Zachary Rousseau

Crescent Werewolf | 22 Years | Closed Blog for Dark Skies RP

[vilisisms]

elara let him finish his dramatically wounded speech before shaking her head, the smile she was trying to suppress losing the battle entirely. “you know,” she said thoughtfully, “your defense would've been a lot more convincing if you hadn't immediately launched into what was essentially a professional review of four different jerky flavors.” she gestured vaguely toward the bag in his arm. “you didn't even hesitate. hot and spicy, chili and lime, teriyaki...” she narrowed her eyes in exaggerated suspicion. “zach, i think you're accidentally becoming a jerky sommelier.”

at the mention of the fruit-infused variety, she laughed outright. “'i don't trust it, but it sounds good' is possibly the most werewolf sentence i've ever heard.” her amusement softened as he spoke about the younger wolves, though, and she nodded almost imperceptibly. “it's not nothing.” her tone was quieter now, sincere without lingering on it. “i'm sure they won't forget having someone tell them they're going to get through it instead of pretending it isn't scary.”

she'd seen enough first shifts, enough people bracing themselves for the unknown, to know how much something as ordinary as snacks and company could matter. when he pivoted the conversation back to her, she smiled again, grateful for how effortlessly he refused to let anything become too heavy. “midnight ordained best friends,” she repeated. “i forgot that was an official title.” she tucked the book more securely beneath her arm. “i've been good.” a small shrug lifted one shoulder. “keeping busy. taking pictures. pretending i have any idea what i'm doing most days.” her eyes drifted briefly toward the wolves disappearing down the street before returning to him.

“it's a surprisingly effective strategy.” she tilted her head, mischief creeping back into her expression. “although now i'm wondering if this whole mentorship program is just your elaborate excuse to emotionally manipulate teenagers into validating your snack recommendations.” a beat. “'don't be afraid of your first shift, kid. now try the teriyaki.'” she nodded solemnly. “honestly? i'd probably fall for it too.”

[zachxryrousseau]

"Ooh, do you think they'll give me a cool hat? Maybe one of those fancy white jackets with my name on the breast or something? 'Zach Rousseau - Jerky Expert'. He ran a finger across one side of his chest. As his body shook from a roll of laughter, the werewolf grabbed the bag of fruit-infused jerky and tore it open. Giving it a small sniff test, he furrowed his brows in an inconclusive report and gingerly withdrew a piece from the pouch.

"That's all I really care about. I mean, shifting hurts and is uncomfortable anyway. But the first one? If I can distract them long enough to help them get through it so our Crescent perks can kick in for them and let them never have to go through it again, then that's a win in my book." Zach waved the jerky around as he spoke and finally popped it into his mouth - chewing and judging the combination of spices and citrus flavors.

"Have you tried to do photography for the fae?" Zach asked mid-chew. "I mean, like, they don't have photography, do they? I bet they'd be kind of interested in getting a picture of themselves without it taking hours of sitting and posing for a painting or something." He mused lightly. "And have you seen most of them? Gorgeous." He singsonged the word.

He smirked once as she accused him of manipulation. "The safer bet for everyone is to just assume 'Zach's always right' and everything works out better in the end for everyone. Yeah?" He explained.

[vilisisms]

elara stumbled half a step from the impact before catching herself, one hand automatically tightening around the book she'd been carrying. she blinked once, then looked from zach, to the precariously balanced bag in his arm, to the distant retreating forms of the teenagers he'd been herding down the street. a grin immediately threatened the corner of her mouth. “wow,” she said, drawing the word out thoughtfully. “for someone threatening children with tactical noogies five seconds ago, your situational awareness could use some work.”

she glanced down at the bag, spotting the assortment of snacks peeking out from the top. “let me guess.” her eyes lifted back to his. “first full moon survival kit?” the amusement in her expression only grew. “because i just watched a teenager walk away carrying enough jerky and dried fruit to survive a small apocalypse.” she shifted her book against her hip and folded her free arm across her chest.

“also, i heard the bald patch threat.” a beat. “very effective leadership style. i'm sure they're all deeply inspired by your vision.” her gaze flicked toward the direction the younger wolves had gone, warmth threading through the teasing. “seriously, though. that's nice of you.” then she looked back at him and tilted her head. “although now i'm curious. are you actually mentoring nervous first-shifters, or did you just want an excuse to buy an irresponsible amount of snacks?” a small pause before the grin returned. “be honest. i can see at least three different kinds of jerky from here.”

