opair

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I’ll do the washing up from now on, yeah? You’re shit at it anyway.

[opair]

like for memes!

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#let her rest

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@herhaunt​​ said: ❛ I can’t drown my demons, they know how to swim. ❜

RANDOM LYRIC PROMPTS

DANI’S  GIGGLE  REVERBERATES  INTO  THE  MOUTH    of  the  wine  bottle  clutched  in  her  hand.    it’s  a  typical  fall  evening    ;    the  bonfire  crackles,  snaps,  POPS  around  old,  white  ash  wood    &    new,  smoldering  black  to  release  a  wild  orange  glow  into  the  night  sky.    her  laughter  is  dark  even  if  it’s  the  same,  nervous  shake  of  a  sound  that  breezes  between  her  teeth.    the  tail  end  of  it  is  a  sour  breath  tinged  by  the  vinegar  bite  of  cheap  screw-top  wine  but  it  feels...  GOOD  to  be  loose,  to  be  honest  with  the  crisp  beginnings  of  autumn  air  capturing  the  wispy  exhales  from  the  fire.    

it’s  reminiscent  of  another  night,  years  ago,  when  she’d  tossed  a  wire  frame  into  the  belly  of  a  scorching  furnace    &    watched  them  hiss,  shatter,  DISAPPEAR  from  her  existence.    the  presence  that  follows  her  now  is  waterlogged,  a  distorted  reflection  that  can’t  stand  the  heat.    

❛    mine,  too.    ❜      she  gulps  after  she  has  enough  time  to  settle  from  the  joke.    her  palm  is  gripped  around  the  neck  of  the  wine,  a  couple  of  fallen  soldiers  already  spent    &    settled  at  the  stones  ringing  the  edges  of  it.    dani  thrusts  it  out  with  the  kind  of  earnest  offering  that  has  no  ulterior  motives  or  strings  attached.      ❛    but  i  always  tell  my  kiddos    --    if  at  first  you  don’t  succeed,  try,  try  again.    ❜    

[opair]

softer prompts

“  i’m not going anywhere.  ” “  you make me feel safe.  ”   “  i think i might be in love with you.  ” “  i just like seeing you happy.  ” “  just let me take care of you.  ” “  you’re my family.  ” “  i can stay, if you want.  ” “  you make me feel alive.  ” “  you’re captivating.  ” “  i want you to know i’ll always be here for you. whatever you need.  ” “  you don’t have to tell me anything, we can just sit here.  ” “  i trust you. more than anyone else.  ” “  you have a beautiful soul.  ” “  i feel like i could watch you all day. everything you do has a touch of magic to it.  ” “  i hope i see you in my dreams.  ” “  do you trust me?  ” “  you don’t ever have to pretend. not with me. not ever.  ” “  i love you, every part of you. even the parts you don’t like.  ” “  you make everything a little easier.  ” “  will you just…hold me? please.  ” “  just tell me everything’s gonna be okay.  ” “  you’re enough. you’re more than enough.  ” “  you have my heart in your hands. be gentle with it.  ” “  i wanna be the one you go to. the first one you tell when there’s something good. the shoulder to cry on when it’s bad. and every mundane thing in between. i want to share it all with you.  ” “  i have faith in you.  ” “  i’ve never met anyone quite like you.  ” “  knowing you is like…coming home. like i’ve finally found something that’s been missing all this time.  ” “  every hard thing in my life feels worth it. it all led me to you.  ” “  i feel like i could endure anything as long as i have you to come home to.  ” “  i can tell something’s bothering you.  ” “  what can i do to help?  ” “  come on. let’s get out of here.  ” “  i’m taking you somewhere special.  ” “  where are you taking me?  ” “  i don’t need grand gestures or declarations of love. i just need you. all of you.  ” “  you make me feel like i’m worthy.  ” “  you deserve good things.  ” “  i want to be your home.  ” “  loving you is like something holy.  ” “  i made you something.  ” “  come back to bed.  ” “  stay the night with me.  ” “  are you sure you’re okay?  ” “   you wanna talk about it?  ” “  did you wanna tell me something?  ”  “  you’ll always have me.  ” “  i’m proud of you.  ”   “  i need you.  ” “  thank you. for always being there for me.  ” “  don’t ever let anyone make you doubt your worth.  ” “  i’m not leaving you. not ever.  ”   “  you have kind eyes.  ”   “  sleep, my love. i’ll keep the nightmares away.  ”   “  there’s so much light in you.  ” “  i want you here.  ”  

