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#no washing machines were harmed in the making of these drabbles

illyaana · 3 years

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Credits to @breakingpengui1 to the Tendou fanart! Do check them out, I stalked them for almost two hours- ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

Fantasy Collab by @bluebellhairpin

God I'm sorry it took so long TwT I wanted to make this really good so TwT (don't think I did it) Do check out the other works involved!! I am also thinking of making this a three-part series 'cause I have some ideas on this and I took way to long on this, so let me know if you want me to do it!!

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Like my writing? Do you want a drabble specifically made for you about your love life with a character of your choosing? Check out my 50 followers event over here!

Tags: Fantasy AU, Soulmate AU, Fluff, Angst, Royal! Y/N x Werewolf! Tendou

Word Count: 2611

There was a time when the world of the supernatural was one of peace and harmony.

Magia, the realm of magic and the supernatural being, was one filled with mysteries and beauty.

Plants would dance to the rhythm made by the woodland creatures. Fairies and elves would sing songs in praise of the wondrous views and people who nurtured the lands and made it the beauty it was today.

Mermaids and the life under the wide oceans and seas shared the riches of the water with those on land to make both worlds something to gaze upon.

Yet, it all changed when humans found something within them.

Greed and Pride - the recipe to the fall of Magia.

Now, the land of the supernatural isn’t like the ones stated in fairy tales and stories by the Grimm Brothers of Hans Christen Andersen.

It is one where sins are not shunned but encouraged.

Kings and queens interfere with the peace once built by the people to become one of villainy and devilish intentions - pillaging and conquering lands to become stronger and “better”.

The ones labelled “magical” or “not human” were either killed or hidden far away, never to be seen once again.

You were born into this - this world filled with anguish and pain.

You were born to be on the top of the food chain - to rule a twisted and dark country: Thelphs.

“Y/N, don’t writhe in pain. You are next-in-line for the throne - a simple wound like this should not make you fall.”

“Y/N, a leader never hides away from death - they face it and make it their weapon.”

“Hold your sword higher! You need the correct angle to slice through someone cleanly!”

“Do not taint the name of Thelphs, young one - death is not the thing you should be worried of but me.”

“If you don’t win, you are no longer my kin.”

Your father’s words rang in your head as you reached the land of Aldis - the land that never fell to the wants of humanity and shunned it.

Aldis protected the supernatural world. They were the ones who held onto the desire to make Magia what it was many, many years ago.

It was known for the beauty it held - the flowers were said to sing songs every day and every night and the mountains shook the ground once a month to say thank you to their valiant effort in protecting what the world of Magia should be.

And yet here you are; leading a line of men wielding swords and cannons aplenty to kill the very thing the world should be.

“Onward,” you shouted as you and your man marched down the stone roads of Aldis, “Fight, my people - fight for Thelphs, fight for your King!”

You pulled the sword sheathed in your belt and pointed towards the land before you. Soon, an uproar formed from the men behind you as you all marched towards the lines of houses.

You begged your humanity to hide as you wielded the weapon in your hand and slashed through hundreds of innocent people.

You begged your ears to close just for a few hours so that the screams of children could not enter as you pillaged their homes, reaping all their goods.

You felt the ground shake below you, trying its best to stop you from killing any more living things, yet you couldn’t.

A haze formed in front of your eyes, hiding all of your caring sides. You could only feel bloodlust - the need to slaughter and to feel the blood of others on you.

It was no use. Your feet, despite being on a moving floor, were still holding on to the ground, The grip you hand on your sword didn’t loosen and tightened.

If you were meant to be a machine designed to kill, you needed to carry out your job properly to ensure you aren’t thrown away.

The fairies soon came to attack you and your men, but you couldn’t kill it.

It was the first time you saw one that had magical abilities. The beauty it held entranced you.

Their wings were translucent. The light that hit it would change colour thanks to the dust that left its wings, forming somewhat of a halo around them. Their hair reached the very bottom of their legs. It swished back and forth as they flew towards you.

A pang was felt in your heart when you remembered your father’s words.

He said the fairies were ones who never cared about humans and instead mooch humans to live.

They were pests that needed to be killed, according to him.

But they are fighting alongside humans right now to protect their homes.

It was clear your father’s words were far from the truth, yet you needed to follow his wants, his needs.

You begged your limbs to move on their own so that you didn’t feel the piles of flesh go through your blade.

But you couldn’t.

You had to stay conscious through all the pain and misery you were giving to those who didn’t even deserve it.

The mixture of both human and fairy blood soaked your inner shirt, forever staining it.

The once grey tiles that covered the floor of Aldis now are forever painted red, and it was thanks to your orders.

You walked through the mountains of bodies, the blood streaming from them staining your shoes.

This was your fault.

This was all your fault.

You looked up to the sky, praying for the rain to fall and wash away your sins, but you could only see the clear, blue sky staring back at you. The clouds moved slowly through the pale blue background midst hiding the Sun’s blinding light away from you.

Semi, your commander soon stood beside you.

“My liege-”

“I killed them - I killed angel-like fairies. I killed humans, I made the ground shake - literally - and I killed the first-ever fairy I have seen. How did my father do this and still walk around Thelphs with no regrets?”

“Y/N...” Semi said, trying to console you.

But you could only laugh.

This.

This is what it means to be human- to kill those who don’t deserve to be killed.

“I can’t handle this anymore, Semi. I want to end this - all of this - so badly, yet I can’t even fight my own father.”

You turned your face to look at your childhood friend.

He too felt the same way you did - his eyes said everything.

Behind the coffee-coloured eyes hid guilt, sorrow and pain.

His face filled with the dust and smoke from the bombs that your men slung to this land. Yet, some streaks were starting from his eyes to the ends of his chin that were clean. Blood dripped from the top of his forehead down to his lips, leaving half of his face coloured in crimson.

Your thoughts rang clearly after looking at the man before you.

It was no longer about wanting to end it, you had to.

You placed your hand on his shoulder, “I will end this, Semi - this unneeded suffering and killings - I’ll end it all.”

He gave a teary smile to you. “Please, Y/N. I don’t think I can do this until I die.”

You pulled a handkerchief you kept in your pocket and proceeded to wipe the blood off his face.

“I can’t, too. This guilt,” you shook slightly, tears threatening to fall, “This guilt is too much to bear.”

He raised his hand and wiped off the tears.

“My liege, you need to be strong. We’re going to face the people we’ve committed countless sins against. Impersonate the devil - be the evil person you aren’t to protect the name of Thelphs.”

He took the blood-soaked handkerchief from your hand and threw it to the floor, “After all, what but devils would do what we did?”

Your heart broke at the words muttered by the man before you.

He was the furthest thing from a devil.

He was the man who comforted you when you were crying.

He was the man who took your pain and gave you nothing but light and joy.

Yet he stood in front of you - covered in blood both his and others with a strong resolve.

You stared at him, anger flaring in your orbs.

“You are the furthest thing from a devil, Semi Eita. But, we are controlled by one. Innocent ones like you should have never fallen into his tricks.”

He was taken aback by what you said. Tears soon fell from his eyes, sobs that he hid from you all these years came flowing like an endless howl.

He placed his head against the corner of your neck. Your shirt slowly began taking in his tears as they trickled down your neck.

