⋆.𐙚 ̊black barbie.ᐟ @arizzonnaa - Tumblr Blog

★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : she smells of a jasmine layered over cigarette smoke. ink-stained fingers. grape lipstick reapplied in the reflection of a liquor bottle. laughs too softly for someone who has survived such a public ruin.

› 𝖻𝗂𝗈𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲 ✶ written & loved by lia.

#intro

diamondkatz

who: Open where: Around Carroll

"What?! Like I gotta tip toe around it cause people can't keep their lips to themselves? Like fuck that, if you gunna go round kissing dads or priests or whatever the fuck people are going to talk. At least most of the tourists aren't listening to that shit. They just need to stop playing Britney in the fucking grocery store, straight up."

arizzonnaa

“ girl! ain't nobody askin' you to tiptoe 'round here, but let’s be real, in them heels of yours, you couldn’t pass by no ways without makin' a whole scene. ” zenna leaned up against the ledge and let out a heavy sigh. “ chéri, fuck them, fuck them trash-ass tourists. most of 'em think just 'cause they got a lil' bit of money to spend, they can play with us. like, get the fuck out my face, you old nasty-ass man. ”

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& naomi 001

open starter !!! where: amour fine dining.

agreeing to that dinner with her daddy and his fiancé was a whole-ass mistake. for real, especially since those two men had been keeping their little situationship on the low-down while her parents were still together—a mess that ended up costing her family every ounce of their pride and every damn dime they had. now, zenna was out here living straight-up pov-o, scraping by on a prayer just like her mama used to. maybe they were both just too stubborn and proud to accept anybody's crumbs, or maybe zenna just wanted to prove to both of those men that she didn't need a single thing from them. She could make it on her own, period. she snatched that cloth napkin, slammed it right on top of her plate, and stood up with pure, unbothered class—the kind of high-class elegance nobody in carroll had ever seen her pull off before. but as she tried to make her exit, her eyes welling up with tears, she ended up crashing straight into someone.

“ my bad, ” she choked out, her voice thick and cracking, keeping her eyes glued to the floor. “ i’m so sorry, i didn't mean to. ”

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : prologue.#gchqstarter

open starter !!! where: silver bullet.

zenna was straight flat-broke, down-bad in the goddamn trenches, but you or nobody else could ever tell while she was handling her business at the pub. her thick-ass black hair was down, flowing all over her shoulders, rocking a little crop top and some micro denim shorts that had the whole room looking. she was flexing behind the bar, shaking up drinks and whipping up cocktails for the regular drunks—her favorites, if she was keeping it real. right then, her phone went to buzzing. another call from her daddy, and another one getting hit with the swift decline within a smooth minute. chile, anyways. she poured herself a quick shot of tequila and slid another one right to the folks in front of her. “ on the house, ” she said, throwing it back in one clean gulp. she wiped her mouth, locked eyes with 'em, and gave 'em that full, southern hospitality attention: “ so, what's the poison tonight, boo? ”

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : prologue.#gchqstarter

filmgifs

FORBIDDEN FRUITS (2026) Dir. Meredith Alloway

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : inspo.

tockthewatchdog

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : inspo.

defendingtheice

Ash confidently shook his head with a little hum, agreeing to her statement, often times Ashton didn't need fancy in his life, he certainly much preferred the simple, the homely, comforting to the soul. Silver Bullet felt like that for the most part. "Ha, thanks for the support, I bet that's a sight to behold, pity I can't ever be there," if he's stuck in the screen itself, he can only imagine the scenarios as people describe to him. "To be fair, I did take unglam photos of people tonight, so you can't say I'm not making good use of my sobriety." Still he means no harm by them other than a funny photo to have for the future.

"I mean.. I guess so? I wouldn't fully know to be honest, never worked for me." Ash pondered the idea for a bit before shaking his head, he's always played more terribly the day after drinking, kinda like beer hockey, it's probably more worth feeling the pain and performing better than number it all with beer. "Yes I believe you, I'll take an espresso martini from you guys next time I drop by." Not that he'd be able to compare anyways since he's not drinking it tonight. "I got roped into it last minute, so was not prepared for it."

