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germvity · 3 years

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RISES THE MOON

leon s kennedy x reader // 9 // firefly season

the three of you cheer as danny storms off, angry at his loss. "take that you tosser!" you yell through the thorns as leon pulls you into him for a kiss. "gross..!" nea fake gags, and you roll your eyes. "hey, before we split... are we good?" you ask, and nea nods. "as long as we can kick ass in trials, we're good." she smiles, hugging you once more before waving and heading off to the survivor camp. leon seems confused, going to ask you what was going on but you cut him off. "come on, let's go relax before any more trials." you smile, pulling him along to your shack.

tags: fluff <3, relationship development!, confessions, cuddles, happy crying, a lot of scenery, mild jealousy, two paragraphs of jake bc i love him 😭

tag list: @hex-touchstarved , @trinswhimsys

flopping down, you lay on the bed- limbs sprawled. leon sits next to you, brushing his fingers across your cheek lovingly. "feeling better?" you ask, grabbing his hand and intertwining your fingers with his. "a bit. throat still hurts." leon shrugs, squeezing your hand softly.

"are... are you ready? to move forward?" he asks shyly, looking away as his pale cheeks tint pink. "i'm not sure yet..." you mumble, observing his face. "oh- that's okay..! i wasn't trying to rush you or anything-!" your giggle, cutting leon off. "you're too cute." you smile up at him. leon's blush darkens as he looks away from you.

"what were you and nea talking about at the end of the trial?" he asks after regaining composure. "it's nothing. i promise." you sigh, eyes moving away- flicking back to his when he looks at you. "you asked if the two of you are 'good'? did something happen? did you two fight?" he pries, and you look away with a sharp inhale. "we were close... at the beginning before all this. we were so close... she confessed that she had a crush on me in the trial, and she missed me. she seemed to be jealous that i was seeing you." you explain, looking back at him.

leon nods slowly, taking in the information. "she's not going to-?" "no, she wouldn't. she's a kind, sensitive soul behind that tough girl persona." you shut down his question immediately. "sorry..." he mumbles, assuming you're mad at him. "don't be... it's okay." you sit up- pulling him close. "i just don't want anything happening to you." leon sighs, tightening his arms around you. "i know... i can manage- i mean, i have so far." you comfort him, cupping his face and pressing your forehead against his.

"i know but... it's different now. i want to help you- want to protect you." leon sighs, pulling you onto his lap fully. "i know, bubs. i know. we'll be fine." you smile, giving him a soft kiss. leon smiles back, rubbing his cheek against yours affectionately. "i love you..." he mumbles, and you smile, kissing his cheek gently. "i could stay like this forever." leon laughs, his arms squishing your body against his chest. "me too.. you're comfy." you laugh, kissing his jaw.

"thanks." leon grins, giving your neck loving kisses. your fingers slip into his hair, stroking his scalp as he melts under your touch with a moan. "that feel good?" you giggle, massaging your fingers in soothing circles. leon hums out a yes, his weight sagging onto you. "mmh... you're good at this." leon moans out, his body weight forcing you to lie down. you laugh, practically petting him as he lays on you- weight almost crushing you.

you push him gently, rolling the two of you to the side so you could cuddle him properly. leon sighs slightly, a small smile on his face as he snuggles you closer. "i wish we met in different circumstances." you smile sadly as leon falls into a daydream, probably of the two of you being together in the real world. "what's done is done, leon." you shrug. "but if it makes you feel better, i'm so happy you're here." your words make him smile genuinely and he gives your nose a soft kiss. "i'm happy to be here too. when we get out, because we will, you can stay with me if you have nowhere to go. if you have a destination in mind, i'll stay by your side."

you smile at leon's comforting words, sweetly kissing him. "thank you, leon. that's so sweet of you." you reply, letting him nuzzle his nose against yours affectionately. the moon glistens through the hole in the top of the shack, tree branches splitting the light and gently swaying the patterns left and right. it was soothing, you wanted to stay like this forever. "hey, i have an idea." leon sits up, grabbing your hand to pull you with him.

you follow him outside, holding his hand tightly as he walks. "i saw these when i followed you, i think you'll like them." leon nods, guiding you through the trees. you stop in a small opening in the forest, a few rocks and a small pond that had a stream trickling from it and travelling through a crevice in the ground. the stream you knew lead to the lake, where survivors washed their clothes and got fresh drinking water. you had never followed the stream so far, jerking back slightly, you tug leon with you by accident. the blonde freezes, turning and cupping your face gently. "hey, it's okay. no one's here. we're safe." he coos, soothing your worries slowly with a few kisses.

leon slowly continues with you, sitting down on a rock. you sit with him, staying pressed against him to soothe your anxieties. "look." he points towards the tree line, and you follow his finger to see a bundle of fireflies fluttering around happily. you smile, worries melting away completely at the sight. "they're so pretty." you gush, letting leon grab your hand. "there's fish too." he nods to the stream, and you look down to see small, fat fish swimming along. it was so serene in a world of chaos, actual living animals other than crows surrounded you. it was rather overwhelming as a few stray tears drip down your face. leon catches them immediately, drying your cheeks with his fingers. "i hope these are happy tears." he half-jokes, and you giggle, wiping your wet lashes. "they are, don't worry." you sniffle, a bright smile on your face.

slowly, you reach down into the pond, letting one of the fish gently nudge your fingers with it's snout. as soon as it touched you, the fish flicked away, swimming off. "this is amazing..." you whisper, watching the fish go. "i had a feeling you would like it." leon boasts, giving your hand a kiss. "i wish we could catch some fireflies but i don't have a jar..." you pout and leon nods, noting the wish mentally to ask of the entity later.

"thank you for bringing me here." you turn to leon and he looks at you with a fond look in his eyes. "no problem. i'm happy you love it." he smiles, giving you a sweet kiss. "i... i've done some thinking recently..." you say, trying to grasp the right words. "oh? about what?" leon asks, looking at you expectingly. "i.. uh... we-" you stumble, the words you were searching for escaping you as he smiles at you.

"could we... i don't know- be, y'know... official?" you ask, looking at him anxiously in case he said no. "like... dating?" leon tilts his head slightly, and you nod; cheeks heating up. "of course! i'd be happy to have you as my partner." leon beams, kissing you excitedly as his hand cups your jaw. you giggle into his lips, kissing him back. you felt safe with him, safe in this moment when a twig snapping catches your attention.

the two of you break apart, leon stands at the ready to protect you until jake emerges from the brush- hands raised in fake defence. "relax, officer. just came here to fill up my canister." he moves past the two of you, dipping his flask in the water to collect water. "but the fish!" you protest, and jake laughs slightly. "they have plenty that comes and goes from the lake. they'll be fine." the saboteur smiles at you, and you shy away with embarrassment as you remember how the water flows. leon gently pats your head, smiling down at you.

"didn't mean to interrupt your little session." the woodsman shrugs, and the two of you fluster. "don't tell anyone." leon retorts, too embarrassed to sound demanding. "don't worry, i won't. too tired for drama. can't be bothered with it. it's all pointless if you ask me." jake shrugs, getting up to leave. "thank you..." you mumble and jake smiles. "no problem. take care of yourself." jake nods at you, leaving the way he came.

leon feels a small wave of jealousy- which dissipates as soon as it swells as you yawn, stretching. "come on, let's go get ready for our next trial." he smiles, helping you stand. you nod in agreement, waving goodbye to the fireflies and fish as the two of you leave.

#dbd leon #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #leon s kennedy x reader #leon s kennedy #leon kennedy #germvity writing

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wp-blaze · 3 days

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“Navigating Canada’s Student Visa Process: A Comprehensive Guide”

Embarking on a journey to study abroad is an exciting yet intricate process, and for those considering Canada as their educational destination, understanding the intricacies of obtaining a student visa is paramount. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the steps involved in acquiring a Canadian student visa, also known as a study […]

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kinglazrus · 4 years

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Suspended Animation

Phic phight 2020

Submitted by @ectopal: Sam finally asks Danny what he's going to do with himself after noticing that he as a halfa is not actually aging with his friends and family.

Warnings: swearing and mild panic attack. But there's also fluff.

Summary: It's been two years since Danny's accident and he hasn't aged a day. Sam wants to know what he's going to do about his future.

Word count: 2661

Danny was late. Which wasn't so surprising, but he was supposed to meet Sam at the park an hour ago and she hadn't even gotten a single text from him. She wondered what, or who, was holding him up. The Box Ghost? Skulker? Johnny and Kitty? Maybe Ember started an impromptu concert on the other side of town.

The idea made her shake her head and scoff. Yeah, right, as if any of those guys could keep Danny occupied for a whole hour nowadays. Maybe Johnny and Kitty could, but only because they had fallen into the habit of using Danny like a marriage counsellor, and that was just too damn funny.

For Danny to be this late, he was either caught up in something really dangerous or really stupid. Since the city wasn't exploding, or being sucked into the Ghost Zone—for the sixth time—it was probably the latter.

"Sorry I'm late, Sam. Johnny–"

Definitely the latter.

"It's fine," Sam said, cutting Danny off as he swooped into the clearing. Getting caught up dealing with the ghostly couple's relationship issues was better than being shot at by them, or anyone else.

"Still, sorry." Danny settled onto the grass next to her, crossing his legs. He quickly scanned the area, making sure they were alone. Sam had chosen a secluded spot, hidden by a copse of trees on one side and a low stone wall on the other. There were lots of little spots like this hidden all throughout the park, but this one was the best because it rested on top of a small hill. On the other side of the wall sat a pond, so no one could sneak up on them from behind.

