Ex Amino

latin tr: "from the soul"   multi-muse blog for Scattered Stories HQ

[examinos]

ofratpizzas‌:

“You should always intend your puns.” She said with a laugh. If she’d learned anything from her immediate and extended family, it was that puns were always intended even when they weren’t. When he leaned back against the streetlight, Ross let herself relax a bit as well. “Wrong on both accounts. I own a pizza joint. Just opened. If you’re hungry, you should check it out.” She might even be generous and give him a slice on the house.

“You’re the owner, are you? Do I get any discounts for helping out the cute owner?” He wondered if she inherited the place and came from money or what the story here was. The charm might’ve landed or it might’ve missed the mark. There was a feeling he was reading off her energy though. Something telling him she just might give in. “But of course, I know investing in a business is tough. I’ll be happy with the company of the aforementioned cute owner.”

[examinos]

shcnebrights‌:

She wouldn’t read another one of his thoughts, not without provocation. Still, his intense and rather curious gaze had Serenity almost reconsider her decision. She felt like prey to the male, which was triggering her fight response. And Serenity Braddock could put up a fight, she’s learned from the best. X-men and Avengers alike.

“True, but I’m really a breakfast kind of girl.” The brunette joked, placing both of her hands back down her sides. Serenity then smirked, aware that she could simply pull his name out with just a glance, if she really wanted to. “I already know your name,” she playfully bluffed, “but you’re welcome to guess mine.”

She was setting him up, but he’d let himself get caught. He scratched at the corner of his mouth with his thumb, shaking his head. There was a brightness around such a clever girl. Clever girls just happened to be his type.

“Well. You gotta let me know how you like your eggs in the morning one day then. In the meantime, I might call you... Miss. Scrambled Eggs.” The ridiculousness of his words was getting to him. He couldn’t get through any of that with a straight face. “And what are you going to call me by?”

[examinos]

royaliity‌:

“Really?” Henry asked softly, his voice so full of hope and happiness. He really wanted to be good to Gwen. She took time on him and he didn’t want to let her down. Especially as she giggled. She just had a really sweet giggle. He was really transfixed on it. 

When he could no longer keep his hand on the small of her back, he reached for her hand, taking it and holding on for dear life since he kinda needed her to stand properly. He tried to follow her outside and found himself instead running into her, his cheeks lighting up from the collision. 

“Sorry– what,” he said, trying to peak his head out regardless. “Use protection! No babies from the ball! Wait—” He thought on that, “Not from the dance! You know what I mean!” He instead pulled Gwen away then and checked on a random open door down the hall. A closet. “Eh? Not beautiful, but it’s private?”

‘Dork’ couldn’t begin to fully describe her ball date at that moment. She couldn’t do anything with his towering frame blocking in the doorway and trying to get a peek. With her face near his chest, she tilted her head up to witness the hot mess up close and personal. “I hate you so much,” she whispered. Her face lighted up in ways that betrayed every sentiment behind her statement. 

He may not have heard it since he pulled them away before the other couple can chase them down. “Make room, make room!” She whispered loudly. She kept looking over her shoulder to see if they were hot on their tails. The sounds of their footsteps were quickly approaching but they were still unseen. 

She crammed herself into the closet and closed the door shut. Adrenaline coursed through her veins along with the alcohol. So, much, alcohol. She kept hearing Shepherd say “No babies from the ball.” in her head and it was a fight to keep the laughter inside. Knowing that she couldn’t make a sound made it worse. Any spurt of air that passed her lips carried a laugh.

“I’m not going to last,” she said, still holding onto his hand.

[examinos]

lostothers‌:

rhys was about to say something when before he noticed the ball that appeared in her hand, jaw dropping slightly as a look of wary confusion crossed over his features. he had a feeling that this was probably not a person to play around with lightly. “listen, i didn’t do it on purpose. this is hardly fair,” he said as he eyed the other’s ball. there was still a smile on his lips, though. he needed some sort of entertainment or distraction after all, and this was proving to be such.

fairness was for the disadvantaged. nari drew in a deep breath. oh, to be a troublemaker or not to be. that was rarely ever the question.

she threw the ball up and smacked it with her other hand in a true volleyball-serving fashion. the ball whizzed straight over his head and far into the distance. wherever it landed would be the next person’s issue. nari just had to get this out of her system. “so, you got any other pickup lines up your sleeves left?”

