under the stars

[cryforlxve]

the damp bits of concrete beneath the slotted, iron wrought steps that ascended towards the roof oriented themselves like the spot of the town's beloved betsy. vivienne counted each until they had fallen out of view along her short ascent up to the closet perch to the sky. the wind pressed softly against her back, kissing the nape of her neck, as it pushed her forward. her gaze swept over the familiar figure she had sought after. a welcoming sight for her sore eyes. "you forgetting who was here with you when you found this spot," she tsked. "it's a sunday in pinehaven. everyone's either sleeping, eating, or hoping to hit the mega million."

"when were you gonna tell me you were coming home for good? i would have made you something delicious."

[lcvinghecrt]

Nelly’s head tilted slightly when she heard the voice, the corner of her mouth already THREATENING a smile before she even turned. She twisted one of the gold rings around her finger again, slow and absentminded. When she finally glanced over at Vivienne, one eyebrow lifted. “ Oh, RELAX, ” Nelly said, dragging the words out like she was only half willing to give the credit. “ I remember you being there. And I REMEMBER you being afraid we were going to get in trouble. ” She shifted her weight, letting her gaze drift lazily back toward the street below, as if the whole town was still under inspection. “ I’m the one who recognized the potential. You just happened to be present during the discovery... That's ALL I'm saying babe ” Her eyes flicked back to Vivienne, a crooked little smirk settling in. Nelly made a soft scoffing sound under her breath, leaning forward slightly on the railing as she looked down the street again. “ A whole town full of people acting like it’s socially acceptable to nap through an entire day. ” Nelly muttered. “ But sure. Sleeping, eating, lottery dreams. Very THRILLING town culture. ” She nudged Vivienne lightly with her shoulder. “ Honestly, though, you’re LUCKY I showed up. Without me this whole place would just be… quiet observation. ” She let the silence settle before she added, dryly, “ And we BOTH know I’m significantly more entertaining than that. ”

Nelly shrugged one shoulder, “ if I had warned you ahead of time you’d have done something extremely domestic like cook a full meal and make me TALK about my feelings. And you know I don’t walk willingly into emotional ambushes. ”

[btwnthepines]

there wasn't enough rolls of word of the day toilet paper to adequately express the profound peace that enveloped evelyn now that the dae clan had finally been reunited; and speaking to each other. it had felt like she'd been advocating for nelly's return for so long that she'd begun to truly become accustomed to the ache of her absence, an indelliable cold spot in her big heart. so it was unsurprising that evie had been eager to coerce her back to the nest and welcomed her with open, eager arms. nevermind the kinks they were still working on smoothing out and the mended bridges she was still mediating between her younger sister and parents. it was all confetti in the grand scheme of things, and as long as evie was still breathing nelly would have a safe space to come to.

"the answer to that is never, oh, cute shirt" evie trilled with a flair, the idea of her ever growing tired of nelly's company truly laughable as she still felt like she was making up for lost time. evie regarded the knitting needles in her grasp once more, lips puckered in a contemplative pout. "maybe I am, i feel like these could be pretty deadly if I wielded them like mister miyagi."

evie's gaze danced with glee and a measure of shared urges, "good thing I just restocked my buldak supply. boyfriend on demand is our chosen cheesy but good kdrama of the night," she declared, finally surrendering the needles to the clutter that had taken over her kitchen counter. "I want to feast with my mouth until my belly is full and with my eyes to feed all my delusions about dreamy kdrama actors showing up at my doorstep."

[lcvinghecrt]

the corner of her mouth curled upward. She took into the whole SCENE. Evie standing there with yarn tools, the cluttered kitchen, the FAMILIAR smell of food lingering somewhere. It all felt weirdly grounding. SIX months ago, walking into this apartment had felt like stepping back into a life she wasn’t sure she fit into anymore. Now it felt… EASIER. Nelly snorted the second Evie complimented her shirt, her gaze dropping down. She pinched the hem between two fingers and pulled it out a little to inspect it. “ This thing is LITERALLY a thrift store impulse buy and at least two questionable life choices ago. But thank you for VALIDATING the aesthetic. ” Her attention drifted back to the knitting needles as Evie held them up like she was considering their combat potential. Nelly leaned her hip against the counter, folding her arms loosely across her chest as she watched the performance unfold. Nelly shook her head with EXAGGERATED seriousness. “ If you start channeling Mister Miyagi with knitting needles I’m leaving. I did not emotionally prepare this. ” She gestured lazily toward the needles. “ That’s how horror movies start. First, it’s INNOCENT crafting, next thing I know, you’re guarding the hallway with two tiny swords. ”

