plotted starter for @lostvacvnt
Harlow had been drawn to power and dominance ever since she could remember. The ones who were strong caught her eyes. Of course, she had never really acted out on it, but the draw was there the pull. When she had met her father, that power rolled off him in waves so thick and overwhelming; she found herself almost smothering while sitting in the same room. More than blood, she was drawn to that. The unhinged power sitting in his veins, she wanted that control, that strength. He was her blood, so she had to have that too, right? She guessed that was why when Stiles had opened up about Void, it had made so much sense why she was drawn to him more than anyone else. From the start, something about the boy called to the dark parts of her. She wanted to follow him, and she would, to the ends of the world, to whatever purpose. The Nogitsune... He was power beyond anything else. Her family, Peter, and Derek were powerful creatures. Apex predators. And yet even they were no match when it came to the spirit of chaos. Hearing the stories had sent chills down her spine, only increasing that draw she had to the Stilinski boy. When Void finally showed himself again? Well. She was drowning in the power that he held, knew from the beginning he could kill her with the effort it took her to growl.
So much had changed in the months following that fateful night. Stiles had come to her, and said he was leaving, told her they were all in danger. No more blood would be on his hands, not hers. And it had broke her. A lifetime of loneliness, she'd only just began to dip her toes into the lake of affection and happiness. Finally, grasping some sense of normality with relationships, and just like that, she would lose it all again. She would never come to terms with what she would have to give up, sacrifice, but when Stiles's face showed up at her front door the next day with that overwhelming assertion of power oozing from him, she knew it wasn't right. Something darker, the Nogitsune. At first, she just followed him because of Stiles. He was in there somewhere, he saw everything, remembered it all. She knew he was alive, and that was good enough for her. While she knew to do what the Nogitsune wanted wasn't right, she did it anyway. Because it meant she could be close to them. She would never admit it, but as time went on, she'd come to realize she craved being lead, needed someone with that much power to ground her to the world, and allow her to see her full potential.
And see her full potential she did. It took little time for The Nogitsune; whos name was later revealed to be Hibiki, to show her that unleashing that rage wasn't wrong. It was what was right by nature - why else would she have such cravings? Why else would she be that powerful? And so she accepted it, embraced it. She followed the fox to the end of the world into wars. She'd dismembered people for getting too close to him, always looking to make sure not a single bit of harm came to him. It wasn't just that she'd grown fiercely loyal to the fox that had taken her into his home, but she knew that her friend's life depended on it. She couldn't let anyone hurt Stiles. As the time ticked on, she'd become a master of torture. Or, at least, compared to how she had been when she first joined forces with Hibiki.
He had promised her a present. He told her she'd been so well behaved that she deserved this blessing, something he and Stiles had discussed and decided on. She didn't have a clue what it was, the fox never giving up his trick. The day had finally come, and now she sat on the couch with Hibiki stood in front of her, hands folded in front of him. She stared at him, the familiar soft features of her friend harshened by his attitude and overall existence. It wasn't a bad look for him, she'd grown used to the more hostile expressions rather than Stiles' awkward bubbly habits, but she missed him. Harlow always searched for any sign of the boy inside the beast, even if she didn't view Hibiki in that light anymore. He was still death incarnated, and he wasn't someone to mess with. The opposite of Stiles. Whole different sides to the spectrum. The only time she didn't search for the familiar glint in his eyes, or in the twitch of his lips, was when they were hurting people. Deep down, despite Hibiki saying that Stiles was proud of her, of what she did, she didn't want him to see that part of her. She never did - it was ugly, scarred, broken. But Hibiki was scarred and broken too, the same side of a different coin. It was why she relished in that darkness when he was around.
The sound of a door opening had her eyes snapping to the sound, always on edge. Brown eyes morphed into blue, ready to defend her family. Prepared to kill whoever dared break into their home to threaten them; it wouldn't have been far fetched. They'd made quite a few enemies over their travels, and this town had been filled to the brim with them. But blue hues fell on familiar boyish features, softened with the kindness his heart carried. Mid snarl, her full body went deadweight. Frozen in her spot, she just stared for a moment. "Stiles?" His name was but a whisper on shaking lips, the tears swelling in her still blue gaze before they began to roll down over her cheeks. He was before her in one piece, and while she doubted he would be there long, or if it was even real, it felt real. He looked real. He looked healthy, safe. Unharmed. She blinked a few times, trying to see if he would disappear when she did.
Within seconds her body was scrambling over the back of the couch, leaping off the back to land in a run. She all but threw her body into his chest, arms wrapping tight around his torso. He smelled like Stiles. He had the feeling of Stiles - because no matter the fact Hibiki inhabited his body, she'd long since learned the differences between the two. Slight, but noticeable. Stiles was soft, while Hibiki was hard. Always tensed. Always ready for the next fight. Her face pushed forth into his shirt, a small sob falling off her lips. This had been their surprise? Their present? Letting her see him, touch him, exist with him? She would've continued doing exactly what she was told and then some even without the motivation, but now... Now she was convinced to keep going, with the proof the boy she loved still existed in there. Hibiki would always be enough for her, but their connection was different than the one she shared with Stiles. It didn't have as much history behind it, as much care. She knew the whole thing was one-sided, Hibiki was a demonic spirit, he didn't do gushy feelings or humane friendships. He treated her with respect, and sometimes it seemed like he genuinely did care about her. But in the end, it would never be quite the same. She had come along for Stiles, and she would've left for him too.
"I missed you. I missed you so much." Her words shook when they left her lips, fingers curling into the fabric of his top, eyes squeezing shut. "You're here... You're real..."