* moved !

FCXMARBLE is an independent roleplay blog for HAYAN GU, an original character based on the korean "gumiho" folklore & set primarily in a modern verse. this blog is not affiliated with any fandoms, but is open to interacting with compatible concepts.

                                   ❝     ―  do you have anything to show where he was last, no matter how far back? ❞ he tapped his pen against his notebook as he gazed at the other. these cases were the hardest, family members. older brothers or parents, some disappearing by choice while others are definitely not by choice. he couldn’t help but wonder which case this was. though what kind of parent bails on their child, those were the people he couldn’t help but hate in the end.

“Oh, yeah! I've got stuff.” Hayan scrambled for his phone, pulling up the camera roll before handing it to Enzo. On the screen were pictures he'd taken of excerpts from his mother's diary, including an outdated description of his father & mentions of the neighborhood he lived in.

IF  THERE  WAS  A  WAY  TO  SEW  HER  LIPS  SHUT  ,  she  should  have  done  so  …  about  two  minutes  ago  .  she  can  feel  the  tension  radiate  off  of  him  ,  aura  beginning  to  flutter  around  almost  protectively  like  she  was  some  kind  of  threat  (  or  that  she  brought  danger  with  her  )  .  what  a  reckoning  of  her  greatest  fears  –  to  have  someone  fearful  of  her  ,  or  to  understand  the  power  within  her  that  she  can  barely  grasp  .  the  feeling  makes  her  stomach  turn  and  she  places  a  hand  over  to  calm  it  .  

❛      –  i  mean  ,  maybe  ,  but  …  i’m  still  learning  ,  i  don’t  usually  pick  fights  with  ,  well  ,  anyone  really   ❜    she’s  not  much  of  a  fighter  -  but  she  did  learn  a  thing  or  two  on  self  defense  ,  it’s  just  not  her  strongest  point  .  ❛      honestly  ,  from  what  i  understand  ,  most  hunters  don’t  seem  to  know  nephilim  exist  either  ,  we’re  as  much  of  a  fairytale  to  them  as  …  you  know  ,  the  tooth  fairy  or  santa  claus  .  even  the  ones  that  do  know  of  my  kind  ?  they  seem  to  be  in  the  belief  that  the  nephilim 8 were  wiped  out  a  millenia  ago   ❜    and  yet  ,  here  one  stands  ,  owning  a  flower  shop  in  the  middle  of  new  york  city  -  a  daughter  of  uriel  .  

to  become  human  though  —  she  can’t  put  her  finger  on  it  ,  but  something  in  the  way  hayan  says  those  simple  words  lights  a  spark  in  renata’s  heart  ,  it  makes  her  think  of  her  own  future  and  just  how  long  she  has  .  is  she  immortal  like  the  angels  ?  or  …  will  she  grow  old  and  die  like  a  human  ?  she  has  so  many  questions  about  herself  but  there’s  no  use  in  bogging  the  gumiho  down  with  them  ,  especially  since  he  seems  to  have  his  own  concerns  .  ❛      would  uhm  ,  would  you  want  to  be  human  ?  that’s  probably  a  stupid  personal  question  ,  sorry   ❜

would  she  want  to  be  human  ?  she  imagines  so  ,  but  would  she  survive  without  the  angelic  grace  inside  of  her  ?  is  something  like  that  even  possible  ?  the  multitude  of  answers  that  could  go  along  with  that  question  were  too  much  for  her  to  think  on  ,  and  truthfully  ,  she’d  much  rather  focus  on  hayan  and  his  problems  .  ❛      maybe  you  and  i  could  learn  a  thing  or  two  about  what  we  are  ,  and  how  to  control  our  powers  …  you  know  ,  together  ?   ❜    it’s  with  a  sheepish  expression  that  she  speaks  ,  and  she  feels  almost  ashamed  to  even  suggest  such  a  thing  ,  but  she  can  sense  the  loneliness  off  of  him  ,  and  in  truth  ,  it’s  saddening  .

❛        now  you’re  being  ridiculous      ❜    she  wouldn’t  kill  him  ,  assuming  that’s  what  he  meant  ,  and  it’s  with  an  adamant  shake  of  her  head  that  she  expresses  this  thought  ,  ❛      hayan  ,  if  there  is  anything  i  have  learned  these  past  couple  of  years  is  that  there  is  always  another  way  ,  and  maybe  i’ll  be  able  to  help  you  find  it  ,  okay  ?   ❜

Together. It was a word rarely spoken to him by others, but one he loved to hear. It sounded even more ‘heavenly’ spoken by Renata. The thought of that pun almost made him smile again, but he felt guilty at the realization that he managed to bring her mood down with his. That hadn't been his intent. He only wanted to protect others, whatever that entailed. He didn't know how to do that on his own. Perhaps Renata really could help him.

“Do you really believe we'll be able to help each other?” His lips stretched into a hesitant smile, just wide enough to bare his canines. He wanted to believe it too, & of course he'd already offered to try, but it seemed too good to be true. It was enough of a stretch to hope he could become human with a borrowed marble, but then he'd bumped into an actual angel who wanted to help him. What on Earth did he do so right to deserve such luck? Would this actually work?

So many human emotions were muddled in his mind & he had never been good at deciphering them. He always just let them run rampant & went with the flow, hoping that by allowing himself to feel them he would somehow speed his path to becoming human. Now he was beginning to realize just how many different emotions he had felt in the last few minutes alone & how it was affecting Renata too.

