#tristan skye and everyone knew

[whateverthedragonswant]

literally my experience watching the Monsters of the Bermuda Triangle ep on Shark Week:

Tristan: "What is that big shark that just swam past the camera?"

Me *sees the footage of a tail, the size, the grey top, knowing that whatever killed Penelope dragged her down to the depths*: "It's a great white."

Tristan, a biologist, scientist, and shark expert: "We should show this to the team, see what they make of it." He gets up and leaves me and Skye being like wtf?

Some time later:

They're looking at teeth impressions from an attacked device from the dead Porbeagle & determine that it doesn't match a seven gill shark like they thought but is triangular.

The other guy: "So that means it could be either a great white or a mako."

Me: "It's a great white. Did you see the girth of that tail?"

A little time later:

Tristan and Skye drop a camera deeper in the water. After some reef sharks go for the bait, a large shark is seen pretty clearly swimming near the camera: you see the tail, the grey color, big body. Then something attacks/bites at camera from behind.

Tristan: "Look at that, it's massive."

Me: "Yeah, it's a great white."

Tristan: "We should share this with the team and see what they think."

Me and Skye are thinking wtf again as he runs off.

An even shorter time later:

I can't remember her name right now: "We got some new info on Olivia." (Olivia is the 2nd porbeagle shark eaten by this "mysterious killer")

The other guy: "The temperature shift shows the same temperature of the stomach of a great white or a mako."

Me: "It's a great white. Say it with me."

At the end:

Tristan and the other guy: "Looks like it was a great white all along."

Me:

[werewolfdays]

a beautiful dream

havin a bit of a stressful time so just a lil something that’s both sweet and sad. also a mood setter x. -

In front of me stood a door. It was hard to make out the details for some reason, but I still recognized this door. Still felt it had a place in my heart. Like a very old friend. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, I thought. Do you remember me? The door didn’t give me any indication that it did, but it also didn’t protest my thoughts either, which I took as a good sign. 

I made a step forward to reach for the handle when an unseen hand grabbed my wrist, holding me in place. There was only the smallest twinge of an instinct inside me that warned me to prepare for a threat. Nothing could hurt me here, though. I knew that deep down. Once I turned, I came face-to-face with the person who had stopped me. 

The warmth of her brown eyes met mine with a nervous twinkle, “I don’t know if I can do this, Jay.” 

Of course I knew what she was talking about, yet I couldn’t place exactly what, “You’ll be fine, Nadya.” I assured her, squeezing her hand. 

“What if they don’t like me?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, they’ll love you.” Who was ‘they’? I think I knew that too somehow. “Everyone loves you.”

“This is different.” Nadya insisted. 

I shook my head, “You’ll see.”

The door handle turned without any resistance, almost like it opened itself for me, and I led Nadya through the threshold. Everything was exactly how I remembered it. I tried with everything I had to burn this image in my brain the last time I saw it, knowing that once I left this place I may never see it again. But I was back. And the only difference now was the crackling fire in the fireplace spreading a comforting blanket of warmth throughout the house. All the familiar scents were there too, though it was hard to pick out just one. The piano that I spent so much time playing as a kid was nestled in its usual corner with its other instrument companions. Just the sight of it made my breath hitch. Maybe I should play something for Nadya after dinner. 

“Anyone home?” I called.

A man came into the living room to greet us. This man was unmistakably familiar. His well trimmed beard was more gray than it was dirty blond, but his hair only had a few streaks of silver and was almost too long. If he used hair gel or something, he might not have to keep running his hand through it to brush it back so it wouldn’t get in his eyes, but he never liked using that stuff. Those eyes. Dark blue, just like mine, and framed by middle-aged wrinkles that became accentuated when he smiled at me. 

The sight of this man nearly broke me and I wasn’t sure why. I just stood there, paralyzed as I stared at him and felt tears blur my eyes. It was incredibly painful, but also filled me with a relief and joy so powerful that I was afraid of falling over. 

“There you are, my little pup.” He said proudly, wrapping me in a big hug.

I clung to my father’s shirt, burying my face in his chest like I did when I was a child. He still smelled the same. “Not so little anymore.” I told him with a tremble in my voice to hold back a sob.

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.” He said, pulling back and setting his hands on my shoulders, “Let me look at you.” 

Another familiar voice came into the room, “Tristan, did I hear Jayde?” when my mother saw me, her face lit up, “Oh, there you are baby girl!” She exclaimed, coming over to cup my face.

“Hi mom.” I was unable to stop my tears now, but I also couldn’t stop smiling as she lovingly wiped them away. 

