#kattcalled

[dantekidd]

Location: Echo Beach Closed Starter: @kattcalled

Dante laughed as he noticed how far behind him she was. He had been so deep in though that he’d left her behind. “Come on, Granma!” He called to her before slowing down his run to fall in step with her. The two had decided to start running in the mornings together to keep each other some company. “Look even the little kids are passing us.” He nodded to a random group of children that ran by them. “This is embarrassing!” 

[jacoboh]

closed starter for @kattcalled

location: royal cove beach

The beach was quiet for the most part, only the sea breeze and waves of the ocean left to fill the space, the both of them having just finished eating. The weather was still nice enough for them to stick around and take a walk on the beach, Jake holding both their shoes in his hand near the shoreline. He was pushing away the nerves he felt the night Rhys' arm had been found, pushing away the fact that Kat turning her phone off got to him more than he would admit after not being able to reach her. In the end, he knew as long as they had each other that the small things didn't have to matter so much. But Jake still couldn't help but worry about her as he glanced over, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between the two of them. "What's on your mind right now?" he asked softly, arm wrapped around her and pulling her close to him.

[nam-daeeun]

closed \ @kattcalled location \ mama's reopening

"God, feels like the entire town is here." The observation made him a bit uneasy, remembering all too well what happened the last time that was the case. Sure, the killer was locked up, but it wasn't so easy to simply shake away the fear. He glanced to the side, catching Kat out of the corner of his eye. "How've you been?"

[malachiphillips]

Bleed with me this time I've been hurting to find Someone to make it right I learned so much but lost it all And when I'm stuck with you, I fall Bleed with me this time Till we bleed out

trigger warning: death mentioned: @lanyphillips @aranyasaeli @kyleyangs @veritycalma @kattcalled

“Yeah, of course,” Mal said when his girlfriend told him she wanted to get some air. He felt himself smiling into the kiss because even though it had been a couple of hours since Aranya had said yes, he still couldn’t believe it. Still couldn’t believe how goddamn giddy he felt. Kyle was right, he truly was like some lovesick puppy, but as he watched Ari walk away from him, there was a feeling of peace that he truly hadn’t been able to feel in the longest time. A lot of people might have thought that he hadn’t been at peace ever since his brother’s death, but it had been so much longer than that.

He hadn’t been at peace since he came back to Nightrest over three years ago, after his career-ending injury. If there was a moment in his life that he knew was the turning point, it was that. Not just because it cut short his passion in life, but because he felt like that had severed his last connection to his father, and without that, Malachi was lost. He knew some people might think it was silly. It’s just a sport. It’s just a ball. It’s just a game. It’s nothing special. But it was so much more than that to him.

It reminded him of the days his father turned into his coach, when his dad taught him the basics, from the proper way of holding the basketball to how to shoot, moving him farther and farther away from the hoop until he could hear “For threeeeee!” in his head every time he shot from the three-point line his father had placed in their basketball court in their backyard. The cheers his father yelled out every time there was that swish when it was nothing but net, the pointers his father gave him to make him better. Malachi knew a lot of people learned to love the things that they were good at, but he learned to be good at this because he loved it. His dad loved it, and that was all that mattered to him.

How he wished his father was around now. How he wished he could come home to see his mom and dad slow dancing in the kitchen while dinner cooked, so he could introduce Aranya to them. How he wished it was a Sunday and his father would be at the grill, oldies and soul music playing from inside their home.

Remembering it all made him remember Monty, and his heart ached just a little bit more. He thought there was no pain harsher and harder to accept than the pain of losing a parent, but he thought wrong. Losing a brother was a different but just as harsh pain. Malachi had literally been in Monty’s life since he was born, and with how close they were in ages, he could still remember when people mistook them for twins. How the two of them grew up to be completely different, but still undeniably close because there truly was no other way. Malachi loved Monty and Lany once she came into the family a few years later more than anything and anyone else in his entire life.

What were you supposed to do when you lose someone who meant the world to you? There was guilt that gnawed at him too, a factor in his breakdown in front of Aranya, because he was supposed to be the older brother. He was supposed to protect them and he failed. He could even remember how the tradition of Phillips Fam Fries Day Friday started. It was his way of trying to protect his siblings from the harsh reality that they were practically orphans then, because while their mother was still physically present, she was no longer... present. The woman gave up, and the responsibility rested heavy on Malachi’s shoulders since, and he took that more seriously than anything in his life. More seriously than basketball. More seriously than any relationship.

