Typically a clash of sci-fi future and fantasy/fantastical elements
Background:
I’ve been writing stories since I was a kid. Plus roleplaying for several years (multiple characters, couples, and storylines.) I have technically written one popular online fiction but it was on wattpad and it involves adventure time so we don’t talk about that 😅
|| Current WIP:
Book 1 of 3 of the ‘Dead’ Series: Are We Dead Yet? (sci-fi fantasy)
• 5-6 years in the making, 2 drafts in (one a complete overhaul), early chapters about to undergo editing process.
(Rough) Synopsis:
MAX is a rebel with no sense of self control.
GREYSON can’t afford not to be cautious.
CELIA is a world renowned icon.
KORI isn’t even a second thought in peoples minds.
SUMMER is a burst of sunshine.
AYDEN fades into the shadows.
Let’s gaze into the future— it’s 3056 and school just let out for the summer. It’s the time for fun, the time to let loose and live free. Or.. it would be at least if it wasn’t a string of unfortunate events back to back. Now, this unlikely group who knows little to nothing about one another most work together to unlock a secret they had no idea existed. If only they'd known the real secrets they'd be discovering.. would be each others.
Tagline:
it’s not about the journey, it’s about how you get there
Are We Dead Yet Book Info
|| My Goal:
I want to connect with other authors and artists as well as promote my own works and generate a genuine following for the art that I love to create. I admittedly haven’t had much luck elsewhere but I’m hoping to put genuine energy into making it working here.
In addition to that, I wanted to share my work on here before it’s published! I was thinking to motivate me through the editing process of posting some or all of the chapters here!
|| Art:
So now that I’ve provided all that, hopefully you’ll take an interest in my page/book and pop in every now and then 🥸
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At long last I have created something new! This was fun! It’s been in artist purgatory for idk how long. First it was just hair then it became hair, nose, and eyebrows and now we have a completed piece 🥹 hurray!
Authors note: Okay so funny enough the finale was written when I uploaded part 4 but I was gonna make this finale + epilogue but… the epilogue got too long 😅 what can I say, I love lesbians haha.. so anyways here’s the finale (no epilogue)!
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
They traveled in silence and for once, Jackie felt a gap between them. To be in her presence all of a sudden didn’t pair naturally with the warmth of light. Her face was unreadable and thus so too was her mind. This ride alone wrecked her nerves more than anything else in her life could. As she noticed the music hall, she stepped off of the train. She quietly led them up the stairs, opening the door for Delilah with not even a thanks in return.
“May we enter the hall?” Jackie asked the attendant.
“There are only ten minutes left until we close for the night.”
“That’s fine. Ten minutes will be more than enough.” She bowed her head and walked inside. She walked towards the steps where a grand piano stood at the base. She took a deep breath and sat down. Without another word, she let her fingers delicately dance across the keys of the piano. The sound came so naturally. There was a song that played in her head whenever she thought of Delilah. It was hard to condense into one theme. It had highs of joy and lows of woe. It had passion of anger and teetering chattering anxiety. In such a way, these were all the ways she felt thinking about her likeness just as well. When she was beside her, she smiled always. When she was without, she peered out the window longing for their next encounter. Somehow for all their disagreements, they always came back around to one another with understanding of the other’s perspective. If she was being completely truthful, there was only one thing she feared in life and that was the reality of Delilah leaving. She stopped playing as she reached the end of the ballad and stared, unable to say more.
“Music is a very powerful medium.” Delilah said after an eternity of silence. “You might think the ability to read auras is dumb but-“
“No, I—“ Any rebuttal she thought to give silenced by a single finger.
“—But sometimes they help you understand the parts of a person they’re not willing to say aloud.”
Jackie’s hands fidgeted against the base. “..Forgive me if I’m not as emotionally independent as you. I..” she wanted to appease her. Express to her that the feeling was shared. It was a one syllable word and yet it couldn’t move forth on her tongue. “For as much I want nothing more than to proclaim it, my tongue stops me. I did not ignore you because I did not feel the same, I ignored you because I did not know what to say in response and chose silence instead.”
“In the future, you should probably choose a different answer. Something like this would work,”She held her face in her hands, her thumb gently swiped across her cheek before her lips laid against her own.
Jackie felt relief wash over her and her hands instinctively pulled her closer. No matter the time of day nor the season, she always felt sparks between them. She could hear each individual firework as they embraced one another before it faded into the background along with every other thought she had. If she couldn’t prove her affection in words, she’d prove it in actions.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fenton Music Hall is now closed for the night. Please exit through the main doors.” An intercom announcement buzzed through.
“I think we’re being kicked out,” Delilah whispered with a low giggle as she pulled away.
“I don’t think they’ll be too upset if we stay one more minute over.” She started to lean forward again.
“Ahem,” the attendant from earlier cleared her throat as she stood in the open doorway. “Ladies, we’re closed now. You can come back during our operation hours tomorrow.”
“Of course. Thank you for being understanding and letting us in so late.” Delilah smiled and stood up, automatically holding onto her hand as she stood beside her.
Jackie embraced the bliss walking alongside her, her grip ever so tighter than her own before a thought popped into her head. “You mentioned a bit ago that you’re not going to travel anymore, right?”
“Well, not as much. It’s just exhausting and it doesn’t allow my full creativity to thrive. It’s not fuelling any joy in me anymore so.. I’m going to find somewhere to stay. I’ll only travel when I want to.”
“Let me guess, when your happiness drives you to such a decision?”
“/Exactly!/ You know me so well.”
She smiled. “On the contrary, the more I learn about your nature, the more mysteries that reveal themselves to me. But, as someone always seeking a feat to overcome, I could not be more thrilled to relish in such a challenge.”
“Are you calling me difficult?”
