she is the color of winter

Hirai Momo | 23 | Familiar { I belong with the Mother, and she belongs with me. }

[13xmomo-blog]

13jvn‌:

perhaps the mood is just infectious. the night has its own charm, and junho, especially as a snake, is in his element under the moon and the stars. this is the time to hunt, and to give thanks to the moon for giving him light enough to find solace in dark winters and light enough to find life to consume for his own. momo might not know the comforts of living as an animal without care, unguided by these pesky limbs and the need to maintain the entirety of a body bigger than life needs to be. momo must have it easy, he thinks, and he doesn’t mind at all when she bares her teeth at him or swats his back with her tail. none of these things bother him as much as her life of comfort does.

but envy isn’t the only reason why he’s stuck with her for so long and envy sure isn’t why he’s concerned about her apparent resistance to the energy of the night. there must be something else that’s bothering her, something that’s so incorrigible and unbearable about the festivities that even she won’t join in. “hey, i know you’re, like, this big, nerdy loser, but there’s no need for that attitude, thank you,” he tells her with only a teasing tone. he puts the bottle on the sand beside him, between the both of them, and sighs as he digs his toes into the sand. 

this leaves his hand free to pet her head, and it’s as comforting as it is worrying. her fur is soft, and her body warm against his. he can’t help but sink his fingers into the soft white at the top of her head, right between her ears, and scratch and massage her scalp as best he knows how. he’s never had a dog before, but it doesn’t take a genius to know how to pet one – or something close to one, anyway. (the local dog in the coven, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.) he follows her gaze, and back again: “if you keep staring at something you don’t let yourself have, it’s just going to make you more miserable.” he speaks from experience, and drinks from his own drink first before continuing. “if the opportunity’s there, why not go for it? i mean…” he huffs a bit, and drinks some more. “just join the party if you want to, s’what i’m saying.” 

Momo glanced at him, giving him a side eye that would confuse a normal how a fox could give such an irritated expression, and looked away. Feeling his fingers in her fur, between her ears, the fox offered a soft pur, her eyes closing at the gesture that gave her a sense of love and comfort. She failed to notice that he actually knew she was looking at Kana, and that both terrified her at the same time made her realize that despite their constant arguments and usual scathing remarks, Momo knew that Junho truly cared about her. 

Unable to resist being quiet in front of her closest, yet most loved, annoying, friend, she lifted her head from his lap and with a blink -- a small flash of blue and white -- she became a human once more, effortless and graceful, unlike all those years ago that she always ended up against the asphalt. Unlike Junho when he transformed, Momo was clothed, clad in a pair of white shorts and a simple black halter top, her senses adjusting slowly, as they were not as sharp as how it was a few seconds prior.

The moment she had her fingers and hands back, she smacked him on the shoulder with considerable force and took the beer he offered her. “That was for the big nerdy loser comment,” she muttered, taking a swig of her still cool drink. “Aren’t you supposed to be with Alice?” She finally voiced out, still watching the woman who had made her heartache like so, “Join the party, sure.” 

[13xmomo-blog]

the aftermath.

[13xmomo-blog]

13xseulgi‌:

She can’t remember the last time she drank this much. She can’t remember the last time she drank at all, or went out to socialise with anyone before today, but here she is now, celebrating the magic of the moon with the other members of the coven. At some point in the night, someone had passed her a drink. One thing lead to another and now she’s a little too warm, a little too relaxed and her reactions are a little too far out of her grasp for her liking. Sitting herself down closer to the water, where the sand is cooler and the noise is behind her, Seulgi draws her knees up to her chest to rest her forehead on them and inhales deeply, focusing on the gentle sound of the waves crashing onto shore. Her head felt like it was slowly being stuffed with cotton and the world seemed to spin behind her eyelids and this is why she usually stayed away from the alcohol. Maybe this is also why Momo liked to call her a party pooper? Turning her head so that her cheek is resting atop of her knees, she notices someone a little away from her current position, lying in the sand, almost glowing in the moonlight. Squinting, she sighs, pushing herself up to drag her feet over, leaving a trail behind her. “You’re not sleeping, are you?” Seulgi asks Momo, maybe a little too loud. She can’t tell, her ears feel blocked and her body feels heavy. Crashing down onto the sand beside her, she blinks slowly. “I hate the beach,” she mumbles, drawing her knees to her chest again. “There’s sand everywhere.”

There was a voice over her head, her ears ringing with a low thrum, similar to the vibrations she heard when she was submerged in cool water. “Hm?” She asked no one in particular before her right mind told her that Seulgi was beside her -- there was no mistaking that voice. It was a little louder than usual, which was perhaps the reason why Momo regained some composure. “Do you? That’s what beaches do,” she mumbled, almost incoherently. 

