#╰ ♡ ✧ ˖ 𝑀𝐴𝑅𝐼𝑆𝐸𝐿𝐴 : magic weaved in firelight ┊ ❨ threads. ❩

[fatestln]

⇢ 🔮 STATUS   ﹕ open. ⇢ 🔮 LOCATION   ﹕ hallowed grounds.

with  a  faint  jingle  of  the  bell  announcing  her  arrival,  marisela  pushed  open  the  door  to  hallowed  grounds.  she  was  tired  –  dead  tired,  really  –  but  she  was  certain  it  was  nothing  a  strong  cup  of  coffee  couldn’t  fix.  marisela  had  worked  all  night,  the  end  of  her  shift  coming  with  the  daylight,  and  she  practically  dragged  herself  to  portum’s  favorite  coffee  shop.  she  just  wanted  a  little cafecito  before  trudging  home  to  rest.  the  smells  wafting  through  the  air  were  promising,  to  say  the  least.  marisela  glanced  over  the  menu,  trying  to  muster  the  energy  to  make  a  decision,  but  her  eyes  were  blurring  making  it  a  near  impossible  task.  slightly  defeated,  marisela  sighed  and  stepped  up  to  the  counter  to  make  her  order,  one  hand  rubbing  at  her  temple.  “something  strong,  please.  the  strongest  you’ve  got,”  she  said  to  the  barista,  giving  them  a  tired  but  grateful  smile.  marisela  paid  for  her  order  and  stepped  aside  to  wait  for  her  name  to  be  called.  she  caught  someone’s  gaze,  and  felt  slightly  obligated  to  engage  in  some  small  talk.  “long  night  too,  or  just  an  early  start?”  maybe  small  talk  would  keep  her  awake  long  enough  until  the  caffeine  kicked  in.

[fatestln]

“what’s  it  this  time?” marisela  echoed,  slightly  amused  while  her  tone  carried  its  usual  bite.  she  stepped  closer  to  the  bar,  her  heels  clicking  against  the  floor  as  she  took  sharp,  deliberate  steps  towards  him.  it  was  a  rare  night  off  for  marisela,  and  she’d  been  finding  herself  at  envy  more  evenings  than  usual. “why  are  you  always  so  quick  to  assume  i’m  here  to  bother  you?”  when  she’d  first  crossed  paths  with  daxton,  she’d  been  wary  of  him.  it  didn’t  take  a  master  to  detect  the  power  that  simmered  beneath  his  skin,  but  it  simultaneously  also  drew  her  in.  there  was  something  familiar  in  his  essence  –  the  combination  of  magic  and  darkness  that  swirled  in  him  feeling  like  an  echo  of  her  own,  albeit  it  the  circumstances  different.  her  green  eyes  flicked  to  the  glass  in  his  hand  before  returning  to  meet  his  gaze. “relax, cariño.  i’m  not  here  to  cause  trouble—at  least,  not  tonight.”  marisela  leaned  against  the  bar,  her  fingers  tracing  aimlessly  along  the  grain  of  the  bar  top,  an  air  of  practiced  nonchalance. “i’m  just  a  simple  girl  on  a  night  on  the  town.  i’d  like  a drink  if  you’d  be  so  kind.” the  upward  tick  of  her  lips  resulting  in  more  of  a  smirk  rather  than  a  smile.

status  :     open  to  all. location  :    envy,     late  at  night.

the  low  hum  of  murmurs  and  the  thump  of  bass  music  fill  the  air  as  he  leans  against  the  bar  at  envy,     a  place  where  the  supernatural  meets  the  sinful.     his  fingers  absentmindedly  trace  the  cool  surface  of  the  glass  in  front  of  him,     a  dark  liquid  swirling  inside.     the  club  is  busy  tonight,     packed  with  a  mix  of  familiar  faces  and  those  eager  to  spend  their  coin  on  whatever  vices  this  night  might  offer.     his  sharp  eyes  scan  the  room,     watching  for  trouble,     his  silver  rings  catching  the  dim  light  from  the  overhead  lights.     his  trinket  hums  softly  against  his  skin,     a  quiet  reminder  of  the  power  he  holds   —   and  the  danger  it  brings.

a  familiar  voice  calls  from  across  the  bar,     snapping  him  out  of  his  thoughts.     he  looks  up,     his  gaze  sharp  as  always.    another  drink  order,     or  another  problem  to  deal  with?     either  way,     it’s  a  distraction.     his  eyes  narrow,     lips  curling  into  a  wry  grin.    “  what’s  it  this  time?  ”

[fatestln]

⇢ 🎃 STATUS   ﹕ open. ⇢ 🎃 LOCATION   ﹕ portum's annual halloween fair.

