#you can't imagine how happy i am to be able to draw Raven

[vibke]

The Gem was born of Evil's fire.

The Gem shall be his portal.

He comes to claim. He comes to sire.

The end of all things mortal.

Raven has been my fav character for more then 10 years and i love her deeply. The child of the unsightly depths and yet the hope herself.

Her live's only purpose was meant to bring the great distraction upon the world, the fate itself created her as a monster that must only kill, consume and conquer. She knew that, she knew everything from the beginning. The day of her birth was her biggest fear, regret and malice at the same time. Bounded by her own destiny, what a cruel joke must that be?

[miyiee]

“Red Strings --of Fate” 〆

“Red Strings --of Fate” 〆(The one-way red thread of fate)

{Warning! Emotional BB} Please do not copy any of my work, if you are planning to use, please remember to credit me! ^^

Original by: star25623 & 倉橋一平 〴Watch〴 inspired by…..

自主作成アニメーション「いと恋し」

Written by: Miyie〴                  

"You made flowers grow in my lungs.

Although they are beautiful.

I can't breathe anymore." 

Ichi, ni, san, yon(shi), go, roku, nana(shichi), hachi(jachi), kyu(kiu), juu(jiu)

“What are you doing?” someone once asked.

“Reading.”

“There’s this one Old Folktale Story, that had stood out to me…”

“What was it about?” 

Well,   The story goes, that there was this once a young boy who read about his fate,... he was going to die in a few days. 

And so it went on and he asked the black raven bird “Why?” The raven then replied, “It cannot be helped boy, it is your fate.” To his dismay, he cried…. “Please, I would do anything.” He begged. “I am sorry but this my job, I cannot break it for I am the gate beholden of death.” “But… I will make an exception boy if you find me these three ingredients I will allow you to live. In a world where anything is possible, you are god.“A g-god?!?!” “Indeed, A fake world. “Ingredients:1.Red gemstone2. A feather from the golden-bird3.Black-hearted stone(from hell)“SURE!” He replied…. without any hesitation. And so, he went on to find the three ingredients. Traveling in a great distance. It took him weeks to complete his task. Until the final day had come….“Very well, boy!” Here is the key..  Go on… walk.  But the young boy only stayed still. Not walking any forward. He asked, “I do not know why.” “Oh, you must be scared right? Oh please, it is only normal for humans.” Then the boy realized the significance of his words and decided to live in this world, the real one… to where he is now today. 

Amongst the soldiers in the Great War, there lived a legend. At first, it was thought to be merely an absurd rumor, though with popular word and time fear spread more rapidly than wildfire and hovered in the atmosphere like a contagious fog.     

Friend and foe alike lived in terror of this illusive creature of nightmares, and as five long, wretched years wore on the innominate, faceless character plagued the morality of the battlefield. He was hailed as a battalion of ludicrous names, namely a vengeful ghost, then a murderous ghoul, and finally a phantasmagorical-robotic-apparitional thing conjured by hallucinations of the imagination.     

But no one truly knew who he was. No one knew where he had come from, or to whom this abhorrent monstrosity belonged. Those who had encountered him were never the same. Not that there were many who survived the ordeal if the aforementioned misfortune were to befall them. He was said to be no older than an adolescent boy of fifteen or sixteen years, always clothed in ethereal white. Rather than the traditional rifle or bayonet, he carried a peculiar weapon :a bilateral, double-ended kind of sword, twice as long as the average human being. Apparently, he could annihilate entire factions in a matter of minutes, and without so much as a single variation in his facile demeanor.     

But what evoked the greatest terror of all was his eyes. Allegedly, they were at all times concealed with wrapped layers of white bandages, obscuring the top half of his face. And on the occasion that those linen bindings were unwound.... None who saw them lived to tell what exactly they had seen behind his irises before their souls were torn from their bodies and a ghastly death greeted them at the gates of Hell.      

Perhaps the heavens condemned this war, and so they had sent such an appalling emissary to convey this disapprobation. As time went on, the grim reaper in white was at last given a name. The strikingly beautiful paragon of carnage and bloodshed that was lovely like a seraph, and yet heartless like the devil. The very personification of Death himself.

