dahliayoung

[dahliayoung]

OPEN STARTER !! where: re-chording when: whenever works!!

The chime of the doorbell notified Dahlia of the arrival of a new customer. It was a bit of a slow day – slow enough that she managed to convince her mouth-breather coworker to leave early and let her close up. He was a bratty teenager who always was trying to one-up Dahlia as if he was trying to prove that he knew more about music than she did and therefore was the better employee. Needless to say, she was grateful to spend the shift on her own. “Welcome to Re-Chording!” she called, straightening her back and then looking up from behind the counter. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she surveyed the customer. “Looking for anything specific?”

[dahliayoung]

[ 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 ] // a character study.

𝙙𝙖𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙖'𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚

01. had to be there garrison 02. bruises reneé rapp 03. something's gotta give all time low 04. bad at love halsey 05. it's no fun grace enger

𝙙𝙖𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙖'𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙨

01. amsterdam amethyst (rl artist: nothing but thieves) 02. warrior of the mind jorge rivera-herrans, nilay aksoy-esfahani, cast of epic: the musical (rl artist: jorge rivera-herrans, teagan earley, cast of epic: the musical) 03. fast car tracy chapman 04. tangerine led zeppelin 05. go your own way fleetwood mac

+ anything by florence + the machine

𝙙𝙖𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙖'𝙨 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙨

01. people that i love leave dahlia young (rl arist: cassadee pope) 02. somebody dahlia young (rl arist: crimson apple) 03. you're not special dahlia young (rl artist: maggie lindemann) 04. little me dahlia young (rl artist: maddie zahm) 05. irish goodbye dahlia young, antonio beltran (rl artist: kacey musgraves)**

** not written yet in verse but soon~

[dahliayoung]

Flustered by the sudden compliment mixed up with the sad confession, Dahlia let out a nervous laugh. She cleared her throat, and tucked her hair behind her ears. Her eyes softened at the sight of the half-hearted, half-bow, an understanding smile making its way onto her face. It seemed that the tables had turned from their last meeting, and Lia was definitely grateful enough to return the favor of lending a sympathetic ear to Jeanie.  “Oh, fine, huh? I’m not sure if you remember, but I’m quite fluent in that language,” she quipped, leaning in slightly as if she were sharing a salacious secret. “I’ve also got a PhD in shitty boy problems.” Lia grabbed Jeanie by the forearm, leading her out of the bathroom and towards the bar. Weaving their way through the crowd, Dahlia managed to find an empty spot of the bar and signaled to get the bartender’s attention. She turned her head to Jeanie and leaned in to speak into her ear and be heard over the music. “So, whatcha want?”

“Oh man, if I wasn't such a mess right now I would totally be coming up with some cheesy line about only remembering the pretty ones.” Her laugh tangled with a hiccup, whether it was the result of the drinks or half a sob she didn't know. She nodded. “The one and only.” The little half-bow that accompanied the words lacked her usual bravado, but she returned the smile weakly all the same. Fucking boys, she thought to herself, they really do ruin everything.

“Oh I'm fine, just kinda... you know,” Her hand flapped awkwardly, a vague indicator that loosely translated to ‘suffering from hot mess syndrome but working through it.’ A drink sounded awesome right then. At least she'd have something to focus on with a glass in her hand. “That'd be great, actually. Like a total role reversal. Are you sure you wanna listen to me babble about my shitty guy problems though? Cause lemme tell you they are not all that interesting.”

[dahliayoung]

Even though she had several emails confirming her appointment and meeting time, Dahlia still felt like she was intruding as she stepped through the door. Her guitar case was slung over her shoulder and her heart was pounding in her chest as she stepped closer to the receptionist to announce herself, her phone clutched in her hand ready to provide evidence that she was really supposed to be there. The employee behind the desk went to notify Elijah Falvey that she had arrived. The Elijah Falvey. Considering the last few months of her life were like something out of a Wattpad fanfiction (which Clem always loved to remind her), it didn’t get any less crazy that she was just interacting with her idols like it was just another Tuesday. (She could already imagine the displeasure on both Roman and Toni’s faces if they knew where she was at that very moment.) Elijah appeared and Dahlia forced herself to take a steadying breath, her smile equal parts nervous and excited.  “God, you don’t need to be that formal with me. Dahlia’s fine,” she said, shaking his hand. Her cheeks flushed as she recognized her response was probably not the most professional. She cleared her throat, her hands fidgeting with the strap of her guitar. “I think you did just fine in our emails, although I won’t deny in-person is much better.” Dahlia let out a nervous laugh, and shifted her guitar case slightly. “I’m good, thanks. Just…excited to be here. Really excited, actually. Like I mentioned, this will be my first time in a professional recording studio.”

