museinitalics

[museinitalics]

›› oh chung ae is a witch... he is twenty-five years old and owns the little duck find more about him; see what he looks like; read his story ›› micah is a witch... he is twenty-seven years old and a lead singer of the forgotten find more about him; see what he looks like; read his story

​🇵​​🇪​​🇳​​🇳​​🇪​​🇩​ ​🇧​​🇾​ ​🇰​​🇮​​🇲​ . . ​🇵​​🇸​​🇹​ . .

[thesofiavaldez]

Sofia laughed as he adjusted her weight. "You're filthy, you'll have me all those places?" she teased as he moved them, trying to carry herself as much as possible so the weight was not as challenging to move, not so hard considering the core strength required for her work.

He had laughed, his nose in her cheek as he kissed the edge of her mouth, the pair falling back onto the couch, him leaning over her while she looked up at him. Though the movement itself was messy, the sort of awkward that meant you could have stubbed your toe at any second, once she was seated and her gaze was up at him she saw light reflecting around his hair, the stubble that had grown from being away and almost forgot he had asked her questions, ready to reunite with him after so many days apart. Only when she heard Nibbler's telltale 'meow' from the distance did she recall he had spoken.

"No, I'm thinking I might quit," Sofia responded, unaware that to her boyfriend they were playing some pretend game. His words were light but since they still engaged real life concerns about her choice she did not understand the potential game being played. "I could do online stuff, maybe, but I just want to be with you. I love dancing and I liked the money but the confidence and the community, I have it with you, it doesn't feel the same as it used to. I don't feel like I need it anymore to be me. I'd rather be where I feel the most me and that's with you."

[museinitalics]

Micah had been joking at the start but as she continued to speak and her words felt more and more genuine, the playful lightness in his eyes and smile shifted as his head began to slowly tilt like a dog's would while it listened intently, focused wholly on her. "Oh," he said softly, fatigue from the long journey kept his smile gently spread across his features, a natural expression for him whenever he was around her to always be smiling so it was the neutral place his face chose to rest in while with her. "You're serious," he said, not asking, but realizing.

His palms came up to either side of her face, thumbs caressing affectionately atop the rise of her cheeks, calloused fingers threading through the hair behind her ears, "Are you sure? You know, I'd love to have you along for the ride," Micah said to her warmly, "but I don't want you to give up something you enjoy." She'd said she felt like it wasn't something she needed to do but he still needed to double check that she was wanting this for herself and not because of him or something he'd done to make her believe she couldn't have both.

[nishantdoshi]

Nishant watched the bracelets pass and flick into the air, jealous, but also impressed. Certainly they didn’t all count for what he identified with. Maybe what others identified with too? Then he took a deep breath, because he realised for a moment that Micah was utterly beautiful. Him and Sofia made sense. He figured they probably got the attention from everyone whenever they were together. “Good day to be chilling, I’ll never get used to the British June heat, but it’s better than rain.” He looked up quickly. “Let’s hope nobody heard me, if it starts raining, it wasn’t on me, alright?” he joked. 

“Oh, this is from the CoffeeKanteen!” he smiled. “They’re selling them in all different types of flags for the pride event, but all month! I can get you one, if you want, drop it by or give it to Sofia.” Anyone who knew Nishant knew that he tended to want to do things for handsome men, he couldn’t help himself, even if there was nothing to be won. 

[museinitalics]

Micah released a warm laugh, "It's definitely on you if it starts to rain and I'm gonna let everyone know about it," joining in on the joke.

"No shit, you'd do that? That'd be cool. I can pay you back for it," Micah offered, still smiling brightly, "Just bring it by whenever or hand off to Sofia, whichever one ends up being easier," he gave another casual wave of his hand, he was a real go with the flow sort of person. "If you see a trans one, nab it for me, would ya?" He gave Nishant a quick nudge to the shoulder before he gestured with his thumb over his own, "I was gonna get some drinks. Can't party sober, you know? My treat."

[estfenrirswood]

Catalina approached the table, her attention drawn to the neatly arranged notebooks and tablet. She offered a warm smile, her demeanor calm and welcoming. "Of course, I can help with that," she said, jotting down his order. "Corn empanadas and beef tartare, got it."

She noticed his struggle with the word and glanced at where he was pointing. "Ah, bocaditos," she pronounced smoothly, her Spanish accent clear and crisp. "They are small, flavorful appetizers, kind of like Spanish tapas. We have a variety of them, including croquettes, mini sandwiches, and stuffed peppers."

[museinitalics]

"Ahh," Chae voiced his understanding as she explained what they were, nodding as he did so before attempting to repeat the word so that he could learn it, "Bocaditos," he repeated in a poor attempt, "Okay, I'll try that one as well please. Thank you," not fully understanding if he was meant to select an option from what she had listed or if it came with all of them.

