Shrike gals!

mumu blog for shrikehq sawyer pearson. 34. attorneyflorence quint. 42. julio's bar & life rose on.

[shrikc-gals]

devilthcghts​:

.

“Oh I definitely can be,” Skylar replied, elongating her neck and straightening her shoulders. She preferred to let the confidence speak for herself with actions, walk the walk – talking about how you were didn’t necessarily make it true. “Only if they’re super cute though.” Curious eyes slowly flickered up and down the other woman. “There are people who say their favorite thing to do is sleeping. I question their sanity,” she responded bemusedly, flummoxed at the idea. It apparently wasn’t normal for someone to be on the go twenty four seven but she dismissed these concerns - afterall she knew nothing else. Calming her mind was an impossible task  so she appreciated meeting someone who could. “Well, I will definitely need to test that for myself. Let me know when you are free and I will make it work.”

-

Florence bit down on her lower lip, but the smile burst through anyway at the sight of the other, for lack of a better term, squaring up. As if ready to prove right then and there that she wasn’t all talk. She screamed chaotic energy and the redhead absolutely loved it. “I sense you’re just brimming with energy, and don’t even need the help of coffee in the morning to get like this.” The redhead gave her a quick up-down look before asking. “Say, have you ever tried roller derby?” Florence couldn’t help herself if she was met with a potential new asset for the team. But then she got curious. “Actually, how do you like burning off all this fire? My lunch break is coming up and I wouldn’t mind showing off my bowling skills while we grab a slice of greasy pizza.” 

[shrikc-gals]

horrorbxby​:

closed  starter  ;  ft.  loki  romanov  +  florence  quint.

location  ;  shrike  county  hospital.

@shrikc-gals​

there  was  a  lot  that  loki  had  wanted  to  say  in  those  last  moments  of  consciousness.  as  she  was  using  the  last  of  her  strength  to  pull  the  knife  from  florence’s  thigh,  she  though  about  how  the  last  time  they’d  met,  loki  had  implied  that  the  older  woman  was  weak.  in  reality,  she  knew  she  was  nothing  but.  and  she  wanted  her  to  know  that  then.  loki  woke  up  in  the  hospital  before  she  had  the  chance  to  tell  her.  when  she  asked  her  coworkers  about  florence,  they  assured  her  she  was  fine,  though  being  monitored,  and  that  loki  could  leave  whenever  she  wanted  and  come  back  to  visit  tomorrow  during  visiting  hours.  loki  gave  them  hell  and  told  them  she’d  leave  when  she  wanted,  and  see  florence  when  she  wanted.  they  couldn’t  argue  with  her,  really.  being  one  of  their  best  surgeons,  they  couldn’t  afford  to.

“ hey, ”  she  said  a  little  awkwardly  upon  entering  florence’s  room.  how  much  did  she  remember ?  was  she  still  angry ?  loki  hadn’t  felt  such  pure  anxiety  for  a  long  time.  the  blonde  winced  and  whimpered  as  she  sat  herself  on  the  edge  of  florence’s  bed,  her  broken  ribs  caning  with  the  movement.  the  red-haired  woman  appeared  tired. but  even  so,  loki  felt  that  ridiculous  fluttery  feeling  in  her  chest  that  she’d  been  trying  so  hard  to  get  rid  of.  in  that  moment,  however,  she  didn’t  find  it  an  issue  at  all.  “ you  really  took  a  beating, huh ? ”  the  memory of  seeing  the  bloodied  water,  and  seeing  florence  being  held  under  so  brutally,  it  made  loki’s  eyes  water  ever  so  slightly.  she  had  seen  brutality.  she’d  been  brutal.  but  that  stuck  with  her  more  than  anything.  “ me  too,  actually, ”  she  motioned  to  the  scrapes  across  her  cheek  and  brow.  “ i  think  we’re  going  to  have  some  really  cool  scars,  at  least.  do  you  want  to  see  mine ?  you  haven’t  seen  them  yet.  i  got  them  after…  you  know,  after  we…  it  was  a  while  after  that.  so  you  haven’t  seen  them. ”  

-

Death was a normal, natural part of life. The one thing every living thing on this planet had in common. An inescapable eventuality. Yet Florence had never imagined how painful it could be. How violent and unexpected; caused deliberately by an evil that was simply too hard to comprehend. And being drowned? It was terrifying. To know that she was dying and not being able to do anything about it. Her head forced under water, held there while her lungs burn inside out, begging for oxygen. Her instinct to gasp for air having an overwhelming panic settling in because it didn’t matter how long she held her breath for, it was a losing battle. Eventually her body would give in. Even if she tried to keep calm, how could anyone not panic? Body thrashing, growing increasingly more desperate knowing her existence was about to be extinguished and there was nothing she can do about it... But then Loki did. 

