digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
you can run away with mex.─────────────
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
────────────────x.anytime you want
Last edited:
-
This section is for roleplays only.
ALL interest checks/recruiting threads must go in the Recruit Here section.
Please remember to credit artists when using works not your own.
Realistic or Modern ─── ｆｏｕｎｄａｔｉｏｎｓ
- Thread starter digital witness
- Start date
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
d e s d e m o n ax.x────────────────
──────────────────x.x&x.xd a n i
Last edited:
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 539
To say that Evangeline had been looking forward to this afternoon would've been a grand understatement. She was thrilled - elated, even - at the prospect of seeing her sister, Naomi, in person again for the first time in months. The pair had been inseparable as children despite their nearly twelve year age difference. They'd bonded to each other almost instantly, and even in the earliest stages of Naomi's life, Evangeline's role had been more of a caretaker than that of a sister. She'd watched her grow up before her eyes, blossoming into the young woman who she was today, and when life eventually carried them to opposite ends of the country, the bond that they shared never displayed signs of faltering.
It had been five years since Evangeline had moved cross-country for a once in a lifetime shot at the modeling career that she'd dreamed of since she was a teenager - spending most of her childhood in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama, the transition to life in Los Angeles had come as a bit of a shock to the then twenty three year old - and while she'd often made time to visit home for the holidays, this would mark Naomi's first time ever visiting California.
The airport had been unusually sparse, with crowds forming few and far between, and Evangeline had stationed herself near one of the interactive flight boards while she eagerly awaited her sister's arrival - a wait that would prove much shorter than she'd originally anticipated. Within minutes a crowd of newly-landed passengers had begun to flood the space, and as Evangeline's eyes bounced between them, they quickly fell upon a familiar, slightly-fatigued figure hauling a backpack and a suitcase. She sprung forward, her heart thrumming in her chest, and she rushed to meet her sister from across the room.
"Naomi!" She called, pulling the girl's attention toward her when she noticed her gaze beginning to wander about the space. Naomi turned, and the smile that had threatened to draw her sister's lips upward was undeniable despite the way that she was so obviously trying to mask her emotions and play it cool. Unhindered by the teenage desire to maintain a level of outward disinterest toward any given situation, Evangeline wasted no time scooping the girl into a hug. "I've missed you so much," she squeezed her a little tighter, reveling in the feeling of having her within arm's reach again after so long apart.
She didn't allow the contact to last for as long as she would've liked, knowing that Naomi wouldn't appreciate the prolonged physical contact in the way that she would. She pulled away, blinking back the mist that threatened her eyes, and smiled apologetically when her gaze connected with the younger brunette's. "Sorry. I promised I wouldn't cry, didn't I?"
Eventually managing to gather herself, she reached out, curling her fingers around the handle of Naomi's rolling suitcase, and beckoned her forward. "How's everything at home? Is Joseph still driving you crazy?" She grinned, half glancing toward her sister as the pair fell into step and began their slow-paced journey toward the doors. They had two months, after all; the usual sense of urgency that plagued their visits felt utterly forgotten this time around.
It had been five years since Evangeline had moved cross-country for a once in a lifetime shot at the modeling career that she'd dreamed of since she was a teenager - spending most of her childhood in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama, the transition to life in Los Angeles had come as a bit of a shock to the then twenty three year old - and while she'd often made time to visit home for the holidays, this would mark Naomi's first time ever visiting California.
The airport had been unusually sparse, with crowds forming few and far between, and Evangeline had stationed herself near one of the interactive flight boards while she eagerly awaited her sister's arrival - a wait that would prove much shorter than she'd originally anticipated. Within minutes a crowd of newly-landed passengers had begun to flood the space, and as Evangeline's eyes bounced between them, they quickly fell upon a familiar, slightly-fatigued figure hauling a backpack and a suitcase. She sprung forward, her heart thrumming in her chest, and she rushed to meet her sister from across the room.
"Naomi!" She called, pulling the girl's attention toward her when she noticed her gaze beginning to wander about the space. Naomi turned, and the smile that had threatened to draw her sister's lips upward was undeniable despite the way that she was so obviously trying to mask her emotions and play it cool. Unhindered by the teenage desire to maintain a level of outward disinterest toward any given situation, Evangeline wasted no time scooping the girl into a hug. "I've missed you so much," she squeezed her a little tighter, reveling in the feeling of having her within arm's reach again after so long apart.
She didn't allow the contact to last for as long as she would've liked, knowing that Naomi wouldn't appreciate the prolonged physical contact in the way that she would. She pulled away, blinking back the mist that threatened her eyes, and smiled apologetically when her gaze connected with the younger brunette's. "Sorry. I promised I wouldn't cry, didn't I?"
Eventually managing to gather herself, she reached out, curling her fingers around the handle of Naomi's rolling suitcase, and beckoned her forward. "How's everything at home? Is Joseph still driving you crazy?" She grinned, half glancing toward her sister as the pair fell into step and began their slow-paced journey toward the doors. They had two months, after all; the usual sense of urgency that plagued their visits felt utterly forgotten this time around.
Last edited:
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 658
“im approaching the arrivals now. ill text u when i get to the house.”
“ok. I love u < 3”
Naomi chewed her lip, temporarily staring down at the screen and debating whether she should respond with a heart like he’d sent her, before turning off the screen and pushing her phone back into her pocket. Her boyfriend, Ray, had been whining about her leaving for the summer and insisted on calling ‘at least once a day’, and despite how there was no part of her that wanted to call him once a day or more, she’d reluctantly agreed. So much for having a quiet summer away from her boyfriend.
Most girls wouldn’t want that. She realized that. But Naomi didn’t exactly fall into the ‘usual girl’ box and thus only had a boyfriend to cover up the fact that she’d much rather kiss another girl than Ray – despite the many, many kisses they’d shared. He’d try to go further but she’d brushed him off. The only good thing about this boy was that he couldn’t take a hint at all, so if she acted disinterested, he didn’t seem to catch onto it. After all, the only reason why she was dating him was so that her mom would stop asking when she’d find a boyfriend. Maybe she was actually going to get away with this.
Either way, it meant that she was spending a whole summer away from her needy boyfriend and her prying mother, to spend it with her sister who she hadn’t seen in months. At least Eve was cool about things like that. She figured. They never really discussed anything like that – it’d never come up, and Naomi hadn’t brought it up in fear of not being accepted. But anything was better than sitting at Ray’s house all summer watching him play video games.
Her gaze moved through the arrivals hall, her arm aching from dragging the rolling suitcase behind her, when her name caught her ears and her eyes came to rest on her sister. Oh, god. She was totally making a scene.
“Hey…” She could only suppress half the grin that appeared on her face when her sister hurried to her side, and before she could do much more, Eve was grabbing her into a tight bear hug. Naomi’s arms hung limp on either side of her body and she didn’t necessarily reciprocate – she’d never been huge on physical contact, but at least she didn’t stop Eve. Which was a sign of goodwill to anyone who knew her.
Naomi rolled her eyes when Eve pulled away and there was a glistening tear in the corners of her sister’s eyes, so she grabbed tighter onto her suitcase and backpack and started walking, leaving Eve behind temporarily as the taller brunette struggled to catch up with her quickly. She let her take the suitcase, rubbing up the side of her bicep to soothe the fatigue that had settled in her muscle, before falling into an easy step next to her sister. “Y’know… Joseph is a sneaky little shit that keeps telling on me. Mom keeps grounding me for not wanting to go to church… and Dad… well, he’s Dad.”
At that moment, her phone started buzzing in her pocket, twenty-plus times in a row, and the repetitive jingle of her ringtone drew her sister’s attention to it. She pulled it out of her pocket, turning on the screen but not unlocking it, and pulled down on the messenger icon: twenty-six new messages from Ray. Oh. Great. Most of them were along the lines of ‘I miss u already’ or anything like that, and she rolled her eyes again as she pushed the device back in her pocket without actually opening the messages.
Then she caught onto the curious gaze in her sister’s eyes. “Annoying boyfriend,” she grumbled, refusing to say anything more on the subject as they approached her sister’s car in the parking lot.
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 584
A subtle, knowing smile pulled at the corners of Evangeline's mouth when Naomi didn't miss a beat and delved straight into a brief but passionate list of grievances against their family members. "That sounds about right." Still smiling, she nodded in agreement. Tension had always been high between the rest of the family and Naomi, which was something that Eve had never fully understood; then again, none of them shared the bond with her that she did. Their father was passive and aloof, passing the reins to their strict and often overbearing mother. Joseph was, well... Joseph. With a sixteen year age difference between the eldest of the Barrett children and her twelve year old brother, they'd never had much of a chance to connect. He'd certainly taken up an obvious rivalry with Naomi, however.
Casting the thought of their family aside for the time being, the pair continued through the doors and out into the parking lot where the wheels of the suitcase rattled quietly against the concrete. With little more than the quiet hum of car engines and the sound of the suitcase rolling across the pavement permeating the air around them, a more noticeable, repetitive jingle caught the brunette's attention. She cast a curious gaze in Naomi's direction, noting the way that she'd stuffed her phone back into her pocket with little regard for whoever was trying to reach her. Naomi took notice to the curious look that she had been receiving, grumbling out a response that had Eve knitting her eyebrows together.
"Back up... Boyfriend? Since when do you have a boyfriend?" She paused in her step, but continued when Naomi showed no sign of stopping. A playful smirk had curled itself around her lips by the time that they reached her car, and she bumped her hip into her sister's in a gentle, playful manner while they dropped her bags in the trunk. "Is he cute?" Naomi offered little in way of a response, simply slamming the trunk shut and walking around to the passenger side. "...Is he dreamy?" Eve pressed on, directing her teasing remark at the younger woman from over the car as she stepped around to the driver's side and slipped behind the wheel. Naomi's features displayed no trace of amusement and Evangeline reluctantly dropped the subject in favor of keeping the air light between them.
"Come on, let's go home."
The drive took no more than an hour; Evangeline pointed out a number of notable or favored locations as they drove over the highway, through the city, and, finally, into the parking lot of her apartment complex. She carried Naomi's suitcase into the elevator and delved into her purse to find her keys as they rode up to their floor. Remaining a few paces ahead of the younger brunette, Evangeline unlocked the door and invited her inside.
"This is it," she extended an arm, making a semi-sweeping motion across the space as her gaze flicked to her sister. "Your bedroom is on the left," she nodded in the direction of the hallway. "I figured you wouldn't want to sleep on an air mattress for two months, so Mona - you remember Mona, right?" She turned mid-step as she approached the bedroom to temporarily discard her sister's suitcase. "Anyway, she lent us a spare bed for the summer." She rolled the suitcase against the wall and sat down on the mattress with a contented huff as she watched Naomi enter the space. "So... what do you think?"
Casting the thought of their family aside for the time being, the pair continued through the doors and out into the parking lot where the wheels of the suitcase rattled quietly against the concrete. With little more than the quiet hum of car engines and the sound of the suitcase rolling across the pavement permeating the air around them, a more noticeable, repetitive jingle caught the brunette's attention. She cast a curious gaze in Naomi's direction, noting the way that she'd stuffed her phone back into her pocket with little regard for whoever was trying to reach her. Naomi took notice to the curious look that she had been receiving, grumbling out a response that had Eve knitting her eyebrows together.
"Back up... Boyfriend? Since when do you have a boyfriend?" She paused in her step, but continued when Naomi showed no sign of stopping. A playful smirk had curled itself around her lips by the time that they reached her car, and she bumped her hip into her sister's in a gentle, playful manner while they dropped her bags in the trunk. "Is he cute?" Naomi offered little in way of a response, simply slamming the trunk shut and walking around to the passenger side. "...Is he dreamy?" Eve pressed on, directing her teasing remark at the younger woman from over the car as she stepped around to the driver's side and slipped behind the wheel. Naomi's features displayed no trace of amusement and Evangeline reluctantly dropped the subject in favor of keeping the air light between them.
"Come on, let's go home."
The drive took no more than an hour; Evangeline pointed out a number of notable or favored locations as they drove over the highway, through the city, and, finally, into the parking lot of her apartment complex. She carried Naomi's suitcase into the elevator and delved into her purse to find her keys as they rode up to their floor. Remaining a few paces ahead of the younger brunette, Evangeline unlocked the door and invited her inside.
"This is it," she extended an arm, making a semi-sweeping motion across the space as her gaze flicked to her sister. "Your bedroom is on the left," she nodded in the direction of the hallway. "I figured you wouldn't want to sleep on an air mattress for two months, so Mona - you remember Mona, right?" She turned mid-step as she approached the bedroom to temporarily discard her sister's suitcase. "Anyway, she lent us a spare bed for the summer." She rolled the suitcase against the wall and sat down on the mattress with a contented huff as she watched Naomi enter the space. "So... what do you think?"
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 637
Naomi's eyes didn't meet Eve's as she kept on walking, her sister trailing after her all the while questioning her about her ‘boyfriend'. She hadn't told Eve, hadn't found the right moment to break the news to her older sister. They hadn't had very much contact in general, actually: most calls went through their mother, who would then relay the appropriate information to either of them. That's how it had always been, since Eve moved away, and Naomi had never questioned it, but this method did create gaps in their knowledge of each other's lives.
