— ; Interactions - Blog Posts
"yeah, believe it or not this is about half of it. at this rate i'm going to have to start eating reeses pieces for breakfast." so he's grateful when nathan is kind enough to relieve him of his burden that is too much halloween candy. "thank you, mayor. you're saving me from some hefty dentist bills." vikram poses a la standing emoji as nathan looks him over, unsure of what to do with his hands now that the bucket of candy has been taken. "that's nice. i'm not big into musicals either. i just really like this one. i've never uh, seen it live though." but he wants to. someday. " the music's great. think you still remember the lyrics? should i suggest karaoke for the next council meeting?" he asks, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“ oh, please, you're too kind. i feel like i might have more than enough, even if halloween lasted a whole week! ” nathan kids, but he accepts vikram's offer anyway, because of course the mayor would have too much candy to hand out; it's why everybody stops by every year. there's a glint of recognition in his eyes when he puts the mask on, a small ahh escaping his lips as he nods. “ i wouldn't say i'm an avid watcher of musicals, but i have seen my fair share of them — it was my mother who loved them, ” he shares. “ and she did take me to see the phantom of the opera in broadway all those years ago. i vividly remember having the songs stuck in my head for weeks after that. ”
vikram was feeling tad out of place here. his therapist was the one to suggest he wear a mask to the town's halloween party. a happy medium between his desire to socialize more and his fear of being perceived. it was working! for the most part. clearly not well enough if hana was able to spot him clinging to the walls like some sleep paralysis demon. "oh! i was just um, admiring the decor." that sounds better than him saying he was spacing out in the corner, right? vikram doesn't question the boldness in which she snatches his wrist nor does he resist her pulling him towards the bar. he knows better than to try to dissuade hana when she has her mind set on something and if that something is having a drink with him... then who the hell is he to get in the way of that? "i think they have two for one morgue-a-ritas?"
🔒 closed starter for vikram // @brntout 🧡 for a starter from mid party. 📍 the warehouse's halloween party, ~10 p.m.
☾ the moment hana sets her sights on him, his attempt at being a wallflower is promptly ended. ❝ you ! vik ! ❞ she calls out over the music, not - so - subtly shouldering her way through the crowd to get to him. ❝ what are you doin' in the corner ? ❞ her accent comes out thicker, thanks to the drinks settling in her system from a generous pregame. with possibly too much familiarity, she takes hold of his wrist and starts to pull him along. ❝ we gotta get you out there . . . to the bar ! trust me ! do you think they still have the fun themed drinks this year ? ❞
nadia's reaction is met with a full body laugh as kennedy lazily tries escape her push to no actual success. "nadia, you couldn't pay me to download tinder in this town. it would be a disaster! we practically know everyone and like, me personally? i don't think i would be able to look at someone in the eyes again if i found out they had 'searching for my tinderella' on their bio." even the hypothetical is enough to run a shiver up their spine. a smile adorns kennedy's features at nadia's promise to carry them home because, despite the younger woman's habit of carrying herself like she doesn't have a care in the world, there is something about her that makes kennedy believe that they would be safe with her. nadia be the killer reveal now! "i'm going to hold you to that." they say, lowering their chin slightly to add a splash of a warning there. kennedy regards the bartender's suspicion with a innocent smile. they're not drunk, sir, just buzzed off nadia's electricity. "are you kidding? cheers to being the two hottest bitches in this joint!" DUH
NADIA ABSOLUTELY GRIMACES at the person in the horse outfit . " they're the ass - end of the horse , too . even worse . " she shakes her head , reaching out to gently shove kennedy , embracing the TEASING nature of it all . " no date for you , either , though , huh ? since when did we become such luddites ? " nadia knows , actually . it's been a LONG - ASS time . " hey , if you're allowed to force me out here tonight , i'm equally allowed to get you a shot . " it's an easy twist of the arm , kennedy caving after the obligatory faux-outrage . it's a necessary but known dance . " i'd carry you anywhere, babe . " she replies easily . " but tequila it is . " she flashes two fingers up to the bartender who eyes both of them suspiciously before pouring the shots in question . naomi takes her , already splashing some of it out of the shot glass and onto her hand . OH WELL . " cheers to . . . what ? "
body or not, it had been vikram's plan to finish the night at redstone all along. it suited him better, always preferred the grittiness of a live band over polished beats blaring through speakers. the place was crowded though, much more than usual. how annoying. vikram is ready to call it a night... but then the offer of free liquor is made, which naturally brings his plan to a halt. he turns to quinn, gaze alternating between the glass and the woman presenting it. "what is it?" he finally asks.
