[ CLOSED ] shreya howe, @chappcdlips
[ LOCATION ] red creek hospital
"i was starting to think i wouldn't be seeing you at all this week." as if you could go more than a couple days without seeing every single person in this goddamn town, although the boogeyman is definitely trying to prove this long-standing theory wrong. disappear one, kill another. maybe she should care, but she can't be mad about the sudden influx of patients in the past couple weeks. "glad you could make it." a smile to kick away the slightly morbid turn her thoughts were taking as she gestures for shreya to take a seat across from her. there's a beat of silence that jaya quickly cuts in to before it kills the entire session. "do you want to discuss current events, or would you rather start elsewhere?"
"so, what do you think the chances that book club is going to be put on hold for the time being?" savannah questioned jaya, sitting across from her at early-rise. today was one of her days off and she thought a half decent distraction could take on the form of good company, coffee, and her latest read. she wouldn't be shocked if local clubs or extra curricular activities were paused, but selfishly, sav hoped the red-creek book club would go on as normal. it was a group of people that she'd learn to enjoy spending time with bi-monthly, their next meeting quickly approaching. "i'm getting to a really good part in the book and i don't want to spoil anything if i'm ahead of you," she confessed, reaching to take a sip from her iced chai tea latte.
"oh, i won't let that happen. don't worry." jaya tears off a chunk of her croissant, delighting in the flakiness as her thumb nail pinches into the pastry. her own paperback, annotated and dog-eared to all hell, is tucked into her tote. she's unsurprised that their little book club has been shrinking in the past months, members dropping like flies. out of respect, say some, but jaya can read the fear on their faces. as if being outside in any capacity is a death sentence or worse now. she cups her coffee mug and sips slowly from it. "we can continue on our own if we need to, yeah? did you get to the plot twist? god, i was tempted to finish the entire thing in one night after i hit that part."
a shiver ran up his spine at the sound of his voice . of course he remembered him . there was no need for him in their little town . the police didn't need help from a private investigator . rather than sneer , he wore his biggest and brightest smile like a pair of pants that were a little too long and a little too loose . kaz reached out and shook his hand , firm and short before he let go and crossed his arms across his chest . "zakir , it's great to see you again . " hollow words . "i don't know about that . i don't think there is anything you can do to help me . " a small laugh shook his shoulders at the idea . " you can help by leaving this to the professionals . yeah , sound good ? " suggested like he was doing zakir a favor .
if zakir takes any joy or pride in the deputy's hollow reaction, they do their best to not show it on their face. they slip their hands into their pockets ducking their chin behind the raised collar of their jacket against the sharp wind. jersey winters weren't great, but the midwest... red creek is something else. small and quaint and quiet except for when it's not. "the professionals?" they grin they sport can cut through paper. "is that what you call your little squad of people that haven't made even a dent in september's big case? there's kids in this town forming scooby-doo gangs that have more leads." their voice lowers in a false show of camaraderie. "me, personally, i'd accept any little bit of help i could get if i was in your shoes."
[ CLOSED ] bennett combe, @tresp4ssing
[ LOCATION ] red creek hospital
she's a little surprised that he came to this appointment, but she won't voice that thought. jaya waits a beat for the electric kettle to go off and pours hot water over the tea bag in her mug. "any for you?" a hollow offer as she's already pouring another mug. she rests both on the little table separating patient from doctor and settles into the armchair. "been a day, hasn't it?" it's as lighthearted as she can bear to make it — small talk and a warm drink to help ease things open for the hour that they'll be here. "tell me what you've been up to since our last session. anything—" interesting, she wants to say, though it seems indelicate considering current events "—that you would like to share about your job or relationship?"
there are very few ways to approach someone that's been acting suspiciously without acting suspiciously yourself. zakir has very little time to research such methods, so when he walks up to his roommate at their stand in the market, it's less tactful than he'd like it to be. every inconspicuous bone in his body evaporates in an instant. he doesn't even like fish — there's absolutely no reason, real or make-believe, for him to be here. "busy day?" nice. real fucking nice. "feels like i never see you around anymore. especially lately." he pours a touch of concern into his voice. "is it the... you know? are you doing alright?"
