𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖑 𝖒𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖘 𝖇𝖔𝖉𝖞

i do believe it's true that there are roads left in both of our shoes. but if the silence takes you, then i hope it takes me too. so brown eyes i'll hold you near, 'cause you're the only song i want to hear — a melody softly soaring through my atmosphere.

[lilahgoode]

Hunter.

      hunter had a bad habit of chain smoking, well, smoking cigarettes in general. he knew there was a rule about designated smoking areas but didn’t really care too much as he took another drag from a Marlboro Red, not even dropping it into the ocean as he heard someone approaching. ❝ come to lecture me about the dangers of lung cancer? ❞

her nose wrinkled prematurely, the smell hitting her yards before the culprit even came into view. she despised cigarettes and all they did to a person ( and anyone near them ), but she hated the annoying sense of responsibility that her moral compass and her job title forced upon her. stopping a good two feet away, she crossed her arms defensively over her chest, her frown deepening into a scowl at his words. “ not in regards to yourself, ” she began lightly. “ since you’re making it perfectly clear that any attempt would fall on deaf ears. but i will make a point to irritate you at least to the point of getting you to move your bad habit to a place less likely to affect those of us not interested in dying young. ”

[lilahgoode]

Bonnie.

               ‘ i ate a brownie the other day & it was magnificent. pretty intense feeling , almost felt as though i was floating. ’ pausing in her words , bonnie looked at the other with a small smile. ‘ oh —- oh , there was no pot in it. just was a really good brownie. ’

nodding along as the other girl spoke, delilah pressed her lips together to keep her grin from turning to a laugh. “ ——— okay.. whatever you say, babe. ” while she understood the absolute magic of chocolate, bonnie’s description seemed a bit much for the recipe to not have included some type of herb.

[lilahgoode]

Christopher.

“I swear to god, mate. If they play that kiki, do you love me? or whatever the name of that song actually is on this deck again while I’m on my shift, I’m throwing myself out of this boat and into the ocean.” the aussie groaned, giving a look of exasperation towards the group of teens not too far from the bar, as they seemed to be attempting the viral dance to that said song. “ I also have to witness that all day. - anyways, enough of my rambling. What can I get ‘ya? “

delilah’s brows raised as her eyes followed the same group that seemed to be the source of his annoyance. understandable, considering they were making complete fools of themselves, but they definitely seemed to be having a good time of it. “ aw, don’t fret, ” she teased lightly, her bottom lip extended in a pout. “ they’re putting on quite the show for your patrons! if anything, you should be thanking them. i mean, seeing that sure makes me want to buy a few drinks to forget i ever saw it. ” leaning her elbows on the bar, she bit her lip as she considered. “ how about a vodka soda? or do you need to see my id? ”

[tragichcney-blog]

SNAPCHAT - SOFIA & OPEN

[lilahgoode]

tragichcney:

SOFIA: a passenger just asked me if we could uber steakhouse to their room. SOFIA: i am in SHOCK. SOFIA: how cool would that be though.

DELILAH: you’d think there’d already be a service like that huh DELILAH: ngl i wouldnt want to be the one to do it if we did have it tho DELILAH: customer service jobs are the [jean ralphio vc] wooooooorst

[lilahgoode]

Xavier.

“some of the passengers here are just.. infuriating.” he usually got on quite well for everybody, but when passengers got drunk and tried to fight him because he refused them entry into the casino? yeah, he hated them more than anything. “where i come from, what security says goes. and yet, i come here and security means nothing to people. i guess that happens when you just throw money at your problems, though.” xavier rubbed his hand over his face and flashed a smile at the other. “anyway, sorry for whinging about my own crappy shift. how was yours?”

“ oh, you’re preaching to the choir, my friend. ” she was more than aware just how entitled passengers thought themselves to be, even though their child’s papercut doesn’t come close to being as demanding as another’s broken arm. “ that’s the worst part of this job, really — whether you’re a security guard or a nurse, no one’s authority is higher than the passengers’.. apparently. ” answering his grin with one of her own, delilah tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and shrugged delicately. “ if there’s ever anyone you don’t have to worry about ranting to, it’s me. i know i’ve gone off on more than a few tangents to unsuspecting co-workers about the trials of my job, too. as for my shift.. well, someone decided to upchuck all over my nice clean examination table, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary. ”

[lilahgoode]

Alexio.

