affectionaites

[affectionaites]

𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍  𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛  𝚏𝚘𝚛  :  @tommyvxter​.

          the hotel lobby was grandiose and somewhat imposing, but dominique slotted in amongst the high flyers of the world with little effort. a large part of her had missed being in the field, causing controlled chaos, being the cat amongst the pigeons without them being privy to her true nature. she moved across the crowded room towards tommy, her partner for this particular mission ( just like old times ) and her back-up if things were to get hairy, clinking her champagne glass against his with a smile.     ❛  it’s  a  while  before  the  auction  gets  started,  what’s  your  read  on  the  place  ?  ❜

[affectionaites]

𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎, 𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖.

               hands clenched immediately as the other sat next to her , anger almost radiating off her petite body. this woman was someone that andrea had loved  dearly , was happy to kill for her & was happy to die for her , but was fooled into mourning the death of someone who wasn’t dead. dominique had been her best friend , someone andrea always opened up to , she knew andrea inside & out , probably better than andrea knew herself. but she couldn’t find herself to find any love towards her , only anger & hatred , two emotions that andi had become extremely comfortable with over the past few days. taking a deep breath , she turned her head towards the other. ‘‘ think so ? ask rose. ’’ a low blow — a really low smack towards dominique , but she wanted her to feel the pain that she had endured.

          ❛  i  deserve  that.  ❜     but it sickened her, really, to think of her daughter being raised by other women. dominique had so often been hailed as a paragon of positive emotions, the woman unphased by the worlds end, but possession was her ugly trait. rose was hers, her lifeblood, she had sworn to be everything her own mother was not and in the process became something much worse. her face echoed that of the angels in pain from the works of many a renaissance artist, a delicate concoction of sadness and disgust at her own actions. did she even try to speak to andi? was there any point?     ❛  i’m  glad  she  has  you.  i  ...  ❜     she stopped short, i never meant to hurt her. but what about a? about that night? she swallowed her words, she had to shoulder this burden, no matter the travesty that came with it.     ❛  i  want  you  to  know  that  i’m  sorry.  ❜

[affectionaites]

𝑣𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑦.

it was.. almost a relief because he wasn’t expecting her reaction. but at her question he isn’t able to keep the hint of a smile off his face because with spencer, it’s all he’s able to do. ‘’domi.. she’s.. really incredible. she makes me.. feel whole. like aside from all the gang stuff, she– she’s really something. like she can.. i don’t know hug me, and i just melt into her arms.’’ tommy says with a laugh, shaking his head at the words now that.. he’s actually said them outloud.  ‘’i.. i tend to have..’’ he trails off and his lips purse in thought as he tries to think of the right words to really say to get her to understand. ‘’i– i just.. have had bad.. luck with… this relationship. you know– crazy.. ex and all. but i just.. i feel like at ease with myself. we fell.. fell.. or she fell asleep the other day when we watched a movie. all i could do was watch her, because..’’ trailing off again there’s a hint of uncertainness in his eyes, lowering his head for a moment. ‘’because i kept thinking if anything bad ever happened to her, i.. i would fall apart. i– i love her, domi. she makes me insanely happy.’’

          a smile moves onto her features in lieu of the wariness and fear that camped there before. he seems... happy. smitten, even. his words cause a bubble of familiarity to rise in her chest, heartstrings sufficiently plucked as he talks about her with air in his throat and sunshine in his eyes. they weren’t often given the chance at true joy, their lifestyles left them surrounded by decay, by misery and sharp edges; she had been lucky, and by the sounds of things, so had tommy.     ❛  okay.  ❜     she says, nodding enthusiastically once to punctuate her point, letting go of his hands as she took a small step back.     ❛  i  won’t  tell  devlin.  ❜     because she knew, from the moment he had asked, that’s who he’d meant. tommy knew he was at the height of her priority list bar few, he was really only asking her to lie to one person.     ❛  but  you  have  to  keep  me  updated,  okay  ?  the  safety  of  our  family  comes  first,  tommy.  if  anything  goes  wrong  ...  i  trust  you.  and  i  want  you  to  be  happy.  ❜

[affectionaites]

𝑣𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑦.

