#How Not To Drown | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

treacheryinblue · 4 months ago

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「 HOW NOT TO DROWN 」 noah sebastian ⨯ original f!character

▷ chapter one

eve orion: ghost-seeing, headache-inducing, back-talking extraordinaire. after being shamed out of the paranormal community, she reluctantly agrees to join folio's misfit group of truth-seekers alongside the rest of the boys. noah is back in town and just trying to move on from his desolate life back east after a family death when eve is suddenly shoved into his direct line of vision by fate's fickle hand. the unfortunate part is that she can barely even look at him, while he can't stop himself from looking at her. trigger warnings: enemies to lovers, smut, language, mention of self harm/suicide, alcohol and drug use, angst. word count: 9.1k comment to be added to the tag list for future chapters!

masterlist

Fake.

Scammer.

Sideshow attraction.

That's all you are. That's all you'll ever be.

Behind her closed eyes she could see all of their angry faces lined up. One by one they hissed and spat their insults at her, each one more angry and foul than the last. Not even the water that's grown cold could block the voices within her head. What was typically a source of calm for her was now also tainted. Ruined, just like everything else.

Fake. Fake. Fake.

Bubbles slowly drifted to the surface as she exhaled the last of what air remained in her lungs. Her fingers tightened on the edges of the old claw foot tub, knuckles turning white from the strength of her grip. Every muscle was screaming at her to surface but she refused. Not yet. Just a little bit longer. Maybe the calm would eventually come.

Liar!

You feed on the sad and the desperate.

All you do is use them.

You're worthless. Cruel. Heartless.

Her lungs ached and burned as the need to inhale began to set in. She knew better than to do that, though, well aware that all she would get is a mouthful of lavender bath water.

Why was the calm not coming? Had she been barred from the one place that managed to bring her comfort?

“Evie?”

Fraud!

Just a few more seconds. That's all she needed. She could feel the calm slowly beginning to overtake her; the voices waning, their angry faces fading.

“Evie? Where are yo- what the fuck?! Eve!”

A deep inhale was taken as her body was ripped from the water. No! She had been so close to finding that peaceful moment she craved. Why would someone pull her away from it?

Both hands ran over her wet hair to push it from her face as she shifted her eyes to look at the culprit. Staring back at her were a set of eyes that mostly matched her own: forest green, flecks of gold, heavy lashes. The only difference was that Eve’s left eye was partially blue – the ocean meeting the forest. She heavily sighed at her sister, her twin, the annoyance she felt radiating off of her in waves.

“What the hell were you doing?!”

“Meditating. Well, trying to. Thanks for ruining it.”

“Who meditates under water? This is the kind of stuff that gran was talking about. What if she had been the one to walk in? You would've given her a heartat-”

“Gran would've been smart enough to go away if I hadn't answered the door.” She fired back, cutting her sister off mid-scolding. Hearing it was already beginning to exhaust her.

Eve felt bad being so blunt with her sister sometimes because she knew she meant well. Molly always wanted what was best for others and did what she could to make those dreams a reality. Some thought it was a great quality, but Eve saw it more as her sister being a people pleasing pushover. Despite the fact that they were twins - fraternal - they were totally different, both in appearance and personality. Eve wasn’t some horrid menace who got off on people’s pain, but she also wasn't going to go out of her way to make them smile.

The differences didn't end there. While Molly had light auburn hair that was currently pulled half back and secured with an ivory ribbon, stopping just below her shoulders, her own nearly black locks traveled down her back in soft waves. Molly liked bright sundresses, Eve preferred dark earth tones and black. Molly had a silver Tiffany's necklace dangling on her chest, Eve layered her jewelry but always wore the antique pendant gifted to her from her grandmother. Molly was bubbly, Eve typically only smiled when she had downed a few too many shots.

Molly was day, Eve was night.

Molly had a life, Eve was a fuck up.

“I'm guessing you're here because you saw what happened.”

“What?” Molly laughed, now drying her hands off on the towel she had found folded on the bathroom counter. “No…I just…wanted to see you. Maybe hang out. Grab some food.”

“Stop with the bullshit. Just say whatever it is you came here to say.”

Eve leaned forward in the tub while bringing her knees up to her chest. She didn't care that the water was frigid and her fingers were pruny because being encased in water always made her feel her most at ease. It was her happy place, as lame as that sounded.

“Okay, yes, I saw. It popped up on that weird paranormal entertainment blog I follow.” Molly finally revealed after releasing an exasperated sigh, as if pulling the information from her had been so tedious.

“Why would you let them say that kind of stuff about you? Calling you a fraud? A scammer? We both know that's just fucking bullshit.”

Had her goody two shoes sister just dropped another F-bomb?

“What do you expect me to do, Molly?” Her eyes narrowed in on her sister, eyebrows raised. “Call every gossip news outlet that gives a shit and somehow convince them that it wasn't me who was lying? That it was just everyone else on the show?”

Eve shook her head as the heels of her hands dug into her eyes, a defeated sigh sounding from her. “No one would believe me. To them I'm just some unknown fake fortune teller with a crystal ball and a side hustle reading palms.”

“You don't read palms…or have a crystal ball. Don't insult yourself like that.”

“Right,” she yanked the stopper from the tub before standing and snatching the towel from her twin's outstretched hand. “I'm actually just a medium basket case who's always had more friends that are dead than alive.”

