mirage

[seeingstcrs]

seeingstcrs is a dependent mumu blog for sedonaroleplay with temporary characters written, by ashleigh.

Sloane Ellis, 38, she/her, managing director, "journalist" - currently in play

[desertblvsh]

Roman smirked in response, swirling the contents of his glass before glancing back over at the brunette. "I think it already has," he replies, giving her a pointed look, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He needed this. A distraction, someone to take his mind off of all the shit lately. Someone he didn't know, someone who didn't know him. His gaze dropped to her hand as she held it out, a slow smile tugging at his mouth before he finally took it. His grip was firm, warm, like he wasn't in any rush to let go.. and for a moment, he didn't. "Emily Sloane," he repeated, before offering his own. "Roman Banks." He'd keep his family name out of it. Only then did he release her hand, but his smirk faltered to fade. "You don't waste any time, do you?" He downed the rest of whatever was in his glass, before his eyes flicked briefly toward the dance floor, then back to her. "Alright, I'll play," Roman said finally, pushing off the bar and offering a hand to her this time. "Show me what I'm getting myself into."

[seeingstcrs]

In another life, she might have made a good actress with just how hard she worked to keep her true emotions off of her face, whilst also looking like she wasn't doing anything at all. It would've been so easy to smirk or look smug as she got the answers she wanted, the looks she had been aiming for with this particular plan, but instead, she gave nothing away, as if she wasn't offering herself up on a platter completely.

"Pleasure to meet you, Roman Banks." Luckily for her, it had been long enough since they had seen each other on the social scene that he seemed to buy that he didn't know her, that he didn't actually recognise her. "Why waste time? We only live one life. We could either spend it shouting small talk over the music or we could have some fun with it." As he stood, Sloane finally allowed herself a little smirk, one that worked in the situation. She quickly finished her drink before turning on her stool, accepting his hand as she stood up. "Sure you're ready for that?" She walked towards the dance floor then, beginning to move her hips as they reached it and she turned back to face him. "So am I dealing with someone who can dance, or no?"

[nevermindcrs]

"oh yeah? where'd you run off to?" the question rolled a little too smoothly off his tongue, but the soft smile he gave her was the same as a get out of jail free card. if she wanted to answer, she could. if she didn't, he wouldn't push it. "i don't about us being heroes, but we appreciate it." something about the label made him uneasy, because it was his job and it was the duty they'd all sworn to commit to, but he knew that those who called them that meant well.

he chuckled quietly and nodded, eyes dropping to the trunks before lifting to settle back on her. he was a little surprised by her response, but then again, not everyone knew that developers had their eyes on the town. "i don't know about that." he'd read the news too, just like every other person in sedona. rumors spread as quickly as a wildfire, but there was some truth to what the papers relayed. "developers wanna come in here and take what they want. the fire was deliberate. we know that for a fact. i'm not saying i know who did it, but if you think about it..." he trailed off, giving her a beat to do the math for herself, "it checks out."

[seeingstcrs]

"We moved around a lot when I was growing up, I spent a lot of it in Colorado and Montana." Not exactly the truth, but enough of it that it rolled smoothly off of her tongue. There had to be a balance between protecting her identity for now, but enough truth to make it seem like she wasn't lying through her teeth. Reaching out, Sloane gently touched his forearm. "You'd have risked your life for anyone in danger that night, you should let us appreciate you for what you are." God, she was going to make herself gag with this level of sweet.

Reaching into the cooler to grab a bottle of water for herself as the disgusting desert heat started to prick at her skin, Sloane used the few seconds her face was hidden from him to school her features into something between disturbed and interested. It was only natural, after all. "God, that's just awful. It makes sense I guess, I just don't know how anyone could do something like that." Taking a sip of her water, Sloane widened her eyes ever so slightly. "Are there any developers in town? That could be seriously worrying." She couldn't seem too interested, but so far, it seemed that there were no leads and that alert part of her brain slowly began to settle. "Well I'm happy to help out, even if it is only a couple of coolers of drinks and snacks. Hopefully it'll make your day a little bit easier."

