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@echosnoir
dario de la cruz ll 27 ll recruiter for rift riders/bartender at salty splatoon nico cole ll 27 ll civilian/clerk at v8 gas station vincent santoro ll 32 ll soldier for mob/mma fighter soledad yildiz ll 29 ll waitress and peach pit dancer
JIA’S CARE PACKAGE
a small package nico has left in front of jia’s home. he tried to get everything that would hopefully brighten their world a bit in some way.
@aqu4regia
he hadn't expected nico to actually follow through. maybe yujin had done an exceptionally cruel thing asking his friend to hurt him in the first place, or maybe he had known exactly who would catch him off guard in the right way by punching him when he least expected it. yujin had uselessly opened his arms, the movement slow, hands raised only ever so slightly, in this incredibly awkward attempt to offer a hug when nico started speaking of his uncle. and then nico had punched him, right where yujin had asked, all the breath was knocked from his lungs as he stumbled back a two-step.
and for one sick moment in which yujin coughed and wheezed until he could feel air in his throat again, he considered that nico was punching the right person. that this was a deserved retribution yujin couldn't even point out to him.
yujin stood folded over, hands on his knees, until he didn't. until nico was right there, holding up his spine in a hug, and yujin could feel the breath being squeezed from his body once more. "h-hey," he said, tone trembling with something between shock and plain lack of air. "you're okay. i'm okay. i'm not dying on you and i won't ask you to do that again, okay? we're all good. we're good, darling."
the stupid thing was, it did help. yujin felt like he had been violently shoved back into his body, his hands and his thoughts once again aligned. he brushed some fingers through nico's hair, shushed ever so quietly. "you didn't do anything," yujin said. it was plain, simple, bare. the cruelest part of it all, maybe. "you didn't do anything, you didn't deserve it." and yet, it had happened either way. yujin had done it either way.
nico didn't move for a while after that. he stayed there, arms wrapped around him, eyes squeezed shut, trying to memorize the fact that yujin was standing here and nowhere he couldn't reach. his breathing slowly evened out as he listened to his friend's voice, to the reassurance that they were okay, that he was okay. eventually he nodded once against him. “okay,” he whispered. “okay.” but his hands didn't immediately let go. they lingered there a little longer than they needed to, because lately every goodbye, every separation, every missed text felt heavier than it used to. heavier in a way nico wasn't entirely sure how to explain.
when yujin said he hadn't done anything, nico's face crumpled for half a second before he looked away. “i know,” he said quietly. “i know that.” but the words weren't convincing, not even to himself. he rubbed his face with the sleeve of his sweater before looking back at him. “it's just hard not to bargain with it all, you know?” he admitted, continuing to ramble on through his spiraling thoughts. “hard not to sit here and go well, maybe if i had shown up earlier. maybe if i had made one more phone call. maybe if i'd paid attention harder. maybe if i had gone to h-help with the bike. did my uncle know i loved him? i'll never know. i could've done more...” he laughed softly then, though there wasn't any humor behind it. “my brain keeps trying to rewrite the ending, and i can't. i can't bring back my uncle or anyone else that died. i can't stop this person from causing more harm. what if something happens to my sisters?"
his eyes settled on yujin again after that, softer now. “i trust you, babes. i do.” he said it simply, without hesitation. “i'm sorry...everything has just been a lot lately, you know? of course you do. it's been a lot for everyone. i just...” he shook his head once before letting out a long breath. “and you really are special to me.” his brows pulled together just a little. “i just need you to be okay right now, okay?” his voice lowered at the end, quieter than before. “that's it. i'm not asking for perfection. i'm not asking for you to have the answers. i just...” he swallowed once. “i need you alive. i need you to die when you're an old wrinkly man who has lived a good fucking life, okay? i know that's not fair to ask, but...i don't care."
then a tired smile finally found its way back onto his face, "it's nice to see you. did i hit you hard enough? i'm not usually someone who hits on command." he can't remember the last fight he got into but he was a drunk one at the bar. why did you need me to hit you in the first place? what's going on?"
