pentiss laurent.

starter for: @lcstmarbles

location: topsy turvy.

Carmen was suffocating, the walls of the club closing in on her. All eyes following her as she pushed through the crowd towards the back entrance. It was meant for employee's only, but she didn't care. She needed to escape before she caused more of a scene, refraining from slapping that stupid look off his face. For someone who avoided labels he sure slapped one onto himself the moment they stopped talking. Perhaps it really had been all her fault, that she was simply unlovable. It was proven time and time again, Lloyd, the men who ogled her at the track, and now Swizz. The brisk air whipped against her skin. sending chills down her spine. Once the door behind her closed with a loud thud, she gripped her chest containing the scream within her she wanted to belt out. Sterling Malarkey was dead to her now. Breath shuddering as she tried to wipe her eyes, noticing the liner that had smudged off with it. "Fuck."

#slay #& chats.#& carmen dicarmello.

He stood outside the door for a moment, hesitant; Pentiss had seen her go inside, looking upset, but he was (much to the disdain of the other lost boys) an avid rule follower. It was clearly marked employees only. But his worry for her well-being overruled his worry of getting caught, and he found himself pushing the door open gently, almost expecting a manager to come out and smack his hand with a yardstick. "Carmen?" He called, softly. He had been elated when she invited him out, though he wasn't really sure what that meant. But then she vanished to get them drinks, after he thought they were having fun, and it had been a minute since he'd seen her. He was starting to wonder if she'd left without him, if he'd read the room all wrong, when he caught sight of her. "Are you... are you good?"

"Wait--What? No way, they're yours!" She resisted, until one caught her attention in his other hand. Sparkling like a gemstone amongst the neon lights from the rafters. "Okay hold on, maybe I like that one." She mused, leaning over to uncurl his fingers from his palm. "That one. It's clear with a brown swirl in the middle, and maybe a hint of emerald? Or gold, its hard to tell. Nonetheless its beautiful, it looks like your eyes."

#& chats.#& carmen dicarmello.#carmen i love u carmen #i'm ur biggest fan carmen

"Oh, it's okay," he promised, "I have plenty." Giving up a marble or two wasn't going to kill him. It wasn't like he couldn't buy more. Pentiss' eyes widened slightly when she mentioned the marble looking like them, his breath catching in his throat. He wasn't used to pretty girls even looking him in the eyes. "You... you think so?" He managed to get out. Play it cool, Tootles, play it cool. "Yeah, you can have it. For sure. Something to... remember me by," he joked.

rosettafleur

"Oh hush, you're just tryin' to make me feel better," Rosetta said with a tired smile. She didn't really know what to do or how to move forward from here. She didn't know what to say, but she knew having Tootles here with her was...comfortable. For the first time since she was back, she almost felt like she could rest. Maybe she should try to go home before the feeling passed. Then again, she was sure the moment she was alone again this little feeling of comfort would be gone. So instead she leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "Are ya sure I'm not takin' up any time? I...appreciate this a lot. Do you mind...catchin' me up on everythin' I missed?"

#& chats.#& rosetta fleur.

As soon as she laid her head on his shoulder, he decided he would stay there as long as she wanted. It wasn't like his boss would fire him. Sure, he would feel bad, but he had to weigh his loyalty here, and decide who needed him more. If Rosetta happened to fall asleep, he'd sit on the bench until midnight to avoid disturbing her. She had probably been through so much. "Let's see... I kind of kept to myself." Which was true, but he was also trying to find anything positive to tell her, and leave out any details that were less-than. "I did get some more marbles, but I don't think that's news worthy. I don't think you missed any important pageants, or anything."

tutting his tongue , remaining displeased , hook allowed his foot to strike the leg of the chair a bit harder. with more purpose . " you think i'm a bloody idiot , ' tootles ' ?? is that what they call you ?? " the lost boy's name was spat like acid , like it had curdled on the pirate's tongue the moment the muscle had moved to form its syllables . hooks paw grabbed the back of the chair , just beyond pentiss's shoulder , and brought his face down to where the other's veiled eyes were . staring at the material as if the man could feel his ire burning through it .