WHERE — MOREMUSIC Studio.

WHEN — Sometime in the morning. Pick a date, since this is late!

WITH — Dahlia Young ( @dahliayoung ).

Meticulous isn’t exactly a word that can be used to describe Elijah, at least not in terms of his everyday life. In fact, he considers himself to be the complete opposite — loses track of his most important belongings on an embarrassingly frequent basis, needs help from Hattie more than he’s willing to admit in order to ensure all the correct ingredients get measured out for breakfast, can hardly reply to a message in the family group-chat with coherency, so on and so forth. The list’s endless, really. It makes it almost funny, the way his attitude completely shifts as soon as he enters the studio; when he’s here, meticulous might as well be his goddamn middle name. No room for oversight, double-bookings, untuned instruments. That sort of thing. It’s worse when he has new talent, and for what reason? He doesn’t know. Maybe because he wants to impress them. Maybe because the element of the unknown keeps him on his toes — how he’s not quite sure how the day’s gonna go, working with someone he never has before. He wants to control what he can control, if he has to guess. He’s been toying with the wires in the live room for the past ten minutes or so when there’s a quiet knock on the door and his eyes shoot to the time on the wall. Ten o’clock, nearly on the dot — when the day’s client’s supposed to show. He hurriedly completes his frantic organizing and barrels to the front, passing a ‘thank you’ to his employee along the way for letting him know. A smile’s plastered on his face within seconds, and he hopes it doesn’t look as disheveled as he’s come to feel, “Ah, hello! Welcome to the studio — Ms. Young?” He crosses the distance and holds out his hand invitingly for a shake. “Elijah. It’s lovely to finally meet you. I, uh — I’m afraid emails aren’t exactly my strong suit,” he laughs. “In person’s much better. Are you alright? Do you happen to need anything before I take you in?”

[dahliayoung]

DAHLIA: What? Do people think you're like a lab baby or something? Of course you have parents. DAHLIA: I guess it is lol. My dad has always been super supportive of my music -- he bought me my first guitar. He just doesn't really get it from like -- the technical standpoint? DAHLIA: He's just the type to know when something sounds good to him. DAHLIA: Were your parents supportive when you showed a serious interest in music?

ROMAN: I am. People are usually surprised by that. Or that I have parents at all, really. ROMAN: Isn't that a typical American stereotype of a parent and child bonding over some classic car on their drive way? Did he ever try and form an interest in music?

[dahliayoung]

[dahliayoung]

DAHLIA: It's just my way of showing I care about it, but I guess I hear where you're coming from. Are you close with your parents? DAHLIA: We're both big foodies, which is probably what we have the most in common. And I developed an interest in cars because of him. DAHLIA: I never said you didn't.

ROMAN: Then maybe you should let him make his own choices if that's what he wants to do. I do get the sentiment of spending time with him though, it's one of the things I dislike about being here, being away from my own parents. ROMAN: What do you two have in common? It's normal for parents and children to not share interests, I think. Means he actually raised an individual and not a miniature version of himself to live vicariously through like some more ill-fitting parents do. ROMAN: I compliment people.

[dahliayoung]

“I’m a Weaver Ridge kid,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. She might no longer live in the neighborhood but Weaver Ridge would always be a part of her. “I celebrated my 21st birthday at the Pour House – well, at least part of the night.” It was one of the oldest bars in town, and really, it was only the Weaver Ridge locals that seemed to carry any sort of affection for the place, but it’d been enough to keep it standing if albeit struggling. “I’m glad that someone’s trying to take care of the place.” Dahlia patted his shoulder and then made her way over to the table and watch the performers on stage. It had been a few months since she last did this and it was always nice to experience the vibe other musicians were putting out. Dahlia glanced up when Calahan rejoined her and smiled. “I guess you could say that, yeah. I’ve been playing since I was a kid,” she paused to take a sip of her drink. “I haven’t done too much with it, but I’m really hoping to change that. I’m looking into recording some songs and getting a demo going.” She carefully studied Cal before nodding her head towards his guitar. “What about you? How long have you played?”