Seojun had been on his way to pick up his food order before heading back to his apartment. It had been a long day, and all he wanted was a quiet evening and something warm to eat. The streets were busy enough, people passing by with shopping bags, conversations blending into the evening air. A few owners walked their dogs nearby, which he had no issue with. Dogs were fine. Cats, however, were another matter entirely. Just thinking about them was enough to send an unpleasant chill down his spine. One bad experience had been enough. Their eyes were unsettling, their behavior unpredictable, and Seojun remained convinced they spent most of their time plotting something. No amount of evidence had managed to change his opinion.
Turning the corner, he slowed to a stop. Assessing the situation, seeing as someone was holding a puppy. Seojun blinked. "The answer is no." The response came immediately, before they could even say anything.
His brow lifted slightly. "That puppy isn't mine." Not that he had anything against dogs, but he barely had enough time for himself these days, let alone a pet. And he wasn't even sure whether Christian was the type to keep animals around in the first place. God forbid it was a cat.
He exhaled quietly. "In what way do you need assistance?" The question was calm, though there was a faint look of resignation behind it. Because despite the initial refusal, Seojun was already standing there.
soledad couldn't help but to let out a soft laugh at his immediate response, one eyebrow lifting with amusement. “well, alright then, sugar,” she said warmly. “good to know we've ruled one thing out.” the puppy immediately twisted toward the man instead, his tiny tail wagging so aggressively his entire body wiggled with it. that only made her smile grow. “look at that.” she cooed softly. “he likes you and i think he assumes you're his friend. this little guy is making a lot of assumptions today.” one finger gently scratched beneath his chin before she added, “very bold for someone who doesn't even pay taxes.”
her gaze lifted back toward the male, still warmly smiling. “i was hoping you'd help me figure out what to do with him.” she admitted. “because if i hold him for much longer, i'm gonna make an emotional decision and that's dangerous.” a quiet laugh escaped her then, shaking her head. “and by dangerous, i mean i absolutely cannot afford to leave here with a dog.” she sighed dramatically before glancing down at the puppy. “which is unfortunate because he seems to have skipped right past introductions and gone straight to trying to move in. with one of us.”
then she looked back toward the guy again, her expression bright and inviting. “maybe we can look to see if we find a collar nearby or somebody nearby panicking? somebody running around calling his name?” her head tilted slightly as she watched him for a moment before her smile softened. “you seem observant, sugar. i could use a second pair of eyes." the puppy made small whimpering noises as he stretched towards the male again, as if begging for him to give in and scratch behind its ears. "i think he really wants you to hold him," she suggests, holding the pup out, "go on, sugar. he ain't gonna bite you too hard."
"what if it was? like maybe i'm trying to get a hot guy to help me out and also ask out. that could've been a hidden motive, right?" it wasn't. he just didn't really know how to ask for help that well. he's always been dependent since his accident. it seemed that people who he asks for help from always think he needs a push or something like that. they always look at the chair first. but he's thankful its nico that he ends up talking to. "you grow your own stuff? why that's really impressive." he smiles at nico. "i can't even grow tomatoes." his smile grows deep at the mention of the sea otters. they were one of his weakness and well nico knew that. "yes, i remember. i'm glad you have my back, man. not many people do." cassie leans forward in his wheelchair so he can see the menu. "it's mostly for sleep and sometimes pain. i can't feel much, but sometimes it's there and i can feel where i was injured at. its like a phantom pain. lately i haven't been able to sleep." he bites on his bottom lip, nibbling it gently. "is there anything that can't be easily detected in drug tests?"
“if it was, i'd ask, is this the part where you ask me out?” he teased, “because, for the record, that would've been a pretty smooth hidden motive, babes.” he nudged his shoulder lightly before he refocused on what they were here for. “not a lot of it, but i do have a few plants. when they bud i'll let you know." his eyes dropped back to the menu. “but for now...for sleep and phantom pain, i'd probably steer you away from smoking all the time and maybe look at a combo situation instead. a balm could be really nice for those spots that flare up, even if the pain is weird and comes and goes, and then maybe a low-dose edible for nighttime if you're trying to actually stay asleep.” then he paused at the drug test question and shook his head a little. “i'm gonna be honest with you though, i wouldn't trust anything cannabis-related to be impossible to detect on a drug test. edibles, flower, vapes, oils, they can all show up depending on the test and how often you're using them.” he tapped the menu thoughtfully. “your safest bet is probably talking to the staff in there too, especially since you've got a doctor's note and you're using it for symptom management.” then he smiled again, warmer this time. “we'll find you something that helps, though." he grinned as he reached to open the door, leaning against the frame. "lets go begin your journey, babes."
