❝ nothing so sweet as wallowing . . .

Bunny Walker. XXIII.

[bunnywalkcr]

Walking through the picturesque streets, you find BUNNY WALKER, the 23 year old beautician at Serene Scissors originally from Cardinal Hill, WA. Living alongside her in such a small town, you know that she's meticulous and shrewd, but what you might not know is that she is a human, and that she's hiding something… ― Sabrina Carpenter, bisexual, cis woman, and she/her.

full name ⸻ bunny eugenia walker. nickname(s) ⸻ bun. preferred names ⸻ bunny. age ⸻ twenty-three. birthday ⸻ august 30. zodiac ⸻ virgo. hometown  ⸻ cardinal hill, washington. current occupation  ⸻ hair and nail stylist @ serene scissors. witch or human ⸻ human. character inspiration ⸻ nathan prescott ( life is strange ) ; needy lesnicki ( jennifer's body ) ; tba. faceclaim  ⸻ sabrina carpenter.

history ⸻ the WALKER name far precedes bunny—although the weight of its legacy has been a boon and a burden all her life. the walker family has deep roots in cardinal hill, dating nearly as far back as when the town was first chartered. in more recent decades, the walkers' influence in cardinal hill has been spurred on by the family's deep pockets....a one-hundred-thousand-dollar mayoral campaign donation here...a raw land purchase there...a contribution to the renovation of city hall...in other words, investments that often come with strings attached. regardless of the WHISPERS that have always circulated around them, the walkers continue to hold a prominent local prestige, with their last name etched into donor plaques on more than a few major buildings. bunny herself has felt the pressure of this prestige all her life, particularly under the scrutiny and success of her parents. she grew up in cardinal hill; hard-working, studious, and predictably popular, bunny climbed the social ranks throughout her schooling; claimed scholarships and homecoming queen crowns and local essay contests. after graduating, bunny attended cosmetology school, where she earned her associates degree.

bunny would describe herself as FUN and UPBEAT—although these are not necessarily the first choice of words others would use. last year, bunny was diagnosed with an unexpected and rare heart condition. her parents arranged for ongoing treatment at the stanford hospital, and even purchased a residence nearby where the family could stay while she received treatment. she was deemed stable enough to return home at the start of the summer; since coming home to cardinal hill, bunny has mostly kept her head down (as much as her walker reputation will allow). she spends the majority of her time at serene scissors, where she works; other favorite haunts of hers include upper cardinal, the stream studio, and bonnie's boutique.

[sabrinarpenter]

SABRINA CARPENTER via Instagram

[dolores-cuervo]

open starter @cardinalstart location: Just Like Heaven Bakery

The smell of fresh bread was always pleasant and soothing, even in Dolores' worst days. After a series of misfortunes (an accident at the infirmary, an overcooking of last night's dinner, a new argument with her mother), it truly felt that nothing she did was right. At least there were very few ways one could go wrong when buying the morning bread.

She looked up at the person behind the counter. They knew her well enough by now to know her usual. Honey whole wheat bread, which Dolores and her mother usually had every morning, lightly toasted with a side of eggs and a cup of coffee. While the bread was being selected and bagged, Dolores pulled out her wallet and took out the money... And then she was told the last wheat loaf had just been sold.

Dolores repressed a huff. That was just her luck. When was the last time this had happened to her? And what had she asked for instead? In the meantime, as she kept looking at the list of available breads, the employee went on to attend to the next customer. "Okay..." she thought out loud. "What can I have that's not boring old white bread?"

[bunnywalkcr]

who: @dolores-cuervo dolores ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ where: just like heaven bakery when: 7:15 am, NOV. 25 1990

Bunny held one arm outstretched, expectantly, her cartier bracelet glinting in the morning sunlight that shone through the bakery's wide front windows. The employee on the other side of the display case pressed a brown paper bag into her palm, and she thanked him, glancing briefly down at the loaf of honey whole wheat tucked within.

No sooner had she put her change back into her purse than she heard the resigned tones of the employee informing someone they were out of their desired choice of bread. Thank god I got here when I did, she thought to herself, or that would've been me. Nevermind that she'd almost chosen the rosemary loaf over the honey whole wheat.

