ring around the rosie

rosemarie fawn tomassi // vixen but you're so hypnotizing you've got me laughing while i sing you got me smiling in my sleep and i can see this unraveling your love is where i'm falling but please don't catch me.

[rosietommasi]

nguyenalanna‌:

Location: Chicago, IL—hotel Date: Saturday, March 30 Time: Early (open)

Alanna is not a morning person. Especially not the night after a party, especially not when their flight isn’t for ages. In a better world, she’d be asleep for hours still. Actually, in a perfect world, she’d sleep right through this hangover. In the real world though, she wakes up at 6am with a horrible taste in her mouth and a head that’s pounding enough to keep her awake the rest of the morning. 

She isn’t sure how long it takes her to roll out of bed and track down painkillers and water, to get dressed and do her makeup as well as she can in this state, but she doesn’t feel much more like a person by the end of it. She needs food. She doesn’t want the continental breakfast either, with its sad looking collection of fruits and oatmeal packets and plain coffee creamers. 

But the prospect of facing Chicago alone? Alanna can just see herself getting lost and missing the flight. Or, worse, calling Cade to come find her in the nick of time—making her the exact opposite of the cool, independent step-sister she wishes she was. 

Thankfully, there are familiar faces in this hotel even at this godawful hour, and Alanna stops the first one she sees. “Hey, any chance you’re hungry? I need bacon. And hash browns. Maybe some eggs too. Definitely a fancy coffee with lots of milk and sugar.” 

Honestly, Rosie didn’t know if she was a morning person, it really depended on what she did the day before. But, one thing she knew for certain, was she valued her sleep...so when she didn’t get enough, she wasn’t the easiest to deal with until there was coffee in her veins. Of course she was at the party, she was a Vixen and a proud one at that, and she definitely didn’t get enough sleep. Her hair was in the messiest of high ponies, sunglasses covering slightly puffy eyes that she tried to cure with concealers and cold spoons. It was comfy chic at least, in her books, everything was messy but put together perfectly...Rosie wouldn’t be caught dead looking like a total mess. 

Heading down into the lobby, her stomach almost screamed in protest of a hotel breakfast spread. It wasn’t fresh, it wouldn’t hit the spot, and then as if she could read her mind, Alanna appeared. Letting out a sigh of relief, the red head nodded her head wildly, “Please, yes, I was dead ass thinking the same exact thing.” She admitted, glancing at the sliding exit doors as she hummed, “I think I saw a cafe down the street, maybe some fresh air would do us good too.” Rosie questioned with a scrunch of her nose before offering a little smile, “Shall we?”

[rosietommasi]

asterlingfox‌:

“I’d love one,” Sterling replied, and his voice somehow managed to sound smooth despite his nerves, despite how true the statement was. He wanted more than flirting, more than always looking and never touching, more than barbed wit. Following her at an equal pace - letting his feet drag a little so he wouldn’t appear too eager, despite his galloping pulse - he let her guide him without looking away from her. Her unadulterated attention was headier than the shots they’d downed, the gravity he’d always felt for her constantly pulling him in. 

“Private tour?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth in a self-assured way that implied he already knew the answer. He didn’t - not truly, and he wouldn’t assume - but just like much of high school, he’d keep acting more confident than he truly felt, right up until it wasn’t faking it anymore. And he’d always risen up to her challenge, gone toe to toe with her confidence and refused to back down. “VIP, clearly.” Her fingers felt cool and light against his, and brushed his thumb against the back of her hand.

And just like that, her mind was one track as she made her way through the crowd of people, snaking between bodies with nothing but her complete focus to get to her room. The spark between her and Sterling had been quite evident ever since that night she’d run into him at Eden’s, dancing into the night before he ultimately carried her out of the bar so they could get pizza. The banter was unmatched, he always kept up with her wit, and honestly...just look at him. Rosie had been giddy to get her hands on him from the moment she saw him, but then she got wrapped up in something that ended up breaking her. So she was rewarding herself with one tall, hunky, glass of milk in the form of Sterling Walsh.

Smirking a bit over her shoulder as they finally reached the hallway, her head fell ever so slightly to the side as she turned to face him, walking backwards now as she swung their hands between one another, “Thought you would’ve caught on by now to never expect anything less than VIP when it comes to me.” Rosie quipped, leaning back against her door to her room now as she turned the knob behind her, “Unless you wanna back out now?” She questioned, almost taunting him as she inched the door open just a bit more, brow raising as she kept her gaze easily trained up on him. The mixture of excitement and alcohol swirled around in her veins, praying silently he didn’t change his mind, because lord knew she needed this tonight.

[rosietommasi]

raleigheverhart‌:

They must really love you. She beams. It’s the truth, and she knows it: in all the ways that matter, the Everharts are he parents, and they love her. 

