Mary Jo Bang, from A Film in Which I Play Everyone: Poems; “Hotel Incognito”
[Text ID: “I didn’t belong, not then, not there, not anywhere.”]
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Mary Jo Bang, from A Film in Which I Play Everyone: Poems; “Hotel Incognito”
[Text ID: “I didn’t belong, not then, not there, not anywhere.”]
2022 01 13 02:27
Xenophon and Shakespearean sonnets
Derek couldn’t tell if the whispered word was a name, a curse or perhaps it was a greeting to the ones who were not welcome. yet the way that it was uttered it made the lycan pause, was it not a name that he had heard once before, or perhaps it was something left behind for him in the back of his mind, like an itch just there waiting to be touched. and for a moment he felt the urge to reply as if it was a call out to him, unfamiliar, yet it left a bitter taste afterward.
Faraday. it sounds like a far-away place that he wanted to visit but hated and feared ., almost like the Moon pushed the sea to touch the shore and kiss the edges of land, only to once again call it back, ripping it away with a force unlike any other.
… a whisper in the wind carried his melody.
And carried it did, Derek could only follow the call that bounced from tree to tree, leaves tickled by each syllable and shivered with glee.; the land breathed a sigh of relief, wiping clean his mind. Two orbs of deepest black enveloped within a veil, observed him with an understanding that made the wolf feel a tad irritated, the back of his neck itching as every hair stood alert. "So, now you talk to birds as well.. What are you, Doctor Dolittle?” Derek tried to add a bit of a teasing edge to the last part, funny enough that he even admitted knowing the franchise even –a sharp tap on top of his head brought him back to the 'now’. “What the-” The caw cut through the silence of the forest like the snap of a whip, sounding almost like the damned bird tried to scold him, gliding smoothly on the hands of the wind. And then it were no more, not even the rustling of a feather could be heard- the last caw like a call to be followed.
Scratching the place where the acorn had landed on his head, the lycan almost unwillingly followed the direction where he had seen the dark shadow vanish quietly.“Hope not all your buddies here are this friendly…you need new friends."Grabbing the read-head by the collar, he didn’t leave any room for a choice to be made, the entire month by now was beyond exhausting. "I’ll its feathers out if it messes with us."A low growl rippled softly underneath his breath, making the letters tremble as he spoke. What confused and unsettled him a bit in this, was how easy it was to walk through this path unknown to him, but his wolf was now like a little pup returning back to its den.
Stopping at last it was as if his body had been forced to do so, an invisible barrier that he could almost touch if he were to reach out, it buzzed around the small enclosure nesled neatly in the heart of the forest surrounding it. Serene and so lonesome it seemed, no matter how much beauty embraced it with with its vibrant blooming petals of royal blue. Lonely and lost, forgotten. Derek almost had to take back that later thought, because in front of him there it was, a neatly put-together pile of stones covered in moss glistering like little emeralds in the sun. On top of the small wooden cross, barely held together by thin rope, wrapped around tightly like a snake pained brightly red; it shivered slightly as the raven wrapped its talons around. Waiting, patiently it looked past him as if he wasn’t even there, those same obsidian pair of eyes were now challenging the man behind him, head dropping low and beak opening to let out the same damned call. This place, it wasn’t for him to soil with his presence, it wasn’t there for him to mourn or let his tears fall to water the dry earth with the love they were born from. Lowering his head now too, for the respect and privacy that he wanted to give his companion here, the wolf stepped aside as he felt that he had fulfilled his part to bring back a missing piece that wandered off long ago.
" Doctor who ?" He frowned in slight confusion, the reference completely lost on him - clearly pointing at something he did not understand... And damn it, if that wasn't still a bizarre feeling around Derek and that pack of his full of loud, obnoxious teens. He tried not to dwell on it much, thinking back about the bunch of times that people had made the mistake of mistaking him for one of those kids who had grown up anywhere close to a TV. It was easy to keep quiet about it even now, too. For in his humble opinion, watching the raven scold Derek for it was far more amusing than any fictional show. "Buddies ? I'd be ten feet underground if I had stayed 'ere. That's just how friendly they were."
