t a u r u s

warm eggs and crisp toast for breakfast. dappled sunshine. a mouth that never slips into anything but a smile. "i trust you." carefully measuring out three chocolate chips to each almond. teary, shimmering eyes. gentle looks and fierce hugs. "i haven't seen you in a long time." light laughter filled with bubbles and glitter. hope is the absence of doubt.

[ariesclaudia-blog]

>small>“We’ll have to fix that,” There was mischief in her eyes as she spoke, and while she would never force anyone to do something they didn’t want to when it came to being scared, she would highly encourage it. Especially in Hana’s case. Claudia worried about her more than she’d ever admit, especially not to her dearest friend. “Baking!” Claudia’s face immediately lit up at the prospect. She’d gone for a long run that morning, she deserved a treat, right? “That must be an absolute dream. I bet it tastes unbelievable, give yourself some more credit, please.” Claudia teased her back, nudging her slightly. “Oh, nothing that I know of yet,” A haphazard shrug was issued at her comment, and she tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Something will definitely come up with all of the assholes in this town, though.”

[hanagrey-blog]

That mischievous glint in Claudia’s eyes was enough of a hint to Hana that this conversation over her aversion to all things spooky wasn’t over and would most likely be brought up again at a most inopportune time. However, she trusted the other girl with anything. Oftentimes, Claudia was the main impetus behind a lot of the risks that she took, and though they hadn’t all paid off, she had always been better because of it -- so who was she to complain? Laughing at Claudia’s nudge, then nodding at the following sentences, she replied, “For sure. There are definitely no lack of those, probably smart to always be prepared.” Although, she still maintained a light smile on her face, the truth of what they were saying wasn’t any easier to deal with. Even though she’d been in the ring for a while now, her armor wasn’t as strong as she wanted it to be. Whenever someone was exposed of wrongdoing, some terrible crime was committed, some injustice wrought upon the people of this city, it was an arrow through her heart, piercing cleaning, swiftly through any type of defense she thought she’d had. Disappointment, confusion and pain. Widening her smile, she arched her brow, noticing the way Claudia had perked up at the idea of cupcakes, “As for the cupcakes, you’ll need to try them yourself. If you come down to help me frost them, I’ll let you take a few as a thank you.” Even if Claudia didn’t frost, she would have probably offered her some, but it was always more fun with some company.

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT || ANDI↭HANA

ANDREA: Oh no... I have a lot of yellows. Light! But still yellow.

ANDREA: I do have blues though!

HANA: I will throw those out the window hahaha just kidding, but I will veto them all.

HANA: GOOD show me the swatches once I get back tonight? When will you be home?

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT | Zana

ZAC: I'm not a fan of cornbread, I have to admit. Sorry.

ZAC: They don't, I'm guessing? I love garlic bread, though. So that's right up my street. Shame my cooking abilities aren't that high.

ZAC: Nice placebo experiment. I like it.

HANA: Oh no Zac. I've got bad news. We can no longer be friends. We can't even be having this conversation right now.

HANA: Your love of garlic bread won't save you. Cornbread is too good.

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT || ANDI↭HANA

ANDREA: Yay! There are plenty of snuggles.

ANDREA: And lucky for you, all green shades are out because they all look like vomit.

HANA: Good I'm glad we agree on that!!

HANA: But ... I probably can't get behind yellow or red either haha

HANA: Please tell me you have some nice blues?

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT || ANDI↭OPEN

ANDREA: Our bathroom sucks, so I'm redecorating, and if you help me pick out from these paint swatches I brought home, I'll pay you in love.

ANDREA: And snuggles.

ANDREA: And your favorite meal.

HANA: I will settle for lots and lots of snuggles.

HANA: Unless the swatches are any shades of green then I am out OUT

[jonahstewart-blog1]

Frankly, Jonah was grateful that Hana had actually, like, gone along with his ridiculous evening plans.  It’s not every day that someone is just going to want to watch alien documentaries with you, right?  So, like… that was a big deal.  For sure.  He flashed her a big smile, taking a seat on the couch and pressing play.  “Government secrets are wild,” he pointed out.  “Pretty sure I’ve spent, like, way too much time on way too many Wiki pages about this kind of stuff at this point.”