[nevermindcrs]

"don't worry about it," he countered, matching her smile with one of his own as his fingers curled around the handle of one of the coolers. they'd make quick work of what was inside, but they'd appreciate it all the same. "we picked one hell of a day to be out here." he tossed the playful remark over his shoulder as they moved inside and out of the scorcher that dared challenge their goodness.

once inside, mav peeked over his shoulder to make sure she was still behind him. he laughed quietly to himself at her question. "what gave me away?" he'd shed his shirt after being soaked by another on hose duty. he looked like someone ready for a pool party, his pineapple trunks soaked too. "yeah, i'm pulling double duty. just trying to help out however i can."

the firefighter placed the cooler on top of her table and turned to carefully take the other from her. he mouthed another thanks and placed it near the first one. "the chapel means a lot to the people in this town. everyone wants to make sure it stays standing." his jaw tightened for a beat, the simmering anger he'd swallowed down threatening to rise again. "did you hear what else they said about what happened? that it was... intentional?"

[seeingstcrs]

"You really did. I haven't been in Arizona properly since I was a child but the desert heat is really raging today, huh?" And just to play up the little helper role a little more, she nodded to the cooler he was carrying. "I even included some electrolyte drinks in there for you all, the last thing we need after everything is a medical emergency for one of the town heroes."

Laughing softly at his joke, Sloane forced herself not to roll her eyes even when his back was turned as she followed him to the tables and handed off the cooler she was carrying as he reached for it. "The swimmers might have done it, but otherwise it was just a hunch." As she listened to him, Sloane widened her eyes to feign the shock at what he had said. "Deliberate? Oh my.." Shaking her head in disbelief, she secretly praised herself for practicing the look in the mirror that morning. "Why on earth would someone do something like that? But it's just a theory, right? The last I read in the papers was that they were still unsure of the cause. Maybe it's just an awful rumour someone decided to spread around?"

[desertblvsh]

Roman's eyes lingered on her, something faint shifting behind his expression like he was still trying to work her out. He took a slow sip of his whiskey before setting the glass down with an exhale, leaning back slightly on his stool. "That obvious, huh?" he asked lightly, like he wasn't particularly bothered by the assumption. "I was just waiting for someone interesting to come along. Make my night a little less boring." Something about her still tugged at the back of his mind like a name he should know but couldn't remember. He tapped the rim of his glass once, then looked back at her. "You're not from around here," he stated, his curiousity getting the better of him. "And yet I feel like I know you from somewhere. —Have we met?"

[seeingstcrs]

"Well, you're sitting alone and there's only one drink in front of you, so.. yeah." She said it with a smile, trying to judge by his reactions at what level she needed to be at. She had to play it cool and play on the fact that she didn't know him personally all that well. If there was one thing she knew, it was to find truth in the lie so you could keep it going. "Well, if it hasn't happened yet, then I truly hope it does happen for you." She glanced away from him then, taking a sip of her drink as she thought of her next move. All she had to do was get an invitation back to his and the plan would succeed in itself. "Do I look like that much of an outsider?" She turned a little on her bar stool then, more to face him as if she was truly enjoying the conversation. "I think I'd remember a face like yours, so I'd go with no." Holding her hand out to him, she suddenly racked her mind for what name to give him. Her name was too unusual and if he was already slightly suspicious, it could give her away. Instead, she smiled as she offered her hand to shake. "Emily Sloane." It wasn't a total lie. "Would it be too forward to ask if you'd like to dance? Once I've got your name, of course."

[desertblvsh]

｡･ ˚ ✧｡ 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓.

𝑹𝑬𝑪𝑰𝑷𝑰𝑬𝑵𝑻 ⸺ @seeingstcrs 𝑺𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 ⸺  le rouge

There wasn't a better place for Roman to lay low than Le Rouge, exclusive enough to keep most people out and quiet enough this late that he could avoid the looks he'd been getting since the fires. He was starting to feel cooped up in his apartment, but walking around Sedona right now wasn't exactly ideal either, not for a Hernandez, and sure as hell not for a developer. So he kept to the bar, nursing a glass of whiskey, and simply people watched. He barely reacted when someone took the stool beside him, attention still fixed ahead, until he caught sight of her. Something about her tugged at his memory, familiar in a way he couldn't quite place. Roman shifted slightly, glancing over at said familiar brunette now, curiosity getting the better of him. Or maybe it was just the liquid confidence. "Enjoying your night?"

