#oc: eli kravitz

[surroundedbypearls]

Though I wish he were here instead don't want that living in your head He just comes to visit me when I'm dreaming every now and then. -ghostin, Ariana Grande

Eli rubbed at his weary jaw. He used to get this feeling, sometimes, this ache from too much smiling, too much laughter. He walked into the living room and spotted Cheddar prowling across the mantelpiece. Upon seeing Eli in the doorway, he took a leap and landed on the armchair, knocking down one of Faye's knick-knacks. Caught again. “Cheddar,” he scolded, leaning down to pick up the souvenir dolphin he’d knocked down. “I told you to stop climbing up on the fireplace.” Cheddar’s tail swished as he rubbed against Eli’s leg, purring as he head-butted his shin. Eli placed the photo back beside the photograph of their last big day out with their dad; out on the Birchwood hiking trails. Matching outdoor coats in clashes of yellow and sky blue and bright pink and wide smiles. People said Eli looked like him. Sometimes, he could see what they meant. They said the same blue eyes, the same blond hair (before Dad had gone grey). And he’d seen photos of him in his younger years on his bubbe’s wall. He was just like Eli when he was young. All limb, no body. He reached down and picked up the mewling Cheddar, hugging his chubby body. Cheddar purred and rubbed off his chin, and he squeezed so tight that Cheddar tensed in his arms.

I've added Homebirds to the list of WIPs I'm making playlist edits out of! I'm having fun playing around with them.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment or an ask to be added to the taglist.

[ginevrastilinski-ocs]

Finally They Have A FC!

Yes, I had some (read: too much) ocs without fc that were already on my masterlist... but now they have one! (Everyone thanks my brainstorming for my new ocs)

Good Omens

Althea Price - witch; Eltanin’s girlfriend; immortal being (kind of? it’s complicated)

Her faceclaim is Diana Silvers!

Shadowhunters

Nico Lightwood - Shadowhunter; descendant of Violet & Samuel’s kids; Vienna’s younger brother; lives in Rome Istitute; main character in TWP (Yes, I know that series is not out yet)

His faceclaim is Finn Wolfhard! 

Alice Knight - witch/warlock; adoptive “mother” of Lydia Knight; Alice and Magnus are like the fixed points of all the series lmao; angst queen

Her facelaim is Lily James!

Lydia Knight - witch/warlock; Elys’ childhood friend; Brian’s girlfriend

Her faceclaim is Vanessa Morgan!

Brian White - werewolf; Elys’ childhood friend; Lydia’s boyfriend

His faceclaim is Mark Mckenna!

Jackson Milligan - Mundane; Elys’ adoptive father

His faceclaim is Tyler Hoechlin!

Samuel Milligan - Ascent Shadowhunter; Mundane raised in a Shadowhunter family; Alistair Carstairs’ parabatai; madly in love with Violet Lightwood

His faceclaim is Josh Whitehouse!

Vienna Lightwood - Shadowhunter; Nico’s older sister; been to the Academy the same year with Simon Lewis

Her faceclaim is Shelley Henning!

Cassandra Blackthorn - Shadowhunter; Ty and Livvy’s twin sister (they’re a triplet); main character in both TDA and TWP

Her faceclaim in TWP is now Emilia Jones! (Her fc in TDA is Malina Weissman)

Downton Abbey

Lady Elisabeth Crawley - second daughter in the Crawley family; takes shit from no one; her and Sybil could run the world if they wanted to

Her faceclaim is Keira Knightley!

Madeline Barrow - Thomas Barrow’s niece; the most rebel girl in town; a menace to society

Her faceclaim is Millie Bobby Brown!

MCU/Marvel

Victoria Vill (2) - Spider-Girl; Vicky from Raimi!Verse

Her faceclaim is Emmy Rossum!

Victoria Vill (3) - Aranea; Vicky from TASM!Verse

Her faceclaim is Willa Holland!

Ate Erisdottir “Aimee” - goddess; daughter of Eris; Loki ship (they’re literally soulmates okay? 🥺)

Her faceclaim is Emilia Clarke! 

XCU (X-Men)

Leia Forbes - Mutant; half-aware of the fourth wall; Wade ship

Her faceclaim are Zoe Kravitz & Margot Robbie! (Trust me, it has sense, okay?)

Ness Fitzgerald - Hellfire; Ness from the original timeline

Her faceclaim is Angelina Jolie!

Ness Fitzgerald - Hellfire; Arcane; Ness from the New Timeline (but not First Class)

Her faceclaim is Nina Dobrev!

RiordanVerse

Catarine “Cata” Johnson - Redacted; parents Redacted; Apollo/Lester’s friend (her story is setted during TOA); powerful lesbian

Her faceclaim is Rachel Zegler!

Evelyn Chase - Magnus’ adoptive sister; daughter of Loki; TJ ship

Her faceclaim is Kiernan Shipka!

Teen Wolf

Redacted “Addie” Lewis - werecat; Stiles ship

Her faceclaim is Anya Taylor-Joy!

