[romymccready]

( ella purnell, 28, cis woman, she/her ) SPOTTED: ROMY MCCREADY in new york city! heard the TWENTY-EIGHT year old belongs to THE CAVALRY as a BOMB MAKER. word on the streets is that they can be ASTUTE, KIND-HEARTED, but they can also be EVASIVE, ODD.

pinterest

📂 dossier ›

full name ⸻ romilly magdalene mccready. nickname(s) ⸻ romy, sometimes mags (rarely used). age ⸻ twenty-eight. birthday ⸻ november 17 gender identity ⸻ cis woman. orientation ⸻ bisexual. pronouns ⸻ she/her. hometown ⸻ pike county, kentucky (central appalachia). current occupation ⸻ bomb maker for the cavalry character inspiration ⸻ kya clark (where the crawdads sing), kimiko (the boys), luna lovegood (harry potter), lee harker (longlegs), marianne sheridan (normal people), eleanor oliphant (eleanor oliphant is completely fine)

📂 about ›

romy mccready was born in the hills of eastern kentucky and raised inside a militant survivalist commune that believed the federal government would come for them because of their religious beliefs. her mother died shortly after romy was born, and her father was a punishing presence. she had two older brothers, but she never talks about them — they genuinely might as well not even exist. the only person who mattered was her sister, rosa.

romy was taught to shoot, to handle a knife. to plant gardens, rig traps, cook rations, field dress, and do first aid. she learned to survive with whatever was on hand. she also happened to be good with wiring and small, precise tasks, even as a child. so she was taught how to make explosives. no one questioned it. usefulness mattered more than childhood.

rosa left when romy was twelve. she stayed gone for five years before returning to pull romy out too. after that, they spent another five years drifting, living in motels and out of a car once they could afford to buy one. they settled in nevada for a bit before heading back east, ending up in new york. rosa slipped into gang life first, and romy followed her lead the way she always had. a few years ago, rosa died, leaving romy on her own again.

now romy keeps a quiet routine. she works, tends to her plants, feeds strays on her fire escape, and reads constantly. she carries the skills she grew up with and the weight of her past, but she moves through the world in her steady, understated way.

📂 headcanons ›

has hella tattoos. most of them are random and impulsive. the only part of her that isn't tattooed is her face. she only has one on her neck, but her torso, legs, arms, hands/feet are covered. even her fucking ears. but it's all fine line/patchwork, and a lot are small and/or fading.

she's technically unemployed outside of the cavalry. but she does odd jobs like fixing shit and selling things she grows or makes.

doesn't really watch tv or movies. not like she has anything against them. she just has a million hobbies, and those rank higher to her than sitting down to watch something. that plus her sheltered upbringing means she doesn't get a lot of references.

thrifts everything she wears. dresses very modestly despite not having a modest bone in her body. maxi skirts, oversized sweaters, fingerless gloves, boots. always wears cool socks.

refuses to kill insects indoors; will cup and release them outside no matter how long it takes. same goes for mice, rats, any small creatures.

has no qualms about violence/death/even killing, but at the same time, she does secretly want to be useful to the cavalry in a way that isn't so destructive.

has a VERY "it is what it is" mindset about her life. very graciously melancholic like "yeah some fucked up things happened, but some people are just not meant to have normal lives i guess, anyway peace n luv" something is definitely wrong with the way her brain processes emotions. didn't even cry when her sister died. but it's FINE she's fine. very zen.

she's superstitious. she believes in aliens, cryptids, astrology...even though she knows it's illogical. she thinks life is more fun when you believe in stuff like that so she does :)

frequently recreationally uses psychedelics, mainly shrooms. she likes smoking weed and also smokes cigarettes but rolls her own so it's ok <3

would do ANYTHING for her friends. would die for her friends. she's not a very emotional person, but she is so so loyal and LOVING.

📂 wanted ›

more friends!! she has so many good ones and will happily take more

opps and people who do not like her at all pls and thank u

parental figures/protectors. she didn't really have many sane ones growing up

she does odd jobs like fixing things. so any clients for that

her fellow cavalry members. that's her FAM , she's loyal like a dog fr <3

more tba but i am very easy going when it comes to plotting so please throw whatever at me, i always will say yes!!

[romymccready]

who: open to all @pantheonhqstarters where: central park?? or some park/outdoor setting, go wild

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧’𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 day - harsh, but romy could withstand it. she hadn’t lived in nevada so long for nothing, after all. even the kentucky heat of her childhood could be brutal, despite the lush forest canopy. on this monday afteroon she’d found a patch of shade beneath a crooked tree in the park, sitting cross-legged in the grass with a melting cherry popsicle in one hand and a copy of the national enquirer spread open in her lap. she was deep in an article about a woman who claimed to be in a committed relationship with an alien named vorlan. “hm,” she said, to no one in particular at first. then, after a moment, her eyes lifted toward someone else. “i don’t think folks are open-minded enough about interplanetary love.” her face didn’t change. no smile, no wink, like she’d been waiting all day to defend a woman from ohio and her extraterrestrial boyfriend. “reckon you’d ever date an alien?” she asked, letting the question hang there as if it were perfectly normal. “if you believe in them, i mean.” she glanced back down at the paper, thoughtful. “i drove the extraterrestrial highway once. saw the area 51 alien museum and stuff. sometimes thinkin’ about the stars is a good distraction from what’s goin’ on here on earth.”

