#life can be made accidentally naturally and now apparently it can be done scientifically too
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All for the Game
Pairing: Blaise Zabini x Ginny Weasley
Words: 4,409
Soul-Mate AU
Part 3 of my Marked Series on AO3
Ginny Weasley remembered the day she found out soul-mates were real. She heard stories growing up from Bill and Charlie’s late-night gossiping, but whenever her Auntie Muriel came over, she would always attempt to disprove their theories.
“True love doesn’t exist, Ginvera,” she would tell her, “And it’s better to get that in your head now rather than end up disappointed later.”
At first, Ginny didn’t believe her, she wanted to believe in true love. You could say she was a romantic, even if her brothers teased her relentlessly for it. But as her Hogwarts days started nearing, she gave up on the theory and thought it to be impossible. If true love existed, it was between her parents, and they were not marked. Not that she knew of.
It was the day before she was supposed to leave for her first day of school. She walked into her parent’s room to find her mother. She wanted to ask her where she placed her favorite jumper, but she caught sight of her mother slipping on her sweater to get ready for the day. Ginny felt awkward, of course, she should have knocked.
But then she noticed it. She noticed a mark; it was a wildflower to be precise and right above her heart. Amazed, Ginny stood at the doorway gaping.
It took a few moments for Molly to realize someone was there, and as soon as she saw it was Ginny, she begged for her to close the door and come in quickly.
Ginny made her way to her parent’s bed and jumped on top of it excitedly.
“Is that really what I think it is?” she asked, “Are you marked? Are you and dad soul-mates?”
“Keep your voice down!” Molly pleaded, “Let me tell you a story.”
Ginny stopped jumping on the bed and sat criss-cross applesauce. She beamed up at her mother who sat down next to her.
“So is it really true?” Ginny pressed.
Molly smiled and rested her hand on top of Ginny’s.
“It is, my love,” she explained, “The moment I met your father and he shook my hand, we were marked.”
“Then why don’t you prove Auntie Muriel wrong? Why keep it a secret?”
Molly patted her hand, “What you don’t understand Ginny is that a lot of people don’t believe that soul-mates exist. If you tell people, especially in my generation, they scoff at you and figure you are lying. It wouldn’t matter what I tell your Auntie Muriel, she wouldn’t believe us. Especially since she has never found her true love. She will never understand.”
“Why is it so uncommon, mum?” Ginny asked curiously, “Why can’t it be proven?”
“Because most people aren’t lucky enough to come across their true love. Sometimes they are on the other side of the world, but know this: It can happen for you just as easily if you believe it will. However, I don’t want to give you false hope. Please don’t feel like you are guaranteed to be marked, do you understand?”
She nodded but then smiled excitedly at her mother, and she felt so overwhelmed that she hugged her. Molly chuckled and rubbed her back.
It was in Ginny’s nature that she felt hope. If her parents found each other, she would find her true love, too.
Molly whispered, “Oh, my sweet girl. I know you’re excited at the possibility, but can you please do me a favor?”
Ginny pulled back from her mother’s hug and replied, “Anything for you, mum!”
Molly smiled and grabbed her hands again, “You must promise me you won’t tell your brothers. Your father and I have kept it a secret for a reason. The fewer people that know, the better. It’s not that we don’t want your brothers to know, we are just protecting them from possible heartbreak. Do you understand?”
Ginny nodded, but she left for Hogwarts the next day with a lot of hope in her heart.
Especially when she saw Harry Potter, but the amount of disappointment she felt when she brushed his arm accidentally and was not marked was indescribable. That’s when she decided to keep her mother’s secret, because she truly realized how rare it was.
And if Harry Potter wasn’t her soul-mate, no one could be.
But Ginny was naïve back then. If only she knew her destiny and the game she was about to play.
Blaise didn’t believe Draco at first when he told him he had found his soul-mate, and that his soul-mate was the one and only Hermione Granger. It took a lot of convincing for him to count it as fact, and even still, he was skeptical.
But when Pansy admitted that she was marked by Harry Potter and easily proved it, Blaise started to wonder what the hell was in the water at Hogwarts.
Naturally, he had to research what was going on to see why some people were marked and some weren’t. All the books and articles said that some individuals were marked because they were lucky enough to find their true love, and some were not. There was no scientific basis to anything he read. He found it stupid.
If Blaise was being honest, he did not care if he found his true love. Life was easier without attachments, and without attachments, he could have fun. His mother had a blast fooling around throughout his childhood, so why shouldn’t he get to live the same luxury throughout his life?
He knew he was shallow, but that was life. Humans were here to reproduce, and that was a logical fact. True love wasn’t needed to survive, especially not for someone like him.
Daphne practically forced Blaise to attend Draco and Hermione’s “welcome to our new home” party. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy a good time, but he didn’t want to deal with the constant chatter about Draco and Hermione being marked for life. So many people were jealous, so many were skeptical, and so many were amazed. It was enough to make Blaise want to puke. He hated small talk, and that was the smallest conversation that could go around. Especially since there was no explanation for this particular phenomena.
“I’m happy you were willing to escort me tonight,” Daphne told him, “I felt awkward going alone knowing that Pansy was going to meet Harry there. You know they’ll talk and instantly feel their connection. They can’t avoid it forever.”
Blaise tried hard not to roll his eyes, but he replied, “It’s no problem, Daphne.”
He glanced to his right side and checked her out. Her long magenta gown hugged her curves perfectly, and her blonde hair was in loose waves. Daphne was gorgeous, but he had been there and done that. They made it clear after one time that it would never happen again.
“Are you reminiscing about our old times at Hogwarts?” Daphne teased.
They had approached Draco and Hermione’s front door, so it gave Blaise an excuse to avoid answering the question honestly.
“What are you waiting for, are you going to knock?” she asked him impatiently.
He rolled his eyes again and huffed, but he relented into knocking on the door.
Draco greeted them with an ornery smile.
“Greengrass and Zabini, I never expected to see you together again. I thought that one night extravaganza was enough for you?”
Daphne rolled her eyes and kissed Draco on the cheek.
“It’s nice to see you, Draco, but no. You know that won’t happen again.”
Draco chuckled as he slapped Blaise on the back and let him in.
“Is Pansy here yet?” Blaise dared to ask.
Draco shook his head, “No, but Potter is here already. Look at him over there. He is talking to his could have been old flame.”
Blaise lifted his head to see that Potter was talking to Ginny Weasley.
She was wearing a short and obnoxiously tight red gown, and she looked extremely uncomfortable in her four inch pumps. They were horrendous. He smirked to himself.
“She’s still hot, isn’t she?” Blaise asked casually.
Draco chose not to answer by saying, “Why don’t you go have a drink while I go and check on my lady, yeah?”
Blaise smirked at Draco as he walked away. He was whipped. He decided to approach Daphne again to give him something to do.
“Shall we?” he asked.
He held out his hand to escort Daphne through the crowd to grab a glass of champagne, and she did a dramatic curtsy before taking his hand.