Stranger Things

Autumn Hopper - 013; Anya Richards; Hawkins Lab experiment; Miles Henderson’s sister figure; Steve ship

Her faceclaim is Jenny Boyd!

Under this you have my Harry Potter ocs! You’ve been warned!

Harry Potter 

Nath Andrews - wizard; part of the S.Q.U.A.D.; Ravenclaw;

His faceclaim is Jordan Fisher!

Theo Denton - wizard; part of the S.Q.U.A.D.; Gryffindor

His faceclaim is Evan Mock!

Callisto Black - witch; daughter of Rosalinf and Sirius; sister of Jan us and Justine Black; Hufflepuff

Her faceclaim is Danielle Campbell!

Janus Black - wizard; son of Rosalind and Sirius; brother of Callisto and Justine Black; Gryffindor; Luna Lovegood ship

His faceclaim is Joe Keery!

Justine Black - witch; daughter of Rosalind and Sirius; sister of Callisto and Janus Black; Slytherin

Her faceclaim is Alba Baptista!

[soulstream-rp]

who are your most wanted characters right now and do you all plan on releasing more non-binary characters soon?

We definitely want to see more ghosts and Tuners, as well as other characters with distinct connection to the taken ones. Here are some of our suggestions:

Astrid Carrillo (Ghost / FC: Zoe Kravitz)

Matthias Sharp (Ghost / FC: Alfred Enoch)

Max Tsukahara (Ghost / FC: Ryan Potter)

Leira Trevino (Ghost / FC: Eiza González)

Nadia Pope (Ghost / FC: Jamie Clayton)

JJ Brandt (Tuner / FC: Jacob Artist)

Leon Castellano (Tuner / FC: Shiloh Fernandez)

Hayley Griffith (Tuner / FC: Chloe Bennet)

Aidan O’Neil (Medium / FC: Taron Egerton)

As for non-binary characters coming up, we are afraid we don’t currently have any plans on releasing new characters any time soon. We are planning to reorganize the unpublished bios and everything. We have one non-binary character Eli. If you’d like to write up your own, we’d totally be up for an OC in the inbox!

-Admin Rhi

[surroundedbypearls]

'Eli reached and pressed his heart in tight, left the memory in an album.' [Excerpt below the cut!]

People said Eli looked like his dad. Sometimes, he could see what they meant. They said the same blue eyes, the same blond hair (before Dad had gone grey). And he’d seen photos of him in his younger years on his bubbe’s wall. He was just like Eli when he was young. All limb, no body. He reached down and picked the mewling Cheddar from the floor, hugging his chubby body. Cheddar purred and rubbed off his chin, and he squeezed so tight he felt Cheddar tense in his arms. “Sorry, baby.” What was he doing? What good did it do, staring at photos on the mantel? He pressed his nose against the crown of Cheddar’s head and breathed in his smell. They hadn’t been back to Birchwood in a long time. Faye and his mom wouldn't go without him, and he wouldn't go again. Never again. He wouldn’t be able to walk on those trails without remembering the day his father slowed in his strides, clutched himself, and collapsed to his knees. It was a heart attack, the paramedics told him afterwards. It ran in his father’s side of the family, got his zayde when he was only in his fifties. Eli didn’t know what it looked like when someone had a heart attack. So when it happened, his first wild thought was that it had to be just a prank. But he could remember the almost crazed expression in his father’s eyes, and the chill that ran through him when he realised it was fear. Another blackout poem from my YA superhero WIP, ‘Homebirds’! Eli's going through it, if you couldn't tell.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment or an ask to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Elijah Kravitz

‘What good did anger do, anyway? There were people now, alive, who needed his attention a whole lot more.’

[Excerpt below the cut!]

When Eli got home, he found his hand shook as he tried to unlock the door. It took him so long to find the right key and turn it in the keyhole, that by the time he got the door open, his mother was on the other side, yanking the handle out of his grip.

“Where have you been?” she spat. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?”

For a second, like an idiot, he forgot why she’d be so upset. So he was late coming home, big deal. Then he realised he had no idea what time it was. And he had spent the last few hours in various forms of peril. Though she didn’t know that yet. “Sorry.”

“Sorry? Why didn’t you call? Elisa called and asked if I’d seen Denise, because she never came home after school, and then when you weren’t here either and you weren’t answering any of my messages, I thought-”

“What did you think? That I died?”

“Don’t say that. How dare you say that?”

He shut his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“What happened, Eli?”

He took a deep breath, but it entered his lungs in a choke at best. “I-I don’t - I’ll tell you after. I don’t want to talk about it now. I want to tell you something else first.”

Her eyes narrowed. Probably still reeling from the worry. He should have called once they were safe. He had no right to do this to her. To be so selfish.

“Dad pushed me away from him the day we were out on the track,” he said. “He wouldn’t let me touch him.”

She released her hold on his shoulders. Her mouth trembled. “Oh, Eli…”

He grunted when she hugged him so hard his ribs felt crushed. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“I don’t know. I told the paramedics, but I didn’t think you had to know. I didn’t think it meant anything. And then afterwards, when everything happened…I just. I didn’t even know what to think. I didn’t know how to process it.” Though he knew how he had been processing it. Not well, apparently.

