#dani esteves: threads

[exmcrtis]

location: crow's nest motel

closed starter for: @murdcrofcrows (your pick!)

there was something going on outside, and it was making dani's skin crawl. her walk to work had felt different, her eyes darting from side to side in anticipation of someone --- or something --- jumping out to get her. but she knew she was just being paranoid, that nobody was out to get her. dani didn't feel like she was significant enough to be on anyone's shit list, and yet she couldn't shake her feeling of paranoia. she knew if she continued working at the pace she was, her boss would likely pop out from the shadows to reprimand her for not getting her tasks done, but dani just couldn't cope. not when something was wrong.

a sudden noise behind her caused her to startle, looking like a deer in the headlights as she turned to find the source of it. dani had a bottle of cleaning solution in her hands, aimed and ready to go in case there was any danger present, but the eyes she met raised no red flags. now she just looked like a complete fool. clearing her throat, dani set the bottle aside, wiping her hands on her jeans as she turned to face them fully.

"sorry about that," she muttered, plastering a fake smile on her lips. "is there something i can help you with?"

[exmcrtis]

whoever thought it was a good idea to leave rowan and dani alone in a room together had clearly never seen two people sharing one braincell before. wana was one of the only people that dani didn't hold back around, knowing that they could launch into a full rant or ramble about something random without the other finding them annoying. so dani's childlike excitement over the glownipper was warranted, whole frame lifted up onto their toes so they could peer at the bug from the top of its enclosure. without even thinking, dani pulled themselves to sit atop the counter, hoping and praying that their boss didn't walk in and catch them again. they needed to be as close as possible, and surely everyone could understand that?

they don't give their friend the opportunity to sacrifice their own finger, already digging into the soft skin and watching as a bead of blood welled to the surface. "i'm being careful! but i have to get close enough that he can actually get to it." dani flashed rowan an almost devious grin, leaning closer to the little plastic container, their finger hovered above the top of it as that little bug went nuts. carefully, they dripped just a little blood towards it, the stylets appearing suddenly, greedily. "look at him," they all but whispered, taking their finger back and bringing it to their lips. "you think that'll placate enough for us to study him?"

❝ i did! i did! ❞ any teasing in their friend's tone goes unnoticed by rowan as they bounce excitedly on the balls of their feet, a dozen dirt-crusted nails tapping out an anticipatory rhythm on the counter while they wait for her to lay her eyes on the delightful little creature. rowan knows if there's anyone who shares the same passion for the wild and wonderful insects they find out by the valley, it would be dani. the entomologist locks eyes with her through the clear container and sees a spark that mirrors their own and they know they've brought this little guy to the right place. another delighted peal of laughter escapes them as the glownipper knocks against the walls of its enclosure, desperate to get out and get even just a taste of the blood oozing from their fingertip. ❝ i think we absolutely should ― i never seent one feed up close before. ❞

and rowan is ready to offer up one of their own fingers to the cause ― they've got a few to spare, after all ― but dani is already reaching for a pair of scissors. they rise to the balls of their feet again to watch as dani pricks her finger, eyes lighting up in curious surprise. ❝ ya gotta be careful ― he's still a baby, but one of them stylets could go clean through your finger! ❞ that's not a no, however, and rowan encourages them, waving toward the enclosure. ❝ sharp as needles, they are, look at 'em! ❞

[exmcrtis]

location: the crow's nest motel

closed starter for: @backmaskcd (jerico)

she'd never spoken to him in her life, but dani was always aware of jerico leeds. she'd seen him for the first time years ago, and to say she'd been smitten from the very start would be a severe understatement. but talking to him? that felt too risky. and yet hearing about his run-in with the swarm of cicadas had sparked something in her, and dani didn't know whether her curiosity was compelling her to march up to him, or if it was some newfound boldness that stemmed from the realization that she could've lost him without ever having him to begin with. either way she was there, awkwardly standing in front of him and wondering how to even start a conversation.

"can i see?" dani finally blurted, her voice soft, yet it came out of nowhere. "what happened to you when you touched the cicadas? can i see it? i've been wanting to study something like this for a long time, and i didn't get to see them in person, so i was just curious..."