“Are you drunk?” Momo asked, finally opening her eyes to see the woman she had stayed with for so long. She was better now, now that she had found a witch to bond with, and Momo had never felt so relieved to see her slowly getting better. Seulgi was recovered enough to drink and party, it seemed. She reached out, touching the other’s wrist, a habit of hers in either of her forms, and dropped her arm heavily onto the sand. She was sluggish and tired. “I’m not sleeping, I’m wide awake.” Momo looked at Mother Moon once again, thankful for Seulgi. “Where have you been? I missed you,” Momo slurred, pulling at the back of Seulgi’s shirt in an attempt to pull her down the sand with her.

[13xmomo-blog]

the third time.

[13xmomo-blog]

13jvn‌:

oh, right – he almost forgot some people can still be shocked at the sight of that. it’s only been a while since he’s returned to a proper home, and some habits are hard to break. in the streets no one bats an eye when he walks around with half the clothes he ‘fell asleep’ in, because in the streets people are bound to steal them when they’re just lying on the ground with no wearer in sight. he’d gotten better at hiding them away, of course, and would return to them when he turned back into a form more acceptable, but sometimes it can be easier to remain a snake and follow those instincts; sometimes, like these, it’s more difficult to be human and deal with human embarrassment. to be fair, it settles for a second before he pushes it away, and he scrambles to his feet, seemingly proud in his shamelessness, except he’s more annoyed than he is proud.

“i didn’t want to be stepped on either! no one asked you to do that, but you did it anyway!” and he was just defending himself, too, which is why he bit her in the first place. she’s probably overreacting. surely it wasn’t that strong. he hardly even swallowed her entire foot – now that’s something to complain about. but a simple bite? she’d be fine. he, on the other hand, is more concerned now about a fungal infection in his mouth. god – he’s survived plenty, but now he has to spit a few times just to make sure, and in between, incredulous: “i could’ve – died! i didn’t know kana took people in just to let them be stepped on and –and potentially killed by…by people with big feet like you! god, what is wrong with your feet?!” 

“I already told you, I didn’t mean it!” Momo exclaimed, uncertain as to why she was still covering her eyes when she was not facing him anymore. “You were just... there,” she lamely added, before scoffing at the retort. “You’re... that’s ridiculous,” she concluded, “Died? You’re being overdramatic!” She scanned the area for her slipper, and found it through her peripheral vision and putting it back on, naturally avoiding his nude form. 

“Where are your clothes?” just because she couldn’t help her curiosity. When she transformed as a changeling, she was fully clothed -- she supposed she was fairly new to the ‘witch world’ as she called it sometimes -- magic was unique to each one of them. “At least be decent, you don’t own this house,” she muttered, snapping a slightly large leaf from a nearby plant and handing it to him to cover his person. 

[13xmomo-blog]

it’s my world.

[13xmomo-blog]

13xseulgi‌:

The ends of Seulgi’s lips almost tug up into a small smile when she hears the annoyance in Momo’s voice, because she’s often not the one annoying her house mate. “No need to get your panties in a twist, we’ll take turns,” she says, cleaning up after herself. “I’ll be nice and make food you’ll actually eat.” Not that she would dream of making food that neither of them would eat, for there was no wasting food in Seulgi’s books.

She makes a face at Momo’s mention of getting a boyfriend, thankful the younger had passed her a pair of jeans. “You’re just saying that to get me to move out faster, aren’t you? Are you sure you’re not the one who needs one?” she replies, pulling back into her room. Tucking the front of the shirt into the jeans and quickly doing her makeup (which only consisted of eyeliner and the one lip colour she had), she pulls on her socks and hopes Momo hasn’t touched her shoes too. At least they were the same size if she did, but she really hopes she didn’t. Shoes weren’t cheap these days.

And also, boys? Eh. Unless one of them could help her get rid of the curse, she wasn’t interested. For now.

“I’m ready,” she declares, tying her hair up into a ponytail. She’d go jogging after this, she decided. She hadn’t trained in a few days and her body was itching to get back to it. The only thing she needed now was a sparring partner. “The faster we get this over with, the faster you can get back to playing your games.”

Momo paused. “Were you actually nice to me?” She gasped, her theatrics shooting off the roof. Naturally, Seulgi was nice to her. Sort of. “What kind of food?” She mused, almost wriggling excitedly. “It’s meat, isn’t it?” Her face scrunched slightly in mild disgust at the thought of Seulgi moving away. That would be too sad. “You won’t leave me,” she declared, “You love me too much.” At the jab at her current relationship status -- which is close to nothing -- she argued, “I am fine by myself, thank you,” with a hmph. 

It was a mild surprise to see Seulgi even in light makeup. She really did look pretty. “That’s nice,” Momo complimented, nodding over at her simple eyeliner, “Just leave out the ponytail for once.” Again, her lack of concept about personal space resurfaced, and Momo all but pulled Seulgi’s ponytail out of her hair and watched her ebony locks fall gracefully onto her shoulders. “Nice. Awesome,” Momo nodded, pocketing the hairtie as she led her roommate to the mall.

