* EVER / MORE .

muses written exlusively for liminalhq

[everandevermcre]

tcrtcard​:

there’s a moment when the boat rock’s forward that a pang of fear strikes through sora. their hands clinging to the seat they’re sitting on, their face going pale. if bowie had said anything in that time, they wouldn’t have heard it. they watched as everyone around them started getting up, and worked on calming himself internally before standing to join them. “can you stay next to me while we walk off?” in case i fall in. if anyone would, it would be sora. 

from the space beside sora it’s impossible not to notice their body language . bowie knows well that sometimes are you okay ? is the last straw before crumbling , so she doesn’t ask that ( even if she’s wondering ) . when sora moves to clutch the edge of the seat , bowie instinctively lets a hand go on top of theirs , squeezing gently . a protective mechanism from someone who doesn’t willingly show concern for others at the drop of a hat . once skin touches skin bowie’s lips purse — ‘  i hope that’s okay ,  ’ she finally blurts out . not being used to being needed makes her feel a bit of surprise when sora asks her to stay close ... it’s not a job she takes lightly , so she’s shoulder to shoulder the entire walk off the boat and onto the safety of land . 

[everandevermcre]

ofmcthman​:

there’s a tightening in daphne’s chest as she finally spots kimo’s face emerging from the shadows. much like her grip on the crowbar, her lungs feel like they’re squeezing, squeezing, squeezing until they turn stark white. but then she takes in a breath and forces herself to relax. just like always, the sight of kimo makes her entire body go weak, and just like always she has the instinct to go to him and drape her arms around his neck. but it’s a reminder to daphne abernathy that she had chosen wrong all those months ago, and admitting to that out loud — to kimo — is the last thing she feels she deserves. people always leave or daphne likes to push people away? “i haven’t been in a very chill mood lately, so i grabbed the first heavy and hard object i could find. it’ll get the job done one way or another, and i figure if i can break some windows in the process, we all win.” she’s tipping her head back as she says this, incapable of watching kimo for too long before she lets her feelings run their course all over again. “i was planning on it, yeah. and then i heard you coming and it threw me off.” she drops her gaze back down, her expression cool despite the sadness she feels. “why? you wanna come?”

if the abernathy is paling , the darkness offers a good hiding spot . about to open their mouth to make a is the boyfriend joining us comment , kimo decides to zip the lip for now . it had been a minute since they and daphne had been alone together and ruining it doesn’t seem like it would be in either of their favor . peace keeping until thoughts bubble forward without the brain’s consent . that’s more kimo’s style . eyebrows raise at the sight of the crow bar — that was another good reason to be on best behavior . kimo wonders how well daphne knows the island so far ... well enough to dispose of a body ? the idea of violence at the hand of a pretty blonde makes kimo want to chuckle , but they don’t want to answer to the questions that would follow so they are keeping cool . ‘  i’m offended you even have to ask , daph . of course i’m coming .  ’ a hand outstretches toward the lighthouse . being the caboose feels like a good way of having daphne’s back . if there’s one thing daphne can count on , it’s kimo having her back . ‘  after you .  ’

[everandevermcre]

tcrtcard​:​

the more kimo spoke, the more sora realized it wasn’t all just a figment of his imagination. and, just like any time they’d been together in the past, his heart rate picked up. even more so after kimo’s confession. it lit up their face, a confirmation that their friendship wasn’t only convenience, and it wasn’t only because kimo felt bad for him. “you did?” but they don’t wait much longer before leaving behind the counter to run up to hug him. “i missed you too. why did you leave? you didn’t say goodbye. why are you back?” all of these questions poured out of him while sora clung to the comfort of a hug. not that they had ever hugged before then, but it still felt familiar to him. they pulled away, looking up at kimo with bright, exciting eyes. waiting for whatever adventure he’d missed. “why didn’t you say goodbye?” he felt it was worth repeating. though this time the sentence is sullen, weighed down by the sadness of kimo’s departure. 

