secrets of the willow tree.

fischel "fish" abrams. emerald opal. sociology & policy major. he/him. co-founder of Our Table.dependent muse for OpalsHQ penned by del.

[rcbirth]

[ CHELLA MAN, TRANS & GENDERQUEER, HE/HIM ] shh ! FISCHEL “FISH” ABRAMS, the ( TWENTY-TWO ) year old THIRD year SOCIOLOGY & PUBLIC POLICY major from CHICAGO, IL is known as an EMERALD around here. HE was invited to join because HIS TED TALK ON THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION & RESTAURANT HE COFOUNDED HIT OVER 500MILL VIEWS, and now, they’re here to stay. HE reminds me of THE SMELL OF DINNER COOKING FROM THE NEXT ROOM OVER, SWIMMING ON A SUMMER NIGHT, RUNNER’S HIGH AT THE END OF A RACE. // @opalsmedia

howdy pals! my name is del ( she/they ), and i am jazzed to be here! i’ve been peaking at this rp since it showed up in the tags, so to say i’m excited about bringin my kiddo fish in is an understatement. a lil about me before i get into some basics and links for more info about fish... i’m twenty-three from the cst timezone. i work full-time, but my hours are funky, so you may see me at random hours of the day. big music fan, lover of public health things, over-using kermit the frog memes, & thriller shows and books ( anyone else almost lose it during the season finale of the undoing ??? )! warning: i rant a lot.... and am.... so long winded.... pls forgive me.

now for the fun part.... bby fish! i’m just going to give you basics to reference here, because the link ‘extended info’ has much more extensive head canons, wanted plots, stats, and his full bio.

born into a really well off & successful family ( dad = doctor & professor at UC’s med school, mom = big wig in dem establishment & advisor to ... oop! state senator obama ), fish had just about everything that he could ever need growing up. fish was super eager to please his parents and really ??? everyone. 

his grandma was and still is his favorite person to have ever walked this earth. probably has a tattoo for that woman but like ... she’s a peach 1/2 so rightfully so. 

two things about his grandma.... first! her maiden name was fischel, and when fish was growing up, she’d always call him her little fish. it just stuck, and that was that! he would forever be known fischel for business™ and fish for the pals. second! she was his biggest advocate and always believed in him. ( food tw ): she helped encourage his love and interest in cooking, food, food soc, etc. they were big julia child fans. a lot of grandma/fish time was literally just them goofing around in the kitchen and trying to recreate things they saw her make. also.... chicago just has a phenomenal food scene in general, and those two really soaked it in, trying out the various signature dishes of the various neighborhoods, and learning about the history behind them. ( tw end )

he loves anthony bourdain & samin nosrat. big fan.

( divorce tw ) parents got divorced and didn’t really say much other than that he would stay with his father in chicago and visit his mom on alternating holidays and summers. there wasn’t like The Discussion ( tw end )

while he was doing a lil medical internship and staying out with his mom ( cancer, death of a loved one tw ) he got the news that his grandmother’s cancer had gotten to the point where she had been put on life support. his father made the decision that it was in her best interest and fish’s to end her support. fish found out after she had already passed. he tried to claim that it was in his best interest since fish had always been too emotional and the family’s so there wouldn’t be this massive fight.... ( tw end ) cue beginning of resentment of the fam & realization that he’s got no one in his corner except himself

our table <3333 ( food tw ) okay so taking inspiration from his time touring chicago neighborhoods with his grandma & idolizing bourdain and nosrat, fish created what began as an after school club with some of his pals. the idea was to learn about food accessibility, urban farming, food sociology, & cooking from peers, but fish had Big Big plans & wanted it to turn into a bit of a safe haven for kids & young adults on the southside. ( tw end ) utilizing both support from partnerships with other chicago based non profits, school, and locals in the food scene, he helped start the building process for an actual brick and mortar place for our table. 

this got some buzz, and when a journalist came to interview fish and the other co founders they even received national attention... leading to what would be a ted talk appearance in the future, but back to entering strathmore...

