The Red String - Official Roleplay

[Kore]

It's a magically fact of life: everyone has a true love. They are tied to this person from birth, by a thread of fate called the Red String. It's invisible and intangible, but it's unbreakable and bonds souls together, even in death. The Red String is revered, considered to be the most important truth of life. As such, love is revered as well. Finding one's soul mate is the biggest accomplishment a person can make, and they should cherish the bond they share. The world caters to couples, celebrating the success of their journey towards true love. However, finding the one someone is destined to be with can be difficult when the Red Sting is, again, unseen.

Luckily, there are those born with an intrinsic sense of power. Their rare souls, drenched in magic, grant them the ability to see the Red Strings of all souls. More so, they have the power to cast artes and brew potions. They sell their talents to the commonfolk, offering spells and elixirs of love, but for a price. In a world obsessed with following the Red String, these unique beings are worshiped. It is them that are to lead the sea of lonely hearts to salvation.

In the quaint little town of Astreia, there are two such special humans. They are known as the Witch, a long standing veteran of the town and highly trusted and valued for her talents, and the Mistress, a mysterious new woman of stunning beauty who came to work under the older woman in recent years. They own a small shop together called "Pixie Charm", but when one is running the shop, the other is pushing a large cart around town to sell their goods to any that can pay.

It has been a system that ran smoothly for generations over the world. Except, the new generation is entering into the politics of love and with them, they brought new problems never before seen. This generation is falling in love, but not with the true love that the Red String bound them too. Despair is beginning to blossom in Asteria as these young souls struggle to choose between the person they are destined to be with, and the person they have fallen in love with that was never meant to be theirs.

The lovely little town of Asteria is a suburban residential community. Its borders are defined by the beach coast, two major cities, several neighboring small towns, and a train station. It is mostly inhabited by houses and streets of small, family owned shops, although there is at least one large mall. It is fairly modern with very little wildlife, having only a small preserved section of woodland maintained for camping trips.


Date: Saturday June 23th, in the midst of summer.

Time: The day finds itself at the fine line between late morning and early afternoon, nearing 10 o'clock.

Weather: A sudden cluster of clouds has swept over the town, pouring a torrent of rain over Asteria. Bring an umbrella if you wish to stay dry.


Recaps:

Coffee shop: Eilise & Blaine

Grocery store: Raziel

Transit (Destination: unknown): Alice (outside bookstore)

Music store: Dante

Mechanic shop: Erin

Video Rental Shop: Edelmira & Seth

Convenience Store: Cole


Events:
~List of upcoming events, not available yet~
​

 

[Kore]

A cacophony of squawks sounded like an alarm through the stony building, drowning out the chorus of rain continually hitting the outside world. Surrounded by cages, Eilise gazed around at the noisy birds inside. She had been watching a blue budgie preen themselves, when a surprised voice spoke up beside her.

"You've never been to Pixie Charm?" a woman exclaimed.

"Nope." Eli answered with a polite smile, her gloved hands scrubbing away at the corners of a large cage. "I never really had a reason to."

"Not interested in finding your soulmate?" The woman teased her. "You're still young though, that's okay. But you know, they do sell more than just love-based magic."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Eilise questioned, trying to maintain the conversation despite her less than mild interest.

"Well, they sell these cute little charm bracelets, they can tell your future—Oh, and they have this amazing chocolate that induces happiness." Eli paused, her grey gaze drifting over to find a large grin staring back at her. "I knew that would get your attention," the woman chirped happily.

A spark of excitement shone in Eli's gaze, her mind working away with the new discovery. "Chocolate that makes you happy? How does it work?"

"Gosh, I don't know girl. Magic! It's great though, you got to try it."

"It'll be incredible in my baking," Eilise mumbled in a state of awestruck and daydreams.

"Oh no, please don't. You're treats are already addicting enough as it is."

"Oh please, like you didn't know where this would lead," Eli laughed lightly as she gently knocked shoulders with the woman.

"Alright, fine. You caught me. Then let's hurry up and finish this last cage."

"Right." Eli agreed solemnly, scrubbing away more fiercely than before. With their combined efforts, they finished up the remainder of their daily tasks. They swept up the floors, and made sure all the shelter animals were fed and safely secured. Once they were done, they grabbed their things from the staff room.

"See you tomorrow, Eli?"

"Nope, I'm not scheduled." She answered as she slipped into a red jacket and flipped the hoodie over her head.

"Well, make sure you bring some more goodies then! Your rice krispy treats were great!"

"Sure! I'll try to make something with some of that Happy Chocolate!" Eilise flashed a cheeky grin and thumbs up. "Good bye, see you later!" She waved behind her as she excitedly ran out the door and into the pouring rain. The chilling wind stung against her exposed skin as she ran down the sidewalk, droplets hitting her face and on the outside of her hoodie. She made a sharp turn right into downtown Asteria, her breathe already ragged as she got nearer and nearer to her destination: Pixie Charm.

"Happy Chocolate, here I come," she gasped, slowly coming to a stop. She took a few more gasps for air, kneeling slightly with her hands against her knees, then reached out a hand towards the shop's front door. But just as her fingertips touched the cold surface of the handle, she noticed a small sign hanging just beyond the shop's window. "Wha—Closed? But why?" Eilise stared at the sign in disbelief. Try as she might, she could find no opening times listed. There was no number she could call, or any other information at all. Pixie Charm was plainly and simply closed without reason or explanation. With a disappointed sigh, the small redheaded turned to begin her journey home. However, she had gotten no more than one step when a car drove past with a disastrous wave of water.

Eli gasped with horror and shock as the warmth fled from her body, her bright red hoodie now drenched in dirty runoff water. She quickly began to shiver as the water seeped into her clothes. Desperate to reclaim her body heat, Eli scrambled into the nearest shop there was, which was thankfully a small coffee and donut shop. The bell chimed at her arrival as she clambered inside. The breeze of the heat caressed her pink cheeks as a gentle welcome. She rolled her jacket off over her head and bundled it together with shaking limbs so that she wouldn't drip water everywhere. While she attempted to dry herself off as much as she could, she knew that walking home was no longer an option for her. At least, not unless she wanted to get sick.

With one last exasperated sigh, her bundled jacket held carefully against her side, Eli shuffled into the small line before the register to await her turn to order. As long as she was here, she might as well warm herself up with some hot chocolate.

They say that the best waves happen right before a storm. They also say that the most dangerous times to surf were right before and during a storm. So on a day like today, the beach was naturally a siren call for all the surfers in Asteria. Raziel had met more like-minded souls in the one day than he had for the entire time he had moved into town, as short as that time had been. The early morning had found the beach flooded with only serious surfers, there were no beach leeches or Barneys around. But as the storm finally hit Asteria, Ray found his ocean dawn patrol had come to an end.

His hair was still wet and the smell of ocean water still clung to him as he walked around town, a coffee in each hand and a bag of food hanging off his wrist. Ray didn't seem to mind the rain at all. Rather, he walked with an unbroken purpose, seemingly embracing the droplets that hit him. When every morning was spent in the water, it was hard to be bothered by a bit of summer rain. He had already changed out of his swimwear and into a thick brown jacket with a grey hoodie underneath and a pair of clean jeans, so he certainly wasn't cold either.

However, while Ray was feeling warm, he could see an older man just down the street that clearly wasn't. He was crouched on the ground, trying to hide from the rain by cowering beneath an awning. Wrapped up in frayed blankets with a black plastic bag beside him, his hands shook fiercely as he held out a cup and begged meekly for change.

"Here." Raziel held out his extra coffee and bag of food to the poor beggar. The man gazed up at him with surprise as he hesitantly took the gesture into his hands. "Keep the change," Ray added gently, his blue gaze flickering briefly to the bill tucked into the coffee's slip. As he walked away, he heard the man call out a thanks from behind him. Ray turned to wave goodbye, but otherwise did nothing else. He had been homeless himself a few times, so he always tried to give what little he could whenever he saw someone in that familiar predicament. But unlike most of them, Ray at least still had grandparents willing to help him should he ever feel he need it.

His thoughts continued to think about them as he rounded the corner. He had been difficult for them to care for when he lived with them, but they had still tried their best for him. Maybe it was time for him to call them and see how they were. Ray pulled out his new phone to check the time. It was almost 10 o'clock, which meant that his grandparents were probably still busy. Perhaps it was for the best, as that gave Raziel some more time to mull the idea over. He began walking towards the town's nearest grocery store instead, having decided that he would at least stock up on food for his apartment while he stalled for time.

"Come on Angel, put your coat on," Edelmira called to her giggling son. She wrestled his wriggling arms into the the sleeves of his jacket, zipping him up first before she slipped her own coat on over her uniform. She hadn't planned on bringing Angel with her to her work, but she hadn't been given much of a choice. Thanks to the sudden spell of rain that had swept over Asteria, her new babysitter had to cancel due to a street flood. Edelmira didn't have enough time to find a replacement either, but luckily today she was working with Hadley as her boss, and Hadley adored Angel.

"Oh Edel, are you guys leaving already?" Hadley's familiar voice asked from behind her.

"Yup. Just ended my shift, so it's time for me and Angel to skedaddle."

"Mommy promised to buy me a present," Angel announced excitedly, his grin wide and bright.

"A present? Wow, that's sounds so cool! What are you going to get," the woman gushed as she knelt down to the small boy's height.

"Uhhhh," Angel quietly subdued himself in thought. His blue eyes glanced around the ceiling as if it might inspire him. "I dunno," he finally shrugged his tiny shoulders with a sheepish grin.

Hadley giggled softly as she patted the boy on the head. "Well, I'm sure your present will be very cool. And look! I even saved you a slice of cake for when you get home."

Angel gasped in delight, his eyes shining as he took the small plastic box in his hands. Edel stifled a small laugh. "That's so nice! What do you say, Nene?"

"Thank you!" Angel nearly shouted in his excitement. He hopped up and down as he tugged at Edelmira's shoulder strap so he could put the package in her bag.

Edel smiled fondly at the boy, then turned her attention back to her boss. "Once again Hadley, thank you for letting me bring Angel in today."

"Of course, dear! Any time you need to bring him, go right ahead. He's so cute, and the Jungle Vibe is meant for kids anyway."

"Thank you." the young woman repeated once more with a thankful smile. While not all of Edelmira's bosses felt the same as Hadley, it still felt nice to her to have the support. "Well, we should get going. Say good bye, Angel."

"Good bye!" Angel waved with a large smile. A chorus of voices returned his farewell as he and Edel left the sanctuary of the Jungle Vibe. In one hand she held onto Angel's tiny little grip, and in the other she held up a shield against the rain in the form of an umbrella.

"Stay close to me, nene," Edel cautioned gentle as she pulled the tiny blonde closer to her. She knew it was an impossible task, but she wanted to try to keep him as dry as she could. Still, she could see in his expression how he yearned to play in the rain. Each step he took in a puddle was like a miniature splash to him, and his giggles when little drops of rain landed on his nose were the best kind of music Edel could dream of.

Finally, Edelmira could resist his joy no longer. They were just walking through the park, when she called mischievously to her son. "Hey Angel, watch this!" She removed the umbrella from over there heads, stuck her tongue out, and leaned her head back. Her eyes snapped shut as she embraced the water falling against her face. "Mmmmm, tasty," she smacked her lips with a grin. Angel laughed before he too threw his head back, his pink tongue exposed to the elements. Edel wrapped an arm around her son's waist and lifted him up higher to the clouds, her smile only widening when Angel reached his small hands up and tried to catch the raindrops in his fists.

