leakywright

[leakywright]

that's the thing leaky loved about sports, it brought people together. even in unlikely times. so leaky was nothing but pleased to see nat and the rest of the woman's soccer team crowded in frank's pub, a place he didn't frequent but a few of his frat brothers had dragged him out too. "i'd like to see you take them nat, shouldn't you be the one getting wasted and celebrating your win?" he laughs, stepping over to her and leaning against the bar. "what's the next stop for you, paris 2024 for the olympics?"

WHERE: frank's pub, september 21 WHO: open.

Nat carefully set down the paddle-shaped shot flight, the liquid sloshing up the side of the glasses but, thankfully, not losing a single drop. "Alright," she announced to anyone within earshot, showcasing the line of shots like a Deal or No Deal briefcase model. She was celebrating her team's victory, celebrating the MVP-worthy performance she believed she'd played (Mia Hamm who?), and dragging everyone in her orbit into the celebration with her. Her smile was playful as she waggled her brows. "Anyone wanna shoot their shot?"

[leakywright]

this was a lot to process, leaky's eyes scanning over the texts. he wasn't sure exactly how to respond. g was doing all of this? how? literally how... "maybe they just know you're super charming so it's only natural your interrogation would go well?" he tries to be optimistic about, hopeful that g is just great at guessing rather than having their finger in every fucking pie. didn't they know greed was a terrible thing to harbor?

he sighs, hand wiping over his face as he tries to think. "whoa, you think they were able to blackmail donovan hart?" for some reason that felt like a big step up from some dumb college students. but then again, donovan seemed to have enjoyed the show, the shock he got from it all. it set leaky on edge. "yea, i definitely know nothing." he sighs, and had been too paralyzed to even attempt to figure it out. not like ollie seemed to be. "is there....is there any way i can help your cause? i really have...just been too scared to even try. but now." he lets out a breath. "it feels like if we don't do anything...g will win. whatever the fuck they're trying to win. i don't wanna lose my sanity over this."

"Yeah," Ollie was already digging through his pocket for his phone, pulling it out and scrolling through his texts. This had happened so long ago that it took him a while to find it. The text, however, was still a mystery to him so he didn't think there was anything wrong with sharing it with Leaky. Maybe he'd have some insight or something. He handed over his phone so he could read them.

g: well, it looks like the cops sure trust you. let’s not get into the merits of whether or not they should, and instead let’s figure if i should. or if greer morrison should. g: did greer ever mention wanting to go to the cops over anything? g: think…stalkers, fights, issues with drugs. anything like that ring a bell? g: think about it. even try to figure it out. what you do with that info? well, i guess that’ll let us know if the cops were right for believing what you said.

"Like how the fuck did they even know my interrogation went well?" Ollie said, shaking his head. Either they were in there, had some kind of power, or had everyone tapped. Which was… kind of something he'd been thinking himself for a little bit. That they were all tapped. He'd talked about it with Link over the summer. "You know, someone suggested that maybe Jesse's Dad was being blackmailed into doing the whole show thing," Ollie added as he took his phone back. It was possible that it wasn't just students. But he wasn't so keen on imagining Jesse's Dad was an innocent bystander in this. He narrowed his eyes in Leaky's direction, sliding his phone back into his pocket. "Fuck G," Ollie said in response to the suggestion that they might be trying to solve this. "They put Sam in jail. They said Ida was dead because that's what they wanted. Fuck them." There was no way G was doing all of this to try and solve shit. He walked away from Leaky a few steps as he started pacing around the room, mind trying to come up with other things that seemed important. "I don't know… I feel like there is so much, and then like nothing at all. It's frustrating."

[leakywright]

he just laughs and nods along. it's fun to think about sometimes who is actually out there in the stands cheering him, the team, on. but if he thinks about it too hard he is always reminded of who is missing, and the anxiety is too overwhelming. so he doesn't. it's just him and his teammates on the field after all. "well, when they do, i wanna be the first to hear." he winks.

now he has to defend himself. what's wrong with sparkling water!! "but sparkling water makes me feel fancy rhia, it's very european don't you know?" he laughs, leaning down closer to her as he speaks. it's short lived as a light tension falls on them from his question. seems like most had a rough or uneventful summer. which uneventful was good - especially after the year of hell they had all just experienced. "yea? are they like good? the best? i know nothing about pointe shoes." he laughs, placing his drink down a table collecting cups from the evening and clapping his hands. "me? nah, mine are lucky. feels sacrilegious to get rid of them before my last season."

