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[laviniafm]

HEY, i think i just saw LAVINIA JENSEN walking down the strip. stop by to catch up and you’ll learn the TWENTY FIVE is working as a RECEPTIONIST AT THE RIVIERA CASINO & HOTEL and lives in SOLSTICE APARTMENTS. given they are FREE-SPIRITED but VOLATILE, it’s likely that they ARE NOT a vampire. on the flipside, rumor has it that SHE KILLED HER (OTHER) EX-BOYFRIEND  and it keeps them looking over their shoulder. i bet you can find them tearing up the dance floor to RED RIGHT HAND BY NICK CAVE and you’ll know why they’re called THE OCCAM'S RAZOR.  ☾ .⭒˚ cis woman + she/her. bisexual + leo.

triggers: death tw, mental illness tw, abandonment tw, suicide mention tw, murder tw, psychosis tw

lavinia grew up as an only child born to an american father and a british mother. she never saw much of her father due to his work commitments so raising her ultimately became her mother's job only. she would grow up splitting time in each country, making sure that she had that connection with her mother's parents, etc. the andersen's were extremely wealthy - her father had inherited millions from his late father and his high flying law career only added to the pot. lavinia's mother had not come from wealth and for some reason, she was ashamed of it. the woman would go on to say how wealth felt very isolating. by the time lavinia was twelve, they'd move permanently to the states for her father to start his own law firm, leaving england behind. the move would hit her mother the hardest.

unfortunately, her mother would leave without warning one day, to go and live with her new boyfriend (previously their gardener). that too was a shock to lavinia's syste but she didn't press her mother as to why she'd left so suddenly or not taken her with her. it had been clear that her mother wasn't happy - had she missed something? two years passed and the relationship fell apart and her mother took her own life. the loss of her mother was a great one - lavinia turned to partying and considering her father was never home, she had the perfect place to host. many people turned up but there was no one who could she could actually call a friend. it felt like no time at all until her father had replaced her mother with a younger model and this only lead to further resentment. he spent even less time in the house, said that she 'looked too much like her' - the to were married within six months and that raised alarm bells - how long had it actually been going on?

lavinia's own mental health started to rapidly decline and all of the people around her failed to notice. she had managed to make a friend at her new school, someone that stuck by her and defended her when necessary but it didn't feel enough. learning that she had a sister, that her father had cheated on her mother like that, that he had rejected the other - it was the ultimate betrayal. she wasn't good enough for him, that's what it felt like.

after that revelation, it made her wonder whether her mother had known and that had caused her quick demise and if so, how much pain she was truly in whilst trying to look out for her daughter at the same time. it was the unknown that greatly upset her. ella didn't trust him, she couldn't. although he hadn't been around much, she did idolise him due to his work ethic but that quickly faded once she learned the truth about him.

she'd got drunk at her birthday party, slept her her friend's boyfriend and suffered what could only be described as a mental break. it had all got too much and she was in such a self-destructive mode that night. despite being hurt, her now ex best friend had been the one to call the emergency services that night. she'd lost everything, her mother, her best friend, her father as she was convinced that he hated her - he only came to the hospital once to visit her and then never again (he was too busy travelling around europe so it was clear where his priorities lie).

all of her higher education plans were cancelled for the meantime. she got a job at the casino, had a boyfriend that brought out the best in her (after being in a toxic relationship previously. everything was starting to settle for her - finally - before her boyfriend ended up said. from the moment she learned of it, a lot of things didn't make sense and she became convinced of the supernatural. lavinia did have the personality to believe in the supernatural, to believe in fate but she hadn't thought this would take up the forefront of her mind.

wanting her own back (not quite revenge but justice), she became the informant, infiltrating the vitellis, the occam's razor which worked perfectly considering where she worked already. of course, she had put herself forward for it and didn't realise what she was signing up for but the one person that loved her was dead... wasn't he?

yes, he was but then her ex turned up wanting another round, after she'd been partying on the strip, under the influence from various substances - he figured it would make her agreeable... lavinia was in a fragile state, the substances fuelling the mental illness of her own. why else would he come back? to finish her off as well? he'd been awful to her and yet, here he was - was he one of them? was this all his doing (if he couldn't have her, no one could)? things escalated quickly and under her own judgement and stress, she killed him thinking that he was a vampire. it was flawed. he bled out a lot but she'd not killed him with anything that actually could kill a vampire.

in an utter panic, she staged it so it looked like he'd been attacked by vampires before calling it in. her cries weren't acting, she was so upset that the authorities were concerned for her - did they now have a liability on their hands? could lavinia jensen be trusted?

she quickly went back into work after the incident but guilt is eating at her and she's getting worse and worse...

[heartshcpedkisses]

with: @laviniafm where: inside the treasure island casino when: april 1997

Soleil may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but as far as she was concerned, she knew a fucking murderer when she saw one.

Was Lavinia the Night Stalker?

Well, that much was up for debate — but seeing an outreach of gore beyond her comprehension, as a young girl shielded from the horrors of losing her own parents, she thought that the law had let the young woman off too easily — whatever the excuse had been that had caught the aerialist up in her web of lies, it severed the ties to their friendship. She wouldn't go down lying for someone she couldn't feasibly believe had taken a life out of anything except cold blood.

