* EVEN POPULAR GIRLS HAVE PROBLEMS! ˎˊ˗

for @hellocutty !

Having been walking along the streets all morning, looking for a place to find something reasonably cheap for lunch, Ben would head into a small diner a way’s into town, settling down at a booth and calmly looking about the place. It was during this looking around that he spotted a familiar face, that girl that had been chasing him down just some days prior, sat not too far away from him. Not appearing as menacing this time around, of course, but the same woman regardless. Almost immediately, he felt his throat tighten and he ducked his head, hoping he wouldn’t be recognised as well, or that she wouldn’t be looking to catch him again if he was.

“ … ”

After a long night of hunting down a target, Nene finds herself both exhausted and famished. Sometimes her clients pick the most annoyingly elusive targets, but it's nothing she can't handle. She is the best hitwoman in Philadelphia, after all. No one can touch her.

Heading into a diner for some much needed fuel, Nene slips into a booth near the window, pink nails clicking against the tabletop as she waits for a waiter to come take her order. She observes the diner's other patrons with pursed lips, stopping when her gaze lands on Ben. She blinks, surprised to see him, but nonetheless intrigued. She isn't the best at suppressing her curiosity, so she rises from her seat and moves to sit across from him, a slight smile playing on her lips.

❝Well, if it isn't little boy blue. Don't look so nervous, sugar. I'm off duty and not lookin' to wrangle you back to your parents.❞

There's an awkward pause after her words, during which she looks to be contemplating something. With a sigh, she brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile turning a touch friendlier.

❝... This'll be on me, but only if you promise not to rat me out to the police. How's that sound?❞

Nene isn't at all concerned about being turned in. The police are never able to catch her, so they've set their sights on more important matters. It's really just an excuse to get to talk to him. She won't admit it, but ever since that night, he's been on her mind. She's concerned about him, much to her chagrin.

#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ ANSWERED. ꒱#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ IC. ꒱#inspiring-artist

@inspiring-artist asked: “Do you always find everyone cute?”

❝I wouldn't say always, sugar. Not everyone is cute, but it's fun flirting anyway.❞

MUSE DEMEANOR & MANNERISM GUIDE!

EYES.

avoids eye contact when nervous, maintains eye contact, avoids eye contact due to being neurodivergent, enjoys eye contact as a means to read and convey emotion, looks down when emotional, looks up when emotional, cries openly, wipes tears quickly, suppresses tears, wandering gaze when lost in thought, holds gaze while thinking, seeks out eye contact for reassurance, seeks out eye contact to gauge enthusiasm during conversations, eyes move constantly during conversation, expressive eyes, emotions only evident through eyes, uses eye contact to intimidate, looks up while thinking, looks down while thinking.

HANDS.

clasps behind back, rests in lap, fidgets with clothes, twiddles thumbs, chews at nails, pushes back cuticles, draws patterns on table/counter surfaces, animated gestures while speaking, only gestures to emphasize, utilizes sign language, speaks only through sign, callouses, scars, smooth, wrinkled, worn, soft, delicate, boney, slender, thick, veiny, touches others while speaking, reaches out while laughing, reaches out to comfort others, reaches out to seek comfort, places face in hands when exasperated, places face in hands when exhausted, places palms over eyes to hide when overwhelmed, rests chin in hands, taps fingers when impatient, taps fingers when nervous, taps fingers when thinking, scratches scalp, strokes chin, rubs back of head, toys with objects around them, runs fingers over surfaces while walking by.

MOUTH.

chews lip, chews at inside of cheek, licks lips, bites tongue, chews on straws, resting frown, resting smile, neutral resting expression, resting pout, grinds teeth, flexes jaw, covers mouth when laughing, covers mouth when shocked, covers mouth when concerned, hands to lips while thinking, covers mouth when chewing, chews with mouth closed, chews with mouth open, smirks, grins, subtle smiles, wide smiles, sad smiles, intimidating smiles, menacing grins, openly smiles, tries to suppress smiles, bares teeth when angry, lips quiver when emotional, stutters, speaks quickly, speaks slowly, good pronunciation, poor pronunciation, moderate pronunciation, purses lips, sucks in lips, holds mouth open when shocked or confused.