[zachxryrousseau]

Zachary put his free hand over his chest and gave the woman his best wounded expression. "You would accuse me of such - such wrong-doing? That I would have anything but the concern for these fledgling wolves in this big, beautiful heart of mine?" The wolf gasped. Almost immediately his demeanor returned to his usual, carefree swagger. "Honestly, you should have seen the last time I sauntered home with armfuls of snacks. Chief gave me the funniest look as she judged me." He laughed lightly and shook his head.

He gave the woman a small embarrassed smile and shrugged his shoulder. "It's nothing really." He tried to brush off her praise. "Just something I've tried to do ever since I turned. If anything, this has taught us one thing - our curses are still something we should be aware of even here. They can still be triggered." He explained.

He glanced into the bag in his arm. "Uh, yeah." He rolled his eyes like she'd asked him some clear-as-day question. "You have hot and spicy to kick things off. Then you follow it up with this nice chili and lime flavored one... oh and you can't go wrong with teriyaki. Honestly, I'm surprised we've managed to keep some of this stuff around. Ah - and then there's this one from the fae shops that's supposed to be some sort of fruit-infused jerky. I don't trust it, but it sounds good." Zach rambled.

"But, you, how've you been?" He quickly jumped subjects without missing a beat. "Hadn't seen you around since we became midnight ordained best friends at that bayou party a while back." He smiled.

[traegics]

Griffin caught the bag of dried mango on instinct, eyebrows lifting as he looked down at it before glancing back at Zach. A grin immediately spread across his face. "Well, that's it," he declared with mock seriousness. "We're friends now." He shook his head as he opened the bag without hesitation, already helping himself to a piece. "You can't just hand a wolf dried mango and expect there not to be consequences." The first bite earned an approving hum. "Okay, first of all, this is excellent restitution."

Still chewing, Griffin fell into step beside him, his gaze drifting toward the younger wolves disappearing farther down the street with their arms full of snacks. The amusement in his expression softened slightly as Zach explained why he made a point of gathering the first-shifters every year. Griffin understood that instinct immediately. He remembered his own first full moon—the nerves, the anticipation, the quiet fear nobody wanted to admit out loud. Not because they were afraid of shifting, but because they were afraid of what might happen if they lost control.

"They'll remember this, you know," he said after a moment. His eyes remained on the retreating teenagers as he tossed another piece of mango into his mouth. "Not the chains part. Well... maybe a little bit the chains part." A laugh escaped him. "But mostly the fact that somebody showed up for them. Everybody talks about surviving your first shift like it's some grand rite of passage, but nobody ever talks about how terrifying it actually is. They remember the people who make it less awful."

When Zach mentioned figuring out what kind of fear younger wolves responded to, Griffin barked out a laugh and pointed at him. "Public embarrassment. Every single time." The confidence in his answer suggested he'd either witnessed it firsthand or actively weaponized it. Possibly both. "Grounding a teenager? They'll survive. Taking away privileges? They'll complain, but they'll survive that too." His grin widened into something positively mischievous. "But threaten to tell the entire bayou about whoever they've been making heart-eyes at for the last six months?" He pressed a hand dramatically against his chest. "Devastating. Absolutely devastating. You'd have them behaving for weeks." He glanced sideways at Zach, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Psychological warfare. That's where the real power is."

[zachxryrousseau]

"Hell yeah. Your basic friendship package comes with sarcastic comments, kick ass bonfires, endless optimism, and a shoulder to cry on." Zachary grinned. "I'll even toss in bad karaoke and questionable decisions for free. Special gift, my treat." He mused before letting the humor trail off. He glanced in the direction of the young wolves, now gone from view.

"Sometimes, I wonder how much easier it would be for folks if our wolf nature didn't require an already traumatic experience to awaken in the first place. Like, what if it was just part of growing up a wolf? Like, 'oh you're fifteen? Boom, he's chest hairs and a werewolf.' or something." Zach pondered quietly. The confidence about public embarrassment being the weapon to utilize brought that grin back to Zach's face. "Oh, absolutely." He agreed wholeheartedly.

He glanced over the male now and furrowed his brow. "You're not one of us, right? So, what's your story? You an Atlantic? Nah, can't be - you're not immediately looking at me like I personally insulted your ancestors or something..." He hummed.