After all, she had been mutual friends with the couple.

Now, Soleil was an avid partier, and Celeste was more of a homebody than she was — so, sometimes, she brought the party back to Celeste and hosted it out of their shoebox apartment. When she opened the door, she expected to find the pizza delivery guy — and come face-to-face with the Lavinia Jensen, embodying the sad puppydog eyes that didn't win one over the happy-go-lucky southern belle. A lack of wit didn't mean she was entirely dim.

"And what makes ya think you're invited to this party, Lav?"

[laviniafm]

lavinia could never resist a party and the majority of them would end in disaster for her. it was an ongoing pattern that had started in her teens and it had yet to be broken - she drank, was emotional, felt like she'd been let down severely in multiple ways so it things would always come to ahead. since being compromised (though not knowing how much unnerved her), she had decided to lay low on both sides, only poking her head out when it was required and trying to not make too much noise. if one side were to find out, it would be game over for the young woman. she still had so much life to live but her brain had started to settle with the inevitability of death. was she scared? of course but that was because it would always be unknown until it happened. those dark thoughts were getting worse as she somewhat spiralled.

fitting into that narrative, something inside her had pushed her to this door searching for a good time and she was determined to fulfil that - perhaps if she wasn't so miserable then things wouldn't seem as bad and she could continue to run from it all. widening her eyes at the hostility, lavinia tiled her head to the side and frowned. "and why wouldn't i? it's been a while and i know how to have a good time. you don't have to be like that..." even though she wasn't wanted she still wanted to be there... "come on. best behaviour! promise." she held out her pinkie.

[moonlessmines]

❝Half an hour? Thirty whole minutes? Ugh,❞ They'd never been the kind who was good at waiting for any length of time. She didn't wear a watch, precisely because she hated watching the seconds tick by. In thirty minutes from now, she very well could have changed her mind. Swapped mini golf for a convenience store and as many snacks she could sneak in her bag without making a sound. Or one of the various clubs around Vegas. Maybe she'd try to hitch hike to the next town over, where no one knew her name, just to stay the night. Life was endless and the possibilities abundant.

No, they had no real interest in waiting thirty minutes for Lavinia. ❝Why do you need an excuse to just leave?❞ They wouldn't be surprised if they were on their last legs at their own job. Lavinia was perhaps a better worker than she was. ❝I can totally call your front desk and claim it's an emergency. There's payphones in the lobby, right?❞

[laviniafm]

"tell me about it..." lavinia sighed. "but, they say patience is a virtue of something, right?" virtues had to have a greater currency in sin city, still, it didn't make her not want to leave any faster. everything was a mess, one of her friends now hated her - her boyfried gone, her ex too (but that was a different story) and with everything closing in on her, maybe there was no time for patience. daisy was providing her with a now twenty eight minutes of fun and who was she to turn that down.

"why are you such a genius, oh my god?" her eyebrows raised as her vowels were wide in her stage whisper. luckily, the background noise was enough to prevent anyone in the proximate vicinity hearing it but the mischief now on her face would be enough to give it away. "yes... specifically an emergency not here. okay, okay..." it felt like a spy operation which was ironic as lavinia would never put this much enthusiasm into doing her actual sleuthing 'jobs'.

[moonlessmines]

daisy‧₊˚♡ & lavinia

Daisy's shift didn't start until well in the evening, but they were wide awake with untapped energy, which was never a good sign as far as Daisy was concerned. She was bored. And boredom often meant they went looking for trouble.

❝Pssssst, Lav,❞ Daisy attempted to whisper from behind their hand, though she said it loud enough that other guests from the Riviera Casino & Hotel turned their heads. She made a funny face at those whose gaze lingered before drawing her attention back. ❝How much longer until you get off? Just cut out early with me. I want to go get drunk and play mini golf.❞

@laviniafm

[laviniafm]

there was so many terrible things happening so lavinia had gone even more into herself and was avoiding most situations that made her life more difficult; she'd only complete the necessary tasks, far from her previous self of constantly hanging around looking for some intel or even someone to give her attention. kittiya didn't like her anymore - it felt more than deserved but insecurities had set in fast within the young woman and there was no one there to reassure her that everything was going to be fine... perhaps lavinia jensen was now in too deep.

looking at the person who had made the sound, lavinia tried to fight off the smirk before looking down to detract attention from others. a few moments later, she picked her head up and looked at the clock. "about half an hour. i did come in earlier today but it doesn't really count." she chuckled. "can you just wait, like, thirty minutes? or... do i have a bad migrane or something?" there were options but it felt like she was already in shark infested waters and didn't want to upset the boat on any front.

