we are the monsters inside your head

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[monstersunderurbed]

Nin Bloomberg intro || board Ivan Reyes intro || board Liv Everly intro || board Nathan Navarro intro || board Leo Lefebvre intro || board Armin Sylver intro || board Mia Rosales intro || board Aria Beck intro || board

[chxsingthunder]

location: ivy's van status: closed @monstersunderurbed

When he'd started running, it hadn't been with any direction or location in mind. Though he'd very quickly realized that running was a bad idea, his limp slowing him down significantly and causing him to wince with every other thud of his sneaker on the pavement. And then, in a panic, he'd done his best to get a better understanding of his surroundings.

The trailer park wasn't far, and he knew that's where Ivy's van was parked. Or it had been the last time he'd seen it. And he prayed to a deity he was never really sure if he believed in that it would still be there now.

As he approached the trailer park, his footfalls were becoming slower, not quite as rhythmic. When he saw the van, he was practically walking, though his gait was still fast, and he was limping. He kept looking over his shoulder as he tried to catch his breath, adjusting his cropped halter where it had become askew around his neck and then all but falling into the side of the van with a THUMP!

"Ivy, let me in! Andale!" He shouted, smacking a hand against the side of the van, too, for good measure. Iggy was panting, forehead against the cool metal siding, his bad leg only touching the ground with the toe of his shoe, no weight on it anymore.

[monstersunderurbed]

Ivy had just taken a shower at the communal bathroom in the trailer park. It wasn't his favorite, but the twins weren't home, and he didn't feel like pestering any of his friends to let him use a shower. Besides, he'd needed a quick fix, and he didn't like doing it whenever River was around, so his plans for the night were pretty much set the second the sun went down.

What he didn't expect was to hear his name being called with urgency as he finished drying his hair. It didn't take him long to recognize that voice as his brother's, but he was still slightly weirded out at the idea of him showing up unannounced. Was something wrong? Ivy wrapped the towel around his hair like a turban and rushed out of the showers and towards his van, where, yes... There was a very exhausted Iggy leaning against it and banging on the window.

"Hey, poop face!" He called very much endearingly. "Over here– what's up? Did you... Did you run all the way here? Is something wrong?" Ivy shouldn't be surprised that his brother wanted to hang out with him, but lately it seemed they only met up when something was going on. Whether they spoke about it or not, it was a whole other topic. The sweat on Iggy's forehead and the ragged breathing were enough of an answer for Ivy, who hastened his pace until he was by the side of the van. "What's up?" He asked, trying to sound calm and collected, even if the worried frown on his forehead gave him away.

[icanbuymyownflowers]

Now that Theo was cleaning the house, waiting for Liv to arrive at any moment, he found himself second-guessing the invitation. He didn't know if it had been such a good idea after all. It sounded like it when they were exchanging texts. She was only coming over so they could catch up. Old friends did that all the time. She'd also offered to see if she could make something for Sadie, his dog.

The part that complicated things was that she wasn't only his dog. She was also Astrid's, his wife. Would she be enchanted about him inviting his ex-girlfriend over when they were just getting better? After all, Liv wasn't just an old friend. They had an history.

Well, it was now too late to back down and his intentions were purely innocent. When he heard a knock on the door, he rushed towards the front door to welcome Liv. A smile spread across his face. He didn't waste any time and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. ''Liv! I'm so glad you could make it. Come in, come in. Make yourself at home! Do you want something to drink or to eat? Anything you'd like!''

@monstersunderurbed

[monstersunderurbed]

Liv drove down to Theo's house with a bunch of fabrics and materials to look at in the trunk. She wasn't the most organized person, but she had an order in her own mess. The bags had most likely spilled out all over her trunk by the time she arrived, but her mind was occupied with her meeting with Theo after the very unexpected and casual conversation a couple of weeks ago.

A certain conversation with her brother had brought up the idea that maybe she was trying to chase old feelings by talking to Theo, and even though she wanted to prove him wrong and show him that exes could be friends as well, Liv knew herself. It was hard for her to be just friends with anyone at all. Her love language seemed to be flirting, after all, even if she didn't even notice she was doing it most of the time, and in those cases... Well, the blonde couldn't admit she regretted getting further than talking with them. But no– she had to keep her focus. She thought about how much she'd missed him as a person, as a friend– as hard as it was, Liv had been able to seep through the memories, and think of all the times she wished she could have just called him. Theo's presence was soothing enough, the sunshine to her storm that made a rainbow appear, and even if they would be nothing like they had been back in the day, she needed that energy while being back at home.

