#jakemothchaos

[pop-hop]

I guess we could say Tavi is “for the birds” now

Or alternatively just really good at being bullied by them. First dodos now random crows(?)

"Larger creatures have definitely done worse..."

[burningivy]

‘Sorry, he’s a boy’

“So?” Pamela dragged out the word. Edward didn’t even bother to look up from his crossword.

“So what?”

“So I told you about my parents-” she took a sip of her coffee. She had no idea how Eddie just didn’t fucking drink the stuff “-and you don’t have to tell me about yours, but-”

“But you’re nosey.” He finished, looking over the top of the newspaper.

“I’d have said curious, and no I don’t fucking care about whatever dumbass riddle you have for that, but can you blame me? I don’t know shit about your childhood. The least you can do is tell me how your parents reacted to you being trans, that’s what I told you about mine.” Ed chuckled dryly at that and flopped the newspaper on the table, careful to avoid his tea.

“Pam, your parents certainly weren’t parents of the year-” he flourished as he spoke “-but believe me, mine were worse. Between pretending I didn’t exist and, well let’s just say it wasn’t pretty, there wasn’t really time to say ‘Hey, sorry I’m a boy actually!’” They’d only hit me harder and ignore that fact.”

After realizing what he’d said, Edward’s eyes went wide, he immediately began staring at his crossword where it still sat on the table.

Following a long silence, of both lost in very different thoughts, Pamela finally spoke. “When is a door not a door?”

“When it’s ajar. What does that have to do with anything?” Edward looked up at her, his face uncomfortably inexpressive.

“I needed to get your attention, and that’s the only fucking riddle I know. Just-” she flicked the handle of her mug “-I’m sorry, ok? I shouldn’t have pushed.”

Ed rolled his pencil back and forth on the table. “Apology accepted.” He picked it up and twirled it between his fingers, his face still blank.

“But dammit, Eddie, you have to tell me things!” He dropped his pencil as his eyes widened. “This isn’t going to be some fucking one-sided friendship.”

He fumbled for his pencil before it rolled off the table. “Fine.”

“Good. Now after we pay, we’re going back to my dorm, and you’re helping me name my new plants.” Ed opened his mouth, only for Pam to hold up a finger. “No suggesting names until you’ve met them.”

“But you haven’t even heard my suggestions yet, Pam, they’re great, as always.” And there was the Eddie she became friends with, over-exaggerating and dorky, and she was happy she had.

[pop-hop]

[burningivy]

📓 Cassandra

High school Sandra was a major disaster. Like multiple undiagnosed mental illnesses and never getting any sleep kind of disaster. But she was also more energetic and optimistic than altc timeline Cassandra so

She’d probably end up being valedictorian, with straight A’s in every class every year and being in almost entirely honors and ap classes

Sandra is definitely not popular, and probably gets somewhat bullied. At some point it just turns into whispers and looks without anyone directly interacting with her, at least

Cass and Quinn are close (I talked a bit more about in the high school Quinn post) to the point where she probably spends the night at their house more often than she’s at her own house

Other than Quinn, she’s closest with Eddie and Ana (together the three of them are SEA). And she’s also surprisingly good friends with Sarah (who’s definitely one of the popular kids but thinks Sandra is really interesting)

Sandra actually does a sport, hockey, but she plays outside of school. For clubs, she’s in mystery club (she’s one of the founders), science olympiad, some sort of stem club, stage crew, and probably gets dragged to gsa meetings by Sarah on occasion

Thanks for the ask!!!

[burningivy]

5. Houses that aren't your own have the ability to be very creepy

For the prompts

Ana pressed herself into the corner. The headboard was digging into her back, but at least she was feeling something. She craned her head to stare out the window.

The street below was lonely, the occasional car passing by. Maybe if she waited long enough, she’d someone else. But no, she needed to sleep, she knew that.

It had been days since she got enough sleep, and she was beginning to sound like a hypocrite when she talked to Sandra before school, always berating her for staying up too late. But Ana had an excuse. It was the damn house, too similar to the one before, too familiar in all the right places and too unfamiliar in all the wrong ones.

She closed her eyes. She wasn’t afraid, she physically couldn’t be, not after what they did. But whatever she was feeling was sickeningly similar.

Maybe a cup of water would help, but that would mean leaving her room. And with Ms. Thomp- Saoirse asleep, and Quinn having snuck out, to see Sandra or the wrong end of someone’s fist, she didn’t want to risk it.

Ana opened her eyes and turned towards the mirror. She didn’t look quite right in the dark, but still she stared, waiting for the Troxler effect to set in. Tonight was a good night to be a monster. Then maybe something other than memories would haunt the house, both houses.

[burningivy]

👀 Thomas

Thomas drives a pickup truck and still listens to cds. He has this very specific vibe that matches his personality but not his appearance

He’s short. Like maybe 5’2

Thomas’s weapon of choice would be a baseball bat

He has trouble admitting how much people mean to him because he’s already lost all the people he’s ever been close to

[burningivy]

📒 Quinn and Cassandra

Quinn slid in the booth across from Cass.

“So, you’ve got another mystery?” They sipped their Sprite, in a mug to match Cass’s coffee.

She looked up from her newspaper. “Yes, but right now I’m just doing the crossword.” She half slid it across the table for them to see.

Quinn looked it over, but didn’t recognize any clues. “I heard a rumor at school.” They heard it from Arriela, who more than was told by Bea, making it less of a rumor and more of an announcement, but they figured Cass would enjoy the mystery of a rumor better.

