“i’m sure they are fine.” if she’s with taylan then kennedy feels a little better about selin's safety. what were brothers for if not to have some muscle when needed? or to provide a place to crash when the town decides to mandate a curfew all of a sudden? their smile only widens when santiago offers his laptop. "really? yeah, where is it?" it would be a good idea for them to check it out sooner rather than later. to this day, kennedy can’t fathom why he would leave his nursing job to work at a dingy little motel. it felt like such a waste and it was no secret that their parents felt the same way… but they don’t need to remind santiago of that—not tonight, at least. “maybe we should collab sometime. you hand me the fresh gossip and i see if there’s any story to be gained. did you have to sign an nda or anything like that? like, would you be allowed to tell me if someone was having an affair or something?” probably it wouldn't be newsworthy unless it was the mayor or the sheriff but still— “are you happier there?” kennedy can’t help but ask, perhaps against their better judgment.
santiago's question about how they’re doing at the register reminds kennedy of the interaction they had with ricardo earlier that evening. their expression shifts into something more sour. “my boss is about as narcissistic as it gets, which is… interesting, i suppose.” that’s one way to put it. you'd think they'd be used to dealing with them by now. "aside from that, it’s not bad. a little boring, honestly. tonight is probably the most newsworthy thing to happen in... well, 25 years." are they a monster for thinking that? maybe. "the parties in new york are obviously better. you would know if you visited me some time."
⁑ ❝ man versus chair, more like it. ❞ santi huffs, recalling the impossibly fast play - through of events. in all honestly, he may have acted with instinct over intellect, trying to pry the two apart and getting knocked back instead. ❝ don't even really know how that happened— one minute i'm chasin' after taylan & selin, the next i'm knocked flat on my ass. i'm sure she got home safe but it was so— . . . ❞ he puffs air into his cheeks, frustrated he slipped up on his one goal of seeing her get home safe. he tells himself he'll call first thing in the morning. at least kennedy doesn't push back on his offer to stay over; that's one less person he has to worry about falling into the hands of a knife - wielding boogeyman. even if they've never gotten along well, she's still his sister in all the ways that matter.
at the mention of her deadline, he feels a familiar twist of envy in his stomach — his step - sister, the best selling author, their parents are probably so proud. he tries not to dwell tonight. ❝ do you need a laptop ? i've barely touched mine since i graduated but– it probably still works. ❞ ( she might need to leave it plugged in, but still. ) there's the mention of his own work— the clerical position that he finally secured after leaving nursing. extremely dull in comparison. ❝ it's okay. i get to see what all the people in red creek are sneakin' to the motel for, which is fun. no shift tomorrow 'cos i covered the day shift today. ❞ he shrugs it off. ❝ how's workin' in red creek after leaving new york ? y'know . . . repeat of the boogeyman aside. ❞
it had been years since kennedy last stepped foot in the thorne house. nostalgic and new all at once, pictures tucked inside smashed frames, their spot on the wall replaced by old graffiti. murderer. burn in hell. boogeyman. so and so was here. the house had been around too long, access made all too easy for the town’s angsty youths and wannabe detectives. the chances of kennedy finding anything of note were practically slim to none but unfortunately for them, this was the only lead they had. the past thirty minutes had been spent digging through the drawers of a beat-up dresser, only to come up empty. “really fucking did a number on this place ” they mumble under their breath. the house creaks in response as if to share their sentiment. on to the next room, kennedy was beginning to feel ill-prepared for this endeavor, having only brought a flashlight and their phone, which they had been using to record from the moment they entered the house. handy for snapping photos and collecting thoughts. “check county records to see if jacob thorne owned any property other than — fuck!.”
the assault of yellow light landing directly in their line of vision makes kennedy stumble back a bit, a hand instinctively rising to shield their face. they hear him before they can see him and while it only takes them a second it takes them to adjust to the added source of light, it’s a second too long. his words cause kennedy’s face to pinch further, confusion lingering for a second before recognition hits. a killer who deflects—of course he would. it’s a bluff, and kennedy is quick to clock it, straightening their posture while ( bravely ) clinging to the wall. a small laugh escapes them, humor masking the adrenaline still pumping in her veins. “from cold case enthusiast to hot-blooded killer—how does that sound for a headline?” ever so critical of their own work, kennedy mentally answers their own question with ‘you can do better’. still, not a bad start. “did you come here to feel inspired, kieran?” they ask, their own flashlight trained directly on his person, steady despite their shivering breath. it makes his height look that much more imposing, serving as a reminder that the chances of him being stronger and faster than her are uncomfortably high. they want to look around, to find an exit that wouldn’t require them to just run out the front door or jump out of the second-story window but they refuse to let their guard down… just in case. the room is perfectly still as the two stand off. "you always did have a fascination for the macabre, didn't you?"