“I’m sorry I shouted at you. But I was terrified. if I lost you as well…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call. I know I should have. Things got crazy. A lot’s happened today, and I…I’ve been dealing with a lot.”

“Eli, you shouldn’t have been dealing with any of this by yourself.”

“I just wish he’d told me back then. Let me try and help him. I’m so angry, Mom. I’m so fucking angry with him.” His voice cracked, and he realised he was out of tears.

“Now, stop that.” She pulled away and held his shoulders, her gaze turned up towards him. “Listen to me, Elijah. What would have happened if he did tell you, and you failed? What then? How would you have dealt with that? Your dad knew it was dangerous to encourage you to use your powers before it was time. We all knew it. What if something happened to you?” She took a deep breath. “There’s no way to know if you would have saved him. I don’t know if what he did was right, and we can never know that now. But I would have done the same. For you, or Faye? I’d die for you.”

“Don’t stay stuff like that.”

“It’s the truth. I’d do anything for my babies.” She tugged his head down towards her and kissed his forehead. Only a year or two prior, she would've been able to do that without him bending down to meet her. “I know you’re angry with him, but try not to be. He did it for your own good.”

He smiled, unable to help himself. “Joe said the same thing.”

“Joe?”

“Short version, he’s the school counsellor. Longer version…”

“We’ll talk about it later.” She hugged him again, gentler this time.

“Its not fair.”

“I know it’s not, darling.”

“But I’m going to…I mean - I’m going to try not to be angry with him, anymore.”

“Trying is all you can do.” She let him go. “Are you hungry? It’s so late, have you had any dinner? We have leftovers in the fridge. And then you’re going to bed, understand? You need your rest. And in the morning, you’re telling me everything. Every. Thing. Got it?”

He couldn’t help smiling as she caught her breath. “Okay. Thanks, Mom.”

As he followed her into the kitchen, something about him felt…different. Like the weight on his shoulders was lighter. What good did anger do, anyway? There were people now, alive, who needed his attention a whole lot more.

He felt almost aglow.

But maybe that was just his growing magic at play.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Logan Reid

Her body felt wonderfully warm. A warmth she recognised. A warmth she’d come to know.

[Excerpt below the cut!]

Logan opened her eyes, blinking long and slow. It was almost like she had a hangover. That was usually the only time she felt so numb and heavy. But at least she didn’t feel the usual nausea. She’d take this over a hangover any day.

Somewhere far away, her muscles twitched and she could almost move. She still felt electric, and not in a good way. Like her whole body was one giant nervous tick.

As she opened her eyes fully, her vision was taken over by a blinding golden light. A shadow hovered in the light before her, just a head and shoulders. She couldn’t make out anything else. But her body felt wonderfully warm. A warmth she recognised. A warmth she’d come to know.

“God?” she mumbled, holding back the mad laugh in her chest. She had to laugh at the oddity of it all. “Is that you?”

Eli sighed. “Shut up. It’s me.”

“My hero.”

She rolled onto her side as the warmth travelled up to her hip, cleansing the sting from her body. Would she have a burn, wherever the baton hit her? Probably not, if Eli had anything to do with it. Though she wouldn’t mind a cool looking scar.

No, wait. It wasn’t a baton. It was Dean. Ow.

Through blurred vision, the soldiers flew across the hallway like puppets on strings. Someone was at the end of the hall. Who was that? She strained her eyes and tried to look, but everything was so much effort right now.

“Is that…?”

“Shh.” Eli’s voice soothed her. “Just relax. I’m almost done.”

“Hmm...okay.”

It was so easy to just let the darkness welcome her back.

When she woke again, the others stood over her, Eli still kneeling at her side. Isaac was there too, standing with his arms folded, as far off to the side as he could get away with. She grinned when their eyes met. He looked almost pained by how hard he was trying not to smile.

“I knew it was you.” She sat up as slowly as she could make herself, just the slightest linger of a headache throbbing in her forehead. “You always knew how to make an entrance.”

Isaac sighed.

“Is everyone okay?”

“Don’t worry about us.” Dean’s arms enveloped her in a crushing hug. “We should be asking you. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, I just - I lost control of it.”

“It’s okay. I feel fine.” She patted Dean’s arm until he let go. They could hug later. And he could buy her a shake to make up for it. She made a note to remember that. “Besides, if we’ve always got a medic on hand, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

He didn’t look like he really believed her, but it was close enough.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Denise Perez Acosta

And then Denise heard it. And from the crushing grip on her fingers, she knew Eli heard it too. Footsteps.

[Excerpt below the cut!]

Denise wouldn’t mind admitting, if anyone asked, that she was fucking terrified.

She already didn’t like factories. She didn’t like how everything echoed in the warehouses. She hated how things just...clanged and made noises off somewhere she couldn’t hear, because they were just noisy buildings in their nature. The ‘take your kid to work day’ David dragged her to when she was ten wasn’t something she liked to remember. It was easier to ignore the weird noises, obviously caused by ghosts, when the factory he worked in was full of - well, workers. Now, though? Ghosts galore.