But it’s always felt more real to her if other people see it, if they look at her and think all the things she wants them to think: that she’s spoiled, that she’s loved, that her life is perfect. Like she’ll never get enough of it. Like maybe, somehow, it can make up for all the years when people looked at her and saw her as anything but that. When they saw her as abandoned, as pitiable, as a criminal—and that’s if they even saw her at all. So much of the time, she felt like she was invisible. Like one day she’d had it all, and the next day she had nothing; but the world somehow went on, and it forgot about her. 

So she flaunts it. On her old squad, which wasn’t the collection of misfits and orphans and runaways that the Foxes are, it had felt less like bragging. On her old squad, it had felt more like fitting in: she was one of them, with the spring break trips they took to someone’s parents’ beach house, sitting at squad-wide brunches when someone’s parents were in town. 

“They love a theme,” she says, like she’s trying to make a joke at their expense, but it comes out far too fond for that. She portions the tea out between two mugs, pours the hot water over them with the kettle clicks off with a beep, then leans back against the counter to let them steep. “I think they get bored with just the cat at home,” she explains. “Your parents are in—California, right? That’s a long way away.” 

She was really lucky to have both of her parents, Rosie knew that very well, and that despite all of her flaws, they loved her through it all. Not as many people were fortunate, and she knew a lot of people she was on the Vixens with, and the majority of the Foxes, didn’t have as much lucky as she did in the parental department. Rosie was an only child, her parents one and only, they always told her that “after having such a magnificent daughter they didn’t need to try anymore” or that they “hit the child jackpot with her”. But at times she wondered if maybe she was just a bit too much, that they had their hands full with her enough already, but they’d never admit it. And for that, she tried her best to be as put together as she could in front of them, even if she wasn’t 100 percent. 

But Rosie was far more interested in getting to know more about Raleigh than to ponder on her own thoughts, chin propped up on the palm of her hand, nodding slowly. “Oh, we are one in the same, themes are like...one of my favorite things. Especially Valentines, but it could be because I’m a sucker for red.” She explained, a little smile on the corner of her lips as she watches her pour them both a mug full of the tea. A small chuckle falls from her mouth as she lifted the mug to her lips to blow onto the hot water, while it steeped, “Yeah, my parents keep themselves busy with like...meet up groups and stuff like that. Apparently there’s an app for everything.” Rosie joked, brows raising at the fact that her roommate remembered that small detail of where her parents lived.

It made her happy, that someone remembered such a tiny fact, and she sighed, “Yeah, Pacifica...so Northern California, small beach town, it’s where my parents met and fell in love, all that big romantic crap.” The red head explained, finally taking a small sip of her tea and humming out of satisfaction. 

[rosietommasi]

Sterling → 🌹🌹

STERLING: sounds like you want me to drive your jeep. is that you asking?

STERLING: who's throwing a fit?? not me

STERLING: no I do

STERLING: you gave last time, so now it's my turn, I get it

STERLING: you want me to come by the den?

ROSIE: it's an honor to drive my jeep, tyvm.

ROSIE: better not be, mister.

ROSIE: im just saying, if we are both awake and free, why not spend that time together....? (-;

ROSIE: i would adore that, i'll be ready in like ten minutes.

[rosietommasi]

asterlingfox‌:

Taken care of. Adored. Doted on. Even with the eye roll, Sterling could tell that much was genuine - Rosie definitely looked like the type to enjoy those; she certainly acted as though she deserved them. And as far as Sterling was concerned, she did. Watching her lean forward and taunt him had the effect he could only imagine she wanted - the urge to prove to her that his confidence was warranted hummed in his veins, potent and dizzying as the alcohol. He threw back the shot she handed him, unfazed and impatient, not taking his eyes off of her - like it was just another hoop to jump through. He didn’t need to be fucked up for whatever came next, but the hazy buzz simmering in his head and winding its way out from his chest certainly didn’t hurt. The way she licked her lips as she uncrossed her legs didn’t either. 

“You trying to get me out of here, Tommasi?” he teased, and the image of curling his hand around her thigh swam to the forefront of his mind as he looked at her. He curled one arm behind his back as he held the other aloft in invitation to help her down from the counter. For all the antagonizing he did, he never pulled away, never turned down an opportunity to stay.“I did say I’d give you what you want, didn’t I?” The rest of the room could have been empty for all that he noticed the party around them. “How private we talking? Last time I checked, your room was around here somewhere…” It was an easy way to float the suggestion without looking too eager, but it showed his hand, even if just a glimpse. 

Maybe it was due to her being an only child, being adored by both her parents, flaws and all. She grew up close as she could to them, living in an RV for pretty much her entire life with them meant no real alone time. So Rosie couldn’t deny that being doted on was something she lived for, the craving to have someone like her was one that was never satisfied. She didn’t like to feel forgotten about, or like she wasn’t enough, so she poured herself entirely and built homes out of people seeing as she never really had one until she was eighteen. But right now, with the way Sterling laid eyes on her, intense and unmoving, she felt her body tingling a warm current that the alcohol surely was ramping up. A small smirk spread up into the corner of her plush lips, shrugging as her head lulled to the side, “Maybe.” Rosie admitted in a smooth, taunting tone of voice as he extended a hand to help her down.