ONE YEAR LATER

“Look, look, I know it isn't some fancy tv show, but that just makes it more real! More raw!”

Folio was like a dog with a bone as he leaned over the counter, phone in hand, rapidly scrolling through the Instagram page he was trying to sell her on.

“Uh huh,” she nodded, not even taking a glance in his direction.

“Evie, come on! You're not even looking at it!”

This wasn't the first time Folio had tried to rope her into his amateur paranormal business. Unfortunately, she also knew it wouldn't be the last.

“It's about just trying to prove the existence of ghosts and other creepy, crawly things. To help people gain an understanding of our layered realms. This isn’t like those stupid fucking Valor brothers.”��

Just the sound of their last name made fire ignite in her veins.

The Valor brothers. Reality television producers and stars who created hit after hit. She had been so naive when she signed on for their paranormal show after having been fed a multitude of lies that made her believe they wanted to help people. Xander and Luke didn't care about those who were in pain and mourning their loved ones. They only cared about the fat checks being dropped into their accounts by the network.

If only she had known this at the beginning then she could've prevented her name from being tainted and her gifts taken advantage of.

“I already know ghosts are real. Believe me, they won't let me forget it.”

No matter how hard she tried, they refused to let up. She could ignore them, wear spelled items to help keep their voices quiet, sage every room she walked into, but nothing was capable of doing the trick.

“That's why you'd be a perfect addition to the team!”

With a heavy sigh, Eve dropped the ribbon she had been trying to tie around the gift box, appropriately stamped ‘Cellar Door’, and instead focused her attention on Folio. He was giving her a wide grin, one that showcased his golden retriever energy that any girl would swoon over, but it only made her jaw tighten.

“Is this just an excuse for you to be around Molly more? You know she's seeing someone.”

The grin he wore immediately fell, shoulders shrugging. “Nah, this doesn't have anything to do with her. This is strictly business.”

“Folio!” Nicholas came hustling from the back room, his hands tossed out to his sides in slight annoyance.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop harassing my star employee?”

“I'm basically your only employee,” she murmured under her breath. Although she had only been employed at Nick’s shop for a few months, it was rare that she saw anyone else other than him and Folio. And while the latter wasn't on the payroll, he was a ‘staple to the business', or so he claimed.

A couple of other names were usually scribbled on the schedule, stating that they would work the days she didn't, so they had never managed to cross paths. Not that she minded this. The less people she had to encounter for long periods of time, the better.

“I'm not harassing her! Eve and I go way back. We're friends. Tell him, Evie!”

Eve chuckled as the two Nicks began bickering back and forth in a playful manner with each other. She knew better than to get between their little squabbles, especially when it meant having to go against Folio. He may have been the only person she opened up to for months following the incident with the Valor brothers - only because he was a bartender at her favorite dive bar - but that didn't mean she was always going to defend his crazy antics.

“Oh no, I'm not getting in the middle of you two.”

Finally conquering the black silk bow, Eve offered Nick a triumphant smile as she held the gift box out to him. He had asked her to wrap it extra securely since he would be hand delivering it to his client that afternoon, thus starting her battle with the evil bow. At least she had come out on top at the end of it.

“Come on, Folio. You're with me so I can keep my eye on you.”

Again they began a game of back and forth, but Nick ultimately won in the end. He always did.

“Enjoy your quality time!” She called out as the two exited the building, a faint laugh to herself to follow. Well, thankfully now she would get some peace and quiet. That was something she wasn't used to anymore, at least not as of late. So she was long overdue for some alone time.

Ghosts typically didn't harass her while she was in the shop, though she wasn't sure why. She had confided in Nick about this previously and his only guess had been that maybe one of the objects had a way of warding off spirits, making this a sort of 'safe zone’ for her. Eve wanted to argue that she had never found something to work so flawlessly before, but she kept it to herself. Why go against the theory when it clearly held some weight?

You see, the longer Eve tried to keep her gift at bay, the worse things would get for her. Images of the dead had started becoming more extreme, the sight of their gruesome fates keeping her up at all hours of the night. Every time she closed her eyes she was haunted by their faces. Their pleas for release or revenge drowning out every other sound and thought that happened to enter her mind. It was a miserable way to live and Eve would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about ending it all once or twice.

But not to worry. That was something she would never do. She couldn't bear to leave Molly alone.

Eve took in a deep breath as she ripped open a box containing a set of crystals a regular customer had been searching for. She used to be so intrigued by the different items Nicholas could find, but now it was all as mundane as sorting through a stack of bills.

“Taylor…Crawford…” she mumbled to herself while scribbling the name of the buyer of the crystals on a sticker before securing it to a separate box that showcased the business's name: Cellar Door. She had just set the box in the designated hold area when she heard a shuffling sound coming from out in the main area of the store.

Weird…Nicholas and Folio had left for the delivery only a few minutes ago and she knew she hadn't heard the bell ding above the door to signal someone had walked in. Eve was going to ignore the sound, chalking it up to just being the city beyond the front doors, but it only grew louder the harder she tried to push it out.

Thoughts of the worst came rushing in. If she knew no living soul was beyond the stockroom she had disappeared into, then that only left one other option.

But…wasn't this supposed to be her safe zone?

