Realistic or Modern &nbsp; Letters From The Grave | Main

mood:
flirty

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

Desert_Blossom · Sep 13, 2021

Vanessa Hill

The gum Nessa was idly blowing bubbles with was starting to lose its flavor, and there still was no sign of Lily. The pinkette had never been blessed with patience, and it felt like it had been hours since she’d arrived at the fountain… When in reality it was probably only a few minutes and the gum was just cheap shit.

The children playing around the water feature that had begun as general entertainment were now starting to annoy Nessa, and she was tempted to push the next one that asked why her hair was pink into the fountain. Northside kids, she thought to herself with an eye roll. So sheltered. Though, Nessa’s annoyance likely had less to do with the kids’ curiosity and more to do with not wanting to share her reason. She’d made up some bullshit story about eating too many strawberries when she was younger to get the first kid to leave her alone. Which was better than explaining to a seven year old that her father had drunkenly mistaken her for her mother one to many times and she wanted to make sure the fucker didn’t do it again.

Nessa glanced up from her thoughts, only to find a little girl staring at her as she licked one of those giant lollipops. Raising an eyebrow, the Southside woman tried to scare off the gawker with intimidation, but the tot just continued to stand there. Nessa was about to resort to childishly sticking out her tongue next, but was saved by the sound of Lily calling to her. Glancing in her friends direction, Nessa waved back, grateful that her wait was over. Rising from her seat on the fountain’s edge, the pinkette glanced back to where the girl had been, but found that she’d disappeared. “The fuck…?” She uttered, looking around for any sign of lollipop girl, but finding no trace. Kids were so weird. Thank god for Lily.

When Nessa’s brother Carter had left to join the service, the pinkette had been crushed to be left behind. She had already lost her mother, and pretty much her father and sister, and now Cater. While Nessa was outgoing and knew a lot of people, she had stopped letting others get close to her anymore. Luckily though, Carter’s friend Lily had taken his place as one of Nessa’s few close friends. The brunette hacker has filled the hole that Carter left and likely has prevented the pinkette from taking the dark road her father had. So thank god for Lily in more ways than one.

“Hey stranger,” Nessa greeted, stretching a little as she took a couple steps to stop by Lily. Before she could say anything else, the hacker’s stomach growled and the brunette suggested they go find some food. Nessa smirked a little and nodded. “We’d better, otherwise that monster in your stomach is gonna scare away all the hot guys.” She teased, looping her arm into Lily’s and pulling her off towards the food booths. “And then who are we gonna get to win us prizes and ride the Ferris wheel with?” She asked sarcastically, mocking the goodie two shoe types that desired such things.

Glancing around at the food booths available, Nessa shrugged her shoulders at the overwhelming assortment. “Craving anything specific?” She asked before blowing another bubble and popping it as they decided. A cacophony of aromas swirled around the area, a mixture of sweet and savory battling for dominance. There was a giant pretzel calling Nessa’s name, but ice cream would be nice on a hot day… or a plate of nachos! Or funnel cake, or… The options were endless, but since food was Lily’s idea, she decided it was only fair that she got to pick the first booth they hit at least. “Sometimes businesses give out free food for marketing…” She mused, trying to spot one of those instead of the overpriced fair food.

Antsy

Mayday Fair

Outfit

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Sep 13, 2021

Maxim Drozdov

Max was trying to listen to Felicity’s chatter about her high school drama with her friends, but he really didn’t care of Kara kissed Melissa’s boyfriend or not. He glanced around for anything or anyone to use as an excuse to get away from the Swansons. Just then an excuse in the shape of Bia appeared as she called out his name and walked over to him. “Hey, go on without me, I’ll catch up later,” Max told Felicity and her parents before turning his attention to the brunette girl who was grinning at him. It’s good to see you. Wasn’t sure if you were coming, you know. The Russian lad watched a little confused as Bia added a third pen to her bun, wondering if this was sone kind of American hairstyle, but did not comment on it. He opened his mouth to reply to Bia’s greeting but then she continued, apologizing to him for what happened at Dom’s party.

Honestly, the events from Dominic’s house party were a bit of a blur. He vaguely recalled the first couple hours and his rounds of beer pong, and he had blocked the whole mysterious text debacle from his mind, or tried to as much as possible. When Bia apologized, Max’s brows furrowed for a moment as he tried to figure out why she was in the first place. When Max had first arrives in the states, Bia had been the first person he met at the school outside of the Swanson family. And, if Max was still being honest, his first crush too. Even if the Russian had been mad at Bianca the night of Dom’s party, those feelings hadn’t stuck.

A laugh escaped Max as he shook his head, waving off Bia’s apology. “Do not worry about anything.” He grinned. “Though if you really want to make it up to me you could-“ He continued before his words were interrupted by someone running smack into Bia. Reflexively Max reached out to make sure the brunette didn’t go tumbling to the ground, resting a hand on her shoulder to steady her. A frown flicked across Max’s face and he was ready to defend Bia before he realized that her assaulter was none other that his pal Anders. The Russian’s hand left the brunette’s shoulder when Anders greeted him and Max grinned returning his good mood. “Good to see you!” He replied, his grin disappearing a little when he spotted MJ beside Ders. Though he didn’t remember too many details from Dom’s party, he did recall that he was not a fan of MJ, though the exact reason alluded him. Offering a small nod in greeting, the Russian quickly turned his attention back to his friends.

“If Bia cannot help, then I do not think anyone can…” Max chuckled a little, noting her clipboard he was sure was filled with information and plans. “But I could eat too… so what do you suggest Bia!” He asked, hopping on the lunch train as well. Really he didn’t care what the plan was, he just wanted to stay away from the Swansons as much as possible and friends were a good escape. “Do you think you could sneak away from your duties for a bit?” He asked, cocking his head to the side a bit as he stole the clipboard from Bia and held it behind his back. “Surely you deserve a break!” He smirked.

Easy Going

Festival

Outfit

nine lives

_amaranth_ · Sep 15, 2021

Bianca

MOOD: relaxed
LOCATION: Mayday celebration
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Max, Ders, Maddox
MENTIONS: x
TAGS:

Desert_Blossom ;

Events like the May Day in Briarwood were supposed to make people feel all sorts of things. They meant something else for everyone. Some came for food trucks and barbecues, some came to truly celebrate and some even came to be seen as helpers and collaborators. Bia came because it kept her busy and also, volunteering looked good on college applications. Moreover, the town wanted her here because of her need for everything to be perfectly organized. There was no better person in the whole town than Bianca Clayton if you wanted your event to be organized in every detail. And so, the brunette was now running around with several pens in her messy bun and a big clipboard in her hands, making sure everything was running smoothly.

Only seeing a friendly face brought Bianca out of her reverie of tasks and her mind stopped running in seven different directions. Max was walking across the lawn with his host family and Bia knew she needed to clear the air, whether he remembered or not. Sure, Max was rather drunk that night but Bianca still felt bad for behaving like an idiot and wanted to let the young Russian know that she indeed was sorry. After all, she and Max became very good friends after she gave him his orientation when he first came to school and while it ended up with him crushing on her a little and her rejecting him, they still got along. And Bianca would lie if she said her thoughts never returned to that one talk where she told him she needed to focus on her studies. Her head was filled with ‘what if’ scenarios and she just kept adding to it every time the thought invaded her mind.

Once the brunette stuttered her apology out, Max started to laugh. Tilting her head to the side curiously, Bia’s mouth itched to ask but then he said not to worry about anything. He even went on saying that there was something she could do to make it up to him but what it was exactly remained a mystery to Bia as her body suddenly jerked forward. Someone bumped into her and sent her flying towards her tall friend. Clutching her clipboard with one hand, her other one flew up and clutched Max’s shirt. He was quick to stop her from falling on her face and helped her to return her balance. Bia’s cheeks gained a rouge shade and she flicked her gaze up to see the offender only recognize Anders’ face.

“Hey, Ders.” she smiled, moving a loose strand of dark chocolate hair from her eyes. “I’m good. It’s really great to see you here. And…you.” she added, hesitantly including Ders’ friend. The small group engaged in a little small talk, exchanging pleasantries until they got to the lunch talk and Ders asked for her help. “Yeah, sure, let me just…” Bia’s gaze dropped to her clipboard again and she patted her pockets, frowning a little as her pen was nowhere to be found. “I swear I had one…” she mumbled but started to list through the papers. Max added his two cents and the rouge color of Bianca’s cheeks became even darker and she felt warmth flooding her face. “What are you, guys, in a mood for? Over there, we have your typical barbecue station. Burgers, hot dogs, I think there were some ribs as well, also veggies and stuff, more in the back, there are food trucks with street food, there are even some Asian cuisine trucks but you can also get a lot of sweet treats so…? What’s it gonna be?”

Listing all the options, she looked up again, letting her papers out of sight which Max used to steal her clipboard from her. “Hey!” she exclaimed but her lips were still spread in a smile. “Come on, Max, give it baaack!” she drawled, letting out a soft laugh. “Okay, fine. I’ll go.” she gave up in the end, trying to get her pad back from the boy almost twice her size and failing a few times. “Let’s go. I could eat something now that you mention it. Where to then?”

code by low fidelity.