And she took it without a second thought. Sterling didn’t seem like he was all to seriously about locking her down after one night, and after the shitty ass week she’d had, she deserved to have a free night of doing whatever the hell she wanted. Hopping down off the counter, she smoothed out her skin tight dress and tossed her hair back over her shoulders. Even in heels, she didn’t compared to his height, and she glanced up at him with the tiniest smile, “And you seem like a man of your word.” She confirmed, teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she glanced down the hall, and she wondered for a moment what people would say if they saw her dragging him into her room. Wondered what Fox Watch would say, what Patch would think. Patch. Anger boiled beneath the surface of her skin, and she nodded at his question while she rolled her shoulders back and moved in front of him to begin walking backwards. Her fingers toyed with his hand as she swung his arm back and forth slowly, “it’s right down that hall, actually. Care for a tour?”

[rosietommasi]

raleigheverhart‌:

She used to feel so exposed: like the stain of foster child was one that everyone could see when they looked at her. Now, though, the details of her life that spill over for everyone to see are the ones she wants to shout from the rooftops: framed pictures with the Everharts next to her bed; a rotating roster of pictures of her cat on her phone’s lockscreen; her regular FaceTime calls; the packages that show up on the Vixen Den’s doorstep addressed to her every month, full of little tokens that say that, somewhere, there are two someones who love her, who want her to know. 

Everything else doesn’t matter. That this wasn’t always her life, that the Everharts weren’t always her parents. If no one knows, if no one can see, then it’s like it doesn’t even matter. Like she might as well be the girl that fits into this life—like she might as well have never been anybody else, never have lived any other life. If she has anything in common with the Foxes—(and she does)—she doesn’t want anyone to know. And, if she can hide it, then it just goes to show that she is different from them. She doesn’t need a second chance from David Wymack, because she already got hers from the Everharts, and she’s never looking back.

“That sounds pretty tame for the dark web. If you want me to make money off of perv shots, you’ve really got to give me better material,” she says with a smile over her shoulder as she fills up the kettle, the perfected breezy delivery of someone with nothing to hide. If Rosie wants them to play sleepover, whispering secrets in the middle of the night—Raleigh doesn’t do that. She has friends, or people who she calls her friends, the popular girls on cheerleading squads she surrounded herself with like camouflage, but no one really knows her. She only needs herself. 

“My parents send me this rosebud tea last month—you know, for Valentine’s Day?” She says, pulling an extra mug down from the cabinet for Rosie, smiling to herself—my parents, it still feels like a thrill, every time she says it. “So I hope you like drinking flowers.”  

She has her girl squad, Indigo and Sydney were her closest friends here, so they filled that dying void of wanting to have close girlfriends. However, Raleigh was her roommate and, even if it was in passing, they did technically see each other often. Why not build a good relationship with her while she had the chance? There’s a tiny smile on the corner of her lips when the fellow Vixen finally responds, propping her chin up on the palm of her hand as she let out a gentle hum, “Hey, people totally are into sleeping pics of pretty girls. Especially if you get feet in them, which is fucking scary honestly. But the web is full of weirdos and pervs so, who really knows?” She teased with a scrunch of her nose, pushing manicured fingers up and through her crimson strands. Raleigh had always seeming held a confidence to herself, but at the same time,w as closed off. Rosie noticed that because of their lack of closeness and being roommates, but she did want to get to the know the girl, even if it was surface level because that’s where Rosie kept people too. 

Surface was easy, it was the best way to keep the demons at bay.

Her whole demeanor perks up at the mention of rosebuds, smile stretching across her plush lips as she nods her head slowly, “Obviously, who doesn’t love a good rose on Valentines Day?” Lately, her spirits had been up since that night, she went into the party upset and woke up the next morning satisfied. But she didn’t go into detail, instead she offered a smile, “Totally don’t mind, that’s sweet your parents do that for you though. They must really love you.”

[rosietommasi]

Sterling → 🌹🌹

STERLING: yeah I'm up

STERLING: if you wanna drive we're taking your car

STERLING: so youre gonna hold your favor against me? I see how it is wow

ROSIE: good, well not good bc you should probably be getting sleep, but good bc im awake too

ROSIE: that's fine, if you wanted to drive my jeep all you had to do was ask (;

ROSIE: look, this is a give and take deal between you and i, i highly doubt you regret my favor enough to throw a fit.

ROSIE: do you not want to spend time with me or.....?

[rosietommasi]

bastionlefrey‌:

Bastion groaned as he stood from his desk, stretching his stiff muscles with his arms above his head and a roll of his neck. He glanced down at his textbook with a tense frown. Math was… math fucking sucked. Well, maybe he just sucked at math. No, he definitely sucked at math. His first year and if he didn’t get tutoring he was gonna fail. He just knew it. 