Florence memory of the attack was fragmented and incomplete, there was pain, and blood (not just hers but Loki’s) and fear... but the one thing that was strikingly clear was how fiercely the blonde fought to protect her. How even despite their own injuries, Loki had fend off the killer, and managed to bring Florence back. The doctor had breathed air back into the redhead’s lungs, emptying the water in them and brought her back. Not long after that the younger woman had finally given into her own injuries, having expended every last ounce of strength, and collapsed into her arms. Then it had been Florence’s turn to look out after them until help arrived. 

Cradled in Florence’s trembling arms, the older woman remembered how cold she’d felt but the warmth of Loki’s body had been so soothing, the rise and fall of her chest reassuring as an immense and profound feeling of tenderness and gratitude filled the redhead as she brushed back saturated strands of hair from her savior’s pretty face... 

“Hi there,” she greeted her knight in not so shining hospital gown as Loki entered the room. A small but genuine smile emerging on Flo’s face. “We both sure did.” The older woman said, taking in the visibly injured state of the other. “And I’m pretty sure you should be in bed.” She chided gently before her face softened. “But you’re most definitely a sight for sore eyes.” Florence couldn’t even try and hide how pleased she was to see Loki in that moment. Who in turn was being adorably rambly as she offered to show off her scars. “I’d love to see your scars. But first I want to--” with some difficulty she leaned up and reached for the doctor’s hand before squeezing tenderly. “properly thank you for saving my life.” She tugged on their hand gently and gestured with a nod of her head for Loki to get closer. “So how about you get in here and let me snuggle you, then you can show me all you want.” 

[horrorbxby]

i’ve been playing dead my whole life and i get this feeling whenever i feel good it’ll be the last time

but i feel something - when i see you now i feel something - when i see you.

⋆  loki  romanov  +  florence  quint  ⋆  ( @shrikc-gals )

[shrikc-gals]

horrorbxby​:

soren  gave  a  weak  smile,  the  kind  that  was  useless  at  hiding  the  sadness  in  her  teary  eyes.  however,  the  smile  wasn’t  to  convince  sawyer  that  she  was  doing  just  fine  ( sawyer  knew  damn  well  they weren’t  fine )  –  it  was  to  show  an  appreciation  for  what  she’d  said.  you’re  not  alone  anymore.  for  the  first  time  in  her  life  since  being  told  that,  soren  really  believed  it  to  be  true.  she  turned  her  face  and  pressed  a  gentle  kiss  against  sawyer’s  fingertips  before  continuing  to  hold  her  hand  there  against  her  cheek  ( which  was  an  above-average  temperature  due  to  her  getting  worked  up,  and  all  of  the  tears  she’d  been  crying. )

“ oh, ”  she  said  softly,  looking  down.  she  couldn’t  help  but  feel  a  pang  of  guilt  in  her  chest.  she  had  been  the  reason  that  sawyer  was  scared.  perhaps  if  she  hadn’t  gone  to  the  festival,  the  older  woman  would  have  been  able  to  enjoy  herself  at  her  first  shrike  heights  end-of-summer  parade.  she  tried  to  shake  that  thought  ever  since  sawyer  had  gotten  her  buckled  up  in  her  convertible  –  but  couldn’t.  “ i  didn’t  doubt  for  a  second  that  you’d  be  able  to  protect  me.  what  did  scare  me  was  the  idea  of  you  getting  hurt.  especially  in  trying  to  protect  me.  because  it’d  be  my  fault.  it  was  my  fault  you  were  brought  into  this  at  all, ”  her  grip  on  sawyer’s  hand  subconsciously  tightened.

“ i  know  that…  we’ve  only  really  known  each  other  for  a  little  while.  well  –  you  know,  more  than  the  playful  banter  between  us  when  you’d  have  to  tell  me  to  be  careful  when  i  was  skating  where  i  shouldn’t - ”  which  had  almost  resulted  in  soren  knocking  sawyer off  her  feet  because  the  younger  of  the  two  wasn’t  watching  where  they  were  going,  “ but  i  don’t  know  what  i  would  do  if  this  was  taken  away  from  me.  if  you  were…  if  you  were  hurt. ”  what  if  sawyer  blamed  her  and  decided  that  they  should  go  their  separate ways ?  what  if  sawyer  was  fatally  wounded  and  soren  was  forced  to  say  goodbye  forever  to  the  one  person  who  really  made  soren  feel  like  a  real  person.  “ what  if…  you  got  hurt  and  you  decided  to  leave ? ”  her  voice  broke,  more  tears  stinging  her  eyes  at  the  possibility.  “ sometimes  these  thoughts  keep  me  up  at  night. and  i  think  they  will  even  more so now. ”  

Soren’s unshakable confidence in Sawyer’s ability to protect them, even under such a dreadful situation, it warmed the older woman’s heart and strengthened her determination to do just that. Despite what the young artist had recently endured, the pain and trauma that had been inflicted upon them, they still found comfort and a semblance of safety in Sawyer’s presence. The lawyer had come to learn that trust did not come easy for Soren --her upbringing having seen to that-- yet there the girl was, placing it in her so fully and unwaveringly. It wasn’t something the older woman took lightly. 