You wrapped your arms around his figure. It was your time to comfort him.

Once he stopped crying, he wiped his tears and gripped your shoulders. “We need to go to the riverbank now.”

You nodded and let Semi lead you to the body of water.

You saw how the people tried to protect themselves from your men. They formed a circle with the younger ones in the middle. The ones on the circumference of the circle gripped on their small blades as they threatened your armoured soldiers.

They cared for each other.

The strong wanted to protect the weak; they were willing to sacrifice their lives so that the legacy of Aldis lived on through the young.

“Bring out the carriages,” you told your men. They immediately nodded and proceeded to follow the orders issued.

You turned to the people you’ve captured. A smile managed to reach your lips as they looked at your figure with fear.

“I do not wish any harm on you. We’re just going to make all of you line up and bring you to Thelphs - that is it,” you finished.

Most of them nodded in fear, yet there was one who refused to listen.

His hands had burned aplenty, instantly telling you that he was an ironsmith. He wasn’t rich - the clothes he wore were tattered, many of the holes were formed through his hours in iron crafting, presumably. Yet, you didn’t doubt his skill in fighting. The way he held the sword spoke more than words. The way his fingers comfortably wrapped around the leather handle made you feel some sort of pride within.

He was a person of valour and determination.

In almost seconds, he lunged in your direction.

You didn’t want to take out your sword. It felt like the man needed to hurt you in some way to make himself feel relaxed.

You gripped on the handle of your sword but didn’t have the heart to pull it out of your sheath.

You closed your eyes, waiting for the small tip of the blade to pierce through your skin. You wanted to feel your skin tear from the man’s undying resolve.

But it never came.

Instead, you heard the clashing of metal against metal.

Semi had rushed to protect you using his shield.

He stared at you, anger visible in his eyes.

“You made me a promise, Y/N. Don’t you dare take the easy way out.”

You could only smile and nod at the ash grey-haired male in front of you.

You teared your gaze from Semi to the man before you.

The disappointment and vengeance in him began to grow. The flame he once held within grew into a blazing fire.

“Why? Why attack us?” he began.

“We did nothing to you. We protected ourselves and helped others who needed us. We never bothered Thelphs - not even once, so why?”

You couldn’t reply - your morals would’ve gotten the best of you.

“Chain them all to each other - take all their weapons or anything sharp. We’re going back to Thelphs as winners, we don’t need the scars to prove it.”

You heard the roars of the men who stood before you. In their eyes, they believed all they’ve done is for the betterment of the world you all lived in.

But you knew what hid behind the tapestry that was woven by your father - destruction.

You bit your lip, not wanting to ruin the cheerful moment your men were having - all you could do was stare at Semi and let your eyes speak of all the pain you were feeling.

From afar, you heard a howl that woke up your numb senses.

Werewolves.

Joy graced the victims of your purge.

Their saviours came, ready to vanquish you and your men.

“They said the future leader of Thelphs was one ruthless and evil miscreant, yet they seem awfully sad for someone who led their troops to glory,” a werewolf said as he emerged from the bush beside you, “They do have a heart, after all.”

You stopped the minute you saw the male that now stood before you.

His red hair framed his sharp-jawed face. His obsidian eyes stared you down, a passion forming within the two of you. His olive skin gleamed under the soft light of the Sun. As he moved, you saw the scars painted on his skin - slashes made by swords and vicious beasts shifted in variations of his peach skin.

The ends of his lips raised as his eyes raised up and down, taking you in slowly.

“Mine.”

He rushed to you, his hand finding its place around your throat. He gripped softly, but strong enough to keep your soldiers on alert.

“Stand back!” you said, urging them to move back.

“Oh? - So my mate actually does care for me, don’t they?” He said, his mouth reaching the base of your neck, “How sweet of you, my love.”

Mate?

“State your business here, werewolf.”

“Well, in the beginning, it was to help the people you’ve captured,” his hand travelled to your waist, pulling you in, “But I think my prey has changed.”

You tried to pry yourself off of him, but you knew, deep inside, you wanted to pull him closer. You wanted to throw the troubles you had, all the roles you were born to play, to cast away the men who viciously fought under your order - all of that, just for a male you have just gazed upon.

The pull, the connection - it was instant. It was present, unrivalled.

Its wants and needs rang so clearly in your head.

But you had a promise to Semi - to the country you loved.

“Let go of me, wolf.”

“You don’t mean that love,” he said as he placed his head in the crook of your neck, “You want me just as much as I want you.”

He placed his hand on your cheek and you instinctively melted into the soft touch of his.

“Look at that,” he whispered, “You have already felt it, too - you know you can’t look back.”

“I can’t just give it up,” you tear.

“Then change it. I’ll stand behind you - change your homeland to what it was; a beacon of hope and freedom,” he smiled as your eyes softened, “This connection has to be proof that you were meant to be the change Thelphs needs, Y/N.”

You stare at his black eyes - more specifically the brown flecks that danced within them. They sang of nothing but determination and want - he wanted you, but he knew you had a want to change your homeland. He knew it all - just by a few minutes of just glancing at you.

He kissed your cheek, warmth spreading by that small action.

Your thoughts ran clear, the blinds holding back your judgement drawn.

“No.”

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draconscious · 3 years

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@iruludavare sent: - 📕 + 76

[book drabbles – no longer accepting (as of now!)]

“The others seemed completely calm, oblivious to the insanity of their nighttime pursuits. Maybe they had been hunting the Parasites for so long that this was a normal night for them. Or maybe, and much more likely, they were all crazy.” - The Supernaturalist, by Eoin Colfer

[Dystopian AU incoming. Because I’m weak for dystopian AUs...this might be a novel.]

As the world continues to grow, we must grow alongside it! Introducing a limitless resource, a solution to the scarcity problem: Infinity Energy! Want to help build our future together? Donate today!

The tinny announcement rings from a nearby lamppost, echoing across the rain-slicked Magenta Plaza. Clair, the newest arrival to Neo Lumiose City in the Kalos region, winces under the cover of darkness. She already knows that the exact same declaration will repeat itself in a few minutes. Forever.

Everything is quiet--the futuristic metropolis’s strict curfew works wonders on the average citizen--and soft, white light washes over the cobblestones, courtesy of the gleaming Infinity Energy Building. The construction of the shining, towering structure seemed to take place overnight, Pokemon and workers bulldozing Lysandre Cafe--a hotly-contested historical site in its own right--to make room for the corporate behemoth.

This is the latest Infinity Energy power grab, using a tried-and-true takeover tactic. Back in Clair’s home region of Johto, the gigantic corporation quickly moved on the Goldenrod Radio Tower, crushing opposition with legalese and public marketing instead of brute force. Even as traditionalist Johtoans began embracing the potential of the corporation’s product, Clair remained weary. She studied the sordid history of Infinity Energy, and how people manipulated it to power weapons and entertain unfathomable destruction. While the Infinity Energy Corporation marketed prosperity, the Dragon Tamer found their actual motives (and takeovers) suspect.

When Blackthorn, proud Blackthorn, finally capitulated to Infinity Energy and agreed to let the corporation use their city’s precious lake, Clair flew to Neo Lumiose City, home of Infinity Energy’s central headquarters...and the heart of the problem.

It was there that she met the resistance.