“sounds like something i would do until you made it to the straight edge part of the requirements.” alexio chuckles, looking over at delilah. “that’s definitely a drunk xio thing but i can’t imagine what would make a completely sober dude do that. hysteria, perhaps. we’ve been at sea for a white.” he jokes playfully , a hand running through his hair. he had done PLENTY of things when he was drunk, but he can rightfully say that he never did anything that crazy sober. he was calmer, and more refined when he wasn’t drinking. “maybe that’s just his weird way of saying he was attracted to you. i know if i were to show my attraction to a pretty nurse, i would totally strip naked and throw a nice lil saucy wink in there. it’s like those birds that have that fucking hilarious mating call, you know ? ” 

rolling her eyes to the heavens, not remotely amused, delilah’s lips twisted into a scowl. two months may not have been much, but she found it was quiet clearly enough to become very well acquainted with the antics of drunk xio. “ you’re a nuisance. ” she wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she knew — grudgingly — that there was some sense in both of his observations. while the former was possible, it hadn’t been quite long enough to warrant any unhinged actions even in the least caliber. the latter, however, seemed increasingly likely, which only served to sour her mood that much more. “ while i wish i could say i’m surprised you’d stoop to public nudity in a vain ( not to mention tactless ) attempt to entice a girl into your bed, ” she began lightly, eyes narrowed, a sardonic expression on her face. “ i’m not. ”

[lilahgoode]

Lara.

lara tied a knot at the bottom of her bracelet, making sure to loop it over several times in order to make sure nothing would fall off this time. She really didn’t want to spend anymore time on beads falling to the ground. she looked at all of the beads in the container as she tried to pick out where to start. “see that’s what I thought when I started these bracelets, but that just lead to bracelet aggression.” she laughed. “but a grueling shift? dang, what happened?” she asked. “if you want to talk about it, that is.” she said before looking back to the container of beads. she pulled a couple of beads out and tried to figure out what color to start with. “I agree. And I tried to make it span to being a staple of boyhood too by making them for my brothers. They didn’t appreciate it as much as I did. Aw, that sounds adorable. I’m sure it looked totally legit and not like a knockoff at all.” 

" bracelet aggression? ” she queried with a laugh. in all her twenty-two years, she hadn’t ever heard such a fanciful, if endearing way to describe something less-than-pleasant. “ is that a technical term, then? ” her laugh ebbing into a sigh, delilah smiled ruefully. “ not anything in particular, really. just a lot in one day, you know? ‘ oh, my son has a rash! must be smallpox! ’ and ‘ i slipped at the pool and i swear i’ve broken every bone in my leg! ’ you know, the usual silly exaggerations of stir crazy passengers with nothing better to do. ” smiling wistfully, delilah’s fingers deftly strung one bead after the other, making the bracelet colorful, if a bit crowded in her enthusiasm; she’d always wished she had siblings to grow up with. “ i bet they looked beautiful, despite their protests. and, no, they were so right — it was a sad representation. ”

[lilahgoode]

Forrest.

   the male shrugs his shoulders, “at least they were at the right place at the right time.” he replies. “i can only imagine. it’s what he deserves, at least.”

“ yeah, i guess. though, the applause they got from the onlooking passengers seemed a bit ridiculous to me. ” she frowns, shaking her head at the absurdity. “ i mean, you don’t see anyone else getting applause for doing their job, do you? except maybe a lifeguard.. ”

[lilahgoode]

Alex.

he could feel the slight tension between them. it wasn’t often of them to be bumping into each other. in fact, he was sure this was their first proper conversation together, and yet it had already seemed like it was coming to an end. “ - so, how’s it been for you here?” the boy blurted. “i mean, you’ve only been here for a couple months, right? i hope you’ve been doing ok. not missing home too much?” he continued, hoping to ease her. alex himself had a bit of a tough start adjusting and all he needed was a friend. there he was hoping that he could be just that for her.

it wasn’t surprising that she was still coming across people she hadn’t yet met, considering she spent almost the entirety of her short tenure on the ship in the infirmary or passed out in her cabin. that said, it seemed introductions were all she’d been engaging in since she came aboard — unfortunate for everyone she spoke to, considering she was terrible as far as small talk was concerned. “ two, actually, ” she confirmed with a nod and a smile. “ as far as how i’m doing, well.. ” shrugging lightly, she shook her head with a soft amused exhale. “ i’m just about as bone tired as i’d expected to be. it seems like as soon as someone’s itty bitty cut’s been bandaged, someone else’s kiddo has turned a a horrible green color that’s just the picture of unhealthiness. ” complain as she may, she did love her job, loved helping people as best she can. “ missing home, though, not much. crowds of people and blatant tourism are the same here as they are back in good ol’ orlando, so it’s not too different. i do wish i could get some dole whip around here, but that’s a dream that unfortunately will not come true. ”

[lilahgoode]

Forrest.

