cultsplush

[cultsplush]

THERE'S   SOMETHING   TWISTED   IN   HER   CHEST,   because   whether   she   wanted   to   admit   it   or   not,   they   had   struck   a   nerve.   and   it   hurt.   “Are   you   always   such   a   fucking   dick?”   She's   moving   from   where   she   was   now,   shifting   to   pick   up   her   shirt   from   the   floor   and   pulling   it   over   her   frame.   This   was   a   terrible   fucking   idea.   And   he   just   proved   her   right. 

[cultsplush]

HATE?   THAT'S   WHAT   SHE   THINKS   this   was?   There's   a   moment,   where   the   truck   stops   on   the   edge   of   the   road.  He wouldn't follow someone he hated out into the fucking street , now would he?  His   gaze   a   notch   sharper   than   before,   as   he   huffs   out   a   breath   of   annoyance, patience wearing.   “God,   just   get   in   the   fucking   truck." 

[cultsplush]

THAT   ANGER   STARTS   TO   RISE   up   in   the   back   of   her   throat.   the   one   she   twists   and   pushes   down?   the   one   that   was   favored   to   her   by   blood,   of   a   wicked   father   and   his   favorite   daughter.   that   anger,   that   bores   back   at   him   now   with   a   blinked   stare.   her   gaze   shifts   to   his   hands,   the   faint   remains   of   blood   lilting   across   cracked   knuckles,   and   she   can   feel   something   in   her   snap.   she'll   double   the   space,   pricking   the   cigarette   from   his   mouth   and   flicking   it   elsewhere.   “they'll   come   back.”   more   of   them.   “they'll   make   me   go   back!”   her   tone   is   sharp,   directed,   but   it's   not   from   a   place   of   hate.   it's   fear.   and   it's   coated   on   her   tongue.   because   now?   now   they   have   something   to   hang   over   her.   now?   they   know   she   cares   about   him.   about   something.   and   that   was   worth   taking.

         "   you   can   tell   me   whatever   you   want,   darlin',   "   he   leaned   back   in   his   chair.   lucas   had   to   bite   his   tongue   to   not   say   what   he   truly   wanted   to   say.   he   tilted   his   head,   smirking   at   the   gashes   of   red   on   his   knuckles   after   lighting   a   cigarette.   "   doesn't   mean   i'll   listen   to   ya'.   "

[cultsplush]

HE   NEARLY   CHOKES   AT   THE   QUESTION,    the   glass   in   his   hand   a   decoration   at   this   point.   “God--   fuck   n--”   He   clears   his   throat   rather   abruptly,   pushing   his   tongue   against   his   cheek   as   he's   shaking   his   head   slightly.   “No.”   That   was   a   more   normal   response,   the   corners   of   his   mouth   shifting   upwards   just   a   bit   in   a   smirk,   as   he   breathes   out   a   laugh.   “Sorry,   I..   didn't   mean   for   that   to   sound   like..”   He   hates   children?   Well,   he   wasn't   really   a   fan,   but   that   was   besides   the   point.   Especially   in   the   presence   of   a   woman,   who   hadn't   the   faintest   idea   who   he   was.   “I'm   Jackson."   He   outstretched   a   hand.   “My   family   hosts   the   event,   they   donate   a   check   to   make   nice   with   the   council--   and   I'm   supposed   to   stand   there   and   nod,   maybe   smile   once   or   twice   to   make   nice." 

open   to:   m   /   f   /   nb muse:   emily   robins plot:   emily   is   an   elementary   school   teacher   and   has   either   recognized   your   muse   or   mistaken   them   as   a   parent   she   has   met   before ; location is up to you !

        "   this   might   sound   odd,   but   you   look   so   familiar.   you're   not   one   of   my   student's   parents,   right   ?   "

[cultsplush]

ANNOYANCE   PLAGUES   HIS   FEATURES ,   his   distaste   shifting   from   blue   hues   as   he's   been   up   most   of   the   night   trying   to   pick   up   the   pieces   of   someone   else's   mistake.   “right.”   god,   it's   practically   a   scoff   at   this   point.   “because   my   brother   is   such   an   easy   going   fuckin'   person.”   the   lilt   of   irish   on   his   tongue,   though   it   mostly   seeps   through   when   he's   stressed,   or   angry.   –   or   fucking   stressed   and   angry. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ❝    you    need    to    convince    him    to    make    up    with    her.    send    flowers.    chocolates.    diamonds.    i    don’t    care.    or    this    is    all    going    to    garbage.    ❞

open to anyone.

SET IT UP plots.

[cultsplush]

HER   STOMACH   TWISTS,   FEAR   EVER   SO   SLIGHTLY   widening   behind   dark   irises.   there's   a   moment,   before   she   speaks,   where   her   throat   bobs   and   her   jaw   twitches   beneath   the   surface.   and   then-   she's   turning   away   from   him,   quickly,   as   the   pieces   start   to   crumble.   “fuck!”   it's   sharp,   loud,   out   of   patience.   “i   told   you   to   stay   out   of   it!”   these   people   weren't   just   some   run   of   the   mill   fucking   criminals.   they   were   bad   people.   her   family,   the   one   she   ran   from--   they   were   bad   people. 

open   to:   f  muse:   lucas   miller plot:   someone   hurt   your   muse   and   lucas   took   care   of   it   whether   they   asked   them   to   or   not

         "   i   told   them   not   to   fuck   with   my   girl.   they   got   what   was   comin'.   "

[cultsplush]

assuming   anything   that   verdandi   did   had   fell   under   the   realm   of   being   unnoticed,   would   have   almost   been   laughable--   if   she   knew   her.   the   woman   had   been   more   cunning   than   other's   gave   her   credit   for,   and   her   people   adored   her,   despite   hidden   character   flaws.   should   she   ever   hear   he'd   considered   it   such   out   loud,   she'd   take   his   tongue   simply   for   pleasure,   and   he   knew   that.   despite   this,   he   had   sworn   his   loyalty   to   a   wolf   in   sheep's   clothing,   and   if   those   who   stood   in   her   way   truly   were   to   perish,   then   he'd   turn   a   blind   eye   to   the   sharpness   of   her   bite.   still-   the   cool   tint   of   rose   adorned   the   apples   of   this   ones   cheeks,   naturally   inviting-   he'd   never   had   the   pleasure   of   meeting   many   of   her   likeness   within   the   winter   court.   every   hand   that   had   ever   caressed   his   body,   had   been   cold   to   the   touch-   to   no   fault   of   their   own.   "you   do   not   seem   quite   fond   of   your   high   lord."   he   does   not   care   to   speak   out   of   tongue,   even   within   the   footsteps   of   a   court   he   was   unfamiliar   with,   illyrians   were   quite   known   to   do-   in   most   common   knowledge.   brute,   unwavering,   there   was   a   reason   they   made   good   soldiers,   assassins   even.   though,   the   thought   causes   the   corners   of   his   mouth   to   smirk   upwards,   tongue   pushing   against   the   inside   of   his   cheek   as   he   followed   her.   the   warmth   of   her   smile   caught   him   off   guard,   his   eyes   immediately   drawn   to   it   as   he   felt   the   flicker   of--   something--   too   foreign   even   to   the   illyrian   to   decipher.   he'd   known   lust,   attraction,   but   whatever   this   feeling   was,   seemed   to   itch   at   the   back   of   his   mind   demanding   to   be   acknowledged.   "perhaps   embarrassment   should   be   brought   back   to   the   courts,   it   would   do   them   well   to   have   the   good   sense."   he   didn't   quite   mean   it   as   an   insult,   only   that   people   grew   too   comfortable   in   their   expression.   after   all,   he   didn't   loom   over   them   like   some   sort   of   creature,   he   didn't   expect   to   be   gawked   at   like   a   wither,   either.   "have   you   traveled   outside   the   courts?"   he's   following   a   step   to   her   side,   pausing   as   she   does. "is that permitted amongst the priestess here?"