“My choices and decisions are not your responsibility or your fault, corazón.” She reminded them gently, expression tender as she saw the guilt settling on the younger woman’s shoulders. Which Sawyer promptly wanted to ease the weight of. “And I choose this,” her hand continued caressing the girl’s cheek, and she couldn’t help but notice how warm to the touch Soren was; her body’s temperature higher than normal. A physical response to the levels of stress she’d experienced, no doubt. Which meant it was essential to decrease said stress. “I choose you. And everything that entails.” Ideas of how to reduce the girl’s anxiety began forming in the woman’s mind as she listened to them carrying on about the uncertainty they felt, and Soren’s understandable assumption that something negative was bound to happen.

“I get it --sometimes it’s impossible not to let your mind wander with those type of thoughts,” especially with everything that was happening around them. “But you can’t let yourself be consumed with these what ifs.” In this moment, Sawyer knew how important it was for her to help Soren understand that they couldn't just avoid uncertainty entirely because this could lead to the artist developing a negative behavior in order to help avoid risks. Such as opting out of situations that she once enjoyed. Like attending the parade, or going to the fair. “There are things that are out of our control-” not something easy to accept. “but I can promise you that no matter what, I won’t ever decide to just leave without you.” She assured the artist, finally allowing her hand to drop from their face. “Now why don’t I draw you a bath, hmm? You need to relax, baby. And a bath will help with that.” 

[shrikc-gals]

closed starter @viola--lancaster​

Friday night came and it was time for one Florence Quint to meet her date. She felt a flutter of excitement as she got ready, which was ridiculous considering it wasn't the first time she got to spend time with Viola. Matter of fact, the red-haired woman had always enjoyed the other’s company. They’d been friends for a while now, and the two had always toed the line of playful flirting. Except this time it was different.

It had been so long since Florence had considered the possibility of anything even remotely close to a romantic engagement. Her last fling having left a sour taste in her mouth. But it was about damn time the woman put herself out there, and when presented with a beautiful woman who was clearly interested, the florist had decided to pursue it. 

Donning a black dress with shoulder pads, she paired it with set of hot-pink cowboy boots that gave her already tall stature a couple extra inches, and matched the chunky, plastic neon earrings she wore. Her red hair was left down, the thick curls flowing down her back as she applied a coat of red lipstick, then headed out. It didn’t take long before she was standing at Viola’s doorstep, right on time and with a bottle of wine in hand as she knocked. 

[shrikc-gals]

devilthcghts​:

.

It would’ve maybe helped her get in good graces faster with the other woman  - but Skylar could barely take care of a cactus, let alone a flower, and had never really been super into them, so faking it would’ve been far too obvious. “Boredom,” Skylar answered simply, “I like to keep myself busy. Find pleasant company.” she continued with the corners of her mouth twitching into a smirk. “Think I found it. Surprisingly, not me. For once.” Her eyes glazed over the floral arrangement. “Oh heavens, am I really that obvious?” She inquired, sarcasm dripping from her voice, afterall she knew she had laid it on a little thick.

-

"You're a real charmer, aren't ya?” Florence gave the other an amused look, grin still in place. She actually found the other’s sarcastic wit entertaining. Enjoyable even. “Oh, yeah. You’re just an open book.” The redhead said, meeting the younger woman’s sarcasm with a bit of her own as she bit down on her lower lip to stifle a chuckle. “Two minutes into this conversation and I already know that you don’t like being bored, like to keep yourself busy, and have excellent taste in company.” She playfully listed off. “Though your appreciation for flowers leaves much to be desired,” she couldn’t help but tease. “But back to your little boredom problem, I happen to be a very effective repellent for that.” 

[shrikc-gals]

horrorbxby​:

the  drive  home  had  been  quiet.  the  dreaded  taunts  from  the  bubblegum  twins  had  been  repeating  themselves  in  her  head,  over  and  over.  though  her  breathing  had  calmed,  she  was  still  shaking  as  though  she  were  out  in  the  middle  of  winter  without  a  coat.  she  feared  for  what  the  words  meant.  already,  soren  only  felt  truly  safe  in  one  part  of  town  –  and  that  was  within  sawyer’s  apartment.  well  –  their  apartment.  if  anybody  were  to  infiltrate  that  space,  she  didn’t  know  what  she’d  do.  

