Kiana Harned

Writing

Writing services / commissions begin at a price of $0.15 USD per word. Requests can be anything from small short stories, poetry, comic scripts, video game scripts, or character pages. This is for personal use only unless otherwise discussed.If you would like something more commercial, that can absolutely be discussed!

Editing & Proofreading

Editing and proofreading services are priced either by word count or on a case-by-case basis. Some example prices can be seen in the table below.

Copyediting involves editing for grammar and punctuation on a completed piece. A copyedit will also include editing for readability and flow. This type of edit is quicker than something more substantive, and therefore is cheaper than the other kinds of edits.

Substantive Editing is a more in-depth form of editing that revolves around whether or not your content is complete (as in: Does the story make sense? Do you need to add anything for clarity? Do you need to remove anything for clarity?), whether or not you have enough content to meet the expectations of the assignment, as well as structural edits.

For an example of what a Substantive Edit looks like, check out the first example in the Editing section of my Portfolio.

Accessibility Editing editing is primarily structural edits, as well as editing for clear and concise language. This may involve adding subheadings, reordering your argument or story, or adding graphs.

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Portfolio Pieces

• Writing
• Editing

Ghostwriting Samples

*All ghostwriting samples shared with permission from the client. No NDA was signed at the time of writing.
*Multiple articles were written for JobScan and Skalata Ventures during employment as a ghostwriter.

Indie Game Developers

A young woman, RUTH, sits on the edge of a raised platform on the stage, on the other side of some fencing. She is sitting on the side of a bridge. Light on the stage is low - in the distance, we can hear the sound of crickets.

...shit.

RUTH leans against the fence posts behind her, rubbing at her face roughly.

Mom... God, I wish you were here. I don't know what to do. I... I don't know how much longer I can do this. I want - I want... I want this to be over already. It would be so much easier. I...

A pause. RUTH swings her legs, leaning forward on the side of the bridge, as far as she dares, before leaning back again. Her grip on the stage beneath her is strong. She hasn't made a decision yet.

Did it hurt, Mom? I don't... I don't know if I can deal with more hurt. Even if it would be over pretty quick. I...

RUTH trails off as lights blare from off stage, bright and nearly blinding her. She holds up an arm - headlights of an oncoming car. The sound of the car coming to a stop and a slamming car door play as the lights go out and someone new approaches.

Hi, there, stranger.

What do you want?

Nice night out.

Mm. I guess.

You, uh... you come here often?

Is that the best you've got?

I just got off a 12 hour shift, so yeah.

It's late. You should get home.

Maybe. I can't just drive off when you're sittin' out here like this, though.

Why? I'm not doing anything wrong.

Call it intuition, I guess. I can't just leave. I've already stopped and seen you like this.

No one asked you to be a hero.

And I'm not tryin' to be. Just tryin' to be a good neighbor. That your car parked off the road up there?

Yes.

You sober?

Yes.

You got a name?

Yes.

You say anything besides yes?

...no.

No? Well, that's too bad. You got a nice voice. Nice hair, too.

Did you say I had nice hair?

Yeah, I - I... do I know you?

...maybe?

Did you, uh, grow up around here? Go to the high school near the rez?

Yeah.

What year'd you graduate?

2012.

Oh, shit - wait - I know this -

I'm sure you do.

Uhh, it's an older name - really pretty - starts with an R... R-Rose? No, no. Give me a minute.

A pause. RUTH goes back to considering the ravine as he thinks. A few seconds pass, and then he snaps his fingers and nearly shouts.

Ruth!

Wait, you really do recognize me? Who...

It's Takoda. We were partners in that weird drama/dance fusion elective we took senior year.

Ohhh yeah. Shit. That was - a weird class.

Yeah, yeah, but we had a good time. Or, well, I had a good time. Dunno if you did.

I did. I think you made that class bearable.

Mm. So - you had dinner yet?

Not the question I thought you were gonna ask.

I'm full of surprises. Also, very hungry. We could go grab some Mickey D's - think that's the only thing that's open.

You don't wanna know what I'm doing out here?

Sure, I do. But I'd rather have that conversation over dinner and some of that McDonald's Sprite that hits different after a 12 hour shift.

TAKODA shrugs, pausing to think.

Or, you know, I honestly don't really care if you feel like you can tell me what's going on. Just because we knew each other once doesn't entitle me to shit now. It's been ten years since the last time we really saw each other.

How very... kind of you.

Is that a bad thing?

No. Not at all. I just don't know what to do with it.

Mmm-maybe you can come back on this side of the rails?

You know what? Sure. Help me up?

