#NO need to match length i rambled!

[wcrsening]

𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 !! 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 : a dive bar in velaris

𝑭𝑰𝑳𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑨 𝑾𝑨𝑺 𝑰𝑵 𝑹𝑨𝑹𝑬 𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑴. the emissary was more than used to taking disaster in stride, but to her own dismay, she has always very much been a creature of habit— or, moreover, of organization. it wouldn't necessarily appear that way to a passerby, given her general partying, fighting, and debauchery, but she's always had a firm head on her shoulders. after all, she didn't earn her title — nor her current state of survival — by being messy.

stranded in the night court with all of her technology, research, and the majority of her weapons back at the dusk court, filomena was damn near panic. she knew she needed to get to the rift, but she needed to be prepared— as did everyone in the city that bustled around her, if her worst fears were coming to light. her usual cool demeanor was frazzled and almost frantic.

" — what?" someone nearby had been speaking, and she'd been completely tuning them out. filomena slid her half-full beer to the side in order to make room for another book, pulled from the large stack that sat beside her on the booth. she'd checked out everything she could find in the vicinity that might help her research.

finally she looked up, reaching for her beer as she spoke. "listen. before you go on, i don't have time to answer questions. or to apologize for being rude."

[neverendingparable]

closed starter for @i-have-been-to-the-future

Bradley lies awake in his bed, staring at the dark ceiling over his head and listening intently to the noises happening right outside his room.

He's never had a reason to fear the dark before, but now, after having been unwillingly wrapped up in time travel murder games and knowing full well how easy it is to find yourself dying at the hands of someone you trusted, he's gotten a lot jumpier.

It doesn't help that he's in a (still) strange house with a bunch of people he doesn't know. Dad!Jon swore up and down that there were fail safes in place and enough protections, but he still doesn't trust everyone here.

He'd be perfectly content to stay in his bed and pretend he didn't hear anything, but the more he listens to the footsteps pacing around, the more anxious he gets. He should check it out, just in case.

Jonathan doesn't allow weapons in the bedrooms so he grabs the next best thing (a fork from dinner he didn't bring back to the kitchen yet) and sneaks up to his bedroom door.

The footsteps seem to be distancing themselves, so he knows he most likely won't be jumped by whoever is walking around out there. Bradley steels himself and then cracks the door open to look. What he finds out there is not what he expected, however.

It's one of the newcomers, an amnesiac red head who reminds him of a startled deer and who Dad!Jon handles cautiously, like saying the wrong thing around her could set something off.

Bradley watches them wander around for a few more seconds before he decides to just fuck it and see what they're doing. Maybe they got lost trying to find the bathroom.

"Hey!" He whisper-shouted. "Hey, Row- Rowie! What are you doing?"

[civanguneri]

@levibecker Where: Paradise Point Resort & Spa aka Enemy territory.

There was a chance of running into at least three people he did not want to when he stepped onto the property, but there was little Civan wouldn't do for his mother. Besides, the ill will was mostly a them problem — minus the ring leader. Civan scoffed to himself, unsure why anyone would want to hire a thief to work in their otherwise well-regarded restaurant. His one interaction previously with the woman who ran it had answered many questions in that regard, and now, Nia was on the list of people for him to generally avoid if possible. "Yes, I'm here to make a reservation." In drastic contrast, the resort employee at the desk practically lit up when she recognized his surname. It'd become a holiday tradition for him to put his mother up in a suite and plan a spa mini-vacation for the woman. She couldn't travel anymore, not the way she used to with his father, but it was a way to get her out of the house and enjoy herself. "Yes. The information is the same." Civan confirmed as they went through the motions, but just as the end of his task seemed in sight the young woman had other ideas. 'They've added a few new package options, let me get you a pamphlet.' Civan bit back a sigh and allowed her to turn away. The radio at her waist crackled to life, and his dismay at the quickly spiraling situation grew as she had to excuse herself and go help out one of the staff members. Assured she'd return quickly and he should look over the new packages while she was away. Civan did his best to not look too put out by it. Especially since he didn't really mind having to wait, just increasing his chance of... shit. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Not only that, but, in having his nose in the pamphlet given to him Civan nearly walked smack dab into Levi as he passed the front lounge. He sidestepped in time but it left him with little choice but to acknowledge the man. "Watch it." It was definitely his fault.