"Hey Angel, I'm gonna drop you in a puddle. Ready, set--"

"Yeah! Do it!" Angel cheered.

"Do it?! You loco." Edel gasped in surprise, but was unable to stop her laughter. "I'm not gonna drop you in a puddle. What is wrong with you?"

"Awww," Angel pouted softly, his face a mirror of rejection as Edelmira slowly put him down.

"But," his mother continued, "maybe I'll let you jump in the puddles when we get home. If you behave."

"Really?!" Angel nearly jumped, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

""Sure nene. We can do that." Edel nodded with a smile. She wrapped an arm over Angel's shoulders and kissed his hand, laughing softly at his brimming excitement as they began walking in search of a present once more.
​

 

[Jennete]

Snow
​

She looked out of the window at the rain and rubbed her shoulder in a nervous habit. Snow's lips were always pink but her bottom lip was full of little scabs and bite marks from where she chewed it up. An act which she was partaking in right now. Storms made her nervous. She always could see herself being blown away in a strong gust of wind and never being found again... and who would miss her? 


Maybe Cooper... but Snow had already made up her mind that he would eventually move on. Maybe her mother? No... her mother wouldn't notice.


Snow jumped at a sound of thunder and a car horn. Everything was scarier when it was happening in a storm. She turned around, scurrying back to the safety the book shelves provided. The smell of books was one of the few things that could calm her when she got worked up like this. Taking the meek little dinged up cart in her small hands she began to push it through the isles and would stop periodically to take a book and slide it back where it belonged.


Another sound of a horn rang through the air through the stores crappy seal on the door and she flinched, biting so hard on her bottom lip she drew blood. When she was alone she was always like this. Jumpy and scared. Around people she knew to always wear a smile like nothing was wrong and she was okay and 'Hey see, I'm happy and fine, please like me!'...


A soft sigh escaped Snow's lips. It was hard on her sometimes... remembering who to be so that people would feel like she was worth their smiles back and their attention. She felt like she was holding onto their affection like a dead weight tied to the end of a rope hanging off a cliff. If she ever relaxed she and it would slip closer to falling off into the nothingness... So she was always on guard. Always pulling. If she wasn't proactive, didn't make all the plans, didn't make herself completely tailored to what they wanted... she knew she would fall into nothingness.


Another sigh. Snow went back to shelving books.

 

[Bowa]

​

Bailey Norcross
​

 
​

The rain tapped relentlessly against the windows of Bailey's parents house. The harsh thundering of water to window pane almost made Bailey wonder if the sky was pouring down daggers instead of droplets of water, she swore the glass was on the verge of shattering. But as a lifelong resident of Asteria, she knew that this was the type of atmosphere that was built up during one of their infamous storms.


The only reason Bailey was at her parents house this early was because she had slept around the night before, they decided to have a party for Aurora and Harriet's 21st birthday. Bailey did totally not drink any alcohol. It had lasted all night and through to the early morning, Bailey was gobsmacked that she had managed to arise before 3pm - it was a wild party, lets leave it at that. She trudged down the stairs, dragging her feet and nearly falling midway down her descent. "Ugh". Bailey grumbled at the sound of her mother singing while making breakfast.


Bailey was guided by her nose to the kitchen, her basic human functionality hadn't switched on yet so she almost missed the chair once she reached the table. Her head hung and she stared at the table, she didn't bother to greet anyone in the room, they knew what hungover Bailey was like. "Bails! You look like you've just risen from the grave!", Harriet uttered with a mockingly sweet smile; obviously amused at the Bailey's disoriented state. "Well at least I didn't throw up on the only desperate guy who was willing to give me attention!". Bailey retorted with a fake cheery tone and her own condescending sneer.


Her sister was about to respond with what was sure to be an expletive before their mother interjected. "You both are lightweights, shut up", she laughed before forcing a plate with a grilled cheese on into Bailey's hands. As her mother turned around, Bailey flipped her middle finger up at Harriet with a grin before briskly leaving the kitchen, not wanting to wait for her sisters reaction.


The brunette plopped herself down onto the corner sofa in the living room, curling one leg underneath her and the other sprawled across the cushions as she simultaneously watched random morning television and ate her food. Bailey sat in the room in relative quietness and solitude. Eren had left early to go to work, her father had gone to play golf with his old man buddies, Aurora was still passed out upstairs, Raleigh was at her friend's house, and her mom and Harriet could be heard chatting away back in the kitchen. Bailey had only left them because her head felt like it had a hammer pounding away in it, the low ushering of the TV was all she could bear.


After finishing her grilled cheese and a trashy daytime TV show, Bailey placed the plate in the kitchen sink and had made the trek back up the stairs. She gripped onto the stair rail, having to take a second to recompose herself when she reached the top, and then strolled into her old bedroom. It remained exactly as she had left it, walls painted indigo, inky coloured carpet, and her things scattered around the room. It wasn't as if she was messy, Bailey had her things organised, she knew exactly where everything was...but it was a mystery to anyone else. Bailey called it 'personalised organisation' but really it was just that Bailey threw things on her dresser or placed something under her bed and remembered where it was after a minutes contemplation.


It took Bailey a good while to get ready, being hungover caused her to make an extra effort to not look like she had just fallen out of a tree. Upon finishing, she jogged back down to the kitchen, actually being ready for the day put a spring (albeit a small spring) in her step. "Mom, Harry", Bailey's gaze flicked between them with a gentle smile, "Thanks for the great night but I'm off now". The pair called their goodbye in unison as Bailey spun on her heel, gave them a wave over her shoulder, and walked out of the front door - making sure to grab an umbrella on the way out. 


The use of the umbrella was short-lived as Bailey only used it to pace towards her gloss black Dodge Challenger which was parked on the driveway. It was Eren's car before he had brought himself a new one and decided to give it to his little sister, much to her pleasure as she could get rid of the heap of junk she used to drive beforehand. Bailey drove the car with the grocery store in mind as her destination, she needed to stock up on food for Ruben. Her Siberian Husky had survived the previous day with the dog food she left with the neighbour, whom she politely asked to watch over him while she was gone, but Bailey had made a mental note to herself to fetch him some more in the morning.

Spoiler

Bailey's 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8:

 

[PaddieCake]

[SIZE=11pt]

[/SIZE]
​

[SIZE=11pt]It was pouring outside. Blaine had woken up early so he could be at the coffee house in time for the morning rush. He was exhausted, having barely slept as he was going over his possible course schedule for next semester.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Though it wasn’t very cold outside the rain seemed to give off that feeling. Blaine was currently standing behind a waist-high counter, a long line of people in front of him waiting to order. The blonde had a bright smile on his face as he rang up his latest customer.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He was bundled up in a bright green hoodie. The sleeves rode low past his wrists, aking the only things visible his bright green and black polished nails as. His pale hands clasped around money as he handed the customer her change and a cup filled with hot coffee.  Blaine had just enough time to take a second to breathe before the next customer walked up to the counter.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Blaine smiled brightly at the next customer, though they didn’t seem nearly as interested in such trivial things as ‘being polite’.[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] “How can I help you today, ma’am?”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] Blaine asked looking at the woman, her face hard as her eyes didn’t even meet his.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]She continued to remain silent, staring up at the menu hanging above the coffee machines, listing their various drinks. “You do iced coffee, right?” She asked, still not looking at Blaine.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Seriously?[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“Of course! They’re listed right there.”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]He said brightly, motioning towards the rather extensive list of hot and cold beverages they served. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]You should know that, you’re looking right at the menu.[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Despite her continuous staring at the menu she didn’t seem any closer to coming to a decision, and she was holding up the line of customers that was continuously building up.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]“If you want an iced coffee, I’d recommend-”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] “I’ll just take a small black coffee, no sugar.” The woman interrupted, an annoyed attitude in her voice as she put her hand up to silence Blaine. Blaine wasn’t sure whether he should be completely disgusted by her desire for something as gross and bitter as black coffee, or utterly annoyed about the way the customer just asked for it. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]“Of course! Coming right up.”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] Blaine said, smiling at the woman as he went to pour her coffee, covering it and handing it to the woman. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“That’ll be $1.25.”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] He said as the woman handed him a five. He gave her, her change, glad to finally be rid of the woman. The next customer was much easier to deal with, though Blaine could hear the woman mumbling about the coffee tasting bitter as she left the store. Blaine forced himself not to roll his eyes as the line continued to dwindle down.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]The early morning rush soon died down, lines would start to form, though only three or four people at a time. By the time the day went on the lines were much more manageable. It left Blaine in a bit of a better mood, especially since he didn’t have to deal with annoying customers rushing to work. Instead it was a more relaxed atmosphere, some people stopping by to relax at the handful of tables set up around the shop. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]His ears pricked slightly at the sound of the door’s bell going off. He glanced up as his next customer stepped up, spotting a red-head who looked rather cold and wet. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Once again the line dwindled down, now just leaving  the girl. He smiled at the girl, glad that this seemed to be the last customer for now. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“Still raining out, huh?” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]He said, giving her a sympathetic look. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“What would you like today?” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] he asked, pushing his hair back behind his ears. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]And please hurry up….[/SIZE]








[SIZE=12pt]

[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Cole was exhausted. He had been up all night taking photographs for a wedding the day before. He had to wake up early so he could take photos of everyone getting ready, and he had been asked to stay all the way up to the point where the bride and groom had left the venue. Cole was [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]not[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] feeling very alive at the moment.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He slept in later than he normally did, nearly ten in the morning when he finally crawled out of bed. His head was pounding from sleeping so long. He stumbled into his bathroom to shower, letting the warm water to wash over his body, numbing the head ache slightly before he actually started washing himself.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He rummaged through his kitchen, finding the carton of eggs in his fridge he pulled it out, absolutely disappointed to realize it was empty. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“Yep, that’s about right…”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] He muttered, tossing the carton in the trash. He sighed and decided to get dressed, grabbing the clothes he had worn the day before (a black tee-shirt with a panda face pocket, and a pair of black jeans to match) and throwing on a plain, black zip-up hoodie over it. He ran his hand lazily through his hair, making sure his bangs laid against his face the way he preferred it before grabbing his keys to go get something to eat.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He didn’t bother getting into his Jeep, he was running to the nearest corner store for an egg sandwich and going back home to do nothing. He was a bit disappointed, though it was cloudy and raining, it would have been nice to get a few shots of the beach in this weather. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Maybe later…[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] [/SIZE]



[SIZE=11pt]The rain, honestly, didn’t seem all that bad (though perhaps he was just too tired to care). He pulled his hood up over his head, leaving his bright pink bangs the only thing not covered by his clothing[/SIZE] .

