Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
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"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 24, 2020 22:16:17 GMT -5
Sol made himself comfortable by straightening his legs and resting his feet up on the low coffee table. He let his head rest on the back of the couch and absently played with Artemis's tail with his free hand. He let the silence stretch, feeling no real need to fill it just yet. He knew Parker would speak up if he had something to say.
~ • ~ • ~ "Awww..." Aidan pouted but didn't argue. He put the book he held on the couch and ran upstairs to wash up, shouting, "Be tight back!" as he went.
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan sighed. He ran a hand over his face and through his hair. "I'm sorry. It's not a lack of respect, sir, I promise. Saying the first thing that comes to mind is a habit of mine that's gotten me into a lot of trouble in the past. But it's also gotten me out of trouble, so I haven't worked to avoid it as much as I possibly should have. I do know that running off like that was stupid, but another bad habit of mine is thinking with my heart and not my head. I can't just sit back when someone I care about is in trouble. I literally can't. So that's why I left. I'm not sorry I did, but I am sorry that in doing so I've caused you trouble. That wasn't my intention. Tell me what I can do to make it right and I'll do it. But please... don't threaten Seth. I'm usually a very easygoing guy, but I am very protective of my family, and that's Seth. I won't tolerate threats against him just because I pissed you off."
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*Nightwhisper
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"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 25, 2020 20:33:28 GMT -5
The silence stretched for a few moments, sitting back and content to just drinking her beer. He wasn't has relaxed as Sol was being, but that was just due to the fact that this wasn't his room and he was still slightly flustered from earlier. He hoped Sol would say or do something, yet a quick glance in his direction told him he wouldn't be doing that. Should he say something? Though he had no idea what to really say. He knew what he wanted to do, but the other man looked to be enjoying the moment of downtime. Still, sitting here awkwardly wasn't going to help no one. So, with as much impulsiveness as he could muster, he shifted a bit in his seat before leaning back, not on the couch, but against Sol. He laid so his back was pressed against Sol's side and his head rested on his shoulder. Much better, if not a position Parker would have to get used to.
~*~*~
Anya smiled and playfully pushed the boy up off the couch as he conceded and went to go wash. She watched him disappear up the stairs and struggled with herself. Should she stay or go find Seth? Right now probably wasn't the best time to drop even more news on him about Nick. He was probably having a hard enough time as it was. But he deserved to know. Corrik, did you happen to see Seth? she asked, extending her thought to her dragon.
~*~*~
"And you don't think half the people in this camp wouldn't do the same?" Lawrence asked. "We have whole families, some partial, and all of them have someone they would go help if given the chance. But they aren't allowed to unless told. I know that might sound cruel, but it's how we work. If you were just a plain Jane foot solider, I might could have let it slide, but you're not. You're a Rider, one that's currently at the top of Genevieve's hit list. One that has a giant golden lizard you fly around on, hard to miss within miles. Your dragon alone is a walking risk to let out of hiding. All it would take is the wrong ears to hear the local people talking about a golden dragon seen flying over the country side, and we'll have Order Riders and spies flocking his! I don't give orders because I like to watch people suffer and sit with worry. I give orders to keep us all alive. Now, why your reasons for leaving might have been done with good intentions, I had already assigned a person I thought as best for the job. It is not your place to question those orders. It is not your place to act on your own. Your place is to do what your told, and prove that you are still of use to us. Am I making myself clear?"
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Post by ♥.•°Insanity°•.♥ on Nov 26, 2020 19:27:20 GMT -5
Hey! Mind if I join? SN: ♥.•°Insanity°•.♥ Plot Number: 12, Runaway Description: Evaleigh is an average height for a female, she stands at around five feet and six inches. She has a slight Finnish accent since her father is from Finland. Her face is oval in shape with high cheekbones, round blue eyes, and a sharp nose. Her hair is a honey blonde, fairly thin, and pencil straight. It has grown to her shoulder blades and is styled with bangs. Her nose has a diamond piercing through her left nostril, something she had begged her parents to let her get. She has several tattoos that cover her cream-colored skin, all of which are in easy to hide places. Her first tattoo is on her inner lip and is a simple shape of a heart. The second one is a rose running along her rib cage, the stem spelling out the word loyalty. On her left upper thigh, is the saying “Adventure is out there” with a dashed line trailing down and an x at the end. Of course, her parents never knew she had any of these, she would probably be dead if they did. Personality: A risk-taker but a kind soul. Sure, She has been in some pretty risky situations but never has she turned down help for a stranger or shied away from adventure. Evaleigh is open to people and is not afraid of where life is taking her nor is she afraid to voice her opinion. She can be a bit harsh but she is just telling it how it is, so I hope you have thick skin. Not the mushy type, this girl doesn’t express her deep feelings much, most of what she shares is at surface level. She is good with money and numbers, she has been saving money since she was a kid. Her parents were planners and maybe they taught her too well on how to prepare for the future. She had been saving money since she was a kid and planning her great escape. Evaleigh is independent and a jack of all trades. Any skill she could learn, she did, not that all of those skills were for good purposes. She can pick locks, pickpocket, tell a good lie, and is not too bad of an artist. All of these things helped her sneak around her very strict parents and find some unconventional ways of having fun. Password: Midnight... I believe? Other (Optional): Her dog is a white Samoyed and is named Beau
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*Nightwhisper
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png)
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 26, 2020 21:24:58 GMT -5
(Excellent. XD)
"That's all I have," Parker said. "And it must have been all Anya knew. We can't keep secrets from each other, so I would have known if there was more she's wasn't saying. It doesn't sound right to me either. Why send someone to kill her for being a decent human being. However, I can't say the same for Seth, of course. I'm sure he knows more on the subject than he might be telling Anya."