[ofdisregard]

closed starter. | @svftlove

Cristiano stood outside her door, the cold bite of the late-night air clinging to him despite the warmth of his coat. He could feel the weight of his own stupidity pressing down on his shoulders, but here he was anyway, staring at the door he swore he wouldn’t knock on. His fingers grazed the edge of his phone in his pocket, a tempting escape he couldn’t quite bring himself to take. But even he wasn’t drunk—or foolish—enough to believe that was what he truly wanted.

With a sharp inhale, he raised his hand and knocked, the sound louder in the stillness of the night than he expected. Seconds dragged on, each one amplifying the voice in his head reminding him how bad of an idea this was.

When the door finally cracked open, he exhaled sharply, running a hand through his tousled hair. “I couldn’t sleep," he said, the words tumbling out the second his gaze met hers.

Dark eyes flickered over her face, lingering a moment too long, as if committing it to memory. It felt familiar and foreign all at once, and he hated the way it twisted something deep in his chest. “I figured you���d be up,” he added, his voice quieter now, a faint edge of defensiveness creeping in. “You usually are.”

He shifted his weight, suddenly too aware of how ridiculous he must sound. “Besides,” he continued, the words rushed and uneven, “I think you still have some of my shirts and stuff. Thought I could grab them while I’m here.”

It was a weak excuse, and he knew it. But admitting the real reason—the way the silence of his penthouse made him feel like a stranger in his own skin—wasn’t something he was ready to do. Not tonight.

[sorrowveined]

It's strange to think how only weeks ago, Maria could never have imagined the depths of despair she would soon sink into, or the future waiting for her. It feels like those times - the times when her family was whole - were years ago, now; yet she remembers them perfectly, and those crystal-clear memories now only serve to torment her, leaving her shaking under the weight of the pain they bring.

Perhaps she's being melodramatic. But she feels she's earned the right to be, just a little. Her mother, who she may never she again, is a vampire - cursed to be hated and rejected by all, having become the thing she hated the most - a monster. She'll never walk in the sunlight again. And that fate was supposed to be Maria's... that's what hurts the most. The fact that she's desperate to escape but can never run away from, so agonizing it's unbearable - is that in the end, it's all her fault.

And her father's.

Maria feels her stomach lurch at the thought of him. Grinds her teeth together. It's not like she isn't trying to move forward, like she's sure her mother wanted for her - Richter, too... but it's hard, harder than anything she's ever known. She feels useless, too, which is a feeling she hates more than anything. Seeing Richter, though... while it doesn't exactly ease the weight in her chest, his presence reminds her that she hasn't lost everything, that there are still some things worth fighting for in this world. And she's grateful for that, at the very least.

"You're giving me that look again." she says, once she notices him staring. She's not the person she used to be, and it's no surprise that he can see that, but she feels so exposed and ashamed under his gaze. There's no judgement there, though. She can't see any, anyway.

"Are you worried about me? You don't need to be." The bitterness that colored her words before is gone now, because Richter doesn't deserve that directed at him. "I know you're thinking of leaving, but... I'm not completely useless on my own."

@knightfeared ( starter! )

[aletheialed]

Right now, wine glass in hand and staring vacantly into the dark corners of the room in which he dwells - Barok can't help but think about his brother. To think about Klint during hard times, the man who he's always admired so much, has always come naturally to him - but it can't bring him any comfort now.

The truth is, Barok doesn't know what he should feel more betrayed about. The fact that the brother he'd wanted to emulate all his life was nothing but a killer, who's actions resulted in the ending and ruining of so many lives, including Barok's own? Or... is it that, until the very end, Klint was too afraid to share that horrible truth with him, even when that fear allowed him to be controlled into committing the most heinous acts imaginable?

It makes him want to laugh with a bitterness he hasn't felt in years. It makes him feel ill; desperate and angry and like a fraying rope about to snap. Perhaps it's sinful, and a sign of Barok's own weak character, that Klint's lack of trust in him might be what hurts the most. Had he thought Barok would break under the weight of the truth, and sought to protect him from that fate? What's worse is that Barok doesn't know how he would've reacted deep down. What's the scarier thought - that Barok would've turned away in despair and been unable to carry on just as his brother feared, or that he would stand with Klint, perhaps even turning a blind eye to his crimes...?