[SIZE=12pt]

[/SIZE]
​

[SIZE=11pt]Dante was standing outside in the rain, cigarette in mouth as he worked the lock on the doors of the music shop. He had been asked to open for the morning, but Frank, the store owner,  had never mentioned to him the lock liked to stick. At last he managed to get it open, finishing off his cigarette and stamping it out on the sidewalk below him.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He walked inside,  shaking the water off himself much like a dog would. He had left himself a half-hour to make sure everything was organized and clean before flipping the ‘closed’ sign to ‘open’. He stood behind the desk, connecting his old, battered, iPod up to the speakers so that the sound of music could be heard throughout the store. There was enough variety in the playlist it wasn’t unusual to hear two completely different genres played back to back, but quite frankly Dante liked the variety. He didn’t mind that it could be a bit jarring to go from a slow piano ballad, to heavy metal, to a chipper pop-song.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Dante sat behind the counter as people started milling about. His eyes were heavy and half closed as he kept his eye on things.  Since Frank was gone for the day, the usual music-lessons had been rescheduled, so Dante only had to worry about those actually purchasing CDs, vinyls, music equipment, or instruments. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Mostly he was just trying to stave off on going on smoke breaks, since he was the only one working there.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He tugged at the sleeves of his sweater, shivering against the chill whenever the door opened. He was pretty sure some of these people were only staying in here because they were tired of the rain, only a handful of them were browsing the selections of music they had, the others were clutching hot drinks in the corner.  [/SIZE]



[SIZE=11pt]Dante was considering kicking them out, but a few of them started trickling down into the aisles, and he hoped it would bring some new customers or regulars into the establishment. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]

[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=11pt]Alice had found herself running errands for the hotel, a couple of plastic bags gripped tightly in her right hand as she stood at the bus stop. She was carrying a supply of printer paper and various office supplies that they had needed, and now Alice was standing under a glass booth waiting for a bus to show up.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]She figured the busses were running slowly due to the weather, it wasn’t unusual for the busses to take so long. She sighed, touching the bench behind her, making sure it wasn’t wet, before sitting down. If the weather were nicer she would merely walk back to the hotel, but as it were she had no desire to walk around in the rain. It was nice to listen to, and the cool air that it created was pretty nice, Alice had no desire to change before going back to work, or worse, working while completely soaked.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]She brought her free hand to her mouth, chewing on her thumb nail, not that there was much to chew on. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]At least it gets me out of the hotel[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]. She could practically hear the Carmichael’s voices, telling her to ‘get out more’, despite the fact that it was raining outside.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=11pt]She checked the time on her phone, figuring she would give the bus a few more minutes before sucking it up and walking back to the hotel, weather be damned.[/SIZE]

 

[Xero]

Cooper strolled down the streets, hands shoved deep in his pockets, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he recalled his earlier conversation with his mother.


****


"You've been running through girlfriends like you do clothes." His mother had complained as she washed the dishes that morning. "About time you find someone to settle down with don't you think? You'll be happier if you find someone special than if you're alone or have just one short lived relationship after another." Only he was perfectly happy being alone with the occasional short relationship. It was easier not to commit to anything longterm than commit. He'd seen firsthand how much that love and commitment had destroyed his mother when his father died and even before that. The long nights his father had been forced to work when the company was in trouble had left his mother waiting up at the dining table by candlelight all alone for him to come home. After the old man had been killed in that tragic accident, Cooper had seen his mother in tears, torn up over him when she thought he was asleep. He wanted to make his mothet happy and commiting to a relationship would do just that but he wasn't going to go through what she did.


"Maybe you're just bad at finding the right one." The suggestion had interrupted his thoughts and caught his attention. His mother's face had lit up in a bright smile giving him a look that usually spelled trouble and he couldn't hold back a groan. "I know." Her voice had been chirpy and he had slumped his head over the dining table, certain he wouldn't like what she had to say next. He hadn't. "Why don't you visit Pixie Charm?" She'd been too happy to notice his consternation, no doubt proud of herself for coming up what she thought a brilliant idea. "You can go and find your soulmate with their help."


"Mother," he'd started, trying to keep his voice even, "you know I'm perfectly happy with it just being the two of us." He wasn't lying there. She'd given him a sweet smile and a peck on the head. "I know sweetheart. But I'm not going to be around forever. You'll be a very lonely old man if you can't find anyone."


"I'll give it some thought and let you know later mother. I have to go to work."


***


And so here he was walking down the street to work his shift at the local book store thinking about their conversation as he had promised. And now that he was thinking long and hard about it, it didn't sound that bad. He would be in the solid relationship his mother so desperately wanted him to have and he wouldn't need to court the girl. In this town, simply knowing that someone was or wasn't your soulmate could make or break relationships. So long as his soulmate did not ask for his heart it would be a great solution to solve his dilemma.


Mind made up, Cooper was less tense as he strolled in the book store a little late for his shift, certain that Snow would already be hard at work. He set his bag behind the counter and headed down the aisles looking for his coworker and friend. Snow was very quiet and sometimes seemed like she would get swallowed whole if left alone. The vulnerability she exuded made him want to protect her. A warm smile lit his face as he found her putting books onto the shelves. "Hey Snow." Cooper ruffled her hair as he passed her and took a couple of books from the cart, putting them in their place on the shelf. "Why the long face?" He asked, having noticed the sad look in her eyes. "Rough morning?" He knew his had been.


@Jennete

 

[Jennete]

Spoiler

Cooper strolled down the streets, hands shoved deep in his pockets, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he recalled his earlier conversation with his mother.


****


"You've been running through girlfriends like you do clothes." His mother had complained as she washed the dishes that morning. "About time you find someone to settle down with don't you think? You'll be happier if you find someone special than if you're alone or have just one short lived relationship after another." Only he was perfectly happy being alone with the occasional short relationship. It was easier not to commit to anything longterm than commit. He'd seen firsthand how much that love and commitment had destroyed his mother when his father died and even before that. The long nights his father had been forced to work when the company was in trouble had left his mother waiting up at the dining table by candlelight all alone for him to come home. After the old man had been killed in that tragic accident, Cooper had seen his mother in tears, torn up over him when she thought he was asleep. He wanted to make his mothet happy and commiting to a relationship would do just that but he wasn't going to go through what she did.


"Maybe you're just bad at finding the right one." The suggestion had interrupted his thoughts and caught his attention. His mother's face had lit up in a bright smile giving him a look that usually spelled trouble and he couldn't hold back a groan. "I know." Her voice had been chirpy and he had slumped his head over the dining table, certain he wouldn't like what she had to say next. He hadn't. "Why don't you visit Pixie Charm?" She'd been too happy to notice his consternation, no doubt proud of herself for coming up what she thought a brilliant idea. "You can go and find your soulmate with their help."


"Mother," he'd started, trying to keep his voice even, "you know I'm perfectly happy with it just being the two of us." He wasn't lying there. She'd given him a sweet smile and a peck on the head. "I know sweetheart. But I'm not going to be around forever. You'll be a very lonely old man if you can't find anyone."


"I'll give it some thought and let you know later mother. I have to go to work."


***


And so here he was walking down the street to work his shift at the local book store thinking about their conversation as he had promised. And now that he was thinking long and hard about it, it didn't sound that bad. He would be in the solid relationship his mother so desperately wanted him to have and he wouldn't need to court the girl. In this town, simply knowing that someone was or wasn't your soulmate could make or break relationships. So long as his soulmate did not ask for his heart it would be a great solution to solve his dilemma.


Mind made up, Cooper was less tense as he strolled in the book store a little late for his shift, certain that Snow would already be hard at work. He set his bag behind the counter and headed down the aisles looking for his coworker and friend. Snow was very quiet and sometimes seemed like she would get swallowed whole if left alone. The vulnerability she exuded made him want to protect her. A warm smile lit his face as he found her putting books onto the shelves. "Hey Snow." Cooper ruffled her hair as he passed her and took a couple of books from the cart, putting them in their place on the shelf. "Why the long face?" He asked, having noticed the sad look in her eyes. "Rough morning?" He knew his had been.


@Jennete

 
​

Snow:
​

She jumped, her eyes snapping open at Coopers entrance and she smiled softly at her friend. He was one of the few people who she allowed past her fake exteriors. He knew just as she that love was stupid and any relationship built on it was only going to end in heartbreak. They both had their mothers to look after... though she wished hers was as caring and involved in her life as his. Snow was simply a burden to her mother... it was where most of her self image and worth issues stemmed from. "I just... the rain makes everything so gray and sad ya know?" She spoke softly, looking up at him with a sigh and shrug. She turned to shelve some more books and bit her lip. "What about you? How has your morning been?"


She slightly turned to look up at him and her demeanor lightened a little. Simply being around him made her breathe easier. She knew she didn't have to worry about anything with him. He was like the big brother she had never had before, a strong reliable source for her to lean on. Someone who she didn't have to hide from. And he knew she would never be the type to expect more from him. They both hated the thought of giving their hearts to someone. He went through girls just to make sure he never let them actually care... or worse, care himself. She took some pride knowing that she wasn't a threat to him like others. She was someone he could breathe and relax around too.

 

[Wolf Wolf]

Erin Garett Ramirez
​

​

A jet-black Harley raced past a lone tree with a loud vrrrrr. The rider was wearing a matching black jacket, and its hood was thrown over her head to shield her from the pelting rain. Erin slowed when she neared her destination and went around the building to park. She chose a spot under the extended roof and rolled to a stop. Shutting off the engine, she stepped off, shrugged off her jacket and pressed her foot against the stand before letting the motorbike balance itself. Then she folded her jacket and let it lie on the seat. A hollow thump resounded as she entered through the backdoor of the auto-shop. Immediately, the smell of oil filled her nostrils. All around her, vehicles that the townspeople used were being worked on. Hoods were propped open, cars and motorcycles were on lifts and stands with some of their parts littering the floor. Other workers were bustling around, either tinkering or wiping their hands with a cloth. Erin took a deep inhale and clapped her hands together. Another day on the job.


She jolted when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Glancing to her side, she relaxed when she realized it was just her co-worker. A shiny, metal tag was attached to the man's breast pocket, with the name Jim engraved onto it.


"Hey, Jim. You working on the old hummer still?"


Jim shook his head. "Nah, my shift's over, 'Rin. Woke up a lil' too early for my liking, like 5 or so, so I figured, 'Why not work? I only need to meet the 8 hour quota per week.'"


Erin looked at him in disbelief. "Why the hell would you go to work at 6 in the morning? Who does that?"


Jim grinned, stretching his thin limbs. "Me, 'pparently. I don't have much to do. Anyway, see ya tomorrow!"


She watched him walk away, before turning her attention back to the scene before her. From a bit of a distance away, she saw her boss wave her over. He was a bit taller than her, with a growing stubble on his chin. Like her, he had black hair. "Welcome back, Erin! Just in time, too. A couple of customers came in just a while ago, and their motorbikes were... well, you should see for yourself." The repair-woman nodded and headed in the direction at which he pointed her too. When she got there, she couldn't help but cringe. She actually and literally cringed. You call these motorcycles? I'm pretty sure they're something called "junk." she thought to herself in disgust. Their handlebars were rusty, the metal turning brown in many areas. The clutch cover was falling off, and the brake line was so thin she could barely see it. The wheels were covered in dirt too, along with the muffler.


"What the hell am I gonna fix in this heap of--?"


"Oh hey, are you the one assigned to fix our vehicles?"


A teen popped out of nowhere and cut her off. "Sorry if they don't look maintained. It's because they're really not. We just found this in our shed and thought they might still be able to run." said another guy from beside the first one. "But judging by your reaction, I don't think they won't." The two looked alike, standing at the same height, but they wore different sets of clothes. One had an oversized tee along with baggy pants, and the other had a hoodie on with skinny jeans. What the hell are they even wearing? she said in her mind, now completely horrified.