“A black-haired boy with large amber eyes closed the book, and then he spoke,

A black-haired girl laid on his lap.. whispering back- “Well looks like you’ve already fallen asleep.”

There’s nowhere my heart can embark….. “Please take me away.” she pleaded.

But the black-haired boy only stared at her. She already had a feeling, That this boy had only ‘pitied her, That’s why he had no special power, The only thing he only carried was a knife, That was his ‘true’ weapon. And that’s why he had helped.

“If you wish, 

You can draw a world,

Picture it, 

Engrave it, 

In your mind.

If it meant to save you from death, 

If it meant pure flaked happiness

Would you like to live, 

In that world, away from reality?”

One day, 4 months ago… she woke up, Sitting on her bed. She was bedridden. “It’s me.” She quietly spoke. “I-I wished…. To go back..” although she let those words slipped. “Your wish is my very command.”  he continued- the boy that looked so much- idenitcal to the other one... was he his twin perhaps? “Very well..but you have a time limit.”

“Wait- but I didn’t mean it… “ the girl now realizing her words.

“A wish is a wish, it is my job. That is not what your heart says. You must hurry.” he responsed back. Which has only caused such a slight fright to the girl. She took in a deep sigh. “Very well.” Yes, it was true, there was nothing more I wanted than to just go back, to fix all my mistakes….

“To go back...” she repeated. “I-I need to kill her, that girl….”

“But that girl is yourself… Is it not?” the voice spoke.

“Shut up!” 

“Why do you wish to kill yourself?”

“I should’ve died…...”

“It’s been 4 months since I was first checked in the hospital, right? I can’t get out of bed, so each day is unbelievably long, I wonder when I could check out….”

-“Well, …. I probably can’t, huh?”-You already knew from the first time I checked in right? The time I have left is slowly running out……” To put it bluntly, I am going to die soon. My body is still so weak, I had so many things I wanted…I wanted to go to college, earn tons of money, be successful, and become happy..

But..,

How could I wish upon such useless things? When I didn’t need any of those? The only thing I wanted most right now is,

I wished,                                        “ to change fate..”

“I just wanted to live.” instead.       

Standing above her, her weak fragile body lies. Standing over ‘me’,... with a knife.. Suddenly she pushed me over. “Why are you doing this? I am only trying to save you!”, I shouted.“You are future me, are you not?”, the girl laughed. “Isn’t it that girl, she hasn’t ever left her bed?”“It’s very rare to see her outside..” “Poor girl.” 

“Look, at all the tasty food, this place has! Isn’t it?” She shoved one in my mouth, it was delicious….She dragged me along with her.. Happily running around..the hospital...Then, I remembered...“Stop it, I don’t have time for this!” Time is slowly running out..  “But even so…” She turned away from me. “I’m sorry, but no.. I don’t want to die, no, not just yet.”

So if you could, please grant my wish… oh- spirit ?

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped, right?”, he smiled at me. The past me. 

“Wait- Wait! What about my wish’!?! There were a clear line between the two wishes.--”No..Stop it…. 

… I don’t need your pity,

.. I don’t need your kindness….

“How can you still smile at me, like that?”

The girl flinched, as the boy tried to hold her in his arms, trembling from the shock a red string appeared attached,   

“Wha-..”

“Shhh….”

“Everything’s going to be okay.” A finger over his lips...with a creepy smile. Was what he had told me. Wish upon a star. “Ah... looks like you’ve ran out of time.”

“I’ve. lost.. It. time.” Acid, tears ran over her delicate face. There was no possible way to turn back. correct?”

“Hey…...”   Like reading strings that hold our bonds, never touching, or he’ll fade away someday. “What is it that you what from me?” “Your heart.” he answered back.

“Why? I cannot allow you to.”

Wasn’t it the world that was breaking?

Wasn’t it the world that made a mistake?

You really are an idiot,

                               For forgetting the blueness of the sky.

                               You’re the one who had made a mistake, 

                                You’re the one that was breaking...

 And... you were the very one that was waiting.

