windswhispvrs

[windswhispvrs]

𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐋. 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐄𝐒𝐌𝐄 thought of the party as the hours wore on. thankfully she wasn't in charge of keeping the drinks flowing -- instead, she was gripping to what was far from her first cup. " what are you saying, that we breathe some life into this place? " esme raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow, giving maddox a light nudge. " because if so, you're speaking my language. "

starter for @windswhispvrs !!

"you know, for a fertility festival, i'm seeing more modesty than anything else. what do you think is up with that?"

[windswhispvrs]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 never meant to be tainted with such bitterness, such malleable distain, but linus had drowned it in poison. six months home and countless hours of processing hadn't made the burn sting any less, in fact, the low thrum of anguish had blossomed into an entire chorus. she had never asked for the glorification of her own tragedy and neither had their other siblings, at least, that she knew of. part of her had made little effort to investigate out of fear of the invitable -- everyone is bound to betray you. as long as i'm passing food between my lips, who cares if i'm damning the hungry, the heartbroken? esme had searched the night for answers time and time again, desperate for something, anything to emerge from the darkness. another round of such a foolish game. she can't ignore the smile that tugs at the corners of her mouth as she comes to register the presence. say what you want about family, but there are the good minds who think alike. " you couldn't sleep either? " she begins, taking a seat at his side. " eh, can't complain... haven't really been focusing much on the scenery lately. "

ANTIOCH was a beacon of horrors, its ghastliness tenfold in the absence of daylight. the fact did little to soothe the frame of mind that belonged to an insomniac — but you could only do so much tossing and turning before feeling like you're going out of your mind ! and so despite the statements that often swept the town regarding safety, jae took the liberty of a leisurely late night stroll ... fresh air was supposed to help, wasn't it ? it wasn't as if he made the best decisions for himself ( when had he, ever ? ), but what else could be done ? eyes set on the skies above for quite some time ( at least there was solace in the stars ), the newly arrived presence of another was registered, his immersed gaze finally breaking away with a lowering of the head. “ nice night, isn't it ? ”

[windswhispvrs]

𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐄𝐒𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐋𝐘 far too used to being avoided the strain of an unknown plague -- she certainly didn't enjoy it. perhaps the side of her looking to protect herself from further pain had found some sick pleasure in it, but then there is the face she wears that appears more human. did humans not walk the earth seeking some kind of companionship? some kind of comfort? jae's presence certainly brought a sliver of such emotions into her life -- considering he was so important to her brother. one of the four reasons why she had even bothered coming home, instead of running off somewhere else.

" you know what they say -- everything in moderation. work smarter, not harder. " esme laughs, amused how the choice of her language reminded her of some of the university student patrons she served time and time again. was she really getting older? " i had something small.. i've been meaning to go grocery shopping, but that's a tomorrow problem. days off don't really exist anymore when you're an adult, do they? " she laughs, shaking her head before folding her arms across her chest. " could you go for diner food right now? because a burger and fries is calling my name. if you listen close enough, you can hear it. "

Everyone had a past, a story that they kept to themselves. Jae was the only person that trusted him, and jun appreciated that. He grew closer to them ever since he came to Antoich. Thinking about where he had come from, and the tragedy that was left behind, jun wasn't quite over the death of his parents. He was comfortable enough to continue to engage with the Walsh family, even after the news.

"hangovers are a given, can anyone hold their liquor?' he chuckled, jun wasn't one to talk, he was such a lightweight. his smile shining brighter at the mention that she could leave. "sounds good." he nodded his head as he looked over at the crowd. "okay, have you eaten? if not, we can get something to eat."

[windswhispvrs]

hc + 🧡😶😃👻 (for esme)

ESME

🧡 // while esme may not have many close friends -- she herself is most certainly a good one. she will ride and die for you if you somehow manage to get close enough.

😶 // esme is a rather transparent person, occasionally bordering on self-preserving. if it will protect her to unearth this secret, she will not hesitate to do so unless she cares deeply about someone. however, she guards a lot about what happened to her and her family. that in itself is a secret that she keeps, tries to protect people from.

😃 // esme is not very in tune with her own emotions. in fact, she makes every attempt to swallow them. thus, she doesn't quite know what it means to be truly happy.