[outlcws]

Kittiya had severed most of their ties with the elites that they consorted with when they were younger. Quitting the NYC ballet troupe and their hard-earned position as prima ballerina on a rainy Tuesday and never looking back meant closing those doors. It was with a broken heart that they collected the pieces, and buried it with the secret they disposed of in the woods that only two other people on the planet could ever know about, lest they all end up behind bars, eating cheap frozen meals and running laps around a prison yard. But old habits died hard — she still loved a good party, and when she first moved to Vegas, she forgot to watch her fucking back. Imagine her surprise when she found a note on the ground that fell out of her friend's bag after some charity poker night months ago, something about a blown cover. Well, Kittiya figured it out. How can you say that? "You're working for the Vitellis! How fucking convenient that you show up in my life, right when I leave all that shit behind. You don't think that's a weird coincidence? I don't fucking believe in those." A hand clapped against her forehead — it was her own shortsightedness that she couldn't believe. "Fuck you. Why didn't you tell me, then? The Cranes are practically, like, sorority sisters with them." Glowering at the other, she couldn't scrounge up an ounce of sympathy for the waterworks apt to overflow — once she was pissed, there was no return.

[laviniafm]

everything felt like it was really falling apart - there were now too many pieces scattered of the previous life of lavinia jensen and she wasn't able to stop any of it. "it wasn't like that! had it been like that? did she actually know kittiya because of her cover or was it simply by chance? lavinia tried so hard to remember but she couldn't - maybe she didn't want to know the answer to that. it would have made sense but the woman had trouble recalling her previous actions and she really couldn't remember. realising the other was now talking about the present, lavinia shook her head with even more conviction in her beliefs. "it's not like that - i literally just bumped into you here!" she gestured towards the other as she leaned forward, eyebrows raising so high that they looked like they could spring off her face at any given moment. "it's-" shaking her head, she brought her fingers nervously to her mouth and looked around. "i'm not... it's not-" a groan escaped her as she too brought her hand up to her forehead as her inability to express herself was frustrating her. expressing her feelings in a logical way had always been a struggle for lavinia and this was another example of how she'd not matured as much as she had thought. "i'm not looking to suck you back in, i'm not. things are bad, okay? really fucking bad but please can you keep your voice down or i'll be next." whilst she was being melodramatic, it wasn't too far off probable - an unreliable, useless asset - one with little ties who they could just wipe out. would anyone even notice. "i'm not like them, kittiya... please."

[hallucinaticn]

𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞 — (𝟑/𝟓) !

another disappointing evening left defeat flooding his veins. he'd drove around the city with a tight grip on the worn steering wheel, tempted to land at his place or at a bar until last call, but it was the blinking neon light of the music store that pulled him in and was the comfort he'd been looking for. his guitar, acoustic and the most expensive thing he'd ever bought for himself, needed new strings.

it was therapeutic, plucking at the bronze when life got too heavy. he'd learned during his time in the military, when his options were few and far in between. now, when the space inside of his townhouse got a little too quiet, he'd strum until his fingers ached and then he'd play a little more just to prove that he could.

"here i was thinking i'd have the place to myself," he greeted, a small curve pulling on his mouth as the door settled closed behind him. sin city had a reputation for a reason, but not everyone lived up to it. "haven't taken all of the good stuff for yourself, have you?" another joke, a feat for the man who rarely went out of his way to strike up a conversation with people if it wasn't work-related.

𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 — ( @boneyardstarters )

[laviniafm]

whose side was she even on? it wasn't something that lavinia even asked herself because it felt like everyone and everything was against her happiness. perhaps it was a rather juvenile way to look at life but there appeared to be no saving grace for her - was she now doomed? lavinia knew she'd made mistakes on both sides, was under scrutiny, harboured what was in her eyes a grotesque truth and yet... here she was... the young woman had done well to keep away from these scenes - she never knew her limits and would go too far - yet here she was... she was midway into a sip until she noticed the familiar face from the same division, the 'good' ones, not vampires, in the same establishment. taking another sip of her drink, she pulled a smile towards the other.

"yeah, well, don't know what else you can expect, really." there seemed little hope within her. although she hadn't played the game in the smartest way, lavinia knew when she was running out of time. "no, no. nothing stellar but i'd be lying if i said i hadn't had much." raising her eyebrows, lavinia's eyebrows raised. "still - would you like a drink, murphy."

[outlcws]

She was a bitch, plain and simple. In that moment, she didn't feel any contrite for it — she was trying to get further from the Vitellis, not closer to them. And if some little weasel was spying on her to run back to them with information, she would sooner play out a recap of what she had done with her roadkill sibling after she floored the gas and tore into them with Romi in the passenger seat. Stopping in her tracks, she whipped her body all the way around, closing an unforgiving grip around Lavinia's wrist and sneering, "Yes, I'm fucking mad — what the fuck, Lav? Did they send you to keep tabs on me or something? You better fucking explain, or you're never hearing from me again. It oughta be good." Acrylics bit into the tender skin of the other's wrist, leering at her like she could rip the younger person's soul right out of her chest if she tried. She knew a couple of ghosts she could contact with a Ouija board to haunt her ass, but she'd give her a chance to come clean if she had something up her sleeve. Letting go of her wrist with a huff, the heel of her hand shoved Lavinia back firmly, snapping, "Fucking get lost, I can wipe my ass with an apology like that. I should've known you were faking it because you're such a fucking try-hard at all those parties."