She started opening containers with zero hesitation, lifting lids and peering inside CURIOUSNESS taking over. Her fingers immediately snagged a piece of radish kimchi which she popped into her mouth without ceremony. The familiar taste made her hum softly in APPROVAL as she leaned back against the counter again. eyebrows lifting as she looked back at Evie. “ That title alone sounds WIDLY unserious. ” She grabbed a pair of chopsticks and started picking through the banchan while continuing. “ SERIOUSLY I’m already picturing some extremely dramatic slow-motion entrance, ” Nelly went on, waving the chopsticks slightly as she spoke. “Wind machine. Broody eye contact. Probably a TRAGIC backstory involving childhood piano lessons.” Her grin widened. “ And somehow he’s also a ceo by episode two. ” She pointed the chopsticks lightly at Evie. “ Which means we are absolutely watching it. ” Nelly wandered over to the couch, dropping into the corner of it. She’d CLAIMED the territory long ago. She stretched her legs out across the cushions, settling in comfortably. “I just want you to know if one of these dreamy K-drama actors actually shows up at your door, I’m calling dibs on the BROODY second lead.” She let a shrug ROLL off her shoulder. “ They’re ALWAYS the better option anyway. More personality. MORE emotionally repressed billionaire energy. MY kind of person. ”

Her gaze drifted around the apartment for a second before returning to Evie, something SOFTER flickering briefly beneath the usual teasing tone.. “ This is exactly the vibe I needed tonight. ” Then she lifted the chopsticks again. “ Now COME sit down before I eat all of this and you have to watch your show hungry. ”

[lcvinghecrt]

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[btwnthepines]

evelyn dae ( @midnightbeasties ) posted 2 days ago : my baby bird is back in the nest, let the shenanigans commence @lcvinghecrt

[lcvinghecrt]

OPEN STARTER : NELLY Location : UTP (@pinehavenstarters)

Nelly pushed off the railing with a sharp and impatient shove where she was leaning on as she watched the town. The afternoon sun caught the gold rings she was twisting absentmindedly. It was a restless and rhythmic MOTION that gave her fingers something to do. To anyone NORMAL, the street looked dead. However, Nelly had a DIFFERENT opinion. She was already reading the subtext beneath the surface of anyone who walked by. She enjoyed turning everyone else’s BORING life into a soap opera where she held the secrets. She didn’t dwell on the fact that it probably wasn’t the best use of her time. It was the only way she could TOLERATE being back, by making sure everyone else looked as messy as she felt inside.  “ congrats, you found the single semi-decent people watching spot in this ENTIRE zip code. ” Nelly’s eyes drifted between the sidewalk and the other person she had stopped beside. She didn’t actually know if they had wanted to talk; Nelly was never the type to wait for an invitation to start a conversation. “ Unfortunately, the crowd is a little DISAPPOINTING this afternoon. ”

[bcdapp1es]

⭒ closed starter for: @lcvinghecrt | location: ember & pine

isak sat alone eyeing the menu at a table for one in a restaurant around town called ember & pine. although he could tell this place was nice enough for where he was, a part of him couldn't help but feel a little despondent. he was merely yearning for the chaos and openness of amsterdam, or the sheer ambiance of berlin. he'd never fancied himself much of a fan of america. but alas here he was, wincing at the selection of wine. there was a lot of californian wine, some more local to washington and even a shiraz all the way from australia; pity nothing seemed to date back past 2010 though. no bordeaux, no montalcino, no albariño. no taste.

'are you ready to order?' a woman's voice called out to him and finally broke isak from his daydream of all the european wine he simply couldn't have right now. looking up at her not a moment later, a charming smile started to grow on his features. she was beautiful, and perhaps not having a very good night based on her tone and the look in her eye. "truthfully, not really." he made an apologetic face, shaking his head he gave the impression he was a little lost. isak glanced back down at the menu, then back up at his waitress, clocking her name tag on the way. "let's just say what i'm after isn't on the menu, eleanor." no he wasn't talking about her specifically, but let's just say subtext. "is there something you could recommend? preferably red, although i don't mind a dry white. i'm sure you have great taste."

