𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 ꗃ open thread
( at the fortune shop )
THE LIGHT CLOSED OUTSIDE , shiny neon open now dead , signalling the end of their business day . nothing special about that day , tourists came and went , questions all the same . how many times they could reuse the same prediction , only time would tell . it was a moment before magic would wrap itself around the lock and turn , that she heard the familiar sound of the bell . late visit . “ WE’RE CLOSED . come back tomorrow . ”
.
“ unfortunately, my working hours aren’t normal business ones. please, ” she added quickly, straining her hands against each other at her unintentional intrusion. truth be told len hadn’t caught all the tell-tale signs she was invading after hours until after the other had declared the denial that would normally send her off. but desperate times called for a hyper-focused mind distracted and disconnected from the tangible world and social formalities.
“ i’ll be quick, really. i need a few tarot decks, if you have any left for sale. ” the fact that hers were burnt, burned, or presently burning was information best left quiet.
location: private investigation offices of lennox fairfax.
when: around 11:30pm.
who: @dulcelnteritus
the snag about being immortal and needing to drink blood to keep that (aside from needing to drink blood in and of itself) were the rules about invitations. private property needed the invitation of the owner, but public spaces were free reign. permission could be rescinded at any time, but most people were too stupid to realize that a simple oh yes, come in was all they needed. some people were too stupid to remember that they’d said it once in passing, and that it didn’t just apply to their homes. lennox was not stupid, coop would never dare to assume she was, but he knew she had a lot going on at any given time. whether or not she’d studied up on the rules and regulations of her private business and what permissions were needed for a saint to wander in whenever they so pleased was not something coop was concerned with.
not when he’d just walked through the front door and made himself at home, at least.
locks meant little to a man who’d spent a good portion of his new life stealing. by the time the doorknob jiggled in earnest he’d been on his phone, feet up on the private investigator’s desk, in the dark, 200 comments deep on an AITA thread on reddit. “ welcome home, honey. ” he didn’t bother to look up from his screen, the soft light reflected against his features, illuminating the soft glow of his eyes that wasn’t at all unlike a cat. “ i’ve been waiting for hours. tell me you’re not seeing someone else behind my back? ” —the game, a tom and jerry schtick where coop felt as if he was chasing lennox by the tail where the druid eluded him deftly, easily. he could try to seduce her in earnest, but there was no fun in cheating. he’d rather her want him of her own volition, not because of saintly parlor tricks.
“ i missed you. i have work for you. ”
.
work hours for the investigator weren’t always the most average, but then most of the city didn’t abide by normal standards of time either. her best hours, her best clients, appeared in the shadows of the night when minds were desperate for answers, eager to fulfill their most secretive wishes, tired from grief and seeking a late night listener to tell them their problems could be solved. even the occasional wanderer with the poor idea of finding a fun time in the wrong establishment would stumble through her doors before being promptly escorted out. and who was she to say her hours special when most of her associates thrived after sundown and conduct everything else when the city of lights rested its eyes? so to see a figure already relaxed in her office was... yes, still shocking and made the woman jump a few inches in the air when the rasp of his voice reached her ears.
“ even if i were to see someone, they’d have better manners than you. ” it wasn’t the intrusion, that he snuck into her work place before she flipped the open sign, nor was it the knowing curve to his lips that he had startled her that that knitted her brows together as she began unloading her bag and its contents onto the wood top. no. instead her focus immediately shifted to his lounge, so free and unburdened that his shoes somehow were appropriate for her work space. “ feet. off. ” yet despite how biting she tried to make the words, how much she attempted to keep her own lips in a bitter grimace, she couldn’t help the genuine smile creeping underneath it all at his banter.
“ that’s really sweet. and thank you, but i’m not cleaning the dirt you leave on my desk. that’s your responsibility. ”
to the casual tourist, langdon’s hardware was some rundown family business, barely getting by in a not-so-nice part of town. but to the regulars, to those who had seen a thing or two in this city– as they murmured the words hellfire– hale opened his arsenal… an impressive collection of weapons to defend oneself against the demons that’d made the city their own.
after the scene that night, his regulars were stocking up more than ever. if there was a monster out there– they wanted to kill it before IT had the chance to harm them or their children. hale was getting ready to close down the shop when he heard the bell chime to signal the front door opening.