LEGS.

bounces leg when nervous, draws knees to chest when sitting, draws knees to chest as a means of comfort, sits on knees, sits with legs criss crossed, sits with legs spread open in chairs, crosses legs when sitting in chairs, sits with one leg folded over the other, places feet on furniture, never places feet on furniture, sits on counters, sits on desks, sits on tables, sits on edge of seat, sits hunched over with forearms on knees, arches one knee up, sits on the arm of chairs/couches, feet on dashboard, swings legs back and forth when sitting somewhere elevated, wiggles toes when nervous, wiggles toes as a general tick, shuffles feet, kicks foot into ground, stomps feet, loud footsteps, quiet footsteps, silent footsteps.

HAIR.

runs fingers through hair, tugs at hair, picks at scalp, chews on hair, twists locks of hair while thinking or nervous, smooths out locks of hair while thinking or nervous, prefers hair out of face, prefers long hair, prefers short hair, wears hair back, keeps hair down, smooths back hair, plays with others' hair while talking, plays with own hair while talking, strokes hair to 'comfort' others, likes having hair stroked for their own comfort, braids others' hair while talking, braids own hair while talking, flips hair out of face, pushes hair out of face, leaves hair alone even when falling into face.

Tagged by: @scrrowblue

Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this!

#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ DASH GAMES. ꒱#thanks for the tag!!! (again)

// thanks for the follow on @haus-der-mysterionmusen this is the main blog it’s attached to I look forward to rping

no problemo, i look forward to roleplaying with you, too!

#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ ANSWERED. ꒱#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ OOC. ꒱

alsooo made my interest checker for this account!

#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ OOC. ꒱

@funkin-rap asked: "So, you're... Nene, right? Nice to meet a friend of Pico's!"

Nene flashes the rapper a sharp-toothed grin, hands finding her hips.

❝Well, ain't you just the cutest thing! Yep, that's me! Who's askin'? You say you're a friend of Pico's? Don't think I've ever seen you 'til now.❞

#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ ANSWERED. ꒱#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ IC. ꒱#funkin-rap

His own breathing growing heavy with exertion and exhaustion, Ben’s hands tremble as they grip onto the rusted links of wire, the thin metal digging into his palms and fingers. His chest aches, his eyes sting with welling tears, and despite his efforts, the hitwoman catches up to him with ease, and jumps the fence just as easily. His chest rises and falls rapidly with each panicked breath as he watches her between the wire links, terrified eyes staring down to her. She speaks, and he has to bite back a shout that she’d be taking him back to his worst nightmare.

“ I-I didn’t just run away for no reason, alright?! I— I didn’t do this for fun! My parents— They’ll hurt me if I go back, I can’t! Don’t take me back! ”

His voice breaks, the stinging in his eyes worsens, and his hands grip tighter onto the wire out of panic, nearly breaking skin at this point. His head’s already swimming with what-ifs, imagining what his parents would do if he was brought back to them now. They’d give this girl her money, she’d be on her way, and he’d be made to ensure worse and worse punishment for daring to run away and take his life into his own hands. He trembles at the thought, and a fearful sob leaves him past grit teeth as he starts to find his way back down the tall fence with uncertain footing, as restrained as he tries to keep the broken sound. He couldn’t cry in front of this stranger so intent on taking him back there, he couldn’t appear any more weak.

Nene pauses, staring blankly up at Benjamin as he implores her to reconsider. She watches as he barely suppresses a sob, watches as he shakily descends the fence, the weight of his words washing over her, settling uneasily in the pit of her stomach. She reminds herself how much she needs the cash, how much the reward money will help her in the long run, how she doesn't know this boy and how she shouldn't care about what would befall him upon returning home, because it doesn't involve her and never will...

... Yet, despite these facts, she can't bring herself to continue.

Nene sighs, running a hand through her hair. Irritation crosses her expression, irritation at both Ben and herself. Since when was she this soft for strangers? She glances off to the side, teeth worrying her bottom lip as she considers her next words.

❝... Get out of here before I change my mind.❞

It's a simple phrase, laced with clear exasperation, but it's something. Something that shows that, underneath her murderous, tough exterior lies something tender, however small it may be.

Given the risk of the situation, with his safety being in the hands of him not making a stupid decision he’d already made, Ben has no plans of slowing down his sprint. He turns whatever corners he can in an attempt to shake off his pursuer, his heart pounding in his chest at the words shouted from not far behind him.

“ NO! I’m not going back there! ”

Voice strained as he shouts, he staggers and nearly trips, only just catching himself before he can tumble to the concrete. Adrenaline could only do so much, he knew he couldn’t outrun this girl forever. For all the experience he had in running from the multitude of threats chasing him down, with this girl being only another one in his eyes, it hadn’t built up his stamina by much.

