harmony

[xxshambles]

NAME — Shambles FULL NAME — Harmony Jordan FACECLAIM — Samantha Logan GENDER & PRONOUNS — cis woman, she/her AGE — 27 BIRTHDAY — February 15, 1997 OCCUPATION — Waitress at La Galleria/Aspiring Photographer RESIDENCE — {TBD} LENGTH OF TIME IN WILLOW PARK — All her life

BIOGRAPHY | STATISTICS

religious trauma tw

this is harmony, but literally no one calls her that anymore. she goes by shambles, on account of an insanely controversial speech she gave at a charity gala held by her wealthy parents

she was a good little church girl growing up, and really wanted to do the right thing. unfortunately, she had no idea what the right thing was, so she just went along with what her parents said it was

she was pretty indoctrinated into the church and believed it was the right thing to do to get married to the first boy she ever crushed on. they were both 18 and had no idea wtf they were doing

she began sneaking out at night to head to {TBD} and discovered that the people there were not actually demons, like her parents had said. they were good people (most of them), and they were free

there was a slow sanding away at her shiny naive purity and nobody noticed it happening until The Speech.

the chicago tribune called the whole event a shambles, and that became her nickname almost immediately. even if your character wasn't there for it (it was about five years ago now) they'll still call her that. it's how she introduces herself

her parents cut her off financially and in every other way, and her husband got the hell out of there too, not wanting his reputation dragged down with hers

she lives in {TBD} and works at {restaurant} and wants to be a photographer

she still has hints of the sweet naivety she's always had, but it's got a patina of disillusionment on it now

wanted connections:

people who knew her/her family when she was a Good Girl

people who know her ex husband [he'll be a wc of course]

people who saw The Speech

people who know nothing about who she used to be

friends, enemies, lovers, etc!!!

[mournfulroses]

Anaïs Nin, from a diary entry featured in The Diary of Anaïs Nin Volume 1 1931-1934

[chloemarin-x]

Lola laughed at the other woman sitting in front of her, having actually come to like her during some of their time mingling in auditions. She was a little clumsy, but when she was front and center, she seemed to keep herself poised. Lola liked it, hoping that she would make the cut. "I think he truly calls me that because one year I dressed up as a bunny for Halloween...a sexy bunny of course, and the sight has never left his mind." Granted she had also made out with him then while drunk, so that only further aided in whatever fantasy he had playing in his mind.

The petite woman took a hefty bite from her sandwich and thought over the question. "I think," she paused to finish chewing and swallowing. "I wanna say maybe in like two days? But it might be the one where the boss himself shows up for it." The very, very attractive boss she wanted to add but saved that for her own brain. "We can practice whenever you want! I'm a little bit of cheater really, have a few years of dancing under my belt."

[xxshambles]

"Ooh, Lola Bunny is on my Hear Me Out list, so any combination of Lola and bunnies is a win for me," she laughed. "The guy's got good taste, I'll give him that. In women and sandwiches."

"Ooh, I saw the boss at my audition. He asked me if I was there to deliver a pizza. I didn't get the memo about the audition dress code, I guess. I just can't help standing out everywhere I go," she joked.

"Me too! Well, only a little. I did ballet and gymnastics until I was 14 and then I switched to cheer. Haven't taken any classes or anything in years, though, so I'm probably a little rusty."

[sadiechen-deactivated20241210]

Sadie raises an eyebrow, looking Shambles up and down with exaggerated skepticism. "Okay, fine! I’ll let you see it, but only because I’m a generous person. And just so you know, it’s not just about the camera, it’s about the art. You have to feel the shot, like, connect with the energy of the moment. Which I know sounds obnoxious, but trust me—I have the skills to back it up." Sadie had gone thrifting and to some yard sales on the ritzier side of town where she was able to pick up three cameras she regularly used through her rotation. Today she had her Sony A7R V camera and had found this one to be quite spectacular.

