#leah arden

[knigogarmonia]

Leah Arden "Mara and Morok" (december, 2022)

SHADOW AND BONE x SLAVIK MYTHOLOGY

— slavik mythology — warring kingdoms — enemies to lovers — hidden identity — dual timelines — betrayal — resurrction — the undead — lots of intrigues and secrets — marked by the goddess of death

[jonismitchell]

i love you all but i have a really limited capacity to care about football

[eiightysixbaby]

we’re talking about cuddling Jonathan? 🤭🤭 bc the way he looks like he would be so soft will not leave my mind.

doesn’t he though!? like I know he’s SO cozy to cuddle with. him and his big soft sweaters and flannels. he just wraps you in a big warm hug and won’t let you go.

he smells like laundry detergent and probably something sweet like vanilla I know it okay I have to be correct.

[nicsalazar]

Out of the bag || Arden & Nicole

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Scribe Headquarters PARTIES: @stainedglasstruth  & @nicsalazar (and a tiny cameo by @phoenixleah ) SUMMARY: Arden and Nicole chat outside the scribe headquarters. Secrets are revealed. CONTENT WARNING: Brief mention of parental death.

Nicole knew, rationally, that she could go inside. She wouldn’t burst into into flames or anything if she walked past the threshold of the scribe headquarters despite not being, you know, a scribe. She was allowed. And yet, she preferred to wait for Leah outside, even after her girlfriend’s many invitations to join her and see what they did in there. Maybe one day she’d manage to be dragged inside, but today wasn’t that day.

Besides, if given the option of being indoors or outdoors, Nicole had a clear preference. Always. The weather was perfect, and sitting on the doorsteps was the ideal place to enjoy the spring breeze while checking her phone. The last message, sent approximately ten minutes ago indicated Leah would be out soon. So when the doors opened, she had already risen to her feet in order to greet her. 

Nicole froze in her place when she realized someone else was walking down the steps instead. A familiar face, but not the one she wanted. The wheels in her brain turned at a glacial pace. A polite smile tugged at her lips. “Oh… hey,” who was she again? Her name started with an ‘A’. She knew that, dammit. Why did she have to be so bad with names? How embarrassing would it be for her not to remember the name of one of Leah’s friends? A friend she had met more than a couple times? 

“Ah…Arden!” her mind finally bailed her out, “Nicole,” she added with a nod, to save either of them a potential awkward moment. “Productive evening?”

After days of research that only led her to dead ends and frustration, Arden had to admit defeat. She was getting nowhere quickly with her current line of questioning, so it was time to take a different approach. Once her work day had come to a close, she made her way to library to do some digging. 

Arden had a love hate relationships when it came to the Scribes. On the one hand, a network of people involved in researching the supernatural and an entire archive full of said research was a dream, but on the other hand, the entire thing was sullied by the fact that it had only been introduced to her because of her father’s death. She had spent nearly all of her free time in subsequent months holed up in the headquarters, pouring over tome after tome, trying to learn as much as she possibly could about the world that had previously been unknown to her. 

And then, only a few years later, her best friend disappeared, and she went about studying with renewed vigor. For weeks, she tore through the stacks, desperate to find any clues about what could have happened to them, only to come up empty-handed.

So, all of that to say, it had been difficult for Arden, coming back to town and stepping back into her role as a Scribe. It made her incredibly grateful to have found a friend in Leah; knowing she wouldn’t be alone inside– or stuck with her mother– made going into the headquarters a little easier.

Her searching that day hadn’t turned up anything about mining operations or anything new on the Serpent’s Flat– she honestly doubted there would be very much to find– but she was learning a little bit about some creatures that called the mines home so, that was something, she supposed. 

Arden gave a large stretch as she exited the building, appreciating the fresh air after spending most of the day indoors. She noticed a figure jump up as she started to walk down the stairs, and paused, looking over at the now standing woman just a few feet away. She hadn’t been expecting a familiar face, but she smiled as she recognized Nicole. 

“Evening, Nicole,” she greeted, brushing past the way the girl had seemingly forgotten her name for a moment. She couldn’t hold it against her; to her, Arden was just a friend of her girlfriend. The two hadn’t gotten to know each other incredibly well, not that she was opposed to getting to know her more– Nicole seemed kind, and she was important to Leah. 

“Not as productive as I’d have liked, to be honest, but I didn’t end up totally empty-handed,” she shrugged. “Are you waiting for Leah?”

“Yeah…” Nicole gave a quick, affirmative nod. “Yes, ah— she said she was done ten minutes ago but,” she trailed off with a shrug. The silence filled in nicely, an unspoken understanding dancing between them. “Something else must’ve caught her eye, you know how she gets” there was no sign of irritation in her voice. Just solemn acceptance. That was just the woman she loved. Endlessly curious. Focused. Nicole had come to understand that sometimes the mission (whatever form it took each time) came first. Her findings would likely be discussed over dinner later, either way. She didn’t fret.  

In the meantime, she could get better acquainted with one of Leah’s friends. It was never easy, when her job took her away from town weeks at a time. It didn't ease her anxiety that she was missing out on so much while deep in the forest. Two years into a relationship, she really should’ve gotten more comfortable with her girlfriend’s friend group. But Nicole was here now, willing to try. She shoved her hands into her jacket, smiling coyly as she pushed unwanted thoughts aside. “So, what was it tonight?” Talking to a known scribe was freeing. Freeing in ways it could never be with a stranger. With ignorant humans. Here, they could drop the presumed veil of normalcy about this town. She narrowed her eyes. “The crabs? Don’t tell me they’re evolving. Or— Some new creature with five legs and wings?” maybe it was just research for a newspaper column.

Arden grinned, fully aware of how Leah was. “Yeah. I can’t talk, though, I’m the same way.” It made her happy to see that Nicole didn’t seem bothered by it in the slightest. In her absence, Leah had found a partner who understood and accepted her, quirks and all, and she deserved it. 

A twinge of jealousy curled snake-like around in her chest, squeezing at her heart, and bringing forward thoughts of her failed attempts at relationships. She ran a hand through her hair as if to physically push them to the back of her mind. It was not the time for that, It was ‘be happy for Leah and Nicole’ time.

And, ‘talk about research time’ apparently. Arden still wasn’t used to talking about the supernatural with people. She didn’t know many people who knew the truth, and she had learned her lesson about spilling that secret the hard way. “Oh, well…” She glanced around, making sure no one else was around. The headquarters were in a pretty remote area of Oldtown, but still… “I’ve been trying to find out more about the mines and the mining company, Erebus. It’s suspiciously difficult to find out anything about them. I found some notes on the mines, though– some of the creatures that live down there.”

Her mind conjured up an image of the crabs evolving Pokémon style, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, god, could you imagine? But, no. Or, at least, I don’t think so? …Wait, is that an actual thing– five legs and wings?” 

“Yeah, no wonder you two are close” her eyes crinkled as the smiled. This is nice, the thought repeated in her head. Why couldn’t she do it more often? “I’m glad… she has other nerdy friends to share all that— bookworm energy” Nicole blinked, tilting her head as she replayed those words. “I mean that… fondly, trust me,” she rectified quickly, knowing people weren’t usually nice to those who sought knowledge. “Highschool, right? Believe Leah’s mentioned that. You should— uh, you should come over for dinner sometime. I wouldn’t mind some embarrassing stories”. She wasn’t overstepping, she knew Leah loved to play host, yet her ears were burning hot after extending the offer.    

Nicole took a few steps, drawing closer. She knew scribes were very serious about secrecy, and she didn’t want be the person to blame for any sort of leak. “Huh. I know everyone’s always talking about how shady they are. I just figured… it was rich people shady not—” she lowered her head, as if the action would help her mind speed up the processing. “You think there might be something else there?” It made sense, of course. And any sort of powerful company like Erebus would be able to cover their tracks. She was still musing on potential mining conspiracies when she heard of Arden’s next discovery. “Right. Normal creatures? No, this is a dumb question, we’re talking supernatural aren’t we? More monsters covered in black goo?”

She shrugged, the traces of concern on her face were replaced with a playful smile. “Could be. I’m sure there’s a similar entry somewhere in the records for that” Nicole nodded, picturing a bird’s face on top of the previous description. But maybe that was too out there for Wicked’s rest. “The forest you know…you get familiar with it, your imagination expands” and she had promised herself she wouldn’t leave town until she had explored every inch of forest it had to offer. Even if that meant… encountering more of its peculiar fauna. “Seen some unreal shit out there”. 

Arden let out a bark of laughter at Nicole’s nerd comment. “Yeah, we’re pretty similar in some ways. I was always glad to have someone to be dorky with who could understand me in a way that not everyone did,” she smiled, thinking back on the two nerdy kids they had been. 

Leah had been so shy at first that her own anxieties had taken a backseat as she tried to make the other girl feel more comfortable. If she wasn’t mistaken, they’d really started talking because of a book they both enjoyed, one that she couldn’t remember at that moment. She’d have to ask Leah if she could recall the title one of these days. 

Her smile had only grown softer thinking back on those days.“It’s been really nice having that connection again, especially now that there aren’t any secrets in the way,” she admitted, feeling somewhat bashful. It was a little embarrassing, being so open with someone she didn’t know that well, but this was her friend's long term girlfriend, not just some stranger. She wondered if Nicole would relay what she said back to Leah, though, because that would be even more embarrassing. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, she figured. 

“I’ve never really had anyone I could talk to about all the supernatural stuff before. It’s been really freeing, honestly. It's like I can finally be honest with someone, and I’m extra glad that that someone could be Leah.” Arden ignored the emotions that sprung up, looking back to Nicole. “And, now, you too,” she added. A two for one friend deal, it was her lucky day. 

Grinning at the dinner invitation, she nodded. “Yeah, that sounds really nice. I’ll have to rack my brain for some good stories.” She wasn’t really a cook, but maybe she could bring a nice bottle of wine or maybe buy some dessert from Bread Cemetery? She wasn’t used to such an intimate social gathering– she hadn’t had friends to have dinner with in a while. She had meals with her roommates, sure, but they hadn’t had a lot of full sit-down meals together, all four of them, often. Also, it was a bit more casual since they did all live there. A combination of excited-nervous-scared crashed around her stomach. It wasn't entirely unpleasant. 

She appreciated Nicole’s caution when she asked more questions about Arden’s research and Erbeus specifically. “I had thought the same, but this whole situation is strange, and I don’t especially feel great about it.” It was a relief to admit aloud, especially after all the questions she’d received and the reassuring replies she gave out. She was still basically as in the dark as the public about what was going on, and she fucking hated it. “I don’t even know what to think. So, yeah, I figured I could at least try to learn more about the mines in general. There were no mentions of ooze that I saw, but, yikes, there’s a lot of unpleasant and dangerous creatures down there. If I come across anything that fits that description, though, I’ll let you know,” she smiled, not entirely joking. 

There were a lot of dangerous creatures in the woods, too. That was a fact that she was abundantly aware of. “Have you encountered anything out there?” she asked, slightly horrified as she realized the extent Nicole's job involved her being in the forest. “I’m sure you help keep everyone safe, but there’s some nasty stuff out there. Though, I guess I don't need to tell you that...” 

The Pines scared her. She didn’t exactly want to broadcast that particular vulnerability. It felt silly ane she hated the fact that she was scared of being out there, but she couldn’t help it. Along with the mines, it was a frequent backdrop of her nightmares, not to mention it was where they had found her father's body.

“Wait,” she paused, “did you know about the supernatural before becoming a firefighter or coming to town?” Arden realized she didn’t know exactly how Nicole had found out the truth. But then again, she was also aware that that could be a pretty weighted question. 

“Sorry, you don’t need to answer that.” Shit, did that sound bad? “I mean, of course you don’t need to, it’s not like you’re obligated to give me an answer, but you know what I mean. I just wasn’t exactly thinking when I asked,” she finished, lamely.

“Right, yeah. I get that… not having to pretend—” Was…Arden referencing the fact that Leah was a Phoenix, or just that both knew of the supernatural? Nicole didn’t wipe the grin off her face, but she began racking her brain to recall whether Leah ever mentioned any of those possibilities. Her memories said no. She only knew about the scribe thing. But her memories were never the most reliable. In that case, it was better not to say anything and risk putting her foot in her mouth. Leah would reveal herself to Arden when she felt ready. 

“Great!” She smiled, a little too pleased with herself once Arden accepted the invitation. Her ears were painfully hot still, and her body thrummed with more energy than she could hold. It could be that easy, huh? The Nicole of three years ago would hardly believe she was inviting people over. And she would take mundane stories about the two walking into classes if it meant getting to know more about her girlfriend’s past and her new friend… adjacent still, maybe. But she wanted to change that.

Nodding along the explanation of Arden’s findings, Nicole listened attentively. Normally, this type of discussion veered towards conspiracy theories. There was always something sinister for those type of people. But coming from someone who always took their job seriously, it was impossible to dismiss. Dread filled her chest, brow creasing with concern. “Gotta be careful, alright? Feels like a hornets nest type of shit. You don’t have to go about it alone.” 