“..At times.”
Offended, Delilah bumped her shoulder but laughed nonetheless.
Even with a lightened load, Jackie felt nerves as they walked. There was a chance she would be leaving soon. “Did you have any place in mind that you wanted to stay?”
“Actually, I do.”
Her heart thumped. “Really? Where? Because, you know—“
“I ended up taking your advice on the advisor thing and they suggested the Heigh Hills. Now I’m just waiting to get final approval before I move all my stuff over.”
“I see..” She felt a jab in her side as they walked.
“What’s wrong? Did I do the joke wrong?” Delilah grinned.
“Are you making fun of me?”
“A little.” She cheesed.
Jackie pushed her away lightly, the thought of using real force on her partner far out of her mind. “Don’t do that. You made my chest race with anxiety.”
“Awe.. I’m sorry. Where would you prefer I lived then?”
“I could find room for you somewhere in my place. Will all of your things fit in the closet?”
Delilah playfully rolled her eyes. “I didn’t confess my love to you to get shoved back in the closet. If that was the case, I’d live with my parents.”
She laughed and naturally, so too did Jackie. “..In all seriousness, I would be more than overjoyed if I was able to see you as close as possible to every day.“
“You’re adorable. You’ll have to give me a tour of the place when we get in so I know where everything is.”
“Of course.”
And… just as a bonus I’ll include the blurb scene I wrote after bc I thought I was gonna speed run a 30 year marriage lol
“You’re not nervous?” Jackie asked as they stood outside of the gates to her parent’s home.
“No, why should I be? It’s your parents.” Delilah smiled.
That was exactly why she should be nervous. For as much respect as she had for them, they could be unsettling to outsiders. “Just, be warned: they can be harsh at times.”
“I think I’ll manage. I’ve dealt with you for long enough after all.”
—
Somehow despite all odds, she had wooed them. Jackie’s parents adored her. Then again, this was her Lily. It was only natural that they idolised her as an ideal partner. They saw the same blinding strength as she did. Without ever asking, she had received their blessing.
“I’ve never seen them so impressed. Not even with my sibling’s suitors.” Jackie said, still reeling.
Delilah shrugged as she unclipped her earrings. “I have good people skills. I told you there was nothing to worry about.”
“You were unsurprisingly right again. Do you think it’ll be that easy when I meet your family?”
Her movement slowed until she stopped completely. “I doubt we’d ever have the opportunity to meet them together.”
“What makes you say that?“
“For as strict as your family values may be, at least they allow you the capability to be yourself. Your mom and dad respected me all the same. That’s not a pleasure I can say my family would give to you and the last thing I would want is for you to feel unwelcome in my world. I don’t consider either to be a part of my world anymore and I’m sure they don’t consider me a part of theirs either.”
“.. I see.” Jackie reached for her hand. “Don’t fret then. My parents would be more than happy to accept you as one of their own. I’m sure they would keep you around even if we split apart.”
“Somehow, I doubt that but I appreciate the sentiment.”
If you enjoyed this short, you can check out some of my other works:
How We Met
Grey’s 15 lines
Hanbin [AWDY AU]
Kori’s Name
“When did you know”
ARE WE DEAD YET is still currently being written. Any and all details related to its development will be posted here!
Authors note: aha.. yall are seeing in real time how I start shorts and slowly don’t finish them 😅 luckily posting is motivation
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
“Alright, Takahashi, this is it. Get ready to fight for your life. You’ve got a crowd of people out there waiting to see what you can do so first impressions are everything. And don’t fuck it up, tonight’s fight is being recorded. It’s going to fill up every screen in every major city.” The combat instructor informed Jackie as she stood in the locker room.
“Understood.. If there’s going to be so many onlookers, how much should I be holding back?”
“That the beauty of this business, kid, there is no holding back. Give it your all. If they fall down, they weren’t meant for this life.”
Having heard much of the same her entire life, Jackie nodded in agreement and waited for her cue.
“And now, introducing our next up and comer, we have.. the Raging Fury!” an announcer said over the intercom. Jackie despised that title and found it to be insulting but it was supposedly good for marketing.
“That’s your cue. Make it or break it.”
She was pushed towards the entranceway and took a deep breath before stepping out. It was beyond bright and the crowd was loud. This wasn’t her first career choice by any means but she was fascinated by the concept of fighting for sport. She could beat someone up on stage /and/ receive praise for it? It would be a farce to say she wasn’t drawn to such a phenomenon. She stepped through the open gate, forced into a ring of metal while her opponent resided on the other side.
“So you’re the one I keep hearing about. This should be interesting.”
She noticed their veins bulge as their muscles twitched, most likely from nerves. “Are you afraid?”
“Of a pipsqueak like you? Not in the slightest. You’ll be lucky to make it a single round.”
“Only in an imbecile’s mind would size equate to strength but I’m much better at demonstrating than explaining such a display.” Jackie heard the cage gate close and looked into the crowd before she started. She was just curious to see who would be entertained by such a show of gore and warfare. Somehow, by chance, she saw her. Why was she here? She had a million questions in her head that she couldn’t even begin to think about right now. The bell rang and she rid any of those thoughts, springing into action.
—
Even with all that rage dispelled, somehow Jackie managed to stay in natural form. Perhaps she felt a tad belittled that they’d based her skill on height— something out of her control— but nonetheless, she had won. She untied her hair the moment she stepped out the gate, letting it rest on her shoulders as she walked towards the locker room. As she approached the door, she felt a familiar warmth.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
Immediately her voice sounded like a symphony to her ears and she turned. “..So it is. I didn’t think you would be into such a thing.”