TAKODA offers RUTH his hand and she takes it. There is a struggle as she carefully stands up and nearly loses her footing, though he manages to catch her and pull her to safety. They stand like that, with her pressed to his chest, for a moment.

I gotcha.

Th-Thanks. That was almost bad.

Anytime!

TAKODA helps her climb back over the railing and the lights fade out.

The back of a pickup truck has been set up in the center of the stage, a blanket spread across the back. TAKODA lounges against a dufflebag, using it like a pillow, while RUTH sits cross legged beside him. The remnants of a McDonald's meal lay around them in the truck bed.

Silence fills the air for a moment as they both sit in the back of the truck.

...thank you.

Yeah, no problem. Late night Mickey D's hits different sometimes.

It does. It's been a while since I've had it this late.

Shame. If you're gonna be in town for a while, we could do this again? If you want, anyway.

...why?

I dunno. You seem like you could use... something to look forward to, I guess.

You don't know the half of it.

Yeah?

Yeah. I... I wouldn't know where to start, I don't think.

Mm. I get that.

Do you?

I'm from the rez, babe. 'Course I get that. A lot of shit's happened to me that you wouldn't believe and, fuck, I have no idea where I would even start.

I dunno. I think I'd believe more shit than you think I would. My - My dad was a cop.

Shit, yeah. I forgot about that.

Mm. You probably - you've probably met him, I guess.

I mean, most likely. I'll be honest, I don't have the cleanest record. Not for lack of trying - your dad's guys just have it out for us. Not a surprise, I would guess.

Not a surprise at all. He's... it's a good thing he's retired, I guess.

Yeah?

Can only imagine what kind of shit he did to people who he could legally abuse.

Silence falls over the pair for a long moment. TAKODA seems to be thinking what to say. RUTH plays with a loose thread on the old blanket that they're sitting on.

That... was that... something to do with why you were on the bridge tonight?

Yeah. It... mm. It's a lot.

Take your time.

Don't you have to be somewhere in the morning?

Trust me, I'm well accustomed to running on little to no sleep. This isn't gonna make or break me tomorrow.

You're being too nice to me. What's the catch?

No catch. Just felt like helping out an old - acquaintance, I guess.

Sounds fake.

I'm the realest.

More like the cheesiest.

Put me in a pan and bake me at 350 because I'm about to be the best 5 cheese mac you've ever had.

God, that's awful!

Sounds like all you needed was a little cheese.

RUTH shakes her head, laughing and rubbing at her face. TAKODA is all smiles, laughing with her.

You're the first person I've spent time with outside of my house since I had to move back here.

I'm honoured.

I don't think you should be. I was about to jump off a bridge tonight.

I'm honoured that I'm a more appealing option than jumping off a bridge. The highest possible compliment in a shithole town like this, honestly.

You're a real glass half full kinda guy, huh?

Nah. You just seem like you need that kinda energy, though, so I'm happy to provide.

Mm. Sweet of you.

I try. You, uh, you just let me know if you want me to take you back to your car so you can go home, though. You're not stuck here or nothing.

That's... thank you. You - I don't know what to do.

Ruth?

You ever wanted to kill someone, Takoda?

A beat passes.

Uh - what?

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to kill someone?

Okay, yeah, I heard you right then. Um - I don't -

Moving back in with my dad has been the worst thing that's ever happened to me, I think. He's just like he was when I was a kid - maybe worse, now that he's home all day, drinking himself stupid. He's worse when he drinks.

I... I bet he is.

Should see my back. It's covered in bruises. Haven't had that many bruises since the month after my mom died.

Oh, yeah... That happened when we were, what, 12?

I was 11.

Shit. I'm so sorry.

I used to want to ask her what it felt like to die. If it hurt.

Ruth...

Do you think it does?

What?

Do you think it hurts to die?

I... I have no idea. Though, I think it depends on the way you die. From the stories we get told by our elders, it can be quite peaceful to go back to the universe. No more pain. No more heartache. Just... you.

That sounds nice.

Yeah... I mean, I hope it is. Makes it less scary, I guess.

Yeah.

Do you... want to die?

A long moment of silence passes.

I'm sorry, that was -

I don't know what I want.

Is - do you want to die 'cuz of your dad?

Mm. Probably.

If - if you had somewhere else to go, would you still want to die?

I don't know. I've never had anywhere else to go. I can't afford it on my own.

I mean...

He pauses, unsure of himself. After a moment, RUTH speaks again.

Can I tell you a secret, Koda?

Anything.

It was his fault.

...your mom?

Yeah.

...Do you want to come back to my place tonight?

I don't want to - to be a burden. I -

Is he going to hurt you when you go back tonight?