Her thoughts were still with Erebus and their suspicious business, when she heard Arden question. “Oh. All the time” Nicole nodded, eyes rolling upwards as she recalled those encounters. “It’s not unusual for fires to start because of creatures instead of humans, actually” which, she imagined, wasn’t the case for most places in the country. Though— there had to be other supernaturally charged areas, right? “Better just act like you don’t see them and move along. Curiosity killed the cat and all that” she bit the inside of her cheek, knowing it was a hypocritical advice. She was definitely curious enough to prod some of those creatures. It was how she ended up splashed with all kinds of questionable substances more often than not.

She watched Arden as she nervously stumbled over her questions, struck by the familiarity of that act. “Sort of” it wasn’t as clear cut for her. “I knew. But tried to pretend like it was all made up” going to school and talking about ghost jaguars was generally ridiculed. She didn’t miss that part of her childhood. “When I got here, I couldn’t keep acting it wasn’t real. Especially cause—” she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Was she sure about what she was about to say? Leah was a good judge of character. And this was her friend. Nicole hoped one day she’d be hers too. “Well, I’m— I’m part of… all that” she tilted her head vaguely. If Arden was like Leah, and she had gathered so far they shared the sharp intellect, then context clues would be easy to work through. “And yeah— if you were to ask, I’d answer. It’s still a little weird to touch on it. But I’m not— I’m not ashamed of it” anymore.

Arden’s eyes flicked over Nicole as she seemed to abruptly stop in the middle of a sentence. The other woman was smiling, though, so maybe it was just nerves? She didn’t press her on it, happy to see that Nicole seemed genuinely pleased that she had accepted the invitation. Maybe she could invite them over to the apartment sometime, though it might be a bit of a squeeze. She would definitely need to check with her roommates first, but she could see the two groups getting along granted that Nicole and Leah didn’t mind hanging out in Worm’s Row. She could even invite Emilio, though she couldn’t imagine he would love being around so many people at once. Maybe Andy and her sister? 

She shook herself out of those thoughts. A giant dinner full of people she wasn’t even officially friends with? Who the fuck even was she right now? Hello?

When Nicole expressed her concerns, Arden gave her a smile. “I appreciate that. I’m trying to be careful, not push too hard.” Yet. “I’ve got a sort of mutually beneficial partnership thing going with this PI. Anyway, I asked him to keep an ear out in his circles for anything potentially related. And I’m kind of friendly with a nurse over at the hospital? I don’t know. I’m aware it’s a tricky situation, and I’m not trying to get myself or anyone else into any sort of trouble.” She wasn’t entirely sure that would be possible in this situation if they actually wanted to get some answers, though she didn’t express that sentiment to Nicole. They would see how things played out for now, hope that the situation didn’t get any worse. 

Her ears perked up at the mention of creatures. “I’m not surprised to hear that, but it’s interesting to hear nonetheless. It is probably for the best to just ignore it,” she echoed, knowing damn well how hard of a time she had keeping her curiosity in check. Curiosity killed the cat, it was a saying she had heard a million times over. In most cases, satisfaction did bring it back, but investigating the supernatural certainly came with much more risks than the person who had originally coined that addition had likely factored in. With higher risks came higher rewards, though…

When Nicole cut herself off, she cocked her head to the side, confused. It was obvious, studying the other woman’s face, that whatever she had been about to say, had been thinking of, had made her incredibly nervous. There was a fear in her eyes that made Arden’s stomach roll with anxiety. It was definitely too heavy a question, too heavy an answer. She shouldn’t have asked, she didn’t want to upset the other, didn’t want her to feel obligated to share whatever it was that had made her stop pretending. She was about to say as much, when Nicole spoke again, I’m part of all that.

…that certainly wasn’t what she had been expecting her to say. She blinked, brows furrowing. I’m part of all that. Did she mean…? 

Nicole continued, though. I’m not ashamed of it. What was it that she had she begun to say earlier, something about “not having to pretend?” No way. No fucking way.

“I- Wait- You- Do you mean-” Arden fumbled for words, her brain simultaneously blank and full of so many questions. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, before looking back to Nicole. “Are you…” she looked around to make sure no one else was in the vicinity. There wasn’t anyone else outside, but she still lowered her voice as she continued, “...not human?”

Arden seemed to be approaching her deep dive into Erebus carefully, but it didn’t erase all of Nicole’s concerns. “Okay. Good, that’s a start”. She had partnerships going on, it was a plus. But there was something else she was able to infer thanks to Arden’s words. She clenched her jaw, thoughts momentarily drifting from the conversation. So… Arden didn’t know what Leah was, then. Sure, having a friendly nurse at the hospital was nice and all (unless it was someone like Zane, who freaked out at the sight of a cut), but having a friend with powerful healing tears was much better in dangerous scenarios. Nicole concluded Arden had yet to know about her friend’s true nature and what she could bring to the table in desperate situations. She was incredibly happy not to ruin her girlfriend’s right to privacy just a minute earlier. “And…uh, don’t know what I could offer in this case, but you know… I’m willing to give you a hand if you need it at some point”.  

Her expression turned serious for a beat, arms folding over her chest, nodding at Arden’s advice. Of course, that’s what people with common sense would do in this town— Avoid the creatures. “Mhm. Just ignore it, yeah” she hummed, eyes crinkling at the absurdity of what she was saying. She sensed, based on the brief look that flashed across Arden’s face that she saw the hypocrisy as well. Nicole cracked first, a chuckle escaping her lips before rolling her eyes. “We’ll just say that…so we can feel better about ourselves”.

Nicole waited in silence while Arden solved the puzzle her head. It was always captivating, watching smart people do their thing. She had seen that expression on Leah’s face more times than she could count. “I’m…uh?” The fond smile lingering on her lips disappeared as Arden called her not human. She sucked in a breath, unprepared to deal with the dangerous cocktail of emotions a simple word could elicit. It was the truth, no arguing that. Technically. Technically, she wasn’t fully a beast either. Or a spirit. Only then she realized, as much progress she had done accepting those parts of her, she wasn’t done understanding all of it. And maybe revealing her secret on a whim wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had. But this was Arden. Leah’s friend. A scribe on her own right. She couldn’t imagine anyone safer to share this with. “Not entirely human, no” she recovered, voice dipping an octave. She hated the hint of discomfort in her tone.

“I’m a—” the word died in her throat. Nicole wasn’t sure what stopped her. She was ready, wasn’t she? She wasn’t ashamed or scared of what she was anymore, so what stood in the way? “Um…”  despite untangling shame from the knot of emotions associated with her existence, it appeared she had neglected other threads resisting to be pulled free. Her heart’s insubordination left Nicole nodding towards the scribbary, eyes averted when she spoke. “There might be a few tomes on…on— Balam, if you were interested enough” she huffed, heat returning to her cheeks. It was the best she could do for now. “Will probably explain it better than I could” she felt the need to shrug in apology, for whatever her face might be giving away. 

At least she could turn her attention to the Headquarters instead of dealing with human eye contact. Just as she was drowning in anxiety, the doors opened and the woman she had been waiting for, came out. Almost as if she knew Nicole needed bailing out. She held her breath, unable to control her face-splitting grin nor the tender gaze, unwavering as she watched Leah descend the stairs. “There you are”. 

“Oh,” Arden said, a little surprised by the offer. “I appreciate that.” She didn’t know how Nicole would be helpful in her investigation, but it was the thought that counted. 

Damn, she got her there. Arden gave her a wry grin. “It would probably be the smart thing to do, not actively putting yourself in danger.” She wasn’t about to run into a clearly harmful situation, or that’s what she told herself, at least. But even if she wasn’t about to go spelunking in the mines, wasn’t she putting herself in the same amount of danger anyway? Erebus was sketchy as hell, and whatever digging they were doing was clearly not normal. They likely wouldn’t take well to some nosy idiot poking her nose around their business. 

It was immediately obvious that it had been the wrong thing to say. The smile disappeared from Nicole’s face, replaced instead by… panic? Sadness? Regret? She couldn’t tell, but it wasn’t good, and she scrambled to correct herself. “Sorry, that sounded bad, I didn’t mean it like that.” 

She wasn’t exactly wrong, though, and that was… It felt like a spark had shot through her body, bringing with it a lot of emotions all at once. Shock, excitement, fear, curiosity, anxiety, a fondness for Nicole who had shared such a huge secret with her just because Arden was friends with her girlfriend. 

Not entirely human…

And, Arden had fucked it up with her poor choice of words because, of course, she had. 

Nicole's nerves were apparent, something Arden could empathize with. She was about to tell Nicole that it was fine, she didn’t have to tell her, when she finally said it. 

A balam. 

She knew of them, kind of. They were sort of like werecats, but not exactly. She’d have to come back and refresh her memory; it’d been a while since she’d read about them. 

“Huh.” Her friend was dating a balam. She had so many questions, but Nicole seemed incredibly anxious. For good reason, of course– she had just had a kind of coming out, and the run-of-the-mill coming out was stressful enough. “That’s… a lot to take in, but thanks. For telling me.”  For trusting me. Arden gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. 

Just then, the door to the headquarters opened, and Leah was making her way over. She waved to her friend, though her gaze landed back on Nicole. All previous traces of anxiety and uncertainty were gone, replaced by a big grin and that soft fond look that she had when she spoke about her girlfriend. 

Fuck, she wanted that. She wanted someone to look at her the way Nicole looked at Leah. Her chest ached, even as her smile grew. Arden was happy for them, she just… needed to remind herself of that before the envy and loneliness overwhelmed her. 

“Fancy seeing you here,” she grinned, calling toward her friend. 

Leah was an extremely prompt person, so much so she prided herself on it.  She was always taught that keeping people waiting was disrespectful or rude, and so even in adulthood, she made it a point to be anywhere at least 15 minutes early. 

So it was really a testament to how much passion she put into her work at the scribary that she had left Nicole waiting again.   When she finally looked at her watch, she scrambled to clean up her area, stuffing a notebook back into her bag and flinging it over her shoulder as she raced out of the front doors.  

She found Nicole and Arden chatting together in an instant, and something warm turned in her stomach at the idea of the two being friends.  “Hey you two”, she said through a warm grin, leaning up on her toes to give Nicole a quick kiss.  She scrunched her nose through a smile as she pulled away, studying her face closely.  There was a subtle hint of anxiety there, the kind of worrying look Nicole seemed to have before something important at work, or when she was worried she’d disappointed someone.  Leah wondered what kind of conversation she’d interrupted.

She turned to face Arden, her grin still bright, but she let her hand graze the small of Nicole’s back as she did so, a small gesture of comfort.  “I got overwhelmed in there, clearly.  I was deep into compiling some research about Ahuizotl.  Can you imagine anything more terrifying?”, she asked Arden, her eyes widening in semi-mock horror.

Arden smiled at her friend, ignoring her emotions. It took her a moment to register what Leah was saying. Ahuizotl. “Oh, those are the grabby river monkey things, right? Is that how it’s pronounced? I always wondered about that…" It was one of those words that she had read, but never heard said aloud. "But, yeah, absolutely not, no thank you.” She remembered reading about them; she had already been scared of the water, but creatures that lured you close to drown you? That had been horrifying to learn about. 

She looked up at the two women, then down at the phone in her hand. Shit, was it that late already? Time flies when your best friend’s girlfriend is telling you she can turn into a jaguar. 

Her mind was still reeling with that new information. It was one thing to think about how she likely interacted with supernatural beings in this town, but it was a whole other to have it confirmed, to have it said aloud. A balam. 

“I should probably head home, but it was nice talking to you, Nicole,” she said, giving her a genuine smile. “I’ll see you guys soon.” With a wave, she turned and began to walk before stopping for a moment. “Oh, and, just let me know when you guys want to do dinner, yeah?” Arden called, looking back at the couple. 

The chaste brush of Leah’s lips immediately sidetracked most of her thoughts. It was somewhat pathetic, but if it dissuaded her from anxiety, then fuck it. She wasn’t questioning the methods. Nicole draped an arm over Leah, rubbing her shoulder in greeting while trying to ignore the blush creeping on her cheeks. She still had some work to do before achieving Leah’s confidence level when it came to public displays of affection. 

A look of confusion crossed her face, glancing from one nerd to the other, entirely out of the conversation. Ahui what? Grabby river monkeys? Nicole raised her eyebrows, about to interject, then deciding against it. She knew Leah would explain later. Or maybe, it was better if she didn’t know. She’d leave supernatural knowledge to those allowed inside the scribe headquarters. (Yes, she stuck by her self-imposed ban). 