“I’m not but I got invited by the venue since I commissioned a piece for the entranceway last year. So.. you use your hands for fighting now? Kinda funny when you think about it. What would all these people think if they knew you used to play the piano?” Delilah laughed and Jackie’s ears rang. She forgot that her laugh sounded like that. That it carried in the air like the sound of a perfectly tuned harp crafted straight from the heavens.
“I.. don’t know.” Jackie saw an opportunity and took the chance to make amends for the internal war she’d been fighting in her head for three years. “…I’m sorry for any unsatisfactory comments I made during the time we spent together. I’ve.. had a lot of time to reflect and I can’t say I agree with every standpoint I used to have.”
She simply smiled in return. “It’s okay. We were both a bit more rigid then. What can I say? College kids are too high brow for their own good.”
She couldn’t help but laugh along with her. Rigid was one way to think about it. Sure, she still believed that her family’s values were priority above all else but her time overseas had skewed some of her view points. She attributed most of her altered perspective to the short time she spent with a certain woman. Not that that attraction applied to all or any really. Try as she may, she didn’t find anyone else appealing enough.
“Well, I should go. It was good to see you. Congratulations on your win.”
“Wait. If you’re not busy, would you maybe want to.. talk a little more? I’m free for the rest of the night.”
“..Sure.” Delilah smiled.
—
Jackie’s eyes were closed as she listened to the sound of Delilah’s heartbeat, her hand gently stroking the top of her head. In a fog of serenity and peace, she thought about how rare it was to cross paths like this with someone you’d had such an impactful experience with no matter how short. She wouldn’t forgive herself if she allowed this to be an even shorter duration. “…I have a question. If you don’t mind.”
“Ask away.” Delilah said calmly.
“I hope I’m not being too forward or overstepping my bounds but I don’t normally display this level of comfortability with others. Is it too much to ask to see you more often?”
“How often exactly?”
“Whenever.” Always seemed like an adequate amount of time to her.
“Hm.. I dunno… My schedules pretty busy.” She teased. “Kidding. I’d love to see you but I’m supposed to be flying around a lot more these next few months.”
“I don’t mind, really. I’ll be travelling for a good while as well. To sit in your presence for even a second would bring me more joy than to not see you at all. I’ve already beared that pain.”
“Has anyone ever called you adorable before?”
“With their life in tact afterwards? Just one but she’s laying beside me so I shouldn’t say much right now.” She waited for her punchline to land but no laugher came. “.. Did I do the joke right?”
A hushed laugh slipped out of her mouth. Her mistake was funnier than her execution? “You really are cute. You had the basic framework but the delivery was a little off.”
“Hm..” Jackie sat on this feedback, still confused where she’d missed the mark.
“I mean, I think how you said it was fine, I just didn’t make the connection. When did you become interested in making jokes anyways?”
“I have a sense of humour. Laughter is an easy evocation to share through common speech. Though, I suppose I lack in some qualities when it comes to implementing comedic timing.”
“The trick is not thinking of it as an equation and as a feeling instead.”
“I’ll take that into consideration the next time I see you.”
“You know, if you’re asking to see me more, you should probably ask for my number. That was how we fell out of contact the last time.”
“No, ignorance was the reason,” she said plainly. “..but I agree nonetheless.”
D: ‘morning 😇’
J: ‘Good Morning.’
D: ‘do you want to go to lunch later?’
J: ‘I can’t.’
D: ‘dinner then?’
D: ‘🥺’
J: ‘I would, but I’ve already left for New Zealand.’
D: ‘hmph.’
D: ‘next time?’
J: ‘Next time.’
J: ‘Are you busy today?’
D: ‘unfortunately. I’m touring Vietnam for research.’
D: ‘wbu?’
J: ‘I only just made it back to the states.’
D: ‘:(‘
D: ‘for how long?’
J: ‘A few days at most.’
D: ‘sigh. I’m here for at least a week.’
Jackie pulled out her phone as she stepped out of the terminal. Her senses jumped and she checked behind her.
Delilah came up and hugged her. “Hi! Where are you going?”
“Toadmill, Liverwell.. where are you?”
“Greece. How long are you here?”
“Four hours.”
“Keep me company for four out of six of my hours?” She pouted.
“Sure,” Jackie smiled and followed her.
J: ‘I saw this and thought about you’ She included a photo of a painting she saw in passing.
D: ‘funny, I was about to send this to you.’ She sent a photo of a shining silver wrestling belt.
J: ‘Will you be gone for long?’
D: ‘hopefully not.’
D: ‘should I dream about you while you’re away?’
J: ‘If you haven’t already, I have.’
D: ‘:))’
D: ‘where are you headed today?’
J: ‘Dubai’
D: ‘damn.’
D: ‘I’m going to Rome.’
D: ‘when do you leave?”
J: ‘Thursday’
D: ‘perfect! I’ll be back by Wednesday’
—
Jackie walked into her apartment expecting solitude but instead was greeted back with the brightest joy on earth.
“Hi! I was just waiting for you!” Delilah cheesed as she sat on the kitchen counter.
“Hi.” She dropped her bags and rushed towards her, pressing her lips against hers. Her arms wrapped around her waist as she stood, a hand brushed past her ear. “It feels like it’s been an eternity since I laid eyes on you.”
She giggled as she ran through her long black hair, her lips on her neck. “I missed you too.”
“How long now?” Delilah asked from the other end of the phone as Jackie sat in the locker room.
Jackie checked the time on her phone. “Five minutes.”
“Are you nervous?”
“No, I never am. I have confidence in my skills and now, so does the audience.”
“You’re so cocky sometimes.” She chuckled. “Okay, well I’ll let you clear your mind before you step out. I love you, good luck.”
