pclarcld

[pclarcld]

EXPECTATIONS HAD TO be clear between the two. bash didn't want to get all his hopes up either. being a lot less optimistic than the other, he was already spiraling to the difficulties of their dynamic. but there was something comforting in the fact to at least have some sort of relationship with all the chaos running amuck. it was selfish, but bash didn't want to have to barge into a kitchen that he had no business being near every time panic struck, wondering if she was okay. safe. bash shook his head at her question, attempting to provide whatever reassurance he could. ❝ no , that's not too much . ❞ he started out. ❝ there can be a next time . ❞

be careful what you wish for. that was a statement that perhaps she needed to hear in right now. she was getting wrapped up in nostalgic memories and the unsteady promise of new one's being made with sebastian. feeling a lump in her throat, she pauses for another moment before she speaks once more. "i don't necessarily want to completely throw the idea away," savannah muttered out. "we can atleast try for a next time, right? is that too much?"

[pclarcld]

SWEET NOTHINGS in simpler times were somehow missed. it wasn't as if his life was anymore put together, but at least he had his person to keep him from drowning. or at least it felt that way. ❝ brutally honest ? careful what you wish for , ❞ he warned playfully. he doubted that no matter how true he'd be, there wouldn't be the slightest insult to come to mind. made him question how well his whole dissociative isolated rendezvous was really treating him. ❝ are you sure you really want there to be a next time of this , sav ? ❞ he questioned out softly. there was no harshness to the words that left his tongue. simply a forewarning.

sav's lips curl into a smile once more as she watches sebastian mentally recall the moments of their youth where she cooked for him. back when they were first beginning to know one another and he was her tutor. she remembers too, even the most basic meals she'd throw together for late night cram sessions. simpler times indeed. "y'know," she draws out. "i think i would even let you be brutally honest of you think it tastes bad. i have to give this town somethin' half decent to look forward to. i don't want to serve them something shitty."

[pclarcld]

DROPPING OFF THE face of the planet was a pretty difficult task to achieve in a small town like red creek. and yet, sebastian seemed to be a professional illusionist when he so desired. ❝ i do definitely recall that , ❞ he commented softly at the thoughts, memories trickling into his mind. the thought of being a part of savannah's life again, even if it was in a different way, was particularly tempting. it was difficult for bash to feel like he could depend on anyone for any kind of consistency. still, the offer had his guarded wall lighten just a bit. ❝ one would say i'm an expert food taster , ❞ he stated with the slightest grin as he nodded at the offer with only a tad of reluctance in the back of his mind.

"what can i say? cooking is like my number one love language," she shrugged her shoulders casually, grabbing for her own sandwich and having another piece of it. crafting meals for friends and family had been something she'd grown to enjoy ever since her youth. it only make sense that in adulthood she would get a job in a restaurant, eventually becoming head chef. "you should stop by the grill sometime and taste test one of our new specials i've been trying to nail down? could always use more opinions on it," she spoke. sav offered the opportunity for the two of them to meet up again, perhaps being a little too hopeful he would accept.

[pclarcld]

MEANINGLESS WORDS AND GLANCES being exchanged between the two should be second nature by now. still, he couldn't help but question mina's intensions. he wouldn't have taken her as the type to be spooked by current events. alas, here she was anyway, drinking away any ounce of emotion she had. the frustrating exert was being able to relate to that. admitting that would lay out too much vulnerability than either of them were willing to give nowadays. so bash settled for rolling his hues at her ignorance instead of listing the reasons he had lined up ready to go.

it was true, bash wouldn't waste his time on such a story, but he found the thought quite humorous. gossip column wasn't exactly his passion. ❝ you don't like the sound of that ? i thought it had a nice ring to it . i'd argue that it's even a bit poetic , ❞ morbidity within humor was the only way to go. have some truth to the words as there was concern to what mina must be going through, but nothing deeper than the undertones. ❝ how gracious of you . jack and coke is fine , ❞ after all, who was he to pass up a drink with an old... whatever mina was considered.

