leonidasxx

[leonidasxx]

Of everyone who worked at the cemetery, the only one who had been there longer than Leo was Esther. Most people didn't stay here long, usually just a job they held until something better came along, but Leo and Esther were the mainstays. But despite that, the fact was that the pair didn't really know each other that well. Two years on, Leo knew just a few things about his coworker: her name, that she worked a the cemetery (obviously), that she lived in Cardinal Hill (also obviously), and that she liked to bake. They mostly went about their work quietly and efficiently, getting the job done well, and Leo had always admired that about her; it was nice that someone besides him took this seriously. Because he barely knew her, Leo didn't have any strong feelings about Esther, though he liked that she always brought him some of her baked goods. And over the years, those baked goods had managed to thaw Leo a little.

Case in point: when Leo walked into the office and heard Esther's words, he broke into a smile and said, "Awesome! Thanks, Esther." And immediately he headed to what he now called the "kitchen" as well because of his coworker. "You know I love your pumpkin bread," Leo called, his words muffled by his mouthful of the aforementioned bread. As he continued to eat, Leo walked back into the office, leaning against the door after taking the list. He took another bite of bread as he read the list, and when he was done he told his coworker, "I did most of these already." Leo wasn't the type that needed to be told what to do; he knew what needed done, and he did it. It was honestly that easy, and Leo was the furthest thing from lazy, especially about a job that mattered to him. What was left on the list, he'd be able to get done quickly, so Leo took his time enjoying the pumpkin bread. The problem was that as he stood there, Leo was suddenly very aware that he and Esther should probably talk if they were going to be in the same room. That was why - mostly why - Leo asked, "So...Esther...should we get to know each other? I mean, we've worked together for two years."

closed starter: Leonidas Desai | @leonidasxx location: Cardinal Hill Cemetary

Working at the cemetery was quiet and quiet suited Esther. Usually. Some days things gnawed at her and the still seemed to loom rather than comfort. She was convincing herself she just needed to sleep more as she mindlessly fiddled with the filing cabinet when the door opened. Esther didn’t look up. The workers at the cemetery were both limited in number and speech. It had always felt like a fittingly unlively place to work. She knew it was Leonidas, after a couple of years, she was used to the distinct footfall of everyone who came and went.

"There's pumpkin bread and muffins in the kitchen." She announced, returning to the pile of paperwork on her desk. ‘Kitchen’ was perhaps a grandiose term for the sink and microwave on a table in the hallway. Nevertheless, Esther often found herself placing plates of homemade baked goods there without much ceremony, pleased to return to them empty. In a few weeks, when the colder weather could be felt, there would be hand-knitted scarves and gloves too. It kept her busy. She had more love in her than she knew what to do with. There didn't seem to be a place for it to go anymore. “And a list,” Esther added with an apologetic smile as she placed the hurriedly scribbled-down list of tasks dictated by the Sexton. He was vacant of expression and had a habit of disappearing, which Esther had never minded. “Not too long.”

[leonidasxx]

Closed starter for Corey ( @innocentcurse ) Location: Hometown Groceries, hair care aisle

Leo had a secret, one he had kept from everyone, even Arjun. Okay, so Leo had a lot of secrets, like the fact that his maniacal father was trying to find him, prompting him and his mother to move around all over the world for the last 25 years of his life. That was one secret Leo never, ever planned to tell anyone, and then there was the secret that he drank too much, which was one Leo worried he'd someday reveal - someday soon. But right up there with his other biggest secrets was this: Leo spent a lot of time on his hair.

Over the years - once Leo had learned the power of his hair - he had spent quite a bit of time learning how to take care of it. He'd tried so many different products, tried different ways to style it, even tried to dye it once, though his dark hair hadn't taken to the color well (and the less said about the time he'd bleached it, the better). Leo had tried different lengths and styles as well before settling into his current hair situation, which had achieved a higher level of hair transcendence. But Leo didn't want people to know he spent a lot of time on his hair because part of that higher level of hair superiority was making it look like he didn't spend a lot of time on it. What Leo aimed for when it came to his hair was to make it look like he'd just rolled out of bed and just naturally looked that way, and truthfully that was how it worked sometimes. But then other times - especially after a bender - Leo would wake up with his hair a mess, looking like he'd just been through a tornado. Luckily, Leo had honed his hair care skills by this point and knew just what to do in those cases.

But now in addition to a hair-related secret, he had a hair-related problem: they had stopped making the line of hair products he liked the best. The company had gone under, which Leo couldn't fathom because as far as he was concerned, the quality of their products was amazing; Leo had even wondered if they were magically-infused, though he ended up deciding that would be extremely difficult given the scale of product distribution. Although he had a bit of his hair products left, Leo needed to find a suitable replacement, and as he looked at the various products in the aisles, he was at a loss. What shampoos and conditioners and pomades and serums and everything else would work best? It was an important decision.

Leo was so lost in thought as he examined each product that he didn't immediately realize someone had joined him in the aisle, but eventually he saw the figure out of the corner of his eye. Working to look disinterested in the products, like he didn't need all these fancy items to make his hair look as incredible as it looked (he totally did), Leo turned slightly to look at the man next to him. And immediately Leo froze because whoa, this guy had good hair. In fact, as he looked at the other man, Leo thought, Well shit...I've got competition for the best hair in Cardinal Hill. But this was an opportunity, and Leo wouldn't waste it. "Hey man," he said, still trying to act aloof, "which of these works best? I usually just let my hair do what it wants, but lately I've been trying a little harder to take care of it." Leo shrugged, acting like he didn't really care that much even though he was desperate for the man with the second-best hair in Cardinal Hill to give him his advice.

[leonidasxx]

Closed starter: Arjun ( @veilxstars ) Event: Pumpkin Palooza - Pumpkin Carving Station

Taking a sip of his pumpkin ale, Leo sat back in his chair and eyed his half-carved pumpkin. It...well, it wasn't good, to say the least. "It...it's a monstrosity," Leo said, looking over at Arjun. "I know it's not finished yet, but...I can't see how it's going to improve." Really pumpkin carving wasn't Leo's thing, but with this being his third Pumpkin Palooza yet first time actually attending, he had decided that he was going to try and embrace the tradition and see everything it had to offer. Well...almost everything - he refused to do the apple bobbing contest because he spent too much time on his hair to make it look like he didn't spent any time at all on it just to get it wet.

So that was why Leo was sitting here in front of a pumpkin, carving what was supposed to be a happy face but was quickly turning into something unsettling and frankly a little terrifying. Leo never claimed to be an artist, and this was more than enough proof of that. Really it was almost impressive how far off base of his original intent this pumpkin was turning out to be. "I kind of want to use magic to fix it, but I'd probably just make it worse," Leo told Arjun. Looking over at his friend, Leo hoped he was having a fun time. He knew that Arjun had good days and bad days, and he wanted to make his friend's good days especially good, so this was part of that. "Can I see yours?" Leo asked. "Or is this a situation where you don't me to see it until you're done?"

[leonidasxx]

Even though this was now his third Pumpkin Palooza, Leo had never gone to one before. He’d moved here right before his first one, and now here he was over two years later at the dawn of his third year in Cardinal Hill. It was still so strange to him to have remained somewhere so long, but even though he sometimes felt a little restless, Leo was happy to be in one place for a change. Maybe it wouldn’t be forever, but it was good enough for now, and Leo tried not to overthink what could happen if he stayed too long. But even after coming to Cardinal Hill, Leo had remained reclusive, so he’d never come to this festival before. 