Flipping the camera around like it's some kind of holy relic so Shambles could see, she nodded in agreement. "I do like this one, although I got it for a major discount." Free. She was dumbfounded how they could dispose of a camera that expensive after using it once. "And don’t worry, I won’t make you look 'derpy' in the photo. I’m a professional, not a monster. I’m just going to catch you in your most... ‘authentic’ form. So, you know, prepare to be immortalized as a vibe."

[xxshambles]

Shambles laughed and rolled her eyes. "Sadie, I've been doing photography for years, I know. Just because I use my phone doesn't make me less of an artist. Although I have been dying for a real camera. I keep trying to save up, but you know... I guess food and rent are more important," she smiled.

She looked at the camera like it was made of gold. Which it might as well be - if this was the one she thought it was, it was worth four months of Shambles' rent. She wanted desperately to hold it, but didn't trust herself at all with something that expensive. It was weird to think that there was a time she would have bought something like that without even blinking, and now it was so far out of reach.

"Well, thank you for immortalizing my vibe," she said. "Hey, if I get this job dancing at the Harlem Street Cafe will you take pictures? I feel like that's also a vibe that needs to be immortalized."

[lovesickwings]

does no one want a real goofball anymore. what happened to goofball love

[nathancrvne]

Nathan was starting to regret making the decision to stay for auditions. One would think that it would be entertaining watching a slew of performances by people whose job it was to be entertaining, and yet... His desire to retain a firm grip on the helm at lounge rarely wavered, but in the face of such incredible boredom he found himself, for the first time in a long time, wishing to be literally anywhere else. They were all the same. Same attitudes, same outfits, same dances, same hair. Perfect for a coordinated lineup and outstanding at driving Nate up the wall.

When he returned from a much needed cigarette break (taken mostly to escape the droning voices of the so-called ‘talent scouts’ that were supposed to be helping him), it was to find what at first appeared to be a lost stoner lurking in the lounge.

So far, it was the most interesting thing that'd happened all day.

“Hold on a moment, Hal.” Hal shut up, looking a little indignant. He ought to fire him later, really. The man wasn't good for much other than getting on his nerves. Nate ignored him and gave the girl a once over, raising his eyebrows. Amusement began to creep in. “Are you here to audition or deliver a pizza?”

➥ tagging @xxshambles

[xxshambles]

Yeah, Hal. Of course this guy's name was Hal. He looked like such a Hal. A bulldog of a man.

She smirked a little at Hal's indignation, but the smirk fell slightly when she was accused of being a pizza delivery girl. She looked at this man a bit closer, and recognized him. She'd googled the hell out of this place before coming - dancing in a place like this was truly her dream job - so she knew from the impossibly blue eyes that he was the owner. That didn't mean she couldn't stand up to him a little.

"What I'm here to deliver, Mr. Crane, is the best performance you'll see all day. I promise I don't need to be dolled up to be a good dancer, and if you need proof that I'm pretty enough to captivate your clientele, I think you can just use your eyes," she smirked. "If, after I dance, you think I've wasted your time, I'll bring you a pizza. Promise."

[chloemarin-x]

who: Lola & anyone where: The Sandwich Establishment

"Look what the cat dragged in!" she could hear across the room as Lola's body made its way past the door's threshold. A bright smile warmed her features as she made eye contact with the owner and ahs emade her way to the counter to order. It was decently busy today, though she could see most were coming and going rather than taking a seat and enjoying their food where it was made.

Her long acrylic nails tapped against the glass as she feigned indecisiveness before a low chuckle came from the man behind the glass. "Same as always, Lola B?" she looked up at him and nodded, watching as he assembled what had been her same order for the last two years the place had been in business—a chopped chicken Caesar salad on Italian bread, with extra dressing on the side.

Brown eyes followed him as he went down the line before meeting him at the end to pay, pulling a twenty-dollar bill from her back pocket and handing it over to him. He slid her sandwich to her in a to-go box, knowing she was sitting in like normal, before sliding the change left to her. "Gracias amor," rolled off her tongue as she waved to him and sat down at a nearby table.