No, not ghosts. Aliens. Arguably much worse.

She should have brought a weapon. At least a kitchen knife or something. What was she thinking?

“This way,” Catherine said from the front of the group, walking in a crouch, leaning forward. She wasn’t too far off from resembling some kind of werewolf. It was spooky, how her nostrils flared. She flushed when she caught herself wondering what she might smell like to someone with senses like Catherine’s.

“Stop.”

They skidded to a stop. But it wasn’t Catherine who’d spoken. It was Logan, who moved to the front of the group with a hand out to hold them in place. Her eyes were narrowed.

“I heard something,” she said.

“Really?” With an uncharacteristic wipe of her nose, Catherine looked around. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“You’ve been in bloodhound mode, haven’t you? I’ve been listening. And I know I heard something.”

Denise could hear nothing. But as one with mediocre human senses, she didn’t have much to contribute. She reached for Eli’s hand and squeezed it.

“Wait, you’re right. I can hear it.” Catherine crouched low, something in her face shifting, her pupils growing larger. “There’s someone coming.”

And then Denise heard it. And from the crushing grip on her fingers, she knew Eli heard it too. Footsteps.

<<b>More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS - An Elijah Kravitz moodboard

It’s Eli’s moodboard! As you can tell, Eli loves the colour yellow (and also denim jackets, but that’s another story). Eli loves to read and write; he’s the creative type. His family also own a beloved ginger cat named Cheddar. Cheddar is overweight. Their vet kindly refers to this as “padding”.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Denise Perez Acosta

‘It was a better smile, a bigger one. But it didn’t reach his eyes. It was all politeness, all formality. It wasn’t him.’

[Excerpt below the cut!]

“Mom?”

“Darling!” Whipping the pan from the cabinet, she brushed the straggling hair from her flushed forehead and smiled. “David’s just gone to the store to pick up some eggs, I was so sure I’d bought them - coffee?”

“Yeah, sure. Can I talk to you?”

“Sit down.” She poured out a splash of black coffee and handed it over. She didn’t like to waste good coffee - and she knew Denise wouldn’t finish a full cup. She took it and sipped.

I just feel...overwhelmed,” she said, sipping again. “There’s a lot going on right now with the group. “There’s a guy at school, and I just-  I don’t know. I feel like I’m the only one with my eyes open. Something’s going on.”

“Something serious?”

“I don’t want to worry you, I just - I don’t know if it’s serious. Maybe? I don’t know. I hope not.” She knocked back the last of her coffee. “But the others aren’t listening to me. At least that’s how it feels, and it’s starting to grate on me.”

“I think you should tell the others how you feel.”

“I have.”

“Well, tell them again. Why not talk to Eli about it, on the way to school today? I’m sure he’ll listen to you. God knows you two are joined at the hip.”

“I don’t know if I can.” She stood so fast her chair scraped back against the tiles. She couldn’t stand the sound.  But she’d take it over sitting any longer. “You haven’t seen him lately, Mom. He’s so...drained.” She picked up her bag. “Finding out about his powers just messed him up, what with his dad and everything. It’s always on his mind, I can tell by him. He won’t even hear me.”

“Darling…”

“Does David know? Does he know, about me?”

“No, he doesn’t. And we won’t tell him if you don’t want to. Not until you’re ready.”

“Right. Okay.” Maybe she could talk to someone. Maybe she’d just have to make them listen. If only she were a telepath. “Thanks, Mama.”

She rode down the elevator to the parking garage and headed towards the car. Eli was already there, hands in his pockets, pale face grey and washed out under the unflattering lights.

“Morning, baby,” she said, squeezing his arm and pecking his shoulder. He turned towards her with the barest of smiles, leaning in and kissing her head. She felt him linger there for a second, smelling her shampoo.

“You look tired,” she said, when he didn’t pull away. “Are you okay?”

“Sure, yeah. I’m fine.” He pulled away then and reached for the passenger side door. “We should get going.”

It wasn’t until they were inside the car that he confessed, “I guess I haven’t been sleeping a whole lot. But it’s nothing. Just restless.”

She turned on the engine before giving him one last glance. He had already leaned back against the window, chin resting on the back of his hand.

“What about you?” he asked, looking towards her with a better smile, a bigger one. But it didn’t reach his eyes. It was all politeness, all formality. It wasn’t him.

She pulled out of the space. “I’m fine,” she said, eyes on the lane as she drove towards the exit. “Doing fine.”

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Elijah Kravitz

As he breathed, he felt it. Energy flowing through his body like water, like electricity.

[Excerpt below the cut!]

Eli took a deep breath, taking Denise’s hand in his and clasping it close to his chest. This sensation was still so new to him. As he breathed, he felt it. Energy flowing through his body like water, like electricity, pulsing into her with every exhale. He felt out the spots where she needed more of it, where she was weary and needed strength. He could go for longer, give her more. Whatever she needed, he’d give it.