He was on the phone even as he moved away from his desk. He couldn’t look at another equation. Any more numbers and his head would explode. He was scheduling a tutoring session as he searched for his old umbrella. The thing was bright yellow, but he loved it. He’d worry about math tomorrow when he had someone to help him after class. Right now he needed to do something, anything.

 The weather had turned. He could hear the rain crashing into the window, but he needed to be out of his apparent. Besides, Bastion never minded the rain. Maybe he could grab a coffee and watch the downpour from his favorite coffee shop. That sounded like heaven. 

His thoughts were detoured as he stepped into the lobby. The sudden pounding startled him. His posture flinching at the loud banging. It was different from the rain, that much was obvious. He glanced around a bit spooked. He was already tense and unhappy from the fruitless hours dedicated to his worst subject. It wasn’t until he found the source of the noise that Bastion settled down. Only to jump into action an instant later. Rosie was standing outside the door, looking half drowned. Or at least he was mostly sure it was Rosie. The vixen’s hair was unique, even  with it darkened from the rain. He stumbled forward in a rush, hitting the door a tad too hard in his frantic movements. But he was quick to pull it open for the vixen. His eyes were a hair too wide in his concern, his words coming in quick rush. “Lord! Are you alright?" 

The rain usually never bothered her, but that was when she had her pale pink bubble umbrella to protect her, shielding her from her hair going limp and flat. She hadn’t expected the downpour, it wasn’t on her weather notifications, and if it had been within the last hour....she hadn’t been paying attention to her phone. That was the reason she was headed to the Fox tower to begin with, and now here she was, half soak and pouting as she tried to rack her brain on what to do now. It was the middle of the day, she’d overslept for her class, and it wouldn’t surprise her if most of the Foxes were already gone for the day. Sighing, she scanned the area, only to hear a rush of footsteps heading to the door. “Thank God.” She muttered under her breath, running her fingers through her damp locks as the door swung open with panic.

It was Bastion, and she felt a sigh of relief fill and leave her body. She’d met him before, and he was an absolute peach to her, thankful that it wasn’t someone she crossed the wrong way so she flashed him a soft smile. “You are a life saver.” She breathed out, stepping inside shelter and going to the closest mirror, a pout automatically spreading along her plump lips, “Oh God, I look like a fucking wet rat.” Rosie whined, turning back to him before shrugging her shoulders, “I left something here when I was....visiting a friend.” She admitted, clearing her throat before walking back over to the boy, hand coming up to rest on his shoulder, “I don’t look complete horrid, do I?” The idea of Sterling seeing her soaking wet and not put together, or anyone for that matter, always worried her. Even at night before bed, she was put together. Face glowing and moisturized, hair in soft waves from the curls she wore, silky matching pajama set with a hint of lavender body lotion. This, soaking wet and unkempt, was not her style. “Have you seen an iPhone with a rose and cherry printed case anywhere?”

[rosietommasi]

striker-brayden‌:

Brayden shoulder’s sag a little in relief when Rosie reassures him that she won’t go spreading his birthday around to everyone. He doubts anyone would really care anyway. He might get a few half-hearted birthday wishes when he sees his teammates at practice, and maybe there’s something seriously wrong with him if that feels worse than letting the day go by unnoticed. 

It seems like that’s the theme of today though–things that he wished were unnoticed being brought to attention, like his package. He knows that Rosie is trying to be nice by giving him a choice to open it alone or with her, and he must look really torn up if she thinks he’ll have a breakdown over a birthday present, but he wishes that she’d just pretend like he didn’t have it all. That’s what he’s trying to do, at least. It’s not working, obviously, because his hands itch with the urge to just tear it open and get it over with, but he resists, keeping his arms glued to his sides. 

“If you’re lucky, maybe FoxWatch will somehow find out. Unless, you’re FoxWatch,” He raises a brow, mostly joking. He doesn’t know who the person behind the blog is, and he doesn’t really care. If he learned anything from Gossip Girl, it’s that the great reveal is always disappointing. 

“Special,” He snorts sarcastically, but then again, he has no other word to describe his friendship with someone who convinces him to put on a kinky cat costume for Halloween and attacks him with balloons every year. Annoying is probably the better word for it. He quickly grabs the scarf and wraps it around his neck, eager to move past the subject of the package. 

The material is soft and warm, and he’s pretty sure he could easily sleep in this thing. The length looks okay to him, but what does he know? “Uh–does it look okay?” He asks awkwardly, holding his arms out. “Does it bring out my eyes?”

It seemed like she was getting through to Brayden in a way, the boy had always been a quiet sort of person, nothing like Rosie and her constant, blabbering mouth. But he was Sterling’s roommate, and while it wasn’t like her and Sterling were an item, being on Brayden’s good side would be good for her in the long run since the other roommate of theirs wasn’t exactly her biggest fan. It was her fault, she knew that, letting her emotions overtake her when she was at a low point, being that mean girl that she hated to become as it festered in her body. But it happened, all she could do was try and be better, try and make amends and if that didn’t work....well, at least she tried, right?