Opening her box and getting ready to dig in, she noticed someone else looking around for a place to sit. "You can sit here if you want." she offered the chair in front of her.

[xxshambles]

"Ooh, thank you, pretty girl!" Shambles beamed, before sliding into the seat across from Lola. Immediately, her elbows were on the table as she dug into the fries that came with her sandwich. She could only be graceful for so many hours a day. "I see you're a regular here, Lola B," she smirked. "Think you can get me a discount next time?"

She was mostly joking. She was doing okay with her one-and-a-half jobs, and if she got the spot as a dancer at Harlem Street, she might even be able to afford to eat out more than once a month! Luxury. "When do you think the next round of auditions is? I'm so sure you'll get a spot, you're incredible. Do you think we could practice together sometime soon?"

[jeanieinabxttle]

For one fleeting second Jeanie forgot what was troubling her and let out a snort of laughter. A business opportunity. Of course. This was a perfect example of why Shambles was the best distraction on offer. She put her finger up in a halting motion. “There's just one problem with that plan... we're not dressed like shot girls.” Well, actually Shambles wasn't far off, but Jeanie thought people might raise an eyebrow or two at Shrek's Fairy Godmother trying to serve them. Maybe it was a warning sign that things were about to get messy, but... well, that was what she'd wanted, wasn't it? Messy would definitely get her mind off everything else. And at least if they got caught they'd have yet another story to tell at parties. “I think I need to ditch the wig. And maybe the glasses.” The absinthe burned when she took it back for her own gulp, but she swallowed it down with determination.

[xxshambles]

"We're shot girls who are dressed up for Halloween. That's totally a thing. This won't even be a problem," Shambles said, entirely too confidently. Maybe sober, she would have remembered that that's the kind of thing she always says right before things become... well, a shambles. But right now, she was entirely certain that everything would be perfect.

She giggled when Jeanie's nose scrunched from the admittedly poison-like taste of the liquor. "The glasses are kind of hot, keep 'em. But hold on..." she said, before adjusting her friend's dress to show more boob. "There we go, that'll do it," she beamed. "The wig... yeah, no, you're right. How's your hair looking underneath that thing?" she asked, before taking another sip of the herby poison.

[fridaynightmuses]

"I don't know if that's a word I'd use for it." she let out a frustrated sigh, not necessarily at the other. Just the type of day she was having. Sylvia often tried her best to be in a pleasant mood and treat people with the kindness they deserved. But something about being home....Her mother had a quite the expertise in pushing her buttons. "Just one of those days, what can I say?" she shrugged slightly and stayed eyeing the other for a good second. "...You do know they throw all kinds of shit in there, right? Did you lose your sense your smell before you dived in?"

[xxshambles]

"Believe it or not, I am also having one of those days. Although it was going pretty well before the dumpster happened..." Shambles said, looking disdainfully at her surroundings.

"I did not dive into the dumpster, I fell. Very gracefully, but still. This was not intentional, although I can't blame you for thinking it might be. I do have a tendency to get myself into situations like this," she smirked. "Which is why you should hang out with me more, to be honest."

[skatevibetm]

jung hoyeon,, ( more )

[alecflynnarchive]

"Preferably not the ninth circle of my asshole, Shams!" Alec complained, though it was all lighthearted. Alec had forced himself into far worse situations and frankly, he enjoyed the attention he was getting too much to truly complain about it.

Alec's eyes narrowed in on Shambles as she messed with the veil on his head, trusting her to polish him up just right. "I'm going to ignore the fact that you just insinuated that I'm not always hot." But a smirk spread over his face anyway, resisting the urge to look around and meet the eyes he could feel on his back. "Think I should make my cheeks clap and really give them something to look at?"