She rolled her eyes when Eve asked if Ray was dreamy - she'd describe him as anything but that, but Eve didn’t know that: instead she responded with a monotone grunt that could mean either yes or no; preferring to keep talk of her boyfriend to a minimum. Eve didn’t need to know everything, or Naomi was scared she might break and spill what had been on her mind the last few months, and she wasn’t sure how her sister would respond to hearing that news. Instead, she left it at that and chose not to address it any further as she opened the car door, the taller brunette eventually letting go of the subject.
Los Angeles was entirely different from Birmingham: where the latter felt familiar but oppressive, as if there was a storm coming that could break any moment, LA was new, free, and hot. Merely moments after they'd pulled out of the shade of the parking garage, and the sun hit the open screen on the roof, Naomi was sweating. “God, is it going to be like this all the time? I think I might've brought the wrong clothes.” Eve only grinned, before confirming that these were ‘normal’ LA temperatures for late June: Naomi groaned, before promptly stripping out of her sweater, leaving her in a thin tank top that was much more heat appropriate.
The drive took about an hour and guided them through the city center; Naomi tried not to gape as they passed palm trees, actual palm trees on the streets, and the glitter of the sea up ahead passed them by. Having only ever spent her summers in Alabama, hanging in the vaguely green parks and trying not to spend all her summer money on ice cream to cool down, the sight of a new, truly summer-esque city was something Naomi wasn’t used to at all. Alabama had always been boring, even those few times they'd gone on a trip within the state, and she'd never actually been outside of it until now.
Eve's apartment was unfamiliar, but Naomi instantly felt at home. It was decorated like she'd imagined it, in a way that was so inexplicably Eve that it almost felt like she'd already spent a month there. The brunette trailed after her sister to the bedroom, allowing her eyes to take in the space that would be ‘hers’ for the coming few weeks.
“Mona? I didn't know you guys were still in touch.” The blonde had been over almost every day during Naomi's younger days, having been a close childhood friend of Eve's, and Naomi had practically grown up with her. Despite the age difference and the lack of family connection, Mona felt vaguely like a second sister.
They got pizza that night, and Naomi stretched her legs onto the coffee table and leaned back. “So,” she mumbled, mouth full of cheese and spinach, “what's there to do around here?” She raised a cocked eyebrow at her sister, not waiting for her to respond before she was continuing. “Are you gonna be at work all the time? You better not leave me alone these entire two months. I don’t think there'll be much left of your… neat and clean apartment if you do.”
She rolled her eyes when Eve asked if Ray was dreamy - she'd describe him as anything but that, but Eve didn’t know that: instead she responded with a monotone grunt that could mean either yes or no; preferring to keep talk of her boyfriend to a minimum. Eve didn’t need to know everything, or Naomi was scared she might break and spill what had been on her mind the last few months, and she wasn’t sure how her sister would respond to hearing that news. Instead, she left it at that and chose not to address it any further as she opened the car door, the taller brunette eventually letting go of the subject.
Los Angeles was entirely different from Birmingham: where the latter felt familiar but oppressive, as if there was a storm coming that could break any moment, LA was new, free, and hot. Merely moments after they'd pulled out of the shade of the parking garage, and the sun hit the open screen on the roof, Naomi was sweating. “God, is it going to be like this all the time? I think I might've brought the wrong clothes.” Eve only grinned, before confirming that these were ‘normal’ LA temperatures for late June: Naomi groaned, before promptly stripping out of her sweater, leaving her in a thin tank top that was much more heat appropriate.
The drive took about an hour and guided them through the city center; Naomi tried not to gape as they passed palm trees, actual palm trees on the streets, and the glitter of the sea up ahead passed them by. Having only ever spent her summers in Alabama, hanging in the vaguely green parks and trying not to spend all her summer money on ice cream to cool down, the sight of a new, truly summer-esque city was something Naomi wasn’t used to at all. Alabama had always been boring, even those few times they'd gone on a trip within the state, and she'd never actually been outside of it until now.
Eve's apartment was unfamiliar, but Naomi instantly felt at home. It was decorated like she'd imagined it, in a way that was so inexplicably Eve that it almost felt like she'd already spent a month there. The brunette trailed after her sister to the bedroom, allowing her eyes to take in the space that would be ‘hers’ for the coming few weeks.
“Mona? I didn't know you guys were still in touch.” The blonde had been over almost every day during Naomi's younger days, having been a close childhood friend of Eve's, and Naomi had practically grown up with her. Despite the age difference and the lack of family connection, Mona felt vaguely like a second sister.
They got pizza that night, and Naomi stretched her legs onto the coffee table and leaned back. “So,” she mumbled, mouth full of cheese and spinach, “what's there to do around here?” She raised a cocked eyebrow at her sister, not waiting for her to respond before she was continuing. “Are you gonna be at work all the time? You better not leave me alone these entire two months. I don’t think there'll be much left of your… neat and clean apartment if you do.”
Last edited:
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 631
Naomi had settled in comfortably by the evening of their first day together. They'd decided on pizza for dinner - with spinach and cheese toppings - and sat stretched out on the couch with the open box on the coffee table in front of them. Naomi had been working on her second piece when she leaned back against the couch, legs resting comfortably on the edge of the table, and inquired whether Evangeline would be working for the duration of her stay.
"No, I won't, actually. I'll be here with you most of the time." Eve pulled her legs onto the couch and folded her calves so they were partially beneath her thighs as she made a half-turn type of movement so that she could face her sister and more easily continue their conversation. "I'm on call for a couple of weekends, but I used my vacation time and requested off for the rest of the summer. I figured we could use the time to catch up; maybe drive up to Sequoia or Yosemite for a few days if you were up for it." Naomi had never shown much of an interest in nature, but seeing as she maintained a fairly active lifestyle via the school soccer team, Eve didn't anticipate she'd give much protest to the opportunity to get out of the city and hike through one of the many state parks that were scattered within reasonable driving distance from the apartment.
"But there's plenty to do around here, too." She clarified, not wanting to downplay the area where they'd undoubtedly be spending most of their time together. "We could go to the beach, or drive to Hollywood Boulevard; the Santa Monica pier isn't far away..."
They bounced ideas off of each other for a short time after dinner, eventually agreeing to cap their first night off with a walk on the beach. The wind had picked up, swirling the ocean's mist all around them as they maintained a slow, leisurely pace across the sand. "I feel like it's been forever since we've talked," Eve offered a brief glance in her sister's direction, enjoying the cooling chill of the breeze as it blew in from the ocean. "How have things been going at school?" She asked, but before Naomi had adequate time to respond, she was speaking again. "Mom told me you made the varsity soccer team last month, which - let's be real - came as no surprise," she smiled, bumping playfully into the smaller girl with her side as they walked. "I would've had to march back home and give your coach a piece of my mind had he not given you the spot." She winked, knowing full well that that never would've been the case as Naomi was easily one of if not the best player on her team.
Still, her thoughts shifted, admittedly a bit thrown by the fact that a milestone as big as a first boyfriend - was he even her first? - had failed to have been mentioned between them. "So... this whole boyfriend thing, though..." she began, prepared for the eye roll that would follow. "When did that happen?" The tension instantly shot up between them, becoming almost palpable, and Eve sought to dissuade the obvious discomfort that had arisen as a result. "I've been seeing someone too," she admitted in an attempt at pulling the focus away from Naomi. "And before you roll your eyes - No, he's not my usual type," she warned, a playful smile curling around the edges of her lips. "I just haven't told Mom or Dad yet because, well... you know how Mom gets." She gave a light-hearted roll of her eyes, hoping that this offering of personal information might encourage Naomi to pry loose some of what she'd been keeping from her.
"No, I won't, actually. I'll be here with you most of the time." Eve pulled her legs onto the couch and folded her calves so they were partially beneath her thighs as she made a half-turn type of movement so that she could face her sister and more easily continue their conversation. "I'm on call for a couple of weekends, but I used my vacation time and requested off for the rest of the summer. I figured we could use the time to catch up; maybe drive up to Sequoia or Yosemite for a few days if you were up for it." Naomi had never shown much of an interest in nature, but seeing as she maintained a fairly active lifestyle via the school soccer team, Eve didn't anticipate she'd give much protest to the opportunity to get out of the city and hike through one of the many state parks that were scattered within reasonable driving distance from the apartment.
"But there's plenty to do around here, too." She clarified, not wanting to downplay the area where they'd undoubtedly be spending most of their time together. "We could go to the beach, or drive to Hollywood Boulevard; the Santa Monica pier isn't far away..."
They bounced ideas off of each other for a short time after dinner, eventually agreeing to cap their first night off with a walk on the beach. The wind had picked up, swirling the ocean's mist all around them as they maintained a slow, leisurely pace across the sand. "I feel like it's been forever since we've talked," Eve offered a brief glance in her sister's direction, enjoying the cooling chill of the breeze as it blew in from the ocean. "How have things been going at school?" She asked, but before Naomi had adequate time to respond, she was speaking again. "Mom told me you made the varsity soccer team last month, which - let's be real - came as no surprise," she smiled, bumping playfully into the smaller girl with her side as they walked. "I would've had to march back home and give your coach a piece of my mind had he not given you the spot." She winked, knowing full well that that never would've been the case as Naomi was easily one of if not the best player on her team.
Still, her thoughts shifted, admittedly a bit thrown by the fact that a milestone as big as a first boyfriend - was he even her first? - had failed to have been mentioned between them. "So... this whole boyfriend thing, though..." she began, prepared for the eye roll that would follow. "When did that happen?" The tension instantly shot up between them, becoming almost palpable, and Eve sought to dissuade the obvious discomfort that had arisen as a result. "I've been seeing someone too," she admitted in an attempt at pulling the focus away from Naomi. "And before you roll your eyes - No, he's not my usual type," she warned, a playful smile curling around the edges of her lips. "I just haven't told Mom or Dad yet because, well... you know how Mom gets." She gave a light-hearted roll of her eyes, hoping that this offering of personal information might encourage Naomi to pry loose some of what she'd been keeping from her.
Last edited:
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 539
Naomi’s bare foot sunk into the sand with every step, the grains filling the spaces between her toes and covering them in the deeper parts. The waves lapped slowly at the beach, creating an even, regular sound that almost drowned out the noise of the city up ahead. It’d gotten dark, so apart from the occasional crab that scurried off into the water, they were alone. The noise of the ocean and the breeze of the wind the only sounds that surrounded them, until Eve broke the silence.
She was about to agree, to answer her question, when Eve broke in again and brought up soccer – which would’ve probably been the first thing Naomi had been about to say. If there was anything she was proud of in her high school career, which could not possibly have been her grades, it was making the soccer team and, although unspoken, having the coach’s acknowledgement of being the best player on the team. Eve had heard of the news, however, and – via their mom – had congratulated Naomi on making the team. Their mother had been less enthusiastic: she’d preferred Naomi take up a more feminine hobby, such as arts or singing, and had repeatedly tried to get her into the school choir against her will, even going as far as pulling her out of drumming lessons and allowing her to take lessons again only if she took part in the choir. Naomi hadn’t been back since.
The moment Eve mentioned Ray again, Naomi quieted, a tension settling in her stomach that was totally given away by the limp she immediately adopted. If she kept tension in her stomach muscles, her hips weren’t allowed to move freely enough to make the prosthetic seem natural, so instead she pretended everything was fine, but the irregular walk persisted.
Even when Eve explained that she was in the same boat as Naomi – in Eve’s eyes, of course; she wasn’t nearly in the same boat as Naomi – the tension refused to fade. So instead Naomi decided to keep up the lie in front of Eve much like she had with their parents, choosing to pretend that she was indeed in a relationship with Ray. She doubted the first response she’d get from Eve was the same as their parents’ (“sex before marriage is sinful and should be avoided at all cost”) but she felt uncomfortable either way, despite how she’d always known that Eve was on her side. Maybe with this, it’d all prove different.
“Ray,” she muttered. “He’s called Ray.” She gave herself a moment to gather her thoughts, to figure out what was safe to say and what wasn’t, before delving deeper. “We’ve been together for five months. He’s nineteen… he likes video games.” Mentally, she cursed herself for being entirely unable to describe her boyfriend like the straight girls at school always did: she couldn’t muster the interest in her voice that they always had when they spoke of their dates. Instead, her voice was flat, almost defeated, as she explained to her sister who her boyfriend was. “He, uh- we met at school,” when he offered me a smoke during break. But that wasn’t the smartest thing to say to her sister.
She was about to agree, to answer her question, when Eve broke in again and brought up soccer – which would’ve probably been the first thing Naomi had been about to say. If there was anything she was proud of in her high school career, which could not possibly have been her grades, it was making the soccer team and, although unspoken, having the coach’s acknowledgement of being the best player on the team. Eve had heard of the news, however, and – via their mom – had congratulated Naomi on making the team. Their mother had been less enthusiastic: she’d preferred Naomi take up a more feminine hobby, such as arts or singing, and had repeatedly tried to get her into the school choir against her will, even going as far as pulling her out of drumming lessons and allowing her to take lessons again only if she took part in the choir. Naomi hadn’t been back since.