~*~*~
Anya, while waiting for Aidan to finish, went to help with the final preparations for dinner. She could have stayed on the couch, gone out to see if Seth had returned. However, she couldn't. She felt bad enough about not doing her share of the housework in the weeks she'd been wallowing in the loss of her brother. Besides, Corrik had promised to let her know when he and Stel got back.
Dinner consisted of first asking of Seth's whereabouts, to which Anya simply replied with he had gone on a flight. Then the topics of conversation shifted to the day's events. Felix had brought up Aidan's ranking in the sheep herding contest, both praising and teasing the boy in the way all the siblings did to each other. Which in turn led to the discussion of them getting another dog. Marcus neither confirmed or refused the idea, which was taken as a positive.
As the meal was drew to an end and Seth still hadn't returned, Anya found it difficult to stay in the house. Had something happened to him? There was a small chance of that happening, but there was a chance nonetheless. She wanted to go search for him, if only to know he was safe. What was eventually decided upon was Corrik would take a quick flight around to see if he would find them, contact Stel, and then come back. It would have to do. So, while her dragon went off on the search, she and Aidan had gathered and moved the sketchbooks up to their room so they wouldn't disturb the rest of the household.
(Lol, at this point I think you know my characters well enough to know what they would do anyway. XD)
~*~*~
"You're going to have to do much better than that," Lawrence corrected. "For this little stunt, you'll be confined to the camp for the next month. That should give you plenty of time to work on your listening skills. If you leave camp unauthorized, you will find the consequences are more than you bargained for." He leaned back in his seat, arms folded over his chest. "Now, for another matter that was brought to my attention. Ian has told me you refused to kill the men who had ambushed Kyra. Opting for the altering of their memories instead. Is this true?"
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png)
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 26, 2020 22:04:53 GMT -5
( I can't wait. I'm going to have so much fun when they meet and start constantly aggravating each other. xD )
Sol wasn't so sure about that. Leaving the only life you'd ever known, even a bad life, wasn't easy. The fact that Seth was willing to do it for Anya had Sol doubting that Seth would keep secrets from her regarding why. But again, Sol didn't personally know any of the parties at play here, so he couldn't make any concrete calls on the situation. So he didn't argue anymore. "Well, if he is keeping secrets, I'm sure you'll have no trouble making him spill. Especially once I finish training you." Parker wouldn't have the skills necessary to beat Seth in a fair fight, not with so little time, but he would be more than capable of getting at least one good hit in when Seth wasn't expecting it.
~ • ~ • ~ After dinner Aidan hurried out to the barn to check on and feed Star and the puppies while the Dorrehs cleaned up. He played with them for a little bit, but he was once more eager to look through Seth's sketches. He had loved the book of short stories Seth drew for Anya, even though it wasn't for him, and he expected the sketchbooks to be much the same. They weren't, not really, but he still wasn't disappointed.
He came back in, barely pausing to shut the door behind him, and ran to find Anya. When she suggested they take the books upstairs he readily agreed and took off in that direction with an armful of sketchbooks. He went right to their room, jumped up onto Seth's bed, and spread the large stack of books out so he could pick one to start with. In doing so, he noticed little black numbers written on the top right corner of each book.
Aidan held one up for Anya to see. "Hey, look, they have dates. Maybe we should go in order." Even as he said it he started sifting through them looking for the oldest date.
( Probably. xD )
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan jolted when Lawrence confined him to the camp for a month. His mouth opened, and he had to force it closed before he started arguing. He even went so far as to cover his mouth with a hand to keep the words in. Morgan didn't do well with confinement. He was fine when he chose to stay indoors or in other small places, but as soon as the choice was taken from him it was as if steel bars slammed closed around him. Just like that he felt trapped, and it was not a feeling he liked. In fact, it was a feeling he had been running from for most of his life.
He was so busy trying to keep his breathing steady around a sudden claustrophobia that he hardly heard Lawrence's next words. He blinked several times in an attempt to focus. "What? Yes. Yeah, it's true. I don't kill people. I wasn't part of the Order. I was trained to help people, not kill them. I'm sorry if you think that was a mistake too, but I definitely don't regret it." His words all came out in a rush, with barely any pauses for breath. His knees had also started bouncing and it was taking serious effort for him to remain in the chair and within the tent. He just wanted out.
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*Nightwhisper
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png)
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 26, 2020 22:29:41 GMT -5
(The twins will have no such fun. XD)
At that, Parker chuckled. "And if I can't, I'm sure I can get the other four brothers to help me make him talk," he said. He knew he'd have no chance against Seth with the training he had. Even if he could match him for physical strength and agility, the other man had magic. That would end the fight before it began. But five agaisnt one? Call him unfair, but he liked those odds better.
~•~•~
Anya placed the books she cared onto the bed and sat down, legs criss-crossed, beside Aidan. She let the boy pick through them since he hadn't seen them before, only helping when he noticed the dates. It took a minute, but they eventually found the oldest of the sketchbooks. "He said he started off drawing a lot of dragons," she told him. "I bet that's what this one's going to be mostly."
~•~•~
"That's all well and good but you had interfered with a mission that had orders to kill," Lawrence stated. He noticed the sudden change in the boy's behavior. Morgan was taking on a look of panic. Exactly why that was, he wasn't sure. Perhaps he had made plans or simply took being free to go wherever he wanted for granted too much in the past. Whatever the reason he wasn't sorry. Perhaps it will teach him to be more careful on the future. "While tampering with a person's memories might work well when there's no one to reverse it, but that's not the case here. Those men saw and knew too much. You've just sent them free to go back to the hands of Genevieve to have them searched for those memories."
