#fablesuntold

"Something’s   watching   us." / @fablesuntold

immediately does jessica roll her eyes. hands settle on her hips as she turns, snow crunching beneath her boot. ( there's only so many jump scares a girl can take, and honestly? she's tired. she's cold. they've been walking for what feels like an eternity to get to a place that she's not even sure exists. at this point, she's ready to turn around and tell emily to shove a sock in it. at least the cabin had a couch. )

@fablesuntold said: ❛  did you hear that? it sounded like screams.  ❜ — From Satoshi for Yoshiki

the  nights  have  been  lonely  since  coming  back  —  the  darkness  of  the  residential  street  he  lived  on  thick  and  suffocating.  he  practically  had  to  run  home  from  his  after  school  shifts,  turned  on  a  light  in  every  room  as  soon  as  he  made  it  inside  —  nothing  could  hide  in  the  shadows  if  there  weren't  any  shadows  there  at  all.  he  feels  childish  to  need  to  sleep  with  a  light  on  now,  but  he  knows  that  they  would  all  understand.

they  all  have  gained  little  quirks  since  coming  back.  there  is  no  way  life  could  go  back  to  the  way  it  was  before;  not  after  everything  they  have  seen.  everything  they  have  been  through.

the  first  time  he’s  had  someone  over  since  everything  happened  —  his  room  is  immaculate,  cleaned  like  no  one  lives  there  at  all.  there  is  hardly  any  food  in  the  pantry  and  the  room  smells  vaguely  of  incense  —  shinozaki  had  mentioned  something  once  about  specific  kinds  of  incense  that  are  good  for  warding  away  spirits.  before,  he  might  have  laughed  it  off,  but  now…  now  he  can’t  be  too  careful.  right?  or  is  this  quiet  paranoia?

he  comes  back  with  tea  –  a  cup  for  him  and  satoshi,  folding  his  legs  up  underneath  him  as  he  listens  to  the  world  outside.  another  noise  and  he  shuts  his  eyes,  grits  his  teeth.  sighing,  he  finally  speaks.

“   sorry,  it’s  the  neighbor  kids.  their  parents  work  late  and  no  one  watches  them  —  they  are  probably  out  messin’  with  firecrackers  in  the  alleyway  again.  they’ll  stop  soon.  ”      

it’s  nice  to  have  someone  here  with  him.  it’s  nice  to  have  this  place  filled  with  more  than  just  the  sound  of  his  own  anxious  breathing.

“  …  how  late  can  you  stay  tonight?  ”

The command had little effect on slowing down Sherry's quick stride. It was the horrifying sight of his mutated state that stopped her in her tracks instead, eyes widening in a panic as she took in every detail of his body. What had he done? The unmoving B.O.W. on the ground and the fact that Chris was alive with minor injuries hinted at what had just happened in that room, a massacre that Piers was forced to sacrifice himself to end. The broken C-virus vial just a few feet from him confirmed her worst fears.

The infection was ravaging his body fast, his arm a gruesome amalgamation of flesh and sharp edges that was all too similar to the monsters Sherry was so used to killing. Everything about her training told her this should be no different. That she should pick up her weapon and eliminate the threat before anyone could get injured. And yet... Her hand remained firmly at her side, her gun the furthest thing from her mind in that moment. She had to help.

"Piers!" His name was a sharp breath caught in her throat, sounding so unlike all the other times it had spilled from her lips. Sherry moved without realizing, breaking into a sprint as she desperately tried to steady her breathing. The violent shaking of the complex made her stumble as she rushed to cross the room, but it was not enough to keep her down. She wouldn't give up on him. Not after everything.

And if he did lose control and hurt her? She'd heal. She always did.

Hands urgently settled around his arms the second she was close enough, the imminent danger of his mutated arm second to his safety. "It's okay." Was she trying to reassure him? Or herself? The stray zaps of electricity made her flinch, her grip tightening around him but otherwise refusing to move.

bristle of agitation shows in the strain of his brow. he's used to uncouth and otherwise unsavory behavior in men: boys, usually, the sort trying to square up with him at the shelter after giving a female worker a difficult time. dae-ho has readily acclimated, forced himself not to grow flustered with boisterous energy and an unfettered need to put them in their rightful place. physical intervention was not the solution there, but within the walls of the games, everything has become a blur. every contestant is the same, adorned in lurid matching tracksuits to further strip them of their individuality. it's best that he doesn't make any enemies; already, has he failed this ? how has the endurance he worked tirelessly to build up already unraveled ?

▩ Where is this coming from, my friend? ▩ I just don't want to see another life end... ▩ You're like the father I could never do without ☂︎ I still believe in goodness... ☂︎ I still believe that we could be kind... ☂︎ Lead from the heart, and see what starts How much longer 'til your luck runs out? How much longer 'til the show goes south? How much longer 'til we all fall down?

we're  stuck  at  a  standstill.  both  our  hands  on  my  truck  door  as  wrestle  with  myself.  they're  back.  i  never  thought  they'd  be  back  but  they  are  and  even  if  i'm  better  now,  some  part  of  me  just  wants  to  lay  my  eyes  on  them.  and  maybe  thats  the part  of  me  that  hasn't  quite  healed  yet.