It wasn’t a long walk; in fact, Momo liked living close to the city spots. It was just what she was used to in Tokyo, where everything was accessible and easy to find, in general. The busy streets were full of bustling crowds, also out to do their own shopping, and Momo was grateful for the cool airconditioning that greeted her face once they got into the mall entrance. The ladies area, Momo noted, was on the third floor, unlike the men’s section that opened the department store. This made her think that establishments like these market their items as such since women usually were the ones scrounging every aisle and corner of the shopping mall.

She opted for more affordable choices for Seulgi (since she herself was also on a budget), and Momo knew by heart that her friend would not even bat an eyelash at a single high-end shirt. At the ladies’ section, were the shirts were more simple than flashy, were labeled generically. Some unknown brands Momo only saw once or twice greeted them, but she knew that to Seulgi, they were all that -- just shirts. “How about this one?” She began, knowing that when she started speaking, more arguments will fill the air. Momo pulled the article of clothing from its rank, presenting Seulgi a pastel yellow sweatshirt. “It’s almost winter, too.”

[13xmomo-blog]

the aftermath.

[13xmomo-blog]

13yoohyeon‌:

When Yoohyeon opens her eyes again, she is still on the beach, the sand still sand, dragging her down under but never too deep. The fire is further away, still burning, and the moon is still bright. She likes the moon tonight, if only because she can pretend it is something more than a moon, more than another rigid boring rule. (If you jump, you fall but never fly, if you touch the fire you burn but never emerge a phoenix, when you walk into the ocean you only drown but never grown fins.)

Maybe she came here because she feels the feverish pull of dream lurking, of a world that is hers, that is fascinating, but now she has opened her eyes she needs little portals, she needs people to sleep and guide her, their eyes closing as the door opens. She spots the girl in the sand, dancing closer – she might as well, she is bored with walking, a tedious, irritating routine. She stops and kneels down, peering over the girl, eyes closed, letting her silver hair obscure her face like a curtain, tilting her head to study her.

She kept quiet, not wanting to pull her out of the sweet embrace of near-dream, just wanting to be there, wanting to see what she’d dream about.

A place more interesting than this, no doubt

Momo felt like she heard something drop beside her with a soft thump. She wasn’t on her bed just yet to feel it dip when there’s another person climbing onto it; the cool breeze was making the hairs on her arms stand on end, and the salty aroma accompanied it. She was still on the beach, she thought vaguely, as Momo drifted off to sleep.

It was always a magical blur as to how she ended up dreaming. Most of the time, Momo felt like she was jumping into a portal going to another realm; unpredictable sights and actions and people that she will soon forget the moment she opened her eyes. She wasn’t really good at memorizing details, being careless as she was, even more so when she wakes up from a long sleep. Sometimes Momo felt like every dream was a secret wish, especially when she dreamt about how she wanted her childhood to be. Thankfully, her memories from the night before in her dreaming state were easily forgotten, not giving them any chance to hurt her any longer, seeing that her wishes would never come true.

Somehow, Momo felt like an outsider to her own realm. Her footsteps echoed on empty halls; she was in her childhood home, just as she remembered it. Odd. It seemed like she was a child again, since her viewpoint was a little closer to the ground than she had last remembered. “Mama?” She asked the empty space, her small voice bouncing against the finely painted walls and heartless decor. “Is anyone home?”

[13xmomo-blog]

the third time.

[13xmomo-blog]

13jvn‌:

he knew she was yelling something. cursing. couldn’t figure out what it was, though, and he wasn’t sure that he cared either way. it tasted like fur. and feet. god, the taste was horrible. she really wasn’t meant to be eaten after all if this was what the rest of her tasted like, and prey almost always tasted like…prey, of course, and would always fit in his mouth, with as big as he could get it. then came the slipper – again! – and, agitated, he curled around her foot tighter, tail rattling in frustration as he finally let go of her foot and this form. 

in a blink he was naked  under the moon, hugging her leg, and he let go just as quickly, scrambling back on the ground without an ounce of shame for his current appearance. by now he was used to it; there were usually clothes laying about, but he had gotten out of them in his room and that was a walk away from the garden. (some habits are harder to break than others.) still, he glares up at her as he chokes and spits at the offensive taste lingering on his tongue, and the back of his mouth. not to mention that sharp pain that carries over his leg – “ew! ugh! have you ever considered using, like, foot powder or something? disgusting!”

Relief came in the form of her foot finally regaining its circulation, however, his naked form and him clinging onto her leg for a split second had Momo’s eyes bugging out of their sockets. With another scream, she threw him with a slipper, spluttering, “Ew! What, what the--” Momo covered her eyes. She had never seen him change forms before today, and it was a good thing it was dark. Suddenly, the pain was nothing compared to the level of embarrassment she was feeling. “Gods, why?! I don’t want to see that!” 

Her foot, thankfully, had resumed healing; it always got worse when the healing was interrupted. She gasped dramatically at the jab against her poor ankle. “Nobody said you should sink your stupid fangs in for that long!” Momo defended herself, unsure of how to react to the comment. She had never tasted foot. Nor did she ever dream to do so. She realized she was still covering her eyes, and promptly turned away from him at the hopes of him at least being decent in front of her. Did he not have clothes when he transforms? Momo always had clothes. She wouldn’t want to be naked in front of anyone, oh, she can’t even stand the thought. 