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Post by ♥.•°Insanity°•.♥ on Nov 26, 2020 22:55:54 GMT -5
Yay! Okay, sorry for not responding right away, it was movie time at my house. Shall I start?))
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png)
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 26, 2020 23:03:03 GMT -5
( Heck, everyone's going to have fun with this. xD )
Sol laughed. "Yes, I'm sure that will do it." He paused for effect. "Unless his dragon steps in, of course. That might even the odds... a lot." He was teasing, but he wasn't wrong. Neither of them knew that Stel wouldn't dream of stepping between her Rider and a fight, not unless his life was actually in danger.
~ • ~ • ~ ( All right, here we go. I'm just gonna plop it all here for you and Anya to enjoy. xD )
"Oooo..." Aidan started bouncing eagerly in place as he opened the first book.
It was definitely NOT dragons.
There were almost two dozen sketchbooks, all of them filled to the brim with drawings, sketches, and full color masterpieces. Each book was even dated, showing Seth had at least one book for every year of his life since he was four years old. Put together, the books showed a history in art, illustrating the growth and development of Seth's talent.
The oldest book had clearly been filled by a four-year-old. The drawings were all done in crayon, and while there were hints of natural skill in each one, they were still the unpracticed work of a four year old boy. But each new drawing showed improvement over the last, if only a little, and his passion for drawing was clear in every image.
The first book wasn't what either of them expected, but Aidan flipped slowly through it anyway, studying each stick figure drawing that depicted a happy family of four. The scenery kept changing, but those four happy people always showed up, together.
By the end of the first book, the stick figures were looking a little less stick-y, but by the second book there was no more stick figures at all. There was a lot less joy and happiness being displayed too.
Each book told a story, portraying his year in images that could be hard to understand if you weren't a part of his life at the time. The story told wasn't like the one Seth had given Anya. There were no characters, no heroes or villains. There were just drawings, often random and unexpected, but each image told the viewers without words if Seth had been happy when he was creating it, or if he was looking for an escape from his reality. They showed when he was proud of his work, when he was disappointed. They showed his passion, every single time, and showed his skill grow with each page turned.
Three books in, they finally found the dragons. There were dragons he knew, like Stel, Kyon, Emmer, Ignatius, and others unfamiliar to Aidan and Anya. And there were dragons of Seth's own creation, in bold and eye-catching colors, in crazy patterns that didn't occur in nature. There were big dragons and little dragons. There were dragons with four legs and dragons with two legs. There were serpentine dragons and dragons with multiple heads. There were dragons breathing fire and dragons encased in ice. And as his talent and style matured, the detail increased, slowly gaining that lifelike quality that always made his art stand out.
Throughout the books lots of other mythical creatures, known and unknown, also began making an appearance: phoenixes, griffins, unicorns, and a number of invented creatures conjured from his imagination and from the books he had read. There were regular animals too: wolves, big cats, birds of prey and birds of color, as well as hybrid creatures he had thought up.
He had also spent a lot of time and pages on landscapes, familiar and invented. Forests, meadows, mountains, lakes, all of it so vivid and lifelike it was as if you were there. His family home in Ilirea, done in the bright, warm colors of dawn. The view of Ilirea from his penthouse apartment showed up many times, each done at a different time of day or night. They were virtually the same image each time, but the colors used were always so different it turned each copy into an individual masterpiece. His waterfall also took up several pages throughout the years, each from a different angle. Some showed the outside view of the massive waterfall, and some showed an inside view. His secret cove made an appearance as well, but unless you had seen it for yourself in person you would believe the image displayed was nothing more than a vivid representation of Seth's imagination.
People showed up less often, especially in the early years (stick people not included), but when they did, Seth always did his best to capture the person as accurately to the moment as he could, like it was a snapshot frozen in time. There were sketches of people's faces, and full body images. They showed the people close up, in profile, from the back, but no matter the position, he always managed to capture whatever emotion it was that made the image stick in his mind, and recreate it on the paper.
The people who showed up the most were those who meant the most to him. Cresseida, Cami, Callum. Morgan, Isla, Nick. There was one book that had an embarrassing amount of images of Arianna. There was at least one group picture of the kids from the YRP in each book from age eight to eighteen, showing them all growing up and coming into themselves. There were even a couple images of Silas and Genevieve, and an unknown man that was always shrouded in darkness and secrets. Seth never drew himself, not even in the group pictures, but he still managed to be present in every single one through his skill and passion.
It was late by the time they reached the last book. Aidan was completely unaware of the time, too mesmerized by all the amazing drawings he had seen. He had been flipping through the books, one by one, and admiring every new image that sprang to life in front of him. It wasn't the story he had been expecting, but it showed a life of adventure nonetheless, and he suddenly decided he wanted to be just like Seth when he grew up.
The last book was the only one not completely full. It was his newest, and he had only just started to fill it up a few weeks ago. Aidan pulled it onto his lap and opened it to the first page, being sure to angle it so Anya had an unhindered view.
The first few pages were a new style Seth was trying out, and filled with nothing but abstract designs in a riotous splash of colors. Most were dark, beautiful yet deadly, filled with anger and pain and fear. Yet each had a tiny speck of light within the chaos, a spot of good that seemed to get a little bigger in each new drawing.
Familiar landscapes appeared next, all the places Seth had taken Anya while she was in the city with him. Interspersed between the landscapes were sketches of Corrik. Sometimes he was alone, sometimes he was accompanied by Stel, Ryven, or Kyon. The last one of him showed him with Anya, a moment caught in time.
