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@celcstiall
#CELCSTIALL — 30+. EST. SHE/HER. selective, independent, multi-muse blog for my original characters to exist in. this blog features creative writing, mature themes. i won't always tag every trigger — more on my tagging system in my rules — so, viewer discretion is advised.
── ﹒⬭﹒rules (read before interacting) ── ﹒⬭﹒muses ── ﹒⬭﹒full nav ── ﹒⬭﹒open starters
"Both of us losing our heads out here? Are you saying I have?" Mina asked. Mina wasn't sure how she felt about this remark. She didn't like the implication that he knew the pull he already had over her. The very idea made her cheeks burn.
In response, her posture stiffened and the gentleness in her tone left. She eyed the man suspiciously then let go of his wrist.
"I wasn't looking for anything." She remarked coolly but she couldn't be too cold. The very action ate away at her. So she amended it with a quick apology, "Sorry if that was strange."
Mina searched his reaction by waiting a beat. Embarrassed once more, she turned on her heel and walked ahead. Her flashlight showed the end of the bluff and straight slope of sand from there on out. She jerked back so she didn't slip into the sand dune. While she may not be the best hunter, she did have their reflexes.
"We're at the edge, it's all beach from here. We should walk back to the bonfire."
jin let out a soft chuckle as she let go of his wrist and tried to brush it off. smirking as he watched her get flustered before she swiftly changed the subject to heading back with everyone.
he caught up to her easily, his steps smooth and effortless as he walked beside her, leaving just enough space to be polite and not overly clingy but still close enough that she could feel that faint, lingering cold radiating from his skin.
"back to the bonfire it is" he agreed casually, a subtle smirk on his lips. "though i have to admit, it's a bit of a shame to cut this encounter short. i've quite enjoyed our little walk, you know?" he looked down, lips pressed together as if disappointed they had to go separate ways.
jin paused for a second, letting the silent in the woods linger around them before speaking again.
"searching for a missing person in the dark isn't exactly the ideal setting to get to know someone and i think there's a lot more to you than you're letting on, mina." he tilted his head, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a playful smile on his lips. "we should continue this in a more normal, less frantic, setting... maybe dinner sometime soon?"
Mina's mind once again span. Dr. Park was a jarring character, she thought. Then he shocked her when he touched her with his cold fingers once more. He was forward, she'd give him that. Was Dr. Park just a touchy person? He had touched her repeatedly. Her hand when she scuffed it against the tree. Now, against her cheek. During this, Mina had touched his chest, a move she never normally made.
Was Mina going out of her mind? Was she misreading these signs? Was he playing with her feelings somehow?
It seemed like the two of them were instinctively bound somehow. There was a familiarity that hung over them despite never even running into each other before. Mina, a lover of puzzles, could not figure it out.
Dr. Park remarked about her warmth, and it put Mina's mind at ease. If Dr. Jin Park was a cold one, Mina would be surprised. He certainly didn't move like one. No demon, vampire, or whatever would be as flamboyant with these tell-tale signs. That just didn't seem in their nature. Wouldn't they be covering up? Trying to act as human as possible.
The Hunter Instincts were silenced once more and all Mina could hear was her beating heart.
"The cold has never been a problem before." She stated simply. "I used to live up north, after all." She wrapped her fingers around his wrist, just a hair away from his should-be pulse. "You're interesting, you know? Of all the people to be lost in the forest with, I'm glad it's you." She smirked. "No one else knew how to behave."
his smirk widened as she grabbed his wrist. he didn't resist, of course. he let her fingers press against his silent skin, feeling for something that hadn't been there for centuries. the hunter was actively searching for proof, he knew it and he was beyond happy to let her fail. jin listened to her compliments, his eyes fixed on her face, enjoying the way her own heart was beating so hard he could easily hear it from where he was standing. "interesting?" he murmured, his voice as low as always. "i'm glad you think so. it wouldn't be great for both of us to lose our heads out here." he gave his wrist a slight, deliberate turn as she held it, a silent invitation for her to continue her pointless search. his eyes sparkling playfully as the chance of taunting her further. salivating almost. "you're holding on quite tight, mina," he observed, his voice dropping to a confidential, almost intimate whisper, as if he didn't want the trees to hear. "find what you were looking for?"