yujin tried, and continuously failed, to not be entranced by the noteworthy. he was a man of routine, and distinctly caught whenever this play he knew all lines to was interrupted, cast aside for something he thought he had an understanding of, but simply didn't. he had only been in the antique shop because he'd seen one of those terrifying cymbal-banging monkeys in the window and had come in to investigate. now, he was faced with a million memories he had no understanding for -- in one of the cardboard boxes nearby was a dusty wedding photo; there was an old wooden highchair in the corner of the room; there were rings that had been loved and passed down until there were no more hands to take them.
he wanted to leave. he didn't like being in here. he was going to leave.
then conversation found him before he could turn on his heel, and he was trying too hard to fit into how small this shop was, how carefully he had to navigate around the fragility lined up in display sets. and he stayed.
"it is weird," he agreed, though he wasn't endeared to that notion like she was. he could see this warmth in how she traced the shelves, though he couldn't understand it. he stood awkwardly, shoulders hunched, legs too straight. he still didn't know how to exist in this space. he lifted an arm, pointed towards the entrance of the store. "i already found the weirdest thing. it's that fucking monkey out there. i'm scared to buy it, though."
soledad followed the direction of his finger immediately, her expression brightening with curiosity before she walked over toward the monkey in the window. she leaned forward slightly to get a better look at it, but made no attempt to touch the thing. somehow, that felt dangerous. or maybe sol needed to stop watching horror related things. “oh no.” she said simply at first, getting a little shiver at the sight of the thing. “yeah, no. absolutely not.” a soft laugh escaped her before she looked between him and the monkey again. “have you ever seen that show, black mirror, sugar?” she asked, gesturing toward it. “looking at this monkey here, i'm kind of getting the vibe from that one episode where a lady's subconscious gets trapped inside of a teddy bear.” she paused, studying its frozen grin for another second before she shivered again. “i'm suddenly really creeped out.”
she looked back at him then, pointing toward the door with a playful smile. “maybe we call this a win and get out of here.” without waiting too long, she reached for the handle and pushed the door open, immediately taking in a deep breath of fresh air once they stepped outside. “okay.” she exhaled dramatically, hand pressed to her chest. “much better.” her gaze drifted back toward the storefront for a moment before she laughed quietly to herself. “i love antique stores, but every now and then they remind you that some objects might just be better left alone.”
then she turned back toward him, her expression bright and easy once again. “it looks like i owe you some lunch, don't i?” she smiled as she began walking backward a couple of steps. “what are you in the mood for, sugar?” her head tilted slightly to one side as she thought it over herself. “honestly, after surviving the monkey, i feel like we've earned something good.”
who: vinny x romy (@echosnoir) where: parking lot outside of the festival when: ~50 min to an hour after the ripper plot
there was no way of knowing how long romy's fingers had been drumming against her opposite upper arm, how many times her eyes had flit over the festival entrance and across the front few rows of the parking lot. hoards of people continued to flood from the festival like warriors retreating a losing battle, which made spotting any one person a near-impossible task. a flash of blonde hair, but it wasn't soph, or sav, or rosa. broad shoulders, but they didn't belong to zahir, or rhys, or jason. maybe she should've stuck with atti, looked for the rest of the family she desperately sought out now. at a point she was squinting so hard, she thought she saw the perfect makeup of vinny's face from across the way. same tousley brown hair, same steady stature. even the slightest glimpse at the same ace tattoo. what did that mean? she looked on as though through a haze, unmoving, and the figure didn't change into someone else like she'd expected it to. now, what did that mean? in a flicker of hope that it signaled actually locating someone she knew and cared for, romy untangled her arms and one hand rose to offer a slow and singular wave. then it rose higher, waved a touch more frantically, trying to get his attention like a passenger on a sinking ship did a passing lifeboat.