“you know it?” it still caught calahan by surprise, how much the reputation of his establishment preceded him. when he had bought the place, laid down his nest egg and invested in something that could be entirely his own, he had thought nothing more of it. the more he spoke to others — the locals, the old-timers — the more he realised that the bar was part of the furniture. it made up the fabric of weaver ridge ; changing it and ripping apart the original would be nothing short of sacrilege. it had made the irishman rethink the renovations he had once blueprinted and budgeted for. now, he was thinking more small - scale. little updates that would aid in the quality of the joint without taking away the sparkle. she was intriguing, someone so similar to himself and yet with a confidence he had always been lacking. maybe calahan had been born with it, a self-belief and a drive to be successful for his own happiness, but such traits had been lost along the way. calahan had been tumbled like a stone in choppy waters and had come out smooth, stoic, reserved. building the courage to go onstage was his first opportunity to break the mould in thirty-six years. “okay, you got it. i’ll meet you over there,” and after a few minutes, he came to sit opposite dahlia with a strange craft beer ( rhubarb or raspberry, he couldn’t quite remember ). “so,” he took a sip of the strange elixir, “you seem to be quite the performer.”

[dahliayoung]

Dahlia’s eyes lit up as Toni seemed to relax even further into their conversation – the odd tension from earlier seeming to disappear. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter as she listened intently, hanging onto every detail of Antonio’s words. There was a faraway look on her face as she began to picture the scene he was setting in her mind’s eye. Beautifully lit canals, streets lined with little cafés. She smiled to herself, her gaze shifting back to Toni’s face. “That sounds…amazing. Like something straight out of a song,” she joked. Dahlia could see something linger in his expression… nostalgia, perhaps? She didn’t dare press the issue, but it was something she made a mental note to follow-up on later.

Toni’s explanation of how Amsterdam ended up giving back to its visitors everything that they put into it. What would the city echo back to her when if she ever managed to set foot in it? “You know, when I was a kid, I thought that cities had personalities. Like, they know who you are the second you step into them. And each city tells you something different about yourself.” It was funny to consider when she wasn’t that well-traveled herself. Still, her experiences visiting Chicago and living in New York were enough for Dahlia to back her childhood theory. “Wonder what Amsterdam would say about me.” His encouragement made her smile and shake her head; traveling internationally seemed like a very distant dream. “Yeah, maybe someday,” she nodded, though the idea felt bittersweet. “Funny thing is, Amsterdam’s been on my mind for years but – well, my ex – he went there for an internship and ended up breaking up with me. For the longest time, I couldn’t even think about going because I was terrified of running into him.” Dahlia’s gaze lowered to her hands as she fidgeted with her fingers. “It sounds silly now, but the thought of seeing him and being ignored, or worse, feeling like I didn’t belong in a place he’d made his own…” Her voice was softer, more vulnerable than she had intended. She blinked rapidly, her attention returning to Antonio’s face as if suddenly remembering where she was. “Shit, I’m so sorry, I did not mean to trauma dump on you.”

Antonio leans back against the counter, his posture relaxing as Dahlia's curiosity takes center stage. There’s something grounding about it — about her excitement, her genuine interest. It’s easier to focus on that than on the echoes of the past that had briefly pulled him under. He lets out a soft chuckle, tilting his head as he considers her question with a low hum.

“Magical. Hm. Yeah, I think that’s a fair word for it,” he says, a hint of nostalgia threading through his voice. “It’s got this — energy to it, you know? Like the city’s alive in a way that’s hard to describe until you’re there.” His lips twitch slightly at the memories, conveniently blurring the man who’d explored the city beside him for an entire night. “Canals lit up at night, little cafes on every corner, the kind of vibe that makes you want to stay up and see what happens next.”

He pauses, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “For me, Amsterdam was — complicated,” he admits slowly, though he doesn’t elaborate further. “I think it’s one of those places that gives you back what you bring to it. You’ve got an open heart, a sense of adventure?” He gestures loosely, as if casting a spell. “The place’ll feel like magic. But if you’re carrying too much weight on your shoulders, it’ll remind you of that too.” Antonio’s eyes flicker back to hers, the soft spark of her curiosity disarming in its sincerity. “You should go someday. I mean it. I bet you’d find all kinds of inspiration there.”