“Look, I’m sorry I stepped on you! Did you need to bite that hard?! Snek boi,” she muttered the last bit under her breath. Deftly, Momo was reminded of that stupid meme she saw a few years back. No step on snek, indeed.

[13xmomo-blog]

the aftermath.

OPEN.

Lights danced behind her closed eyelids. Momo was dizzy, and for the first time in a very long time, she was utterly, stupidly, intoxicated. Having consumed too many drinks was not her forte, it never was -- nights spent at the local club was for dancing and not letting alcohol slip down her throat. The act of dancing was addicting and exhilarating enough.

But she digressed. 

It was too much fun, she’d gathered eventually, lying face up (thankfully) against the cold sand, trying not to shiver only in her beach shorts and a thin shirt, skin flushed with glee, and her body’s natural reaction to having had too much to drink. It was a relief from the somber mood that she had when the evening had started. She felt a lot better, slightly numbed by the fact that her heart was kind of broken, or whatever these writers called it. Momo wasn’t sure if that was how it felt like.

Late into the night, the festivities had not faded, though as of this moment, a lot of things were a bit vague to Momo. She must have more endurance than this, she inwardly thought -- or was she speaking aloud? Momo wasn’t sure anymore. The stars, along with mother moon, were spinning; she must close her eyes. Her ears, she was convinced, had stopped working properly. It was akin to being underwater, feeling, but not really seeing or hearing. 

[13xmomo-blog]

13jvn‌:

unwanted drinks and feelings (momo&junho).

he comes in with alice and in high spirits. tonight’s excitement isn’t lost on him, and by all gods he knows the moon has seen him through the worst of times and the best of them, recently, and it’s only fair to thank Her for all this magic, even if the magic itself is probably inexplicable anywhere else. but they aren’t anyone else, and all this energy in their air is intoxicating even before he opens the first beer bottle from the cooler he brings with them. it’s a long, tedious process of bringing out a basket full of snacks (for him) and some fold-out chairs, but at least he’s looking forward to sharing some of this bounty with other people he actually gets along with. however, a quick look around is telling enough, and he looks further, further, and spots the familiar ball of fur in the sand, further from the fire and the warmth and the fun. 

without a second thought, he heads on over, two beer bottles in hand, still unopened. it must be silly now to just make himself comfortable in the sand even though he brought those fold-out chairs with him, but it’s not like momo can sit beside him on a chair in that form.

“hey, loser,” he greets, holding out the bottle, cold and condensed in his hand, and presses it against her fur, against her neck, and takes it away after a second. “why are you so broody out here, furfoot?” junho prods again, lighthearted with the night. looking over at alice softens the edges of his grin until he returns to the companion who didn’t ask for his presence there at all. “do i have to step on you to get you to drink with me or what?” – a clear reference to their first real meeting, and not exactly a pleasant one. at least he can laugh about it now. “come on, come drink with me before someone drags me out to dance with them. i think i need to be very tipsy first before i embarrass myself like that.”

The evening's festivities were at the back of her mind as of that moment. Had she been in a better mood, Momo was sure that she would be first near the hearth, listening to stories and offering peals of delighted laughter at the lame, half-drunken jokes her companions had to offer. It was high time that they thank the Moon Mother for guiding them, for finally giving them a home to belong to, yet Momo had maintained her distance to have some solitude.

Burying even deeper into the cool sand, Momo was about to drift off for a short nap when she was alerted by soft padding of feet on sand, coming near. Junho’s voice came next, and her ear twitched in irritation at the memory of their unpleasant first encounter. She had purposely picked this spot to have some undisturbed solitude, yet here was one of her closest friends putting a fucking cold bottle against her neck. Momo couldn’t help but bare her teeth, giving him a warning, but Junho was probably used to her empty threats. She relaxed her snout with an audible huff.

In response, she swatted Junho’s back with her tail with a light thud. Whatever, she tried to tell him. Sometimes she wished she could talk in this form so she could easily spew a rebuttal towards his snarky remarks over the years. She didn’t usually drink, either. Momo felt like drinking in her fox form wouldn’t be too great for her health, but she was almost ready to take that chance. Drinking may only help her at this point, but Momo was willing to bet on it. She knew he was just trying to cheer her up, too, and Momo tried to look that she appreciated it, curling her tail around his wrist and letting go just as quickly. Years after their first meeting, she wouldn’t have imagined Junho to be her best friend.

Aren’t you supposed to be with Alice, she wanted to ask, but while she wanted to converse, she also felt quite dejected. Momo rested her snout on Junho’s thigh, watching Kana from a distance, then glancing up at Junho’s face. His tone was light-hearted, and he was smiling. At least one of them was happy tonight. 

[13xmomo-blog]

13kana‌:

unwanted drinks and feelings (momo&kana).

