The feeling that weighed down her chest since she received intel that morning seemed to only get heavier as the day went on. Nin really shouldn't have let this go on so long in the first place, but for the first time in her life, she didn't know what to do. No, that wouldn't be right. She knew exactly what she had to do, but that didn't mean she was happy with it—or that she wanted to do it at all. Nonetheless, it would have to be done because this couldn't go on. Still, she thought they both deserved a good and final dinner at least. So, she popped by their favorite restaurant, picked up their favorite meal, and considered buying an expensive wine to share. Nin changed her mind at the last moment and showed up at Wren's apartment with only the meal, worried she would raise suspicions if anything about her changed. After all, she'd always hated spending money on anything ridiculously expensive. Her finger hovered inches away from the doorbell, dreading what she would have to do, but also knowing that she was the only one who could do this, quickly and painlessly (at least for Wren, not for Nin). She pressed the doorbell and tried not to wince at the sound it made inside her soon-to-be dead girlfriend's apartment. / @villxinera

▷"Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library."

The quote by the english poet Walter Savage Landor was one that Devin had always found truth in. Although most people thought all libraries to be the same, Devin couldn't disagree more. He felt that each library was different. That each library not only held the stories of the books they shelved but the stories of those that chose to read those books. Much like the quote Devin had always taken pleasure in exploring the libraries of all the places he had been but his love and belief in that quote had been thoroughly tested amongst the shelves of the Helltown public library.

It's not that there wasn't a decent selection, there was, maybe not the newest titles but there was enough to keep a regular reader interested but much like the rest of the town the library was a little run down, the books weren't as cared for as they should have been, the shelves creaked and groaned and dust swirled in the air, weighing heavily on the lungs of anyone who had spent far too much time there. It only added to Devin's curiosity within the town and he had found himself spending a few afternoons there after classes, not only to do research but to grade papers or write if the mood took him in that direction. He sat at one of the tables in the middle of the library, books piled and scattered around him. His notebook was half filled with notes and comments and he'd honestly forgotten what he had initially come in here for, his mind had been side tracked on numerous occasions onto a variety of topics and now he tried to piece it all together. The shelves creaked and he cast his eyes up from the page he was looking at to spot another person in the library with him, they were scanning the shelves which he had taken a few books from. He cleared his throat ❝Apologies, if ive taken something you're after. Feel free to come take it back.I'm just...well im not even sure what im really doing.❞

( july 25, down the rabbit hole underground mall ) @anchoragestarters

Ava knew this was a bad idea. Worse than that, she felt like she was regressing, resorting to something she used to do for kicks as a high schooler, and she wasn't exactly eager to revisit the tumultuous days of her adolescence. On the contrary, it was embarrassing for the youngest Adler to admit to herself that she was even considering the possibility of petty theft as a way to entertain herself. But after the events of the last few months, a newfound sense of restlessness had settled into her bones, refusing to let her function normally without feeling like she wanted to jump out of her skin, so she was itching to do... something to quiet the festering feeling brewing in her gut.

Ambling through a cosmetics stand, she looked around to make sure no one was paying close attention to her, eyes running over the items on display with practiced disinterest. She let her fingers run over the merchandise, picking up a few tester items and eyeing them for a moment before she wandered over to the array of lipsticks. Carefully slipping a tube off of the display, Ava tucked it into her jacket pocket, a small grin blooming across her lips at the long-dormant thrill that ran down her spine over the miniscule victory. But of course, that was the exact moment she looked up and made eye contact with someone just a few feet away. Did they see that? Should I just play it cool? She was usually quick on her feet, but in that moment, the brunette felt like a deer in headlights, tactlessly blurting out, "Uhhh... heeeey. What brings you here?"

@obrighta

She never had the stomach to set herself on fire. She could be gasping for air, blood pouring from her lips, moments away from death's door and still be too afraid to heal herself. Leon, however, had always been a little too eager to do it. There was always a glint in his eye that she never truly wanted to ask about, or explore— she was afraid of what she might find instead of the familial love he insisted was there. So, naturally, when Halia called him for help she didn't have to wait long at their usual rendezvous point.

