red wine supernova, falling into you

Jeanie Ramachandran 29. Traveller, LARPer, daydreamer. Bartender at Aurora. Mother to Professor Murderclaws.

[jeanieinabxttle]

Bio || Connections || Pinterest

BASICS

Full Name: Jeannette Kalyani Ramachandran

Age & D.O.B: 29 / Jul. 31st 1995

Gender & Pronouns: Cis woman, she/her

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Relationship Status: Single

Occupation: Bartender at Aurora

Hometown: Blue Harbor, Illinois

Time in Blue Harbor: 1995 - 2013, 2021 -Present

Neighborhood: Cardinal Hill

Faceclaim: Geraldine Viswanathan

PERSONALITY & MISC.

+ traits: Energetic, outgoing, passionate

- traits: Forgetful, impulsive, nosy

Likes: Meeting new people, nights out at the club, fantasy novels, fall themed drinks, cosy blankets, blue slurpees, the smell of new books, sword-fighting with baguettes, stargazing, cats, the smell of fresh bread

Dislikes: Minimalism, the feeling of metal cutlery on her teeth, being told to lower her voice or calm down, gin of any flavour, olives, anything that she finds boring, people who are rude for no reason

Hobbies: Baking, backpacking, tabletop RPGs, LARPing, going to ren faires, book club, crocheting (badly), collecting garden gnomes

Habits: Saying yes to everything even when she shouldn't, fiddling with her earrings when she's thinking, making a popping sound with her mouth when she's bored or it's too quiet, texting/looing at her phone too much

Pets: Professor Murderclaws, A.K.A Clive (orange cat)

Allergies: Penicillin

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Height: 5’5

Eye colour: brown

Hair colour: dark brown

Tattoos/scars: celestial design across her back, excalibur on the inside of her wrist, a dragon on her left ankle, a scar behind her right knee.

Piercings/mods: ear lobes, upper lobes, helix, orbital conch, tragus (right), industrial (right)

BIO TD;LR:

trigger warnings: cheating

Born and raised in Blue Harbor to a loving family.

Obsessed with fantasy stories growing up and yearned for adventure, which led to her leaving for college in Scotland after winning a scholarship to study literature at St. Andrews.

Fell in love during her first year, which turned into a six year long relationship.

Planned a future with her partner in Scotland, prepared to move in together and got a job lined up, only for their plans to be destroyed when Jeanie discovered she was being cheated on.

Broke off the relationship and ran for the hills. Spent the next couple of years backpacking around the world, trying to forget her feelings.

Finally ran out of money halfway through 2021 and came home to Blue Harbor to figure out her next steps.

Currently working at Aurora as a bartender, still not sure what she wants to do with her life.

[sadiechen-deactivated20241210]

"Okay...maybe I’ve had one or two mildly embarrassing moments, but I keep them to myself. I’m not about to drag my friends into my drama like some of these people. It’s called self-control, Jeanie.” Like most people she had those quick fever-like crushes that came through, but no one she was waiting impatiently to receive a text from per se. However, Sadie had the tendency to abort mission if she felt her emotions were superseding her ability to reason. It's why she's never had a serious relationship and preferred the random hook-ups instead.

She snorted, shaking her head at the thought. "Gushy is palatable at best. This is like… public meltdown with a side of validation from the peanut gallery.” Sadie raised an eyebrow, smirking at Jeannie. “But hey, if you ever need someone to judge your future ‘gushy’ moments, I’m your girl. Just keep it off the public stage, okay? We don’t need a repeat of this.” Otherwise, Sadie would happily pinch Jeanie back to reality. "Anyways...what's new?"

[jeanieinabxttle]

"Self-control, huh? Yeah, I've heard of it," Jeanie mused, a smile seeping into the words. "Sounds nice. If only I could get me some of that." She admired Sadie's ability to keep her cool in emotional matters, she really did, but it often left her a little bemused. Her own emotions had always felt like they toed the line between friend and adversary. It was hard to see things clearly when her heart got in the way and that was the very reason she hadn't been involved in anything even bordering on serious since leaving Scotland. At least here she had friends around—Sadie included—to help keep her senses in check.

She sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Not much to be totally honest. I've kinda been in a slump recently. You ever get it where you feel like everyone around you has everything figured out and they're all moving on with their lives but you're like... stuck in place?" The melancholy slipped out without intention, but she couldn't bring herself to take it back. Such thoughts had been weighing on her for a while.

