Fantasy We All Fall Down [Closed]

[Cross]

Gene Reves​

"Dude, you need GPS," Gene said, but Adrian had a point. While he had complete confidence in his ability to give directions, he didn't want to come off as inconsiderate by making Adrian drive. Gene followed Adrian over to his house, glancing over his shoulder. His parents would be critical that he broke the cardinal rule of being a Reves. Don't befriend anyone who knew where you lived. Gene stepped onto the neighboring lawn and was struck that he lived nearby but hadn't been over since he crashed his bicycle into the former owner's mailbox when he was ten. It hadn't changed much.

They approached a vehicle which Gene assumed was Adrian's or his parent's. He tilted his head and tried to guess the make and model. Gene had actually subscribed to a magazine that still sent printed issues into mailboxes, that was how much he loved cars. He badly wanted to show Adrian his Mustang which he cherished even more than his shoes and possibly more than his high school education. There was a cat on top of the car. It wasn't normally the place where he expected to find one and he paused.

Gene couldn't have pets because his parents didn't like them. This made him a little unsure of how to act around animals but also curious about them. He liked Gigantor's dog well enough (but the man not so much). "Aww," he said and stroked Jasper's ear while Adrian was holding him, "I always wanted a cat," he said. Being an only child could get lonely, though it had been a long time since Gene had been truly alone. He surrounded himself with people. And as long as he wasn't too honest with them, he got along with others fine.

Gene spent a moment studying Jasper. He thought he liked the cat more than the cat seemed to like him. Gene wasn't sure if that was typical with cats or if he had been judged by the cat to be unworthy.

"I want to show you mine," Gene said and reached for his keys. He jogged over to the garage door and typed in the passcode. The Mustang was black with a red interior. Every part of her glistened with polish. Gene patted the hood of his car which as much tender care as he had with the cat, if not more so. The inside was much messier with fast food containers and wrappings and soda bottles from weeks before he had never gotten around to throwing out. Gene tossed the trash into the back seat to make the front look cleaner.

"I love this car more than I love my parents," Gene said, only half joking. He got in and waited for Adrian to do the same. "There's a great place to eat in town, the Café Cache. The Sunnyside Diner is okay if you're running low on spending money," Gene said. Gene proceeded to tell Adrian about Harwood, about how you could find something to do in the boring town if you tried hard enough.

Location: Upper Harwood,| | Mentions: Adrian S n o w ​

 

[Life.]

Noah Venz​

Noah was aware of how popular dogs were among girls, but he didn't realize the great effect that Leyla would have on Septima and the girl across from her. Leyla must have sensed their excitement to see her since she woke up from her slight nap and began wriggling in Noah's arms. "Okay, okay. Settle down Leyla," he tightened his grip on the pup for a bit as he seated himself in the space that Septima made for him on the bench, "Thanks Sept. And actually I just got her. You wouldn't believe how I did." He fixed himself where there was enough room for Leyla to stay sitting on his lap. Although the pup wasn't wanting to hold still as her front paws reached the tabletop to try and find a way to wriggle out of Noah's arms.

Noah was aware of the other girl across from them, but he wanted to take it slow to try and calm himself before he made a fool of himself. So his eyes didn't look over to her until she said hello and noticed the slight blushing appearing on her face and the soft smile. His heart fluttered once more. As much as he was trying to deny it, an old crush was starting to re-kindle once more. Noah didn't want to think to hard about it at the moment. Instead he thought back to her introduction.

He finally learned that her name was Rowan. A powerful yet pretty sounding name. Right when he was thinking of the word 'pretty', Rowan had commented on how pretty Leyla was. She then followed it asking permission to pet her. "Sure. She seems like she really wants the attention anyways," just as Noah said it, Leyla finally managed to free herself from his grip and trotted across the table and rolled onto Rowan's lap. Slightly worried at first, Noah sat up a little and looked over to see if the pup was okay, once he saw she was fine he released a huff of laughter.

"I am Noah by the way. Nice to meet you Rowan. And in your lap is Leyla. A new addition to my family," Noah smiled proudly as he watched the pup and also took the opportunity to check Rowan out a bit. Although knowing Septima he moved his eyes away from Rowan just so she didn't try to say anything about his behavior. "So what are you guys up to today?"

Location: Lower Harwood, Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. izayoiix ​

 

[S n o w]

Adrian Donovan​

Adrian chuckled when he noticed the way Gene was studying his cat, pulling Jasper off him before he made himself too comfortable around his neck. "It might seem like he doesn't like you now, but I wouldn't take it personally. Sometimes he doesn't like me either," he smiled, watching Jasper jump onto the porch. He took a few steps away, but waited until he was sure the cat wouldn't follow before going after Gene. He might have joked earlier about Jasper showing up at his house, but he couldn't get what Gene said about the people around here driving fast cars and not caring about what they hit out of his head.

Maybe it would be better to uninstall the dog-door, even though Jasper would drive them all crazy being confined in the house. Adrian ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head as he focused on what Gene wanted to show him. He whistled as he stepped into the garage. Even though he didn't know that much about cars, he could still appreciate one as hard worked on as Gene's Mustang. Adrian was sure he never saw a car that gleamed as much as this one.

"I can tell," Adrian said, laughing. He got in, dropping his satchel to the floor. He kept telling himself he didn't need it, and yet he didn't take the opportunity to drop it at his house when he had the chance. He glanced back as Gene told him about the town, pausing at the old containers. For someone who took so much care of the outside, it was weird to him that the inside seemed like the complete opposite. "Think we could swing by Lower Harwood before that?" he asked, glancing at Gene. "I just want to see it for myself, you know? See the difference."

Location: Upper Harwood, Gene's House | | Mentions: Cross ​

 

[boo.]

Septima Jonet​

Ugh, everything was too adorable. Sep watched with a barely noticeable smirk as her two friends introduced each other, and her eyes followed the puppy, now named Leyla, wriggle from Noah's grasp to sit with Rowan. Did those two know each other? There had seemed to be a smidgen of familiarity in Noah's eyes as he first saw Rowan, but that could have just been the sunlight through the diner windows. And had Rowan blushed? Sep wasn't one to jump to conclusions, so she wouldn't, but there was definitely something there. Or at least, there would be, if she had anything to do about it.