                                     ❝     ―  twenty-plus years, huh… ❞ enzo scratched the side of his head as he thought for a moment, looking the younger over. that was gonna be a bit difficult but how could he say no to such a cute kid? especially when he looked at him like that? ❝ there wouldn’t be any harm in trying. who you lookin’ for, kid? ❞

Kid? His brow quirked up as he wondered just how much older this detective was than him. He didn’t look that much older, but if there was one thing Hayan had learned since working at Bloomlide, it was not to judge anyone’s age by their face.

EYES  CAST  DOWNWARDS  FOR  A  MOMENT  and  renata  catches  herself  fiddling  with  the  bracelet  on  her  wrist  .  it’s  not  much  for  entertainment  or  distraction  ,  just  one  of  those  little  bracelets  made  by  children  that  she’d  gotten  from  a  young  girl  that  she  made  flowers  for  her  mother’s  funeral  .  still  ,  beyond  all  of  her  nerves  and  resignation  ?  he  seems  excited  .  she  can  only  imagine  why  ,  from  the  sound  of  it  -  he  hasn’t  been  able  to  talk  about  himself  in  such  a  way  for  a  while  ,  and  for  her  ?  perhaps  it’s  time  for  her  to  feel  the  same  kind  of  joy  .  

❛        it’s  just  a  lot  ,  you  know  ?   ❜    she  tries  to  ask  for  some  kind  of  forgiveness  ,  though  even  ren  knows  that  she  hasn’t  done  anything  wrong  ,  ❛        apparently  my  kind  are  killed  by  …  angels  ,  usually  when  they’re  young  and  not  really  into  their  full  power  yet  so  a  few  years  ago  when  they  came  for  me  …. ❜    her  eyes  flicker  towards  the  door  ,  uncertainty  washing  over  her  again  ,  but  then  she  looks  back  towards  the  other  and  can  recognize  what  the  aura  that  surrounded  him  was  .  a  fox  .  perhaps  the  answer  had  been  in  front  of  her  the  whole  time  and  she’d  just  been  too  naive  to  realize  it  .  ❛      i  figured  out  some  ways  to  protect  myself  ,  kind  of  keeps  a  lot  of  things  out  ,  actually  –  which  is  why  i  said  if  you  needed  a  place  to  crash  ….      ❜

she  doesn’t  want  to  start  rambling  ,  ❛        i  honestly  don’t  know  much  about  nephilim  ,  just  that  …  a  lot  of  our  power  ?  a  lot  of  what  makes  us  such  a  threat  is  our  human  souls  .  apparently  it  like  …  mixes  with  the  celestial  grace  or  whatever  and  empowers  it  ,  that’s  why  the  angels  are  afraid  so  it’s  not  like  i  can  go  around  asking  just  anyone  ,  right  ?        ❜    she  laughs  then  ,  and  it  practically  warms  her  throat  back  into  familiarity  ,  and  then  nods  at  his  offer  .

❛        honestly  ,  it’s  okay  ,  it’s  a  little  weird  ,  not  knowing  literally  anyone  like  me  ,  but  i’ve  been  getting  by  okay  ,  and  i  mean  ,  i  have  the  shop  ,  right  ?  people  come  in  and  out  ,  i  get  to  talk  to  people  and  be  a  part  of  their  lives  for  a  little  while  so  it’s  …  it’s  kind  of  nice      ❜    a  temporary  part  of  their  lives  ,  that  is  ,  ❛      i  have  to  ask  though  ,  what’s  it  like  ,  i  mean  …  have  you  ..  always  been  a  gumiho  ?  were  you  born  with  the  guseul  ?    ❜

He felt his skin go cold & hairs stand on end at the mention of angels coming after her. For a moment he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He just stood stiffly with wide eyes & parted lips. Her persuers were far more formidable than the humans hunting him for his marble. Angels were capable of destruction beyond his imagining, yet Renata had somehow survived. He wished he could say that was something they shared in common, but any life left in him was thanks to his mother’s skill & the incompetence of the humans after him.

“You weren’t kidding, were you? I bet you could take on the entire hunter’s order single-handed if you needed to.” Not that she should, of course. Even Hayan, with his limited understanding of the human world, had managed to figure the hunters out. Most of them were just trying to make a living & protect their families from what they perceived as monsters. He couldn't say they were wrong, either. Renata's questions only served to remind him of that notion.

“I’ve always been a gumiho, yeah, but... but I wasn’t born with my guseul. The mountain spirits give them to foxes when they first become gumiho so they can turn human, but I’m half human & I wasn’t born on the mountain, so I didn’t get one. This marble was my mothers.” He unconsciously touched the spot where the marble rested on his skin. “She became human when I was born, so she gave it to me to give me a chance. I don’t even know if it will work... if I’ll ever be able to become human like her.”

Hayan mirrored Renata's earlier movement of looking to the floor & fidgeted with his hands. If nephilim became more powerful because they were half human, would the same happen to him? Gumiho didn't have whatever this ‘celestial grace’ stuff was, but he'd often wondered if he might lose control of his powers one day. He desperately hoped that would never happen, especially not as long as he still lived with his mom.

