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Turning A New Leaf (Leighton and Sangeun) [COMPLETED]

One day in your life. They say that one day in your life could completely change it and Leigh had never really paid mind to that thought before. But since that evening when the bookstore had got held up for the takings of the till, Leigh had seen the world a little differently. Thankfully, Eun had been there to stop the attack and neither of them had been harmed in the process, over the past month or so he’d been working with the police to prosecute the attacker and get back the money that was rightfully his. It had been a long and somewhat stressful process but Leigh was happy to see the justice system run it’s proper course the way that his new friend truly believed in.

He had also felt something trigger in himself, it was a combination of things, from being held at gunpoint and feeling the fear of having such a weapon pointed in his direction to meeting someone who was incredibly bold and brave, someone who made the therianthrope want to be a stronger and bolder person. Someone who had become his friend from that day forward. Honestly, Leigh had a lot of things he could thank Eun for but he knew he didn’t need to tell the dhampir them, from the way they had chatted over the phone and through texts here and there since. Leigh was trying to put himself out there more, make friends and not just immediately dismiss the thoughts in his head or the people who walked into his life.

It was easier said than done, of course, he had met Irene through the book store and struck up a strange arrangement with her and he had managed to work up the courage to attend one of those cooking classes Willow was always raving about where he had met Ha-joon but it still felt like a conscious effort on his part every time. He had to work up his own confidence and tell himself that he was going to be okay and that this was good for him, there were days when he felt like he could do it and there were days where he couldn’t. But it was progress and that was what was really important to the therianthrope.

It was late afternoon in the store and he was doing the last few tasks of his closing up routine, which essentially gave him an excuse to pace up and down the shop floor as many times as he wanted without it looking weird. It was ridiculous, he knew, but ever since he was a kid he had always begged his parents to let him do horse riding lessons. He never got his way back then but now he was older he could afford to do it for himself. So he’d signed himself up to an open lesson today. And now he was freaking out about it. He was trying to tell himself it was all in his head and he would be fine but it just wasn’t one of those days where he could talk himself down so he was debating whether he should cancel or now. He froze when he heard the bell on the door open “Sorry we’re just about to close” he spoke as he turned to face the customer only to be met with the familiar face of Sangeun Moon “Though I’ll make an exception and let you stay a while” he added with a bright smile happy to see the dhampir.

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DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Sangeun Moon on August 27, 2019 at 14:30

It’s been a while since he first came to Evermore, over a month now if he calculated them correctly. Eun had the chance to go through a few things now and then, he finally visited his baby brother, Jae, only to find out he had another companion slung around his arm that in his opinion, made the younger dhampir a lot happier than most he’s seen. He’s never seen that kind of emotion when he was back in Seoul, the newfound triggering emotion was something refreshing and Sangeun desperately wished he could be one of those people who had the chance to feel the same. And even if it wasn’t anywhere near the same sentiment Jae shared with Han, Eun wanted to feel just a bit of it, enough to insert a sliver of hope somewhere inside his demeaning self.

Other than that, he also had the opportunity to befriend another person, a humble and kind guy named Leighton Kingsman, who owned a bookstore just across the block of his hotel. Admittedly his firm paid for his accommodation to provide him with the best care possible, which was a given seeing as he didn’t rose up to his rank without any hard work. That’s exactly what he did throughout his time in the eternal city, surprisingly Eun didn’t get the chance or has yet to set his foot inside the local dhampir dojo near the said territory due to his working schedule that kept him occupied almost 24/7. Back to the story, Leigh left a lasting impact on the older Moon brother. If the dhampir could describe the therian, he would put so many positives and optimism in the words because, in all honesty, that’s what he looked like, or at least what he displayed himself as. A character that came on charmingly and seemingly took his interest for some reason.

Today was just like any other regular day for him ever since he came settling here for his work, he finally met his intended client two weeks ago and now he’s onto his work in order to get every documentation issue settled without any further problems arising every now and then. He remembered distinctly that last night, he took at least an hour off his time to chat with Leigh over the phone, it’s a routine for him ever since he got his number when he saved the guy that night. Despite his stressful working condition, with papers and documents alike scattered all across his working space in the suite, he could find some happiness while chatting with the male who seemingly tugged on his heart with the word friendship. With his glasses perched on his nose bridge and one hand ruffling his hair in distress, Eun stared at the inked papers before him with a scrutinizing glare before pushing it aside, this wasn’t gonna work if he keeps to himself.

The suite was spacious, it was nowhere near cramped or the likes, but the adventurous soul inside Eun’s dhampir self was aching for a taste of the outside air. The elder Moon had always been working in the office, but most of the time he gets to go on-site and work outside of it and those are the days when he was extremely productive. “I need to get out” he murmured to himself and changed himself into something more comfortable and placed a cap on his now lighter locks. Eun took a trip down a few days ago and got his hair dyed blond, which he had no idea why. A part of him wondered if he’s been dying to try another color that’s lighter since forever but never had the chance to do so seeing as the eyes are always watching back in his country. He’s a lawyer, to dye his hair obnoxiously in such a color is not an image he’d like to prance around in. But now that he’s in another foreign country with nobody else but his client to judge him, who by the way is just grateful he took this case, he felt freer.

As soon he locked the door, he placed the keycard in his pockets before making his way downstairs via the elevator, the ride down didn’t take long since he didn’t stay too high up. Before he could even comprehend what he’s doing, his legs were already taking him somewhere. A particular somewhere he’s quite familiar with due to stopping by a few times. Leigh’s bookstore. Pushing the door slowly, he entered the shop and grinned sheepishly upon hearing the therian’s response to his entrance. “I hope I wasn’t intruding, hi Leigh” he beamed and waved his hand awkwardly, honestly awkward is one word to describe Eun who looks like he just pushed whatever comfortable he could and top it off with a cap over his messy blond locks. "You're closing early, Leigh? It's only what o'clock though? Is there something going on? Are you unwell?" His eyes widened and rushed to see if he is unwell or the sorts.