"Are you the owner?" He asked, his hand that held his pen made a circled gesture in the air to imply he was referring to the establishment.

[pclymcrphcus]

・ ✦ ・ 𝐩𝐜𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐜𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐜𝐮𝐬 / * ( closed starter @museinitalics )

The exceedingly busy professor seldom found time in his jam-packed schedule to savor the local talent. Back in New York, his weekends were often spent delving into the city's vibrant culture and diverse neighborhoods. He rarely admits it, and he fears that if he does, it might be taken for granted exactly what he has here—a new home, brimming with hope and potential for growth. Instead of shelling out a fortune for a cramped one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, he now cohabits with his partner in a cozy, welcoming abode. Perhaps they could even get a dog and continue dreaming about their future together. Maybe he was more than the eccentric professor who liked to wallow in his own self-pity over woes that were now far behind him as he grew older.

Yet, there was an inherent problem with growing older—he was falling out of touch with the trends, adrift in a sea of fans for bands he hadn’t even heard of. Standing in the middle of a bustling festival path, he was nearly tackled and taken down by a group of teenage girls eagerly searching for something called a bias. Furrowing his eyebrows, he made eye contact with another festival-goer, their confusion mirroring his own.

“Are you as lost as I am, mate?” he asked, running a stressed hand through the bangs that had fallen across his forehead. The sounds of laughter and music intertwined, creating an almost surreal atmosphere.“I don’t even know where to start,” Colson confessed, his voice tinged with a blend of awe and bewilderment.

[museinitalics]

Micah gave a half laugh and commented on what he'd over heard about the passing squealing girls in search of a bias, "Honestly, the whole k-pop subculture is really intense, you're better off not getting into it if you aren't prepared for it to take over your whole life. One of my bandmates is into k-pop and she's honestly said she'd skip out on a show in favor of seeing her favorite group perform if she had the chance to get a ticket." She'd been joking of course, or at least, he'd hoped she had been but knowing her, she might have been serious. "The music is really good though, even if I don't know Korean," he could at least appreciate the musically of it. "For the festival in general," Micah gave a casual shrug, "kind of just find a stage that is resonating with you, stick around for a song or two, if it isn't your vibe then move onto the next one," which is what he usually did when he was exploring the bands and artists performing at a music festival, when he wasn't on his own stage doing a performance.

"But there's a good punk rock band over on stage six going on in about fifteen, if that's more your speed. I've met them before and they're all good people."

[thesofiavaldez]

Sure, he stumbled but she'd been ready for at least some of that, palm against the frame before his bag fell and his lips littered her face. There was always that release of tension in her muscles when he could show her so easily how much he cared for her, how she could show it back unbashed. Life felt hard sometimes but he did not, and giving into that the past few months since her arrival was like finding herself again.

"I missed you," she answered as his lips touched the height of her cheek, feeling the scratching of messy facial hair and closing her eyes with devilish thoughts when he moved to the edge of her lips and then her nose, still roaming as she smiled in his arms.

Lips finally settling more intently on her own Sofia kissed back with near as much wholeness as she had when he had come off his stage and seen her for the first time in the United Kingdom. Truly she had missed him, her lips pressed firmly to his, only parting slightly because she did not desire any distance between their touch. That intensity lingered, nails digging into him and thighs keeping herself up right in his arms.

Only when she needed breath did she draw back. "I'm never not going with you again," she informed him, pressing a kiss to the edge of his lips, nose buried in his cheek. "Like actually never, I couldn't sleep without you. I'd rather share a twin bed in a shitty motel or in an old bus." Even sleeping in his shirts and curling up with Nibbler it had felt too much like when she was back in the US, her heart so far from his.

[museinitalics]

"Actually never," Micah repeated lightly, laughter in his words, not fully understanding the conviction behind her words and thinking it was only willful thinking and a dash of make believe, so he replied back in a light-hearted way, "I'll be happy to have you in a twin bed in a shitty motel or in an old bus or in an uncomfortable plane chair or the back of a cab." He adjusted his hold on her and supported her weight a bit more easily and comfortably now and took a step away from the door frame so he could close the door behind him with a backward swing of his shoe to the bottom of the door. He kicked the side of his bag where it had fallen and would deal with the arduous task of unpacking later.