‘‘maybe? i’m.. it’s something dominique. i like her a lot, and i know it’s.. frowned upon– but.. i do.’‘ tommy utters out almost nervously because somewhere in the back of his mind, the worry is there that she’s going to run and tell devlin. he doesn’t say anything but nods, opening the door for her and ushering her inside while he follows close behind. ‘‘please, dominique. you– can’t tell.. anyone yet. i’m.. begging you.’‘ it was like he was a little boy ,pleading to one of his friends about a secret that.. desperately needed to be kept. and in some cases, this was it. he wasn’t ready to be out with his relationship.. and he was certain spencer wasn’t either. ‘’but– yeah. guess that’s what.. has been really going on with me. anything… new with you?’’

          she moves inside with speed, wary of the idea that someone could be listening. there were enough secrets in rosewick, enough nasty tidbits hanging over everyone’s heads, she wasn’t about to let tommy have another. the door closes and she turns, somewhat speechless at his request, endless ocean hues visibly conflicted. if this were anything else, perhaps she could fulfil his request. keep his secrets like so many times before, whispering incessantly like silly school kids... but this wasn’t the same, was it?     ❛  tommy  ...  what  you’re  asking  me  to  do  ...  ❜     she thought of devlin. of the betrayal etched upon his features, of how she would swore she would regain his trust, the honour of being his second above all else. about how her heart still beat so viciously in her chest at the sight of him. was that how tommy felt about this girl? could she deprive him of the opportunity?

          she reaches out, takes one of his hands in hers and clasps her fingers over his like a gilded cage.     ❛  how  do  you  feel  when  you  see  her  ?  ❜     there’s a seriousness to her tone unlike anything before; if there was one thing that brought dominique duval back down to earth, it was love. she wasn’t interested in talking about herself, about all the awful things that had happened since her return, she just wanted him to be happy.     ❛  before  i  can  decide  anything,  i  need  to  understand.  ❜

[affectionaites]

𝑣𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑦.

there was a look on his face like he wanted to protest talking about it, but he probably wouldn’t have won the argument. so he keeps the door shut for a little bit because if they were going to talk about it, he might as well get it out. ‘’i was– tortured for a little bit by them. i uh..’’ trailing off a hand scratches his beard in thought again, making a face before shrugging. ‘’i’m.. also.. sort of? in a relationship.. with.. one of their members.’’

          it’s evident almost immediately that dominique has entered her distinct, mothering mode, her demeanour shifting into something that simply radiated concern and love in equal measure. she stares at him in disbelief when he eventually pushes out his first confession, have you told devlin? was her first reaction, the words that had so often spilled like wine from her pretty pink lips, yet something told her, no, not yet. there’s something else. it’s there, right under the surface, hidden in the way tommy chooses to specifically scratch his beard, as if hiding behind his digits even from her unassuming gaze. it’s awful, isn’t it?

          ❛  i  ...  ❜     another shift. her face doesn’t harden, but a palm travels to her chest, fingers splay out against the uncovered, porcelain skin underneath as if she could pluck the dreadful feeling straight from her bones.     ❛  a  relationship  ?  ❜     the words roll around on her tongue, and she finds herself painfully stuck between being his friend and protecting their family.     ❛  i  don’t  ...  i  don’t  think  i  understand  ?  ❜     tommy had always been so loyal, so devoted to not just the roses, but to her; would this have happened if she’d stayed? was it a momentary lapse of judgement, or was it a great love she had no right to question? and what in the world was this about torture? was it related?