The words carried within an undoubtable convinction that only memories could stregthen whilst the redhead moved to follow Derek ; unbothered by the now lax neckline of his T-shirt. "The bird is nice, though. Don't be mean t' the poor thing." With a small smirk pulling at the corner of his lips, he reached with a finger to playfully poke the lycan's ribs -- but the intention was left at that... intention. His finger hung between them, frozen, as they crossed what felt like a barrier and Lavi suddenly realized where exactly the raven had takem them. "Fuckin' bird..." There shouldn't be a barrier. Why was there a barrier? Who would..?
His boots halted right before the colourful ring of flowers that surrounded the makeshift headstone. Like being thrown back to that time, he could see his own small hands bruising ; picking up stone after stone, ripping at his clothes, staining the material and sobbing... sobbing because it should have been white. It should be white and he just turned it red, soiling it with his -- Derek stepped aside and he was roughly brought back to the present with a gasp. His eyes now stung and he blinked, trying to push those treacherous tears away. That day, however... they hadn't stopped. " She stayed." The nails of his thumbs dug hard into the pads of middle fingers ; attempting to feel maybe a small amount of the pain that suffocated him the last time he stood right there. "... Because of me. Look where it got 'er." The Exorcist wanted to scream. This exactly was what any kind of love had meant for him through his life. Something foolish. Something deadly. " Did y' know -- he didn't even let her name me."
Looking up at the bird perched on top of the wooden cross, he sniffed. Shamefully, but too stubborn to cry. Prompting a croak from the animal -- as if the thing shared his sadness somehow. " Never knew she would be this well protected after..." His voice broke slightly with the last word. Gratitude threatened to overwhelm him. For so long... the only thing he left of himself in this forsaken place had been mantained. Cared for. Guarded. Raising trembling fingertips to his mouth, Lavi took a deep breath. The raven fluttered it's wings excitedly under his gaze before he turned to catch Derek's -- and whistled. Loudly. Like the first notes of a song carried across the surrounding trees, echoing through their branches. I'm back. I remember you and I'm so grateful. Keeping emerald hues on the man at his side, he awaited as seconds passed by just before the distant howling began.
lenalee : i'm sorry to tell you this but you have a heart and the capacity to feel.
lavi : you take that back.
“i. you’ve lived past too many terrors, i’m afraid. airtight lungs and terrible things leave you choking. quietly, of course. very quietly. you cannot stand the thought of anyone else knowing that you are disintegrating through the small cracks in your bones. ii. you were not then, you were not before. you are now. you are here. you exist in an empty plane. and darling, you are so terribly lonely. iii. listen. do you hear? echoes that beat in your head, rhythmic screams and slight pauses. you take comfort in those brief silences because then, you can close your eyes and hope for sleep. but those echoes, those goddamn echoes. they keep you awake, yet you suffer through the nightmares. iv. you remember in glimpses: names. objects. places. me. v. they’ve broken you. took you apart. taped back the pieces and called you brand-new. this is who you are, they said. this is what you did. vi. but you didn’t do it. vii. but you didn’t do it.”
— a few things before you go // f.r.
⊰ ☾ ⊱~; It was exactly as they said, reading about a place or looking at the pictures no matter how pristine and sharp they were, could never mimic the grandeur and feeling one obtained when physically there. Everything about this land was vivid and adorned with emerald hue, yet the silence that haunted the sight made it look so eerie, perhaps even ethereal. Derek was mesmerized by the simplicity, and how each breath didn’t feel like his ribs and heart were held tightly in a closed-up fist.
His eyes wandered with ease across every steep hill and crack formed by the shivers that shook the ground, wide fields of green swayed playfully in the huffs of wind that pushed and tugged at them- silly or not, a small part of him howled with recognition. Not that Ireland had ever been a stop on his numerous wandering stops, Laura used to joke how eventually from orphans, scorched by fire, they now found homes in every part of land they stepped into. But this was different, it made his skin tingle with a familiar urge to simply shift- and RUN.