"So - Ro and I were just hanging. I was feeling lonely, so I called her up. I didn't think I was this popular, though." Sep laughed lightly, putting her elbow on the table and leaning her head against her hand. "We were just talking about cake and microwaves. Nothing important." She hadn't had this much company around in some time. Most of her time was spent working, eating and sleeping. Mostly the first, but the other two held important slots in her timetable as well.

She hadn't even gone back. As far as she knew or cared, her family could be dead. They didn't care where she was, so she wanted nothing to do with them. In a way, it was a bittersweet thing; she had the freedom she had always craved, but any chance she might have had at a normal life, not that it was ever going to happen, was gone. If she ever did end up getting a boyfriend, how would she break the truth to them? She was practically disowned.

"What's up with you? Haven't heard from you in a while. Then again, I've kinda been off the grid for a bit, too."

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: izayoiix Life. ​

 

[Cross]

Gene Reves​

Gene glanced over. "Because of what that guy said?" he asked. The anger was old and stale by now. Gene was essentially over it. He turned on the Mustang and the music was loud like a bucket of cold water to the senses. "Shit, sorry," Gene said and hastily turned it down. He never drove alone without music. The quiet could be too distracting.

"What did you bring?" Gene asked and gestured with his index finger at the satchel as he trained his gaze on the road. Lower Harwood was a vague destination. There were several housing neighborhoods and businesses. He didn't know exactly what Adrian wanted to see. Maybe the diner since Gene mentioned that earlier? The food was good but not amazing, but you could leave and feel full and that kept Gene coming back. They left the nice houses behind, but it would take a few minutes to get to even a patch of roadway that wasn't perfectly maintained.

Gene ignored the pings his phone made--Terry? Maybe?--Gene had a lot to say to him and he wasn't mad like he thought he would be when Terry finally got in touch. Terry was dangerous but it was a danger you were aware of going in like smoking or driving fast. You couldn't say you didn't know the thing was probably bad for you when you started. Terry liked to bet money on anything and Gene liked spending money when he thought he could win some. And sometimes even when he didn't think winning was likely.

The most obvious part of being in Lower Harwood to Gene was the look of the buildings. How they wore their age and how if, a light from a neon sign were to go out, it could go months without being replaced. The quality of the cars driving alongside them diminished in strides. There were things on the road running on tuck tape and prayers. It made the Mustang more eye-catching in contrast. Gene patted the dashboard lovingly.

He drove closer to the speed limit than he had in weeks, figuring he needed to if Adrian wanted a good look at Lower Harwood. "What do you think?" Gene asked. It was hard for Gene to imagine seeing Harwood with fresh eyes since he lived there for so long.

Gene switched on his turn signal. He parked in a spot closest to the door of the Sunnyside Diner. "Will your parents freak out if you're not home right away?" Gene asked. His own mom and dad were probably angry he took off without a word. But his parents were always stony and annoyed about something he did so it wasn't anything new.

"After you," Gene said and held the door open for Adrian as well as a Rubenesque woman who passed him going out of the diner. She kept glancing back as if trying to check on something. She murmured about 'dogs not being allowed' in a whisper Gene didn't think he was supposed to hear before she left in an offended huff.

Dogs? It was a diner so Gene had no idea what she meant by that.

Location: Sunnyside Diner| | Mentions: Adrian S n o w ​

 

[izayoiix]

Rowan Woods​

It was all Rowan could do to not melt as the puppy, Leyla, tumbled across the table and into her lap. She forced herself not to feel embarrassed at the coo she let out as she scooped the little dog into her arms and cuddled her. Laughing softly as she felt the pup's tongue rasp against her cheek, Rowan immediately began to scratch her behind the ears. "Oh you're such a good girl, aren't you? Yes you are," she hummed, lowering the dog so she was standing on her legs.

Eyes bright, she smiled happily at Noah. "Nice to meet you." she repeated his introduction greeting and giggled as Leyla demanded her attention once more. She snorted at Sep's comment of their previous conversation. Yeah, cake and microwaves, that's all they were talking about. Wiggling her fingers in front of Leyla's face her smile could only widen as she began to nip at them. She doubted things could get much better, playing with puppies was one of life's greatest joys.

"Well congratulations on your newest addition Noah," she told him happily, scratching under Leyla's chin. Watching as the little dog seemed to calm a bit seeing as she'd properly met the girl she was sitting on, Rowan focused back in on the actual conversation, sending Septima a quick glance at her last words.

"Well, uh, I spent the morning helping my grandmother garden." she offered up to the conversation, gesturing to her dirt stained clothes and hands. "How about you?" she asked, somewhat repeating Sep's words. The other girl obviously knew what Rowan had been doing before she'd called her to the diner, but well. She figured Noah wanted to know. He did ask after all. When someone asked what you'd been up to you, you told them right? That's how she thought regular conversations went.

She shrugged inwardly. Oh well, if she looked awkward, at least she had a puppy. She could always claim distracted later.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. Life. ​

 

[Life.]

Noah Venz​

Noah's eyes flitted between Septima and Rowan as they spoke. His attention wanted to stay on Rowan, but the last thing he wanted to come across to Rowan was a creep. So they moved from one girl to the other as they answered his question. His smile simply continued to widen as he heard the congratulations from Rowan on Leyla, "Thank you." Noah wanted to add more to his statement but decided against it, feeling that he'd ruin the moment.

A small chuckle left his lips as he heard the unusual response of cakes and microwaves as their topic of discussion. "Cakes and microwaves? That's quite the discussion. But you are wrong to say that is it not important, Sept. Cakes are the foundation for happiness." It appeared that Rowan wanted to assure Noah that there was a lot more to their conversation besides the mundane things listed as she stated her previous situation. "That's always nice to help out in the garden. I myself happen to know a lot about gardening so if you ever need help don't hesitate to ask me for assistance," it was as he said these words that he realized that she had no way of contacting him. Stupid.

