#moving to a new thread hope that's okay :)

[theotherrookie]

@foxedthecards continued from here

Willow eyed the shorter man at her side, carefully considering for a moment if he was trying to mess with her. People usually had some idea of where they were when they walked into bars, unless they were already intoxicated.

She raised a gloved hand to motion to a poster nearby indicating some sort of open mic event was scheduled for the evening. That should give him a good enough idea of what was going on. "Are you one of the people performing tonight?"

Something told her the answer would be a negative, but that served her right for attempting casual conversation with strangers.

[radicalrascals]

@strikersunindie [cont. from here]

"Yeah...," Nick all but sighed, head nudging Daniel's shoulder, rubbing gently and eventually using it as a pillow. "I know you're right." He did. But it didn't help to battle the disappointment growing in his chest. He wanted to skip ahead to their happily ever after so badly. Wanted to live with the man he loved. Maybe start a family. All which he knew might never happen due to their mutual quest to take out the bastard which had turned them both. "It doesn't have to be now. Just promise me we will get out of this alive."

[overnightheartbeats]

continued from here // @dedicatedesire

His momentary silence led her to believe she had made a point, it wasn't often she had those wins. Phoebe almost wanted to say, I told you so. But, of course, he made an even better point. They were both single. Her and Dillon met in...odd circumstances, telling others they met at grief counseling sessions was not the most normal thing. It was nice though, having someone in her life who understood her grief and everything that came with it.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I count your dates towards your non-singleness." Was that a word? Probably not, but she hoped it made sense. As Dillon explained, she tentatively glanced over at him. That was the worst feeling. Knowing that the person you're seeing doesn't have a chance, because you'll inevitably compare them. Setting a standard that both parties know won't be met. "I get that, no one will ever be them," she spoke in agreement. "Do you tell them?" Referring to their loss. And, oddly enough, she quoted her old counselor. "Patty would always tell me to be honest about my past with whoever I began seeing, gives them a better chance. It sorta works, they try to be more understanding, and it makes it hard...to hide behind that when shit goes wrong."

[lettherebemonsters]

Danny scoffs at the Clown but doesn’t really mean anything by it. He has to look up slightly at the size difference but not to noticeable. “What? You don’t wanna be haunted by me? Most people would dream of that!”

@ask-the-ghostface

That earned Danny a chuckle from the grotesque carny.

" Folks r' more scared o' clowns than ghosts nowadays hehe. Betcha they are relieved you show up n' aren't me.

[evocatiive]

@starlingisms / continued

His back turns away from her, reaching into one of the cabinets for a bowl and the rice cooker whistling to indicate that the cycle has completed. "Really? So you didn't enjoy drinking yourself to the point of vomiting? What was the purpose then? Should I look into enrolling you into a treatment program?" The implication that she drinks to drown her sorrows is a sour one, bitterness on the tip of Aaron's tongue as he puts together a plate of rice and cut up eggs. He sets it on the counter of the kitchen island, nodding his head toward Chloe to indicate that it's for her. What goes unsaid is his worry that she's so miserable that she has to drink in order to put up with him and their situation which is far from ideal. The two of them hadn't chosen each other, after all. And he doubts that Chloe ever would have selected him had she been given much of a choice in the matter.

Once he has made his own bowl of food, he leans against the kitchen counter, barreling in a scoopful of rice into his mouth and swallowing before he continues to talk. "I don't control what you do, and I would never try to." They both are shackled to each other, but they shouldn't be stripped entirely of their freedoms, "But I would ask you to consider drinking at home for your own safety."

He pauses then, lips thinning. "And if what you are wanting to do is get away from me for awhile, well, that can be arranged, too."

[strayslost]

Yumeno... so that's this child's name? Either way, from the huge grin on their face, it seems they're definitely excited about getting the crepe. It makes Kyouka a little happy to see them so full of energy... Doing this was definitely the right decision.