"What about your work though?" Micah asked, still believing this was part of their make believe world which they'd often do in the past, curled up together in the warmth of their bedding, legs entwined, wishfully imagining a world where they could be together in the way they wanted. "They'll let you take that much time off? Or do they offer remote work?" He offered with another laugh, his nose pressing into the soft of her cheek as he kissed the corner of her mouth again. He wasn't sure where his feet would take them but it seemed like the couch was the closest location where they could settled against each other and so that's where he went, feeling with his feet around the bottom edge of the couch as he was not focused on using his eyes so he was a bit uncoordinated and started to fall with her onto the cushions, his hand left her back to land on the backrest of the couch so he didn't topple his full weight onto her.

[estfenrirswood]

location: pato pato tapas | open to all!

The pre-dawn darkness wrapped around Catalina like a comforting shroud as she laced up her running shoes. The air was cool and tinged with the scent of impending rain, a familiar scent that stirred both anticipation and apprehension within her. Today was the morning before the full moon, a time when her werewolf instincts surged to the forefront, demanding attention and respect. With a deep breath, Catalina stepped out into the quiet streets of her neighborhood, the cobblestones cool beneath her feet. Habour Park awaited her, its sprawling paths and winding trails a sanctuary where she could clear her mind and brace herself for the night ahead.

The rhythmic pounding of her footsteps echoed in the stillness, a steady cadence that matched the racing thoughts in her mind. Full moons were always rough for Catalina—agonizingly so since becoming a mother to Leonardo and Marisol. She couldn't shake the guilt of leaving them alone, even with Aiysha's reassuring presence.

As she entered Habour Park, the first streaks of dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and gold. Catalina picked up her pace, her muscles stretching and flexing with each stride. The park was awakening with her—the rustle of leaves, the distant calls of waking birds—a serene backdrop to her solitary run.

With each step, Catalina focused on her breathing, inhaling the crisp morning air and exhaling the tension that coiled within her. She let her mind wander briefly to Aiysha, her steadfast friend who understood the complexities of her life better than anyone. Aiysha would watch over Leonardo and Marisol tonight, offering them comfort and protection in Catalina's absence. As she rounded a bend in the path, Catalina felt the first tendrils of sunlight warming her skin. The park was her refuge, a place where she could momentarily escape the weight of her lycanthropic nature and revel in the simple joy of movement. The morning jog was not just physical exercise—it was a ritual of preparation, a way to align her mind and body before the inevitable transformation under the full moon's gaze.

With her heart beating steadily and the park stretching out before her, Catalina found a moment of peace amidst the turmoil of the impending night. She knew the challenges that lay ahead—the primal urges, the restless energy—but for now, in the quiet embrace of Habour Park, she allowed herself to savor the tranquility of the present moment. As the sun continued its ascent, Catalina slowed her pace, coming to a stop at a scenic overlook that offered a breathtaking view of the forest waking up from within. She closed her eyes, soaking in the serenity of the moment, grateful for the respite before the storm.

With renewed resolve, Catalina turned back towards home, her mind clearer and her spirit steadier. The full moon awaited, but for now, she embraced the fleeting peace of the morning—a reminder that strength and resilience could be found even in the darkest of nights. The soft light of morning filtered through the curtains as Catalina returned from her jog in Habour Park. The rhythmic pounding of her feet had grounded her, easing the restlessness that always accompanied the full moon's approach. She took a moment outside her front door to catch her breath, the cool air soothing against her flushed skin.

With a determined exhale, Catalina pushed open the door to her cozy home, the scent of breakfast lingering in the air. It meant Aiysha had woken up to and was in her morning rituals. The werewolf quietly ascended the stairs to the twins' room, a smile tugging at her lips as she approached Leonardo and Marisol's beds. They lay peacefully, their dark curls framing their innocent faces as they slept.

"Mama's home," Catalina whispered softly, brushing a gentle hand over Leonardo's cheek. His eyes fluttered open, a sleepy smile spreading across his face as he recognized his mother's presence. Marisol stirred beside him, her eyes blinking open in sync with her brother's, their bond palpable even beyond their slumber. "Good morning, my loves," Catalina murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to each of their foreheads. She lingered for a moment, breathing in the scent of childhood and safety that enveloped their room. The guilt of leaving them alone tonight gnawed at her, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the joy of these morning moments together.

Downstairs, Aiysha was already in the kitchen, preparing a hearty breakfast for the family. Her best friend and roommate had become an integral part of their lives, especially during the challenging times of the full moon. Catalina silently thanked the universe for Aiysha's unwavering support as she descended the stairs, Leonardo and Marisol trailing behind her with excited chatter. Breakfast passed in a blur of laughter and conversation, the twins recounting dreams and plans for the day ahead. Catalina savored the simple pleasure of being surrounded by her children's energy, a bittersweet reminder of the fleeting calm before the storm.

