tempted fate

[tylerposey]

[ofmiscreants]

closed starter @hazysolstice location: bottoms up.

never  had  milo  expected  to  be  seated  alone  in  the  corner  of  a  bar  waiting  for  nino  of  all  people  .  if  it  weren’t  for  the  few  shots  he  downed  almost  immediately  he  probably  would  have  walked  right  back  out  that  door  and  crossed  his  fingers  that  the  repercussions  weren’t  that  bad  .  yet  ..  here  he  was  ,  sipping  from  a  rum  and  coke  while  he  attempted  to  recite  the  various  verbiage  he  was  to  spew  at  his  ex  —  all  while  finding  the  means  to  not  jump  across  the  table  and  STRANGLE  nino  for  getting  him  in  this  position  in  the  first  place.  ’  you’re  right.  i  was  wrong.  you’re  right  ..  ’  thoughts  were  clouded  by  the  sudden  reminder  that  he  was  forced  into  agreeing  to  a  lie  he’d  spend  the  last  six  years  trying  to disprove  .  what  the  fuck  had  he  ever  seen  in  nino  to  begin  with  ?  if  he  had  just  kept  a  level  head  long  enough  to  realize  what  he  was  getting  himself  into  ..  if  he  had  just never  fallen  for  someone  when  he  knew  it  would  never  work  out .  wandering  thoughts  were  halting  as  his  hazy  vision  was  finally  focusing  on  the  face  of  the  figure  walking  toward  him  and  the  sudden  realization  of  just  how real this  was  settled  in  .  how  the  fuck  had  he  gotten  himself  in  this  situation  ?  ‘  h  -  hey  ,  ’  and  despite  very  awkwardly  addressing  him  ,  he  offered  a  lazy  hand  gesture  toward  the  seat  across  from  him  .  ‘  thanks  uh  ..  for  coming  ,  i  guess  .  ’  clearing  his  throat  ,  a  long  few  moments  passed  before  finally  forcing  a  red  brimmed  gaze  to  settle  on  his  ex  .  ‘  did  you  ned  a  drink  first  ?  NOT  on  me  but  —  i  just  don’t  really  want  to  be  interrupted  once  we  start.  ’  

[ofmiscreants]

johnny‌.

          johnny could only roll his eyes  &  laugh at the notion that milo was irresistible to him  —  he was certainly something, but he figured he’d been resisting him well enough up until this point. resist was the wrong word for it, he thought  (  whatever anyone called it, johnny was less and less in the mood to keep it up now, today of all days  ).  ‘  cocky bastard,  ’  he muttered like it was an endearment, body turning more fully towards milo nonetheless, the corner of his mouth lifting. ‘  who exactly have you been sharing sexually fueled looks with  ?  are you sure i wasn’t looking at the vinyls  ?  ’  he was certainly talking tough considering the way he sucked in a breath a moment later when milo reached for him, the way tilted his chin upwards an inch and found himself biting down on his lower lip, conscious of the other’s gaze. that can i was all the permission he needed himself,  &  johnny leaned across the console to kiss him, his own hand coming up to cup the back of milo’s neck and tug him closer. his eyes fluttered shut. though it was embarrassingly tentative at first  —  it had been a while  —  he wanted this, wanted him. whether he was irresistible or not, johnny could feel the draw now,  &  it was so easy to give into, felt good to do so in ways he hadn’t expected. he wished, suddenly, that he’d brought another joint, that he could suck in a hit and press his hand to milo’s jaw, breathe it back out for his benefit and laugh against his lips. &  then all he was thinking about was the feel of their lips pressed together. he was quick to deepen the kiss, quick to open his mouth to it and lick at milo’s, johnny’s fingers scratching gently at the hair on the nape of his neck as he let out a soft noise of satisfaction.

milo  had  always  been  a  confident  man  ,  patient  when  necessary  and  right  here  with  johnny  proved  why  .  something  had  told  him  all  those  months  ago  that  he  wouldn't  be  the  only  one  feeling  the  spark  between  them  .  any  question  in  regard  to  the  other's  thoughts  on  it  were  answered  all  too  quickly  though  ,  feeling  the  hand  on  the  back  of  his  head  and  those  soft  lips  against  his  own  .  at  least  something  good  was  coming  of  all  this  .  finally  able  to  close  his  eyes  ,  relax  ,  focus  on  something  other  than  the  chaos  surrounding  them  all  .  instead  he  found  himself  lost  in  the  kiss  ,  lips  moving  slow  with  johnny's  as  he  returned  every  ounce  of  wanting  given  to  him  .  there  wasn't  much  room  to  think  ..  every  move  he  made  simply  instinctive  .  hand  slid  back  ,  long  digits  curling  into  his  thick  locks  as  his  head  was  tilting  and  his  own  lips  parting  in  response  .  he  knew  it  wasn't  just  the  drugs  they'd  shared  ,  he'd  had  plenty  of  weed  induced  kisses  and  none  had  felt  like  this  .  the  hunger  had  grown  over  the  past  few  days  ,  and  he  hadn't  realized  quite  how  badly  he  wanted  it  until  he  found  himself  in  the  small  space  and  somehow  still  feeling  too  far  of  a  distance  between  them  .  ‘  can't  believe  you  tried  to  deny  that  you  found  me  attractive  ,  ’  teasing  words  broken  apart  between  slow  kisses  ,  the  tugging  lightly  at  his  strands  just  as  a  shiver  from  his  blunt  nails  ran  through  him  .  he  was  suddenly  despising  the  consol  separating  them  ,  attempting  to  lean  across  it  and  using  his  forearm  for  support  while  deepening  the  kiss  .

[ofmiscreants]

nino.

                                 he  should’ve  expected  this   ,     yet  the  corners  of  his  mouth  still  tug  downward  into  a  frown  at  milo’s  dry - cut  answer   ,   unable  to  comprehend  the  reasoning  for  such  blatant  distaste  after  so  much  time  has  transpired   .   looks  like  he  won’t  be  getting  that  drink  anytime  soon   ,   just  his  luck  to  tap  on  the  shoulder  of  someone  who  hates  him   .       ‘       you’re  still  doing  this  ?   aren’t  you  tired  of  accusing  me  of  something  i  didn’t  do  ?       ’       annoyance  falls  across  soft  features  as  facial  muscles  tighten   ,   back  straight    ━━    he  knows  he’s  right   .   definitely   .   absolutely   .   he’d  remember  fucking  milo  over   .       ‘       i  know  being  an  asshole  is  your  new  thing  or  whatever   ,   but  i  didn’t  think  you’d  keep  up  this  story  for  this  long   .       ’       he  exhales   ,   buzz  fading  with  each  passing  moment   .   what  a  bummer   .       ‘       we  broke  up   .   you  found  some  made - up  reason  to  end  things  and  it  worked   .   why  keep  going  ?   it’s  done   .       ’       he’ll  watch  the  other  curiously   ,   no  shred  of  timidity  that  would  usually  be  found  in  confrontations  like  these    ━━    it  doesn’t  make  sense  to  him   ,   nothing  ever  does  when  it  comes  to  the  other   ,   milo’s  hatred  for  nino  refusing  to  fit  within  the  cookie - cutter  fantasy  his  mind  has  formed   .   content  and  careless  memories  up  until  their  separation  disjointed  by  his  psyche’s  need  to  cover  up  feelings  of  disgust  and  guilt   .   innocence  isn’t  feigned   ,   it’s  what  he  truly  believes   ,   what  he  needs  to  believe   .

