strawberette

[strawberette]

Ghost let the silence settle between them. Silence was a fascinating concept for him. It usually felt awkward or uncomfortable. But around a few special people—it felt safe. Good. Sen was one of those people as he set his hand on their arm. The other, still occupied with his cigarette, dwindled as the time went on. He kept his sights forward at their question but nodded. "Then I'll have to do everything I can to keep you safe." Sen's search for knowledge and truth would never cease... He knew they were telling the truth there. He knew it all already himself. "I'd rather you seek it out from a place that won't hurt you... There's just only so much I can say. Only so much I know, Sen."

It wasn't a test, but if it had been Ghost would have passed. It wasn't a perfect answer but it was honest and that was far more important to Sen than anything else. Most of the tension they'd been holding relaxed out of their body, as if exhaling a breath they'd been holding since asking the question. They leaned on a railing in front of them, scooting over so that their arm was pressed against his as they processed his words. They needed to let it all spin around in their head instead of saying the first thing that came into their mind like usual. By the time they'd finished the spliff in their hands they'd gotten a grip on their thoughts. "You know me too well, terrifying as it is. But what if I'm already far too tangled in this to turn back now?" And Sen was too far in it, between their thirst for knowledge and their need to keep the people they cared about safe. "I'd rather face the danger with knowledge and you than stumble on it alone, but we both know I'll keep looking."

[strawberette]

Jonah blinked, a crease forming between his brows in slight confusion before the dots connected. It had always been there in the back of his mind, a theory, but now definitely wasn't the time to be discussing said theory. In some ways, it could be better left unsaid. "No matter what," he began, setting a hand on her arm. "If we have an excuse to put you somewhere safe for a few days... That's still worth it to me."

With that, he pulled his hand from her arm but still left his hand outstretched. "Want me to carry your bag for you?"

Her husband. Right, yes. Her husband. She hated how guilty she felt at the mention of him—not for him, of course, but for the way that Jonah (seemingly) believed that she was really in danger in relation to her husband. The clear worry on his face. God, she was dumb. Dumb and impulsive.

She grabbed things from her drawers—some shirts, pajamas, casual pants—the guilt still gnawing at her. "Nothing's gonna happen to me. Not because of what happened with Frank." She assured him, the words leaving her mouth before she had time to process them. There was a beat of silence and she looked at Jonah, fear gripping her. Seeing the worry on his face was worse. "It just won't. Okay? I'm alright. I'll go, I just... I'm okay."

[strawberette]

"Ah, so it's bad bad... Got it," Jonah chuckled, bumping the other with his shoulder. He wouldn't push, but he definitely knew something was wrong. With his next words, he rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed on his lips. "You know, you really missed your calling. Should have been a comedian... Yeah. It's been busy with everyone losing their shit. First time for everything to be trapped here, I guess."

A forced smile made its way to his lips as he glanced at his best friend. "Yeah homie, te veo." Santiago shrugged at the question. "Never better." Though his words held no real conviction. "Just tired, ya know? What about you? Haven't seen you around with all that gate shit. La chota keeping you busy?"

[strawberette]

Dressed in her comfiest clothes, Winnie was wandering the halls in search of a vending machine. Even after all this time, there were still things she was discovering about Vice and Hiraeth in general. She was just about to give up when she heard a voice from behind her.

"Kitten whiskers!" Winnie laughed, spinning around to face them. "God, I wouldn't have lasted a day in Virtue. They're so tight that if you stuck lumps of coal up their asses, in two weeks you'd have diamonds." She shivered at the thought. "I have no idea why anybody would choose that bullshit willingly."

where: Dante's Descent

who: Billie & Winnie / @strawberette

Billie really didn't emerge from the apartment much—besides for work or food, of course. They were doing the latter, intent on heading to the Corner Hub for some ramen and whatever other highly processed garbage they could get their hands on when they noticed a familiar face in the hall. "Sugar booger!" Billie greeted Winnie with a grin. "I was wondering when I'd run into you. I'm glad you chose Vice 'cause fuck Virtue—uh, respectfully."