After that… Anya. Several pages full of Anya. Close up or from a distance. Stills and actions shots. They showed her smiling and laughing, thoughtful and indignant. They showed Anya, strong and determined, standing her ground against him when she decided to help the poor town of Carzon. Anya, full of wonder and awe, holding a glowing ball of magic. Anya, laughing and joyful, as Cami and Cresseida regaled her with stories from his youth. Anya, fierce and powerful, as she confronted a man twice her size. Anya, brave and beautiful as she stood ready to face the world.
Aidan looked up from the last drawing of her and smiled at the real thing. "Seth's right. You're really pretty," he declared, with all the honesty and innocence of an eight-year-old.
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan exhaled harshly and shoved his fingers through his hair. He gripped the strands and squeezed his eyes shut. They flew open a second later when that only made the feeling of confinement worse. "Yeah, well now thay know nothing. Look, Genevieve is the most powerful mind manipulator the Order's got. That's how she's stayed in power for so long. But guess what? My magic is more powerful than hers, so the mind manipulation I instilled will stick. She will get nothing from them, and you'll probably get your wish when she doesn't because she's likely going to kill them for it. Okay? You're safe. The camp is safe. Can I go now? I need... air. Like, yesterday." He was clutching the arms of his chair, his grip on them the only thing keeping him seated.
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Post by ♥.•°Insanity°•.♥ on Nov 27, 2020 0:06:14 GMT -5
Aight sounds good)) "That is it! I am so done!" Evaleigh huffed storming away from the conversation that had just occurred in the living room. She had been planning this day for a while now and it was now time to put it to action. She entered her room to see a concerned white pooch laying across her bed. "Beau we are getting the heck outta dodge. Just you and me buddy." She began rummaging through her closet to find an old suitcase she had rescued from the side of the road a while back. Quickly, she started shoving any clothing items in reach, a couple of pairs of shoes, and a few other necessities. She took a quick glance in the mirror, first making sure none of her tattoos were showing before doing a reality check. "It's nice enough outside, what's the harm? Not like I could do any more damage to my AmAzInG family relationship!" Evaleigh mumbled to herself as she changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, then pulling her hair into a quick braid. She was done being the perfect child, being suffocated by her family's standards, and being forced to sit under their supervision at every moment of the day. She was ready to be free. Finally, Evaleigh reached into a dresser drawer and pulled out a wad of cash and a secretly stashed spare key to her car. "This should get us by till I can find something to do." She motioned for Beau to come to her and he lazily slid off the bed, as if he did not see the point in all this fuss. 'Click' a leash was fastened to his collar and they were leaving. "Dear, where are you going?" Her mother blurted, almost desperate sounding. "Evaleigh, slow down! Le-Let's talk through this!" Her father reached out to grab her arm but was too slow. "You want to talk? Let me tell you something. I have been under your thumb for too many years. Don't contact me and don't try to find me, just leave me alone. I can not be shielded from the world by you anymore! I need to live my own life!" Evaleigh let out a sigh and scanned for their reaction, it felt good to say that, no matter how much it hurt her parents. "Look, we are so sorry. We didn't mean to make you feel that way...What is that on your leg? Is that a tattoo? What in the world did you do?" They were not listening. They never listened. Evaleigh smiled in disbelief, why had she thought that they would even hear a single word that had come out of her mouth. "Come on Beau, we're leaving now." and without another word, Evaleigh was out the door, leash in one hand and suitcase in the other. By the time she had everything loaded in her 2005 Mercury Montego, her parents were trailing outside of the house in an attempt to stop her. Of course, they didn't think that she would get far since they locked her keys in a cabinet, a way to keep her from driving unless they knew exactly when and where she was going. Her parents did not know what kind of a monster they had created until Evaliegh placed the key in the ignition, gave a twist, and watched her parent's faces drop when the engine came to life. They were frozen by their incredulity as the black car slid out of the driveway and raced down the street. Evaleigh did not know where she was going exactly but she did know not to choose the highway, it was the fastest way out but also the logical place to catch her. Instead, Evaliegh chose another route that was paved but not so commonly used. She would hit the next town and settle down in a motel where she could gather her thoughts and make a more progressive plan from there. ...They had been traveling for about 30 minutes when the car started to first jerk around the road, then limp. 'Thud Thud Thud' She rolled the car to a stop. "What is going on now! They could not have possibly known that I would be taking the car, could they?" Evaleigh doubted her parents had rigged the car for something like that but at the same time, would not put it past them. She rolled the windows down so Beau could get some fresh air, then turned the ignition off. The road was fairly isolated. She had not seen another car in her entire travels so far and better yet, there was an expansive stretch of woods just on the other side of the road. "I am not going to get kidnapped," Evaleigh confirmed to herself, but at that moment heard a twig snap somewhere in the trees, making her jump. "You'll protect me, right Beau?" she asked while rounding the car to see what the problem was. A flat tire was obvious on the driver's side back tire. "At least I can fix that." She said to herself while popping the trunk. Evaleigh quickly got to work, thankful that no cars were zipping by and that she had changed a few tires in her time.
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*Nightwhisper
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_blue.png)
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 27, 2020 11:21:13 GMT -5
A shiver followed Sol's finger as it traced his neck. It took a couple of seconds for Parker to remember he had asked a question that needed an answer. "Corrik wouldn't be fully on his side. He's protective of her, and yes, while he has to side with her on most things, that doesn't mean he likes it. There's been lots of times where he and I have been on the same page. I'm sure this time will be similar."
