the unforgiving

Elena de la Cruz. 38 year old mother of one, nurse at the Greywood General Hospital. Human

[werewolfroman]

“Old man?”  A chuckle left his lips at her words.  Things lately between them felt more at ease.  Maybe a year in town and sharing custody of Dario helped.

The wolf lifted his arms up in defeat.  “What?  It says ramen on the package,” he smiled.  Although, he supposed if people started packaging up gumbo and other Southern delights he probably would say the same thing to the person buying them up.  Most of the time, Roman cooked home cooked meals for Dario.  Only problem, his bank account was running low and he had been buying the cheap stuff at the grocery store, which often had additives and other things.  “Raw fish?  Whoa!”  Hard to believe as a werewolf who loved raw meat that he never tried raw fish.  It seemed weird to him, but he was trying to make a good impression on his son.

“Yeah, we can order whatever you want kiddo.”  Roman had put some funds aside for today so all three of them could just enjoy a family outing.  “Alright, so sashimi, gyoza, some ramen for myself. Anything else?”  Dario looked over at him.  “We gotta try the teas, they have the best tea here.”  Great, kid was sounding like Corey now.  “Alright, you pick that out.  I don’t know what’s good.”

[elena-delacruz]

"Tell me I'm wrong. I dare you." Even if Elena remained a little tense around Roman, the hurt after all those years still so evident, it was nice to forget it every once in a while, especially around Dario. It was nice to pretend that they were an odd but happy family.

"So if I print out a label stating 'ramen' and stick it on a bag of dirt, you'll eat it happily, knowing it's ramen?" Elena countered back, causing Dario to roll his eyes in both annoyance and amusement. Perhaps it was nice for him to see his parents get along like that too, although Elena wouldn't be too surprised if it was his teenage shenanighans at work. "I've heard it tastes great!" Dario defended his choice, and Elena was willing to give him a pass and try it out too. As silly as something like that was, she was willing to do a lot for her son. Even eat raw fish and pay ridiculous amount of money for it. 

"I think that'd be great. You pick something, okay? No pressure." She nudged her son playfully as the boy went through the menu, eventually picking out the teas he wanted just as the waitress showed up to take their order. Once that was done, Elena focused back on the duo with her. "What do you boys want to do after the restaurant? It'd be unfair to plan all of this and end the evening here."

[magicvet]

“Trust me, I have never been shy around enchiladas.” Corey chuckled good-naturedly, stepping further into the flat and to the table, taking the forks and knives over to place them by the plates Elena had just set. “I believe in Dario’s refined tastes.” Corey genuinely did not mind what Elena had prepared for the dinner, he would’ve been grateful even with a microwave meal let alone a home made one. Growing up with younger sisters, Corey knew very well how to appreciate everything they did around the house and help them out with whatever they may need. “Is Dario home?” He asked, having yet to see the kid come out to greet him. In any case, Corey did not mind. He could understand the angsty teen phase. He was looking forward to it with his nephews and nieces.

“Anyway, how have you been Elena? How’s work?” He asked, figuring the adjustment period will probably last for both of them. Moving towns was never an easy deal, especially for a single mother and an almost teenager.

[elena-delacruz]

"Good, cause I've made maybe one batch too many. You're bringing the leftovers home too, got it?" It wasn't an offer; it was more of a statement that Elena wouldn't let Corey get out of. She enjoyed making food, and if more than just Dario was eating it then she was absolutely content. Besides, getting complements about her food was always nice. "His opinions and taste keep changing by the hour nowadays with the teenage years kicking in, I wouldn't trust him blindly on anything that's not my cooking." She added jokingly as she continued to work through her tasks. "He is, he's just about finishing his homework. Honestly, I'm just happy his rebel phase isn't affecting his grades." Not that Dario was much of a rebel, at least not around her. Elena could always count on his being a mama's boy.

"I'm okay. Work's been a lot lately due to the obvious, but it's okay. I didn't pick this career due to glamour or money." Everything else was challenging, even if her time in town could be considered as fairly decent. "How are you though? Busy as ever?"