He always hurts me.

Then stay with me. I can - I can see if I can get you a job at the gas station. It's not a good one, but you could help me with the bills if you feel like you're overstepping. Just - just so you're not in that house anymore.

I can't. You've already done too much for me. I don't deserve more than this.

Yes, you do. You do deserve more than that.

TAKODA reaches out and grabs her hands as she moves to rub at her face again. He pulls them close to his chest as he speaks.

I can't offer much, but I can do this. Let me help.

Why?

Why not?

Because, men don't just do things out of the goodness of their heart. That's not how this world works.

Maybe you're not the only one that was contemplatin' things tonight. That's all.

A pause as they stare at each other.

...oh.

Yeah. I think - maybe we're exactly what each other needs right now.

Like a safe harbor. Or an anchor.

A touchpoint. What do you say? Wanna - fuck, you wanna move in with me? While we're both young and stupid and alive enough to do something completely rash and reckless like that?

You know what? Maybe I'm already dead or maybe I'm just crazy, but yeah. Why not. It can't be worse than being where I am now.

I'm glad you think so highly of me.

And I'm glad that you're so willing to pick up a stray like me.

I know you don't believe me, but it's really not a problem. I think this is the change I've been waiting for.

You think so, huh?

Hey, following my gut hasn't done me wrong yet.

Really?

Eh, 9/10 times, anyway.

A great ratio. Foolproof logic.

Mm. You ready to hit the road? You can sleep on the pullout tonight and we can go get your shit with some of my guys tomorrow.

Fucking... yeah. Yeah, shit. Let's go.

Fuck yeah.

TAKODA and RUTH climb off the back of the truck and the lights dim. The play ends with the sound of them closing the doors of the car, and an engine as it drives away into the night.

little beginnings

it starts young
when others are finding
their tender, wide-eyed affections
blossoming like honey-dew
sweet, sticky, shaky on
uncertain legs
while you watch from the shady riverbank
as they twist and tumble
tripping over each other like a stream
over river-smooth stones
something about it familiar, but
Foreign. you wonder - for the first time -
what it feels liketo fall.

firsts

you notice it again, a strange
oblong void in your chest
when your body begins to change.
your teens are meant to be full
of firsts. you watch your friends
check their firsts off one by one
a deliberate, timely checklist,
one after another after another
after another.first dance, first crush, first date
first boyfriend, first kiss, first time–one by one by one
your friends have their firsts,
and you, who can't quite grasp why,
find yourself falling behind.you try to catch up.you flirt with boys you don't like,
let them touch you with hands that are
too big, too rough, too sweaty, too much -
but all that seems to do - all it ever seems to do -
is make that ache in your chest worse.you wonder if you've always been broken
or if you did something, somewhere along the way,
to deserve ending up this way

zero sum

it takes you an
embarrassingly long time to figure it out
in the end. turns out
noticing the absence of something,
rather than an existence
makes figuring out who you are
why you are
where you are
what you are–
all that much harder.no attraction one way
no attraction the other
It's easy to get confused because
really, when all is said and done
zero equals zero
how could you tell the difference
between everyone
and no one?

sticks and stones

abuse: noun. a
five letter word that means

the c r u e l or

v i o l e n t

treatment of a person or animal

used in a sentence:

"Refusing to have s e x with your partner

counts as withholding affection and can be considered

one form of intimate partner

a b u s e."

abusive: adjective. a
word which usually refers to

habitual c r u e l t y or

v i o l e n c e

against someone or something

used in a sentence:

"Asexual people engaging in romantic relationships

with people who experience attraction are inherently

a b u s i v e towards their partner."

...how long can we pretend this doesn't h u r t?

ally

looking back now, you know better
and it makes you want to laugh
how young, foolish, and
naive you were back then."no, i'm not gay," you'd say
"i just care about people!""no, i don't like girls - it's about
human rights.""no, i can never see myself getting
married to a man. what does that have to do
with anything?"oh
you sweet summer childthis is your future self,
writing to you straight from
our tiny one-bedroom. our
girlfriend is in the next room
playing music and laughing
about her day, about our cat
as i write this in our queen bed
where we sleep every nightyou're not broken.
you're not straight.it's okay.

like moths to a flame

it is not known what it is
that draws us together
the quantum magnetism between
atoms or maybe
just the red string of fate.
we find each other well before
we even know ourselvestv isn't reality
the 'token gay' rarely stays that way
more than a few yearsthere is safety in numbers
and perhaps the ache for connection
the desire to be understood
to be knownto be lovednot for our bodies but for
the stardust running through our veinsmaybe it's sheer coincidence
or something greater than we'll ever know
maybe it's simple math
or maybe it's down to the universe itselfwhatever it is–

We see you.