vinny didn't hesitate the second he spotted her. one second he was weaving through the flood of people pouring out of the festival grounds and the next he was jogging straight toward her, every instinct in his body screaming that she shouldn't still be standing there. “what the fuck are you doing?!” he barked the second he got close enough, eyes darting around them before landing back on her. “get fucking moving!” before she even had the chance to answer, his hand had already found hers, fingers wrapping around it without a second thought as he immediately started pulling her along beside him. there wasn't any room for discussion. not tonight. his gaze kept sweeping the crowd around them as they moved, jaw tight, shoulders tense. “c'mon. c'mon.” the words left him under his breath more for himself than for her.
by the time they reached cherry, he yanked the passenger door open and pointed inside. “get in the fucking car, romy.” there was no harshness to the request besides the language, just urgency. concern disguised in the only way vinny really knew how to disguise it. once she was in, he rounded the car, slid into the driver's seat, and immediately peeled out of the parking lot, tires protesting against the pavement for half a second before they shot forward. his hands tightened around the wheel as he exhaled heavily through his nose, eyes fixed on the road ahead. “are you trying to fucking die?!” he finally asked, glancing over at her for the first time since they'd gotten in the car. “why were you just standing there, huh?”
silence lingered for a moment before his voice lowered a fraction. “i'm serious.” his gaze returned to the road ahead. “don't do that. why the fuck didn't you keep moving? don't ever do that shit again, you hear me? you fucking move, romy. you keep moving until you're in a safe place. what if i hadn't seen you? what if...fuck!” he swallowed once before adding, quieter now, “there are too many people missing. too many people getting hurt. just don't do that again, alright?” a beat passed before he huffed softly through his nose, trying to lighten it without really succeeding. “you okay?" he hadn't even taken the chance to look her over being so stuck on surviving instead. "you need to go to the hospital?"
In all her years of living, Dixie can't tell you when she's ever been this... quiet. Not sure what to say, how to act. What to think. It's like she's still processing how the night ended.
"He's..." the brunette starts before stopping herself because, well, your guess is as good as hers. Her daddy could be five minutes out or halfway across town for all she knows—which makes her feel bad for even offering in the first place.
Dixie's phone taps lightly against the palm of her free hand while her gaze flickers around the festival—or what's left of it—before finding Vinny's again.
"... You sure?" A small, albeit sad, smile tugs on her lips. "I don't wanna put you out or nothin'."
“you're not putting me out.” he glanced towards the festival grounds, then back to her. “i offered, didn't i? if i didn't wanna do it, i would've kept my mouth shut and left you waiting for your ride." he takes a step forward in her direction, trying to soften his smile as much as possible, all he wanted was to get them both out of here right now. “town's had enough shit happen for one night. you don't need to risk adding yourself to that list by standing out here right now. we should keep moving.”
he nodded once more towards the direction of cherry. “so unless your dad texts you and says he's five minutes away, c'mon.” he reached into his pocket and clicked the unlock button, the headlights flashing a few rows over. “if he does show up while we're driving, then congratulations, you get to tell him you upgraded your ride.” a faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth before he opened the passenger door for her and waited until she climbed in before shutting it behind her. only then did he make his way around to the driver's side, sliding into the seat and whipping out of the parking lot.
"where we heading? hopefully you got a place in mind with people in it. you shouldn't be alone right now."
closed | eddy & nico | nico's place | @echosnoir
eddy had held off from seeing nico. they had sort of lost one another at the festival, which was completely eddy's fault, and he hadn't stopped worrying about the boy since everything had started going to shit. he managed to find out through the 'grapvine' that nico was safe though, unable to really comprehend what he would have done if he hadn't been. but then came the news about zahir, and rhys, and as much as he wanted to rush over to the hospital (even though he detests being there) he knew it was a better idea to give nico the space he needs, at least for a little bit.
a few days had passed now though, and eddy wasn't able to distract himself any longer. a big part of the reason why he had held of this long was that he wasn't great with grief. having been fortunate enough to never really experience it first hand, it made it even harder for the often stoic man to be around, but this was nico, so he was going to have to try.
