"okay, we can talk about it tomorrow." she said quietly while quickly wiping the tears from her eyes. salem watched leon as he walked out of the living room before shutting the light off. her mind was racing for what felt like hours. she couldn't sleep and for some weird reason, maybe out of habit, found herself knocking on the bedroom door. "can i come lay with you?" she asked after peaking her head in the door. leon was half asleep and told her to come in. salem crawled into bed with him and cuddled up against him. it was comforting to be this close to him again and all she wanted was for things to go back to normal. "im so sorry for how much i've hurt you." she wasn't sure if he was awake or not but she needed to get it off her chest. "i don't want things to end and how much i love you actually terrifies me. but i don't know how to be the person you deserve..." she turned to him and realized he was sound asleep. salem ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead gently. she turned back around to cuddle against him before eventually falling asleep.
when morning rolled around salem was woken up by the sunlight peaking through the curtains. she looked around the room and then over to leon who was still sleeping. her hangover was raging and the thought of the inevitable talk they were supposed to have made her stomach turn. she got up out of bed and quietly tiptoed out of the bedroom slowly closing the door. leaving this way probably wasn't the best decision but she felt like there wasn't much left for her to say anyways and she truly was tired of hurting him and that's what the end result would be anyways. so she grabbed her shoes and her bag and left the apartment.
this is too much. he hates seeing her so heartbroken. absolutely destroys him. but at the end of the day, he really can't be just a punching bag. he has a lot to think about. "i can't do this right now," he looks down at her with tears bubbling in his eyes. the fact that she can't promise not to break his heart again, it kills him. and he wants to trust her. they both bring so much baggage into this relationship. but he sees himself in her, and it really feels like she's the only one who understands him. the only one for him. she's his soulmate. "i'm going to bed," the man says. he presses one hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her in somehow. "the bathroom's that way and the kitchen's stocked. we'll continue this tomorrow, okay?" it fucking hurts to pull his hand away, and it hurts even more to leave her in the living room as he goes to the master bedroom. he just wants to hold her, fuck her, make her feel good and trust her to not fuck him up again. is that really possible? leon takes off his shirt and climbs into bed with just sweatpants. he scrolls through his phone for a few minutes, but he can't concentrate on anything. so, he switches off the light of the lamp on his nightstand and tries to sleep.
PROMPTS I’D LIKE TO RECEIVE, PART 1.
⤿ headcanon memes; comfort character edition! tw: death, family, religion.
send in a symbol and i’ll answer the corresponding question about my muse!
[ 🧱 ] how would you describe your muses’ morality? what are their core values?
[ 🌎 ] are there any aus you have for your muse? what are they like, and how is your muse different in them?
[ 😱 ] does your muse have any specific fears? where did those fears come from?
[ 🤝 ] how does your muse approach intimacy? are they hesitant, or do they like it? what types of intimacy do they like and dislike? (ex. physical intimacy, sexual intimacy, emotional intimacy, etc.)
[ 👪 ] what is your muse’s relationship with their parents like? was it always this way?
[ 💍 ] does your muse have a “type” of people that they prefer to enter relationships with? is their type generally compatible with them, or does the dynamic tend to be toxic?
[ 🏆 ] is your muse multitalented? what are their hobbies, and why did they pick up these hobbies? if they don’t have hobbies, why don’t they?
[ 🐱 ] does your muse have pets? did they have pets as a child? how do they feel about animals?
[ ❌ ] is there something your muse struggles with that they might never overcome? what is it? why do they have so much trouble with it?
[ ✨ ] what aesthetics or symbols do you reference when writing your muse? are these backed up by canon, if your muse comes from a canon? is there any specific relevance to these choices?
[ 🌱 ] what themes are relevant to your muse?
[ 💀 ] has your muse gone through anything traumatic? if so, how has this trauma affected them?
[ 💛 ] how empathetic is your muse? how compassionate are they? is this something people expect from them, or are people surprised when they find out how compassionate or empathetic they actually are?
[ 👗 ] what is your muse’s fashion sense like? are they able to dress the way they want to? what would they wear in an ideal world?
[ 🔮 ] what is your muse’s relationship with religion and spirituality? were they raised in a certain religion? have they stuck with the same set of spiritual beliefs all their life, or have they changed over time? are they settled in their spirituality now?
[ 🤷♀️ ] how does your muse approach strangers? how does this compare to how they interact with close friends or lovers?
[ 🎵 ] is there a specific song or songs you associate with your muse? why is that?
[ 💸 ] if your muse had no shortage of money, what would they buy?
[ 🐺 ] does your muse like solitude? do they prefer it to being around others? how easily does your muse get lonely?
[ ⚰️ ] what are your muse’s greatest regrets? what would flash before their eyes when they’re on their deathbed?
[ 🧸 ] does your muse keep anything sentimental? if so, what do they keep and why?
[ 🙏 ] what does your muse need? this can be something material or something abstract.
[ 📚 ] what books does your muse have on their bookshelf? what books would they like to have? if your muse isn’t an avid reader, is there anything they collect or might like to collect?
[ 😍 ] does your muse believe in true love? why or why not?