"deputy." despite their best efforts otherwise, zakir's toes the line of being patronizing, the single word dripping enough condescension to fill a river with it. they're taking a risk cornering kazimir just outside the department when he's leaving for what must be very important and official business. "you remember me, yeah? zakir. private investigator." they extend a hand to him in a show of pleasantry. "i'll keep this short for both our sakes. get me clearance into the crime scene." a demand, not a request. no point beating around the bush and making this more difficult than it has to be. "you help me, i help you."
✱ 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂 : private , jaya ( @worstpart )
✱ 𝚂𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 : red creek hospital
𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙾𝙵𝙵𝙸𝙲𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝚃𝙾𝙾 𝙽𝙴𝙰𝚃 𝙵𝙾𝚁 his liking. smelled too clinical , even with the faint trace of something flowery wafting through the air. it was the kind of space that screamed ' put your walls down ! ' but cooper wasn't the one for subliminal messages. he filled the chair like it offended him , sprawled out languidly but tense. the cigar between his fingers burned slowly , its smoke curling upward like an uninvited guest. the ember briefly illuminated his face , casting sharp shadows across his angular features. " doctor kasturi , yeah ? " he asked , tone gruff , the lilt in his voice softened only by the faintest trace of amusement. “ i know , i know — smokin’s bad for you. but i’m not really one for the mindfulness breathin’ exercises , doc. been doin’ alright without ‘em so far. ”
𝙲𝙾𝙾𝙿𝙴𝚁 𝙴𝚇𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙴𝙳 𝙰 𝙿𝙻𝚄𝙼𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙼𝙾𝙺𝙴 , letting it drift lazily toward the ceiling as he leaned back , the picture of defiance disguised as casual indifference. " not sure what you’re hopin’ to get outta me , but let’s save you the trouble, yeah ? i don’t need this. i’ve done my bit , captain riley and all that , led the men , got ‘em back alive — most of ‘em , anyway. whatever mess is rattling around up here " — he tapped the side of his head with a calloused finger — " it stays there. doesn't spill out , doesn’t bother anyone. "
" 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝚆𝙰𝙽𝙽𝙰 𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙿 𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙾𝙽𝙴? 𝙶𝙾 𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙳 kirby sloane’s family. they’re the ones that’ll need someone to talk them off the ledge , not me. whole bloody town’s spinning its head about her. tragic , sure … but that’s the kind of mess you should be untanglin’. me ? i’m just here because some well - meaning busybody thought i’d unravel without a check-in. " his eyes finally met hers , sharp and appraising. " but you’re the expert … so , what’s the diagnosis , doc ? how broken am i ? " his smirk barely tugged at the corners of his mouth , a shield of sarcasm that barely concealed the flicker of something heavier underneath.
she doesn't interrupt him, lets him go on and on wherever his mind leads him. notes things down when appropriate, nods when appropriate, watches the shift in his demeanor when appropriate. it's almost a game — seeing the way that he jumps from topic to topic and so cleverly deflects the conversation away from himself and onto current happenings. she's well aware of the murder, the missing persons, that which lurks in the dark. her eyes trace the smoke as it curls menacingly towards the ceiling. there is no moral high ground for her to stand on here, not when she has a pack of cigarettes tucked into her purse. "i'm not that kind of doctor." oh, fucking great. she sounds like she's trying to be a cool doctor. "whether you smoke or not is none of my business unless you would like to share about why it should be, but i should remind you that we are technically on hospital grounds. we have sick people here, mr. riley." a placating smile as she clicks her pen and tucks it between the pages of her notebook.