[laviniafm]

when lavinia had stopped to talk to the other, she had been aware of the possibility that her presence wouldn't be received well but figured it would be a civil one... things weren't planning out that way. she would frequently forget about her position at both sides of the opposing table because she was far from focused - she had never expected the other to think her presence was some ploy to drag her down. did the other really think that of her? it was only a thought for a second. "no!" a quick protest escaped from her lips as the other's hand wrapped around her wrist. the shock was evident on her face and the harsh contact had triggered the tears to start to well in her eyes. "how can you say that?" nothing made sense anymore, she constantly lost people and now, this confirmed sooner or later, it would end rough for her... quickly backing away as the other let go, her heavy sighs of relief excaped her as her forehead plunged into a deep frown. "i wasn't faking it and not everything is about that." it seemed lavinia jensen was a try-hard with no substance in all aspects of her life apart from the ugly thing she had done and succeeded... "what we had was real-" her mind was running too fast for her own good and the desperation and slight delusion had taken over. "please..." she stressed to the other.

[grumpyremy]

open starter @boneyardstarters, joe's coffee

a good owner of a hotel would probably drink the coffee that they gave to the guest, but remington knew it tasted like crap. he actually didn't care if he came to the coffee shop for his morning cup and saw one of his guest there. the stuff he was able to afford was too strong even with a lot of sugar and well it just tasted old. each room had a coffee machine, but they all were stocked with the same mud he had in the lobby. remy knew that maybe one day he needed to get a better vendor.

by now the baristas knew his order. sometimes they had it ready for him since he came at the same time every day. or he'd have to order it from someone who was probably new to the shift. either way, they knew that he liked his coffee with a small amount of sugar and black. he did sometimes ask for cream. but not all the time since it either made his coffee too sweet or confused a barista who may already know him.

most of the time he prefers to grab his coffee and go back to the hotel to drink it..alone. unlike those days, remington decided to stay at the cafe and enjoy his coffee at one of the tables. he sat alone in what he had assume was in a corner that no one could see him in. but as another chair was pulled out, he realized that he could be seen and the other tables seemed to be occupied.

regardless, remy still looks up at the person trying to sit down at his table. "pardon me, but what do you think you're doing? this table is already full." he tells them, eyebrow raising. "you can't sit here."

[laviniafm]

it was only a matter of time before her messy job caught up with her. lavinia was already struggling to find allies... true allies that wouldn't leave her or sell her out to serve a purpose. granted, she was self away enough to know that she wasn't blameless but the young woman's security had diminished as soon as he was taken from her. there was still vengeance in the young woman but at what cost? could that very vengeance compete with the utter hopelessness she had felt, how she felt more and more lost every single day... it seemed that nothing would fix it and if that was the case, all of this would be for nothing. she had toned down her behaviour yet still others were upset with her. lavinia jensen couldn't win - she might be just like her parents, the worst of both of them shaped into disaster.

coming into such a crouded area at this time was a bad idea but there had been spaces availble whilst she was in queue, however, those with someone could leave the queue to save a table and left them all occupied by the time she got served - it was another instance of the universe reminding her she was alone. taking her iced coffee, lavinia spotted a seat so quickly made her way towards it. pulling out the chair, she was about to annouce herself to the other, to ask if she could sit down but was automatically met with hostility; she'd make sure to return it. "hi, yeah, this is the only free seat in the place and it doesn't look like anyone's sitting here-" raising her eyebrows, she held the drink up. "-and i've not got it to go, so-" the glass made its way to make contact with the table. "i'd be grateful if you could oh, so graciously let me sit here to finish it." there was a hint of bitterness in her voice. @ofdesertroses

[outlcws]

Kittiya was an incredibly forward person. When they were done with something, they'd spell it out plainly. But in the case of Lavinia Jensen, they had let their impulses win, the devil on their shoulder that was always in their ear — calling it a bad thing wasn't entirely true to the tale. They didn't need to continue doing favors for a family that they weren't part of. Would continue to proclaim that they had no interest in, whatsoever, as they stuck their face in rolls of the latest Boo Crew footage or read palms and visions of love and fortune to the tourists who cared to pay the upcharge for the area they were getting it read in. A takeout bag in her arms from a Wendy's to bring back to Aurelia's Trance, she kept walking when Lavinia called out to her, hoping to ignore her like a pesky fly and then she would poof, disappear. Needless to say, it didn't seem to be working when her goddamn voice starting giggling like they were sorority sisters in her eardrums. "I've been busy," Kittiya answered curtly, "There's been a lot of requests for readings, this time of year and all." She smiled — practiced, polished, screaming press release, but to anyone who wasn't borne with a silver spoon in their mouth, it meant nothing. Yet, she couldn't resist being a petty bitch when it favored her. "What, are you tired of playing with your new friends, the Vitellis?"

