#↳ ᴍᴜꜱᴇ; ꜱᴋʏʟᴀʀ ♤

[cursedvessels]

A soft laugh at her teasing comment. "Well, I'm still young," he pointed out with a shrug. All things considered, he didn't know anybody his age who had even had the opportunity to be apart of an orgy. Let alone multiple. It did surprise him that it seemed Bella was implying she had been in multiple. Though it didn't bother him one bit. On the contrary, he found it interesting and he did start to wonder just how old she might be.

They hummed quietly at the next question poised to them. How to answer without giving away too much detail? They wanted to continue on with caution, especially since they also didn't want to get too attached to her for any reason. The less she knew, the better. At least as far as personal details like where they had lived before now went.

"Nahh..." they admitted with a shake of their head. "I've been around, actually. I know it isn't super obvious, but my mum was actually English, so..." They shrugged. "Lived there as a kid. Moved to the states when I was a teen."

It wasn't entirely accurate, but close enough to reality to not feel like a lie. They definitely wouldn't mention the fact that they had lived in California for a large majority of their life--and they missed it. They missed the beach, they missed surfing, they missed the weather always being nice. They missed snowboarding trips in the winter and jet skiing in the summer. That life was beautiful...Aside from the hardships they faced from their parents. But at least they had had their brother. Blinking, they tried to pull a smile back to their face, caught up in their own memories for a moment.

"Ahh...This is just sort of a side gig," he confessed. "My day job is in IT at a local tech store. Though...I do, meet a lot of people, I guess. Never really thought about it like that."

"Both of those are very interesting little tidbits," Bella teases, her fingers still brushing their neck. "But just the one orgy?"

She bats innocent eyes at them, knowing that she full well does not look like the type to have had multiple orgies, sitting pretty in the passenger seat in her oversized pastel sweater. Still, when you had so many years to fill, you tended to try everything at least a couple of times.

In any case, Bella's almost entirely made up her mind by now, deciding that she will invite Skylar upstairs after his shift, and into bed with her. They'll scratch the itch, maybe even a couple of times, and then hopefully her ex will be out of her system enough that she can have the fresh start in this city that she really wants.

"This is a good way to see the city," Bella changes the subject, not wanting to jump to the end of the night just yet. "Better than any guided tour, hmm? Have you lived here your whole life?"

she adjusts her gaze from the side of his face to the expanse of road in front of them, the buildings they're driving past. Not tourist attractions, of course, but more human than Bella thought she might have seen on her own. "You must get to meet a lot of interesting people doing this. Do you enjoy it?"

[cursedvessels]

"Damn right I can stay here," Skylar replies immediately as he shoves his bag into the other's arms and pushes past the door to get inside. It's not so much a gesture made in hostility, but more urgency. Like they couldn't be outside much longer--afraid of getting caught. "You can't say 'no' to me," they tease, wrinkling their nose at Gabriel.

They're already moving to search the other's fridge for a snack--or maybe just being nosy--too antsy to stand still.

He peeks up over the top of the fridge door at the other and flashes a smile. "And you 'n I both know I won't ever stop being crazy, that's like...a crime against nature or somethin'."

open — anyone! muse — gabriel beaumont, 25, writer. okay to assume any sort of connection.

“  don’t  be  crazy ,  yes  of  course ,  you  can  stay  here .  “

[cursedvessels]

"Yeah, y'did," Skylar says simply, squinting at the girl spray-painting the side of the old pick-up. Head tilts to one side, trying to figure out what exactly she thought she could cover up with that ugly-ass paint. And only a few cans, too... A gulp from the energy drink in their hand, still watching in silence for a moment.

"Any idiot with a pair of eyes can see that..." A beat, eyeing her again. "Ya want some help 'r wot?"

"No, I didn't fuckin' steal it."

[cursedvessels]

When her hand grabs his shoulder, Skylar turns on his heel, eyes wide as he faces Ellory's enraged expression. He can't help but smirk, slightly amused by how dramatic she's being. A small laugh bubbles past their lips as she scolds him and he holds his hands up in a sort of defensive motion.

"All right, all right, jeez," they muttered, sidestepping around Ellory to help clean up. "Think you're bein' a little dramatic, but sure. I'll help." Watching her scoop up the body again, they simply cross their arms, head tilted to one side with a quirked brow and a slight frown. "All right, genius, now what? If you've got the body all under control, what am I still doing here? Not like anyone's going to notice a little blood. This is the city. People die every day. Police don't give two shits."

Ellory’s brows lift at Skylar’s defiance. They had been friends for years now. The brashness no longer phased her – if anything, it was just another annoyance. But there was no time for that – not when Skylar had decidedly been so stupid to kill someone in a heavily trafficked area.

