Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on Aug 31, 2016 16:01:33 GMT
It was a shock to everyone. First day of school, and everyone started trickling back into town. Skylar, who he didn’t know too well, was home. Jasper was lurking around, not someone he was fond of, but noted. But it wasn’t either of them that had startled him quite like Liam’s sudden reappearance had. Leon wasn’t sure what he’d expected- death or just disappearance- but he hadn’t expected the boy to just come to school the first day of their senior year, unsettling everyone. He’d heard through Iris, having not noticed the boy since he hadn’t been in any of his advanced classes. She’d warned him, for Rose’s sake. He’d always liked Iris, how she was so loyal, so he’d nodded, kept an eye out and ended up hiding with Rose at lunch out on the bleacher’s where they’d originally rekindled their lost friendship. Since then, they’d been almost inseparable. Rose spent her time doting on her new niece and fawning over Iris while Leon tended to his schoolwork and entertained Willow when it was begged of him, but when they were both free? Rose was at his house poking fun at him with his sister at his side, light-hearted teasing that he took with ease and little blushing. Leon was at her house, trying to figure out how to work a baby as she giggled into her fist from his side, then it was much harder to keep the blushing minimal. Elena was hard to figure out, so much like Rose’s brother that it unsettled him. Babies and their complexity aside, it’d turned out they’d had Biology class- another excuse spend time, but that was last year.
Now they have Chemistry. Babies were just as confusing. Willow had too much fun ganging up on him. Liam was back.
He’d spent the whole first day worrying over how Rose would react, concerned for his friend because he knew just how much that boy had meant to her. Leon had easily sacrificed his time to tending to her, doing his best to keep her distracted, just the way Iris did when he couldn’t be at her side. It was a team effort to keep her spirits up, but they couldn’t be there every moment.
Rose had made it through the day without seeing Liam, but when they’d separated at the end of the day, it seems she hadn’t been as lucky. He’d gotten an upset phone call late in the evening from Rose, her explaining through tears that Liam had come to her house, but left out most of the details in favor of asking him to come over. He didn’t hesitate. He was at her door as soon as he could be, trying to think of things to say, but coming up with blanks. He wasn’t very good at consoling, his sharp wit and heavy sarcasm often prevented him from doing much good in situations like this, but this was Rose. He was going to try. Leon knocked on the door despite himself, knowing he could just walk in, but it felt like the right thing to do. It didn’t seem like anyone else was home, the house dark and cars missing. Her sister had been spending more time with that one tall dude and her brother had been occupying himself with his daughter with a quirky man at his side. Leon couldn’t think of where her parents would be, but didn’t get enough time to linger on that thought.
Footsteps were racing towards the door, Leon could do little more than haphazardly brace himself as he waited for it to open.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on Feb 6, 2017 19:55:16 GMT
She'd imagined she'd be better than this. That seeing someone wouldn't rip her into pieces but clearly that wasn't true. Seeing Liam had been a mistake and looking back at their earlier encounter, Rose wished she'd agreed that he was a dick and then slammed the door in his face to prove that point. No such luck though. Old feelings die hard and all that. She'd ended up leaving the park without him, actually, leaving was too kind of a word and in reality she more stormed off than anything else. Ah, Natalia would be so proud. Then again, if Natalia caught wind of what happened Rose doubted that Liam would be left in one piece.
It had been light when Rose got home and she'd been okay for the first hour or so but an old Facebook memory popped up of her and Liam, and that was when the well burst open and she began crying. It was messy and she gave Elena a run for her money when it came to the blubbering noises Rose was making. Thankfully no one was home to watch her fall to pieces. Yet Rose didn't want to have to go through the process all by herself. Sure, Liam had begged his case and sure they'd ended up sharing a kiss but nothing was helping to restore Rose's trust or even want to be with him again. Deep inside herself, she felt it was only time before he disappeared off the face of the Earth again and after the last few months? Rose didn't want to have to go through that again.
Rose had considered calling Iris, Iris was the one she always turned to when it came to Liam issues but just before dialing Iris's number Rose hesitated. A moment later she was calling Leon and trying to make her crying calm down but nothing was helping. Through a range of sniffs and snuffly sounds Rose managed to ask Leon to come round, referencing that Liam had just done that hours before. Hopefully Leon would be able to make her see sense of it all.
There were still pictures of Rose and Liam up around Rose's bedroom so Rose made the quick decision to leave the room behind and went to sit on the stairs, waiting for Leon to arrive. She considered changing, her t-shirt was a light blue and easily showed the dark splotches made by her tears. Then again it was hardly like Rose could lie to Leon and tell him that she hadn't been crying because a) he'd heard her on the phone and b) her face was probably a state. After a few minutes a knock on the door came. Jumping up, Rose flew down the last stairs, feet nearly slipping when she hit the hall behind but the momentum only propelled her further towards the front door. Pulling open the door, Rose's fingers were clamped tightly around the door frame as she took in Leon. A sad smile was on her face and she could only imagine how she looked, "thanks for coming, come in." She said as she beckoned with her head for him to enter. Once Leon was inside she let the door click shut and flicked the lock across, slightly paranoid that Liam would come back. He'd probably gotten the message though after her quick departure.
Despite herself Rose didn't know what to say. She'd hoped seeing Leon's face would bring her clarity but it all it did was make her feel more confused.
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Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on Feb 26, 2017 4:41:50 GMT
“I’m pretty sure I just broke, like, four laws,” was Leon’s greeting, as eloquent and put together as ever. He was nervous, and it showed. Palms sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy- mom’s spaghetti, all that. God, he just mentally quoted Eminem, this whole Liam thing is really getting to him. At least there wasn’t vomit on his sweater? Stop. One deep breath later he was able to manage a sheepish smile as he ran a shaky hand through his hair and finished, “Speeding. Wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. Ran a stop sign and I think I drove on the wrong side of the road at one point.” He was joking, kind of- not really. It was his go-to move in situations like this, though, when he didn’t know how to lighten the mood or make it better. He’d crack a lame joke and stare helplessly at Rose’s amber eyes until they lit up with joy- only, that didn’t exactly happen this time. As his gaze rose to meet hers, all Leon was met with was confusion creasing her tired features- and it mimicked on his own face as he tried to make sense of what all went down. The call had been vague, and he admittedly didn’t understand half of what she’d said through her tears. But it was her desperate voice that had him driving so recklessly. It was that slight tremble to her lip, the splotchy redness beneath her eyes that had him diving forward and wrapping his arms around her tight.
Leon would never be the best at this. He didn’t have a way with words like Iris, couldn’t relate the way a female would- Jasper left her high and dry, she’d be able to talk Rose through this better than he ever could. But the fact of the matter was that she hadn’t called Iris- or maybe she had and the girl just hadn’t answered and he was second best, but he’d like to believe she dialed him first for the sake of his frail ego. Rose had sought out his help, for one reason or another, and he’d be damned if he didn’t do his best to comfort her the only way he could.
One arm secure around her waist, he let his other hand cup the back of her head, bringing her in close to muffle any sobs or cries she may have left in her. “I’m sorry,” was all he could think to say- what else could he say? “You didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve you,” he finally said, feeling he could be truthful now that he’d seen how poorly Liam had treated Rose. How could he do that to her? How could anyone? He’d be lying if he said Natalia didn’t scare him to death, but he knew that the moment Rose stopped crying he’d be marching to her room and tattling on Liam. She’d put him in his place better than anyone else he knew. Maybe she’d even get the tall guy and her twin to gang up on him. Leon has never been a fan of violence or drama, but how could he let this slip by? How could he watch Rose fall apart while Liam is out and about living without regret?
No one was going to hurt Rose and get away with it. Not on his watch.
“I’ve got you now,” he whispered once he got a grip on his negative thoughts, an anxious smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he leaned away enough to catch her eye and ask, “How are you?” He couldn’t ask if she was okay, that would be stupid. Of course she wasn’t. God, he could count on one hand how many times he’d seen her cry, and half of them would be out of joy. This- whatever Liam had done- was something unforgivable. Something cruel and he couldn’t even imagine the pain she was in. She loved him, Leon knew that- didn’t like to think about it, but he knew it. This had to suck for her.
Hair in his eyes, he took another shot at making her smile as he teased, “Just pretend you’re on Doctor Phil.”
