[vitatm]

      don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it.  ‘  honestly, i hate this time of year.  ’ she says it. the holiday had always been different for her in comparison to her peers. somewhere along the way, resentment built around it. the city might be all dressed up in holiday cheer, but venice is not above sounding like the grinch. // @duskstart​ 

[vitatm]

delialeavit​:

~ never too tired to do a good deed…

location: brooklyn street // ( open to everyone )

There it was again, another chimed out song of her mobile device. It had Delia sighing a deep breath as she rounded the corner of her street. “Saundi, your baby ain’t even done cooling off yet,” Delia advised the new-mother on the other line. She was power-walking with the precision of a knife, her waistcoat cutting through the air instead of blowing in it. It’d taken her a total of forty-five minutes to get home and every fifteen minute increment, the woman was calling worried sick about when her child would rest–primarily so she could do the same.

“Trust me, your child will sleep. And when the baby sleeps, you sleep,” they declared as they passed the person on their left. They were so quick to take the steps up to their building that they almost didn’t recognize the sound of something falling from their person onto the ground. Only slightly irritated, Delia sighed again before turning around. “Listen, you are safe. The baby is safe. We will all sleep soon,” they added that last part a little sardonically, “Now I have to go but I will call you in the morning.”

She sighed one last time after hanging up. Then, she proceeded to kneel to the ground and retrieve the object she’d dropped. It wasn’t long before she realized it wasn’t hers. 

“Hey!” She called to the person she’d passed, “I think you dropped this!

      delia’s business seems important, the kind of important that pauses for no one else, especially in new york. venice is convinced that things run differently in brooklyn. not entirely differently, but differently enough to make living amongst people that are not your own worthwhile. unlike delia, venice has no good reason for her sad girl vibes outside of the playlist in her ears, a chemical imbalance in her brain, and the general moodiness that shape - shifting on the moons terms could create. when her phone had fallen from her pocket, venice didn’t even notice the music stop, head tending to millions of different thoughts at once. the pause in sound was enough to make sure delia’s voice cut through the white noise, though. ‘  oh !  ’ venice exclaims quietly when she looks up. eyebrows furrow in a way that suggests she’d have been lost without the device. ‘  thank you so much for saying something. can i -- buy you a coffee or tea or -- i just, i’m trying to say thank you. but i said that already, didn’t i ? ’ a hand runs through blonde hair, pushing it to one side. she lets out a huff of air. ‘  can i repay you in any way ?  ’ venice offers.

[vitatm]

ofmckinney​:

location :   the streets of manhattan

featuring :   @duskstart​

“ EXCUSE ME. ”   eli seems to appear out of nowhere, a microphone in his hand that he shoves in their direction without a second thought. the way they sees it, if they want to ignore them, they’ll continue walking off anyway—new yorkers are polite like that.   “ mind if i ask you a few quick questions ?   i’m doing a survey on new bird epidemic in new york. ”

       with her people pleasing on the back burner like all good new yorkers, venice’s eyes follow the microphone as it makes its way into her bubble. it triggers her anxiety, wolf reflexes moving quickly, hitting the microphone from eli’s hand with more strength than intended. eyes widen, brows move upward, hand covers her mouth in genuine surprise. whatever new york like tendencies venice has, her empathy is too strong to allow for things like destruction of property toward a mostly innocent reporter ? ‘  sorry about that,  ’ venice begins honestly. once the honesty starts, it’s hard to stop. ‘  but i’d rather kill myself than talk about the bird epidemic. no offense.  ’

[vitatm]

    ‘  hey stranger,  ’ venice coos in the way that’s supposed to make someone feel like less of a stranger, though the sentiment falls short. they’re entering the riverdale diner late, knowing it would offer the wolf - only privacy she was craving. maybe hey beta would be a good try for next time, though the truth is venice isn’t sure what the protocol is given that she’s more of a lone wolf than pack participant. with the eclipse being around the corner, the bronx felt like the safest place for a wolf, despite the safety precautions they had taken in their own apartment for full moon events. ‘  uh,  fries. to start. please.  ’  //  @ofwhittaker​

[vitatm]

theminhtram​:

“I do agree that one bite never hurt anybody.” Min replied and held out the tray of cupcakes towards the other. She was excited to have someone else try her latest creation. While she thought it tasted good she did like to have other people’s opinions on what she had made as well. “Tell me what you think.” Minh added as she was hoping that Venice would be honest with her.

     the hopeful expression on minh’s face is contagious. venice finds herself hoping too. hoping that minh’s sweets blow away venice’s less - than - sweet taste buds, hoping it doesn’t cause her to bloat too obviously before her next show. as soon as venice bites down, eyes roll back in a sweet - like ecstasy that over takes her palette. ‘  mmm...  ’ venice is nodding with a full mouth when it keeps from being able to speak. instead, she offers minh a big thumbs up with a satisfied expression before unraveling the cupcake further before going in for another bite.