Her hands immediately became clammy as she took a hesitant step out of the stockroom, two toned eyes now peering down the hallway that lead to the main floor. She didn't see anything other than the usual items for sale and on display but that didn't mean there wasn't anything there. Ghosts were assholes and had a tendency to jump out at you or suddenly appear before your very eyes. Eve had no idea why they had a habit of this but it got her every damn time.

“Hello?” She called out, slow steps being taken further down the hall.

To her left sat a large display case spanning the length of the hallway that housed old first edition books, antique jewelry, and even some little trinkets that Nicholas claimed dated back over two-thousand years ago. The lights within it were dim but just bright enough to let her see the reflection of the poor soul that waited for her around the corner. They looked no different than a living, breathing person, but Eve could usually always tell the difference. Their eyes lacked substance. They had no feeling to them like all others did. It was a chilling sensation that she typically felt radiating off of them, one that struck right to her core.

“Just go on and tell me what you need so we can get this over with.”

Eve used to be more caring and sympathetic to the ghosts that sought her out, but all that changed when her ability proved to be more of a burden than anything else. Especially lately as they began interrupting her everyday life like before when she hadn't yet known how to exercise control.

“I'm serious. I'm not going to entertain any of the annoying riddles from the great beyond this time.”

Stepping around the corner, she paused upon coming face to face with an older woman. The woman was looking right through her, her mouth open just a bit to allow a gurgle of incoherent words to escape. Eve squinted at her in confusion, hands fisted down at her sides. She always tried her best not to touch them because that's when things would take a turn. It wasn't natural for the living to be that in touch with the dead – literally.

“Okay, fine,” she sighed heavily. “I'm going to get back to work so just let me know when you're ready to do this thing.”

Just as she was going to turn away, a hand waving the spirit off, a cold she had never felt before jolted through her entire being. She gasped as the woman clung to her bicep, her rushed steps forcing her back into a table of candles and wax melts. Eve was wide eyed while staring at the ghost, the fear she felt blocking any words she was desperate to say.

While it was a bad idea for the living to touch the dead, it was practically unheard of for the dead to be the ones doing the touching. Only something more vile had the ability, something that people liked to place the word ‘demonic’ on. Eve knew better but this was still terrifying as fuck.

“What do you want?” She stammered out as chills rose up along the entirety of her body. The woman’s hold on her only tightened while she was leaning in closer and closer, their faces now only centimeters apart.

With a barely noticeable shift, the older woman was gazing directly into her eyes with a deep intensity. The cold remained, feeling as if she had taken a step out into Arctic air, but a new sensation began to emerge. Eve suddenly felt like she had plunged into the lake in the dead of winter that resided behind her house when she was a kid. It always iced over just enough for her to walk across the surface despite Molly’s pleas for her to come back. It only took her leg going through the ice once for her to learn her lesson. That type of cold was indescribable and now it encased her entirely instead of just her adolescent leg.

Eve tried to take in a breath but couldn't no matter how many attempts she made. She could feel the icy water entering her lungs, running through her veins, freezing her from the inside out. The sensation didn't let up, not even as she forced her eyes closed and tried her best to break the connection with the spirit.

“It's coming for him…”

The unknown voice planted itself right in her mind, one that she immediately knew belonged to the woman.

“...and you won't be able to stop it.”

Candles fell to the floor from the weight of her body being pushed into the table again. She cowered against the edge, crouching just a bit in another vain attempt to get away from the spirit. Her lungs had yet to inflate, still only filled with the murky water of the frozen lake. Eve coughed and gagged at the taste of it, her body collapsing to the floor. She fell to her knees, hard, the crease in the tile scratching against her bruising skin. The woman no longer held her but her form remained at her side, standing so close that the skirt of her dress brushed along her quivering shoulder.

Fuck. Was this how she was going to die? How embarrassing would it be to drown in the middle of a store without a drop of water in sight? Her death would stump everyone who investigated it until she was nothing more than a cold case, an urban legend told years down the line. Only those closest to her would know the truth.

“This is your only warning.”

Just as she felt the end creeping up, a darkness dancing before her eyes, the frigid cold began to subside and a warmth wormed its way back into her. Life.

Eve took in a ragged breath, her body falling to the floor in exhaustion and fear. Her forehead rested against her forearm, nails still digging into the old tile she had been forced down to. Fuck, it felt good to be able to breathe again.

But who the hell was him? And why was his death being used to dangle in front of her like bait?

X X X

“So much for this being a safe place for you.”

There was a sadness in Nick’s voice that she wasn’t accustomed to. It was almost like he was taking the other worldly threat personally, offended that something so sinister would happen in his place of business. A place they had both previously thought was an area of calm for her.

She had barely looked at him after he found her trembling on the floor, having not yet moved from the position the spirit had left her in. It was embarrassing. No one had ever seen her like that except for Molly and their gran, and now she would give anything to have one of them holding her hand right then. Eh, well, maybe just her gran.

“Don't do that,” she quietly spoke, her head shaking in a barely-there motion. “It's not your fault. Nothing can stop them from coming through.”

Folio was leaning against the opposite wall with his arms crossed over his chest and his sights set on her. She hesitantly looked his way but then quickly averted her gaze elsewhere.

“You okay?” He asked in a soft voice and she could tell he was doing it so as to not spook her.

Eve gave him a single nod in response. That's all she currently had the energy for.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

No. Definitely not.