We hear you.

We are you.

We're here-

-and we love you.

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If there was ever any proof that the gods have a sick fucking sense of humor, this is it.Outside, he can hear the sounds of the Feast of the Moon. Music rises into the night air from the street party below, muffled by the walls of the inn but still audible. They'd been heading out to spend time with the rest of the team for the festival, when Io had asked him idly what his plans were and… well, the conversation had crashed and burned immediately afterward.She's currently standing near the door, staring blankly at the bed, cheeks red and eyes wide and horrified.Riz doesn't know what to make of this whole thing. It's not something he's ever had to deal with. Not that he's not noticed how fucking beautiful she is — she's a goddamn aasimar, of course she's beautiful — but he hadn't thought about her beyond that. Hadn't let himself think about the way his stomach flips when she laughs, and the way her touch lingers sometimes when she heals his wounds. Hadn't let himself think about it at all, because he knew she didn't want anything to do with him.All he's ever been good for to other people is sex.He doesn't know what to do with feelings.After a long moment of staring, he crosses his arms, huffing out a laugh as he leans on one leg and looks out the window. Shaking his head, he sighs and says, "You don't know what you're sayin', Angel. You don't — You don't want that. Not with me."He watches as she frowns at him in his peripheral vision."...what do you mean?"He rolls his eyes and snorts as he looks over at her. Raising an eyebrow, he says, "Come on. You're smarter than that. I mean — look at me.""I am," she says immediately, and his heart skips a beat. Her pupilless white eyes look at him imploringly, darting back and forth across his features as she wrings her hands absently. "I am looking at you."His mouth is dry as he shakes his head again. "Then you shouldn't care whose bed I'm gonna end up in tonight."She opens her mouth, and then closes it again immediately, frowning and looking away as she shifts uncomfortably on her feet. He waits patiently for her to answer him, watching her think and try to figure out what she wants to say. He doesn't know what he wants her to say, but there's a sick feeling in his stomach regardless that almost makes him want to just leave, but he can't do that to her. At one point, he could have, but he's not that person anymore.He doesn't know if that's a good thing or not."I try not to care," comes Io's hesitant voice a few minutes later. She takes a shaky breath, eyes fixed on the lantern on the bedside table instead of his face. "I really do. It just — you confuse me, you know? Sometimes you act like you barely even like me as a friend, and other times — other times you look at me like you want to devour me whole. I don't know what to do with it."Despite the way he wants to immediately deny everything, he knows what she's talking about all too well. There have been moments between the two of them where he'd almost done something stupid. Nights when the alcohol had been a little too good, the atmosphere a little too rosy, where he'd nearly crossed that line that he always refused to cross when he was working with people. She's beautiful, and he's as hot-blooded as any other man when he looks at her.A hot flash of guilt washes over him as he looks away from her again, sighing and scuffing his boot against the floorboards. "Sorry," he says, and he means it. "Didn't mean to give you the wrong idea.""Is it the wrong idea, Riz?" she asks, and her voice is rushed like she’s terrified of what she’s saying as much as he is. "Or are you just afraid to let yourself feel something for once?"Riz snorts. "Please. Like you ain't just as scared of that as I am."She just sets her jaw, hands clenched into fists. "If you want me to believe you feel nothing for me, you're going to have to try a little harder than that."He grins wryly, shaking his head. "What d'you want me to say?" he asks, shrugging. "I'm not that kinda guy.""I don't understand.""Angel, look at me. You're telling me you want to be in a relationship with this face?" he asks, gesturing at his face. "This ugly mug? You're lyin' to yourself." With a sigh, he takes a few steps towards her, dropping himself down heavily on the edge of the bed and lying back, propping himself up on one of his elbows. "C'mon. Be realistic."Her posture is tight with nerves as he looks up at her from the bed, and she’s hesitant as she takes one halting step towards him, and then another, pausing by the edge of the bed. She meets his gaze as he watches her, curious about what she’s thinking.After a long moment in which she just stares at him, she finally says, "You're putting words in my mouth."His brows furrow. "I — what?"She shakes her head, sitting hesitantly on the side of the bed to be on eye level with him—or closer to it, at least. "You keep insinuating that I find you ugly. I've never said that.""It's not a matter of you findin' me ugly," he scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Everyone that isn't Gith thinks we're ugly. It's just a fact.""It's not," she insists. "I don't think you're ugly, Ris'a'an."Riz rolls his eyes so hard that he nearly gives