The moment Eve mentioned Ray again, Naomi quieted, a tension settling in her stomach that was totally given away by the limp she immediately adopted. If she kept tension in her stomach muscles, her hips weren’t allowed to move freely enough to make the prosthetic seem natural, so instead she pretended everything was fine, but the irregular walk persisted.
Even when Eve explained that she was in the same boat as Naomi – in Eve’s eyes, of course; she wasn’t nearly in the same boat as Naomi – the tension refused to fade. So instead Naomi decided to keep up the lie in front of Eve much like she had with their parents, choosing to pretend that she was indeed in a relationship with Ray. She doubted the first response she’d get from Eve was the same as their parents’ (“sex before marriage is sinful and should be avoided at all cost”) but she felt uncomfortable either way, despite how she’d always known that Eve was on her side. Maybe with this, it’d all prove different.
“Ray,” she muttered. “He’s called Ray.” She gave herself a moment to gather her thoughts, to figure out what was safe to say and what wasn’t, before delving deeper. “We’ve been together for five months. He’s nineteen… he likes video games.” Mentally, she cursed herself for being entirely unable to describe her boyfriend like the straight girls at school always did: she couldn’t muster the interest in her voice that they always had when they spoke of their dates. Instead, her voice was flat, almost defeated, as she explained to her sister who her boyfriend was. “He, uh- we met at school,” when he offered me a smoke during break. But that wasn’t the smartest thing to say to her sister.
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 607
Eve instantly quieted when Naomi spoke, finally revealing a bit of information about her mysterious new boyfriend. It gave her little to go off of, however, and the young man remained just as much of an enigma to her when the only identifying details that her sister chose to share were that he was nineteen, he enjoyed video games, and that they had met at school. Her eyebrows had knitted themselves together, perplexed by the lack of enthusiasm that rang through the younger woman's voice as she described her boyfriend. It left her with the impression that Naomi was hiding something from her; that something bigger had remained unspoken, looming ominously between them and creating a divide.
"You can talk to me," she offered gently, immediately understanding of why she felt the need to remain so guarded. "We're not at home anymore." She left the rest unspoken, linking her sister's hesitance toward openness to their often overbearing mother who had made a noticeable habit of criticizing Naomi at every chance she got. Even as a child Naomi had to work twice as hard to receive the same praise that was readily provided to Evangeline and Joseph, and being considerably older than her two siblings, Eve had picked up on this shift in attitude regarding Naomi when she was still young, often making the point to step into more of a parental role to fill the gaps left by their mother.
She strived to be something of a safe space for her sister; to be someone she could go to without fear of being chastised or turned away. She also understood that that would never be the case if she attempted to pry information out of her like their mother always had; with that in mind, she dropped the subject and decided it in their best interest not to press it any further. Instead, she glanced out at the stretch of beach in front of them, noting the pier that stood only a few dozen feet away.
"You still like banana milkshakes, don't you?" She disregarded the curious look she received from Naomi at the sudden, seemingly random shift in topics, but smiled when the girl eventually provided her with the affirmation she'd been seeking. "There's a place up ahead that I think you'll like. She slid back into her shoes, wordlessly encouraging Naomi to follow suit before she led her up to and along the sparsely crowded pier.
Milkshake and Oreo flurry in hand, the pair found an opening near the end of the wooden walkway and sat down. Naomi dipped her legs over the edge and Eve eventually followed suit, looking out over the waves while their feet hung above the water. It was quiet; the previous tension fading in favor of a comfortable familiarity that slowly settled between them.
"Sure beats the view back home," She smiled, stirring absently at her dessert with her spoon. "Do you remember when Mom and Dad would take us on long weekends to that huge lake near Tuscaloosa and try to pass it off as a trip to the beach?" She grinned, recalling the - at the time disastrous, but now amusing - memories. "It always smelled like dead fish and there were beer cans floating in the water and Mom would find some stupid little thing to get worked up about and make Dad drive us home a day early." Her smile didn't falter. "You know, I don't think we had one successful family vacation." She laughed, remembering little more than the constant stress and yelling that had been brought on by their mother during any of their group outings.
"You can talk to me," she offered gently, immediately understanding of why she felt the need to remain so guarded. "We're not at home anymore." She left the rest unspoken, linking her sister's hesitance toward openness to their often overbearing mother who had made a noticeable habit of criticizing Naomi at every chance she got. Even as a child Naomi had to work twice as hard to receive the same praise that was readily provided to Evangeline and Joseph, and being considerably older than her two siblings, Eve had picked up on this shift in attitude regarding Naomi when she was still young, often making the point to step into more of a parental role to fill the gaps left by their mother.
She strived to be something of a safe space for her sister; to be someone she could go to without fear of being chastised or turned away. She also understood that that would never be the case if she attempted to pry information out of her like their mother always had; with that in mind, she dropped the subject and decided it in their best interest not to press it any further. Instead, she glanced out at the stretch of beach in front of them, noting the pier that stood only a few dozen feet away.
"You still like banana milkshakes, don't you?" She disregarded the curious look she received from Naomi at the sudden, seemingly random shift in topics, but smiled when the girl eventually provided her with the affirmation she'd been seeking. "There's a place up ahead that I think you'll like. She slid back into her shoes, wordlessly encouraging Naomi to follow suit before she led her up to and along the sparsely crowded pier.
Milkshake and Oreo flurry in hand, the pair found an opening near the end of the wooden walkway and sat down. Naomi dipped her legs over the edge and Eve eventually followed suit, looking out over the waves while their feet hung above the water. It was quiet; the previous tension fading in favor of a comfortable familiarity that slowly settled between them.
"Sure beats the view back home," She smiled, stirring absently at her dessert with her spoon. "Do you remember when Mom and Dad would take us on long weekends to that huge lake near Tuscaloosa and try to pass it off as a trip to the beach?" She grinned, recalling the - at the time disastrous, but now amusing - memories. "It always smelled like dead fish and there were beer cans floating in the water and Mom would find some stupid little thing to get worked up about and make Dad drive us home a day early." Her smile didn't falter. "You know, I don't think we had one successful family vacation." She laughed, remembering little more than the constant stress and yelling that had been brought on by their mother during any of their group outings.
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 519
Naomi, still struggling to push her way through the increasingly deepening sand, only turned away from Eve when the taller brunette offered to be a point of trust for her. Her eyes scanned the horizon instead, that was darkening quickly, but her mind was elsewhere. Ever since she’d figured herself out in that way, which’d been three years back, she’d vowed to herself to keep it down and keep it to herself. It was a detail about herself that, if spread, could make her situation at home very precarious. She’d heard the preachers at church, she’d heard how her dad had talked about the legalization of gay marriage throughout the States. She’d heard her mom grumble something along the lines of ‘disgusting’ or ‘revolting’ when their car passed one with a pride flag sticker on the bumper.
Naomi wasn’t a mistrusting person – she was careful, but she was trusting to those who were patient with her – but this was just something she couldn’t share. Not even with Eve, who she’d trusted all her life with everything else. Despite their bond, they’d grown apart a bit when her sister had moved halfway across the country, and their habit of telling each other everything had been lost in the current.
They walked the remainder of the beach, moving back up the dune-path at the next pier, and Eve’s arm hooked easily into hers, almost as if they’d never been apart. The wind was strong, and Naomi was constantly brushing her long hair out of her face – god, how she wanted a haircut, but their mother would probably disown her – before the brunette was dragging her off the side into one of the old-fashioned diners along the way. They took their desserts outside, and Naomi sat on the very edge of the pier, prosthetic tucked safely underneath her while her leg hung free. “Everything beats the view back home,” she muttered, using the straw to scoop out the last bits of milkshake. “And I’m sure this vacation will beat all the other ones back at home.”
She woke early that morning, but still after her sister, and before Eve could get her to sit down at the table for breakfast, Naomi was in her sporting clothes and out the door. She jogged down the beach, at first thinking that it was fine, but the further she got, the more the already pounding sun was getting to her. She didn’t run more than fifteen minutes before she was sitting down at one of the benches, drenched in sweat.
She got back to the apartment ten minutes later. “God, is it always this warm at ten in the morning?” She flung the spare towel over her back, patting off the sweat on her face and neck. “I can’t do this,” she leaned against the counter, stray locks sticking to her forehead, still breathing heavily. “God, Nomes, you’re burning up.” Eve’s fingers found her arm, before pulling away, and Naomi sat down at the counter, downing a glass of water before pulling the plate with eggs on it towards her. “Are there, like, sharks here?”
Naomi wasn’t a mistrusting person – she was careful, but she was trusting to those who were patient with her – but this was just something she couldn’t share. Not even with Eve, who she’d trusted all her life with everything else. Despite their bond, they’d grown apart a bit when her sister had moved halfway across the country, and their habit of telling each other everything had been lost in the current.
They walked the remainder of the beach, moving back up the dune-path at the next pier, and Eve’s arm hooked easily into hers, almost as if they’d never been apart. The wind was strong, and Naomi was constantly brushing her long hair out of her face – god, how she wanted a haircut, but their mother would probably disown her – before the brunette was dragging her off the side into one of the old-fashioned diners along the way. They took their desserts outside, and Naomi sat on the very edge of the pier, prosthetic tucked safely underneath her while her leg hung free. “Everything beats the view back home,” she muttered, using the straw to scoop out the last bits of milkshake. “And I’m sure this vacation will beat all the other ones back at home.”
She woke early that morning, but still after her sister, and before Eve could get her to sit down at the table for breakfast, Naomi was in her sporting clothes and out the door. She jogged down the beach, at first thinking that it was fine, but the further she got, the more the already pounding sun was getting to her. She didn’t run more than fifteen minutes before she was sitting down at one of the benches, drenched in sweat.
She got back to the apartment ten minutes later. “God, is it always this warm at ten in the morning?” She flung the spare towel over her back, patting off the sweat on her face and neck. “I can’t do this,” she leaned against the counter, stray locks sticking to her forehead, still breathing heavily. “God, Nomes, you’re burning up.” Eve’s fingers found her arm, before pulling away, and Naomi sat down at the counter, downing a glass of water before pulling the plate with eggs on it towards her. “Are there, like, sharks here?”
text text text
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 542
Their first evening went smoothly enough. After their impromptu trip to the beach and, subsequently, the ice cream parlor, the pair returned home where they lounged on the couch and watched half of a movie - some superhero action type that Naomi had boasted about when she spotted it in the directory - before retiring to their respective bedrooms for the night. Eve had woken early the following morning, as she usually did, but had hardly found the time to finish her morning coffee before Naomi was emerging from her bedroom, fully dressed, and hurrying out the front door. "Good morning, Eve..." she called after the girl, using a playful tone to mimic her voice as the front door clicked shut and she found herself occupying the apartment alone.
No more than thirty minutes had passed before the door was once more being pushed open and the subsequent sound of footsteps followed in its wake. She watched, mildly concerned, from the kitchen as a sweat-drenched Naomi dragged herself to the counter where she downed a glass of water and pressed her fatigued body against the side of the marbled surface. Placing the recently-finished plate of toast and eggs that she'd prepared for her sister upon her return onto the counter, she pressed the backs of her fingers against the side of Naomi's bicep.
"God, Nomes, you're burning up," the skin was notably hot to the touch, clearly unaccustomed to the California summer sun. She retracted her touch, her worry lessening when Naomi sat down at the counter for breakfast - the persistence of her teenage appetite suggesting that she wasn't suffering from heat stroke - and grinned when the brunette asked her about sharks in the area.
"Huge ones..." she lifted her brows in a playful gesture, pulling the lip of her coffee mug to her mouth and taking a sip. She leaned back against the edge of the countertop and crossed her legs at her ankles. "Did you remember to bring your bathing suit?" She inquired, confident, however, that they'd be able to find something on relatively short notice had she forgotten.
By midday they were packing a canvas bag with towels, sun screen (per Eve's request), and spare clothes and making the short walk from the apartment down to the beach.
"You can go ahead," Eve nodded toward the water, perfectly content with spreading out a towel and laying in the sun for a few hours. Her plan was not appreciated by her sister, it seemed, as the younger of the two simply shot her a displeased look without uttering a word. "...You're gonna make me get in with you, aren't you?" She paused mid towel spread and released a playfully dramatic sigh. "Fine," she agreed, grinning, and followed the brunette out to the water.
She threw her hair into a messy ponytail as they waded deeper into the waves and the water sloshed up against her thighs, remaining aware of the fact that the water level was moderately higher for Naomi who stood nearly seven inches shorter than Eve. They stopped when the water stood somewhere near mid-navel for Eve and lower chest for Naomi, and Eve dipped herself lower, wetting her sun-kissed shoulders and wading comfortably in the motion of the waves.
No more than thirty minutes had passed before the door was once more being pushed open and the subsequent sound of footsteps followed in its wake. She watched, mildly concerned, from the kitchen as a sweat-drenched Naomi dragged herself to the counter where she downed a glass of water and pressed her fatigued body against the side of the marbled surface. Placing the recently-finished plate of toast and eggs that she'd prepared for her sister upon her return onto the counter, she pressed the backs of her fingers against the side of Naomi's bicep.
"God, Nomes, you're burning up," the skin was notably hot to the touch, clearly unaccustomed to the California summer sun. She retracted her touch, her worry lessening when Naomi sat down at the counter for breakfast - the persistence of her teenage appetite suggesting that she wasn't suffering from heat stroke - and grinned when the brunette asked her about sharks in the area.