After ensuring the twins were settled with Aiysha, Catalina made her way to Pato Pato Tapas. The familiar scent of spices and cooking oil greeted her as she stepped inside, the warmth of the kitchen a comforting contrast to the cool morning outside. With practiced efficiency, Catalina began the morning routine of checking inventory, reviewing reservations, and preparing the kitchen for the busy day ahead. Pato Pato Tapas was not just a business—it was a labor of love, a testament to her Mexican heritage and culinary passion.

As the first customers began to trickle in, Catalina greeted them with a warm smile and genuine hospitality. She moved through the restaurant with grace and purpose, ensuring every guest felt welcome and every dish left the kitchen with perfection. Assisting her staff during the bustling rush, she approaches the next table with practiced ease. "Welcome to Pato Pato Tapas," she greets warmly, her smile inviting. "What can I start for you today?"

[museinitalics]

Over the table top was sprawled a few notebooks with small and neat handwriting, some of the documents were clearly handwritten and others were printed with some notes written in the margins and a tablet with folded cover and attached keyboard beside it all, in which Oh Chung Ae typed on with the slim of his pale fingers.

Some large rounded glasses slid low down the bridge of his nose, not prescription, they were only for show and he pushed them up gently at the bridge as his attention was diverted to the woman who now approached, "Can I get the corn empanadas and the..." he shifted the tablet slightly to the side so he could glance over at the menu which he had laid open on the table as well, now scanning the list and pointing at, "the beef tartare, please?"

"And what are.. boca...boca..." his tongue having difficulty pronouncing the foreign word, his natural language was Korean and English was already difficult so add in the element of another language had his tongue suddenly doing awkward flips in his mouth, so he pointed to this word as well since he was unable to pronounce it. Bocaditos.

[heliavaz]

CLOSED STARTER for @museinitalics ft. Chae location ; CHILDREN'S POND LIBRARY food court

Helia could not help waking up early on Saturday to be at the library, even if she had no kids and no interest in reading children literature, she did love to see the education for the newest generation going in the right direction. She'd invited Chae to join her during the break, finding it had been a while since they'd spoken and hoping a bright and fun place such as this would set all the worries from their minds.

She'd always adored the young witch, it was why she did such an effort to find a cure for his curse, even if she was still not close to finding it. Had the Fenris wolf completed his ritual, all curses would be lifted, Chae's included, that was what Hasan had found after some research. But she did not dare to share this with anyone.

"Order what you'd like, my treat!" She told the Witch. "How have you been?" she asked.

[museinitalics]

"Thank you, I think I just want a hot dog and a Coke," Chae commented as he scanned the limited menu offerings with a thoughtful look, eyeing also the fruit smoothie but was hesitant to add a secondary drink though he did give the picture a few lingering looks. When the young witch eventually pulled his focus away from the menu and back onto Helia, he gave her a small smile and a slight shrug. "I'm okay. Managing," he stretched his arms over his head, shoulders and spine popping with the motion and he released sigh as a pressure was released from the middle of his back. "Busy mostly, with the pub. We're doing very well lately. Oh," he let his arms fall back down, hands resting in his lap, fingers fiddling with the stitching on the pocket of his trousers, "Actually, I had someone unexpected turn up from--" he almost said from his family but Chung Hee wasn't his family, not really, he worked for his family but he wasn't family, but sometimes... it felt like he was. "From Korea," he eventually concluded with an almost guilty expression.

[nishantdoshi]

CLOSED STARTER for @museinitalics ft. Micah location ; GRANT PARK festival

One of these years, Nishant was going to be out and proud during the month of June, probably... hopefully. He wasn't sure this was the year however, and as June neared, he gave up on thinking it would happen and instead settled on being happy for other people. He did buy himself a rainbow cup from CoffeeKanteen, but everyone was doing it.

He was allowed to bring the cup inside, as long as it was empty, the organisers of the festival making a single exception for those particular cup - or maybe because of the hot sun beating down on them.

He noticed a familiar face standing away from the crowd, and walked towards Micah with a smile. "Is your band preforming today?" he asked, cup in his hands.

[museinitalics]

"Oh, hey," Micah greeted Nishant with an inclination of his head, "No, tomorrow. Today I'm just chilling, enjoying the scene," as he spoke he made a few casual gestures with his hand, some various rainbow and pride related bracelets adorned his wrist in different color schemes to represent himself and those he cared for. He also wore a trans insignia on a necklace hanging from his neck but otherwise wasn't extravagantly dressed like some people might be for a pride event, simply because he felt it was too hot to do so and so just wore a simple sleeveless tank that showed off the tattoos on his arms and shoulders and a bit of the ones on his chest and some jean shorts.