The package seems to be somewhat of a touchy subject, she can sense that ion his body language, stiff and protective of whatever was on his mind. At this point, she knows it’s probably a lost cause, even if her curiosity was eating her alive. So she drops it, opting to flash a smile accompanied with a soft laugh at his words, “That Foxwatch comes up with the darnest things, doesn’t it?” Rosie said light heartedly, perching on the edge of Sterling’s unoccupied bed, “But, I can assure you, it’s not me. I love gossip and drama, but not mine being blasted. I think it’s invasive.” She admitted with a gentle shrug, looking down at her hands for a moment because she had been put on Foxwatch in a way that made her look bad quite a few times. Her romantic partners, calling them victims, while she might not have admitted it....sort of hurt her feelings. 

“I think your friendship is adorable. Those Halloween costumes? I’m gonna assume that was his idea? But you did it with him, and that is sweet.” Rosie said with nothing short of a playful smile, leaning back on the palms of her hands, head falling to the side with long red waves flowing over her shoulder. “I’m sure he’s gonna go balls to the walls for your birthday. You’re a great friend.”

Sitting up a little more now as he grabbed the scarf, tossing it around his neck, she grinned a bit wider before hopping off the bed and walking over to him. “Hmmmmm.” She hummed, finger coming up to tap on her chin as her almond shapes scanned his face before offering him a smile, “You look great. I was right, that shade of blue did the trick. You’ll be breaking hearts and not even know it.”

[rosietommasi]

raleigheverhart‌:

Location: The Vixen Den, Kitchen Date: Wednesday, March 20 Time: Afternoon (open)

Every month, like clockwork, the Everharts have sent Raleigh a care package. There’s usually a box of tea in there, and there’s a corner cabinet in the Vixen Den’s kitchen that Raleigh has monopolized for herself to hold it all, ready for her to unleash her wrath on any Vixen who takes what doesn’t belong to them—what belongs to her. 

She’s not good at sharing, even now that she’s got more than enough to share. Jealously hoards every token of affection she receives, no matter how many of them there are. Because she still remembers a time when she didn’t, when it seemed like she didn’t have anything at all, that all the remnants of her old life were slipping through her fingers, and she had to fight to defend what shreds of herself remained. 

Now, though, she imagines packing it all up in a box at the end of the year, ready to be loaded into her car and driven back to Houston, and it all seems a little silly. It’s just tea, after all. 

She thinks about these things, now. Back in September, it felt like this year would never end. But now, somehow, it’s March. Like she could just blink and her last remaining months at Palmetto will be gone, just like that. Like, maybe, she’d wish that time would slow down, just a little bit. 

Today feels slow. A sunny afternoon, a couple hours between the end of her last class and the start of practice. Time to waste. “You want a cup?” She asks with a slight smile, barefoot and leaning against the kitchen counter. “This isn’t an offer that comes around often, but I’m feeling generous.“

For being roommates, Rosie really didn’t know Raleigh as well as she should have. She wondered at times if her excessive need to redecorate her side of the room annoyed the girl so much that she just didn’t want anything to do with her, that her constant, manic episodes that she hid under the covers at night in quiet panic had gotten to the surface enough for Raleigh to see that she should steer clear, or maybe she was making up all these excuses in her head when in reality: they just hadn’t caught each other at the right time to bond. Granted, Rosie had been a bit absent from their room as of late all thanks to one, tall, dark haired Fox but that was neither here nor there. The red head wanted to bond with her roommate, wanted to get to know her, and there was no time like the present, right?

She had just finished her last class of the day, floral printed back pack hanging off her shoulder, red curls in perfect, loose waves cascading down her back as she pushed open the door to the Vixen Den. Speak of the devil, there was her roommate in the kitchen area, brewing what looked like tea. As a child, Rosie adored tea parties wherever her parents decided to park their RV. Sitting at the fold out table, she would make a beautiful spread with her stuffed animals, inviting her parents who played along, it made her feel good. At night, she tried to drink an herbal tea to relax so she could peacefully drift off without keeping herself up at night in her head. 

Neatly hanging her book bag on the back of the closest chair, she tossed her hair over her shoulders as she leaned against the counter, perfectly groomed brows raising at the offer, “Well, I’m considering this to be my lucky day.” Rosie joked with a smile mirrored back to the girl, “I’m always down for a cup of tea, I’ve been meaning to talk to you, you know considering we are roommates and I hardly know a thing about you. I hope you haven’t been taking pictures of me in my sleep and selling them on the dark web.” It was another joke, and she hopped up on the stool to perch on the edge, making herself comfortable, “What tea are we having today?”

[rosietommasi]

secretpatchword‌:

Patch felt his smile freeze on his face, feeling a confusing rush of amusement, relief, guilt, and underneath it all, the sting of jealousy. He knew exactly what she meant by that. It was hard not to guess exactly what she was doing. And even though Patch knew he had no right to have an opinion, he was glad it was someone like Sterling that she was… spending time with.

