anastasia.

thirty rp acc. SEARCHING FOR ADMINS FOR A CRIME RP dante william's creator. lover. obsessor.

[anastasianostrova]

Looking for admins / roleplayers who're interested in opening a roleplay with me -- that's crime-based, modern day. It'd focus on syndicates, old money, politics, media intervention and more! If interested, drop me a message !!!

(open to all 20+)

[punchygifs-deactivated20251231]

LUKE GRIMES

— IN THE SOURCE LINK, you will find 186 hq gifs of LUKE GRIMES in EL CAMINO CHRISTMAS . All gifs were made by scratch by me for roleplaying purposes only. You may edit these as you please as long as you credit me, including crackships, gif icons. Please do not use these gifs to portray the actor/actress as themselves.

[alicent-targaryen]

MICHAEL GRAY ▸ Peaky Blinders, 4.5

[thecrimesyndicaterp]

Searching for admins for a crime rpg.

This is a blank slate as of right now -- but I'm looking for THREE ADMINS to join me in creating a fully comprehensive semi-appless roleplay based in the crime genre, while also dipping our toes into the creative world of journalism, interference, government involvement, as well as crime syndicates and smaller gang involvement.

This will be a mixed rp: Original characters, skeletons and bios all combined. So there is multiple options for those wanting to apply. I really want to create the old atmosphere of roleplaying, where there's a healthy mix of GIF chats, paras, monthly events, weekly tasks -- something to give to the writers so they actually feel like they're creating something lasting and meaningful.

Please note, all of this will be fictional and not correlate with any real political figures, or 'politics' themselves whatsoever. This will be an AU regarding royalty from the UK, etc. And will be fictional characters portraying those roles.

I'm going to outsource and purchase a theme makeover, graphics etc so that we don't have to worry if we're not graphic designers, haha (I'm terrible, trust me.)

If you're interested, please drop me an IM or drop an ask.

Anyone, and I mean this, is welcome to apply as long as they're 20+

P.S: if you do theme makeovers and graphics, please message. Willing to pay for commission work, etc.

[sandmandaddy69]

[justsojensen]

TRACKER 1.12 Off the Books Jensen Ackles as Russell Shaw

[sdktrs12]

[anastasianostrova]

THE MANY FACES OF LANIE ALMEIDA. 

[anastasianostrova]

Aelin Strand. She/Her. Cis Woman. 30 Years Old.

Verses:

Crime.

Slice of life.

Redemption arc.

Apocolypse

Danté Williams. He/Him. Cis Man. 27 Years Old.

Verses:

Crime.

Slice of life.

Redemption arc.

Apocolypse

[anastasianostrova]

forall-x​:

@angiespeaking​

“Mr Moore, we’re three minutes away from the destination.” 

Ryder didn’t answer. 

The trip back from the Hamptons had not been that long. It was business as usual, and nothing was disrupted, even if the bastard was absolutely fucking daft. It took special brain power to believe that hiding by the beach would mean that two things could not be done at once. It was already a stretch to think that boss, or he, wouldn’t have found out about his betrayal. About the little narcotics lab that was installed underneath the vineyard near the Niagara Falls. 

Completely other pathetic thing to believe that Ryder Moore wasn’t going to be able to do two things at once. He had presented the papers to Esposito, an almost friendly hand outstretch for taking over what was legally theirs. It was on Esposito to refuse. 

‘I won’t sign, this is mine, everything is mine and I make no deals with men like you. I owe you nothing’ was what he said. 

Sadly, his last words, too.

Ryder wasn’t about negotiation, he was there to do his job. If they did not agree to the friendly gesture, everything would then simply be swept under the rug. 

The rug being the Kim organisation. 

The driver opened the door for him and the consigliere stepped out into the dusty, warm New York air. Familiar almost felt like home now. There was a meeting to be held, something that asked for Ryders’ attention and even though he did not have much time - he had agreed. 

With another man next to him, Moore walked through the halls, into the elevator and up to the highest floor. A usual meeting place for the likes of them. Once there, he sat down, with a drink already in his hand. 

“Now, what’s this about?” 

-

Rosie hummed low. It was more of an internal conversation with herself. The uphill battle of a thousand and one things that she had to do, and yet, here she was. How she detested that her time had yet again been commender'd; she felt like since the passing of Marcel, things had been a constant teetering on a line that she hadn’t even been aware existed before now. 

She’d had to grow up. 