ACTIONS: 

❀ for a forehead kiss ✦ for our muses to hold hands ❉ for one muse to nap against the other ✱ for one muse to surprise the other ✸ for our muses to cuddle  ❄ for our muses to enjoy the first snow of winter  ♛ for my muse to teach yours something new ☂ for our muses to stargaze  ♡ for one muse to wake the other with breakfast in bed ♤ for a kiss on the palm ☁ for our muses to get caught in the rain without an umbrella ☀ for one muse to surprise the other with a home-cooked meal  ☾ for one muse to hug the other without explanation  ♞ for one muse to give the other a massage  ✞ for one muse to give the other flowers ✔ for one muse to caress the other’s face ✚ for our muses to shower/bathe together  ＄for one muse to catch the other staring lovingly 

[opair]

The Haunting of Bly Manor Starters !

Taken from the 2020 Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor! Some of these have already been edited. You can change them however you see fit! Keep in mind that some spoilers for the show will be present!

“What is the catch? That really is the question.”

“To truly love another person is to accept that the work of loving them is worth the pain of losing them.”

“Dead doesn’t mean gone.”

“People are like locked rooms. They all got different locks, and you got to guess the shape of their keys.”

“I had a bad dream. I hurt you, and it made me feel sad.”

“I thought I was going to die too. I was sure of it. But then I thought, what if I was already dead, but nobody else knew? And I was walking around dead, but everybody could see and hear me?”

“It’s only felt like dying because actually, I was still alive. You have to feel that way. I wasn’t dead. I was just really, really sad.”

“Build a pile of old bones and burn away the shadows.”

“There’s a difference between feeling good and feeling alive. The two are not the same.”

“The calls are scaring them. You know it.”

“Where are we going? Are you taking me out here to kill me?”

“You said it was a ghost story. It isn’t.”

“They said it’s the length of the relationship, halved, to get over it.”

“It’s you. It’s me. It’s us.”

“You killed me by asking me to do this. I did what you wanted, and it killed me.”

“Marriage is like religion in a way. You are told to have blind faith in God, even though you can’t see him. And you’re told to have blind faith in your husband, even if you hardly ever see him.”

“If you can’t feel anything, then I’ll feel everything for the both of us.”

“I’ve made some good cakes in my day, but this one is batter.”

“The wrong kind of love can fuck you up. Follow you. Make you do some really stupid shit.”

“You know what I learned? I’m a lot braver than people think.”

“It’s a mistake, isn’t it? Thinking they are your family.”

“We all do terrible things sometimes. That’s expected. It’s baked into us from the start.”

“Overwhelmed, she slept and waited.”

“Be brave in death, (name).”

“Eventually, after some time, you’ll find little moments, little pieces of your life. That remind you of them. And they’ll be silly and dumb, or they’ll be sad, and you’ll cry for hours.”

“One day at a time is what we’ve got. It’s what everybody’s got when you get down to it.”

“Do we realize when we’re in the glue? When the water around us is boiling? Or do we sit there, saying “This will be ok?”

“I pity you. Because you have to live with it, you have to live with yourself.”

“You have to promise me that you’ll stay in your room. Don’t leave your room at night.”

“I don’t know why brilliant women are always punished.”

“Build a pile of old bones and burn away the shadows. Because from here on in, the shadows get deeper, the nights get longer.”

“Why do the bad ones get to come back and not them?”

[opair]

@orticulture​​ said: i brought you a blanket.