Like Clair, the resistance--a small group of talented trainers--was critical of Infinity Energy’s promises and takeovers. In order to join the reclusive, back-alley organization, the dragon tamer had to prove herself by defeating the existing members, which she easily did...in a row. However, the resistance’s leader, a soft-spoken yet firm blonde, finally overwhelmed the rampaging Johtoan in a fantastical battle outside of city limits...one for the ages. Serena.

Clair learned much from Serena, who also recognized the harmful potential of Infinity Energy. The Kalosian also knew that the corporation’s headquarters were built upon the ruins of a long-deserted weapons lab, further clouding the entity’s ultimate goal. The resistance knew that they needed to stop whatever was conspiring within the shiny building...before it was too late. All over again.

Clair nods, slipping out of the shadowed alleyway with Serena close behind. The blonde moves with dancer-like precision and silence, her eyes locked on their targets: two Infinity Energy employees, assigned to keep watch in front of the building. The guards each sport portable Snagem Machines on their wrists, lending an added risk to any Pokemon offensive (lest their partners be kidnapped). However, once Clair and Serena make their moves, the unassuming henchmen have no chance.

Following their trainers’ silent commands, Dragonair and Daphne make themselves known in a flash. With her long tail, Dragonair skillfully constricts one of the guards, and Serena’s Delphox takes care of the counterpart, levitating the shaking loyalist of the ground. In just a few quiet moments, the job is complete: both guards lay unconscious, their expensive Snagem gear smashed across the walkway. With another nod towards Clair, Serena reaches down to pluck the ID card from one of the guard’s uniforms and takes a deep breath, anticipation flooding her veins. This is it. They’re finally going to uncover Infinity Energy’s true motives... Clair grinds her boot into the remains of the Snagem Machine for added emphasis.

As the world continues to grow, we must grow alongside it! As the world continues to grow, we must grow alongside it! As the world continues to grow, we must grow alongside it! As the world continues to grow, we must grow alongside it!

Behind the infiltrating pair, the speaker sounds once again: distorted, broken...and perhaps an omen of what’s to come.

#iruludavare #queued #long post #this...might be the longest thing i have ever written here LMAO #sorry for the wait but i had way too much fun writing in this setting!! i hope it reads okay and that you dig it :')#were throwing it back to the childhood books for this one!

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enbyleighlines · 4 years

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Wangxian Drabble: weekly laundromat!

Thanks for the prompt!! I hope you enjoy this, my anonymous friend~

—

Laundry day was a chore and a half. It happened every other Saturday, and included hauling three baskets full of clothing downtown to the closest laundromat. Wei Wuxian normally never took such a daunting undertaking alone.

Unfortunately, on one particularly cold winter day, Wei Wuxian is without his usual helper. Wen Ning is too far behind on several of his final projects for the semester, so he is currently in self-exile in one of the university’s art studios. Nanny Wen is still recovering from a twisted ankle. And Wen Qing, as always, is at the Qishan Medical Center.

That leaves Wei Wuxian with A-Yuan and two weeks worth of laundry to wash all by himself.

There’s on big problem, though. The bus doesn’t run on Sunday, and Wei Wuxian doesn’t own a car. His first published comic book isn’t exactly wracking in millions of dollars. (Yet, Wei Wuxian mentally adds, ever the optimist.) Usually, Wei Wuxian gets a ride from Wen Ning, Wen Qing, or Nanny. But, as previously mentioned, none of them were available.

Even Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli are too busy, which Wei Wuxian finds out after he phones each of them.

And that leaves only one person left for Wei Wuxian to turn to: Lan Wangji.

Nervously, Wei Wuxian opens up his chat history with the man. It’s sparse, because Lan Wangji isn’t big into texting. Most of his responses are some variation of “Hmm”, “Ok”, and “No”. He never minces words, that Lan Wangji.

Wei Wuxian presses the call button, expecting it to go to voicemail.

Unexpectedly, Lan Wangji picks up right after the first ring. His voice sounds a little less composed than normal when he says, “Wei Ying? What is it?”

Wei Wuxian belatedly realizes he’s never actually called Lan Wangji before.

Whoops...

Wei Wuxian laughs sheepishly. “Ah, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan. I... was hoping that you could do me a favor?”

“Oh?”

“Well, it’s laundry day...” Wei Wuxian is suddenly overcome with embarrassment. He is certain that the great Lan Wangji has never had to inconvenience himself by leaving the house to do laundry! But Wei Wuxian bravely presses on. “I need a ride to the laundromat,” he explains, “and no one else is free. I can pay for gas.”

“No need,” Lan Wangji quickly shuts the offer down.

Lan Wangji never takes money from Wei Wuxian. This is probably due to the fact that Wei Wuxian often complains about how he will never be able to pay off his student debt on an artist’s salary.

Lan Wangji is a good friend.

“When do you want to be picked up?” Lan Wangji asks.

“Uh, whenever you’re free,” Wei Wuxian answers. He didn’t expect Lan Wangji to agree so easily!

“I’m free now.”

“Now?” Wei Wuxian can’t believe his luck!

“Mm. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

—

Lan Wangji is a man of his word. In ten minutes, they are both loading the overflowing baskets into the trunk of Lan Wangji’s car. Wei Wuxian quickly installs A-Yuan’s spare booster seat, and then they’re off to the laundromat.

Wei Wuxian thanks Lan Wangji profusely when they arrive. He certainly doesn’t expect for Lan Wangji to get out of the car and help with the laundry, so Wei Wuxian is left speechless when Lan Wangji does.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian, holding a puffy coat wrapped A-Yuan on his hip, asks, “Are you... helping me with the laundry?”

Lan Wangji stops in the midst of feeding clothes into one of the machines. He glances over his shoulder, his brows furrowed. “Yes?” He answers tentatively.

It’s such a bizarre sight. Lan Wangji comes from an extraordinarily wealthy family, and it’s more than evident in his choice of clothing, his neatly styled hair, and his perfectly straight, white teeth. He couldn’t have looked less out of place in that dinky old laundromat!

Wei Wuxian feels himself smile. “You don’t have to,” he tells Lan Wangji, “but... if you want to stick around, I won’t stop you. I’d appreciate the company.”

A-Yuan decides for both of them, when he waves a hand excitedly and says, “Rich-gege! Don’t go!”

Lan Wangji’s gaze falls to the two-year-old. “I’ll stay,” he promises.

“Good,” Wei Wuxian says, “but at least let me load the washer. It’s my dirty underwear, after all.”

Lan Wangji jerks his hand out of the laundry basket as if he had been bitten.

Wei Wuxian laughs at Lan Wangji’s overreaction. So he CAN still fluster the noble and stoic Lan Wangji! Wei Wuxian had begun to fear he had lost his touch.

He saunters over and hands A-Yuan to Lan Wangji.

It’s immediately clear that Lan Wangji has not held a child before. He fumbles around, trying to mimic Wei Wuxian’s earlier pose of propping A-Yuan up on his hip. It takes a couple of tries before A-Yuan is no longer at risk of sliding down Lan Wangji’s leg.

Something prickles in the back of Wei Wuxian’s throat. He thinks it’s the beginning of a laugh, but he finds himself releasing a soft coo instead.

Lan Wangji’s ears flush pink at the sound.

