The Tawny Man

♐ OC Indie Literate RP | Aim | D. I am Fitz. on hiatus due to inactivity! May be back in the future, or when inspiration strikes!

[fitzfarseer]

♐ Fitz & Krystal

[waldxsia]

His words came muffled, echoed, as she rummaged in the linen closet just down the hall from the living room for a stack of new towels. And she stilled, a flurry of words tinged with polite denial and obligatory rejection of his compliment bubbling in her throat. She did not voice them, however. She had no reason to. After all, she did not think herself worthy of receiving such a praise when she had never considered her dreary apartment with its barren walls and lackluster furniture her home. With a small shake of her head and a weary sigh, she grabbed three neatly folded towels and padded back into the living room.

Krystal didn’t fail to notice Spock coiled on top of her radiator and the near silent drip drip of water running off damp fur and forming a puddle beneath his swaying tail. The sight was oddly domestic and brought a tender smile to her face. “Thank you,” she answered him softly as she draped a swath of baby blue cotton over Spock’s body and began rubbing gently, tentatively as though she was afraid Spock would resist a stranger’s touch. She’d responded out of mere acknowledgment, thinking it rude to brush of his comment, and hoped he could not hear the trace of dissatisfaction in her voice. “It’s really not much.”

It really wasn’t. No pictures, no mementos, no odd knickknacks to commemorate important events or document what should’ve been a pretentiously happy life she lived. There was nothing, but off-white walls surrounding the one-bedroom apartment and an assortment of mismatched furniture she’d bought as a means to uphold her facade. What she’d meant to say was: This will never be home.

Krystal cleared her throat quietly and gestured for him to take a seat on the couch. “Please sit.” She said, stepping gingerly over the growing puddle and offering him one of the towels. “Here, dry off before you get sick. I’m sorry I don’t have a dryer available for you to use. I don’t—” she paused, voice catching out of embarrassment, “I don’t have clothes for you to change into. I’m sorry.”

[fitzfarseer]

As I waited for her, my eyes continued to peruse the room. At that time, I did not think of it as barren. Simple, perhaps, but all the same, it was more walls than I had been used to as of recently, and it offered a security that I doubt even she knew of. I made a general supposition that she was not often here, but bothered not to enquire about it. The rise of her footsteps as she returned to the room caught my attention once more, and I watched her attend my dog, with more care than he had seldom received. Spock’s tail thumped twice against the ground in two lazy beats of happiness at her gesture, and his body leant into her womanly touch. Such gentle affection as this was not common for either of us, and he twisted his head up towards her, gracing her with a slimy and toothy dog’s smile, and a fervent lick to her jaw. I could only watch with so much delight before the bother of jealousy set in. I padded over on wet feet to the floor beside my dog and our companion and slid, ungracefully, to the floor. I pressed my back to the radiator, eyes fluttering closed as the spread of warmth grasped hungrily through my weary bones, and with this cosiness it awoke in me a renewed tiredness I had not before noticed. A yawn broke free of me before I deigned to reply. “Thank you, this will do well enough,” I smiled at her with a half silent chuckle and a shrug, my eyes still closed and head tilted back in comfort. "I doubt I would want to be caught wearing your clothes, anyway." I had half a mind to stretch myself out before the heater and take a much more canine approach to my situation, but remembering my company I remained seated upright and accepted the towel, rubbing mildly at my dripping hair and reluctantly avoiding shaking it out. I realized I had barely spoken to her since moving, and now opened my eyes to address her, however both my gaze and my voice had fallen sleepily. The frequent silences that sat between us had become oddly comfortable. "Have you lived here for long?"

[fitzfarseer]

Knick Knacks and Knock Offs | Fitz ✖ Sehun

[iso2108]

        Despite having lived in Seoul all his life, Sehun still found it necessary to explore every part of the city. There was simply so much happening and so many places to go that he couldn’t help himself from walking around. The only downside of all of this was the crowds that populated the sidewalks, streets, parks, alleys… there was no escape from it all.

        The boy gave it his best try each time as he went out—not everyone was cruel, and the world wasn’t all too bad in his mind, but he couldn’t help himself from feeling nervous or apprehensive of everyone. It was rather difficult being so curious about everything only to find that he would have to put himself in uncomfortable situations in order to broaden his knowledge. He had found some ways to cope with this anxiety. The first strategy (strategy number one)  was that he’d let himself get lost in his thoughts in order to distract from the crowds of people, however this tactic often led him to run into others which was rather uncomfortable and upsetting for him in itself. The other main strategy (strategy number two) he had was that he’d let himself wander into a less crowded place, or one that appeared that way. This allowed him to discover some place new while taking a break from everyone outside.