[exmcrtis]

location: red line diner

closed starter for: @insainted (your pick because i am lost)

there's a certain poise and grace about the waitstaff that breezed by dani as they just tried to get their jobs done. it was fascinating, and instead of ordering something off the menu, they found themselves staring. dani's sister had warned them about how creepy this habit was, and yet they never seemed to correct it, always sitting with wide brown eyes as they observed the behaviors of others around them. they claimed it was for research, but at the end of the day it was just dani being nosy, just like always.

tapping their pen against the paper of their notebook, they released a tiny hum of thought as another waitress zoomed by. normally they'd have two pages filled by now, marking down anything interesting that she saw. most of the time those notes involved people, but today they involved something else. before coming to the diner, dani had ventured off into the woods, her daily hunt for bugs halted by the discovery of what seemed to be a shrine. the sight made dani think she was going crazy, and instead of dwelling on it and continuing her search for critters, she found herself in the diner instead. now the pages of her journal were blank, and she hardly knew what to make of it all.

"hm?" she finally chirped, a voice bringing her from her chance, brown eyes roving until they met the gaze of another. "i---i'm sorry. i'm afraid i was checked out and didn't catch what you said?"

[exmcrtis]

location: remedy roots

closed starter for: @effervesvents

remedy roots was a second home to daniela esteves. it seemed that they found themselves in there every other day, perusing the shelves and managing to keep their hands to themselves when all they really wanted to do was touch. dani didn't have any ailments that warranted so many visits to the apothecary, but their curiosity is what lead them there more often than not. one of these days, they'd go home with a vial of crushed insects so they could study them. or maybe, if they put their mind to it, they could brew the remedy themselves. for now, they stayed happy just by stepping foot into the space.

"good afternoon, miss albright," dani greeted brightly, a warm smile given directly to delia. she always found herself gravitating towards her, wanting so badly to stand on her toes and peer over her shoulder while she worked. but dani managed to keep a polite distance, knowing not everyone wanted someone in their personal bubble. it was a lesson she'd had to learn the hard way once or twice.

"are you working on anything cool today? i know i ask you that every time, but one of these days i'm hoping you'll tell me 'yes' and then let me watch. is that weird?"

[exmcrtis]

"hi neve," dani responded softly, reminding themselves that an introduction on their part wasn't necessary. neve had already known their name, whether it be because she was observant or just because she had read the nametag pinned sloppily to the fabric of their t-shirt. but dani was unsure of what to say now, their hands awkwardly holding onto something just so they didn't look like some sort of statue. never clearly wanted something, but dani didn't want to assume ill intentions of anyone. besides, neve's face was far too kind for them to assume that this interaction was harmful. perhaps that would turn out to be an oversight on dani's part later on, but for now, they were safe.

she was no fool when it came to witnessing what was happening beyond the walls of the crow's nest. she'd been peering outside every now and then, catching glimpses of things that shouldn't exist, of people who seemed to be going mad. dani couldn't help but worry about their sister, wondering if she was at work or at home, and whether or not she'd been hit with whatever it was people were suffering from. "i...didn't know any of that, actually. i've been inside for the last few hours, so i either missed the release of the dust entirely, or i'm just that stupid." they sat up a little bit straighter, eyebrows pulling together so slightly, you wouldn't be able to notice unless you knew dani well. "i'd like to study one of the moths; do you think i'd be able to catch one?"

"i'm neve," she introduced herself in return. it didn't bother her if the staff had her name, it was easier that way considering how long she'd been living there. building a rapport of some sort also meant that she'd have people who knew her should anything go wrong. neve was sure there were people who wanted to mess with the shamrocks and picking them off when they least expected it was going to be the best option in their current state. she didn't like surprises. being prepared at all times was a necessary evil in her everyday life.

"that part i can believe," she let out a polite chuckle and took a moment to glance around. "as far as i know," she started, locking in to tell them exactly what she'd seen and heard. no reason they shouldn't be prepared as well. "the mothman followers are celebrating the spring equinox and are trying to awaken the town with some dust that causes hallucinations when inhaled. they've been putting up feeding areas through the town, too. which are attracting giant moths with different colored eyes." now only some of that neve had seen first had but she gathered the rest of the information from trusted sources. "all of which you probably already know, but i was wondering what you thought about it? the moths are quite interesting. probably the most interesting part beyond the slow reaction of the governance."

[exmcrtis]

dani bit down hard on the inside of her lip, the taste of copper washing over her tongue as she turned to look at jerico. she had to take a long pause, sucking the blood from her lip until it was seemingly gone before speaking. "you're not the only one that's bad with people. i've never spoken to you in my life and the first thing i ask is to see your wounds? that sound normal and good with people to you?" she was all but scowling, eyes glancing towards the bathroom in question, contemplating what to do.

without thinking, she reached to grab jerico's hand, dragging him towards that bathroom and glancing around before letting them both inside. "you could never not look good," they muttered to themselves, dropping his hand once the door was closed. "but these lights will help me get a better look."