[survivclist]

"A nurse? That's great." Nate had given a brief consideration to medicine, back in college. But he doubted he had the stomach for it, in most cases. He imagined the emergency room saw some crazy things - especially in Greywood. "I don't even want to know more details about how these critters are bringing in more than your average week of injuries. Or having to keep them out of the surgical suites. Dang, I never would've even thought of that - what a pain in the ass. Why do we live here?" He smiled lightly, shaking his head. Greywood would always be home, even if it occasionally had its random strange occurrences. Hell, the real world probably did too, didn't it? "If I've learned anything over the years of living here, it seems like these strange scenarios only last a short while...or at least, one can hope? It must be something with the magic or whatever in the air. Messes with the whole environment."

As she went on to elaborate on potentially the worst story he'd ever heard, he just stared at her a moment too long. "Okay - okay no, we're not going to talk about that any longer. I don't want to think about - nope. No thanks." An involuntary sort of shiver went up his spine and he shook his head as if attempting to make the train of thought disappear from it. After a brief pause he gestures towards the coffee shop a short distance further up the block. "I was going to grab a coffee. You want to join me? Maybe escape from the critters for a little bit...hopefully."

[elena-delacruz]

“It’s definitely a choice.” Elena nodded along. It wasn’t something that was extremely financially beneficial to her, but she loved looking after people and seeing them get better. Besides, she was still earning enough to support herself and her son, and perhaps even put a little bit of money away for his college, so she couldn’t really complain. “I mean, I moved here for the greater good, but I really don’t know why you live here. Do you just generally enjoy an extreme challenge?” She teased the other playfully. However, his next words caught her attention – and not in a particularly good way. “Wait – does this happen that often? I’ve only been here for so long, please don’t make me regret my choices.”

“Sorry. It’s just something I think about at times. Kinda comes with dealing odd injuries or happenings at times.” Elena probably could’ve offered a certain level of comfort for the other, but reality had to be brought down upon them at times. As unfortunate as it was. “I’d love that, as long as it’s one of those secure places where no critter can get into. Maybe that would make things just a little bit more positive.”

[enjoying-live-69]

[justjohnbeckett]

Location ➠ Pouty Bat Face Vamp Cafe Status ➠ Closed to Elena (@elena-delacruz)

There was something about the Latte Lestat that kept John coming back for more.

Perhaps it was the cafe itself, from the menu to the decor to the theme. Themes of any kind amused him. Unlike Acacia Heights and Elysium, which were each devoted to specific tastes and leaned hard on two kinds of the haut monde, Pouty Bat's appeal stretched that much wider, like it were a mouth of fangs eager for its next meal.

Whatever the cause, John liked to spend Saturday mornings here after the first tee time at the country club was underway. Little by little, he was learning how to delegate. John was just finishing his second latte when a familiar face came into view.

"Elena," he greeted warmly, standing up to pull out a chair for her. "The usual?"

[elena-delacruz]

It wasn't often that Elena had the Saturdays to herself. But she was off, she was all alone, and free to do whatever she wanted - so when she picked to start her day in a cafe, she almost doubted herself. After all, it was a full day free, and she had to pick something so simple and cliche.

Nevertheless, Elena pushed through, making her way to the almost-regular cafe on her list, her mind filled with all the possiblities for today. But when a familiar face greeted her, it took her by a surprise, albeit a pleasant one.

"John," She greeted him back with a smile. "I'm beginning to worry that you're starting to know my preferences." Elena teased him lightly, accepting his offer and sitting down nevertheless. "Although, I won't say no to a free drink."

[werewolfroman]

“Everyone huh?”  Roman smiled brightly excited for the family dinner.  While Elena went to get a vase and water for the flowers, he teased around with their son.  When she commented his eyes looked over towards her and he could see the playful glare and chuckled to himself.  “Be careful, your face might get stuck like that.”  The man joked as he stuck his tongue out at her.

It was crucial for Roman that Dario see how a man should treat a woman, even if you’re not with her.  He wanted their son to grow up to be a gentleman and someone far better than himself.  Thankfully, Elena allowed him to be that example for Dario.

Inside the restaurant, they were fortunate to get there just in time before the rush and were seated immediately.  Roman ordered green tea, hoping it might be something close to sweet tea as he read over the menu wondering what he might order.  “Okay, I think I might get ramen.  Like, I eat ramen at home.”  He mentioned as he looked over towards the younger boy.  “What about you Ace?”  He questioned.  “I think we should order the sashimi platter to share and then whatever we want.”  Roman looked confused as he lifted his brow at Elena, hoping she would explain what the heck that was.