Today was a strategy two kind of day.

        Sehun saw a small shop door and after moving out of the crowd, reaching for the door and walking in. He didn’t know what the shop was before entering, but it seemed to be a homemade trinket shop of sorts. Upon closer inspection, “of sorts” seemed to be the most fitting description of the shop, as there were numerous wooden creations around him that he couldn’t exactly understand. Most seemed to be animals, and some mythological ones were in their number. Taking a few more steps in he reached for a wooden deer, only to hear something suddenly and then a voice.

“I-I w-wasn’t going to—”

        Before he couldn’t finish his sentence, he looked back at what appeared to be a clone of himself. Well, not a clone exactly; he looked like a different copy. Almost as if there had been an error in making Oh Sehun or perhaps it was the other way around.

        “I’m… a customer?” Why should he tell this stranger who he was? Right now, it would be best to leave immediately or so his senses told him. “I c-can just go, if you aren’t open…” His words were slow and cautious as he took a few steps back.

[fitzfarseer]

The sound of my feet clattering against the wooden floor tiles bounded around us in the small room too loudly, and I felt my heart rate increase with a scattered beat. Was this an illusion? I halted in front of him, barely able to hear my own shallow breath; everything felt hazy as though I was recovering from a near by shell dropping. At the back of my awareness I noted the wind chimes billowing behind us, and their songs had never seemed so haunting. My hand twitched idly at my side as I restrained against the desperate urge to reach out and touch his face, just to reassure myself this was real. I kept my distance, however, afraid to tap against the shield of disbelief glazing my perception of the gentleman before me. I feared to press my own sullenly colourless skin against his own, vibrantly healthy and darker tones, to see so clearly the stark differences of what I was to what I ought to be. “Who are you?” I demanded of him again, and despite my futile attempts to sound in control, desperation leaked blatantly from my white eyes into my frantic voice. I heard myself shouting at the boy, and struggled to check myself for it. "Do not claim ignorance! Look at you! You’re…you’re me! Why have you come here? What is it you want? Why are you taunting me? Who sent you? What are you?" The stream of questions fell clumsily out of my mouth, and although I had stepped towards him in haste, I now took a stumbled step backwards as fear ate away my surge of courage. My hand grasped the edge of a nearby table, it's corner denting my palm with a bump. My hand slid against the smoother surface of it and knocked one of the dragons. It clattered to the ground, one of it's wings splintering, and one of it's horns breaking apart. I nearly stood on it.

[larmoyante]

There is a terrible emptiness in me, an indifference that hurts.

Albert Camus, The First Man (via seughun)

[fitzfarseer]

[ looking at the replies i owe like

[phxlomel-deactivated20150208]

"You are on my campus?"

It did not took long for her to be out of class with her bag in tow, keeping him on the phone still as she went down the stairs two steps at a time. “Where exactly are you on my campus? If you are calling me instead of texting me, I am guessing you are lost, aren’t you?” 

[fitzfarseer]

"Terribly so," I admitted through a self-pitying chuckle. My fingers sought solace to my awkward countenance; teeth chewing dents into my pallid lips and brows furrowed with perplexity, as I searched in vain for something to tell me exactly where I was. Knowing nothing of the campus, my delayed answer came hesitantly. "There is a small willow tree in front of me."

[fitzfarseer]

♐ Fitz + Joonmyun

[mimsuho-blog]

If only Fitz knew how right he was by calling me the moon.  Perhaps he was the North Star then.  Perhaps not. Either way, I didn’t mind if that’s what he wished to be called. “The Sun, the Moon and the North Star, gathered together in the quiet of night to share a drink.  I like the picture that paints in my mind.  What a calming scene.”

I watched as Mr. Sun looked at me with a twinkle in his eye.  It’s not that I hid who I was because I was ashamed.  It was more so out of necessity.  Often times, no one believed me when I shared my true identity. Or on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, they believed and they believed I needed to be studied as if I were a specimen from the dinosaur age suddenly come back to life. I didn’t much like being treated as if I were a science project, so I got to know people before I let them know.  Or rather, I tried to.  Some people were far too keen and figured me out due to my own silliness at times.  I had a horrible habit of saying odd things and it probably didn’t help that I was still stuck in my old fashioned ways of yester-year.

"No, no.. it’s not all fruit.  On the other end of the cart he has the hot cocoa and coffee pots.  He also keeps warm snacks for those who get chilled in the evening time.  I’m not one of those people, but I do so love me some cocoa.  Isn’t that right sir?"