never  a  stranger  to  silence,  she's  thankful  for  the  comfortable  one  that  seems  to  dance  between  them  as  the  breeze  baths  her  under  the  sun.  following  nestor's  takeover  the  moment  where  fear  wasn't  injected  to  the  lack  or  words  were  practically  nonexistent,  so  she  would  sit  in  comfort  for  as  long  as  he  chose  not  to  speak.  had  to  remind  herself  though,  nestor  had  attempted  to  input  a  job  on  her  and  that  was  to  watch  their  guests  with  a  close  eye.  she  wasn't  openly  accepting  it,  he  presented  no  threat  to  her  but  yet,  her  court  had  been  the  love  she  cherished  for  decades  now  and  she  wouldn't  allow  them  to  suffer  under  anyone's  hands.  his  voice  pulls  her  from  her  thoughts,  confusion  touching  her  features  for  a  split  moment  before  she's  managed  to  school  them  back,  narrowing  eyes  slightly  as  she  waits  for  more.  "don't  worry,  i  doubt  she'll  have  time  to  notice  you're  gone  if  nestor  is  so  keen  on  filling  all  her  days"  had  seen  the  effect  of  his  manipulation  first  hand,  so  trusted  the  brunette  was  both  in  terrible  hands  and  busy  for  the  days  to  come.  "living  quarters  are  just  up  the  stairs,  i'll  show  you"  shifts  on  her  feet,  a  warm  grin  now  blooming  over  curiosity  as  she  motions  in  the  mentioned  direction.  "though  i  must  warn  you,  shying  away  from  prying  eyes  will  only  give  them  more  power.  they  aren't  at  all  embarrassed  by  their  curiosity,  here."  shrugs  and  as  if  on  cue,  tilts  her  head  over  her  shoulder  to  find  one  of  her  ladies  standing  a  bit  too  close  to  the  pair.  dismisses  her  quickly,  brows  rising  marginally  before  she  turns  to  the  stairs. 

[cultsplush]

people didn't just show up in town's like this. you were born here, you'd probably die here. fuck, he'd tried more than once to start over somewhere else, and something always drug him back, nails biting the ground with every inch. but he'd remember her, even just in passing. brows furrowed, despite the twitch upwards at the corner of his mouth as she practically slumped back into the seat. "don't look so defeated." his tone light, but he's leaning against the other side of the bar nonetheless. "shit, you're talking about bucky's. it's the only hunting store in town, go figure." he's pulling the menu from behind, sliding it across to her with the name of the bar printed in bold letters at the top. lucky's. "if you're talking about who i think you are, you should order something to drink. guy's always late to everything." another pause, trying not to sound too.. interested. "blind date or something?"

" - of course," she grumbled, followed by a slow nod to herself. "Is there's some other place with a similar name? I'm supposed to meet this guy who said he's renting out some place above a hunting store?"

[cultsplush]

Gabriella had always done everything heart over head first. And truth be told, she couldn’t tell you if this was longing that had feathered between them into something more. If maybe this was a way of seeking comfort when you missed home— but had nowhere to run back to. Part of her wonders if he knew this would happen, if he could see glimpses of the future, had panted breathes and eager fingertips been part of that? Had he seen her naked, before actually seeing her naked? How much more bare could she be, when she’s exposed every ounce of herself to him. When he’s felt every drop of love, hate, guilt, and light. She’d always been hot to the touch. Always fuming beneath the surface, somewhere. Burning up. And it was easy, with men like Cassian. Men like Matthias. Men whose fingertips were made of ice, and how she could feel the traces of them left behind like melting glaciers. Ruby was different. She hadn’t fallen in love with him all at once. It was a slow kindling, a slow burn that started from the tips of her toes, until her chest started expanding. She didn’t love him— not entirely, at least. She loved that he was kind. She loved that he was warm, and understanding. She loved that he was funny, and charming, without meaning to be. She loved the quietness she felt with him. The ease, like she was meant to be there. Like she was looking out at the ocean, and not off the edge of a cliff. And when he kisses her, deep and gentle passionate, her body follows. Her tongue delves into his mouth, and she’s tasting him. When they’re back in the motel, her back hits the bed and she arches gently into the embrace. When he pauses, the second of a hesitation, Gabi doesn’t allow it to linger for long. Her eyes are fluttered up to meet his, and the hunger that encapsulates him is flaunted over every aspect of her. The reassurance he needs, is echoed in the way her fingertips pulled at the hem of her shirt. The fabric wet and sticking to her skin, as it’s tossed off to the floor wherever his had fumbled, her chest now bare beneath him.

The rest of their clothes came off in between quiet movements, until the only thing circling their bodies was the thin white sheet that clung around them and the hotel bed. Her hips are arching up into his, and her eyes are fluttering shut when she feels him pressed against the inside of her thigh. She’s greedy in moments like this, hand snaking down between them to stroke him, only after he’d already tasted every part of her. There was no going back from this, the sounds escaping from parted lips are hushed as she almost bites down into his shoulder, eyes flickering shades of gold— the only indicator other than ethereal beauty, that she wasn’t entirely human. It’s not until he’s on top of her again, does she wrap her legs around his waist. The tip of his cock shifting between where she wants him most, until he’s inside her. Parted lips are delicately falling open, eyes fluttered shut as she adjusted to his size. It’s needy, and hungry, the movements slow at first as her hands are tugging through the nape of his neck, raking through curls to hold him tighter as her hips began to buck against his. Quiet moans turned louder, pleas falling from her lips like a hymn. What started off soft, became eager and desperate to feel him. Again and again, as he pushed deeper into her each time, practically dripping around him. His name felt sweet on her lips, as her eyes fluttered upwards to meet his. And he looked so good like this, her heart fluttering in excitement as the creaky bed started to echo in the room, the headboard hitting the back of the wall as a labor of pleasure. Praises are sung from her lips, and it’s not for show, the sounds escaping are making her dizzy with him. She can feel him everywhere. The wolf inside her doesn’t scream for dominance, but rather submits under the weight of his frame, nuzzling against his neck where she’ll scatter kisses in between breaths. It’s only then, does she switch them. Their frames twisting with ease, her inhuman strength breaking the veil of delicacy her body tricks you into believing.