there  was  a  hefty  list  of  things  milo  had  done  wrong  in  life  ..  but  he  still  couldn't  understand  what  he'd  done  to  deserve  such  blatant  disrespect  .  all  too  often  he'd  attempted  to  convince  himself  that  the  other  had  zero  power  over  him  ,  that  he  was  choosing  his  own  anger  as  a  means  of  reverence  in  regards  to  the  truth  he  was  being  denied  .  there  was  an  obvious  roll  of  eyes  accompanied  by  a  scoff  ,  hardly  able  to  keep  his  focus  on  nino  as  he  felt  a  twist  of  distain  brewing  in  his  chest  .  ‘  how  did  you  pretend  for  so  long  that  you  ever  gave  a  shit  about  me  ?  ’  it  was  a  genuine  question  ,  blinking  back  at  the  other  .  suddenly  distracted  as  the  fresh  drink  was  slid  over  to  him  ,  easily  taking  a  couple  gulps  and  willed  himself  to  get  a  grip  .  nino  wasn't  important  ,  he  had  been  doing  a  great  job  at  avoiding  him  and  all  he  needed  to  do  now  was  continue  to  simply  pretend  he  didn't  exist  .  eyes  closing  briefly  only  to  force  a  locked  gaze  on  his  ex  and  his  jaw  was  clenching  .  so  much  for  a  night  of  just  letting  loose  .  ‘  why  the  fuck  would  i  need  an  excuse  to  break  up  with  you  ?  if  i  was  unhappy  i  would  have  dumped  your  sorry  ass  ,  trust  me  when  i  say  i  wish  i  had  done  it  sooner  .  i  was  under  some  misguided  impression  that  we  were  mutually  interested  in eachother  .  ’  it  wasn't  often  milo  even  spoke  about  this  ,  something  he'd  done  as  good  a  job  as  he  could  at  burying  it  deep  in  his  past  .  ‘  i  might  be  an  asshole  nino  ,  but  at  least  i  can  own  up  to  my  shit  .  are  you  just  so  scared  of  people  realizing  just  how  vapid  and  deranged  you  are  ?  i  can't  believe  that  you  could  possibly  have  really  convinced  yourself  you  are  right  .  there's  no  way  you're  that  illogical  .  ’

[ofmiscreants]

a peak inside the mind of milo yun.

PLAYLIST & PINTEREST BOARD

[ofmiscreants]

johnny‌.

          ‘  hey, i’ll hold your hair back if you need it, don’t worry,  ’  johnny reassured, grin lazy and teasing. a vague thought entered his head: milo had great hair. that was a new one. it wasn’t that he’d never noticed that the other was good looking  —  it was hard not to at least think about it when someone was consistently blatant about wanting to get into his pants. but something had certainly shifted in johnny the past few days, surprisingly good talks leading to a certain agreement,  &  as his high really settled in and he started to let the anxiety and upset of the day seep away, he couldn’t help giving milo a considering look as he spoke.  ‘  that would be a real fucking shame,  ’  he said honestly. he couldn’t really imagine the trophy husband life  —  couldn’t imagine the husband life at all, but it’d always been in the back of his mind when his mother was still around, that wish to make her proud, give her the gift of knowing he was happy with someone, had a family. he shook those thoughts off as quickly as they came, though,  &  added:  ‘  what was it i was saying the other day  ?  that i’m not gonna mess around with you during work hours  ?  ’   it should annoy him, that he often took on the brunt of the work when milo was on shift too  —  &  some days it did. but he was never all that shy about letting him know, or asking for help on the occasions the store actually did need more than one person on hand. today he could only laugh. the work hadn’t even been able to distract him from the shitshow his life in this small town had turned seemingly turned into in moments the night before, but milo was distracting him now, could surely be even more of a pleasant distraction if johnny really put his mind to it. as he rested against the back of the seat, he raised his eyebrows, gestured between them.  ‘  clearly i exaggerated. a lot can change in a couple days, i guess. ’

‘  thank  you  ,  i  appreciate  your  priorities.  ’  a  laugh  left  him  ,  hand  raising  to  card  through  his  dark  locks  teasingly  .  there  was  a  small  nod  of  agreement  ,  genuinely  contemplating  for  a  moment  if  he  would  STILL  have  tried  to  get  johnny  into  this  car  for  some  weed  and  shameless  flirting  if  there  had  been  a  ring  on  his  finger  .  something  told  him  it  wouldn't  stop  him  ,  and  something  else  said  to  not  admit  that  fact  out  loud  .  he  was  already  getting  enough  shit  for  the  things  he  did  openly  ..  ‘  yeah  ,  you  said  something  like  that  .  as  long  as  it  doesn't  interfere  with  work  ..  i  know  it  can  be  hard  to  resist  me  sometimes  ,  ’  words  spoken  in  a  nonchalant  tone  ,  playful  smirk  tugging  at  his  lips  ,  listening  as  johnny  went  on  .  mirroring  the  way  his  eyebrow  rose  ,  he  couldn't  help  the  way  he  was  leaning  in  closer  in  attempt  to  minimize  the  space  between  them  .  ‘  a  lot  can  change  ..  does  that  mean  your  mind  has  ?  ’  his  curiosity  was  piqued,  gaze  moving  along  his  features  before  a  hand  slipped  over  until  his  fingers  were  dancing  up  from  his  knee  .  ‘  suddenly  realizing  how  much  more  fun  work  would  be  if  we  were  doing  more  than  sharing  sexually  fueled  looks  ?  ’  his  smile  had  grown  fully  now  ,  hand  lifting  until  the  back  of  his  knuckles  were  brushing  against  his  prominent  cheekbone  .  ‘  technically  ,  we  are  on  a  lunch  break  right  now  ..  probably  the  best  time  to  make  up  for  all  the  times  you  didn't  let  me  kiss  you  when  i  could  have  .  ’  brow-raising  suggestively  ,  not  hiding  his  blatant  stare  at  johnny's  lips  that  lasted  a  few  lingering  seconds  .  ‘  so  ——  can  i  ?  ’

[ofmiscreants]

mina.