It was hard to tell if I got my blonde hair from her or from my dad, they were similar in that way, but my mother’s eyes were mossy green. The color that Skye inherited. My mother aged very well, her body just as sturdy as my father’s when I hugged her, and though she was very kind, her sharp features could make her look very intimidating when she was angry. That was a trait that I knew I shared with her.

“You don’t make us wait so long to see you again, you hear me?” She scolded.

“I know, I didn’t mean for it to be this long.” I replied apologetically. 

My mom smiled at me in understanding. Then her eyes shifted to look over my shoulder, “Who’s your friend?”

I quickly twisted around, feeling shame for having forgotten that Nadya was there. Especially since she was as much a part of my family as my parents were. She had taken a couple steps away from us out of respect, but now that attention was on her, she straightened up and shuffled towards me tentatively. 

“This is Nadya.” I announced, placing my hand on the small of her back and giving her an encouraging caress, “Nadya, this is my mom, Andrea.” Nadya smiled and nodded at my mother. Then I motioned to my father, “And my dad, Tristan.” Before everyone could properly greet each other, I met my parents’ eyes, quickly adding, “And she’s my girlfriend, actually.”

“Your girlfriend?” My mother asked excitedly, looking from me to Nadya and back again. She understood exactly what my meaning was.

I grinned, “Yeah.”

My mother grinned and immediately advanced on Nadya, but not at all in an aggressive way. She cupped Nadya’s face in the same way she had with me, cooing with excitement, “Oh, look at how beautiful she is!” Then her hands shifted down to squeeze Nadya’s shoulders. My grin grew at the look of amused bewilderment on Nadya’s flushed face, “You are a very beautiful young woman.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Thatcher.” Nadya finally managed to say.

“So polite too, but there’s no need for formalities when you’re at home.” I wasn’t sure it was possible for Nadya to look more baffled at this exchange, but she certainly managed it at my mom’s words. “You must be very special if my daughter brought you to meet us.” 

“She is.” I confirmed.

My parents shared a look, like they had an understanding, and my dad met my gaze with a warm smile. I may have even caught some relief in his eyes. “You two have gotta be starving from that long trip. Let’s have some dinner and Nadya can tell us all about herself.” 

“Oh, there really isn’t much to tell.” Nadya said with a nervous chuckle.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fill in the gaps.” I told my parents, looking over at Nadya fondly. “I could talk about her all night.” 

I relished the deep blush on Nadya’s cheeks as she suddenly took a special interest in our carpet. My parents definitely caught it too, but not wanting to embarrass Nadya further, they continued on to the dining room. 

It could’ve been hours that passed, but it was too difficult to tell. Time was as nondescript as the food we had eaten. I had to keep reminding myself that we did eat dinner, though I couldn’t figure out the reason why I kept dwelling on it. It really didn’t matter. Not when I was sitting at a table with my parents and Nadya. Nothing else mattered besides this. It was a remarkable feeling that filled me with enough happiness to overflow. I couldn’t remember ever feeling so content. 

The more questions Nadya answered and the more she told them about herself, the more taken my parents were with her. I was expecting them to fess up any minute now; admit that they preferred Nadya as a daughter over me, and I would agree with them. My father was trying to tone it down, but I could tell he was downright thrilled that she was the person I brought home. He must’ve gone through the usual fatherly fears when it came to my love life, dreading that I would end up with some deadbeat jackass. His bright-eyed expression revealed that Nadya was even better than he was hoping for.

Neither of them mentioned the fact that she was a girl. Or that she was human. My mom and dad knew that I understood the risks. They must have had faith that I would be responsible or they would have spoken up about it. It was what I expected, but it still reassured me. Without me having to say it, they knew I was in love with her, and that was enough for them to fully accept Nadya into the family with no questions asked.

“What do you say, pup, wanna play something?” My dad finally asked, downing the last sip of his beer. 

The thought of playing music with my father again gave me an indescribable feeling. “Of course I do.” 

It was when we made our way back to the living room and towards the piano, that I started to notice my surroundings fade. Maybe it was nothing, but the closer I got to my father’s beloved instruments, the more darkness flooded the edges of my vision. Knowing that our time was running out and desperately wanting to hang on for just one more minute, until I heard him play- until I got to listen to his singing voice just one last time, I rushed forward. But there was simply nothing I could do to make myself stay. I would have done anything to be able to stay. 

I was yanked out of my dream. It was cruel. It was even more cruel than my usual nightmares. At least I appreciated when they finally ended. But this? Being able to see my dead parents again, watching them meet Nadya, and the promise of playing the piano with my father one more time like we used to do before he died? That was a new and devastating type of torture that my mind fabricated. 