[strawberette]

Winnie had only been working at the Church for a few days, and it was already the best bartending job she had ever had. As long as it satisfied the customers, she could do anything she wanted, and that was a power she loved too much already.

As a new face appeared, she leaned across the bar to smile at them. "You don't remember me? I've been here for years," she replied, tilting her head in interest before a laugh fell from her. "Kidding... Yeah, I came here with my sister, Lizzie. We chose Vice and they told me this was the place for me, so— here I am."

where: The Church

who: June & Winnie / @strawberette

June almost felt like she lived here, though that was partially true in some ways—at least, it felt that way with how much she worked. She supposed there were definitely worse places to work, especially given that she was close with her boss. Given that she was there so much, though, she recognized a new face easily and when she spotted a bartender she didn't recognize, she headed over immediately. "You're new," She stated, sliding into a seat at the bar. "Unless you've flown really under the radar, you're from the last batch of Tyros, right?"

[strawberette]

@arcanae / closed starter / june sato setting: the church

With Santiago set finished for the night, Donovan found himself at the bar, downing his third drink of the night. He was over it. He was majorly over it. But if that was true, why did it feel like he was going back to old habits? Distracting himself from any and all bad feelings seemed all too familiar to the time he caught his ex-wife... It felt awful to be in that place again.

Out of the corner of his eye, Don noticed June sitting beside him and smiled. "You’re not going to ask me where he is, are you?" he asked after a moment, raising a brow at her before he brought his newest glass to his lips. "I wouldn’t know. I’m off the clock…" A chuckle escaped before he could stop it. "Hey, good job dancing during the set, though. You're talented, June."

[strawberette]

"Gosh, I hope you're not here to convince me to change them," she said, leaning on her elbows toward him. "It'll take a lot more than lunch to do that, Mr. Atkins." She gave his arm a little squeeze, her cheeks lighting up in a soft blush. "Mmm, maybe. Kiss me once or twice, and then I'll let you know."

It was then that her eyes caught the box, and her smile grew that much more. "Oh, you really didn't have to do all that, Eli... Yes, I'd love lunch with you. I don't think I've eaten anything all day. What's the occasion?"

Elijah had a bit of free time and decided to go and check up on Beverly. Grinning as he walked in through the door, he thanked the student and closed the behind them. "Yes Professor, I would like to discuss my grades." He approached and perched himself on the edge of the desk with a smile.

"Would a kiss get me the best of the best of grades?" Elijah asked with a chuckle. "So, I've bought lunch with me." He revealed the box he was onto. "Shall we have lunch together?"

[strawberette]

Things were strange at work, to say the very least. Security had certainly been bumped up since Unity's accident, but that was nothing compared to the hole that had been left behind while they recovered. Honestly, Beverly had wanted to visit while Unity had been in the hospital, but it felt selfish to take up any time that should be spent with family.

So, she waited in the hope that it would be all right to do so and arrived now with plenty of meals in a basket. "Oh, goodness, that's alright... Actually, groceries are why I'm here," she said, holding it out to them. "I made some meals for next week or so! I figured that might help while you recovered." She wondered if life already felt different or challenging for them. "I can always shop for you if you already have a list too! I don't mind!" A sigh left her lips. "Are you alright?"

where: St. Mary's Palace, Condo 9

who: Unity & Beverly / @strawberette

To have anyone who cared enough to check in was still a surprise to Unity, though maybe that was selfish to even think. Rationally, they knew that there were a few close friends that would be there for them, at least statistically.

Though Unity hadn't accounted for Beverly visiting. Maybe she should have—the other woman was kind and soft and nurturing in ways Unity couldn't comprehend. She hadn't expected that those tendencies extended to her, though.

And now here they were in Unity's condo with Unity unsure what to say or do. "I apologize. I haven't had the chance to go grocery shopping. Did you want a sparkling water?"