HE  HAS  SO  MANY  QUESTIONS  and  renata  realizes  perhaps  they  are  more  similar  than  she  was  ready  to  admit  .  her  face  heats  up  before  she’s  able  to  control  it  ,  a  quick  glance  away  in  an  effort  to  divert  her  gaze  is  made  and  finally  ,  she  huffs  .  it’s  a  loud  huff  that  is  drawn  out  like  air  being  released  from  a  balloon  .  the  relief  of  pressure  from  her  shoulders  sounding  it’s  way  through  her  lungs  ,  she  can  only  assume  .  then  again  ,  she  doesn’t  have  to  breathe  .    she  can  feel  his  reaction  radiate  across  her  skin  ,  the  natural  empathy  that  tears  along  her  nephilim  side  echoes  aggressively  alongside  it  .  that  uncertainty  .  that  …  wonder  .  perhaps  she  knows  it  all  too  well  .

❛      i  uh  …      ❜    he’s  speaking  to  her  like  she  is  some  otherworldly  being  ,  but  the  truth  is  that  the  nephilim  are  anything  but  -  at  least  she’s  learned  from  her  studies  .  she’s  yet  to  meet  anyone  quite  like  her  ,  and  rumor  has  it  that  many  of  the  nephilim  were  wiped  out  centuries  ago  in  the  form  of  a  great  flood  ,  slaughtered  because  they  posed  a  threat  to  the  heavens  .    ❛      i  mean  ,  not  really  an  angel  ,  i’m  …  a  little  human  ,  i  just  …      ❜    hands  ring  around  each  other  as  she  looks  at  him  again  ,  the  baffled  expression  on  his  face  clearly  writing  every  query  before  he  asks  it  ,  ❛    it’s  complicated  ,  i  guess  ?      ❜

it’s  not  though  ,  not  really  .  the  nephilim  of  an  archangel  ,  the  archangel  uriel  to  be  exact  was  more  of  a  threat  to  the  human  race  than  a  friend  .  she’s  read  the  tales  of  the  power  the  nephilim  can  hold  ,  but  to  harness  it  ?  it  risked  the  earth’s  destruction  .

a  hand  finally  rises  to  pause  his  questions  as  an  attempt  is  made  to  approach  each  one  at  a  time,  ❛  hold  on  —  do  i  have  wings  ,  sort  of  ,  i  learned  that  the  hard  way   ❜    and  embarrassingly  ,  ❛  but  they  don’t  look  like  what  you  see  in  drawings  ,  they’re  more  …  like  light  ,  beams  of  light  kind  of  thing  ,  and  no  …  no  halo  .  technically  i’m  an  abomination  ,  you  know  ?  angels  weren’t  supposed  to  mingle  with  humans  ,  especially  in  …  you  know  ,  that  way  ,  but  sometimes  ?  my  eyes  glow  and  … ❜    

she  stops  there  ,  knowing  that  if  she  keeps  talking  she  will  spoil  everything  that  she  has  ever  had  just  to  herself  ,  ❛      honestly  ,  i  don’t  know  all  that  much  about  what  i  am  …  i  kind  of  just  found  out  a  few  years  ago  ,  and  there  aren’t  any  really  around  anymore        ❜    and  if  there  are  ?  she’s  not  about  to  go  looking  ,  not  wanting  to  risk  exposing  them  .  

Abomination, shabomication. Hayan found Renata’s secret far more fascinating than his own. After all, he could be considered an abomination too. Specifically of the ‘furry’ variety; a fact which he loathed. Gumiho were basically just really old foxes. They were animals whose spirits evolved enough to dare become human, & who often fooled around with humans before they’d fully accomplished that goal. That seemed like more of an ‘abomination’ to him than a pretty girl with light-wings & glowing eyes.

“So you do glow! My eyes can glow too sometimes, but I doubt they’re as cool.” Hayan was practically bouncing with enthusiasm now. He leaned closer & his eyes flashed with a dim amber-yellow light. “They’re for night vision mostly, so I can’t see too well in the day with them like that.”

Oh how fun it was to have a friend he could share these things with! He finally remembered why he'd been so quick to tell his classmates when he was a small child. Some had reacted with fear, sure, but some begged him to show off his powers, & the unattentive adults usually thought they were just playing fantasy. He knew better than to discuss it in front of others now, but he could show off his quirks & confide in a peer again.

“It's okay if you don't know much, or don't want to talk about it. I'm still learning too. My powers work different than my mom's did since I'm only half, so I don't really know what my limits are.”

To be the only one of a kind, though… that was a lot different than just being a watered-down version of others. Hayan could still seek his mother out for advice, even if her advice was often faulty. What did Renata do when she needed guidance?

SHE’D  READ  PLENTY  OF  STORIES  WRITTEN  ABOUT  SHIFTERS  OF  ALL  KINDS  ,  but  to  realize  that  she  was  looking  at  one  ,  a  tale  of  such  old  times  ,  was  a  fascinating  concept  that  she  couldn’t  just  …  ignore  .  a  curious  mind  begins  to  rattle  with  so  many  questions  that  she  is  so  desperate  for  the  answers  to  ,  but  she’s  quickly  pulled  back  to  the  reality  of  their  deal  ,  the  promise  that  she’d  made.  

❛        what  will  happen  ,  i  mean  …  if  these  hunters  get  all  this  knowledge  and  power  ? ❜    worry  strains  in  her  tone  ,  fingers  twisting  around  each  other  as  nerves  look  to  settle  somewhere  more  comfortable  .  she  knows  all  too  well  what  would  happen  if  the  angels  got  a  hold  of  her  .  depending  on  which  one  ?  it  would  include  a  beating  heart  ripped  from  her  chest  ,  put  on  display  like  some  kind  of  trophy  and  it’s  power  used  to  lock  the  doors  to  the  heavens  for  eternity  .

none  of  these  things  were  appealing  ,  in  truth  .  she  enjoyed  living  .