👻 // esme holds no belief in the supernatural being real -- thus, she holds no belief in her brother's claims of hauntings in their childhood home. in fact, she considered this defense a cop out in order to make excuses for his actions that in her eyes, ruined their lives before they could even start.

[windswhispvrs]

∯∯∯

ESME

" deep down, i hated the city. the noises, never having quiet. i think i just stuck it out for the dream. "

AMARA

" i hate how rehearsed my life feels. the interviews, being portrayed as the weak, grieving mother by the press -- when i have worked my whole life to be the strongest in the room. "

BONNIE

" your display of kindness -- as simple as it may seem, made my week. i hope to get to know ya better. "

[windswhispvrs]

∯∯

ESME

" it's an odd world we live in -- where i can believe that i am not deserving of love after all that has been done to me and all i have run from, but it's all i want for my family. we endured together. "

BONNIE

" i sometimes wish i stayed in georgia. maybe i could have had that white picket fence everyone keeps talkin' about. i spend more time thinkin' 'bout those goddamn what ifs than i should. "

[windswhispvrs]

∯ (One from each)

ESME

" either you were truly born stupid, or you're choosing not to see what you're doing to me. to us. "

AMARA

" i didn't leave because i stopped loving you. hell, i've never told anyone else those three words i've told you. "

BONNIE

" i stopped missing you when i was eating microwave dinners six days a week. i already grieved you before you left. "

[windswhispvrs]

for all three 👀

🎵📱🎥

ESME

🎵 // piano was part of esme's early upbringing, but as she grew older, the easier it was to get frustrated with herself while playing. she hasn't touched the keys since high school ( even then, such times were sparse ), but she can't help but miss it. 📱 // a thirst trap of esme's once went semi-viral on tiktok. she still hasn't gotten over it. while she no longer posts on the account regularly, the app continues to fuel her impulse purchasing. 🎥 // shortly before she learned about the movie being made about her family, esme had auditioned for several major films. she had not bothered to send in any since.

AMARA

🎵 // one of amara's favorite things in the world is music. she's always admired the creativity behind it and deeply regrets not picking up an instrument as a child. her spotify is also meticulously organized into mood playlists that she updates frequently. 📱 // doesn't really use her phone for anything else than work and doesn't have any social media... but she's been known to doom scroll on instagram reels every now and again. 🎥 // amara has recently begun a routine of picking a movie after dinner as a way of improving her film education. maybe, in a way, it's also a form of escapism.

BONNIE

🎵 // bonnie's favorite musicians are joni mitchell and carole king! you'll likely hear one or both playing while she's cooking or spending time outside. she also has a collection of vinyls that she's picked up at thrift stores accompanied by a well-loved, beat up record player. 📱 // she only recently discovered tiktok and her entire for you page is cute baby animal videos. trust. 🎥 // one of her favorite movies ever made is burlesque. she knows it's not exactly a cinematic masterpiece -- but who can deny such glitz and glamour?

[windswhispvrs]

For every ∯ I get I will say/confess something without specifying for whom it is meant

eg:

∯ || You told me once that I was the only person on that team you might consider a friend… I can say now that I should have taken you at your word long ago.

∯ || I wish we had more occasion to speak. I can’t say I’ve ever disliked your company.

∯ || Leave the van Gogh works be; you’re going to give him an ulcer.

[windswhispvrs]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐌 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 sweet release has a notable effect on most of its patrons -- something that esme had come to observe as each shift wore on. it is easy to ignore what you cannot see, when the world around you is dim. as much as she believes herself to be above such a concept, exempt from such a trivial idea, it was startling how easy it was. easy to lean into the release of control. when you weren't in control, you were no longer responsible. liable for the repercussions of your own choices. perhaps she wished she wasn't liable for her decision to move to new york city, her choice that bound her to years of struggling and slamming doors. maybe she should have gone down a more secure career path, instead of relying on tips, the kindness of others. esme should have known that she would have ended up back here in the middle of fucking nowhere, oregon. her childhood had died here.

she knows the rugged type when she sees one -- those who have felt the effects of the world's flame nipping at their skin, coming for their bones. he is watching her, analyzing her movements and she knows it. one eyebrow raises in amusement before he speaks, hands gripping to the stained mahogany wood as she listens. " i ask that question so many times in a night -- guess it feels lighter to me than to other people. " this statement induces a smirk tainted by realization, eyes turning downward for a moment before esme meets his gaze once more. " guess you will from the looks of it... some people just can't hold their liquor. "

her time in the service industry was closing in on a decade now, something esme wasn't sure she was quite ready to face. it was supposed to be a college job, something temporary to get her through school.