˚｡⋆୨୧ starter : open ! ˚｡⋆୨୧ where : inside redstone bar ˚｡⋆୨୧ time : 12am
the hospital had been draining all of quinn's energy . between stomach flus , anxiety over the murders , & car crashes - it had been a whirlwind of patients coming and going . for the first time in weeks , quinn got a night off and figured now was her chance to let loose . her eyes widened once she realized the bar tender had given her an extra shot of tequila . there was no way the dirty blonde was gonna take two , so she took the friendly avenue and turned to the person beside her . “ hi , wanna take this shot with me ? it's free . ” she smiled , hoping the tequila would find a rightful owner .
the shock of the impact jerks their shoulder back, causing them to stumble against the wall. it's was a narrow hallway, clearly not meant for much traffic. “ow!” a hand shoots up at her own shoulder, fingers clutching at it like she received a mortal wound. damon retreats like a wounded dog but kennedy? kennedy bears her teeth like a feral cat. “fuck off!” her hand now balling into a fist, fully intent on striking if he moves closer. it’s reflexive — her body reads his frantic movements as a threat before her mind processes the apology spewing from him.
there’s a tense pause between them in which kennedy’s glare slowly morphs into a look of recognition — and concern. “damon? oh my god, are you okay?” obviously not, kennedy! they are about to approach him to when another body bulldozes between them, this one not so keen on apologizing and it serves as a reminder that there are still people out there frantic and maybe some itching to start another fight. they turn towards the figure leaving, catching a door just up the hallway with the worn out 'employees only' plaque. "there's probably a first aid kit in there. do you want to check?" and in case there is room to hesitate, they add, "you're looking god awful right now, d."
FOR : open, come on in ! LOCATION : redstone bathroom ( or just coming out of it for accessibility ) TIMESTAMP : 2:43am
" great fucking job, damon. hilarious, really ! why not start a fight on the night someone's fucking murdered. genius ! " loud nonsense from a split - opened mouth. they're not speaking to anyone in particular, but their own reflection in the dirty mirror. they're not sure how bad they look, but they're definitely going to feel it in the morning. head, swimming. knuckles, aching. " gonna have a blackeye ... christ. " they smack their own face just to feel the sting. spring themselves from the disorientation of adrenaline and mixture of alcohol.
this is their cue to stop mulling and find a place to sit until the crowd settles down. slip away with an opening. otherwise, who could say they wouldn't start another fight? with their unsteady movements ... a threat of this already appears. shoulders knock into someone and they're immediately scrambling back like a wild animal. " shit — " their hands move in a sporadic manner of surrender. palms up, moving around in a circle in front of them. " sorry. i'm sorry — not trying to start anything else. swear it. "
their eyebrow twitches at his ‘no’. how absolute it is. he leaves little room for debate and while it’s not hard to understand ricardo’s side of why he would push against their idea, kennedy has always been sure of themselves and their ability to sell a story so any time they are met with opposition, they can't help but wonder — 'who the hell does he think he is?' they're certain he can see it, too. the look of defiance that washes over their black eyes. they open their mouth to speak, then quickly close it. before turning away. "fine." they leave it at that because it seems that they still see eye to eye with the 'spread fear' plan. kennedy can work with that. they've spun gold with less.
“wow, how fortunate” they reply, fully monotone to properly display just how little they care about their boss’ sex life. as they walk, kennedy keeps their eyes set ahead as well, deviating only when they think they catch something moving from their peripherals. no doubt the darkness playing tricks on them. or maybe the prospect of a murderer in their hometown has shaken them up more than they're willing to realize. they chose not to examine that, instead shifting focus to ricardo’s dry reply to their mundane question. “is it cus you’re too busy having sex?” they stifle a snort at their own joke, hand rising to cover their mouth as they do so, lowering it only once they've regained composure. “i…" they clear their throat, "i might have had a little too much to drink, tonight.” they admit, and that's the best they can muster up as an apology. “what’s wrong with halloween?” kennedy had already guessed ricardo wasn’t the biggest fan of the holiday based on the little, or rather, lack of effort he put in his ‘costume’, so there's no surprise or offense found in the question. just pure curiosity. anything to pass the time and make this walk as painless as possible. as they walk, they find themselves wrapping their hands around their bare arms to warm them up some. if they had known they were going to be skulking the streets around this hour they might have thought ahead and brought something warmer to wear. “how well do you think you can talk up a bartender?”
RICARDO IS ALL TOO AWARE of the missing estrada woman . it's been playing on his mind ever since he got the news . the coincidence of it all . the timing . it can't be ignored , least of all by him . his stomach feels like it's dropping and he has to remind himself that this is just a job . just a town . there is nothing here and nobody here . nobody that matters , anyways . he reattunes his attention to kennedy , like an instrument that may need TUNING . " no . " he says , voice firm . " until we know it's daniela , we don't say anything . intrigue sells more than fake claims do. " A FIRST FOR HIM . he doesn't dwell on it . ricardo doesn't care for being reputable , but there's a difference between being a gossip mag and spreading false news . " or simply say : could it be daniela ? are we next ? ask questions , spread fear . " he begins to nod now , his brain working alongside kennedy's , as if in sync .
the sickly over-saccharine way they say YES SIR has ricardo's lips twitch up for a second time . fine. kennedy amuses him at times , but that's it . " fortunately i've had too much sex to count as an incel . " he brushes the sentiment off , with another shrug . ricardo doesn't even notice he's walking in line with kennedy . he's distantly aware that they're moving into conversation that ISN'T work related . rather than think about that , he focuses on their question . he keeps his gaze ahead , eyes adjusting to the dark - the interruptions of people milling past every now and then . ricardo still can't fathom that redcreek exists . that it's a real place . even less that HE'S HERE in it . " i don't have time for movies . " he says easily . he's always been more of a reader , honestly . back in foster homes , it was rare to find a television , let alone one that was AVAILABLE and didn't come with high stakes . books were free and everywhere . it carried with him after being adopted , into adulthood . he's never really gotten on the train of movies or television or even POP CULTURE really - besides the bits and pieces he overhears at overly expensive LA parties . " i'll never understand the obsession with halloween . " ricardo says instead , distaste abundant on his tongue .
