Adrift on Land.

Hayden Loen, Selkie, 29. Single. Editor at Paridiso Publishing.

[haydenloenadrift]

//hey all, I might not be on tonight, but I’ll get to all my posts tomorrow. 

[haydenloenadrift]

a-travis-ty:

Original species or not, Travis was still going to do his job. It was a bit unfortunate though. The flowers at his gallery were wilting, and without his usual elven touch, he was left to care for them slowly. It was hard work, but his gallery had to look perfect. He heard someone come in, making him stop his task and called out to them, “We don’t open until this afternoon, or at all, depending on if this moon effect will last long”.

It was going to be hard to cut down on Hayden’s joy today, but if there was one thing that could do it, it was a difficult author coming in. Which could be very possible, because one was supposed to be coming in that afternoon. He was hoping maybe a gift would stymie her attempts to bring down his day. They were nearing the end of her book after all. But as soon as he walked in the door of the gallery, he was being told it wasn’t open. 

“Damn, sorry. Was hoping to find something for a client. Not having a good time with the moon then, mate?” Hayden asked curiously, he logically knew that not everyone could have as good a time as he was. 

[haydenloenadrift]

//Alright I’m finished with Hayden’s replies. I’ve got all of Sydney’s drafted but I have to head to work in about twenty minutes, so I don’t know if I’m going to get to any of them before then. So those might have to wait until later tonight. 

[haydenloenadrift]

[haydenloenadrift]

lassi-o:

What was he seeing? Gideon knew the answer to that, but he wasn’t sure why he was seeing it. This had to be an actual person, because there was no way a wild seal would actually be here rolling around on the ground. He flicked the ash from his cigarette in the opposite direction and kept his brows furrowed. “Is that entertaining?” He asked uncertainly. 

This was arguably one of the best days of his life. But but it was dampened a little in that he had absolutely no clue how to control it. Best guess he had was that it was his intense longing to return to being a seal that had him in that form that often. The instant he wanted to form words? Humanity returned and Hayden was scrambling to get a hold of his jacket, “Fuck, that’s cold” He was laughing though, it was going to be hard to dampen his mood, “It’s fantastic” Hayden answered, once his jacket was safely wrapped around him. 

[haydenloenadrift]

cliffsanson:

Cliff was entirely sure he was giving this guy as much whiplash as he was feeling with his cravings. He had said he didn’t want to talk or interact, and yet here he was, attempting to make some kind of conversation, all in the interest of keeping this guy next to him for a little longer. He laughed softly, eyebrows quirking up momentarily. “I’m sure I look like a big neon middle finger over here.” As he well should for the safety of any potential humans that might get too close. He really was very hungry, but filling his stomach with beer was helping a bit. 

“Well, hopefully I do better than you, though I very much doubt I will.” He ordered another bottle as his was getting low and he didn’t intend on going home without at least a buzz. And he’d like to know what that smell was, if at all possible. “So what is it that killed your mood today?” He probably could have used a better choice of words there. 

“Neon would probably do it, declare this the fuck off corner or something” Hayden laughed, taking another sip of his drink. They did seem rather apart from the rest of the bar anyway. He didn’t mind all that much, he’d much prefer talking to one person rather than the entire bar, he didn’t have the energy for more than this. It would get easier as he had more alcohol in his system, but he hadn’t even finished half his glass yet, and wasn’t up for chugging the thing just so he could be more social. 

Hayden grinned, leaning forward on the bar a little, “I hope you do, would be pretty sad if there were two of us.” He pulled at the edges of the napkin underneath his glass. It wasn’t that he disliked people necessarily, it was just hard to trust them. “Authors, authors are assholes or they think they’re the best thing to grace god’s green earth. They like to make my day as difficult as possible” 

[haydenloenadrift]

sharptallcns:

Tallon looked at the seal rolling around in the snow and quirked an eyebrow. He didn’t mind, but his only curiosity was, why a seal? The brunette rubbed his arms and looked around. His new human form wasn’t suited for the snow and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like that he couldn’t extend his wings and wrap them around him like a cocoon. “Glad someone is having fun with all this shit that is going on.”

The one problem about this whole thing was that Hayden was having a hard time controlling it. Shifting was different than simply taking off his pelt to become human, or putting it back on when he returned to the sea. So the moment he thought about answering that question, suddenly he was a lot of pale skin on freezing cold snow. Hayden very hurriedly reached for the jacket that he’d set aside. “Getting the hang of it anyway. It’s not quite the same as before.”