“welcome to langdon’s— you’ve got about five minutes, friend.” hale spoke without looking up, eyes still glued to the article on his phone.
.
“ am i late or are you closing early? ” her eyes peeked from around the aisle briefly just to catch where he was, if there was anyone else making last minute decisions that made her sprint so quickly into the store. she needn’t be long, or at least she had hoped not to be since she was in the middle of several jobs all colliding at once with the ambition to tackle none in the moment. but as lennox passed through each section of goods the place offered, of what was still left, the buildup in her arms increased like a squirrel trying to stuff every morsel it saw just in case.
“ just one more... i... ” she added, loading the mismatching supplies onto the counter before quickly disappearing back into the rows. “ do you have more leather workman gloves? i need three pairs. ”
* † [ tuppence middleton , she/her + cis woman ] : is that LENNOX FAIRFAX wandering around ? under these neon lights i swore they looked like a DRUID, but in actuality they are a FIXER / PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. the THIRTY FOUR YEAR OLD is known to be CHAOTIC and MISGUIDED, albeit HEAD STRONG and AMBITIOUS. after spending TEN YEARS in sin city, their favourite song to hum is CLOSER by CLANN, though people often associate them with a harsh street lamp discolouring leaves in the night / blood, ash, and honey smeared over pale lips / flowers blooming from a decayed rib cage, dark ichor still seeping from the bone / blackened fingers digging into white wax.
i. basics.
name: lennox elizabeth fairfax.
nickname(s): len, lenny.
age/dob: 34 / july 1 1988.
birthplace: chelsea, london, england.
species: druid.
hair color: platinum blonde with a streak of blue.
eye color: hazel.
height: 5′ 7″.
build: slim.
gender, pronouns & sexuality: cis woman, she/her, bisexual biromantic.
relationship status: single.
occupation: fixer / private investigator.
spoken language: english, greek, latin (written-based), basic arabic, basic icelandic.
summation title: the hellion.
traits: (+) ambitious, head-strong, resourceful. (-) chaotic, misguided, mistrusting.
character comparisons: jules vaughn (euphoria), floki (vikings), willy wonka (willy wonka & the chocolate factory), fox mulder (the x-files), audrey home (twin peaks), klaus hargreeves ( the umbrella academy), clementine kruczynski (eternal sunshine of the spotless mind), river tam (firefly + serenity), mia wallace (pulp fiction), mystique (x-men), sabrina spellman (chilling adventures of sabrina), powder (arcane).
ii. about.
(tw for death)
neither well off or poor, the fairfax family lead an average life in the eyes of friends and neighbours. lennox and her older brother were average students as good as the next kid, as deviant as the one after, but were connected to the hip when off on their own. maybe it was the large gap in age between the two that brought them closer together--- finn being an only child for so long that when she came along it meant he had someone to show all of his interests to, all of his hobbies and friends. wherever he went, his kid sister was beside him exploring the streets of london.
behind closed doors, however, he was teaching her everything he learned in the ways of magic from their parents and then more, methods and information he picked up on his own. he was the watchful eye to make sure she didn’t do something rash on a playground as well as ensure that despite the druid lineage she remained connected to the outside world and a part of it. while both of their parents were present in the home, did what they could to be involved in their children’s lives, finn was more of a parent to her than either of the taller shadows looming in the background of every memory.
it started with a birthday gift, a film camera that their parents said was too mature for a newly turned seven year old to have without breaking it. the camera was a staple around her neck on every adventure she had with him, any family outing or holiday. she ran out of film constantly, procured more through questionable means (stole) when it wasn’t immediately replenished. it fell once, for the record, by no other cause than pure accident she couldn’t be blamed for. finn went out the next day and replaced the lens without a complaint toward expenses.