[elena-delacruz]

"So can yours, old man." Elena teased him back, struggling to contain a smile on her face. It was great to act so lightly and simply around their son, as if there was not a care in the world, as if they did not share a history Elena was still dealing with. Maybe they needed a change; maybe it was time to let go and move on.

"You eat plastic at home. There's no way this is anywhere close to what you buy." Elena pointed out, still teasing him. She always made sure that Dario ate plenty of homemade foods, with plenty of flavour and different tastes, but she would not have been all to surprised if he, like his father, ventured out into the world of cheap ramen. That didn't stop her from trying to prevent that, however - even if she probably had to start bringing Dario with extra food whenever he was staying over at Roman's, so both of them could share 'accidental leftovers'. Her attention was soon brought back to their son, a brow raising at his decision. "So we're really starting off with raw fish, aren't we?" Roman's glance towards her was met with the same questioning look, although more so because she was unsure whether just raw fish could be delicious - or good for you. Then again, who was she to doubt other cuisines' wonders.

"Why don't we add a portion of gyoza to it too, just to mix things up? And then you and your dad can order whatever ramen - or anything else- that you'd want." After all, after a whole platter of sashimi, she wasn't sure she'd want anything else; then again, Elena was up to being proven wrong.

[immortalfics]

~~*~~

"That magic was this specific?" Ruthie furrowed her brow but the smile left her face. she had never known magic to be anything but specific. Though hers seemed to be more emotion driven, especially lately, it was always situation based. Maybe the woman, who was looking shockingly familiar for some reason, just wasn't used to what they had here.

Ruthie led the way into her store and could feel the calming effect that just being somewhere safe from the buzzing brought. "Yes it is generational but I think there are far more of us than people realize. I was adopted by a family of witches and I don't think I would have known what I was if they hadn't taken me in. But I'd be more than happy to help you out with the spells for your home if you'd like. Don't worry," she grinned at the woman, "These things tend to pass quickly around here. Give it a few days. I'm Ruthie by the way. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

[elena-delacruz]

"Yeah. I'm sorry if it sounds dumb or anything - I've only gotten into this side of the world a couple of years ago, and everything's still new." She still dreaded that she was somehow missing out a major part of what was now Dario's life. Whenever she was free, Elena found herself trying to research as much as she could, all so she could help her son adjust.

It was weird stepping into a place not completely surrounded by bugs. Before she even knew it, Elena sighed in relief, closing her eyes for a moment to find some sense of relaxation, even if for a moment. "This is great. I could stay here for days." Only after allowing herself another moment of peace did she look back over at the woman, genuinely impressed by the backstory. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case for many people around. Not really knowing who they are their whole lives." She offered the other a smile as she introduced herself. "It's a pleasure, Ruthie. And, honestly, thank you again - I'm Elena."

[eilonwyj]

"oh, you'd best avoid the outskirts then, if you're afraid of spiders," eilonwy commented quietly, knowing that out there lurked things much more dangerous than what were currently giving the hospital problems. smaller bugs were easier to talk into leaving their current territory, while the bigger ones were much more territorial and aware of their new power by proxy of their size.

"you're not the only one," many had threatened such a thing, and the fae had heard of one or two people actually attempting it. "and no, i've been super busy lately...you're my 3rd case today, actually. last one, figured a hospital would be a bigger problem."

[elena-delacruz]

"It's that bad?" Elena's first thought was immediately to her son - and then to Roman. Did Roman know what kind of creatures were potentially roaming around? Was their son constantly in danger because of it? She knew she had to make the necessary provisions, and soon, to avoid anything dangerous.

"I can imagine. As... nice as bugs might be to some, that's not a very common opinion. At least not among the people that I know." Elena agreed, her thoughts still lingering on her son's safety. She had to check in on him the moment this little appointment was over. "3rd case just today? You must be exhausted. Would you like a tea or coffee afterwards? As a little thank you, at least."