Honestly when he offered his helping hands to Emily awhile ago he had no idea what of help she's exactly needed, could've been worst things to do in his suit. "You don't gotta take nine shots.. you can just take eight," Ash grinned as he joked, other people would certainly be making full use of an open bar. "Just saying, I'm here to be a guinea pig for your new cocktails," Ash reminded Zenna, honestly finding it fun to try put new drinks from them. "Nah, I'll just bounce whenever they don't need my help anymore, and then wait till my friends want me to drive them home," he lightly shook his head, "so relish us swapping places at the bar while you can, this is a limited time thing only."

arizzonnaa

she tried to hide the big ol' grin creepin' onto her thick lips, clearin' her throat while lowkey gigglin'. it was gonna be wild seein' him there on game days, considerin' he was already a whole superstar when he pulled up on regular days—a walkin' legend, if you wanna carry it there. she laughed just thinkin' about them pictures, " you ain't gonna let me sneak a peek at them photos, for real? even if i cross my heart and promise not to tell a soul? " she tried to bargain, even though she was currently ridin' a whole different wave than him. she was celebratin' her own little buzz, and for a split second, she wondered when she’d run into somebody from the silver bullet and if they was out here livin' it up like she was.

" so what ended up workin' for you? 'cause i seen the way y'all be gettin' them nasty-ass bruises the next day. how do y'all even fight thru that or get used to the pain? straight up, that sport is just not for me, chére. i'd rather stay a fan and just watch from the sidelines. " she was thinkin' it wasn't even just the bruises, it was the strict-ass daily workouts, the diets—lord, way too many rules just to play for a few long minutes. plus, they never really safe from gettin' wrecked on the ice when they playin' against them brutal, aggressive teams. yeah, that hockey life definitely wasn't for her; she'd stay right there with her volleyball, especially on the beach. " noted, hockey player. an espresso martini on the house the next time you show face around there. " she laughed for real this time. of course they talked him into it; ashton might be a whole beast on the ice, but he was a big ol' softie outside the rink. " they really made you do that? well, if it makes you feel any better, you doin' a damn good job at this new gig. "

" it's just like that pizza buffet rule, right? you only gain a whole pound if you eat twenty-six or twenty-seven slices, so at twenty-five, you completely safe! " she let out a loud-ass laugh, immediately textin' an apology for actin' so loud. " i'm about to go find me a stand that's servin' blue lagoons or some other drinks that don't mix espresso with martinis, 'cause at this rate, i ain't never gonna sleep when i get home! " she took a sip of her drink, flaggin' down the waiter for another one while savorin' every drop. " so when do you actually get to cut up in this little plan of yours? and don't try to tell me just standin' here is fun, or that watchin' the party from the outside is a good time, 'cause I know better than that. " she looked right at him, " oh for real? "

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& ashton 001 #gchqreception

angstfactory

When the woman suddenly pulled in a chair to join them at the table, and then pointedly stared right over at Harriet too, Claude's gaze slid away in horror. Unaware their staring at her had been that blatant. Their eyes widened. "Like the song?" they all but squeaked, knowing exactly what had just been referenced because, well, that was the kind of content they got lost in.

They ruminated in what was just said to them. Silently panicking that they could have been read so easily, so obviously. Claude gave a miserable glance around the area, trying to gauge if anyone else had noticed them moping and inwardly comparing themselves to Harriet. Zenna was clearly trying to give them a boost in confidence, but sadly, it didn't settle in well enough. Asher had zero thoughts about them in any context outside of what they already were, and all the thoughts for Harriet. Always had, too. They were how many years out of school now and the man's feelings for her apparently hadn't lessened one bit? That wasn't some silly school crush anymore, that was full on lovesick. "I don't think it works like that.." they finally said, doubting everything. "They aren't going to care because they don't know, and even if they did know, they'll be like.. sorry about it, because they're a nice person, but it's not going to change anything." The only person truly affected by any of this was Claudio himself, and they would rather it stayed that way, too. Better them quietly upset than anyone else.