himself a headache. "Please. I don't believe that shit for a second.""Why?""Because!" he laughs. "Because I don't believe it!"She seems genuinely upset by this, frowning when she repeats her question. "Why? Why can't you just believe me?"He shakes his head, looking away at the wall instead of her face. "You're just not gonna make me believe that when you think about me, you are actually attracted to me. Like, come on, Angel. You tellin' me when you fantasize about what I could do to you, you picture me as I am? That you don't focus on my body or my hands? That you picture my face when you're alone at night? That — that when you think about me and you, it's — it's not us in a room so dark you can't see where you end and I begin, and that you're picturin' me on top of you, face to face. That you don't think about me comin' up behind you and putting my hands on you, rather than somethin' soft and romantic. That it's not—" he cuts himself off, grinding his teeth and shaking his head with a low sigh. "I think when you think about me, it's from the neck down. And that's fine, but it's not worth ruining a friendship over, you know?"Io doesn't respond right away. The room is so quiet that he can hear their breathing over the sounds of the street party happening just outside, the silence so heavy that it presses on his eardrums and makes him feel like squirming. She's quiet for so long that he thinks she's not actually going to answer him at all.He starts to move to sit up when her voice, small and hesitant, reaches his ears."When — When I think about you…"Riz looks at her immediately, but she's not looking at him. Her eyes are somewhere far away, fixed on the wall as she plays with the rings on her fingers."I think about kissing you," she breathes. "I think about—about how tall you are next to me. I think about the way your nose scrunches when you laugh. That smug glint in your eyes when you do something cool and are looking to see if we saw it. I think — I think about what your voice would sound like if I were to grab you by the hair and pull your head back so that I could sink my teeth into your throat."Oh, fuck.He swallows thickly as he tries to fight the urge to immediately picture exactly what that might be like. Tries to pretend like he hadn't already dreamt of that exact thing a thousand times over the last two years.She doesn't stop, apparently determined to prove him wrong. "I think about you on top of me, pinning me under you in an inn somewhere. Maybe we're on a couch by a roaring fire, or on the floor on a rug, but that part doesn't matter. The part that gets me going is — is the memory of the way firelight catches in your eyes, lighting them up like amber. In that fantasy, I watch those eyes as you kiss your way down my body. I think about—" she lets out a heavy breath here, laughing a little, "—about your face between my thighs. S-Sometimes… Sometimes I think about the opposite, too. I try to imagine what your face would look like watching me kiss my way down your body. About what you'd look like if I put my mouth on you. I…"Her face has the prettiest flush on it as she trails off, smiling to herself, apparently lost in her daydream."Mostly I think about kissing you," she breathes. "Kissing you and feeling you kiss me back. I wonder about whether you’d laugh during sex. What it would feel like to feel that feral grin of yours against my skin. Against my lips."Clearing her throat a little, she glances at him, still smiling as she says, "I—I do think about your face. I think about all of you. All the time. It's distracting, actually."His words are falling out of his mouth before he can even process that he's speaking."Are you sure?"Her gaze is so unbelievably soft as she furrows her brows and mumbles, “Of course. Of course, I'm sure, Riz. I've never been more sure.”There's a lump in his throat as he sits up a little, breath shallow as he presses onward. "Angel, I…" he breathes, voice rough as his eyes drop to her lips on reflex. "I'm not a good guy. You're — you're trying to get your light back. I'll stain you. I'll ruin you."Io just shakes her head, eyes darting between his. "If I had to choose between you — all of you — and getting my light back, I don't think I would even hesitate."She doesn’t elaborate, but he needs her to say it. He tilts his head, imploring her to tell him the truth."Angel. Come on."She smiles, tilting her head, too. "You know I love it when you call me that?"He laughs, dropping his head as the tension breaks a little. His heart is still pounding in his chest and he feels dizzy, but there's something light fighting to burst forth somewhere in there, too. He nods as he looks back up at her, grinning weakly as he mumbles, "Yeah. I — I thought you might."Her grin is so bright it actually hurts now. Her eyes and her celestial markings are glowing a little, magic humming in the air around them.She's radiant."I'd pick you, Riz," she says, finally answering his unspoken question. "Without a doubt. I’d pick you."His breath leaves him in a whoosh. "Angel…""Not that I think it'll come to that," she says, shrugging. "You're not a bad enough person that I think it would hurt my chances.""But I'm not a good person," he says, laughing a little."You are," she says immediately. "You are a good person." Io tilts her