marisela  had  always  had  a  love  hate  relationship  with  halloween.  on  one  hand,  it  was  fun  to  dress  up,  and  the  magic  in  the  air  was  almost  palpable  –  hidden  in  plain  sight  among  the  lights  and  laughter.  on  the  other  hand,  there  were  so  many  harmful  stereotypes  about  witches  that  ran  rampant  during  the  season  as  well.  when  her  fellow  witches  in  portum  last  year  had  explained  the  annual  halloween  fair,  marisela  was  honestly  hesitant  to  have  anything  to  do  with  it.  however,  once  she  attended,  she  realized  how different  halloween  was  in  portum  in  the  best  way  popular.  so,  this  year,  marisela  was  actually  excited  to  participate  in  the  festivities.  even  went  so  far  as  to  dress  up  like the  love  witch,  although  she  wasn’t  sure  how  many  would  understand  the  reference.  she  wandered  through  the  crowds,  eyes  trailing  over  families,  groups  of  kids  daring  each  other  to  brave  the  haunted  house,  and  vendors  calling  out.  one  such  vendor  was  calling  people  to  try  the  ring  toss  game.  marisela  lingered,  arms  crossed  as  she  watched  the  game  with  narrowed  eyes.  she  tilted  her  head,  calculating  what  the  chances  were–was  it  rigged  or  just  as  impossible  as  it  seemed?  she  stepped  forward  to  take  a  closer  look  and  bumped  her  shoulder  against  someone  standing  next  to  her. “oh,  sorry  about  that!”  she  apologized,  then  gestured  towards  the  people  currently  playing. “thinking  of  trying  your  hand,  or  just  here  to  watch  everyone  else  miss?”

[fatestln]

⇢ 🔮 STATUS   ﹕ closed ⇢ 🔮 TAGGING   ﹕ calahan macarthy (@silkeared) ⇢ 🔮 LOCATION   ﹕ the old haunt

marisela  sat  at  the  bar  of  the  old  haunt,  waiting  to  catch  calahan's  eye  while  a  group  of  rowdy  would-be  frat  boys  caused  a  scene  at  one  of  the  tables.  her  eyes  rolled  as  they  made  yet  another  ridiculous  toast  and  sighed  to  herself.  their  voices  were  booming  above  the  usual  low  hum  of  conversation,  and,  frankly,  were  giving  her  a  headache.  the  raven-haired  witch  swirled  the  amber  liquid  in  her  glass,  and  rolled  her  eyes.  she  muttered  under  her  breath,  “how  many  toasts  can  one  group  make  before  they  run  out  of  things  to  say?”  the  old  haunt  was  a  sanctuary  of  sorts  for  her  –  typically,  there  was  an  unspoken  agreement  among  patrons  to  keep  things  mellow,  or  as  mellow  as  the  bar  could  get.  tonight,  however,  was  testing  her  patience.  she  glanced  down  to  the  other  end  of  the  bar  where  calahan  was  pouring  a  round  of  drinks  and  raised  her  glass  in  his  direction  to  catch  his  eye.  when  he  finally  glanced  her  way,  she  gestured  him  to  come  closer.  as  he  approached,  one  of  the  frat  boys  knocked  over  a  chair  in  his  enthusiasm  and  mari  could  have  sworn  she  saw  a  slight  twitch  of  calahan's  lips.  she  tilted  her  head  towards  the  rowdy  table  in  the  corner.  “how  are  you  not  losing  your  mind  right  now?”  she  asked,  her  voice  low  enough  not  to  carry,  but  with  just  enough  bite  to  convey  her  annoyance.

[fatestln]

⇢ 🔮 STATUS   ﹕ closed continued from here. ⇢ 🔮 TAGGING   ﹕ kanda chokdee ( @scvntillas ) ⇢ 🔮 LOCATION   ﹕ portum's fair

marisela  barely  flinched  as  the  small  person  yelled  at  her.  she'd  noticed  them  near  the  oracles'  tents  at  the  fair,  and  recognized  them  as  the  little  one  that  followed  cal  around.  kanda,  her  mind  helpfully  supplied.  marisela  found  herself  drifting  closer  as  she  recognized  the  distress  on  her  features.  “what's  wrong?”  she  asked,  in  lieu  of  the  more  obvious  question.  as  a  nurse  and  a  person,  she  was  incapable  of  walking  away  from  someone  in  such  clear  pain.  “you  look  like  you're  about  to  implode.”  the  fairgrounds  were  noisy  without  question  –  with  so  many  people  it  even  made  her  feel  claustrophobic,  but  if  the  noise  was  what  was  getting  to  kanda,  panicking  was  not  going  to  help  shut  it  all  out. 