God forbid they ruin their friendship with Asher in much the same way they had destroyed their relationship with Asthon. Over what? A stupid crush? It wasn't worth it, he didn't care how much it hurt.

"Not at all," Claude shook their head. "A friend likes her, and she hasn't realized she likes him back yet." With a sudden shrug, they sat back in their chair. "Or maybe she has, and doesn't know how to show him. I don't know.." Either way, there was no world in which the possibility of them didn't happen, in Claude's mind. Maybe if their friend had stuck around after graduation, this would have happened sooner. It was Asher Stone, after all. An absolute delight of a person who wore through all armor with that thousand-watt smile and inventive brain. They couldn't imagine that even Harriet wouldn't eventually fall prey to it. Claude was only one of many. "I'm not in their story," they focused on the woman. "How'd you even know?" The worry was evident all over their features. "Am I being that obvious?"

arizzonnaa

" just like in the song, " she wondered if he was lyin' straight to her face just to play his own games, turnin' the whole thing into some twisted, hurtin' truth just 'cause they didn't wanna face the music. " why wouldn't it work out? How you think all this is gonna go down? " she asked, all up in her feelings, lookin' for answers. " cher, " she said, usin' that big sister, mama-type tone, " you ain't got no way of knowin' how they gonna feel. You can be one hundred percent sure 'bout your own mind, even if you runnin' from your own truth, but them? You just guessin', baby, you hear me? " She started out friendly, as friendly as a person could be in the middle of some drama that wasn't even hers. " you dead wrong, " she looked right at 'em, " this right here could change the whole playbook. "

" you out here lyin' to me, but you forgettin' i been on this road a long-ass time and got way more experience than you, especially with folks playin' games, " she shrugged it off, 'cause it was the stone-cold truth, even if it tasted bitter. it straight up disgusted her just thinkin' about how lyin' was practically baked into his whole bloodline. " a friend you got feelings for too, maybe she ain't even peeped it, or maybe she did and ain't made a move yet 'cause she don't feel the same way and don't know how to give him the boot friendly-like. that's a real possibility, ain't it? " zenna still thought claude was a whole lot better than the barbie doll she was still lookin' up and down, completely analyzin' her. " to me, it look like it make perfect sense, but you just don't wanna accept it and handle your business. the big question here is, why you throwin' in the towel without even puttin' up a fight? " she quit starin' at the barbie just to look at 'em, " how i wasn't supposed to know with that look you was givin'? you looked straight up like dante's death mask in all his miserable glory, knowin' he lived a whole life without his sweet, beloved beatrice, even after writin' a whole book where she was his literal paradise. " yeah, she could talk for hours on end about the divine comedy, dante, and beatrice—that was one of her absolute favorite topics when it came to love stuff. " don't even sweat it, my baby, you was loud and clear to me 'cause i was actually lookin' at you. but in a wedding like this that reeks of big money and money spent on fake-ass superficial things? you can best believe nobody else even bothered to notice. your secret is completely safe with me, chére. "

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& claudio 001 #gchqreception #as soon as i read it the song played in my head lol #no worries #she has been living in carroll for six+ years and works at silver bullet

thexcarrollxtimes

Even though she had had reservations about coming - no date, her weirdness being off-putting, no date, no real invite, no date - Petronella was having so much fun. She was dancing. And drinking different sparkling drinks than the auction. (Drinks that seemed to make her head feel like it was floating.) Eating good food. Stealing said food for Penny. Making new friends. Dancing some more. Drinking some more. Eating more. Fun, fun, fun. She was so glad Claudio had convinced her to come.