" well... i've been in this game longer than i care to admit. i've seen it all. " she sighs, masking the twinge of insecurity with a smile. " are you a gin guy, whiskey, rum... you can tell a lot about a person by what they drink. "

When Cleric thought "bar", he was reminded of the run-down wood-and-brick fixtures that stood from soft, sparsely grassed earth like rotting teeth biting at the sky. The smell of earth. Guinness, dark and syrupy, sloshing and drizzling to the ground carelessly. They didn't call them 'bars' where he came from, regardless of where someone thought that was, and it was admittedly one of the more mundane challenges he struggled with; he wasn't too proud to admit that the word 'pub' just sounded more unique than a 'bar'. 'Tavern' was also exciting, but decidedly archaic.

So he meandered into the 'bar' at an hour just shy of witching, with a stride ill-fitting for a place and time of night like there and then. Pale eyes, hawklike and alert, honed in on the face behind the bar and subconscious preening exercises were performed as he smoothed down the material on his arms, a cat making its fur appear slick and gossamer. "A standard question, if difficult to answer, aye?" He replied smoothly, his mind electing to adopt a British accent for now. "Regardless of that answer, I'll gladly take my own personal bartender." One arm leaned on the counter as he maintained eye contact with the server.

"...So?" He asked. "How can you help me?" Cleric mused.

[windswhispvrs]

Thematic Headcanons. A series of subject-specific headcanons you can ask your favorite blog and muse.

hc + 🤝 for a headcanon about a connection with one of the receiver's mutual

hc + 👪 for a family-themed headcanon

hc + 🧡 for a friendship-themed headcanon

hc + 💌 for a romance-themed headcanon

hc + 💕 for a loved-themed headcanon

hc + 💔 for a headcanon about a sad experience

hc + 🤥 for a lie-themed headcanon

hc + 😶 for a headcanon about a secret they know of / keep

hc + 😴 for a sleep-themed headcanon

hc + 🌇 for a headcanon about morning- or evening rituals

hc + 🧼 for a hygiene-themed headcanon

hc + 🏠 for a home-themed headcanon

hc + 😃 for a happiness-themed headcanon

hc + 😨 for a fear-themed headcanon

hc + 🤕 for a pain-themed headcanon

hc + 🚶‍♂️ for a habit-themed headcanon

hc + 👍 for a headcanon about things they like

hc + 👎 for a headcanon about things they dislike

hc + 💪 for a sport-themed headcanon

hc + 😡 for a headcanon about something that makes them angry

hc + 👻 for a headcanon about supernatural occurrences

hc + 🥣 for a food-themed headcanon

hc + ☕ for a drink-themed headcanon

hc + 🐈 for a pet/animal-themed headcanon

hc + 🌸 for a plant-themed headcanon

hc + 🌄 for an outdoor-themed headcanon

hc + 🌍 for a travel-themed headcanon

hc + 🗡 for a weapon-themed headcanon

hc + 🎡 for a hobby-themed headcanon

hc + 🚗 for a transportation-themed headcanon

hc + ⏳ for a time-themed headcanon

hc + 🌘 for a night-themed headcanon

hc + 🌞 for a day-themed headcanon

hc + 🪐 for a universe-themed headcanon

hc + 🌂 for a weather-themed headcanon

hc + ⛄ for a season-themed headcanon

hc + 🎉 for a celebration-themed headcanon

hc + 🏆 for a goal-themed headcanon

hc + 💯 for an achievement-themed headcanon

hc + 🚬 for a headcanon about a bad habit

hc + 🎭 for an arts-/crafts-themed headcanon

hc + ✂️ for a hair-themed headcanon

hc + 👗 for a clothes-themed headcanon

hc + 💍 for a jewelry-themed headcanon

hc + 💄 for a makeup-themed headcanon

hc + 🎓 for an education-themed headcanon

hc + 📿 for a faith-themed headcanon

hc + 🎵 for a music-themed headcanon

hc + 📱 for a media-themed headcanon

hc + 🎥 for a film/tv-themed headcanon

hc + 📔 for a reading-themed headcanon

hc + 💰 for a money-themed

hc + 💼 for a job-themed headcanon

hc + 💉 for a medical-themed headcanon

hc + 🛒 for a shopping-themed headcanon

hc + 🔞 for a nsfw-headcanon

hc + ❓ for a headcanon of the receiver's choice

[windswhispvrs]