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on Jul 7, 2017 8:20:04 GMT
Maybe all that mattered to Rose was that Leon made her laugh. During such a moment of what felt like impenetrable darkness for Rose, this boy was here and telling her about his terrible driving all for the sake of just being here and speaking to her. Yet, even though she wanted to laugh and tell him to be more careful there was a knot in her stomach which continued to tighten as she looked up at him. How could she be so confused by a boy as open with her as Leon was? Oh, she was quickly slipping towards a second round of messy tears and the growing wobble of her lip was her first indication that Leon was definitely about to see her ugly cry.
Before the first tear could slip through, Leon was pulling her into a hug which Rose gratefully leant herself into. Her ears sought out the sound of Leon’s heart knowing that the rhythmic beating was as good as any other lullaby. Memories of evenings spent together in the past where they watched a film came flooding back to her at that familiar sound of his heart. She didn’t know why but in quiet moments of movies she often found herself distracted by the steady beating of Leon’s heart and the continuous rise and fall of his chest. Her own breathing was picking up in speed now as her tears began to come out thick and fast. How could one human cry so much over one stupid, idiotic boy? Sure, maybe it was because she’d claimed to be in love with him once or twice, or maybe it was because they’d been such great friends before and now it felt like even that friendship, once so strong, was now gone. She wished she didn’t care, that her feelings were locked up tightly in a fort just like Natalia’s were but Rose knew that even Natalia had felt hurt in the past. This was all just part of some big natural process. Even if that process was one that Rose wanted out of.
Wrapping her arms around Leon’s waist, Rose let herself settle there, allowed herself to be soothed, even if it was for but a moment. That moment was something Rose was willing to lose herself in if it allowed her to feel even a smidgen bit better about herself and the whole situation. Rose listened closely to Leon’s words, her immediate feeling to be shoot back that she loved him but even hearing those words in her head, they felt stale and like the true sentiment behind them had gone out of date a while back. “I was stupid.” Rose said with a shrug which didn’t come out right due to their close proximity to each but she was sure he’d be able to guess what she’d just done. “It’s my fault for allowing myself to get hurt. I was just too dependent on him and look where that got me.” Placing the blame on herself was probably not the way to go yet it was what felt right at that moment. It was the only way she felt she could control the situation now that she’d stormed off from Liam.
I’ve got you, those three words struck a chord through Rose and she found herself immediately regretting placing all of the blame on herself when at the end of the day, she’d done nothing. “What did I do to deserve you?” Rose asked instead of telling him how she was because frankly she had no idea and she felt that would just open herself up for more tears. She knew for certain that she wasn’t okay and she was positive that she’d rather stay right here next to Leon than face up to any of her other feelings. Shame, sadness, jealousy, hurt and annoyance just to name a few. All of those feelings in one little head could add up to a rather potent cocktail of emotional trouble. She needed to get them out of her head before they made her drunk on the pain of it all.
“You know I don’t watch shitty shows like that.” Rose replied with a weak smile loosening one of her arms to wipe away the damp patches from her cheeks. “But I guess long story short, Liam agrees that he should have told me when he left even though he didn’t really apologise for his actions.” Their meeting in the park hadn’t been that long and Rose had spent most of it vying between confusion, anger and relief. Now that relief had faded. “I don’t even know why I’m so upset. Maybe it’s because it almost would have been easier if he were dead as then I wouldn’t have to come to terms with the fact that he left and never told me why until now. It just makes you think that clearly you don’t mean that much to someone you love.” Oh, that feeling was still going to override everything else in her brain because even if it felt harder now, it was impossible to ignore.
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Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on Jul 8, 2017 6:22:32 GMT
It wasn’t often that Leon’s hands sought out to touch—to grip and pull close and comfort. That wasn’t who he was, it never had been. He was the kind of person to close himself off when he was hurt, preferred a moment to himself rather than in the company of someone trying to repair his shattered ego/heart/mood. The darkness of his room, warmth of his blankets, and the deafening silence that accompanied being alone was far more welcomed than an arm around his waist and voice whispering soft reassurances in his ear. He had trouble with being touched when he was upset, had trouble coping with stress or sorrow when scrutinizing eyes were laid on him. It had always been that way with him, for as long as he could remember—and it was excluded to himself. He held his parents at armlength when they were flustered, not sure if saying something would make the situation worse or not.. He didn’t know how to fix a situation between friends, often relying on his dark sense of humor to save the day. There was no trying with anyone else.
But there had always been one exception. Willow was just someone Leon couldn’t distance himself from, he’d never been able to. The moment she was set in his awaiting arms, his smile fading when she promptly let out a wail, he knew he’d do anything to never see her cry. He couldn’t handle it. His sister’s pain felt as if it was his own—and frankly, he didn’t like pain. The sooner he patched her up, the better they both felt. His little sister had always been pressed against his side, tucked under his arm with her head on his shoulder. She was the only one, the only one he let close.
But now there were two.
He didn’t know what it was about Rose, what had him gently tugging his fingers through her hair as his palm drew calming circles on her back. Leon had a girlfriend before he moved to Beacon Hills, one that he imagined he’d grow old with, and yet, he’d never been this way with her. Not once. They’d held hands, kissed—but when she was feeling blue? He’d been stiff with his touches, always unsure. With Rose, it was like he knew just what she needed and he wasn’t afraid to offer it. It was natural—and that freaked him the fuck out. He’d never been like this with a stranger, with anyone besides his little sister. So when he found himself laid out on the Harper’s couch with his friend’s head tucked against his chest nearly every time they decided to binge watch Disney, he’d have a minor breakdown. How had it happened? How had she gotten under his skin all over again? It was like they’d never spent the time apart, like her friends hadn’t driven him off when they feared he was going to uproot Rose from Liam. He hadn’t understood it then, their fear that he of all people would be able to come between a love like that. From what he’d heard, they’d been best friends before lovers—how could a newcomer stand a chance? Besides, then all he’d craved was a friend. Someone he could turn to when he got tripped up over the American schooling system versus the one he’d grown up with.
Now. Now he could see why they were afraid. Why they shoved him away then. Who wouldn’t fall in love with Rose? Not that he was in love with her. Maybe. He didn’t like to think about it. It always went down a negative path. She’d had Liam, and even when she didn’t, that boy owned her heart. Leon could never intervene, never wanted. He wasn’t some homewrecker—his momma taught him better than that.
But even then, even with their indifference to his persistence at friendship, it wasn’t him they had to fear. Liam himself soiled his chances. Liam himself shattered Rose’s heart. Leon was here to pick up the pieces. That was it, wasn’t it? She still loved him, it was going to take more than a day to fall out of something like that. Even if she did, who’s to say she’d even choose him? Negative path, see.. He put a stop to his melodramatic thoughts, focusing wholly on the only other person he cared enough about to hold this close.
Liam may have broke her, but Leon sure as hell wasn’t going to.
“Not stupid,” he huffed in return, face twisting with something just shy of anger as he tried to work out what that boy had done to convince Rose that this was her fault, “I mean, I’m more dependent on you than my own parents and I don’t feel stupid for that.” There was a hint of humor in his words, but only because he feared his irritation towards Liam would be taken the wrong way. He couldn’t have Rose thinking he was annoyed with her, so he spoke carefully. “You saying it’s my fault that you bribed me with Disney sleepovers?” He teased around a smile that she couldn’t see as her tears soaked his shirt, and it was that dampness pressed to his skin that made him drop his voice and sincerely whisper, “You didn’t allow yourself to get hurt, Rose. He chose to leave without saying a thing, you didn’t make that choice. All you did was fall in love, and yeah, it can suck sometimes, but you can’t take the blame for him being a dickhead.” There, he said it. He couldn’t help himself. The truth was coming out. Liam was a huge dickhead, and worse, for what he pulled.
He caught that she didn’t answer his question, but he wouldn’t press. Leon could only imagine what was going on in her head—her heart right now. In due time, she’d relax enough to let it all out. As it was, he knew she needed time to calm down, so he followed her as she derailed the topic—teasing, “I was promised a trip to DisneyLand if stayed your friend.” The soft look on his face betrayed the levity in his words, for they both knew that their friendship was built on more than that.
