surely you know how to close them instead

Re: Vamp RP ; Rhiannon Blackwood

[iwillwaitgladly]

For this ask meme, sent by Ellis:

22. Do they like being called pet names? Do they call other people pet names? What’s their go-to? 

She’s not usually one for pet names, but she’ll accept them from a select few. If she cares about someone, she might call them “love”, or even “pet” or “petal”. The terms “idiot” or “stupid” are used with utmost affection.

30. What would they do if they knew it would be forgiven?

She’s been living her life with no holds barred. People who have it coming usually get what they deserve, and she’ll make sure of it herself, if that’s what it takes. No sense in seeking forgiveness if there’s no one in her life left to forgive her. 

[iwillwaitgladly]

For this ask meme, sent by Bell - Can they take care of a plant? What about a pet? What about a child?

Rhia viciously, desperately wants to keep plants alive, but has the blackest thumb. She habitually forgets to water them, then overwaters to compensate, then sticks them in a closet for four days to make room for a new stack of papers on her desk. Rhia’s home is where plants go to die.

That being said, it hasn’t stopped her from trying. She has a few pots of basil, and she’s doing her best to keep them alive.

She is, however, an excellent pet owner. Skittles has a luxurious tank and the best mice that money can buy. That snake wants for nothing and Rhia intends to keep it that way.

At the moment, she has no interest in children, her own or anyone else’s.

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Harmless illegalities like rooftop fireworks never phased Cedar. She’d probably get slapped a bigger fine for just driving her motorcycle around, if Maroan police ever figured it out.

“Sounds, uh, good to me. Some overly-patriotic festivities and then some roof-sitting.” Cedar grinned and took a final sip of her bare-minimum whiskey, though she wasn’t in a rush. “Feel free to take ya time, I can take ya home whenever.”

“I’d like to stay a while longer, then,” she said, tracing the rim of her glass with a fingertip. “Hear a little more about you. What you enjoy, who you fancy.”

Rhia had made her interest clear enough. And she planned to linger, tonight. Now that there was no shifty shifter to drive her off, she could finally relax, inch by inch. 

And she could lose herself in someone else, for a little while. Quiet conversation, late nights. It was the only remedy she’d found for a heart that kept breaking.

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Cedar accepted the napkin and tried to immediately memorize the number in case it got smudged in her pocket (again, forgetting about her phone). She felt goofy and clumsy, but what immediately popped into her head was–

“Ah, ya like fireworks?” Fourth of July was coming up. Plenty of places to get a good view, like over the harbor. Maybe ride the carousel at the Commons (would someone as put together as Rhia like a carousel? Whatever. She’d figure it out).

“...I like fireworks, yes.” 

When was the last time she’d seen them? Was it with Tom? Must have been. She’d made a habit of keeping herself busy on the holidays. But she could still recall a late night trip to the beach, bonfires lining the sandy shore, rockets lit at the water’s edge...

The pang of nostalgia was easy enough to ignore. The memories, not so much.

“I know a rooftop that has a good view. Not the most legal, but eh. Gets you really close.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

A date! A date. Cedar was elated enough that she didn’t remember to suggest just punching it into her phone; she instead dug around behind to find a pen. She came back up with one that looks like it was taken from her father’s practice, considering it says Fithromax on it. She handed it off.

“What, uh, what kinda places you like to go?” Cedar would have to do something nice, which was much harder when she hardly knew the person.

Rhia twirled the pen for a few moments, tapped it against her chin. “Mm, anywhere is fine. I’ll follow your lead. Walk in the park, watching a movie. Drinks, music. Someplace quiet.”

She was, admittedly, a bit rusty when it came to first dates. Most of her encounters over the past few years had been brief and spontaneous. Nothing planned, not since... well. This would be a fun departure, at least. Rhia wrote her name on the napkin in big, looping letters, scrawled her number beside it, slid it across the bar.

“Whatever you want, I’m all yours.”

She would have winked, but there was no point to the gesture. It’d just look like she was blinking very slowly. The curse of having one eye visible at any given time.

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Oh, cool, so Rhia would like a date sometime. Cedar felt no more sure of herself, but at least she hadn’t caused this whole interaction to crash and burn!