❛      i  did  say  that      ❜    she  whispers  ,  a  breath  taken  before  her  head  shakes  .  not  once  has  she  spoken  the  word  aloud  ,  without  anyone  to  whisper  it  to  ?  without  anyone  like  her  to  compare  notes  ?  hell  ,  she  could  be  pronouncing  the  word  wrong  ,  and  have  been  her  whole  life  ,  nephilim  .  even  in  thought  it  feels  so  foreign  ,  yet  familiar  to  her  .  why  is  it  so  uncomfortable  then  ,  to  speak  such  things  aloud  ?

❛        the  truth  is  ,  i’ve  never  told  anyone  what  i  am  ,  the  only  reason  i  know  what  i  am  is  because  i  read  it  in  some  nun’s  journal      ❜    when  she  was  taking  notes  about  me  ,  ❛      but  …  she’s  gone  now  ,  they  uh  ,  they  all  are  actually  .  so  ,  just  like  how  i  can’t  tell  a  soul  about  you  ,  you  can’t  tell  anyone  about  me  and  what  i  am  ,  got  it  ?  ❜  she  hopes  he  does  ,  and  there’s  something  about  his  energy  that  tells  her  it  will  be  fine  ,  but  she’s  still  learning  the  ropes  on  what  she’s  capable  of  doing  and  apparently  there  is  plenty  she’s  yet  to  learn  .  

❛      —  a  uhm  ,  i’m  a  nephilim  ,  the  daughter  of  an  archangel    ❜

Hayan didn’t want to think about what the hunters would do if they got his guseul, but his mind raced to different possibilities anyway. Use it to wipe out all gumiho & possibly other supernatural beings too? That seemed the most likely, given their chosen occupation. He shuddered at the thought, but didn’t dare utter it out loud.

A subtle pang of guilt hit his stomach at her first confession- that she had never shared her secret before. It was the first time for Renata to be so vulnerable with anyone, & yet he, over-trusting fool that he was, had spilled his secret numerous times already only to freak out at the idea of telling her. How could she tell him so easily? Would he have been that brave if she had gone first instead of him?

The truth was almost enough to knock Hayan off his feet. His eyes widened & he felt his knees go weak, but he tried to hide his reaction as best he could. After her own overly-gracious reaction it would feel lowly to show his fear.

An angel? As in a pure & heavenly being considered far above the humans? And he, a mere animal trying desperately to achieve humanity. Was it even okay for him to be in the same building as her? Would the mountain spirits, or God, or whoever... punish him for this?

He clutched at his necklace through the layers of his clothes. “Y-you’re an angel? A real-life angel?” Well, half-angel. Half, like him, but also not like him. She was half celestial, he half monster. From some viewpoints gumiho were considered a type of demon. He really shouldn’t dare to speak to her. And yet...

“Do you have wings? Can your head glow? Wait, no, I mean... what are those called? Halos? Do you have a halo? Can you turn it on & off like a lamp?”

WITHIN  HER  GRASP  there  is  no  torch  or  pitchfork  .  renata  byun  has  learned  to  accept  what  is  and  what  isn’t  over  time  and  that  not  everything  should  be  met  with  fear  .  perhaps  some  caution  ,  but  fear  is  a  recklessly  driving  force  and  people  do  stupid  things  when  they’re  afraid  .  ❛      you’re  not  going  to  scare  me   ❜  words  spoken  in  a  serious  tone  ,  she  takes  one  half  of  a  step  closer  ,  head  tilting  so  that  she  can  get  a  better  look  at  the  other’s  face  and  a  confident  smile  bolsters  her  cheekbones  .  

what  she  says  ,  she  means  ,  and  it’s  intended  to  comfort  ,  but  on  the  other  hand  ,  there’s  no  use  in  forcing  the  words  to  come  from  his  mouth  either  .  still  ,  two  fingers  hold  up  ,  a  laugh  follows  ,  ❛  scout’s  honor  ,  really   ❜    that  should  be  enough  ,  shouldn’t  it  ?  to  maintain  a  more  truthful  nature  her  hand  drops  ,  resting  in  the  pocket  of  her  hoodie  .

gumiho  ,  however  ,  was  unexpected  ,  though  she  doesn’t  balk  at  the  confession  .  somehow  ,  her  posture  is  maintained  and  features  don’t  miss  a  beat  beyond  the  slight  furrowing  of  her  brows  as  she  looks  into  her  memory  .  ❛   a  gumiho  —  like  the  fox  ?      ❜    she  remembered  reading  about  them  ,  of  course  ,  as  her  curiosity  into  what  she  was  grew  ,  she’d  found  herself  in  a  hole  of  information  following  all  levels  of  lore  between  countries  .  that  had  been  back  when  she  was  still  trying  to  convince  herself  that  she  wasn’t  a  nephilim  ,  the  daughter  of  an  archangel  .

❛        i  mean  -  it’s  good  to  know  that  you  don’t  eat  livers  ,  i  don’t  imagine  that  they  would  be  very  tasty   …  although  i  imagine  they’d  be  raw  on  top  of  all  that  ,  so  besides  not  exactly  delicious  ,  definitely  messy      ❜  she  pauses  ,  an  attempt  to  make  light  of  his  stressors  having  passed  and  returns  to  their  conversation  before  ,  ❛      is  that  why  you’re  being  hunted  ?  because  of  what  you  are  ?  is  that  …  is  that  something  that  can  even  be  stolen  ?   ❜  

Having said the truth was more relieving than he’d thought; even more so when she recognized exactly what he was & didn’t seem afraid. Come to think of it, she had seemed unphased by most things he said from the very beginning. Hayan wondered what that could indicate about her own identity. She wasn’t appealed by the thought of eating livers, so she probably wasn’t a flesh-eater herself, but she wasn’t totally appalled either. What had she seen in life to desensitize her like that?