Noah cleared his throat then as he heard a question directed to him in relation to his morning activities. Honestly it was the last thing he wanted to think about but he didn't want to seem like a douche and not answer, plus it was about an hour since he was in Upper Harwood so he had settled much from it. His smile had turned into a neutral line as he thought about his answer, "Well I guess you could say that I was cleaning up after her." Noah looked over to Leyla as he said it, glad he was able to come up with a more cute response compared to his initial thought of hissing out his earlier encounter between the new guy and Curly.

For once Noah was actually enjoying the moment and the feeling of happiness that a smile on his face could bring. But it was short-lived as his eyes noted an eye-catching Mustang driving pass the front of the diner. The status of the car immediately screamed Upper Harwood. Right then Noah began to internally pray to some higher being above for the Mustang to either crash or it not being owned by Curly from earlier. The last thing he wanted to see was his horrendous face.

Location: Lower Harwood, Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. izayoiix Cross S n o w ​

 

[S n o w]

Adrian Donovan​

"Some of it has to do with what he said," Adrian admitted, looking out the window. "But since I'm living here now, I don't want to be clueless about half the town. I want to know what to expect now, rather than later." he glanced at the radio when Gene apologized, reading over the station flashing across the screen. "It's no big deal. I didn't really need my hearing anyway," he joked.

Adrian glanced in the rearview mirror as Gene drove, looking over the trash again. He'd already seen everything Upper Harwood had to offer. Well, not below the surface. But he'd seen enough of upper half of town on the drive in that looking at the houses now wouldn't tell him anything he didn't already know. His mom said once that all the perfectly trimmed lawns and fancy cars made the neighborhood look nice. And that was all he was going to get by looking out the window now. 'It looks nice.'

So, instead, he decided to paint a mental picture of Gene. His family wasn't friendly, but he was still willing to be friends. He liked cats, but never had one himself. He loved his car, but left trash all over the interior. It made him think of the color red. Light and dark red represented completely different emotions, but they were still both part of the color red.

"I don't know what I was expecting," Adrian said more to himself than Gene once they were in Lower Harwood. The cracked pavement, the paint faded or peeling off some of the buildings, they were all things that he was expecting from the 'poorer' side of town, but it still surprised him just how different the two sides were. It was only a few minutes, but Adrian felt like he was in a different town entirely. "It's.." he trailed off, unsure of how to describe what he was thinking. "It's dull yellow," he finally said, even though he knew Gene wouldn't know what he meant.

Adrian glanced at the state of the car next to them as Gene parked. "No." Truthfully, his parents would probably throw a party while he was gone, celebrating the fact that he made a friend so soon. He smiled at the thought. "Will yours?"

He grabbed his satchel and got out, and waited for Gene inside as he held the door. While he was doing that, Adrian carefully took his sketchpad out of the satchel. He hesitated before holding it out to Gene. It was hard for him to hand it over. Even though Gene would be seeing it a lot if they hung out more, it was as important to him as the Mustang was to Gene. "To answer your question from before, I brought my sketchpad. It helps me think," he said with a shrug, unable to explain himself better. “Be careful with it.”

The cover was covered in small, random doodles of shapes that were years old, from when he first got it. Each page after that had finished sketches of various landscapes filling the whole page, or full-body drawings of people in different poses.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: Cross ​

 

[boo.]

Septima Jonet​

Foundation for happiness - if only. Sep knew she could use a bit of that in her life. But she wasn't a cake person, and she believed that satisfaction and happy living cake from hard work. If she was ever going to carve a niche for herself in Lower Harwood, she would have to do it herself. She had her whole life in front of her, and despite her incredibly materialistic facade, Sep wanted a mentally fulfilling life.

Sep's two friends seemed to be clicking well. They even had some things in common, but it wasn't that Sep was invested them. It wasn't that she was intensely shipping them - that would be ridiculous. So she contented herself with looking around as the two chatted, her eyes following Noah's as a vehicle that was way too expensive to be in Lower Harwood drove down Lower Harwood. There were two boys inside, but she didn't recognize them. That was no wonder, as the two were obviously of a "higher class".

This whole Higher and Lower thing drove Sep to drink. She didn't understand it. There was absolutely no reason the two sides of Harwood ought to have been as separate as they were, but there it was. Prejudices ran as thick as blood and grudges were more common than familial bonds. It was a sad thing, to see the people of the same town separated by a wall they never needed, but Sep knew such a thing could never be dissolved, not without some higher intervention. But no one cared about the back alley crimescenes; everyone turned a blind eye to dark histories and violent norms.

But hey, that was just Harwood. It was rough, but it was home, after all. Sep watched the Mustang park in the diner's lot, her eyes turning back to Rowan and Noah with a sort of distant look and a microscopic sigh.

"So - I've been thinking." Sep surprised herself with her own words, and she sat up a bit. "I feel... Have either of you ever felt like you were missing something? Like, everything around you is moving like normal, but it's you, yourself, that's out of place?" She shook her head as if to clear the thoughts from her head, and she felt a heat in her face as she realized the tone of their conversation had turned.

"I sound like a fu... whatever." Sep scoffed at herself, but something was still weighing on her chest. "You guys been to the Dead Forest lately? It's, like, really nice there. I always thought it was creepy, but it's not so bad."

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: izayoiix Life. ​

 

[Cross]

Gene Reves​

Gene forgot he asked about Adrian's satchel. He took the sketchbook on reflex when it was offered to him. The waitress set them up with a table near the front but Gene barely paid attention. "Oh, shit," Gene said with a growing smile as he thumbed through the pages. How did Adrian draw landscapes and portraits that were this good when all Gene could manage were stick figures and dogs that looked like horses? Gene took his time examining the pages, staring long and hard at the ones he liked. He could see a progression of skill too. Starting from the simple drawings on the cover to the more complicated ones later. It had taken hundreds of hours of effort, probably, to come that far. This was the person Gene wanted to be friends with. Someone who poured his time so lovingly into his sketchbook.

Part of Gene wanted to disengage so he could entertain Adrian. That was usually his role when he hung out with people. The quiet sides of himself, he was sure were too boring for anyone to deal with for long.