His eyes dropped to the slight curl of her lips when she stole an arm away from around his waist—and no, he didn’t mourn the loss, maybe, shut up—his own twisting at the edge into a shy smile as he playful whispered, “No, but you watch High School Musical on repeat, so you should know by now that you’ve got to get your head in the game and lead with your heart.” There was a flash of teeth, the briefest of grins—for it faltered as he shifted his palm to cup her cheek, thumb swiping away the few tears she missed. Damn Liam for making her cry. He wanted to shake his head in anger, mumble a few choice curses, but instead he let his tongue poke through his lips as he focused on erasing every last trace of sadness.
If only he wasn’t so oblivious to how intimate the action was, maybe he’d get somewhere here.
As she finally began to explain what went down between her and her ex-boyfriend at the park, Leon could feel his face shift with a mix of confuse and anger all over again. How? Just how could anyone, let alone the man who claimed to love her, hurt someone like Rose like that? He couldn’t fathom ever doing that to her. Not because of his feelings—feelings he didn’t fully understand, ones he never let himself think about—but because she was his best friend, he couldn’t imagine letting her down. Not ever. He knew Iris felt the same way, saw the way she was with Rose—knew that just about anyone would go to lengths to keep her happy. Maybe that’s why it upset him so much, that the one person who was meant to care the most for her simply hadn’t.
“He’s an ass,” he said bluntly, unable to bite his tongue this time. He’d always been careful what he said, afraid of being exiled again, but now he couldn’t hold back. “You can’t- You just- He needs to apologize! You don’t just disappear, come back, and give some lame excuse. You deserve more than that. I mean- you thought he died! And he, what? Just says that he needs to call?” He was irrationally upset and he knew it, quickly backtracked as he softened his voice and sought out her eyes as he assured, “You’re upset because you loved him, and it’s okay to be.” The way she was acting seemed as if she didn’t think she was allowed to mourn the loss of someone she loved, but she’d earned it just like anyone else. “I don’t know how much he loved you and I can’t speak for his actions, but I could see how you felt, and I know you cared for him and he hurt you. So be upset, Rose. It would be weird if you weren’t.”
And then because he couldn’t handle the weight the seriousness of his words brought on, he added much lighter, “And I promise to let you know any time I leave, okay? So you don’t have to worry about me disappearing. Not that I even go anywhere—but, you know, the thought that counts.” He was babbling, but maybe it was intentional. Anything to get a real smile. He was kind of desperate here.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on Mar 31, 2018 21:52:34 GMT
They were so close. So close together that if Alex had walked through the door just then he would have made some crude comment. Before immediately marching across the street to punch Liam. To punch a werewolf in the face who would heal in no time. That just added more aggravation and anger to how Rose was feeling. She couldn’t even physically hurt Liam in any way that would hurt for as long as she knew her heart would hurt for. Maybe Natalia could do it instead.
Uh, what was she thinking? She didn’t want to hurt him. Not really, anyway. She loved the boy even if that love had turned sickly and sour. A rotting apple in the place of her heart which she just needed to throw away and grow anew.
Forcing herself to think away from the world of wolfsbane and silver bullets. Rose returned to softer things- Leon touching her hair and stroking her bag. Calming, soothing. Leon was a solid rock in a swirling ocean. Something for Rose to cling onto and wait patiently with until the waves calmed. Her anchor. Then again, searching for anchors is one of the reasons Liam had disappeared so maybe Rose needed to give Leon a different term.
A lifejacket to keep her afloat instead of an anchor who weigh her down.
Leon was truly too good for Rose, always finding ways to make her laugh no matter how she was actually feeling. “Yeah, you fell for the bribes.” Rose replied, countless nights of bright coloured scenes all blurring into one. Such an easy thing to help support a friendship but so important to them. They were as inseparable as Tinkerbell and Peter Pan now but when Rose thought about it, like really thought about it, she had to wonder how strong that friendship was when he didn’t even know about who she was. What she and her family did. A path that had shaped so much of her life that she’d never be able to escape it. Hell, Leon didn’t know that Natalia, Liam or that all of his sister’s best friends weren’t human. So, Rose had to consider, one day, whether it was safe telling him or not.
Dickhead. Rose grimaced at that, sure, it was true but Liam had been her friend for so long that it hurt to think of him that way. That that was the only way he would now be viewed. All those years of friendship mixed with love coming to nothing more than anger and regret. What a mess. “You know, I don’t even think that the happiest place on earth would help right now.” Frankly, it obviously would have helped but Rose was feeling far too dramatic and melancholy to consider it.
Rose was about to say something about high school musical and how she was done with games when Leon’s hand on her face made her falter. Caught her mouth half-open as she watched his tongue and felt him wipe her face dry, or at least drier. The action slipped from her mind as she gave Leon the ten second version of what happened, even if the quicker beat of her heart kept on for a few minutes more.
The anger that Rose had felt being reflected on Leon’s own face came as a relief. He had done her dirty- she wasn’t being that overdramatic. “He’s an ass shoved into a dick.” Rose agreed, just getting the words in before Leon was talking about Liam needing to apologise.
Be upset. Damn right she should be upset. Even if the anger and sadness that had begun to bubble up was squashed down by Leon letting her know he would tell her if he left. It didn’t squash it down enough. “See- it’s annoying because I wasted my time with him. But not just with him but with his friends- people like Jaspar who I have never, ever gotten on with. I did it though, for him! And for what? So that he could leave me like some old candy wrapper because his dumb-wolf-brain can’t comprehend human emotion anymore? You know, things like empathy should be more apparent to him, given what he’s been through. Clearly not.” She inhaled then, having spoken too quickly and without thought. “I’m just glad that I don’t have to worry about my boyfriend and his damn cycles anymore. Because I don’t have a boyfriend and that’s going to be just fine.” She finished then, taking a step back and breaking contact with Leon. Her tears had stopped but her hands were shaking with a mixture of rage and… sudden realisation that she might have just let something slip whilst she wasn’t focussing on what she was saying.
For a second, she stood there, head spinning with what to do and what she’d just said. Shock mounting on her as she tried to remember every word. The combination of focusing too hard on remembering, being exhausted from crying and not having eaten yet had her vision going blurry and her body falling towards the floor.
Fuck, she’d fainted.
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Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on Apr 21, 2022 22:50:49 GMT
Leon tried, he really did, to catch every word that fell from her lips as she moved through his responses–harping on each carefully to not leave a strand of conversation untouched. He tried, okay? But when his eyes caught hers trained on his mouth as he desperately tried to erase every shed tear, well, his brain went haywire. He realized, then, how incredibly close they were to one another. Rose didn’t have a personal bubble and had no qualms on popping his. They were often hip-to-hip, pressed to one another’s side as if scared that if they lost sight of the other, they’d lose touch again. It was a strange desperate and co-dependent situation he hadn’t fathomed he would ever be in. When Rose had pulled away from him their sophomore year, he’d mourned the friendship. He thought he’d seen the last of that ray of sunlight, setting in the distance and night had been cast over his life–to be melodramatic, of course. Leon had a flair for weaving a haunting and moody tale. He was blinded by the sun rays peeking back into his life, shining down on him in a constant sun-shower after she’d roped him into apologizing to one another. He never thought he’d soak in that brilliant light again, but here they were. They would be pressed tight to each other’s side on the couch as they watched films, her body thrown over his legs as they lounged on his bed and played video games or did homework. They were so often tangled with one another, barely a breath of space between them, that he hadn’t even taken notice of how intimate this situation was. In honesty, how intimate most of their interactions were. He was so set on being just friends, repressing his feelings and praying that he didn’t fuck up that he hadn’t realized how incredibly close they always were to one another.
Why? God, why did he have to realize that right now? Of all times, he’d picked now to be observant and catch the way her eyes traced the swipe of his tongue–the way she leaned into his palm and soaked in his attempts at consoling her.
He was just tuning in, picking up on her aggression as she started to fidget in his hold. He tried to catch what she was saying, but he couldn’t make sense of it. Wolf-brain? Cycles? Was Leon so far in his own head that he was making up her dialogue? Trying to fill in gaps to the conversation he had missed? Or maybe it was some weird girl lingo he wasn’t up to date on. He knew girls would give guys weird nicknames to talk about them right in front of them without them ever realizing. Maybe this was what that was? Or she was saying he was a dog and going through cycles like a girl does on her period? Leon’s brain was racing, trying to make sense of this–so distracted that he almost didn’t feel her pull away from him. But then again, he always noticed when Rose was gone.