However, now that he was here, he didn’t know why it had taken him so long. It wasn’t that he was especially enjoying the festival - it was fine, but he didn’t feel like he’d missed out by now coming until now. But one thing he loved about this festival was the variety of alcohol, and he had definitely been enjoying that. So by the time the girl approached him (somewhat drunkenly? Leo couldn’t tell in his present state), he had more than a little buzz going. Maybe that was why Leo felt more social than usual. Smiling at the stranger, he held up his beer and said, “I of course am enjoying the festivities of this fine tradition.” After taking a dramatic sip, Leo added, “Mmm, isn’t pumpkin ale the best?” Really Leo wasn’t picky, but it felt like the thing to say.

Open starter: @cardinalstart

Location: Town Square

Event #1: Pumpkin Palooza

Annette loves Pumpkin Palooza. From the amazing atmosphere, to the sweet treats, and the sheer amount of people that turn up, it's like her own little playground where she can eat until she gets sick, and do it all again tomorrow. For a whole week!!! To commemorate it, Annette loves to explore all the food, wine and beer sampling that could be found there on the first night, often doing a bit more than just tasting. She likes to get drunk on free wine and beer, to put it less subtly.

One thing to know about Annette as well, is that when she is talkative, especially when she has had a few. She loves to approach the most interesting person, or the person who looks like they're on a mission, or frankly just the closest person avaliable, and start a chat. Annette, hating to break tradition, is doing just that.

Approaching the target, Annette makes it clear that whatever they were doing previous is much less important compared to entertaining her. "Hi! Isn't Pumpkin Palooza great? What are you up to?"

[leonidasxx]

Leo liked that this girl was self-aware, and he actually laughed a little at her response. "It's not so much how you look," Leo answered, "it's more about the way you're walking and holding on to the bar for support. But hey, I'm not judging. At least you're not the obnoxious kind of drunk person." Not yet at least, Leo thought, though he didn't expect that from this customer; Leo was pretty good at guessing which customers would start to annoy him as they got drunker and drunker. "Let's keep you from becoming the vomiting kind of drunk too, yeah?" he added as he handed the glass of water to the girl.

"That's...not what I expected," Leo replied when Bunny introduced herself. "I mean I know it's a name, but you don't hear that a lot. Then again, my full name is Leonidas, which you don't really hear either unless you're in ancient Sparta." He laughed, even though it was an obvious joke, and Leo said, "Bunny suits you though. It would be weird if your name was like...Gertrude or something." It surprised Leo too when Bunny reached out to shake his hand, and it caught him so off-guard that he couldn't help but laugh. "Well, nice to meet you, Bunny," he said, adding, "and nice firm handshake." Leo liked that about the girl.

When Bunny asked about food, Leo replied, "I've got just the thing. This is a bar, so...the food isn't gourmet or anything. But they make good grilled cheese, like I mean really just excellent grilled cheese. I honestly don't know how they do it." Leo had never been a big grilled cheese fan before - it was fine, but that's all - but this place was changing his mind. "It's even better if they put a little slice of tomato inside, so we're going to do that too unless you hate tomatoes or something." A few minutes later after he had given the kitchen the order, Leo returned to Bunny and glanced at her friends. "So are you all here celebrating something tonight? Or is this just a fun night out?" What Leo was really worried about was how Bunny was going to get home if her friends were drunk too.

Despite herself, Bunny giggles at Leo's half-hearted response. Good idea. She wishes suddenly for a mirror or reflective surface in which to check her appearance ; her hand comes up, almost self-consciously, to pat her curls.

"I look that juiced, do I?" Bunny asks him coyly, sliding onto the cushioned barstool across from him and folding her manicured hands together on the countertop. Her eyes drop to the glass of water he slides in front of her, and she smiles at him again before reaching for it.

"I'm Bunny," she introduces herself, extending her hand suddenly across the bar to shake his. Her father had instilled in her the value of a firm handshake ; and while it maybe wasn't the most obvious way to flirt with somebody, Bunny wasn't exactly operating with a sober mind. Something about Leo's long hair and grungy style is subtly charming to Bunny — and if Leo is motivated by anything other than a genuine interest in her, she's too drunk to notice (or maybe just too drunk to care).

Her eyes flash over to her group of friends — colleagues, whatever — still huddled near the dance floor. She sighs before turning her gaze back to Leo. "Food sounds good, I guess. What do you recommend?"

[leonidasxx]

As he listened to Lorelei talk about living a quiet life, Leo smiled because that sounded so nice. He had lived in quiet towns and big, bustling cities, and both had their appeals, but what really appealed to him was becoming so comfortable in a quant little place like this. The thought of growing up here, of knowing the town like the back of your hand, of always seeing people you knew, well...Leo liked that very much. It was funny to him that he felt that way given that he generally socially isolated himself, but Leo thought if his life had been different, more like Lorelei's, than he himself would be different - again, more like Lorelei. "That sounds really nice," Leo replied. "I mean, I've been all over the world, and I won't like and tell you it completely sucked because there were some things about it that I liked. It was cool to learn so much about different places. But it was always sad to leave. Every time, it was sad to leave...well, except when we left Alabama. We were only there for three weeks, and my mom always said we'd never go back." Leo laughed at the memory, missing his mother but not letting himself dwell on that. "You shouldn't feel bad about your life," Leo went on. "That sounds like a nice life to me. And hey, I could tell you stories about different places in the world if you want."

Leo saw the way Lorelei responded to his magic, and he smiled, happy to have impressed her. There was a time when this would have been nothing to him, but now he had worried he wouldn't even be able to do that. You've fallen so far, Leo thought somberly, though he didn't let it show. Still, he couldn't let himself just accept Lorelei's compliment, and he responded, "It's not that amazing. I bet you could do this too. Once I froze an entire lake, and easily too. I mean...yeah, it was really cold out, so the lake was already chilled, but even so." Leo remembered that, back when he and his mom had been living in Norway. Laughing, Leo replied, "Well of course it tastes the same. All I did was freeze it." Seeing Lorelei's reaction made Leo want to do more magic. He grabbed a small white bar napkin from under the counter and set it down in front of Lorelei, and he covered it with his hand. He whispered his incantation, and when he pulled his hand away, the formerly white napkin was now cream colored. "Ta-da!" Leo exclaimed with a dramatic flourish, trying not to beat himself up about the fact that he'd meant to turn the napkin brown. It seemed he'd gotten halfway there.

Leo talking so negatively about his background made Lorelei feel down. She wish she didn't, and was able to cheer everyone up at a flick of her wrist, but she was definitely not able to do that. Lorelei hadn't had the best childhood by any modern standard, but she feels so hard for people who also struggled, which led her to diminished what her childhood was actually like. She understands the struggles that she went through definitely had an effect of her, but she never thinks it's anything significant outside of being a bit stingy with money. "I guess you could say I have had a quiet life. I've never really been outside of Cardinal Hill, but I don't really feel that bad about it. I'm content here." She said, pausing inbetween sentences for a second or two. She didn't sound resentful of her life, but there is a hint of longing in her voice.

Lorelei's eyes practically sparkled when she watched Leo practice magic. She was like a young child watching cartoons for the very first time, stunned by the rapid colours they have never seen before. When the ice was frozen, Lorelei sat up and gave a gentle applause, to show appreciation without making a ruccous. When he unfroze it, it was like an encore that couldn't blow her socks off, because they were already gone. She had genuine amazement on her face. "Your magic really is amazing," was all she was able to say, being at a loss for words. Leo's self doubt fell on deaf ears, as Lorelei examined the cup of water that was exactly the same as it was before, after such a drastic transformation. Lorelei took a sip, and looked back at Leo instantly, eyes sparkling, "It even tastes the same!"