no one had asked kimo this question . not yet , at least . without a prepared statement , kimo is left vulnerable and seen in all of the ways that only their ohana is usually granted access to . it would be a lie to say that arriving in st. cordelia was skate shop related only . there are people from centralia who had certainly become family ... sora ahlstrom included . ‘  uh —  ’ kimo considers doing the opposite of truth - telling . well , not lying exactly ... but — maybe being back home had a good effect on kimo because before they could make their mind up entirely , they are tentatively telling the truth . ‘  i went home to celebrate my grandma . i don’t really talk about it . on the anniversary of her passing my family gets together — i’ve missed it before , but it didn’t sit right , y’know ? i only planned to stay a couple weeks , but then a month went by ...  ’ a shrug of shoulders precedes him . ‘  i always planned on coming back ... wasn’t planning on —  ’ a feeling of presence from behind makes kimo realize they are not alone . others were hopeful for sora’s attention , at least long enough to have their orders full - filled . so kimo side steps , hands in pockets , voice dropping a bit lower . ‘  i thought you — i thought centralia — would still be there when i got back .  ’ 

[everandevermcre]

tcrtcard​:

he knew the voice, though it was one of those passing, fleeting moments where they weren’t sure if the voice knew him too. they turn to look at them, wondering if maybe a met gaze would spark a silent agreement that they have, in fact, run into each other before. but the question throws him off guard. a reminder there wasn’t much of anyone for them to wait for, never mind anything in his life meant to be looked forward to. he shakes the thought away as he shakes his head in response. “oh…no. no i’m not. are you? overnight is kinda long to wait. unless i got the ferry schedules wrong which is…very likely.”

sora’s comments are enough to tell banks that they are not the person banks was asked to meet up with . even if sora’s words hadn’t given them away , their body language would . it draws a small smile to banks’ face . for some reason the thought comes to mind : you are the company you keep . banks has a slight inkling that if sora is the company kept , it would likely make them better . maybe that is just the idea of being at the docks late at night without having a package of god - knows - what - substance to get rid of . it sounds like the perfect balance between where banks is and where banks is going . it’s almost enough for banks to introduce himself as gerald . almost . ‘  i’m banks ,  ’ they reveal , eyes looking over the edge . ‘  you a big fan of water ? — or are you apart of a safety - mission — trying to see if you can stand here without anyone coming and tossing you over ?  ’ 

[everandevermcre]

dcvilthoughts​:

solara liked to explore, within reason, of course - afterall, she worked as an anchor (and occasionally, reporter) for the evening news – she found it important to know the town, where everything was, its history, not so much the people. taking in the view from a bench, she took in the view of her new surroundings. though entirely different she found the aura to be strikingly similar. one ear closed off to the murder mystery podcast she was currently engrossed in, one ear open to keep herself on guard. a younger man appears in front of her holding out something, solara raises an eyebrow and presses pause on her phone playing the podcast. “that’s not mine,” she responds curtly, somewhat curious of their true intentions. realizing she likely came off just a tad bit rude, solara loosens up her shoulder to appear more… open instead of closed-off. “though i can’t help but think you came up with this scenario as a way to say hi, but you can just come and say… hi.  i won’t bite, most of the time, that is.”

eyes fall to the object in hand already trying to find a work - around ... an  are - you - sure ? doesn’t seem strong enough , though ... and even if it was , solara seems like the type to know what  is  or  isn’t  in her bag . the idea of trying to cop a lie , especially now that he’s seeing her from up close , is intimidating even for kimo . the pink - haired skater nods their head and purses lips in contemplation ... but there isn’t much time for contemplation because solara is already calling kimo out . eyebrows raise and fall quickly , eyes searching the ground as if in search of the dignity that has been lost in such a short amount of time . ‘  that wasn’t it ,  ’ kimo mumbles before looking up and trying to save face . ‘  hi —  ’ a lick of lips and a shrug of shoulders . ‘  i only bite when asked .  ’ a smile now , revealing the truth behind cheekiness . ‘  or  when hungry ,  ’ he finishes , scratching the back of his head for lack of smoothness in figuring out what to say or do next . 