TherianPermalink Reply by ✓ Leighton Seth Kingsman on August 27, 2019 at 22:55

Leigh was generally quite an unadventurous person, he stuck to what he knew and was generally okay with that, he liked reading books and writing journals and watching occasionally playing with online stocks. He watched the same 4 TV shows every week and looked forward to seeing the stories process. He was a simple guy who lived simple things but lately he had really been branching out and finding new things to enjoy. He’d started a cooking class, much to his own surprise, he wasn’t exactly very good at it and had ended up covered in flour and burning the pie he made on the first lesson he went to but it had been a big step for him, to get out into the world and do something where he wasn’t alone. And now he’d had a taste of that perhaps he wanted more, he’d made friends with Eun, the dhampir who helped him the night the shop was held up and they’d talked quite a lot in the past month or so, silly stuff mostly but he always looked forward to getting a text or setting an hour aside to chat.

As he turned from his latest pacing, he wasn’t expecting to see the striking male enter the building so he stared a little dumbfounded for a moment when Eun spoke to him, not because he was surprised by his presence, he was used to the dhampir popping into the now and then but because his hair was significantly different “Um, no not at all” he waved with one hand and parted his lips for a moment “Wow that’s...that’s uh...that’s different” he stumbled over the words as he struggled not to stare at the dhampir because he looked absolutely amazing. Always did if Leigh was honest, he often found himself losing his breath when he saw him but the blond was unexpected and it really suited him “I mean it looks good, your….your hair looks good” his nervousness wasn’t helped by the fact that he was about to go and meet a bunch of strangers and probably make an ass of himself on a horse in front of them.

When Eun immediately caught onto the fact that it wasn’t like therianthrope to close up early he blew out a long breath “Yes? No? I don’t know” he commented as he resumed pacing, going up to the door behind Eun and changing the open sign to closed and then back over the shelves to continue to rearrange the books customers had left in the wrong places throughout the morning “I’m fine” he assured him when he asked if he was unwell but bit his lip softly “There’s a thing I was supposed to go to and if I don’t leave soon I’m going to be late and then everyone will stare at me even more than they usually do, maybe I should just stay here, yet it would be much easier to stay here and then no one will make fun of me” he paused from his rambling pressing his lips together and forcing himself to stop pacing “Sorry, rude of me, you came over to see me? Did you want a coffee or something?” he wasn’t doing great at hiding his nerves that was for sure.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Sangeun Moon on September 1, 2019 at 18:07

Eun was generally a nice guy who actually likes to befriend people because he believes in the best of someone. In a way, it was his way of experimenting to see how people vary in that sense. He was in pretty much in almost all competitions held by his school, from kindergarten up to law school. Yes. He didn't earn the prestigious nickname from the stern and conservative society they live in for no reason. He tried to be the best. Because who wouldn't want to be the best? When he first met Leigh last month, on a day that served him a reminder that yes, there are still good people existing in this world, the kind where you just want to give up everything for them. Eun felt that strange want and need to protect this guy; his friend. Leigh was your ordinary shy and smart guy one would probably stumble across at every institution or part of their lives, but there was so much more to the therian that what meets the eye, for sure. The dhampir could see that. All the meet ups, visitations, phone calls late at night or even the miniscule texts that actually did brighten his day were more than enough to make him smile. That's the positivity he wanted to feel every single day and thankfully, the male was very generous into giving him that.

He refrained himself from chuckling at the therian who looked at him with a surprised look initially when he first set foot inside the bookstore, probably not really expecting for him to come and visit so randomly without any notice given out in a text that would indicate his visit. Or maybe it's the hair. "You think so? Is it a good kind of different though? I wasn't sure on the shade when I decided to bleach it but…" he shrugged awkwardly, not really knowing what to say or how to phrase it, "I do hope it doesn't look too bright… wouldn't want people to get sore eyes because of me, you know" he giggled sheepishly and perched one hand over the counter as he listened to Leigh. The complement of a stutter that escaped him got Eun grinning in delight, so cute. "Careful there, Leigh. Any more stuttering and I'd think you have a crush on me" he teased, pointing his index finger playfully at the male, enjoying how he could make him flush, "But thank you for the compliment. It's very much appreciated."

He was about to ask if Leigh was okay when he didn't give him a definite answer warranting his excuse to close up early, even after he changed the sign from open to closed and returned back to the counter where Eun had been staring at him, "You don't sound or look fine…" he pointed out softly and pursed his lips lightly, clearly disliking if he couldn't help when he could've, "Is there anything I can help you with?" But it was quickly dismissed when Leigh told him what was bothering him, "Ohhhh… well you shouldn't be late. If it's your first time, you should show others a good example by being punctual and disciplined, come on Leigh" he beckoned but didn't miss the reluctance masking his hues, his body language alone stated a lot, "Hey… my statement earlier still stands, you know. Can I do anything to help? Do you want me to accompany you? I don't have anything to do at the moment."

Lies. He actually did have plenty to sort and settle, but Leigh didn't have to know that. He needed some distraction anyway and Leigh provided that by making him smile. "If you want to make it in time, we should go now, I just had coffee earlier don't worry" he didn't even give him time to say a word before making his way to the door, turning around to face the therian that still haven't moved, "Unless… you don't want me to interfere?" His tone was careful, he didn't sound offended, just curious and sincere, though he made his intentions clear with that doe-eyed look and his hand extended out for him to take.

TherianPermalink Reply by ✓ Leighton Seth Kingsman on September 1, 2019 at 22:35

Leigh couldn’t even explain the way he felt every time he saw Eun, the guy was just so handsome and from a few offhand comments the dhampir had given, he knew that but it was honestly like staring at a supermodel half the time and so the blond hair had the therianthrope completely caught off guard and gawking at Eun in amazement “Believe me no one is going to get sore eyes from looking at you” he commented with a shrug of his shoulders like it wasn’t a big deal “I like it, it’s bold” he nodded slightly “Without being too crazy for a lawyer” he winked but was quickly made shy again by Eun’s teasing and hid his face behind his hands for a moment as he blushed “I’m just a nervous person in general, you know this by now” which definitely wasn’t helped by how charming and attractive he found Eun. He sighed a little dramatically and shrugged “You’re welcome” he had a hint of a smile gracing his lips.

One thing about Leigh is that his emotions always seemed to be on his sleeve, he was easy to read and had a lot of tells, it was easy to tell when he was nervous or embarrassed when he smiled, the smile would always reach his eyes and flash his dimples when he was really happy so he didn’t know why he kept trying to play off the truth when it was always so evident. His state of nerves only got worse when he started to talk it out with Eun because talking about it made it a real thing and he guessed he’d just been putting off the reality of it in his mind “I know I shouldn’t be late but maybe I just shouldn’t go...no one’s going to miss me so” but the way Eun immediately offered to help and seemed so positive about it made Leigh feel bad for being such a quitter “Oh you don’t have to do that, you must be busy with the case and stuff” he spoke in a small voice but it became quickly evident that he wasn’t going to be able to do this alone.