[leonidasxx]

Even though it made him uncomfortable to talk about these things, there was a part of Leo that was glad he brought it up. The few times he talked about this with other people, they would listen, but he usually felt like they didn't totally get it. How could they if their families were whole and not shattered by greed and a misuse of their incredible power? So even though they might sympathize, they couldn't really empathize. But with Scout, Leo got the sense that she might actually understand, at least to a point. He knew better than anyone to not pry and force people to talk about things, so he didn't ask her any questions about it, but Leo smiled at her, grateful that she was listening. "Sometimes legacies do more harm than good," he said solemnly. "It's like trying to swim with a giant rock strapped to your leg. You might be able to stay afloat for awhile, but eventually it's going to drag you under." It was a bleak thought, but it was also a true thought, at least in Leo's eyes.

Laughing, Leo repeated, "'A labyrinth or some shit.' Yeah, it's exactly like that. And then even if we get through the labyrinth, there's probably going to be a Minotaur at the end." Pausing, Leo chuckled, shaking his head. "Sorry," he said, "I was named after a famous Greek hero, so my mom told me a lot of Greek mythological stories when I was younger. And trust me, I'm not Theseus, so that Minotaur is probably going to destroy me someday." Although Leo was still smiling, it wasn't quite as genuine as it had been a moment ago; there was too much truth to his words.

"Home," Leo said in response. "What even is home? It feels like such an abstract concept to me." Smirking, Leo shook his head again and ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. "Yeah, I heard how that sounded," he said, "and yeah, it sounds cynical as shit. But just because it's cynical doesn't make it not true sometimes, you know? I mean, I live here, but I've lived basically everywhere, so now nothing really feels permanent. I feel...sort of like a nomad I guess. So what I'm saying in a really clunky way is I get why you'd want to change that. I just don't know if it's possible to really feel safe." That was another cynical notion, but Leo wholeheartedly believed it - he'd probably never feel safe.

Again Leo laughed as he retorted, "Yeah, surprises in a cemetery aren't really something you strive for." Even though Leo didn't like the idea of being around a lot of people at the inn, he did like bored games. "My mom and I used to play basically every game there was," Leo told Scout. "We'd go to thrift stores at every new town and buy what they had, and I've gotten really good. And I'm here to tell you that if the game is Clue, I'm going to kick your ass."

Scout listened intently, her brow furrowing as Leo laid bare the weight of his legacy. She could see the flicker of unease in his eyes, a reflection of her own struggles, and it struck a chord deep within her. “Yeah, it’s a terrifying thought,” she admitted, her voice steady but tinged with empathy. “It’s like those chains they put on us, even when we think we’ve broken free.” She crossed her arms, the autumn chill seeping into her bones, but she wasn’t about to let it stop her from connecting with Leo.

When he revealed his family background, Scout felt a surge of understanding. “Power can be a double-edged sword, can’t it?” she replied, a hint of bitterness in her tone. “You want to honor your legacy, but at what cost? It’s tough to shake off what’s been done before us, especially when they’re still clinging to their ideas of what it means to be a witch.” She paused, searching for the right words. “But you’re not them, and I'm not them either - our respective thems. You’re carving your own path, even if it feels like running in circles sometimes. Like a labyrinth or some shit."

She noted the way he shifted the conversation, his demeanor lightening as they moved away from the heavy topic. “Yeah, I run the inn,” she confirmed with a small smile. “It’s my latest attempt at creating something that feels like home, a safe place - where no one can get hurt.”

As Leo joked about open graves, she laughed softly, shaking her head. “I suppose that’s a silver lining—at least you can guarantee there won’t be any unwelcome surprises while you’re working,” she teased, leaning back. “But if you ever get the urge to come by the inn, I promise to keep it lively. You might even enjoy the winter with a bit of warm company and some spirited games. You can help me with the board games. I’ll need someone to challenge my title as the ultimate champion.”

[leonidasxx]

The way that Puck described Cardinal Hill seemed especially accurate, a good description for this mystical little town. That didn’t mean Leo was necessarily glad to have ended up here, but he wasn’t not glad either. “I don’t know, this town…there is something about it that I find appealing honestly,” Leo admitted. “Like…it always feels like there’s a charge in the air, though lately that has felt a little ominous.” Leo thought that if Puck weren’t a witch, he’d probably think Leo wasn’t making sense, but if he was, he’d understand. “I’ve lived in a lot of different places,” Leo continued, “but there’s something different about Cardinal Hill.”

Leo laughed at Puck’s remark about his poetry, saying, “You’re making it sound like it was better than it actually was. Maybe if I actually was trying to convey some hidden feelings, it might be, whether or not it was objectively good. But really I was just trying to get laid usually, and this felt like a more romantic way to do that.” Luckily he’d learned to be more upfront about that sort of thing, though there was also something to be said about not revealing all his cards at once. 

“Trust me, I have no romantic notions about family,” Leo countered. “I loved my mom, still do, but other than her…” He trailed off, unsure of how much he wanted to say. Finally Leo told Puck, “The rest of my family, well…let’s just say there was a reason my mom and I moved around most of my life. I have absolutely no romantic notions about family.”

Leo hadn’t fully expected Puck to accept his offer, and he smiled when he did so. “Awesome,” he replied, trying to be chill about his favorite author coming to his house (and doing surprisingly well at that). He finished up a few things and then was heading out of the bar with Puck. “So this is like your siren song then?” Leo asked as they headed out. “Free booze with a handsome man? I mean, I wouldn’t say no either if the roles were reversed, though you’d have me at the free booze part.” And yes, Leo knew that Puck had said nothing about him being handsome, but he still flashed a playful smile at the other man. As they walked, Leo wondered what was going to happen tonight, and then it was like Puck had read his mind. “That wasn’t why I invited you,” Leo replied, and that was the truth. But he also added, “I’m not saying I’m not disappointed though either. The thought had crossed my mind.” Turning to walk backwards for a moment so he could face Puck, Leo shrugged. “Who knows, maybe you’ll change your mind. I can be pretty charming.” The only way Leo was getting through this as smoothly as he was right now was by pretending that Puck was just any other guy he’d picked up at the bar.

A few minutes later, Leo and Puck were in his apartment, and Leo gestured to the living room. “Just sit wherever, and I’ll bring out some drinks. Any preference? My collection…is extensive. And most of this I didn’t even steal from the bar.”

Puck raised an eyebrow, a sardonic smirk playing on his lips. “Ah, Leo, hardly an enemy here. You’ve just stumbled into the presence of your favorite author—what a delightful accident.” He leaned back against the bar, exuding a casual confidence, as if he reveled in the banter.

“Books, you say? Important indeed. They offer a refuge when life feels like an endless cycle of wandering and disillusionment. Cardinal Hill… what a peculiar little place. Almost as if the universe decided to toss us together here for its own amusement. A quaint town that somehow manages to be both mundane and extraordinary.” He chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with mischief. “As for my reasons for being here? Let’s just say the allure of nostalgia is a dangerous thing, dragging one back to familiar ghosts.”

He took a sip from his glass, watching Leo intently. “Poetry, then? Notes left in lockers, flung under wiper blades—how delightfully tragic. A way of being seen without truly being known, isn’t it? But even the most ‘shitty’ of verses can have their moments. They linger longer than polished gems, often hiding their true power beneath layers of insecurity.”

As Leo mentioned family, Puck’s expression shifted, the edges of his smirk sharpening. “Mothers can be a double-edged sword, can’t they? I wouldn’t know, really. Mine barely acknowledged my existence, and my siblings took great delight in reminding me that I was a burden, a mere curiosity. So forgive me if I don’t share your romantic notions about familial ties. Some of us were better off untethered from the attention of our so-called loved ones.”