For some reason, she froze. She had never said those words to her before. Did she respond with reciprocity or act as if it was nothing? This /was/ Delilah they were talking about.. it probably meant nothing. “..Thank you. I’ll call you when I finish.” She hung up, unsure if she made the right choice.
Jackie stood in the museum with a bouquet of daisies, carefully listening with a smile.
“I know it might be an adjustment at first, but change is always the hardest the first day and comes with more ease the following.” Delilah explained. “As you look upon the new piece, think not about what it used to be, but rather, study the new intricacies to be found.”
She unknowingly took her advice as she stared at the freshly painted ceiling. The line of gold between the blue and the red keeping them from meshing into a collision of purple. The swift but delicate curves of the leaves and flower petals. She could almost imagine where each brush stroke started and ended. She waited until the end of her speech to approach. “You sounded passionate.”
“About my work? Of course. But, what are you doing here? I thought you were headed east?” She happily accepted the flowers and pecked her lips.
“I guess not.” Jackie smiled.
“How much time do you have?”
“I have all of tonight and then I start preparations at 5 tomorrow.”
“Do you think you can wait an hour or two until I’m finished?”
“For anyone else, most likely not but for you, absolutely.” She joined the crowd, observing the rest of her reveal as an ordinary onlooker.
—
“Explain the difference. They sound the same to me.” Jackie said as she rested her cheek on Delilah’s shoulder, looking up at the reality show.
“So, Rome and Zane have been together for 7 months but they’ve already had a lot of infidelity in the relationship so it’s strained. But Zara and Rose have been together for 6 years and it was really strong and faithful and but now Rose is having doubts about Zara’s commitment because of a comment she made in passing recently.” Delilah explained as they watched.
“I still don’t understand. The solution is simple: the two with infidelity should break up and the two with doubts should discuss and dispel any negative feelings.”
She laughed. “I love you, you’re hilarious. It’s not always that simple when there’s feelings involved.”
“Perhaps. Though I could not imagine allowing myself to live in worry or doubt about a person I care enough to keep near.”
D: ‘I’m almost done travelling! just a few more trips and then I’m through!”
J: ‘Where are you settling?”
D: ‘that’s the tricky part.. idk yet.’
D: ‘maybe someone can help me make that decision.’
J: ‘A financial advisor might be beneficial in making that decision.’
D: ‘..I’ll keep that in mind.’
“Last week, I had a match set just one city out from my hometown. I was supposed to have no time to stop by in between but, it ended up getting cancelled so I spent most of the time with my immediate family.” Jackie explained as they sat at dinner.
“..That must’ve been nice.” Delilah tapped her finger against the table anxiously.
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m tempted to say no but if I’m being honest, I’m a little bothered.”
Unaware she’d angered her, she sat up in her chair. “Tell me please.”
“First, I want to ask something. Do we like each other?”
“I.. would assume so. We’re in each other’s company often.”
“We are, aren’t we? Despite the fact that neither of us really have time for a settled relationship, we always make time to see one another. That was what you asked for, right?”
“Of course.”
“So why do you say nothing when I tell you I love you and I might maybe wanna be a little closer to you? You’ve said nothing in response in every time. Do you think I use it lightly?”
“..Well no, but, I—“ Jackie stopped speaking. She had nothing to say. She was inexperienced in this type of conflict. Even if she could, her throat would not allow a reply.
Delilah huffed. “I’m so frustrated because when I’m with you, I feel more joy than I could ever imagine with someone else but if it means nothing to you, then so too does my joy.”
She swallowed the ball in her throat. “That’s not true. I..” she grabbed the glass of water from the table.
“I’m not going to argue. It would lead nowhere. I just want a simple answer to this question: do you love me?”
What encapsulates the definition of love? What is the concrete emotion that love translates into? Is it joy? Is it longing? Is it the pain of absence? Instead of responding to Delilah’s question, she silently searched for an answer to her own. She would soon find out this was the incorrect response.
She let out a deep breath. “..So, we’re doing this again? Okay.”
Memories rewinded and played again in Jackie’s head as she stood up. “Before you go, will you accompany me somewhere?”
“No, I want you to give me an answer instead of always beating around the bush.”
“..Please. I will give you an answer but come with me first.” Jackie pleaded, a slight desperation that was never before present in her voice.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Authors note: This part might be a lil slower than most as it’s a little more broken than the others.
Part 1 Part 2
It was close to the end of the academic year. With less than a month left, the majority of her classmates would soon leave. Not Jackie though. There was no purpose in going to school overseas for her to have multiple long breaks in between. Either she was enrolled or she wasn’t, nothing else. Beyond busy working on her studies, she sat in the campus library. It was her safe haven of sorts. Here she felt most connected with the people she shared the space with— all working towards their education with passion and the desire to be better. The only thing that ruined this place was the lack of respect others held for its value as a place of solitude. In the distance, she heard a loud laugh and grew beyond irritable. She needed silence and these imbeciles were destroying such a sanctity. Trying to calm herself back down to a place of sanity and rational thought, she read the text on her screen even harder. If she let herself get distracted, how would she graduate to the highest standard?
Immersed in the study of neurological psyop links, Jackie felt a tap on her shoulder and looked behind her.
“Hi,” Delilah smiled with a wave, a dim glow around her.
Instead of elated, she was annoyed and turned back. “What?”
“Nothing, I haven’t seen you in a while.” She took a close seat beside her. “How have you been?”
She shrugged. “What does it matter?”
“Come on, don’t be like that.”
“What’s the point in asking? Red eyes don’t know how to keep their emotions in control, right?”
“.. I never said that.”
“Maybe not, but your companion did.”
She scoffed. “That person is not my ‘companion’ or even friend for that matter. I can’t stand prejudiced fucks… but I am sorry that you had to overhear that. I hope you don’t think I think that.” She reached for her arm which Jackie was quick to yank out of reach.
