rhilentless

DND Recipes - Gwen's Tea

My first DND OC recipe! For new patrons, Gwendolyn Ceorfan Bjørnstrottir was one of my first DND 5e character that I played in my campaign, The Wayward Wanderers. She was the moral compass of the party, a very stereotypical Divine Oath Paladin, lawful good and what not. 

She was born in a very Nordic inspired country, with ties to both Nordic faith and Celtic (as she was named after my grandmother), and has a very cosy warmth about her, so I always associated her smell to cinnamon. 

Ergo...here's her recipe, that I've made many many times (to the point that I've become infamous amongst my American and Canadian friends), so please give a go and enjoy! 

The War Caster

Recent shoot with SoSayWeAll Photography for their Knightcore collaboration with LarpSpot!

There were so many layers on me and the forecast lied, so it was WAY WARMER than it was meant to be, so I was dying. But pictures from Kieran are always worth it! I am absolutely floored by these and especially since I got to show off the staff my mother made for me. 

I'll do a seperate post with all of the closeups to show it off, because she put so much work into it! It was a gift for my 25th birthday (I received it after my 26th birthday) and it is the most beautiful gift I've ever been given. 

In any case, we were trying to work out what dnd class I would be and I'm leaning towards some kind of battle magic user, with the war caster feat! Help me out in the comments?  

Wedding Night Peach

I'm a huge sucker for Peach and Bowser so I whipped up a look after a day of shooting Paladin Peach to create what I think their wedding night would look like. Honestly, I think she would play the damsel at first before warming up to a fun evening >:3

I also wanted to mimic that kinda of 80s fantasy look, similar to Legend and Ever After with the dreamy colour blur and saturation. So I used a mix of Lightroom and Prequel to give the desired effect and I think I achieved it pretty well. Of course my phone is all I could use to take the shots, so I'm convincing a photographer friend of mine to help with redoing this shoot along with a spicy Daphne and Velma look too. 

I might also have a mermaid shoot coming up on the horizon if the weather permits! 

Thank you all for sticking around during my last couple of disorganised months! Life has been rough so it means the world that you've stayed and kept supporting me through it! 

DND 5E - Magic Weapons (Homebrew)

So if some of you recall, I attempted to design cool swords during Swordtember! Well I only got through four but two of them were so inspiring to myself and Griffin.d that we worked on making them into useable magic items for 5E! 

Griffin created their magic abilities and limitations and I made it look as authentic as possible using Homebrewery and my art! 

Feel free to use! But I ask that you don't share the page publicly! 

POWERFUL AND ALMIGHTY GODS

Hi guys, sorry everything's a bit behind schedule - my mother and Nonna have been in and out of hospital the last few weeks so I've been running between the two to help as my Nonna has been fighting skin cancer. 

SO PLAYING CATCH UP ONCE AGAIN

This is the shoot Stevie and I took of our Tulio and Miguel when I was with her for thanksgiving! It was very fun and last minute but I love how they turned out!

Bardic Inspiration...

The January spice was a little softer as I was at Hulda's family home in Norway and they weren't great with the concept of knocking! (Lovely people however). Of course, these were taken by the wonderful Hulda! Please go and check out her socials over at @ahobbitstale

I wanted to play with more suggestive poses and expressions so I'll maybe have a play around with this sort of concept again in the coming months! 

February cosplay set comes tomorrow and then our first TTRPG content drop! 

Thank you as always for your continued support! And don't forget to join the discord! 

January Sketch Pile

APOLOGIES THERE'LL BE A FEW SPOILERS FOR HEROES OF BASTION!!

Playing catch up on the weeks I've missed since I've been here, there and everywhere except for home! 

This week is catch up week until we're back to our normal scheduling! 

Let me know if you have any questions about my art for example; where I get my references/lighting techniques ect

Journey to the Past...

I am still flabbergasted that I got to cosplay my girl finally after so many years of wanting to shoot her in the snow! She's not the most accurate yet, especially since I lost the original cardigan somewhere in the US on my trip, but I think I still managed to pull her off quite well! 

Ahobbitstale did a beautiful job taking and editing these pictures so please so her some love on her socials (under the same handle) and know that these will be going on my print shop that is NOW OFFICIALLY OPENING NEXT MONDAY! (I got help setting up, finally!)

I'll be posting a lot this week and next to get up to date with my new schedule and then February will be set to go from the start! Oh and keep an eye on discord for secret updates on cosplays and shoots to come >:3

After all...next month is Valentine's and Februfairy...

2023 Monthly Schedule

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful ring in to 2023, like myself - with good company and exciting goals, not to sound too cheesy!

Now above is the new schedule for my Patreon posts and unless stated otherwise, I'll be sticking to this every month, though it may be subject to change during my birthday month or when I've managed to pick up work acting!

I recommend if you haven't already, check out the discord for the latest updates, sneak peaks and art streams. Commission openings and pricings will be listed there first and every patreon will receive a discount on commissions from me and to add to this, when my print shop opens up (hopefully) this week, Patreons will receive an exclusive print for free!

Thank you as always for your continued support you've made so much possible for me and you have endeavoured to keep me passionate about creating content! I love you all so much and I wish you all a wonderful day!

Keep your eyes peeled for this week's cosplay post tomorrow!

Selina's Christmas Wish...

I wonder what she wished for? Maybe more diamonds? Or perhaps a certain bat...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! This year has been so up and down for me and I wanted to thank the lot of you who have supported me the whole way through!

Now that I've taken the step to make content creation, performance and art my new career you support means the world and I'm going to be making sure you see every little splurge of creation and every bout of insanity!

I wish the absolute best for all of you and if you want more immediate sneak peeks, art streams, dnd games and fun hangouts in the New Year, then don't forget to join the Discord group!

Have a wonderful, magical day!

How the Cat stole Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! This year has been so up and down for me and I wanted to thank the lot of you who have supported me the whole way through!

Now that I've taken the step to make content creation, performance and art my new career you support means the world and I'm going to be making sure you see every little splurge of creation and every bout of insanity! 

I wish the absolute best for all of you and if you want more immediate sneak peeks, art streams, dnd games and fun hangouts in the New Year, then don't forget to join the Discord group! 

Have a wonderful, magical day!

(You'll see a copy of this post in the SFW tiers!) 

Spicy Kittie WIPS

Hey NSFW gang! It's been a while since I posted something just for you, so here's a little treat of some spicy art I worked on for Bonnie and Kit from my dnd game Frankenpunk (currently on a hiatus until 2023). 

For those who don't know, Bonnie is a tiefling Artificer and Kit is a human paladin. Our game has direct influences from classic literature and both of these characters are descended from characters from Dracula, Bonnie being the daughter of Mina and Jonathan and Kit is the son of Morris. 

Both are slowly cursed to go mad so there's a sweet tragic love between the pair, and it's implied Kit might become a vampire, so I played about with the idea!

A Tangled Adventure! ft my 3m long wig

Hello everyone!

Sorry there has been near no head nor tail of me since the start of the month! If any of you have been up to date with my socials, you'll know I've crossed the pond to see friends over in the US and Canada for two months! 

I've however been on top of making a bunch of things for you and I have loads to share!!! Art will be on the way as will homebrew items for your world and some upcoming, personalised character sheets!

But for now, cosplay content! Here is my delightful girlie, Rapunzel in both her short and long hair phases! I'm so glad I was finally able to do a full shoot with her and especially with the long wig, which ended up being 3m long, with lights! 

I'll post up soon how I made it and what I learned from making it (eg mistakes I made!) 

The dress was made by one of my best friends, Madharrycostumes <3

And the shoot was by the amazing Criswardphoto, who has taken a few of my previous shoots too, including the Edwardian witch!! 

I hope you enjoy seeing these and choose some favourites to go in the print shop that I'll be opening up next week! 

And before I go, don't forget to join the discord to actually play some dnd together when I'm back from my travels and see the first posts for most of my content!

Paladin of Robin Hood Stride

Here's the photos to accompany my latest bunch of DND tiktoks with my paladin look, this time without the Gwen hair and makeup. 

I really wanted to try for a more androgynous aesthetic with my new hair and I think I achieved it! The photographer I worked with is called Louis Painter and while there were a couple frustrations with the shoot, I overall had a good time.

Funnily enough, we experienced a WHOLE ARRAY of weather, from cloudy skies to full torrential storm, to bright, clear skies and sunshine (which caused a rainbow!) ✨

I'm finally going to be opening prints this month so be prepared for these to make an appearance 😈💕

AND ON THE OFF TOPIC OF DND, IF YOU HAVENT YET, JOIN THE DISCORD SERVER!

I've been posting a lot frequently on there, art livestream, and we'll be playing DND oneshots together!!!

The Discord is live!

Please, feel free to join the server! It's the first time I've made one so if anything doesn't work, just lemme know! 

New features - Patreon Only BTS

I want a way to share a lot more behind the scenes works with you guys that helps work with my adhd!

So help me choose between the following! (Or if you have other suggestions, please comment!)

Suelo - Shadow Sorcerer

(Go to the bottom for month updates)

Backstory | Character Sheet

Time to introduce you guys to another dnd oc of mine, Suelo. She's my half djinn, shadow sorcerer. 

She is level 14 now and I THRIVE playing here, truly. My dm is Griffin.d on Tiktok and Instagram and my party include Vainvirgo and Stevie.Bones.

We've done alot together including; fighting a Frostwind Virago, a Mockery Monarch and swarm of Mockey Drones, an Ancient Dragon Lich and Verdant Prince who combined in second stage, a Green Dragon, the forces of hell led by the Princess of Erinyes, The Wild Hunt, a homebrew shadow-wolf-monster made from nightmares, shadows and wishes unfilled (which was honestly the worst because my abilities healed him), a Glaistig, a monk doppleganger (who had framed me for over 10 COUNTS OF REGICIDE) and recently a Klurichir.

I've also managed to bed an Ancient Blue Dragon, (and our now permanent party npc sea elf and a wood elf artificer).

I love her design a lot, though - her hair constantly blows about her gently but tend to go into a whipped flurry when she's emotional. The tips of her hair wisp into shadow and her white/grey eyes brighten when she uses magic. On her leg is an ornate spell tattoo of Plane Shift that I can use once per long rest - I actually had to get this done twice (it took 20 hours straight in game). 

Both times, I had Suelo inhale poison that dropped her strength temporarily to 0 so she was paralysed; that way when Griffin rolled for the 20th level Cleric to tattoo her, he could do it with advantage. The first time he rolled pretty well but whenever I used it we had to roll a d100 and a 1-6 I would plane shift but without my leg. YEP. I lose my WHOLE ASS LEG. However on a 7-10, the tattoo would burn and sizzle and become unusable and on a 11-15 it would disappear. 

As you might guess, it disappeared, so I had it done again and Griffin rolled a nat 20, so now its permanent with no risk. 

BACK TO HER DESIGN NOW, she has crystal growing around her ear, though she's missing a shard...which might be important...we'll see, and she's covered in dark blue freckles. She wears a silver and onyx anklet, imbued with iron barkskin (upgraded barkskin enchantment) which gives me a nice 21 AC with my dex bonus, and she wears white ankle boots, (that make her fast af). 

Oh! And finally, in her hair - weaved into her hair are fairy locks that convey the message that she is not to be tricked by fey. It was weaved by a pixie that she befriended and traded true names with and he now lives in our Manor. His real name is Ellywick but his nickname that she gave him is Petalhead because he wears flowers on his head as hats all the time! 

I'll be sharing NPC art soon as well as all of our loot, Manor, town renovations and our plans for the university we're building! I'll also share with you all of the pictures of our cosplay and any upcoming recordings we manage to snag of our crazy sessions! 

If there's anything in particular you'd like to see more of this month, please let me know! 

Plans for this month include:
- New Gwen shoot
- NSFW Daphne Blake shoot
- Rapunzel Shoot
- Updates for Podcast with A Hobbits Tale
- New dnd character designs (potential adoptables?) 

The Ripley Boulevard Mysteries - Kitty May

Good evening, starlight! 

We're getting back into posting with some good ol' fashioned ttrpg content! The Ripley Boulevard Mysteries is a Monster of the Week game run by Stevie Bones, set in the LA during the Roaring 20s.

This here is Kitty May, a wannabe actress who's come from rural Jersey to pave her way into Hollywood. Obsessed with Marilyn Monroe, this auburn beauty has turned herself into a blonde bombshell to catch the eye of any big director but instead has caught the eye of a gentleman named Enoch. He's a charmer, handsome and very well educated, the catch? He's dead.

Now rather unlikely roommates in the old manor turned apartments, Kitty and Enoch bond, truths surrounding his death maybe coming to light as they do. All the while Enoch falls head over heels for his blonde, living companion and maybe occasionally tries to bring about a quick and early demise so she can join him on the other side. 

Kitty is the Pararomantic class, when you have a (most likely intimate) connection to some supernatural being who is your guide into the world beyond. 

We have yet to play but I'm so so excited and I would love some ideas! I've barely built up her backstory from her home in Jersey! If you have any ideas to share, please do!! 

(The art features an old werewolf pc that is no longer in the campaign and Enoch!) 

UPDATE

Hello everyone!! 