There’s a beat before he adds, more lightly, “And hey, maybe by the time you go, I’ll have some tips for you on the best places to eat or whatever. Save you the trouble of tourist traps.” The smile he offers is easy now, free of the weight that had briefly settled over him, as if her excitement alone had been enough to pull him out of his head. 

[dahliayoung]

[dahliayoung]

She couldn’t exactly argue against Liam’s perception of her father, but, for reasons that she would rather not dissect, Dahlia made the decision to work towards easing her dad’s negative feelings towards him. “Yeah, well, my dad’s got opinions about everyone,” she joked before dropping the topic. The softness in Liam’s voice as he thanked her made her pause. It was something that she had been used to at one point in her life, many years ago – the gentle way he spoke to her sometimes. Dahlia hated how easily she remembered what it felt like when he was good to her–when he was hers.  Being the deciding vote on whether or not Liam stayed in town felt like too much power in her hands. She chuckled softly to herself, slowly stepping closer to Liam and closing the gap between them. Lia stood closer to him than she had in years, her gaze lingering longer than she meant it to. She studies his face; taking in the subtle changes that softened or sharped features she had once known so well. “I’ve never wanted you to leave,” she admitted quietly, as if saying the words too loudly would shatter something delicate between them, averting her eyes after it grew to be too much. Liam’s admission about running into ghosts didn’t surprise her really – Blue Harbor had a way of dragging up the past. Lia tucked her hair behind her ear and took a step towards the theater. “I should be getting to work – I have to open the box office soon,” she explained before briefly looking up at Liam. “You’ll figure out the right choice for you eventually. You’re not on a timer… just try not to stir up too much trouble in the meantime.”

it  was  awkward  to  hear  him  be  described  that  way  ,  but  liam  supposed  that  that  was  what  he'd  been  for  all  these  years.  he'd  broken  her  heart  and  left  her  alone  when  she  needed  him.  liam  could  tell  that  dahlia  was  trying  to  put  on  a  brave  face  ,  joke  about  it  like  he  did  with  so  many  things  ,  but  there  was  no  denying  that  it  was  still  a  sore  subject.  "well  ..."  he  laughed  shortly  ,  shuffling  his  feet  and  suddenly  feeling  like  her  father  was  standing  behind  her  with  a  shovel.  "no  need.  i  know  i  was  never  his  favourite  person  ,  even  before  i  messed  up."  there  was  no  use  denying  it.  liam  didn't  need  the  man's  forgiveness  ,  but  he  also  knew  that  it  was  unlikely  that  he  was  ever  gonna  get  it. still  ,  hearing  lia  pretty  much  say  that  she  wouldn't  run  the  other  way  if  she  saw  him  around  a  little  while  longer  made  the  stone  sitting  in  his  chest  feel  much  lighter.  "thank  you  ,  lia  ,"  he  said  in  a  moment  of  genuine  honesty.  "kinda  felt  like  you  had  the  deciding  vote  ,  though.  after  all  ,  i  did  promise  to  leave  asap  !"  she  was  still  the  same  girl  ,  somehow.  spunky  and  fierce  with  an  air  of  softness  surrounding  her.  "don't  know  if  i  know  what  the  right  move  is  ,  to  be  honest.  i'm  meeting  more  ghosts  than  i  thought  i  would  here  ..."  he  didn't  feel  like  it  was  necessary  to  tell  her  about  cal.  seemed  a  bit  cruel  considering.  but  everything  that  he'd  left  ,  or  that  had  left  him  ,  seemed  to  appear  in  blue  harbor.

[dahliayoung]

Dahlia turned at the sound of her name, the familiar voice cutting through the usual hum of the shop. As soon as Dylan’s face came into view, memories slotted into place. She was pretty good at remembering faces, especially one that she used to see so often in the halls of the Met. There were so many memories wrapped up in that place and many of them involved Liam. “Dylan?” Dahlia’s surprise morphed into a genuine smile. She hadn’t expected to run into someone from her New York days on her coffee run, but Blue Harbor had away of throwing the unexpected at her. “It’s been…what, years? You look exactly the same – it’s almost unfair,” Dahlia laughed softly. “What are you doing here? Are you still at the Met?” She couldn’t imagine that anyone would vacation in her sleepy hometown, but stranger things had happened.

character: Dahlia Young @dahliayoung

location: Crave & Co

The bakery was most definitely somewhere she wanted to be, very interested in purchasing a pastry and coffee. Dylan felt like it would most definitely make her life easier and make the day she was about to have full of meetings and stress that much easier to get through. Admiring all the options of pastries in the display case it took her a moment to look in front of her and only to be shocked by the person who was in front of her. "Dahlia?" She questioned as she was shocked at the thought it could be the younger woman standing in front of her. Her time in New York had been made by certain people and although she hadn't done a wonderful job of keeping in contact with everyone, she was not expecting to see not one but now two people she knew from her time living there. "What...It's so good to see you!"

