Pretty reckless, pretty wild

[xtillinorwood]

novathompson·:

To say that being around Mattie wasn’t awkward would be a straight up lie considering the last time Nova had truly been around the blonde the vampire had been covered in a persons blood. it wasn’t something Nova had forgotten but she’d moved away from it given it wasn’t like she cared; people had to do what they needed to survive. But she hoped that diverting things away from the painfully obvious would avoid an even more complicated chat that Nova knew she wouldn’t handle well. 

“That’s what I said but apparently some people really tend to be thirsty for an A instead of working for it the normal way. Call me old fashioned but it’s not going to help them at all in the future when they try to find a job.” Pulling a face of disgust, Nova shook her head as she chose to put her hands up by her eyes as if she was putting on blinders. “They can and more than likely will but lord people are shameless. I may not know anything about relationships but it’s still gross to image being attracted to a teacher.”

“It’s definitely weird. Doesn’t matter how young they are.” Mattie cringed. It made her worry what sort of trouble she would run into if she went back to school. She knew she would never be attracted to a teacher, but she also did not want to deal with hearing all about it from people who are like Nova was. “Well at least someone is sensible. Even if it’s not fair to you at all.” She managed to shrug lightly before her thoughts got the better of her. 

Mattie stared down at her hands. It felt strange to talk so normally after what happened months back. She spent too much time avoiding her to overlook all of this so easily. “So... aside from that, um... How’s school?” she asked, the awkward feeling seeping into her voice. 

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

“Of course I would,” Amari replied easily.  It had been a good decade since she left the country to travel.  It would do her some good to get out of the United States and revisit some of her favorite places.  She’d like to see exactly how much the centuries had changed things.  No doubt it would make her sad and put in perspective exactly how much life she had lived, but she enjoyed revisiting those places.  “It’s a date.  Twenty years from now we’re going to Spain.  Might as well do the whole tour of Europe while we’re at it.  I mean, if you’re interested that is.”

“A whole tour? You really want to spend all that time with me?” she asked with a laugh. It would be logical, travelling across all of Europe while you had the time. She had to wonder how much time that would take. It may be a nagging feeling, but she was doubtful anyone would want to spend that much time travelling with her. Everyone needed time to themselves. “Now I can’t wait. There’s going to be so much to see. But twenty years is going to fly by, right?” 

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

When Mattie mentioned her father, Amari paused.  It had been such a long time since she had to consider how someone else would feel about her doing anything.  After centuries of total freedom it seemed almost strange to hear someone pausing what they wanted to do because of someone else.  “Well…if you ever decide you want to go before that hundred years is up I’d be happy to take you and show you around.”  After all, she knew better than to question the girl’s willingness to leave her father when she was such a young vampire, but Amari wanted her to be certain she had the options to spread her wings if she wanted to.

Her eyes lit up. “You would take me? Really?” The more she thought about it, she knew travelling with someone would be ideal. Her hunger was bound to get the best of her, and the last thing she wanted was to find something in a foreign country. “We should plan something! I bet if I talk to him, he’ll let me go.” While it may be easier to keep him in the dark, she had a hard time keeping anything from him. Like a child, she had to tell the people she was close to about everything in her life. “So what if we planned it for waaaay in the future. So that way we have time to warm him up to the idea but we also don’t have to wait a hundred years. How about like... twenty?”

[xtillinorwood]

alekimala·:

He couldn’t help a small awkward chuckle when she realized what was happening. It wasn’t that he was ashamed or shy about others seeing him that way, he was proud of the body he worked on and didn’t mind all that much. He felt worse for her, he had the decency to understand other’s feelings and that maybe she wouldn’t want to see that. “ You’re fine! You didn’t know.”  Getting out fast, he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist, stashing his toiletries in the truck, he quickly changed into his underwear, shorts and a shirt.  Looking back at her, he took a breath, “ I mean…it’s nice…the lake is like…magic right? I read that somewhere and decided to see if it helped, figure being closest to the water…without clothes…would be best to feel it?”  Aleki blushed softly. “ You came up on me by surprise, didn’t think people would be out this late…I’m decent now.”

Mattie could hear him moving around in the water, but she didn’t dare to check on him. She continued to sit with her hands glued to her eyes and yelled at herself mentally. Why would she even stay if someone was already here. Obviously people need time at the falls alone. What was she still doing here? She should have given him some privacy instead of sitting around.