it  was  almost  as  though  they  were  in  a  trance  as  sawyer  set  them  up  on  the  sofa  with  a  blanket  wrapped  around  their  shoulders  and  a  warm  cup  of  tea  resting  in  their  palms.  they  only  sipped  at  it  when  she  prompted  them  to,  suddenly  feeling  very  guilty  for  the  effort  she’d  put  into  making  it  for  them.  soren  let  out  a  long,  shaky  breath  as  sawyer  sat  beside  her,  and  immediately  leaned  in  close  to  her,  nuzzling  into  her  neck  for  a  moment  to  enjoy  her  warmth.  “ i  don’t  know  how  i  feel, ”  she  admitted,  “ but…  i  want  to  thank  you  for  being  here  for  me.  i  don’t  know  what  i  would  have  done  if  you  weren’t  with  me.  i  don’t  know  what  would  have  happened  if  i’d  been  alone. ”  she  was  unsure  if  she’d  even  be  able  to  ground  herself  after  such  a  terrifying  encounter.  if  it  weren’t  for  sawyer  being  so  patient  and  kind  to  her,  she’d  likely  have  still  been  in  an  unresponsive  state.

soren  took  sawyer’s  hand  and  held  it  against  her  face  –  something  she  did  often  when  she  was  upset,  the  warmth  of  the  other  womans  skin  against  her  own  bringing  her  some  comfort.  “ can  i  ask…  were  you  scared ? ”  her  eyes  were  glistening  with  tears.

-

Despite the circumstances, Sawyer smiled softly when Soren instantly curled into the warmth of her body, burying their face against the older woman’s throat. They were clearly seeking comfort, wanting to feel safe and protected. Something that the attorney knew was happy to provide. For as long as Soren wanted and needed it. “You don’t have to thank me.” The woman insisted, after all she’d promised them that she wouldn’t leave their side. It’s how Sawyer had convinced the still-healing artist to attend the parade in the first place. By vowing to keep them safe. 

“I told you, you’re not alone anymore.” She reminded them, unconsciously tensing up as she held the girl tighter at the thought of Soren having been on her own, alone and defenseless, still mending from her last encounter with one of those psychopaths. It was enough to have apprehension contorting into a knot in Sawyer’s stomach. “Never again.” 

She was grateful when Soren grabbed her hand and placed her palm against their face, the move pulling Sawyer away from terrible thoughts. Bringing her attention back to the present, back to their apartment, which had slowly turned into their place of refuge as they built a home together. “I was,” the woman answered honestly, licking her lips and swallowing past the tightness in her throat. “I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to protect you.” she added, skimming a gentle thumb across a soft cheek. 

[horrorbxby]

there’s blood in my ears and a fool in the mirror and the bay of mistakes couldn’t get any clearer am i thinking what everybody’s thinkin’ ? i’m so glad i came, but i can’t wait to leave slip my hand from your hand leave you dancin’ with a ghost slip my hand from your hand leave you dancin’ with a ghost.

⋆  loki  romanov  +  florence  quint  ⋆  

@shrikc-gals​

[shrikc-gals]

closed starter @horrorbxby​

The incident at the parade had been unsettling, to say the least. Soren had been so shaken up from the confrontation that morning. Sawyer couldn’t stop replaying the scene in her mind; the helpless look on the artist’s face had tore at the woman’s heart. At first the attorney had been gripped by a fear that had briefly kept her frozen to the spot, her mind taking a moment to process the situation. But when the brightly colored skaters had targeted Soren --hurling hateful and vile taunts as they circled around them like predators stalking prey-- that had been enough to reanimate the older woman who had then immediately put herself between the girl and the ones threatening her. Sawyer had been scared yet she knew it paled in comparison to what Soren must have felt. The memories of her attack still so fresh in her mind, her body still healing... Of course the woman had not hesitated in protecting them, Sawyer had promised to do as much, after all. Yet she still felt like she hadn’t done enough. 

“Are you feeling any better?” The attorney asked gently, taking the cup from Soren’s hand and placing it on the coffee table in front of the sofa. The pair had come straight home after the parade, and Sawyer had brewed Soren a cup of chamomile tea. Though the other had barely taken any sips without the older woman’s encouragement. Soren looked so small with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, but at least the trembling seemed to have subsided. The woman settled close beside them on the couch, then wrapped a comforting arm around their shoulders. Her other hand reaching out to hold the one of Soren’s not currently in a sling. 