About a month ago on April 23rd, just past 2 pm. Two hikers picking mountain vegetables..found a man’s body here at Tauka Swamp. Because he had been stabbed in the chest with a sharp knife, they ruled his death a murder. However, despite a few days passing since he was murdered, and him having no cellphone or ID, They were able to identify him immediately. Yoshihara Hiroo, 35- year old. Who worked for a large construction firm. Eventually, a 30-year-old woman was arrested as a suspect. Tinai Ao. 

“It was me.” In which they have gotten a confession from her. While many unanswered questions remained. They are still working mainly in gathering the evidence needed right now. An open and shut case. They assumed she threw the body into the swamp to hide it, or to perhaps delay its discovery. 

The girl asked, to prove her point…..

I must get a statement that I am satisfied with….

The incident was about a woman who had murdered her ex-boyfriend’s coworker and had dumped a body in a swamp up the mountains in the large pond. Apparently her coworker “Hashira '' had a dispute with her ex-boyfriend about the company. He planned out Kuji’s death by suicide with his current wife, where they could’ve died together, in love. Before, this though, his former wife, when he had asked to die together, left him. Kuji always had a problem with his job, he had hardships. He believed that this was caused by the incident 5 years ago and called

Kuji’s brother, but he didn't pick up. He knows where Kuji’s former wife lived and came into contact with her to apologize 5 years ago. But, instead of the first approach must’ve caused the women to be paralyzed. Killed him, because she felt that Kuji’s was correct…  The women were quick to confine in her murder. And told them she threw the body in there for a man-eating girl spirt to eat.  

Why would she not have placed any weight on the dead body, if she had tried to hide it? 

She did it for you, for the spirit girl to find and eat it... 

That explanation is still unclear, many left unsaid….Why must she say “I really hope they find you.” 

Of course… 

5 years ago, there was a legend, a legend about the ‘goddess’ of rain…she is usually seen by the river, sitting alone, in a white yukata with black short straight hair, bangs, with no eyes, since they were gouged out. There are two ways you could ask for the ‘rain’. She, the goddess of rain, despite her name, she had no control over the waters. One was to pray. The other is an offering, to offer a body, a corpse for the spirit girl to eat, but this legend was disputed, as the girl no longer eats humans, they tasted terrible to her. But, there was a set back to this, to offer a dead corpse, it must be in good condition, a young girl rather than an old middle-aged man. Instead, the women dumped the corpse of an old middle-age man in the river. Her coworker came over to admitted he had killed Kuji and his wife, 

Why would there be rain?

Yes, indeed… 

My lady, you are quick to deny your claims…

There should’ve been something really precious left from her former husband but after he had moved on with another woman she had moved out of her house and job in the city into her family home alongside where the spirit lived. She had moved to destroy all her relations and items from Kuji. Yes, it is possible for some to have kept a few gifts. 

She called Kuji’s brother over, afraid of Hashirama's wrongfulness. Afraid of this, the middle-aged coworker came over. Where Kuji’s brother had met face to face with his brother’s killer. Out of anger, he had openly pulled out a knife and stabbed the co-worker. In realization of this, the woman could not bring herself to accused Kuji’s brother of his murder. She felt this was the only way she could repay him. And so, the brother flawed and she was left with the corpse, where she carried him into a halogen and carried him up the mountains at night. To throw his body down. 

There would be no way, young women would go through the hardships of carrying a dead corpse up to the mountains, why would she speak of to find it over wards? The women’s relations to him, no mere someone would?

She had to get rid of any traces of his dead body in her home, she cleaned everywhere, every inch of her house, but, what about the outside? She had realized there was no way to clean the outside, rain... She needed rain.  

The rain had caused people to not have discovered the corpse sooner for a few past 2 days. During those rainy days, the women must’ve come to check, only to find that the body has not been eaten, she figured that they wouldn’t have liked to eat metal or any accessible trash left behind beside the flesh so she removed his cellphone and ID, which she could’ve possibly buried back in her home.

This was where you were enraged...and it started to rain…

The woman, she spoke that she had thrown a murder weapon in the river. For the spirit to eat, there was no guarantee, by saying this, this made the police cover her sanity still more, leading in discovery in finding the weapon. That weapon was no mere weapon, instead, it was a fetus from her former husband. In realization of this in the past 4 years ago, that she was pregnant with his child, she made an attempt to dispose of the baby, she handled this all by herself, it was time when she had gone into labor, blood on her hands everywhere. All by herself, she threw the body down the river, that was until she had found out that her former husband was innocent… but it was already too late, she threw their child away. She tried to look for it, the sad corpse of her child. Although it has been 4 years already, her feelings are overweening. 