Puck’s interest piqued at Leo’s invitation, a glimmer of intrigue flashing in his eyes. “Free booze, you say? Now that’s an enticing offer,” he replied, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Lead the way."

A fleeting thought crossed his mind—his own journey toward authenticity. It had been a struggle to embrace his identity, especially in the wake of his first novel's success. His agent begged him to reconsider. It had taken him five years and the same number of novels before he’d finally shed the façade, opting to live openly as a gay man, much to the chagrin of those who would have preferred him to remain hidden in their shadow. A small part of him still wondered what his family thought of that choice. They had tried to bury him in their twisted notions of 'normal.' Yet, the freedom he had found was worth the price. A fleeting smirk crossed his lips as he recalled how delightfully scandalous it had been to surprise those who once deemed him an outcast. "I'll behave, Leo-Darling. Despite what the gossip rags say - I'm not looking to conquer and claim every handsome man who crosses my path. Only alcohol will touch these lips. Your heart will remain unbroken and intact when the sun rises tomorrow."

[leonidasxx]

Leo couldn't help but laugh at the way Lorelei took the glass of water so quickly, though he decided he wasn't going to encourage her to drink anymore. If she wanted another, he'd make her one, but he didn't want her to regret this come morning - and regret talking to him too. Of course Leo was accustomed to hangovers, which was why he felt so determined to prevent Lorelei from feeling that way come morning. "It's...not a bad thing to not be much of a drinker," Leo replied. "I wish I wasn't," he added solemnly. If he could go back in time, Leo would stop himself from ever learning to rely on alcohol. But now Leo felt like he couldn't get through the day - most days - without it. Of course, this wasn't something he was about to go on about with Lorelei or anyone really.

"I get what you mean, but...trust me, it's better to not know," Leo countered. He understood Lorelei's point of view, and maybe he'd feel differently if he'd lived a quieter life. But he hadn't. "I wish I didn't know just how terrible the world could be," Leo admitted somberly. "My life...hasn't been very good." This wasn't something he usually said out loud, and it felt like a betrayal to his mother to give voice to. But despite how much his mom had tried to give Leo a happy life, and despite how happy she herself had made him, there was a big part of him that wished he could have lived a more typical life. Always moving from place to place meant that now Leo felt like he didn't have a home, and he didn't know what his next step was because they had never planned anything more than a few months in advance. And then there was the fact that his father was trying to find him to turn him to the dark side of magic. Actually, thinking about it that way made Leo feel like he was Luke Skywalker, with his dad as Darth Vader, and that thought made him laugh and helped lighten his suddenly dour mood. "So does this mean you've lived a bit of a quiet life?" Leo asked Lorelei, though there was no judgement there.

It amused Leo that Lorelei wanted him to do magic, and it made him wonder just how comfortable she was with her ability. "Yeah, sure thing," he replied, trying to figure out something he could do that would actually work; the last thing Leo wanted right now was to embarrass himself. Looking at Lorelei's half-empty glass of water, Leo muttered, "Let your contents be still," and then the water froze into a block of ice. Trying not to let on how relieved he was that the spell worked, Leo took the glass from Lorelei and said another incantation under his breath, unfreezing the water. As he handed it back to Lorelei, Leo told her, "There was a time when I could have frozen every drop of liquid in this place at the same time." In fact, Leo might have even been able to do it nonverbally. He hated this reminder of how far he'd fallen in terms of his powers, but he had no one to blame but himself for bringing this up.

Lorelei almost snatched the glass out of his hand, drinking it in a blink of an eye. Clearing her throat, she looked up to Leo and paused. She started laughing, probably out of embarrassment, but it was genuine laughter. "Thanks," she handed the glass back to him, "I guess saying I'm not much of a drinker is a big understatement." She proclaimed, probably a little too loudly than what she would typically like, but it's obvious she is in a better mood.

She understood what Leo meant, especially with the benefits of ignorance, however it still got to Lorelei. "I know what you mean, but sometimes I really wish I did have that type of experience. Not necesarily all that bad stuff but I do genuinely feel like there is a part of me I don't really know about." She admitted quite abruptly to him. She would never typically reveal stuff like this, but Leo seems like the best (and only) person that she could talk to about this stuff. The alcohol would be helping with her openess too. She looked over her shoulder to scan the room, and see if there is any watching eyes. The coast was clear for her to ask "Do you think you could do a little bit of magic for me right now?" She had never asked this question before, but she is feeling impulsive, which is typically unlike her. At least sober her.

[leonidasxx]

As he climbed into the car, Leo immediately hugged Fiver. He had never had a pet before (though he knew Fiver was much more than that for Arjun), and as a result he'd always loved being around them, especially cats and dogs. There was always a tiny part of him though that felt sad for the childhood he'd lost though, not that Leo would ever voice this out loud, not wanting to make his friend uncomfortable. Still, he sometimes wondered what it would have been like actually having a stable home where he could even think about adopting a cat, dog, bird, fish, anything. Those people didn't know how lucky they were. Times like this were when Leo considered getting a pet of his own now, but he could barely take care of himself, let alone another living creature.

After kissing Fiver's head again, Leo focused his attention on Arjun. On paper, they seemed like an odd pairing. Arjun was so bright and full of life, affectionate and kind. Leo on the other hand was...well, an asshole, at least most of the time. Whereas Arjun sought out companionship, Leo shut it out, kept his distance, a lesson he had learned from his time on the road. Plus letting someone close meant they might see his damaged heart, and Leo couldn't risk that. But sometimes someone broke through his defenses, albeit not as much as Arjun had, and one day Leo had been startled to realize he had a best friend for the first time since he left India.

So yes, the pair was definitely an odd one, but Leo felt like he balanced out Arjun's light with his own darkness, just like Arjun's sunshine kept Leo from falling into the gloom of his heart. They were an odd pair, but a good one. "Ugh," Leo groaned at Arjun's condition, though he had expected this and was also used to it. With a dramatic sigh, Leo leaned in and hugged his friend, rolling his eyes as they pulled away. For his part, Fiver licked Leo's face and then laid his head in his lap.

As Arjun began talking about the ghost, Leo smirked; this was a very Arjun thing to go on about. And while sometimes Leo acted annoyed, it was always in that overly dramatic way that made it very clear that he was just giving his friend a hard time. But even though he was smiling as he listened to Arjun, Leo felt a little troubled. While he wasn't ruling out the existence of ghosts - if witches could exist, why not ghosts? - he worried it was actually some magical trickery. Maybe the life he had lived had made Leo paranoid, but he was convinced that that paranoia had kept him and his mother alive during all those years on the run. "Well after that, you know I can't let you go alone," Leo said finally, trying to keep his tone teasing and light. "So I'm down to explore with you. But yes, first pancakes." A few minutes later, they were at The Woods Café, which did have the best breakfast food he had ever had. As they sat at their table looking over their menus, Leo said, "I think I'm going to have to forego my usual strawberry pancakes and get the pumpkin this time."

Arjun felt a surge of excitement as he drove to pick up Leo, the prospect of pancakes filling him with anticipation. He was starving - but he always was after a show. He arrived outside Leo's apartment building, his loyal service dog, Fiver, wagging his tail in eager anticipation. “Alright, buddy, let’s go get Leo!” he said, giving Fiver a quick scratch behind the ears.

As Leo climbed into the car, Arjun greeted him with a wide smile. “Hey, Leo! Ready for some pancakes?” He couldn’t hide his enthusiasm, even if Leo tried to play it cool. Cool was only in Arjun's repertoire when he was on air. “Oh, and by the way, I demand a hug before we go! I pick you up - I get hugs. It's the rule."