[dadivosos]

francis knew very early on that the pair had never truly intended to be with anyone so it made sense to him that they end up together. for whatever reason they kept growing closer throughout the years until it ended in full devotion -- he wouldn't say otherwise. " no , to be fair i don't think either of us ever pictured this being our outcome. " he paused before adding. " unless you always thought i was a hunk and this was your plan all along. " though he doubted , they had never crossed that boundary and francis thought she was somewhat of a noob given her background. " of course she did , how classy of her. " he tried to set the snark aside for his dead sister in law but he had his biases. head slowly turned as she started up with another one of her lore drops , " you mean like --- candle lit dinners for like , ever ? " it didn't make sense to him , they did live in a society after all. " burners did have internet it was just shitty internet unless you had a flip phone --- when did you get your actual phone ? " their voices hushed as people moved around them. " i know and i was bestowed upon you to be your guide. " especially now that they were going to be together , forever. brows furrowed at the mention of romeo before shaking his head , " when the fuck did he ? i mean he used to show up unannounced and sometimes i guess nan would be there but i don't think he ever stayed long. that's like bro code or whatever. " he shook his head , " if anything , nan is scarier than you and not in like an actual scary way. she can get awkward real quick , you at least have an excuse if you do , i don't know what went wrong with her. " eyes narrowed before turning towards her , " soon means -- within this year. they're gonna find out eventually. what if i want to wear an engagement ring too ? girls get all the cool fancy stuff. "

[romymccready]

𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 under the loose curtain of her hair, expression flat except for the tiny pull at the corner of her mouth. she reached for another candle, this one poured into an old teacup with tiny blue flowers around the rim. “i knew you were a hunk, objectively speaking. and that a lot of girls wanted to fuck you.” but at the time, they were just friends. “long con,” she added. “real dedicated.” the snark about rosa didn’t pass by unnoticed. it touched some small, tender bruise in her, but not hard enough for her to get upset over it. francis had his own feelings about rosa, and romy understood that. still, her eyes stayed on the table a second too long. “she had her moments,” romy said. “not always classy. but usually correct.” the flea market moved around them: bracelets clinking, a dog barking from under a rack of old denim, somebody nearby explaining their handmade ashtray. romy listened to all of it and none of it. “not candlelit dinners forever. oil lamps, mostly. flashlights when we had batteries. kerosene heater in winter if there was fuel. sometimes a generator, but only for things they decided mattered.” she said it plainly, no big tragic swell to it. “yeah, some burners had internet. mine did not have useful internet. i got my first actual phone when i came to new york. we’d throw away our phones when things got weird.” her gaze met his. “things got weird a lot. when did you get your first phone?” then he said he’d been bestowed upon her, and that little private smile returned. “mm. my media sherpa. sent down from the mountain to teach me about shrek and why everybody hates james corden.” she started walking again, slow enough for him to keep beside her, passing a table of rings laid out on black velvet. “the longer you wait, the longer i gotta keep it from her too, y’know.” there was no accusation in it, but she was being folded into his avoidance. “what if i forget to take off the ring when i see her?” it was a bad example. romy didn’t forget much. she remembered which floorboards creaked in houses she hadn’t seen in ten years.

[aslandurmaz]

with — @romymccready

location — a coffee shop bc he rly wanted out of his office idk suns shining he's outside apparently

The last conversation between them had detailed the components of the bomb on Robins Island as well as the characteristics and skills that would aid in identifying the maker of said device. Through several of the Cavalry's underground contacts, he'd continually been pointed to the name of a bombmaker for hire. The intent behind this meeting with Romy was to inquire into any further knowledge she possessed regarding a Dixie Hines who operated in the same line of work as herself.

He settled into the seat across from her at a table chosen for its isolation - one that would ensure they remained clear of street cameras and far enough from eavesdroppers. Once sat, he produced he produced a case of Treasurers cigarettes from the inner pocket of his bespoke jacket that was in turn set on the table beside his cappuccino. "Have you heard of a Dixie Hines?"

[romymccready]

𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 aslan out in the open like this. not that it was open, exactly, the table had been chosen with care, tucked away from the bright, obvious sightlines of the street and far enough from the other customers. but she wasn’t one to know aslan to be fond of cafés. romy had ordered tea because she didn’t drink coffee and sat there, small and awkward and waiting to hear why he’d summoned her here. when aslan asked the question, she looked at him for a long second. not at his face but his hands. the cigarette case. the cappuccino sitting neat beside it. the bespoke jacket that looked like it cost more than the first car she and her sister had saved for months to buy. “no,” she said. she couldn’t tell if that was the answer he wanted. aslan didn’t usually give much away unless he meant to. she crossed her legs beneath the table, the hem of her prairie-girl floral skirt falling over her knee. one hand stayed wrapped around the paper cup of tea. “why? you wouldn’t be askin’ unless they were important.”

[dadivosos]

francis liked being in controlled envrionments , it's why he mainly did indoor sports --- swimming was indoors despite it being usually being associated with the open air. he was still in awe at how he sun practically did nothing to her , he pressed a finger to her shoulder watching as her shoulder went from red to white in a matter of seconds. light eyes then followed her gaze , " you know there will probably be more modern options if we keep looking , don't have to land on the first one --- can probably even get you a custom one if you want. " though knowing her , she would want to give new life to something old. though he would want the dress to have only memories of her but he digressed. " ha ha very funny , romulus. " he paused looking at the woman incredulously , " first crashing out and now nuttng up --- who is teaching you these things ? " though he supposed it was that ipad of hers , he might actually have to put the child lock that harry had so graciously emailed him. " yeah , a never ending lecture about how i'm making some sort of mistake marrying the first woman i'm in a relationship. i really don't feel like explaining myself. and i'll tell her --- soon. "

[romymccready]

𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 dresses to look at. they had time before the wedding, and romy had decided she wasn’t buying anything until he talked to his family, a condition she’d set for herself without mentioning it to him. “is it weird i have no idea what i want? i never pictured myself in a wedding dress before.” she doubted he’d spent much time picturing this either, but a suit was a suit. she was the one who had to find the white dress. “i’ve said nut up before. rosa used to say that.” she recalled her saying it many times, like the first day of their first real job together when romy stood in the back of a restaurant kitchen, overwhelmed. nut up, ro, this ain’t slow livin’ anymore. “listen, i didn’t grow up with electricity.” she moved on before the memory could settle, drifting toward a table with homemade candles poured into teacups and soup cans. “then i had one of those prepaid phones. y’know, burners? no internet. and we definitely never had a computer. i’m catchin’ up on all the shit i missed,” she said. “so when we hang out with your friends, i can keep up. like romeo. nan told me he used to stop by the house more. hope i didn’t scare him off when i moved in.” it was something she’d been ruminating over. “i love you. but i know what ‘soon’ means with you.”