As Rhia lifted her glass, Cedar clinked her own against it, purely reflexive habit.

“Hey, uh, like ya said. You were dealin’ with it. It’s no big.” She felt squirmy to be called a knight. Had that been an idle teenage fantasy? Hell yeah. Had she thought about rescuing fair maidens? Fuck yeah! Was it an appropriate time to revisit adolescent whimsy? No, felt cringe as all get out, and Cedar did not want to dwell on it.

“How ‘bout we just start with an escort home an’…get together another time down the road? Next week?”

“I’d like that. It’s a date.” Rhia drained the last of her drink, setting it aside on the bar. Felt nice, having something to look forward to again. It had been a while.

“You have a pen somewhere around here?” she asked, stealing a nearby cocktail napkin and tapping it. “I’ll give you my number.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Ah, okay, that was loud and clear. Cedar’s cheeks bloomed.

“The walk’s, uh, fuckin’ great.” How the hell did she navigate this? She’d had this conversation plenty of times before, and never figured out how to reject someone without rejecting someone. She didn’t know Rhia, and that was the crux of the issue. She’d like to get to know Rhia.

“I’m not…uhh…” Cedar rubbed her face, then tried again. “It’s a really fuckin’ temptin’ offer to come over but, it’s not really…how I do things?” Pathetic, phrasing it as a question. Try again. “I’d, ya know, I’d take ya out sometime. But I’m not really, ha, one for…goin’ home first thing.”

Close enough, maybe.

Rhia gave a small, measured smile, eyeing Cedar’s blush. “That’s fine, offer always stands. Not looking for anything serious, but I’d be happy to go anywhere you’d like, doesn’t have to be home. Still owe you two drinks, now.”

She lifted her glass, wiggling it for emphasis. 

“For my gallant knight in shining armor.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Rhia may have thought she wasn’t playing coy, but she was dealing with a thick-skulled Brux, and one a little gunshy when it came to assuming any sort of romantic or intimate intentions. Cedar continued to bumble along around her drink.

“I mean, like I said–not much, uh, open this late? I dunno what ya like,” Cedar trying to be gallant was making things just a bit vague. Or painfully clear. “So, uh, walk ya home, then, I dunno…somethin’ some other night?”

Something. Somewhere, Cedar’s last brain cell was trying to kick itself into gear and choking.

Ah. Even that wasn’t straightforward enough, it seemed. That, or Cedar had taken the hint and neatly sidestepped it. Rhia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned forward, folding her arms and resting them against the bar. One last coin flip, then she’d drop the subject.

“My flat’s open all night. But I wouldn’t say no to a nice walk with cute company, either.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Cedar found the (pricier) gins, the ones aged with botanicals so they were better for drinking neat, and poured Rhia a glass. For her own, she put in just enough whiskey to justify having gotten it out. But if they were going somewhere tonight, she wanted to be sober. She was stupid enough without mixing in alcohol.

“My arm’s fine. ‘S all doctored up, right? I don’t know how much is open right now.” Maybe some other bars, or a diner. But both of them were a little beat up, probably Rhia more so. “I mean, I could walk ya home an’…we could do somethin’ later.”

Like a date. Or just! Hanging out! One of those!

Mixed messages. Rhia didn’t have the energy to untangle them, not after the scuffle from earlier. She tapped a quiet rhythm against the side of her glass, watching Cedar pour herself a dash of something dark. Whiskey? Rum? She’d never learned to tell them apart.

“Do you mean something... later tonight? Or another day,” she asked, arching an eyebrow. No sense being coy if it meant they’d wind up with a heap of misunderstandings later down the line.

She took a slow sip, humming appreciatively at the juniper, sharp and strong. LumBar never disappointed. 

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

Oh, that was a cute expression. Cute, and dangerous, and perfectly crafted to hit Cedar right in her gay little heart. Where the fuck was the gin??

“You, uh, like gin cocktails or tonic or just neat?” Different gins for that, right? She could find the right thing, surely. She helped Birch behind the counter all the time. Wasn’t hard! “And, uh, yeah, he’d–yeah he would. What did you have in mind?”