"With the proper materials, they can. But I think it'd be better if you just buy new ones. These look like they're going to break down any minute."


The brothers (she assumed they were brothers) frowned at that, looking greatly disappointed. Their expressions reminded her of a kicked puppy, and it was tugging on her heartstrings. Damn it. These must mean something to them, even if they just found it by chance. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. "But I'll try. I can't promise that it'd be cheap though, and you guys still need to buy the replacement parts." Immediately, the look on the two teens' faces brightened.

 

[Dak]

Alexander Derrick Kingsman
​

Alex's eyes slowly opened as the golden rays of sun shown into his room. But the sun did not last long, within minutes the golden rays turned to gray and droopy. Alex looked at the clock on his nightstand. It was about nine in the morning. Normally he would be up earlier, maybe seven to seven-thirty, but that all went away while he was spending time with his sister. The both of them had been through a lot, especially Lucy. Alexander put his head back down and was about to fall asleep when he felt something step on him and lay down. "mod namit menny." He said into the pillow. He slowly picked up his head to see a fluff of white and black fur. "Alright, alright. I'm up. I'm up." He said as the dog got off his back. He rolled onto his back and laid there for a second. Jenny decided that the best thing to do at this time was to come over and give her master some morning kisses which caused Alexander to laugh a little. "Ok, ok you're hungry." He said getting out of bed. He walked out of his room and into the kitchen. He stopped at Jenny's bowl, and put some food in it. 


It was at this time that Alexander's stomach growled. He listened as Jenny inhaled her food. Alexander grabbed a bowl and some cereal. He needed something in his stomach, plus breakfast is the most important meal of the day. He laughed a little when Jenny was done. She waddled over towards Alex, sat down and looked up at Alex. She was giving him those puppy dog eyes along with a small whimper. She was begging to see if Alex would give some of his food over. "Oh no you don't. Those don't work on me anymore." He said looking at her for a few seconds. She shook her head and began to lick Alex's feet.  "Wow there Jen... That's a bad idea." He said picking his feet up. He finished his food, put his bowl in the sink then went into the bathroom. He needed to take a shower. 


After Alex was done he got dressed, put Jenny's collar on and attached a leash. When Jenny was younger she would run off, which would worry Alex a lot. But after a while, Alex noticed a pattern. She would always go to the same place, to the same person, Eli. With a coat on and an umbrella in hand, Alex set off on his morning routine. First, it was off to see his sister, Lucy, which he would need some coffee for. He always brought her coffee in the morning. Then it would be over to the local music store to see one of his good friends, Dante. He walked out of his door and down the stairs till he was at the door that leads outside to his apartment. He opened the door and walked outside and opened the umbrella. 


He walked down the street towards the market district. He was going to go get the coffee from the same place he would always. It was a little cafe that was near Lucy's bookstore. He walked into the little cafe and looked at the barista, who instantly started to work on the two cups of coffee. One of the good things about going to the same place for a few years is they know your order, what you like, and how you like it. After a few minutes, his two cups of coffee came from out back. He smiled, put some cash out on the counter and walked out. He walked over to Books-A-Plenty, Lucy's bookstore. He walked in, with Jenny's leash around his wrist and a coffee in each hand. "Lucy?" When he stepped in a big fluff of brown fur came over to Alex and Jenny. "Good morning Drogo," Alex said putting one of the cups of coffee on the counter. He then bent down and began to pet Drogo. "If you're here then Lucy must be around here somewhere. Huh, where is she Drogo?" He asked.

Lucy Marie Kingsman
​

Lucy's day started out a lot earlier than she had hoped. She was in her bed at her mother's house. She stayed with her mother for a few reasons. One of them being the big fluff ball that was laying in bed next to her, Drogo. She had gotten a big dog because she thought that it would keep her safe, but he turned out to be just a gentle giant. He would rather greet everyone then try and scare them off which was a blessing and a curse. Lucy put her arm around Drogo and petted him for a second. "Come on boy, we gotta get up." She said sitting up in her bed. Drogo didn't really move that much, he only lifted his head to look at his master before dropping it back down. "Come on Drogo." She said getting out of bed. She walked out of her room and into the living room. She went into the kitchen and put food in Drogo's bowl. She chuckled when she heard Drogo's claws hit the floor and made their way over towards the bowl. 


She walked into the bathroom and got ready for her day. After about an hour she walked out of the bathroom ready for her day. All she needed to do was get dressed. She put some chicos on along with a white tee shirt with a light blue overshirt. She rolled up the sleeves till they were about elbow length. She didn't button the shirt up or even tuck it in. She put Drogo's collar on and attached the leash. She grabbed an umbrella and walked out the door. 


Her mother's house wasn't that far away from her shop, maybe a couple of miles away.It gave her and Drogo the time that they needed to enjoy the quaintness of their home. They loved Astria, both of them grew up there. Not only the city was beautiful, but the outlining towns as well. When they finally made it into the city they made their way to the market district. Their trip took them in total about forty minutes to get from the house to the store. 


She walked in, let Drogo go and began her day as normal. First, she went out back to see if any new books came in, which a couple did. She opened the boxes and looked at them. They were a couple of special orders for her customers. When she set them aside she then went out front to clean up just a little. She swept the hardwood floor and dusted anything that had a thin layer of dust on it. After she was done cleaning she went out back to finish up work. That was when she heard the door open up and someone walk it. She even heard her name. "Alex..." She said before walking out. She ran over to her brother and gave him a hug. While she was out back it must have started to rain because he was covered in rain. she let go of him and laughed a little. She saw the cup of coffee and picked it up. It said Lucy on it so she knew it was hers. She took a small sip and set it down. 


"Long time no see, right?" Lucy said joking. They had spent some time together last night before she closed up shop. 


"I know right. I just wanted to stop in see how you were..." Alex said as he took a sip from his coffee.


"You don't need to check up on me every day." She said going behind the counter. She did a couple small thing here and there, like move things around and move things around.


 "I know I don't have to, but I think if I don't bring you your daily coffee you would scare away a lot of you customers." He said as Jenny went behind the counter to greet Lucy.


"I know Jenny. I haven't seen you in a while..." She said bending down to pet the husky corgi mix. "huh how are you doing?" She asked as she continued to pet her. Jenny licked Lucy's fingers. "I know. Good as usual." She said before standing back up. "Well thank you for the coffee. I'm not trying to kick you out, I'm just trying to get ready for the day..." She said. She had a few things to do and one of those things was place a few orders for a couple customers among some other things.


Alex nodded. "Oh no, you're good." He said before calling Jenny over. She came scampering over and sat down. Alex grabbed her leash and lead her to the door. "Take care sis." He said walking out the door. He walked down the street to the local music store and looked in the window. Sure enough there he was, Dante. He tied Jenny up under the awning. One of the rules to this shop was no animals, which Alex could understand. He knelt down and petted Jenny behind the ears. "It'll be quick Jen." He said as he stood up and walked in. 


 


He walked down on of the isles and took a cd. He walked up to the register and set down "Never say Never" by Justin Beiber. "How much?" He said giving Dante the biggest and cheesiest smile he could give anyone. 


@PaddieCake

 

[The Succubi Queen]

Nejlika Middleton
​

Nejlika rolled over with a sigh, stretching out on their bed- they enjoyed these lazy sunday mornings, but it was probably time to get up. They had told themself they would get up early enough to work a bit on their online summer course, but that was out the window by now. Maybe later tonight, if they didn't get roped into a late night game of League or Smite. Stumbling into the kitchen, they set a pot of hot water onto boil, and dug their french press out from the bottom of their pile of dishes, before carefully putting the newly dried dishes away. They left the kitchen for a few minutes, changing out of the oversized t-shirt they slept in into a long brown skirt and pink crop top.


By the time they water was boiling, they had already scooped coffee into the press, and found their favourite travel mug, it's floral print a little obnoxious to the eye. They poured in the hot water, letting the coffee brew while scrolling through their phone. Not a lot on facebook or twitter. More pictures of Slyvia's gun- she was always showing off her newest sniper rifles, the dork. Nejlika had never been to into guns- the loud sound of gunshots gave them a headache. Then again, lot of things gave her headaches- like the sudden craving for caffeine they were feeling. They pressed down the filter on the press, filling their mug with the freshly brewed coffee, savouring the smell.


Now, they had coffee, and pulling a banana out of the fridge meant breakfast. So, what would they do with their mobile meal? Go visit Erin, of course- they always loved to see what new things were coming into the shop- even just to look at. They swapped the banana for two muffins they had just bought at the superstore, and poured another cup of coffee. There. What a good friend they were.


About 20 minutes later, Nejlika's head peeked into the shop holding out a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. "I'm bored, so I thought I'd swing by and make sure you ate something." They stepped in with a broad smile, before they caught site of the bikes Erin was working on. "What the hell are those? Are you scrapping them for parts? They look like you couldn't run them even with a miracle." They scoffed, amusement in their eyes, before sitting down on a nearby table, munching their muffin. 


@Wolf Wolf

 

[jinkx]

Briony Matthews


Interactions: Dante Floyd ( @PaddieCake )


They knew it was going to be a bad day when they rolled out of bed and immediately tripped over something left lying on the floor. That made their shoulder hurt like a bitch first thing in the morning. And that was just the beginning. They overslept, meaning they had to rush to work, meaning they narrowly avoided the rain and did not avoid bumping into several people. And then, work was work. Which meant that Briony hated it. Hated it. 


It was raining outside and they could see it tap-tap-tapping against the giant windows that people liked to gawp through, (window shoppers never seemed to realise how silly they looked from the other side of the glass). As they stacked a pile of sweaters that had been knocked askew- people nearly always grabbed one right from the bottom of the pile? Why?- Briony was grateful that they'd started their shift at eight. They'd avoided the worst of the rain, darting inside just as the drizzle had started to pick up inside. Hopefully, it wouldn't still be raining when their shift ended. They weren't sure how waterproof their jacket was. 


Sweaters neatly stacked once more, they returned to putting items that people had discarded back to their correct places. Admittedly, this job could be pretty tedious. They hated it here- they hated how miserable and repetitive it was- and they wished they were anywhere else. Briony liked to hold the belief that everybody only got a certain amount of wishes in life but if they were going to waste one, they'd definitely wasting it on getting out of here. Hooking some clothes back onto a rack, they dug into their pocket for their phone. They were not supposed to use it while they were working but they craved human contact after being here for so long already. They sent a quick message to their significant other: 


To Dante Floyd: 


yo so how about we do lunch today? work is killing me


And then, scrolled through a few social medias absentmindedly without really processing it. As soon as somebody came near, they tucked their phone away again. They resumed the dull, monotonous work. Honestly, somebody without a brain could do this job and they felt wasted every single second that they were here. They could be doing something better. They should be something better. And doing this day after day was boring. Tiring. Dull. Somebody nearby called for their attention and they traipsed over, trying to paint a smile on their face. 


Somehow, they managed to convince the frustrated customer that they didn't want to strangle them. 


Sapphire Rose Blake


Interactions: Cole Jackson ( @PaddieCake )


Pushing herself away from her desk, Sapphire stretched her arms over her head and yawned. How long had it been? She checked the neat purple clock that sat on their desk and realised it had been around six hours since she'd managed to pull herself out of bed and get to work on her computer. She ran a hand through her hair, brushing it back, before removing herself from her desk chair. She stretched again, clicked her shoulder back into place, and groaned. She dug an outfit out of the closet and headed to the bathroom. 