POST-TRAUMA STARTERS

❛    I  KNOW  I  SHOULDN’T  HAVE    brought  him  home.    ❜    dani  accepts  the  blanket  with  one  hand,  the  other  arm  still  cradling  the  dark,  sneezy  little  bundle  that  lets  out  a  plaintive  mew  at  being  shifted  around.    she  has  the  good  graces  to  flash  jamie  that  smile  smoking  of  half-guilt    &    asking  for  forgiveness  after  permission.    

the  kitten  lets  out  a  pink-tongued  peep  in  thanks.    his  eyes  are  a  gleaming  yellow-green,  his  bottlebrush  tail  flicking  around  in  interest  at  his  new  surroundings.  he’s  hardly  the  FIRST  stray    (    a  tattered  old  fern  plucked  up  out  of  a  rubbish  bin  flourishes  now  in  the  corner  behind  the  tv  stand    ;    a  thicket  of  succulents  wave  out  at  the  neighbors  from  the  window  sill  in  the  kitchen.    the  proposal  plant  itself  is  thick    &    full-leaved,  no  longer  sagging  in  its  sad  little  pot  with  its  roots  gnarled  around  a  claddagh    )  that  dani  has  scooped  up  off  the  street  to  march  into  their  flat.    

but  it  is  the  first  time  she’s  carried  something  home  with  more  spirit  than  a  rosebud.    

dani  reaches  a  knuckle  down  to  stroke  between  his  ears  to  elicit  a  surprised  thrum  of  a  PURR.    there’s  a  saucer  of  milk,  a  pried-open  can  of  tuna,    &  now,  a  soft  place  to  rest.    ❛    but  he’s  just  so  cute.  how  could  i  resist?    ❜    

[opair]

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (2020) | 1x4

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@thatsdevilstears​​ said: 'normal is boring.' 

KILLING EVE STARTERS 

❛      &    I  KNOW  HOW  YOU  FEEL  about  boring.    ❜    soil  clings  to  the  knees  of  her  jeans,  soft    &    dark    &    crumbling.    it’s  draws  a  black  rind  under  the  crescents  of  her  bitten-down  nails,  too,  as  she  wraps  her  hand  around  the  roots  of  yet  another  invasive  weed  to  draw  it  back.    it’s  unseasonably  warm,  hasn’t  rained  in  days,    &    the  late  summer  sun  draws  a  fresh  pattern  of  freckles  across  her  brow    &    paints  a  pink,  bright  smudge  across  the  bridge  of  her  nose.    but  she’s  smiling  like  she  has  a  secret  even  while  flora    &    miles  busy  themselves  with  plucking  handfuls  of  grass    &    dirt  out  of  the  ground.    

❛    wouldn’t  want  to  muck  it  up.  ❜    dani’s  voice  slides  easily  into  the  cartoonish  mock  of  an  english  accent,  follows  lightly  by  a  goofy  punch  of  a  laugh.    hannah  has  the  good  grace  to  let  her  eyes  loll  back  only  just  so,  teacup  perched  daintily    &  untouched  in  her  grasp.      ❛      ----  seems  to  me,  NORMAL’S  just  what  we  all  could  use  a  little  more  of  around  here.        ❜

[opair]

❛    WELL,  IT’S  HARDLY  BEEN  an  easy  road.      ❜      dani’s  suburban-bred  politeness  born  from  the  types  of  neighborhoods  where  all  of  the  homes  are  unlocked,  an  extra  key  under  the  mat,  means  that  commiserating  is  toeing  the  line  between  honest  sympathy    &  propriety.    she  holds  out  a  hand,  elbow  bent    &    one-armed  shrug  pairing  with  the  TRUTH  of  it.    ❛  i  don’t  suppose  there’s  a  soul  alive  who  could  blame  you  for  wanting  to  get  out  of  here.    ❜    

she  pauses,  lips  parted  around  her  next  question.    ❛      ---  where  do  you  think  you’d  wanna  go?  to  get  away  from  it  all,  i  mean.    ❜

𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐓𝐎𝐍 ( @opair​ ) said: hate’s a very strong word.

❝  i think after two years of murder sprees and having my throat slit open i’ve earned the right to say i hate this town …  ❞  there isn’t an ounce of amusement in the retort, nor is there any shred of evidence that may hint at her true involvement in all woodsboro had to offer. there never would be, she was just too good of a lier.  ❝  seriously dani, there’s an entire world out there. what makes shits-boro the end all be all?  ❞

[opair]

ofrevival·:

                    an  offered  smile  given  towards  her  thanks  as  jason  tucks  bike  keys  into  the  pocket  of  his  leather  jacket,   the  crunch  of  dirt   &   gravel  beneath  the  soles  of  his  boots  as  he  tracks  the  short  distance  between  their  vehicles.     “ it’s  not  a  problem. “

                    when  the  trunk  clicks,   swings  open,   he  reaches  in  for  the  spare  and  unscrews  it  from  the  harness   -   pulls  it  free  with  one  hand  whilst  the  other  snatches  up  the  kit  of  tools  to  haul  both  around  where  they’re  needed.   there’s  still  the  semi - consistent  hiss  emanating  from  beneath  the  hood,   something  he  runs  through  the  back  thoughts  of  his  mind  against  the  rolodex  of  possible  causes  as  his  hands  busy  with  what  can  currently  be  addressed.   starts  jacking  up  the  side  of  the  car  so  he  can  get  at  the  busted  wheel  properly.