"They have a lot of flavors." Kyouka nods as she speaks, as serious as if she's imparting the most important knowledge in the world. She doesn't recall if brown sugar was an option, but it very well might've been - Kyouka remembers being stunned at how many flavors were available, herself.

...To be honest, she wants to ask more about Yumeno. Like why they're on their own. If they really are a kindred spirit, maybe she can help them... it surprises her how strong that desire is in her heart all of a sudden. Normally, she only thinks about the Agency, and doesn't pay much thought to strangers unless they're her responsibility, but... what could this mean...?

She finds it's hard to ask, though. What if Yumeno doesn't want her ruining the mood? Maybe when they're sat down and eating, she'll ask then...?

"When Atsushi took me here for the first time, I was shocked. ...It's nice to eat together with someone else."

@theircurse ( continued! )

[wehavefoundthestars]

@desirespeaks continued from here (x)

Could a hole open up beneath him and swallow him whole now? "I'm sorry I thought you were someone else," Elio muttered with red cheeks. The other man didn't seem to care much about anything since he was looking at him and pissing at the same time just brilliant. Just what he needed to make his night better. "Just forget I said anything. I just shouldn't have come to this party."

[ouraniatm]

there it was, the competitiveness any gamer would know. from the cocky words to crazed grin, cora was no stranger to them. despite the jaded expression, she was the exact same deep down - the thrill of winning was too good not to fight for. this was one of the reasons why she even sat in the same room with idia, for a chance to find entertainment while recovering remotely. with an opportunity like this, how could you NOT want to play games?! you'd be out of your mind not to do so! part of her also yearned for any possible excuse to spend time with her now boyfriend, but you'd never hear that from a hard stoned cora.

however, any good moment had to be interrupted by the thoughts ringing in her mind - did she even deserves this? was it alright for her to express anything, at all? emotions were difficult for cora to fully grasp on, hence relationships tended to be quite a challenge. cora's mind reeled on the drastic shift in their dynamic. she understood, now, just how horribly she treated idia, and how cold and cruel she's been ... not just to him, but to everyone. her anger towards him wasn't true, at all, rather just an excuse to lash out her own pain. the truth was, she always loved him...always had and will...how willing cora is to do anything for her past mistakes just to be there for idia, even if it means falling through tartarus.

shaking her head to clear these thoughts off, the vice quickly grips onto the controller as icy eyes focused onto the screen while customizing her character and its' car. while planning ahead would guarantee a win in any game, be it solo or two player, who's to say you couldn't loosen up with the rules, either? which stats you should go for or who was the best character to amp your luck in winning didn't matter, as long as you're able to take advantage of the course. with that in mind, cora chose her character and vehicle of choice with a smirk on her lips. ❛ heh, can't wait to see the look on your face is gonna look like, especially after all your trash talk... go on, choose the map, too. ❜ she lifts a finger and repeatedly poked idia's cheek, her own lips quirked in small but slightly soft smile...quite a sight for anyone to see, yet it's only for idia's eyes. ❛ tell you what, idia ... loser has to order delivery, and it has to be whatever the winner wants. how's that sound...? ❜

@crownshattered ... continued from HERE.

[marimelwrites]

@wildestdrcam - continued from your reply to my open starter HERE!

Celeste's reactions to his unconventional date idea put a grin on his face. Glancing over at her when she playfully asked if he was planning to propose in IKEA, he couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "Well, if I was going to propose to you in IKEA, I wouldn't very well tell you about that, now would I?" He was teasing her, of course, but he truly wasn't about to tell her those plans. Of course, he'd thought about marriage. How could he not, when she seemingly fit his life so perfectly?

Kerem led her towards the showroom floor so that they could stroll through all the setups that showcased products in the most homey looking settings possible. "So," he began by grabbing her hand and threading his fingers with hers. "I want you to get a good look at things. Point out looks you might like, if you like them. The ones you absolutely don't like." He stopped at the first setting and his eyes landed on her once more. "The reason I've brought you here is simple... I want to see if you'll move in with me? We can start fresh. Find a home that we like that we can build together, and eventually decorate however we want. But only if you want this too..."