“It was,” Nicole agreed with a coy smile when Arden announced her departure. No weight lifted off her shoulders, and no wave of relief crashed over her, but despite how uncomfortable it was to share her truth, she didn’t regret it. And that thought overpowered every conflicting emotion stirring in her chest. She wasn’t planning on making it a habit (hunters existed after all), but there were people trustworthy enough to unburden herself. To allow herself to live just a little more freely. “Thank you for—” not being weirded out? Being a decent human? “You know…” She pressed her lips together, a pointed look on her face. The grateful smile turned into a chuckle when Arden spoke one last time. “Oh, yeah. Still gonna need those stories." She nodded, ignoring Leah's questioning looks. “Have a good night, Arden” Arden. Yeah, she was never forgetting that one again.

[afterliferp]

Would anyone like to have a connection to Tristin Mays, Levy Tran, Leah Lewis, or Arden Cho?? And if so, where can you see them fitting ??

We would love to see any of those lovely ladies join us, but some of our members have expressed a great interest in having Leah Lewis and Levy Tran around! 

Leah is definitely in the age range to be one of the Scooby Doo Crew or one of the Camp Survivors, but she could also be a college student, an intern at city hall, a tattoo apprentice, an online content creator, a baker, or a cemetery groundskeeper. 

Levy is in the age range to be Mel Thurman’s drug supplier, or David Marquez’s handler at Vanguard, but she could also be the owner of the Northpass Motel, a farmer, a firefighter, a mechanic, a teacher / school principal, a florist, or a delivery driver of some sort!

[drunktuesdays]

Final reckoning for my friend's book challenge she runs for our group chat. I didn't make blackout but I AM happy with how much i ended up reading. Self indulgently posting my list under the cut!!!!!

14. A book mentioned in another book - Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome (recommended by @asimplequery) 23. A book that features a language you're not fluent in - Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas 29. A book from a genre you don't usually read -  I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy 30. A book you last read at least ten years ago - Timequake, Kurt Vonnegut 34. A book that makes you smarter - On Writing, Stephen King 36. A book that makes you cry - The Dutch House, Ann Patchett 37. A book that you consider a page-turner - The Girl In The Tower, Katherine Arden 41. A book inspired by real events/ people - The Terror, Dan Simmons 43. A book that addresses sexism/ feminism - Bad Mormon, Heather Gay (lmao i should be shot for this) 49. A book concerning death - The Book of Night, Holly Black 55. A book with found family - Bet Me, Jennifer Crusie 60. A book set in summer - Reckless Girls, Rachel Hawkins 61. A book set in winter - Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin (recommended by @vivathewilddog and i think this was my favorite book i read this year. did you know reading good authors is good?) 67. A book with an antihero - The Ninth House, Leah Bardugo 69. A book with a character who shares your name -  The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Patti Callahan Henry (recommended by @prairiedaun) 74. A book whose protag. is different from you in a significant way - Siren Queen, Nghi Vo 79. A book published under a pseudonym - The Cinderella Deal, Jennifer Crusie 85. A book with a one-word title - Pnin, Vladimir Nabokov (recommended by @eggtrolls) 89. A book that shares its title with a song - Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro (recommended by @sarahcakes613 ) 90. A book with an ampersand in the title - Nettle & Bone, T. Kingfisher 91. A book with a number in the title - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, Catherine Webb 95. A book that uses three or fewer colors on the cover - Devil House, John Darnielle FREE SPACE Cold Sassy Tree, Olive Ann Burns

[stainedglasstruth]

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Worm Row SUMMARY: Arden reflects on the past several months while getting some work done. CONTENT WARNINGS: Mentions of parental death & alcohol.

Arden wasn't quite sure how to feel these days.

Leah's news had been both relieving and devastating. Leaving meant her friend would be safe. Or at least safer than she'd ever be in Wicked's Rest. Leah was strong and feisty and capable, of course, and being a phoenix gave her advantages, gave her powers. But it also made her a bit more fragile, more so than even Arden herself. Leaving meant the likelihood of her having to watch her best friend be killed and reborn had lessened significantly.

It also meant she was gone, though. Funny how that worked.

Oh, how the tables had turned.

Well, no. It wasn't at all fair to compare Leah's departure from Wicked's Rest to her own all those years ago. For one, they had sworn up and down that they would stay in contact this time. Leah wasn't her, the situations were entirely different. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

Her living anchor to Wicked’s Rest, the person who had been there for her since her return, had sailed off to calmer shores. And it felt like a loss. One more name to add to this list. Leah, Zack, Jo, her father. She’d been sick with worry when Emilio disappeared for a few days, she'd grieved Teagan for weeks, been close to losing Metzli, had barely avoided watching Wynne's demise. She'd been hurt, been homeless, and just generally been through far too much in the past year. And what did she have to show for it?

Arden wasn't closer to finding any answers, not about Erebus and the mine or anything else going on in town, for that matter. And she certainly wasn't any closer to finding answers about Jo.

It felt futile, honestly. Too much time had passed, any clues there had been to find were long gone. She was a decade too late, and she didn't know what to do with that. How was she supposed to just drop it, just live the rest of her life never knowing???

...a decade. God.

What the fuck was she doing? What was the plan? She was turning thirty years old this year, and as much as it didn't feel like a big deal, it still felt big. Because she still felt like a clueless teenager far more often than she'd ever be willing to admit to another living soul— lost, fumbling, and in way over her head. 

At least she knew how to swim now, she supposed. She had support, she wasn't entirely alone the way she'd been in Boston. But, her list was steadily growing, as were the near misses, and the chaos in town only seemed to be getting worse as time went on. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn’t help but feel like there was only more loss on the horizon. There always was in Wicked’s Rest. 

Would more of the people she cared about die, like her dad and Jo? Would they leave like she had all those years ago, or like Zack or Leah? Or maybe they’d finally see her for the fraud she was, see her the way her mother saw her: a pathetic child. A disappointment.

...whatever. 

For now, she was here to stay. And that meant there was work to do.

Taking a swig of whiskey, Arden plucked the freshly printed page from her printer and rolled her chair back over to the other side of her desk. She set down the bottle, trading it for a thumbtack before turning to the corkboard beside her. Standing a little unsteadily, she eyed the map of Wicked's Rest, eyes flickering over the messy evidence board before pinning another missing poster to the line-up.

Lips pursed, she gave it another once over, gaze landing on the photos of that symbol.

She was going to find some damn answers, of that she was determined.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Allison Janokwski at DNC:

5:30 PM

Call to Order Alex Hornbrook Executive Director of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee Gavel In The Honorable Cory Booker United States Senator, New Jersey Invocation Sri Rakesh Bhatt Sri Siva Vishnu Temple Bishop Leah D. Daughtry The House of the Lord Churches Pledge of Allegiance Students from Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School from St. Paul, MN National Anthem Jess Davis Presentation of Honorary Resolutions The Honorable Jaime Harrison Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Joined by Vice Chairs The Honorable Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ken Martin, Henry R. Muñoz III, Treasurer Virginia McGregor, and Finance Chair Chris Korge. Remarks Mini Timmaraju President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All Remarks Alexis McGill Johnson President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund Remarks Cecile Richards Reproductive Rights Champion Remarks Kelley Robinson President of the Human Rights Campaign Remarks Jessica Mackler President of EMILYs List Remarks María Teresa Kumar Founding President and CEO of Voto Latino Remarks The Honorable Tom Suozzi Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York

6:00 PM

Welcome Remarks The Honorable Cory Booker United States Senator, New Jersey Joint Remarks The Honorable Aftab Pureval Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio The Honorable Cavalier Johnson Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Joint Remarks Rashawn Spivey and Deanna Branch Lead pipe removal advocates Remarks The Honorable Lisa Blunt Rochester Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Delaware Remarks The Honorable Grace Meng Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York Remarks: “Project 2025—Chapter Three: Freedoms” The Honorable Jared Polis Governor of Colorado Remarks The Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Florida Remarks The Honorable Suzan DelBene Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Remarks The Honorable Keith Ellison Attorney General of Minnesota Remarks The Honorable Dana Nessel Attorney General of Michigan Joint Remarks Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg Parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin Performance Maren Morris American singer-songwriter

7:00 PM

Remarks The Honorable Veronica Escobar Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas Remarks The Honorable Chris Murphy United States Senator, Connecticut Remarks The Honorable Javier Salazar Sheriff of Bexar County, Texas Remarks The Honorable Pete Aguilar Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Influencer Remarks Carlos Eduardo Espina Content creator Remarks Olivia Troye Former Trump administration national security official Remarks The Honorable Geoff Duncan Former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia Remarks The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mississippi Remarks Sergeant Aquilino Gonell Retired United States Capitol Police Officer Remarks The Honorable Andy Kim Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New Jersey Influencer Remarks Olivia Julianna Content creator Performance Stevie Wonder American singer-songwriter and musician Remarks Kenan Thompson and Guests on Project 2025 American comedian and actor

8:00 PM

Host Introduction Mindy Kaling Remarks The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Leader Remarks The Honorable Bill Clinton 42nd President of the United States Remarks The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House of Representatives Remarks The Honorable Josh Shapiro Governor of Pennsylvania Remarks Alexander Hudlin Jasper Emhoff Arden Emhoff Remarks The Honorable Catherine Cortez Masto United States Senator, Nevada

9:00 PM

Performance Amanda Gorman National Youth Poet Laureate Remarks The Honorable Wes Moore Governor of Maryland Remarks The Honorable Pete Buttigieg Performance John Legend American singer-songwriter Sheila E. American singer and drummer Remarks The Honorable Amy Klobuchar United States Senator, Minnesota Remarks Benjamin C. Ingman Former student of Governor Walz Remarks The Honorable Tim Walz Governor of Minnesota Benediction William Emmanuel Hall Lead Pastor of St. James Church in Chicago

Apologies for the delay of night 3’s release of the DNC Speaker schedule.

The main speaker of tonight is Minnesota Governor and Kamala Harris VP pick Tim Walz.

Other notable Speakers: Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Geoff Duncan, Andy Kim, Nancy Pelosi, Hakeem Jeffries, Josh Shapiro, and Pete Buttigieg.

Grace Meng and Debbie Wasserman Schultz were initially set to speak on Monday, but got moved to tonight.

Performers: Maren Morris, John Legend, Amanda Gorman (poem), Stevie Wonder

[undrcssed]

MASTERLIST

A masterlist of muses that I have played throughout the years, that I am always willing to play. I do need to go over some of the FC's and probably make some changes since this list is YEARS old. But I will do that and update it!!

Abigail ‘Abbi’ Abrams FC: Victoria Justice 

Addison Smollen FC: Kendall Jenner 

Allison ‘Alli’ Ortiz FC: Madison Beer 

Amelia ‘Mia’ Abrams FC: Torrey Devitto

Ana Flores FC: Camila Mendes

Angelina Rose FC: Clemence Posey

Apollo Kona FC: Roman Reigns

Augusta ‘Gwen’ Porter FC: Hailey Baldwin

Avery Smollen FC: Kylie Jenner

Bailey Allwood FC: Katherine Langford

Bethany DuPont-Hunter FC: Rachel Bilson / FC: Crystal Reed

Benjamin DuPont FC: Theo James

Blaise Zabini FC: Keith Powers

Bleau St. Claire FC: Val Mercado

Braelyn Carter FC: Alycia Debnam Carey 

Caleb Kyriakos FC: Tom Austen

Callie Haverford FC: Gigi Hadid

Cameron Bartell FC: Natalia Dyer

Cathleen ‘Rey’ Murphy FC: Paige / Saraya Jade Bevis

Chasity Dean FC: Troian Bellisario

Clara Spencer FC: Alexis Ren

Connor O’Brien FC: Cody Saintgnue

Cooper Brozene FC: Joel Kinnaman

Cyrus Morgan FC: Scott Speedman

Daphne Greengrass FC: Pia Mia

Darya Smirnov FC: Taylor Hill

Davina Pace FC: Carmella Rose

Dawson St. James FC: Finn Wittrock

Dean Munroe FC: Jake Gyllenhaal

Demi O’Connor FC: Jessica Lowndes

Destiny Savvin FC: Eiza Gonzalez / FC: Salma Hayek

Dev Ambrogino FC: Nathan Parsons

Diya Gupta FC: Naomi Scott

Dorian Porter FC: Justin Hartley

Dylan Boyer FC: Olivia Wilde / FC: Odeya Rush

Eden Hunter FC: Danielle Campbell

Elizabeth Rush FC: Hayley Atwell

Evelyn Perez FC:  Bruna Marquezine

Genivive ‘Ginny’ Kennedy FC:  Alicia Vikander

Gracie Abernathy FC: Nicola Peltz

Harleen Quinzel FC: Margot Robbie

Hudson O’Connor FC: Charlie Hunnam

Hunter Munroe FC: Kit Harington

Irina Savvin FC: Claire Holt

Isabella Martinez FC: Naya Rivera  Christian Serratos

Isobel Garcia FC: Jackie Cruz

Ivy Hartley FC: Maggie Duran

Jack Collins FC: Tom Holland

Jalessa Myers FC: Jade Thirlwall

Jayden Munroe FC: Leigh Anne Pinnock

Jayson Hunter FC: Dominic Sherwood

Jennifer Martinez FC: Diane Guerrero 

Joanna ‘Joey’ Martell FC: Marie Avgeropoulos

Judith Grimes FC: Daisy Ridley 

Karina Smirnov FC: Irina Shayk / FC: India Eisley

Katherine ‘Katy’ Abernathy FC: Katie Stevens

Katya Ambrogino FC: Ariel Winter

Keith Newman FC: Travis Mills

Kimber Rhodes FC: Karla Souza

Layla Abernathy FC: Emily Kinney / FC: Candice Swanepoel

Leah Douglas FC: Nathalie Emmanuel / FC: Amandla Stenberg

Lee McBride FC: Dan Stevens

Lilliana ‘Lily’ Rey FC: Bella Thorne Luca Hollestelle

Lorelei Ambrose FC: Imogen Poots

Maddox Young FC: Amadeus Sarafini

Madison Nolan FC: Ashley Greene

Makenna Dean FC: Shelley Hennig

Mateo Fiore FC: Theo Rossi

Matheus Silva FC: Chay Suede

Matty Dodson FC: Cody Christian

Maximus ‘Mac’ Porter FC: Austin Butler

Melanie Rhee FC: Lauren Cohan

Mickey Wolfe FC: Troye Sivan

Natalia ‘Talia’ Smallwood FC: Emily Ratajkowski

Nate Ballard FC: Randy Orton

Nikolai Savvin FC: Joseph Morgan

Paige Stabler FC: Madison Davenport

Pansy Parkinson FC: Nona Komatsu

Parker Mercer FC: Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Phoenix Dattolo FC: Avan Jogia