She can take him deeper like this, her eyes hues of gold that shown through the darkness, reflecting down at him now as her hips rolled. She’ll guide his hands up her hips, along her breasts, riding him as she’s sitting up at first— only to crave the closeness again, as she leans down to connect her mouth with his. Claws shift from her hands, down the wood of the headboard, the sound the only thing that pulls her to it— he can’t heal like she can, and she retracts the claws, breathing slowly to gather herself as she takes him in steady movements, her eyes shifting back to their normal shade of brown. Even on top, she leans into him and buries her face into his neck, scattering kisses there and along his jaw, inadvertently leaving behind a bruise that would be there in the morning. Only then, does she let him have control again, rolling and wrapped around each other, until they’re both coming undone.

She's not sure what to think, in all honesty. There had never quite been a point where she had thought about crossing the line of what they had. It was human to look, human to spend so much time with someone and not allow your mind to wonder. Would it have been so terrible, to think about what it might have felt like to touch him, without reason? To allow fingertips to drape along the curve of his neck, or beneath his jaw where the stubble of hair grew? She had felt so much guilt for wanting it before. She had pushed herself away from that feeling with Cassian, until it was too much to sleep with. She had never allowed herself to uncover what she might have felt for Matthias, if she were to let that warmth catch up to her. For a girl who wanted love as badly as she did, it was almost as if it was instinct to push it away. Almost as if, some part of her truly believed that she didn't deserve it. And God, how easy it was to wallow in her own guilt. How easy it would have been, to ignore it- until it wasn't. Until she was forced to come to terms with the way sweat kissed his forehead, or down the valley of his spine that peaked through his shirt. Until she caught glimpse of him exiting the shower, pretending to pay attention to the book in her hand only to read the same line over and over again, as his bare torso hadn't sent a wave of shivers along her arms and legs. How when he looked back at her like he was now, that it didn't take every ounce of self control she's ever learned, to not pull him into her.

Gabriella had been starved of warmth ever since she can remember. So when it comes, it buries like waves that felt never ending. She's holding her breath and she doesn't even realize it, as her lips still tingled with the taste of him. The heart beating in her chest was a drum worthy of wars and it'd been nearly deafening now, in sync with his. She doesn't move as his frame does, staring down at nothing as her brain tries to keep up with what was happening. Suddenly, the water ripples around her, and he's closer. Closer than he'd ever been before. Her trance is snapped from the depths of her own mind, back to the moment with him. She's compelled by the shift in his gaze, and how he looks at her. How eager and hunger and want, darkened already onyx colored eyes. If she was the universe, filled with light - she could have sworn she had seen glimpses of the cosmos in his. And it's petrifying, all at the same time. Her stomach flips, legs gently parted as he's now the same level as she was, sitting there on that concrete.

The movements left no room for judgement, when his mouth finally finds hers again. How brims clashed against his, and how the gentleness of a kiss, turned hungry with what was coiling inside her. Almost as if he was trying to cool down the white hot flash of color, his hands were cold and dripping as he's guiding her frame forward- legs wrapping around him and embraced with the water. She has no room to do anything but feel it. Fell how he mended against her, how his hands were not calloused or weary of breaking her by the touch. It's not until he's hovering, does his voice warm parted lips and her eyes fluttered open again. With her chest rising and falling, words nearly fall on deaf ears- because Gabriella.. never did anything without giving everything. She was a raging water fall, in the depths of a still lake. She was fire and brimstone, to a valley of sleeping snow. And now- it was not different. Nothing she ever did, felt small. She'll nod quietly, giving him the indication that it's what she wanted. It was more than okay. However, the remaining words of his are closed by another kiss. This time, hungrier than the last. "Okay-" Was all she managed to breathe out in between her lips against his, his breath still hot against her skin, and her body unwavering despite the coolness of the water-- she was burning up. And she can't help it. She'll kiss him again, and she loses track of how many times it was now. Three, four? As her tongue delved into his mouth, and her hands are wrapped around his shoulders, into the curls that feather along the nape of his neck. Her mouth was a starlit trail down the slope of his jaw, with the faintest touch of chlorine admiring the tip of her tongue. She can't listen, or think clearly, she was a woman set aflame. Only pulling back to force herself to stop. To listen.

[cultsplush]

“Sorry— it’s not funny it’s just.. this is the only bar in town.”

[cultsplush]

“This isn’t a fucking joke— those guys are dangerous. I told you not to answer the door when I’m not here.”

[cultsplush]

She's not sure what to think, in all honesty. There had never quite been a point where she had thought about crossing the line of what they had. It was human to look, human to spend so much time with someone and not allow your mind to wonder. Would it have been so terrible, to think about what it might have felt like to touch him, without reason? To allow fingertips to drape along the curve of his neck, or beneath his jaw where the stubble of hair grew? She had felt so much guilt for wanting it before. She had pushed herself away from that feeling with Cassian, until it was too much to sleep with. She had never allowed herself to uncover what she might have felt for Matthias, if she were to let that warmth catch up to her. For a girl who wanted love as badly as she did, it was almost as if it was instinct to push it away. Almost as if, some part of her truly believed that she didn't deserve it. And God, how easy it was to wallow in her own guilt. How easy it would have been, to ignore it- until it wasn't. Until she was forced to come to terms with the way sweat kissed his forehead, or down the valley of his spine that peaked through his shirt. Until she caught glimpse of him exiting the shower, pretending to pay attention to the book in her hand only to read the same line over and over again, as his bare torso hadn't sent a wave of shivers along her arms and legs. How when he looked back at her like he was now, that it didn't take every ounce of self control she's ever learned, to not pull him into her.

Gabriella had been starved of warmth ever since she can remember. So when it comes, it buries like waves that felt never ending. She's holding her breath and she doesn't even realize it, as her lips still tingled with the taste of him. The heart beating in her chest was a drum worthy of wars and it'd been nearly deafening now, in sync with his. She doesn't move as his frame does, staring down at nothing as her brain tries to keep up with what was happening. Suddenly, the water ripples around her, and he's closer. Closer than he'd ever been before. Her trance is snapped from the depths of her own mind, back to the moment with him. She's compelled by the shift in his gaze, and how he looks at her. How eager and hunger and want, darkened already onyx colored eyes. If she was the universe, filled with light - she could have sworn she had seen glimpses of the cosmos in his. And it's petrifying, all at the same time. Her stomach flips, legs gently parted as he's now the same level as she was, sitting there on that concrete.