head, placing a hand on the mattress beside him and leaning on her shoulder to get a little closer. "You're my best friend, Riz."He can't stop his grin, though he bites at his lower lip to try and hide it, turning to hide his face in the blanket. He can feel her grinning at him, and he peeks at her a moment later to confirm. Rolling his eyes a little, he picks at a thread on the blanket as he mumbles, "Don't think best friends're supposed to want to kiss each other.""Why, Ris'a'an," she giggles, flopping down on the mattress and shuffling until she's laying beside him, "are you shy?""Oh, fuck off," he laughs, shoving her lightly and grinning at the way she laughs. "I ain't shy. I just — no one's ever wanted me like that before. I dunno what to do with it."She just looks at him for a moment, still smiling, before her brows furrow a little. “Not even when you were still with the Githyanki?”He snorts. "Gith don't do relationships, Angel.""But — don't they have —""Sex?" he finishes. She nods, and he shrugs, eyes focusing on his hand on the blanket between them, still picking at that thread. "Yeah, it's seen as like a bonding, stress relief thing. Not relationships, though. It's messy and there's really not any time for any of that shit when all we did was train and try to find mindflayers to kill.""Oh…" she murmurs.He looks up to find her frowning at him thoughtfully. He smirks, raising an eyebrow at her. "Somethin' botherin' you about that?"Io shakes her head, but there's still something dark in her eyes. He raises his eyebrows at her expectantly, and she sighs, watching his fingers against the blanket instead of his face. "It's just — I guess I never thought about the fact that you'd possibly been raised differently. That things like relationships and — and falling in love weren't things your people believed in."Riz snorts again. "Yeah? Does that matter?""Well, yeah," she huffs, rolling her eyes. "Do you even believe in that kind of thing? You talk about how you don't believe that I have feelings for you, but do you — did I misread you? Have I just made a complete and total fool of myself."Ah.He can feel his grin soften as he looks at her, chuckling as he sighs and says, "Angel, you're puttin' way too much thought into this.""I'm not, though.""I left home for a reason, Io," he says, not missing the way her eyes seem to brighten at the sound of her name. "I didn't agree with a lot of their decisions on how we should spend our life. Granted, none of that was because I wanted to, like, date people, but…" He shakes his head a little as he reaches out to touch her hand, sliding his fingers underneath so he can run his thumb over the runes on the back of her hand. "I haven't — shown as much outward interest in you because I was convinced that it was a pipe dream. I mean, I know what I look like—" he pauses to hold a finger up at her when she opens her mouth to contradict him, "—and I knew that you were beautiful and smart and tryin' to do great things. I may be stupid, but even I could tell that I didn't really fit into that whole thing quite right.""Riz…"He grins, eyes roaming her beautiful face as he squeezes her hand. "If you really wanna try bein' with me, Angel, I ain't gonna stop you."Her eyes dart back and forth between his for a moment before she rasps, "I need to hear you say it."Riz laughs, nodding a little. He bites his lip as he considers her, gaze running over soft bronze skin, across the delicately glowing, intricate designs across her cheekbones. He follows the curve of her nose downward, landing on her full, plush lips."Angel," he begins, voice low and rough as his eyes dart back to hers. He pauses just long enough to listen to her breath hitch in anticipation."I want you."He reaches up, running his hand up the side of her neck, running his thumb along her jaw as her pulse flutters against his skin. Both of them find their breath hitching, electric waves prickling across their skin as their eyes focus on each other's lips. He still feels like he's dreaming, watching her look at him like that, wetting her lips just as she leans in and—You hear tales of a 'spark' between lovers. He's heard them all by now, but he thought it was all just a load of shit. He'd never felt anything but arousal (sometimes disgust) when being kissed by lovers before, if they even dared to kiss him at all. Usually his affairs were quick and dirty — no one wants to make slow, passionate love with a Gith after all — so this is uncharted territory for him when her lips finally sink into his. He can hear his own sharp intake of air over the rush of his pulse in his ears, something hot and tingling washing over his skin at the first touch of her lips.Judging by the whimper that falls gracefully from her lips, she might just feel it, too.Deepening the kiss feels like coming home, in a way he can't even really understand himself. He's never had a home, but somehow… somehow Io is home. Riz presses her back into the mattress, but he doesn't let his hands wander, too focused on the press of her lips to his to give a fuck about anything else. There's no rush tonight, and she just — she seems perfectly content to kiss him.And kiss him.And kiss him.And kiss him.And that's — strange for him. New. Unknown territory. Terra incognita or whatever the fuck. It……it's nice.