[fatestln]

marisela  rolled  her  eyes  so  hard  she  was  surprised  they  didn’t  get  stuck  like  that. “oh,  you  caught  me,  liam,”  she  said,  the  sarcasm  all  but  punching  liam  in  the  face. “i  can’t  believe  your  impeccable  intuition  has  foiled  my  elaborate  hot  chocolate  poisoning  scheme  to  seduce  calahan  away.  guess  i’ll  just  have  to  find  another  way,”  she  sighed  dramatically  before  she  narrowed  her  eyes.  reaching  across  the  counter,  marisela  poked  liam’s  forehead. “no,  goldfish  brain.  i  ran  into  him  at  the  café  the  other  day  and  he  was  overwhelmed  with  what  to  choose  for  you.  i  helped  him  out,  so you’re  welcome.” the  raven-haired  woman  grabbed  the  spell book  she’d  ordered  and  hugged  it  to  her  chest. “i paid when i ordered,” she confirmed, smirking  wryly  before  throwing  another  taunt  liam’s  way.  “and  for  the  record,  you’re  five  years  younger  than  me  –  so  that  would  mean  cal’s  too  old  for you,  immortal  or  not,”  she  paused  to  offer  her  friend  a  wicked  grin  knowing  he definitely  would  not  appreciate  her  comments.  “but  don’t  worry,  i  know  how  delicate  your  ego  is,  so  i’ll  leave  him  to  you.  i  think  he’s  good  for  you  anyway, somehow  he  manages  to  calm  you  down.”

"i  will  choose  to  not  answer  to  these  ridiculous  claims."  liam  sniffed  ,  knowing  that  mari  was  absolutely  correct.  but  the  fun  part  was  annoying  mari  as  much  as  he  possibly  could.  liam  didn't  know  ,  having  been  an  only  child  his  whole  life  ,  but  he  was  pretty  sure  this  was  what  it  felt  like  to�� have  a  sibling.  he  kinda  liked  it  in  an  infuriating  way.  "thank  you  ,  mari.  that's  so  kind  of  you  to  say  ,"  liam  preened  ,  batting  his  eyelashes  toward  her.  "did  you  pay  while  ordering  or  are  you  waiting  for  the  invoice  ?"  he  paused  ,  hearing  the  teasing  lilt  to  her  voice.  "hot  chocolate  ?"  he  tilted  his  head  in  confusion  ,  mind  momentarily  flickering  back  to  the  hot  chocolate  cal  had  given  him  a  few  days  prior.  "did  you  poison  it  ?  was  this  your  plan  all  along  ?  to  get  me  weak  and  then  steal  cal  for  yourself  ?" he  squinted  suspiciously  at  her  ,  showing  his  displeasure.  "he's  too  old  for  you.  and  i'm  immortal  so  that  wouldn't  work  anyway."

[fatestln]

marisela   exhaled   slowly,   her   hands   fidgeting   with   the   handful   of   peanuts   she’d   collected.   she   knew   that   yue   was   right   –   traumas   like   these   weren’t   something   that   necessarily   healed   but   rather   dulled   over   time.   marisela   could   speak   to   that   from   experience,   but   it   didn’t   do   much   to   assuage   the   guilt   in   her   gut   for   not   being   able   to   do   more.  her   eyebrows   rose   as   yue   shared   the   details   of   her   day. “did   i   miss   something?   when   did   you   become   a   travel   agency   too?”   she   quipped,   tossing   back   a   few   peanuts. “i’m   sure   you   made   a   killing,   though   –   pardon   the   choice   of   words.”   there   was   no   judgement   in   her   voice   –   just   the   understanding   that   fear   and   grief   had   always   been   profitable.  there   was   a   pause   and   then   marisela   added   softly, “if   death   and   the   reapers   have   arrived   in   portum.   do   you   think   … other   things   could   get   through   as   well?” 

OH, WELL that's always fun. Children blaming themselves for every ill thing that happens to their parents, as if being their creation puts them in a position of taking blame for action or circumstance instilled by the others... or by unforeseen situations. But, she just listened to her friend speak, slowly nodding along to acknowledge her words, to let her see she's not alone in the glumness.

"They will forget the blame, but the trauma will remain." she softly said.

yes, the child would forget.

But, the mark would stay with them forever. At the age of ten, children only hold on to very important memories - or traumas - but the brain works its glorious magic of suppressing traumatic events from active memory.

They'll have mean nightmares, though.