That is yet why she had said: “I really hoped they find you.” 

It was not the body that she wanted to find. 

A single fetus corpse is yet too small to be found, adding that it was 4 years ago…. One person wouldn’t have found this body all herself, so instead, she used the same idea, taking this chance, she disposes of his body into the river. For an investigation.  

Keeling down… I highly doubt that they would find the fetus underground... 

 “Very well, case closed. 

You are really a spirit of worthy…. Riyin”

“Humans… 

They really are such undoubtedly foolish but pitiful creatures, aren’t they?”

Dressed in a white yukata, with black strings thrown around the dress of the sleeves. A white spirit's symbol on her head. White triangle. And, on her left cheek, a covered up bandage. Straight short black hair with bangs.

she smiled and let out a small chuckle…..

“Of course, We’ve used to be one too..”

I felt something soft intertwined in my hands, I looked down, and he did too. Our hands clasped together,…. “

Hey… let’s stay together… forever..”

qwq

Looking up at the bright lights of the crownless night, we laughed.

Red string, red thread, will stay.

Surely,.... It will… ,right? 

It was one of those moments again. One where he didn't know if he were fantasizing or awake, nor if reality was real or imaginary. He couldn't tell if time flowed or not, because this innocuous world of imperishable oblivion seemed perpetual and ephemeral all at once.      

"I'll-I'll find it! The green string!?I promise!"

No truth, no lies.  No beginnings, no endings. The world was colorless, as always. He was standing upon a desolate sandhill beside the ocean, where the sea of nothingness melted seamlessly into the dreary sky and they were one and the other. Gray waters reflected pale clouds, mirroring the vapid gray fog that smothered the air. 

It took him a moment to realize that the miasma was a plume of smoke, an ominous pillar of darkness surging towards the ashen sky above. 

A single spark of color ignited the monotonous world, and the acrid aroma of scorching charcoal became nearly suffocating. Something was burning. 

The water had become fire. 

Somewhere in the near distance, someone —— no, many people, were screaming, crying, pleading. He couldn't tell exactly where, decipher exactly why.     He winced to make it stop.     

Instead, the hellish cacophony became louder, closer, deafening. Then, through the thick fog, he saw her. Standing atop an ebony rock with her back turned where fiery seas met calm, stagnant gray waters, oblivious to the morbid scene unfolding before him.

She spoke to herself, her voice soft as it gradually fallen, pouring down like hails from the sky,... “Hey….. promise me… that , you won’t leave me alone.. In this world? in a distance from him.

Could you do me this one favor??” She’d asked. Was she mad, angry perhaps?

Ah- but where are you going to find it? There is no such thing as the

Yellow, Blue, or Green string,

It was all a lie, 

. . .!    

There is only red, 

Red string."𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕," 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔. "𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕?" "𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒏. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅, 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒇 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒏, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒃 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒓. 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓."

“I am tired… Of running In a circle.”       

“The weather’s nice today as well, we gather around and stare up at the clouds.”

My soft vocals echoed through the silent park. I occupied the bench, swinging my legs back and forth. My eyes averted to many things; the tiny pile of snow, the green grass, the trees.  

"These lazy days it's hard to tell, we close our eyes and fall down to the ground."  The birds chirped along with the tune. The trees remind me of a certain person. Trees are natural. They stay still and strong against the cold. I let out a faint giggle. 

"A distant blurry memory, those days long gone seem so hard to recall,"  My eyes shifted back to the ground. I thoroughly scanned it. My eyes glistened. Spring has started a few days ago and this is the first flower I see. I got up from my seat and approached it.  

"'Cause time goes on relentlessly, we've grown too old to see it all."  I stopped walking. The scene in front of me was a blue morpho landing on the flower. I silently took a step back. If I get any closer, I will end up disturbing it.  

"We played with fake maturity, made secret plans just to burn out the day."  After a while, the butterfly flew away. I rushed to the flower and picked it up. I walked back to the bench and took a seat.  