[strawberette]

In the reflection of the window, Beverly was forced to fix both her hair and her expression. It seemed that she was in a constant state of anxiety recently— and no matter what she did, it just wouldn't go away. Thinking of the wedding helped, of course, and so she intended to put all of her focus there.

Once inside, she took a seat at the bar and began on her notes, smiling brightly as Lenianna captured her attention. "Hello, lovely!" She replied, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Oh, I'm alright... Making my way through all this wedding planning... You would think it'd be simple, but even the smallest details need to be completely covered." She sighed. "How about you? You look absolutely beautiful today!"

where: Frenchie's

who: Lenianna & Beverly / @strawberette

Lenianna was used to burying her head in the sand, to focusing on whatever she could to derail her thoughts. Work was good for that—she could focus on cleaning and serving and taking orders and filling napkins and making milkshakes and whatever else was required for that day.

When Beverly walked in, though, she immediately dropped what she was doing to go check on the woman at the bar. "Beverly! Hello, I—I've been meaning to check in on you. How are you?"

[strawberette]

Things were... tense. To say the very least. She'd gotten more stares than ever before, and the threats being sent to her about her secret were hard to handle. That all being said, she loved Edgar enough to endure it all.... She just wasn't sure if he was stable enough to handle it all yet. Picnic basket on her arm, she met him halfway, waving and smiling brightly in the middle of it all.

"Oh! I know, that was the plan, but I thought we could have a picnic in Vice instead?" She said, offering him a peek inside. "I figure you know the best spots already, right?" It was better for her to endure the whispers of Vice than for him to endure the whispers of people who once adored him.

Location: Nexus Bridge

In all the times Edgar crossed the bridge from Vice to Virtue, he never felt the stares and whispers as sharply as he did now. Before he was a known Queen with a "questionable" taste in men. Now he was a traitor. Shoulders hiking defensively, Edgar dropped his gaze and picked up the pace. He nearly missed his name being called when spotted his best friend waving to him. His brows furrowed in confusion. "Bev? I thought I was meeting you at your place?"

@strawberette

[strawberette]

It was rare to have any time to just lounge out by the pool. Benjamin was a busy man, and if he did have any time to himself, it was typically spent doing an errand or a chore to keep himself busy. Today, however, the sun was calling him, and soon enough, he found himself in one of the deck chairs to read. So engrossed in his book, he hadn't realized that Savannah had spotted him like prey and tensed at the sound of her voice. He assumed that there would be more than just a greeting and raised a brow in suspicion when more didn't come.

"Hello, Savannah..." He replied, glancing her up and down before he realized what his subconscious was doing and returned his eyes to his book. Benjamin was highly suspicious of what she could be up to, and when nothing continued to happen, it honestly put him on edge. Then, after the hour, it was almost like his eyes were drawn back to her like a magnet—anticipating trouble only to become transfixed on her hands and her skin. He rolled his eyes now, rejecting her magnetism, and then gave her a look at the suggestion. Trouble. She was trouble. "Didn't take you as someone that cared about skin damage," he replied softly, offering a small smile but not moving a muscle. "Why me?"

who: @strawberette (ben) where: st. mary's palace pool area

It was a beautiful day in Hiraeth, one that made the idea of staying indoors seem almost criminal. The sun brought a much needed warmth to the city, and even as ambitious as she was, Savannah decided she could get work done by the pool. She might even take a dip, after all she'd been so worked up over the anonymous messages that she really hadn't taken any time to relax. Karma or Luck or some other force must have be on her side today, as the blonde spied Benjamin sitting in one of the deck chairs. She schooled her expression into one that looked less like the cat who got the cream and walked over to the chair beside him. "Hello Benjamin." She greeted warmly, but in a surprising turn of events for anyone who knew her, she left it at that.

