#& thread

[bexktaegeun]

"it's sort of a random thought." well, not random for him but it would be random for heechul. maybe. he paused the movie he and heechul were in the middle of. they hadn't actually finished it yet but it was one of those more comfortable hang-outs. silence or scrolling until there was a topic they both wanted to talk about. "well, i have sort of a random thought, what company would you want to get into?" he knew they both had the dream of becoming an idol but he never really asked. it was a sort segeway, anyway.

"i think enough time has passed so i'm allowed to tell but i auditioned for studio delta and failed." it had been hard keeping the audition a secret and then he didn't want to talk about his failure. "i think it stung a little more because they told me to try out for another label so now i think i'm dead-set on joining." unless his desire to debut won out. "but, thinking about you…do you have a company you want or should i just take any opportunity?"

@beheechul

[bexgikwang]

a bit of a horror movie

@besaea​

gikwang found himself stuck, a little unsure of what to do. who could blame him? for the most part, gikwang had been minding his business, paying no attention to what was happening around him. his earphones were in and he was planned on cutting through the park to take a little time off his trip to the gym. on the way, he had passed a girl, someone. just standing there. it was a little odd, it played in the back of his mind. enough that he couldn’t help but turn around and peek, she was still standing there. 

and then, he was a little worried, back tracking a bit. he was a safe distance away. he wondered if he should get a little closer but at the same, this it was just a tad too scary at night. “hey!” he didn’t mind calling rather loudly, “are you okay? do you need help?” because no one would be that perfectly still right? he found himself inching closer, pulling his phone out to turn on the flashlight. “can you hear me?” and did he need to call the police. that was the biggest question. 

[archived-rw]

BELLUM NOVA SHAREHOLDERS’ MEETING, THE RITZ HOTEL / THE TENTH OF JUNE / @domenicochambers​

A full agenda greets Remus on the morning of the tenth, a day lined up with meetings and speeches, scheduled schmoozing and well-timed laughter all pieces of a larger political plan. Campaign hits the ground running and every bit of effort towards his election counts, Cemile there to remind him to work in some of his many important running points into his big speech; he’s an outsider, however popular family name and media presence might make him — today is just another chance to convince their shareholders that a Warden in charge of the country will be profitable for them all. He’s on his best behavior, clean cashmere and shaven face ( at Maman’s request ) and meticulously planned speech all contributing to his image. Though his voter base is strong, polls touting clear favour from the Over 40s crowd, Conservatives, and all the corporate types, there are always new people to win over. Of course, it’s so much fucking easier to accomplish when you aren’t pitted against one of your own.

Now that he and Saint have promised to work as a team of Seraphim instead of competing fruitlessly with each other, he’d thought he’d managed his way past these kinds of direct fucking comparisons. It seems that’s what politics is about, pitting candidates against each other — but his blood boils when he hears the name murmured in small pockets across the hotel. Sure, Astrid looks good on paper, her experience as an MP and rapport with constituents is certainly quaint...but there’s a reason Remus is running and she isn’t, a kind of power in name and wealth in connections ( the kind of power Astrid, too, might have enjoyed as a Warden, the kind of things that were possible if Death hadn’t taken Juno from them all ). After hearing the whispers of Astrid’s name amongst businessmen, gossip delivered fresh from his wife’s mouth, he disappears in the interest of keeping composure; there’s no point in making a scene or sticking around to hear what Astrid might say in response — these are things to be sorted out later.

Instead, he bursts into the greenroom, a conference room converted into a private space for the Warden family and their closest associates. Making a beeline to the beverage table for a water bottle, Remus downs a quarter of the bottle as if washing down his annoyance. It’s only when he sets bottle back on table with a heavy sigh that he notices Domenico, celebrated Dominion and newest member of the campaign team ( security more important than ever before as Remus becomes an even more public figure ). “Hey,” he says nonchalantly, settling to sit on the table’s edge. Rubbing at his face, Remus asks, “how’s the big meeting treating you?” In an ideal world, Domenico would have a very boring day with no security threats, but their business rarely deals in ideals. “Anything suspicious to report?” he adds, thinking back to how Gabrielle words her commands; any issues that come up are to be handled by Domenico quickly and cleanly. “Besides the fucking lip flying out there on the floor,” he says, tone going grumbly, “the last thing I need is this Astrid shit to ruin my fucking speech.” He’s not angry with her directly — not yet, at fucking least. Remus will have to figure out if Astrid Hunter has any ministerial ambitions for herself before he makes a fool of himself.

[bexktaegeun]

"the plan is to shop until we drop." tae grinned, nudging heechul. "well as much as we can carry, i wonder if i could get a small tree." he hadn't planned on decorating his apartment but the festive season managed to wiggle it's way into his heart. that also meant going out with his favorite person in the world. "i don't think a huge one would work out but something decorative." he didn't plan on having presents under it.

