den1als

[den1als]

ur an icon bee never change baby

ty babe! mwah 😘

[den1als]

instead of trying to flip this into "you're projecting your hatred of mlm onto us," maybe you should be trying to understand WHY someone got uncomfortable with you and your characters to begin with. it's absurd and childish how you're trying to make this into something bigger than it was when it was your friend who continuously made jokes about their male character being shipped with ricardo despite the mun REPEATEDLY saying they don't feel comfortable with those jokes. pair that along with the same comments every other day about how "i don't get how someone can play straight characters" and instantly trying to shove some kind of homoerotic tension into a seemingly harmless friendship between two men / masc identifying muses, and you get the result of people complaining.

it's one thing to crack a little "my guy would kiss your guy" joke but it becomes tiring when it's being made every day with every other guy character that enters the group. the energy for fem / fem identifying muses was not there unless they were convenient for the plot, but the effort on your friend flea's part outside of that was nonexistent. i'm not the only person who felt this way, multiple other people were. there's people who were afraid to say anything because they were afraid they'd get passive aggressive comments or start being ostracized because the weird behavior exhibited by the two of you went too fucking far and for too fucking long and it was not addressed correctly.

leaving the way you guys did was also a huge fucking embarrassment and further proves the lack of critical thinking because you singled out one person and caused a whole damn scene in front of others who had NOTHING to do with that. you fucked up the vibe of a group and heavily disrespected the admins because YALL were mad and wanted to be petty to get back at g for standing her ground and wanting to protect her peace that you consistently ignored. so maybe yall should reevaluate yourselves before trying to flip this onto her with issues she already discussed with the admins when you couldn't even take the single complaint made about you without throwing a hissy fit.

Should I steer clear of that rp you were in? I love horror but now I’m nervous lol

in the interest of being transparent and honest : i was kicked out of the rp due to some ooc drama between me and one other person which i was hoping to rectify but then escalated and had another person join in and throw in an angry pointed tirade at me ( idk why bc i actually liked both ppl ooc it just seemed to go a bit bananas w miscommunication ) . it didn’t end well . but i have nothing but kindness to say for everyone else in the rp atm ! i made some really good friends and idk if they still like me bc i got booted before i could say anything really but i hold good vibes for them and the rp generally !!

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ a bit more baggage to deal with ... sometimes they bottle it up; roman opens his mouth but it shuts just as fast, not wanting to say anything until the better answer popped up in his head . “ so ... what i'm hearing is that they were right ? ” with a soft chuckle, he nods in content, lips jutting out from how impressed he was that the bartenders at the warehouse clocked him so easily . “ you know, i never thought about astrology or any of that zodiac stuff seriously, but you make it sound so easy to understand . or at least put it in a nicer way that everyone else has, ” roman cranes his neck with a shrug, smiling softly at matilda in return of her knowledge .

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “ what about you ? what's your sign ? ” the book in tow is lightly tapped against the surface of the desk, elbow propping up in wait as his chin rests in the palm of his hand . “ do you think you fit the good or bad side of your sign ? i think you're pretty good but i might be wrong . you can be a serial killer wanted in oregon or something since you have this ... cozy yet deadly vibe to you . ” awkwardly, he waves a hand near matilda, laughing quietly at his own poor excuse of friendly conversation .

“Scorpios?” She stared for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she considered how to proceed. Did he want a real answer? Should she delve into the intricacies of astrology, explain how his sun sign was just a sliver of the whole picture? Should she just play along, or would that just feed into the idea that astrology was some hocus-pocus pseudoscience? “I think that everyone is special, in their own way, even scorpios.” A knowing smile took the place of her previous contemplative frown. “It’s more complicated than just bad or good, Roman. I mean, just look at the sign of Aquarius. Rosa Parks was one, but so was Dick Cheney. Both of them fit the mold of their sign, but they are on entirely opposite sides when it comes to good vs. bad.” She shrugged, unsure if she’d made any sense, wondering if she’d somehow misread the situation. “Scorpios just always seem to have a little more baggage to deal with, you know? Sometimes they make it other people’s problem, sometimes they bottle it up. It just depends on the person.” 