for: the primos ( ethan & winnie ) @celcstiall & @w1tchcrft Location: Young Family's Backyard Time: September 1, 2025 @ 1pm
Minji Young walked in on the annual Labor Day barbecue in platform thigh high boots and a dress with a short black mini skirt. Some might say she was dressed unseasonably or unreasonably. However, the answer was simple: Minji Young no longer gave a fuck. She moved through the world how she pleased and when she wanted to.
So, when she was stopped by Auntie Mimi, Minji about lost it. Auntie was talking about her skirt was too short and her hair color looked too harsh on her "formerly pretty face".
"Listen, if I wanted to hear advice from a two-time divorcee, I'd ask."
Her mother and Auntie Mimi gasped. Minji's mother demanded an apology out of her eldest daughter. Minji shrugged, pushed through the two women, and kept walking into the party.
In the corner of the lawn near the back of driveway, were the people she was closest to: her two cousins: Ethan and Winnie. She smiled at them, thinking about how the three of them probably looked like a fitting trio rather than a young professional woman volunteering her time with two guys doing community service. Seriously, why had she worn blazers all the time?
"Hey Boys!" She called over to Ethan and Winnie. She waved over her head with an outstretched hand. Although she was possessed, some habits were hard to kill. She would always be their little cousin.
ethan was focused on winnie and talking about last night's chaos when a commotion from the other side of the house caught his attention. he looked over just in time to see minji—their beloved younger cousin who could do no wrong—pushing past her own mother and auntie mimi. his brows furrowed, an expression of pure confusion on his face as he leaned into winnie. ''did you... did you see her pushing through them? and... just- wait a damn minute, is that really minji?... that can't be, where-where's the blazer? why is she dressed like that?'' now, few things could actually shock ethan, but he had never in his life seen minji in such a... mini dress. he shook his head, hoping if he did it enough times reality would reset itself and minji would go back to normal. and as shocked as he was, he could only wave back as soon as she was close enough, truly at a loss for words. ''hey, you look different,'' he said, skipping the small talk. ''are you okay?'' whatever late puberty thing minji was going through needed to be addressed immediately. ( @w1tchcrft )
OPEN TO: any gender~ ↳ PLOT: a summer heatwave has hit our muses town and ferah checks on your muse, ferah, 26, florist
the heatwave was brutal - so much so people's ac's were going out dure to over use and staying cool seemed rather impossible at times. she had heard of units in her complex losing their ac due to it, and though they had mostly seen one another in passing she found herself checking on her neighbor. a few cooling patches, some frozen ice pops, a hand held fan in a small bag she gently knocks on their door. once opened she offered a small smile. "hi - i'm your neighbor i just wanted to check to see how you were doing with the heat?"
emily had been overseas for a month, so coming home to the fucking sahara desert was a shock. somehow, the current heatwave was unlike anything she had experienced before and she was about to bolt for the nearest store in search of ice cream or any sign of life below ninety degrees -anything to help her survive the heat- when a knock stopped her. she wasn't expecting anyone, but she still rushed to open the door, finding ferah, a familiar face, standing in front of her. ''yeah, of course, i know who you are, i've seen you around… i'm just- what the hell is going on?'' she shook her head, confused. ''i literally just got back from a work trip and walked into all this,'' shaking her head, emily let out an exasperated sigh. ''i was on my way to the store. how are you holding up? need me to grab you anything while i'm out?'
"What I want you to be?" Mina repeated with a raised eyebrow. He was already are the most interesting part of her night. She knew this as she wrapped her thin cardigan around herself. The weather had dropped with the night and Mina was wishing for the heat of the bonfire on her face again.
Tonight wasn't supposed to go like this. She never imagined she'd be here: alone with the doctor and hunting for a missing girl.
In the year following her almost death, she had been braver and trusted her gut more. She was a woman of the hunt now.
