Learning How To Die

Thane Lovell Ω 28 years old "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." - J. Robert Oppenheimer

[heatherulia]

where the wild things are | heather and thane

[heatherulia]

All around Heather, people were merry, drinking copious amount of alcohol and dancing the night away without a care as to how the next morning would go.  But for Heather, time slowed to a crawl, dragging on as Thane stayed standing in front of her. She rather wished for a hole to open up in the floor to swallow her whole.  She was still irrationally irritated with him, and the more she thought about it, the more annoyed she grew with herself.  Why did it matter what one person thought of her? This is so stupid, she thought. If anyone should feel awkward, it should be him. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, trying to play it cool.  Reluctantly, she admitted that he looked good, and that only irked her more.  She probably looked ridiculous, all dressed up with no one to go out with, and without really thinking about it she tugged on the ends of her dress.

Heather merely raised an eyebrow when Thane joked about being at the Red Door for the alcohol. “I’m sure you’re not alone there,” she said, cocking her head to the side. “Looks like half the people here only came out to get drunk.  But then,” she paused, giving a small shrug, “that’s sort of what Halloween becomes when you’ve grown up, right? An excuse to party all night long.”  he raised her eyebrows again when Thane started speaking, cutting himself off mid-sentence.  She knew absolutely nothing good could come from hearing the rest of what he had planned to say, but curiosity did kill the cat.  She leaned forward as if to encourage him to finish his sentence, but caught herself and pulled back, resting her hands oh her hips.  

"I’ve been - I’ve been …" Heather faltered.  The easy thing to do would say she had been fine and move on from there.  God knew it was the socially acceptable and expected response.  But the truth was, Heather wasn’t really sure how she’d been doing.  Her relationship with her parents was still oddly strained, and more than once she got the feeling they were hiding something from her.  She’d barely seen Poppy since her relationship with Heath had progressed to something past a hookup, and if it weren’t for Julia sometimes Heather thought she might even question her own permanence.  It’s not like much else was really tying her to this town.  She realized she hadn’t spoken in quite some time, and plastered on a grin she knew looked fake. "I’ve been great," she said quickly, "Never better.  How about you?  Haven’t seen you in a while."

[thanelovell]

Thane would be lying if he tried to deny an attraction to the blonde before him. She was lovely, yes, but also had this way about her. He couldn't quite pin point what it was but he knew he liked seeing her, being in her presence--even if she seemed vexed by his presence--Heather made him feel normal but utterly different at the same time. He wanted to be normal, to be around someone like her and just be but he also felt an increasing need to keep his past secret for fear of scaring her off. It was a lose lose situation and yet Thane grinned as she held hands to her hips. "You make a cute Tink." Corner of his mouth twitched up into a wider smile.

It would be foolish to think that he'd be able to hold his past at bay forever. You couldn't really be put away for eight years and come back thinking a secret like that was something that could stay hidden...but was he so wrong in wanting to get to know the people of this town, that had never really felt like home. That maybe getting to know him would make them hate him less when the truth came out...not that constant belligerent drinking was a good impression but it was better than murder and he wouldn't be the town drunk for much longer. He refused (also he was running out of money). That's it? You choose now to have your stupid drunken realization moment?

He cocked his head through her pause but made no sound, though the crowd around them was loud enough for the both of them. So loud that he would have though he'd missed her answer if she hadn't thrown a smile his way, one he couldn't quite understand, and followed it with the words 'never better'. Was this being blown off? It had been 8 years, but yeah, Thane was pretty sure that's what this was. He took a moment to formulate his words but his mine fogged more as the alcohol settled in and he could feel himself over-thinking it. "Yeah. I would have--I could have..." A dry laugh, that was surely lost among the music. "I've been drunk." A strange moment of truth. "Figuring out how to battle inner demons, and all that, so that I don't have to keep avoiding lovely people like yourself."

[heatherulia]

where the wild things are | open

[heatherulia]

Amidst the swarm of dancing bodies around her, Heather allowed herself to be lost in the movement of the crowd.  She swayed from side to side, allowing her head to fall back while she danced.  Her heart thumped in time to the bass of the song playing through the sound system, and the sounds and conversations from the people around her fell to a dull roar.  Her normal introversion and shyness disappeared.  Heather was surrounded by people who were all in their own worlds, so what did it matter what she said or did?  They certainly weren’t paying her any attention.  She opened her eyes, just for a second, and saw a strangely familiar figure.  Sure it was a trick of the light, Heather blinked at him owlishly, completely missing whatever words he had uttered.  