Again, the elderly gentleman looked at me with a knowing smile, his features soft as his slippered feet padded around the small stall, tugging a cup from a shelf.  He filled it with cocoa and put a few marshmallows into it before coming back to slip it into my hand.  With a soft bow of his head, he held his hand out for my money and graciously I tucked it into his palm, tip included. “Always the best from Mr. Sun, I assure you.”

[fitzfarseer]

By now, I was certain of an unspoken link between the pair as Joonmyun spoke fondly of his friend the Sun. To my senses, it was like a thread that thrummed between them, of familiarity and comradeship, but I could not decipher it, and I did not question it. It was a pleasant feeling to witness, and at the moment I felt almost as though I shared it with them. I was beginning to wonder whether or not the vendor’s quaint owner was mute or deaf, for he showed no signs of talking. It did not offend me, nor even bother me, for I could feel Joonmyun’s fondness for him so clearly that I quickly fell into an easy companionship with him. But it piqued my curiosity. I decided the best way to figure out would be to speak to him directly, and so despite that it was Joonmyun I was answering, I looked at Mr Sun as I spoke. “I admit that I am a little uncertain about these fruity flavours, but I cannot deny I am interested, you have won me over that much at least - so, the taste will have to sate my curiosity, Mr Sun, I should like your finest, sweetest, fruity concoction available.”

[fitzfarseer]

♐ the royal fool

[xenocidere-blog]

“My prince.” The words alone sent a harrowing chill down his spine, and he could already feel the memories tearing away at his insides, devouring whatever shred of sanity he had managed to piece together over the years. The chaos, the blood, the death– all of it, clawing away at his composure, tearing down his walls until his soul was stripped bare. The sickening smell of slaughter, the deafening roar of silence; old wounds had been forced open and he was left gasping for air, tears stinging his eyes. Taemin could feel his chest tighten, could feel the tremors running up and down his frame as if he were back in time, back inside the body of the child he once was, stumbling over the bloody remains of his family, his home. Shaky digits curl in on themselves, hands tightening into balled fists by his sides. Drip. Drip. Sanguine trickled down his palms, tainting porcelain skin a beautiful shade of crimson before suffering it’s demise against the wooden floor. With every second that ticked by, nails sunk deeper into flesh, but the sting was nothing compared to the burn left behind by his past, the flames that had brought down his castle licking at the walls of his heart. Smoke fills his lungs, tendrils of black and gray slipping past his lips to reach for his throat with invisible fingers and he’s choking, choking for air. The blonde’s embrace is what snaps him out of his reverie, like the sole anchor weighing him down to reality. Taemin’s teeth grind together beneath trembling lips and he’s struggling, fighting a losing battle against the demons of his subconscious mind. Sharp canines sink into his tongue, but the pain doesn’t register in his mind, and neither does the metallic taste of his own blood. He’s stumbling back, pulling away from Fitz’s grasp and he can feel his knees buck under the weight of his shoulders. Fingers painted scarlet curl around the edge of a desk pressed up against the wall behind him, barely catching onto the cold surface before his body crashes to the ground. With his eyelids squeezed shut, he’s willing himself calm, years of practiced self-control cracking under the pressure put forth by the broken shards of his childhood. The pieces cut deep, like a blade through still waters and his mask splits open, torn and tattered like the boy hidden beneath. He’s standing there, breathing ragged and a single tear slides down his cheek. A sudden spark of adrenaline floods his system. Taemin runs. Turning swiftly on his heels, he rushes out the door from which he came, disappearing into the dimly lit corridor like the smoke from a cigarette; without a trace of it’s existence except for the numbness enveloping you and your heart.  

[fitzfarseer]