[dadivosos]

he'd already complained to romy about the weather , probably as soon as they were out the car. he sort of thanked god who invented invisible sunscreen or else he wouldn't been white with a hint of red from the sun just beaming on the two. romy of course looked radiant , he blamed it on being from the south --- something in the cult water that made her look cool despite it almost being one hundred degrees. he'd come to learn that collective just meant a cult and he just audibly gasped whenever anyone approached the pair with a pamphlet while romy could not be bothered to give them the time of day. " a frog , " he said looking down at the phone then back at her. " where would we even put it ? " he paused. " next to your other hundreds of frogs , " of course , an exaggeration she has a moderately sized collection but no landlines -- which he could be convinced to get. he let out a sigh of relief when she let the phone go and they continued until they landed on a dress. a happy joyous occasion ruined by francis' inability to confront anyone about anything --- ever. " i've told them , " he paused. " in my head. " he avoided her eye contact , suddenly very interested in some random trinket. " mom's not the problem , she won't even react , be happy her grown ass son finally found someone but nan --- she's weird. ''

[romymccready]

𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 to heat. yes, he was from the east coast, but it got hot in the summers. if anything, new york summers were worse. the whole city smelled like hot garbage. whatever he had to say about her upbringing, it didn’t do that in the summer. she stood there, sun’s waves rolling off her bare shoulders, still staring at the wedding dress and trying to see the vision. she didn’t answer him right away, not because she was mad, though he would probably assume she was, but because she wanted to finish her thought. specifically, whether gracie could take this dress apart and turn it into something romy would actually wear. “in your head,” she echoed finally, still looking at the dress. then she glanced at him, mouth twitching. “you should astral project in your dreams and tell ’em that way.” it came out a wry joke, though with romy there was always the slight possibility she meant it as practical advice. “i’m not gonna bother statin’ the obvious, which is that you’re gonna have to tell ’em eventually.” she reached out and touched the edge of one puffed sleeve with two fingers. “i guess it’s more like…you wanna put all of that on future francis? or just nut up and do it now?” her brow quirked, but there wasn’t any judgment in it. only curiosity, blunt and oddly soft. he did have to tell them. unless he planned on being ninety years old and still somehow not having mentioned to his family that he was married. which, knowing his avoidant ass, was not entirely impossible. “what would be the worst thing to happen?” she asked, turning toward him a little more now. “nan lectures you that you’re makin’ a mistake? movin’ too fast?”

[graciexmitchell]

with Romy McCready @romymccready

A text from Romy asking to meet was hardly the most unusual thing when the both of them valued time together, knowing it was always a matter of when to see each other next rather than if. Bright grin spread easily over her features when she saw the other woman come into view, apology tumbling out in lieu of a greeting. "Sorry I'm late, I changed like three times." Not a lie but she omitted the part where her boyfriend had made the process lengthier. "But I did bring us smoothie's to make up for it - a Gracie special." The drink held out in a cute reusable cup that she thought Romy would like. Though in truth she was hardly late enough to require an apology - a few minutes at most. But maybe it just felt like more when she always felt every minute she could spend with her friend was precious.

[romymccready]

𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 about weddings, truth be told. most of what she knew came from magazine pages she used to leaf through at convenience stores and whatever movies and tv had taught her. so, she’d done her research. she knew she wanted a maid of honor. it was a role her sister would’ve filled, except, well, rosa wasn’t here. but gracie was her sister now. “you don’t have to apologize. you know i’m not exactly busy.” a small smirk tugged at her mouth. gracie knew the kinds of things romy spent her days doing instead of working. she took a sip of the smoothie. “mm. what’s in it?” for a second, she thought about what she was about to say. romy considered doing it properly, building up to it. making it sweet, or dramatic like how people did when weddings were involved. but she’d never been good at performance. in the end, there didn’t seem to be any way to say it except plain. “i, uh, well i wanted to see you so i could tell you somethin’…or, i guess i could show you,” she lifted her left hand, then paused since every finger was crowded with rings; tarnished thrift store finds, things she’d found in a flea market bin and decided were lucky. still, the engagement ring stood out among them, expensive and unmistakably not something she’d dug out of a tray beside old belt buckles. romy let out a soft breath, almost a laugh. “francis fuckin’ proposed.” she didn’t bother saying ‘i said yes’ because, well, duh.

[romymccready]

who: @dadivosos (francis) where: a flea market!

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, and the may sun was brutal, causing romy to trade in her usual layers for a sheer, gauzy dress that kissed her knees, exposing inked skin that wouldn’t look out of place here. the flea market had taken over the block in a cluttered sprawl of folding tables, rolling racks, and milk crates full of junk. hipsters and weirdos drifted around, iced coffees sweating in their hands, stopping to inspect vintage clothes and handmade trinkets. every few steps, someone tried to hand them a zine or sell them on some mutual aid group or a ‘collective’ — the latter of which romy had no interest in even hearing about. “what about this?” she asked, picking up a vintage landline phone shaped like a frog. she had a feeling francis would say they already had too many frog-shaped items, which was wrong. there was the mug, yes. technically multiple mugs. and the ceramic figurine on her bedside table, but that one was wearing a cowboy hat, so it was different. she kept wandering, fingertips trailing over the edges of things without committing to touching them, pausing in front of a dated wedding dress, its sleeves puffed and dramatic. romy stared at it. “have you told nan yet?” she asked suddenly without looking at him. there was no warning or segue into the conversation, because that’s just how she was. “or your mom?”