[examinos]

realhercs‌:

“ okay. note to self, don’t call you sweetheart. duly noted. ” shaking his head, the young male let his gaze drop to his hands for a second as he tapped his fingers against the white coffee cup. " oh come on, it was definitely not anything else than that, " he replied and shook his head with a smirk growing on his lips. raising an eyebrow, oliver leaned forward at the words coming from her lips. " what reactions ? “ he questioned as that was obviously something he had missed. some of those people never drink to deal or to forget. he pressed his lips into a thin-lipped smile and hummed quietly. " oh, i’ve had a couple of gallons of water, trust me, " oliver shook his head and laughed. " whenever i had alcohol back home, it was never this intense of a hangover. that’s for sure, " he mumbled mostly to himself. 

she nodded her head back at him. a silent ‘thank you’ to acknowledge his acknowledgment. “oh you know the reactions. the whole...” she mined a cup in her hand. the first reaction was called the ‘i haven’t tasted beer this cheap before’ look, complete with the nose scrunch and deep frown. the second reaction was called the ‘did my juice go bad in the bowl’ where she did a double-take at the cup about 10 times.

"maybe this place affects everybody’s... body differently. just yesterday, I learned that not everybody had a body.” she threw her hands up. the guilt of calling his ailment ‘bitching’ crept up on her. “you need a pain reliever?”

[examinos]

alekslokisonhere‌:

Alex sighed. “I know, I just… I had to try,” he replied. He let her take care of his cheek. “Did you get it?” he asked, letting her be the judge.

“If I had found a way out of here, you never would have came. Nar, this place… it is strange magicks. It’s twisted and polluted into something not made of this world or any in the Nine Realms. I am frankly a bit scared of it. I have spent days at a time trying to understand it and… I got a headache. Me. A headache from nothing physical,” he whispered.

When he asked her whether she got the dirt off, she simply... Nodded and smiled. “Mm-hmm.” It added character. Charm, even. Her dear older brother looking like someone you shouldn’t fuck with. 

Even if a weird, fearful place like this, she didn’t want anybody picking on him. Nobody knew all that he had endured, all that he could endure. She held his face gently between her hands. “Brother, whatever we’re up against, I’ll stand behind you. If there are strange magicks, then we’ll fight with something even stranger. We survived the end of all days. We can survive this.”

[examinos]

unfxrtunatesouls‌:

Ruby wasn’t busy doing much. Just out minding his own business when he heard the “hey.” Who could they have been talking to? He paused in his tracks only to look back over his shoulder to find out. The man wrinkled his nose at the sight of the dollar bill. “Not mine. I don’t carry cash. Wouldn’t be caught dead with those filthy little things.” He felt like he needed hand sanitizer just at the sight of it. 

The crinkle of his nose had Nari grinning back. This was going to be fun. He held the dollar bill at arm’s length and pretended to study it. “Is it really that filthy? I worked so hard for it. You should’ve seen my dance number last night. I remember exactly how I got it too.” As an added bonus, he put the bill between his teeth. It curled along to follow the line of his smile.

[bluearrow126]

[examinos]

lastingsongs‌:

yin was enjoying himself with the dance without anyone to directly dance with. but, as he was going about his business, he noticed someone in the crowd who looked suspiciously familiar. immediately, he put all of his focus on watching the suspicious individual – he looked an awful like the man jiao had been engaged to. he didn’t hide the fact he was watching and following the other, eventually stepping into the other’s space to get a better look. 

“you… i know you,” he said, tone still slightly doubtful as he crossed his arms over his chest. “no, i definitely do. you know li jiao, don’t you?” he asked. he was careful, trying to judge his next move. he’d seen li jiao’s fiance in passing when he was still alive, but he never formally met him. he remembered how broken up the girl became after he’d met his end and he didn’t want her reminded of that if she saw this very similar looking man.

three. this would’ve made the list grow to three different people who recognized him and he couldn’t reciprocate. he was no better than a specimen on a glass slip. under the intense watch of this person, wenxiu started to sweat. 

 as soon as he heard li jiao’s name, his nerves melted. his brain quickly registered it as a safe sound. people knowing him through six degrees of separation made sense. “i do know her,” he said proudly. “i came with her today. have you... seen us together? maybe that’s why I seem familiar” she mostly visited him at his place so the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed.