Knowing she would need help with all the stuff she'd brought, Liv walked over to the door to ring the bell. She didn't expect Theo to open the door so suddenly, and neither did she expect to be pulled into a hug that warmed her cheeks and all the way down to her chest. "Of course I made it, silly! What's the point of being my own boss if I can't make time to hang out with my friends?" Liv responded with her usual chipper voice, a grin spreading across her face from ear to ear. "I'll take you up on that because God, my car's AC broke down again and it's hot as hell in there, but... I did bring some stuff to show you and Sadie. I might need a little hand, though. It's in the trunk– do you mind?"

[littlesugarnspice]

Logan let out a breath at her question, shaking his head. "I might share it later, for now, I don't think it will help with the focus on pool," he said, his hand travelling to her waist. He was unsure if to stop her lean or lean into it himself, so he simply opted to keep her still, as if only because he wanted to guide her to stand correctly. He hadn't been on Tinder for more than half a year, no successful dates in a few additional months on top of that time. Liv teasing like this, either unconsciously or completely on purpose, could get him excited quickly. And while he enhanced the feeling of rumbling fire below his stomach, he also didn't like the idea of her having this power over him so quickly.

And yet when she leaned back toward him to murmur the question by his ear, he felt the heat grow. "That they are, can't blame me for adapting to them," he grinned and then his hand left her waist as he reached forward and nudged the cue stick into position. Her teasing was working, completely, and yet a part of him just wanted to extend this. "Yes, hit the white ball. Nice and easy. Try not to launch it into somebody's drink, " his own innuendo was obvious and less coy than hers, of course. "Maybe being a good teacher counts for something too. Wouldn't want the gentleman title to be hanging on by a thread."

[monstersunderurbed]

"I think I'm focused, are you not?" The blonde teased, looking up at him through her lashes, only to find the exact look she was looking for in his. She bit her bottom lip and let her guide her through the proper position. She expected a bit more boldness on his behalf, really press himself against her because that's exactly what she wanted from him. And perhaps that was the main reason why he wasn't giving it to her. Maybe he was a gentleman after all. Her hold eased on the stick, and she let her back lean slightly closer to the table so the white ball was perfectly in focus, almost forgetting that she had to pretend not to know how to play pool for a few more minutes at least.

"Really? Who are you to adapt the bar, anyway?" She scoffed, smiling at the feeling of his back pressing hers down. If only they were alone in the entire room– she could imagine a thing or a few things they could be doing on this same table. Liv giggled at the thought and focused on the ball again. "I've never been a fan of nice and easy myself, but I'll do it for you," Liv smirked, pulling the stick back softly, then hitting the white ball straight in the middle to get the game officially started; she had been playing her own for a while now. "I'll consider that, if you end up letting me win."

[riverbankguardian]

❝ Hey… ❞ Ethan’s expression softened the moment she leaned into him, his arms instinctively tightening just enough to hold her closer without overwhelming her. His hand slid up her back in a slow, grounding motion, steadying her as her words trembled out, and when she apologized, he gave a quiet shake of his head. ❝ You don’t have to apologize. Not for any of that, ❞ he murmured gently, thumb brushing near her shoulder as he tilted his head to look at her more fully. His gaze lingered on her face, the soft vulnerability, the way those ocean-bright eyes of hers glistened like she was trying to hold too much in at once, and something in his chest tightened in a way that wasn’t uncomfortable. Then a faint, almost careful smile touched his mouth, ❝ You’re not too much. You’re not behind. You’re not...needing fixing. We’ll figure it out. Together. That’s it. ❞ He shifted slightly then, one hand gently guiding her so she was facing him again, not forcing, just inviting, until there was nothing between them but quiet and shared breath. Ethan didn’t speak right away, just looked at her like he was letting the moment settle into something steady instead of fleeting. ❝ You don’t have to be good for me right now, Liv... Just be with me. We’ll learn the rest as we go. ❞ His hand moved to lightly cradle her jaw, thumb resting near her cheek as he leaned in, slow and deliberate, giving her every chance to pull away. When she didn’t, he closed the distance, pressing a soft, unhurried kiss to her lips, something calm, certain, like a promise without pressure.