~*~*~
(And I would read it all. XD)
So she was off, by a long shot. Anya should have known by the dates that Seth would have been nothing more than a child. Truth be told, she hadn't paid that much attention to it when she found it, her mind still searching and waiting for Corrik's message that he and Stel were alright. Only when Aidan opened the sketchbook and was looking through it was she distracted from her worry.
The pictures were colorful and whimsical, created at the hands of a carefree child with a love of doodling. There was chaos in them, yes, but what child couldn't resist filling a page with scribbles? There was form to them. Some she could tell he was trying to draw a person or an animal. Others were still up for interpretation. She wondered if Seth even remember what he had been trying to depict in all of the pictures. But it made for a fun game between her and Aidan as they made their best guesses.
Moving through the books, Anya started to piece together some of the story that Seth's books held. She knew only what he had told her of his life, but it was hardly scratching the surface. So while she got the gist of the emotions and turmoil, she couldn't fully understand it all. What she could understand was the difference it had in his art. His skills were greatly improving, that was for sure, but the tone and the methods were changing. Some might just claim he was refining his style, but she guessed more played a part in it than that.
When they finally made it to the dragons, Anya leaned forward a bit more so she could point out which ones she knew and get into detailed discussion of which made up dragons had what powers and what they might have been named. Same went for the slew of mythical creatures in the books to come. Peppered throughout where the landscapes. While she wasn't familiar with a lot of them, she did tell Aidan of the ones she knew, and a couple of stories to go with them. Then came the people. By now, Anya was doing a lot of explaining, informing the boy of who was who and what relationship they had to Seth. Of course, some details she left out. Cresseida was his mother, and Genevieve was simply the leader of the Circle. Anya felt as if it was not her place to try and get into the mess of Seth's family matters with an 8 year old. Besides, it wasn't her story to tell. She had to explain that Arianna had been his girlfriend when they approached the several pages filled with her image, and it took all her willpower not to start trash talking the girl. After all, her dragon had just been killed, and it didn't seem right, even if she had hurt Seth.
The last book was finally pulled open. While Aidan started through it, Anya took it upon herself to stack the books neatly on the bedside table so they wouldn't be scattered all over the place. She would look over and see the first few drawings of free form colors and patterns, but since there was nothing much to comment on them, she didn't pay too much attention. There was meaning to them, yes, but it was a meaning she didn't fully know without talking to Seth. By the time she was done, Aidan reached the landscapes again, places Seth had taken her to in her short stay in the city. Once more, stories were told and laughter filled the room. That is, until they reached the pictures of her.
Anya was more confused than anything. Sure, Seth drawing her wasn't a surprise. He had drawn nearly everyone who knew him. So one picture of her wasn't a shock. What was the shock was that it hadn't been just one picture, but rather several. The woman fell silent as they flipped through them, each one a different view of her from Seth's eyes. It was her, but at the same time... she couldn't help but think this was a different person altogether. Someone braver, stronger, someone who held more confidence in herself and the world around her. Could Seth had possible changed some details to make her appear more than she was? She didn't know why he would do that when there were far more better subjects to draw instead.
She blinked, Aidan's words pulling her from her thoughts. "Oh," she muttered, trying to dissect that statement and choose a proper response. Seth had told Aidan she was pretty? Or had the boy simply overheard when Seth had called her beautiful that morning? Whatever the case, she smiled and threw an arm around Aidan's shoulders. "Well, thank you. That means a lot coming from you," she said, part sincere and part tease.
~*~*~
Lawrence didn't respond. He simply made his way through the winding paths. People who knew him stepped out of the way, seeing the look on his face and knowing now was not the time to hinder him. Others who didn't interact with the man, simply walked on by without any acknowledgement. He kept up a brisk pace, neither jogging or strolling leisurely. He was just about done with the meeting as Morgan was, but he had to make sure the boy fully understood what they were dealing with.
Finally, their journey ended with them facing the infirmary. It was a larger tent meant to hold those whose injuries could not be healed quickly. They only had so many Healers in their ranks, so it wasn't unusual for the work to get backed up. Injuries that could have healed flawlessly turn into ones that scar or take days to recover from the wounds. Magic could do a lot of things, but healing, Lawrence knew, was tricky.
He lead the way inside, not slowing as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior. On either side there were rows of beds, some neatly made and empty, while others held occupants of various states. The ones who would be making good recovers and would be leaving soon rested nearest the entrance. They wouldn't be as bothered by whatever drafts the tent flaps let in. Those that were in more critical condition were further in the back. He walked towards there now, sparing the Healers and the nurses working small nods. When he was three quarters of the way into the tent, he stopped and turned to one of the beds to the right.
On this particular cot, a man laid, covers drawn up to his chest. At first glance, you might think he was awake, but closer inspection proved otherwise. Sightless eyes stared up at the ceiling, clouded over and long passed useless. The skin of his face was sunken and drawn tight, and his hair a black tangled mess. He appeared to look accident, but the truth was he was only 29. The rest of his body was in little better condition. Though covered, it was hard to hide the malnourished state in which he had fallen into. The man made no sound, no movement save for the gentle rising and falling of his chest as he breathed.
(Sorry if it isn’t the best!)
It wasn’t uncommon for Dallas to run at night without the rest of the Pack. There were some nights when the rest of his makeshift family were simply too tired to join him for a late night stroll, especially after a Full Moon or a hunting trip. There were times the weather kept them inside where it was warm and dry. If it bothered him that their common sense kept them from the joys of night, he never showed it. In fact, he was glad for the brief moments alone. Very much a people person, the young man still found that time away from the others did him well. That’s why, against the better judgement of his Alpha, he continued to leave on certain nights to enjoy the feeling of just being on his own. Most of the time, the nights were uneventful. Nothing ever happened, and he would return home within three hours. This time, however, was very different.