          ❛  maybe  we  should  go  inside,  mon  chéri.  ❜

[affectionaites]

𝑣𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑦.

this was his best friend, his go-to for any advice and.. in general someone he trusted with his life. sure, the two reunited not too long ago and it felt weird but it was time to get past it. tommy only grunts, but finds himself relaxing with her touch. ‘’there’s got to be.. a lucky number or something though, right?’’ he says with a chuckle, hand scratching his beard in thought  and shrugging at her question. ‘’just been.. a few days. a run in with anarchy, you know. the.. usual. just some other worries to..’’ was it best to tell her his.. little relationship with spencer? that.. can be saved for later on right? ‘’do you.. want to come in then?’’

          she goes to reply to him, small smile on her features, shoulders releasing a small fraction of the tension that had built up within them –– but she stops short, seraphic features scrunching, painted lips parting slightly.     ❛  anarchy  ?  ❜     with everything that had been going on it would’ve been easy for them all to forget there was another, viciously dangerous enemy on their doorstep.     ❛  yeah,  of  course.  so  long  as  you  explain  what’s  going  on.  ❜     tommy wasn’t himself. there was clearly a plethora of things on his mind, and dominique was intent on discovering them, perhaps as a way of beginning to make amends for her extended absence.

[affectionaites]

𝑣𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑦.

@affectionaites​

‘‘I swear I’ve had a really rough day an–’‘ After opening the door and seeing his visitor, his lips purse and he moves to step out onto the porch to greet her. Shutting the door behind him, his hands stuff into the pockets of his coat. ‘‘–Hey. How.. have you been? Sorry for not.. like seeming I want to talk. I don’t know how to begin.. or where, Domi.’‘

          ❛  come  on,  you  know  i  don’t  blame  you  for  that.  lots  of  people  don’t  really  want  to  talk,  you  wouldn’t  be  the  first.  ❜     she tentatively puts out a hand, resting it on his shoulder with a smile. she’d almost been taken off guard by his sudden appearance, though his seemingly gaunt demeanour and placid exterior caused her worry to overshadow any doubt.     ❛  we  could  maybe  start  by  you  telling  me  what’s  made  your  day  so  rough  ?  if  that  works  for  you,  of  course  ?  ❜     she doesn’t want to ignore what she’s done, but maybe it was about time she pushed forward. tommy was one of her dearest, bonded by circumstance and sworn together by environment, and to be this convoluted with him... it felt wrong. 

[affectionaites]

𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎, 𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖.

               sitting on the bench , one leg crossed over the other , moisturized skin peeking out through the grated cuts along her jeans. the screams of terrified children vibrated around her , a chuckle coming from the pit of her stomach. it wasn’t as though she smacked them , although her words were quite vulgar. growing up , she sure as hell wouldn’t want a woman with tattoos telling her that she was running along the hills of graves. she could feel her the eyes on her instantly , causing hers to roll as she blew more bubbles into the air. ‘‘ calm down —- i didn’t touch the damn things. ’’ she muttered , referring to the children.

          she’d come here originally to speak to her friend, to continue bridging whatever remained of the vast void she’d formed between them, but the sight of the children gave her a visceral reminder of everything she had missed out on. rose... she found herself longing for her daughter often whilst she was away, delicate fingers clasped always around the locket on her neck as they were right now, seraphic heart burdened with the weight of what she’d done to her baby girl. the park bench dug into her back, left ugly, distinguishable marks underneath her blouse.     ❛     you’re  a  natural.     ❜     she managed to push out, typical smile concealing harsh thoughts. 

[affectionaites]

𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏.

there’s a small thing of blood coming down the side of his forehead, off in his own little world after coming down from the high. the familiar voice of the blonde snaps him out of his daze, an eyebrow raising as he looks her over with a light chuckle. ‘’holy shit, dominique. ‘s nice seein’ you.’’ it was always nice to see a friendly face that didn’t want to kill him. then again, maybe she did and she was just good at playing it off. ‘’… are you.. okay?’’

                    concern etches itself across angelic features as she takes him in, waving off the strange colours and shapes as if they had been there all along... had they? she gives him a smile, something motherly and inviting that she hopes provides him some comfort. he looks lost, perhaps a little sad, no matter what had happened he was still family.     ❛     terrible  environment  for  a  reunion,  mon  chéri.     ❜     she moves towards him, hand moving up to tilt his face to one side but stopping just before contact,     ❛     may  i  ?  that  looks  bad.     ❜     she remembers her days as the rose healer, still retains her entire skill set as if it were yesterday, and sidesteps his questions with some of her own.