[monstersunderurbed]

It wasn't unlike Liv to be quiet, but what else could she respond to something like that? She couldn't be sure if Ethan was seeing the big picture of her; if he would be okay with everything she'd done in her past, her long and messy string of affairs she'd been dragging along the entire time, the way she couldn't stop talking more often than not, her constant mood swings, and quiet sulking. He wasn't sure what Ethan would do with all of that, but he seemed honest when he said he wanted it all– the whole package that came with being Liv Everly. She worried her bottom lip and nodded, her eyes still filling up with tears the sweeter his words got. This should have been a happier moment, and it was the happiest she had been in a while, but she couldn't help but let her fears seep in through the cracks of the facade she still tried to put up.

Truth was, Ethan had already seen two very honest sides of her: the careless version and the one that cared too much. There wasn't too much in between, and perhaps what he actually wanted was to add some excitement to his life. Liv smiled very softly, little by little. She could do that. She would do that. She knew how to play the game, she knew how to go along and be more than a thrill to experience to be around. It just wasn't often that guys wanted to actually stick around. Yet, the selfish part of her that wouldn't shut the hell up all evening kept repeating that it would all be worth it, no matter how long or short it lasted.

"I'm trying to do something here, mister well-behaved," she grinned against his lips, moving her hands again to the back of his neck, leaning in to whisper into his ear next. "If you want to keep drinking tea and eating my biscuits, just say the word, but I'd much rather have your hands on my biscuits, if you ask me." She said, trying her best to hold back her laughter, but failing at the end, turning into a fit of giggles as she fell into the crook of Ethan's neck.

[itsallaboutbl]

Joong Archen as Fadel The Heart Killers, ep. 5

[hclenshivers]

Madelyn Cline for Tommy Hilfiger

[midnitemoonlight]

who: Felix & Nathan @monstersunderurbed where: Wandering Atlas after hours what: Help Me With Some Boxes?

· · ───────────── ·✶· ───────────── · ·

It wasn't rare that Felix was at Wandering Atlas well into the evening, but lately it was feeling easier and easier now that the sun wasn't going down until well past 8pm. They still had a couple hours before it even got close, which meant Felix could keep most of the "big lights" off and save on electricity and allow the oversized windows shed light on the modern features.

Felix normally wouldn't have asked Nate for help. Unfortunately, he had a hard time asking for help with most people, but for some reason it always felt harder asking Nate. Lately things felt a little easier. Him knowing about Claire felt like he could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. No more big secrets, mostly just the truth. There would always been some things unspoken, but weren't all families like that?

He had placed the pizza order and put a bottle of white wine, probably from some gift basket at some point, in the kitchenette fridge to chill as he finished up a few things around the office as he waited for Nate to show. As usual for Felix, just as he began making strides in his work, the front door swung open. "In here!" he called out from his office, through the open door.

· · ───────────── ·✶· ───────────── · ·

[monstersunderurbed]

It wasn't often that Felix called him for any reason, let alone to get some help. Without giving any reasons, Nate excused himself from work, no matter how important his presence was (it usually wasn't, but they had just gotten used to having him there all the time), and drove down to the Wandering Atlas building, managing to arrive there even earlier than expected. Felix's car was parked outside, so he figured there would be no need to wait outside until the time finally came. He grabbed a gym bag from the back seat of his SUV and headed into the building. He didn't come often, but he was familiar enough with the doors and corners to let himself inside and all the way to his brother's office, where he was sure he'd heard his voice coming from.

"Did everyone leave early today?" He asked as he came in, dropping the gym bag on a chair and leaning over on the backrest. It had been a long day, after all, but he couldn't be happier to change the usual four walls of his own office for his brother's.

[icanbuymyownflowers]

Rosita heard the doorbell the first time. She wasn't done with her hair and figured he could wait. She didn't know this man. Why would she rush for him? Most people working for them had been sent home early. Even the chef. Her husband would take care of taking lunch out for them once they'd be ready to it. She heard noise coming from downstairs and soon enough the door was open. She could hear faint conversation and guessed Eduardo felt bad about making him wait. He was much nicer than she was. And had been impatient to meet any blood relative of hers.

Knowing him, he probably introduced himself, complimented Matty on something he was wearing and began the tour of the house. ''Honey! Your brother is here,'' he shouted to get her attention and then said something else she couldn't quite hear. Probably tried to defend her by saying something sweet about how long she took to get ready.