"That's cool though," he motioned to the rainbow coffee cup, "Where'd you get that?" He hadn't explored many of the other locations and their special offerings regarding pride yet, spending a majority of his time around Grant Park with the festival for there was quite a few bands playing that he was friends with and wanted to support.

[thesofiavaldez]

Homecoming || Micah&Sofia

Missing him felt like an understatement. Missing him could not even account for how hard it had been to be apart for more than a few hours for the first time since she arrived in the UK. When she had moved there she'd been afraid of coming off like the girl who abandoned her life for a guy, and had tried to recreate as much of it as she could in Fenrir's Wood since she arrived, however, the time without him, even with his calls, had made it quite clear that whatever life she had before crossing that ocean was long gone. The only thing she wanted in the world was to be with him.

The thought only actually made her sad because she had been so independent for so long, it felt like a betrayal to abandon that. Like she was less of a feminist if she gave that up, but it was not like her independence had ever come from a desire for it. It was a life thrust upon her and with the way each evening when the went to bed together Sofia's form curled into his, with each moment she loitered around her sister while she cooked, and spent hounding those in the town for friendship, with each dinner she brought to the studio for the band it was obvious Sofia had never been made for indepdence as much as she had been for community. It was why she liked the club so much, she got to dance which she enjoyed, and to be with other's who understood how hard life could be at times, but she didn't need that anymore. It wasn't like giving up a dream, or a passion, she could still dance, she could still dance like a hoe specifically even if she wanted to, there were options. All she really knew was that she didn't want anything to get in the way of her being with her family now that she was in a position where she could prioritise it over bills and expenses.

All in all she'd had a lot to think about while he was away, thoughts that only seemed to solidify as she hung a welcome home banner in the living room, Nibbler already trying to find a way to reach it, climbing up his cat tree and reaching across the wall - the shiney letters just out of reach. She'd bought food that was remaining warm in the oven, some candies, a blanket covered in cartoon Freddy Kruegers warming next to the heater, as well as having found an old VHS tape of a movie called Phenomena, rereleased in a censored and much shorter version Creepers in 2004 she had thought would amuse him. It wasn't a big welcome home event but it was something cozy and special for them.

The moment the door opened he was given almost no breathing room, the young witch jumping into his arms, legs wrapping around him an an arm out to hit the door frame and steady him were her leap to cause him to stumble. "Weclome home, handsome," she gleefully announced, ready to kiss him were he capable after her bounding onto him.

@micah-weber

[museinitalics]

There was no time to even put down his bag before slim strong arms embraced him and legs wrapped around his middle. He did stumble from the force of her leap, one hand automatically coming up to help support her weight while the other struggled to do the same but failed because his brain hadn't yet triggered him to actually release the bag he held, it wasn't so heavy enough that he couldn't lift his hand up to her back with the bag still there, but the action was certainly delayed and worked to tilt him off balance now with the weight of everything predominantly in front of him, threatening to pull them both forward had he had also lunged a leg in front and Sofia put a supporting hand on the doorway.

Finally, his brain recognized that putting the bag down would relinquish most of the discomfort of this and so he dropped it without care, there was nothing of value within it; the most valuable thing was in his arms and her name was, "Sofia, fuck I've missed you, gorgeous," he exhaled to her in between urgent kisses, eager to decorate the whole of her face with the pressure of his lips. His sparse facial hair a little more full as he hadn't bothered with trimming anything while he'd been away for the music festival, bringing a trimmer and other such items would only bulk up his luggage which he had been keen on keeping light and only to one bag for the bulk of their luggage would be for their gear which was ultimately more important in his eyes.

His hair was still at a mid-length, soft curls a little more haphazard after being on the plane and a taxi drive here and not having had a decent shower since the day before, but pulled back into a small pony at the back of his head in an attempt to keep it tidy and out of his face though a few strands did loosen themselves out around the crown of his head. He pressed another kiss more intentionally aimed for her lips rather than at any part of her face he could reach, and felt himself sigh against her body, relieved to finally be back home to someplace familiar and with her.

[logan-jones-deactivated20251014]

status: closed @museinitalics(for micah)

logan had always found an outlet for her emotions, whether healthy or unhealthy. one of them was playing the drums, which she had discovered she had an affinity for after being pushed into band by her dad. he meant well, but sometimes he encouraged her to join extracurriculars she wasn't actually interested in because he wanted the best for her. band, fortunately, turned out to be one that cultivated a healthier passion in her, though she didn't have much interest in staying in the school band.

this hobby carried on well into her adult years, as she found time to play for bands that needed a spare drummer to this day. she'd been in a few bands for brief stints of time, but she always ended up finding one reason or another to quit after a short while. but, after moving to fenrir, she found herself more interested in picking up this hobby again. so, when she saw an advertisement for a group looking for a drummer, it seemed perfect. she showed up to the audition and showed them her stuff, though admittedly getting lost in her own passion in the audition. when she finally looked up from the drum set, she was met with the faces of the band members.