"Huge ones..." she lifted her brows in a playful gesture, pulling the lip of her coffee mug to her mouth and taking a sip. She leaned back against the edge of the countertop and crossed her legs at her ankles. "Did you remember to bring your bathing suit?" She inquired, confident, however, that they'd be able to find something on relatively short notice had she forgotten.
By midday they were packing a canvas bag with towels, sun screen (per Eve's request), and spare clothes and making the short walk from the apartment down to the beach.
"You can go ahead," Eve nodded toward the water, perfectly content with spreading out a towel and laying in the sun for a few hours. Her plan was not appreciated by her sister, it seemed, as the younger of the two simply shot her a displeased look without uttering a word. "...You're gonna make me get in with you, aren't you?" She paused mid towel spread and released a playfully dramatic sigh. "Fine," she agreed, grinning, and followed the brunette out to the water.
She threw her hair into a messy ponytail as they waded deeper into the waves and the water sloshed up against her thighs, remaining aware of the fact that the water level was moderately higher for Naomi who stood nearly seven inches shorter than Eve. They stopped when the water stood somewhere near mid-navel for Eve and lower chest for Naomi, and Eve dipped herself lower, wetting her sun-kissed shoulders and wading comfortably in the motion of the waves.
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 504
Naomi’s fork paused mid-air as her sister responded, and her mouth was left hanging open temporarily. She didn’t have a lot of fears, but large things that could definitely eat you swimming around in the water with her were certainly on the list. It was only after a few moments, when her sister’s face broke into a smile, that Naomi realized it was a joke – although it did little to alleviate the fear. “God, you’re such a dick,” her fingers grasped the towel that was still slung over one of her shoulders, and she propped it into a ball and chucked it at her sister in one smooth movement, hitting her square in the face. “I thought you were serious.”
They packed a beach bag with a couple of towels, and Naomi changed into her bikini, wrapping a towel around herself to cover up her white-pale skin, and followed her sister out to the beach. Eve was about to just lay on a towel for a few hours, but Naomi stared at her until she agreed to come into the water with her. She didn’t want to go in herself, and if her sister was just going to sunbathe, that was no fun.
“It’s cold,” she shivered, thigh-deep in the waves as they splashed up against her hips and her stomach. She looked then, at her sister, and rolled her eyes to see that Eve was barely knee-deep, unlike Naomi’s near-submerged hips. She’d rolled her hair up into a bun on top of her head to keep it from getting wet, but as the water reached her collarbones, and Naomi nearly had to get her feet off the sandy ground to keep her head above water, Eve seemed to have different plans.
She opened her mouth to say something just as her sister raked her hand through the water near Naomi’s face, splashing half a palmful of water directly into the girl’s mouth. She spluttered, water dripping down her eyebrows and over her face, and she barely had the time to wipe the salt off her cheeks before a scowl appeared on her face. “Eve!” She reached out to splash her back, taking a step into her sister’s direction, but instead jerked her leg upward as something slimy and soft curled its way around her ankle.
“Ah! What the fuck?!” She jerked again as it wouldn’t let go, trying to get her ankle out of reach of whatever was holding onto it before another yell passed her lips. “Eve, what the fuck is that? It’s on my fucking leg, it’s on my fucking leg, get it off!” She practically jumped into her sister’s arms, grasping onto Eve’s neck for dear life in an attempt to get away from whatever slick thing just grabbed onto her. “You said there weren’t any sharks around here!” Naomi shoved against Eve’s chest, hard enough to push her back a few inches, but not hard enough to actually make her let go of Naomi. “Stop laughing, this isn’t funny!”
They packed a beach bag with a couple of towels, and Naomi changed into her bikini, wrapping a towel around herself to cover up her white-pale skin, and followed her sister out to the beach. Eve was about to just lay on a towel for a few hours, but Naomi stared at her until she agreed to come into the water with her. She didn’t want to go in herself, and if her sister was just going to sunbathe, that was no fun.
“It’s cold,” she shivered, thigh-deep in the waves as they splashed up against her hips and her stomach. She looked then, at her sister, and rolled her eyes to see that Eve was barely knee-deep, unlike Naomi’s near-submerged hips. She’d rolled her hair up into a bun on top of her head to keep it from getting wet, but as the water reached her collarbones, and Naomi nearly had to get her feet off the sandy ground to keep her head above water, Eve seemed to have different plans.
She opened her mouth to say something just as her sister raked her hand through the water near Naomi’s face, splashing half a palmful of water directly into the girl’s mouth. She spluttered, water dripping down her eyebrows and over her face, and she barely had the time to wipe the salt off her cheeks before a scowl appeared on her face. “Eve!” She reached out to splash her back, taking a step into her sister’s direction, but instead jerked her leg upward as something slimy and soft curled its way around her ankle.
“Ah! What the fuck?!” She jerked again as it wouldn’t let go, trying to get her ankle out of reach of whatever was holding onto it before another yell passed her lips. “Eve, what the fuck is that? It’s on my fucking leg, it’s on my fucking leg, get it off!” She practically jumped into her sister’s arms, grasping onto Eve’s neck for dear life in an attempt to get away from whatever slick thing just grabbed onto her. “You said there weren’t any sharks around here!” Naomi shoved against Eve’s chest, hard enough to push her back a few inches, but not hard enough to actually make her let go of Naomi. “Stop laughing, this isn’t funny!”
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 531
Quietly observing while her sister finished tying her hair up into a bun, a playful but mischievous smile had taken home on Evangeline's lips when, just as Naomi had lowered her hands into the waves, Eve raked her own against the surface and splashed a palmful of the salty water directly into her face. Naomi's expression shifted almost instantly from shock to momentary disbelief to irritation as she wiped the water from her face as best as she could and set her sights on her sister. Evangeline could only offer a deeply satisfied smile, preparing herself for her sister's inevitable retaliation as she cupped her hand beneath the water and stepped forward.
Eve couldn't stop the laugh that passed her lips when, instead of successfully carrying out her revenge, Naomi began to bounce around in response to something latching onto her beneath the water. She lurched forward, struggling to keep her balance when the younger woman sprung forward and clung tightly around her neck. Still laughing, she maintained a loose grasp on her sister who, upon realizing that her life was no longer in immediate danger, shoved hard against her chest and reprimanded her for lying about there being no sharks in the area.
"I'm sorry," she grinned, attempting to return her breathing to a more regular state. "You just... You should've seen your face," her laugh returned full force at the recollection. "It's got my leg!" she mimicked, taken aback when Naomi splashed a palmful of water into her face and pushed away from her grip, stomping back up toward the beach. "Naomi!" She called after her, struggling to wade through the chest-deep water. "Naomi, wait for me!"
They spent what remained of their day on the balcony outside of the apartment. Eve had changed into a pair of shorts, but opted to remain in her bikini top and took the opportunity to stretch out in one of the lounge chairs and catch up on the sunbathing that Naomi hadn't allowed her to partake in on the beach while Naomi finished off the last of the pizza from the night before and sat with her earbuds in while she played on her phone.
Half drifting off to sleep beneath the warm rays of the afternoon sun, Eve groaned when her own phone began to chime. Squinting to read the screen, a quiet sigh escaped from between her lips. "It looks like I'm working on Saturday," she lolled her head toward Naomi, using a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she did so. "Will you be okay hanging out around here for the day? I'll leave you a spare key and some cash; as long as you don't do anything too crazy, don't tell Mom, and answer your phone if I text you I'm fine with you going out while I'm gone. There's plenty to do around here." She returned her phone to the space next to her on the chair. "But seriously... you can't tell Mom," she reiterated. "She already hates that I live here, so if she finds out that I set you loose on the streets of Los Angeles she'll kill me." She warned, smiling.
Eve couldn't stop the laugh that passed her lips when, instead of successfully carrying out her revenge, Naomi began to bounce around in response to something latching onto her beneath the water. She lurched forward, struggling to keep her balance when the younger woman sprung forward and clung tightly around her neck. Still laughing, she maintained a loose grasp on her sister who, upon realizing that her life was no longer in immediate danger, shoved hard against her chest and reprimanded her for lying about there being no sharks in the area.
"I'm sorry," she grinned, attempting to return her breathing to a more regular state. "You just... You should've seen your face," her laugh returned full force at the recollection. "It's got my leg!" she mimicked, taken aback when Naomi splashed a palmful of water into her face and pushed away from her grip, stomping back up toward the beach. "Naomi!" She called after her, struggling to wade through the chest-deep water. "Naomi, wait for me!"
They spent what remained of their day on the balcony outside of the apartment. Eve had changed into a pair of shorts, but opted to remain in her bikini top and took the opportunity to stretch out in one of the lounge chairs and catch up on the sunbathing that Naomi hadn't allowed her to partake in on the beach while Naomi finished off the last of the pizza from the night before and sat with her earbuds in while she played on her phone.
Half drifting off to sleep beneath the warm rays of the afternoon sun, Eve groaned when her own phone began to chime. Squinting to read the screen, a quiet sigh escaped from between her lips. "It looks like I'm working on Saturday," she lolled her head toward Naomi, using a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she did so. "Will you be okay hanging out around here for the day? I'll leave you a spare key and some cash; as long as you don't do anything too crazy, don't tell Mom, and answer your phone if I text you I'm fine with you going out while I'm gone. There's plenty to do around here." She returned her phone to the space next to her on the chair. "But seriously... you can't tell Mom," she reiterated. "She already hates that I live here, so if she finds out that I set you loose on the streets of Los Angeles she'll kill me." She warned, smiling.
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 851
Eve was still laughing by the time Naomi regained her breath from screaming, and she shoved hard against her sister’s chest again, this time actually pushing her away and finding her way back to the wet sand underneath her feet. “It’s not funny! It was all slimy and grabbing onto me!” Eve’s laughter only became more hitched, her chest shaking against Naomi’s, and Naomi pushed her again, splashing two handfuls of water in her face as revenge and stomping her way back up to the dry beach, leaving her sister behind in the waves, struggling to keep up with her.
It was so hot. Naomi constantly felt like she was melting, a continuous layer of sweat covering her skin and turning her cheeks a rosy pink. She didn’t know if she was going to last the whole summer here; she’d barely spent a day, and she’d already emptied out Eve’s freezer for all the ice cream she had in stock, and then some. There were no more ice cubes – the tray was filled with nothing but cold water, she’d checked about four times in the last hour while Eve had told her to have some patience – and thus no relief from the burning heat that spread throughout the apartment, even with the airco on.
Eve didn’t seem to mind. She stretched out half-naked on a chair on the balcony, in the full sun, only tanning and not seeming to have any problem with the scorching heat. Naomi, on the other hand, reveled in the cold pizza she’d pulled from the fridge, and sat outside, in the shade, with her sunglasses on and her earplugs in, playing a game on her phone to attempt to distract herself from the thick heat that hung in the air.
Eve had closed her eyes, and Naomi had gotten distracted from her game when Ray had shot her a text asking how she was dealing with being away, and they texted back and forth for a bit. While he’d never been really pushy, lately he’d gotten it in his head that he wanted to go further with their relationship, still failing to catch onto the distance Naomi put between them after every time they kissed. She could feel her own discomfort grow as his text grew more suggestive, eventually ending with a winky face and something ultimately suggesting that if it was hot, she must not be wearing a lot – and that he wanted pictures.
She brushed him off at first, fake-laughing along to his jokes, but as he became more serious, she started responding less and less, which he only took as an invite to become more explicit. When, eventually, her sister stirred and drew her attention, Naomi gratefully turned off the screen of her phone despite the still-vibrating incoming messages that poured into her inbox. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she ripped one of her earbuds out, sounding nearly as if she’d been caught doing something bad, and sat up from where she’d been leaning back against the chair. “I won’t tell Mom.”
The rest of the week passed quickly, after Naomi had chosen to temporarily ignore Ray’s messages, and despite how her insides still ached uncomfortably with every thought about their last interaction, she found herself beginning to get used to her new – temporary – situation. Eve had left that morning, leaving the apartment empty and free for Naomi to do whatever, but it quickly became boring when there was nothing on TV and she couldn’t manage to break into her sister’s laptop, so instead she unlocked the door with her spare key and went outside.
It was warm, maybe even warmer than the days before, and she was quickly getting tired from walking, when she spotted a smoothie/milkshake café up ahead. I can really go for a cold drink right now. She patted her jeans, making sure she had her wallet with the money Eve had given her, before pushing the glass doors open.
It was busy inside, with it being the weekend and warm and such, so Naomi weaved through the people and stood in line for a good ten minutes, her eyes glued to the large board up against the wall as she tried to decide what she wanted. “Can I help you?” Her attention was drawn back to the cashier as she stepped forward, and where she expected to see a friendly, helpful person, was a grouchy-looking girl. Her hair was down while her female coworkers all wore their hair up, and underneath her apron peeked out a band shirt. “Uh,” Naomi stammered, caught off-guard by the flat tone of the girl, and her eyes automatically shot down to her name tag. Daniela. “I’ll have the banana milkshake… medium, please.” The dark-haired girl didn’t respond, only looked at her for a minute longer, before ringing something up and then turning towards the other employees that were huddled near the machine. “Hey, Dave, get me a medium banana shake!” Naomi’s eyes instantly widened, but she said nothing, instead paying for her drink and then stepping aside to let the next customer order.