“my heart, my love, my darling kitsune~” kana howled over the cackling fire, having wondered where her beloved fox familiar went off to, her usually sharpened gaze a little fuzzy, a little gleamed and softened, happier than she would be normally, easier on laughter than she would be on nights like this, nights when the winds rushed wildly and the moon bled warningly. all her magic concludes to this night as a pointed fact, something shifting, something changing, something new joining the eons old game they’re all still learning to play, and if kana could come into her right mind, she would be a little more cautious about the night, about it’s signs and configurations and harrowing.

but tonight she celebrates the moon mother, tonight the celestial energies flow through her like licks of ecstatic flames, the stars setting her on fire, alighting her in their love and dust and hope and burning, burning, burning, and kana burns with them. her atmosphere shines out from her, her powers almost a tangible light around her frame, her smile wide and unbroken for once, a recollection back to a time before she’d shattered herself against the rocks, against the seabed, a time before the death of everything around her. she smiles and drinks and forgets and drowns herself in the night and all the feelings she would never usually allow herself to feel.

“what are you doing over here in the dark, little one?” she asks, approaching momo in her fox form, kana’s favorite ( completely biased for a number of reasons ), her white fur beautiful and tantalizing in the red-hued moonlight; and whether it’s the alcohol or way her soul pulls on her whenever she’s in momo’s presence, kana falls and kneels in the sand, tumbles down to momo’s level, burying her face in the unbelievably soft, sweet mane, her arms coiling around the animal she adores so much. she doesn’t attempt to pick the changeling up, doesn’t wish to disturb her, just… needs the closeness, the familiarity. while she still has it. “i miss you,” she purrs into momo’s slender back, thinking of the girl, not the fox, the girl and her eyes and fingers and neck and lips and the breath always caught in her voice and the flutter of eyelashes she always gives when she’s nervous and the way kana’s name sits on her tongue, like a prayer. “don’t leave.”

The celebration was alive, the hearth crackling wildly as the people of her coven surrounded it in honor of the Moon Mother. Perhaps Momo would be punished for even sulking at such a rare event; Mother Moon must be disappointed in her. Tonight, the moon shone beautifully, as if it was mocking her. A shadow danced into Momo’s chosen hidden sanctuary, and she could place that voice from a mile way. 

It was certainly a blessing that she was in this form, as it was easier to hide her shock and sudden embarrassment of being caught in such a dejected position. Now in the changeling’s view, Kana was still herself, strong, elegant and beautiful, yet as of the moment, she seemed to be more carefree. She must be drunk, the fox thought to herself. The names filled with love that her witch called her slipped effortlessly from her tongue, and it took a significant amount of Momo’s might not to be swayed. It was always like this. Warmth enveloped her, and Momo let what was left of her resolve crumble with the ashes of the night. The fox let out a long sigh in response, allowing her witch to wrap her arms around her smaller form, her ears visibly relaxing in comfort, slightly drooping. Where else would I go, except to stay by your side? 

Momo thought back to the number of times they had this game; this indescribable push and pull, where she felt she was doing more of the latter than the former. It was confusing. It was frustrating. She would never have the heart to say so to Kana; in essence, Momo belonged to her, and her alone. It was both her blessing and curse -- while she wanted to stay with Kana always, sometimes, it hurt. Like tonight.

She slowly rose from the sand, shaking her body in an attempt to dust herself, before inevitably climbing onto her witch’s lap. While Kana was both frustrating and confusing, her pull was irresistible. Momo felt weak. A single touch, a brush of the lips, a soft whisper, all of these would reign her back where she truly belonged. I will never leave you. 

[13xmomo-blog]

unwanted drinks and feelings.

OPEN.

The sun had almost set, and the fox was sitting by herself in a corner, tucked away from the rest of the coven’s view. Granted, it was not hard to notice anyone missing given their small number, but Momo was taking that chance by hiding behind some huge rocks shaded by the nearby palm tree. It was a good thing that the beach was deserted. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have any peace as she watched the waves crash into one another. The sand was cool against her soft fur, lying flat against it, as if she was tired of even sitting up. She was. Momo revelled at the comfortable temperature while it lasted, heaving a soft sigh through her snout. The sea breeze tickled her whiskers and she blinked back the sand getting into her deep black eyes, continuing her lazy watch with a barely audible huff.

She liked to think that it was easier to mull over feelings in this form. She had more of an animal instinct despite her consciousness being intact; survival came first, and the safety of others — specifically, her witch — was her priority.

Momo tried not to think about Kana.

It was easier when all she felt was the slight hunger and the sound of the wind on her raised ears. At least, Momo liked to think so. Biological needs and animal instincts were more convenient to deal with than the wretched emotions that made her feel slightly ill as a human. Unfortunately, they didn’t disappear, but only dulled, if anything. Momo felt pathetic, and she was sure that she also looked like it.

[13xmomo-blog]

it’s my world.