Piper Romero FC: Maia Mitchell / FC: Giza Lagarce

Priyah Jacobs FC: Alysha Nett

Psyche FC: Sophie Turner

Rami Armand FC: Zayn Malik

Reagan Powers FC: Allison Williams

Rhea Lockhart FC: Julianne Hough

Richard Thorne FC: Jon Hamm

Rose Granger-Weasley FC: Madelaine Petsch

Ryan O'Brien FC: Cam Gigandet

Samantha ‘Sammie’ Barker FC: Arden Cho

Sergei Savvin FC: Max Riemelt

Sierra Tsu FC: Dichen Lachman

Stella La’ei Kona FC: Nikki Reed

Sunshine ‘Sunny’ Jacobs FC: Dove Cameron 

Sydney Pearson FC: Zendaya 

Tanya Dash FC: Khole Kardashian Bree Kish

Teegan O'Brien FC: Lili Reinhart

Titus Kona FC: Jason Momoa

Tobias Graves FC: Travis Fimmel

Trent Lancaster FC: Andrew Lincoln

Valentino De Luca FC: Dominic Cooper

Veda Patil FC: Priyanka Chopra

Wyatt Cahill FC: Ryan Guzman

Xavier Waters FC: Don Benjamin

Zion Waters FC: Ricky Whittle

Zoe DiMarco FC: Bex Taylor-Klaus / FC: Ruby Rose / FC: Ash Stymest

[helpersofindie]

Hello lovely helpers!! <3 May I please ask for some POC female faceclaims? Between 21-40? Who have those bad bitch vibes, strong and alluring, please? Thank you so much for your kindness <3 :)

under the cut, you can find 165 woc faceclaims who i think fit the vibe! i hope this helps!

maitreyi ramakrishnan (21)

josie totah (21) — josie is a trans woman!

miah madden (21)

rowan blanchard (21)

halle bailey (22)

yara shahidi (22)

chandler kinney (22)

dara renee (22)

anna lambe (22)

tarayummy (22)

daniella perkins (22)

sofia bryant (23)

megan suri (23)

alycia pascual pena (23)

braydee cardinal (23)

imani lewis (23)

china anne mcclain (24)

chloe bailey (24)

madison bailey (24)

diamond white (24)

shina novalinga (24)

paris berelc (24)

brianne tju (24)

madison pettis (24)

antonia gentry (25)

coco jones (25)

lana condor (25)

alisha boe (25)

sydney park (25)

alyah chanelle scott (25)

becky g (25)

banita sandhu (25)

amber midthunder (25)

kiana lede (25)

rosé (25)

normani (26)

zendaya (26)

samantha logan (26)

joy sunday (26)

chase sui wonders (26)

madeleine madden (26)

anya chalotra (26)

brittany o’grady (26)

fernanda ly (26)

imaan hammam (26)

leah lewis (26)

park soobin (26)

pia mia (26)

snitcherty (26)

bree kish (26)

cierra ramirez (27)

courtney eaton (27)

tati gabrielle (27)

haskiri velazquez (27)

jennie kim (27)

megan thee stallion (27)

aslihan malbora (27)

im nayeon (27)

zion moreno (27) — zion is a trans woman!

adeline rudolph (27)

christina nadin (27)

camila mendes (28)

ryan destiny (28)

natasha liu bordizzo (28)

khadijha red thunder (28)

kim jisoo (28)

eva reign (28) — eva is a trans woman!

midori francis (28)

hoyeon jung (28)

sofia carson (29)

keke palmer (29)

aisha dee (29)

devery jacobs (29)

yasmine al bustami (29)

nadine lustre (29)

tinashe (29)

yalitza aparicio (29)

olivia liang (29)

saweetie (29)

yvette monreal (30)

kiana madeira (30)

ziwe fumudoh (30)

triana browne (30)

vanessa morgan (30)

chloe bennet (30)

nyma tang (31)

kiki layne (31)

malese jow (31)

grace dove (31)

chelsea tavares (31)

laci mosley (31)

michaela jae rodriguez (32) — michaela jae is a trans woman!

stephanie hsu (32)

keisha castle hughes (32)

la’tecia thomas (32)

lindsey morgan (32)

mitski (32)

patti harrison (32) — patti is a trans woman!

tristin mays (32)

alexa demie (32)

danielle brooks (33)

sza (33)

rachel colwell (33)

logan browning (33)

precious lee (33)

kat graham (33)

aimee carrero (34)

lizzo (34)

candice patton (34)

anna diop (34)

brenda song (34)

janel parrish (34)

melissa o’neil (34)

ashleigh murray (35)

michaela coel (35)

samira wiley (35)

shay mitchell (35)

naomi watanabe (35)

alina serban (35)

javicia leslie (35)

diane guerrero (36)

nicole byer (36)

da’vine joy randolph (36)

meaghan rath (36)

cynthia erivo (36)

amber riley (36)

lilan bowden (37)

karla souza (37)

jessica matten (37)

natalie morales (37)

meagan tandy (37)

nathalie kelley (37)

vella lovell (37)

brandee evans (37)

arden cho (37)

aubrey plaza (38)

america ferrera (38)

tala ashe (38)

issa rae (38)

aja naomi king (38)

jessica parker kennedy (38)

dewanda wise (38)

lupita nyong’o (39)

tessa thompson (39)

jamie chung (39)

janet mock (39) — janet is a trans woman!

gabourey sibide (39)

levy tran (39)

dascha polanco (40)

constance wu (40)

gemma chan (40)

dichen lachman (40)

tiya sircar (40)

ali wong (40)

cara gee (40)

melissa fumero (40)

kimrie lewis (40)

hannah simone (42)

jessica alba (41)

nasim pedrad (41)      

stephanie beatriz (41)

tika sumpter (42)

vanessa lachey (42)

freema agyeman (43)

shannon dang (unknown age)

[evenster]

Illustration for the book by modern russian writer Leah Arden "November’s Bride"

[jonismitchell]

this made me more hyped than any ttpd promo

[eiightysixbaby]

LEAH IDK IF I SHOWED YOU OR NOT BUT LOOK AT MY NEW POP! I GOT HIM AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY LIKE ‘I WONDER IF LEAH KNOWS ABOUT THESE’ 🩵🩵🩵🩵 ALSO ILYSM

HI BESTIE!!!!!! I have that pop too and I LOVE HIM SO MUCH 😩 he’s my lil guy 🥹🩵 ILY ILY ILY ILY

[closingwaters]

TIMING: Early June

PARTIES: @phoenixleah @closingwaters

SUMMARY: Teagan goes to the bookstore for some helpful reads, and Leah discovers she may be talking to her best friend's love interest. Teagan also puts it together and panics.

WARNINGS: None

Self-help books weren’t typically a purchase made by Teagan, but she needed all the help she could get. Sure, she’d dated a few people before, had a relationship for about two months, but there was always an end. Teagan had perfectly built walls before anything went too far and she went out and ruined both herself and any nearby parties. 

So, swallowing whatever pride she had left, Teagan called a ride and made her way to the bookstore, where she found herself staring at a title that made her question herself. What Happened to You? Teagan rolled her eyes, grabbing it half-heartedly, albeit defeatedly. With a sigh, she headed toward the front desk, a sign that read Poetry catching her eye. 

“Oh?” A smile began to take shape, and she thought of Arden. The nix could stand to learn a thing or two about the art of words. Teagan scanned the books, finding a cover she liked. Now, she knew the saying, don’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes the design choices were a good indication of what was hidden inside. “You.” Teagan chirped, grabbing Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. She read the back cover as she turned on her heel and finished her trek to the counter, offering a warm smile to the clerk.

“Good day, ma’am. I’d like to purchase these, please.”

“These are some good choices”, Leah chirped, as eager as ever to help the stranger in front of her.  “Milk and Honey was super popular a few years ago- have you always been interested in poetry?”  She loved new customers.  They were new potential Literature Lovers, (alliteration was so much fun), comrades in the ever growing world of knowledge and learning.  She was sure she hadn’t seen the woman who had walked up to the desk before, and so she knew to ask one of the most important questions as she began to ring her out.  “Are you signed up for our rewards program?  You can buy ten books and get your eleventh for free!”

There was something vaguely familiar about this stranger, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.  She took a glance at the other book the woman was picking out, titled ‘The (lack of) Commitments: Tips for Those Terrified of Taking the Next Step’. Very specific.  Bookstore ownership was a lot like being a doctor, in a way.  Leah got a good look into people’s personal lives, but it wasn’t right to pry. 

Even though it was so, so tempting.

“You know, books are some of the most effective ways to solve one’s personal problems.”

“Um…no. People have always said I talk like a poet, but someone I’m seeing writes poetry. Thought I’d give reading some a go.” The nix smiled, it falling quickly at the mention of a program. What in Fates was the clerk talking about? When it came to purchases, the fae in Teagan’s old Aos Sí still utilized the trade and barter system. It made a hell of a lot more sense than this damn currency humans were so obsessed with, but if she was going to exist among them, Teagan had to conform a little. She’d still drown a few humans and kill a few hunters, but that was for her to know. 

“I…” Teagan’s brows pinched together, confusion tensing her face as she attempted to decipher the cluster of words presented to her. And she thought she was good at disarming people and stumping people with the things she said. “I apologize. I don’t know what a rewards program is. Sounds like a scheme, and I take pride in not getting wrapped up in those.” 

The nymph tensed a hand through her hair, standing a bit straighter. She didn’t want to seem combative, but she was anxious enough purchasing books on topics that gave her grief. “S-sorry.” Teagan shook away her tumbling thoughts, opting to not get annoyed with the clerk. “You’re right though. I—uh, about solving personal problems with books. Lots of information.” 

With an awkward smile, Teagan offered a hand to shake, brows upward with worry. “I’m Teagan, by the way. I’m a bit tense—what with the reason I’m buying these books in the first place.” Why was she telling a stranger this? “Sorry.”

Leah smiled, looking at the woman with a tender gaze.  “That’s sweet, I bet they’ll feel incredibly touched.”  She looked again at the Lack of Commitments book, though, wondering if the poor woman was already doomed.  She scanned the books quickly, hearing the tell-tale beep of the register as their names appeared on the screen in front of her.  “Not a scheme”, she explained, placing the books into one of their signature tote bags.  More than a few of her customers had been confused by common practices in stores, and she was always willing to explain.  “More of an incentive for customers to return.  Lots of stores do it now, here…”

Leah reached into the draw of the counter, pulling out a small index card with ten books printed along the border.  In the center, it read, “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card!”.  She punched holes in two of the books, and then handed the card over to the woman.  “Once you buy eight more books, you get to take one home for free, just for being a loyal customer!  Doesn’t that sound fantastic?!”

The customer seemed tense.  Was she coming on too strong?  She had a tendency to, she thought, especially when it came to literature.  She nodded, opting to slip the receipt into her bag, lest she turn her off any more.  She perked up, though, when she heard the customer's name.  “Teagan?”, she asked, remembering how Arden raved and ranted about her new fae friend.  It wasn’t the most uncommon name, but it was too good to just be a coincidence, right?  She held out her hand to shake Teagan’s, wondering if Arden had ever mentioned her.  “I’m Leah.  And I love hearing about people’s woes.  No need to apologize!”  She studied Teagan’s face, trying to find any pop of recognition that might indicate fae.  “What’s got you feeling so tense about your relationship?  I’m sure they’re very fond of you, don’t you think?”