“Don’t.”
Delilah frowned. “Listen, I know that people have a lot of fucked up things to say about other eye colours but I really wouldn’t let it bother you. We’re all just people.”
“When you are held to the highest regard, it’s easy to dismiss comments made to the lowest.”
“I don’t care about my eye colour. I could honestly care fucking less if my eyes were gold, blue, purple, or whatever the fuck. And I don’t care what colour yours are either. Or anybody’s for that matter. It’s useless to be upset over such a minuscule thing.”
“Let me ask you something.. do people cower when you enter a room or do they cheer? When you open your mouth to speak, do people roll their eyes after or do they laugh? You and I will never have the same experience. It would be luck for you to even remember my name still.”
“Of course I remember your name, Jackie,” Delilah’s hand reached over the table and gripped onto her own. “How could I forget it? I’ve been looking for you but I don’t know where you hang out; we always met in passing. I don’t cower in fear when you enter a room, it makes me burst into a smile. And I love your eye colour. I think they’re a gorgeous, deep cherry red with hints of scarlet and vermillion sprinkled throughout.”
“You lie.”
“No, I don’t.” She stared with earnest eyes.
“..Okay. So what do you want from me?”
“Can I show you?”
Bewildered and curious by such a question, Jackie agreed. She watched as Delilah leaned forward and her lips laid against her own. Her lips were soft and sweet. Being engulfed in her light felt warm like standing directly under the sun on a summer’s day. The act of desire had never struck Jackie until this moment as she held onto her bodice, fearful she would split them apart from one another. For once, her mind was clear. She felt as if she had no responsibilities...while easy to revel in for a moment, the thought frightened her and she pulled away. “.. I don’t fully understand what that means.”
She snorted. “It means I like you, silly. I thought you said you were super smart?”
“Well, I- I am— I just— you like me?”
“Awe, I made you stutter? I never thought I would see the day.” Delilah smiled. “I’ve got nothing to do today. I was thinking I could spend it with you? If you’re interested I mean.”
“…To be honest, I had intentions on spending the day completing next year’s dissertation early but, admittedly, spending the day with you sounds much more enjoyable.” Jackie closed out of the computer and stood up. That day, she let Delilah guide her to each location. For once, she had no care or worry for prior engagements. She focused only on the warmth of her hand in her own and the sound of her laugh as she walked alongside her.
—
“I have a question.” Delilah whispered as they laid in her bed at the end of the night.
“What is it?” Jackie replied tiredly.
“Can you tell me one of your powers? Just one.. please? I’m so curious to know.”
She sat up, caught off guard. “Why? I thought it was irrelevant.”
“It is but—“
Jackie scooted away, lifting the cover up to conceal her chest. “I won’t be led into a trap.” It was often that once someone learned the full scope of your abilities, they could learn your weaknesses as well and use it to their advantage. Especially in the case of the hated.
“No no no. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry. Really, I’ll drop it, swear.” Delilah reached for her again and she reluctantly returned.
She stared up at the ceiling before she sighed. “Will you laugh if I tell you?”
“.. No, of course not.”
“In my family, there is a blessing passed down to each person. It is said that many centuries ago, one of my ancestors prayed to a higher power to watch over all who came after them and this ability was bestowed upon their first born. It is quite rare to find one of us who does not possess this power. I can not show you here but the energy that surges through my body amasses to a much larger physical form.”
“So you’re like a shifter. That’s so cool!” Delilah smiled. “I wish I could change what I looked like. Do you take one form or multiple?”
“Just one but it embodies every part of me at all times.”
“You sound very connected to that side of yourself.”
“Of course. I can feel the energy of those who came before me with every breath I take.”
“Must be nice to have a good connection to your family.”
“You don’t?”
“Not really. We.. have different opinions when it comes to certain things. I don’t really talk to them much.”
“You should. It’s good to remain personable with the people you share blood with.”
“..Maybe.” She turned away and drifted off.
“Where are you headed off to for the summer? Are you going home?” Delilah asked several days later. The pair had been spending a lot of time together recently, spending every night and every morning together before they went their separate ways.
“No, I will remain here.” Jackie said quite plainly.
“What do you mean? The semesters over in two weeks.”
“I will be enrolled in summer classes and remain in the dorms.”
“You don’t think that’s a little lame?”
She glared up from the text she was reading. “No, I don’t.”
“All I’m saying is summer should be enjoyed. It’s a time away from studies.”
“For some. Not for myself.”
Delilah wrapped an arm around her. “Can’t you imagine going to the beach or riding rollercoasters together though?”
“Even if that was a desire that I had, I’ve already enrolled. It’s always been well established I will return home once I’m finished with my academic career completely.”
“I guess.”
Jackie had no issue with that agreement beforehand but now she wondered if she might be missing something by not participating in breaks. “Where are you going?”
“For June, I’m not sure yet but in July, I’m going backpacking in Eve’s Corner— a revitalised forest just south of the equator.” Delilah cheesed. “Sounds fun, right?”
“I suppose..”
“Um, but your thing sounds cool too though I guess. I gotta go. Catch you later?”
“Sure.”
She pecked her cheek and left.
“No, no, this is the part right here!” Delilah excitedly pointed at the screen as they watched together and laughed loudly.
Jackie sat with her arms crossed as she watched. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would you watch people fight over their emotions on live broadcast?”
“Because it’s fun! It’s funny watching people act out of character. It’s like they completely forget a camera is present when they’re on these shows.”
“It’s brash and ruins their self image. How do you recover from showing your ass publicly?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Not everyone is concerned with what people think of them.”
“Perhaps they should be. Videographic evidence can follow you for your life if you allow it to.”