[examinos]

shcnebrights‌:

No one was ever harmless, Serenity learned that lesson the hard way. And if this person could make a dollar bill appear out of thin air, there was no telling what the other’s full potential in terms of power was. Serenity hated this, trying to gauge strength from certain individuals was taxing, even if it proved vital for her safety.

“Understandable, but I ask that you not resort to such tricks with me. For I will always know what you’re up to and have no issue calling you out on it.” Serenity forewarned, touching her temple with the index finger of her right hand. “If you’re truly apologetic, you can treat me to lunch.”

Always? Always, she said. 

Could it be psychic sight? Lie detection? He really caught himself a fun one without even meaning to. His eyes held an overflowing amount of interest and curiosity. Such bold claims and an even bolder request. He couldn’t say no to a challenge. 

“If that’s all you want, I’m happy to oblige. Lunch is great.” Having a pretty girl be mean to him was a bonus too. “I like to know my lunch date’s name before making plans though. How about this? I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.” 

[examinos]

adriensolo‌:

At the other’s question, Adrien chuckled once again. “I did. It’s like looking into a mirror isn’t it?” If the other was going to keep up whatever was going on, then Adrien would continue to play along. He wasn’t fooled in the slightest though. Although he was wondering where the other had gotten the candy from. He hadn’t had anything sweet since the ball. 

“Definitely. It is yours after all.” He had his own credits, so he wasn’t going to take from someone else. Even if they looked exactly like him. “Where were you headed?”

“Not sure, exactly. I just arrived here recently and I don’t know where anything is,” he admitted. Some great covers have a mixture of truth in them as well, he always believed. The man’s reaction (or lack of one) piqued his interest. A list of possibilities already formed in his head. His eyes caught onto the gestures and his ears latched onto everything said and unsaid. Every bit of information was going to help him narrow down what the end game is.

“What do you usually do around here, handsome? Never thought I’d get the chance to compliment myself like this before.” 

[examinos]

shcnebrights‌:

Unlike most of the residents here, Serenity was actually enjoying her stay, once she became adjusted to it, that is. It was nice not to worry about any discrimination or her life being in immediate peril. Things that normally led her to become anxious or emotionally exhausted, ceased at the point of her teleportation. Right now, she was just a normal girl, on her way to lunch.

With a sharp pivot, Serenity addressed whomever had called her. Patiently, she then listened, hoping that they weren’t wasting her time. To make sure, the mutant used her telepathic powers and read their mind. Once she realized what they were up to, Serenity shook her head in disappointment and sighed. “You know, it’s not nice to trick people.”

Nari would let her have one victory at a time. He waved the dollar bill through the air mindlessly. The playful frown on his face turned into a smirk. “It isn’t but it’s an ice breaker. Harmless, I swear.” With the bill still between his fingers, he waved it over his heart in a cross gesture. 

“Forgive me for resorting to a line and these tactics. It’s hard for me to approach people in general. Not to mention the pretty ones who call you out on your mess.”

[examinos]

miraculousandcursed‌:

She couldn’t help but chuckle when he revealed his plan, and watch as he successfully executed it. His determination was yet another thing that echoed Meng Yi. Or maybe she was only seeing things she wanted. The look of concern on her face was quickly replaced with a small smile when he finally turned to her. “I’m not sure if I quite fit that title,” she shook her head at him. Jiao didn’t really concern herself with looking beautiful as it didn’t make an improvement in her performance in the military. But Meng Yi always used to make her feel like she was– or at the very least she wanted to believe him. She didn’t know why it was hard for her to believe Wenxiu.

Wenxiu’s playful nature made it that much easier for Jiao to enjoy herself and actually laugh. LJ took his hand, ignoring how her heart leaped as she did so. “So long as if I look a fool, you’ll look a fool right next to me too,” her smile widened, teasing her date. “Alright, teach me what you can. I’m a fast learner.”