It was so hot. Naomi constantly felt like she was melting, a continuous layer of sweat covering her skin and turning her cheeks a rosy pink. She didn’t know if she was going to last the whole summer here; she’d barely spent a day, and she’d already emptied out Eve’s freezer for all the ice cream she had in stock, and then some. There were no more ice cubes – the tray was filled with nothing but cold water, she’d checked about four times in the last hour while Eve had told her to have some patience – and thus no relief from the burning heat that spread throughout the apartment, even with the airco on.
Eve didn’t seem to mind. She stretched out half-naked on a chair on the balcony, in the full sun, only tanning and not seeming to have any problem with the scorching heat. Naomi, on the other hand, reveled in the cold pizza she’d pulled from the fridge, and sat outside, in the shade, with her sunglasses on and her earplugs in, playing a game on her phone to attempt to distract herself from the thick heat that hung in the air.
Eve had closed her eyes, and Naomi had gotten distracted from her game when Ray had shot her a text asking how she was dealing with being away, and they texted back and forth for a bit. While he’d never been really pushy, lately he’d gotten it in his head that he wanted to go further with their relationship, still failing to catch onto the distance Naomi put between them after every time they kissed. She could feel her own discomfort grow as his text grew more suggestive, eventually ending with a winky face and something ultimately suggesting that if it was hot, she must not be wearing a lot – and that he wanted pictures.
She brushed him off at first, fake-laughing along to his jokes, but as he became more serious, she started responding less and less, which he only took as an invite to become more explicit. When, eventually, her sister stirred and drew her attention, Naomi gratefully turned off the screen of her phone despite the still-vibrating incoming messages that poured into her inbox. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she ripped one of her earbuds out, sounding nearly as if she’d been caught doing something bad, and sat up from where she’d been leaning back against the chair. “I won’t tell Mom.”
The rest of the week passed quickly, after Naomi had chosen to temporarily ignore Ray’s messages, and despite how her insides still ached uncomfortably with every thought about their last interaction, she found herself beginning to get used to her new – temporary – situation. Eve had left that morning, leaving the apartment empty and free for Naomi to do whatever, but it quickly became boring when there was nothing on TV and she couldn’t manage to break into her sister’s laptop, so instead she unlocked the door with her spare key and went outside.
It was warm, maybe even warmer than the days before, and she was quickly getting tired from walking, when she spotted a smoothie/milkshake café up ahead. I can really go for a cold drink right now. She patted her jeans, making sure she had her wallet with the money Eve had given her, before pushing the glass doors open.
It was busy inside, with it being the weekend and warm and such, so Naomi weaved through the people and stood in line for a good ten minutes, her eyes glued to the large board up against the wall as she tried to decide what she wanted. “Can I help you?” Her attention was drawn back to the cashier as she stepped forward, and where she expected to see a friendly, helpful person, was a grouchy-looking girl. Her hair was down while her female coworkers all wore their hair up, and underneath her apron peeked out a band shirt. “Uh,” Naomi stammered, caught off-guard by the flat tone of the girl, and her eyes automatically shot down to her name tag. Daniela. “I’ll have the banana milkshake… medium, please.” The dark-haired girl didn’t respond, only looked at her for a minute longer, before ringing something up and then turning towards the other employees that were huddled near the machine. “Hey, Dave, get me a medium banana shake!” Naomi’s eyes instantly widened, but she said nothing, instead paying for her drink and then stepping aside to let the next customer order.
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
Dxxxxxx Axxxxxx NxxxxxxI
────────────────
never knew i could be speechless
don't know how i'll break this curse;
now the world is only white noise
frequencies i can't understand
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 540
Dani dreaded Saturdays more than anything. It'd been two weeks since she'd been hired on at the smoothie joint near the pier - conveniently located within walking distance of her house - and already she'd learned to dread coming into work on the weekends. The line, packed with tourists and regulars alike, had steadily begun to build the moment that the doors had opened and showed no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Set on making it home with at least a tiny sliver of her sanity, Dani found a pace that worked for her and took things one customer at a time; the next in line being a girl who appeared to be somewhere around her age, appearing utterly unprepared as her gaze remained glued onto the menu that hung above both of their heads. "Can I help you?" Dani urged, though her tone remained flat. Her gaze followed as the brunette's eyes flicked down to her name tag, suppressing an eye roll as she almost prepared herself to be addressed by name - an all too common occurrence among their older crowd. Instead the girl stammered, glancing back up at the menu for verification before declaring that she wanted a banana milkshake.
Without a word, Dani shifted toward the register and followed the prompts on the screen as her fingers - relying almost completely on the muscle memory that she'd acquired during her short time as an employee - rang up her order and turned toward the small group of her coworkers who stood huddled at the machines behind her. "Hey, Dave, get me a medium banana shake!" She called out, offering something of a smile when she turned back around to collect the girl's money. "Anything else?" She asked, giving her little time to respond before she was pushing the till's drawer shut and casting her attention toward the next customer. "Have a nice day..."
It was late into a Wednesday afternoon when Dani was stuck working the counter again. Business was slow - thank God - and she'd busied herself with playing on her phone, which she'd tucked stealthily between her register and the wall, when the bell on the door rang to indicate another customer. Her reaction was delayed as she pulled her gaze away from her phone's screen, but as she locked gazes with the brunette, who she swore she'd seen at least twice that week already, she focused her attention onto her instead.
"Let me guess... banana milkshake?" She watched as she approached the counter, glancing up toward the menu as if she might not order the same thing that she had the last handful of times that she'd visited. "You do know we serve other drinks, right?" It wasn't intended to sound rude, but the innate flatness of her tone had a habit of making her seem like she was in a much worse mood than she actually was - not that she could really say that her mood was in the best state given the fact that she was stuck behind the counter at a job that she hated. Truth be told, if she had to pick between serving banana milkshake girl or one of the creepy old men who frequented the shop, she'd pick milkshake girl hands down.
Set on making it home with at least a tiny sliver of her sanity, Dani found a pace that worked for her and took things one customer at a time; the next in line being a girl who appeared to be somewhere around her age, appearing utterly unprepared as her gaze remained glued onto the menu that hung above both of their heads. "Can I help you?" Dani urged, though her tone remained flat. Her gaze followed as the brunette's eyes flicked down to her name tag, suppressing an eye roll as she almost prepared herself to be addressed by name - an all too common occurrence among their older crowd. Instead the girl stammered, glancing back up at the menu for verification before declaring that she wanted a banana milkshake.
Without a word, Dani shifted toward the register and followed the prompts on the screen as her fingers - relying almost completely on the muscle memory that she'd acquired during her short time as an employee - rang up her order and turned toward the small group of her coworkers who stood huddled at the machines behind her. "Hey, Dave, get me a medium banana shake!" She called out, offering something of a smile when she turned back around to collect the girl's money. "Anything else?" She asked, giving her little time to respond before she was pushing the till's drawer shut and casting her attention toward the next customer. "Have a nice day..."
It was late into a Wednesday afternoon when Dani was stuck working the counter again. Business was slow - thank God - and she'd busied herself with playing on her phone, which she'd tucked stealthily between her register and the wall, when the bell on the door rang to indicate another customer. Her reaction was delayed as she pulled her gaze away from her phone's screen, but as she locked gazes with the brunette, who she swore she'd seen at least twice that week already, she focused her attention onto her instead.
"Let me guess... banana milkshake?" She watched as she approached the counter, glancing up toward the menu as if she might not order the same thing that she had the last handful of times that she'd visited. "You do know we serve other drinks, right?" It wasn't intended to sound rude, but the innate flatness of her tone had a habit of making her seem like she was in a much worse mood than she actually was - not that she could really say that her mood was in the best state given the fact that she was stuck behind the counter at a job that she hated. Truth be told, if she had to pick between serving banana milkshake girl or one of the creepy old men who frequented the shop, she'd pick milkshake girl hands down.
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 569
this is terribleeeeee
Turned out, the milkshakes from the smoothie place Naomi had gone to when Eve was at work were amazing. Much so that she returned that week, two or three times, to get the same thing – every time being helped by the same grouchy, short brunette that had rang her up the first time. The girl seemed to catch onto Naomi’s frequent visiting, and when she once more pushed through the doors on an empty Wednesday afternoon, the cashier broke the silence before Naomi could so much as walk up to the counter.
“Uh…” completely caught off-guard by the girl’s sudden snappy tone, Naomi halted mid-step, still a few feet away from the counter, and her eyes met the other girl’s. Someone was in a mood today. Naomi swallowed, itching to turn around and walk away, but something inside of her pulled and she stayed where she was, temporarily lost for words as she only stood there, dumbfounded, at the brunette’s snappy tone and snappier words.
It took her a good minute to regather herself, but then she straightened out and a dip of a frown appeared between her eyebrows. “Fine. So what do you recommend?” A strawberry-kiwi smoothie later, Naomi was walking back out of the parlor, half-finished cup of vaguely yellow juice in hand, which she promptly dumped in one of the trash cans when she’d walked out of sight of the other girl.
She didn’t come back for a while. Somehow, she felt uncomfortable having been called out on her behavior the way she had, and it made her stay away from the parlor, until a day came where it was really warm again and she simply needed a cold drink.
The cashier instantly recognized her when she came in, but she didn’t comment on Naomi’s long absence. It was quiet within, with almost no other customers, so she walked up to the counter. “Two banana milkshakes, please.” The girl raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, and rang her up. When she came back from the machine with the two drinks in hand, and handed both of them to Naomi, she only took one, gesturing that the other was for the brunette. “Maybe I’ll change your mind on them.” She shrugged, the brunette protesting briefly, but when she realized Naomi didn’t let up, she quieted down.
Naomi sat down at one of the tables, stretching her legs underneath it and pulling out her phone while she finished her drink. Barely ten minutes passed or another customer came in, who walked up to the counter and promptly dismissed the guy that had taken the brunette’s place. “No, I’ll wait for Daniela.” Naomi’s gaze moved up at the name, and her eyes found the brunette, who had an uncomfortable expression on her face. The way he spoke made Naomi’s stomach twist within her, suggesting things that were inappropriate between an older man and what Naomi assumed was an underage girl. She stood, realizing the girl couldn’t defend herself while she was at her job, and moved up to the counter. “Hey, you really need to quit it with that. It’s gross, man, she doesn’t want that kind of shit. Just get your food and go.”
He grumbled something, throwing his money on the counter and grabbing his things before storming out the door. Naomi watched him go, before turning back to the girl. “Sorry about that. Guys are gross.”
“Uh…” completely caught off-guard by the girl’s sudden snappy tone, Naomi halted mid-step, still a few feet away from the counter, and her eyes met the other girl’s. Someone was in a mood today. Naomi swallowed, itching to turn around and walk away, but something inside of her pulled and she stayed where she was, temporarily lost for words as she only stood there, dumbfounded, at the brunette’s snappy tone and snappier words.
It took her a good minute to regather herself, but then she straightened out and a dip of a frown appeared between her eyebrows. “Fine. So what do you recommend?” A strawberry-kiwi smoothie later, Naomi was walking back out of the parlor, half-finished cup of vaguely yellow juice in hand, which she promptly dumped in one of the trash cans when she’d walked out of sight of the other girl.
She didn’t come back for a while. Somehow, she felt uncomfortable having been called out on her behavior the way she had, and it made her stay away from the parlor, until a day came where it was really warm again and she simply needed a cold drink.
The cashier instantly recognized her when she came in, but she didn’t comment on Naomi’s long absence. It was quiet within, with almost no other customers, so she walked up to the counter. “Two banana milkshakes, please.” The girl raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, and rang her up. When she came back from the machine with the two drinks in hand, and handed both of them to Naomi, she only took one, gesturing that the other was for the brunette. “Maybe I’ll change your mind on them.” She shrugged, the brunette protesting briefly, but when she realized Naomi didn’t let up, she quieted down.
Naomi sat down at one of the tables, stretching her legs underneath it and pulling out her phone while she finished her drink. Barely ten minutes passed or another customer came in, who walked up to the counter and promptly dismissed the guy that had taken the brunette’s place. “No, I’ll wait for Daniela.” Naomi’s gaze moved up at the name, and her eyes found the brunette, who had an uncomfortable expression on her face. The way he spoke made Naomi’s stomach twist within her, suggesting things that were inappropriate between an older man and what Naomi assumed was an underage girl. She stood, realizing the girl couldn’t defend herself while she was at her job, and moved up to the counter. “Hey, you really need to quit it with that. It’s gross, man, she doesn’t want that kind of shit. Just get your food and go.”
He grumbled something, throwing his money on the counter and grabbing his things before storming out the door. Naomi watched him go, before turning back to the girl. “Sorry about that. Guys are gross.”
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
D xxxxxxA xxxxxxN xxxxxxI
────────────────
────────────────
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 601
Dani admittedly hadn't given much thought to the similarly-aged brunette with a penchant for banana milkshakes since the last time that she'd seen her (she gave little thought to most of her customers once they stepped through the door, quite honestly); still, it came as a surprise when the girl entered the shop after, now that she'd thought about it, nearly two weeks of absence. She skillfully hid the smirk that threatened to draw the corners of her mouth upwards and only raised an eyebrow when the brunette ordered two milkshakes instead of her usual one. Without any additional comment aside from informing the girl of her total, she turned and went to work at preparing her order.