The truth was, she was nervous. She wasn't often, but this was her brother. The only family she had left. Well, in a way. She knew she had changed a lot over the years. Last time she saw Matty, he still was calling her his brother... The letter she left him was signed with the name Rosita and he obviously chose to respect that, but it was hard to tell how he would really react.

She forced a smile as she finally came down the stairs. ''Hi Matías.'' He changed a lot too. He looked older. He looked nice, but the effect their father had on them their entire life was obvious. ''I see you've met my husband, Eduardo. Do you want anything to drink or eat? We have everything,'' she said as she lead the way towards the huge kitchen. Different fruits, vegetables, cheeses and crackers were displayed on the kitchen island.

[monstersunderurbed]

Mia knew Eduardo wasn't a bad man, but she didn't think he would be this kind to her upon getting to meet her. He seemed even more excited to meet her than her sister was to actually see her. Mia didn't like small talk at all, but she knew how to entertain it and even seemed like she was enjoying it completely. Eduardo complimented her outfit, and she found something in him to compliment as well, but was quickly distracted by the size of the house and how well decorated it was. Eduardo had money enough to take care of her sister, and he had good taste, but she wasn't sure if that was on Rosita's behalf. She didn't know a thing about her sister, and the thought of it made her stomach twist, but that was exactly the reason why she was standing there, wasn't she?

After a few minutes, Mia started doubting her sister would come down at all. Despite knowing very little about her nowadays, she was sure that standing her up would not be surprising, but when her voice came from the big staircase behind her, Mia felt like every single hair in her body stood up. It took her a couple of seconds to actually look up at her. She knew what she looked like now; she had done enough research about her whereabouts to recognize her on the street, but seeing her face to face, eye to eye, felt harder than she realized it would be. "Sister," she responded with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, but softened the second she actually got a good look at her. She seemed... fine. More than fine. Mia had to remind herself that she knew this and it shouldn't be a surprise, but her controlling side had constantly yelled at her that if she didn't take care of her, Rosita would not be okay. She was wrong. And she was glad to be wrong for once.

"A drink would be okay," Mia responded, moving behind her sister almost automatically. "I'll take whatever you want to have, I don't mind," she spoke almost meekly, but grabbed a cracker from the table to cover up for it. "You look– well, fuck. It's like looking in the mirror– you look great."

[athousandtaintedroses]

Aspen couldn't help but laugh as she leaned back against the counter for a brief second. "Okay, now I'm definitely picturing this tragic bachelor fridge of yours. Let me guess? Expired sauce packets, one lonely takeout container, and maybe a questionable carton of milk you're pretending is still good?" she teased lightly, though there was no real judgment in it.

Her expression softened a little at his explanation about the spoon, and for a second Aspen simply watched him as he stood and moved closer beside her. There was something surprisingly endearing about the fact he was genuinely concerned over who deserved to lick the batter. "Nate, you realize most people would've stolen the spoon before even asking, right?" she said softly with a slight shake of her head. "You're allowed to enjoy things even if you didn't earn them." Aspen couldn't help but remind him. In all their years of friendship, she always did feel that he never gave himself enough credit where it was due. He'd always been harder on himself than necessary.

Still, she humored him, tilting the spoon slightly toward him with a playful little nod. "Alright, deal. But only because you're being weirdly gentlemanly about cake batter." As he leaned in closer, Aspen bumped her shoulder lightly against his arm. "And for the record, sitting here with me while I bake actually is helping. Kitchens are nicer when you're not alone in them and moral support is still support." She moved to finally put the cake in the oven.

[monstersunderurbed]

"This all felt a lot better when I was describing it than when you were saying it back to me," Nate pouted, but then his eyebrows shot up. "Do sauce packets expire? I thought that was the point of those, that they never did– or that they took ages to expire... Dammit! I never knew that! And... for your information, I am very careful about milk expiring ever after having a taste of what rotten milk tasted like– and ever since I buy vegetable milk. It lasts a lot longer, and it's way easier on my stomach," he added, rubbing his belly to make a point. "I do cook every now and then, though, just very simple stuff that I can freeze and pull out whenever. I learned from a YouTuber." He couldn't even remember the name of the girl, but a busy guy like him was eternally grateful for the meal prep hacks.

