Verse Pre Canon ( Ft. Cannotfly ) - Tumblr Posts

Alma likes Johanna. She likes all of her children, but she has a small soft spot for her ymbryne in training. Perhaps it is because they share same peculiarity. Perhaps it is because that sometimes, Johanna reminds Alma of herself. She doesn’t think she’ll ever truly know why. But she is fond of the young woman. And she is grateful to have another ymbryne around to help with the children. It makes things run just that much smoother, which is always nice.

Yes, it would. But such is the life of a peculiar. Lying and hiding is all most peculiar children have ever known. Alma herself never knew a life without it. It keeps them safe. And keeping the children safe is an ymbryne’s sole purpose in life. Johanna knows this.

Alma sighs just loud enough to be audible. “Unfortunately,” she says, fixing Johanna with a severe look, “we must. It is imperative that we keep the children safe, and to do that, we must lie. If that does not agree with you, Miss Nightingale, I suggest you find a different profession.”

@notefinal's a.lma p.eregrine sent: ❛ my dear, i think we can make this so much simpler if we agree not to lie to each other. what do you think? ❜

lying is the core of her person. remove her spine from her back and find thousands of lies tumbling from the wound. whether she looks the other directly in the eye or tugs at her sleeves, johanna has no problem in twisting the truth. it's the only way that she's kept herself safe. when a bird senses their predator, they don't hesitate in flying away. johanna's wings are the fibs that slips. does she even know how not to lie? she has the feeling miss peregrine wouldn't care for her truth anyway. she doesn't want to be an ymbryne, she wants to be free.

duty ties her down. guilt clips her wings. johanna curses her particularity behind closed doors ( that was still open---just a tad ). training to become an ymbryne was the only way to escape from him. she's only fallen into another trap. there are children of her own kind who need women like her. she has a duty. and yet, she wishes she didn't. she can't cook to save her own life. she doesn't know how to be a mother. she doesn't want to be trapped in the same day anymore.

curl is tucked behind her ear. ❝ i'm sure it is. ❞ not an agreement. not declining the offer, either. johanna's gaze slowly raises back to miss peregrine's, biting back a plead to escape. what kind of person would she be if she turned her back on her own kind? ( a runaway. the blood of one still flows through her veins. ) ❝ it would be much easier if we didn't have to lie. ❞

He can’t quite help his laugh. Sneaking into a fair after hours is probably one of the more tame things Arthur has done in his life. “No.” He’s not planning on doing any breaking and entering tonight. He slides his arms around Johanna’s waist and kisses her forehead softly. “We won’t get arrested, don’t worry.” He tugs gently at her hand, leading her down the road to the boardwalk. “It’s a surprise.”

He doesn’t know if Johanna likes surprises or not. He hopes she does. And even if she doesn’t, he hopes she likes this one. He leads her down to the beach and proudly gestures to where he’s set up a blanket and a little basket of food. “You can see the stars for miles out here. It’s gorgeous.” He’s only done it a few times, but it’s been breathtaking every time.

@notefinal's arthur hartman says, " come on, i know a place. "

❝ is it somewhere slightly illegal again? ❞

laced with honey and dewdrops of adoration, her voice hushes along in pure excitement. good girl finally breaking out. it makes her feel like a teenager, but not the kind of head-bowed, poured over books, paling when a teacher called on her, kind of girl. she exists a cocoon-like state to find herself throwing caution to the wind. just without the fear of curfews or... well, she is an adult. just experiencing this side of young rebellion for the first time. her hands lean on his. she has to contain herself from jumping up and down

( arthur kissed her when they went to that fair after-hours... will he do it again tonight? )

❝ i don't have any plans tonight. i don't mind if i get arrested. better yet, we don't get arrested and it can just be you and i wherever you plan on taking me. ❞ johanna breaks into a smile. ❝ but either way--- " she shrugs, as if she is as nonchalant as she wants to appear ( she's fairly certain she's failing, yet she doesn't care ) ❝ ---where are we going? ❞

@cannotfly said i’ve missed you these days. / arthur

“Sorry.” He pulls Johanna into his side and kisses the top of her head. “I’ve been busy.” If busy means going to a casino and wasting all his money, then sure. Arthur’s been busy. He doesn’t really have an excuse for it. He just has to hope Johanna hasn’t noticed anything off. He’s been good at hiding it so far. His tuition money is almost out, though. He’s not sure what he’s going to do once it runs out, but he’ll worry about that later. “I didn’t keep you waiting for too long, did I?”

Good. He would’ve felt bad if he’d kept her waiting. He rubs her side gently, trying to calm her down as much as he’s trying to calm himself down. He doesn’t think Johanna suspects anything—he doesn’t think anyone suspects anything—but he’s always worried he’s going to do something and slip up. He doesn’t need her worrying about him. He doesn’t need anyone worrying about him. He’s fine. He just needs to find more money before his tuition runs out. But he will. He will. He’ll win something one of these days. He will. “I’m fine. I’ve just been—busy.” He feels stupid for not having an actual reason, but he can’t think of anything that won’t arouse suspicion. “I’ve missed you, too.” He sighs quietly. “We should do something. Go to the library or the beach or something.”

she waits for him to explain what "busy" was, but frowns when she doesn't get an answer. shouldn't they be telling each other everything? whenever something happens to her, waiting to tell arthur is unbearable. ❝ no. it wasn't bad at all. ❞ arms clasp behind her back as she leans into his embrace. it's difficult to act casual when her stomach is in a nauseating knot of concern and heartsickness. ❝ but i feel like i haven't seem you much at all recently. i miss you. ❞ she moves a hand to wrap around him. ❝ are you alright? ❞