[everandevermcre]

boflowtide​:

Running errands with your friend was an underrated act of intimacy - and Narcissa felt honored that Gemma would ask her to come with.  Quirking an eyebrow carefully, she couldn’t help but laugh at the state of the milk crate.  “Well, clearly you’d rather get some cash back for the things you spent real money on - and who can blame you?  Honestly I’d suggest trying out Depop or eBay if you wanna make some money off them.  And if that doesn’t work, then you can always bring ‘em back here.”

being attached at narcissa’s hip would be easy , gemma thinks ( and she doesn’t think that about most people ) . growing up there were friends that stole from gemma’s closet or parents , ones who befriended gemma due to social circles . this is how teenagers mimic bureaucracy . always the odd one out anyway , gemma was too concerned with literature , volleyball , and track to care . now , leaving all of those memories and the entire town behind , it felt good to be able to hold on to some people , like narcissa . slouching in the seat , head resting backwards , gemma exasperates . ‘  will you please let me go through your closet first ? it will make me feel better getting rid of so much stuff if you do it , too ,  ’ they insist cheekily . 

[everandevermcre]

oflowtide​:

Or you could stay.  The invitation rang loud in Scout’s ears, and they moved their gaze up to Lake’s face, eyes wide with both surprise and a deep longing.  “You… want me to stay?”  Despite the constant flirting between the two, neither of them seemed willing to take a real first step, but this certainly felt like a large one.  Not that Scout was complaining, and quickly nodded so that Lake didn’t assume Scout thought he was crazy for even asking.  “I really missed you too.  Everything has felt so… busy.  Between moving and settling in and everything.  I’d really love to stay.  Though I can’t promise I’ll glow in the dark.”

spontaneous . precious . adjectives lake could use for the idea . internally lake is patting themselves on the back . externally lake just smiles in gratitude and excitement that starts to reach their eyes . ‘  not too busy for drinks and paints i hope ,  ’ lake says , pulling scout by the hand toward the bottle on the table in front of their couch . ‘  there’s more where that came from , so take your pick . it can be like a sip and paint , bubble and brush , whatever you want to call it  .  ’

[everandevermcre]

ofmcthman​:

feeling samson’s presence is a newfound talent that wren wishes she didn’t have. they know her better than most people know her, have been with her during her hard times and during her best times, and now she has no idea how to be around them. if anyone is going to be able to find her this easily, she’s not surprised that it’s samson pierson. the problem is she’s not sure whether she’s ready to speak to them or not, a bad feeling settling in the pit of her stomach as she trains eyes forward, head falling to the side so she can pretend to look at that manor rather than at him. “not if you keep staring at me like that, i can’t.” she’s too comfortable around samson and that much is evident by the way she speaks so boldly, hands giving elbows a squeeze before her arms drop to her sides, body turning to face him. wren doesn’t know what to say in the moment, so she takes the opportunity to take in the features that she’s memorized weeks ago, remembering how his skin felt beneath her fingertips. she keeps trying to tell herself that it’s in the past and that enjoying it had been a fleeting feelings, but she can’t help but relive those countless nights. some would say it was the only thing keeping her happy for a while, but wren will deny that if you ask her about it. “i’m surprised you haven’t left yet.”

‘ i’m on my way out ,  ’ is the easy answer . and while it’s on the tip of his tongue to ask wren about her move , if she’s going to be a familiar face in st. cordelia or not , he knows his people are waiting . in different circumstances wren could join his people ; she would likely fit in well , but the way she and samson had fit for a while in centralia would keep that from happening . ‘  — came to make sure you’re okay ... and to say goodbye ,  ’ samson admits , shoving hands into pant pockets . for someone who shows up to say goodbye , he sure doesn’t say it ... at least not right away . maybe it’s the fact that everything just burnt to a crisp in front of them that made almosts feel a little fragile . centralia almost made it . so did samson and wren . almost . almost . almost . ‘  why haven’t you left yet , wren whitewater ? ’

[everandevermcre]

ofmcthman​:

location: the blue whale pub

status: open! ( @liminalstart​ )

“thanks, asshole.” a hand slaps down onto the bar so fingers can grasp at the one-dollar-bill left behind where a patron sat just moments before. she’s been on her feet since nine-thirty that morning, but her attempts at making some extra cash were continuously failing. at this point luna smells like a mixture of tequila and stale beer, and there’s a squelching noise coming from her shoes as she steps left and right to serve the customers that kept filtering in. all luna wants to do is throw her rag down and walk out of the understaffed pub, but if she screws over one more boss then it’ll be nearly impossible to find employment elsewhere. former trust fund baby problems, she supposes. “when did people stop fucking tipping around here? i swear it’s like they think they’re the only ones paying bills.”