His eyes stayed on her for a second before he was looking back at the TV, the documentary starting up and the narrator talking cryptically about the unknown that surrounded them.

They were watching quietly for a few moments, but Jonah, being the person he always had been, had a pretty difficult time being able to sit through a movie without talking through much of any of it.

“So, what are you doing spending your night home instead of going out? like everyone else?” he asked.

[hanagrey-blog]

“There are probably better places to look than Wiki,” Hana said, not as an admonishment, but more as a tease, a joke. Settling into the sofa, her eyes flickered across the screen as the documentary began. Shadowing figures appearing and then disappearing, the crisp, yet eerily disembodied, voice of the narrator talking over the scenes flashing on the TV. 

With the voice echoing around them in the dim living room, and the scent of her cupcakes drifting through the air, Hana felt a deep sense of contentment, and she felt relaxed, even a little bit sleepy. However, when Jonah started to speak, her eyes brightened, snapped to attention, and she turned her head over to look at him, a smile on her face.

“I could ask the same thing,” she replied instantly, a mischievous curve to her smile. It was the lack of judgement in his tone that made her comfortable answering honestly though, her expression morphing into one of agreement, “I’ve always just been more of a homebody. I like being warm and snug and home rather than going out. Though don’t get me wrong, I always have fun, but sometimes it just seems like so much work.” Quirking her eyebrows up and acquiring her previous expression once again, she asked, “What about you?”

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT | Zana

ZAC: I don't know about those... But I did see someone make a lasagna using garlic bread instead of pasta sheets, once.

ZAC: Just a few hidden cameras that are motion sensors. I can link them to your phone so you get an alert. Don't know how everyone else would feel about it though.

HANA: Mybe I'll start of easy, something like corn bread perhaps

HANA: That sounds very ... soggy? How do they keep the garlic bread crisp?

HANA: You're right. What if we just tell everyone that we've got them set up? Maybe then they'll think twice about sneaking a couple, or ten, cupcakes haha

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT | Zana

ZAC: Now, if you made bread and pizza and all things savoury? I'd be the top culprit.

ZAC: I can get you surveillance stuff. Seriously.

ZAC: You may just have become my favourite person in the house.

HANA: OH a pizza cupcake? A garlic bread cupcake? This is going to be one exciting weekend. Could you imagine lasagna? Too much?

HANA: And HANDS OFF ... unless you get me that surveillance stuff. What type of stuff are we talking about here?

[dilskaplan]

”Making a difference,” Victoria echoed thoughtfully, her tone one of agreement, approval and appreciation. At the end of the day, all she wanted was to leave her mark on the world. To be some form of influence to someone. Taking care of people had always given her an immense sense of self worth and satisfaction, and for a while she had become so distanced from society (particularly following her unemployment, an unnecessary suckerpunch in a sequence of life’s beatings) that it had made her question her own role on the planet. What was she here for? What was her function? Joining the Zodiac had reminded her of what she could do. It created structure and paved a new path for her to explore. And for that, she would be eternally grateful.

Hana’s tale of vandalism prompted a raised eyebrow from the Brit, her perspective as an outsider on the incident forming a plethora of questions upon her tongue. “And who is to blame for that? Who was to serve the punishment that was justice for those who lost their lives?” She toyed with a small cube of potato upon the kitchen counter which had strayed from the rest, pushing it in circles as she pondered. “In my eyes, there is an entire list of culprits. The vandals themselves, of course. And then their parents, for not keeping an eye on them. And their school, for not education them properly. And the police, for it is surely their job to ensure such things don’t happen. But then what of the government, for not aiding such organisations with appropriate funding to ensure they can afford security? And for not encouraging more soup kitchens to be set up and aiding the homeless.” Her eyes bright, stimulated by intelligent conversation and remarkably happy for it, she gave a one shouldered shrug. “The way I see it, justice is a difficult thing to administer fairly. We truly do have our work cut out for us.”

The pleasant and comforting smell of cooking food had begun to fill the room, an invisible cloud which, if both her and Hana’s smiles were anything to go by, seemed to do them both good. There was something oddly soothing in watching the other female cook, particularly when said person was so easy to get along with. Victoria half scolded herself for not having introduced herself properly sooner. “So you knew Claudia first.” It was more of a statement than a question, a sequence of chronological events slowly gathering together in her mind to create a sequence of events which lead to the formation of their merry band. “Would you consider her a close friend? Or is it more of a professional relationship than that?” The complete dynamics of the group were still somewhat lost on her.