Hayan’s lips parted into a shy smile at her jests. It really wasn’t something they should be making light of, especially since he knew his mother had struggled with the urges when she was a full gumiho, but he appreciated the effort. His anxieties were all but totally vanished.

“Yeah, like the fox,” he chuckled. “I can even turn into a fox from time to time, but usually on accident. Gets kinda awkward when I miss class because I’m too small for my clothes & have a tail.”

His smile faded at the mention of the hunters. “No... well, sort of. They do want to kill me because they think I’m a monster, but it’s because I have a yeou guseul. A marble. It helps me absorb energy so I can turn human, but it’s dangerous in the hands of humans. They can use it to gain unfathomable knowledge or power. That’s what they’re trying to take from me.”

Oh, but enough about that. He didn’t want to dwell on the hunters any longer. The sooner he could forget they ever existed, the better, & with each passing second he felt his anticipation growing. He’d always been curious, sticking his nose— often literally— into places it didn’t belong. Now it was Renata’s turn to keep her end of the bargain.

MAYBE  SHE’S  SAID  TOO  MUCH  ,  but  the  fact  is  –  all  things  are  drawn  to  sources  of  nature  and  power  .  sacred  oak  in  long  forgotten  forests  ,  holy  ground  where  temples  are  built  to  worship  ,  the  problem  is  that  humans  destroy  and  she’s  decided  to  bring  growth  around  her  .  that  sort  of  power  will  pull  anyone  in  ,  and  suddenly  she’s  worried  that  he  was  drawn  to  her  power  too  .  ❛    yeah  ,  you  know  —  people  like  pretty  things  ,  flowers  . ❜    a  quick  recovery  ,  she  hopes  as  fingers  drag  through  her  hair  .  she’s  not  nervous  ,  but  there’s  an  edge  forming  in  her  jawline  that’s  only  becoming  more  prominent  as  each  moment  goes  on  .  

still  ,  he  seems  to  relax  somewhat  .  relax  enough  to  offer  a  pinky  of  a  promise  and  it’s  one  that  she  accepts  with  only  minor  hesitation  .  ❛      i’m  not  the  town  gossip  —      ❜    she  states  simply  ,  ❛    it’s  just  me  and  my  flowers  here  ,  honestly        ❜    her  and  her  flowers  ,  the  only  company  that  she’s  kept  for  quite  some  time  now  .  truthfully  ,  she  believes  it’s  better  this  way  ,  but  that  doesn’t  mean  she  doesn’t  crave  the  simple  things  in  life  .  friends  .  socializing  .  family  .

it’s  not  to  say  that  this  doesn’t  put  renata  in  an  uncomfortable  position  .  if  he  opens  up  ,  tells  her  what  he  really  is  ,  then  that  means  she  would  have  to  do  the  same  ,  and  how  does  one  explain  the  truth  of  the  nephilim  ?  she’s  likened  to  some  scourge  upon  the  earth  by  so  many  ,  some  kind  of  destroyer  ,  but  that’s  not  what  she  wants  to  be  —  she  simply  wants  to  be  renata  ,  the  girl  with  the  flower  shop  that  can  eventually  leave  this  city  to  thrive  in  a  small  town  with  a  cottage  ,  a  beautiful  garden  without  a  care  in  the  world  .

oh  ,  what  it  means  to  dream  .

 he  begins  to  speak  and  she  can  feel  the  hesitation  ripple  through  the  air  .  just  as  swiftly  it  came  ,  though  ,  it  disappeared  ,  and  his  words  are  cut  off  with  a  huff  ,  so  she  steps  closer  .  ❛      you’re  a  what  ,  hayan  ?    ❜    her  mind  rakes  over  what  he  was  about  to  say  ,  but  her  knowledge  of  this  world  is  …  limited  at  best  ,  ❛      what  are  you  so  afraid  of  ?   ❜

He hadn’t wanted to show his worry, yet here he was quite literally beating himself up about it right in front of her. Slapping himself didn’t work, & it was much too late to hide. He needed to pull himself together fast, before he managed to make himself look like an even bigger coward.

There was a chance she wouldn’t even know what a gumiho was when he told her. Not everyone with a Korean surname knew about their lineage’s folklore, & even if she did, hopefully she’d learnt about gumiho through dramas like “My Girlfriend is a Gumiho” or “Tale of the Nine-Tailed”. The kind of show that romanticized everything & made flesh-eating monsters look appealing. Both were wholly unrealistic representations of his kind, but if they helped his case, then for once he’d be grateful for their discrepancies.

“I’m sorry, I just... haven’t told anyone in years. I was a child the last time I shared it on purpose, so it feels... wrong. It’s not a pleasant thing and...” Once more, he forced himself to look Renata in the eyes. “And I don’t want you to be scared of me.”