[traegics]

The collision barely moved Griffin.

Years of navigating packed bars, crowded dance floors, and the occasional supernatural brawl had given him excellent balance. His coffee sloshed dangerously close to the lid before settling again, and the paper bag hooked over his arm remained mercifully intact.

The first thing he noticed wasn't the impact.

It was the scent.

Wolf.

The second thing was the trail of nervous younger wolves disappearing down the street carrying enough snacks to survive a minor apocalypse.

Griffin's mouth immediately twitched.

"Well, now I'm disappointed."

His gaze dropped pointedly to the bags before lifting back to Zach.

"Here I thought I'd just interrupted a highly sophisticated black-market jerky operation."

The grin that followed was effortless.

Easy.

Dangerously charming.

He shifted the paper bag tucked beneath his arm and glanced toward the teenagers again just in time to catch one nearly trip over a crack in the pavement.

"Ah."

Understanding dawned.

"First moon crew."

There was immediate affection in the observation.

The kind wolves reserved for younger pack members trying very hard not to look terrified.

"That explains the emergency snack stockpile."

Griffin took a sip of his coffee.

"You know, when I had my first shift, nobody gave me dried fruit."

A beat.

"I got locked in a shed with three cousins and a lecture about not eating anybody."

His expression remained perfectly serious for all of three seconds before breaking completely.

"Honestly? Your approach seems healthier."

The wolf extended a hand.

"Griffin Hale."

His eyes flicked toward the retreating group again.

"And for what it's worth, threatening them with a noogie was probably more effective than anything involving actual wolf wisdom." His grin widened. "Fear is a powerful teaching tool."

[zachxryrousseau]

"What? That's horrible!" Zach remarked with an exaggerated sense of offense before digging into his bag and tossing over a bag of dried mango pieces. "Consider that restitution for whoever did you wrong." The wolf stated and grinned. He nodded loosely in the direction the younger wolves darted off and his smile softened just slightly as he spoke.

"I remember what my first shift was like and we have enough to worry about these days without adding more on our plates. So, I've tried to do what I can every year since I activated my curse to make sure these wolves don't have to go through it alone." He explained. "Don't worry though - there are definitely chains and warnings not to eat people involved. I'm not a complete idiot." He grinned once more.

"Zachary. Rousseau." He shook the man's hand solidly and adjusted the bag in his arm. "The key is figuring out what type of fear these younger wolves actually respond to." He joked.

[traegics]

The retirement home always got quieter after midnight. Not silent — never silent — but softer somehow. Television murmurs faded behind closed doors, nurses stopped rushing and started drifting, and the whole building settled into the kind of stillness that made every small sound feel important.

Cora stood out on the back loading dock in borrowed peace, hoodie thrown over her scrubs, paper coffee cup warming her hands against the cool night air. Sunny lay stretched beside her feet, half-asleep but alert enough to lift his head anytime footsteps got too close.

The city lights flickered in the distance beyond the trees, strange and beautiful and just a little wrong.

She exhaled slowly, leaning her shoulder against the railing. “You ever notice,” she said without looking up at first, voice low and thoughtful, “how the world gets more honest when everyone else is asleep?”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she finally glanced over, blue eyes tired but warm.

“People stop pretending they’re okay around three in the morning.” She lifted her coffee slightly. “Might be the exhaustion. Might be the haunted-city atmosphere. Hard to say.”

Sunny gave a dramatic sigh from the ground beside her, earning a quiet laugh.

“See? Even he agrees.” She shifted enough to make room beside her against the railing, easy and unforced. “You can stay if you want. I’m off in ten minutes, and my only real plan after that is driving around until my brain calms down.”

[zachxryrousseau]

"Blessing and a curse, really---hey boy!" Zach responded mid-stride and immediately dropped himself to give numerous scratches and rubs to the dog's head. "It a time where you can finally figure out what people need to start being okay again, but makes it hard to keep pretending for yourself sometimes." Zach finished his response and finally looked up from Sunny.

"Drive around? Damn, that's serious if you're planning on wasting what little fuel we have around here to just go for a drive. Though, I wonder how some of these fae would react to seeing a car driving about." Zach pondered for a moment. "What's up?" He questioned and hopped up to seat himself on the railing.