A soft exhale was given as an immediate response to the question, uncertain as to whether she even had an accurate answer. “It’s different. Not bad different, but… unusual different.” She paused and slid a thin hairband from her wrist, piling dark locks atop her head in a ponytail as she would before undertaking a task which required concentration. “It’s been a while since I studied Forensics, though. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to be putting my knowledge to use – but I can’t help but wonder, why me?” Her eyes met Hana’s and she wondered if Taurus, the right had woman of Aries, knew the reasons behind the choosing of their members. Victoria hesitated slightly with a smirk before continuing, “You did mean this as in joining the Zodiac, right? Because if you meant watching you preparing a meal, it’s immensely entertaining. The prospect of food at the end of it certainly helps too.” 

[hanagrey-blog]

The questions that Victoria asked regarding that first murder were an all too familiar echo. It was as if someone had reached in the depths of her mind and plucked out the trouble, the worries, the nagging little thoughts that she had constantly pushed into the back of her mined and splattered them on the table for everyone to inspect and prod. It was true -- there was never a straight-cut answer when it came to justice. How far was too far? How far was not far enough? She nodded absently, eyes vacant as she retreated into the shadows of those doubts, the potato cakes sizzling, popping on the stove before her. Still preoccupied with her thoughts, Hana almost didn’t hear Victoria’s following question about Claudia. Like a hook catching on a stray strand of fabric, her mind slowly unwound from it’s tight knot, and she allowed an easy smile to slip on her face again.

“Oh yes, before I knew anything about the Zodiac, I actually met her when she visited my food truck,” Hana said, flipping the cakes and setting them on two plates. “She’s one of my-- no, probably is my closest friend.” A day usually didn’t feel right unless she saw the other girl, unless the two of them caught up with each other. Claudia had become a very essential part of Hana’s life, slipping through her fractured facade and cracked exterior to see the fearful, insecure girl she’d always been, but not caring and not treating her any different because of it. That couldn’t be said for everyone though, which is why Hana has always been overly worried, overly protective of shy girl hidden inside.

The crisp crunch of the cakes as it brushed against her spatula indicated that they were done. Slipping the rest of them onto the plates, she pondered Victoria’s question. It was usually a strange thing, welcoming someone new into the fold. Sometimes there were strategic reasons, a particular skill set, a necessary connection, but most of the time it was an instinctual feeling. Perhaps it was recognizing something similar in those passing by in the streets, seeing a familiar spark of an old friend, an old self that you hadn’t expected. It hadn’t been Hana who first spotted Victoria, but she trusted everyone enough by then to not raise objections or too many questions when the proposal to welcome her into the ring came up. It seemed to have all turned out for the better. 

Hana carefully portioned the kale salad before bringing the plates over to where Victoria was seated, the other girl’s clarification setting off a light laughter. “I see, you don’t really like me, it’s the food you’re here for,” she teased, a sparkle of mirth in her eyes, as she settled herself across from the other girl. Her expression morphed into one of consideration, tapping a fork to her chin, before answering, “Maybe one killer can recognize another.” A slight pause, as her eyes roamed over Victoria’s face, her gaze curving around the other girl’s dark eyes, before friendliness emerged in her own, “Maybe we realized you needed us as much as we needed you. Any which way, I’m glad it all turned out like this. I hope you’re getting along well with everyone.” The last sentence was punctuated by a slight upward inflection, a question, depending on whether or not Victoria chose to answer.

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT | Zana

ZAC: I don't feel comfortable taking someone else's food. That really isn't my thing. So I can promise you I won't take anything without asking.

ZAC: Unless you make banana bread or carrot cake. They are my weaknesses.

HANA: Well then I can cross you of my list of people to interrogate and potentially torture tonight. Those cupcakes cost me a pretty penny.

HANA: ONLY KIDDING but I'm seriously considering getting cameras installed haha

HANA: Banana bread! That's a great idea omg expect lots of bananas in our kitchen this weekend.