_amaranth_ · Sep 15, 2021

Maddox

MOOD: hungry
LOCATION: Mayday celebration
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Anders, Max, Bia
TAGS:

apolla ,

Once again, Maddox found himself asking the same question as before when he and Nessa had been driving to Dominic’s party. Why the fuck was he going? It wasn’t like his presence was inevitable or extremely important. The Northsiders could very well celebrate their retarded holiday on their own and MJ was more than capable of finding an activity that was way more fun. Nessa might be up to have some and if she had other plans, MJ had a few more numbers he could call. And yet, he was sitting in the passenger seat of Ders’ car and slowly but surely, Briarwood’s sunny part of the town was getting closer. “Fucking hell…” MJ muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.

Anders was rather struggling to find any parking spot and it was making this bullshit even more insufferable already. Once they finally found one spot and Ders commented on how all good spots were already taken, Maddox smirked. “Want me to get you one? Say no more, brother.” he grinned but being completely serious as moving one of those expensive vehicles from the parking lot was absolutely no problem. It would only take MJ a couple minutes to start the beauty up and drive away with it. And it would be the perfect excuse to leave this celebration.

“Scary? Come on, really? I’ll bet you twenty to get on that one and not shit your pants.” Maddox laughed and pointed at the pendulum ride nearby. The two boys walked around for a moment, hands tucked in the pockets of their jeans and they just casually chatted about anything that came to mind. “No idea where Nessa is. It’s not like she keeps me posted or whatever.” he shrugged and while he would love to see the pinkette, they were not dating or anything so they needed to know about each other’s whereabouts. “If she’s here, we’ll meet I think.”

Before anything else though, Ders was being a clumsy idiot and rammed someone in front of him while not paying attention to where he was going. MJ was ready to laugh because no matter whose fault it was, Ders was going to give a speech but it turned out it was Ronnie’s annoying twin, the one who scratched Vivi the other day. And she was not alone. Maddox’s face immediately changed after realizing there was that Russian dude with her as well and he suppressed a scoff. After all, Ders was friends with both of them so MJ decided to play nice. For now!

Tuning out a little, he looked around to see the stuff around them and maybe find something worth his attention while Ders chit-chatted with the rich kids. Only the words lunch, barbecue and burgers brought him out of his reverie. “I could do burgers, how about you?” he asked, shrugging a little. He was hungry and the grills set up around looked like he could swipe up anything and not bother paying for it. The smell coming their way was already making the boy drool and he could definitely use a big juicy burger.

code by low fidelity.

MadiRaiCat · Sep 19, 2021

location

Food booths.

mentions

None.

interactions

Nessa (

Desert_Blossom ).

outfit

x, x.

Liliana

southside

Northsiders needed no reason to throw some sort of lavish festival or party. After all, what sort of holiday was Mayday? They put up some pole with a bunch of ribbons tied to it, and the children danced around it. The perfectly paved roads were lined with booths and canopies, each no doubt selling things she couldn't afford. At least, not without the help of her operation. Flowers of all colors, shapes, and sizes were everywhere, swirling up streetlamps and filling planters. Even the architecture was rich, with sidewalks made of granite stone and a perfectly carved fountain made of marble. It was clear to tell who the northsiders were, with their designer clothes and bags meandering about. Meanwhile, the Southsiders stuck mostly in shadows and alleys, ripped clothes bought secondhand or from mainstream department stores.

Placing a hand on her stomach, Lily internally cursed herself for not eaten. It was a stupid mistake, one she had a knack for making over and over again. She just got so caught up in hacking or coding or riding her motorcycle or whatever the task happened to be that dinner took a back seat. The brunette was unable to stifle the laugh that fell from her lips at her pink-haired friend's words, rolling her eyes sarcastically. "If you think I need some random guy to win me a prize and keep me company on a children's ride, you are sorely mistaken," she shot back in a cheeky tone, grinning at Nessa. If she were being honest, Liliana would actually love to have those things, would love to have someone to spend time with, someone she could depend on to have her back, to take care of her when she needed them to, to make sure smile and laugh and comfort her when she woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. But she couldn't admit that to herself, let alone anyone else. And she didn't quite know how to deal with the emotions associated with that kind of relationship, how to love and receive love. So the brunette kept all those thoughts under wraps, at least for now.

Letting Nessa hook their arms together, the pair took off towards the food booths. The smells of fried foods and sweets filled the air, and it was practically intoxicating. Fair food consisted primarily of greasy fried things served on sticks, and that encompassed all the necessary food groups if you asked Lily. "Everything smells so delicious, I have no idea how to choose," she answered Nessa, glancing between trucks for funnel cake, corn dogs, fried Oreos, street corn, and more. People walked past with snow cones and ice cream, nachos and pretzels, even those giant turkey legs that Lily couldn't understand how someone could consume in one sitting. It was a bit overwhelming, and Nessa was right, the prices were definitely inflated. Not only because this was a fair, but because it was a fair on the northside. "I think I could go for one of those cinnamon sugar pretzels to be completely honest," she answered, tugging on the pinkette's arm to pull her towards the booth.

In doing so, Lily bumped directly into the shoulder of an older man heading in the opposite direction. He was maybe in his 40's or 50's, with salt and pepper hair with a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a button-up dress shirt that seemed like it might be too hot for the summer weather, khaki pants, and what Lily could only assume were Italian leather loafers. The shiny silver watch on his wrist only confirmed that he was a Northsider. His dark eyes narrowed in on her, seeming to expect some sort of apology. Little did he know that this was all part of Liliana's game. She put on a surprised face, reaching out to touch his arm. Meanwhile, her other hand was already slipping into his pocket. "I'm so sorry, sir. I should really watch where I'm going. I'm so clumsy sometimes." Seemingly taken aback by her words, the man stuttered a bit, before simply nodding and continuing on, not wasting any more time on the lowly Southsider. Lily waited a moment for him to disappear before turning back to Nessa, clandestinely displaying the brown leather wallet. "Well, looks like dinner's on that jerk."

nine lives

MadiRaiCat · Sep 19, 2021

location

Maypole.

mentions

none.

interactions

Vivian (

apolla ).

outfit

x.

Dominic

northside

The Mayday Festival was already in full swing by the time Dominic Devereaux graced it with his presence. Despite the conversation he just had with his sister in the car, the brunette man walked with a confident poise about him that gave off an air of luxury. That was the Devereaux way: exude an energy where people knew who they were and what they were associated with without even having to say a word. The heels of his expensive suede shoes clicked against the stone pathways, and people practically moved out of his way as he passed. They said that money couldn't buy happiness, or love, or most of the important things in life. But Dom couldn't say that he agreed. It certainly bought power. It bought respect and it bought the things that he wanted, the things that could make him happy. And who needed love anyway? Love was a weakness. He was perfectly happy as a sought-after bachelor.

Even though he told himself he was just at the festival to keep up appearances in town, Dominic knew that there was more to it than that. As a child, he remembered the times he would go with his parents and sister. Despite the rigged games and questionable safety regulations, his parents would pay for him to play as many games as he wanted and ride as many rides as he could without getting sick. It was one of the rare memories he had growing up when they truly acted like a family. A spoiled, overindulgent family, but a family nevertheless. He and his dad would have turkey leg eating contests while Gen and their mom would travel through the booths, practically buying them out. And when it was all said and done, they would return to their estate with a bunch of things they didn't really need and would ultimately throw away in a year, full and happy.

A buzzing from his pocket pulled him from his thoughts, and Dom took a look at his phone. A response from Vivian lit up the screen, and he quickly typed back a Sounds good before returning the device to his pocket. It didn't take him long to find the Maypole. After all, it was a couple of stories tall with long colorful ribbons tied to it, and a pile of flowers at its peak. As a child, he always wanted to be one of the people to wrap the Maypole. But, for some reason, he never got the chance. Maybe that year would be different. Though, could he say he really still wanted to do it as an adult? Not really. Checking his watch, Dominic realized that twenty minutes had passed, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. Leave it to Vivian to be late when she's the one who made up the meeting time. Almost as if on cue, the redhead appeared, latte in hand. "About as much fun as I could be having," he answered with a shrug, eying an attractive girl that passed by. "I haven't been to one of these things in years. What's there even to do anymore?"

nine lives

apolla · Sep 20, 2021

If anyone expected Vivian Cellars to be on time, well, most of the time they would be sorely disappointed. As she walked up and found Dominic by the maypole, she knew that she was already running almost a half an hour late, but in her mind she wasn't bothered. People would wait for someone in power. That was what her father-- or, Victor's father, rather-- would say. Vivian didn't know what the words meant when she was younger, and she remembered asking Victor about them countless times, but he would just shake his head and grin and say that it didn't matter. Vivi always felt that it did matter, but she trusted her brother, so she would let it go for a while, until the topic came back up or their father said it again.

She didn't want to spend the day thinking about Victor, though. So she sucked down more of her latte until she found Dominic, asking if he was having fun. He responded easily, though his attention wasn't on her as a pretty girl walked by them. Vivi rolled her eyes, dropping her latte to hold it in front of her chest while she gave the girl a side eye. She seemed to sense the eyes on her, and looked over to smile at Dominic first. But then she saw Vivi and hurried along, to which Vivi responded by waving her fingers after the girl. "Please, Dom. You can do much better than that." Vivi turned back to look at her friend, lifting her straw back to her lips.