"Two banana milkshakes," she fixed the lid onto the second and slid both of the cups toward the girl, once more caught off guard when she proceeded to take one and left the other sitting on the counter. "Oh-" it took her a moment to put two-and-two together "we're not allowed..." her voice tapered off when the brunette showed no sign of retracting her offer and stepped away to find a seat at one of the tables. Dani huffed quietly, casting a glance in the girl's direction to make sure she wasn't watching before she grabbed the second milkshake from the counter and turned, taking a small sip from it.
No more than ten minutes later the bell on the door was chiming again. Dani paid the approaching customer little attention, informing her coworker that she was taking her fifteen minute break when a familiar voice had her gritting her teeth just as she was stepping away. "I'll wait for Daniela," she turned at the mention of her name, regretting the action as soon as her gaze crossed with the older man's. He'd frequented the shop since she'd started working there, spending a bit too much time than was comfortable trying to spark conversation with the young girl at the front counter each time.
She'd prepared to grit her teeth and walk away when the brunette who she'd served moments prior stood from her table and approached the counter, verbally reprimanding the man who was easily four times her age and twice her size until he backed down. She was impressed, she had to admit, but she didn't let it show as her gaze slowly flitted toward the other girl. "...Thanks," she spoke, more genuine this time as their eyes crossed briefly, before she collected her things and continued on her way to her break.
"So... how'd you find this place?" Eve trailed a pace or two behind her sister, following as they passed all of the ice cream parlors that were familiar to the older of the two of them in favor of a new shop that had earned Naomi's praise. It was located just off of one of the piers and the air conditioning inside allowed for temporary relief from the heat as they stepped inside. A girl no older than Naomi was manning the counter and, upon crossing gazes with Naomi, turned without a word and began to work at one of the machines despite there being no customers before them in line. She turned after a moment, sliding a cup onto the counter and wordlessly gesturing with her eyes for Naomi to take it.
Evangeline watched the pair curiously, distractedly making her own order before the two of them found a table near the back. "Do you know her?" She gestured with a subtle nod of her head toward the front counter, slowly swirling her straw within her cup.
"Two banana milkshakes," she fixed the lid onto the second and slid both of the cups toward the girl, once more caught off guard when she proceeded to take one and left the other sitting on the counter. "Oh-" it took her a moment to put two-and-two together "we're not allowed..." her voice tapered off when the brunette showed no sign of retracting her offer and stepped away to find a seat at one of the tables. Dani huffed quietly, casting a glance in the girl's direction to make sure she wasn't watching before she grabbed the second milkshake from the counter and turned, taking a small sip from it.
No more than ten minutes later the bell on the door was chiming again. Dani paid the approaching customer little attention, informing her coworker that she was taking her fifteen minute break when a familiar voice had her gritting her teeth just as she was stepping away. "I'll wait for Daniela," she turned at the mention of her name, regretting the action as soon as her gaze crossed with the older man's. He'd frequented the shop since she'd started working there, spending a bit too much time than was comfortable trying to spark conversation with the young girl at the front counter each time.
She'd prepared to grit her teeth and walk away when the brunette who she'd served moments prior stood from her table and approached the counter, verbally reprimanding the man who was easily four times her age and twice her size until he backed down. She was impressed, she had to admit, but she didn't let it show as her gaze slowly flitted toward the other girl. "...Thanks," she spoke, more genuine this time as their eyes crossed briefly, before she collected her things and continued on her way to her break.
────────
"So... how'd you find this place?" Eve trailed a pace or two behind her sister, following as they passed all of the ice cream parlors that were familiar to the older of the two of them in favor of a new shop that had earned Naomi's praise. It was located just off of one of the piers and the air conditioning inside allowed for temporary relief from the heat as they stepped inside. A girl no older than Naomi was manning the counter and, upon crossing gazes with Naomi, turned without a word and began to work at one of the machines despite there being no customers before them in line. She turned after a moment, sliding a cup onto the counter and wordlessly gesturing with her eyes for Naomi to take it.
Evangeline watched the pair curiously, distractedly making her own order before the two of them found a table near the back. "Do you know her?" She gestured with a subtle nod of her head toward the front counter, slowly swirling her straw within her cup.
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 561
Despite the wave of pride – and possibly something else – that had overwhelmed Naomi when the girl had distractedly nodded her thanks for getting rid of the gross old guy, it had taken her a couple days to return. Something within her had her stomach churning every time she thought about returning to the smoothie shop, in a way that she’d never experienced before, and she hastily repressed the feeling every time it bubbled up inside of her. However, she mentioned the quality of milkshakes once or twice to Eve, who then suggested that they visit the shop together, and despite the way the prospect of going back there again chewed at her insides, she agreed.
“Uh, I just kind of ran into it when you were at work one day. And you know I’d murder someone for a milkshake any day.” Naomi grinned, though her smile faded as she pushed the glass doors open, noticing how there was nearly nobody inside just on the day that they chose to come. The brunette behind the counter barely looked at Naomi before she turned to the machine behind her, preparing her usual and sliding the lidded cup in front of her. Naomi wordlessly handed her a five-dollar bill, gesturing for her to keep the change, and moved past Eve – without saying a word to her sister, who had been watching it all happen with a blank expression on her face.
Eve sat down at the same table, one eyebrow raised at Naomi as she took a sip of her milkshake, and broke the silence. “No, not outside of the milkshake thing.” Naomi shrugged, planting the milkshake straw between her lips again and effectively ending the conversation. Her eyes strayed, though, meeting with the brunette’s, who was still behind the counter, a number of times. Naomi leaned back, turning slightly so she wouldn’t be distracted, but a knowing smile had taken place on Eve’s face. “What?” The taller woman shrugged, saying nothing, and there were a few minutes of silence between them before Eve spoke.
“Looks like you have an admirer,” her smile broke into a grin, and Naomi’s eyes widened, flicking from her sister to the girl behind the counter, who immediately averted her eyes when Naomi’s gaze threatened to move towards her. “What?” She repeated, although she couldn’t deny the slight hitch of her heart in her chest, immediately getting a knot in her stomach that didn’t dissipate until they got up to leave.
The entire walk back home Naomi was worrying about whether Eve had noticed the signs, whether she’d figured it out without Naomi having to come out to her; and the entire walk, she was half sweating because of the weather and half because of her own worries. Her gaze moved to her sister a number of times, tensing up every time Eve threatened to look back at her, but she didn’t say anything. Just as they arrived back at the apartment, her phone began to vibrate in her pocket, playing the familiar tune of her ringtone, and she rolled her eyes much too intensely to be inconspicuous about her attraction to Ray when she saw the name on the screen. “I gotta take this, it’s the boyfriend. I’ll be upstairs in a minute.” Eve looked at her strangely for a moment, before nodding and disappearing through the door.
“Uh, I just kind of ran into it when you were at work one day. And you know I’d murder someone for a milkshake any day.” Naomi grinned, though her smile faded as she pushed the glass doors open, noticing how there was nearly nobody inside just on the day that they chose to come. The brunette behind the counter barely looked at Naomi before she turned to the machine behind her, preparing her usual and sliding the lidded cup in front of her. Naomi wordlessly handed her a five-dollar bill, gesturing for her to keep the change, and moved past Eve – without saying a word to her sister, who had been watching it all happen with a blank expression on her face.
Eve sat down at the same table, one eyebrow raised at Naomi as she took a sip of her milkshake, and broke the silence. “No, not outside of the milkshake thing.” Naomi shrugged, planting the milkshake straw between her lips again and effectively ending the conversation. Her eyes strayed, though, meeting with the brunette’s, who was still behind the counter, a number of times. Naomi leaned back, turning slightly so she wouldn’t be distracted, but a knowing smile had taken place on Eve’s face. “What?” The taller woman shrugged, saying nothing, and there were a few minutes of silence between them before Eve spoke.
“Looks like you have an admirer,” her smile broke into a grin, and Naomi’s eyes widened, flicking from her sister to the girl behind the counter, who immediately averted her eyes when Naomi’s gaze threatened to move towards her. “What?” She repeated, although she couldn’t deny the slight hitch of her heart in her chest, immediately getting a knot in her stomach that didn’t dissipate until they got up to leave.
The entire walk back home Naomi was worrying about whether Eve had noticed the signs, whether she’d figured it out without Naomi having to come out to her; and the entire walk, she was half sweating because of the weather and half because of her own worries. Her gaze moved to her sister a number of times, tensing up every time Eve threatened to look back at her, but she didn’t say anything. Just as they arrived back at the apartment, her phone began to vibrate in her pocket, playing the familiar tune of her ringtone, and she rolled her eyes much too intensely to be inconspicuous about her attraction to Ray when she saw the name on the screen. “I gotta take this, it’s the boyfriend. I’ll be upstairs in a minute.” Eve looked at her strangely for a moment, before nodding and disappearing through the door.
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
────────────────
D xxxxxxA xxxxxxN xxxxxxI
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 606
A knowing smile had settled itself comfortably onto Evangeline's lips while she watched her sister stammer from across the table. Naomi's gaze had flitted toward the other young girl without any prompting before it settled somewhere on the ground and she fell into a nervous silence and Evangeline decided it best not to press the subject any further. Nevertheless, an almost tangible degree of tenseness continued to linger between them even after they'd left the shop and made the short walk back to the apartment.
Her eyes, subtly questioning, flitted toward the young woman when her phone began to ring just as they were approaching the doors of the apartment complex. Naomi rolled her eyes, announcing that it was her boyfriend with a noticeably irritated expression before she fell out of pace with the taller brunette and informed her that she'd join her upstairs after she was finished with her phone call; which, judging by her look, wouldn't be long. "Ah... young love," Evangeline teased with a smirk, nodding her okay to the younger woman before she opened the door and stepped inside to allow her some privacy.
The brunette had visited twice in the days that had passed. Once with a woman who appeared to hold some type of relation to the younger girl, a sister or maybe an older cousin; the second time she was alone, per her usual pace, and was in the process of clearing her table and exiting the shop when a second customer entered the space.
The woman - middle aged and expensively-dressed - marched straight to the counter and focused her gaze, which remained hidden behind a pair of thick-rimmed sunglasses, on the menu board above them. Dani's eyes followed, admittedly distracted, while the door was pushed open and the familiar brunette stepped outside. "...Hello?" the woman reeled her attention back in. "It's polite to greet someone when they walk up to you," she chastised, her lips pulled taut as she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm sure your manager doesn't pay you to stand around all day." Dani bit down hard on her tongue, attempting to maintain a neutral expression. "And it doesn't hurt to smile, dear. I know that most of your generation want everything handed to you and feel like you're too entitled to work real jobs, but I'm the one putting money in your paycheck."
She didn't back down, riling herself up despite the fact that Dani hadn't uttered so much as a word since she'd entered the shop. "You know what... I want to speak to your manager. This service is inexcusable. Who's in charge?" Dani could feel her skin becoming hot, and just as the woman had slapped her hand down on the counter, her many rings clinking against the surface, Dani untied her apron and threw it in a heap onto the countertop along with her name tag. "I'm done," Dani announced just as the woman's screaming had attracted the attention of the manager on duty. "I quit." She ignored his questions about who was going to cover the rest of her shift and the incessant yelling of the woman, adrenaline swelling inside of her as she shoved against the glass doors and walked out.
Instantly, she recalled the brunette who had left only moments prior and, as luck would have it, managed to spot her a ways up the sidewalk. She half-jogged to catch up with her, still riding her high as she finally fell into pace with the other girl. "Hey," she slowed, attempting to catch her breath and ignoring the questionable look that she was receiving. "I'm Dani."
Her eyes, subtly questioning, flitted toward the young woman when her phone began to ring just as they were approaching the doors of the apartment complex. Naomi rolled her eyes, announcing that it was her boyfriend with a noticeably irritated expression before she fell out of pace with the taller brunette and informed her that she'd join her upstairs after she was finished with her phone call; which, judging by her look, wouldn't be long. "Ah... young love," Evangeline teased with a smirk, nodding her okay to the younger woman before she opened the door and stepped inside to allow her some privacy.
────────
The brunette had visited twice in the days that had passed. Once with a woman who appeared to hold some type of relation to the younger girl, a sister or maybe an older cousin; the second time she was alone, per her usual pace, and was in the process of clearing her table and exiting the shop when a second customer entered the space.
The woman - middle aged and expensively-dressed - marched straight to the counter and focused her gaze, which remained hidden behind a pair of thick-rimmed sunglasses, on the menu board above them. Dani's eyes followed, admittedly distracted, while the door was pushed open and the familiar brunette stepped outside. "...Hello?" the woman reeled her attention back in. "It's polite to greet someone when they walk up to you," she chastised, her lips pulled taut as she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm sure your manager doesn't pay you to stand around all day." Dani bit down hard on her tongue, attempting to maintain a neutral expression. "And it doesn't hurt to smile, dear. I know that most of your generation want everything handed to you and feel like you're too entitled to work real jobs, but I'm the one putting money in your paycheck."