Really though, Arjun's mind jumped from one topic to the next quickly. He wanted to have pancakes but also -- ghosts. “So, I’ve been thinking about that ghost by the train tracks,” he began, his eyes lighting up. “You know, the one everyone says doesn’t exist? I’m telling you, there’s something there. I can just feel it!” He could hear the faint echoes of the legends swirling in his mind, each one more tantalizing than the last. “I mean, it’s perfect—old trains, the chilling winds, and a story that no one seems to take seriously. It’s practically begging for an investigation!”

He continued, animatedly weaving together the tales he’d heard. “Just imagine it! A ghost wandering those tracks, lost between the past and the present. I’m convinced we could capture something—maybe even catch a glimpse of it!” Arjun knew he could convince himself of just about anything, especially if it had a spooky edge.

“Let’s grab our pancakes first, though. Fuel up for the adventure!” he chuckled, his excitement palpable. “Who knows? Maybe the ghost will be waiting for me when I go back. I could get its autograph.”

[leonidasxx]

Leo had said one of each, but he decided not to correct the man. If this spell worked, he was going to probably want to cast it again eventually or at least strengthen it, and having extra candles would come in handy. When he heard the man's comment, Leo frowned, not because he was annoying but because he felt sympathy for the guy. What would it be like to be born into a family of witches but with no actual magical ability of your own? Objectively Leo knew that had no bearing on your character or strength or anything like that, but if he were the one born without magic, well...he'd probably feel the same way. "It's not all it's cracked up to be," Leo told the man. "I mean...if you'd been born into that family full of power with power of your own, then you'd have all this pressure to live up to it. Even if your family makes you feel pressured now, it...well, it can't feel the same." At that moment, Leo realized just how many assumptions he was making about this guy he'd just met, and Leo said, "Fuck...sorry man. I shouldn't be running my mouth about shit I don't understand. I don't really know what it's like to always have family around. Mine...well, they've not been part of my life for about a quarter century now, so what do I know?" Leo really didn't have any right to be saying these things to a stranger, but even though he hadn't seen his family for 25 years, he still felt the pressure of their legacy. And if he'd been born without powers, well...all of that would have gone away.

"That's great, thanks," Leo replied when the man said he'd help him. Maybe it wouldn't turn out to be much help having him there, but it definitely could hurt. And by the way the man replied, it felt like he was on Leo's wavelength, like he understood the urgency of this spell that Leo was planning, and that couldn't hurt either. "The address number is on the cabin," Leo told the man, whose name turned out to be Beau. Shaking the guy's hand, Leo said, "Well, Beau...thanks." He felt like that was a sort of awkward end to their conversation, but Leo didn't really know what else to say. He turned to walk away, but then he paused and looked back at Beau, adding, "I'll see you tomorrow."

The next morning, Leo jerked away, looking at the time on his alarm clock. "Fuck!" he yelled - he had overslept, and now Beau would be here any minute. Climbing out of bed quickly, Leo knocked over something on the floor, and he looked to see a half-empty bottle of beer tipped over, which he grabbed before it could spill all over his wood floor; the slight stain next to the bottle showed that this was not the first time this had happened. Why was he such a mess? That was something Leo wondered often, now being one of those times as he heard the doorbell, and that was when he realized he was only wearing his underwear. That wasn't going to work, so he grabbed the nearest pair of pants off his bedroom floor and pulled them on before rushing out to the door. On his way, Leo passed a mirror hanging on the hallway, and naturally his hair was an absolute mess. Sighing, Leo thought, Well if he didn't know you were a disaster already, he will now. Hurrying down the hall, Leo opened the door to greet his guest.

"two of each..." beau repeated, writing down the order on his little pad. he knew he had the stock - he'd learned from past experience to triple-check and rewrite the list before coming to the market.

beau chuckled at the man's observation. "maybe, too bad it's wasted on me." the words tripped off his tongue before beau could catch them, and he hated self-deprecating when it came to his lack of magic, so he moved quickly to do damage control. "or maybe not, because it means i can help you." he flashed leo a bright smile. "of course i don't mind. happy to help, especially in this... interesting times."

"cabin, hallowed woods. not too deep." beau wrote down the details with a slight frown. it sounded like he was going to be knocking on a few doors to deliver these candles. "it's got any defining features. a cabin name or number... a tree, some gnomes?" beau asked, his tone teasing as he looked up at leo.

"beau. beaumont proctor. nice to meet you leo." he reached over, offering his hand to shake.

[leonidasxx]

This conversation had gotten so heavy, and Leo wouldn't have been surprised if his hands were shaking before he took the shot and downed it. These days it was so hard to just exist with his thoughts sometimes, especially in moments where those thoughts had such sharp edges, and he did everything he could to mute them even just a little. It was like taking those jagged thoughts and shaving down the edges so they didn't hurt so much bouncing around in his head. But then he took the shot, and Leo felt warmth wash over him, that feeling he had begun craving more and more. For just a second, he closed his eyes, blocking out everything else, but only for a second because any longer and it would be weird. Blinking a couple of times to clear his vision, Leo smiled and said, "The world's best medicine, right? Or at least the quickest." Leo knew how that sounded, but it was the truth. He watched Lorelei down her own shot, and even before she asked, he was already getting her a glass of water. "Here, drink this," Leo said, feeling a little bit guilty now.

Leo was glad that Lorelei didn't push too hard with her questions because he'd said much more than he intended, and he didn't much feel like explaining himself in detail. "I'm glad you haven't really felt the need to think about that stuff," Leo replied grimly, and he was. It meant that Lorelei's life had been much different than Leo's. If he didn't have a narcissistic, maniacal dark witch of a father, Leo probably wouldn't have been so acutely aware of it himself. But ever since finding out the truth of his father, Leo had been so tuned in to the notion that some witches had darker machinations in mind when it came to their powers. "It's not always a bad thing to be naïve," Leo said quietly. Sometimes he wished he was too. Luckily the tense moment passed, and soon Leo was laughing again. "And that has nothing at all to do with the alcohol of course," Leo teased, but of course it had everything to do with it. "You can see why people seek solace at the bottom of the bottle," he added more seriously, "but indulging once in awhile is sometimes exactly what a person needs." Leo said this as if he wasn't one of those people who sought comfort in a drink far too often.

Lorelei looked at the shot in front of her. She isn't much of a shots person, but it's not like she has never had one before. What's the worst that could happen? "Well I couldn't possibly say no if it's on the house." She said with a smile, before downing the shot. It caused her to let out a cough, and reach for her drink as a chaser, which absolutely did not help. She tried her hardest to form words, "Sorry, can I have some water," was all she was able to say.

Lorelei was a little surprised at how much he was comfortable with saying about his past to her. While he hadn't been the most reticent, she could tell that there was a lot he didn't usually say to anyone. This was completely understandable of course, but she was happy that he had told her as much as he has. "Yeah, I haven't even considered what witches with bad intentions would be capable of, not to be naieve but, well, I kind of am." She said with a small chuckle. "Honestly, I'm already feeling much better than I did when I walked in, so I don't think we have anything to be concerned about, at least at this very moment." She said, smiling. It was obvious that the shot hit her pretty quickly, and she wasn't actually free from concern, but at least it wasn't at the forefront of her mind.