What was there to do at a place like this? Vivi moved closer to him, turning to stand beside him as she looked around the surrounding area. "Absolutely nothing, I'm afraid." She sighed, finishing off her latte before moving to a nearby trash can. Dropping the empty cup inside, she turned back to Dominic. "I could use some food, though. Nothing fried, though, unless I want to spend an hour on the elliptical later tonight. Which I don't, just to clarify." She shot Dominic a look of amusement before she sighed again, placing her hands on her hips. "The parade and announcing of the Mayday Queen isn't until a little later, so you wanna find something to eat and then... I dunno, go from there?"

Looping her arm through Dominic's, she started to gently tug him away from the maypole, in the direction of the food booths and whatnot. "Who knows? Maybe we'll actually find something interesting in the shopping booths. I remember last year they had a nice selection of charms and jewelry." She looked over at Dominic again, offering him a small smile. Once they got closer to the booths all set up, she took her arm from his and started navigating through the slightly crowded area. As she glanced back to make sure she hadn't lost Dominic, someone bumped into her and sent her flying to her left, where she bumped into someone else. "Fuck!" She exclaimed, already looking for the person who'd bumped into her, but they were gone. "Ugh." And then, to make matters worse, she heard a familiar voice from behind her.

vivi

pretty girl
by [maggie lindemann]

interactions:
dom; bia; maddox; anders; max

tags:

_amaranth_

mood:
annoyed

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

apolla · Sep 20, 2021

Anders was happy to run into Max and Bia, because now it meant that he and MJ could hang out with them and find something to do. Anders was still a little sad that Bia hadn't talked to him since the party, but he understood. Well, to a degree, anyway. They both seemed happy to see him, and Bia even looked adorable sticking those pens in her hair. He grinned as Max started to tease her about working, saying surely she deserved a break, as he snagged the clipboard from her hands. "Whoops, looks like its too late now. You gotta help us out, Bia." Anders nodded to Max with his head, sending the Russian man a smirk and raising his hand for a high-five. "So, what's it gonna be?"

She tried to grab her clipboard back, but Max held it out of her grip and eventually she agreed to come with them. MJ seemed to have tuned out a little bit, but hearing mention of food brought him back. "You fat kid." Anders laughed, rubbing his own stomach as he teased his friend. "Not that I'm not one either." He nudged MJ before he turned back to the others. "So, food then, right? C'mon, let's gooo." He settled into line beside Bia as they started heading for the food booths, looking over at the three pens sticking out of her hair. "You gonna remember those are there later?" He smirked as he reached over to pluck them, one after the other.

Laughing, he made small talk with everyone until they reached the food booths, and then his mouth started to water. "I think I want everything." He commented, his eyes scanning the menus above the booths, looking for something interesting. "I definitely need some fries. And maybe some fried pickles. And maybe-" He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before someone crashed into him, almost sending him flying into Bia. His hands shot out to grab Bia's shoulders, making sure she stayed steady as he tried to do the same. Hearing someone curse, Anders looked over, recognizing the redheaded girl almost instantly.

"Oh, look who it is." Anders released Bia's shoulders, crossing his arms as Vivian turned around to face him. Her eyes immediately narrowed when she recognized him. He saw her gaze flick behind him, landing on Bia and the others before she looked back at Anders. "Sorry." She snapped, taking a step away from him. "You sure? Cuz you don't sound that sorry." He told her, crossing his arms as he made sure not to look away. She wasn't backing down either. He heard her scoff, but say nothing, and he couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his lips. "What's the matter, Vivi? Cat got your tongue?" He finally saw Dominic approaching behind her, and his gaze lightened as another grin appeared on his lips. "Dom! Come on, we were just about to get food. Care to join us? You can too, Vivi. Just gotta play nice."

anders

lowlife
by [theory of a deadman]

interactions:
MJ; Max; Bia; Dom; Vivi

tags:

_amaranth_ ;

Ivory Corset, Minimalistic Style, Elegant, Satin Cups in 2021 | Cute summer outfits, Summer fashion outfits, Fashion

MadiRaiCat

mood:
himself

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

Desert_Blossom · Sep 27, 2021

Vanessa Hill

For the most part, Nessa was only joking about winning prizes and going on the Ferris wheel. After all, she’d much prefer to be bought a beer over a plush, and the thrill rides were definitely more her speed. Though even those were a bit tame for her taste. However, she wasn’t joking about finding hot guys. Lily rolled her eyes, as she sarcastically retorted If you think I need some random guy to win me a prize and keep me company on a children's ride, you are sorely mistaken. The pinkette laughed a little and shrugged. “Maybe you don’t need a guy for a prize…” Nessa replied to Lily’s cheeky comment, an impish look crossing her face. “But they are fun to ride…” She pointed out. “Especially when you need to let off a little steam.” If Lily had been as stressed out about the stupid texts as Nessa had been, then perhaps a hot guy was exactly what was needed. With or without the stuffed teddy bear. “But for now I guess we can start with food.”

Arm in arm, Nessa and Lily made their way towards the food, following the mixture of aromas that lead the way. The options were plentiful, almost too plentiful to make up one’s mind, but the brunette finally settled on a giant pretzel. “You have exquisite taste!” Nessa replied, faking a high society drawl to make fun of the over dressed Northsiders. Speaking of which, as Lily pulled the pinkette in the direction of the pretzel booth she clipped the shoulder of a Northsider man, causing Nessa to let go of Lily’s arm to keep her balance.

It only took a moment for Nessa’s annoyance to turn to amusement as she realized what Lily was up to. The brunette had quite a knack for relieving people of their personal affects, and Nessa was always impressed. Biting the inside of her cheek to keep from giving away the heist, Nessa just watched the interaction with innocent interest as the rude man huffed away. Only when Lily turned back to her and showed off the bounty, did the pinkette grin widely. “Well, how kind of him!” She laughed. “A true gentleman!”

It was hard to feel guilty for treating themselves to some fair food on the man’s dime when he likely wouldn’t even bat an eye at the lost cash and credit cards. He’d easily just take more money out of his likely endless bank account and have his credit cards replaced within a few days. As far as Nessa was aware, Lily was more of the Robin Hood type, taking from the rich for the use of the less fortunate. Which was just about any Southsider.

“Looks like we don’t need to find any guys to treat us to food at least then,” Nessa mused, resuming their walk towards the pretzel booth before something, or someone, caught her eye. “Which is lucky for them…” She added, nodding towards a pair of young men standing with a group a few yards away. “Because Madds owes me for ditching me at Dom’s party.” She said, putting a pin in the pretzels for a moment as she rerouted towards MJ and Ders. The pinkette had been a little miffed at the blond man for forgetting that he’d brought her to the party and leaving her without a ride home. But a week of space was enough time for her hurt feelings to cool off and she couldn’t resist seeing what the two south side guys were up to.

With MJ’s back towards her, Nessa stepped up on a crate he was standing beside to give her some extra height, and gently slid her arms around around his neck from behind. “Partying without us Trouble?” She asked with a fake pout as she tucked her head on his muscled shoulder. “I didn’t take you for the type to celebrate May Day,” She continued, her lips transforming into a teasing grin. “Either of you…” She added, glancing over at Ders.

Only then though did Nessa notice the company that her two friends were keeping. First she recognized the cardigan girl who was Ronnie’s sister beside Anders, and her brow furrowed slightly. She didn’t want to admit it, but it bothered her a little that he seemed to be spending so much time with her lately. However, her concern only deepened when she shifted her blue eyes to the others. Anders, MJ, Bia, the Russian guy, Dominic, Vivian… plus herself and Lily… This little group was the very same that had been called out in text at Dom’s party. Fuck. Sighing, Nessa tried to play it cool despite the sinking feeling in her stomach, and forced a grin back on her face. “I’m starting to have deja vu,” She joked, glancing over at Lily to see if she had connected the dots and was concerned or not. Usually the pinkette was fearless so being uneasy by this mixture of people was not a good look for her.

Mischevious

Mayday Fair

Outfit

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Sep 27, 2021

Maxim Drozdov

Coming to a new country for his senior year of high school was a bold choice, and frankly an intimidating one, even if the once stoic Russian wouldn’t admit it. His English was good, but not perfect, and he was much more reserved. Luckily though, the student assigned to give him the tour of the school was a kind brunette who quickly helped Max feel less like a fish out of water and more at home in his new setting. Being his first friend, Maxim quickly grew attached to Bia and he admired how friendly and driven she was. Unfortunately, her drive and attention to her studies was the reason she rejected him when he eventually asked her out.

It had definitely been a blow to the Russian’s ego, but he ended up concluding that Bia’s friendship was better than nothing and never brought up any romantic interest again. That of course didn’t stop him from occasionally sending a flirty comment her way every now and then, but he’d grown into even more of a ladies man since moving to America and sometimes he couldn’t help himself. At the end of the day though, he still cared for Bia and as she was bumped into he was quick to catch her. Her hand gripped his shirt and he glanced down in time to see her cheeks flush, but she was instantly directing her attention over to Ders and their brief moment was gone.