how  long  she was  going  to  put  on  this  facade   of   confidence  ,  she  didn’t  know  . for  the  time  being  it  felt  good  ,  acting  as  if   she  had  a  shred  of  control  over  her  life  .  she’d  soon  learn  she  had  absolutely  no  say  when  it  comes  to  the  aches  and  pains  that  come  with  life  , but  for  now  , everything  was  going  to  be  fine  .  “ me ?  “  she  hadn’t  really  pondered  the  question  considering  everything  going  on  with  everyone  else .  “ oh , i’ve been great !  “  she  won’t  speak  of  the  unpaid  bills  sitting  on  her  counter ,  or  the  fact  she  hasn’t  spoke  to  her  parents  in  months.  some  things  better  left  unsaid  , especially now  ,  with  this  ‘ tori ‘  running  around &  ruining  lives . “  but  enough  about  me  ,  gosh .  how are things with you  ?  “  eyes  follow  movements  around  the  room  ,  an  eyebrow  raising  at  milo’s  comment  about  body  shots  .  “ that’s  just  the  variety  i’m  talking  about  . “  sliding  into  a  chair  , her  head  rests  on  her  palm  , patiently  waiting  for  the  poison  to  be  served  . her  thoughts  slip  away  for  just  a  moment , sounds  of  ice  cubes  hitting  glasses  bringing  her  back  to  reality . she  listens  with  intrigue  ,  eyes  following  the  flow  of  the  liquid  as  her  mind  races elsewhere . “  i  can  think  of  a  few  more  things  i’d  like  to  savor  ,  too . “ shifting  her  posture  ,  mina  accepts  the  glass ,  holding  it  out  to  meet  the  others with a clink . “  yes  ,  to  us  .  “  she throws her head back  ,  taking  in  a  good amount  of  the  drink  -  enough  to  make  her  cringe at  its  warmth  travelling  down  her  throat  and  into  her  stomach . “  we  should  do  something  ,  yeah  ? “ pulling  herself  out  of  the  chair  and  back  to  her  feet  ,  she takes another  sip  before  finishing  off  her  thought.  “ roll one up and watch a movie , maybe ?  or  just  roll  one  up ,  i’m  good  with  either  . “

body  turned  toward  mina  once  he'd  finished  preparing  the  drinks  ,  and  although  she'd  answered  ..  he  couldn't  help  but  wonder  exactly  what  was  so  great  in  her  life  .  they'd  started  talking  and  less  with  time  ,  things  becoming  a  shell  of  the  way  they'd  begun  and  it  likely  had  something  to  do  with  the  rope  milo  continuously  pulled  from  her  grip  .  ‘  i've  been  okay  ,  just  trying  to  stay  out  of  all  the  shit  i  keep  getting  pulled  into  .  ’  there  was  a  dramatic  eye  roll  ,  as  if  he  weren't  to  blame  for  majority  of  whatever  shit  he  had  found  himself  in  the  middle  of  .  it  cost  to  be  a  selfish  person  ..  but  it  wasn't  stopping  him.  the  smirk  on  his  lips  grew  as  mina  stood  and  their  glasses  clinked  together  ,  watching  as  she  downed  her  own  drink  before  quickly  catching  up  and  swallowing  down  a  few  large  gulps  .  tongue  peaked  out  to  lick  the  remnants  of  the  burning  liquor  from  his  lips  with  a  pleased  him  .  ‘  to  us  ,  and  savoring  the  finer  things  in  life  .    ’  one  arm  easily  slipped  around  her  waist  ,  plucking  mina  along  with  him  toward  his  room  as  he  kept  grip  of  his  own  glass  .  ‘  we  could  watch  a  movie  and  get  lit  ,  ’  milo  agreed  with  a  nod  ,  stopping  once  they'd  emerged  into  his  room  and  setting  his  drink  onto  his  night  table  .  giving  a  quick  kiss  to  her  cheek  before  he  was  climbing  into  bed  and  reaching  for  his  laptop  .  ‘  you  pick  out  the  movie  ?  i'll  roll  us  a  fat  joint  ,  ’  milo  was  suggesting  before  sliding  the  laptop  with  netflix  open  toward  mina  to  stream  onto  his  television  .  reaching  for  the  container  next  to  his  bed,  teeth  sunk  into  his  lip  as  he  was  settling  back  against  the  headboard  and  carefully  began  rolling  a  fresh  joint  with  the  ground  up  weed  he'd  purchased  the  other  day  .  after  a  couple  of  minutes  he  was  finishing  the  tightly  rolled  joint  and  setting  the  rest  aside  .  ‘  voila  !  ’  a  pleased  grin  took  over,  sitting  up  enough  to  offer  it  over  .  ‘  do  the  honors  ?  it's  only  fair  the  prettiest  should  go  first  .  ’

[ofmiscreants]

cody‌.

               𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋  𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃  𝐎𝐅  𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘  ,      broken  promises  and  meaningless  reassurances  had  left  their  mark  ,  much  like  bloody  seeds  and  cherry  pulp  make  a  home  out  of  honeyed  digits  in  the  summertime  :  the  rotten  stench  of  fruit  slowly  seeping  into  the  barren  wasteland  that  is  cody’s  heart  .  and  concealer  and  nameless  pills  could  only  erase  the  trembling  bouts  of  insecurities  so  much  before  he  were  to  reach  a  breaking  point  .  and  yet  still  ,  he  eagerly  continued  to  set  himself  aflame  ,  burying  his  need  for  comfort  and  security  away  for  the  sake  of  others  ,  role  coming  to  him  easily  when  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of  loved  ones  .  a  delicate  smile  plastered  upon  cherubic  features  ,  dark  gaze  smudged  with  mirth  ,  all  the  right  comments  and  remarks  tumbling  from  strawberry  brims  .  moonlight  spills  from  a  decaying  heart  all  too  willing  to  douse  another  with  affection  ,  a  desire  to  be  useful  washing  away  the  nightmares  that  coiled  around  frail  organs  :  tremulous  frame  burdened  by  the  vicious  winter  storms  that  brewed  within  a  desolate  chest  every  time  he  was  made  to  witness  the  other  in  such  a  state  ,  sensitivity  once  again  reducing  him  down  to  someone  that  would  willingly  set  himself  aflame  for  milo   :   magnificent  light  show  cackling  amidst  a  pathetic  grave  ,  a  transient  sacrifice  .  nerves  crawl  up  his  spine  as  he’s  ushered  into  the  dwelling  ,  barely  able  to  nudge  off  his  sneakers  before  he’s  being  led  into  the  bedroom  ,  concern  proliferating  upon  honeyed  features  .  gentle  in  the  way  he  crawls  up  next  to  milo  ,  raven  locks  grazing  a  pillow  as  he  lays  next  to  the  other  ,  unsure  of  whether  there  should  be  boundaries  between  them  or  not  .        ’        don’t  worry  about  me  .  are  you  okay   ?   do  you  need  me  to  get  you  anything   ?      ’        candied  whisper  was  laced  with  a  delicacy  unheard  of  when  it  comes  to  cody  ,  svelte  digits  tangled  in  milo’s  locks  as  they  card  through  them   .      ’        though  ,  i’ll  admit  …  my  feet  are  still  cold  so  …  if  you  wanted  to  warm  them  up  ,  i  wouldn’t  be  opposed  .      ’        honeysuckle  nectar  dripped  from  the  words  ,  bidding  farewell  to  the  underlying  meaning  :  the  distress  tucked  away  behind  his  tongue  ,  uncertainties  threatening  to  bleed  through  .