"would you like to discuss why you are acting like this is some sort of interrogation?" the mess stays there, doesn't spill out, doesn't bother anyone, but it seems like it must have bothered him or someone else enough for him to end up here. "i'm not here to get anything out of you. you don't have to think of me as a friend or an enemy. i'm here to listen. and if you wish for a diagnosis, we can work towards that. it'll take more than one session and it will take a bit more cooperation on your part."
she sits back, sinking further into her baby blue armchair, a burst of color in an otherwise sterile room. jaya's head tilts, one leg crossed over the other, foot bouncing to an unheard rhythm. he brings up a mourning family in order to—to what? distract? deflect? siphon information from her? answers in order: (1) maybe, (2) most likely, (3) a laughable assumption, but she can't put anything past anyone. "do you think you're broken? you could've brushed that well-meaning busybody off and continued on with your life. you didn't."
[ I HAD TWO LONGINGS AND ONE WAS FIGHTING THE OTHER. I WANTED TO BE LOVED AND I WANTED TO BE ALWAYS ALONE. ]
( assad zaman . agender . they / he ) . ⸻ zakir hassan , a thirty-three year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for less than one year . the harbinger is known for being pragmatic and scheming and is often associated with mugs of coffee in various stages of finished covering half a desk , eerie fog obfuscating the ground in the morning , the shift of temperature as a storm approaches . in a small town where they work as a private investigator word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
𝟶𝟶𝟷. 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙲𝚂 …
⋯⋯⋯ GENERAL DETAILS.
FULL NAME: zakir hassan.
NICKNAME(S): z.
AGE: thirty-three.
DATE OF BIRTH: novemeber 3.
PLACE OF BIRTH: new jersey.
CURRENT LOCATION: red creek, michigan.
GENDER: agender.
PRONOUNS: they/he.
ORIENTATION: bisexual.
OCCUPATION: private investigator.
⋯⋯⋯ PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, ETC.
HEIGHT: 5'10.
TATTOOS: none.
PIERCINGS: none.
CLOTHING STYLE: cardigans, button downs with the buttons in the wrong holes, neutral colors.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: always has a coffee on him.
⋯⋯⋯ HEALTH.
ALLERGIES: peanuts.
SLEEPING HABITS: so bad it's not even funny. can't remember the last time he got a full night's sleep.
EATING HABITS: empty ass fridge... takeout and cold pizza and whatever pastry is in the window when he gets his coffee.
SOCIABILITY: 3/10, but can fake it when he needs to appear more friendly.
DRINKING / SMOKING / DRUGS: yes / no / no.
⋯⋯⋯ PERSONALITY.
POSITIVE TRAITS: pragmatic, analytical, thoughtful, persistent.
NEGATIVE TRAITS: scheming, introverted, melancholic, cynical, nosy, unlucky.
LIKES: sweet coffee, collecting trinkets, physical copies of everything.
DISLIKES: being in a car when he's not the driver, loud noises, fire.
FEARS: being given a reason to leave behind another town.
HABITS: clicking pens, tapping foot, bouncing leg, cracking knuckles, multitasking everything.
HOBBIES: nothing. he works and sleeps and drinks coffee thats it..
𝟶𝟶𝟸. 𝙱𝙸𝙾𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝚈 / 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙾𝙽𝚂 …
second oldest of four children, always felt some sort of responsibility for all of them. family dynamic was pretty chill otherwise -- everyone got along well and was overall pretty supportive of eachother.
moved around a lot as a child and got used to it enough that he continued the habit as an adult
never quite fit in as a kid and could never pinpoint why? he was just unlucky in every sense of the word. injured often, clumsy, misses the bus and it rains, etc. generally bad things just seem to happen around him.
trigger warning: death, familial death. around when he was applying for law school, his older sibling died.
barely finished up undergrad & moved back in with his family to take care of his parents and younger siblings
started moving around again because he felt like his 'unluckiness' was acting up (not a thing. hes just restless)
bounced around the country in short stints as a private investigator. why? he's nosy. what else. it's fun and sometimes tedious but never boring.
ended up in red creek about less than a year ago after [INFORMATION REDACTED]. his apartment also functions as an official office which is just fine considering he wouldn't be making it home to sleep if he had a proper office.
since daniela's been missing, he's been getting veryyyy nosy into the business of everyone trying to figure out what happened and why. blames himself a little / considers himself a harbinger as something bad always seems to happen when he enters a town. has zero tact about getting information out of people but god he's going to try.