She lay stretched out on Dean’s couch, her other hand resting on her stomach. She was awake again, and stared at him through half-closed eyes.

“Are you feeling better?” Eli asked, taking another deep breath, and sending another surge of energy to her. Maybe a bit too much. He shuddered, body lurching. He had to learn better control. It shouldn’t be too much, this soon.

“Yeah, loads better.” She smiled up at him, shrugging into a sitting position.

“Can I get you anything?” He didn’t want to let go of her hand just yet. He wanted to keep the magic flowing for as long as either of them could handle it.

“No, I’m fine.” And she let go of his hand. “I promise. I have enough.”

He forced himself not to argue. He was veering a little too close to woozy. “Okay.”

Dean stood in the doorway to the living room, almost like he shouldn’t be there. Eli wished he wouldn’t stand like that, especially not in his own apartment.

Catherine stood beside him, clearing her throat when he looked at them. “We, um, we just got word from Margot.”

Denise bolted up, feet back on the ground. “Where are they?”

“At a factory not far from here, she dropped the location. It’s abandoned.” Her voice was thin as she bit down on her lip. “Who knows what freaky shit they’re up to in there? What if Garin’s already-”

“Don’t say that, don’t say already anything-”

“But we don’t know what they want with him-”

“Girls, come on. Let’s not - let’s not do this. Denise is right. We shouldn’t assume the worst when we don’t know anything yet.” Dean took a breath and folded his arms. “What’s our plan?”

Why was Dean looking at him, of all people? Even Catherine was looking at him, and she never needed advice from anyone. He swallowed, and looked back at Denise. She was watching him too. Her jaw was set. She gave the smallest of nods. It was enough.

Eli stood, and looked back at Dean. “We’ll have to rescue him, won’t we?”

Denise grabbed his hand. He squeezed it on reflex, glad to have something to anchor him.

“We can do this,” he said. Who was he even speaking to? To her, to the others, or to himself? “I’m freaked out too, okay, believe me - but we have to do something.”

She hugged him close. “I know. I’m with you.”

Eli looked at the three of them, each with expressions veering from terrified to determined. He got to his feet, and grabbed Denise’s keys from the table. “Let’s go,” he said. “We can’t waste any more time. We need to make a stop along the way.”

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Elijah Kravitz

‘What kind of lunatic would he be, barging in and demanding Joe try to help him understand why he felt so fucked up?’

[Excerpt below the cut!]

Eli stood outside Joe’s office, eyeing the fogged glass. The occupied sign wasn’t hung on the door, but the room inside was dark. That wasn’t a good sign, but he knocked regardless. After a few seconds, he knocked again. It was futile, he knew it was. But when he met silence again, he tried to open it, just in case. Locked. Just as well. What kind of lunatic would he be, barging in and demanding Joe pick his brain apart, and try to help him understand why he felt so fucked up?

“Idiot,” he mumbled, stepping back. “For fuck’s sake. Stupid.”

He ought to go back to the others. They’d be waiting for him. He shouldn’t be lingering around hallways like a creep. He had nothing new to say anyway, not really. Nothing he couldn’t say to the others, at least in theory.

When he got back to Denise and Isaac, sitting and waiting for the others to arrive, he slid in with a nod. It was strange, seeing Isaac sit with anyone, much less himself. He wasn’t sure they had a whole lot in common, aside from meeting at the temple from time to time when they were kids.

“Where did you go?” Denise asked, passing him half her walnut brownie.

He took it with thanks and unwrapped what was left of it. “I went to see Joe.”

“What?” She leaned forward, eyes like glass. “Why?”

His hands shook as he finished unwrapping it. “Nothing, just - just to talk to him. About my Dad, or about me, or - I don’t know.”

“Oh. Shit, Eli, I’m sorry.” She rested her chin on her hands. “I didn’t mean it that way, I promise. I’m just - I’m getting jumpy.”

“Why? What about?”

“About Joe.” She lowered her vice, Eli and Isaac leaning in on instinct. “Garin wanted me to keep it low, but I’m freaking out, okay? I saw him the other day, hanging around and watching the door when you guys were fighting that guy, the sub. I know he knew something was up, I could just tell looking at him.”

She sat back, as though she’d just let a great weight from her shoulders. Eli picked at the brownie, popping some into his mouth so he wouldn’t have to speak. The thought of Joe sitting there in that office, listening to him every visit, handing him a tissue when it became too much to hold in, ever since his dad died. No. It wasn’t possible. He bit down on a walnut with a vigour he didn’t know he had, wincing at the force of it against his teeth. He grabbed his water to wash it down.

“Garin didn’t want me to upset you guys, but I wanted to tell you. I just have a bad feeling.”

“Hmm.” Isaac’s brow furrowed as he tapped his short fingernails against the table. “Look, Denise…”

“I know it’s crazy.”

“It is crazy,” Eli said, the harshness in his tone surprising him. “It’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous.” Isaac shrugged. “Or maybe it is, I don’t know. But you obviously feel strongly about this-”

“I do.”