Nate couldn't help the scoff that left his throat at her comment. "I thought I was here to catch up, not a therapy session." He could use one, to be fair, especially dealing with everything he had been dealing with in the past couple years, but he had enough with trying to keep up with his medical appointments to keep up with yet another non-work related thing. "But I know, I appreciate it. And I guess I do need a reminder every now and then, but this isn't the case! I just think you should have it. I can always take what's left of it on the bowl," he smirked, taking the bowl and smearing a couple of fingers with what was left at the bottom and taking it. He immediately regretted not taking the full spoonful, but his cardiologist and nutritionist would be proud of him, and that was enough to help him through the feeling. "I know that– my mom loves it when I come over during the weekend, and she's still making dinner. The woman can barely hold a single conversation, but she likes the company."

[goldenchildminmin]

Gaia… dog… his little friends… The cogs in Minho’s head started spinning, working overtime to finally make sense of the situation. Oh so this was… for a dog! They glance down at Gaia, or rather just shift their forward-facing gaze slightly to the side. They could hear Matty laugh at them and explain the situation in a little more detail and still it sounded like a scam. Their gaze moves from a Great Dane to over their shoulder, at the twelve little munchkins that were barely past Gaia’s calves. Oh there was no way. How?!

“How can you be so sure she hasn’t met another dog!” But Minho already knew the answer. There was no way they would miss something like this either, even if they had twelve of them. Every moment of them being outside was monitored. Even when Minho was not the one taking them for a walk, their dog sitters would occasionally send updates with pictures. The only time they would be left to their own devices was when they were home or around the home, within the fence of Minho’s vast yard. 

Minho fumbled, mumbling to themself incoherently. “But… I have a tall fence!” They defend, immediately being their own devil’s advocate in their head. But she is a Great Dane, she is tall enough to jump. “The size difference!” She could’ve laid down. But then it dawned on them. Surely this would explain it! “All of my dogs are fixed!” Actually…

Minho pauses, rethinking. All of their dogs were sorted, except… for the youngest and most newly arrived, just a couple of months shy of a year old. Coincidentally exactly the one they were holding right now! They lift the pupper up, making him face them and their annoying barks instantly turn into happy pants when Minho fills their vision. “Oh, you…” They feel like giving him a little shake but they could never, even if it’s just a little one. Knowing that his beady little eyes looking up at them with all the adoration in the world would just make them melt away, they tuck him under their arm. Facing Matty again, he resumes his little one-sided barking debate. 

“Well I suppose that it’s a possibility! But not one we can verify with absolute certainty.” Minho huffs a little, now just feeling like they should defend their babies. They were all good boys, they were! They do not deserve to stand accused, even if guilty! Love is love, it does not choose! Minho’s eyes flit to Gaia again. Oh, she had those cute button eyes too, albeit much larger than their dogs. How could they tell no to those eyes, even if none of this puppy business might be true. 

“Well! We are taking a walk. You can come with us if you want to talk.” They huff out, giving in as they pick up the leash that had eleven toy poodles attached to it. The rowdiest one remains in their arms as they close the door to their home.

[monstersunderurbed]

"Because I have been with her the entire time except for those ten minutes where she jumped over to your side of the garden– anyway, I just know it, alright? One of your little fried chicken drumsticks got my dog pregnant, and now she's expecting somewhere between 12 and 14 puppies, and I have no idea how we're going to handle that, so..." Mia sighed, pushing her hand through her hair to flip it all behind her back. The few seconds of thought and the look the other gave to a very specific puppy of his said it all. It was very possible, and very much likely, and Mia was absolutely sure he had been the culprit. She didn't really have much hatred towards any of the dogs; they were adorable little things, despite her preference for much larger dogs, but she figured that having that many... well, it wouldn't have been too hard to not pay attention to the one.

"I mean, we cannot– I don't know if there are paternity tests for dogs, but I'm pretty sure that we're about to have a dozen very weird hybrids," the idea made her almost laugh. She couldn't imagine what the puppies would look like: if they would be more like Gaia but smaller, or more like the poodle but bigger, maybe a mix of them both. She needed to Google if this had ever happened before, but the look the vet gave her when she mentioned the possibility of the father being a toy poodle said enough. "You could ask her, I guess, but I'm not sure if any of us will understand whatever she has to say about it." This whole thing was comical, she had to admit. Mia was sure she would have a big laugh about it later, when she had it all sorted, but now she had to figure out how to take care of a litter that big all by herself, and she really didn't want to do that. "You're taking all of them for a walk? At the same time?" Mia asked as she fiddled with the leash, then turned to look at Gaia, who was already excited about a walk from just hearing the word, and she couldn't fight those shiny marble eyes of hers. "I guess we're coming. Lead the way."