They kiss for hours, that night.They kiss until their lips are swollen and sore. Until their jaws ache and they can't even smile without feeling the strain of the muscles. He leaves a trail of bites down the column of her neck, taking a sort of wicked glee in seeing his marks on her perfect brown skin. Io isn't to be outdone, though, because she does the same to him, bites on his neck so dark that he laughs when he looks in the mirror later that night.
Whatever this is might surely be the death of him — but he's known for a while now that he would let that fallen angel tear his beating heart from his chest if that was what she needed.He's looking forward to this. To becoming an us with her.They can worry about the future later. For now, they have each other.And that's enough.

I'm alive.A pair of golden eyes snapped open, glinting in the darkness.I shouldn't be alive.Above her, she could see the light of one of the moons shining down on her through a hole in the ceiling. It almost looked like the top of a cave, which made no sense because she had no memory of being in a cave. She tried desperately to remember how she got there — only to fall apart when a sound filled the cave. Nox bit back a shriek as something cold and sharp pressed against her throat. Something dragged against the sand, moving over her until a shadow blocked out all the lightHaloed by the moonlight, an unfamiliar face looked down at her. There was something icy in their silver eyes that flashed like a fish's scales in the low light. Long, wet, red hair spilled over one shoulder, brushing the sand near her cheek as they considered each other. Scales glistened along the stranger's cheekbones, interrupted only by a long, thin scar on the left; just under the eye and extending all the way to their jawline. Pointed ears poked out of their hair; webbed like a fin and—"Don't even think of trying anything." The creature’s voice was deep and smooth, like honey whiskey; revealing a flash of razor-sharp teeth as its full lips moved.A siren.Nox's breath hitched in her throat as she tipped her head back, attempting to put some distance between her skin and the blade. She grabbed two fistfuls of sand to try and ground herself. To ensure that she would not be able to run, the creature had half-lain on her, and the heavy weight of it suggested that she was dealing with something far more dangerous than it appeared."I — where am I?" she tried to speak, but her voice came out in a rasp. Her throat was dry and scratchy — from screaming or from swallowing sea water, she didn't know. "What happened? I don't remember… how I got here."The siren smirked above her, tilting its head. It was almost amused."I saved you, land thing. Your ship wrecked in the middle of a squall that appeared out of nowhere.""Wasn't my ship," she replied, shaking her head slightly. "They took me from my home."Something in the creature's face softened at that, and the sharp tool at her neck pulled back a sliver. Unsure of what to make of that, Nox tried again to speak. "What — What's with the knife? You said you saved me, right?"The siren's face hardened again, and the blade returned. Their lips curled into a snarl as they growled out their reply. "The knife is because I have dealt with humans before and am not willing to take any chances this time." Nox's eyes caught on the scar marring their face, taking in the absence of scales in that area. A beat of silence followed before the siren's face fell again. "At least, not when what I need is so important.""What do you need?""A miracle," responded the creature, snorting. "My people are dying of a plague. The sea is being poisoned, and it must be stopped.""I — I hate to be the bearer of bad news," she began hesitantly, "but I'm no miracle worker."The creature laughed at that, and brought their mercurial gaze back to her face. "Aren't you, though? I know what human magic feels like; the storm you created was unlike anything I've ever felt. The sea was practically leaping at your beck and call. Surely, you can't think me that stupid."Nox winced. "I know this is going to sound ridiculous," she tried again, voice shakier than she wanted it to be, "but I really don't know how I did that."The siren's blank expression morphed into a distrustful one as it narrowed its eyes."I'm telling the truth!" she insisted before it could accuse her of anything more. "I've no idea how it happened. It just happened."The siren raised a dark eyebrow at that, disbelief clear in the lines of its ethereal face. A chill swept over Nox as it watched her, and she clenched her jaw to stop the involuntary chattering of her teeth."I will help you, though," she stated after a moment of silence. "M-My father is a far more powerful runecaster than I am. If we can find him, maybe he will know what to do."The creature's eyes darted across her features, as if trying to find the deception written somewhere on her skin. "And where would we find your father?"Nox winced. "That… is an excellent question. We were separated when our city was attacked. He — he went into the forest, planning to travel through the mountains to reach the countries on the other side; to ask for help. We'd have to track him down on the other side of the mountains, and I… the forest is dangerous. I've never traversed it myself."The siren scoffed at that, then pressed the knife harder into the thin skin of her throat as they grumbled, "Of course—""But!" Nox raised her hands aloft in a sign of surrender as she scrambled to excuse her interruption. "H-He had a lot of books about the Old World — about the old magic! And — and he took a lot of them with him! We just have to — we have to find him."The siren scrutinized Nox with its silver eyes, until it determined that she spoke the truth. It planted