" ─── i don't see how me being pretty can ever be an awful thing... " the confusion is more than clear on her expression as she frowns ever so slightly. the main reason she's even drinking ─ knowing full well there's a killer on the loose ─ is to not think about anything at all, so it's no surprise that she's not even trying to understand. maybe if their relationship was different somehow, or if it hadn't changed so much throughout the years in the first place... she'd feel more inclined to say things that mattered but, well, that's just not who they are anymore. there's barely a second of a pause; for a moment there she almost believed him but then, when the realization sets in, she breaks into a grin. " yeah right, what are you gonna write? ' local girl mourns her now dead ex - best friend at redstone ' like half the town isn't doing that already... " a sigh quickly follows her words but she doesn't give any of them any time to linger on that topic. " ...gonna order another drink, want anything? this one is on me as long as it's nothing weird. "

[pclarcld]

IF LOOKS COULD KILL, bash would have ceased from existence long ago. people say it doesn't cost anything to be nice, but it would probably be the end of any sanity he had left. blame it on the pessimism, but he tended to see the worst in everyone. it wasn't as if he had a particular issue with josie, she just made it a bit too fun to poke the bear. ❝ you hurt my heart , truly . ❞ he mused out, index finger tapping on the side of his glass. ❝ we could just say it was for old times sake . ❞ he pressed into the buried skeleton's, giving a nonchalant shrug at her disapproval.

〔　🦢　〕　　...　　“ 𝗼𝗵, 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘂𝗽, ” josie  exclaims,  every word dripping  with  disdain  and  disapproval.  she  didn't  exactly  have  a  reputation  for  being  difficult  to  provoke,  but  bash  always  knew  exactly  where and how  to  push  her  buttons.  she  takes  a sip  of  her  drink,  shooting  daggers  at  the  man  through  her  glass  with enough vitriol  to  probably  kill  him  twice  (  and  if  she  were  a  worse  person  she  would, cover it all up with help from her daddy —  could  blame  it  on  the  boogeyman  too.  )  “  you  literally  disgust  me.  dis-gust.  ”

[pclarcld]

DESPITE POPULAR BELIEF, bash's goal wasn't always to piss whoever he spoke to off. what else was he supposed to do, express concern? that was pointless. sympathy was a deep rooted selfishness that sebastian never quite appreciated. in nature, people tried to relate to ... understand each other. sometimes it wasn't about that. sometimes life was just shitty.

a hum left as the other simmered down. cooper's presence always seemed to carry with such heaviness. it was only slightly intriguing every now and again. as the other confessed, bash couldn't protest the fact. the whole town was bleak. dull. filled with broken hearts and mourning losses. bash felt terribly separated from it all. always on the outside, looking in. keeping a safe, sold distance between reality. ❝ yeah , no shit , ❞ he muttered with an exasperated sigh leaving his system. it was exhausting, the bad days seemingly overcome everything in its sight. ❝ i have a feeling it'll probably be like this for a while , ❞ part of him liked that most of the town were finally using the dull lenses that bash had been seeing out of for years.

      𝙲𝙾𝙾𝙿𝙴𝚁   𝙳𝙾𝙴𝚂𝙽'𝚃   𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙺   𝚄𝙿   𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃   𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈.   just   exhales   slow   through   his   nose   ,   fingers   curled   tight   around   the   coffee   cup   like   it’s   the   only   thing   keeping   him   tethered   to   the   moment.   he   knows   bash   is   watching   him   —   always   watching   ,   picking   up   on   things   most   people   wouldn’t   bother   with.   annoying   little   habit.    

      "   𝚆𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳𝙽'𝚃   𝚆𝙰𝚂𝚃𝙴   𝙰   𝙶𝙾𝙾𝙳   𝙲𝚄𝙿   ,   "   𝙷𝙴   mutters   ,   finally   flicking   his   gaze   up.   there’s   no   bite   to   it   ,   but   there’s   no   humor   either.   just   something   tired   ,   something   taut   ,   pulled   too   thin   over   sharp   edges.   he   rolls   his   shoulders   like   he’s   trying   to   shake   something   off.   the   tension   ,   maybe.   the   weight   of   the   morning.   the   feeling   of   ghosts   clinging   to   his   heels.    