Her head perked up as she listened to him, hands still covering her eyes. “Uhh, I guess?” she said while wrinkling her nose. “It still sounds weird. I didn’t know people were allowed to swim in the lake. Don’t you need a lifeguard?” People spoke of the falls regularly, but she has never encountered anyone visiting them at the same time as her. She assumed there was some city ordinance or too much seaweed keeping everyone out of the water. Mattie took a moment after he said he was decent to lower her hands. At this point she was still too embarrassed to show her face. She continued to face away from him while her hands slowly fell into her lap. “Sorry, again,” she added. “There’s just not a whole lot to do when you don’t sleep. This place is the only thing that doesn’t close.”

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

“I did some exploring,” Amari confirmed.  “I lived all over Europe.  Spent time in the Caribbean.  I’ve travelled all over the country as well.  It’s one of the nice things about being a vampire.  You truly do have all the time in the world to do the things you want to do.”  She did still take vacations now and then, leaving Shadow Falls for a refreshing change of pace.  However, she was content in her life here.  Maybe eventually that would change.  “I haven’t been everywhere.  I really want to travel to Asia.  I haven’t really been there at all, but if you’re looking for vacation spots….Spain is incredible.”

Mattie’s gaze moved to the ceiling as she sat deep in thought. She had a point, she had plenty of time now to explore, even if she waited another twenty years to do so.  “Ooo Spain would be fun!” Mattie could not think of a place that would be off limits. She rarely traveled and she rarely heard of anywhere too dangerous or to avoid. There would be no safety concerns as a travelling vampire; at least Mattie did not think so. She only had one problem that always stops her from travelling. “But... my dad wouldn’t want me to leave the country. Definitely not alone.” She made a pout. “Maybe I can in a hundred years, but that sounds like forever away!”

[emmymatthews]

Caffeine | Emmy & Matilda

[xtillinorwood]

emmymatthews·:

The blonde before her was so incredibly upbeat. She had this enthusiasm with her words, that infatuated Emmy. The only time she had ever exerted that energy was when she added it to a sarcastic joke. However, she appreciated that the woman had found something within to keep pep in her step. It was something that she struggled with most days.

Beginning her stride towards the dessert shop, she smiled at the girl. “Yeah, and I guess it holds sentimental value and shit.” Her eyes rolled and she shrugged her shoulder, trying to make light of the statement. “We all have that one thing that we really don’t want to lose i guess.” Assuming  her new friend could relate she continued, “When I was thirteen my heart would’ve broken if I had lost my denim jacket covered in Paramore patches.” The confession colored an alternative part of her that seemed long gone with age. “What’s your thing?” She asked, trying to color Mattie beyond her kind exterior.

Mattie nodded as she followed along. She knew about losing sentimental items better than the next guy. She was a pretty sentimental person and had far too much she could not bear to lose. Misplacing anything would result in a short-lived heartbreak until she found it again in her room. 

“A denim jacket? Wow it’s been so long since I’ve seen one of those,” she said with a laugh. When she asked her question, it only made Mattie laugh harder. “Oh gosh, like everything! All my stuff animals, some books maybe.” While they were important to her, it was stuff that could easily be replaced. There was only one thing that truly mattered. “Well... I have this box of stuff from my mom. Letters, some jewelry, pictures. If I lost her necklace, I don’t know what I’d do.”

[xtillinorwood]

alekimala·:

Aleki didn’t have a choice in the curfew, thankfully it didn’t apply to him and even if it did, where would he go? His truck was his home. Maybe this was why he should have stayed in downtown, was he about to get attacked by another werewolf, or something worse? But as the person came into view and he saw the shy woman wave awkwardly to him, he gave a wave back as the other hand covered himself, hopefully it was too dark to see anything.  He cursed under his breath as the other moved in, taking a seat at the shore and making it impossible for him to get out without her realizing he was naked. “ I…uh,” He wasn’t about to say he was taking a bath, his truck gave it away plenty that he lived in it, he didn’t need to confirm it. “ It’s nice, taking a cold…skinny dip,” He had to slip in there he was naked, the shock would be worst if he didn’t. “ The wolf keeps me plenty warm.”

As Mattie sat along the edge, she stared into the water in front of her. She tried focusing on her own thoughts, even if that was a place she was not eager to go. But she knew she had to relax. That’s what people came here for after all. That and-... did he just say skinny dip? 

Mattie’s eyes grew wide as her head shot up. She subconsciously looked over at him just to see if he was serious. By the time she realized what she did, it was too late. And she regrets everything. “Oh god I’m sorry!” the blonde shrieked as her hands flew up to cover her eyes. She quickly flipped around, her back facing the male. If her face could turn red, she was sure it was brighter than a tomato. She wanted to leave, but that would require seeing where she was going. She was not about to open her eyes anytime soon. 