"You don't. Pricey psychotherapy does, but even that is not always successful. Time and perhaps the rationality of mind will show them they are not the ones to blame for accidents or illnesses. Fate is a much better culprit, and one's own accountability of action even greater. Someday, the blame will fester from self-blame to the blame of the deceased, then it will shift into an emptiness that doesn't heal, but it no longer burns, either." she softly spoke.

"You don't have to apologize. Today sucks for everyone." Yue waved her hand, but then chuckled ;

"I had an absolute fuckton of panicked and scared people pouring in my shop, asking for talismans, readings or the first plane ticked to the Seychelles." she snorted out, but lightly sighed.

"I'm alright. Tomorrow might be a different story, though, for all of us. Once this truly sets in."

[fatestln]

marisela  listened  closely  as  aeri’s  words  painted  a  vivid  picture  of  south  korea’s  green  landscapes  and  bustling  cities.  she  smiled  to  herself;  it  was  something  she  would  love  to  see  some  day. “tacoma  has  its  charm.  i  do  miss  it  sometimes,”  she  admitted,  mostly  thinking  of  her  mother. “there’s  something  about  the  way  the  air  smells  in  the  pacific  northwest  –  it’s  like  petrichor  all  the  time.” marisela  paused,  thinking  about  everything  that  she  had  left  behind. “i  do  miss  it…  but  it’s  complicated.  missing  home  doesn’t  always  mean  wanting  to  go  back.”  truthfully,  if  it  were  safe,  marisela  would  go  back  home,  but  she  knew  being  close  to  her  most  cherished  loved  ones  was  just  asking  for  trouble.  she  couldn’t  help  but  use  whatever  magic  was  at  her  disposable  to  keep  them  safe,  and  comfortable.  it  would  have  only  put  them  at  greater  risk  if  she’d  stayed.  aeri’s  question  drew  her  out  of  her  thoughts  and  she  smiled  gently. “my  home  –  my  parents’  home  is  at  the  edge  of  the  forest.  i’m  a  hearth  witch,”  marisela  explained,  pausing  long  enough  to  take  another  shot  and  a  nostalgic  smile  crossed  her  face. “my  father  would  take  me  on  walks  through  the  forest  so  much  that  i  could  identify  all  of  the  plants  and  animals  by  the  time  i  was  seven  years  old.”  “anseong  sounds  beautiful  though  –  a  good  mix  of  city  and  nature.”  it  was  truly  a  requirement  for  her.  marisela  couldn’t  imagine  living  anywhere  where  she  couldn’t  disconnect  completely  and  just  listen  to  the  leaves  rustling  in  the  wind.  traditionally,  hearth  witches  drew  power  from  spaces  and  energies  associated  with  comfort,  protection,  and  sustenance,  but  given  marisela’s  upbringing,  forests  ticked  each  one  of  those  boxes  for  her.

People she had met in Portum so far had seemed to come from all over the world, it seemed. It made her feel less of an alien and more of yet another random citizen of the supernatural city. It also made Aeri want to ask more questions as they all seemed to come from all of these different backgrounds and have different beliefs, too. "Ah, this is actually my first time outside of South Korea." That was, if they ever were outside of Korea, because for all she knew Aeri had crossed the borders a couple of times since arriving and she had landed right outside her apartment building. Someone from Potion and Pentacle had explained how things worked in Portum and how the magic allowed the city to exist without existing and Aeri found it fascinating. "But I think I would love to visit your forests." Aeri paused for a second there, thinking about Anseong for a moment. "We have lovely forests, too... and very steep mountains." She said. A ghost of a smile curled her lips up as she thought of her homeland and poured herself another drink.

"The city I come from has a lot of green areas... mostly for agriculture, but there are some public vegetation, too." A little cutting sound ripped through her throat as Aeri felt the burning sensation of the alcohol streaming down towards her stomach. "Do you ever miss Tacoma?" She caught herself asking. "I don't think I've ever been homesick... even after I moved to Seoul. But then again... South Korea is so small, it doesn't take long for me to go from Seoul to Anseong—my hometown." She clarified, just in case it wasn't clear enough. But... the conversation caused the young medium to miss home for a minute there. Especially her grandma's bulgogi. "Do your powers make you connect to the forests? Is that why you brought them up?" Aeri asked, not really knowing what kind of supernatural the nurse was, as they hadn't really talked much about it yet. 