When Zenna handed her the gold bubbly, she immediately took a drink after thanking her, and smiled when it fizzed on her tongue. She loved that part. "You want to dance with me?" she asked, pointing at herself with the hand holding her glass. Her smile widened, and she did a little wiggle, taking one more drink (this time much more slowly). "I would love to dance," she accepted. "As many as you'll have me for," she agreed further with a small laugh, smiling through her next drink.

arizzonnaa

ok. maybe petronella was a whole lot more lively than zenna. at least this current version of zenna. zénaïde would've hopped right on board with all her ideas and drowned in a whole sea of fun. after all, that’s exactly what she saw in pet—just pure, unfiltered fun. it made her wanna laugh out loud, 'cause it felt like standin' right in front of a once-in-a-lifetime show and gettin' to appreciate it just like you supposed to.

" hell yeah i wanna dance with you, " zenna guaranteed, turnin' a lil' red before hollerin' with a big laugh. she took a good sip from the glass in her hand, feelin' that bubbly drink fizz from her tongue straight down to her throat, instantly makin' her head feel all light and floaty. " i'm gonna be demandin' plenty of dances from you, i'm warnin' ya right now, " she made it plain. she set her glass and her purse down on the highboy table and held her hand out to the woman, leadin' her right onto the dance floor just as a high-energy rock song started blastin'. she began to orbit all around petronella, catchin' the beat with little hops, shakin' her hips, and groovin' her torso and arms. " your aura right now is a whole color i can't even name, chére. look like you havin' the absolute time of your life. you always lookin' this good when you cuttin' up? " she slipped one hand onto the woman's waist, leanin' all the way in to shout the question right in her ear while they kept on rockin'.

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& petronella 001 #gchqreception

holyemu

emily did notice how the dress clung to her, but all she could really see was zenna pretty in a way that almost felt unfair to stare at for too long. “okay, but who helped you zip it?” emily teased, eyebrows lifting. if zenna could barely move in it, how had she even gotten into it by herself? when zenna tossed the compliment back at her, emily flushed and waved it off with both hands. “thank you, that’s so kind, but no one should be looking at me. they should be looking at the bride,” she insisted, like she could redirect attention with sheer will.

she nodded when zenna said everything was good and emily’s shoulders loosened a fraction. if only zenna knew what kind of night emily was having, she might not sound so certain, but emily clung to the reassurance anyway. “no, you’re not asking too much,” emily said quickly. “i’m glad you think everything’s going well. that’s all i want. i want ingrid’s day to be perfect.” her smile flickered, warm and a little strained from effort. then she tipped her head, trying to pull the focus off her own buzzing nerves. “what about you?” emily asked, voice lighter. “are you dancing tonight?”

arizzonnaa

" if i tell ya i was straight up jugglin' a coat hanger, you gonna buy dat? me, a whole hanger, magic hands, and a mirror! " zenna out here hollerin', big laughin'. ever since that family mess went down, she hadn't got tight with nobody, and definitely wasn't lettin' nobody get close to her either—like she was lowkey ashamed of who she turned into, or somethin' real close to it. she watched emily turn red, which made her smize, " you really a cute lil' somethin', girl! " she said out loud. " weddings is just parties for the guests, never for the ones gettin' hitched. folks come thru, eat and drink on your dime, have a whole ball, and still leave talkin' down on the food, the decor, or the couple. that's just standard, nothin' new under the sun, it's all good, " she shrugged it off.