Thank you so much for sticking around, I'm so sorry for the delay in posting! 

LARP totalled me BUT I have a lot of stuff I'm making currently to give you all and I'll be opening a print shop soon. Every single one of you will be entitled to a free print and extras depending on your membership level so please make sure your addresses are current!! 

Thank you again and I love y'all!

Mermaid Lagoon

What isn't there to say about this shoot! 

Cat (madcatprops), Madi (madidoescosplay) and I had wanted to do this shoot for little over three years and even tested out shells and hairpieces with a trip to Wales two summers ago. 

I had always loved the ginger mermaid under the waterfall - she was so mean and pretty, I loved her, especially since the mermaid lagoon is one of the only things I like about the Disney rendition of Peter Pan. 

So when we started on these cosplays we were all so excited. Cat made our lovely bras and gave my mermaid starfish, similar to the ones she wears in Return to Neverland. She also made our hairpieces and Madi then made our tails. 

However on the day we planned to do the shoot DISASTER STRUCK CONTINUOUSLY. 

Cat's sister was stung by a jellyfish the night beforehand and we only realised that morning, having thought she had just rolled her ankle. Given that the weather that day was going to be perfect and Madi, Hulda and I were leaving early, we couldn't postpone, so off we went, two mermaids down!

When we got down to the beach, our second disaster struck - my tail was too short. We pushed through however, despite cutting myself on the sequins and having issues with my left starfish not sticking on properly. 

However the mood remained light as I took off my tail to help drag Madi over to the mermaid lagoon. We then did top half poses and honestly those pictures were just as wonderful! 

So despite how the ocean kicked our butts, our week in Cornwall was delightful and incredible fun to say the very least and Kynance Cove was perfect for our location shoots! 

These pictures also massively helped me with my self-confidence. I have a lot of issues with how my chest and stomach look, but these pictures are so beautiful and make me feel really beautiful when on the day I was struggling to feel that way. 

Being a mermaid is something I would recommend to literally everyone. 

Paladin of Kynance Cove

So this was a mad shoot and I'm suffering the consequences of it! Turns out sea salt air and sand will rust the shit out of steel - who knew? Jk - me, I knew and I still did it.

Rust aside, the shoot was so much fun! I put my makeup on at the beach so I could swim in the morning and help with our other shoots before the tide came in and as it did, we began the hike back up the hill. 

I'm unsure if many of you know about Kynance Cove, but the hike is long and the temperature that day was pushing 20°C in midday sun. So in my armour and wig and - regrettably - heels, I was dying. But the shots Shill managed to get made it all worth it, partnered with the beautiful b-roll footage that Hulda got of me too!

Not to mention for those beautiful long distance shots, we actually came back on a different day and on the day we returned, the Game of Thrones set designs and location scouts were there setting up for filming the following week! It was mad, because a bunch of people thought I was part of it. My friends and I ended up befriending the location scout who was in charge and he was incredibly pleasant and delightful to natter with. We were with him for about an hour before heading on our way and he even tried convincing me to go down and sneak a peak with the set but I didn't want to get in the way. 

In any case, I hope you like the pictures and as always please go and check out the amazing Shill Photography on most socials, especially instagram! She's so fantastic and we have even more shoots on the way!

Frankenpunk Art Dump ♥

I realised I've not actually shared a majority of the Frankenpunk art work I've done, which is a crime in itself because this campaign has really brought out some of my favourite sketches and painting techniques. 

Now seem are more recent than others and I'll be putting them in order of latest to oldest but there'll be more information on each piece in the captions. 

I really love seeing how my art has developed and changed but also I love seeing the constants! I always thought I didn't have an art style or something specific about my work but I think my use of colour and how I do side profiles really rings throughout my pieces! 

Also a point of interest for you, if you haven't read any of the fics mentioned, you can follow this link to our AO3 where you can read a few of our public ones! Others can be found on mine and other players patreons! 

Update!

Honestly, my new job is killing me, but hopefully now with a bit more time between our streams, I'll have more time to dedicate to giving you guys the content you want! I have a bunch of unfinished stuff that will be coming soon, including the Bonnie makeup tutorial I know a few of you were after and the design of my Witchsona - I'm still making the hat for it so she'll be here soon I promise!

A few cosplans are on hold as I'm planning on visiting Stevie, Griffin and Vain for New Years, so all my money is going towards that!! (If you wanted to throw any extra towards it, I'll have a pool on my kofi by tonight, but please, feel no pressure and do not put yourself out of pocket!)

The next couple of days while I'[m ill, I'll be finishing up on content and sharing a bunch of photosets with you, including pictures from my trip to Cornwall; featuring Gwen, my Nordic inspired look and at some point, Neverland Mermaids (though that hasn't been finished yet!). 

You'll also have access to my full Morticia set and to some AU Daphne looks, as well as designs for some new DND ocs for games outside of Somewhere Bound, new Elemental Knight details including game building and a new oneshot idea I'm building based on Arcane by Riot. 

Thank you all for sticking around, I know I've been slow but your support means the world!! I'll be sending out some Christmas gifts to you all as well, so keep an eye out for that and make sure your addresses are correct!!! 

Please also comment any preferred pronouns and names to use for you, as I know some may not be in safe spaces at home! 

Much love, petals and stars! 

Fire and Water (Written by Fae and I)

A lonely evening in the garden brings two hurt souls together as secrets are revealed beneath the stars...

Night was always a comforting time for Bonnie, in an oddly disconcerting way. The damp and the dark set her nerves on edge yet the sound of night and the moon looking sadly over her was good company. She sighed, the heavy weight on her chest lifting briefly as she wandered through the garden, a thousand thoughts running through her head but none of them registering until she caught her own eye, looking down at a perfect reflection on the surface of the pond. The eyes looking back at her held many emotions but the most prominent and the most recognizable were shame and guilt.

“Don’t gimme that,” She muttered ruefully, “I’ve had enough of it.”

The reflection sneered back at her… was that how she looked at Laurie?

“Stop it,” Bonnie growled, baring her teeth defensively. This was meant to be a breath of fresh air - peaceful - but the air was catching on her lungs with cold barbs and the humidity stuck to her skin, to her collar, and to her eyes; there was no other reason for the dampness there.

“Please…” She implored once more, softening her glare.

“Am I interrupting something? Should I leave you two alone?” A voice behind Bonnie chirped.

She whipped around with wide eyes to face Carmilla who stood at an unnaturally intimidating 5”4 in the same dress as the party though more tattered than before. One sleeve was torn entirely off and Bonnie struggled to remember if that had happened during the fight.

....the FIGHT....

Bonnie took out a gun in a blink of an eye. It was a small pepperbox pistol that was usually strapped to her waist, this time however it had been neatly pressed to the thigh of her trouser leg. Raising it with some shake in her confidence, she aimed it straight at Carmilla’s head. The vampire looked calmly into Bonnie’s eyes.

“Why’re you doing this?” She sighed “I could have said nothing and torn out your throat before you let out a sound.” She moved diagonally away from Bonnie toward the edge of the pond, folding her legs beneath her and gently tapping the surface, sending ripples through the water.

Considering her for a breath, the artificer holstered her gun and mimicked her sigh before joining her at the water's edge, this time paying no heed to her reflection. “Okay...then, what do you want?”

A beat of silence then a forced laugh that sounded more like a choke, not staring at anything but the middle distance she said, “That is a more complicated question than you realize but I suppose the most accessible at the moment is a few minutes of your time.”

Bonnie watched her from the corner of her eye before swallowing and turning to face her on the damp grass. “You wanted to talk to me last time too, didn’t you? That night before my birthday…”

Softly, “...Yes.” Carmilla turned toward Bonnie looking her fully in the face and looked for all the world like she had never asked for help until now. The moon cast half light shadows across Carmilla’s cheeks and gave her a half healthy glow. “I do think you are the most willing to listen…” she turned back to the pond, “Even if only for curiosity's sake.”

“Yer not wrong…” Bonnie shrugged in admittance before offering a small smile, “Sorry about my-” She paused, “...Kit. He’s very protective.”

“You forget I did know his Father, if only for a short amount of time,” Carmilla’s body wreaked of tension and an ache for a lost fight, “Morris Men, or whatever name they want to call themselves, do not leave this world peacefully and they often take down others with them.”

Bonnie stiffened visibly and stared at the vampire with a glint of desperation in her eyes. “Do you ken how to save ‘em?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper, a glimmer of hope seeping in.

The Vampire let out a heartbroken laugh, “Do you think I would still be sitting here if I knew? The Morris man would have burned me alive to save his own soul.” She looked emptily to her own reflection in the pond, now still, “He probably would have let my sisters live.”

Her breath stilled in her chest for a moment before she exhaled shakily and curled her knees up to her chest, disappointed as the hope faded but also increasingly aware of the agony in Carmilla’s voice. “I’m sorry…” She offered in weak comfort. “I didnae mean to bring up pain for ye.”

“I think I must run much the same as one of them, I am at a point where only rage moves my body and keeps me sane. The only thing left is anger but at least I know more control.” And in her anger, tears began to fall down her cheeks. Carmilla sat there, in the mud, her torn dress, the scarred skin below normally covered areas caught in the moonlight, and she looked like a broken child after a lost war. She brushed the tears aside with a silent calm as though this was a normal occurrence, the sorrow deep beneath barely surfacing above the rage.

“I understand,” Bonnie sighed, shifting her head on her knees to watch the vampire, “I dunnae relate but...I can understand that ache.” Her voice was soft and surprisingly open to the perfect stranger. “At the moment, I think I’m fueled by guilt.”

“Be careful that does not turn into anger, it is a very easy door to find and it is always open.”

Her eyes narrowed as Carmilla’s words sunk in and she nodded, lowering her knees so she could sit cross-legged, “I’ll take your word for it. But-” She glanced over with a smirk, “I doubt you came to have a wee heart-ta-heart. What do you need from me?”

The wind whistled a low tune in the silence between them and Carmilla spoke in the same low song.

“I think-” She spoke a whisper lower, “I thought that you might listen, that you might help, and that in the end I might be able to help you in turn.”

A sigh slipped the tieflings lips as she stretched up to crack her back, “Seems I’m the helping hand for a lot of people, now-a-days.” After the satisfying pop of her spine, she placed a hand down between them and leaned closer to murmur, “But of what use are you t’me?”

Carmilla looked down at the hand put voluntarily closer to her and glanced up through the loose pieces of hair curling around her cheeks. “I know history and I know things that have been… lost.” A tense moment then a bit awkwardly and rushed “I am no historian and I am not perfect in memory but I was at Glassrooke for a reason. I grew up there when I was a child, younger than you are now. It was a place built on education and on… forgotten children.”

“Forgotten children?” Bonnie repeated, her smirk morphing into a frown as Carmilla spoke, “What do you mean?”

“War and plague had left Europe scattered, it left families moth eaten and children were left with no comfort. And up rose St. Lazarus, a monastery built to rebuild the great families, Frankenstein, Lavenza, Murray, Shelley, Liddell, Wolfstein, many others, with the assistance of the surviving and thriving Ushers, Van Helsings, Doyle, and Tepes among other benefactors. The noble families were brought in as an effort to save the lines which were deemed valuable, especially in those who still had claims to land and if they happened to marry into their wonderful-” Carmilla chews and spits out this word, “families. Well, then all the better.”

“Wait, wait wait-” Bonnie turned fully, muddying her trousers as she did, her palms raised in confusion. “That’s a whole load of names I recognise, and…” She faltered for a moment, her mind whirring back to the poisonous garden and the tombs. “They’re all there at the school...these tombs. One of them-” Her bright blue eyes pierced into Carmilla’s, “One of them reminded me of you.”

Carmilla looked back, “A wonderful tomb I suppose, one I have not had the pleasure to rest in.”

Bonnie swallowed nervously, reminded in that moment that she was conversing with an immortal, cursed, being of darkness but she shook it off and offered a small, “Sounds tiring.”

Carmilla continued, “I entered the monastery when I was maybe five, I did not keep track then and it is useless to keep tally now. But I went in with my four older sisters, and whatever happened in those ten something years I cannot say much, I did not pay full attention to my surroundings as much as I should have.”

“Was it...where ye’ changed?” Bonnie asked tentatively, unsure of the vampire’s boundaries.

“No. That was,… after.”

There were so many questions on the tip of Bonnie’s tongue, and she stumbled for a moment unsure of which to pick, unsure whether she would answer, or even if she would grow tired and just snap her neck. But she risked it for a very soft, “Did it hurt?”

Carmilla strangely, had a small smile on her face. “It was like falling asleep and waking up with your body half asleep. Nothing touching it quite the same, no cold or heat, or pain.” The smile drops, “Nothing at all. Just the rage and hunger.”

“Do ye’ regret it?” The tiefling continued, shuffling slightly closer, as if they were sharing secrets, but to her they were whispers - answers - she didn’t even want the stars to hear - not yet.

“It is not a decision I can regret because it was a choice made for me.”

At that Bonnie bit her lip, sensing the tension as her next question slipped out, “The person who made that choice...do ye’ hate ‘em?”