[leonidasxx]

Leo listened to Shira, and he gathered there was some subtext to her text. But Leo knew not to pry, and he admitted, “I don’t have a lot of friends myself. There are perks to being alone though. I mean, you can basically do whatever you want.” This was both true and also a tiny bit something Leo told himself to feel better about his lack of connection. “If you’ve got too many people around you, then everything takes longer because you’ve got to take their thoughts into account too,” he went on. “But if the group is smaller, things just feel faster. I don’t know…it’s also the only thing I’ve ever known, so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about.” The last time Leo had been surrounded by people he cared about had been back in India when he was seven. Since then, his circle had gotten so incredibly small, almost not a circle at all. As he listened to Shira, Leo tried to shake the unpleasant feeling taking root inside him. He was thinking too much about what he’d said, and how he wondered if he was lonely. While Leo always told himself that he was fine being alone, but it was just because accepting it made it easier. But Leo wasn’t going to think about that too hard.

Laughing as Shira describe Portland, Leo said, “Yeah, that definitely sounds like some mythical land, but also my kind of place. They sound pretty open-minded, like they’d readily accept a bisexual witch like me.” That was probably exactly the reason Leo didn’t plan to go there though. His smile faded a little as the conversation continued, though he knew Shira meant well. “Like I said, desperate times,” Leo said finally, wiping away a fresh nosebleed. “It’s a mistake I won’t make again anytime soon. Well, unless I’m really drunk. Then all bets are off.” Although Leo laughed at this, it was sadly true. “I kind of wanted to see if I could do though,” he admitted. He wasn’t drunk yet tonight, so maybe he would have a firmer grasp on his power. But that hadn’t been the case. 

At Shira’s question, Leo laughed again, though he admitted, “This isn’t my actual version of Hell you know. Close, but not quite.” Leo wouldn’t be telling Shira or anyone else what it was though, not anytime soon at least. But Heaven he could try to answer, though that proved to be harder than expected. “I…don’t know,” he admitted, a little surprised that this was so difficult for him. “My idea of some paradise of an afterlife is just like…pure contentment, and I’ve never really thought about what that looks like for me.” It was a bit too heavy of an answer he thought, so Leo suggested, “You go first while I try to think of something.”

“Yeah, I guess so, very wholesome.” She agreed. Shira thought for a moment what that would be like, having so many friends that her weed supply would dwindle exponentially. Sleepovers, movie nights, dinner parties, impromptu games of twister and charades. It was nice to think about but she knew it wasn’t likely to happen for a while. Too busy with her work to really yet find roots and footing in Cardinal Hill. “Popular? No — no, I wouldn’t say that.” Shira chuckled and waved her hands nonchalantly as she shook her head no. If she had put herself out there more, maybe she would be a bit more popular. But then again, she figured she might be too weird or annoying to be all that popular even if she did. For a moment she thought about whether or not she would even enjoy being popular here. She enjoyed being popular back home, but that was probably because it brought her more money. And she needed to not bring all that attention to herself. His question pulled her from her thoughts. “South of here, right by the border. Portland. It’s full of old hippies, witches and queer folk — both of which tend to be quite the connoisseur’s.” Shira smirked and looked up in thought while she pondered the best way to describe her home town “You can get alligator mac n cheese and artisanal craft beer on the same block, turn the corner and you’re facing a psychic witch’s home office next to a homeopathic doggy daycare. If that’s at all telling on what it’s like. Weed is the most normal thing there.” Her head still lolled upwards she let out a chuckle before she looked back to him, somewhat pleased with her dramatic — but accurate description.

Shira watched Leo with an empathetic look, curiosity swirling as he spoke. It struck a chord for her when he admitted he wasn’t the best either — maybe she wasn’t the only one who felt that way and that was a thought that made her feel less lonely. She had noted the way he had brushed past the conversation about magical abilities and she decided to do the same, not wanting to sully the mood by psychoanalyzing. “I can only imagine how much it would suck to be stuck at a party you didn’t even want to go to to begin with. I guess desperate times call for desperate spells, right?” She smiled warmly, wanting to ease the tension for him — her bleeding heart spilling past her lips “Try not to push yourself too hard. And hey, at least now you have weed. I’m glad I could be a distraction for you in your version of hell.”

Shira leaned closer, her expression softening and her eyebrows raising in question. “So, if this is your proverbial Hell, what would your version of Heaven be? Probably a lot more interesting than red cups of questionable jungle juice and meaningless drunk conversations.”

[leonidasxx]

Maybe it was that they were both from India originally that initially bonded Leo and Arjun. It wasn't like that was a common thing in a sleepy little town like Cardinal Hill, though Leo wasn't going to become friends with someone for that alone. And he wasn't looking for friends anyway. What good had that ever done him? They were always just temporary, and even the most permanent person in his life was gone now anyway. Losing his mother had been devastating, and Leo couldn't bear the thought of letting someone else in only to lose them all over again. His life had been a series of losses stacking up on one another. He lost friends, he lost homes, he lost time, his loss any sense of permanency. Everything was temporary, and Leo knew that more than most. So he wasn't looking for friends, and he was happy with his solitary life. Well, okay...Leo wasn't ever happy, but he was...okay with it. This was just the hand he'd been dealt, and Leo would play his cards the best he could.

So Leo hadn't been looking for friends, but he liked talking to people at least. Having conversations with people around town kept him from completely becoming a hermit, plus it kept his social skills sharp, which was helpful when it came to garnering tips at the bar. Plus it was nice to be reminded of what a normal person with a normal life was like. The first time he saw Arjun, Leo had felt a strange sort of kinship immediately. While he knew nothing of the man, Leo wondered if he sometimes felt out of place too, so Leo had ended up talking to him. And it was nice, the conversation lasting much longer than Leo had expected, and after that it was like the universe had conspired to put them together. They kept running into each other, which Leo supposed wasn't unlikely in such a small town, and finally Leo had caved and given Arjun his phone number. The rest, as they say, was history.

Now Leo had a friend even though he'd been dead set against that, but it appeared that the universe had other plans. Leo had been listening to Arjun's show and nursing a beer, though he only had a pleasant buzz going. Arjun's show had always captivated Leo, though he didn't think he'd ever tell him because it wasn't just the content that kept him invested. More than that, it was the tenor of Arjun's voice - it drew Leo in, entranced him a little. Yeah, he wasn't going to tell his friend that. But still, Leo listened as often as he could. Just as the show ended and he was about to go outside to smoke a joint, his phone rang, and Leo knew before he answered who was calling. "Good show tonight," Leo answered as soon as he picked up the phone receiver. Part of him liked when Arjun knew he'd been listening. "Yeah, I could go for some pancakes," Leo agreed, "though to be fair, I could always go for pancakes." He laughed, and Leo was amazed at how different he could be once he let his guard down. This version of himself was easier, though it was also much, much scarier. Laughing, Leo retorted, "Well what Fiver wants is most important, so definitely don't leave him behind." Leo had liked Arjun's dog from the start, so he was fine with this.

A little later, Arjun pulled up outside Leo's apartment building, and he climbed inside, immediately petting Fiver and kissing the top of his head. "I know, I missed you too," Leo said, kissing Fiver again. Then looking at Arjun, he teased, "Not so much you, but I want pancakes." Then he laughed again, Leo knowing that Arjun would understand he was just joking...though he had kind of missed him.

For: Anyone | @cardinalhq (CAP OF 3 - only one muse per writer) ORI + 2 OPEN Character: Arjun Location: Outside Soundwaves

Arjun leaned back in his chair, the dim glow of the recording equipment casting long shadows across the studio walls. The lamp on his desk flickered, painting the room in shades of orange and amber, its soft light barely cutting through the night. His fingers drummed a quiet rhythm against the wooden surface as he glanced at the microphone, the familiar weight of it steadying him in the stillness.

“So, what’s your take?” His voice, low and steady, broke through the quiet. “Ghosts, or just our minds playing tricks on us?”