" whilst i appreciate your concern for what IS and ISN'T worth my time , i'm afraid i have no other engagements in need of my attention . i have all the time in the world right now . plenty enough for you to conjure up something to provide me with regarding that bastard you so loyally follow . even if it's bullshit , " standing , hook used the hand that had been occupied with the chairs back to yank the fabric up and off pentiss's face , exposing his retinas to the lowlight of the room he was in and the four , close walls that surrounded him and the captain . " though , for your sake , you would be wise to ensure what you decide to tell me isn't bullshit . i can assure you i have just as much patience for liars as i do for nosey , meddling lost boys . "

He jumped, to the best of his ability, restraints stopping him from moving much. Hearing the voice so close, directly in front of him, Pentiss pressed his head back against the chair, as far as possible, as if it would save him somehow. He could only hope that Hook was fucking with him, that he would find hurting him a waste of energy, that he didn't want to deal with the repercussions that could come over a nosey, meddling lost boy.

Which wasn't entirely fair, he felt ; he kept his nose out of other people's business. He was not about to voice an argument, but he had truly wandered into the antique shop out of pure misfortune, an old soul at heart. Heart . . . that was now thudding so hard against his ribcage he feared it may impale itself on the bones. Blinking into the dim lighting, his eyes adjusting to nothing but the face staring back at him, a looming nightmare of a man. "I'm . . . I'm a bad liar, sir," he spoke, his voice scratching on the way out. "You would know."

continuing to be disappointed but not at all surprised , hook sucked his teeth . " poseidon help me , " the man muttered beneath liquor-stained breath , pressing pointer and middle to his temple , rubbing a circle atop the ache that now resided there . those subject to his inquisitions always harbored the same delusional belief that hook would be supplying any information , failing to realize that THEY were the one on trial and not he . stepping forward , hook kicked the toe of his dress hoe against one of the chair's legs — reassuring himself , and pentiss , that it wasn't going to budge .

" if you're going to waste your breath asking questions , at least let them be good ones , " the pirate scolded , london as heavy on his tongue as the vice in his glass . " — you know exactly what i want from you , pentiss . do not further prove your stupidity by playing into this idea that you know nothing about my intentions in bringing you here . "

Flinching at the jolt, the knowledge that Hook was close enough to reach out and touch him and he couldn't even see what he may be holding, Tootles felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. When it came to the Lost Boys, he had never been the bravest ; in fact, he was the opposite, the one always missing out on adventures, never gaining the experience that could help him stand a little taller, a little more confident.

He felt like a child again, now, tucked under the blankets of a dark and dusty orphanage bedroom, wishing someone would come save him.

But he was an adult and he knew better, now.

"I don't have any information for you," he tried, wondering if he was a better liar when his face was concealed, hiding his shifting eyes, the trembling of his bottom lip ( from anxiety or dishonesty, he was unsure ). "I fear this is nothing but . . . a waste of your time."

"No need to be sorry...though I'd fix that hole in your pocket before you cause another marble stampede." She grinned, straightening her posture once more. If Carmen had any other talent besides racing it was spotting a wardrobe malfunction from a mile away. "I know the best set of seamstress sisters in town. Just mention a miss DiCarmello sent you and I bet they could give you a cheap deal." She paused, leaning forward slightly as she rested her elbows atop the table. "I think they look really cool, I've never seen ones colored like that before. Reminds me of a rainbow, or a moonstone."

#& chats.#& carmen dicarmello.

"That's probably a good idea," Tootles agreed, his cheeks reddening slightly at being called out. He really should have noticed sooner. "A moonstone? Yeah. Yeah, they do!" Of course, he would probably agree they looked like anything at the moment. Rolling one of the more colorful ones between his thumb and index finger, he paused, hoping he didn't sound like an idiot. "Do you... want to keep one? You know, as a thank you. For helping me not lose them all."

rosettafleur

"The early bird catches the worm!" she tried to say with her normal amount of enthusiasm. Rosetta didn't even convince herself of that one. "Oh honey, that means a lot. I'm....I'm glad to be back..." The words felt like a lie on her tongue even though she was grateful to be with her friends again. It felt wrong of her to want to be in Evermore when her home was turned to ashes and scorched Earth. The more she looked at Tootles the more she wondered about the rest of Neverland. Hopefully his home was okay. It had to be. "I don't want to keep ya from work...but...would ya mind sittin' with me for a few more minutes? I..I'm afraid I might not be my chatty self, but I'm sure y'all are grateful for a break from all that!"