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ what the hell did red creek do to earn people like this ? though the cromwells weren't new to the area, it still baffled demetrius that one day he can have a genuine, calm conversation with tori and the next ... he was stuck talking to hippie malcom x . “ never said i can get through my day sober, ” demetrius calmly replied before looking at the contraption handed to him; disappointment can never stay off his face for too long . “ for fuck sakes ... ” with a low mumble, he frantically checks his pockets for a real lighter but came up short; long limbs dramatically slapped against his thighs, hand jerking the cigarette out of his mouth aggressively . the sheriff spun in a half circle , arms nearly outstretched whilst his head craned around; it looked as if he was short circuiting . “ humanity- ” he forces through gritted teeth, “ is being a pain in my ass and i can't seem to catch a break . ”

" TOUGH CROWD. " kingsley says it easily . he doesn't take anything demetrius says personally because he knows the man in question is actually an AI robot designed from mars to prevent redcreek from becoming too individual . kingsley pulls his joint to his own mouth again and takes a large puff , the embers burning bright , near to his fingers . he raises an eyebrow to demetrius as the sheriff pulls out his own cigarettes . " you smoke ? " he didn't think AI robots were this advanced yet . reluctantly , kingsley digs out his lighter ( a giant novelty bong that says FUCK COPS on it ) and hands it over . " humanity getting you down ? "

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ a force, tight-lipped grin is plastered on demetrius' face as the person leaves the office . he follows close behind, presence daunting, feet nearly stepping on the back of their shoes as he "subtly" pushes them out until the two of them were left . swiftly the door shuts with a light click, but the sheriff wasn't done making sure they were alone . “ not today, ” he grunts, making his way over to the window behind the mayor's desk to draw the blinds, “ but i wouldn't be surprised if that's the case by next month . ”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ dread sits heavy on his chest . “ just what the fuck is going on, nathan ? ” the stress in the sheriff's tone couldn't be disguised, voice barely above a hushed whisper while feet dragged to the front of nathan's desk . “ years . it's been years and this shit- ” demetrius places a hand on his hip, the other balls into a fist and comes close to his mouth as he shook his head, not wanting to utter the words that plagued his mind since alaina was found . “ please tell me you heard or saw anything, anything that tells me this is not what we're dealing with . ”

if  there's  one  thing  nathan's  learned  over  the  past  few  days,  it's  that  no  amount  of  ibuprofen  could  kill  the  excruciating  pounding  in  his  skull.  he  thought  he  knew  what  he  was  getting  into  when  he  initially  ran  for  office,  that  the  tragedy  that  plagued  red  creek  was  well  behind  them,  and  that  all  he  had  to  do  was  play  his  part  in  keeping  that  piece  of  their  history  bolted  shut  and  buried.  he  didn't  expect  it  to  worm  its  way  out,  to  rear  it's  second,  uglier,  head  and  traumatize  a  whole  new  generation.  nathan  should've  known  better  than  to  think  it  was  all  over  —  because  he  knew  that  it  could  never  be.

he's  in  the  middle  of  a  consultation  when  demetrius  arrives,  demeanor  reeking  of  a  sense  of  urgency  that  makes  nathan  suspect  whatever  the  sheriff  has  to  say  isn't  good.  he  dismisses  his  companion  with  as much  mustered  self-possession,  supressing  the  urge  to  heave  a  heavy  sigh  as  he  leans  against  his  office  desk  with  bated  breath.  “  i  sincerely  hope  you're  not  here  to  report  a  second  murder.  ”

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ dimwit officers . demetrius scoffs bitterly for the umpteenth time today, head shaking at the paper lying on his table; if he stared at it long enough, maybe everything will magically get better . for a moment, he desperately wishes that was true . while the third grade insult and lack of actual journalism by an actual writer got under his skin, there was a line that bothered him more than it should've . how many bodies have to pile up and go missing ? suddenly demetrius feels nauseated, hand pushing the newspaper far away from him as he takes a swig of his black coffee, sighing in thought while his shoulders dropped in defeat .

