caleb kramer

thirty-three. firefighter. civilian.

[caleb-kramer]

cookie asks

chocolate chip cookie: what scent reminds you of your childhood?

macaroon: when was the first time you fell in love with a place?

peanut butter cookie: what's the weirdest diet/eating habit you've had?

mexican wedding cookie: was your first kiss the way you wanted it to be?

snickerdoodle: what was the name of the first pet that you got to name yourself?

gingerbread man: what's your absolute All-time Favorite winter holiday tradition?

oatmeal raisin: when you were a kid what was your absolute least logical but most hated thing to do?

sugar cookie: salty or sweet?

alfajor: what song do you want to play at your wedding?

animal cracker:what's your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

biscotti: what languages do you speak? which one feels the most intimate to you?

black and white cookie: how'd you handle your very first heartbreak?

choco biscuit: when was the first time that you broke your own heart?

dutch letter: if you could decorate your room anyway you wanted, how would it look?

fig roll: what promise do you wish you could take back?

oreo: what's the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful thing about you?

polvoron: do you collect anything? if so what?

thumbprint cookies: what's your favorite fairytale?

wafer: what kind of music manages to totally transport you somewhere else?

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

“Sure. If there were such a thing as a solution.” It’s matter of fact, not a hint of regret in his intonation. As far as Dante is concerned, that’s just life. “People get too caught up on that. Solutions. What’s there to solve? What’s done is done, there is no changing it. Things evolve, but you’re never going to fix them. It’s not a possibility.”

-

Even in his slightly drunken state, Caleb was shocked at how much the man’s words fit so well. A small smile made its way across his lips as an almost bitter laugh followed. “Well I’m certainly glad we’re not speaking while I’m fully drunk. I hate admitting when people are right. Although I’m not so sure the word evolve fits for my situation.” He wasn’t sure that he could take much more evolving, in that instance. 

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

There’s a frown etched onto her features, and it’s presence is foreign. This isn’t normal, least of all for her. Lila finds herself staring at his face for a moment, some stubborn streak that is buried deep in her heart flaring and demanding it’s due time. She suppresses it. At least for now, long enough to give him a small nod and slip through the door. It takes no time flat for Lila to begin looking around, eager to help. Clean his space up, try to support him. Cheer him up. Something. Anything. All the while, she fights back temptation. “You don’t need to ice people out, Caleb.” It comes out before she can stop herself. Despite the judgmental statement, it is anything but. She’s imploring, begging that he hear her out and understand her concern. But that stubborn streak… “So you might as well stop trying, because I’m going to be right here.”

-

Closing the door behind her, he continued to keep his back to her. He had no idea how he would react looking her in the eyes again, causing a knot to form in the pit of his stomach. If there was one thing he hated more than anything, it was pity. Something he had been drowning in since the broadcast. 

Her words were met with the bitter bark of a laugh, shaking his head before rubbing a hand over his face. 

“Bit late for that, don’t you think?” He knew he was being harsh, but in that moment, he could not care less. For someone was level headed as Caleb, there were very few times in his life that his filter came off. “I needed you when I reported her missing. In the years it’s been since then. But you were nowhere to be found.”

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

A sigh escapes her the minute she hears the knob turn, not taking a step back but instead waiting with baited breath. She’s praying for this to be easy, but how could it be? “I’m here for you,” is the soft reply. A moment’s hesitation brings her to glance around before attempting to peek into the apartment over his shoulder. Has he been eating? Taking care of himself? Sleeping? God, is he binge drinking? “You.. you haven’t been picking up your phone and I was worried.” Taking a breath that hitches in her chest, Lila glances over his face before making a quiet request. “May I come in?”

.

Staring at the woman in front of him, there was a small part of Caleb that wanted to pull her into him, to let her into everything he was experiencing. That nagging wish to go back to before she disappeared, before Sarah did. When they were happy. Together.

“I turned it off,” his voice sounding gruff to even himself, “I couldn’t take it anymore, so I turned it off.” And nearly threw it into the water.

With her simple request, the walls he had built came shooting back up. He couldn’t let her get close to him again that easily. Not when the people around him kept getting hurt. Not when she had already hurt him. “Knock yourself out,” he said dryly, opening the door a bit wider.

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

“Should slow down.” Most would encourage self sabotage, use it as a means to gain information, but Dante can tell with just a single glance that there isn’t much of use from this particular wretch. As if to punctuate his suggestion, he takes a patient sip from his glass. Not too much, not too little. This isn’t the time. “Liquor doesn’t even qualify as a band-aid. It’s more of a temporary balm.”