#& chats.#& rosetta fleur.

He was worried. Rosetta was strong and capable, but she was clearly struggling, and while he refused to be pushy about it... he also didn't want to leave her to go through it alone. Relieved when she asked him to sit for a moment, Tootles offered her a warm smile. "Of course. I have plenty of time." And he'd be late or call out for any of his friends. He liked his job, but his friends came first. And Peter was his boss, so it wasn't like he would be fired for missing one day. "I don't think so. I think we all missed your chatting. I swear it seemed a lot... darker here without you."

𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 : @lcstmarbles !! 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: the ' storage closet ' in the antique shop

a dingy , flickering edison bulb hung from a rusted chain in the middle of the room's low ceiling . its stability was questionable , each grunt of the air conditioner enough to have it swaying , shifting the amber spotlight it cast upon the bound lost boy sat beneath it . the man's ankles were secured to a nailed down chair with a copious amount of hempen rope , wrists bound by the same material — complimented by an additional two , three , four zip ties pulled taught . a mask of burlap was drawn over his face , and looming in the corner — watching , observing — was the ever irritated captain of the jolly roger . the pirate who teemed with so much loathing held for the one this child held dear it was practically a festering , sweltering fever . no doubt an obsession .

" still not bright , i see , " hook mused , clicking the rim of his glass against his teeth , the potency of the bourbon that filled it thinning as the cube of ice bobbing around honey-hued liquor melted . hook gave a disgruntled sigh , clearly disappointed with the circumstances they had both found themselves in ; " i doubt you'll be of much use to me but , a man musn't cut his losses until he is sure they are losses . " a cock of his head , though he knew tootles couldn't see it .

" comfortable ?? "

#kidnapping tw #& chats.#& james hook.

He couldn't remember what he was dreaming of when he began to stir, consciousness returning slowly at first, then all at once ; he couldn't see, but as he attempted to lift a hand to remove whatever blocked his vision, he realized his wrists were constricted. It was only confusion at first, the thought that perhaps he was still dreaming, though that melted away to panic when the voice came from somewhere in the room, like a disappointed echo.

Tootles' breath quickened with his heartrate, warmth directed back into his face, unable to escape the fabric. His memory was hazy, but the sound of Hook speaking was enough to jog thoughts of the antique shop he'd wandered into, and the owner he hadn't ran from . . . all because he didn't want to be rude, or a wimp. Instead, he had just been stupid.

"Where—" he started, only to stop immediately, knowing the man wasn't going to answer him. He wasn't going to tell him anything he didn't want him to know. He tried not to let the panic suffocate him, the thought of what Hook might be willing to do to decide if he was indeed a loss, forcing his lips to move again, blinking rapidly in the darkness like it would help him magically see anything. "Why . . . What . . . do you want from me?"

since the missing folks of evermore had been returned , the energy that had lulled in their absence only swelled with their return , the bustling of sidewalks slowly returning as returning residents grappled with their resurgence into reality. wherever they had been — hook wanted to know . he had spent many a night pacing , grappling with the reality that there was , in fact , a way out. . . but the COST of that freedom , albeit temporary in this situation , seemed to have been a hefty price for many to pay . hook found himself wondering , as he stared at the clock missing both its minute and second hands on the wall , where it was , exactly, that they had gone . where zarina had gone .

hearing the chime of the bell as the door opened , hook's head didn't turn . instead , his jaw ticked at the sound , silently cursing it for interrupting his thoughts . a moment past , then another , before eventually , hook's head steered to peer at the intruder of his solitude . . . and suddenly ; he hadn't minded the interruption .

tootles ; the most incompetent of peter's bunch . from what hook recalled of the boy , he was useful as a glass of bourbon with a hole in the bottom . the easiest for his pirates to pick off and dangle above peter's head like low hung fruit . hook's lips curled into a nefarious smirk , amber eyes gleaming , tutting his tongue . " now , now , you're not going to go without saying hello to an old playmate , are you ?? " hook adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves , tilting his head , before releasing an almost disappointed sigh as the captain peered past the young man's head - as if reflecting on a memory ;

" though it would be like you to just run off so , if manners are beside you and wasting my time was your true intent coming in here ; off you go , " hook's gaze then cut sharply to his , eyes flashing ; " — tootles . "

Each second seemed to drag on for half an hour, his heart pounding against his ribcage as the young man hoped, prayed, that Hook would not recognize him, that, because of a trick of the light, his features would not seem familiar, or perhaps he was just not note-worthy to begin with. Peter had a lot of Lost Boys, and while it stung normally to think Pentiss wasn't memorable, wasn't one of the important ones, in the moment, it would feel like a blessing.