“That’s the hope,” Teagan chirped back to the clerk, smiling bashfully. What was she doing? This was never going to work, was it? Things hardly went in the nix’s favor. Hell, her first and only legitimate relationship ended just as quickly as it started. Any notion of delving further into emotions quickly dissuaded by going under the sheets of the bed.

Abigail had complied easily, but it was only a matter of time before she had gotten cut with one of Teagan’s broken pieces. The fae decided it was best to let go before that was the case, and despite the two seeing one another again just a few weeks ago, Teagan felt nothing but guilt. She should’ve never allowed Abigail to get so close. Maybe it was best if she pulled away from Arden before it was too late. Maybe it was best—

“Hm?”

There was now a card with holes in her hand, and the woman in front of her was talking as if she knew the fae, or at least recalled her name. Teagan blinked a few times, recalibrating and feeling a lightbulb flicker to life at the sound of the name Leah. Oh. Oh no. This was Arden’s best friend. Had to be. Books galore, short, and she recognized Teagan’s name. 

Her eyes widened then, realizing that Leah now saw the books she was getting, and likely put it all together if she knew who Teagan was. Oh Fates. There was too much silence, wasn’t there? “Leah. Right. Um, it’s not a relationship.” Teagan nervously chuckled, feeling a little too vulnerable. “We haven’t—well, you see, we’re just figuring it out and I’m not—Well, I’m trying to—” How was such a tiny woman so intimidating? “I’m sorry. Are you…Arden’s friend?”

Things were quiet for a long time.  Leah had definitely screwed this up.  When she was 12, a well-meaning (screw it, a rude) great aunt of hers told her in no uncertain terms how strange it was that she was either tight-lipped silent and shy or overbearingly informative about a topic few cared about, with no in between.  She had mulled the thought over for weeks, especially after her brother laughed in agreement.  Here now again, the rude aunt’s sentiments were proving to be true.  You were supposed to bond with your best friend’s new romantic interest, not scare them away. Her eyes fell to the bag as she slid it across to Teagan amidst their silence.  Was she truely a potential romantic interest if she was checking out books about being afraid of commitment?  

She pressed her lips together, eyes shooting.  “Well, I mean, it could be a relationship, right?  I mean, it has the potential to be a relationship… I’m sure.  What is it if it’s not a relationship?”  Too nosy, and too forward, too.  She was sounding bitchy and she knew it, but she suddenly felt like she had to protect Arden, and she didn’t know why.  

Oh shit. 

Teagan had figured her out, just as she had figured out the fae.  This change of pace calmed her, somehow, and she felt her face soften, but only slightly. “I am.  And you’re her…”  What should she call it?  Especially since Teagan clearly just said they’re not in a relationship.  “She’ll be upset we met before she had the chance to introduce us”, is what she managed to say instead.  

The prying made more sense then. There was a need to delve deeper because the matters of that particular heart—Arden’s heart—were tethered tightly to Leah’s. What was that like? To have someone with the need to protect? Leah moved with precision, making choices like a game of chess with all odds against Teagan. All for the sake of her friend’s heart. It was beautiful, really. 

Had it not been for the way her heart twisted and turned green with jealousy, Teagan would’ve been happy for Arden. She was truly lucky to have someone care so much. Who would do the same for Teagan? Who would have the same passion? Her family had made it clear that she had no place with them, and everyone was held at such a distance. Her loneliness was her own doing. Question was though, did Teagan even need protection? She was the monster, not Arden. She’d done more harm than good in her life, and to wish for something like that was outright pathetic. 

Still, the nix managed to collect herself enough to shake her head and gather her items from the counter. “I should go. I’m sorry. I should…sorry.” Because Leah was right. Arden would be upset about the two of them meeting without her supervision, especially when Teagan was saying things that pointed everywhere except the path to a relationship.

“‘Preciate the books, and um….” Her words trailed off as she backed away, door in her sights and her feet ready to flutter her away. In the midst of her awkward panic, Teagan muttered away with what sounded like nonsense. The welsh tone was much too thick to decipher much of anything, and the fae took the chance of distraction to help when she made a break for the door. Not the best first meeting of your maybe-maybe-not-girlfriend’s best friend, but it could’ve gone worse. 

Well, she hoped so at least. 

[nicsalazar]

Girl on fire || Leah & Nicole

TIMING: Last night, 3am LOCATION: Fully Booked PARTIES: @phoenixleah  & @nicsalazar SUMMARY: A bookwyrm infestation gets out of hand. Forcing Leah to take desperate measures. CONTENT WARNING: None.

Leah couldn’t imagine a worse nightmare than the one she was facing now.

Sure, she’d dreamt about nightmarish bookwyrm infestations plenty of times, but dreams were dreams and by the time she woke up from her slumber, they were mostly forgotten.  But this,  this… she didn’t know how the shit had hit the fan so fast.  She’d been too distracted, clearly, with worries about Arden and the goo and just about everything else in town.  Because a normal Leah (a Leah whose mind was free to think clearly) wouldn’t have brushed it off when Fabian mentioned seeing “two little weird worm dudes” in the break room a few weeks ago.  And after all, while Fabian was an excellent employee, most of the time, he was just like any other spacey twenty-something who sometimes ended up working there, so it made sense that she didn’t immediately see it as a threat, right?   Right?!

But before she knew it, Fully Booked was Fully infested.  The phone was ringing off the hook with complaints that they’d been sold books with no words inside.  People were bringing potential purchases up to the front counter in pieces.  It was a catastrophe.  And it was getting worse by the minute.  It seemed that wherever one looked in the store, they could easily spot nine or ten of the little suckers, just itching to suck the words off of the first book they could get their little disgusting mouths on.  And if she didn’t do something quick, it was going to get worse.  

At this point, the store was so infested, Leah had to close it down for a week just to save face.  The wyrms were everywhere, and it seemed like they were doubling by the minute.  Leah knew that now it wasn’t only Fully Booked’s inventory that was at risk, because with such a high rate of reproduction, she was worried about the literary future of all of Wicked’s Rest.  She couldn’t let that happen.  Not with how many important books there were in the town.  Not with the library and the scribary and just… everything.  Not even if it meant sacrificing everything in her own store to stop it.

Which was why Leah was standing just inside the front entrance of her very own store at three in the morning with her girlfriend; the store she built from practically the ground up and meticulously chose the inventory for, ready to burn everything inside to the ground.  

Nicole didn’t trust many things. It was a work in progress, she knew. Trust wasn’t a feeling she was familiar with, nor a word she’d ever use lightly. She hoped, one day, once the tender parts of her heart weren’t so tender anymore to be able to throw the word around more easily. For now, however, there were roughly three things in her life she trusted: Her proficiency to come up with the worst-case scenario, her ability to persist despite adversity, and Leah. She trusted Leah above her damn self. 

If that meant, being up at three in the morning, ensuring their pets were safely in their apartment with no possibility of sneaking downstairs, because Leah announced they had a “literary emergency” then so fucking be it. She did exactly that. Leah wasn’t taking this lightly. She would never make the choice of burning her lifelong dream over a simple inconvenience. No, the infestation had gotten out of hand. It happened right under their noses, and Nicole knew, as heartbroken as her girlfriend was, that she also carried a huge amount of guilt for allowing it to happen in the first place. She’d heard her lamenting all evening, looking back on what she could’ve done better. It was easy, to get stuck on errors, to dwell on mistakes until fully consumed by those thoughts. Nicole didn’t want that for Leah. She knew too well how fucking slippery that slope was. They had to act, and fast. 

She trusted Leah above everything, which is why she didn’t question the way she wanted to approach her problem. By burning it all down. Alarms should’ve been going off, she was a firefighter, aiding the woman she loved in arson, basically. This fire, Leah’s fire, was unlike anything she’d ever dealt with in the forest. Nicole knew Leah had control over her powers, flames were less likely to jump around and threaten their surroundings. But like the cautious pair they were, they had still come up with safety measures. They couldn’t leave anything to luck. So they wouldn’t. 

Her eyes were patient, taking in the sight of her girlfriend, small with grief. Nicole would rather someone punched her in the stomach. She swallowed against the knot in her throat, picking up one of the boxes filled with books deemed unsavable and walking over to the center of the room. At least Leah had managed to save every scribe book, and locked them up upstairs. It was one of those silver linings she would’ve never looked for, before meeting the woman in front of her. She grunted as she set the box on the ground, ignoring the sting of pain in her lower back. She moved slowly near her girlfriend, offering a hand. 

“Just the box with the duck herding books left. You sure you don’t want me to add it?” There was a lilt of teasing in her voice. She knew it would at least get a laugh out of Leah. Those fucking duck herding books were likely to survive the apocalypse at this point. Unwanted, even by bookwyrms. “We can still back down,” she reassured gently, bringing a hand over Leah’s shoulder and pulling her in. She trusted Leah, more than anything in the world. But Nicole still needed to ask. In case the woman she loved had somehow, very uncharacteristically missed another solution to their problem. “Are you really… confident you wanna go ahead with it?”

Somehow, over the time it took the bookwyrms to completely overtake the store, they somehow ended up upstairs in their apartment too, so Nicole and Leah had taken the better part of the day to bring down what they couldn’t salvage of Leah’s personal library. It was a devastating blow, to pile up books to burn that she’d been collecting since she was a teenager, but the fact that the bookwyrms had managed to make their way up to their home in the first place made it obvious that this was the right thing to do.  

She let out a low sigh and grabbed Nicole’s hand, squeezing it tight. There was a smile and a hint of a chuckle, soft and amused, at Nicole’s joke.  “We’d better not.  They might just come in handy after all… we’ll change our name to Fully Ducked.” She resisted the urge to lean into Nicole completely, lest she irritate her back anymore than it already was.  “It needs to be done”, she confirmed with a nod, although she was shaking her head.  She still couldn’t believe this was happening.  “If I don’t do it now, I truly never will.  And we can’t let them spread any further than they already have.  The scribary and the library… they’re just too important.”  A book was a book.  And books and literacy were such important parts of her life, but knowledge was so much more than just words on a page.  “One day, we’ll look back on this and know we did the right thing.  We’ll laugh at ourselves for being so hesitant.”

She sent a final look to Nicole, and she felt her face soften at just the sight of her, despite the hardness of the situation that surrounded them.  Then, she turned back toward the store, toward the shelves she built with her own two hands; toward the books she coveted and loved to pass on to the people of Wicked’s Rest.  And then, in the hand that wasn’t squeezing Nicole’s, she created a fireball.  There was no hesitation or uneasiness in the flames that rested there.  Instead, there was assuredness.  Leah was ready.  

Nicole had kept her firefighter brain on at all times, even if she was dealing with a extremely rare type of fire. Maybe in hindsight, none of these measures would be necessary. But considering they were already losing one steady income, she couldn’t possibly risk losing their apartment because they were careless. She had been adamant about moving the books that needed burning right to the center of the room, away from walls or other places the fire could jump to. Even if that meant emptying almost every shelf. She had made sure to push against the walls every other surface or material that could potentially serve as fuel. She was heavily in charge of all physical activity needed to get the bookshop the most adequate shape for the controlled burn. It was, in a lot of ways, like doing her job. It had been arduous, sure. Especially with a back that continued giving her unexplainable pain, but at least she’d been able to keep her hands busy. Chase away the anxious thoughts. 

Because she was fucking anxious. So many things could go wrong. She had seen Leah’s fire. She knew what she was capable of. But what was needed now was far more than a flame in her palms. It required power she’d never seen on display, even if the other had in her. As always, her mind was plagued by horrible scenarios. Leah could hurt herself. Her apartment could be touched by the flames. The bookwyrms could still be there by the end. What if it was in vain? She didn’t like any of it. But again, she trusted Leah. She wouldn’t do it unless something bigger was threatened. 

Seeing the small smile cross Leah’s features more than soothed her own nerves. Reminded Nicole who was losing her dream so suddenly and unfairly. Her heart ached for Leah. “Can’t sell them with a discount then— bad for business” she raised an eyebrow, letting out a breathy laugh. She pulled Leah closer, lips gently pressing against her hairline. “Fully Ducked is too close to Fully Fucked… kids will bully you” Nicole pointed out in an absent mumble. She was really thinking about it. What they’d do after. What was next? Leah would land on her feet, surely, but it was possible she’d hurt herself in the process. 

“Okay,” she nodded, her hand rubbing up and down Leah’s arm soothingly. Leah wasn’t backing down, she was determined —as always— the same arguments they had gone over earlier resounding with a lot more finality now that the stage was set. “Alright. Then— fuck. I’m— Gotta do it” she stepped away, Leah’s hand still in hers, while her gaze darted around not to lose sight of the fire extinguisher. “And your fire— How you feel about that? This is— don’t think I’ve seen you do something this big before”. 