fish hopes to utilize both sociology and public policy degrees to help him become a policy advocate and researcher. he hates how slow moving and formal things always were with his mom’s work. his goal is to utilize research about community based efforts and organizations ( like our table ) and science, to create substantial and sustainable policy for politicians that aren’t scared of being seen as “””too radical””.

his invitation into the society came months later after his ted talk reached over 500 million views. although, he’ll tell you it's because word got around to the members who heard about how good of a chef he is .... he loves it. he literally longs ... yearns some might say .... for community and is very committed and protective over his circlet. 

grief, guilt tw: poppy’s disappearance has him borderline unhinged a bit. she was one of the people he considered himself closer too, and it’s just an unearthing of some of the feelings he had right after his grandmother’s death of anger, confusion, guilt etc. he won’t openly express that or talk about it, but it definetely manifests itself physically. tw end

inspiration-wise, he is a mix of laurel castillo from how to get away with murder, pope heyward from outer banks, grizz from the society, dani clayton from bly manor, emily prentiss from criminal minds, and a bit of payton hobart from the politican. 

music inspiration: willow tree by tash sultana & jerome farah, ain’t it fun by paramore, barefoot in the park by james blake, bad bad news by leon bridges

his personality is that he’s a sociable guy for the most part, but he’s definetely an introvert really enjoying his time for himself. he’s very methodical despite how emotional he is and can be. very creative, protective, blunt .... this can run him into issues even if he just means it as a joke.... many times its not though, he’s pretty critical of others and esp himself, but also v loyal and thoughtful when it comes down to the pals.... will be dropping off some homemade soup and crackers if he knows you’re fighting a lil cold.

BIG THINGS: a lot of his character is based around the subtle, warm intimacy of small dinners with loved ones??? this is what he longs for more than anything and always has??? it’s not super overstated or in your face, but you know its there because you can feel it. in the past you saw him being more passive, kinda allowing himself to float in the background, but now he really is his own advocate and creates community wherever he can. he’s v intentional in his relationships and conversations, not wanting to have just surface level connections or chats. he is v much a Scorpio™.

see more. pinterest. plots. template credit.

[rcbirth]

WHO: @gvrnets​ ! WHEN: late late, but too early to be hungover... oops ! WHERE: a quiet room somewhere in france, a great place to cry !

FATIGUE NESTLED ITSELF alongside the unforgiving clanging in his head. nursing his disappointment from the year that had come, and now passed, with his favorite drinks of choice had done anything but allow him to forge his failure to create and inspire. with only one final year left to make the statement he had been dreaming of since setting foot in the hallowed halls of strathmore, fish finds himself exhausted, defeated even. leaders and masterminds had walked where he walked — utilizing their skills and the resources that the university had to offer —, and yet, here he stood with nothing but the shadows of his former work from a little over four years prior reminding him that maybe the best of himself was already behind him. 

hazy eyes look out at what had once been a bright, white landscape, now turned dark and formidable frozen wasteland. his fingers tap along the window sill, watching, waiting for some grand moment of clarity. fischel needs a sign — a reminder even — of where his path is leading him. something to cling onto from the past years to remind him that he’s still growing, still evolving for the better. but rather than a revelation found in the scene outside, fish finds himself jumping at the sudden reflection of the garnet opal in the glass. he grips hold of the window sill behind him to keep himself from wobbling as he turns to a good look at his friend.  ❝ hey, ❞  and then, because he remembers he’s been in here for quite some time, he adds,  ❝ did it uh — is it the new year? ❞

[rcbirth]

walsh, aislin.

status : closed ─ ( @rcbirth​​ ) location : aislin’s bedroom !