All the same, Bunny drifted toward the other patron in the bakery, eyeing the daily list of bread over her shoulder. "Rye looks good," she suggested, with a casual shrug.

[weltenwellen]

Danez Smith, Don't Call Us Dead

[typewriter-worries]

[ Text ID: i’m learning to become all the space i need. i laughed today. for a second I was unhaunted. i was the sun, not light from some dead star. ]

[knifeoverheart]

WHO: Open to all (@cardinalstart) WHAT: Nix seeks comfort in the familiar WHERE: The Stream Studio

Nix didn't have any shifts at the radio station that night, but he'd laid in bed for hours, sleep eluding him no matter how hard he tried. Finally, sometime around 5 in the morning, he gave up on sleep entirely. Getting dressed quickly, he left his apartment and headed for his secret hideaway — the Stream Studio. The owner of the place had lent him a key, and while he rarely used it, there were times like today, when it felt like his thoughts were moving a mile a minute and he needed a way to quiet his mind.

As soon as he entered the small dance studio, muscle memory took over, taking him through the different positions before moving into adagio. The room was silent, but Nix moved across the floor to a melody that only he could hear, not stopping even though his feet were screaming at him for going en pointe in sneakers. So caught up in the movements, he didn't notice he was no longer alone, until he spotted a figure in the doorway from the corner of his eye during an arabesque turn.

Startled, he almost lost his balance before quickly catching himself, chest heaving from his routine. He squinted at the doorway, trying to make out who it was, but it was difficult with the bright hallway lights turning them into little more than a shadowy figure. "Hey, uh," he greeted, reaching up to wipe the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. "I didn't think anyone else would be here at this time."

[bunnywalkcr]

The stars were still visible in the sky when Bunny pulled into the parking lot outside the Stream Studio. She'd spent most of the night awake in her bed, watching one video rental after another — a habit she'd fallen into with excessive frequency ( these days, she preferred it to sleep ). The movies were a nice distraction, but they didn't quite take away the restlessness that itched beneath her skin. She was determined to tire herself out, and exercise seemed like the quickest way.

She parked on the side of the studio and hurried to the glass double doors, fumbling in the pocket of her coat for the key to the front door. One of the perks of working at Serene Scissors was getting to bond with the local clientele ; and Bunny certainly wasn't above making bargains with clients in exchange for certain perks at local businesses.

Bunny moved to unlock the door, bracing a hand on the glass — and was shocked to find it already open. She hesitated for only a moment before pushing the door open and slipping inside. The lobby was unlit ; to the right, the pilates studio sat in darkness, the machines hulking shadows beyond a pane of glass. But to the left, a faint, golden glow radiated from the doorway to the dance studio. Bunny crept towards it, peeking curiously around the door frame.

In the low lighting, she couldn't identify the other person. Still, she found herself unable to look away from him ; it was clear he was a practiced dancer. He moved like water, fluid and effortless from one pose into the next. Absently, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the door.

When he noticed her standing there, Bunny felt equally caught off guard — and maybe a little guilty. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice a rasp. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"I didn't expect anyone else to be here, either."

[tidescfchaos]

STATUS: Open for all @cardinalstart

LOCATION: Rewind Rentals

Roni paced up and down the aisles of the video rental store, looking for something to occupy their evening with their grandmother. They ended up in the horror section with their hand hovering over a VHS of John Carpenter's The Thing before it fell back to their side. As much as they were interested in it, they got the feeling their grandmother wouldn't want to sit through it. Then again they could still pick it up for themself to watch on their own some other time. They gnawed on their bottom lip, contemplating their decision when they noticed someone out of the corner of their eye. "Sorry, I was just weighing my options." They paused for a moment, "What were you thinking of picking out?" Maybe the other could give them some movie suggestions.

[bunnywalkcr]

who: @tidescfchaos RONI COHEN where: REWIND RENTALS when: NOV. 1990

With everything that had been going on in Cardinal Hill lately, it almost seemed counterintuitive of Bunny to be standing in the " horror " section of the local video store, in an aisle of low, beige metal shelving stuck between the " epics " and " historical fiction " genres ; yet here she was. Despite the near-nightly occurrences of bad dreams that had followed her seeing the fucked up photo in the paper — the one that looked like her and not, that ghastly vision.