When she realized that she hadn’t imagined the person in front of her, and he was in fact waiting for some sort of response on her end, Heather nearly jumped from the surprise.  So, Thane was here.  Well, it shouldn’t have been a shock.  The whole town was here, it seemed, and she was bound to run into him again sometime.  There was no real reason for Heather to feel irked, since they’d only ever met one time, but she just couldn’t help it.  He cut out of a conversation they’d had with no real reason and then Heather hadn’t seen him since, giving her plenty of time to wonder what she’d done wrong.  She’d reached the conclusion, with Poppy’s assurance, that she hadn’t done anything wrong.  He clearly couldn’t be bothered and that wasn’t her fault.

Heather crossed her arms, a subconscious effort to protect herself.  She’d wanted a night to relax and pretend to be someone else, and now it was interrupted. “Hey yourself,” she said politely, though her tone was flat. What was she supposed to say, exactly? It’s good to see you after weeks of silence?  Good to see you’re still alive? "What brings you to the Red Door?" she said finally, figuring it was neutral ground. "You don’t strike me as a … reveler."

[thanelovell]

The room almost buzzed with the sounds of music and people blending together throughout the bar. This was technically his first party in eight years, though he was too young to really go to parties before he went away, and he was too busy drinking to fully appreciate this small moment, a milestone if you will, in his life. He'd made a promise to himself, a few years back, marking things on the wall as he kept his head low and stayed out of trouble, that he'd take time to appreciate the little things. The ones they didn't give you in prison when you were convicted for murdering your father. He'd promised himself that he'd get his shit together and make a real effort to make a life for himself...but everything had gone to shit and he was having more trouble coping with the outside world then he ever though he would. Maybe he should have acted out, acted more like the killer he was, and stayed a while. It's not like there was anything to get back to here. Not really. He'd tried to convince himself there was. That it would be better when he saw her...that maybe...

No. No. Alcohol was the easier solution and one he'd gotten quite good at obtaining, even if his funds were often low.

While Thane may have been a little buzzed he was still able to recall the first interaction he'd had with Heather. How comfortable Heather (and Julia) had made him feel right away. They were this breath of fresh air that sent a wave of calm over him and he'd enjoyed their little adventure greatly but then real life got in the way. It always got in the way and he'd left abruptly instead of diving into his past because she was nice. Really nice. And he'd be lying if he didn't find himself grinning as he watched her. It wasn't fair for a stranger to put his crap on someone like her. "You caught me." A dry laugh. "Not much of the partying type. I do enjoy a good drink though." That was obvious. Idiot. "Was gonna head out soon but then I saw you, figured I'd--" What? Say hi? Explain himself? "How've ya been?"

[atusckon-blog]

glory and gore ♦ amilia / thane

[atusckon-blog]

The familiar white fabric of a doctor’s coat fluttered by in her peripheral sight, the shrewd figure appearing to grow near. Her blood ran ice cold, her body freezing, heart skipping one beat too much before stilling entirely for a second before she could calm herself. Her head snapped to the side, searching the crowd for him. Except, him, turned out to be a she and, to Amilia’s abashment, a replica of Carrie in blood stained dress. Amilia pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing audibly – had it not been for the deafening music.

“Boo.” The word jolted her out of her trance, sending her into a new one all together. She jumped slightly, mouth open in a gasp as she turned to find a familiar face smile wickedly her way. “You scared me!” She exclaimed and used her clinquant clutch to shove at his chest lightly. The anger quickly dissolved and a laugh escaped her, cheeks flushing. Her hand remained at his chest unintentionally and Amilia was swift at retrieving it once she realized. “Hi.” Attempting to mask the grin she’d yet to loose, she delved into the character she was supposed to be. She pursed her lips, exposing her neck and narrowed her accented eyes seductively. With a low, gravelly tone, she spoke, “Soon I’ll have that little mermaid, and the ocean will be mine!”

“I’m Ursula. From The Little Mermaid?” She raised her brows in hopes of him knowing who the villainous sea witch was. “It seemed fitting. The water element and me–” she paused, the words close to rolling off of her tongue, but instead she swallowed them, their sharp, jagged edges stabbing at the inner walls of her throat. “What are you? The devil?” Amilia smirked, mimicking Thane by tilting her head. “Here for the free booze, huh?”

The scent of his cologne and the alcohol was entrancing, softening her limbs and somehow causing her mouth to water. She licked her lips, eyeing the drink in his hand as she thirsted for her own. “How, uh, how have you been?” Amilia said, recalling their last, and first, interaction. The tension was still apparent in her, and she wondered if it was in him too.