He snapped out of his stupor, realizing that what she said wasn’t nearly as important as the wounded look on her face, the panic in her hands as they began to tremble. Leon tried to say something, anything to get her to calm down, but it was too late. Her eyes rolled back as her knees buckled. Without thought, he was springing forward and wrapping his arms around her just before she hit the floor. It was moments like this (and well, this was the first moment, but he imagined that should other moments similar pop up, the feeling would still remain the same) that he was thankful he’d spent the summer getting back into shape. After his initial falling out with Rose, he’d all but locked himself in his room. He made very little effort to do more than complete his schoolwork and play video games. Cooper hadn’t helped much with that either, for he was a nerd much like himself. He had put on a few pounds and hadn’t really noticed until he’d gone swimming with Coop and Belle last summer. He’d been pale and pudgy and it was a wake-up call, though he hadn’t made an honest attempt until this summer. What time he didn’t spend with his friends or family, he spent running laps around the neighborhood or in the gym. He had wanted to get back into sports-playing shape, determined to make his senior year better than the rest of his time here. He was tanned from his time outdoors, strong from hours building muscle–he was much like the Leon he was before he’d gotten sick back in Wolverhampton. Still small in frame, there was no remedy for stature, but he was able to defend himself now.
He was able to slide one arm under Rose’s legs while the other wrapped around her back and cradled her to his chest. She fainted. He didn’t realize that people actually did that. He was in shock, looking down at her slumbering face as he tried to recall what she had been talking about, hoping it would give him some indication as to why this happened, but he’d been so lost in his own head that he couldn’t remember. It didn't matter in the end. She was still out cold and he was fumbling for what to do.
Leon was not the one to rely on in a situation of panic.
“Alex! Natalia!” Leon called out, taking a few steps further into the house, kicking the door shut behind him but he wasn’t able to lock it with his hands full. He didn’t receive an answer, but he tried again, “Mr. and Mrs. Harper?” Still nothing. A little desperate, he even tried, “Tall guy? Scared dude?” He knew their names were Sam and Max, but he couldn’t pull them to his lips at the moment. Nothing. No one was home. Letting out a long breath, he hoisted Rose a little higher and made his way upstairs and into her room. It was a familiar path, but it took him much longer as he took every step with care–not wanting to jostle her too much. He didn’t know much about fainting, but would rather be safe than sorry. He knew she’d been crying and was worked up and maybe her body just shut down from the stress of it all. Probably. He didn’t know.
Thankfully her door was open, he didn’t know what he would have done if it hadn’t been. Leon laid her down on her bed, pulling her blanket over her and watching her for a moment. She was so peaceful. He was so creepy. Shaking off the cringe of just standing there staring at her unconscious form, he turned his back to her and pulled his phone out. He sent a text to Iris, letting her know that Liam had gotten to Rose and that he was here with her now—leaving out that she fainted. He then sent a text to Alex, letting him know he was with Rose and she fainted–leaving out that Liam had gotten to her. Locking his phone and shoving it back in his pocket, he finally turned back to her. Still out. Great.
Taking a careful seat beside her, he placed his palm on her shoulder and wiggled her a little bit. “Wakey, wakey, Rose,” he chirped, nerves and unease clear in his voice, “I don’t know what to do, but I’ll pour water on you if I have to. They do that in movies, right?” He paused for a moment, recalling Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. His eyes fell to her lips, speaking without thinking because she couldn’t hear him, right? “Or, you know, wake you up with true love’s kiss, but consent, you know? God, how creepy would it be to just wake up with some dude kissing you–they, like, didn’t even know each other. Who just sees a sleeping girl and kisses them? I’m talking to myself, Rose. This is sad,” he sighed, giving her one final shake before he brought his palm to his lap and tangled his hands together–eyes closed and head dipped forward.
“I’m sorry this happened to you, flower,” he whispered, the nickname something he’d picked up recently. When Willow and Rose ganged up on him, he’d call them plants–and then separately, he’d taken to calling them tree and flower respectively. It’s become more endearing as time has gone on. “You deserve the world, you know? You’re so amazing and strong and anyone would be lucky to have you as theirs. I’m lucky to be just your friend, Rose. If I had the chance he had? I’d never leave. How could he just leave?” He let out a frustrated grunt, dropping his head to his hands and wove his fingers through his hair. How could someone like Liam get such an incredible girl and just toss her away? He couldn’t fathom it. He’d rather die.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on May 12, 2022 21:09:27 GMT
Way to play the damsel in distress, Rose. How absolutely cliché to faint after a romantic dilemma. Well, maybe more than a dilemma. Complete heartbreak? Okay, that was also a tad dramatic. Let down by the boy you loved – who you’d known for years? Yeah, that was more realistic.
Let down and boy, was she down.
One second she knew the cold, hard floor rushing towards her and in the next moment she was somewhere far, far away her head a complete muddle of everything that had happened. There were happy moments in her mind, golden glimmers of sunlight that she latched onto as she kept tumbling down. Baking with Iris, nose dusted with flour and stomach on edge from spoonsful of cupcake batter. Elena’s little giggle as Rose sat in front of her and animatedly spoke about her day because it was her favourite way to share gossip lately. Mainly because Rose gave all of the people she spoke about ridiculous accents and also because the people she mentioned were complete strangers. “And, Elena, then you’ll never guess what. This lady crossed the street and dropped her bag of groceries. There were apples rolling everywhere, and she went ‘oh no, my pie ingredients!’ Can you believe that, Ellie? Pie ingredients, like really? Just go to Sal’s we all know they do the best pies.” Maybe Rose could do with some older friends than her baby niece. Other moments stood out to her like Leon relinquishing and letting Rose watch Moana for the third time in two weeks because she kept messing up the Rock’s rap and wouldn’t settle until she aced it. Okay, maybe Elena needed a more grown up aunt on second thought.
Still, she fell and fell until she hit rock bottom. Or whatever mental pit this was. Some dark part which she attempted to push aside every single day to keep acting to the world like everything was completely normal. But nothing was normal. Not when your best friend got kidnapped and you blamed yourself for bringing her into the supernatural world. Not when your sister suddenly became the thing you’d been taught to kill right in front of your eyes. Not when a knife in her hand felt as commonplace as a pen. Not when your family name was notorious amongst other families for all the wrong reasons. Sabrina had trusted her that day in the preserve, more than Rose and her family deserved.
Leaving the world she’d grown up in felt incomprehensible but, equally, Rose could no longer stomach the thought of being a hunter. How could she when her older sister – who, arguably, was the biggest bitch in the world sometimes – had been turned? But someone had died recently and Natalia and Alex had gone over to Sam’s house to attend a meeting on how to deal with the issue. Werewolf attack. They’d all been quiet in the aftermath, the three Harper siblings sat on the edge of Natalia’s bed at a complete loss for what to do. Help, of course they would help. But their training had slipped, none of them quite as fit as they had been a year or so earlier and quite frankly, none of them wanted to load their pockets with weapons and their belts with guns. How could Rose have a friend as sweet and utterly normal as Leon and also be that girl?
It was that thought that kept tugging Rose down. Where would she find balance in her life? With Liam out of the picture that was one less supernatural tie to consider but there was still her sister, still her cousin and then there was her little monthly meetings with Sabrina. Okay, so that was only three people if she just mentally tallied those she spoke to on a regular-ish basis. That felt easy enough to ignore aside from the fact that she lived with Natalia.
Eventually, those glimmering bits of light shone even brighter and- wait, no that was just her eyes opening. Her mind felt a lot clearer than she’d anticipated, still, she blinked a few times mainly in her confusion at being in a completely different environment than she had been when she’d fainted. Propping herself up on her elbows, Rose reached out with one hand to poke Leon in the side. “Don’t look so stressed, I’m alive,” she said before looking around her room with a sour expression. There was a reason she hadn’t been waiting in it. Way too many pictures of Liam’s face.
Deciding that lying down with Leon sat gently on the bed felt far too much like she was on her deathbed, Rose sat up fully, drawing her knees up to her chest. “Did you catch me?” She asked, smoothing the blanket under her hand. She couldn’t remember one moment to the next particularly clearly. She had no idea how long she’d even fainted for. Long enough for Leon to bring her up here, “strong man,” she added, tapping against the muscles on his arm.