[xxshambles]

"Absinthe?!" Shambles squealed, squinting at the bottle in the strobe-lit darkness. It was insane to her that she hadn't seen the blinding shade of green before now, but she'd just grabbed whatever looked fullest and ran. Now that she knew what it was, she realized it was probably the fullest for a reason.

"Okay, but you have to think of this like a business opportunity, Jeanie Baby," she beamed, swaying slightly in her intoxicated state. "We drink as much as we can, and then we sell shots of the rest. We're totally cute enough to be Shot Girls, right? We make bank and spend it on a giant pizza just for the two of us. What could go wrong?" she asked, before grabbing the bottle and taking what was probably much too large of a drink.

[jeanieinabxttle]

For one fleeting second Jeanie forgot what was troubling her and let out a snort of laughter. A business opportunity. Of course. This was a perfect example of why Shambles was the best distraction on offer. She put her finger up in a halting motion. “There's just one problem with that plan... we're not dressed like shot girls.” Well, actually Shambles wasn't far off, but Jeanie thought people might raise an eyebrow or two at Shrek's Fairy Godmother trying to serve them. Maybe it was a warning sign that things were about to get messy, but... well, that was what she'd wanted, wasn't it? Messy would definitely get her mind off everything else. And at least if they got caught they'd have yet another story to tell at parties. “I think I need to ditch the wig. And maybe the glasses.” The absinthe burned when she took it back for her own gulp, but she swallowed it down with determination.

[percyashworth]

» near eddison park. with @jeanieinabxttle !

It was rare that Percy ventured properly into town to walk the dogs― living in Forest Lake meant that the home he shared with his brother had plenty of land around it to allow the dogs to entertain themselves but it was nice to have them out and about where they could collectively interact with people. Even if said interaction with people, on occasion, involved him sheepishly apologizing for the fact that his dogs were― while exceptionally well behaved― a bit more social than good sense could do much about in the end. Thankfully, when Luca all but bounded up to Jeanie and began to trot in circles around her in search of attention, he was relieved his dog had chosen one of his friends to pester. "Oh, thank god― half the time he gets it into his mind to do something like that I'm afraid he's going to give some poor mum of three a bloody heart attack," Percy explained with a sigh, reaching out to scratch the dog's head and nudge him away from Jeanie gently. "He didn't startle ya too bad, did he?" He asked, snorting as Koda all but pranced up to Jeanie and far more calmly requested attention by nudging her nose into Jeanie's hand.

[jeanieinabxttle]

Being accosted by an excitable dog was a pretty good way to start the day in Jeanie's opinion, even if it did take her by surprise because she hadn't been paying attention. She beamed, leaning down slightly to greet him with an enthusiasm that matched, only straightening up when Percy approached. “Listen, anyone who meets your dogs should consider themselves blessed. They're way too cute, even when they're being menaces.” She scratched behind Koda's ears in greeting. “I'm fine, it was my fault for daydreaming. I'm still booting up.” The to-go cup in her freehand sloshed slightly as she jiggled it at him, the caffeine boost it offered her only hope of functioning like a normal person this early in the morning. “How come you're all the way out here this morning?”

[dahliayoung]

Stepping out of the bathroom stall, the last thing Dahlia expected to see was the bartender from Aurora looking like she’d just seen a ghost. She hesitated, hovering behind Jeanie as she tried to figure out how to best ask to use the sink for a second. In the end it was unnecessary as Jeanie finally noticed her in the reflection of the mirror and stepped aside with an apology. Dahlia waved away the apology as she set about the task of washing her hands. “Literally don’t worry about it. It’s not a bit deal.” 

She feigned a dramatic wince as the other seemingly remembered her and not for her finest moment either. “Ah, that night. Guilty as charged I’m afraid.” She reached for a couple paper towels to dry off her hands and tossed them in an almost overflowing trash can. Lia managed to offer Jeanie a sheepish smile. “Can’t say I was expecting to be remembered for that, but at least I’m memorable?” she laughed with a shake of her head. “I usually go by Dahlia, though. You’re Jeanie, right?”

The strain in Jeanie’s expression was evident and had Dahlia lingering. “You doing okay?” she asked, giving her a quick once-over. “You look like you could use a little distraction. Want me to buy you a drink? Or I’m also rumored to be an excellent listener.”