[thanelovell]

Thane smirked as Amilia reacted to his entrance, amused--if one could call it that--at her startled jump. He'd had little luck assimilating back into the everyday life that everyone else here seemed so good at and had really only talked to several people, finding himself eagerly avoiding most. They're introduction, and only meeting, had been interesting to say the least, and though she was adorned in hints of purple Thane would have recognized her anywhere. He found himself watching her much like he had the night of their first meeting, smirk growing into a grin at the touch of her hand to his chest. She was one of those ridiculously sexy people, no effort needed, and it wasn't just because he was now ill experienced and hadn't been around many a woman these last few years--she just was. Even in the Halloween costume that he hadn't gotten at first. "Ah!" Eyebrow raised, tongue clicking against his tongue. "Right." Thane found himself slightly familiar with the mermaid movie she'd referenced, enough to know who she was, and that was all that mattered. He opened mouth to ask about the whole 'water element' realizing just how little he knew about her, but dropped it as she broke off mid thought. Thane, confused for a moment, furrowed brows before remembering the pair of horns he'd bought and threw on. A small chuckle, shake of his head, "It was this or a pair of butterfly wings." Shoulders rose and fell with a shrug. "We can't all be as put together as you." Jaw clenched at the mention of the alcohol and he felt all too predictable and maybe a little embarrassed. He knew he'd become co dependent on alcohol, it wasn't like he walked around pretending he didn't, but the awareness didn't do much on it's own. People's looks and comments like hers, however, made it more difficult for him to deal with his impending alcoholism. "Yes ma'am. Couldn't resist." Thane fidgeted, hand coming up to rub against the back of his neck and worries were lost as she licked her lips. He watched her closely, allowing eyes to look her over. He tensed, thoughts now shifting to what they'd previously been however many nights ago. "No complaints." What was he supposed to do? Tell her truth? I feel useless and miserable. Also, parties and small talk aren't my thing. You're fucking gorgeous by the way. No. That wasn't an option. "But then again, nothing to rave about. That may be because I'm...what did you call me...a coward?" A wide toothy grin painted across his face. "What about you, love?"

[heatherulia]

where the wild things are | open

Heather couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something different about Halloween this year.  Maybe it was the crackle of electricity she had felt all day, or maybe it was the itch under her skin, as if it were simultaneously too big and too small.  Heather felt a restlessness that she hadn’t ever before, a need to be moving and a part of the action, a change from her usual self.  The air felt crisper, the colors more vibrant, and the blood was pumping so vigorously in her body Heather swore she could hear it.  Even Julia seemed different earlier in the day when they had dressed Julia up in her costume.  Bucking costume norms, Julia had insisted on being Peter Pan, and Heather had to admit when she saw the finished costume her four year old pulled it off quite well.  She was more than just dressed for the part, she embodied the youthful innocence and jolliness of the boy who would live forever.  She let out a soft sigh as she applied her blush.  If only there were a way to keep Julia that joyful and innocent forever.  Unfortunately, all of the best things had to come to an end, and she knew from experience that life was never quite the same after the veil had lifted from your eyes. 

Shaking the decidedly depressing thoughts out of her head, Heather went back to the task at hand of applying her makeup for the Halloween party.  She’d been something of a social butterfly as of late, flitting from this party to that event to this wedding and so on.  And every time there was drinking involved. “I’m turning into a lush,” she muttered to herself, resolving lightly that she’d refrain from drinking tonight.  She knew she’d break that resolution.  She could feel it like she could feel the beginnings of a change in the season.  Heather wondered if she wasn’t feeling a bit reckless tonight, and promptly decided it didn’t matter. What was one night compared to the entire year?  She was allowed to be a bit mischievous.  Heather finished touching up her glittery eyeshadow and crossed her room to slip on her dress.  Poppy would probably have a riot if she ran into her tonight.  Tinkerbell, of all things, seemed especially fitting.  Heather took one last look in the mirror and smirked.  Tonight, she decided, would be a good night.

The bar was crowded when Heather finally arrived fashionably late, and when she stood on her tiptoes to look around she could see a medley of people all in different costumes.  Instead of searching anyone out, Heather took a few steps into the crowd and let herself blend in.  If someone wanted to find her, they would. 