the hobby, passion, turned into the beginning of a career. lennox applied to university programmes for photography and photojournalism will a portfolio over a decade in the making, some featuring being who inspired her. by then she had the full support of her family knowing well she couldn’t be separated from her ambition, never could be convinced out of an idea. too many scars and bruises were acquired to get the right shot that to tell her it wasn’t a profitable career meant more bruises would be made, that if it was better to stay close to home she’d sneak away in the night. so with a blessing and an expectation to come back over break, she went to scotland for school.
she was beginning her postgraduate classes when her parents called--- and that should have been enough of a sign to know something was wrong. a part of her wondered if she missed signs in the ether, if her talent with the elements waned from being distracted by the human world. nothing, nothing gave warning that finn was murdered before she heard the words from her mother.
lennox immediately came home. all they knew was he was coming home from work in the city, that he’d been attacked. her parents insisted to let the police handle it but len turned toward spell casting for answers. she was warned in her frantic search that turning to dark magic, that delving into the world of the dead would get her kicked from their home. within a week, the fairfax family lost both of their children.
it didn’t matter the means, lennox eventually found the answers she wanted. they were underwhelming and left more questions to her already shattered and scattered heart. and with no home left to return to, she decided england itself couldn’t be a home either and travelled to the united states instead. death seemed to follow her, already waiting for her in the city crawling with creatures that looked the other way for their own survival or encouraged it with so many loved ones begging for the same answers she was in her time of need. lennox decided to change her profession to getting such answers for anyone who asked.
years of living in las vegas, of being on her own, has made her more understanding to the circumstances of some of the violence within the city, some. it can be necessary at times, unreasonable and for pleasure at worst. because of various sources, lennox has opened her practice for various necessities as well, knowing well that the druids within the city might not understand that discouraged practices are sometimes needed for the best of intentions. she is no longer one to judge, only one to help by whatever means is required.
will be edited as information is discovered through muse or plotting.
iii. possible connections.
clientele: true to the druids of las vegas, lennox offers whatever one might be looking for, but without limitation or warning. the possibilities are limited to one’s imagination ( and physical exertion, of course ) and lennox has no qualms with indulging.
targets: and it’s very possible you didn’t hire her but she’s lingering around more than you’ve seen her before. perhaps a long lost sire wants to keep distance and requested information or someone knows what you’ve been up to and she has a camera ready to confirm it. are you hiding anything important?
associates: even practicing druids need suppliers for their craft and lennox is constantly in need of ingredients more questionable in nature. arrangements can be made, favors to be owned or simply money to be paid. are you willing to supply?
friends: the chaotic mess that she is, lennox is still very sociable and amicable, easy to care for other people who quickly resonate with her. however it is a connection that begins as a thread and must be reinforced over time; she is hesitant to trust even those whom she believes she can. once that reinforcement is settled, there’s nothing breaking that tie.
the hive minds: lennox uses whatever means necessary to achieve what she wants, but her work and methods can and have stepped into the worlds of the various hierarchies. her skill and expertise could be valuable to any of them ( especially to her own kin ) that a whisper in her ear to join might eventually encourage her. might. alternatively, her methods are not kosher or encouraged among many which might bring tensions or enemies to her doorstep. where do you stand?
more to be written...
iv. fun facts.
(tw for illness and injury)
pressing all buttons and pushing boundaries has its drawbacks and some are beginning to physically take a toll on her. it wouldn’t be the first nosebleed lennox had from exertion, or perhaps coughing up questionable colours after indulging in a darker magic. however, the tips of her fingers blackening with necrotic damage is new. only a few digits and barely noticeable for now. for now.
there are artistic photographs hanging around her small office. all of them were a part of her original portfolio when applying to studios.
has a pet skeleton tarantula named tau.
of her various cameras and surveillance equipment, her favorite and most used is her fujifilm x100 camera. if anything should happen to it, dark magic will be dealt.
another meme i won’t finish: female characters ♡ riley blue
There’s two reasons to go to Iceland: the Aurora Borealis, and R i l e y B l u e. One is a natural phenomenon so beautiful it will blow your mind… and the other is just some pretty light in the sky.
titsay
gummygunk
andulkaphoto
theartofmadeline
dailybridgerton
annaxmalina
romaincrisis
origamiaround
kaledo-art
tangentwithtanner
vaporwave