[zachxryrousseau]

"Hey! Cool your jets, man! If you drop those bags before you make it back to the bayou, I'm gonna wrestle you to the ground and give you the worst noogie of your life. I swear - you'll be fifteen with a giant bald patch right up there." Zach emphasized the word as he reached with his free hand and flicked the teenager on his skull. A few quick apologies and laughing, and the teen sauntered down the street with his arms loaded with two paper bags, each filled with a variety of jerky, dried fruit snacks, and jarred vegetables.

Zach carried a bag of his own in one arm, but kept his pace lazy as he watched the younger wolves make their way back towards the bayou - if only to make sure they did, in fact, take a little more care with their steps. Satisfied, the wolf rolled his eyes and dug out a small jerky stick from his bag - ripping it open with his teeth and quickly taking a bite.

It was only a few days away from the next full moon cycle and there were a handful of younger wolves nervously awaiting their first shifts. True to character, Zach had immediately rounded them up and convinced them that the best way to calm those nerves was tons of junk food and crashing with one another until the full moon had passed.

As he rounded a bend along the sidewalk, Zach felt someone's presence two seconds too late before his body bumped into theirs. To his credit, he managed to stay upright and keep the paper bag from toppling out of his arm, but whirled to angle his free side in the person's direction. "Totally my bad!!" He exclaimed quickly.

( @darkskiesrpgstarters )

[vilisisms]

elara blinked once at the sudden burst of energy as zach nearly launched himself off the porch toward her, but the surprise melted quickly into a crooked smile.

“wow,” she said dryly, “five seconds and you’re already invoking executive privilege. bold leadership style, best friend in chief.”

at the mention of the camera, she lifted a shoulder in a small shrug. “left it at home. figured the world deserved one night where i wasn’t documenting everyone’s questionable decisions.”

her eyes followed the motion of his hand when he waved his knuckles, the humor in her expression dimming just a touch as she registered the fresh scrapes. she didn’t make a big deal of it — just tipped her head slightly, like she was filing the information away.

“‘eventful’ at a party full of wolves?” she said lightly. “shocking development.”

she pushed off the railing and moved a step closer, leaning her hip against the porch post instead. the bass from inside thudded through the siding again, distant but persistent, and she made a face toward the house.

“yeah, i’m not going back in there anytime soon,” she decided. “my organs and i have mutually agreed we deserve better working conditions.”

her gaze drifted back to him then, warm but quietly observant — the way it always was when she was reading the space between what someone said and what they didn’t.

“so,” she added, folding her arms loosely, “how ‘eventful’ are we talking? spilled drinks and bruised egos, or the kind where someone had to remind a room full of werewolves that furniture is not technically part of the fight?”

a small pause, her tone gentler now.

“because those knuckles suggest you weren’t just watching.”

[zachxryrousseau]

"What can I say? I'm the innovation of the future... or however that's supposed to go." Zach laughed softly. "Oh? Aw, but documenting the bad decisions is totally worth it when you show up the next day and put them on display like a highlights reel! Wait - does your camera even still work? I don't exactly know or understand the new rules about this place other than 'Door Dash is unavailable right now.'" Zach explained at a rapid speed.

"I know," Zach remarked with a fake emphasis, "Here I was thinking this was supposed to be a nice and relaxed party with absolutely no rowdiness or rough-housing and - Boom - testosterone." He shook his head disappointedly. The facade diminished as she asked for clarification on just how eventful things had gotten. "The kind where bruised egos and pent up frustrations turn into golden eyes and broken furniture that has to be disqualified from the competition altogether by the end of the night." He explained, but his gaze dropped when she coaxed him about his own participation.

"I got carried away." He answered simply and quietly. There was a very brief and awkward pause that followed. "But, it's cool. Everything's chill now and we're all back to being packmates and buddies again."

[traegics]

Kolton’s voice came from the darker edge of the yard, unhurried.

“Five seconds is aggressive,” he said mildly. “Friendship should be consensual.”

He stepped forward into the wash of yellow porch light, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat like he’d been there the whole time and just hadn’t bothered to announce it. His gaze dropped briefly to Zach’s knuckles — cataloging, not commenting — before lifting back to his face.

“I was enjoying the illusion that this was neutral ground,” Kolton added. “Inside is loud. Out here is… tolerable.”

A faint smirk tugged at his mouth.

“And I’m not hiding,” he went on. “I’m strategically avoiding whatever testosterone-fueled pack bonding ritual just resulted in that.”