[dahliayoung]

Dahlia laughed at Spencer’s dramatic greeting, allowing her to take a good look at her face before giving her a playful swat on the arm. “Hey there, you,” she teased, her eyes sparkling. “Don’t get all mushy on me now.” There was no bite in her words as she spoke. Between Clem and Spencer the two had been more mothers to her than her own flesh and blood had been. They were the family she’d chosen, and because of that, she’d let Spencer coo at and tease her as much as she wanted. “It seems like just yesterday you were teaching me how to rock a red lip, and just look at me now,” Lia joked, striking a dramatic little pose.. The sudden mention of Liam’s name had her cheeks flushing and she quickly straightened out her posture. “I mean, rendezvousing is a strong word. We just met up for brunch.” She cleared her throat, her fingers finding the end of her hair and twisting it absently. Lia knew that Spencer meant well, but the whole Liam situation was just… complicated. “I promise whatever you’re thinking, it’s not like that, Spence. We’re just…old friends, reconnecting.”

𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: Oyster & Pearl 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘: closed for @dahliayoung

"Hiya, gorgeous!" she greeted Dahlia excitedly, cradling her friend's chin in her hand for a second, "I forget sometimes. I forget that so much time has passed. Since I showed up at your doorstep." Spencer gave a playful wink and scrunched her nose at the brunette before kissing the air beside her cheek. Having spent over two decades completely intertwining their lives, there was hardly ever a beat to miss since the last time and yet, from time to time, she looked over at her friend and she remembered how they were both young and innocent once. Before Spencer taught Dahlia that there was more to makeup than a smokey eye, and that the hurt from the end of an era with Liam would one day heal. Right, Liam. His was a name that sent a a shockwave of anger through her. "So, did you end rendezvousing with Liam, or...?" She tried to tame her emotions, enough at least to pretend like she didn't mind the guy.

[dahliayoung]

Dahlia watched with a raised eyebrow as Babe went through what seemed like an emotional rollercoaster – cycling through every shade of pink and red imaginable, and then suddenly, like a switch being flipped, a beaming grin. The joy brought on by Dahlia’s compliment was clear as day and she couldn’t help but laugh softly. It was a sweet. “Seriously, those wings are still sharp enough to cut a man,” she joked, shifting her weight from one foot to another.

The mention of free udon for life had Dahlia standing up to attention. “You’re joking! I live like two blocks from that place. The food is so good!” she gasped, eyes shining bright. She wasn’t the type to take advantage of other people’s kindness but one free meal couldn’t hurt, right? Dahlia observed as the girl made a rather dramatic roll across the hood of her car and stepped closer to remain in earshot. “Don’t say ‘for life’ though unless you mean it! Otherwise, I’ll show up ten years from now demanding my free bowl.” Her gaze drifted down towards the contents of the car – a few cans of Monster and a duffel bag spilling over with clothes – and bit back a comment. She was in no position to be judging the state of anyone else’s car. “I can call my dad for a tow. It won’t cost you anything and you can pick it up somewhere safe,” Dahlia offered before realizing she hadn’t introduced herself properly yet. “I’m Dahlia, by the way. Dahlia Young. My dad owns Young’s Auto Shop.” It was weird to name drop herself like that but it was useful in explaining how exactly she could manage to offer a free tow.