[laviniafm]

it had started out as her wanting to prove that she could be useful, not to just her father but to herself. lavinia had been one that had grown up with privilege but she felt far from it now. what had her life had become? she had always been messy but now she was faced with atrocities that she'd never come back from - there was blood on her hands and it had started to play on her mind more and more. what would become of her? was he even one of them? he had to be for the sake of what little sanity she had left. her brow furrowed as kittiya snapped back at her. "you're angry with me..." it was melodramatic for her to voice it as the other didn't seem like the type to care but did she actually know that them that well? "if you must know, i've actually been quite tame." lavinia had to be careful as she hadn't been the most discreet - there were mistakes and it would come back to bite her... it was just a case of when it would catch up to her. the vitellis were not her friends, far from it and they would not treat her as such once they uncovered the truth. "look, i'm sorry, alright? you deserve better than me being a flaky asshole." lavinia sighed. "give me he chance to make it up to you? please" there was a hint of desperation in her voice. it was difficult for lavinia to hold onto friendships, or anything if she were being honest with herself - she ruined everything.

[devilsons]

about a week into the new year, an exclusive cocktail bar inside the riviera, early evening ( 1/5 ) with @boneyardstarters

A meeting ends in the wafting of cigar smoke and aged scotch, shaken hands and departing pleasantries. His guests leave and he watches them go, it isn't until they're well out of sight that Francisco sit down again, leaning back into the booth, a nearly empty rocks glass resting in one hand, a half smoked cigar in the fingers of his other. Decompress, finish his drink, and go about the rest of the evening; or such was the plan. The silence in the booth is needed, desired, a moment of privacy he's rarely afforded, but it doesn't last as long as he'd like.

There's shuffling, dark eyes sharp as they rest on the person sliding themselves into his booth. This wasn't an appointment, nor, does it seem, even a request. He doesn't say anything, just looking at them, a pull on his cigar with half narrowed eyes. The server comes over quickly, surely sensing the unexpected company, doing her best to be the image of discretion. A brief meeting of gazes, the implication of asking him if they're allowed to be there; being a partial owner of the casino comes with it's benefits, even more so recently with the added coverage on his family, the death, the flurry of news. She no longer knows who her direct boss is, the whole staff has been on edge, wondering what's going to become of the casino now, and they aren't the only ones.

There's the quiet hum of music from the speakers, low voices in the intimacy of the style of bar, a private booth not designed to be stumbled into so to speak. It better be good. He holds up a hand, an acquiescence as well as a dismissal. It's fine, he's never been to afraid to tell someone to fuck off himself. They can speak or babble or slur, whatever it is that comes out of their mouth, and he'll make the executive decision as such.

[laviniafm]

current events had made the young woman pay more attention to things around her. lavinia was in over her head - that fact had become pretty obvious - the only problem was that now, she was in too deep to go back. did it really matter in the grand scheme of things? she had lost everything important to her as soon as the one she loved was taken from her, then she had somehow taken the same thing she hated so much and from that moment on, everything was downhill. lavinia jensen wasn't cut out for it and her skitish personality didn't do either of the sides any good; it was as if she was against herself succeeding and needed to self-sabotage at every given opportunity.

since the note confiming she'd been compromised, lavinia had kept her head down and obeyed instructions exactly as posed, that was until tonight when she was off shift and found herself here. the glamour of it all was extremely hypnotising and it did have the power to make the young woman forget her purpose. even though she was slightly intoxicated, she needed to behave - especially now she was in the presence of francisco vitelli. when she'd caught sight of him, her eyes had widened, she'd stopped approaching the spot. "quiet tonight, isn't it?" the music covered the eerily still atmosphere on this night. a logical explanation was that it was after new year but everything now felt eerie through lavinia's eyes.

[casquettes]

He recognized the young face from around the casino — maybe at that charity gala? ( Listen, he actually liked playing the slots or the cards now and then, but he wasn't sucked into the vortex of the gambling blackhole that opened up in Las Vegas — Dungeons and Dragons had already carved out that chokehold for him and he wasn't putting money down on it. ) "I kind of wonder who is. Like, you think they're hiring bouncers?" There were definitely parties that would throw you out on your ass for not conforming to being fancy, but he couldn't fathom that a Halloween party would be half as strenuous. Maybe he was underestimating the zany veil of the city. "So you're still thinking of a costume, too." Why else would she be in the store? Ganon was laying loyally at his feet, waiting for the next command or for him to move on to the next rack of clothes, but no less on alert to continue his duty. Instead, Dustin found himself idling, a finger resting against his chin as he contemplated the stranger's suggestion, giving her a once-over. "I don't know... maybe you could throw something on top to suggest it's a fish? Sequins could pass as scales, I guess." Bright colors and themes were out of his range of fashion — he stuck to alternative and baggy, the more ambiguous, the better. ( He was wearing a festively oversized sweater with a ghost on it, right now, but that was still off-theme for the occasion he was shopping. ) "I'm kind of flyin' solo and I'm not usually solo... in a while, so," he paused, then backtracked to ask, "Sorry... did you say she has a sign about vampires on the front of her store? People here really get in the spirit of Halloween, don't they?" Shaking his head, he pulled another costume on the rack aside, the hanger squeaking as it went against the metal bar holding it. "Oh... you mean, like someone who's been stranded on an island? I was kind of thinking of something a little more... fish-based. You know what I mean? I'll bet all the fish will start looking alike, honestly."