In a moment of deliberation, Rhia pored over his inflection, the nonchalant acquiescence, his ever-pleasant expression in search of clues that would unravel a seemingly harmless statement. "I was screaming the loudest, promise," she teased with a shy shrug. Though Leaky's easy playfulness placated her worry a moment later; she was simply overthinking again. "I'll have to check with my manager and get back to you on that," though she hardly intended to do so. She would play a song for anyone who cared to listen.

The small defiance delighted her, reveling his eventual compliance to her claims over his questionable refreshment. "I don't know, Leaky! I'm not an expert on hydration." Her brows furrowed in contemplation, insistent on providing him with a better alternative than sparkling water. "Water with lemon?" she questioned, acutely aware there wasn't a significant difference between the two. Her attention is piqued at the inquiry of her summer. "I got fitted for a new pointe shoe." The silence strained for seconds as she frantically searched for a recovery. "What about you? Get any new cleats or something. For... y'anno. The new season," she stammered, realizing in the moment her attempt wasn't succeeding.

[leakywright]

[leakywright]

leaky pauses, taking a step back as logan admitted her belief in him. though he expected to feel relief...he didn't. another feeling more along the lines of guilty settled in his stomach, a rock taking form that he was sure he wouldn't be able to shake. "did g tell you anything else?" so g was targeting him? but why, g had been the one to convince him to go into the office to see penny's file. then again it was clear g was targeting them all. they had told nova about him, or at least hinted at him, and now logan. who was next? would someone believe them? "i don't wanna see anything happen to you either, so you be safe too alright?" don't make dumb decisions like me, he wanted to add but refrained from doing so.

[leakywright]

look up, do you see the sunlight? look up, there's flowers in your hair hold on, 'cause somebody loves you [[ xx ]]

// fast car -- tracy chapman // downer -- debbii dawson // born again -- leon bridges, robert glasper // how much a dollar cost -- kendrick lamar, james fauntleroy, ronald isley // texas hold 'em -- beyonce // lisa sawyer -- leon bridges // skeletons -- eli young band // west of tulsa -- wyatt flores // playing house -- active child, how to dress well // 16 carriages -- beyonce // yesterday's burn -- the way and treaty // change -- j. cole // hey driver -- zach bryan, the war and treaty // black leaves -- kirby // thinking 'bout love -- wild rivers // loved by you -- kirby // we would have some cute kids. -- tai verdes // real love baby -- father john misty // look up -- joy oladokun // talkin' bout a revolution -- tracy chapman //

[leakywright]

"adults love keeping things from kids, it's like a power thing." leaky spoke absentmindedly, reeling from everything he had just heard from ollie, new theories permeating his mind. he's startled by ollie's finger now held up, the other quickly diving into a rant about their theories. "you got a text after your interview?" his eyebrows scrunching together, that was fucking weird. "do you think it's like just students? or like...staff...the police? anyone and everyone is just working for g?" wait fuck, had he done g's dirty work without realizing it? penny's file? g had never told him what was in it, just that he should look at it...was it really so g could find the information that was on penny? he had always assumed g killed penny, because of what was in the file. but what if... "what if g is also trying to solve all of this?" he lets the question slip. like penny died and wanted to see why whoever killed her had? or whatever it was? maybe he was overthinking it now, maybe he had watched too much of pretty little liars. "this is fucking crazy." he repeats, head nodding. "but like...what else do we have?"

He sent Leaky a look when he asked who told him, though he didn't really think Leaky actually expected a full answer. "Someone who had no reason to lie about it. Someone I trust," Ollie said sternly, assured in that assessment. Though he was sure not many people would trust Link, he did. At least when it came to something like this. He'd had no reason to lie at the time, seemed to regret that he'd told Ollie, and followed up to make sure he hadn't spilled the beans during the interview made him extremely certain that Link was not only telling the truth, but that they had the same ideas surrounding it. There was something shady going on for sure. He raised his eyebrows in a considering expression at Leaky's suggestion, nodding his head. "That's possible." Maybe they stole it off of Penny's body when they murdered her!! Ollie kept that thought to himself though, because he was trying not to sound insane.