[dadivosos]

francis never truly made an effort to push her towards telling him more about her past , while they were now in a relationship he just thought she would tell him at her own pace. a pace that she would like since she was used to not telling anyone he assumed having someone now be interested could be daunting. especially coming from someone twice her size and able to kill someone in an instant but he had never exhibited any thing of that nature towards her. he never thought he needed to nor ever will plus --- he was almost certain she could beat his ass if she wanted to. " well that couldn't be the hardest thing to find out , " to see where her dad was but that would require her desire to want to find him in the first place. brows furrowed as she mentioned his expression -- something he couldn't help but do at the moment as well. he sighed as she mentioned her father beating her once again , eyes closing as if tuning it out -- it actually did help a bit.

" i'd keep out the moonshine , his family's had enough on their minds without having to worry about romeo drunk as fuck off of some basement moonshine. " or whatever she decided to make it. a huff escaped his lips as she reiterated his point and while he knew she did make a good one -- his mind still raced with the possibility that he could have helped out some. " i would like to point out though --- i'm kind of invincible -- like thragg except my hairline will never be as crisp. " he made a mental note to show her the show -- or the comics one day. there was hesitation at her next question but he knew he had to , " from what i've seen they only give you five minutes. " he paused. " i don't know if they'll contact me again. i hope they hadn't for someone like sebastian hope but --- the statute of limitations on vehicular manslaughter doesn't really go away. "

francis hadn't really intended doing it this way , truthfully he was going to do it sometime on the vacation. his hand never wavered , never trembled but in that moment there was a bit of worry he felt. what if she suddenly realized he wasn't worth it ? not that her past had been any better than what she was going on now but he was trying. light eyes looked up at her as she was seemingly unable to speak. even when she didn't know what to say , she would still speak but he'd watch her try and gather her thoughts for what seemed like an eternity. he felt like he was slowly dying at that point -- if she actually said no he might as well give himself for killing that person all those years ago. his mind continuing to spiral before she nodded. it all seemed to halt and all he could think about was the first time he started to notice her in a different light. not like the weird little southern girl who had no idea about life but -- as romy , his romy. he took notice of her expression , the crooked smile he would surely picture on his death bed , the way she chucked her ring off her finger like it was nothing. everything he had ever done seemingly lead him to this moment and he wouldn't give it up for the world. he removed the ring from the velvet box , before placing the ring on her finger. " i'd say i did a fantastic job , " he said before placing the box in her other hand , knowing she might want to keep it before placing his lips against hers , smiling into the kiss.

[romymccready]

𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 it all — which was what she thought — romy didn’t forgive or forget what her family had put her through. but, for whatever reason, she’d never gone looking for her father or brothers. or anyone from that fucked up place. she wasn’t someone who lingered in the past longer than she had to. even with all the doors the cavalry opened for her, she’d never seriously thought about tracking any of them down. “no, probably not,” she agreed softly, though she didn’t say what she was really thinking. maybe one day she’d ask something of him. maybe not her father. but her brothers? maybe francis could put some of his particular skills to use. the thought passed through her quietly before dissolving again. she’d circle back to it another time.

though he was kidding, romy did wish he could be invincible like…thragg. whoever the fuck that was. she’d lost enough people to know how it went. her mother. her sister. the kids from kentucky she’d grown up alongside. every friendship she’d managed to scrape together on the road. they all just…went. and she couldn’t stand the thought of him being next. “if they do, you gotta tell me this time. so i can help.” a small smirk. “or at least so i know why you’re crashin’ out.” she’d learned that phrase online thanks to harry turning her into an ipad kid, and she was a little pleased with herself for using it correctly.

“you did damn good. i can’t believe you did all that. for me.” romy had always been a collector. of rocks and leaves and shiny things - plants and figurines and good luck charms. and in her mind, she stored the things she collected but could not physically hold; memories that she would never allow herself to forget, memories that she’d think about often. this overshadowed them all. “it’s perfect,” she murmured, eyes flicking between him and the ring again. “it’s…” her brows furrowed slightly as the realization settled over her, quiet yet immense. the happiest moment of her life. “thank you,” was all she managed finally when the rest of the words failed her, her smile matching his in that way that belonged only to him. “i love you.”

& then she jumps into his arms and climbs him like a tree or something ok

END

[graciexmitchell]

Expression softened, her friend's confession only serving as a reminder of why she loved her so much. "That sounds like something I'd do, your secret's safe with me." She mimed locking her lips before grinning. "I was thinking about maybe volunteering at a shelter, would you wanna come too?" Hand squeezed hers at the mention of her having friends, knowing that she didn't intend on going anywhere. Not when she was so grateful to have Romy in her life. "I was really scared but we all got alive so I've been trying to keep it in perspective." As much as she could, her active mind as much of a hinderance as it was an asset with all the scenarios it could conjure. "Ronan. I can't wait for you to meet him, he's got the cutest accent." Excitement already bubbling over at the thought of two of her favourite people being in the same room. "A Gemini." Nose wrinkled slightly, knowing how some within the astrology community tended to view the sign. "But he's funny and quick-witted and just so sure of himself in a way that makes me want to be more certain of myself too." All of which she felt matter much more than how compatible their signs were supposed to be anyway. Word continued to tumble out, now seemingly unable to stop talking about him now that she'd started. "And he's always been so nice to me, even when we were friends, but it feels different now. He's really been looking after me and, I don't know, it's just nice to feel taken care of."