their hands on either side of her body; using the ground as leverage to push themself off of Nox. With more space to breath — but not enough space to free herself from the caged arms around her — Nox got a good look at the creature that had rescued her from the ship's debris.The siren was flat-chested, though Nox's eyes caught briefly on the inhuman slits — gills? — along their ribcage. Her eyes trailed down to where the siren's tail lay in the sand; the water rushes up around the scales and making them glow silver in the moonlight The creature's tail was so long that it disappeared into the water, though it seemed to be longer than most people were tall.A shiver ran down her spine at the sheer size of the creature."Do you have a name, land thing? Or should I just keep calling you land thing?" it asked as it tilted its head, making no move to let her up.She let out a shaky breath and settled back against the sand. "My name is Nox," she said carefully; grateful for the subject change. "And I go by she."The creature nodded thoughtfully, and she wasn't sure what to make of it when its lips curled at the corners. It was oddly reminiscent of a smile, though Nox was unsure. "Nox. An interesting name. My name is Ilya, and I go by he — or they. I'm not picky."Ilya.A pretty name for a pretty creature, she thought. Her lips twitched into a ghost of a smile, and his grin widened in response, once again revealing his sharp teeth. It was a reminder of the danger still lurking beneath the surface, ready to tear her throat out at the first sign of trouble.She swallowed thickly and hesitantly pushed herself up onto her elbows. Ilya allowed her to scoot back up the sand and get out from underneath them, though they watched with an amused look in their eye. Nox shuffled backward, moving further up the embankment until she could sit up on the dry sand."Um," she very intelligently replied. Ilya lowered themself onto their elbows, apparently quite pleased to just lay there and watch her. "I don't know how… we're going to get to the other side of the mountains. I've never — and I don't even know where he was planning to go, I — wait, where—?"Nox's hands flew to her pockets in a moment of sudden panic, and she was flooded with relief when her fingers found what she was looking for. She pulled it out; aware that the creature was still watching her, and turned it over in her hands  to take in the rune on the front — only to gasp in horror. Right there, down the very middle of the face of its design, was a long, jagged scratch that cleaved the lines of runes in two.Damage from the shipwreck, no doubt."Shit," she breathed, desperately rubbing at the scratch with her thumb. It was no use against the gouge, but she tried anyway, frantic as her eyes began to sting."What is that?" came the siren's voice, startling her."A communication device my father gave me," she explained quietly. "The rune was damaged in the wreck, which means I can't contact him to ask if he knows anything helpful."Ilya looked disconcerted, but slightly intrigued. "You have magic that allows you to communicate with people over large distances?"She nodded. "We do. Not — not for everyone yet, but they are working on that as well. But that's…" she trailed off, shaking her head. There would be time for explanations later. "What's the plan here? Do you have the ability to shapeshift? Drag me off to wherever you want me to go? That sort of thing?"The siren just blinked again; a little wrinkle of confusion forming between their brows. They frowned, and the pause lasted just a beat too long before they finally answered. "Of course, I have a plan. It's just not your business. You're my captive — not my partner.""…right. No plan, then. Perfect."Ilya's gaze, which had been fixed on the far wall, darted back to hers instantly. In fact, if she looked close enough, Nox thought she could make out a flush underneath their skin. "What did you say?"She snorted, shrugging. "You clearly had no plan for this. Is there even a problem you need help with? Or did you just bring me here to eat me?"A laugh bubbled up her throat when he rolled his eyes at her, crossing his arms on the sand in front of him and slumping into them. "We do need help. I just…"The smirk that had been tugging at her lips faded as his voice trailed off. His bright eyes went dim at her calling him out on his nonexistent plan. He suddenly seemed a thousand miles away; haunted and drowning in a grief that may not be so different from her own. Though alarm bells went off in the back of her mind, she found herself sighing softly."I… I think I can help you." Ilya's eyes snapped to her face, strangled hope glimmering within his eyes. She held her arm up to distract herself from the suspicious warmth in her cheeks, running her fingers along the runes etched into her skin. They shimmered lightly in the moonlight, golden ink glittering as she turned her arm this way and that. "I think I know a rune that could make you human for a bit. Long enough for us to travel and find my dad — so long as I keep the ink fresh.""...why?"She looked up at him, tilting her head. Her eyes ran across his features, cataloging the subtle sadness carved into every line. Despite everything, she smiled a little. "Doing anything in this world is hard enough on our own. What I need to do… what you need to do…I think we have better chances if we work together. That's all."For a long moment, Ilya and Nox just looked at each other. She watched the gears turn in his mind—considering alternate outcomes and looking for any ulterior motives—before he sighed, giving her a solemn nod in return."Okay. Let's do it," they said. The expression on their face made them look almost human, and Nox was happy to say that this time, she knew it was a smile.