Maybe Rhia just wanted Cedar to walk her home and that was perfectly fine and squarely in Cedar’s wheelhouse. Yep.

“I could go either way. But neat is fine with me.” Rhia seemed to relax just as Cedar became more flustered. It was easier, not having to think. Just pushing a few buttons here and there and seeing what came of it.

“Hmm, I could think of a few things. You’re the one with the injury. What are you feeling up to?”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

“Sure, but life’s easier if ya take away any leg the fuckers might stand on. They get all kindsa shitty ‘bout their bettin’.” Cedar went behind the bar, taking some of the glasses Birch had likely cleaned less than a half hour ago and setting them on the counter.

“I like whiskey, usually, but I try whatever my brother recommends. You got a preference?” She checked for a tray of ice and scooped some into her own glass, then waited for Rhia’s order.

“Gin,” Rhia said, reaching out and sliding the glass from hand to hand. “Just gin is fine. Doesn’t have to be much, I can’t find my way out of a paper bag when I’m sober, and I’m walking home. Hah.”

She glanced up at Cedar through her lashes, offering the faintest, smallest smile. A well-practiced expression. 

“Would your brother recommend, oh... I don’t know... a night out?”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

“Ah…it’s happened.” Cedar didn’t want to get into it, not really, and sincerely hoped that wasn’t the kind of story that impressed Rhia. “Not as much as it used to. We got it mostly down now. Still, uh, there’s always an alien or two with surprises ya ain’t ready for.”

Cedar pulled open the last door and offered Rhia to walk through first. The softglow of the bar area could be seen, some quiet voices and clinking of glass still lingering. “But, yeah, we wouldn’t rig nothin’, but people’d get sore an’ push back on it an’ say we did.

“We’re dealin’ with all sorts of differin’ levels of legal in the fights already. Plenty of ‘em would love an excuse to take over.”

Yikes. Rhia’s expression tightened for a moment, a flash of sympathy, before smoothing again. 

“Ah. Well. Can’t help those people, they’ll find an excuse one way or another, even if you try to stay out of their way.” She sidled past Cedar, making her way over to the bar and taking a seat. Felt strange, to be this close again. She’d become more of a wallflower over the past few years. Wasn’t quite the same with an empty seat beside her.

“So! What’s your poison? I need to know what to order for next time.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

“Pfft, yeah, ‘m sure you can hold your own.” Cedar led the way down the dimly lit hall, perfect for vampires. It was a short walk to a set of stairs and up into the back offices. They were mostly meeting rooms, with white-painted concrete bricks and little fanfare or embellishment compared to the faded skating rink light blue swirls and snowflakes of the rest of the place. 

“I got stories, uh, but I dunno how interestin’ they are. All boil down to some shit-head goin’ too far an’ me ‘n’ my family tryin’ ta keep folks from dyin’.” Rhia was really pretty. “We don’t get to fight in the ring ‘cause we own the place. Looks bad. We do demos sometimes, though.”

"That doesn’t seem fair. Not like you’d rig the fight, or anything.” Rhia hummed, eyeing the office doors and the name plaques with muted interest. Force of habit.  “If you ever need a bit of patching up after a scuffle, let me know.” Not an offer she made often, but it was an even trade. “No one’s ever died, though, have they? I feel like I would’ve heard if they did.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

“Yeah, I’ll get the drinks.” Cedar knew that was a given, but stumbled over her words anyway. The pushing down of Rhia’s sleeves wasn’t even an afterthought. “Let’s just head up, uh, we can use the back stairs inta the office area.”

It was better than heading back into the ring and having her mom stomp over and demand about what happened to Cedar’s arm. She loved her mother, but she wanted to avoid the taskmaster’s hovering for at least an hour. And she wasn’t on cleanup duty, so she was basically free to go when the fights ended.

“Anyway, er, I wasn’t meanin’ ta like. Butt in,” she led the way out of the little refurbed locker room and headed for a side hallway marked Employees Only. She shoved through a door and then held it for Rhia. “But, uh, yeah, ‘s my job to get inta fights that are gonna go bad.”