-

Rubbing a hand over his face, Caleb let out a sigh before looking up to face the man who spoke. “I’ll take a temporary balm for now,” he managed out, his voice still rough from its minimal use that day. If only he knew. If only more people knew what he was going through, he would be more open with his thoughts. But he was so done with the platitudes that normally brought on, so alcohol it was. “Every good solution starts with a good mope, right?”

[happypllls-deactivated20220129]

The instant the broadcast went out, Lila found herself with her heart in her throat. Pulse quickened, thoughts scattered. She tries to text him, to call and never receives an answer. She waits. And then the second broadcast comes.

Riddled with nerves and incapable of dealing with further loose ends, Lila is quick to give one last warning text: I’m coming over. Thirty minutes later, a shaking hand would gently knock upon his door. “Caleb?” Sights trailing anxiously over the familiar door, she knocks again. “I’m… I’m not going to go anywhere so you might as well just let me in.” What a loaded statement.

@caleb-kramer​

[caleb-kramer]

Shannon Lakely and Sarah Kramer—

He had both dreaded and wanted the confirmation for so long, even though he knew in his heart that she was gone. Somehow, he still had not been prepared for the blow that it would bring both him and his family.

As both his phone and computer had been turned off from the moment the broadcast had aired, he had no idea how long he had been sitting on his couch, staring at the wall in front of him. It was the knock and the voice calling his name that snapped him out of his trance. 

He sat there for a minute, hoping she would go away. A small groan escaped him as the second knock came, knowing her well enough that she would be true to her words. Shuffling to the door, he opened it part way and looked at her, “What are you doing here?”

[caleb-kramer]

trxshcns​:

Jack kept picking at the label on his beer. He knew- the Kramer name among the missing hadn’t slipped his notice over the years- knew it was Caleb’s family, even if he hadn’t known that it was his sister. He chewed at his bottom lip, nodding at the other’s question, “Knew you lost someone. Didn’t know she was your sister.” He said, looking up toward Caleb after a long moment. 

-

“She was just a kid...” Not necessarily true, except for Caleb and his brother. Taking a breath, he ran an hand through his hair in an attempt to calm himself. Flagging down the bartender, he leaned against the bar to stabilize himself. Looking back at Jack just as the man finally looked at him, he let out a tired sigh. “How the fuck did you get mixed up with them anyway? You’re not necessarily the kind people associate with them.”

[caleb-kramer]

for @rcstlcss-nights (dante)

He should have known the past few years without the looming Santoros had been too good to be true. The bombarding texts from his parents and friends, while well-meaning, were bringing back memories and emotions he had fought so hard to keep suppressed. Adding the fact of a friend’s betrayal to the mix, and Caleb felt the familiar beginning of a spiral. The kind where he turned his phone off during work, and then left it off until stumbling him hours later than his shift had ended.

“Another, please.”

[caleb-kramer]

trxshcns​:

Jack’s eyes dropped from Caleb as he was questioned, focusing instead on the peeling label of his beer, picking at it with his thumb. He knew Caleb would be hurt by this- knew becoming friends with folks without matching marks was a gamble- and he had still done it. He looked up toward Caleb, lips pursed as he thought of what to say before shrugging instead, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you.” He said, shaking his head, “I was trying to be a better person.” 

A million thoughts ran through his head, but knowing they were in public, he had to be careful of how far he let his temper run. He had let himself believe that the man in front of him was his friend, only to find out he was in league with the people who had almost torn his family apart, after terrorizing his home for decades. “You know they took my sister, right? Just before they imploded before.”

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

-

There’s a breath of relief escaping her the moment reassurances are made. It’s more than she deserves and everything she had hoped for, and it shows in the small nod. Grateful is precisely the word for it, though that little voice in the back of her head nags at her to take a closer look. “She will be.” That much she is certain of, knowing all too well that there is no way anyone would be able to touch her now. “Mmm… I’m… I’m okay.” It’s not convincing. She’d been a mess, last she saw him and even through the few years that followed. Since it all ended, things had gotten better. Work, relationships, roots— something she’d always expressed a real desire for. “Just a little nervous, all these people in one room.” One glance over her shoulder allows her to scope out who may be nearby, but more importantly, if anyone of note is anywhere near. “Had a chat with Mr. Santoro, himself,” that frown reappears. “Real nice guy.” Absolutely untrue. “Do you mind if— can I stick with you?”

-

Letting go of her arm, he let his eyes leave her just long enough to do a scan of the room. “I get that. Something tells me that this certain collection of people was bound to end up in some sort of drama.” Relief flooded through him when she did not try to pull or run away. 

At the sound of the man’s name, Caleb felt his whole body tense. “What did he say to you?” he asked, an unintentional harshness edging his voice. Despite how much time had past with them apart, the protectiveness came flooding back at the idea of Santoro anywhere near her. Just the thought made his blood boil, though he knew he had no right to feel that way anymore. “Did he threaten you or something?”