"Stop," Jerico reached out, though halted just before grabbing Dani. "It's - just gross, is all. Cute choice of words, by the way." He shifted. "I'm not.... great with people. I assume everyone is trying to be an asshole." He went to pick at his bandages before shoving his hands in his pockets. "If you really want to see it that badly... sure. Just, you know. I know it's gross, don't exclaim it..... and help rewrapping it would be appreciated."

He kicked at the floor for a moment. "So - what. You wanna go see it in the bathroom where the lighting is too hard for anyone to actually look good but it's brighter than anything else we got here?"

[exmcrtis]

there was so much happening around burnington, dani almost felt stupid for what was upsetting them. so many people had so many problems to be solved, and yet clay was there, babying dani of all people. at some point in their life they had told themselves to stop acting the way they did, but dani was convinced that their brain just didn't work properly. why else would they go into near-silence at the slightest inconvenience?

daniela. clay was the only person that could use their full name without dani completely cringing. but they had to hand it to her: it got their full attention. brown eyes finally lifted to meet clay's, shoulders lifting in a deep sigh as they tried to figure out how to put their thoughts into words.

"i just...there's this guy. and it's entirely stupid of me, but i have this crush on him, and i have for a while. the problem is, i've never once spoken a single word to him, and he doesn't know i exist; if he does know i exist, he's never made that known. and i just want to know who invented feelings and why they have to be so...complicated? i've never spoken to this boy, so why do i feel like my heart is being clawed out of my chest whenever he's around?"

There's a sadness underneath every word and every expression Dani produces, and it's enough to make Clay frown. Her relationship with the younger person isn't transactional for her, the requests for information as much an excuse for Clay to gauge their mood, and today, she's glad she did.

With a sigh, she gets up from her seat to slide into the seat next to Dani, putting an arm around her with a small tug, pulling them closer against her side. "You're not being a dud, Daniela," she replies, voice soft, gentle, and presses a kiss to their temple. "You're fine just the way you are, do you understand?"

Despite the fact that Clay doesn't have any sort of steady job, she always manages to have enough chips to get by, and with a subtle raise of hand, she flags down a wait staff to order hot chocolate. "Now, you want to tell me what's going on?"

[exmcrtis]

those that took up permanent residence at the motel tended to be dani's favorite. they were used to her, often just side-stepping her while she bustled about and did her job. she recognized them all by now, even if she didn't know their names, and a part of her likes that bit of anonymity. however, dani would never turn down the opportunity to talk to someone that came up to her first. in fact, she was much like an excited puppy whenever it happened, and dani had to remind herself that not everyone was prepared to listen to a ten-minute rant about bugs and vegetation. so as she focused her attention on the blonde, dani took a deep breath and smiled sweetly. that was a nice start.

"dani, yeah," she spoke breathlessly, almost surprised that this person knew her name already. sure, dani wore a nametag at work, but most people ignored it. she'd heard about what was going on outside, but dani had been trying to keep her head down, knowing full well she would let it consume her whole day if she let it. "you're not being a bother at all, but i'm afraid i haven't seen anything like that come through here. not today, anyway. every day is a different story 'round these parts." dani paused, her weight shifting from one foot to the other. "this have anything to do with what's happening outside?"

when neve first came to burnington she didn't trust anyone, except maybe ares but even him she was wary of. there'd been no reason to think she was getting brought into yet another bad situation. however, the first night she stayed with frankie and then she was set up with her own place in the crow's nest motel. she hadn't left since she moved in. even if she could probably afford something bigger, she liked the simplicity of it and the smaller space was comfortable. much bigger than her previous ' home ' if you can even call it that.

the other part she has grown to like, is the people. especially the ones without any real relation to the shamrocks or afterglow. even if neve wasn't always the best at making friends or keeping them at the very least. "hi, it's dani right?" the blonde put a smile on that attempted to match theirs. "apologies for being a bother, i was just wondering if there were any incidents with the moths or cultists inside the building?" she hoped not, she really didn't want to bother anyone about staying with them but she also didn't want to start hallucinating. that sounded a bit dangerous.

[exmcrtis]

no.

the word hit dani like an unwanted reality check, leaving her stunned and blinking in front of jerico. suddenly she was reminded that she'd never spoken to him, that his muttered 'hi's and friendly greetings were passed off as flukes, thrown at other people and not at her. dani had been feeling brave when she'd gone over to him, and now that she'd opened her mouth, she regretted it, her eyes going wide as she was met with jerico's gaze. it was obviously too late to turn around and retreat, so instead she chose to explain herself.