After nine years of friendship, Wei Wuxian has finally begun to notice Lan Wangji’s subtle tells. He feels his heart warm at the realization.

Then, Wei Wuxian gets to work. At that point, he’s able to seamlessly slip back into his usual laundry day routine. He pretends to sort the colors for a minute or two, before just haphazardly tossing everything in indiscriminately. Every once in a while, though, Wei Wuxian catches himself glancing aside at Lan Wangji.

He has to admit, it’s an appealing sight.

Lan Wangji is seated at one of the few folding chairs that are always kicking around at the laundromat. A-Yuan is perched on his knees. He has already pulled a couple of his pocket-sized toys from his jacket, and is wordlessly showing them off in earnest. Lan Wangji is giving A-Yuan his undivided attention.

The entire scene is so domestic that Wei Wuxian wants to bury himself six feet in the ground. He can’t handle it. He isn’t strong enough.

Now, more than ever, Wei Wuxian is certain: He is in love with Lan Wangji.

The feelings, which he has been steadily ignoring for the better part of a year, no longer leave any room for doubt.

Damn Mo Xuanyu for first planting the idea in his head!

Wei Wuxian forces himself to focus on his task. He forces himself not to consider what it would be like, to raise a child (or two or more) with Lan Wangji at his side. He knows better than to torture himself with what-if scenarios. It’s best, he reasons, to just enjoy what he has already. He has a wonderful friend, who is willing to go out of his way to help him with mundane chores.

That, Wei Wuxian determines, is already good enough. Wishing for anything more would just be selfish.

(Still. Still...)

Wei Wuxian supposes there’s no harm in imagining Lan Wangji as a dad. He’s obviously going to be great at it. Lan Wangji’s future kids can play with Wei Wuxian’s future kids. A-Yuan can babysit all of them when he gets older. And Wei Wuxian will befriend the lucky woman who becomes Lan Wangji’s wife. He’ll teach her how to make Lan Wangji blush all the way to his ears, and how to avoid making Lan Wangji sad. It’ll be a mundane life, but Wei Wuxian will be happy. He’ll be happy... as long as Lan Wangji is happy.

#asks #anon #anonymous #mo dao zu shi #wangxian #mdzs modern au #drabbles #leigh’s writing

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thechildrenoflores · 6 years

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A Morning Jog | { Drabble }

[ DO NOT REBLOG ]

Sneakers pound against the dirt, the effort crunching up dead leaves that had already begun falling to the ground. April, Xander's therapist, had told him that exercise could help with how he's feelings and that the solicitude with nature for even just an hour a day could relax him and make him a little less likely to be such an asshole. Those weren't her exact words of course, but that was the way the alpha had perceived them. It was mostly working too. He did feel a bit more at ease. The jogging got him out of bed in the morning and by the time he returned for breakfast each day, he usually no longer had the desire to go back to bed. Sometimes he was more than tempted to just shift and go on his run as a wolf, only April had suggested he stick to a routine and run in human form. He wanted to tell her running on four legs was much easier than running on two, but he had kept it to himself.

The wind has a bit of a chill to it this morning, one that seeps through his jacket and makes him glad he's more tolerant to the cold than he used to be. Though tolerance still didn't mean he was completely unaffected by it. He figured as long as he kept running he would be okay. Yet this thought completely leaves him as he begins to slow until he came to a full stop in the middle of the familiar woods behind the pack home. What had brought him to a stop was the metallic smell in the air, one that smelled eerily of blood. He was deep enough in the woods that it was doubtfully anyone from the house. The werewolf had a sensitive sense of smell, but it wasn't sensitive enough for him to distinguish whether or not the blood was human or not. The only way to know for sure would be to investigate the source. Xander pulls out his phone, intending to call for back up in case it was something serious. Of course he's too deep in the woods and has no service. The male knows he can't risk changing in a wolf and stumbling upon a human. It was far better to stumble into any situation as a human and then change later if he needed to.

With a sigh the male pockets his phone and begins to stray from the trail, following the metallic scent in the air. The most likely case was that it was an animal carcass and in that scenario the best he could hope for is not getting into a fight with a bear. He can already hear Ara fussing over him for getting hurt because he just had to get off of the trail. The male smiles a little at this thought and wonders if Blue or Ara are making breakfast this morning. He's quick to shake the stray thought away, not wanting to happen upon a situation unprepared. There'd be plenty of time for breakfast later once he had eased his mind on this whole scenario. Once he saw that it was just a dead deer, he could return to his morning jog and then from there he could go back into their cozy basement apartment and kiss his mate good morning. There was really nothing to worry about.

The scent grows continuously stronger to the point that the smell is overwhelming and makes him want to gag. Whatever it was had lost a lot of blood. If it wasn't dead already then it would be soon. The alpha is trudging through thick clumps of brush and vines when he sees something. He comes to a cautious stop, squinting through the mess of untamed wilderness. His heart feels like it stops in his chest when he realizes what he's seeing isn't fur. It's bright blonde hair. He's not even thinking as instinct kicks in and he starts forcing his way through the brush, ignoring briars that slice at him and thorns that try to stick in his skin. He emerges into from the thick overgrowth and runs over to kneel next to a stranger that looks about his age, maybe a little younger. She's covered in blood and her eyes are closed. His hand shakes slightly as he reaches for her neck, trying to feel for a pulse. When he touches her, her eyes flutter open and then she does something that he most certainly wasn't expecting. She says his name.

“Xander?”

The alpha's face shifts into an expression filled with confusion, a deep sense of dread suddenly filling him. “How do you-”

Before he can finish asking her how she knows who he is, her eyes are widening a bit more. She suddenly seems more awake and she weakly grabs his arm. It's obvious she's having a hard time when she speaks again.

“You have to... run... trap.”

His head whips to the side as he hears a slight shift in the leaves to his left. As he focuses, he realizes he can hear breathing. Human breathing. Hunters, no doubt. He silently curses to himself. They'd used this poor girl to overwhelm his senses and blind him to an ambush. Hell, they'd probably hurt her themselves. He only has seconds to act and he can't just leave the girl behind. That was likely why they'd chosen a human as bait instead of an animal. Sick bastards were appealing to his humanity. He turns his head back to the girl, meeting her eyes. “Do me a favor and stay alive.” The alpha leaps up and shifts right there, not wasting a single second the moment he's completely shifted. He hears choked gasping from the injured girl and the wolf throws his head back and lets out a howl, one that was basically a distress call to his pack. He only hopes that someone hears it.

Blue hums a soft melody to herself as she retrieves several oranges from the refrigerator so that she can make fresh orange juice to accompany breakfast. It was strange how odd it felt now to think that once breakfast had been made for seven or more people to sit all together at the table and fight over the last piece of bacon. Now the pack house felt empty and most days only three plates were placed on the table when it was set. The woman quite missed Thea's bright smile and the way Trevor would always slink into the room with headphones in pretending that he was listening to music when really he was listening to the conversation and wishing to be apart of it. She missed Thorn's humorously timed snark and the way Max usually remained quiet but would always offer to help her wash the dishes and they would talk about the books they were reading. Most of all she missed the sense of direction that Xander once had when the pack house was full. Now he seemed to wander without purpose, lost in the darkness of his own mind. She wished there were more she could do for him, but for now the best she could offer was to stay right where she was needed.