Satisfied with the level of privacy, Danny transformed from Phantom back into Fenton. The temperature dropped for a moment as the transformation rings washed over him. Sam was forced to close her eyes against the bright light, blinking away spots when she opened them again.

"So, what'd you want to talk about?" he said. "And why out here?"

Sam looked up at the open sky. Once the sun finished setting, they would have a great view of the stars. Danny always said he felt more relaxed when the stars were out.

"No reason," she said.

Danny shrugged. "Okay. You sounded kind of serious in your text, though."

A stoic "We need to talk," probably wasn't Sam's best choice of words, but it was serious. Worrying her lip, she nodded and turned away from Danny. She reached into her backpack, discarded on the grass next to her, and pulled out a photo album. She had a lot of photo albums dedicated to a lot of different things: family, nature, animals, friends. This album was special. It's purple cover was decorated in glow-in-the-dark ghost stickers. Silly phrases like "Beware!" and "Ghost Zone's Greatest" were written across it.

This album was for Danny's, Sam's, and Tucker's eyes only, and it chronicled their ghost hunting adventures.

"Whoa, I remember making that," Danny said with a grin. He eagerly snatched the album from Sam's hands and flipped the cover open. The very first picture was of all three of them in the Fenton's lab. Sam, being the tallest at the time, held the camera out, Danny in the middle, Tucker squeezing in at the edge of the photo.

"Do you miss being the tallest?" Danny asked teasingly. He flipped through the album to the more recent photos and picked out one of Sam and Tucker lounging on a bench, picking dried ectoplasm out of their hair. Even while sitting, Tucker had a good few inches on Sam. If they had been standing, that gap would have been even bigger.

Sam slapped Danny's hand away and teased right back, "at least I'm not the shortest." She pointed to the next photo over

Another one with all of them together, lying down on the roof of Fenton. None of them were looking at the camera. Jazz had taken the photo without them knowing, peering down at them from the Emergency Ops-Centre.

Tucker, on the right, was focused entirely on his phone, holding it so close that the screen's soft glow lit up his face. Sam lay on her side in the middle, chin propped on her fist, reading a book. On the left, Danny had his arms folded behind his head as a pillow and was just staring up at the sky.

Their heads were all level, but looking at their feet showed they were arranged from tallest, to shorter, to shortest.

Sam remembered that moment. They had been hunting for a ghost that could bypass Danny's ghost sense. Using the advanced sensors in the Ops-Centre, they were waiting to get a ping back that the ghost had been located. It took almost an hour, but the wait wasn't so bad. They needed a nice, calm moment every now and again, when they could just be together in silence.

Two years ago, they probably would have wasted a whole afternoon looking for the ghost themselves. A lot had changed since then. In the grand scheme of things, two years wasn't much, but it was a long time for teenagers. Both Sam and Tucker had grown, shooting up a few inches. Sam's hair was longer. Tucker had a bit of stubble on his chin. Their faces were more defined. Their arms were visibly muscled.

But Danny hadn't changed at all. He was half a foot shorter than Sam. His cheeks still carried a bit of youthful roundness. Despite being the most physically active of all three of them, his arms and legs were the same thin twigs from when he was fourteen years old.

"Hey, have you seen how tall my dad is? I bet I'm gonna have a foot on both of you," Danny said, holding up his hand to show how tall he would be. "Just look at Jazz. She's taller than our mom now! And Mom's not exactly short, either."

"Danny," Sam said softly.

"Don't even get me started on Aunt Alicia."

"Danny!"

He stopped talking. His hand dropped into his lap, fingers curling into a tight fist, and he ducked his head. "Please tell me I at least fooled you a little," he said.

Sam reached over and took the photo album back from him. Removing the picture of them on the roof, she flipped back to the front of the book, holding the photo up against the first one of them all together. Danny looked exactly the same in both.

"Not even a little," she said.

"Damn."

Sam closed the album and set it aside. Scooting closer to Danny, she bumped their knees together, making him look up through his hair. Even that hadn't changed. Sam couldn't remember him getting a single haircut since his accident.

"Danny... what are you going to do?" she asked.

His hopeless expression broke her heart. "I don't know, Sam," he said. He ran his fingers through his hair, hands shaking. He was looking straight ahead, eyes wide and unfocused. "I don't know. I'm not– I haven't changed at all. What does that even mean? Am I not aging? Am I fourteen forever?"

Folding his hands over his head, he hunched forward, fingers digging into the back of his neck. "I don't know."

Sam reached out and touched his hand, trying to comfort him. But the moment she made contact, Danny flinched away, lurching to his feet. The sudden move startled Sam. She stared as Danny paced across the clearing, still holding his head.

"I'm just, I'm stuck, Sam! Everyone's leaving me behind! How can I graduate like this? Or go to college? Or do anything? You're all just going to keep going growing up and I'm going to stay here like, like this!" He gestured to his body. "But you want to know the worst of it? If this is my life now, then... one day, you're all really going to leave me behind."

The implications of what Danny said had the blood draining from Sam's face. She knew it was a possibility, but she hadn't seriously considered. Her, Tucker, Jazz, Danny's parents. Everyone. They were all going to keep aging, and getting older, and one day they would die. One by one, Danny would lose everyone he loves, and he would be left alone.

When Sam asked him here today, she just wanted to ask what his plans were for after high school. How would he deal with college, if he could even go? What would he do about work? What would he do about his parents?

But now he was spiralling into a panic and Sam didn't know what to do. The conversation went wrong so fast it gave her whiplash. She had to get things back under control.

"Danny, hold on," she said, rising to her feet.

He wasn't listening. He just kept pacing and panting.

"You need to take deep breaths, you're going to pass out."

"Don't you get it, Sam? I don't need to fucking breath! It's just a goddamn reflex at this point! Look, watch, see?" Danny pressed his hands against his chest, and he stopped breathing. Thirty seconds passed. Forty. One minute. Two.

They stood there, facing each other, neither one saying anything. Sam kept waiting for Danny's face to turn red. For him to suddenly gasp and suck in a big breath of air, like she did after holding her breath for too long, but he didn't even twitch.

"Danny," Sam said.

"What?" he snapped harshly. He started moving again, chest heaving, hands shaking.

Sam asked the only thing she could think of that would calm him down. "Where's Orion's Belt?"

Danny blinked at her, hands dropping, and repeated, "What?" It was less bitter this time.

"Orion's Belt." She gestured to the stars, which were now out on full display. "Where is it?"

"Um..." Danny's voice was shaky, but when he turned his head to look at the stars, his eyes looked less wild. "It's just above the trees."

He pointed. "There. The, the three stars."

Sam followed his hand, gaze searching the dark sky, and nodded when she found them.

"You can't see his knees right now. But, um, if you look up, just a little. His shoulder is– his shoulders are right there. And you can see the lion he's holding." As soon as Danny moved on to the other stars, Sam was lost, unable to see what he saw. But he kept talking, and she wasn't about to stop him. "Um. Jazz. Jazz told me it was a bow, when I was little, because she didn't know the story. Some people think it's a shield. It could be any of them, I guess. But. I like the lion."

He looked calmer. Still far from relaxed, but less like he was about to collapse. Sam approached him slowly, in case he wanted some space, watching for any sign that she should stop. When she saw none, she reached out and pulled Danny into a hug, pressing his head into her shoulder.

"Sam, have I always been dead?" he asked. His voice was steady, and he didn't sob, but Sam could feel his tears staining her shirt.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. Danny still bled, and he healed, and he ate, and he slept. "I don't think that's something we can know until..."

Until everyone else grew old and died and Danny didn't.

They held the embrace until Danny stopped shaking. He sniffed, rubbed his eyes, and pulled back, chuckling when he saw the dark spot on Sam's shirt.

"I swear, if you got snot on this, I'm gonna take the most embarrassing photo I have of you and plaster it all over the school tomorrow," Sam said. She almost meant it, too. This shirt, a dark grey t-shirt covered in bat-shaped lace, was one of her favourites.

The threat managed to pull a stronger laugh out of Danny. It was watery, but bright, and his lips twitched into a smile as he rubbed his eyes again.

"Are you.... are you okay?" Sam asked.

"No," Danny said. "But, I'm not bad either."

They sat back down, hip-to-hip, shoulder-to-shoulder, and looked up at the stars together. Sam squinted, trying to pick out more constellations, but she didn't have Danny's skill for it. Even after him pointing them out to her time and again, she always forgot where they were. Already, she had lost track of Orion's belt. But that was okay. She liked it better when Danny showed them to her.

"Oh, damn," Sam said, suddenly remembering something from freshman year.

"What?"

"I just realized. It's a good thing I don't have a crush on you anymore, you're way too young for me."

"You had a crush on me?" Danny asked, a mischievous grin spreading across his lips.

Sam blushed. "Oh, shut up. You're my best friend, okay? I thought I like liked you."

Danny tipped his head back and laughed. "Would you believe it if I said I had a crush on you to?"

"No way." Sam gaped at him. "Seriously? Tucker and I always joked that you were clueless because you couldn't tell I like you. Was I clueless too?"

"Tucker knew?" Danny's voice rose to a shriek.

Sam burst out laughing. "Oh my god! That was adorable!" She clutched her stomach and fell over onto her side, shoulders shaking. "I can't– oh my god– please."