"the toxins the cicadas released is just...interesting to me, i guess. i didn't plan to touch them or anything, and i'm willing to help you wrap them back up afterwards. i just..." dani shook her head, her hands lifting to scrub over her face before she could bring herself to look at him again. "you know what? nevermind. it was stupid of me to come over here and ask you that to begin with, so i'm sorry." she paused once more, her body half-turned away from him and her gaze trained on him from the corner of her eyes. "sorry for bugging you."

Going anywhere after the whole cicada storm was kind of a hassle, but Jerico wasn't about to let his entire life grind to a halt because of it. So he did his best to wrap up his arms before heading to work, especially since he was so active with trying to fix things. He had occasionally thrown greetings Dani's way, though she either didn't hear him or ignored him, so it's not like they'd ever really spoken. So when he got to work and Dani all but entered his personal bubble, he was confused and a little on edge.

"What?" He blinked a couple of times at her question. "Um - No? It's kind of nasty as fuck, I don't know why you'd want to see it...." He let out a long sigh. "Just - you wont' touch it, right? Because getting them all wrapped up is kind of painful enough without also getting touched and also the rash gets worse when you touch it.... maybe let's not in the lobby though."

[exmcrtis]

being silent was a standard way for dani esteves. even when she was at home with her sister, getting her to speak more than two words felt like pulling teeth. unless, of course, she happened to be talking about the bugs she was always so fascinated with. but being told to shut up on a daily basis by various people had a way of altering your brain chemistry that damaged dani permanently, and now she just lived a life of silence. she has no idea that she may be useful to others, and dani can't for the life of her even fathom how she could be. it's for her own good that she's none the wiser.

now that her focus was on clay, she let her shoulders relax, hands in her lap as she idly picked at her fingers. the other's question wasn't complicated, but dani couldn't help but idly wonder if clay genuinely wanted to know the answer or not. sometimes people just asked her as a formality, quickly getting annoyed when they realized just how much she could talk in a short time span. how much was she willing to open up to clay right now?

"just a lot on my mind, i guess. i wasn't able to find anything super cool on my morning walk, but the day is still young, right? who knows, maybe i'll finally lure in that chipmunk i've been making friends with." dani sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a second before releasing it through their nose. "sorry i'm such a dud today."

Clay has always had a habit of seeking people out who held knowledge she believes to be important, and in a world where knowledge is jealously guarded like a dragon upon its hoard, those who share it freely have been those Clay would come back to. Daniela Esteves is one of those people. People who are wildly enthusiastic about their particular interests and from which information would practically bleed out of them in that enthusiasm. Before Clay had ever even approached them, she had watched them, or rather, watched others around them.

Her first approach to the young person hadn't been one of pity; Clay had seen how they would go ignored, or treated like the bugs they loved so much—swatted and waved away as an annoying buzzing. But Clay has been out there, in the wilds, since she was no younger than sixteen, and she has seen the dangers these annoying bugs could pose, have posed.

It's how she finds herself opposite of Dani at the diner, patiently watching, waiting as her question goes unheard, unanswered, but with no annoyance within the wait. Clay has long come to accept Dani's distractibility, knows it isn't borne of rudeness or disrespect or disregard. The apology is met by a gentle smile that accompanies an amused chuckle.

"Yes, I could see that," Clay replies, glancing around the diner for a moment—habit, really, borne from a lifetime of trained vigilance. "I asked what you found out there today. And if there's anything you might need from me in return of whatever you feel like telling me."

[exmcrtis]

dani's curious nature was often taken two ways: embraced fully, or sneered at like she was some sort of plague. and maybe she was some sort of plague, always lingering and festering and threatening in a way that wasn't necessarily harmful, but it was annoying. finding people who didn't cast her aside meant that dani clung to them a little harder than she should. her sister blamed it on their lack of parents, that dani hadn't received the amount of nurturing that she needed during her formative years, but something about that explanation didn't sit right with her. dani had gotten plenty of nurturing from her sister, but there was something about delia's warm smile that made the youngest esteves think what if.

delia's smile warmed dani's entire body immediately, her own smile spreading across her cheeks as she hugged her journal to her chest. she'd spent a long time convincing herself that she didn't need the attention of others to feel good about herself, and yet whenever delia albright so much as greeted her, dani began to preen under the attention. maybe she did have some mommy issues after all. "you know me, miss albright," she finally spoke, lifting up onto her toes before falling back onto the balls of her feet, "i think everything in here is cool. but i like knowing that i'm not alone in this world in that aspect; i was starting to believe otherwise."

