lenchante

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

Lips pulled into a purse, Seiko shifted the weight from one leg to the other. “Wouldn’t make much sense for me to ask if I did.” Or maybe it would, knowing their finicky antics. “Wish I did, though. Be better than being kept in the dark about this shit– like we’re all in high school with a deadline of 10 and ‘not a minute late’,” they prattled, voice and features alike pinched in mockery. 

“Fair enough,” she muttered at their response. She doesn’t really know them, so she has no reason to not believe their word - why would they ask if they knew? She laughs at their mockery, slipping her hands into her pockets. “You and me both - clarity’s important, you know? I hate how they aren’t telling us anything, I hate how we have no way of knowing what’s going on. Like... are we in danger, or is this just some sort of... like, power assertion?” She isn’t sure if that’s the right phrase, so she elaborates - “I mean, is someone trying to prove to us that we aren’t the ones in charge here? I hate not... knowing.” And it’s not like she can do anything about it - what is she supposed to do with her magic? Block off the radio waves until they - whoever they are - have to actually talk to people? It’s not like her magic is even a quarter of the strength it’d need to be in order to manage that.

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

Up the chair arced higher and higher until –

Both parties fell still when they were suddenly doused. One of them shouted at the general vicinity; full on roared with rampant expletives. The other took the time to whip his head around to search for the cause – still with the chair firmly grasped at hand.

“Well..” Another line of horrid profanities and threats to ‘come on out you fuckin’ coward’ easily drowned out her voice. “Think you’re safe for.. hm... another few seconds, but you might want to get rid of the pitcher before hothead number one sees it.”

They were glad to hear silence - perfect, utter silence - but that only lasted a split second. Chewing at the inside of their cheek, Emile used the moment’s confusion to take her advice and shuffle the pitcher along the floor in order to tuck it behind a booth, near a server’s stand. He was clear on the other side of the room - it shouldn’t be easy to connect him with the water-dousing incident. “Hothead number one seems to think I’m a coward,” they commented in return, both hands still on their phone as an excuse. Emile didn’t need his hands to do that - or anything, really - but most people took what they saw at face value. Emile’s hands were full - it couldn’t have been them. “Would you agree with his assessment?” He joked, smiling over at her. “Do you want to maybe get out of here? Or should we stay and watch the wreckage?” They didn’t particularly want to get hit with a chair, despite the fact that all evidence pointed away from them.

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

“Mm, funny how age doesn’t always correlate with maturity.” In fact, it rarely does from her experience. “And I can’t say I do know. Never had the joy of being raised with a sibling in general.” Which was both a blessing and a curse depending on the situation, she supposed.

"That’s a blessing and a curse,” Hari replied with a little smile. There were times that she wished nothing more than to be an only child, what with Hiyan’s attitude about magic, about finding them witches to bind themselves to, men in general. But there were other times that she knew that she couldn’t survive without him - she’d be dead by now without him, in fact, years ago, thanks to a hunter in a field. “What was it like, then, growing up? My brother was kind of my first friend - I can’t imagine growing up without someone like that.”

[lenchante]

jxckasses​:

Hal rolled his eyes, grin tugging at his mouth again, “Hey, what can I say? He’s pretty.” There was a lot more he could say, but he figured he probably shouldn’t start. The grin dropped just a bit when he saw Emile start to play with the hem of their shirt, heard the murmur from them. He ducked his head, putting himself into Emile’s line of sight and smiling. “Emile… C’mon, kid. I trust you because you’ve shown me I can- that’s all you, kiddo.” He straightened up, “S’long as you don’t Audrey Two any of the flowers, we’ll be good. Don’t fuss about it.” He turned, starting to work at cleaning up where he’d been making arrangements earlier, “Besides- I’m not entirely convinced my ma’s spirit ain’t still watching this place- think she’d manifest and smack the shit out of me  if she thought I was making a mistake leaving you alone here.” 

“Yeah, I guess he is,” Emile joked in response, a hint of a smile on their face. He was happy for the two of them, truly - it was proof that maybe, just maybe, things would work out for him in the end. They flushed slightly as Hal said that they’ve shown him that they can run the shop on their own; it’s flattering. It also meant more than he could express. He didn’t get the reference, making a mental note to himself to Google it later, but, whatever Audrey Two is, Emile assumed they won’t do it. They moved to help Hal clean things up, giving a little smile at his comment about his mother. It reminded them of their hometown, how shops and restaurants and the likes were passed down from generation to generation. L’dor v’dor - their father taught them the Hebrew phrase when they were a child. Things weren’t so different here than they were back home. “Well, thank you, Ms. Monroe, for trusting me with the shop, too,” he murmured to the air, giving Hal another small smile. “Means a lot. I won’t fuck it up.”