[haydenloenadrift]

8, 19, 47, 36, 25

8. Would you date someone who’s well known for cheating?

At this point? Probably not. I’ve had enough issues with dating all around to not walk into one that has a higher chance of tearing me apart. 

19. How do you know it’s time to end a relationship?

Well, I suppose it helped last time that the guy was an absolute tosser. But I guess, it’s when you aren’t happy anymore. Or you no longer trust your partner, for any number of reasons. 

47. Which “famous couple” is your favorite?

All my favorites managed to go and break themselves up. Now I’m just out of the loop.

36. Are you still a virgin?

That’s going to be a hard no.

25. Do you believe love can conquer all things?

I’d like to. But realistically, no. 

[haydenloenadrift]

13, 15, & 17

13. What's one thing you regret saying/doing in a previous relationship?

Well, fuck, that’s an obvious one, mate. I regret showing my ex my pelt, and trusting him with that part of me. 

15. Do you believe in the phrase "age is just a number"?

Not in the way that anyone under eighteen should be dating people well past their age. But I don’t know, maybe it’s moving to this town where people are bloody centuries old, but I think massive age gaps are just par for the course here. 

17. Do you believe it's possible to fall in love on the internet?

Sure, I mean I’d probably hesitate calling it love until we met and confirmed it, but I think you can get pretty damn close. 

[haydenloenadrift]

VALENTINE'S DAY | ASK SPECIAL

1: Do you have a crush at the moment?

2: Have you ever been deeply in love?

3: Longest relationship you've ever been in?

4: Have you ever changed for someone?

5: How is your relationship with your ex?

6: Have you ever been cheated on?

7: Have you ever cheated?

8: Would you date someone who's well known for cheating?

9: What's the most important part of a relationship?

10: Do you like to be in serious relationships or just flings?

11: When you are dating someone do you believe in going on "breaks"?

12: How many people have you ever hooked up with?

13: What's one thing you regret saying/doing in a previous relationship?

14: What age do you think is appropriate for kids to start having sex?

15: Do you believe in the phrase "age is just a number"?

16: Do you believe in "love at first sight"?

17: Do you believe it's possible to fall in love on the internet?

18: What do you consider a deal breaker?

19: How do you know it's time to end a relationship?

20: Are you currently in a relationship?

21: Do you think people who have dated can stay friends?

22: Do you think people should date their friends?

23: How many relationships have you had?

24: Do you think love can last forever?

25: Do you believe love can conquer all things?

26: Would you break up with someone your parents didn't approve of?

27: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice about dating what would it be?

28: Do you think long distance relationships can work?

29: What do you notice first about another person?

30: Are you straight, bi, gay or pansexual?

31: Would it bother you if your partner suffered from any mental illness?

32: Have you ever been in an abusive relationship?

33: Do you want to get married one day?

34: What do you think about getting your partner's name tattooed?

35: Could you be in a relationship without sex?

36: Are you still a virgin?

37: What's more important: Looks or personality?

38: Do you enjoy love films?

39: Have you ever given anyone/received roses?

40: Have you ever had a valentine?

41: What's your imagination of a "perfect date"?

42: Have you ever read "Romeo & Juliet"?

43: What's more important: Your partner or your friends?

44: Would you consider yourself "romantic"?

45: Could you imagine to date one of your current friends?

46: Have you ever been "friendzoned"?

47: Which "famous couple" is your favorite?

48: What's your favorite love song?

49: Have you ever broken someone's heart?

50: If you're single, why do you think you are?

51: Would you rather date someone who's rich but a douchebag or someone who's poor but a nice guy?

52: Are you good at giving other people advices regarding dating/ relationships?

53: Are you jealous of couples when you're single?

54: How important is it to make a relationship official (p.e. on facebook)?

55: Would you consider yourself "clingy", "overly attached" or "jealous"?

56: Have you ever "destroyed" a relationship?

57: Do you think it's silly to consider suicide because of a broken heart?

58: Are you the "dominant" or the "submissive" part in a relationship?

59: Have you ever forgotten important dates like your partner's birthday or your anniversary?

60: What's your opinion on open relationships?

61: Who's more important: Your partner or your family?

62: How do you define "cheating"?

63: Is watching porn while being in a relationship inappropriate?

64: Do you think Valentine's Day is overrated?

65: Would you consider yourself a "cuddler"?

[haydenloenadrift]

This was...bliss. 

Hayden didn’t know how it happened, wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what happened. He also wasn’t sure if it was permanent. But at the moment he really didn’t care. This didn’t feel the same as when he had his pelt, not quite, he got the feeling that he might be able to turn into other animals as well, but why would he want to do that when he could finally feel like himself for the first time in years? 