Do you mind if— can I stick with you? The surprises just kept coming. After all of the running, she actually wanted to be around him? “Of course. No one else would be nearly as good company than me.”

[trxshcns-deactivated20210313]

It was stupid to think he’d walk out of the church and life would go back to how it was- that no one but the police department had seen the marks on his hands he’d been so careful to hide for years. He knew he had hurt people- he had killed people- and he knew staying in this community that he’d have to face their families- and yet, being confronted with it, with Caleb, looking at him like that- was something Jack hadn’t prepared for. He just wanted a drink with a friend, not to be confronted with the demons of his past. He set down his beer, sighing, “You heard.”

@caleb-kramer​

[caleb-kramer]

Having grown up on the island, the hatred for the Santoro’s had started at a young age, only to be heightened when they had gone after his family. His sister, still missing years later. Caleb had always thought he’d had an eye for guessing who was in bed with them, keeping his distance to keep his stance clear. To find out he had been wrong about someone in the worst possible way was like a punch to the gut. Staring at the man in front of him, he didn’t even know what to think anymore. “Yeah, I heard.” All he was able to muster out was, “Dude, what the fuck?” 

[memeasaurus-promptus]

50 Random Character Questions

What’s one memory with a friend that you’re fond of?

Past relationships? How did they go? Do you still speak to each other?

In what ways has someone hurt you? Who?

Talk about a happy experience.

Talk about a traumatic experience.

Do you have any siblings? Family? What’s your relationship with them?

Talk about the last argument you’ve had with someone. What was it about? 

Do you have a job? What parts of it do you like/don’t like? What do you? 

Talk about the people you know at work. Do you like them? Do you hang out with them after work? 

Pick a scar/injury you have/had and talk about how you got it.

What do you look for in someone you wish to date? What do you find attractive? 

Name something that you like that you’re embarrassed about 

Who’s the last person you kissed? Is there anyone you’d like to kiss? 

What do you do to relax? 

Are you happy? 

Talk about one person you’ve met recently. 

Talk about one person that you haven’t spoken to in awhile. 

What your favorite color? Foods? Weathers/Seasons?

What did you do on your most recent birthday? 

At what age do you feel that you stopped being a child and “grew up”? 

Do you make friends easily? Talk about them for a little bit. 

What’s the last thing you’ve heard someone say about you behind your back? 

What’s your reputation with the people around you. Do they like you? Dislike you? Why? 

When’s the last time you got drunk? Do you remember what you did? Do you regret it? 

What habits/tics do you have? Do you annoy people with them? 

When was the last date you went on? How did it go? 

Are you an open person or are you closed off? 

What’s in your closet? 

What’s in your dresser/desk? 

What kind of soaps/shampoos/lotion scents do you use? Which ones do you not like? 

Do you like candles? How many do you have and what scents? 

On average how many hours of sleep do you get per day? Do you have problems sleeping or waking up? Has this affected your daily routine with other people/your job? 

When’s the last time you went on vacation? What did you do? 

When was the last time you were angry? What were you angry about? Did you get violent or pent it up? 

When was the last time you were happy? What caused it? 

When was the last time you were sick? What happened? How long did it take until you were better? 

Are you allergic to anything? 

What kind of music do you like? Do you like/not care letting people know what you listen to or do you have certain songs/bands/genres you keep secret out of embarrassment/fear? 

What brings you nostalgia? Why?

Talk about school. Did you go? What classes were you the strongest in? The weakest? Did you do any sports? Were you popular/loner? Bullied? A bully? College? What degree did you get? 

Can you swim? At what age did you learn if you did? Have you swam in the ocean/lake or just in a pool? The last time you did swim? 

What kind of holidays do you celebrate? Do you not? Do you celebrate with friends/family or alone? Which one is your favorite? 

Is there anything that you collect? Hobbies? Do you share with others what you do/make or is it not their business? 

What temperature do you keep your home at? Do you prefer it warm or cool? 

How many blankets do you sleep with? How big is your bed? How soft/firm is it? Can you sleep anywhere or under certain conditions? 

What kind of skills do you have? 

When was the last time you cried? What happened? 

What kind of drunk are you? Emotional? Angry? Clingy? Has this caused trouble for you? 

Do you believe in god(s)? Do you go to church or religious celebrations often? 

Free space. Add your own question. 