Sapphire showered and brushed her teeth and tied her hair in a knot out of the way. She got dressed to head outside, even wrapping a scarf around her neck, and tucked her glasses into her jacket pocket just in case. Normally, she didn't head outside at this time of day- she preferred early morning or late night- but she was hungry and there definitely wasn't anything in the refrigerator. She stuffed her laptop into a messenger bag and slung it across her body in case she decided to eat out instead of picking up groceries. Having her messenger bag bump against her hip as she walked was more a security thing than anything- it made her feel more at home and that was helpful when she was out in public. 


She took a plain navy-coloured umbrella outside with her and thank goodness she did. It was pouring with rain. She pushed the umbrella up and held it over her head, sheltering her from the rain; and then, semi-contently, she headed out into the world. As she walked, she made sure not to make eye contact with anybody. She didn't like to do so if she could help it. Maybe it was because she had her eyes fixed so firmly on the ground that she managed to bump directly into someone. Involuntarily, she let out a small noise of surprise. She dug around in her pocket. 


The person she had bumped into looked exhausted- more than she did. They had pink bangs that hung in front of their face. Sapphire... Didn't think she'd seen them before. But as a form of apology, she handed them her umbrella and finally managed to fish their phone out of their pocket. She typed something out on the screen and held it up for the stranger to read: 


Hey, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you. Do you want to keep my umbrella? You look unprepared to deal with rain. 


She pointed at her waterproof jacket to prove she was more equipped to deal with the rain anyway. Then, she waited for a response. She was embarrassed that she'd managed to walk right into somebody like that. 

 

[two]

Julius Heath Milano​

Hypnotized by the sound of raindrops hitting the glas of the window, Julius had been laying in his bed staring to the ceiling of his room for quite a while. Downstairs he could hear his grandma trying to teach wolf more tricks which made a smile appear on his face. Wolf and his grandma were basically the best thing in his life, which he appreciated even more than possible. The weather on the other hand, made that smile fade away lightly. Fuck... he thought by himself. Julius had planned to go for a jog today since the weather was, according to the forecast, going to be cloudy with some sun here and there. Which were the most pleasant conditions to run in. But rain was the total opposite. There was plenty of time left on this day so maybe after an hour it might would have brighten up. Julius pushed himself out of his bed, slipped into a pair of soccer shorts, ruffled through his hair and made his way downstairs. Just when Julius had opened the door wolf came running to him like the two hadn't seen each other for ages. With a chuckle he kneeled down, going with his hands through the fur of his huski. "I'm sorry gran, didn't mean to interrupt your training session but as you can see he can sense me coming. That timing was insane." Julius said as he looked over to his grandma with a grin. In general wolf was quite a calm dog, matching the personality of Julius. But on certain days he was jumping and running through the house like he had saved all his energy for that exact moment and then exploded. "Oh shut up!" she replied with a laugh, moving up from her chair over to the kitchen where she started to prepare breakfast.


After greeting wolf he joined his grandma in the kitchen to help her prepare their breakfast like they did almost every morning. Usually he would've been supporting and coaching his junior soccer team, but the season was over and it took around six weeks before it would start again. That meant more time on saturdays. The two sat down at the kitchen table after they finished plating and talked about the plans for today. Julius himself didn't have many plans besides going for a quick run, maybe texting Raziel to see what he was up to but besides that there was nothing standing in his agenda. Due to the weather his grandma wasn't in the mood to go out in this slippy weather, because she wasn't that mobile anymore. "Don't worry Jule, I have plenty of puzzles and things to do here." she said with a smile after she finished the sandwich she made. "I will take wolf with me, because he's a ball of energy right now."


With one glance out of the window it seemed to be dry outside, so Julius quickly went back upstairs to change into his sport outfit and get ready. This might be the only time it would be dry today so better take this chance he thought by himself as he took one last glance in the mirror before he ran back downstairs. "Take care gran." Julius said as he grabbed wolf's leash and attatched it to his collar. The two ran off into the beautiful Astra. There were of course moments where Julius had to interrupt his run because wolf felt the need to explore a bush in the park, or chase birds, but he was used to that. The fun didn't last that long though because he could feel the first raindrops coming out of the sky again. Within seconds it was heavily raining again and Julius decided it would be better to shelter under the sunshade of the first storm he would pass. He leaned back against the brick wall of the store, so he wouldn't block the view for other who walked by. Julius' eyes scanned the people that walked past him, Couples walking closely together so the umbrella would cover both of them, kids jumping in puddles and chasing each other and there was wolf, examinening a pile of leaves. Sometimes Julius wondered if he was the only unexperienced guy out here who never made it far in relationships. He knew he wasn´t, but the thought keeped coming back into his mind every once in a while. He shove his hands in the pockets of his soccer shorts and decided to just take a pause here. Whether the rain was becoming less or not, he enjoyed the peace here. One day and I will meet her, or him? he furrowed his eyebrows lightly by the thought of him dating a guy. He's always been unsure about his sexuality, and just sticked to the conlcusion that he would just go wit the flow which would take him to the right person, male or female.

 

[Jennete]

Spoiler

Julius Heath Milano
​

 
​

Hypnotized by the sound of raindrops hitting the glas of the window, Julius had been laying in his bed staring to the ceiling of his room for quite a while. Downstairs he could hear his grandma trying to teach wolf more tricks which made a smile appear on his face. Wolf and his grandma were basically the best thing in his life, which he appreciated even more than possible. The weather on the other hand, made that smile fade away lightly. Fuck... he thought by himself. Julius had planned to go for a jog today since the weather was, according to the forecast, going to be cloudy with some sun here and there. Which were the most pleasant conditions to run in. But rain was the total opposite. There was plenty of time left on this day so maybe after an hour it might would have brighten up. Julius pushed himself out of his bed, slipped into a pair of soccer shorts, ruffled through his hair and made his way downstairs. Just when Julius had opened the door wolf came running to him like the two hadn't seen each other for ages. With a chuckle he kneeled down, going with his hands through the fur of his huski. "I'm sorry gran, didn't mean to interrupt your training session but as you can see he can sense me coming. That timing was insane." Julius said as he looked over to his grandma with a grin. In general wolf was quite a calm dog, matching the personality of Julius. But on certain days he was jumping and running through the house like he had saved all his energy for that exact moment and then exploded. "Oh shut up!" she replied with a laugh, moving up from her chair over to the kitchen where she started to prepare breakfast. 


After greeting wolf he joined his grandma in the kitchen to help her prepare their breakfast like they did almost every morning. Usually he would've been supporting and coaching his junior soccer team, but the season was over and it took around six weeks before it would start again. That meant more time on saturdays. The two sat down at the kitchen table after they finished plating and talked about the plans for today. Julius himself didn't have many plans besides going for a quick run, maybe texting Raziel to see what he was up to but besides that there was nothing standing in his agenda. Due to the weather his grandma wasn't in the mood to go out in this slippy weather, because she wasn't that mobile anymore. "Don't worry Jule, I have plenty of puzzles and things to do here." she said with a smile after she finished the sandwich she made. "I will take wolf with me, because he's a ball of energy right now."


With one glance out of the window it seemed to be dry outside, so Julius quickly went back upstairs to change into his sport outfit and get ready. This might be the only time it would be dry today so better take this chance he thought by himself as he took one last glance in the mirror before he ran back downstairs. "Take care gran." Julius said as he grabbed wolf's leash and attatched it to his collar. The two ran off into the beautiful Astra. There were of course moments where Julius had to interrupt his run because wolf felt the need to explore a bush in the park, or chase birds, but he was used to that. The fun didn't last that long though because he could feel the first raindrops coming out of the sky again. Within seconds it was heavily raining again and Julius decided it would be better to shelter under the sunshade of the first storm he would pass. He leaned back against the brick wall of the store, so he wouldn't block the view for other who walked by. Julius' eyes scanned the people that walked past him, Couples walking closely together so the umbrella would cover both of them, kids jumping in puddles and chasing each other and there was wolf, examinening a pile of leaves. Sometimes Julius wondered if he was the only unexperienced guy out here who never made it far in relationships. He knew he wasn´t, but the thought keeped coming back into his mind every once in a while. He shove his hands in the pockets of his soccer shorts and decided to just take a pause here. Whether the rain was becoming less or not, he enjoyed the peace here. One day and I will meet her, or him? he furrowed his eyebrows lightly by the thought of him dating a guy. He's always been unsure about his sexuality, and just sticked to the conlcusion that he would just go wit the flow which would take him to the right person, male or female. 

Snow: She looked up from speaking with Cooper and her eyes found Julius's form with his dog Wolf in the window. Her pale skin held some color as she blushed a bit. Julius was always so nice to everyone... it had made her form a tiny crush on him. She always responded to his kind words and how he treated his dog the same way... with a swoon. She bit her lip, knowing if Cooper looked over he would know exactly who she was daydreaming over. Cooper was her big brother in spirit. He knew all the girly day long rambles she had gone on over on just Julius's eyes.


Now he was not the only boy she had a crush on. Just because Snow had banished all thoughts of a love life from her mind like Cooper, didn't mean she just suddenly stopped thinking boys were cute. There were some very cute boys in this town! It was like a form of torture for Snow, liking someone and knowing she could never do anything about it.


Of course, she was certain Julius did not feel the same way as she. And that reason exactly made her very, very, comfortable in her crush. She would not be able to handle the idea of someone who actually liked her back. The chance of accidentally falling in love was not something Snow would risk. She continued to stand between the shelves, her eyes glued to him, too nervous to go out there and say hi. He came inside the shop now and then, which was how she knew him, but to go out there and... Snow didn't know what, invite him in? No that was too forward. And besides... it was raining and Snow was terrified of the storm.


@Xero

 

[Shadow]

Seth Xylon Larsa
​

 
​

It was freaking cold. Spring had recently, obligingly, stepped aside to make way for a lovely Summer, then bam. Rain, thunder, and misery. Seth grumbled wordlessly to himself, in no mood to make light of the situation. He was freezing, wet, and tired, which didn't exactly spell out a happy day in his opinion. Of course, he didn't have any right to be any of those things; he was wearing a jacket, carrying an umbrella in his right hand, and had a perfectly comfortable bed back in his apartment. The truth was, the thunderstorm was just a convenient excuse to be as miserable as he wanted to be. 


Currently, he was standing under the pathetic excuse for shelter that was the bus stop. No matter how many times he had told himself that he was going to get a car of his own, he had never actually done anything about it. Hence, the bus stop. Unfortunately, he hadn't known that he would have to work today, so the bus that he usually took was long gone by the time he was ready. That's what he got for having unreliable co-workers. Every time he had a day off, one of the selfish nut-jobs would call him up saying that they had something come up last minute and they just couldn't get out of it, so would he kindly take their shift? Which more often than not left him waiting for the bus, freezing his ears off. He certainly didn't suffer for them out of the kindness of his heart. His only comfort was the thought that he would be able to afford his dream car sooner rather than later. And of course, that was working out well so far.