"lotte...they never fail to go all out huh?" the entire place was full of festive cheer. "i was thinking of hitting the gift shops first, i should find a few easy things over there...by the way, what do you want for Christmas?" he had already started working on his own gift for heechul but he wanted to get something heechul wanted as well. "whatever you want! name it!"

@beheechul

[bexktaegeun]

"how spooky do you this will be?" tae turned to siwoo with a grin, he even wiggled his fingers in a spooky manner. they had opted for the ghost tour and tae wanted to see something fun. he didn't really believe in ghost but he had no issue with letting himself be in the moment. if nothing else, he'd get a little inspiration for the season and learn some cool new facts. there were a few more people with them, though they were also paired off. they were just waiting for the guide so it could get started.

"want to get something to eat after this?" he had had something before but tae considered himself a bottomless pit. "i should've brought some snacks with me actually, i don't know why i didn't think of that." it would've been easy to stuff something in his bookbag. "or maybe going light was the right option, you never know when we might have to take off."

@besiwoo

[bexgikwang]

Yeah, he was looking forward too it. On the dressing up front, it wasn’t something he was overly excited about. In fact, the idea he had was quick and pretty lame in his eyes. He did have an idea to go as Robin Hood but the costume wasn’t ‘him’. Still, the idea of being an archer seemed pretty good idea, fun at least, even if he didn’t have a cool idea to base it on.

All of that flew out of his mind once he finally found Stevie in the crowd, right where they promised to meet. “Hey!” The word came out In English and he wrapped his friend in a half-hug. His eyes on the others that were currently finishing up this round of apple bobbing. “Can you guess what my costume is?” Would the other even get a hint of robin hood, Gikwang doubted it. “I’m ready for my turn, I’ve been practicing my apple grabbing skills, trust me, though I wonder, does someone catch a head cold if they keep dunking their head in water for a game?”

@bexstevie

[archived-rw]

GABRIELLE & WARLOCK’S LONDON FLAT / THE THIRTIETH OF MARCH / @sxint

DEATH AND GRIEF TW

After one gruesome death is put on display, the light of the television screens puts the crowd in a collective trance, and Remus Warden unknowingly holds his breath. He watches two men die and feels nothing for them, only immense dread for what he knows is to come; he would easily trade a million fucking lives for his sister’s, would eagerly exchange an endless number of unfortunate souls from Pestilence & Famine if it only meant Juno’s face didn’t appear on that fucking screen. She is Death’s closing act, the reappearance of the stolen Warden Seraphim a sight to fucking behold, parading her in her family’s face as they watch her die, but not without honour. Terse French is a fucking call to action to her brothers: Venger moi frères. Her final words run on repeat and repeat in his head, drowning out nearly everything else as his world falls apart around him. Watching life drain from Juno’s face tears apart the facade the Wardens like to hide behind, their tendency to paint themselves immortal proven false before all their enemies. The only thing Remus knows for certain as screens go black and coffins raise is that he won’t let anyone touch his fucking family again.

Screams pierce the air, a broken sound, the unnatural cries of Gabrielle Warden in mourning ringing through the near fully reclaimed warehouse. Remus knows the vivid memory of this night will haunt him, right alongside all the signs he didn’t see beforehand, all the paths he could’ve taken if only he had known they existed. Though each gang loses someone tonight, War loses the most, a member of their family stolen, the only daughter of their line killed before their eyes. When Remus arrives on scene at their parents’ London home, he is silent, feeling numb, still unable to fully grasp the reality of the tragedy. One foot inside familiar place, inside perceived safety ( if such a luxury exists anymore ), and walls come tumbling down, Remus unable to stop hot tears from falling when he sees his parents, feels their hearts break as he holds them.

But it’s Saint he worries for, the youngest Warden, always one to blame himself when things go wrong — and tonight is a horror, a fucking nightmare brought to life. “Et mon frère?” And my brother? he asks Gabrielle, who clings to him harder than she ever has. It’s Warlock who points to their youngest, the silhouette of Saint Warden seen through back door window, an evening of chain smoking already begun without Remus’ help. Already proven unable to protect one sibling, more than ever before the eldest Warden feels a fucking violent urge to seek out his brother, willing to do anything to keep his family from suffering like this, unwilling to sit at the wayside helplessly again.

Back garden of the London flat is surrounded in greenery, Warlock’s green thumb and handiwork lit by the subtle luminescence of the moon. How many conversations have the two brothers had over cigarettes on this doorstep, how many arguments, how many jokes? Now, they share their grief here, too. Wordless in his approach, Remus is somber as he meets his brother’s red-eyed gaze. First, a hand finds his shoulder, grip on Saint desperate and willing what feelings words can’t voice in the moment. Then, Remus pulls his little brother in for a hug, squeezes him, so fucking grateful to be able to hold one of his siblings despite it all. “I’m sorry,” he breathes out, releasing the other, unable to say too much at a time, tears fresh and threatening reappearance. “This never should have fucking happened to her.” A pause, a deep breath, a chance for Remus to dig out his pack of cigarettes. “This is fucking horrifying.”