i  see  the  look  in  his  eyes.  i'm  not  entirely  sure  if  he  means  lose  me  to  edward  or  lose  me  to  darkness.  either  way  i  want  him  to  know  thats  not  true.  i  want  him  to  have  the  same  security  he  gave  me  when  i  needed  but  it's  a  hard  won  internal  battle.  i  individually  force  every  finger  to  loosen  from  my  door  and  throw  my  arms  around  him.  "  I'm  not  leaving,  okay?  i  promise.  i'm  never  going  to  bail  on  you  again.  "  i  had  been  bailing  on  everyone.  jake,  my  friends,  my  dad  who  has  been  through  enough.  "if  you  want  me  to  stay  tonight-  if  you  think  that's  for  the  best  then  i'll  stay.  but  jacob-  i'm  going  to  have  to  face  them  eventually.

her body aches. the blanket tucked around her shoulders is itchy, the fabric uncomfortable where it tickles the top of her neck. jessica's eyes are heavy, too, her vision impaired where she squints against the bright, fluorescent lights of the police station. ( she has no clue what happened, how she got here. where her friends are. the last thing she remembers is being dragged and taken through the woods by... something. someone. waking up at the bottom of the mines, hiding from the darkness, collapsing onto the snow covered mountain side -- it's all a blur. )

her lips are dry, chapped and bloody, and jessica turns towards the officer with a pleading gaze. ❛ please, ❜ she starts, head shaking softly ( despite how badly it hurts ). ❛ where are my friends? can... can i see my friends? ❜ it's the third time she's asked. they ignore her wants, her desperate need for medical attention, to keep her there. to interrogate her for information she doesn't have. ( are her friends okay? is josh okay? )

fingers curl against the blanket, and jess pulls it a little tighter around her frame, the military jacket pressing into the open wounds on her chest, her arms, her stomach. the pain is almost unbearable.

𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐔𝐒! 𝚃𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝’𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜: 𝚁𝚞𝚖𝚒 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙹𝚒𝚗𝚞 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑/𝐗 & 𝐒𝐀𝐉𝐀 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒!

It's Bobby’s stupid idea Rumi had agreed to a little too quickly, shocking both Zoey and Mira with confusion, stressing that it would be just her and Jinu, the other two unable to do a thing if she was onstage by herself. For Rumi, this is an opportunity to expose Jinu for the demon he is, to get him to slip up and reveal some sort of secret, a hint to their plan. The same thing she's been doing by meeting in secret but now in front of the public.

❛ It’s for publicity. It's for publicity. ❜

The reminder is a calming mantra in Rumi's head, first in Bobby's voice that'd screeched over the girls exclamations when first brought up, then her own in an attempt to quiet the irritation that threatens to make her body quake every time Jinu shoots that stupid smirk at her. And finally, Zoey’s calming reassurance just before she'd gone on, spotting her waving encouragingly from offstage while Mira practically bounces on the balls of her feet like a caged tiger ready to spring into action the second Rumi gives any sort of signal. She can do this. Just as Jinu's trying to get a rise out of her, Rumi's trying to get a rise out of him. Searching for something to save the world and protect their fans. And the games were coming to an end.

𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄… 𝚁𝚞𝚖𝚒!

❝ Oh 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄. I’m not afraid. ❞ The dig is said with a dazzling smile to the audience that cheers and admires her bravery, cast as a sneer toward Jinu, still shuddering from his 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇, making the audience swoon with his declaration of how much he adores the HUNTR/X girls, wishing they could work in harmony, hoping the world sees them as equals than rivals. Ick. Couldn't he give a normal answer? Each 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇 had been sickeningly sweet, every 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 acted out in grace.

𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚜… 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜. 𝚁𝚞𝚖𝚒, 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚊𝚓𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝚒𝚜… 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐉𝐈𝐍𝐔!

There's a high-pitched ringing sound in her ears, the world slowing down to a halt, spotlight so bright it shields the audience practically ravenous amongst one another. ❝ Uhhhhh… I’m sorry — WHAT?! ❞ It’s drowned out by the crowd’s excited squeals, a mix of feral shipping and jealousy, everyone wishing they could be closer to the stage to see it. A joke, right? A nightmare. There's no way they'd make her kiss him. No possible way she could! Jinu was a Demon! A gross monster from the underworld. Sure he looked human... no - why was she thinking about his dumb face?! Glancing over was a big mistake, catching Jinu's stare matching hers equally wide-eyed... a blush present on his cheeks? Definitely not, Rumi was irked to discover when he started to subtly gag while all attention was fixated on her. How dare he. That's what she should be doing! Most people would be flattered to receive a kiss from her! And he'd hate for her to kiss him, huh?!

Silence blanketed the room heavy with anticipation. ❝ Fine, fine. A 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 is a 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄, right? ❞ Gracefully walking over to Jinu, Rumi felt like she's suddenly aware of just how tall he is compared to her. An acknowledgement she's tried not to think about, recalling being pulled into his strong chest, an act of kindness and sympathy the coverup of her patterns. His lips part and she reaches out to yank him down to her level by the collar of his shirt. ❝ Don't make this worse by talking. ❞ With that Rumi crashes her lips to Jinu's with the intention of committing to 0.1 seconds... only for something to feel like it starts to shatter within her chest, lingering, lips softening to kiss with more tenderness than initially meant. For a second, Rumi can't breathe, heart pounding too hard, lungs shuddering. Like the times she's spent alone with him, Rumi forgets anything else. Being a Hunter, a Half-Demon... nothing existing but Jinu.

𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚔, 𝚁𝚞𝚖𝚒 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝙹𝚒𝚗𝚞 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜! 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚎𝚠?! 𝚆𝚎'𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚎! 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠…𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖!

And then Rumi ran.