"Hm?” Eyebrows furrowed together, making the lycan look more annoyed than curious at what his fellow companion said.“How long was it since you were here?"Derek didn’t push against the nudge, just followed wherever the redhead was heading; the bright hue of the man’s hair really crashed against the rest of the place. Sticking out like a sore thumb really, not that Derek was doing any better as he had decided to still stick with his leather jacket since it was the first thing he grabbed back at home. It made the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile along with the crows-feet which became more apparent since returning to Beacon Hills. They both were two strangers returning 'home’. Lavi quite literally, and the wolf for the bloodline that called out to him from the moment he arrived. Nonetheless, whilst he was having a more intimate experience that brought a sense of peace to his wolf, the lycan couldn’t say the same for the other male. The serenity of the land only elevated every stammer and thump of Lavi’s heartbeat, if Derek could ever describe it, then saying it sounded like a consistent quiver, creating ripples in this sea that stood silent at night; hoping to hide. The unease was hard to mask, perhaps the storm they had already walked through, merciless as it was, had them both near exhaustion. "Don’t hurt yourself, idiot.” Reaching out to rest his hand against the exposed skin on Lavi’s neck, Derek’s eyes followed the gesture before returning back to the lone orb of darker glaucous. It was mesmerizing to watch how it would shift in hue regarding the emotions stirring up inside the redhead, from dull, deep oceanic to electrifying forest green it would always be captivating to witness.
“They will have to be fine on their own, I always said that to Scott….no one knows how long I would be able to be around. I seem to attract the monsters lurking in the dark…” Giving a small pat before pushing past Lavi, he had to stop in his tracks again. This time he was met with a pair of eyes burning like embers, only for them to vanish just as fast and a pair of elders to walk down from the junction to their left, a little group that happily chatted among before spotting them-or better said, spotting Lavi. Cheerfulness slowly morphed into realization, which simmered into irritation and some disgust. Not taking his gaze off the group, Derek muttered with an impressed undertone in his voice, to the subject of their interest- “You didn’t tell me, you were a celebrity here. How about… I warm up a bit for the bodyguard job …” As soon as the words left his lip, the icy blue flickered in a soft glow underneath, and a snarl crawled up his throat slowly. Slowly the peace was becoming less clear, something was waking up beneath their feet, dirt and soil rumbled with a warning that only he could pick as of now, edging him to be alert.
The redhead inhaled deeply, and with the next exhale... the tension abandoned his body as if it never had been there in the first place. As usual when feeling threatened, he straightened from his lazy slouch to his full height. Towering, imposing -- whilst limps relaxed into a nonchalant, seemingly unbothered stance that, however, didn't match the absolute coldness seeping into his features like frost. The warm vibrant green of his eyes darkening in a blink -- the slight surprise shown by his parted lips gone as his mouth closed. Heart slowing it's beating. He tilted his head then, in a silent dare. After so many years, the unwanted child was back home. With that knowledge shared now between those villagers who soon would spread it among others without a speck of a doubt -- the mask was back on. A stab of regret spared, lasting just a second, for Derek was about to really meet a whole new different person maybe sooner than expected. Perhabs new wasn't the appropiate word for it. But one of many ; having merely caught quick glimpses before. There was no place for Lavi in these lands. There never was. No place for the innocence of a kid, nor weakness. Bookman was the one who took that small hand once and guided all that away. Fitting, because it was Bookman who'd just returned, too.
" Pariah would be the correct term 'ere." He whispered, feeling the soft vibration of Derek's growl. By the way in which the men's eyes moved to his companion in obvious terror before focusing back on him, betrayed, as if remembering something previously forgotten ; he knew the lycan's own hues must have flickered in color. He took a calm step foward, then another -- consciously leaving his back to what they now clearly perceived as a 'monster'. One of the many that inhabited these woods and served to build up their leyends. To terrify their offspring into never seeking a different kind of freedom. To turn those kids into the next generation full of abuse and ignorance. To keep their little village sheltered. Permanently frozen in time.
" Faraday."
The name was muttered among them like an insult or a curse, followed by one of the men spitting on the floor. As if the disgusting gesture was necessary to express their everlasting hate towards the redhead ; who could only huff out loud in amusement, taking yet another step closer. An action that seemed to be enough for them, for no longer than a breath later the villagers turned as one and promptly proceeded to rush into the folliage ; no doubt eager to deliver the... exiting news.