"a pony?" that makes them chuckle, amused by nadia's imagination. they shift their gaze past her, scanning the crowd, determination etched on her features. "there has got to be someone in here dressed as a little — there." they tilt their chin behind nadia where one can barely see the head of a horse poking out from a wall of people. "okay, no pony. close enough? i could still go wrangle him for you?" they offer. a poker face not something they usually struggle to maintain but the scenario is so ridiculous that kennedy can't help but break her attempt to look serious with a smile. "good! then you're welcome. happy to be of service." finally someone appreciates their bossy attitude! "shots? nadia... are you trying to get me into trouble tonight?" cus she just might, kennedy thinks. "as long as it's not vodka. unless your gearing to carry me home tonight."
" whatever i want ? what if i want a pony ? " nadia replies , twisting one of her eyebrows up in amusement . she allows kennedy to lead the way , trusting they know the SAFEST way out , with minimum groping by strangers . " firstly , tequila is never basic . " nadia says , with a small shake of her head . " secondly , i'm glad for the dragging . " nadia says honestly . she'll never turn down a party , per se , but of late she's been more than glad to have her routine of sleeping at a reasonable time . she's almost turned anti-social , which is not something that should be synonymous with her . " two tequila sodas then . here i was thinking i could charm you into doing a shot with me . . . "
santiago's attempt at levity makes her scoff, and it's only because she got most of her bitching out already that it manages to add a hint of amusement in there. "you're so annoying." and right. when has santiago ever listened to kennedy? how many friends has she warned him against? how many parties did she try to dissuade him from going? how many family dinners did she suggest he attend? kennedy knows that santiago has always been the type to march at the beat of his own drum. maybe she wouldn't get so worked up about it... if it didn't sometimes feel so personal. "i'm glad you didn't get into any trouble." she huffs, "- and that you're okay." she makes her way over to the other side of the couch and settles themselves down there. "i wonder what the fight was about... do you think it was just some drunk dudes pounding their chest at each other?" men are so unserious.
⁑ ❝ okay, but— when have i ever listened ? ❞ santi asks, trying to shift the mood to something lighter. he wants to roll his eyes, but she does have medicine in hand & his head is starting to pound. the wound on the side of his cheek stings, but nothing too bad. santiago huffs and adjusts the frozen bag of peas on his head, holding out his free hand. ❝ i'm alright. at least i didn't get in the fight, right ? ❞
impatience oozes off him like expensive cologne. patchouli, sandalwood, and financial privilege all wrapped up in a smug, pearly-white grin. they’ve only known each other for a handful of months but kennedy deduces this might be where their professional differences lie. ricardo is a master at gliding his vibe meter between ball busting and indifference,. they got the impression that to him, results matter more than details ( or means? ) . kennedy on the other hand? is meticulous, incessant in their need to look at every angle, to leaving no stone unturned in pursuit for a good story the truth. but they can play the game. have been around enough white collar honchos to learn the fine art of capitalizing. they lean in, lowering their voice to what could almost be a whisper but it's too sharp to fully make the cut. “it makes sense, doesn’t it? with her disappearance still fresh on everyone’s mind, it’s only natural for people to wonder if she has finally been found.” kennedy won’t confirm nor deny if they had a part in planting or spreading that seed but know if they had — they would have covered their tracks. “i say we throw that on there if the body isn’t identified by the time the paper hits.” it doesn’t have to be right. they can word it so it sounds like they’re simply reporting on what the masses are fearing. if anything, it’ll add to the mystery of daniela’s disappearance if the body isn’t hers. a grim thought, freshly picked from a dark corner of kennedy's psyche that always seems to gnaw at them in times like this. the part best kept in the confines of her own subconscious.
the silence that surrounds them is heavy, two pairs of eyes linked to each other in momentary… understanding? who knows. whatever it is, it breaks the moment he speaks up again and kennedy has to resist the urge to roll their eyes when he asks if they’ve collected statements. instead, settle on a sugary smile, picture perfect as the good little reporter they are. “yes, sir.” feed into the hysteria — now there is something the two can agree with. “unless you’re an incel dressing up as a rich asshole in a suit.” kennedy replies with a shrug of her shoulder, making a point to leave the ‘unbelievably hot’ portion of his get up out. they know better than to confirm or deny such an egocentric statement. besides, if he’s gonna make his employees walk alone in their fake blood-soaked prom dress on the night a body was literally discovered then it doesn’t matter how attractive he is — kennedy will label him a woman hater regardless. so they start walking, ultimately giving him the option to follow or not, though fully expecting him to. “well, boss. you have to expand your movie taste if you don’t know who i am dressed as.” or is it that he really doesn’t care? “what’s your favorite film?” they're expecting him either to list some raunchy film directed by a weird indie director or the wolf of wall street.