 aislin  knew  better  than  to  speak.  though,  she  couldn’t  exactly  sit  in  silence  either.  despite  the  scene  before  her  playing  out  many  times  before,  the  blonde  never  grew  comfortable  watching  other  people  watch  her  work.  it  was  a  necessary  evil,  a  strange  type  of  voluntary  torture.  with  her  computer  screen  obstructed  from  her  view  she  paced  from  the  door  to  the  window  and  back.  the  nail  of  her  thumb  found  new  home  between  her  teeth  as  green  eyes  watched  fish’s  expression.  each  lift  of  his  eyebrow  or  quirk  of  his  lips  stirred  uncomfortable  uncertainty  within   her.  her  mouth  open  and  shut  with  each  unasked  for  explanation  she  wanted  to  offer.  it  was  only  a  twenty  minute  short,  yet  the  seconds  ticked  on  like  hours.  soon  enough  the  end  credit  track  and  melodic  tune  over  a  soft  ukulele  encouraged  her  to  crawl  back  onto  the  bed  beside  him,  and  slam  her  hand  on  the  spacebar  to  stop  the  short  from  going  any  further.  “  all  done  !  ”  she  exclaimed,  as  if  that  much  wasn’t  obvious.  

maybe  her  nerves  could  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that  this  was  the  first  film  she’d  completed  since  the  april.  or  maybe  it  had  more  to  do  with  the  person  she’d  chosen  to  watch  it;  fish  had  always  been  someone  she  held  in  high  esteem,  if  he  didn’t  find  something  to  like  in  her  work  it  would  crush  her.  but  deep  in  the  corner  of  the  bottom  of  her  heart,  she  knew  the  subject  of  the  script  was  eating  at  her.  was  it  possible?  could  fish  know  where the  inspiration  came  from…──  “  if  you  completely  hate  it  that’s  fine.  i  can  make  it  better.  there’s  actually  a  lot  of  content  i  cut  out,  but  maybe  it  should  have  stayed…──  do  you  think  the  narration  might  have  been  too  much  ?  yeah.  yeah,  that  might  have  been  too  much…──  the  coloring  was  nice  though…─  wasn’t  it  ?  ”  it  wasn’t  until  then  did  she  remember  she  should  probably  let  him  speak  before  deciding  on  what  needed  to  be  corrected.  though  a  part  of  her  feared  she  already  knew  what  he  was  going  to  say.

JEALOUSY IS SUCH a common feeling for fish by now that it feels more like a good friend than a dark cloud reminding him of his incompetencies. picking himself apart to locate and identify the gritty parts of himself — the underdeveloped and disappointing aspects — in order to compare and learn from others is second nature. perfection is everything, but until he gets there, the illusion of it will have to do. and there was aislin, with all the makings for greatness. she’s the paragon of what he desires for himself with her bright intellect, charming creativity, and — most impressive of all — ability to use her talents to create something inspiring, beautiful, and tangible. and yet, as he takes in the latest of her works of pure brilliance, he finds himself engrossed, astounded, and more than anything... proud. time and time again, she continued to astonish him with the talent she possesses, and each time he’s left more in awe of her than the last.

it’s clear that something, or rather someone, was the driving force of her muse for this project. however, the time for poking and prodding away at the overall mystery surrounding the inspiration is not quite yet upon them.  ❝ hate? ❞  his laugh that proceeds comes out like a bark, the idea almost too ridiculous to fathom.  ❝ it’s brave.... and beautiful. i want to watch it again just to see what i might have missed. ❞  eyes flicker from her back to the now dimly lit black screen where her film had been moments prior.  ❝ i’m so proud of you. the coloring, the narration... everything about it. you could really tell that you put yourself into this. ❞  hesitation holds himself back for a moment as he looks back over to her again. fish knew that they were close. he would do anything for aislin, but would she really feel comfortable exposing the source for this raw, vulnerable work of art she just allowed him to be witness to? 

❝ it’s clear this piece means a lot to you. ❞  the decision is made: a step back from his normal blunt approach but direct nonetheless.  ❝ is there a um... backstory to it all? ❞

[rcbirth]

pohnthachit, brandon.

» Of course this would happen. The longer this trip went on, the more Brandon became convinced it was actually a cosmic plot to ruin any and all positive sentiment he held toward snow. Was a near-death experience not enough? Must he also be forced into what may as well be a real life bottle episode with Fish, of all people? It isn’t that Brandon has a bad relationship with his predecessor, per se, but it’s weird to talk to him one-on-one. Brandon can’t quite pin down what Fish wants from him, why Fish chose Brandon, and it feels like a waiting game. When is the other shoe going to drop? When is Fish going to realize that Brandon is nothing but a series of disappointments? “Isn’t the joke actually about following your friends after they jump?” The two emeralds are forlorn mirrors. Well, Brandon’s forlorn. He can’t really make out Fish’s expression through his snow gear from this angle. “Look, if you jump this and make it, I’ll follow, dude.” Brandon considers the ground beneath them. Far, far beneath them. He wiggles his feet experimentally. 

