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the   wild   swans   at   coole

[swansatcoole]

SWANSATCOOLE — a semi-selective , independent roleplay blog as written & adored by mar ( she/her , twenty5 , gmt+7 , seasian ) . featuring original muses of various genres & verses .

look into the mirror : guidelines , tracker what of the reflections ? muses , pinterest say something ! open starters what do you want truly ? desired plot , desired face

STATUS : slow with replies .

[silkchvffon]

FOR A SECOND SHE IS actually considering just how bad the floor could be, weighed against another argument with joanna. it is the principle of it though — letting the other get her way without putting up a fight — that rubs her the wrong way. « don't be a child, joanna. we'll pile these awful things — » she picks up a greenish throw pillow, « between us and it'll be like you're not even there. » just the way she likes it.

[swansatcoole]

joanna rolls her eyes, arms folded together as she surveys the throw pillows. " are those even hygienic? " she questions. they look like they haven't been washed in years, languishing on the room's sofa for what's practically decades at this point. " i don't think hr would be pleased by the tone you're using with me, " being called a child by a coworker is downright aggravating. but then again, everything about aj is aggravating. they haven't gotten along since they both joined the company at almost the same time years ago, a difference in personality or two getting in the way. still, she takes the throw pillows, places them like a barrier right in the middle of the bed. " wash up before you get on the bed. i'm already risking a break out from the throw pillows. i'm not risking another from your germs. "

[silkchvffon]

HE'S WATCHED THE ENTIRE scene unfold from a shaded spot on a nearby tree, leaning against the trunk, legs dangling. he always feels like a child up here, though he can't remember exactly what that feeling was like — it's been well over two hundred years now of wandering the world like this: frozen. it is not an entirely uncomfortable existence, though it is awfully long. he'd been quietly watching the fight between the vampire and the hunter without intervening, feeling nothing when the fellow vampire crumpled to the ground and the hunter strode away triumphantly. marius had of course killed the hunter shortly after, but that had been out of mere principle. and, he'd been hungry. he knows batari knows he's there. he wants her to know, wants her to feel his gaze like a predator eyeing a prey. but he has no intention of hurting her. not physically anyway. « why would you envy ? » he coos gently, shaking his head. « death is so final. there is plenty of time for that. you're too young to be so melancholic. »

[swansatcoole]

she could see him up in the tree, in between the shades of the leaves, dangling legs and his usual gaze. something arresting about his eyes, a watchfulness hard to escape from. she's tried, many times, to outrun him, to disappear into parts of the world she considers remote enough, away from his eyes. but no matter how hard she runs, it seems that their paths are always destined to meet. after all, he's her maker in every sense of the word. the one who's damned her to this very existence, the saviour who came to ruin her life. " why would i not? " batari replies, eyes back on the dead vampire, on the pale silvery sheen on their skin. the hunter who killed them isn't around, unusual as they've been trained to linger, to lie in wait for more vampires to show up. she had, though, smelled blood in the air. oxidised iron is hard to miss for their kind. " death looks peaceful, " her smile turns into a smirk. " when have you last felt peace in your hundreds of years? " she re-directs her gaze to him once again. " perhaps i'd like to walk into the sun come morning and disappear into nothingness too. " it's a bleak statement, but there's an honesty to it, one she could only ever reveal to him.

[silkchvffon]

THERE IS NO FEAR HERE which baffles him. it should be the only feeling he is confident he can elicit with any human being — but then again, she's not entirely human. he should not feel unsettled, even when he's wandering a world that isn't his, and yet there is something here that unnerves him. he's not in control. and he has the strange feeling that perhaps, none of them are. she does not desire anything he can give, and he cannot go home without her releasing him. he supposes he could find another magical being to expel him, but the risk of running into something that may harm him lies dormant here too. he'd rather keep it that way. besides, he's not entirely sure whatever bond she forged upon summoning him will allow him to stray very far. he stares at the clothes she's holding out for him, incredulous gaze finding her. « i'm not putting that on, » he declares deadpanned, gets up from his spot instead and begins pacing. if he's stuck here he may as well get used to these human legs. « there must be something you want in this world, harry, » he continues to push, patience wearing thin, but his amusement is still high. « i do not know how to operate a motorized vehicle, no, » but it might be fun to learn. « however, if you were to lend me some of your magic, i believe teleportation to be quite possible. » he's looking at her expectantly, though his hopes remain low.