he moves his index finger as kennedy talks , signalling she get to the point quicker . he's hearing a lot of BUMPS in the road and ricardo doesn't care for them . he doesn't care HOW they get the story , he just needs to know that they WILL . and in true fashion , they finally deliver those magical words . something on your desk by five . ricardo's face ghosts with an almost genuinely pleased smile . while it's clear that kennedy doesn't care for ricardo , and ricardo is like brutus in that he cares for nobody in return . . . he's appreciative that he can come close to TRUSTING them to always deliver . at the mention of the estrada's , ricardo feels himself do a double - take . for some reason , he hadn't even considered that . " is that what they're saying ? " his voice is harsh . " that it's daniela estrada ? " ricardo feels a sharpness overcome him , something akin to a lightning strike before a storm . he allows silence to wash over them . a RARITY , before he continues . " have you gotten statements from people who were around ? the more hysteric , the better . " he doesn't need to tell them how to do their job , but a change in topic is welcome . HE ROLLS HIS EYES . " please . an incel could never dress this nice . " he flattens his hands , smoothing them over his dolce , tailor fit blazer . " i'm dressed as a rich , yet unbelievably hot , asshole in a suit . " ricardo replies , voice flat yet smooth as always . his eyes graze past kennedy . " i'd ask what you are but i don't care and i'm sure it breaches some workplace relation with me being your boss . "
vikram makes no move to interrupt her rambling about what she lost. instead, he nods now that he understands what's truly at stake. “i see.” he can't relate to the attachment kirby holds for her candy but he can respect that it matters to her that the bucket be recovered and that's enough. her question earns a bashful head dip and a chuckle from him, clearly flattered that she got the reference he was going for. maybe his costume isn't all that bad. “depends - are you going to kill me if i bring you back to my place?” he replies back with a smile, half concealed by the mask. jennifer check and the phantom... now there's a crazy combo! “okay then. you think you hid them down here?" he pulls out his phone and activates the flashlight before lowering to his knee and bending down to check under the cars beside them. “nothing here... are you sure you left it on this side of the street?”
god , every single part of her wants to sing out “ the phantom of the opera is here ” at this exact given moment . gerard butler amiright ? she peers down at the cape that is swishing behind him and raises an eyebrow . “ it's a pumpkin container filled with candy . i left it somewhere out here but i cannot fuckin' remember where and i was in the ‘burbs so most of those are full sized candy bars . ” she shuts up for a moment , recognizing that her incessant rambling about her love for the ’ good ‘ halloween candy matters very little to other people , actually . “ are you gonna put me in a boat and row me through a shockingly expansive sewer system ? ” she couldn’t help herself , she had to get one good one in .
“did something happen today?” they ask, never missing an opportunity to be nosy. kennedy isn't sure why they invited efiie out to dance. they never made much of a habit to hang out with another journalist back in new york. maybe they were growing soft. a realization they will no doubt nurse along with a headache tomorrow morning at the rate they are going. that’s a problem for later though. right now? everything is good. the music is good, the ambiance is good, kennedy is feeling good, effie is looking good. it’s all good! effie’s observation earns chuckle from kennedy. “i can’t get anything past you, can i? okay — i might have a bit of a head start on you.” they admit, looking down at their hands for a moment before flashing her a rare, mischievous grin. “so let’s get you caught up! what’s your poison?”
" you know what ... after the evening i've had ? why not. " she matches the volume over the music, smoothing down the front of her daphne dress. a small tear, poorly put together with a safety-pin at her side, proving to be the source of her frustration. the spin takes her off guard, makes her sputter off something close to a laugh. a squeeze is given to the fingers interlacing hers, but a brow promptly arches upward. " have you already started drinking, kennedy? "
"are you volunteering?" kennedy asks, nose scrunching playfully in jest. had they been in high school or even back in college maybe it wouldn't have been much of a joke to them but hey! growth. we love to see it. “we look hot – it almost looks like we coordinated this. we’re just missing the hearts sweater jennifer and the white puffer jacket jennifer” they would be too powerful, they fear. avery’s confession earns a slow, impressed smile from kennedy. holy shit – the talbot girl is all grown up! “really? well... whoever it was deserves a toast in their honor then! wanna go upstairs?" the tables there are much more discreet. less likely to get caught with their own booze up there.
