haunted.

[casimirdraven]

what's your opinion on your birthday?

i stopped counting a long time ago since i look so young and so handsome already. but, celebrating me should be an everyday thing.

[casimirdraven]

💞 REVOLVING HEARTS — who and/or what are you most grateful for in your life?

"don't tell anyone i said this but hades and krit. again, don't say a word i would never live it down."

[casimirdraven]

Kiss, marry, avoid?

"well, that depends. are those my only three options? because 'kiss' feels a little limiting, 'marry' sounds suspiciously permanent, and 'avoid' seems like a waste of perfectly good eye contact."

[casimirdraven]

ask me.

[casimirdraven]

casimir smiled at that, slow and knowing, like he appreciated someone who understood the cost of things beneath the shine. “smart choice,” he said lightly, lowering the bottle a fraction. “most people down here hear the words happily ever after and stop asking questions...”

his gaze held hers easily when she looked him over, unbothered by the scrutiny... if anything, entertained by it.

then her question drew a softer grin from him, warmer this time. “casimir,” he answered smoothly. “though most people shorten it to cas once they decide if they like me.” a beat passed before he tipped his head slightly toward her. “and you, ariel, is it? seem like you’re still deciding how to feel about me..”

[arielnystrom]

he was right, of course, about how easy it was to convince an innocent bystander that what you saw was what you would receive. morality was a spectrum around these parts, and someone grayer than she would easily omit information to trick someone into handing over their cash. ariel would not admit to this man that she had learned such a lesson the hard way. "i suppose you will have to find an easier target," she said lightheartedly instead. "someone sadder, maybe."

the thing about this event now, that ariel would now have to get used to, was this air of local celebrity. no one expected the event to turn out as big as it did, but since it did - well - far more people recognized her today than they did yesterday. she smiled cordially in recognition when her name crossed his lips before proper introduction could be made. there was a chance she would have to get used to that.

"well, you're far too charming to be a regular vendor and we've already established i'm wary of your potions. so, do tell, mister casimir-" her pause then was pointed despite the smile on her face - friendship was earned even from the kindest of sorts. "how were you hoping to come across just now?"

[casimirdraven]

casimir’s grin widened at that, all easy confidence and feigned offense, like she’d accused him of something unfairly criminal instead of painfully accurate. “now that wounds me a little, ariel. i was aiming for approachable.” he pressed a hand lightly to his chest, dramatic in a way that suggested he knew exactly how ridiculous he sounded. “maybe a touch mysterious. definitely memorable. charming was the hopeful side effect.” his eyes flicked briefly toward the potion bottles lining the stall before returning to her again. “though apparently i’ve crossed the line into suspiciously charming. terrible curse to live with.”

he leaned an elbow against the table then, posture loose enough to appear casual while still entirely too aware of himself. “truthfully? i was hoping you’d stop long enough to talk to me.” the admission came smoother than it probably should have, wrapped neatly in that practiced charisma of his. “the local celebrity thing was making that slightly more difficult now, everyone wants a piece of the girl helping new, old, and the underland.” his smile softened at the edges, less salesman and more man for a fleeting second. “figured i should try before someone "sadder" beat me to it.”

[shegonen]

her arms crossed easily over her chest. the energy she radiated was nonchalant with an underlying layer of defiance. one of her favorite past times, if not her favorite, was cutting others down. there was nothing she enjoyed more than bursting drakken's bubble. of course, he made it easy. "i'm aware but there's a good reason drakken doesn't let me negotiate," said sharp tongue would get her in trouble. it had in the past many times, not that semra was ashamed of that. she would gladly speak her mind. "but where's the fun in that? i'd rather you get to know my distaste from the get go. i like watching you deflate."

her own eyes followed the swirling liquid. it was beautiful as light reflected off of it. but semra knew all too well beautiful things could be deadly. she had heard a few rumors about the fairy godmother. she wanted to see first hand if they were true. "you're hades' little minion. it's safe to say that things turn when you're around." she had learned that if one of hades' worms were around that trouble was not far behind. with a raised brow, semra closed the space between them. she let her eyes gloss over the demon before reaching beside him to grab a potion of her own. her hair hitting him in the process, just for added emphasis. "if i wanted your attention, i would have had it by now."

[casimirdraven]

cas laughed quietly under his breath, the sound low and warm like he genuinely enjoyed every sharp edge she threw his way. instead of looking offended, he looked entertained... dangerously so. “oh, i can tell,” he said smoothly, swirling the drink in his hand once before finally looking back at her. “drakken keeping you away from negotiations suddenly makes a whole lot of sense.” his eyes flicked over her crossed arms, the defiance written all over her posture. “though personally? i think i’d pay extra for the experience.”

when she stepped closer, he didn’t move away. not even a little. her hair brushed against him and his gaze dipped briefly toward it before returning to her face, slower this time. more deliberate.