After greetings were exchanged, even with MJ, the group turned their attention to deciding what to eat. Suspecting that Bia might feel the need to return to her duties instead of spend some time with him, or rather the group, Max stole her clipboard, taking it hostage in hopes of convincing Bia to take a break. He chuckled a little as Bia smiled trying to get him to rerun the clipboard. Come on, Max, give it baaack! The Russian just grinned, keeping the clipboard out of Bia’s reach until she gave in. Ders took Max’s side, chiming in with Whoops, looks like its too late now. You gotta help us out, Bia. The northsider and southsider exchanged a high five, with Max returning Ander’s grin.

After more discussion about food, which even the sullen Maddox offered his two cents on, the he group began moving in the direction of the food booths. Unfortunately, Anders seemed to attract people like a magnet, and was run into by Vivi, which almost toppled Bia for a second time. This time though, Ders was the one to steady the brunette girl and Max just stood useless for a moment until Ders and Vivi were done exchanging passive aggressive greetings. “Hey Vi, hey Dom!” He smiled, happy to be surrounded by friends. His gaze shifted between the redhead and Bia, recalling that the last time they were together things had been less than civil. The scratches on their faces were almost healed now, so they didn’t need new ones.

Just as Ders invited Dom and Vivi to join them for lunch, the group grew by two more and Max glanced over to spot Lily approaching behind the pink haired girl who was talking to MJ. Due to his drunken state at the party, the hacker’s actual name was escaping him at the moment and he just knew her as - “Kotik!”He greeted, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He hadn’t imagined he’d run into his sarcastic new friend with a penchant for stealing watches here, but was pleasantly surprised to do so. “It is good to see you again… Will you join us as well?” He asked, eager for a chance to get to know her more, and while sober. It didn’t even cross his mind that she would perhaps have other plans he’d be interrupting.

Excited

Festival

nine lives

_amaranth_ · Sep 29, 2021

Bianca

MOOD: out of her element but pretending
LOCATION: Mayday celebration
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: everyone
MENTIONS: x
TAGS:

Desert_Blossom ;

The clipboard left Bianca’s hand and no matter how much she tried, there was no chance to get it back from Max. He was way taller than her and she was not that fast or flexible to go for it. And there was also a small part of er that wanted to hang out with him. And the others, yeah. At least for a little while before her duties called her back to work. Quite honestly, her stomach was already protesting since except breakfast, it was only filled with coffee. Anders joined Max in his efforts to keep Bianca away from work and in the end, she agreed out loud and joined the group of boys in their hunt for food. Even Maddox seemed to snap out of his reverie upon the mention of food and he reacted to Ders calling him a fat kid.

Her face was still burning from her fall into Max and the blush only slowly receded, leaving soft pinkish hue still in her cheeks. As they walked towards the food area of the festival, Bia’s head was whirling with thoughts as she was trying to do a little check whether everything she was supposed to take care of was finished. It was Ders’ voice that tore the train of her thoughts and the color of her cheeks became darker once again when he pulled one pen after the other from her messy bun. “Apparently not. I was…looking for those.” she grinned, taking the writing supplies from Ders. The small group just entered the makeshift food court. The boys already had an idea what to eat and Bia didn’t really have any preference but apparently, her flying around was not over just yet since once again, Ders flew into her, reaching for her shoulders to keep the brunette from hitting the ground. “Oof…” she breathed, looking up to see what happened.

Her small smile froze when her gaze fell upon Vivi. Bia was never exactly fond of the redhead but ever since that damn party, this relationship went below zero. Not only Ronnie chose Vivi and her posse while she was still here, but it was this girl and that said posse who brought destruction to Ronnie’s grave. They apparently held friendship on top of the list of their priorities and Bia hated that while Ronnie considered herself one of them, they never hesitated to dishonor her and her loyalty to the popular squad. But listening to her and Ders’s exchange made her let out a low quiet chuckle. Bianca bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from keeping that grin up. She was not interested in any new scratches. The older ones were still not healed anyway.

With Vivi, Dom made his appearance again and once again, Bia felt she was now a part of a group that was not comfortable with having a nerdy girl next door among them. Shush, Bia. They wanted you to come, right? Shut up and just enjoy the moment. At least once in your life, live a little. Her inner voice scolded her harshly and the brunette put a smile back on her lips. The voice inside was right. She was there with Max and Anders anyway. Maybe the others would surprise her and they could all just enjoy a nice lunch together, right? And just as the ragtag group was about to move, two more girls joined them. The Southsiders from the party as well. Max’s voice made Bia look at him and she noticed the excitement in his eyes. The pinch inside was something she knew very well already. The green monster made its appearance once again and took its usual place on her shoulder, whispering all sorts of thoughts in her ear. Why was she even jealous though? Max wanted to hang out before, he asked her out, he showed his interest. It was Bianca who turned him down, wanting to focus on her studies. So why was she now feeling jealous of the Southside brunette whom Max called in such a familiar way? Maybe it was time to find her box of mints to help her keep her focus up.

“Come on, I’ll get us better seats than these.” Bianca spoke up after a while, wanting to move on. Her thoughts started to spiral and if they reached that dark depth of her mind, there was no telling how her day was going to end up. Beckoning the group to follow her, the brunette took a deep breath, put her game face on and led the others across the perfectly kept lawn to the back of the food area. A brief talk to the older guy in the food truck earned them a nice round table a bit further from the noise but still at the fair. And once they sat down, a round of homemade elderflower lemonade landed in front of them. A little something from the owner before they decided about their food. Bianca held the straw between her lips while studying the menu but in her head, she was thinking about how this group seemed to be forming a bit more than just a few people who were accidentally brought together.

code by low fidelity.

The clipboard left Bianca’s hand and no matter how much she tried, there was no chance to get it back from Max. He was way taller than her and she was not that fast or flexible to go for it. And there was also a small part of er that wanted to hang out with him. And the others, yeah. At least for a little while before her duties called her back to work. Quite honestly, her stomach was already protesting since except breakfast, it was only filled with coffee. Anders joined Max in his efforts to keep Bianca away from work and in the end, she agreed out loud and joined the group of boys in their hunt for food. Even Maddox seemed to snap out of his reverie upon the mention of food and he reacted to Ders calling him a fat kid.

Her face was still burning from her fall into Max and the blush only slowly receded, leaving soft pinkish hue still in her cheeks. As they walked towards the food area of the festival, Bia’s head was whirling with thoughts as she was trying to do a little check whether everything she was supposed to take care of was finished. It was Ders’ voice that tore the train of her thoughts and the color of her cheeks became darker once again when he pulled one pen after the other from her messy bun. “Apparently not. I was…looking for those.” she grinned, taking the writing supplies from Ders. The small group just entered the makeshift food court. The boys already had an idea what to eat and Bia didn’t really have any preference but apparently, her flying around was not over just yet since once again, Ders flew into her, reaching for her shoulders to keep the brunette from hitting the ground. “Oof…” she breathed, looking up to see what happened.

Her small smile froze when her gaze fell upon Vivi. Bia was never exactly fond of the redhead but ever since that damn party, this relationship went below zero. Not only Ronnie chose Vivi and her posse while she was still here, but it was this girl and that said posse who brought destruction to Ronnie’s grave. They apparently held friendship on top of the list of their priorities and Bia hated that while Ronnie considered herself one of them, they never hesitated to dishonor her and her loyalty to the popular squad. But listening to her and Ders’s exchange made her let out a low quiet chuckle. Bianca bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from keeping that grin up. She was not interested in any new scratches. The older ones were still not healed anyway.

With Vivi, Dom made his appearance again and once again, Bia felt she was now a part of a group that was not comfortable with having a nerdy girl next door among them. Shush, Bia. They wanted you to come, right? Shut up and just enjoy the moment. At least once in your life, live a little. Her inner voice scolded her harshly and the brunette put a smile back on her lips. The voice inside was right. She was there with Max and Anders anyway. Maybe the others would surprise her and they could all just enjoy a nice lunch together, right? And just as the ragtag group was about to move, two more girls joined them. The Southsiders from the party as well. Max’s voice made Bia look at him and she noticed the excitement in his eyes. The pinch inside was something she knew very well already. The green monster made its appearance once again and took its usual place on her shoulder, whispering all sorts of thoughts in her ear. Why was she even jealous though? Max wanted to hang out before, he asked her out, he showed his interest. It was Bianca who turned him down, wanting to focus on her studies. So why was she now feeling jealous of the Southside brunette whom Max called in such a familiar way? Maybe it was time to find her box of mints to help her keep her focus up.

“Come on, I’ll get us better seats than these.” Bianca spoke up after a while, wanting to move on. Her thoughts started to spiral and if they reached that dark depth of her mind, there was no telling how her day was going to end up. Beckoning the group to follow her, the brunette took a deep breath, put her game face on and led the others across the perfectly kept lawn to the back of the food area. A brief talk to the older guy in the food truck earned them a nice round table a bit further from the noise but still at the fair. And once they sat down, a round of homemade elderflower lemonade landed in front of them. A little something from the owner before they decided about their food. Bianca held the straw between her lips while studying the menu but in her head, she was thinking about how this group seemed to be forming a bit more than just a few people who were accidentally brought together.