[littlesugarnspice]

"I'm...." she started, biting on her nails as she watched him try to regain his balance. She understood his comment, having heard about him being assaulted a few weeks ago from his brother... but she wasn't sure it would be appropriate to comment on it. She was merely a friend, nothing else; it didn't seem like a topic like this would come around naturally. Or was it? When there were others involved, it was always a blurry line of what she could admit of knowing and what - not. It had been easier before. They had just pretended to not know each other aside from schoolwork. Now... now the edge of the precipice was getting too thin to walk on comfortably, and one was bound to fall in either direction eventually. "I'm sorry, again, I was just... I guess I wasn't looking," she finally said as she got her groundings again and reached down for her tote, rummaging through it while squatting. She was looking for one of those cool patches that she had a ton of for the children in her class, but as usual - when you were looking for something - it was gone.

"It's not your fault, not at all. I shouldn't have assumed there's going to be an empty building for me to walk into with such a swing," she muttered, her cheeks flushed now from looking for so long and also from the mere situation of it. Finally, she was up on her feet again, producing the bright blue patch. "Here, let me put this... just... show me where the door hit you. Can you see properly? How many fingers do you see?" she spoke softly, as if she were speaking to a child that had fallen and bumped their head, her heart tugging at the awful mess she had made... as usual. Always. She wasn't good at many things, but messes? Fucking things up. Yeah... yeah, that sounded like her.

[monstersunderurbed]

"Hey, no worries. I wasn't exactly looking either," Nate responded with his hand still covering half of his face, then tried to scrunch up his nose and make a few faces to see if everything was moving properly. Other than sore, it didn't seem to have been that bad of a hit. Logan's fist was far more painful– not like he would ever admit it out loud. A big guy like him was supposed to be tough, especially with his history of being in the Wrestling team in high school, but getting into fights had never been his forte.

"What's– oh... It's fine. It was just a little bump, really. I'm a big guy, I can take it," but before he could finish talking, the bright blue patch was on his face, and he wouldn't say it out loud, but the coldness of it did bring some immediate relief. "I see two fingers– I'm fine," he let out a little bit of an embarrassed laugh as he became aware of the few other stares on them. "Don't worry about it," Nate said finally, putting the patch down to really show her she hadn't done any damage at all. "I don't think it'll even bruise, but thank you," he added, handing her back the patch. "You're Claire, right?"

[monstersunderurbed]

Starter for @chxsingthunder (Iggy and Armin) Dr. Sylver's Office

Armin didn't have many appointments during the day, which was honestly surprising for the kind of weeks he'd been having. It seemed like the Spring turning into Summer had turned people more active than they had been during the Winter months, which came with a lot more injuries and accidents that he could count with his fingers. His regulars were always there, but he'd discharged a couple of them in the past month or so, so his days were busier with the unexpected, which was always a challenge for him.

He could always expect Iggy at his usual time for his appointment, and even though it broke his heart to see him so shattered every other week, Armin was always happy to see him and whatever development he brought with him. Armin knew, more than many people in his own career, that physical recovery took a hell of a lot of time and that the process was not linear. He had his hopes on Iggy recovering fully, and he could only wish that one day Iggy would believe it himself.

The assistant announced him on the phone, so by the time Iggy walked into his office, Armin was already halfway across his office. "You beat me to the door," he said with a smile. "Good to see you again, how are you this week?"

[nsectric]

Raika’s attention locked onto the scene in an instant: the leash under the stranger’s shoe, and the unmistakably smug energy of Shogun sitting entirely too comfortably at the center of the problem. The Shiba Inu looked up at her as if nothing in the universe had gone wrong, tail swaying with deliberate innocence that did not match its actions at all. Raika approached with measured, efficient steps, the kind of control that suggested she disliked wasted motion more than she disliked surprises. ❝ Shogun, ❞ she addressed her furry companion with a calm voice edged with authority that left no room for debate. ❝ You didn’t have to chase him that far. ❞ Without hesitation, she reached down and reclaimed the leash, fingers firm, practiced, like securing a live line before it could arc again. Only then did her dark eyes shift to the man, sharp and assessing but not ungrateful. ❝ Still. You covered more distance than necessary to stop him. That’s noted. ❞

[monstersunderurbed]

The dog's demeanor changed the second the woman opened her mouth and addressed him by name. Shogun seemed well educated, and even though he'd been a little naughty, he was well aware that he'd done something to get his owner upset, and was working overtime to look cuter than normal to fight her. He wasn't sure if he could fight Shogun's eyes in that moment– he would have folded the second he gave him any kind of look.