… he had been here a thousand times before, a place for solace and rumination, for youthful rendezvous and misdeeds. here, he smoked his first cigarette with taylan and thought of himself as some kind of anarchist for tarring his lungs. here, he tried to speak with the ghost of jacob thorne, trying to understand him with every mark of growth on the door frame, every old photo abandoned, and every tall tale unburied. it was a place filled with ghosts, though nothing could harm him here. but with alaina price disemboweled, her organs bagged and sewn back in, thorne house now felt like an ancient beast disturbed ⸻ spreading its teeth and devouring him, gnawing on his autonomous nervous system until all his synapses could relay would be pastpresentpastpresent. it must all be connected somehow, and kieran couldn't think of another place the boogeyman could have gone after slipping away from his sight. so he searched and searched and searched for some trace, the beam of his flashlight cutting through the dust-cloaked darkness of sybil thorne's room. the house felt more alive than ever, but kieran did not flinch when he heard the creaking floorboards the first time, only natural for old houses like this to breathe every now and then. but then he heard it again, closer this time, his body tensing as he was reminded that the ghost he chased was more flesh than memory. and at the indication of the third time, the beginning of a drawn-out groan of wood shifting under pressure behind him, kieran immediately pivoted ⸻ flashlight slicing through the darkness, illuminating another trespasser. he expected a knife, he expected a mask, but the absence did not necessarily mean innocence either. “ huh ... ” he began, heart slowing into a more deliberate rhythm, probably should known that he wouldn't be the only trying to find answers here. “ i didn't expect the boogeyman to be just some journalist trying to create her own headlines. ” he deadpanned, a half-joke, a half-accusation, head canted to watch kennedy with wary fascination. @brntout
❝𝙸𝙵 𝙸𝙼 𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂, 𝙸 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 𝚂𝙰𝚅𝙴 𝙰 𝙼𝙰𝙽'𝚂 𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙴. 𝙳𝙾 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙴 𝙰𝙽𝚈 𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙰 𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚆𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 𝙳𝙾 𝚃𝙾 𝙼𝚈 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚂𝙰𝙻𝙴𝚂?❞
// ( destiny ryan . non-binary. she/they ) . ⸻ KENNEDY STUART , a twenty eight year old, has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for eighteen years and has been back a couple of months . THE PRODIGY is known for being ambitious and calculative and is often associated with murmured self-affirmations, a creeping curiosity, doing whatever it takes to exceed expectations, picture perfect smiles, pristine trophies on full display . in a small town where they work as a journalist at the register and an author, word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that [ REDACTED ]
𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝚂 | 𝙼𝚄𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂 | 𝙼𝙸𝚁𝚁𝙾𝚁 | 𝙴𝙳𝙸𝚃𝚂 | 𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙻𝙸𝚂𝚃 | 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚃
Ⅰ . . . 𝙱𝙰𝚂𝙸𝙲𝚂
full name : kennedy noelle stuart nicknames : ken, kenny age : 28 birthday : may 20 gender : non-binary ( she / they ) sexual orientation : bisexual occupation : investigative journalist, recently turned author fc : ryan destiny
Ⅱ . . . 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈
mother : suzanne stuart herrera father : marcus stuart stepfather : jonathan ‘jon' herrera. step sibling : santiago herrera
Ⅲ . . . 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 tw: mention of murder & religion
∗ kennedy was marcus and suzanne's last-ditch effort to stabilize the marriage between a narcissist and a small town primadonna. the attempt lasted for a few years on and off which resulted kennedy having to spend their early years alternating between two homes ∗ kennedy was the spitting image of the both of them and the two were painfully aware of it, pushing the young kid to be the best version of themselves... they just had different definitions of what that was. ∗ for marcus, it was a sharp mind. days with him usually consisted of activities that involved intellectual improvement - playing chess, reading books, watching documentaries. as for suzanne, she preferred more physical charms - sports & beauty pageants mostly. ∗ the combination resulted in a kid who's learned quickly that they earn most praise when they are not only good at something... but better than expected. a mindset eventually turned to a desire at being the best in whatever they set out to be. ∗ in 2006 suzanne started seeing a local man named jon hererra and before kennedy had a chance to process their mother's new relationship, they were asked to pack their bags to move in with this stranger and his son, santiago herrera. ∗ while kennedy's father was still in their life, it was apparent that he had decided to take a step back ( no doubt betrayed by how quickly his former wife moved on ) and began only taking kennedy on the weekends. ∗ life with the herrera's was different. suzanne had taken to bragging about her child's achievements. an energy that their stepfather quickly matched . he became invested in advancing kennedy's talents, perhaps hoping that their excellence would rub on on his son. ∗ unfortunately, kennedy had a hard time relating to santiago. perhaps it was the age difference or the resentment in their parent's union. whatever the reason, it made building a healthy relationship difficult. ∗ kennedy tended to focus on their academic pursuits instead. editor of the newspaper, head of the speech and debate team, goalie of the girl's soccer team... they had their hands full! eventually they graduate with honors and got accepted at NYU on a full ride to become an investigative journalist. ∗ after college, they booked a job at the new york times amd became a travelling journalist, moving from country to country to write pieces about whatever was relevant. ∗ during their travels they came across an interesting case that was ongoing in italy. there was a unexpected string of murders happening in a small countryside town and with the help of the local police department, it was determined that the local catholic priest was poisoning the offerings during their mass and would either pretend to heal them with the power of God or let them die. ∗ the article kennedy wrote didnt garner much attention but they were so invested in the story they decided to write a book about it named 'death at the altar' and lo and behold - it became a best seller! ∗ it was such a hit that kennedy had to take a break from their journalistic endeavors to go on a book tour. as exciting as it was, kennedy found it awfully tiresome. ∗ after some thought and some nudging from their mother & step-father, kennedy decided to take a break from it all and move back home. they took up a job at the local newspaper because they figured it would be easy. some fluff pieces here and there while they focus on their next big hit. it's red creek, michigan after all. nothing ever happens here.
𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈 : a smart kid who watched their parents divorce and was forced to join another family along with her outrageous mother. left town as soon as she could but recently decided to move back home after writing a best selling true crime novel named 'death at the altar'.
Ⅳ . . . 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙽𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 - all connections are open to any gender unless specified otherwise.
wc pinterest | wc tag
Ⅴ . . . 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚈
+clever +analytical +curious -unsympathetic -stubborn -judgmental mbti : ESFJ natal chart : capricorn, ⊙ taurus, ☾ cancer inspired by : gale weathers ( scream ), nancy wheeler ( stranger things ), monica geller ( friends )
RYAN DESTINY via tiktok
it will come back, hozier / you first, paramore
"eh, you're not missing about much. beer's just... you know, cheap." it fit his nature of taking things slow. shots were too quick, too reckless, and much harder to nurse on those nights when he simply didn't want to be alone. but quinn's offer was kind and as a man who could use a little more of it himself, it was only natural for him to agree. he taps her shot glass with his, then downs the shot. the burn is strangely soothing. it gives him something to focus on. "oh! yes, that's me." any reminder that vikram is not invisible to others makes him nervous. "yeah, i think I've seen you around too. i usually work with the mortuary so i don't really um, get to meet other people. what do you do there?" she seems a little young to be a doctor.
the brunette let out a laugh, “ unfortunately , i'm gluten free … so beer and me don't usually get along . ” she responded , sending the taller male a friendly grin . quinn had recognized vikram from the hospital , but it was usually during a moment where she was quite busy and stressed . quinn wasn't super outgoing , but she wasn't super introverted - she was somewhere in the middle . if she didn't know someone , she didn't always say hi , but when alcohol was involved … her extroverted side had an edge . “ yeah ! i'm quinn . ” she responded , holding up the shot glass and cheersing . “ vikram , right ? i've seen you a few times at the hospital , i believe . ”
"overall, i think i might be more of a beer guy." vikram admits with a small smile, taking one of the glasses into his hand. "not the type to say no to a free drink, though." especially when its paired with such an amicable smile. "thank you, that's very nice of you. quinn, right?" he's seen her around the hospital during his visits to the mortuary. "do you, uh, want to do a cheer?"
the crowd at the bar was becoming a problem as quinn was hoping the person beside her was actually able to hear her words clearly . quinn's eyes shifted up towards the much taller male in front of her . " it's tequila . " she states , offering a friendly smile . " i know not everyone is a tequila drinker , so i'm hoping you're more of a tequila guy instead of vodka . " she responds .
"already? i'm not done smelling the candles." he's been at it for fifteen minutes now, moving from one jar to the next like he was shopping for a new scent at a home goods store, not browsing the shelves of a psychic shop. "you know," he says, "i used to see this girl a couple years ago that was seriously obsessed with this shit? had a rock collection and everything. kept saying she was going to curse me if she ever found me cheating." clearly in no rush to leave, he looks up from the displayed candles to flash nadia a grin, amused by her accusation. "you're still here aren't you?" there it was again, that playful challenge in his voice, the same air of flirtation he always slipped in, whether or not she acknowledged it. "locking me up isn't the only way to have fun with me, nadia." his grin lingers. always hinting, always offering. he has yet to make a move to leave. instead, he resumes the task of sniff testing every candle the sisters of the moon has to offer "hurry up and close up then. i'll give you a ride home." his tone gives little room to argue but he'd never turn down an opportunity to. "unless you have plans after this?"
○ NOW DELIVERING TO . . . ⏤ @brntout !
" we're closing up . " nadia announces to salvador , looking him up and down as she flips the sign on the door . if anyone should know sisters ' moon hours , it'd be HIM . nadia rests a hand on her hip , jutting it out as she turns to face him properly . " and there's nobody here left for you to hit on , which i know is the real reason you're here . " her voice is drier than ever . she knows salvador , because he is everywhere , all the time . with a smile , a glint in his eye . HE'S A FLIRT and not even a good one . the amount of times nadia rolls her eyes while hearing him try his way with hana could make her eyes permanently stick . " chop , chop , salvador . locking you inside here does sound fun but i need this job , and something tells me holding you hostage inside would get me fired . "
soon as she unblocks me the wedding is back on
𝐢 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝐢 𝐀𝐌 !
138 posts