“hades’ little minion?” he repeated with an amused tilt of his head. “damn. and here i was hoping my reputation was improving.” there was something almost lazy in the way he leaned against the counter, but the attention he gave her was anything but careless. he noticed the potion she grabbed. the challenge in her tone. the way she carried herself like she was daring people to try her. then came that last line.

he smiled immediately, sharp and easy. “semra,” he murmured, voice dipping lower, “if this isn’t your version of giving attention, i’m almost scared to see what is.”

[amityatelias]

she kept her eyes narrowed. amity didn't trust that. she never trusted when someone said something like that. i can be trusted usually meant trouble. she'd trusted her mom when she'd said that and amity had been burned by that. sometimes she didn't even trust it when eda said it. maybe she was just someone who didn't trust very many people. there wasn't much wrong with that though. "i've been told i'm intense," she shrugged. there was still a wall up but she was at least entertaining a conversation.

"well, i was one of the top witches in my class, so i'd say that i'm pretty smart." amity wasn't as big of a bragger anymore, though there were some situations that called for it, especially around people who might underestimate her. "what exactly am i supposed to know?"

[casimirdraven]

cas hummed softly at that, the corner of his mouth pulling upward like her intensity amused him more than it intimidated him. honestly, it probably did. he leaned back just enough to look relaxed while still giving her his full attention, eyes glinting with something playful. “intense isn’t a bad thing,” he said smoothly. “usually just means someone’s smart enough not to waste time pretending otherwise.”

his gaze flicked over her for a brief second before settling again, steady and warm in a way that felt dangerously intentional. when she mentioned being top of her class, his brows lifted slightly, impressed but not surprised. “oh, i don’t doubt that for a second.” his voice dipped lower then, teasing at the edges. “you’ve got that look about you. like you correct people in your head before they even finish speaking.”

a quiet laugh left him before he tilted his head. “as for what you’re supposed to know?” cas stepped a little closer, not enough to crowd her. just enough to make the air feel different. “if you're such a good witch. why don't you tell me?"

[arielnystrom]

ariel was not naive to the number of eyes lingering in the shadows down here in the underland. nary a move could be made without someone bearing witness, no matter what time it was - and it was not lost on her that she had not gone unnoticed by him. "oh, i didn't think the laps were that obvious." then again, she hadn't sat down one time.

it was one of those things that ended up being too good to be true, these potions whose only selling point was to elevate your emotions and then freeze them there. happily ever after never meant bad things stopped happening - that would interfere with the natural pecking order. instead, it was almost like these potions would cut your access to certain feelings, no matter what happened. ariel wasn't a fan of anything like that - it was like botox for the brain.

"it's quite costly, that level of peace," ariel said, allowing her eyes to lock on his with a knowing expression. she knew from experience how dark the underbelly of a bargain could be. "i think i'll stick with my tiny dose of zoloft, if you don't mind. "

ariel's gaze fell back to the bottle before trailing to the hand that held it, the arm, the torso, the face. her expression shifted to one of thought as her eyes met his again, curious now about his intention. still, she spoke with politeness. "thank you for visiting - i hope you enjoyed yourself. what's your name?"

[casimirdraven]

casimir smiled at that, slow and knowing, like he appreciated someone who understood the cost of things beneath the shine. “smart choice,” he said lightly, lowering the bottle a fraction. “most people down here hear the words happily ever after and stop asking questions...”

his gaze held hers easily when she looked him over, unbothered by the scrutiny... if anything, entertained by it.

then her question drew a softer grin from him, warmer this time. “casimir,” he answered smoothly. “though most people shorten it to cas once they decide if they like me.” a beat passed before he tipped his head slightly toward her. “and you, ariel, is it? seem like you’re still deciding how to feel about me..”

[shegonen]

elias mingling with the underland is not something semra had expected. she wasn't sure if the city was desperate or just dumb. it was wishful thinking to believe anything good could come from mingling the two cities. she hadn't been here that long and still new that fact, but semra wasn't one to turn down entertainment. she walked the festivities. her eyes glancing over every possibility to disrupt the peace.

she was bored. and when she was bored semra liked to take matters into her own hands.

the potions had caught her eye. she had heard tales of fairy godmother's work. for someone who specialized in happily ever afters it was interest to see she also seemed to have a hand in their downfall as well. she noted that she was someone to network with. what she didn't expect was another one of hades' minions standing there. semra was convinced they were following her now. "of course i am" she replied coolly. "none that you've touched. i don't think they'd be worth anything."

