Beauhemian Rhapsody

open starter / @shrikestart​​​ fall festival

   ‘  mhm, what a drag,  ’ lake says in solidarity with her company and whatever it was they were talking about. as she gets higher, her awareness gets lower, every sound taking on new meaning and causing a turn of lake’s head like a toddler’s first fall festival. ‘ real talk, though - will you bob and get an apple for me ? i can’t get my hair wet.  ’  

Beau rolled his eyes and then turned and looked at her with a incredulous expression. “ Er... No. It took me two hours and a can of hairspray to get this do today I’m not getting it wet so you can have an apple just pick one out of the water with your hand.” He said with a shrug. “ Or go get one of those sticky toffee one s over there.” He said pulling a face at it.

open starter ( @shrikestart​ ) location: fall festival 

“i’ll draw anything you want for half the price, just… two bucks. just for today, just for the moment, and because it’s the very last page on my sketchbook,” brienne said, setting it up on the small easel she had put up under her tent. she had been doing a lot of work, and it was still early enough for her to pick up her stuff and go have fun around the other tents. “i can even draw a cartoon of you, or… your best friend, your worst enemy… just say the word. i’ll do it.”

Beau smiled. “ Draw me... in the garden of eden being tempted by the snake with an apple in my hand.” He chuckled as he looked around the fall festival then back at her.  “ Looks like its gonna be a good one today, people are already starting to mill around.” He grinned. “ But I’m just here for pumpkin pie. Its a need not a want.” He said putting hi hand to his chest dramatically. “ It calls to me.”

“It was like a total twist, I went to see it like three times and it still holds up I swear.” He said with a little hum, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Arthur, Most people call me Artie though. I work for the radio station…so you’ve probably never actually hearrd me on the radio at work since your place has their own music.” He said, laughing lightly, shaking his head as he obviously started the thought before realising that fact. “WHeels? Oh you mean my board. Yeah, shit takes a hard beating.” his foot that rested on the end pushed to kick the board up and grab the lip. “I guess you’ve never been to a skate park to see how we cheer each other on then, huh?” He said with a little grin. “Might be nice having a personal emt around. I might throw bigger tricks knowing i’ve got the back up.”

Beau chuckled “Right. Although I kinda love micheal. He is kinda cute.” He admitted with a shrug. “ Wait.. you are a dj on the radio station? or  do you work on the technical side?” He asked and looked down at the board. “Yeah I have never been there. Is it cool?” He then blushed at the thought of being his personal emt. “ Well if you or your friends need me to patch you up if you fall, just let me know.” He said with a grin. “Here..” He pulled a marker pen out  his pocket and then took Artie’s hand and wrote his number on his arm. “ Just in case you ever wanna call.”

She can’t help the half snort, half laugh that escapes her lips at the others words. ‘‘  thanks, I appreciate it, although Tiffany isn’t that bad. ’’ Posie smiles, pointing towards the bar ‘‘ I was planning on sitting by myself over there and getting really drunk, if you want to join. ’’

“It its when you hear it aaaalll the time.” He chuckled. “Drinking on a school night? Sounds like a plan. So why you drinking your sorrows away at the bar? Having a bad week?” He asked as they walked along together.” As much as I love my parents, their whole... lets go to every party known to man, drives me crazy.” He sighed. 

Arthur made sure to grip the other’s hand tight when being pulled up as to not take the other down. “Yeah, all good, not even the worst spill I’ve taken this week.” He said with a smile, letting go of their hand. When the other said it looked good, he couldn’t help the goofy smile that came to his face. “Woah, like Lost Boys? That movie kicked ass, totally cool styling…huh, maybe I should just do this to all my stuff.” He said with a little hum thinking it over. “Oh yeah, totally good, takes a lot more than that to break me.”

Beau helped him steady himself and smiled  “Right! it was a rad movie. I was not expecting the ending.” He said looking at the others clothing. “ I’m Beau, I work over at the jazzersise when I am not auditioning for roles in movies.” He said and looked at  his skateboard. “ Your wheels ok?” He asked and then smiled. “ Glad To hear it, don't want you breaking bones when I’m around or I would have to give you first aid.” He chuckled. 