[shrikc-gals]

horrorbxby​:

the  way  florence  spoke  made  loki  clench  her  jaw.  the  sweetness  wasn’t  genuine  -  loki  could  tell.  it  was  stupid,  how  that  after  one  emotionally  charged  encounter,  loki  could  tell  the  difference  between  real  and  fake  sweetness  in  the  other  womans  voice.  she’d  never  admit  it  to  herself,  but  it  was  likely  due  to  the  fact  that  for  months  afterwards,  all  loki  could  think  about  was  the  genuine  softness  in  florence’s  voice.  a  softness  that  had  never  been  extended  to  loki  by  anyone  in  the  past. 

loki  was  distracted  as  she  entered  the  details  into  the  system.  she  hadn’t  been  aware  of  florence’s  health  issues  -  why  would  she  be ?  she  wasn’t  the  type  to  snoop,  and  she  avoided  the  older  woman  as  best  she  could  until  now.  part  of  her  was  relieved  that  florence  at  least  took  care  of  herself.  that  was  more  than  loki  did  for  herself.  as  she  waited  for  the  system  to  update,  she  noticed  florence  looking  intently  at  the  picture  on  the  wall.

“ if  you  want  to  stare  at  it  a  little  longer  i’m  sure  there’s  another  print  of  that  picture  out  the  back,  you  can  take  it  home  with  you  so  you  don’t  forget  what  i  look  like, ”  she  said  sarcastically,  beginning  to  rummage  around  behind  the  counter  to  find  the  appropriate  medicine  to  give  to  the  infuriatingly  attractive  woman  who  was  refusing  to  leave  her  alone.  loki  was  very  good  at  remaining  professional  even  in  the  worst  of  scenarios.  or  so  she  thought.  florence  was  the  only  one  who’d  managed  to  break  her.  “ or  i  could  find  an  old  polaroid  that  some  meaningless  girl  took  of  me  in  my  underwear.  if  that’s  more  to  your  taste. ”  

-

Oh, the absolute gall of the blonde to be so damn rude! The way Loki was behaving in that moment made it seem as if they were the injured party in this situation. As if she was the one who had been treated unfairly, and without an explanation. Those hazel eyes --a beautiful shade that added insult to injury-- held such mind boggling contempt. It was a puzzling attitude, completely unwarranted, and downright infuriating. 

A wave of annoyance rose through the older woman, heating her cheeks as adrenaline pulsed through her veins. Because that was most certainly what she was feeling -irritation that any of this was affecting her at all. Nothing more. The rapid beating of her heart? Well that was a justified response to the flippant treatment. 

“Why -do you think you’re that unmemorable?” Florence met the other’s sarcasm with a taunting remark of her own. Almost insinuating like their past encounter had not been worthy of being remembered. As if the redhead didn’t still sometimes struggle to keep her mind from drifting to the blonde and their encounter despite many months having passed since then. ‘Tempting,” she said through clenched teeth and forced smile, feeling a twinge of inexplicable jealousy at the mention of Loki in her underwear being photographed by other women. “But just the medicine is fine. We don’t want any of your meaningless girls to get jealous now, do we?” It stung to realize that Florence was considered as such in Loki’s eyes. Just a meaningless fling. For what other reason could there be for the blonde to act like this if that wasn’t the case?

[shrikc-gals]

devilthcghts​:

.

Skylar had never done well with boredom or keeping herself still in one place – so it was a common sight to see her pacing around the mall during her breaks. People were predictable, having their favorite store to visit, eating at the same restaurant every time they had their break, but she liked to think of herself as the opposite. A social enigma, she called herself. Never revealing too much about herself while knowing almost everything about the other person. She found herself at the flower shop window, curious about the arrangement and if there was more to it than just looking pretty. An eyebrow was raised at the… compliment, wondering why she needed her day brightened. Something about her face, she supposed. Holding the daisy in-between her fingers, she had no idea what the hell to do with it. “Hun,” Skylar repeated, almost non-chalantly. “If anything, your face brightened up my day more than…” She waved the daisy around dismissively. “This.”

-

The red-haired woman squinted her eyes playfully at the other. “Never underestimate the power of a flower. They can have a strong impact.” Florence said, amused by the younger woman’s reaction to the daisy. “But you did compliment my face so that earned you brownie points.” She teased, joking smile blossoming across her face. “So tell me, what brings you by?” She inquired politely, tilting her head to one side as she gave a curious glance. “Because I’m now doubting you’re here for the floral design workshop.” 

[shrikc-gals]

rufficns​:

did any true , heartfelt acts truly still exist within shrike ?? it seemed everybody was out to get everybody , that it was everyone for themselves — who could blame mina , for second-guessing an act of kindness after an existence of being faced with anything but . it was suspicious from an older woman , especially ; although mina was sure florence was kind hearted , hadn’t a bad bone in her body , previous experience — namely with their mother , an investor to the horrors and violence of shrike heights — left them wary . how could somebody of their own flesh and blood turn the other way in the face of cruelty , when it was her funds that had fuelled the fire in the first instance ?? a dark shroud had fallen over shrike ever since the last attack . there was something all the more brutal , all the more visceral about a massacre on that cracked mall linoleum this time around , a heaviness that tainted every word , every side-glance , every intention behind the smallest of acts . 