Danny scowled down at her, crossing his arms and pouting. It sent her into a whole new fit of laughter, until her lungs ached, and her flushed cheeks felt too hot. Fanning her face, she pushed herself back up and struggled to get her breathing under control.

"Okay. Okay, I'm done. I swear," she said. A final giggle slipped out.

"Asshole," Danny muttered.

"Asshole that you had a crush on," Sam said. "I can't believe I missed my chance to date the Danny Phantom."

"Damn, and I could have dated Casper High's queen goth. Too bad I don't date older women."

Sam snorted. She looked back up to the stars, feeling a sharp pang in her chest. "Sorry you can't be an astronaut, though."

"Hey, maybe they need a scrawny teenager out in space, you never know," Danny said, grinning wryly. He picked at the grass, sprinkling it over Sam's leggings, just like they used to do when they were kids. With Danny's baby face, he still looked like a kid, but Sam knew he had been through so much more than anyone they ever know.

"But I think... I think I'm okay with that," Danny continued after a moment. "I can fly, and I've even been to space before. Without a helmet! How many people can do that? Besides, I'm years ahead of NASA?"

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" Sam asked, brushing the grass off her knee.

"I've already perfected suspended animation," Danny answered. He wiggled his eyebrows and knocked his foot against hers.

It took Sam a couple seconds to get what he meant, but when she did, she groaned. "That was so bad."

"It was comedy gold."

"I'm ending this friendship."

"You wish. You're stuck with my forever. Everybody is, apparently."

Sam's expression turned somber. "Danny, I hope you know, we'll always be here for you. Even when we're gone. We might not become ghosts, but we love you. We're with you."

Danny looked away. For a second, Sam thought he was going to have another panic attack. But when he looked back at her, he was smiling. It was soft, and sad. If Sam could only use one word to describe it, it would be resigned. It was the smile of someone who knew what the future held for them and would face it head on, even if they weren't ready for it.

"I know," he said.

Danny was right before, Sam thought. It wasn't okay, but it wasn't bad, either.

#phic phight #phic phight 2020 #Danny doesn't age #danny phantom #danny phantom fanfiction #phanfic #hurt/comfort #mild panic attack #tumblroneshots

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bboyplankton · 4 years

Text

2019 Playlist

1. A$AP Ferg & MadeinTYO – Wam

2. Action Bronson & The Alchemist – Arnold & Danny

3. Action Bronson & The Alchemist – Descendant of the Stars

4. Akon feat. Skales – Control

5. Akon feat. Olamide – Scammers

6. Alex Isley – Colors

7. Amaal – Coming & Going

8. Anderson .Paak feat. Andre 3000 – Come Home

9. Anderson .Paak feat. Smokey Robinson – Make It Better

10. Ari Lennox – I Been

11. Ari Lennox – Up Late

12. Ariana Grande – fake smile

13. Ariana Grande – in my head

14. Arin Ray feat. Kehlani – Change

15. Arin Ray - ZZZ

16. Asiahn – Like You

17. Asiahn – NOLA

18. August Alsina – Forever and a Day

19. August Alsina – For You

20. Baby Rose – Mortal

21. Beyoncé, Jay-Z & Childish Gambino feat. Oumou Sangaré – Mood 4 Eva

22. Big K.R.I.T – Blue Flame Ballet

23. Big K.R.I.T – Energy

24. Big K.R.I.T – M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I

25. BJ the Chicago Kid feat. JID, Buddy, & Kent Jamz – Get Away

26. Blackbear – Sick Of It All

27. The Black Keys – Sit Around And Miss You

28. The Black Keys – Tell Me Lies

29. Bobby Sparks ii feat. Robert “Sput” Searight & MonoNeon – The Comanche Are Coming

30. Boogie – Live 95

31. Boogie feat. Snoh Aalegra – Time

32. Burna Boy feat. Jeremih & Serani – Secret

33. Che Ecru – That’s My Baby

34. Ciara – Greatest Love

35. Ciara – Set

36. Ciara – Trust Myself

37. City and Colour – Mountain of Madness

38. Col3trane, DJDS, & Raye – The Fruits

39. Conway the Machine – Half of It

40. DaBaby – Bop

41. DaBaby – Goin Baby

42. DaBaby – Suge

43. Daniel Caesar & Brandy – Love Again

44. Danny Brown – Dirty Laundry

45. Danny Brown – Savage Nomad

46. Dave East – Mama I Made It

47. Dave East – The Marathon Continues (Nipsey Tribute)

48. Dave East – Me & Mines

49. Denzel Curry – Speedboat

50. Devin Morrison – Bussin’

51. Devin Morrison feat. Dahvi – It’s Time

52. DJ Shadow – If I Died Today

53. DJ Shadow feat. Run The Jewels – Kings & Queens

54. DJ Shadow feat. De La Soul – Rocket Fuel

55. Doja Cat – Say So

56. Doja Cat – Streets

57. Dreamville feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Dreezy – Got Me

58. Dreamville feat. JID & T.I. – Ladies, Ladies, Ladies

59. Dreezy feat. Jeremih – Ecstasy

60. E-40 feat. Quavo Roddy Ricch, A$AP Ferg, & ScHoolboy Q – Chase the Money

61. E-40 – Imma Find Out

62. E-40 feat. Redman, Method Man, & Bosko – Keep On Gassin

63. Earthgang feat. T-Pain – Tequila

64. Earthgang feat. Kehlani – Trippin

65. Elhae – fXXX

66. Elhae – I.D.B.I.L

67. Elhae feat. Big K.R.I.T – Sanctuary

68. Emotional Oranges – Someone Else

69. Emotional Oranges – West Coast Love

70. Emotional Oranges – Your Best Friend Is A Hater

71. Eric Bellinger – iPod on Shuffle

72. Eric Bellinger feat. K Camp – Moist

73. Eric Bellinger – Run It Up

74. Eric Bellinger – The Sexy Song

75. Eric Bellinger – Spice

76. Eric Bellinger feat. Chris Brown & OG Parker – Type a Way

77. Eric Bellinger – Undress

78. Esperanza Spalding – Touch in Mine (Fingers)

79. Fabolous feat. Jacquees – My Mind

80. Fabolous feat. Ty Dolla $ign – Ooh Yea

81. FKA twigs – Mirrored Heart

82. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Killer Mike & Pusha T – Palmolive

83. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Soul Right

84. Free Nationals – Lester Diamond

85. Free Nationals feat. Syd – Shibuya

86. Free Nationals feat. Mac Miller & Kali Uchis – Time

87. Future – Crushed Up

88. Gallant – Céline

89. Gallant – Sleep On It

90. The Game – Born 2 Rap

91. The Game feat. 21 Savage – The Code

92. The Game feat. Anderson .Paak – Stainless

93. Gang Starr feat. J. Cole – Family And Loyalty

94. Gang Starr feat. Ne-Yo & Nitty Scott – Get Together

95. Gary Clark Jr. – I Got My Eyes on You (Locked & Loaded)

96. GoldLink feat. WaveIQ – Spanish Song

97. GoldLink feat. Tyler, the Creator & Jay Prince – U Say

98. Griselda – Freddie HotSpot

99. Gucci Mane – Move Me

100. Isabella – Tag

101. Jacquees – Fact Or Fiction

102. Jacquees – Good Lovin

103. Jaden – Got It

104. Jeezy – White Keys

105. Jidenna feat. GoldLink – Babouche

106. Jidenna – Sou Sou

107. Jidenna – Vaporiza

108. Jim Jones feat. Maino & Drama – My Era

109. Jim Jones feat. Cam’ron, Guordan Banks, Benny the Butcher, & Conway the Machine – To Whom it May Concern

110. Joell Ortiz – Jamaican Food

111. Joell Ortiz – Sip Slow

112. Johnta Austin – Breakin Rules

113. Justine Skye – Secrets

114. Kalin White – 4 sexonds

115. Kaytranada feat. GoldLink, Eight9Fly, & Ari Pensmith – Vex Oh

116. Kehlani – Feels

117. Kehlani feat. 6lack – RPG

118. Khalid – Paradise

119. Khalid – Talk

120. Kiana Ledé feat. Jenifer Lewis – Heavy

121. Kiana Ledé – If You Hate Me

122. Kxng Crooked & Bronze Nazareth feat. Tristate & L.A.D – French Connection

123. Kirk Brown – Vibes Up

124. Koffee feat. Jane Macgizmo – Blazin

125. Konshens – Back It Up

126. Konshens – Last Wine

127. Kyle Dion – Hands to Yourself

128. Kyle Dion – Spend It

129. Larry June feat. Premo Rice – Booty Girl Club

130. Larry June – Early Bird

131. Larry June – Organic Smiles

132. Layton Greene – Never Knew

133. Lion Babe feat. Leikeli47 – The Wave

134. Lion Babe feat. Raekwon – Western World

135. Lophiile – Late Ass

136. Lophiile feat. Jesse Boykins III – You’re Gonna Need It

137. Lophiile – You’ve Changed

138. Lucky Daye – Love You Too Much

139. Lucky Daye – Real Games

140. Lyfe Jennings – Baby

141. Mac Ayers feat. Uhmeer – Fears

142. Mac Ayers – Get Away

143. Mahalia – Karma

144. Mahalia – What Am I?

145. Mahalia feat. Ella Mai – What You Did

146. Marc E. Bassy – Crash and Burn

147. Marc E. Bassy – Where We’re From

148. Matt Martians – Movin’ On

149. Maxo Kream feat. Megan Thee Stallion – She Live

150. Megan Thee Stallion feat. Da Baby – Cash S**t

151. Mereba – Stay Tru

152. Moonchild – Strength

153. Murs, 9th Wonder, & The Soul Council - Sin

154. Murs, 9th Wonder, & The Soul Council – Unicorn Glitter

155. Nikki Jean – Driver

156. Nikki Jean feat. Lupe Fiasco – Mr. Clean

157. Papoose feat. DJ Premier – Numerical Slaughter

158. Pardison Fontaine – Money Machine

159. Pardison Fontaine – Under8ed

160. PJ Morton – Kid Again

161. PJ Morton feat. JoJo – Say So

162. Post Malone – I’m Gonna Be

163. Problem Child – Whole Heart

164. Quinn XCII feat. Yoshi Flower – Werewolf

165. Rapsody feat. Queen Latifah – Hatshepsut

166. Rapsody feat. D’Angelo & GZA – Ibtihaj

167. Rapsody feat. Elle Varner – Michelle

168. Raveena – Nectar

169. Raveena – Salt Water

170. Rex Orange County – Always

171. Rex Orange County – It Gets Better

172. Rick Ross – Fascinated

173. Rick Ross feat. Drake – Gold Roses

174. Rick Ross feat. Summer Walker – Summer Reign

175. Rick Ross – Vegas Residency

176. R.LUM.R – Happy

177. R.LUM.R – Lies

178. Roses Gabor feat. Sampha – Illusions

179. Rotimi – Love Riddim

180. Rotimi – Way Gone

181. Sabrina Claudio – Truth Is

182. Sammie – Issues

183. Sara Bareilles – Armor

184. ScHoolboy Q feat. Kid Cudi – Dangerous

185. ScHoolboy Q – Numb Numb Juice

186. Shal Marshall – Mas Forever

187. Shal Marshall – Splinters

188. Shwayze – Rich City

189. Sinead Harnett – Be The One (Interlude)

190. SiR feat. Smino – LA Lisa

191. SiR feat. Kadhja Bonet – New Sky

192. Slum Village feat. Dwele – Call Me

193. Snoh Aalegra – Nothing to Me

194. Snoh Aalegra – Toronto

195. Snoop Dogg feat. Swizz Beatz – Countdown

196. Snoop Dogg feat. Marknoxx – I Wanna Thank Me

197. Snoop Dogg feat. Russ & Wiz Khalifa – Take Me Away

198. Solange – Almeda

199. Solange – Dreams

200. Steve Lacy – N Side

201. Steve Lacy – Playground

202. Summer Walker – Wasted

203. T-Pain feat. Tory Lanez – Getcha Roll On

204. Tayla Parx – Me vs. Us

205. Tayla Parx feat. Joey Bada$$ - Rebound

206. The Teskey Brothers – Rain

207. The Teskey Brothers – Sun Come Ease Me In

208. Tinashe – Feelings

209. Tobi lou feat. Erica Rene & Cam O’bi – That Old Nu-Nu

210. Tobi lou – Waterboy

211. Tori Kelly – Kid I Used To Know

212. Toro y Moi – Freelance

213. Toro y Moi – Ordinary Pleasure

214. Tory Lanez – Blowin’ Mine’s // Leah’s Introduction

215. Tory Lanez feat. Ludacris – The Fargo Splash

216. Trey Songz – Jill (Sumn Real)

217. Trina feat. Rico Love – Water

218. Tryezz – Walnut St. Dub

219. Tsu Surf – Killing Me

220. Tyler, the Creator - Earfquake

221. Tyler, the Creator – I Think

222. Umi – Sukidakara

223. Vedo – Do It Nasty

224. Wale feat. Jeremih – On Chill

225. Weezer – Happy Together

226. Willow – Time Machine

227. Wiz Khalifa feat. Young Deji – Gold Bottles

228. Xavier Omär & Sango – Cry & Lie

229. Xavier Omär & Sango feat. Billy Mercury – Keeping Me

230. YBN Cordae feat. Anderson .Paak – RNP

231. YBN Cordae feat. Meek Mill – We Gon Make It

232. Ye Ali feat. DCMBR – All About You

233. Ye Ali – Rehearsal

234. Ye Ali feat. DCMBR – Show Me

235. Ye Ali feat. DCMBR & Rainy Milo – Songs2Get2GetDrunk2

236. Yelawolf – Box Chevy 7

237. Yelawolf – Unnatural Born Killer

238. Young M.A. – Stubborn Ass

239. Zacari – Midas Touch

240. 2 Chainz – Threat 2 Society

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turnupswritessometimes · 5 years

Text

The One With the Zombies - Ch2

Title: The One With the Zombies

Chapter: 1

Word Count: 4236

Description: Another what it says on the tin from me - it's a Zombie Apocalypse AU because how else could this anime/manga get any darker? Whilst on the run from the outbreak of zombies, reporters Ibe and Eiji stumble across a New York street gang, safely huddled in an abandoned warehouse. As if the undead weren't surprising enough, Eiji finds himself becoming closer and closer to the gang's leader, mysteriously dubbed Ash Lynx. But safety doesn't last forever and soon it's only Ash and Eiji. And they're up against more than just zombies.

Note: This is available on A03, and I would recommend you follow it there, as I remember to update it. I would post a link, but then Tumblr wouldn’t include it in search results.

Ash hadn’t meant to say that. He had meant to keep that in his own head.

He definitely hadn’t meant to tell the shy Japanese boy that he was adorable. Especially not when it had made his eyes double their normal size and his cheeks turn bright pink.

But he had. And instead of explaining that he hadn’t meant to say that out loud, he had just taken a long drag and let that conversation die. Well he certainly wasn’t about to bring that back to life. The recent week had made him appreciate dead things staying dead.

Week and a half, he realised as he checked his watch. He seemed to be the only person who didn’t mind watch duty. He found it a good time to think. Well, it used to be a good time to think, until he had slipped up and said something stupid. Now all he could think of was Eiji’s surprised face.

Eiji telling him that he was Danny Zuko – as if he was incredibly cheesy but also cool and suave. His blank expression when Ash had said James Dean instead. He wasn’t sure how to explain that he felt that first scene of Rebel Without a Cause down to his core. That was him. Messy and yelling and angry.

Not that he wanted Eiji to know that was the real him – he didn’t want Eiji to know anything about him. No one here did – he had made sure of that. He was Ash Lynx and that was it.

A part of him thought there was more to it this time. Maybe because he hadn’t judged Ash for his gun – hadn’t judged Ash smoking – hadn’t judged him at all and Ash thought that the truth might be when he broke. He didn’t want him to break and judge him. Something told him it would hurt more to have this boy he barely knew judge him than anyone in the gang.

Maybe it was because he suspected the gang had begun to caught on. Or that they knew him so well that it wouldn’t matter to them.

He wasn’t sure and he was starting to get tired of thinking about it. The same thoughts kept circling round and round in his mind like a merry-go-round. Round and round and never going anywhere.

“Do you think if a zombie bit a dog it would become a dog zombie?”

That was Bones’ voice. He sounded just as tired as Ash and yawned loudly.

“I don’t know.”

And that was – Ash turned then, to find a bedheaded Bones with a bedheaded Eiji in tow.

“I’m just thinking – it could be a sleeper virus in other animals – like foot and mouth or something,2 Bones continued. “What do you think boss?”

“I don’t think it matters,” Ash said. Even he could hear the deadpan in his own voice that made Bones and Eiji chuckle. “What matters right now is staying alive. We can worry about zombie dogs when they happen.”

“So, you think they can happen!”

“Get on watch.” Ash turned to Eiji. He was hanging back, so that the moonlight didn’t quite reach him. It made those huge eyelashes of his cast dramatic shadows down his cheeks. “You should be in bed.”

“I thought – I thought you’d like some company,” Eiji said. He still sounded unsure of himself, but it was incredible how much better his English was. Ash wondered if it would be weird if he told him how proud he was of him.

Of course it would be weird.

“I’m going to bed,” Ash said as he stepped forward. He put a hand on Eiji’s shoulder and tilted his head towards him. He wasn’t sure why – the gremlin that lived in his brain wanted to see if he’d get a reaction. Another gremlin in his brain wanted to be closer to Eiji. He tried to silence them both – he had grown bored of thinking things through. “Unless you want to keep me company there?”

Eiji paused – that pink blooming back onto his cheeks in a way that made Ash grin at him.

But then he surprised him.

“Sure!”

His hand dropped like a stone – for a moment if felt like he had been slapped in the face.

“What?” he wasn’t even sure he said it out loud – but he seemed to be having trouble with that lately.

“I’m kidding,” Eiji said. His smile faded – replaced instead with furrowed brows. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no – you don’t have to be,” Ash forced himself to breathe, to smile like he always did. “Stop saying you’re sorry for everything.”

“Oh – s-“ the sound turned into a hiss on the air and Eiji grinned sheepishly.

Ash laughed – he couldn’t help it. He liked that his laugh made Eiji laugh – it was incredible, how easy it felt to talk to him. How easy this all was –

And how easy it would be to break it.

He realised that he didn’t want to go to sleep. Not just yet.

Because this was so fragile that he wanted to take advantage of it whilst he could. He wasn’t even sure what this was. A friend? It felt different to the others – to his other friends. But that was the only thing it could be – the only way he could think of it –

He wasn’t attracted to this boy. Not in the way that he thought attraction was meant to be. There was just this pull to him – this need to be near him. But he wasn’t thinking of romance or attraction or anything like that –

He didn’t think that he could.