" you overthinkin' it, chére, you gonna mess around and make yourself sick like dat, " she said, knowin' exactly how that goes. she reached out, puttin' her palms up for emily to place hers inside. " babe, her day already perfect. she got you, joel, and folks that love her and him. she surrounded by love. " then zenna got a lil' serious, just a small smile, shruggin' again. " i don't dance, nah. i leave that lil' bit of fun for the lively souls, not mine. what about you, blue ribbon bracelet? or you dancin' on your own? "

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& emily 001 #arizzonnaa #gchqreception

defendingtheice

"No no, I never said that, Silver is good, this is just.. bougie good," Ash pointed towards Zenaide at her accusation made of him, "I'm still your loyal frequent customer there, even if I don't drink half of the year. You guys still play hockey games on the TV so," he shrugged with a grin, the real main reason he hangs around there, plus getting to spend time with Jesse and Penny. "Pftt, I don't mind it's okay, I'd rather go to sleep at night being the other to know that everyone is safe and sound." A flash of guilt hit him remembering New Year's Eve, he wondered if he offered to send Aggie over to the after party as a detour before sending March home, maybe the accident could've all been avoided. Not that she would come anywhere close to him after his rejection to her. Ashton was more than happy to be the one to ensure his friends' safety, anytime of day.

He pushed away from thought painful thoughts to a more fun topic of his job, "yeah alcohol kinda really screws with my system personally if I drink, so I try to keep it away when it's hockey season." He wasn't sure if he's very explained it to her before, guess it's nice for the silver bullet staff to never question when he gets non alcoholic drinks.

"Pretty good huh? Wish I could take credit but I'm just the delivery man," he points towards the bartenders working like clockwork to get glass after glass of espresso martinis out. "Recommendations? Well.. they're only doing the espresso martini here at this station, but judging by the fancy liquors they got, bet they have good whiskey lying around, maybe a highball? Or just do neat. Why, already eyeing your next drink for inspiration?"

arizzonnaa

zenna’s smile turned real bitter, and it wasn’t even 'bout ashton—it was that "too fancy" talk. way back when, maybe decades ago, she was the definition of bougie. opulence was her natural habitat, shielded by family bread so long she never thought she’d be clocked in at a dive bar, haulin’ drinks for drunks on a sticky-ass floor. simplicity? nah, that word wasn't even in her vocab 'til her pops' scandal hit the fan, the divorce went south, and the investments went ghost. now, zenna wouldn’t even claim that last name; it was "too fancy" in a way that made her stomach turn.

" we don't do all that fancy mess 'round here, trust. that stuff usually just hidin' some'n ugly, " she said, her energy shiftin' back to a lil' laugh. " and we don't leave our ice boys hangin', even on gameday. i can tell you right now, even the messiest drunk in this joint is ridin' for y'all. and that’s even with you not bein' one of my favorites yet, mr. perfect-athlete-guy, " she teased him, keepin' it sisterly. ashton was a good one—way too straight-edge with his business, so zenna never had to worry 'bout him like she did the others. " aha! see, that’s where we different. i’d be catchin' all the goofy videos, gettin' receipts on how y'all are some terrible, funny-ass drunks just to clown you the next mornin'. you way better than i’d ever be, even if i tried real hard. "

" but ain't there some'n 'bout beer actin' like a painkiller? ain't that why the players always tippin' back? " she asked, genuinely wonderin' since she’d seen that talkin' point somewhere before. " ain't nobody's espresso martini better than mine or penny’s, though, i’ll tell you that. and for a delivery man, you lookin' real clean. i’m honored, " she joked, though she meant the compliment. " man, i stay away from that whiskey. after nine shots, i don't even know my own name. i think i'ma stick to espresso martinis... or maybe find me some rosé or champagne somewhere. " she got quiet for a second, lookin' him dead in the eye. " i’m a visionary, always thinkin' 'bout the play, what’s next, where i’m headed. folks might call it anxiety or bein' a control freak, but i call it stayin' ready. so, what 'bout you? you gonna be out here deliverin' drinks all night, or what? "

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& ashton 001 #gchqreception

holyemu

emily couldn’t help the little chuckle when she realized zenna was the one she’d startled. she lifted a hand in apology, cheeks warm. “i’m so sorry,” she said, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. her gaze flicked over zenna’s dress and her smile softened into something genuine. “but you don’t look squeezed in at all,” emily added warmly. “you look really good, zenna.” she knew her from the silver bullet—penny’s coworker, familiar enough to feel safe. emily shook her head like the idea was ridiculous. “and i doubt you could look like a fool if you tried.”