"well, what'd you think?" she inquired, putting the drumsticks down on the snare. her foot on the floor tapped anxiously as she awaited their response, not sure what they thought of her. she knew that they were at least a fairly high profile group in fenrir, so she had some reason to be anxious.

[museinitalics]

It was never an easy decision to replace a band member, especially one who had been with them since the very start when they were kids and playing out of a garage to the other kids who lived on the street as their audience. They'd grown together from kicking cans and coming up with melodies until eventually the little shows on the street started to generate interest with the whole block and little block parties were held almost every weekend with the band as the focal point and quickly turning into the town's local celebrities. Naturally, the interest grew and soon they booked actual venues, signed a shitty contract with a label, hired an attorney to get them out of said shit contract and into a better one, booked more shows, released a couple of EP's and a full album and now they were in the U.K. working on their next album only for their drummer to now need to go back home for the indefinite future. Rather than put everything with the band on hold, they decided replacing their drummer, was ultimately the best option. Afterall, the songs were more or less already written, they just needed someone to play the music.

"Not gonna lie, that was pretty good," Micah commented with a growing grin that he'd maintained throughout the time Logan had been playing. "You obviously know how to play. You got anything else you can do to spice it up for a live show, for example?" Referring to potentially any tricks she might be able to do, throwing the drumstick and catching it before hitting the next beat.

He was sat on a silver fold out chair in the studio space they were renting with their label, the other band members scattered around similarly in either the same kind of chair or on the black leather couch along the back wall. Their guitarist had their guitar slung across their lap and now idly plucked at the strings with his thumb.

[evanoraray]

He was right — they were closer than that. A fact that she was ready to deny the second it left his mouth. Evanora fell silent for a moment. A rather long one, spent staring at her feet. How the fuck do I even begin to say this? Is saying anything even worth it?

"It wasn't worth it." she finally spoke. "Dragging you down with me. It wasn't worth it."

He was cursed. Chae would've been of no help to her, and losing his life — it would be for nothing.

"I guess you've heard about what happened and — " how they called her a name, she wasn't deserving of. Silence followed again for a moment. "I thought about leaving this damn place. Start new, somewhere where — people didn't know who I am."

Oh, the fucking irony, Nora. You had your chance already, and you fucked it up.

"Like Zhyan did."

[museinitalics]

Chae's expression didn't shift as she spoke, waiting patiently in the silence that followed her first words, halting speech at intervals that welcomed the background noise of the casual dining restaurant to remind them of their location. That eyes and ears were always around them even in moments of implied privacy. He always wondered who was capable of hearing these sorts of conversations, quietly taking place in public areas, werewolves with advanced hearing most likely.

"So," Chae started to ask, keeping his voice low and his features neutral, "You didn't." He didn't need to ask for the why, it wasn't important to him why she stayed, at least not to him, not for any particular reason other than if she cared to share it then she simply would in the same way that if she'd cared enough to tell him she was staying or going. In the same way that anyone else would tell him anything or not. It was their own business and he wasn't entitled to it.

"You want to play next Saturday?" He asked her then.

[thesofiavaldez]

Sofia's laugh echoed against the tiling within the bathroom as he played about with his expressions, the camera only catching flicks of his hand over the tub and the edge of his hips. Eventually when he laughed she nodded, "correct, not like that." The camera began to pick up his legs, the tattoos on them and the shifting of the water.

Sofia remained in place, watching him, because although she had seen him get into a tub before she somehow, with all the lighting and the camera, became worried he would fall and hit his head or get water all over the cables. Fortunately he did not, the woman waiting as he started to sink down. It definitely didn't come to her he might have some difficulties with the acting elements as she watched him. She knew there was a music video coming out for the song but she had asked not to go for it, and been honest for it too. The song was beautiful, it spoke to how much he loved her, but it also spoke to her hesitancy, how she hadn't been as ready as he was and in moments it did make her feel a sort of sadness she couldn't quite hold back. Sofia did not want her emotions to be a distraction to him, his music was his truth and he deserved to express each artistic form of it he desired. Regardless, she wasn't solely prepared for him to be difficult to direct since, even if he said he had difficulty turning that all on, Sofia had never seen it be hard for him, because it didn't seem hard when he looked at her.

Moving around to where the camera was she looked at the screen. "Just lean your head back slightly and move a little further down into the tub," he directed slightly, moving her hand so it was against the porcelain where the top of his head should rest. "Can't just film your chest and your neck, even if some people would probably be into that," she smirked, eyes flicking to him temporarily.