She shucked her pool coverup, leaving behind a simple red bikini and sunglasses, and settled in with a copy of "Evil by Design: Interaction Design to Lead Us into Temptation". After all, it was always a good time to brush up on marketing psychology. She needed to take a more proactive approach to her own branding in light of recent events, and it would certainly help her do better consulting work. After more than an hour of peaceful reading, sipping the fruity drink she'd brought along with her, Savannah sat up more fully. She grabbed sunscreen from her bag and began applying. Though she didn't look at Ben, the blonde made a show of slowly running her hands up and down her legs. In the name of SPF of course. No other reason. After she'd covered most of her body, Savannah turned abruptly, holding out the tube of sunscreen, the innocence on her face clearly suggesting she had ulterior motives. "Mind getting my back for me?"

[strawberette]

"Benjamin," he replied with a kind of chuckle, his grip remaining firm as she pressed her face into his neck. Benjamin was fully aware that she wouldn't want him to see her like she was. It didn't make her any less strong in his eyes... But he knew that wouldn't help her at the moment. Still, he released her as she pulled away from him, the sudden chill making him glance away and shove his hands into his pockets as a kind of punishment.

"I doubt that, Giselle." He raised a brow and then shook his head. This act she put on was a front, and he knew that, but what else could he do with any of it? What was best? "I can decide for myself what I want to do." That was one of the only things he refused to compromise on. "Thinking of yourself like a poison is so far beyond what you are. You're—" he sighed. He shouldn't. "Whatever we have to do to get you to stay... You can't do it alone anymore. I think you know that too."

To be held in return is a quiet sort of shock, a devastating softness that dares Giselle to fracture. It's too much, to let him see her vulnerable like this, to let down her guard, to acknowledge she wants to stay in this exact moment as long as he'll allow. Except, wasn't this supposed to go very differently? She was supposed to lecture him and escape unscathed to her shallow conversations, and instead, he's pulling her closer? What does he mean he would do it again?

"Ben." It's meant as an admonishment, but it doesn't help that her voice cracks. It doesn't help that Giselle presses her face into the crook of his neck, desperately blinking away tears before she's no longer shielded from the rest of Hiraeth's prying eyes. ... No, this isn't what she's supposed to want. He needs to keep his distance, not offer her shelter! Giselle pulls away, only far enough to shake her head in denial of his statement, to fix him with a glare. "No, I -- I -- I'm not asking for your help. Whatever you think you know about the things I've done to be here? I promise I'm worse. And I'm willing to do far worse to stay, tonight even." Her head is shaking too vehemently now, panic settling in. "I don't want you to do anything in a heartbeat except stay away, Benjamin. I want you to be one thing I don't poison."

[strawberette]

Noah really didn't even know why he was here. If he were honest with himself, he might have suggested that the reason was trying to fit in again. Maybe if he found a way to really thrive in Vice, he'd enjoy it in some way, shape, or form... It sounded better than pretending to be something he wasn't.

When a stranger called him out, he glanced behind him and back again, only to realize that it really was him she was talking to. Getting a closer look at their face, he realized it really was the same person he was speaking to online. "Hey, yeah, I think that was me." He got a bit self-conscious as they looked at him. Maybe he didn't really fit in anywhere. He wondered if they could see that too. "Yeah, I think I'm real. Hope so. Noah," He said, offering his hand. "What's yours again?"

where: Neon Revolution

who: Star & Noah / @strawberette

Star loved clothing with colors on them. Sure, they often stained the clothes not long after they bought them with paint or whatever else they were messing with, but ultimately that resulted in even more colors so it was a win, really. They were browsing through the aisles of Neon Revolution when someone's face caught their eye—and Star headed straight over to him. "Hey. You! I talked to you on Murmur," She commented, tilting her head some as she looked at him. "And now here you are and you're real. That's cool. What's your name again?"

[strawberette]

Lost in his thoughts, Noah had hardly even noticed anyone had walked up to the bar to talk to him, let alone James. It really didn't help his case of saying he was just fine. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm good," he said, blinking into full consciousness. "What're you doing here? Seems like a bad place for you to be right about now."

Location: The Church

It was still hard being near the smell of liquor. James stuffed his hands in his pockets to hide the tremors as he walked up to the bar. He lifted a brow as he caught Noah's gaze. "Haven' seen ya since the trial. Everythin' okay?"