He tipped his chin toward Zach’s scraped hand.

“You get between wolves often,” Kolton asked lightly, “or was tonight a special occasion?”

There wasn’t judgment in it. Just curiosity. Measured. Calm.

The bass thudded again through the siding, and Kolton glanced back toward the house, unimpressed.

“If I’m legally obligated to be your new best friend,” he added, eyes sliding back to Zach, “what exactly are the benefits package and exit clauses?”

[zachxryrousseau]

"Everything should be consensual." Zachary clarified and let the statement hang in the air as he drank from his cup. "You're not entirely wrong, I guess. This is still Crescent territory, but we're not the 'hostile and nip at your heels for being in our yard' types." He remarked. He glanced at his knuckles and scoffed at the accurate description of the night's events thus far. "What, you've never brawled it out with your bros and then cracked a case of cold ones afterwards like you didn't just go a few rounds?" He questioned jokingly.

Zach shifted his weight, but remained where he was standing. "Well, as a wolf - I've been in more than my fair share of heated situations. I just wanted to make sure the guys knew tonight was supposed to be a fun party - and that they needed to cool things down. I may have just been a little more... enthusiastic about it that I care to admit." He explained.

Zach perked up at the question, like a dog raising its ears in interest. "Oh - uh, well, the first and obvious benefit is you get to look at me all day and hang out with the chief of fun and partying here among the Crescents. No moping allowed on my watch - or else the punishment is beer pong and bad karaoke." He explained. "Exit clauses.... uh, well, I guess you just leave? I'm not going to force you to stay, obviously."

[traegics]

Indi watched him for a second too long before answering — not in a flirty way. In a measuring way. The grin. The posture. The way it didn’t quite reach his eyes, even though it tried.

“I appreciate the due process,” she said lightly. “Wouldn’t want to rush into legally binding friendship without reviewing the fine print.”

At his question, her mouth curved faintly.

“Mysterious is easier. Tragic invites follow-up questions.” She took a slow sip from her cup. “And you don’t seem like the cautious-about-strangers type. You seem like the ‘I’ll adopt you and deal with the consequences later’ type.”

Zach.

She nodded once, filing it away.

“Indi,” she repeated, like the name might settle differently the second time. When he asked where she was from, her gaze flicked past him toward the yard, the house, the noise spilling from inside. Old instinct — never answer too fast. Never answer too much.

“Not from here,” she said simply. “Came in after the fog. Figured if the universe was going to rearrange everything, I might as well let it.”

Her boot nudged a loose pebble along the concrete edge.

“You?” she countered gently. “You look like someone who’s been here long enough to have opinions about what it used to be.”

[zachxryrousseau]

Zach smiled just a hair wider. "Don't worry, we'll go over all the details about your membership dues and restrictions later." He waved the topic off jokingly and sipped from his cup for just a moment. "Oh, ugh, absolutely not. I don't think I've ever known a stranger in my entire life. Much to the dismay of those raising me, I'm sure." Zach laughed. "Indi? That's fitting - very 'Indi'-pendent." He joked - badly - and listened to her answer with curious interest.

"Not from here." He repeated with a slow nod. "Okay, I see you. Definitely mysterious then." He mused and with a quick shake of his head, gestured around them. "Bayou baby, born and raised for just long enough I can drink it away at bars with minimal questioning. I've never even so much as set a foot outside New Orleans until... wherever we are now."

[traegics]

Easton watched the way Zach tucked his hand away.

Didn’t call it out. Just noticed.

“Mm,” he hummed at the explanation, tone neutral. Not agreeing. Not arguing. Just filing it away.

“Rowdy happens,” he said after a second. “Usually right before someone decides they’ve got something to prove.”

His gaze slid toward the house, listening past the bass. Measuring volume shifts. Laughter spikes. The subtle edge of tension that didn’t belong to music. Then back to Zach.

“You don’t look like you’re hiding,” he corrected calmly. “You look like you’re decompressing.”

A small distinction. A real one.

He shifted his weight against the post, arms folding loosely over his chest. Not defensive. Just settled.

“And that’s fine,” Sin added. “Packed rooms get loud in your head after a while. Especially when you’re the one stepping between people.”

Thunder muttered far off. Or maybe it was just a car backfiring down the street.