[13xmomo-blog]

13xseulgi‌:

Seulgi has to stop herself from scowling, but her brows furrow anyway and she rolls her eyes. “Maybe if we went out and brought actual groceries every once in a while, we wouldn’t have to keep eating this.” But that’s a lie because they did buy groceries, they both knew how to cook and they both still kept buying instant and junk food. Maybe it was their not-so-guilty pleasure?

She catches the button down with one hand, raising her brow at her house mate’s choice of clothing, because she was almost sure Momo was going to give her something bright and pink. But maybe she also knew Seulgi wouldn’t leave the house in something as flashy as that, if you could even call it flashy. “Also are you going to give me some pants, or am I staying home?”

By the time Momo’s finished getting ready, Seulgi’s finished eating and has retreated back into her room to pull her sleeping shirt off and pull the white blouse on, still wearing her sleeping shorts. “Well, at least one of us is ready to go,” she mutters, looking around her room for some sort of solution to her clothing situation. Seems like doing her laundry in a huge batch came to bite her in the ass. She sighs. Maybe she needed to move out. “You can barely take care of that bike of yours, let alone have a car. God knows what kind of accident you’ll pull with that one.”

Momo huffed. “Let’s make that part of the agenda, then. Getting clothes, then groceries. Are you happy now?” She squinted, because Seulgi was pressing her buttons and she was letting her do it. “I will just cook more often. And I should make a list of how many times you complain, because I can’t seem to stop hearing it.”

She laughed boisterously at the thought of Seulgi not having pants. She completely forgot. “That’s — ah, that’s funny,” Momo wheezed, and she’s sure this will lead to more scolding from the other. “You might actually get a boyfriend if you went out without any pants,” she threw offhandedly, completely disregarding the fact that she herself has never gone on a proper date. Momo went back in her room, grabbed the nearest skinny jeans she could find and passing it to her roommate before hiding from her line of sight, avoiding her before she could catch another inevitable scalding look.

Plopping herself on the couch as she waited for Seulgi and checking her Twitter feed, Momo gasped when she saw the newest hero being launched in her game. “OMG,” she muttered. “We need to get home fast so I can game!” Distracted, she barely heard the comment about being in an accident, and she rolled her eyes in response. “I’ve never been in an accident! I’m just too good. Are you done yet?” Momo rose from her seat and waited outside Seulgi’s door.

[13xmomo-blog]

the third time.

[13xmomo-blog]

13jvn‌:

all the shaking just made his body tense further, curling into itself in a mass of black in the night attached to her with animal agitation. he blossoms closed, spring in reverse, tasting fur for the slightest moment and knowing that this is not prey-for-survival but enemy-against-territory. she smells like kana with none of her inviting warmth, only that which beats in the hearts and heels of fellow monsters with teeth. he does not hear because he cannot, not in this form, and he doesn’t deign to look up. only taste, only sensation.

and suddenly there’s continuous pressure against his head; his body curls again in on itself, around his head, around that area to try and protect it. he knows this. it’s resistance to power, to pain, and he bites harder, deeper, mouth moving and curling around and about like he wants to swallow this damn thing – but, god, this tastes horrible. there’s a reason why he and all the rest eat head-first, not feet-first, and this must be why.

Momo let out a choked sound, an inward cry of pain -- the snake wasn’t letting go. Through what light the garden had, she saw it more clearly, curled around her foot, its teeth sinking even deeper into her heel. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. How could she be so stupid? She didn’t even know that there were snakes in Kana’s garden, but this --

If she could have paused, she would have for a moment to think. The snake was distinct in color, dark with a light rainbow tint in the light, and the realization hit her. This was not just a snake. “Fuck,” she cursed once more, remembering the familiar she had met quite a few times, he was seemingly without a care of her existence, and Momo generally avoided those types. She had not really asked for his name, but from Kana, she had heard that it was Jun. “Jun, ouch, stop!” Momo’s brain failed to quickly register that he didn’t have ears. With another decisive smack on its head, this time with a force that she wouldn’t normally use on animals, she willed him off her sore foot. 

[13xmomo-blog]

the third time.

[13xmomo-blog]

13jvn‌:

being found felt like coming home to a place he only knew in a dream. being near-death as he had been when kana found him, this could only be heaven; he could have died then and he wouldn’t question the existence of this new sanctuary. only when he got better and returned to his normal vitality could he ever hope to return the favour, and yet here she said that it wasn’t needed, that food was plentiful and the growing warmth of the coming spring yielded life to the beautiful garden she kept. not being needed for anything other than just being there was a concept he had yet to wrap his head around, and the nights offered a solace for thought, and the body, slipping out of its daytime mask, curled under the once-mocking moon.

against the earth, he must have seemed near-invisible. motionless, he could have been mistaken for a patch of shadow. not that it mattered – no one was usually awake this late. he could have slept here, too, until morning, eyes open and curled near the flowerbed, mind drifting into sleep like all the rest –

until someone steps on him, jerking him awake and away from the source of the oppressive weight. his tail rattles with annoyance, agitation, ache, and without thinking he strikes, aiming for the hell, the achilles, the weak point. he hasn’t survived all these years without fighting back and so he does, realising a half second later that this tastes like kana, but – no, this isn’t her. his body curls to follow, tightening, as if he means to strangle this entire leg and eat it. impossible, but at least he tries. 