The movements left no room for judgement, when his mouth finally finds hers again. How brims clashed against his, and how the gentleness of a kiss, turned hungry with what was coiling inside her. Almost as if he was trying to cool down the white hot flash of color, his hands were cold and dripping as he's guiding her frame forward- legs wrapping around him and embraced with the water. She has no room to do anything but feel it. Fell how he mended against her, how his hands were not calloused or weary of breaking her by the touch. It's not until he's hovering, does his voice warm parted lips and her eyes fluttered open again. With her chest rising and falling, words nearly fall on deaf ears- because Gabriella.. never did anything without giving everything. She was a raging water fall, in the depths of a still lake. She was fire and brimstone, to a valley of sleeping snow. And now- it was not different. Nothing she ever did, felt small. She'll nod quietly, giving him the indication that it's what she wanted. It was more than okay. However, the remaining words of his are closed by another kiss. This time, hungrier than the last. "Okay-" Was all she managed to breathe out in between her lips against his, his breath still hot against her skin, and her body unwavering despite the coolness of the water-- she was burning up. And she can't help it. She'll kiss him again, and she loses track of how many times it was now. Three, four? As her tongue delved into his mouth, and her hands are wrapped around his shoulders, into the curls that feather along the nape of his neck. Her mouth was a starlit trail down the slope of his jaw, with the faintest touch of chlorine admiring the tip of her tongue. She can't listen, or think clearly, she was a woman set aflame. Only pulling back to force herself to stop. To listen.

Sometimes he wondered if his steps could be felt against gentle plains of thoughts. If his lurking was easily noticed. There were times he was certain they felt him, every single being he had entered, at any point. Maybe they mistook him for a paranoid thought, maybe they felt an intrusion, a deja-vu, an uncomfortable shiver down their spine. He would notice it...at times. Like how once he sat down for dinner and watched the waitress look around as he had exited her mind, confused, scratching her ear and taking off the apron to go for a cigarette break. He carried heavy the fact that his powers exhausted him. That being a traveler through a dimension of dreams and colours took a toll. But he rarely stopped to think what it might've done to those who let him in, like a parasite unable to resist the pull. And he wondered now, as he stared back into eyes that lingered on his a moment too long, if he too was a heavy toll. If her mind itched, if he had stepped too far in. -- One thing was certain. He had never been let in so deep. Never seen a vision so clean, so vivid, so real. Even now it echoed like a memory, and a warmth he had felt within grew hotter with each heartbeat.

Ruby was never the guy who made the first move, never the one to let his eyes observe beyond acceptable measure. He was confined, content and careful not to attach. But time spent with her, it made his usual restrain grow thinner, more faint, with each passing moment. He looked, sometimes without meaning to, at the soft skin of her forearms as she kept them on a wheel, at the nape of her neck as she leaned against a mirror lost inside pages of a book she'd pick up along the way. He looked as she pulled up her hair, as she gently offered directions to strangers who felt she'd be unable to turn them away. He looked when the door of the bathroom was left slightly ajar, as the towel would fall beneath her feet unaware the curves of her waist showing as she slipped on a shirt -- and how looking would make him flush and run out for some fresh air. He looked, and he never let his thoughts take it further than that. Never pictured her naked, never hoped to see her that way. They were friends. He respected that, he indulged that -- nothing more.

But now she looks back, her eyes searching for something he didn't understand. And he found himself not shying away from those eyes as he did every now and again. He feels her leaning in, emboldened perhaps by his previous liberty to close the space between them. Only, her distance is removed by the gentle press against his lips, and he's bracing himself to be pulled back in, to the layers of her mind, to the vision still crisp and clear. The house by the sea, the white fence, the wooden door -- he's redying to transcend but the seconds pass, and he's still here, and he's seeing and he's feeling nothing more than the warmth of gentle lips, of soft breath against his skin. --- And as quickly as it came, the moment was gone, and he had barely enough time to process the whole thing. There's a stuttered apology, a heaviness radiating from her body like a radioactive wave of fear and regret -- and he does not want her to feel as if a single impulse, a moment of desire, was grand enough to shatter the comfort that existed between them.

So he pushes himself forward, into the shallow water of the pool and appears in front of her, nudging her legs open so he can lean in. With faces in line, and lips only inches away, his eyes demand hers and his heart runs faster with every second he lets get away. Then, with much thought and no regret, he closes the space between them again. His lips brush against hers, eyes shut, and he lets himself feel her, simply and physically, in a way he never could. A wet hand slips behind her waist, pulling her in against his chest as the other trails up to the back of her neck. Swiftly, he lifts her off the pool edge, gently and slowly, into the cold water.

Ruby knew her fear, knew not to make sudden moves, knew to keep her close and warm and safe. So his hands don't loosen, but half-submerged in water his own fear goes away. There's a barrier between them now, of cold chlorine drops, and he knows every feeling is his own, every thought, every touch. She cannot pull him in, so he pulls only slightly away, to find her eyes with half a smile assuring it would all work out okay. Somehow, somewhere, it felt like a certainty, like a promise. "Is this okay?" he refers to the water, but his eyes don't flutter. "I want to say something now..." -- " and I don't want you to take it the wrong way." his words are soft, gentle, like a whisper.

[cultsplush]

Seconds must have felt like hours in moments like this. She couldn’t see what he did, but she could feel him. She could feel the soft embrace around her mind, she could feel footprints that weren’t hers, taking careful steps around any edges. When her gaze is reflected along his features, as he’s deep within her mind, she can’t help but admire him. In all that he was. Beautiful is an understatement, the curve of his mouth parted and she never noticed the way his lips pursed before. She hadn’t noticed the faint trace of after shadow, and facial hair that sloped down his chin and jaw. She hadn’t been this close, without being noticed before. His eyes were dark but they were pools of warmth any time he looked back at her. Anytime he looked back at anyone. And she’d known men that reserved that for her, men that had only known softness when it came to the brush of her fingertips. And it was one thing, to be the only thing in the world that they loved. Men like that would watch the world burn, if it meant saving her. Only then what? She’d have to rise from the rubble, and cast a gaze on a world full of ash. What kind of place would that be? How many lives were worth hers? But Ruby— his fingertips weren’t cold, or shivered as they reached for her. He didn’t flinch at the thought of warmth. He was enamored within it. A striked match, doesn’t burn twice.