“I'm good.”

Folio had a kind vibe to him. He was generous and selfless, always smiling and always helping out where he could. She never felt anything malicious radiating off of him which was a surprise considering most human beings had some sort of foul thoughts whether they were pushed back or not. But Folio? Eve assumed he was as pure as they came. Well…spiritually speaking, of course.

So, his concern for her wasn't out of the ordinary.

“Okay, where is she?”

Oh no.

Eve narrowed her eyes on Folio, her glare set on him merely because of his proximity. She didn't even look away when she felt her sister's hands roaming her shoulders, pushing her hair away, checking to make sure she was all in one piece. No one would ever know that Eve was the older twin by thirteen minutes with the way Molly liked to baby her.

“You called my sister?” She was now looking at Nick, well aware that he was the one responsible for this.

“Hey! What's with the tone? Of course he called me!”

A hand lifted to gently nudge Molly’s touch away, her body also leaning in the opposite direction. She hated when her twin got like this, even more so when it was in front of other people. Eve wasn't helpless. She could take care of herself and she was more than capable of handling whatever the dead decided to throw at her next. But because she knew of where Molly's worry stemmed from, she tried not to take her anger out on her for it.

“Molly, I'm fine.” She sternly repeated a few times as her sister continued to try to check her over. Eventually she stood up and walked a few quick steps in the opposite direction to place some space between herself and her sister.

“Are you going to tell me what happened? Because getting a call from Nick saying he found you spazzing out on the floor is freakin’ scary, Eve.”

“I wasn't spazzing out,” she quickly countered, eyes rolling. “I may have been crying but you try seeing ghosts everyday for eighteen years and let me know how well adjusted you become.”

“I'm sorry, Eve. Molly told me before to always let her know if something happens. I didn't know you-”

A hand was held up to stop Nick from continuing with his statement. She didn't blame him. Molly had quickly taken over the motherly role after they moved out from their gran’s house when they were eighteen and she had yet to drop it after six years.

Molly took a step forward and attempted to reach for her. She gave her twin a look of confusion and swiftly stepped out of line, her eyebrows raised.

“Come on, Evie. Let me take you home. Please?”

“What? No. I can make it home just fine on my own, thanks.” Shaking her head, Eve dismissed her sister with a wave of her hand and then looked at Folio and Nick again. She offered them a small smile, anything to let it be known that she was okay.

“I appreciate you two, really.” She approached them, a hand then patting both of their shoulders in an awkward yet friendly gesture. Physical contact was out of her realm of comfort, if it wasn't already painfully obvious.

With that, Eve took her leave as if nothing at all was bothering her. She didn't have the weight of the undead world weighing down on her shoulders or anything. No, certainly not. She was just as happy-go-lucky as the next girl.

“Don't you dare take me off the schedule!” She yelled back to Nick before stepping out onto the sidewalk.

X X X

FOLIO: ghost girl

FOLIO: the silver bullet. 9pm.

EVE: Good evening to you too.

EVE: But I can't. I have serious plans with my couch and Netflix.

FOLIO: it wasn't a question!

FOLIO: evelyn come on. it's about time you got some fresh air.

EVE: A sweaty, crowded bar is considered “fresh air”?

FOLIO: probably fresher than the stale air of your apartment.

EVE: Leave my apartment out of this.

FOLIO: i bet you haven't even opened a window in days.

FOLIO: i'll buy you a drink and we can act like it's the old days.

EVE: AKA six months ago.

FOLIO: 🥺🥺🥺 pls

EVE: Fucking hell. Fine. I'll be there.

The Silver Bullet was the kind of bar that was tucked away from the main road, keeping it safe from those who wouldn't be considered regulars. Despite this, it didn't mean the establishment wasn't ever busy, especially not when it came to the weekends. Eve was sure the bar could only open on Friday and Saturday nights and still make a killing.

This was probably why she was already irritable upon entering the darkened building.

“I told you she’d show up! You owe me $10!” Folio announced to Nick the moment he caught sight of Eve uncomfortably maneuvering through other bar patrons. She swore under her breath when an obnoxiously drunk man stepped back into her, nearly spilling the entirety of his beer down her back.

“You seriously bet about whether or not I'd come?” She cut a glare at the man while approaching the opposite end of the bar, her voice projected loud enough to be heard by the intended audience.

Eve eyed both of her friends now, her head slowly shaking at them. Before either could respond, she turned to the bartender, an older woman who knew them all by name at this point, and merely smiled at her to signal her need for a drink. Only a few short moments later, there was a fresh mojito sitting in front of her.

“I said I'd buy you a drink and by that I meant an actual drink.”

“A shot does not count as an actual drink!” She tried to protest while Folio ordered all of them a round of tequila shots, ignoring her qualms.

Disregarding her own frustrations, Eve made no further complaints as she took the small glass that had been extended to her. She quickly tossed the liquor back and then chased it with a swallow from her minty drink — anything to cut the horrid taste of straight tequila.

“Can I get another?” She called out to the bartender who would be her best friend for the night.

“Damn, someone didn't come here to play.” Nick laughed into his beer, both brows raised.

“I think you two know better than anyone else that it's been a hell of a week and I deserve this.”

Folio draped his arm across her shoulders, his hand giving the opposite arm a friendly pat. “We're here for ya, our little morose fairy.”

