#01. queue.

[eueclid]

“ I think I scared her away. ” Where one was, the other was sure to be close by — and it had been this way for a long, long time now. Natalia peers at @poetfilm from the living room, staring him down from the hallway where she'd chosen to camp out momentarily. “ Oops. Sorry. ” She grimaces, a mixture between a real and a play one. She'd been on the other side of this before, a date scared off after meeting someone ( namely, Clint Barton ) she had an intense connection and history with. “ I'll order in, since it's my fault you missed your reservation. ”

[eueclid]

“ Wow, you're really nervous, huh? ” Once, @excalibiur told him that she'd never been to the surface of the plate and that the sky scared her because it was so big. After that day, Zack resolved to be with her when she decided to take the leap. Today was that day, it seemed, and he was happy to have her hold onto his arm while he pushes her flower - filled cart, fighting the urge to let his smile take over his entire face. “ Don't worry. You've got a big tough SOLDIER with you! ”

[eueclid]

She stares at him from across the fire, hands squeezing her knees as she tries to think of what to say. She'd known @satellitewar for years now, thanks to their mutual friend, Shawky, but never struggled to talk to him like this. How humiliating. “ Big day tomorrow, huh? ” Miriam finally says, then immediately wishes she said something else. She's a doctor. She's a polyglot. She's on her way to being a leading expert in Egyptology and she all she can think to say was big day tomorrow, huh? “ Shawky hasn't shut up about it, so I can only guess you're just as excited. It's not everyday where you go to bed knowing the next day you're going to make a major discovery. ”

[eueclid]

“ You're moving into May's house? ” God knows he's had a rough time lately — moving between apartments, learning how to share spidey responsibility with someone who's about the same age he was when he got his abilities, and their renewed relationship, of course. All MJ wanted to do was root for him — which, it turned out, was still incredibly easy to do. She stares at @praesparo now through the hole in her wall between her kitchen and living room, a wide grin on her face. At least he was getting it — that home held so many memories for the two of them, there were so many days spent in his living room and back yard and he got to hold onto that in a very real way. “ Pete, that's wonderful. Do you know when? Will you need help? God, I'm so excited for you. A whole house. ”

[eueclid]

“ It doesn't make any sense. If I translate this exactly how Doctor Barrager wants me to do it, it would say something about walking through a cemetery during broad daylight — which doesn't make sense considering he says this document is about a cook's duties. ” She peeks over the photocopy of of the carving to look at @satellitewar, an eyebrow raised. “ Remind me not to talk to him when this is all over. I can't believe he's qualified to teach people how to read Hieratic. ”

[eueclid]

Gojo Satoru was becoming a rather common occurrence in their apartment, and Geto Suguru liked it. For a long, long time, their life was just work, sleep, work, sleep — until the heir of the Gojo clan walked through their door. After hours, at that. Being a brat, at that, whining and borderline yelling as Suguru worked hard to ensure that his pretty face and arms would be left without a mark from whatever he'd gotten himself into. He did make it up to them after that night, and before they even knew it, @exiler had become a practically permanent fixture in their life. And they liked it that way.

Satoru let himself in, Suguru could hear their door close with a soft click followed by footsteps out to the balcony. “ Hey. ” They mumble, a lit cigarette dangling from their mouth. “ Want one? Just got a new pack. ” Lilac eyes follow him as they wait for him to sit down, heart leaping in their chest as they await his answer.

[eueclid]

i thought i made it very clear where i stand. / trevor b.

“ And I thought I made it clear where I stand. ” Vampires? Not a new thing for him. Though, the experiences he had with them were certainly . . . varied. Trevor holds his stake out, eyes squinted as he tries to determine the man's next move. “ My conditions are set in stone. You have not followed them. That doesn't give much room for leeway. ” A pause as he tilts his head. “ Unless . . . is someone telling you otherwise? We don't have to be enemies, you know. I for one find myself delightful. ”

[eueclid]

he spoke with such urgency — something akin to a sighting of joshua, or the mobilization of kupka's forces — something so dire it demands their immediate attention. yet, their journey does not lead them toward the dhalmekian empire; instead it turns homeward, to the familiar plains of rosaria. clive guides jill to mann's hill, where a picturesque scene awaits. a soft blanket spread over the grass, surrounded by a bed of blooming flowers, with a basket brimming with pastries and baked delights nestled within. as they approach, clive rubs the back of his neck as a bashful smile betrays the nerves stirring within him. he gestures forth towards the surprise he has prepared, his heart hopeful. ❝ i thought this might make up for last time ... and charon reckons the skies will stay clear for the rest of the afternoon. ❞ because, but of course he's thought ahead to prevent a repeat of their last endeavour, all those many moons ago, to mann's hill.

He didn't say a word about where they were going — just that he had a place he wanted to take her. She recognized the path almost immediately, knowing it from the last time they came here. Though, the last time the two were here, they didn't get quite this far. And the sight once they arrived — the picnic basket in the middle of the field, with all those perfect snow daisies! Jill reaches up, fingers rubbing over the pendant she wears, the very one the person with her had purchased for her, all those years ago. “ Clive . . . ” She trails off, smiling wide as she turns to look at him with her hand outstretched. “ You did all this? For me? ” She asks, squeezing his hand tightly before pulling him towards the blanket. “ Even if they didn't — even if it started down pouring, this would be perfect. Thank you. ” She turns to face him, standing on her tiptoes to quickly kiss his cheek. “ Gods, there are so many options. What do you recommend? ”