EYES  WIDEN  AGAIN  ,  full  saucers  as  she  stares  at  her  streetside  companion  .  at  first  ,  she  wants  to  deny  .  deny  deny  deny  .  then  she  imagines  ,  what  if  her  gut  feeling  is  right  ?  that  the  one  sitting  next  to  her  isn’t  quite  like  most  others  that  come  into  her  shop  ?  renata  considers  a  barrage  of  questions  that  she  has  for  him  ,  accusations  of  him  following  her  to  the  city  ,  that  maybe  everything  that  he’d  told  her  within  the  past  ten  minutes  was  all  some  kind  of  lie  ,  but  she  doesn’t  .  

in  fact  ,  she  settles  into  it  with  a  little  bit  more  ease  than  she’d  expected  . 

rising  to  her  feet  ,  the  nephilim  slips  the  rose  back  into  it’s  place  and  lets  out  a  quiet  sigh  .  ❛    yeah  uh  …  maybe  we  should  talk  inside      ❜    but  this  whole  conversation  wasn’t  supposed  to  be  about  her  ,  was  it  ?  he  was  just  some  passerby  ,  a  kind  one  that  seemed  to  find  almost  as  much  comfort  in  her  flower  arrangements  as  she  did  .  he  seemed  to  appreciate  them  and  for  a  second  ,  she  couldn’t  help  but  wonder  if  he  was  drawn  to  them  .

safe  behind  closed  doors  ,  the  bell  rings  .  inside  the  shop  the  décor  is  simple  ,  minimalistic  -  however  hidden  within  the  wall  art  are  runes  ,  angelic  symbols  meant  to  ward  off  any  heavenly  creature  beyond  the  one  that  drew  them  .  the  open  sign  is  flipped  to  a  more  pleasant  one  that  says  be  back  soon  !  and  both  hands  drag  over  her  face  before  looking  towards  him  again  .  ❛      you’re  right  —      ❜    she  starts  ,  the  slight  stammer  in  her  voice  becoming  more  evident  the  more  she  speaks  ,  ❛      but  there  are  a  lot  of  uh  …  different  kinds  of  people  that  come  and  go  through  here  ,  and  honestly  ?  it’s  probably  because  they’re  drawn  to  it  . ❜

god  how  she  hates  this  .  he  smiled  at  her  ,  and  her  guard  had  been  cracked  just  enough  to  offer  a  semblance  of  certainty  that  she’d  been  right  too  .  he  wasn’t  human  .  ❛      but  i  asked  you  first  -  so  why  don’t  you  tell  me  the  whole  truth  and  maybe  i  can  actually  help  you  ,  and  i’ll  tell  you  what  it  is  that’s  …  you  know  …  here  ,    deal  ?   ❜  arms  fold  across  her  chest  then  ,  a  look  of  determination  in  her  features  that  maintains  the  natural  softness  she  carries  so  well  ,  but  she  means  it  ,  every  word  ,  even  if  she  knows  damn  well  that  she  should  walk  away  from  this  whole  conversation  .

the  problem  is  ,  it’s  not  in  her  nature  to  turn  her  back  on  someone  that  clearly  needed  help  .  

She was actually agreeing to his proposal, or so it seemed as he followed her inside with quivering steps. He was suddenly aware of what a foolish decision he’d made. Confiding anything in the first place was a mistake he’d made often enough throughout his life to know better, but to freely offer a full reveal to someone he only knew as a casual acquaintance (not even a long-term school friend) was a whole new level of stupidity.

It was almost reassuring to watch her struggling to admit her ‘unusual’ nature. Although he knew the feeling of being caught with a secret all too well, her reaction meant that he was right. It was unlikely that even an experienced hunter could put up such a convincing act. She was definitely not human. Whether he could trust her with his own secret, however, remained to be seen.

“Drawn to it?” Hayan echoed. He knew there were numerous plants & flowers that could repel certain supernatural beings (garlic & wolfsbane being the most infamous) but he had not heard of any that could attract them. Unless... He glanced around to check if buckwheat flowers had been used as fillers in any arrangements, but saw none. That ruled out dokkaebi as her regulars.

Whatever tension he felt loosened at her new offer. This was an opportunity to back out, to say that no, he didn’t want to share first & run away from it all. That would be the clever thing to do, & he was supposed to be clever, right? He was a fox after all. So why did he find himself extending his right pinky finger like a gullible child?

“Ok, but promise you won’t tell anyone. Not even my mother. She knows everything already, but I don’t want her finding out that anyone else knows, & especially not that it’s because I told someone again.” He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, & exhaled. “I— I’m a... a gu...”

SOMEONE  OUT  THERE  WANTED  SOMETHING  that  he  had  ,  in  a  way  ,  renata  could  relate  .  in  her  desperate  studies  to  figure  out  what  she  was  and  what  it  all  meant  ,  she’d  learned  that  the  heart  of  a  nephilim  held  immense  power  ,  enough  power  to  destroy  the  heavens  .  thinking  about  that  ,  a  hand  is  brought  to  her  chest  without  explanation  and  finally  ,  her  head  shakes  .  ❛  you  keep  telling  me  everything  is  dangerous    —    but      ❜    i’m  a  nephilim  ,  apparently  i’m  pretty  death  proof  or  whatever        ❛      you  really  don’t  have  to  worry  about  me  ,  i  can  handle  myself        ❜

she  looks  his  way  again  ,  the  slight  smile  on  her  face  returning  in  a  brighter  aura  than  before  .  sometimes  ,  she  feels  as  though  she  is  constantly  glowing  ,  as  if  the  strength  of  the  sun  was  somehow  embedded  within  her  flesh  —  yet  ,  her  skin  is  quite  human  .  it’s  the  essence  of  the  archangel  uriel  that  keeps  her  alive  .  

still  ,  she  wants  to  know  more  about  these  bad  guys  ,  the  villains  to  his  story  .  perhaps  she  really  has  gotten  better  at  this  surviving  thing  than  she’s  ready  to  admit  ,  but  the  idea  of  knowing  the  enemy  in  her  vicinity  ?  it’s  more  appealing  for  her  own  preparation  .  ❛        honestly  ,  dorm  fees  are  pretty  expensive  ,  but  sometimes  ,  it’s  nice  having  a  roommate  i  think        ❜    she  wouldn’t  really  know  from  personal  experience  ,  though  she  would  never  claim  to  be  …  lonely  ,  just  alone  .  honestly  ,  it’s  been  better  that  way  for  anyone  else  ,  which  is  why  even  ren  surprised  herself  at  her  offer  .