[jeanieinabxttle]

“Oh man, if I wasn't such a mess right now I would totally be coming up with some cheesy line about only remembering the pretty ones.” Her laugh tangled with a hiccup, whether it was the result of the drinks or half a sob she didn't know. She nodded. “The one and only.” The little half-bow that accompanied the words lacked her usual bravado, but she returned the smile weakly all the same. Fucking boys, she thought to herself, they really do ruin everything.

“Oh I'm fine, just kinda... you know,” Her hand flapped awkwardly, a vague indicator that loosely translated to ‘suffering from hot mess syndrome but working through it.’ A drink sounded awesome right then. At least she'd have something to focus on with a glass in her hand. “That'd be great, actually. Like a total role reversal. Are you sure you wanna listen to me babble about my shitty guy problems though? Cause lemme tell you they are not all that interesting.”

[sadiechen-deactivated20241210]

Who: Jeanie Ramachandran (@jeanieinabxttle)

Where: House Party in Cardinal Hill

Sadie lounged on a worn-out couch, a half-empty cup of something suspiciously fruity in her hand, watching the chaos unfold across the room. Jeannie was beside her, the two of them nestled into their own little bubble of amusement. In the corner, a girl was having some kind of dramatic meltdown over a text while her friends hovered around her, offering fake sympathy and the occasional dramatic gasp.

Sadie snorted, leaning back with a smug grin. "Gosh, if I ever become that hysterical over anyone, please, just throw me into the ocean," she said, her tone both teasing and genuine. "I mean, what is happening here? It's like a low-budget soap opera with worse acting and terrible extensions." She shook her head, letting out a short laugh. "I swear, I’m all for deep emotional connections, but this? Can we not?"

[jeanieinabxttle]

“It's like watching a nature documentary,” Jeanie said, tilting her head and grimacing as she watched. “Except I've totally been there, so I can't say shit.” It'd been a long time since she'd had feelings intense enough about anyone to gush over them the way the girls in the corner were, but she had distinct memories of being incredibly annoying about her ex back in college.

A snort of laughter escaped her at Sadie's comment and she elbowed her friend lightly in the side, teasing. “'Deep emotional connections', okay Morrissey. Haven't you ever liked someone so much you got a little bit stupid about them? I mean, not necessarily 'group conference' kind of stupid, but y'know.” Her hand waved vaguely in the air. “Gushy.” Actually, the thought of Sadie being 'gushy' was kind of hilarious. Jeanie couldn't hold back her laugh at the thought.

➥ tagging @sadiechen

[sebastianvora]

Sebastian’s not terribly observant — never has been, never will be. Such a statement’s especially true in settings like this where he’s inebriated out of his mind and, truthfully, can’t give a fuck about anything thanks to the wonderful time he’s having. If something’s going on with anyone around him, well, he’ll be the last to notice. Which works tremendously in Jeanie’s favor as she stumbles over to him, the emotional distress practically oozing off of her in ways he’s incapable of recognizing, and all he can do is offer an wonky, lopsided smile in greeting.

His eyes track the path of her finger and land on the Halloween decorations in the corner — a fake, animatronic werewolf and patch of jack-o’-lantern pumpkins — and he nods.

“Yooooo, what the fuck! I didn’t even notice that shit there!” he replies, which is true — he’s been far too preoccupied with dancing to really notice any of the décor — but now that Jeanie’s brought it to his attention, he can’t help but do a little scan around the room. His attention lands on a gigantic, probably ten-foot-tall skeleton attached to the stairwell railing, ominously looming over the crowd. An idea pops into his head almost instantaneously and he lights up, visibly excited. “Wait, wait, wait — no, Jean, look at that fucker!” he points, narrowly avoiding whacking a stranger dancing close by as he does so, “We need him. Ooooh, we need him, we need him, we need him. Forget those pumpkins! Let’s take that one!”

[jeanieinabxttle]

There's a reason she loves Seb and his reaction encapsulates it perfectly. No questions asked, just immediate acceptance and jumping head first into a plan of action. The perfect partner in crime. A small knot of worry untangles in her chest at his oblivious expression. If there's one thing that's ever threatened the bond between them it's Hunter, and she has no plans to tell Seb about her run in with his brother tonight. They'd both learned a long time ago that it's safest to avoid that topic altogether.