“Well…yeah…but…” Nicholas glanced to the left, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Enough for her to pick up on it. “It might be about to get worse. Just know that I didn't invite her.”

“No…”

“Yes.”

She whined, her lips pulling down into a dramatic frown. “Please tell me she isn't, Nicky. Please.”

“Sorry, Eve,” Nick grimaced before forcing a wide grin on his face just as she felt the familiar embrace of her sister from the side.

“Hi, Molly,” she grumbled while taking a large swallow from her mojito to stop herself from speaking her disdain upon seeing her beloved baby sister. A glance over to her living reflection and she noticed the unfortunately familiar face of Cyrus awkwardly shuffling behind her, his soft pink button up shirt making him stick out in a place like this. “And Cyrus,” Eve added.

She didn't need to look at Folio to know his mood had drastically dropped. She could feel it even with his arm still slung over her shoulders after Molly had released her, a friendly but disinterested smile being sent the way of her sister and said sister's boyfriend. Folio had been crushing on her twin since the moment he laid eyes on her over a year ago. While he did flirt here and there, he was otherwise respectful of Molly’s bland relationship despite everyone being able to tell how not into Cyrus she was when it really came down to it.

But Cyrus was the safe option, and Eve knew her twin well enough to know that Molly craved security.

“I'm gonna run to the bathroom,” Cyrus spoke to Molly. His attention then shifted to Eve, a punchable grin overtaking his expression. “Casper isn’t lingering over there, right?” He made a lame attempt at a joke, his fingers wiggling with an added ‘woooo’ accompanying his taunt.

It took everything in her not to chuck her nearly empty glass at his head. Molly elbowed his side, murmuring her scolding at him through clenched teeth before he sauntered away with a roll of his eyes. Eve was sure he would complain later about how much of a drag they all are and unable to take a joke.

“Sorry, Evie,” her sister shook her head. Molly then slid by them so she could order her own drink, her typically small voice easily heard over the rest of the patrons trying to gain the bartender’s attention. That's how Eve knew her sister was fired up. Oh well. She didn't have it in her to deal with it right then.

“Hey,” she gently nudged Folio and offered him a smile. “Wanna go dance?”

This wasn't the sort of establishment with a dance floor and the only people who were usually dancing had already hit the drunk level of not remembering their night. That never stopped Folio from bouncing around, though, his pent up energy something to envy. He visibly perked up at the suggestion and nodded.

“Hell yeah, Eve! That's what I'm talking about!” Thrusting a fist up into the air, his arm then slid off her shoulders and down to her hand so he could help drag her to their usual designated drunk dancing area.

The far side of the bar is where they lived for awhile. A live band was always playing on the weekends, though it usually only made for good background noise to help keep the thoughts at bay, and right at the front is where Folio took solace. The speakers were near them, the heavy bass causing her eardrums to thump and her chest to vibrate. This didn't prevent Eve from jumping around with him, her arms above her head, hips moving to the beat. Folio liked to break out random old school dance moves that would have her laughing, aiding in the escape she was always desperately seeking.

Eve did a careful turn on the toe of her platform heels, long strands of her dark hair fanning out around her in an almost mesmerizing way. As soon as she was settled forward, Folio grasped her hand and spun her again, her petite form easily going beneath his arched arm. The drinks mixed with her constant motions were beginning to get to her, dizziness settling in. She stumbled a bit as she tried to regain her composure, though the faces of strangers around her were fuzzy on the edges.

That's when the faces began to morph into something more nefarious. The color of their skin dulled and sagged, large lesions forming on their cheeks and foreheads. Blood dripping from the exposed sores. The hallucination was so vivid that Eve swore she could even smell the putrid scent of their decaying flesh.

Fraud. Fake. Scammer.

Their voices chanted in unison, each word like a pinprick to her brain.

Fake.

Eve didn't realize how tightly she was grasping Folio’s shoulder until he was gripping her wrist and cradling her face. She blinked a few times in an attempt to focus his worried eyes that were now in her line of sight, but it was no use. Faces of the dead continued to swarm her vision, darkness seeping in.

“Eve? Are you okay?” Folio sounded like he was a hundred miles away but she somehow managed to nod to his question.

“I just…I need some air.”

Heartless!

Worthless!

Cruel!

Folio reached for her, though her arm slipped from his grip and she was then swallowed by the other bar goers. Getting to the back door of the Silver Bullet was much easier said than done. Eve could barely find her footing, each step harder than the last. The walls were closing in, air becoming scarce. She pressed a hand to her chest, well aware of the rapid beating of her heart beneath her rib cage. Her nails scratched at her skin and every breath brought forth less and less relief.

It was like she was back at Cellar Door with the ghost of the old woman breathing down her neck.

Then, she was pushing against the back door that felt like a wall of cement, her weakened muscles straining under the weight, and she was finally free. Eve gasped as soon as the cool night air washed over her. Oxygen was entering her lungs again, each inhale she took a blessing. She rushed down the steps and into the alley that was lit by a lone street light that set an eerie orange glow to her surroundings. Trembling hands pressed into the outer bricks of the building, her head hanging down between her shoulders.

In. Out. In. Out. The pressure on her chest began to lessen, just as the black clouding her vision dissipated in unison. She couldn't remember the last time she had experienced a panic attack such as that, especially not one triggered by virtually nothing.