[xanderxmoorex]

"And I'm guessing as a nurse you see far too many people to remember half of them, right?" Ave smiles gently,"Seems like... ever since I got here it's what most people have beeing trying to do, help me out--" he sighs, he wasn't trying to be rude, at all, it was a good thing, he just felt silly he was always needing someone to hold his hand, he kinda hated that, made him feel like damn child. "Yeah, well, I don't think there's any kind of--supernatural psychiatrist around here, is there?" Avery half jokes, he shakes his head, "'cause therapy helped before, but my anger issues now are on another level... (sorry you had to deal with some of it, by the way)," to say the least, he wasn't a moddy teen anymore, this was far beyond any of that.

"Oh, so you guys are new here too?" Ave aks, he nods his head to her question, "Yeah, sorry, rude of me not to ask," he reaches in his pocket taking out the cigarette pack he reaches it over to her, lighter on the other hand ready to light it up for her.

[elena-delacruz]

"That depends. It's rude to say that I don't remember everyone, but certain cases certainly do stand out more often than not. For all kinds of reasons, not just the bad ones." Elena added the last sentence promptly, to avoid any kind of potential questions or disappointment. She never thought of her patients badly unless they deserved it - and even then, they didn't exactly come to the hospital for a holiday. Most of them were constantly in pain, both physical and mental. "Sometimes, people need help, and that's okay. We can't all be superheroes." She assured him softly, feeling bad for the young man. She couldn't even imagine what he had to be going through, and she feared that her son would not get enough support one day, either. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if there is one somewhere. There has to be, right? Some problems are far too unique for a regular therapist to help with."

"Kinda. I mean, we've been here for just over a year, but it feels like both a decade and just a month. It's hard to explain, you know?" Still, she happily accepted the cigarette from the other, lighting it up once ready. "That's a relief. Thank you."

[survivclist]

"Oh, trust me. I feel like I don't have to imagine that." Perhaps high school students weren't exactly the type of complaining people she might be referring to, but damn did they have things to complain about. Most of which Nathan had zero interest in hearing about. "Yeah, that's true... What is it that you do? If you don't mind me asking." He wasn't sure what kind of job might be experiencing an extra workload with the infestation - at least anything other than an exterminator, maybe? But that didn't seem right. Then again, work felt like there was much more to deal with these days with everyone in full blown panics about it...

"Seriously? We can't just have a crap ton of little ones we gotta have giant ones too?" Nathan scowled at the idea of it, though the idea of a bubble suit to thwart the creatures' attacks was far too entertaining to keep the smile off his face for long. "You think they might be tracker spiders, too? You're right. Greywood had a pretty good run, I think. This might be the only way. We can't risk it."

[elena-delacruz]

"Oh no, you too? So many of us are so unfortunate with it." Elena joked; it was best to make light of a situation like that more often than not. "I'm a nurse. I mean, granted, I'm not as overwhelmed as the doctors having to deal with additional - and unusual - injuries, but there are more of them than usual. Not to mention the constant cleaning, it's just absolutely too much." She was venting, perhaps, but she was also just genuinely hoping that all of this would go away someday soon. Or that it would just go away at all.

The man's reaction made Elena laugh a little, even if she didn't mean to. "Unfortunately. I'm sorry for being the bearer of bad news." She tried to console him, even if a smile remained on her face. At this point, laughter was the best way of dealing with all of it. "Oh, I hope not. Don't make me thing of them, or I'll never go to sleep again. Ever. It's like - have you heard of the spiders that crawls into one's ears whilst they're asleep? It's the kind of stuff that you should know but absolutely cannot for your own sake."

[jessicaalbaarchivee]

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Huh.."

Llewellyn's hand braced on a tree trunk and he stood with his head bowed for several moments, trying to shake off the strange sense of fogginess and light-headedness. And his stomach churned... It was the type of sensation that occurred with a sudden unexpected drop. A mist eased throughout the surrounding area and there was a certain smell that couldn't be placed- earthy, for sure, but also weirdly enough, something more pungent. Why did his limbs all feel so heavy and achy? Why was he so tired? The man couldn't really recall what he'd been doing moments before, or where he was even at...

And he certainly had no clue that a faerie portal had just shaved ten years off his life. Ten years taken away with family and friends.