Despite the fact he was playing it off it seemed Eun wasn’t taking no for an answer and was pretty much trying to coax Leigh out of the door. He stood there frozen in surprise for a while wondering how he was lucky enough to meet someone so kind that they’d just put aside their entire afternoon to come with him and Eun hadn’t even asked where he was going yet “You uh…” he paused for a moment trying to explain what he was thinking in that moment “You don’t even know where I’m going and yet you offer to come with me?” he spoke softly as he looked up at him in wonder, he wasn’t sure what he did to deserve such a good friend, the therian smiled naturally feeling confidence suddenly fill him thanks to having someone on his side.

“Okay...I guess we’ll go together then…” he spoke as he headed out of the shop and locked the door behind him, trailing behind Eun as he fiddled with the keys in his hand thoughtfully “I’m going horse riding...or I signed up for a class to ride horses because I always wanted to when I was a kid” he admitted though blushed and hid his face a little because he was a little embarrassed to admit that was what he was getting himself so worked up over “It’s not the horses I’m worried about so much as the people...you’ve seen how well I do around strangers, hell I’m not even good around people I actually know” he glanced over as Eun hoping he understood.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Sangeun Moon on September 4, 2019 at 17:20

Before coming to Evermore, Eun never met the people he's met here. Not quite likely. Even his brother who breathed the 'American' or how his sister, Ahri, would phrase it, looked so different. He acted different, even sounded different. But not the bad kind, of course. Everything was good, things were well during his stay here. His client can be quite tough around the edges but that's always a given when dealing with a case such as his current one. His fiancee even called him a few times over the weekends to check on how he's doing, and despite his 'unwavering' feelings, Eun maintained good relationship with the diamond cartel heiress. She's a good friend. Leigh, however, the person that stands before him today, is by far, the most spectacular and interesting person he's ever met in his entire life. Yes, even after living for 30 years, Leigh strike him to be so likeable it was almost impossible not to like that guy. Especially those dimples.

No matter how many times the currently blond now, tried to avert his gaze away, it was made known even to the therian that the elder Moon was deeply fascinated with his cheeks for some reason. So long as the latter didn't find it weird, Eun didn't exactly have a reason to discontinue his staring session. The compliment that flew out of Leigh's mouth almost got him blushing actually, he could feel his cheeks warming up because of that one sentence, when usually he was never affected due to his outbound 'narcissism'. "You think so?" In an effort to mask his sudden shyness, Eun leaned forward and placed took off his cap and ruffled his hair messily, "Enough to defeat a model?" he giggled and wore his cap again after sorting his fluffy messy locks. "I'm glad you like it though, the barber kept telling me it looks great but I wasn't so sure… this is my first time bleaching my hair" The thrill though, it was immeasurable.

"A cute nervous person. Because why not? We need cute stuff in our lives occasionally." After a while of talking and interacting with Leigh over the weeks, Eun found the courage and comfort in teasing him because he liked seeing his reactions. They were golden and every single one was embedded in his head. The dhampir was quick on his actions and reactions alike, perks of being trained as a lawyer he's guessing, "No, you say people are not gonna miss you but what if they would? If I was in the class, I would…" he shook his head and clicked his tongue at him, chastising the male for thinking that way. "Nonsense, I came here today on my own accord for a reason, you know. I wanted to spend my day with my friend, aka you. But you are going somewhere, if you don't mind then I'll accompany you. And if you would like to do that, I'll be your cheerleader for the day" he beamed sincerely. "Let me do this for you, Leigh. You've always cheered me up… yes even with those teas that actually grew on me." His eyes were playing a pleading game with Leigh.

Technically he should know where Leigh is going first before offering this company of his, but the dhampir was excited to help him that he totally forgot, "Well… where are you going then?" he asked, while awkwardly rubbing the back of his head, "Sorry I was… just excited." Hearing from Leigh that he signed up for horse-riding lessons, Eun's eyes lit up in awe, "Wow, that's cool. I've always wanted to enroll in one. I remember my parents wanting to enroll me in an equestrian class when I was in elementary but I was busy with school" he frowned, admittedly he never quite live that down because it was a missed opportunity. Either way, he was enthusiastic to tag along. Leigh expressing his worry over social anxiety made Eun turn to face him and give him a bright smile, "I would not disregard that about you. But did you know you're kind and you draw people in? You're humble, Leigh. I'll be there with you, you… trust me, right?" he bit his lip and looked back at the therian for confirmation.

"I believe in you" he spoke, his tone was laced with genuine feelings and sincerity. "Besides, if you fall I'll catch you" he sent a wink his way and giggled. The weather outside seemed nice enough for a horse-riding lesson and to say Eun was excited would be an understatement, "What else are you learning now? I mean other than this? Were you planning to get involved in more activities?"

TherianPermalink Reply by ✓ Leighton Seth Kingsman on September 5, 2019 at 14:51

Leigh was utterly in awe of how amazing Eun looked, though he had been before he dyed his hair, the therianthrope found the dhampir incredibly attractive from the moment he met him, to the point where sometimes Leigh questioned in his head how such a person could actually exist. Maybe that was a little superficial but it was honestly like someone had stepped right off a magazine and that constantly threw him. When Eun took off his hat and shook out his fluffy hair Leigh watched and nodded a little doing his best not to stare too intently “Oh definitely, might as well practice your catwalk already” he grinned brightly, he was slowly getting more confidence around Eun the longer they were friends “The barber was right, though bleach is the enemy, be careful not to overdo it” he would know, the pink had mostly faded out in his hair now so he was a grayish blond color himself and he needed another redye soon “What color should I go next?” he was thinking maybe a dark color so he wouldn’t need to bleach it again so soon.