with a big, wavering breath - babe does the next course of logic in her brain: and holds it in, as if it'll stop the tears from flowing. when she was a kid, she used to hold her breath whenever she was angry, whenever she was sad - anything to hold it in, anything to contain it. always pink - faced, differing shades of red; an impressive purple. dots don't line her vision, but her cheeks swell with pressure - eyes still rapidly blinking back tears. it's only when dahlia compliments babe that she releases her breath, a stream flowing out, "ohmygod, really? i was trying, like, sooo hard, it's so not funny." her mouth contorts from eternal frown to the brightest smile, lipstick sticking to her front teeth, "i do like, a combination of setting spray and then nyx epic wear and then more setting spray," she also sleeps in it; hasn't washed it off in ages. just reapplies to the same place, over and over and over again. it'd almost be gross if it didn't look so nice. it's still gross. "wait, seriously?" fingers wiping across her pajama pants - gir staring back with their big, weird eyes - the tears had vanished as quick as they came. typical babe behavior. "oh, that'd be like - so sweet, and so cool - and like, i'll totally owe you. d'you know that noodle place in cardinal? i'll get you, like - free udon for life. for life!" she's already rolling across the hood of her car - still barely a scratch on it - to fling open her passenger seat. four cans of monster fall out as she rummages for her duffel bag, all neon pink and cheetah - a bra half flung out from where the zipper's unzipped. flings it across her shoulder. sisyphus couldn't get on her level. "oh, shit - should i move her? like, i have one of those little car wheel prison things people put on cars to stop them from moving, d'you think if i do it to my own car the tow truck won't come? 'cos, like - i have the money, but like, it's such a hassle to get it back. it'll be, like, the fifth time this month."

[dahliayoung]

Dahlia gave him a considering look, trying to keep her expression light. It made her heart ache, the way he tried so hard to make it all sound like he was fine. Maybe he even believed he was. But even if a decade had passed, Lia knew him well enough to catch the cracks beneath the surface. “I think some people would say that’s the universe just trying to keep you humble,” she teased with a playful smirk. “And my dad…” Dahlia trailed off, trying to find the right words. The truth of the matter was that not many of Dahlia’s friends that knew her back then were Liam’s biggest fans – her father least of all – but she couldn’t help but feel protective of Liam.  “I’ll put in a good word for you, convince him you’re not the villain of the story anymore.” She laughed awkwardly, trying to force some humor into the conversation to keep it light. His comment about staying threw her off, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Of course, he’d been in town months at this point, but Lia had been clinging to the statement he’d made. He wasn’t going to be in town for long. The notion that he might stay had her chest filling with what felt dangerously like hope, and she refused to go there. There’s nothing to be hopeful for. Maybe if she repeated that to herself enough times, her heart would get the message. Realizing she’d been silent a moment to long, Dahlia cleared her throat. “That’s your call, Liam,” she replied with a wry smile. “Blue Harbor isn’t the worst place to hang around. And, uh–” she hesitated, her next words suddenly feeling more vulnerable than she wanted them to be. “I wouldn’t be the one telling you to leave.” A moment of silence and then she shifted awkwardly, looking away. “But, like I said. It’s whatever you decide. Do what’s right for you.”

"are you kidding me ? i'm a delight. have you seen me ?" it was easier to pretend his disability was fine with him, as if it hadn't taken away his career, passion and most of the joy he'd had in life. he had learned to live with it. for the most part. he knew he would probably have an easier time if he didn't fight it with every fiber of his being and actually tried to get the resources available to him. "maybe he thought i was too charming and decided to bring me down to earth ?" the reasoning wasn't unbelievable. "good, that's good. i'm glad you're doing alright." was that a weird thing to say ? it was the truth. liam remembered her dad, knew he was one of the most, if not the most, important people in her life. "i don't know if i'm still on his good side, but if i am tell him i said hi." liam waved her worries away without pause. "i know, i said i was gonna leave the minute it got sold. it hasn't and at this point i feel like it might be a sign to stay a little longer." he gave her a wary look. "if that's alright, i mean. i mean i did give you a promise."

[dahliayoung]

Dahlia’s fingers pause as they fidgeted with the edge of her flannel, Antonio’s reassurances making her hesitate. His warmth and understanding felt a bit sudden, but resulted in her heart tightening in a way that was both comforting and a little painful. Most of her tattoos were incredibly personal, but her Amethyst tattoo was among the most significant. His words settled over her, and she returned his smile, her head tilting to glance at her shoulder where the tattoo lay hidden beneath the fabric of her shirt. 

“It’s special,” Dahlia began, glancing at Toni hesitantly before continuing her explanation. “When I heard it for the first time, it was like someone pulled out words from my heart that I’d never been able to vocalize. Like someone out there understood something I hadn’t even wrapped my brain around.” Dahlia laughed a little, feeling embarrassed by the intensity of her own words, but if there was anyone who would understand it’d be Antonio. He’d helped create those words, after all. 