“Holy shit!” A wide, almost manic, grin of enthusiasm stretches across her face, reminiscent of the Cheshire cat himself. The skeleton is perfect. Forcibly shrugging off the sick, anxious feeling that's been threatening to overwhelm her since she stumbled away from that damn balcony, she stretches up onto her tiptoes to peer around at the exits, looking for security. Maybe getting into trouble isn't the best way to cope with unwanted feelings, but in the morning she can blame the booze and the pills, and the small collection of misfits whose influence has obviously bled into her over the years. Anyway, isn't Halloween meant to be the time of year for tricks? “We're gonna need a distraction if we're gonna get him down from there, he's huge.”

➥ tagging @sebastianvora

[huntervtheworld]

Of all the things he'd ever done for his brother, this just might be the most ridiculous. Hunter was definitely not a Haunted rave kind of person, and he certainly wasn't a dress-up-for-Halloween type of person, but he was here out of a decades-long promise to make sure Sebastian got everything he wanted. Even if what he wanted happened to be Hunter stapling three paper holes to his shirt in a lame excuse for a costume.

He'd hung around for the first couple rounds of shots, but Hunter had to admit he was relieved when CJ captured Sebastian's attention once and for all. Last he'd seen, they'd been dancing their hearts out in the middle of the dancefloor, and Hunter was granted a long enough reprieve to retreat to the balcony and make a dent in his cigarette pack.

The oasis was interrupted by drunk partygoers and at least one person projectile vomiting off the side of the balcony, and then... silence. Peace and quiet. Hunter was almost enjoying himself, leaning over the railing and watching people in costumes teeter around below.

When an all-too-familiar voice rang through the night sky, Hunter turned on his heel, staring at Jeanie with wide eyes. He barely even registered that she was in a costume-- and that it was ridiculous. His throat was dry, and Hunter stumbled forward once, hands out like he could stop her from going inside.

"I-- Jeanie," he finally managed, wild eyes flashing in the dark. This was it. The moment he'd been chasing after for the last two years. However long he had, Hunter intended to use it. "Look, I just want to..." he sighed, dropping his hands to his sides and stomping out his cigarette. "Can you turn around? Just for a second? I just want to talk."

[jeanieinabxttle]

Why was this happening to her? Of course this was happening to her. Another helpless tug proved fruitless and she gave up with a groan, leaning her forehead against the cool metal frame. Fucking kismet. Eight years ago she'd considered the way they ran into one another magical, some kind of fairy tale-esque type of fate. She knew better now. Hunter Vora was a punishment for whatever sins she'd committed in a past life. There was no other explanation for it.

“No,” she shot back slightly petulantly, refusing to turn around. If she looked at him she'd been in danger. He'd do that thing with his eyes and suddenly she'd want to hear him out. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. “I don't want to talk, Hunter. It's been two years, there's nothing left to say.”

There had never been anything to say about the way things ended between them... except for the thousands of ways she wished she'd told him to go fuck himself, the million different ways she could phrase the question 'why?', and the stupid, dreadful tears that threatened to bubble up just thinking about it. From the second she'd caught him cheating that had been that. Only silence existed between them—an unusual feat from Jeanie, a natural yapper. Avoiding him was hard but she'd managed, knowing it was the only way she could protect herself from further pain. What could he possibly have to say to her now?

Her hands came up to search her bra for her phone, hoping she could call someone to free her from this nightmare, but with a sinking gut she realised she'd left it inside with the others. Fuck.

➥ tagging @huntervtheworld

[charlizejohnson]

Closed: Jeanie Ramachandran (@jeanieinabxttle) - A little drama, sprinkled with fun.

Charli pushed open the door to the bar, eager to catch up with her good friend Jeanie. The familiar buzz of laughter and chatter welcomed her, but her excitement quickly turned to shock. As she approached the bar, Charli noticed a patron yelling at one of Jeanie’s coworkers, their face flushed with anger, as a security guard moved in to escort the irate patron out. “Oh my gosh, tell me that did not just happen!” she gasped, her mouth agape. It was not even that far into the night for someone to be that out of sorts she thought. “Are they a regular?” Charli asked, trying to process the quick flash of the scene that transpired before her.