She’s not sure what he sees, or what warrants the reaction when he comes back to her. His eyes were dark but glossed with flickers of tears she couldn’t trace. And she doesn’t know— she doesn’t know if she even wants to ask, either. Was it terrible? Did her grief swallow him again? Or was it the guilt? He’d covered his eyes as if he were looking into the sun on a summer day, but the only source of light was from the pool reflecting the half full moon back at them. She doesn’t know what to say either, only that she’s being pulled into his embrace for one of the few times between them. His arms acted as a shelter, and his chest was warm but his scent made her dizzy. There was something there she couldn’t place, and the wolf inside her nearly scratched at her surface, giving her the only thing she could describe as a bond. A mating bond. It’s as if the feeling is snapped into place, like a light that’s flickered on, and suddenly it’s coursing through her body in the embrace he held her in. Whatever that feeling was, it’s left her nearly breathless, words unable to form under her tongue as she’s breathing at the same depth as he is. The same inhales, the same exhale. Brims kissed the top of her head, skimming her forehead and she’s reeling without so much as a single movement. Not until her body is wrapping back around him. Arms loosened around his torso, and her frame is nuzzled closer, hearts mirror against each other. Was his beating as fast as hers? If she listened closely, she can hear it.

Without thinking, the feelings are overwhelming. She doesn’t even know why she did it— they had been so in tune with each others company. It was gently what the other needed, without either of them even coming close to a line being crossed. He was her friend, and whether it was selfish or because they were both running from something— he was the first person who wanted absolutely nothing from her. Just the company. So when she’s shifting, and the feeling of him being inside her head, with her feelings etched across his features, and everything that she was felt raw and like him, she can’t help what she does next. Gabi is shifting from beneath his embrace, brims parting and unexpectedly meeting his. The small action alone, causes her body to nearly jolt, as if a magnetic pull was crushing her down into him. God— she never does this. When she pulls back, it’s sudden and the thread between them is quietly knotted, and she’s reeling from it— like a thread she’d pulled and watched as it came undone. Her lips are burning from the embrace, and her hands reached up to touch the ghost of where his had been, shock still trembling her fingertips. “I’m..” The words are stuttered, stuck in the back of her throat. She just— did she just ruin everything? “I’m— sorry— I don’t know—“ Maybe it was just the aftermath of everything. Of feeling. Of those feelings being pulled out and wrapped around his fingertips like remaining splotches of paint on inked digits.

It would be crazy to think she didn’t know people, that she didn’t pay attention to finer details that make up a person. So she’d by lying if she said that she’d hadn’t noticed the slight hue of pink that warmed the bridge of his nose. That she doesn’t notice the way the corners of his eyes softened, and how she’d seen it before, in the most callous of men. It was easier to spot with them, from a cold gaze that’s frozen with tips of ice— the slightest touch of warmth was easily found in a coarse winter. But Ruby— it was hard to recognize when he burns all the time, just as she did. But Gabi decided awhile ago, she preferred his laugh over anything else. It’d been over a year since her sister’s death. The pain was still there, but not as sharp. And now— now she didn’t want to let it consume her. She wanted to have happy moments, without the guilt that trailed behind it. Slowly but surely, she was beginning to feel something again. A flicker of warmth. An emblem of trust. And it was with him. “Oh my sneeze is loud, out of nowhere too— it’ll probably scare you. Hopefully you’re not driving. Or sleeping.” She laughs again, and it looks good on her. It feels good on her, to laugh again. Still, she drums fingertips on the concrete, and listens again. He had so much to say about the universe, and she couldn’t help but feel small in the grand scheme of things. How much value, was a human life? When she left this world, would she be with her sister again? Was there a veil? Would she find it? Or would they all just disappear into one vast existing? She didn’t like to think about it, if she’s being honest. She’d lived step in step with Death himself, and though he always seemed to spare her, there was a cost to his kindness.

Her heart warms though, her gaze shifting down to the palm of his hand. She’s hesitant, because of the last time. How many other moments had he accidentally slipped inside her mind? When she’d stood before him and let him in once, the floor opened up and swallowed him whole within the darkness. What would he see now? Brows furrowed, just an inkling, and her heart beats faster with a sense of nervousness she hadn’t felt in awhile. “Okay.” Though her hand hovers above his, fingertips trembling just a feather— and she allows her fingertips to grace the palm of his. She starts at the tips of his fingers, slowly allowing hers to interlock, as the veil to her mind is slipped from stone to curtains. She’s not entirely sure what he’s able to see, but visionaries of what she wants, yearns to be touched from the depth of inside her mind. From when she was a child, and wanted her mother’s love. From a teenager, desperate for companionship, for comfort. A year ago, when all she wanted was to be with Cassian. How she pictured their life might’ve been like. What she wanted from it. How she wanted the little things. How she wanted the white fence and forgiveness. Flash forward to now, and how her wants have shifted. She wants to be loved, with gentle hands. She wants to care for someone without justifying her morals or beliefs. She wants to be touched, without the expansion of calloused fingertips. Where she wanted to be touch, cradled. How she wanted to live, somewhere far away from the city where the stars can be seen at night. The smell of the ocean or the mountains in the distance every morning and sunrise. She wants to have children, and she wants them to be loved in a way that she never quite was. She wants them to grow up, without fear for those around them. She wants a nice house, but a bigger yard. She wants a cat, maybe two outside. And she wants horses, and family vacations. She wants to be loved in the way that she’s always yearned for. Always fought for. She wants to be so in love that they just can’t wait to get married. Eloped, in a church chapel somewhere they’ll always remember. Just the two of them. She wants her children to know a father that is kind, and warm. Two girls, and a boy— just like the house she fled. She wanted to be seen. And even, there may have been an inkling— of wanting something here, too.

[cultsplush]

There’s a sting, and she doesn’t know if it’s from her ego or feelings luring underneath the surface. A puff of air is split between brims, and it’s mocking— or maybe just annoyance. “Oh I’m sorry I didn’t realize I was talking to hail fucking mary over here.” There’s a glint of hurt that flickered between her gaze but she’s quick to dismiss it with the furrow of brows and the slightest wrinkle on the bridge of her nose. She’ll instantly pull the phone back into her ready, sliding it in the back of denim shorts, and scoffing under her breath again. “As if you haven’t been avoiding me just as much. You practically bolted for the door the moment I walked in for our meeting earlier. I’m surprised you don’t have fucking whiplash.” She’s quick with her temper, she always has been. But he pushed special buttons she couldn’t quite place, always had. When they were kids, everything was a completion. They would go at each others throats more often than not, so expecting the other to not act like they’re hurting the most? It should be expected. Who could not talk to who, the longest. So far, Ana had been winning.

A flush of embarrassment wipes across her cheeks, round and high. “Yeah like I haven’t tried that already— genius. I’ve blocked it, multiple times— I don’t know how they keep getting through and then there’s these weird encrypted emails that..” The words are trailing off into a ramble before she stops herself, shaking her head. “You know what, you’re right. I don’t know why I even came here to talk to you. It’s not your problem.” Another second, but her feet don’t move. “It’s probably just one these kids trying to get a last laugh in before they leave for the summer.” She ignores the nickname, once found fond and endearing, now made her stomach hurt.