“… maybe.” he amends. “This is, like, my second time snowboarding, ever. Lift jumps seem a little advanced.”  

SOMETHING ABOUT HIS prodigy always leaves fischel taking a second longer to calculate his words and actions. there’s an air of familiarity there... whether it truly just being attributed to the fact that — by the marriage of their mothers — they were now step-siblings or because he saw a bit of himself in brandon.  ❝ touché, ❞ is all fish manages to add before falling into silence once more. mitten covered fingers tap along the rail as he considers brandon’s statement. maybe he could land the jump and get help? then again, while he was pretty sure there was no rule book for step-siblings other than not being a dick, he also knew it’d probably be a bad move to leave brandon all alone up here. ( never mind if fish’s land was less than ideal. ) swiveling slightly to face him, fish gives brandon a goodnatured shrug.  ❝ nah, i wouldn’t do that to you, dude. my mom may not come if something went wrong, but i’m positive she’d send some of her lawyers, and you’d be the star witness. trust me, i’ve met some of them. absolutely ruthless. i wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemies. ❞  normally, fish avoids conversations about his family as much as possible, but if he couldn’t make a joke about the lot of them with someone technically a part of it, he wasn’t all too sure who he could.  ❝ i’ll stick it out with you. let’s just maybe think of a good story to tell the others? a secret trail? a wild bear sighting? what do you think? ❞

[rcbirth]

carter-harrington, hollis.

                                 AMELIA  WAS  BORN  ONE  WITH  daredevil  wings  –––––  or  something  of  the  sort,  given  her  eagerness  to  charge  into  anything  that  seemed  thrilling  and  fun  without  a  single  moment  hesitation.  hollis,  on  the  other  hand,  would  be  one  to  scrutinize,  to  question,  to  raise  pros  and  cons  to  anything  he  had  the  opportunity  to.  it  was  in  his  inquisitive  nature  too  sit  back,  and  yet,  he  must  admit,  fish  presents  an  adventure  that  piques  the  garnet’s  interest.  “  you  jump,  i  jump,  jack  ?  ”  is  all  he  asks,  eyes  flickering  to  the  snow  beneath  them  and  his  fellow  opal.  “  you’ve  got  an  emergency  contact  on  speed  dial,  yeah  ?  god  i  hope  mia’s  phone  isn’t  dead  –––––  i’ve  got  a  bad  feeling  about  this,  but  if  we  want  to  be  back  in  time  for  dinner  before  everyone  gets  all  the  good  food,  it’s  our  only  option,  yeah  ?  ”  just  do  it,  hollis.  don’t  think.  “  i’d  ask  if  you  were  sure  but  i  think  we  should  just  do  it.  no  overthinking,  just  …  do  it.  ”

OH SHIT. he was serious? fish flashes a broad, toothy grin in hollis’s direction, but the fear pronounces itself in sweaty palms covered by thick mittens and an ever increasing heart-rate.  ❝ hollis, if you keep saying things like that, i’m going to fall in love with you rather than fall off this ski lift. ❞  maybe not the best joke to say before pulling a full blown hail mary, but that’s the last thing on his mind.  ❝ yeah, yeah... aly’s got everything down. ❞  his head peaks out at the snow below them once more. they were doing this. if hollis was going, he was too. no question about it. quickly racking his brain for one the various prayers his grandmother used to recite with him, fish falls short there’s nothing to do now but raise that guard rail and jump.  ❝ alright, buddy.... throw your poles out far, so we don’t land on them. you ready? ❞  the bar raises, and fish throws his poles out and away, watching them land safely in the snow. this couldn’t be any worse than jumping off the high board at the beach, right?  ❝ now or never. ❞