[lenchante]

new tweet from @emiledreyfus !

@emiledreyfus: there was a what now found

@emiledreyfus: the body of a what

[lenchante]

jxckasses​:

“It’s uh… “ Hal shifted and stepped closer to it, lifting the tag to check it again, “Caplan.” He set it back down, looking back to Emile, “There are a couple orders on the board for early tomorrow you can pick through, if you want. I think I’ve got everything for this afternoon in the cooler already.” He dropped his hip to the counter top, “I will probably duck out to the greenhouse if it stays slow, see if Tai needs someone to order around over there- but like always, I’m just a phone call away.” Hal trusted Emile not to set the shop on fire when left alone- and it’s not like it ever truly got slammed in the small shop outside of the few days leading up to Valentines Day.

Emile nodded at the name on the order, easy enough to remember. Taking off his coat, he moved to hang it up, smoothing their hands over their shirt afterwards and turning their body back to Hal to give him their full attention. Glancing over at the board for just a second, Emile nodded; of course Hal was that proactive before Emile even clocked in for the day. “We get it, we get it, you guys are cute,” they remarked playfully as Hal said he might go see Tai at the greenhouse. “It’s not Valentine’s Day yet, Mother’s Day is months from now, I think I’ll be able to handle this place for a few hours on my own.” They gave Hal a hint of a smile, before they paused, fiddling with the hem of their shirt for just a second. “Thank you, by the way,” he murmurs. “For trusting me with the shop. It... means more than I can express.”

[lenchante]

Was this the new normal? This ridiculous curfew? The one that made it nearly impossible to abide by, what with Hiyan’s... desires? Even Hari had found herself wanting to break it recently, even if only to shift and live as a deer outside for a little while at night. They can’t arrest a deer, right? 

She was heading back home, ever-wary of the time, when she heard someone speaking. Glancing around, it didn’t seem like anyone else was there to answer, so this person had to be talking to her. “I mean- I haven’t heard anything,” she replied, part wary, part curious. Looking to them, she held her ground, but that was noteworthy; she had stopped to talk. “Do you have any ideas...? Insider knowledge that the rest of us ought to know?”

status: closed | @lenchante​

9:30 p.m. and the street was starting to clear out. Some strolled by and others scampered; all en route to their respective home. Well, that’s the story they fabricated in their head since he hadn’t actually asked anyone. Didn’t feel the need to actually run after someone to confirm their theory.  Now if someone just so happened to come by within hearing range..

“The fuck’s up with this curfew shit?” Seiko asked whomever had wandered nearby. “There any actual news about why it’s been called to action?”

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

An inkling of surprise came to him at the other’s query for clarification.  Pale eyes narrowed as Charos mulled over the plea. 

One beat..

            Two beats…

                               Three…

Out came a scraped hum to server as affirmation for the latter. Whether or not that translated correctly was left to the other’s discretion – as per usual. A single curt nod was given towards the aforementioned spot. 

Emile didn’t exactly know what that hum meant - was it a confirmation or a denial? A yes or a no? He was practically squirming on his feet -- why wasn’t this guy talking to him? Then again, he probably wasn’t nervous in the same way they were. Emile had always been a nervous talker. 

The nod had him raising his eyebrows. “So- that’s-- that’s a yes? I mean, like I said, I totally won’t- I won’t be a bother, or anything. Just... just gonna... sit right there...” they pointed to the spot again, “and... be good.” They slipped their hands into their pockets, gingerly taking a step forward, then another, practically waiting for the guy to stop them with every step they took towards the aforementioned wall.

[lenchante]

It’s almost amusing to them - sitting in some square downtown and watching the whole exchange on the court steps go down. Emile hadn’t planned for much interaction, but they couldn’t help but watch as a man, a nicely dressed man, took what looked to be a selfie after practically skipping down the steps. They weren’t about to turn away from the interaction now that it had begun; Emile knew that he practically instigated it by staring - that must be why people wear sunglasses. “Never thought that a victory party meant taking a selfie,” he replied, leaning back on the bench and looking up at the guy. “I thought it was more along the lines of, like... shots and sex. But if the selfie makes you happy, man, you do you. And congratulations on the victory, I hope it wasn’t morally suffocating.”

@lenchante​

Don’t wish it was easier; wish you were better. Theo skipped down the stone steps, sunglasses sliding on with an effortless ease. Full of himself was an understatement. Having just closed a case that had plagued him for months, he was proverbially walking on air. His performance in the courtroom had been legendary, holding the entire room captive as he delivered his closing statements. That much had been cemented by how fast the jury sent back their verdict. Even better, the opposing legal team walked by, casting furious looks at the smiling lawyer, which only fueled him further. Theo pulled out his cell phone, snapping a smug selfie with them in the background. When he lowered his phone, he spotted someone watching him. Undeterred, he pocketed the device and smiled their way. “What, you don’t believe in victory parties?”