"Could you draw something for me?" Gene asked, passing the sketchpad back to Adrian. He could tell being without it made Adrian antsy. "Like a pirate on a unicycle eating cake?" Gene grinned, his tone deceptively jovial but he would have loved a drawing of a pirate on a unicycle eating cake. It wasn't like Adrian didn't have the skill. Gene would have to find a way to bribe him. The waitress left menus for them but Gene already knew he was going to order chili fries and a soda.

Gene scowled suddenly, much of the warmth leaving his eyes. His fingers were tapping on the table. "It's that guy," Gene said and his tone betrayed a hint of the annoyance he tried to hide. For some reason, the dog was also with the shovel boy at the dinner. It really made Gene wonder if the brunette had any intelligence at all. There were also two girls talking with him. They had bad taste in the company they kept. It was a shame because otherwise, he thought the girls looked cool.

"Think he's going to threaten me with a shovel again?" Gene asked, flicking his warm brown eyes from the guy who wandered in his yard earlier to Adrian. Maybe they should eat somewhere else. But Gene didn't want to leave just because of that guy when he had been having a good time. "I hope he doesn't come over here," Gene said but was fully prepared to kick his ass if the guy blew up at them like he did earlier.

Location: Sunnyside Diner| | Mentions: S n o w Life. ​

 

[izayoiix]

Rowan Woods​

Rowan smiled at Noah's words, perking up a bit at his claimed knowledge of gardening. It was...nice, she thought. Not many claimed to be interested in gardening, so to find someone around her age that seemed interested and offering help if wanted was definitely nice. "Thanks," she told him. "Um, yeah," she stumbled, flushing lightly as she mixed up her words. "I'll definitely do that. Ask you, I mean." she finished.

She paused, realizing she didn't have his number, seeing as she'd never met him before today. She frowned, before quickly reaching for a clean napkin and snatching a pen out of the pocket of the waitress that passed by her again. She quickly scribbled her number on it before shoving it across the table so it was now in front of Noah. "Um, just text me later so I have your number." she mumbled, glancing back down at the content puppy in her lap.

Looking up a few seconds later, she followed Noah and Sep's gaze to the door as it chimed to see two new people enter the diner. She tilted her head slightly, wondering where they came from. She guessed they had to be from Upper Harwood, seeing as she hadn't seen them before, but with a glance at Noah, she wondered if they'd met before. He didn't seem too thrilled at the sight of the two guys.

At Sep's words, she focused back on her friend, absently running her fingers through Leyla's short fur. Her expression twisted into confusion as the other girl began to ask about the Dead Forest. "Well, I've felt like I've missed something before, but...not exactly like what you're describing." she told her, frowning slightly, wondering what brought these questions on. "And no...I haven't been in the Dead Forest lately. Why have you been there recently?" she asked, raising a brow at the other girl. As far as she knew, Sep shouldn't have had a reason to go into the forest. Unless she was just bored, then Rowan could see her friend going into the forest.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. Life. ​

 

[S n o w]

Adrian Donovan​

Even though it was his decision to give Gene his sketchbook, he couldn't help feeling a little nervous as he watched his new friend flip through the pages. The pages weren't delicate, made to withstand hours of erasing and redrawing the same outline over and over, but still. No one outside of his parents had ever touched it before. Adrian wasn't insecure about his art, but he was wary of people who didn't care about smudging corners or crinkling pages. He tapped his foot as Gene went past an old sketch of a beach he'd sketched from the internet and decided to take a look around the diner to distract himself.

It was a brighter color than what he thought of the rest of Lower Harwood, more orange than yellow. It might have been a little cramped, but the diner made him feel cozy in a way he couldn't explain. Homely? Down to earth? He wasn't sure what the right for the feeling was. He glanced at a long scratch on the table next to them, partially hidden under a napkin dispenser, but that only added to the homeliness instead of detracting from it. Adrian wondered if he would still feel this way about the diner after he lived in Upper Harwood for a while.

He was still mulling over this when Gene gave back the sketchbook. Adrian brushed his side of the table off being setting it down. He blinked at Gene's request, and it took a moment for him to process the random combination of things he wanted put together. Then he laughed. "I can," he said, opening the book to an empty page. "But I only take payment in tours around town." It was a Gene-specific form of payment.

Adrian dug his pencil case out of his satchel, but didn't even get to open it before Gene spoke again. There was only one person he could've been talking about. Shovel boy. He put the pencil case and sketchbook back in the bag. The cake eating pirate would have to wait until he was sure shovel boy didn't pose a threat to his book. "Doesn't seem like he has one," Adrian said, sneaking glances at him while he pretended to look at the menu. "But he has plenty of forks and knives," he joked.

"He won't come over here," Adrian said firmly, his tone more serious. "Doubt he wants to make a scene in front of his friends. If we don't bother him, he'll ignore us." Unless, of course, shovel boy didn't follow any logical line of reasoning. He thought back on their earlier encounter, and tried to believe what he told Gene was true.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: Cross Life. ​

 

[Life.]

Noah Venz​

Noah noticed that Sept saw the same vehicle he spotted as well. But his eyes soon returned to Rowan when he heard her speak. What Noah didn't anticipate was the sudden appearance of her number in front of him written on a flimsy, diner napkin. A smile popped up onto his lips, it was impossible for him to contain his happiness. "I'll be sure to text you." Although it was short lived as his eyes wandered over to the sound of the diner door opening to see his favorite faces of Upper Harwood.

Noah noticed as they were seated and talking between themselves. He wondered if they had seen him yet, but before he could continue to watch them Sept asked them a question. It was a distraction that somewhat worked on Noah as he listened in first to her question that turned rhetorical as she dismissed it. Sept followed it up with another question about the Dead Forest. Already with the ominous name it creeped Noah out. But he also didn't like that area since the leyline there was weak. As much as he has dreaded having the ability to see leylines at time, they provided him with comfort. So for a certain place to have a weak branch worried him and left him uncomfortable.