Only a few minutes had passed when the back door opened again, music and laughter flooding the alleyway. She cursed under her breath as she turned away, one hand still resting on the bricks to keep herself propped up.

“Eve?” The voice had been chit chatting with another but abruptly cut off upon realizing she was out there.

“Hey,” she called out, a hand waving back to Nicholas. She would recognize his voice anywhere. It was the second voice that was a mystery to her.

“Did it happen again? Are you okay?”

Goddamit. She didn't want to be that friend. The one everyone had to worry about and look after. So, she forced a smile and glanced at Nick from over her shoulder, nodding.

“Yeah, yeah – I mean no, it didn't happen again. I'm fine. I just needed some air.”

“You don't seem fine.” Footsteps edged closer to where she stood partially obstructed by shadows. She took in a wobbly breath and turned on her heels to face her friend, as well as the stranger lingering back a few feet.

Another smile, another shake of her head, another lie. It was the routine of her life.

Eve opened her mouth to speak but then promptly closed it when nothing but a sob lodged in her throat. She was hoping Nicholas couldn't see the tears in her eyes, but the concerned expression he wore told her that he didn’t need to in order to know something was wrong.

“I'm sorry,” she finally breathed out, followed by a nervous laugh. “I'm okay, I promise. Really.”

That's when her gaze cut to the guy in the distance. He was shuffling on his feet, his dark eyes set firmly on her. He wore a jacket over his hoodie, the hood resting atop his head, but his long hair was still visible. With his fists plunged into the pockets of his jacket, he was looking at her with a curiosity that made her slightly uneasy.

But what did she expect when she was standing outside in the winter with just a short dress on and tears in her eyes? He probably thought she was a lunatic.

Eve tried to focus her attention back on Nicholas who was still questioning her current state but she couldn't stop herself from glancing at the other guy every couple of words. She was receiving a read on him that made her want to cower back. It was something dark and unusual. This particular feeling wasn't necessarily him - instead something that was maybe…attached. Looming just over his head.

“Everything alright?” He called out, hesitant steps now being taken closer to where she stood with Nick. The moment he was within arms reach of her, she stepped to the side, nearly slipping on the littered alleyway as she did.

“Sorry, Noah. We're good. This is Eve, she works for me.” Nick glanced her way, his brows furrowing slightly at her odder-than-usual demeanor. “Eve, this is Noah, a friend from home. He just moved back out here.”

“Noah,” she repeated, his name thick in her mouth. “Hi.”

The only response from him she received was a barely-there smile and a nod of acknowledgement. His eyes then fell to her exposed chest, a backwards tilt of his head made towards her. “You're bleeding.”

Eve quickly dropped her gaze to see the streak of blood coming from the self inflicted scratch. It wasn't brutally deep, but it ran from her collar bone to the center of her chest, the lower portion coated in a faint red.

“Shit,” she muttered under her breath, a hand quickly swiping at the wound. This only led to the blood smearing across her fair skin, to which Nicholas began patting his pockets in search of a napkin.

Noah beat him to it, his hand now outstretched and offering her a napkin with the bar’s logo stamped on the corner. He looked at her, the napkin, and then back to her eyes, silently instructing her to take it. Eve did so hesitantly, their fingers brushing just the faintest bit.

“I promise I haven't used it,” he forced a chuckle. “You just never know when you might need one.”

Eve could see his lips moving but she was far too focused on the sudden wave of dread that washed over every inch of her body. She quickly jerked her hand back, unintentionally snatching the napkin from him in the process. Noah looked offended, his lips parted, words of distaste eager to be let loose on her, but he somehow managed to hold back.

Maybe it's because he was Nick’s friend or maybe he could see the terror written all over her face.

Without another word, Eve rushed away from the two men, her hand clasped tight around the napkin.

“What the fuck was that about?” She heard Noah ask just as she had opened the door to head back inside.

Nick was at a loss for words, but ultimately shook his head at his childhood friend. “She's just…having a hard go of it right now. Don't take it personally.”

Whatever else was said between them was lost in the commotion of the Silver Bullet. Honestly, she didn't care either way, though. She was too concerned about whatever had just reared its ugly head at her when she touched Noah.

X X X

“Fuck, babe, you gotta slow down.”

Heavy breathing crowded her room as she rode her usual hook up later that night. His hands were tight on her hips and his brows pulled taut, indicating that he was clearly trying his best not to finish yet. Which was shocking considering their late night visits usually led to him getting off way before she did.

“Seriously, Eve. You're gonna make me bust right away.”

Eve wished she could tell him to shut the hell up and let her do her thing, but his cock felt too good and she was beyond eager to cum. Her hands pressed into his chest, her hips rolling down with his in a way that had her clit grinding against his pelvis in the most delicious way.

All night she had been trying to get Noah’s face out of her mind. She thought calling Jolly was the answer to this problem, but it had only proved to frustrate her more. He wasn't a terrible fuck, not in the least bit, though something was keeping her from meeting her end. Eve had been right on the cusp of an orgasm for awhile now, frantically chasing it and desperate to make it her own. Unfortunately, her mind and body weren't communicating so well.

Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, her dark hair like a curtain around them. She had leaned down so her chest was against his, praying that the new angle would get her there. Jolly’s hands grabbed her ass, his own groans of pleasure reaching their peak as he helped bounce her on his cock. The pressure was beginning to build inside of her again, her breath shifting to heavy pants. She was so close. Even Jolly appeared proud of himself for finally getting her there.