[romymccready]

𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝. “𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐡, 𝐢’𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 with ya to the shelter. maybe i can find a cat or dog to bring home. i never had a pet before.” there were reasons for that. ugly ones, mostly. animals had not been safe where she came from. they had been lessons, punishments, food sources, but never pets. even after she was free, romy had always thought of animals as wild things, better left that way. not trapped or tamed or made to belong to anybody. a little like herself. now, though, she had a home. a real one. and the idea of a pet had been weighing on her mind. “what kinda accent?” she asked, glancing over. “can’t be worse than mine.” she crouched near the path and picked up a smooth little stone from the grass. “hm. gemini,” she echoed, considering it with the seriousness of a medical diagnosis. “they get a bad rep, but they’re actually real gentle.” romy listened as gracie talked about him. there was something nice about hearing her friend describe a relationship that made her feel steadier. romy understood that in her own way. francis had done that for her, somehow. “you deserve to feel certain in yourself. you’re the smartest, kindest person i know, gracie.” she said it plainly, not as flattery, but as fact. “people always say sometimes friendship turns into somethin’ more. you’re always takin’ care of everybody else. i’m glad he’s takin’ care of you.” her fingers closed around the stone. “do you see yourself with him?” she asked, somewhat quieter. “like…forever?”

[miraydurmaz]

Miray’s gaze shifted toward the laptop screen at the mention of Excel, the faintest trace of surprise touching her face when that, of all things, was what Romy asked. “Yeah.” The answer came easily as she pushed herself away from the table and stepped closer, eyes already moving over the screen. At the mention of it being a while, her attention flicked briefly back toward Romy. “Fine.” A simple shrug followed. What else would it be? “Got married.” It was offered like an afterthought, her gaze already returning to the laptop as one brow lifted faintly. “What’re you trying to do?”

[romymccready]

𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 romy. she liked animated people too; brighter people, people who filled a room. francis was proof enough of that. but miray’s quiet matched her own in a comfortable way. “to who?” she asked, head tilting with plain curiosity. it was not like she knew much about miray’s personal life. romy had a hard enough time keeping track of who was dating who in this city. she could tell you which stray cats belonged to which alley, which ones preferred tuna over chicken, but people’s romances had never interested her much, historically. “that’s nice, though,” she added, sincere in her muted way. “did ya wear the white dress and all?” romy had similar news of her own, technically, though she did not offer it up. not out of secrecy, exactly. she just had a habit of keeping information folded up inside herself until someone asked for it directly. “i’m gettin’ into heliciculture,” a pause. “snail farming. can you make this column average all these prices?”

[miraydurmaz]

@romymccready Location: wherever Rom Rom makes bombs

Miray made her way through the building as she made her way to the back where the lab was, knowing that's where she'd fine Romy. Though she was far from a people person, the woman had unexpectedly grown on her. "Knew you'd be here." She said, her tone somewhere between a greeting and an observation. Leaning casually against the table Romy stood before, she crossed her arms, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. Her gaze swept over the of the lab before settling back on the woman. "What're you working on?"

[romymccready]

𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚 laptop, pressing each key one at a time as she typed. she had never been good with computers, hadn’t grown up playing pc games or making facebook profiles or learning what buttons did what in the school computer lab. eyebrows met in the middle as confusion mounted on her face. she glanced sideways when she noticed miray, clocking her without fully turning her head. “hello, miray,” romy greeted in that usual cadence of hers, flat and dreamy all at once. miray’s question was answered with one of her own. “do you know how to use microsoft excel?” she looked at miray. “it’s been a while since i’ve seen ya,” she added, fingers hovering uselessly over the keys. “how’re…things?” she asked.

[aslandurmaz]

Half the island wasn't an unexpected measurement, though it had a harrowing confirmation about the operation's intent. The ideal conclusion was something that presented itself as theatre rather than execution. A bomb that would eviscerate half the island meant they hadn't been making a statement but rather, a pile of bodies. Self-taught into formal training narrowed the field considerably from there - military, intelligence services, or an organization patient and resourced enough to develop someone inhouse. Those said options changed his working model of what the Pantheon actually was. Not a few clever people with a vendetta. A structure that was funded, layered, built for sustained operations rather than a single incident.

Romy's read that retaliation propelled the fires made sense. One he agreed with, and still, he thought there had to be a second link. His instinct was that the punishment was a layer sitting on top of something else - a silent underlying factor. It couldn't solely be the focus of reprisal aimed from Robins Island. He hadn't yet identified the second one, and he wasn't about to surface that thinking before he'd verified it. "I believe you're right that it's connected. I'll touch base with the suppliers. Let you know if anything comes of it. Thank you, Romy."

[romymccready]

she takes the duffel bag full of cash and says "aight imma head out lmk if there's anything i can do in the future to be Useful" <3

END

[nanxschaefer]

Nan was glad that Romy wasn't an overly defensive girlfriend, because she wasn't sure how she'd be able to handle that. She appreciated that she also understood Nan's intentions. She gave a small grimace when Romy mentioned it not being her want to be here. "I mean, don't get me wrong I love a good sleepover, but no...it was not my idea." She appreciated that she had a brother who wanted her to stay with him. Nan gave a nod, definitely seeing how clubs could be potentially overwhelming for anyone though of course she loved them personally. "It was a really great vibe in there. I loved it, also The Nines." Her heart hurt in her chest for all of the staples that they'd lost in one go. It was sweet to hear that Francis had bought Romy headphones, finding that an extremely thoughtful and caring thing, which made her feel like Francis really was serious about the other woman. "Romeo is great, he's on my list of favorite people to exist. Yeah! I'm surprised that he hasn't been over here. He and I used to just be over here at the same time and Francis wasn't even here." She laughed softly as she gave a small shrug as she wondered if maybe Romeo just had been too busy to do that. "Don't tell Francis, but I send Romeo flowers every so often as this secret admirer bit I started."