Momo’s yelp of shock turned into a shriek of pain. Looking at her foot, she was horrified to see that it was a snake! She frantically attempted to shake it away from her leg but it seemed to be only curling tighter around her, and tears prick the back of her eyes because it hurts and she almost transformed into a fox, almost lost her self-control. 

“Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouchie,” she groaned, followed by a string of curses in Japanese that she had not felt the need to use in a long while. The snake was stronger than she had anticipated to be, and its bite seemed to be getting deeper. Momo dared not to touch it because it might bite her hand, so quickly, she took the slipper from her other foot and smacked the snake’s head in a rather mindless attempt to end her misery. “Get off, get off!” 

[13xmomo-blog]

it’s my world.

[13xmomo-blog]

13xseulgi‌:

She feels the anger flare up inside of her because who does she think she is to just throw out her clothes like that, but then she’s reminded that Momo has been more than generous to her, even allowing her to stay rent free, and Seulgi can only sigh at this point. Really, there’s no point in arguing back. It was always Momo’s way or the highway and she needed the new clothes anyway.

Watching the younger help make her instant noodles, she’s reminded that Momo does have her best interests at heart, but the way she goes about carrying them out is what really thins Seulgi’s patience. “You say that all the time, yet you keep buying all this shit to eat when you stream,” she grunts, closing the lid to let it cook. Rolling her eyes as the other walks away, Seulgi mutters under her breath: “If you fatten up though, you’d probably make a nice dinner. Wonder what roasted fox tastes like?”

Considering her offer, Seulgi looks down at her tattered night wear. If there’s one thing she’s not letting Momo throw away, its this. Now this, was comfy as hell. She hums, peeling the lid of her instant noodles back once more to carefully consume it’s contents. “You’re not giving me much of a choice now, are you? You just threw my entire closet into the damned dumpster.”

Momo’s lips twitched, and the smile eventually gave way to a laugh. Naturally, Seulgi would have a rebuttal to absolutely anything she suggested. “If I don’t buy them, what would you eat if I’m not around? Mice?” She shuddered. Momo never felt the need to hunt for something to eat; she, fortunately, had not experienced that level of impoverishment, even before she had moved to Busan. “We’re done with that life.” 

She vaguely heard Seulgi grumbling something, but without her fox ears, it was impossible to determine. Momo left it at something scathing, probably. “Here,” Momo peeked back outside through the hallway and throws Seulgi a simple white button down, pretending not to hear that her roommate finally came into a conclusion as to where here missing clothes went. Shutting the door, Momo went about to change into high-waisted jeans and a cropped top. 

“I’m ready,” Momo declared to the whole house. She didn’t have a car (she didn’t even know how to drive), and neither did Seulgi, and while she was partial to taking her bicycle or commuting on more sunny days, Momo felt like a quick run to the mall. It was simply faster. “Let’s take my car and go,” Momo grinned, because they both knew that this was a lie.

[13xmomo-blog]

it’s my world.

[13xmomo-blog]

13xseulgi‌:

Hearing Momo dump something into the trash made Seulgi frown. It was too early for all this ruckus. She’d say something about disturbing the neighbours if she cared enough about them, but she didn’t. The girl even had the gall to pat her head as she merrily made her way to the kitchen and Seulgi would never understand how someone could be so upbeat all the time. Socialising and being nice to people are chores she’d rather not undertake, but unfortunately for her life doesn’t work out that way and she didn’t know enough of everything, or have enough money, to live in isolation on her own right now.

And besides, Momo isn’t that bad to be around sometimes.

But despite her disapproval about the noise, she sighs and steps out of her room, making her way to the laundry to pick out some of her clean clothes… only to find they’re not there. “What the fuck happened to my clothes?” She swore she put them in before she headed in for bed this morning, but only her work shirt remained.

Her fingers twitch when she remembers the loud thud when Momo went to throw the trash and she takes a deep breath, turning around and heading to the kitchen. She takes that back. Momo could be a pain in the ass. Picking up one of the Japanese brand instant noodles they had lying around in weird places, she rips the packet open and waits for the water to boil, raising her brow at her housemate. “So what are you buying?”

Momo only gave her a bright smile in response, her eyes filled with mirth on what she had done. “Where they belong, of course,” she said, a matter-of-factly, as she gestured towards the door where the general direction of the dumpster was. Seulgi wasn’t stupid. She’ll get it eventually. The water boiled as quick as Seulgi’s anger certainly was at that moment, and Momo helpfully -- and lovingly -- put water into the instant ramen her roommate was about to consume. 

“You shouldn’t eat too much of this,” came the usual reminder as Momo put the pot back onto its holder. “We’re going to buy clothes, it’s okay, it’s alright, don’t panic, it’s on me,” Momo quickly stated, “and whatever, I don’t care, you’re coming whether you like it or not. That, or stay naked.” She nodded once in determination, once again turning on her heel to address more important things like checking her Twitter feed while she went to her room to choose something to wear. 