        "   𝚈𝙾𝚄   𝚆𝙰𝙽𝚃   𝙰   𝚁𝙴𝙵𝙸𝙻𝙻   ,   𝙸'𝙻𝙻   𝙶𝙴𝚃   you   a   fuckin’   refill.   no   need   for   the   dramatics.   "   he   pushes   up   from   his   seat   ,   grabbing   bash’s   empty   cup   as   he   moves   past   him   toward   the   coffee   pots.   pauses   just   long   enough   to   glance   back   ,   voice   quieter   ,   rougher.   "   don’t   need   you   playin’   fortune   teller   ,   bash.   s’just   a   bad   day.   "   a   beat.   "   been   a   lot   of   those   lately.   "

[pclarcld]

THERE WAS SOME DISDAIN for those that he somehow seemingly grew up with were able to escape this shit town and somehow managed to get sucked right back in. people had their reasons, surely, but he couldn't wrap his head around it. hell, he couldn't fully grasp the confidence to get up and leave in the first place. sebastian gave out a sigh as he took a seat at the booth regardless of her words. not that he even cared about if there was an inconvenience, but truly tonight seemed as if the grill was begging to do anything. ❝ oh , you'd work your charm for me ? color me honored , ❞ he murmured out as he settled his bag to his right and fished out his laptop. no time like the present to get some work done after all. ❝ i'll take a burger , ❞

familiar  faces  came  with  the  territory  of  moving  back  to  your  shitty  hometown  and  lissa  had  suspected  that  when  she  first  got  out  of  her  stepdad's  range  rover  after  he  picked  her  up  from  the  airport  ⎯  this  was  ridiculous  though  .  she  didn't  wanna  see  someone  she  took  underage  shotskis  with  at  any  given  moment  nor  did  she  wanna  pour  them  four  hour  old  coffee  .  then  again  ,  this  was  all  her  own  doing  so  suck  it  up  ,  buttercup  ,  she  thought  to  herself  with  an  eye  roll  .  “  whatever  could  you  mean  ?  we're  clearly  packed  to  the  brim  with  customers  .  wait  your  turn  ,  bash  .  ”  she  turned  away  to  meander  over  to  the  nearest  server  station  and  grab  the  aforementioned  shitty  coffee  .  “  you  want  a  sandwich  ?  burger  ?  i'm  sure  they're  bored  back  there  ,  they'd  probably  be  willing  to  fire  you  up  a  full  spread  ,  especially  if  i  ask  .  ”  she  snarked  as  she  filled  his  mug  at  his  booth  .

[pclarcld]

BASH FINISHED THE SANDWICH, though he had attempted to graze it slowly. he wanted to take advantage of the excuse it provided to stop words from leaving his lips, self sabotage hanging tightly on the tip of his tongue. painful enough to admit, he wanted to stay. he wanted to be here for a bit longer than the few minutes originally offered. yet here he was, instinct claiming now was the time to pull away.

❝ you've gotten done with work and still ready to continue crafting , hm ? it was perfect , ❞ he reassured with ease, daring the allow his gaze meet with sav's with a admiring smile. ❝ suppose i can accept your offer to stay for a bit more , ❞ whether the few minutes would go by far too quickly was beyond him.

"you coming in all knight in shining armor made me think different i suppose," savannah pointed out to sebastian. it had been a rather busy evening at work, her recent promotion putting more weight on her shoulders and an extra level of stress. it had been so steady that she almost didn't have time to think about the recent death in town.

it seemed like the tone of their conversation was shifting slightly, causing the girl to relax a bit more. trying to match his playful and sarcastic demeanor, she smirks as he plants a quick peck to her lips. "all i had to do was ask, really? i mean, there's still room for dessert, unless you'll be too stuffed from the sandwich. hope the bacon was an nice added touch."

[pclarcld]

REDSTONE HAD TAKEN up many of sebastian's nights. the bar had seen many different phases, fights, ups and downs. if there was anything consistent about his chaotic life, it was the way he'd wander to the familiar building more often than not. like an old trusted steed: the thick musk in the air. poison being downed, inhaled, snorted. the vandalized bathrooms that he may or may have not taken apart in. more he thought about it, the more fucking depressing it was.

sebastian left the crowd of people, his buzz crashing awfully hard. suppose this the low in the night that he depended on after a blissful dissociative high simmered away. replacing one vice with another, he found a spot at the counter, inserting himself without a word like he so often did. soon after, his gaze locked on joey, her words causing the corners of his lips to curve upward. ❝ i would never . as long as it's a double , ❞ he mused out in agreement.

LOCATION  :  redstone  bar

STATUS  :  open  to  everyone!