[rcbirth]

gwendolyn-morrison, rose.

          rose  had  been  grateful  for  the  members  of  the  society  who  were  willing  to  spend  time  with  her  despite  her  minor  injury.  part  of  her  was  worried  she’d  feel  left  out  —  but  someone  was  always  lingering  around  the  chateau,  and  willing  to  keep  her  company.  after  a  fresh  snowfall  too,  rose  was  desperate  to  go  outside  and  have  fun  —  though  she  knew  she  was  limited  to  snow  activities.  it  was  how  she  found  herself  in  fish’s  company,  as  she  lounged  on  a  chair,  holding  a  carrot  and  the  perfect  sticks  to  give  the  snowman  some  character,  she  watched  fish  prepare  the  body  of  the  snowman.  it  wasn’t  until  he  spoke  did  she  divert  her  attention  to  him  with  a  grin.  ❝  it  does  sound  like  you’re  belittling  my  very  serious  injury,  fish.  ❞  she  stood  up,  walking  over  to  him  as  she  plucked  the  knit  hat  off  her  head.  ❝  though  i  can’t  imagine  it’ll  make  our  snowman  child  much  warmer  —  seeing  as  he’s  made  of  ice.  ❞  she  looked  at  their  half  done  snowman  with  a  raised  brow,  handing  fish  the  carrot  and  her  hat.  ❝  so  —  what  shall  we  name  them  ?  first  name  that  comes  to  mind  —  go.  ❞

MOMENTS LIKE THIS were a necessity for fischel. whether or not she knew it, he treasured the time that he got with rose. things could get ... stuffy at strathmore. friendships were made in the form of commodities: it was always what could you do for your friend in exchange for what they could do for you? how could you set yourself apart from them? how could you move farther? but rose's friendship had always been unique. she reminded him of the home he left behind: the people who pushed, teased, and pressed him just enough to light the kiln and solidify his revival into a new, stronger form. childish as it may be he needed moments of pure ridiculousness — fighting over the fashion sense of a snowman — to remind himself of the fischel that still remained despite all that has changed.  ❝ ah, but didn’t you ever watch frosty as a child? he had that nice little top hat. your knit one does wonders for them. i think it even brings out the orange in his nose, don’t you think? ❞  he adds after adjusting the carrot and hat on their new snow child.  ❝ tom nook. maybe it’s the carrot that reminds me of turnips, but they’ve got this face that tells me they’d rope me into taking out a three million dollar loan for an extra room on my house. ❞

[rcbirth]

📍𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙊𝙉𝙄𝙓 — OPALS NEW YEAR !

[rcbirth]

𝙎𝙉𝙊𝙒 𝘽𝘼𝘽𝙄𝙀𝙎  𝟘𝟘𝟙 & 𝟘𝟘𝟚: a fish abrams skiing & chateau playlist ( c )

yet another snapshot into the slightly eclectic music taste of fischel abrams. this time featuring two recent playlists made for the slopes & time spent dancing in the kitchen.

𝙎𝙉𝙊𝙒 𝘽𝘼𝘽𝙄𝙀𝙎:  𝟘𝟘𝟙 — skiing.

( 𝔦 ). 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 by 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣 / ❝ you been there all along, right where you belong ❞  ( 𝔦𝔦 ). 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 by 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙫 / ❝ i just want to get away find a place to just escape. ❞ ( 𝔦𝔦𝔦 ). 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘳ç𝘰𝘯𝘴 by 𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙢𝙖 / ❝ i'm done waiting, anticipating, keep going and going ❞ ( 𝔦𝖛 ). 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 by 𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙖 / ❝ gone a little far this time for something ❞ ( 𝖛 ). 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 by 𝙨𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙨, 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙤 / ❝ take my hand and i'll show you the way ❞

𝙎𝙉𝙊𝙒 𝘽𝘼𝘽𝙄𝙀𝙎: 𝟘𝟘𝟚 — chateau.