Her gut was saying that Mina should be running. She was alone with a tall and strong man with nothing but a flashlight. Mina wasn't weak by any means. She was stronger than she looked, she knew what to do in when things went south and this wasn't peril. She knew what to do in when things went south and this wasn't peril. This was flirting—talking, right?
So, why did it feel so dangerous?
Her mind was telling her she could handle anything Jin might try, and a part of her wanted him to try desperately. But, why? No reply came, and her mind was becoming increasingly fuzzy in his closeness. She could only hear her heart's traitorous beat thundering through her body.
"I hardly know you." The logical side of her finally won but then she released a shaky breath. "How can I determine who you should be to me?" She cleared her throat, trying to buy herself time. "If you want to know what I want…I want…" She placed a hand on his chest without thinking. The cold radiating from his whole body. Mina looked up into his eyes and squinted. "Oh my. You're freezing." She tilted her head. "How are you not shivering?"
his eyes dropped to her hand resting on his chest, and a small, amused smile spread across his lips. he let her feel the unnatural cold radiating from him for a moment before his eyes went back to meet hers. "freezing?" he repeated back, his voice a low murmur. he let out a soft, amused chuckle. "am i? i hadn't noticed." his free hand came up, moving with a deliberate slowness that he knew would be almost hypnotic. he gently placed the back of his fingers against her cheek, the touch a stark, chilling contrast to her own warmth; and of course, the smirk on his lips transformed into something more intimate, more dangerous even. "you feel quite warm, though," he noted, his voice as soft as ever. "perhaps it's just the contrast, who knows." he held eye contact, letting her process the sensation before asking, his voice barely above a whisper, his face a little too close to hers. "what is it mina?... does the cold bother you?"
THE PRINCESS BRIDE 1987 — dir. Rob Reiner
Mina was charmed by this. Should she be? She didn't want to be but it was like a page out of one of her favorite novels. Something, she'd never thought would happen to her. This man made her heart thrum with something she'd never experienced in her little safe bubble--anticipation, thrill, danger?
(This was Mina's problem, dear reader, far too trusting.)
She bit her lip in thought. "I consider you to be an actual lucky part of my night. You seem to know what you're doing and you're not hindering the search. In fact, you're the only one who seems sensible." She paused and looked straight into his dark eyes. "Should I be on my guard? Which do you want to be, Dr. Jin?"
a low, appreciative chuckle escaped him, the sound so soft in the quiet woods. he tilted his head, studying her in the dim light. her boldness was... refreshing. "that's very clever," he murmured, his smirk widening. "turning my own question back on me. i like that." he took another half-step, closing the distance until the unnatural cold radiating from him was likely noticeable in the night air, but mostly, noticeable to her. "you assume luck and danger have to be separate things, i disagree." he stated simply, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone, quiet, almost... inviting ? "i have no interest in just being your 'luck', mina. that's quite boring." his eyes were focused on hers, a spark of something possessive and dangerous within them. its always the eyes, they never lie, or whatever that quote said. "i'd much rather be the most interesting part of your night. the reason you can't sleep later." "so, let's try a better question," he said, his voice a soft purr as he took one step closer, now he was oficially too close. "never mind what i want. what do you want me to be?"
The smile on his face seemed more authentic then the ones he usually wore--or at least he wore that night they met.
"Home." Mina's melancholy wrapped around the word. "That's a powerful feeling." She wanted to grab his hand but instead, she grabbed her bag's strap across her chest and made two fists around it.
It was somewhere she could never return to. She wondered if he felt the same.
"I enjoy pottery from time to time." She said quietly with a nod. "This piece in particular takes some deft hands to pull off." She stopped herself before she went into the full spiel that only made sense to pottery makers. "There's something about tangible art that really captures my mind. It's something that is used every day, probably taken for granted, and yet it withstands the test of time due to good craftsmanship then finally someone recognizes its worth. So yes, the fact that it withstood all these years, is fascinating."
She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and stared at the piece. "There's also the fact that we do not know the artisan, so, it lacks the air of someone who studied the arts. Maybe it was just someone who made it because it was their specialty or maybe it was commissioned? We don't know. We just know they were damn good at their craft."
