festivus | per, els, mal & ev
Malachi plucked a cigarette from the pack and smirked, nudging his shoulder against hers. “I’m impressed, Evan. That’s really sweet of you, looking out for the uh, flightier members of the coven.” Zoe and Madison certainly hadn’t been particularly nice to him upon his arrival; Zoe completely avoided him as if she might burst into flames if he spoke to her, and Madison, irked by the fact that he didn’t fall at her heels and worship her the second they met, made him the butt of her bitchy, inappropriate jokes. “I have a feeling something bad might happen tonight too. That’s why I followed you. I thought you might need some—” he almost said protection, but Evan would punch him if he alluded to her being weak and in need of male assistance; he cleared his throat “—help.” Malachi narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze to the frathouse, scrutinizing the raucous clumps of undergrads clogging the porch and doorway. He knew Zoe and Madison were in there somewhere, could almost feel their presences passing through the crowds, expertly blending in with the shiny happy masses. As he brought the cigarette to his lips, a blast of energy surged through his brain. His eyes clamped shut, his knees bending involuntarily. White sparks danced across the back of his eyelids, and he heard several voices, muffled, frantic whispers, mostly male. Someone whimpered, a weak, high-pitched tone that almost sounded familiar. He was vaguely aware that Evan was still beside him, possibly speaking to him, but he couldn’t force his eyes to seek her out. He wanted to tell her what he was saying, that something bad was occurring right now, but his lips only formed one word: “Madison.”
"Don't tease me." It was a lighthearted command, but a command nonetheless, Malachi could make fun of the other girl's as much as he wanted, but she drew the line when her ability of intuition was involved. "They're as much my friends as they are yours." The frizzy haired brunette said pointedly with a sharp, jeer of her tiny chin and a drunken tilt of her now empty plastic glass; the last remnants of the vodka it used to contain now evaporating from the plush pout of her reddening mouth. "I didn't need any help, besides.." Evan faltered, torn between having to admit she might have been wrong and blatantly lying to save face; she didn't want to have to explain that she'd possibly gotten things backwards again, especially when half or her reasoning involved a golden frat boy who'd been inexplicably close to being invited back to her room. However, she really didn't want to lie to her best friend on a night like this one either, just on the off chance that she still might be right and something terrible took place between them, so she surrendered to her silence and dutifully glanced at him instead. What she expected was some kind of knowing, reassuring gaze typical of Malachi, but what she found was a boy wavering unsteadily with his eyes clamped shut like he was having some manner of mental episode and just as her mouth parted to inquire about his condition, he spoke. Startling a little, Evan grabbed the railing she was perched upon and then hopped down, clutching the still swaying boy with the last of her calm composure. "Malachi. Snap out of it. Now we have to find Madison and I'm a little drunk. I need you to work with me here." She announced directly in a voice that was a little too rigid and firm to be her own, the minor reflection of one Cordelia Foxx. "Where is Elias? I know he's here, I can feel his cryptkeeper vibes.." The girl questioned more of herself than of her dazed companion.
![sweet disposition [the temper trap cover]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm2x8bTUqs1qze2ad_1306877662_cover.jpg)
