dancing in a china shop

⚔️

alex turned from the sight of his brother to face walden. "i feel like this is some deathday party that we were forced to attend." he didn't quite like it, either. he was ready to get the bloody hell out of here. "did you talk to them?" he asked, referring to their departed friends. "you holding up alright?"

#c: alex #alex.2 #hauntedscreams #ahevent014

"That or we're in the worst purgatory I've ever heard of." Walden agreed. Alex's theory held more weight though, like normal. He let out a laugh that hopefully sounded more sardonic than hysterical. "Fuck no, to answer both questions. I'm far too much of a coward. Are you? Holding up?"

☢

"why is dam going to do something dumb? if you really want to stop him, we could always put him in a leg-locker or a binding curse." the suggestion may sound like a joke coming from someone else, but in liv's mind, it was a perfectly valid idea. they could lock him up in a room. of course, they would feed him and such as any friendly captor would. "is he getting more broody than normal?" liv asked about antonin, giving walden's hand a squeeze.

#c: liv #liv.2 #hauntedscreams

"Because he's Damocles and it's his default." Walden grumbled. It wasn't entirely untrue, Damocles pulled bullshit on the regular, but this particular brand of idiocy was best kept secret. He paused to give the idea of just sticking Damocles in a locked room and a leg-binding curse its due. "His new girlfriend would probably break him out of it, but it might be worth a shot anyways." Walden huffed and closed his eyes. "Yes. ...He'll tell me what's wrong eventually, won't he? He normally does."

xavecamour

"I've never tried it with honey." Zara murmured, leaning against the counter and staring towards the window, content to let someone else make the tea, and the coffee, and the breakfasts for once. She would be doing it all herself in a couple of hours anyway.

"How many birds do you have?" She asked, accepting the cup of tea placed in her hands and raising the mug to her lips. "You feed your sick birds to the cat? What- what cat?" Zara muttered the question in confusion. She hadn't seen a cat, and glanced around her feet as though one would pop up out of nowhere. "I don't think I've ever tried one, but that does look yummy…"

#c: zara #zara.1 #xavecamour

"She swears by it." He said, sending the small vat of honey her way in case she wanted to try. Maybe he could convince Ellary to take up beekeeping. Hadn't she been complaining about needing a hobby? It'd probably be cheaper than her following Melinda or Castor around nonstop.

"Lost count, honestly. The birds of prey are more fun but their needs are more complex so I can't keep as many as I'd like. It's only the sick birds I know I can't help, so it's a faster death. The cat's name is Lillith. For the best you've not seen her, she's territorial as well. Barely likes me most days, she's Tonin's through and through. Then again, so am I." He said with an amused snort.

It was nice to have company making breakfast. At least Zara kept Olivia's cold feet off his legs at night. Between Olivia's approval and Narcissa's, Zara came well-approved. "If you like it, I can write down the recipe for you."

xavecamour

His hands no longer shook, his eyes had dried behind the mask and his hair had been fixed hastily in a hallway mirror, before he had proceeded to follow a sea of confused masked figures through the mansion, and away from the library. He had no intention of looking back, and just hoped that Wendy kept her promise and did not tell the others.

Grabbing a drink from the nearest surface and almost downing the contents in one, his eyes shifting around the room as he tipped the glass up to his lips, Antonin slumped against a far wall and hoped the shadows were enough to shield him until they were released from the clutched of whomever had cursed them.

"Walden." The name escaped him like a prayer; like a breath he had forgotten to take. He gripped the other man's biceps as he rambled about the library, and the smoking room, and leaned forward to cut him off. Despite their masks, the kiss landed and Antonin's body visibly relaxed.

"So am I." He murmured, pulling away. He felt wrung out, his emotions laid bare; but hadn't they always been when it came to the man he loved, more than anyone? "You know, before this damn abduction, I actually had other plans in mind for us. Where have you been?"

#c: antonin #antonin.15 #xavecamour #ahevent014

Walden could feel the tension leaving his body as Antonin held his arms, as they kissed. God it was so much easier to breathe with him around. He leaned into his boyfriend and just stayed there for a moment. This whole place felt like hell, but right here was safe. The pair of them, right here, would be alright.