[jeanieinabxttle]

Jeanie rolled her eyes and let out a huff of exasperation. After checking on her colleague—Sam was pretty tough about these things and tonight was no different, working at Aurora she'd seen it all—she slid over to her friend. Charli was a welcome distraction from the moment of chaos. “Nah, just some guy that came in with his girlfriend. He got kinda weird. Upset a couple of people and then got mad when the bouncers intervened.” She'd never understood why it was so common for straight guys to knowingly walk into a gay bar and then acted surprised when (shocker!) people were gay. “It happens from time to time. On the bright side he'll probably get barred for trying to fight, so we'll never have to deal with him again. Hopefully he'll take his friends with him.” She grimaced, eying the small hovering group by the door warily. “Anyway, hey. You want a drink?”

[wlwgif]

[thephoebeyates]

@jeanieinabxttle

[jeanieinabxttle]

Jeanie worked on autopilot, grabbing Madisyn firmly and hauling her upright. It wasn't an easy feat, too much panic for a cooperative effort, and for a brief few seconds the two of them ended up submerged again, entangled in a bizarre wrestling match. Then, Jeanie's feet found the bottom again and she managed to pull them both up towards the bank. Really, it was a good thing this patch of the river wasn't all that deep—she knew for a fact that it could get treacherous further along. Now it was just a matter of getting the woman to calm down enough that they could climb out of there.

"Madisyn, hey- hey! Jesus Christ. Stop fighting me!" She struggled with her. "You're okay. You're fine, just breathe." Easier said than done, it appeared. God, they'd already attracted a small crowd of onlookers. Concerned faces peered over the edge. Restaurant-goers who'd heard the commotion no doubt. "Look, we can stand up and everything."

➥ tagging @themadisynhuang

[themadisynhuang]

Shakily outstretching her foot, Madisyn huffed out in relief when her heel met the soft dirt of the riverbed below. She stood straighter, panting heavily, though didn’t let go from where — in the commotion — she had clutched to Jeanie like a koala bear. She was okay. She was alive. The water here wasn’t deep enough to drown in.

It was, however, the home to something slippery and slimy, and she could feel it settling into her hair and skin, seeping in through the layers of fabric she had adorned to fit off the chill of the Illinois autumn. Someone from above them was calling down to see if they needed help, and with shaky hands, let go of Jeanie to wade to the edge, allowing the kind spectators to pull her out. “I’m fine, thank you.” She murmured at different people offering help, glaring down at the bartender. Now or never, she supposed.

“I can’t believe you pushed me in the river!” She announced loudly, even earning a gasp or two from the more nosy of the onlookers, some shooting Jeanie a dirty look. “You’ll pay for this. One way or another.” Perhaps she could start with dry cleaning her poor, ruined clothes. And with that, the prospect of grabbing dinner forgotten, Madisyn stormed off to the safety of her farm.

End.

[themadisynhuang]

When Madisyn was seven years old, she first heard about Natalie Wood. How she had been told at a young age she’d meet her demise by drowning, becoming terrified of water. And how , in a horrifically ironic twist, Natalie Wood met her fate.

Always one for dramatics, Madisyn too became deathly afraid of water. 

So, when Jeanie (and wasn’t it odd, in what Madi presumed were her final moments, she could remember her name?) lost her balance, knees buckling and falling over the edge, dragging the influencer with her, all she could do was scream in terror. 

Scream and scream and scream, until water began to replace the air in her lungs, splashing about in panic. Her legs kicked hopelessly, the (admittedly calm) current of the harbor trying to take her under. She was about to die, and found herself praying for mercy in a god she didn’t quite believe in. What a fucking headline; disgraced influencer pushed to watery death by asshole bartender outside old, dingy diner. It wasn’t until she noticed Jeanie was nearby until she grabbed onto her, clinging, desperate, and not above dragging her down into the depths of the river with her to, if it meant she didn’t die alone.

@jeanieinabxttle

[jeanieinabxttle]

Jeanie worked on autopilot, grabbing Madisyn firmly and hauling her upright. It wasn't an easy feat, too much panic for a cooperative effort, and for a brief few seconds the two of them ended up submerged again, entangled in a bizarre wrestling match. Then, Jeanie's feet found the bottom again and she managed to pull them both up towards the bank. Really, it was a good thing this patch of the river wasn't all that deep—she knew for a fact that it could get treacherous further along. Now it was just a matter of getting the woman to calm down enough that they could climb out of there.

