highstakesr0ller

[highstakesr0ller]

@evergiots​

too much exposure. he knew he should stay low. not get involved. but not showing up? the absence would have been counterproductive. thus, here he was. he had taken to idle chitchat and light drinking. mini-activities that help the time pass more quickly.  maintaining distance between him and his pet, orion watched the guest come and go. all whom were too preoccupied to notice the real danger in the room.

eyes catching a glimpse of a little diamond in the rough. he was taking a few slips of his coffee, as gaze called her over towards him from across the dance hall. 

now if only she would take his bait.  

[highstakesr0ller]

𝓯𝓾𝓵𝓵 𝓶𝓸𝓸𝓷 𝓫𝓪𝓵𝓵

｡･ﾟﾟ･orion bartholomew ch. study ･ﾟﾟ･｡ 

[highstakesr0ller]

[highstakesr0ller]

serenafainx·:

༶ ⋆  

when he stepped into the corner store, all the hairs raised on the back of her neck and serena had to pull up her jacket around her again, just to stave off the feeling. her first glimpse of him had been past the chips aisle, just the top of his head — but it was unmistakably orion. serena held the jug of orange juice closer to her chest, her breathing quickening slightly until she reminded herself to cycle through it slowly. in and out, in and out.

she tightened her hold on the juice carton and steeled her nerves as she found herself in the same aisle as him.

“since you’re so concerned about your safety here, then maybe you should just leave,” she frowned, staring straight into his eyes. “or offer a hand. i’m sure you have a lot of resources to share, orion. or are you not as powerful as you act like you are?”

Well.  

  what a welcoming this was.. 

orion reluctantly returned the newspaper to its rack. the bold black font, 3 more missing still apparent for the next fool to read.  he raised his gaze and was face to face with one of his old, frail friends. not that serena ever took him for one; she always seemed to see right through his schemes and recognized the true man beneath the grin. 

"you look as cheerful as ever, serena," words said in a taunting manner.

 "tell me, why should i help? i am just a weak human being, there isn’t anything I can do, even with my-” he paused, delicately brushing a feather from her shoulder with his fingertips. " countless assets"

[highstakesr0ller]

aristochaton​:

something had shifted between them. although marie couldn’t quite put her finger on what exactly had changed yet. she perceived it was something she said. a detail no doubt that had intrigued him enough he had to suddenly cast aside his newspaper and hold her in new regard. At least that’s what marie assumed given the way he now looked at her. ❛ i appreciate a good page turner. ❜ she smiled softly, crossing one leg over the other. ❛ hard guess really. i want to say somewhere remote or out of reach but wouldn’t it be even more sinister if they were still in elias? near home but unable to escape. ❜ her head tipped to the side, gaze sharp as she gave it more thought.

❛ it’d be tragic really, those poor unfortunate souls lost in some void. ❜ she shuddered slightly, the eeriness of it all getting the better of her momentarily. ❛ i-i don’t know if I can figure it out. i’d need more mystery books and true crime podcasts to solve these kidnappings … what about you? do you think you could figure out where these missing folks are or what’s really going on in elias? ❜

a page-turner, indeed. phase two of his unending narrative. a suspenseful story. filled with the most compelling narrative form. his countenance was filled with a sense of pride, and yet orion carried himself throughout the conversation with shoulders held high but relaxed. there's no need to fret; just take the praise in strides he had taken. having done an excellent job of concealing his identify..the the tracks of those that met a horrible fate. small chuckled escped his lips, followed by an Ahheem

“excellent theories. you sure you ain’t a writer?,' he questioned crossing his arms across his chest and shifting his sight to the ground in front of them. 

“i have a hunch. but it has an air of morbidity to it. thousands of people are reported missing every day. rates of recovery appears to be low statistically speaking... let's just say that" he hesitated and glanced back at the stranger.

“it’s all too unpleasant to think about. don’t you think?”