Malachi knew he busted Monty’s ass all the time, but it always came from a place of love. How happy he had been at his birthday celebration. The knowing look on his face as Mal sat on the couch with his arm slung around Aranya’s shoulders. Mal knew, without a doubt in his mind, that his brother would have been happy about this. Probably would’ve started talking about weddings, because that was just the kind of man he was. Mal would have called him a nerd, and to go take care of his cow.

It was heartbreaking how vividly he could picture out the conversation going, knowing he’d never actually be able to have the conversation.

The heavy feeling in his chest was back, but he cleared his throat, knowing it wouldn’t be okay for him to break down here, not when the entire event was for a good cause. No, what he needed to do was find his sister, give her a hug and then find his girlfriend to make sure she was okay, since he checked his watch and noticed that she’d been gone for a while. Maybe she went to the restroom? He thought to himself, but he still made out of his way to where Lany was to give her an unexpected hug. The two were never the most public when it came to touchy-feely things, but so much has changed since their recent loss that Mal felt no shame in interrupting her conversation just to make sure she was okay. To give her a hug that he couldn’t totally tell was for her, or for both of them.

“Tell me when you’re ready to leave and I can drop you and Lu off,” Mal murmured, reluctant to let go of her. Desperation clawed at his chest as he looked at his younger sister because he wanted, more than anything, to just protect her now. She and Kyle were the only family he had left, and he couldn’t keep losing people. He just can’t, not after all the losses they had all suffered. He was barely holding it all together as it was. “Actually, lemme see where my girlfriend is--” Mal said, showing Lany a grin. “And then we can head home. I’ll be right back,” he said, squeezing Lany’s arm before he went out of the main room, to try and find Aranya.

The smile was still on his lips as he went out to the deck, the place now a familiar and sentimental place for him. This was where he had asked Ari to officially be his girlfriend just a couple of hours ago. This was where she had cried and told him yes. This was where Malachi had made a promise himself to be a better man. For her. For their future together. This was where he felt the first inkling of hope blooming in his chest, that maybe, just maybe, things will be okay. Everything was so confusing and painful right now but he had her. He trusted her.

She had him, in the same way he knew he’d always have her, and that made it all worth it.

It was funny, looking back, how much this took him by surprise when it probably shouldn’t have. He’d always liked Ari, thought she was a sweet girl, and he definitely liked hanging out with her. Maybe it was because they started off as friends first until he started to flirt with her that made the difference. Maybe it was because she was so close to him, literally his next door neighbor, that made the difference. Mal had made it a point to make extra for her when he was cooking, especially when he could see that she had been streaming for hours. He had learned how to make her favorite food early on just so he could surprise her with it when he could tell that she was having a bad day but was too nice to say anything, to burden anyone with her problems because that was just the kind of person she was.

Mal had come to know her, her body language, her tells. He loved learning about her. He loved listening to her talk, watching her play her games, go on car rides with him. He came to crave her company more than just what he got in the bedroom. He talked about his dad with her out there on the basketball court during the snowstorm, when he hadn’t really expected to do that. It just goes to show how comfortable he had been with her already for him to just talk about it. To open up to her. He already trusted her then, he just hadn’t seen yet just how much.

He didn’t even think twice about letting her see him break down after the funeral because for someone who didn’t really instill trust in his relationships, it was still a big deal for him. I trust you was a bigger deal to him than I love you and when she walked in on him, amidst the broken glass, the trashed trophies lying down on the floor, the pictures of him and Kyle and his father from high school, the lonely sound of a basketball bouncing on the floor until it rolled to a stop, he realized he felt both.

As he looked at her then, all Mal could think of was I trust you. I love you.

I love her, Mal realized with jarring clarity. The thought made him stop in his tracks because he had been thinking it, playing around with the idea of it, but he had been so scared that something that made him so happy would be taken from him again. The story of his life. Once something made him happy, it felt like it was ripped from his hands almost immediately. He knew that he loved her deep down but because he didn’t want to admit it to himself yet, his mind had rejected it, especially because just a couple of hours ago, he had been a little scared that she was going to say no.

