Spine in a Twist

Nolan Holloway | 19 | Ex-Hunter The choice was temporary, the guilt is perminant.

[nolanxholloway]

littledeadhunter‌:

Gabe blinked a few times, shaking his head. “Hey no…no, hey, its okay.” He mumbled, seeing how scared he looked. 

“I’m not gonna..hurt you or anything.” He remembered feeling so angry at Nolan for betraying him, but now without that anger he just felt guilt. 

 "I’m sorry, I didn’t..“

“Nononono...” Nolan muttered under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut as he sunk down in the corner. He could feel his chest getting tighter, heart pounding in his ears and drowning out anything Gabe was saying. It was the worst, like the world was closing in on him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

Anything Gabe did to him, he’d deserve it, but that didn’t lessen the terror. If anything, it made it worse. Nolan was gasping for breath at that point, burying his hands in his hair and yanking in some attempt to ground himself - he wasn’t completely sure at that point.  

[beccahalloway]

{ a reunion | nolan & becca }

[nolanxholloway]

beccahalloway‌:

Becca was glad that everything was going well for him. It would have broken her heart to hear otherwise. Nolan had always been a sweet kid and she firmly believed that he deserved nothing but kindness from the universe. “For sure, for sure. You’re still such a little spring chicken. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to have it all figured out anytime soon.” She hoped his parents weren’t pressuring him into anything just yet.

She fiddled with her napkin, making little tears along the edge. “Oh, you know me. Can never seem to find the right place to settle down… I didn’t know I was coming here either until maybe about a week before the move, honestly. I knew you and your parents lived out here, but I didn’t realize you lived here in Beacon Hills until I saw you in a few of the lacrosse team photos- I’m the new nurse at the school,” she explained with a smile before he could ask why she was wandering around the high school. “The captions said you were co-captain? That’s cool. I know you said you graduated, but do you still play? I don’t know if they have a recreational team or anything like that in town.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he laughed, shyly ducking his head. Becca was so positive, it was almost strange to hear after living with the thoughts that played on a constant loop in his head. Nolan felt as much a failure as he did a villain, having not applied to college out of high school and unsure of anything he’d like to do aside from his repetitive work at the sports shop. He loved his guitar and playing was a passion of his, but he didn’t have the confidence to play in front of friends let alone an audience of strangers...so that was out of the question. Becca may have faith he’d find something eventually, but Nolan wasn’t so sure. 

“Oh, that’s cool. You’ll probably meet most of the guys on the team, then,” he smiled, politely. High school wasn’t a topic he wanted to dwell on for too long, but if Becca was working there he’d have to suck it up and get through it. She didn’t know what’d happened the past two years or so and Nolan wanted to keep it that way...just for a little while. Even the thought of seeing her face go from open and friendly to cold and repulsed was going to make him sick. 

“Yeah, I was. Didn’t really deserve it, but I was. I don’t play anymore, at least not on a team or anything.” 

[beccahalloway]

{ a reunion | nolan & becca }

[nolanxholloway]

beccahalloway‌:

The diner was busier than she would have liked and Becca didn’t catch the soft chime of the bell above the door as Nolan entered the diner. She didn’t notice him until he was halfway across the crowded room and she visibly perked up in her chair, a large smile on her face as she excitedly waved him over. “Honey you’re fine, I just have a habit of being absurdly early,” she reassured him. It was a habit she had picked up from her grandmother. Becca looked him over as he got settled across the table. Nolan was all grown up and still as cute as ever and god, did she want to lean over and pinch his cheek.

“It’s so good to see you again! Thank you so much for agreeing to meet up- and if you’re on your lunch break, I promise I won’t talk your ear off too much,” she teased as she gestured to his work uniform. He was working. Where had the years gone? Becca smoothed her hands out over the still closed menu resting in-front of her. “Sooo… how’ve ya been, what’s new? You must have already graduated high school. I hope that wasn’t too painful of an experience for you.”

Becca was still as sunshine-y as ever, the years had done nothing to dim her comforting presence - and for that, he was glad. Maybe it was just the fact that he hadn’t seen his family in over a year, but he really wanted to hug her, and he wasn’t a very huggy person. “Oh no, talk all you want - I usually end my lunch breaks early so this one shouldn’t be too much trouble. It’s really nice to see you, too! I had no idea you were moving to Beacon Hills or I would’ve offered to help you unpack or something.” 