[fatestln]

marisela  raised  a  singular  eyebrow,  her  arms  crossed  as  she  leaned  back  in  the  booth.  the  question  about  the  ratio  of monster mash  had  her  letting  out  a  snort. “it’s  not  that  i dislike  the  set…”  she  trailed  off.  it  wasn’t  like  she  knew  very  much  about  music  to  begin  with  –  just  what  sounded  pleasing  to  her  ears.  “and  as  far  as more  or less  monster  mash  goes…the  answer  is  a  firm less.  like…significantly  less.” her  eyes  shimmered  with  that  familiar,  mischievous  glint  she  got  whenever  she  was  about  to  deliver  a  particularly  sharp  jab. “right  now,  it’s  giving…cheesy  high  school  halloween  party.”

location: rosie's diner for whom: open to all

" so what you're saying is you don't like the set ?" he questioned, trying to hide the disappointment on his face. even dillon had to admit it was experimental, but he really thought there could be a fitting party in town for his brat monster mash mix. he leaned back in the booth, scratching the back of his neck, " would you say it needs more or less monster mash ?"

[fatestln]

she  found  herself  at  potion  and  pentacle  more  days  than  not.  whether  she  was  browsing  for  herself  or  simply  wasting  time  before  she inevitably snuck upstairs  to  visit  yue  and  get  some actual  rest.  she  was  just  perusing  the  aisles  when  she  felt  the  force  of  someone  knocking  into  her.  marisela  caught  herself  at  the  sudden  impact,  her  bag  shifting  on  her  shoulder.  annoyance sparked within her as she  turned  abruptly and blinked  when she registered  the  man  in  front  of  her,  taking  in  his  tired  expression.  her  initial  irritation  softened  as  she  recognized  the  exhaustion  in  his  posture.  it  was  a  look  she  recognized  all  too  well–one  she’d  seen  on  patients,  friends,  and  even  sometimes  in  the  mirror. “are  you  looking  for  something  specific?”  she  asked,  her  eyes  analyzing  him  carefully. “i’m  marisela,”  she  began,  after  a  moment. “and  before  you  ask,  no  i  don’t  work  here,  but  i  am  a  nurse  and  you  look  like  you  could  use  one.  what  are  you  trying  to  treat?”

Location: Potions and Pentacle

For: Anyone (0/2)

Eris was always trying to find some way to deal with the headaches and dizziness that always seemed to plague him. He knew what was causing them: stress. His body didn't want to let go of the fear that'd crawled inside him when he'd been buried alive. He wasn't as bad as he'd been. Going into fight or flight and blacking out when anyone touched him. Needing to numb himself so he could sleep. Teetering between consuming panic and feeling hollow.

He was used to the weekly migraines now. He just wished there was something he could do for them. Weed, painkillers, and anti nausea medication sometimes helped. But he had to stay in bed with all the lights off in silence. He was used to the pain, to a certain level. But he wished sometimes that he'd find a solution that didn't involve dropping everything and lying in bed for two days. It was boring just waiting for it to pass.

He was browsing the store, staring at labels without understanding the words. He'd never been big on reading. He was squinting at the label without understanding anything. His distraction made him bump into someone.

"Shit, sorry." He said. "I didn't see you there."

[fatestln]

with  a  heavy,  almost pained  sigh,  marisela  crossed  her  arms  and  stared  her  patient  down. “you’re concussed,  ronan,” she  explained,  annunciating  each  syllable. “and  let  me  tell  you,  i’ve  seen fine  before  and  this  is  isn’t  it.”  her  brow  furrowed,  half  in  concern  and  half  in  exasperation,  as  she  leaned  slightly  closer  to  ronan,  using  a  hand  to  gently  keep  his  head  from  lolling  off  to  the  side.  her  gaze  softened  slightly  as  she  placed  a  hand  on  his  arm,  a  gentle  warmth  radiating  from  her  palm.  a  flicker  of  her  magic,  subtle  but  purposeful,  slipped  into  the  air  between  them  serving  as  a  calming  balm  to  the  tension  thrumming  through  his  dazed  body.  hearth  magic  had  a  way  of  settling  even  the  most  stubborn  of  patients.  “you  hit  the  pavement  hard  enough  to  rattle  whatever’s  in  that  skull  of  yours,” she  continued,  her  tone  laced  with  a  wry  humor  as  her  eyes  scanned  the  machines  he  was  connected  to.  “you’re  in  a  hospital  bed  because  you  passed  out  on  the  street.  so  before  you  take  a  nap,  please  just  wait  long  enough  until  we’re  sure  your  brain  isn’t  about  to  stage  a  protest.  sound  good?”

who: open! (0/3) where: portum general.

"this really isn’t anything to fuss over, i’m fine," ronan insisted through fluttering eyes and slowed speech, damning evidence to the contrary as he shifted within the confines of the hospital bed. all he wanted to do was take a quick nap. it was a habit the nephilim indulged in practically every afternoon; surely, there was no reason today should be any different?