But she didn’t. She said yes. Holy fuck, I love her. Maybe I’m the luckiest man in the world and she might actually love me too.

That sweet, beautiful, kind woman who was valid in everything she did was someone he trusted and loved and even though the past few days have made him spiral in a way he never had before, the warmth in his chest made him start walking away, eager to tell her. There was nothing to be done about the past, nothing to be said or done that can heal the part of him that will always be broken with the loss they suffered, but he had her. The hope of the future they planned together is enough; the lifeline he needed not to drown in despair. He had a goal and that was to make sure she was happy because that woman deserved the best.

It was her. It was just her for him, he knew that.

I love her.

It was getting pretty dark out there on the deck, and his eyes furrowed as he wondered where she could be, but a glimmer caught his eye out on the far end of the deck, right where he had asked Aranya to be his girlfriend a few hours ago. It was like the light had caught something shiny from there and he blinked as he realized there was something on the floor, something that inched towards him slowly.

Malachi wondered what it could be -- water, maybe? A spilled drink? -- but then felt himself being jerked back immediately once he realized it was blood. It only took him a second of that realization before he started running, his heart breaking as he found himself faced with something his brain refused to accept.

“No. No, no, no, c’mon, baby,” Mal said, already feeling tears fall down his cheeks as the crushing sight brought him to his knees. “Baby. Baby, hey. Ari, come on,” he said, his voice pleading as he cradled her cheeks, but he didn’t start sobbing until his eyes drifted down, seeing the red bloom from her stomach. It was so familiar to what he had seen been done to his younger brother that a guttural cry escaped him as he hoisted her upper body into his arms, rocking her as he wondered why this was happening.

Why bad things happened to good people. Why her? Why her? She didn’t deserve this. She didn’t fucking deserve this.

He would never be able to see her smile again. To hear her laugh again. To watch her sleepily wake up in the morning with that stretch that he had always teased her was too adorable. To watch her get so into her games, and be so good that when they played together, she beat him no matter how hard he tried, like every time they were at the basketball toss. To run his fingers down her bare back as he held her close every night. To cook her things and see the way her eyes lit up when he brought her food. To hold her hand and give her the comfort she definitely gave him. To tell her she didn’t even need to get dressed, they were just going out for a late night drive. To watch her ask him which she should wear, because he thought she looked so damn good in everything. To listen to her talk, knowing it could be about anything, even things he knew nothing about and he’d still be a happy man, just to hear her.

He would never be able to tell her he loved her.

Mal knew he probably should find someone, anyone that might be able to help, but he couldn’t leave her. He couldn’t even let go of her until he felt a chilling presence that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up, signifying that he wasn’t alone anymore. That maybe whoever was responsible for this was back. He gently laid Ari back down on the floor, unable to stop another sob from escaping past his lips at the sight before he acted first, his fist swinging out until it connected with a strong jaw.

He hadn’t been able to protect her either.

Mal didn’t know who this fucker in the mask was, but he was controlled by rage, by grief, by guilt, by all the pain he was still nursing and he held up the person by grabbing onto the front of their suit before forcing them back on their feet so he could punch them again, feeling his knuckles split as they came in contact with the other’s nose. There was blood on his own suit, and he knew most of it came from Ari when he held her and as the reminder of his now lifeless girlfriend flitted through his mind, Mal threw another punch, not caring that the other still wasn’t on their feet yet.

She didn’t deserve this.

Mal was about to throw another punch when he felt his arms being pulled back from behind, causing him to thrash as he tried to find a way to escape. There are two of them, Mal realized with a sinking feeling. Were these the same assholes who hurt his brother? Fresh tears were still on his cheeks as he clenched his jaw, watching the person he had just punched multiple times stand up and take off their mask.

His mask.

Mal would never have thought he would be responsible for this and he was breathing hard as he continued to find a way to release himself from the other’s grip -- whoever this was was strong too -- but before he could do much of anything, he felt a sharp pain in his gut.

He breathed out as the knife was twisted inside of him, and the fight was no longer in him, as the man took out the knife and stabbed him with it again.

And again. And again.

Mal lost count of how many times it was but by the time the other person let go of his grip on him, he fell down to the floor of the deck, finding the last of his strength to crawl closer to Ari, so he could hold onto her one last time.

