blackbird

[esradurmaz]

Who: @thecursed-starters When: 11th of June, 1989 Where: Outside of Roe & Wild Law

An indescribable oddity hangs in the air around Salem, she's more than sure of it. Thick and suffocating in a way that permeates every single facet like some invisible smog, the air feels trapped here amongst the aftermath of the earthquake. As if once the ground ceased its shuddering, the energy within the entire town had also shifted somehow. A lot of people appear more exhausted. More on edge.

Jo hardly blames them if that sentiment is true and not squarely due to her own paranoia as a result of the sudden destruction. The quake had been a magnitude 5.1 per the local news, but in Massachusetts? People are right to be disturbed.

Electricity continues to fade in and out as clean up crews attempt to raise power lines and restore a semblance of civility to the town. Her boss's office remains partially closed until they're finished, save for a few stragglers who gather each weekend to round up food and water for the volunteers outside. It's her turn to deliver the haul and she drops supplies on a table before pausing to observe someone in a truck swerve to narrowly avoid hitting a few workers. "If folks don't start paying attention, we'll have a lot more casualties than just Mr. Hart around here."

[haleblackwood]

An earthquake. In Massachusetts. Certainly not a good thing, but to Hale, it was definitely interesting, and interested counted for a lot in their world. It drove the entire town to distraction to the point of near-comedy; nicking things from pockets and purses and shopfronts was far easier than usual. Exhaustion hung in gaunt features and dark circles under bloodshot eyes, and while Hale never struggled to fade into the background when they wanted to, this strange atmosphere made it happen without any effort on their part.

It was unfortunately this sort of ease that nearly landed them in trouble, when idle fingers and the edge brought on by boredom pushed them to attempt to snag something from a pocket, only to have the owner of said pocket begin to speak to them. Thankfully, a quick mind and preternatural grace allowed them to dance a few steps out of the way, hands now in their own pockets, the very image of nonchalance as they rounded the edge of the table as though that was always where they meant to be.

"Apparently not enough damage was done by the earthquake--why not add a little more?" A terrible joke in a tragic situation? Naturally.

[jtxylcr]

@haleblackwood location: we're out and about ok u choose

"Now you, I didn't expect to see back so soon." But, fuck if it wasn't some minimal sense of relief. Of all the people in this god forsaken town, and perhaps even beyond, few of her own kind were easy to swallow in small amounts - even fewer still didn't even make her want to tear their spines out. Last she'd heard, from Cesare himself, was that Hale had been sent elsewhere to find out information that might have been useful for Helix Genetics - Jack didn't pay too much mind to the workings of that part of the Borgias trademark. In fact, beyond the capture of werewolves themselves, she wiped her hands of it - at least in her mind. "Was your trip truly that fruitful?" New York wasn't her favorite place. Filled with vermin and riddled with a righteous mix of, better than thou, socialites. Living within the realms of Salem - and their share of covens alike, was almost enough to be thankful for. "Are the Dracul's still lording their self righteous, pompmous bullshit all up and down the tri-state?"

[haleblackwood]

Hale's trip to New York from Salem was a quick one, quicker than anticipated, but they rarely asked why and didn't particularly care for the details anyway. Salem was perhaps a little sleepy for their taste, but given that it was a hotbed for supernatural activity, a change of mind wasn't out of the question. Hale met Jack's greeting with a lazy shrug and a lopsided grin as they fell into step beside her, their long strides shortening to match pace with their friend.

"Eh," Hale answered noncommittally. Truthfully, the exact orders that led to their speedy return to Salem were a bit... hazy. Hale chalked it up to over a hundred years worth of memories crowding information they deemed less important, after all the why didn't matter. If Cesare wanted them back in Salem, they obeyed.

"They do continue to be... themselves. Would it be embarrassing if I said I was pleased to be back?" They laughed and wrinkled their nose as the thought, then shook their head before they continued. "Fewer of them here than in New York, but so many more interesting people in a smaller space here."

[vivienneyoungx]

Well... Look at what the cat dragged in.

Vivienne remembered being in New York meeting Hale briefly while doing a red carpet for a premiere for one of her movies. She'd been bored, roaming around the city, as no one really grabbed her attention, and she was about to make her way back to the hotel, look for someone to do when they came into her peripheral view. There was nothing too special that grabbed her attention, she just became interested in their thoughts.

It was when she implanted one of her own to them. Vivienne wanted to see how they'd be if they were to come to Salem. A home to all things.

"Well, if you do not make it fun for yourself, no one can." Vivienne smiled sweetly. "I believe it is far more awful to die by not experiencing things than by setting expectations, don't you think?"

What would happen if Vivienne were to make them believe they were actually drowning? Would their eyes light up in crimson red? Would their veins pop? Would they find a new appreciation of life?