She let out a small sigh at Romy's comment about her brother wanting to be the hero. "He likes to do that. I think he thinks that if he had been there things would be different and I just think it both upsets him even more and it's like a way to punish himself." Nan wasn't a therapist and definitely had no place to psychoanalyze anyone, but she also hated how her brother did those types of mind games. Nan laughed softly at the analogy and shook her head, "No. I am definitely going to be going to the flower shop and stuff so don't worry, I don't feel like Rapunzel. But, I appreciate you saying that. Yeah, I am scared for him too. There are things that are hard to hide from at this point and he and I don't like to talk about Pantheon and that stuff, but...it's difficult to ignore it too." She gave a small nod at the talk about Pantheon, wondering if she should come clean about her own experience with the assholes.

Romy's question made her throat feel thick with emotion. "One of my best friend's Jackie got really, really hurt. Everyone was able to get out alright, but yeah it was an event. They do a lot of different great events to help the community." Nan sniffled a little, trying to get her emotions in control a little more. "My friend Yves lost his sister in their family's bar. And there were a few more people I want to make sure are okay that I know." The comment about her injuries, she gave a small nod. "Yeah, I brought Neosporin and Aquaphor. But no, they didn't mention hydrogen peroxide." They might have actually and Nan just hadn't paid attention to what they'd said. Hearing about Tetris she let out a small hum, "What about Candyland? What do they say about Candyland?" She said with a small smile before asking, "Have you ever played?" She wondered if board games were a yay or nay when Romy was younger. Hearing that Romy would make the dish made her smile as she hugged the pillow closer to him as she relaxed a bit more. "Have you seen The Parent Trap yet?"

[romymccready]

𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 people as being sacred. not all of them, as hers hadn’t been. two of her siblings might as well not exist. but the bond between francis and nan certainly was. she never wanted to overstep. “well, obviously you already know he just cares and protectin’ you is his way of showin’ it. and i’m sure you stayin’ here is helping your mom feel more at ease.” she hesitated, just a second too late. “is she worried?” she blinked once. what a stupid question. of course leah was worried. that’s what moms did, they worried about their children. until making friends, romy hadn’t worried about anyone. rosa, maybe, when they were small. “do you like going out and all? like to clubs?” she tried to picture it: nan somewhere loud and crowded, dancing, men probably circling her all night. she had that kind of face. “not sure why he hasn’t come over. i don’t know him too well, but i imagine he heard i moved in and felt like he should give us space.” he seemed emotionally intelligent like that. “he doesn’t need to feel that way, though. no one does. i love surprise visitors,” romy lied, which she very seldom did. it probably sounded stilted coming from her mouth. in all honesty, she’d lived through so many surprises she preferred predictability. but she never wanted nan to feel like she couldn’t just drop by. “that’s…sweet. do you, uh, y’know...like him?”

“yeah, i’ve noticed,” she nodded at the punishing himself comment. “i tried to tell him if something happened, you and your mom would be devastated. and we talked about it. i think he’s since moved on.” her mind drifted to what he’d asked her after that particular conversation. the ring finger on her left hand burned hot. though she’d set her engagement ring by the bedside table, she knew it would have to come up eventually. but she certainly couldn’t be the one to drop that news to nan. it had to come from francis. so she said nothing, at least for now. instead, she furrowed her brows and shifted her mind to something she’d been wondering. “about the flower shop. well, i was thinkin’ that after everything, you should be takin’ it easy and…i mean, i know a lot about gardening. and flowers. and i do menial tasks real good, i can mop, sweep, scrub. so i was wonderin’ if maybe you wouldn’t mind a little help around the shop?” she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and waited, hoping that hadn’t come out too awkwardly. “oh, i’m not askin’ for a job by the way,” she added, clarifying. “no pay. i just wanna help.”

“i’m puttin’ together a care package for romeo. think your friend would want one? i can make it. for you to bring him.” she could tell this was hard for nan, mind flashing back to that ‘cushy’ childhood francis mentioned they had. that didn’t prepare you for anything like this. “um, i’m not sure about candyland. i think it has to be tetris but it’s not, like, hard…” she said, trailing off, not wanting to come across wrong. it just wasn’t that hard of a game. “i’ve never played a board game.” saying it out loud made her realize how bizarre it was. but it wasn’t like she and her sister were going out of their way to make time for candyland. they’d watched tv and movies laying in motel beds, tried video games at the homes of skeevy losers rosa was using for a place to crash. but they’d never played a board game. “actually? i have seen the parent trap. i didn’t realize the actress isn’t a twin.” she didn’t know lindsay’s name off the top of her head. “i like the part at summer camp. i think i would’ve loved summer camp. did you ever go?”

[dadivosos]

even francis knew he wasn't the most open with his past , truthfully , he didn't see too much of interest but he supposed he should begin to share if that's what he expected of her. his life had been unremarkable , compared to her and what she had to go through. it almost seemed like a more believable hillbilly elegy and he swore romy would pick that book and movie to shreds with what she went through. eyes remained on her as she began speaking about rosa. the thing with rosa was francis felt like she could have done more , there should have been something done further to get romy out of that situation. maybe he was speaking so freely since he wasn't put in that situation. it all seemed so distant to him but it was her life , her memories. there were things done to romy that he didn't think she'd ever tell him , he didn't know why. he wouldn't judge her -- if he didn't judge her before , he couldn't begin to do so now. " not telling you to mope , but these things -- , " he paused thinking of how to proceed. " you really don't have to tell anyone if you don't want to. you don't even have to tell me -- unless you really want to. " there was always a way to get information out of someone but it felt too macabre using them on her -- so he was patient , it wasn't like he was in a rush to go anywhere. " though a therapist you can't exactly tell them you want to kill your dad -- they'll call the cops , they are mainly mandated reporters. but if you don't want to talk about it , it's fine too. "