[outoftheirdifferences]

@streetslost / continued from (x) because of changing editor

"Thanks."

For all the sarcastic tone layered on the words, however, Lauren honestly found the other girl's words validating. She wasn't that interesting, aside from maybe the fact that she started fights at school when her temper got the best of her... and even then, interesting wasn't exactly the word she'd pick for that. Chronic disaster, perhaps. It wasn't like she was proud of herself, after all.

So, why...?

She still didn't have an answer.

She shrugged her well-worn green hoodie higher up her shoulders, ran a hand through her vivid hair. There had, perhaps, been a clue in something the woman had said at the time; but the whole incident was something that Lauren was honestly trying to avoid thinking of as much as she could. She didn't want to remember it in every terrifying detail--

Which also meant that she hadn't given much consideration to her new acquaintance's next line of thought.

She opened her mouth, a retort already forming on her lips... then closed it again. Reconsidered her words.

She didn't much like to think it, but... by all rights, the other was absolutely on the mark. She shouldn't even had lived through that encounter, much less got away. Of course, things had happened to complicate her attacker's plans, and Lauren had taken advantage of them. But still.

"She got distracted fighting the officer, so I ran for it. I don't know. But like you say, I'm not interesting, I'm no-one. I hoped that had let me slip into the cracks and she'd forgotten about me."

A vain hope, maybe. But really, why would someone think that she, of all people, was worth enough to chase her half-way across the world?

[radicalrascals]

@patchworkcowboy [Cont. from here]

Miguel smirked, smudging coal from his blackened fingertips over his shirt, only adding to the landscape of stains, from blood to monster ichor. "Not as often as I'd like," he muttered, eyes flicking up to meet PJ's. "Busy work schedule. You know? It helps me sort my thoughts though." The only therapy he could afford. Not that anyone would believe him if he started talking about werewolves and chubacabras and ghouls.

He leaned back against the cracked wall, the dim light casting harsh shadows across his face. "But hey, drawing you was a real treat." He laughed, a dry, bitter sound that echoed off the peeling paint. "A friendly face in my collection of monster sketches." He thumbed through his battered sketchbook, revealing nothing but former targets. From the weird to the ugly to the downright terrifying. How ironic he had added yet another monster to his collection without knowing it.

Miguel shrugged, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag, the ember flaring brightly in the gloom. "I'm glad you're here."

[novaxwalker]

Spring Punishment | K&N (backdated)

kanewhelan​:

“Now this… is the type of sweat I enjoy workin’ up.”

Stretching his neck muscles, Kane tossed the cracked paddle to the side, casually before turning in search of a new tool. He had lost count of how many he had ruined, but with the fun he was having, he couldn’t even find a reason to complain how poorly these tools were made. He held onto the sturdy handle of the new dark whip, switching it over to his other hand to get a good feel of it before settling on it. Turning back to the individual, he pulled on the whip tight before smiling, “So, where were we?”

Well shit... She knew she’d had a reason to be scared. No matter how much better Dylan had tried to make her feel, bless him, she knew it was all a big streaming load. She had already been terrorized, both mentally and physically, and in her mind there seemed to be no end. Or..maybe there was. The sadistic fuck who had been using her ass for paddle practice finally stopped, Nova’s body going limp in both pain and relief. Maybe she’d have a break now, and maybe even someone who she hadn’t pissed off would take pity on her. But, even blindfolded and earplugged-ed, she could sense the asshole hadn’t left. What were they going to do now...

@kanewhelan​

[lettherebemonsters]

She’s unsure of where the Liston knife in her hand came from. She has no recollection of being handed one at any time over the last couple of hours and most certainly never owned one for herself. But as soon as she sees the way it catches the light a feeling of satisfaction settles inside of her.

“You keep you own hands where I can see them.” She hisses, lifting it so that he can see. “I’m not in the mood for it, but I don’t mind cutting a few hands off to get my point.”