The woman smiles slightly as pancake batter sizzles against a hot pan in the background. Ara was cooking breakfast this morning. If Xander's mate didn't insist on cooking so much, she'd almost feel bad for the girl. Werewolves had larger appetites than humans and usually burned through calories much quicker. At least she only had two wolves to cook for now. She supposed if anyone wanted to find a positive for most of the pack leaving, it was that bills were cheaper. Less groceries needed to be bought and meals didn't have to be so big. There was no longer a wait on using the washing machine... yet knowing any of these facts didn't lessen the sadness that bloomed in her chest from slowly losing everything they had worked so hard for. She could only imagine how Xander felt, finally having a real family only for everything to fall apart seemingly all at once.

Blue is juicing the last of the oranges when the call for the call for help reaches her. It's faint enough that if she didn't have sensitive hearing, she wouldn't have heard it. The sound sends a chill down her spine and suddenly everything is dropped and she's moving towards the door, adrenaline already beginning to kick in. “Ara, go get Maria!” The woman doesn't wait for a response before she's taking off towards the woods. She shifts so quickly that every nerve within her being feels like it's on fire, but she doesn't have time to think about it. Xander needed her and, pain or no pain, she refused to let him down. She's barely in the woods when she hears someone racing in her direction. She doesn't have to turn and look to know that it's the alpha's mother. Either Ara was extremely fast or Maria had hurt the SOS as well. They're trying to follow the wolf's scent, but there's a distinct metallic smell that grows stronger as they descend further into the woods. She silently prays that the blood isn't Xander's.

She can hear fighting up ahead. It sounds as if Xander is fighting several humans, though at this point she isn't quite sure how many and she honestly doesn't care. If they had brought any harm to him at all, she would make them bleed. Blue had no doubt that the woman following behind her was thinking the exact same thing. They tear through the thick vegetation and emerge in a very small open area. There are three hunters. Two men and one women and ganging up on Xander. And now there were three werewolves. The playing field was now even, but the female had never liked evened odds. She liked for things to be heavily in the packs favor, but since there were no more werewolves to spare they alone would have to be enough.

The hunters hadn't fired any bullets yet likely because they didn't want to alert the pack, but they definitely had guns and knives and who knew what else. The women also spotted the stranger laying in blood soaked earth but, as terrible as it may be, she wasn't their priority here. It could have been a difference case if there were more pack mates around but there weren't. It would be unfortunate for the girl to die that's assuming she wasn't already dead, but Xander was arguably more important than someone they had never even seen before. With no hesitation, Blue takes a running dive at one of the male hunters and knocks him to the ground. Her teeth are snapping at anything she can reach. It didn't matter if she bit him. Usually only alpha's could turn people and not just any unconcentrated bite would do the job. She hears Maria yelp somewhere behind her and it distracts her just enough for the hunter she'd thrown herself on top of to slice her front leg with a knife he'd had on his leg. She barks out a cry before sinking her teeth ruthlessly into his arm and pulling. Blue doesn't care if she breaks him. He deserves it.

It seemed like the fighting lasts forever, though it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. Blue was panting though she felt she was faring pretty well in comparison to how things could be playing out. The adrenaline was wearing her down and she was beginning to take more hits and make more mistakes. She hears Xander let out a furious growl and then the other male hunter screams. She knows better than to turn to check on him and his mother. She had made that mistake once already today and her leg was currently suffering for it. Even without distracting herself with her pack mates, she still gets the handle of the hunter's knife slammed against her head. The wolf tumbles to the ground, trying to blink away the blood spilling over her eye. She thought for sure that she was dead as the hunter stood and pulled his gun from his belt. The wolf refused to close her eyes and instead continued to try to fight to stand, staring to the hunter dead in the eye as he pointing the barrel at her. And then a shot echoed through the forest, the sound bringing a silence upon the scene that was only moments ago a battlefield.

Pippa was fairly certain that by the time she returned back home she was going to have to find a new pair of underwear. As if it hadn't been scary enough that Maria had run out the door yelling something about Xander, but the next thing she knew she was running through the woods after Sylvia and Ara faster than she even knew she was capable of running. She was practically heaving for air when they arrived to the scene. Before she could even grasp what was happening, a shot rang out through the woods and she stared wide eyed at Sylvia who stood next to her wielding a pistol that was now being lowered from it's position facing the sky towards the hunter holding a gun directed at who Pippa thought was Blue.

“Everyone lower your weapons, now.” She doesn't even have to say anything more for Xander and Maria to back away from the hunters they had been fighting with. Blue finally gets to her feet shakily and wobbles over to the other two wolves.

“Well if it isn't damsels in distress incorporated back for more.”

Pippa's gaze turns to the other male who had spoken and she suddenly feels like she's going to be sick as she realizes these were some of the hunters who had attacked them months ago. Who had tortured her little brother. Her grip on the bat in her hand tightens and suddenly she's more angry than afraid.

“Whatcha gonna do with that thing, girlie? Catch a few splinters?”

“I've been playing softball since I was five years old. I've got a pretty mean swing, asshole.”

It surprises her how calm Sylvia is when she speaks, “Don't talk to them, Pippa. They're trying to rile you up.” She motions her head at the hunters. “Put all of your weapons on the ground and kick them this way. Any funny business and this time I won't be shooting at clouds.”

The hunters warily start putting their weapons down, though they clearly aren't finished trying to get out of this. The woman is watching Sylvia carefully and almost grinning when she speaks, though Pippa notes she can't be too satisfied with herself considering how beat up she is from tangling with the alpha's mother. Go Maria! She was so taking her guardian out for a nice spa day or something in the near future or at least buying her a bumper sticker that says 'badass' with a skull or something.

“Sure you know how to use that gun?”

“Oh, I do. I learned my lesson last time you nasty bastards got the jump on me. Bell's on his way, Xan.”

Ah. So that was who she'd been practically yelling at over the phone on their way out the door.

“Now, you,” Sylvia motions the barrel of the gun towards the man Xander had been fighting, “take off your coat and toss it on the ground over there.” “Damsel and a perv.”

Sylvia rolls her eyes and it almost unnerves Pippa how different the woman seems from only half an hour ago when they'd been laughing in the kitchen as they toasted poptarts. “Just do what I said or I'll put a bullet in you and make one of your friends do it instead.”

The man finally complies, tossing his jacket where specified. Pippa isn't sure why until Maria steps forward and Blue stops her before stumbling her way over to the coat and grabbing it with her teeth, dragging it into the brush. When she reemerges, she's a human again, naked all but the oversized coat she has zipped up as she makes her way over to a stranger laying on the ground that the teen had failed to noticed until that moment. She looks pretty bad. There's blood all over her face produced from a cut on her forehead above her right brow. She also notices the blood running down the back of her left hand and wonders what kind of damage she's hiding beneath the borrowed coat.

That only makes her wonder how bad Maria or Xander might be injured. It was too hard to tell with her brother since his fur was pitch black, but her guardian was looking pretty bad in her current form. Still, she seemed to be fairing a bit better than Blue and Pippa realizes then that must have been why she had volunteered to check on the girl, so she could leave the two less injured wolves still at the defense. She watches as the woman carefully lowers herself next to the blood soaked blonde and wait in silence to see whether or not the battle that had been waged here had any casualties or if this story could possibly somehow have an happy ending after everything they'd been through with the group of hunters that had started all of this mess in the first place.