She could certainly tell now that he was in the tub the position wasn't easy and when she'd practiced it herself she hadn't considered she was used to uncomfortable positions and playing them off as comfortable. In an effort to ease his focus on the strange position she allowed the hand that he rest behind his head to drag her nails over his shoulder, looking at the movement in the camera. "You know I'm going to watch this on repeat whenever you're busy," she teased, a distraction rather than a return to their intensity from before. "Like I used to do back in Boulder after you left, just...endless videos of you." Perhaps even the somber nature of her actions when they were apart would help his mind into the emotions needed for the moment. "Missing you."

[museinitalics]

This part was easy enough and so Micah moved as directed, sliding down the tub and leaning his head further back, "Like this?" He asked to confirm if this was correct or if he needed to move again, the tendons in his neck visible as he kept his head lifted out of the water.

He looked at her as she began to speak and he could feel the soft trail her fingers made across the rounded slope of his shoulder, his expression softened as she did, releasing some of the tension built up from holding this unnatural posture in the tub. He wanted to move from this position so he could take her hand in is and paint soft kisses along every risen knuckle on her fingers. He did not, instead he whispered to her in a quiet that might not be picked up by the camera unless the microphone as really good, "It was really hard to leave you," but for the both of them, at the time, it was what was best. As difficult as it was to do, they each had their separate lives.

He took in a breath, the water rippled with the movement of his chest and he spoke again in his more natural tone, no longer a hushed whisper just for her, "I guess we better make this a great video for you, though, I do wish you won't need to watch it," however he presumed that she may anyway, whether he was busy or not, because he did the same for videos and pictures of her, always glancing at the snapshots of memories between them with a wistful smile on his face as he did, recalling such warm thoughts from the days before.

[thesofiavaldez]

The was a flush to her still as he gave her that smile. She'd seen other's. The one he had on stage, the one he gave to fans, and another to friends. Everyone had that shift in them, the complexities of their emotions behind. Even though this one was hers she still quite enjoyed the others, the one on stage especially because it didn't seem specifically for anyone but him. It was hard not to love someone who could smile for their own happiness.

"Oh god," she laughed, realising once he asked for that the reality of what she was asking him to do was more daunting than the image in her mind. She had to direct him, to walk him through what was happening. It felt a little more embarrassing than she was prepared for, only because she'd never done anything like it before. The closest she got to this sort of thing was teaching other dancers old choreography which was not half the same.

Reaching over she pressed record, so at least if the endeavour did fail they'd have some funny behind the scenes footage of her attempt to post. "If you're ready, just don't sink down to low cause we want your face and most of your hair dry," she responded, the camera focused in on a specific section of the bath not actually catching either of them, just the movements of the water and her voice. "Once you're in I'll lower you so you're in the shot," Sofia continued. "After that it's easy, I'll just play the music and you can sing along, I'll delete the audio and put the actual track over it so you should actually sing a little so your don't look like a creepy talking doll just making generic mouth movements," she chuckled.

[museinitalics]

"Okay, so don't do this," Micah proceeded to move his mouth in a nonsense way without actually saying anything, pretending to talk out loud in a very exaggerated and animated way, as if he were having some pretend conversation that was very interesting, complete with facial expressions and mock laughter and even making hand gestures in the air. This pretend he could not keep up for long before he actually started to laugh, finally a sound breaking through his lips. "I will not do that," he confirmed with a few more fading laughs before stepping into the tub. He'd done music videos before so he knew how to fake sing so it looked real at least, but anyone on set would know that he was a bit hard to direct. As much as he took his music serious, the acting part was always something he struggled with and had a hard time getting outside of himself to behave in ways he wouldn't normally. He could manage it, eventually and with some patience.

Micah sat down in the water, he was still wearing his boxer briefs for modesty's sake and put his hands on either side of the tub for support as he leaned back so lay halfway into the water. "More or is that good?" The water slipped warmly over his exposed abdomen, pooling at his chest over his tattoos and near the base of his throat, a little strained in keeping his head above water mostly as she'd wanted but he was still trying to make it look like an effortless recline by keeping his expression neutral. The water lapped at the back of his head and he angled it slightly to keep it more out of the water.

[heliavaz]

Helia chuckled, because she understood the ‘heavily populated’ was not about the population itself, but the Supernatural members of the community. She nodded, she agreed with Micah’s look upon things: it wasn’t as regulated as she’d like it to be, or as it had been in the past. It had been much better arranged before the murders, before the Council had lost several members to the Fenris Wolf. “It is a little unregulated,” she agreed. Not on the full moon, the only time when things were sort of figured out, if the Children of Loki didn’t spoil their plans. She leaned in closer as well, a smirk on her face as she could guess what he was about to say. She let out a hearty laugh. “It is a very cheap marketing ploy,” she whispered back. “We have some events that aren’t the traditional holidays,” she promised. “Though I can’t promise the marketing will be much better than egg-shaped pizzas.” 