The events that had played out over the last twenty-four hours concerned factors that had put it into place. If there was one thing the brunette knew, it was how to deal with situations; It was why both she and Dalita had been made co-headed after Marcellus’ departure from this world. But even she was feeling the sheer pressure as it built upon the foundation of her shoulders. While she wasn’t about to buckle under the weight, there were things in the air. Constantly. 

It was a mess.

The new phone she’d purchased only moments prior to the chaos was now smashed from the force of her throwing it across the room in anger. And Rosie Cotton was known for being able to keep her cool (most of the time.) Once upon a time she’d been far more reckless, a girl who thought of no one but herself. But time had been the biggest lesson of them all. It was the heart breaks, the endurance and time that had made her back strong, inching her closer to who she was today, slipping effortlessly out of the sleek black car that pulled into place.

The warehouses. The warehouses where so much had changed.

She’d been all but a fresh babe, a teenager caught up in the lifestyle of street racing and drug deals. The images, even all these years later, flashed to the forefront of her mind. Guns pointing in all directions, surrounded by cops and the shots. One cop dead, two other fatal injuries. Those that had threatened her. Her ex’s best friend, bleeding out. She’d just stared, completely encased in the horrors of her first kill.

It would certainly not be her last. It hadn’t been. 

She was alone while eyes of moss green stared out into the New York City harbour, an eerily silence taking over, water still as the day continued while the world around it spiralled into utter chaos. This was not like Charter Oak, covered in green shrubbery and the calls of birds like an orchestra as the day began and ended. 

However, it was interrupted when the familiar sound of gravel beneath the car alerted her. Slowly, turning on the heel of her stiletto, she pulled the sunglasses from her face, revealing her eyes to her guest; slowly a tugging narked smirk slipped across her crimson painted lips. Ryder Moore had arrived. She quickly glanced down to check the new watch on her olive wrist. And perfectly on time, she silently mused. 

She didn’t take time to wander in just before him. Taking to the booth in the furthest part of the darkened room, dim lightning illuminating the structures of his approaching face. Her drink was at the table within moments. She looked the part, but she’d always be from the rough and ready life she’d been brought up in. 

A beer served her well. She wasn’t one for fancy drinks, the clothes merely an appearance.

Well-dressed, poised and ethereal was how she’d always seen him. And yet, the second his mouth opened, an awful bile threatened to rise up her throat. He was a wonderful human too look at, that much she couldn’t deny. But he had his way to make the cold that tingled her spine feel like ice upon a fresh burn.

But his words caused her to purse her lips. 

‘‘A matter of business.’‘ Was all she retorted, trying her best not to roll her eyes. ‘‘As always, we’ve seemed to run into a little gang turf in Manhattan, and further out.’‘ It was the truth. Rosie wasn’t one to lie, not when it would cause her nothing but a slow death should her tongue be caught in one. 

‘‘But we need more recruitment on the streets if we’re going to sort this out.’‘

[anastasianostrova]

LOCATION: CRIME SCENE, BAR SHOOTING.

@forall-x​

‘‘Put an ABP out. Now!’‘ Alder ordered, his voice gruff while a cigarette hung from his chapping lips. The lighter that he’d had secured in his pocket for the last two weeks was dead. The flame, no matter how hard he tried, had gone out. And the frustration within him was only building. ‘’Mother fucking cunt’’ He harshly shouted to the plastic before slamming it to the ground; well, tonight was going to plan. 

Three bodies lay strewn and dead. 

It was the way he knew what was waiting inside, the way his body had reacted. Maybe he wasn’t completely over what happened a few months back. But if he said anything, they’d make him go to therapy--- and he knew that would be worse. He couldn’t sit there and talk about his feelings. He was a fucking FBI agent, for christ’s sake. His job was to protect those around him.

If they thought anything else, they’d pull him out of work. And he couldn’t afford the things he needed if they did that. His mind instantly went to the little bag that was in his backpack. He let no one touch it. It was his little secret, or as he thought, his super power. It was how he remained so switched on at all times. He never missed a beat. It was why Alder Coplan was infamous. 

The detective was renowned for being the best of the best. He got the bad guys. And when he had them in his custody, he could pull information out of people without even realising they’d said too much. He was feared by those in the crime world, known for being a hardass.

The weather had been perfect this last week, but as night descended, the cool air had become harsh and unforgiving. With that, he pushed his back to the wall outside the entrance of the now closed club. It was madness, a raid. He’d got here a little too late. The NYPD were already inside taking what they needed. 

Some were dead, though. That was more paperwork than one could ever want. 

How long had it been since he’d last had his ‘pain killer’? The cocaine that sat in his top draw was the only thing that kept him going these days. It was his way of getting through the stress of his job, of the impending doom he felt every time his phone rang in the dead of night. 