looking up from their bar burger , chi is peripherally viewing the dollar as luna slides it . they could  more  than side - eye it considering luna’s large reaction and their whole we - know - each - other - because - i’m - a - regular - but - don’t - really - know - each - other kind of way . in the back of chi’s mind , she’s trying to picture the amount of cash sitting in their back pocket to see if they could potentially make up for the asshole’s tip ( or lack thereof ) . ‘  fucking tourists ,  ’ chi scoffs lowly but loud enough for luna to be affirmed by . ‘  how is it that they can afford getting here , but can’t afford a tip on their fucking meal ?  ’

[endlessinspos]

[everandevermcre]

hallowghoul​:

a pen is tucked beneath charlie’s teeth anxiously. they weren’t entirely prepared for another round of condescending remarks about lack of inventory.. it wasn’t their shop.. they didn’t control the shipments.. but the argument wasn’t required.. instead a soft laugh escaped their lips. “you don’t? well, good morning.” they chime in, pulling the pen from their lips as they tuck it into their back pocket. “i promise.. it’s not always this empty..” they hope to inspire them to come back. charlie pushes up on their toes, looking over at the display case and then the inventory beneath it. “…how do you feel about coffee cake?” they ask before their gaze shift back to them. “..but i’ll get started on your drinks.” they nod, a soft smile on her lips.

‘  not really banking on there being a next time , ’ the not - so - early bird admits sheepishly , but something about charlie’s expression suggests a quiet need for hope . considering there was a whole day to come , chi decides to try and offer it in some form of kindness , whatever kind they could muster up . ‘  i love coffee , i love cake ... what’s not to like ? ’

[dailyeuphoria]

RUE BENNETT in EUPHORIA(2019-)   — 2x02 | “OUT OF TOUCH”

[everandevermcre]

oflowtide​:

“Does this look like a cliff?”  Levi argued, giving Vienna an almost irritated look.  However, her statement causes the look to shift to confusion.  “Yeah - I guess you are too.”  He had thought he’d seen Vienna around before the move, but he was so wrapped up in schoolwork before he left for college and self pity and loathing when he came back that it was hard to gauge, especially with all the chaos that had recently ensued.  He felt like his brain had been stuck in a snow globe and shaken without mercy.  “I don’t know.  I think we all knew Centralia was doomed eventually.  We just didn’t expect it to be so soon.”  Levi let out a soft chuckle, gesturing to the circular life saver that was hanging near them.  “Gonna throw that to me if I start getting pulled under by some sort of underwater monster?”

‘  hyperbole un - welcomed . note taken ,  ’ vienna says evenly . levi can get as irritated as he would like . vienna has learned it the hard way that other people’s moodiness is a reflection of themselves and not them . it used to keep them up at night . emotional boundaries is now what lets them sleep sound . that and pure exhaustion . horrible with names , but great with faces , vienna is confident in sharing centralia with levi and for that reason she feels solace in his presence . they both share a loss even if they don’t say it out loud . until he does . we all knew it was doomed . ‘  did we ?  ’ they ask . it sounds almost like sarcasm , but it’s not . ‘  i think the shared delusion of hope really had most of us thinking we could at least stay there until we died ... you know , if we wanted .  ’ a shrug of shoulders . the chuckle didn’t seem like something levi was capable of so vienna makes it a mission to see if there could be another before their interaction’s end . eyes look back to the tube like she doesn’t already know it’s there , habit , and dead pans — ‘  no , absolutely not . i don’t like to get in - between the universe and fate .  ’

[everandevermcre]

closed starter // @dcvilthoughts​ by ~the gutter~

the sound of mews makes vienna stop in their tracks on the way home from the bookstore . a swallowed gut feeling says stay , but there is no culprit of sound . looking up at the nearby tree , vienna wonders if it’s climbed up nearby , but once the sound starts up again , they realize it’s coming from down below grated street at the catch basin . heart begins pounding . if staring up at the sky a moment prior had told vienna anything it’s that a storm is coming . when they finally see the kitten with their own eyes , covered in soot , and crying for help , they can’t help but wonder what happens if when said basin collects with storm water . 