He nodded once toward Zach’s hand. “Ice it later. Even if you barely felt it.” A beat. “Adrenaline lies.”

His eyes held steady, quiet but direct.

“You going back in,” he asked, not pushing, “or you buying yourself another minute out here?”

[zachxryrousseau]

"Yeah, you know I think that's kind of the Crescent motto? Always something to prove to someone if you look hard enough. Who's the fastest? Who's the strongest? Who can drink someone else under the table?" Zach commented. "It's a blast, really. Wouldn't trade my dysfunctional extended family for anything. But... it's a lot when everyone's running around with pent up frustrations and worries about what's next and all." A breath escaped him.

"Thanks." He offered to the suggested treatment. "It'll probably be mended by the end of the night though. Silver's pretty good about patching things up when they need to be." He pat himself on the chest as if the explanation made perfect sense to anyone other than himself. "I... think I'll by some more time. What about you? Why are you skulking around the shadows out here and not in there with a drink in your hand and making people notice you?" He questioned curiously.

[traegics]

Kaidan hadn’t meant to intrude on the edge of someone else’s quiet.

He’d stepped out of the noise for the same reason—because too much sound pressed against old instincts in ways he didn’t feel like explaining to anyone inside. The porch light cut him into gold and shadow as he paused near the far post, posture loose, presence unassuming in a way that was very deliberate.

At Zach’s declaration, one brow lifted a fraction.

“Legally obligated?” Kaidan repeated, dry. “That’s a bold statute to enforce from a backyard.”

He pushed off the post and came a step closer, not crowding, just enough to be part of the same pocket of quiet. His gaze flicked to Zach’s knuckles—scraped skin, fresh, careless.

“You running security for a party you didn’t plan,” he said calmly, not a question. “That grin is doing a lot of work.”

The bass thudded again, distant thunder under their feet.

“I’m Kaidan,” he added, because it seemed like the moment for names. “And if you’re recruiting new best friends to avoid going back into that noise—” a small tilt of his head toward the house, “—you picked the right edge of the chaos.”

[zachxryrousseau]

"Oh, trust me. I can be very persuasive when I need to be. Ain't afraid to whip out a table and some solo cups for impromptu beer pong to settle arguments and debts. If that fails, I'll wear you down with good music, cheap booze, and good vibes until you're sick of me." The werewolf grinned and took a moment to look the male over. He didn't recognize him from the area, but there was something that clung to him - regal; authoritative.

"I... Just trying to keep some of the younger kids from making a stupid mistake just because they're pent up." Zach stated quietly. "Got a little too zealous about it, I guess." He spoke quickly and eagerly dropped the subject.

"Zach. Just think of me as the Crescents' unofficial welcoming committee chairman and sole member really." He chuckled. He glanced back at the party and lifted his drink to his lips in response. "Honestly, recruitment doesn't stop here. Why waste energy making enemies with everyone when you could just, you know, not?"

[traegics]

Blakely had been standing just beyond the spill of porch light, where the yard slipped back into shadow and the noise from inside dulled into a low, livable thrum. She held a paper cup she’d forgotten to drink from, steam long gone, the tea inside cooling toward regret.

At Zach’s declaration, she lifted her gaze from the constellation she’d been quietly miscounting.

“Five seconds feels… constitutionally unsound,” she said, stepping a little closer into the gold-wash of the lights. Her voice was calm, wry—more amused than put upon. “But if the penalty for hiding from social interaction is friendship, I suppose I’ll accept the plea deal.”

Her eyes flicked, professional without being clinical, to the faint scrapes on his knuckles. Not concern first—context.

“You break up fights often,” she added lightly, as if remarking on the weather. “Or was tonight a special event?”

She lifted her cup in a small, almost apologetic salute. “I’m Blakely. I was aiming for ‘strategic quiet corner,’ but your recruitment speech was… compelling.”

[zachxryrousseau]

Zach chuckled lightly with amusement as the woman took his remarks in stride. He glanced down at his knuckles as he followed her own and the wolf shook his head at her question. "Uh, no. Not normally. I mean, we get rowdy but that's just part of being a Crescent. Nah tonight was... rowdier. The bayou's a lot smaller these days and it makes it a little harder for us to blow off steam when we need to. I think everyone was just a little bit bent up and, well, I just can't stop myself from butting in where I probably should've just stayed out of things." Zach shrugged his shoulders at that.