As the woman watched him light dried stalks and husks of corn she realized she was praying to whatever higher power would listen for the strength to do what she was about to do. Oh, please, she thought, I'll never ask for anything again! Halia closed her eyes, her repeated prayers dissipating in the form of a cold morning's breath inches from her mouth. The walls of corn seemed to shudder at her words.

A push from a sudden breeze propelled her into motion and into the blaze that Leon had successfully lit. Her quick movement had caught him by surprise and had caused him to stagger backwards. He had barely enough time to exclaim before she was upon him, sharing the hungry flame that immediately began to consume his form. Panicked hands clawed, punched, and pulled at her grasp on him. Today, no assault would undo her hold. Today, she would feel him thrash— feel him... perish.

It seemed like hours before she moved again. The remainder of him lay smoldering under her, as crisp as fallen leaves when she pulled away.

"I did it," it was less a statement and more of a question at first, but the more she repeated those three thrilling words, the more she felt their true weight. Relief wracked her body. She could feel her sobs before she heard them.

"Thank you," Halia spoke almost breathlessly at the darkening sky above. Thank you! to whatever heard her this day.

WHO: Anyone! WHERE: St Pancras Station WHEN: Valentine's Day

Now that the work rush was over, St Pancras had quieted down just a little. Every once in a while, someone hurried past, clearly on their way to catch a train or a taxi, but for the most part, people were strolling--maybe to visit the world's longest champagne bar, maybe to check into the high-class hotel, maybe just looking at the architecture and artwork. Charley had staked out a spot under the giant statue of two lovers embracing, hoping maybe it would entice people to listen to songs about love.

But not his own. Charley had written plenty about his brush with love before--but on Valentine's Day, he figured most people wanted to hear about when it'd gone right.

The terrace was empty enough that he'd taken a little break from performing, though, and had his notebook propped on top of his guitar. He'd play a couple notes, scribble something; play something else, scribble more. It was hard to capture the true depth of a feeling if you hadn't experienced it yourself, and he'd never had the chocolates-and-roses kind of deal. So the next best thing was hearing from someone who had, and when a person passed by close enough to talk to, he asked them, "Have you ever loved somebody?"

Israel awoke with a start, his senses instantly on high alert. As his vision adjusted to the dimly lit room, he realized he was in an unfamiliar place, the remnants of a wild night flashing through his memory. Glancing around, he saw the still-sleeping form of the person who had brought him here. Deciding it was best not to disturb them, he quietly slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen.

The sound of his footsteps on the hardwood floor seemed deafening in the silence of the house, making him cringe inwardly. He reached the kitchen and instinctively opened the fridge, revealing an array of food items. His heightened sense of smell detected a familiar scent, and he spotted a box of cereal on the countertop nearby.

With a resigned shrug, Israel grabbed a bowl, poured some cereal into it, and added milk from the fridge. As he poured the cereal into the bowl, Israel couldn’t help but feel a pang of irony. His heightened senses and keen nose allowed him to detect the aroma of the cereal, but he knew all too well that he would not be able to taste it. But the act of eating had become more of a ritual than anything else. He found some comfort in the familiar routine, even if the flavors eluded him.

Just as he settled down at the kitchen table, crunching away at his tasteless meal, he heard the telltale sound of approaching footsteps. His ears perked up, and he quickly glanced towards the doorway, mentally preparing himself for an encounter. The other entered the kitchen, their eyes widening in surprise as they spotted Israel.

Israel raised an eyebrow, a sardonic smile curling on his lips. Morning, He greeted with a grin, the sharp edge of his canines peeking through. Didn’t mean to raid your kitchen, but a guy’s gotta eat, you know? He paused, momentarily unsure of how to navigate this situation. Awkwardness filled the air, as the memories of their night together resurfaced in his mind. Cracking his knuckles, he broke the silence. So, uh, do you want me to leave? Or… stay for another round? His attempt at casual humor was accompanied by a hint of discomfort, unsure of where he stood with this person after their shared intimacy. If one could call it that.