"Hiding. From my nanny, from Harriet, from Malcolm." He sighed and wrapped his arms around Antonin. "Whoever the fuck sent us here better send us the fuck back. I hate it here, Tonin. Tell me about your other plans? That sounds infinitely more interesting than all these bloody ghosts."

where; somewhere in the haunted mansion whomst; antonin @xavecamour

Walden wanted to go home so badly it ached. This mask made it impossible to see anyone properly. He was surrounded by dead friends and bad memories, and he just wanted to go home. Luckily for him home was also a person. All he had to do was find him.

That was another thing the stupid mask made difficult: scanning a crowd, looking for a familiar gait, a well-loved figure. It took too long, far too long, to find him. Walden didn't care who he bumped into or stepped on to get to Antonin faster.

"Querido, mi corazon, there you are. Have you been to the library? Don't go to the library, or the smoking room for that matter. This whole bloody place is just---" He shook his head, reaching out to hold on to his boyfriend, "I'm glad I found you."

#two boys who need hugs get them. that's the only vibe i've got folks #c: antonin #antonin.15 #ahevent014 #no need to match length <3

who: anyone where: haunted mansion - near courtyard

alex felt a bit surreal, mainly by trying to grasp his lack of emotions to the current situation. a lot of people that were seeing the ghost of someone they loved seemed (from what he could tell with the masks obscuring their full faces) to be experiencing grief or joy. alex, though, didn't feel much of anything as he looked at the figure of his brother, which only ceased to confuse him. "are we supposed to talk to them or is proceeding to stare appropriate?"

#c: alex #alex.1 #hauntedscreams #ahevent014

"I don't think they really care either way." Walden admitted, hands stuffed into his pockets. "I'm going to need a break from my own fucking past after this is over, that's for sure. Harriet's out there, and Malcolm's in the smoking room." And his nanny. And Mr. Dolohov. God he needed a drink. And a nap.

"the environment is warded against me. it is not my wards failing. normally my headaches are brought about by being unable to keep the thoughts of others out of my mind and becoming overwhelmed by them. this is inside my head attempting to disconnect me, but the method of doing so is essentially just drowning everything out with other noise. it would be a very fit counterspell in most cases and likely stop when the charm does, but, as you know, I do not often use the spell." cissy explained with a heavy exhale of air. without her legilimens, she did not know if walden had figured any of the situation out in his head and could not tell where to begin if he hadn't, so she just walked him through it all. "would it help if I went in with you? perhaps I can help you find the right words."

#c: narcissa #narcissa.7 #narcissawilted #ahevent014

Walden frowned, contemplative now. Warded against Legilimens. Why would they need to do that? It was ghosts and people with masks. "Not you specifically, do you think?" If that was the case then it severely limited the number of possible culprits.

He glanced back at the door. Could he do this without Antonin? Could he do it at all? Maybe with her. Walden could at least try. "It might. Certainly can't hurt."

wendyskies

where; outside the servants quarters with; open

excellent. great. wonderful. awesome. wendy did not know what exactly she was feeling. it was too loud, too much; like the emotional equivalent of radio static dialed up past ten. the past was supposed to remain there and the dead in the dirt. a bit like a toddler in a tantrum, although absolutely silent, she pulled off her heel and hurled it at the ghost's head. "I want to leave."

#c: wendy #wendy.3 #wendyskies #ahevent014

Walden hadn't gone up to eat yet. Nor had he quite gotten up the courage go to confront his own ghost. Instead he had hid downstairs where he'd thought himself safe, and ended up face to face with another person he'd buried. "Me, too." He said from where he sat curled up against the wall, looking at the ghostly woman that could only be Harriet. "Do you think they recognize us?" Last he'd seen Harriet, they'd both been at the bottom of a cave, injured and unable to move. "I hope they don't."

☢

liv's smile could not be contained, nor could the little happy squeal that floated from her mouth as she settled onto the bed. she pulled walden's arm across her, letting out a contented sigh. "what's wrong, sparrow? i normally have to force you to lay with me or sneak into bed when you are already sleeping. and while i am glad to not have to do that this time, it does give me a twinge of worry."

#c: olivia #olivia.1 #hauntedscreams #pre-event threads yolo

Walden rested his forehead against the back of her head and sighed into her hair. “Damocles is probably going to do something dumb, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him. I hate when he gets this brand of idiot in his head. Pretty sure something's up with Antonin too, but I've not been able to get him to talk about it.”

"quieter will not help." cissy said succinctly. it was already too quiet. "I suspect whomever our host may be, they did not anticipate a legilimens like I am to be in the mix." true, it was a spell that anyone could learn to cast temporarily, but there were some born with a natural talent for gleaming through the mind, like herself, who did not need a spell except to hone and widen their ability. unfortunately, her legilimency was not something she could 'turn off' which meant the painful headache would continue. "I believe you should start with 'I am sorry', if you are sorry and feel the need to express it, but if you do not want to apologize, we can leave. I only thought it might provide you with some sort of closure on the matter."

#c: narcissa #narcissawilted #narcissa.7 #ahevent014

“Lack of people normally helps. What’s making this headache different?” He asked, puzzled. Worrying over her well-being gave him something else to focus on, even if just for a moment.

“I want to apologize,” he was sorry, he’d always been sorry, “but I’m too much of a coward to go in alone, and the thought of someone else seeing it is…” shameful. “Maybe if it was Tonin. If he’s willing. Maybe him.”

xavecamour

"Why aren't we going in there?" Castor asked, taking a slight step back. He wasn't afraid of Walden, but he had a weird look in his eyes that made Castor glance nervously back and forth between him and the door to the Library.

#c: castor #castor.1 #xavecamour #ahevent017

"Because I can't kill someone who's already dead, and I'm not trained in exorcisms." Walden said simply. He put one hand gently on Cas's elbow to lead him elsewhere. "I have no idea where we are, so my priest couldn't join us. Plus I think he's scared of me."

"I see." cissy nodded. she pinched the bridge of her nose as her temples throbbed painfully. even if she wanted to use her legilimens in this state, she suspected it would be impossible. it was likely a ward causing her such discomfort now. instead, her eyes were keen and observant on every facet of the room. "would apologizing before we go make you feel better about what happened?" she asked.

#c: narcissa #narcissawilted #murder tw #narcissa.7 #ahevent017

Walden glanced at the door. If he never went in again, she’d probably never die. Would that be close enough to penance? If it wasn't where would he even begin? Sorry I made your life harder than necessary? Sorry for the temper I couldn't and wouldn't control? Sorry for every horrible thing I did as a child? Sorry for killing you?

“I wouldn’t even know where to start.” He admitted. “Besides, you look pained. Let’s find my boyfriend, and then maybe somewhere quieter? Lucius ought to be around here too.”

cissy paused and looked up to gauge the physical reaction of walden's facial features. "which nanny?" she asked cautiously, while being intimately aware of his history with that particular position amongst the help. "hm. perhaps we should find and warn him then."

#c: narcissa #narcissa.7 #narcissawilted #ahevent017 #child abuse mention tw

"The only one that matters." He said, not looking her in the eyes. It wasn't like she needed to see his eyes to know how this all made him feel. She must be in a hell of a state, if there were more surprises like his and Pedro's around this place. "We should. He already lived through that hell once."

"what is in the room?" narcissa asked, tilting her head curiously. she had a terrible migraine and her words were clipped and curt. "why do you not want to go in? and which father is in the library?"

#murder mention tw #c: narcissa #narcissa.6 #ahevent017

"My nanny." He said, pinched. Walden didn't want to make things worse for her. "I've seen her enough, I don't need to see her more." His face twitched and grew dark. "Antonin's. Shame you can't kill someone twice."

xkilljxy-deactivated20240717

There was a hesitance in Peter, trapped and rooted on the spot as Walter walked backwards into him, and his hand shot up to steady the other man, shaking as he gripped at the other's sleeve. He wanted to run, to run to his mother and bury himself in her chest, and run the other way all at once, and it took a moment to come up with anything at all. "Come on." Tugging, he pulled Walden and headed backwards down the hall the way they'd come, chest heaving.