And then he saw her. It was enough to illicit a groan. They played on different sides of the field, but, she was known for being just like him. He couldn’t lie. He admired her. She was one of the few females out there in any of the forces that he’d happily say he’d trust with his life if it came down to it.

‘‘Oh, and look who we have here, if it isn’t Ruby Hunt.’‘ 

[anastasianostrova]

forall-x​:

The kiss had the exact effect that Ruby was expecting. Rather one of the two. First, she expected him to grab her by the throat, squeezing his fingers there until they left a mark there, until her throat closed up just enough to let some air through, but not enough for her not to lose consciousness. The other was the utter confusion and retraction of whatever the air had become around them. Again, she didn’t expect his head to hit the wall. 

Ruby didn’t have the instinct to then brush his head to see if it had left a bump, or to ask if he was okay. That was only reserved for people she truly cared for and those could be counted on the fingers of her one hand. 

The truth was, Ruby recognised the strange air between them, the tension that was different from with the other members of the cartel. The both of them had never met for longer than five minutes. This meeting had lasted already over twelve hours and there was nothing safe about it. 

She got up from the ground when he did, securing the towel around her torso and bobbed her head to the side. “I’m glad to have made your acquaintance, Mr Kim.” She walked behind him to the door, a small smile curving her lips mischievously. 

As a goodbye, Ruby reached for the back of his head, her fingers intertwining in his hair - and pulled him forward and out of her apartment before closing the door that finally separated them. 

END.

[anastasianostrova]

forall-x​:

The fact that he was so reluctant, that he was always trying to play the distant game, only made her feel more interested. The arranged marriage was something in their culture for generations, so there was no doubt he understood the meaning of the joining of two powerful families. His father and mother were strict with the rules, with the traditions just as her family was. Yet there he was, in all his glory, pushing away all things that held meaning to their influential positions. 

How long was he going to hold out? How long was e going to refuse? He hardly looked like a man who would be looking for a foolish idea, feeling as true love. No. That wasn’t him. So was he simply resisting for the sake of it? Tere was nothing in him that suggested he wanted to be away from this life. The expensive clothes, the dinners, the cars, the homes, the travels, the luxurious lifestyle agreed with him and h would never want to get cut off from him.

The thought made her chuckle, and Na-Bi quickly covered her mouth as if she was simply brushing off the remainder of the wine from the corner of her lips with the silk cloth. 

No, Elijah Kim would end up exactly where he needed to be. By her side.

“Not until we’re a little more established.” There was no need to get rid of him while so much still hung over his head. His parents were still alive, first of all. He had a younger brother - too. His death would only mean five steps back instead of forward. Their families weren’t stupid enough not to put a death clause in their contracts. Well, at least she already put her own death clause down. 

“In case of death, return everything to the Lee family.”

Death would not do them part. 

His death would only benefit her when there was a successor down the line. Their son or daughter, who would be of age, to take over both of their businesses. They were not in a dynasty to force a seven-year-old to rule. Thus, that meant they would have to live the perfect cover life until that happened. After? Who knew? It wasn’t as if her brother liked the idea of her marrying Elijah. Maybe her brother would dirty his hands instead of her. 

The server who handed the drink to her husband to be, stole a glance at her. OR rater - her legs. Disgusting. This would be the place that would soon go down. IIf the service was bad, then the rest would be, too. To hire perverted help? That was not a place she wanted to be associated with. 

“Isn’t it perfect?” Na-Bi mused, taking the wineglass back into her hand and taking a sip. “The papers will have a blast, already loving me, maybe condemning you for making me wait.” Her lips pouted ever so slightly with the words. Neither he nor she had to be careful, but the way Na-Bi did things was simply more amicable to the public. “Ah, that smile…” The waiter had come back with their food -  a rare steak for her and whatever Elijah had ordered. “Makes my heart flutter every time.” A sweet smile accompanied her words and stayed even as the server disappeared. 

“Oh? Who was she? Was she pretty? Tell me at least she had something good about her. If you start fucking trash, that’s not going to be a good image for me.” The woman had no expectation of care for him. Not even in the slightest, therefore his words didn’t even make er flinch. 

The situation wasn’t completely hopeless, after all, no one would understand him better than she did. 

“I held the company of a very nice politician. He was absolutely delicious.” Na-Bi grinned as she placed her fork in the steak. 