  “some people are just fucking weird and i’ve got no clue what we can do about it.” he shrugs his shoulders for a moment. “you know his name? could probarbly call security and get him in trouble.”

frowning, delilah nodded in confirmation. “ he’s already been punished — at least, as far as i know. security whisked him away not a minute later. ” tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she raised her brows animatedly as she continued, shuddering. “ but it was the most uncomfortable experience. i’m willing to bet he’ll get kicked off the ship for it, since there were enough kids on deck for it to have been considered illegal. ”

[lilahgoode]

Alex.

he couldn’t help but focus on her delicate features as she spoke, even then with a soft voice as well. he saw the appeal and success to her as a nurse - who wouldn’t feel comfortable or better around her? an airy laugh escaped his lips as he scratched the back of his head. “yeah, sometimes my brain likes to trick my body that its sick just for the fun of it. you know, give it a hard time to keep it on its toes.” the blonde looked up at her and smiled gingerly. “but it’s nice to know we have someone as reliable as you around just in case shit really hits the fan.” although, to think of it he wouldn’t like for her to see him as a snotty mess either. 

hand falling to her side, delilah’s smile didn’t falter, even as she felt a small flush of embarrassment spreading along her cheeks over jumping to conclusions. all it took was the tiniest flash of discomfort and her mind shifted automatically into nurse-mode. “ that’s pretty common, ” she assured him with a sympathetic nod. “ sometimes just an idea is enough to bring on the nausea. ” while she’d only barely been flushed before, she was sure her face was positively pink with his compliment, unwarranted as it was. “ that’s me, ol’ reliable. ”

[lilahgoode]

Archie.

               “it sounds like–” archie began, already worried about the growing heat rolling across his tongue effortlessly and developing–worrisomely–into something that seemed half-annoyed and half-angry and therefore nothing like himself, “–the most he was expressing was some perverse inclination to get a rise out of you,” he paused for a second before adding, “and the others on deck.”  it wasn’t in his nature to get worked up over things–especially things that were out of his control. but around delilah, the idea that he was spreading too far from what was generally categorized as ‘ in his nature ‘ didn’t seem too daunting in the first place. even so, as he sat and listened to her weave a story that made his hands feel solid and weightful, he relished in the fact that his eyes were experts when it came to soaking in every small gesture and mannerism she offered him. soon, she looked more like a girl who was annoyed that she couldn’t go back and have a regular day, rather than a girl who had experienced something traumatizing. that alone gave archie a reason to let his face relax into something more kind and less rigid. “honestly ? i’m sure you could have taken him. besides, from the sound of it, him and his repulsive wink could have used a solid one-two–or some other overpriced combo.” raising his hands then, he leaned back and looked away from her, accentuating his own lack of genuine seriousness, “but hey, i get it. a girl has to keep her job at all costs. that’s respectable.”

years of studying faces for signs of discomfort and listening for the rise and fall of a lie in a person’s voice had delilah’s eyes tightening infinitesimally at the subtle, but very present intensity behind his words. irritation ebbed into a slow procession of frustration, her lips twitching as she forced back a scowl, her hackles bristling at even the insinuation of insulting her independence. her mind flashed to the first time they met, the ugly gash in his palm, the proud set to his mouth and the hardness behind his eyes had her inhaling in an attempt to keep from saying something she didn’t mean. it was to be a battle of wills, she figured, recalling how long they’d stubbornly held each other’s eye, waiting to see who’d break first ( she had when another potential patient banged into the room wailing about an earache, much to her annoyance ). “ possibly, ” she conceded on a delicate inhale, the tip of a finger tracing swirling patterns into the wood of the table. “ he had been a bit.. ” frowning, she refused to meet his eye as she finished, able to guess exactly how he’d react once the words were out of her mouth. “ ...forward after i’d patched up his shin. ” eyes blazing in warning, she looked up to meet his gaze, daring him to allow even an ounce of concern for her seep into his disposition. “ though, i made it very clear how i felt about that. ” her frown deepened as he spoke and she mirrored him, leaning back in her own chair, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. “ you’re damn right i could’ve taken him. ” her chin raised in an attempt to make her seem more imposing, her words holding more clout. “ would’ve, too, had security not escorted him somewhere below deck — hopefully there were handcuffs and a swift boot off the ship waiting for him inside. ”

[lilahgoode]

Lara.

as the girl started to pick up the beads, lara smiled. “Thank you.” she told her as she moved the container so the girl could put the beads into it. “it’s definitely not the easiest thing I’ve ever done. But I also didn’t think small beads would be so irritating.” as the girl accepted her task, she moved the string and the scissors towards her. “all the children in the day care will appreciate it, along with my eternal gratitude. seriously though, if you want dinner or a drink or something, consider it on me.” she took a deep breath before she started to string the beads back together. “oh, I’m sure that it’ll look just as good as mine. I hadn’t actually ever made bead bracelets until recently. I was more into daisy chains in middle school.” 