Leigh swallowed down the strange compulsion he had to reach out and touch Eun’s fluffy looking hair and instead interlocked his fingers together in front of him “Am I cute?” she asked and scrunched up his nose not sure if he wanted to be called cute which probably did the opposite of what he was hoping, he knew Eun was making fun of his as usual though so he smiled slightly shyly. “Well, they can’t miss someone they never met” he protested though he understood the sentiment about not trying new things and therefore never meeting people that could be really important in your life. He was trying to break out of that shell, hence why he booked the class in the first place but it still made him nervous now the day was here “Okay” he spoke softly, it was hard to tell Eun no when he was insisting and he couldn’t say he would complain about having company today, with Eun there maybe he wouldn’t feel quite so alone “No fair with the puppy dog eyes though” he grumbled “Plus I bought coffee because you said you liked it and now you insist on having the tea” he laughed running his hand through his hair.

Leigh kinda loved the fact that Eun was one of those people who got carried away with everything, that made him an exciting and spontaneous person to be around and while Leigh was very much a planner to every detail, he didn’t hate being around someone who was more in the moment “Oh no don’t feel bad, I like your enthusiasm” he admitted with a sharp nod of his head “It’s a little addictive I must admit, I feel like you’re rubbing off on me” they had been friends for a little while now and talked often, mostly over tea at the shop in the afternoons Eun had off. Leigh was guilty of daydreaming and looking at the door hoping the dhampir would show up to brighten his day. “Really?” Leigh brightened up the moment Eun mentioned wanting to try horse riding himself because perhaps that meant he might enjoy it and want to come along again “And then there’s me begging my parents for it and not being able to afford it” he chuckled softly “Well we both get to try it now right?” he felt better about it just knowing he wouldn’t be alone.

“I think the problem is I worry too much about what people think about me and I don’t know how to stop” he admitted with a slight nod of his head, part of what he had been through back in school and now always stuck with him, it didn’t help that he was gay and a lot of people judged him for that. “Of course I trust you” he responded without a beat, Eun had quite literally risked his own safety to prevent that robbery the day they met, how could he not trust him. He beamed slightly when Eun said he believed in him “You do realize that I am clumsy and that could quite likely happen right?” he laughed softly and led the way to his car after locking the shop, he went around to the driver’s side and climbed inside “I went to a cooking class last week...didn’t turn out too well but I did meet a new friend” he admitted with a nod, he was planning to go back for the next one and hopefully not burn the thing he was making this time.

“Do you have any interesting hobbies?” he asked as he put the key into the ignition and pulled off, heading towards the edge of the city where the houses thinned out and there were fields and the infamous Evermore river. It was a nice scenic route which made the therian happy, he liked seeing nature, probably part of his animal nature, he turned down the radio so he could listen to Eun as they drove.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Sangeun Moon on September 8, 2019 at 18:16

At first, he misinterpreted Leigh's staring in a way to say that perhaps he had dyed his hair in a color that really did not suit him. But that didn't seem to be the case when Leigh enthusiastically complimented his new choice of color with pure sincerity, so much he could even feel the genuineness in his tone. It made him happy because dying his hair had been one of his own decisions that wasn't influenced by anyone's talks. Well, he was a bit influenced by Leigh's pink hair the first time they met because it made the therian look cuter but the latter didn't need to know that. "Oh, bold of you to assume I haven't practiced my catwalk already" he shook his head and wagged his forefinger in front of Leigh as to say he was 'disappointed' in him, "Let's hope the hair doesn't dry up and leave me crying because the flawlessness wilted…" he even went as far as to flip his hair dramatically because he knew it would make Leigh laugh and honestly, that'd his mission right there. The therian sometimes had a cloud above him and Eun found himself frowning at that because he deserved to be happy.

So why not, right? Why not make him laugh at his jokes, no matter how old-fashioned and stupid they may be. When Leigh asked what color should he don next, Eun pondered for a moment as he stared at the taller male, examining him from head to toe as if he was a designer waiting to dress him up, "How about going a bit natural? Brown? Let's not get ahead of ourselves and go black all of a sudden, bright colors suit you but I really am curious what you would look like in a darker shade of color but not too dark, cuter? Or handsomer?" Hey, in his opinion, Eun does find him cute. "You are cute because excuse me those dimples are to die for," he pointed out, he was envious of those there were times he just wanted to pinch his cheeks, "But you're an attractive guy, Leigh. You can look handsome effortlessly, believe me." Despite his narcissistic behavior, Eun does find everyone pretty and beautiful in their own way. Beauty is subjective, anyway. If he strived to look for the good in people, shouldn't he be doing the same?

"Psychologically, that may be incorrect, sir" he cleared his throat and put on his glasses, one he pulled out from his pockets and wore them momentarily, "People don't know what's good for them 95% of the time. That's why people are reckless" he concluded bashfully and took it off to keep it, "Of course none of those are accurate. I only ever learned psychology to read a plaintiff's state, never bothered to go… reading other stuff" he waved dismissively. He rolled his eyes and smirked when he said something about his puppy dog eyes, "What can I say. When I'm cute, I'm cute." Upon hearing that Leigh bought coffee for him, he blinked a few times and apologized profusely, "Y-you didn't have to… I'm sorry for burdening you" he bit his bottom lip apologetically as he gave him a guilty look. He was quick to get back on his usual horse soon enough though, beaming in delight as soon as he heard Leigh saying he's rubbing off him with his optimism and enthusiasm, "Then that's a good thing!"

He patted him reassuringly and pressed his lips together to offer him a smile, "We can try it out together now yes. So don't fret yourself, Leigh. Even if you fall down, I'll catch you. Given that I wasn't already on the ground but still, I'd catch you." Knowing Eun, he probably would still try to catch him even if he was on the ground. "Then focus on me" he exclaimed, tilting his head slightly to the side and grinned, "When you focus on me, which by the way wouldn't be hard since I'm drop dead gorgeous, you'll only care what I say. And believe me, you can trip on air and I'd still try to cheer on you" he whispered, a bit proud that Leigh does, indeed, trust him. "God I swear my brother should learn from you. Kid couldn't trust me to save his life. Tsk tsk… and that's saying something seeing as he's the kind that actually does trip on air." He made a new friend? And suddenly Eun was curious to know who, "What's his nameeee? Well… or her… whoever it was."