“You can borrow my shirt if you want!”

[13xmomo-blog]

the third time.

@13jvn

The sun had just begun to disappear into the shadows, taking the chaos of the morning with it. It was a physically taxing day; the journey to find the others had not stopped for Momo and Kana. Another failed quest to search, and she knew this frustrated her witch to no end. This, needless to say, worried Momo. Her mistress’s disappointment, Momo never says, resonates within her -- she knew Kana would never blame her for anything, but a voice inside her head told her that she was supposed to be good at finding things, so why did it not apply to people?

It was then that Momo had decided to relax and seek solace, and the sounds of the early nighttime accompanied her soft footsteps against the cool grass. Her mistress’s gardens were breath-taking, only filed with the finest types of flora that she had no name for, and the peace called to her. Clad in a scarf wrapped around her shoulders, her comfortable nightclothes and slippers, Momo absently tread the lush green landscape, enjoying the scent of nature and each different flower. Granted, her sense of smell was not as enhanced as it was in her fox form, but the view from the top as a woman made up for it.

She stretched her hands above her head and yawned, unashamed of her current vulnerability. She was by herself, enjoying her quiet time, but somehow Momo tripped over a branch and her foot landed squarely on something... squishy. 

Momo yelled.

[13kana]

streetlamps blind what they cannot bind | @13xmomo

the visions are not always right and not always true, a headache born constantly in the frontal lobes of her cerebral cortex, plaguing her dreams and infecting her atmosphere, and despite how desperately she sears herself to her mission, despite how dedicated she bleeds for her debt, the world spins and tricks her, plays games with her mind and scratches at her bones, marks her like a fool. she follows the clues as best she can, devastatingly aware of the fact that blood magic would earn her answers quicker and with more solidarity, but her footfalls ring of ivory now and she must remind herself: she has turned away from that life. no more terrible curses, no more bending of the universe around her fingertips, no more crushing the moon’s will betwixt her knuckles, adhering only to herself and her needs, her wants, her desires. she must be strong now. she must take the harder path.

she steps into the alleyway, high heels clicking against the asphalt like an empty promise and she doesn’t need perfect vision or daylight to tell her that it’s absent of the witch she’d been hoping to discover, the lifeforce long gone by now, no longer shimmering in her crystals, the closed-in walls claustrophobic and drenched in sorrow. her mirrors are being unrelenting tonight, untrustworthy and irritable– magic is never as perfect or clean-cut as the movies would have you believe– and she’s paying the price for it. and what’s worse, momo is paying as well.

“i’m sorry, my darling,” the sigh breaks from her lungs, exasperating the chilly air around her, her exhaustion and frustration evident enough without shining too brightly across her face. “i’m afraid this is another dead-end.” damn it. if she doesn’t figure this out soon, momo is surely going to ignore any further requests for accompaniment on these outings, these midnight rounds as they hunt through the night, daughters of artemis, daughters of heralding, daughters of blood calling out to blood. kana can feel blood calling to her. she just can’t get close enough. “we should go back. i should operate a harder spell.”

the last one she’d enacted had her bleeding from her lips, but…. a debt is a debt.

[13xmomo-blog]

Wherever Kana went, Momo followed.

It was how they were since the day they had bonded; the day Momo knew that she was finally, and utterly whole. A lot had been missing in her lonely life before Kana Takeda was present; like a light at the end of this miserable tunnel she had of an existence, Hirai Momo was entranced to push forward. Tonight was no different from the rest. The search for the others continued, those like them, those who were meant to be with them. In these journeys, Momo preferred to be in her alter ego -- her cursed kitsune --  as being in her enhanced state would easily alert her to any danger that they might come across. Her instincts were sharpened and her senses heightened, and these were all the ways that she could protect Kana without any pause or difficulty. Alas, the alleyway they walked was barren, only the sharp clicking of Kana’s heels echoing in the darkness, and her own paws deceptively silent. She could not detect any other living being except for those a street or two away, and her gut also told her that they had failed. 

Momo almost immediately purred at the name her witch had called her; caressing the empty night air with her words. She had always adored Kana’s voice, but even more so when it dripped with sweet honey. The fox curled her tail affectionately yet briefly around Kana’s ankle, as if she was saying, it’s okay, reaching out in whatever way she could, to let her mistress know that she was present, no matter what happened, no matter where they went. 

She would do anything, everything for her.

Momo wondered if it was time to go home, and without even asking, Kana had told her that they ought to go back. She worried that her mistress would exhaust herself attempting to do more difficult spells, but she knew that despite her warning her not to pour too much into her magic, it would be futile. What must be done, must be done. Once again, Momo came nearer, nudging her snout onto her witch’s leg to give her the affirmative, as well as offering a soft kiss at the back of her knee. Somehow, her connection to Kana multiplied when she was in this form, and it was almost impossible ignore. 

Let’s go home.