I felt him take the oxygen from my lungs as he broke free of my long limbed and clumsy embrace. The rush of empty air between us was a hard and cold punch to my lungs and I felt winded; but not so much as to stop me from seeing the pale shock on the boy's face. My boy prince stared with a blank horror I would not unsee. A moment he stayed, just long enough to imprint the realisation of what a fool I truly was, before he was gone, leaving not a trace behind him but the lingering space of where he had been.  Dumbly I snapped my head up and towards the door and knew a moment of disappointment in seeing it, too, empty. I suppose there had been a shred of hope within me that he might have been waiting for me at the door, but it swung shut behind him. I felt it severe the rush of hope I had experienced in seeing him. My gaze slowly fell from the door only to land upon the speck of blood on the floor, I stared at it for a timeless moment as the despair of our uncanny encounter and his fleeing dismissal of me dawned as the night darkened. He had ran. He had seen me and ran. There was no use questioning whether he had recognised me, no such man could forget a face as queer as mine.  How could I have been so foolish; that he would wish to embrace me after all the years of abandonment that I had ran from me. The sickening irony of our positions struck me numbly. What had become of him?  It hit me then, the full wave of despair I had buried beneath years of running from the  Čedomir's gruesome massacre. I wondered uselessly whether he resented me for not staying. I sank down to the wooden floor where he had stood, dragging my legs to my chest and resting my chin on bony knees; a skeletal figure in the ghost of my prince. I wondered briefly whether it was really real; the wine I had drunk before seemed to dizzy me for a moment, though it may have been the shock. "My prince," I whispered after him, but there was this time no answer at all. A resolve hardened in me throughout the night. I had been without a King for far too long, I had been without a purpose. I would not let this chance now slip so freely from me. Nikolai would not be rid of me so easily. I would help him and serve his family once more. 

[jcaecus]

Joonmyun nodded timidly at the assurance the dog would not attack him, but it did little to make him more relaxed. The dog was still an unknown threat to him that could charge at him at any moment, although the rational part of his brain knew that no such thing would happen especially with the dog’s owner there to soothe it. The dog did not know he was a cat, it saw him as a human, and wouldn’t be bothered.

He had grown rather sensitive to attention being directed to his ears or tail, and he could tell that this man was at least curious. Of course he were; that was no surprise, nothing unheard of. As common as cat hybrids were, they were still not that awfully popular and usually didn’t move around in public like this.

"Don’t mention it," he replied and shook his head quickly. "I was just doing every single person should do. The world would be a lot better place if people stopped to help strangers more often."

Joonmyun pulled his hand back when the man winced so visibly at his touch and regarded him with caution for a moment before he spoke up. “I’m Joonmyun… And you can ask me. About the ears. The tail. The usual.” He shrugged and flashed a brief, small smile. “You’ve been very polite about them so I don’t mind. As long as you don’t ask when I’ll go into heat and if I’d need a helping hand with that, we’re good.”

It truly was shocking what kind of questions he was posed to every once in a while. People seemed to feel no shame and regarded him as a mere animal, a fuck toy that existed only to please them. It was degrading and it hurt, too, and while Joonmyun understood that some of it was just plain ignorance rather than malice, it was still painful to listen to. 

[fitzfarseer]

I was struck silent by his abrupt comment. In the midst of attempting to sit upright without keeling over with the potent thudding in my head, I stopped and choked at his words, only to find myself chuckling and shaking my head. I didn't quite realise he was being serious about the questions others had asked him, and glanced to him with an ignorant dismissal of them. "No, no such thing had passed my mind," I answered him, perhaps a note too quickly. I flashed an awkward half-smile, meeting his eyes, "no offence to you, of course."  I let out a soft sigh as I lent my head back against the bench. It was slightly low, and so I found myself having to slouch in order to reach my neck along the back of it to lean it back and tilt it upwards. The sun's light hit me on the eyelids uncomfortably but there was a subtle relief in closing my eyes and taking the weight from my head that I found I could relax. I reached over to pat the cat-boy on the shoulder, half in reassurance to myself that he was still there.  "Thank you," I found myself saying again. I suddenly felt somewhat safe in Joonmyun's company, with Spock by my feet keeping guard. I would have thanked him endlessly for that alone, but instead I directed my attentions to him, in the hopes the distraction of his feline factors would distract my aching mind. "I suppose you must be subject to quite a few odd questions, do you have any cat habits or are they purely show?"  I creaked one eye open to look up and over at him, "do you like to be scratched behind the ears?"

[fitzfarseer]

PSA;

ooc; typist has been unusually busy recently with other commitments demanding my time and energy. Unfortunately this has left me tired and little to naught for writing! I have not disappeared, however, and replies will come eventually. I estimate they will come in this upcoming week. Many apologies to all still waiting replies from me!! Have a good day and enjoy the new Spring! If anyone has any problems or plots, hmu!

[fitzfarseer]

It had been a while since she’d allowed herself time to spend on her own—recently, it had become more of a chore than a time of relaxation for her, but even with this being true, she wanted to at least reacquaint herself with the feeling. She prided herself on being independent, and with that now being fully true, with her supporting herself in every aspect of her life besides boarding with her best friend, she supposed she should fall into the routine of going out alone.