_amaranth_ · Sep 29, 2021

Maddox

MOOD: hungry, amused
LOCATION: Mayday celebration
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: everyone
TAGS:

apolla ,

Hanging out with the entitled Northside kids was everything but not an item on Maddox’s bucket list for today. He was not exactly a fan for understandable reasons. Naturally, once he and Anders came across Bianca and Max, Maddox had to work really hard to suppress the groan clawing its way from his throat. Seriously, why was Ders so excited about hanging out with that goodie-two-shoes weirdo? Ronnie he got, she was fun and actually pretty chill for a richy rich girl. But while this one looked like Veronica, that face was the only thing they had in common. To him, Bianca seemed like a buzzkill and straight boring. Not exactly a bad girl but what did she even have to offer? But sure, if Anders felt like doing charity, who was MJ to stop him from it? And then there was that Russian dude. It was safe to say that he and Maddox did not really hit it off and now, they were more wary of each other than they were friends.

After fooling around for a bit, food talk returned MJ’s attention to the other three and apparently, the church girl had the idea where to go and get some chow. Though before they got there, another bump happened. However, this one brought a wide grin to MJ’s face. The mouthy redhead from Dom’s party and Deveraux himself. The firecracker and Anders got immediately in this verbal shootout and Madds just shook his head with a grin gracing his features. “Play nice, Ders.” he tapped his brother on the back and shot Vivi a wink. “Good to see you again. You owe me a jacket, love.” he told her, examining her face to see what her reaction would be. There was something extremely satisfying in poking Vivian Cellars and getting reactions out of her.

A hand wrapped around his neck and Maddox flinched, ready to defend himself against any Northsider scum who was trying to catch him off guard but a small laugh escaped his mouth when he noticed a flash of pink mane and a familiar voice drawled around his ear. “Well I’d never.” Maddox pretended being shocked as he looked at the pinkette and pressed his hand on his chest as if he was abhorred. “I might start celebrating May Day, dear Vanessa, once someone tells me what is even there to celebrate. Seriously, though, is this a real thing or just some stuff you, Northsiders, came up with to have a reason for a fair?” A mischievous smile was tugging on his lips as he teased the rich kids. His eyes found Nessa again and he leaned closer, poking her in the cheek with his nose. “Need me to go win you a stuffie, honey bear?” he asked her in a fake overly sweet tone, knowing she would understand his joke. If there was a girl who was perfectly capable of winning her own toys, it was the pink-haired Southsider.

It was Ronnie’s sister who suddenly spoke up and told them to follow her. “Finally a good idea.” Maddox grinned. He reached down, grabbing Nessa under her knees as he pulled her up on his back. He was feeling playful and so far, this place was a bust, filled with stuffy people in expensive clothes and face expressions that Maddox wanted to punch them for. A few of them passed by the group and the blonde boy did not fail to notice the disgusted looks he and his friends got. “Later we should maybe go for a little chocolate egg hunt.” he grinned, looking at his fellows from the bad side of the city, referring to snatching a few wallets, watches and some other stuff. He held his gaze on Lily the longest, knowing who she was. He was rather wary of her, since he was aware of her reputation. But they all could have some fun together, right? “You in?” he asked her and tightened his grip on Nessa, carrying his lover to get their food.

He only put her down once they reached the round table and took a seat right by her side. “You brought us here, sweetness, so it means it’s your treat?” he asked Bianca, who jerked her head to him. “Haven’t you snatched enough wallets on your way here to pay for your meal?” she answered and Maddox laughed. “Well, look at that, she has claws after all.” he grinned and flashed a look at Vivi. “No offense, of course.” he told her, referring to the scratches on her face.

code by low fidelity.

Hanging out with the entitled Northside kids was everything but not an item on Maddox’s bucket list for today. He was not exactly a fan for understandable reasons. Naturally, once he and Anders came across Bianca and Max, Maddox had to work really hard to suppress the groan clawing its way from his throat. Seriously, why was Ders so excited about hanging out with that goodie-two-shoes weirdo? Ronnie he got, she was fun and actually pretty chill for a richy rich girl. But while this one looked like Veronica, that face was the only thing they had in common. To him, Bianca seemed like a buzzkill and straight boring. Not exactly a bad girl but what did she even have to offer? But sure, if Anders felt like doing charity, who was MJ to stop him from it? And then there was that Russian dude. It was safe to say that he and Maddox did not really hit it off and now, they were more wary of each other than they were friends.

After fooling around for a bit, food talk returned MJ’s attention to the other three and apparently, the church girl had the idea where to go and get some chow. Though before they got there, another bump happened. However, this one brought a wide grin to MJ’s face. The mouthy redhead from Dom’s party and Deveraux himself. The firecracker and Anders got immediately in this verbal shootout and Madds just shook his head with a grin gracing his features. “Play nice, Ders.” he tapped his brother on the back and shot Vivi a wink. “Good to see you again. You owe me a jacket, love.” he told her, examining her face to see what her reaction would be. There was something extremely satisfying in poking Vivian Cellars and getting reactions out of her.

A hand wrapped around his neck and Maddox flinched, ready to defend himself against any Northsider scum who was trying to catch him off guard but a small laugh escaped his mouth when he noticed a flash of pink mane and a familiar voice drawled around his ear. “Well I’d never.” Maddox pretended being shocked as he looked at the pinkette and pressed his hand on his chest as if he was abhorred. “I might start celebrating May Day, dear Vanessa, once someone tells me what is even there to celebrate. Seriously, though, is this a real thing or just some stuff you, Northsiders, came up with to have a reason for a fair?” A mischievous smile was tugging on his lips as he teased the rich kids. His eyes found Nessa again and he leaned closer, poking her in the cheek with his nose. “Need me to go win you a stuffie, honey bear?” he asked her in a fake overly sweet tone, knowing she would understand his joke. If there was a girl who was perfectly capable of winning her own toys, it was the pink-haired Southsider.

It was Ronnie’s sister who suddenly spoke up and told them to follow her. “Finally a good idea.” Maddox grinned. He reached down, grabbing Nessa under her knees as he pulled her up on his back. He was feeling playful and so far, this place was a bust, filled with stuffy people in expensive clothes and face expressions that Maddox wanted to punch them for. A few of them passed by the group and the blonde boy did not fail to notice the disgusted looks he and his friends got. “Later we should maybe go for a little chocolate egg hunt.” he grinned, looking at his fellows from the bad side of the city, referring to snatching a few wallets, watches and some other stuff. He held his gaze on Lily the longest, knowing who she was. He was rather wary of her, since he was aware of her reputation. But they all could have some fun together, right? “You in?” he asked her and tightened his grip on Nessa, carrying his lover to get their food.

He only put her down once they reached the round table and took a seat right by her side. “You brought us here, sweetness, so it means it’s your treat?” he asked Bianca, who jerked her head to him. “Haven’t you snatched enough wallets on your way here to pay for your meal?” she answered and Maddox laughed. “Well, look at that, she has claws after all.” he grinned and flashed a look at Vivi. “No offense, of course.” he told her, referring to the scratches on her face.

MadiRaiCat · Oct 2, 2021

location

Food booths.

mentions

Dom, Anders (

apolla ), MJ.

interactions

Nessa, Max (

Desert_Blossom ), Bianca (

outfit

x, x.

Liliana

southside

It wasn't like Liliana had ever planned on becoming a thief. She really hadn't. In fact, she wanted to go into some sort of computer science. Maybe coding or engineering. Whatever the case, she wanted to make a difference in the world. Wanted to make the lives of the people around her better, and help her fellow Southsiders get out of that part of town. Or at least help them be comfortable in their lives rather than living paycheck to paycheck with the mere hope of having enough to pay for both the bills and food. She knew that life all too well. When her foster parents tossed her out on the street with nothing but a duffel bag to her name, Lily had to make ends meet in one way or another. And while the motorcycle repair shop gig paid okay, it wasn't enough. That's when she began using her computer skills for more evil, in the societally normal sense, than good.

Over the years, it had gotten easier and easier to simply take from those who don't need it or notice it's missing. Take the brown leather wallet in her hand, cool and smooth. Cash and cards tucked away apparently safe inside. The owner probably wouldn't even notice it was gone until far later that evening. And when he did, he would simply shut off the cards and write off the cash as a lost cause. Little did he know that by then, it would be too late. Lily would already have access to his bank accounts, trust funds, everything. He would just be another player in her rotating cycle of accounts she filtered money out of every so often, to give to those that needed it. Another player in her masterful game. Liliana was worried about getting caught, sure. But she knew that she could always wiggle her way out if she did. At least, that's what she told herself.

"A gentleman indeed!" Lily responded with a grin, dumping the cards and cash from the wallet into her purse before tossing it into a nearby trash can. They continued towards the pretzel booth when Nessa paused for a moment, nodding towards a pair of men standing not too far off. The brunette would have rather avoided them altogether, but Nessa seemed to have other plans. She directed the two of them towards the men anyway, and Lily decided to let her. She knew about the relationship that the pinkette had with Maddox, and wasn't too sure about it. But then again, who was she to judge? Though she didn't interact with the gang member often, she knew about what they did and how they worked. She vowed to stay away from the drugs they trafficked and sold, and thus try not to mess around with them. Looks like those plans would change today.

