โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, closed for @thickskcll / eloisa.
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, isa's place, the morning after the brawl.
๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, worrying about her stupid best friend who stupidly jumped to her defense last night and stupidly ended up in jail. why was she so stupid !? rhea could hardly talk. she's never been the sharpest tool in the shed, but directly involving herself in a reaper v diablo showdown? her dumbest move to date. still no word from isa. the guilt sinks to the pit of her stomach, and it hurts much more than the busted lip throbbing on her face โ the reason isa was stuck in a cell in the first place, probably with a bunch of weirdos and some sweaty guy doing push ups in the corner. totally not speaking from experience.
๐ฑ โ ๏ผ1 new message.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, and she nearly drops it as she scrambles to open the notification. it's her. fast forward ten minutes, and she's outside isa's apartment, banging hard enough to wake the whole of straton. " open up, you idiot ! " the banging continues, relentless. when the door finally swings open, rhea's halfway through a breathless insult before she sees isa standing there โ tired and bruised, but alive. without thinking, she throws her arms around isa's smaller frame, squeezing so tight she might suffocate. she escaped the diablos, but not rhea's deathly embrace. " i hate you. " she mumbles into her shoulder, voice shaky. it means 'i love you' really. just as quickly, she's shoving isa back, landing a hit to her arm. " what the hell were you thinking !? "
๐ฑ txt msg to isa ๐ป / @thickskcll.
rhea: ur so stupid!!!!!
rhea: are u ok ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
rhea: why am i texting u ur in jail
rhea: UGH THIS IS ALL MY FAULT
rhea: text me as soon as ur out!!!!!!
rhea: are u out yet??????
rhea: hellooooooo
rhea: i hate u
rhea: but i love u sm
rhea: +15 more messages
STARTER: open โ capping at ( 05 / 06 )
WHERE AND WHEN: deseo, around 8pm or so.
. . . . . โฐโโโฎ the music is loud, the air thick with smoke and laughter, the kind of night that promises trouble before it even really begins. deseo is packed, the bar drowning in orders, and jett is in his element โ moving fast, pouring drinks, trading easy grins with familiar faces.
he leans against the counter, forearms resting on the polished wood, and looks at the person across from him. his smile is lazy, teasing, the kind that makes it seem like heโs got all the time in the world when, really, he doesnโt.
โ โ so, whatโs it gonna be tonight? โ he asks, tapping his fingers against the bar top. โ โ something strong? something smooth? or are we feeling reckless? โ
" ๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐. " it'd become a break - time tradition, meeting jett at the bar for a mid - shift shot. or two. " last time you got me in trouble with kendra, y' lil devil โ i'm surprised i still have a job after i threw up in that poor guy's lap. don't think that's what he had in mind when he came lookin' for a lap dance. " she shakes her head, but can't help the laugh that escapes pursed lips. " what in tarnation did you put in that damn drink anyways!? "
๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ โ marching kids around like she owns the place. he remembers when she was just a twenty - something newbie herself. reaper's girl. out of towner. he'd seen her back then, too โ fresh face wearing a biker jacket she hadn't earned yet, playing the doting girlfriend to a man who'd made real enemies in his time. did she know? " nah, " breathes out between a humorless laugh and puff of smoke, barely glancing her way as he flicks the ash to the floor. " if i wanted you gone, you'd be gone. " the words roll off his tongue like he's said them a million times before. like he's acted on them a million times before. but he's just having fun, really. yanking her chain. he'd never hurt a woman. wouldn't need to. they're much smarter than that. husbands, on the other hand...
brow raises as she struts in his direction, eyes laced with amusement as they finally reach hers; glazed over, drunk. much like his own. ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ โ not because of some reminder of past actions that meant nothing to him, but because there was something irritably entertaining about watching her stumble around, keeping a peace he never agreed to. " better keep those prospects on a tight leash. " flicks his cigarette to the curb, grinding it out beneath his boot as he backs off the wall, inching toward her. " wouldn't wanna go breaking that peace treaty, would we? " an easy jab, one that didn't require much force. a shared history did the heavy lifting for him โ years of bad blood, the kind that doesnโt disappear just because a couple of presidents shook hands two decades ago. " then again... " a lopsided smirk toys at his lips as the space closes between them. " not like you've got much to lose these days. "
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, closed for @ridcersa / katerina.