Rowan answered first, even to the question Sept dismissed. As she was answering Sept, Noah stole a glance over to Curly and the new boy. He noticed the new boy trying to be subtle by using the menu as a cover, but Noah could tell he must have looked over here at some point from the movement of his head moving away. Plus the diner was not that big to have them far apart. Noah shook his head softly, turning back to the gals in front of him. He wasn't going to let the Upper Harwoodians get to him. After all they were all here to sit and relax right?

"Dead Forest. I don't know much about the place besides the common knowledge everyone has of it, but I haven't been there recently. That place gives me the chills. It's a stark contrast compared to Firefly Forest. But both do intrigue me. But have you been there recently? From your question it sounds like you have. Anything weird happen?"

Location: Sunnyside Diner Lower Harwood | | Mentions: boo. izayoiix S n o w Cross ​

 

[boo.]

Septima Jonet​

"Uh-" It was as if Sep hadn't been expecting her compadres to respond. And now here she was, faced with some intimidating questions and an overall unsatisfactory conversation. She couldn't just not say anything; that would be rude. And yet she felt like remaining silent about the whole ordeal was the best way to go. If she was to respond, what would she say? She had no idea what the Dead Forest had to do with anything. Would it be worth mentioning that she wandered in there almost every night now, boots scuffing the roots hidden beneath fallen leaves and something rising in her throat like anxiety? The air in there was suffocating, and yet she could barely bring herself to leave every time. There was something there, something hidden under the earth that recharged her like an battery. And yet it was never enough. She left frustrated and confused, the fogginess in her mind holding its ground and preventing her from seeing what she imagined would be the whole picture.

"I mean... is it weird to feel a connection to a place?" Sep tried to turn the question around, a kind of uncomfortableness settling in her stomach. "I guess its just a way I like to destress." Alright, that was a lie. She had to go there, whether she wanted to or not. It wasn't a choice anymore; in fact, it was more of a requirement.

"I'm sure you both have places you like to hide from the world. Like, just get away from the eyes of everyone and do what you need to do to... I dunno. Just feel... real?" Sep half-chuckled at her own statements, her smile covering up the magnet in her soul that was constantly tugging her away. She reached across the table to bury her fingers in Leyla's fur, brushing out miniscule knots and smoothing out the imaginary awkwardness she could practically see in the air.

"So, um... Maybe I have to go now." Talking about that damn forest had made her craving a bit too strong to handle. Sep's lips pursed, and her foot tapped beneath the table. "Though it's been nice. Really nice. We should really do this again sometime. Don't forget to bring the dog, too."

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: izayoiix Life. ​

 

[Cross]

Gene Reves​

The waitress delivered Gene's chili cheese fries and it looked as good as always. The cheese melted on top of a mountain of meat and potatoes. For a second, it seemed like Adrian would draw his commission then and there but the moment passed and Gene placed the blame on Shovel Boy, ruiner of things, once again. Gene picked up a fry and accidentally spilled bits of chili on the table and floor. The dish had clotted, becoming fused in places, which made it hard to grab an individual fry without causing a mess. The amount he got into his mouth though, was good. Salt and grease and gooey cheese deliciousness.

Leyla sprang away from Shovel Boy's table. She power walked to where Gene and Adrian sat with her tail straight up in the air. The dog dove right between Gene's expensive red shoes and started cleaning the floor with her tongue. She liked the chili cheese fries too. Gene lifted his leg and spread it across his thigh. Leyla smushed her little nose against the bottom of the table.

Gene scooted backward. He flicked his attention to Adrian, trying to shove all the bewilderment he was feeling into a single glance. Had Gene accidentally lured Layla over to their table? He grabbed a fry and tossed away from them, his genius plan to get her to leave, but she didn't even notice the flying french fry. She kept licking the same spot on the floor even after she devoured all the food.

"Okay, hi dog," Gene said, he angled himself so he could grab Layla by her sides and lift her up into his lap. She sniffed at and then licked his fingers while he was holding her.

Gene gripped Layla squarely, holding her against him as she squirmed to get at his chili cheese fries. He looked over at the Shovel Boy. Someone royally sucked at keeping track of their dog. It didn't escape him that he would have to have the same conversation with him just repackaged. But he had to give Layla back to him. It was hard, sometimes, being a fucking adult.

Gene stood up and turned toward Adrian. "I'm going to give him his dog," he said. "Back me up?" Gene asked. They'd only just met but if he was going to have a partner in crime or animal welfare, it was Adrian.

Gene walked over to Shovel Boy and his friends. He looked at Shovel Boy, expression far removed from a smile. "Hey, I found your dog. Again." Shovel Boy really needed to invest in a leash. Gene held her out to him and tried not to soften inside at how cute she was in front of Shovel Boy.

Location: Sunnyside Diner| | Mentions S n o w Life. boo. izayoiix ​

 

[izayoiix]

Rowan Woods​

Rowan frowned slightly, tilting her head so she could rest it on her hand, her elbow pressing into the table as she watched Sep...ramble. The other girl had claimed to be okay, but based on the way she was acting now, she didn't really seem that way. "Well, yeah I'm sure we've all felt that way about a place before." she responded. "I know I have a space or two like that." she added as an afterthought. She watched as Sep began to stand, and Rowan hesitated, before reaching out and catching her wrist before she could go.

"Are you sure-" she began softly, not wanting to upset the other girl any further, only to get caught off as Leyla suddenly sprang to life. Blinking in surprise as the formerly dozing dog jumped to her paws and basically tumbled off of her lap, her grip on Sep's wrist loosened and fell away immediately as her attention was dragged towards to puppy she'd just been petting. "L-leyla...?" she mumbled in a confused tone. What exactly had caught the dog's attention so thoroughly?

Rowan's body had tensed and made to reach for the dog as she tumbled off her lap but was delayed by her thoughts. In her confusion, Leyla had already managed to make her way over to two other boys sitting at a table on the other side of the diner. She frowned, weren't they the two that Noah had been eyeing as they came in? She sighed, and made to go for the small puppy, when the curly-haired boy stood and scooped her up before marching over to their table.