[seeingstcrs]

It had been fairly easy to navigate her way around Sedona without attracting any attention. She might be a new face, but the people she had spoken to had seemed to accept her cover story as a writer and some had even been more than forthcoming with information they were willing to offer. The original plan was still in effect but there had been a second stage to it that Sloane had been thinking of ever since she had realised just who lived in town. Their business could be dirty and Roman Banks had done more than enough to warrant a little side quest in her eyes.

It was risky but she could only bank on him not recognising her as they had only really met in passing a couple of times. As she took the seat next to him at the bar, she didn't initially pay him any attention, simply a ordering a lime and soda water, waiting for him to say something to her.

Like clockwork.

Glancing over her shoulder, she waited for a second to see if any real glimmer of recognition flashed over his face before she replied. "I am now.." Leaning back a little, Sloane offered a small smile, determined to play this little game as well as she possibly could. "Are you? What's a guy like you doing sitting all alone at a bar?"

[nevermindcrs]

car after car, maverick pitched jokes and smiled like there wasn't anger burning hot and insistent beneath his skin. he thanks locals and strangers alike as dollars stacked up. it wouldn't take away the sting of what had been lost, but it'd help rebuild, and help ensure that greedy developers didn't get their hands on something as sacred as the chapel.

within the first hour, he'd been thankful for his personal choice of trunks over the jeans he'd sat out the night before. by the second hour, he'd tossed his soaked shirt aside and playfully warned another firefighter that if he couldn't handle the hose, he'd be on sponge duty. by hour number four, he'd needed a break.

"let me help with that," he offered, smile widening as he stepped forward, ocean blues sweeping over the woman he wasn't familiar with. "we'll never say no to cold drinks and snacks," he added warmly, pausing near the other with his arms outstretched to take one or both of the boxes off her hands. "lets get these inside and out of this heat."

[seeingstcrs]

She knew with everyone she spoke to in the town that she needed to play her cards right. One hint of anything remotely suspicious and the information she wanted or needed would be kept away from her. Luckily for her, she had been putting on the nice girl act in front of people for most of her life and it was something she had down to a fine art.

"Oh, thank you so much!" She offered a bright smile as she handed over one of the ice coolers, the heavier one that was filled with drinks and ice. She wanted to seem like she needed help, but not too much, just the right side of damsel in distress. "That's a great idea, I'd hate for the ice to melt, you guys definitely deserve all of the ice drinks." Hooking the handle of the other cooler over her forearm, Sloane made to follow him inside and out of the heat. "I'm guessing you're one of the washers?"

She looked around, the smile slowly dropping from her face as she continued. "It's amazing really, how much the town has come together after something so awful, I couldn't believe it when I heard the news."

[seeingstcrs]

Starter for: Maverick Malone ( @nevermindcrs ) Location: Community Car Wash

It had been interesting really to see the fall out of the fire as an outsider of the town. She hadn't had much chance to see if before the fire struck, but it had shocked her at how one fire had caused so much flapping in the streets. If she was anyone else, she might have even found it sweet. At least, that's what she needed to tap into today. The one bad thing about being an unknown and an outsider in this situation, was that she had no real knowledge about what was going on, or what might have been found.

Pulling the ice boxes out of the trunk of her rental car, Sloane pushed a smile onto her face, one that was well practiced before she made her way over to the main event, to what looked like the whole town turning out to get their cars washed. She had wanted to be as opposite to herself as possible, which was why she even had a cute little clip in her hair that made her want to roll her eyes.

"Excuse me?" With heavy ice boxes in both of her hands, she struggled over to one of the firefighters who was on his own, flashing him a beaming smile. "Hi, sorry to bother you, I bought some cold drinks and snacks down to help you all out, would you mind showing me where I can leave them? I'd hate to think the town's heroes weren't getting refreshments on their breaks."