#feat. rory

[elainefm]

closed starter for @roryjackson​

With all the chaos happening around them, Elaine had become more and more accustomed to spending her free time on the beach. It was the one place in Cherry she’d always felt settled and the thing she’d missed the most while she was away, even with all the bad memories it held over the past year. There were happy ones there, too. Of Harvey, of Casey, of Zahra... of Lux. All torn and stained now, fuzzy around the edges, slipping through her hands faster than the sand in her palms. She wishes now more than ever that she could run, but the Candy Girl’s grip on her only grows stronger with each passing day- now more than ever now that she knew about the giant red target on her back. 

Speaking of which, she spots Lady Backstabber herself, edging closer than Elaine thought she would dare after both her cousin and her boyfriend had been revealed as wronging her. “Back for round three?” she asks with a raise of her eyebrows, “I mean- you sure do surround yourself with rats and sleezeballs, it’d only make sense that you were one too, right?” 

[romxnticss]

who: closed starter for @rorycollins​ what: sad in the woods where: the woods! 

Mackenzie wasn’t what you’d call the athletic type, as in he’d never not tripped over something a single day in his life. So why him and Rory had chosen to take a hike out of all their other options? He couldn’t be sure. Maybe it was the closest they could get to tasting freedom while still being in Cherry, or maybe they both secretly hoped they’d stumble upon a candy house in the woods without a witch inside ready to turn them into stew. Either way, they’d fallen into step on the path, a comfortable silence passing over them until Mackenzie broke it, “How’s Rocky doing, by the way? I haven’t really seen him since- the fire and everything. Losing the Drafthouse totally sucks, but at least he doesn’t have to deal with me begging for Mystic Cherry to play anymore, right?” 

[romxnticss]

Who: Closed starter for @rorycollins​

What: Mac’s fresh start phase 1 

Where: CCU 

Since Mac had all but given up on his music career, he decided he needed to give some kind of direction to his life before he spun completely out of control. Leo’s voice nagged at the back of his head, insisting that college would be a great place to start. Despite the fact that he never really wanted to step foot on CCU’s campus again, his options were limited thanks to the psycho-stalker’s list of demands. Despite the broad daylight Mac found himself nervous to go onto campus alone and Rory seemed like the perfect friend to ask to accompany him, if there was anyone in the gang he could trust not to pass judgement on him it would be her. “Thanks again, for coming with me,” his steps slow as they begin to approach the library, the memory of what had taken place once again hitting him, “I’m sorry to be so personal, but how did you... get back onto the beach? After- you know?” 

[macwalsh]

closed starter for @roryjackson​

Mackenzie always felt a little bit out of place at parties like this. Lux materializing at his side was usually enough to take that fear away, or at least push it down a little bit. The feeling was stronger this year, but he couldn’t be sure if that was due to his former friend’s absence or his newfound attachment to Cherry’s Golden Boy. It was hard not to dwell on it when there was such a perfect scene playing in front of him, Elaine and Harvey’s picture being snapped in front of the Christmas tree. Her mother was beaming, surely longing for the day the two would finally reconcile. Mac was waiting too, though the possibility brought him nothing but dread.

Rory’s voice fades back in beside him and it’s like he’s woken from a trance, cheeks flush from the possibility that his friend had caught him staring at Harvey for just a little too long. “Shit-sorry... I was totally in space for a second there. What were you saying?” 

[romxnticss]

closed starter for @roryjackson​

‘Fuck the fucking time warp.’ It was the statement that had led the two of them here, to the middle of the woods, drunk off their asses and taunting the goddamn thing. Since they’d returned home from the lake Mac’s nightmares had started back up, along with his nightly trips to the square. The few hours he’d slept in Harvey’s bed had been the last consecutive hours of sleep he’d had, and it was written all over his features. So as much as he felt sorry that Rory was going through the same thing, he was relieved when he opened his eyes in the square to her hand on his shoulder. It was obvious that the two of them were never going to fall back asleep, so they’d made a pit stop to stuff their pockets full of mini alcohol bottles that Mac had stashed at his place before haunting the streets of Cherry. 

Mackenzie wasn’t sure who’s idea it had been to go to the edge of town, to yell at the invisible thing that was eating away at their sanity. His voice is hoarse from all the yelling at the burn of the liquor and he ignores the sting as he pours another bottle down his throat. “Here’s to the worst fucking year of our lives!” 

[romxnticss]

who: closed starter for @roryjackson​ what: pie time!  where: ​the quad?

🎸

Pies. Sweet, sweet pies. Made by someone who actually knew how to bake a pie. Him and Rory had tried their hand at it and failed... a few times. And there was nothing sadder than having a bad day that could only be fixed with a slice of pie and having to eat something that barely resembled it and being stuck cleaning the kitchen. So when Mac heard orientation would include a brand new pie stand? He was over the freakin’ moon. “Look!” he says, dancing back and forth with the orientation guide in his hand, “Pie stand!” 

[elainefm]

who: closed starter for @rorycollins what: jk elaine can’t be nice to all of zev’s friends!  where: the hammocks

Elaine’s hangover had somewhat subsided as the morning grew later, thanks to practically half the coffee stocked up in the Hargrove kitchen. Whatever, she’d blame it on Loser Logan if anyone asked. She was so goddamn high strung, it would track. She finally decided to pull herself from her spot in the den, putting herself back together piece by piece until she finally ended up at the hammocks. They’d always been her favorite spot at the Lake House, the best of both worlds with the sun on her face and the cool air blowing on her and... Rory fucking Collins shadow blocking both? Fuck, no. 

“Listen, I know you prefer to be like- ghostly of whatever, but some of us are trying to get a tan. Is there a reason you’re standing so close to me or what?” 

[romxnticss]

closed starter for @rorycollins​

They weren’t supposed to be talking about it. They weren’t supposed to be talking about it. They weren’t supposed to be talking about it. He repeated it to himself over and over again as he approached Rory, trying to think of something- anything else to talk about besides what was drawing them both to the Town Square. He didn’t exactly trust Jaspar or Kamila at this point, not when they’d kept the rest of them in the dark, but what choice did he have but to listen to them? It wasn’t like there was another expert on alternate dimensions or whatever wandering around Cherry. 

“I think it’s about time that we had a moment of silence for pie and instead discovered the wonder that is funnel cake. Don’t you?”