“You weren’t butting in,” Rhia reassured her, slipping by with ease and tipping an invisible cap. “It would have gone badly for him, that’s for sure. Better you scared him off before he broke something more precious than his wrist.”

She clasped her hands behind her back, trailing slowly enough to allow Cedar to walk beside her. 

“I’d guess you have plenty of stories, though. LumBar has never been boring, for as long as I’ve been coming here. Ever fight in the ring yourself?”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

While Rhia got down to business, a flip switched in Cedar’s head. Oh. Pretty girl. Pretty girl close, touching her, caring for her. Ha. Ha ha ha. Her face went a little red.

Right, she was asking a question. Cedar flexed to check the bandage; her muscle strained against it, but not enough so that it hurt. She didn’t try to overdo it and ruin the other vampire’s good work, at least.

“Seems good to me. Uh, thanks.” Cedar cleared her throat and stood, offering a hand to help Rhia up as if she hadn’t just been leery of touching the other woman for important reasons. Brain had flown out her ear, leaving only base processes behind. “Sorry, your name’s…? I’m, uh, Cedar.”

Rhia’s gaze was drawn to the movement, the way the bandage tightened against Cedar’s arm, then relaxed. Alright then. Okay.

“...hm? Oh, Rhiannon. Rhia,” she amended distractedly, taking the hand and pulling herself to her feet. She gave it a shake for good measure. “Pleasure to meet you, circumstances aside.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she tugged her sleeves back into place. Inside was pleasantly cool, she could afford to wear a sweater without any eyebrows being raised. 

“I’d offer to buy you a drink for your troubles, but, well...” She trailed off, gesturing to the space around them. It was Cedar’s bar, after all. Seemed a bit silly.

“...how often do you do this? Chase away the feisty idiots, swoop in and save a damsel in distress, the full monty.”

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

“Yeah, alright then.” Honestly, it’d be easier than craning her neck and yanking her arm around to take a look to make sure she got everything. She got kinda sloppy with her own bandages, too, and her mom would make a deal about it and rewrap it and…yeah, better to let a pro take it on. She held up her arm for better access. “I’m serious, though. Just wrap it, it’ll be fine.”

"Mm,” she hummed, dismissing Cedar’s advice with a wave of her hand. Rhia took a seat across from her, rolling up her sleeves and picking through the kit between them. Her own forearms were home to scars of all shapes and sizes, some fresher than others. Occupational hazard. If she were self conscious of them at all, she was careful not to show it.

“Should rinse it out, first. No telling what was buried under those claws of his. Eugh.”

Bottled water, that would do the trick. She uncapped it with a quiet snick of plastic, setting the extra wrapping aside and shifting closer. Her embarrassment evaporated as she settled into a familiar routine, cleaning the scratch with quick, careful movements.

A dab of ointment, a fresh bandage, and Cedar’s arm was looking as good as new-ish.

“There, how does that feel?” she asked, giving Cedar’s hand a light pat. “Some of my best work, I think. Really outdid myself with the... tape.”

Maybe she should leave humor to the professionals, as well. She was terrible at cracking jokes, always had been. 

[iwillwaitgladly]

brashandbrux​:

“If you’re not gonna suck it up. I dunno how that works, is it just contact?” Cedar probably should know this better, but the idea of going to a healer who just took on her pain always rubbed her the wrong way. Her family didn’t go in for that stuff. Some of it was a Brux thing, some of it was just empathy. You didn’t hand off your shit to someone else.

“But this wouldn’t be the first scratch I had to clean up, won’t be the last.” Cedar hauled a first aid kit out of a locker and straddled a bench, finally peeling the shirt away. She winced as it stuck a bit. “Like I said, no reason for us both to get bloody, right?”

“I would. But I can take care of it the old-fashioned way, too.” She shifted closer, nudging the first aid kit with her knee. “I’m pretty good with these things. If you’d like.”

The cuts looked shallow, for the most part. Tora hadn’t managed to inflict more than a handful of scratches. But there was no telling how clean those claws had been, in hindsight.

And... a small part of her still felt guilty. Ah, shit. She thought she’d done away with her moral compass years ago, but apparently some shred of a conscience had stuck around.