[hanagrey-blog]

TEXT | Zana

ZAC: I'll pretend I didn't read it, how's that?

ZAC: This is why I do a good amount of checks. I care about everyone's internet and cyber security and the correlation with physical security and safety.

ZAC: Also, your banana muffins were lovely. I meant to leave a note thanking you for the one I took the other day.

HANA: Good, good

HANA: Thank you! And no need, everyone already takes them willy nilly anyways. A recent batch of chocolate peppermint cupcakes disappeared from the fridge just yesterday. I should know by now nothing is safe in our kitchen haha

[jonahstewart-blog1]

A smile crossed Jonah’s face as soon as Hana mentioned that she didn’t have any plans.  Not that, like, it was a good thing that she didn’t have anything going on, but he was excited by the sheer hopefulness that they could, like, hang out.  God, was that pathetic?  He was used to being a social butterfly, and recently, he’d felt sort of stinted from all of that.  But, he was trying to ease his way back into it.  Even if it was from suggesting, like… alien documentaries.  “Yeah,” he told her through a small laugh.  “I take my alien conspiracy theories very, very seriously.”

And she was into it!  Which was the best part!  His smile widened and he took a couple steps back in the direction of the living room.  “Then we should definitely get this party started,” he told her with a laugh.  “Nothing too scary, I promise.  It’s actually more fascinating than anything else.  Like… the government pulls out all the stops to keep stuff hidden and it’s crazy, you know?”   Well, with everything going on with them anymore, he was pretty sure he could attest to that.

“But don’t worry, if things get too freaky, we can totally switch over to a cartoon.  Deal?”  He headed down toward where he already had the TV paused and ready to go.  He could smell the scent of fresh-baked cupcakes wafting through the air and turned around to smile at her.  “I think it’s going to be a pretty solid night.”

[hanagrey-blog]

Her bare feet chilled quickly on the floor of the factory, uncarpeted ( of course ) because blood was nearly impossible to fully clean, as she followed Jonah into the living room. Rubbing her eyes gently, she glanced at the television, which showed a paused screen on a dark background and a fuzzy blue, grey blur. Aliens? UFO? Telephone pole? “Oh yes, government secrets are always my thing,” she said, as she tucked herself into one corner of the sofa. 

Her eyes crinkled and her mouth stretched into a brilliant grin, appreciating Jonah’s offer. “Sounds good,” she said, leaning her head on top of the sofa cushion, so she was glancing up at him, her smile still in place. Now that she was closer to the oven, the scent of strawberries filtered all around her, sliding across the bridge of her nose, tingling across the tip of it. “If it gets too creepy, I’ll pop into the kitchen to check on my cupcakes. They should be done soon,” she trilled the last sentence, a playful singsong, winging her eyebrows up. Dissolving into quiet laughter, she patted the space next to her, adding, “Let’s get this show started.”

[dilskaplan]

The passion that exuded from Hana when she spoke about cooking was so golden and pure that it managed to spark a faint curve upon Victoria’s lips, enthralled in watching as she went about preparing a meal. To create something delicious from even the most basic ingredients was an impressive skill, particularly when she herself was more at ease just boiling up some pasta and adding a jar of sauce to it. The steady rhythm of the knife’s blade hitting the chopping board acted as a metronome to her thoughts, fogged memories of baking with Isaac and their daughter lingering momentarily in her mind before being stubbornly cast aside.

“There’s so many of us to get to know here,” she hummed in agreement. “I think it will take time to become properly acquainted with everyone in enough depth to consider them well known.” The shadow of a frown swept across her delicate features, aware of the recklessness of living amongst a group of strangers. Sure, she considered a select few of them friends, but the rest remained unknown anomalies for the time being. Throw in the fact that the majority of the Zodiacs knew how to kill, and they had a decidedly volatile set up. 

The query into her previous employment elicited a cough of laughter from Victoria. “It’s a rather vulgar story to go into too much detail, but essentially I walked in on my boss - a high school principal - having sex with a student.” It was such a ridiculously outrageous event to think about that she couldn’t help but smile, although the expression was also rather close to a grimace. “I think he was worried I was going to use the incident to blackmail him, but I swiftly resigned and decided that perhaps being a teacher wasn’t for me.” Victoria shook her head, shifting to a more comfortable position upon the stool (later she would reflect at how easy it was to talk to Hana, and be glad for it). “After that, I considered various different career choices but couldn’t find the right one for me. And then - well - I was approached by you guys.”