"Sorry about that. I'm a lover of the arts and crafts." She put her hands up and finally looked back at the man. She chuckled self-consciously. It died in her throat and the air was thick between the two of them.
A beat passed before she asked him quietly, "Why does this piece remind you of home?"
he listened to her ramble, and a slow, authentic smile forms on his lips. he was genuinely captivated by the passion in her voice. it was rare. "don't ever apologize for passion, mina," he said, his voice a low murmur that seemed to wrap around the quiet air between them. "art is one of the few truly valuable things people create." he turned his gaze back to the vase, his smile fully vanishing as he focused on the piece, his eyes looking at something far beyond the museum wall. he answered her question with a quiet, yet shocking honesty. "because it looks exactly like the ones i remember seeing when i was a boy." his voice was soft, nostalgic, as if he was speaking about something that happened too long ago. "the potters' hands were always stained with that white clay," he continued, his eyes still unfocused, lost in the past. "the whole village smelled of woodsmoke day and night." he paused, a strange stillness about him. "so much effort for something so... fragile. so easily broken. but it does make for good memories" he finally turned his head, his gaze sharpening as it focused on her. a tiny, devilish smirk played on his lips for just a second before he seemed to catch himself. he couldnt let the mask slip, not this eary in the game. he snapped out of it then, shaking his head slightly as his charming, easy smile returned, the eerie mood vanishing as quickly as it came. "anyway, enough about dusty old things," he said with a light chuckle, expertly changing the subject. "you clearly have a deep appreciation for it. so, i'm curious—do you just admire art, or are you an artist yourself?"
Location: Crimson Raven Art Museum. Date: August 8th at 5:45 pm For @lcvrgrl
Mina had lucked out and got to duck out a little early from work. She had even gotten to go home, shed the cardigan, and wear something that felt more like her. She usually kept her hair up in a clip but it cascaded around her as she looked at the art exhibit, piece by piece.
For a small town, Mina was astounded at what she was seeing. The collection in the Crimson Raven Art Museum was breathtaking.
A large white vase caught her attention. She stood still in awe as she observed a piece called "The Moon Jar". The Moon Jar was a porcelain vase from Joseon era Korea. As a potter herself, she knew this took a great deal of talent. She changed angles around the vase, wanting to observe it from a better vantage point.
She nearly bumped into someone beside her. Jin was standing near her with his back turned, holding flyers in one hand, with his arms crossed.
"Apologies!" She said clearly, her voice ringing like a bell through the echoing halls. She lowered her voice. "Oh, Dr. Park. It's you! It's good to see you. Pardon my...uh...intrusion."
jin turned slowly as she spoke, his arms still crossed over his chest as he moved. the look of deep concentration he'd been had seconds prior shifted easily into a small, pleasant smile. he had, of course, been aware of her presence for the last ten minutes but was waiting for her to notice him instead. "mina," he said, his voice a low murmur that was perfectly fitting with the echoing hall. "no intrusion at all. it's a nice surprise to see you here." his eyes went from her face to the porcelain vase they both stood before. "the moon jar," he identified it instantly, his smile softening into something more nostalgic, more genuine than the one he usually wore. that smile was probably the most sincere one he had smiled in a very, very long time. it was the first time he came so close to being around an object from his time period and the familiarity of it all made him feel... something, perhaps... fuzzy inside?. "it's a remarkable piece." he paused, looking from the jar back to her, his eyes holding a hint of an old, distant memory. "it reminds me of home." and he left it at that. he held her gaze for a moment, his expression one of simple, curiosity. "it seems to have captured your full attention as well," he observed quietly. "tell me, what is it that speaks to you? are you someone who appreciates the beauty in things that have managed to survive for so long?"