getting in his car, usual supplies all packed up ready for any inevitibility he drove over to nico's place. reluctantly parking up outside and heading for the door. knocking loudly, and hoping he wasn't about to be greeted by one of nico's relatives, or worse, have to drive over to the hospital to find the boy.
the second he pulled his hand away he began to regret his decision just a tiny bit. it was late, what if nico was trying to sleep, what if the last thing his friend needed was him turning up uninvited, what if nico was annoyed that he had gone no contact this long. but it was too late for all of those regrets now. he had to do this, for nico.
nico had been trying to keep himself busy all evening. the apartment wasn't a disaster by any means, but he'd found little things to do anyway. washing dishes that were already clean, rearranging books he'd already arranged three times before, letting the television play quietly in the background without actually watching it. truthfully, he hadn't been sleeping much. every time he closed his eyes, his brain immediately started filling in all the spaces grief had created. somewhere along the way, he'd also begun to assume eddy was done with him. they had lost each other at the festival. no texts. no calls. no showing up at his door. and nico, being nico, had decided that meant he should stop pretending there was anything more there to wonder about. they were casual hook ups, after all. maybe he'd just been reading into things that had never been there in the first place.
so when the knock came at the door, loud enough to make him freeze in place, his first instinct wasn't excitement. if anything, his stomach dropped. soph still had every right to be hesitant about him coming home right now and grief had made everyone act differently these last few days. he reached for the nearby baseball bat out of habit before carefully peeking through the peephole. immediately, confusion crossed his face. eddy? he blinked once before setting the bat down against the wall and opening the door. “hey,” he said quietly, tilting his head a little as he looked up at him. “is everything okay?”
he stepped back automatically to let him inside, shutting and locking the door behind him once eddy was in. his apartment looked lived in tonight. blankets tossed over the couch, a half-drank cup of tea sitting forgotten on the coffee table, the television humming quietly from across the room. nico turned back toward him then, his brows knitting together slightly as he tried to piece together why he was here at all. “do you need help?” he asked immediately. “did something happen?” because somehow, despite everything, despite how much he'd missed him, despite how many times he'd wondered if he'd hear from him again, it genuinely hadn't occurred to nico that eddy might've shown up for him.
he lingered there for a moment after that, hands slipping into the pockets of his sweatpants, his expression softening around the edges. he looked tired. more tired than he'd probably admit to anyone. but even then, there was still that familiar warmth sitting underneath it all. “sorry,” he added with a small breath of a laugh. “you showing up this late just caught me off guard.” his eyes flicked over eddy for a second, almost unconsciously checking him over the way he always did now. "glad to see you're in one piece."
"trust me, i've never met an almond i didn't fuck with. never had them dipped in yogurt, but unless you hate yogurt, where could you go wrong?" hani grabbed a bag of salted almonds and another of plain almonds for herself. "and if you do hate them, i'll gladly take them off your hands," she chuckled.
“okay, see, this is serious business for you.” she teased, dropping the bag into her basket with far more confidence than she’d had a moment ago. “i trust you entirely, my almond enthusiast.” her smile widened as she nudged her basket lightly against hani’s. “and if these turn out to be awful, i’m absolutely holding you to that offer.” her gaze drifted over the growing collection in their baskets before she tilted her head thoughtfully. “alright then, sugar…” she said, a playful grin appearing on her face. “what else belongs on our soon-to-be amazing charcuterie board?” she began slowly walking further down the aisle before glancing back over her shoulder. “because now i’m interested to know your opinions on the cheese too.”
closed for: whoever your heart desires ( @colorsflat )
the diner had finally started to quiet down after what felt like one of the longest shifts she'd worked all week. somewhere behind her, table four's tiny menace of a customer was still giggling to himself after successfully launching a spoonful of mashed potatoes in her direction every single time she'd walked by for the last hour. at one point she'd simply accepted her fate, laughing it off with his exhausted mother and declaring him her newest arch nemesis. now, with a faint smear of mashed potatoes she'd somehow missed near her apron pocket and tiredness settling into her shoulders, soledad grabbed her notepad and headed toward another table. she let out the softest sigh imaginable before immediately replacing it with her usual warm smile, the kind she wore even when she had very little energy left to give.