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐀 tendency for over-exaggeration for she would have certainly noticed that her keys were not in their proper place eventually. and yet, she would never miss a chance to let someone know that they were appreciated. it should be the bare minimum in this town, shouldn't it? when antioch was plagued. however for some -- even that was too much to ask. that was a tragedy all in itself. " trust me honey, the world ain't too kind to some of us. " bonnie shook her head, her smile still somehow never fading. a learned strength, one that helped her put one foot in front of the other. " considerin' the folks over at fuel dude know me by name, ya might have been doin' me a service. "

at the offer of his name, the blonde nods in acceptance. he's genuinely kind. that she's come to observe. some seek to gain something, while others are simply taught to be as such. it is very rare when some are simply born that way. " m'name's bonnie. it's nice to meet ya, gael... even under such odd circumstances. " laughter sings from between her lips rather naturally. " mhm, if you'd like to give it a go, be my guest. i wish i could just give up on that tin can... " but i can't afford anything else. " consider yourself signed up for some free coffees too. as a token of my sincere gratitude. "

Another 'lifesaver'. [Language specific to the natives of town, given its tumultuous history with survivability?] ... [Too dark? Dialing it back.] "No worries at all," he replied with a warm smile of his own before he scoffed. "What a shame, really, that the standard is for someone to steal your car instead of returning your keys to you." He glanced over at the aforementioned car that she had gestured to before and his thick eyebrows twinged slightly at the sight of the worn-down thing.

"Gael." He replied, looking back to the woman before jerking his head over his shoulder, also gesturing to the pickup. "Y'know, not to be too forward but like... I can take a look at your truck for you sometime." He placed his hands in his pockets loosely, shrugging one of his shoulders as he offered. "Had a buddy who had a beat up Jeep kinda like that once. One of his serpentine belts broke. Pobre bastardo todavía tiene cicatrices." He muttered the last part in Spanish. "Sorry! I didn't catch your name, either."

[windswhispvrs]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐀 time when her vision had been clouded by her own denial -- that their little girl was gone. amara would cling to the memories with every ounce of her being, no matter how much such force left her fingers battered and bruised. how purple they became. ignorance is a brutal yet beautiful monster -- hanging its glamor over her eyes before she could even blink. it had always been better this way, when she was alone. no one to shield from the horror stories of the world, no one to save from themselves. and yet, the loneliness she had come to know so well had not just managed to overcome her -- but render her unable to speak of its existence.

while it may not have shown in her words ( in true fashion -- out of her own self-preservation ), today, it showed in her actions. for so many years luke and amara's unity had stood stronger than any wall of brick and mortar, any iron of steel. in the days after she had set the papers that damned them on the antique kitchen table, amara followed the same path she had tread down her entire life: swallow it. swallow down the pain until your throat runs dryer than sandpaper, until you are gasping for air, choking on all the things you've done, the mistakes you've made. the pain will go away eventually.

temporary anguish for hopefully permanent salvation. even if hope may be a fools game, the reflex has become engrained with her, woven into the fabric of her being.

the man who stood across from her felt so familiar -- dare she say it -- like returning home. perhaps what scared her the most was that she had never had a true home before. there are times she thinks back to the trailer where she spent the formative years of her life, the one she had tried so desperately to hide from him, hide from jessica. and while it is the inhabitants who make a home, she had found some kind of twisted comfort in the thought of it meeting its demise. a trial by fire. roaches. it had never been a home to her, nothing more than a dilapidated set of four walls littered with the shards of her childhood.