Rose rarely felt awkward, rarely felt she had nothing to say. To stay silent in this house when you lived with a ‘happy to turn into a living nightmare’ sister and a ‘happy to go on an impulsive five-week hike’ brother would be asking for trouble. So, Rose had learnt to speak up when she was younger to avoid getting too overshadowed by the power duo that were Alex and Natalia. When she’d started at Beacon Hills High the Harper name had followed her everywhere. Her siblings had been notorious, for good and bad reasons. It had been a lot of pressure for 14-year-old Rose but slowly she’d made her own way, until recently. Now, she felt like she had to start over again and sat in this room, having rather dramatically fainted, Rose couldn’t help but feel a little awkward and out of sorts. Yeah, she’d have to start over in more ways that one.
Sighing, Rose attempted a defeated smile. “Liam and I, we should have just stayed friends. It never mixes well, you take a chance and then you lose him when you could have just played it safe and stayed friends forever. I know he has his reasons but... still hurts.” A small shrug finalised her defeat. It would take time to put Liam in her past and for it not bother her. For now, at least, she could pretend it wasn’t too big of a deal as being sad and defeated was so boring compared to what she was normally used to and Rose was keen to bounce back from feeling flat.
“Do you know what I think we need... some pie,” Rose said, nodding to herself, “I got a fresh one from Sal’s a few days ago.” Rose’s family had never questioned the monthly stream of pies or cakes. They’d just put it down to Rose’s usual sweet tooth and the missing vials of wolfsbane had been brushed off as an inventory error. Rose had been the one to check through their supplies lately to make life easy for herself. She wasn’t sure if Sabrina would still need her as lately Sabrina had seemed a lot happier, eyes less lifeless, smile far easier. Rose tried to not pay attention to what had changed. She tried to not keep track of who Sabrina spent time with or anything about her, really. The less Rose knew, the better. Especially when Rose could see the difference in strength of Sabrina, how Sabrina seemed to run around the diner and barely break a sweat as she carried multiple plates stacked with steaming burgers. She’d found a pack that much Rose could tell. Rose rather felt like she needed a pack of her own. Or the human equivalent – she was quite happy to stay away from people who could rip out her throat with their teeth. “We can eat it in here, it’s on the side in the kitchen by the fridge. Unless Alex moved it, I know he was planning on having a slice for his breakfast.” Her brother could eat so strangely at times and had been known to have just about anything from breakfast. “If you could grab a couple slices, I can rip down all these pictures of Liam and tear them into teeny tiny shreds.” Maybe having claws would be useful. Then again, Rose was pretty sure they’d ruin any manicure. Leon had spent enough time in her house now to know his way around and without anyone else here, there’d be no risk of him having to make small talk with any of them.
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Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on May 14, 2022 20:39:24 GMT
Seconds ticked by, his breath caught in his throat as he slowly pulled his head away from his hands and swiveled his torso to face Rose. He’d just admitted more than he’d ever meant to. His tongue had been loose with the idea that she couldn’t hear him, his heart swelling with conflicting emotions and spilling over his lips without his consent. His chest ached with the weight of his held breath as his eyes scanned her face for a trace of alertness. A minute, maybe more (it wasn’t like he could really spare a glance at his watch), and she remained still. He hissed out the air that had been trapped in his lungs, shoulders deflating and body going lax. That would have been a mess. It would have been a catastrophe. He hadn’t said explicitly what he felt, hadn’t said ‘oh hey Rose, I know you just had your heart broken, but just wanted to pop in and let you know that I never would do that to you because you deserve the world and I couldn’t ever imagine hurting you because I’m certain I’m in love with you and have been for a long time and am petrified of ever losing you again’. Regardless, he hadn’t been very cryptic either. Rose could read between the lines. She wasn’t book smart, but she wasn’t stupid. Just because she slacked off on homework didn’t mean she wasn’t brilliant. Just because she hated going to class didn’t mean she didn’t love gushing to him about the plot of their assigned reading once she finally got around to it. Rose was so profound by simply existing. She was full of heart and love and Disney lyrics. Of courage and strength and beauty. She was a princess. Not Aurora or Snow White. She didn’t need true love’s kiss. She didn’t need someone to save her. She was Rapunzel and Moana. She saved the boy. She conquered her fears and put all claims against her character to rest. She saved herself. Leon’s eyes traced the shape of her face, hands falling to his lap as he took a moment to just look at her. He’d been so careful about it recently, scared he’d give something away with his eyes if she caught them. The longer Liam was gone, the more he realized he wished he had a chance. He’d pushed his feelings for her aside for so long, he was terrified of misstepping and causing that rift again because, in the end, it was these feelings that separated them.
He had denied it for a long time. He had blamed Jasper and Liam’s friends. They had been so nasty and cruel, but they hadn’t been wrong. When he first met Rose, he hadn’t had any intentions with her. He was still in love with Sophia, he just wanted a friend. But Rose grew on him. She had her pretty little thorns hooked into his skin and her roots tangled around his feet. When he woke up on her floor after their first sleepover, Christmas lights hanging low and the credits to an old Disney film playing in the background, and her hand was hanging off her bed and brushing over his soft curls he knew he was screwed. Even in sleep, she was there for him. It wasn’t romantic, it wasn’t some grand gesture. It was Rose being an incredible human being and making sure he was okay even while she slept. Because if he moved, she would have felt it. If he startled, she would have too. She knew how nervous he’d been and took that little step to make sure she’d be able to help him if something happened.
He hadn’t meant to fall for Rose, but no one ever plans to fall in love.
As the days passed, he found more reasons to be drawn to her. When one of those friends cornered him at the dance and berated him for getting so close to a taken girl, well, he agreed with the sentiment and removed himself from the situation. Rose had called Liam her ex at the time, but from the way his friends spoke, they must have not gotten the memo. It didn’t matter. Rose fell back into step with Liam and Leon had to find his own footing. It was a blessing and a curse. He found Cooper, he was able to grow on his own, but he lost such a bright flame in his life.
Now that he had her back, he couldn’t imagine losing her again.
Leon sighed, turning back to look at his hands as he flexed his fingers. He was thankful Rose hadn’t heard. As amazing as it would be to be with her, he couldn’t really see that as a reality. He would never jeopardize his friendship with her again. Back then, if he hadn’t been developing feelings, they would have never lost touch.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it had been long enough that when she stirred and poked him, he jumped. Leon never claimed to be graceful. He blushed and turned to face her as she adjusted herself on her bed. As she spoke, he calmed further. She really hadn’t heard because Rose was definitely the kind of person to harp on what he said. She wouldn’t let it slide. His cheeks deepened in color as she commented on his muscles, trying to play it off as he batted her hand away from his arm and teased, “Like I’d hear the end of it if I had let you fall.” Silently, though, he preened under the attention. She hadn’t really commented on his physique before, only his height. The comment had his stomach fluttering with butterflies.
His lips drew downwards into a frown as she began to speak, his heart stirring angrily in his chest at the mention of Liam. He never liked the guy but had never really been in a position where he could comment on that before. Even now, he felt he had to bite his tongue. As she mentioned his reasons, Leon recalled what she had said before she fainted. Wolf brain. Cycles, or something like that. He considered bringing it up but decided against it. She was under enough stress as it was, he didn’t want to add more on by asking about what he presumed was girl code. What else could that mean?
He waited for her to finish speaking, smiling sadly as he glanced around her room. He knew the pictures. He glared at them every time she wasn’t looking. Good riddance, he thought. But he wouldn’t say that. Patting her knee, he let his hand rest atop hers for a moment as he tried to find the right words. “Falling in love is never a bad thing, flower,” he started, pursing his lips for a moment before finishing, “It’s hard dealing with the fallout, but you were happy with him for some time. It wasn’t a complete waste. It helps shape you, you know? So if you want to rip up the pictures, I fully support you, but if you just want to hide them away for now? I support that too. Like you said, he was a friend first. You don’t have to forget it all. And you don’t have to forgive him either. Whatever helps you move on, Rose. That’s all that matters.” He smiled at her then, cheeky and sweet as he pushed himself to his feet and headed towards the door. “I’ll be back with pie.”