The weather had been gradually warming up since the new year, but it was still far too chilly for her, who preferred the warmer seasons. So, bundled up in a pea coat and circle scarf tossed over her shoulders, she headed out, allowing her feet to take her wherever they wished without her mind controlling where they went. It didn’t take her long for her feet to lead her to the park by the river, a very familiar spot with far too many memories. With a quiet sigh, she continued on a concrete path, eyes drifting from the scenery to the people, to the sky, simply taking in all of her surroundings.

She was about to turn around and head home, her head too full of memories, when she spotted a Labrador and its owner seated at a bench. Her mind immediately flashing to her own two pups at home, she soon found herself crouched in front of the dog, extending her hand as if offering it for a shake, which, once she realized what she was doing, made her feel quite silly. With an abashed smile, she lifted her eyes to look up at the dog’s companion. “He’s beautiful.”

{ ooc: hello there~ thank you for liking my post ; u ; ummmm you’re free to name it as you like~ and yeah— you can delete this part when you post. nice to meet you! keke o/ }

The wind battered at my hair, sending translucent tendrils in flight of the sudden, unseasonal gusts and billowing wildly in front of my face. I grimaced against it and tightened my jacket around me. At my side, Spock trotted purposefully, much more adept to dealing with the cold than I had ever been. The fingers of the wind combed thorough the ruft of his black fur like the gentle caress that left me wondering why it battered me so brutally in comparison. I had often heard that if one keeps on moving, he should find warmth in his body. I had seldom found that to be true. The movement only seemed to constantly jostle new openings around my clothes to invite the cold in, and eventually I gave in, flipping gracefully onto the first bench we came across. Spock gave the area a good snuffing, tail swaying gently, before joining me. My bitterness that lush warm Spring had not yet arrived did not affect his jab enjoyment of the day, and as someone enthusiastically approached him, his tail set to a constant bout of wagging. I glanced down at her in surprise of her bold approach and lifted an eyebrow expectantly, wondering if she had even seen me at all. Answering my unspoken thoughts, she looked up at me, and I found I could only smile fondly in return. “Yes, he’s a handsome old man," I glanced down at him and patted the back of his neck. The dog stood up, and I felt the creak of his bones as he did so, but when he looked at the young woman his face was all puppy, his tail swaying as his body wiggled with the happiness of attention. "That is, when he’s not demanding a walk in the cold.” [ ooc; hey! No problem, thank you for writing the starter and all! I'm very bad at names but.. ah, it's nice to meet you too!! ]

[jcaecus]

Joonmyun was absolutely horrified by what he had just done, and his cheeks burned with shame. It was not nice to be unable to behave like a civilized human being, and he prayed his cat instincts would let up sometime soon. This was so frustrating. He could feel tears prickling in his eyes but he forced them to stay away; now was not the time to cry. Luckily the man didn’t say anything, although he had clearly noticed what he had done.

He was not relieved to hear that this wasn’t a rare occurrence but Joonmyun decided to do as the stranger told him. Calling 911 wouldn’t do much good if the man kept claiming he didn’t need to go to the hospital, and he did seem to be doing quite well already. The dog seemed relieved as well and one thing Joonmyun had learnt recently was that trusting animal instincts was sometimes far better than relying on common sense.

He couldn’t stop himself from helping the man sit up. He looked so fragile, somehow, like he could see through him if he squinted his eyes enough, and he didn’t like that one bit.  ”I wouldn’t leave you even if you asked me to,” he said with a small smile and sat down next to the man, his eyes fixed on him as he kept looking for any worrying signs. “I’m still not entirely convinced you have recovered, sir.”

The cat hybrid wrapped his tail around his waist in a self soothing gesture. The dog made him feel uneasy, on edge. Joonmyun did know that cats and dogs were not necessarily sworn enemies but he also recognized how much bigger the dog were than him- well, at least his cat form, and he was way more timid as a cat than as a human. To distract himself, he reached up to press his palm against the man’s forehead for a moment to check his temperature and then stared into his eyes to see if the pupils seemed odd. He was relieved to conclude that the man really seemed to be fine by now, just tired and out of breath. 