More thinking – he slipped his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

“Why don’t we take a walk?” he asked.

“Take a walk?” Eiji echoed. “Not bed?”

“I’ll show you how to shoot.”

“It’s dark?”

“There’s a full moon out. We’ll be able to see.” Because Eiji was still looking at him as if he was completely mad, he added. “What else are you going to do? Go back to staring at the ceiling in the dark.”

Maybe he had been a bit harsh. Eiji opened his mouth then closed it again. He smiled, looking self-conscious and tired.

“Sure.”

So Ash lead the way back outside. Bones nodded his head towards them, looking as though he was going to fall asleep standing. Ash knew that feeling – the feeling that he could sleep anywhere. Hell, he could sleep anywhere. Sleeping was like a switch for him – he couldn’t understand why Eiji was struggling so much with it.

They didn’t go too far from the warehouse. Just far enough that the shot wouldn’t wake the guys inside – they’d be able to hear it for certain, but it wouldn’t wake them.

Just before the trees. Ash handed his gun – his prized gun – to Eiji. There was a moment where they both just stared at it, before Eiji was hesitantly curling his hand around the handle. He held it as though it was about to burst into flame in his hand.

"So you just point and-" Eiji raised the gun aimlessly, both hands cradling it like it was an infant instead of a weapon.

"Nothing will happen unless you take the safety off," Ash said. He flicked it off, his fingers grazing over Eiji's. "And you'll dislocate your shoulder holding it like that."

"Oh, should I do it like this?" Eiji bent his elbow, turning the gun so that it was sideways. Like a gangster from a bad movie. He grinned, pretending to fire it.

A laugh escaped Ash before he even knew it. He bit his lip, to try to stop himself from grinning back. To look angry - to turn on the angry Ash Lynx look.

Maybe it was because everyone was so tightly wound now, but he couldn't.

"That's even worse - here, just-" he stepped forward so that he didn't have to think about how Eiji's face glowed in the dark when he smiled like that, and straightened Eiji's arms out. He took one of his hands to cradle the bottom of the gun, wrapping a hand over Eiji's to show how to hold the trigger. "Like this. Then shoot."

There was a moment of pause. Ash realised he had one hand on Eiji's back - his lower back, and wondered if it would be too obvious if he shifted it off now. Their faces were close - Eiji's hair smelt of vanilla.

"Shoot."

"Will it kick?"

"What?"

"Kick - the gun could kick, right?"

"Not this one."

"But-"

"I promise."

Eiji turned to him then, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"And how do I know you keep promises, Ash Lynx?"

His chest felt tight and he knew he had to say something clever quickly.

"You'll just have to shoot the gun to find out, won't you?"

Eiji took in a breath, about to say something much cleverer, Ash thought -

But then it was as if the sound switched back on. There was a dry wind rattling through the trees. And on top of that, there was the sound of slow, shuffling footsteps. Clumsy feet over dry leaves.

Ash felt his muscles tense. Bones, he told himself - it's just Bones. Probably come to tell him to stop being so loud.

His eyes scanned the dark trees around them and his fingers curled on the back of Eiji's t-shirt. He pulled him closer, without really realising it. Just why had he thought it was a good idea to go out here? In the dark, every other twig or branch look like a limb. Fifty arms were reaching out towards him.

He blinked. Forced himself to take a breath and to focus. Trees, all trees.

The step came again and he realised it wasn't from behind him. A shadow detached itself from one of the trees in front of them.

Another sloppy step over leaves as the shadow came towards them, a shoulder lurching downwards and the arm hanging like a broken limb on a doll.

A low moan came over to them on the wind. It sounded like it was in pain - Ash didn't know - it could have been. All he knew was that it was the kind of moan that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

His breath caught in his throat. The moonlight was starting to light the figure now - a man that might have been handsome once. Large arms and a broad chest and strong jaw that was starting to fall away. Half of the flesh there was hanging off.

"Shoot." He whispered.

To his credit, Eiji did. He slammed his finger down on the trigger.

Even though he had been expecting it, the bang made Ash's heart stop for a moment, before it restarted triple time.

The only problem was, Eiji had been aiming to hit a human.

It knocked the dead man back, but Ash could see it had only left a red dot in his chest. Round like a penny and oozing rust-coloured blood.

"The head - here!" He wasn't thinking - his body was doing it for him, tugging the gun from Eiji and sliding round so that he was in front of him, one arm behind him to keep Eiji in place. He was lifting the gun on auto-pilot, his eyes finding the head and his finger squeezing out one - two shots.

The man dropped down to the floor, like a puppet that had been discarded.

His breath felt cold in his throat - almost painful, but he was used to the feeling. After a moment, he realised that Eiji was holding onto him, a hand on his shoulder and a hand on his elbow like he was a protective barrier. He looked across at him. The boy's face was pale, his eyes dark and wide and staring at the corpse on the floor.

"It's okay," Ash's voice sounded raspy. He swallowed. "He didn't even get anywhere near us."

There was another pause. Eiji relaxed his grip.

"I know," he said and he finally looked back at Ash. "I'm-"

"Don't you dare say you're sorry."

"I was going to say 'thank you.'"

"It's nothing. It's just a good thing he was-"

"Don't you say alone."

It was too late. Ash had already jinxed it. He could already hear more footsteps - drawn to the sound of the gunshot. Because gunshots meant the living and the living meant brains. That was Ash's reckoning - he couldn't tell how much they thought or if they just acted on impulse.

The groans came now, like bats trying to echolocate.

Eiji's grip redoubled on Ash's arm.

Ash was terrified. Completely terrified - but he also felt unbelievably, incredibly alive. This was what he was made for.

"It's fine. Just stay behind me," he said. "Start walking backwards. Slowly."

They did, creeping converses over the dead grass and dry leaves.

Then a figure lurched out in front of them. He heard Eiji cry out as he shot the gun again.

Then Tit was as if Ash’s eyes adjusted. He could see just how many of them there were and he decided that he didn’t like the odds.

A ripple went through the gaggle around them. They recoiled, then lurched forward so suddenly that Ash stumbled backwards.

He swore.

Eiji’s fingers were starting to hurt now and his arm felt heavy. He shot again, the gun pointing automatically at heads. He wasn’t even making a dent in the numbers.

“Stop walking backwards. Run. Run!”

He heard Eiji run, his shoes slipping over the dry leaves. Ash started jogging backwards, firing off more warning shots as if it would scare them away. It didn’t even faze them now.

After a moment, he turned and ran too. Eiji hadn’t even made it that far and without thinking he grabbed the Japanese boy’s elbow, pulling him along behind him.

“Bones!” he yelled – he saw the figure at the door jump in surprise.

“B-Boss!”

“Walkers!”

He could hear Eiji panting behind him, felt him stumble and jerked up back upright.

Even though Bones could be a dope, he could also move fast. He ducked back into the warehouse and smashed the glass on the fire alarm by the door. It trilled through the night – it sounded like a scream.

They skidded inside five seconds later, slipping on the too-smooth floor. Bones was already in and as soon as they were, he slammed the button to send the heavy door down.

It was moving too slowly. Too slowly, Ash thought. More slowly than the zombies heading towards them.

He glanced behind him, his arm going out to keep Eiji behind him. His face was red and he was looking over Ash’s shoulder.

Bones had his gun pointing out at the darkness in front of them and Ash joined him. His arms were shaking as they waited for the door to fold itself all the way down.

It was halfway and Ash could hear the moans. He tightened his grip on the gun, forcing himself to focus on the darkness – for his eyes to pick out shapes. His heart was pounding in his neck. There were fingers on the back of his t-shirt. Hesitant fingers wrapping around damp fabric.

“It’s okay,” he said. He normally wouldn’t. To any of the other guys he would get annoyed.

Almost there and he could see movement now. Jerking, lurching movements.

The door finally closed. There was a beep and the tiny light at the bottom of the door flicked from green to red. Ash and Bones found the sliding locks at the bottom of it and pushed them back into place.

“What now?” Eiji was only a shape in the darkness.

Ash reached out to him, but his hand stopped for some reason.

“Ibe told you to stay close, yeah?” he said instead. “So stay close.”

They knew the layout of the warehouse even in the dark, stepping around sofas on pure muscle memory. Ash kept reaching behind him, his hand checking that he could still feel Eiji’s shoulder behind him.

The ladder caused a problem – it was all fumbling hands and feet slipping off the rungs, but once they were upstairs it was easier. There were windows up here and the black-out blinds had been pulled up.

Already at the window was them – Ash’s boys. Boys who had all pulled out their guns and were resting them on the ledge, down at the rabble below. Ibe was behind them, but as soon as he saw Eiji’s head pop into the attic he ran over and held him tightly. Eiji turned into a fluff of dark hair.

He looked to Ash over the top of his head and Ash just nodded.

What followed where a tense two hours where the boys pointed their guns at the ground below them, jostling for spaces like a litter of puppies. Picking them off one by one. But it was dark and hard to aim straight down at the doors.

The sky turned amber. There was a huddle of grey-green corpses piled up against the doors. Thick blood oozed out of their skulls like jam. Ash’s stomach turned. Those were people. Those were all people. Shot like fish in a barrel.

None of them had slept. They were too wired up to sleep now.

At least the sun was shining. The world may be a horror story, but it was daytime again and that made things marginally better.

