𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑.

gentle breezes caress damp cheeks, as the moon cascades the ocean tides towards faith, safe from their mini cataclysms under the weight of the cashmere blanket she has pulled securely around her arms. she’s perched haphazardly on the beach far away from the rest of the occupants of the nams’ private island, shedding her emotions in silence and solitude like she has always preferred. there’s something strangely lonely about gathering with her hannam high schoolmates for things like this, and there always has been. maybe because part of her still suspects that none of it truly holds a place for someone like...her.

she’s not sure if the salt on her tongue is from her own tears, or the expanse of sea before her, and she doesn’t really care; it’s time to stop wallowing. she only allows herself brief moments of weakness before it’s time to pick herself up and carry on, and that’s precisely what she did. her walk back towards the beautifully crafted cottages is mostly uneventful. everyone seems to be so abuzz with gossip and inner turmoil that her disheveled appearance goes unnoticed, for which she’s grateful.

she’s almost to the safety of her own designated cottage when a rather striking distraction enters her vision. across the way stands ahn jamie in all her angelic glory, bathed in moonlight and summer stars. faith knows that she shouldn’t, but her feet aren’t really listening to reason. she’d just felt so lonely lately, and once upon a time, jamie’s presence was a panacea to that painful, confused feeling. she’s lacking every bit of confidence she typically tries to force on herself, but things seem to be flowing of their own volition. “hey jamie,” her raw voice rushes to greet the other before she can stop herself.

perhaps when one sees as many infinity pools perched precariously on the sides of skyscrapers as faith udomprecha has, you have truly seen them all, but she can’t muster up an excuse for just how underwhelmed she is by this party. not that the hosts of said party would probably care about her opinion of it, considering faith had never technically been on the receiving end of a proper invite. still, she’d half expected the thrill of crashing the gathering to be its own prize, but she isn’t exactly feeling rewarded. there’s something about being surrounded by such mundane opulence that feels utterly worthless and boring. she’s just as happy tucked away inside some hole in the wall club somewhere, she thinks, leaning longingly against the marless panes of glass separating her from the illuminated swimming pool, as water spills cautiously over its side. she just wants something to happen.

faith tears herself away from solitude, her social energy not even remotely restored; but this is what parties are all about, isn’t it? after all, she didn’t show up to this soirée alone, she’d dragged along her partner in crime. coffee hued eyes scan the room of trust fund babies and socialites, looking for one kang khai. his strikingly boyish features and narrowed gaze typically stood out from the crowd pretty effortlessly, so she knows he’s elsewhere in the apartment. the suite stands deceptively large and maze-like, strewn about with the most uninspiring white lights rich twenty-somethings could manifest.

there’s a commotion nearby, she realizes, winding around another hallway. voices in a nearby superfluous sitting room, and her stomach is sinking. the tones seem combative, defensive...possibly angry? was this her fault? ‘i’m such an idiot,’ she scolds herself, knowing full well she and her constant cravings for risk taking had placed the pair of them at this party. she finally approaches the right room, and sees one of the partygoers antagonizing khai. her lip corners rear back in a glare at him, but she keeps her distance. she knows khai doesn’t need her help diffusing the situation...hopefully.

He’s sure of it the closer he gets, footsteps apace with an immutable excitement that grows with his certainty. Her silhouette a vivacious spark outlined against the horizon, night sky alit with a similar eagerness, bursts of hot color splayed out in a kaleidoscopic bloom. He thinks it’s a suitable metaphor for her, too. Resplendence behued itself any which way against the black veil, a flurry of scattering pigments ablaze even brighter for it. She’s like that, to him: on fire.

She’s not entirely sure how long she’s been standing there, allowing the many hued pyrotechnics to consume her entire vision; letting their dramatic, sky-conquering bellows fill her ears with a specific comfort she could only find in loud places. It’s habitual, like most acquired behaviors would become for anyone, how she seeks the most boisterous of environments for her own sanity. It’s a place where she can finally think for once in her life. She’s already had to sacrifice her heels to make the mild hike to the hilltop, and a small section off the bottom of her dress has torn away entirely, but she doesn’t even waste a second with regrets.

Her lips, dressed in a smooth, peachy palette rest against her half empty glass of rosé with the faintest hint of a content grin gracing them. Another sonorous blast reverberates against the heavens and nearly threatens to disrupt her stature as well as her beverage, but she stands steadfast against it, as still as death. It reminds her of a packed club, cheering patrons and clamorous speakers that bounce with their mammoth size and overworked bass controls. It feels like home. She almost imagines hearing a voice that sounds like home, too.

There’s a lull in the display, a brief moment to gather her bearings, but now? Faith hears music. It’s unmistakable...it’s the same song that she’d always tied to that voice. The voice she’d always tied to beautiful worlds beyond the frame of a painting; places she wanted to visit and explore, because it would mean being wrapped up in him - someone she’d become so attached to in her youth. She’s blissed out on fireworks surrounded by people she grew up with, it’s surely just the nostalgia getting to her. Right? For a split second, she lets her mind wander back to that voice she misses so much before hearing it again; much clearer this time, and definitely in the flesh.

template credit: X

*waves* bonjour & bon jovi everyone! i'm really stoked to be here, as i've been eyeing the premise of this group for quite some time, and finally found the courage to bring a muse in! and what a messy lovely muse she is. no but seriously i have a soft spot for her and am super excited to write her with you all! so if you'd like to read more about this rebel with a cause who's still struggling with loving herself in some complex ways, pls do click the cut below for some quick info and important links that will delve more into detail! as always, if any plots interest you, or if you'd just like to plot something based on chemistry / muse personality, feel free to ♡ this post, and i'll im you to chat! ( oriewortireo unfortunately i'm a boomer trapped in a 23 yo's body who doesn't use discord 🤡 )

tw: child abuse / abandonment, drug & alcohol use