He watched their expression carefully, searching for any clues as to how they felt about his presence. The tension in the room was palpable, and Israel silently hoped that he hadn’t overstayed his welcome.

@covairecitystarters​

[ 𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘐𝘕𝘜𝘌𝘋.] @libraryrippcr

a  small  breathy  laugh  escapes  pike’s  lips,  but  it’s  so  flat  and  hollow  it  simply  dies  within  mere  seconds.  internally  he  kicks  himself,  unable  to  put  on  his  usual  calm  with  such  a  death  hanging  over  both  of  their  shoulders.  grief  is  nothing  new  to  pike,  but  not  being  alone  in  that  grief  ?  that’s  entirely  new  and  somewhat  terrifying.  ❝  who  knows,  it  might  improve  it.  no  offence  giles,  but  it’s  an  ugly  fucking  carpet.  ❞ 

dark  hues  take  in  the  very  thing  he’s  insulting,  lightly  scuffing  his  leather  boot  along  the  surface.  buffy  is  dead.  again.  yet  this  one  feels  more  —  𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩.  he  quickly  swallows  the  misery  building  in  his  throat.  ❝  i’ll  take  the  next  patrol,  give  you  all  a  break  from—  ❞  he  finally  glances  at  giles,  a  shrug  forming  before  he  can  help  it.  ❝  everything.  ❞

surprise starter for @greedbent because Baizhu saw my other muses bothering his "secret" crush and refused to be left out 😤

"I have a prediction. Would you like to hear it?" Changsheng's voice floated into the front room of the pharmacy from somewhere up in the rafters. She hadn't shown herself once since he'd begun work that morning; Baizhu had assumed she'd been with Qiqi or Gui.

"Well, don't leave me in suspense," the doctor replied airily. Faced with a break in patients for the afternoon, Baizhu had begun filling prescriptions. Even while conversing, practiced hands moved of their own accord: one adding leaves and petals from the trays of mint and qingxin beside him to a large medicinal cauldron, while the other worked the milky substance within beneath a starsilver pestle.

Naturally though, Changsheng did exactly that. He'd nearly forgotten she'd said anything by the time she divulged her 'prediction.' "Sssomething tellsss me that today isss about to get interesssting."

Baizhu hummed, attention fixed on his work. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

Her answering snicker came from directly above him. He paused as Changsheng dropped onto his shoulders so he wouldn't spill anything. "You'll sssee sssoon enough," was all she said as she adjusted her coils, and the doctor shook his head fondly. With her affinity for the vague and riddled, sometimes Baizhu wondered if his companion wasn't some long-lost adeptus in disguise.

Minutes passed with only the scrape of the pestle along the cauldron's base to fill the silence. Then footsteps sounded on the stairs leading up to the pharmacy—but there was something...unique about them. Not just a rhythmic tap-tap of shoes on pavement, but with an additional tone layered in unison. Metal on stone. Tap-tapclink.

That could only mean...

Ah. Well, in all fairness, Changsheng was rarely wrong about these things.

Baizhu didn't look up until the steps arrived in the entryway. To anyone else, the sight of a man clad in all black, gazing into their shop with such intent, sharp eyes may be cause for alarm. But Baizhu simply smiled, hands pausing to give his newfound visitor his undivided attention.

"Why, Kaz, what a pleasant surprise. How nice to see you." Likely not a sentiment heard often, but it was entirely sincere. He pointedly ignored Changsheng's muttered 'I told you' that tickled his ear. "Is there something I can do for you? Oh—unless you're here for your 'prescription'?"

The code word was second-nature despite there being no one else in the pharmacy to overhear. With a grin so pleasant adorning his features, the doctor certainly appeared to be speaking of a legitimately prescribed medication, rather than the special-ordered poison that currently sat fermenting on his kitchen counter. "It's nearly finished, but I'm afraid it needs another hour or so to infuse for maximum...potency." There was a dark edge to the chuckle that rolled in his chest. "We must be sure it's strong enough to take care of the problem, mustn't we?"

@thatslayer sent : ❝ you have no idea what i’m capable of. ❞ | from the depths of my meme tag | from the depths of my meme tag | Always Open!