Ash found a spot on the wall and slid down. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was damp. He hadn’t even noticed he was sweating.

“Wait a couple of hours before burning them. Make sure they’re all dead.” He said. He didn’t think he’d be able to wait that long before his next cigarette. Instead, he took the opportunity to reload his gun. To count out how many bullets they had left.

Eiji came to sit beside him, his arms pulling his knees to his chest. He watched Ash in silence. Ash glanced up at him and his lips twitched, like he was trying to smile.

“You want to put them in?” he asked. “I’ll show you how.”

“Sure.” Eiji said.

Ash handed the bullets over and held the gun out, tapping the empty canister.

Eiji nodded, cupping the bullets in his hand as though they were something precious. He slid one in and that was when he noticed that his fingers were shaking.

“Whoah,” Ash’s hand steadied Eiji’s before he was even thinking about it. His hands were warm – they made Ash’s fingers feel frozen.

He pulled away a second later.

“I’m – fine.” Eiji said slowly. But his fingers curled around the bullets and he released the gun.

“Really?” Ash paused. Maybe it was because he was bone tired, but he felt safe. “I’m not.”

“You’re not?”

“Look-“ Ash held out his own hand. It trembled between them.

He was always shaking, he realised. So much of the time he barely noticed it – it was just residual.

Eiji’s hand closed around his, his fingers locking into his like this was natural. Like they were meant to fit into each other. They felt right, Ash realised. It wasn’t horrible.

“You did great.”

Ash didn’t reply, but his fingers squeezed Eiji’s. He didn’t mean to.

But Eiji wasn’t like the others – he wouldn’t find this weird of Ash. He thought it was normal – to be this freaked out.

They sat there, leaning against the wall with their hands clasped. They were alive. Alive and unbitten. They were going to be alive tomorrow. And maybe even the next day.

Eiji helped burn the bodies. Not a single part of him wanted to, but he felt like he should - that he needed to start pulling his weight.

The boys wore boxers tied around their faces, but after the fire got started, Eiji understood why. The smell was awful - burnt bacon and burn hair. The clothes just smoked, so that there was a thick, black column of the stuff all around them. The boxers were a poor man's gas mask.

He was watching the orange flames fight against the smothering smoke when Ash stopped beside him. For a moment, it looked as though he was going to light his cigarette off the bonfire, then decided against it.

Whilst he took his first drag he was silent, then he sighed and the smoke came out of his mouth in one puff.

"Going to do an inventory later," he said. "Need to start rationing."

"I thought that when I came." Eiji said. He wasn't sure if Ash could hear him for the cloth, but then the leader nodded.

"I didn't want to," he admitted. "Rationing means putting a date on things. It means that in a couple of months we'll have to move on - go somewhere else. I don't know where to go."

Eiji looked at him. He looked very young suddenly - a teenager who had no idea what he was doing

"Why tell me this?" he asked.

Ash looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling.

"Because you don’t expect anything from me."

“Oh, no, I do.” Eiji said – though he felt guilty for it when he saw something flash in Ash’s eyes. He continued. “You said you’d teach me how to shoot.”

“You did shoot. Last night. Got that guy right between the eyes.”

Eiji shook his head.

“That was you.”

“Who’s finger was on the trigger?”

“I didn’t shoot that gun.”

Ash raised his eyebrows and took another breath from the cigarette.

“It’s like shooting a camera,” he said. “You aim and shoot.”

“Like Fatal Frame?”

“What’s that?”

“Game. You kill ghosts with a camera.”

“You like horror games?”

Eiji shrugged. He looked back at the pile of bodies. “Not this one.”

Ash gave a sound that might have been a laugh.

“I can't say I love this, but I do like a good horror movie. They're never quite as scary as the real world, you know?"

He wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but he nodded. He supposed the world had been scary, before.

“And they’re awful, you know? Most of them are so bad.” Ash laughed – and Eiji did too. When he closed his eyes and laughed like this, he could kid himself that this was normal. That they were two normal teenagers sharing a joke.

He closed his eyes for just another moment, imagining if they met under normal circumstances. He saw him and Ash doing normal things – coffee or cinema – and it seemed incredible. To not be interrupted by zombies when they were enjoying each other’s company.

Ash was looking at him when he opened his eyes with a loaded gaze that Eiji couldn’t quite decipher. It was heavy that gaze, and he looked away.

“Ibe-san’s expecting you to keep me safe.” He said instead.

“I will.”

“You don’t – he’s just joking around.”

“I know.”

There was a moment. He could only stare at Ash. He didn’t feel pinned by that cat-like gaze – it was more like he was held by it. Those eyes were too green – the green of emeralds – but they had warmth in them.

Ash snuffed out the cigarette on the side of the warehouse. The fire was starting to go down now and now Eiji realised that there was silence. He looked around – everyone’s faces were pale and drawn. It made him remember last night. The white eyes in the darkness like tiny moons. Suddenly, he didn’t feel much like laughing.

“Bones!” Ash called, his voice sounding too loud in the silence. “Pick a film.”

Bones glanced up – then nodded.

It was a children’s film, because of course it was. That made it easier for everyone to focus on it – to pretend to be shocked at the twists and turns, because it was easier than focusing on what they had just done. What had happened outside.

Eiji had sat in front of the sofa next to Bones, like a child. The T.V was an older model and they could only watch DVDs on it. There was no internet or signal all the way out here – Eiji wondered if anything was even still broadcasting.

He didn’t remember falling asleep. He remembered closing his eyes just for a moment and feeling so relieved that the image on the screen was burnt into his mind. It was much better to see cartoon rats instead of gaping jaws and rolling eyes. The voices were easy to concentrate on and he could imagine the action playing out in his imagination.

But suddenly he was waking up, and his head was resting against someone’s leg. He frowned, unpeeling the side of his face from someone else’s jeans. Jeans that he recognised – which was ridiculous because they all wore jeans. But these jeans were grey and ripped and he remembered glancing behind him whilst he was running for his life and seeing those jeans.

In the next moment he was sat bolt upright, peering behind him to see Ash laid out across the sofa. He stirred at the sudden movement, green eyes opening lazily, like a cat's on a sunny day.

"Sorry," Eiji said.

"Don't be," Ash replied. He stretched and his foot nudged Eiji's side. His knee settled back where it was. He nudged him gently and Eiji glanced up in time to see him check his watch. An expensive watch, he noticed, but he supposed being a gang leader paid well. "Do you want to take night watch?"

"Sure." Eiji didn't have to think about it. He wanted to help, so he pulled himself to his feet. His arm nudged Ash's leg. He wondered why that was important.

The blonde boy yawned as he pulled himself to his feet. It looked like he had only just woken up himself. He followed Eiji out, pushing his hair away from his face.

“You don’t have to…” Eiji trailed off as Ash fell into step with him.

“I’ll keep you company. It’s only fair.”

They passed Kong in the doorway and he actually nodded at Eiji. He looked ready to drop too.

Almost like clockwork, as soon as they were leaning against the doorframe, Ash pulled out a cigarette. Eiji was getting used to the smell, he realised. He was starting to associate that smell with being with Ash – and even though that had included zombies, that wasn’t a bad thing. He actually liked it – he liked being with Ash. He felt safe and he liked how easy it was to talk about him – how he didn’t say a thing about Eiji’s poor English.

He didn’t say anything now, just leant against the front of the warehouse and stared out into the darkness with weary eyes. Their arms were touching, Eiji realised, but he didn’t pull away. He liked the warmth. They didn’t have to say anything, he thought. There wasn’t a need. They could just stand here and enjoy each other’s company. Company that wasn’t undead.

And that was all he needed right now.

#eiji okumura #ash lynx #banana fish #asheiji #banana fish fanfic #banana fish au #turnupswrites #the one with the zombies

3 notes · View notes

thelankyrandman-blog · 6 years

Text

Full Album-A-Day List in Alphabetical Order: 2017

Alright, it’s been too long since the end of the year, but here my list of albums I listened to in 2017. There are 365 albums here in alphabetical order by artist and then by release date in each artist. I am repeating the challenge for 2018 and so far I’ve listened to 62 albums. Let me know what you guys think of this list and please check out some of the music on here. Some of my favorite albums ever are on this thing.