( 𝔦 ). 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘶 by 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙨 & 𝙟𝙪𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 / ❝ we can go to the chateau marmont, and dance, we got nothing to lose ❞ ( 𝔦𝖎 ). 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 by 𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 / ❝ you gotta love, squeeze, don't tease ❞ ( 𝖎𝖎𝖎 ). 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 by 𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚 / ❝ take my hand and i'll show you the way ❞ ( 𝔦𝖛 ). 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴 by 𝙡𝙚𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙨 / ❝ they tell me I was born to lose ❞ ( 𝖛 ). 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 by 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 / ❝ we work hard and grind and hustle all day ❞

[rcbirth]

jeong, valen.

⁽ ⠀ ✶ ⠀ ⁾ ⠀ ⠀ — ⠀ ⠀ APPARENTLY  ,  ONE  NEVER  REALIZES  A  fear  until  it  becomes  real.  heights  have  never  been  an  issue  for  valen  ,  planes  were  easy  ,  but  this  was  different.  they  were  fully  exposed  to  the  elements  in  this  flimsy  ski  lift.  how  long  has  it  been  since  maintenance  checked  the  mechanics     ?     what  year  was  this  built     ?     gloved  fingers  clench  into  fists  around  the  rail.     “     yes.  it  is.     ”     face  turns  swiftly  to  stare  him  down  ,  jaw  stern.     “     it’ll  be  a  purely  vertical  drop  and  the  snow  is  more  packed  here  than  it  is  on  the  slopes.     ”     despite  the  anxiety  coursing  through  their  veins  ,  voice  remains  steady  and  measured.     “     i  won’t  jump  ,  but  let  me  know  if  you  do  so  i  can  record  it  and  prove  it  wasn’t  my  fault  when  i’m  eventually  taken  to  questioning.     ”     teeth  sink  into  bottom  lip  ,  taking  another  look  at  the  white  abyss  underneath  them.  any  reassuring  words  they  had  in  their  mind  prior  has  been  overtaken  by  pessimism. 

POINT TAKEN. any previous thoughts of jumping are quickly put to rest. eyes shift over to his companion with a slight lift in his eyebrows. unsure of if he is to take this as yet another slight joke to lighten the mood or maybe even a bit of a threat, fish follows their lead and looks down at the snow below. did they really think he couldn’t stick the landing? it didn’t look all that packed. then again, maybe it was just his delirium from too much adrenaline and energy exerted on the slopes and then stopping abruptly that is making it seem like a somewhat reasonable option for the both of them.  ❝ alright then... no jumping. time to get cozy, huh? we may not be able to warm our asses, but that doesn’t mean we can’t warm our hearts. chicken soup for the soul, yeah? ❞  the corner of his mouth lifts slightly into a small smile. he knows he’s walking a fine line between pushing too far and helping ease the tension, but if fish kept sitting here doing nothing but thinking about being stuck, he knew he would spiral. 

[rcbirth]

WHO: @carneliean​ ! WHEN: early morning, maybe a bit too early for breakfast & dancing but who’ll stop him ? WHERE: the chateau kitchen ( and impromtu dance floor ) !

WHEN FISCHEL WAS WORKING on a project, he was all in. everything else faded to the background. when it came to concocting the perfect meal for him to start the day, it was absolutely no different. letting the gentle bass of the current song guide his movements, fish moves through the kitchen with ease: a sprinkle of the spice blend he had procured accompanies the gentle sway of hips and head, a small dash of pecorino with the soft hum from lips pulled into a smile. it isn’t until he turns around completely while searching for the bottle of oil he had laid out that his eyes land on someone watching him from the other end of the room. a quick tap of his phone, and the music dims.  ❝ good morning to you too. ❞  eyebrows furrow slightly as he takes the olive oil that he had been looking for in his hand.  ❝ were you trying to get in here?  ❞

[rcbirth]

WHO: @rhystcylor​ ! WHEN: late evening, the perfect time for giving your pals a kiss on the cheek along with their holiday gift ! WHERE: rhys’s room !