Running at the edge of their territory, Dallas found himself in a situation he had never been in before. Well, it had happened to him, just never with an ill intent or many injuries afterward. Out of nowhere, one of his kind had attacked. Why? He hadn’t been sure. The only thing he had been focused on was staying alive. The encounter was short, but had left both participants worse for wear, more so for Dallas. He might have managed to defend himself, but his body was cut open. His left hind leg got the worst of it, and there were bite marks on his right shoulder that would need looking at. Yet he didn’t have time to sit and ponder over his injures. He was bleeding horrible, and if he didn’t act, he might not make it home. So, he ran, or tried to in his condition.
The night wore on. The details of his forest that he would usually stop to marvel at were ignored. There was only the single-minded drive of survival fueling his haste. Each step was torture. Every second an eternity. After running for several miles, Dallas was beginning to tire. His shoulder was on fire. It was hurting to the point where it was becoming numb. Whenever he put pressure on his injured leg, it threatened to collapse. The boy couldn't keep going like this. If he did, he would risk bleeding out before he got a chance to get back home.
Limping to a stop, he prepared himself for the shift. It wasn't a fun process on a good day, so trying to change with a hole in his shoulder certainly wasn't going to be good. Taking several breathes, both to fill his lungs and to prepare himself, Dallas focused on switching from wolf to human. Grunts and whines filled the air until the process was complete. Once done, Dallas stood, hunched over and clutching his wounded arm. He was a sight for sore eyes with blood on his arm and just a pair of old basketball shorts on. He always wore the shorts during night shifts in case of moments like these when he needed to switch back to being human before making it back to his home.
Think, Dallas, think! Take a moment to get your bearings, He thought. He scanned the tress for landmarks while his ears strained to hear all every sound. When that fell, he glanced up at the sky. He could just make a few stars. Everyone back home knew how to read the stars, or at least the basics. If he just followed a familiar constellation, it would take him to the highway. This patch of forest, while quite larger, was surrounded on three sides by road ways. The remaining side stood the house he lived in. So no matter where he went, he would be able to make his way home.
Picking out a small pattern in the stars, he began walking. Well, stumbled was more like it. Without his wolf senses, the going was much more difficult. He certainly wasn't silent in his going. With the amount of blood loss he was suffering from, stealth was the last thing on his mind. All he wanted was to reach the highway. So, on he went, doing all he could to keep going. By the time he reached the highway, two hours had passed and it was all he could do to stay standing. At least now the sun had risen, shedding light onto his path. The sight of the road gave him a sense of relief, and he quickened his steps. However, he only succeeded in tripping over a fallen branch he failed to notice. There were actually many things he failed to notice in his current state. One of those things being the car that was parked on the side of the road only a couple of feet away. Dallas collapsed to the ground with a pained groaned and stayed there for a moment. He needed to call Matthias. He would come pick him up. But where was he exactly? With so many stretches of highways, he needed to be as specific as possible. Otherwise, Matthias wouldn’t be able to reach him in time. His head was spinning, his arms felt like led, and his leg was protesting the last few hours very verbally. Maybe he could just lie there for a moment, just until he got his strength back, before looking for any road signs…
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Post by ♥.•°Insanity°•.♥ on Nov 27, 2020 12:38:48 GMT -5
Ey, no, it looks good. I'm self-conscious if mine looks good XD)) Evaleigh had just finished attaching the last of the lug nuts when Beau started to whine. It was soft at first and she thought that maybe he had needed to use the restroom. “Just one more second, then we can go for a short walk, okay?” She breathed, standing up to admire the work that she had done. The whining increased and Beau seemed to be alerted by something in the woods. Swiftly, Evaleigh loaded everything back into the trunk of her car, before stepping around to the passenger side to retrieve her dog. Beau bounded out of the car, and although he had a leash, it slipped through Evaleighs unexpecting hand. “Beau, wait!” Panic filled her heart as she scanned the road for cars. So far, nothing was going according to plan. She first watched as the dog jogged across the highway then started following close behind, in an attempt to catch the escapee. Evaleigh was weary and also curious, what had he seen? Beau’s hair was raised, but he continued to let out a soft whine as he trotted closer to the shallow ditch on the other side of the road. “Get back here Beau,” Evaleigh whispered, feeling strange to yell on the fairly quiet road. It was of no use, that dog was just as stubborn as she was. She could see a figure on the ground, maybe a deer or something. Beau’s nose met the ground and his tail began to wag as he nudged something in the grass. At that point, Evaleigh had reached the other side and could make out the figure. It was not a deer but a man laying there, badly wounded. She was surprised, to say the least, but jumped into action. “Sir, are you okay? Are you alive?” She had so many questions, where had he come from? How long had he been laying there? What if she had never let Beau out? Evaleigh retrieved the man's wrist, feeling for a pulse while Beau, caringly licked the other hand. “You look horrible. What happened to you?” She asked, trying for a response, as she touched his forehead. What now? Evaliegh thought. She could call the police but was not hanging around for them to show up, but she didn’t want to leave him here by himself. It would take at least 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive and then another 30 to get him to a hospital. She did have a first aid kit in her car, thanks to her parents. “I could do some slight damage control, maybe slow the bleeding and then haul you to the next town, it would be faster than calling 911.” she thought aloud. Then there was the thought of getting him in her car. This guy was bigger than she was, she would have to pull her car around or get him conscious enough to help...
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
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"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 27, 2020 12:56:54 GMT -5
The smile he had been hiding slipped free, and as soon as Parker finished speaking Sol's finger trailed the same light touch again. "The connection between you and Anya really is strong, isn't it? Corrik may be bonded to her, but he's connected to you too. Something most would say is impossible, but no one truly knows what all dragon magic is capable of."