“No the fuck you don’t.” The body is dropped, an compulsive ‘oof’ heaving from the lungs. She’s on him in a second, hand upon his shoulder to forcibly spin him around. Her arm bars at his neck as she backs him into the wall. There’s a flash of yellow in her gaze. Threatening. “You always got me runnin’ around pickin’ up after you like you’re some damn little kid. Only reason I keep doin’ this shit is so you don’t get yourself killed. So you’re gonna get your scrawny ass over there and help me move this fuckin’ prick.”

It wrecks around her insides, thrashing. LET ME OUT. She winces, her arm relaxing its hold on Skylar. Then she turns back to the body and resumes her earlier position; bent, securing the corpse around the shoulders.

“NOW.”

[cursedvessels]

A small grin formulates on Skylar's lips and they blush as she kisses their cheek. They wrinkle their nose a little and shrug off the question.

"I've been...around," he responds a bit cryptically. "I could ask the same of you, you know!" A light tap to the tip of Bella's nose.

@cursedvessels | liked for a starter

"I haven't seen you in ages!" She's beaming, leaning over to press a kiss to their cheek. "Where have you been?"

[cursedvessels]

Skylar loved to be by the water. It reminded them of being back in California. If they were honest, they would go back there if only they could, had a reason to. Still, being by the lake was comforting to say the least and it was nice to spend more time with Bella. They hadn't hung out for very long yet, but they felt like they were getting to know her better with every nighttime meet-up.

He was certainly a free-spirit, so when the quiet fell between them by the small campfire they had built by the lake, it hadn't take long for him to seize the opportunity for a quick dip. Of course, they couldn't not invite Bella in as well. They had jumped in without question, not even considering the freezing temperature of the water. That was the best way to do it. Take it all on in one go.

Swiping his hair back from his eyes, he spit out the water that had gotten in his mouth, grinning up at Bella as she approached. "Maybe a little, but it isn't a problem," he hummed, swimming up a little closer to the shore where she stood. "It feels nice!" He sunk down a little so just his nose and eyes were peering over the top of the cool water.

"You should come in deeper with me!" It wasn't like they had to worry about any crazy wildlife out here. It wasn't like the ocean, but even that Skylar had never minded.

@cursedvessels sent dip, for Skylar to skinny dip in front of Bella and invite them to join

They'd hung out a couple of times since that initial night when Bella had accompanied him on his delivery run. Today they were out at the lake, for whatever reason - Bella had just jumped in the car when Skylar had pulled up. They'd sat around under the moonlight chatting for a while, and then Skylar had gotten that impish look in their eye and started pulling off their clothes and jumping into the water.

Bella was never one to back down from a challenge, so when Skylar invited her in, it was with no hesitation that she pulled off her own clothes, wading in to meet him in the water.

"Isn't the water cold, for you?"

[cursedvessels]

Upon looking around in the car it would become readily apparent that he wasn't exactly the tidiest, but he wasn't dirty either. There was a small LGBTQ flag sticker stuck to the dashboard along with a few other stickers with sassy punchlines and sarcastic humour. From the rearview mirror hung some kind of cross shaped charm that glimmered as the moonlight hit it, refracting beautiful rainbows in a different angle on each side. The back seat had a few scrapes and stains, a case of CDs buried into one of the compartments in the back. There was an old empty gas station drink cup in one of the back cupholders as well. The windows were tinted, but not completely, just enough to obscure the view of the interior from the outside. There was a sunroof, closed for now, and the dash certainly had its share of nicks, scrapes, and dusty shoe marks. There was some kind of burn mark on the ceiling that had been covered up rather poorly, black singes still staining the spot above the passenger side.

By the time he was returning, he was happily jogging down the driveway, a bit excited by the kiss she had blown him on his way out. Pizza was taken care of and now they could have a real conversation again. The next house was a bit of a drive and required a pit stop back at the pizza shop. Good. That meant more time to talk.

"All right, tell me about this shitty dude of yours,' they hummed as they slid back into the driver's seat. Flashing a grin their direction, they popped the car into drive and turned off the hazards before beginning to head out of the neighborhood. They were speeding slightly, though it wasn't like their boss monitored the speed of the car anyway. It was a subconscious habit Skylar would probably never break.

A quirk of his brows as she began to explain. He couldn't help but stifle a laugh, though. "That is...super corny," he agreed. His smile faded a little when she mentioned an allergy to the sunlight. It must have been her reason for being so insistent on getting home before morning. A bit strange. They had never met someone who was that averted to the sunlight. Still, who were they to judge? There were stranger allergies out there.