PEACE WAS A LUXURY. between the disappearance of poppy, the inner circlet tensions, and the most recent chaos that ensued at the masquerade and resulted in this impromptu trip, fish had promptly decided to sleep with one eye open and a fresh to-go bag at his side. that didn’t, however, mean that he completely gave up on any semblance of normalcy. ( it was the holiday season after all! ) and while he and his family had never celebrated christmas, outside of getting some nicer than normal take-out, fischel abrams was also a lover of gift-giving. what better time to show appreciation to his friends through gifts than now? 

with one hand on the gift box he had carefully wrapped and the other on a plate of cookies, fish moves to make an attempt to knock on rhys’s door only to find it already open. there’s a moment of hesitation before he finally calls out a warning,  ❝ hey, are you decent? i’m coming in. ❞

[rcbirth]

barrera, alejandra.

ALEJANDRA KNEW LEAVING THE LODGE WAS A BAD IDEA . she hates the cold with a burning passion ( no pun intended ) . but fish had broken out THAT CERTAIN LOOK he can do so effortlessly well . the one that always makes her sigh and agree to WHATEVER HE WANTS . so , yes , of course she’d said YES when he’d asked her to hit the slopes with him . WHAT A MISTAKE THAT WAS . now ,  she shivers harshly , feeling wind whip up her hair . her mittened hand finds fish’s and she holds it  before casting him a pointed look . “ ha ha . “ alejandra isn’t angry - she never can be , not at him . BUT FUCKING FUCK , it is cold , and alejandra is really missing her staked out spot on the lounge in front of the fireplace , and the permanent hot cocoa in her hands . “ i’m not jumping . i’m wearing designer , for god’s sake . “ alejandra says , primly . another gust of wind interrupts her . “ never mind . yes , if you jump , i jump . that’s our general rule for each other , though , isn’t it ? “ she’s talking faster , teeth chattering . “ i love you so very much fish , i really do . you’re a magnificent person , and my literal other half and soul mate . you’re intelligent and bright and honest and HUMBLE . . but right now ? right now i hate you , so much  . “ she tugs her scarf up , to cover the bottom of her face . her hand squeezes fish’s painfully tight . “ are we moving , or am i just finally succumbing to delirium ? “ probably the latter . 

SO STAND UP WAS NOT in his future...  ❝ you know... now that you say that, it’s sounding a bit like rose’s little promise to jack right before his well... anyways! no jumping. that’s the deal. it goes both ways yes? you don’t jump, i don’t jump? i’m here to stay. we’ll be alright. ❞  with his one free hand, fish lifts his phone up just enough to look at the time. how long was a reasonable amount of time to expect a ski lift to be fixed?  ❝ woah, woah, woah... ❞  head whipping back towards alejandra, fish’s eyes roam over her facial features. one of the many things that he loved about his friend was her ability to bring out his more emotional side, which so many times felt stifled with his desperate need to seem levelheaded and collected by others. but this? well, the last thing he wants to do is mistake her dramatics for genuine fear. pulling his hand from her grasp, his now free arm goes up and over her shoulders, pulling her tighter into his side.  ❝ listen... i love you more than you know. i’m humbled, i’m honored.... by everything you say, and i feel the same. i do. i might not be the most talented writer, but i’m almost positive i could write you a whole ballad just about your smile. but .... i’m also saving that for our wedding day. we’ll be okay. i’m know they’ll have us down in no time, so don’t go sharing your wedding vows to me before you have to okay? ❞  the inside of his cheeks slips between teeth, becoming victim to them as he gently bites down and ponders what the next course of action should be.  ❝ actually... now that i think about it... it’s about time we start planning, hm? can i assume a ski resort destination wedding or honeymoon is out of the question? ❞

[rcbirth]

WHO: @rosegm​ ! WHEN: mid-afternoon, after a bit too much hot cocoa ! WHERE: outside the ski chalet, the perfect snowman making area !