But then it began to slip away once more.

“Fuck!” Eve suddenly cried out, but not from the waves of ecstasy that were still just out of reach. She was frustrated. Mad. Terrified. Not even sex could help her escape as it usually did. That's why she had held onto Jolly for so long - he was a nice guy but also willing to hook up with her, no strings attached, whenever she called.

Eve halted her motions and then rolled off of him without a word. Her heart was still racing as she stared up at her dark ceiling, the occasional car driving by casting a faint glow throughout her room. She could sense Jolly’s confusion beside her and she knew he was about to be equally frustrated since she hadn't let him finish. If she had been in a better mood than she would've let him do exactly that in her throat, but she was feeling selfish. If she couldn't get off, then neither could he.

“You okay? Did I do something?"

Christ, she was so tired of people asking if she was okay.

She heavily sighed, both hands rubbing over her face. “No…yes…I don't know. I mean, no, you didn't do anything. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.”

Jolly was great because he didn't want anything more from her either. He was about a decade older than her, give or take, but he didn't judge her or make her feel like she needed to be tossed into a padded room when she confided in him with her issues. It was a rare occasion when she would and a lot of details were left out, but he understood. He never tried to dig deeper. Never made her uncomfortable. He took what she gave, mentally and physically, and he was happy with it.

After Molly, Folio, and Nick, he was probably one of the only people she could call a friend. Loosely, but still a friend nonetheless.

“I'm sorry,” she finally said. “I shouldn't have woken you up for you to come over and only get…this.” Eve motioned to her disaster of a self, eyes rolling. “I was hoping it would help.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Jolly turned to face her, his upper body propped up on his elbow. She looked his way and offered a soft smile before lightly shrugging. Ugh, she hated that he was nice even when their night ended in disappointment for them both.

“I just can't get this guy out of my head.”

“Ouch, Orion. Not even thinking about me when we fuck? I'm wounded.”

“That's not what I meant and you know it,” she jutted her elbow out to gently nudge him.

“Is it a spirit thing?”

Eve took a moment to ponder, a soft sigh again escaping past her lips. After a few seconds she finally nodded, but hesitantly. “Maybe? I think so…it's just so different from what I'm used to.”

Jolly remained silent, allowing her this time to gather her thoughts before continuing.

“I had a really bad visit earlier and things have just been off ever since. Then I met this guy tonight, a friend of Nick’s, and when we touched - accidentally - it was like I felt that same overwhelming terror all over again. Like I couldn’t breathe.”

When she looked at him, he was wearing his own face of confusion. He didn't know the ins and outs of her hell, no one did, but even he knew something sounded odd about it.

“Do you usually have things like that happen? Connected situations?”

“No, not that I can remember.”

“So…maybe it's just a coincidence. You could've still been spooked from earlier and this new guy somehow had your brain correlating the two.”

Eve wanted to be able to agree with Jolly. She so badly wanted to see it from his perspective and believe it to be true, but deep down she knew better. Never one to believe in coincidences, Eve could feel that something was amiss. She couldn't explain it, the thoughts not able to form into coherent words, but that didn't stop her from knowing.

Strands of hair were then being softly brushed from her face, followed by her bare shoulder. She didn't look at him, though. They weren't about to stare lovingly into each other’s eyes as she divulged all of her inner turmoil because that wasn't what this was.

“Want me to stay?”

There was no hesitation as she shook her head. “No, it's okay. I'll be fine.”

Only once had she allowed Jolly to spend the night and that was merely because she had a particularly nasty ghost tormenting her every night after 3am at the time. Nothing further came of it but she didn't want him to get the wrong idea or start to think it would become a normal occurrence.

“I really am sorry,” she admitted as he pushed the heavy comforter back to drag himself out of bed. “Feel free to tell me to ‘fuck off' next time I call you.”

Jolly chuckled while fumbling with his t-shirt, shaking it around to turn it right side out again. “Nah, you know I'd never do that. I'm always here when you need me.”

“Gross. Stop being so nice.”

“You're a fucking enigma, Evelyn Orion,” he laughed. “But you've got a great ass to make up for it.”

NOAH POV

Being a skeptic in a room full of believers was a wild concept. One mention of him not falling for the bullshit of the paranormal world and Folio was ready to jump down his throat. He took that shit to heart and Noah would've felt bad about it had it not been so damn funny to see him flustered about ghosts.

“There's no science behind it. No proof!” He argued while playing with the metal tab of his beer can.

“There's endless proof in videos and pictures posted online, man! What more do you need?”

Noah waved him off, his head shaking as he took a long swallow from his now room temperature beer. “All of that ‘proof’ can be faked so easily,” he exclaimed after clearing his throat.

Nick cut a glance at him, his brows raising. “Don't let Eve hear you say shit like that.”

“The weird girl from the bar?”

He knew exactly who Nick was talking about. He hadn't been able to forget her unique eyes since first seeing her earlier.

“She isn't weird. Don't be an asshole.” Folio was quick to defend the girl but Noah wasn't so sure that his friend even truly believed what he was saying.

Also - why the fuck had he been so quick to stick up for her?

“Folio has a soft spot for Eve but also her sister…mostly her sister.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Folio threw a fist at Nick’s shoulder, though only hard enough to make him jolt to the side in laughter.