@lxdyvenxm

The knife was impressive, but the Clown was completely fearless. He wasn't scared of her, or her knife. He wasn't scared of Wesker either (even though he should be.)

A creepy smirk twitched at his painted lips, those black eyes inky and all-consuming, like two black holes.

" You got some fire in ya. That'll keep ya alive 'round here."

He was brazen enough to nudge the blade away from him with a finger, showing Alex that he wasn't just any old clown.

" That's cute. Now put it away 'fore ya hurt yourself."

It dawned on him he hadn't even offered Alex his name. He did an exaggerated bow, his coat-tails flapping behind him.

" Name's Kenneth Chase. Or as this place prefers ta know me as....I'm the Clown. Ain't the only Clown, but I'm the first.

What's yer name? Or, what did they label ya when you got here? Yer brother's called the Mastermind....."

[noetic-noesis-noein]

@babydxhl​ from this

   How strange, the ways their paths continued to cross. At this point, Arden had been thoroughly convinced that it didn’t matter which face she showed Mary, the other woman could see through anything. It was one of the surgical qualities that the hero admired; even with her adjective alter ego, she could never truly emulate. Having stuffed her black domino in the trench coat’s pocket, the zipper had been haphazardly hanging open, revealing her Daring-Do Blues. 

   “Oh, not tonight,” she hushed, taking her seat nearby. “Maybe not for a long time, maybe not forever.” Fingers rubbed her forehead, feeling the power-induced migraine coming on. Offering the same pleasant beat of a chuckle back, “I promise I wasn’t out lookin’ for you,” her voice faded for a moment, watching fingers touch piano keys, “but it’s really nice to see you. You’d been in my thoughts as of late.” A beat. “Yeah. It’s a really good movie. Don’t make ‘em like that anymore.”

[rowanxaubri]

ice ice baby | edward & rowan

@edward-watford​:

The fuck was wrong with the weather now? Edward was used to harsher temperatures, but when he woke up that morning on the island, there was absolutely nothing that got him out of this state of feeling cold : neither the shower, the layers of clothes or the sunlight had managed to warm him up. Bundled up in a cable knit sweater and a winter coat, he had approached yet another person who was dressed as tho the weather was not akin to the heights of winter. Was there something he was missing here? "Hi. So this is going to sound weird but... Don't you feel awfully cold right now?" 

.

“Cold?”  The human’s face scrunched up in confusion.  It was impossible not to recognize a fellow slave, even if they hadn’t officially met.  “If we were in the cells, maybe?”  Rowan had always attributed the cooler temperatures in the basement as a way to mess with the slaves, even when they were being left alone.  But that also could have just her.  Having spent as much time on the island as she had, it was impossible to notice the way magic seemed to be going awry.  At the very least it seemed to be island-wide, and not simply more torment for the slaves.  “I’m sorry we haven’t met yet,” she began, holding out her hand for him to shake.  “I’m Rowan, getting my Masters in Entomology, often put my foot in my mouth, and I’m constantly hungry.”  And horny, but he didn’t need to hear that.  People seemed to figure it out on their own.

[belovedblossoms-m]

As the two began their endeavors to capture any kind of prize in the game, Makoto has already been five tokens in and still hasn't gotten a good catch. She wasn't exactly the best at these kind of games, but it still couldn't hurt to try. Even when she attempted to look at every angle and corner putting her own geometry skills at work, it still wasn't enough. So it was true that these kinds of crane games would be rigged. She still wondered how one of her friends could possibly be so good at this!

Makoto decided to take a brief break and looked over to watch Teddie how he's handling it. He is quite spirited, very positive too to get what he aims for to give to his friend. As close as his captures were for the next turn, it was still amazing how very close it was! "Come on! You almost had it there!" she yelled, growing annoyed at the machine itself than the player. "Ah, sorry...I got carried away. But still, there has to be something to it with this game...even trying to nudge any one of them over with the crane would be challenging. I'd be damned if either of us leave without winning anything..."

Continued thread w/ @tvstarkuma from X.