" well , one of us is gonna have to change. " she's joking -- mostly. the two costumes were the same character , from the same movie -- though avery had gone with the cheerleader out. " let's be honest , they're not selling any of the good stuff here but someone -- not naming names -- may have swiped something from my parent's liquor cabinet and placed it in my purse. "
“you are bleeding." vikram is too stunned to offer anything other than the truth right now. getting very cleaned up is taking precedence over beside manner. "it's okay. it's not that bad." for now at least. it's too early to tell if she’s concussed or just in shock. he's got a hand hovering over her shoulder just in case, ready to catch her should she feel lightheaded. "don't move, okay?" he pats at the area, an occasional apology murmured under his breath at any sign of discomfort. the friction of his handkerchief against her wound is probably not the best feeling, but he’s trying to be gentle. “how are you uh, feeling?”
who : anyone where : outside the bar when : 2:05am
" oh my god , am i bleeding ? i think i'm bleeding. " avery winces as she touches her nose , the wound bleeding slightly. at least nothing was broken. avery was at the bar when a fight broke up and she was much too close to the action. was she trying to join the fight ? no one can say , avery would sue.
best thing about going to the club? the girls, gays, and theys baby! it starts with the dj finally playing a pop song, then eye contact with someone near by, the words 'i love this song!' proclaimed at the top of their lungs. the room shifts, and suddenly one finds themselves a couple songs in dancing with a total stranger. “they’ve definitely upped the budget since the last one i went to!” she doesn’t remember having this much fun last time but as the stranger answers to her twirl with one of their own, kennedy thinks that maybe parties have always been like this – it’s just the company that’s changed. she leads them to the bar, refusing to let go of their hand until they settle up in a cozy little corner away from the crowd of clubbers . “oh like the little shots? good idea, those are so cute! yeah, hold on.” she turns away from minnie to flag the waiter and make the order. once that’s done, they turn back to them with a curious smile. "okay. so who are you and why the hell have i not met you before?"
"oh, my god. you were so in my brain just then. this has gotta be one of the best dance floors i've ever seen." listen: they don't have that many to go on, but the fact of the matter was that it was the best. leaving her hand entwined with kennedy, already breaking out into a feverish smile, lifting her arm so that she could twirl her around in return. "you want one of those, like, skull-glowing things or whatever?" being in all-black didn't make her stand out here, but oh-the-fuck-well.
location : santiago's apartment
time : sometime after 3:00am.
for : santiago @atonehart
“it’s borderline fascinating…” they had been going on a while now, from the moment they walked through the door. “...how you can’t seem to listen to save your life! i said go home and what do you do? you go to the fucking bar! seriously santi, it’s like you— no, leave the peas on for a couple minutes more. it’ll help with the swelling.” kennedy shouldn’t even be here. they should be out there. gathering intel, securing interviews, writing that damn story for the register. tending to the wounds of the prodigal ‘brother’ should be at the bottom of their priorities right now. yet there they were, walking over with a glass of water, a dose of painkillers, and an awfully sour expression. there's a pause the transaction ensues and after a beat, they finally ask, "are you okay?"
“god, took you long enough! wait... what are you supposed to be?” they take a moment to do a quick look over, assessing his attire with open amusement before getting down to business. “anyway —" attention is shifted to their phone, a wall of text displayed on screen. “i already requested an official statement from the police on behalf of the register but nothing yet. my guy at the department is being real stingy with the details too — makes me think it’s definitely something bigger. like someone important…” has anyone seen the mayor? “… or foul play. got some guys on record saying that norwood street was closed via police tape a few hours ago. they must have found the body there.” they gasp, look up to meet ricardo's eyes with a sudden realization. “do you think it’s that estrada girl that went missing a while ago ?” then… a smile. it’s brief and easy to miss under the moonlight but it’s there and it’s hungry. a subtle way of matching his sentiment about the attention it would bring this small town, to them. “i'll have something at your desk by five. i just... i need coffee or water or something. gonna go to redstone and see who i can interview there.” they aren’t drunk by any means but now that the adrenaline of the party and the news was beginning to subside, they could feel their body begging to crash. “don’t be an incel and make me walk there alone in the dark. think there might be a murderer out on the loose.” OoOOOOooooO
○ NOW DELIVERING TO . . . ⏤ @brntout !
location : lurking thru da streets
time: 1 : 54 am
as soon as ricardo makes out the familiar shape , he's moving swiftly towards them . " HEY ! " he calls out , completely ignoring the fact that some people might be on edge or jumpy with the news that's currently out there . but , he doubts that KENNEDY is included in that bunch . she blurs the line between typical in a way that ricardo has begrudging respect towards . ricardo falls into line beside them . " what have you heard and how quickly can you get a story up by - " ricardo twists his wrist to look at his cartier watch " by 6am ? we'll be pushing first print , but it'll get us some attention in this forsaken , weird , boring - as - shit town finally . " and with attention comes MONEY .
“tonight? whatever the hell you want!” kennedy replies to nadia's quip with an easy grin. in a town full of try-hards and depressed wannabes with broken dreams, nadia's levity was such a treat. especially on nights like these, where kennedy is certain they weren't the only one hoping to snag her attention for a couple moments at this party. in true kennedy fashion, they feel like they've won. they make their way out of the dancefloor, maneuvering through sweaty, stumbling bodies before reaching the bartender. it's only a bit quieter, but at least kennedy doesn't feel like they have to yell. "you know me, i'm a basic bitch. tequila soda for me. what are you getting? my treat, for letting me drag you out there! "
" abso-fuckin-lutely . " nadia says easily . while kennedy could dance and move , nadia's extent was shuffling on the spot , and still managing to get grossly SWEATY . " what are we ? " she teases , at kennedy's warm , SOFT touch on her skin . " but more important , what are we drinking ? "
location : the dance floor @ the warehouse
time : approximately 10:30pm.
open : to anyone!