"'We fight this war eternally,' and join our hands just to find our own way."  An idea sparked in my mind. I plucked each petal along with the beat: 

"He loves me... he loves me not... he loves me... he loves me not..." After a while of plucking, I ended with a; "He loves me not." My happiness level lowered. I let out a sigh.  

Suddenly,.... I heard someone

"Hey..." I felt a hand land on my shoulder. I flinched. I swiftly turned and slapped the hand off me. I met eyes with one of my few friends, Xeiv. 

"S-Sorry about that..." I apologized. 

"There's no need to apologize. I would probably do the same thing." He sat down beside me. 

"So what are you doing out here alone?"  

"It's early spring. I'd rather be one of the first people to see spring without the falling petals." I answered as I fiddled with the flower's stem. 

He gave me a small smile.  

"That's oddly specific." He commented. 

"W-Well, what brings you out...?" I felt myself tremble. 

"I needed to blow off some steam after what happened to... Satoru... and I heard singing. Normally I would ignore it, but it sounded an awful lot like you." I let out a nervous chuckle to his answer. 

My nails were piercing into the flower stem. He looked down at it. "What's that for?" My face transitioned into a light shade of red.  

"Oh, it's..." My voice began to trail off. "Well, do you know that game where you take off a petal one by one?" He nodded his head. 

"Well, I was doing that." I was trying to be honest with him. After all, he doesn't seem like a person who would care to dig deep.  

"Oh really? What are the results?"  

"The feelings haven't returned." My face saddened. 

"That sucks... but it is just a game. You can't just simply rely on it."  

"That's true..." My face changed to a darker shade of red. It appears that another idea popped up in my mind. 

"Hey... can I do something real quick?" 

He looked puzzled. "Umm... sure?" 

I scooted a little bit closer and pecked his cheek.  "I-I'm sorry..." I apologized as I covered my brick-red face. 

"I-It's perfectly fine..." Judging by his voice, he was losing his composure. I felt his hands hesitantly removing my palms that covered my face.  

"Was that supposed to be a confession?" He interrogated. I slowly nodded my head. I felt his arm wrap around my waist. It pulled me closer to him. I heard him softly spoke, "Then I accept."

We watch together as beautiful flowers began to wither.

--Author’s note: “when red string gets entangled” is a novel mainly based on the term ‘love’ interest] Also if you are unable to understand what has happened over these text, yes, it is delierberatly meant to make no sense at all, but that is- the beauty within words. These were cases that were solved by my two characters 'Riyin’ and Xiev who were pulling these strings. As always, Thanks for reading!

[high5nerd]

Alone Together---Chap. Eleven

Forgot to mention, this fanfic was abandoned.

Fall slowly turned into winter. The leaves shriveled and fell to the crisp ground in haste by the wind, and the winds themselves grew colder and bit at exposed skin as the month slowly slugged by to December. Frost was already starting to coat the windows of Alice's house and her clunky car, and occasionally snow fell only to melt away hours later. I used to like the cold before meeting Jack Frost, but afterwards I can't stand the sight of it. Not even the idea of people slipping on black ice could make me snicker anymore, especially with what happened at the North Pole.

Sadie already got enough snow outside to form into a light snowball and put it in the freezer for safekeeping, even if it was only the start of the season. When we returned from the North Pole, it took her days to realize I was mad at her. She seemed to only care that I stayed in the house and that she knew my presence was closeby if she needed to talk to someone, even if they never responded and just stared out the window like I did.

Alice was the first one to notice my withdrawal. It was late at night, a day after our return. She was just passing by from putting Sadie to bed when she saw me sitting in the armchair, head craned up to look at the stars. I have to admit, they're much brighter and prettier in the wintertime.

She came over and whispered, "Do you get the winter blues?"

"Hm? Oh, no. Winter's my quiet season. That's all." I looked at her, not bothering to smile.

She noticed that immediately. She pulled up a footrest for the couch and put her hand on my knee. I didn't like that. Warmth was already flowing from her hand to my knee and somehow it struck sparks in my heart. This sort of chemistry of a human body should downright just be called witchcraft.