[sorenkingsley]

[fvlsewaves-deactivated20220913]

@vitatm

[vitatm]

poisonrowan​:

Location: The Flame Open to anyone

Rowan sighed. It was still hard sometimes to say no, and insist on it. It was a work in progress. “Look, I told you. I’m not doing that, alright?” They glanced over around the room, wondering where their coworker had gone, looking for an excuse to go. “Do you want a drink or can I serve someone else?”

@duskstart​

    eyeing the rude customer’s body language from across the room, venice decides to quietly insert themselves. they clear their throat upon arrival at the bar - top and lean against it with arms crossed. non chalant. ‘  if this prick is done, i’ll take a drink.  ’

[vitatm]

theminhtram​:

Open Starter: @duskstart​ Location: Anywhere that Minh could be baking honestly. Minh had spent all day preparing a batch of cupcakes that she’d made a new recipe for. They were maple cinnamon, and she was convinced they were going to be amazing. The smell was heavenly, and once they were finished she broke off a piece to try one and was very pleased. She turned to the person who had just come into the room and sent them a soft smile. “Do you want to try a cupcake?”  She asked as she felt she should share her creation. “I can tell you what’s in them if allergies are a problem.”

   they say you are what you eat, but venice thinks it should be you are what you make. mrs. lovett from sweeney todd was as rotten as those meat pies, just like minh is as sweet as their maple cinnamon cupcakes or at least as sweet as they smelled. ‘  no allergies,  ’ venice confirms. ‘  i usually have to be in the mood for dessert, but i guess one bite wouldn’t hurt, right ?  ’

[vitatm]

fvlsewaves​:

beck had been so busy working his side job in being a debt collector. busy trying to keep one foot out the door of this life. often he forgets who he was before he was turned all those years ago. in catching wind of venice living in witchville it caused him to go into what the others call 'caring mode', because between the vampires and the witches beck had no idea who he trusted the least. witches had a way of using wolves, spelling their fangs and taking advantage of their strength. seeing her pass by the cafe where he was stationed, he gets up and takes her by the arm and aside from the crowds. the smoke from his cigarette expelling out from his lips as he finally spoke, “what's this i hear of you living away from the bronx?”

@vitatm - closed !

   alertness isn’t venice’s specialty despite some other more anxious tendencies. she picks and chooses carefulness depending on whether or not it suits her that day. it’s why she doesn’t see beck until there is a firm grip around her arm. ‘  ow ?  ’ it is a question as much as a statement, and yet she follows his lead with no hesitation. once away from the crowd, she pulls her arm back and flaunts freedom by reaching up to wipe her brow. ‘  oh.  ’ that’s what this is about ? venice offers a barely - there shrug before making eye contact. ‘  i like brooklyn better.  ’

[madelynclinesource]

Madelyn Cline photographed by Bonnie Nichoalds (2021)

[shellyjohnson]

[vitatm]

ofwillxw​:

willow can practically feel the tension in the blonde’s shoulders, the way her eyes are a bit wider than normal, her voice carrying a soft weight of concern. she understands how hard an event like this can be, how you constantly have to look over your shoulder. it’s not for the weak minded or ill prepared and venice is neither of those things. “because, i had to look for my favorite girl.” she hums pointedly with a soft laugh as she wraps a delicate arm around her friend, willow’s nose wrinkling up with her smile. 

  ‘  oh please,  ’  venice drawls. ‘  i might be your favorite wolf in brooklyn but it’s because i’m the only wolf in brooklyn. give me a break.  ’ leaning closer as if to get a better view of the way willow’s nose crinkles with the sweet ring of laughter coming from her voice, venice says. ‘  you’re my favorite witch on this balcony,  ’ despite willow probably knowing full well that she’s venice’s favorite witch in general.

[vitatm]

huntressleilah​:

Leilah nodded at Venice’s words. On the plus side, it seemed that there would be no dramatics at this gala. At least not any that she had ran into, and that surprised the hunter. She fully expected something to happen–a fight or argument or something. But so far? It had been peaceful. Initially shrugging at the question, she turned to her notebook once more. “Just need a spot away from all the people. Crowds make me nervous.” It felt like there was no room to move or breathe.