Still, for a reason Bunny couldn't quite articulate, she had been drawn here, past the racks of rom-coms and dramas. She felt almost as if watching a horror movie would reverse the fear she'd been carrying, reassure her it wasn't so bad.

She hardly noticed she was sharing the aisle with another person until they spoke ; Bunny's eyes flashed to Roni's face, then fell to the title of the VHS they'd reached for. Suddenly, The Thing seemed like the perfect film to take her mind off everything.

"I dunno," Bunny lied, scanning the VHS cases immediately in front of her face. "An American Werewolf in London, maybe. What are you between?"

[innocentcurse]

Closed starter for Bunny Walker @bunnywalkcr

Located in Bunny's front yard

Elizabeth had expressed interest in the mail carrier job upon moving back to Cardinal Hill with a hidden agenda; not only did it happen to be one of the first job openings that she found advertised upon her arrival home, but it seemed like the perfect position for someone who didn't want to be stuck in a stuffy store all day every day. Elizabeth knew that she would essentially be starting from scratch in terms of her connections in Cardinal Hill, even despite having been born in the small town, and so she knew that to fully immerse herself in the community, and to get out of it what she hoped, she would have to put in the effort and be as present as possible - hence the job that had her at the doorsteps of most of the town each day.

Not every day at work was so fruitful, however, and with a lot of letters to deliver each day, it actually proved rather hard to build up connections while on the job - not that she hadn't done it at all. Some of her interactions while working had actually been some of her favourite since moving back to Cardinal, and as she pulled out her next stack of letters, recognising the name with ease, she couldn't help but hope that another pleasant interaction was coming her way. She knew that it was a long shot, however, having delivered letters to Bunny and her family before without once laying eyes on the woman who she considered to be her best friend in her very early youth.

There was no shame in hoping, however, and while a voice in the back of her mind told her that she would only be let down, it was proven wrong by the sight of Bunny right there in her front yard - looking to Elizabeth as if she was either just leaving home, or just returning. Elizabeth's face was just about entirely covered by an excited grin. She could recognise Bunny from anywhere, no matter how much time had passed, and no matter how much she had changed and grown. "I have been waiting for this day since I got back," her voice quivered with a hesitant excitement; she was trying to hold back - what if Bunny didn't even remember her, after all?

[bunnywalkcr]

Leaving the warmth of her home felt, suddenly, like a mistake. The November sky was gray and oppressive, and a chill, insistent wind tugged at Bunny's hair and picked at the fuzzy strings on the end of her scarf. Despite the obscenely fluffy cover of her fur coat, Bunny shivered as she placed a hand on the the driver's side door.

In truth, Bunny had scarcely left the sanctuary of her bedroom for weeks. The trees had all shed their autumn cloaks of red and gold, and now the sprawling woods around her house seemed barren; darker, somehow. The temperature had dropped, and with it, Bunny's desire to venture outside. Even now, standing in the wide driveway out front, the warmth of her bed — unmade blankets and all — called to her.

Seasonal depression, she thought, tugging firmly on the door handle. It was something she'd looked up once, during her brief stint at Stanford, on one of the two dozen blocky monitors that lined the computer lab. Just take your vitamins, sweetie, her mother's voice said inside her head. Get those nutrients. We all get tired.

No sooner had Bunny ducked her head into the car door than a voice reached her ears, carried on the brisk November wind. Bunny straightened back up and peered down the drive, into the face of someone she'd all but forgotten, yet immediately recognized.

"Oh my god?" Bunny called out, shaking back her mass of blonde hair. "Is that Elizabeth fucking Vasquez?"

Even as the question left her lips, her face split into a grin. Despite all the time that had separated them since kindergarten, Bunny knew at once it was, in fact, her childhood friend. Sandbox love never dies, after all.

Bunny stepped away from her car, automatically moving to close the space between them, arms outstretched. As she approached, she took in Elizabeth's uniform: the collared pinstripe, the navy blue crossbody.

"What is Ellie Vasquez doing delivering my mail?" Bunny demanded, her eyes bright.