With a little bit of reluctance, the dog walked by his owner's side, and Armin simply stood up properly and dusted off his hands on his pants. "It's fine, really. I'm used to running, and it would be a shame if he got lost or... worse. I hope it's okay... that I stopped him, and you didn't have him actually running after something, I don't know." He offered a smile. "Is that his name? Shogun?"

[littlesugarnspice]

She had been walking with a friend, pushing the bike with one hand since she had left it to have its tyres fixed and a chain replaced after a fall a few days ago. She wasn't really hurt, just a slightly strained ankle that made her less mobile at work and less jumpy and restless. Maybe it would have been a better idea to leave Yellow at home while she was running this errand, or for Liv to take her out on a walk when she came back ... but poor girl had been left at home for what felt like days and needed her time out. And Kat could never really say no to the dog's giant, soft eyes when she stared at her with those puppy eyes. Even if she was no longer a puppy, the gaze was still there.

And then, as they had been getting into the park, Yellow had seen a squirrel and bolted, making Kat stumble and fall before she could take off after her... but then again, taking off after her was definitely not something she could be doing. Her friend tried to run, but the dog was already gone behind a bush and bolting in a direction off the path. Kat left her bike with her friend and asked her to take it home so she could get this sorted out and started at a quick pace in the direction Yellow had run to. She had the snacks out of her pocket, jingling the plastic box with sunflower stickers over it and shouting the name. She hoped she was going in the right direction, and even if she wasn't, she was sure the dog would be okay; she was a good girl and always did manage to come back to her, whatever happened.

She was starting to give up when she saw someone holding her bright blue leash, and the dog was just happily wagging her tail as if she had not just made the young woman shout for 5 minutes after her. "Yellow!" she said in that half-stern grin that was the only kind of scolding that could come out of her lips. She wobbled quickly towards the man and her dog and nodded enthusiastically when he asked. "Yes, oh Gosh, thank you so much for grabbing her. She started running almost right away at the entrance, and I've been trying to catch up for forever," she said with a big sigh, even if it was an overexaggeration.

[monstersunderurbed]

"Yellow?" Armin smiled at the dog, which flinched and looked in all directions when someone seemed to be calling its name. "Is that your name? Is it you?" He couldn't help the baby voice he was making, and he felt not a single ounce of embarrassment because looking at those big puppy eyes and big fluffy tail wagging when he used her actual name was all worth it. Knowing from a hunch that Yellow wouldn't harm him, he leaned in to wrap an arm around her neck and gave her a big kiss on the head, which resulted in a big kiss from her on the side of his face. She was tired. She didn't seem to want to go running any longer, so he simply sat on the grass with her, giving her pets and calling her a good girl until her owner caught up with them.

"No worries at all– she's lovely," Armin responded, still running his fingers through Yellow's fluffy fur down her back, but it was only a matter of seconds before she happily returned to her owner. Armin took that as his cue to get up from the ground with a smile. "I know the feeling. I once had a dog who hated the paper boy, and every single morning was a marathon."

[littlesugarnspice]

Where: Apartement building, Riverbank Residential With: Armin @monstersunderurbed Outfit: click

Natalie had come back from another night shift. It had felt like these night shifts were going on for years and years and not just... simply one month. She didn't remember the last time she had done this, maybe in her early twenties. And then she had stayed in the day for most of the time unless someone really needed her for a day or two. But for two months? She was turning into a vampire.

She had woken up from a loud noise in the neighbouring apartement, it was two pm, and she just wished that she could keep sleeping until five... but alas. Maybe it was better that she was waking up so early so she could go to the gym, run some daytime errands and get to that stupid task she'd been postponing for a few weeks now.

Throwing some jeans and a t-shirt on, she headed outside the door, her long hair swaying behind her in frizzed curls. Sleep still in her eyes and face. She knocked on the door that was right next to hers - where the sound was coming from. She leaned on the door frame with one hand, looking a bit more threatening than she intended, but she was woken up after only four hours of sleep. She was bound to be grumpy.