"what is it?" ronan muttered, his groggy state more apparent than ever, head lolling to the side while a pair of hands shook him awake. blinking as he looked upon the concerned figures before him, a sudden realization pierced through awareness, the incident that had brought him here coming into focus in scattered flashes: a figure passing behind him, an attempt to capture their attention, slipping on a sheet of black ice and crashing upon the pavement. 

“oh, right, i’m crun… cous… com… sorry, what am i, exactly?”

[fatestln]

marisela  raised  an  eyebrow,  her  sharp  gaze  flicking  from  the  drink  to  nick’s  face,  linger  just  long  enough  to  watch  the  nerves  bleed  through  his  green.  she  accepted  the  offered  cup  with  deliberate  slowness,  her  fingers  brushing  against  his  just  slightly  as  she  tilted  her  head,  a  faint  smirk  on  her  painted  lips.  marisela  was  well  aware  of  what  she  looked  like,  and  she’d  had  to  deal  with  many  admirers  from  the  moment  she  hit  puberty.  some  were  more  of  a  nuisance,  while  others,  like  nick,  were  a  bit  more  endearing.  “a  repayment?”  she  echoed,  her  voice  tinging  with  dry  amusement.  all  she  did   was  stare  at  him,  but  his  confidence  seemed  to  falter  under  her  scrutiny  much  to  her  muted  delight.  her  eyes  dipped  to  the  drink  in  her  hands  before  lifting  her  gaze  back  to  his. “triple  vodka  cranberry  …  how  did  you  know  it’s  my  favorite?”  she  asked,  swirling  the  contents  of  the  cup  before  taking  a  sip,  licking  the  traces  left  on  her  lips.  her  gaze  softened  ever  so  lightly,  but  the  wry  amusement  never  fully  disappeared.  “i’ll  admit,  it’s  better  than  that  granola  bar  you  shoved  into  my  hand  when  i  pulled  that  double  last  week.  progress.” her  smirk  widened  as  marisela  leaned  back  in  her  chair,  crossing  one  leg  over  the  other. “now,  why  would  i hate  you?  such  a  nasty  emotion,” she  teased  and  sipped  her  drink,  her  bright  eyes  never  leaving  his. “as  far  as  the  break  room  goodies,  i’m  glad  they  were  of  use  to  you.  it’s  what  i  bring  them  for.”  marisela  placed  her  cup  down  at  the  table  beside  her  before  refocusing  her  gaze  on  nick.  “i  gotta  say  though, doc.  i  didn’t  realize  you  were  so  indebted  to  me.”

to: @fatestln marisela location: envy

"Thought I’d bring you a drink. Consider it a repayment on my part," he said, his voice light but laced with an undercurrent of nerves. His gaze flickered to the cup in his hand, a cheap plastic thing, as though it carried the weight of something far greater. Then, after a hesitant beat, he added with a wry smile, "But if you want to negotiate terms… I wouldn’t exactly oppose it. You’re the boss out here."

The sheepish grin tugging at his lips was uncharacteristically humble, a sharp contrast to the usual cocky smirk that seemed permanently etched on his face. He extended the drink toward her—a peace offering, perhaps, or maybe a poorly disguised excuse to linger in her orbit. Marisela, with her bright, striking eyes and a presence that could command a room without a word, had a way of unraveling his confidence in ways that baffled him.

He could still recall their first meeting—how he’d fumbled his words so badly during rounds that he was certain she’d pegged him as a total idiot. He’d paused, openly staring like some starstruck fool, and then stuttered through what was meant to be a concise medical summary. Even now, the memory of it made his ears burn. Something about her—maybe the sharp wit behind her poised demeanor, or the quiet strength in her every movement—turned his brain to static. It wasn’t just admiration; it was gravity, pulling him closer no matter how hard he tried to play it cool.

“Uh, repayment for… you know, saving my ass. Repeatedly,” he continued, his words spilling out too fast. “Pretty sure you’re the only nurse on your unit who doesn’t entirely hate me. Plus, I haven’t forgotten the baked goods you let me swipe from the break room. Those alone probably kept me alive through last week.” He was rambling, and the realization hit him like a brick. Heat rushes to his face, provoking him to clear his throat awkwardly, trying to reel himself back in.

“Anyway, it’s a triple. Vodka cran. As prescribed by your local neighborhood resident doctor.” The grin returned, lopsided but genuine, and for a moment, he wondered if she could hear the faint tremor in his voice.