On the other hand, he could remember when it was him she was coming for, and the fact that he gave it up stung just a touch against his better judgement. He had no right to feel that way, no right at all, so instead he tried to focus on the actual problem on hand, which seemed to be how unsettled Rosie was.

“He said… well, he said something about missing medications for your condition?” he offered. He didn’t want to say bipolar outloud, in case someone could hear, but he tried to make it clear that he knew pretty much everything, and he was concerned that maybe his actions had made it worse. Far worse than it should be. 

“I might not know everything, but that sounds…not fine to me Rosie. I just want to make sure you’re okay. I… want to help you, if you need me,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

Honestly, she hadn’t expected things to go this way with Sterling. They had always had this banter, and obvious sexual chemistry, but never acted upon it until Valentine’s Day where she was hurt from Patch and he was coming on strong and well...here they were. They agreed to something casual, because the last thing she needed was another heart break to rock her into the depressive episodes and manic anger that she had to deal with. It was easier this way, but she had to admit, she did enjoy spending time with Sterling more than she should. But she swallowed it down and kept trucking, she didn’t need complications. 

Complications, however, seemed to follow her. Staring up at Patch, she defensively crossed her arms over her chest as he spoke, avoiding eye contact because she knew Patch would be able to see right through her. The words he spoke though made her hot all over with embarrassment. Besides Indigo and Sydney, no one really knew she was on heavy medication, and even then...they didn’t know she had been missing her dosages from time to time. Not being monitored gave her control of that, and she was childlike, thinking she was fine on her own per usual. “Right.” Was all she really had to say, pursing her plump lips together before sighing and finally looking at him in the face.

“You want to help me.” The red head echoed, head falling to the side, “Do I look like I need help?” It was an open ended question before shifting her weight between her feet, “You....haven’t told anyone else, have you?”

[rosietommasi]

skiesindigo‌:

   They really were like an iconic movie duo, and when Sydney was in tow, it was the powerful Girl Squad that Indigo had grown up admiring in media. Once, she’d called the three of them the Powerpuff Girls - their obvious roles reflected in both physical appearance and personality. Palmetto State was, and always had been, a dream come true. Exy was just the shining star on top of it all, the passion that held them all together. Despite her sore finger, Indigo couldn’t help but continue smiling. Rosie had that affect on her, despite the mood swings they both suffered at times. 

   “Okay, okay, fine. From here on out, you will be included in every beauty decision. Deal?” Indigo rolled her eyes playfully, but she did enjoy Rosie’s investment in her journey with femininity. It was nice to feel… supported. Even if Indi didn’t try every day to look her best, like Rosie. “Yeah? God, sounds amazing. Let’s schedule it for after the big game. That way it’s either a celebration or… consolation,” Indigo decided with a hopeful nod. She knew their reputation. She knew the odds. Still, despite her pessimistic outward persona, she was always hopeful when it came to Exy. Once bandaged up, she stood and extended a hand to Rosie to leave and head on their merry way once more, crisis adverted. 

With constant bouncing around as a kid, and well into her teens, Rosie never had a strong and solid group of friends to bond with. It was always short connections, which did make her a social butterfly, but the type with clipped wings and trust issues because it seemed everyone always moved on. Here at Palmetto, she’d been situated, finally stabilized enough to grow her friendships and develop the connections that her heart had always longed for. Sydney and Indigo were her closest friends, two girls that balanced her out, that kept her in check, that knew her biggest and darkest secrets. She finally felt as if she could trust someone enough to let them see the real her, ugly parts included despite the picturesque front she donned. 

“Deal, as it should be.” She chirped proudly with a megawatt grin for good measure, nudging her blonde friend with her knee as she sat beside her. Leaning back a bit, she ran manicured fingers through her crimson locks, almond hues looking around the dingy nurses office with a scrunch of her nose at the faint smell of latex before her gaze landed back on Indigo, “Sounds like a perfect plan to me, either way, it’s a day with my two favorite girls.” Rosie confirmed, expression softening for a moment as she spoke, “But I have faith in you guys, this has been one hell of a season. And one hell of a year all around.” Standing, she grinned as she took the extended hand in hers, lacing manicured fingers together with a sigh, “What’s next?”

[rosietommasi]

Sterling → hot redhead 🔥

STERLING: good. I don't want to look like it

STERLING: whatever, same thing

STERLING: sounds like it wasn't as simple as that, then

STERLING: you don't get to call me young, I'm older than you

STERLING: it's a deal, then

[current timeline]

ROSIE: pssssst, are you awake?

ROSIE: i think...we should go on a late night drive because i can't sleep (:

ROSIE: and you owe me for being so nice the other day and bringing you a coffee.

[rosietommasi]

secretpatchword‌:

Patch scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as she took a step back out of his arms, and he did the same, just a half-step. His back hit the door and he cleared his throat again. He forced himself to collect his thoughts before he blurted something out that was less smooth than this whole exchange. He ended up nodded and crossing his arms.