“are you thirsty? wanna grab a drink?” kennedy half yells into the other’s ear, yet her voice is barely audible over the music pumping around them. fingers flutter down the other's arm, ready to grab hold of their wrist to lead them out of the dance floor or loosely interlace her digits with theirs to twirl them around. depends on their answer!
“am i?” vikram asks, taking a beat too long to process the playfulness in natha's voice. once it does, he offers a breathless chuckle “yeah, i suppose i am. i um, actually stopped by to see if you wanted some extra candy to hand out. i… overindulged.” especially for the number of visitors vikram tends to get. it should be no surprise to anyone that the mayors house would be more popular to bring your kids to than the funeral director's. “oh —this?” he looks down at his costume, which isn’t all too different from his usual attire — a black suit. “one sec,” he frees a hand from the pumpkin shaped bucket of candy bars he’s holding to dig into the pocket of his suit jacket. some shuffling later, he pulls out the only real indicator that this would be a costume — a white half masquerade mask. he quickly puts it on before facing nathan once more. “i’m the phantom… from phantom of the opera? are you a fan of musicals, mayor?” vikram is certain he should know the answer to this but alas, his memory falls short.
𝖫𝖮𝖢𝖠𝖳𝖨𝖮𝖭 : nathan's front door, around 7pm 𝖲𝖳𝖠𝖳𝖴𝖲 : open for anyone
“ aren't you a bit too old to be trick or treating? ” nathan asks, cradling a bowl of candy on his hip as he leans against his cobweb-decorated door. there's no malice in his tone, if anything he's amused, chuckling as he hands them over a few fun-sized chocolate bars. “ and you're supposed to be … ahh? … ” he wonders with a raised brow, gesturing towards their costume.
there was a chill in the air — both physical and metaphorical. people filtering out of bars and diners, a sea of buzzing phones and slurred questions. ‘who’s body did they find?’ it was shocking, confusing even and while vikram did not fit the role of a hero nor did he like pretending to, the sight of a lone woman stumbling away from the crowd was enough to spring him into action. after all, he’s already got one body to embalm… best not make it two.
so he approaches, black cape flowing behind him, contrasting the white half mask he still has on his face. an eerie silhouette. it’s not surprising that she’s startled by his sudden presence. “sorry — uh, did you lose something?” quick to bring attention back to her behavior rather than how ‘goddamn quiet’ he moves. “i can help you look for it. i don’t think it’s uh, a good idea to be out alone right now.”
○ LOCATION ⏤ red creek main street . ○ TIME ⏤ 11 : 57 pm ○ STATUS ⏤ open to all !
warehouse party ? shut down . pumpkin bucket filled with candy ? stashed somewhere on main street . plan to go home and write this night off as a minor success because at least she didn't laze around her apartment in ratty pajamas and watch practical magic for the third time this week ? in motion … if she could remember where her bucket went . she didn't do all that schlepping around town for nothing , not in this tiny ass skirt . and now , as she looked around the quickly emptying main area of the town , kirby realized that maybe she was an actual idiot . murderville , usa , was not where she wanted to be caught after midnight on halloween of all fucking nights , oh jeez . as she quickly looked under benches and behind some cars , she sensed someone slightly to the side of her and jumped only slightly . “ shitfuck ! you are so goddamn quiet , jesus christ ! ”
tag dump!
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( * interactions — 🇹🇭🇪 🇵🇷🇴🇲🇮🇸🇨🇺🇴🇺🇸 . )
( * character study — 🇹🇭🇪 🇵🇷🇴🇲🇮🇸🇨🇺🇴🇺🇸 . )
( * mirror — 🇹🇭🇪 🇵🇷🇴🇲🇮🇸🇨🇺🇴🇺🇸 . )
( * wc —🇹🇭🇪 🇵🇷🇴🇲🇮🇸🇨🇺🇴🇺🇸 . )
tylerbeyond:
there was a story there. tyler didn’t know what it was, but he felt he could relate. thankfully, he had enough tact not to ask. “yeah! rip every party i’ve never been to! they could never be perfect because i never showed up. listen, you’re joking, but you’ve never been to a party with me.” he wagged his eyebrows at jaxon suggestively, then gave him a tight one-armed hug. “i’ll buy the first round. since it’s your birthday.”
“ maybe i’ve never been to a party with you. but i’ve been to a bar with you. and th’ roof of a bar with you. and snuck into a vip section of a club with you. so i think i get the gist, ” he laughed, squeezing tyler’s shoulder and grinning warmly at him. this was definitely a perk up in his usual birthday mood. leave it to fucking tyler. “ well aren’t you fuckin’ generous? ” he teased, keeping his arm around tyler’s shoulders. “ so where to, party god? since you scoff at my dive bars. ”
jaxon tucked his hands into his leather jacket, a Marlboro Red cigarette hanging from his lips, as he waited for tate outside McCormick’s. the text and the request came somewhat as a surprise to him, especially considering tate’s history. he’d always regarded the man as a serial monogamist. and he was pretty sure tate agreed. after the heartbreak of his high school sweetheart that dear john’d him, tate hadn’t ever been interested in going out to bars with jax. but now... he was. jax was trying to be optimistic about the night, rather than worried about what it really meant that tate was going out just to get laid.