Carmilla debated for a moment, “At this point I do not know. He was a teacher, a parent, a researcher, a… monster.” Carmilla’s hand dropped from her lap to the space in between the two, breathes away from Bonnie. “Would you burn your Father’s bones if it meant the same act never happened again?”

“Dracula…” Bonnie breathed, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like she was breathing clear, crisp air. “Yer father was Dracula. That’s why you were- are here....”

Carmilla’s head shook from side to side, “More of a Foster Father, my blo—my…biological Father died before I had memories to mourn. Dracula Tepes, was a man possessed by a singular lust for knowledge, as were most administrators of St. Lazarus. Dracula was one who led an experiment which led to the end of that home… and the death of one of my sisters.”

Bonnie swallowed - she was never very good with emotions. “I’m sorry. About your sister…” She murmured, before hesitantly laying her hand atop of Carmilla’s, grazing her thumb across her pale knuckles. “I’ve...never lost anyone, I cannae imagine how that feels.”

Carmilla drew her hand away, a sudden chill rolling off of her, “The others were killed by a party of bric a brac people who promised us safety if we helped them take down Dracula.”

Ah. Bonnie laid her hand in the empty spot between them, not daring to move away as she hid her fear delicately and straightened. “Ma’ father and his friends...that’s who ye’ mean, ain’t it?”

Carmilla nodded her head slowly, “Morris took every killing blow. He had excellent aim except once.” Slipping the corner of her dress down further on her left side she revealed a pucker of a bullet wound, long sealed.

Bonnie had to refrain from wincing, but she couldn’t quite keep her eyes from flicking to the old wound with inherited guilt. “Kit is nae like his dad, y’know...I get that’s why ye’ gunned for him in the study but…” She looked back at her, hoping she would see the earnesty in her eyes, “He’s good.”

The wound was re-covered, “Every man is good but with time enough they all end up with the same blind faith. Dracula believed he had victory in a decrepit castle with a failing family. Abraham believes stamping out every trace of vampirism will bring back his lost friend. Your Kit? That boy ready to take every hit and fight every devil for the sake of his friends? His fight is not with the world, it is with himself.”

They say the truth hurts and Bonnie would argue that it doesn’t just hurt, it stings. Like salt in an open wound. She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to ignore that sting but the wound had always been there - she already knew. “I want to help him,” She sighed, before hardening her gaze, her hand gripping the grass beneath them, “But you dunnae care about that...or him. I dun think you care about me, but there is something. You didnae lay a hand on me. You still haven’t, despite my family’s involvement. Why?”

“I realized something almost a year ago I think. It was when I decided to go to Glassrooke. It was an excellent plan and a simple one. ‘I will go home.’ I thought to myself ‘I will go to the place Van Helsing would hate to step foot in. St. Lazarus, or Glassrooke, I suppose. But then I noticed something.” Carmilla stretched her shoulders back with a sigh, clearing the air of any evidence of her confessions moments before, now talking with a bored and emotionless rhythm. “Imagine my surprise when I came to school to find another Lavenza. A healthy Lavenza. You knew her, or of her.” Carmilla turned to Bonnie and the tiefling knew that for all her talk of rage and anger, the Vampire was not lying when she said she was consumed. “She died.” Matter of fact still but with the brimstone and hellfire.

“You were there.”

Coal and gasoline.

“And I do not think I would have put the pieces together had not your little group been there.”

Match and tinder.

“But what convinced me most was your ability to curb a Van Helsing.”

Bonnie released a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding, her eyes wide. Elizabeth. Victor. Faelynn. Shakily, she turned back to the pond before shifting onto her knees and leaning down to splash some water into her face. The icy cold shot some of the nerves back into her, twisting her head on straight - the eyes on her back, the whole time. “So...yer interested in me because I have a backbone?” Bonnie glanced over her shoulder at Carmilla before falling back into a sitting position. “Because I said no to Faelynn?”

“Because you loved her and you said no.”

Her heart throbbed and Bonnie inhaled sharply before looking her in the eyes, her own blues glassing over with unshed tears. “An’ what of it?”

“You would have done a lot to get her to look at you the way you wanted her to but you would not move heaven and hell the way that boy did.”

“Of course not,” She shook her head, rubbing at her eyes as she did, “Elizabeth asked him not to and he did it anyway...he robbed her of her dying wish.”

“Men seem to have a trend with Lavenza girls in that way.”

Bonnie shot her a look of genuine sympathy. She had seen the pain in Elizabeth’s eyes, the horror and the pure terror. Her voice still echoed in her head now and then. It was agonising. “But all of this...it still doesnae answer my question. What do you want from me, Carmilla?”

“I want you to burn the bones of Dracula. Get rid of them, scatter the ashes, dance on his grave wherever you choose to put it, laugh once a year thinking of him. I do not care what you do after you burn them.” Carmilla sat upon her knees and looked down into Bonnie’s eyes, again nothing but ash and heat. “Because I want Lavenza women to stop dying for some simple man’s higher research.”

“But...but the bones…” Bonnie shook her head, crossing her legs and sat forward as she spoke, the thoughts running through her mind now on the tip of her tongue. “I thought they could help me understand the parasitic arcana, with that I could help Harvey and I thought maybe I could learn about myself- my blood.” Bonnie looked up at Carmilla, pleadingly, “If I burn them, do I lose the answers I’ve been cravin’?”

The moonlight scatterered the ashes in Carmilla’s eyes and she looked soft leaning above Bonnie. “If you do not, then it leaves Glassrooke open to fire and flame.” Carmilla reached a hand to cup Bonnie’s chin slightly, “And before you ask, this is not a threat or promise from me. This is me seeing someone trying to repeat an experiment.”

The tiefling breathed heavily, almost leaning into the touch as she blinked back tears. Why could nothing be simple? To think, she’d had everything in her grasp, answers in reach only to have them snatched away. It was almost laughable. But she didn’t doubt the vampire before her, not for a second, and so she gently withdrew her face and stood up, sighing deeply as she rubbed away the tears that spilled down her cheeks.

“Okay...I’ll do it. I’ll go get ‘em now.”

The old girl sat still on the ground with wide eyes. The ashes turned to something akin to a hearth, warmer but not harmful. Carmilla seemed suddenly unsure for the first time since Bonnie had come into contact with her. Hands twisted in her lap and played with bits of torn dress.

“I will… um… wait… here?”

And for the first time that evening, Carmilla saw Bonnie laugh. The tiefling snorted as she smiled down wearily at her and waved a hand dismissively. “You ken you can come inside right? No need to dirty ye dress even more,” She gave pause for a moment before raising a brow, “Actually, if ye want, you can have one of mine - it looks like it’s been through the wars.”

The vampire looked down at herself and seemed to pause for a moment. A small glance to Bonnie’s pants told the tiefling everything she needed to know. Carmilla did not speak again but shifted slightly down into a sitting position and peaked her toes out from under her dress and dipped them into the likely freezing pond.

Bonnie waited a moment before rolling her shoulders, “Alright then, but the invite stands. I’ll be right back.” And with that, she headed back to the house, carefully casting Spider Climb as she crawled up the wall to her window and slipped inside with ease.

She was quick and quiet as she made her way along the halls, having abandoned her shoes to make light steps towards her father’s study, lockpick in hand. Her familiarity with her home and the regular routes of the staff that take night shift - and tattle on her - had her outside the door in minutes, and it took only a few seconds of jimmying the lock for the latch to lift.

As quietly as she could, she slipped inside and drew the door closed before heading over to the door behind the desk. She stilled, heavily breathing as she stared it down, briefly acknowledging the scuffs on the floor left from their fight. Swallowing the rising lump in her throat, she knelt down and began to pick the lock, remembering from her frantic worry last time that she needed to dip further to the back of the mechanism to unlock it.

Within seconds, the door was open, revealing the dark room and the box in the centre.

“What the fuck am I doin’?” Bonnie muttered to herself as she approached the box cautiously. The lid was still nailed shut but with a flash of blue, she used her arcana to alter the lock pick into the right tool for the job - a crowbar.

“This is madness…” Her voice barely reached her own ears and she hooked the crowbar under the lid and pressed down, hard.

The lid cracked with a snap and the smell of dust sank through the air. Pale blue light from the crowbar illuminated the room with a spektorly glow. Inside the box were the remains of a skeleton, faded, black, charred. Did these really need burning a second time? They sat curled and jumbled together in a previously white sack, all the broken pieces and none of them lost. Bonnie moved the crowbar slightly above the crate to get a better look and saw the skull, the teeth, long and slightly curved down but to a still sharp point. Silence held the room in a too long embrace. Bonnie reached down and gathered the sack together, doing a once over of the crate to ensure no pieces were missing.

“Right, off to hell with ye, I guess,” Bonnie muttered to Dracula’s remains, raising the bag up to her eyes before sighing heavily, “What a waste.”

The trek back was quick and practiced. Footsteps hushed as the secrets at the pond. Nearing back to the pond Carmilla sat where Bonnie had left her, twirling stray pieces of grass. She turned and stared at the sack with a blank expression.

“Dunnae ken why ye need to burn ‘em again, but here,” The tiefling gently dropped the bag in front of her companion, arching her back afterwards to loosen the knots there. “Heavier than they bloody look too.”

Carmilla crouched to the ground and slowly, carefully reached to the mouth of the bag and without looking inside, moved her hand around and brought out the skull. The moonlight shrank away from the dark lines and scratches in the bone. “Suppose it would give me some piece of mind or something like that.”

With that the Vampire shoved the skull back in the bag and dragged it slightly closer to the pond where there was a slight hole made in the silt and sand. A fire pit. Bonnie realized, maybe Carmilla hadn’t been as idle as she had thought. The bones spoke to the empty air with scratchy voices in the bag and the wind replied back with rustling leaves as Bonnie and Carmilla prepared a fire.

The work was quick and soon all that was left to do was to set a spark and watch the flames. Carmilla stood next to Bonnie, a dark shadow next to the bright pink, match in hand, ready to strike. The old girl watched the pile with a still and pained face. A few more seconds and the spark snapped into the air, the stick fell to the sack and no sudden burst of flame appeared. No explosion. No dark unnatural smoke. The fire slowly ate at the sack, bite by bite, soon unpacking the meat inside and relishing that too. Flames stayed low, sparks flew high and Bonnie spared a look to the Vampire. Silent tears fell down Carmilla’s cheeks as she stared into the reds and oranges and the occasional pop of blue.

“What is it they say? Ashes to ashes, dust to dust?”

“...in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life…” Bonnie finished, her brows knitting together as she watched the tears stain Carmilla’s face and with a confidence inspired only by her earlier cheek, the tiefling took the vampire's hand and gave it a squeeze.

After a moment, Carmilla squeezed back.

“He was not always the madman of the mountains and blood.” They stared deep into the flames, “He was kind once. And then he told us one day during the lesson how Van Helsing, not Abraham, he was still a boy, had found a vampire’s grave and was ‘going to put his death to good use.’ Soon after, Dracula somehow got infected. At first, he said he had clarity, he told us we were going away from the school but we could not take Angellica, one of my sisters. We thought she would follow later. She did not.” Carmilla took a shuddering breath, “And as time wore on, so did his mind. By the time of your father, he had lived 150 years and was determined… to give us a mother.”

Bonnie froze, her eyes widening as she stared at the fire, at the charred ash of the man who had traumatised her mother so dreadfully. “My mother...he wanted...her,” She whispered before turning to look at Carmilla with distraught eyes, “Why her?”

“I will never know. It might have been the wrong place at the wrong time. Towards the end he had thought I was 8, Valerie 12, and Katerine 13. I knew no reason would reach him anymore. So I—“ Tears had stopped but she seemed to debate whether to tell Bonnie something, “I let your father escape back home. I do not know what I had hoped it would accomplish. Perhaps it would send a ripple of good into the world.” The light reflects off her eyes, flickers of heat twisting the yellow around the dark. “I wonder… If I just made another ripple…”

“Thank you.” The words spilled from her before she even realised but Bonnie didn’t mind so much as her own tears spilled down her face. “Thank you, for showing mercy...and-” She smiled weakly, “For helping us...even now.”

They stood there for a minute as Bonnie let that silence between them ring before sniffing, breaking the calm air and scrubbing her face dry with her free hand, quite vehemently so. “God- I’ve become such a crybaby, so fucking soppy,” She muttered, laughing in spite of herself.

Carmilla let out a wet laugh too as the flames went lower and the ashes and dust started to get picked up and tossed about by the hands of the wind. Carmilla took a step forward, hand still holding Bonnie's and let out a kick aimed at the center of the pile. A scattering of ashes was thrown high into the air and began to swirl about among the trees. Their slow descent was crooked and lazy and ended mostly in the pond.

“How do you feel?” Bonnie asked softly, giving Carmilla’s hand another squeeze.

“Warm, I think.”

“Good. Me too.” She sighed, sniffing again and looking up. “It’s nae over though is it? Whatever changed me...when I was born...It’s because of him. And whoever it is at the school...they won’t stop will they?”