[lcvinghecrt]

Nelly felt the edge of a long shift finally catching up to her. It was the type where the air was stale, and every customer had washed into the PREDICTABLE small-town essence she had tried to escape four years earlier. BORING. Her dark brows lifted in curiosity as he spoke. His voice was smooth, POLISHED, cultured. And most importantly, definitely NOT Pinehaven. Maybe it was the fact that she had spent the last thirty minutes arguing with an older man that the house red tasted ‘TOO SPICY’ that made the younger man in front of her so interesting in comparison. Or maybe, she was just bored. Nelly didn't dwell on the why.

She looked over and caught his gaze, but she didn’t look away. Instead, she let her gaze drag across his face longer than what would’ve been deemed PROFESSIONAL. “ Careful, don’t let the others catch that I let you use my government name, ” she mused in a low, teasing rasp. She tucked her pen behind her ear, dark hair catching the low restaurant lighting as she studied him more openly now. He definitely didn’t BELONG, which only made him more interesting. “ But, ” she added, leaning over the table to peer at the menu, “ if you’re willing to adjust the vibe slightly and lower your expectations to PINEHAVEN REALITY, we’ve got a Petit Verdot from the valley that’s actually kind of a mood. ” She shrugged, tapping the corner of his menu with one finger. “ It’s dark, dry, and a little aggressive, ” she said. “ Basically, the wine equivalent of realizing you’re stuck in a tiny town and somehow still having a good night. ” She let the silence hang for a second, her eyes locked onto his with a dangerous, playful challenge. “ As for my TASTE ? ” Nelly hummed, pushing off the table just enough to cross her arms loosely. “ It’s EXPENSIVE, poorly timed, usually a terrible idea,” she shrugged. “ But hey, the terrible ideas are always the ones worth TALKING about the next morning, aren't they ? So, are we doing the Verdot, or are you going to keep pining for something that isn't coming ? ”

[btwnthepines]

closed starter from: evie

@lcvinghecrt

aish, what did i come into the kitchen for again?

once more, she found herself ensnared in the web of her own making, embarking on a trivial endeavor that, in all likelihood, should have been undertaken and finished eons ago. yet, mere moments into her attempt, her focus diverted. she lingered at her kitchen island, enveloped in a haze of dissonance; somewhere in the five steps from the living room she'd regrettably lost the plot. and in her hand was…knitting needles?

she blinked rapidly as she mentally backtracked to find the task at hand. and immediately, her concentration faltered, captivated by the unmistakable jingle of keys as they slipped into the lock of her apartment door, accompanied by the comforting shuffle of her sister drawing near.

knitting needles still welded in her grasp, evie darted around the kitchen island, her excitement palpable as she rushed to greet her. cheeks already creasing in a beaming grin, "nelly?" voice trilling happily. "i didn't know you were coming to see me today! you know I was just thinking about calling you over earlier, but then I started doing…" she trailed off, still unable to grasp what she was meant to be doing. "…something. eomma sent me home with enough banchan to feed a hungry village and I thought we could binge watch that new show."

[lcvinghecrt]

Nelly wasn’t PLANNING on going to her sister’s apartment, but somehow she always managed to show up there.  Pinehaven hadn’t magically turned her into a punctual, well-adjusted person in six months, but showing up unannounced at Evie’s apartment felt a lot less like trespassing these days. However, the quiet rhythm of the town had been one of MANY reasons she had left Pinehaven in the first place and was still uncomfortable to her. At least Evie’s was still NEUTRAL territory when she wanted to get away from it all. Nelly kicked the door closed behind her, keys still dangling from her fingers, as her eyes glanced at the scene around her. 

“ Uh, yeah, hi. Didn’t text. Sitting at home alone was not the VIBE I was going for tonight. Figured I’d show up and see how long it would take you to kick me out. ” she shrugged, dropping her bag on the floor without much thought. Her eyes quickly glanced towards the knitting needles in the other’s hand. “ Who else in this town would tolerate my presence for more than twenty minutes ? ” She nodded slowly at the other’s words. “ So, you started doing something, got distracted, and now you’re holding weapons in the kitchen. I’d say I’m shocked, but I grew up with you. ” She let a small smile CREEP onto her lips. “ You realize you literally look like you’re about to duel someone, right ? ”

The mention of banchan forced her attention back AWAY from the knitting needles. “Oh my god. Thank god. I literally came here hungry. So Eomma’s timing is kind of incredible, actually. ” She glanced back at Evie. “ I absolutely came here to mooch food and steal your couch for the evening. What are we watching ? ”