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ thankfully, he doesn't have to suffer in silence for long . tori's voice has him chuckling under his breath, back already straightening in his seat while he shot her a fond grin . “ according to this piss-poor excuse of writing, i'm actually doing a terrible job . ” demetrius holds out his palm and gestures to the headline . “ can't say i exactly disagree . i just hate that ricardo's insufferable ass wrote it . but enough about me - how's today been treating you so far, tori ? ”

○    LOCATION   ⏤   dolly's   diner   . ○    TIME   ⏤   11   :   59   am  ○    STATUS   ⏤   closed   for   @den1als   !

this  town  was  almost  constantly  on  fire  (  figuratively  ,  but  maybe  an  arsonist  would  show  up  soon  at  this  rate  ,  who  knows  ?  )  so  you  had  to  find  people  that  weren't  out  of  their  minds  and  that  you  could  ,  more  or  less  ,  commiserate  with  as  you  tried  to  ignore  the  flames  nipping  at  your  skin  .  she  was  supposed  to  just  grab  a  club  sandwich  from  the  diner  but  she  spots  demetrius  from  the  entrance  and  heads  over  to  him  ,  a  small  smile  on  her  face  .  she  doesn't  typically  like  to  intrude  on  people's  time  but  she  decides  that  she  hasn't  talked  to  anyone  relatively  normal  in  like  ,  twenty  four  hours  ,  so  she's  due  for  a  decent  conversation  .  “  working  hard  ,  sheriff  ?  ”

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ the slower days were always ruby's favorites . hell creek was filled with way too many people who needed to be medicated so their busiest hours felt like the entire town came by to pick up their prescriptions . on the bright side, ruby found a small bit of entertainment when knowing the kind of medicine they were picking up . thankfully, the creams weren't coming in by the loads like they suspected with the high number of one night stands happening .

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ they walked at their own pace down the pavement, the plastic bag of their lunch swinging on their arm, stomach growling as the smell of their food began hitting their nose . an early lunch seemed fine . no like their boss can reprimand them for it anyway . they're nearly always gone or never on the clock . right before ruby approached the building, their gaze lands on the young woman, a small sigh leaving their lips as her complaint reached their ears . “ if you give me ten minutes, i'll have it open by then . ” ruby softly negotiates, sheepishly grinning . “ i wasn't expecting anyone to come . it's usually quiet during these hours, i'm sorry . ”

TIME: afternoon around lunch time PLACE : red creek pharmacy WITH : ruby grier , @den1als

with the weather changing, it was only a matter of time before someone in the santoro household got sick and this time it was her little sister. lela had taken her to the doctors and the little girl was put on antibiotics which were promptly ready at the pharmacy. since her own mother wasn't going to get out to get them, lela took it upon herself to head to the pharmacy. when she got there and the sign stated they were out to lunch, she let out an exaggerated sigh. "of course it's closed," she muttered to herself. "do you know what time they open back up?"

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ roman can't help but to laugh under his breath when nadia takes the seat next to him . he takes a swig out of his beer, nodding to himself as she explains why she ignored the friendly wave yet again . “ damn ... do you suffer from short term memory loss ? i think that's the third time you used that excuse . ” his voice wasn't anything but bitter; roman wasn't the type to be mad over things like that . did it upset him ? just a tiny bit, but it wasn't enough to throw a fit over . if anything he found their laid-low friendship to be a nice change of pace, and a bit hilarious . sitting his beer down on the counter, he glances over at nadia with a reassuring grin before looking ahead at nothing in particular . “ how many times do i have to tell you that it's fine ? i get it . i'm not cool enough to be seen by your friends . ”

○    NOW DELIVERING TO . . .    ⏤ @den1als !

" hey ! " nadia hops up onto the empty seat next to roman with a lot more enthusiasm then she showed him last night . the self - reminder is enough to cause a sharp stone of guilt slide down her stomach . if the bar wasn't as empty as it was right now , nadia knows she wouldn't be so brazen . her guilt slides further within her . " sorry about last night . " THE IGNORED WAVE . the flash of hurt on his face as nadia turned away . " i didn't recognise it was you . " a lie , a lie , oh , a lie .

[den1als]

⠀⠀⠀⠀ ruby lays sprawled out against the bed, legs tangled in the thin sheet covering up their most intimate places as if ricardo hadn't already seen them in their full glory . fingers dance gracefully, mindlessly, along the covers while they watched him get dressed; an amused half-smile plays on their lips when he comments on her silence . “ oh, no, you've done your job for the day . i don't need to entertain your little degradation kink again until after nine . ” ruby quietly jokes, hand waving ricardo off as they slyly smirk, brows rising teasingly . they'd never say it aloud, but he was the only man who managed to get her riled up and hot enough to lead to a casual hookup every now and then . ricardo was a natural dickhead like that ⏤ a skill and a fault, the best way to sum him up if you asked them .