Leah chuckled again, despite herself- no, despite the situation.  She was facing something devastating and colossal and Nicole was managing to make her chuckle.  Even in a moment as desperate as this, she wondered how she got so lucky.  “No, we’ll be needing all the full priced duck books we can get, won’t we?”, she asked rhetorically.  Looking back at Nicole, she managed to shoot her a playful shrug, shaking her head as if to quell her worry of these potential bullies.  “I’m not afraid of them.  The bullies can come up with all the names they want.  That immunity spell I made up when I was 10 made me immune to their vicious words.”

Though Nicole had stepped back, their hands remained clasped, and Leah squeezed hers as she answered her inquiry.  “I know it’s big, but I have it covered.  I’ve been… practicing while you’re away”.  Apparently, Nicole had yet to notice that they seemed to have new sets of bedsheets each time she returned, the former ones being burned in Leah’s elaborate practice.  “It’ll take a lot out of me, yes, but it’s definitely possible, okay?  And there’s no one better than you here to fix things if they do go wrong, right?  We have two opposite ends of the fire spectrum on our side, and the apartment will be fine.  I’m sure of it.” 

The flames in her hands kicked and buckled, desperate to be released.  “I think Abuelo Luis would be proud of this decision, don’t you?  He thought I might know best what to do with this building, and he, well… he cared about knowledge and the preservation of it just about more than anyone I’ve ever met, so… I think… he’d think this was the right decision.”  She swallowed hard, only half believing what she was saying.  She wished merely speaking it into existence would make it so, but she wasn’t so sure. “We’ll rebuild our inventory.  With donations and fundraising, it won’t take long, I think.  No, this is only a page in Fully Booked’s… Book.  There are so many chapters that haven’t been written yet.”

Leah’s light chuckle filled the room, and Nicole’s gaze softened. It never stopped feeling like an accomplishment, making her smile. Especially now, when their future looked a little more uncertain. “Should be thankful— They refused to disappear from the backroom.” Saved by duck herding, who would’ve thought? “We’ll need your best saleswoman skills.” She knew Leah had struggled with those books in particular, but surely she’d rise to the occasion. If anyone could sell something as useless as duck herding books it’d be her. She was the scrappiest person she’d ever met. 

Leah had mentioned honing her fire skills before, it became somewhat of a necessity after they were attacked by a hunter in broad daylight. But how far Leah went in order to perfect her craft, Nicole wasn’t sure. Even as she and Andy took care of the man in the art walk, she had fumbled slightly. But if Leah said she had it covered then— she had to believe she was speaking from confidence, and not from stubbornness. It looked to be the case, Nicole knew her enough by now to be able to tell the difference. “Won’t let anything happen to you” she promised, solemnly. And though she was referring to this moment right here, in the bookstore, she knew that to be true for the rest of her life.  

She glanced back at the measures she’d taken to ensure nothing happened to Leah and the rest of the bookstore: A bucket of water on the ground. Just enough to give the woman a shock, not… end her life. Thick blankets to snuff out the oxygen and kill her flames faster. The obvious fire extinguisher, if the flames from main fire rose too high. The fire department’s number ready to go, if things truly, got out of control. That wouldn’t— It couldn’t come to that. But if it did, she knew she’d have to follow the rest of their plan, which was to exit the building and let Leah go up to rescue their pets. She’d fought that one the most, but eventually understood why she’d only be a hinder. Nicole was weighing the pros and cons since Leah had come up with her plan. For example, earlier that day, her heart sank to her stomach at the thought of the flames engulfing nearby apartments like Agatha and her tap-dancing ghost husband's. But being so close to kickoff, watching the fire crackle on Leah’s palm was making reality sink in a whole lot faster. 

“He was right”. Her lips pressed into a somber grimace, her lips unable to go with a smile at the mention of Leah’s grandfather. Her girlfriend had always spoken so highly of him, Nicole felt like part of her knew him deeply. She wished so, at least. Judging what she knew, she had no doubt the man would’ve been proud of Leah regardless of whether she never built the bookshop. She hadn’t been there for the start of the remodelation, but she’d seen the pictures. Leah had built Fully Booked from the ground. Luis would’ve been over the moon. “You’re taking care of his journals, the rest can be restored” she repeated one of the first arguments Leah had brought up when she came up with the idea. Nicole figured the repetition would bring some extra assurance. “If anyone can do it, it’ll be you” she nodded, her faith in Leah snuffing out whatever doubts remained. This was a hiccup. Or— The literary analogy was smart too. Better.

Her hand reluctantly let go, stepping back closer to the wall. The extinguisher was by her feet.  “Whenever you’re ready. I love you. You got this”.

“Never thought they would actually come in handy.  Maybe I shouldn’t have been giving them out like candy”, Leah retorted.  She was glad, at least, that they’d have something to build their inventory on.  “I don’t mind being Fully Ducked to keep us from being Fully Fucked, at least for now.”  Nicole had thought of everything her mind couldn’t comprehend.  It was no secret that fire safety wasn’t exactly her forte, it was kind of exactly the opposite, actually.  But her final words of reassurance were all Leah really needed left to urge her forward, and, with a final sigh, she got herself started.

Swiftly, she threw her first fireball toward the pile of books in the center of the room, the flames catching the infested pages rather quickly.  She watched the fire- rage and anger destroying what was left of the pages and, more importantly, the menaces inside that had started the destruction. Tears fell freely down her cheeks, the emotion that spurred them on strong enough to heal even the worst of injuries, but there were no vials to catch them, not this time.  As the pages burned, she thought of when she first walked inside the building after her grandfather died, crying similar tears to the ones she was now.  Although, those had been born out of sheer grief and desperation, and the ones that fell now were angry and bitter.

She thought of all the customers who walked through her doors, of the bell that signaled when someone was entering or leaving.  She thought of the events and the bulletin board, and the cute little children’s section that a local teen painted one summer.  She thought of Fabian’s awful fall display and the years of tactful, symmetrical displays that came before his.  These thoughts weren’t cathartic or comforting.  If anything, they served to make her angrier, and more desperate to turn back time and experience it all again.

Leah watched as one of the bookwyrms managed to wriggle out of the pile and into another pile of books to its left, and the very sight flipped a switch in her mind.  Suddenly, the anger came to a head, and she threw more fire at the next pile of books, making sure to send a particular amount of heat to all the worms that were feasting there.  She wished she could smell their flesh burning in the air.  With a yell, she sent another fireball at some piles of books, and then another, and another, until all the books were alight with rageful, licking sparks.  

At some point during this process, she had switched into her flame state, but she was too busy (or angry) to notice.  The fireballs were coming nonstop now, and some of them were threatening to take over Nicole’s fireline.  But she kept throwing, and she kept yelling, and she kept hoping, hoping, hoping, that those godforsaken fucking wyrms were feeling every ounce of pain she was.

Nicole let out another huff, her second poor attempt at a laugh. She wasn’t so sure about the store rebranding, but in the end, it all helped Leah get out of her head before her impossible task. Distract her from the real pain and grief she was feeling over the loss of her dream with some quirky hypothetical. And— No, not a loss. It was a pause, of sorts. If she were a more adept wordsmith, she would’ve tried her luck with another literary metaphor, but that wasn’t the case. 

She crossed her arms over her chest, mostly to stop herself from wanting to reach out, as Leah got into position, and began channeling her power. And— shit. Did she need music or something? Of course, she’d forgotten about something. No matter how many time she went over the plan, she knew something would slip. Maybe she could still find “Girl on fire” in that… Spotify app. Her mouth opened to ask, a second before Leah whipped her first fireball toward the books. Okay. She was going to be fine. No need to fret, it would be detrimental to both of them if Nicole freaked out. “I’m right here behind you” she spoke, mustering far more composure than she felt in her bones. 

There would always be a part of her that found fire fascinating. Which, Nicole supposed was contradictory with being a firefighter. Or maybe it made perfect sense. From the casual bonfire, to the blazing inferno she dealt with at work, to this, phoenix flames licking at blank pages, soon to leave no trace of the books it was consuming or the worms that doomed them to burn. She understood why someone could be drawn to the beauty of a fire. The colors, the movement. Nicole welcomed the warmth spreading beneath her sternum, the temperature rising in the room, the heat radiating off Leah as she watched the all too familiar sight before her eyes. 

As expected, the flames moved by Leah’s command, unlike any other type of fire Nicole had ever seen. Some, rather, most of her fears were squandered watching her girlfriend retain her control. Pride wrapped around her ribcage and love swelled in her chest. Nicole was certain there wasn’t anyone as incredible as her girlfriend. She noticed a few of the worms trying to escape their fate, only to be engulfed by fire a moment later. It was going well, despite the clear exertion Leah seemed to be feeling. Her breath grew ragged from the effort, her heartbeat spiked, sobbing sounds escaped her lips. Nicole felt ill. 

Something burst amid Leah’s flames, her body no longer fully human, long wings expanding. Nicole had never seen Leah’s body transform this way before, and it continued doing so. Until she was closer to a majestic flaming bird. Teetering towards the full flame state. Something was off, though. It shouldn’t have come to this.  “Leah…” her voice rose above her normal volume, the tension evident in her tone. What if this meant her control was slipping? If her own experience was to go by, she was no longer in charge of her body once the animal took over. She had to snap Leah out of it. She didn’t like the idea of shocking her with a bucket of water, as much as it had been planned. She knew there could be consequences to her fire. “LEAH!” she shouted, hoping her words could still reach Leah’s ears. “You did it— You… that’s enough to burn it all down. Trust me!”  

Leah had forgotten where she was.  She might have even forgotten who she was.  At the moment, all there was inside was rage and devastation.  It was always interesting to hear how often the two intersected, weaving together as one or teetering in and out of each other like threads of fabric.  And when the two intersected, it was so easy to get lost in them.  To gravitate towards them like moths to a flame, until they consumed everything. All her thoughts were focused on fire and lost memories, and revenge, and wasted potential, and god damn fucking book wyrms.

Oh, and also, a tiny, sweet voice somewhere in the background calling out her name.

Nicole’s heart was normally such a gentle, steady thumping that Leah was surprised she didn’t notice its erratic beat before she heard her voice calling her back.  But where once there was nothing, there it all was again, and Leah somehow felt whole again.  The shell anger had disappeared as quickly as the flames that surrounded her body did, and all that was left, for now, was the despair.  Well, the despair, and a take-charge attitude.

“My phone”, she heard herself whisper, holding her hand out to Nicole to hand it to her.  She didn’t let go of Nicole’s hand after she gave it over, but instead leaned into her, exhausted and sad and spent.  

“Hello?  I have an emergency, please come quick”, she said through teary eyes to the fire department.  Was that Nicole’s friend, Greg?  “There’s been a devastating fire at Fully Booked.”

[longislandcharm]

PARTIES: Winter (@longislandcharm) and Arden (@stainedglasstruth) WHERE: A Latte to Love TIME:  Mid-August SUMMARY: A medium and a scribe meet for coffee. One is overzealous for information and the other is understandably cautious. A nice discussion is had despite some unpleasant reminders of the past. WARNINGS: None

The coffee shop that the other suggested was bustling that day making Winter worry that her conversation with the person she was meeting would be overheard. She hesitated in the doorway, the aroma of a dark roast hitting her while she contemplated turning around and leaving, but her insatiable need to figure out what was going on had her feet moving forward. Information on such a subject as hers didn’t come easy when it came to books, at least not information she felt she could trust anyway. It all seemed like made up bullshit to her but who was she to judge when she’d just figured out she could see spirits after pretending to do so her whole life?

With the shop so full, the medium could only thank herself for looking up pictures of the other on their blog but it didn’t seem like they were there just yet. Winter’s impatience flared for a split second before she remembered that she needed something from this person and therefore needed to be nice to this person. A mantra started to play in her head: ‘Chill out, be cool, keep your smile.’ It was something she’d taught herself over the years, something that kept her calm when fans of her show were starting to annoy her, and luckily it was starting to work as she made her way to the front counter. 

Only moments later, a chai tea latte was in her hand while she took a seat at a table against the wall of the shop. The further away from other people that they were the better. Winter was watching the door like a hawk and the moment Arden walked through the door she was on her feet, latte saving their table, and smiling brightly at them. “Hey, Arden, right? I got us a table back there. Please excuse my eagerness here, I’ve just been researching for weeks and haven’t found any answers to what I’m looking for.” Pausing to let all of that sink in, she pointed towards the front counter. “What can I get you?”

She hated being late, even if she was only running a couple of minutes behind. Arden wasn’t exactly at peak performance these days, and she was trying to give herself the same grace she would give Wynne or Teagan were it them in her position, but, as always, it was easier said than done. Also, easier said than done? Doing your makeup with your nondominant hand, so that you don’t look like such a disaster in front of someone you don’t know. So, while she was a little late, at least she didn’t look like she had barely gotten any sleep the past few weeks.