If anyone stumbled upon the seal rolling around in the snow, they might be confused, but Hayden was taking a day to not give a damn about what other people thought. 

[haydenloenadrift]

selkjaime:

Jaime had only one run in with another selkie but that was years ago. He was long away from home, from the ocean blue. Forever he would hold that deep sinking feeling in his heart, aching for the sea. 

The man let his shoulders slump, “I am sorry for my rudeness, my day has been long and I just want to get home. Here you came in at the last minute, and caused this mess–” Jaime paused. No, those words were not helping either. “Is there something you need?” He asked curiously, scratching the scruff of his chin. Standing there a moment and just staring at the stranger. There was this pulling feeling, it was familiar because he felt it before around other selkies.

The apology had Hayden smiling a little, maneuvering around so that he could finish sweeping up the mess that he’d made, “It’s fine, I was the tosser who decided to come in here last minute and wasn’t watching where my book bag was swinging. I think I deserved a bit of yelling” He looked around for a dustpan, carefully laying it down in front of the broken pieces so he could sweep them in. 

There was something familiar about the guy, and Hayden almost put it down to just living in the same town but it felt more innate than that. He wanted to ask, but wasn’t sure how to. Thankfully, the other asked a question first. Though that question had Hayden immediately flustered, “Uh, wasn’t any particular reason. I was walking by and saw a purple flower in the window that reminded me a little of where I used to live. I had a long day, thought I could use something to cheer myself up.”

[haydenloenadrift]

cliffsanson:

Cliff was inwardly scrambling to correct the flight path of his brain, which had gone from indifferent to extremely interested in nothing flat. It was all he could do not to stare at him while trying to figure out what the hell had just taken up residence on the stool beside him. Frankly, he smelled delicious. This was not the day to smell delicious around Cliff. Not when he’d been lamenting the fact he couldn’t eat anything good. He didn’t necessarily want to eat him, but his mind was good at driving him in that direction. It was his nature. 

He was about to jump back into this haphazard conversation when the other’s hand through his hair sent a fresh wave of his smell straight into the wendigo’s personal space, prompting him to cover his mouth and fake cough in an attempt not to look suspicious. That fake cough quickly turned into a soft, roll of a chuckle. “Ah, yeah, you got me there. I guess I’m just secretly full of myself.” He took another swing of his drink, grasping at anything cohesive to say that didn’t relate to food. 

“I’m Cliff.” He settled on that. Nice and simple. “Kind of new around here. I suppose I could do a better job at making a first impression.”

Hayden was slowly getting the feeling that he’d chosen the wrong person to sit by. It was a combination of things, the half stilted conversation, but also that the guy seemed strangely interested in him now. Far be it from Hayden being weirded out by an attractive guy being into him, but this didn’t feel like that exactly, it felt stranger than that. Especially since the guy had seemed so vastly uninterested just a second a go. It was probably just paranoia. After losing his pelt it got a lot harder to trust people. 

“Besides, I’d like to see the type of person who’d try hitting on you when you’re giving off that many back off signals” Hayden wrapped his fingers around the beer as it was set down in front of him. He brought it up to his lips to take a long swig, he really could use it about now. 

“Hayden” He said in return, “You’re fine, I’ve been here a few years and I’m 80 percent sure I haven’t made a decent impression yet” Hayden laughed, setting his beer down. 

[haydenloenadrift]

cliffsanson:

It wasn’t as if Cliff owned this place, or the stool his ass was on, or the one next to him. Sitting at a bar was always an open offer for conversation with whoever sat next to you. Even so, that didn’t mean the person sitting next to him even cared to speak to him at all. It was pretty conceited of him to even think that was why he’d come over here, rather than to get himself a drink and drown down an equally as miserable day. Cliff may have been less pleasant now than when he was literally devouring people. Would it kill him to make some kind of effort? Probably.

At that response, Cliff pulled himself away from his pity party just long enough to look at the man that was next to him. He looked incredibly downtrodden, but that didn’t take away from the fact that he was actually pretty good looking. Above that, however, Cliff was suddenly aware of the way he smelled and how different it was to anything he’d ever smelled before. Human? Was he human? There was definitely a hint of human there, but something else? Cliff’s stomach almost audibly growled and he scraped one deadly sharp canine across his bottom lip.

“Sorry.” He heard himself say, fingers clenching his bottle just a little harder. “Just a tough day, is all. Didn’t mean to take it out on you. I just thought…” He smiled a bit, but only a bit, and shook his head. “Never mind. Enjoy your drink. I’ll just be sitting here… being a dick.”