“welcome, sugar.” she greeted gently, setting a menu down in front of them. “what can i get for you today?” she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before leaning against the edge of the table ever so slightly. “we got a special on our homemade cherry pie. buy one, get one.” a soft laugh escaped her then as she motioned over her shoulder toward the kitchen. “i promise you won't regret it.” her gaze drifted toward table four for a brief second as another burst of childish laughter echoed through the diner before she shook her head with an amused smile. “and if you happen to witness mashed potatoes flying through the air at any point tonight and it lands on me…” she lowered her voice conspiratorially. “i'd appreciate it if we both agreed it never happened.”
who: nico x romy (@echosnoir) where: in the alleyway beside the salty splatoon when: in the days following the festival/ripper plot
romy probably should've taken off work, had considered it nearly all day, but by the time the beginning of her shift rolled around she found herself walking in through the doors of the salty splatoon. maybe she'd been craving a shred of normalcy. perhaps she was all too aware of how many people would need a drink or seven that evening, what with the dread and grief that hung over rift valley like a funeral veil. maybe she was one of them. so she'd gone, performed her duties. but somewhere between slinging a last round of shots and wiping down the bar it started getting to her, so she'd sent an SOS text to nico. no pretenses presented, she'd frankly requested he pick her up and save her from wallowing in bleak loneliness back at her apartment. that was maybe twenty minutes ago. now, bar closed up, they stood in the alleyway, that alleyway, beside a large dumpster, romy's foot giving the big hunk of metal a swift kick. typically, she'd launch into a string of complaints about the night; how not one asshole walked in who she could channel her anger into, how everyone's eyes drooped with large doses of pity or regret, or both. instead, she stood in silence and reeled her foot back to kick again. then, after a minute and without fully looking up, she aimed a question in her brother's direction. "hear of anything noteworthy since the festival? any eyes that saw anything suspicious?"
nico stood beside her with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, watching her kick the dumpster a second time before letting out a quiet, defeated sigh. “no, romy.” he shook his head slowly. “i wish i could say i have.” his gaze dropped to the pavement for a moment before lifting again. “i'm sorry.” the words came out softer than he intended. because he really was. he'd spent the last few days trying to be more attentive, trying to listen the way he used to, but every conversation seemed to lead back to the same thing. fear. grief. confusion. “nothing concrete. just people trying to make sense of something that doesn't make any sense.”
he leaned back against the brick wall then, tipping his head toward the sky for a second. “i've heard theories. a hundred of them. everyone's got one now.” a weak laugh escaped him, though there wasn't much humor in it. “one person swears they saw somebody running. another thinks they heard an argument before everything happened. then somebody else says they saw absolutely nothing at all.” he clicked his tongue against the inside of his cheek. “it's all noise right now.” after a beat, he added more quietly, “and honestly, i hate that. because it feels like i'm failing at the one thing i'm usually good at.”
then his eyes found her again and his expression softened immediately. “what about you?” he asked. “anything to report?” he tilted his head a little. “you spend hours listening to people talk for a living. anybody say anything weird tonight?” his gaze drifted toward the dumpster she'd kick moments ago before a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “either way...i'm glad you texted me. you don't have to sit with all this by yourself, rome. and i was going crazy not hearing from you.”