He pursed his lips as he pulled up to a stop light, clicking his tongue and then giving a whistle as she finished explaining.

"Well that just sounds like a player," he pointed out. "And a douche canoe." A glance at her, smirking slightly. "Guys can be real great at that shit, making you believe they're something they're not. Probably had some great sex too." Maybe that was inappropriate to say, so for a moment Skylar's eyes widened and they gave them a little roll at their own brashness.

"I'm..sorry, that's none of my business." A pause, though, smirking to himself. "Bet I could do better, though."

Bella watches them go around the car, pulling out the pizza, and when they popped their head back under to smile at her she mimes blowing a kiss at them.

He's not gone for too long, but Bella takes the opportunity to not only stretch her legs out in the footwell, but have a look around the car, cataloguing all the personal touches he's made. She's not snooping per say - she's not rifling through the glovebox or anything - but she is definitely looking.

By the time he returns, she's readjusted a little in her seat, watching them slide back in with warm eyes. Bella gives them a minute to settle in, before she starts speaking.

"We met at a painting class. He told me that the sunrise I was painting compared to the warmth of my smile, which looking back is so corny, but it worked. I have an allergy to the sun, you know, but he didn't mind only seeing me at night." Was great in bed, but Bella thinks maybe she shouldn't mention that in front of someone else she was considering sleeping with. "It was romantic, you know? He did all the right things. Brought me flowers, the whole lot. But I guess he got tired of it."

[cursedvessels]

Skylar just shrugged in response to Ellory's reply to their light teasing. They thought it had been a funny joke. And, in their opinion, if they did end up in court--highly unlikely--it would still be a funny joke then, too. No fear.

Switching shut his blade, he tucks it back into the compartment in hi pants, pursing their lips as they watched Ell scoop up the mess. A light clearing of his throat, glancing down at an invisible watch on his wrist.

"Oh, damn, look at the time..! I've got to be somewhere actually, but uh..." A smile, patting the other on the shoulder. "Good luck with that! I'll catch ya later!" And on that note they turned to go...As if they could get out of cleaning up their own mess.

The thing knocks around her ribcage, sending a sharp chewing pain down her side. She flinches. "Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm sure that'll hold up real good in court." Ellory peers at the body below - foot nudging at their hip to see if they'll move. "Looks like he ran into it a coupla' times... welp." She bends at the knee, hands reaching out to secure the limp body around the shoulders. She throws a glance at Skylar, clearly annoyed. "We gonna fuckin' get ridda' this shit or are ya gonna keep starin'?"

[cursedvessels]

A little smirk when Bella mentioned letting him hit on her. He appreciated that sentiment, now knowing full well that she enjoyed the flirting. It wasn't unwelcome like he had first thought it might be. So that meant he had a little more free reign. The permission was nice to hear.

They bit their lip, hiding a smile when she admitted she was considering having a little fun with them of all people. They had to pause, though, wondering silently what exactly Bella thought they were...Whether or not that even mattered in her eyes. That was the trouble with being transgender and flirting freely, you never knew if someone realized you were trans or not, so it usually had to get spilt before anything reached the bedroom. Still, she seemed relaxed enough that he didn't think he had to worry too much about that.

"Mmm..? Yeah, you're probably right." Not that he cared much about keeping this job. It was just a backup plan, after all. Something to occupy his time and keep him sort of out of the eyes of people who wanted to cause him a lot of trouble. Unbuckling his seatbelt, Skylar popped out of the car and swung open the back seat door, grabbing the bag that kept the pizzas warm. He peered under the hood of the car to smile at Bella in the front seat.

"Back in a gif." A small salute of his two fingers before closing the door and heading up to the house.

"I do know what you mean, darling." She laughs, tilting her head a little as she catches the slight increase in their heartbeat. An interesting tidbit, given that what they were saying was completely innocuous. So they were lying about something - but so was she, so she wasn't going to press the issue.

Ah! And they were perceptive. "I was thinking of letting you hit on me some more, and if I liked it, then I'd do something about it." Bella watches them as they continue to drive. "I haven't decided if I'm going to, yet, but maybe a little no-strings fun is exactly what I need, especially with someone attractive, who makes no secret that they find me attractive. In the interest of laying all our cards out on the table."

She leans in a little too, but rests her head on the arm she has stretched out. "I'll tell you." Honestly, the story was not spectacular, but she'd tell it since he asked

"But don't you have a pizza to deliver? A job to keep?" Bella tugs teasingly at the collar of his uniform shirt. "You go take care of that and I'll think up all the juicy details of my love life."