“Xander.”

The alpha doesn't miss how beat down Blue sounds when she says his name softly. The wolf circles round so he's standing near the woman but can still keep watch over the hunters out of the corner of his eye. He glances to her, waiting for her call.

“She's alive, but she's not going to make it if we wait for someone to come get her.” She has the girl's head in her lap, cradling her there as she begins to stir slightly. Likely trying to come to again. “It's your choice, Xander. No one will judge you for what you choose.”

Uneasiness washes over him as she realizes what she means. He can save this girl for a price, or he could do nothing and just let nature take it's course. It's the choice between a curse and life or freedom and death. And who was he to make that kind of decision for this girl? This was her life or her death. And maybe Xander of the past would have turned her without even thinking of the consequences, without acknowledging that this may not be the kind of life she wants. But he isn't that Xander anymore. He stares at her for a moment, feeling cold and hollow. Finally he motions at the girl with his head and after a few seconds, Blue gets the message.

“Hello? Sweetie, if you can hear me I need you to look at me, okay?” She pats the girl's cheek and after a few moments her eyes flutter open again. The girl gasps when she sees the dark, blue-eyed wolf staring down at her.

“Shh, it's alright. We're-”

“Y-You're... wolves....”

Blue gives her a soft smile and a slight nod. Xander was kind of glad she remembered him changing. He didn't know that there would be time to try and explain things for her. Time was something she was obviously running out of.

“We are. I need you to make a choice for me, okay? We can save you, but it's going to come at a cost.” The woman's words are slurred and the alpha begins to wonder just how badly his pack mate was hurt.

“Like...” The girl chokes and Blue tries to hide a grimace.

“Like us, yes. The decision is yours, sweetheart. Nod and my friend will do his best to save you. If that's not what you want... then shake your head and we'll stay right here with you, I promise.”

The blonde goes quiet and has a far away look on her face and for a long moment the male wonders if she even head Blue. And then slowly she nods her head. He can't help but feel a bit of doubt and wonder if she really knows what she's agreed to and it scares him. What if he turns this girl and ruins her entire life? He looks around, as if trying to find someone tell him what to do. No one is looking at him until he meets Pippa's scared gaze. She was masking it with anger, but he'd seen that same mask on his own face a hundred times before. She'd be shaking like a leaf for the rest of the day. His gaze passes over to his mate who is looking right at him. Ara. He says in his own head. Tell me what to do. The alpha knows she can't hear him, but he wishes she could. It's almost as if she understands though, like he can see it in her expression. He has to save her. He has to. And if it wasn't what she wanted then he would just have to deal with the consequences later.

He tunes back in to realize Blue had been trying to prepare the girl for the pain that was about to come. He can hear Sylvia bickering with the hunters as he concentrates, a bitter tasting bile feeling his mouth. Xander gives Blue a nod that she returns and she keeps talking to the girl. He walks around the girl so he can block Pippa's view before he sinks his teeth into the girl's shoulder and she lets out a weak but somehow still piercing scream. Poor girl looked as if she'd already been through so much pain today and she was about to go through more. He watches her writhe and remembers the feeling all too well. When he was ten, it had just hit him. It felt like he was burning from the inside out, like his insides were on fire. His mother had warned him it would happen, of course, but yet the warning had done nothing to prepare him for the amount of pain he'd felt. It only last for an hour or two at most, but at the time it had seemed to go on for years in that short span of time.

The girl's more fatal wounds start to heal almost immediately, but he knows the rest will be there for until the pain stops and then she'd likely be out for several hours while her body adjusted to the change. Then she'd be fine again until she neared her first full moon. Then she'd be in for a week long fever and during her first change... she would probably wish he had just let her die instead of putting her through more pain. He just watches her, watches Blue trying to soothe her, and he waits until Bellamy, Parker, Hana, and Micah arrive to arrest the bastards who had forced his hand in this before he goes over to his mother to check on her and see if she was okay.

Once his mother is obvious done with him worrying over her and she seems satisfied with her inventory of his own wounds, she leads the girls back to the house. He, however, stays with Blue. There was no way she could carry the girl by herself and Xander preferred not to go retreating out of the woods as naked as the day he was born. It's not too long before Pippa returns, shaking with nerves just as Xander had expected. She gives him some clothes and he gives her a lap on the arm as a thank you which makes her smile a bit. He returns once he's clothed and is surprised to see that Pippa is still there and the blonde's wailing seems to have died down a bit.

“Is she going to be okay?” His half-sister asks, a familiar look of worry displayed upon her features.

“Yeah, she will be.” He replies with a slight smile.

Xander wasn't sure how true his words would be. Physically she'd be fine. But mentally... who knew if she could cope with the trauma of whatever had happened to her on top of a learning to juggle a new lifestyle. He'd help her the best he could, he vowed that to himself now. If she didn't want to live with the pack, he'd find her somewhere. And if she struggled mentally to cope with everything, he'd pay for her to see April. If she suffered, it was partially his fault. It was only fair he do what he could to try and ease that suffering even if only by a little bit. He kneels down and picks up the blonde with a bit of difficulty. He was hurting a lot more now than he thought he was. He would just have to deal with it though. Pippa quickly moves to help Blue stand and Xander nods the his pack mate.

“Are you okay? You took a really hard hit to the head.”

Blue smiles, the same smile that has always served to ease him. Even now he feels a little less filled with dread.

“I'm fine. An ice pack and a gallon of Rocky Road and I'll be good as new.” She jokes, lightly nudging him with her elbow. “You?”

The alpha shrugs. “Well, think I more than made up for missing the rest of my jog.”

“Xander.” The male grins.

“Yeah, Blue, I'm okay.” He starts carrying the blond back towards the trail while Pippa helps Blue out.

“You okay, Pip?” The girl meets his gaze curiously.

“Yeah... why wouldn't I be?”

He gives her a knowing smile. “I'm really proud of you for standing your ground but not losing your temper. You did a great job.” The girl smiles at him and nods, not quite sure what to say. That's fine with him. He'd never really been all that great with words anyway.

Sylvia leans against the now closed door and lets out a sigh. Bellamy and Parker had only just now left. As much as she adored the both of them and appreciated their help, the last thing she wanted right now was for people to hover. She knew it was only because they cared and wanted to make sure she was okay, but she needed to wrap her head around all that had happened. She'd heard Xander bring the blonde from the woods into the house earlier and everyone seemed to be somewhere within the pack house rather than going back to Maria's place which was also built onto the property.

The woman chooses to seek her aunt out first and finds the woman in the kitchen, fixing up Blue's arm. She frowns when she sees the state her aunt is in, her face all bruised from apparently one of those hunter jackasses using a rock as their preferred weapon of choice. “Auntie Maria...” She says, her frown deepening as she carefully brushes some of the woman's hair out of her face.

“Don't you worry about me, sweetie. I've gotten in quite a few scraps in my life. I'll be okay in a few days.” She presses a kiss to Sylvia's head and the younger woman nods, though her frown perseveres. “Why don't you go check on your cousin? He's upstairs with the new girl. Oh, and would you sent Ara and Pippa down for a minute? I want to check on both of them.”