 NIGHTS  AT  REDSTONE  were  rarely  dull  and  tonight  was  no  exception.  with  a  good  hour  still  left  before  closing,  joey  has already  had  to  throw  a  handful  of  people  out.  everyone  was  on  edge.  the  news  of  kirby's  death  seemed  to  have  lit  a  fire  under  the  town,  sparking  a  desperate  need  to  escape  the  so-called  ‘deadcreek  curse’  that  has  fallen  on  them  again.  was  it  grief  the  town  was  feeling?  fear?  whatever  it  was,  it  was  making  everyone  act  like  idiots—and  it  was  starting  to  piss  joey  off.

“i  need  a  shot.”  she  announces,  pushing  herself  off  the  counter  and  turning  towards  a  stack  of  freshly  cleaned  glasses.  she  picks  one  up,  pauses,  then  glances  over  at  the  figure  on  the  other  side  of  the  bar.  "you  gonna  be  a  prick  and  make  me  take  it  by  myself?"

[pclarcld]

A SIGHT HUM of acknowledgement left bash at shreya's point and it was a pretty damn good one at that. he couldn't argue it, simply shrugged. ❝ right , well , no need to put my kinks out there for the world to hear , ❞ . part have sebastian hated he wondered what bennett thought of the whole thing. if he was disappointed or if there was some positivity out of it. after all, there's no such thing as bad PR, was there? in such a small town, it wasn't as if there were a multitude of outlets. ❝ no need to be an asshole . just have a drink and let me wallow , ❞ though, if any wallowing was happening, it certainly wouldn't be over the goddamn paper. sebastian waved down the bartender before redirecting his attention back to shreya. ❝ it's a tequila kinda night , isn't it ? ❞

"yeah, if you're a masochist who wants to get your heart broken, a mess is alluring." and she had plenty experience with that sort of attraction unfortunately, but it always made for a good story and isn't that what really mattered at the end of the day? "alright, alright, relax, i'm just giving you shit. the article was fine, bash. not a lot you can fucking do in this sort of situation." shreya shrugged before taking a long drink of her dirty shirley. she stirred the straw around, tilting her head to the side and humming, "i mean, i'm glad i didn't have to write it." she'd rather stick to the not highly publicized stuff. she was, of course, a self-proclaimed personality hire.

[pclarcld]

IT WAS SOME CRUEL irony that sebastian carried so much disdain for authority and yet his brother joined the sheriff's department. it was almost as if kaz did everything in his life to simply piss him off. despite the current events, bash wasn't changing any of his old habits. perhaps the cockiness would be a reason for his downfall, but currently as a happy buzz danced, he didn't fuck a single fuck. he gladly ignored the greeting from darshan, continuing on his path forward. he glanced over as the other went on with an offer, keeping his own features still. ❝ a bit suspicious to be offering rides this late . red creek deputy : possible serial killer . that has a nice ring to it , think it'll make a good headline ? ❞ bash rambled off, defensive at the offer of assist as he so typically was. he couldn't help it. it was instinctual. after all, all he could depend on was himself. maybe it was a bit idiotic to outwardly decline. where he came from and where he was going didn't quite matter. one thing was for sure though, it was definitely starting to feel like the tundra.

closed starter with: darshan and sebastian (@pclarcld) setting: 1am, norwood st, two days post-incident

Darshan’s eyelids grew heavier as his home came into view, the promise of a hot shower and freshly washed sheets floating happily in his mind. Adrenaline carried him through the day, but once he turned the “work” switch off, his muscles instantly started to ache again, and exhaustion dripped out of every pore. The beacon of his front porch light was almost intoxicating, and he wasn’t more than 100 feet away from his driveway when the dim yellow of his headlights shone on a familiar face. Any other night, Darshan might have waved, driven past, gone on with his life, but he was seized by the need to make sure Bash was safe. “Hey,” he called softly, rolling his window down and pulling his truck close to the sidewalk. More than likely, it was a mixture of multiple things: an extension of his friendship with Kazmir, Sebastian being nearly the same age as his sister, and the horror of Kirby’s death that had been sitting in the forefront of his mind during ever waking moment. It didn't matter why- but he couldn’t help himself from at least offering. “Let me give you a ride home.” He faltered, not wanting to seem like he was being pushy, or judgy, and not wanting Bash to decline. “Or I’ll take you wherever you’re headed. It’s too cold to be out walking like this.” Too cold, and there are monsters out tonight, he thought grimly. 