[swansatcoole]

sunny shrugs, tossing the clothes back into the laundry pile. caim can suit himself, so long as he's not in her bed with outside clothes on. yes, her room's somewhat of a mess, what with the laundry on the floor and her things all over the place, but her bed has to stay clean. " you can just sit on the floor then, " she points to the empty space on the carpeted ground, moving to sit there as well. tucking her feet in, she hugs her knees, rests her head on them as she watches caim pace. there's something odd about his walk; maybe he has flat feet. " i don't think you can give me what i want, " his insistence is remarkable. " or at least if you do give me what i want, it won't be exactly what i want. " she's seen that in films too, genies in a bottle playing tricks on human's wishes. the wish comes true, but not quite. something always goes wrong, no wish is foolproof after all. " like if i say i want a billion dollars, will you really give me a billion dollars tax-free, in my bank account? " sunny looks to him in askance. " or, if i say i want a boyfriend. will you give me a boyfriend who is cute, and smart but not smarter than me? someone who will propose in three years and is rich? funny too but also not funnier than me? " these are huge asks, now that she thinks them over. the billion dollars would be easy enough. but the boyfriend? she might as well have set him up to fail. " if you answer my questions honestly, we'll try out teleportation. " just then, sunny stands up, holds out her hand. the logistics of lending him her magic are lost on her, but if she figures it should be easy enough to do. physical touch should do it. " i do need to go to trader joe's, " she's run out of a lot of essentials. " i'll buy you a totebag. "

[redemptioninterlude]

it's never a nice feeling to know that something terrible was looming, just there, out of sight. she'd been through this SO MANY TIMES by now, that it felt like a playbook, the unfortunately reality in which so many organizations liked to tamper with the surrounding community in order to test out their own innovations... sometimes to devastating effect, such as this.

by now, she had enough information to make the call. the radio in she gets from one of the members of her team only seems to confirm this, glancing towards ch'iu with a grim expression. well. at least from here, she could hope she could equip her with enough information to SURVIVE THIS. she liked to think that the woman in front of her was likely one of the more capable here from what she'd seen thus far.

"there have been a few other reports that we've been tracking, and it seems as if we've hit the point where this has spilled from a few cases, to a tipping point. and it's likely that beyond having to quarantine the hospital, there may be a need for MORE PEOPLE to help. so i think i might need to arrange for your facility to be properly supplied during this time." if they survived. nobody could escape. that was usually the start of this, wasn't it? a beat wasn't shipped, offering up a slight smile.

"... not quite a doctor. a SCIENTIST. infectious disease and biology were always fascinations of mine. it's rare to see other women in the field like this for me, especially in my position. i'm going to consider that good luck today, despite the overwhelming news."

★— ATTN: @swansatcoole

[swansatcoole]

the grimness of ada's expression does not escape ch'iu yueh's notice. it feels almost like a death sentence, quietly given out. sorrows already palpable and permeating the metal walls of the lift they've found themselves in. her subsequent words only ring the alarms further. " so it's a pandemic? it's reached that point? " she only wishes to confirm, can now tell that the hospital has been dubbed ground zero. quietly, she brings her hands together, nervously squeezing her own fingers. " it'd be great, if we could get more supplies. anything that you could, like, spare us. " it's an ironic choice of word: the word spare. as if fate's decided by humans like ada and her. " women scientists are even rarer than women doctors, " their field is highly dominated by men. there were long years in which women weren't allowed into the medical education, relegated to other posts instead, never the determinors the way men who act as doctors were. " wish us luck here. i think we might all need it here. " a bittersweet tone. the lift opens once more, they're back to the lobby. the receptionists furtively glance their ways. " anything more you need? "

[bloodrodeo]