"Madisyn, hey- hey! Jesus Christ. Stop fighting me!" She struggled with her. "You're okay. You're fine, just breathe." Easier said than done, it appeared. God, they'd already attracted a small crowd of onlookers. Concerned faces peered over the edge. Restaurant-goers who'd heard the commotion no doubt. "Look, we can stand up and everything."

➥ tagging @themadisynhuang

[eclvpses]

It was hard to think, in such a compromising position. Metaphorically, yes - but physically, they were still wrapped up in each other. Which wasn’t a first, they were both as affectionate as the other, regularly all over one another during movie nights, at parties, just out grabbing drinks but still making sure to stay in each other’s orbit. And he already knew Jeanie was stunning - the kind of pretty that caught people’s attention and held it. It’d held his for most of his life, so Leo couldn’t figure out when the subtle difference had happened, when this became a bigger deal. Maybe it’d been just then, holding his breath and waiting to see what Jeanie would do. Without outright saying it, he’d more or less laid it all out on the table for her, and usually he appreciated such a rush - but there was a real risk factor here, and he hadn’t accounted for that when he’d allowed his eyes to roam to her mouth, solidifying his arms around her, daring her to make her move.

This could’ve gone either way - truthfully, Leo had no idea what Jeanie would do. In his mind, this had been such a long time coming that he almost didn’t expect it. She’d bite his hand, or swat at his face, until Leo took the hint and let her go, shuffle away and be left wondering if he’d just made up the whole moment in his head. But she gifted him with a pleasant surprise, no words really needed when she could easily show where her mind was by pushing forward and kissing him. His mouth hadn’t been running - a change for once - but his brain had been working overtime, and it quickly shut up. 

This, Leo knew how to do - usually. There was an added layer that made everything feel like the first time because of the company he was in. It wasn’t like his brain and body forgot what to do, there was just a newfound novelty that hadn’t been involved since he could remember. His early teens, surely. It made him eager, kissing her back with fervour, hands roaming so they could find more secure holding. Whatever space had been left was gone now, pressing against each other as if attempting to meld into one. Leo didn’t know what the expiration date on this was, didn’t want to waste a moment in case Jeanie would suddenly come to and decide this was a mistake. It made Leo cautious, too - maybe for the first time in his life. His own oxymoron, wanting to touch her everywhere he was allowed and worried he’d graze against the wrong part of skin and startle her as easily as a deer. Using as much grace as he had in his body (which wasn’t much to begin with) he reached a hand just under the seam of her shirt, splayed against the warm expanse of her waist, just below her ribs. Waiting to see what was okay while simultaneously fighting back the urge to tell her she could do whatever she wanted to him, touch wherever - lest he came across as too greedy, longing practically dribbling from his mouth and into hers with each needy open-mouthed press of their lips together.

[jeanieinabxttle]

Fooling around with friends had never seemed like that big a deal to Jeanie, not in the way some people made it out to be, but with Leo it seemed... different. This wasn't something they'd ever discussed or even hinted at. There was more potential for volatility, for real damage if they made the wrong move, and yet she couldn't stop herself. A soft gasp, his warm hand splayed against her bare skin, she arched into the touch hungrily. The joint fell free of her grip, to be crushed into the dirt and forgotten.

It should've been weird to be kissing Leo like this. Instead it sent a pulse of electricity through her body like a live wire sparking against metal. Her knees bracketed his hips and the edges of her skirt rode up her thighs with the movement. They were a tangle of feverish limbs wrapped up in one another. Her body sung, chanting more, more, more at the taste of him. No more hesitation. She didn't want it to stop. She wanted that hand to keep moving, to take whatever it wanted from her. Her own greedy fingers clawed at the back hem of his shirt, rucking it up, the fabric bunching beneath in her grip. When was the last time the simple act of making out with someone had made her feel warm all over like this? She'd had sex less intense than the physical reaction she'd felt over the way Leo was holding her.

Unable to conjure a coherent thought or translate all those feelings into words, the desperation to get her point across came out in a moan of longing. As they came apart for a dizzying lungful of air, the words slipped free in a rush. "Oh my god, don't stop."

➥ tagging @eclvpses

[thecjonowelford]

“I heard Juicy sweatsuits are like, mad expensive!” CJ chirped in response, his only helpful contribution to the conversation. He was always under the impression that the heftier the price tag, the fancier and posher you were. Unless you shopped from Earthwave, and then you were clearly a witch. 