Liliana followed Nessa, tucking her hands into the front pockets of her jean shorts. Chocolate brown eyes scanned the group, which was larger than the two men they originally saw. Her eyes scanned the group, realizing only shortly thereafter that it was the same group targeted at Dominic's party the other night. Her anxiety spiked a bit, and she felt her back pocket for her phone. But there was nothing on it. No more text messages, no notifications. Maybe it was a one-off thing after all. She met Nessa's gaze and nodded, "Yeah, me too." Before she could say anything further, a familiar accent called her by the pet name she hadn't heard since the party before. Glancing over at Max, she tilted her head curiously, appraising the grin on his face. "Max, good to see you again," she responded, glancing at Nessa with her arms around MJ. "I guess I am."

The group followed Bianca across the Northsider lawn, the grass equal height and perfectly green. Lily wasn't exactly sure where they were going, but she was still hungry and would follow anyone at that moment if there was food involved. Everyone sat down around a table, and a glass of what looked like lemonade was placed in front of each of them. The brunette looked at it curiously, unsure of why beverages would need so many garnishes and frills. But when she took a sip from the straw, she couldn't deny that it was delicious. The brunette looked over the menu, the prices making her question the three-dollar burgers and fries with free coffee that she practically lived on as a younger kid. Did the Northsiders really pay that much for a simple meal? "So, Bianca, you've been here before? What's good to eat?"

nine lives

MadiRaiCat · Oct 2, 2021

location

Maypole.

mentions

everyone else.

interactions

Vivi, Ders (

apolla ), Bianca (

outfit

x.

Dominic

northside

Dominic enjoyed Vivian's company almost as much as he enjoyed her older brother's before he was gone. They were on the same level in a sense. Both came from wealthy, powerful families, with parents that expected a lot from them and a reputation that caused the public to expect even more. WIth so much on their shoulders all the time, it was hard to find others that understood what they went through. But they had found each other, and Vivi was one of the only people Dom felt truly just got him. The redhead was fiery, he could give her that. In school, she had been the queen bee and the head bitch in charge. In Victor's shadow, she was always protected. Deep down, Dom knew that their friendship was largely based on a sibling-like nature. They leaned on one another. His sister moved away and, though they talk often, it wasn't the same as being together. Vivi lost her brother and so she leaned on Dom. It worked for them.

"Maybe I can do better, but you and I both know I've never been one to turn down a party," the brunette man responded to his redheaded counterpart, offering her a smirk. They glanced around the area, trying to find something of interest that could be fun. But, so far, they found nothing. "Damn, really? You'd think they'd make these things more young-adult friendly. How else are they going to bring in paying customers our age?" he responded, running a hand through his hair in slight annoyance. "Food sounds good, yeah. I could go for a burger, or maybe one of those massive corn dogs. I could kill for one of those and some mustard right now," he answered, holding out his arm for Vivian to take. They meandered down the walkway, browsing alongside the booths and glancing at the trinkets they held. Dom felt her slip from his arm, and his eyes followed her for a moment before glancing back down at the crafts.

A loud "Fuck!" caught the brunette man's attention, and he looked up to immediately see Vivi bumping into none other than Bianca. He jogged over, glancing between them. "Are you two alright?" It was then that he realized a little group of familiar faces had formed: all of his so-called friends from his party the other night. "Oh, hey guys, how have you been? I'm totally down for some food. We were just looking for it honestly." Bianca led them across the lawn to another food booth, one that she seemed to know the owner of. Dominic shot her a curious look, wondering how she knew them for a brief moment. They all sat around the table, Dom somehow ending up alongside Vivi. He nodded to her, offering her a grin as he took a sip from his own lemonade. She might not be exactly happy with who they were eating, but at least the surrounding smell of food was delicious. "Are you guys going to the Maypole Ceremony later?"

nine lives

apolla · Oct 3, 2021

Vivi's reaction to running into Bianca of all people was automatic. She was ready to step back and move along with Dominic, but then Anders had to throw his two cents in and Vivi had to snap back. Out of all the people in this ragtag group, Vivi could only stand Dominic and Max. Anders had too high of an opinion of himself, Bia had had the audacity to scratch Vivi's face up (nevermind that she'd returned the favor), and MJ... well, he was a different story altogether. She wasn't even going to touch that one right now. MJ was the one who told Ders to play nice before he turned to look at Vivi, winking at her and telling her she owed him a jacket. She felt her cheeks grow warm but refused to acknowledge the blush.

"You'll get it back. Eventually. Doesn't look like you need it too much now, does it?" She glanced at Anders as he invited Dominic to eat with them, and her too, but only if she played nice. Rolling her eyes, she just scoffed, though the sound turned into more of a choked one when they were joined by two other southsiders. And not just any southsiders, but the pink haired girl and the brunette. It didn't escape Vivi's notice just who all was in this group, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. She quickly grew distracted though at the flirtatious nature between MJ and the pinkette. Scowling, Vivi just turned on her heel and followed the others who were following Bianca towards somewhere to grab some food.

At the table, she ended up next to Dominic. He offered her a smile and a nod as he reached for his drink, which Vivi eyed with interest. She followed his example and took a sip of the drink that turned out to be pretty damn good. She set it back down as the brunette southsider asked Bia what was good to eat, and then Dom asked if anyone was going to the Maypole ceremony later. "I'll be there." Vivi offered, leaning back in her chair some as she picked the menu up from the table to scan it. "Daddy dearest wouldn't have it if I wasn't." She muttered the last part mostly to herself, but her grip tightened on the menu for a second, her lips tightening into a thin line. Once she'd picked what she wanted, she set the menu back down and looked around the table.

Her eyes first landed on MJ, sitting next to Nessa. Her scowl only deepened and she leaned in closer to Dominic, a nasty comment already on the tip of her tongue when her gaze slid over to Bia. She'd seen the way the girl looked when Max greeted Lily, and if there was something Vivi recognized, it was jealousy. Glancing over at the Russian, Vivi tilted her head slightly to the side. Realizing she was still leaning slightly towards Dominic, she turned to look at him. "Nevermind." Shaking her head, she straightened, trying to ignore her own green monster as she looked at Bia. An idea began to form in her mind, but it wasn't one she could discuss now. "Well? What do you suggest, Bia? You seem to have an in here. Tell us what's good."

vivi

pretty girl
by [maggie lindemann]

interactions:
dom; bia; maddox; anders; max

tags:

mood:
annoyed

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

apolla · Oct 3, 2021

Anders honestly didn't hate Vivi. She just got on his damn nerves with her bitchy and condescending attitude. Anders wasn't the type to hold grudges though, not usually. So when he invited Dominic to eat with them, he invited Vivi as well, even if she didn't seem pleased by the thought of spending more time with them. But apparently it was better than being alone, as she headed with them in the direction Bia led. Right before Bianca started leading them towards a food place, they were joined by Nessa and Lily. Anders grinned and waved at both of them, his hunger keeping him from going over to greet them. Besides, Nessa was busy being carried by MJ.

When they reached the little table, they all took a seat and Anders leaned back to survey the ragtag group. "Together again, I see." He smirked at his own joke as he reached for the fancy looking drink in front of him. Taking a sip, he nearly choked but in a good way. Slamming the glass back down, he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, looking over at his northsider friend. "Bia, what the hell is this? It's fucking amazing. A+ job." He nodded, flashing her a quick grin and a thumbs up before he leaned forward to inspect the menu. Everything was definitely more expensive than it would have been in the southside, but he wasn't worried about it. He had money on him and even if he didn't, he could find some easily.

He was so focused on the menu he missed the looks of varying degrees going around the table. When he did glance up, it was only because Dominic mentioned a maypole ceremony. "A what?" He asked, lifting a brow in Dom's direction. "What the hell is a maypole and why are we celebrating it?" His gaze slid over to Vivi, hearing her say that she'd be there and even hearing her muttered comment afterwards. Deciding not to comment, he just flipped the menu over in his hands, making sure he'd seen everything before he made his choice. "I could really go for a beer, or even a couple shots. You got anything on you from your fancy bar over there, Dominic?" Anders grinned, resting his arm on the chair beside him as he leaned back again.

Vivi had a look on her face that he couldn't place, and Anders looked between her and Bia with interest when she asked the twin what was good. "Are we all really getting along?" Anders asked, the fake excitement in his voice mainly for humorous purposes. "Man. Well, I won't lie, I love a good catfight but I think we can manage without one of those today, don't you think?" He slid his gaze over the others, looking at them one by one. "I think I want the steak bites. Sounds good as shit. What did you guys decide on? And who the hell is gonna tell me what a maypole is? How do we celebrate a pole?" He paused, a sly grin creeping onto his lips. "Well, I mean, I know of a way but I don't think it'd be appropriate for a place like this."

anders

lowlife
by [theory of a deadman]

interactions:
MJ; Max; Bia; Dom; Vivi

tags:

_amaranth_ ;

mood:
himself

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

Desert_Blossom · Nov 12, 2021

Vanessa Hill

For those who lived on the Southside, it was uncommon to have gone through life without any close calls. Run-ins with the law, the wrong crowd or death was an unfortunate, but given, side effect of living on the wrong side of the tracks in this town. Nessa had a hat trick when it came to these unwanted run-ins, so she didn't blame Maddox for flinching when she approached from behind. That's just how Southsiders were programmed- to fear the worst when getting caught unaware. The gang member recovered quickly though, and greeted the pinkette with a laugh. It was Nessa's turn to flinch though when she realized the group she and Lily had joined was the one from Dom's party. Blue eyes found the hacker's dark ones for a moment, as the Southside girls exchanged an uneasy glance, agreeing this felt like de ja vu.