“I hope her sister isn't as rude as she is. I was trying to help the girl out and she looked at me like I had just kicked her dog.”

Fucking ridiculous if you were to ask him. What had made her so off put? That's really what he wanted to know but Eve seemed like the kind of girl who would knee him in the balls if he got too close – not something he was willing to risk.

“She's having a bad time. I already told you not to take it personally.”

“I'm not taking it personal,” Noah abruptly snipped. “I'm just saying that it was rude as fuck and also kinda weird.”

How this random girl had managed to wrap both of his best friends around her finger, he would never know.

Folio took a long drag from his beer, then he was shifting to lean forward with his elbows on his knees. He was staring directly at Noah with an all too serious expression that had somehow found a home on his face.

“Look, Eve has this weird ability to see ghosts but she doesn't like to talk about it.”

That sure was a loadaed as fuck statement to make so casually.

“Is it because she's full of shit?” Noah interrupted before his friend could continue. Folio glared at him and flashed him his middle finger.

“No, jackass. Molly, her sister, can back it all up, alright? It's apparently been something she's dealt with since she was a kid and Molly explained to me that it happens sort of in waves. Right now she's at the very top of a wave and it's about to all come crashing the fuck down.”

A chuckle escaped his throat for the hand motions Folio was using to accompany his story. And oh what a tale it was. Someone claiming to be able to see ghosts? He wasn't stupid enough - or drunk enough - to fall for that age-old scam.

Nick offered his two cents about it after a beat. “Yeah, dude, for real. Some weird shit happened with her at the store earlier and we both saw how shaken up she was. Eve isn't the type to fake that kind of thing.”

The problem was that Noah wanted to believe his friends but in doing that, he would also have to believe Eve. He didn't know this girl; he had no idea who she was, what she was about, what her story was. There was no way he could possibly trust whatever attention seeking stories she had sobbed to Nick and Folio.

“Sounds to me like she already has enough people advocating for her, so she doesn't really need me doing the same.”

Even if she did look fucking stunning back in the alley when he first saw her - at least before she looked at him as if she hated his guts. Dark hair, full lips, piercing eyes, and thighs that he could see himself suffocating between; all things that would typically have him on his knees. Noah wasn't going to fall for the allure of a beautiful girl again, though, especially not one that was obviously certifiably bat shit.

“Damn,” Folio shook his head, Nick soon doing the same. “Virginia made you ice cold, man.”

Without a word, Noah swallowed down the last couple gulps of his beer and immediately reached for another one. Virginia wasn't a topic he wanted to touch on. Not then, not ever. He had already come to terms with the course his life took and he was far from willing to hash it all out with his best friends. At this point, he could no longer find a single fuck to give.

“So…” Nick drew out the word as his fingers tapped against his beer can in a rhythmic show. “Are you going to join Folio’s little band of paranormal misfits?”

Noah appeared visibly taken back, a laugh of disbelief sounding from him. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you're good with all that tech stuff,” Folio exclaimed. “Plus, it'll be awesome to have a skeptic on board.”

“Is your girlfriend in it?” Noah knew how childish he sounded but the alcohol helped him not to care, as well as his typical all around everyday bright and shining attitude.

Folio’s face scrunched up, his hands tossing out in front of him. “What? I don't have a girlfriend.”

“He's talking about Eve,” Nick leaned over to discreetly explain, although they were all sitting rather close and Noah could both see and hear him clearly.

“Oh!” Folio slowly nodded in understanding. “She's not my girlfriend, dick. We're friends. I don't even know if she's the relationship type.” He glanced at Nicholas for confirmation but all he received was a shrug.

“But if she was?” Noah continued to press, though he had no idea why. This weird girl's personal life was of no interest to him.

“Then we would still just be friends. What's with the interrogation?” Folio eyed him suspiciously from over the rim of his beer, brows raised.

Nick jumped in, his demeanor light as he chuckled through his words. “Yeah, man. Sounds like you're fishing to see if Eve is single and if either of us are interested.”

“Fuck off, no. She's not my type.”

“Yeah, okay. What is your type then?”

“We’re really getting off topic,” Folio murmured to himself between Noah and Nick’s back and forth.

“Sane, for starters.”

“We're getting off topic!” Folio quickly jumped to his feet, his voice loud enough to echo through the room. “Are you in or not, Davis? That's all I need to know so I can go the fuck to bed.”

Noah dropped his head back against the chair he was seated in, loudly groaning. “I fucking guess so, Jesus Christ. It’s not like I have anything else to do.”

Rolling his eyes, Folio threw his empty beer can at Noah, the aluminum hitting him square in the chest. “And I haven't gotten Eve on board yet, but when I do, you better play nice.”

“I always play nice. I'm the nicest guy in the city.” Noah feigned offense but he wasn't convincing either of his friends otherwise.

“Just be at Cellar Door tomorrow at six, okay?”

Nodding, he waved Folio off. “I'll be sure to have my Ghostbusters uniform dry cleaned properly beforehand.”

author's notes: i've had majority of this written since october 2024 (maybe before? i'm bad at time) and finally decided to finish it. please please please let me know if you're into it or not with a simple like, reblog, or even a message! i love hearing your take on things. your support means the absolute world to me, so much that i can't even put it into words. thank you!

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