She stepped through the brush, following the old game trail in the woods behind her home; in her jaws, a freshly killed rabbit. The wolf paused when she reached the familiar clearing where the pack often gathered.

The pack wasn't there now, but someone was—Wolf.

Vivian had caught his scent some time ago—old smells from other forays into the woods mixed with the fresh, redolent scent of this most recent arrival. The wolf hadn't expected him to be there when she came back. He might want to run and hunt on his own, as she had. Of course she didn't want to interrupt that.

Yet here he was.

The wolf dropped the rabbit on the ground, then licked at the blood staining the white fur of her muzzle.

Then Vivian shifted.

It was a painful process, involving bones breaking and reshaping as the canine body again turned into a human one. Years of experience had narrowed it down to just a few minutes.

Vivian stood slowly, naked as the day she was born, blood smeared across her mouth and chin. She locked her golden eyes on Wolf.

Continued from here [X] @phantom-overdose

Lawrence by contrast was still wearing all his clothing, trench coat and all, he'd chuckle turning to her.

"You know...you didn't have to come out here with me....I'd figure out my way to the beach." Lawrence just needed to sketch and study ocean life for back home, an aquarium would also help and have AC but Anna Marie didn't suggest it, so his mind wasn't brought to the attention.

Using his powers he'd conjure up a cool breeze to wash over her gently; he didn't need to regulate his body temp with Juno in him. But the double edge sword was if he fell into water and didn't summon her, he'd go down like a stone.

from a meme i can't be bothered to find // @phantom-overdose

He closed the distance with sure steps, pace deliberately slow. He gave Virginia time to reconsider that statement, to flee if she so chose. At the edge of her aura, Dylan paused, briefly, to take a deep breath. Then he stepped into the delicious warmth of it.

He stood very close now, peering down at her, his dark eyes locking on hers.

from a meme i can't be bothered to find // @phantom-overdose

"I think so..."

To be honest, Neoma wasn't entirely sure. Physical pain didn't register yet, not with the panic that had, much like the stranger, slammed into her. She took the offered hand to pull herself up, eyes following the man as he quickly rounded a corner and disappeared.

The panic she gleaned from him, however, stuck around.

Her heart raced, chest tight, hands trembling "I'm okay," Neoma managed, looking at the other stranger who had offered help. "Thanks, that was—"

Then a realization came to her and her eyes widened. Her stomach dropped. Quickly, she drew her crossbody bag around and did a quick check. Phone, wallet, keys, paperback book, make-up compact, lip gloss—everything accounted for. She hadn't been pick-pocketed. What a relief.

Neoma exhaled slowly, the panic beginning to ebb away. Concern slipped in instead. She turned blue-green eyes back to the friendly stranger and offered a weak smile.

from a meme i can't be bothered to find // @phantom-overdose

He gasped, mouth dropping open in mock indignation.

"How dare you."

But the feigned irritation vanished, replaced by a half-grin. "That's not true, love. Not entirely. I can be nice outta the goodness of m'heart." Dylan very briefly paused, then shrugged. "Well, when I wanna."

Maybe Virginia was right, to a degree.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT // @phantom-overdose

"This time? My mother, of course." It was usually her mother, or Mason, sometimes Wren, occasionally Neoma. It didn't really matter who, but someone was always butting in, telling her to calm down, or be rational, or count to ten, or think before you act. And damn it, she was tired of caution and playing by the rules and rationality. That's exactly why she was sitting here in in this bed now, with someone she hardly knew, smoking a cigarette.

Sometimes, a girl just had to throw caution to the wind and just fucking live.

Curious Sentences, Vol. 5 // @phantom-overdose

Her mind went completely blank. For a few seconds, she could only stare at him. The question hung in the air. He was waiting on a response, Tabitha realized. I have to say something. Anything.

She was certain he hadn't meant to stump her, and maybe she shouldn't have been stumped at all, but she was and now embarrassment overtook the previous shock. Had she been struck dumb? Senseless? What the hell was going on?

Her mouth opened, closed, pink rising into her face. Tabitha couldn't think of anything and said, lamely,

 FIRST   TO   ADMIT  // @phantom-overdose

Her heart took a wild kick to her ribs. It almost physically hurt, the tightness that followed. For weeks, Tabitha had been aware of the shift in their relationship. She couldn't pinpoint exactly when it happened, or how, but they'd left friendship behind. At least, that's what she'd thought. And she kept those thoughts to herself, trying not to further fuel them, but that didn't work. Fuel them she did, and now hope made a place in her chest, right next to her heart, under her ribs, where it pulsed with her fast heartbeat.

A flush crept into her cheeks. Rather than look away, or hide behind her hair or sketchbook, Tabitha met Tyler's eyes.