At some point, the tall gentleman began to walk. He wasn't sure how long or what direction, but somehow, Llew managed to wander within the town limits. "Welcome to Greywood.." he murmured to himself with a faintly bemused expression across features newly aged a decade. There was something familiar about this place, too, but that brain fog persisted. He couldn't shake that something was off and yet, there didn't seem to be anything out of place, either. It all looked normal enough. "Excuse me," Llewellyn politely reached for a passerby to stop them, "do you have any water?" He offered an apologetic and uncertain smile. "I'm sorry, I just- I could really use some water.." Boy, could he! Felt like he hadn't had anything to drink in days.

[elena-delacruz]

"Dario, I'll be home soon, okay? Then we'll talk about whether or not you're supposed to go to your dad's this weekend. Weren't you planning to stay at your friend's instead? What happened to that?" Elena rattled off one question after another on her phone, getting more and more frustrated. Her son was the absolute love of her life, her little darling, but he was growing up, and she knew that despite everything, the teenage years were bound to catch up to him too. The brief conversation was over soon, with Elena left as annoyed as before, only for her focus to shift moments later, as an unfamiliar man approached her.

"What? Oh, I think I have some-" she rummaged through her bag, eventually pulling out the water bottle she luckily carried everywhere with her. "Here you go. Really don't have to apologize for that." Maybe it was just the nurse in her that automatically made Elena look over the man, to make sure that he was okay, before immediately growing concerned. "Is everything okay? Are you feeling okay?"

[antiquecritique]

|| Elena & Duncan ||

For Duncan, there had not been an issue of a shortage in a very, very long time - he had been on this earth for far too long to not plan way ahead and have a backup even for his backup. Very few things were of a major concern for an old undead creature aside from the one thing his entire unlife basically revolved around - blood. And that was something Duncan always made sure to have in a steady supply. So although with many donors available on a call, Duncan still made regular trips to the Greywood Hospital, for the blood packs supplied by a specialized department who took care that the residential vampires and even businesses catering to them were well supplied by clean, healthy blood to consume and on a regular basis too. It was the most legitimate way anyone in Greywood could get blood for consumption, as long as they were registered, able to be reached out to if needed and had proven that they were of a species in need of it with papers signed that they would not waste the precious donations for other purposes. 

So, in essence, Duncan had going on his weekly shopping to the hospital with, essentially, vampire food stamps to spend it on. He would’ve found it funny if humor were still working on him. Since it didn’t, he just found it very convenient. There was no need to hide, no need to hunt, no need to charm a human to give up what kept them alive without a fuss. Truly a golden age for vampires in this town, save for the black plague when availability, although grim and depressing, was much more abundant. 

There was another thing to look forward to - as much as an emotionless vampire could look forward to anything - on these weekly errands to the hospital. An acquaintance he’d made there, out of a nurse who works on the floor. To her, it would all seem like a very accidental story, how they first met and started chatting and how the vampire seemed very friendly and perhaps even pleasant to talk to while he was waiting for his request to be processed and her work was too slow and she had nothing better to do than to humor him. For Duncan, it was a way to keep an eye on the family. Not progenies or alike, but the real family, the mortal one that descended from the numerous branches Duncan was the ancestor of. By now, he knew her schedule and had picked times to come in when she would be around in her night shifts. He had no specific interest in her but instead in her son, who through Roman carried still the Creeds’ ancestral bloodline within the Baudelaire branch. 

So there Duncan was, in his usual old-fashioned best, occupying the same seat in the waiting room he always would as he waited for his name to be called, knowing that sooner or later Elena, the mother of a Baudelaire, would be passing down the hallway and maybe notice him and come up for a chat.

@elena-delacruz

[elena-delacruz]

It wasn't all that often that Elena got to have a bit of a routine at work. Most of the shifts followed similar patterns, yet they were never truly alike, not with the new cases coming in or new challenges faced every single day. Whilst she appreciated that about her job, quite a bit, she still longed for at least a little bit of stability. Whether it was a cup of coffee ten minutes past midnight on a night shift or whether it was the same soup she got for lunch during cold winter nights. It still brought her happiness, almost as much as seeing her patients get better with each passing day.

Tonight was just like any other night; after making her regular rounds on the assigned floor, Elena knew she only had so much time on her hands before another issue would arise and she would have to deal with it. It was almost like calm before the storm, in a way. Opting to go get herself a coffee - one of the many she would need that way - she was soon distracted by an oddly familiar thing; the same gentleman, sitting in the same chair, at what had to be almost the exact same time. Come to think of it, he was there, in that exact same spot almost every week, becoming part of the routine that Elena so rarely got. The thought alone brought a small smile to the nurse's face, and, after a moment or two of consideration, she made her way over to the man.