“A rumor, huh?” She sipped her coffee, smiling slightly. “Do you want in? On the mystery, that is.”

“Not particularly.” Quinn looked over at the counter. Their mam was in the kitchen, still they lowered their voice. “It doesn’t sound all that safe, and you know…” They quirked their head towards the kitchen.

“Oh because you’re always just so safe.” Cass rolled her eyes and leant back. Sarcasm, that was new. Still, she had kept her voice low. She reached over for her crossword.

“How about-” Quinn placed their hand at the edge of the newspaper, causing Cass to narrow her eyes “-how about, if you get involved in a murder, I’ll help.” They lifted their hand.

Cass didn’t break the eye contact and didn’t move the newspaper. “How about, if you get involved in a murder, you call me.”

Quinn took a deep breath. This wasn’t what normal childhood best friends were like, but when had anything ever been normal with Cass. “Deal. Just, try not to let there actually be a murder.”

Cass sighed and offered a sad smile. “As long as you try too.”

[burningivy]

7. “Do you know who you are really working for?”

ok so like weird au thing for a long time coming (not me making aus for my own projects)

also cassandra uses she/her pronouns, but I refer to her with they/them here because quinn doesn’t know her and it’s from their point of view

—-

Quinn had no idea how they had gotten into this situation. Well, that wasn’t quite true, but they most definitely had not meant to spend their teenage years half in high school and half working for someone who was no doubt a supervillain. But a little extra money was a little extra money, and they didn’t need to tell their mam where they actually got it.

They slumped against the wall. Still, going undercover as a security guard was fucking boring. Who would even want “The Gem of One Thousand Eyes” or whatever bullshit name? Milonas according to their briefing, and if Milonas wanted it, so did Nova. Quinn had been assured neither would show up the night they were working. They were almost starting to wish one of them would.

As they sat down and began adjusting their uniform, there was a knock at the window. Looking towards it, Quinn saw nothing. They turned back to their uniform, only for the knock to come again.

“What is that rapping at my chamber door?” Quinn muttered as they turned away a second time.

“Poe, eh?” Quinn’s head shot to the suddenly open window, where a figure in all black was crouched.

They scrambled to their feet, pointing their gun at the thief, who looked them over, eyes narrowed.

“Who the hell are you?” Quinn adjusted their grip as the gun slipped. Why did the gun keep slipping? Why was there a thief?

The thief laughed, pushing a stray hair out of their face. “That’s a rather weighty question. Especially to ask someone who’s trying to rob you.” They leaned forward, smiling almost too wide.

Quinn took a deep breath and steadied their hands. They weren’t actually going to shoot, but the thief didn’t need to know that. “Do you even know who you’re really working for?” Maybe they could at least get some answers about who was behind this.

Once again, the thief laughed. They raised an eyebrow. “Do you?” The laughing only increased, like they were in on some sort of joke Quinn wasn’t. Wouldn’t be the first time, and Quinn certainly wasn’t a fan of being mocked. The thief caught their breath. “Because it certainly isn’t here?” Their smile vanished. “Do you even know how to use a gun?”

Before Quinn could respond that of course they did and how dare some thief question who they were working for, or something to that effect, probably with more swearing, the thief hopped out of the window. They were short, even compared to Quinn, who definitely couldn’t be considered tall, a fact which became more and more apparent the closer they got.

“You’re holding it wrong, genius.” They sighed, dramatically holding their face in their hand. If Quinn knew what traits were important to look for, they would have noted that it was their left hand, or the mole under their left eye, or even their accent, but Quinn didn’t know to looking for identifying traits, and evin if they did, it would’ve been the furthest thing from their mind. “But that doesn’t matter. You clearly don’t have what it takes to take a life.” The “yet” went unspoken, but Quinn could feel it hanging in the air around them. “The gem’s in there?” They pointed at the vault.

It didn’t feel like the thief was asking, but Quinn nodded anyway, holstering their gun and trying to look anywhere but the thief. Their eyes landed on the camera, which they had somehow forgotten. If anyone saw the thief, Quinn would lose their job at best, and at worst, well, that’d cost their life. That would be a pain to explain to their mam.

“Don’t worry about the cameras.” Quinn looked to where the thief had already opened the vault. “I’m not an amatuer.”

“Aren’t you a bit young to be a thief?” The thief laughed again, glancing at Quinn for only a second.

“You’re barely sixteen-” they grabbed the gem with a practiced ease- “I’m barely younger than you. Besides-” they pivoted and seemingly skipped out of the vault- “I’ve been doing this for years.”

Quinn wasn’t overly keen to get into whatever that meant, and it seemed the thief had a getaway to get on with. They stopped to slip the gem in their coat, before walking up to Quinn, and staring up at them in the eyes said, “You have potential, Quinn Thompson. You may not be much now, but I hope to see you as a threat someday.” With that they skipped over to the window, and crouched in it the same as they had when they came in.

Quinn didn’t know what to do but stare and wait for the thief to leave, but they didn’t move. Their eyes darted around the room, and they looked over their shoulder before sighing.

“Cassandra.”

Quinn was broken out of their almost trance by the thief finally talking. “What?”

“That’s my name, Cassandra.” The thief, Cassandra, smiled slightly. “I’ll see you around, Quinn.”

“Yeah, see you, Cassandra.” But they had already left, and when Quinn reached the window, Cassandra was gone.

Cassandra. That was all Quinn could think as they closed the window, as they sat against the wall, as they fiddled with their uniform. They could always come up with a lie for what happened to the gem later.