[casimirdraven]

casimir’s laugh came low and easy, the kind that suggested he was enjoying this far more than he should’ve been. instead of taking offense, he leaned casually against the stall, eyes dragging over her with open amusement. “that sharp tongue of yours is wasted on casual conversation, you know that?” he mused. “most people at least pretend to like me before they start questioning my value.”

he picked up one of the potion bottles, turning it slowly between his fingers as the liquid inside caught the light. “though i’ll admit,” he added, glancing back at her beneath dark lashes, “i’m a little flattered you think i’ve touched enough things around here to ruin their reputation personally.” the corner of his mouth tugged upward. “that takes dedication.” then, quieter, more teasing than offended, “but if you wanted my attention, semra, you could’ve just asked.”

[amityatelias]

amity was passing by the potions stall. she was curious to see what they were selling. if they were real potions or all just fake ones, but she wasn't planning on buying anything. not really. she was here to spend time with luz and have a nice weekend. the purple haired witch didn't spend much time in the underland. she found college taking up most of her time. this place reminded her of the markets back home. not every seller was reputable, though there were some good ones in there.

"you've got the wrong person." not that amity wasn't a person with good instincts, she was, she just wasn't searching for anything specifically. "i'm not searching for anything." amity was studyign something, which was absolutely not the same thing as studying, so she liked to think. "why, what do you want?" her eyes narrowed. "my friends are waiting for me." the witch knew better than to trust anyone who walked up to her down here.

[casimirdraven]

casimir lifted both hands in mock surrender, though the smile curling at his mouth never faltered. “relax, if i wanted something from you, you’d know.” his gaze flicked briefly over the items she’d been studying before settling back on her narrowed eyes with quiet amusement. “and for someone not searching for anything, you were looking awfully hard.”

he leaned lightly against the stall, easy and unbothered. “besides, anyone smart enough to keep their guard up down here usually has the best instincts in the room. i was just curious if you knew it yet.”

[kritikalhit]

there was one thing he could appreciate about the event, and that was the better food. krit stabbed his fork into a naco from the bueno nacho stand and had a bite of it. his eyes remained fixed on the crowd, seeing their smiling faces, their wary ones. when he heard cas speak, he didn't look down at him but he smirked. "beauty of humanity, that is. falling for every pretty face, pretty thing, pretty party," he waved his fork lazily around them. for the millionth time in his new life, he was grateful to no longer be part of that. "and then they call it 'wonder'." krit finally looked down at the fish. "we'll be doing them a huge favour."

[casimirdraven]

casimir’s grin sharpened at that, gaze drifting toward the bowls where the water now stirred just a little too aggressively beneath the carnival lights. “exactly,” he said smoothly, plucking a ball from the counter and weighing it in his palm. “they spend their whole lives begging for magic, then act shocked when it bites.” he glanced sidelong at krit, amusement flickering warm in his expression. “honestly, we’re improving the experience. goldfish are forgettable, don't you think?”

[chessmorrigan]

closed starter for: @kritikalhit & @casimirdraven location: the grotto

chess was fully aware at this stage of the game that the character of potato chip the cat was one they had assumed responsibility for. on this night in particular, there were waves of people that came in, more than the cat had ever seen, and neither of the people who were supposed to be here were anywhere to be found.

it was clear what had to be done.

it did seem that curly trusted the two women she left in charge of the shop, but that didn't say too much to chess. trusting of almost anyone, curly was - it was clear in how she found home in the dingiest part of town and brought the world to see it. she was careless, that mermaid, whether she believed it or not. someone was going to have to watch her shop while she was gone and that someone was going to be named after a spud.

chess laid down in his spot, an elevated point on a shelf that had been cleared off just for him, and he watched as people weaved in and out between tables and shelves. there weren't many points where the cat had to intervene - only when he thought someone may take something that didn't belong to them - but from this spot he could see almost everything. so he sat, watched, and waited.

nothing would happen here on chess' watch. not if they could help it.

[casimirdraven]

casimir moved through the grotto like he belonged there, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket as he casually weaved between crowded shelves and tables. there was always something amusing about places like this during an event... too many people, too much noise, enough distractions for all kinds of fun. exactly why he’d agreed to meet krit here. whether that fun involved mild theft, harmless sabotage, or simply making someone’s night significantly more inconvenient remained to be seen.

“you’re late,” he muttered the second he caught sight of krit, mouth curving into a crooked grin. “i was beginning to think you’d developed a conscience, which honestly would be tragic for our friendsh—” he stopped short, brows knitting together as his gaze flicked toward the back of the shop, then the front door, then somewhere in between. something prickled unpleasantly at the back of his neck, like static crawling over skin. not danger exactly, but attention. unwanted and lingering. his grin faltered just slightly. “...do you smell that?” @kritikalhit

[totallycerwing]

clover eyes him from head to toes, not at all subtle in her ways and gives him her best smirk. "ah, you know. true love potion, nothing too shabby." she winks at him playfully, her fingers passing lightly on the surface of some pink vials. was she actually looking for anything? not really, but it was a fun place to people watch and any new movements at the underland was to be checked by woohp agents, secretly, surely.