[highstakesr0ller]

ofskellingtcns·:

🎃 ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────     for   as   long   as   he   could   remember   jasper   had   always   feared   the   monster   that   lived   within   side   him.   he   came   from   a   powerful   line   lineage.   the   spirit   of   halloween   was   a   hefty   title   to   be   bestowed   upon   a   family.   for   eons   his   the   skellingtons   carried   this   torch.   they   were   powerful   creatures   and   yet   jasper   didn’t   embrace   it.   not   anymore   at   least.   he   was   once   golden.   worshipped   and   loved   by   all   practically   a   god   walking   among   men.   jasper   had   never   liked   the   attention   that   came   with   being   a   skellington.   the   expectations   to   be   this   great   figure,   to   fill   everyone’s   cup   but   his   own.   they   all   wanted   something   from   him   and   when   that   scarlet   letter   was   placed   upon   him   they   turned   their   backs   on   him   labeling   him   a   monster.

in   a   technical   sense,   yes,   jasper   was   a   monster   but   he   refused   to   be   the   monster   that   orion   painted   him   to   be.   he   refused   to   be   a   monster   at   all.   the   skeleton   just   wanted   a   sense   of   normality   now.   something   to   call   his   own.   he   had   tried   to   rebuild   that   here   in   elias.   there   was   no   name   weighing   him   down,   no   town   to   sink   their   claws   into   him   and   a   sense   of   freedom   he   hadn’t   known.   it   was   foolish   to   think   he   could   hide   this   beast   from   the   world.   glimpses   were   shown   here   and   there.   the   anger   boiling   under   his   skin   scared   jasper.   this   darkness   that   laid   within   him   scared   him.

he   didn’t   want   to   be   a   monster   anymore.

yet,   here   he   sat.   in   all   the   glory   of   his   true   form.   the   very   thing   he   had   tried   so   desperately   to   hide.   

jasper   was   cognisant   of   what   was   going   on.   he   could   hear   and   see   orion   clearly   but   his   body   wasn’t   responding   to   the   signals   he   was   sending.   it   was   as   if   he   was   being   controlled.   he   wanted   to   pull   away   from   the   empty   affection   orion   was   handing   him.   there   was   a   time   that   his   touch   would   have   seared   his   skin   with   desire.   long   ago   he   craved   to   be   touched   by   orion   in   this   way,   spoken   to   with   sweet   words   but   jasper   knew   the   devil   before   him.   there   was   no   goodness   within   him.   orion   had   broken   jasper’s   heart.   when   that   wasn’t   enough   he   destroyed   his   life   and   now   ?   well,   jasper   feared   what   orion   had   decided   to   take   from   him   again.   

no.   this   wasn’t   him.   jasper   wanted   to   scream   it   until   his   lungs   burned   and   his   throat   was   raw.   this   was   not   him.   he   was   not   this   diabolical   creature   orion   had   diminished   him   to.   while   he   couldn’t   move   in   his   full   form   jasper   could   access   the   rest   of   his   powers   that   came   with   being   a   spirit.   he   caused   the   lights   to   flicker   uncontrollably   as   he   stared   back   at   orion   with   those   glowing   yellow   eyes   that   didn’t   belong   to   him.   the   skeleton   all   but   leaned   into   orion’s   space      but   screamed   within   while   doing   so.   

“   you   saved   me   this   is   who   i   am.   i’m   tired   of   pretending.   ”

those words were melodious to his ears. never before had he heard something so tender. so sweet. the mere thought of it gave him a toothache. lips now curled into a gratifying grin. warm around the edges, as though he had a secret to share. the fullness of his heart mirrored that of his stomach. yet, this was much more. like the first time he wielded a knife, shot a rifle, or took a life. ecstasy.

 orion wanted nothing more than to hear  you saved me, over and over again. the credit he deserves for pulling the right strings to make this all happen, long overdue and finally paying off. he was aware that the pendant was to blame for this altered state of mind,but he would enjoy every second of it. after all, it was  refreshing to have him in all aspects for once. 

portions of him were disheartened, though he would never acknowledge to such frailty. despite the fact that he had the submission locked down. without jasper's tenacity, he felt like something was missing. it was all too easy. he really thought he would at least fight back and give him a run for his money.

 fingers guided his chin so he could observe the vacant expression of those dark eyes. closely inspecting the one who meant the world to him, in a twisted sense. orion couldn't fathom how someone could love something so much that they also despised it. nonetheless, here he was seen wiping blood stains off of his pale cheekbones. the fundamentals of the night that told the tale of the unfortunate schmuck who happened to be in the wrong location at the right moment.