⠀⠀⠀⠀ “ oh please, ricardo, ” ruby grunts as they roll onto their stomach, reaching out to grab their phone to check for any new messages, “ GOD doesn't even like being in the same with you . i doubt anyone at the register will care if you're there or not . ”

○    NOW DELIVERING TO . . .    ⏤ @den1als !

ricardo brushes back some of his hair that ungracefully fell onto his forehead . he's still re-buttoning his crisp white shirt when he looks to ruby . " were you still yelling at me or is that done now ? " his heartbeat is very slowly but surely returning back to normal , a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead which he dabs away at . next is his trousers but his eyes instead zero in on ruby and the way she looks when she's QUIET for once . a lazy smirk colours his mouth . " you were yelling very differently just moments ago , i mean . if that's the kind you want to resume , let me know . but i only have 20 minutes before my next meeting . "

[den1als]

TAYLOR RUSSELL Venice Film Festival

[den1als]

MANNY JACINTO Star Wars: The Acolyte UK Premiere

[den1als]

THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT (2020) Episode 6 "Adjournment" dir. Scott Frank

[den1als]

⌗   ⠀⠀   𝙸𝙽𝚃𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚄𝙲𝙸𝙽𝙶 [ ... ]   ⠀⠀   𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐕𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐒, a thirty - seven year old, has survived another day in red creek where they lived for two years . the escapist is known for being carefree and detached and is often associated with a blank gaze lost in the memory of the day they lost themselves, childhood photos that hold the smile you wish to get back, and the sense of unfamiliarity in a familiar place . in a small town where they work as the owner of the warehouse word travels fast . it's hard to keep a secret, and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .

⠀

𝐈.   ⠀   𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙲𝚂   ⠀   [   ...   ]

full name: roman vargas . nicknames: rome, a short variation of his name often used by bar-goers . age: thirty - seven; november 5, 1987 . zodiac sign: scorpio . gender + pronouns: cis male, he / him . orientation: biromantic, bisexual . place of birth: born in winona, minnesota but moved to red creek, michigan when he was ten . family packed up and moved shortly in 2001 . occupation: owner of the warehouse, unofficial bouncer . height: 6'1 .

mother: nonie vargas, guidance counselor @ a high school ( alive ) . father: jason vargas, used car salesman ( alive ) . pet(s): n/a . roommate(s): n/a.

inspired by: elliot alderson ( mr. robot ), sam drake ( uncharted ) , sidney prescott ( scream ), grace choi ( black lightning ), joo yeo-jeong ( the glory ) . color symbolism: black . lucky number: four . prized possession: a photo of him and his family taken when they first moved to red creek .

associated with: a cigarette resting in the corner of your mouth as you people watch, snapping your fingers to help yourself remember, a single finger scratching the nap of your neck, stares in confusion, a silver flask tucked away into ragged jean pockets, rubbing your nose out of bad habit, the scent of sage and vanilla, a large tattoo covering up remnants of lost battles with himself .

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⠀

𝐈𝐈.   ⠀   𝙳𝙾𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙴𝚁   ⠀   [   ...   ]

trigger warnings : mentions of drugs, overdose, near death experience .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ roman doesn't remember life before moving to red creek when he was ten years old . the small town seemed so big and memorable, captivating the young boy with its close knit community and general welcoming environment .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ though not all of his time in red creek was worth remembering; bigger kids picked on him endlessly for being new and a bit too awkward, resulting in roman either fighting dirty to defend himself or being allowed to be pushed into a corner until an adult came to help . yet, even that didn't break his spirit as the small group of friends made along the way made the bad times forgettable . he starts to play sports; baseball catches his attention the most and murmurs of how far he can go begin to float around town, adults stopping him on the sidewalk and saying that they can't wait until he makes them proud .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ then 1999 happened . red creek was no longer a place to call home nor worth remembering; to pretend as if it never existed . that was easy for his parents to do . they didn't have any real ties to the town so starting over was a breeze . it was roman who struggled to put the past in the past; countless nights spent lied awake after abruptly waking up, familiar faces haunting him day and night yet no names were dared uttered, too afraid to upset his parents .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ but at some point, roman starts to forget . sure it happens when he's attending university, and his recollection of the murders and disappearances are only fogged by the consumption of drugs and alcohol in his system, but he forgets . no longer were the voices, the noises of those tragedies plaguing him; in its place were the urges to get higher . sleep, study, remember, forget, and repeat. sleep, study, remember, forget, and repeat . roman managed to keep this routine up for a while until his body forced him to stop .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ fentanyl was a hell of drug . roman didn't consume it on purpose but it managed to get into his system anyway, nearly taking his life with it if it wasn't for his roommate finding him on the ground in time . it forces him to endure months and months of rehabilitation and counseling; the only thing stronger than his addiction being his emotions when detailing everything that led to this point . and then, everything's back to normal . he's fine . roman goes back to get his degrees in physics and computer engineering . he works as a firmware engineer . his parents insist that he takes time to heal, to focus on his mental health despite their persistence causing him to break in the first place . so he drives . no directions, no plans; an impromptu road trip accompanied by his favorite songs and snacks . roman takes in the long roads and nature until landing in an oddly familiar place . he visits a few stores but doesn't buy anything . he passes by a house but never goes in - he can never go in . then he's stopping for food and ... dolly's ? why was he at dolly's ? roman didn't go to-