"Make that I don't care what you're capable of" it corrects her, never minding its host's few memories of what he, and thus it, has seen her do. It regards her a little closer, dwelling in all sorts of his memories, until it meets her with a knowing, barely there half smirk. Won't get any closer though, just keeps him standing right where he is. With some fair distance between them.

"Though now that I think about it, hell, who knows, you might be a first with a few things. I'm sure that would be a lot of fun to watch and experience, Faith." Now it's there after all, a flash of pristine white teeth, but it doesn't last to long, gets replaced with a little pout, a show of both his hands in the air, on the defense.

"But alas. Let's do that some other time. You've got forever now, don't you? Just like me" A flash of colorful chaos, madness, something indescribable, passing through eyes that she used to be very familiar with. Barely there, a blink almost, while the grin grows bigger, forming dimples.

"Not our dear old friend Lance though. Let's not cut that precious life any shorter than we have to now, right? Otherwise that might just make him question who the real monster is, and we just can't have that. So how about...you show me your all in...let's say, a hundred years? Fifty? No, that might be too soon. I plan for him to have a long and full filled life. So let's say, 75? I'm sure you'll have so many more tricks up your sleeve by then, and trust me when I say, I cannot wait to see them."

WHERE: coffee shop in the down the rabbit hole underground mall WHEN: first week of june (no specific date, just current) WHO: anyone! ( @anchoragestarters ) CAP: none for now! (may cap later on)

Rika wasn't quite sure how to explain the feeling that came over her as she skimmed through the front page article, declaring that the strange creatures terrorising the town of Anchoage these past few weeks as nothing more than a hoard of vampire bats, but she suspected it wasn't too far from the feeling one might feel when they are losing their mind. If these things were just bats then why did the reports line up so neatly with what she had seen? Why had she been forced to take an unscheduled break from work after a customer had asked her if she'd heard the rumours and then gone on to describe the exact creature she'd seen in her nightmares? Nightmares she'd yet to tell a single soul about? She'd woken up, night after night, in so much pain that she thought she might be sick, only for reality to finally settle and the hurt of being stabbed to fade into nothing but a dream. It seemed as though, any time a mystery was presented to the authorities, they were determined to wave it off with the easiest, most digestible answer and move on. The same had happened with the seven of swords lead at Halloween; the police had zeroed in on the word sword and nothing else, brushing it off as nothing more than a reference to the victim's costume. (If the seven of swords was a symbol of betrayal and deceit, perhaps it was fitting after all; the cops were certainly betraying the trust of the townspeople by refusing to do their damn jobs.)

With a weary sigh and a neat frown fixed on her face, Rika set the newspaper down in front of her. “So,” she said, speaking clearly and impressing even herself with how well she'd masked her mounting frustration, “What do you make of this?” She rotated the paper, so that her view of it was now upside-down, and slid it across the table. As much as she wanted to say exactly what she made of it, the fear of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, or as though she really was losing her mind after all, kept her from saying too much. Living in the States hadn't helped in making her a more direct person either, despite her early hopes, and she still tended to shy away from rocking the boat unless it felt absolutely necessary. “Weren't there rumours about these things carrying off livestock? Could a bat do that? They're not very big...”

SETTING: lincoln park ; saturday, morning AVALABILITY: closed starter for seong hyun woo | ( @hyunwooxseong )

Sara couldn't help but smile as Hanbin started helping her set the picnic things down on the blanket they'd brought for their morning together. Hyun Woo was supposed to join them too, which, Sara wasn't at all happy nor comfortable with, but she needed to remind herself that this was for their child and not for her happiness. By now, she had, in a way, accepted that happiness wasn't exactly in the stars for her. Otherwise, why else would she keep been thrown these curve balls all the time, right? Alas, here they were, and she was going to do her best to seem okay with Hyun Woo's presence there.

For Han Binnie... this was all for Hanbinnie.