[museinitalics]

"Then I look forward to finding out what those events are," Micah returned with a mocking grin, not mocking at her but a shared amusement on the marketing trap that oval pizza posed and the potential that the others would be similar. "I guess it works on enough people to make it worth it," he gave a little sigh, as if lamenting the world state as it was. He'd purchased pizza, not for the sake of it being egg shaped, but because it was vegan and usually he didn't trust food made by other people to be truly vegan but this place hadn't let him down yet and it was tiring making his own meals all the time so he welcomed the break.

"I don't want to keep you too long. Important person like you, you're probably busy," though it didn't seem like her pizza was ready yet either. Maybe the kitchen was a little slow with all the orders coming in.

[topherromijn]

Topher beamed. They wanted to be friends with Sofia’s boyfriend, and he seemed very nice. He was also very nice looking, but Sofia had said that already, so they weren’t surprised. They accepted the hand gladly, finding instantly that Micah wasn’t just cool, he was incredibly cute. They tried to look cooler than they felt at that moment. 

“Yes, first time! Sofia said you’d be performing here, and we’ve spoken a lot about your music,” they admitted. They still felt like a nervous fan however, slightly clammy, a bit at a loss for words, as if they were actually trying to talk to someone they admired. Maybe they did a little bit, he was Sofia’s boyfriend after all.

[museinitalics]

Micah let out a warm laugh, "I hope she only talks about the good parts and not the boring parts in the studio," he could understand that a lot of the more technical parts of creating music could be boring to someone not interested in it, but he hoped at least that Sofia found it somewhat enjoyable to sit in and watch from behind the scenes. "Sofia has spoken a lot about you," Micah returned, "If I wasn't so secure in myself, I'd be a little worried you'll steal her away from me but I'm glad that you two are such good friends. You should actually come by the studio sometimes and hang with us all sometimes, I'm sure she'd love it."

[unfilteredmus1ngs]

“Well, sorry that it’s not good enough for you.” He was sure the jokes weren’t that bad. Sure, he had people glared at him a few times or looking exasperated every time he joked, but he had never met anyone who cried over a pun before.

Reza furrowed his brows when Chae closed the distance between them, standing straighter and bracing himself for a punch, because that was often the case when he pushed people’s buttons too many times, and he was sure that he pushed Chae’s one too many times now. Maybe the pun wasn’t that bad but was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Chae. He could feel blood rushing from his too fast beating heart when Chae grabbed his shirt, adrenaline pumping as he closed his eyes and braced for impact.

But what ended up happening was vastly different.

Instead of feeling the hard ridges of knuckles against his face he felt wet lips against his own, clumsy and angry and still very sweet. When they parted, Reza looked at him in a dazed, dark brown eyes taking in Chae’s face in full as their breaths mingled between them. “Well, that’s quite the welcome.” A slow smile painted on his lips as he wrapped his arms around Chae’s waist. “But I definitely don’t mind that.” It was much preferred than having his face bruised and bloodied, that was for sure.

“Are we good now? Now more throwin’ chocolate eggs?” Reza lifted his hand and let his thumb run across Chae’s handsome face, especially the wet clumps of his long eyelashes. “Or do I still need to make up for those bad jokes, hm?”

[museinitalics]

Are we good now? Chae gave a contemplative look, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he considered this while looking closely at the too handsome features of Reza, doing his best not to react to the gentle stroking of his thumb across the wet spots around his eyes. "Almost," muttered Chae softly, "There's just... one more thing," and without much warning, Chae planted his back foot behind him while swinging with right fist to land a surprise punch against the side of Reza's face.

Chae didn't even know if it landed at the place he had aimed because he was a bit too distracted now by the pain in his hand and he shouted out, "Aish! Ah! Why does that hurt me too? What's the point in punching someone if you get hurt too?" The poor young witch clutched his fist shakily with his left hand and gave Reza -- poor Reza -- another hit, this time it was more of a shove with his elbow, "And you!" His frustration now redirected at the man with full force, "Leaving and then coming back without saying anything! I was worried! After everything we've been through I thought -- I thought we were friends! With everything horrible that happened," his being kidnapped and Reza almost dying in the fray, "I thought something happened to you and no one knew anything. No one! Because you didn't say anything about where you were going! How can you be so selfish! I cried for you!"