"I just don't understand what reasons they'd have for lying about this. If they weren't up to something shady they could just say what they were doing. 'Like you kids we went out to try and find help' or whatever the fuck. That would make sense! But lying? There's no reason to hide where they were unless they don't want us -- or the police -- to know something. And!" Ollie held his finger up in front of Leaky's face. "There is no way G is doing everything on their own, let's be real. There's just no damn way. So I've had the theory for a while that they're hiring out things. Whether the person or people know, or they're also being blackmailed into it, or whatever. They know too much! After a interview I had with the police last year. I got a text from G saying they knew it went well. Immediately after, Leaky! How the fuck would they know that? This shit is fucking crazy! I don't think any of us understand just how deep it goes."

[leakywright]

"yea, you." he nods, wiping his hands together before slipping them into his pockets. it wasn't odd for people to slip in and out of events like homecoming, especially after the announcing of homecoming court, but there was just something about carmen's demeanor that had him pausing. "oh well," he laughs softly, hand now reaching to scratch the back of his head, suddenly shy by everything that had taken place. "i think people will be fine, it was cheesy that's all. easy to be cheesy." he tries to downplay it, though it had taken a bit of bribing for his teammates to join in on the scheme. "it wasn't too much was it? i mean it probably was but..." he stops himself, no need to overthink it. "are you having a good evening at least?"

"Me?" Her brows lift, hazel orbs widening as if the question he's presented is completely preposterous. There was nothing out of the norm about someone stepping out from an event for a moment or two — it was a sight she'd seen a million times before, a recess from all that was occurring within the walls. "I'm fine. I just needed a break from...well, all of that." A dismissive hand waved towards the door. It's not a lie but it's also not delving too far; a break from the noise, the bodies, the chaos, the dread; it was all the same in the end. "Though I can't say I'm doing as excellent as you must be." Her expressions shifts then, hinting at something scandalous when the reality is anything but. "It seems that you've won the game and the girl." After all, it wasn't as if the cheerleaders had been able to pay attention to anything other than Leaky's display after the game. "I think you've made the start of the year rather difficult to live up to. Especially for anyone planning on asking anyone out."

[leakywright]

"right, right, she's yours first got it." leaky chuckle, hands held up in surrender. he was just thankful that nova had wanted to share ruth him, and put up with him in general. it was nice to have someone that he thought maybe had his back in a real and genuine way again. he glances at nova's back, another bite taken out of the apple as he ponders what this is all like for him. not that he was trying to creep in and replace them by any means. but he wondered how sharing worked in their mind.

now he looks up in show, feigning offense. "virgin?! i may be a gentleman but i ain't no prude." did he have a long dry spell? yea, but that was a choice. that was healing, that was...avoidance. "i don't wanna know all your secrets and weird kinks anyway, so don't worry, i'll just eat my apple and be on my merry way." he pauses, "you wanna join? not sure where i'm goin, but i'm sure it's better with some company."

"You're actually the biggest fucking softy I've ever met but, hey..." Hands rise in a display of defeat, the acceptance that he may be wrong, though they both know it's not the case. "Whatever helps you get your beauty sleep at night, baby."

Kinda reminds me of my gram — words that strike in a way they don't care for, a not so gentle reminder of how much of their mom Nova saw reflected in the woman. Wordlessly, they turn their back on Leaky, in order to stop the sudden crinkling of their features from revealing too much. "Ruth is a saint, but she was my saint first." A tone that holds much of the same lightheartedness he'd shared moments ago, that works to mask the ache in his chest better than his expression did. "So you'd better find your own." It was a declaration he would never actually stand by, even if he had that kind of control over the woman. Ruth had a light that deserved to shine as far as it could, and well; Nova wasn't sure he'd admit it aloud, but he certainly wasn't prepared to lose Leaky now either. "Trust that it's for the best, sweetheart." He muses, taking on a masculine inflection of condescension. "There are things in some of my bags that might traumatize your poor, virgin eyes for life."

[leakywright]

"ah well, still. a big deal." leaky nods, smile wide. it's always cool to talk shop with someone, even though they were leagues outside of what he could ever be - it's just nice to know that someone cared the same way you did about something. "oh really? that'd be good. i've...i've actually been trying to find someone to like just jam with ya know?" he beams now, excited by the prospect. "would love to, if i can keep up with ya at least," he chuckles standing up to shake ambrose's hand before stepping over to the piano. "have a good one ambrose, i'll see ya around!"

end.