It was clearly a busy day at A Latte to Love, but she didn’t have time to worry about finding Winter before the woman was approaching her. “You must be Winter, it’s nice to meet you,” she smiled. “No worries. The eagerness is kind of refreshing, honestly.” The only other person Arden was used to seeing get excited about research was Leah. “Oh, can I just get a nitro cold brew?”. Caffeine had been keeping her going, and she could use the boost for this conversation. 

Winter was looking into ghosts for some reason, and she was curious to know why, and what exactly the other wanted to know. She knew a good amount about specters from her years as a Scribe, though her knowledge was likely nothing compared to Lil, Jonas, and the rest of the Ballards. They had practical knowledge, while she only had what she had learned from books. Still, that seemed to be more than Winter had at the moment, which was probably a good thing depending on the situation. Arden knew better than most what could happen if humans learned of and started fucking around with powerful forces they didn’t understand. 

She would feel out the situation, and act accordingly. Whether that be lying, sharing tales, sharing actual information, or directing Winter to the Ballards, she had yet to see.

Nodding at the order request, Winter looked over toward the barista who also nodded in turn before turning to make the drink for them. Good to know they were prompt here. “Not a lot of people jumping for knowledge around here then? Glad I could mix it up a bit.” If anything, Winter always liked to stand out, even with an activity that seemed as monotonous as research did. But her curiosity extended beyond the ghost stuff as her eyes traveled over Arden’s injured arm, the girl not even thinking before she blurted out her next question. “What happened there?” Her eyes met Arden’s again, only a beat of the heart passing before Winter realized that question could have been invasive and therefore considered rude. No need to piss off the person who was going to help her. “I mean, you’re okay to do this right? I just want to make sure you’re not in any pain or anything.” 

Her name was called as the cold brew was placed on the counter, Winter grabbing the coffee so that Arden didn’t have to worry about it. “Follow me.” God, she sounded like a schoolgirl as renewed energy for this research flowed through her. If she were being honest with herself she had started to lose any hope of finding out what she needed so she was practically giddy having a new lead. Taking a seat at the table, she barely waited for Arden to get situated before speaking again. 

“I know this is a weird topic and probably not a normal conversation for you but I really do need to learn what I can about spirits.” Her eyes flicked over to the ghost standing near the counter watching them looking bored before going right back to Arden. She had to be careful with the questions she asked her though, not wanting to spill the whole truth behind what was going on. But most people knew her from her show so she felt that was a good place to start. “I’m a medium, I have a show that I do, but something weird happened with it during filming and it raised a lot of questions.” Winter still didn’t know how to proceed with this without revealing she couldn’t actually see them before but she did her best to tiptoe around that fact. “Have you ever read anything about why a ghost won’t…leave?”

Arden shrugged with her good shoulder. “I mean, I’m sure there are more, but not many I get to know. It’s usually just me and my friend being nerds together. But this is a nice change of pace.” She followed Winter’s gaze down to her arm. “Oh, uh, some guy tried to mug me a few weeks back.” It was the excuse she’d been sticking with– simple, straightforward, probable. “It’s fine, though, more of a pain in the ass than anything, but it'll be off by September. And I think I can manage to talk some research, yeah,” she added with a slight smirk. 

Coffee secured, she followed Winter back to the table she had grabbed. Almost immediately after sitting down, the woman launched into the discussion. It seemed she was genuinely excited about the research she was doing, and seeing it made Arden smile. “Oh, you’d be surprised,” she said, reaching for her cup. “Weird is kind of the norm around here.” Taking a sip of coffee, she listened as Winter vaguely explained her situation.

Another medium. Interesting. And one who had her own show, no less. She had never watched that sort of thing; there were so many people out there who faked it for the money, and the whole thing seemed a bit exploitative of people who were grieving. However, she supposed it would make sense that some of them were genuine, it would be a way to use your ability and help people for a living.  Even if Winter was a fraud, Arden couldn't see the harm in entertaining this topic. In fact, there was more potential for harm if the spirit wasn't addressed. Lil was busy enough, she didn't need to deal with another poltergeist in addition to her usual job and trying to learn about haunted crystals. 

That was a simple enough question, one she knew the answer to, at least. "Well, you know the whole thing about people having some kind of unfinished business, right? It’s possible that there’s something that they need to do before they can move on.” Just like with vampires and stakes to the heart, there was a reason it appeared in practically every piece of media about them. “But they do need to choose to move on,” Arden added as she took another sip. 

“Hey, I like a good nerd. I suppose I could be considered one myself…just a more fashionable one.” Winter shrugged a shoulder, not realizing her comment could have been taken as an insult as she hadn’t intended it to be. “That’s awful. If people put as much effort into a job as they did into hurting others this society would be a better place. I’m glad it won’t be too much longer for you though, I bet it is a pain.” She wasn’t speaking from experience but she’d had friends who did nothing but complain the whole time they were in a cast before. It was as much a pain for Winter as it was for said friends.

“Yea…I’m starting to understand that. I don’t think I’ve been in a town outside of Salem that leaned so much into the rumors that spread about it.” Each shop seemed to have some sort of play on words when it came to their name, almost all having to do with the macabre. If she didn’t know any better, she would say this was the town that the children's movie, Halloweentown, was based on. Winter wasn’t against it though, she’d always loved the holiday.

Her information seemed to match the stuff that she’d read in books already and Winter again glanced at the man who wouldn’t leave her alone. What unfinished business did this guy have? How was she supposed to find that out if he was just as stubborn as her and refused to talk? When the word ‘choose’ hit her though, her gaze moved back to Arden. “He’s a stubborn ass. Is there a way to find out what he might need without actually talking to him? Since he refuses to do that?” When she looked up at him again the ghost was giving her a sardonic wave as if he could hear what was going on and Winter had to wonder how far a ghost's abilities could reach. Was he able to listen in on this conversation? “And what if he never accomplishes his unfinished business?”

Arden raised a brow, wondering if that was meant to be a dig at her. She hadn’t been able to wear a good portion of her clothes since the incident. Certain pieces were just too much of a hassle to put on with the splint and only one hand, at least not without getting assistance from Wynne or Teagan, so she’d been dressing more casually. And even with makeup covering her dark circles, she definitely wasn’t looking her best. But she brushed the comment aside for now. Winter had been pleasant so far, both online and in person, she probably hadn’t meant it like that. She was probably just insecure and overthinking it, as always. “The aforementioned nerd friend is also pretty into fashion, so you’re not alone there,” she smiled. 

Biting her tongue, she steered clear of the job comment, not having the energy to touch on that topic. Instead, Arden focused on the second half of the statement. “It’s a bit of a pain, yeah, but it is what it is,” she shrugged. “I’m lucky, really, it could’ve been a lot worse.” She’d been surrounded by vampires who’d wanted to turn her into spawn, and she had gotten away with only an elbow fracture and a nip on the neck. 

She grinned at the comparison to Salem. “Yeah, a lot of the town loves it and the tourism board really likes to lean into it since it attracts that same kind of crowd. You wouldn’t necessarily think that tales of terrifying creatures would be something people actively seek out, but the spooky, cryptid community is large,” she smiled, taking a sip of her coffee. “Having the park here only adds to it with all the stories that tend to come out about state parks.”

Was Winter being haunted by the ghost of some guy, then? “To be fair, it’s not necessarily always an active choice, sometimes– I’d assume the majority of the time– it’s a subconscious one.” Arden felt the need to clarify that fact before actually thinking about the question. “I’m not aware of something like that, but, to be fair, I’m not an expert. I could give you the contact information for another medium in town. Maybe they know of some way to do that.” She felt bad at the prospect of involving Lil into yet another situation considering everything she was dealing with. She brushed the thoughts aside for now, pausing as she considered the situation. 

“Is he not speaking at all? Does he react to you at all? Because maybe he doesn’t understand English, or he’s deaf or mute or something? …though, I suppose if that were the case, he would probably try communicating in that language.” She frowned, propping her head up on her arm as she stared blankly out the store window. “If he doesn’t want to talk, maybe he’d prefer to write or type something out? Depending on how powerful he is, though, that might be difficult…” Arden sighed, not really seeing any good solutions for the situation Winter had found herself in. 

And, if she couldn’t find any solution… “The longer a spirit remains, the more powerful they become,” she said, keeping her voice low. “However, as that time passes, the likelihood of them turning into a poltergeist increases. They lose themselves in their emotions, and become more powerful, unpredictable, and dangerous.” She had, thankfully, not had any ghostly counters but she had read some first-hand accounts– collected by the Scribes, of course– and they had ranged from incredibly unpleasant to incredibly scary. A powerful poltergeist was no joke. “But, you can go to an exorcist before that happens. If I’m not mistaken, they should be able to help.” The accounts she’d read had mainly been about poltergeist encounters. “I’ll give you their contact info,” she nodded. Sorry, Lil!

“I might want to meet this friend of yours.” A nerd and they were into fashion? Sounded like the jackpot of people as far as she was concerned. But once again Winter realized that she might be insulting the girl sitting in front of her, the medium backtracking. “Not that I don’t enjoy the present company, of course. Just feels like I’d get along with your friend as well.” And they might be able to tell her where to find the best brands around here. 

Her eyes roamed over Arden’s arm once more as she really did feel bad for her. “Could’ve been worse? Sounds like it was a pretty bad attack then. I’ve heard of a lot of muggings happening in big cities but I didn’t think they were too common in small towns like this.” Of course, Winter had never really been to a small town in the US. She yo yoed between two major cities when she was staying at home and when she was traveling for different tours most of the locations were in a metropolis. Wicked’s Rest was an entirely new experience for her. 

“I definitely understand that. With my show, I get a lot of that crowd. I think people are fascinated with the idea of what could happen after death or yearning to know if their loved ones are still out there. As for the rest of it…I don’t know, some people like the spooky.” Winter shrugged, but Arden did pique her curiosity. “You guys have tales of cryptids around here? I saw the BigFoot place when I first got here but I thought it was just a gimmick.” 

Subconscious? Winter couldn’t understand why the ghost of a man she’d never met before that damned ritual would subconsciously feel like he had to be around her. The more she heard about this the more she felt like she’d done something extremely weird when she read from her grandmother’s book that night. The only saving grace in all of this was that Arden seemed to believe her. She wasn’t telling Winter that she needed to speak to a therapist, but referring her to another medium. “I’ve never met another medium. I get the feeling that they’re not very common.” And for some reason that idea had her swelling with pride. As much as she was starting to hate being able to see this man she did like the notion that she was special in some way. “But I would very much appreciate you putting me in contact with them.”

As Arden asked her questions, Winter looked back to her ghost who was now waving at her with a stupid grin on his face. It made her face tinge pink as her temper started up, the girl rolling her eyes before scoffing at Arden’s question. “Oh, he reacts. He knows what I’m saying but he doesn’t care that he’s driving me bananas.” He knew she was angry, the jerk ghost moving closer to the table just so he could torment her more. And he had to have caught the last bit of Arden’s suggestion because he shook his head, distaste written all over his face. “I get the feeling that he has no trouble communicating, he just doesn’t want to talk to me.” A satisfied grin pulled at the ghost’s lips, confirming what Winter suspected. God, he really was a dick.

Was that what was happening here? Had this ghost started teetering close to the edge of becoming a polter-whatever and now he only existed to cause trouble? His clothes did look like they were old. With this new information, Winter was starting to fear this ghost a little more. Dangerous was not a great word to hear in situations like this. “I appreciate the information and the contact. He does like to antagonize. I just hope this situation isn’t more complicated than what we’re thinking it could be.” Arden had no idea about her ritual that was performed, she didn’t know that her great grandmother had given her the tools. But maybe whoever she was sending Winter to would be able to read the text and know for sure. 

She shook her head, brushing the comments aside. “You’re fine.” Frankly, she would also prefer Leah’s company over her own– Leah was great. “I believe I mentioned the bookshop in Oldtown, Fully Booked, when we were talking; that’s her place.”

“It’s not the most common– animal attacks are more the thing to worry about here– but I do live in Worm Row, which has a bit of a reputation,” Arden rolled her eyes slightly. As long as you stayed away from the Flat, was Worm Row really that much dangerous than the rest of the fucking town? “Serpent’s Flat is a big tourist location, so you get some people trying to take advantage over there.” She shrugged her good shoulder, “I just happened to be unlucky that night.”

At the other’s words, she nodded, “I suppose you would understand, yeah. But, yes, we have a few of our own cryptids.” Arden looked around before lowering her voice conspiratorially, “Some of them are a little similar to some existing cryptid tales, but some people really don’t like hearing that.” She sat back up, a slight smile on her face. “They’re fun, though, and there’s like tours and a cryptid club and everything. One even became the university mascot,” she grinned. Wicked’s Rest was a ridiculous town, and sometimes she really loved it. 

She took another sip while Winter processed that information, nodding at the mention of contact information. Pulling out her phone, she quickly copied Lil’s number and sent it to her while it was currently on her mind. “There.”

