wndrstruck

[wndrstruck]

“this city does seem to have that effect on people.” hunt hadn’t intentionally been listening in. he'd just been sitting close enough, only a chair over in the cafe. guess it shouldn’t surprise him that nesta is here, given the connection to all their worlds. “i’d ask how you’ve been but sounds like it’s been better.”

nesta archeron & hunt athalar ( @wndrstruck )

nesta sighed, closing the book she'd been trying to read. she had too much on her mind to actually focus on the words. cassian didnt know who she was and now elain didn't either. "I'm beginning to wish I was back home right about now," she muttered.

[wndrstruck]

questions like these are part of what makes it obvious he’s in grey london, a world where magic has been forgotten. although here, in d.c. he’s learned magic is far from lost but instead memories. he nods. “yes. it exists all around.” suppose he might sound crazy to those more mundane. “it shows. it’s a lovely shop. perhaps you could spare a rose?”

"like real magic?" she questioned with a head tilt. but that wasn't real! that was only in the stories aerith would read with glee. "i will. but you have helped so much as it is. thank you!" she would be forever grateful for the help. it was more than she ever could have done. "i am! i guess you could say flowers are my passion."

[wndrstruck]

ithan & perry / @rcvcrics

his hand hovers over the door. he'd never hesitated before. bouncing over to perry's apartment for movie night or just hanging out between studies. except, now, she doesn't remember him. he retreated in on himself, much like when he lost his brother and danika. a few days alone from the world because his chest hurt with the weight of losing his best friend. and even if he knows death could snap memories back, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do that. so here he is to re-friend perry. just another part of life that doesn't exactly come with a how-to-manual. taking a deep breath, ithan knocks lightly on the door.

[wndrstruck]

“damn, isn’t that a mouthful of a name. that’s gotta suck when you have to fill out government documents,” she teases, cause apparently she’s doing that now. they blame the liquor. jude’s in no way a lightweight, but it does loosen up conversation more. especially one so ridiculous as a man claiming to be their husband. “pretty sure i’d remember marrying someone so…” she waves one hand up and down at cardan. “…eccentric.” she sips the wine and can already tell it’s more expensive than anything she usually buys. “you can’t just go around saying shit like that. it'll be awkward to explain to my partner.” a lie, if they've ever told one. jude's longest committed relationship has always been to their work.

"you'd be surprised how difficult you are to poison." really, he doesn't think he could slip her anything they didn't already have an immunity to, with how much she'd tried to keep herself useful for his idiot brother. the only other person in elfhame who'd realized how intelligent and deadly she was, and he'd still fumbled it somehow. he drains his own glass, immediately gesturing for another one before having this conversation with his wife. "no, i'm still claiming you're my wife. i'm just not repeating myself over and over. i know how stubborn you are. and that is my name. cardan greenbriar, high king of elfhame, husband to high queen jude duarte."

[wndrstruck]

“me either,” she agrees, but leaves it at that. the stranger doesn’t need to know about the jail cells. she lets out a warm chuckle. “don’t worry, those geese don’t like many people. if you’re stubborn enough, they stick around.” point being lenore dove tracking them down. she glances again at the young man. he’s like a word caught on the tip of her tongue. she just can’t quite figure out what’s so familiar about him. a squack breaks her puzzling. “ah! there they are.” lenore dove wastes no time sprinkling some of the bread crumbs for the birds, as a soft tune slips from her lips. not a specific song, more like a melody she heard in a dream once. “surprised you followed me all the way to find them. don’t know if that says more about me or you.”

"wouldn't be the worst place i've slept," he'd taken to sleeping at the dining room table at home or on the floor, occasionally even the meadow or his own front garden would be his place of exhaustion when it came down to it. a park bench was nothing in comparison. "geese aren't fond of me," even the ones he'd raised had barely tolerated him, though he'd loved them just the same. her name only confirms his worst nightmares and he finds himself itching for a drink, for something to ease this into something more manageable for him to deal with. lenore dove doesn't need to see him like this ever and he's not entirely certain he wants to see her like this either. "pretty."