Though Wenxiu wouldn’t call himself a cassanova, he could usually execute his flirt game better. LJ’s presence shook him of his confidence. It was either that or she just wasn’t meshing with his vibe. The latter possibility delivered a swift pang to his chest, but at least they had the whole night ahead of them. Listening to her laugh reminded him that this night was more about her enjoyment than getting her to like him back. 

The fact that she even took his hand meant he still had a chance. “Let me know if you feel like a fool, I’ll distract everybody’s attention away,” he promised. He guided her towards the dance floor. The DJ spun a fast-tempo pop song and the people around them either stuck to their ballroom dance or threw out their own moves. 

“Just copy me. Stay light on the balls of your feet and feel your step match the beat of the song.” He stepped to the right, stepped together, stepped to the left, then together. All the while, he held onto her hands so she could feel the sway of the movements. “Oh, okay. I see you have some moves.” She wasn’t lying when she said she learned fast. He added in small head and arm movements once he felt like she got the basics.  

[examinos]

ofratpizzas‌:

Ross was glad that he bought it. She hoped that her dad and Uncle Gonzo would be proud of her. And although she felt a bit bad about taking the dollar, she pushed it to the back of her mind. He was technically giving it to her. And if it was his to begin with, why the hell would he offer it to her? “Well I’m glad you didn’t. Then I’d be one dollar short. And I can’t feed hungry people if I’m losing money.”

“Alright, I’ll bite. No pun intended.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the street lamp pole in proximity. He pulled the lollipop out of his mouth and pointed it at her. “You... You’re either a food shelter volunteer or a cafeteria lady.” His words were simply poking fun since he knew the town did not have a dire homeless problem or an education system. He had to thank his brother for giving him the ‘previously on the last episode’ recap. 

[examinos]

adriensolo‌:

Adrien had been on his way to the cantina to go get a drink and have some fun, when he heard a voice call out to him. His own. Turning around, a look of surprise came onto his face, before it melted into a smile. It was like looking into a mirror, and he had to admit he was entertained. 

Going over to…himself, he let out a chuckle. He’d seen much, much weirder before, so someone who looked exactly like him wasn’t too much of a concern. As long as they stayed away from Ben, Elia, and Bryn. And as long as they weren’t part of a First Order plot. “Nah, I don’t think it’s mine. Must’ve come from your pocket, handsome.” He gave the other him a wink.

Nari had to return the chuckle in full. This was careless in several ways for herself to be caught like this. Judging by the man’s response, Nari couldn’t determine if this was a game. But two could certainly play along. He quirked an eyebrow. “Wow,” he exclaimed. “I— This is kinda nuts but did you know you look exactly like me?”

The lollipop swirled around behind his tongue. Hmm. Where was this going to take him today? “I guess I’ll hold onto this dollar for safekeeping in the meantime then.”

[examinos]

ofratpizzas‌:

Ross was on her way to go check out her competition in town when she heard someone speak up from behind her. Turning around, she eyed the dollar. It wasn’t, but she was definitely open to making a quick buck. Especially since her dad, brother, siblings, and Uncle Gonzo weren’t around to help her with that. Putting on her best innocent voice, she spoke up. “Ohmigod, I think it is. I must have dropped it when I was getting things out of my pockets. Thank you for letting me know.”

Oh. She was a little crook, but he enjoyed it. It was the natural way of things for things to be redistributed rather than created. Somewhere, someone just “misplaced” their dollar, only to have this young miss stuff it into her pocket. Nari felt happy to facilitate the flow of it all. The performance was one step away from receiving full applause.

“Now, I’ll have to ‘fess up. I did think about taking it myself, but I would’ve felt real bad about it. I’m glad it’s back where it should be.”

[examinos]

GOING SOLO         — Adrien!Nari and OPEN

Nari stretched his arms over his head. The small groan that rumbled at the back of his throat sounded more pitched than normal. Perfect. He saw this face walking around the other night. Though he was typically pickier with his faces, he thought this one would do. This town didn’t make any more sense than it did yesterday, but life gave him lemons so he’s squeezing. He pulled the wrapper off a lollipop and threw the candy into his mouth. 

He caught sight of the person walking ahead of him. This could be his lucky day or theirs. (Both if things go extremely well.) “Hey!” He shouted. 

In the space between his index and middle finger, he made a dollar bill appear. “Is this yours? I swore I just saw it come from you.”