[lenchante]

jxckasses​:

“I promise you, I did not write that schedule with her showing up in mind.” Hal said with a small chuckle, grabbing up the coffee again and shaking his head before sipping at it. “No, actually it’s been… pretty good.” A day where all he had to handle was the flower shop was still a fairly new experience for Hal, after the amount of time he’d spent balancing both the shop and Tai’s greenhouse. “Pick up, it’s for someone’s grandma’s birthday. Should be here by noon to get it.”

“Good, I’m glad,” they replied with a smile - Emile liked to think of themself as a good days advocate, but they also understand that not every day can be a good one. He’s just glad that Hal’s been having a good day this far. He looked over to the bouquet again, nodding. “Happy birthday to someone’s grandma, then. What’s the name on the order? I can get that out to them whenever they show up.” Really, Emile just wanted to be helpful in whatever way they could; they were happy to help, needed it as a distraction from everything else in their life.

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

All that came from her was a lazy hum. For someone that hardly took part of such altercations, she certainly held a fast interest in them. 

The smaller man wobbled back from the blow and right into an empty table. Wooden legs clattered as he regained balance; arms spread wide to brace himself for a split second. Clearly still ignited ( if not completely enraged ), he went to grasp ahold of a chair and raised it to swing out –

“Okay, maybe now would be a good time to intervene,” Avaley remarked.

They winced at the sight of the man going to grab one of the chairs, their hand curling around their own glass. No one can indict him for doing what he’s about to do if he has both of his hands full, right? Emile nodded in agreement at Avaley’s suggestion, taking the next second to look down while he sent the pitcher of water across the room, dumping it on both of the men. He glanced up from his phone as he drops the pitcher off to the side, once again doing their best to hide the fact that it was, in fact, them that just did that. “Did it work?” he muttered to her, looking back down at their phone. “And does anybody suspect me?”

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

Wow, alright, I shouldn’t be one to judge, she reminded herself.  

Lips pursed, she idly drummed her fingers; equal parts attentive and unmoved. “Sounds..” messy, irresponsible – so on and so forth, “about right. Almost, well, tragic in a way. If that’s the road he decides to run down with his blinders on.. sounds like you’ve got a lot of work cut out for you.”

"I’ve always had my work cut out for me with him. He’s older by two minutes, and makes sure I know it, and then I’m the one trying to play authority the rest of the time,” she admitted with a little sigh. “Key term trying. I love him - of course I do - but... brothers. You know how they are.” She didn't know if she actually knew how brothers are, but Hari figures they’re so well-documented in media that it’s an accurate statement to make no matter if someone has a brother or not. 

[lenchante]

the-sacrosanct​:

A bet, was it?

Something as simple as a wager would have easily posed an issue if his transportation services were still running. Yet seeing as it wasn’t ( for the time being ), he supposed it was fine. Then again, what if this led to the growth of other curious ideas? What if this soul’s hour long loitering drew more foolish hearts to explore the gateway between mortal and immortal realms?

The thought was worrisome. So much so that his original acceptance was scrubbed clean. Charos let out an irate noise as he shook his head side to side. Not wanting to give gossip and small victories a chance to spread. 

"No, like... I can’t come in and sit...? Or, like... no, like, I can’t tell people that I came in and sat?” They didn’t want to give up without even a hint of an argument in their favor - Emile has always been stubborn, perhaps too stubborn for their own good. “Like, I swear, I’ll sit down right there and play on my phone for the next hour, I won’t be any bother. Promise.” It was difficult to communicate with someone who seems to be holding a grudge against communicating with them in return, but Emile wasn’t ready to turn tail and head back to his apartment so soon after their first proposal. “I mean, like, it’s scary as shit in there, and I don’t want to fight with- with you, or... anything... so I’m probably not going to go very far anyways- just... right there, probably.” He pointed to a spot along the tunnel’s wall nearby, rocking on his heels. “I promise, I won’t... do anything too stupid.”

[lenchante]

foretolds​:

RIGHTEOUS ANGER. It’s been awhile since they have encountered the honorable sort of notion that still seems to attract a well deserved wrath. It’s humbling in a way, but also even a touch attractive, which was unexpected as a whole. Head tilts to the side, a silent bout of appreciation taking them over as they stand for a moment. Brushing off the thighs of pants before nodding a bit more enthusiastically. “You’re not wrong.” They finally manage, chuckling just slightly. “But those same people would include the hurting part without second guessing, and they have no problem fighting fire with fire, or shedding blood to protect that Maserati.” They poise the alternative before shrugging. “Remember that.” And, as if the conversation is magically over, like they have done their part, they then side step the couch where Emile was sitting and move to walk off. Granted, it’s another test, but Emile doesn’t need to know that right away.