“Does everything have to be cut and dry with you? Can’t you just embrace the beauty of human nature sometimes?”
“Which part of this is human nature? The overt display of lust or the depressing over-usage of crying for emotional warfare?”
“You see someone crying and automatically assume it’s for someone else’s benefit? You’ve never cried before?”
“There has never been a hardship I’ve experienced in my life that has required tears.”
“That or you’re heartless,” Delilah mumbled.
“Excuse me?”
“Everybody cries, Jackie. That’s not limited to eye colour, you know?”
“I never said it was. I simply said it is a weak emotion that has never struck me personally.”
“I’m sure if something was devastating enough in your life, you would cry.”
“On the contrary, I would move on as I’ve done with every hardship I’ve faced.”
“Really? So if I left right now, nothing would matter? The world would keep spinning?”
“Of course.”
“..Okay. Well, I guess I’m headed out then.” Delilah stood up from the couch and walked towards the door while Jackie watched.
It wasn’t until the door closed that she realised her words hadn’t been said in jest and she truly had left. It should have been meaningless. She should have felt nothing. And yet… her chest panged from hurt. Was she truly gone? Had she really left so easily? Without doubt or hesitation?
The show she had started was still playing in the background. Jackie could only watch as the once popular couple split from one another, both left in tears from their departure. She felt the mucus in her throat congest up to her nose and droplets of water run down her cheeks before falling into her lap. She wiped her eyes in confusion and pain…She was crying. Something so miniscule in her life had happened and yet.. she was crying. For once, she had regret for her words, regret for her actions. How could she say such a foolish thing? That the world keep spinning without her near her side when it had so clearly come to a halt. Was she truly so idiotic that she didn’t recognise the worth of her joy beside her? Forced to reflect on the weight of her decisions in solitude, she let the tears flow. She felt emotions that had never impacted her before as her inner spirit wailed under a stoic surface.
The end of the night played in her head for the remainder of the weekend like a trailer on loop. As the next week began, Jackie tried to bring herself back to semblance of normalcy. Accept it all for the fantasy it was and continue on. It would’ve been more than easy had she not seen her again in the cafeteria.
Even in the early dawn of day, she shined bright amongst her peers. Short, derived conversations were never her strong suit and thus she sat far away.
For all her absent minded staring, somehow she hadn’t noticed that she had left the table until it was too late.
“You could just say hello,” Her voice made her shiver.
Jackie jumped. “How did you notice me?”
“How could I not? Your eyes gaze with a burning passion. If you looked any harder, I would’ve tanned.”
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t have any words in particular to say to you so I sat out of the way.”
“But…” Delilah trailed as she sat beside her.
“But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from you, not even to eat.” She admitted without thought.
“Has anyone ever called you adorable?”
“Not if they valued their life.”
She shrugged and brushed a piece of hair out of her face, her finger gently brushing across her cheek and behind her ear. “Life is passé anyways. Do you live alone or with someone?”
“..Alone.”
“Must be nice. I mean I love my roommate, she’s my best friend but it’s nice living on your own, right?”
“It has the benefit of not being in the presence of others but that’s all.”
“Do you ever talk normal or are you always this poetic?” She snorted.
Unsure if she had been complimented or insulted, Jackie said nothing.
“I’m just poking fun. Haven’t you ever joked before?” She nudged her side.
“If I made fun of how you spoke, would you take it lightly?” Jackie shoved her away.
It was then that she saw Delilah frown— her light falter. “..No, I guess I wouldn’t. Sorry.”
Even though she’d been in the right, somehow she felt wrong for bringing such an upset aura to her person. “I didn’t mean to—“
“No, you’re right. I should mindful of how I talk. You’re a person too.”
From across the dining hall, a person jumped and waved until she had caught the attention of their table.
“Delilah, come on,” she just barely made out above the chatter.
“I should go.”
“You don’t have to go yet.. You can stay if you’d like..” Is what Jackie would’ve liked to say. Instead, she watched as she got up from the table with a sad smile and walked away to join her friends.
Jackie walked towards her living quarters, exhausted and panting. It was particularly hot this day and even the light dust of night couldn’t cool the atmosphere. Desperate for a breeze with still more than half her walk left, she cut through one of the instruction halls. The cool air conditioning was as close as she would come to reaching heavenly clouds if she had such a belief in hear heart. Tempted to stay in the cold just a little longer, she wandered. She heard applause in one of the back hallways but had no interest in drawing herself towards a crowd especially not in this state.
“Thank you! Really, it brings me immense joy to be able to provide you all with such a feeling as well. Next, I’d to reveal my final piece for tonight’s exhibition.” Her feet naturally drew near to her voice. She hadn’t realised she was in the art hall when she entered but that did explain the abstract and assorted galleria layered on the walls.
Jackie leaned against the wall, as close to the exit as possible as she watched her unveil the sheeted canvas. Her eyes grew wide, taken back by the image in front of her. It was a field of roses.. but this was beyond just a simple painting. It was as if the image came to life under watchful eyes. She watched as a breeze blew through, rustling the grass and flowers while a gentle tune played. It was almost identical to her solo just a week or so prior with slight differences as if it was being recreated from memory instead of sheet music. She absentmindedly joined the hoarde of applause after her reveal.
“This one is personally my favourite. It plays with the abstract concept that is a field of flowers and twists it by taking roses out of their natural rosebush formation and takes a new shape.” Delilah said with a smile.
“Where did you get the inspiration for such an idea?” An onlooker inquired.
“Life. Just like every piece I’ve presented this year, I derive my art from real life experiences. Every thing we do can be transformed to art if you allow your mind to accept such an ideal.” Standing in front of her work, Delilah shined brighter than she had ever seen before. Her large smile reflected such as she responded to more questions about her art.