“No but I think we might have fucked up their plan a bit more than they bargained for.” Dark eyes looked at the ashes in the pond and Carmilla spoke softly again, “The three things I know they did last time that somehow ended with St. Lazarus crumbled and scorched are these: A Lavenza girl died, not on accident. They needed the bones of something twice dead. And they need a token of the tea party. That last bit I have no idea what it means but the other two…” A frustrated look passed over Carmilla’s face, “I am not confident I am seeing the whole picture or if I have all the pieces but I would rather someone able to look around unnoticed to see for themselves. I had that ability for a while at Glassrooke but—”

“It’s not safe for you,” Bonnie nodded firmly, “Van Helsing and Faelynn are quick on the trigger-” She had the grace to wince slightly, her hand twitching, “So best you steer clear. On the other hand...I’m a fast learner.” The artificer smirked and admired her nails quickly, checking they were all still intact after their little cremation. “I can do it, instead.”

“I am sorry I can’t do more but… The Iron Library is reopening soon. It fell with St. Lazarus and if they have the same books or more, then you might be able to defend yourself with knowledge. Just—“ Carmilla’s hand tensed around Bonnie’s hand minutely and with a start the artificer realized the vampire might be a person who attaches themselves rather quickly.

“I’ll be careful,” She reassured her, “I promise.”

Carmilla gave a firm squeeze of Bonnie’s hand and let go. She took a step back, dust and ashes still on her boots.

“Where will you go?” Bonnie asked, flexing her hand by her side as the odd warmth departed.

The vampire stared up at the sky, and answered honestly, “I do not know. Keep sprinting through the woods avoiding Van Helsing. Finding families that might take care of a stray cat… No plans really, I did not think I would get this far.”

“Well...okay, now this is gonna sound strange-” Bonnie held up her hands in mock surrender as she gave an awkward smile, “But...I’m pretty sure we’re allowed familiars at the uni.”

A beat of silence.

“Do I have to wear a collar?”

Till the End (Drabble)

Stevie and I have been going through some brain rot because boy are our babies going through it. Also I'm in love with Stevie and I want to flirt with her any way I can. This one however is a wittle bit more angsty. But enjoy! 

The day passed like any other. Time continued, never stopping - it would never wait for you to catch your breath and despite her understanding, Bonnie couldn’t help but curse the inconvenience of it all. Guilt still weighed heavily on her chest after the incident with Laurie, and the ache of loss stung her eyes occasionally as she thought of Faelynn and Kit as it brought a cold emptiness.

Her fiancé had just slipped into her mind once more as Bonnie stepped into the familiar labs, furiously scrubbing her eyes dry as she spotted the doctor dressed in his white jacket and working with his back turned to her. Quickly she calmed her emotions, stifling them and locking them away as her heels clacked against the floor. She hadn’t the patience for them and really - who cared anyway?

“Evenin’, Doctor Jekyll,” she hummed as she set her bag down and pulled out a notepad, “How were yer’ classes?”

Bonnie’s voice had startled the doctor at work, except it wasn’t the doctor she presumed it to be. Harvey straightened up, placing the vials he was examining back in their holding tray and turned round to face his friend.

“Doctor Jekyll? Bit formal, isn’t it, Bonnie?” Harvey asked with a small smirk.

Harvey had been coming to the labs sporadically as of recent. He was brainstorming a lot about what he could do to get Hyde out and gone for good. Other ideas popped into his head as well, things that didn't necessarily...make sense, but Harvey chalked it up to being hit with inspiration and he rolled with the fluidity of his thoughts. He was being careful. He was sure of it. He had Hyde in check, was having his lockdowns with his father and Bonnie to let Hyde out, and was maintaining a grip on himself.

However, Hyde had his own grip on Harvey, one that Harvey could neither feel nor see. It was a new game the parasitic mind demon was working at, one that he had never played with Jekyll, but he was getting desperate. Harvey was a smart man. Too smart. He’d figure out a way, eventually, to free himself of Hyde, and Hyde just couldn't have that. He liked Harvey too much. There were so many intricate things about his life that he could ruin. So Hyde, being the leech that he was, began to devise a way for him and Harvey to be together, forever.

While Harvey had control and pushed Hyde away to the back of his brain, Hyde began to do some tinkering here and there -- taking inspiration from a certain artificer. If he could not control the brain, he’d find something else to control. The blood. Yes, the blood. Attacking and attaching himself to Harvey’s DNA would be the trick and would make things so much more difficult. Hyde could then influence Harvey this way, mixing his blood with Harveys. Sure it wasn't regular blood, but this was better. Hyde’s dark arcane being was charged and filled with so much power, all he had to do was latch on Harvey DNA and then Harvey’s body would do the rest.

It was almost too easy. A few weeks had gone by and Harvey didn’t notice a thing. No one else did either. And they wouldn’t. It was all very subtle. Hyde’s DNA was now mixed in with Harvey’s.

Bonnie made a small noise of surprise, her nose wrinkled as she looked up at Harvey with confusion. “Harvey? No, I- Sorry, thought you were yer’ old man,'' she gestured, her face relaxing as she tilted her head, “Why’re you here instead o’ him?”

“My dad was having one of his bad days. Wasn’t feeling so good. I set him up with some soup for the evening and he asked me to come by and finish up going over some work, including your blood results.” Harvey said, picking up some papers and pushing the hair out of his eyes. “Hope you don’t mind the swap.”

The tiefling gave him a lazy once over as she leaned back against one of the desks, considering her words before shaking her head, “No, it's fine for me.” Gingerly she moved to his side, peering round to catch a glance at the papers. “Is that them? My blood results?”

“It is indeed.” He said, clearing his throat. “Most things seem normal, but in other places things are...inconclusive.”

“Inconclusive how?” Bonnie narrowed her eyes, taking the papers from his hands with the confidence of a medical professional; despite having little to no understanding of what was written there. “Is that bad?”

“It’s not bad, but it’s not good. There’s no clear signs that the little bit of potion that you drank affected you, but there's also no sign that it didn’t. See, here is a comparison to my blood results before and after. Now, I don’t have blood from you before you did your little experiment, but you can see my results here, well they’re not normal. You can see how the potion affected my blood, and how it's changed since Hyde has possessed me, and also there are little variations now that I wear this collar. I have a very fluid and fluctuating chart. Yours is fluid, but in a different way. At first glance your results seem normal, but some of the numbers just don't make sense. It shares similarities with mine in small ways, but I don't think it has anything to do with the potion.” Harvey paused and peered over at Bonnie. “Any of this makin’ sense?”

She frowned. It did to an extent. As a tiefling, and the first in her family, her blood was fused with high arcana; it’s what created the mutation of her genetics. So her blood showing similarities to the arcana infused Harvey wasn’t so surprising. But it meant it was inconclusive - a waste. “Yeah, I guess...I’m sorry, I should have thought to do a comparison of them…”

“Should have waited for someone to help you.” Harvey muttered under his breath and he raised his eyebrows, looking over Bonnie’s blood results, ignoring how Bonnie rolled her eyes and pouted at his comment. “Perhaps you can enlighten me? Anything about your bloodline that could be worth noting?”

She bristled, her lips pressing together tightly and as she pushed the papers back into his hands. “I don’t know,” she murmured, moving away from him and trying to ignore the buzzing in the back of her head. “It’s...not the same as the rest of my family’s, evidently…”

“You always purse your mouth like that when you don’t want to talk about something.” Harvey noted, realizing Bonnie knew something about herself that she hadn’t shared with him yet. “I won't pressure you, but it could help if I know.”

She felt her cheeks warm and crossed her arms across her chest, as if she was forming some kind of barricade, yet Harvey was earnest and she couldn't deny it, “I know you won’t,  it’s just that...it’s…” Bonnie sighed and looked up at her friend, a glint of vulnerability hidden in her eyes, “It’s sensitive for me...”

“ I see.” Harvey nodded and adjusted his glasses, gesturing for her to sit down in his fathers chair. “Have a seat, Bonnie.”

Bonnie nodded in return, sitting at the desk as watched Harvey hurry to his bags that were on the floor next to the bookcase. He pulled out a tin and elegantly sat on the corner of the desk, popping the tin open revealing an assortment of cookies.

“In your own time.” He smiled at her.

Bonnie couldn’t keep the corners of her mouth from curving as she glanced down at the biscuits; he was so good at lightening the mood, it would be almost irritating if he wasn't also incredibly kind. Gently, she took a smaller cookie from the tin and sighed deeply, “My parents ...are pretty much normal, kinda. See, both of them are human but my mum had a whole issue with a vampire and nearly became one herself. Since the incident...she’s never been the same, not that I remember…but dad does…” Bonnie trailed off, unaware she’d been breaking the biscuit into tiny pieces, leaving crumbs all over the desk. “Trauma leaves wounds...not just physical but inside too a-and they think I’m a byproduct of that trauma...to an extent,” Her voice grew softer as she looked up at him once again, “...I don’t know why my blood differs, but it’s to do with Dracula…that much I know…”

“Ah, now that name brings back memories.” Hyde spoke up, whispering in Harvey’s ear.

Harvey’s eyes fluttered at the man's voice, sitting back a bit and shifting uncomfortably. He almost forgot Hyde was there, it had been so peaceful. He was now making himself known just to tease and taunt Harvey with information he, in the end, would not give.

Ignoring Hyde, Harvey reached out and placed a hand on Bonnie’s as they crumbled the cookies on the desk. He looked at her with gentle eyes and spoke softly.

“Whatever this past trauma was, it may be in you Bonnie, but it is not you. It’s not who you truly are, who you’ve made yourself to be.” Harvey said, his gentle gaze glistening as his hands clasped hers. “You said your mother was attacked by this...Dracula, correct? And she was almost turned into a vampire herself. Now whatever arcane has affected her blood, it's passed down to you. So, in a nutshell, you share the same arcana as Dracula?”

Bonnie squeezed his hand, more out of comfort than anything else before shrugging, “Potentially. It’s still a theory...but I...I kind of just don’t focus on it. After all, no one knows enough about him for me to even flesh out the theory,” She sighed, shifting one of her hands away to push the crumbs about the desk.

“Do you think your parents would allow me to run blood tests on them? We could tell them its for a school project.” Harvey asked. “But perhaps asking for their blood after they were attacked by a vampire wouldn’t be the best idea...but I think it would help greatly to understand your own blood.”

“I...I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she sighed, fidgeting with her ring, “Mentally, my mum could never...she’s not really all there sometimes. Maybe my father though...He seems like he might be down for it, but it’s nae something I feel...comfortable asking for…” Bonnie admitted with a frown.

“Would you feel better if I asked them? Or would you prefer not at all? I understand that this is a very sensitive situa-” Harvey was interrupted as Bonnie groaned and leaned into his space.

“What is with you and the blood? Look, I’ve said I’m not comfortable with it, can we move on from the topic of my family and their blood, please,” She frowned as she looked up at him, anxiously wringing her hands.

“Sorry, sorry. I’m only here to help, Bonnie. I’m not here to pry or pressure you. I’ll drop it.” Harvey said, adjusting his glasses as he leaned back from Bonnie. He stood up and dusted off his coat, going over to the chalkboard to write something down that suddenly seemed important before he turned back to Bonnie. “It’s just an option we can leave on the table to discuss later. In conclusion, your blood shows abnormalities. There.”

Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, his brisk attitude immediately had her raising her hackles, but she fought down the urge to bite back and instead released a long sigh and stood up. “Okay, well...We can do another test in a few weeks, see if anythin’ has changed,” She shrugged as she moved to step forward to him when she caught a glance of the various vials and liquids on one of the nearby tables. Curiosity diverted her attention as she beelined for the desk, her hands tracing over some of the glassware before landing on a bright green one. Drawn to the familiarity of the colour, she carefully lifted it and swilled the contents. “What’s this?”

Harvey immediately lunged at her and pulled the beaker to himself, almost cradling it to his chest.

“Be careful with that! It’s not finished yet!” Harvey snapped. “I thought you learned your lesson from last time, but you can't help but snoop, can you?”

“Excuse me?” Bonnie snarled, pushing herself away from the desk she had nearly fallen on, “I was just havin’ a look! I was nae snooping! It’s hardly locked outta sight, Harvey, so you can take this-” She pulled her face into a mocking imitation of his and air-quoted, “I’m-better-than-you attitude and shove it!”

“I..ah…” Harvey stuttered, blinking for a moment as he collected himself and realized how he came off. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t implying that, I just...I’ve been working hard on this one. I want it to be perfect. I’m really close, I think. Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.” His eyes softened and gave an embarrassed smile.

Inhaling deeply, Bonnie calmed herself, lowering her hands and relaxing. “It’s okay. I get it,” She murmured, “You’re just...stressed.” Slowly she raised a hand to pat him gently on the shoulder as she moved to walk by him and investigate the chalkboard. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah.” Harvey sighed with his face suddenly reflecting that of fatigue. “Perhaps I’ve been working a little too much at it. Probably should take a break. I’m just scared of missing something, you know?” He said as he walked up to the chalk board as well, squinting and rubbing the back of his head.

“Probably?” Bonnie arched a brow as she flicked her gaze over at him. “Harvey, you definitely need a break; what the fuck is all this?” Her voice raised slightly as she gestured back at the board - the board that made zero sense. It was all broken equations and medical terms scattered about with diagrams of random body parts, all of them aged and vintage in their workings. “I swear some of these methods have nae been used for near a decade.”