[pclarcld]

ALTHOUGH BASH DIDN'T REALLY give any amount of fuck about his safety, the word alone echoed in his ears in a way that was sickening. he'd be lying to both sav and himself if he tried to claim that he wanted to be alone. he'd confidently claim he'd come out of the other side just fine, he always managed a way somehow. ❝ and yet you wanted to walk home alone after a night shift , ❞ bash pointed out, giving a couple of tsks. his tone was somewhat playful, some lightness to the hard facts of their town. but the message remained clear, she should start thinking about an alternate way.

resonating with the fact that even behind the protection of a roof over the head and a door that locked, that it just wasn't enough. perhaps it was enough truth to be convinced to stay for at least a little bit longer. as he pondered, he let a playful grin appear on his lips, leaning over to kiss her softly on the lips all while grabbing the forgotten grilled cheese. he pulled back from the kiss to show her his discovery and took a bit of the cheesy goodness. ❝ i came here to eat, y'know . you're quite distracting . if you wanted me to stay the night, you could have just said so , ❞

the wheels in her head begin to slowly turn, trying to find the right words and reasons that can convince sebastian to not go. for him to stay, for even a few more minutes like she had suggested. maybe for longer than that, but that might be asking for too much. was it a delusional enough thought of hers to have? delusional seemed to be her middle name most days.

taking a quick breath, she tries not to let her words come out choppy and stuttered. "i don't necessarily like the thought of you being outside so late....and alone," she spoke. given the most recent events occurring in the community, the thought of something happening after he left isn't something she wanted to ponder. "i just....it's been nice talking again tonight, even if it seemed a little out of the blue." she explained. biting down on her bottom lip, she finishes her current thought. "and maybe i don't want to be alone either," savannah admitted, shaking her head.

[pclarcld]

Jess Mariano in Gilmore Girls S2EP12 - Richard In Stars Hollow:

An innocent boy like me, should not be raised in an atmosphere like this.

[pclarcld]

BASH WASN'T DELUSIONAL ENOUGH to think he could protect savannah. not from himself, not from the horrors of the town, and not from many chaos storms that would impact her life. still, he didn't want to actively be a reason or source of her pain. he could feel his own chest weigh heavy at her words, gaze slipping away from sav as his fingertips absentminded fumbled with the hem of her shirt.

if he was honest with himself, the last thing he wanted was distance. the thought of being left alone to his own devices has his stomach turning. ❝ if you can honestly tell me that you think me being here is good , ❞ he started out, choosing his words carefully. he meant no harm by them, simply stating the facts behind their situation. ❝ then i'd stay for however long you'd like . . . but i think you know that's a bad idea , ❞

savannah could feel her breath halter, his words leaving her with such conflicting thoughts. she'd never want to force him to do something he didn't want to do, even for her own selfish reasons. would it be the more rationale choice for him to go now? most likely. but, there wasn't really anything rationale nor predicable when it came to their encounters. the girl never really knew what would happen whenever they ran into one another or one of them reached out.

she tries to look calm and collected, nonchalant. she tries to look like his response doesn't make her start to become anxious. "can you....stay," she speaks. "please? even just for a few more minutes?"

[pclarcld]

ANOTHER UNIQUE THING about being around sav's presence was feeling the echo of his heartbeat. there weren't many situations where he felt so fully, so purely, all in one moment. he was a rather selfish creature, rarely allowing his heart to be painted on his sleeve. it felt all too risky to show any layers that formed him. what he wanted felt so unnecessarily complicated. if it were anyone else, he wouldn't hesitate to give into every touch.

but it wasn't anyone else. it was savannah. he wasn't sure if sav simply got used to this... difficult dynamic or if she simply stopped caring. would she mind if they slipped back into old habits only to wake up in the morning alone? he pressed sav up against the counter, leaning closer so his lips were grazed against her ear. ❝ i do want to , ❞ he promised out in a whisper, though words were wholeheartedly. ❝ but i think i should get going , ❞

savannah had been soaking up this moment like a sponge, feeling waves of pure nostalgia as the seconds went by. while sebastian had said that was impossible for him to stay away from her, she felt as though she could say the same exact thing. that no matter how much time could pass without them having a proper conversation, they always seemed to pick back where they left off.

what an incredibly beautiful but bittersweet thing.

the girl glances up once more towards him, a nod of her head indicating confirmation that she was okay with continuing with the embrace. "yes, as long as you want the same," she spoke.