They had already began munching on a few apple slices as they started painting out on their little notebooks too when Sara noticed Hyun Woo approaching their comfortable picnic area by the shadow of a tree. "Bin-ah." She said, gently touching his arm to get his attention, and then proceeded to sign, motioning her hand to the tall man close to them. "Do you remember Hyun Woo ahjussi?" Yes, because that's what he was. A stranger she no longer knew. A stranger her son was starting to get to know. "Do you think we could invite him to eat and paint with us?" Hanbin nodded excitedly already getting up from his spot and running towards Hyun Woo's direction. "Ahjussi! Come join eomma and me! We're painting! We have fruit!" He said, already taking Hyun Woo's hand and practically pulling him to where he and Sara previously were, babbling nonstop about everything under the sun... as he usually did.

"Don't pull him like that, Hanbin." She couldn't help by chuckle at his excitement and waved him over, so he could sit by her again. There was always the lingering fear of her son being taken from her by the man near them. "You're welcome to join us, Seong Hyun Woo-ssi." Sara announced, still using formal honorifics with her ex husband.

@gamblinkat liked for a starter

A FLASH of bright red light erupted, a towering column piercing the air from the tree-line. Douxie, tired from staying late at work, found himself unable to catch a break from the TRUE job that has held him tight for centuries. As bystanders whispered and pointed, he wasted no time gawking, knowing he needed to investigate before anything explodes. Meeting Archie halfway, they entered into the forest together.

Navigating cautiously, Douxie's staff glowed a reassuring blue, pushing back the shadows. It helped greatly when they stumbled upon a amateurish drawn sigil. Dating one of the demon princesses of hell, a familiarity tugged at his mind.

But the crunch of footsteps shattered his concentration, instantly putting the wizard on guard. Archie fluttered close, as they both noticed the glowing eyes that blinked within the darkness. Despite holding his staff near as a just in case, a chuckle fell from Douxie's lips.

"Heh, Well, looks like you got a rude wake-up call, eh?"

╰ * open starter ┊ @revolutionstart .

it  should  have  been  a  weekend  like  any  other.  should  have  being the  key,  here  —  but  when  silas  had  awoken  this  morning  to  a  very  demanding  feline  perched  on  his  chest,  noisily  demanding  breakfast  yet  disinterestedly  sniffing  at  what  was  later  placed  in  front  of  her,  he  knew  he  had  to  stop  by  the  pet  supply  store.  it  was  time  to  buy  treasure  that  one  brand,  again;  the  one  she  heavily  favours  for  a  few  days  and  then  won’t  deign  to  touch  anymore until months  down  the  line.

and  so,  dressed  in  a  baggy  sweater  with  hair  tousled  and  the  sleep  only  half-rubbed  out  of  his  eyes,  silas realises shopping  is  to be his  first  point  of  order,  this  morning.

he’s  hovering  near  the  shelves  by  the  storefront  when  something  catches  his  attention:  a  familiar  face  on  the  street  outside,  looking  over  just  in  time  for  his  eyes  to  meet  theirs  across  the  glass.  wordlessly,  he  raises  a  hand,  offering  a  small,  clumsy  wave  and  a  polite  smile  that  errs  on  the  side  of  a  grimace.  silas  has  an  image  he  likes  to  project  at  work,  and  looking  dishevelled  while  fussing  over  whether  to  buy  cans  of  tuna  whitemeat  with  or  without  chicken  for his cat was  a  far  cry  from  it.

izabella + rowan // kinda based on x @devouredher

izabella had heard her uncle leave for practice not to long ago so she assumed she would have ample time to try at the smallest plug in the anal training kit she had ordered, the kit had only recently came in and she was nervous. her door was still open, she wouldn’t dream of breaking one of her uncles rules and disapoint him even if he wasn’t home after he had been so generous as to let her stay with him.

izabella set the kit on her bed along with the bottle of lube she ordered as well. the brunette opened her lap top pulling up her favorite porn video, as she sat down on her bed. izabella watched the video as she rubbed over her panties, she still had her school uniform on she hadn’t bothered to change out of it wanting to savor all the time she got alone in the house. it wasn’t to long before she began to get impatient, she set her laptop down and quickly took of her panties. izabella grabbed the bottle of lube squeezing a little onto her finger as she bent over her bed, her back to the door as she rubbed her lubed finger over her puckered hole she was hesitant as she pushed a single finger into her tigh asshole. she moaned out loudly at the new feeling she continued fingering her ass, and it wasn’t long before she was adding a second finger.