"Hi- good evening." Elena quickly corrected herself, her typical nurse-smile never leaving her face. Surely, all of it was a coincidence, and she wasn't the only one in this unusual town looking for a sense of order. "Mr. Creed, right? Have you been seen already?"

[xanderxmoorex]

Avery didn't take it personaly when she didn't remember him, after all being a nurse meant she saw way too many people to even remember half, probably, it was the kind of job where a lot of people would come and go, "Hey, listen, I tend not to forget people who help me out of my freak outs, I wish I remember your name but I think I never got it, I don't forget a face, though," he smiles as he noticed it seemed something clicked in her, he nods as she said she remember him, smiling again as she sat down, "Wish I could say better but--" he shrugs a little, "I mean, physically, all heald up... I just wish the rest would heal as fast as my body, y'know?"

"So you, huh--live here too?"

[elena-delacruz]

"Honestly, I don't blame you. I'd probably remember anyone who's helped me too." Elena admitted with a small smile. She did, over the years; a kind face was difficult to come by nowadays, and she liked to believe that she could be part of those who could help others. "I don't think everything else heals as fast at the body. So many still seem to focus on the physical aspects of healing, but it's everything else that matters, too. We can't just pretend to be strong." At least, it felt that way more often than not. Everyone struggled, yet most seemed to only care about the physical aspect of it. "Yeah, I do. My son and I live here, actually. It's a decent place so far." She sighed, knowing that it was the best that she could obtain, at least. "You have a cigarette I could borrow?"

[immortalfics]

~~*~~

Ruthie nodded along with a smile. The bugs had been quite the ordeal for everyone in town but it wasn't the worst thing she'd experienced here.

"Of course they work," she tilted her head in surprise. There were new people in town all of the time but most of them figured everything out pretty quickly. Including magic. "They'd work well wherever you put them. I've never actually had something not work but my whole family does these things. Do you want to come inside? Get away from the bugs for a bit?"

[elena-delacruz]

"Then maybe I should try them out, too. I just can't imagine it could possibly be this specific, you know?" Or perhaps Elena was still a little thrown off about the whole supernatural aspect of his town. Her own son was a werewolf and she immediately accepted that, but knowing that all the other - and more - species she grew up hearing about were real was mind-blowing.

"Oh, is that a generational thing? That's honestly amazing." And yet, she was more than open to exploring the new things she was so unfamiliar with. So, hearing the offer, Elena nodded almost immediately, and not just because the idea of being bug-free for a little bit was tempting. "I'd love that! Honestly, the mere thought of escaping these... things is amazing."

[celebrityxbabes]

[survivclist]

Nathan wondered if Greywood was the only place being hit but this horrendous spike in insect activity. It probably was because they were simply that fortunate; such a concentration of supernaturals in one location had to draw a balance with strange activities impacting their lives alongside it, right? Maybe this was as good an excuse as any to just pack up and get out of town, try something new again. Moping around Greywood didn't seem to be doing him much good, after all.

"Oh yeah?" He remarks, eyebrows pulling together as he considers how the act of swiping a critter out of his path had inevitably helped herself in some way. "Do you get headaches watching other people suffer?" He joked, a hint of a smile tugging on his lips.

"Don't tell me there are giant ones around here, too. So far I've been fortunate enough to only encounter swarms of these things rather than huge ones. Fortunate being a relative term." He grimaces. "Huge spiders would definitely be a ticket out of town. We can make a pact."

[elena-delacruz]

"Always. Can you imagine dealing with complaining people all the time?" Elena joked back with ease, even if it was all just games. It was easy to joke when all she's done lately was stress. "I mean, that means extra work which definitely leads to overworking and eventually getting a headache. But also... it's kinda painful seeing others in pain."

"Then you might just want to lock yourself up in your house. Or in one of those plastic protective bubbles, so no huge bugs- or bugs in general- come close." She added jokingly. At least, she wished she could get into one of those and never, ever leave. "deal. But what if the spiders are big and smart enough to remember the faces? Kinda like the crows. Then I propose that we burn the town down with all the spiders and escape. You know it's the only sensible way out."