“How is Ginny Weasley so gorgeous?” she asked him, “I used to hate her, but now I can’t help but sort of like her. She has been to a lot of Draco and Hermione’s small get-togethers, the ones you have refused to go to I might add, and she is honestly wonderful.”
“Going soft on me, Daph?”
She snorted, “Of course not, I just speak the truth.”
Blaise held his breath as they passed by Ginny and Potter. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt the need to. Ginny shifted uncomfortably on one of her heels, and they brushed arms.
That’s when he felt it. His chest was burning, but he knew he was in way too good of health to be having a heart attack. He was nineteen, for god’s sake. And that’s when he saw it. He saw blood bleeding through his white dress shirt. He tried to wait it out, but he figured he should leave while Daphne was distracted. He excused himself to go to the loo.
That’s when he came face to face with Ginny Weasley. She was pulling her dress back to examine the mark that he had given her. All he could do was gulp.
Ginny hated heels, and she hated more that she was being required to wear them. But she would do anything for Hermione, and it was a small price to pay to make sure her one true love was also happy. A happy Draco meant a happy Hermione.
She never thought she would think those things in her mind, but here she was.
Ginny couldn’t help but shift back and forth uncomfortably in her heels. It was the only way to make them tolerable for at least a few seconds, but as she shifted to her left foot, she brushed up against someone.
“Oh sorry,” she mumbled, but she didn’t catch who it was. They walked by too quickly.
But then it hit her a few seconds later. Her chest was being ripped open, and she felt faint. Harry wasn’t paying attention, and she watched as he waited impatiently for Pansy to arrive. She wasn’t going to bother him with this, he had other things to worry about.
But he glanced over towards her. She had no idea how she looked, but it apparently wasn’t good. His face was full of concern, and he asked her, “Gin, are you alright?”
She blinked a few times to regain composure, and she attempted to stand up straighter.
“I-I’m fine,” she lied, “I’m just going to go to the bathroom.”
Before he could respond and pry anymore, she dashed away from him and towards the hallway.
She peeled the top of her dress away from her sticky skin, and it was what she was afraid of. She had been marked, but she wasn’t sure by who.
Her mark was of a quill and it was still bleeding profusely. She wondered if that was normal. She figured she would be ecstatic that she was finally marked, but the fact that she had no idea who ran into her was making her worry.
“So,” a smooth voice spoke up from around the corner, “What mark did I leave?”
She looked up to see herself facing Blaise Zabini. He looked abnormally calm, which made her angry. He wasn’t scared, he wasn’t excited, he looked unphased.
“Yo-you were the one that ran into me?”
He walked closer towards her and unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a mark of a broomstick.
“I’m afraid so,” he said, “Since you’re an aspiring professional Quidditch player, and I was marked with a broomstick.”
Without asking, he grabbed the top of her dress and pulled it down slightly to see her mark. Ginny felt exposed, but then she realized it didn’t matter anymore.
He was now embedded into her skin, and if she concentrated enough, she could feel his calm heart beat against her erratic one.
“Ah, a quill. I’m not surprised, my passion is writing,” he told her.
She pursed her lips together and nodded.
“So, that’s it then? You don’t even care that we are marked as soul-mates?” she asked him hotly.
She watched as a smirk spread across his face.
“Why should it matter, Ginevra?” he taunted, “It appears everyone is being marked these days. It’s not really unique. Besides, we can still see other people, right?”
Ginny’s mouth fell open in disbelief. This could not be happening.
But before she could reply, he had turned on his heel and walked back out to join the party.
Blaise would be lying if he said he didn’t feel like something was missing. He took that as a sign that he needed to get laid, so naturally, he owled sweet old Tracey Davis over to participate in a casual fuck.
Well, it was casual for him anyway. It was all going great until she caught sight of his mark.
It was still red; he hadn’t seen Ginny since the party. It had no time to truly heal.
“Is-is that a mark?” she asked bewildered.
He tried to ignore her and played with the lace on her bra, but she slapped his hand away.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she spat, “You invited me over for a casual fuck when you have a one true love? What the fuck are you doing?”
She rolled off of him and started pulling her clothes back on. He leaned against his side casually on his bed and watched her.
“I don’t believe in this shit,” he told her honestly, “Everyone seems to be getting marked these days. Have you heard about Hermione Granger and Draco? They are engaged now cause of this shit. Why are all these Slytherins and Gryffindors inter-mixing, wouldn’t you say it’s weird?”
Tracey shot him a glare, “I don’t care what it is, but don’t owl me again. Owl Ginny Weasley and tell her you are horny and want to fuck her.”
“How do you know it’s Ginny Weasley?”
It rolled out of his mouth before he could think through anything. It was impulsive of him, and he was never impulsive.
“Because I see the GW engraved on the broomstick handle of your mark. Plus, she is the only one who could ever compete with you in the beauty department.”
He grinned at that, and she frowned at him, “Don’t take that compliment as a way to boost your ego. It’s big enough already. And it’s not just that. It’s also because you have always looked at her differently. I can’t explain it.”
“You were seeing things.”
She sighed as she turned the handle on his bedroom door, “I don’t think I was, Blaise.”
He was about to give her a sarcastic retort, but before he could, she was gone.
Ginny didn’t tell anyone about her mark. She was ashamed of it; she was ashamed that her soul-mate was such a smooth player.
He was a fuck boy, and Ginny did not do fuck boys. Sure, she had had her fun during Hogwarts with Dean and Michael, but she wasn’t a bitch about it. Blaise was a dick, and a cold one at that.
A few weeks after the ordeal, she decided to go shopping in Diagon Alley to clear her mind. As she was browsing shops, she caught sight of him.
Instantly, she felt herself glare, but she charged right up to him.
“You can’t avoid me forever, Zabini,” she said harshly, “This isn’t something you can slither your way out of.”
Ginny felt his heart against hers again, and this time, she was surprised that it was racing. It made her smirk in satisfaction. She felt the quill against her chest darken, and she knew he could feel his mark doing the same thing.
“Oops,” Ginny said sarcastically, “I’m so sorry I made our marks darken by coming up to talk to you. It doesn’t make it any more permanent, oh wait. I think it does.”
He glared at her.
“Is there something I can do for you, Weasley?”
She snorted, “Well, we could talk about what this means,” she suggested, “Unless you’re just that awful with commitment.”
“I am that awful, I’m glad you catch on quick.”
She rolled her eyes and grabbed his lower arm.
Although she was at least six inches shorter than him, she was strong enough to drag him down Diagon Alley until they were in a deserted back lot by George’s joke shop.
“Are you wanting me to meet your family now?” he asked as he pointed to the joke shop’s sign, “I think that’s a little early, don’t you think?”
It was in that moment then that Ginny realized she wouldn’t get through to him by talking. The only way he would listen was if they touched again.
Impulsively, she grabbed the collar of his shirt so his lips smashed against hers. And that’s when her lips ignited. She had never felt this amount of fire before.
Her whole body tingled, and she quickly moved her hands up his neck until she was gripping him tightly.