“ — black dahlia ?? like , elizabeth short ?? “ of course , with mina , everything circled back to the macabre one way or another . it took a beat for her to understand that it was flowers florence was referencing rather than the victim of hollywood’s murderous side . it was difficult to exist without murder on the brain , when it orbited shrike resident’s every move . after a moment of hesitation , as if to eye up the other and make a judgement as to whether florence was capable of knifing them down , they responded ; “ can i see what they look like ?? “  

-

Florence couldn’t recall another time when she’d been treated with so much suspicion. Yet she took absolutely no offense to the other’s misgiving. If anything she felt an odd sense of approval for Mina’s wariness --not like the girl would give a flying monkey about the florist’s approval, but still. It definitely was best for everyone to err on the side of caution under the current circumstances. Better safe than sorry, and all that. Nevertheless, it didn’t mean Flo wouldn’t try her darndest to ease some of the other’s apprehension. 

At the mention of one of the country’s most publicized and gruesome crimes, Florence wondered if her choice of flower would send Mina running. But it seemingly had the opposite effect because they seemed intrigued. “She was dubbed as such so I can see why you would make that connection.” Especially taking into account the horrific murders that had been happening around town. It was logical to make such an association. “Of course you can see it, come on.” The woman, always happy to show off her plants, gestured for the other to follow as she led the way into the shop. “They’re at the back,” She said, pausing to glance back at Mina with a wry smile playing on red lips at how very ominous that sounded. Like straight out of a slasher film, trying to lure her pray into a secluded spot. “But you can wait here and I’ll bring it up front.” The woman offered, excusing herself momentarily and disappearing behind the door that led to the back, only to re-emerge a moment later while carrying the beautiful, potted flower. It’s color a rich, dark purple that looked almost black. “They often get a bad rep because of -well, you know... Most people associate them with sadness and betrayal.” Florence explained as she set the flower on the counter between them. “But I think they’re simply misunderstood.” 

[shrikc-gals]

withncmercy​:

“that actually would be fun, i think people around here would love something like that.” she nods her head in agreeance. she can already see women like herself and her mother attending a workshop like that to gain more skills for their homemaking, and she can already picture men like her brother’s hopelessly romantic fiance attending it too to gain more skills for his gift giving. she also begins thinking about how very needed just anything other that dreaded conversation about the killers is right now, so she can see many others coming to florence for the service in their spare time, too. “i’m a shockingly terrible student, but i can guarantee you that i would give it my best go.” she laughs softly and she nods her head again. 

“ah ha, noted.” she laughs again, still only quietly. “they are pretty good, i must admit. sometimes it feels a little hazardous working at lola’s, surrounded by all of that. i’m worried i’ll never eat a proper vegetable again.” she jokes with more laughter. she does treat herself to a slice of pie or some other treat most shifts, but truthfully she finds no issue in doing so whatsoever. especially with everything else going on in shrike heights, whether or not she gets enough vegetables into her diet is the last of her concerns. “we really are, i really do agree.” she nods her head and she smiles so genuinely, as she always does thinking about her brother being so lucky in love. “and they’re just the sweetest couple, i wish they hadn’t had to postpone their wedding at all, they deserve to be able to celebrate - and especially while my bridesmaid dress is still in fashion.” 

-

“That’s what I’m saying!” The woman said, eyes lighting up excitedly as her mind whirled with the possibilities of getting to teach whoever was interested in stepping up their floral skills. The shop could provide the flowers and supplies, and of course the step-by-step guidance from Florence would be included. She'd have to run it by the owners, but the idea was taking root and sprouting in her mind as she spoke to Juliet. “I’m confident we both would rise to the challenge,” she assured the blonde with a smile. 

“A little hazardous, indeed. I don’t think I could be around all those goodies and not give into temptation.” Florence said in reference to the diner. “Especially now that Fall is here. All those delicious flavors... Is it me or food just tastes better when the weather cools down?” Just another reason to love what she had always considered the season of comfort. Besides, it’s not like the town as a whole wasn’t in dire need of drawing comfort from whatever source they could manage. Like decadent desserts. “They do deserve to be able to celebrate, and you to put on your pretty dress, all in the name of love.” The redhead did have a romantic streak in her, after all. “Tell me more about this dress, though.” 