The bus engine rumbled in the distance, coughing and groaning as it eventually pulled to a stop just past the actual bus stop. Seth sighed, not in the mood to fight with his umbrella for a few extra feet of shelter. He pulled his jacket closer and made a run for it. Despite his best efforts at speed, he still stepped inside the bus looking like he had just finished showering. He showed the driver his bus pass and sloshed his way to the back row, glaring at anyone who bothered to look up at him. If there was one thing that annoying him, it was wearing wet clothes. He cringed slightly as he sat down, hating the way his wet jeans clung to his skin. In a completely pointless attempt to distract himself from his misery, Seth watched the buildings fly past. Every now and then he would pull out his phone, stare at the lock screen for a moment, then put it back in his pocket. He wasn't really expecting anyone to call or text, it was just a reflexive habit that kept him busy. 


By the time he was starting to dry off, the bus rolled to a stuttering halt at the bus-stop nearest his workplace. With an overly-dramatic sigh, Seth sloshed back to the front of the bus and stepped outside. Completely defeated by the downpour, he didn't even bother to open his umbrella as he walked the few blocks to the video store. The bell over the door rattled as he walked into the familiar building. It wasn't in the worst part of town, or the best. It wasn't perfectly looked after, nor was it falling down. In fact, the building was so average that Seth considered it a miracle that they even had customers, especially on a day like this. But sure enough, several people roamed the isles or waited in line at the counter by the door. At least half of them probably just wanted to get out of the rain, but he did recognize a few regulars. He gave them a less-than-enthusiastic greeting as he made his way to the back where the staff-room was. He peeled off his jacket and put it in his cubby-hole. He shook as much water out of his hair as he could and tried, without any luck, to un-stick his t-shirt from his skin.

"Seth! Geez, I thought you had died or something. Look, I really have to get going, but I swear I'll make this up to you, okay?"
​

Seth raised a skeptical eyebrow as the girl flounced into the room. She had never once made up for him taking her shift, despite her constant reassurance that she would. 
​

"Unfortunately, no. I'm not dead yet. Just go, okay? I'll be able to put up with taking your shift a lot better if I don't have to deal with you too."
​

The girl looked taken aback, but she was also too eager to leave to bother thinking up a reply. Seth rolled his eyes and went back to the front of the shop, already wishing it was over. The guy behind the register gladly stepped aside for Seth to take over. Seth sighed softly as he took in the long line of waiting customers. He knew at least two of them would want to gossip, two of them looked angry and the rest seemed as tired as he felt. This was definitely going to be a long day.

Crap.
​

 

[minajesty]

/monthly_2017_01/large.medium.image.jpeg.1c927173ceb851b9865221243958634f.jpeg.3f8d7e32c6bb1acbdfc38ec5637d6f38.jpeg​

Arabella Manriquez
​

 
​

Looking around her apartment building, she couldn't help but wonder if moving away was the right thing to do. She missed her family back in Texas. family. The one word she knew could never be true anymore. It wasn't accurate to say family . A big part of it was missing, and he could never be returned. Tears stung her dark brown eyes as the thought of Donnie lingered in her head...again. Why does she always torture herself by thinking of him? It hurt knowing that her older brother was gone but there was nothing she could really do about it. If only time could change, she thought to herself as she rubbed her stomach that was bulging through a loose black t-shirt. Looking down at it, she smiled a little. She could not wait to finally see him. For real this time and not on a screen. Her random thoughts were interrupted when her roommate, and dear friend, came in. She had her uniform on, meaning that she was out to work. "See you later sweetheart. Stay safe okay,"her friend had spoken as she gave Arabella a hug. "You know Im always careful,"the black haired female replied, referring to the life that was being created inside of her. Mariah smiled and shook her head a little bit, her messy bun moving side to side as she moved her head. "Okay go go. You're gonna be late for work. Again."Arabella exclaimed, chuckling a little bit. 


"Ah forget work. I would much rather spend the day with my bestie and her little one. Scoot over, I wanna sit. "she exclaimed trying to get through. "No, go to work you crazy women. We can hang out when you get home."Arabella said as she pushed her towards the door. "Oh fine fine. Always the responsible one. Explore the town why don't you? You can't just sit on the couch everyday. Give the baby some air! You are never gonna make any more friends just sitting inside for the rest of your life."she said and walked out. Arabella stood there and huffed. She did have a point. But Im such a fat elephant! I don't wanna move around a lot, she whined to herself as she rubbed her stomach. "But a little bit of exercise wouldn't hurt I guess. The doctor said that staying healthy was the best option for a healthy baby."she said to herself, this time out loud. Quickly grabbing her converse, she slipped on the shoes and put on a light black sweater. Pulling her silky long hair out of the sweater, she grabbed her phone and walked out. 


What would be a good place to explore? Hmm...wherever my legs take me I guess, she thought and started walking around in the new and unfamiliar town. The buildings looked beautiful and the people she met along the way were actually sweet. Surprisingly, most of the men here weren't perverts like the ones in Texas. They were all gentlemen. Arabella's attention turned the a book shop that was across the street. She had been a big fan of reading ever since she was a little girl.  Quickly walking over, she entered the store and looked around.


( @Dakup She's in the store. Just thought to tag you. )

 
​

 
​

 

[Dak]

Lucy Marie Kingsman
​

Lucy wasn't in sight of the door, so she couldn't see anyone that had entered. She had placed a little bell at the top of the door. Wen ever it rang someone had entered. It was a way for Lucy to know that someone had entered her store whenever she was out back working or writing. She had taken up writing as a means to quell her wandering mind. It was one of the major problems she had. Her mind would wander if she was just sitting around with nothing to do. From there it grew into one of her favorite hobbies. She had never really written anything special. The most she'd written was a short story comprised of about 15,000 words. It wasn't anything special to a lot of people, but to her, it was almost everything. She loved stories, reading and even telling them to little kids that came in with their parents, so working and owning a bookstore was perfect for her.


Drogo was laying down on his dog bed near the counter. His ears perked up when he heard the bell go off. He stood up, yawned and went over to investigate. Now despite the rumors about the bookstore with the bear for a guard dog. Drogo was a gentle giant. Standing on his hind legs he stood at six foot. The giant brown flooff of fur turned the corner to greet the newcomer. He walked over to her, which he was a little less than hip height. He got in close to her and began to sniff her. Trying to figure out who she was and where she had been. 


Lucy had come around the corner from behind one of the bookshelves to see Drogo sniffing the customer that had walked in. "Drogo, stop that. It's not polite." She said as the massive dog dropped it's head and walked over to the counter and sat down on his hind legs. "My apologies about Drogo. He might be big, but I give you my word, he's as harmless as they come. He's my gentle giant." Lucy said taking the stack of books in her hands and putting them on the counter. She would put them away after her customer had left. This girl was a lot taller than Lucy, then again Lucy was about four foot five. Hell Drogo came up to about belly button level with Lucy. 


"Welcome to Books-A-Plenty where I can no doubt find any book out there. I am Lucy Kingsman." She said before pointing to Drogo. "You've already met my Gentle Giant Drogo..."  She then gave the woman a smile. It was a warm and inviting smile. "Forgive me, but you seem just a little lost, are you new to town?" She asked. She loved meeting new people, especially when they had somehow wandered into her store. That was when one of her favorite bands came on in the background. She played light music as a way to help her focus when she reads. It was the song "Buyo" By lucky Chops.

 
​

 
​

 


@TheCandyEmo

 

[Kore]

Grey skies followed Ray as he continued his journey through the small suburban town he had chosen as his new home. It was anyone’s guess as to how long he would actually stay there, but for the time being he enjoyed it. Granted, he liked nearly every place he had moved to at first, but eventually he would grow bored of them all and move again. And he had moved to a lot of different cities. Dwelling on eventualities never helped anyone though, so instead Ray preferred to enjoy his time.

With each new street he reached, he allowed his eyes to roam the town. Even if he had walked to the store before, there was always some new discovery waiting for him in town. It could be a shop he had never noticed before, a man juggling on the corner, or some statue or town landmark tucked away in obscurity. He was surrounded by strangers, but the fact only seemed to resonate with him instead of intimidate.

As Raziel got nearer to his destination, he passed by a girl driving a black Dodge Charger. He paused briefly to perform a quick cursory glance, whistling a brief appreciation, before he continued walking across the street and into the grocery store parking lot. It wasn’t as if Ray was a car guy, especially when cars were even harder to care for when one was constantly on the move, but he still knew how to appreciate a good car when he saw one.

With one hand tucked comfortably into his pocket, Ray entered through the automatic doors and into the softly blowing breeze of the grocery store. While it wasn’t particularly warm inside, it was at least a little warmer and a lot drying inside. He let his hood fall back from his head, grabbed a basket, and began his search for the bread aisle.

Bowa

As Eilise awaited her turn patiently in line, she tried to suppress her excessive shivering. She could still feel the dampness of her jacket through her gripped hand, and her wet hair clung to her pale face with fierce tenacity. She was generally one to get cold rather easily as well, so she often carried jackets or sweaters with her constantly. She hadn’t been expecting her luck to turn out so badly though, and she was beginning to regret rejecting the umbrella her mother had offered her that morning.

“Still raining out, huh?”

"Huh?” Eli glanced up at the blonde male in surprise, so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn’t even realized it was her turn at the register. “Oh. Yeah, still raining,” she laughed awkwardly, too embarrassed to admit the true cause of her appearance. The mere thought of it caused her cheeks to slightly burning in shame.

“What would you like today?” The boy asked in a seemingly kind voice. He looked to be not much older than herself, if not the same age. She found herself wondering how long he had already been working that day. Had he been there for several hours already, or had his shift only recently started?

“One croissant and hot chocolate please?” Eli requested somewhat meekly, her voice naturally defaulting to a sweet and shy ‘customer service’ tone. It was the kind of voice that she always unintentionally used around strangers. “Oh, and can I get a bag for my jacket please?” She added, slightly lifting her hand to motion the bundled mess that she wanted to prevent from spreading.

It was no sooner than after Eilise had finished her request, when she heard the bell above the entrance ring again, but this time it was followed by a bark as a small dog rushed in past the new customers.

“Jenny?” Eli croaked in surprise as the corgi/husky mix rushed towards her, an unaccompanied leash trailing after her. “What are you doing here? Where’s Alex?” She asked the wiggling ball of excitement, though Jenny merely licked her hands in response. A brief moment of panic flooded Eli’s mind as she realized she had no idea if this coffee shop allowed pets.

“I’m so sorry, I have no idea where she came from,” Eli quickly apologized to the blonde barista. Part of her desperately hoped she wouldn’t be thrown out from the warmth of the shop, especially since she was already so cold and newly unprepared for the rain. But at the same time, if pets weren’t allowed then she couldn’t imagine the boy would have much of a choice.

PaddieCake

Mentioned: (Requested by) Dak

“Look, the man is back!” Angel announced, his finger pointed toward the crossing light that displayed a neon white walking figure. “We can cross now?”

Edel smiled gently. “Yes we can. Make sure you look both ways first, and then let’s cross.”

Angel’s blonde locks bounced as he turned his head side to side, his eyes scanning for oncoming cars. “We’re safe! Come on Mama,” he pulled excitedly on her hand, guiding her across the street. She could feel a few scattered gazes glance towards her, no doubt from those who had thought she was the boy’s babysitter only to hear him call her his mother. Almost everyone believed that she was Angel’s babysitter at first, although the girl could hardly blame them. She was pretty young to be a mother after all, having given birth when she was only 15. It certainly didn’t help her case that she and Angel shared very little resemblance.