[lcvinghecrt]

would   you   believe   us   if   we   said   that   wasn't   really   MINNIE MILLS?   well,   it   isn't   .ᐟ.ᐟ   that's   ELEANOR DAE,   a   proud   resident   of   pinehaven   for   the   last   6 MONTHS.   you   can   find   them   working   over   at   EMBER & PINE   as   a/an   WAITRESS.   they're   24 ,   but   they   hardly   look   that   old!   it   must   be   the   washington   weather   that   keeps   them   looking   so   young   .ᐟ.ᐟ   word   around   the   town   is   that   they're   STUBBORN, REACTIVE, IMPULSIVE ,   but   we   think   that's   silly.   we   feel   like   they're   much   more   LOYAL, CHARISMATIC, FREE-SPIRITED.   if   we   had   to   pick   one   song   to   describe   HER,   it   would   be   KILBY GIRL   BY   BACKSEAT LOVERS.   see   ya   'round,   NELLY   .ᐟ.ᐟ

General Info

BIRTH NAME: Eleanor Dae

NICKNAMES: Nelly; Nell

AGE: 24

DATE OF BIRTH: May 1st

GENDER: Cis Female

PLACE OF BIRTH: Pinehaven, Washington

ETHNICITY: Korean America

PRONOUNS: She/Her

ORIENTATION: Bisexual

EDUCATION: High School Diploma, Tried Community College (dropped out after a semester), Tried Cosmetology School (dropped out)

STYLE

Messy-cool. Nelly’s style looks like she got dressed five minutes before leaving the house but somehow still pulls it off. Vintage band tees, worn leather jackets, ripped denim, chunky boots, layered rings. She mixes thrift store finds with statement pieces Prefers gold jewelry.

MYERS BRIGGS

ESFP – The Entertainer

Thrives on experience and stimulation. Impulsive and emotionally driven. Magnetic and socially bold. Avoids long-term planning. Feels deeply but hates being pinned down emotionally

POSITIVE TRAITS

Loyal to the people she loves. Charismatic and socially magnetic. Fearlessly authentic. Adaptable in situations. Emotionally perceptive (even if she pretends not to be). Passionate and expressive

NEGATIVE TRAITS

Impulsive and reckless. Avoids responsibility when it feels suffocating. Defensive when criticized. Can self-sabotage relationships. Struggles with commitment. Prideful and stubborn. Hides vulnerability behind humor or sarcasm

QUIRKS

Changes her hair whenever she’s going through something. Constantly fidgets with rings or jewelry when nervous. Uses sarcasm or jokes when conversations get emotional. Always has music playing somewhere (headphones, speaker, car). Collects random vintage items from thrift stores. Has a habit of disappearing when overwhelmed, then showing up later like nothing happened. Calls people affectionate but mildly insulting nicknames

BIO

Nelly didn’t just grow up in Pinehaven; she spent two decades trying to outrun it. While her sisters found comfort in the town’s quiet rhythms and their family’s Korean heritage, Nelly treated her hometown like a waiting room for a life she hadn't started yet. She was the sister who came home at 3:00 AM with neon-dyed hair and a fresh set of excuses, constantly testing the bounds of her family's patience. At twenty years old there was her breaking point. It was closer to what some would consider an explosion. A simple argument about being a "sensible" adult turned nuclear when a comment about her lack of discipline finally broke her. Nelly was driven by a mix of a bruised ego, impulsiveness, and the desperate need for autonomy. She spent an hour shoving her life into a single duffel bag before leaving without a word. It was impulsive and reckless. But it was the decision she could stomach at the time. Nelly was convinced that the Dae family and Pinehaven itself were suffocating her as a person and needed to leave. She spent the next few years chasing a version of herself that only existed in movies. Without much thought. landed in New York City. She was drawn to the fast pace, the bright lights, and the ability to reinvent herself. That’s where she met Julian. He was a magnetic, fast-talking musician who seemed to have the very soul of the city. For a long time, Nelly was convinced she’d finally found her person. She threw herself into their relationship with a reckless intensity, molding her entire identity around their life together. It was three years in when everything changed. It wasn't just a breakup; it was a total demolition. Julian had been cheating for over a year. Suddenly, the "freedom" Nelly had fought so hard for felt a lot like being stranded. She spent weeks drifting through New York, broke and realizing that in her rush to find herself, she’d actually ended up completely lost. In the end, Evie was the only bridge left standing, and after a tear-filled phone call, Evie had convinced her to come home. Now, Nelly is back in Pinehaven, trying to figure out how to be a "local" again while still being her.

[stylestream]

Minnie Mills wearing a Bach Mai ensemble in an Instagram post on September 18, 2025.