[loveuimsorry]

SABRINA CARPENTER for Skims Spring 2024

[weltenwellen]

Danez Smith, Don't Call Us Dead

[typewriter-worries]

[ Text ID: i have no more room for grief. it's everywhere now. listen to my laugh and if you pay attention you'll hear a wake. ]

[bunnywalkcr]

Bunny has had past crushes and high school romances. Has her family’s reputation affected her love life, and does she feel like she can be open with someone in a relationship, or does she keep parts of herself hidden?

As a high schooler, Bunny often felt the pressures of dating — particularly when it came to choosing romantic interests. A boy's last name always preceded his appearance or personality in the Walker home, although Bunny's priorities were never quite as stringent.

She maintained a steady stream of short-term relationships starting in her sophomore year, often selecting partners with status — although in her (big wet anime) eyes, that status ranged beyond family influence to encompass anything from being the biggest varsity jock to securing the male lead in the spring musical. She liked dating ; she liked the attention, the familiarity of another person ; but she struggled with making commitments to people outside of her family, and she struggled with needing to feel in control.

Bunny's brief stint at Stanford upended her understanding of her own sexuality, when she met a girl for whom she rapidly developed feelings. Despite this, she has continued to hold potential romance at an arm's length, never having been in a serious relationship. In large part, this is because she has yet to truly reconcile all those same issues.

I believe Bunny could be vulnerable with the right person or people ; moreover, I think that's something that she craves, the ability to open up and be seen.

But Bunny still lacks the emotional maturity to be a decent romantic partner, because she is still squarely held in the grip of her family's influence — unable to stand confidently in her own choices. She needs someone to challenge her in this way.

[bunnywalkcr]

What are some of the lengths Bunny is willing to go to in order to keep her family’s secrets safe? Does she ever fear they might be exposed—or worse, used against her?

THE WALKERS have always epitomized an idealized version of the American family. They are generationally wealthy ; numerous, but close to one another ; distinguished yet down-to-earth ; indisputable in their influence and loyalty. Bunny's family is one that heeds blood as thicker than water, one that protects its own.

All of this to say, Bunny could realistically be driven to extreme lengths to protect someone she loves — or her family's reputation. She is deeply motivated by a sense of responsibility and duty to her family, particularly her parents, who have always considered her a miracle. But it's more than just loyalty that ties Bunny to her relatives. . .it's also fear.

In the past — particularly when she was a high school student —all of these emotions have led Bunny to participate in dubious behaviors on behalf of a higher purpose. Although she probably wouldn't admit to it now, she participated in a moderate amount of post-party blackmail, and gained a knack for digging up dirt on other influential families in town. In the same vein, she's spread rumors to protect her reputation ( or damage others ) and emotionally distanced herself from people her family did or do not approve of.

Since her recent health scare ( and subsequent return to her hometown ) Bunny has resigned herself to a quieter role in Cardinal Hill; an observer, a strategist. She has her own secret to protect...and she knows her family is involved in that protection. Responsible for it. Sometimes, she almost resents them for that.

But it's what Walkers do...

[bunnywalkcr]

who: bunny / self-para when: november 06, 1990 where: the walker estate ; 7:10 am

Bunny is at the kitchen table when it happens.

Morning sunshine slants in through the wide window above the sink, illuminating the glassware in the china cabinet and settling on the polished floors in buttery stripes. At one end of their long wooden table, Mr. Walker sits with the newspaper splayed open, hiding his weathered face. At the opposite end, Bunny cradles a steaming cup of coffee in a chipped yellow mug. Aside from the gurgling of the coffee machine and the rustling of turning pages, the kitchen is quiet; it is just the two of them.

Bunny takes a sip of coffee that burns her tongue. Good, she thinks. Her father always hated when she interrupted his morning ritual of coffee and the Cardinal Chronicle. Usually, her mother was in the kitchen, with them, spooning minute portions of yoghurt and granola into a ceramic bowl; but this morning, she'd left early to deliver a bouquet of sympathy flowers to the Avalons — leaving just Bunny and her father in the quiet of the kitchen.

Bunny studies her father's large, creased hands as they grip either edge of the newspaper: the black hair below his knuckles, the thick golden band of his wedding ring on the fourth finger of his left hand. Hands that had stroked her hair as a child and pressed against the back of her forehead to assess a fever. Hands that had trembled against the cold metal edge of a hospital bed, ghosting toward her without ever making contact. Hands that had waved away her tears and pleading words.