“So what, people do this all the time?” she asked, face still pressed hard into her hands. This was the first time she ran into anyone else around here. Maybe there was some secret code to swim at night that she was unaware of. “Don’t you like, put up a sign? Or hide when people come?”

[xtillinorwood]

alekimala·:

There were ups and downs to living in your vehicle, sure, living in a home would be so much easier, but with a truck he was able to just leave if he wanted to, whenever he wanted to. But maybe it was fate that his truck was parked outside the sign to Shadow Falls, a small town where he can stay undeclared and it can go mostly unnoticed. But the truck was his home, the bed of the truck holding a real bed, covered by folded out planks to keep it dry, the majority of his life in the passenger seat, stuffed so the only seat for a drive was his own.  The hardest part was keeping clean. When he could afford it, he would get a membership to a gym, to keep it shape, but also use the showers. But he had ran into the last of his funds and until he could find a job, the falls was his bath. Parking near the shoreline, he looked around, it was just too late for any others to be around, right? Stripping down, he moved into the lake and started to clean himself off the best he could, but a rustle down the path made him stop, his ears twitching from the new sounds as he turned towards the source.

Wandering the town so late at night was never a good idea. Mattie should have learned by now to stay inside. There was only so much she could take of her lonely apartment. There was only so much silence and time alone with her thoughts that she could manage. At least the night sky could serve enough of a distraction. And since she has yet to run into anyone causing trouble, she believed she would be fine for now. 

Mattie slowly began to approach the falls. Normally it was not her go-to place. After a suggestion, she had to admit it was pretty calming. The water flowing, the sound of it crashing down. At first Mattie would not imagine this as peaceful. More like perfect if she needed to use the restroom. Thinking on it; this would be the sort of ambiance sounds on a relaxing CD. Why use the recordings when she could have the real sounds? Even if she was alone, the noise of the falls seemed to drown out enough of her intruding worries. The last thing she would have expected was to run into someone. 

“Oh, hi there.” Mattie gave the male a small, awkward wave. She never had to share the falls before. Not so late at night. She did not mind; it was big enough to share with a few people and still get the job done. Without a second thought she found a spot along the water’s edge and took a seat. Mattie did not know what the falls could do to other supernaturals, and did not consider her presence may be unwanted and intruding. The one thing on her mind was why someone would want to swim so late at night. “You’re not going to get sick doing that, are you?” she asked. “It’s kind of cold, and it’s pretty late. There’s no way the water is that warm. Don’t get hypothermia on me.”

[xtillinorwood]

dang itnovathompson·:

Letting out a huff, Nova pushed her cell phone away from herself on the table as she leaned back in her chair, arms folded over her chest at the fact that she was caught in unnecessary drama over something she had never even intended to see. “I-I don’t see why… I don’t understand how p-people can get upset over something when, uhm… when you catch them d-doing something they know is wrong. Like… wh-who makes out with their p-professor yet doesn’t expect to get caught?” There was a pause as she sat up straight, “I’m the v-victim! My eyes were b-burning for hours.”

Mattie was biting her lower lip hard. She was already on edge in Nova’s presence. After losing control in front of the younger girl, Mattie tried to keep her distance. It was hard; Nova was a close friend. She did not want to push the girl away too hard. Even if it was for her own safety, how could she say no? But it was moments like this when she worried. When she could never be certain if it was about her mistakes or not. 

When the true issue came out, Mattie sighed in relief. She was off the hook for now. She knew better than to push it under the rug, but dang it, it’s so easy to forget. “First off, ew.” Mattie’s face twisted in comical disgust. She tried to play off her previous worry and focus on the issue at hand. “Like... why? Even if they are young, they’re still so much older than you!” Mattie looked down at the phone. “...OMG they did not send pictures! Can’t they get caught and get in trouble that way?”

[xtillinorwood]

@flaminghot-taechos

With a positive mind, Mattie could not wait to use her luck potion. She waited for the day she knew they would need it; that one day when more people called off than came into work. Call it a placebo or real magic, Mattie did not care. It worked. It was crazy how well it worked. The day seemed perfect and that was all the luck she needed. Yet exactly twenty-four hours later, the trouble started.

Mattie had very little memories of allergies from her childhood. On occasion she would be sick, but it never felt like this. Nose running like a faucet, eyes swelling and itching. Hives appeared behind her ears and on the backs of her hands. The worst was probably the itch in her mouth. How was she supposed to scratch her tongue anyways?

She gave her symptoms a day. Tae warned her about it, it should be fine. That day turned to three before she felt the swelling go down in her eyes. The hives grew as time went on as well. By day five Mattie gave up with creams and medicine. None of her previous medical training was helping. Now it was time to go back to the source. 