“ hey, man, ” jax smirked, taking the cigarette from his mouth and reaching out to grasp tate’s hand. “ want a cigarette? ” he offered, wanting to feel out tate’s vibe before they headed in.
@tatemcallisterr
rcbeccxs:
It was impossible for her face not to soften up at the words, the usual concerned look for her brother bear was now obvious in her face. “Gavin is good– yeah, he is fine,” she mumbled quickly about her other brother. She was rather more attentive and more concerned with the one who was in front of her. Rebecca was much smaller than him, but he knew she was all kinds of feisty, but she was also soft. Soft as silk and it was with the same softness that she let go of her mug of coffee and reached across the table for his hand. Much bigger than hers, without a doubt, but she held it. “What’s wrong Jax? What do you mean by crisis?”
“ told you he’d be okay. i’m glad t’ see you less freaked out. bet th’ little one is glad to have him back too, ” jaxon smiled, squeezing her hand gently where it wrapped around his own. he’d been worried too, of course. with the rank gavin with at, and the special missions he was on... there was more danger than most of the military. but he wouldn’t dare show his worry to becca. and now the point was moot. thankfully. though that didn’t seem to ease becca’s worry for him. he sighed softly, trying to wrap his head around everything enough to verbalize it. “ remember jonny? my best friend from high school. th’ one i had feelings for. well... he’s in vegas now. apparently. and he wants t’ reconnect. and... becca. i don’t know what t’ do. it’s too much. ”
tatemcallisterr:
Tate should not be out, let alone going to a bar but at this point he didn’t care. He’d run out of alcohol in his house and his favorite liquor store wasn’t open this late ironically. In hind’s sight, drinking the last of the whiskey in his house probably should have been a sign to just stop drinking. But two glasses wasn’t nearly enough to get him drunk enough to fall asleep. After getting a combined fifteen hours of sleep the last few days, he thought maybe the only way to fall asleep was to get drunk enough to just pass out. Which deep down he knew was a horrible idea and just an excuse to drink, but that wasn’t the point. As he approached the bar and recognized the figure sitting outside it seemed fate was not going to let him get drunk tonight. “Well, you look like shit.” He spoke up upon getting a closer look at his friend. Taking a seat next to Jaxon he let out a soft sigh. “Aren’t cops supposed to be the ones that break up fights?”
while there was a large part of him that still really enjoyed fighting... he didn’t enjoy getting “caught”. but he could breathe easy, and his thoughts didn’t feel unmanageable. with all of that, it was hard to regret the decisions he made and the actions he’d carried out. despite the bleeding. jaxon scoffed at tate’s comment, licking at his split lip and screwing the cap back onto his flask. “ some think th’ blood makes me look tough, ” he shrugged. “ and girls jus’ wanna patch me up. so. ” he chuckled dryly, sitting up a little straighter despite the ache soreness in his shoulders. “ supposed to. and yer not supposed t’ be drinkin’. yet here we are, ” he pointed at, offering up his flask to tate. “ will it help if i tell you th’ guy was a creep? ”
wilycoyotc:
The university professor glances to his side. He can only smile in response to Jaxon. He doesn’t speak until he’s had another sip of his drink.
“Seen you coming in with a few girls. Don’t tell me you’re out looking the break hearts,” he teased the male. “All routes to my place are shut down. Plus, my kids are in New York– THANKFULLY. What were you doing before the weather turned to shut?”
“ oh, yeah. i’m using the storm of a decade to fuck off helping people and get my dick sucked, ” he chuckled softly, shaking his head and passing a hand over his wet hair. he was basically soaked, and it was really started to fucking bother him. “ and this is a warm place to ride it out... with whiskey. a nice perk. if you want a ride back to yer place, i can pull some strings. i’m goin’ on hour twelve of a night shift, and i’m tired of dealing with panicked tourists. ”
404erisnotfound:
— *:･ 🃟🂡 The female looked at the offered cupcakes then at the male holding them out, with a narrowed gaze without saying a word. She crossed her arms over her chest and gazed more intently, still not uttering a word. After a couple of beats of intentional awkward silence, ❝ so why would I accept baked goods from a total stranger? ❞ Eris asked with an inquisitive tone yet her face remained impassive. After all, wasn’t there a general rule about it? Never open the door to people you didn’t know and never accept anything from strangers. Pretty standard things, right?
jaxon just wanted to pawn off the cupcakes. but the woman that paused before them gave him a hefty glare, and jaxon only stared back at her. waiting. wondering. after 8 years in the marine, he didn’t squirm in stand offs. “ .... ‘cause they’re cupcakes? no one’s forcing them on you, ” he pointed out, licking frosting off of one of his fingers with a shrug. no skin off his nose if she didn’t want to partake.