Ambrose laughed a little, and shrugged. "Not perfectly," he said, shaking his head. "I'm much more of a practice makes perfect type." If that hadn't already been obvious anyway. It wasn't that Ambrose couldn't play from ear, but he was much more comfortable when he either had something in front of him to read, or just already knew it from memory. Maybe it was a lack of confidence, maybe it was more technical that way. He didn't know. "Thank you," he said, sending Leaky a smile as he finally slid his music folders, and books into his bag. "I'll see you around, I guess. Or maybe next time I'll be sure to bring my guitar with me or something and we'll play together," Ambrose offered. "It was nice to meet you Leaky!"

[leakywright]

©

[leakywright]

@morrisxn02 where: homecoming when: middle of the night having refilled his cup with sparkeling water (this shit was addictive he was realizing), leaky took it upon himself to wander around the floor, stopping to chat with a few of his classmates, but really he had no agenda. he wasn't sure where sassa was at the moment, so he hoped his meandering ran him back into her, but he was sure she was just better at socializing than he was. as he turned toward the corner of the dance floor near the exit, he spotted his roommate, delighted by his presence. leaky had been quite absent from the room so far this semester - classes and practice quite literally kicking his ass - so he figured they were long overdue for a catch-up. "eddie! hey man, glad to see you made it out." he smiles, reaching out to dab him up. "you havin' a good night? sorry i've been so absent from the room." he apologizes with a bright smile. "everything goin' alright so far?"

[leakywright]

"oh sure you were." he says with a half-nod half-chuckle. honestly he didn't peg rhia for the type to find herself at a college football, and enjoying it. not that it mattered much anyway, she was here, homecoming was happening, and leaky was hopeful that the night was going to be a good one. "my lips are sealed, just give me a sneak peek before anyone else yea?" he teases with a quick wink in her direction.

before he can stop her, she's grabbing his drink and taking a large sip. with a sigh, he reluctantly takes the now near-empty cup back. "it's good alright! makes me feel fancy, and keeps me hydrated. i had some big plays today don't ya know? gotta find creative ways to recover." he adds, finishing off the rest of the drink. "alright so tell me something fun you've done recently, besides your secret album of course."

In the months she was gone, she expected everyone to forget about her. Question, worry - sure - but then eventually they would move on. Her name would slowly disappear as time passed, whispered less and less until it was drowned out by the constant nonsense flowing across campus. Yet, the bright expression on Leaky's face and the thrilled way he called out her name, Rhia, filled her with delight. She laughed joyously and wrapped her arms around Leaky's neck, letting his hug momentarily pull her off the floor.

She placed her heels on the ground and pulled back only to look upon his face again. "I would never do that, Leaky. I missed you. I was rooting for you on the field!" she enthused. Rhia mulled over the easiest excuse to give Leaky, giving herself time as she straightened her hair. "You guessed it. Got an album dropping in the next few months. Look out for it," she teased. "It'll have to stay a secret until then, okay?" She giggled and helped herself to the other's drink. She gave it a quick sniff, before nearly draining it and handing the sparkling water back with a look of repulsion. "Ew. How do you drink that shit?"

[leakywright]

leaky pauses, taking a step back as logan admitted her belief in him. though he expected to feel relief...he didn't. another feeling more along the lines of guilty settled in his stomach, a rock taking form that he was sure he wouldn't be able to shake. "did g tell you anything else?" so g was targeting him? but why, g had been the one to convince him to go into the office to see penny's file. then again it was clear g was targeting them all. they had told nova about him, or at least hinted at him, and now logan. who was next? would someone believe them? "i don't wanna see anything happen to you either, so you be safe too alright?" don't make dumb decisions like me, he wanted to add but refrained from doing so.

she put her hands up in surrender amidst his passionate defense. "take a breath. if you say it's bullshit, it's bullshit. i trust you." maybe some would call her naive, but she was a good judge of character, right? there were plenty of people at ogden she thought had something to hide, but leaky was not one of them. "just keep an eye out, alright? maybe someone's targeting you, i don't know, but i don't wanna see anything happen to you."