“you have quite an appetite. you'll come to enjoy it; the kill...is never as delicious as the taste. gotta say, you surprised me jasper"  orion was aware that he was not entirely present; the necklace around his neck was glowing, and the internal war was visible across the protruding veins of his forehead. 

“let go, sweetheart. it’s just like old times” words spoken across pumped lips as heated breath teased the possibility of a kiss.

"you now belong to me jasper." 

[highstakesr0ller]

ofskellingtcns·:

🎃 ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────  jasper   paced   around   the   cage   like   a   wild   animal.   it   was   easy   to   do   so   than   focus   his   attention   on   orion   -   god   anything   but   orion.   the   skeleton   had   always   known   that   orion   was   demented.   there   was   a   darkness   in   him   that   jasper   had   tried   to   justify   for   so   long.   why   ?   because   he   loved   him.   because   he   thought   he   could   change.   because   jasper   was   foolish   and   gullible   enough   to   think   whatever   spark   of   goodness   was   in   orion   could   be   nurtured.   he   was   wrong.   there   was   no   saving   someone   like   orion.   the   man   was   damned   in   more   ways   than   one   and   helping   him   melt   falling   into   the   toxic   sludge   he   made   a   home   in.   jasper   had   tried   hard   to   stay   afloat   in   the   mess   orion   had   made   but   now   he   was   drowning.   that   same   sludge   filling   his   lungs   and   making   it   hard   for   jasper   to   breathe.   

the   constant   use   of   pet   names   made   jasper   sick   to   his   stomach.   the   love   that   should   have   been   filled   in   those   words   was   replaced   with   a   condescending   tone   that   paired   well   with   orion.   his   pacing   halted   as   the   boogeyman   spoke   once   more.      “   what   do   you   mean   what   i   did   ?   ”      jasper   spat.      “   what   the   did   you   make   me   do,   orion   ?   ”      jasper   screamed,   throat   raw   now.   the   door   was   open   and   now   orion   was   standing   before   him.   with   swift   hands,   jasper   raised   his   raise   sharp   claws   back   as   if   he   was   winding   up   to   attack   orion.   he   could   do   it.   he   could   kill   him   and   end   his   fucking   misery.   this   game   would   finally   be   over   and   jasper   would   be   free.

he   could   do   this.

but   if   he   did   …   jasper   would   be   exactly   what   orion   had   painted   him   to   be.   

a   killer.

a   monster.   

that   caused   the   skeleton   to   lower   his   arm   and   growl   at   orion.   he   stepped   back   to   create   more   space   between   them   but   still   loomed   over   orion   to   let   the   man   known   he   wasn’t   safe   in   this   cage   with   him.   in   his   mind   jasper   still   held   the   power   with   his   sheer   size   and   strength.   

   “   pet   !   you   fucking-   ”      jasper   stilled,   his   mind   suddenly   hazy.   his   eyes   switched   from   green   to   yellow   a   beat   after   orion’s   did.   the   amulet   around   his   neck   glowing   as   jasper   sat   down   on   the   ground   as   he   was   told.   

jasper had always had a history of suppleness. as far back as he could  remember. foolishly wandering around with hopes and dreams in his eyes. seeing the good in individuals who did not merit it. orion certainly did not deserve it. yet he nonetheless attempted to alter his character. change the impossible. attempts failed. not when orion knew that his old friend concealed more than met the eye. he'd caught a glimpses of it. but never quite like this. one could say that jasper was already caged. internally, he had constructed a cage, repressing his inner essence.  orion was merely attempting to liberate him. provide him with the key. let go. persuade him that the darkness wasn't as frightening as he'd imagined. that this was who he’ll always be. 

Oh yes.

   Together what a pair they would be.

he stood taller than usual. running his tongue across his lower lip, the taste of his last meal still fresh in his mind. dancing circles across the palate of his mouth. without the inclusion of sweet jasper, this simply could not have been possible. sharper claws and quicker kills had their benefits. with one swift slice, all was over. orion didn't let him finish it, of course; instead, he took pride in the final action, his blade ravenous for warm blood.and warm it was. he was impressed with how attentive he was. so unlike him.

orion took a few steps forward, narrowing the distance between himself and the beauty before him. he came to his knees. a pair of "shhh"ing hands brushed across his cheek. fingers slowly tracing the contour of his howl face. “don't act like that. you are being such a good boy.”  mouth twisted into a grin as he cocked his head to study those eyes. “don't you see sweetheart," leaning in till his ear was met by warm breath.