“I’m okay! Don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself yet, but I’ll figure it out.” Nolan’s smile faltered at the mention of high school - he tried not to think about it and he wasn’t starting then, dumping his issues on his cousin was the last thing he wanted. “Yeah, I did. It was...okay.” 

“So what’ve you been up to? Why’d you move?”  

[nolanxholloway]

littledeadhunter‌:

Gabe hadn’t planned on attending whatever it was they were at, he certainly hadn’t planned on dressing up. But trading tatterred jeans and his worn shirt for a baggier pair of trousers and what looked like a jesters shirt seemed like a good idea. 

Painting his face only happened because a little girl had decided his outfit didn’t look complete and sat with him while she asked her mom to paint his face. 

He was wandering around, eating a corn dog when he ran into someone, he looked down confused only to feel his heart clench desperately in his chest when he saw Nolan. 

 "Nolan…“

“Gabe,” he gasped, jolting back immediately. Nolan had gotten more accustomed to seeing the faces of the dead but Gabe...Gabe was a different story. Most of the citizens that’d returned, he hadn’t known well - he hadn’t been to their funerals or seen them die himself - but Gabe was a friend. One of his only friends from High School and someone he found truly terrifying. 

He’d seen what Gabe was capable of - hell, he was the reason for a lot of his more questionable behavior - and since he’d essentially betrayed the young man right before his death, Nolan was pretty sure his reappearance spelled nothing good for him. 

His heart rate jumped as panic set in fast - paranoia taking over any rational thought and sending him right into fight-or-flight mode. Nolan was cornered. Gabe stood between him and the only viable exit, and much like a frightened animal, his mind rushed to find an exit before he was forced to defend himself against one of the most driven people he’d ever met. 

[beccahalloway]

{ a reunion | nolan & becca }

[nolanxholloway]

beccahalloway‌:

@nolanxholloway

It’s funny how things worked out. When Becca decided to move to Beacon Hills, it completely slipped her mind that she had family in town. It had been years since she had last seen them and the thought of catching up with them was enough to make her smile for the whole day. Her family was… a little strange and truthfully, she wasn’t sure of the specifics of how she was related to the Holloway’s. Not that it mattered, really- some things were more important than shared blood. Her grandmother and her grandmother’s pack had taught her that.

Becca checked the time on her phone. She had arrived at the diner far earlier than the time she and her cousin Nolan had originally planned but god, she was so excited. She had always gotten along with him, even if the age difference between them was over ten years. They hadn’t seen each other in years and the last time she had spoken with him prior to moving to Beacon Hills had been to wish him a happy birthday on social media. She had seen pictures of him, of course, but she was excited to see how much he had grown up since the last time she visited. Becca sipped at her water and eyed the front door as she fought the urge to fidget in her seat like an over-excited child.

Nolan hadn’t spoken to anyone in his family since his parents had kicked him out at eighteen. And yeah, maybe he didn’t want to speak to them ever again if all they were going to do was look at him with icy disgust, but he missed the feeling of togetherness family brought. He missed the huge chunk of his identity he’d gotten from his family and from his upbringing. So when his cousin - Becca - extended an olive branch after moving into town, he was quick to carve out some time to go catch up. It’d been years since he’d properly spoken to her - even longer since he’d seen her in person - but he remembered her being pretty damn cool, especially for someone almost ten years older than he was. 

Almost giddy with excitement, Nolan had managed the short walk between the sports store and the diner in record time, stepping inside almost five minutes before their agreed time only slightly out of breath. Clad in his work uniform, pale face flushed from the heat, his eyes darted around the room - trying to pick out Becca’s familiar face from the rather robust crowd. It was harder than he thought it’d be, almost embarrassingly so, but when he did - his excitement increased tenfold. A rare smile lighting up his face, he made a beeline for his cousin, dodging a server along the way. 

“Hey! Hope I didn’t keep you waiting or anything,” he greeted, taking the seat across from her, without much hesitation. 

[nolanxholloway]

Nolan realized he looked pretty stupid - a nineteen-year-old in face paint and a flower so blue it put his eyes to shame - but he was happy and that was all he cared about. His mother would be horrified, frivolous spending and sloppy greasepaint? He may as well have been doing cocaine and having sex in public. Good thing she didn’t have a say in what he did anymore, not after she kicked him out on his eighteenth birthday. 