...There's no point in thinking about it now. But if he doesn't think about Klint, then there's no shortage of other things to take his place at the forefront of his mind. Such as the true identity of the Reaper, and how Barok had been complicit in his crimes for the longest time - allowing himself to be used and manipulated like a puppet on a string, even when he didn't see the full extent of it all.

His whole life, these past ten years in which he thought he'd endured so much, all for the sake of the people of London... what were they all for?

When he hears the knock on the door, it's tempting to ignore it entirely - he barely has the energy to stand, anyway. He doesn't know who it could possibly be, considering everything, but... in the end, he rises like a man possessed, and finds himself walking to open the door as if in a trance. What he sees when the door opens is the last thing he expects.

"Mr... Naruhodo...? You... pray tell, what are you doing here at this hour?"

@tenacquity ( starter! )

[supercutts]

          for  someone  who  gets  paid  to  be  charming,  luca  sure  was  fucking  things  up.  from  embarrassing  stutters  while  first  introducing  himself  to  sneaking  out  the  back  of  grocery  stores  just  to  avoid  speaking  to  her,  unfortunately  it'll  take  more  than  just  simple  meetings  with  the  pretty  brunette  for  him  to  curb  his  nerves.  and  her  perfectly  eye  -  catching  body  lounging  in  an  expensive,  brightly  colored  bikini  did  not  help  at  all.    ❛  nice  day  out,  ❜    he  blurts,  shaking  out  the  last  of  the  dead  leaves  from  his  pool  net  into  a  nearby  trashcan.  he  winces  as  the  cover  comes  down  with  a  thunk,  cursing  himself  for  such  lack  of  gracefulness  that  he  needs  more  than  ever  right  now  to  impress  the  beautiful  kasey  laying  just  a  few  feet  away.  he  takes  a  beat  before  crossing  the  short  distance  and  standing  by  the  sunbathing  fem  with  his  hands  on  his  hips.  eyes  squint  through  the  sunshine,  the  heat  beaming  down  on  his  bare  chest  that's  already  glistening  with  sweat.  suddenly,  he's  too  aware  of  his  body  that's  uncovered  to  the  world  and  clears  his  throat  in  attempt  to  rid  his  shyness.  it's  too  late  to  slip  out  the  back  door  now.    ❛  is  there  anything  else  that  needs  to  be  done  ?  i  saw  you  trying  to  reach  that  umbrella  up  there  earlier.  ❜    head  tilts  to  the  highest  shelf  on  a  nearby  rack,  which  contains  a  rainbow  parasol.    ❛  need  some  help  ?  ❜ @boysbye

[freedcm]

✧ — ⋆ closed starter for @celestialmuses

be strong, be poised, be meticulous - the mantra, albeit with a few changes through the years, was central to ivy. ever since she'd founded her company she'd been working towards the opportunity to host an event at a place as prestigious as the brockman, and now that she had it, the future she'd been carving for herself was even closer within reach. complete one successful event there and ivy knew that doors would slide open that had always been locked before. she'd prepared for all kinds of worst-case scenarios, missing flowers, caterers messing up a dish, unruly guests - a checklist of emergencies and back-up plans all at the ready. but what ivy hadn't prepared for was the force that was selene. the other woman so confident and self-assured that it left her stomach filled with a flurry of nervous butterflies, as if she'd been transported back to a teenage version of herself longing for approval from a crush. there was one part of her mantra that she'd fallen short of these past couple weeks, be professional, although she hoped that all her methodical planning would aid in making sure the event ran smoothly all the same. "i think we're all set for tomorrow," glancing down at her phone, she ticked off the last checkbox on her to-do list before forcing her gaze upwards once more. "i've made sure to iron out all the last minute changes with our vendors - so if everything goes according to plan, you should be able to sit back and enjoy a drink while letting me handle the rest. we'll have some specialty cocktails on the menu that are quite delicious."