To rely on her to have him one more time, he thought as his fingers shakily clasped onto her cold ones.

God, he didn’t want to die alone.

Lany, he thought as he struggled to breathe. Please. Please just let her be okay. Please, Mal prayed to whoever was listening as his breaths turned shallower. There was a small comfort in knowing Kyle would be there for her, make sure she was okay. So would Lu, despite her looking lost now. Jacob too. She wouldn’t be alone.

Mal would no longer be there to bring them all together, to protect them and look out for each of them anymore, but they’ll be okay. They had each other.

They had each other.

There was comfort there. And as his eyes rested on Aranya, he held onto that fleeting sense of peace and comfort only she could bring, his fingers twitching as he no longer had the strength to hold onto her. I love you. I’m sorry, he thought, his eyes slowly closing. Mal didn’t know what would come next, but as the life drained out of him, he found a small comfort in knowing he’d finally be reunited with his dad. His brother. Ari. My little buzzer beater, Mal affectionately thought as he looked at her, the last sight he’d live to see. Grateful that she had given him so much happiness before it had to come to this.

He wished they had more time. He wished he had more time to laugh with Kyle. To poke fun at Vera. To spend with Kat now that they were friends again. To comfort Lu. To tell Lany he loved her. To tell his mother he now understood. That he forgave her. To invite everybody for another barbecue for lunch, to be followed by shots later that evening. To just have his family together, the most important thing to him. To shoot another basketball. To play the game that was his and his father’s.

But his time was up.

[selintemel]

closed starter for @kattcalled​

Selin had watched Kat seemingly flirt with Lukas for a bit and she had to walk away, reminding herself that it was fine. She was completely and totally fine. Lukas wasn’t her boyfriend anyway. Still, it was hard for Selin to let it go and with the drink in her hand -- cheap alcohol from the keg that she shouldn’t have tried in the first place -- she found herself standing in front of the blonde woman. Her lips curved into a smirk as she watched the alcohol pouring down, drenching Kat’s hair, pouring down onto the woman’s lap, over her outfit. “Oops,” Selin joyfully said as she threw away the now empty cup 

[enzohuang]

closed starter for @kattcalled​

location: sirens

Enzo smirked as he tucked his phone into his back pocket. The chaos of the group chat had died down just in time for him to arrive at the strip club, his eyes immediately looking for the familiar blonde. He should probably thank the man that drove Kat straight into his arms for the rest of the night, Enzo thought, smiling as he finally spotted her. “Guess I’m one lucky man if I get you for the whole night,” he said, visibly checking her out before tilting his head to the side. “You good?” 

[analudsilva]

closed to @kattcalled​ time - after the second game

The big smile plastered on her face was a dead giveaway she was drunk. How much did she have? She wouldn’t be able to give an answer to that, abandoning numbers after her fifth drink. But that was her initial goal and she was more than happy to reach it, it helped keeping her mind away from every fuck up and broken relationships. “I might— I might be drunk,” she giggled, glossy eyes focusing on Kat, “ ’m definitely drunk.” 

[mphillipsfms]

self para: monty’s song

mentions: jacob oh ( @jacoboh​ ), katherine russell ( @kattcalled​ ), brooks azar ( @brxxksazars​ ), kaeo ‘clem’ dupont ( @dearclem ), melany phillips ( @lanyphillips​ ), malachi phillips ( @malachiphillips​ ) and lunara kaplan ( @lukaplan​ ) trigger warnings: death, death mention, stabbing

something felt off.

it has been bothering him all night, yet montez has chosen to ignore it, nor speak about it, given how it was just the paranoia that the deaths have left him, and the fact that he had an encounter with death himself. it couldn’t just happen more than once in a span of a couple of months, right? he shrugs the thought off, and focused on the people whom he loves surrounding him.

jacob, who besides lu, has been there with him through it all, the ups and downs, the relationships that have blossomed, the heartbreaks, the one who witnessed his journal with the woman he loves, the one he holds close as they just enjoy everything around them, the game on the television and the people shouting. perhaps, jacob may be the first person who was well aware of how he truly felt for lu, the one who…even though his mind has forgotten, made his heart remember. he opened montez’s eyes and made him realize that all these years, he had been in love with her. he gives him a grateful look, even though he obviously was focused with something else.