“Then I trust it. For now. Cautiously. We’ll just see what happens, okay?”

“Okay.” She smiled, glancing at Eli. And his stomach squirmed in guilt.

“Dee, it’s not that I don’t trust you.”

“I know it’s hard for you to imagine. You like Joe.”

“It’s not that, Or not just that, anyway.” He picked up the rest of the brownie, shoving it in and folding his arms close to his chest. “I just don’t buy it.”

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Denise Perez Acosta

‘Next time I become involved  with a boy, intimately, I won’t be telling you about it.'

[Excerpt below the cut!]

When Denise sat, it wasn’t Ms Nicholson who walked in and placed her giant blue folder on the desk. It was Joe, the guidance counsellor who often doubled as a sub. In this situation, Eli would normally lean over and make some comment about how Joe was just gorgeous, which she couldn’t dispute. It was notable this morning that he didn’t do it, and it caused a strange twist in the pit of her stomach. She knew it wasn’t because of the weekend’s revelation that he didn’t bring it up. It was because of Dean.

It wasn’t Eli’s fault Dean didn’t want to come out. It wasn’t even Dean’s fault; she couldn’t fault him for being afraid even if she didn’t get it. When Eli came out to her, he spoke with pride, but the shake in his voice hadn’t escaped her. If telling no one included her - though she would never tell - she had to respect that. But it still hurt, and she didn’t like that it hurt.

“Why did Logan know, and not me?”

She waited until Joe had written up the assignment left behind by Ms Nicholson, and the class devolved into muted whispers, muffled yawns, and pen scratchings. Eli looked up from his notebook.

“He didn’t tell her.” He tapped his pen against the paper. “She found out by accident.”

“How?”

Eli smirked, reaching across his desk for an orange highlighter. “We were at his place and she came by to drop off some homework. She knows where the spare key is, I guess.”

“And how long have you been…whatever? I mean-” She stopped to remove the lid of her pen off with her teeth. “Is he your boyfriend?”

He shrugged, streaking orange across the page. “It’s been a couple of months. We haven’t said that word, not really, but I haven’t seen anyone else. And neither has he. So, I don’t know. Maybe.”

Seeing him blush and bite his lip softened her, though she didn’t want it to. “Do you want to, you know, say that word?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, if you do, you should just tell him.” She sighed, glancing up at the clock, though there was no way the class was even close to over yet. “It seemed like he really likes you. Once I found out, I thought ‘duh’. I should have realised sooner.”

“Dee.” Eli bit his lip. “Look, I really am sorry I didn’t tell you. You know I would have, if…”

“I know.” She huffed, opening a new page in her notebook. “Just know that next time I become involved with a boy, intimately, I won’t be telling you about it.”

He snorted.

“Don’t laugh!”

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Dean Yamazaki

‘Tonight, Eli’s body was drawn in, closed off to him. It wouldn’t be right to stare.’

[Excerpt below the cut!]

Dean sat on the edge of the bed, facing the door. Behind him, Eli shifted slightly on the mattress. He tried again.

“I guess we should count ourselves lucky,” he said, “that it took us until now to find out. Could you imagine hitting puberty and instead of getting taller, we just grew tentacles and feelers?” He smiled, even if the joke was limp at best. “I wonder what our real bodies look like…if they’re any different. I’ve never felt like my body was different. Have you?”

“No.”

Eli’s voice was low and glum, so unlike him that Dean was tempted to check him for injuries. His shoulders were slumped, his head downturned. Dean lifted a hand to touch him, when a knock on the door drew him back. Eli turned and looked right past him towards the door, his skin white. He said nothing.

“Come in,” Dean called, standing when Catherine walked into the room.

“I brought you these.” She held out the bundled up comforter and cushion in her arms. “Just in case.” She smiled. “I didn’t know what your plans were.”

Dean felt that familiar stab of panic in his gut, the urge to deny and feign ignorance on his lips. Then he remembered - well, yeah. They all knew now. The uneasiness wouldn’t leave him, but there was no point in hiding it around anyone else in this house anymore.

“Look, Catherine…”

“Don’t worry. We won’t tell.” She hoisted the bedding into his arms. “I don’t know why you were hiding it, anyway.”

“My dad doesn’t know.” He squeezed the bedding close to his chest. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

She winked. “Sleep well, guys. Goodnight.”

Catherine shut the door behind her, and Dean and Eli were left alone. He left the bedding on the floor at the foot of the bed, slipping out of his shoes and socks. He and Eli had never shared a bed before. “Do you mind sharing?”

“Hmm?” Eli looked up with an unfocused gaze; wherever he was, it was miles from the Kings’ home.

“Catherine gave us bedding, so one of us can take the bed, or we can share. I can take the floor, if you want…”

“No, it’s fine. We can share. It’s fine.” He looked away and lifted the thin black t-shirt up over his head. Eli was built lean and strong, his skin pale but glowing. Dean remembered the first time he saw Eli tall and flushed after their gym class, two years ago when he was just figuring out what it meant to like boys. Tonight, Eli’s body was drawn in, closed off to him. It wouldn’t be right to stare.