"i actually heard there would be lots of trinkets and i love me some silly trinkets. especially if it's pink." clover looks back at him once more, "but you don't seem the trinkets type, what are you doing here?"

[casimirdraven]

casimir lets her look. doesn’t rush it, doesn’t interrupt it. just watches her watch him like it’s part of the game, something he’s more than willing to indulge. the smirk she gives earns one in return, slower, a little sharper around the edges. “true love?” he echoes lightly, glancing at the pink vials beneath her fingers. “dangerous taste. those never come without a catch… but i suppose that’s part of the appeal.” his gaze drifts back up to hers, lingering there with an ease that feels deliberate. “pink suits you, though. bold."

at her question, he tilts his head, considering her like she’s something just a bit more interesting than the rest of the night’s distractions. “i could ask you the same,” he murmurs, stepping a fraction closer, just enough to shift the space between them. “but since you asked so nicely… i’m here for the show.. these kinds of things don't happen often down here.” a faint grin pulls at his mouth, eyes flicking briefly to the trinkets before settling back on her. “and every now and then,” he adds, voice dipping just slightly, “you find something a little more interesting than trinkets.”

[arielnystrom]

as the night went on, ariel found herself looping the gloam market for what could have been the thirtieth time. adrenaline pulsed through her in a way that didn't allow her to sit, only to make her rounds. again and again until she made conversation with everyone who walked through the gate. for now, she found herself in front of happily ever after potions, intrigued by the sale sign out front.

"and what exactly is it about me that screams good instincts before i've spoken a word?" it was a challenge, but playful all the same. ariel had been spending enough time with humans (and humans adjacent) for long enough now to know when they were buttering her up. "i'm just looking for now, but i would love to hear the sales pitch you, very clearly, have prepared." she glanced to the bottle in his hand and smiled, unassuming.

[casimirdraven]

casimir didn’t miss much.... especially not the way she moved through the event like it belonged to her, like every lantern had been lit with intention and every laugh threaded back to her hands somehow. he’d clocked her long before she stopped at this stall, long before she turned that sharp little question on him. it drew something warmer into his smile, something less rehearsed and a touch more honest, though it still danced on the edge of performance. “hm,” he hummed, rolling the bottle lazily between his fingers, “call it a professional curiosity. you’ve got the kind of presence that makes people behave… or try to.” his gaze flicked over her, not invasive, just knowing. “and you don’t walk a floor this many times unless you’re making sure every piece is exactly where you want it. that takes instinct.”

he leaned in just slightly, conspiratorial without crowding her, charm settling in easy like he’d worn it a thousand times before. “as for the pitch,” he continued, lifting the bottle so it caught the glow of the lights, liquid inside swirling a shade too rich to be natural, “this one promises a happily ever after. very on brand, don’t you think?” his smile tilted, just enough to suggest there was more beneath the surface. “of course, definitions vary. some people hear ‘happily’ and think peace. others think excitement. i find it’s far more interesting when the outcome… adapts to the person holding it.” a beat, then softer, more pointed, “but i imagine you already knew that. you don’t strike me as someone who deals in anything predictable i've been in your store before."

[casimirdraven]

closed starter for @kritikalhit ft. the grand re-opening of the grotto !

cas had never been one to pass up an opportunity for a little… creative tampering, and the grotto’s reopening had handed him one gift-wrapped in bright colors and cheap prizes. he lingered beside the fish bowl game, fingers drumming lazily against the rim of the stand while his gaze flicked between the unsuspecting crowd and the neat row of glass bowls glinting under the lights. each one promised a harmless little goldfish: sweet, dull, forgettable. how boring. his lip curled faintly as he tilted his head toward krit, voice slipping low and amused. “you ever notice how people never question what they’re given, just so long as it looks pretty enough?”

[casimirdraven]

open event starter ft. the grotto reopening !

casimir lingered just off to the side of the happily ever after potions stall, a glass vial twirling lazily between his fingers like he’d been doing it his whole life. the liquid inside shifted colors every few seconds soft gold to violet to something darker and his smile sharpened every time it changed. he watched the crowd more than the merchandise, eyes catching on anyone curious enough to get too close.

“you look like someone with good instincts,” he said smoothly, stepping into someone’s space just enough to be noticed. he held the vial out between them, tilting it so the light caught just right. “so tell me. what kind of position are you searching for” his grin widened, playful but edged.