At his abrupt words, the raven-haired girl frowned, wondering how exactly the two boys had met before. "Oh Leyla..." she murmured, glancing behind the newcomer to the boy left behind at the table, catching sight of the thrown french fry and sighed. If the owner hadn't noticed something was going in her diner before, she certainly would now. Hopefully she wouldn't kick the group out.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. Life. Cross S n o w ​

 

[S n o w]

Adrian Donovan​

"Thank you," Adrian said to the waitress as a plate was put in front of him.

She seemed surprised he said anything at all, and he added it to his mental list of how Lower Harwood saw people like him. Like Gene. Adrian mulled over what would have happened if they were in a diner in the Upper half of town. Would she react the same if he was from the Lower half? Or would she stare at him like he didn't belong, the same way shovel boy had stood out among the pristine lawns of his new neighborhood? It was something he'd want to test one day, but who would be willing to put themselves through that just to satiate his curiosity? He shook his head, refocusing on his meal.

He'd ordered a chicken-fried steak, with a generous spoonful of mashed potatoes and carrots on the side. Adrian tore off a piece of the steak with a fork and took a bite, but couldn't taste much beyond the gravy it was drenched in. Still, it wasn't bad. He looked over Gene's meal. It looked like someone had dumped a bucket of red, yellow and white paint onto a plate, mixed it together and added fries. He thought that there was a good chance that the mess in front of him would grow legs and walk away, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Do you always order-" He stopped, distracted by the dog that came over and started cleaning the floor with her tongue.

He glanced at Gene, then the waitress when he tossed a fry onto the floor, but luckily her back was turned. When he looked at the dog again, she was in Gene's arms, and he wanted backup. Though since Gene left without waiting for an answer, it didn't seem like much of a question. Adrian glanced over at shovel boy's table, closed his eyes for a moment at the inevitable confrontation, and stood up. He wouldn't be much of a friend if he abandoned Gene to his fate.

Adrian stopped next to Gene, studying the two with shovel boy. His eyes went to the shortest one first, the one who seemed like she was about to leave. She seemed anxious about something, but he needed more information before he could make any guesses about what. He looked at the other girl. Dirt under her nails, remnants of what looked like dessert on the table. Did she work in other people's backyards like shovel boy? And what were they doing with him?

"I'm Adrian," he said to the two girls, then gestured to his friend. "That's Gene."

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: Cross Life. izayoiix boo. ​

 

[Life.]

Noah Venz​

Noah's eyes moved away from Sept's face as he deeply thought about her words. Connection. It was all Noah ever felt each time he looked down at the leylines. Subconsciously his eyes wandered over to the nearest leylines that he could detect. The soft glow they emitted provided a sense of warmth and security Noah established long ago. At a young age as well was when Noah learned that no else saw them, at least from anyone he knew. So in a way it was his secret. A beautiful secret that some part of him wished he could share with others but for the most part was relieved to have it to himself.

Sept continued on but looking over to the girl, Noah was sensing that she was growing somewhat unsettled. He wasn't the best at reading people but at times his instincts were right. "Yeah...I get what you mean Sept. And Rowan's right. More than likely we've all felt like that." Becoming engrossed into a thought-provoking conversation had calmed Noah down so much that he jumped slightly when Leyla had moved. He had forgotten about the pup at the table. It also looked as though Sept was trying to take her leave, with Rowan trying to stop her. But that was also when jumped away from Rowan's hold.

"Shit," Noah muttered as he watched the pup quickly make her way over to the two figures that Noah was trying to forget about. His eyes looked away for a moment to survey the restaurant in search of any angry employees or owners making their way over to the commotion. Fortunately it wasn't turning into a loud one since Curly was quick to pick Leyla up.

But it was Curly who picked up the dog, so at this point Noah knew that avoidance of the boys was impossible. With a sigh Noah sunk back into his seat as he waited for him to approach their table with Leyla. "What a troublesome pup," he mumbled, despite it all he couldn't help but appreciate having Leyla. She seemed to be bringing opportunities of social interaction for Noah.

With a neutral expression Noah looked up to Curly, "Well at least one of us likes you." His eyes then looked down to Leyla who was panting with a smile which caused Noah to smile back. "You bad girl," he chuckled as he retrieved the pup from Curly's grasp.

Noah then returned his attention back up to the two boys as the new boy finally introduced himself and Curly. Although upon hearing Curly's name, Noah coughed out a small laugh, "Jean? Like the pants jean? What happened your parents were too lazy to think of a name? Did they look over to the nearest object and name you that?"
He cleared his throat once he finished his remark somewhat regretting it. It was uncalled for, but Curly somehow easily rubbed him the wrong way. Noah normally wouldn't hold such a front to anyone. Even Adrian wasn't affecting him as much. "Anyway, my name is Noah and this is Leyla," he lifted one of Leyla's paw as he said her name, and continued on with the introductions, "And this is Rowan and Septima." Noah had lifted his hand to each girl respectively as he stated their names.

Location: Lower Harwood, Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. izayoiix S n o w Cross ​

 

[Cross]

Gene Reves​

There was something about someone who clearly loved dogs that made Gene think Noah had admirable qualities buried deep, deep down inside him. Layla was perfect and precious and good and Gene was glad she was back where she belonged, even if that was with a short-tempered redneck.

Noah immediately insulted him again but it sounded like something a waspy fourth grader would say. There was no sting. Gene had been roasted worse by his own grandmother. “Yeah, okay. How is Noah any better? Like, where’s the arc? Humanity would be screwed if you were the only one to survive the watery apocalypse," he said.

Gene expected venom but...they were just exchanging lame insults. What set Noah off earlier though? Did he really hate being scolded by strangers? By people who lived in Upper Harwood? Maybe he had self-image issues because of where he lived but Gene had no responsibility for that.

“Hey, what’s up?” Gene said, and his gaze traveled to Rowan and Septima. So, Noah had friends with names like that but Gene was unusual to him?

Gene probably owed Adrian for being so cool and coming at the situation in a polite, chill way. He found himself impressed by that level-headedness. What a cool friend he made today. Adrian deserved something special like a dream gift. Like paint that changed color with temperature or glowed in the dark or a sketchbook that was indestructible and water resistant or pencils that always drew in straight lines. . . Gene folded up his train of thought and put it away to take out again later when he was home.