“those are nice legs,” izzy shrugged it off. it was easy for her to admit things when she felt absolutely no commitment to things. “or maybe you have a saggy butt, and that’s why you’re scared of the tights.” now that was a tease, and one very likely too. she couldn’t figure out the other’s age, but some people in time were like vampires with their faces. body wise, well, she had yet to see. “it’s gross. i regret every single hot dog i ever ate.” she gagged dramatically then looked up at him. “exactly how many donuts are we talking here?” she needed a good bribe. 

“ Thank you, I work hard to have nice legs.” He chuckled. “ How dare you I have a butt of steel. “ I know what you mean and then I watched another one on gummy worms and now I cant eat those either. “ he shuddered. “ Three each and a Pepsi to wash it all down with while we people watch?” He suggested smiling at the thought of people watching, it was one of his favourite things to do. 

                carietta shook her head firmly . “ i don’t think the right thing to do is to match her energy ; when people do that , they’re only putting more negativity into the world . it’s pointless , adding bad vibes when bad vibes were your issue in the first place . ” she shrugged her shoulders . she wouldn’t get into that discussion right now , but she was always happy to share the simple premise of her opinion on the matter . “ she is a dick though , you’re right . ” she then added with a small laugh . easily , without having to look at the pad she held in her hand , she penciled in beau’s order , stepping back to give it to the kitchen through the window while still able to listen to the customer . “ it’s been … uneventful , i guess . or as uneventful as shrike heights can be - really i don’t think that’s even the best word to use considering everything that’s happening . ” she explained . “ penguins are cute , i don’t see your problem . ” she laughed , stepping away for a moment before returning with his pepsi . “ i’m sorry you have to go to an event you don’t wanna go to though . ” she handed him the drink as they waited for the meal . “ will you have to stay long ? or can you just make your appearance and then dip ? ”

“ True.” Beau said and gave a thoughtful look off into the distance. “ But if you don’t do something she will just think its something she can get away with. Maybe talk to her?” He suggested as he watched her hand the order in. He smiled at the fact they agreed on the fact she was a dick. “ Yeah I know what you mean, its just work and then my mom freaking out about the things that have been happening in town. Did you know my mom told me to carry a whistle with me. I mean I know she is looking out for me but I don't think me whistling at a serial killer is going to change anything.” He sighed and then smiled. “ Yeah they are, but I just don't suit dark colours.” He said and then his eyes lit up when his drink arrived. “I wish.” He huffed. “ I’m the pride and joy of my family so no slipping away to come home. I have to mingle and meet girls my own age.” He said with an eye roll. “ My mom thinks I’m gonna run off with a mall mom, She literally has no idea who I am sometimes.”

     WINTER  LAUGHS  ,  A  SOFT  HUFF  and  then  shakes  her  head  in  response  .  ❛  is  a  tux  really  so  bad  ??  at  least  you  might  not  have  to  wear  it  long  ,  right  ??  ❜  she  questions  ,  giving  beau  a  reassuring  smile  in  attempts  to  be  supportive  .  ❛  six  would  be  great  !!  ❜  they  chime  ,  bouncing  on  the  heels  of  their  feet  again  .  ❛  i  can  take  some  home  with  me  then  .  ❜

“ Have you seen me? I don’t do dark colours unless its Halloween it trains my tan.” He smirked as they walked along together. “ Its one of those... do it for one night and my parents will get off my back for another year things..” He sighed and shook his head. “ My dad still thinks I am just gonna wake up one day and want a normal job in an office. I’m like.. Dad I high kick and yell at people to tighten their buns for a living. I don't see me becoming normal any time soon.” He chuckled and then laughed. “ You have a good restrain I couldn't do that. I will eat a whole box in one sitting.”

Open starter @shrikestart​

Arthur was on autopilot that afternoon without a doubt. The fact that he was skateboarding down the middle of the mall was also probably the worst decision that could have been made along side that fact. His feet were hitting the floor rythmically, the speed consistent as well as his glazed over eye staring on forward as he went. He didn’t even register the pair of doors coming up on his left, and so when a door opened, it opened into him. crashing forward, his board fell from under him as he toppled forward into the door before landing on the ground. He took a good few seconds to register what had just happened before looking down to make sure he was alright. Physically alright, he saw the new hole pulled into his shirt from catching on the door handle during his little tumble. “Oh shit…” He mumbled before looking up to the other person. “ I uh….I guess karma decided I was going nips out today huh? Does this works aesthetically right?” 