"What happened? I saw you go off with North and you came back looking very furious. You haven't spoken to Sadie since we got back."

Her honeyed voice wasn't making me feel any better. It was just making me feel worse. I couldn't even hold her, touch her, let alone smile at her. It's all forbidden...and North's words still rang through my head like the bells that ring before an execution, harmonized by the flutter of raven's wings.

"Nothing happened, Alice."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are. I see it in your eyes."

That struck another nerve. A big one. I snarled and stood up abruptly, my hands clenched into fists so tightly they turned white at the knuckles. Alice looked surprised at the reaction, and I could tell she thought she did something for that.

"Why does everyone tell me that? Am I a fucking open book? Am I just so damn readable that anyone could easily tell I'm bothered that a child promised to keep a secret yet told someone else despite that promise?! Am I just...so desperate for someone to notice my presence in the world I actually thought entrusting my first believer with a secret would be a smart move?! North was right along with Misery and-and everyone else! I'm a fucking monster that only scares people for-for-!"

"...Pitch…"

"What?!" I looked up at her. My face felt hot. And wet. Why did it feel wet? I swear I didn't mean to shout at her like that...Whoa...I've never exploded like that before. Usually I'm very calm and collected no matter how angry I was but...where this all came from I do not know.

"You're crying." Alice took a step towards me, concern etching her face and making her supple lips turn into a worried frown.

I growled and turned my back on her, wiping my face hurriedly with the heels of my palms. There's no way in Hell I'm letting Alice see me like this. I have to remain dignified, resilient, smooth...Boogeyman-like. I'm no longer a part of humanity, I can't be vulnerable. I can't...I can't…

I felt hands on my shoulder, and then one sliding upward to bring my face down. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to look at her. I hated this. I hated looking vulnerable. I just wanted to run. Run away and not look back. Run into the forest and never come back until daybreak, or at least when she's forgotten this. But I'm frozen stiff, stuck, while her hands cupped my face.

"Look at me, Pitch." she whispered gently.

"No."

"Why?"

"I shouldn't have said those things."

She was silent for a while. I could hear her breathing. I felt...sadness in the air. I could sense it. It didn't feel colder, just...it sent chills up my spine. Like when someone hurts your feelings or you see someone you love walk away from you forever.

"Then listen to my words, and believe me completely."

I only remained still, and refused to open my eyes in case they were red or threatened to spill more. Her hands stayed on my face, but I felt one go up and brush my hair, tracing it to my temple. God, how I longed for her touch…

"You are not a monster. No matter what others say about you, don't believe them. Believe those who care about you, like Sadie and...and me. I...I wouldn't have gotten better without you. Though you spread fear as your job...you helped me face it and...come to love it. Accept it as a part of life. You brought Sadie and I closer as sisters instead of survivors, and you're the only person in the world I would trust...no matter what."

With that I opened my eyes, and saw that she had tears as well. But just like I did, she hid her face from me, by hugging me tightly and burying her face into my shoulder. Again, I was frozen. I'm still not good at this, despite dreams of holding her and making her happy.

"When I was little...people called me a monster, too. They called me that because I believed in magic, along with magical beings like mermaids and fairies. People would bully me into silence to the point I just wanted nothing more than fade away from reality...I know that feeling, Pitch. I'm all too familiar with it, and it makes my heart break knowing you go through it as well. It breaks my heart that someone I care about...someone I care about a lot is hurting so bad."

...What was I supposed to say to that? I can't just stay silent to that confession...but no words of consolation or respect, or even gratitude for her kindness came to mind.

So the only thing I could think of doing was enveloping her in an embrace. She melted into me, still hiding her face from that, and I guess she was embarrassed about admitting something so dark.

"Well….does it make you feel any better knowing you were right all along?" I asked in the stillness.

Damn. Was that really all I could say? I'm terrible.

She looked up at that, confusion written in her dark chocolate eyes. "Huh?"

I smiled at that and took her hand, beckoning her to follow me into the cold air outside. She was able to grab a knitted hat before the back door was swung open by yours truly. I never let go of her hand as I guided her towards the forest, right at the edge where the woods met the backyard. The stars glimmered in the sky brighter than any day so far, not a cloud in sight either. The moon was full, like a glowing moonstone one would find in a stream.