He looks at her, never shy to letting himself be looked at. Always wants to know what people see in him, how he comes off and if they like it. Thinks she likes it. He can be casual, but never cool — heart on his sleeve, tattoos on his skin, everything he loves in plain display, in the way he looks at her and wants her. "I wanna see your stuff though." Like her selfies and comment cringe stuff like Mi amor 😍 even though he never asked her to be his girlfriend. And that's the thing, they're not, exclusive, technically, but he's not sleeping with anyone else. Trent listens, but he does think her life is sensational, or just so much of exists in a different sphere or his own. The events she attends, the pieces she writes — which makes the cogs in his brain smoke, and he has to ask all his friends if he's got the point right, and look up what words mean. He'd never even though of himself as a non-monogamous person, because he thought that meant cheater. Or sister wives. He hadn't thought that's what casual meant too. He takes another swig of his beer, although his other hand anchors to her thigh, thumb drawing against the flesh, pensively. "I guess it just made me feel like - when it was like - that part that was, like, even if you're the only woman he's sleepin' with, men are emboldened by, like, knowin' they could, like, sleep with someone else." Trent had felt...embarrassed maybe, that she'd known, even if it weren't strictly about him, that he was only seeing her. He's not sure about the second part. "I dunno. It didn't feel like that was what I was doin'. But maybe it was?" He asks, like a question, the only answer of any value he gives is the implicit, no, they can't talk about anything else. "Are you? Sleepin' with anyone else?"

[swansatcoole]

they, categorically, exist in a grey area. intimate at times, and yet there's still an arm's length of distance they keep to. conversations they never bother to have, labels they see no point in using. how he's not sleeping with anyone else, and she's also not sleeping with anyone else, but, on paper, they're nothing. the noncommittal aspect, one they seem to revel in, how not tied to each other they are. " do you feel emboldened knowing that you could sleep with someone else? " she questions back instead. his hand on her thigh she doesn't mind; they feel nice, like how the rest of him feel on her most nights. " knowing it wouldn't be cheating? knowing it wouldn't be something i could get mad at you for? " she's never been mad at him, has been careful to not let on too much, to not be too emotional in front of him. attachments are not needed, feelings should be left at the door. " what if i am sleeping with someone else? " a strategic pause. she isn't, but he doesn't have any direct confirmation of that, even if he has an inkling of it. " do you want me to tell you all about it? what they do to me, how they do it, if i like it? if i want us to try it? " romie cocks her head, smirks up at him.

[bloodrodeo]

“Probably for the best. I was mad annoyin’ back then.” Jury’s still out on whether he’s actually not now, or if he just grew into himself enough that people give him a free pass on it. ‘Cos then Trent’s gawking, like, full-faced expression, brows jumping, mouth open — because not that anywhere gets overhyped in this small ass town, but the place is a staple. “Well, ‘course we gotta go now.” We. Too much too soon for a stranger he met approximately sixty seconds ago, and that’ll clock eventually, but it isn’t right now. “You gotta do a pound of brisket, a pound of sausage, a side of their tater salad, a side of their beans, an’ of course, a pickle.” He’s out of breath by the time he’s done reciting his order and it surprises him how much food he’s tearing up every time he comes home. Worth it, though. “Damn. How’s that? You gettin’ enough sleep?” ‘Cos he’s heard that’s the rough part. “Nothin’ as cool. I’m a cowboy. Rodeos and shit. I’ve got a place up in Austin, but I’m pretty much always on the road. Never been to Seattle, though. What’s there?” 

[swansatcoole]

it's hard to imagine anyone who wasn't annoying as a high schooler. the awkwardness and the annoyances elicited seem more a rite of passage for a teenager than anything else. there's a certain bravado kids do tend to have, a blindness to shame and perceptions, one that ch'iu yueh seems to have lost in her adulthood. she's too aware now, of every little thing. " there's nothing wrong with being annoying, " she breathes out a chuckle. " i was kind of annoying too back then. i think everyone in the volleyball team still holds a grudge against me for what i put them through. " they weren't a fan of her five am practices, that much she could tell even back then. when trent starts to recite his order, ch'iu yueh wants to stop him, make him pause so she could take notes. he seems like he knows his food, and she's always liked trying out people's recommendations. " is that, like, not too much food for one person? " she asks. " we do have to go together because i'm not sure i can finish that alone. is it still good as a takeaway? " getting food together is casual enough, especially if it's barbecue. right? " your body kind of adapts eventually. nowadays, i can do most things on only three hours of sleep. " sometimes, she runs on even less; a thirty minute nap in the on-call room and she's back on her feet. " it's not healthy, but i'll catch up on sleep once i'm an attending. " at the mention of his job, her left eyebrow raises ever so slightly, curiousity piqued. " sorry but your job is, objectively, cooler than mine, " she shoots him an incredulous look. " do you, like, do riding tricks on horses and herd cattles? how did you end up working as a cowboy? " there are more questions she'd like to ask still, but she refrains. " seattle isn't as cool as austin either. it's mostly just company headquarters. "