𝐖𝐇𝐎: thane rowan, open to all! capped at [0/3] replies 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: august 7th, 11:42am 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: the carver café
❝ I am BEGGING you to keep it down. ❞ It's hard for the wolves to get wasted. Hard, but not impossible. Thane is constant proof of that. It's not respectable, but — he has more demons than most. By design. He can protect THEM, but not himself. ❝ At least until I've had some coffee. ❞ He tips the empty mug towards himself and peers down into it with a DEEP frown. ❝ More coffee. ❞
“i-...” alissa started, hesitating for a second. “i was just telling you about last night. you weren’t there, and i figured you’d wanna know what happened.” her words were a defense, but her tone was gentle. she was used to this, the sudden hot an cold from him. it was a familiar, frustrating dynamic. for a quick second, she let herself imagine an alternate reality where this was easy, where he was just happy to see her. but this wasn't that reality, and she pushed the thought away. “have you eaten?” she asked, her eyes softening. “i can get you more coffee, a big cup, but maybe you should eat something first?” why do you even care, alissa? the sharp voice in her own head asked. it was right. it wasn’t her problem if he ate or not. still, she couldn't help but be concerned. “i can bring you something,” she offered, her voice a little too hopeful, a little too enthusiastic to help, hating how it sounded. “whatever you want. it might make you feel better…”
Her name on his lips was something she didn't want to admit was enticing. Maybe she just hadnt been next to an attractive person in a while but she liked the way he said her name. (Even if he was being a little condescending.)
Before she could react, his fingers were around her wrist, eyeing her wound. He brushed over her bloody palms and she tried not to shiver at his touch. The coolness was a shock to her. Doctors always had cold hands, she supposed. She felt her heart start beating faster and her face flush.
Her mom was right, she did need to get out more.
She pulled her hair around her shoulder and combed through it. "I suppose tonight is just my lucky night." She laughed mirthlessly. "Usually, I'm much more on guard. I don't go walking at night without a purpose." She eyed the handsome man. Her tone was more informative than flirtatious, "And I usually don't have company."
jin listened to her, giving the woman a slow, appreciative nod as his only initial response. the corner of his lip formed a smirk again, that same condescending smirk that stayed tattoed on his face. he found her attempt to take back control... charming. "on guard. with a purpose," he repeated her words softly, as if cataloging them, thinking for a second before speaking again. "all very sensible precautions for a night like this." he took a small, deliberate step that closed the distance between them just enough to end up a little too close to each other, his voice dropping into a murmur. "you said tonight is your 'lucky night'," he began, his gaze holding hers. "so i suppose that makes me wonder..." he paused, making eye contact, his smirk returning, as he let the question hang in the cold air for a second. "just out of curiosity... which one am i, mina? your luck, or the reason you need to be on guard?"
As Mercy listened to the tale regaled back to her, she came to realize this was...not at all that big of a problem. Her face softened from worry lines to a few nods and a sympathetic noise in her throat — she couldn't get much else in at the speed the other spoke. Still, she couldn't deny Alissa her sympathy, even if Mercy felt the topic was not dire in the least. The way Alissa's chest rhythmically pounded in symphony with her frustration, clearly feeling every ounce of the emotions she was sharing with the hybrid, she found herself determined to turn this around — no matter what she might have to do.
Her hand delicately plucked the seashell from the other's grasp, turning it over in her hands as if she were a jeweler inspecting a fine diamond under a scope. "It's not ugly." It certainly wasn't divine, either. The puny little shell could not be more unimpressive, and very fragile, so easily could it clumsily shatter in her overpowered grip. "Maybe," She said carefully, softly, and turning slightly from the bonfire circle they were in. "Maybe two sets of eyes will be better than one?" She nodded back toward the tide. "If you're up for it?"