[thanelovell]

Costumes had started to blur together and pretty soon the people in the bar looked more and more like the characters they were portraying than the faces that he'd dreaded seeing again. He'd lingered at the bar as soon as he'd walked in the door and nursed his apparent habit of drinking his problems away--not that he believed they'd go away, but they became so much easier to ignore once he hit the bottom of the bottle. Head in the clouds, body numb and tingling with warmth of the liquor; he felt like everyone else. Merry and willing to celebrate this holiday as if nothing in the past mattered. As if everything were normal. Whatever normal was. He was beginning to think there was no such thing as normal. He'd been out of the brink a while now and there was hardly a routine, or a feeling of belonging. Thane still felt alone and miserable. Maybe this was some kind of post incarnation syndrome where being established back into normal society wasn't possible. There, he'd flourished (or so the paperwork says), here he'd hit a plateau of alcohol and misery. 

Shoulders tensed and he thumbed the now empty glass, lips pursing against the alcohol stained taste of his teeth, tongue pushing against the inside of his cheek. He could feel his heart beat slow, a wave hitting slowly that urged him to resist having another drink. He spun around to the bartender, a face familiar to him with a name he'd never bothered to learn and slid over the glass. Thane gritted his teeth and shook his head. He'd settle into a slum against the bartop and the chair he sat on and watch the bustling crowd before him. Then make an effort to swim through the crowd and pass out in the usual spot.

Eyes found their way to a green costume, adorn with wings and all. He narrowed his eyes and the image cleared up. Heather. Thane smiled, fingers strumming at the ends of his extended arms. He rose, steadying himself on his feet and poked his way through the crowd. Halfway there and he considered turning back, remembering his state, but he was eager to see and talk to her again. She was the very definition of normal that he was looking for earlier. He cleared his throat, the sound lost among the noise of the crowd, and aligned himself with her eyesight. "Er. Hi."

[atusckon-blog]

glory and gore ♦ amilia / open

She dusted the lavender tinted powder along her arms, arching her neck to drag the brush across the skin there, before running it across her pushed up and constricted chest. Indifferent eyes met her own in the reflection and hastily she averted her chestnut gaze with an empty exhale. A heartening coo travelled to her from the living room, a groggy Mr. Mittens bringing out a faint tug at Amilia’s lips with it. The melancholy taking space in her chest faltering momentarily, easing the pain some as she moved towards the door. Sweeping a coat over her bare shoulders, Amilia met the dank air outside resolute and with a promising sense of confidence. 

The dark had begun to creep along the streets as she arrived at Couvrir and she welcomed it. She suspected her boldly lined lids and lips, coupled with the dark arched eyebrows, presented Amilia as more malignant than how she felt. Good. Given the sullen feeling she’d abandoned at home, a night in disguise might do some good. She glances down at the gown attached to her figure, her hand grasping at ruffled purples at the legs. The black leather along her torso lined with jewels as contour, a golden sea shell hanging below the dip in her throat. The doorman hungrily runs his eyes along her figure but is met with a piercing look once he reaches her violet painted eyes and quickly returns his attention to the other approaching guests. Amilia smirks to herself as the man blends into the background. It bodes well for the remaining hours of the night.

An array of lights hit her as she makes her way further inside. The band plays a familiar tune but she can’t pinpoint it, far too engrossed with her surroundings. Faces she know rush by her, all painted or covered in unnatural shapes and hues. Some growl as they pass her, attempting to rattle her, entirely submerged in their characters. A mermaid with red, flowing hair spots her and the two share an amused look. “Ursula, right?" She asks, practically screaming to make herself heard above the music. "We meet again." Ariel winks and Amilia grins venomously before they part ways.

[thanelovell]

Jaw clenched as Thane tried to push aside what seemed to have become a constant headache. There was promise of booze, and though Thane was quite uncomfortable at the thought of being around a bunch of people who he'd spent a lot of time avoiding and scowling at, he dawned a pair of devil horns that he'd picked up with the spare change he had left over from the bottle of jack he'd bought to prep himself with and ventured to the party. A quick pop of his collar, as if it would help shield him from faces that had aged significantly in the last eight years, none more than his own. Good behavior or not, prison was never kind to anyone. He swore he'd gone gray within the first year, not that it mattered. Not that it wasn't anything a good drink or two couldn't fix. Speaking of drinks, he solemnly stalked past the food and straight for the alcohol, muttering a few words here and there before a glass met his hands and with it and instant weight lifted off his shoulders.

As he scanned the crowd, more thoroughly, he felt severely under dressed--not that Halloween was a big event in his life. He tried to think back to his childhood, if one could call it that, and see if he'd ever liked the holiday. Surely there was once a time when dressing up had been fun, or maybe that was the impending pillowcase filled with candy. No. No. Thane couldn't remember ever liking a holiday, only seeing Hazel happy, but that was an afterthought that he'd long been trying, and failing, to push aside.