“So, you think she likes me?” Gene was extremely flattered, peering at Layla’s bright eyes. “She better. I gave her my fries.”

Location: Sunnyside Diner| | Mentions: Life. S n o w izayoiix boo. ​

 

[boo.]

Septima Jonet​

Sep's eyes sparked in an almost dangerous light as Rowan grabbed her hand. She would have ripped away; in fact she was about to, but the girl was distracted by Leyla. The beginnings of a snarl which had begun to form on her lips faded away, and her face grew stony. While both Rowan's and Noah's words had been comforting on the surface, it brought Sep no relief.

There was an itch beneath her skin, and she couldn't quite reach it. She sat still as Noah introduced her and Rowan to some boys, whose origin she could only guess. Why had they come up again? The dog? It didn't matter. Sep tucked the arm Rowan had tugged on around herself and chewed on a lip, eyes roving around the diner.

It was time to leave. Scooting past Noah and Leyla, Sep got to her feet and brushed past Gene and Adrian. Her teeth ground, and her fists were clenched as if in frustration. Pushing the door open, she stalked quickly out and down the street, casting a sideways glance at the others still inside.

Sep didn't notice it, and it certainly didn't seem like anyone else did, but something was happening. As she walked, the tips of her fingers were growing translucent, and the edges of her hair were getting thinner, almost see-through. It was such a small thing, so indescribably insignificant that Sep felt nothing. And yet her essence was thinning out and becoming drained of that which kept her alive.

For some strange reason, Sep's reliance on the ley-lines was limited to one place. Perhaps it was an emotional connection. But whatever it was, it had continued to draw her there ever since... Well, she couldn't remember, but it was unavoidable.

As Sep's feet eventually found the crackling of twigs and leaves underfoot, marking her presence at the Dead Forest. She couldn't recall how long it had taken her to walk; all she knew was that she instantly felt better. If she had been able to see the ley-lines underfoot, she would have witnessed the pale glowing lines gathering to her, changing direction to feed her hunger for life.

In fact, Sep's need for the ley-lines was so strong that she had begun to inadvertently redirect the ley-lines in the vicinity.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: izayoiix Life. S n o w Cross ​

 

[izayoiix]

Rowan Woods​

Rowan tore her gaze away from Leyla and looked at Septima and frowned slightly before focusing back on the two boys that had approached their table. She nodded her head slowly at their introductions and Noah's introduction to her. At the sound of her name, she waved awkwardly, fidgeting slightly in her seat. While she was comfortable with small gatherings, not knowing more than one person in a conversation was a bit much for her.

At the lame insults being tossed back and forth between....Gene? she thought, then nodded to herself. Gene and Noah, she almost snorted, a hand coming up to cover her mouth and hide her automatic smile at hearing something so silly. And all because Leyla was hungry. She glanced at the wiggling pup who was back in Noah's arms and her smile turned a bit softer.

"I think she was just hungry," she responded absentmindedly to Gene's statement, bringing her arms back up to lay on the table so she could rest her head, now that she no longer held a sleeping dog on her lap. She froze a moment later as she realized what she had just done and flushed slightly, eyes a tad wider than normal. She really wasn't used to large social gatherings. Her eyes flicked over to the newest addition to their group as she tried to force herself to calm down. "U-uh..." she stuttered, her voice rising slightly in pitch as she became unsure of what to say next.

Thankfully Rowan was saved as Septima suddenly stormed past the boys and left the dinner. She didn't understand what exactly was going through Sep's head and it was making her worried. Not that she thought the other girl was in trouble, but....Rowan wasn't sure, just that something was bothering her.

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: boo. Life. Cross S n o w ​

 

[S n o w]

Adrian Donovan​

Adrian wasn't surprised that Shovel Boy started the conversation with an insult. Gene decided to do the nice thing and return Leyla, and his reward was having his name insulted. He felt a twinge of dark red at that, but it was still better than earlier. Adrian might've joked with Gene about Shovel Boy still having weapons to use against them, but the last thing he wanted to do was get in a fight.

While they exchanged insults, Adrian thought about why Noah seemed to dislike Gene so much. It was hard not to notice, since he was standing next to Gene but being completely ignored by Shovel Boy. Was it because he was new? Because Gene was raised in Upper Harwood while he wasn't? In a way, it made sense. But in another, it didn't. Didn't Shovel Boy say earlier that he hated everyone from Upper Harwood, just because they were from the Upper part of town, regardless of if they deserved it or not? It was like he found a missing piece of a puzzle, only to realize it didn't fit. Gene and Shovel Boy-Noah both contradictory in their own ways. It was making his head hurt.

"Nice to meet you." Adrian gave Rowan a small wave once Noah introduced them.

The interaction was abruptly broken by Septima storming off, and he blinked at her back as she hurried out of the diner. She reminded him of the color gray, with bits of dark yellow mixed it. Disinterested in what was going on around her, but somehow nervous? On edge? He couldn't put his finger on it, but it made him want to paint. Adrian didn't hear the waitress coming towards them until she spoke, slipping a small tip from another customer in her pocket.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave." Mary shot an apologetic look at Rowan and Noah. "Come back tomorrow. And if you're going to bring the dog, at least keep it out of sight of the other customers." Her expression wasn't so warm when she looked at Adrian and Gene. "You two can't just block the aisle like this. If you want to talk, do it outside. And if you're going to make a mess, don't bother coming back."

Location: Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: Cross Life. izayoiix boo. ​

 

[Life.]

Noah Venz​

Even though Noah was expecting a retort back from Curly, he couldn't help but snort once he heard his response, "Wow very original. Not like I've heard that one a bunch times before. Are you always this cunningly quick?" To even add more emphasis on his sarcasm, Noah even rolled his eyes slightly as he did so appearing more like an immature middle-schooler rather than a mature teenager. It was just something about Curly that bothered him. Was it the image of cockiness he felt from the boy? Perhaps he was threatened by his status and power? Whatever the reason, Noah couldn't help but feel annoyance around him. Which was peculiar considering he did not feel such annoyance from the boy standing next to him, Adrian. Rather he felt calm around him.