At the question of how Mercy was, she felt caught off guard. It was routine to ask fellow humans how the other might be doing, but still, the charade had not been extended to Mercy in quite some time. The feeling of being included, yet again, left an interesting sensation in her mouth. She chewed on her cheek slowly — careful not to make it bloody, unless she planned to find herself the oddity of the party by sucking it down like it was the freshest water she could find. "Oh, much more dull in comparison." A slow nod and a shrug of her shoulders. "I wasn't crazy about the meat selection, though."
the pout on alissa’s lips completely vanished, replaced by a wide, genuine smile instead. her whole posture an demeanor seemed to change, the dramatic slump in her shoulders disappearing as she watched mercy as if she was responsible for hanging the stars in the sky. she was being so sweet, and it made alissa’s own silly frustration feel miles away. she wondered exactly why had taken her this long to approach her, but of course, she was just being professional at the cafe, she couldn't just approach mercy like that. “okay, you’re right, it’s not ugly,” she agreed with a little laugh, “but you and i both know it’s not going on the curtain, its depressing.” her gaze went from the shell to mercy’s face. “and wait- you’d really help me look? seriously?” she didn’t even wait for an answer, mercy's willingness to help making her super excited. “yes. absolutely, let’s do it.” she nudged her friend’s shoulder playfully, her mind catching up with the last part of their conversation now that her own mini-crisis was over. her head tilted. “wait, hold on a sec. why’d you look so surprised when i asked how your day was? do people really not ask you that?” she was confused, mercy seemed lovely, she surely got many people asking about her day, right? she leaned in a little, her voice dropping to a more gossipy tone. “and what was the deal with the meat selection? was it, like, super dry or something? you gotta give me the details on your dull day, it’s only fair.” she inquired, remembering how she noticed a couple of people trying out the meat fully raw. “i saw some people trying it raw, i cant lie, looked appetizing, i'm just not the biggest fan of bacteria... i mean, i'm sure there are many bacteria in raw meat, the thought alone makes me uneasy.”
〝 exactly, i know you ––– we'll be laying in bed, and you'll be constantly asking me what i think happened or whether she's been found yet. 〞giggles softly, wasn't exactly the right time or place to be smiling and laughing with her best friend but that's why roxanna adored alissa so much, fem could make her laugh wherever and whenever and vice versa, pair just got one another. an arm wraps around her and she can't help but lean in, didn't want to be away from the other ––– couldn't bear if something happened to alissa as well. 〝 i'm not going anywhere, idiot. it's me and you against this shitty town. 〞brunette begins, taking further steps into the woods, sharp eyes keep watch on the edge of the trees, watching out for unfamiliar shadows and movements. 〝 yes, okay! my place, though ––– i'm too creeped out to go somewhere out here like we usually do. 〞
alissa’s arm tightened around roxy, pulling her into a quick hug. she trusted her best friend more than anyone and if she said they'd be okay, they definitely would. she managed a small, real smile, leaning her head against her friend’s shoulder for a second. “idiot,” alissa echoed softly, but it was full of affection. “damn right it’s us against this town. always has been.” and it was, ever since they met. she pulled back just enough to look at roxy, her brow furrowed with concern as she processed the last part of what she said. her own fear of the dark and the uneasy feeling on the back of her neck whenever she walked around too late was normal for her, but hearing it from roxy was different, more alarming. “your place is perfect,” she agreed immediately, nodding. “but wait… what do you mean you’re too creeped out? what’s wrong with our usual spots? are you... scared?” her voice got a little quieter, a little more urgent as she scanned roxy's face. “did you see something? what changed? why are you creeped out now? i mean, not the first person that goes missing... rox, do you know something i don't? and don't you dare lie, you're not a good liar so don't even try it.”
〝 you wanna go wander off on your own at a time like this? 〞she questions, a brow raises as she smirks slightly, knowing that her best friend would rather not be alone. knew it would be difficult to achieve any kind of progressive this late at night, when it was this dark but they couldn't walk away now ––– had to do as much as they could, this was a young girl, possibly drunk who had disappeared or walked off alone ––– anything could happen at any given time. 〝 you're not gonna fall to your death, okay? i'm right here. 〞roxanna felt a little better now the bonfire had been put out and flashlights had replaced the light source, even if reasoning was slightly morbid but she no longer felt a threatening aura around her. 〝 lets just . . stay and try and help out for another hour or so, she might be in some real trouble. if we end up walking in circles then we'll leave. besides with everything going on, are you really gonna be able to sleep tonight? 〞
alissa let out a quiet sigh, knowing she'd lost the argument. nodding softly, she gave roxy's arm a little nudge. “okay, fine. don’t use my own logic against me, it’s rude.” she managed a weak smile, her shoulders relaxing just a tiny bit at the reassurance. the guilt trip about sleeping later definitely worked. “and no, i probably wouldn’t be able to sleep.” she looked around the dark woods again, then quickly back at her friend before wrapping an arm around roxy's frame. “one more hour. but you’re not allowed to leave my side. like, at all. - and after this, we go somewhere and get batshit drunk, whatcha say?”