                    “ did  the  car  start  hissing  like  that  after  your  tire  blew,  or  before? ”     he  asks  after  a  beat  of  quiet  populated  only  by  the  creak  of  old  metal  as  the  vehicle’s  elevated  to  the  right  height,   practiced  fingers  trading  the  jack  for  the  tire  iron.   spares  a  steel - blue  glance  up  to  the  vehicle’s  owner.     “ depending  on  which,   you  might  need  to  take  your  car  in  to  the  shop. ”

SHE  STANDS  BY  LIKE  A  SUPERVISOR,  elbows  winging  out  by  the  side  of  the  road  with  her  hands  flexed  at  her  hips.    the  sun  beats  fresh  freckles  into  the  pinking  flesh  above  her  collar    &    batters  them  across  the  bridge  of  her  nose.    the  car,  for  its  part,  is  sighing  in  the  heat    ;    a  fizzing  SIZZLE  dribbles  out  the  front  radiator  while  the  motor  breathes  heavily  at  rest.    

the  jack  cranks  the  car  up  off  its  wheels    &    dani  works  the  blistered  piece  of  what’s  left  of  her  thumb  nail  between  her  front  teeth  as  though  she  could  work  out  the  answer  by  digging  at  the  brim  of  it.    

❛      gosh...  i  guess  there  was  a  light  or  two  on.    ❜      she  considers  the  orange  emblems  that  flashed  up  just  before  the  loud  POP  sounded.    but  fretting  over  the  check  engine  symbol  won’t  get  her  off  the  side  of  the  road.    ❛    but  it  was  still  running  when  i  hit...      ❜      she  waves  a  hand.    

❛      ----  you  see,  this  isn’t  my  car.    ❜    despite  her  rambling,  escalating  anxiety,  when  it  comes  to  some  things,  dani  clayton  is  great  at  preparation.    the  tightening  in  her  chest  that  works  with  each  FLEX  of  the  tool  lifting  the  vehicle  off  the  ground  is  enough  to  ward  off  any  procrastination  she  might  be  inclined  toward.      ❛    but  it  was  making  some  little  dings  on  the  dashboard  a  little  while  after  i  hit  the  last  mile  marker.    ❜  

❛    do  you  think  it’ll  be  safe  to  drive?      ❜  

[opair]

@quismet​​ | starter call

L.A.    &    ITS  SCORCHED  EARTH  BLAZE  is  a  stark,  sun-bleached  concept  in  contrast  to  bly’s  dewy  verdigris,  its  foliage    &    marshy  mornings  still  touched  with  a  cloudy  slate  sky.    it’s  even  more  foreign  when  sat  next  to  her  wheat-gold,  homespun  suburban  upbringing  in  the  middle  of  the  country.    everyone  here  is  bronzed    &    wrapped  in  splashes  of  shallow,  ethereal  color.    dani  is  a  sore  thumb  in  her  soft  sweaters    ;    her  flat  vowels    &    clipped  consonants  break  through  every  lazy  conversation  like  a  piece  of  chalk  SCREECHING  over  classroom  tablets.    

but...  there  is  a  dreamy  kind  of  hopefulness  that  dani  can  relate  to  filtering  through  every  discussion  about  sustainable  shopping  bags    &    finding  something  called  chi  that  she  can’t  seem  to  summon  on  the  menu  of  any  starbucks  within  a  30  mile  radius.    

it’s  the  same  kind  of  dreamy  hopefulness  that  took  her  halfway  across  the  world  on  a  journey  to  DISCOVER.    

❛    don’t  you  think  you’re  being  a  little  hard  on  yourself?    ❜    here  she  is  in  a  world  structured  on  top  of  someone’s  dreams  that  tread  the  edge  of  real    &    sensational,  settled  up  against  a  sofa  that  is  the  definition  of  kitsch.  she  sits,  with  one  rolled-cuff  ankle  bobbing  an  impatient  rhythm  brimming  up  from  a  nervous  place  in  her  breast  that  she  can’t  shake  no  matter  where  or  when  she  is,    &    she  regards  someone  that  might  eventually  be  called  a  friend.    

❛    if  you’re  in  love,  you  love  who  you  LOVE.    ❜    dani  strings  the  thought  out  between  her  hands  like  she  can  package  it  up  in  a  notion  that  she  herself  could  accept.    it  should  be  as  simple  as  that.    ❛    ---    EASY  PEASY.    ❜

[opair]

hey no offense but [just starts screaming]

[opair]

DANI & JAMIE in THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR

[opair]

    lucifer sentence starters     episode 4 - 6.

you broke into my house?

you were taking forever in the shower.

are you sleeping with this idiot?

never been thrown out of anywhere before in my life.

something very disturbing’s just happened. it’s horrific, really. for the second time, i’ve been thrown out of a woman’s house.

i mean, i appeal to the virile urge in all wo/men.

you need to go undercover, because you’re our best way in.

why is she able to refuse my charms?

people don’t have power over us. we give it to them. you have to take your power back.

i need to take back control. i need to behave like i always have.

i mean, it seems obvious now, actually - i need to have sex with her.

are you gonna help me or not?

you’re quite adorable when you’re flustered.

i’m not flustered, i’m nauseous.

okay, look. let me make myself perfectly clear: i will never, ever, ever sleep with you.

playing hard to get? i like it.

wow. you’ve never been rejected by a woman, have you?

the odds are definitely in your favour out there - probably not batting for the same team, but you never know. go forth and conquer. i know you want to.

i promise, if anyone here hurt your sibling, i’ll find them. and i’ll punish them.

if you weren’t so pent-up sexually, we’d be firing on all cylinders, i’d say.

i certainly don’t need any help getting wo/men into bed.

do you honestly think you can just ask people to have sex with you and they will?

you forget. i love pain.

men - they always want to talk!

we can get him/her back to where s/he belongs, if you could just provide me with a weak spot.

seriously, darling. are you well? the berries are ripe and ready to be harvested - i mean, look at me.

don’t. please.

if i get an STD from this thing, i’m gonna kill you.

is there anyone you suspect that might do this to you?

do not shush me.

a deal’s a deal - especially one with the devil.

i do believe there’s good and evil and right and wrong.

does it scare you?

i mean, how could i be scared of something i don’t believe in?

do i scare you?

either way, he’s going to get someone killed. probably himself.

this love thing makes you all quite stupid, doesn’t it?

just hand over the cash, and no one gets hurt.

i believe that’s a fair request, actually, so just pop her around and the money’s yours.

greedy little jackal, aren’t you?

what is it about you and guns, eh?

what’s up, jackass?

hell truly hath no fury like a woman scorned.

i happen to be an expert on punishment, and i’m not sure it fits the crime here.

chlamydia, the clap, a raging case of crabs - that’s what you deserve. not death.

why do humans think they can rectify one evil with another?

why does everyone say that before they’re punished?

come on, shoot me.

son of a bitch, that really hurts!

i don’t bleed!

i don’t lie. but i don’t always tell the whole truth.

can’t sleep when you’re not home.

the models don’t appear to be wearing any clothes.

you were shot and you bled. no sharp objects until we find out why.

the danger of getting hurt is positively thrilling.

now come on, tell me your most dangerous desire.

we need to get out of here now.

i am dreamy, but try to contain yourself.

i got a taste of danger, and i want more.

that whackjob’s gonna totally get me killed.

tomato, tom-ah-to.

see, that’s why we make such great partners - the ‘he said, she said’ of it all.

when do i get my own gun?

i wouldn’t trust you with my kid’s lightsaber.

if i’m gonna be forced to work with you again, i call the shots.

bloody hell! that hurt! do it again.

you know, i’m quite skilled in restraints.

let me guess, you did him a favour.

i process tragedy through my work.

that favour you owe me… i’m calling in my IOU.

i was trying to prevent more death.

well, aren’t we the little saint?

you are the oldest young person i’ve ever met.

i’m not gonna drink at a bar where everyone hates me.

did you ever consider that they hate you for that very reason?

well, somebody’s not being crowned homecoming queen, are they?

surely you’ve heard the expression 'deal with the devil’…?

people come to me to ask for favours and more often than not, i’m happy to oblige.

i don’t need your sympathy, but thank you.

firstly, let me state that i’m in no way standing up for my associate, but on behalf of myself, and only myself, i think you’re a complete sack of arse.

sadly, the only thing broken was that incontinent troll’s nose.

if i’m not going to look out for you, who will? hm?

maybe next time, i won’t be around to save your ass.

you and my backside used to get on well.

is it my thanks you want, or a kiss?

i don’t do favours for guys like you.

what is it with the men in my life?

act like a child, get treated like a child.

witnesses said they heard you making threats at the door.

no wonder he can’t get it up.

so you’re just gonna sit around and wait for revenge? that’s rather lazy.

i was promised a gang war, and instead, i get a crybaby. this is boring.

you know, they really don’t make bad guys like they used to.

after five years behind bars, a brothel would be my go-to.

i can’t be held responsible for what happens after i give someone a favour.

if there’s one thing the devil knows, it’s that people need to take responsibility for their own bad behaviour.

enough danger for you yet?

you do remember that bullets hurt, right?

you had your hero moment. stay down, or you’re gonna get shot.

ass saved. you’re welcome.

you’re addicted to creating chaos and seeing where the chips fall, to hell with the consequences.

you’re having another one of those 'gut feelings’, aren’t you?

you’ve already wasted so much of your life.

oh, well the good news is that whilst all dogs go to heaven, you’d be surprised how many pigs are waiting for you in hell.

you were never as good as me.

keep your enemies close, right?

who gave that order?

if you come clean now, i’ll go easy on you.

if you really want to do something, you should.

shall we move the party upstairs?

so what unpleasantness felled this heap of unrealised ambition then?

let’s pretend for one second that you’re someone else - someone nice. someone mature.

i mean, getting murdered is probably the most exciting thing that ever happened to him.

i gave up an epic foursome to be here.

call me when you’ve got a murder with a pulse - or at least someone good-looking.

i was hoping for a good shag just as a palate cleanser to wipe the foul taste of boredom from my mouth.

i need your help like i need a third boob.

- knew that was a mistake the moment it came out of my mouth.

i’ll have two tropic wonders and your face smashed into the ground.

i believe they call this interrogating!

we were like fish and chips - salt and pepper - hipsters and condescension!

if we’re gonna work together on this, you’re gonna have to trust me.

nobody steals from me and gets away with it.

he’s not gonna change.

i thought you said lying was a bad thing.

you’re not from around here, are you?

you can’t just smash two people together like barbies and think that that’s gonna fix things.

pardon the intrusion, you village people rejects, but one of you has stolen something that belongs to me.

please identify yourself, so i can punish you accordingly.

i thought we were past you thinking you’re invincible?

a few bad apples shouldn’t paint us all in a bad light, now should it?

you like being considered a criminal, don’t you?

he’s hiding something. we need to force it out of him.

i’ve sat in a parked car and not had sex.

have i done something to offend you?

ooh, whip out the cuffs then.

why shy away from a little bondage fun?

despite all your weirdness, i actually really like working with you.

i have never lied to you. and i will never lie to you.

been a while since i had a good hunt.

you’d never lie to me, right?

stick within the limits of your intellectual capacity.

why do they blame me for all their little failings?!

don’t call me that, please!

[opair]

overlooksouls·:

                            a soft sigh escaped from his lips then as he dropped his gaze seeking the next best phrase to say here. he could ask her to leave say he was just trying to keep his head down but that wasn’t so true since….since abra. he sucked in a breath as he moved to place his hands against his waist as he looked back towards dani with an intent gaze.  “ yeah guess you did…. it’s not a bad time. ” he added quickly before he exhaled a bit. he shifted his jaw a little bit, “ what do you need dani? i mean – how can i help? ”

TO  HELP,  TO  MAKE  A  DIFFERENCE    ----    it’s  a  concept  that  still  has  roots  buried  deep  beneath  the  murky,  bly  pond  surface  that  covers  the  melange  of  rage,  of  smeared  features    &    possession  clawing  its  own  talons  into  dani’s  consciousness.    she’s  so...  TIRED.    &    so  she  lets  the  determination  propping  her  shoulders  dangle  out  a  thick,  flooding  exhale.    

❛    ----  you’ve  seen  things,  right?      ❜      she  asks  it  with  a  careful,  prying  kind  of  conviction  because  it’s  the  thing  that  ties  them  together,  the  thing  that  dashes  mud  scumming  around  her  iris.    ❛    things  that  most  people  don’t  think  are...  normal.      ❜  

[opair]

silkbitten·:

she   hates   EVERYTHING   about   this.      the   way   that   danger   flares   in   her   mind   causes   a   pain   that   is   hard   to   ignore   now      /      eyes   are   closed,      squinting   against   pain   with   forefingers   massaging   at   her   temples   like   there   is   some   way   to CALM   the   ache   rather   than   it’s   source.      (      oh,      did   i   mention   i   got   bit   by   a   spider   and   now   i   can   sense   danger      ?      no      ?      )   the   conversation   is   not   one   that   can   easily   be   had   but   cindy   is   faced   with   a   choice      :      march   directly   into   a   direct   to   tv   movie   about   two   women   in   a   haunted   house   or   run   back   to   new   york   city   and   get   punched   in   the   face   by   BAD   GUY   OF   THE   WEEK.

❝         the   brochure   REALLY   should   mention   something   about   ghosts.      just   an   idea,         ❞      cindy   offers   with   a   grimace   before   she   sets   back   her   shoulders,      straightens   her   spine   and   adopts   a   posture   that   is   more   SILK   than   it   is   CINDY.      

❝         i   assume   you   can’t   just      …   punch   ghosts      ?         ❞      it   is   cindy   that   is   leading   now,      completely   unaware   about   the   layout   of   the   house   but   simply   following   the   feeling   of   DREAD   and   IMPENDING   DANGER   that   has   been   screaming   at   her   since   she   entered   the   house.

❛      -----  GHOSTS?    ❜    DANI  ECHOES  blithely,  voice  a  little  distant  as  though  she  hasn’t  quite  wrapped  her  thoughts  around  cindy’s  question.    her  ears  are  still  pricked  toward  the  ungreased  sounds  ratcheting  through  the  walls,  radiating  from  the  center  of  the  house  like  it’s  a  hearth.    &    then  she  blinks,  a  sudden  understanding  washing  over  her    &    knocking  loose  a  paper-thin,  crinkling  twitter  of  a  chuckle  from  between  her  lips.    ❛    oh,  don’t  be  silly.      ❜    but  there’s  a  spiny  prickle  that  takes  root  at  the  nape  of  her  neck  that  fights  in  direct  contrast  with  her  statement.    

(    because  every  reflective  surface  has  a  silhouette  with  gleaming,  haloed  spectacles,  a  SHADOW    that  she  recognizes  that  plants  its  palm  on  her  shoulder,  the  roar  of  an  oncoming  truck.    )  

❛    ghosts,    ❜    dani’s  nervous,  fluttering  breath  plays  out  just  as  another  racketing  CRASH  resounds  from  a  space  that  feels  like  it’s  beneath  the  stairs.  it’s  enough  to  send  her  shuffling  backwards,  a  jump  that  flinches  all  the  way  from  the  tips  of  her  toes  to  her  pursed  pale  lips,  color  draining  its  way  from  the  rest  of  her  features  to  join  it.    ❛    —-  i,  i’m  sure  it’s  not…    ❜    but  there’s  another  memory  of  a  face  looming  on  the  parapet,  a  sinister  smile  unwinding  outside  the  window.    

dani’s  determination  overcomes  the  FEAR  suddenly  rushing  forth  from  the  spigot  in  the  wake  of  the  sounds.    ❛    wait  a  minute.    i  think  i  know  exactly  who’s  responsible  for  this.    ❜    her  fists  push  down  at  her  sides,  the  fire  poker,  her  weapon  of  choice,  only  a  few  marching  steps  away.      ❛      you  might  not  be  able  to  punch  GHOSTS,  but  you  sure  can  throw  a  right  hook  at  trespassers.    follow  me.    ❜