Actress - AZD

Alvvays - Alvvays

Alvvays - Antisocialites

Aminé - Good For You

America - America

Anderson .Paak - Malibu

Andy Shauf - The Bearer of Bad News

Andy Shauf - The Party

Angel Olsen - Half Way Home

Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire For No Witness

Angel Olsen - My Woman

Angel Olsen - Phases

Animal Collective - Marriweather Post Pavilion

Arcade Fire - Everything Now

Ariel Pink - Pom Pom

Atmosphere - Fishing Blues

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

BADBADNOTGOOD - BBNG

Band of Horses - Cease to Begin

Beach House - Depression Cherry

Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman

Berhana - Berhana EP

Blank Banshee - Mega

Big L - Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous

Big L - The Big Picture

Big Sean & Metro Boomin - Double or Nothing

Big Thief - Masterpiece

Big Thief - Capacity

Bob Dylan - Empire Burlesque

Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded

Booker T. & The M.G.’s - Green Onions

Brockhampton - SATURATION

Brockhampton - SATURATION II

Brockhampton - SATURATION III

Capital STEEZ - AmeriKKKan Korruption

Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION

Chance the Rapper - 10 Day

Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap

Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um

Charli XCX - Pop 2

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Rest

Chet Baker - She Was Too Good To Me

Childish Gambino - Because the Internet

Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love

City and Colour - If I Should Go Before You

Clarence Clarity - No Now

Clipping. - Splendor & Misery

Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love

Connan Mockasin - Caramel

Crosby, Stills, & Nash - Crosby, Stills, & Nash

Crywank - Tomorrow is Nearly Yesterday and Everyday is Stupid

Daniel Caesar - Freudian

Danny Brown - The Hybrid

Danny Brown - XXX

Danny Brown - Old

Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition

Dave Brubeck - Time Out

David Bowie - Hunky Dory

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars

David Bowie - Aladdin Sane

Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism

Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Death Grips - Exmilitary

Death Grips - The Money Store

Death Grips - No Love Deep Web

Death Grips - Government Plates

Death Grips - Fashion Week

Death Grips - The Powers That B

Death Grips - Interview 2016 EP

Death Grips - Bottomless Pit

Deerhoof - The Man, The King and The Girl

Deerhoof - The Runners Four

Deerhoof - The Magic

Deerhoof - Mountain Moves

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Denzel Curry - Nostalgic 64

Denzel Curry - Imperial

DeYarmond Edison - Silent Signs

Dirty Projectors - The Glad Fact

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan

Dirty Projectors - Dirty Projectors

Earl Sweatshirt - Earl

Earl Sweatshirt - Doris

Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside

Elucid - Valley of Grace

Eric Clapton - Eric Clapton

Everything Everything - Get to Heaven

Fantastic Negrito - The Last Days of Oakland

Father John Misty - Fear Fun

Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

Father John Misty - Pure Comedy

Feist - Let It Die

Feist - The Reminder

Feist - Metals

Feist - Pleasure

Fever Ray - Plunge

FKA Twigs - LP1

Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up

Flying Lotus - 1984

Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

Frank Ocean - channel Orange

Frank Ocean - Blonde

Freddie Gibbs - Shadow of a Doubt

Freddie Gibbs - You Only Live 2wice

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata

Ghost Ship Octavius - Ghost Ship Octavius

Girlpool - Powerplant

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Greta Van Fleet - Black Smoke Rising EP

Grizzly Bear - Horn of Plenty

Grizzly Bear - Yellow House

Grizzly Bear - Friend EP

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear - Shields

Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins

Harry Styles - Harry Styles

Huncho Jack - Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho

Hurray For The Riff Raff - The Navigator

Ibibio Sound Machine - Uyai

Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Ice Cube - Death Certificate

IDK - IWASVERYBAD

Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights

Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo EP

Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade

J Dilla - Donuts

J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

J. Cole - 4 Your Eyes Only

Jaden Smith - SYRE

Japanese Breakfast - Soft Sounds From Another Planet

Jay Som - Everybody Works

Jlin - Black Origami

Joey Bada$$ - 1999

Joey Bada$$ - B4.Da.$$

Joey Bada$$ - All-AmeriKKKan Badass

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon

Joni Mitchell - Blue

Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark

Joni Mitchell - The Hissing of Summer Lawns

Julien Baker - Turn Out The Lights

Ka - The Knight’s Gamble

Ka - Honor Killed the Samurai

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - The Kid

Kamaiyah - A Good Night in the Ghetto

Kamaiyah - Before I Wake

Kamasi Washington - The Epic

Karriem Riggins - Alone Together

Kaytranada - 99.9%

Kelela - Take Me Apart

Kendrick Lamar - Section.80

Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, m.A.A.d City

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Kesha - Rainbows

Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

King Krule - The OOZ

LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

LCD Soundsystem - american dream

Lil Pump - Lil Pump

Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

The Long Winters - Putting the Days to Bed

Lorde - Pure Heroine

Lorde - Melodrama

Lou Reed - Lou Reed

Lou Reed - Transformer

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

Madlib - Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note

Madvillain - Madvillainy

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?

Matmos - The Marriage of True Minds

Melvins - Eggnog EP

Melvins - Lice All EP

MF Doom - Operation Doomsday

MF Doom - Metal Fingers Presents: Special Herbs, Vol. 1 & 2

MF Doom - Mm.. Food

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Mick Jenkins - The Water[s]

The Microphones - Don’t Wake Me Up

The Microphones - It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water

The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2

The Microphones - Mount Eerie

Miles Davis - Porgy & Bess

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

Moses Sumney - Aromanticism

Mount Eerie - “No Flashlight” Songs of the Fulfilled Night

Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom

Mount Eerie - Dawn

Mount Eerie - Wind’s Poem

Mount Eerie - Clear Moon

Mount Eerie - Ocean Roar

Mount Eerie - Sauna

Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked At Me

Mount Kimbie - Crooks & Lovers

Mount Kimbie - Cold Spring Fault Less Youth

Mount Kimbie - Love What Survives

The Mountain Goats - Goths

M83. - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts

NAO - So Good EP

NAO - For All We Know

Nas - Illmatic

The National - The National

The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers

The National - Alligator

The National - Boxer

The National - High Violet

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

The National - Sleep Well Beast

Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

Neon Indian - Era Extraña

Neon Indian - VEGA INTL. Night School

Neutral Milk Hotel - Everything Is EP

Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies

Nick Murphy - Missing Link EP

Noname - Telefone

Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death

Oddisee - The Iceberg

Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

The Pablo Collective - The Death of Pablo

Paramore - After Laughter

Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It

Perfume Genius - Too Bright

Perfume Genius - No Shape

Phoenix - Ti Amo

Phosphorescent - Muchacho

Pixies - Bossanova

Playboi Carti - Playboi Carti

Portishead - Dummy

The Postal Service - Give Up

Princess Nokia - 1992 Deluxe

Quelle Chris - Being You is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often

Quasimoto - The Unseen

Radiohead - Pablo Honey

Radiohead - The Bends

Radiohead - Kid A

Radiohead - Amnesiac

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Rapsody - Laila’s Wisdom

Ratt - Out of the Cellar

Red House Painters - Down Colorful Hill

Richard Dawson - Peasant

Rogue Wave - Out of the Shadow

Run the Jewels - RTJ3

Sampha - Process

(Sandy) Alex G - Beach Music

(Sandy) Alex G - Rocket

SBTRKT - SBTRKT

SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land

ScHoolboy Q - Oxymoron

ScHoolboy Q - Blank Face LP

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty

Shabazz Palaces - Quazars: Born on a Gangster Star

Shapes & Colors - Love / Sex / War EP

The Shelters - The Shelters

The Shouting Matches - Grownass Man

Slint - Spiderland

Smino - blkswn

Snakadaktal - Sleep in the Water

Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Solange - A Seat at The Table

Sorority Noise - You’re Not As ___ As You Think

Spoon - Hot Thoughts

Squarepusher - Feed Me Weird Things

Squarepusher - Music is Rotted One Note

Squarepusher - Go Plastic

Squarepusher - Do You Know Squarepusher?

St. Vincent - Marry Me

St. Vincent - Actor

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

St. Vincent - St. Vincent

St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION

Stan Getz & Cher Baker - Stan Meets Chet

Substantial - The Past is Always Present in The Future

Sufjan Stevens - Michigan

Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell

Syd - Fin

SZA - Z

SZA - Ctrl

The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

The Tallest Man on Earth - There’s No Leaving Now

The Tallest Man on Earth - Dark Bird is Home

Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog

This is the Kit - Where it Lives

This is the Kit - Bashed Out

This is the Kit - Moonshine Freeze

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse

Thundercat - Drunk

Todd Terje - It’s Album Time

Tonedeff - Polymer

Travis Scott - Rodeo

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

Tycho - Past Is Prologue

Tycho - Dive

Tycho - Awake

Tycho - Epoch

Tyler, The Creator - Bastard

Tyler, The Creator - Goblin

Tyler, The Creator - Wolf

Tyler, The Creator - Cherry Bomb

Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Vagabon - Infinite Worlds

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend - Contra

Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP

Vince Staples - Summertime ’06

Vince Staples - Prima Donna EP

Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory

Volcano Choir - Unmap

Volcano Choir - Repave

The War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues

The War on Drugs - Future Weather EP

The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient

The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream

The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

Warren G - Regulate… G Funk Era

Wavves - You’re Welcome

We Made God - It’s Getting Colder

The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness

WIFE - What’s Between

Wiley - Godfather

Wolf Parade - Wolf Parade EP

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary

Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Wolf Parade - Expo 86

X - Los Angeles

Xiu Xiu - Forget

The xx - Coexist

The xx - I See You

Yes - Close to the Edge

YG - Still Brazy

Young Pappy - 2 Cups Part 2 of Everything

Young Thug - Beautiful Thugger Girls

Young Thug & Carnage - Young Martha

Your Old Droog - Packs

Zola Jesus - Stridulum

Zola Jesus - Okovi

#’s:

21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin - Without Warning

#lankyrandman #music

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ecoamerica · 2 months

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Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

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nokia-group-1-blog · 6 years

Text

In the End, The Choice is Yours

The night was so deep the shadows seemed to bleed darkness. James glanced toward the hidden sky, searching for the moon that would not come. Not tonight. Even the brightest starlight was strangled in the canopy of trees. The temporary blindness was frightening, but it ensured that no one would notice him slipping away.

With each step he took, the silent crackles of the twigs and dried leaves will be heard. Finally, he reached his destination: an old house. As he opens the door and took a step inside the house, the floor rattles. He was welcomed by a dustless living room. Passing it, he walks toward the stairs. After reaching the end of the stairs, he took a turn to the right. Closing his eyes, he opened the door of the room located at the end of the hallway.