"That is an astute observation, Dr. Park." She sighed. "Forks is very small, the amount of murders is troubling."
She rolled her neck and revealed her collarbone, the faded bite mark of almost a year ago. She adjusted her cardigan hoodie to hide it. His concern felt practiced but she bought into it. She thought maybe he was just...different. Clinical. She knew plenty of people who preferred the silence of their trade to speaking.
"No, it was just a tick. No pain, I'm fine." She nodded, "No concern needed." She smiled, "Thanks."
She began walking once more in the dark, pacific night. Her flashlight in hand. Her mind was elsewhere and met a tree too quickly. She pushed past the tree and scraped her hands on the bark, she huffed and wiped her palms on her jeans.
"Ouch." She muttered quietly to herself. "Watch out there."
jin didn’t flinch when the ''ouch'' left her mouth. instead, a slow, knowing smirk spread across his lips in the darkness. he watched her for a second, genuinely entertained as he stepped closer, his steps still a little too silent. "first the neck, and now the hand," he muttered back, his tone fully condescending, giving away his amusement. "you're determined to collect injuries tonight, mina." before she could pull away, his fingers wrapped gently around her wrist. his hand was unnaturally cold, a stark contrast to the bonfire they all gathered for. turning her hand over, his thumb brushed near the fresh scrape as he examined it with the focus of a trained professional, completely unbothered by the scent of blood. hundreds of years in the medical field had taught him to act as unbothered as every human doctor he had ever met. he finally released her hand with a slow, deliberate motion. his eyes meeting hers. this time, his smirk was gone, replaced by a look of quiet curiosity. "it's just a scrape, you'll survive." he said softly, dismissing the physical wound. "so, i have to ask... are you always this clumsy, or is tonight just a special occasion?"
"Yes, it's a pleasure." She said, distracted but she meant it. The longer the two were around each other, the more her nerves dampened. He was just a new, attractive man with no ties.
Then he complimented her flashlight usage? What was with this man? His artificial steadiness, his coolness, and the odd compliment. But really, who compliments how one uses a flashlight?
She squinted at him as he chuckled, "I heard blue eyes see the best in low light. How were you so fortunate?"
Mina thought it was very peculiar that he was keeping so light during such a devastating circumstance but she didn't question it. Some people reacted differently.
It was like when her employees would start freaking out when the internet went out whereas Librarian Mina Zahir would just go into the wire closet, jiggle some buttons and switches, and the computers would reboot. Were her employees' fear of losing their work unwarranted because she wasn't upset? No. Was the possibility not a big deal? Of course, it was. But Mina had seen it a million times before and knew what to do.
Maybe...he did too? She really shouldn't be comparing this girl's disappearance to computers.
Mina sighed and nodded. "From what I've heard, that's true. I've only been here a little bit but I've seen it in the news. I was hoping that this wouldn't happen again..."
She involuntarily rubbed at her neck, with her free hand, where a leech had attacked her a year ago.
"the news, i see," jin said, his voice losing some of its practiced warmth. "it's an unsettling reputation for a town this size, dont you think?" his eyes dropped to her hand as it went to rest on her neck. he got very still for a moment, the polite mask of the new town's doctor gone, replaced by an unnerving, 'profesional' stare. eyes fully focused on her neck. "it's always the old injuries that are the most sensitive," he commented, his voice low in comparison to the even tone from before. his gaze lifted slowly from her neck to meet hers, a mischievous spark in his eyes. "they say scars ache when there's a familiar danger in the air. does yours? should we be concerned?" a faint, tiny smirk on his lips as his eyes went back to the woods in front of them.