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, hell's bar.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ โ laughter, music, the heavy scent of beer and smoke thick in the air. the kind of night he'd lived a thousand times over, the kind he would usually lose himself in without a second thought. and yet, even with a near empty bottle in his grip and the feeling of family by his side, he felt hollow. like something was missing. or someone. he didn't let himself dwell on it, never did. just drank more, laughed when expected, allowed the chaos of the night to swallow him whole. but even as he held his weight up against the bar, hazy from the liquor, he could feel it โ her absence. it ate at his chest, nothing to feed on but a raging fire that had been burning since he was a child. one that only katerina could control โ funny that his wife turned out to be a firefighter. like it was meant to be.
thought he was seeing things when he spotted her through the crowd. maybe the alcohol was playing tricks on ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, maybe he'd drunk himself into wishful thinking. but no, it was her. his wife. a beauty so unmistakable. what was she doing here? she never came to these things โ not willingly. a homebody, she called herself. he didn't mind. quite liked it, actually. she was always there waiting for him when he got home after a hard day, an escape from reality... โ ouch! hit a nerve. it hurt him, thinking of the way they used to be. he knew her once. every part of her. she was a language he could speak in his sleep. and now his tongue feels tied.
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ from across the room, breath catching in his throat. the silence between them hums louder than the music. he should go to her. he should run to her, take her in his arms like he did on their wedding night. but for the first time in his life, he hesitates. she looks different. or maybe she doesn't. maybe it's the space between them stretching so wide that he can't see her clearly anymore. grip tightens around the bottle, knuckles white, breath slow. he has fought wars for men he calls brothers, bled for them โ but facing her now feels like the hardest battle of all. and yet, he moves. picks up his feet before fear roots him in place.
๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. close enough to catch the scent of her, like a high all on its own. he doesn't know what to say. has spent so long not talking to her, he doesn't know if he has the right. " mi querida... " words are soft, familiar. almost reaches for her cheek, one he so desperately wants to caress. but something is holding him back. the fear of letting her in, the fear of being seen, the fear that underneath his anger only lies hurt. instead his fingers clench the bottle of whiskey that had taken her place tonight, one he knows he shouldn't be holding in front of her. " what are you doing here? "
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, closed for @thickskcll / eloisa.
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, deseo.
" what're you doing over here on your ๐๐๐' ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, missy ? " probably trying to enjoy her food in peace, but there's no such thing where rhea's concerned. she scooches in to isa's booth, opting to squeeze directly next to her rather than the much more sensible option of the chair opposite โ practically sitting on her lap, body glitter rubbing off on isa's signature leather jacket. " this party is wild ! look at the tips i've made already... " hands dig in to her sequined bum bag, throwing a handful of loose dollar bills in the air, the scrunched up notes falling not so gracefully around them. " best believe i danced my ass off for this. n' mr. drool all over his dusty grey beard over there couldn't keep his hands to himse โ " eyes widen, stopping herself before isa could hear the rest. kendra would kill her if she bought more trouble to the club, and isa โ bless her heart โ doesn't play when it comes to rhea. that guy could be drooling blood any minute now. " anyways... help me clean this up. " she's on her hands and knees now, picking up her hard earned cash from the floor.