Fortunately, MJ proved a reliable distraction, and quickly chased away Nessa's concerns when he poked her cheek with his nose. Need me to go win you a stuffie, honey bear? The pinkette's lips quirked into a grin as she gave the blonde man a little squeeze. "Save the stuffed animals for the kids Trouble, I'm still waiting for that convertible you promised me..." She replied teasingly. Well... half teasingly, as she recalled the beautiful cars they'd seen last week parked in front of Dom's house.

Ronnie's twin suggested they follow her to get food, and before Nessa could object so she and Lily could resume their hunt for a pretzel, MJ's hands had found their way around her legs as he picked her up onto his back. Vanessa laughed, holding onto Maddox's shoulders as they followed after Bia and the rest of the group. "This wasn't quite the ride from you I had in mind for today, but it's a nice warm up..." The pink-haired Southsider playfully whispered into Maddox's ear, before glancing around at the booths they passed. When MJ suggested they go chocolate egg hunting later, Nessa shot Lily a knowing glance, biting her lip to keep from smirking and giving away that the brunette had already done a little hunting of her own.

One person who apparently would not be joining in on the thieving was Bia, who had a sharp retort when MJ asked if she was buying. Haven't you snatched enough wallets on your way here to pay for your meal? If Bia hadn't been right, Nessa might have been offended by the assumption, but... Deciding to stay out of this little exchange, the pinkette just slid her lemonade over to her and took a sip through the straw as she glanced at the menu. A few people asked Bia what was good here, and Dom inquired if others were going to attend the May Pole ceremony, but Nessa didn't rejoin the conversation until Ders chimed in with And who the hell is gonna tell me what a maypole is? How do we celebrate a pole? Well, I mean, I know of a way but I don't think it'd be appropriate for a place like this.

Vanessa had to cover her mouth with the side of her hand to keep from spitting out her lemonade, and grinned deliciously once she'd managed to swallow. "Might not be appropriate, but I imagine your way would be a lot more fun..." She replied coyly, setting down her menu and propping an arm on the table. She'd decided on the gourmet pretzel bites, and if Lily didn't end up ordering the same for herself, then she'd share since her little detour to see Maddox had cost her friend her desired fair food. Glancing at the Northsiders, she waited to see what the May Pole celebration actually was. She'd never stuck around the festival long enough in past years to see the ceremony in question.

Flirty

Mayday Fair

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Nov 12, 2021

Maxim Drozdov

While the Russian man had been hoping to find a friend or two to hang out with at the festival, he hadn't quite expected to find a whole group. Particularly the group that had been the last people left at Dom's party. Rather than ponder the odds, or the potential danger, of this group's reunion, Max focussed his attention on the brunette Southsider who'd joined the group. While he didn't recall much of the details from last week's bash, he did recall that he liked Lily and walked over to her. She glanced up at him, offering a polite greeting. Max, good to see you again. A small pang of guilt tugged at Max, since she'd remembered his name when all he could think to call her was Kotik. Nonetheless, when the exchange student inquired as to whether she'd be joining them for lunch, he noticed Lily glance over at her friend. I guess I am. Maxim's gaze moved over to the pair of Southsiders that he knew the least, and was actually thankful for their presence since it meant Lily would stick around some more. At least MJ came in handy for something.

Bia mentioned that she could find them a great table, and started to lead the group to food. For a moment, Max glanced between the two brunettes as if conflicted, before falling into step beside Lily. He was just about to ask her how she'd been lately, when Maddox started talking about going on some kind of egg hunt. The euphemism went right over the Russian's head, but he noticed the gang member looking particularly at Lily after his comment, before asking if she was in. Max frowned a little, wanting to ask what they were talking about, but not wanting to look like an idiot. Or like he was prying.

The group arrived at the table that Bia procured, and Max was pleased to find himself seated between Bia and Lily. The lemonade that was served almost immediately was delicious, and Max drained half of it, before setting the glass down. Ders offered his praise, and the tall Russian nodded in agreement. "Yes, great choice B, I knew you would be the one to ask." He said, nudging her shoulder with his. "Though, this lemonade is missing something..." He added with a grin as he produced the flask of vodka he'd brought with him and added a splash when none of the booth workers were looking.

Dom asked if anyone was going to the Maypole Ceremony, which earned some questions from others, but Max nodded. "I planned to." He replied, not particularly knowing what the ceremony entailed here in America, but enjoying the May Day celebrations back in Russia. He glanced over at Vivi when she said she was going as well and smiled. "Good!" Though an instant later Max questioned if that really was good based on the expression on the redhead's face.

Turning to Ders when he mentioned he could go for a beer, Max tossed over his flask. "This is better than any of those craft beers Dom was serving at his party..." Max said with a grin, poking fun at his friend, though he truly did believe vodka was superior to all alcohols. For a few moments the Russian returned his attention to the menu while Anders went on about cat fights and getting along. He chuckled a little to himself over his pal's comment about celebrating a pole, before glancing over at Nessa when she responded, a little surprised by her boldness.

"I can't say for certain what the Maypole celebration is like here, but back home the ceremony involves a dance around the Maypole while holding onto ribbons. Everyone dances in a circle until all the ribbons are wound around the pole. It's usually to celebrate spring and rebirth..." Maxim said, trying to help Ders out. "Though... some people do interpret the pole as phallic symbol. So you aren't that far off, just in the wrong community" He added, grinning at Ders.

In a Good Mood

Festival

nine lives

_amaranth_ · Nov 16, 2021

Bianca

MOOD: relaxed a bit
LOCATION: Mayday celebration
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: everyone
MENTIONS: x
TAGS:

Desert_Blossom ;

Bianca Clayton always had a plan. For everything she did really. But still there were a few things she never imagined to be doing, leading a group of misfits to have lunch together being one of them. She basically offered her help for several reasons. They would move from just random awkward standing around in one place, she had an in thanks to her organizer badge and also, the old man running the fast food truck she took them to was someone she knew more than well. Everything on the menu was homemade, an honest hearty cooking, no artificial flavors, fruits and veggies from his garden, meat from the local producers. You name it, he made it. This truck had a long tradition at every major event of the town and Bia never forgot to make a stop at it. And there was a small part of her who was still thinking about the looks Lily got from Max so keeping herself occupied was a way to stop doing that. Well, tough luck, girl, you missed your chance apparently.

Sitting down, she sipped her lemonade and studied the menu when the first question came from the Southsider brunette Max called Kitten. Yes, she knew enough Russian to get that. Vivi asked the same while Ders seemed to be choking on his lemonade. “Anything really. This is the best place to eat. While it’s street food, it’s all local produce so no chemistry, no garbage, pure nature. My personal favorite are definitely sweet potato fries and the pastrami sandwich. And bearclaws for sure if you’re in a mood for something sweet.” She then looked up, curiously observing the redhead. Why was Vivi so nice to her all of a sudden? Her brain was having difficulties to embrace it really, considering what happened the last time they were together.

Max nudged her a little, praising her choice of lunch spot and then improved his lemonade with vodka. For a moment, Bianca opened her eyes wide but at this point, this was not exactly surprising, it was more of a matter of habit. “Is there anything you actually don’t take with vodka?” she teased and set her menu down, knowing already what she wanted. She felt like her answer to Dom’s question would be redundant since the badge around her neck spoke louder than her words. Of course, she was going there, considering she was in charge of it.

Seeing that the discussion on pole celebration was definitely not going the right way, Bianca covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing. “Technically, you’re not wrong, Max,” she told him. “I mean, on the rebirth part. Not the phallic stuff,” she added as her cheeks turned red over the inuendo. “It’s a fun tradition to celebrate spring, there is this traditional dance boys and girls do around the pole…no, not what you think, Anders. It’s actually rather neat and fun if you guys wanna come and have a look,” Bia explained just as one of the waiters approached them to take their orders.

code by low fidelity.

_amaranth_ · Nov 16, 2021

Maddox

MOOD: hungry, confused
LOCATION: Mayday celebration
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: everyone
TAGS:

apolla ,

The second Nessa and Lily joined the small group, MJ felt it lightened up a little. He proposed winning her a stuffed animal but apparently, that was not anything the pinkette would like to own. She was quick to remind him the promise from the party of getting her a convertible. “Oh, that. Okay, let me get you that teddy bear first and tonight, we can go fishing, what do you think? Maybe we can find one that matches your hair. Or would rather have one that matches your soul?” Maddox laughed, hinting the colors to the girl. And then they were on their way to get food since apparently Ronnie’s twin knew where to go. It was better than nothing and the blonde male was becoming hungry anyway so it didn’t really matter to him where he would get his food. His only condition was that he wanted it immediately.

Nessa’s flirty comment in his ear caused a lot of things to his mind and body but also nothing he couldn’t handle. “This was just a trial. I’ll come over tonight for the real thing, hm?” he grinned, setting her down so they both could take their seats at the table. Food first, fun later, that was MJ’s order of activities and since it seemed Lily was in for the latter part, this looked like a very fruitful day. The glass landing in front of him was filled with something that was definitely tasty but lacked alcohol content. Though it was sweet just enough, not in that obnoxious way homemade lemonades can be and the slice of lemon was adding a refreshing aftertaste. While everyone wondered what to eat, Maddox knew he wanted a burger and instead focused on the other part of the conversation.