[deceptivemorals]

plotted with @malka-lisitsa

          elijah had grown very fond of katherine, or rather katerina now that he knows her actual name, over the past few months. neutrally explained. it was very rare that he developed a deeper interest in a human, and he knew it was better to stay away. humans and vampires were never a good combination, yet they seemed to meet by chance. admittedly, sometimes he had also set it out to appear at the place he knew she was working at, but sometimes she, too, seemed to cross his path.

         katerina was a special person, she had something indescribable about her that attracted him. therefore he had seen with great concern that she had obvious injuries the previous day; bruises which she tried to hide under makeup. in her movements that suggested pain. he had never addressed it directly and the answers to his indirect questions were usually formulated in such a way that he knew she did not want any further inquiries. but now he was sure that there was indeed someone who caused her pain. something that made him incredibly angry (raging mad, even), but since she wouldn’t drop any names, he couldn’t let this person pay.

         he had offered to take the pain away and heal her, and she had agreed, although she probably thought it was a joke on his part. that it was actually his blood that had the desired effect was unknown to her as he had cleverly hidden it by giving her a drink.

         the events of the previous day had led him to want to see her urgently today, which is why he drove to her address. he knew it because she had already invited him to her apartment once. he rang the bell, but no one opened the main door, which was not an obstacle, as he found someone else to open the door. when he finally stood in front of her apartment door, however, he smelled something that shouldn't be as prominent: blood.

         elijah knocked on her door. "katerina?" there was no reaction, so he looked around briefly and then opened the door with a deliberate blow.

         what he found was horrifying, she lay not far from the door in her own, already dried blood on the ground.

         "katerina!? katherine?!" immediately he hurried to her and kneeled beside her on the ground, his gaze searching where all the blood came from while at the same time trying to feel a pulse, although he could not hear a heartbeat and her gaze was fixed, empty, and immobile. he knew what this meant, but he didn’t want to accept it. she couldn't be dead. she shouldn't be dead. he couldn't have lost her.

         but ... was it even possible for her to be dead? there were a thousand thoughts on his mind, also calculating when he had given her his blood the day before.

         his gaze finally hung on a dark crusty spot on her dark top, which was slightly raised and shimmered metallic when looked closely. immediately he brushed his fingers carefully over the spot and could then actually grab a bullet that should not be at this place (even if it shouldn't be there at all). her body seemed to have expelled it, which was a sign that she'd wake up again.

         elijah released a breath, before closing his eyes and trying to focus which wasn't as easy because between the initial scare he had and the wrath he felt, he also knew that she wouldn't awake as she was before. if she were to awake, then she would be in transition.

         he opened his eyes and then rested his hand softly against her cheek. "you won't be hurt again. and you'll be avenged." he does not know who did this but he'll find out. elijah lifted her into his arms and carried her to the room which he suspected was her bedroom, to lay her on her bed. she shouldn’t have to wake up on the floor. he left the bedroom door open to hear any possible change or movement before returning to the scene and started cleaning it – more a distraction to himself, because besides his concern for her, there was also this incredible anger and vindictiveness. only when the floor was perfectly clean, he went back and stood at the bedroom door to give her the necessary space when she wakes up.  

[quietlyblooms]

open to mutuals | in which chiyo doesn't want them to leave <3

" thank you, " softly chiyo mutters as laces are untied and shoes discarded, careful hands helping her beneath a comforter that feels heavenly against her skin. typically she'd never go to bed in street clothes, but the night calls for an exception; she's had just a tad too much to drink, feels much too tired to worry about dirty clothes. no, chiyo's more concerned with squeezing her pillow as tightly as she can ( the pressure against her chest soothes something that she can't name, doesn't want to name ).

she feels the bed shift as her companion stands, and eyes like melted chocolate stare up at them. belatedly chiyo realizes she's grabbed hold of their wrist but doesn't let go. belatedly she realizes she's allowed her pillow to fall to the ground, half-risen upon an elbow, though she doesn't care. she just doesn't want them to leave.

" could you stay a while longer? " her voice sounds so small, fragile. " please? "

[multxfacies]

closed started for @vntageheart || alex x elijah

based on this (first bullet point)

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.