"What are you showing me?" she asked, her breath steaming in the crisp air.

"Watch the forest." I said, guiding her neck gently to turn forward and watch with a trained eye.

A few minutes passed where nothing happened, and I could tell Alice was getting colder by the second. She started shivering, rubbing her hands together before rubbing the sides of her thighs for friction. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her from behind, resting my chin on the top of her head. I didn't need to look to know she was smiling. I felt it by the warmth her body gave off despite being cold.

Sure enough, twinkling lights floated out of knots in the trees, up from the leaves and down close to the ground. Mostly ranging in glowing colors of white and yellow hues with some green, they danced around in the air, following the call of the wind. Faintly, one could hear their tiny music play, a chorus of singing and panflutes and instruments that resembled the sound of a music box.

I heard Alice draw in a breath of utter awe, and I couldn't help but smile in victory. I knew that would please her.

"They're...Oh my God." were the only words that were whispered from her mouth.

Closer and closer they danced in the air, being carried by the wind and upwards above our heads. By this time Alice could see that they donned silkworm clothing and were as tiny as her pinkie finger. Their gossamer, dragonfly wings fluttered along with their dance in a rhythmic pattern to the tune of their music, and some noticed us below, but barely enough to cause a disruption in their dance.

By the time half of them were above in the air and reaching the other side of forestry across the backyard, we were bathed in their light. It was a dim glow, easy on the eyes for an evening that was meant to get ready for bed. The moon's glow made it seem more majestic, probably than I have ever imagined.

I felt eyes on me, and I couldn't help but think they were the eyes of the fairies that glided upwards into the sky, finally noticing our presence. Fairies were usually calm beings, though preferred to be hidden from human sight, as well as any other animal that was larger than them. They were timid yet peaceful, never biting people's ears or tricking unfortunate wanderers like pixies and sprites do. If they noticed us they would not be bothered since we weren't bothering them. Just observing.

But then I felt those same warm hands from before take my shoulders, causing me to look down at Alice if she needed to go back inside.

But then I saw her face come closer, and closer...and closer...really quickly.

Before I knew it, her lips were pressed to mine.

My neck stiffened…

This. This happened. It wasn't I who kissed her first. It was her. My eyes never closed, I was too deep in shock. My mind was blank, or maybe I can't remember what I was thinking when she kissed me.

She finally pulled back, blushing brightly and busy fidgeting with her winter hat to look at me.

"S-sorry. I-I just thought, uh-w-well, I um-" she stammered.

...She likes me. I really matter to her that much. She kissed me….God Above she kissed me.

Shut up and let me kiss you.

And I did just that. Her stumbling words were ceased once I kissed her back bravely, now feeling a giant weight lift off my chest. I no longer had a burden to wear...or at least this one. Many burdens will weigh on me, but this one can be relieved for good. Her lips gently pressed back, causing me to hum happily and embrace her tightly, and her arms wrapped around my neck.

Screw the spirit rules. Screw the Forbidden Bond...Alice was mine, and mine alone. I'll love her like no man would ever love her, make her feel whole and happy til her final breath. Or at least...make her happy for now until she moves on.

She finally pulled away, smiling a bit, as if she knew something that I didn't. After shaking myself out of my stupor I gave her a quizzical look.

"What?"

"You know how long I've known you liked me?" when she got the embarrassed blush of mine she continued with a wild grin, "since the day you told me that dream you had."

"Oh, come on, are you serious?" I rolled my eyes and dropping her.

She laughed brightly as she followed me back towards the house, causing me to grin widely as well. It's no longer a problem of mine now that I knew how she felt in return.

"You were staring right at me when you said it! How was that not a clue?" she snickered, jogging up next to me to lace hands with mine.

"I was engaging us in a conversation! You're supposed to look at who you're talking to." I protested.

"Oh please, you totally were giving me baby eyes."

"Baby eyes?"

"Those big eyes you make when you want something?"

"Damn, you know me well. Am I cute like that?"

She giggled before jumping to her tip-toes and kissed my cheek, grinning wildly, "Very cute."

So take that and stick it up your ass, North. I don't give a damn about the Forbidden Bond, nor does Alice.