She wasn’t expecting the animated reaction from the other, but it seemed the ghost in question must have reacted to her words. Brows furrowing, Arden hummed thoughtfully. Why wouldn’t he want to talk to Winter, who was one of a few people who could communicate with him? Even if he didn’t like her for whatever reason, wouldn’t he want to talk to someone eventually? Even if just to be a dick or out of boredom or something? What was this guy’s deal? “And you don’t know anything about him?” If she had a name, a date, a region, something, along with the man’s appearance, it might be possible to find some records, learn more about him that way. It would likely be a huge pain in the ass, going off of so little, but there was a chance. 

“Oh, of course.” She waved off the thanks. There was a slight shift in Winter’s tone that made her stomach drop. “And it doesn’t sound like an immediate worry, if he’s not doing anything,” she rushed to add. “I don’t want to freak you out you or anything, I just… I think it’s important that you understand the gravity of this stuff,” she said, voice becoming progressively more quiet as she spoke. It was impossible to maintain eye contact; she had to look away from the other woman as her emotions overtook her, grief and anxiety and guilt stewing in her stomach as Arden the reality of what she was doing sunk in. 

This conversation, it felt a little too familiar. This is exactly what she had promised herself she would never do. But Winter was a medium and actively being haunted, she was involved in the world of the supernatural in a way Jo had never been. This was good, right? Knowledge was power, and she needed to know the severity of the situation, needed to be put in contact with someone who could help her before her ghost problem became a poltergeist problem …right? 

It wasn’t the same, Winter wasn’t Jo, and she had known what this was. She agreed to show up, to talk to Winter, and she had made the decision to tell her. Still, she couldn’t help the fear that gripped her heart. She could picture the headlines, ‘TV Medium Missing in Maine.’ 

Arden worried at her lip for a moment before speaking again. “You know, it’s not an ‘oh shit, this is really bad, time to panic’ thing, just a ‘definitely consult with Lil’ situation.” The words came out in a slight rush. “That’s her name, the other medium, Lil,” she added a moment later. Great job, she thought, sarcastically, trying to steady herself. If she had known she’d start panicking and looking like an absolute disaster, she would’ve just saved herself the time she’d spent trying not to look like a mess. She could’ve just leaned into it. Hopefully it just came off as awkward and not that she was on the verge of a freak-out in the middle of her favorite coffee shop. 

She decided to drop the topic of Arden's friend for now, not wanting to stick her foot in her mouth once again. If she pissed off one of the few people here who could help her then how would she ever get anywhere with this? Of course, she was able to relax a little seeing as the other had already agreed to give her the info of someone else, another medium, and that alone sent Winter into a less...composed state. She didn't have to think about her words too much, now, and soon once she had the info she needed she could speak freely without fear of repercussions.

But she liked Arden. She'd been nothing but nice since Winter basically strong-armed her into meeting her so she wasn't going to be quick to insult if she could help it. “That's where I'm staying, actually, Worm Row. Which...is a very weird name even for this town. Worms are like a big thing here, I've noticed.“ Oh great, the very place that her hotel sits next to being the biggest target for aggressors just happened to her luck and Winter sighed with no humor mixed in. ”I'm actually right across the street from that as well. I see the big crowds at it every day but personally I don't get the appeal of it. It's just a big rock.” She eyed the other girl's arm and, figuring that she owed her, Winter nodded towards it. “If there's anything I can do, let me know. I kind of owe you for all of this and I don't think a cup of coffee is sufficient enough to pay you back. That goes for anything since I doubt I can help with that.”

She nodded, laughing at the way Arden had lowered her voice. She liked the playful side of people, it always made her more comfortable when someone was willing to joke around instead of being serious constantly. ”To be fair, I think most cryptid stories across the country have at least one similarity to them. But I'll keep my lips sealed.“ Winter mimicked locking her lips up and throwing away the key, noticing Henry rolling his eyes at her. He was getting closer, probably so he could listen in more effectively. Her attention was brought back to Arden when the girl passed the phone number, her smile brightening. Finally, a tangible lead for all of this. Gaze going back to the ghost, she gave him a victorious grin to which he sent a very rude hand gesture. ”The university's mascot is a cryptid? Okay, yea, this place has surpassed Salem in trying to lean into their reputation.“ 

She shook her head at her new friend's question. It was the ghost's turn to look victorious as she admitted to the defeat. He hadn't spoken a word to her since he'd started following her around. ”The only thing I can tell you is that he showed up in a warehouse near Long Island...and he looks like he's from the seventies or maybe eighties.“ Winter could tell she'd hit a nerve as the ghost looked away, annoyed. She must have been correct in her assumption of one of the decades. 

The reassuring tone of Arden's voice made her smile again but it was still uneasy. If she were being honest with herself, and anyone helping her with this, Winter would have admitted that he'd terrified her since showing up at her side. It wasn't an easy thing to admit, the medium always prided herself on being able to handle any situation that was thrown her way...at least in her mind. But there was also something changing with Arden, something that made Winter that much more uneasy. Perceptive as always, she noticed how Arden looked...worried? She wasn't quite sure if that was the right word for it but it seemed that way to her. The rush of her words, the chewing on her lip, it all screamed nerves. ”Are you sure it's gonna be okay? Are you okay?“

Oh. That was unfortunate. “I mean, there's always that neighborhood that has a bad rep wherever you go, but it's usually fine. Just, you know, stay alert and be careful, especially at night.” Winter likely didn't need that warning, but a reminder never hurt. “The name is from the fact it's by the Wormwoods where there are a lot of worms for some reason. Those woods have a weird little ecosystem going, apparently. But yeah, the rest of the Row gets a lot of stragglers from the woods.” Arden shrugged. “I don't understand it myself. I think it's just the mysterious nature of it feeding into the whole supernatural shtick. We're also pretty close to it– we're in that area that's close to Nightfall Grove.” Winter didn't need to know that, but she had certainly said it regardless.

She hadn’t expected Winter to offer anything else. She had gotten her some coffee, and that was basically her love language– the gift of coffee. “I appreciate that, but it's not necessary. I'm glad to help.” Admittedly, it had felt like her duty as a Scribe to check out the situation, make sure Winter wasn't getting into anything incredibly dangerous. But it was always a good feeling, being able to help. Even if all she could do personally was put the woman in contact with a more knowledgeable medium. Plus, it was always beneficial to get to know people, have another potential contact.

She grinned. Arden did love the cryptids of Wicked's Rest, of course— enough that she had Tendrilla's 'likeness' on her arm— but some of them were a bit too similar to some of the more widely known cryptids of the world. Either some of them were made up or there were multiple moth beings in the world. Which did, unfortunately, seem likely, knowing everything she did. Regardless, the town absolutely loved to lean into the supernatural. ”The university's mascot is a cryptid,“ she repeated, nodding. ”Her name is Bessie, and she's a red, fluffy cow who lives in the mountains.“ Not wanting to have to explain the Grotte de Fromage to the newcomer, she avoided the cheesy aspect entirely for now. ”At games, there's always a lot of mooing instead of regular cheers.” It was difficult to keep a straight face, explaining it. “It’s a ridiculous town.” As much as she hated the town sometimes, there was still a fondness to the words, to her smile. 

So, the ghost was a man who died in the 70s or 80s who appeared in a Long Island warehouse. It wasn't much to go on, but it was something. They had a location and a very rough estimate of the death date. “How old does he look?” The age he died could help narrow down a search enough that looking through obits, while it would be an incredibly time-consuming shot in the dark, was an option. All they needed would be to find a picture. And she explained as much to Winter.

Of course, she noticed her sudden mood change; Arden was not being subtle at all, too overwhelmed by the sudden emotions to properly maintain the facade. Winter's concerned tone only served to make her feel worse. “Yeah, no, sorry. I'm just...” She didn't know how to explain away her behavior, so she decided to give her the vaguest version of the truth possible. “I'm not used to talking about this stuff so plainly with people, I guess,” she shrugged, trying to pull herself together. “Some folks don't take it very well, and it's important to be levelheaded when it comes to this stuff. But this is a different situation.” It was clear that those words were mostly for her own benefit. This is a different situation. Winter is not Jo. 

She downed the last of her coffee, and sat up straight, flashing Winter an apologetic smile. “Sorry. That was–” It was right under the surface still, is what it was. “Yeah. Sorry.”

“I think the whole city of Manhattan gets that rep from outsiders but it’s not as bad as people make it out to be.” Which was reassuring. Winter could handle herself, she could, but that didn’t mean she liked having to do so. Making a face at the explanation, she looked down at the empty cup on the table. Worms were gross, why a town would celebrate them so much was beyond her. “Yea, no, Wicked’s Rest can keep that. I guess they’re owning it at least.” The same could be said about the cryptids around here. There was something to admire about a place that took ownership of all the weird crap that made them famous, at least famous in their own right. It was probably well known to those who enjoyed such things as red cows who lived in the mountains. “I don’t really go to sporting events much but that sounds…interesting. I hope nobody gets it mixed up with boos.”

Deciding to ignore the polite decline to her offer, Winter stored the IOU away in the back of her mind. One of these days Arden would need a favor and one of these days Winter would be around to help. It was only right, eye for an eye, that sort of thing. Eyes darting back to the ghost, she considered the question. How old did he look? “Early to mid thirties, I think. Would it help if I told you he had a severe arm injury? Like…it’s completely gone.” As she kept talking, the ghost kept getting more and more annoyed with her. He obviously didn’t want her to know who he was and whether that was because he was hiding something or he just didn’t like Winter was anyone’s guess. 

She watched Arden closely for any signs that the reassurances might be a lie. Winter could fool herself into believing almost anything but this ghost following her around was a different story. If he wanted to harm her she needed to know. She couldn’t quite tell if the girl was lying but something seemed off with her which put the medium on alert. She had to keep an eye on this man, that much was for sure. “Trust me, I’m not used to talking about one following me around. Ghosts have always been a thing in my life…” But she’d never actually seen one, at least not that she knew of, until this one had started to stalk her like a weirdo. “But this is different. I understand that it’s a weird situation. No need for apologies…I would just like to know whether I’m in danger or not.” 

"Right, kind of like that." It was not, but it worked as a comparison, she supposed. "If there's one thing to Wicked's Rest, we are good at owning up to the weirdness," Arden grinned. "I'm not typically one for sports, either, but it did make for an interesting time at games– at least, the few times I went, back in school." It did sound a lot like booing, though.

Lips pursed in thought, she nodded, before grabbing her phone, and creating a new note with information on the ghost. "Yeah, any defining traits could help." He was of age, if he was from the 70s the missing limb could mean he was a veteran– Vietnam, maybe? That was making a lot of assumptions on her part, but, hey, it was a helpful bit of information regardless. It had the potential to help narrow things down a lot more.

The bitterness of the coffee blended perfectly with the taste of her swallowed guilt, washing it back down. She hadn't said too much, and nothing that could be detrimental. If nothing else, Arden was putting the other woman into contact with someone who could help much more than she herself could, and that was a good thing. Winter wasn't totally clueless, and she didn't seem like the type to do something incredibly reckless. Besides, the ghost didn't seem to be much of a threat quite yet. She just needed to ignore her mother's voice in the back of her head, needed to get the image of Jo's betrayed expression off of her mind. Her fingers wound around the chain on her neck, the rose pendant falling into her palm. It served as a reminder, and a distraction.

"Again, I'm not the expert, but it doesn't sound like you're in any immediate danger, it's just a situation that can escalate. So, I'd just say keep on eye on it, and reach out to Lil. She'll be much more helpful than I ever could," she said, only half joking.

“Well, if anything, I’m glad they’re not trying to hide it. Nothing worse than going into a place expecting normal and getting anything but.” Winter ran a finger around the edge of her cup as she spoke, an action that continued as Arden started to push her friend on her a little more. She could also appreciate someone who wouldn’t give out the wrong information just to seem competent in a certain field, the medium just needed to remember to accept that with grace instead of getting frustrated. Yes, Arden had agreed to help, but she had also pre-faced this help with the knowledge that she didn’t know everything about ghosts so she couldn’t get angry, especially since Arden had done what she could. 

It was just disappointing to leave with more questions than she had come with. But at least Arden had agreed to help her find out who this was following her around. That was a relief in its own. “I’ll be sure to contact Lil. But thank you again for meeting me. It’s nice to know more answers are coming. You’d think I would know more about this by now.” For the first time, Winter let her nerves slip into the small exhale of laughter that accompanied those words. The threat of looming danger was more to have her break her composure but she quickly put that confident mask back on. “I know you said something about not needing anything else in return but…you know where to find me if you need anything. I’m just a message away. Remember that.” Because she certainly would, especially now that the other girl was looking into something else for her. If Arden didn’t know it yet she would soon know that Winter could be a beneficial ally. If anything, the girl was willing to do a lot for the people who were willing to help her. “It was really nice to meet you, Arden. I’m going to head out, maybe find Lil today.” She grabbed the empty cup and gave the other a quick smile. “I just really want him gone.” With a rude gesture from the ghost, Winter was walking toward the exit, grateful that she was finally getting somewhere.