Her eyes locked on Elijah as he walked in. She quickly dropped her gaze back to the menu, pretending to study it. Act normal. Just… act normal. Her friend waved him over, her voice bright. “Over here!” Alex forced a tight smile, keeping her breathing steady as he approached. “Hi,” Alex said evenly, looking up at him. Her tone betrayed nothing, though her pulse betrayed everything.

She extended a hand—because what else could she do? “Alex,” she said, introducing herself like they hadn’t spent half the night tangled up together. Her smile stayed fixed, though her knuckles tightened around her fork the moment he sat down. She glanced at her friend, then back at Elijah. “So, how’d you two meet?” Her voice sounded breezy, casual—too casual.

As her friend's answer began, Alex nodded along, not actually hearing a word. Her jaw ached from clenching her teeth. She turned to him again, her tone sharpening just slightly. “Elijah, isn’t it? You seem... familiar.” Her smile stayed plastered on as she reached for her drink. If her hand shook just a little, at least the glass hid it. “Must be one of those faces.” And with that, she took a slow, deliberate sip, praying to whatever higher power might be listening for this lunch to be over now.

[ghoclish]

✧   𓂅   closed   for   @glacierheart   /   continued   from   here   .

surrounded   by   death   and   all   its   marvels   and   caspian   was   daydreaming   about   a   their   exhibit   guide   .   typical   .   the   thuds   of   her   signature   laced   loafers   are   no   match   for   the   gentle   clicks   of   freshly   polished   heels   .   she   wondered   if   that   was   what   caught   his   attention   first   .   if   he   started   at   the   soles   of   shoes   and   trailed   upwards   growing   dizzier   which   each   new   feature   he   took   in   .   in   his   head   ,   was   there   a   soft   strum   of   a   guitar   as   the   woman   he   gawked   at   became   engulfed   in   a   bright   white   light   and   started   to   move   in   slow   motion   ?   something   out   of   those   self   proclaimed   romantic   comedies   enid   punished   her   with   when   wednesday   accidentally   (   though   ,   inevitably   )   hurt   her   feelings   .   what   torture   (   and   not   the   fun   kind   )   .   wednesday   hated   that   she   wondered   .   instead   of   focusing   on   the   history   of   malevolent   minerals   ,   fearsome   fauna   ,   or   poisonous   plants   she   was   coming   up   with   her   own   conjectures   about   caspian   and   their   exhibit   guide   . 

it   was   unlike   wednesday   to   take   interest   in   the   thoughts   of   others   ,   especially   with   a   study   of   all   the   ways   nature   has   killed   indiscriminately   for   all   of   time   at   her   finger   tips   .   when   she'd   asked   (   or   rather   ,   demanded   )   that   caspian   come   with   her   to   the   ‘   death   by   natural   causes   ’   exhibit   ,   she   hadn't   realized   why   she'd   done   so   .   she   wanted   to   share   her   interests   with   him   .   perhaps   ,   in   her   own   dreadful   way   ,   wednesday   was   trying   to   connect   .   and   he   wasn't   even   paying   attention   .   how   infuriating   .   “   i   was   more   concerned   with   what   was   coming   out   of   her   mouth   .   i   guess   with   all   the   cracking   your   jaw   was   doing   gaping   at   her   you   missed   all   the   parts   that   mattered   .   “   she   folded   her   arms   over   her   chest   ,   perpetually   wide   eyes   staring   at   him   for   a   quiet   moment   before   his   accusation   made   her   look   away   .   ”   the   things   i   care   for   usually   end   up   in   a   box   ,   submerged   in   water   ,   or   electrocuted   .   "   her   tone   remained   stagnant   though   her   posture   straightened   a   bit   more   .   defensive   as   always   .   she   turned   her   gaze   back   to   caspian   .   “   i   think   we   should   ditch   the   group   tour   anyway   ,   go   off   on   our   own   .   we're   capable   of   reading   a   few   plaques   .   ”   maybe   the   more   nonchalant   she   was   ,   the   less   likely   he   was   to   notice   she   just   wanted   away   from   the   blonde   haired   bombshell   .