Mattie sent Tae a text early in the morning to meet up. She still felt itchy, but she knew she needed to go. Watery eyes and a runny nose was not going to stop her this time. She waited for him at the park, pacing back and forth across the path. Simply seeing the male approach was a relief. Mattie bit her lower lip, paying little mind to how swollen it was. 

“Uhh, Tae?” At first Mattie’s gaze was on her hands. The hives seemed to be moving up and around her arms. Hopefully he had an antidote. Mattie held out her hands for Tae like a child to an adult. “I think I did something wrong.”

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

The more Mattie spoke about Amari’s magic, the more Amari wondered how much magic had changed in the last few centuries.  Was it harder to remain in the shadows in a world artificially lit by those LED lights?  Did that limit what could be done if the whole world was brighter?  Honestly, she didn’t know but found herself itching to ask a darkness witch.

“That fear is part of why I became a vampire,” Amari admitted.  “I was terrified that the day would come I would simply die with no warning.  I enjoyed my immortality and the power that came with it.  I did not want to give that up, even if it did cost me my magic in the end.”

"If I had a super awesome life like yours, I would do that too,” she replied with a shrug. For many years of her childhood she considered how cool immortality would be. There was even times after becoming a vampire that she was excited for an eternal life. “So did you go out and explore the world right away, or did you help out your family for a while?” she asked. “I kind of wish I went out and traveled. Now I’m just lazy. But it’s not like I want to leave town anyways. I love it here.” In the few years since she moved into town, she could not find anything bad or upsetting. It seemed to be the perfect place. “So if I do travel, where should I go first? I bet you’ve been everywhere, right?”

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

Amari nodded.  She knew fire witches could conjure fire, but that wasn’t something she knew much about.  “I could.  In the shadows I was invisible.  I could get anywhere and overhead anything.  Magic is truly an incredible thing and it opens up a whole new world of understanding for you.”  She couldn’t believe how amazing it was.  The more she talked about it, the more Amari truly missed being a witch.  That was a thought she had ignored for a very long time.

“But no, I couldn’t control my aging.  With that power, I simply ceased aging when the ability was unlocked.  If I had lost my longevity, all of those years would have caught up with me instantly and I would have died.”  The thought that she could experience a century of life in seconds then turn to dust was a driving force behind Amari’s decision to turn.  Her continual search to keep her coven whole was too risky in her eyes.

“Well that would be super cool.You could get so much work done if no one could see you to distract you. And you could sneak out when you’re grounded and no one would know!” Sure, you could use the magic to fighting or spying. Mattie simply loved the practical side of it. A little magic would boost the day and make it run in a more convenient way. It was another moment when she forgot about the magical strengths she had for being a vampire.

Mattie’s face fell immediately. “Oh... Well then I totally wouldn’t want to do that.” It was terrifying to think of time catching up to you with no warning. She knew if it was her she would live in fear, never knowing if that day would be today. “At least you don’t have to worry about that now. You get to live forever and have nothing to worry about.”

[xtillinorwood]

drdeweyf·:

The idea had it’s flaws, surely, but for the time being it appeared to be working. Besides, this particular dog appeared ready and raring to go, so he hoped that Matilda would feel much the same. “Not too terribly far, likely a few more blocks if I’m not mistaken,” They had only just cleared the outskirts of the park now, but if their new companion required a break due to tuckering out, it would work out just fine. At least that way there was less chance of him running off if he was worn down a bit, and Dewey silently agreed that the entire ordeal would be all the more easier. Although that left the situation between himself and Matilda. They couldn’t very well run in silence the entire time, could they? “So… how have you been?”

Mattie let out a sigh of relief. She did not know why she had to make this harder than it needed to be. Soon they would be inside to  hang out with their new four-legged friend. At least he was having a good time, that was the important part. Despite the overall struggle she was having with running, talking seemed like a relief. At least there was something to distract her from all this. “I’m good. Keeping busy with work.” Mattie shrugged. She was trying everything possible to keep herself distracted from her thoughts these past few months. That was still a very touchy subject and she quickly turned the attention away from herself. “What about you? Haven’t seen you in a while,” she added. “Well, it does get busy around the coffee shop. I’m sure I’m missing you when you come in, if you still bring your coworker coffee.”

[xtillinorwood]

armstrong-james·:

“Well…At least ice cream still tastes the same,” James mused quietly, taking a bite of his Neapolitan flavored dessert. At least now, he didn’t have to eat around the chocolate part. Maybe he was trying to find something positive amidst all the hell he had experienced the past four months. That hell wasn’t over, but at least it was more bearable. He could live like someone with rights again, see his friends, see his family. Eat ice cream. “I can’t remember the last time I had chocolate,” he said, tilting his head.