It took him a minute to respond, but then she could feel his heart beating against hers as well, and their marks deepened in their skin.
His tongue slid between her lips, and his fingers tangled in her hair. Before she knew it, her legs were wrapped around his waist, and he was slamming her against the brick wall.
She gasped for air, and he looked at her hungrily. That’s when she realized they almost had identical eyes. His were golden brown as well, but they were bright against the contrast of his skin. He made her feel dull.
His lips were pressed against her neck before she could stop him, and she moaned as she dug her nails into his back.
She was feeling complete ecstasy, but then she realized this meant nothing to him. He didn’t want to love her, he wanted to fuck her - just like anyone else. But this time, he would have heightened physical pleasure as he did so.
“Stop!” she finally snapped.
She untwined her legs from his waist and let herself drop. She was surprised when he caught her by the elbow. His lips were red from all their kissing, and his pupils were dilated.
“Why?” he asked desperately, “Did you not feel that?”
“Of course I did, but I’m not going to be another casual fuck.”
She grabbed her bag from the ground, and she dashed out of the alley before he could say another word.
He admired his mark in the mirror and traced his finger against the broomstick. He stopped once he reached her initials, and he sighed as he turned away from his own reflection.
He missed her, and he didn’t get why he missed her. He missed her in a way that was more than just needing to have sex. He didn’t even fuck her. He missed her in a way that felt like longing.
And that made him want to punch himself in the face.
He was Blaise Zabini, and he didn’t feel this way about anyone. Fuck true love, he always said. Fuck relationships. They were a waste of time.
But it didn’t feel that way anymore, especially when he could close his eyes and feel her heart beating no matter how far away she was. If he focused hard enough, it made him feel relaxed. It was sickening, it truly was. He couldn’t stand it, but he couldn’t stand not having her.
He fretted for hours before he sent his owl to her. He asked her to come over, and he had no idea if she would. He was surprised when he got an owl back that simply said, “Okay, see you then. G”
He paced back in forth in his front entry-way until she arrived. When she got there, he felt her heartbeat so overwhelmingly that he opened his door straight-away. Her hand was up in the air mid-knock.
“Hi,” she said awkwardly, “May I come in?”
It was a stupid question, and he was usually the type to always point out when someone asked a stupid question. But he didn’t this time, and he surprised himself.
“Ye-yeah, of course.”
She flashed him a small smile as she made her way through his door, and she helped herself to the kitchen. He watched as she poured herself a glass of red wine, and she downed it in one drink.
He couldn’t even do that, and he would be lying if he didn’t say he was impressed.
“So,” she said, “What do you want to talk about?”
He leaned up against his kitchen counter and stole the bottle of red wine from her and took a swig.
“I wanted to talk about us,” he answered casually, “That is, if you’re still interested.”
He watched as her warm eyes brightened, but she tried to hide her shock.
“I suppose that could be discussed.”
She snatched the bottle from him, but their fingers slightly brushed against each other. An electric jolt rushed through Blaise’s body, and he felt her heart pick up speed against his chest.
Ginny dropped the bottle, and it hit the counter and shattered. Red wine dripped off the edge, but Blaise didn’t care. All he wanted was her.
He took a step forward and grabbed her cheeks with his hands. His lips were against hers before she could even breathe, but she did not complain. She opened her mouth willingly and let his tongue slip in. Her arms were quickly wrapped around his waist once more, and he wasted no time carrying her to the bedroom.
As he gently placed her on the mattress, she ripped off her t-shirt to reveal a white cotton bra. It was so simple. She didn’t even try, and Blaise found that endearing. He caught sight of his mark on her again, and he brushed his fingers over it softly. She shivered.
“Are you sure?” he whispered.
He didn’t want her to think she was another Tracey, because she wasn’t. He hadn’t realized it until now, but this was something more, and he wanted it. He wanted it no matter how much it scared him.
“Yes,” she whispered, “I want you.”
She pulled his shirt over his head and immediately kissed the mark she left on him, and he felt the sensation as it became more engraved into his skin and darkened.
This was the start of it all, and it was far from casual. It was tender, and it was real.
They woke up the next morning, and Ginny’s head was on his chest. Her breathing was even, and her heartbeat was perfectly overlapping his. He brushed her red hair out her face, and she woke up slowly.
“Sorry,” he said quietly, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She surprised him by smirking, “Were you watching me sleep? That’s very sappy of you, Zabini.”
He playfully snorted, “As if.”
He smiled as she began to laugh. Her laugh was going to become his favorite sound.
Months passed, and it was time for Draco and Hermione to get married.
Although Harry and Pansy were still avoiding each other, Blaise and Ginny decided to accept their newfound relationship. That made it especially easy for Blaise to be Draco’s best man and for Ginny to be Hermione’s maid of honor.
In her dressing room, Ginny tugged uncomfortably at the pale green dress Draco picked out for her to wear. It was lace, and it scratched against Ginny’s skin uncomfortably. She groaned to herself as she slipped on her heels, and she felt Blaise enter the room.
She turned around and playfully pouted.
“I fucking hate heels, and this dress is so uncomfortable. You would think Draco would have been a little nicer about picking something out for me that was tolerable.”
“At least you look gorgeous,” Blaise offered.
She rolled her eyes, and he planted a kiss on her forehead.
“You know,” Blaise commented, “If it weren’t for heels, we wouldn’t have even been marked. It was because you were shifting so much in those hideous pumps that I ran into you.”
“So you finally admit you ran into me now? A few months ago, you claimed it was all my fault.”
She smiled playfully at him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
He was about to tease her back, but then Draco peaked his head in.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I’m about to get married. You two should probably come out and take your places at the altar.”
Ginny blushed slightly, but Blaise was unphased.
“Okay Malfoy, we’re coming out now.”
Ginny watched as Draco adjusted his bow tie, and he slipped back out of the room to take his place and wait for Hermione. Blaise grabbed Ginny’s hand, and they made their way down the aisle.
Ginny could not focus on anything else as Blaise rubbed the back of his thumb against her hand. Tingles were shooting up her arm, and her heart accelerated. Ginny saw him smirk as they parted ways to stand on opposite sides of Draco.
Two could play this game, she thought.
As Hermione was walking down the aisle, Ginny watched her and smiled, but she made sure to move her long red waves off her shoulder to expose her neck. She turned her head slightly, and she knew this would drive Blaise mad.
His weak spot was her neck, and she teased him that he liked to suck on it like a vampire. He claimed he had more class than that, but he honestly didn’t.
Ginny felt his heart speed up after she turned her head, and she smirked and stole a glance his way.
His eyes were playful, and he was smirking, too.
Ginny’s life was about playing a game, but this game was her favorite one by far.
#hprarepairnet#slytherdornet#blinny#blaise x ginny#ginny x blaise#lightningeranet#blaise#ginny#blaise zabini#ginny weasley#mywriting#hp#hppositivitynet#provocative-envy#ff-sunset-oasis#mxrcusflint#georgiehenley#nxrcissamxlfoy
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Love Potion
Day One
8:24 AM
This is so not worth the hundred bucks I'm getting paid to do this. I hate you Gus. I fucking hate you. Now for the serious part of this 'scientific' journal.