The drink didn't seem to go down fast enough and he quickly asked for another, rummaging through jeans for more money. He spotted the brunette through the blur of his glass and with a swig took steps to find himself at her side. "Boo." He widened his grin, teeth showing and all, and cocked head to his side. "And what are you supposed to be?"

[thanelovell]

Costume = complimentary drink. This counts as a costume right?

[bellafrench]

[thanelovell]

Heather & Thane // I Lost My Head

“Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them—if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't education. It's history. It's poetry.” 

Thane walked, mindfully avoiding people coming his way, and flipped through the pages of a book he so purposefully avoided reading his freshman year of high school. Now, he read in hopes of feeling connected to something, to someone. Stories that held tortured characters, faults much like his own. They were the one time he allowed himself to be truthful, even if only in his thoughts. When he read, he felt his actions. What would have happened if he'd just stayed in school, studied, made friends with the people he called idiots and laughed at, blunt between his teeth. Maybe, if he'd made an effort. Things would be different. Maybe if he'd made an effort, he wouldn't be alone.

"Oh. Sorry." He mumbled to the passing body that his shoulder had hit, eyes distracted by the words on a page. Closing the book, Thane shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans and hooked thumbs into the belt loops, keeping eyes up to avoid knocking into anyone else. Something caught his attention, drawing his eye up and Thane found himself thinking back to the girl in the park. Heather. He smiled for a moment, wishing to forget the awful mess he'd left their first meeting in. With a cautious step, he walked into the coffee shop, bell ringing as the door swung open, only to see this girl was someone else. A polite smile, he moved aside to let her pass. Which was good...because honestly, if it had been her, what would he say? He couldn't explain his odd behavior without telling her everything. 

Jaw clenched he turned, and as luck would have it, this time it was her. He considered leaving, before she saw him but instead, with an unnoticeable breath he took steps to where she sat and cleared his throat. "Heather?" Her name sounded odd on his tongue, but he quite liked saying it. 

[thanelovell]

Amilia & Thane // Anesthesia

[atusckon-blog]

Her velvety legs moved swiftly on the stool, uncrossing and then crossing once more in the opposite way than before, the chair swiveling around so that her gaze was pointed out towards the rest of the room. “Uh-huh,” Amilia said with an incredulous stare, averting her eyes to glance down the glass in her hand, fingers stirring it absentmindedly with the straw. “Fine, don’t tell me.” She shifted her hair, mimicking a dramatic gesture, the loose curls falling down her chest in the process. With a soft movement, Amilia moved a few strands away from her line of sight, looking back at Thane with an expression far too precarious than she’d wished for.

She hadn’t been truthful earlier, her reason for spending the night by herself, surrounded by colleagues on happy hour and drunken students. The strain of having a boyfriend who spent more time at work than at home with the woman waiting by the table and eventually opting for an early night, falling asleep in bed yet again with her cat pressed closely against her back - it was all becoming far too much. She loved him but by now, Amilia was more familiar with his absence than anything else.

The night had meant to be spent with the man in question, the dress clutching onto her figure being proof enough of this. But- work. The health in this town was seriously lacking, she thought to herself before focusing on Thane. “Hm, let’s see. That group in the corner booth. I’m assuming they’re all co-workers or friends,” she said, hand pointing discreetly towards them. “Two of them are hooking up in secret.” Amilia smirked down her glass, sipping at the drink. Eyes landing on Thane’s chest as he looked to the side, the muscles visible through the dark shirt, the small space between two buttons opening slightly as he moved. She noticed herself drifting further towards him and Ami forced herself to lean backwards just a bit, nervously yet silently clearing her throat. 

Emptying the glass in her hand, she placed it on the bar top, shaking her head as the bartender reached for the bottle with a questioning look. She didn’t trust herself enough to drain yet another drink, already recognizing the dangerous thoughts clouding her mind. “So, what’s next for you? Are you meeting up with someone?” Amilia smiled at the man, both hands holding onto the clutch in her lap. Why was she even asking Thane this? She had to tread carefully here. But this was practically an invitation, considering the tone of her voice.

[thanelovell]

Thane never thought himself perverse, but it had been a long time and looking at her, he could see all the possibilities of the night ahead. He'd rid her of the binding shirt, tangle fingers in her hair. Hell, he'd do it right then and there on the bar top if he could. He let his eyes swim over the way she held the glass in her hand, the movement of her hair as she toyed with it, sending a wave of perfume blowing his way. Lips pressed into a line and he pulled himself into a straighter posture, rising from his slump, as if woken by her scent. Thane glanced at the group of people, laughing and drinking together as if it were the easiest and most normal thing in the world, and why shouldn't they be? They were young and happy, fooling around in secret was what you did. Life should be fun, and adventure and yes, his was really just starting, but maybe, just maybe, Amilia could be part of the fun. 