-

Elijah could tell that Na-Bi found this amusing, which only added to the fire that was growing inside of him with each passing moment. There was something in her nature that just rubbed him the wrong way, and as he thought more and more about it. Was it because he felt like he was looking at a reflection? There was no winning with her. She’d done everything he’d done and been where ever he’d been. Was it because he knew there was no chance of winning against someone who thought exactly as he did? That was a terrifying thought. Sitting there at a fancy restaurant, the kind he’d used to wine and dine his favorite women before discarding them after one night. But now he sat here with his soon-to-be wife, and there was nothing. Not one semblance of any kind of love or affection.

And although the man did not want that in his life, the idea of marriage had always been daunting. He never saw love between his parents. That was just not something that they could do. They were together out of duty and honour. But could he do the same thing? His hands had somehow rung in and out of each other.

Was he nervous? What the fuck?

It took no time. Reaching forward, he downed the remains of his drink before slamming the glass back to the surface, raising his hand and ordering another. Anything to get through this. He looked down at his watch. They were scheduled for two hours?! What the fuck were they supposed to talk about for two whole hours? He barely found conversation topics with people he actually liked that lasted over twenty minutes; and that was a push. 

He knew today was going to be a disaster, but this felt like a meeting with the devil to sign a contract to put him to death. Okay, so maybe that was a little dramatic? But who could blame him? He had Lilith sat opposite him, right now; and he knew she’d be just as unforgiving as any god who’d ever watched him.

He held no idiotic ideas in his mind; aware the staircase to heaven would be closed to him. He’d done and seen too many horrific things in his life to ever be granted a seat in the white walls of heaven (With everything being all white, he assumed those that believed in Heaven were just going to a psychiatric ward, anyway).

‘‘That’s if I don’t off myself before then.’‘ He muttered loud enough so Na-Bi could hear. It was a shame that he was not as well behaved as his younger brother, Mikael. He should have been sitting opposite her, a perfect husband for the ‘perfect; woman. Although that was not how he saw her. He knew, just as he was, it was all for show. Anything to keep the public happy.

What a sad, sad way to live her life. What would soon become of his life? If he died, he’d at least have freedom in that, in the way he could go, if he did it himself. If he left it up to time, she might be the one to deliver the final blow; to end him. And if that was the way he went, he’d be pissed off because every single thing in his life would have been decided for him. That sounded like the worst nightmare to have ever lived. 

When he married, his brother would have to be his best man. His father had already decided. Even in that, he’d had no choice. It was a sad sight, a man who did not feel like a man, but a child who had no choices of his own. 

‘‘The only perfect here is the bullshit your family and my family have concocted in a story of false honour.’‘ His voice was bitter. It dripped from every crevice of his being. He chuckled, but it held no emotion. ‘‘How can this be so amusing?’‘ His voice dropping to a whisper, leaning closer to only she could hear as he spoke through gritted teeth. 

‘‘We’re being forced to spend the rest of our lives together, till death do us fucking part and you find all of this amusing because some papers will talk about you in a pleasant light before they forget you exist the next goddamn day? You...people.’‘ His voice dripped with poisoned venom, pushing back to sit straight. 

Her heart flutter? Disgusting. Utterly disgusting. He wrinkled his nose. 

The reel of questions, however, set off alarm bells in his mind. Was she asking for his father? There had been incidents where friends, girls, had gone missing without a trace and he’d always wondered if it’d been at the hand of his father. So he kept the answers light; not giving away too much information, to which he’d usually boast about. 

‘‘She was intriguing and different---’‘ His mind slowly finding Ruby’s image in his head. The way she spoke, the venom in her own tone and the utter disgust towards him. Maybe if Na-Bi acted more like that, she’d have kept his attention a little longer. But no, that was not possible. It wouldn’t do well for her image. He could almost laugh. ‘‘---- She was interesting.’‘

And that was all he’d say. 

Her description of the politician she talked about caused him to choke back a laugh as she took a slow bite of her steak. His own food, a Sea Bass, sitting in front of him. ‘’What did you do?’’ He cocked his head to the side. 

‘‘Cook him up and eat him?’‘

[anastasianostrova]

forall-x​:

Her body stayed still as Eli moved to place her chin in between his fingers. The woman was as still as the sea, right before the storm came. There were so many options, so many answers to his statement. How easily this man showed her who he was? Again, was it the money that allowed him to so easily move through life? Must have been, otherwise he would have at least tried to hide some of his intentions. Already, she had gathered what he didn’t like, what he liked, even what grossed him out. Some things would have even been obvious to the ones who knew absolutely nothing. 

Moving the coffee cup down to the ground, she reached her hand into his hair, brushing the dark locks away from his eyes in a gesture that others would have called sweet. 