[fatestln]

marisela  glanced  up  at  mariella  from  underneath  her  brow,  her  dark  eyes  swept  over  mariella's  injuries  before  giving  the  vampire  an  incredulous  stare.  "not  as  bad  as  it  looks?"  she  repeated.  "famous  last  words."  her  words  held  an  air  of  dry  humor  as  finished  with  her  assessment  of  the  other's  injuries.  marisela  turned  to  grab  a  clean  cloth  and  some  antiseptic  to  clean  the  wounds  again.  "how  did  this  even  happen?"  she  asked  with  a  glance  over  her  shoulder  as  she  collected  her  materials  and  some  fresh  bandages. "in  theory,  yeah,  you  should  be  healing  faster  than  this.  but  if  you're  not  feeding  right..."  marisela  turned  back  towards  the  vampire,  considering.  "well,  magic  has  its  limits  just  like  anything  else."  she  crouched  slightly,  gesturing  for  mariella  to  hand  over  her  arm.  "all  right,  now  sit  still  and  let  me  fix  this  before  you  start  leaking  all  over  my  floor."

portum general with marisela leon @fatestln

"it's  not  as  bad  as  it  looks."  even  mariella  knew  that  was  a  lie.  sure,  the  worst  of  it  had  healed  somewhat,  but  she  could  only  go  so  long  covering  up  the  wounds  with  her  half-assed  bandages.  the  scratches  and  cuts  were  far  too  deep  for  her  liking  and  she  worried  that  people  would  start  asking  questions.  that  would  be  the  last  time  she  goes  after  the  local  retirement  home  the  next  town  over.  how  embarrassing.  "shouldn't  this  heal  on  its  own?  i  thought  that  was  one  of  the  perks  of  being  a  vampire."

[fatestln]

“the   same   elder   that   looks   like   she   should   be   stressing   over   her   algebra   homework?”   she   teased,   leaning   back   in   her   seat.   marisela’s   smirk   was   sharp,   but   not   without   warmth.   most   of   marisela’s   friendships   involved   this   kind   of   witty   back-and-forth.   “i’m   sorry,   i’ll   behave,”   she   said   with   a   soft   chuckle.   marisela   pondered   over   the   question   that   juniper   had   posed   to   her   students,   resting   her   chin   in   her   hand   before   responding.   “i   mean,   i   think   it’s   fair   to   state   that   we’re   all   shaped   by   the   stories   that   we’re   told,   and   until   you   meet   someone   who   proves   them   wrong,   instinct   has   you   believing   it   as   fact,”   marisela   used   her   free   hand   to   lift   her   coffee   to   her   lips   for   another   sip. “or,   if   they’re   truly   stubborn,   they   keep   believing   whatever   is   convenient   because   it’s   easier   than   questioning   everything   they’ve   been   taught.”   marisela   knew   from   her   own   experience   that   learned   behaviors   were   hard   to   get   rid   of.   she   personally   had   grown   up   with   not   a   lot   of   exposure   to   species   other   than   humans   and   witches   until   she’d   gotten   older   and   began   traveling. “did   your   students   get   into   a   heated   debate   or   something?” 

"okay  ,  okay  ,  we  don't  need  to  start  with  the  sarcasm  the  moment  i  arrive  ,  very  apologetic.  that's  just  mean  mari.  respect  your  elders."  in  any  other  town  ,  the  statement  would've  been  a  amusing  one  ,  what  with  juni  looking  like  a  middle  schooler  on  a  bad  day  and  a  high  schooler  on  a  good  one.  only  in  portum  did  it  make  sense.  she  had  several  hundred  years  on  marisela  and  their  teasing  friendship  never  let  her  forget  it.  "and  we  were  talking  about  certain  species  and  the  way  media  portrays  them.  how  much  of  our  perceptions  of  someone  is  what  someone  has  taught  us  to  think  ?"  juniper  always  loved  throwing  questions  like  these  out  to  her  class  ,  just  to  get  a  discussion  going.  not  one  time  had  the  thoughts  or  arguments  been  the  same.

[fatestln]