a  part  of  milo  contemplated  whether  or  not  he  was  just  imagining  this  ,  cody  shuffling  behind  him  before  crawling  into  bed  without  a  second  thought  .  things  had  been  ..  tense  lately  to  say  the  least  ,  and  although  half  the  time  he  really  had  no  idea  what  was  going  on  ,  at  least  cody  was  here  NOW  .  it  was  all  too  easy  for  milo's  arms  to  wrap  tight  around  the  other  while  his  head  tilted  toward  the  digits  splaying  through  his  hair  .  a  gentle  hum  built  from  his  throat  ,  tired  eyes  falling  closed  and  it  was  a  little  too  easy  to  find  comfort  despite  the  spinning  of  his  head  .  ‘  no  ——  just  stay  right  here  .  ’  it  was  a  simple  request,  finding  his  own  hands  squeezing  around  the  fabric  of  cody's  shirt  and  he  was  shifting  enough  to  slip  a  knee  between  the  other's  and  his  head  came  to  settle  against  his  chest  .  there  was  no  way  to  place  what  exactly  was  calming  him  down  ,  if  it  was  the  way  he  could  hear  each  beat  of  cody's  heart  and  time  his  breathing  along  with  it  ..  or  the  simple  act  being  embraced  by  one  of  the  only  people  who  cared  .  he  tried  hard  not  to  care  or  notice  that  he  was  practically  exiled  by  most  of  the  town  ,  although  it  was  becoming  increasingly  harder  to  ignore  ,  instead  he’d  chalk  it  up  to  a  rough  few  weeks  later  on  when  he  went  back  to  the  avoidance  .  ‘  'm  ..  i'm  really  not  going  to  touch  your  feet  cody  ,  ’  milo  finally  responded,  head  shaking  against  his  chest  only  to  bury  his  face  against  it  briefly,  finally  tilting  up  and  eyes  fluttered  open  in  attempt  to  focus  on  the  other  male  .  ‘  i'll  warm  anywhere  else  ..  keep  your  iceicle  toes  to  yourself  before  i  cut  them  off  .  ’  the  words  an  empty  threat,  an  amused  grin  pulling  at  his  lips  .  ‘  i'd  offer  to  let  you  raid  my  sock  drawer  ,  but  i'm  too  comfortable  ..  your  feet  will  warm  up  eventually  .  ’  eyes  closing  as  if  to  emphasize  his  point  while  his  face  practically  nuzzles  into  his  best  friend  ,  glad  to  not  be  stuck  alone  in  this  state  .  ‘  thanks  ..  for  being  here  .  i  owe  you  .    ’

[ofmiscreants]

johnny‌.

          there was some reassurance in milo’s words that managed to break past whatever it was johnny was feeling  —  a little bit hopeless, quick to assume he’d fucked up something good for himself in a way that wouldn’t be fixable. he shrugged, muttered,  ‘  yeah, maybe he will,  ’   &  then his brows furrowed as he remembered telling milo about him and cole in the first place, a shocked laugh on his lips at how small the world could be. it had seemed ridiculous, then, as if johnny could’ve pointed to himself, said is it just me or did i fuck that guy a couple years back,  &  turned to stare at a camera as an obnoxious laugh track played. johnny and his choices  —  hilarious. he wished now that he’d never let it slip, never gotten milo involved, however inadvertently. the fact that he’d kept the secret at all was amazing, given that they weren’t exactly close despite working together for months  (  &  he knew there was no love lost between him and cole  ).  but johnny believed him when he said he hadn’t told anyone, even if now he almost thought that would have been a better alternative to the actual reveal. at least one of them could have been free and clear of cody’s rightful anger, if he had. fucked up. he sighed, lost in thought for a moment before milo broke him out of it,  &  then johnny’s eyebrows were going up even as the lids of his eyes started to feel a little heavier. he chuckled a little at the idea, a sixteen-year-old milo rehearsing how he was going to get away with something,  &  told him:  ‘  you’ll have to show me sometime  —  we’ll make it an experiment. how many shots before you can’t remember the alphabet backwards  ?  ’  &  the image that gave him really set him off, z y x what, a barrage of laughter that made his shoulders shake as he plucked the joint away for what would probably be his last hit  —  he’d let milo finish this one off. he appreciated the distraction well enough to be generous, though the smoke blown into his face had him muttering ‘  jackass  ’  even as he grinned. when his mirth dissolved into a last few seconds of what could only be referred to as giggling, he finally shrugged, thought hard,  &  brought up the first thing that came to mind:  ‘  right after i graduated high school i slid into this really hot pro skateboarder’s dms and then  —  as soon as he started to get too into it, i ghosted and never looked back. totally wimped out. i probably ruined my life that day, lowkey. i could be a fuckin’ trophy husband by now.  ’  last hit taken,  &  then he passed the joint back, nodding at it.  ‘  go ‘head and finish that off.  ’

attempting  a  nod  of  reassurance  ,  genuine  hope  that  at  least  if  he  was  wrong  he  wouldn't  get  the  blame  from  the  male  beside  him  .  it  had  all  been  a  mess  NO  ONE  could  have  predicted  .  a  secret  he  never  thought  would  bring  such  an  earthquake  to  his  life  but  here  they  were  dealing  with  the  consequences  no  one  was  prepared  for  .  but  somehow  they  were  finding  a  way  to  not  harbor  the  anger  ,  or  at  least  express  it  all  in  a  less  depressing  manner  .  ‘  sounds  like  a  fun  game  ,  ’  milo  easily  agreed,  continuing  to  slowly  puff  of  the  joint.  ‘  it'll  take  a  lot  ..  i  really  perfected  this  one  ,  you  better  be  prepared  to  deal  with  me  all  drunk  and  sloppy  after  .  ’  his  own  laugh  mixed  in  with  johnny's  ,  knowing  well  milo  would  not  be  the  prettiest  sight  in  that  scenario  .  the  smile  on  his  lips  wasn't  leaving  ,  glazed  stare  jumping  from  the  prominent  features  he  found  himself  caught  up  in  once  johnny  began  his  story  .  ‘  wow  ..  gave  up  the  life  of  a  trophy  husband  ,  what  were  you  thinking  ?  ’  a  judgemental  tone  in  his  voice  ,  although  there  was  a  reassuring  wink  soon  following  .  ‘  if  he  really  let  you  ghost  him  like  that  so  easily  ,  you're  missing  out  on  nothing  ..  except  maybe  being  extremely  rich  and  married  to  a  hot  pro  skated  .  try  not  to  dwell  on  it  .  ’  grinning  as  his  head  tilted,  half  rested  against  the  back  of  the  seat  while  he  kept  his  body  turned  toward  johnny  .  ‘  kind  of  glad  you  did  though  ,  it  would  be  a  shame  if  you  were  married  off  already  and  i  never  got  the  chance  to  be  an  irresponsible  employee  with  you  .  and  to  think  ..  right  now  i'd  be  standing  in  there  alone  ignoring  customers  ..  the  world  works  in  mysterious  ways,  doesn't  it  ?  ’

[ofmiscreants]

nino.

for   @ofmiscreants​    ↬     MILO   &   NINO   . 