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ and so it repeats . google searches of the tiny town and it's history filled his computer but strangely enough ... there was no official information to be found for 1999 . just theories made by some tourists online, a few half-assed books but nothing concrete . it forces roman to go back, just for a few days . he converses with locals he's known as if they never crossed paths, leading him into a long and drunken conversation with the owner of the warehouse . they get along perfectly fine, fitting each other like a glove . roman finds himself visiting the club frequently and in his wake were one night stands and unfriendly conversations that resulted in maybe a fight or two . the owner, of course, paid his antics no mind; too focused on implementing the new ideas roman were suggesting that pulled in more revenue . eventually he becomes a bouncer, then a bartender, and soon he's worked his way up to the official new owner when the previous one decides to move away from the town . something about wanting to get away before it's too late .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ two years have passed, and roman has seemingly settled in pretty nicely . he lives with [ redacted ] in the apartment left behind, and has become the "mysterious yet friendly" guy around . though there are times when roman can't force himself to walk in certain parts in town or dare to say the place's name, his throat closing up and suffocating him each time he's on the phone with his parents when they ask where exactly he is . everything was calm . everything was going fine ... until he overhears the floating rumors of daniela estrada potentially going missing .

⠀

⠀

𝐈𝐈𝐈.   ⠀   𝚆𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃𝚂   ⠀   [   ...   ]

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ childhood friends ( 1 / 3-4 ) : roman had a very small geek squad as a kid that he cherished dearly . he was an avid bookworm, explorer, and adorer of oceanography so do with that what you will . these friends can be his own individual ones or in a small group !! if it's a small group then i picture them to be like the one from it and stranger things . i do have to warn you though there's a chance roman has dodged these people tho and may have taken some time to rekindle their relationship .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ encounters before he officially moved back ( 0 / ? ) : during that period where roman was simply coming in and out of red creek, he's become acquainted with a few individuals for good or bad reasons . could be a hookup or someone he fought with at the warehouse . maybe he casually helped your muse pick out a book and was never seen again until he came back . maybe he almost ran your muse over when he fled red creek when he first came back by accident - who knows !!

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ a roommate ( 0 / 1 ) : personally i think the previous owner owned a nice loft and allowed roman to move in when he took over the warehouse . the place, while a great bachelor pad, was high as hell so he needs someone to occupy the former office / 2nd bedroom stat !

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ those who preferred the old owner ( 0 / ? ) : or vice versa where patrons prefer having roman own the warehouse . under roman's management, he's allowed the bartenders to try new drinks and takes frequent suggestions very seriously to keep the club entertaining . has introduced themed nights like 80's night for the oldheads and throwback thursdays for all the cascada and 3OH!3 fans out there . has become a bit more strict with the enforcing the rules like take that shit outside !! so he can record the fight in some good lighting .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ a good old ex !!! ( 0 / 1-2 ) : listen ... it's been two years . i think roman managed to get in a relationship in the meantime but he can never make it last long enough . how these breakups happened is utp but i don't think they'll end on bad terms unless they're toxic ?? kdhsajdsakjh

[den1als]

⌗   ⠀⠀   𝙸𝙽𝚃𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚄𝙲𝙸𝙽𝙶 [ ... ]   ⠀⠀   𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐔𝐒 𝐊𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐈𝐈 , a fifty - two year old, has survived another day in red creek where they lived for their entire life . the prevaricator is known for being meticulous and argumentative and is often associated with the lingering scent of cigarette smoke on your uniform, a cracked mug with the words #1 dad on it, and expensive watches decorating your wrist . in a small town where they work as the sheriff for red creek's sheriff department word travels fast . it's hard to keep a secret, and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .

⠀

𝐈.   ⠀   𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙲𝚂   ⠀   [   ...   ]

full name: demetrius kelly iii . nicknames: demi, mainly by residences who are familiar with him; kd, close friends and family; kelly, usually said out of spite by someone he pissed off . age: fifty - two; september 3, 1972 . zodiac sign: virgo . gender + pronouns: cis male, he / him . orientation: heterosexual / hetero-romantic, but bi-curious . place of birth: red creek, michigan . occupation: sheriff @ red creek's sheriff department . languages: fluent in english, conversational italian . height: 6'3 .

inspired by: elliot stabler ( law & order: svu ), hank voight ( chicago p.d ), jefferson pierce ( black lightning ), marion mosbey ( the suite life ), detective david tapp + eric matthews ( saw ) . color symbolism: purple ⏤ luxury, nobility, mystery . lucky number: one . prized possession: an armani exchange chronograph brown leather watch gifted to him by his wife .

associated with: defeated sighs, a broken #1 dad mug flimsily held together by duct tape, piles and piles of paperwork sitting on your desk, the desperation to prove yourself wrong, resting bitch face with a hint of exhaustion and irritation, the urge to break a mirror due to hating your reflection, the clinking of hand cuffs sitting on your waist waiting to be used ... again, asking everyone "are you fucking stupid?"

⠀

⠀

𝐈𝐈.   ⠀   𝙳𝙾𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙴𝚁   ⠀   [   ...   ]

trigger warning : mentions of death, terminal illness .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ corruption, greed, and classism : the three words long time residences of red creek used to describe the woman known as ambrosia kelly formerly named ambrosia black . a legacy forever stained by the selfish and careless actions of one mother and wife passed down onto the shoulders of her only child; a cruel fate that seemingly haunts the boy for the rest of his life .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ demetrius kelly the third was named after his father and his father before him despite the protests from his mother . his youth was filled with golden trophies and certificates displaying his intelligence, each photo of his awards showcasing demetrius proudly showing off his latest achievement ... with ambrosia always by his side ( if you look at some of these pictures closely, you'll see that her smile was brighter than his ) . but it was fine . she was his biggest fan, his loudest supporter . her praise was all demetrius ever knew, and in return, he became the son she always wanted .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ when ambrosia said jump, demetrius said how high; the blurred lines between unconditional love and the want of control having long been crossed in the eyes of others, but to demetrius, this was normal . the older he got, the more demanding she became . nothing was ever good enough in ambrosia's eyes when it wasn't her idea: the woman he married wasn't up to her son's standards, his dream to take over the property development company didn't suit his taste, the want to pursue a degree in medicine was too basic . demetrius can count on one hand the amount of times he stood up for himself and what he wanted but it's not like he complained . it all works out at some point ... right ?

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ 1998; ambrosia, after several failed attempts to become mayor, settles as a councilwoman and demetrius becomes a deputy for the sheriff's department . 1999; jacob thorne takes his own life after the relentless accusations of him being the culprit behind the disappearances and murders . a month after the man's burial, demetrius goes on record to call out the witch hunt . he reveals how the sheriff at the time was running out of options and just wanted everyone off his back, how they overlooked so many phone calls and tips if they didn't align with the jacob theory . he's disgusted and forever disappointed in himself for allowing such a travesty to take place . 2005; demetrius becomes the new sheriff due to the respect he gained over the years, and ambrosia is once again, standing next to him as he's appointed .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ life was never easy after becoming sheriff . demetrius dedicated a lot of his time reviewing the cold cases and enforcing new protocols that helped improve the town's safety drastically over the years . due to his work ethnic, this caused a drift between him and his family - unless it was his mother who needed him. this routine will stick with demetrius for years up until the timely passing of his mother in 2022 due to her battle with cancer .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ after her funeral, demetrius was left wondering what was he going to do now . he attempted to become the family man he always wanted to be but continuously kept missing the mark, only making his strained relationships worse . not to mention, rumors of his mother's possible tampering with him being promoted began floating around, causing the townspeople to start doubting demetrius' devotion towards them . it doesn't help that paperwork obtained from his mother's office revealed that she had plans on getting the thorne house demolished and replaced with something yet to be revealed .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ 2024 was seemingly the fresh start demetrius had been needing . the balance of work and home was starting to show results, and therapy with his counsel was doing wonders . but of course, this was red creek: his peace wasn't going to last forever, and it doesn't when daniela estrada is officially declared missing.