robin’s  words  hung  in  the  air,  warm  and  inviting,  and  for  once,  marisela  wasn’t  sure  if  she  could  meet  them  with  her  usual  sarcastic  comment.  she  wasn’t  in  the  mood  for  banter–not  today.  she  wrapped  her  hands  around  the  cup,  the  warmth  seeping  into  her  cold  fingers.  she  didn’t  speak  for  a  moment,  instead  staring  into  her  coffee  like  it  held  all  the  answers.  ‘sometimes  you  just  don’t  want  to  touch  it,  but  it  calls  for  your  help,  yet  when  you  do,  you  wished  you  hadn’t  listened  to  the  voice  in  your  head.’ robin’s  words  caused  her  to  inhale  sharply  as  her  grip  on  the  cup  tightened.  that  was  exactly  right.  slowly,  marisela  lifted  her  gaze  to  meet  robin’s,  her  expression  slightly  more  somber  as  she  gave  her  a  short  nod.  her  throat  felt  tight,  and  for  a  moment,  she  wanted  to  take  the  out  that  robin  offered  and  leave  it  there.  to  let  the  weight  of  her  mood  settle  into  her  coffee,  swallow  it  down,  and  move  on  with  her  day.  but  there  was  just  something  in   robin’s  concern  that  wasn’t  easy  to  shake  off  today. “there  was  a  man,”  marisela  began  softly. “he’s  dying  –  i  knew  it  the  moment  i  stepped  into  the  room.  his  daughter  was  there  with  him.  she  couldn’t  have  been  older  than  ten  years  old  and…”  she  trailed  off,  her  eyes  growing  glassy  as  she  looked  away  for  a  moment  to  compose  herself. “the  way  she  looked  at  him–it  reminded  me  of  my  dad.  and  i  can’t  tell  you  how badly  i  wanted  to  do  something  that  i  shouldn’t  to  try  and  help  save  that  man.” the  confession  felt  much  too  heavy  for  the  wee  morning  hours  at  the  local  coffee  shop  –  it  felt  more  suited  to  something  she  would  reveal  at  the  old  haunt  after  one  too  many  whiskeys.  marisela  laughed  at  herself  but  it  sounded  hollow  even  to  her  ears. “geez,  sorry.  i  didn’t  mean  to  unload  on  you  like  that.  maybe  you  should  look  into  a  job  as  a  bartender  instead.”  she  lifted  her  cup  to  her  lips,  taking  a  few  large  gulps  of  her  coffee  to  swallow  down  any  other  confessions  that  were  bubbling  up  within  her.

"oh i would never, mari. i'm just saying....not just as you favorite barista, but your friend...." robin trails off, giving marisela a small, concerned smile, perhaps welcoming her to this space of being able to tell her anything and everything that she needs to get off her chest. in a way, robin's pulled but all these troubled souls in portum, maybe that's why it became home to her, a place she just couldn't leave after losing her. even though she had busied herself to make the drink as marisela ordered, she made sure that she was listening to every single word the other was saying. long night, words she's also say if she was summoned for work promised to the devil, every single one she goes to isn't easy, but robin always manage to persist through it. maybe that was why she was chosen, not just because of her wanting to be where he love is, or was. "i've been in a few situations like that..." or one too many, she corrects herself in her mind. "sometimes you just don't want to touch it, but it calls for your help, yet when you do, you wished you hadn't listened to the voice in your head?" she continues, sliding the drink over to the older woman. "care to elaborate why you said such thing, or...should we just leave it at that? i promise, whatever you tell me, does not leave this shop."

[fatestln]

marisela  hummed  an  acknowledgement  of  his  own  messed  up  sleep  schedule.  that  much  she  could  relate  to. “not  an  early  start  then,”  she  conceded. can’t  be,  if  you’ve  never  gone  to  bed.  her  name  was  called  and  she  stepped  forward  to  retrieve  her  cup,  blowing  at  the  opening  of  her  lid  before  taking  a  cautious  sip. “i’ll  admit  good  coffee  and  a  sunrise  sound  like  the  cure  for  many  things,” her  lips  twitched  into  an  almost-smile  as  she  raised  her  coffee  in  a  half-toast.  at  his  question  about  her  coffee  drinking  habits,  marisela  let  out  a  snort. “i  think  my  veins  are  filled  with  more  coffee  than  blood  at  this  point.  all  this  will  do  is  keep  me  awake  and  cozy  long  enough  to  make  it  home  and  crash  for  a  few  hours.”  it  wasn’t  not  the  first  time  she’s  received  curious  looks  by  the  baristas  who  know  she’s  coming  off  a  late  shift. “i’ll  burn  through  this  in  an  hour  or  so.”

“ voluntarily is a stretch, ” sebastian says. “ couldn't sleep, and figured it'd be more enjoyable to watch the sunrise with a coffee. ” it's becoming more common for his nights to be haunted by dreams, to wake in cold sweat — but he assumes it's just stress. his life has never been that exciting. still, he wishes he had a few more early morning shifts rostered this week, so he could wake with his alarm and lose himself in work. “ honestly, that applies to all of life — peaceful, then chaos. nothing ever stays simple. ” there are exceptions — the peace of portum is magically ensured, entropy has no part in it — but more or less everything seems to follow that pattern. “ okay, i gotta ask — why drink coffee after work ? shouldn't you be heading home to sleep ? ” he does his best to sound un-judgemental, because he is genuinely curious and it's not the worst choice he's ever seen someone make about their health ( that prize goes to the one customer who ordered four double-espressos and drank them all ).