Dark eyes flitted between the other’s hands and face as she continued to work. Victoria’s head tilted slightly, curiosity bubbling away like the pot of boiling water which sat upon the stove.  “And what about you? You’re not the sort of person I’d typically imagine would work for an organised vigilante syndicate of killers and criminals.” The observation was one that others may have left unspoken, but she had never been the sort of person to sugar coat her words. Far from it, in fact. “Not to mention the fact that you’re Claudia’s go-to-woman.” It was no secret that the majority of their plans were approved by Hana, requiring her seal of approval before being able to go ahead.

[hanagrey-blog]

The potatoes made small plop, plop sounds as Hana dropped them into the now boiling water. As she went about washing and chopping the vegetables for a kale salad, she felt her eyes widen when Victoria recounted her time at the high school. No wonder she left. If she had been in the same situation, she would have probably done the same as well. There was no way Hana would be able to look someone like that in the eye again after such an encounter. 

A small smile played on Hana’s face, as she tossed the salad in a bowl, checked on the potatoes and prepared a frying pan. Victoria’s voice was melodic, almost rhythmic to her ears, and a feeling of warm contentment slide over her, wrapping her in a warm embrace. It might have just been the heat from the kitchen, but Hana suspected it had to do with the frank, familiar way Victoria spoke. There was none of that overt politeness that came with getting to know someone; there were no forced smiles or hesitant comments -- testing the waters to see what kind of personality the other had and whether or not they were compatible. It made Hana feel as if she, too, could speak her mind, because it was an unspoken rule in the atmosphere, a vibration in the air that this place, these words, came with no judgement. 

As she settled into a kitchen stool, waiting for the potatoes, she cradled her head in her hands, soft, almost dreamy, eyes landing on the other girl. “I guess you’re right.” A pause, “I’ve got to admit, I don’t have much taste for killing and crime for its own sake,” her nose wrinkled up, though her eyes were still relaxed and her posture casual. “But I really believe in what we do here, because it makes a difference.” Her eyes seemed to gloss over, though a grin still tilted the sides of her lips up, as she remembered a singular phone call, nearly four years ago. “I was working at a soup kitchen, a few years ago when I was still in school. It was ransacked, vandalized, by some pranksters, kids really, but because of it, the kitchen had to close down. They did irreparable harm to those who relied on the kitchen to survive from day to day. People died because they couldn’t get food any other way. It was just wrong, and someone needed to make it right.”

A light laughter stole over Hana’s features, and her face was reanimated, lively, cheerful again, as she popped back up to lift the lid on the potatoes. “Claudia was the one to really show me the ropes with this whole thing. I was still in culinary school then; I’ve been here a long time now.” Switching the potatoes from the pot to a mixing bowl, Hana sprinkled the appropriate seasoning and added the chopped onions and pepper that she had prepared before. Gently folding them in, she reached in to create small cakes, patties. Her gaze returned back to Victoria, warm and comforting: “And how’re you liking this so far? Everything going well?”

[hanagrey-blog]

[ariesclaudia-blog]

Of all the people in that house, Hana was one of, if not the most precious to her. Hana’s happiness in all aspects of life was high on Claudia’s list of priorities, even if she sometimes had a hard time showing it. “But it’s so fun!” Claudia protested, her red lips pursed in a gentle pout. “Especially around Halloween. Have you noticed that most people are more on edge around that time of year?” With a devious grin on her lips, Claudia stepped fully into the hallway and moved closer to Hana. Since it was just the two of them, there was no need for formalities. “Oh, nothing too exciting. I went to the shooting range today, and I just got out of the shower, as I’m sure you could tell. What about you? The house smells divine, so I can only imagine what you got yourself into.”