[wndrstruck]

charlie & nick / @hiddendarkrosesx

charlie rubs lightly at his arm. he’d gotten to the meeting spot early, maybe a tad too early, because his mind starts to wonder if the date is a stupid idea. it’s all a bit too surreal for charlie, getting a second date with the boy he likes. it hasn’t exactly worked out well with his past relationship, if you could even call it that. any negativity washes away, the moment he spots nick. “hi.” he can’t help his smile. “you’re here.”

[wndrstruck]

aaric’s nose mirrors in a crinkle as the smell permeates the kitchen. at least he spared his roommate a sour stomach. “can quiz you later if you need it?” aaric taps a finger on the counter before shrugging. “not much. looking for some part-time work. for when the inheritance gets cut off,” he says it more as a joke, but in reality he knows he’ll need a better way of sustaining himself.

"huh?" sloane is half to opening it when she realizes, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the scent that hits it. quickly walking to the sink, she dumped the milk, running as much water as she could to try and get the smell and sight of it away. " constitutional law, can't wait to bang my head on my book. what're your plans?"

[wndrstruck]

a smile breaks out and he sets the glass down quickly. ithan pulls danika into a long overdue hug. a sigh of relief slipping out because now he doesn’t have to hide all the wolf stuff again. “i’m so glad you’re back. or well, that you remember everything.” he lets them go to plop back down on the couch. “i think people were more bummed than bored. semi-losing you again y’know?” he’d have to unpack whatever that does to his psyche later. “for urds sake, are we all doomed to just never have memories together?” he doesn’t know if he’s lucky or not to be one of the few who’s been left unaffected. don’t they call truth a burden or something. “oh fuck, wait. hunt’s aware and so are you. we could get you a cure now.”

"people love you in spite of them, kid. your scars don't define you, they just happen to be a part of you, you can't let it change how you view yourself too." though, there is a moment that she watches his hands, something.. off about the way he's holding his glass, but she's so sure it's just a trick of the light. her focus is brought back to his words as he puts the pieces together, all thoughts of the cup abandoned as she grinned at the younger holstrom. "surprise, figured you all were bored without me around."

[wndrstruck]

charlie shrugs. “what look?” he’s definitely giving his dad a look. “this is the first woman i hear about … like ever and that’s all you’re going to give me?” his brows furrow at the choice of words. “what do you mean stuck? well, for whatever it’s worth … once she gets to know you, i’m sure she’ll really like you, dad.”

"good, i doubt anyone your age would pull a prank like that. maybe in high school, but now?" it seems far too juvenile for kids in college, shaking his head in amusement at his son's immediate attempts at getting answers after judging him for being nosey, odysseus grins. "i've only met her once, don't give me that look. she's just... kind of stuck with me."

[wndrstruck]

“i guess it’s good way to make sure you’re not a freak,” she jokes, “it could be an end to a friendship.” not that they’d ever put the weight of a friend on pizza toppings. “yeah, i’m good with black olives. or green peppers. safe to say we might be able to split a pizza after all.”

"it's always a good time to talk about pizza toppings," charlie insists as they scroll through the options before them. "pepperoni, check," they agree as they add it to their virtual pizza. "black olives? please tell me you like those and aren't a comlete weirdo."

[wndrstruck]

“Oh, I had no idea I was in good company of a prince. Here I am being far too casual than you must be used to.” He’d only grown more casual thanks to his time here. Back in his realm, he’d have bowed at the sight of their royalty. “Ah, you too? I was also without memories of my life for a while. Thought I had a whole life here. I guess I still sort of do. It’s conflicting at times.” Brennan thanks the bartender for the glasses of wine. He hands a glass to Fili. “Actually, yeah, the Renaissance spell was somewhat similar to where I’m from. It’s a kingdom called Navarre. Unfortunately, we were at war ... I was a dragon rider, as crazy as it might sound.” The memories, although fresh, seem also distant to the false life he’d been living in D.C.

"It doesn't need to mean anything. It's from my culture and isn't common here. I'm, or I was a Prince back home. Even the royalty does it as a sign of respect." He explains before attempting to shrug it off. Fili knew that was no longer his life and in a way, he was happy to be a blacksmith instead of a Prince. "I've never tried wine before, I'll join you in a glass." The man responds with a nod and light smile. "I would like for you to join." Fili joins the other in the small talk until Brennan addresses it. "Now I do. I was unaware of who I really was for a while and that, I have regrets about it. I am from a place called Middle Earth. It is, very different from here. Although the Renaissance spell came close to it...How about you?"