“I saved you. This. Is who you are. aren’t you tried of pretending jasper?”

[highstakesr0ller]

Lewis Tan in Netflix’s Bling Empire

[highstakesr0ller]

ofskellingtcns​:

🎃 ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────   jasper   felt   sick   to   his   stomach   as   the   devil   came   into   view.   of   course   orion   was   behind   this.   it   was   foolish   to   think   he   wouldn’t   go   to   such   extreme   measures   but   this   ?   this   was   even   a   lot   for   orion.   jasper   believed   he   finally   cracked.   the   line   of   insanity   that   orion   often   straddles   was   now   crossed   leaving   the   skeleton   in   the   crossfire   of   his   madness.      “   what   the   fuck   ?   ”      jasper   all   but   yelled   as   panic   rose   in   his   body.      “   orion   what   did   you   do   ?   what   did   you   do   !?   ”      desperation   dripped   in   his   voice   as   he   looked   around   the   cage.

never   in   his   life   jasper   had   felt   fear.   he   was   normally   the   person   who   brought   upon   it.   he   was   the   spirit   of   halloween   after   all.   tricks   and   treats   was   what   he   was   destined   to   bring.   yet   there   was   another   birthright   that   lived   deep   in   his   bones.   one   his   mother   had   warned   him   about   all   his   life.

tragedy.

jasper   refused   to   let   orion   win   again.   hadn’t   he   taken   enough   from   ?   his   reputation,   his   life,   everything   that   he   had   worked   for   and   was   promised   all   of   it   gone   in   an   instance   because   of   this   man.   someone   he   once   loved   but   now   looked   at   with   pure   unadulterated   hatred.

no,   he   couldn’t   let   orion   win.   not   again.   

orion knew he would not appreciate all the hard work and dedication. 

he had moved water and earth, not literally, but figuratively speaking of course. if he had a heart, it would have hurt to hear his close friend speak to him in such a dismissive manner. not when he had done all of this for him. 

he heaved a sigh, mouth pressed into a rigid, almost pouted line. casually dropping his hand away from the glass, as if in defeat. although this was more of a victory than a loss.. now he just had to convice jasper of this..

he would..

    with time

now, all he needed to do is regain his trust and, in a manner, win him over. the  necklace he wore would aid him in that task-..along with other things  “darling, there is no point in screaming. no one will hear. . i did nothing after all, you on the other hand, wow wow wow.”  a look of utter evil spread across his face as he averted his eyes and opened the glass door. walking into the lions den aware of the power he had and the control that accompanied it.

“stop over reacting jasper, it’s a horrible look on you bae. it’s just a temporary home for you pet.”

"why don't you take a seat and shut the fuck up for a second?" he demanded, his eyes glowing with a greenish-yellow tint as he turned to stare him in the eyes. 

[highstakesr0ller]

aristochaton·:

location: mama ode’s cafe

❛ HM, ❜ marie’s head turned, awestruck hum slightly muffled by the half eaten piece of beignet in her mouth. curious gaze meeting stranger’s dark hues before drifting down to his newspaper than back to him. she swallowed quickly.

❛ oh, yes … strange isn’t it? i mean it seems random but things like that are never as random as you’d think. ❜ marie noted, taking a sip of her tea. ❛ i mean there’s a pattern right? the way these people go missing, who goes missing, clues left behind, etc. ❜ she turned further towards him. ❛ and i don’t know if it’s truly about public safety in this city. i mean no one leaves their home and expects to be taken. and I’m sure no one in charge of public safety expects anyone to go missing either … although i wouldn’t really know. just thoughts based on reading mystery books and the like. ❜

what an intriguing thought. orion closed his newspaper as he listened to this stranger's ramblings with his head tilted. with regards to repeating structures. sure. there were some memorable evenings in his mind. it was evident that a pattern existed. the little mementos he saved exemplified this. perhaps more intriguing is what he did with the corpses. the dirty little secrets that, in the end, he would take to his grave with him. he slid his hands into the sleeves of his leather jacket and licked his lips.