"And what about me, hmm?" Thane rolled his tongue to press at the inside of his cheek, dragging eyes from the length of her legs, moving away from the swell of her chest, to meet her eyes. "What's the story you've made for me?" He smirked, not bothering to look up at the barkeep who by now knew to refill the glass as it emptied, and wrapped his fingers around the glass, slowly bringing it to lips that still held a smile, eyes darting around the features of her face. With a slow and steady motion he leaned toward her, elbow resting on the bar top. 

Eyebrows rose as she declined another drink, setting his own drink down. He walked his fingers along the edge of the countertop until his palm was flat against it, needing only inches to reach her if he dared. "Now why would I want to meet up with anyone when I already have you for company?" Thane allowed another smirk, head tilting to the side. 

[thanelovell]

Poppy & Thane // See the world in a grain of sand

[poppysstems]

“Better than smelling like a brewery.” Poppy turned to eye Thane at the comment, taking in his nervous posture and the way he was trying to retract the statement. She wouldn’t hold it against him; God knew she’d had many a day of her own where she’d come into the shop hungover and smelling entirely too much of pomegranate vodka and self-pitying regret. 

When Thane admitted he wouldn’t mind smelling like flowers, she couldn’t help but smile brightly at him. “Most people get tired of it quick,” she warned, giving a shrug. “I mean, not that I can blame them. It’s actually a lot of work. I kind of have this garden, out on the edges of town. I go to it three times a week to bring in new blooms and tend to the blossoms; I hope you like dirt and heat and callused hands. And thorns. Lots of thorns, which kind of sucks.” She grimaced to add effect.

And then, like a cherry on top, Thane offered to clean up the fridge for her. Poppy nearly hugged him right then. “I would be eternally in your dept, Thane,” she said. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve had an organization problem; my mother always complained about it. You’re an absolute peach to offer.”

With another grin, she handed him the application forms, watching rapid emotion flash across his face. First she thought she saw anxiety, then fear, regret…reservation and solidity. It was none of her business to ask why he felt so much trepidation towards applications, but she was itching to. Maybe if she asked and he answered she could say something to help relieve his worries, make him more comfortable… Instead she kept her mouth shut and simply nodded at him when he asked for a pen, walking to the table in the middle of the room and grabbing one out of the cup atop it.

“Here you go,” she said, handing it off. And then, to ease tension, she asked, “So Thane, are you, um, new to Tartarus? Or have you been here before?” She leaned back and braced her hands on the table, shaking hair from her eyes. “Do you have a place to stay yet?”

[thanelovell]

There were people, at the bar, that often complained about their bosses. They'd wine and bitch about getting their ass beat with paperwork and hating their job. As Thane got on with Poppy, he found himself smiling as she described the job. There was something comforting about knowing he was going to be working with the earth. Getting dirty and roughing it up, but in the end, producing a beautiful product. And he could never see himself hating her. Poppy had this...Thane couldn't even describe it. There was an ease about her, her mannerisms, the way she talked. He felt comfortable. Trusted. Which was wrong and horrible, but Thane hadn't known how much he craved that feeling until he had it. 

"Let me know, next time you head out there. I'd love to start working as soon as possible." He grinned as she scowled about thorns and widened it as she talked about organizing. It was something he'd gotten good at, while he was away. Keeping track of his stuff, keeping a neat and organized space. Everything was always where it was so as to make sure he still had everything that he was supposed to. The occasional cigarette box would go missing, in the beginning of his stay, but Thane lost the taste for it quickly and started trading with them. He usually traded a box for a week of immunity from the bigger and rougher prisoners that were making the most of their stay. 

Thane mouthed a quick 'Thank you' as she handed him the pen and glanced down at the sheet. He filled in the information he knew, looking up as she spoke. "I, uh, used to live here." Thane clenched his jaw, fingers gripping at the form. "A long time ago." He could hardly remember the reasons he'd come back. It would have been so easy to run away. No parole. They'd never have found him. It wasn't like he'd been making any progress with...No. No, that was wrong. He was here. He was getting a job. This was Thane's first step, and with Poppy at his reigns, it seemed like the best first step he could have made. "You live here long?" What else was he gonna ask her? Thane had been gone for so long he couldn't have remembered who was here before he left and who was new to town. 