Her eyes drift from those hands across the front pages of the newspaper, the black bolded headline above a grainy portrait of Avalon Rivers. Almost everyone that had grown up in Cardinal Hill knew the Rivers name; and families in the know ( like the Walkers ) knew of the other-wordly power they possessed. The magic of their bloodline. To lose such a figurehead ' was already a blow to the community, ' as her father had said. . .but for Bunny, it raised more questions than anything else.

She takes another sip of her coffee, her hands encircling the mug. Her thoughts flash to Bishop, and a shiver runs down her spine — would he know things she didn't? Things about the suspicious death of Avalon Rivers? Suddenly, she needs to see him.

Bunny is preparing to abandon her coffee cup and make for The Captain's cottage when her father flips a page of the paper, and a new headline catches her eye.

WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE HIDING.

But its the picture below that unsettling title that freezes Bunny in her tracks. She knows at once that it's her — except it's not her, but something from a nightmare. Her pointed face draws down, too far, mouth hollow and open; only gaping blackness where her lips and teeth should be. Her eyes are white and pupil-less, her too-long fingers are twisted in her hair.

In her horror, Bunny is unaware of how her own expression shifts; a mirroring of that grotesque portrait. She hears a scream and stumbles back, the chipped mug slipping from her hands. It shatters on the floor, and hot drops of black coffee splatter her bare shins. It is only after this that Bunny realizes the scream came from her.

When her gaze snaps back to the paper, she's startled instead to see her father's watery blue eyes peering at her from above his spectacles. The paper rests open on the tabletop, and Bunny's horrified eyes drop to the newsprint, scanning the headlines.

"Bunny?" Her father asks, cautiously, his brow creased. She tears her eyes from the paper to look at him.

"I'm. . .It's. . ."

"What's wrong?" He asks, and there's an undercurrent in his tone that sets her on edge. Like he's anticipating a meltdown from her and doesn't quite have the space for it in his schedule.

Didn't you see that? She wants to scream. But she only shakes her head, tears brimming in her eyes. She wants to flee the kitchen, to fling open the front doors and race to Bishop at their grandfather's cottage. But there's chips of glass on the floor and a puddle of coffee on the linoleum. She snatches a dish rag and stoops to the floor to clean up her mess.

"Nothing. I'm sorry."

[bunnywalkcr]

who: @twistxdcrafts willa ⊹ ࣪ ˖ where: serene scissors, after hours when: october 31, 1990 ( event 002: halloween fright night)

Outside, the crisp October evening was giving way to an inky blue dusk, and a waxing moon was rising. The big, ticking clock on the wall indicated the time was somewhere around 7:19 pm ; the last of Bunny's coworkers had filtered out of Serene Scissors about twenty minutes before, when the salon had closed its doors for the day.

Only Bunny remained, solitary at her station, the salon dark and quiet save for the light radiating from a table lamp set precariously on the edge of her workspace. Scattered in the lamplight were all the contents of Bunny's cosmetics bag — glossy tubes of lipstick and uncapped eyeliner pencils ; creamy blushes in shades of pink and red ; powder puffs and cotton balls, eyelash curlers and brow brushes. Bunny leaned determinedly over the small, rectangular counter of her work station, tracing the shape of her lips with a red lip liner.

She'd decided to stay after hours at the salon to get ready for the coming Halloween festivities — and she only hoped that Willa remembered the last-minute change in plans and came to meet her here instead. Without Willa, she'd be missing the most important part of her costume.

Bunny was just using a kleenex to blot her lipstick when she heard the faint sound of the salon doors opening behind her, followed by a rush of cool October air. The blonde turned, her face lighting up as she saw Willa at the threshold, silhouetted by the sunset. "You're here!" Bunny beamed, dropping her lipstick to clatter against her various other makeup supplies.

[bunnywalkcr]

Bunny Walker as JESSICA RABBIT from WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988) for EVENT 002: HALLOWEEN FRIGHT NIGHT

You don't know how hard it is, being a woman, looking the way I do... I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way !

[ritualove]

Annette was not very close to Bunny, they knew each other but that was about it. The most they have interacted would have been high school group assingments that Annette did not turn up to the classes for, which would be getting to at least five years ago now. However, Annette's beer goggles are very rose coloured, and right now Bunny is one of her many life long friends who Annette just loves.