“Right. Right. Yeah. It was still a good game. I guess hyping people off of the court is… nice of you to do,” he said. God, it sounded so fake. This whole interaction was laced with tension, and not the fun kind. They used to be so seamless with each other. The tension was fun. Had it really only been a month since they had last really talked? Fucking hell.

As often as he thought after Caleb and how he was managing, Rosie seemed to be a step behind in his thoughts always. Especially after the phone call he received from her father, nervous about why she wasn’t answering them. He felt like it was his fault, but he was still too much of a coward to approach her directly. Maybe it was a good thing they had ran into each other like this.

“How have you been, Rosie?” he asked finally. “You’re dad called and… well he’s pretty worried about you.”

Watching as he stepped back, running into the door a bit, she lingered in her step as she rolled her shoulders back to try and pull herself together. She was never great at being caught off guard, always one to plan out her day and the way she went about it. But, Rosie was a master of putting on a smile and trucking through it. At least most of the time, when it came to Patch, it was just a bit harder to play pretend. He knew her fairly well, at least more than most around here excluding that of Indigo and Sydney, and now ever so slowly: Sterling. So there was a moment of hesitancy as she tried to gather herself, rolling her shoulders back as she glanced up at him.

As she heard his words, her lips pushed together into a line as she glanced back at the locker room doors, “Oh, uh, I was just....” Clearing her throat, she waved her hand a bit dismissively, “Giving Sterling something.” Pausing, her gaze shifted a bit as she shifted her weight between her feet again, “....something of his I found in the gym.” It was a lie, and she was doing in through her teeth as she tried to save face before shrugging nonchalantly. But she heard the forced tone in Patch’s voice as well, and she took a deep breath as the topic was changed.

Although, it was something that made her doe hues widened even more, her father had contacted him? “He what?” Her tone was a bit sharper as she tapped her nails together, now suddenly anxious and albeit a little confused as well, “What....what did he say? What did he tell you?” Pausing, she ran her fingers through her long red locks, shrugging, “I’m fine. I’m alright.”

[rosietommasi]

skiesindigo‌:

   The validation that Rosie gave, and continues to give, Indigo so freely had been a large factor in her molding at Palmetto; it had so much influence on the bright blonde, allowing to her open up and explore herself in ways she’d never been given the encouragement to do at her boarding schools. Without Rosie? Indigo would be pretty lost, and lonely; how a simple hookup had turned into something so much deeper in a platonic way was almost startling. It’d been hard for Indi to ever believe she would have real best friends like Sydney and Rosie both. 

   “Sorry,” Indigo’s expression turned sheepish. “It was a really last minute decision, like, I saw the salon and…. just went in like hi fix me up! I didn’t even have time to shoot a text, they were ready immediately.” In the nurse station, Indigo held out her hand, still chatting as she got a bandage applied. Once cleaned off, it really wasn’t bad at all… a bit of an overreaction on the blonde’s fault. “You can go with me to get them removed - how am I supposed to be a champion if I can’t even use my fingers?” Indigo complained. As much as she loved looking good personally, sometimes she could only look at Rosie in wonder. How the redhead managed to be 100%, fully on, at all times; otherworldly. “I just hope we win.” 

There was just something so special about Indigo, she couldn’t put her finger on it, but it just made her want to be around her. When they spoke more, and Rosie really got to know her, it only made her that much more tied into her spell. The blonde was fearless, strong, and someone she considered to be far too good for all the bullshit she’d gone through. So was she a bit protective of her? Absolutely. But it was all within good reason and came from a good place, she just didn’t want people treating someone so special, so poorly. With Indigo and Sydney as her closest allies too, it completed a perfectly beautiful girl squad that she had only dreamed of as she bounced from town to town as a kid.

“Mmmmmm, I’ll let it slide this time, but don’t let me catch you slipping again. Might fuck around and hurt my feelings.” She pouted, only to flash a grin moments later in signal that she was just joking. “Plus, I know some amazing nail artists out here, they’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Rosie explained in reference to the injury her friend now sported. As the nurse worked on her, the red head laughed a bit at what she’d said, tutting her tongue as she poked the blonde’s nose ever so slightly, “You’re already a champion in my eyes, but yes, we can do a spa day. Even invite Syd, lord knows you both probably need a pedicure and a massage so consider it on me. Or on my father’s black card, either way, it needs to be done.” She assured Indigo with nothing short of a gentle smile, reaching out to squeeze her knee, “I’ll be on the sidelines screaming my lungs out for you to kill it.”

[rosietommasi]

raph-peruggia‌:

“You are the messiest I have ever seen you,” Raph agrees stepping past her. The wide radius he makes around her is not subtle. He’s not sure why he cannot meet her eyes or look at her directly or even bring himself to get near her. Part of it is the fear that this will activate something in his mind related to the Lucas Ervine earring neck biting problem that he has been carefully avoiding thinking about for weeks. And then part of him just does not want to see or touch her like this. Rosie Tommasi has made it no secret that her physical appearance is an important aspect of her identity, that she does not feel correct or safe without being able to edit it to her liking with cosmetic products and bits of fake hair glued to her eyes. It feels wrong to look at her when she is without the thing that makes her feel safe. He holds the door open for her, eyes still trained on the ground. 