The words lingered in the air for a moment before they crackled through the town’s radios, reaching those few who listened in the late hours, waiting for the stories he told. His audience—spread out across the dark corners of Cardinal Hill—knew the routine well by now. Arjun’s show wasn’t just about music, it was about the unknown, the things that haunted the town, the shadows that seemed to move just out of sight.

He paused, glancing down at the letters strewn across his desk. Each one carried a story, a strange encounter that someone swore wasn’t just a coincidence. A face glimpsed in a window, footsteps heard where no one should be, a shadow that didn’t belong to any living soul. He had read them all, over and over, yet the thrill never faded.

“I mean, I get it,” he continued, his tone softening. “Sometimes, a creaky floorboard is just that. A house settling, a draft catching the edge of a door. Or maybe, we’re just exhausted, seeing things that aren’t really there.” He leaned back in his chair, letting the familiar hum of the radio fill the silence. “But then again…”

His gaze shifted to the window, where the quiet of the night pressed against the glass, the outside world seeming far away. “There are places where the air feels thicker, you know? Where it feels like something’s just… waiting.”

He chuckled, the sound light but tinged with something darker, something only those who knew him well might notice. “Personally, I think I’ll keep an eye on that shadow near the old train tracks. Seen it a couple times now—always the same time, every week, just standing there.”

Arjun let the silence stretch out again, long enough for his listeners to fill it with their own thoughts. His show wasn’t just about telling stories—it was about making people feel like they weren’t alone in the strangeness. That whatever haunted them, whether in the quiet of their homes or the back of their minds, was shared.

He glanced at the clock. It was late, time to wrap up, but his mind still buzzed with energy, his body worn but his thoughts racing. “I don’t know,” he finally said, his voice quiet but steady. “Maybe we’re just seeing what we want to see. Or maybe there’s something more out there, just beyond what we can prove.” He smiled, though his listeners couldn’t see it. “All right, Seekers, stay safe, stay sane—and I’ll catch you tomorrow night. Arjun signing off.”

With a soft click, the program ended. Arjun exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he turned off the microphone. The room felt quieter now, almost too quiet, the hum of the town’s unseen mysteries still lingering in the back of his mind. He rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the exhaustion that had settled deep in his bones.

But sleep wouldn’t come easy tonight—he could already feel it.

Reaching for his phone, he dialed the first number that came to mind, the one he always called when the quiet got too loud. “Hey,” he said, his voice lighter now, a hint of a smile returning. “What do you say to some 2am pancakes? My treat. I'll even come pick you up -- but I'm bringing Fiver," he meant his German Shepherd, "you know how he is if he doesn't get pancakes."

[leonidasxx]

It didn't seem like Puck was upset that Leo had disturbed him, which was good - he would be mortified if he'd made an enemy of his favorite author. "I moved around so much until about two years ago, so I didn't always have a lot of friends," Leo explained. "I still don't if I'm being honest. But I'm not saying this in like a 'woe is me' sort of way, just to explain...books are pretty important to me." Leaning against the bar counter, Leo asked, "Why are you here anyway? In Cardinal Hill of all places? That's something I've asked myself too. I mean...I feel like I've sort of stumbled into it, like I just fell into Cardinal Hill, and this isn't the sort of place I ever really thought I'd call home." But did he? Home was such an abstract concept to Leo, and really this was just a place he lived. Sometimes Leo wondered if he would ever really find a place to call home.

It was safer ground talking about books, and Leo was glad for that because it was something he genuinely liked to talk about too. "Yeah, those are the types of stories that stick with me the most," Leo agreed. "I think about them much more, and like you said, they get under your skin." It seemed like Puck appreciated his choice, though Leo had just been honest. He laughed at Puck's offer, and Leo said, "Most of those ended up in lockers or pinned under wiper blades, notes from a secret admirer." He hadn't really lacked confidence in most aspects during those days, but even then, Leo had not at all been confident in his poetry. "And besides, I know it was shit," he went on. "I don't need you to tell me that, though I appreciate the offer." But what Puck said next bothered Leo. "They really wouldn't care?" he asked, wondering how true that was. He didn't know how that was possible, though Leo had been lucky to have a mother who had always loved and supported him. On the other hand, Leo had no idea what Puck's family dynamic was.

Leo was pleasantly surprised by Puck's offer, and he wasn't about to say no to that. "I'm actually good to clock out whenever," he told Puck, "if you're really serious that is. It's been slow tonight, so...yeah." He looked at the seat next to Puck, and Leo offered, "You know, if you wanted to get out of here, we could. I'd love to keep talking, if you want to. I've...got free booze back at my place." That sounded like he was trying to pick-up Puck, which had not been Leo's intention...but he also wasn't opposed to it either.

“Hey, no need to apologize, Leo. I get it. Meeting your favorite author can feel like a big deal. Hell, I’m just trying to figure out what I’m doing in a place like this after all these years. It’s a little surreal, to say the least.” He chuckled dryly, the sound almost lost in the background noise of the bar.

“Trust me, I’ve had my share of starstruck moments too, but usually, it’s me standing there, wrestling with the demons of my past, trying to get them to leave me the hell alone. Self-doubt? It’s practically my shadow.” Puck leaned back, the weight of his words heavy. “It’s funny how the mind works; you can publish nineteen novels, yet still feel like you’re scrambling for validation.”

When Leo mentioned his preference for psychological horror, Puck nodded. “Yeah, the good stuff gets under your skin better than any hit. The stories that make you question everything, those are the ones that linger long after you close the book. The Ragged Man, you say? Solid choice. That one’s got a way of gnawing at you, doesn't it?” He offered a wry smile. “I guess I’ve done my job well if it sticks with you like that.”

He paused, contemplating Leo’s enthusiasm. “Poetry, huh? We all have our phases, and it takes guts to put yourself out there. If you ever feel like digging it up again, I’d be happy to give you some brutal feedback—just like my family used to do. Joking - my family probably doesn't know that I'm published, and if they do - they don't care.”

Puck glanced around the bar, taking in the familiar ambiance mixed with the scent of old wood and spilled drinks. “But honestly, if you want to stick around, I won’t bite. Probably. Sometimes, it’s nice to share a drink and just… breathe. This town can feel like a weight on my chest, and I could use the distraction.” He gestured to the empty seat beside him. “Join me when you get off the clock - I'll still be here."

[leonidasxx]

The longer the pair talked about these things, about legacies and family lines and power, the more Leo began to suspect that Scout knew exactly what he was referring to. Why was he being coy about it anyway? This was Cardinal Hill after all, and people were generally...well, pretty open-minded, even if they weren't magical. In the two years he'd lived here, Leo hadn't really faced any discrimination for his abilities, though all the years of running had made him cautious. For so many years, the only person he could trust had been his mother, and Leo realized with a start that that meant he no longer trusted anyone. What a depressing life, Leo thought to himself, feeling suddenly glum, but he didn't want to let what had always been true (even if he hadn't realized it) sour his decent mood. So he tried to push the thought away, which was easier said than done.

"That's...a scary thought," Leo replied honestly, a little shiver running down his spine, though that could have just been the autumn chill in the air. "I've, uh...sort of been running my entire life?" he went on, his words coming out like a question even though it very much wasn't. "So the notion that I can never really escape, not forever, that's...terrifying." He knew that Scout hadn't meant it to scare him, but it was something that was always sort of in the back of Leo's mind anyway, and this didn't change that.