kat, someone who has been with him through his recovery, the one who remained optimistic when he felt like he wasn’t anymore, hope stripped off of him. she is a ball of fire, one who encouraged him through the hardships, even though it’s evident that he will never have his memories of the past two years back again. he could always create new memories with her and their friends, and the rest of the people he loves dearly.  

brooks, his work husband, someone who has never failed to make him laugh all the time, especially during on rough days for them, after a rough class, or rough meetings, he was always there for him as much as montez is also there for him. that may not be the case as of late ever since the accident, but that has never changed for him. brooks made his stay at wardwell comfortable, lifting the pressure of being as great as his parents off his shoulder without ever knowing it.

clem, his platonic soulmate, his bestest friend in the whole world, bubs. they may not have been best friends for as long as he had been with most, but his bond with clem is deep beyond words. she was that big sister he’s never had, one he’s always talked about and tinkered brains with, and he had been that one person she was comfortable sharing a part of her she hasn’t shared with anyone else, and he is honored by it, the feeling of knowing she trusts him greatly. despite of how her breakup with his brother has severed their friendship a little, it was just nice to have her back in his life. it was nice to have his bubs again.

melany, the person he looked up to the most, especially when him and malachi were both at their lowest when their parents have died. he knew he should’ve been there for her more, be the shoulder she leans on through it all, but she stood on her own and got through it all. if he were to be honest, she is not only the smartest, but also the strongest out of them three, and he truly admires her for that. he wouldn’t be as strong as he is today if he didn’t have her in his life.

malachi, someone he is lucky to call his brother, someone who stood as the parent for him and melany when their father passed, and their mother slipped away from them too. there were things they don’t get to agree on much sometimes, but they’re always there for each other, especially with all the trials and tribulations they’ve been through their lives together. he looks at him, with a smile on his face as his brother lovingly stares at aranya who stood beside him, no matter how hard and complex it is, he hopes this is the love his brother truly deserves this time.

and lastly, the woman in his arms, lu, who has been laughing along the joke that was just being said in their booth. he felt so complete, happy, contented with the person he loves. all he could do is look at her and think about the memories he still has of them for most of his life, how before he truly fully realized it, his heart knew, and even through the accident, it has never forgotten. he has never forgotten his love for her. lu looks up at him, and he smiles, whispering “hello,” as he kissed her softly on the lips, hoping she knows how grateful he is to have her with him, wherever they are.

being able to focus on the positive things, helped him shake off the negative ones, and he instantly felt better. after a couple of moments, he excuses himself to go to the bar and get himself a drink. he orders his father’s favorite, a whiskey sour, and he turns his back on it for a moment to take a photo of the booth he was in with lu and their friends, a memory he doesn’t want to lose this time, at least, now it stays through a photo. he then retreats from his previous position and takes a sip of his drink, attention on the television for a little bit, as he tries to understand the game his brother is invested to. out of nowhere, his vision starts to blur, and mindlessly, montez was making his way out of the place, through the swarm of the crowd, his needed some air. he then finds himself what seems like an exit, and without much thought, he runs out, not really noticing the fact that he has company. though, it doesn’t take him long to notice them, and the way they were watching him.

“m’sorry,” he blurts out, shaking his head to himself. “don’t mind me.”

“not minding it at all.”

what they say makes him glance up to get a glimpse of them, and as he was about to say something in response, there’s this feeling of something that has just pierced through his stomach, and without hesitation, it was pulled out, and once again punctured in different places, for at least two or three more times, until the last impales his chest, which makes him drop down to his knees, and eventually, he lies on his side.

“i think he’ll get the message.”

another figure shows up, and montez was too out of it to figure out who they are, blinking a couple of times as he still tries to, before he lays flatly on his back this time, gurgling up on blood and having it spill down his cheeks, whilst he looks up at the sky this time. and as he takes his final breath, a tear slips from his eyes.

'cause i've been waiting from that first sweet breath for to lay me down with my love and rest i know you're hurting, but it's not the end so hold on, darlin', i will see you again hold on, darlin', i will see you again hold on, darlin', i will see you again

[hugoruiz]

closed; @kattcalled​  location;  queen’s

“You still feeling like a shitty person?” Hugo questioned with a teasing smile, maybe her actions weren’t the smartest, but he wouldn’t call her that. One mistake won’t define you as a person, “probably would of been better if you hadn’t kissed him, but that doesn’t make you bad.”