Mattie’s eyebrows knitted together. “Why wouldn’t it taste the same?” she questioned. The blonde spun on her toes to face the man. She was supposed to be off to the library, but the ice cream scenario had her curious. “Did they get a new machine? Or changed the recipe?” Now she wanted some despite how boring it tastes to her.

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

Amari nodded in understanding when Mattie spoke.  Changes were always hard on families.  In some ways she was very lucky not to have to worry about such a thing when she faced those changes.

“I controlled the shadows and became the shadows.  I crafted potions and spells that were needed to protect my family and my home,” Amari told her.  In a lot of ways she had failed.  She left North Africa for Europe to expand her coven, and her homeland was left vulnerable to the slave traders.  “There were limitations, but I had great power and could do most of the things I wanted.”

She shook her head slightly.  “My brother was long dead when I became a vampire.  As a witch I possessed the power of longevity,” she explained.  “I was frozen in time, still mortal, but magic kept me young.  I was over one hundred years old when I was turned.”

Mattie sat with wide eyes staring at Amari. “Wait, you can really do all that with magic?” she asked. “I know people can do a lot of cool stuff. Like I saw on TV once someone make fire in their bare hands, but maybe that was just TV magic. But you could become shadows?” It was all fascinating for the blonde, but also intimidating and a little terrifying. It led her to worry about what sort of powers other witches around her held. She was grateful she did not have to witness friend as some sort of shadow creature. She tried not to dwell on the thought to prevent herself from fearing her friend. 

While she heard of witches controlling elements, she never heard of stopping the aging process. “Okay, that has to be the coolest thing ever,” she said with a grin. The one thing she could appreciate about becoming a vampire was eternal youth. “But wait, do you get to choose to grow up again? Like what if you changed your mind and be a little older?” The only thing she hated about her age was how often she is mistaken for a child. To have picked the age to stop aging and remain mortal would be the perfect life in Mattie’s eyes. 

[emmymatthews]

Caffeine | Emmy & Matilda

[xtillinorwood]

emmymatthews·:

Emmy watched as the blonde put her last minute closing touches on the shop. She had the urge to offer help, but the shop was cleaner than she had expected, and Emmy really didn’t know what she would do. She stared out the window wondering what the street looked like three year ago, what it might’ve looked like when she was child. She turned back to the girl just as she was coming out from around the counter and smiled as she gathered her belongings.

She held the front door opening for the girl, as she stepped out into the quiet street. “It’s down the block and then we make a left.” Her left hand pointing into the distance. She waited for the girl to join her in the street before letting go of the door.

“Before you just go off with a stranger for froyo. I’m Emmy, and I really owe you one for today.”

With everything in hand, Mattie was finally ready to leave. As she followed the other woman out of the store, her excitement rose. She couldn’t wait to see what kind of flavors the shop had. It didn’t distract her for long before she realized the other woman had a point. She was too eager to leave with a stranger.

“You know, that might help,” she said with a laugh. “I’m Mattie. Totally should have said that right away. Customer service 101.” Mattie then shrugged. "No, don’t worry about it. I’m glad you found it. I’m sure it’s expensive, your oil stuff.” 

[xtillinorwood]

amarikeita·:

Amari listened carefully while Mattie explained what she could do as a child and how her mother had been talked about.  Honestly, Amari couldn’t tell.  “It’s possible your mother had a gift,” she told her.  “Luck isn’t usually associated with magic though, unless you’re using a luck potion.”  They were complicated to make and sometimes hard to find, so Amari was certain that wasn’t the case.

“I was a darkness witch,” she explained.  “My father….he was a very powerful man and both he and my brother after him called on my help and my gifts in maintaining the control and power our family held.  Magic has limitations, but with my coven ability….I was able to build my powers beyond those so many have.”

Mattie shrugged. “Yeah, I don’t think I do,” she replied. “I mean it would be cool. But that would be way too much on my dad. He would be so lost.” She had a feeling she was nothing special, but she did not let that bother her. There was nothing wrong with being a normal girl. Now she only wished she could go back to that.

“Darkness?” Mattie asked. “That’s... pretty sweet.” With her limited exposure to magic, she figured it kept to potions and charms. She would guess there was some elemental components, but simple ones. “So what could you do? Like... anything you wanted?” She started leaning in closer once more. “But then you have to miss it a lot. If you were so strong... I hope your brother wasn’t mad.”