If Eli wanted her to beg, show resistance, show er fight - she could also easily play that game, in a way that he himself would take a step back. “The neighbours are like pawns on a chessboard.” Se said, her voice low, as her fingers continued to softly brush through his hair. “They are easily replaceable.” 

Hardly ever did Ruby make connections that lasted. Especially in the mundane life that she was now placed in. Danielle had friends, but mostly from her work. It was either the ones she went drinking with or the ones she occasionally fucked. Not one of them really made a difference in her like. Another pawn, another piece to discard in case tings stopped working. 

“You can just leave.” She finally answered his statement and smiled as she now herself moved her fingers to his chin. “Don’t stretch yourself out in a place like this.” It didn’t hurt her pride in saying this. That whole place, that whole life, was just a cover. Ruby already had a couple of homes overseas - ones that were to her taste, to her liking, to her actual status. Thus, saying things that others would otherwise perceive as lowly did nothing to her, even as she did it to herself. “So let’s have this as a goodbye, see you… Never? No, that’s not possible. See you the next time you’re drunk off your ass, ruining something else for me.” A smile curved her lips, and she leaned in, kissing the top of his head. 

-

The way she moved, as if she were a trained ballerina but yet so stocky and built, had him wondering of her life before she’d been with his father. He’d never asked questions about her, and his father had never relayed much information; only what he needed to know. But the way she’d been adopted into the family, how she’d became his father's favorite; that told him a story of a girl who’d signed her soul away to the devil. Satan being his father. Elijah wondered if she’d been tricked. Not that he cared, but intrigue was something that had always been a prominent part of who the man was. He liked to know things. In his pocket, an item of hers burned heavy.

He’d swiped it while she was in the shower, a trinket. A collector's item. One day, she’d be nowhere to be found. Another name on a long list of the missing and he’d have this. His one hand dipped into the pocket, fingers toying with the edges. Like a serial killer, he thought. But when she took his chin, his attention was on hers. He almost stopped breathing, almost.

‘‘I can leave?’‘ Elijah asked slowly, ‘‘And that’s what you want?’‘ 

It came out even more aggressively than even he’d meant, but his eyes zoned in on her, never diverting from the darkness in her own gaze. A fire burning behind his orbs, the same as the night previous. But this time, something else lingered, a longing to grab hold of that throat again; like the violence was once again surging through him. He’d found that she ticked boxes other women seemed to leave void too often. The animal inside of him roaring to be uncaged and let loose. But her battered appearance told him that maybe that would push her too far, breaking the barrier. Elijah never usually crossed the line to the darkness inside of him. Tiptoeing on the line of right and wrong; knowing one wrong move and his family would pay the price.

Oh, how he wanted to see that. Needed too, even. 

But the kiss caused everything in his demeanour to shift. He stiffened, eyes looking forward, now not on her features, before they fluttered closed. The last person to kiss him in such a way had been his mother many years ago. That kind of affection was not known in the Kim household. So without a second thought, a natural reflex set in place, and he yanked away a little too hard.

The back of his head colliding with the wall. ‘’Ow!’’ He cried, reaching up to cradle the back of his now thumping head, grimacing, while shooting her what he could only describe as the death glare; he guessed she’d pushed that button inside of him. He hated such gentle affection. He’d never understood it, and honestly, he didn’t think he ever would. It caused a shudder to richter through his body, while rolling his shoulders out.

‘‘You’re right.’‘ He practically spat, scrambling until he was stood, dusting off his clothes. ‘‘With a place like this---’‘ he took no time, feet carrying him to the door ‘‘---- if it’s this dirty and unkept, I can only imagine what the owner’s like.’‘ 

[anastasianostrova]

LOCATION: NEW YORK CITY, MAIN STREET.  TIME FRAME: 25.03.2022

@forall-x​

If there was one thing she knew, it was that she’d never change.

Lanie Almeida stood tall, luscious brown locks cascading down her back, while a strappy dress adorned tanned shoulders. The summer’s air was leaking onto the New York City streets, while most natives fanned themselves furiously to keep the heat at bay. It didn’t seem to phase her. Most of the ride here had been by private car. The short walk to the restaurant was nothing to break a sweat over; but my god, it was hot. 

This was her day off, and for that, she was grateful. It hadn’t been a day packed with anything of importance. Instead, she’d spent the morning on the phone with her family's clean-up crew; even she’d had difficulty getting the blood out of her wooden flooring earlier in the week, --- a professional was required. The images of the previous weekend came to the forefront of her mind, like small flashes. 

A slice there. A snip here. 