[fitzfarseer]

Relief flushed through me that he didn't call emergency service or try to make me move in search of the hospital. Neither would have comforted me, for I knew well that my body was healing itself. I felt him briefly relax, and it made me slump more comfortably against the bench, but the catboy's hands were by me, helping me. Unthinkingly, I leant against him, and mindlessly let him take the brunt of my weight, exhausted. His assurance was oddly intimate, I thought, but perhaps this was a stranger's kindness. I nodded to it, grateful anyway. "Thank you, but I will be fine in time, I am just tired as of right now." I watched the tail coil around the little man’s body distractedly. What little I knew of cats told me this was a protective instinct, however I had never dabbled in feline interest too heavily, and it was only my Wit senses that allowed me to pick up on the cat boy’s discomfort. “Don’t worry, he won’t harm you.” It seemed a stupid thing to say, as I placated Spock with idle strokes across his flat head. He was panting with the look of a smile that only dogs can do, his eyes heavily lidded as he calmed from the shock of my previous fit. He took little notice of Joonmyun, noting him only as a creature foreign to him. I wished I could do the same, but such a contentment evaded me. I sat up somewhat straighter as I regarded the cat warily. My headache surged with the movement and I winced, a sharp reminder that this cat had probably saved my life. “Thank you,” I repeated myself, and struggled to meet the man’s eyes without glancing at the twitching of pointed ears above him. There seemed nothing more for me to say, at that moment, that wasn’t questioning the cat-boys existence, and I found myself wincing when he reached over to touch me again. “My head hurts,” I complained glumly, and passed him another wavering glance. "I'm Fitz."

[fitzfarseer]

I caught sight of myself in the reflection of the glass pane, my colourless eyes flickering away from its own awkward gaze to look at the figure approaching behind me. I regarded her silently for a brief moment, before shifting quietly to one side in a subtle, dainty movement, allowing her to take the bench beside me. The museum was quiet, as is such places in the middle of the week. The sound of murmuring and hushed voices, the clipping of shoes against wooded tiles and the occasional laughter of a couple echoed out across Seoul’s Natural History Museum. But it was all dulled by the peoples conflicting awe or boredom. I felt neither as I sat on the uncomfortable wooden bench and stated across at a finely hilted Dike behind glass. Apprehension, nostalgia and a vague hint of excitement muddled me, and I fluttered a quick glance at the woman beside me before studying the blade again. “It’s a fine dagger, don’t you think?” I spoke in the same soft voice as most in the building, nodding at my blade with appreciation. The hilt was ornately decorated; an intricate art of white animals; a pack of wolves, their elongated bodies charging forward with all the grace and strength of a pack, all travelling down a golden handle and chasing the white buck that was engraved white along the thin and steel-grey blade. The images were still clear against their ostentatiously gleaming gold hilt, evidently the museum was keeping it well cleaned, but it had not seen a whetstone in a long time and looked terribly dulled. I grimaced at that. I would soon rid my old weapon of its bluntness. I did not tell my companion that such an old artefact belonged truthfully to me. She was only a woman employed to serve, to do her job and ask no questions. Such was what I expected of her, for I knew her role only too comfortably. Had it not been for the Museum’s extravagant security system, I would have no need of her at all. But that did not mean I allowed myself to be left behind. “I should like to accompany you,” I said bluntly, copping another glance at her expectantly.

[fitzfarseer]

The smell of freshly cut wood filled the shop with its sweet aroma. It tasted of familiarity and, now, home to my senses and I plunged myself willingly into my work. I sat, bent over a small log of wood, slowly taking the form of a writhing dragon to add to a collection of different ones, slicing through the form to cut out the texture of its scales. I had not long been open. The shop was quiet, and still bare to the unobservant eye. A collection of hand-carved features stood in various places in the small and quaint shop, of vastly varying sizes. Small puppets sat crumpled against their stands, whilst others were strung up, their graceful forms set as though they were dancing with each other. There were several dragons, but also creatures such as deer, wolves, rabbits, ravens, each cut with a realism that I could appreciate as I finished them. Behind the counter, of which I was currently using as my work desk, there was even a large Labrador in the likeness of Spock. Dangling from the ceiling were wood chimes that sang their hollow songs as they danced in the breeze the open door offered, and an arrangement of dream catchers, decorated intimately with feathers. It was the simple song of the wooden chimes tapping amongst themselves around the room in a faint breeze that caused me to look up as I felt someone draw near, almost surprised to see a customer. I did not see his face immediately and it was only when my dog stood up from his bed by the desk that I looked once more at the gentleman. I dropped my tools, astonished, and stared at him wide eyed. My chair scraped eerily against the floor as I stood up immediately, my shoulders squared and frozen. It was like looking into a looking glass and seeing what I should look like, if only I were not so irregular. Shock stormed through me, but it was tainted with jealousy. “Who are you?” I demanded instantly, hackles risen and eyes wild and frantic, as I stared at the man who wore my features so humanly.

[phxlomel-deactivated20150208]

It pleased her to know that she has the ability to make a male flustered, a little fascinated by the pink flush that decorated his cheeks after hearing her compliment. “I shall pick out some great cream puffs for you. Along with some red velvet cupcakes maybe. We can meet at the gates of my school, if you wish. I end early on that day so our lunch will be unconventional, having desserts in the middle of the day. Do you know the directions to Seoul Arts High School or do you wish for me to write them down for you? It is rather easy to get lost on the way there.” 