[laviniafm]

"who is who?" lavinia's brown sunk as the statement troubled her. it wasn't in her sense of her role within the family that she was too far deep in - if she were being honest, she didn't care for her safety - but of what was hiding in the shadows. perhaps they'd take her next, she'd never get the vengeance she craved and it would all be... pointless. she'd misheard the initial sentence and found herself sighing before shaking her head. "wouldn't be the first time for me... but that was at the end of the night - so they say." it had been a very dark time in her life and didn't compare but this was surely a winner? was she comparing her own suffering now on a thermometer design? "yeah, a costume but a party costume, right? a bit of halloween meets rave because then it's a clear signal. i'm thinking if i'm in sequins and a nice little top and pout eyeshadow on my face that i can be a fish, alright? another fish in the sea... another fish at a party." old habits die hard, not that she'd ever have much luck with them as everything always seemed to end in tragedy. "so, if you want fish based, how do you feel about a sequin mini skirt and a little mesh top? or if i can get something better i'll obviously take that but at this late notice... don't think there's much hope." letting out a chuckle and a smile gracing her lips, a shrug of the shoulders followed. "just another fish in the sea."

[laviniafm]

@outlcws / on the strip with kittiya

lavinia had been keeping her head sown as much as she could. some would say that she was being quieter than usual but the various tragedies around didn't make her seem nearly as suspicious. the young woman knew she was in far too deep but what did she have to lose? she'd lost everyone she'd cared about, that cared about her and now there was indeed blood on her hands that no one else knew about (some detectives may have had their suspicions but it was never going to be enough). catching a glimpse of a familiar face, her expression lit up as her stride fastened in order to reach kittiya. "hello, you!" her voice being slightly higher conveyed her excitement. "long time, no see. was getting to the point that i thought you were avoiding me or something." a laugh escaped her but it was a nervous one - what if that was exactly the case? lavinia didn't have many friends, her and kittiya always had a great time out together so had she done something on one of those nights to change that? "are you busy? on break?" her somewhat erratic behaviour reeked of her own desperation.

[gildcdwings]

Cassandra had never wished harder that she'd just stayed put in her apartment, the way she had dutifully been doing for years now. Though it was true that she'd been growing just a little stir crazy in the recent months, restless from her self-imposed social exile, tonight seemed like a omen that perhaps the four walls of her apartment were the safest place for the heiress after all. What good was there in venturing out if it only ever lead to disappointment? She was no closer to finding her mother, no closer to bridging the gap between herself and her estranged sisters. She wasn't even a worthy successor to her father's fortune anymore, years of grooming for the position washed down the drain in one horrible moment. So, why bother putting herself out there at all? The confines of her home had never seemed sweeter, even despite the chilling sense of loneliness that had begun seeping into the cracks of her safe space.

Turning at the sound of a voice, Cass let out a puff of air that just barely passed for a chuckle. "Right now, all I want is a drink. Then maybe a car to take me home later. After the night I've had, I don't think I'm in the position to be making loftier demands." Though that didn't stop her from thinking them anyways. In truth, she wanted a lot of things: a boiling hot shower, to burrow into the mountain of pillows on her bed, someone'd head on a spike for what had happened earlier that night. But she would settle for a glass of good wine, especially if it would dull the incessant, hurtful chatter at the back of her mind. "Deal, I'll take that trade. At least I'll actually enjoy splitting a bottle of wine with you. Classy is as classy does," the blonde echoed, giving her companion a genuine grin that didn't quite reach her eyes (still a marked improvement over her sour demeanor just an hour ago). "I'm Cass. It's nice to see that someone around here also appreciates the finer things that Vegas has to offer. "

[laviniafm]

things continued to escalate with work, with all her jobs - lavinia was in over her head and there was no way out. even if there were, the young woman was unsure if she'd even take it as she was totally lost. she was in over her head but had nothing going for her, not without her father's money anyways but most importantly, it felt like she had lost everyone that cared for her, who she'd cared about in retur but never quite showed up for them how she should have because of previous relationship problems. they weren't able to see the regret but she could definitely feel it. what would become of her? she had no doubt that her late mother and boyfriend would have been disappointed in her so there wasn't much of a standard for her anymore. lavinia would drink, would feel awful about it tomorrow but at least it would act as a distraction.

lavinia laughed at the slight mockery escaped the other, at least that's how it had felt hearing it but the blonde's facial expressions said different. "god, where have you been all my life?" smiling, a chuckle escaped her before she started rummaging in her purse for her wallet. "cass-" her eyebrows raised as she nodded. "i'm lavinia, lav - i should have picked vina with hindsight but you can't really change what you've chosen, right?" shrugging with her shoulders, she looked towards the bar. "named after the bully in a little princess, would you believe?" another awkward chuckle followed before she finally turned back to the other. "oh- what type of wine do you like? white, red, rosé? have a certain preference? i don't mind."