Beau had been lost in thought. He had an audition coming up in New York which meant shuffling his classes around for the day then flying over night then doing the audition then flying back to get to the mall with an hour to spare. Could he manage it? Probably. He hummed away to himself as he listened to simple minds and was then greeted by an attractive man laying on the floor in front of him “ Seem’s god does hear my prayers.” He smirked and helped the guy up.  You ok? you wiped out gnarly.” He said and looked at his top. “ It does look kinda good.. like that new Lost boys movie. Kinda rad.” He smiled at him and then looked at his board. “ You Ok though? nothing broken?”

↪  𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔  featuring …  𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞  /  @shrikestart​ !!

     THEY  WEREN’T  ONE  TO  SIT  around  and  wallow  in  their  thoughts  .  mars  liked  to  stay  busy  ,  a  jammed  pack  scheduled  filled  with  activities  or  visitations  from  friends  .  with  the  attacks  happening  ,  he  found  himself  in  thoughts  more  often  than  not  and  he  hated  it  .  it  made  mars  anxious  so  he  let’s  out  a  dramatic  huff  at  the  other  .  ❛  look  ,  i’m  not  insensitive  or  anything  i  just  think  it’s  about  time  someone  around  here  threw  a  party  .  i  mean    .  .  .  we  could  all  use  the  distraction  ,  anyway  .  right  ??  ❜

“I’m all for it.” Beau replied with a smile. “ I mean... safety in numbers right? I am all for a house full of people and booze and some recreational fun.” He said with a wink. “ Besides, all work and no play makes Beau a dull boy. and there is only so many classes I can do before I want to tell the mall moms to get out my face.” He sighed thinking back to the way the moms treated him. 

Posie finishes her set, FAKE SMILE and SHAKING FINGERS that tap lightly on the top of the guitar as she says a slightly awkward thank you to the small yet overwhelming crowd. Maybe she shouldn’t have done this; perhaps she wasn’t ready, not yet confident enough. They probably all hated it, she tells herself as she hops down from the stage, ‘‘ well, that was a big fat shit show,’’ she says with a LAUGH. Her Irish accent is THICK as she keeps things light, BUBBLY—a MASK.  

@shrikestart​

“ It wasn't bad. I kinda liked it. Its better then having to listen to tiffany for the 67th time today.” He said with an eye roll. “ i can only handle so much pop music before my synth brain explodes.” He chuckled. “ What you up to now? I just finished work and I can’t deal with going home to my parents who are going to some event and want me to go to. I just wanna hang at the mall.”

‘  look  —-  i’m  very  happy  &  fulfilled  in  my  job .   i  think  it’s  great  &  i  really  am  a  fan  of  the  employee  discount , ’      miette  speaks  thoughtfully ,   the  slightest  french  accent  bleeding  into  her  words  as  it  had  since  childhood .  ‘  HOWEVER .   if  i  get  murdered  and  all  i’m  known  for  is  being  the  thirty - something - year - old  woman  who  worked  in  shop  for  sex  toys ……    truly ,  my  family  may  never  recover .  ’  

open : @shrikestart​

Beau looked up from his magazine and nodded. “ I get it. I’m an actor, but if I died today, I would be known as the high kicking dance teacher from the mall. Not that I have a problem with that... but I am a serious actor. “ He huffed and rolled up his magazine. “ You got any new things in the shop lately?” He asked with a small smile.