Dean turned away and shimmied out of his jeans, slipping under the covers. The sheets were cool and crisp, never used, and he couldn’t help shivering. The covers shuffled as Eli crawled in beside him, though he lay so far on the other side of the bed, he might as well be a million miles away.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Elijah Kravitz

‘He could remember the crazed look in his father’s eyes, and the chill that took hold of him when he realised it was fear.’

[Excerpt below the cut!]

Eli hasn’t been back to Birchwood in a long time. Faye and his mother wouldn’t go without him, and he would never go, not again. He wouldn’t be able to walk those trails without remembering how his father cut short in his strides and collapsed to his knees. 

It was a heart attack, the paramedics told him afterwards. Eli didn’t know what a heart attack looked like. But he could remember the crazed look in his father’s eyes, and the chill that took hold of him when he realised it was fear. The way his father grabbed his wrists, gripping them tight enough to bruise, pushing him away, almost hard enough to knock him down.

“Don’t touch me.”

He looked at his wrist now, adorned with shabby yarn bracelets Denise had made for him back in middle school. Cheddar squirmed and mewled in his free arm, and Eli squeezed him close, breathing in the warm scent on the crown of his head. 

“Elijah, I didn’t hear you come in.”

He turned towards the door to see his mother, mug of steaming coffee in her hands. “How was school?”

“It was good.” He walked to her and kissed her perfumed cheek. Her piercing eyes scrutinised him as she scratched Cheddar beneath his chin.

“What’s for dinner?”

“Veggie lasagne, Deepali gave me Gio’s recipe at book club last night. I wanted to try it.”

“Sounds nice.” He squeezed Cheddar tight.

“What’s the matter?” She touched his hair, tidying it where it hung over his eyes. “You can tell me.”

He swallowed. Maybe it was the kind of decision that, for once, needed her practicality. “There’s a party this weekend, at Catherine King’s house. Do you remember Catherine?”

“Of course. Beautiful girl.”

“Denise asked if I wanted to go. And I think I do, but I also...don’t. I don’t know. It feels a bit weird. Wrong.”

“Wrong?” She beckoned him to sit with her. “I don’t see why. You should go out, have fun with your friends.”

He sank into the couch, Cheddar resting on his lap. “I know it’s technically not wrong…”“If you don’t want to go, then don’t.”

“But maybe I do want to. Part of me wants to. It’s just the thought of everyone being there, and…” He sighed. “Saying it out loud, I guess it does sound stupid.”

“It’s not stupid.” Even as her edges softened, she spoke every word with purpose. “Look, if you want to come home early, you can call me or take a cab. I’ll pay. And Denise will be with you, you won’t be alone.” Her smile stretched to a wicked grin. “Maybe you’ll even meet a nice boy.”

“Mom.”

“Get together on the dance floor, touch hands over the snack table, spin-the-bottle…”

“No one plays that anymore. We’re not kids.” He tried to hide his smile. He could let her have her fun, but he couldn’t tell her about Dean. She was terrible with secrets. Everyone in her book club would know by Monday.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment or an ask to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

HOMEBIRDS: Denise Perez Acosta

‘She used to want to fall into those blue eyes until she drowned, back when she was a pre-teen with notions of fairytale romance.’

[Excerpt below the cut!]

The soft patter of raindrops on Denise’s windshield lulled her into a daze as she glanced again at the temple across the street, then at the clock on the dashboard. It was just 8am. School started at 8:30, and she made it a habit of not being late. But Eli still hadn’t come out, and so she would wait. They’d been driving to school together ever since she got her license, and she wasn’t about to abandon him now. Especially not in the rain. He never remembered to pack an umbrella.

Her hand flicked idly towards the stereo, thinking to switch it on, but she preferred to listen to the rain. She turned back to watch the doors. She’d only been inside once before, for Will’s funeral just over a year ago. Even as the months went on, and Eli began to smile again, the grief lingered when he stopped for more than a moment. 

She couldn’t imagine how he felt. Her own father didn’t have much interest in her; he’d bought her this car, which was something. Nothing paid like a parent’s guilt. But thinking about losing her mother was unimaginable.

The rain fell harder as one of the temple doors opened and someone stepped out, sans umbrella. Eli. He jogged out into the rain, breaking into a sprint as he crossed the street, opened the door and threw himself into the passenger seat. He pushed his wet hair back with a sigh and shrugged off his backpack.

“No umbrella?” Denise asked, starting the engine as he buckled his seatbelt.

“I forgot. Thanks for waiting.” He turned towards her, and there it was. That sadness. He’d be furious if she brought it up, she knew he would. Even though she wanted to, she didn’t reach out and take his hand. It would only trigger something in him, and if he cried, she’d cry too. And neither of them would make it to school.

Instead, she asked, “So, how’s Cheddar?”

It worked; he laughed. “He threw up a hairball on Faye’s bed this morning. From the screams, you’d swear he took a shit on it.”