My name is Brian Vance. I'm seventeen years old and a junior in high school. I'm a virgin (is this really necessary Gus) and I've never been on a date in my life. The closest I got to a date was to asking my eighth grade crush on a date. She said yes, but stood me up. Who's surprised?
Gus Katsoros is the 'scientist' who concocted the 'Love Potion'. It comes in a cologne and drinkable form, supposedly helps you secrete natural pheromones to attract the opposite sex. I am one of three guys using both the cologne and the drink. I will be using the cologne and drinking one ounce of the Love Potion before I go to school, and at night will be drinking another ounce of the Love Potion before I go to bed. I'll be doing that, now.
Ugh! Gus. If you're going to label something a 'Love Potion', don't make it taste like mud. For the final product, for the love of god, add some honey or sugar. Hell, high fructose corn syrup, whatever gets the job done! Just don't. Make it taste like dirt. The cologne ain't so bad though. Smells like it tastes, which it makes a much better scent than taste. Off to school.
---
11:12 PM
Well, nothing happened. Who's fucking SHOCKED. I will keep seriously journaling but if you have to read every one of these Gus I'm going to make sure I bitch the whole time. Yes you heard me. The. Whole. Time.
Anyway, to the serious part. There seemed to be no 'pheromones' excreting from me. The most female attention I got was from the eighty nine year old half blind algebra teacher, who complimented my cologne. Ms. Valentine ain't so bad though. She's just... so old. So old.
That was it though. I'll take my dose tonight and go to bed. Ugh. Still tastes just as bad the first time.
---
Day Two
8:15 AM
Least I'm not allergic to this stuff. Although that could have gotten me out of the experiment sooner...
Nothing seems to be wrong, I don't feel sick or dizzy from two doses of the Love Potion. I'll now spritz my wrists, toss the mud potion, sorry, love potion, down the hatch and get going.
Oops. Spritzed it one time too many. According to the experiment I should've used one spritz on both wrists, but I accidentally spritzed my left wrist twice. Oh well. Now I'll just smell even more like dirt.
---
4:48 PM
I'm journaling earlier today because I think something actually worked this time! I mean. Nothing major. But something that probably you should know about, Gus.
So I chilling near the music room, don't ask why I'm not in band, when Gretchen came up to me. We'd been friends when we were in elementary school, but grew apart when we got older. She plays tuba, isn't exactly popular but she has pretty eyes. Anyway I'm off topic.
She came up to me and asked how my day was going! I was so stunned I nearly fell over. But we got to talking, and she really seemed interested in being around me. It wasn't like we made out in the library or anything, but she kept reaching for my hand. It wasn't much, but when she hurried off to her next class, I remembered something.
Gretchen kept grabbing for my left wrist. The one I spritzed twice. Gus, I'm gonna fuck with your experiment a tad and do two spritzes on each wrist from now on. If I run out, that's your own damn fault for not having extra. I'm gonna go for a jog now. If I'm gonna become a pussy magnet, might as well work out!
---
Day 5
8:21 AM
Thankfully I won't have to journal every day now. Just days with improvement.
Gus was kind and understanding, so he gave me more of the cologne to make up for me needing a higher dose. The other two guys were keeping at the same rate so it wasn’t a big deal.
There is absolutely an improvement. Like girls actually look when I pass by now! I mean, Gretchen and a few other girls are the only ones who bother to talk to me but I'm taking what I can get. Gretchen and I have really reconnected, I'm thinking about asking her on a date. She's nice. It's not like I was out to bone the popular girls anyway.
Maybe it's due to the upwards swoop of my self esteem, but I'm going out to jog more. Luckily there's a nice forest near my house, lots of jogging paths. No one to stare at the skinny, sweaty guy either.
Spritzed up, took my drink, I'm out!
---
2:32 AM
I just had seeexxx, and it felt so goooood... at least oral sex.
I feel a little guilty though. It wasn't with Gretchen. It was with Myra. She's also in the band, she's second clarinet, and we'd gotten friendly lately, but when she asked me go out for sodas I figured what the heck and said yes.
After the soda, she took me back to her house and she gave me a blowjob in her childhood treehouse.
I mean, other than the splinters I'm still picking out of my ass, it was great. Lasted absolutely no more than five minutes for me, but it was the best damn five minutes of my life so far. After I'd finished, she was ready to get going to her afternoon job but I kinda wanted to return the favor. I mean. It took a lot longer than five minutes for her, as I had noooo idea what I was doing, but I got the job done! Points for me! Probably made her late to her job though.
Honestly, there has been no downsides yet. I doubt there ever will be. I'm gonna be this new school's lady killer. And yes. I'll absolutely endorse Love Potion, Gus. Your smug ass will cash in with this.
You still gotta change the taste though man. It's awful.
---
Day 9
8:45 AM
Okay, prolonged use might have a side effect.
I'm getting the nastiest rash on my head. It's covered by my hairline, which by the way my hair's gotten thicker and I'm finally growing facial hair, but it's very uncomfortable. I had my mom look at it and she says it looks like it's irritated. It's weird, since I've only been drinking and using it on my wrists, but maybe I rubbed my head in my sleep. Mom put something on it to ease the itching but I hope it doesn't spread. Magic love potion or not no one's gonna wanna kiss a face covered in bumpy rash. At least it's not covered in pimples anymore. Another side effect, my acne's cleared up!
Still though, me and Myra have really hit it off. It's nothing serious, we chill in her room and wait for her dad to go out before we go at it like bunnies. I'm honestly petrified of accidentally knocking her up so I bought condoms. Thank god for self-checkout. It's so much fun. I'm having the time of my life with her.
If Gretchen's noticed, she doesn't care. We still chill near the music room together. I've grown to appreciate the music room now, I'm even picking up guitar lessons. Girls think music is hot, and having another way to attract them didn't hurt anybody. Gretchen's even giving me tips on how to read sheet music as I just like to strum away at what sounds nice, although she usually shuts up when I pluck the right notes- just goes all dozy on my shoulder. It's weird, but hey, whatever.
Gotta go into class now, ugh.
---
12:45 AM
This rash is killing me. Still, I promised thirty straight days with this stuff. And thirty days is what I'm gonna give it. Unless I have an asthma attack or something bullshit like that. Then I don't have to give back the money I've already blown on video games and snacks.
I would've been back sooner, but after I left Myra's house I went for a jog. A really long jog. Through the woods. It just felt so right. I lost complete track of time but I wasn't the only one out there. I got a glimpse of Carlos running past. I think he's one of the kids in the two ounce drink test group. I didn't try to start up a conversation, he was clearly a man on a mission.
When I'm out there, my head doesn't itch either. Maybe it's from something else.
---
Day 10
7:21 AM
Okay. Body hair. That's not that new.
Chest hair is though. And I think I'm starting to grow a carpet on my legs. I was pretty fair haired on the rest of my body before this whole thing started. Now I'm turning into Esau from Sunday School, the guy so hairy his brother could wear goat skin on his arms and trick his mostly blind dad into thinking it was his older son. I'm tempted to shave.
Also my feet are starting to rash too, and they keep getting that ‘falling asleep sensation’, like there’s static under your skin. It's uncomfortable to wear shoes. I'll go to school today but if it gets worse I might take a break. From school, anyway.
---
7:49 PM
My mom's went out out tonight so Myra came over here instead... and by came, I mean literally came. We had a blast. She doesn't seem to mind the hair either even if it has come in a little fast. She keeps threatening to wax it though. No way in hell.
She also brought up a threesome, with me and Gretchen. Oh yeah, they both know I'm sleeping with her. Apparently Myra's been impressed with what she's taught me in the few days I've boned her. A few more 'lessons' and she'll let me loose with Gretchen.
This is insane.
Almost too insane.
I'm a little overwhelmed. I might cut out of this project early and somehow pay you back later Gus. I don't know how I feel about all this female attention. It's a lot to take in. Also I don't fancy being mistaken for Bigfoot's little brother Smallfeet when I walk into school and I'm just that hairy.
---
Day 13
2:21 PM
I didn't think about journaling this morning but I am now. I think something's going wrong.
When I went into the bathroom, I got a glimpse in the mirror of where the rash on my head was and I saw something. I took a better look, felt around, and it looks like two giant ass warts are starting to sprout. I hate warts.
But I also hate the idea of losing my feet a lot more.
One of the guys that picked on me since freshman year, Barry, stomped on my right foot. Right on the toes. Normally this would send me howling in pain while he would laugh his ass off.
Nothing. I felt nothing. And he jumped on it, full force. I felt something crack, but I didn’t feel it. I ran into the bathroom again and took off my shoe.
I can't move the toes on my right foot. The skin’s gone gray with blotches of purple. And my left foot's growing pretty stiff too. I'm pretty sure Barry broke my toes given how crooked they are but they're so cold. I'm freaked the fuck out.
But also really nervous to tell my mom this might be because I'm taking a chemical to help me get laid. I would be absolutely grounded. So grounded. And of course, I'd veto my hundred dollars, which like I said- already long spent.
I'll probably skip school until my feet stop dying. Also reduce how much of the drink I'm taking. Half ounce only.
---
1:12 AM
Barry came to my house, demanding to know what was up. He looked scared shitless.
Guess who else was in the experiment and didn't tell anyone? That's right. Half the jocks on the football team. Gus isn't popular but he's a great salesman. Once the Love Potion started to turn shit around for me and the other guys, Gus got to selling. Guys were handing over so much cash for a chance to get more pussy.
But Barry wasn't attracting pussy. He was attracting dick.
Should've seen that one coming a mile away, the hyper masculine asshole turning out to be gay. Didn't bother me, we all got our quirks. But that's the thing, Gus promised that the drug would attract the opposite sex. A specific set of hormones probably wouldn't work on the same sex, he figured. He was not THAT stupid.
And apparently I was one of Gus' 'success stories'.
Barry demanded to know what else was going on with me, or he'd crush me like a bug. So I coughed it up in self-preservation. My feet. My head. The rashes. The urge to jog in the forest every night and the inclination to be near music. And guess what, Barry didn't freak out on me. He admitted to the same damn thing. Also the fact he was a tone deaf and now could sing bass like a star.
Barry's thrown out all his shit in the toilet and scrubbed his neck so hard he's taken skin off. Apparently that's where he put on the cologne. I let him take the couch, texted mom telling her that he was a friend that came over for some help. Mom's a sweetheart. She'll understand.
This isn't right. I'm stopping taking whatever's been given me now, it’s gone down the toilet with Barry’s supply. Fuck you Gus. Fuck you so much.
---
Day 15
1:11 PM
I think it was too late for us.
Barry's got the rash now, despite insisting he's stopped everything. Everything he had of Love Potion, not even a spritz of the cologne. He keeps complaining of the itching.
Oh. And half my fucking foot fell off.
I was in the bathroom, meeting up with Barry (nothing gay, he just wanted to talk) and I leaned too much on one side apparently. We both heard a snap and suddenly I had no more balance. I fell to the floor.
I ripped off my shoe and the front of my foot fell out. It had turned entirely dark purple and felt like dry clay. Barry screamed like a girl and threw up in the sink. My foot reeks, at least what's left of it. But I'm more concerned that I think I have hooves now.
Yeah. You heard me Gus. HOOVES. The bone that led to my ankle is all wrong shaped, split in two and is turning a coppery brown. The flesh around my heel is already peeling away and I feel sick just looking at it. Judging by the condition of the other foot, it's gonna go real quick here too.
I claimed I threw up and went home. Barry actually followed me, wonder if he's got some sort of crush on me. He's probably too grossed out to try anything though. Seeing half a man's foot just fall off probably kills the mood.
I don't know what to do. I still have the half of my foot, I'm keeping it in my dresser. Still trying to find you, Gus, but apparently you've faded off the face of the earth. Barry's vowed to tear your head off the moment he gets his hand on you.
Meanwhile, I think I just figured out what the things on my head are.
Horns. I'm growing horns.
Day 19
Barry refuses to leave my house. He's scared. I've played hooky since the last entry, staying home and playing video games. I'm super hairy now, a walking carpet is an understatement. I'm only bothering to shave my face, going after the rest of the mess is just too much.
Okay. I wasn't gonna put this down because I thought it was just my imagination, but... my penis is bigger. By at least three inches. No I'm not kidding Gus. Normally I'd think this was a great addition to my bod. But no. It's not. It's fucking not.
My other foot's gone and I'm having to relearn my center of balance. It's not as hard as I thought it was gonna be. It's rough though. I keep falling over and I think my mom's catching on that something's not right with me. Especially with the hopskip way I keep walking.
I think the horns are ready to split free. I feel them now, they're bony nubs that are giving me the worst migraines. The only thing that soothes my pain is playing my guitar and hearing Barry sing. Because damn that boy can sing.
I love music. But it’s of little comfort now.
---
Day 25
I ran away from home.
Gretchen came to check on me. (Myra hasn’t so much as sent a text by the way.) She knew I'd been missing classes, and when I didn't answer the door, she got worried and entered the house.
She found me at the worst time possible. When my horns were finishing their development. I was trying to get to the bathroom to get some more painkillers when the most excruciating pain I'd ever felt in my life filled my entire head. I screamed and hit the floor, curling up into a little ball. I hadn't even gotten fully dressed yet, a shag carpet with hooves and slowly sprouting horns.
I woke up to Gretchen screaming at the sight of me. I slowly sat up and when she saw my face she realized it was me.
Her face went white. She looked like she didn’t know what to be more shocked about. The fact that there was a man with horns and a small furry tail, or the fact that it was me, right there. Sitting in front of her. More animal than man.
I tried to talk to her. Tried to reach for her. But when she ran from the house, I couldn't just let her go.
So she's with me and Barry now.
We stole my mom's car, I took all the money from her bank account that I could, and we're driving now. Just driving. Gretchen's tied up in the backseat, Barry's keeping her still.
I don't know what to do anymore. But I need Gretchen. Need her. I can't explain why either. Maybe I'll know when I get to our destination.
---
Day 30
This would've been the final day of the test.
I'm done transforming. Barry's about through the final stretch himself, it's just the horns left. All the others managed to catch up to us. We're hiding out in one of the national parks, not telling you which. All in various stages of development. Gus really went all out, hitting every clique he could before pulling his disappearing act.
We're freaks now. All of us. They're gonna look for us, but they won't find us. Or they'll wish they hadn't. We have powers now. With our instruments and voices, we can hypnotize anyone to our bidding. Least it means we don't have to tie up Gretchen now. She's staying here whether she likes it or not.
For now, we wait. For the hype to die down. For people to forget the missing teenagers from our highschool.
I don't think you knew this would happen to us. But I really don't care. I'm sending this journal to your last known address, Gus. You can run, but you can't hide. We'll find you.
We just want to give you a head's start knowing what we'll do to you once we get our hands on you.
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Man. I get super frustrated about parents who shelter their kids from sexual health and reproductive science.
I NEED TO YELL. THIS IS ME, YELLING. Sorry it’s so long. Also it’s directed at parents, and I get that most of my followers are young and not parents - but this is still relevant to literally every person ever who might some day be responsible for the upbringing and development of a child.
Someone I know asked on facebook what to tell their almost 10 year old, who saw some blood she had accidentally left on the toilet during her menstrual cycle. I’ve been having reproductive conversations with my kid since he was 4. I use scientific terms, and comparisons to systems in nature that he’s already familiar with (eggs from birds and nests from our nature studies). I have always used gender neutral language that doesn’t attach gender to anatomy. I don’t say anything heteronormative. My son has literally NEVER been confused about anything I’ve said to him - and so far (he’s 7, now) hasn’t shown any shame around sexual health and reproduction. Like, he’s consistently reacted the same way he did when I explained how tornado’s are formed, where they show up, and what to do if he finds himself near one. He asked questions, but he wasn’t nervous or uncomfortable - because we’ve literally been talking about this openly and honestly in our home for three years - which is as far back as he can remember. This mom asked for help figuring out what to say to an almost 10 year old - so I gave her a script. I told her to start with the base simple reproductive system, if she hadn’t already - as a framework for then talking about the menstrual cycle.
"A baby is made when sperm, which is made inside testicles in the scrotum - finds an egg called an ovum, which are made inside ovaries. The sperm fertilizes the egg, and the egg grows into a baby. When the baby is ready to come out, it comes out through the vaginal canal."
so, the first observation about that is that 1 - I don’t mention how the sperm gets to the egg. I left sex out of the conversation completely - because when I talk about sex, I want to be able to include conversations about non-reproductive sex, non-penetrative sex, non-heteronormative sex, and sexual health - and he’s not there yet. Those conversations will be a series of small baby steps- but those steps do start soon. We will definitely have had them by the time he’s 10 - like the kid of the mom in question. We’ve had other conversations about private parts, not keeping secrets about private areas, and that touching your genitals is normal, it can feel good, and that he should only do it in private when he’s alone, either in his room or in the bath. So. There. All the base knowledge a 7 year old could ever need. In fact, from talking to other parents- it’s apparently like WAY MORE than ANY OF THEM give their kids. So, I guess my kid is ahead of the game? This specific mom wanted to know about explaining the menstrual cycle though, so I gave her that script too.
"Every month, some folks bodies prepare to possibly grow a baby. The egg (or ovum) gets ready for fertilization, and the body builds a nest of sorts for the egg (or ovum), this nest is called the uterine lining - it is very soft like the skin on the inside of your mouth. However - if the egg isn't fertilized, the body has to get rid of that "nest". The body uses muscle cramps to push the uterine lining out slowly through the vaginal canal, over the course of a week, and there is some blood. For most people, It hurts a little, but not all the time. I have to be careful and gentle with my body during this time. Once all the uterine lining is gone, my body starts making a new one to prepare for the next ovum, just in case that one gets fertilized. The cycle is a month long, so my body spends the first part making the nest, and at the end it sheds the uterine lining for about a week - some people call this week their “period”. It happens to most people with a vagina - for most of their life. It starts when they go through puberty. It's totally normal and natural, and it's been happening since the beginning of time. It is how we make safe homes inside our bodies, for our babies - and how we keep our bodies healthy and happy until we choose if we want to have babies."
When I talk about these things, I pull up pictures on my phone that are cartoonish, but anatomically correct - of various reproductive organs. I only show him ones that don’t have gender labels in big words at the top. I point out the different areas while I talk about them. He had questions about the ovum - he wanted to know if it was like a chickens egg. I explained that chicken eggs have hard shells because they do most of their growing outside of their parents body - and the hard shell protects them. We do most of our growing on the inside of the body, so our ovum are very small and soft. It was a logical question considering that he was comparing ovum to the eggs he had seen in the past. Other than that, he didn’t have any questions other than to re-state some things I had said to clarify that he had understood them correctly. He is 7. He found the whole thing interesting, but a little boring. When I asked him if there was anything else he wanted to know - he asked if he was allowed to go play angry birds.
I don’t find it embarrassing talking to him about this, or answering his questions - it don’t find it difficult. Never has my son asked me anything that I didn’t know how to answer. I answer honestly - and make sure it’s scientifically sound - while being worded in a way that a 7 year old can understand. He gets it. He’s cool with it. There’s no issues. But the mom that asked for help? She was like “OH. Yeah my kid isn’t ready for ANY of that.” and I am like.... he’s almost three years older than my kid.... if my kid can handle it, so can yours. Its your job to help make him ready. I know that all kids are different, and it’s important to respect this difference - but if your kid saw blood in the toilet and is ASKING YOU to explain - you do them a disservice by deciding they aren’t ready for the unbiased, sex-positive, body-positive, gender-neutral truth. They are ready - THEY ASKED. In fact, with how early puberty has started to affect kids - there’s a chance someone in his class will be starting their menstrual cylce shortly. That means that it is absolutely time to explain - or they will learn about it, probably incorrectly, and probably coated in body shame - from other kids at school.
I know this mom. She’s normally an amazing person who is totally great - and I completely respect her parenting style and opinions. I honestly adore her. Shes one of my favorite people - and I am trying to be empathetic and understanding about the fact that she has her own shame to come to grips with before she teaches her children about these topics. I accept that no one is perfect, hell - I am far from perfect. Yesterday I yelled “hoe don’t do it” to a bird that was attacking our house, and my kid immediately went “Yeah hoe - back off!”.... we were on facebook live at the time. Not my proudest moment. But I try. I correct myself. I admit when I am wrong, or when something is hard for me. I admit TO MY KID when I am struggling. I apologize when I didn’t do my best. I am the last person to normally throw any shade at another parent (unless their abusive - than I throw scalding hott tea in their face), but this topic is, apparently, super important to me. I didn’t realize just how important it was, until I saw her response and felt myself get HELLA MAD.
So here’s my bit, to all those people who are now or someday might be parents: It’s your job as a parent to make your child ready for the world - and if part of that world is too difficult for you to speak about, you need to find someone else or the appropriate resources to get the job done to the best of your ability. You can’t just stick your fingers in your ears and hope for the best. You need to do whatever you can to stop yourself from inadvertently spreading your own shame and repression to the next generation. That is not okay. That it where I draw the line. Get over your stuff. Get over your shame. Get over the “gross ewwwww” shit from your childhood. Get over the assumption that human bodies - especially those who create life - are somehow shameful, dirty and wrong. Get over the ingrained concept that talking about natural functions of the body will somehow affect your child's “innocence”. Do better. Be better.
Teach. Your. Fucking. Children. About. Their. Bodies.
Teach. Your. Fucking. Children. About. The. Bodies. Of. Others.
Tell. Your. Children. The. Fucking. Truth.
If you act like these topics are shameful or taboo - your child will to. They will spread that. They will make fun of folks who get their period at school - and those folks who get made fun of it will internalize it and perpetuate it themselves. They will be rude and unkind about it - because they are ignorant about it - to other peoples children. Your kid being uninformed, means that my kid might suffer when he tries to correct their assumptions. DO BETTER FOLKS. THIS ISN’T NEARLY AS DIFFICULT AS YOU MAKE IT OUT TO BE.
//rant over.
#parenting#rant#kids#reproductive health#talking about bodies#sex positive#body positive#gender neutral#shame free parenting#honest parenting
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The Mark of Oblivion: Loose Ends [Three]
Like every other incubus and succubus, Cedric liked his sleep. He needed it to function - even more than humans did. Sex wasn’t the source of his abilities, just the energy he drew from. Sleep, dreams; these were the things were the center of his power. Perhaps even the center of his being. Scientific research into that theory was decidedly slim.
Once, when they’d first started working together, Kira had jokingly likened him to a cat. “Because you would sleep twenty hours a day too if you could,” she explained with a wry smile.
Kira wasn’t smiling now. Cedric wasn’t even sure if she was aware of the expression on her face right now, much less anything else. Loss of attention; one of the major warning signs of sleep deprivation. It shouldn’t have been this severe after only twenty-four hours, but most tables on the subject didn’t factor in magical exhaustion.
However, being an incubus meant Cedric knew what an accelerated time table looked like. Moreover, he knew how to deal with it. A spell was out of the question. Kira was using every ounce of neutral magic she had left to keep the Mark sealed. Enough magic that Cedric wasn’t sure he’d know where she was if he couldn’t lay eyes on her. But there was more than one way to lend someone magic.
“Stay right here,” Cedric said. He placed a hand on her shoulder, both to steady her and reassure himself of her presence. “I’m going to brew a potion that should help keep you awake.”
As Cedric turned to leave, Kira nodded in reply. It wasn’t until halfway up the stairs that he heard her voice once more. “Well, it’s not like I’m going anywhere.”
A beat later, Cedric realized she was replying to his last remark. Cognitive delays. That shouldn’t be apparent for another day at least. Cedric took the rest of the stairs two at a time.
When he finally made it back to his apartment, the first thing he noticed was Toni crouched in the doorway of his spare bedroom. “What are you…?” He began, before the answer became apparent. He spotted the chalk in her hands, recognized the runes she was drawing on his floor. A quick peek into the room told Cedric she’d already finished the ones inside. Looked like Toni decided to create the anti-magic and sealing wards the hard way.
“The quicker I get the done, the quicker I get to go home,” Toni explained, focus mainly directed at the floor. “And the quicker I can get the hell to sleep.”
“Theme of the hour,” Cedric muttered under his breath. Toni gave him a rather flat what? and he let out a sigh. “Nothing...I’m going to fix Kira a potion that will keep her awake until we can get this all sorted out. Are you all good here?”
Toni gave him a thumbs-up with her free hand while Gus replied, “Should be!” After sharing a quick nod, Gus turned back to the man he was guarding. Cedric beat a hasty exit before his eyes landed on the other occupant of the room.
“Have fun!” Toni called after his retreating form.
This wasn’t fair, Cedric couldn’t help but think. That after everything she’d been through in the last twenty-four hours, Kira had to deal with this now too. And she would have to continue dealing with it until Cedric worked out a more permenant solution. He already had a few ideas, but right now he needed to focus on making sure he didn’t mess up this potion.
Strictly speaking, he’d never made a potion to keep someone awake and ease the symptoms of exhaustion before. Cedric just threw in any ingredient he hoped would work. Everything from aubergris to coffee grounds found their way into the cauldron. In the end, it was just a sludgy grey-brown mass that was enough for three portions when passed through a sieve. Okay, that gave them about seventy-two hours.
He finished bottling the finished solution just as Toni was completing the sealing wards. Before Cedric could check in, Gus practically jumped into the hallway, letting out a small gasp of surprise. “That anti-magic spell is really weird,” he said, shaking off a chill. His eyes suddenly lit up gold and Cedric watched as he ran a tongue over his fangs, like he was checking if he was still a werewolf.
The moment he was free, Toni closed the circle around the sigil she’d drawn. Magic rippled in front of the door briefly before fading. Cedric couls still feel it there, charging the air with the barest electric hum.
“There,” Toni said, brushing off her hands as she stood. “No living being should be able to pass through this room from either side of the barrier.” She looked up at Cedric. “Please, boss, will you send me home? I’ve racked up so much overtime and my bed gets awfully lonely when I leave it for so long.”
Clever, but it’s wasn’t enough of a distraction. She placed the chalk in her pocket, where Cedric could still see the outline of the talisman. He held out a hand. Toni rolled her eyes, but handed it over without any more complaints. “Did you pick this up from Dustin?” Cedric asked, examining the object while it was dormant for this first time.
“Oh, he and I go way back,” Toni grinned. “I met him through Jasper even before he joined the Harbingers. Never liked that asshole, though.” She waited just long enough for Cedric to open his mouth in reply before adding, “So I have a night shift and I’d like to at least take a nap before-”
“Not so fast.” Cedric held up a hand. “Even after I get these potions to her, someone still needs to watch over Kira. And,” he added quickly, that hand rising again in anticipation of Toni’s protest. “You’re the only one who can use transference quickly enough if something goes wrong.”
The look on Toni’s face might’ve gotten a laugh out of him were the situation not so dire. “You expecting me to hang around here until Kira can stop herself from blowing shit up? I have a life outside this. Calling out of work tonight’s gonna be enough drama. How long is this gonna take?”
Cedric was barely able to hold himself back from saying something he’d regret. Sleep deprevation was not a good look on him. And he had to remember this was something they were all going through together - even if his demonic nature was making this a little harder on him. Only a little. “Look, you’ll still be able to get to your job tonight,” he said once he’d calmed down. “I only need you for the next few hours while I run an errand. Then you can take that nap you were hoping for.”
Okay, he might have still been a little testy. In any case, it still seemed to cool Toni’s protests. She shut her lips tightly, shaking her head.
“Alright, fine. Where’re you headed?” Toni sighed, but didn’t say anything more.
“I know an enchantress. She has a shop not too far from here and it should be open today. I was planning on making a surprise visit,” Cedric explained.
“Oh, you’re talking about Ravid, right?” Toni asked.
Cedric had to blink away his surprise. He nodded, unsure of what else to say. Then again, Toni had presumably been operating in the Otherworld for years before their paths had recently crossed. Maybe it wasn’t such a shock that she knew one of the most prestigious talisman-crafters in his Ward.
“And do you need me for anything?” Gus spoke up. Cedric found himself having to refocus his eyes to get a better look at him. Gus had been so quiet, he nearly forgot he was there. “I can, you know, guard Mill or whatever.”
“You don’t think my seals are airtight?” Toni spun around to face him. It could’ve been an accusation, but all Cedric felt from her tone and body language was teasing. Interesting.
Gus wound up floundering anyway. “No, I- I just…” He trailed off, suddenly slouching. Until that moment, Cedric hadn’t realized just how tired he looked. “Kira’s my bloody best friend. I can’t just stand here while everyone else helps out. I have to do something.”
Ah, so that’s what this was about. “Well, you’re welcome to join me when I go out,” Cedric suggested. He could sense Gus perk up. The werewolf nodded enthusiastically. “Alright, let’s run these downstairs, shall we?”
While Gus ran ahead and Toni followed behind, Cedric found himself hanging back. This whole time, he’d managed to avoid looking into the room right next to him. Now, without anyone else to focus on, it was all he could think about.
He could feel Mill in the other room. Maybe he was just paranoid and hypersensitive - the anti-magic barrier had cut off all his sensing abilities - or maybe Mill was staring at him. Cedric couldn’t bring himself to turn around and check. Just the thought twisted his gut. Yeah, it was probably for the best that he didn’t.
Breathing in deeply, Cedric forced himself to unclench his fists and begin the trek downstairs.
Along the way, his eyes caught his reflection in the mirror hanging by the door. Well, he’d certainly looked better. His hair was beginning to fall out of the coif he’d styled it into the day before and his beard...This was normally the day he shaved. Tomorrow, then.
The thing that Cedric focused the most time on were his eyes. There were the beginnings of dark circles under each, but that wasn’t what concerned him. He got as close as he could to the mirror, desperately searching his irises for any trace of red. No, still blue.
Thank the gods, Cedric thought, sighing audibly as he leaned his head against the mirror. Only another couple hours, he reminded himself, and then he could sleep again. The cravings hadn’t started yet. He had time.
Pulling himself upright again took more effort than Cedric was willing to admit. He gave himself another once over in the mirror, nodding reassurance to his reflection. However, as he did, another image came to mind. The vampire coven they’d seen on Kira’s accidental first Otherworld mission; no whites left in their eyes, every tooth pointed and dagger-like. Cedric tried not to think about his own eyes looking the same.
For Kira, Cedric reminded himself as he made his way to the shop’s basement. If nothing else, you have to do this for Kira.
By the time he got to the door, he could hear voices coming from the other side. “No way! Is that from when you blew everything up earlier?” It sounded like Gus.
“That’s my best guess,” came Kira’s response.
When Cedric made it in, he found everyone gathered around something in Kira’s hands. Once he was close enough, he realized it was her phone. By the time he was standing amongst them, he realized what had grabbed their attention. The device looked thoroughly fried.
He looked up from the phone and found its owner already staring back at him, expectant. Kira looked better than when he’d seen her last, but she still didn’t seem like her usual self. Full of life, confident, glowing-
Cedric erased the thought from his mind and focused instead on the reason he’d come down in the first place. “I made these for you,” he said, handing the vials to her.
“They’ll keep me awake?” Kira asked, inspecting the potion contents.
“That’s the intention,” Cedric replied. “And, hopefully, mitigate any ill effects of sleep deprevation. Just take one every twenty-four hours.” He paused to wince. “It...probably won’t taste great.”
“I was a freshman once upon a time. I’ve probably had worse,” Kira shrugged, opening one. She plugged her nose and downed the contents like a shot of cheap tequilla. The next second, she was coughing, which managed to draw laughs from the room’s other two occupants. “Nevermind. Forget I said anything.” When she stopped, she looked up at Cedric once more. “Thank you.”
Already he could see some of the light returning to her eyes. Cedric thanked the gods once again. “It was no trouble,” he assured her. “Now, I have to run out and see if I can find a more permenant solution. Toni will stay with you to make sure you’re okay.” Said ex-Harbinger gave an unenthusiastic wave. “But if there’s anything you need in the meantime - from your apartment or wherever - don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“Thank you, Cedric. Really,” Kira repeated, offering him a smile.
Tired and beaten down as she was, Cedric could still get lost in the curl of her lips. Could stay there for hours if he let himself. All he wanted was a moment alone with Kira, without Gus and Toni for a peanut gallery, but he knew that wasn’t a smart decision and they needed to get a move on besides.
Instead, Cedric told himself to be content with a nod in reply. Then he turned to Gus, gesturing towards the door. Gus didn’t need to be told twice. He took off running up the stairs with goodbye and a wave thrown over his shoulder.
But Cedric couldn’t bring himself to leave so casually. He had to say something. He made it to the bottom step before turning around. “We won’t be gone long,” Cedric promised, hesitating while he tried to figure out something more substantial to leave them with. “Just...stay safe.” He turned around, hurrying up the stairs before he really did get lost down there.
Gus was already at the door once he made it into the shop itself. All of the battle participants who had been nursing their wounds in the lobby had since gone home. He bounced between his feet, like a jogger stopped at a streetlight. Sometimes, that eager attitude of his was contagious.
“A moment, please,” Cedric chuckled, grabbing his coat from the end of the counter where he’d placed it earlier. He shrugged it on as he made his way over.
“Lead the way, boss,” Gus said, following behind as the pair made their way out onto the street. The bells above jingled twice before the door closed behind them.
It was still early, but the sun had already risen enough to fully brighten the street and cut though the early spring chill. This is just about when the shop is supposed to open, Cedric couldn’t help but think. He turned back around, but the lights of the shop were still off. It was unlikely they would be on before the following morning. Guilt wedged a knife into the space below his ribs. He was failing in his duties as a Warden.
Only by the time they made it to the end of the street was Cedric finally able to tear his eyes away. He had to do this, he reminded himself. Not just for Kira, but for the Otherworld as a whole. He had a duty to them and he would honor it. But this really was all about Kira, wasn’t it?
#writing#my writing#the mark of oblivion#n: the mark of oblivion#katie writes sometimes#the magic shop
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