She didn't back down, riling herself up despite the fact that Dani hadn't uttered so much as a word since she'd entered the shop. "You know what... I want to speak to your manager. This service is inexcusable. Who's in charge?" Dani could feel her skin becoming hot, and just as the woman had slapped her hand down on the counter, her many rings clinking against the surface, Dani untied her apron and threw it in a heap onto the countertop along with her name tag. "I'm done," Dani announced just as the woman's screaming had attracted the attention of the manager on duty. "I quit." She ignored his questions about who was going to cover the rest of her shift and the incessant yelling of the woman, adrenaline swelling inside of her as she shoved against the glass doors and walked out.
Instantly, she recalled the brunette who had left only moments prior and, as luck would have it, managed to spot her a ways up the sidewalk. She half-jogged to catch up with her, still riding her high as she finally fell into pace with the other girl. "Hey," she slowed, attempting to catch her breath and ignoring the questionable look that she was receiving. "I'm Dani."
Last edited:
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 449
Ray didn’t have anything interesting to tell her, simply wanting to chat – and yet again suggesting things she wasn’t comfortable with – so the conversation on the phone ended rather abruptly when Naomi mumbled that she was being called upstairs by Eve and had to go, cutting it off before he could say those dreaded three words. She stared at the homepage of her phone for a good minute, chewing on the inside of her lip, before her gaze moved up to the windows of Eve’s apartment, silently considering what she was about to do.
Her footsteps were quiet as they approached the door, and she couldn’t deny how nervous she was becoming. “Eve? Can we… talk about something?” The moment her sister entered the room, her courage dissipated into an emptiness in her stomach that took away her entire ability to word what she was trying to say, the raised eyebrows on Eve’s face instantly pulling away all of her intentions to come out as she’d planned. “Uh, never mind. Moment’s passed,” she mumbled, averting her gaze and disappearing into the guest room that she slept in.
Naomi returned to the shop a couple days later, partially driven by her interest to see if what Eve had said was right. The brunette behind the counter didn’t act much different than she normally did, and she didn’t particularly catch her staring as Eve had implied. Throwing the thought aside, and instead texting back and forth with Ray for a few minutes to discourage herself from doing something stupid, Naomi instead started making her way out, throwing away her cup and pushing through the glass doors onto the sidewalk.
She’d just barely allowed her thoughts to trail off, walking in the direction of the beach, when there were quickened footsteps behind her. “Hey,” she turned when the familiar voice addressed her, pausing in her step, and came eye to eye with the barista from the smoothie shop she’d left moments earlier. “Uh, hey,” Naomi managed to stammer when the girl introduced herself as Dani, her eyes flying down to where the name tag should’ve been – but she was no longer wearing her apron. A glance down at the small watch she wore around her wrist confirmed that it was an odd time to be getting off work, and a question was embedded in her gaze as she moved it back up to meet with Dani’s. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” She voiced her thoughts without question, only realizing how rejecting it sounded after she put it out there. “I mean, I don’t mind this – I’m not saying I don’t like having you here... I mean, it’s not- I’m not… I just-”
Her footsteps were quiet as they approached the door, and she couldn’t deny how nervous she was becoming. “Eve? Can we… talk about something?” The moment her sister entered the room, her courage dissipated into an emptiness in her stomach that took away her entire ability to word what she was trying to say, the raised eyebrows on Eve’s face instantly pulling away all of her intentions to come out as she’d planned. “Uh, never mind. Moment’s passed,” she mumbled, averting her gaze and disappearing into the guest room that she slept in.
Naomi returned to the shop a couple days later, partially driven by her interest to see if what Eve had said was right. The brunette behind the counter didn’t act much different than she normally did, and she didn’t particularly catch her staring as Eve had implied. Throwing the thought aside, and instead texting back and forth with Ray for a few minutes to discourage herself from doing something stupid, Naomi instead started making her way out, throwing away her cup and pushing through the glass doors onto the sidewalk.
She’d just barely allowed her thoughts to trail off, walking in the direction of the beach, when there were quickened footsteps behind her. “Hey,” she turned when the familiar voice addressed her, pausing in her step, and came eye to eye with the barista from the smoothie shop she’d left moments earlier. “Uh, hey,” Naomi managed to stammer when the girl introduced herself as Dani, her eyes flying down to where the name tag should’ve been – but she was no longer wearing her apron. A glance down at the small watch she wore around her wrist confirmed that it was an odd time to be getting off work, and a question was embedded in her gaze as she moved it back up to meet with Dani’s. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” She voiced her thoughts without question, only realizing how rejecting it sounded after she put it out there. “I mean, I don’t mind this – I’m not saying I don’t like having you here... I mean, it’s not- I’m not… I just-”
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
Dxxxxxx Axxxxxx NxxxxxxI
────────────────
never knew i could be speechless
don't know how i'll break this curse;
now the world is only white noise
frequencies i can't understand
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 346
Dani kept her gaze focused in front of her for the most part, remaining unaware of the questionable look that her presence had elicited from the other girl. "Funny story," she began, the depth of her actions not quite having settled yet. "I quit." She explained with a shrug, her voice just verging on cheerful as she relived the rush of adrenaline that she'd experienced only moments prior. "This lady was being a total bitch, so I just... walked out. You should've seen her face; I thought she was going to blow an artery." A smile ghosted over her lips. "I hated it there anyway," she shrugged, unbothered. "I only started about a month ago, so it's not like I had a whole lot riding on it."
"Anyway, I saw you and I figured you wouldn't mind if I walked with you considering how often you stopped by the shop," she immediately picked up on the question that seemed to have embedded itself into the other girl's expression. "Come on... the milkshakes aren't that good." She hinted, confident that her subtle accusation wasn't too far off base. Her clothes... the way she carried herself... she wasn't exactly the poster child for heterosexuality. However, the words seemed to have arisen a degree of discomfort in the girl, who Dani assumed she'd either read completely wrong (doubtful), or who hadn't fully come into herself and was still in the closet (much more likely, she thought).
She decided to drop the subject for the time being, confident that it - and she - would come out when the time was right. She tucked her first four fingers into the rim of her pocket, letting her thumb rest comfortably against the waistband of her jeans as the pair walked semi-comfortably together. "Now's when you're supposed to tell me your name..." she glanced up briefly, catching onto the surprised look that had etched itself into the brunette's features in response to her bluntness before, eventually, she managed to stammer out something of an answer. "Naomi," she repeated, nodding. "Do you live around here?"
"Anyway, I saw you and I figured you wouldn't mind if I walked with you considering how often you stopped by the shop," she immediately picked up on the question that seemed to have embedded itself into the other girl's expression. "Come on... the milkshakes aren't that good." She hinted, confident that her subtle accusation wasn't too far off base. Her clothes... the way she carried herself... she wasn't exactly the poster child for heterosexuality. However, the words seemed to have arisen a degree of discomfort in the girl, who Dani assumed she'd either read completely wrong (doubtful), or who hadn't fully come into herself and was still in the closet (much more likely, she thought).
She decided to drop the subject for the time being, confident that it - and she - would come out when the time was right. She tucked her first four fingers into the rim of her pocket, letting her thumb rest comfortably against the waistband of her jeans as the pair walked semi-comfortably together. "Now's when you're supposed to tell me your name..." she glanced up briefly, catching onto the surprised look that had etched itself into the brunette's features in response to her bluntness before, eventually, she managed to stammer out something of an answer. "Naomi," she repeated, nodding. "Do you live around here?"
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 481
Now in the presence of someone rather more like a peer than a customer, and someone she’d had a fair amount of contact with in the past few weeks, the shorter brunette seemed to unwind instantly. The non-professional setting of their situation had her fall straight back into her teenage habits, which Naomi easily recognized, but still came as a surprise as she’d so far only interacted with Dani in short sentences that were always to the point. Now, instead, she talked about a customer as if she’d known Naomi for years, and the difference was stark; she could only nod along, still slightly uncomfortable in the sudden companionship of the girl.
Her next comment had Naomi’s cheeks flush – even if the jab was subtle, Naomi instantly understood what she was hinting at and she turned bright red, immediately tensing up. She’d never realized or thought that she was obvious in the way she presented herself, but evidently, she was. She still wasn’t sure what exactly could set someone of… different sexuality apart from their heterosexual counterparts, but obviously Dani knew, and Naomi fit these descriptors… Oh God. Was it really that obvious?
She didn’t respond, allowing her cheeks to take on a darkened flush to give her away but not feeling comfortable enough to admit that which she’d been keeping secure for such a long time. She’d never put it into words, not even on the internet, and she wasn’t just about to give it away to someone she thought of as a stranger… at least, to an extent.
“Oh,” she stumbled over her words when Dani changed the subject, suddenly feeling much warmer in the sunlight than she’d had before, “uh, Naomi.” She swallowed hard, still struggling to close the gap between their previous subject and the current, and took a few moments to get herself back together – and, most of all, not thinking about what Dani had just bluntly mentioned to have caught up on – before managing to piece her answer together. “No, I’m staying with my sister for the summer. She, uh… she lives down the street,” she gestured vaguely to the opposite direction in which they were walking, still advancing towards the beach that Naomi had intended to sit at – she wasn’t sure what her plans entailed now – before cautiously allowing her gaze to meet Dani’s.
“I actually live in Alabama. Birmingham.” Her expression fell down every so slightly, with a hint of sadness at the prospect of having to go back to that hellhole that she lived, but she regathered herself quickly. “There’s not much to do around there in the summer, so Eve – my sister – suggested I come spend it here.”
One of her hands absently played with one of the necklaces that rested against her collarbones, fidgeting semi-uncomfortably with it to calm herself down as they walked together. “How about you? Summer job?”
Her next comment had Naomi’s cheeks flush – even if the jab was subtle, Naomi instantly understood what she was hinting at and she turned bright red, immediately tensing up. She’d never realized or thought that she was obvious in the way she presented herself, but evidently, she was. She still wasn’t sure what exactly could set someone of… different sexuality apart from their heterosexual counterparts, but obviously Dani knew, and Naomi fit these descriptors… Oh God. Was it really that obvious?
She didn’t respond, allowing her cheeks to take on a darkened flush to give her away but not feeling comfortable enough to admit that which she’d been keeping secure for such a long time. She’d never put it into words, not even on the internet, and she wasn’t just about to give it away to someone she thought of as a stranger… at least, to an extent.
“Oh,” she stumbled over her words when Dani changed the subject, suddenly feeling much warmer in the sunlight than she’d had before, “uh, Naomi.” She swallowed hard, still struggling to close the gap between their previous subject and the current, and took a few moments to get herself back together – and, most of all, not thinking about what Dani had just bluntly mentioned to have caught up on – before managing to piece her answer together. “No, I’m staying with my sister for the summer. She, uh… she lives down the street,” she gestured vaguely to the opposite direction in which they were walking, still advancing towards the beach that Naomi had intended to sit at – she wasn’t sure what her plans entailed now – before cautiously allowing her gaze to meet Dani’s.
“I actually live in Alabama. Birmingham.” Her expression fell down every so slightly, with a hint of sadness at the prospect of having to go back to that hellhole that she lived, but she regathered herself quickly. “There’s not much to do around there in the summer, so Eve – my sister – suggested I come spend it here.”
One of her hands absently played with one of the necklaces that rested against her collarbones, fidgeting semi-uncomfortably with it to calm herself down as they walked together. “How about you? Summer job?”
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
D xxxxxxA xxxxxxN xxxxxxI
────────────────
────────────────
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 576
Dani nodded, listening while Naomi laid out the details of her current living situation. It certainly explained why she'd never seen her around before now, and who she'd stopped by the smoothie bar with days prior. An obvious grimace twisted at her expression when the girl told her where she was from. "That's rough." She began, only realizing how her words could be taken after they'd already left her lips. "No offense-" she attempted to salvage what she'd already said. "I just wouldn't want to live there." ...Nailed it. She paused in her thought process, a semi-amused smirk coming to her lips. "At least you don't have the accent," she half-teased, scrunching her nose in mock disgust.
It was only after they'd passed one of the more familiar souvenir shops that she began to process her surroundings, eventually slowing her pace to a stop when she realized that their travels had come to an end. "This is my street." She nodded toward their right, casting another glance in the brunette's direction before she held out her hand, palm up, expectantly. "Let me see your phone." She only cocked her eyebrow in response to the confused look that she'd received from the girl who, after a drawn out number of seconds, eventually complied. "I'm not gonna be at the smoothie bar anymore, so... text me." She plugged her number into the device, saving it into Naomi's contacts before confidently sliding the phone back into her hand and walking away. "Later, Birmingham."
Naomi was out for her morning jog; a semi-regular occurrence over the nearly three weeks that she'd spent in California given the weather was suitable. She'd been short with Evangeline before she left... another increasingly common event since she'd arrived to stay with her for the summer, and Eve had taken the opportunity to vent to the only person in her life she was sure would understand when she'd called after her shift at the hospital to check up on the pair: Mona, a high school friend who had spent most of her youth alongside Eve and her younger sibling.
"Things were going well, I thought, but she just like... turned off all of a sudden," she explained, sinking down into one of the kitchen chairs. "I don't know, Mona. I can't figure it out." She sighed, racking her mind for the answers to her own questions, but coming up short. Naomi had never been one to gush about her feelings, but this felt different somehow. "We used to tell each other everything and I can tell there's something bothering her, but I don't want to pry, you know? She gets enough of that at home."