❛      but  really  ,  how  dangerous  are  these  guys  ?  i  mean  …  if  your  life  is  in  danger  because  of  it  …  whatever  it  is  that  you  have  must  be  major  ❜    her  curiosity  is  itching  across  her  tongue  again  ,  and  this  time  ,  it  can’t  be  sated  ,  ❛    what  is  it  ?  –  i  mean  ,  who  are  they  ?  just  general  thugs  or  …  something  worse  ?    ❜

a  knee  pulls  up  to  her  chest  after  she  asks  ,  as  if  curling  into  herself  to  disappear  .  in  a  way  ,  she’s  afraid  he’ll  be  angry  at  her  for  asking  ,  but  there’s  still  so  much  she  longs  to  understand  about  herself  ,  perhaps  to  hear  about  someone  else’s  troubles  will  also  help  her  in  a  strange  convoluted  sort  of  way  .  ❛  i’m  sorry  ,  that’s  really  not  my  business  i  just  ….      ❜    another  pause  ,  fingers  dragging  through  blonde  hair  and  she’s  convinced  herself  that  there’s  no  real  benefit  from  beating  around  the  bush  anymore  ,  ❛    i  just  know  what  it’s  like  ,  to  have  to  run  because  of  things  that  you  can’t  …  well  ,  you  can’t  really  control  them  ,  you  know  what  i  mean  ?          ❜    shut  up  ,  you’re  starting  to  ramble        ❛  and  i  don’t  really  expect  you  to  tell  me  all  your  deep  dark  secrets  or  anything  ,  i  just  don’t  want  you  to  end  up  on  the  front  page  of  the  newspaper  with  some  unsolved  crime  title  on  it  ,  you  know  ?        —-  who  else  would  i  talk  to  during  the  slow  days  here  ?        ❜

Her exuberant curiosity should've set off red flags again, but something about the way she smiled put Hayan at ease. He wanted to tell her everything. Perhaps it was her confidence in her own abilities– like someone with true power would have– or the fact that she didn’t react to anything he said like most humans would, but he had the increasing feeling that she was somehow one of his kind. Maybe not a gumiho exactly, but someone who would understand him. Someone he wouldn’t have to run or hide from.

“I'll tell you if you tell me what you are first.” The words slipped out before he had a chance to think about them; about what they meant & the consequences if he followed through or turned out to be wrong. Still, he couldn't stop himself from continuing the train of thought. “You are... different... aren't you? I don't know what, but I can tell there's something there.”

He smiled back at her as she spoke, almost against his own will. He should be shaking, stammering, & afraid instead of... whatever this was. Honesty wasn’t exactly a fox’s best-known trait. It went against his nature to be so forthcoming, & yet, he was excited at the possibility of having found another nonhuman.

“Though, maybe we should go somewhere a little more private if we’re going to talk about ‘deep dark secrets’ as you put it.”

Wait... she won’t think I’m flirting will she? As soon as he said it, Hayan realized that ‘going somewhere private’ could have another connotation, especially when spoken with a smile as he’d just done. He sounded alarmingly similar to the jests his mother made whenever he brought a friend home from school.

     @fcxmarble​ is here!!

     every time the ship hit land, benji went off in search of great scenery. being so close to the ocean ended up meaning much opportunity to spend time in forests, benji’s favorite scenery at all.      feeling particularly brave and eager, he brought his whole easel with him. paints, several canvases, and a brush of every shape and size. his shoulders tightened and his arms squeezed with agony through the hike, but he smiled. it would be solace!      he not only found a gorgeous part of a wildlife park, but he decided to set up shop. he had brought everything to paint with, plus some food for snacking and a camera for filming himself. he was, after all, documenting every second of his life by now.      at first, the painting was to be of the simple scenery he saw before him. the brush strokes both calmed his mind, and guided it through thought.      the camera watched him paint and paint and paint. he never stopped for water or a snack at all. ten minutes went by. then thirty. a whole hour. his face hardly changed.      then, in the quiet of the wood, a sniffle. his nose turned red. a single tear ran down his cheek.

It was another ordinary stroll through the park for Hayan, if not by anyone else’s standards. He would frequently shift into a fox & run into the wildlife park near his town to escape his responsibilities, which is exactly what he did on this day. He mostly chased little critters with no real aim other than keeping his mind off reality. He wasn’t much of a hunter.

He had been pursuing a particularly flighty crow (that is what crows do, of course, but usually not so mockingly), when his attention slipped & he tripped on a log. This sent him stumbling into a small clearing, where a young man sat painting at an easel.

Hayan watched for a moment, debating whether to change back into a human & approach for light conversation, until he noticed the camera. Oh no, he couldn’t risk getting caught shapeshifting on video. He’d simply have to retreat or wait this out.