Why were they beating around the bush about this? As Leo sat there looking at Scout, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, finally saying, "I think we're both talking about the same thing without actually talking about it." He smirked at Scout, chuckling a little, and then Leo just came out with it: "My family is full of powerful witches on both sides," he told Scout. "My dad's family especially is known for their power, and while I didn't technically inherit my abilities from him, I definitely inherited his legacy. And um...let's just say that legacy is pretty tarnished, not that they'd agree. The things they've done with their power, well..." Leo trailed off, not really sure if he wanted to get into it; he'd said more than he usually did already. "I don't want to be like that," Leo said quietly. "But I'm worried I can never really escape, like you said."

Their next topic was a much easier one to discuss, and Leo replied, "I do get kind of bored in the winter. There's much less to do around here." What Scout had said intrigued Leo, and he asked, "Do you work down at the Inn? You must, right?" Laughing a moment later, Leo said, "That hasn't happened yet. Usually they don't leave open graves unattended. Though now that I've said that, it's going to happen."

Scout listened closely, her arms no longer crossed but resting lightly at her sides, giving Leo a curious look when he nearly said witches. He didn’t quite commit to the word, and while she understood the need for caution, it piqued her interest. She let the moment pass for now, though, figuring she could circle back to it. People often revealed more if you didn’t let them know you were paying attention.

“Family legacy, huh?” she replied, her tone even but not trying to hide the curiosity. “Mine’s got plenty of power too - especially from around here -- old blood and all that so... the pressure—trust me, it doesn’t disappear just because you walk away. You can run, but it’s always there, waiting.”

She paused, her gaze sharpening just a little. “So what exactly did your family do with all that power? You mentioned they didn’t use it for good. Must’ve been pretty serious for you to be pushing back so hard. My family are the typical good-doers. Plenty of power. Plenty of responsibility - plenty of ass-kissing and holier than thou blowhards who think that the blood is the bond... always pushing you to fit into a role you don't want - to be what you never wanted to be -- and the worst part is, in my family if you push back and try to be yourself -- you're just ungrateful and unappreciative."

Scout didn’t pry often, but she could see the weight Leo carried, and part of her couldn’t help but want to know more. His story was too close to her own for her to let it drop just yet.

When Leo mentioned help, a small, wry smile flickered across her face. “I wasn’t kidding. I’ve spent enough time around graves to know my way around a shovel,” she said, only half-joking. “And I could use the distraction. It’ll keep me busy.” Her tone was practical, no trace of sentiment, as though work—any work—was preferable to being left alone with her thoughts. "In return - when winter comes ... come by to the inn sometimes, and help me put new walls up."

She smirked at his poison sumac story, letting the lightness come back into the conversation. “Well, here’s hoping your bad luck doesn’t extend to falling into open graves. I’d hate to have to drag you out.”

[leonidasxx]

Even as he started talking to the man, Leo knew he shouldn't have approached him, at least not like this. He should have gone over to Puck - Puck motherfucking Thorne, his favorite author - and just acted like he would with any other customer, asking him if he wanted a drink and then leaving it at that. But of course that wasn't what he had done, and now Leo was silently cursing himself for being so starstruck. Real smooth, Leo, he thought with a sigh. This wasn't like him at all, but he had momentarily lost his cool, and now he was just trying to regain some semblance of it. "Ah hell, sorry, I shouldn't have bothered you," Leo remarked, running his fingers through his hair and shaking his head. "I guess it's not every day you meet your favorite author, especially in a sleepy little town like Cardinal Hill, so I sort of forgot myself for a second. I shouldn't have bothered you while you were writing." Of course that was what he was doing - what had Leo thought when he saw the notebook? He knew if he was working on something that he would have hated to be disturbed, yet he had done the exact same thing to Puck.

Luckily the author didn't seem totally put off by Leo's excitement, but Leo had regained some of his self-control now; hopefully he would come across as composed in his admiration. He wasn't used to being thrown off like this, that was for sure. "I get that," Leo replied as he poured Puck his drink. "Sometimes we're our own worst critics, and also...it would be unreasonable to assume everything a published author writes is actually worth, you know, publishing. That's just part of the process I'd imagine." While Leo wasn't a writer himself, there had been a period in his life when he'd tried his hand at poetry. He'd been a hormonal teenager once, and he had thought that a romantic poem would be the way to his various crushes' hearts. That hadn't been the case for Riley in Atlanta or Katherine in London or Luke in Auckland though, to name a few, though maybe Leo's poetry had just sucked. "But clearly at least some of what you write is the opposite of trash," Leo proceeded. "So that's something, right?"

When he heard Puck's question, Leo paused, considering it carefully. "Wow, this is harder than I thought," he replied, a bit at a loss. How could he choose? "It really depends on my mood though when it comes to the type I like, though I think I favor more the psychological side of horror. Those ones keep me up at night more than the gory types of stories for some reason. I guess they just feel more...I don't know, they feel real or something." Pausing for a moment, Leo laughed, saying, "Believe it or not, I'm a little more eloquent than this normally." More seriously, he went on, "But I think my favorite is actually The Ragged Man. That's the one I re-read the most."

For a few moments, Leo just looked at Puck, still in awe that they were talking right now. But then he said, "I'll let you get back to it. Really, I shouldn't have bothered you. I'm not going to be some annoying fan though, so like I said, just let me know if I can help you with anything."

Puck barely glanced up when he heard the guy muttering down the bar. He was used to people staring or whispering when they recognized him—part of the deal now that his name was plastered on the cover of nearly twenty books. He could feel the bartender’s wide-eyed gaze lingering on him like he was some kind of myth come to life, but Puck wasn’t in the mood for fanfare. Tonight, he just wanted to sit quietly, jot down some ideas, and enjoy the rare peace. He was home - wasn't that enough?

The bartender—Leo, he said his name was—played it cool at first, offering a drink. Puck didn’t need to look up to know what was coming next. He’d heard the routine before: polite small talk, the slow buildup, and then the inevitable flood of enthusiasm.

Sure enough, Leo couldn’t hold back.

"Sorry, I know you probably hate this…" Here it comes, Puck thought, suppressing a sigh. His pen stilled on the notebook, hovering over a half-finished line. He lifted his head slowly, eyes narrowing just a bit as he assessed the guy. "I’m a huge fan of your books…"

Puck’s immediate instinct was to be standoffish, to shrug it off with a curt nod and go back to writing. He didn’t need the praise. At this point in his life, the compliments didn’t land the same way they used to. But as Leo rambled on, fumbling his words and practically tripping over himself to get the compliment out, something about the whole thing softened Puck’s edge. Leo wasn’t faking the admiration or trying to make a scene. He was just…excited, and that, at least, was better than the typical performative praise Puck had gotten used to.

Leaning back in his seat, Puck sighed and gave a half-smirk. “Yes, sure..” His voice was low, rough from years of late nights and too much bourbon. “I’ll take that drink, then, since you’re so eager to give me a free one.” He flipped his notebook closed, leaning his elbows on the bar and finally meeting Leo’s gaze head-on.

It wasn’t like he’d asked for this, but at the end of the day, having a fan here wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. At least Leo was trying to keep it together. Puck let the silence stretch for a moment, then gave a shrug, the tension easing out of his shoulders. “Guess it’s not the worst way to end the night,” he muttered, more to himself than Leo.

He motioned to the notebook with a lazy flick of his wrist. “And yes, you’re right—I am working on something. No promises you’ll ever read it though. Might just be trash. It probably is trash.” There was a glint of dry humor in his voice as he reached for the drink Leo set in front of him.

Taking a sip, Puck raised an eyebrow at Leo. “So, what’s your favorite? The Darkwoods crowd is usually into the psychological. Are you into that, or are you one of those fans who just likes the gore and the shock value?"