romance is boring; a btmm 1920's au
A ring of smoke escapes the dark haired girl's lips - her silver dress shimmering in the dim light of the alley as she takes another drag. "Another night." She silently murmurs to herself while people in all sorts of bright costumes begin to crowd the streets. There is only one common destiny for people that night and it was Berkhamstead. Throughout the prohibition era, Berkhamstead still stands it's ground throwing party after party every single night. Nobody knows who runs it or who could have enough money to ever even afford the kind of lifestyle thrown night after night. But who cares? The booze, the glamour - that's what everyone craves every night anyway.
"Light me up?" A boy says, raising his eyebrows at her curiously. He's under dressed compared to most of the usual crowd but it's still a somewhat neater composition that what she's used to. He wears a simple dark coat and tie that most people would simply shake off but there's something about him that doesn't quite blend. The girl obliges after a moment's hesitation but stays silent. "Seen you 'ere before, you know. Lot's o' times."
"Do I look like I bloody care?"
"I'm saying, you don't seem to like the parties like everyone else." He shrugs.
She shoots him a look. "Well, just fuck off."
Erin Heathcote shakes her head before stepping on the last bits of her cigarette. She didn't have time for this, all she wanted was to be alone for a few fucking minutes. Holden would be waiting for her inside.
But then a scream errupts in the distance. A girl - half clothed with her long blonde hair spilling from the headband she'd used to push it back - stands infront of a window, covering her mouth as if to suppress another shriek. People file in below, pointing, murmuring. Someone's dead is what Erin begins to gather.
(A boy. Fell off a window. Maybe pushed? He was proper drunk.)
Where's Holden? "Holden!" She calls. "Holden!" No one answers - somehow Dakota finds her in the crowd, the blonde wraps her arms around as if to comfort her.
"Erin, it's okay. It's okay, Erin." Dakota coos, her hand moving up and down Erin's back but Erin doesn't understand. She just wants to find Holden. Holden would know what was happening.
She breathes. "Where's Holden?"
"Erin - Erin, he -" But she can't hear Dakota. The sirens wail, Erin becomes numb. She pushes her way through the crowd, not even hearing the insults thrown her way. All she cares about is Holden. Where the fuck is Holden? Finally, she finds him in the middle. Eyes closed as if sleeping. Why isn't anyone waking him up? He's probably drunk.
Quickly, she props his head on her lap. Tapping his cheek lightly. "Holden - Holden, wake up." But he doesn't. He won't. It can't be - it can't possibly be. She meets the stranger's eyes in the crowd once more - a look of concern crossing his features, then Adam stands before her, somewhat pale-faced as he shakes his head. He whispers something to the boy then they're gone.
Everyone is staring and someone's screaming and they won't stop. She doesn't realize the screams are her own until they finally take his body away and Dakota's fingers entwine with hers.