“I will make sure no one else sees you,” he adds, already moving to walk ahead. He listens for the sound of her impractical shoes against the floor behind him.

It occurs to him that he might have to be concerned about this. Rosie Tommasi is someone he enjoys and does not want to see hurt. He feels positively towards Sterling Walsh. He is a good sparring partner and a reliable teammate and occasional a tolerable associate. Raph does not want to do anything to hurt him, not permanently at least, or without his permission.

He stops on the stairs.

“Sterling Walsh?” He asks, rubbing at his temples to stave off the headache he knows he will have.

The statement makes her pause for a moment, it always takes a second to get used to Raph’s blunt honesty, but it’s the one of the reasons she likes him. He doesn’t sugar coat anything, he takes everything in as is and wouldn’t lie just to try and save face. So she nods slowly, because she does know she looks like a hot mess express, but if she could choose anyone to see her this way, Raph would certainly be one of them. “Thank you for your honesty.” She said easily, pursing her lips together as she tried to keep pace with him as barreled ahead. Rosie was way too tired and off her game for this, she never understood how the Foxes were able to train every morning. Sure, sometimes she would wake up pretty early to catch a yoga class at sunrise or take a jog, but not every day like she knows many of the Foxes do. It was impressive though, she gave them that.

Her gaze follows him as he holds the door open for her, walking outside to brisk, morning air as it woke her up a bit more from her groggy haze. He’s already moving to walk in front of her again, saying he would make sure no one saw her like this, she breathed out a sigh of relief, “You’re a life saver, you know that, Raph?” She teased before skipping ahead to try and walk beside him again, “As long as you aren’t embarrassed to be seen with me like this?” Rosie asked with curiosity, large almond hues glancing up at him as her head fell to the side. Pausing for a moment, she pulled her long red locks up into a loose bun with a sigh as she breathed in deep to pull herself together.

At least it was a nice morning, and she saw the Den in sight, maybe since she was already up she would meditate and think over what to do about this sleeping over situation she got herself into. But then he stopped and she lingered in her step before glancing over at him, her brows raising at the mention of that name. Instantly her face grew hot as she shifted her weight between her feet, rubbing the back of her neck as she played coy, “Who?” It was a joke, and she offered him a smile before sighing, “Fine, what about him?” 

[rosietommasi]

skiesindigo‌:

   Friendship hadn’t really made sense until Rosie taught her what it felt like. Until then, it was all awkward acquaintances and crushes or sex. Maybe her former boarding schools just hadn’t been a good example, but as the energy between the pair turned from lustful to kindred, Indigo had reached a new level of love and appreciation… on that didn’t require sexual tension or dating to make it meaningful. For that, Rosie would always be special, and Indigo couldn’t imagine a life without her, or her other friends from Palmetto. 

   “Aren’t they?” Indigo agreed, flipping her hands around and flexing her fingers to look at them herself proudly. If only she still had function in her digits, then she’d be all set. As they walked, Indi shrugged. “I’d never gotten them done before, I just sort of realized that when I was chewing off my thumb nail while studying. And then I realized, well, maybe it would be more fun to read if I had cool designs on my fingers. Then I went on Pinterest and found all those cool ombre styles, and the lady doing them said I couldn’t do short and still look my best, so I just… let her go wild. Now here we are.” Indigo frowned. “I hope it won’t fuck me up on the field. I’ll rip these fuckers off with tweezers in the middle of the game.” 

The red head had met quite a few people in her life time, bouncing from city to city like a rolling stone, she tried to make friends everywhere she went. Not that any were ever long lasting, that’s what distance tended to do to most people, but she had never met anyone like Indigo. Someone so unique and beautiful and dazzling in ways Rosie only aspired to be, and she doesn’t let the girl forget it. Sure, in the beginning their relationship was more about flirting and hooking up, but now? It was so much more, and Rosie is still finding herself being vulnerable with her as the days pass on. Plus, it helps she’s also friends with Sydney, her own personal squad of strong females. 

Admiring the nails, she couldn’t help but grin at them, because they were to die for. A bit impractical, sure, but still amazing nonetheless. Her brows rose whenever she heard she’d never gotten them done before, “Excuse me, and you didn’t invite me? Gotta say, that hurts. But, next time, we are going together.” Rosie informed her, squeezing the hand she was holding as she shot her a smirk, “But they are super cute.” She confirmed as they rounded the corner, nodding slowly, “I think they might get in the way, especially if you couldn’t even close your locker without almost losing a finger. Just be careful, okay? If you need help taking them off, please grab me, you aren’t going to ruin your nail begs.” Rosie said with a knowing look as they reached the office, opening the door as she informed the nurse what happened, plopping down beside Indigo as she smiled, “So, are you excited to be an almost champion or what??”