[hanagrey-blog]

A burst of laughter spilled from her lips, as her eyes crinkled with humor. “Yes, I have noticed because I’m one of them. Things just jump scaring me out of the blue, horror marathons on TV, haunted houses. I can’t do anything supernatural.” Exaggerating a shudder, she resumed a soft smile on her face as she listened to Claudia highlight her day. Although it was nothing but casual chit chat, Hana couldn’t help but think it rather intimate. Hearing about her day, no matter how mundane, always made Hana feel closer to the other girl, and staying updated with each other’s lives was highly important to her. “Loads of baking, of course,” she said, her eyes shining as she remembered the cupcakes that were downstairs. “I’ve tried out a new recipe for today. Hopefully it turns out nicely, because it took me most of the day to mix.” She said it as if she was annoyed, though they both knew it was a dream for her -- a whole day in the kitchen, peace and quiet as she lightly hummed to herself while mixing bowls and bowls of batter. “Brushing up on your shooting skills for anything in particular?” Hana asked, raising her brows.

[jonahstewart-blog1]

Something about Hana seemed comforting, like the sort of face that made you instant feel at ease the second you saw them.  And admittedly, with everything that had been going on lately, that was a good thing to see in a person: a familiar and friendly face.  “That’s arguably the best type of girl that could be out there,” he told her with a grin, a small laugh escaping a second later.  “I’m a sucker for a good cupcake.”

He looked down at his feet for a second before he was looking back at her, smile widening ever so slightly at the mention of boxing, his arm stretching up so that he could rest his hand against the back of his neck for a moment, stretching slightly.  “You’d think that’s the way it’d work, wouldn’t you?” he chuckled.  “I mean, I’ve got the, like, hand-eye thing down.  It’s more the properly-using-my-own-two-feet aspect of it that trips me out.”  A beat and a sheepish smile later.  “Literally, in my case.”

He rocked back on his heels, glancing around the hall for a second and realizing that he hadn’t really seen anyone around for a while - which was in all honesty a bit surprising.  “You got anything going on tonight besides cupcakes?” he asked her.  “I’ve got a solid Area 51 documentary ready to go on Netflix.  If you’re, like… into alien conspiracies, or whatever.  If you, like… wanna watch.  Maybe?”

[hanagrey-blog]

Hana let out a small chuckle and shook her head. She wasn’t sure what she was shaking it for: the fact that he was completely enamored with cupcakes, disagreement to his self-proclaimed clumsiness, or her lack of evening plans. Deciding on the latter, she said, “No plans -- I was just doing some light reading. Area 51, you say?” As if pretending to ponder the movie, she tapped a finger on her chin, brows slightly furrowing.

She’d never been someone who was good at keeping up a ruse, at least not when her heart wasn’t in it though, so her face quickly cleared, crinkled eyes, bright smile and all: “I’d definitely be up for that.” She paused, her brows furrowing for real this time, “It’s nothing super creepy, right?”

Chills crept up her spine and she could feel the beginnings of goosebumps, when the thought of mystical, supernatural phenomenons crossed her mind. As a child, and even now, she’d completely shied away from any sort of paranormal horror, because the unknown, the might-be-there-might-not-be had always frightened her much more than any real horror she might face. 

[dylanjennae-blog]

A soft noise of surprise fell from Dylan’s lips as she was whisked towards the kitchen by the smaller girl. “Cupcakes?” Dylan repeated excitedly, only just able to stop herself from out outwardly cheering. “Is that a joke? Of course I want to help you test them, even though we both know they will be a huge success!” It seemed that her legs decided that the kitchen was prime bouncing territory, because as soon she leaned against the counter she was steadily bouncing on the spot. “Why is this even the first time you’ve done of this?”

[hanagrey-blog]

Hana couldn’t hide her smile at the sight of the other girl’s excitement. She grabbed a toothpick she had left lying on the kitchen counter and an oven mitt before opening the open. A wave of heat immediately washed over her, accompanied by the sweet, fresh scent of strawberries. Leaning forward to prick a cupcake with the toothpick, she answered, “It’s not the first time, though I haven’t been coming up with that many new flavors recently, which is probably why you’ve missed out on the ones before.” Confirming that the cupcakes were indeed ready, she reached in slowly with the oven mitts before setting the heated pan on the stove top. “Don’t worry though, I’m pretty sure these are going to make up for all of that.” She laughed, turning towards Dylan. “Though I’d definitely wait for them to cool down a bit. Do you want some frosting?” she asked, removing the mitt and gliding towards the fridge to grab the chocolate creme frosting she’d made earlier.