The darkness of the room welcomed James. Inside the room was his life’s work. Now is the time to test it and be able to obtain the reason why he created this machine. Many people said that he was mad of ever thinking that he can make one. Alas, they are wrong and now he finally made one, his very own time machine.

James started working on the mechanism of the machine and pressed different gears for finishing touches. He desperately wants the thing to work, to be able to go back and change the things that have to be changed. So engrossed with his work, he didn’t notice the shadow that lurks the house. Watching and observing him from a far.

Sleep swallowed him as he works. In his sleep, come the terrible nightmares.

A girl crying and begging.

A woman dead in the arms of his husband.

A boy who looks bewildered, clueless of what’s happening.

A pool of blood.

A cracked glass.

Three lifeless body lying on the floor.

Then, it stops. Now, emptiness filled his dreams, a short break for an antagonizing agony that will come next. Another dream appears the memory that keeps on resurfacing no matter how hard he suppresses.

He woke up sweating and in an uncomfortable position. He looks at the calendar, then at the machine. “Tonight will be the perfect time for you to function”, he said longingly.

The night came; the stars are showering the night sky with its twinkling lights. The shadow of the trees engulfs the old house. Inside, James was preparing for his time travel, packing everything that he might need when he arrived in the past. As he packed his things, he saw a family picture, his family picture. He remembers the bittersweet memories that come with it. A tear fell from his eye, but he never bothered to wipe it out. It’s a reminder of everything that he needed to do.

James seized the old pocket watch and turned the gears to the time that he yearns to go back. The watch starts to turn fast and as it turns, there’s a blinding light that engulf James. Then puff, James is nowhere to be found. The old house is once again empty. However, in the midst of the darkness, there’s someone who witnessed all the things that happen tonight.

Opening his eyes, a new place welcomed him. A place so familiar to him. Standing up, he feels wobbly, like a fast train that hit him. He can’t stand straight because of the awful headache that he is experiencing. Then a curious looking woman comes to his aid,

“Hello, Mister. Are you alright? You seem to be in a tight situation.”

“I’m alright, I just have a headache. I can still manage”, James said while looking at the ground and steadying his stance.

The voice seems familiar, it brought back memories. Curious of whom the woman is, he looked up to see. It’s like the heavens are singing right now, happiness field his heart. He finally did it. He is now on the right timeframe. After so many years of trials, he did it.

The happiness is overwhelming that he started to cry. Then he hugged the woman out of joy. The woman looked bewildered at his reaction and kind of uncomfortable. He didn’t know the man but he looks familiar to her and she feels like she knows him all her life. She just let the man cry on his shoulder.

“Are you okay now, Mister?” she asked as the man finally stops crying and distanced himself away from her. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. It’s just because you look so similar to the person I know”, he apologized to the lady.

“I’m Jason, by the way. Thank you for your concern”, James introduced himself to the woman while using a fake name, hoping that she will also give her name. “I’m Louisa. Are you a traveler? I haven’t seen you around here before and I know the entire person here in town”, the woman said looking intriguingly at James. James doesn’t know what to say, his mind went blank for a second. He forgot that he is a stranger in this timeframe.

A person with no identity and a nomad.

So he just said yes to Louisa and explained that he is from a town far away from here. “Is there any available place to stay here?” he said inquiring Louisa, hoping that she will let him stay at her house.

“You can stay in our house. There’s an extra room there that you can use.” The way to Louisa’s house is so familiar to him. The canopy of trees and the bumpy road. There are puddles of water around and the grass are still wet, it seems that rain has just passed by. They arrived at a small two story house. They were welcomed by the noisy squabble of a girl and a boy. A muscular man approached them, who hugged Louisa.

Their home is so lively. The sound of laughter filled the house. He can smell the delicious soup broiling in the caldron. The smell of the fresh flowers in the vases. The sight of the scenery in the balcony.

Louisa introduced him to her family. They whole heartedly accept James in their household. The one who hugged Louisa is his husband, Danny, a large muscular man. The girl who is arguing with her little brother is Lisa, a petite and brunette girl. Finally, James, who has a clean, cut hair, tanned skin, and a handsome young man.

The 13 years old version of him.

Seeing him feels nostalgic. It feels like he wants to take the life of the young James but he couldn’t, his time has already passed. The only thing that he can do is change the circumstances and save them. He will save his family. Maybe his present will also change and he will have his family back.

Night came, the meal was great as he expected. His mother was a great cook. While they were eating, the family members were talking to each other. James was staring at them as they joke with one another, laughing, and telling stories that make up their day. It’s a sight to behold. A memory surfaces, wherein he was the young James, he was the one laughing and telling funny stories. It’s all in his past; it’s here in their present.

It’s time to retire the night and go to sleep. Louisa approaches him and brought him some blanket, “Here, take these. You can use the room at the end of the hallway.” He took the blanket and thanked Louisa for letting him stay in their house. He entered the room and takes a look at the veranda of the room. The night was so beautiful, the moon filled the sky with its blinding light and the stars are exceptionally brighter tonight. Amidst, this beautiful night will be a terrifying event that changed James life forever.

In his room, James is laying in the bed staring at the ceiling. Remembering the things that will happen tonight. If memory serves right, there will be a big fire. It’s still painful to reminisce. He remembers it clearly, especially because he will be the cause of the fire and he will be the only survivor in that incident.

Then, James’ family was soundly sleeping. He, on the other hand, was still wide awake and seems anxious for a reason he don’t know. So, he got up and gets himself a glass of milk but there is no hot water. While boiling, James decided to take a stroll outside and watch the beautiful night sky. The sky was so clear and the blanket of stars envelops it. He can see so many constellations. So engrossed in star gazing, he forgot that he was boiling water.

After the stroll, he goes back to their house, but alas. The house is on fire, the hot red flower was consuming his house and his family, too.

They are trapped inside.

He tried to go inside and save them, yet the authority won’t allow him. He tried and tried and tried. But the fire is so big now that it’s impossible to go inside.

Despair consumed his heart. He hates himself for what he has done. He hates himself for being the only one alive. He hates himself that he killed his own family. That day he made a vow, he will do everything to turn back the time and these time he will definitely save them.

James went downstairs, to see if the young version of him had gone down. There he saw young James pouring water in the kettle.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked as he approached the young James. “Yes, so I’m getting myself a glass of milk. Want some?” young James asked while starting the fire. “No, thank you. Why can’t you sleep? Is there anything bothering you”, he asked even though he already knew the answer.

He is him after all.

“I just feel anxious, today, I can’t explain”, he answered James. The conversation between the two James continue until they become so sleepy and have to retire the night and go to sleep.

James was ecstatic when he woke up in the morning. He stopped the fire it means that he saves the lives of his family. It also means that they are alive in his timeframe now. He is eager to go back, so he said his farewell to Louisa and her family. He thanked them for their warm welcome. As they part, he saved the picture of his family in his memory and treasured it in his heart.

He put out his pocket watch and turned the gears to the time where he belongs. It’s another nauseating ride and amass headache. But it’s all worth it; just imagining that his family is in their house alive takes all the pain away.

When he arrives at his time, a new set of memories bombarded his mind. As the new memories come; he remembers the changes that happen. He starts to cry, “No, no, no. I save them. I change it. So why?! Why are they still not here?!” Then he laughs, he laughed really hard, “It must be a joke. They are alive. My mind is just messing with me.”

He runs as fast as he could to his old house. When he was near the door, he stopped. It’s true, the memories are true. They are still dead; they never live past that date. He sat on the rung of the stairs, looking forlorn. Staring at the ground as if it has all the answer that he needed; he recalls all the changes that happen.

He saved them from the fire, but they didn’t die because of the fire. They died because someone else killed them. That’s what his dreams were all about.

The girl that was weeping and begging was Lisa.

The pool of blood.

The lifeless woman in the arms of his husband.

His father being tortured by a group of men.

He witnessed it all. He saw how they were killed. He saw all the gruesome things that they did to them. They were suffering, while he was hidden in the cabinet where his mother placed him. He saw everything in the fissure of the cabinet. He wants to erase them all.

He looks up at the dark sky and weep.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have changed anything. I should have just accepted the fact that you are dead. If I didn’t turn back the time, you won’t experience those things”.

The rain starts to pour, but he just stayed there soaking and crying silently. All of the things that he had built have gone astray. He can’t use the time machine now. The young James that he met never builds one, instead he sought after the murderers that killed his family.

James has no time left in making another time machine. He already consumed his life line and that would be the last time travel that he had done. He already gave his all and sacrificed his own life for changing the past.

He got up, drench in the rain, and slowly moved into the house. As he walks inside, droplets of water fall in the floor. The last essence of his life is slowly fading away. He walks past every room, remembering all the happy memories that he created with his family. The good and the bad, everything is essential and everything will always remain in his heart and mind.

As the last essence left, he thought “Maybe I should have just moved on and never gone back to the past. Maybe if I just accepted the truth, everything had gone well. Maybe I have my own family now. But, look what I have done. I made everything worse. I made them suffer more. I should have never fought with destiny. Mom. Dad. Lisa. I’m so sorry.”

James left the world with a heart full of regrets. Regrets can never redeem. Regrets that lick him up in his entire life.

...

This Story is Made by Claire Aubrey Altamera, Jackylyn Tibor and Argie Balingbing.

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