their eyes shot towards the half door as delia opened it, heart thudding loudly in their chest at the idea of getting to go behind the counter. the little things in life were what kept dani smiling, and this was certainly one of them. "are you serious?" they practically whispered, teeth worrying at their bottom lip, hesitation coursing through their veins as they wondered if they should take delia up on her offer. but then their feet were carrying them forward, a grin stretching across their lips. "thank you, miss albright. this is so exciting!"

sometimes, late at night, delia would think of her daughter that had never gotten to see light of day. she would come to her at night, in her dreams; the echo of a babies cry, her babies cry, would fill the air but nothing would be amiss elsewhere. it was a disturbing kind of torture, one that she didn't easily recover from; it would take days to erase that cry from her mind. there were a lot of reasons why delia would have been a horrible mother, she thinks, and she ruminates on them plenty, enough that she can recite all of them in her mind easily without much thought. like a decision she's already made. when she was so close to that grief, when she had just lost her, delia went out of her way to avoid young people - children, teenagers, young adults. it was hard to avoid them in the community of burnington, what with everyone so close, but she mostly succeeded. it wasn't until years later that she could bare to interact with them in the little ways that she had to do business. and with those little gestures of kindness, she had found her way out of some of the grief that she'd put away for her daughter. but every time daniela esteves came around, delia would revisit many thoughts in relation to her loss, and she would hurt. it was bittersweetness aplenty. catherine would be about her age now, wouldn't she?

the thought comes and goes, just like the sigh that leaves her and the small smile of charmed greeting that she gives dani in response. "hello, dani," would she be as curious, as wanting for knowledge as dani? "depends on your version of cool, i suppose." a grin fosters itself in the corners of her mouth, and she glances down to the ingredients she needs to make the salve she's working on. "i was the same way when i was your age," she comforts the young woman, knowing how it felt to feel like you were different and, perhaps, a bit wrong.

a thought comes to the forefront of her mind then and she contemplates for a moment before she grabs the half door that separates them. "come back here, and i'll show you what i'm working on." she raises it with ease, and waits for dani to make her decision, hoping that she won't somehow regret the decision. it is her reason for isolation that she doesn't allow dani back here.

[exmcrtis]

dani's role at the crow's nest is pretty simple, and yet getting her to stay on-task can be somewhat of a challenge on any given day. they always finished everything they were supposed to promptly, the rooms nice and tidy in preparation for the next guest. but their mind was always everywhere else, wondering what sort of new things they could be out discovering. at home, dani had a makeshift terrarium full of little creatures, their own little habitat forming as they acclimated to their new space, and to say they'd rather be a home observing them would be an understatement. their only solace came in the form of rowan busting through the front door of the crow's nest.

"you brought me a surprise?" she teased, standing from behind the counter, fingers idly pulling the sleeves of her sweater up so they rested at her elbows. dani didn't mind that wana wasn't looking directly them, because they were dipping close to the little plastic container, watching as the glownipper went haywire at the simple thought of getting to the blood dripping from their friend's finger. "maybe we should feed him then? i mean, it only seems fair after you trapped him in this little container." dani knew the ramifications of feeding a glownipper what they wanted most, but the integrity and happiness of that little bug was more important to them than the smarter option. and so they reached for the scissors off to their side, pricking a tiny little hole in their finger and holding it close to the opening of the container. "should i? i bet it'd be fun to watch him feed."

who : dani esteves ( @exmcrtis ) where : crow's nest motel when : april, afternoon

❝ lookit what i found! ❞

the declaration is muffled and accompanied by a grin that is obscured by the scrap of fabric tied around the lower half of their face, but by the time rowan reaches the counter where dani is stood, they're already tugging it down around their neck. ( dani may not be front desk but wana can appreciate the luck that she is behind the counter anyway this afternoon, because it grants them the opportunity to smack a plastic isopod enclosure onto the counter ― a point of emphasis they believe is warranted in this case. ) they don't even look at dani, not at first ; the second the container is on the counter, rowan is leaning down, palms pressed against the counter so they can come eye-level with the creature inside.

❝ caught a live glownipper! ❞ rowan continues, their gaze flickering up to peer at dani through the plastic walls of the enclosure. the insect in question is frantic inside the box, buzzing about and trying to escape. ❝ watch, watch ― lookit what he does! ❞ wana lifts her hand and pulls a band-aid from one of her fingers, revealing a small, still-fresh cut. she squeezes it enough to procure a drop of blood and holds her finger up to the enclosure's vent. in an instant, the glownipper is flying up against the vent, the sharp points of several razor-thin stylets jutting out past the plastic as it tries desperately to feed. wana, delighted, erupts in a fit of giggles as they pull their hand back before turning back to dani. ❝ i think he's hungry.❞