[brxxksazars]

LOCATION: rhee’s, in between games CLOSED: @kattcalled

Despite an invite onto the dancefloor— really just a small space where a few residents had pulled back high top tables— Brooks had stayed at the bar, keen to catch the final minutes of the game. His eyes had been glued to the ball, bounced between teammates and shot through the air, and his fists had raised in triumph as the buzzer sounded. He was still talking about those final moments as, out of the corner of his eye, a blonde pulled herself from the small crowd and approached, Brooks still talking to the other as he greeted her with a smile and the drink she’d left behind. “Now I know you worked up a thirst,” Brooks laughed, letting his hand rest on the other lingering cup. “Get your head in the game?”

[aranyasaeli]

closed for @kattcalled

location: rhee’s bar and grill

Aranya didn't know a thing about basketball. But she'd done cheer in high school, and there was nothing more she loved than dressing up for the fun of it. It would be her to bedazzle an overpriced jersey once Malachi had told her about the game coming up, decked out in orange, despite always thinking it had never been her color. "Oh my gosh, Kat, you look so pretty! Seriously, I think you're like the best dressed person here," she remarked upon seeing the blonde, warm smile crossing over her features.

[jacoboh]

for @kattcalled

location: her place

Sitting on Kat's couch, he was beginning to realize he didn't know where to start. Inside, he felt frustrated more than anything. Jake was a direct person, he didn't like to beat around the bush or be vague about things and when he'd asked Kat what was happening in the first place, she'd brushed him off. Being with Kat, he'd thought there was something between them, a level of trust and a level of care. He'd thought that it was mutual, but maybe it wasn't. Doubts about what was going on trickled through his mind, feeling like she was pulling away from him. It didn't take long for him to hear about what happened between Kat and Adee. That annoyed him too, not only because he knew Adee wasn't the kind of girl that would fight back, but also because it was clear to him that the girl he liked had another guy on her mind. It didn't help that everything was so foreign to him, liking someone and feeling strongly enough to want to be in a relationship. And with the aftermath of the charity gala, he felt alone, no one to turn to the one time he needed it. "What are we?" he asked, glancing up at the blonde and wondering if he even wanted an answer to his question. "Really, Kat... what are we? If you don't want to talk about what's been going on, what you've been doing, fine. But at least tell me that."

[nam-daeeun]

closed \ @kattcalled location \ the daily dose bc this man has caffeine issues

"My turn to apologize. I have been—" he set down the cup of coffee in front of her "—a horrible friend recently." Sinking into the chair across from Kat, his hands wrapped around his own cup as he glanced up at her with a small smile. "And I'm sorry about that. So...how have you been?"

[malachiphillips]

closed starter for @kattcalled​

location: royal cove yacht club 

He felt like he had gone through so much with Kat since he’d known her. They’ve been pretty much everything from friends to enemies to everything in between, but he was truly glad to see her that night. “Don’t know how to explain it but this dress is very you. You look beautiful,” Mal said with a smile before gesturing towards Jacob on the other side of the room. “You and Baby Boy Oh, huh? Congratulations, Kat,” he said, holding up his drink so the two can clink their glasses together. 

[crawfxrds]

LOCATION: rhee’s, sometime during the second game CLOSED: @kattcalled​

Crawford didn’t care much at all about the games; if he had a sport, it was baseball and that was only just approaching spring training. But the buzz around the restaurant was a good excuse for a drink. Speaking of, he shook his head, dodging a shot glass slid his way. “Yea, I don’t think so. Doing pretty alright with my beer here.”

[fseabrookefms]

closed with: katherine russell ( @kattcalled​ ) location: sirens

“i come in peace, kat.” finley says in greeting, with both her hands up as she sees the dancer walking to the direction of the bar where she was seated. her relationship with the blonde was another one of many that didn’t end well, with the whole time they’ve been together, all they did was clash, fight over the silliest little things, until that one day that the words that left katherine’s lips ended their relationship, prompting for the bodyguard to turn and walk away, never to come back again. it has been long, and the two never really talked except those few times in the group chat, either they were clashing (as usual) or actually getting along about something. “was just having drinks--good show, by the way.”