[affectionaites]

𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒍.

      he could’ve killed the male before him. could’ve drove his fist into his face a few hundred times until he was unrecognizable for even laying a single hand on dominique to begin with , but all that vigorous rage dissolved the moment he felt her slender digits make contact with his leg , her desperate pleads filling his ears , and suddenly all that mattered in that moment was her.

      he releases his menacing grip on the male and allows him to fall harshly to the ground , attention now focused on the blonde , gaze softening and concern etching across dark features upon her distressed , vulnerable state that consumed him with the overwhelming need to protect her from everything and everyone around her. instantly he’s scooping her up into his arms as he gently picks her off the ground , shielding her protectively from others as he walked towards the nearest exit , wanting nothing more than to get her to safety of his car and away from any possible danger.

        ❛       i got you , princess.    ❜   he soothes lowly , fingers absently running along her hair in hopes to bring her some comfort as he tried his best not to think about what could’ve happened to her if he hadn’t been there , the rebel leader now holding the blonde just a bit more tightly to him as the thoughts attacked his mind like a deadly disease , trying his best not to let the rage resurface.

      with one arm still wrapped around the frenchwoman , the other reaches out to open the door of his car now that they were outside before settling her into the passenger seat. he kneels down so he’s at eye level with her , hand reaching out to cup her face , brushing a few strands of blonde hair from her seraphic features so he could get a better look at her as he looks her over to see if she had any bruises.

          ❛      did he —– are you hurt  ?    ❜

                    she can barely think but she’s trying. even beyond the clouded haze that was currently her mind, she had three priorities: her daughter, who she knew thanks to her actual, full of starlight parent was safely tucked away somewhere; devlin, who currently had his arms wrapped underneath her as he walked from the scene; and her roses, and the dreadful, unwavering feeling that something awful would happen to them if she didn’t snap out of it. but the more pressure she piled on her conscious mind, the harder it became to hold a grip onto reality. she tightens her fingers together behind devlin’s neck, in hopes of clinging on to something.

                    it seems to take an eternity to reach the car and by the time devlin’s placed her into its safe confines, she still believes they’re a minute behind, the phantom feelings of his fingers running through her hair providing her an island of comfort. his words echo, bounce around her skull like tiny pebbles, softening with every blow against the walls and eventually registering. she’s okay.     ❛     no,  no...     ❜     she whimpers, embarrassment beginning to set in.

                    ❛     i  am  so  sorry...  i  should’ve  known...  ❜     anxiety begins to recede in her chest and she finds the ability to breathe comes to her almost as easy as it had done before this entire ordeal began, yet her subconscious is still swimming. her inhibitions are destroyed. she’s no help to anyone like this.

                    ❛     i’m  sorry.     ❜     she looks up at him, stark contrast in her pupils as she looks him dead in the eye. what was she apologising for? not being at the top of her game and getting spiked? wasting his time? faking her passing? abandoning him and rose for the past four years? still loving him after all this time? tears prick crystalline hues as she falters, hand going to mirror his own actions and lightly brush his cheek but stopping short.     ❛     you  deserved  so  much  better.     ❜

[affectionaites]

𝒗𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒚.

he isn’t a stranger to drugs, so the lsd doesn’t do much to him. it gives him a buzz, one he’s needed for a while. eventually things came to an end when she came running to him. she was still his best friend no matter how hurt he felt with her faking her death. ‘’domi? yeah– yeah, i’m fine. are– oh.. oh no, you drank.. the punch.. didn’t you?’’