@strawberette

[strawberette]

Vince furrowed his brows at her simple reply before his expression became rather blank again. He wanted to be better, wanted to feel like he fit in somewhere... Especially the place where his wife grew up. "Drinks in Virtue are almost nonexistent, and when you do find them, they suck ass, so let's write that one down for the books." He was already a bit tipsy. "Wanted to go home for a little while. Sue me." A bit of the truth, but the entirety of it. He wanted to escape the grief and worry just as much as he wanted to feel like it all didn't exist for a couple moments.

Merle approached Vincent, looking him over critically. Something about seeing him here made her gut twist painfully—calling her Vos was just another twist of the knife that she didn't allow to show on her face. Despite it, though, she felt that familiar urge to look out for him.

She quickly disguised it as an intention to find information. That was easy enough—it was very much like her. "No, you're not," She responded simply, looking him over for a moment. "Why are you here then? Drinks aren't as good from the ivory towers in Virtue?"

[strawberette]

This had never happened to anyone close to Vincent. Maybe a coworker or acquaintance, but never someone as close as Unity. He felt guilty. He should have been there, but he wasn't. He should have done more, but he didn't. Out of anxiety, he brought them flowers to help, but that felt more like a Band-Aid than anything else. He just didn't know how else to help.

The tears in her eyes made his heart sink like a stone into his stomach. He never wanted to see anyone like that, let alone someone like Unity. He set the flowers on their bedside table and pulled her in for a hug, shaking his head. "You don't have to understand anything right now," he muttered, shutting his eyes when he felt the emotion building. "We'll figure it out together. I promise. I'm not going anywhere."

where: Mercy Hospital

who: Unity & Vincent / @strawberette

Perhaps worst of all was the fact that Unity couldn't explain what was happening. Questions were asked dozens of times, people prompting her to remember what had happened to her and despite how desperately she tried, she couldn't. Hours and hours of retracing their steps, rationalizing how this could have happened led to nothing.

It was easy enough to zone out and try to think. But eventually, it took its toll—and this happened as Vincent walked into her hospital room. The moment she saw him, her walls crumbled, her expression dissolving into one of pure anguish. "I don't understand." They admitted, a strangled sob leaving their lips, one they silenced by pursing their lips as the tears rolled down their cheeks.

[strawberette]

Don chuckled, following along and nodding his head rather than saying a word during her rant. He knew better than to interrupt or contradict at a time like this. “Yeah, trust me, I know how annoying your brother can be, and I know how adult you are now…” He sighed, offering her a side smile as he stole a small piece of her cotton candy.

“Mind if I offer you a POV switch-up?” Don had to think again for a moment, approach this delicately. “My theory is that your brother is facing some karma. He helped raise you. Saw your ups and downs, held you when you cried… But at the same time, he was out there with a bunch of women. Accidentally breaking hearts, sure, but he learned all the moves in the book. He also had his heart totally broken.” A roll of his eyes. Santi knew about his situation, too. That one didn’t matter as much, it seemed.

“He sees himself in Jaren and wants to protect the girl he raised from the flirtatious moves that he knows best. Putting pressure on the kid to see if he breaks before he breaks you. Also, making sure you don’t land in the pit he was in for a long time.” It was a mess, but from an older brother’s perspective, he understood. “You’ll always be able to make whatever decision you want, Car… He can’t stop you because you’re as determined as he is, and he knows that… But man, karma is a bitch, ya know? He's scared of it.”

where: Xcaliber Dome

who: Carmen & Donovan / @strawberette

"I dunno. He can just be so annoying sometimes! Both of them can," Carmen complained as she walked beside Don, a prize tucked under one arm and a bag of cotton candy in her hand that she was slowly picking at. "Like, I'm an adult! I can make decisions for myself now. And like, yeah, maybe they aren't the perfect decisions, but they're mine. You know?" She stuffed a wad of blue and pink cotton candy into her mouth.