❝ my day ? ❞ june asked , furrowing her brows. ❝ i came here to make your day better. ❞ she didn't want to think about her own day , she wanted to focus on anyone and anything other than herself. it was a big part of the reason why she was so eager to keep herself busy. she hadn't expected to have her offer somewhat flipped around on her. truthfully , she hadn't given much thought to what she might've been in the mood for. she was basically operating on autopilot and hoping for the best. she listened to his suggestions , weighing her options carefully. june laughed , her head shaking slightly. ❝ i don't know , nico. i just ... i guess we could go for a walk and get something to eat. i have no idea what i'm in the mood for. you know what i mean ? it's just ... it's one of those days where my mind doesn't want to cooperate with me. ❞
“babes...” he said quietly, bumping her shoulder with his own. “just seeing you helps me feel better, you know?” his smile stayed there, but it wasn't his usual bright one, truth etched in every word. there was a tiredness behind his smile days, one he hadn't quite figured out how to hide yet, but he was thankful to see a familiar face alive these days. “i know keeping busy helps. trust me, i really do. because if i stop moving around for too long, my brain starts doing all sorts of unhelpful things.” he listened to her answer and nodded slowly. “lately it feels like one of those days every day, doesn’t it?” his smile returned after a moment, a little warmer this time. “so let's not ask too much of ourselves today, okay? we'll go for a walk, get some food, and we won't put any pressure on being cheerful or productive or having our lives together.” he nudged her shoulder once more. “we can just be two people trying their best for a couple hours.” a second passed before he gets a little idea. “worst comes to worst, we could go back to my place. get stoned, watch stupid movies, get take out. the world is our oyster, really.”
closed starter for @echosnoir
"ah- shit," luz mumbled. the table in front of her was covered in sticky notes and random papers, scribbled in edges and doodled, dog-eared pages. the look on her face bordered on sheepish when she looked up at nico. "give me a sec, i'll clear some space for you. i completely forgot what time it was."
“hey, don’t even worry about it.” he carefully moved a couple pieces of paper over himself before setting his coffee down in the newly created space. “honestly, i kind of love this.” his eyes scanned the doodles and dog-eared pages spread everywhere, a smile tugging at his mouth. “but, i’m a little concerned. are we being a creative genius or on the way to a beautiful spiral?”
The younger man was a welcoming distraction. He kept Kiana from thinking about what could have happened, what she should have done or what would happen from now on. She was definitely growing attached to Asena. Despite knowing the reality of their agreement, despite knowing she shouldn’t, yet, here she was. ❝ Well, and did he tell you why? You can’t really start a story around me and not expect me to ask you for more information, you know. ❞ Kiki watched him for a little moment there. She made conversation easy with strangers. It came with territory, she guessed, and also the years she’d worked on the streets made it easy for her to throw some conversation starters here and there, but this guy? Yeah, this was actually nice. Her gaze followed his gaze towards the screen, and Kiana couldn’t help but chuckle. ❝ I will have you know that your Florida man, is actually one of my best friends. And he is, in fact, not from Florida. ❞ Okay, so now Kiana felt like she needed to know more details about this story. Seeing his reaction to her question though, almost made Kiana wonder if she should hug him or something. Or squeeze his hand, or anything like that. After years living in New York, she kind of learned how to keep her physical touch to a minimum. ❝ Hey… ❞ She said, ducking her head to try and catch his gaze. ❝ So sorry for your loss. I don’t think I knew your uncle, but given your reaction, he was probably a nice guy to you. Do you want to talk about him? Share some happy memories? I’m a good listener. ❞ It felt unfair to tell him that Asena would be okay when he had lost someone close to him. It felt truly unfair. ❝ She’s… recovering, yes. Like your other uncle. ❞ Kiana then took the half of the orange he’d left for her and pulled apart a slice from the rest of it, then brought it to her lips. ❝ Now you. ❞ She challenged him by nudging him with her elbow.
“is he really?” nico asked almost immediately, his eyes drifting back toward the television without even thinking about it. and for some reason, despite everything, despite the heaviness he'd been carrying around for days now, a small smile appeared. “huh.” he laughed softly to himself. “that's actually kind of nice to know.” his gaze lingered on christian's face for a second longer before he finally looked back at her. “your friend is an interesting guy. unfortunately, i don't think he's my biggest fan...or a fan at all, honestly.” his grin widened just a touch. “but i can't say i'm complaining whenever i get the chance to run into him.” he shrugged lightly. “he's impossible to read and somehow also the easiest person to annoy i've ever met. it's impressive, really.”