[leakywright]

leaky tries to ignore the streak of disappointment that comes with sassa's name being called and his not following. but it's okay, he's had enough glory today, enough of the craziness of homecoming that he can let this go. what really becomes startling is the lack of mention of greer. no one slipped her name into the court winning, no one gasped her name. it felt like...they were all forgetting her. they were moving on. it was weird. leaky takes a breath, heading over to the bathroom while the court moves to dance and be celebrated, that's when he barely catches carmen as she swings through the doors, looking a bit...distracted. "just had go pee." he nods toward the bathrooms where he was headed to. "are you...are you alright?"

Who: Open. When: Saturday, September 2nd. Where: The Homecoming Gala.

Carmen knew she hadn't been the only one waiting for it, her throat and chest constricting as the music was cut and the announcement began. Surely they're all waiting for it, for that name that had already been familiar but seemed almost carved into the minds and lives of everyone in attendance over the past year, Greer Morrison. It doesn't come; not for queen and not even for the court. Carmen almost doesn't register Heath being announced among the names, too busy trying to process what felt like a delusion, only seeming to snap back to reality when people began moving. She urges him forward, watching as he joined the other court members and the dance began before focusing on the still present weight on her chest. She slips from her spot, easing her way through the crowd until she reaches the doors, stepping outside and drawing in the fresh air. She foolishly doesn't even consider moving out of the pathway, stumbling forward only when the door swings open and nearly collides with her. "Sorry." An apology followed by a breath of nervous laughter as she turns to face the other, suddenly acutely aware of how not pulled together she was in that instant. "I figured everyone would be inside enjoying the dance."

[leakywright]

briefly leaky finds himself lost in though, reminiscing on simpler times, childhood summers running around town till sundown and then catching fireflies. those bleed into teen summers, grueling practices, first kisses...he shakes his head, bringing him back while heni looks up at him. "oh! uh," he pauses, surprised by her question and he looks around. it's just a dance - no harm there. "sure, heni wanna dance with me?" he smiles, holding out a hand to her before backing up slowly onto the dance floor, making sure to shimmy his shoulders a bit to emphasize his point.

end.

"They do, yeah," Heni says, followed by a barely audible sigh. It had been like that back in Manhattan, too - you spent all year dreaming about leaving your peers behind in the dust of the city, only to run into them (and their parents, no less) when out for a stroll on the beach. Was it not bad enough back then - when the chance encounters reminded her of nothing worse than homework and insignificant pieces of gossip? She didn't quite know what she'd do if a reminder of Ogden was sprung on her without warning. "I think everything was simpler back then."

She pauses. "So, are you going to ask me to dance?"

[leakywright]

nursing a sparking water, with a hand tucked into the pocket of his pants, leaky takes in the gala as a whole. funny how a few months ago they were all at a similar gala that had a vastly different ending, one that still haunted him late into the night. he tries to clear those thoughts and enjoy the night. it'd been a great - no fantastic day. leaky didn't want to do anything to jinx it and upset the universe. they won the game, he took a jump with sassa, and now...well maybe he can feel like a normal college student for once.

a familiar voice distracts him from the rabbit hole of thoughts he finds himself chasing, and he is delighted to see rhiannon standing there, smiling at him. "rhia! holy shit." he laughs, ignoring her hand to pull her in for a hug instead. "i thought you'd just been avoiding me all these months." he joked, smiling down at her. "where ya been? a wild adventure that we'll read the book about next year or something right?"

who: open<3 when: homecoming gala where: dance floor

The grandeur of the hall wasn't lost on her; in fact, she spent more time taking in the scenery than she had socializing. By all accounts, this was abnormal for Rhia, who more often than not struggled to stop talking. It would just take some time adjusting to being back, that was all. Or maybe she discovered a new form of self-punishment; isolating herself and embracing its discomfort.

The only one who could coax her out of her shell was herself, and that wouldn't be accomplished by leaning quietly on the sidelines and refusing to open up to anyone that approached. The sentiment pushed her from the wall toward an unsuspecting victim near the dance floor. Rhia approached swiftly, before her mind caught up and gave her enough sense to put an end to the charade.

Her fingers extended, curling delicately around her wrist until her palm faced upward and outstretched to the other. She bent into a dramatic bow, placing the tip of her left toe behind her and tipping her head downward. As she returned upright, her fingers beckoned to the other. "Care for a dance?" she mused, smiling mischievously as she stared down the other.