He considered lying, about having a place to live, but if he wrote it on the form and she sent the check there it would just be returned and Thane had already lied about enough. "No." A forced 'ha', "I don't, actually." Thane clicked his tongue, heading falling slightly with his embarrassment. 

[wings-to-fly]

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You said nothing is in the telephone wire You’ve got nothing to hide He says torture me, and I’ll torture you If love is forgiveness then I will be forgiven

[presidentmenace]

[thanelovell]

33 out of however many the fuck i want pictures of jamie dornan.

[presidentmenace]

[thanelovell]

34-35 out of however many the fuck i want pictures of jamie dornan.

[willscarlets-moved-blog]

How do you catch a killer hidden in plain sight? [x]

[thefuuuucomics]

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[thanelovell]

Amilia & Thane // Anesthesia

[atusckon-blog]

The scent of his cologne filled the gap in between them, a striking fragrance leaving her weak in the knees. Unlike those of the cheaper variants, this one blended in together with the other aromas present in her surroundings. The alcohol was faint but palpable should she turn further towards the bar, but it complimented the scent coming off of the stranger. She instantly felt a deep tug at her stomach, guilt swelling up inside of her chest. Aaron. This interaction held no meaning, it offered no real reason for her to be concerned. Colognes would always be her weak spot and compared to the one often sprayed across the sun touched skin on Aaron’s neck, the scent exuding from the man across from Amilia eventually cooled off, blending into the ambiance of the club. 

She glanced down her nose at him – Thane. “You don’t seem awfully tanned for someone who’s just gotten back from Jamaica,” Amilia questioned him then. In truth, the disrupting array of flashing lights above them made it difficult to see the actual hue to his skin but it couldn’t hurt to ask. Something was not quite right, the woman intent on figuring out the riddle presented to her. Averting her eyes, Amilia followed suit and ordered another drink. “Amaretto Sour.” She eyed the bartender. A woman, jeans clad legs moving routinely back and forth behind the counter. Amilia’s eyes were met by hers and she smirked before returning her attention to Thane. Perhaps her alcohol level had reached its limit. Tonight, however, she didn’t care. 

“Thane,” she repeated and gave a nod. Reaching for the drink placed in front of her, Amilia shrugged briefly. “Long week. Figured I deserved a break from work, from everything.” The music barely allowed her words to be heard, forcing her to keep her voice raised at all times. “That, and I enjoy watching people,” she continued and smiled. 

[thanelovell]

He watched her. Watched as she ordered her drink, as she questioned him. In any other setting it would be creepy; but this was a bar and he was admittedly drunk and she was...she was gorgeous. Not that 'pretty just when you're drunk' gorgeous. She was a knockout. Like the kind of girls you take care of business to in the clink. So, yes, knowing she was taken was quite irritating but be it the alcohol or the last eight years, Thane was drunk enough to press his luck and flirt...if you would call his drunken speech and staring, flirting, which he did because it was something he hadn't done in a long, long time. 

Thane raised his eyebrows, head cocking to the side as she questioned his pale skin. "I used a lot of sun tan lotion. Ultraviolet radiation is really bad for you." He smirked at each elongated sarcastic word. He was already in this deep into the lie. Hell, he was lying to everyone about everything. If you said something enough, you started to believe it––wasn't that the saying? Maybe a part of him was wishing that was true, or maybe he was far too intoxicated to be worrying about any of it. His time should have been spent admiring his company and finishing whatever liquor this bar had. Wasn't that the point? Forgetting everything.

Thane could surely find someway to ease the tension that had accumulated and come to bother, Amilia. "Oh well please, do tell. What have you observed?" Hand smoothed down his face, giving a light tug to hair brewing along his jaw. Chest rose with each breath and fingers continued to strum along the bar top. He allowed his gaze to move away from her and turned to the crowd of people they found themselves among. Lousy drunks (like him), the casual drinker, a couple of people on a drink. None quite as intriguing as his present company, but he prided himself on reading people. A trait inherited from being around his father, knowing his triggers; good days and bad. People watching was relaxing, but difficult in his current state. Thane smiled and prodded an arm on the bar, resting chin on his palm and awaited their further interaction. 