Her phone chimes— unknown number. Again. Her gaze shifting down to scan the passage, chills rising on the nape of her neck. You look good in red. Tongue clicks to the roof of her mouth, and annoyance is filtered through her frame with a tilt of uneasiness. She was in charge of the lake, watching the kids while they swam within the new barrier by the docks. But now, they’re turning in for the night and she does what any rational person would do— confront her ex. When he turns around, a bit sharper than she expected, she nearly jumps, brows furrowing. “Easy major sus, I was just coming to see if you knew anything about this?” She’ll open the phone, showing him the screen and the text across it. “Did you send it?” Because texting her off fake numbers since having him blocked, would have been low— even for them.

[cultsplush]

Her phone chimes— unknown number. Again. Her gaze shifting down to scan the passage, chills rising on the nape of her neck. You look good in red. Tongue clicks to the roof of her mouth, and annoyance is filtered through her frame with a tilt of uneasiness. She was in charge of the lake, watching the kids while they swam within the new barrier by the docks. But now, they’re turning in for the night and she does what any rational person would do— confront her ex. When he turns around, a bit sharper than she expected, she nearly jumps, brows furrowing. “Easy major sus, I was just coming to see if you knew anything about this?” She’ll open the phone, showing him the screen and the text across it. “Did you send it?” Because texting her off fake numbers since having him blocked, would have been low— even for them.

closed.

Something was in the air, like a warning, and it left him feeling uneasy, restless even. He spent a good portion of summer avoiding his ex, sticking to the sidelines, teaching kids how to hop on and off kayaks without flipping them over and getting him stuck on puke duty. Mike was truly spent, and after a long day of lined-up chores and preparations for tonights party, he needed a moment alone. A moment to study the ink on paper left for him to find. It must've been a prank, someone toying with him, but he had strange anxiety about it. When she approached, he crushed up the paper into his fist, shoving it deep into his pocket as he pulled out a smile. "Were you -- did you follow me?" @cultsplush

[cultsplush]

It would be crazy to think she didn’t know people, that she didn’t pay attention to finer details that make up a person. So she’d by lying if she said that she’d hadn’t noticed the slight hue of pink that warmed the bridge of his nose. That she doesn’t notice the way the corners of his eyes softened, and how she’d seen it before, in the most callous of men. It was easier to spot with them, from a cold gaze that’s frozen with tips of ice— the slightest touch of warmth was easily found in a coarse winter. But Ruby— it was hard to recognize when he burns all the time, just as she did. But Gabi decided awhile ago, she preferred his laugh over anything else. It’d been over a year since her sister’s death. The pain was still there, but not as sharp. And now— now she didn’t want to let it consume her. She wanted to have happy moments, without the guilt that trailed behind it. Slowly but surely, she was beginning to feel something again. A flicker of warmth. An emblem of trust. And it was with him. “Oh my sneeze is loud, out of nowhere too— it’ll probably scare you. Hopefully you’re not driving. Or sleeping.” She laughs again, and it looks good on her. It feels good on her, to laugh again. Still, she drums fingertips on the concrete, and listens again. He had so much to say about the universe, and she couldn’t help but feel small in the grand scheme of things. How much value, was a human life? When she left this world, would she be with her sister again? Was there a veil? Would she find it? Or would they all just disappear into one vast existing? She didn’t like to think about it, if she’s being honest. She’d lived step in step with Death himself, and though he always seemed to spare her, there was a cost to his kindness.

Her heart warms though, her gaze shifting down to the palm of his hand. She’s hesitant, because of the last time. How many other moments had he accidentally slipped inside her mind? When she’d stood before him and let him in once, the floor opened up and swallowed him whole within the darkness. What would he see now? Brows furrowed, just an inkling, and her heart beats faster with a sense of nervousness she hadn’t felt in awhile. “Okay.” Though her hand hovers above his, fingertips trembling just a feather— and she allows her fingertips to grace the palm of his. She starts at the tips of his fingers, slowly allowing hers to interlock, as the veil to her mind is slipped from stone to curtains. She’s not entirely sure what he’s able to see, but visionaries of what she wants, yearns to be touched from the depth of inside her mind. From when she was a child, and wanted her mother’s love. From a teenager, desperate for companionship, for comfort. A year ago, when all she wanted was to be with Cassian. How she pictured their life might’ve been like. What she wanted from it. How she wanted the little things. How she wanted the white fence and forgiveness. Flash forward to now, and how her wants have shifted. She wants to be loved, with gentle hands. She wants to care for someone without justifying her morals or beliefs. She wants to be touched, without the expansion of calloused fingertips. Where she wanted to be touch, cradled. How she wanted to live, somewhere far away from the city where the stars can be seen at night. The smell of the ocean or the mountains in the distance every morning and sunrise. She wants to have children, and she wants them to be loved in a way that she never quite was. She wants them to grow up, without fear for those around them. She wants a nice house, but a bigger yard. She wants a cat, maybe two outside. And she wants horses, and family vacations. She wants to be loved in the way that she’s always yearned for. Always fought for. She wants to be so in love that they just can’t wait to get married. Eloped, in a church chapel somewhere they’ll always remember. Just the two of them. She wants her children to know a father that is kind, and warm. Two girls, and a boy— just like the house she fled. She wanted to be seen. And even, there may have been an inkling— of wanting something here, too.

Her heart had always been a vicious thing, reaching for anything it could touch, and wrapping itself around them. And while she had been in love with what felt like a lifetime now, it ended the same each time. What do you do when you're lost in the darkness? You look for the light, even the smallest flicker of it could save you from yourself, couldn't it? He'd told her once, hope was not lost. That she may be wondering through the darkness, but the light within her though dimmed, still flickered. She needed that then, when it felt like the world was going to swallow her whole. When she thought that maybe her grief, might grip onto all that she was, seeping ink unto her skin, until she's drowning in the tar of it all. He'd felt all of it, the weight of the world that bore on every inch of her body, and shouldered it, only to look back at her with tears in his eyes- she was lost, but not forgotten. And how could you? Gabriella Garcia was a name that left wake wherever she was. Strangers stopping at the tilt of her smile, and staying as the warmth melts iced hearts and all that it encompasses. She was a girl born of a curse, only to learn later in life, broken bones under moonlight was nothing compared to the bleeding and broken organ residing in her chest, refusing to give up.