~ • ~ • ~ ( One of these days... xD )
Aidan couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun sitting still and doing virtually nothing. He was a very active boy, and to him sitting still for anything other than food or sleep was torture. But Seth's drawing skill and Anya's stories made sitting still an adventure.
He asked about a dozen questions per picture, many rhetorical and many more impossible for Anya to answer. Eventually the questions become less, and instead he just listened to what Anya had to say. He liked the sound of her voice. It didn't hide anything she was feeling and Aidan liked that. He had grown up around a lot of adults who lied for a living. His parents told him it was okay, that the lies protected them, but he had always liked honesty better. Anya was honest all the time, and so was her family. Seth never lied to him either, but Aidan could tell he had lies and secrets below the surface that he was trying to escape. Looking through his pictures, listening to Anya's explanations for some, Aidan understood a little bit more what Seth kept hidden, and understood why.
But there was still so much to know. Aidan smiled big and hugged her back before returning to the book in the hopes of finding it.
After the Anya pictures were the images Seth had shown Anya when they were at Senza's, ending with the now completed phoenixes. Nothing there said much about what was going through Seth's head when he drew them. Aidan flipped back to the last Anya picture. All Seth's pictures held a bit or a lot of his passion, proof that he drew not because he had to, or as a replacement for writing a journal. No, he drew because he loved it, and everything he drew showed that. But there was something extra in the Anya pictures, Aidan could tell.
He was lifting his head to ask Anya if she noticed when he suddenly realized the bedroom door was open and Seth was standing in the doorway, leaning on the doorjamb. Aidan took one look at him and scrambled out of bed to run over and give him a hug.
Seth grunted when Aidan crashed into him. He looked down at the kid, tightly clutching his waist in what would be a bear hug from someone a bit bigger. But the point was made, and the simple heartfelt gesture had emotion threatening to choke him again. And here he thought he had been emotionally wrung dry.
He didn't have it in him to smile, but he tried anyway as he ruffled Aidan's hair. "Thank you, buddy," he said, so softly you could barely hear it. He cleared his throat. "You and Anya having fun?" he asked a little louder. Even emotionally and physically exhausted, his training ensured he hadn't missed the pile of his sketchbooks on the bedside table, or the one open on the bed. His tired eyes stared at the image of Anya there before slowly lifting up to the real thing.
He knew he should be mad, or at least irritated, that they had gone through his sketchbooks. He would be if he caught anyone else with them. But he just... wasn't. Part of it was his exhausted mental state, but it was also them. He didn't mind giving them access to everything he had.
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan waited for a response and heaved a sigh when he didn't get one. He followed Lawrence. He had no problem keeping up, but he kept a bit of distance on purpose. When they reached their destination, Morgan slammed to a halt.
He had never been here before, but he knew immediately what it was. He could sense the lives within the tent, all weak and flickering in contrast to the brilliant pulses of life that hit him from every other part of the camp. He suddenly knew exactly what Lawrence was trying to tell him, and he kind of wanted to plug his ears and not listen.
Instead, with one more deep breath of open air, he ducked into the tent.
Immediately, that breath whooshed out of his lungs in a rush. Healing wasn't his strong suit, but he had taken extra lessons from Ceyon while in the Program. Like he'd told Lawrence, he liked to help people, not hurt them. That held the makings of a great healer. But while he did prove an aptitude for it, he didn't typically have the patience. Morgan was all go-go-go, he always had been. Minor wounds, or even major ones that were simple and straightforward, he could do no problem. But a lot of the time, the physical injury that you saw was not all that there was. Morgan could never keep his focus long enough to heal those kinds of wounds, and that could cause more harm than good. So he had stopped trying to be a healer and focused instead on all the ways he could help people without magic. He had always been better with words and actions anyway.
But that didn't stop him from wanting to help all the people in this tent as he slowly followed Lawrence to one patient in particular. Morgan's gaze took in the man briefly, then did a double take. He had to swallow hard. "Why did you bring me here?" he whispered.
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*Nightwhisper
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"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 27, 2020 15:30:22 GMT -5
Dallas forced his eyes open to the sight of a woman leaning over him. When had she got there. "Oh, hi," he muttered. Whoever this was, he was sure she wasn't one of them. So he forced the exhaustion from his mind and drew what little energy he still had to bring himself back to alertness. He tried using his good arm to push himself up into a sitting position. It was easier said then done.
"Boy, am I glad to see you," he muttered, giving the woman a small laugh and a friendly smile. "I'm fine, nothing shady happened. I just seemed to get on a dog's bad side," he assured her. "The canines out here are rough, but I can't help but come out here to jog in the mornings. It's just the best time to do it."
And the shiver was back. "I've never been able to hear his voice like she could, but there would be plenty of times that I could tell what he was thinking. Most times, Anya would confirm it. Other times I think she didn't want me to know her dragon sided with me on certain topics. I thought that it was just something I grew up learning: how to read animals and whatnot. But even our father had trouble knowing what Corrik was thinking or doing and the patterns he had, and he's the one that knows about our animals better than any of us. But, then again, I helped raise Corrik more than the others too, so that might have played a role in it," Parker explained.
~*~*~
Anya had seen the last few pictures, so she didn't spare them much thought. Except for the phoenixes. That one caught her eye just as it had the day he showed it to her at Senza's place. Now, fully finished, it was a sight to behold. If she'd had the space, she would have offered to get it framed and hang it on a wall somewhere. However, she wouldn't dare take a page from his books. At least not the original piece. That would have been a crime. She was just about to suggest that it was time to turn in for the night when the all to familiar feeling of being watched came over her.