the small sound of beads plinking softly in the bowl as she chose one to thread into the bracelet, delilah felt herself settle and relax. she hadn’t been kidding when she mentioned how long it had been since she’d taken the time to do anything like this, really, and she found it was more therapeutic than she’d have guessed. where it had been tedious and exhausting when she was thirteen, the steadily building rhythm of overs and unders was enough to trick her mind into lax state. “ oh, it’s no trouble, really, ” she stressed, fingers pausing as her attention drifted for a moment from thread to companion. “ if anything, i should be thanking you for giving me something to both distract and relax me after a very grueling shift. ” chewing absently on her lip as she debated which color to add next, she listened politely, if a bit absentmindedly. “ oh, daisy chains were an absolute staple of girlhood! i always made mine small enough to wear as a tiara like i was some knockoff disney princess. ”

[cybersadbitch]

[lilahgoode]

“ now, i’m all about freedom of expression, ” she began imploringly, both brows and hands raised to emphasize her sincerity in the matter. “ but running across the deck naked as the day you were born doesn’t seem to be the best way to go about it. ” she shook her head at the absurdity of it, wondering after both the how’s and the why’s involved in such a decision. “ and there’s no chance of playing the devil’s advocate, here, as much as i know some people will try to do. this man was one of my patients — mid twenties, straight edge, of sound mind — so, it wasn’t as if he lost his mind or his inhibitions to inebriation. he just winked at me, all his.. bits exposed for every man, woman and child to observe, and bolted across the deck like a bat out of hell. ” shaking her head in disbelief, delilah dropped her chin into her palm, a loud huff of a sigh blowing a long strand of hair from her face. “ men terrify me sometimes. ”

[lilahgoode]

Lara.

A couple weeks ago, the daycare had invested in a small beading and bracelet making kit. Instantly, Lara was intrigued. One of her favorite childhood activities were making daisy chains which transformed into her making hemp bracelets in middle school. So anytime bracelet making was involved Lara was there. She had started by helping a group of girls make a few and it slowly transformed into one of Lara’s favorite things to do at work. It was also one of the children’s favorite things to do too and if they noticed her making them, they would always ask for one. With the amount of children who were asking for bracelets, Lara couldn’t finish them all while she was at work. Which is why she was currently trying to put together as many bracelets as she could for tomorrow’s shift. She was working on what seemed like her tenth bracelet and tying the teeny tiny knots to make sure the beads didn’t fall off. She thought she had tied the knots well enough but when she let go of the bracelet all the beads fell off and she groaned. “Who knew something so simple as tying a knot could be so aggravating!!” She signed before turning to the closest person to her. “Do you think I could recruit you to try and tie knots for these bracelets?”

days off were rare and it had initially surprised delilah just how many accidents people could get into on a cruise ship. she’d figured that it would be easier, less time consuming and a good opportunity to get caught up on some desperately needed r&r, but it seemed as if someone just had to do something stupid to land them in the infirmary every day ( usually more than a few dozen cases, if she was being honest ). it shouldn’t have jarred her as much as it had, though, considering the ship was the size of a small city, but after three days of twelve hour shifts, she was more than a little grateful to be in her bathing suit, rather than her scrubs. she had her eye set on one of the free lounge chairs when she heard the beads hit the deck. it wasn’t loud by any means, but it stopped her in her tracks all the same. kneeling to sweep them into her palm, delilah grinned up at the girl who’d dropped them, hoping she managed to get them all. “ well, it can’t be too easy, considering just how tiny they are. ” carefully placing the beads on the table, delilah sat across from the other girl, gladly taking her up on her request. “ you can count on me, sarge. ” she offered a lazy salute and grinned. “ god, i haven’t made one of these since middle school. that said, i can’t guarantee mine will look as nice as yours. ”

[lilahgoode]

Alex.

“so,” alex started, letting out a heavy breath and taking a few seconds to grasp where he was standing. for as far as his eyes could see, it was nothing but a vast shade of dark blue around him. he crossed his arms as his face slowly looked more and more concerned. “how bad do you think it is for someone who’s working at a cruise to finally realise he might be a little bit scared of the ocean? i’m asking for a friend.”

SEASICKNESS, she’d learned, came in varying degrees. cases ranged from i don’t feel so good to i’m gonna upchuck my large intestine and delilah had the misfortune of attempting to treat them all. cautiously pressing a hand to his shoulder, delilah frowned, gauging where he fell on the spectrum. “ it’s probably not the smartest place for.. your friend to be, no. ” she offered a small smile of sympathy. “ ginger tea works wonders, if you’d like me to make you some. ” then his words registered in her mind and her brows furrowed. “ unless you’re not actually sick? if it’s fear of the water, then i suggest finding something to distract you — them. ”