Not wanting to disturb, Jackie slowly crept back towards the exit.
“Leaving so soon?”
She turned back and there she was in all her glowing glory.
“I thought that was you.” Delilah smiled. “What did you think?”
“I unfortunately didn’t see the entire presentation.”
“But you saw the last one, right?”
“I did.”
“How did it make you feel?”
Jackie thought for a moment. How did it make her feel? Is this how other archetypes interacted with one another? Divulging their feelings one after the other? She understood the weakness in this exchange and yet, she could only be honest with her. “It felt as though I was watching the breeze gently brush through grass blades and petals of rose while a piano played ever so gently. Was that your intention?”
“Sort of. I wanted something that captured the feeling I had watching you play.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Can I ask how?”
“How what?”
“How did you create a still image that moves under the viewer’s eye?”
“Oh. My powers, duh doy.”
“Could you explain it to me a bit more?” She was only familiar with those who used their powers for combat. Anything outside of that scope was always a mystery to her.
“Well, I don’t think of painting as an action. I imagine the paintbrush as a part of myself when I start and pour all of what I have into creating it. In a way, each piece has a part of my essence. When you look at it, it’s up to your interpretation. Some might see something entirely different from my intention.”
“So, you charm them. And whatever the paintbrush paints in that time, also becomes charmed.”
“I suppose you could think about it that way. If that helps you understand.”
“It does not. How do you complete such an action of charming an inanimate object and does it translate to living bodies as well?”
“I can’t explain how I do it. It’s like breathing for me, it just happens but to answer your second question, no, I can’t charm people. I can however read peoples auras and help them unlock their most peaceful form but it has to be within their wants. I can’t do it without will.”
Jackie scoffed, caught off guard by such a lackluster set of abilities. “You read auras? I’m sure that’s helpful.”
“Actually, it is. And you haven’t brought up a single thing you can do so I don’t see the problem.”
“What do you think I can do?”
She shrugged. “Don’t know and I’m not gonna assume.”
“Well, I should go. I’ll leave you to your.. ‘aura’.” She turned back towards the hall.
“I don’t understand why you entertain those people, Lily. You should know better than I do red eyes bring nothing but anger and despair to a good time. They don’t know how to keep their emotions under control for even a second.”
Jackie ignored the rage she wanted to act on and kept walking with balled fists.
(I decided what the hell, why not make it a real story)
"Jackie, are you nervous?" A fellow member of the orchestra asked as they prepared for their final rehearsal.
"No, why would I be?" Jackie said as she sat, ready to play without notice.
"It's your first solo, isn't it?"
"So? I will play just as eloquently as I have during practise and nothing less."
"I wish I had your confidence." They scoffed and walked away.
She shrugged. It wasn't her fault that others lacked her pride and precision in their musical capabilities.
—
With no doubt, the notes poured out from her fingers gentle touch effortlessly. She had always enjoyed playing the piano. It isolated her in a peaceful haze where only her and the music she created resided. After her piece, she continued on with the rest of the orchestra until the entire performance was complete. As Jackie walked off stage, she noticed a woman with light golden brown hair and curls that reached all the way down her back chatting with one of the orchestra members. The woman looked out of the corner of their eye in Jackie’s direction and then she noticed the colour of her eyes- bright gold perfectly matched to the colour of her hair. She had never understood the appeal of golden eyed people till now. Others had always boasted about how sweet and kind and happy they always were and that was a quality that Jackie found to be annoying rather than flattering.
With a bright smile, she skipped forward. “Hey! You’re the pianist right?”
Jackie gave a simple nod.
“You were amazing up there! That was such a beautiful solo. It was like I physically transported to a field of roses.”
She was apprehensive to accept her compliment and truth be told, she had played better in private but nonetheless, she nodded again. “..Thank you. But unfortunately, that’s not a power set that I possess.” She walked around to the front of the piano and started pushing it forward. Since she had been preparing for their performance, she’d taken time away from her training and she could feel her strength waning by the day so she offered to push it back to the instrument room by her lonesome. It was halfway across campus and it was already beyond late.
“Do you need help?”
A little irritated that she was still standing beside her, she pushed past her towards the door. “No, that would defeat the purpose.”
She pushed open the door as she neared. “Where are you headed?”
“The orchestra’s instrument room.” Jackie said as she pushed through the entranceway.
“Is that far?”
“It’s not particularly close.”
The door closed and the woman continued walking alongside her. Why? She had no clue.
Instead of acknowledging her, she walked in silence with determination.
“I can hold your jacket for you if you want.”
“What?” She grunted.
“Your suit jacket. You probably don’t want it to get stretched or sweat stained, right?”
As much as Jackie wanted to say she could care less, she actually did want to uphold the quality of her performance clothes a little bit. They weren’t meant for strenuous exercise. She slipped the jacket off, the cool night breeze wafting through her white linen.
“Here, I’ll hold it while you push.” The woman gently took the jacket from her hands and folded it over her arms. Her nails were naturally long but pretty as the clear gloss shined alongside the shimmery decals she’d had placed on top.
Not wanting to get distracted, she turned away without even so much as a ‘thank you’ and kept pushing the piano.
“So—“
“Why are you still following me? Are you bored?”
“Actually, yes, I am. I’m quite bored. I thought you would be more interesting.”
A fuse snapped and Jackie stopped pushing, looking back at the girl who looked close to laughing as there was a mischievous smile on her face.
“Kidding. But it’s nice to see what gets your attention.” Even with it growing dark outside, there was an eerie glow around her being.
She huffed with nothing to say and turned back.
“You’re not what I was expecting you know.”
“How is that?”
“Well, when I heard your piece, I thought it was.. what’s the word? Celestial. Like you dedicated your life to gentle touch and healing. It’s a feature that’s rare in people.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint then.”