[ 😇 ] what would your muse do if they became a god?
"listen i know i tend to drink a lot but i do remember the important things." she said sarcastically. as she grabbed a fork from leon she shook her head, "no, i was waiting to be with you when i tried it. that way if it was gross i could give you hell for hyping it up so much." she teased while plating the food for the both of them. it felt like how things used to be back home with leon. she loved going out and traveling but most of her favorite nights were spent at their apartment with him and stevie. the thought of how things used to be made her a bit sad at how badly she'd messed it all up. "we should eat on the balcony. it's not too hot out tonight and i've been dying to see the view in person."
the nickname doesn't go unnoticed and a wave of nostalgia hits him. it's been a while since he's heard the word blondie. flashing images of their life back in new york speed through his head. the late-night conversations, drinks in bars, fucking in the car, her beautiful face when she's just woken up. "i did, didn't i?" he chuckles softly as he opens the container and the smell of pastel de choclo invades the kitchen. "i'm guessing you haven't tried it then." the man grabs two plates and silverware from the cupboard on the wall in front of them. maybe he's stalling. he doesn't want to have the inevitable conversation. it's looming upon them, like an elephant in the room. but for fuck's sake, leon doesn't want to burst this bubble.
salem cleared some space on the table for him and shook her head. "you weren't interrupting at all! i'm never going to say no to having someone keep me company." she replied with a reassuring smile. "a true artist? that's new....i've never gotten that before but i'll take it." she let out a small chuckle. her definition of a true artist was someone like her personal hero stevie nicks. "not so much a masterpiece, more so a recording schedule and a lot of boring details i have to jot down for this album. i did start writing a song earlier though so i guess we can call that little bit a masterpiece." salem closed the journal to focus on the other. she'd seen taj around before and knew of him but never really had the chance to actually interact with him. "i'm salem by the way. but besides the smoothie what have you been up to so far today? "
taj had hardly left the house in general anyway. between training for his fights as if he was about to be the next coming of rocky by getting up at 2AM and jogging to crashing around 12PM midday for only 1hour close to 2, taj didn't have the most steady of sleep schedules. it was a big part of why he didn't have many friends since moving three years ago. he made the best of his off days, when he knew he didn't have any fights scheduled and tore away from his two bedroom apartment in spite of temptation. he had ended up wondering about almost like a little puppy in search of adventure and found himself at casablnca blooms and coffee. he was actually trying not to be too obvious glancing towards the beauty in the corner just scribbling away in her notepad. he was so bad at approaching people that if she hadn't suggested for him to join her, he probably would've missed the opportunity. taj was a lot of things, shy was around the 20th of them. he got up trying to remain casual and seem not to eager that someone had noticed him instead of blending in with the dozens of faces. the smoothie in his right hand, he slid into the booth across from her. "I didn't want to interrupt a true artist at her work," he smiled nodding at her journal. "creating a masterpiece in there?"
salem let out a small chuckle and shook her head. "i promise it's okay, don't apologize. if i could i'd find a way to bring the band to you." luna's disappointment was valid despite whatever salem had going on. she shrugged a bit at the question. things were weird at the moment between her and leon and it was particularly hard to put into words why. "honestly? things are kinda just...up in the air at the moment i guess?" ( if that's what you would refer to hookups and constant bickering with your ex as anyways ) despite being the one that ended things in a moment of distress she deeply regretted it but had the feeling she'd done enough damage in the relationship. "you'd have to make a salem voodoo doll if that's the case. i'm sad to admit that i'm the fuck up in this relationship and this is now the second time that i left him because i'm just allergic to stability apparently."
at the mention of the way salem's life was progressing, luna felt immediate guilt for her pouting. luna had only been separated from drew for a few months and the entire world felt like it was coming to end; and they hadn't even been together that long before the break up. leon had told luna was that he was going to propose. that kind of unimaginable love had to come with some unimaginable pain, and there they were moping about a band. " i don't need it more than you, i'm sorry. " luna conceded, pushing salem's hand that held the necklace into salem's chest. " i'm just more dramatic than you. " luna was probably more dramatic than the entire valparaíso region, but they didn't want to think about that. " how are you holding up ? all things considered. do you wanna talk about it ? i have some voodoo dolls i can die the hair a blonde color and you can really let your anger out. it really works. " luna knew from experience.
salem, what's your dream date?
“why? do you know someone who wants to take me on one?”
"listen, i can respect the culture but not necessarily want to partake in it okay?" salem responded with a chuckle. "plus i don't care what science says, no amount of alcohol can kill the fact that literal feet were in there." despite the gross display in front of her salem gave birdie a nod in agreement to more wine. maybe it was her buzz or just the fact that she was in birdies company but salem didn't think she'd be enjoying herself this much at a winery. "as long as it's not any of that dry and bitter stuff we tried earlier. merlot was it? way too mature for me, i want something a little more on the sweet side."
" it's grape-treading, salem. it's culture. " birdie says it in a very over-dramatic, matter-of-fact tone, clicking their tongue, " and i don't think any icky foot bacteria can survive during the wine-making process. with all the alcohol and stuff. and they use wine presses now, duh. " a pause, eyes watching the people in front of them stomp away at the grapes in a large barrel. is that a barrel ? trough, maybe ? " that being said, that looks like a textural nightmare, so we're not doing it. more wine, maybe ? " of the not-food variety.