tatemcallisterr:
Tate saw it coming, Jaxon’s careful first suggestion. It was the most logical thing to tell someone in his current state, and it certainly wasn’t the first time anyone had mentioned the idea to him. However, the way Jaxon proposed the idea was exactly why Tate wouldn’t do it. They both knew Tate wasn’t one to open up easily, or at all really. He used to be different. Talking about how he was feeling used to just come naturally to him. But a lot of things that used to come naturally were just not as easy anymore. “I’m not going to therapy.” Was all Tate said in response, completely shut down to even thinking about the suggestion seriously. He didn’t want to relive those days in his dreams and he sure as hell didn’t want to have to talk about them either. “It’s not fucked up, it’s just…stressed.” Tate decided before quirking a brow as Jaxon went on. “Oh yeah? You know Jonny, huh? Small world.” He shook his head. “I don’t know if anything would take the place of drinking. Although it might help me sleep for more than five hours.” It might also help him eat a decent meal once in a while, but he left that part out. Jaxon had enough worry in his eyes looking at him, Tate didn’t want to give him anything else.
jaxon fully expected that reaction. even their issues in the past couldn’t erase the countless nights they spent on patrol together, and jaxon knew tate. then and now. they’d both changed in ways they hated to think about. he sighed to himself, and sat up a little straighter, leaning his elbows on the table and closer in. “ look, man. i get it, okay? i don’t talk to them about my shit either. ‘cause i really don’t fuckin’ wanna drag all that shit up. but... they got counselors, who just give you suggestions, ya know? like they recommended me to a training program for my dogs, so they can help when i get overwhelmed. and they gave me a list of things to try when i’m in a bad place. jus’— somethin’ to think about, ” he shrugged, trailing off as he leaned back and sipped at his iced tea. it wasn’t something he wanted to pressure tate into. but he also didn’t want tate to blindly block out everything that had a possibility of helping. “ well i hope yer liver relaxes, ” jax replied, just barely smiling, hoping to get tate to relax some too. “ yeah... we were best friends all through high school. remember i told you, how he went away to art school, got involved in sketchy shit, and we had a falling out. that’s jonny. same jonny you know, apparently. but smoking does help with the sleep thing. while your liver is healing, ya know? plus, i’d pay good money t’ see you stoned out of yer mind. ”
tylerbeyond:
“nope!” tyler said in a faux-cheery tone. “he never even cared to know me. honestly, i don’t remember much of him before we moved in. maybe i do but all shit that came after just blocks it out.” he shrugged, carelessly. it didn’t matter now. tyler never had to see his grandfather unless he really wanted to. laughing, he stuck his tongue out at jaxon. “fuck you man, no party is actually a party until i show up. oscars after party? not a real party until i show up.” wicked smirk on his face, he added, “it’s gonna be fuckin lit.”
“ yeah, i know that feelin’. i worshiped my dad as a kid. but after... everything with him went down. now he can get real fucked, ” jax replied, nodding in agreement with tyler’s sentiment. he hadn’t seen his father since he’d made sure the man went to jail. and had no plans to ever see him again. but jaxon didn’t dwell. instead he laughed at tyler’s little scowl. “ oh yeah? damn, there are... so many parties that are real fuckin’ disappointed. ‘cause the great party god, tyler beyond never showed up to bless them party-hood, ” he shot back, a mirrored smirk. “ c’mon, party god. i’m thirsty. ”
tatemcallisterr:
It was hard to talk about, even with someone like Jaxon who could relate so strongly to what he was going through. That was a big reason Tate kept insisting he didn’t need to see a therapist or go to any support groups. Talking about things had never helped him deal with them anyways. “I know it’ll probably never go away completely —- I just wish it would get better. I’m fucking tired.” Tate knew he wasn’t the first person to go to war and come back having nightmares about it, and he certainly wouldn’t be the last. But when he wakes up at night, alone, in an empty house, it’s hard not to feel isolated. “I am for the most part. Doc just found some problems with my liver when they were doing blood tests. It’s not a big deal.” At least that’s what his doctor had told him, it wouldn’t be a big deal as long as he didn’t drink so often. Which was proving difficult when it was his go-to coping mechanism.
yeah, he knew that feeling well. too well. it made his chest ache for his friend. and it made him angry that he didn’t know how to help tate. especially when tate was so adverse to help. “ they say therapy is supposed to... i dunno. do somethin’, ya know? ” the suggestion was tentative and gentle, like he knew tate wouldn’t respond well to it. but he had to try. there had to be something. even if talking didn’t help the famously tight-lipped man, maybe there was something else they could recommend. at least, that’s what jaxon hoped. “ yer liver being fucked up doesn’t sound like ‘not a big deal’. and that fuckin’ sucks. who else is gonna appreciate shitty whiskey with me? ” he teased gently, a small smirk flickering at the corner of his lips. “ oh, we got a friend in common. jonny. maybe in place of drinkin’, get stoned with him. ” the suggestion was only half serious, and the light in jaxon’s eyes said as much. he was trying to be helpful. trying to make tate feel like there was a little hope. despite how fucking tired he felt.