"I'm Zach. I don't know how 'quiet' you'll find anywhere out here, but I can vouch for this porch. It's a good porch. Solid; doesn't judge." He lifted his cup in return and smiled. "What are you trying to take a breather from?"

[vilisisms]

aelin had been there longer than he looked like he had — not hiding, just choosing the shadows where the yard lights didn’t hit as hard. perched on the fence like it was intentional, boots hooked low, bare arms exposed to february air that didn’t seem to bother him much. cold slid off him in subtle waves; heat lingered closer to his skin than it should’ve. he watched zach tip his head back at the stars. watched the scrape on his knuckles. watched the grin snap back into place like armor locking shut.

when the countdown started, aelin pushed off the fence and dropped down lightly, boots crunching against gravel. “five seconds?” he echoed, voice low and edged with something sun-warm. “that’s generous. most people don’t give warnings.” he stepped just far enough into the light to be seen properly — sleeveless, scorched leathers worn soft from use, posture loose but balanced like he was always half-ready to move. his gaze flicked to zach’s hand, then back to his face.

“you break it up,” he said calmly. not a question. “didn’t look like you were aiming to win.” a faint shimmer of heat curled in the air around him before settling. “i’m not hiding,” aelin added, a crooked smile tugging at his mouth. “just prefer the edges. you see who’s performing out here.” his eyes held zach’s for a beat longer than necessary. “and who’s trying too hard not to.”

[zachxryrousseau]

Supernatural. Had to be. There was no way another guy looked that attractive without it being something supernatural. That was immediately where Zach's thoughts sprang the moment the male stepped into view; boots crunching the gravel beneath them. He shook his head once he realized he had been staring while working through his thoughts. "Well, I want to at least give people a chance to miss out on being my friend." He shrugged at the remark.

Zach followed the male's glance to his knuckles as he spoke. "Uh, yeah." He cleared his throat some. "Couple of younger wolves. They were getting a little too rowdy. Guess I did too." He spoke in more of a mutter and with less annoyingly chipper charm than he had possessed moments earlier.

[vilisisms]

elara didn’t move right away. she’d been sitting on the bottom step with her back against the post, the music from inside vibrating faintly through the wood, letting the cold air steady her head after too much noise and not enough space. she glanced up at the sound of his voice, unimpressed but not unamused. “five seconds?” she echoed dryly. “that feels aggressive for a friendship ultimatum.”

she rose slowly, brushing off the back of her jeans like she hadn’t been technically hiding at all — just… strategically relocating. her gaze flicked briefly to his knuckles, cataloging the scrape without making a scene about it. “i’m not hiding,” she added, stepping into the wash of porch light. “i’m curating my exposure to chaos. very different skill set.” a faint smile tugged at her mouth, softer than the words. “and i’m pretty sure legally obligated best friends come with paperwork. background checks. at least a shared snack situation.”

she leaned her shoulder lightly against the railing he’d abandoned, eyes lifting to the sky for half a second before settling back on him. there was something steady in her look — like she could see the grin he’d put on and the thing underneath it, and wasn’t particularly fooled by either. “so what’s the catch?” she asked lightly. “do i have to go back inside and pretend the bass isn’t trying to rearrange my internal organs? or are we starting this friendship with fresh air and minimal expectations?”

[zachxryrousseau]

The grin on Zach's face widened at the familiar voice and grew even wider when the matching face came into view. "Elara!" He blurted out and practically stumbled stepping off the old porch and hurrying over towards her. "Where's your camera?" He asked with a small pout, but shook his head to hop back from his derailed thought. "Well, as Best Friend in Chief, I reserve the right to waive all that boring paperwork and stuff since you were so awesome about taking my pictures as a model even after hearing me sing Madonna." He smiled warmly.

"Nah," He shook his head and looked down at his knuckles - waving them so she could see them for a second before lowering them. "It's already been a little... eventful in there. We can totally stay out here a while." He insisted and for a second, he could've sworn he felt the wolf inside him coil in disapproval.

[traegics]

Indi had claimed the edge of the porch steps like it was neutral territory — one boot on the ground, the other hooked up on the bottom rung, cup of cheap beer sweating between her fingers. She hadn’t come out here to hide so much as… decompress. Parties were loud in ways that crawled under her skin. Too many overlapping voices, too many tells to track at once. Out here, the noise blurred into bass and laughter without teeth.