[xxshambles]

"You are always hot," she smirked. She knew she was probably looking at him a little too fondly, and staring for a little too long, and playing with his hair long after the veil had been fixed, but Shambles was intoxicated enough that the idea just made her giggle. Alec was gorgeous, everyone knew that, and if the chemicals in her system were reminding her of it, it wasn't her fault.

"You could. I bet they'd flock over like seagulls to french fries," she laughed. "Which one would you say is the hottest? I would say the redhead, but you know I'm into those."

[jeanieinabxttle]

Sometimes, Jeanie thought, it was a wonder that her some of her friends hadn't ended up in prison. A miracle really. But that was exactly what made them perfect for this type of situation. "You're the best," she hissed after her, grateful for the immediacy with which she'd accepted the request. Risk was a perfect distraction. She kept a dutiful eye on the bar staff as Shambles worked her magic, grateful for the clamour of people around them, and only relented when they were finally out of sight so she could take in what had been stolen. The glass was cold in her hand and the vivid green liquid sloshing inside unmistakable.

"Shambles." It came out half groan and half laugh. "Absinthe, you grabbed a whole bottle of absinthe. Oh my God." Had she wanted to drown her sorrows? Absolutely. Was this the way to do it? Hm. Outlook not so good. This was a disaster waiting to happen. It wouldn't be bad for shots, but she was alarmed by the sheer quantity she was holding. It wasn't like they'd be returning it after they were done.

➥ tagging @xxshambles

[xxshambles]

"Absinthe?!" Shambles squealed, squinting at the bottle in the strobe-lit darkness. It was insane to her that she hadn't seen the blinding shade of green before now, but she'd just grabbed whatever looked fullest and ran. Now that she knew what it was, she realized it was probably the fullest for a reason.

"Okay, but you have to think of this like a business opportunity, Jeanie Baby," she beamed, swaying slightly in her intoxicated state. "We drink as much as we can, and then we sell shots of the rest. We're totally cute enough to be Shot Girls, right? We make bank and spend it on a giant pizza just for the two of us. What could go wrong?" she asked, before grabbing the bottle and taking what was probably much too large of a drink.

[sadiechen-deactivated20241210]

Who: Anyone! (@bluestarters)

Where: Anywhere around Blue Harbor

Sadie wandered down the main street of Blue Harbor, her camera hanging loosely around her neck as she snapped photos of the little things that caught her eye—vibrant flower pots outside the bakery, the way the sunlight hit the water down by the pier, the lazy way a dog napped on the sidewalk in front of the bookstore. She had been in a bit of a creative slump lately, but today felt different. She'd gotten this idea to document the town. A sort of visual love letter to Blue Harbor.

She stopped for a moment, camera raised, and captured someone strolling past. Lowering the camera, Sadie smiled and jogged over. "Hey, sorry to interrupt," she said, her voice warm, "but I just took a photo of you for a project I’m working on. It's a 'day-in-the-life' of the town kinda thing, just capturing random moments. Is it okay if I use the photo?"

[xxshambles]

You had to be careful about this part of main street. One of the shops was owned by the world's loudest Karen (Shambles was certain that if there was a contest for such things, this lady would win by a landslide) who would come out and screech at you for skateboarding too close to the front door. One of these days the piercing screech was going to shatter all the shop windows at once, and Shambles would absolutely be blamed for that.

So she dipped and flipped and skirted around the specific shop before hopping back up onto the sidewalk, and then she was stopped. She froze for a moment, half-expecting a window-shattering screech, but it was just a pretty girl with a camera.

"Oh my goodness, hey Sadie! Can I see your camera?" Shambles asked, picking up her skateboard and walking over. "Sorry, is that a weird question? I've been saving up for a camera. Do you like this one? Am I rambling? Oh, and yes you can use the photo. So long as I don't look completely derpy in it."