                                 he  feels  a  little  on  the  edge  of  heaven   ,     much  like  the  title  of  the  club  suggests   ,   mind  emptied  until  it’s  replaced  with  nothing  but  pounding  bass  and  the  body  heat  of  the  people  closest  to  him   ,   hues  glossy  with  intoxication   .   and  yet  the  buzz  is  fading   ,   an  absolute  crime  to  the  male   ,   feet  dragging  him  toward  the  direction  of  the  bar   .   lithe  fingers  tap  on  the  shoulder  of  the  person  he  first  sees   ,   shuffling  into  a  spot  next  to  them  as  inebriated  vision  struggles  to  focus  in  the  dim  lighting   .       ‘       hey  !   can  you  buy  me  a  drink  ?   i’d  get  it  myself   ,   but  i’ve  already  spent  like   ,   two - thirds  of  my  paycheck  this  week   .      ’      voice  chipper  as  he  speaks  above  the  music   ,   conversation  comes  to  him  so  effortlessly  even  in  the  midst  of  a  perceived  stranger   .       ‘       you’d  think  they’d  pay  me  more   ,   y’know   ,   i’m  a  model  employee  !   i  do  so  much  work  for  them    ━━       ’       words  catch  in  his  throat  once  blurred  eyesight  reveals  just  who  he’s  talking  to   ,   smile  that  formed  naturally  across  his  features  becoming  tight   ,   pained   .       ‘       oh   .   it’s  you   .       ’       no  assistance  of  liquid  courage  here   ,   just  the  unadulterated  bitterness  he  feels  from  being  wronged   .       ‘       still  hate  me  ?       ’     

he  hadn't  been  out  for  long  —  a  few  shots  in  and  half  way  through  his  drink  —  when  milo  found  himself  seated  at  the  bar  for  a  quick  breather  and  some  more  alcohol  .  having  finally  opted  to  go  out  on  his  own  there  was  no  stopping  him  from  dancing  with  any  and  every  attractive  person  he  made  eye  contact  or  accidentally  brushed  against  .  the  night  had  clearly  been  all  too  pleasant  ,  attempting  to  down  the  rest  of  his  drink  just  before  he  felt  the  tap  on  his  shoulder  .  the  confusion  immediately  set  in  ,  and eyes  bulged  when  the  realization  that  this  was  in  fact  the  guy  he  actively  avoided  on  a  daily  basis  .  silence  fell  over  him  as  eyes  narrowed  and  he  could  feel  his  blood  already  begin  to  boil  .  he  wasn't  sure  if  it  was  how  casually  he  was  talking,  or  the  fact  that  it  took  him  halfway  through  begging  for  a  drink  to  even  realize  WHO  he  was  asking  but  it  was  enough  to  have  his  eyes  rolling  once  he  finally  realized  .  ‘  yeah  it's  me  ,  ’  a  grumbled  response  as  he  reached  for  the  glass  beside  him  and  easily  swallowing  down  the  remaining  contents  (  despite  the  exceptional  urge  to  throw  it  into  nino's  face  )  .  ‘  i  still  hate  you  .  ’    milo  confirmed  with  a  nod  ,  sparing  brief  eye  contact  before  turning  toward  the  bar  and  motioning  for  a  second  drink  as  the  tender  glanced  over  .  ‘  unless  you've  finally  pulled  your  head  out  of  your  ass  long  enough  to  admit  you  fucked  me  over  ..  but  i  stopped  holding  my  breath  on  that  one  years  ago  .  ’

[v-ii]

[ofmiscreants]

mina.

why   mina   was   such   a   sucker   for   such   terrible   things   ?   there   was   no   answer   .   all   she   knew   is   that   no   matter   how   many   times   she   told   herself   she   was done   ,   she’d   always   end   back  where  she  started   ,   filling  her  head  with   lies  that  it   would  ’   be   different   ’   this  time   around  .   unfortunately   for  mina   ,    her thoughts   would  never  control  the  outcome   .  she’d  come   running  back  every  time   ,   be   let  down  every   time  ,  and  repeat  the  cycle  every   fucking  time   .  ”  well   ,  fuck   what   people   think   . ”   her  words   contradicting   every  inch  of  the  foundation  her  parents   laid   out  during   her   youth  ,   hammering  the  idea   into   her  broken  mind   that  appearances  and  opinions  meant  everything   .  ”  no   ,   of  course  not   !  ”   the   last   thing   she   wants   him   to   assume   is   that  she’s  only  around   for   the  alcohol   ,   but  she   won’t   go  without   admitting   it   was   a   pretty   good  add-on  .  ”   hmm   ,   no  .  you’re  enough   ,   the   drinks   are   just   a   bonus   .   ”   a   teasing   wink   follows   footsteps   into   the  kitchen   ,   trusting   guiding  instincts  .  as  her  back  hits the   doorframe   ,   an   arm   wraps   itself   around  the   trim   ,   head  tilted  with   the   same   grin  she’d  walked  in  with  .  ”  we   can  catch  up   and   drink   .   ”   releasing   her   grip   on   the  door   ,   mina  slips  through   the  gap   between  their  bodies   dancing   further   into  the   kitchen   ,   silent   hums   accompany   every   step  .   ”   that’s   perfect   .  i’ve   always   enjoyed   a  little   variety   ,   anyway   “   a   quick  wink  and   her  inner  bartender   kicks   in   ,  hands  reaching  for  glasses   .  ”   i’m  gonna   go  with  on  the   rocks   .  you   ?  ”