She will pull herself out from the thoughts begging to be heard, only to focus in on her. In the midst somewhere, he had grown to be her safe place. The voices, she heard them too. Not nearly the way he had did, but she understands- to a point. The want to drown it all out. The need for silence. And while part of her wonder, about the girl he thought about back home, she couldn't help but also wonder- what was she compared to a girl with wings? When he nudges her with the soda, there's a quiet flicker of a smile, her eyes peering up from the water where she had averted his gaze before he'd turned around and paced towards her. She could blame the pink that tinted her features on the heat. It'd be easy. "You like the original better." Gabriella finally speaks, her voice quiet for those who welcomed sleep. Still, her gaze shift to the tin can, and she'll let out a small exhale of relief, when she notices the cherry cola flavor, outstretched to her. Fingertips are careful not to brush against his, not because she didn't want it, but because of the depths he'd been swept into just for the sake of touching her. The mind was a trimerous place, and right now- he couldn't be inside hers. Dimples gently touched her cheeks, indenting into the smile before she's taking a long sip, the cool burn a welcomed invitation, before outstretching it back to him, accidentally burping under her breath. "Sorry-" The sound is escaped through a halfway laugh, and those moments were few and far in between. Bella would have laughed. She was so atriously loud with it, proud that she could out-burp anyone in the bar. It was ridiculous. Even when they were kids, she'd do it on purpose sometimes, at the table- when their mother's gaze lingered a little bit too sharpened on Gabriella. And Gabi, in all her innocence, would giggle. The sisters sharing a look of wiggled brows.

"Sometimes, I think I've been so sure of what I've wanted for so long, that the more I wonder about it- the further away it gets." But she'll glance down at her feet again, the blue water rippling around them with the cast of lights from beneath the water. "Sometimes I'm afraid to say it out loud, like I'm going to jinx it." But when he says he'd come with her, even then, her shoulders softened a bit. And she'll make light. "I'd let you live in my pool house." Brows wiggled, just as she once did with her sister, her tone playful, the best she could be. "Or on a hammock, overlooking the ocean." The smile lingers, shifting her gaze up to him and then away again. The truth was, she just didn't want to be alone again. She didn't want a house, empty with the ghost of old memories. She wanted something new, with happiness echoed down the hallways. And truth be told, ever since leaving New Orleans- fuck-- ever since her sister died.. This was the closest to happy she had been.

So she listens, and she's always been good at that. Her eyes find his face when he talks, shifting along his features. You can always tell how much something means to someone, when you look at them talk about things they love. It's in the eyes, you can't lie when it's in the eyes. And his, they sparkled with pictures of his family, two sisters and a mother that despite her flaws- loved them. And she wonders, quietly, what that must have felt like. The only mother's love she'd ever felt, was Bella. Her sister was her keeper, but more often than not- she was her mother, too. "I bet that was nice." Gabriella finally catches herself breathing. "You sound happy. When you talk about them." Lips pursed, and she wanted to say that she felt that, at one point in her life. That she wasn't constantly thrust into the midst of danger. As if she wasn't constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. As if, life sometimes could just be good, all on it's own. But-- she wasn't sure, as sad as it seemed.

"One time.." Tongue clicks to the roof of her mouth. "Bella and I had ditched New Orleans.." She'll let the words trail off. "Bad break up." Her head shakes quietly, and she's almost laughing. "Me again, could you guess?" -- "But anyways.. Bella and I went to Florida. It's awful, God- it was terrible. We got scammed out of this air bnb, and we ended up crashing at this really expensive hotel. Turns out, Taylor Swift was playing that weekend. The hotels were booked out across the city, and the next.. Except.. The lovers suite. -- Engagement gone wrong, or something." There's a roll of her eyes, and she's laughing. Genuinely. "We got complimentary champagne, and Bella- she used to have this talent for making people uncomfortable. Told the front desk girl it was a family reunion. I don't think I've seen the color drain outta' someone's face so quick. Anyway, we slept in this giant kings bed. Heart shaped headboard, it was ridiculous. I used to hate sharing a bed with her, she snored- and she said that I kicked in my sleep.. But I would give anything to go back to that.. And, there was this pool on the balcony. Again, ridiculous. She thought she could teach me how to swim.. I think I almost drowned us both." The words trail off for a moment. "I think she would have liked you. In this, loud obnoxious way. She had this laugh, that made you laugh. Especially when she snorted. It was terrible. She'd flirt with you relentlessly too, I bet."

[cultsplush]

Her heart had always been a vicious thing, reaching for anything it could touch, and wrapping itself around them. And while she had been in love with what felt like a lifetime now, it ended the same each time. What do you do when you're lost in the darkness? You look for the light, even the smallest flicker of it could save you from yourself, couldn't it? He'd told her once, hope was not lost. That she may be wondering through the darkness, but the light within her though dimmed, still flickered. She needed that then, when it felt like the world was going to swallow her whole. When she thought that maybe her grief, might grip onto all that she was, seeping ink unto her skin, until she's drowning in the tar of it all. He'd felt all of it, the weight of the world that bore on every inch of her body, and shouldered it, only to look back at her with tears in his eyes- she was lost, but not forgotten. And how could you? Gabriella Garcia was a name that left wake wherever she was. Strangers stopping at the tilt of her smile, and staying as the warmth melts iced hearts and all that it encompasses. She was a girl born of a curse, only to learn later in life, broken bones under moonlight was nothing compared to the bleeding and broken organ residing in her chest, refusing to give up.

She will pull herself out from the thoughts begging to be heard, only to focus in on her. In the midst somewhere, he had grown to be her safe place. The voices, she heard them too. Not nearly the way he had did, but she understands- to a point. The want to drown it all out. The need for silence. And while part of her wonder, about the girl he thought about back home, she couldn't help but also wonder- what was she compared to a girl with wings? When he nudges her with the soda, there's a quiet flicker of a smile, her eyes peering up from the water where she had averted his gaze before he'd turned around and paced towards her. She could blame the pink that tinted her features on the heat. It'd be easy. "You like the original better." Gabriella finally speaks, her voice quiet for those who welcomed sleep. Still, her gaze shift to the tin can, and she'll let out a small exhale of relief, when she notices the cherry cola flavor, outstretched to her. Fingertips are careful not to brush against his, not because she didn't want it, but because of the depths he'd been swept into just for the sake of touching her. The mind was a trimerous place, and right now- he couldn't be inside hers. Dimples gently touched her cheeks, indenting into the smile before she's taking a long sip, the cool burn a welcomed invitation, before outstretching it back to him, accidentally burping under her breath. "Sorry-" The sound is escaped through a halfway laugh, and those moments were few and far in between. Bella would have laughed. She was so atriously loud with it, proud that she could out-burp anyone in the bar. It was ridiculous. Even when they were kids, she'd do it on purpose sometimes, at the table- when their mother's gaze lingered a little bit too sharpened on Gabriella. And Gabi, in all her innocence, would giggle. The sisters sharing a look of wiggled brows.