[tunisian]

the holy trinity: the father (fuck it we ball) the son (it is what it is) the holy spirit (to be cringe is to be free)

[xxshambles]

who: @nathancrvne where: harlem st. cafe what: audition attempt

The afternoon daylight snuffed out like a candle as the door closed behind her. Warm and dark, the lounge smelled of smoke and perfume, and a dozen other women were already here who fit the scene's composition much better than she did. They all seemed to be the right kind of elegant, all jewels and velvet and perfectly curled hair, whereas Shambles had shambled in in sweatpants and a backwards cap with her skateboard under her arm. She was used to standing out, but just now she thought maybe her old self would have fit in better here. A man in a suit came over and asked her name, and she hesitated. Harmony was probably the correct answer, but it always felt like a lie, now. She'd left Harmony behind when she'd left home. But if she told this man (who was already looking at her like she was shit he'd just stepped in) the name she went by now, would he turn her away? "Shambles," she answered. "How fitting," he said, rolling his eyes. "We don't currently have any roles available that are behind-the-scenes enough for you. Perhaps in the spring." He pointed her to the door, and she sighed. She should have said Harmony.

[clementinebriar]

Almost time. She says it like it’s the appropriate answer to Clementine’s question — though that might just be on Clem, for expecting anything different. She mumbles something incoherent, probably a swear word or two about the sharpness of the breeze against her skin, but for the most part stays quiet as Shambles leads her through the clearing. Eventually, they reach a log, and Shambles jumps over it like she’s done it a hundred times before — Clementine, eyeing it suspiciously, opts for dragging her feet around it, ending up seated beside Shambles at the end of the short trek, anyway.

Clem’s eyes are still adjusting to being fully awake when she feels Shambles’s arm snake around her. She leans instinctively into the touch, chasing both the physical and metaphorical warmth it provides, and she hums dismissively at her friend’s gratitude. “I’m not still entirely sure I did come with you,” she jokes through a tired mutter. “I don’t dream,” Clem lies, because it’s easier to say that than to say most of my dreams are nightmares. Shambles’ll probably want to unpack that, or something, and it’s — well, it’s certainly an hour in the morning, anyway, one she doesn’t necessarily feel warrants talk of all that’s wrong with her.

She glances over and meets Shambles’s gaze with a small smile. “You still haven’t told me why we’re out here,” she points out. Or maybe she has, but Clementine hasn’t been entirely present this whole time. She rests her chin on her friend’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “You finally got the alien fuckers to come take me home? ‘Cause I’m ready to get the fuck out of here,” she jokes through the annoying flutter of her heart, skipping beats like an overplayed record. The proximity to Shambles always feels like a double-edged sword — intoxicating in a way even littering the Blue Harbor streets with graffiti art could never be, but terrifying in a way that feels like standing on the edge of something too deep to see the bottom of.

[xxshambles]

She felt Tiny's chin on her shoulder, and wanted to look over. The instinct was to kiss her friend's cheek, and pull her in closer (that was always the instinct) but she couldn't do it just now. It was too dark. So she kept her eyes on the lightening sky instead, for now. It shouldn't be too long.

She'd had to time this well, you see. Shambles never planned a single thing in her life, but alone time with Clementine required it. They had to be walking while it was dark, so they were focused on their destination, preoccupied with keeping their feet steady on the uneven ground. In a few moments, the sun would properly rise, painting the sky with colours both of them would spend their lives trying to recapture in their art. The sun would cast all the darkness and shadows behind them, then, and they wouldn't be alone in the dark anymore, and maybe the incessant nagging need to kiss her friend and ruin everything again might fall behind Shambles as well.

But the timing had been slightly off, and there was this. This dangerous moment, alone in the dark, where everything could go wrong. But she just held her friend, and stared ahead, and the sky started to turn orange and pink. She inhaled happily, and pointed, beaming, at the beginnings of her perfect sunrise.

"That," she said, "there. That's why we're out here."

[letsbelonelytogetherr]

— fatima aamer bilal, from being unwanted is a language