it  was  times  like  these  that  reminded  milo  why  he  had  always  kept  mina  around  ..  things  were  almost   effortless  ,  she  was  one  of  the  few  people  willing  to  forgive  and  see  some  sort  of worth  even  when  he  didn't  deserve  it  .  one  of  the  only  people  he'd  hurt  who  was  still  here  giving  him  chance  after  chance   and  ..  maybe  that's  something  he  should  be  taking  more  serious  but  it  was  hard  to  think  too  much  about  that  when  he  was  distracted  by  just  how  good  she  looked  and  how  good  she  felt  .  ‘  fuck  what  people  think  ,  ’  milo  repeated  with  a  gentle  laugh  ,  hand  lifting  to  toy  with  the  ends  of  her  hair  .  not  before  long  however  ,  she  was  slipping  from  the  door  and  his  gaze  was  quickly  following  ,  feet  carrying  in  the  same  direction  .  ‘  yeah  ?  so  how  have  YOU  been  ?  things  have  been  a  little  ..  crazy  for  some  of  us  around  here  .  ’  stopping  to  grab  the  whiskey  from  the  fridge  ,  setting  it  in  front  of  her  on  the  counter  top  and  reaching  into  the  cabinet  for  two  glasses  .  ‘  yeah  ?  well  maybe  body  shots  later  then  ..  just  to  switch  things  up  ,  ’  milo  teased  ,  eyes  shamelessly  raking  over  her  figure  as  if  he  hadn't  seen  her  in  and  out  of  everything  at  this  point  .  giving  a  simple  nod  ,  one  hand  plucked  both  glasses  up  ,  the  other  reaching  into  the  freezer  for  a  small  handful  of  cubes  in  each  one  .  ‘  exactly  what  i  was  thinking  ..  i  just  wanted  to  taste  it  ,  you  know  ?  ’  pausing  to  set  the  glasses  back  down  and  reaching  for  the  chilled  bottle  ,  carefully  pouring  them  each  a  glass  nearly  to  the  brim  .  ‘  take  my  time  ..  savor  it  ..  enjoy  every  last  drop  ,  ’  eyebrow  cocked  as  his  own  glass  was  lifted  toward  mina  .  ‘  to  ..  us  ..  and  not  giving  a  fuck  what  anyone  thinks  about  it  ?  ’

[ofmiscreants]

cody.

▓    ❛    ⋯     𝑵𝑶𝑾  𝑳𝑶𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑮 …   𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙾  𝙰𝙽𝙳  𝙳𝙰𝙺𝙾𝚃𝙰‌  ,  𝚅𝙴𝚁𝙱𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙼  .                                        *  𝙲𝙻𝙾𝚂𝙴𝙳  𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁  𝙵𝙾𝚁  …  @ofmiscreants​  .

                𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐃  𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍  𝐇𝐀𝐃  𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍  𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃  𝐁𝐘  𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒  𝐎𝐅  𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓  𝐎𝐍𝐄  𝐓𝐎𝐎  𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐘  𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒  ,      heart  now  resembling  a  wilted  flower  ,  one  that  blooms  amidst  recalcitrant  soil  .  misguided  indignation  melts  upon  the  hibiscus  petals  snagged  on  the  edges  of  his  ribcage  ,  sickly  sweet  droplets  trickling  in  through  the  crevices  ,  flooding  a  now  vacant  dwelling  .  raised  to  have  a  crumbling  self  -  esteem  ,  mouth  parched  of  affection  had  grown  used  to  being  fed  spoonfuls  of  gasoline  disguised  as  strawberry  syrup  ,  always  so  terrified  of  abandonment  :  petrified  of  the  very  idea  of  companionships  growing  cold  ,  unwilling  to  live  with  the  remnant  scorch  marks  that  will  undoubtedly  be  imprinted  upon  his  decaying  heart  .  and  so  ,  here  he  stands  :  doe  eyes  lost  in  a  wistful  haze  ,  effects  of  the  pill  meant  to  calm  him  having  yet  to  take  place  .  as  evident  by  the  way  cody  refused  to  budge  from  his  spot  ,  chilled  digits  hesitating  to  even  knock  against  the  wooden  door  .  to  love  someone  was  to  be  vulnerable  ,  but  such  a  concept  was  unattainable  for  someone  like  him  :  an  angel  set  to  fall  from  birth  ,  childlike  innocence  never  even  having  the  chance  to  flourish  ,  love  always  consisting  of  teeth  stained  crimson  and  decaying  promises  .  an  inhale  :  one  ,  two  ,  three  .    ─ ─ ─    and  then  bruised  knuckles  are  gently  making  contact  with  the  door  ,  convoluted  emotions  bubbling  at  the  base  of  a  now  timid  throat  ,  thrums  of  fear  morphing  into  something  more  jarring  ,  jumbled  up  sounds  creating  a  cacophonic  storm  within  him  .  𝙷𝙴  𝚆𝙸𝙻𝙻  𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚅𝙴  𝚃𝙾𝙾  .       ’        milo  ,  please  let  me  in   !   it’s  freezing  out  here  .       ’        

he  hadn't  planned  on  getting  so  fucked  up  ,  vision  blurred  and  milo  was  convinced  the  entire  room  was  shifting  .  any  attempt  at  getting  up  had  quickly  failed  ,  feet  tingling  as  if  in  a  perpetual  state  of  being  woken  ,  and  there  was  a  shake  in  his  hands  that  had  stolen  the  usual  dexterity  .  there  was  no  telling  how  long  it  had  been  since  cody  said  he  was  coming  ..  not  any  indication  of  how  long  his  eyes  had  been  closed  and  the  world  around  him  finally  silenced  .  UNTIL  —  eyes  shot  open  once  he  recognized  the  banging  sound  just  at  the  end  of  the  hallway  across  from  his  own  room  ,  thankful  that  by  now  the  spinning  had  dwindled  down  to  a  slight  shake  .  a  nuisance  ,  but  it  was  workable  .  inhaling  deeply  as  he  willed  himself  ,  legs  swinging  from  his  bed  and  all  too  amazed  when  he  managed  to  take  hold  of  his  center  of  balance  and  swayed  his  way  down  the  hall  .  ‘  i  thought  it  was  unlocked  ,  ’  milo  groaned  after  fumbling  with  the  lock  and  yanking  the  door  open  .  entirely  unprepared  for  the  sight  despite  knowing  PRECICELY  who  was  behind  the  door  ,  milo  felt  his  breath  catch  and  he  couldn't  quite  place  if  it  was  the  chemicals  he'd  ingested  or  the  fact  he  wasn't  sure  if  he'd  be  seeing  cody  here  again  but  ..  the  dizzy  spell  was  threatening  once  again  .  ‘  c'mon  ..  ’  head  cocking  toward  his  room  ,  reaching  out  until  a  clammy  grasp  found  it's  way  around  cody's  wrist  and  he  was  able  to  pull  his  friend  along  with  him  after  he  gave  a  clumsy  kick  until  the  door  was  slamming  behind  them  .  ‘ bed  ,  i  just  ..  need  to  lay  down  .  ’  words  running  together  as  they  were  slurred  slowly  ,  a  dramatic  sigh  falling  from  him  the  second  he  was  falling  face  first  back  into  bed  .  ‘  you  need  to  be  warmed  up  still  ?  ’