"Sometimes, I think I've been so sure of what I've wanted for so long, that the more I wonder about it- the further away it gets." But she'll glance down at her feet again, the blue water rippling around them with the cast of lights from beneath the water. "Sometimes I'm afraid to say it out loud, like I'm going to jinx it." But when he says he'd come with her, even then, her shoulders softened a bit. And she'll make light. "I'd let you live in my pool house." Brows wiggled, just as she once did with her sister, her tone playful, the best she could be. "Or on a hammock, overlooking the ocean." The smile lingers, shifting her gaze up to him and then away again. The truth was, she just didn't want to be alone again. She didn't want a house, empty with the ghost of old memories. She wanted something new, with happiness echoed down the hallways. And truth be told, ever since leaving New Orleans- fuck-- ever since her sister died.. This was the closest to happy she had been.

So she listens, and she's always been good at that. Her eyes find his face when he talks, shifting along his features. You can always tell how much something means to someone, when you look at them talk about things they love. It's in the eyes, you can't lie when it's in the eyes. And his, they sparkled with pictures of his family, two sisters and a mother that despite her flaws- loved them. And she wonders, quietly, what that must have felt like. The only mother's love she'd ever felt, was Bella. Her sister was her keeper, but more often than not- she was her mother, too. "I bet that was nice." Gabriella finally catches herself breathing. "You sound happy. When you talk about them." Lips pursed, and she wanted to say that she felt that, at one point in her life. That she wasn't constantly thrust into the midst of danger. As if she wasn't constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. As if, life sometimes could just be good, all on it's own. But-- she wasn't sure, as sad as it seemed.

"One time.." Tongue clicks to the roof of her mouth. "Bella and I had ditched New Orleans.." She'll let the words trail off. "Bad break up." Her head shakes quietly, and she's almost laughing. "Me again, could you guess?" -- "But anyways.. Bella and I went to Florida. It's awful, God- it was terrible. We got scammed out of this air bnb, and we ended up crashing at this really expensive hotel. Turns out, Taylor Swift was playing that weekend. The hotels were booked out across the city, and the next.. Except.. The lovers suite. -- Engagement gone wrong, or something." There's a roll of her eyes, and she's laughing. Genuinely. "We got complimentary champagne, and Bella- she used to have this talent for making people uncomfortable. Told the front desk girl it was a family reunion. I don't think I've seen the color drain outta' someone's face so quick. Anyway, we slept in this giant kings bed. Heart shaped headboard, it was ridiculous. I used to hate sharing a bed with her, she snored- and she said that I kicked in my sleep.. But I would give anything to go back to that.. And, there was this pool on the balcony. Again, ridiculous. She thought she could teach me how to swim.. I think I almost drowned us both." The words trail off for a moment. "I think she would have liked you. In this, loud obnoxious way. She had this laugh, that made you laugh. Especially when she snorted. It was terrible. She'd flirt with you relentlessly too, I bet."

The heaviness of humidity mixed with hot southern air hits his senses the moment they leave the room. But there is a gentle breeze cooling the sweat now covering his neck and the top of his brow and he can feel himself able to breathe again. Gabi heads for the pool, leaving him to grapple with the now vintage vending machine so overused that the numbers on the dials had worn off, leaving behind clues as to what the most desired item would have been. There's a snickers bar half-loaded, stuck against the blurred glass and he wonders the frustration it might've caused the unfortunate buyer who likely walked off empty-handed. There were traces of life lived everywhere he looked, and Ruby wondered what kind of traces he'd left behind. So many times he felt insignificant, invisible, and his powers didn't do much to help him feel seen or understood. People came to him for help, for prophecies, readings, simple conversation where they could feel, even if just for a moment, like they weren't alone. And in turn they took from him all that he could offer, and left pieces of themselves behind for him to hold on to and wonder how their lives might've turned out.

A cold can of a refreshing sugary drink falls down the pipe and he enjoys ever second of it fending off the heat of his palms as he walked over to the girl whose eyes he did not noticed lingering on him while his thoughts took over. Ruby would never imagine someone could look at him, truly look at him, much less like what they see. So he continues walking, oblivious to the fact, and lowers himself next to her, dipping his feet into the cold shimmering water of an empty worn-down pool of a nowhere motel. In spite all the heat, and all the struggle it took to get here, there was no place he would rather be. "Here --" he cracks open the drink and passes it to her, anticipating the look of enjoyment on her face as she takes on the first sip. Although he had given her all that he could, all that was within his ability, he still wished he could give her more -- to offer her the world he knew she deserved. Gabi was like a sun of an expanding galaxy, pulling the powerful and large objects into her gravity, giving them life, warmth, purpose. But if one dared orbit too close, give into her pull and reach her, they would be set aflame -- and he knew, more than anyone ever could, just how lonely that must have been. To long for a meeting and joining of the forces that could never be. She wasn't destructive, she wasn't selfish, or cruel -- she was powerful, and for better or worse, she had been without an equal, destined for the pull.

"Is that what you want? House by the beach? You and me...endless supply of cold drinks?" there's a nudge against her shoulder, as always, trying desperately to pull out a smile. A single dimple often sufficed. "Sometimes I think a simple life is the most extraordinary." it's a passing thought, he doesn't elaborate on it. "I would love to live with you by the beach." against his better judgment he looks at her as he says it. There was only a few ways one could show just how much they'd meant what they said, eyes were one of them, and his fixed on hers and softened at the greeting and he felt a strange sort of shyness take over before he looked away, hoping she would not read into it.

"Right --" the story, his mother, his life. So rarely did he talk about his life. "My mother is...eccentric, if -- if we were to be polite. One night she must've gotten tired of her life. The commune was all...smiles and good vibes an' all but, people are still people at the end of the day -- flawed...complicated." he takes in a breath, his legs moving back and forth against the density of cool water. "So she decided we should leave. Me and her and my sisters it was -- she made it seem like an adventure, exciting but, even then I could feel her heaviness, the sadness she carried. That night -- something was different. My sisters couldn't tell but, we weren't going on an adventure we were...running away." another pause and he will let the sip of the cold drink pass his lips, feeling more at ease than he had in days. "We got to the motel and there was a pool, not much different to this one. I've never been to a pool before -- couldn't swim for shit, but we were kids -- nothing was too dangerous and our mom she, I guess she was used to us always being looked after by somebody at the commune, always safe, you know? So she just...left. I don't know where or how long but, when she came back she brought with her a ton of takeaway, drinks, snacks --- just the kind of thing you need after hours of swimming and playing around." smile is on, the entire time and he will brush back his hair again, as he did when he was telling a story with no particular point, or reason. "I don't know why I'm telling you this but -- I think that was the first time I felt what it must be like to have...an actual family. A normal....a normal life. And when I'm in the water, my head submerged just enough to cover up my ears, to shut out the noise it -- it all goes quiet. So fucking quiet and I can hear my heart beat and shut out the world....I never wanted to leave. It's not much...not much different now, with you."