[fitzfarseer]

"Yes, yes that sounds good," I nodded distractedly, still pondering on her compliment. The old assassin within me was already wondering what it was she wanted from me and I stared at her through suspicious eyes, for surely she did not mean it. However she was soon pulling my attention to the matter on hand. Red velvet cupcakes suddenly sounded very inviting. "I don't," I shook my head. The last time I had been there was a matter of unfortunate chance, and I did not  take care in where I was going, and indeed, I had gotten a little bit lost. "Perhaps you had better write them down." 

[fitzfarseer]

♐ Fitz and the Jongin-Dragon

[wolfxjoon]

Jongin couldn’t really believe his ears. The man still hadn’t had enough, still hadn’t learnt his lesson? How could he possibly get him off his back? Did he really have no other choice but to kill him… He didn’t think the man could really find him though, but he didn’t like the threat he could hear in that sentence.

"I do not want to be questioned by you," he said sternly. "Can you not leave it at that? I’m not a laboratory rat to answer your questions and curiosities. Find someone else, I’m not the only dragon around. There are more kindhearted than I am, weaklings who would not lift a finger against you no matter what. Why do you insist on angering me? Are you a complete fool?"

He was suddenly very tired, so very tired and he wanted to get away more than before. But walking away would be admitting defeat, announcing that the man could affect him this much with his words. That was not what he wanted.

Jongin reached for his pocket and pulled out a blunt which he lighted with a quick flame blown from his mouth and captured in his fingertips so that he could lift the fag to his lips before bring the spark to the tip of it. He wasn’t even sure what he was smoking but it felt good rushing in his veins as soon as it entered his lungs. The effect wouldn’t last very long, since his body naturally resisted all foreign substances, but he would savor it while he could still feel the effects of it. 

[fitzfarseer]

In spite of his chiding, I could not help but smile at the name he threw at me. My smile turned into a grin, for I could feel how tired he was, and knew that this would soon be over. "A fool is exactly what I am," I replied, sinking back against the wall as I watched the brief flicker of flame. The stone felt oddly prickly through the fabric of my now torn shirt. "So perhaps you have hit the mark precisely, and it is my own folly that makes me wish to badger you with my questions." I paused to let a yawn break out, to which Spock echoed with a yawn of his own. He was still tense, the fur of his hackles standing on end, however he relaxed enough to sit back, too. "Many a dragon there might be and yet you are the only one I have happened to find, and so it falls to you to answer my questions. I do not intend to poke and prod at you like you are an experiment." An odd sort of proposition came over me, but I knew at once it would be rejected. I voiced it regardless. "You could almost consider it as two friends, getting to know each other," I laughed as soon as I said it, but cared little for his response. Instead of waiting for it, I pushed myself off of the wall and began to walk past him. There was an awkwardness to my gait, as though I were drunk, but in truth I was in a lot of pain because of the dragon. I cast him a side long glance as I scuffled past him, one eyebrow lifted questioningly, but I let my eyes settle back downward as I tapped my fingers lightly on my bruised hip. Spock immediately tiptoed to my side in heel. "I expect I'll be seeing you soon, Dragon."

[jcaecus]

What a relief it was to have the man stir and then open his eyes, even if his gaze failed to focus on anything. Joonmyun had no medical training and thus he couldn’t tell what was wrong with this man but to see him regain consciousness was definitely a good sign, even he knew that much. He reached down to rub the man’s chest when he gasped for breath, hoping to ease any pain he might have and also to feel for his pulse at the same time.

"It’s alright, you’re safe," he said gently and nodded his head. The dog finally ceased barking as well, for which he was grateful for. His new cat instincts wanted him to escape the beast and it was so hard to resist the urge, but it was much easier on him to stay put when the dog was quiet.

"Do you have any pain? Do you have medicine somewhere? Do you need an ambulance?" Joonmyun did not let go of the man’s hands yet. He hoped it would help him feel grounded again, keep him somewhat focused even if it couldn’t bring him any sense of real comfort. His cat ears flicked this way and that as he looked for any signs of serious illness in the man’s eyes or body but could see none, except for the fact that he just had a seizure of some sort and now was feeble, out of breath and unable to talk.

The dog, the man’s loyal companion, licked the man’s face carefully which triggered Joonmyun’s cat instincts again and before he could stop himself, he also licked the back of the man’s hand with his slightly rough tongue. He blushed crimson right after and looked away, embarrassed of himself. If only he could get this cat thing under control!