vienna had only ever remained cool , calm , and collected in other people’s crisis . in their own , she’s more of an avoidant , but having to face this head on has proved panic stems from their chest . the emergency phone call is a frantic one ... and even though they had ensured that the fire department was on the way , vienna has trouble believing there would be a pep in their step for a small animal . maybe it’s just because she comes from a town that was practically burnt to crisp . in her eyes it’s understandable that they would prioritize fires , but even still , they had to try . it is why when the fire truck eventually rolls up , they find a blonde flat on their stomach , face pressed to the grate , arms reaching desperately beneath the surface . 

[everandevermcre]

tcrtcard​: 

sora’s shift had just ended. backpack thrown over his shoulder, he walked out of the back room and went to pick up his free drink to take home. he made a mental note to go buy actual food soon. he could only get by on pastries and iced teas for so long before he got scurvy or something. it was when they turned around that they heard the heavy sigh. brow immediately furrowed in worry, they sat beside the stranger, and looked at the petals in his hand. “that flower hurt my feelings today too,” they tried to joke.

the barista’s closeness makes samson’s eyebrows raise the way they did before getting in trouble in elementary . they look away in preparation for the reprimanding , but what comes is as soft as the packaging . samson can’t tell if sora is making a joke that sets them on the same side  or  if hurt feelings came from the flutter on the floor . either way , samson feels it necessary to mention , ‘  i’m going to pick those up .  ’

[everandevermcre]

oflowtide​:

“What are you sulking about now?”  Sabrina easily found her way to Samson’s table, quickly sitting down and dumping two more sugar packets into her coffee.  “They’re going for mood lighting, haven’t you ever heard of it?”  She let out a soft tsk as she stirred her coffee.  The move had been extremely rough on her, and she appreciated how the dark atmosphere hid the bags under her eyes.  “Practicing to be the flower girl?”

the contradictory sentiment does not make samson’s feel any better ... not that it was sabrina’s job to do , but , ‘  you know , it would be nice if you could have an encouraging word sometime , sab ...  ’ samson says sarcastically , though , okay maybe it is partially true . a shake of the head proceeds samson now . ‘  you’re really going to regret that when i’m the flower dude at someone’s wedding and it’s not yours .  ’ 

[everandevermcre]

ofmcthman​:

she’s not a fan of the atmosphere either, but after what felt like hours finding just the right spot to perch in, cordelia’s corner coffee seemed like the best place to do it. of course, circe feels a sense of regret now that her butt is planted, but until the cup of coffee in front of her disappears, she’ll stay. “c’mon, it’s not that bad. things have been worse, haven’t they?” they have, but even circe is having trouble finding the light in this situation, her mind stuck on the fact that she had to leave the only home she felt comfortable in just to settle down on the florida coast. she’s never been a fan of the florida humidity. “maybe we just didn’t look hard enough, huh? i think this coffee is artisanal, or whatever the cool kids call it these days. whatever happened to plain black coffee?”

while samson no longer gets reprimanded by a parent , they have that faint confidence that telling circe the truth of their soul , and the shitty decisions made thereafter , would be enough to get a similar talking to . they appreciate that , the familial love they share but have yet to explain into words . nothing a few indulgences couldn’t get them talking about . and based on how the flower arrangement is going , samson is feeling pretty ready to indulge . ‘  things have been on fire —  ’ samson responds with a childish grump to him , his way of saying it’s not the same or it doesn’t count ... because what hardship would ever compare ? they refuse to think the lesser evils non - consequential by happenstance . ‘  why did we come here ?  ’ samson asks circe like they had some choice , like the two of them had spear - headed the campaign . ‘  there has to be equally beautiful places we could have just ... afforded . probably . — right ?  ’ samson is avoiding . circe helps . grumping about artisanal coffee is perfectly up his alley . ‘  i was thinking the same thing ,  ’ they say with a shake of their head and throwing back the last sip of coffee down his throat ironically . ‘  i’ll drink it , but i won’t like it .  ’