Then Gene began talking about Leyla, the currently wriggling puppy in Noah's hands. Upon seeing the puppy's wagging tail to Gene's words, Noah couldn't help but sigh and grant her a small smile. Considering that animals were a great judge of character, Leyla seemed to really like Gene so perhaps...no. Noah was not going to think any further of it. His eyes then shifted up once he felt the wind of Sept's movement disturb the air around them. The dark-haired girl was quick to flee, leaving everyone there mystified on why she did so. Worried about Sept, and thinking back to the odd questions she asked earlier, Noah looked over to Rowan, "Maybe we should go follow her." Then right as soon as he said that Mary, one of the waitresses at Sunnyside, approached them.

Upon hearing her strict but kind words, Noah widened his lips to show an apologetic smile, "Sorry Mary. This won't happen again. I just needed to find a quick resting place for this wonderful pup and me before I took her to her new home." Quickly Noah stood up from where he sat, all the while holding Leyla and trying not to make any contact with Adrian and Gene. "Thank you for your generosity Mary," Noah shot a sweet smile over to the waitress before making his way out of the diner.

His eyes looked back behind him to wait for Rowan once she exited the building. But a sudden shiver itched down his spine as his eyes immediately looked over to the ley-lines around him. Something was happening. Something not usual. All thoughts and emotions of the recent confrontation disappeared as his attention shifted over to the ley-lines below him. While the signals he received from the ley-lines were vague he could tell from their patterns that the anomaly was occurring somewhere in the direction of the Dead Forest. It must have been some coincidence that Sept was talking about the Dead Forest not too long ago to something happening to it. As soon as Rowan came out Noah would immediately ask her to follow after him. Despite just meeting her, Noah felt as though they might find Sept on the way towards the anomaly. "Rowan let's go find Sept."

Location: Lower Harwood, Sunnyside Diner | | Mentions: @Handaboo izayoiix S n o w Cross ​

 

[Cross]

View attachment 416526

Gene Reves​

Gene pushed out of the door behind Noah and Rowan. The twenty dollar tip he discarded on his and Adrian's table would hopefully soothe some of that waitresses' wrath. Gene ate here every other week. He didn't want to get banned. He shoved his hands into his pockets, slouching in front of his jet-black mustang. Gene kicked his tennis shoe into the tire, bumblebee yellow against the onyx. He flicked his gaze upward. Where were Noah and Rowan going? He watched them get further away.

The girl from the dinner--Seph?--had fled toward the Dead Forest. Gene arched his feet to peer in the direction of the trees. A breeze crawled down his arms and he rubbed them but the unease lingered.

"What are they doing?" Gene's scowled twitched. Noah in that forest? Bull in a china shop. He spun around toward Adrian. Gene gestured at Noah and Rowan's retreating figures. "I'm going to go after them." Dragging Adrian to a haunted forest graveyard would probably chip at Adrian's patience, but Gene needed to check and make sure dipshit didn't wreck anything.

Gene's dreams moved and lived and breathed, Adrian wasn't going to exactly understand. And Gene's tongue was tied on the subject. He popped open the door of his Mustang and waited for Adrian to do the same on the passenger side. Gene twisted the keys in the ignition. It was a quick drive to the entrance of the Dead Forest.
From a distance, the leaves flashed emerald-black. The trees grew slumped and bent and twisted. It was the place the teenagers brutally died in the horror movie. Gene pulled the car into a patch of grass near the side of the road.

"They keep trying to make this a cemetery but the trees don't like that," Gene said. He shoved the car door open and got out. "It's definitely haunted." Gene's tone was flooded with certainty. It was haunted. Period. Since he could dream anything into existence, the concept of life after death seemed reasonable enough to Gene.

"Let's just look around for a little bit," Gene said. He needed to explain why he wanted to comb through the Dead Forest but he blanked. The widest trail into the forest lay in front of him. Gene began walking down a hill. The moment the woods surrounded him, Gene sensed someone standing behind him but, when he checked, no one was there.

Location: Dead Forest| | Mentions: S n o w , Life. ​

 

[S n o w]

Adrian Donovan​

It was Adrian's first time at Sunnyside and he was already being kicked out of it. He felt somewhere between bright pink and yellow as he followed the others out. Embarrassed, but amused at the same time. All of this because of Leyla. He stopped in the doorway, looking back as the waitress cleaned their tables. "Sorry about the mess," he said before joining Gene outside. It wasn't in him to leave without saying anything, even if Noah had already apologized.

The only other place to regularly kick him out was his old library, but even that was different. The librarian was always nice about it, while Mary was only nice to Noah and Rowan. She was less patient with Gene and him. It didn't seem to make a difference that Gene had been there before. Adrian tapped his fingers against his sketchbook. He wanted to think more one the divisions between upper and lower Harwood in front of an easel with a brush in his hand. He glanced up when Gene spoke, following his gesture to Noah and Rowan. Adrian barely had time to wonder if he'd missed something Gene said before his friend was in the car, planning to follow them.

Adrian tapped the hood for a second, shaking his head. It was hard to say no when Gene was his ride. But, admittedly, he was curious about this 'Dead Forest' they kept talking about. He got in the car and crossed his arms. "What was going on with Septima?" He thought aloud. Gene deciding to follow them right after he and Noah finished insulting each other was another contradiction to add to his mental pile, but he could think more on that later.

She didn't say anything to them, did she? And hadn't Rowan been holding her hand right before she left? It didn't seem normal for her to be acting like that, even for her friends. Adrian sighed. He was out of his depth. He didn't know anything about any of them, but he was still trying to figure them out.

He wasn't sure if he believed in ghosts, but Gene sounded so sure that they were real that he decided to keep this to himself. 'Look around'? Adrian blinked at his friend. "What are we here to look for?" He thought that they were following Noah and Rowan and maybe even finding Septima, but that didn't seem to be the case. He glanced up at the trees while he waited for an answer. He could see why it was called Dead Forest. The way the trees stretched above them made everything seem dark, and he could see old flowers on top of old, broken headstones. It made him think of the color black.

Location: Dead Forest | | Mentions: Cross Life. izayoiix boo. ​