Home Away From Home.

We Clock Out

Drawn by me

Ink and pencil on paper

Arief Rachmad

What is a damphir?

Half vampire, half human. My biological father is a vampire. My mom isn't. I get all the fun powers, but none of the inherent weaknesses. And way more beings trying to kill me because I'm neither human nor vampire.

Sometimes you can't see anything.

He clears his throat before speaking. "You chose very well, darling. A pink dress is wonderful. I love it. Never loved one more than right now. And it's perfect for what I was thinking about for the evening. Something nice and relaxing, comfortable."

She's a little embarrassed, standing there in her little pink dress in front of the other Poppies outside of decon. They know who she's waiting for and send her secret smiles and whispers of encouragement, but her heart pounds anyway. Amazing that someone who can comb the multiverse saving so many people would have such a hard time meeting their own boyfriend for a date at the Haven. Proxima fusses with her skirt to give her hands something to do while she waits for him to arrive.

He steps out the shadows in the decon room and into the light for the decon process. It takes a second try to get his passcode right and he's pretty sure he can hear the Poppy giggling. *So much for flying under the radar tonight.* He slips his sunglasses on as the door opens and his eyes adjust to the Haven's light. He sees her standing there in a cute little pink dress and something happens that hasn't happened since his powers awakened years ago.

He trips. On his own feet. Or the ground. Who knows. Muscle memory kicks in and his powers catch him before he hits the ground, levitating him just above the pavement. He rights himself and walks to his girlfriend, smiling awkwardly.

Night City Suburbs

[all my cyberpunk shots]

Mega Fabric Generator by Munkhjin Otgonbayar https://www.artstation.com/artwork/e0lXb3

Do you have any friends?

I do. There's a few people I grew up with who have been through the wringer with me. More recently, I've made very dear friends with a group that have become like family. Names are power, so I'll keep those to myself, but they know.