[shrikc-gals]

arufficns​:

mina wasn’t usually one for flowers .they were more the type to swipe old , rotten , petal-bare bouquets from the tops of graves , to pick the remaining papery leaves from the stems in a love-me-not singsong . what good were they , anyway , decaying upon the sodden dirt of fresh graves , buried beneath the next layer whenever the plot directly adjacent was filled with the newest shrike victim . despite their impartial stance to blooms and blossoms , the florist was directly on their route home from dirtbusters — after a long day , all they wanted was to rocket their platform boots home , to recline in their dark bedroom and plug themselves in to their walkman , shutting out the world around them .

it seemed , though , despite headphones blaring against their ears , vibrating their brain and cleansing it of the day’s stresses , that their chronic case of resting-bitch-face hadn’t worked to deter small talk . stopping in her tracks , boots scuffing concrete , mina tugged their headphones off to hang around their neck , watching florence with a perplexed lift of one eyebrow . “ — for me ?? “ given shrike’s reputation and the inhabitant’s general disdain for the youngest kang , who could blame them for assuming there was some hidden ulterior motive , “ but why ?? “

--

Mina stared at her with a baffled look on their face, which the older woman met with a warm smile. “Yes for you,” she insisted, amused at the way the other was eyeing the flower a little suspiciously. The following question had Florence tilting her head as she gave them a curious look. “Just a small, random act of kindness. No hidden agenda, I promise.” The woman stated, wondering when was the last time the other had been on the receiving end of one of those. “It might sound silly, but I’m a firm believer that even the smallest gestures can sometimes help us remember that the world isn’t always just bad.” A belief that was increasingly getting harder to uphold considering the state of the town, but putting out some good into the world --however insignificant it might seem-- was a way for the redhead to cope with anxiety and fear of the recurring violent attacks. 

“Is it the color that’s putting you off? Are you not into yellow?” Florence teased, knowing full well Mina preferred dark colors. At least that’s what the older woman had inferred from all the times she’d seen them whenever she was dropping off aprons at the cleaners, or going in to do her laundry. They certainly seemed to have a liking for leather, lace, and fishnets. The older woman considered the style to be an expression of a disobedient and individualistic nature, which honestly she liked. It took balls to pull off something like that. “I do have some black dahlia’s. You might like those.” 

[shrikc-gals]

viola--lancaster​:

***

Viola didn’t find herself shocked often and even now she was trying to mask it but she was sure she was obvious. Still, her grin grew, a bit more goofy than she would have liked but she managed to nod. “Friday. 8pm. That..I mean that sounds perfect,” she replied finally, silently scolding herself for fumbling so much. For a woman who had a lot of confidence, when a gorgeous woman actually started flirting back with her, she never knew how to quite handle herself. “You uh don’t have any food allergies, do you? Just so I know what to plan to make. It’d be a serious mood killer to have to take you to the ER on our first date.” Viola rolled her eyes playfully but couldn’t deny she loved receiving gifts. “You don’t owe me anything but I won’t say not to more gifts. I got some pretty cute ones this year. It was good. Sweet. I mostly spent the day getting really day drunk with Karim and Rune but we had a really nice dinner and I got to see the sunrise with my dog which was pretty sweet. Oh, did I tell you I got a dog? Stevie. You’re gonna love him. He is surprisingly friendly.”

“Karim, of course. The only man I’d buy flowers for,” she joked, though the list was pretty short. “He’s been feeling a little down on himself,” she said with a slight shrug, not feeling the need to go into Karim’s business. “And I know he’s a fake it til you make it kind of guy but I just wanted to give him something to cheer about. He’ll probably twirl and put a flower in his hair or something.” She was laughing a bit at the image in her head until she heard Flo’s words and saw her wink, the blush rising on Viola’s face so quickly that she had to duck her head for a moment as she laughed. “Well, then you’ll be in an even better mood when you taste the food. That’s a gurantee.” She grinned and leaned against the counter, looking at Florence for a moment longer. “Do you get a lot of Halloween business usually? Spooky flower arrangements? That just reminded me, I feel like I should be thinking of a Halloween costume already. Or is that supposed to be over now that I’m 33? I didn’t get that memo. I am a known holiday lover.”

--

Viola gave her a slightly flustered look, which Florence found quite cute. It was entirely too enjoyable to see glimpses of the effect her flirting could have on the younger woman. “Perfect.” She echoed once the set time and date had been confirmed. The following question had a soft laugh spilling from her red-tinted lips. “Nope. No food allergies or restrictions, and I’ve been known to have quite the appetite, so please feel free to let your culinary creativity flow!” The redhaired woman smiled, charmed by Viola calling it their first date. Florence was no stranger to the world of one-night stands and meaningless encounters. But a past experience had soured her attitude towards those a bit, so this would be a nice change of pace. So she found herself looking forward spending time with Viola in such a setting. “That sounds like a good one,” the redhead said sincerely after the other described her birthday. After all the tragedies, the people  deserved to celebrate life, like a big ‘ole Fuck You to all those who were terrorizing the town. And Florence just so happened to think that Viola deserved more good in her life. “You got a dog?! Oh, my God! See now that’s the kind of information you should start with.” The woman said excitedly as she was most definitely a dog person. “Can’t wait to meet Stevie.” 

