Cooper choked on the blood pooling in his mouth, pushing his body in an attempt to get to Corvus. "Help— Help me." He choked, the blood dripping down onto his chin.
They were in seventh year and Corvus's eyes welled with sadness. They began to flood, tears pricking and beginning to fall. "I'm trying, Cooper." He whispered, his hand extending to the boy. "I'm sorry."
"Help me, Corvus, please." Cooper was sobbing, so so afraid of dying. His heart was rattling like a bird stuck in a cage. His mousy hair was curled around his face, framing it perfectly. His green eyes were black around the edges. His nose was crooked now and at least a finger was missing. "Don't let me die here."
"I'm trying, Coop." Corvus repeated, his voice getting softer as he closed his eyes tightly. There were footsteps coming closer and Corvus looked as if he were trying to reprogram himself. "I'm trying."
Ara appeared around the corner, looking out of breath in his muscular fifteen year old body. "She's coming," he breathed harshly. His chest heaved as he moved toward Corvus. "She's coming, we have to get him out now."
"She'll kill us, Ara." Corvus whispered, turning away in what Cooper assumed to be an attempt to not see the hurt that flashed across Cooper's face.
"She'll kill him."
-
Draya let out a shaky breath, pulling Caliban closer to her to peck his lips once. "We can't— We can't do this everyday—" She tried, letting her words branch off as he cupped her cheeks.
"We'll be fine," he promised softly, kissing her forehead once. "No one will know."
"Leonie will find out—" Draya attempted once more, allowing her resolve to chip as he buried his face into her hair. "My mother."
"Come to mine, tell Leonie that you're seeing me. She won't tell, Sviat would never forgive her." Caliban plotted with a whisper, feeling Draya's body relax.
Draya nodded once, then twice, then three times and she allowed herself to fully fall into Caliban's arms. "They want me to get married, y'know."
"Nothing better than a Leatherwood, I'll tell you that." Caliban quipped, earning a shaky laugh from Draya as she kissed his shoulder.
-
Leonie watched Sviat intensely, her eyes trained on the machine in front of them. It was night and the two had snuck out, sick of the meeting and loosening their formal clothing so that it didn't feel quite as suffocating. "What is this?" She questioned softly, breaking the silent night along with the thud of the snack.
"Vending machine, it's for mortals." Sviat hummed softly, his voice fraying at the edges. The meeting hadn't gone well for them. Everyone was demanding a wedding. Soon, as soon as they graduated. Leonie, as much as she claimed to love Sviat, felt her heart break with his as he realized he'd have to stop his fling with his boyfriend.
"It just— Gives you food?" Leonie guessed slowly, furrowing her brows as Sviat barked out a laugh.
"Here," he shook his head quietly, handing her a dollar. "Put this in the slit," he instructed first, watching Leonie move her hand in an unsure motion before he grabbed it to lead her.
Her ribs clenched this time, she thought, a fluttering feeling breaking throughout her body. "Oh." She murmured, allowing Sviat to pull her. "Oh!" She exclaimed after a moment, watching the dollar he had given her disappear into the vending machine.
"Now, what do you want?" He inquired, gesturing towards the glass that showcased the snacks. "A drink? Food?"
"That," she pointed at a green bottle after a moment, frowning. "I like the color."
Sviat barked out another laugh, tapping once on the glass. "It's B7, so press the B button." Leonie followed the order, "Now press the 7 button." Leonie did so, watching the bottle be pushed by the metal.
She clapped gleefully when it hit the bottom of the machine, Sviat leaning down to grab it for her. "Cheers to my fiancé," he joked, his smile akin to that of sin. "Who has finally learned how to use a mortal instrument."
(-clique )