" That went well." Emerald hues watched, till their frantic steps couldn't be heard anymore; only releasing a sigh once the silence returned to them like a welcomed friend. But even that didn't last. A gurgling croak had him looking up ; immediately catching sight of the single raven perched on a naked branch. The bird tilted it's tiny head curiously in greeting, giving a second croak. Intelligent little animal. Turning to glance over his shoulder at Derek -- whose eyes still glowed a soft icy blue under the shadows casted by the trees -- Lavi let himself relax. A so called monster stood right there. In plain sight. What were only rumors about him given his constant escapades into forbidden territory, have just become an alarming reality for the townsfolk. " Derek."
A chuckle slipped past his lips, completely unbothered by such realization. " Down boy, yer 'bout t' see 'nd hear much worse. We both gonna have t' remember there'll be good things awaiting, too." Shifting his attention back to the now silent raven, he nodded. Eyes warming up slightly, his smile small but gentle. " Tell 'em wolves I'm home, will ya." Another croak and the sound of wings taking flight was the answer. " Lil' snitch."
Edinburgh, Scotland.
⊰ ☾ ⊱~; As if it were not enough that his ears were already bleeding from the damning screech of the fae, it took seconds before the sky turned into a canvas filled with stripes, like a map underneath your skin with veins showing the path. "Ah f-”, he wanted to curse out loud, but nothing could surpass the rumble of thunder as it struck. Like a roar of a furious beast, it spread across the land, its outcry convulsing deep within your bones as teeth lacked together and taste of iron coated the tongue. Derek honestly could not tell where up and down was for a brief second, first the noise and now the blinding luster from above, the wolf was simply exhausted and- “-too old for this..” Gritting his teeth together he couldn’t tell if his companion was ready or not, to leave the stage before another wave of new faces would appear. Derek mustered the last of his strength, yanking the redhead into the passenger seat, then leaned against his car’s cold but familiar smoothness. One, two, three… pushing away he could finally make out the small dots dancing before his eyes, the old fae were now simply stuck there with eyes and mouths wide open. Staring at him with an emptiness that felt ominous, mute, and not moving from the position. At least it is what he thought, alas the peace shifted to absolute shitshow when their hand shot up just to point in their direction. Targets, that is what they are now. Sliding into the driver’s seat the lycan didn’t even register what his friend was telling him, every sense that he had still left working was paying attention to the surrounding, the screeching of the tires, and the swaying of the trees as he stepped on gas. His heart was beating with a steady rhythm like nothing had happened, but it was his hands and legs that shivered with weariness, still tense with intent to switch defensive if so needed. “You tell me…I have no idea what day it is, how long was I …”, swallowing hard to wash away the ashes sitting deep in the back of his throat, he tried to repeat his question. “-how long was I away? It felt like days…I…like I slept and just woke up.” Yet still he was not ready to look at Lavi, and see the sadness, the pity, and worry reflecting in that radiant emerald hue. All that happened, and is continuing to unravel here, felt more like a year’s worth of experience of hell if nothing else. “We should go low, ditch the Camaro, and travel by foot…we also need food, water…we- "There was a lot they needed to do, but the more he tried to draw out a plan and a list of things, the harder it became to simply focus."We need to rest,” A little bump caused the car to do a slight jump, just enough to get Derek’s eyes to focus back on the road. Fingers wrapped tightly around the leather, every digit covered in scabs and traces of dried blood. If anyone stopped him right now, one would think he just came back from a massacre in the woods. “Hope you’re fine with spending the night with me, here in the car. For now, it’s all we got…I’m sorry. "The last part fell from his lips again, three words embedded like a prayer and plea, an old habit that he thought that he was having under control. "The drive will take a while, you can take a nap if you want.” I will keep you safe- this part he could not claim, since lately it seemed that he was the cause of all bad striking down upon them.
The sound of coins falling into the driver's awaiting palm was only slightly louder than the wind ruffling the leaves from the trees overhead. The barely hidden curiosity in the man's eyes drew a tired yet still quite sardonic smile on Lavi's lips ; which nevertheless moved to mouth a polite thanks -- efficiently cutting off the possibility of any unwanted inquiry about their direction... or final destination. He preffered not to dwell on that one himself just yet. The journey to his homeland had been so tedious, long and unnerving that missing the long lost Ark had become a constant hum deep within. Was he out of shape now? As a Bookman, he should had been far too used to travel in such ways, for longer periods of time. Had he grown comfortable in Beacon Hills? Turn back. The warning was a mere whisper in his mind. Turn back. Ah, no. Not a matter of comodity or professionality, then.
Gravel complaining against wheels while the car slowly turned around and abandoned them just in the outskirts of the last populated town on their route made him realize he had somehow spaced out, staring ahead towards the looming woods ; branches swaying as if beckoning them inside... or shooing them away. " Feels so weird t'be back. " He looked at Derek, then. Having the wolf in this land was proving to be a bizarre experience on it's own. " The smell is nostalgic for sure. " It was early morning, the dew still coated the ground beneath their feet ; the breeze carrying the scent of heather and cool enough to push any trace of sleepiness away. Not like he would ever feel drowsy anyway, with his heart pounding as it was. Lavi wondered whether Derek could hear it -- he most likely did, but was too polite to point it out. " Still got lil' more than a full day t'go. The path will end before much longer 'nd when that happens we'll depend on... memory. Yay !"
He felt like a soldier coming back to a battlefield now silent and covered in green grass where time ago his innocence was lost among blood, mud, and unnecessary death. " C'mon. " The Exorcist grabbed the lycan's shoulder and pushed, gently, enough to make the other male step foward. A step that he promptly followed. Then took another, and another. The motion slowly becoming easier, like muscle memory. " Stiles 'nd Scott won't be able t' contact y'anymore from this point on -- sure they will survive without yer self sacrifying antics ?" Teeth almost bit through his tongue, the taste of copper exploding into his mouth. After a few days of travel and attempted rest in between pitstops ; a small amount of anger had settled where once relief resided. The stark realization of what could have happened, what could have been lost to him right this moment, the person that stood next to him -- just because a teen was too stubborn to wait and the werewolf he used to know had grown into an apparent sucker for punishment... Made him feel things that he didn't want to name. Made him bitter. Angry Vicious. And Derek... Derek didn't deserve it.
" Sorry." It came out like a bark before he swallowed, and tried again. Softer. Regretful. " I'm sorry. " Slowing his pace, he turned towards the wolf ; brushing his fingers against the back of Derek's hand. Head tilting slightly, enough to show his neck and remorse in an instinctual way that the other would undoubtedly recognize. " That had t'be the most assholish way of expressin' how much I care 'bout ya, huh ?" A heavy sigh fogged up the air between them for a few seconds whilst he next rubbed at his eyes, taking a moment to keep covered the right one just like his old patch used to. Overwhelmed. Like something wild wanting to haul ass the opposite way. " Haven't been this close since I left. Whenever I'm 'ere... it was never this close. " Teeth anxiously worried at his tongue again, making the previous bite bleed once more. " Feels like I'm 6 all over again. "
there’s just something about the weight of a hammer in your hand. feels so right
I really wanted to redraw this, but just didn't have the time.
So do accept this quick coloring instead.
Postcard provided from @fylavi
Link to post:
Jump SQ Rise 2023 Spring Postcards (D. Gray Man)
lupuslxna·:
⊰ ☾ ⊱~; Grabbing the most important items here, honestly there were not that many since the wolf still did not shake off the way of living he upheld all these years now. No personal objects to place around the vast space, always making sure that there were many paths to escape the establishment, windows, doors, all made of wood and cement which he could break come what may. The eerie sight of pleading hands reaching out from the small metal gap still haunted him in the depths of his sleepless nights; trapped underneath the red bleeding moon. “Your and mine….hey Lavi please be ca-!"A sigh followed the already weak call of the redhead’s name. He could only imagine the tiredness that the other male must feel deep inside his very bones when his own body slowly wanted to buckle and shatter underneath this pressure.
Before he could even take another step, every hair on his body stood alert, the smell and taste of freshly fallen rain washed over him before the under came. Echoing with a loud voice it spoke in a tongue that Derek understood, a cadence that was familiar and close to his heart. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he listened with his head tipped back as every word hit against his skin like raindrops falling from stormy skies. Lavi’s voice was the thunder that announced the presence of a force no one willingly would want to stand against, blunt and cutting it had no intention of hiding. So unlike Derek who rather stayed back, trying not to provoke anyone right now. "That idiot…” With soft fondness, and a smile on his lips those words were uttered by the lone wolf standing in another ‘home’ he had to abandon. Getting down on his knees, Derek reached underneath his bed to pull out his bag, swinging it over his right shoulder as he hissed in pain, only proving how fragile this body had become- why wasn’t he healing dammit…- Taking one last look at this place where he had spent his last year, void of pictures, only a small plant in the middle of the table showed that someone actually came by here more often. Its green leaf’s turned almost gray now, whatever had walked in here, sucked the life right out of it; the older male bit back a growl. It was a gift from the pack as he had 'moved in’, to make it a little bit more 'homie’ as Stiles said it 'not so lonely’. This was exactly why he avoided holding anything special in the same space as himself, it gets torn up, burned, and abused…. Without knowing really, he had moved closer to the table, hand reaching out to touch the leaf, his first instinct was to stop only an inch before doing so. Watching it crumble even before any contact was made, it almost felt as if the connection to the pack also did the same. Had to for now, if he wanted to protect them. Taking a step back before turning around he walked right outside, to the very flashy scene that his friend had summoned up. Crossing his arms Derek could only stand there and watch how the old female had to fight against the urge to just, leave behind this mortal disguise, and shrivel away into Its hiding place as Lavi got so much closer. Not even twitching as the redhead touched this husk, only for the face- more exactly the face- hollowed out into this ghostly appearance with eyes black and mouth wide agap. Derek had already covered both of his ears now, knowing very well what will follow. “Ah fu-” A high-pitched shriek emitted from the old woman, face pale and body turning thinner with every second passing on, similar loud screams following hers from every side of the town. “LAVI!STOP TOUCHING IT!” As much as the cries were a pain to listen to. and almost made his ears bleed once he uncovered one side so that with his free hand he could grab Lavi by the collar, dragging him away. “C'mon, the car is few streets down and they won’t stop soon, they are like alarms going off! And luck for us, only me and you can hear them !”
To say the sight in front of him shifted into the stuff of horror movies was an understatement. Lavi yelped ( if it was out of terror, surprise or both nobody would ever know ) snatching his hand back and clutching it protectively against his chest. He barely managed to make a mental note about disinfecting it first chance he got when the most annoying, high pitched shriek erupted from the thing’s gaping mouth. It warranted a pained wince from his part ; shoulders tensing up as if they could cover somehow his poor ears, curling his tall body momentarily as to make himself look smaller in the face of imminent danger. For in war, which was where he came from, such loud noises never signaled the best of outcomes.
It pissed him off. His traitorous instincts. The nerve of the creature, triggering him that way. In the battlefield, any sudden alarm sound would imply his position was highly vulnerable. Following Bookmen rules, the next step to take was to silence it by any means. Luckily, Derek’s hand suddenly grabbed at his collar and promptly pulled him away ; the wolf’s good deed of the day, most likely. Because the Exorcist was pretty sure his companion was completely unaware of how efficiently he had just saved his so called neighbour’s life. To keep that fact unsaid was easy ; his rapidly depleting energy put then to the tedious task of getting to the damn car instead. “ Shit ! What is wrong with this town?!”
Almost crashing into the vehicle, Lavi released another pained groan before blindly opening the passenger door and diving inside like a mad man ; slamming it closed with the stupid hopes of silencing the horrible noise... However, it wouldn’t stop. “ Shut up.” Like sound waves becoming a physical thing, it settled like a heavy weight inside his skull. Glancing at Derek, he could only guess it was even worse on those sensitive ears of his. Better yet, scratch that thought. Was it blood he could see? Fingertips touched carefully that trail of bright crimson running down the lycan’s earlobe, the coppery liquid wasting no time sinking under his own short nails. Say, what’s a Bookman if we take away his ability to... record... “... I’m in Beacon Hills.” Blood of his hands. I have ten little fingers... On the walls. They all belong to me... The former apprentice closed his eyes and the world turned dark. I can make them do things! He could smell the iron and hear that taunting laugh-like-shriek. I can shut them up tight... Weak, he felt weak again. Open them wide. He was sitting -- Or make them disappear! “ -- In Beacon Hills.”
With a sharp inhale, he blinked. Once. As if it would quell the roaring in his head. His heart. The Exorcist smiled slightly. It was always like an avalanche when it happened. The inmense crash of white across the sky. The first stampede of thunder a reply to the undergone threat so loud it shook the ground ; the car. Shaking his own teeth like an engine, and for a moment, he couldn’t hear himself laughing obnoxiously along it all. In glee. Armed. Alive. The day split under a silvery axe of lighting like a giant boulder falling from the heavens and then -- utter silence. Peace. Merely interrupted by his now soft chuckles. “ Drive now, Derek.” Wiping off the blood on his trousers, he leaned his head back to grin crookedly at the other male. “ They’ll clean yer apartment... Smart lil’ creatures know it ain’t worth it to start this kinda war. Exorcists are designed t’be a one man army, after all.” A tired yawn escaped his lips before he bluntly finished his sentence. “...'nd I’m so tired of bein’ trapped.” Would mercy be present, next time?
The really bad monsters never look like monsters.
Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (via booksqouted)
"He's gone."
"Yeah, and?"
"You don't care that he left?"
"People leaving isn't anything new for me."
lupuslxna·:
⊰ ☾ ⊱~; Flipping into such defensive position whenever the redhead had noticed his own uneasiness, was something that made the wolf feel somewhat safe- his little human friend acted so much like one of his kind. For a brief moment, Derek played with the thought seeing Lavi as a werewolf. Powerful, definitely , after seeing what damage he was able to create without unleashing his full potential told him enough. Lavi would be a force not possible to tame; the older male felt the smallest spark of pride, alas, never would he want to put another burden onto the redhead. “You can, and would. You are a disaster when pissed off…”At that, the lycan couldn’t help but chuckle at the other male, corners of his eyes crinkling into the ‘crows-feet’ that always had appear since he was young. What was it that his dad used to call his expression?--’Look at you, all Duchenne smile there!hah! Chubby cheeks- ’, whilst the older werewolf carried exactly the same look upon his visage, lips parted with a wide grin. It took Derek a moment to realize, this memory was new, or better said something which had been lost to him for more than a decade to pass. Felt so alienated , the man whose face he saw so clearly now appeared honest and giving, love radiating from those clear eyes which hid no sentiment. So much pride radiating from the figure, it made Derek pull away from that memory faster than the wind changing direction when meeting a barrier sturdy enough.
“I can relate to that. Same happened with Peter, only that the bastard attaches on you like a leach.” Fingers curling into his fists, the were did not realize how tight he had them pressing against his own flesh till the smell of blood hit his nose, and even if it didn’t help to make him stop, at least it grounded him into the moment. Clenching his jaw tight, Derek had to fight the urge to open up about the truth that way laying so heavy on his heart, but knowing how much the redhead adored his uncle, it would cause just another sting to the already fragile memory of his family. Facetious as it would sound, the fact that his pack did come to an end by the hands of its members, that joke was for another time to be continued and explained. Wiping the palms against the borrowed pants, it felt good to get distracted by the slight prickle of pain it made him feel. “The only good thing he has done or created, is his daughter- oh right, did you know about that? HE, is a father. Of course the mother is a sociopath, must be in our blood to prefer those.” Trying to calm himself down from taking a trip into the self-loathing monolog again, his gaze shifted quickly to the window as the houses passed by in a blur before coming to a stop. Blinking few times he then realized, they stopped in front of his ‘home’, or hideout as he preferred to call it since it was lodged in a silent neighborhood filled with people who minded their own business and-”Wait, how did he know where I live?!”Looking from Lavi tot he driver, who was now fully ignoring him -the convenient little shit- “Actually, nevermind.” Pushing the door open his first instinct was to take a look around, the cheerful giggles of little kids filled the air, dogs barking and flowers blooming….. it looked so normal, so surreal as if he was sucked into a suburban tv show. “Come on, tell your little friend to move since he is luring in some attention, we will take my other car, there are some artifacts we need to pack up.” Giving a small nod towards the black SUV waiting patiently next to the house, Derek lost no time to head inside as old lady Dolores waved at him with a mischievous wink. “Damn fae’s always snooping…” Which meant that yes, it was a known news by now that the name Hale had been tarnished, yet again. But he didn’t care about that right now, in his mind there was already a list of what he needed to take along, what to leave and what to destroy. Pushing open the door, he was met with a room drenched in bloody red marks, it made his eyes water a bit as the smell of it hit him like a slap across the face. It belonged to the pack, each line representing them no matter if human or supernatural, was a clear message that he very much had to re-read again and again. “We have to…hurry…” disappear
What did Peter do exactly? Brows furrowed slightly whilst the Exorcist silently watched Derek. The words spilt were vague enough to denote a dark background behind them just out of reach and part of him -- the part that now carried his mentor’s former title -- wanted to press and see just how fragile and thin that veil was. Rebelling against it, against his nature, proved to be tasking ; but he eased the urge by taking further note on the physical language instead. On the fists that later unclenched only to leave a smudge of blood after rubbing their palms on borrowed jeans. Plus... admitting a shared sexual preference for sociopaths? Lavi inhaled sharply, wrinkling his nose. Overall unhappy at Derek’s self blaming and the implications that such statement unwillingly gave away. It honestly was a small blessing for his running mind, when the car finally stopped.
He got out of the vehicle after Derek, allowing the other male to stand on his own and get his bearings -- understanding the wolf’s need to prove himself capable, even with the night that they were just now barely putting past them. Rolling his eyes at the order that came next, the redhead closed the backseat’s door and knocked with deceivingly gentle knuckles on the driver’s window ; wiggling gloveless fingers a second later as a clear farewell that the Finder shortly answered before promptly driving away. With a sigh, he watched the car go ; rubbing tiredly at his face as he then turned around to follow the lycan who was already entering the building. His bones protested at every movement warranting yet another wandering thought : he had received that dreaded call detailing Scott’s stupid plan almost two days ago. Since that moment ; he had finished the assignment given by the Black Order destroying a number of akuma he hadn’t bothered to count, flown back to America, searched for Derek for half a day, spent a traumatizing night fighting against a witch, against the man turned beast.... and then, of course, he had actually friggin’ died. For how long had he kicked the bucket? Funny, he hadn’t bothered to ask for that piece of information either.
“ Let’s get this done before my body decides to give up on me, shall... we ?” His feet paused just inside the doorway of Derek’s apartment. What began as an exhausted groan shifted into stunned horror at the sight that welcomed them. Marks. Blood on the walls. Wide emerald hues glanced at each one before focusing on the Werewolf’s expression. He couldn’t put a name on the feeling it showcasted but his heart skipped in sympathy. “ Yeah... Hurry.” In what world was this okay? Or justified? It wasn’t like he hadn’t experienced being kicked out of places in the past. Moreso in his youth ; back when he didn’t really care. But this... “ Know what ? I just drowned in freezin’ water ‘nd came back t’ life TWO hours ago.” This bullshit surpassed his limits, that’s what it did. Fingertips brushed against cold metal for one second -- The next, Tettsui settled upon his hand ; propped nonchalantly on his shoulder while he calmly turned on his heels, walking right out the door muttering a pissed off ‘nuh-uh’ ( much like a mother watching her son eat something he shouldn’t ) under his breath.
He understood it, honestly. Being gone from Derek’s life for so long ; the lycan had adapted to the loneliness that chased such abscense and turmoil. Just like he himself had. Take the abuse, clench your jaw and leave. Yeah, that wouldn’t do now. “ Excuse me !” His voice boomed across the walls whilst he rounded a corner and came face to face with the lady he recognized as Derek’s neighbor. The same who had grinned wickedly the moment she saw them arrive -- she wasn’t grinning anymore. The head of the hammer hit the ground with a dull sound before Lavi leaned indulgently against it as if it were nothing more than a simple cane ; looking the picture perfect of someone who was simply about to have a friendly chat... the sharp smile on his lips, however, would claim otherwise. “ Sweet Dolores, innit ?” It was delightful, to see the growing alarm in those features. Thunder exploded outside the building, loud enough to be heard from inside, yet the sky had only darkened slightly. A warning. The eye. A calm voice whispered in his mind. A memory. You’re in the eye of the storm. Pay attention. “ Tell ‘em, we’ll be comin’ back ‘nd I want that shit up there clean. The pack safe -- ‘nd their noses outta my business.” The nerve of this town. The sole hypocrisy of every goddamn creature in it. “ Tell ‘em, they don’t want me t’ be the one givin’ chase.”
With a blink, his mask slipped back on ; a pleasant smile making him look years younger when he reached out to amicably pat the frozen woman on the shoulder. “ There, there... Go, lady, go.”
“I have bled more than this.”
— Lauren Milici, from “Crawl,” published in Wyvern Lit