#gloomcursed

“   i’ve   been   in   love   with   you   since   that   one   time   you   spilled   coffee   on   me   .   ”   

ayla's eyebrows arched higher, her grip on the athame loosening but not releasing entirely. "satan? please." rolling her eyes, her voice dripped with disdain. she took a small step closer to the circle’s edge, still guarded, but curiosity creeping in. the audacity of this creature, the nerve—the witch could respect that, even if it pissed her off. "i was summoning a minor wealth deity, not some played-out fallen angel with daddy issues." she tilted her head, considering. the summoning had cost her three limited-edition crystals and a bottle of champagne she'd been saving. walking away empty-handed wasn't an option, not when she had bills to pay and a shopping addiction to feed. "here's the deal," she began, "you're in my circle, which means you're bound to certain... agreements. i don't care if you're nice, but you will be useful." she examined her nails with nonchalance. "or i could just banish you now and try again. though honestly, the cleanup is murder on my floors, and i just had them refinished."

“   you   were   using   me   this   whole   time   ?   do   you   realize   how   fucked   up   that   is   ?   ”

"Sometimes I'm tired of fighting. Just once. I'd like to not have to worry about everything. I have to be strong for my family—my pack—I know that. Some of them can't be strong for themselves, but it takes a toll. One that I can't handle all by myself, all the time."

she was getting so close. after days of observing and gathering information about them, adele had decided that today was the day. she had followed their trail, carefully, making sure not to be noticeable, not to make any noise. but she could feel it in her blood, pumping hard into her temples, as her fingers brushed the handle of her knife, just to reassure herself. finally, her eyes saw their silhouette and she stayed low, hiding as she went. her boot bumped into something and the sound it made had her wincing, hoping she hadn't been noticed.

"I really thought it would be different this time." How many times would Maddie have this conversation with him? How many times could she complain about her boyfriend before Shawne sent her off? The fact that he still beared hearing her was a testament of their friendship. "I mean, am I wrong? Should I just break up with him? It feels like giving up, honestly." For some reason, things seemed clearer when she was sitting next to him on the pavement of their neighberhood, the sun setting some blocks away.

"you're all i ever think about," the words spilled out before luca could stop them, his voice still rough from the shouting. his chest rose and fell like he'd just run a marathon, eyes wide with the weight of what he'd just admitted. the silence that followed made the room feel heavier than the yelling ever had. his hands, once clenched in frustration, now hung at his sides, useless. "fuck," he muttered, softer this time, like he hadn't meant to say it out loud — but now that it was out there, there was no taking it back.