Sylvia holds back a sigh and just nods, wishing that her aunt would remember to take care of herself too.

The woman heads up the stairs and finds them in one of the guest rooms. She relays Maria's message to the girls and then sits down next to Xander once they've gone. He looks pretty banged up himself. She somehow just notices a big gash on his cheek that had already seemed to stop bleeding. However, he'd failed to clean the drying blood from his skin. She's never sure just what to say in these situations with Xander. Until a few years ago, it had been a very long time since she'd so much as seen her cousin. They had missed so many years in each other's lives and for Xander so much had happened in that time. So she's content to sit in silence for a few moments because sometimes you don't need to fill empty space with words. Sometimes silence was the answer.

After what seems like a long time, Xander finally moves slightly and chooses that time to speak to the woman sitting next to him.

“Are you going to ask me if I'm okay too?”

Sylvia smiles slightly and shakes her head gently.

“Nope. Maria wanted me to, but I have the feeling it would do about as much good as it did when we were little.”

Xander raises an eyebrow, obviously intrigued by what she had said.

“What do you mean?”

“You probably don't remember. Me and my parents used to meet you and your mom at the park-”

“-every Saturday.” He finishes which makes his cousin's smile widen slightly.

“Mhm. We'd all eat lunch and our parents would let us play on the playground for a few hours. One day our parents were chatting about who knows what and you and I were playing tag and you tripped and fell and scraped your knee. So I asked you if you were okay and you said you were fine. It was pretty obvious you weren't. You were getting the sad puppy eyes and starting to sniffle.” Her grin widens and now he's grinning too, rolling his eyes. “And I knew if you started crying then your mom would probably take you home early. So I asked you again and you stomped your foot and said if I asked you again then you were never talking to me ever again not even if your mommy says you have to.”

Xander laughs quietly and shakes his head. “And what did you have to say to that?”

Sylvia laughs and shrugs. “I told you that if you wouldn't talk to me, then I'd never sneak you cookies again when you came over to my house.”

“And then what happened?”

“You just kind of went quiet like you were thinking it over and then you nodded and asked me to push you on the swing.”

The male smiles again slightly, but doesn't say anything more on the subject. Instead, he turns the conversation to the events of the day.

“You were pretty badass out there.”

“Someone was trying to hurt my little cousin.”

“I didn't know you had that in you. It was... kind of scary.”

The woman grins and stands, leaning over his chair to press a kiss to his cheek.

“It's a Killion women thing, Xan. Deep down we're all pretty kickass.”

“So I'm learning.”

Sylvia starts heading for the door. “I'm going to go downstairs and see what mother hen is clucking about. She called a meeting in the hen house and I wasn't invited.” She jokes. “Clean up that cheek or I'll send your mother up here.” He playfully groans and she winks before leaving the room and heading back towards the kitchen. Maybe she could sneak a cookie or two while she was there...

It was several hours later when the blonde girl Xander had saved in the woods began to stir. He and Blue are the only ones in the room when she opens her eyes again. She wasn't really sure where she was, but things hurt a lot less than... wait. Suddenly blue eyes are leaning over again, but this time they aren't those of the wolf's, but of his human form. It all comes flooding back to her dizzyingly quick. Like a flash right up to the moment the wolf had sank his teeth into her shoulder.

“It was all real...” She mumbles under her breath, almost in disbelief. But she'd seen him turn into a wolf right in front of her eyes. She couldn't have imagined all that, especially given that she no longer felt like her torso had been mauled by a bear.

The woman she remembers hovering over her smiles at her and nods. “I'm afraid so. But you're safe now. The people who we're assuming hurt you aren't going to be a problem for you anymore. That's a promise.” Before she can even think to respond, the male finally speaks up. “How are you feeling? Is your shoulder bothering you? I tried to be as careful as I could...”

The girl shakes her head quickly. “Wait. So you are... I'm a....”

“Werewolf.” The male, Xander, finishes warily.

“Wicked.” Her reply seems to surprise her newfound caretakers and they both exchange a look.

“Well, Um...” The male starts suddenly before furrowing his brows as if he had forgotten something. “I don't think we got your name.”

“Kennedy.” She replies, seeing no reason not to tell them her name. After all, they had saved her life.

“Well... Kennedy, if you're feeling up for it” Blue says softly, looking back down at the girl, “we were wondering if you remembered how you ended up in the woods?”

Kennedy closes her eyes for a moment, trying to think and recall exactly what had happened. “I was walking back to my dorm after work and a man came up behind me and grabbed me. And he jabbed something into my neck...” She reaches up to her neck, as if to check for any proof that it had really happened. “When I woke up, I was this like... warehouse or something. And I was tied up to a beam or something and had tape over my mouth. I heard some people talking and I thought that maybe if I played like I was still knocked out that I could get a chance to get free, you know? But while I was trying to wait for them to leave the room, they kept talking about all this crazy stuff like werewolves and something called a skinwalker.” At this, the woman and Xander exchange another look but remain silent. The girl takes this as permission to keep going. “And they kept saying a bunch of names over and over again.”

“What were the names?” The male asks, sitting back down in the chair beside the bed.

“Max was one.. umm...” She squeezes her eyes shut, trying to remember. “There was another one... kind of weird...”

“Thorn?” The woman beside her offers and the blonde reopens her eyes and nods quickly.

“Yeah, Thorn. And then they kept talking about Xander. They were talking about setting a trap for him and that they were going to get payback for something.” Kennedy swallows. “Then they waited for me to 'wake up' and they said something about... my death being for a good cause and...” She tearing up and she doesn't even realize it until the other female in the room gently squeezes her hand. “Then they took you into the woods and hurt you.” Xander assumes.

She nods silently.

“I'm sorry that happened to you.” She doesn't know why, but it sort of surprises her that the male is the one to say it. “And I'm sorry how things ended up and if this isn't what you wanted then... we'll figure something out. You saved my life, Kennedy. I had to return the favor.”

“Are you kidding me?” She says suddenly, sitting up with a seemingly newfound energy. “I'm a freaking werewolf? Do you know how awesome it is that you really exist? I thought this kind of crap only happens in cheesy teen movies! This is hella cool!”

“Erm... Kennedy?” The woman interjects gently. “Do you have anyone you need to call or anything?”

Man... were they trying to get rid of her already? Wouldn't be the first time and likely wouldn't be the last either. She tries to push away the frown as she shakes her head.

“No, not really. I don't have a roommate... I haven't heard from my aunt since she left for some out there country you never hear about... so no, not really. I mean... I can call my boss or something if you guys want someone to come pick me up or something?”

Xander frowns and leans forward slightly in his seat.

“That wasn't what Blue meant. She was just wondering if there was anyone who was going to be upset you went missing. We don't really like the police knocking on our door unless we know them. Too dangerous.”

The blonde slowly nods, not really sure she understands.

“But, if you need or want a place to stay, we're you're pack now and this is as much of your home as it is any other members of the pack.” Xander offers while 'Blue' seems to go silent while the male talks.

“There are more of you?”

“Yeah. They just aren't... around at the moment. Even if you don't want to live here, it's best that you come turn with us on full moons and I think you should stay a few weeks at least so you can get a good grasp of everything that's going on here.”