Wandering through the semi-crowded streets admiring all the booths he didn’t have the money to buy from, he caught glimpses of a few familiar faces - both those who sent his mind into a frenzy and those he didn’t mind - smiling softly at those who caught his eye. The one thing that really sparked his interest, though, was the ‘fools maze’. 

He loved puzzles and, since he was feeling pretty wonderful that afternoon, he decided he’d give it a go. Shifting his flower crown so it sat more snugly on his head, he started for the castle ruins, looking over every detail of the place as soon as he entered. 

[nolanxholloway]

cfsirens‌:

the man hadn’t been too interested in attending a fair so instead here he sat, in his classroom grading papers. it certainly seemed more interesting than what was happening outside. the siren hummed a song softly to himself before turning his head when he heard someone come into the room. “it’s saturday –– the school is closed what are you doing here?”

“Getting away?” he started, as if there was a wrong answer to the question. he was still standing in the doorway, his body tense as his gaze flicked around the room - looking almost anywhere but the unfamiliar teacher. The man had a strange draw about him, something that made Nolan want to stick around, and it kind of freaked him out. They’d unlocked the school building to make use of the bathrooms for the fair outside and Nolan had figured he could find a place to hide away for a bit - somewhere away from the general public where he could catch his breath. Crowds were suffocating and there was only so much he could take before every little noise made him grit his teeth, the overstimulation grating on every nerve like nails on a chalkboard. “I thought the room would be empty - ‘s stupid, I don’t know why. I’m gonna...I’m gonna go. Sorry for interrupting your grading.” 

[nolanxholloway]

raynepup‌:

Kitty stared at the guy, then back down at the burger, thinking about it. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t had to share before, but that’d been years ago, back when she was still a pup. There’d always been enough to go around, at least. “… You’re lucky I had four older brothers and sisters.” She grumbled, pushing it towards him so that he could break it in half. “I could’ve just picked it up and run. So you’re welcome.” She muttered, folding her arms. “So why are you so calm? And not running and screaming at sitting with a werewolf?”

“Thank you?” He managed in response to her grumbling, unsure of how he should respond to a situation like this. Instead of giving it any further thought, Nolan took a bite of his half of the burger and chewed slowly, staring at a point on the table so he didn’t have to look the young woman in the eyes. 

“Believe me, I’m not. And if you think I’m lying listen to my heartbeat,” he replied, her comment making him laugh. Calm was the last word most people would use to describe Nolan, he lived in a state of constant fear and paranoia, and his resting heart-rate sounded like a hummingbird trying to escape a cage. He was terrified, but running hadn’t done anything for him in the past. Besides, he’d worked hard to humanize werewolves in his eyes and he wasn’t going to let one rouge ruin it for him - kick him back to square one. “Running’s never done anything good for me, anyway.” 

[nolanxholloway]

raynepup‌:

Kitty smirked a little at his reaction - it didn’t happen nearly enough in Beacon Hills, the people she’d tried to intimidate either werewolves themselves, or familiar enough to not freak out. Still, he seemed to calm a little soon after, and as the glow to her eyes stopped, she pouted a little, letting out a tiny frustrated huff.

“Yeah well, the grocery store is closed today, so I can’t get food from there, and there’s traps in the preserve so I’m not going to eat there, which just leaves me you. So yes, it’s mine, because I need it more than you. You’re a human, you can buy food anywhere.”

“That’s not how -” The corners of his lips turned down in a small frown, the young man shifting his flighty gaze from the werewolf to his burger and back. Nolan had spent all the money he could at something as frivolous as a renfair - he was practically broke, living off his meager wage at the sports store and the little money he’d saved up in High School before his parents started looking at him with disgust. “ - look, you can have half. I don’t have enough money to get anything else today so I...I can’t give it all to you.” 

[nolanxholloway]

raynepup‌:

Closed starter for @nolanxholloway

After being shooed away by the burger vendor, Kitty growled under her breath, muttering about how she didn’t want his gross cooked meat anyway. The smell had made her stomach rumble though, and seeing a guy wearing one of those crowns and with a painted face sitting at a picnic table with one of the burgers, she sat opposite him.

“Give me your burger.” She growled, flashing her eyes. “I need it more than you.”

The renfair had been a daunting endeavor on paper - Nolan had almost dipped out of going completely, only relenting in the end out of sheer curiosity. His mother had never taken him to anything of the sort when he was younger and he’d always wanted to make up for it when he was old enough to go by himself. 