“Oh you haven’t disappointed me. I’m still intrigued. Just in a different way. Are you really going to push this piano back the entire way?”
“I intend to.”
“It’s not heavy?”
“If there was no strain, it would be too easy a task.”
She laughed. “I like the way you describe things. It’s very.. astute.”
“.. I’ll admit, I hear that a lot but I have no idea what it means.”
“It’s straightforward. You don’t cut corners and you use more intricate words than simple ones.”
“To be simple minded is to limit your vocabulary.” Jackie had no interest in slang nor did she understand it. Her lineage had always valued complete and stable sentence structure in all language exchange.
“Some of the smartest people in the world use different, less complex verbiage. It’s not always a direct connection to intellect.”
“I disagree. To let your mind be bogged down by colloquialism drog is to bring no worth to one’s own intelligence.”
“So you do use slang.”
“Hm?”
“Drog. That’s slang. You wouldn’t find a word like that in an academic dictionary.”
“Well, sort of. I’ve picked up on some of the unique words used here that don’t have a more concrete definition.”
“Do you feel any less smart than before?”
“No.”
“Looks like colloquialism hasn’t bogged your mind down that much then.”
“..I suppose not.” Jackie turned towards the music hall, a bit baffled. She noticed most were too intimidated to challenge her and her word. Yet this woman did so with no issue or fear. There was a flutter in her chest as she watched her walk in front, her hair swaying behind her before she opened the door for her again. “You know, I didn’t ask for your help.”
“How were you going to push it and get it through the door? If you had telekinesis, I’d understand but from what I can tell, you don’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Okay. Well, do you?”
“…No, I do not.” She pushed the piano through the entrance way and towards the freight elevator. “You still have not answered why you’re following me.”
“In a way, I did. I’m intrigued and when I’m intrigued, I pursue. You never told me to leave.”
..That was true. That was because Jackie was intrigued as well. She watched as she reached past her to push the button, her hand lightly pressed into her back as she stretched forward. She felt a spark of electricity shiver down her spine and she shuddered.
“Do you want your jacket back?”
“No. I’ve been in much more frigid temperatures than this.” The doors opened and she pushed the piano in. She watched as the woman slid in behind her as the elevator doors closed.
Her smile was big as they stood beside one another. Standing beside her, her light was blinding and yet warm all the same.
“Your powers.. they illuminate you.” Jackie said after a long silence.
“No, my joy illuminates me.”
“Are our statements different?”
“Yes, they are. Powers are an addition to my character, not the definition.”
An addition, not the definition… how queer. “Your philosophies are interesting.”
“Are they? How so? What are yours?”
“My philosophies are that of my lineage. Strike with pride and never hold back. Unleash the fire in your heart until success is yours.”
“Vicious.”
“Passion and strength are necessary to reach true victory in life.”
“Are you an attack dog? Do you live to protect your owners?”
“I have no owners.” Jackie growled.
“Well then, stop speaking as if you were one. Success is won with effort not vengeance.”
“Perhaps in your world.” She huffed.
“Perhaps it should be in yours too.”
The doors opened and she pushed it out without warning or care for the woman in front. The empty spot in the middle of the room had been filled again with the piano’s presence. Her original mission statement was officially complete. Jackie felt relief as she walked back towards the elevators and accepted her jacket back. “I did not ask for assistance with any part of my journey but nonetheless you did, so I thank you.”
“I don’t appreciate your tone but, you’re welcome.”
Such a large space suddenly felt tight even with the absence of the grand piano. “.. Do you have an inclination towards women?”
“I might. Do you?”
“I’m unsure. I.. had a less than ideal experience with the opposite sex the last time I tried.” She had just moved and she had let her naïveté cloud her judgement. She foolishly believed she could fight off any threat but in the moment, she wasn’t strong enough. Jackie’s hands shook without notice until she felt her warmth in hers.
“Don’t blame yourself for others’ lack of respect for your body.”
She nodded and stood silently beside her.
“I’ve actually seen you before.” The woman said.
“You have?”
“Mhm. I’ve been to every orchestra performance this year. You started on violin and then switched to piano by the second performance.”
“Our original pianist left mid-way through rehearsal one day and I was skilled enough that I felt confident in replacing her role.”
“I think you’re a much better pianist than she was.” She gently squeezed her hand as the doors opened.
Jackie had never felt such vulnerability. It was unlike her. She kept all of her emotions buried down as they only distracted the mind. To think on her emotions shook her nerves. “I um..” she felt her eyes turn towards her as they walked. “I enjoyed talking to you tonight. It’s not often that someone engages in conversation with me for this long.”
“Well, isn’t that sad? They’re missing a very interesting conversational partner.” She smiled. “I liked talking to you too.” As they reached the front doors, she leaned down and pecked her cheek.
Warmth shot through Jackie’s entire body and she almost felt unable to move until the woman’s hand left her own. “Wait. I don’t even know your name.”
“Delilah. Delilah Summers. And you?”
She usually gave her integration name as she despised the idea of foreigners mispronouncing her name but she wanted to hear how she would say it. Nonetheless, her cowardice won in the end. “..Jackie. Jackie Takahashi.”
“It was wonderful to meet you, Ms. Takahashi. Maybe we’ll see each other again.” And with that, Delilah walked out of the door, an amused smirked on her face as she looked back to Jackie standing still, holding her cheek.
P2 coming soon..
In the meantime, you can read:
“How We Met”- an AWDY short (the direct inspiration for this specify novelisation)
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I get so sad when art like this doesn’t get any kind of attention because I really enjoy making these pieces but no one ever seems to pay them any mind. I know the internet is vast but I like to hope at least one person would like it