something in her hates how scared he is to approach her, but the thought is quickly swept away when she reminds herself that such a reaction is her doing. it is she who pushed him out to sea. while the effects of the passage of time have made themselves known, so much of him remains untouched. the same stance. the way his eyes wrinkle at the edges as he squints. when you succumb to devotion, when it's broken -- you're left with the reminder that you've learned to love absolutely everything about its subject. even the things that seem so simple, the minute details.

what do you think she'd be up to nowadays? the question tortures her more than she cared to admit. her subconscious would construct timeline after timeline that would never come true. " i- " amara begins, hand coming to rest over her heart, as she did in times where she missed her daughter the most. she would live forever there. " i just hope she would be better than us. better than we ever were. " five years. five years of missed birthdays, holidays, successes and failures. something in her cracks open all over again when she thinks about their last conversation, knowing what she knows now...

" nothing feels right without her. "

Walking with purposeful slowness from the parking lot to the gravesite, Luke thinks how unfair it is that time continues to pass after the most important people in your life die.

Five years. Had it really only been five years? He thinks about five years, considers how in such a short amount of time he and Amara had met Jessica for the first time, watched her eyes open and recognize them, learn to laugh and talk and walk and decide her favorite color. That time moved so quickly, but now that she was gone, the days felt only like...waiting. Waiting until the day he could see her again.

Amara is already here: he'd seen her car in the parking lot, but now he sees her standing by the tombstone, holding a bouquet. He's nervous - he considers that maybe their meeting is a bad idea and he expects to dread the sight of her, but the closer he gets, Luke realizes that his love for Amara is as strong as ever, even after everything. Perhaps grief was good for putting things in perspective.

Luke comes to stand alongside her, tries not to disrupt but he startles her just with crunching of grass underfoot. He puts his hands in the pockets of his jeans, braces his shoulders against the sudden cold, and ducks his head in a little nod. "Yeah," he answers after a long moment, and his voice wants to break too, but he pulls it together. A mother's grief needed its space; no matter how painful this was for him, it had to be leagues worse for her. "What do you think she'd be up to nowadays?"

[windswhispvrs]

𝐄𝐒𝐌𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 some amount of credit to those who stood at her family's side -- offered a strong arm to offset the weight of their aching bones. in fact, the woman was grateful for seo-jun for always being there for her brother. he had always had a home in her apartment in new york, but the ache had gotten louder over the years, knowing she couldn't physically be there. she had told herself that it was better for her to be across the country, separate herself from what had happened to her and their siblings in their youth. keep herself far away from... leon, as he called himself these days.

" most of them have been drinking for hours, m'dear. i see the onset of a couple hangovers on the horizon. " esme chuckles, words spoken quietly so they could be simply shared between the two. hell, she had watched as one of them had stumbled for the bathroom not even ten minutes earlier. " well... i think i could easily convince my boss to let me be first cut. that's in -- ten minutes or so? " so much had happened since her last visit home, the film, her failure. but seo-jun, he would never judge her. " of course, i would love that. "

Seo-jun decided to visit a family friend, knowing that the Walsh family was close to his heart, he would say hello. Though he hung out with Jae more often than the rest, didn't mean he didn't know where the others were. He vaguely remembered esme working at the bar. Heading inside he scanned the bartending area before his eyes settled on her. Chuckling as he could hear the last part of her sentence amidst all the noise.

"my own private bartender? why that would not be fair for the rest of the paying customers." he smiled "actually I've come to say hello and ask when your shift is done. perhaps do some catching up?"

[windswhispvrs]

𝐀𝐒 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐒 she held for her brother -- and how little she believed his claim of hauntings, there must be something in him worthy of loving if barry could see it. esme believed he was a good person, one who deserved better than the walsh's and their ghost stories. call it self-deprecation, but she too believed she was far too haunted to be deserving of devotion. she had to give her brother credit, at least, for a time, he had hope. " fancy seeing you here, barry. " the woman matches the same playful timbre, chin coming to rest against the palm of her hand. while she hadn't expected sweet release of all places to open its doors to her when she needed it the most, she had come to settle in rather swimmingly.

after a moments pause, esme's lips curl upwards before taking the shape of a playful smirk. while he may no longer be family in time by law, he had found it in himself to care when others might have run for the hills. and that? that was worth something. " what my boss doesn't know wont kill him. " esme eventually remarks, reaching for a bottle of bullet bourbon easily within her reach. " as long as it's our little secret... think you can promise me that? "

"Hey there, movie star." The shit-eating grin appears just as quickly as it goes—he was looking to drink, perhaps cruise a little, but Barry all but forgot that Esme works here. He doesn't associate with the Walshes as often as people assume he does, and at least he'd never switched to their last name. The act of powerful and confident tickles him pink a little, given that he's all but privy to their messy little family drama. A firsthand account. A front row seat to the Walshes. At least the night's starting off interesting.