⠀

𝐈𝐈𝐈.   ⠀   𝚆𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃𝚂   ⠀   [   ...   ]

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ some friends his age . please yall he needs them .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ the real woman his mother would've wanted him to get with and still tried to pursue years later .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ the old sheriff .. they need to fight .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ a family / person who ambrosia fucked over whose hatred stems to demi because she's dead now kjhsjdh . also some people who hired his father to renovate a property / used them for construction work .

⠀ ⏤ ⠀ any and all things go truly !!

[den1als]

⠀⠀ dusty antiques and china that collected dust in the attic , children's clothing ⏤⏤ baby onesies and toys that no longer serve a purpose , rickety furniture that fell apart at the seams ... all packed away or moved around; it felt like ruby was moving all over again . only this time , everyone was leaving them behind in red creek to rot . diamond and their mother were probably laughing up a storm from the pearly gates ... okay , maybe not both of them . ruby got one of their bad habits from the deceased woman: that by itself was enough to land her six feet under .

⠀⠀ or maybe this is karma for nadia . their best friend , soulmate as people once called them due to their closeness . in a way , a selfish ass way , their bond replaced the hole her sister . they were everything to each other ... but was it enough to stay ? ruby's been asking herself that since getting back . whenever their eyes even glanced in nadia's direction , the thought sneaks into the back of their mind , gnawing at her like a dog chewing on a bone . even her name on the box made ruby down a beer before she got there; a sigh is let out at the mention of their mother , feet moving across the floor mindlessly . “ yeah ... yeah , she was . ” ruby shrugs off the chill that overcomes her body , eyes wondering around the living room as if the layout wasn't already burned into their brain .

⠀⠀ “ just- just take the gift , nadia . it's the least you can do for her ... and me . look at what she's left me already ! i got a house ! and it's paid off . dream come true . i don't need anything else . ” ruby's trying her best to not address the elephant in the room yet they're fidgeting , hands dramatically gesturing around the room as ruby settles in front of the table . they reach down and retrieve the gift before jutting it towards her , brows high and eyes wide and pleading softly . “ please . she's more your mother than she was mine . ”

after years of not hearing it , ruby's voice surprises nadia yet also comforts her . she jerks at the sound , but immediately almost curls right into it like a child needing comfort from a parent . nadia looks at the boxes before them and works to keep her chin jutted up . she doesn't want to think about how someone she loved can be fitted into , DEFINED AS , boxes . " oh . " she says , uselessly , instead .

nadia allows her gaze to wash over the small box on the table , with her name perfectly scribbled against it . nadia , and with it comes the reminder of exactly how abigail would sound when she'd say her name . grief is not a one time thing . it finds a way to hit you differently every day . nadia stares at the box but doesn't touch it . she feels it isn't her place . not in this house . not with ruby . not from abigail , who isn't even her own mother . for the first time ever , nadia is acutely aware of the fact that this isn't her home . " that's nice . " she says instead . her voice sounds faraway and she still won't look at ruby because that's an even fresher cut . " you should keep it , though . she's your - " she pauses . inhales sharp and tight before correcting herself " - she was your mum . "

[den1als]

“ shut the fuck up, kingsley ... ” demetrius mumbles , vision becoming dark as he closed his eyes tightly , groaning loud enough to let out the frustrations lodged deep into his body . a hand swipes down his face and rests on his chin , fingers grazing his facial hair; trying to escape weirdos and nonsense in red creek seemed impossible . demetrius wishes to pay the freak ⏤ one of many ⏤ any mind, but with another glance over kingsley, he can't help but to feel a pang of guilt for his outburst . “ i apologize . just not in the mood , alright ? ” first half practically meant nothing but his words were still sincere for the latter half . the smell of marijuana makes his nose scrunch up in disdain yet it inspires him to pull out his pack of cigarettes; free hand gently swats kingsley's away as the cigarette is placed between his lips . “ i'm assuming you have a lighter ? ”

○    NOW DELIVERING TO . . .    ⏤ @den1als!