Would her beloved even like this kind of sacrifice?

"Don't you have a lover to enjoy the ride with?"

[haleblackwood]

If Hale were the sort to dwell on things, they might have understood that the blur of events that led to their introduction was anything but natural, but for the past hundred years they'd lived their afterlife doing as they pleased with little regard for the how and why. It was why they chafed somewhat under the pressure asserted by their bloodline, and why they were slightly dismayed to find themself in Salem again despite the familiarity and handful of friends there.

Unfortunately for Hale, no such introspection ever occurred.

Vivienne was one such pleasant acquaintance and while not particularly close, Hale liked people and she was certainly entertaining enough to catch their attention.

"You've got an interesting definition when it comes to worthwhile experiences if dirty swan boats and flashing lights really catch your eye. Maybe it's you that needs a little rethink there," they answered with an easy laugh. They rocked back on their heels momentarily as they tucked their hands in their pockets.

"No lover for me," they added as an answer to the other's question. They'd never been a long term anything to anyone, and certainly not the sort to be interested in a relationship beyond the physical anyway. "Are you rolling the dice? I'd offer to go with you but you're not my type."

[haleblackwood]

WHO: Hale + open @thecursed-starters

WHEN: 1 June 1989

WHERE: Side Show

If there was one thing Hale had mastered in their time on earth, it was the art of gliding through life mostly unnoticed, a definite boon for someone with a penchant for taking things that didn't belong to them. A negative experience could easily be made positive enough to not be memorable, and distractable enough to allow them to slip away with a ring or a wallet or a watch. Some vampires supported their exceptionally long lifespans with other pursuits; Hale made theirs by way of asset redistribution.

It was this talent that made carnivals particularly fun. People were already distracted, and then add to that the crush of the crowd and the grace with which they moved and everything could be theirs. Hale rifled through a nicked wallet as they remained on the periphery of the crowd, and upon finding nothing of particular interest, they abandoned it atop a fence post that gated off part of the side show stage before they continued to the stage itself.

"See anything interesting?" they said as they watched a crowd funnel towards the show itself, a curl of a grin on their lips as they spoke.

[haleblackwood]

WHO: Hale + Gwen @gwenbellerose

When: 1 June 1989

Where: Carnival

When the sun finally set, a dazzling array of flashing lights of myriad colors replaced the gentle watercolor of purple, orange, and blue that once painted the sky. This was their favorite time of the day at fairs of any kind, when all the attractions blazed with neon signs and lit incandescent bulbs, and an artificial glow limned every surface and silhouette. Hale meandered through this atmosphere, gait lazy and hands in their pockets, now having spent several hours people watching and occasionally lifting a wallet or watch when the moment allowed.

As their attention glided easily from one person or attraction to the next, Hale spotted a familiar bit of auburn hair ahead, and as a smile bloomed on their lips, they hurried ahead until they could easily slip their hand into the crook of Gwen's elbow. They gave it a gentle squeeze then peered down at her, beaming now.

"And where's your better half?" they asked as they fell into step with their friend.

[vivienneyoungx]

When: 1st June, 1989 Where: Carnival, The Love Tunnel Who: open

With her head tilted back, Vivienne stood in the middle of the heart-shaped arched, obviously blocking the way for anyone who wanted to pass it, and focused her eyes on the flickering sign. It was pretty, yet the giggling couples who made their way through surely slipped some poison into their cups. It was their giggles that rang in her ear.

"Daph is going to love this." She said, not intending for anyone to hear, but not caring if they did. That, or she was going to make them wish they were all dead. Viv really hoped for the latter, because at least that would add some more colours to the tunnel walls.

"Should I risk it?"

[haleblackwood]

Carnival season was perhaps Hale's favorite. Between distracted people carrying cash and rigged carnival games they knew exactly how to win, it was practically an event made purely for their enjoyment. They spent much of their free time amid the crowd here every time it arrived, a drink in their hand and an easy smile on their lips as they flowed through the throngs of people like water between rocks in a creek bed.

Almost as if by gravitational pull, Hale's feet stopped next to a familiar face under the flashing lights and gaudy heart-shaped entrance to a particularly tacky version of the Love Tunnel attraction. This particular piece of Americana never struck them as any fun, and as the woman at their side spoke, they shrugged and wrinkled their nose, tipping their head back slightly to fully look at the sign from under the brim of their black hat.

"Risk what, premature death by boredom aboard terrible carnival ride?" Hale teased gently as their ever-present grin widened.

[brie-news]

Anytime I feel like I’m being put too much on a pedestal, it’s my job to figure out how to remove that within myself BRIE LARSON for HARPER’S BAZAAR US