she glanced through the windows at the party, the lights and movement and too-many-people, then back to zenna with a small, tired laugh. “everything’s going okay in there, right?” she asked, quieter now. “i’ve been here for hours. i kind of took it upon myself to handle everything because ingrid’s my best friend, and now i’m just…” she exhaled, admitting it. “i’m worried it’s going to go wrong.”

arizzonnaa

" don't be out here apologizing, girl! at least not for that, " she let out a low cackle, that half-bitter, half-wild edge still sharp. zenna did a slow lil' spin, showin' off the back where the dress ties met that bias cut, nippin' her in so tight. " you see this? once that zipper went up, it was over for me. i can't even take a deep breath without feelin' like i'ma pop out this joint, " she laughed again, this time real loud and soul-deep. " oh emily, look at you... even with that worried-ass face and all them chores weighin' heavy on your pretty-ass shoulders, you still shinin', for real. "

zenna didn't bring up how many times she looked like a straight fool in this "new life" as a broke girl—like that time she tried to eat pizza with a fork and knife after her first paycheck and the man behind the counter looked at her like she had two heads. " if you knew all the times i tripped over my own feet, you’d think i was a total loser, but let’s just play-play like i’m that girl, okay? keep it pimpin'. "

" everything is gravy, girl. you tried them espresso martinis yet? they hittin' different! this party is too fancy, " she said, mockin' ashton’s tone and crackin' up, but keepin' it respectful. zenna put a hand on emily’s arm, givin' her a real-one smile. " sis, ain't nothin' gonna go south. everything is lookin' good, and folks won't stop talkin' 'bout how perfect it is. just drop all that mess you carryin' and go get into somethin', yeah? can you do that for me? am i askin' too much? " she asked real sweet, tryin' to make emily see she finished the work already. " it ain't gonna kill nobody for you to catch a vibe. and i know for a fact ingrid want her bestie right there lookin' just as happy as she is today. "

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& emily 001 #gchqreception

closed starter for pet !!! where: reception, dance floor.

zénaïde was scoutin' the whole joint for petronella, lookin' for her right where she’d left her 'fore she had to go 'head and catch a breeze and hit the ladies' room. she’d finally got to sit a spell and undo them straps on her heels, lettin' her barking dogs breathe for a minute. them drinks ashton poured didn't do much for her achin' feet or that dress tight enough to choke a mule, but they sho' nuff put her in a better headspace.

and even though she thought this whole bracelet and singles mess was straight-up goofy, she wanted to cut a rug, and she wanted petronella right there with her—none of that blue ribbon, lonely-hearts club business needed. she just wanted to ask her, make her holler, and sway back and forth 'til that look on her face turned into somethin' sweet. she bounced from the bar with two bubblin' glasses of champagne and made tracks for petronella, laughin' low and apologizin' for takin' so long—all them shortcuts she tried to take just ended up makin' her late as a sunset.

“ this for you, sugar, ” she said, handin' over a glass. “ i got a bit sidetracked messin' with ashton at the bar, but after enough liquid courage, i got my spirit right to come over here and, ” she laughed low, real-like and havin' a ball, reachin' a hand out to pet with a warm-ass smile, “ ask you to hit the floor with me. you down? a dance or two, what you think? ” she put on her best "trust me" face, lookin' bold as brass while she waited.