Leon tapped his knuckles on the doorframe before heading downstairs. He locked the front door now that his hands were free, knowing that anyone who needed to get in had a key and really not trusting that Liam wouldn’t try coming back to plead his case again. The guy seemed desperate, especially considering her cornered her alone at home instead of approaching her at school. He took his time in the kitchen. Alex had moved the pie, but it wasn’t hard to find. He cut two large slices, putting them on one plate and grabbing two forks. They were good about sharing–food and space, everything. Better to not dirty extra dishes as well. He glanced out the window that faced the driveway. No cars other than his own. It dawned on him to check his phone then. Iris and Alex had both texted back. He updated them each on the situation, telling Alex that Rose was okay and alert–that he didn’t have to come home anytime soon. He sent a quick message to Iris letting her know that Rose was wanting to be destructive with her memories of Liam. He hoped maybe she’d have some wise words to spare him on how to handle this because he didn’t know how many more of his own he had.
If Rose suggested something else to spite Liam, he feared he would agree instead of being the voice of reason.
Leon tucked the pie back where Rose said it originally was before gabbing two cans of soda as well as the plate. He felt it had been enough time for Rose to handle the pictures so he headed up the stairs.
“Am I good to come in?” He called out to her open door, staying a few steps back to give her privacy to finish up if that’s what she needed to do.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on Nov 27, 2022 17:10:04 GMT
The slight jump of Leon’s body was an added reminder to Rose that, no, under no circumstance would she let him know who her family were. That there were people walking through the halls of their high school who could shape shift and kill half of them without much of a second thought if they wanted to. She didn’t want - couldn’t stomach - the thought of the sweetest guy in her life being burdened with that information. It was the the nauseating fear of him checking over his shoulder, of tracking the moon’s cycles and holding his breath when a branch snapped under foot. That little lurch of his body when he hadn’t expected her touch was confirmation enough. As many muscles as he could put on, as many times as he could catch her, he wouldn’t be ready for the truth.
Or maybe Rose just wanted to keep him entirely separate. Separate and safe.
“Your movie picking privileges would have been revoked for the rest of the year if I’d ended up with a bruise, Lip,” she agreed, nodding in agreement to what he said. Lip was a stupid nickname she’d started calling him when she’d grabbed his passport, imitating a completely horrible British accent as she scanned through his personal details and came to the realisation that the initials to his name spelt Lip. It was only ever said in private between the two of them, often as a whine when she wasn’t getting her way or when she was saying goodnight, half mumbled as she drifted off to sleep mid movie.
She should have stayed quiet on talking about Liam. He truly wasn’t worth the discussion time even when her heart ached with each sentence. Replaying and reminiscing on that boy was not going to bring her any peace. Time, time had always seemed to help Natalia and Alex. Maybe it would work for Rose, too.
Not as much as destroying any trace of her former best friend and boyfriend would. Yeah, ripping his face up would definitely solve Rose’s roiling anger and growing annoyance at the whole situation.
Flower. Rose’s eyes lingered on his hand because at least there wasn’t a picture of her ex there and she couldn’t help but melt a little at the pet name. Leon’s hand was a constant reassurance, always there when she needed it - whether it was to catch a wasp in a glass or to guide Rose’s hand as she struggled with drawing a stupid straight line for her art class. Her gaze moved up to his face and that all-too-familiar smile as he stood up. His words lingered in her chest, softening some of that anger at the situation. Leon was right, of course he was right.
“Thanks, Leon,” she said as he passed through the doorframe, her words far smaller than they would normally be. An unusual quietness and stillness to her being that didn’t typically exist.
That sense of being still and subdued lasted for all of thirty seconds before Rose was bouncing to her feet, nearly stumbling with the head rush of it all and having to swing her arms out wide for balance. She could only imagine Leon’s teasing if he returned and found her on the floor once again. Turning in a (much slower now) circle, Rose knew she just had to start pulling the photos down. Starting with those that lined the edge of the mirror, before picking up the couple of picture frames with particularly cutesy shots of her and Liam in, Rose eventually got to the three that were positioned on the wall beside her bed.
Kneeling on her mattress, Rose studied the pile of images on her comforter, they spanned years and different moments. Friendship, dates, love. And now, nothing but empty spots in her room. The images from the wall by her bed had left faint rectangular marks around the edges having been up there for so long.
He was gone.
But she was different now as well.
Ripping them up felt a little unnecessary now so Rose just bundled them all up and threw them into the back of her closet. Truly dealing with them was a challenge for a different day.
After all, Leon was back with the pie which was a far more exciting and happy thought.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t hide out there,” Rose replied, smoothing her hair back before her ears as a grin split across her face. “Pie and soda, you’re such trouble,” she said as she padded back to her bed, pushing aside the empty feeling in her chest at all the gaps in her decorations and forcing herself to focus on what was in front of her.
Settling down, Rose scooted across the bed, making sure there was plenty of room for Leon before hurriedly grabbing one of the forks and digging in. No patience. No pleases. Just straight to eating and distracting herself. “I shoved it all in my closet,” she said as way of explanation, not bothering to take a full breath before scooping another mouthful of pie inside. “I was good and didn’t destroy them, I feel like that needs a more ceremonial burning event, so if you have anything to bring to the fire, please do.” Taking a pause, Rose lifted her eyes from the plate and studied Leon’s profile. She’d heard tidbits about Sophia and Belle but Leon often shied away from being too open with the details about people he’d dated before. Rose couldn’t guess whether he’d have their stuff to burn. Or even want to. Her gaze slipped, back to her mirror and the couple of photos still stuck there. One of her and Iris, an ice cream in their hands under a bright blue summer sky. Another of her and her siblings, the photo was over ten years old on Christmas morning in matching PJs which Natalia nearly had a fit over at the time. The last photo was of her and Leon, a picture that Willow had snapped of Rose trying to figure out how on earth she could beat him at Uno when he only had two cards left and she had ten. She’d only added the photo recently but it was the one she found herself looking at the most.
“Sorry for fainting, as much as I love the dramatics, I think that was a little too dramatic even for me.” Rose admitted, knocking her shoulder against Leon’s.
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Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on Nov 28, 2022 20:36:52 GMT
A soft huff of a laugh was breathed over his lips, head shaking at her joke as he rounded the corner into her room. His eyes were immediately drawn to the rectangles on her wall where the paint seemed a little brighter—freshly uncovered and newly exposed to the elements of the room. Leon didn’t let his gaze linger, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to the lack of photographs, but he couldn’t stop the corner of his lips from tugging upwards an inch. He was proud of her—and secretly elated that Liam’s dumb face wasn’t staring back at him anymore. There had always been a nagging feeling of guilt every time he sat beside Rose on her bed, every time she would drift to sleep with her head on his chest and her fingers curled tightly around the soft cotton of his henleys as a familiar Disney movie whispered in the background. He couldn’t help but feel like he was doing something wrong by being so close—by melting each time she murmured her nickname for him, by blushing as she shifted closer while gossiping and letting her hand rest high on his thigh as she reached across him. He felt guilty for all of his boyish reactions and his forbidden feelings. Liam was gone, but not in spirit. Not from her heart. At the end of the day, whether he kissed Rose goodnight or wrapped his arms around her in the school hall, he was still her boyfriend.
But now? Now he was gone. He was gone for good.
At least Leon hoped.
Not only for his own feelings—he couldn’t be that selfish—but for Rose’s. He’d been there to wipe traitorous tears from her cheeks, listening to her curse at herself for being weak for being upset. He’d turn her back towards him, careful hands cupping her chin and thumbs swiping the evidence away as he whispered soft assurances. Liam had hurt Rose. Leon would never forgive him, but his feelings about this didn’t really matter. If someday down the line Rose had a change of heart and gave Liam a second chance, he’d (begrudgingly) stand at her side. Whatever made Rose happy. Whatever made Rose thrive.
Leon would always hope that it was him who did those things, but he was man enough to accept a different outcome.
Friendship came first. Rose came first. He’d be whoever she needed him to. Leon didn’t want to be without her again.