There's a moment's hesitation, where he's thinking about how much trouble it's worth to sit down, before just letting himself have one messy start of the night (or a messier start to a couple of nights, depending on who asks.) "I mean, I'd order a bourbon on the rocks here, Vivvy," he says, shrugging. "Is there a friends and family discount here, or no?"

[windswhispvrs]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀@oh-the-hcrrcrs

LOCATION: lockhart, wilson & associates TIME: early afternoon FOR: ira parekh

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 same ebb and flow -- amara is a well-oiled machine. from morning until the bell tolls for her to pack up her things, she simply puts her head down and works. of course there are some exceptions, such as a need to make an appearance at a hearing. even then her gaze is pointed and focused, footsteps moving in time as the case for the day becomes hers for the taking. perhaps it's cockiness -- delusion to think so highly of onesself. and yet, her track record may cause many to pause and think otherwise. throwing onesself into work may have been one of several reason for her divorce. and yet, she finds herself beginning to understand the temporary fix it offered. while some might say that they are overcome by the realization of their loss -- amara is tortured by it. every single day. she'll do anything to quiet the noise, the reality of her anguish. five years of anguish.

she's been retained by enough of these fucks, right? those who believe they are above this world. all they do is take. and this time -- one of them had taken the most precious thing from her. her child. it had become a bit harder lately to work, the cogs of the machine feeling the effects of rust creeping in. all she can do is try, right? the mask she wears as she walks through life has always been impenetrable, after all. she hasn't let anything spill over after all this time after decades upon decades.

she is startled out of her thoughts by the sound of a knock at her door, removing her reading glasses from the edge of her nose. a cough echos in her throat as she sits at attention, eyes meeting her familiar coworker's as a sign of acknowledgement.

" ira. " amara begins, gesturing for him to enter her office before returning her spectacles to their case. " come in, come in. i'm assuming from the lowered shoulders that this morning's hearing went well? "

[windswhispvrs]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀@fatesfvcked

LOCATION: nails bar. TIME: later in the evening. FOR: charlie greene.

𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐓𝐎 be a reasonable person, sure, but she has noticed lately that people have attempted to convince her that she was irrational, angry. what was so unreasonable about wanting justice for your daughter? what had jessica done to deserve this, to be taken from this world? it wasn't that amara didn't want to keep fighting -- she was simply tired. when her soul ached and the world felt like her adversary, her daughter had always been there to catch her. even when she didn't have to. wasn't she, as her mother, supposed to be the strong one? without jessica, amara felt like a quarter of the woman she had once been. wounds are supposed to heal with time, but amara's was still gaping. the product of years of covering it with bandages with little to no acknowledgment or care.

nails bar was not amara's usual watering hole -- she was much more particular to a bottle of red wine on her screened-in porch in the early days of warmth. however, something in the attorney called to her, told her she couldn't be alone tonight. what was she looking for, simple company or temporary salvation?

either way, it would never make her feel complete.

eyes scan the crowded bar with a sense of purpose, as her wandering eyes always do. maybe he's here. she does find herself recognizing a familiar face, as much as she subconsciously hoped not to. maybe that would be her excuse to go home. there was nothing more pitiful after all than drinking alone. while she had once compared charlie greene to a great white shark, drawn to a story like the predator to blood ( fresh meat, a story ), she couldn't deny that she admired the woman's tenacity.

it seems that charlie has seen her too. great. amara is well rehearsed when it comes to the art of conversation, her line of work calling for a cool head in the midst of debate. thus, she plasters on a thin-lipped smile as she is approached. " charlie. " she greats the redhead, sipping from her martini glass. perhaps for strength. " if i didn't know any better, i'd assume you were tracking me. "