Emile blinks in surprise as the person seemingly attempts to leave the conversation with an incredibly open ending. Far too open. As if they don’t know that people would shed blood to protect their Maseratis. “Where are you going?” He asks, standing up to follow after them. Emile has never been a fan of open endings; they need conclusions, clear transfers from one thing to the next. “You said that like I don’t know - I know how rich people are, they aren’t afraid of anything quite as much as they’re afraid of being poor, or losing their symbols of wealth. Like, they’d break down crying if they had to set foot in a Walmart or whatever. I know that. They’re fucking ruthless. That’s why I don’t associate with any of them. Of course I remember that.”

[lenchante]

foretolds​:

THEY WERE RIGHT. Stories were worth telling, as much as they were worth knowing. That much was for sure. It was comical really, to take lesson from a human that most of her kind would have said had very little value. Perhaps that was why she was so against assumptions, and the sort of branded classism that came with that. “They were designed to be served with tea so that they would fill those having it, prevent them from eating too many sweets.” She laughed. “Frankly a tragedy, because ive had some cake worth suffering for.” She muses, before shrugging shoulders. The turn of the conversation earned Emile an appreciative nod. “You? You have a bigger story coming, that’s for sure, especially if you’re smart enough to know that capitalism is bullshit.” A hand taps theirs. “A very admirable quality but I will leave you and you ego as they are, I’m told it’s bad taste to feed them.”

They laughed with her, a smile remaining on their face. “You’re right - it is a tragedy... but it sounds about right that boring rich people somewhere decided that eating sweet things is so bad, you need to design a whole second food to eat instead of them.” Emile pushed a hand through his hair before rubbing at the back of their neck. “Me?” They repeated, raising their eyebrows, the smile never leaving their face. “I hope I have a bigger story coming - my life has been completely unremarkable up until this point.” Aside from the whole knife issue, but that isn’t a story Emile wanted to share with someone who was practically a stranger. “Besides, I think my ego could always be stroked a little more,” they reply with a grin, leaning against the counter after tucking their new book under their arm. “I won’t tell you fed it if you don’t tell.”

[lenchante]

recklessxfamiliar​:

She was so uptight in his opinion. What was the worst thing that happened? That he died? He’d avoided it before and he could avoid it again. “I can probably weasel my way out of anything bad. You shouldn’t worry so much,” he replied with a shrug. It wasn’t like he was a good person. He cared about himself and his sister, and that was it. “Safety’s sake? Do you sense the magic here? I’m not sure safe is the thing I’d use to describe this town. Just because we won’t get killed for what we are, doesn’t mean we aren’t in danger in other ways.”

"The fact that you just used the word probably proves my point.” Hari’s face was straight as she looked him in the eye. While he didn’t seem to realize that worst-case scenarios were actually a possibility, she did. She understood the sanctity of a contract, and understood what getting yourself into a bad one meant. “Of course I sense the magic here -- that’s exactly what I’m saying. We are in danger, so you can’t just throw yourself into something that you think will guarantee safety. Not all witches are good people, Hiyan. I don’t know what I can say that’ll make that clear.”

[lenchante]

foretolds​:

THE ANSWER IS TYPICALLY BOTH. Romeo is the same way, all things considered. There is a small shimmer of compatibility and potential there, and there alone. They enjoy that, so it seems the pair is doing well at pointing out what to like, or not like, about one another. This feeds the smile on their features, perhaps touched in a completely different way, when it comes to the mention of corporate greed and bullshittery. A solemn, appreciative nod is given. “You can say anything, no one is here to judge.” A hand waves in front like an invitation. “The CEO I understand, but riddle me this, what joy is there in watching something burn? Just for the thrill and the show?” Digging a little deeper, Romeo feels a bit more compelled to know more, whatever the reasons behind that. What makes Emile tick is far more interesting than they first assumed.

This is perhaps one of the oddest conversations that Emile has had in a while. He assumes that this person - whoever they are - aren’t a fed, or somebody willing to turn him over to the feds for thoughts that were basically an expanded version of eat the rich. “I mean, if it’s arson, nobody gets hurt. And, yeah, I mean, why do people go to bonfires? The show, but also the warmth. It’s kind of fucked up to, like, want to roast marshmallows over a burning Maserati, but... there’s that. Symbols of wealth are, like... gaudy and ridiculous - no one actually needs them. It’s just society’s way of saying some people are better than other people because those better people have money. It’s dumb.” They shake their head, rubbing at the back of their neck. “Fuck society’s claims that some people are better than others solely because of what’s in their bank account.”