He frowned when Jeanie denied herself of the granny. “I mean, I bet grandma wants a good time. She’d fucking love the Halloween Rave….rumour has it, it’s in the haunted house this year.” Official news hadn’t announced it yet, but the skateboarder always had an ear on the ground for this sort of thing. “I don’t know the meaning of the word!” He said of ‘demure’, tone arrogant though he genuinely didn’t know. He knew there was a TikTok meme, but that was it. “I promise I’ll be good, please don’t send me to porridge jail.” 

[jeanieinabxttle]

Jeanie gave a sombre nod, pressing her lips together to hold back a smile. "Especially in Middle Earth." Of course that was what CJ would take away from Sexy Gandalf. Not that he was wrong. If they'd been affordable she was pretty sure they'd both already own matching sets with Seb. Huh. Maybe she'd put that on her 'if I ever won the lottery' list.

"I'll think about it," she laughed. "How do you- you know what, never mind. Man, I hope that's true. It'd be awesome. We could hunt ghosts while we partied. We could party with the ghosts." The perfect Halloween activity. "Okay, I promise not to send you to porridge jail as long and you promise to never, ever grow real mutton chops—trust me, I'm saving you from yourself here. Disguises are cool and everything, but it totally makes you look like the wolfman. We don't need that sort of terror year round. Deal?" She was doing the whole town a favour really. Her one last charitable act of the season before the Halloween chaos began. After all, who knew what they would get up to?

[END OF THREAD].

[xxshambles]

"Do I?" Shambles beamed, doing a little bit of a happy dance about the compliment. "Without my Marry and Kill people have no idea what I even am, I should have brought cat ears or something for when they're gone..." she said, trailing off as she noticed Jeanie's expression. Suddenly, despite being tipsy and slightly high, she was locked in. Her friend needed her. It was urgent. Everyone else could fuck off.

"Shots. Coming up," she said, taking Jeanie's hand and leading her toward the bar. Once close, she put her finger to her lips and then ducked down, disappearing entirely. So quick and sneaky as to be almost invisible, Shambles snuck around the bar, grabbed the first bottle of something she saw, and snuck back around. It was maybe ten seconds before she was taking Jeanie's hand again and dragging her toward a corner where they were less likely to be seen.

"Okay," she said, once they were alone - as alone as people could be in the middle of a rave. "What the fuck did I grab?" she laughed, handing the bottle to Jeanie.

[jeanieinabxttle]

Sometimes, Jeanie thought, it was a wonder that her some of her friends hadn't ended up in prison. A miracle really. But that was exactly what made them perfect for this type of situation. "You're the best," she hissed after her, grateful for the immediacy with which she'd accepted the request. Risk was a perfect distraction. She kept a dutiful eye on the bar staff as Shambles worked her magic, grateful for the clamour of people around them, and only relented when they were finally out of sight so she could take in what had been stolen. The glass was cold in her hand and the vivid green liquid sloshing inside unmistakable.

"Shambles." It came out half groan and half laugh. "Absinthe, you grabbed a whole bottle of absinthe. Oh my God." Had she wanted to drown her sorrows? Absolutely. Was this the way to do it? Hm. Outlook not so good. This was a disaster waiting to happen. It wouldn't be bad for shots, but she was alarmed by the sheer quantity she was holding. It wasn't like they'd be returning it after they were done.

➥ tagging @xxshambles

[jeanieinabxttle]

Girls day out 🩷 with @thephoebeyates // Oct. 2024, via Jeanie's Instagram

[jeanieinabxttle]

➥ location: phantom manor

➥ event: the haunted rave, 2024

➥ status: closed starter for @sebastianvora

The silver body paint is difficult to miss, especially beneath the strobes. Sinking back into the mass of pulsating dancers and avoiding entirely Seb crosses her mind for the most fleeting of instances, thoughts contaminated with the worry that he'll see through her and know somehow, turning things back in time to those awful few months after she and Hunter first split. Then the moment of cowardice is gone, replaced with a forceful reminder that Seb was her friend first, before she had anything to do with his brother, and damn it all if Hunter was going to take anything else from her.

Pasting on the most convincing smile she could—and it really was almost convincing, aided by the shots she'd begged Shambles to share with her—and half danced, half wobbled towards him.

“I've got a really great idea!” She yelled into his ear, voice fighting against the music. A finger pointed to the collection of looming Halloween decorations in the corner of the room. “Don't you think those look like they need a better home?”