Angel had just finished successfully leading his mother safely onto the sidewalk, when he noticed a girl exiting a nearby shop. Just past her, he could make out shelves full of videos and DVDs. “Mommy, let’s get a movie,” he tugged on her sleeve.

“A movie? Is that what you want your present to be?” Angel nodded vigorously. “Then come on, nene. Let’s get you a movie.” They ducked into the shop’s entrance, where Edel insisted they wiped their feet of any water or dirt first. She slipped her collapsed umbrella into her bag, and then led Angel over to the kids and family isle.

“Go find something you’d like, nene.” She released the small tyke’s hand, watching as he crouched and stood on tip toes before the shelves. She could practically see the quiet contemplation on his face as he looked over each brightly colored title, his mind weighing each option. When his blue eyes grew wide and a small gasp of wonder escaped his mouth, Edel knew he had found his movie.

“This one! I want this one!” Angel scrambled over, a blue video case gripped in his hands.

“Balto? Are you sure?” Edel asked, quietly pleased with his choice. Balto had been one of her favorite movies when she was little, and she was glad to see her son was already feeling similarly enamored by it.

“Yes!” Angel answered promptly, his cheeks brimming without a hint of hesitation.

Edelmira chuckled softly as she took the video from him. She turned the case over in her hands and opened it, only to be met with disappoint. What should have been a Balto cassette staring back at her was instead a copy of Hobgoblins, a movie she had admitted never heard of before. “Oh no, it looks like someone put the wrong movie in here.” Edel frowned softly, trying to think of what to do. If the store didn’t have another copy of Balto somewhere, then she would have no choice but to make Angel pick another movie. She hoped that would only be a last case scenario though. “Hmm, let’s go the front desk and ask for help. Maybe they know where the real Balto is.”


They slipped into the end of the line and awaited their turn, where a young man with sandy colored hair was in charge of the register. Once the line had dwindled down so that Edel and Angel were finally at the counter, she placed the Balto case gently upon it. “Hello,” she greeted with a polite smile. “I was wondering, could you help us? We were hoping to rent this movie, but it seems to have the wrong cassette. Would you happen to have an extra Balto cassette somewhere?”

Shadow

​

 

[PaddieCake]

[SIZE=11pt]

[/SIZE]

@Kore
 
​

[SIZE=11pt]Blaine watched as the girl seemed completely distracted by her own thoughts, but Blaine was grateful the confusion was only momentary. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]“Hopefully it lets up soon.” He said, smiling at the red-head, not even noticing her blush. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“Of course! Hot chocolate’s great in this weather. Do you want any whipped cream, or chocolate drizzle? Or caramel drizzle, I can do that too. Oh! And what size do you want?” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Blaine added, chuckling a bit.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]The thought of hot chocolate sounded rather appetizing. Maybe he’d make himself one when he had the chance.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Her sweater is dripping water on the floor… “Yeah, no problem! I’ll get that first then.”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] He said bending down to grab a plastic bag. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“I guess it’s no good if it’s soaked through like that, huh?” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]He said, wondering why she hadn’t bothered with a rain coat. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] Do I even own a raincoat? [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] He was pretty sure he didn’t, although he did have an umbrella in the back.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]He was about to hand the bag to her so he could make her hot chocolate when he heard the sound of a dog barking. He let his smile fade from his face, if only for a moment watching the dog. Blaine didn’t mind dogs, but he also had a preference for much quieter animals that didn’t jump up on you, like fish. And the cafe didn’t have much of a policy on pets so long as they weren’t near the food and didn’t bother anyone else.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=11pt]“It’s fine, if you can,  just try to keep her away from the other customers in case anyone has allergies or doesn’t like dogs..” He said, his smile returning once again. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“She’s very cute, is she yours?” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] Blaine asked.Though he supposed she wasn’t. Having heard the name Alex, although perhaps they were related...[/SIZE]









[SIZE=12pt]

[/SIZE]

@jinkx (Sapphire)
​

[SIZE=12pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]The rain didn’t seem to let up at all as Cole continued his walk. The rain was beginning to seep through his clothes, adding discomfort to his exhaustion. He was starting to question his choices in life when something collided with him. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]Cole had been mid-yawn when he bumped into a young woman.  [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]“I’m sorry.” [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] He said, surprised at the sudden collision, though judging by the way she was acting, Cole could only assume she had been paying as little attention as he was. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]He furrowed his brow slightly when she handed him her umbrella, only taking it in surprise, as she fumbled with her phone. He leaned in to get a better look at it, the rain making it difficult to read off the screen. His eyes widened slightly, mouthing ‘oh’, before grinning at her.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]“Don’t worry about it! And you can take this back, I knew what I was getting into.” [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]He said, laughing, motioning his hand to emphasize the rain.  Cole let out another yaw, hiding it behind the bend in his arm. [/SIZE]







[SIZE=12pt]

[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt] @Dakup and @jinkx (Briony)[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]   [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]Dante was chatting with one of his regular customers, a vinyl collector, mostly about the weather. Dante had been beginning to feel a bit antsy, but talking to people was always rather helpful when he couldn’t take a smoke break. He had been about to head out to the back for a smoke break, the customers and dawdlers having begun to leave, when a very familiar face walked up to the counter with a CD in his hand.  [/SIZE]

 


[SIZE=12pt]“Hey man.” [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] He said, scanning its bar code so the price flashed on the screen facing Alex. [/SIZE]

 


[SIZE=12pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]As he was speaking he felt his phone buzz against his thigh. Pulling it out he saw that it was a text from Briony.[/SIZE]

 


[SIZE=12pt]Cool, want me to meet you where you’re at?[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] He was glad he’d be able to spend his break with his partner. He so desperately wanted to pull out a cigarette, but there were cameras in the store, and if Frank caught him smoking in the shop his ass was fired.  [/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]“Don’t tell me you came all the way down here just to buy a CD, coulda just brought it back to you.” [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] Dante said, laughing a bit, getting back to Alex. It was just silly to come out here in the rain. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]“But it’s cool to see you, like half these people are only here to get out the rain, didn’t even buy nothin’.” [/SIZE]









[SIZE=11pt]

[/SIZE]

@zeroinspo
​

[SIZE=11pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]And so Alice found herself walking. And as soon as she left the block she could see the bus roll down past. She almost decided to run back to the bus, but in the end she hesitated too long and the bus was gone once again.[/SIZE]

 


[SIZE=11pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Pulling her hood over her head she soldiered through the weather, her sneakers taking in the water that surrounded her. She hated the soggy feeling of her wet socks, especially encased in her sneakers, but she dealt with it.[/SIZE]

 


[SIZE=11pt]    [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]She looked up in time to see Julius, leaning up against a building, his dog Wolf sniffing around some leaves. She bit the inside of her cheek, taking a hesitant step backwards. They had dated, however briefly, and she found him to be quite friendly, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to talk to him.[/SIZE]

 


[SIZE=11pt]“Hey.”[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] Alice said, finally plucking up the nerve to say something as she was going to have to pass by him regardless. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“Taking Wolf for a walk?” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] She asked, her voice polite, though soft. She found it a bit easier to talk to people when animals were involved, not always, but she felt it helped… [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]“He doesn’t seem to mind the weather too much, though.” [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] She added, feeling as if she had now spoken too much.[/SIZE]

 

[minajesty]

Arabella Manriquez
​

 
​

Right when the small animal approached her, she moved back a little and held her stomach. It was an instinct to protect her unborn baby. Something that she had developed over the months of being pregnant. But when she realized that all it was doing was sniffing her, she calmed down fully and smiled a little bit.  Her hands didn't move, but instead they continued to stay on her bulging stomach. When she heard a voice call out, her attention turned from the animal to the girl. Arabella thought that she was quite short, but I guess it was her fault. She was unusually tall, something that ran in the family. "Im Arabella. Nice to meet you."she replied and smiled softly. The girl seemed nice but she wasn't one to judge yet, whether it was a positive or negative judgment.


After she mentioned 'being lost', she couldn't help but sigh a little. Was it that noticeable? I need to be more subtle next time, she thought to herself. Snapping out of her thoughts, she nodded. "Yes I just moved in with one of my friends here." she said.  Mariah was always a good friend to her, but she was surprised that she actually let her stay in her place. She hated being a burden to people, especially since her due date wasn't far but Mariah had insisted. Looking back over at the girl, she spoke up again. "Say, I've been wanting to read for quite some time. But I haven't really decided on what to read. Do you think you can help me find some books? Or you can just recommend me to some, either way is fine. Especially something along the line of motherhood. As you can see."she said, looking down a little. She was hoping that this girl wasn't one of those judgemental people. She had always come across people that would think of her as an 'irresponsible teen'  or a 'slut'. 


Note: Sorry for the short post. Kinda experiencing writer's block and I don't like adding pointless details just to make it look better. It will be better next time...at least I hope.


@Dakup

 

[Dak]

Alexander Derrick Kingsman
​

Alex couldn't but help but chuckle at Dante as he told him about how not many people had only come in just to get out of the rain. He couldn't blame them, but then again it wasn't that nice to do to Dante, who was one of Alex's good friends. "Well, honestly I only picked out this CD so that way I could fuck with you... I actually was actually gonna get this..." He said walking over to the rock section and grabbed the CD "Lifelines" by I Prevail. He walked back over to the counter and put in down. He watched as Dante checked him out the CD. "Besides I think we both know that if I didn't come in you'd be out back smoking..." Alex didn't have a problem with him smoking. He didn't mind the smell and the ashtrays scattered around the apartment, he more or less cared about Dante's health and wanted to see him have a healthy life.


Alex looked at some of the people in the shop. There were a few interesting looking characters that he wouldn't normally see in there when he would come in. "Well Brother, I guess I'll let you get back to it mostly because I have penny outside, and you should know how she loves to roam when I'm not around." He said shaking Dante's hand. "I'll catch you back at the apartment." He said waving goodbye and walking out the door. He turned to face Jenny, or rather where Jenny was if she was there. Alex could have guessed that Jenny would have bolted. He wasn't in there long so he thought that she wouldn't bolt, but then again it was Jenny and she loved to get out. 


Alex let out a deep sigh. "Well, best guess is she's with Eli." He patted his pocket to see if he had grabbed his phone, which he didn't. He sighed again, this time with an added curse under his breath. He scratched his head for a moment before turning around. He opened his umbrella and began to walk down the street. He was going to find Jenny no matter what, and that meant looking for Eli. If he could find her then he could no doubt find Jenny.


It took him a little while but he had finally found his red-headed savior. He walked into the cafe. "Jenny!" He exclaimed as the dog bolted towards him, her tongue hanging out, her short stubby legs moving as fast as possible when she was in Alex's arms. "Oh god, I thought I lost you..." He said as the dog gave him as many kisses as possible. He pulled her away for a second. "I'm so lucky that you went to Eli." He said before standing up and looked at Eli. 


"She always seems to come to you." He said with Jenny kissing him as much as she could.