So he sat, patiently watching as the young man continued to paint, until he caught a whiff of sadness in the air. He approached the easel in fox form, sniffing at the artist with wiggling whiskers, & looked at his face. He was crying, definitely, but Hayan had no idea why. Was the painting not turning out how he wanted? Or had he come to the park to escape something too?

NOTHING  IS  SAFE  —  not  really  ,  anyway  .  at  least  ,  for  her  things  just  seem  to  pile  up  into  a  shitstorm  of  dangerous  concepts  that  the  nephilim  was  hardly  prepped  to  handle  .  her  own  life  was  defined  by  disaster  and  yet  …  here  she  is  listening  to  a  stranger  ,  longing  to  help  him  in  any  way  that  she  could  .  ❛   you  don’t  know  that    ❜    she  speaks  softly  ,  so  low  that  her  voice  would  barely  be  audible  over  the  breeze  sweeping  the  city  street  in  front  of  them  ,  ❛      i  mean  ,    that  i  couldn’t  help  you  … ❜  

he  doesn’t  know  ,  does  he  ?  everything  that  she’d  learned  as  of  late  about  the  nephilim  ?  the  way  they  were  intended  to  be  killers  ,  hunters  ,  perhaps  she  is  meant  to  be  considered  a  threat  —  and  yet  ?  renata  byun  owns  a  flower  shop  that  she’d  been  given  by  the  old  couple  that  helped  her  hide  out  after  the  convent  was  destroyed  .  it’s  the  nagging  voice  in  the  back  of  her  head  that  tells  her  that  she  should  do  something  ,  anything  with  this  supposed  gift  that  her  lineage  offers  ,  and  yet  ?  she’s  not  sure  what  that  something  would  be  .  

she  perks  up  though  ,  at  the  mention  of  people  looking  to  kill  him  ,  and  with  widened  eyes  she  focuses  -  hones  in  -  on  his  tone  ,  the  cautious  cadence  of  it  that  reminds  her  that  perhaps  this  isn’t  something  he  wants  to  say  .  ❛      what  kind  of  bad  people  ?      ❜      the  question  comes  out  more  curious  than  concerned  and  for  a  brief  second  she  wonders  if  they  are  running  from  the  same  thing  —  but  renata  knows  one  thing  for  certain  ,  there’s  no  running  from  the  heavens  when  they  decide  to  crash  down  .

❛        i  mean  ,  would  you  just  …  leave  your    mom  here  ?  or  would  you  move  her  too  ?  that’s  …  that  has  to  be  a  lot  for  her  ,  right  ?   ❜    another  question  lingers  in  the  air  ,  the  more  pertinent  one  ,  the  one  that  looks  to  be  asked  so  loudly  but  she  keeps  it  buried  for  another  (  painful  )  moment  .  ❛   did  you  uh  …  steal  something  from  them  ?  is  it  possible  to  just  …  give  it  back  ?  maybe  they’ll  leave  you  alone     ❜    it’s  a  weak  offer  ,  she’s  watched  her  fair  share  of  crime  television  to  know  that  just  because  the  ransom  is  paid  ,  doesn’t  mean  everyone  gets  off  scot  free  .  

still  ,  it’s  a  lot  to  take  in  ,  but  she  handles  it  with  a  steady  ,  pondering  expression  .  what  kind  of  person  would  she  be  if  she  allowed  him  to  suffer  ?  but  then  again  ,  what  risks  would  she  end  up  taking  in  the  end  if  she  was  exposed  ?   ❛      i  know  it  isn’t  much  ,  but  if  you  need  a  place  to  crash  while  you  sort  it  out  ,  lay  low  —  i  live  upstairs  and  it’s  …  you  know  ,  nobody  would  really  be  able  to  bother  you  there  at  least  ?   ❜

The spark of curiosity in Renata's eyes threw him. Hayan expected fear or concern, but she found intrigue in his story instead. Particularly at the mention of ‘bad people’, which usually meant one of three things: either she was a true crime fan, someone on the run herself (Could she be a gumiho too? No, surely not...), or a hunter who was catching on to him. His gaze shifted away from hers as he tried to shove the thought aside. She was being kind to him, listening to his troubles & making suggestions. The only person to do so up to this point was his mother, so it was rude to suspect her as a killer a hunter.

“Oh no, I-I didn’t steal it. They just want it because it’s valuable. I can’t give it to them, but I can’t tell you why. Just that... it would be dangerous.” Oh sure, that was a real smooth & believable excuse. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to mind much either way. She offered him a place to stay even before he had the chance to explain himself. The possibility of her being someone like him seemed to be steadily increasing.

“My mom’s used to running; it’s usually her idea. I go along mostly to protect her. If she stays, they might hurt her to lure me. They might try that with you too if they’ve tracked me here. I doubt it, but I don’t want to risk putting anyone in danger. Thank you, but I really shouldn’t stay here.”

...Or should I?

His eyes widened & he bounced on his heels as a new idea occurred to him. He should do the opposite of what Renata suggested! “What if- what if my mom moves for safety while I stay behind? Not at the same house, of course, but... I could move on campus. The bad guys know my neighborhood, but I don’t think they know my college. It’s not far from here too, so if I can’t pay the dorm fee... well, at least I won’t be homeless.”

The plan seemed flawless in his own mind, as risky as it was, since his mom would be safe & he wouldn’t have to leave his friends. It also had the added bonus of getting to see Renata more often since he’d be closer to her shop. He was starting to consider her as one of his new friends, even though he wasn’t sure he had ever given her his name. As it was, he only knew her name because he’d overheard another customer say it, & he was too afraid to utter it in case she thought he was a stalker.