[fitzfarseer]

The blur of my vision subsided, giving way to a pounding headache. It felt as though the blood would burst from the confines of my skull and the only comfort I found was in the warm companionship my dog offered. I leaned piteously towards him, before once more recalling where I was. My bleary, pale gaze looked up at the man standing over me, to watch him lick my hand. I stared, dumbfounded, as the ears and tail that had previously evaded my attention called on it with an inescapable demand. Everything had been such a complexed haze, I hadn’t the wit to realise what I could so clearly sense in him now; the boy was half a cat? I’d heard stories of such beings existing in various degrees of folklore, most commonly Japanese Neko’s, but to stare at this hybrid as it keenly poured attention over me was almost as shocking as the fit had felt. I was too weary, however, to pose questions and instead I attempted to find a voice. “I don’t think hospital is necessary, this isn’t my first fit,” I answered glumly, settling a reassuring palm on Spock’s head. He ceased his slobbering kisses and settled to sitting back down beside the bench, but his tail continued to thump the ground in satisfied wagging. I inhaled slowly before slowly dragging my limp and exhausted body upright. I winced, for though there was no exact pain beyond that in my headache, my entire body felt weary and unbearably heavy. I wasn't sure if I could hold myself up, and sagged against the back of the bench, measuring each breath. It was not a good time for me to be alone, however in truth I could have survived this well without the cat boy. But his existence and presence was a small comfort and I knew I would regret letting him leave me when I was vulnerable. "Perhaps stay by me, for only a moment, whilst I catch my breath?"

[fitzfarseer]

♐ Fitz and the Jongin-Dragon

[wolfxjoon]

What Fitz said was not exactly begging, but Jongin decided it would have to do. Killing this man wouldn’t really earn him anything, and he had already satisfied his need to compensate for the damage done to his ego. He can smell the blood and the rush of adrenaline beneath the man’s skin and he knows he has hurt him already. But he doesn’t feel remorse, only a sick emptiness in the pit of his belly that could be anything and which he doesn’t have a name for, just like he doesn’t have name for any of his feelings that are not lust, happiness, hunger or anger.

He let go of the man’s neck and stood up slowly, packing away a couple of steps while staring at the man still. This was not fun and games anymore, his nerves were shot and he wanted nothing to do with this man anymore. He managed to tap into so many sore spots that Jongin didn’t even think it was possible but indeed it was, and it makes him hurt and it makes him upset. His memories from his childhood are the ones he refuses to think about, but now he can’t help it and he feels like a sheet of glass that is on the verge of breaking into shards.

Or that’s how he would describe the feeling if he only was able to vocalize any of them. But he is emotionally disabled and cannot do such thing, and so there is only the resentment he feels towards Fitz for making him so confused.

"I hope your curiosity has been sated," he spat out venomously, still backing away slowly. 

[fitzfarseer]

I dusted myself off as soon as I scrambled to my feet, and attempted to stand up straight, but winced regretfully and found myself having to arch slightly to accommodate the sudden pains shooting in all corners of my body. With disgust, I felt a warm drip of blood run on the side of my neck where the ground had ripped at my ear, and with a tentative finger touched the new scrapes on my cheek with a flinch. I suspected large purple bruises would already be forming along my ribs and doubtless my throat would be sore and red for a while. I could feel the vehemence coming out of him as he watched me, but I did not even bother to lift my gaze and look up at him. Instead, I busied myself with addressing each of the wounds he had inflicted upon me in his barbaric moment, grunting whenever I found a new source of pain. It was only when he spoke that I deigned to reply to him. I scoffed. "Hardly," I muttered, and though there was a tone of spite in my voice, I was too tired to put my heart into the rebuke. It was followed by a sigh as I slunk a hand beneath my shirt to feel across my ribcage. I could feel no breaks, at the very least. "If anything, you have only created more questions in my incredulity at the ways of your species, but I dare not ask them for I can only assume that in doing so I would only increase that little temper of yours and I doubt I would walk away from it. So no, my curiosity has not been sated, but you are clearly too uncivilised to be questioned with ease, as you said so yourself."  I added the last statement as a reminder that it was he who first said he was uncivilised, only as a surety that he could not use it against me for another winding. I let my pale eyes land on him only when I had finished, watching him back away as if I were a cornered wolf. I knew he did not fear me, and yet I wondered just how my words had affected him. "Go, Dragon, if you are so burdened by my presence, but let me assure you this will not be the last conversation we have."