[ DO I EVEN EXIST? IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE MASKS I WEAR, IS THERE ONLY BLANK SPACE UNDERNEATH? ]
( sobhita dhulipala . cis woman . she / her ) . ⸻ jaya kasturi , a thirty year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for her whole life . the backstabber is known for being insightful and venal and is often associated with a pen spinning between fingers , book pages creased from being dogeared over and over , dust motes visible when the sun shines through the room . in a small town where they work as a therapist at red creek hospital word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
𝟶𝟶𝟷. 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙲𝚂 …
⋯⋯⋯ GENERAL DETAILS.
FULL NAME: jaya kasturi.
NICKNAME(S): none.
AGE: thirty.
DATE OF BIRTH: january 8.
PLACE OF BIRTH: red creek, michigan.
CURRENT LOCATION: red creek, michigan.
GENDER: cis woman.
PRONOUNS: she/her.
ORIENTATION: bisexual.
OCCUPATION: therapist at bearhold community hospital.
⋯⋯⋯ PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, ETC.
HEIGHT: 5'9.
TATTOOS: marigolds on her inner wrist and a beetle on her calf.
PIERCINGS: one in each ear and a nostril piercing.
CLOTHING STYLE: professional, clean, sophisticated.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: is almost always seen wearing jhumkas.
⋯⋯⋯ HEALTH.
ALLERGIES: none.
SLEEPING HABITS: very well. generally doesn't dream unless she wants to.
EATING HABITS: prefers making her own food. doesn't really like cooking for other people though.
SOCIABILITY: 7/10. somewhat sociable. easy when it's for her job or to get information when she wants it.
DRINKING / SMOKING / DRUGS: yes / yes / no.
⋯⋯⋯ PERSONALITY.
POSITIVE TRAITS: compassionate, insightful, perceptive, insightful.
NEGATIVE TRAITS: venal, self-serving, manipulative, secretive, deceitful.
LIKES: a glass of wine before bed with a bad romance novel, debating (arguing), farmer's markets.
DISLIKES: texts, emails, bugs.
FEARS: letting herself down.
HABITS: spinning a pen between her fingers, 'hmmm's, scribbling in the corners of notebook pages.
HOBBIES: wine and a bad romance book, karaoke, cooking.
𝟶𝟶𝟸. 𝙱𝙸𝙾𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝚈 / 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙾𝙽𝚂 …
truncated backstory pls bear with me...
jaya was her parents' second born child. her older brother by two years, kiran, has always been a light to their parents. he's won every ribbon, certificate, trophy, and accolade to exist, including the hearts of their parents. is she bitter? maybe. move along... she's an adult she definitely doesn't look to her parents for validation at her big age.
everything was a competition with him, even if neither of them wanted it to be, it always ended in one. being only 5 years old during the 1999 murders, she was always fed nightmares by kiran about how she'd be next. basic #sibling stuff really. if you do my chores then he won't get you etc etc etc.
yeah she ended up with a bit of a Complex about it. better go get a bachelors and masters degree in psychology to unpack all that. ended up going to a local college for undergrad and got a much needed break from red creek through doing her masters in psychology at the university of chicago.
while she wanted to get the hell out of red creek from the start, she ended up right back when she started. why? who knows. for all she hates red creek, either the town has its claws in her, or she has hers in it. either way, she can't leave even if she wants to. and god does she want to.
in the past few years, kiran gave their parents grandkids and trips back to visit extended family in andra pradesh, while jaya delivered to them news of a failed engagement. womp womp
managed to move into a house on the farthest side of town she can get from her family, even though it means she's far from the hospital as well.
was somewhat close to daniela and was quite distraught when she heard the news about her being missing + the questioning that followed. has been dealing with it pretty poorly. a little on edge but has been using that to focus more on her patients.
is jaya the world's most ethical therapist? definitely not. however, consider this: who cares, she's good at it and she's hot so..
will fight and scream and claw and backstab and manipulate and be terrible to get what she wants.
discoholicmusic
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