her question about his uncle rhys quieted him almost immediately though. his eyes dropped to the orange in his hands and for a moment all he did was peel another piece away. “yes, he was a really nice guy,” he said softly. “like...genuinely nice. one of those people that made you feel welcome without even trying. he never judged a book by its cover.” a small laugh escaped him then. “he always knew how to make things feel less heavy, you know?” he rolled the orange slice between his fingers before continuing. “we were working on a motorcycle together. well...he was doing most of the work and i was pretending to know what i was doing.” he smiled a little more at the memory. “it was supposed to be mine when we were done.” the words caught slightly there before he let out a slow breath. “for two weeks i kept telling him i'd stop by and help finish it, but i got busy. distracted.” he had been taking care of eddy, making sure he was okay, and though he did not regret it, he was realizing how much he'd let slip by. his shoulders lifted in a small shrug before dropping again. “and now...” he swallowed once, “i don't really want to look at it right now.” he admitted it quietly. “maybe in the future. maybe one day it'll feel nice again.” his smile returned after a beat, smaller this time but still there. “i think he'd yell at me if i never finished it, though. so eventually i probably will. what about you, babes? you got any nice storie you'd like to share about your girlfriend? what's your favorite memory with her? if you don't mind sharing, of course.”
just seeing him there, in one piece and okay made her feel relieved. she was happy that he hadn't gotten injured. that he managed to get out safely. if he had gotten injured, she was sure she would have lost it. the last time she had seen him before all hell broke loose was during their argument. and the kiss that happened afterwards. the kiss that had been on her mind the rest of the day and night too. moving over a bit on the bed, she reached over to grab his arm gently before pulling him down on the bed. in truth, she wanted him there next to her. she wanted him closer. "i'm glad that you got out of there safely. if anything had happend to you….i think i would have lost it." she admitted as she looked at him. "tired, and more than ready to go home." she was hoping to get the all clear soon. so she could be somewhere a bit more comfortable. "only one male nurse. the rest have been females." she noted.
vinny didn’t protest when she pulled him closer. honestly, he barely had time to register it before he was settling beside her on the bed, one arm instinctively finding a comfortable place behind her shoulders so he wouldn’t jostle any of her injuries. at her words, he looked at her for a second longer than usual, the corners of his mouth twitching upward into something softer than a smile. “yeah?” he murmured, a faint huff escaping him. “well…good thing i’m hard to kill.” it was a joke, but it landed gentler than most of his usually did. his eyes drifted over her face for a moment before he sighed quietly. “i’m glad you’re okay too, jules. seriously.” there was no sarcasm attached to that one. “after everything went to shit, seeing your text was probably the first time i took a full breath all night.” then, because he was still vinny, he immediately pointed toward her with mock seriousness. “and one male nurse? rough. i’ll file a complaint for you later.” a grin pulled at the corner of his mouth before his expression softened again. “if you’re getting cleared soon, you got a ride home?” he asked. “because if not, give me like ten minutes to go say bye to my cousin and i’ll take you. and maybe we can get you something to eat that didn’t come from this place. because whoever the fuck is the chef here…fucking sucks.”
closed starter for @echosnoir ( vinny )
"can -- can you teach me how to shoot a gun?" because giada had said she would, but hadn't gotten round to it, fran had tried and failed, and rosa knew better than to ask her other brothers. it seemed more relevant now, more of an urgent issue, for rosa to actually learn how to put her finger on a trigger. and yet, she was trying her very best to make this sound casual at best. like she was asking to be shown how to throw darts or play pool. "or teach me how to throw a punch, at least."
vinny’s head snapped toward her almost immediately, and for a second he just stared. then a grin spread across his face. not his usual shit-eating grin either, this one looked proud “fucking finally,” he said, throwing his hands up slightly before shaking his head. “do you have any idea how long i’ve been waiting for you to ask me that? i’d be happy to, rosie. seriously.” then his brows lifted and he pointed a finger at her with mock seriousness. “but you sure you know what you’re asking for? because i ain’t gonna go easy on you.”
he stepped a little closer, “i’m not gonna teach you how to throw some cute little punch that only works in movies. if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right. you learn how to hit hard, where to hit, and how to get yourself out of a bad situation. you get one time complain per lesson. use that wisely.” his gaze flicked over her for a second before he huffed a laugh through his nose. “and if we’re talking guns, same deal. safety first. always. you don’t touch one unless you respect it, and the second i think you’re getting overconfident, lesson’s over.”
he tilted his head a bit, “what’s first, kid? gun or punch?”