[withoutmonsterswebecomethem]

He narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the woman as she had said that. Two was suspicious, sure. But he could imagine there was more that they didn't know about. Something was certainly going on here. Azazel let out a breath, “I think there's more than just two with that.” He didn't know what made that captain so important, even when he seemed he also wasn't important at all, when he disappeared. There was something wrong here, definitely. He couldn't escape the thoughts about that. It made it seem like he was just pissy about his disappearance. Which, he was, in a small way. But he was also, at the same time, going through a lot, on top of the fact that this whole thing with his own disappearance was strange. How everyone reacted to it, how everyone treated it now. How everyone treated this captain's own. How would everyone treat it? Azazel would observe and figure it out. He swore it to himself, whoever had done this to him. He was going to find.

With the other's head nod, and calling his state a psychotic break, he raised his eyebrows. Is that what others would have called what was going on with him? It felt like that, but also, it didn't seem like that. That he was breaking, like that. No. It seemed more like he was tediously being broken, instead. But he was stubborn and still holding onto whatever sanity was left to him. Whatever strength he could muster through this almost never-ending, near-eternal exhaustion that struck him. Made him feel ill and weak. Made his mind wobbly and disjointed with those around him. That disconnect made it seem like he was having a mental breakdown, even to himself. But he wasn't, not actually. He was right to be angry, to be tired of others and their dismissal of him through all this, “Yeah. I think so. It's difficult. I feel like it's being forced on me, more than it being me, alone.” But he was alone in this.

Blinking at her 'but' he lifted his head slightly, listening, “Yes. I did.” He had been seeing plenty. A lot of which feels mostly like dreams. He had been chalking it up to his hallucinating because of his exhaustion and the damage that was being done to his brain. Sure. That might explain a bit of it. But not everything. Not most things, happening to him actually, “It can be, yeah. I don't really buy into most folklore, though, myself. It can be a lot that way.” Though he could see where she was going with this, that it wasn't folklore, he was surmising. It was a hidden reality. When she apologized and shook her head, he sighed, “It's fine. Things are really weird lately, right? There's no telling what the hell is going to happen next. All this is so strange. Sometimes I feel like I'm having a never-ending nightmare.” He was, only that nightmare was reality, for him.

[laviniafm]

"i meant for you-" lavinia's eyebrows raised quickly as she was sure to correct him. "there must be more for-" she shook her head. "-for all this to be happening." it was unnerving but so many things in this twisted place could have contributed to it - one was her own doing, an unsolved case as she hadn't told the whole truth after the ordeal. she had seen one of them and next moment, he had been bleeding out on the floor. her reactions when the police had spoken to her were genuine but the true reason was masked. that was two in connection to her alone so how many other instances were there? lavinia predicted that the number was far higher than what had been reported. even if she had a hand in one, it was still frightening. whether she liked it or not, she was involved and could not get out of it.

perhaps it was projection when she'd brought it up - it had happened to her and an awful ex boyfriend had ended up dead. she had carried on but lavinia jensen had lost even more fragments of herself that night and there wasn't much more for her to lose. still, the young woman being interested in what azazel saw wasn't feigned. when an explanation didn't follow, her follow up questions never came. she never wanted to press but it would make her look suspicious, perhaps more akin to that shop lady who had the 'no vampires' sign in her window - there was such a thing as bad attention and she couldn't draw any more eyes towards her or peak suspicions further as she had already been compromised. this was a revenge plot because they had taken him away from her but she had also taken someone away from other people too so it was already far too messy for her to wrap her head around it. was it going to be worth the danger? the answer terrified her. "the less i know, the better, or at least the better my sleep pattern will be... honestly - that casino is draining." 'normal' work talk to deflect was always in her playbook. "some of the characters i get in there... give me all the strength and pray i get a good night's sleep tonight, that's all i'm saying."

[laviniafm]

LAVINIA JENSEN as a ‘Fish’

[casquettes]

with: @boneyardstarters where: a halloween pop-up in summerlin plaza when: late october

Trust him to leave costume ideas down to the last minute — and naturally, Khadroma was hankering for something that would loosely match with their child's outfit ( and truth be told, the outfits tailored for kids this year ranged from the cheesiest hogwash he had ever seen to downright adorable, and nowhere perfectly in the middle for a five year old who was more interested in the Milkyway Galaxy than Power Rangers. ) He had been turning the racks over, minute by minute, passing over anything that didn't fit the theme of a watery... creature, and he was seconds from giving up. "Hey, just asking for a second opinion — do you think I'd get kicked out of a Halloween... ocean theme if I can't find anything good and bring... a gag flower that shoots water out of it pinned to my shirt, or something? I could even dress it up like Little Shop of Horrors... too off-theme?" he asked of the nearest customer in the store who was also looking through costumes, the mall alive and thriving with people walking through, shopping bags in hand. Before long, it would be dressed up in holly and reds for Christmas, and everyone would be rushing for their year-end gifts. "Or... something that has bigger feet than all these fish? I kind of have... embarrassingly big feet." Letting out a soft sigh, an easy-going smile assumed his features. "An event that's more... open like this should be plenty laidback, don't you think? I'm sure most people are hoping to swoop in for free booze or something, but I'm curious how they'll make it water-themed. It's to our advantage to be surrounded by all this sand, at least? Oh, I could be a mummy."