@thexcarrollxtimes

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : prologue.#&& petronella 001 #gchqreception

defendingtheice

"Good, you deserve a break from us at the Silver Bullet," Ash chuckled seeing her brightness light up the room as she came towards the station, funny to be on opposite ends of things. "I don't think they serve anything but good quality here," over the bride and groom's dead bodies, his sure. Everything here looks way too fancy to be of lousy quality of anything. Even the espresso beans. "Oh- I'm a designated driver tonight, for my friends. Someone's gotta be sober to send the drunkards home safely," he grinned and shrugged, unbuffered by not being able to drink, "it's easy for me anyways, I'm still waning off a no-alcohol season for work, I'm prolly way too lightweight right now for anything strong." He passes her a glass once the bartender had made one on her order, murmuring a thanks to him before turning back, "here, you can judge it and tell me your professional opinion."

arizzonnaa

“ i dig my hustle, but i love my drunks even more! if i told you half the mess they spill to me, you’d be feeling 'em too, ” she joked, letting out a loud, country-style laugh. she leaned in real close to the man, covering her mouth with her hand like she was sharing a secret. “ wait now, you tryna tell me we don’t serve the good-good over at the silver? ” she was getting a kick out of the question, tuned out of all the bad vibes and just soaking up the fun parts of this wedding, even though her barking dogs were killing her in those heels and her dress was squeezing her in places that made it hard to catch a breeze.

the grin on her face flipped into a straight-up pout. “ man, don’t you ever be the designated driver. it only pays off the next day when you got all the tea on what everybody did! but the night of? it’s a trip, you miss out on all the get-down, you feel me? i’m truly sorry for your loss, ” she added, giving a little shrug and putting a hand over her heart. “ what kind of gig you got that keeps you off the sauce for this long? mental torture ain't supposed to be for fun... i’m just funnin' with you! we do what we gotta do for the bag, i know the vibes, i know. ”

she grabbed that espresso martini and took a long pull, then another and another. the coffee beans were roasted and ground just right—the drink was straight-up perfection. “ lord have mercy, i won't say it’s divine since i didn't shake it up myself, so i’ll just say it’s hitting the spot. you got any more drink recs for me, ash? ”

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& ashton 001 #totally fine for me #she knows everyone for silver bullet hehe #gchqreception

angstfactory

OPEN STARTER Location: Wherever tf you want

Everything had been going so well, until certain people. Claudio sat, at the edge of their seat with a plate balanced in their lap, eyes big and wide, caught staring. Every so often, they lifted another fresh raspberry to their mouth, mindlessly chewing their a decent handful of them already.

Hattie. Just seeing her now, caused their heart to sink into a miserable depth. There was no denying a certain allure, despite a severity to her somehow. Sharp, dark features flattered by equally dark clothes; the dress was amazing on her. Better than anything would ever look on them. She never really smiled. Didn't exactly have happiness spewing out of her. Asher and she couldn't have been more different than the moon and sun, and Claudio thought, doleful, that might be why they made perfect sense. Why the sun sought the moon's shadowed glow. Opposites attract, as they say, like magnets.

The longer they stared, the more forlorn their features twisted. Unaware, even, that they were pressing the raspberries against their lips firmly, squishing them, their fingers painting the red stain across their full bottom lip. Lipstick but not. They wanted to be pretty like that. They wanted to be wanted like that. Hattie was so unapologetically herself, she didn't care what anyone thought. Or, she certainly gave the perception of such. Claudio couldn't stop letting in the doubts, the fears, the negativity. The comparisons of everything they weren't and would never be. Wetting their lips, tongue wiping away the carcass of that fruit, their lips stained pinker for it. As did their fingertips.

Finally, their gaze shifted just some. March had showed up. For Ashton. And Ashton... He looked so happy. Claudio could imagine the tears in his eyes from where they sat, only a spectator now. A certain nostalgia tugging inside because, at one time, he used to look at them that way. And that all just made things heavier somehow. It was okay he didn't anymore. That kind of pain had lessened years ago. It was more a sense of loss, of what could have been, that they truly mourned over. If only these insecurities hadn't eaten them alive back then, too. Inwardly, the dichotomy of genuinely being glad this person they cared for so much was finally moving on, and yet feeling left behind somehow, warred.