[wndrstruck]

kell can breathe a bit easier after escaping the ball. too many people spewing nonsense, running around, seemed like the time to exit and head toward the park. he settles on an open bench, which are in plethora at this hour. suppose he looks a bit questionable in his ball attire sitting on dimly lit park bench. they turn at the sound of footsteps, as quiet as they might be. “wasn’t sure if you’d come.” true to his lila from before. she was a spontaneous one, debatably landing them in dangerous situations. he nods to the space next to him. “care to sit? i can show you how the box opens if you’re curious.”

lila doesn't initially say anything , because doing so would mean admitting that she even has the box , but she raises a brow at the offer. the other's assumption regarding her inability to get the box open is a correct one , but she wonders why they would be willing to share that information. it's a trap , most likely , but they'd be lying if they said that they weren't intrigued. so after a moment , she decides that she'll meet him. she'll have to swing by home to grab the damned thing , but it shouldn't take her too long. " okay , " they agree. " tonight then. at the park nearby. but this better not be you trying to pull anything. "

[wndrstruck]

lenore dove & maysilee / @forgottenelegies

lenore dove brushes some soil from her skirt. probably not the best attire for the garden, but well enough to move around in. the community garden lets her give back in a small way. she sleeps better knowing she can help out. she catches curious eyes on the other side of the planter. “hey,” she calls out with a welcoming grin. “want to help?”

[wndrstruck]

he holds back an eye roll. really, he’s not surprised at bryce’s reaction which is almost a mirror to danika’s. “i was known for being an assassin. sorry for wanting it to be quick and painless for them.” he guides them both to a comfier spot in their apartment to unwind. “next time, i’ll use helfire. not that any of us want a next time.” he presses a light kiss to her temple. as crazy as plotting a cool death sounds, he loves the woman to no ends.

"i'm not upset you killed her, but you were so lame about it!" bryce takes a long sip from the glass as she continues lining up complaints, simply because she knows it'll drive hunt absolutely up the wall when she starts firing them off. "you're like... known for being an assassin and you snap her neck? boring as hel, hunt."

[wndrstruck]

once again, jude starts to question her own sanity. why is she even thinking of talking to him again? he had a fucking tail. although that could've been the adrenaline making her see things. their eyes never leaves the glass from the time it’s poured to the time it takes to step to his side of the bar. “if you poisoned this, i’ll end you.” she accepts the drink with a venomous smile. as an agent, she probably shouldn’t be openly threatening strangers, but something about him sets them on edge. she takes a small sip and sets it down on the counter. “so what’s your deal? none of that marriage bullshit this time. is your name actually cardan?”

fuck, she's gorgeous, even when she's staring him down like he's a madman. no wonder he'd been entirely incapable of resisting his attraction to her, before they'd made things official. "when you're not around to keep me in check? absolutely." and he's sure that a jude with all her wits about her would agree wholeheartedly with that statement. "gladly." gesturing for the bartender to pour him another glass of wine, he hands it over to jude, raising it in their direction with a smirk.

[wndrstruck]

“would it make me an ass if i let you pay?” they shoot their roommate a smirk. and maybe if aellyn wasn't her friend she'd have agreed. “okay, no, i won’t. you’ve had a rough day. i’ll send you half.” jude sinks down on the couch next to aellyn. “what should we get? my vote is pizza or sushi. or both, i will not judge.”

the glass of water was much needed. leave it for her roommate to know exactly what was needed. "thanks." quickly aellyn took the glass in to her hands. the cold feeling of the ice cold water against her skin was actually calming somehow. "oh it's absolutely a take out kind of night. screw any kind of cooking. it's my treat---i got a bit of overtime money this week anyways."

[wndrstruck]

“most people would probably run off with it. jail break it and all.” she offered a small smile. although, not fake, it's a bit stiff from her usual persona. there’s a small pause, just enough awkward air because jude isn’t the best socializer outside of work. “i’m also headed that way. mind if i walk with you?”

"yeah of course, i would be so stressed if i had to start over with a whole new phone, so i'm glad i could get it back to you." it was a relief to see that she had found the right person, marking it down as her good deed for the day. "oh, no not at all. i was just going to head home, so it really wasn't like bringing this back is out of my way."