Turning another corner down a stretch of path, Ben is faced with a wire gate, tall and rusted and locked up, jagged wire ends sticking up at the top. Without thinking, he’s already climbing. Anything to get some distance.

Nene grits her teeth, feeling herself swell with irritation the longer this boy manages to evade her. Why is he so determined to get away, anyway? She's under the assumption that he's just some rich kid who ran away from home, likely after an argument with his parents or something of that nature, but the way he's acting, it's as if he's desperate to avoid capture, as if going home is a fate worse than living on the streets. She narrows her eyes.

Panting heavily, the hitwoman slows to a stop in front of the rusted fence, craning her neck to watch as the boy scales it with such an intensity that he may as well be competing in the Olympics. It piques her curiosity.

❝Jeez, where's the damn fire, sweets? You act like I'd be sendin' you to your death or somethin'.❞

After sufficiently catching her breath, she runs up the side of the alleyway wall and leaps over the top of the fence, staring up at him with a raised eyebrow and folded arms.

❝I told ya, baby, I do this for a living. You ain't the first guy I've had to chase, and you won't be the last. Only difference is, you get to go back to your cushy little mansion and live to tell the tale.❞

#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ IC. ꒱#˗ˏˋ 🔪 ꒰ OPEN ROLEPLAY. ꒱

You're on your way home, ready to get some well-deserved sleep, when you're suddenly apprehended from behind. A sharp kitchen knife makes itself at home against the skin of your neck, leaving you frozen in place. Your heart is in your throat, hammering in your ears at such an intense volume that you barely hear the voice that greets you, smooth and feminine and teeming with flirtation. It's one you may or may not recognize.

❝Hey, cutie pie. What're you doin' out here all by yourself at this hour?❞

Ben had been setting up for the night when he’d heard approaching footsteps, something that already had him on edge. As he looks over his shoulder, he first catches those white eyes of the stranger’s, and then the knife clutched in her hand, the bloodied blade catching the street lamp’s light. Slowly bringing himself from his knees to his feet as she speaks in that condescending tone, his alert gaze doesn’t leave her, cautiously watching for any moves towards him. She wants to take him back to the falsely loving embrace of his parents, seeking the money offered for his retrieval, and nearly none of that surprises him. For that much money, most would do the same.

“ …I-I’m not. I’m not going home. ”

His voice trembles, as do his hands, as he takes a step backwards. He can feel the rising urgency, the awful tension felt in the air, and he knows he can’t stay here. He cautiously glimpses the girl’s blade once more, believing that his chances of peaceful negotiation with her seemed very slim, and he makes up his mind. His feet move before he can give any more of a response. The artist turns to run, stress and tension steadily rising into panic as he hears footsteps swiftly begin to follow after him.

Nene follows Ben's gaze to the knife in her hand, her grin shrinking ever so slightly into what is meant to be a reassuring smile, but it doesn't come across that way. She pulls out a handkerchief and wipes the blade clean, putting it away and raising her hands to show she means him no harm.

❝I know what it looks like, honey, but I'm not gonna hurt you as long as you cooperate with me. Now, how about we— hey!❞

Nene's smile vanishes in a heartbeat, a scowl taking its place as the artist turns to flee from her. She needs this money, damn it, and she isn't about to let him get away so easily. She gives chase, easily keeping up with him, but he's just out of her reach. Wily little thing.

❝Believe me, sweetheart, you can't outrun me forever! I do shit like this for a living, so how 'bout you make this easier for both of us and just come with me!❞

A starter for @scrrowblue! ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

A thoughtful hum buzzes in Nene's throat, white eyes sizing Benjamin up. She's got his wanted poster clutched in one hand and a kitchen knife in the other, the latter stained crimson, likely by some poor soul she took out earlier. She finally snaps her gaze to meet Ben's, a mischievous grin adorning her cheeks.

❝Well, aren't you just the cutest little thing... No wonder your mommy and daddy are payin' so much to get you back home safe and sound!❞

Her tone is condescending, but there's underlying sincerity in there somewhere.

❝I think it's time we get you back to your parents, sweetums. This cash is just what I need to get me by, should last me at least a month or two. What do you say? Ready to go home?❞

This time, there's an urgency in her tone, one that leaves little room for rebuttal. That same grin is etched across her cheeks, but it's tinged with greed, tainted by her desire to fill her own pockets. She's not taking no for an answer... Not unless there's a really good reason for her to.