Lifting her eyes to the door, there was Seth. How long had he been there? More importantly, why hadn't Corrik warned her? Whatever the reason, he was here now. She stood up off the bed and slipped her hands into her back pockets as she watched the two boys. Even though she knew he didn't mind her looking at his sketches, there was a tiny bit of guilt for looking through all of them without asking. She expected she'd be scolded for it later. "Aidan found the books before I could put them away," she told him. "I... I'm sorry if we looked through too many."
~*~*~
"To show you the price of messing with people's minds," Lawrence told him, voice void of all emotion. "Gareth Tobler, age 29. Last year he was captured by some of Genevieve's men. One of them must have been skilled with mind magic, for when they sent him back, he was a completely different person. We caught him while he was gathering up information on our agents in the field, the schedule for our supply wagons, and the location of the camp so he could send to the Order. We knew Genevieve has powerful magic users, some of the best in the world, but we have strong ones too. We thought we could reverse the spells, to bring him back to his senses. It turned out that we were not as strong as we had hoped." Lawrence turned his head to look at Morgan. "He was one of our own, and we wanted to save him. In the end, we've condemned him to this fate, and no one has the heart to put him out of his misery. He didn't deserve this. If you think Genevieve won't try her best to reverse your spells, you're a fool. She'll do it, and, if you're stronger than she is, then you've just condemned the life of four more men to this fate, if not death. We stopped before too much damage was done. Gareth had lost the ability to do more than operate his internal system. He can't hear. He can't speak. He can't move. Genevieve will not be so kind. If the spells won't be reversed, they will die, one way or another. So tell me, in this case, would it have been more merciful to kill those men? Or send them into hands that will torture them until their last moments?"
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Post by ♥.•°Insanity°•.♥ on Nov 27, 2020 16:33:17 GMT -5
“I didn’t realize we had wild dogs out here.” She commented, thinking that maybe her parents really were right for keeping such a close eye on her. “But I can assure you that this one is more bark than bite.” Evaleigh motioned towards Beau, whose tongue was lolling about. "And from the looks of it, the dog almost won. Those wounds are pretty deep” Evaleigh said, giving him a once over and brushing her fingers across the marks on his arm. The blood was starting to clot, but she knew a bite from a dog could be deadly.
“Some people must really be committed to their morning workouts. I was headed to the next town over, I can give you a ride. I really think you should go to the hospital, dog bites are not something to mess with. For all we know, that thing coulda had rabies.” She offered a genuine yet worried smile back, so grateful that she had not stumbled upon a dead body. “My name is Evaleigh, by the way, may I ask who you are?” She did not mind giving a stranger a ride, but a name would be nice...
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*Nightwhisper
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"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 27, 2020 17:37:31 GMT -5
"Yes, well, maybe it wasn't a dog, per say, but why make you worry?" Dallas said. He glanced over at the large white dog that was with you, seeing that there was no aggression towards him. Good. Normally with dogs, he got two different reactions. Some adored him, and others would try to tear his face off. It was as if they knew he was part of them, and they reacting accordingly.
He sucked in a sharp breath of pain as the women's fingers brushed against the wound. Then chuckled ruefully. "That's me: a creature of habit," he said. "It's good to meet you, well, not like this, but a pleasure meeting you anyways. I'm Dallas There's no need to go all the way to the hospital. That's such a long way off. I don't live far from here. One of my roommates is a doctor. He'll patch me up for free. That is, if you don't mind taking me home."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
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"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 27, 2020 17:40:15 GMT -5
Sol let Parker talk before he let his finger run up his neck once more. "Sounds like a connection to me. Not a bond, but a connection can be just as powerful." He sat up, put his feet on the floor, and twisted so he was facing Parker. He took the other man's empty beer bottle and put both on the coffee table. "Okay, it's getting late and I need to know if you're staying here tonight or not. There's still time for you to slip out and head below if that's what you want." It was an abrupt change of topic, but that wasn't uncommon with Sol.
~ • ~ • ~ When Anya apologized, Aidan jerked backward and looked between them, wide-eyed. "Were we not allowed to look?"
Seth shook his head and ruffled Aidan's hair. "You're fine. I would have put them away if I didn't want you looking through them." Not exactly true. Seth had completely forgotten he'd even pulled the books out after figuring out Nick and Jan were one and the same. But there wasn't anything in those books that was a secret, not really. They were a little personal and private, but that was only because he had put so much of himself into each sketch.
Aidan studied him closely for a minute. He nodded. "Okay. I really liked them. Anya was telling me stories about the pictures she recognized, and we had fun trying to guess what your kid pictures were. Can you teach me to draw like you do?"
Seth rubbed his forehead. "I can teach you to draw, but I can't teach you to draw like I do."
Aidan pouted. "Why?"
Seth's lips twitched, almost but not quite a smile. "Because every artist is different. They all have their own methods and preferences, different ways of doing the same thing that results in two mirror images looking totally different."
"Oh. Okay. So how long until I can draw dragons like yours? They're really cool."
Seth shrugged. He shifted further into the room and closed the door. "I don't know, bud. Ask me again after your first lesson, okay?"
"Okay!" Aidan ran back to the bed and picked up the book still there. He gently added it to the pile on the nightstand, then hurried back toward the door. "Gotta use the bathroom. Be right back!" The door clicked shut, and then his footsteps could be heard as he ran down the hall.
Seth ran a hand through his hair. "That kid doesn't walk anywhere, does he?" He didn't really expect an answer. He just felt the need to throw it out there.
~ • ~ • ~ ( *reply in progress* )
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