THE AGREEMENT HAD BEEN a teamwork effort, not rose barking orders and fish running around like one of miss rose's little minions. he would huff, and he would groan as he pushed oversized boulders of snow on top of each other, but there was no denying the fact that fish was having a fantastic time. and how could he not with the creative, snowperson building talent that came in the form of rose gwendolyn morrison at his side and more snow than he knew what to do with at his disposal? chicago had its various city parks, and on the rare occasion, his grandmother would even take him out on road trips to surrounding state park reserves for a bit more scenery, but nothing, nothing, compared to this. 

with one final shove, fish finally moves the last bundle of snow up on top of his fully formed pile. wiping the bit of sweat from his brow, fish averts his attention from his latest creation to look back at rose looking rather comfortable in her seat.  ❝ please don’t take this as offensive because i know you need to rest, and i don’t want to belittle your injury,  — or do, but could you be so kind as to offer up your hat to our child? ❞  teeth flash a brilliant white, giving away he’s at least slightly teasing.  ❝ i cannot let my first born child be both cold and unfashionable. ❞

[bob-belcher]

[rcbirth]

@magnctic

[rcbirth]

aydin, josephine.

status     :     open  !

location     :     upstairs  balcony  at  the  chalet  !

          not  unlike  a  child  on  christmas  morning,  josie  was  restless  enough  in  the  wee  hours  of  the  early  morning  that  she’d  pulled  herself  from  bed  long  before  sunrise.  if  she  had  to  guess,  it  had  more  to  do  with  the  unfamiliar  location  rather  than  the  excitement  of  it  all.  still,  it’s  inherently  peaceful  with  the  rest  of  the  society  seemingly  still  asleep  and  darkness  like  a  warm  blanket  over  the  entirety  of  the  chateau.  quiet  as  a  church  mouse,  josie  moved  through  the  house,  taking  great  care  not  to  disturb  the  other  residents  in  her  mission  for  a  warm  drink  and  quiet  solitude,  a  chance  to  enjoy  the  peace  before  another  day  of  activities  began.  which  is  how  she’d  found  herself  settled  on  one  of  the  plush  sofas  outside,  hot  tea  cradled  in  her  hand  and  a  (  stolen  )  plush  blanket  draped  over  her  legs.  though  it’s  mostly  still  dark,  the  first  shades  of  pink  are  just  beginning  to  fill  the  sky  when  her  silence  is  broken  by  the  company  of  another.     ❝  i  didn’t  think  anyone  else  would  be  up  yet,  ❞     she  hummed  quietly,  warm  smile  offered  in  their  direction  as  she  patted  the  seat  beside  her.     ❝  you’re  just  in  time  for  the  sunrise,  though,  if  you’d  like  to  join  me.  ❞

EYES LOCK ON ANOTHER early riser, and his lips immediately curve into a small, sleep ridden grin. though fish has always loved — needed even — his moments of peaceful solitude, there’s something about the holidays that always brings forth his childlike need for others. in the mornings of his school’s holiday breaks, it was always his grandmother that would wake him with a warm cup of hot chocolate and some exciting plan for the day. now, his grandmother has been replaced with a found family, and hot chocolate has been replaced with a mug full of black coffee. 

easing his way over to his friend, fish settles himself next to josie.  ❝ i was thinking about getting breakfast started early for anyone that was wanting an earlier start to their day too. ❞  eyes glance over to the gentle morning sun that is just barely beginning to rise,  ❝ i couldn’t find better company even if i tried, ❞  he replies before bringing the rim of his mug up to his lips to take a sip.  ❝ so, what’s got you up so early? morning meditations? ❞

[rcbirth]

WHO: open ( @opalsmedia​ ) ! WHEN: early evening... golden hour, some might say ! WHERE: a ski lift stuck in the middle of the line !

MATH HAD NEVER BEEN his subject of choice. it was always too regimented and strict in its structure for his liking. fish had never been outright bad at it by any means, but it was also the class that he was most likely to doze off it. daydreams of detailed plans of the future always seemed so much more practical for his upwards trajectory in life rather than learning about the pythagorean theorem and pigeonhole principle after all. that was at least, until he was faced with the predicament of either waiting out the mechanical malfunction on the ski lift for potentially another hour or hoping there was some mathematical formula that could prove it was safe to jump from this distance.  ❝ is this a bad time to make the ‘if your friend tells you to jump..’ joke? ❞  he mumbles to his counterpart before peaking over the rail. the snow did look rather fluffy, and they didn’t seem too high. surely they could land it, right?

[moviecapss]