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

-

Maybe, just maybe, if she skirts the edges of the room, she can keep out of direct fire. Stay away from others she recognizes, those that she makes unfair judgments on. Lila is so sure this plan will work. Just find one dark corner— One person walks her way, almost bowling her over as they look over their shoulder. Two steps back are taken, and her hand is suddenly caught. Eyes go wide, a scream nearly surfaces as one hard yank is made in attempt to get free. It’s only when she hears his voice that she calms. Barely. “Oh—” A sigh escapes her, a mixture of relief and trepidation radiating from her just the same. One willing step forward, Lila glances down at their hands, careful to keep the back of her own facing toward the floor. “Caleb.. I..” Damn. This is a lot. There’s no escaping this one, though she does glance around trying to find a way out.

“Are you alright?” She refocuses on him, a frown tugging the corners of her mouth downward. “I heard you were down… there…”

.

After everything Caleb had seen and dealt with that night, he could have taken a moment to breathe and fully collect himself at that moment. But of course, the night had different plans for him, hell bent on making the whole night a one large, and exceedingly long, test of the strength of his will. 

Out of everything that could have happened after pulling Eva out of the crypt, this was very much the last thing Caleb could have seen coming. Despite having his hand on her arm, part of his still didn’t believe that she was real - standing right in front of him. After so many near misses reaching out to her, she was here. 

Clearing his throat to try to find the strength in his voice again. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just knowing Eva’s okay is enough...” Even he wasn’t convinced by the tone his voice, much to his chagrin. 

“How are you?” Where have you been?

[ofhotheads-blog]

Get to know the people in my muse’s life.

Send me a symbol and I’ll tell you about…

🌟 …someone my muse trusts. 💔 …someone who broke my muse’s heart. 💕 …someone my muse loves.  😒 …someone my muse hates. 🔥…someone my muse would die for. 💀 …someone my muse would kill for. 👻 …someone my muse considers a best friend. 💘 …someone my muse has a crush on. 🔪 …someone my muse hurt in the past. 👀 …someone my muse likes, but doesn’t trust. 💩 …someone my muse dislikes, but admires. 👿 …someone my muse used to like, but doesn’t anymore. 😉 …someone my muse has had sex with. 💋 …someone my muse used to date. 😜 …someone who makes my muse laugh. 👪 …someone in my muse’s family. 👑 …someone my muse is jealous of. 👊 …someone who hates my muse. 👫 …someone who has a crush on my muse. 👌 …someone my muse has only met once, but will never forget. 🍓…someone my muse has never met, but wants to meet. 👰 …someone my muse would consider marrying.

[volantisand]

sagamemes​:

my muse is going to walk into a certain death. send a symbol for their final message to your muse.

📲   for a TEXT. 📞  for a VOICEMAIL. 💌  for a LETTER. 📹  for a PRE-RECORDED VIDEO.

[caleb-kramer]

leosxntoro​:

THIS WASN’T LEO’S FIRST STORM, EITHER; it certainly also wasn’t the first (and wouldn’t be the last) time he’d been holed up in a basement. Given the choice, he would’ve surrounded himself with people he could trust, and as the brother of Dominic, he’d be sleeping with one eye open, but he was used to things being that way. Trust nobody.

“I checked the generator about half hour ago. It still looks like a generator.” Leo responded dryly, bolting up another window just across from Caleb, and pushing the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows as he turned to look at the other man. He didn’t take kindly to direction unless it was coming from his brother, who he knew was lurking somewhere.

Being locked in a building with a bunch of Santoros was something out of Caleb’s nightmares, let alone having to branch off in a small group with one. For the sake of civility, he knew that he had to keep his temper under control, as much as the man in front of him clearly going to be a test of how much control he had.

“Well, that’s a relief,” he replied before moving to the next window, “Here I was, concerned it had turned into a toaster.” Well done, Kramer. Just the way to make friends. Not that he’d want anyone from that family as friend, but he definitely did not want to be their enemy.

[caleb-kramer]

rcstlcss-nights​:

To say he’s on edge is an understatement. It’s dark, darker now without electricity. The butt of his flashlight is clenched between his teeth as he fights the window in front of him, refusing to close evenly. Muffled profanities echo with every resistance the creaky joints make. “No fu-” Sighing, he gives one last, hard tug and locks the window. Flashlight taken in hand, he looks at the other. A stranger, which to Ian means innocent; stuck in a basement with a bunch of fucking criminals. “Lost track of the others. I’m not their fucking babysitter– I hope they know what they’re doing.”

How he had ended up with a group of complete strangers out of everyone was beyond him. He could almost hear how his mother would have described them, her filter having been worn down years ago. 

“No shit, but it’s easier to work as a team by communicating a plan,” he retorted, trying to keep his voice level as the annoyance grew. Shining his flashlight down the halls, confirming it was just the two men there. Great. “Let just finish up here and then go see if we can be helpful elsewhere.”