“But I can live here if I want?”

Xander shrugs. “Sure. Pick a room and as long as it isn't taken, it's your's. Of course there are a few rules-”

“You guys are seriously the coolest. Hey, do you have anything to eat? I'm starved.”

“Do you really thing she's going to stay?” Maria asks as she takes a sip of her coffee. It had been three weeks since the incident in the woods and things were definitely different with Kennedy around. She wasn't sure anyone had really decided if different was a good or bad thing. She was extremely extroverted and curious and excitable. In some ways it was refreshing but in others it was kind of overwhelming. She had the feeling that was especially true for her son who generally didn't have a lot of patience in the first place.

The boy shrugs in response, taking a bite of his sandwich. They were over at her house today to try and get a moment of peace and quiet from all the chaos happening over at the pack house. The alpha finishes chewing the food in his mouth before he finally replies.

“It seems like she will.”

“Do you want her to? Or do you just feel obligated to let her live there?”

Xander sighs and shakes his head. “No, I do want her there. It's just she's...”

“Getting on your nerves?” Maria guess, raising a brow as she takes another sip of her coffee.

Her eldest son cracks a smile and shakes his head. “I mean, yeah a little, but she's... hiding something.”

“You don't think she was telling the truth about what happened to her?”

“No, I think she was telling the truth about that. It's just kind of weird that she won't talk about her aunt, you know? That's not even what's really bothering me. The way she's acting... I mean I never knew her before the other day but it seems like she's overcompensating. Trying to fit in. Or maybe hiding how much what happened really affected her. Maybe both.”

“You can't force her to talk, Xander.”

“Not to me, no. But I told her a couple of days ago that if she did want to stay with us, she had to go see April and start setting up appointments with her. No one can go through something like that unfazed, especially someone who was presumably normal before now.”

Maria knew he was at least right about that. She knew a thing or two about dealing with people who used other emotions to compensate for the darkness they were really feeling. Turns out the people in this family were prone to do things like that, herself included. But she was certainly proud of Xander especially for the way that he had been handling things lately and she'd told him so multiple times. She hated the circumstances that brought it about, but Xander had grown up so much in the past year. Now if only the rest of the pack could grow up.

“Has your friend Sam found anything interesting about her?”

Xander is chewing another bite of food when he shakes his head in response. A few seconds later he replies, “Nothing other than what Kennedy already told us. So far everything about her story checks out.”

The woman nods thoughtfully, setting her coffee mug on the table and pondering for a moment. “Well maybe she is telling the truth then, Xander. I know it's hard to believe after all this family has been through, after all you've been through, but not everyone has deep dark secrets to hide. Sometimes people are just... different. I agree she's likely suppressing her trauma, but it's entirely possible that her secrets don't extend past that. And if they do? She'll tell us in her own time or something will eventually slip up. I know it's hard, dear, but you can't spend your whole life thinking that the world and everyone in it are out to get you.” She reaches across the table, setting one of her hands on top of his. “I've been there honey, and I can promise you, it makes you incredibly miserable and then before you know it, you'll be a wrinkly old prune and will have wasted so much time trying to fight demons that don't even exist.”

“I know, mom.” Xander replies softly, giving her a small smile. “And you're not a wrinkly old prune.”

Her son stands, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek before he grabs his plate and sets it on the counter.

“Where are you going?” She asks, quirking a brow at him as he stretches.

“You know... I think I'm going to go for a jog.”

#;;drabble #d;xander #d;blue #d;pippa #d;maria #d;sylvia #d;kennedy #amongstmortals #babyitsmagic #this drabble features Leah's muse Ara and Fate's muses Bellamy and Parker. I had their permission to include their characters #tw: violence #violence tw #gore tw #tw: gore #blood tw #tw: blood #;;do not reblog

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miscelunaaa · 2 years

Text

spin cycle 2 | jjk

pairing: jungkook x female reader

genre: drabble series, slow burn, idiots to lovers, fluff, lil bit of angst, eventual smut

summary: This random guy has started doing laundry at your favorite laundromat each week (at the same time as you, no less!) and to be honest, it’s going to be a problem. You’re just not sure how yet.

rating: 18+ for eventual smut

word count: 488

warnings: Reader is still a mess and no one is surprised, though she’s also had a long week so she’s kind of fucking done. Swearing. Metaphors about office coffee pots. Sleepy Jungkook smiles. We still haven’t talked to him yet tho so that’s weird. And reader is beginning to feel weird about it all.

notes: We’re back again with another drabble! I’m deeply humbled by the amount of love that the first one got???? Like, holy shit, I legitimately wasn’t pleased with it at all and posted it on a whim only after my husband read the first few and thought they were good. (Note: my husband, husbeard, is my editor and beta-reader. He reads everything I write before I post, even the thirsty shit! What a champ.) I now have a general idea of how I want the story to go, so strap in, it’s looking weird. Thank you so much for your support and thank you for reading!!

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So fine, this stranger is now invading your extremely late night laundry time, and you’ve yet to elucidate why. At least he has the audacity to look that handsome in his gray sweats and a hoodie, whereas you’re sure you yourself look like the coffee in the bottom of the communal office pot; lukewarm and watery and tired.

This week has been heinous. Your computer keeps crashing and you’re terrified of loosing your work. The late fall weather has been all over the place and as a result, you’ve had a throbbing headache on and off for the past week. Your roommate has a new friend with benefits, which, fine, but also it’s been extremely disruptive to your sleep schedule. On top of all that, your parents are already bugging you about the holidays. Halloween hasn’t even happened yet!

You’re setting up your computer and plugging the flighty bastard in when in walks your laundry friend, his black hood pulled up, looking tired and yet still handsome. A little rumpled, maybe, as if he’s just woken up, but he manages to find a little smile to give you from across the way.

Your heart stops.

He’s never acknowledged your presence before. The two of you have, up until this point, elected to pretend the other doesn’t exist. At least, when you’re facing each other. When he turns around, all bets are off.

The little smile he gives you is blinding. If you’re the gross, tepid remains in the office coffee pot, he’s the person turning the burner on beneath you, letting you come up to temp gently to preserve whatever flavor (or in this case, sanity) is left. Just enough attention to make sure you both get by. How long has it been since someone last smiled at you unprompted, let alone a young and attractive man?

No.

You don’t have time for this.

Catching feelings is the last thing you need. Conceal, don’t feel. Show nothing, give nothing.

Fuck.

You smiled back.

Fuck. You dumbass! Why are you like this? Where’s your usual stone cold facade? The sleep deprivation must be beginning to get to you.

Thank god he doesn’t come over and try to chat. You watch from the corner of your eye as he begins to unload his wheeled plastic hamper, placing all of the contents in one washer before adding detergent and feeding it quarters. Once that’s started, he walks to his usual table, one on the other side of the laundromat, and pulls a tablet and a stylus from his bag before starting to work on something. He’s too far away for you to see what.

You turn back to your computer, and continue where you left off.

Thank god he only seems to be interested in being civil, giving you nothing but a greeting and then ignoring you to work one something in peace.

The feeling is mutual, you lie to yourself.

Thank you for reading! Find me in various places at my carrd :)

posted: 12.27.2021. (updated: 4.2.2022. front matter clean up.)