Each thought was just like a scene from a horror movie; blood spilling onto every surface, her skin painted red, and something finally unleashed the sadistic bitch. That was her favorite look; dishelved and wild. In her natural state. But the smile on her lips that grew with each passing second, exposing it to the passerby, making it uneasy for most. However, her beauty garnered a different approach. Male's eyes lingered a little longer than they should, while women more often than not returned the beaming girl's expression.

The truth of Lanie Almeida was simple; there was only truth when it benefitted her.

Turning the corner onto 9th Avenue, the RH Rooftop Resturant came into view. It had been her choice this time. She wanted something more fancy. If Ruby was questioned, Lanie could simply get away with saying she fronted the bill; she was a surgeon, after all. The perfect cover up for her kind of work. 

Within moments, the elevator rose, taking her to the top floor. Each passing floor took her higher, the city spanning out before her moss green eyes. There was beauty in this city, that she could admit. But beneath the concrete jungle was darkness. And that kind of place was where the raven-haired girl dominated. 

Finally, Ruby came into view.

‘‘I have to say---’‘ Lanie called, heels clicking as she approached her best friend, arm adorned by her new coach bag; a gift from a male friend who’d all but disappeared in the recent weeks. A shame, she joked internally.‘‘I really wish you’d let me look at that wardrobe of yours.’‘ It was a jab, but meant with love, sincerely. Lanie had simply never been very good at hiding her thoughts, her face usually a give-away. Unless, of course, it came to the men she liked to lure home.

Then she had the best poker face known to humanity.

Lanie couldn’t remember exactly how long she and Ruby had been so close. But if there was one thing that she did not have, it was friends. Ruby being her only one, besides her sister and boy best friend. 

‘‘What ever happened to your face...’‘ Her voice trailed off, more a coe. Lanie knew of Ruby’s joke and the hinderance it caused her on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes she wished she’d picked something a little less violent. But then again, she couldn’t talk. Sliding into the seat that was pulled out for her. Lanie gave thanks in a sweet smile, a head nod before disregarding them all together. Lanie’s family, while not filthy rich, had enough money to keep them comfortable. It’d been thanks to their business. A business fronted by yet another business. Shell corporations. 

‘‘I guess I’ll be treating you today.’‘ She stated, giving her a once over, unimpressed was a natural look when it came to Ruby’s attire. ‘‘And maybe some shopping after.’‘ She knew she was testing her look, but it was better than nothing. 

‘‘We’ll have a champagne bottle on ice, two glasses and a small platter for every starter, please.’‘ Lanie ordered, before settling back into her chair. Oh, how much fun this would be. It was a rarity that they got to spend quality time together anymore. 

[anastasianostrova]

forall-x​:

Every day was the same. 

There were traditions which were set in stone, things she had to follow since she was a little girl. Not that Na-Bi minded. It means that her life had been fairly easy, or at least compared to the scoundrels that she had so often seen on the streets. The woman pitied them and often wondered what it was they had done in their past lives to be reborn into such shit. 

But she didn’t feel so bad as to try and save them from that piss-take they called their day to day lived. 

A charity to host for those in need, show her face, shed a fake tear as she gave out the main speech and move off the stage to enjoy the expensive champagne and the food cooked only by the best of the best. 

Na-Bi was a woman of elegance, grace, and intelligence. Every one knew her degrees, everyone knew that one day she would take over her father. Not her brother or sister, even though she was the youngest. None of them had shown the capability she had. She was the favourite, which was also why she was allowed to get away with so many things. 

Bullying, excessive parties, dates, rudeness, spending. If anything ever got out, it was quickly hushed by the power of her father. To everyone else, she simply looked like the woman who had it all. One to be loved but also one to be feared. 

The only thing her father put as a clause in her contract to becoming the president was a marriage. A marriage to his best friend’s son. An easy task that could be fulfilled with a little push. Plus, Elijah Kim was alright. A challenge, maybe, but one that intrigued her. 

“Ah, so the golden boys make an appearance.” Na-Bi half smiled as she placed down her glass of red on the table. “Are you here to tell me of all the girls you dated in the past week? You know that doesn’t work on me, sweetie.” Another smile, as her fingers twirled the glass in circles. “To get out of this, you might just have to die.” 

They weren’t engaged yet, but she liked knowing what was coming, mentally preparing herself for that little show. Would she love him? Maybe, but not in the way they show in western movies. Na-Bi could learn anything if it benefited her. 