Well, now he was the one feeling like a little bit of an asshole, and he hadn’t even been the one to start it. Unfairly pretty men shouldn’t be allowed to bite their lips, really, they shouldn’t be. Because it actually had Hayden feeling bad, and making him reconsider being out in public after he’d had a long day. It only seemed to leave Hayden feeling like a dick when he inevitably snapped at someone. Even if this one was somewhat justified. 

Before responding, he managed to get an order to the bartender who had finally made his way over, handing over his credit card so he could open a tab. He was probably going to need one. 

“It’s fine, really. Mine wasn’t peachy either, so I get it” Hayden sighed, reaching up to scrub a hand through his hair, probably mussing it in a million different directions but he couldn’t bring himself to care that much. The little smile had Hayden grumbling again, “Just because you’re fit bloke doesn’t mean everyone’s going to hit on you.”

[haydenloenadrift]

cliffsanson:

22 Days.

It had been 22 days since Cliff had even gotten his face close enough to pure human flesh to smell it. The wendigo was beginning to rethink this whole diet thing. Raw meat was all well and good, but it had absolutely nothing on the real deal. It was against his very nature to actively avoid consuming people, but if he wanted to be a productive member of society, he knew that he needed to tone down the cannibalism. Most people weren’t too keen on interacting with someone that might take a bite out of them… literally.

Cliff had taken up the habit of chewing gum just to give his teeth something to do during the day. And while it wasn’t what his razor sharp incisors were meant for, he could take the edge off by tearing off chunks of the toughest beef jerky, even if it didn’t quite compare to ripping off chunks of flesh from a still living victim. Every little bit helped, and he was sure that eventually he would adapt to this new “vegetarian” way of life… or he would die in the process of it.

Smelling of embalming fluid like he almost always did after a full day of taking care of the dead, Cliff went straight from the funeral home to the bar. He was a little more on edge than usual because he’d worked on a particularly freshly dead woman that afternoon, but he’d resisted the temptation to take a little off the sides. That took some hellacious will power, and only served to sour his mood all the more to match his almost constantly sour stomach.

22 fucking days.

“It’s not worth it.” Cliff stated simply to the person that had approached him at the bar. He didn’t even look at them, but he had to be putting off some pretty strong standoffish vibes. “I’m not in the mood today.” He took a drink, hoping that getting himself blitzed might help him forget how shitty he felt. It never occurred to him that socializing might actually help as well.

It had been a long day. Hayden had spent most of the morning arguing with an author about the changes he’d suggested to their novel, where he’d done everything in his power to avoid just shouting that their book was boring as shit. That phone call had left him drained, but then he’d spent the rest of the afternoon going through their submissions and draining the rest of his will to live. Hard days left a boulder-like ache in his chest, because it made him want to go home, the ocean home. 

But he’d have to settle with something else. Given that he had no alcohol at home, and there was a bar around the corner, that seemed like a pretty good place to start and end the night. Get a little drunk, wander home, sleep, and then hopefully he’d be in a good enough mood tomorrow to avoid going on a killing spree. 

The bar wasn’t crazy busy, but busy enough that there were only a few stools left at the bar. He headed for the nearest open one, only to be surprised when the handsome stranger on the next seat suddenly spoke, warning him off. Hayden signaled for the bartender’s attention anyway. “Yeah well, neither am I, so you’re just going to have to put up with me being here a while.” He grumbled. 

[haydenloenadrift]

pierce-giles:

Scare him? Pierce gave the other man a curious look as he took a bite from the danish. “You can do whatever you want if you got here first,” he said dismissively although he remained polite. “I’m Pierce, and um, if I end up distracting you just tell me.” The last thing he wanted was to be bothersome.

“Pretty sure there’s some kind of rules of etiquette I should be following or something, but I was never too good with those” Hayden reached up to rub the back of his neck. “Nice to meet you Pierce, and don’t worry about it. The words were beginning to blur on the page anyway. I’d get another coffee but I’m sort of worried it would give me a heart attack.” 

[haydenloenadrift]

prune-juice-granny:

Griffin was slow to quirk an eyebrow at the other. “I just told you. You’ll be bound to it forever. The more lengthy version is that your soul will be trapped in that item for eternity even if someone else comes along and has it in their possession.”

“Well doesn’t that just sound eerily familiar” Hayden sighed, and perfectly fitting too that another handsome guy was the bearer of his bad news. “I don’t suppose there’s any other way of getting rid of this thing without subjecting some poor sod to the same fate?”