They inhaled deeply, wistful, only breaking their stare when they felt their plate tip and slid off. "Oh, crap," taking straight from their melancholy, Claudio bent forward, picking up what was dropped until they noticed a pair of legs there. "Uhm.." They looked up and gave a weak chuckle, scooting the ruined plate of fruits onto the table's surface. "Oops? That was embarrassing.." Stating the obvious was the only way to keep themselves from melting into the floor right then and there.

arizzonnaa

zenna hated them played-out tragedies, the ones you could see coming a mile off. it’s like naming a spaceship icarus and pointing it at the sun—what you think gonna happen? or calling a boat titanic and expecting anything but a one-way trip to the bottom of the blue. some messes just gotta happen, while others are just plain destiny. staring 'em down, she felt like this whole mess was written in the stars, like she was being sucked right into the eye of the hurricane even though she didn't want no part of the play. god, she hated being dragged into folk’s business, but she knew when to stop fighting the current and just let it take her.

with slow, heavy steps, like she was walking a funeral line, zenna made her way over, trying to keep her cool. six years in this city and working shifts at the silver bullet gave her that "know-how"—she knew right then and there they were some real-deal claudio, and their looks were just another unavoidable fact. they were pretty as some children of bacchus or aphrodite, no lie. she caught her breath when that plate of fruit hit the floor right by her feet, praying to the good lord it would stain her dress so she’d have a reason to head on home. but nah, luck wasn't on her side today. “ it’s all gravy, ” she told 'em with a bitter little smirk. she pulled up a chair like they’d been tight for years, leaning her elbow on the table and resting her face in her hand, looking right where they’d been staring—at that girl. it made her huff.

“ man, word to mother, this is giving straight heather by conan gray vibes, just at a wedding, ” she laughed, cold-like. “ you are every bit as fine as her, if that’s what’s got your head messed up. and if they didn't pick you, that’s their tough luck. they the ones fumbling the bag, you feel me? ” she tried to make it make sense, though she was terrible at giving advice to folks who weren't already three sheets to the wind. “ trust and believe, the one gonna be sick about this later on down the road ain't gonna be you. ” she flashed a smile. “ but what’s the tea? we looking at a love triangle between you, grumpy Barbie, and somebody else? ”

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#gchqreception #&& claudio 001

sculien

SOMETHING VERY BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN 1.01

holyemu

where: reception, outside who: open!!

emily had been on the property for hours at this point floating between tasks. she’d helped in the kitchen, fetched whatever ingrid needed before ingrid even had to ask, smiled through a hundred little conversations, and finally gotten herself dressed for cocktail hour. now she’d slipped outside near the pool for a second of quiet, just long enough to let her shoulders drop before she put her party face back on.

the night air was cooler out here, the kind that made it easier to breathe. she turned and nearly jumped out of her skin. “fuck,” emily blurted, clutching a hand to her chest as she laughed at herself a beat later. “i didn’t see you there.” she exhaled, still a little keyed up, and tilted her head at them. “what are you doing out here?”

arizzonnaa

“ oh lawd, ha’ mercy! ” she cried, pressin’ her palm flat ‘gainst her chest, mirrorin’ the move with her heart doin’ the hambone and her breath comin’ in short. “ chile, you ‘bout to make me pass clean out! you nearly played with my heart strings for real! ” zénaïde let out a rich, easy laugh, leanin’ her back ‘gainst the wall ‘fore settin’ her flute of bubbly down on a ledge nearby.

she didn’t waste no time wranglin’ the long train of her salmon dress, fixin’ to sit right down ‘side her. “ i’m lowkey tryna escape from in there... and that’s the gospel truth! my dogs are barkin’ and this here dress got me squeezed tighter than a tick on a hound, ” she said, surprised at her own self for bein’ so blunt. usually, she didn’t give nobody the time of day when it came to her business, especially not her own fix.

“ everything is lookin’ so sugary, so fine—i just didn’t wanna go ‘round spoilin’ the vibe lookin’ all sour-faced and lookin’ like a plum fool, you feel me? ”

#★ 𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖹𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖭𝖠𝖠 : dialogue.#&& emily 001 #gchqreception

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