When he asked whether he had any interesting hobbies, Eun shrugged casually, "I'm generally a fun person to be around with but I don't get a chance to do any interesting hobbies… or any hobbies in general. Not that much, at least. Unless you count collecting rejected stamps because their faces looked funny, or playing with the golf cart just because it sounds funny?" In all honesty, Eun could really use more of those in his life. "You know I used to be so afraid of the idea of riding a horse. I had to join a polo club when I was in high school but after I accidentally threw the stick at my couch who was trying to train me because I wanted to calm down the tired horse, I never played it again. He had a funny looking bruise too… like an elephant."

TherianPermalink Reply by ✓ Leighton Seth Kingsman on September 10, 2019 at 14:22

He laughed at the way Eun said he was already practiced for the catwalk, Leigh would believe it in a heartbeat just from looking at the dhampir and the way he always so elegantly held himself and while he was shorter than Leigh, he was still pretty tall “Oh I think you’re safe from that for at least a few more months” he laughed softly, the smile reaching all the way across his face and showcasing his dimples pretty clearly “Mine, however, definitely needs a serious dose of conditioner before it becomes straw-like” but giving it a rest from bleach was probably going to help, he ran a few of the strands through his fingertips while they talked.

The way that Eun looked over him made him feel pretty self-conscious for a moment and he dipped his gaze to follow where he was looking to distract himself from the fact that someone like Sangeun Moon was staring at him, he blushed profusely from the suggestion, not from the color that he chose but because he said it might make him look cuter or more handsome “I haven’t had my natural hair color in a very long time” he admitted in a soft tone and nodded a little, the last time he had his natural hair was in high school, the night he had overdosed had changed everything and from that day, his hair changed too. “You think brown would suit me?” he cared about what Eun though, even if he knew he never had even half a shot with him, he liked the idea of being attractive to him “These dimples are a blessing and curse, it always makes it so obvious when I’m smiling, I got in so much trouble in classes when I was laughing” he purposely poked against the exact spots they were on his own face and laughed but quieted when Eun said he was attractive “You think so?” he asked it shyly because people usually weren’t forthright with their comments on his looks.

Leigh almost doubled over laughing when Eun purposely pulled out his glasses while speaking to emphasize what he was saying but it was immediately replaced by him biting slightly on his lip because damn did he wish he looked that good in glasses. Eun looked absolutely stunning normally but those glasses just elevated everything “I mean I’d believe you were right just from the studious vision only” he chuckled softly, he wore glasses too but they definitely didn’t look that good on him “Maybe everyone just needs a bit of your positivity in their pocket to keep them going” he spoke it softly, he liked being around someone who saw the light in the world because it made him want to search for it too “Oh it’s not a burden, I just figured if you came over more then I’d want to give you a drink you’d like” he blushed slightly and looked away from him slightly “You have to at least try it when we’re not so rushed” he didn’t know if it was good, he’d asked someone at the store for advice and they’d recommended it.

There was something about Eun that always had a naturally calming aura which brought down the kitsune from whatever ledge he’d managed to climb up to, whenever Leigh felt a rush of anxiety coming on or the panic started to set in, Eun would do something to make him laugh and then all of his worries seemed to fly out of the window “Focus on you” he repeated after him and gave him an appreciative look “I’m always causing you trouble and interrupting your day and yet you never seem to complain” he was aware of the fact that Eun must be busy and have a lot to do and yet he cleared his day to spend it with him. He had also rushed in the night they met to save him when he didn’t need to. “Who wouldn’t trust you?” he spoke slightly surprised, Eun was one of the most reliable people he’d met, always on time, always attentive, seemed to really care, he was basically the perfect man in Leigh’s eyes. Hearing him asking about his new friend Leigh shrugged “His name is Ha-joon and he’s an equally bad cook as me, we both ended up burning our pies” he giggled softly and blushed “Can only go up from there right?” he hoped so because it would be a good skill to have.

Leigh always found Eun had the funniest stories of his younger self too, the male struck him as someone, who despite the strict household he grew up in, wasn’t afraid to let off a little steam and enjoy himself at times “I mean collecting things counts I guess, though why stamps?” he couldn’t help but chuckle because it was the most random collection of hobbies he had ever heard and the polo story had him cracking up. He had to refocus himself on the road because he was so busy laughing “I never got to try it but I do remember begging my parents for lessons and when I saw an offer the other day, I just kinda...decided I’d do it” he looked up at Eun and tilted his head “Your school had a polo club?” he whistled “that must have been an expensive school” he turned the corner towards the more open spaces on the outskirts of Evermore, it was kinda beautiful to look at through the windows but he found his gaze kept going to Eun “Are you still afraid now?” he realized this might not be so fun if Eun was completely terrified.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Sangeun Moon on September 12, 2019 at 18:03

Eun knew he carried himself with dignity and that often made him rethink his steps every single time hence his graceful way of walking. Everything matters, he told himself. Every step matters. What people think of you matters. First impressions are always his habit that he couldn't quite shake even after all these years. It is important for him to make a good first impression. And with Leigh, that has been established a while ago. It was no wonder he was enthusiastic about their friendship, his happiness and giddiness could easily emit from a single text or message from the therian, perhaps completely unbeknownst to the other male. He let out a cry of victory and a relieved sigh upon hearing that his hair will be spared from all the treatments it should get in the near future if he continues to bleach it, "Phew… because I don't think I'd have the time to actually do that. I mean a salon is an option but that'll take time too… time I don't have." That honestly just literally exposed himself that he has been slacking on his time that wasn't even enough daily for the dhampir just so he could meet Leigh. Well, way to go, Eun.

The elder Moon reached out his hand and touched the latter's hair and scrunched his nose up cutely, "Huh… so this is what my hair could be like… look what you made me do, Leigh. I need to save these babies… every lock matters. Every luscious lock matters" he purposely enunciated that part just for the sake of doing so. A little humor in the day wouldn't hurt and with Sangeun, it's almost all day. The blush creeping up to settle itself on both of Leigh's cheeks was definitely making him a lot cuter and Eun was reeling in happiness that he could at least make the latter's day a bit better. "Then you should try to start now then? I don't give out compliments so easily you know… and believe me when I say, I bet a dark brown look would make you pop and even I'd swoon" he made a finger gun gesture playfully and tried to picture a brunette Leighton Kingsman. He would look good, equally just the same but something about being natural calls out to Eun. "I think most colors would suit you, I saw you rock your pink hair… but I'm positive the brown would be just the same if not more. Either way, you would look handsome, Leigh" he reassured, there weren't many who could pull off a bright colored look and yet Leigh did, which says a lot.

