get me ...he would give up. The plastic phone that was on my bed was easy to get off the hook and I dialed 911 with my tongue. I subconsciously continued to recite the Lord's Prayer , even though I was not "saved" at the time. By the time the police had gotten there in about six of the longest minutes of my life, he was gone. The sound of the police radio was like heaven's choir singing to me. They then untied me and I dropped to my knees crying and the woman policeman told me to my face "we expected to find you dead." It's not pretty, and it took while to get over... but it makes me, me. 8) my two front teeth are veneers. yes. fake. I was born with the "Madonna" gap my mama had as well and I hated it. Almost every day I would try to place my white gum behind my two front teeth so I can make it look like they were too large teeth that went together seamlessly. When I was 15 and my mom was 40 something, we both got veneers, together. I will not disclose how many times I have cracked or chipped them, and on what foods. Let's just say I have the "teeth falling out dreams" all the time, and I don't have a great time in black lighted bars and clubs 😬 9) I was in an abusive marriage before I was reunited with my wonderful hubby. I didn't listen to the warning signs or tell myself the truth and went ahead with it, even though the first time he laid hands on me was 3 mos before the wedding. I was in a loveless and disrespectful marriage for 1.5 yrs. At the third time ( too many) I grabbed the dog and got the hell outta dodge ( or GA ). I keep some of the photos in a box in my closet, so I can tell my daughter about what every woman deserves and that we should always be honest with ourselves. She will always know and understand the true reasons you marry someone. Life isn't perfect, but it's makes me, me. 10) I say "reunited with my hubby" because kids, the fact is, my husband dated my best friend in college. I always thought he was the cutest and funniest and most caring boyfriend that she had ever dated, and when she broke his heart I thought she was friggin nuts. But God has a bigger plan. Nikki's suite mate in college asked her the first day why she had a picture of "Molly" on her desk and she said that's my best friend and the suitemate replied my mom works for her moms preschool. We were friends together for a long time. Fast forward to 10 years later when Nikki has 3 kids, Steph has two and I'm divorced and crying myself to sleep in the bathtub because all of my guy friends are married or short and bald, ....and my future hubbys mom moves ACROSS THE STREET from said Suitemate. She called me. I sped over and ... history was made. He's just as adorable today as he was when we were 19, and I adore him every day. We have two beautiful children ( a boy 3 and a girl 7 ) who are my world, and I thank God every day that fate revealed itself to me. 11) I was/AM a fierce daddy's girl. My father passed away when I was eight and a half months pregnant with my son. He had been sick with stage 4 lung cancer for 6 mos and in and out of the ICU. I watched him die on 9/29 and it was the most difficult and most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life. I was able to tell him everything I loved about him and that I will miss him every day of my life. It's been 3 years and I still cry almost once a day. My son is named after him and I will take great pride in teaching him about the man that never got to hold him. I occasionally see him in dreams... but let's be honest, it's never enough. Hug your daddies if u have them on earth still... for me, pls. If you see me preaching about the dangers of smoking, get mad. I don't care. No one else needs to die this way. Especially not those I love. F it. Shit. That's all? I could go on and on ... lol mmkay 11 random facts. Done. Please still be my friend, k? I hope instead of tagging everyone again, some followers will just do it... yasssss do it. You know u want to, and you know you can't be as fucked up as me, right?!? so just go for it!!! Hahaaha PS I love my Roomfriends Love and Life, Molls