Antonio’s smile grew more genuine, and the tension between them gradually eased. She exhaled, feeling her shoulders relax as the topic of conversation shifted ever so slightly. “Amsterdam? God, I wish. I’ve never been out of the country.” Dahlia’s eyes lit up at the thought, curiosity sparking in her eyes and overtaking her initial shyness. “It’s on my bucket list, though. I’ve always wanted to go.” She hesitated, debating asking a question before it tumbled out of her. “What was it like for you? Is it as magical as I’ve imagined or am I overhyping it?”

Dahlia hoped she wasn’t overstepping with the question, but she genuinely wanted to know. She’d gotten to learn a lot about Toni as a musician, but she was just as curious about him as a person.

Antonio watches as Dahlia slips her flannel back on, hiding the tattoo as if she’d shown him something private and regretted it. The instinct to reassure her flares up almost immediately, overriding the ache that had briefly taken hold of him. This tattoo — it’s not about Eli, not really, not in the way it was for him. It’s about Dahlia, and maybe others like her who’d found something of their own in a song that had once felt so — so specific to him.

Clearing his throat, he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, aiming for something warmer, something that might make her feel proud of it, as she should. “Hey, no, don’t — don’t cover it up. It’s really cool. I mean it.” And he does; the words are soft but carry a strange finality. “I just think — sometimes I forget that the songs belong to people like you now. Not just me anymore. Or — or any of us,” he adds quickly, alluding to Amethyst as much as he can without naming specific names. He half-smiles, trying to bring himself back to the present, where it’s Dahlia standing in front of him, not memories of someone he’s already let go of.

“And if it’s helped you in any way, then—” His voice hitches, and he forces himself to laugh, an attempt to keep things light. “Well, then I think that song’s done something pretty good with itself, you know?” He’s grateful now, that the song went out into the world and impacted people like her. That’s what it was meant to do, from the moment the words touched notebook paper to the second they played its very last note live. And in any case, it’s probably high time he stops tying himself to everything in the past. Elijah made his choice, after all. He took their memories, their history, buried it all somewhere he clearly doesn’t want to find, and Antonio doesn’t have it in him anymore to keep visiting that graveyard.

Maybe his words are better, on foreign skin. Maybe that’s the way they stop haunting him, when he looks back.

Antonio meets her eyes again, that familiar, easy smile making a slow return. “I’d say you’ve got pretty good taste.” He nods. “Ever been to Amsterdam? Still don’t think there’s any place quite like it.”

[dahliayoung]

At some point in the night, Dahlia lost track of her friends as tended to happen with her. It resulted in her costume giving off more school girl than Powerpuff, but a costume was a costume nevertheless. She was just enjoying her time on the dance floor when she heard her name called out and spun around to see Sylvia rushing over. She could help but giggle at her friend’s excitement and unmistakable tipsiness. “Aw, Sylvia, thank you!!” she cooed, striking a playful pose at her compliment. “But look at you! Death Becomes Her, right?” Dahlia asked, giving the costume a once-over, thoroughly impressed by the level of detail and effort that clearly went into it.  “You look awesome!” Dahlia grinned, extending her palms out to sign ‘awesome.’ She wasn’t anywhere close to what anyone would call fluent, but since she and Sylvia had grown closer, she’d taken it upon herself to learn a few signs to enhance their conversations. She accepted the two shots Sylvia handed her, raising them with a mischievous grin. “You don’t even have to ask. Here’s to…insane sound systems!” she clinked her glass against Sylvia’s. “Are we doing both in one go or what?”

closed for: @dahliayoung

where: phantom rave

Despite the effort that it took for her to be part of conversations, Sylvia was having a blast at the party. The brunette was dancing the night away and downing one too many cocktails. Who had to hear the music when you could feel it? The sound system was definitely insane here. Somehow she convinced the bartender to give her four shots, instead of the two-drinks per person that typically held at these places. Were they even following it? Who knew! She was on her way back to her wife....she could've sworn they had been standing by the Ghoul prop....or perhaps not? She looked around for a face she'd recognized until --

"Dahlia!" she grinned, speeding over to her friend, who luckily was not wearing a mask. "Oh my god, first - you look absolutely gorgeous! I love the sexy, school girl vibe. And second, have some shots with me! I can't down these all by myself." she said, handing her two.