“Say no more, we’ll make the perfect bouquet for him.” She reassured, proceeding to work on assorting various colorful flowers, even including some eucalyptus due to the calming, soothing effect it could have. “Now I can’t get that image out of my mind and if you don’t get that reaction, or at least one twirl, I’m gonna have to switch professions.” She said playfully, looking up in time to see the blush across the younger woman’s cheeks. Viola looked quite fetching in that shade of pink, Flo decided. “Can’t wait.” She intoned with that flirty inflection that keep earning her such cute reactions from Vi. Florence really couldn’t help herself sometimes, especially when it came to a beautiful woman. “Spooky flower arrangements are actually a thing, and I love them.” Brown eyes lit up at the mention of Halloween. “Never!” She then exclaimed at the question if one should stop enjoying holidays at a certain age. “As a fellow holiday lover myself, let me tell you that you should hold onto that. And it’s never too early to start thinking about costumes.” 

[shrikc-gals]

acetonesx​:

“I’m so glad I didn’t offend you, I could actually really use the cash. Then I can tell everyone I’m a professional artist.” Gideon flipped the sketchbook closed as a grin spread across his features. “Oh my god. Oh my god. I’m helping you woo someone! You’re wooing her.” He pulled the sketchbook to his chest and sighed dreamily, hugging it close. “Gosh, how romantic. And gay! Don’t worry, honey, I’m your guy.” Gideon couldn’t help the giddy excitement. He was such a romantic. He wasn’t sure if he had actually ever been in love before or if he had simply had intense infatuations, but regardless, he was in love with the idea of being in love. He had always imagined get swooped off his feet by Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable, all the yesteryear heroes his mom loved. 

--

Sawyer couldn't keep the smile from her face, finding the other's boyish enthusiasm infectious and quite endearing. “Yes,” she intoned, feeling a slight blush wanting to creep over her cheeks at her act of kindness being described as wooing, but the woman managed to keep it at bay. “I guess you could say that’s what you’re helping me do.” The attorney didn’t think it necessary to explain that her motives had been to make Soren feel better. Perhaps because what the male before her had said rang true, and it was in that moment as she stood in front of this charming stranger, that Sawyer could no longer deny that she indeed have romantic and gay feelings for Soren. The realization dawned on the attorney, taking root and growing. Which had her letting out a small chuckle. “Listen, if you have the time and could use the cash, we could turn this into a little project. You could come with me to art murmur and help me set everything up at my apartment. I would of course compensate you appropriately.” 

[shrikc-gals]

viola--lancaster​:

***

“I am, I really am. It’s a serious threat so you just might have to take me up on it,” Viola added, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to actually suggest. A thing she had promised herself for 33 was to branch out more, especially if it meant spending time with beautiful women who were in the mood to give her free flowers. God, were her standards really the bare minimum? It wasn’t like Florence had never been to her house before. Either way she shook off her inner monologue and focused on Florence instead. “I am, I am. It’s my last little birthday gift to myself before the Fall starts and I finally shifted the living room enough to make it really feel at home. Aka no chance of my brother knocking it over when he’s running around the house.” It made her smile that Florence seemed to mirror the same excitement she was feeling and it made the experience that much better. 

“Wait, really? Hmm, me and succulents have more in common than I thought,” she said more to herself, actually giggling at her own joke as she did. “Hmm I like sunflowers, they’re big, he’ll like that and he would appreciate the pink too, something bright. I figured you would know best. How’s business been today anyway? I mean you seem in a pretty good mood which, may have to do with how good the display looks outside but I don’t want to make assumptions.”

--

Florence tilted her head as she gave Viola a measuring look before her smile widened, showing the slightest dimple on her right cheek. “Hmmm,” her tone changed then, turning a bit flirtatious. “How about Friday night then. Let’s say 8:00? I’ll bring the wine.” Far be it from the redhead to turn down such an invitation from a woman as pleasant and beautiful as Vi was. “Well you should definitely treat yourself. And speaking of, I still owe you a birthday gift. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.” Florence had not been able to join the celebration due to having to cover the bar that night after someone in the staff had called out. “How was it by the way? How’s 33 treatin’ ya.”

The little joke about succulents Viola made earned a snort of amusement from the woman. “You goof,” she said, casting an affectionate smile at the younger woman. “Well if you’re giving me creative control-“ something that clearly pleased the redhead. “-why don’t you step into my office and I’ll get you sorted out with the perfect arrangement for…” she trailed off, glancing back over her shoulder at Vi as Flo led them into the shop. “Who is it we’re trying to cheer up?” The woman walked over behind the counter, and began rummaging around, gathering everything she would need. “I am in a pretty good mood.” She confirmed the other’s assumption. “There’s this beautiful woman trying to make me dinner,” Florence paused what she was doing to wink at Viola before her attention went back to the task at hand. “But yeah, it was a bit slow this week but it’s definitely picking up.”