Once he’d actually gotten there, things had gone suspiciously well. He still felt like he was being watched, like at any moment someone would come at him out of nowhere and pull apart his weak frame limb-from-limb, but the impressive crown of flowers he’d purchased really balanced it out. Nolan had even let a stranger touch him in order to paint his face - another thing he’d never done as a kid - the semi-sloppy Spiderman mask painted across the upper half of his face everything he’d ever wanted it to be. It was only when he sat down to eat that his poor luck caught up with him. 

Deciding to blow even more of the little pocket money he had, he’d gotten a burger from one of the vendors, finding himself a spot at the picnic table furthest from the commotion and looking through his emails as he began to eat - occasionally glancing around to monitor his surroundings. It was the closest Nolan got to letting his guard down and he regretted doing it as soon as a young woman slid into the seat across from him. 

Opening his mouth to respond, he shrunk back as soon as she flashed her eyes, setting his jaw and staring at her with wide eyes. Reminding himself over and over that she was a person too, he put his burger down, not yet handing it over but not making any move to flee with it. “No. It’s mine.” 

[nolanxholloway]

[nolanxholloway]

hellschimera‌:

Theo laughed softly, nodding his head. “Eggs huh? You sure about that?” He licked his lips, “Tell you what, I’ll bring you a water and you can take five more minutes to decide.”

Nolan nodded dumbly, looking back down at the menu hoping something more appealing would jump out at him. His brain still preoccupied with his quickly spiraling thoughts, food didn’t seem as appealing as it had when he walked in, but toast was a safe bet any day. He liked toast; it was easy and jam satisfied his sweet tooth just fine. 

Toast it was. 

“I’ve changed my mind,” he started when Theo returned with the water, still skittish around the young man but determined to redeem himself from his previous lapse in communication skills. “Can I have toast instead, please?” 

[nolanxholloway]

thatcorahale‌:

“I said your ass is on fire,” Cora muttered to herself.  She did try to be polite, but some people made it more of a chore than it really needed to be.  “I said I found your wallet by the door.” she plastered on a smile, handing it over.  “Ought to be more careful with that.”  At least he’d still been in the diner, and not down the road somewhere when it was found.  “Looks like nobody’s robbed it yet, at least.”

“Shit, thank you so much!” Nolan replied, his eyes widening once he’d caught sight of the familiar rectangle of worn leather. Setting down his menu, he hesitated briefly before taking it from the young woman, opening the wallet to make sure all his things were still in order. She was telling the truth, he was lucky - nothing had been stolen. Glancing back up at the young woman, he pulled out a twenty and held it out for her to take - it was the least he could do for someone who was considerate enough to return his wallet untouched. 

“Here.” 

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed the wallet’s disappearance. He prided himself on his paranoia vigilance and if he’d overlooked something as important as this, what else was he missing? His heart skipped a beat just thinking about it. 

[nolanxholloway]

hellschimera‌:

Theo raised an eyebrow at the familiar face, he held no grudges against the kid. “I asked if you needed another minute or if you were ready to order.” He murmured, giving the other a small smile so he wouldn’t be scared off.

“Oh,” Nolan said, his face flushing in embarrassment as his eyes frantically scanned the menu. “Uh...eggs. I want eggs.” He’d already held Theo up long enough, caught up in his own thoughts, so he’d chosen the first thing his eyes had landed on. Hell - he didn’t even like eggs, but his common sense seemed to have short-circuited along with his rationality that morning. 

[nolanxholloway]

closed starter for @localbicryptids

The gym was not a priority for Nolan, he didn’t have the time or the money to make it worth his while; but when a close friend from work asked him to tag along for a day, who was he to say no? Which is how he ended up at Beacon Hill’s local Sports Gym, on his Friday off, standing around like a lost puppy until his friend finally made it. 

In an effort to stay out of the way, he sat down in one of the chairs located next to the front door,, watching idly as people came in and out with a comfortable familiarity he envied. Nolan recognized a few people from around town - kids from high school, friends of his father’s - but no one really set off any urgent alarm bells until he spotted a head of curly blond hair. 

He didn’t even recognize the young man at first - it’d been years since he’d seen him and even then they’d only been around each other in the name of lacrosse - but there was no mistaking Brett Talbot for anyone else. 