[ofmiscreants]

johnny.‌

          if he had no idea what cody could possibly be mad about, he wouldn’t feel this shitty, would he  ?  he’s not so clueless that he can’t imagine what it’d feel like, to find out from some anonymous source that an ex had cheated with a friend, that other friends had known about it  —  the fact that cole had been a complete stranger at the time would hardly matter at first. but the vitriol had stung nonetheless, made him defensive and pissy,  &  johnny had said to himself: i need to go to work,  &  turned off his phone. he couldn’t deal with cody, couldn’t deal with feeling the strange combination of a need to defend himself and a need to continue apologizing all at once, when it was so obviously going to get him nowhere in the moment.  ‘  he’s pissed we both kept something important from him,  ’  johnny mutters with a shrug and a vague grimace. he knows.  ‘   &  maybe with me he’s mad that i actually fucked cole, i don’t know. they  —  whoever that was  —  they called me a homewrecker, but it wasn’t like that. still… who can guess the shit people care about  ?  ’   a brush-off as he takes the joint back, as if he hasn’t been mulling it over nonstop, the shit people care about  —  people who are cody, he supposes. if he hadn’t thought cody would care, he’s not sure he would have bothered keeping it to himself this long. he takes a long hit as he ponders milo’s advice. here they are already, trying not to think about it too much  —  at least that’s what johnny is doing in his car, makeshift out for lunch sign hung up on the door to stoned records that he knows he, at least, won’t get fired for cooking up. another small hit,  &  he’s starting to feel a little bit floaty as he hands it back to milo.  ‘  i am trying. it just… sucks.  ’  he feels the back of his throat start to tickle, then,  &  maybe this is why he never talks to anyone about the things that really do suck  —  the need for an immediate pull-back, the refusal to go there. he swallows hard and then shuts stinging eyes, takes a deep breath and forces himself to relax even as the joint works its magic.  ‘  whatever. nothing i can do about it right now, i guess. god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change in the next ten fuckin’ minutes, etcetera. ’

there were countless bad things people could throw in milo's face .. so many hated him and most with good reason .. but cody was never supposed to be one of them . he was thankful . relieved that johnny was here with him but also HATED that they could even relate on this . ‘ yeah .. he is . ’ lips pressing into a tight line , hands curling into fists as he willed himself to just .. chill . and maybe not think about himself for two seconds . it was painfully clear as johnny went on that he was bothered by the things said about him , and why wouldn't he be ? but those were harsh words for someone who didn't mean to mess anything up . ‘ people care about all the wrong things here .. ’ milo found himself grumbling in response , a shake of his head following . ‘ but cody .. he's smart, you know ? i think once this blows over and the initial shock of .. whatever the fuck this tori bitch was trying to do blows over , MAYBE he'll come around . ’ there was an attempt at a reassuring smile as he finished , not entirely convinced by his own words but sometimes people just needed the contrasting thoughts . milo had no idea what the future would hold , no idea if he and cody would even come out on top of all this but there was no need in upsetting johnny more . especially not when they were supposed to be winding down from all the CHAOS . reaching out mindlessly to toy with the adidas lanyard attached to his keys , needing something to distract himself from the temptation to pluck that joint right back out of johnny's hand . ‘ sucks is an understatement , ’ milo agreed , a humor-less chuckle following . okay ..... so maybe he wasn't the best at pick-me-ups , his own cynical mindset seeming to counteract this attempt at a break . time to pull it together , if not for himself then the guys having quite possibly an even worse day than he was . ‘ nothing we can do is correct — ’ an odd choice of pep talk openers , but he'd be the last person to claim he knew what he was doing . ‘ just fuck it , ok ? right now .. fuck everything except you , and i , and this car and that joint .. don't mind if i do . ’ halting as he leaned against the center console and snatched the joint back . chin propped in his hand , a smile slowly pulling onto his lips . ‘ life is too short to analyze everything we did wrong , or the things people think about us . you know how little free time i would have if i did that ? tell me .. something about you . like your most embarrassing moment , or maybe a surprising fact .. ? a strange talent ? ——— i mastered the art of saying the alphabet backward by sixteen in order to fool my stepdad into thinking i didn't get drunk every time i got caught sneaking back into the house .. ’ there was a nod of encouragement and an eyebrow raising , the fingers gripping the joint holding it at his lips for a few seconds as he inhaled once again , holding the smoke in for a few long seconds before blowing it right into johnny’s face . ‘ your turn . ’

[ofmiscreants]

johnny‌.

closed starter // @ofmiscreants​.

          fingers tremble obviously as he flicks on his lighter,  &  johnny has to huff out an embarrassed laugh at himself. his heart’s been stuck in his throat for the past few hours, although every couple of minutes it’ll sink as he’s hit again with reality, guilt  —  worse, the understanding that cody probably hates him now, that maybe he’d deserve it, for whatever excuses he could offer. it hadn’t taken long before he couldn’t stand fucking around behind the counter with his stomach churning as a reminder of his own shitty, selfish, wimpy choices  —  &  so here they were now, finally making good on that promise of a smoke in milo’s car, after johnny had finally broken and admitted: fuck, i can’t be here right now. i need  —  some air, i don’t know.  he’s unusually selfish now that they’re here, lets himself be the one to take the first hit, a deep inhale that he holds longer than normal, until it hurts. he breathes out  &  then laughs again, though it’s more than a little inappropriate. his laughter ends on a sigh, bitter.  ‘  this is such fucking bullshit, man.  ’  he passes the joint over, knocking his head back against the seat of the car.  ‘  i…  —  i would’ve told him, if i thought they were gonna start fucking around again. i asked him the other day,  &  got some lie about how cole was just making him breakfast or whatever  —  ’   making his excuses is much easier in this car with milo, milo who’s almost in the same boat, than begging for forgiveness from someone who doesn’t seem to want him to even try.

this  hadn't  quite  been  what  milo  expected  when  they  decided  to  smoke  together  ..  but  what  better  reason  did  they  have  ?  he'd  been  glued  to  his  phone  for  what  felt  like  hours  now  ,   attempting  to  fix  one  of  the  only  good  things  he  had  and  even  milo  could  feel  the  sickening  feeling  of  guilt  twisting  in  his  stomach  and  he  was  doing  his  damndest  to  bite  back  the  bitter  words  ..  with  a  few  casualties  in  the  form  of  customers  .  but  there  was  no  argument  as  they  locked  the  doors  and  milo  was  slumping  along  with  johnny  until  finding  the  comfort  of  his  front  seat  .  he'd  stayed  quiet  ,  eyes  building  as  he  waited  ..  and  waited  for  a  text  from  cody  before  the  voice  beside  him  pulled  him  back  into  reality  .  head  slumping  back  the  seat  ,  only  turning  to  watch  johnny  ,  listening  as  he  spoke  ,  reaching  out  for  the  joint  and  inhaling  deeply  .  eyes  fell  closed  briefly  ,  it  had  been  a  long  time  since  he'd  felt  ..  this  defeated  and  he  was  honestly  thankful  he  could  at  least  talk  to  SOMEONE  about  it  all  .  ‘  he  told  me  the  same  thing  ..  ’  milo  let  out  a  dry  laugh  before  the  smoke  was  slowly  being  blown  from  his  lips  ,  head  shaking  in  disbelief  .  ‘  i  would  have  too  .  he  didn't  tell  me  until  after  we  got  in  a  stupid  fight  ..  i  don't  even  KNOW  why  he  was  so  mad  at  me  but  somehow  ..  ’  there  was  a  roll  of  his  eyes  ,  taking  another  quick  hit  before  passing  the  joint  over  and  a  groan  was  slipping  from  parted  lips  .  ‘  he'll  come  around  ..  he  will  .  he'll  realize  that  we  care  and  that  no  one  was  trying  to  attack  him  and  ..  it'll  be  okay  .  ’  despite  his  words  ,  there  was  no  hope  .  he  knew  better  ..  ‘  we  just  have  to  try  and  not  think  about  it  too  much  .  ’