[thanelovell]

Poppy & Thane // See the world in a grain of sand

[poppysstems]

Poppy gave him a bright smile when he said minimum wage would be perfect for him. Thane would be the first person she’d ever had working for her besides a few teenagers in the summer who had wanted to make the extra buck and been totally unreliable. And he seemed like a good guy, too. A bit skittish, maybe a bit lost, but a good guy. Reminds me of Heath in that aspect, she thought to herself, but then wanted to laugh aloud in the next moment. Thane definitely was not like Heath; he was too nice upon first impressions, unlike the prickly sourpuss Heath was. Poppy still remembered the way he’d been at the garage during their first official meeting, how close she’d been to socking him in that pretty and ill-worded mouth of his…

But, it wouldn’t do well to start thinking about Heath now. She had other things on hand and didn’t have time for daydreaming, as she’d often caught herself doing since Julia’s birthday party, when Heath admitted that he still wanted to see her.

Shaking her head, Poppy motioned for Thane to follow her in the back, while he answered her about his meeting with Heather. He was stumbling over the subject, she could tell. And when she risked a glance back at him, it looked almost as if he was blushing. Good, Poppy thought victoriously. Because if blushing meant for him what it did for her, then he liked Heather. And the girl could do to have some romance in her life, especially romance with such a cute guy like Thane.

“I still don’t understand how Heather’s single,” Poppy said nonchalantly, taking out a set of keys from her dress pocket to unlock the back room’s door. “I mean, like you said, she’s something, right? She’s the greatest person I know.” Giving Thane a big smile, Poppy nudged the door open with her hip.

The room wasn’t anything special. A filing cabinet, a couch, a table, a radio, a small fridge and microwave so Poppy could make herself lunch on the days she didn’t go out to eat with Izabel— which reminded her that she needed to give her lunch mate a call. It seemed that ever since Heath came into the picture, Poppy had forgotten the other aspects of her life. That thought was unsettling; she wasn’t the type of girl to give up everything for a guy; she’d have to remember that there were other things in her life, for Christ’s sake.

Starting with work, and her new employee.

“Tada,” she laughed sarcastically, motioning to the room with a dramatic swoop of her arm. “The exciting lounge room, which you’re welcome to hide in on a regular basis. I know I do. Mi casa es su casa, so feel free to bring whatever you want to work, whenever. Just don’t eat anything in the fridge without caution; I kinda suck at cleaning it out sometimes.”

Blushing with the admission, she shifted over to the filing cabinet and opened the top drawer, taking out an application form. “No worries about this, by the way,” she said, waving the paper around nonchalantly. “It’s only for technicality when I input your name into the business system to show where the money is being routed to, when I pay you. The job’s already yours, I promise.” She held out the form to Thane enthusiastically. “Just be prepared to smell like roses all the time. That’s pretty much the status quo of someone who works with flowers, I must warn.”

[thanelovell]

"Better than smelling like a brewery." Thoughts turned into words, slipping from his lips and Thane shot a look of discontent in her direction. What was wrong with him? There was a beautiful woman, sweet, kind enough to offer him a job though he was sure he looked a wretched mess. "Sorry. That just kind of came ou––," He cleared his throat, sighing as he gave a shake of the head at the jumble he'd created, seemingly without any effort. "No allergies. I love nature. It'd be nice, smelling like flowers." For a change. 

Thane eyed the lounge area. Eyes setting in on a couch that looked exhaustingly comfortable and wondered if he'd be able to get away with crashing here for a few weeks, before he had enough money to look for a place to stay but bit his tongue, regaining focus and smiling at the helpful body before him. "I could do that. Tidy up the fridge." It was the least he could do, if she was giving him a job, someone who had no prior experience or qualifications. Helping around the office, or so to speak, would be one of the many ways Thane would find to thank her.

Huh. Single. That was nice to know. Though, Thane was pretty sure Heather would want nothing to do with him after their introduction and even if she'd had, given him a chance to explain himself, nothing would change. Thane was in no position to think about anything...or anyone in ways that he'd pushed to the back of his mind for so long, ways that were desperately writhing as soon as he'd met her. No. Work is what he would focus on. He would smell like a rose, play in the dirt and think of nothing but his job. That's the way it had to be, and as Poppy reassured him the job was his, Thane made up his mind to lie on the form. For all she knew, for all anyone knew, Thane was an outstanding member of society who kept to himself, recently entered into an attempted sobriety and in no way shape or form had ever murdered anyone. Ever. 

Taking the form into his hands, Thane fumbled with it for a moment, eyes scanning over it's questions, taking quick noticeable, but small, breaths. He stopped, free hand hitting at his breast pocket, then his pant pockets. "Sorry," Thane seemed to be using that word a lot lately, "Do you, er, have a pen I could borrow? To fill this out." Maybe writing it down would solidify his new identity. Thane Lovell. Normal, poor, uneducated guy who used to live here but left to travel and came back, because it was home, and who didn't, eventually, go back?