with her free hand she opened the kit before pulling out the smallest plug she brought the plug to her mouth sucking on it, she continued to suck on the plug while she fingered her ass. once she felt she had lubed the plug up enough removed her fingers from her ass as she reached back, spreading her cheeks with one hand, the plug in her other. she rubbed the plug over her tight hole before she began to push it in, she bit her lip as she whimpered at the new and foren stretch on her tight ass. “oh my gosh…” the femme moaned as she pushed the plug all the way in her ass, tears forming in her eye’s from the full feeling.

@the-last-doppelganger

There isn't much that brings shock to Klaus anymore. He has lived far too many lifetimes to be surprised by anything or anyone. The curse of eternity is the absence of wonder; he now knows why the people he was born into worshipped the gods they did, why each story had a purpose, why the seasons change. None of it is mystical or spiritual at all -- even though at one point in his life, he truly believed it so.

Klaus no longer expects good from people, either. People are deceiving, and only serve their own purposes. He is one of those people. Which is why Klaus is not shocked in the slightest to find Elena alive and well after he has spent months attempting to find werewolves to turn into hybrids, only for them to die shortly after. Her living through the ritual was never supposed to happen, and now Klaus's entire plan is ruined. His goal for the last thousand years has been rendered utterly useless by this band of teenage sycophants and their baby vampire protectors.

It angers him, but it does not shock him.

There is one aspect of the current situation that has managed to surprise him, though. There is something different about Elena's presence that he cannot place. Klaus managed to know exactly where she was in town the moment he arrived, and not because of an educated guess. He knew precisely where she was, and could feel her presence the moment he stepped foot in the same building. It's how he managed to take her by surprise so easily, as ironic as it is.

Even now, as he waits for answers from the witch, Klaus can sense every move Elena makes before she makes it. His eyes follow her, study her, even as she is unaware of him doing so because she is so focused on Stefan. There is something different here, but Klaus is not going to focus on it when there are other more pressing matters at hand.

It's only after the situation is resolved that he finally allows his mind to drift back to the shift he'd felt. Stefan is fixed, Tyler is a hybrid, and Elena is safely tucked into a hospital bed as her blood is drawn for him. The smell of it is far more potent to him than it had been when he'd drank from her that night, and he only has a moment to ponder on it before he senses her waking from her sleep. He senses it well before it actually happens, which has him tilting his head at her as she wakes.

"Careful, love," he says, questioned look still on his face as he stands over her. "You're now precious cargo. But what do you say we have a little chat, hm? I've some questions for you, if you don't mind."

open starter @jhqstarters

where: the indoor/outdoor farmers market.

It was a whopping 40 degrees in Juniper today, but the sun was out and that meant Carmen was out. She would take any amount of Vitamin D she could get, even if that amount also called for her to wear a denim jacket and a beanie. Spring was coming, that much was true, and it was her favorite time of year. Sure, the area saw more rain than anything else, but the foliage that sprouted into view during this time made her feel alive, life really could be beautiful if you looked at it a certain way. For the past few years, Carmen was allowing herself to see the beauty in it, because for so long she hadn't been able to. Some people thought she was maybe a little too naive for that, but what was a tiny bit of naivete every once in a while?

there was a strawberry smoothie in her hand, even if the cold was seeping into her bones a bit, wishing she had packed some gloves. Instead, she just drank it faster, walking down the street that would lead her to the indoor/outdoor farmers market. The start of spring was the perfect time to freshen up her apartment with fresh flowers and perhaps try some new fruit.

She was running her finger along the top of a pink rose, not exactly her favorite, but it was pretty enough, when she leaned in to smell it, stopping only when she felt a presence next to her. She stood straight up, and laughed, slightly embarrassed. "Isn't life about stopping to smell the flowers, or something?" she asked, waving off her embarrassment and shrugging a single shoulder. "Besides, there's just something about spring and it's flowers that bring in something special, I think."