“Well, you know. Kids.”

“I know.”

His eyes twinkled when he laughed. If she told anybody that, they’d laugh at her for sure. She used to want to fall into those blue eyes until she drowned, back when she was a pre-teen with notions of fairytale romance. She wanted to meet another boy whose eyes twinkled like his did - hopefully one who’d be interested in girls like her. Or, any girls. She hadn’t had any luck so far.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment or an ask to be added to the taglist.

[surroundedbypearls]

‘Homebirds’ excerpt - Elijah Kravitz

Synopsis: Eli goes to confide in someone. Words: 921.

Excerpt below the cut!~

It was the oldest cliché in the book that discovering magic powers had to be kept a mortal secret. It was a no-brainer. But still, he wanted to talk to someone. The others didn't have to know.  He’d keep the details to himself.

The door opened and Joe stood there, greeting him with a surprised smile. “Hi, Eli. It’s been a while. What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to talk, I guess. If you have a few minutes.”

“Sure. Come in.”

Eli walked in, the door clicking shut behind them. Joe had been working at the school as long as Eli had been there. According to some of last year’s seniors, the previous counsellor had been a fuddy older guy who smelled like tuna. But Joe had redecorated the office, and there was no trace of a tuna smell left anywhere.

Even with the worn carpet and cream walls that were a standard of every room at the school, this room still felt somewhat removed from the drabness of the others. Joe’s desk was at the back of the room, in front of the window, while on the left was a small couch and table set that had seen better days. This was where they’d usually sit to talk, because Joe thought sitting on two sides of a desk felt too formal. Eli did feel distinctly more comfortable as he sank into the couch.

Joe crossed the room to the desk, opening the bottom drawer and rifling through. “Want a snack?”

Eli dropped his backpack onto the carpet. “What’ve you got?”

“I need to stock up. Just mini Kit Kats. Plain or peanut butter?”

“Peanut butter, please.”

Seeing your own father die before your eyes wasn’t something anyone would have on their bucket list. Could be downright traumatising, really. So when it happened to Eli, his mother tried to strong-arm him into therapy. “Just to process what happened,” she’d keep telling him. He could dig his heels in when he wanted to, and regarding going to a damn therapist, that was that he did. 

So, eventually, they settled on the school counsellor as a compromise. Lots of students visited the counsellor. It was less of a big deal than going to see a shrink. That was all he would give in to.

Joe wheeled his desk chair over and handed Eli the Kit Kat, sitting down on the other side of the coffee table. “So, how’ve you been doing? What do you want to talk about?”

Eli ripped open the Kit Kat and looked around. The last time he sat in this room was months ago, when the grief was fresher. How long had his father been gone then? Six months? He couldn't remember exactly.

“Is that new?” he said, pointing to the picture hanging on the opposite wall. It was a watercolour painting in a slim frame. The broad, bold strokes of pink petals and soft blue in the background looked like something Denise might paint. It was her style, though she liked stronger colours. “It’s nice.”

Joe glanced over his shoulder at the painting. “Oh, yes.” He smiled. “It’s sea thrift.”

“Oh.” Eli didn’t know anything about flowers. So he said nothing else about the sea thrift and instead added, “I guess I’m here to talk about my dad, if that’s okay.”

“Of course.”

“We just had his anniversary. So, I guess it’s getting a little easier. But, recently, I…” He stopped. How could he say it without giving anything away? “I guess recently I’ve started to need him again more.”

“Has something happened?”

Yes. But he couldn’t say that. Joe's green eyes watched him carefully, like he could see right into his brain. But he couldn’t tell him the truth. He’d never believe him anyway. “I…” He shook his head, throat tight. “I’m sorry.” He reached for his backpack.

“It’s growing up, isn’t it?”

He let go of his backpack. “What?”

“Growing up.” Joe gave a sombre shrug. “We all go through it, Eli. it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re almost an adult. It can be one of the hardest times to be missing a parental figure in your life. Maybe it’s not just one thing. Maybe it’s a culmination of things. Right?”

“Right.” He gave a weak nod. “Yeah, that’s it. It feels like…things are changing.” A major understatement.

Joe seemed to understand, because he nodded. “It’s tough. But no one says you can’t have these moments, these milestones that make you miss people more. It doesn’t mean you’re going backwards. It’s just natural you feel the void they’ve left.”

“I guess so.”

“What’s the hardest part of it been for you?”

Eli broke the Kit Kat in half and plucked one of the fingers from the wrapper. “I guess not being able to talk to him. I just have some things I want to ask him, and it sucks the most that I can’t. Even if it was just a phone call.”

Why didn't you tell me I could save you? Why didn’t you at least let me try? 

He wanted to tell Joe this, but he knew he couldn’t; he couldn't explain it without telling him everything. Why wasn’t Jax the counsellor? Then at least he could spill all his alien-related woes, instead of zipping his lip around Joe. 

He was surprised at how compelled he felt to answer him with the truth, even though he knew he couldn’t. Maybe it was just his listening skills. Maybe it was something else.

More on Homebirds here!