Her eyes jumped up at the sound of someone on the other side of the door and she glanced quickly toward the clock. "I have to go," she admitted apologetically. "Get some sleep; I'll text you tonight. We need to catch up soon. Bye, love you." She ended the call just in time for Naomi to step through the door and yank her earbuds out one ear at a time, tossing them down onto the table before she moved into the kitchen to stand over the sink and pour herself a glass of water. "How was your run?" She watched the younger girl, hoping to initiate a conversation deeper than the quality of the brunette's morning jog, but willing to start small if it meant gradually working up to it.
It was only after they'd passed one of the more familiar souvenir shops that she began to process her surroundings, eventually slowing her pace to a stop when she realized that their travels had come to an end. "This is my street." She nodded toward their right, casting another glance in the brunette's direction before she held out her hand, palm up, expectantly. "Let me see your phone." She only cocked her eyebrow in response to the confused look that she'd received from the girl who, after a drawn out number of seconds, eventually complied. "I'm not gonna be at the smoothie bar anymore, so... text me." She plugged her number into the device, saving it into Naomi's contacts before confidently sliding the phone back into her hand and walking away. "Later, Birmingham."
────────
Naomi was out for her morning jog; a semi-regular occurrence over the nearly three weeks that she'd spent in California given the weather was suitable. She'd been short with Evangeline before she left... another increasingly common event since she'd arrived to stay with her for the summer, and Eve had taken the opportunity to vent to the only person in her life she was sure would understand when she'd called after her shift at the hospital to check up on the pair: Mona, a high school friend who had spent most of her youth alongside Eve and her younger sibling.
"Things were going well, I thought, but she just like... turned off all of a sudden," she explained, sinking down into one of the kitchen chairs. "I don't know, Mona. I can't figure it out." She sighed, racking her mind for the answers to her own questions, but coming up short. Naomi had never been one to gush about her feelings, but this felt different somehow. "We used to tell each other everything and I can tell there's something bothering her, but I don't want to pry, you know? She gets enough of that at home."
Her eyes jumped up at the sound of someone on the other side of the door and she glanced quickly toward the clock. "I have to go," she admitted apologetically. "Get some sleep; I'll text you tonight. We need to catch up soon. Bye, love you." She ended the call just in time for Naomi to step through the door and yank her earbuds out one ear at a time, tossing them down onto the table before she moved into the kitchen to stand over the sink and pour herself a glass of water. "How was your run?" She watched the younger girl, hoping to initiate a conversation deeper than the quality of the brunette's morning jog, but willing to start small if it meant gradually working up to it.
alex danvers
5 bears in a trenchcoat
N xxxx Axxxx O xxxx M xxxx I
─────────────────────
i know the pressure's hard to take
it's the only way i can escape
it seems a heavy choice to make
but now i am under, oh
─────────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 642
Why could nothing ever be easy for Naomi? It seemed like everything that came Eve’s way always sorted itself out, as if she was simply running through life like it was a field of flowers, while Naomi was perpetually stuck climbing a crumbling, rocky cliffside that threatened to collapse at any given moment. Eve’s relationships seemed to come easily to her, her short career in modeling – though very much discouraged by their mother – had been cut short by Eve’s own inhibitions, but had been successful nonetheless, and now she was working her dream job, while Naomi couldn’t even tell their parents this one thing in fear of being discriminated, disowned, and isolated.
The world just kept on turning while she struggled with herself, struggled with wanting to tell Eve and the fear of not being accepted, and the frequency of her morning runs increased steadily. She slept less, ran more and faster, in an attempt to wear herself out so she could stop thinking about it, stop worrying about what she felt Eve was going to find out about regardless. She just wanted to soften the blow.
“Hmm,” Eve’s question was met with an undefined grunt as Naomi poured herself a glass of water and downed it in one go, tank top nearly drenched with sweat from her almost continuous sprint down the beach. The taller brunette pushed a plate with breakfast – regular toast with eggs – towards her, but Naomi brushed it off, muttering that she wasn’t hungry, and disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower.
She’d gone into her bedroom after that, closing the door behind her and playing her music nearly as loud as the speakers of her phone would allow it, lying in bed aimlessly while she scrolled through her phone. Her eyes fell upon the new contact, “Dani”, and she chewed on her lip until it bled, her thumb hovering over the text button, before she eventually turned off the screen, not managing to build up enough courage to actually go through with texting the other girl.
“Nomes?” Eve’s knuckles tapped against the door, and Naomi grumbled a “come in”, barely acknowledging her sister as she stepped into the room. “I’m going to the store… Do you want to come?” Silence, and Naomi shook her head, eliciting a sigh from her sister. “Okay… do you need anything?” Another sigh. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
The rest of the day passed without event, although Naomi could feel Eve’s glances on her every now and then. Her sister obviously knew something was up, but she didn’t ask; something that Naomi was grateful for because, at that point, she wasn’t sure if she could tell her without crying, if at all. They watched a movie together after dinner, Naomi’s knees slung loosely over Eve’s lap, but she wouldn’t be able to recall any part of the plot afterwards. Except for the romance. The movie was centered around the woman, and every time she interacted with her male counterpart, Naomi’s stomach churned uneasily. She didn’t want that.
The end credits rolled by and Naomi stared blankly at the darkened screen, feeling her sister’s gaze on her, wordlessly asking the question. “Eve,” she could feel the tears welling in her eyes, her voice cracking instantly as she realized how much she did not want what seemed like the norm, “Eve… I’m gay. I like girls.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she couldn’t make eye contact with her sister, letting out a quiet sob in response to the weight that immediately fell off her shoulders when she finally admitted it to someone. “Mom is gonna kill me,” she sobbed, her sister’s gentle touch only eliciting an even more emotional response out of her as Naomi tried to wipe her tears away, only for them to be instantly replaced by new ones.
The world just kept on turning while she struggled with herself, struggled with wanting to tell Eve and the fear of not being accepted, and the frequency of her morning runs increased steadily. She slept less, ran more and faster, in an attempt to wear herself out so she could stop thinking about it, stop worrying about what she felt Eve was going to find out about regardless. She just wanted to soften the blow.
“Hmm,” Eve’s question was met with an undefined grunt as Naomi poured herself a glass of water and downed it in one go, tank top nearly drenched with sweat from her almost continuous sprint down the beach. The taller brunette pushed a plate with breakfast – regular toast with eggs – towards her, but Naomi brushed it off, muttering that she wasn’t hungry, and disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower.
She’d gone into her bedroom after that, closing the door behind her and playing her music nearly as loud as the speakers of her phone would allow it, lying in bed aimlessly while she scrolled through her phone. Her eyes fell upon the new contact, “Dani”, and she chewed on her lip until it bled, her thumb hovering over the text button, before she eventually turned off the screen, not managing to build up enough courage to actually go through with texting the other girl.
“Nomes?” Eve’s knuckles tapped against the door, and Naomi grumbled a “come in”, barely acknowledging her sister as she stepped into the room. “I’m going to the store… Do you want to come?” Silence, and Naomi shook her head, eliciting a sigh from her sister. “Okay… do you need anything?” Another sigh. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
The rest of the day passed without event, although Naomi could feel Eve’s glances on her every now and then. Her sister obviously knew something was up, but she didn’t ask; something that Naomi was grateful for because, at that point, she wasn’t sure if she could tell her without crying, if at all. They watched a movie together after dinner, Naomi’s knees slung loosely over Eve’s lap, but she wouldn’t be able to recall any part of the plot afterwards. Except for the romance. The movie was centered around the woman, and every time she interacted with her male counterpart, Naomi’s stomach churned uneasily. She didn’t want that.
The end credits rolled by and Naomi stared blankly at the darkened screen, feeling her sister’s gaze on her, wordlessly asking the question. “Eve,” she could feel the tears welling in her eyes, her voice cracking instantly as she realized how much she did not want what seemed like the norm, “Eve… I’m gay. I like girls.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she couldn’t make eye contact with her sister, letting out a quiet sob in response to the weight that immediately fell off her shoulders when she finally admitted it to someone. “Mom is gonna kill me,” she sobbed, her sister’s gentle touch only eliciting an even more emotional response out of her as Naomi tried to wipe her tears away, only for them to be instantly replaced by new ones.
Last edited:
digital witness
isn't that a little derivative?
E xV xA xN xG xE xL xI xN xE
────────────────
i'm looking for a place to start
but everything feels so different now
just grab a hold of my hand
i will lead you through this wonderland
────────────────
ｗｏｒｄxxｃｏｕｎｔ ;; 551
(hi gay, i'm eve)
Discouraged by the fact that she could rouse little more than a disinterested grunt or hum from her sister, Evangeline had opted to leave her alone for most of the day - apart from a quiet invitation to join her at the grocery store which was promptly turned down - to give her the space that she so obviously desired. She found herself casting subtle, worried glances in Naomi's direction while she unpacked the groceries; the younger woman finally emerging from her room long enough to grab a quick snack from the kitchen.
The pair retired to the couch for the evening after dinner. Naomi's legs lay slung over Eve's thighs, the subtle touch bringing about a sense of comfort in the older brunette, and they watched as a movie played out on the television screen before them. Evangeline found her gaze drifting toward her sister occasionally, noting how distant she seemed, even as the credits rolled over the screen. She didn't speak, but instead simply allowed her eyes to find Naomi's, an unspoken question exchanged between them as they connected.
Seconds later, Naomi was struggling to speak and tears were welling in her eyes. Evangeline sat up a little higher, preparing herself for whatever was to come until the younger brunette finally managed to put it into words. "Eve... I'm gay," Evangeline blinked, taken aback by the suddenness of the news, but hardly surprised nonetheless; it'd simply come as a shock as there hadn't seemed to be anything leading up to it. She didn't hesitate when she saw the tears that were still blurring her sister's vision and guided her toward her, curling her long arms around the brunette's smaller frame. "Oh, Naomi, come here..." she held her close, tears pricking at her own eyes when the girl mentioned something about their mother and she realized how scared and ashamed she sounded. "She's not gonna kill you." Truthfully, she didn't know how their ultra-conservative mother would react (though she thought she had a pretty good idea - and it didn't bode well for any of the parties involved), but now, in the midst of a cloud of emotion, Naomi didn't need to worry herself with such things.
"Is this what's been bothering you?" She pulled away slightly, grazing the sides of her thumbs over the younger girl's cheeks to wipe away at the tears that were still wetting them. She held the sides of her face in her palms, blinking back her own tears when Naomi managed a small nod. "I'm sorry, Nomes..." She pulled the girl close again when tears once more began to well in her eyes. "I don't ever want you to feel like you have to hide parts of yourself from me. I love you and there's not a single thing you could ever do to change that." The girl's chest racked against her own as she took in a series of shaky breaths, presumably relieved to have lifted the immense weight that this secret must've held on her off of her shoulders. "Who you are or aren't attracted to would never make any difference to me," she ran her fingers over Naomi's hair. "I just want you to be happy... and if that happens to involve another woman, I'll be behind you one hundred percent of the way."
The pair retired to the couch for the evening after dinner. Naomi's legs lay slung over Eve's thighs, the subtle touch bringing about a sense of comfort in the older brunette, and they watched as a movie played out on the television screen before them. Evangeline found her gaze drifting toward her sister occasionally, noting how distant she seemed, even as the credits rolled over the screen. She didn't speak, but instead simply allowed her eyes to find Naomi's, an unspoken question exchanged between them as they connected.
Seconds later, Naomi was struggling to speak and tears were welling in her eyes. Evangeline sat up a little higher, preparing herself for whatever was to come until the younger brunette finally managed to put it into words. "Eve... I'm gay," Evangeline blinked, taken aback by the suddenness of the news, but hardly surprised nonetheless; it'd simply come as a shock as there hadn't seemed to be anything leading up to it. She didn't hesitate when she saw the tears that were still blurring her sister's vision and guided her toward her, curling her long arms around the brunette's smaller frame. "Oh, Naomi, come here..." she held her close, tears pricking at her own eyes when the girl mentioned something about their mother and she realized how scared and ashamed she sounded. "She's not gonna kill you." Truthfully, she didn't know how their ultra-conservative mother would react (though she thought she had a pretty good idea - and it didn't bode well for any of the parties involved), but now, in the midst of a cloud of emotion, Naomi didn't need to worry herself with such things.
"Is this what's been bothering you?" She pulled away slightly, grazing the sides of her thumbs over the younger girl's cheeks to wipe away at the tears that were still wetting them. She held the sides of her face in her palms, blinking back her own tears when Naomi managed a small nod. "I'm sorry, Nomes..." She pulled the girl close again when tears once more began to well in her eyes. "I don't ever want you to feel like you have to hide parts of yourself from me. I love you and there's not a single thing you could ever do to change that." The girl's chest racked against her own as she took in a series of shaky breaths, presumably relieved to have lifted the immense weight that this secret must've held on her off of her shoulders. "Who you are or aren't attracted to would never make any difference to me," she ran her fingers over Naomi's hair. "I just want you to be happy... and if that happens to involve another woman, I'll be behind you one hundred percent of the way."