“It's just research.” Harvey said as if it was obvious. “Like I told you, I don't want to miss anything. I’m trying to cover as much as I can. Learn from the past.” Harvey's eyes began to drift into thought. “It won't make sense to you, but it does to me.”

“In what way?” Bonnie asked, tilting her head as she glanced between him and the chalkboard, “I don’t get how historic medicinal practices are gonna help. I’ve already gone over old arcane works and they did squat.”

“Maybe for you, but couldn't hurt for another pair of eyes to look over the work. You might have missed something.” Harvey said, giving a small chuckle that seemed to surprise him. He cleared his throat and focused on Bonnie for a moment. “Maybe it's just me and the way I take notes. I’ll...I’ll rewrite it for you, once I get things sorted.”

Yet before he could move, Bonnie had her fingers beneath his chin, pressing his jaw up so she could get a good look at the collar, her bright blue eyes narrowing as she scrutinised it. “Okay, what is going on with you? You’re bein’...weird.” She frowned, taking his jaw and turning it to the side to get a better look.

Harvey scrunched up his face and pushed Bonnie’s hand away.

“I’m not being weird. And don't go grabbing me like that. Do you just grab everything you see? I’m trying to explain myself the best I can!” Harvey said, his eyes fluttering as he seemed to adjust his focus. “I’m just...I’m tired. I think you were right, maybe I do need some rest.” Harvey said, looking suddenly to the right, his eyes looking at the floor, his hand gesturing in the air as he sought for words. “It’s just a lot to process…”

The tiefling shrunk, a little embarrassed by his yell and so stepped away, rubbing her arm. “You’ve been off since last time, y’know,” She admitted, “With how you grabbed me - remember?” Bonnie couldn’t quite keep the concern off her face, not that she wanted to - he was still her friend. “It was just a wee bit of worry.”

Realization seemed to hit Harvey right then and his face fell, and he rushed to Bonnie, not in a frightening or aggressive way. Concern had bent his brow and his eyes pleading with her for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry. Sorry, I...I’m sorry I worried you. I didn’t mean to. You’re right. A-and I should have never grabbed you like that, that was...I’m sorry, Bonnie.” Harvey said, desperation teetering in his voice. He looked as if he was almost going to say something else, but he changed his mind last second and instead said. “It’s a lot...I don't think I understand it all quite yet...what's happening to me. I’m just taking it in day by day. It hits harder now, I think. What Hyde did. I just want to fix it.”

Hesitantly, Bonnie reached for the sleeve of his arm and sighed as she held it tightly, "I know. It's okay...I understand how you feel more than you probably realise but-" She looked up at him with glassy eyes, "I've nae been very good at making friends and recently I've been fucking up a lot…"

Bonnie sniffed, letting go of him to quickly wipe her eyes furiously. "A lot has been happening and I'm trying not to have another melt down, so please just...distract me."

“Another one?” Harvey’s words fell to a whisper as he saw her tears. “What’s been happening? Bonnie, are...are you alright? What's wrong?” Harveys concern tightened around his throat, and he reached for her hand, grabbing it and holding it tightly. “I’m here, you know I’m always here for you.”

She looked down at his hand around hers and sniffed, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. "I-I know...It's just…" She hesitated a moment before raising her eyes to meet his, her grip on his hand tightening, "Promise you won't hate me."

Harvey shook his head with an earnest smile. “I could never.”

Bonnie let out a soft laugh, some small amount of relief bubbling in her chest before she swallowed and brought her other hand up to hold his. "I...killed Laurie. He came back- almost a few minutes later but...I shot him."

Harvey blinked with surprise, but his hand didn’t loosen around hers. He stayed steadfast by her side. “Killed him? And he came back? Alright well, that is indeed not what I was expecting. Mind explaining a bit more?”

And she did. She told him about her fight with Laurie in the parlour and how he had burned. She told him about the spectre and the voices in her head that only she could seemingly hear. About how it felt like something wanted her to shoot him. She spoke briefly about the fight, about how she had been beaten - her injuries seemed of little concern to her now - but then she mentioned Faelynn.

"She didn't even check on me," Bonnie muttered, determined to keep from crying, "She saw me used as a punching bag and didn't even ask if I was okay. All she cared about was Laurie and ordering me to apologise - as if she thought I meant to do it!"

An anger began to rise in Harvey. It was frustrating to hear how Bonnie had been treated, and by Faelynn no less. He knew what Faelynn meant to her, and his heart ached for Bonnie-- the betrayal she must have felt. It caught him so off guard that he suddenly found himself envisioning that dreaded day on the train back home from school, when Hyde terrorized everyone...when he hurt Faelynn. He could see her in front of him, his hand on her leg, all his weight falling down onto her bones until-- Crack!

Harvey gave a gasp as the noise echoed in his brain, startling him, but still he didn’t let go of Bonnie. She anchored him, pulling him back to clarity.

“I’m so sorry she treated you that way, Bonnie. That's...that’s just awful.” Harvey said, looking sick, as if the words leaving his mouth were leaving a bad taste. “It wasn't your fault. Hey, look at me? It wasn’t your fault. How could you have done anything but what you did? You were scared and confused. You were just trying to protect everyone.” He said, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to her. “It wasn’t your fault, Bonnie.”

She inhaled shakily as she took the handkerchief and dabbed carefully at her eyes to avoid smudging her makeup. "Thank you, Harvey...but I'm not blameless. If he hadn't come back-" She shook her head and gripped the piece of fabric tightly, "God, I dunnae ken what I would'a done."

Bonnie sighed before running a hand over her face and offering the handkerchief back to him, "Fucking doesnae matter. What's done is done and I just have to figure out how to fix things or bury it an' move along."

“I would say to bury it. Why fix something that seems intent on breaking itself?” Harvey said flatly. “You know what your intentions were. If Faelynn can’t see that you were only trying to help, then what use is it trying to convince her otherwise? She’s set in her ways. Don’t let her words cause you to falter. And Laurie is alive. I see nothing that needs fixing, except your spirits.” Harvey offered a soft smile at the end of his cutting words.

Bonnie frowned, reaching up to brush some of his hair out of his face, "Am I rubbin' off on you or somethin', Lovelace? Usually you're more... optimistic." The tiefling returned his soft smile, though concern was knitted into the set of her brows.

Harvey’ smiled brightened as she fixed his hair, but his face fell back to a serious gaze as he met her eyes. “This world is cruel and coarse and unkind. I’ve been telling myself that everyone was redeemable when some people just really aren't. I care not to fill myself with gentle optimism and get fatally wounded upon other people's careless words and actions anymore.” He said, his eyes dancing for a moment before he gave a sad sort of smile. “Sometimes it's best not to care so much.”

Her mind wandered back to Kit for a moment as he spoke and she bit her lip, guilt filling her briefly, before inhaling deeply. "Okay well, Mr Dark-n-Gloomy, should we move on from this and get on with some actual work?" She asked teasingly as she carefully dabbed her eyes once more before smiling up at him.

“Right.” He chirped up and grinned. “Well, I’ve done all I can do with your blood results for now.” He walked over to his fathers desk and began gathering some papers, stacking them together. “What work did you have in mind?”

Bonnie followed, allowing the tension in her to slip to the back of her mind as she glanced over the cluttered desk. She hummed thoughtfully, turning to glance around them as she did before rubbing her cheek and pondering out loud, "When was the last time we cleaned this place?"

“It’s been a while. A trait me and my father share is that we both are horrible at keeping our work space organized.” Harvey chuckled.

"I've noticed," She raised a brow at him, thinking back to the study he and his father used at their own home, before stretching and rolling up the sleeves of her blouse. "Aight, well I'll help tidy up so we actually know where everything is before we get started on anything. Lord knows where my arcana research is in all this."

“It’s probably somewhere around here.” Harvey said, collecting more and more papers. “If you find my new glass pen I got, please let me know. I’ve been looking for it for ages."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, scoffing as she started tidying up their collective work from the surrounding surfaces, sorting it into piles of her notes, Jekyll's and Harvey's - they could cross reference later. Steering clear of his experiments, despite how their colour kept drawing her eye, she began tidying the Doctor's desk, moving like clockwork as she shifted through the papers and sketches, barely paying mind to them until she glimpsed a bloodwork sheet. "Oh, Harvey, is this one of-" Her voice trailed off as her eyes ran across the sheet and grew wider by the second. "Harvey? What is this?"

“Hmm? What's what?” Harvey looked up, adjusting his glasses. His eyes widened as he realized what Bonnie was holding. “That’s just...that was just something else. It’s an error.”

"Does nae look like an error…" She murmured, tracing her finger across the paper, "It looks like a blood test. Your blood test." Bonnie turned to him fully, her mouth pressed into a firm line, "You wanna tell me why you lied about your comparison earlier? Because this-" She shook the page, "This is very irregular."

Harvey rushed over, almost tripping over himself as papers began falling from his arms. He smiled nervously as he tried to grasp for the paper Bonnie was looking at. “It’s cause I didn’t do it right! That’s why I said it’s an error sheet and didn’t show you, it all wrong-“

"Oh, please! Harvey, you're a minor genius of your time-" She snapped as she darted away from him, holding the paper behind her back, "You would never make a mistake this big!"

“Oh please, like you ever thought that.” Harvey scoffed as he tried to get behind Bonnie and snag the paper. “I make plenty of mistakes. Now give that back please-”

"I said minor for a reason," She sneered, as she dodged him and ran round the other side of the desk. "And if it's a wee mistake, why do you want it back so bad?"

“Minor is still a strong word for you to use, Bonnie.” He said, running up, his hands clutching the desk. “And because it’s useless! I want to throw it out.  It’s useless and unnecessary, and will only cause confusion!” Harvey lunged his hands for the paper, threatening to fly across the desk if need be.

"Maybe that's because it's the tru-EEP!" She interrupted herself with a squeak, clutching the paper to her chest, barely escaping his hand as he snatched at it and glared at him as she matched his steps around the table. "Harvey! You're causing more confusion than any blood test could, no matter how worrying it is!"

Harvey didn’t listen to a word Bonnie had said. The next thing he was doing was climbing upon the desk, clambering towards Bonnie and sliding to her side in a matter of seconds. With his eyes set and teeth clenched with determination, he grabbed the paper and her hands that still held onto it, his face expressing something Bonnie had never seen before. And as she looked at him, she saw that his scars looked deep and angry, as if they were just freshly given.

For a heartbeat, she didn't move as she stared at his scars, fascinated before his hands on hers drew her back to the present and she growled at him, "Harvey, let go!" She then began pulling away from him and trying to yank her hands and the paper from him. "I don't know what's happening, but something's wrong! Can ye nae feel it?"

Looking up, Harvey met Bonnie’s eyes, her voice breaking through whatever trance he seemed to slip into. He went almost paralyzed as he tried to realize what was happening, desperately focusing on Bonnie’s eyes to keep him grounded. He felt his body come down from some sort of rush, trying to remember how he got to this point, how he came to clutching Bonnie and the paper…he couldn’t.

“No…” Harvey said, smiling oddly as a deep sadness filled his eyes and made them glassy. “I can’t feel it.”

"Harvey…" Bonnie still held the paper fast as she tilted her head to look in his eyes, her hair slipping off her shoulder as she did. "It's Hyde, isn't it? What's he done to you? And your scars?"

“I don’t know. I keep trying to watch him, but I feel like I’m missing things...I’m not seeing what he’s doing and it’s...I’m missing it.” Harvey said, flexing his hands to try and let go of Bonnie’s, pressing his lips together to not show them trembling. “I don’t know what he’s done to me this time. I feel like I’m drifting and I don’t know the difference between what I’m doing and what I’m thinking.”

"Oh, shit..." Everything started to click into place; his quick temper, his irrational responses, his cruel tongue. It made her shudder and thinking of the potions, she tried to move towards them, only falling short as he kept a hold on her hands. For a moment, she glanced between their joined hands and his eyes, and she pursed her lips. "Uhm...Harvey?"

“Sorry…” Harvey let go of Bonnie instantly and pulled his hands to himself, not knowing what to do with them as he looked down, swallowing a sob.

However Bonnie recognised that sound in a heartbeat and quickly closed the distance between them as she pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around him. "Harvey, it's okay. We'll fix it. It's gonna be okay," She whispered, running a hand up to stroke the back of his head gently.

Harvey instantly collapsed into Bonnie’s arms, his head falling against her shoulder as his chest heaved and he let out the sobs he had been keeping in. He held Bonnie tightly, thankful for the comfort she gave.

“I just want to be able to fix myself. I don’t want someone to do it for me. I want to be good enough to do it on my own.” Harvey said. “I just want to be good enough…”

Her heart ached and Bonnie gripped him a little tighter, his paper crumpling in her hand as she did. Aren't I enough? She had asked herself that very same question only a few nights ago and she still had no answer. The pain of holding onto everything on her own was overwhelming, and she thought back to Kit, to how he had comforted her. Holding onto the warmth he always inspired in her, she closed her eyes and pressed closer still.