✧ open starter ; @shrikestart​ ✧ location ; lola’s diner

               “ wait a minute … oh no , no no no - come on ! ” upon finding the previously half-full tip jar empty , carietta quickly spun around to scan lola’s diner for any potential perpetrator . she immediately assumed it to be the work or some nasty kid - something that had happened many times before - but by chance she happened to catch her coworker just in time to see her shoving their earnings into her pocket before leaving for the day . “ half of that is mine ! ” she shouted after her , but that hadn’t been enough to get her to stop . with a loud sigh , carietta turned back , only then noticing the other’s eyes fixated on her , watching the commotion unfold . “ i guess that’s what i get for not covering her shift last sunday . ” she shook her head and rolled her eyes . “ and if i’m honest , more than half of those were mine . not that i’d even try to divide it that way because i follow company policy and i’m not a shitty coworker - but still . ” she was clearly not shy in expressing herself to whoever would listen . “ but it’s whatever i guess . you ready to order ? ” despite her frustrations , she wasn’t going to let the customer sit there empty handed .

Beau was fiddling with the batteries to his Walkman when he heard the other talking. “ Huh?” He asked and then caught up with the conversation. “ I would swap her shifts by accident without telling her.” He smirked. “ She seems like a dick.” He said with a roll of his eyes. “ I’ll have a burger and fries and a pepsi.” He said as he read from the menu. “ Apart from the jerk who just left, How’s your week been?” He asked, putting his Walkman in his rucksack. “ Urgh my mom and dad want me to go to a event with them and I have to wear a tux. Its totally not my thing.” He huffed. “ I’m gonna look like a penguin.”

“with everything that’s been going on? jogging? at night?” she had to ask because it seemed hard to believe that people could still be so fucking dumb to go out at night by themselves. that was a lot of confidence, or too much stupidity. it was probably a good thing it had just been a minor injury, but now izzy had the evening free and she had no idea how to invest her time.  “alright, what about not mall moms? maybe… i don’t know, what if i wanted to see you in tights?” she teased, but smiled up at the blonde man with an innocent smirk before turning into something more deviant. she knew of a person or two in the mall who would actually like to see that. beau was a good looking guy, after all. “ew– not a hot dog. i saw this documentary where they say what hot dogs are made of– i could never stomach one again in my life.”

“ My thoughts exactly. Like what the hell?” He shook his head and with the amount of hairspray he had used, his hair stayed in place. “ You want to see me in tights?” He asked with a playful smile. “ Yeah i saw that documentary and I can’t look at hot dogs in the same way now.” He admitted and pulled a face. “I need donuts to keep me alive. I had a late night last night and only sugar is the thing which can keep me going. Want to split some donuts with me?”

      he raised his eyebrows in amusement, nudging him lightly in the side, offering him a teasing smile. “trust me if you start doing that for promotion, you’d have people lining outside the studio door just wanting to see if they can sneak a peak at the goods,” he patted beau’s lower back, laughing, “am i really that predictable? ‘cause i can be unpredictable if i wanted to,” and then he considered turning down the offer of donut… but that would be wrong, “i’ll have a chocolate donut, my wonderful friend.”

Beau smirked “ Right.” He uttered with a small laugh. “ Just what I need a bunch of old ladies getting excited over my tights. “ He rolled his eyes and then looked over his shoulder at his hand. “ Easy with the merchandise dude.” He said and raised a brow. “ Yeah and I can be chaotic but I gotta keep my job to keep my folks happy so I’m gonna behave for now.”  He chose the donuts and ordered the cherry 7 up and smiled at him ”What drink you having?”

      it was his day off and he had found himself wandering aimlessly through the mall. he had planned on meeting with calí in the salon, but as daniela had told him, she was in fact not working there yet and was probably in the diner. he told himself he would come back later and spend some time with the girls. instead, he found himself outside the one place he’d really only stepped foot in a couple of times. 

      he grinned at the familiar face, though it turned into a smirk at the thought of a tutu. “i don’t know, i think you could pull it off, you in pink tights might actually attract a certain type of client to the studio,” he returned the wink with his own, throwing his arm over his shoulder, “and you know i can’t say no to free food, mi amor.”

Beau laughed at his comment. “ You are not the first to say that.” He chuckled. “ I mean, I do look good in most colours but the fabric is so... nah.” He said as they walked along. “ Maybe I  could do it to promote the classes.” He mused and chuckled, “ if you ever said no to food I would know something was drastically wrong.” Beau laughed, “ What donut do you want ?”