“I think I know you well enough by now,” Leon hummed as he settled beside her on the bed, holding back a chuckle as she immediately dove into the pie still held in his hand, “Three bites in and you would have been complaining that you were parched and I’d have to run back downstairs because you know I can’t say no to that look you do.” Big round, honey-amber eyes blinking up at him like a begging puppy, her lips in a soft pout and hands wringing together—Leon could never say no. “I just saved myself a trip,” he laughed, reaching over to set her soda on the nightstand beside her and then turning to set his own on the post at the end of the bed. He readjusted the pie in his hold, deciding it was better to hold the plate then set it between them—not that there was much space to do that to begin with. Their knees brushed as he turned more towards her, eyes searching for any pain—any emotion she was trying to hide from him. She seemed calm, meeting his eyes head on as she admitted that she had only tucked the pictures out of sight. It was a start, and he began to smile as she considered burning them, but it faltered at the mention of bringing something of his own to destroy. He didn’t frown, but he looked away. Leon didn’t have any hard feelings against Sophia or Belle. He didn’t want to erase them—or rather, he didn’t need to. They had both helped build him, mold him into the person he was now. Sophia would always be special to him. He didn’t love her anymore, but he would always have love for her. Belle, well, that was different. He felt guilty that he couldn’t love her the way she wanted him to, that Rose had been a thorn in his chest that he couldn’t tug out. She was kind and gentle and sweet, but he couldn’t move on from Rose and he didn’t want to hurt Belle. He didn’t want to use her.
“Maybe my maths homework,” he finally teased, cutting his eyes to the side as he spared her a cheeky grin. He knew she wanted to know more about the girls, but he was grateful that she didn’t press. She had to know that if she asked, he would tell. He couldn’t stop himself from giving her what she wanted. He liked to blame that on the time they’d spent apart, trying to make up for the dramatics of his own that had kept him from her. “But you don’t have to do anything to them,” Leon reminded, being the voice of reason he was always apt to be, “Unless that’s what you really want. I support any decision you make.” He bit his lip, dipping his fork delicately into the pie and shoveling the desert into his mouth. “I do like the idea of melting his smug face though,” his words were muffled around his mouthful, purposefully done to make her laugh. He has always tried to stay on the fence about Liam, always tried to be supportive—but he couldn’t help himself now. Part of him needed her to know that he didn’t like him and it felt okay now to let that be known. Even if she only took it as a joke, at least he got it out of his system.
He swallowed down the pie, hesitating to take another forkful at her apology. Shaking his head, he dug into the desert once more but didn’t bring it to his lips—just ensuring that he still had a bite to eat with the pace she was going. “You don’t have to apologize, Rose,” he promised sincerely, falling back into place after she’d jostled him with her shoulder, “I’m just happy I was here to catch you.” He wanted to say something cheesy about her falling for him, but the joke felt wrong in his mouth. Too soon after Liam. Too hopeful that it was true to even dare to say the words.
He turned then, eyeing the empty spots a bit more boldly now. “I’m sure Willow has plenty of pictures of us if you’d like,” he offered, gaze resting upon the photograph of them playing UNO. His heart clenched at the sight of it, reading the doe-eyed look captured in his eyes and praying that it wasn’t as obvious to Rose as it was to him. “And you know Iris has a ton of you two,” he added, not wanting it to sound as though he was replacing Liam with himself (like he wished he could), “The walls don’t have to be empty.”
There were other good memories caught on film. The walls didn’t have to remain blank. She didn’t have to be reminded of what she lost every time she glanced around the room.
He ate his piece of pie then, promptly shutting himself up and giving her the chance to speak before he said something reckless.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on Jan 11, 2023 20:26:39 GMT
Swallowing around overly large mouthfuls of deliciously sweet and perfectly soft crust, Rose smiled innocently because of course she would have complained. But was it really her fault if her stomach took control of her mouth? No way, Rose couldn’t be responsible for hanger or severe dehydration. Those round eyes of hers noticed the drop in light from his smile, her leg shifted, a gentle push against his. A silent sorry if he didn’t want to talk about it. Over the months she’d developed a collection of tells and twitches around him. Leg presses when she’d maybe stepped too far. A hand on the arm when she couldn’t believe something they were watching or talking about. Knocking her elbow against his when she had to tell him something right then and there, and no, in five minutes wouldn’t do.
He looked away and Rose’s mind spun, trying to pull something out to move the conversation away from whatever past he was gazing back at.
But as her lips were parting, he spoke and Rose grinned bubbly and bright. “Maths homework should be burned the moment it’s put on our desks.” She agreed, forever a hater for equations and angles and multiplication and whatever other nonsense her teacher was trying to drill into her brain that week. She was scooping more pie into her mouth, cheeks full and keeping her silent at his level-headed suggestion. That was until a laugh erupted from her, half turning into a cough as she battled with the pie in her mouth. “What did I tell you about saying funny things when I had my mouth full?” She got out, reaching across him, arm brushing against his chest as she reached for her soda. She was already cracking it open, a satisfying hiss filling the room as she sat back, the plate and her last mouthful or so of pie miraculously still in touch without destroying her bed. Taking a handful of sips in quick succession, nose scrunching up as bubbles hit it and slowing down the process of easing her throat where crumbs from Leon making her laugh were still attempting to fight back.
Her apology came a few moments later, the bubbles temporarily clearing her mind. His words were sweet and so classically Leon that she could only stay quiet, a pang of sadness hitting her chest. Without Leon here she’d be so incredibly alone right now. Sure, she had Iris but Iris was besotted with Jensen and even though Rose would sometimes gatecrash their date nights when Ellie’s crying got a little too ear-splitting, it wasn’t the same as a fellow singleton. Jamie had all but given up on Rose with Rose’s last five messages to her cousin going unread and unanswered, the weight heavy on her mind though she wouldn’t admit it. After that… the options of who to reliably turn to fell a little flat. So it was Leon who she messaged everyday, Leon who was the person at the end of most phone calls, Leon who she needed to tell every little thing to.
“Yeah, I’m going to be raiding everyone’s camera roll first thing tomorrow, don’t you worry,” she replied, eyeing her last bite of pie but feeling as if she’d lost her appetite somewhat. Noticing he’d finished his slice, Rose said in an entirely uncharacteristic and probably more worrying than any of her other reactions to Liam’s departure way, “you can have the rest of mine.” In fact, she was starting to feel nauseatingly overwhelmed. The reality of the situation sinking in. He was gone. Liam wasn’t hers. She wasn’t his. She had no idea who to be. Liam had been a steadfast friend her whole life and now, now… Rose placed her fork on the plate, both hands gripping the edges of her can. “No, no, because Leon, what do I do at school tomorrow? What if they’re all there?” Skylar… Jasper… Liam… no she was maybe going to be sick or faint again, her skin paling by the second. “Or are they all so disgustingly horrible that they came back just for this to happen and then they’ll all disappear?” Her words were fast, a torrent of questions without giving Leon a beat to respond or try to input any reason. “Why would he kiss me just to remind me of why we wouldn’t work? I mean we’d be like Romeo and Juliet these days, anyway so obviously, obviously I know that we can’t be an us. Honestly Leon, I’m done with boys and with love and with putting my heart out there because look where it got me, fainting in my own home like an idiot.” One hand covered her face, her word vomit finally easing. It dawned on her then with her eyes closed and lips finally taping themselves shut… Romeo and Juliet… if he’d managed to keep up with what she was saying, surely he’d question that or maybe, hopefully, he’d just put it down to standard Rose dramatics. Pathetically, she lifted her drink, taking a very slow sip and cutting her eyes back to Leon. “One of these days, please smother me with a pillow when I start word vomiting like that.”
Half of what she said was false anyway.
She could never tuck her heart away. It was always right there, beating happily on her sleeve.
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Human
Written by Megan.
78 posts.
18 years old.
crushin'.
I am Male.