It was him. The Brett Talbot who somehow made his presence known even in a sea of jerseys and helmets. The Brett Talbot Monroe had recounted the death of like it was something to celebrate. The Brett Talbot he’d had a role in ending. Frozen in place, his heartbeat increased tenfold, eyes fixed intently on the handsome undead as he tried to collect his thoughts. 

[nolanxholloway]

Task 1 - Character Questionnaire 

Basic

Full Name: Nolan Isaias Holloway 

Nicknames: Nole, Noley (he hates it), Freckles, Holloway

Date Of Birth: April 5th, 2000

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Homosexual 

Physical/Appearance

Height: 5′8″

Hair color: Light Brown/Blond

Hair style: Shaggy, edging on unkempt 

Eye color: Blue

Scars: Indention over his right eyebrow

Tattoos: none 

Piercings: none 

Type of clothes: comfortable yet stylish, he wears what he always has - hoodies, leather jackets, skinny jeans, plain t-shirts - his parents were big on teaching him to keep himself looking put together even if he was the furthest thing from it

Questions

Are they introverted or extroverted?

 Introverted. 

How did they react to all the changes here in Beacon Hills? That old faces came back after all these years.

He panicked big time. Not only because several people he’d slighted in the past are now back to haunt him but because so are the likes of Gabe. Former allies from his stint as a hunter are just as terrifying as the supernatural undead. 

Do they believe in ghosts & aliens?

Yes, he’s not willing to dismiss anything anymore. 

What is a favorite memory from their childhood?

Visiting Guadalajara with his parents when he was little. His mother spent the first nineteen years of her life there, so it was nice to get to see where she grew up as well as to visit his grandparents. 

How competitive are they?

It depends on the game, really. For the most part, he’s passive, but when it comes to chess and lacrosse, he can get quite competitive. Never in the violent or slanderous sense, but in the sense that he’ll do a bit of his own trash-talking and double down on his efforts to win. 

What are their pet peeves? 

Pen clicking, talking behind his back, open-mouthed chewing, people making assumptions, empty compliments

How do they respond to a threat?

It depends on the situation. If he has backup and a reason to, he’ll fight back. If he’s alone, he’ll run until he can’t anymore - the last thing he wants is more on his conscience.  

If they were stranded on an island, what are three things you think they would have with them?

A book (probably a collection of short stories), a lighter, and a bottle of water with a built-in filter. 

What are their hobbies?

Playing the guitar, singing, lacrosse, football, reading (historical fiction and shitty romance novels mostly)

What is their favourite song?

“Bury a Friend” - Billie Eilish 

What are their phobias?

Achluophobia- Fear of darkness, Aichmophobia- Fear of needles or pointed objects, Arachnophobia- Fear of spiders, Autophobia- Fear of being alone or of oneself, Dementophobia- Fear of insanity, Glossophobia- Fear of speaking in public,  Hoplophobia- Fear of firearms, Necrophobia- Fear of death, Nosocomephobia- Fear of hospitals

[nolanxholloway]

rileybeckettx‌:

“That would be fantastic, if you can spare a few.”  Riley shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to keep the rivulets of water traveling down her body from making little puddles on the floor without looking like a moron.  She was probably failing on both counts.  “Not to pry or anything-” That was a big fat lie.  Riley was nosy.  She’d accepted it a long time ago as a big ole character flaw and there was no going back.  But he didn’t have to know that!  “You said you’d lived here forever… What do you think of it?”

Grabbing his keys from under the counter, Nolan shifted a few feet to the left and unlocked the door to the backroom, leaving it open as he stepped inside. “It’s...fine, I guess,” he started, quickly locating the paper towels and settling himself back behind the counter, setting the roll down in front of the stranger. “Nothing too special.” 

That was a lie. Beacon Hills was the furthest thing from a normal town he could imagine - the residents came back from the dead for God’s sake, how much stranger could you get? But, Nolan didn’t know how to articulate all that was terribly wrong with his hometown without sounding like he belonged in Eichen House, so he didn’t try. He did that now, left things as they were instead of prying into them or trying to reveal the complete truth. Doing otherwise hadn’t worked out for him in the past, not by any stretch of the imagination. 

“Why? Are you in town long?” Nolan’s eyes remained predominantly fixed on his fingers, only occasionally glancing up to give the young woman a curious look, the blue of his irises almost uncanny in the bright fluorescent lighting.