Lucy Marie Kingsman
​

Lucy smiled at Arabella. "Well, Mrs.Arabella. It is nice to meet you." She said walking behind the counter. "And if I might add you look absolutely radiant." She said looking at her belly. Lucy had a book on just about anything in the bookstore and a few on pregnancies, which she had read a couple times."Well Mrs.Arabella, I have a few on pregnancies." She walked out from behind the counter and over to a section that was labeled self-help.She grabbed a couple books. "I recommend these two. One of them is good for when you're in about your last trimester.." She walked back over to the counter and set the books on the counter. "And the other one is on child care." She looked at Arabella's belly."How many weeks are you? If I may ask." She asked. 


  She walked over to the end of the counter and grabbed a map. "Well my dear, I don't know how much exposure you've had to this wonderful city that we all live in but I do have a few maps..." She said pulling one up on the counter. She pulled out a pen. "Now I can give you a few good places to go and eat, along with some good places to go shop..." She said as Drogo laid back down in his dog bed. "Now I would give you a good tour, but I have some things to attend to here if you'd want a tour." She said giving her a smile again. "Maybe I could get my brother to do it?" She mumbled to herself. Drogo lifted his head up again. This time letting out a small woof. "Pardon me, for just one moment," Lucy said before opening the treat jar and gave one to Drogo. "I know, you're a good boy." She said to her Leonberger. 


@PaddieCake @Kore @TheCandyEmo

 

[Xero]

The rain made everything gray and sad. Typical Snow, he thought, a small smile on his face as he reached for another book to return to the shelf. The smile faded quickly however, when she turned his question back to him. "Taxing I guess," he said with a sigh wondering how much he should reveal to her, they might be close friends but that didn't mean she knew everything, just more than he usually discussed with others, "mother's been telling me to settle down. Find someone like she found dad. It's been a recurring theme in our conversations as of late." He shook his head as he put another book on the shelf. "Probably won't stop until I find my soulmate or at least someone to settle down with so I might as well. Find my soulmate that is." He quickly added, casting a wayward glance out the window where Snow was looking. "I hope it doesn't get any heavier. Rearranging shifts is a pain."


Stretching his arms, he leaned back against one of the bookshelves, slowly flipping through the pages of a book as he contemplated when he should visit pixie charm. The sooner he went, the sooner those conversations with his mother would stop. But it would also mean committing himself to someone earlier. And even if he didn't have to involve his heart in a relationship with his soulmate, he still valued the freedom he enjoyed as a single man. Finding his soulmate would take that away from him, force him to commit himself to someone other than his mother and he wasn't sure he was prepared for that.


(Sorry it's so short, I couldn't think up much of a response, writers block.)


@Jennete

 

[Jennete]

Spoiler

The rain made everything gray and sad. Typical Snow, he thought, a small smile on his face as he reached for another book to return to the shelf. The smile faded quickly however, when she turned his question back to him. "Taxing I guess," he said with a sigh wondering how much he should reveal to her, they might be close friends but that didn't mean she knew everything, just more than he usually discussed with others, "mother's been telling me to settle down. Find someone like she found dad. It's been a recurring theme in our conversations as of late." He shook his head as he put another book on the shelf. "Probably won't stop until I find my soulmate or at least someone to settle down with so I might as well. Find my soulmate that is." He quickly added as he stretched his hands and leaned against the bookshelf, casting a wayward glance out the window where Snow was looking. "I hope it doesn't get any heavier. Rearranging shifts is a pain."


(Sorry it's so short, I couldn't think up much of a response, writers block.)


@Jennete

Snow: She laughed softly and nodded to herself. "Ahh, that would explain it. You don't do well with love Cooper. How many girlfriends have you had again, twenty? Give or take a few?" She nudged him with her hip, trying to be playful. He was the playful one and she was the one who didn't know what to do to be happy... that was how this worked. She nodded, her gaze seeing Julius with a girl now... she shook her head and turned on her heel with the cart, moving it up the shelves a bit. She didn't need to see that or them. "You could always go to the pixie shop. Find that special someone." She turned, looking back at Cooper and gave a small shrug. "I mean, if you want to find your soulmate. For people like me though... I avoid that place like the plague. The Red String is nothing but heartache..." Her blue eyes darkened and her pink lips turned into a frown. "I don't see the appeal. I mean... you know I love your mother. But you should do what makes you happy."


Her stomach growled and she looked out at the rain, hunger on her mind. "I hope it lets up too... just so I can run and get a muffin or something." A pause... did she really need a muffin? She wasn't sure. A muffin was 426 calories... that seemed excessive. "Or maybe not... I don't really need to eat that much." She bit her lip and nodded, scurrying to the back to start loading up the carts with more scattered books. "Lunch isn't THAT far off... and I could grab us something. A walk might be good for me. Getting some exercise." Her mind was still muddled with food though. She had had a banana that morning before heading here... and that was 105 calories. Then the coffee... 52. No wait she had had two cups so 104. That was already 209 calories this morning... oh god. Her mind made her feel sick and the urge to purge waved over her... no she needed to eat something bright orange and then after she ate lunch she would rid her body of the food till her marker showed. She did a mental check and nodded to herself, her hand fluttering over her stomach, she had a couple mints in her purse she could suck on to calm the nausea till then.


"I don't really need lunch though. I had a really big breakfast today now that I think about it."

 

[Wolf Wolf]

Erin Garett Ramirez​

Erin went around the motorcycles to bring out a toolbox from a cabinet when the brothers went away to do whatever. It had her name on a piece of paper taped to it. The tools and equipment were provided for the workers, but Erin had her own personal set of tools at her place. I wouldn't want my baby to end up like these. she thought to herself as she rounded the vehicles to return to her original place. Then she froze for a short moment. No. Don't think about her. She shook her head in an effort to clear her thoughts. Where do I even start? She put the toolbox down next to her and unlocked it. Once she got a wrench at hand, she started removing the remaining bolts that kept the covers in place. The noise all around her seemed to die down as she spaced out, focusing solely on the twisting of the bolts. "Even the bolts are rusty," she murmured absentmindedly. "I'm gonna have to change these too."

A hollow thud broke Erin out of her reverie. Until now, the auto-shop owner still hadn't changed the metal screen door into something else. At least it created enough noise to be heard above all the clanks and the spluttering of engines. She blinked before she glanced over her shoulder to see who was talking to her, even if she was already familiar with the voice. "Hey, Nej!" she greeted them with a grin as she stood up from her crouching position and put the wrench down, wiping her hands with a rag from her pocket. "Thanks, I really appreciate it." She actually ate a rice crispy bar this morning just because she didn't feel like eating any of the food at home, but she wasn't going to tell them that. She liked muffins and coffee though. A lot. Once she let the rag plop down inside the toolbox, Erin took the food and drink from Nejilika.

"Apparently, they're vehicles. I've gotta work on 'em though, these two guys practically begged me to. Said they found it in their shed. They better pay me big." she said as she took a bite of her muffin and simultaneously placed the mug on the table. "But don't worry, knowing me, I can get these bad boys working in no time." Okay, that was a bluff, and Erin knew that Nejilika knew it was. "Anyway," the repairwoman continued. "How was your morning?"


@The Succubi Queen

 

[two]

Julius Heath Milano​

Julius was so sucked up in his thoughts that he lost sight of people that were walking by or coming towards him. Wolf wouldn't run off anyway, for some reason he hadn't ever tried it so Julius guessed it wouldn't happen any time soon. The furrowed eyebrow expression changed when he got pulled back to reality. “Hey.”. It was Alice. The two used to date, not for a ling time though, but made the decision to break up since it just wasn't working. Not in a way that they were having a lot of arguments but the sparkle just wasn't there.[SIZE=11pt] "Oh hey, Alice." He smiled lightly as he looked over at Wolf. She was right, the weather didn't seem to bother him. Julius was wondering what he was searching for though in that pile of leaves. "Not at all no, but that can also be caused by his huge ammount of energy today." Julius replied with a chuckle after he realised he didn't answer her question. He was praying he didn't just make it awkward, honestly he had no clue how to act for some reason. It was kind of a new feeling even though the two had always been friendly to each other. "But how's everything?" he decided to ask as he raised one of his eyebrows. While he gave her time to think he took a look through the window of the store he was standing in front of, noticing this was the store where Snow worked. From what he could see of her facial expression, it seemed like she was either thinking a lot or a bit stressed out, or a combination of both. He hoped she was alright, she was always nice. But it didn't take long before the male standing next to her catched his attention. Who he was? Julius had no clue. But he did know that he worked in a bar where he used to go clubbing every once in a while. That was basically all the information he had. He wasn't really sure how he felt about this guy though, but he was interesting for sure. Maybe he could somehow get his name through Snow. Julius realised he was disctracted again and clenched his jaw lightly while he looked up at the sky. Damn rain. He then looked back over to Alice.


(kinda short i'm sorry!)


mentioned: @Jennete @Xero
interacting with: @PaddieCake

 

[Shadow]

Seth Xylon Larsa
​

Seth's prediction was flawless. Old lady Mary went on and on and on about every last bit of gossip she had heard in the last few months. By the time he had finally convinced her that he didn't, in fact, care, the already angry man behind her was practically blowing steam out of his ears. Somehow Seth had managed to calm the man down before he actually got to yelling, but the woman behind him was even more pissed off. When she finished her lecture and left, he had had to put up with Jimmy- a teenage boy who was a regular and who also never stopped talking. Luckily, when all of those people had left, the store was fairly quiet. A few people came and went without getting anything, and a few more waddled up to the counter, looking miserable and wet, to buy a sad movie that matched the weather. When no one came in for a while, he knelt behind the counter and fiddled with the radio until it finally picked up a station through the storm. Unfortunately for him, it was the classical music station, which only made him feel worse. He shut it off with a grunt of annoyance and straightened back up. He pulled out his phone and leaned against the counter, deciding to play Solitaire to pass some time. 


Shortly, the annoying little bell over the door rang as a young mother walked in with her son. He tucked his phone back into his pocket and leaned on the counter to watch the small boy scamper up and down a few isles. His mouth almost quirked up into a smile, but he stopped himself. After all, it was just a little snot-nosed kid. Nothing to get all sentimental over. While the two browsed, Seth decided to try the radio again. His second attempt was rewarded with a semi-clear station of pop-songs. While it wasn't his top choice, it was better than sleep-inducing piano solos. A few other customers came in and quickly formed a new line. Despite a short elevation in his mood, Seth was back to his usual temperament by the time he had dealt with three picky, judgmental customers in a row. He frowned slightly as the young mother's smiling face stepped up to the counter. She looked way too happy for this weather. He heaved a sigh when she said that the Balto cover held the wrong cassette. 

"Of course it's mixed up. I'll see if I can find a replacement. Give me a sec...." 
​

Seth mumbled quietly, grabbing the cover off of the counter. He gave the overly-excited boy a half-hearted smile as he left the safety that the counter provided and wove his way through the shelves to the store-room. He flipped open the case, frowning at the misplaced cassette called Hobgoblins. He paced through the shelves of boxes for a moment, before finding one with a promising label. Sure enough, there was a replacement for Balto, so he dropped the mislabeled one in the sorting box and made his way back to the front. He gave her as sincere of a smile as he could muster and laid the new case on the counter. 

"Will that be all for you today? And would you like some candy?" 
​

He asked the woman in his best polite-server tone. The second question held a bit more enthusiasm as he grabbed a bowl of candy from under the counter and held it down to the little boy. He glanced up at the mother, silently asking if it was okay to give the boy a piece of candy. 


@Kore