[pclarcld]

WALLOWING IN DESPAIR wasn't a fond method of choice as far as coping mechanisms went. he'd much rather people assumed he felt nothing at all. bash was way too far into his drinks and who knew what else to even fathom the concept. and what was a good night out in redstone bar if not to self-insert his opinions formed on fact-based observations? still, he wondered if yasmine was here like the rest, mourning in their own fucked up way. or was there something more? ❝ i can assure you , honesty is better than walking around while no one tells you shit , ❞ he started as he blew a raspberry shortly after, arms folding loosely around his chest. ❝ unless you were walking around knowingly with smeared make-up , then i guess fell into the trap of pointing out that you're way too despondent to be drinking away your woes , ❞

eyes narrowed in his direction , not welcoming to his commentary . " next week , you take my double at the diner and see how you look after . " fingers moved under their eyes , wiping away the smeared mascara under their eyes , hands moving to dab the sweat from their hairline . they suddenly wished they had a mirror , but they couldn't admit that his words got to them . a part of them always focused on looks . their mother would never let them leave the house unless they looked perfect . put together and fresh like they just stepped out of the pages of a magazine . but they had to relax . just one drink and they'd be on their way home , wanting to delay the inevitable . sulking in their room and feeling miserable . at least the music could drown out their thoughts . " are you always this pleasant or is today a special occasion ? "

[pclarcld]

DESPITE POPULAR BELIEF the cannon's were somehow raised within the same household. one may not find that possible, considering how opposite they seemed to be. there were times where bash questioned needing a DNA test because he seemed so far off from... everyone. and that felt rather... lonely. even though he'd never admit it. he told himself that he liked the independence. that he didn't need his mother when she walked out, that he didn't need his father to not break down into nothing, and that he didn't need his older brother to just be here. no, he needed none of that.

fumbling with the container, he popped the top open and used a fork to distribute a silver of the sweets. the guilty pleasure provided a brief moment to simmer down as kaz answered a question that he was already pretty certain of. it seemed as if the sheriff's department rarely had their shit together, so why would this be any different? stuffing his face was easy as his brother went on about the unknowing of it all. sure, questions popped into bash's mind as they always did, but he kept himself silent. part of him wondered if kazimir was even giving the full truth. as the older paused sebastian drifted his gaze from the sweet blissfulness of dessert and to the sour taste of kaz's words.

safe. what a stupid fucking word. the loaded ammo was tempting, the ticking within him seemed to speed up faster and faster as the seconds went by. he wanted to explode. start a yelling match right then -- right there. hell, he was half tempted to lunge after kaz across the table. sebastian's walls grew higher, lengthened in diameter, and seemingly turned into steel instead of brick. ❝ well that's a load of shit , ❞ he commented out, giving a breathy laugh as the fork now stabbed the poor defenseless cheesecake. ❝ safe ? ❞ he repeated, a venomous grin on his lips. ❝ you want to keep me safe ? ❞

here and now , the harsh question his brother posed , kaz wasn't sure if he was the good guy or the bad guy . the villain or the hero . he'd always tried his hardest . but he was a kid , forced to play the role of an adult before his time . more of his life spent there than anything that came before . he was lost in the deep , dark woods with no map and no compass , feeling his way around with no direction . he knew he wasn't a good brother , that he fell short in so many ways , but he did all that he could . all that was left was to hope and pray everything would turn out okay . that one day the sun would come up and illuminate the path out of the woods . and he would take a deep , deep breath and be free .

he stood in the doorframe like a vampire waiting to be invited in . scared that one wrong movement would startle him , scare him off . set off the ticking time bomb that always lurked between the two . tick , tick , ticking away . and they didn't know when it would go off .

kaz stepped tentatively through the doorway , unsure of what to do . he walked toward the table and pulled out the chair , seating himself next to his younger brother . a small smile crossing his lips as he watched bash with the dessert . " oh , well there isn't much to tell , " he confessed . not pretending it was because he had to keep the case under wraps , but because he wanted to speak frankly with his brother . " it's a small town , you know ? not sure why it's so hard to find this person . this place must be cursed or something . i don't know , bash . i don't know what's going to happen . but ... " he hesitated unsure of how honest he wanted to say , what exactly he could say to his brother . " but i want to keep you safe . " finger tips scratched the edge of the table as his right leg bounced up and down .