                    relief floods her senses before anything else. at least tommy was safe, and despite his horrifying revelation that he was in fact unaffected whilst she was slowly sinking through the floor, it meant she had one less loved one to worry about amongst all the other racket in her mind.     ❛  only  a  little  bit,  don’t  worry  about  me,  okay  ?  ❜     a complete untruth. dominique had, in fact, consumed an awful amount of the spiked beverage, and considering this was her first trip, it likely wasn’t going to end well.     ❛  is  everyone  else  okay  ?  maybe  we  should  try  and  find  them.  ❜

[affectionaites]

                    ❛  tommy  !  ❜     the strange circumstances under which the best friends were at the moment suddenly seemed incredibly small. by now, dominique had come to the horrific realisation that something was terribly wrong and she, unfortunately, was very rapidly falling victim to it. she moved with speed towards her best friend, blinking tightly to keep the odd colours and shapes at bay, acting as normal as she could to save face amongst those who had yet to be affected.     ❛  are  you  alright  ?  ❜     she queried, concern overthrowing any awkward interactions she might have had with him before.                    closed starter for @tommyveter

[affectionaites]

                    perhaps it was her own false death experience that had left her less emotional than before, perhaps it was simply the knowledge she held of how dangerous the man in front of her had been, or most likely it was the lsd slowly creeping its way through her veins ( unbeknownst to her ) that caused the blonde to stare for an extended period of time. was it really him? she quells the anxiety bubbling within her just enough to put on her typical persona, shoulders high, hands clenching and unclenching slightly to stop them shaking so violently. what in the world was wrong with her? she moves towards him, stops short a few steps,     ❛  jackson  ?  ❜                      closed starter for @jackscarter​

[affectionaites]

𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒔, 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒍𝒊𝒏.

〤       :       @affectionaites​  !

      did devlin want to be working some halloween party , surrounded by a bunch of intoxicated idiots that clearly couldn’t hold their drink ?  fuck no. would he use that excuse to be under the same roof of his only love ?  absolutely. and that was the only reason he was there and not reading bed stories to his little girl , the rebel leader unable to ignore his gut instinct that something parlous would go down tonight. usually , it was dominique he turned to with these things , the two had always been good at sensing forthcoming danger. but due to his hostile nature in their reunion , the two weren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.

      his dark hues glance over at her a moment , still watching out for her despite the circumstances , but as his gaze catches sight of some guy grabbing hold of her , the blood behind his skin starts to boil ; his protective nature taking toll , partnered with his growing fury that was now flowing heavily through his veins.

      making his way over , the crowd in front of him had instantly began to part ways to allow him on his warpath. and he wastes no time , grabbing ahold of the male by the collar of his shirt and shoving him harshly against the concrete wall of the haunted mansion with a seething glare.  

      ❛     don’t fuckin’ touch her.    ❜

                    there was a distinctive reason dominique duval didn’t touch drugs. whilst she would never judge another for what they chose to put into their bodies, the frenchwoman had always had a particularly adverse reaction to the more synthetic varieties, synthetic hallucinogens in particular. perhaps it was her refusal to ever face what had happened to her, when she was a child or otherwise, but there was something in her genetic makeup, her bare bones dna, that meant she totally lost it. she knew something was wrong the moment it began to settle.

                    it didn’t take long for some man to try and take advantage, but in her state she was weakened, vulnerable. her fingertips felt numb, her skin scorched as the male continued to try and grab at her,     ❛  get  off  of  me  ...  ❜     she mumbled, pushing him away with the most feeble attempt she could muster. she could hear him, trying to whisper nothings into her ear, his greasy skin almost pressed up against her, but his voice never reached her as anything more than a garbled mess, his filthy palms seeming to sink into her bare arms.     ❛  no  ...  get  ...  away  from  me  ...  ❜     but every word just filled her periphery with more colour, she stumbled, and the male caught her in a near vice-like grip.