" i am there for him now , i know he would've felt horrible if something happened to me. " and everything would go to shit , questions would surely arise and there was only so much he could think of. he nodded his head , small smile on his lips at her suggestion , " i think all he would really want right now is a drink. " francis wasn't an idiot when it came to romeo , the two had been drinking since it was appropriate to do so. that night when he was seventeen caused him to be a bit more cautious with his substances though romeo wouldn't be able to know or tell the difference , at least he hoped. " as fucked up as it sounds , if this was just some normal kid it wouldn't be such a big deal but their parent was law enforcement , you know they have tons of connections. i couldn't find cctv footage but if pantheon knows it happened , how could i not think there is any ? plus --- i've been doing it for over ten years , i'm careful but -- " shoulders rose up in a shrug , knowing romy wouldn't like to hear it but it needed to be said.

" i know it seems that way , but , " he said before springing up and heading towards a safe where he usually kept weapons but this time it only held one singular velvet box. " did you know you're a heavy sleeper ? " he chuckled. " i wanted to get your ring measurements correctly , spent weeks pretending to be asleep -- we really need to get you on melatonin or ambien. " he said making his way towards her. " guess i gotta do the whole thing -- i wanted to make it y'know special but , " he said before getting on one knee -- nervousness suddenly kicking in. " romilly mccready , " he said before opening the velvet box to reveal , a ring that was probably too big for her liking but custom enough for her to hopefully like it. " will you marry me ? "

[romymccready]

𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 tell francis. but he didn’t push. he was patient with her, even after all these years. five years of friendship, and it was only seven months ago that she told him about her upbringing. “i know, i only tell you things ‘cause i want to. i don’t feel pushed,” she confirmed it with a nod. “i think it depends how you say it,” she murmured. “like…hypothetically versus, uh, actionable.” a slight tilt of her head. “plus i don’t even know where my dad is.” if she did, she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from showing up. a slight sigh escaped her; something of comfort, not frustration. “i know i can tell you anything. even if your face does do that little thing,” she pulled the face he always made when she shared a tidbit about her past, brows dropping, mouth going flat. “we can talk about it more, i promise.” she didn’t get the pinky out, but he knew what a promise meant to her. “just…not right now, okay? you’ve got enough goin’ on without me dumpin’ some fucked up story about my dad beatin’ the shit outta me twenty years ago.”

a little scoff escaped her lips. “i mean i was thinkin’ some fresh food and, like, a homemade get-well card. i could make him moonshine, but i’d need at least two weeks. plus i ain’t tryna send him back to the hospital.” the image of francis and romeo was somewhere in her head; loud, reckless, alcohol doing what it always did. “yeah, he’d feel real horrible,” she added, “if you got hurt. it was his bar.” she met his eyes, steady as she always was. “thank you for tellin’ me about what you’re feelin’. not just actin’ like you’re fine. y’know, like you do.” a knowing smirk. he’d surely deny it, but francis was king of deflection romy mulled over his comments about pantheon. “if they try to make you do something…if they text you again…you’ll tell me, right?”

romy blinked, the tiniest drop of surprise covering her features for a solid second as her eyes followed him to the safe. he was saying something, but her brain was hardly processing his words. something about her being a heavy sleeper. since when? rosa used to tell her she would wake up at a door closing two rooms over. but that was then, before romy had a home. before she felt safe. her gaze dropped to the velvet box, then back up to his face, as if to confirm this was real. not much in life shocked romy mccready. yet here she was, completely blindsided in the best way. “i—” should she stand up? probably, she told herself as she pushed off the couch. “i—” she tried again, but the words failed. “sorry, i just—” a little giggle emerged under her breath despite herself, then her eyebrows crinkled as she focused once more. “i didn’t…” expect this. any of this. not a proposal, not falling in love. not this kind of happiness, raw and unfiltered. romy didn’t have the words to tell him how much he meant to her. how all the misery in her goddamn life was worth it if this got to be her happy ending. words were never her strong suit. he knew that. instead, she held her hand out, small and steady despite everything else, and gave a quick, certain nod. “yes, i wanna marry you.” then, a crooked smile tugged at her mouth. “like…really bad.” she glanced down at her ink-stained hands. a few rings from her eclectic collection adorned her spindly fingers. a metal one with a welded fairy on the front was sitting on her ring finger, the kind of thing she’d picked up somewhere and never thought twice about. she worked it off and threw it on the cushion behind her. “okay,” she said softly. “go ahead.”

[dadivosos]

their lifestyles were very different and yet there was no judgment between them. while he joked that she ate roadkill he hoped she knew he was just teasing for the sake of lightening things up. a normal person hearing about her life would treat her like some sort of case study but -- he knew deep down there was something. " well that's why i told her -- didn't really give her a choice but she's stubborn , not because of me of course. " though he supposed that was all their mother's doing. lips curled into a smile as she included herself , that's all he ever wanted since she confronted him outside his house. for her to feel included somewhere a bit normal , outside of bomb making and the cavalry. he paused narrowing his eyes a bit , " you say that but then when i made a big deal about rosa leaving you for years with psychotic family members you got defensive. there's something in there , " he pointed at her chest as if to make it clear that eventually it was going to come out. it always did.