“you obviously have a passion for literature.” her insight, or maybe more accurately, her way of thinking, was a source of motivation for him. "so, where do you think all these missing folks actually are? you think you can figure out what's going on here?

[highstakesr0ller]

ofskellingtcns·:

— ❛ CLOSED. ❜  @HIGHSTAKESR0LLER·  .

🎃 ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────   there   was   a   haze   lifting   from   jasper   as   he   eyes   slowly   blinked   opened.   the   last   few   hours   felt   like   a   blur   to   him.   one   moment   he   was   at   home   and   now   he   was   …   where   he   didn’t   know   where   it   was.   he   could   tell   from   the   cool   floor   beneath   him   that   he   certainly   was   not   home.   groggily   he   groaned   as   his   eyes   tried   adjusting   to   his   surroundings.   his   vision   was   blurry   for   a   moment   as   the   world   began   to   fade   into   view.   he   was   in   …   holy   shit   he   had   to   be   dreaming.   there   was   no   way   someone   would   do   this   to   him.

it   couldn’t   be   possible   that   jasper   found   himself   in   a   cage.   

it   was   spacious.   big   enough   to   contain   a   monster   that   could   grow   unimaginable   heights.   jasper   was   indeed   a   monster   than   could   grow   to   said   heights,   further   if   he   wanted   to.   the   skeleton   rubbed   at   his   chest   when   he   felt   his   hand   brush   against   something.   oh,   the   necklace.   that   was   the   last   thing   jasper   remembered.   a   box   was   left   at   his   front   door.   the   note   attached   insisted   it   was   a   gift.   perhaps   jasper   wanted   to   believe   in   a   little   kindness   from   humanity   after   the   treatment   he   had   received.   it   was   foolish   to   think   something   good   could   come   from   anyone   in   this   town.   

jasper   rose   from   where   he   sat   on   the   floor   and   walked   to   grip   the   metal   bars   of   the   cage.      “   hello   ?   ”      he   called   out.      “   is   anyone   here   ?   ”

so simple.

poor jasper was always such an easy mark, gullible by nature. brimming with optimism and aspiration. while, orion on the other hand drank from the cauldron of their fears. yet, he had had enough, he wanted more than a good kill. blood eventually dried up, leaving him dissatisfied and empty. 

after receiving his token of appreciation, orion had an immediate epiphany about how-... whom he might put it to good use. very little persuading was required. a modest robbery. an ornamental necklace. an untarnished soul. quite the delicious concoction. all of it came down to this one instant. just one small misstep from jasper.

orin knew exactly what he could use it for. the missing people were just the start of a bigger plot that was boiling below. you see, a small conversation had led him to this. a glass cage. a puppet and now a monster.

the door was unlocked with a thud and a heavy set of footsteps led to the unveiling of a man from the shadows with a wide grin. "well well well, look who's awake," he said, voice unusually upbeat for someone with the power to take someone else's life.

orion approached, lunch tray in hand: "good morning love, how did you" little paused, pressing his lips together, palms on the glass of the home he had built for him. “sleep?”

[highstakesr0ller]

location: pick

time: afternoon

easy eights. 

a solid target to aim for. as luck would have it, things took a turn for the better, and soon enough, orion was in the thick of it. but it seemed he wasn’t the only one. oriong had seemed to take pleasure in the chaos he created. the sense of foreboding pervaded the city's shadowy nooks and crannies, and soon..oh soon things would be cranked up even more. he examined the newspaper and the little accomplishments, lips curved into a faint smile. 

“tsk tsk” he acknowledge the person beside him, lowering the newspaper.  “another missing person. now where is the public safety in this city?”

[highstakesr0ller]

donatellosfm​:

It’s not like he wasn’t used to stressful situations. His life had always been a stressful situation. There were a lot of feelings that came with working with or for someone who had less than ideal morals. Mainly, Donnie tended to not care when his family wanted very much for him to care. Orion was unhinged at best and Donnie simply didn’t want to deal with it. 

“I’d rather not. Sequels are never better than the original.” The only thing appeasing in the office was the cigarette in Orion’s hand. He’d been smoking more than usual and he couldn’t help but watch the man light it. He was so distracted that he almost didn’t catch what the man had said. Almost. 