[laviniafm]

if it wasn't for the fact that lavinia was supposed to meet a 'friend' here at the pop-up, she would have never come at all. people proved again and again that they were nothing but disappointments... but why hadn't they turned up? had it been something she'd said, done? did they know? all of the options haunted around her brain before she just simply had to break off from it and immerse herself in the pop-up. naturally, she'd gravitate to someone who was being silly and from what she could see, a tad resistant to the ocean theme. "i mean... i'm not going to be the one throwing people out of the party." the woman raised her eyebrows and lifted up her hands in surrender before letting a few moments pass and letting out an amused hum. "i personally would love to see that costume in action. honestly, i'm also a bit shit at dressing up." that was rich considering she did it on the daily but being poorly undercover was a lot different to fancy dress - if she could dress like them and call it a day it would be so much easier. "would a blue sequined top count? i have one of those and i'm pretty sure that casual edge boutique would have a skirt i can match it with in an off sense but it's halloween so... plus the... interesting owner has written 'no vampires allowed' outside so she is fully embracing the season." so may times lavinia had walked passed with the need to quiz that woman but it would be too obvious and she seemed far too volatile - someone with loose lips... "ooh! or you could do the whole what would you take with you if stranded on a desert island plus things to cross the ocean?"

[withoutmonsterswebecomethem]

At the other's question of whether he did know what she meant or not, he observed her quietly for some seconds before giving a nod. He could, certainly. There was a lot going on. A lot of lines were starting to connect in his mind. At least, from what he was thinking. Though he seemed like he was losing his mind. His body is deteriorating along with it. It was all connected, it had to be. It just seemed too conspicuous that it was all happening now. He winced a little as he shifted, turning his head, a sting of pain running along his body from the bite wound in his throat. The bandage is faintly showing red, “Been busy. Mostly at home. Boss has me working from there at the moment, while I handle personal business.” He excused. Though he did meet often enough with the other to secure plans on what their organization was doing, and the like.

He blinked then, before quirking an eyebrow, “Didn't I, though? Already? Last January, I was technically missing, officially. Thankfully, I'm still alive.” But in what state, by what means, and everything that came with it, he could not figure out quite yet. Should he be dead? He wondered. Was it connected to the other disappearances? The other deaths? His own was suspicious, and he wished he had more memory about it. Other than dreamlike visions that he could not secure as one thing or another, and often seemed entirely made up through his paranoid mental state. Bringing a hand to his head, he suddenly felt the fatigue he was trying to ignore, exhaling exhaustedly, “I guess. Yes. I'm not entirely sure. I can't remember.” He grinned, “I think maybe I just had a psychotic break, that's all. The job I do can be really mentally taxing.” Azazel quickly excused himself, not really trusting her with anything more than that.

“That's good to hear. --I think you, me, and a lot of other people might be feeling that, too.” Azazel responded, shifting in his stance a little then. Before making a face as he continued to watch her, he crossed his arms under his chest. At her claim, he looked haunted. He nods, “Maybe, that night of the storm, I got injured.” Gesturing vaguely to his neck. “I think I have seen something out there, just before.” He didn't, he just experienced being attacked in the basement of Alvaro's home. But he had gleaned from other stories, sightings of things, and was using that to deflect from the curiosity of what happened in the basement, and why he was there. He didn't really know himself, perhaps just a casual invite, but it was weird, he didn't like Alvaro that much. The other was creepy, in Azazel's opinion, and up to something, and did little to dissuade his thoughts on that, that night in the basement, either. “Lost a lot of blood, so I'm recovering from that. Who knew gutters could be so sharp!”

[laviniafm]

"two times within a year, two times too many to disappear..." it had slipped out. lavinia had always laid low due to her intentions but obviously not well enough considering the one night she was absolutely hammered she was compromised. what did that note even mean, anyway? wasn't she always about to be compromised from one side to another? she wanted revenge but this went far deeper than she had ever anticipated and she was in way over her head. she was hardly great at her job as an informant, maybe even less so for the family but she was scared of ruffling feathers. now everything had happened it put her off further, even scared her that she could be disposed of so easily but at the end of the day, she felt like no one and had nothing to lose.

widening her eyes at his explanation, lavinia nodded her head harshly. !a psychotic break." her own mother had definitely had her fair share of those which ultimately led to her own demise and brain chemistry was hereditary, right? there had been that night when she herself had lost it and the tears she had shed to the police officers were real but for an entirely different reason from the assumed. "if it was, that, you really need to be careful of that." death was everywhere and if the other was going down that same path, she didn't want to be there ffor the fall out - now she had a choice.

"but-" lavinia continued as she furrowed her brow. "i know you say you had a psychotic break, right but you saw something..." it had come from azazel's own lips, not her and her curiosity had peaked but her fear would always reign supreme. "i always think folklore is true, though how it's interpreted could be a debate." mythical beings or stories to personify the human experience that would befall all? lavinia perhaps wasn't the brightest on her feet but it was striking her now that she read far too much of this stuff. "sorry." she shook her head as she retracted not wanting to flag herself. "i shouldn't really pry but i guess i'm a bit on edge with... everything!" she would leave out the personal parts.