"wait...you're serious?" salem whispered before looking around for a moment; there weren't any other people in sight so they technically could get away with it. would it be bad karma though? "i love the universe and it's creatures but a tarantula is completely out of the question." the suggestion quickly snapping her out of her deep thought. she chuckled as she watched drew struggle with the poor animal. "here, give it to me-" reaching for the cat she smiled while placing gentle pats along it's fur. "i see you didn't learn anything the whole month stevie was with luna. speaking of which, you think they'll be mad about us stealing it? what if we get caught and she has to bail us out of jail?" the potential consequences raced through her mind.
drew scoops up the cat with great effort, grimacing as the creature struggles and squirms within his awkward grasp. "open your bag," he instructs anyway. pets who couldn't be confined to a tank or a cage, shed often, made noise, emitted an odor, or all of the above were strictly forbidden by his mother, so he has little experience with wrangling common household animals. "excuse me," drew inevitably huffs as the cat continues fidgeting. "okay, are you sure that you don't want a tarantula instead ? i can recommended a few different species that are great to start out with," he offers, glancing anxiously at salem as the animal continues to wiggle around in his hands.
it was the perfect night to be at club divine. between the place being packed out and the guest dj this had been one of the best nights in a while. salem met up with a couple of people at the club in vip and did some mingling amongst the busy crowd once she got bored of that. moving her way through the dance floor to the bar was a mission in itself, one too many drinks starting to get the best of her. a sigh of relief fell from her lips when she finally made it through. as salem waited patiently for the bartender to get to her the stranger a couple feet away caught her attention. "rum and coke please?" she said loudly over the blaring music while moving closer to the other. god knows she didn't need another drink but she was determined to let loose tonight. the face wasn't a familiar one and salem wondered if he was new to the area. it was a hard for her to believe she'd been here as long as she had been. "pretty good actually, i met up with a bunch of people here and they ended up meeting with other people so i guess you can say they kinda ditched me in a sense. or maybe i ditched them." she paused for a moment upon realizing she was rambling to a complete stranger. "but what about yours? are you here alone?"
Starter: Open [4 cap] @valpostart Location: Club Divine
The entire plan of moving him early to Chile had been his father’s and for once in his entire life Gael could not have agreed more. The moment he found out how far from home he’s be hr jumped at the opportunity. Went as far as looking into hotels and car dealerships himself to get everything situated before making the move. He didn’t pack his own clothing, or move it himself but that’s what employees were for. After years and years of doing shit himself he was more than happy to pass the boring stuff off to someone else. He was doing them a favor if he really thought about it, it wasn’t like their pay wouldn’t show out a smile on their face in the end.
He had originally wanted to reserve the VIP room but figured perhaps if he met a group of interesting enough people to take back there then he’d go for it. For the time being he enjoyed all that the club had to offer from the bar. The night was still young, and he had heard of some great amenities about that particular place.
Gael found himself moving between the dance floor and the bar, having one of the best night’s he’s had in a long time. No work to stress over for months to come, no sister, and most important no father to ruin his mood. “Can I get an amaretto sour.” He called out to the bartender as he reached the bar then glanced to the side at the person sitting, “And whatever they’re having. On me.” Gael turned his body towards the crowd and rested his back against the bar. “How’s your night coming along?”
salem shook her head in disagreement at mallory's statement. "you're the furthest from either of those things." she said with a smile as the other sat from across her. she was typically pretty understanding when it came to the people in her life being busy and knew if she really needed to speak to someone mallory would be there in a heartbeat. truthfully salem had just been closed off from everyone around her recently. "please don't apologize, seriously." placing her hand over mallory's for a second to reassure her everything was okay. "honestly? i've been in my own little bubble with stevie just writing music and reflecting the disaster that was my relationship." salem said with a chuckle at the last part. "but i really am okay. how are you doing? please catch me up on everything."
"I'm a shit person and an even shittier friend," Mallory said as she approached Salem. There were only a handful of people in Valparaíso she truly cared about, and Salem was definitely one of them, along with Esme, Al, Drew, and occasionally Enzo. Mallory felt a pang of guilt as she looked at Salem, realizing how much she had missed her friend's company. It weighed heavily on her conscience that she hadn't been there when Salem needed her, especially considering their long history together. "I'm sorry, Salem, baby," The blonde pouted as she pulled out the seat across from her and sat down. "I should have reached out sooner. I've been caught up in my own world and didn't even bother checking up on you." She paused, her expression softening with sincerity. "But I'm here now, how can I make it up to you?"
status: closed for @vroyales // leia
after spending some time on the tilt-a-whirl and wandering around the grape maze salem convinced leia to tag along with her to the petting zoo. she was shamelessly enjoying every moment of it despite all the kids running around and crowding the area. "there's no way i can leave here without taking one home with me. it isn't fair." salem said while holding the piglet in her arms and gently petting it. "i mean, i could literally just put her in my tote bag right now and go home. do you think anyone would notice?"