"I mean, everything must have pros and cons, right? Otherwise, things would never be balanced at all, no? But I think, these dimples are one of your best features. Then there'd your unique shaped lips, your height and body proportions" he made a point to gesture at every part he called out, to Eun, Leigh is easily an attractive male in his late twenties and while beauty is subjective, god knows how handsome this therian actually is if even Eun finds himself smiling every time he was in the vicinity. "Yes, Leigh, I am positive you look very attractive" he affirmed. "Everyone needs positivity in their lives, let's be real. But not everyone has the privilege to get them… I'm just glad I'n surrounded by good people so I can do more good by spreading the kindness I received. Sometimes it's possible to just be kind" He never wished to show his bad sidr to anyone, like Jae, he too had quite the temper running through his veins but most of the time, nobody had the chance to witness it unless he was really tired and overworked where he would occasionally snap. Ir was a good practice to have, especially when he needed to face his clients; guilty or not, and defend them with a straight face.

"Well, the next time I am venturing to this humble abode of yours, I'll make sure to request some coffee, though your tea are starting to grow on me. Keyword; start. I still say coffee defeats tea" he puffed out with a proud smirk. Damn dhampir with his coffee. The longer he saw how their friendship worked out, the more he dreaded having to go back once his case is ovef, wishing that he could spend a while longer here with his brother and his friend. This is the part where Eun desperately wished to land himself a new case as to persuade his superiors to let him stay here longer. Evermore was just starting to grow on him too. Eun nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, that's right. Focus on me." Clearly he wasn't aware of how it sounded but all that matters is Leigh being comfortable and not pressured. "Try not to ride with too many thoughts. It makes you nervous and I heard, the horses could sense it off you. Animals" he shook his head in amusement. It fascinates him to learn new things everyday.

"What do you mean causing trouble and interrupting my day? Nonsense, Leigh. I'm your friend, aren't I? You're quite literally the only one I can hang out with aside from my brother who's always occupied with his boyfriend too, don't worry, if anything I am worried I am being too much for you" Eun is aware of his character there, he's outgoing and carefree and sometimes it overwhelms people. "You'll be surprised to hear that some people don't trust me" he winked playfully, it was true, the dhampir does have his own fair share of people not trusting him because he seemed to know how to mask his emotions well, "But thank you for trusting me." Hearing how he talked about his cooking lesson and how he made a new friend there made Eun smile proudly, "There you go. Getting new friends. Exciting, isn't it? I mean, aside from the fact that you are close to burning yourself, please take care of yourself more, Leigh. Burning the pies is still fine but make sure not to burn yourself" The advice was sent out after the well-received concern was processed in Eun.

"Like I said, the rejected ones have their faces distorted and it looks funny. But other than that, stamps are quite beautiful. I used to receive plenty of postcards from my uncles and I wanted to collect them as well" It was one of the reasons why he was so happy he could finally set his foot outside of Korea. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and shrugged, "It was a private school. As expected to have all those facilities I guess… my parents wanted me to have the best of everything" it was a faint smile that tells so many stories behind it, "They believe that I should study in a clean and controlled environment. I never really participated much anyway, but I was active enough when they named me for Student Body President. Not my best feat because it was my senior year and it was so hectic…" He almost didn't make the cut. "I guess we'll see today" he turned to smile at him, "Seeing horses don't scare me anymore but I haven't ridden one ever since so… Who knows. What about you? Any animals you're afraid of?"

TherianPermalink Reply by ✓ Leighton Seth Kingsman on September 13, 2019 at 16:19

Leigh held his hands up defensively when Eun made a comment about causing him to do something, though he was pretty shocked and froze up for a moment when he felt the other male touching his hair “Hey I never told you to bleach your hair, that’s all on you” he snickered softly at the idea of needing to save his hair “It’ll grow back” he spoke but the way Eun kept teasing him was honestly hard for the therianthrope to keep up with without wanting the ground to swallow him whole from embarrassment “I would actually pay to see the day you swoon” the other male was so confident and always make jokes, he was very hard to catch off guard at any point, though if he thought Leigh would look good with dark brown hair, then the kitsune knew what color he was going to dye it next. “I like the pink but it fades really easily, as you can probably see” his hair was an ashy blond right now, but he still liked it.

Leigh raised his brows when Eun pointed out his dimples as one of his best features, but then he went on to add more things to the list which only made his heart beat a little faster in his chest as he looked back at the dhampir “I have always liked being tall” he admitted softly but it was amazing to him how Eun could be so loose with his comments and compliments when it came to another male’s appearance. Though he had read before that Koreans tended to be more honest when it came to who thought was and wasn’t physically attractive “Alright, if you say so Eun” he gave a mock roll of his eyes “I know better than to argue with a lawyer” he spoke it in a teasing manner and smiled. “I like your outlook, you seem to see something brighter in the world than I do” which definitely wasn't a bad thing, in fact, it made him pretty addictive to be around because just talking to him tended to lift your spirits. It was why Leigh made time for him each and every time he visited the shop.

He chuckled softly at the way Eun said he liked the tea but that he still preferred coffee “Ah but think about the health benefits of the tea Vs your bitter demon liquid” Leigh giggled softly, he had always hated the taste of coffee and actually couldn’t drink it at all so he just had the pack up there on the off chance that Eun asked for some. While they talked he saw some confliction in Eun’s eyes, which for a moment he wanted to ask about but he decided against it and simply smiled “Well you’re pretty good at distracting me with all your silly puns and jokes” he admitted with a soft laugh, they were often corny as hell but being around someone who was always bright and lighthearted definitely helped to keep his mind off nerves or worries. “Well I don’t have to worry too much about that, we kitsune’s are able to act pretty well and our animal instincts are pretty strong too” he chuckled and looked down for a moment “Though I suppose the horse might fear it’s prey” he admitted and bit his lip.

“I mean exactly that Eun, you quite literally said earlier than you don’t have the time for anything” the dhampir always played everything off like it wasn’t a big deal but Leigh could tell that a lot of the time it was and so he appreciated Eun spending his time on him when he could be spending it elsewhere quite easily. Even when he wanted to be polite and humble. Leigh’s expression softened when he said he was worried about being too much though “I quite literally have no plans ever, I really don’t mind the drop-ins at all, I just don’t want to be an inconvenience” his parents had raised him to be respectful and kind so he could tell when someone was going out of their way for him. “I do like having friends, though I’m always a little worried I’d say the wrong thing and scare them away” he admitted with a soft laugh, he’d never really had anyone that truly stuck around so he figured it must be something he does to scare them off. “Don’t worry, no flesh was harmed in the making of burned apple pies” he chuckled softly “The same can’t be said for the bag of flour though” he chuckled lightly.

Hearing about Eun’s love of stamps made the kitsune smile because it was such a fun and quirky hobby to have “You’ll have to show me some of your favorites some time” he spoke gently as he glanced over towards the dhampir. It didn’t take a mind reader to know from Eun’s academic background and general refined manners that he went to private school, Leigh kinda wished he did because public school had definitely been a miserable experience for him “Something tells me you probably were too” he teased with an amused look, he was definitely one of those golden boys, had the looks and the talent to go with it “Well at least school sounds like it was a positive experience for you” he noted and then nodded slightly as Eun’s thoughts on horses “No, animals are more likely to be afraid of me, especially things like rabbits and hamsters” he gave a sheepish grin “Which sucks because I think they’re pretty adorable” he blushed softly “I actually have a pair of chinchillas at home” he chuckled softly, he liked taking care of them and playing with them.

As they reached the stables he drove up the beaten track and pulled up outside of the place, parking the car and then climbing out, he looked around and took a long breath to calm himself, it helped that it looked absolutely stunning out here and he could see nature for miles in the distance as they were up on a hill “Uhhh….wow” he spoke it softly before turning back to Eun and smiling “Well let’s get this people part over with” he headed over towards the front building where two or three other people were gathered and waiting for the session to begin, Leigh fiddled with the sleeve of his shirt a little nervously as he waited for something to happen.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Sangeun Moon on September 16, 2019 at 14:46

He scrunched up his nose at Leigh and huffed, "You might as well do that, I got inspired by yours… have you seen your pink hair? It's iconic" Admittedly, he's been wanting to dye his hair since forever but the circumstances would not allow him to do anything. "Should I stay blond? Or should I dye my hair another color? Pink like yours?" The last statement wasn't really a serious one, it was meant to tease the therian but if Leigh were to say why not or the likes, then… why not, right? Eun was confident he would look equally mesmerizing in that color but then again, he's narcissistic about his looks and capabilities, literally everything about himself almost all the time. Almost. Raising an amused eyebrow at his direction, Eun snickered at his remark about paying to watch him swoon, "You would? How much?" Of course, he would say that. He wouldn't put it past himself to actually do that for the sake of money alone just for the fun of it.

He's someone who likes to have fun and when he could have them without having any constraints by others, he's definitely going to take every chance he could get. "You still look good equally the same, anyway," he pointed out casually. Again, where's the lie in that? "Everyone likes being tall, it means you have good proportions most of the time and" he didn't spare any subtlety in eyeing him from head to toe casually before putting thumbs up in the air, "You are definitely a 9/10. Would've been 10/10 but then what would I be? 11/10? Unfair to society I know, not everyone can handle good looks" he grinned proudly and gestured to himself as if he was presenting. Eun had a mischievous grin adorning his lips when he nodded in affirmation to Leigh's statement about not arguing with lawyers, "Yes. Please don't. I like you Leigh but I will take you down" he jested.

"I mean if I'm going to live this life, I want to fill it with plenty of positivity, you know… To last me on a long road? Wouldn't you want the same?" At this point, Eun never really thought about his immortality switch, which he was supposed to think about before he reached his 30th birthday. At least, that's what he told his father the last time they talked about that when he was 25. It wasn't as if he could really escape a conversation with his stern father, so he made a deal. To decide before he reached 30, which meant time was running out for him to run away from his father. "Excuse you, it is not bitter demon liquid, the tea may be healthier in terms of that but hello, it tastes bland as hell. How can you even drink them? Green tea no doubt? How? Just… how?" The elder Moon was quite dramatic and forward with his gestures so it didn't surprise both of them to see the dhampir shoving his hands into the air. Make no mistake, Sangeun Moon has a love for coffee. The aroma of the coffee beans being ground alone was enough to make him swoon.

"I am offended that you think my jokes and puns are silly" he shook his head and placed a hand over his chest in the feigned offense, clicking his tongue and kept saying how awful Leigh's tastes were, "But then I suppose your taste isn't all bad… I mean you're friends with me." His self-confidence was surely something people either smiled or frowned upon. Hey, a narcissist can't satisfy everyone. "You know, you being a kitsune clears everything up" he quipped and placed a hand over as if he was whispering to him secretly, "I could call you a cunning and sly fox." The giddy grin plastered on his face was quite literally the default look he always flaunted. "I don't know much about kitsunes but I know about gumihos. I think it's the same for the term, but judging from how the folklore talks about gumihos tearing open our livers and eat them… uh… you're not doing well on that horse basis, buddy" he teased, of course, he's done his reading on him. Admittedly, the dhampir went back and started reading up on kitsunes so he could understand them better. Who knows, what he likes could be harmful to them and the last thing he wanted to do was harm Leigh.

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and spared the latter a sheepish grin, "I can spare my time for a friend. I love my work but I love spending my youth as a bachelor more" he reassured, he wasn't stressed about the wedding right now, only that his time here in Evermore may be running out, "You are not an inconvenience, Leigh, believe me. If anything I am, for dropping by every so often just to bother you at work." He pressed his lips together and patted his shoulder lightly, "Don't worry one of these days, I am going to teach you how to cook at least one thing." If he could find the time, cooking would be such a splendid way to makeshift his leisure time. Naturally, Eun only ever got the chance to collect the stamps by buying them from his friend who was also a collector, it was a steep price to pay nonetheless for the worth. "I'll show you the pictures soon, I have them stored on my phone. They are my babies, after all" he had this proud father-like grin on him as if he was showing off his firstborn kid to others. He flushed momentarily because he was always regarded as a golden boy, the top student in his class, year, sometimes even the academy itself.

But he wasn't sure if he studied because of himself or because of his parents. Both, that's what he likes to tell himself. In a way, it made him feel slightly better about himself. "Yeah, maybe it was. Honestly, it's a bit upsetting to say I didn't remember much about my schooling years at all. Perhaps I was so wrapped around other things to actually enjoy my time then, regrettably so" All he remembered was graduating and even then, his parents did not attend due to work constraints. "That's a shame… I like animals and I'm pretty sure you do too" he frowned, the thought of animals scurrying off simply because they could sense that Leigh could eat them was upsetting especially when he was sure Leigh is a bright pure soul. "Chinchillas? What are those?" Leave it to Eun to not know what they are, especially when English is still a foreign language to him and he's still grasping what metamorphosis even means.

As soon as they arrived, Eun tilted his head to the side and took in the sight around them, it was absolutely mesmerizing and breathtaking. He noticed the nervousness radiating off Leigh and walked next to him, "Hey… don't be nervous. You're not alone in this. I'm here with you" he nudged him playfully and offered him a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine. You're not in this alone, Leigh… I'm gonna go and ask if I can sign up last minute, don't go wandering off" he told him and went ahead to enquire the supervisor. It took him almost 5 to 6 minutes of taking and signing his details before he returned back to the therian's side, "Thankfully I was able to squeeze myself in."

TherianPermalink Reply by ✓ Leighton Seth Kingsman on September 17, 2019 at 15:11

Leigh laughed softly at the way Eun described his hair and naturally ran his fingers through his own “I did happen to see it yes” he teased lightly and shrugged as he leaned in to study the way Eun’s hair suited his features “Maybe you should keep it blond for a while and then surprise everyone and go purple one day” he snickered softly thinking how good it would look on him. The teasing about making him swoon made Leigh chuckle and shrug his shoulders “At least all the change I have in my pocket” he commented with a slight grin. Leigh found it hard not to become an embarrassed mess with nearly everything Eun said, while he knew the other male was joking it was hard not to let his heart race at some of his comments “I like being tall for the fact I can see over most crowds” he commented thoughtfully, it was nice to be able to have good visibility regardless of where you are.

Leigh giggled when Eun called him a 9 out of 10 and he lifted his gaze to look back at him while laughing at Eun’s narcissism, it was charming in its own way and Leigh would be lying if he said he didn’t find confidence attractive “A 9 from you is a big honor, mister 12” he returned an equally sweet smile in the dhampir’s direction and shrugged. “I totally get the idea behind the optimism, I just” he pressed his lips together while he thought of how to explain what he thought about it “Find it a lot harder to actually achieve?” he spoke the words hesitantly, his PTSD often trigger negative thoughts and assuming the worst of a situation so looking up was hard for him. “It’s bitter, it has the whole world slaving to it and is generally bad for you” he chuckled softly “I stand by my statement” it was cute, watching Eun get all defensive over his favorite drink while Leigh was just smiling while he called tea bland “Wouldn’t be the first time someone’s called me boring” he commented matter of factly and shrugged his shoulders.

“I mean they are a little” he commented as he scrunched up his nose in amusement “But I’m not complaining either, they’re charming in a strange way” he kinda liked the way Eun was constantly trying to make people smile, that was sweet. He looked back at Eun and rolled his eyes when he said his tastes were redeemed by being his friend “Is there anything in life you love more than yourself?” he commented with a slight shake of his head, he’d never met someone so obsessed when themselves. Leigh tilted his head to the side as he listened to Eun ramble about what he knew about his kind and it made him realize that maybe Eun had done some research on his kind since they met “Do I seem like the sly type to you?” he asked it with raised brows, he was honestly curious to know the answer as he always felt like he was a bit of an exception when it came to Kitsune nature. “Well my form much prefers rabbits and mice” he commented slightly sheepishly because it wasn’t really something he talked about much.

Leigh nodded slightly when Eun acknowledged that he was taking time out of his busy schedule to spend with the Kitsune, Leigh wasn’t upset about it, in fact, it was pretty flattering that anyone would want to go out of their way to make time for him “A bachelor huh? Not thinking about those countdowns just yet then” they’d talked here and there about Eun’s wedding but nothing in huge detail because Leigh knew that it was a sore topic. “I just don’t want you to feel like you’ve wasted your time on my crazy whims” he spoke it softly and blushed, Leigh hated feeling like a burden on anyone so he tended to do most things alone and research how to do them for himself, he did his own, albeit bad, cooking, he cleaned and fixed up his own home, he did his own shopping, took care of his pets, he was pretty self-sufficient. Seeing Eun so excited by his hobby made Leigh even more excited about seeing it for himself “Which one is your favorite? How did you even get into something like that?” he kinda liked that they shared a slightly nerdy side.

Hearing Eun talk about his school made him jealous, he really wished he could forget his schooling and leave it behind but those memories and the emotions they had stirred in him always came back to haunt him no matter how much he tried to push it aside “Well you clearly did well for yourself, law school isn’t exactly easy acceptance” he remembered seeing somewhere that the full study and training process took about 6 years to get through which was serious dedication. Leigh nodded slightly and dropped his gaze “I like them very much” he spoke it softly because it did make him sad that animals always scattered at the sight of him “But with enough time and patience they warm up to me, I mean humans are equally scary right?” he shrugged slightly and smiled when Eun asked him what a Chinchilla was “Uh...it’s like a bunny but smaller and with a squirrel tail” he laughed pulling a face because he knew that was a horrible explanation “I’ll show you a picture of them later” he nodded slightly.

It was almost as if Eun could read him because the moment Leigh felt the nerves bubbling up in his chest was the moment Eun assured him everything was going to okay. Eun was good at that without even trying, soothing him when his anxiety started to flag up and he was endlessly grateful when the dhampir was around to bring him back down. He took a few deep breaths “You’re right, it’s just a class, no big deal right?” his tone wasn’t exactly convincing but he was trying to be optimistic like the dhampir always was. He watched as the blond-haired male headed off to ask for a spot in the class, Leigh had no doubts they’d accept him, he swore Eun could talk his way around absolutely anything. Leigh checked in with the class attendant who took down his name and then lingered around the edge for a while as they waited for it to start, he let out a sigh of relief when Eun came to stand back beside him.

They explained how the morning would start with them going into the stables and meeting their horse, grooming and taking basic care of the horses and then in the afternoon they would learn the basics of riding. No trails today as they expected everyone to be learning from scratch. When they grouped off everyone into smaller groups, Leigh made sure to hover close to Eun to ensure they’d be together and then they were on their way over to the stables to meet their horses.