"You are, Harvey. I was nae lying earlier; you're the smartest guy I know," Bonnie spoke softly against his shoulder. "But...I think...asking for help is the bravest thing any of us can do...and I know you would nae wanna burden me but-" She leaned back in his arms and moved her hand round from the back of his neck to lift his jaw, 'Wouldn't you do the same for me?"

Harvey sniffled and took a breath as Bonnie brought his face to look at him. He was so tired, but Bonnie gave him strength. She always did. He knew he wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for her.

“I would. I’d do anything to help you.” Harvey said softly, taking a breath. “I know I can’t do this alone, and I certainly couldn’t get through this without you. Will you help me Bonnie? Even if in the end I’m not me anymore?”

Bonnie’s mind flashed back to the mesa, to a star-filled sky and the promises made beneath them. Quite the collection of broken toys, she thought almost amused as she closed her eyes a moment. When she opened them, they were shimmering with emotions but piercing in their blue clarity as she nodded firmly and whispered, “I promise, Harvey. I’m with you till the end.”

Pedro - Underwater Shoot

As always @Shillphotography never fails to amaze me with these beautiful shots she got of me as Pedro! Even more amazingly, she edited on my facial hair as the water washed a majority away sadly. I absolutely adore how these came out and the lighting is just WOW! 

My favourites are the first two, just because holy guacamole - did Madi look good!! Also, I love being a chaos gremlin, so the second one just fits the vibe. 

Also you can check out Shill Photography on instagram and tiktok! Please go support her! She's a fantastic photographer and I have done a heck tonne of shoots with her this past month to share with you, so she'll be becoming more of a household name over time! 

And lastly, my darling Madi! She made everything I'm wearing in these pictures by hand (bar the latex chest and wig) and she was also my mermaid lover! She put in so much work that day and with so many other costumes she's allowed me to model for her! I adore her so much and you can support her on instagram and tiktok too! 

Both handles are @shillphotography and @madidoescosplay 

Thank you to all of you who are still here! I know my posts have been a bit infrequent as I've started a new job with a promotion and am also mid move! But things will hopefully get back into routine once I've settled into my new place! 

Wish me luck and I'll see you in a few days with some more content ;) 

Elixir of Truth sketches and notes!

A double post? SOME ACTUAL CONTENT FROM ME?! GASP. 

In any case, hello hello! Stevie and I are back at it again with some SPICE but this time with a twist! Now if you haven't read the fic yet, the rest of these notes are going to be very spoiler-y! So a small warning for you! 

Now onto the juicy behind the scenes!

Stevie and I were hyperfixating on the visual of angry Harvey. He's always so well done and polite, never letting his anger out on anyone, but as Bonnie has proven time and time again - she doesn't mind being the one to witness those emotions. So, Stevie and I were toying with a few different ideas on how to start this out and then the idea of Bonnie trying the elixir came up and we grabbed onto that by the horns. 

It was so interesting to work out how that would affect Bonnie physically and in an arcane manner, but that's something for a later date. 

What was also fun was exploring how Harvey would release his anger and how Bonnie reacted to it. Now we all know Bonnie is drawn to imperfections - to monsters. So when Harvey started displaying traits she'd only seen in Hyde, it had very much piqued her interest. And of course Harvey confessed his crush on her whichwassofreakingcuteicant--

In any case what we want to explore further is how these two are drawn to each other and where their arcane fates take them both! 

Elixir of Truth (Bonnie/Harvey Drabble)

Written by Rhi and Stevie

Art by Stevie_Bones

In which peaceful afternoon is ruined when anger is pushed to the brink and research is taken a step too far. 

Harvey quickly swept his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, giving a frustrated sigh as he stood in front of his bedroom mirror. The looking glass touched the dorm room floor and reflected Harvey’s full tall form as he paced in front of it. He had been in his room for over an hour now, leaving Bonnie alone in the labs when he said he’d meet her there. He knew that his father might be there to give her aid if she needed, but it was getting late and Henry Jekyll was no longer made for the night. He would retire to his apartment for the rest of the evening and continue his work early the next day.

Just as Harvey was about to head to the labs, Hyde had started chattering away in his head with malicious glee, dropping little phrases to catch Harvey’s attention. Harvey knew that Hyde was just doing this to get a rise out of him, and Harvey would do well to not listen to the ramblings of a lunatic, but Harvey had a mountain of questions for Hyde as of late, and if he wanted to talk, Harvey would gladly talk to him.

“So who is this James person you seem to be great friends with?” Harvey asked Hyde.

Hyde gave a chuckle and went silent.

“Don’t you go doing that again. Don’t get a tight jaw whenever I ask you a question.” Harvey said.

“Is that frustration I hear wavering in your voice Harvey?” Hyde teased. “It pains you not knowing things now, doesn’t it? I recall you liked remaining blissfully ignorant and happy. Why don’t you try being ignorant again, Harvey?”

“I’ve grown tired of your games, now answer my question.”

“Is that a backbone I see developing? What elixir did you whip up to get one of those?” Hyde snickered.

“Why was my father a target? Was it you who sought him out and you employed James to get him for you?” Harvey asked, confronting the mirror.

“That’s big boy business, Harvey. Afraid I can't share that with you. Why don't you go run and polish Bonnie’s boots. I’m sure she’s missing the ratty little boy she likes to walk all over.” Hyde grinned.

“Stop avoiding me!” Harvey yelled into the mirror.

“Would you like a confrontation, then?”

Harvey felt a chill run down his spine as he felt Hyde up front and center in his head, almost too close to the surface. The magic from the stone created a fence-like barrier in Harvey head, keeping Hyde from getting to the control center, and right now, Hyde was stalking the gates like a lion in a zoo. His voice was sharp and loud in Harvey’s ear drums, his heart pounding with that awful yet alluring familiar desire to let go.

Harvey stepped back from his mirror.

“I won't let you get to me.”

“I’m already in you, Harvey.” Hyde gave a crooked grin.

“You may be in my head, but you’ll never have me. I won't let you.”

“You sure? You may be growing a backbone, but you’re still weak, just like your father was weak. All it takes is one little slip up, and then you’ll be begging for me to take over. You’ll want to taste that carnal power that I can so graciously give to you! I’ve told you from day one, Harvey, I am here to help you. I can be your greatest friend and ally, if you just...allow me-”

“No. Never.”

At the sudden interruption and denial, Hyde went quiet, his own anger twisting and curling within him like a pit of writhing snakes.

“Then I will rot you from the inside out. I’ll fester inside you like a plague till you succumb to me. I’ll destroy every bit of goodness in your life till you’re left with only me. I’ll make your life unbearable till you can no longer stand it. You’ll want to run and hide, just like your father.”

“I’m not my father.”

“Oh Harvey. Put your glasses back on. Look in the mirror and lie to yourself again.” Hyde said.

Harvey put his glasses back on and stared at his reflection. His white doctor's coat hung on his frame perfectly, as if he was always meant to wear it. His hair was lightly tousled, and if it hadn't been for the scars and the glasses, he would have been an exact replica of his father in his youth.

Harvey looked himself up and down till he stared directly into his own eyes.

“I’ve lived with you almost my whole life, Hyde. We’re not strangers. I know the sound of your footsteps, I know the shape of your shadow, and I know what delights you. I’ve been exposed to your horrors for years and I am unfortunately accustomed to them. You may pull your tricks here and there, but I am your prison, and I’ll be your biggest downfall.”

Hyde gave an amused smirk, and it almost wavered for a second, but his grimace spread back across his face.

“Dear boy, my claws are embedded in everyone, not just you. I have no pattern, no distinction, no reason, and I can attack you from anywhere, not just inside your head.” Hyde said, suddenly becoming distracted.

Harvey felt his blood run cold as an ache pulled at his bones, his head throbbing slightly.

“What was that?” Harvey asked.

Hyde breathed in deeply, his pupils dilating. He thought for a moment and then gave Harvey a serious glare, his teeth glimmering with hunger and delight.

“You’ve left her alone too long.”

“What?” Harvey asked, that statement making him shiver, snapping him out of his heated trance.

“Curiosity killed the cat, you know.” Hyde said, his eyes wide and dancing about. “Silly girl doesnt know what she’s playing at.”

“Who are you talking about?” Harvey asked, fear wavering his voice again.

Hyde’s eyes focused once again on Harvey, his jaw tight and his eyes hot with ill intentions.

“Don’t you have boots to polish?”

Harvey’s blood ran cold.

Bonnie.

The labs were quiet, just how Bonnie liked them. No chattering students in the corridors, no one poking their noses through the door where they don’t belong - just peaceful quiet. It helped her tune out the buzzing in her head as her fingers spread across the notes before her, her eyes skimming over Jekyll’s scrawled journals and research in his office.

She had made a habit of spending her weekends in the lab, much to the chagrin of her parents that would much rather she spent her time in the company of her fiance. However, Kit was a gentleman and understanding to boot - he would never impose upon her or her work. So in the labs and Jekyll’s office she sat day and sometimes night, as always trying to connect the dots between Harvey’s mistake, experiments of scholars now long gone and current arcane understanding.

The process was long, slow and tested her patience at times, but since she began to branch into other arcane bonding like vampirism and curses, the writing board behind her was steadily becoming more and more weblike with strings trailing from note to note.

The sun had slowly begun to lower from it’s midday high, the light filtering through the window now a golden orange, when Bonnie broke away from the desk, standing to stretch and crack her neck. She sighed, frustration throbbing absently in the back of her mind as she turned to stare at her board, chewing her lip as she tried to skim over her thorough research to find a new lead, a link she missed perhaps. But alas nothing jumped out to her until she flicked her eyes to the locked draw of the heavy, oak desk.

She knew exactly what was hidden in there and exactly why it was under lock and key - after all, best no one else came across Hyde’s elixir. Harvey had already warned her not to mess around with it, though she couldn’t quite quite recall exactly what he said; that would imply she had been really listening. Still his voice did echo in her mind as she approached the desk, but she waved it away and shooed it back with that familiar buzz that she often did her best to ignore. After all, she was stuck in a dead end and that enticing green liquid was the only loose end she had yet to exhaust.

The pink tiefling quickly glanced around, the empty room and comforting silence only emboldening her as she ducked down to the locked draw and pulled out her tools. A brief glow of blue encompassed her hands as she transformed the reamer of her swiss army knife into a skeleton key that she swiftly slipped into the old lock. With a practiced ease, she twisted it into the lock, listening for the satisfying sound of metal weights clicking until she felt no resistance as she turned the key. The draw shifted as it unlocked and with a grin, Bonnie stood and pulled it open revealing a few personal notes of her teacher and there at the back, the vial of glowing green.

As her finger wrapped around it, she felt a thrill pulsed through her and her eyes glinted a bright blue for a breath - doing something forbidden was always exciting, especially when it promised new knowledge. Barely able to contain her smile, Bonnie returned to the desk and slipped the vial into a small wooden stand before pulling out a notebook and slipping on her goggles.

She examined the contents, the way the potion moved and glowed, it’s thickness and consistency as she moved the vial, flicking different lenses to magnify her vision as she did and jotting down everything she could find from just scrutinising it. But after an hour of investigation, Bonnie sighed and removed her goggles - it wasn’t enough.

Her eyes strayed back to the potion as her tongue flicked out to wet her lips, considering it for a moment before pushing away from the desk and stood with an aggravated growl, “No, it would upset him.”

“But wouldn’t you be able to understand more if you knew?” A voice whispered in a familiar accent.

“Yes, but at what cost?” She asked, glancing back at the elixir.

“Only you. But isn’t it worth it? To help him?”

As usual, Bonnie found it hard to argue with herself, turning her head to look at the window. Her reflection in the glass was faint - was that a hat on her head? - but she could see the smile stretching it’s mouth and it imitated her as she reached up to trace her fingers over her own pursed lips, a frown furrowing her brow.

A stillness washed over her for a moment before she deeply inhaled and removed her vest and blouse. Beneath she wore a cream chemise with a portrait neckline and small ruffles along the hem and a dark, brown corset that came up to her mid-bust. The bottom dipped beneath her skirts and gave her a pigeon-breasted silhouette. She then rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the nervous tension built in there before she went searching for a thermometer and stethoscope.

Ten minutes later, Bonnie was sitting at the desk, her equipment and pen at the ready, temperature checked and vial held tightly, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she drew it to her lips. A moment passed as goosebumps rose across her skin and a small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth before she parted her lips and swigged back the green elixir in one quick movement. The taste of iron hit her tongue and instantly her throat was on fire yet her teeth ached as if she had bit into ice.

She grimaced, pulling the vial away from her lips as she swallowed, that freezing burn travelling down her throat and she felt her body shake, the metallic taste lingering in her mouth. Her free hand in turn grasped her pen and she quickly scribbled down the taste and immediate effects of the potion, the way it scorched and froze her insides making her shiver with discomfort.

Quickly, she popped the thermometer beneath her tongue and closed her lips around it. After a minute she slipped it out and compared her increase in temperature with some interest before placing the stethoscope in her ears and placing the end against her chest. Her heart rate had dramatically increased but quickly slowed, as if she had only caught the end of it’s run and that had her glancing back at the potion. The slight physical response had been minimal on that first sip after all, so curiously, she drew the vial back to her mouth.