Then the man said his name, his nickname, and he felt his heart drop into his stomach. This was his fault, whatever happened, for not paying more attention, not realizing Hook owned an antique store of all things. Leave it to him to just walk right in. Maybe he had been warned by one of the others and forgotten all about it ; at this point, he would not be surprised.

"No, sir," he found himself backtracking on his words, a lump rising to his throat. "I'm . . . sorry, I don't mean to be rude. My intent was . . . well, I had hoped to find a fountain pen." The words were true, which only made them seem more pathetic, but for whatever reason, he kept going. "Or some old paper, perhaps, but I didn't see either, and I forgot that a friend was expecting me." With the truth lied out beside it, it was easy to see his lies for what they were, but he hoped that the man would buy them, would believe someone was waiting on him . . . someone that would be on alert if he never showed up.

location: neverland.

starter for: @lcstmarbles

Carmen was learning how to be independent again. Enjoying the clubs, and race track alone. It should've felt like self-care, and while some days were more bearable than others her heart hadn't fully healed yet. Neverland was her last resort, it wasn't her taste by any means...but watching people sing karaoke ear splittingly bad was kind of amusing. Stirring her straw around her in drink she was content with keeping her focus on the main stage until the sound of something that sounded like glass hit the floor in small pitter patters. Quiet, but loud enough that her ears picked it up. Cocking her head to the side as she leaned her body slightly out of the booth and noticed brightly colored marbles scrawled about the floor. Glancing up in time to watch the stranger kneeling down to collect them. "You want some help?"

#& chats.#& carmen dicarmello.

Leave it to Pentiss to spill his marbles in the middle of his work place. Literally. It was stupid of him to even bring them in, but they were new additions to his collection, and he didn't have time to run home or he'd be late. Now, clocked out, he stared at the mess on the floor for a moment, kicking himself, until he heard the voice, and his eyes lifted to meet Carmen's. She might just be the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. And of course he was making a fool of himself already, before they had ever even been introduced. "Oh, it's... it's okay," he hurried to respond, lowering himself to start scooping the rolling marbles up in handfuls, hoping she wouldn't notice the way his cheeks were reddening. "I'm just... I'm a klutz, sorry."

LOCATION: the antique store FOR: @wildcstwinter (hook)

Tootles loved antique stores. There was something about the nostalgia of memories you were not the one to collect, wondering where they had been, who they had belonged to, the stories they could tell . . . and the possibility of finding a good fountain pen amongst them was always a plus. Running his finger along one of the shelves, softly humming to himself, content with lingering half the day, Pentiss turned away to meet a pair of eyes across the room, recognition flickering in his almost immediately. "Sorry, I— . . ." Why was he apologizing? He felt he should take a step back, flee, but he remained frozen in place instead. If he had known the man . . . worked here? . . . he never would have stopped by. Willing his legs to move him closer to the door, "I forgot I have somewhere to be."

rosettafleur

Rosetta wasn't sure how to live her life in Evermore after what she saw. She didn't know how to put on a brave face and do what felt like playing pretend while her home burned to the ground. By now, Pixie Hollow was gone as far as she knew and...how did she cope with that? When she was the only one there....unable to do anything...She shook her head, not even knowing when she had closed her eyes. When she opened them, the first thing, or person, she saw was Tootles. Sweet, silly, Tootles. When she was around him things tended to feel lighter, brighter, but right now she wasn't sure if she could feel anything other than heavy. "Hi sugar," she said quietly, turning to face him properly. She knew she looked like a hot mess. Her hair was out of place and the bags under her eyes were hideous. "I'm fine," she lied, trying to smile and convince him of it. "Just...sittin' out here and takin' a breather. Are you alright?"