[nouvelis]

her lips curl into a wider smirk at his cheeky remark, her amusement palpable. “they say people tend to get wiser when they’re older — but you could always be an exception.” the truth is neither of them can be certain that they still know each other the way they used to, given that so many years have passed, but at least she can still be sure of the fact that he can still match her humour like he did before.

she intended for this trip to be a solo trip, too, free from the chaos of her world and the ever-present chatter about how she should or shouldn’t live her life. she learned long ago that it’s impossible to satisfy everyone’s expectations, so it’s best to live on her own terms. as unexpected and unfortunate her circumstances might be, this seems to be a great timing for her to live by that motto fully.

“oh, please. i bet you’re dying to catch up with me.” she calls him out on his nonchalant act with a bright smile, radiating her typical air of confidence — some would call it arrogance, but she disagrees. “i wouldn’t say no to a nice brunch.” she shrugs, finding herself intrigued by this newer version of him. getting up from the lounge, the heels of her designer sandals clicking against the marble tiles, she waits for him to lead the way.

[swansatcoole]

" i do have a habit of being exceptional in many things. " ji-seop counters. her smirk only bringing out his own, reminding him of the past, of shared smirks just like these. all the outsmarting of the teachers they would do together, skipping classes and hiding out in the back garden of their school. he allows himself a chuckle, a shake of his head. her underlying jab doesn't phase him. it's part of their usual back and forth, something old that naturally makes its way back to their present selves. they've always managed to find the humour in everything, in every fight and row they've ever had.

" if i'm dying to catch up with you, you'd be doing cpr on me now, " he replies instead, not wanting to admit how right she is (and maybe he'd like that, her lips on his). she's never been wrong after all, not in the time they've known each other anyway, not when it comes to the innerworkings of his mind. he's an open book to her, readable and honest. there's not a single part of him he'd ever hide from her, not a single question he would dodge. and he has thought over and over, about what she would be like, the mysticism of sujin ever lingering. " do you still like french toasts? " the first of his many questions slips out as he starts to lead them out. his hand reaching out for either her hand or her bag, whichever she chooses to give him. " there's a good cafe near here, " he gestures to the car. " i can drive us there. or we can take a taxi if you still don't trust my driving. "

[swansatcoole]

ft. @senhoradanoite

their reflections in the water look unreal, murky and blurred around the edges; algae darken their counterparts' complexions, creating an illusion of darkness. sunny reaches forward, towards the water. index finger making contact with its surface, sending ripples throughout, disturbing the image. her eyes study the movements of the water, watch as it swirls toward the centre of the lake. the world all around them is still, quiet. the house behind them is well lit, all the lights turned on. the family is watching them from the windows of the kitchen, nervous and hopeful. " do you reckon this is something we can take on? " a tilted head, an unsure look. " it does look like a regular haunting so far. "

[sacrificeds]

not   above   some   gaslighting   to   win   the   argument,   intrinsic   to   his   nature   ⸺   argumentative   children   ending   up   as   attorneys,   tale   as   old   as   time.   “   baby,   ”   he   cooes,   all   honeyed   tones,   “   i   was   at   court,   you   couldn't   have   seen   me   out   on   a   date   with   that   girl.   ”   amusement   in   voice   cloyingly   thick,   bleeds   through   every   syllable.

[swansatcoole]

men like him blanca knows incredibly well. self-assured to a point of almost cockiness, lies dripping like honey from their mouths. she's fallen for his type plenty of times before, each one ending up more a nightmare than a daydream. she's expected this, in a way, has always known that the lies and the cheating are inevitable. " which case was it? " so she asks instead, mirroring his cloying tones. " which courtroom? which judge was presiding? who was the stenographer? did you win? " it's a barrage of questions, but she figures he'll slip up soon enough. two can play at this game.