Meanwhile, Harvey raced from his dorm room and across campus, never stopping a moment till he got to the labs. Fear carried his feet through the doors and into the empty room, skidding to a halt as he scanned the tables and found no one. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he tried to catch his breath, spinning round and facing his fathers office, finding the door ajar, light peaking through. He bolted towards it, throwing open the door to find Bonnie at his fathers desk, a familiar vial in her hand, almost touching her lips.

“Bonnie!” Harvey yelled, running forward and snatching the vial from her hand. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

The tiefling gasped, shock causing her to recoil as best as she could in the seat, her blue eyes wide. “H-Harvey? I- I didn’t think you were here,” She stumbled over her words as her empty hand flexed.

“Is this what you do when I’m not around? Go through my fathers things and do the exact opposite of what I tell you to do? I told you not to touch this!” Harvey said, his face red from running and his progressing anger.

“No! No, this was the first time I tried it, but I just wanted to understand,” She implored as she carefully rose from the seat to stand. “I thought if I could, it would progress my research.”

Harvey scoffed as he went about the room, seeing if Bonnie had touched or messed with anything else as he went to grab the cork to the vial and put it back in the drawer. As he faced the desk, he saw the multi-tool he had given Bonnie for her birthday sticking out of the lock of the drawer that belonged to the elixir. He grabbed it and yanked it out with one angry sweep, throwing it on the desk and placing the vial back where it belonged. He slammed the drawer shut and faced Bonnie with one quick turn.

“You tried it?” He asked, stepping closer to her. “You saw what that elixir did to me and you just thought you’d play around with it and try to learn more about it? Bonnie, it’s not something to just tinker around with!”

Bonnie stood a little straighter, unused to the fury emanating from her friend but never one to back down as she pushed the chair under the desk, removing the only barrier between them. “Well, what do you suggest I do? We’ve already tried looking at both yours and your father’s medical states and they gave us no clues on how the arcana begins t’attach,” She snapped, “You want me to help, don’t you?”

“You should have waited for my father to be with you as you did this. I’m sure he would have strongly advised you against it, as would I.” Harvey said, glancing down at the notes Bonnie was taking as she drank the elixir. “Don’t help me by putting yourself in danger. If anyone is going to be a test subject, it's me. I can’t believe how foolish you were. That’s it. You’re not allowed in my father’s office without one of us present. Now get out.”

“Excuse me?” She growled, “You’re going to stand there and insult me and tell me I need supervision? That’s rich coming from the kid that started this whole thing!” Her voice rose, embarrassed rage turning her cheeks a rosy pink. “I absolutely refuse to be treated like a child when I’m the only one here who has actually made any progress in working out how to separate you from Hyde.”

And with a snarl she then jabbed him in the chest with her nail, “An’ if you tell me to ‘get out’ again, I promise you’ll regret it.”

Harvey snatched her wrist, pulling it away from his chest.

“I’m the child? You’re the one throwing a fit because you got caught doing something you weren't supposed to do.” Harvey said sharply. “I asked for your help, not your lead, Bonnie.”

Flexing her fingers, she stepped into his space and hissed, “Then try taking the lead.”

Harvey’s mouth tightened and he swung Bonnie out of his way, ignoring her yelp as he pulled out his fathers desk chair and sat her in it. He opened up a drawer, pulling out a tray and box of his father's supplies and tossing them on the desk. He pulled out a tourniquet and wrapped it around Bonnie’s upper arm, tying it tightly as she winced.

“Don’t move.” He said as he pulled out a needle, ready to take her blood.

Ruffled and a little shaken by his rough movements, Bonnie couldn’t help but search his eyes for a trace of bright green and when she saw nothing but that familiar hazel, a spark of interest ignited. So she swallowed down her biting words and instead nodded, trying to relax the muscles of her arm.

Harvey took Bonnie’s arm and felt her skin, searching for a vein close to the surface. A blue line caught his eye and he readied the needle, his eyes focusing as he pierced her skin, drawing her blood. As he did so, he looked from the needle, to Bonnie, then back at the needle, watching it fill up with crimson liquid.

“Why are you dressed like that?” He asked, his voice devoid of any lightheartedness.

Her eyes widened and her blush darkened, now painting the tips of her ears rouge, “I-I was checking my temperature earlier and my heart rate so…” She trailed off, glancing down at the needle in her arm.

Harvey watched her carefully, removing the needle and placing a cotton ball over the small red dot on her arm. He placed the needle on the tray and turned back to Bonnie, taking his hand and placing two fingers on her neck, finding her pulse. It wasn't hard for him to find as he applied pressure, looking over at the clock on the wall.

“It’s fast.” He said, looking back at her and removing the tourniquet. “Feel anything else?”

She swallowed, biting down on her bottom lip as his fingers pressed against her neck and she felt her chest grow warm. “No,” she murmured, trying desperately to ignore the loud beating of her heart. “Are you quite done?”

“No.” Harvey said, writing down some notes on a notepad. “Now be patient.”

Harvey finished his notes and turned back to Bonnie, taking her chin and tilting it up, holding up a finger in front of her face. Her pupils dilated slightly and she grit her teeth as she glanced past his finger to his face, tracing over the now hard edges, noting that there was still no green. He was actually angry.

“Follow my finger, please.” He said as he slowly moved it from side to side and Bonnie couldn’t help rolling her eyes but still did as he asked, her eyes focusing on his movement.

“Good.” He said flatly, reaching for his stethoscope.

He placed it in his ears and held the bell up.

“May I have a listen?” He asked, keeping up his professional bedside manners.

The tiefling recoiled slightly before hissing a curse under her breath, “Fine.” She sat stiffly against the back of the chair, turning her face away.

Harvey placed the cold bell of the stethoscope right below Bonnie’s collar bone.

“Breathe in for me.” He said softly.

Still refusing to look at him, she took in a deep breath, using it to try and calm herself down too.

“Good.” Harvey said. “ You’ll need to take that off.”

“Excuse me?” She tilted her head to glare at him, her eyes narrowed, “Take what off?”

“Your corset. I can’t get to your heart and your lungs through all that fabric and boning.” Harvey said. “Just trying to be thorough. Of course, you can say no.”

If looks could kill, Harvey would be dead and buried, as Bonnie turned to face him, her lips pulled back into an aggravated sneer. “Now you’re playing the professional, huh? Fine. Move.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away so she could stand and undo the fastenings of her skirt. It fell swiftly revealing her drawers, a matching cream to her chemise, which was bunched up by the garter clips attached to the bottom of the corset that held up her stockings. She muttered a string of curses as she fumbled to undo her corset from the front and then unclip her stockings. With an exasperated growl she threw the article onto the desk and stepped out of her skirt that pooled around her ankles.

“Happy, Doctor?”

Harvey didn’t say anything. He took the bell and placed it back over her heart, then listening to it beat rapidly for a moment, moving it across and down till he was satisfied. He moved around behind her, gently taking her shoulder as he placed the bell at the middle of her back. He had her breathe a few more times till he removed the stethoscope and walked back to the desk to write down his note.

“No, I am not happy.” Harvey said. “I’m all done. You can dress again.”

His voice surprised her after those minutes of silence and she met his eye with a viciousness of her own. “Oh, you can sod off, you bastard. I’m not one of your wee patients and if I was that would have been some misconduct just there,” She snapped, folding her arms across her chest well aware she looked in a state - underdressed, hair ruffled and with stockings half down her calves.

Harvey took a seat on the edge of the desk, sighing as Bonnie cursed at him. He looked at her, his face still expressionless, but he felt a slight heat creep up the back of his neck that he justified to his frustration and still bubbling anger.

“I treated you as you deserved. You’re lucky I even cared enough to run these tests. You betrayed my trust here, Bonnie. Don’t spin this back on me. I won't allow it.” Harvey said.

For a moment, her anger faltered and hurt flashed across her face before she hid it away and instead drew out the Bonnie everyone expected; spoiled, bratty and unapologetic. “I get it. I didnae listen to your ‘oh-so-wise’ words of wisdom and now you’re pissed. But no way it’s just this that’s got under your skin, Harvey. You’re taking a bunch of shit out on me and don’t think I don’t notice,” Bonnie took a step closer and placed a hand under his chin to lift it up and glance at the collar. “You almost reminded me of him.”

Harvey looked up at Bonnie. His stern face now flickered with hurt, his eyes glistening with regret. He tried to speak but his words got caught in his throat till he was able to get out a shaky sob.

“All I’ll ever be is anyone but me.”

Bonnie swallowed the lump that rose in her throat before turning his face to look at her, “And whose fault is that, Harvey?”

“It’s mine.” Harvey said, staring at Bonnie as tears rolled down his face.

But instead of collapsing or crumbling, Harvey endured. His face drew back into a frustrated scowl, his brow deepening as he stood up abruptly, towering over Bonnie and stepping toward her, forcing her backward.

“It’s mine! My fault! No one but my own! Are you happy?” Harvey yelled, his voice booming through the office. “It’s mine!”

Bonnie felt out behind her as he crowded her backwards, her eyes wide yet as her hand met the wall and her back followed, she couldn’t help but smile slightly, “You know what? Yes, I am! Maybe if you actually let out your own anger for once you would nae get so easily riled, Lovelace.”

After Bonnie spoke, Harvey suddenly became distracted. Hyde was whispering to him, alluring him with thoughts he wanted to resist, but was finding it so hard to. As the thoughts swarmed Harvey, his eyes began to dance about, just as Hyde’s did before, and Harvey let out a pained gasp as he pulled away from Bonnie, stumbling backwards and holding his head.

“Stop, stop, stop.” Harvey winced in pain. “Quiet.”

He focused on his breathing, trying to calm down. He had broken out in a cold sweat, grabbing onto the cabinet behind him for stability.

“Harvey?” The sneer had fallen from her face, “Ah, shit.”

She followed after him. her voice now filled with regret and concern as she dipped into his line of sight. “Harvey, I’m sorry; I pushed too hard,” She reached her hand to his face, “Don’t let him rile you.”

“It feels like he’s trying to break in.” Harvey said, nearing the edge of a panic attack. “He won't shut up.”

Hyde was like a room full of voices muttering to Harvey all at once. It had never been this bad before. He just had to focus and calm down.

“I have to calm down.” Harvey said, the light of his collar flickering. “You should get my father.”

“Oh, yeah let me just go out dressed like this-” She snapped before she could stop herself, but to her credit cut herself off with a wince and took a breath to calm herself too. “Okay look, we can do this ourselves. Just keep your eyes on me for now, okay?” Her hand moved from his cheek down to his neck and her other hand held his shoulder to turn him fully toward her.

Harvey let Bonnie turn him and looked at her, her blues now softly looking at him, her touch gentle. He focused on her, breathing in and out. The evening sun was setting in the windows behind her, illuminating Bonnie in a golden hazy glow. He couldn’t help the flush of red that spread across his face as he stared at the pink tiefling.

Bonnie watched his flush travel down his neck and swallowed thickly, flicking her eyes back up to his and almost balking at how softly he was looking at her. She wet her lips subconsciously, her nerves leaving her slightly jittery as she then glanced at the collar. “Is this...uh, is this working?”

The collar stopped flickering and while Harvey’s heart beat rapidly, it was not out of anger. He felt his breathing steady, but when Bonnie spoke up, he realized how tenderly he had been looking at her and his blush deepened. He turned his head away, embarrassed.

“I’m fine now. Thank you.”

“Ah, right-” Bonnie flushed and took her hands from him, hovering awkwardly in front of him before turning away to move back towards the desk, reaching for the corset. Realisation dawned on her and she groaned loudly, slamming a hand on the table before glancing over at him. “I’m gonna need your help putting this back on.”

Harvey looked over and realized what Bonnie was referring to. He removed himself from the cabinet and slowly walked towards her, straightening out his vest and fixing his sleeves.

“Alright.” He said, going over to the desk and picking up the corset, holding it out to her.

She blushed before taking it and loosening the laces so she could place it against her chest and do up the front. Hesitantly she then turned to place a hand on the desk, but not before she gathered her hair and drew it over her shoulder. “Okay. Uh- if you’re not used to it, don’t worry about goin’ too tight…”

“It’s alright, I’ve tied up a corset before.” Harvey said, walking over and taking the laces in his hands. “I’m rather good at it.”

At that Bonnie let out a laugh, scoffing at him over her shoulder, “Oh, really? You know, I always took you for an ‘after marriage’ kinda guy.”

Harvey began pulling the laces from top to bottom, expertly tightening it just enough and having it still feel comfortable.

“And why is that, Bonnie?” Harvey asked, slight amusement to his voice.

She gasped as he tightened it, her hands gripping the desk for a moment before she smirked, “M’not sure, but maybe ‘cause I always thought you would be too pussy to actually get up the nerve.”

“I have plenty of nerve, Bonnie.” Harvey said, reaching the middle laces and giving them a firm tug. “Robyn allowed me to feel comfortable with myself. I wasn’t scared with her. She saw and understood my heart, and I understood hers. Loving her came naturally to me. I realized with her I’m quite passionate. I guess that’s why it hurt so bad when she left me. I thought that we were forever.”