[themothstoy]

@isforever / ♥ / pretty when you cry . . .

kitty had managed to avoid most of val's wrath this time. she hadn't been in the room for the meeting itself, just for the beginning and end to serve drinks and of course now clean up. but she did it with a smile and a hop in her step. she had done so quickly and thoroughly, used to val's anger and the ways it took form. she was grateful to have missed it this time.

she watched vox drink and her lights glowed a little brighter at the praise. her eyes squinted with a soft joy and she nodded at his request. " thank you , sir. of course! " she turned and made her way back to the bar. she prepared something stronger for vox. something she'd known him to drink on rough nights in the past. she set it on her tray and brought it back to the conference room. she set the glass down carefully in front of vox and stood to the side.

she was quiet for a moment before she spoke again, " is there anything i can do to comfort you ? " her main purpose was usually comfort. she hoped she could provide some comfort. the vees could be difficult, almost impossible to comfort sometimes. but she knew her use and purpose was to serve.

[ewoodxx]

Casino Royale || Open @capemaystarters

Ethan strode through the DuPont Moreau estate, sporting a single breasted charcoal tuxedo, deemed by his publicist a look worthy of a gentleman– or rather the illusion of one. It was exactly the angle he and his team were going for: smart and classic, perfect for schmoozing with the curated list of individuals his team had encouraged him to mingle and play Blackjack with, a small insurance policy that at least some portion of the evening would be spent on semi-decent behavior.

But all work and no play was hardly the Ethan Wood way, and custom Tom Ford could only mask so much for so long.

It was only a matter of time before the athlete took over one of the bar areas and slipped the bartender a couple hundreds to make up for the antics that would follow. He reached over the countertop, retrieving as many miniature glasses as he could manage, then arranged them hastily in a line. He quickly poured a generous dose of the closest liquor he could find in each, tequila.

“Alright–” Ethan shouted to nobody in particular. “Grab a shot!”

[masterzmei]

with: @edgarxyang where: outside your local boxing gym when: ??? Whatever makes sense?

In all honestly, Zmei let himself fall back onto the bench rather than taking the time to sit gracefully. He'd been on his feet an awful long time, too proud to tell Kaan that his pain tolerance was wearing thin or his hand was starting to cramp from the extra weight put on his cane until after Kaan had gotten a reminder on his phone that he needed to shower and pack up if he wanted to get to his shift on time. And even then it'd just been a short "I'm tired" instead of letting his student know how he really felt.

His pride had never led to anything more than a strong moment, then a a long quiet pause where it felt like everthing he'd done wrong came back to bite him.

And even as he was already feeling sorry for himself, he looked up from massaging his wired-together kneecap and calcified tendons to see his old rival, walking just fine on two feet and looking strong as ever. Zmei hadn't seen him since he'd had to report that Edgar was finally hanging up his gloves and retiring, being purposely vague since he hadn't been able to track down a reason himself.

"I thought you were done?" He asks, in spite of himself. "I'm not one to talk, but the title scene hasn't been the same without you."

[andyromero]

status — open starter.

location — aimlessly wandering outside of sea cliff marina.

As she ventured into the unfamiliar tree line, leaving the sea cliff marina behind her, her thoughts wandered back to him. Was she supposed to alert someone before stepping beyond the group's protective gates? Hell if she knew. Bitterness had weaved it's way into her veins and with every step she took, it only continued to build. Two months and she'd already found more comfort within a group than she'd had her entire life. Even if a strange feeling washed over her every single time she heard another spewing an unfamiliar name to the man they deemed their leader — the man she'd once known as well as he'd let her. The fall of everything they'd once known had a way of changing a person. She, too, had become a mere shadow of her former self. It was inevitable in a world where push came to shove and most everyone were only concerned of caring for themselves. Grounded branches crunched beneath her worn boots, her venture out aimless and a tad bit careless all the same. The faint smile of amusement that had pulled at one corner of her mouth quickly faded as the sound of another filled her head. Just as she had plenty of times before, Andy's slender fingers curled around the handle of her blade, grip tight in preparation. "I'm not looking for trouble," she called out, voice radiating strength and a lack of fear despite every pulse point in her body throbbing in anticipation. "Just trying to enjoy the fresh air." This time it was sarcasm dripping off her tongue.