The pain of losing them suddenly hit me in a fresh tidal wave, like the scar I got from their loss was violently ripped open again. I gripped the pillow under me as the feeling forced white-hot tears across my face to dampen my pillow. Nadya was still asleep beside me, so I tried my best not to sob, but my efforts only succeeded in making every breath I took agonizing. 

Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore and had to go for a run or something, I sensed Nadya wake behind me. I was being consumed by my grief when I heard her voice beckon me back to the real world.

“Jay...?” She sounded still mostly asleep, but her hand came to rest on my arm, “Is everything okay? You’re shaking.” I flipped over to meet her gaze and her eyes widened at the look on my face, suddenly wide awake and deeply concerned, “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

“No,” I took so much solace in her touch, it started to pull me back from the terrifying darkness that was creeping up on me. “It was just a dream. A really good dream.”

“What’s wrong, then?” she asked gently, bringing her hand up to brush away my tears with her thumb. 

“It was my parents.” My voice strained through the urge to sob and new tears immediately replaced the ones she wiped away, “You and I went back to my home and they were there. They met you.” 

“Oh, Jay,” Nadya sighed and grabbed my hand to press it to her lips. 

The small act of affection finally pushed out a racking sob that shook me to the core. Nadya moved closer to me, wrapping me up in her arms, and I allowed myself to curl into her while I cried. This felt better in a way, even if it was incredibly painful. Inhaling her scent with every uncontrolled gasp and being surrounded by the warmth of her body made me feel safe. Made me certain that this anguish would pass. 

She continued to hold me patiently as I got it all out of my system, moving a hand up and down my back to soothe me. Nadya’s comfort helped me greatly, though I still cried for a long time. Until I finally felt some of my pain drift away. Not all of it. I would never be fully free of it forever, but it was enough to allow me to breath without difficulty. That and being in her arms was the best I could’ve hoped for after a dream like that. 

We just lied together quietly for a while once I was done crying. I was expecting to feel Nadya fall back asleep, but she didn’t. She simply kept holding me and rubbing my back. I realized she was keeping herself awake for me. Waiting until she would be convinced that I was okay. I felt guilty, but I also desperately wanted her to stay awake with me. I was afraid of the quiet without her. 

“I would give anything for you to meet my parents.” I said, breaking the silence with my voice sounding gravelly from crying, “To bring you home to them so they can get to know you and love you as much as I do. You don’t know how many times I wished I could tell my dad about you. Or ask my mom for advice.” 

“I don’t know if there’s anything like an afterlife,” Nadya started softly, “But I do know the people we love live in us. Whether they’re alive or not. I mean, I always feel you with me, even when we’re apart, so I have to believe that they live in you too.” I hung onto her words as tightly as I clung to her, “They know, Jay. Somehow they know that you have someone who loves you more than anything in the world. That has to help them be at peace.” 

She said those beautiful words with so much certainty that I had no choice but to believe them. I let out a sigh, expelling the rest of the darkness inside me and finally let my muscles relax. Then I nodded and planted a long peck on her shoulder, “Thank you, Nadya. I love you.” 

“I love you too.” she replied and we fell into silence for another minute or so until she spoke up again, “Did they like me?”

The question made me smile, which was a sensation I desperately needed right now, “You were worried, but they loved you. I knew they would. They would have loved you so much, Nadya.” 

“I probably embarrassed myself, didn’t I?” 

I scoffed quietly and leaned back to kiss her because Nadya was just being so her and I loved her beyond words. She returned my kiss softly and sweetly, making sure I only felt her and how full of light and kindness she was. I felt how truly powerful she was in being so gentle. The horrible feelings and memories in my mind were no match for her strength. 

“You are so perfect.” I told her after I pulled away and lightly bumped my forehead against hers. 

“Do you even know what that word means?” Nadya asked, sounding amused. “‘Cause I’m far from perfect.”

“Not to me.” I replied and snuggled up against her again.

“Okay, fine.” she grumbled and played with my hair, “You believe your delusions.” 

“Don’t be grumpy at me.” I said and moved my hand up her side, just inches away from her ticklish spot in a warning, “Go back to sleep.” 

The mention of sleep made her release a sigh, ‘Are you going to go back to sleep too?”

I nodded, “I’m gonna try. How hard could it be with you here?”

Nadya held me a little tighter for a moment, “Okay. Don’t be afraid to wake me up if you need me again.”

“Thank you.” 

She hummed before muttering, “Sleep well, Jayde.” 

“You too, my love.”