Harvey finished tightening up Bonnie’s laces and tied them in a neat bow, his hands absentmindedly falling into routine and resting on Bonnie’s waist, until he realized what he was doing. He quickly pulled himself away, kneeling down and picking up Bonnie’s skirts.

“I think you can finish the rest. I'll just…be here with this when you need it.” He said, looking anywhere but at Bonnie.

Bonnie didn’t turn but instead let out a small, “Okay.” Her knuckle-white grip on the desk loosened and she flexed her hands as she inhaled deeply, trying to ignore how her face burned. In a whirl of hair, she spun round and quickly slid her stockings up her leg, grunting as she bent down in the corset to hike up her drawers and clip them in place. Once she was sure they were secure she coughed to get Harvey’s attention, still leaning against the desk.

He walked over and extended her skirt out to her, still avoiding looking at her.

“Thank you,” she murmured as she accepted it and stepped into it, holding on to him for a moment as she lost her balance slightly before slipping it back up to her waist, ignoring the ghosts of his touch there as she fastened the material.

Harvey let out a sigh as he turned toward the desk, collecting Bonnie's blood and his data.

“I felt it. When you drank the elixir. I felt it. It was like an aching pull at my bones and my head began hurting. I didn’t know what it was until Hyde said something. It was...strange. Did you feel anything when you drank it?” Harvey asked.

The tiefling turned, curiosity lighting in her eyes and she leaned over the desk to grab her notebook. “I wrote it down...but it was like I was on fire...but also like I was freezing at the same time. And the taste was...almost like...blood.”

“That’s exactly how I felt. Ice and then heat. Nothing happened for a few moments after I drank it, I was just left with that metallic taste in my mouth. Then my body went into shock and I passed out and Hyde took over. I don’t think that will happen to you. If something were, it would have happened by now. And you only took a small drink, yes?”

She frowned, reaching for a pen and adding his words to her notes. “Yeah, yeah it was just a swig. Nothing to fear though, he would never leave you to jump into me,” She muttered as she wrote.

“Why do you say that?” Harvey asked, turning back and finally looking at her.

“Well, because-” She looked up, meeting his gaze and swallowed, almost biting back her words, but she was nothing if not bluntly honest, “He suits you.”

“Pardon?” Harvey asked, his face twisting with confusion. “He suits me?”

“Have you looked in the mirror when you’re angry, Harvey?” Bonnie queried, her head tilting and her hair cascading down as she did, “Hmm...actually even if you did, you probably wouldn’t see it but-” Struggling to find the right words, she drummed her fingers at the desk before sighing and murmuring, “You’re alluring. Like, those emotions look good on you. And Hyde’s vain. He wants to look good.”

Harvey was rendered speechless for a moment. He didn’t know what to say to such a statement, especially from Bonnie.

“You...you like him?” Harvey asked, the words almost painful coming out. “You like me when I’m...him?”

Immediately Bonnie stood up straight, her bright blue eyes wide and round. “What?! No! No, that’s not what I meant! Ah, fuck, I always say the wrong thing!” She groaned, dragging her hand down her face. “It- Look...it’s not like…” She began to ring her hands, nervousness and embarrassment causing a deep red blush to blossom over her breast bone and dipping beneath her chemise. “I-I know what it seems like...I just meant that I find raw emotion is a good look for you.”

“Is this why you are always trying to pick a fight with me? Get me riled up? Its because you want to see me like...like that?” Harvey asked, looking more and more hurt by the second.

“No! That’s not-” She cut herself off, drawing back from where she had automatically reached out for him, “No...I...I just don’t like it when people are dishonest with their true feelings.” Bonnie moved away from him, placing the desk between them as she looked at the floor. “And I guess...I like it when people aren’t perfect and when they’re angry...and passionately furious...I think they look beautiful.”

“Well, I’m sure I made you quite a pretty picture today, then.” Harvey said, moving over to set what he was holding down on a desk. He had to pause and take a minute. He removed his glasses and focused on breathing.

“I wasnae try’na rile you, today, Harvey…” She sighed, sitting down again and burying her face in her hands. “I...I just wanted to help.”

Harvey looked over his shoulder, seeing Bonnie hiding her face away in her hands. He gave a sigh, looking down at the ground.

No more lies.

“I like you, Bonnie. I’ve always liked you. In ways, I think I even love you, but we aren't made to be together. I know that. I just...I just needed you to know that. Today has been… a lot, and I thought this could be the icing on the cake.” Harvey gave a quick smile, but it faded as he looked up at her. “I understand you want to help, and I hope by me saying this to you will help you understand where I’m coming from, and perhaps now that I’ve told you, Hyde will no longer taunt me with my own secrets. Well...now you know.”

Bonnie’s hand slipped from her face and she stared at him in shock, her jaw slack. “W-What?” She leaned against the chair back once again, fingers absently twisting the ring on her finger. “I...I had no idea, but…” She stuttered, struggling to even comprehend what he said, afterall why would anyone like her? Especially him. “W-Well...you’ve dodged a bullet really then...by falling for Robyn. I’m not relationship material.”

“You might not recall, but I did try and ask you out when we first met. I thought you were beautiful and witty and smart. Fierce too. But I think you misread the situation and dismissed me, so I took that as a “no”. I was disappointed to say the least, but content with being your friend. I liked that you didn’t treat me like a child or some fragile thing to protect. And in turn, my affections for you grew. And then I met Robyn and I had never been happier. I love her, with my whole heart, but she’s in danger by being with me with Hyde in my head. I never want to hurt her again. I dont want to subject you to the same dangers, but I know that you can take it. I’m sorry if I’m not making much sense, I just...don’t know how else to explain what I feel. You and Robyn are both in my heart. And I like having you both there.”

Bonnie could swear her face was on fire. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and suddenly her corset was far too tight. Of course she could remember their first meeting. It was a societal ball and Bonnie had been fishing for a chance to ask Faelynn to dance and just when she saw an opening, into view came this sweet, awkward brunette with a kind smile. She couldn’t remember if she’d even listened to him as over his shoulder Laurie swept in to whisk Faelynn onto the dance floor. So she’d dismissed him in frustration.

Thinking back, Bonnie couldn’t help but groan - embarrassed for both her past and present selves. “I’m...grateful you told me...and I’m-” She tried to find the words, her hands physically trying to convey them but instead kinda just grasping at air in front of her. “-sorry, that I turned you down.” Her face was now almost entirely the same colour as her eye makeup, and after a breath she dropped her head to the table, hiding it away from his eyes, very aware of how soft they were without his glasses on.

Harvey walked over to Bonnie and stood next to her, then kneeling down till he was level with her in the chair.

“You don’t have to be sorry. I know you love Faeylnn. I don’t expect you to feel anything for me, I just wanted you to know.” Harvey said.

Bonnie turned her head to look at him, chewing on her bottom lip before letting out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding. Stiffly, she moved back to sit in the chair, tucking some hair behind her ear and trying to straighten out the rest. “Well...uh...thank you. I-I think…” She muttered, looking anywhere else but at him.

“I apologize if that was a lot.” Harvey said, rubbing his palms against his knees. “Shall I give you a moment?”

“No-” She answered too quickly as she turned to face him before her eyes widened again, “I-I mean no. It’s okay. I...I overwhelmed you too, earlier...so I guess it’s fair.” Bonnie flicked her eyes away for a moment, her fingers returning to fiddle with her ring as she tried to calm her racing pulse.

Harvey saw Bonnie fiddling with her engagement ring. He reached out and placed a hand on her arm.

“Come. I’ll walk you back to your dorm. Maybe give you a scowl or two if it’ll cheer you up.” Harvey smirked. “I’ve never seen you so quiet, Bonnie.”

At that she couldn’t keep from letting out a small laugh, shrugging his hand off of her so she could give him a light shove. “Oh, shut up,” She smiled as she stood up, picking her blouse up off of the back of the chair, “Gimme a sec.”

With a few huffs, she managed to tuck her blouse into her skirt, hiking up the fabric so she could reach beneath and tug her blouse down - he’d seen her in only her undergarments so this was hardly embarrassing now. After that it only took her a moment to slip her vest jacket back on.

“Okay, I’m ready, but uh- should we sort out the blood sample? It’d be a wee bit better in a vial over a needle, right?”

“You’re right.” He smiled and walked over to where he had left the needle in the tray.

Harvey quickly placed the blood into a vial and placed it with the other samples his father kept within the lab.

“I’ll run tests on it tomorrow. You can join me if you’d like.” Harvey said, locking up the case and walking back over to Bonnie.

“I’d like that,” she nodded, having enough grace to look a tad shameful, “I’m sorry again. For not listening…”

“It’s alright. I’m sorry I got so angry with you. You were right, it was a bunch of things that got me frustrated, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry. I will now make sure I don’t get that angry again. I think Hyde almost was able to come out on his own despite the collar. Even if we don’t learn anything from your blood sample, we at least now know he can still get out if I'm not strong enough and lose focus.” Harvey said.

“Aye, that much is true...and worrying. You need to make sure you don’t bottle up too much,” she looked up at him, biting her lip for a moment, “I was once told that emotions that you keep inside can be poisonous an’ Hyde hardly needs more to use against you.”

“He’s quiet now. I think he’s upset. I don’t know if that's a good thing, or if I made things worse for myself. At least I have silence for now.” Harvey gave a smile at Bonnie before looking forward. “How’s that corset feeling?”

Her face exploded once more, the tips of her ears peeking bright red from between her pink locks. “Oh, you cheeky shit,” she growled with a feral grin, “Careful now, you don’t want me spreading ‘round how good you are at lacing up ladies.”

Harvey chuckled, glad to see Bonnie smile again.

“Trust me, there are plenty of rumors floating around about me on campus. That one is tame compared to the others.” Harvey said.

“Probably the least believable one too,” She snorted as she moved to pack some notes away in her bag, grabbing her multi-tool as she did, casting one last glance at the drawer with elixir before turning back to Harvey. “You’re hardly a casanova.”

“Mmm.” Harvey tilted his head and raised his brows. “Some things about me have to remain a mystery, I guess.”

Bonnie chuckled at that, hanging her bag over her shoulder before slipping her hands around his arm, “Sure, sure Prince Charming, now didn’t you offer to escort me?”

“I did, I did.” Harvey smiled and began walking out of the office with Bonnie.

He closed and locked the door and led Bonnie out of the building and walked with her out into the night, the street lamps their guiding light back to the dorms. As they walked, Harvey felt light and content, until a familiar voice creeped back into his ear, hissing with malice.

“You think you’re so clever, don’t you, boy? I made you bleed once. I’ll make you bleed again.”

Harvey flinched slightly at Hyde’s words whipping against his skull, sending a shiver of dread down his spine. He did his best to mask his fear in front of Bonnie. He just wanted them to exist in this moment together without anything to disturb them.

He’d worry about Hyde later.

Elemental Knight - Art and Insider!

Hello, everyone! Sorry for my absence! Planning for this game consumed me entirely so I've decided to share my FIXATION!!

The Guardians of Balance was a name I came up with years ago with my first concept of a magical girl comic idea - I had a few sketches, one which I've shared of the Bookkeeper (side profile with a mask). The premise of it were Guardians that represented each element of life on Earth and to maintain the balance in order to keep chaos at bay. 

Well after a few years of procrastination, the idea was tucked away. However after I played Magical Fury as a ttrpg during lockdown, my brain WHIRRED into gear once again. Now I tried applying the game to Magical Fury but I didn't quite enjoy the mechanics of it, so instead adapted Monster of the Week for it instead! 

At the moment, nothing I've made is shareable outside of my players but I'll adjust and add credits where due so you too can use the template for yourselves! 

The premise, however, also changed as I decided to keep a theme - Elements and Knights. Hence the name Elemental Knight was born. Like Sailor Moon, this gave our magical girls a uniform that identified them as a group and also tied in the thing we love as a whole - classic dnd. 

The other main contributor was my players! What if they all wanted the same element? Well there was one sure fire way to spread them out a tad and also give them a chance to explore the options! A quiz!

Which Element Are You? 

(Don't share this outside of here for now as it may give spoilers in the SB server)

The results left Air open so I used a handy NPC to fill that spot and I already had the idea for  Aludra before hand - a previous Guardian, who suffered a grievous loss and is now the unwilling mentor for the new group, (somewhat inspired by Janna from League's Star Guardian lore). 

Now we're headed into SPOILER territory! Please do not click the following link if you would like to remain spoiler-free!

SPOILER LORE 

If there's anything else you would like to know, I'm happy to answer in the comments <3

LOVE is for suckers

A boudoir shoot? On my patreon? Finally! 

I commissioned @Harleychainsawcreations on Instagram for this beautiful widow's robe and WOW! It's so hefty and beautiful and I feel like a million pounds when I wear it, so I obviously had to do a shoot as Bonnie in it! 

Hulda took the pictures for me on the morning of my birthday and lord was that girl just the real MVP of the shoot. Her lighting and her position choices were immaculate. She really helped my confidence too as it's been a while since I was so exposed! 

Also, I'm thinking of opening a print shop and including some of these! What do you guys think? Should I do it? And if I do, what prints would you want?