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Post by Leon Pratt on Jan 17, 2023 0:35:17 GMT
The soft press of Rose’s leg into his had his eyes batting up softly to meet hers. A tiny, private smile lifted the right corner of his lips, his thigh pushing back into hers for a second before the moment faded into another unspoken secret. At some point, they’d developed this language of subtle touches. It had happened after their separation, quiet promises to one another that they saw what was unsaid and they cared enough to acknowledge, but not bring it up. They don't overlook the small things the way they used to. They had learned how important it was to be there for one another. In this moment, like many others, they were all each other had. They each had their own signals, their own little messages. Leon was softer than Rose (big surprise there), his touches more slow and careful than her knocking elbows and giddy hands. He would brush his knuckles against hers when she’d frown, brows drawn close when she’d meet his eye—a silent acknowledgement to talk about it later. His hand would press carefully to the small of her back when she’d go rigid, a comforting notion to let her know she wasn’t alone (this one was often used when an acquaintance would bring up Liam or gossip about her family). His favorite, though, was when he’d smooth down her hair, flattening the tufts of it she had displaced when she’d get frustrated—over homework or a person or a situation, it didn’t matter. Leon liked that he could run his hand over her soft locks and settle her nerves—that he had that ability, that power. It went unsaid. The way they cared for one another didn’t need words.
He let out a short laugh at her joke about the homework, nodding empathetically. Rarely did they see eye to eye on school work. With Leon being a straight A student and Rose just barely passing, they often disagreed about the importance of homework, but maths? It was easily his least favorite and the homework felt redundant.
Leon was impressed when she managed to keep her pie from spraying all over him as she laughed. He wasn’t always so lucky, and really, he knew better than to joke with her when she was eating, but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. It had to be said. That boundary had to be tested, and for her to laugh? It felt like he’d made the right call. He didn’t comment on it, instead shrugging and taking another bite of his own pie to hide his playful, sneaky smile.
But the cockiness didn’t last, cheeks going bright red as she rubbed against him as she leaned past. He turned his head away, taking in a deep breath and willing the blood to rush anywhere (no, correction—not anywhere, just somewhere safe) else. One, two, three inhales later and he felt the heat simmer from his face and he was able to meet her eyes again. He wishes he hadn’t, though. The serious look that overcame her features had him leaning forward, his brows arching as she offered him the rest of her food. He didn’t have a chance to deny it before she was rambling off again, and she spoke so quickly that he barely could make sense of what she was saying. He set the plate down a safe distance behind the both of them on the bed so he could reach out with both hands and clasp her shoulders as she prattled on. Snippets of the conversation stuck out to him. Tomorrow. Disappear. Kiss. Romeo and Juliet. His eyebrows furrowed then, nose scrunching in the cute, bunny-like way it did when something caught him off guard and confused him. That was the second time she’d said something odd when talking about her relationship with Liam, he realized, but he didn’t know what she meant by it. He never asked for too many details about the romance the two had shared. It made him bitter and he didn’t want to come off that way, so he always found a way to keep quiet when she brought him up—offering small advice and reassurances when needed. He didn’t know if maybe her parents didn’t like Liam or there was some feud between Rose and his but now didn’t feel like the best time to ask. Part of him figured she was saying it for the dramatics of it all.
He prayed she was just being dramatic.
It was a small blessing that Rose turned away to grab her soda when she did. Leon feared what she’d find on his face if she were to meet his eyes now. Done with boys and with love? Leon swallowed hard, blinking the sudden dampness from his eyes as his own heart shattered. It was stupid, so damn stupid for him to think he stood a chance. What did he think was going to happen, huh? She breaks up with Liam and leaps into his arms? Fat chance. He couldn’t believe he’d let himself get so deluded, that he really had hope that she’d like him back.
Stop, Leon. Breathe.
He always knew this would be the outcome. He knew that. He’d told himself he was okay just being her friend and he meant it.
He did.
It was time to prove it.
“Hey,” he soothed, hoping she read the pain he couldn’t keep from his face as sympathy, “Come here.” He reached out for her after she set her drink back down, letting her collapse into his chest. His left arm wrapped snugly around her waist while his right hand rested on the back of her head—tucking it deep into the crook of his neck, fingers running through her hair to soothe her (and maybe himself too). It hurt to have her so close, but it was better than risking her reading his features and figuring out his darkest secret. Rose could never know he liked her. What she’d just said was all he’d needed to hear. It’s what he’d known all along.
Leon was in the friendzone.
“You’ll have me and Iris and Willow,” he assured, combing his fingers through her hair and trying to even out his heartbeat to soothe her, “One of us will always be with you. I can’t promise they will or won’t be there, but I can promise that we will, alright?” He shifted slightly so he was facing her more directly, their chests resting against one another. “You’re not an idiot. Love can be challenging sometimes,” and didn’t he know that, “If you need a break from love, I’ll beat the boys off with a stick.” He laughed then, using his hold on her head to push it closer to his neck as he teased, “And I won’t have to use a pillow if I smother you like this.” His laughter boomed for a few seconds as he held her there before relenting and letting her pull back if she wanted.
He was afraid of what was hidden in his eyes, but knew Rose well enough that she likely wouldn’t read it for what it was. She could be… dense like that sometimes. Now more than ever, he appreciated that trait.
“More than anything,” he promised, ending his own little rant, “You have me to fall back on. I won’t let them hurt you anymore.” He hoped it was one that he could keep.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
517 posts.
17 years old.
sad.
I am Female.
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Post by Rose Harper on Feb 7, 2023 20:36:35 GMT
One of these days Rose would slow down when she was talking, she’d check properly before she crossed a road and she’d eat at a leisurely pace. Calm, collected, relaxed. That would happen in her future at some point (right?) but for now… for now, Rose slurped on her drink, bubbles cascading down her throat as she mulled on what she’d just said. And all of it to Leon. How he still stuck around when she could be so over the top and infuriating was a mystery. But Rose was endlessly grateful.
Hey. It was a call back to reality, attention jostling away from herself - although, that wasn’t fully possible when he was here entirely because of her issues - Rose set her soda down, hands settling in her lap for the briefest moment before her arms were wrapping around Leon’s waist, head easily settling into his shoulder. His hand in her hair was a comfort she couldn’t fully comprehend. Was she a bad person for seeking solace in another guy minutes after officially ending it all with her boyfriend - well, ex-boyfriend? Or you know what, Rose, lets save the melodramatic inner questions.
She was watching him from lowered lashes, an unfamiliar sadness filling her. She did so much in her life to push away the negativity, to fill any moments of quiet with noise and excitement because, well, if she didn’t, she feared she’d end up like her siblings. Bitter or dependent on some substance to get them through the day. Even if they both seemed to be changing. Softening. Although, Natalia softening didn’t mean much when she still managed to push Rose back at any given opportunity.
But the sadness pulled away as Leon joked with her and she could picture it so clearly. Him holding a stick which was probably too scrawny to make much of an impact as any boy attempted to approach her. She could hardly tell him it was an unnecessary move, no one had ever really showed that much interest in her unless they actually knew her. She could be, as someone once said to her, a little too much which she was fine with. She didn’t need a crowd of people following after her. Not when she had someone like Leon.
She pretended to squirm and attempt to free herself as he ‘smothered’ her, “help, help,” she chuckled out, straightening up and pushing his arm jokingly as she did so. “Smothering is not your strong suit,” she informed him but that smile was back, the world seeming to shift into a warmer, brighter hue.
The smile remained even as his words turned a little more serious. “I was shit with you when they were here. Give me a few days to cry about it and I’ll be glad they’re gone.” She reassured him, her hands moving to give his shoulders a squeeze now. “But thanks, LeLe.”
"Classic double feature until we fall asleep?" She asked and Leon hesitated for a moment, seeming as if he wanted to make a point but the request in Rose's eye mixed with her nails lightly digging into his shoulder made him pause before nodding. Grinning, Rose grabbed her laptop, once again making it seem as if every object in the room was at risk of falling to the ground, and settled back down on her bed next to Leon. The evening blurred by and with each colourful scene, Rose relaxed more and more until eventually she was asleep, all of the drama of the day melting away as her head used Leon's shoulder as a pillow. When morning rolled around, Rose found herself under the covers, her room tidied away of pie and soda cans but Leon was also gone, except-
"You should shower, you stink," Alex swung her door open and Leon was there a foot behind him, still in his clothes from the night before and looking as if he hadn't slept all that much. Oh, poop, had she kept him awake? "Plus, no boys in your room," Alex added, his grin devilish as Leon turned bright red although Rose's eyes were still fairly bleary and she didn't really notice that much. "Be ready in twenty, I'll drop you both off at school."
As she jumped in the shower for the quickest wash of her life, Rose couldn't help but be endlessly grateful that Leon had stuck around.
She wasn't going to let him go anytime soon.
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