"Bunny! How are you going?!" Annette said, probably a little bit too loudly. She looked around her to find that she stood beside another stand with which she has yet to peruse. "I'm doing the exact same thing, great minds huh?" Annette turned to the store person, asking for a sample, before turning back to Bunny. "It's been so long since I've seen you, what have you been up to?"

[bunnywalkcr]

Bunny's eyes flick left and right as Annette greets her in loud, drunken tones, noticing the way heads turn in the crowd to stare at them. Bunny hates the feeling of the spotlight — even if she's only being ' spotlighted ' in a beer booth at the annual pumpkin palooza. With a stab of anxiety, she wonders who might have seen her.

"I'm great," Bunny lies through her teeth, fixing her pageant-winning smile across her face. She hopes it's dazzling enough to ward off further questions. "I ended up leaving college to pursue a degree in cosmetology, and now I'm a stylist at Serene Scissors! I've been working there for about a year." She fixes up the story to sound sweet, palatable ; a honeyed lie.

Bunny brings her beer up to her lips, trying to look casual ; trying to call back on her lost high school popularity, trying to look cool. Just before she takes a sip, a worker passes Annette her beer sample, and Bunny holds out own her foamy cup to cheers it.

"What about you, though? What's new with you, girlfriend?

[pxssengerprincess]

sabrina carpenter in her variety interview please like and reblog if you use

[wcirdo]

Elias leaned forward shielding the cigarette and the flame as she lit his cigarette for him. "Thanks," he mumbled with the cigarette still between his lips as he leaned back and took his first drag. Admittedly Elias was trying to cut back on his smoking, something he'd been attempting to do since he graduated college and moved to Cardinal Hill. So far he'd had little success on truly cutting back and wasn't going to turn down a free cig.

"Yeah, I don't remember it being like this last fall," he remarked. That was the only reference to Cardinal Hill's seasons he could recall. He'd finally lived through all four seasons here in town and while Cardinal Hill was pretty with the changing leaves and all he missed summer when it wasn't perpetually raining here. He invested in a nice raincoat upon moving to town and didn't regret it one bit. He wasn't entirely unfamiliar to wind though having grown up in NYC which could get pretty windy at times however there wasn't much fear of damages then and just had to be concerned not to get hit by the trash that blew down the streets.

"Yeah, I noticed everyone pitching in," Elias stated. "I'm actually supposed to be at the store right now getting groceries but had to explore the damages for myself," he stated. He was helping out some but without any real directions given to him he didn't feel like he was being all that productive. "Weird that no one saw it coming," Elias said. He was sure the meteorologist they consulted at the paper was going to get a stern talking to for somehow missing this massive storm on the horizon. "I'm hoping this doesn't mean we're in for a rough winter," Elias said before taking another drag of his cigarette.

[bunnywalkcr]

"So weird," Bunny agreed, nodding at Elias emphatically. She leaned her shoulders against the brick face of the building behind them as she took another drag from her cigarette. If her mother were to catch her with one of these ' cancer sticks ' between her fingers, leaving expensive chanel lipstick prints all over its dingy white filter, she'd surely have a heart attack — and that was precisely why Bunny liked to do it. The way it actually sometimes seemed to calm her brain was just an added bonus.

"I saw my dad reading the paper this morning, and the forecast said clear skies all week..." She shrugged, her blue eyes scanning the mess before them. "The longer you live here, the more you'll start to notice that sometimes strange things happen here.

"I wouldn't dwell on it, honestly." Bunny smiled in a way she hoped was reassuring to Elias. "Take it from someone who's lived here forever — weird stuff comes and goes. But it's never world-ending. Like, there's never been a real disaster."

But even as the words left her smiling lips, Bunny felt her heart sink low into her stomach. Because they weren't true, were they?

If the damage in front of her eyes wasn't proof enough, she only had to remember the voice ; that chilling, haunting, evil whisper that had coiled inside her brain like a ribbon of ice.

"Where were you when it hit?" Bunny asked Elias, suddenly. She brought the cigarette back to her lips, taking a long inhale. Her hands trembled as she exhaled.