-

These formalities made coming from money the hardest of them all. From the moment his eyes had slipped open, the morning sun piercing harshly against his skin and groans left his lips. --- he’d known what today meant. The next telling sign was his mother's shouts from only one room away. When he’d brought this place, he’d done so, hoping he’d have some separation from his over-bearing family. But that had just been wishful thinking, it seemed. 

Only moments passed before her head slipped around the door frame. 

‘‘Your suit’s pressed, breakfast’s made, and I have left some paperwork for you on the kitchen island which I need you to go over before you leave--- father’s orders.’‘ The last part only solidified that he had no choice on the matter. There was no way he was getting out of this. Their marriage had been set in stone for as long as he could remember. Without another word, a silent moan left his lips, pushing the heavy covers from his body as the morning's cold rushed to greet him, as feet collided with the oak flooring that ran through the upper bedrooms.

For a moment, he appreciated his mother's advice not to get marble flooring in his bedroom.

After his first few moments, the rest turned into a blur of preparing to do his duty, as his mother liked to remind him every time a complaint left his mouth. It wasn’t like he ever believed he’d find love. That was fairytales they told children to give them hope. In reality, the world was a bleak mess of games and fake feelings. Elijah Kim would marry her, of that he was certain. But he thought he had more time to be free, with no constraints or another person to think about when he had to make decisions. 

It seemed the time scale of things, which used to loom in the distance, was now getting closer. And the ticking time bomb was just about ready to explode. 

His lips remained sealed, slipping into the chair opposite with little to no regard for the dark-haired beauty that was perched directly in front of him. He didn’t want to be here. Heck, no one in their right mind would want to. This was fucking Na-Bi Lee. Just like him, she was made from stupid amounts of money, years of rebellion, and would one day take over from her father. They were one in the same and if he was being honest, 

‘‘If I have to die, will it be you slipping the arsenic into my drink, or should I hire another bodyguard to keep me breathing a little longer?’‘ His voice was void of any emotion, stoic in nature, while eyes narrowed on his target. Why couldn’t she be the one complaining about this arrangement? Why did it always have to be him? The one that seemed to cause all the trouble. He muttered incoherent korean sayings under his breath, while longer fingers found the menu.

He knew the place, and he never ordered differently. But this was better than staring at her. Every meeting seemed to more hostile or awkward than the last. He didn’t see how this marriage would ever work. What would it mean for them? Sleeping with other people before slipping back in, as if they other didn’t know.

They’d always know. 

‘‘Let me guess---’‘ He drawled, placing the menu down, crossing legs as he leant back in the chair. His arrogance was never amiss. ‘‘--- You held some kind of ball this week, shook hands with some important people, ran around after daddy and then got ready to spend time with your future husband’‘ He didn’t even get a chance to order anything different, the drink sliding in place by the server, offering a bow before they left. 

Great. 

‘‘There was only one girl of importance that I had to see this week.’‘ He offered a sweet smile--- it was fake, now leaning his elbow on the table, his chin finding the palm of his hand. ‘‘And it certainly wasn’t fucking you.’‘ 

[anastasianostrova]

forall-x​:

There was no reason for him to be here with her. Really, Ruby thought that their encounter would end with the hit in the head and they would simply continue their meetings in the passing by scene as they had before. Her seeing him in the corner of her eye as she went to see his father, as she picked up something from his mother. A relationship that only existed as ghosts in parallel worlds. 

So why was he there in her apartment, making the coffee whilst filling the usual silence in the studio with his words. It felt unnatural, strange, almost unbearable. But Ruby always adapted fast. She didn’t complain until there was a reason for her to. Besides, as she walked into the bathroom, she glanced back at him for a mere second, loving how uncomfortable he felt in the space that was her staged home. 

The studio was a buy to fit in. The interior was done in a way that people who entered didn’t think she was completely psychotic, otherwise she’d have left it completely bare, showing the distaste for such a living space, no portraying a single personality trait within the walls. Alas, a good cover was one which told a story. The same way how she got into the narcotics department. A story that mentioned in her application a dead father who was killed by drugs. Danielle never talked about it, only allowing others to assume what they wanted. If they dug into her, they’d find information of her father being killed by some narcotics gang leader. Which was technically a lie - but good enough for the others to understand. 

She first reached out to let the water run, let the steam slightly cover her bathroom while she got completely undressed. Her underwear fell to the floor and Ruby stepped into under the water. It quickly touched her skin, burning her in places where she had bruises and cuts. But not a wince left her lips. The only indication with the water was the red running down the drain. She didn’t realise how much blood had gotten on her.

Rest in peace, Bruce. 

“You sound as if you’re bitter about that.” She meant the last part. Though what did he think? He probably took some time before he got home and within that time Ruby woke up, assessed the club and the damage and got into her own car, pulling out the phone she used with Mr. Kim. 

“Your son was there.”  “He was?”  “I got him out, he should be unnoticed if he follows what I told him.”  There was a slight scoff in the background, his usual tell of slight annoyance. “And you?” “They won’t suspect a thing. I got a few scratches to make up for it. But, sir. He was something we did not account for. Caused a little trouble, which means I am going to have to deal with this.”  Boss knew what it meant. He trusted her.  “Yes.”

Boss usually allowed her to deal with things the way she wanted to. He never needed an explanation or a plan. Only when deciding who needed to be gotten rid of. The rest was in Ruby’s hands and so far, there ha not been a single decision that she had made which was wrong. 

Though something told her, having Elijah in her apartment could mean a whole new deal of trouble. 

“What does giving me back the keys and then me being covered with it have anything with you coming into my apartment?” 

Ruby stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel from the rack and wrapping it around her. The water was still dripping, but at least she was fresh and smelled like fresh daisies. Without bothering to dry the rest of the water off, she walked right in front of Eli and bent down, so her eyes were level with his. 

“You know I won’t beg for you, so what the fuck do you want? We both know you are not one to give me orders. Call me curious.”  For effect, her gaze drifted to his lips; those full lips that even she would have loved to suck on. It was a shame that someone like him had such a fucking hot face, which made her wonder what the rest of his body looked like. 

Reaching out, she wrapped her fingers around the cup that she presumed was hers, intentionally letting her fingers graze over his. Ruby wanted to see if he was going to hit her for that. Elijah didn’t like to be touched like that. He was a rich boy who only believed that those with a golden ticket had a special allowance. 

“So why don’t you just go?” 

-

The difference from Ruby’s place to his own was extreme; He had only a semblance of the wealth he’d acquired to which he’d used for his decor; even that was enough to make this place look like the slums of his home country. Walls were lined with matt black paint, obscure art hung effortlessly and perfectly placed in different rooms (Elijah didn’t know where it’d came from, his mother, he presumed.) while his furniture lay pretty much untouched. Most of the time, he wondered if he should have had them covered in dust sheets. 

Eli only lasted on the floor a few minutes before he was pushing to his feet, taking his time. Walking with no place in mind, his hands ghosted over various objects. None of which seemed to have any meaning. His brows furrowing, but words stayed locked behind lips. There was a time when he wouldn’t keep asking questions. There was a time and a place for certain things. And right now, he felt like he might ask one too many. Now and then he’d sneak a look over his shoulder, caught just the glimpse of her silhouette, but nothing more. It was like a tease show in a burlesque bar, an illusion of the eye. 

Looking away again, his eyes found what he could assume was an old trinket. Maybe something from her childhood, he wondered. But then Ruby’s question caused him to stop dead in his tracks, his back to her and eyes straight forward.

Elijah shouldn’t have come here. Instead, he should have told his mother he’d do it before contacting his assistant. It would have been less hassle. She was far too much work, and internally, his regret was growing by the minute. 

‘‘I’m bitter because of your attitude.’‘ Elijah snapped, his voice harsh, which was dipped with sarcasm all in the same breath. There was this internal switch that seemed to be in a constant battle of staying off or flickering on. And she seemed to have the ability to get him to flitter between the two, unable to contain what came out of his mouth.

A rarity.

It took moments for his long legs to carry him back, sliding into his original position. He didn’t want her to know he’d continued to look around her apartment when he got the chance. But who could blame him? Knowing more about people was always in his favour. Even if it was something small, it could be of use potentially in the future. Hearing the water stop, her question echoing in his mind for all, but a moment. 

‘‘I never said it did. I just wasn’t keen on the watchful eyes of your neighbours.’’ He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. All it really told the room was that he didn’t care. Because he didn’t. But the second Ruby walked out in front of him, legs glistening with the droplets of water and hair dripping into puddles on the wooden flooring, he couldn’t help swallowing thickly, eyes of chocolate dragging from her toes, until it was cut off.

She leant in front of him, his breath lodging in the back of his throat. She looked delicious. He wasn’t sure if his eyes were playing tricks, watching her own flicker to his plump lips. It caused the corners to upturn into his dominant smirk, the one he knew made most women quiver at the knees; but he knew she’d never let him know, even if he did.

She was stubborn, that much he knew. 

It took only seconds, her face level with his, Elijah let his eyes wander over her face before his hand reached out to take her chin between his fingers, his smirk still set in place. ‘’I can go if you want me too, or we could make today just that little more interesting.’’ He licked his lips.