[ofmiscreants]

logan.

             purring    engine  comes  to  a  stop  as  she  turns  the  car  off.  fingers  tap  on  the  bottom  of  her  steering  wheel  and  she’ll  pretend  to  fiddle  with  the  mirror,  adjusting  and  then  readjusting  in  attempt  to  hide  what  she  was  actually  doing    —-    looking  at  herself.  the  way  she  courses  her  fingers  through  her  hair    may    have  been  a  tip  off.     ‘  it’ll  be    fine.    there’ll  be,  like,  a  hundred  people  there    —-    how  much  of  a  scene  could  a  man  who  cares  more  about  his  reputation  than  his  own  daughter  possibly  make    ?    ’     there  were  times  that  logan  felt    plagued    by  the  constant  hustle  that  her  father’s  worklife  provided.  and  since  the  sudden  departure  of  her  mother,  the  man  had  flung  himself  even  further  into  his  job.  even  though  she  understood  the  need  for    distraction,    the  girl  harboured  very  little  respect  for  the  man  who  raised  her,  and  then  distance  between  them  seemed  ever  growing.     ‘  right.  shall  we    ?    ’     she  could  feel  her  fingertips  tingling  with  nerves  and  only  realised  she  was  holding  her  breath  when  she  was    starved    for  oxygen    —-    something  that  quickly  resulted  in  her  necessary  sharp  intake  of  air  as  hand  wraps    desperately    around  his.

hopes  up  the  moment  logan  began  justifying  this  idea  ,  acting  as  if  this  was  a  genuinely  good  idea  while  milo  imagined  everything  that  could  go  wrong  .  this  was  a  real  gamble  ..  but  they  were  already  here  and  all  he  could  do  was  try  and  be  there  for  his  friend  .  even  if  it  was  one  of  the  least  comfortable  situations  he's  ever  put  himself  in  .  ‘  alright  well  ..  let's  put  our  happy  faces  on  and  just  enjoy  ourselves  ,  okay  ?  ’  forcing  eye  contact  for  longer  than  he'd  managed  since  she'd  picked  him  up  ,  he  gave  a  nod  of  assurance  despite  his  own  skepticism  .  lips  pulling  into  a  wide  grin  ,  one  balancing  back  out  into  a  straight  line  as  he  was  exiting  his  side  of  the  vehicle  and  swiftly  walking  around  to  let  her  out  ,  reaching  out  to  take  her  hand  .  ‘  we  shall  ,  ’  milo responds  ,  keeping  a  tight  grip  on  logan's  hand  as  he  lead  the  way  inside  .  it  was  luxurious  to  say  the  least  ..  giant  chandelier  lighting  up  the  massive  lobby  ,  feet  carrying  him  through  the  lavish  hotel  toward  the  ballroom  with  much  thanks  to  the  golden  plaques  marking  the  right  path  .  stopping  as  they  reached  the  closed  doors  ,  the  sound  of  laughter  mixing  with  mingled  conversations  ,  and  all  he  wanted  to  do  was  turn  and  run  ..  apologize  profusely  and  get  the  hell  out  ..  but  logan  was  counting  on  him  .  ‘  maybe  we  should  ..  head  to  the  bar  first  ,  ’  milo  was  suggesting  as  he  finally  tugged  open  the  door  ,  eyes  immediately  scanning  for  the  familiar  man  .  ‘  a  little  liquid  courage  before  ..  ’  voice  trailing  off  as  his  gaze  danced  across  the  room  ,  stopping  only  briefly  as  he  locked  eyes  with  none  other  than  logan's  father  ,  immediately  yanking  her  in  the  direction  of  the  open  bar  .  ‘  he's  probably  busy  greeting  people  ,  lets  get  a  drink  .  ’

[ofmiscreants]

mina‌.

atmosphere filling mina with a slew of both calamity and anxiety , a feeling she could never quite put her finger on . mina felt safe here , and even if history was to repeat itself , mina would be suprised to find herself anywhere else. her heart races at the touch ; this is bad , this is not a good idea , but mina continues to indulge in the cycle anyway . ❝ they did , but you don’t have to worry about missing me anymore . ❞ a sense of uncertainty lingers in the tone , but she keeps this layered away , in no mood to ruin things when were going so good . her eyes follow the turning of the lock with a flutter in her chest ; this didn’t feel real - there was no fucking way it was real . but it was , and she wouldn’t put up a fight . welcoming the embrace , her head falls back , just enough to find milo’s gaze . a moment of silence follows a quick turn on her heel , a devilish grin tugging at the corners of her mouth .  ❝ you say that like it’s a bad thing , babe . ❞ mina sings a teasing tune , a eyebrows raised for a challenge . wanting to enjoy the good moments while they lasted , mina wastes no time to cut to the chase , words without concern falling from her tongue . ❝ so , about the whiskey .. ❞

sometimes  he  wondered  ..  what  exactly  she  was  thinking  ?  it  wasn't  like  their  track  record  was  impressive,  for  as  many  times  as  they've  come  together  they  have  had  almost  as  many  closed  doors  and  emotionally  heightened  goodbye's  .  yet  here  they  were  ..  finger  tips  grazing  the  skin  peaking  out  from  the  hem  of  her  shirt  and  the  warmth  radiating  from  her  had  gotten  all  too  comfortable  .  ‘  good  ,  i'm  not  a  fan  of  missing  you  .  ’  a  low  hum  followed  ,  loosening  his  grasp  as  she  was  turning  to  face  him  and  his  own  gaze  was  settling  on  the  angelic  smile  shining  back  at  him  .  how  had  she  ended  up  with  him  ?  it  wasn't  like  milo  didn't  like  mina  ..  a  lot  ,  but  like  didn't  mean  a  lot  for  a  guy  like  him  .  ‘  if  you  asked  anyone  else  ,  they'd  probably  tell  you  it  was  a  very  bad  thing  ..  terrible  ,  really , ’  the  male  teased  ,  leaning  forward  until  their  forehead  met  gently  and  he  was  managing  to  tug  her  smaller  frame  against  his  own  .  ‘  is  that  all  you're  here  for  —  came  all  this  way  just  for  the  alcohol  ?  ’  tone  playful  now  ,  taking  slow  steps  forward  as  he  carefully  guided  her  inside  further  and  inward  toward  the  kitchen  .  ‘  maybe  i  wanted  to  catch  up  before  the  giggles  hit  you  ,  ’  milo  added  ,  stopping  once  he  was  able  to  press  her  back  against  the  kitchen  door  frame  .  ‘  on  the  rocks  ?  i  also  picked  up  some  mixers  ,  i  thought  options  would  be  nice  .  ’