Laughing out loud over question which Anders post, Maddox started to wonder how much fun it would actually be. “You wanna see a proper pole celebration, brother? That’s happening at clubhouse tonight if you wanna go,” he grinned, nudging Ders playfully. The Russian lad started talking about what it mean and Bianca filled the rest but honestly, Maddox liked the Ders’ idea much more. The waiter came to grab their orders and MJ asked for his cheeseburger and steak fries when he was up. “Okay but listen. You say celebration of spring but it’s already May. What were you guys doing in March and April? Why not celebrate it then? I don’t get it, dude. You posh people are way too complicated. And why do you actually need a pole to celebrate spring?” he asked, sporting a confusing look on his features.

code by low fidelity.

MadiRaiCat · Nov 21, 2021

location

Food booths.

mentions

Dom, Bianca.

interactions

Nessa, Max (

Desert_Blossom ), MJ (

outfit

x, x.

Liliana

southside

They certainly were a group of misfits, that much was easy to see. Two groups of four, each from a world distinct from the others. One was raised with money and high society, or at least the illusion of it. The other was raised in the trenches. Both fought for their survival, though in their own unique ways. Liliana didn't know the Northsiders, and even a few of the Southsiders, all that well. But no one goes through life completely secret-free, that much she could be sure of. She was fully aware of how MJ felt about her, especially when he narrowed his eyes at her. "Sure, I'm in," she had said, her tone rather steely. He may be some high-and-mighty gang member. But that didn't mean she was afraid of him. Her reputation preceded her in a lot of ways, but usually, that was only the thief side of things. Few knew about her more technical theft abilities. It just so happened that one of those few happened to be sitting at the table with her. When Bia and Lily had made their arrangement, it was very clear that neither wanted the rest of the world to know about it. So, despite the power over the other that secret gave them, there was a silent agreement to leave it in the past. Or so Lily trusted anyway.

At the party, it was clear that Max was drunk or well on his way to getting there. So, the brunette hacker had just assumed that once the booze wore off, he would go back to being interested in the northside girls who no doubt threw themselves at him. Lily had never been quite sure what to do with romance, let alone flirting. So she didn't even know if that was what Max was trying to do in the first place, and she most certainly didn't want to assume it was. Nevertheless, she found herself seated alongside him at the table, only slightly uncomfortable from the amount of attention she had gotten that day. Liliana found herself focusing on the menu, trying to discern what to order while also listening to the conversation happening around her. When she was alone with Nessa, she had been quite open. The kind, dependable, sweeter version of herself that only the people she cared about got to see. But the majority of the able were unfamiliars, people she didn't know aside from the reputations and rumors. And that was enough for her walls to go up. Almost as if on cue, her phone pinged, pulling the pretty brunette from her thoughts. She slid it from her pockets, reading the message on the screen as a frown turned down the corners of her lips. Despite her chosen path, Lily didn't always steal just for herself. Sometimes she used her skills for good, like Robin Hood. Other times, she was a hired gun, so to speak.

Unfortunately, the message was of the latter, an unknown number requesting her services. Lily locked her phone and slid it back into her pocket, deciding it best to answer later when she wasn't in her current company. Taking a sip from her glass, she eyed the flask that Max had poured into his own, tilting her head. "If you've got any of that to spare, I wouldn't mind a cocktail of my own," she said, flicking her brown gaze to the Russian man beside her. Maybe it would help calm her nerves. Lily couldn't help but side with MJ, not understanding what the Maypole Ceremony was or why it took place. Nevertheless, it would be a good place for their "chocolate egg hunt" as he so-called it. "I think it would be fun to go," she added, shrugging her shoulders. Though Nessa already knew their success rate that day and she didn't have anything to prove, something about MJ's words seemed like a challenge. And Lily didn't back down from those. As the waiter approached to take their orders, Lily nodded to him and said, "I'll have an order of the sweet potato fries, please." Her previous craving for pretzels had subsided a bit, and the fries sounded better. But she would no doubt ask for a bite if someone did end up ordering them.

nine lives

MadiRaiCat · Nov 21, 2021

location

Food booths.

mentions

Max (

Desert_Blossom ), Bia, Vivi.

interactions

Ders (

apolla ), MJ (

outfit

x.

Dominic

northside

It took a moment of sitting around the table together and playful banter for Dominic to realize what this little group truly was. His phone felt like it was burning a hole in his pocket, a reminder of the threatening text and its follow-through from his party the other night. This was the same exact group that had gotten those texts, somehow brought back together by fate or maybe even by design. The brunette heir was a little uneasy, but the personalities around him made it hard for him to stay down. "It's a ceremony. You know how us Northsiders get about traditions and ceremonies," Dom responded to Ders, knowing full well that his explanation wasn't the best. But it wasn't a lie either. He briefly felt Vivian lean into his side, and glanced down at her with a questioning look. But she simply shook her head and brushed it off, so Dom moved on. He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he took another sip from his lemonade. "No, nothing from my bar on me. You want some of my expensive booze, you have to let me know ahead of time," he shot back easily, blue eyes flickering from his gangbanger friend to Max, who pulled out a flask, "Though it seems like Mr. Vodka over there has the right idea. Maybe I should start carrying around a flask. For when the appropriate time arises."

The guys made some jokes about the innuendoes and implications surrounding the Maypole Ceremony, and Dom couldn't help but grin. It wasn't like it was lost on the Northsiders, the second meaning such words could have. For a while, the festival committee tried to rename it and call it something different to combat it. But others came forward and argued back, claiming it was taking away from the tradition of the festival. And so, they gave up, letting people call it what they want in whatever connotations they wanted to. Max explained what the ceremony was in Russia, followed by Bia, and Dom nodded along. "You guys have never actually been to the Maypole Ceremony? It's actually rather interesting. Though I have to say, I've had the most fun at it when I was either drunk or high as hell, so that might be skewing things," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And come on, MJ. You know us Northsiders will do whatever we have to in order to party, at least one big one every month. March has St. Patrick's Day, April has Easter. So we needed something to celebrate in May, and this is it," the brunette man added, his tone sarcastic though his words weren't entirely false.

Sure, May also had Memorial Day. But people usually went out of town for that, and it lasted well into June. So, May Day was more of an excuse to push that into the next month than anything else. The waiter approached then, going around and taking everyone's orders. Dom, being the gourmet food snob that he was, settled on the brisket burger and hand-cut fries. Handing over the menu to the waiter, he rested an arm on the back of Vivi's chair and continued, "And besides, our very own Vivian Cellers may very well be crowned this year's Mayday Queen. So it only makes sense that we are there to cheer her on." The yearly pageant of sorts may be some sort of vain way to compare women and give them an arbitrary title, but who was Dominic Devereaux to judge? Hell, most of his own parties hired girls in short shorts and crop tops that were barely a step above bras to act as servers and dancers. There were very few times when he didn't have a woman to take home with him, so a beauty contest couldn't possibly be worse than that. "How about a round of shots for the table? To celebrate!"

nine lives

apolla · Nov 24, 2021

It was obvious to the redhead that Bia was surprised at the fact Vivi wasn't scratching her eyes out. Instead, her words didn't carry that snarky tone they usually did, but that was mostly because Vivian had thoughts forming in her mind. Nothing she could talk about with the others at the table, but something she would pull Bia aside for later. The conversation at the table went on, Anders asking about the Maypole celebration and what the hell it meant. His innuendo made Vivi wrinkle her nose and shoot him an annoyed look. "You're disgusting." She told him, to which he just grinned at her and winked. "Gross." She muttered, looking back down at the menu.

Even though she already knew what she wanted, it was a good distraction as Max pulled out a flask of vodka and tried to explain what the Maypole celebration meant in Russia. He seconded Ders' sexual comment, and despite herself, Vivi looked back up at him. "Max!" She snapped, but it was obvious she was biting back a smile. "Don't encourage their grossness." She shook her head, watching the flask as it flew through the air and over to Anders. "I've told you a thousand times, Max, tequila is the king of liquors." She teased the Russian, her eyes flicking over to Bia as she tried to help him with his explanation.

The waiter came by to take their orders, and Vivi ordered her grilled chicken salad, handing the menu to him before he went around to take everyone elses order as well. Then he was gone, and the conversation picked back up. MJ mentioned something about pole dancing and a club and Vivi shot a narrowed eye glance at him, but said nothing. The dark haired southsider mentioned how she thought the ceremony sounded fun to go to, and Vivi was just about to add her own two cents when she felt Dominic's hand slide along the back of her chair. "And besides, our very own Vivian Cellers may very well be crowned this year's Mayday Queen. So it only makes sense that we are there to cheer her on."

Mayday Queen. The title had meant so much to her for so long; she'd always wanted to be the Queen. In a way, she felt like if she was crowned queen, her father might have to look at her differently. "That's right." She added smoothly, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms. "I expect you all to show your support if you show up." She looked around at everyone, her eyes lingering on a couple people for longer than they should. "Just clap at the right time, that's all you need to do. And if you're unclear on when the right time is, it's when they announce my name and put that crown on my head."

vivi

pretty girl
by [maggie lindemann]

interactions:
dom; bia; maddox; anders; max

tags: