the chemist

indie, unaffiliated oc observed by shelby

[bludrite]

it doesn't understand why it's so upset today. it liked the clothes it's wearing. perhaps it's sentimental. or perhaps the sudden change is unsettling - it has read that some people are afraid of the inevitable... but it isn't thinking about this now, there is no rationale to this outburst.

"i didn't break the mirror on purpose-" it cries. "i just got scared-"

[med1c1nal]

          “You aren’t in trouble,”          Hyuntae reassures it, returning to its side and placing a hand on its shoulder.          “It’s alright.”

A little wild thing startled by its own reflection. He’s reminded of his cat upstairs. 

          “New clothes, a new bed, a new mirror. Maybe you should come out with me to help me pick.” 

[jeongjinman]

Lee Dong Wook as Ryu Soo Yeol

Bad and Crazy (2021) Episode 6

[troutreznor]

A&F Quarterly 2003 Back to School (The Sex Ed issue) / Slavoj Žižek

[bludrite]

stupid clothes! stupid too-small bed! stupid hair, face, arms, stupid-- stupid-- stupid!!

"i don't fit!" close to a tantrum, it kicks its legs out. 626's trousers end halfway up its shins. "it's all too tight!"

[med1c1nal]

          “You grow very rapidly,”          Hyuntae affirms, patient, calm. He disposes of the broken shards, carefully avoiding cutting his hands.          “We’ll just have to get you new things. I understand it’s overwhelming.”

[dramastream]

A Shop for Killers (2024) dir. Lee Kwon

[bludrite]

@med1c1nal

BIG CRASH coming from the next room in the lab! 626 in startled tears on the floor surrounded by shards of mirror, its clothes a little too tight, its hair a little longer than he last he'd seen.

[med1c1nal]

He rushes into the room, takes in the scene, and goes to the child’s side.          “Aish—what happened? Are you alright?”

Quickly, carefully, he begins picking up shards of mirror, nearly forgetting that the glass can’t harm it the same way it would a human child.

[pmamtraveller]

"mouth to mouth", educational poster, 1911

[fleshfruits]

trying to put the disaster into words feels clumsy, even a little insulting. were they not such perfect strangers, she might take her hand to him—a sculptor to his slab of funerary alabaster—and form the knowing herself. her eyes drift the woods, obscured now by one pale sheet of rain after another.

“i didn't know he'd come. i mean, i had an idea but i didn't know.”

when she overdosed for the first time, it took four bags of intravenous fluid before she felt like a human being again. her body was there, not quite warm under the soft blue hospital blanket, but a long, dim hall had grown between her and the sensations of living. she's grateful for the warmth of the mug.

"something terrible happened, and i want the world to stop like it did for me. i prayed for a cataclysm.”

[med1c1nal]

          “Dramatic.”

It escapes him before he thinks better of it. His observations often read as judgmental, especially with his flat affect. And perhaps he is judgmental. The world is vast and beautiful; it earns its indifference. She has power—or at least has access to power—and she is selfish with it.

Granted, that’s the way of things. He can be selfish, too. Although he can’t beget cataclysms. 

Maybe he is looking too closely, missing the fuller picture. Maybe he’s wrong. You don’t know, and you say you don’t know, but you think you do. How does anybody learn that way? The strange tree outside the window almost leans close enough to tap the glass.

          “I apologize.”          He looks weary for a moment, as if he exhausts himself. Smiles faintly, wryly.          “That was very rude. There are reasons people like me live alone in the woods.”

[leedongwook]

“I’ll take it on.”

Bad and Crazy 배드 앤 크레이지 (2022) // Episode 5

[guiltythirst-deactivated2025010]

them: my eyes are up here

me, staring at their carotid pulse point: what

[batoushoujo]

@med1c1nal;

He comes bearing the same burger order he remembers her getting before, right down to the shake and fries. "I apologize for stopping by unannounced."

　　HONESTLY, SHE'S THOUGHT ABOUT TEXTING HIM far more than she actually has. Mainly, she has ended up writing things down somewhat disjointedly in a notebookーor transferred it there after jotting observations down throughout the day on her phone.

　　On some level, she feels guilty. As if keeping a secret from Izaya is anything new, or unexpected, or wrong, which it simply could never be. As if, somehow, in any capacity, this even borders on the idea of cheating. Like it would matter. To him, or to anyone.

　　And then there’s the ever-present loop of self-doubt. Despite the doctor (she’s not sure that’s a genuine title, but whatever) requesting at least part of this, she can’t help but convince herself that he’d grown tired of it almost immediately. Every message another nail in the coffin of his fleeting interest. What else is new?

　　So she doesn’t expect to see him again, and especially not like this. Things have still been weird with Izaya, but trending better. It’s terribly, stressfully delicate, the fear of When he’ll switch to hating her again. Which shouldn’t even matter, but here she is. Shocked, flustered, and yet somehow managing to glare around her door at the strange man her “husband” had sent to make her feel like a science experiment, and yet being overcome with a giddy sense of purpose instead of dread or resentment.

　　Her stony expression softens up quicky, though she doesn’t pull the door open quite yet. Dark eyes land on the food being presented to her, and she blinks, further surprised, before finally straightening up and stepping back to give way for him to come inside if that’s what he’s hoping to do.

　　“It’s not my preferred method… But what’s up?”

[med1c1nal]

He remains where he is for a moment, an awkward, stalled vehicle, a man placed on pause. Then he attempts a smile—always vaguely unnatural-looking on his solemn features—and steps inside, politely hesitant as he does so. The grease-stained bag and the shake are held out in offering. 

          “I will call ahead next time.”          He sounds apologetic, if not somewhat rehearsed.          “It’s been a little while. I apologize. I think about you often. I’ve been busy, I’m sure you have too…”

Small talk is excruciating. It is an utterly pointless necessity that seems only to serve the purpose of highlighting how little he has in common with the general populace, as well as his vaguely disconcerting manner. He resents it. From the little he knows about Tem, he imagines she may be more forgiving than most if he simply cuts to the chase—in fact, it may be well appreciated. 

          “I had an idea for a little experiment. It struck me suddenly while I was in traffic. If you’re not free now perhaps we could schedule it. It wouldn’t be a difficult procedure. You’d just be touching an array of objects and telling me what you experience, if anything.”

[j4dore]

he  thinks  he  knows  that’s  on  those  papers  that  hyuntae  stops  to  study  for  a  moment  —  he’s  not  sure  if  it’s  just  a  good  guess  or  if  he  knows  in  the  way  that  he  just  knows  things,  but  either  way  it  pisses  him  off.  this  guy  pisses  him  off.  actually,  all  of  this  does,  and  when  he  is  out  of  here  jun  is  going  to  answer  for  this.  he  will  be  broken  and  sobbing  when  he  crawls  back  to  his  keeper.  won’t  be  too  hard  to  accomplish.

“  sure  you’ve  heard  the  stories  —  i  mean,  isn’t  that  what  you  have  there?  ”        he  gestures  dismissively,  a  roll  of  his  eyes.  yoojin  is  sure  whoever  has  been  doing  zero’s  finances  nearly  had  a  heart  attack  when  they  saw  the  spike  in  money  spent  on  food  and  alcohol  since  yoojin  has  come  to  stay  with  him.    (  and  use  his  money.  )        “  but  since  you're  nosey  —  a  lot.  i’m  always  hungry.  always  want  a  drink.  always  want  more.  gluttony  in  carnate,  or  whatever-the-fuck.  ”

really,  where  does  this  guy  get  off  thinking  he  can  get  away  with  doing  this?  how  would  he  like  being  put  in  a  cage  and  prodded?  there  isn’t  even  enough  on  his  bones  to  fantasize  eating  him  alive.  really,  what  use  does  he  serve?  namkung  really  is  the  dullest  little  mosquito,  buzzing  in  monotone  around  the  ears  of  the  superior  creatures  of  los  angeles.  but  why  the  fuck  are  so  many  of  them  so  scared  of  him?

“  i’m  a  drunk  and  a  drug  addict.  a  whore.  i’m  so  insatiable  that  i  eat  people.  but,  like,  everyone  knows  this.  pretty  sure  it  says  that  on  your  little  papers,  yeah?  i  dunno,  you  want  me  to  read  it  to  you  or  something?  like,  baby  bird  all  the  information  back  to  you?  ”

[med1c1nal]

If this attitude is overall representative of the way nephilim behave, Hyuntae understands why God (theoretically—the God question is still open-ended) drowned these things like rats. It is frustrating to deal with, but to be expected. He will not let it get to him.

          “I’m trying to determine the accuracy of the written record,”          he says patiently.          “I understand this may seem redundant to you, but this information is antiquated, limited, and written from a distinct philosophical standpoint; I am comparing it to the evidence in front of me. It’s a necessary part of the process. This is how things are done.” 

Hyuntae’s eyes flicker back to the papers. He begins recording again, wishing he’d had the forethought to keep it going through Yoojin’s moody monologue. 

          “Is it a coping mechanism, the self-righteous self-depreciation?”

[j4dore]

hyuntae  is  right,  taeho  is  intelligent  —  which  means  he  can  piece  together  what  is  happening  and  make  educated  guesses  as  to  what  might  happen  later.  he  might  not  participate  in  the  trade  himself,  or  at  least  not  anymore,  but  he  knows  about  what  market  there  is  out  there  for  monster  parts.  his  own  blood,  quite  literally,  paid  for  his  shop  front  before  it  started  to  pay  for  itself.

as  he  stands,  he  braces  himself  with  hands  on  the  wall.  careful,  slow  movements  before  he  is  able  to  speak,  to  move  and  look  at  the  scientist  that  stares  in  at  him  like  he  is  a  lion  at  the  zoo.       “  mm,  no.  i’d  rather  know  what  you  are  doing,  ”        he  knows  he  doesn’t  have  the  power  here,  so  the  least  he  can  do  is  be  agreeable.  from  what  he  has  heard  from  the  others,  dr.  namkung  can  be  very  reasonable.  maybe  taeho  can  prove  he  can  be  reasonable  too.         “  but  i  will  take  numbing,  if  that’s  an  option.  ”

he  wants  to  know  where  the  tracker  is  placed  so  that  he  may  remove  it  —  taeho  will  not  allow  himself  to  be  tagged  like  an  animal.

[med1c1nal]

          “Of course.”          Hyuntae nods, gracious. 

Perhaps he’s a bit disappointed. It’s easier to work when they’re unconscious. More liberties can be taken. Naturally, old and experienced, Taeho would know this. Which means Taeho doesn’t trust him. Hm. 

Alright. Fair. He put him in a cage, after all.

         “I would like to start by asking some questions,”          he says, retrieving the recorder from his coat pocket. He hesitates before pressing the button to begin.          “But, before that, it’s only respectful to ask if you have any questions for me.”

[gheistd]

“  maybe?  something  like  that,  ”       conrad  shrugs.  he’s  supposed  to  know  all  of  that?        “  it  was  some  folklore  shit  we  tried  and  it  worked.  i  dunno.  it  was  salem’s  idea.  ”

[med1c1nal]

The drug addict with brain damage? Interesting. More to pursue there.

          “So you don’t comprehend the state you’re in,”          he says. Common in ghost stories.         “You just exist as you are.” 

An unfulfilled life. He looks so young.

[j4dore]

this  house  has  sat  long  enough  that  dust  glitters  in  the  slivers  of  yellow-gold  sunlight  that  trickle  in  through  partially  parted  blinds.  sungkyu’s  tearfilled  eyes  struggle  to  make  clear  what’s  around  him,  but  he  tries  —  memories  still  hit  him  like  bullets  despite  the  sorrow  haze.  once  again  he  is  happy  to  have  hyuntae  there  —  he  won’t  dwell  on  these  types  of  emotions,  he  understands  that  there  is  more  here  than  just  the  memories  that  sting  like  lemon  and  vinegar  in  fresh  wounds.  there  are  answers  to  both  of  their  questions.  hyuntae’s  metaphorical  hand  guides  him  out  of  the  dark  over  and  over  and  sungkyu  can  be  nothing  but  thankful.

he  doesn’t  hesitate  —  the  corpse  boy  goes  where  he  is  called  like  a  faithful  dog.  it’s  the  messiest  room  by  far,  though  it’s  hard  to  tell  if  it’s  messy  because  of  a  ransack  raid  or  if  doctor  moon  simply  wasn't  terribly  organized.  folders  overflow  with  papers  and  pages,  books  placed  open  and  spine  up  on  the  hardwood  desk  instead  of  using  a  bookmark.  pens  litter  the  surface,  some  of  them  missing  their  caps  and  long  sense  dried  out.  haphazardly  organized  bookshelves  line  every  wall  that  doesn’t  have  a  window  or  a  door.

he  remembers  nagging  victor  about  cleaning  this  place.  he  remembers  that  the  next  time  he  came  over,  the  stacks  on  victor’s  desk  were  more  neatly  placed  —  but  all  that  work  was  quickly  undone  when  sungkyu  was  pushed  into  the  surface.

his  stomach  turns  in  knots  but  he  fights  back  every  urge  to  double  over  from  the  weight  of  it  all.  he  doesn’t  realize  he  has  reached  out  to  hyuntae  for  stability.

“  i  have  no  idea  where  to  even  begin  looking,  ”        sungkyu  confesses,  focusing  on  his  breathing,  at  the  task  at  hand,       “  do  you  think  the  key  when  to  a  drawer  in  the  desk?  ”

[med1c1nal]

It doesn’t seem like Sungkyu will be able to take much more of this. Memory has weight, consequences, and it’s hitting him all at once. Nobody can ever really be prepared for that sort of thing. Hyuntae shoots out an arm, firmly holding the boy upright.

          “Maybe,”          he says.          “We can check.”

He stays in place for a moment, waiting for Sungkyu to gather himself a bit. When it seems safe to do so, he releases him, tentatively making his way through the mess, toward the desk. He starts testing out the key on cabinets and drawers, anything with a lock.

          “We shouldn’t stay here much longer. But we can always come back, now that we know. Check on the property, see if there are any changes. I just don’t want you to overwhelm yourself too much. We don’t know what will happen if you do, how it may affect the processes in your brain.”          That, and of course his paranoia about whoever killed Moon, but he doesn’t need to concern the boy with that.

[wickdcreatures]

“  i  don’t  know  how  long  it's  been  here,  really.  but  i  found  it  about  a  week  and  a  half  ago.  ”       salem  points  down  at  the  scene,  finger  hovering  just  above  the  puddle,  afraid  to  break  the  surface  tension  of  the  water.  on  the  floor  are  all  manner  of  misplaced  looking  leaves,  twigs  and  stones.  ones  that  he  has  thrown  in  to  see  if  he  can  manipulate  this  strange  other-world  reflected  back  at  them.

he  has  certainly  thought  about  lowering  himself  down  inside.  there  looks  to  be  a  door  just  off  to  the  side,  suggesting  there  might  be  more  to  this  place  then  just  this  misremembered  seventies  living  room.   

“  everything  lands  like  normal.  gravity  seems  normal.  i  thought  i  was  losing  my  mind,  i  thought  —  i  thought  ‘how  could  this  all  be  real?’  but  it  is.  right?  this  is  real?  ”

these  days,  the  edges  of  his  mind  feel  frayed  and  fragile  like  old  burlap.  staring  down  at  this  place  feels  like  unseen  fingers  tugging  on  loose  strands.

“  i  want  to  go  in.  ”

[med1c1nal]

Hyuntae would also like to go in, but is going in a good idea? He looks again at Salem—the husk of a man even on his best day—and wonders at his state of mind, his stability. How often has he been getting high? Is he high right now? Has he been taking care of himself properly? Is his mind clear? Is he equipped for something like this?

Then there’s the logistics of the netherworld itself. They don’t know what this place is, if it’s safe for them, if they’ll be able to leave after they go inside. They’re in the middle of the woods; this could be under the jurisdiction of the fae, and that’s a mess neither of them want to get themselves into.

          “As far as I can tell, this is real. But we don’t know anything about it, so we can’t be hasty,”          he says.          “Have you seen any signs of life inside?”

[bubblegeon]

Will I be able to save them both from this Underworld? Please. I hope I didn’t make the wrong choice. Tale of the Nine Tailed 🦊 x09