"Hi, I'm not sure what's happening in there, but I feel like I hear this constant noise from your place, and I just wanted to ask if you could turn it down," she spoke once the door opened, looking up rather than straight at the man there, warm eyes squinting slightly.

[monstersunderurbed]

The sound kept coming and going for the past couple of hours, like the world had no consideration for all the day sleepers. He wasn't a constant one; he hadn't been taking night shifts in a really long time, but the ER had been insane this past couple of months with a few workers getting a seasonal flu, so that, even when Armin's speciality wasn't medicine exactly, he had offered himself to help out with admin jobs whenever he wasn't working.

After three nights in a row, he was exhausted, though, and with no personal appointments for today or the next day, he planned to spend them sleeping and recovering as much as he could. The city had different plans, however, and with whatever work they were doing being right outside his bedroom window, he had been able to sleep for maybe two and a half hours before fully giving up.

Armin didn't hear the knock on the door since he was wearing noise-cancelling headphones, but he felt his phone vibrating when his doorbell camera caught some movement and sent him a notification. With a protein smoothie in one hand, Armin padded down the hallway to his front door and opened it mid-yawn. He didn't get to hear the first few words coming out of the woman's mouth before he pushed down his headphones, but he managed to understand the entire context of it.

"Listen– I really, really wish I could do something about it, but apparently, the city or the owner– somebody decided to change some moldings of the building. And I guess noon is the best time to do it, but I'm... girl, I'm right there with you." He sighed, pushing a hand through his hair, just then remembering he was in nothing but pajama pants, so he half closed the door as if the other hadn't seen enough already. "Feel free to come in and check. I swear it ain't me."

[littlesugarnspice]

Mark watched her carefully through the admission, his questions leading her exactly to where he wanted her - admitting the truth behind her discomfort and avoidance. It was easy to know often where people were leading with their thoughts, which they didn't want to admit. And when nudged slightly, they often confessed. He found it surprising that someone from an influential family was easy enough to lead this way, but he supposed those born with comfort rarely had to work as hard as he had to find the composure and the poker face that few could break.

He did not press further for now, not really wanting to know the reason why she had no desire to attend a stranger’s funeral. The reason was unlikely to concern him enough to prompt further inquiry or factor into the future. She had already earned a quiet sort of approval - most people lied longer.

By the time she returned to the kitchen, he had already exchanged a few brief messages on his phone, a new cigarette between his fingers, at this point in his life, the absence of one for long was concerning. "You are not bothering me, Miss Bloomberg," he said evenly, setting the phone down against the marble island, turning his attention to her and pointing with his hand toward the tall glass of cold water that he had poured with a few slices of lemon that he always had stacked in the freezer.

"My assistant will be here shortly. She will ensure the arrangement reaches the correct address," he said, leaning on the counter now with an elbow. He tried to remember the last time he had someone in a place of his where the expressive goals weren't sexual or business-related, and found it lacking. Even Ryden hadn't come to his home before; they were always in the restaurant or another venue. He was unsure if he liked the idea and filed it away for later review. His gaze lifted properly to her, lingering a fraction longer than necessary, studying her features and what seemed to be a better grasp on emotions. "Would you like coffee while we wait for her?"

[monstersunderurbed]

Nin found it hard to believe that she hadn't caused him any bother. If anybody unexpectedly showed up at her home, even she would be bothered. Growing up as an only child had her getting used to her loneliness in a way that she found almost comforting. That, of course, had slightly changed with time, now finding it a little bit uneasy to be home alone for long periods of time, but that came from sharing her life with someone for far too long, only to have them be gone overnight. She still found it hard, but she had come to a point in her life where she didn't actively seek company. However, Nin had to admit that having someone to speak to felt good enough that she didn't want to leave yet. Something about being in this particular place was exciting. She felt a kick of adrenaline setting in every time the man looked at her like he was trying to scrutinize her every movement– or perhaps she just wasn't used to getting any attention.

Nin took a sip from the glass of water without saying a word, keeping her eyes connected with Mark's for a moment as if she was silently thanking him for the gesture. "You really didn't have to do that, but I appreciate the gesture. I won't forget it." She smiled as she put the glass down. "I'm not sure if there's anything someone like me could do for you in return, but I owe you a favor," Nin said without any thought, not often speaking before thinking about the words coming out of her mouth. "Coffee? I– I mean, only if you're making some for yourself."