                   and then he was gone, pulled away from her in a movement so sharp she crumpled to the floor. blue hues, barely visible beyond her widened pupils, stared upwards, the image of devlin burned into her mind, a tear rolling down her cheek as she reached up and gripped his leg. tight.     ❛  something  ...  there’s  something  wrong.  i  can’t  ...  ❜     vulnerable. that was how she felt. she clung onto him as if he were her only port in a storm, because he so often was, tears spilling out as her heart thudded against her skin so violently she thought she might break. all she wanted was for him to scoop her up, to feel the warmth of his body against hers. for him to soothe her like he used to. perhaps it was a long shot, but in this state she had no other desires.

                   ❛  soleil  ...  ❜     she half-begged, his old nickname slipping from her lips before she had a chance to stop it,     ❛  get  me  out.  please.  ❜

[affectionaites]

@prettypcisonsx​​     ⟶     𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊.

the haunted house was certainly not dominique’s scene. whilst she had missed rosewick’s festivities, this entire charade seemed oddly out of place with all the goings on. in an attempt to find a drink that hadn’t been spiked by local teens, she’d moved into one of the quieter rooms, heels that accompanied her barbie outfit ( finally embodying the persona many had given her ) clicking loudly against the floor. the music seemed duller here, the air just an inch too thick, and she found herself easily disquieted by the lack of commotion, jumping at the sudden noise that had come from behind her.

[affectionaites]

𝒗𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒚.

it was like that fateful day all over again, everything came crashing down & he didn’t know what to do, or hell even how to react. it drove him insane. she says something and all he’s able to do is stare, because yeah– he’s fucking confused. arms fold tightly over his chest as if to hug himself. ‘’uh listen.. if you’re going to explain all of this, domi.. we’re gonna get some drinks and talk about it.’’ tommy motions back into the area where the kitchen is but with his other hand he motions to the living room area. ‘’so uh.. sit down, make yourself at home. please..’’

                    he’s talking to you, dominique. that’s a start. she moves to sit down, nodding as she goes and as she slowly descends onto the seat, somewhat unnerved, guilt building up like blocks in her chest.  ❛  i  know  this  must  be  ...  absolutely  unbelievable,  tommy.  i’m  so  sorry  i  just  ...  i  didn’t  know  ...  ❜  how to tell your best friend you were back from the dead? she stops herself before she can dig the hole any deeper, looking down at her porcelain hands, shoulders still heavy from her interaction with devlin and wondering if this was going to go the same. she wished aiden were here, wished she’d of had the sense to let someone, anyone else know her plan... but she hadn’t. a lapse of selfish judgement on her part.

[affectionaites]

𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊.

               crimson eyes located the unwanted male within seconds , black heels clicking against the ground as she approached , chills running up the spines of those at the bar. fingers slip around the males shoulder , coffin cut , black acrylic nails dug into his ( clearly ) fake leather jacket as she pulled him sideways to face her. ‘‘ i think the kind lady over here told you to leave her alone , ’’ she stated , dark hues searching his as an eyebrow shot up on her forehead. ‘‘ unlike her , i will not be asking the second time. walk the same way you came or i’m happy to put my heel in places you’d prefer it not to be. ’’

                    dominique was far too used to dealing with unwanted male attention, and being back in a crappy south side bar meant she was even more prone to it than usual. a quick hair flick there or pleasantries exchanged before she left for another locale were usually enough, but tonight she had a particularly persistent straggler who’d simply had one too many. she was just about prepared to pull her fabulous vanishing act, leave without a trace and simply move on, when a worryingly familiar figure whipped into view, appearing before her like a gorgeous spectre of the night.

                    the sight of her make dominique pause. for a single moment, it was as if she were in a freeze frame, the details of andi’s features coming back into view. she was the same girl, same woman who had been by her side for many a year, but she was different... weren’t they all?

                   ❛  andi  ?  ❜  she spoke, disappointed they’d been force to reunite in such strange circumstances. scared for her reaction.