โฑ ( keke palmer. cis woman. she/her. twenty - eight. ) in texas, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ is more commonly known as ๐๐๐๐๐. they've been living in stratford for her whole life and is currently a dancer at deseo. some say they are dramatic & restless, but i'm more inclined to believe those that say they're bubbly & charismatic. if you walk by their house, you can sometimes hear sad girlz luv money by amaarae & kali uchis playing from their window. ( a sweet southern drawl, smooth as honey & twice as thick, calling everybody 'sugar' like it's a promise and a distraction all at once โ neon lights flickering in a haze of cigarette smoke & sweet perfume โ getting lost in an applause that never feels loud enough ).
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ...
she's always been here. this small town, a place that reeks of gasoline, cheap beer and broken dreams. she grew up in a quiet house โ not because it was peaceful, but because no one was ever home. her parents were working class. good, honest people, but too busy to notice the little girl glued to the tv screen, running from reality, dreaming of a life much bigger than this one. she had an older brother to keep her company for a while, but he left the first chance he got, only proving what she already knew; she had to get outta here.
high school rolled around, and she was the kind of girl that never blended into the background โ popular, made for the spotlight, even if the only stage she ever found was the auditorium, she made it work. starred in every production, and made sure everybody knew it, too. she lived for the applause, the eyes that followed her when she walked into the room. and for a while, it was enough.
but high school ends, and the world moves on. she was supposed to move on, too โ she was going to be somebody. even danced her way into college. but dreams don't pay the rent, and somewhere along the way, she got lost in dollar bills, neon lights and biker attention; the years slipped through her fingers and she got comfortable. one bad decision turned into another, and before she knew it, she was still here, still dancing at deseo, still yapping on about how she was supposed to make it big.
โฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ...
she calls everybody sugar, honey, or darlin' & in a strong southern accent, which is where her stage name comes from.
reapplies lipgloss when she's nervous. glossy lips, perfect smile as the distraction.
watches old hollywood movies on a busted vhs player, reminiscent of her childhood.
clueless about bikes, but loves her little convertible, blasting music with the top down, screaming at the top of her lungs in the desert.
knows everybody's business, and doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut.
talks with her hands, big and dramatic.
smells like shea butter and weed. swears she'll give up, but never does.
roomie ... ( open to any gender ) rhea is v loud and messy so do with that what you will shjfjhs, but also v openly loving, e.g leaving notes for y/m to read while they're in the shower, making them soup when they're sick, etcetc.
toxic situationship ... ( open to any gender, must be part of either gang ) its messy, it's passionate, it's bad decisions wrapped in leather and late night rendevouz. gimme y/m getting jealous when she's stripping, rhea getting jealous when they gets other girls to dance for them, even though neither of them have the right bc they're not together. loud arguments, fighting n making up. we can plot out details!!!
high school sweetheart ... ( open to any gender ) still figuring this one out, but mayb we could plot it together!!! they wouldn't be together rn, but give me rhea's first heartbreak!!
people from high school ... ( open to any gender ) she's one of those popular girls that peaked in high school, swore she was going to make it big, but low and behold sjfhjksjh... they could've been friends, they could still be friends, they could've grown apart, there could be jealousy from rhea's side bc they did something with their life whereas rhea......didn't, rhea could've made y/m's high school experience hell ( unknowingly, she's not cruel, but she's v self centered ), they could've dated in high school and are now such close friends they're like what were we even thinking???? the possibilities are endless :-)
deseo regulars ... ( open to any gender ) self explanatory hehe. we could expand on the dynamic, like mayb y/m pays rhea for a private dance weekly, but really they just sit n talk bc y/m has no one else or whatever reason shjfkjdsh??? or we can plot smth!!!
flings / crushes / exes ... ( open to any gender ) rhea loves love, but falls out of it just as quickly as she falls in. we can plot details!!
people that don't like her ... ( open to any gender ) maybe they find her annoying, which really isn't hard shjkfhd, maybe she accidentally broke up a relationship, etcetc. we can plot it out!!!
dealer ... ( open to any gender ) rhea is a regular smoker, semi regular other things skhfkd, we can work out the dynamic!!!