jaw dropped at the mention of her old apartment , " don't you fucking dare , that place was horrible. the rats -- , " he paused holding up his hand as if to quiet her. " not mice , rats. the mold. the way up looked like i was literally going to get murdered , i'm too pretty to get murdered , romy. " as if that would happen but he was trying to prove a point. " i know you think i would've died but what if i didn't -- i know , i shouldn't dwell in the past but romeo is a saint. if i text him right now that i'm having money problems or need something for work he will go out of his way to just give me like a million dollars. he's just , " he paused attempting not to get riled up. " i've known him forever , i don't even remember how we met. we joke that we've probably been friends in every lifetime. this sucks , " it was the easiest way he could put it without going too much into his head. he nodded his head at her explanation , " we can only win if we find out their identity. which -- either they're smart or they have a lot of time in their hands. they must have something on everyone in the city , they even got breslin. " meaning they got something on him too , his sister and even his mom.

he blinked at her words , suddenly -- for the first time feeling brave enough to be somewhat vulnerable with someone. " what if we got married ? " he turned to look at her. " if you want to think about it logically if i get hurt you won't be considered next of kin but if you're my wife , you will. " he said with a small smile. " before you say anything , i don't think i'm rushing into anything if we both feel the exact same way. i'm not going anywhere without you romy. "

[romymccready]

𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 hair from her eyes, romy subtly braced her narrow shoulders. she had so many memories from growing up. an abundance of them, really. the only thing to do with them was to pack them up in boxes. before francis, she hadn’t needed to unpack them. now, her lips pressed together as she stared at nothing in particular, like she was trying to find the right box. objectively she knew that, whether by nature or nurture, her brain handled things differently. emotions, especially. but like francis always told her, that didn’t mean they weren’t there. “she was all i had. and then one day she was just gone,” she mustered up finally. if the memory resurfacing stung, her face didn’t register. “it felt like missin’ a part of me. i loved her. still do. she’s my sister, i could never be mad at her, but…i do wish she hadn’t left me there. with them.” it was the most she’d ever said about it to him or anyone. another pause, like she was deciding whether to keep going. “i don’t think i’ll ever mope and cry about the things that happened to me. that’s just not…how i work. but maybe you’re right. there’s somethin’ in there.” she furrowed her brows. “i wish i coulda killed my dad, and i don’t think i’d want that if i didn’t have feelings about all of it. i’m not sure what unpackin’ all of that...trauma...or whatever looks like. but i’ll try. with you.” then, after a second, a faint, almost awkward add-on, “and maybe…a licensed therapist.”

“i get it. he’s like a brother to you.” right now, he looked exactly like a man whose brother had just gotten hurt. because that's what had happened. “maybe instead of puttin’ your energy toward blamin’ yourself, think of how you can be there for him now.” maybe it was selfish, but she was glad francis hadn’t been there. “i’m gonna make him a care package you can bring next time you see him, okay? maybe bake some bread. and grab somethin’ from the farmer’s market.” if it didn’t get canceled because of the fires. she resisted the sigh that threatened her lips given the topic. “they already contacted you once. i’m nervous they’ll do it again.”

romy shifted, fingers brushing across his eyebrow, now, trailing cheekbone, thumb rested at the corner of his mouth - eyes flickering there, lingering just for a moment. married. the word reverberated in her mind. “i don’t feel like we’re rushin’,” she said. “nothing about us is exactly normal.” she built bombs for a living. he killed people. on top of that, they were being blackmailed and hunted by someone who hadn’t even shown their face. there wasn’t a clean timeline to follow. any day, something could happen to either of them. being married, logistically, made sense. but it wasn’t just that. it was the love she felt for him. if it wasn’t him in her life forever, it was no one. “but…i mean, are you sure that’s what you want? i just…i don’t want you to only say it because of the adrenaline from the fires.”

[aslandurmaz]

Aslan's full attention settled on Romy as she walked him through the bomb's composition, leaning in slightly when she did so. The details were committed to memory, though it sounded generic, the fact she could recognize a replica was enough. "What would the damage radius have been if it'd detonated?" He had a working theory that the device had been a ploy from the start, but the question remained worth asking either way. The whole island, or child's play - the intent of the maker was the distinction he was after. "And whoever built it, you think trained, or self taught?"

With the shift to the fires, Aslan nodded once, an indication she could ask whatever she needed to. "Pulled the footage from Montecristo. Someone walked in carrying accelerant right before it started, walked out as soon as it caught. Their face is hidden from all camera angles so they knew exactly where they were." A pause. "Security's been heightened at every location." He thought to mention, though it went without saying that anyone within the Cavalry had acquired injuries on the milder side, or so he believed, due to their strict training.

[romymccready]

𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭, 𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 finger against her thigh, running through the components of the bomb in her mind. her recall was always sharp. “half the island,” she said finally, flat, point-blank. then, after a second, “give or take.” she liked to account for the margin. it could’ve been more, could’ve been less. but it was still enough to take out everyone at the party. “it was built well. whoever did it knew what they were doin’.” her tone stayed even and analytical. “if they’re self-taught, they got real training later. no amateur could put that together.” it reminded her of herself, a little. self-taught, once. backwoods stuff, improvised. her sister had gotten her in with the cavalry five years back, and they’d seen something in her worth training. she hadn’t been just an amateur with a knack for explosives since. “it was on a timer. so whoever put it there didn’t have to stay.”

her eyes stayed mostly trained on the floor. it was a habit she’d never shaken. she hadn’t made easy eye contact with the leader of her commune growing up. aslan was different, though she still maintained the awkward tendency. “it’s like they’re punishing us. for disarming the bomb.” because, to romy, it was obvious who was behind this. even if the police would never confirm it. a small pause, then, “it had familiar materials,” she said, lifting her gaze. the bomb, she meant. “some overlap, maybe, in where we get our parts and they got theirs. you could...send someone to talk to our suppliers. see if they’ll say who else they’re sellin’ to. they might remember somethin’. new customer. someone off.” romy could’ve done it herself, but they both knew she wasn’t the one you sent to talk to people.