KINGSLEY COMES TO ATTENTION WITH A SNAP as he notices who is near him . kingsley raises his hand to his forehead , in a salute . " in this police state society , where we as a people are imprisoned rather than rehabilitated , and you work to keep this society established - i greet you , demetrius kelly the third , sir . " his voice is quiet yet determined , like billows of cigarette smoke . speaking of which , he's holding his joint in his left hand . he looks at it , then at the sheriff . " . . . do you want a puff ? "

[den1als]

their left eye had been jumping all day; a small , almost forgettable warning most would have glossed over ... but it was ruby; superstitions plagued one part of their life . most of them were true: by spitting on a broom when it brushes over her feet , she was keeping herself from being locked away in prison . when their right hand itched , money was suddenly being put into their pockets without having done anything . the left eye twitching ... something bad was about to happen . since coming into work , ruby had been on guard , observant of their surroundings and incomers like a hawk searching for its prey . yet as the time ticked and the hours until closing were drawing in , they started to think nothing was going to effect them at; tense shoulders drop in relief , a low yet content sigh being let out whilst ruby handed the person in front their prescription .

“ have a good day, ” cheerfully , with a small wave , ruby sends them off . her gaze follows the figure out before they turn to face the next person in life ⏤⏤ the wind is knocked out of their chest; walls are beginning to close in when their eyes lock , the one recognizable shine in their gone and abandoned ... just like she had been . rafael's voice , the way he said her name , made her swallow thickly . for once , she's stunned; glued in place and unable to move . to think . then he opens his mouth again ⏤⏤ of course , he's still a man . stupidity was going to leave raf's mouth whether ruby wanted it to or not .

“ she's dead , raf . ” monotone and blunt with a hint of annoyance . “ her funeral was two-three months ago , so yeah ... been a while . ” ruby finally looks away from him , grunting as they suddenly become invested in their job . an uncomfortable silence fills the air for a minute or two while the noise of pills shaking in a bottle is heard behind the counter . “ is your head any better ? ” ruby quietly asks , refusing to look over her shoulder .

FOR:   ruby ( @den1als ). DETAILS:   red creek pharmacy :3.

the  fluorescents  overhead  make  his  eyes  hurt;  automatically  lowered,  left  staring  at  the  tiled  flooring  that  reflects  the  fluorescents  overhead  -  attacked  from  all  angles.  no  mercy,  no  relief  -  rafael  instead  digs  holes  into  the  back  of  the  the  person  in  front  of  him.  the  line  isn't  long,  but  it's  slow  -  it's  in  the  nature of pharmacies,  and  he's  patient.  his  parents  always  said  he  was  born  with  the  patience  of  a  saint,  his  greatest  virtue.  sometimes  he  thinks  it's  his  only  virtue;  and  even  then  -  why  couldn't  he  have  waited?  maybe  then  his  body  wouldn't  feel  like  a  game  of  operation;  all  shooting  nerves  and  phantom  pains  and  a  hole  where  his  heart  ought've  been.  the  prescription  doesn't  cover  that,  though.  the  person  in  front  of  him  shifts,  and  rafael  automatically  steps  forward  -  his  eyes  taking  a  moment  to  readjust,  his  mind  refocusing.

they're  like  staring  into  a  mirror,  sometimes,  ruby.  he  can  see  his  reflection  in  her  eyes,  and  he  can  feel  them  staring  back  at  him;  and  if  he  rubs  away  at  the  murkiness  that's  built  up  from  years  gone  by  -  he'll  see  pain  as  rubbed  -  raw  as  his.  he  chooses  not  to  -  a  strange  lump  already  formed  in  his  throat  as  he  clears  way.  "hi  -  ruby."  if  he's  surprised;  it  doesn't  show  on  his  face  -  painfully  placid.  it's  been  too  long  since  he's  last  picked  up  his  prescriptions;  had  she  always  worked  at  the  pharmacy?  his  memory's  been  worse  since  halloween;  stress  always  does  him  in.  ruins  what  little  progress  has  been  made  in  the  last  few  years.  "been  a  while,  yeah?"  a  painfully  two  -  seconds  too  long  pause.  "...how's  your  mom?"