At Zach’s voice, she tipped her head just enough to acknowledge she’d been clocked. A ghost of a smile tugged at one corner of her mouth — not the performative kind. The real, smaller one she didn’t hand out often.

“Five seconds is generous,” she said, soft but clear, eyes lifting to him from beneath the fringe of her beanie. “Most people give me about two before they decide I’m either tragic or mysterious. Depends how much they’ve had to drink.”

She shifted her weight, Docs scuffing the concrete. The yard light caught the smudged eyeliner she hadn’t bothered fixing and the dark roots peeking through the bleach.

“Congrats,” Indi added, raising her cup in a lazy salute. “You’ve found your legally obligated new best friend. I’m Indi.”

[zachxryrousseau]

Zach smiled and took in the sight of the young woman for a second before he responded. "I like to give people time to decide whether they're ready for that legal obligation or not." He joked with a small roll of his shoulders. That grin never left his face, however. "What about you?" He asked. "Do you want to be taken as tragic or mysterious? Because I can switch it up for you. I can totally pretend I'm cautious about strangers." He crossed his heart with his free hand and laughed.

"Zach." He returned the introduction. "As my new best friend - where you from? I don't remember seeing you around much before the fog. Granted, I know, the city was much larger back then." He stated.

[traegics]

Easton had clocked him the second he slipped outside.

Not the grin—the tension behind it. The way Zach leaned like he was bracing against the night instead of the railing. The scrape on his knuckles that hadn’t been worth mentioning to anyone who would’ve asked. Easton stayed where he was, shadowed near the side of the house, hoodie up, boots planted in dirt that still held the day’s warmth.

Five seconds passed. He didn’t move.

Then he pushed off the wall and crossed the yard just enough to land in the edge of the porch light. Close enough to be seen. Not close enough to crowd.

“Your legal obligations are void after midnight,” he said, voice low, unbothered. A glance to Zach’s knuckles—quick, professional—then back to his eyes. “Also, you’re bleeding. Which means you already tried being friendly.”

He leaned a shoulder against the porch post, chain catching the gold light. The bass thumped behind them; Easton stayed still like the noise didn’t touch him.

“If you’re hiding,” he added, “you picked the loudest place to do it. So either you’re bad at disappearing… or you’re just tired of pretending you’re not.”

[zachxryrousseau]

One. Two. Zach continued waiting until the five seconds had passed and then some, as the man stepped into view from the edges of the lantern light. "Damn - out friend-lawed." He muttered at the remark that his obligations had become null and void at midnight. His gaze snapped to his knuckles alongside the stranger's and he curled and uncurled them a few times.

"These? Nah. Just some people that got a little bit too rowdy. It's nothing, man. Barely felt it." He waved the topic off, but quietly tucked his free hand into his pocket now. "What? Me - I'm not hiding." He clarified quickly. "I was taking in the night air and enjoying my drink, okay? It's a little packed in there this evening - all that body heat makes it stuffy. That sort of thing." He shrugged.

[zachxryrousseau]

The bass from inside the house thumped hard enough to rattle the aluminum siding, but out here the night had settled into that weird pocket of quiet you only got when a party got too loud - like the world just stepped back and let the chaos happen.

Zach leaned against the back porch railing, red Solo cup dangling from two loose fingers, hoodie half-zipped like he couldn’t commit to being warm or cold. His knuckles were scraped - nothing dramatic, just fresh enough to sting when the February air kissed them. He hadn’t noticed when it happened. Or… he had. He just hadn’t cared. Just rowdy wolves he had to get between before things got too heated for the night's vibes.

The yard lights painted everything that washed-out gold, catching the faint steam of his breath. Somewhere past the fence, a dog barked once, then thought better of it.

He dragged a hand through his hair, exhaling slow through his nose then tipped his head back to stare at the stars like they owed him answers. His jaw flexed, subtle. Muscle memory. Instinct. Something under his skin that never fully shut up.

He swallowed it down like he always did.

Then he pushed off the railing, forcing that easy grin back into place - the one people expected. The one that worked. The one that meant nobody asked too many questions.

"Alright," he said, louder now, like he was addressing the yard, the house, the night itself. "If anyone out here is hiding from social interaction, you’ve got about five seconds before I decide you’re legally obligated to be my new best friend."

( @darkskiesrpgstarters )