[swansatcoole]

i've cut down my drafts to only 10 threads & they'll be the only threads i'm keeping for now . going to try and get these 10 threads replied to throughout the week !

[swansatcoole]

work is so fun rn but also really busy and will probs only get busier in august . gonna try & do some replies here and there . pls excuse the late replies .

[swansatcoole]

ft. @tradw1fe

the first meeting is supposed to start at ten. song-yi had arrived earlier than intended, finding the room deserted still. she'd brewed herself a cup of tea from the refreshments table provided, poured in a dash of milk and two cubes of sugar. her feet tapping nervously on the linoleum floor as she sits on of the empty chairs towards the back, holding onto her tea. this is supposed to be a class for people like her: women who've been out of the workforce for too long or who have never sought gainful employment. it's supposed to be an avenue for them to find their way forward, learn how to jobhunt, how to write a cv, and the likes. her eyes flit to the door every so often. nervousness palpable on her face. when the door opens once again, song-yi stands up. " oh hi! are you here for the class too? "

[swansatcoole]

ft. @lcveloop

it had been a great inconvenience: this case of switched luggages. but yixuan supposes this is what he gets for buying his suitcases from walmart of all places. they're bound to be a dime a dozen, generic, easy for someone else to mistake as theirs. most people don't check the paper tags ground crew put on their bags after all. he didn't. didn't even realise he'd brought home the wrong baggage up until he had to slice through the zipper to reveal items not his own. it's only a small relief that he's thought to put an airtag inside his suitcase at least, has managed to track it down to this address. the other person's luggage laying on the curb next to him, tied together with a plastic rope, its contents almost spilling out. he presses the button on his phone that's supposed to make the airtag beep before ringing the doorbell. waits for anyone to come to the door.

[nouvelis]

he’s nervous, she can tell — she can always tell — it’s almost as endearing as it was years ago when they were much younger and oblivious to the world’s cruelty. she narrows her eyes at his words, as if she’s contemplating the question with careful thought. “no,” she concludes, before her voice dips lower in a playful whisper, leaning in slightly as if she’s about to threaten someone gently. “if you were one, you still wouldn’t dare to cross me.” he wouldn’t — if he’s anything like how he used to be before, the boy who followed her around everywhere and obliged her every whim. but years have passed and they’re both different people than who they used to be; yet, she cannot help but feel like perhaps some things have remained exactly the same. “it is.” she agrees, staring up at the clear skies today that promise a glorious trip. she could use a break, truly. “no,” she answers after a suspenseful pause, folding her sunglasses before tucking them into the hem of her top. “are you?”

[swansatcoole]

she's right, about how he wouldn't cross her. he's always been a willing dog at the heel of her commands, all ever since they were kids at the school playground -- a fool from the moment he introduced himself to her many moons ago, all chattered teeth and stutters. " what if i've grown more of a nerve since then? " still, he matches her playfulness, her tone. though there's a hint there, at the past and what he never got to tell her. the regret still lingers in the back of his mind. when she prolongs giving her reply to his question, he holds his breath reflexively, waits for her answer. holds out the tiniest bits of hope, the ones he keeps hanging onto all these years, re-ignited recently by her recent update in relationship status. he's half sure that he would've heard if she's found someone. the tabloids and newspapers surely would have publicised such rumours, eager to get digs in at her. they've been relentless from what he's seen from the outside looking in. he hates those journalists. her no, of course, brings out his wide smile. white teeth making their presence known " this is more of a solo trip. " ji-seop lets out a shrug, feigning nonchalance. " i don't mind company, though. are you not hungry? " he raises his brow, hand in his pocket, reaching for his car keys. his car is parked just out front.

[swansatcoole]

work is kinda about to swallow me up again BUT i'm getting myself a tablet soon so hopefully , i'll be around more once i don't have to open a laptop to do replies ! the starters will be done asap <3

[swansatcoole]

i kind of want new things rn so please like this for a random starter ! please do specify muse if you'd like , otherwise i'll just pick randomly !