   ‘  i know what you mean ...  ’ venice agrees, trailing off and pulling legs into her chest. they look up at leilah from their spot on the floor. ‘  well, no crowd back here. just me.  ’ venice clenches their jaw for a moment in that way they do before they offer someone something out of kindness even if they don’t want to follow through. ‘  do you want me to leave so you can have more space ?  ’

[vitatm]

theminhtram​:

Minh had mainly needed a break from everything. The amount of people around was a bit overwhelming especially because she didn’t know most of them. The amount of people she knew in the city basically extended to her coven and then people that she knew from work. She had never been much of a social butterfly. It was because of this fact that Minh hadn’t planned on coming to this until she’d basically been dragged.  She hadn’t meant to sneak up on the other person and she sent a weak smile. “I’m sorry.” She said automatically, as she was just used to being a quiet person that nobody really noticed.  Minh noticed what she was doing and knew that it was likely not something the council would approve of. Not that she really cared, as it wasn’t like she was hurting anyone.  “No thank you. I’ve never really done that before, and today probably isn’t the day to try.”

   venice does not drop minh’s eyes when she refuses, one way of showing minh no apoplogy is necessary for occupying the same space. ‘  why not tonight ?  ’  the blonde asks curiously. ‘  if i could go back and have my first joint over again, i’d say the back end of a ballroom would be kind of a cool place to do it.  ’

[vitatm]

fin-o​:

finley glanced back toward the main ballroom, surveying the faces he could see. a surprising amount of people looked to be enjoying themselves, but he knew better than most how deceiving looks could be. “it sure seems like it is,” he returned his eyes to them, “getting dressed up is one thing, but the mingling - the fake pleasantries - it’s a bunch of bullshit. i dont get the point.”

   it’s amusing to hear all of her own thoughts out loud in finley’s voice. venice nods a head in unison with finley’s bit. ‘  so what, you thought the fake pleasantries might be a bit better over here ?  ’ venice asks, amusement still fresh on her face, eyebrows raising.

[vitatm]

oftiago​:

tiago had found himself staying more in the shadows tonight. he hadn’t realized that someone else was with him until he heard the sudden sigh and instantly he got up from the ground, fixing his untied tie that he had loosened earlier. those things made him feel claustrophobic sometimes. he had stepped out to get a breath of fresh air. he blinks a couple times as foul words come from her mouth and the smell of the cigarette fills his lungs. “uh sorry,” he says scrunching his nose knowing that maybe he should stay more if he wanted to stay here. but it was tiago that was here first, not her. he shouldn’t even be thinking about that. “thanks, but no thanks.” he says giving her a sheepish smile as he leans against the pillar looking rather defeated and tired as he finally managed to fix his tie. “rough night?” he asks as he stares mindlessly out at the skyline through the window. sometimes he was surprised that he was still in this city even after all these years. the young man gives her a soft smile before holding out a hand for her to shake. “the name’s tiago, by the way.” 

    turns out tiago’s sheepish grin is contagious, even more easily so after a few hits of the joint in hand. ‘  more for me,  ’ venice muses, eyes falling to her feet before realizing that did not mean it was the end of their interaction. ‘  not rougher than any other night. i guess it’s a bit of a routine. i’m just usually at home in the comfort of my own home and about to pass out,  ’ they admits with a chuckle.

[vitatm]

huntressleilah​:

~

It wasn’t the first time Leilah had unintentionally scared someone–she was often told that she should wear a bell. Given this woman’s reaction, perhaps she should have considered incorporating one into this outfit. Her expression was apologetic as she stood a few feet away from the other, looking at the joint with only mild amusement. That was one way to make it through the night. Once it was offered, she shook her head, quickly writing down a response. “Just looking for a place where I can hear my own thoughts.” It was a monumental task, so she was thankful she found this little corner away from everyone. Well, almost everyone. But Leilah didn’t mind that there was someone else here. And she certainly wasn’t about to rat anyone out for blazing up. “Rough night?” She nods towards the joint with a grin.

   ‘  i’m happy to sit here quietly if you need to share the silence,  ’ venice offers, but when leilah strikes up a conversation, they figure that maybe the quietness of one voice versus many in the gala ballroom was already quiet enough. eyeing the joint in hand, venice says, ‘  could be rougher.  ’ looking up at leilah, venice has a brief moment of curiosity, was their apologetic look and undeterred kindness just a rouse ?  venice’s pack leader calling them out for not being more careful was still lingering in the back of their mind. ‘  what about you ? what is it that you needed a quiet spot to, uh, think about ?  ’