It wasn’t even a thought as he braced his foot on the heavy desk Orion was sitting behind and pushed it so that it was pinning the man to his chair and the wall behind him. Donnie was not weak in any sense of the word and he wouldn’t sit here and let anyone think he couldn’t protect his brothers. “I suggest that you watch what you say very carefully. I am not someone to be fucked with. You have no idea what I’m capable of.” 

there we go. that’s what he was talking about it. breathtaking in its novelty and intensity. eyes that stared into the flame of his lit cigarette now caught glimpse of so much wasted potential and promise. wasted potential that he wanted to harvest. to add to his little collection and showcase. 

a breathy chuckle escaped orion's lips. unfazed by the close quarters between the wall and the heavy furniture. although his rib cage was clearly feeling the effectiveness of it all, his heart on the other hand was was overflowing. death   was never a concern of his before. there are a variety of shapes that possession can take. the night he drew blood, he felt it, and the night he tasted it, he felt it again. this was very similar to those time, but in a new and exhilarating way different. against his better judgment, he started clapping his hands.

“c-careful” words weighed heavily against each other, but the grin on his lips never wavered "what may your brothers think when they find out..that you lost them..the opportunity to find your old man?"

[highstakesr0ller]

evergiots​:

           ❛ — GOOD EVENING ,  ORION . ❜  her  gentle  tone  cracks  through  the  quiet  night ;  a  sleepless  one  at  that .  to  find  the  casino  closed  was ,  at  the  very  least ,  surprising ,  though  the  establishment  itself  had  little  to  do  with  the  reason  behind  victoria's  unannounced  visit .  she  was  on  a  mission ,  one  that  served  her  own  interests ,  which  might  coincide  with  the  interests  of  another .

          as  she  approaches  the  man ,   victoria  offers  a  small  bow  of  her  head ,  making  good  use  of  the  many  etiquette  lessons  her  parents  made  her  attend  as  a  child .  ❛  i  thought  snake  eyes  stayed  open  until  late  into  the  night ,  but  it  seems  i've  come  at  a  most  improper  time . ❜  eyes  briefly  glance  at  the  casino ,  then  land  back  on  the  man .  ❛  seems  like  a  most  unlucky  night .  are  you  alright ?  ❜

orion was many things. the list of names that came with the association of his name was long and lethal. aware of the eyes that kept their distance made his night a little bit more tolerable from the unsatisfied appetite. still, it seemed no matter what he did, his cup was never empty-..but that was about to change soon. while his eyes were drawn to the most lovely of surprises, he tossed aside the remnants of flame and paper. she can take comfort in the fact that he will likely act astonished at her presence- keyword..act

"well, well, well, if it isn’t ms. evergiot," he grinned crookedly as he stepped over ash and fire with the toe of his boot. "a little late for a lady to be out and about" disregarding her questions,  tone of voice hinting sarcasm and notes of hostilities. 

[highstakesr0ller]

Lewis Tan in Babylon (2022)

[highstakesr0ller]

open starter: anyone who dares 

location: outside snake eyes 

time: midnight

the night came to a swift conclusion for those seeking adrenaline and an effortless victory. with orion’s command, the casino was shut down a bit earlier than expected. sending home the remaining guests with their winnings plus a little less for good fortune. it seemed the businessman was in no mood as he stood outside, the letter he had received blazing in his hands, as the flame slowly consumed the traces of a past he would rather..forget...no. never

“like nothing ever happened” he muttered to himself unaware he had lingering eyes curiously watching.  

[highstakesr0ller]

there were numerous things orion disliked. the list could go on and on if he had no one to stop him. but the weakening grip..the lost of power had to be at the very top of the list. since his return to this foolish city, the siblings appear to have forgotten for whom they served. who paid their bills. who gave them with a roof over their impoverished heads. with valentines right around the corner, he figured things would pick. after all, the gears in his head had shifted in a sinister direction, and the fun was just beginning. ..with a little help

"if it isn't my favorite witch," orion teased while bumping into the young lady. the very person who was ignoring his phone calls and text messages. 

"must be very busy to not answer my calls, are you trying to hurt my feeling sadie?"

@shockinteague​