He let his hand waver far longer than necessary, maintaining the connection until her touch sent a quiver through his entire frame. Delicately, Bash released his grip, letting his palm fall to his side. "Me? An idiot?" A throaty chuckle fled as he shook his head in mock disbelief. "Never fucking heard that one before." Though it was tame compared to the many insults endlessly hurled his way. Wetting his lips, he offered a flicker of astonishment, his dark eyes rolling. "You and that damn shoe against the world, huh?" Part of him would have loved to see Nova dive in like the little wildcat she was, but he would never have pardoned himself if she came into harm's way because of him. "I know you didn't ask for one, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve it." Bastian rarely, if ever, offered an apology of his own accord, but for her? It was effortless being swept up into Nova's energy. Her name was fitting, a bright star that, even when fading, still caught your attention. "Eh, it's the least I could do, Nov. And if you see that asswipe around here ever again, I'd better be the first person you hit up... Now, about getting arrested, I'll see what I can do, but I don't make any promises." Shrugging his shoulders back, the heavy weight of his jacket slipped from his arms, allowing him to offer it to the woman. "Yeah, I brought my bike, though, and it's pretty chilly. Bundle up."

Nova watched him with her usual quiet intensity, the kind that didn’t feel heavy until you realized she hadn’t looked away once. His words earned a faint huff of a laugh, her head tilting slightly. “Yeah, you. Don’t let it get to your head, though,” she murmured, softer than before, the edge she held had dulled just for him. At the mention of the shoe, her lips twitched. “Please, I would’ve handled it. Maybe not gracefully, but he would’ve remembered me. Isn’t that what he wanted? A reminder?” Still, there was something unspoken there, something she didn’t know how to say.

open to: ana ( @crimsonlitskies ) location: anas place

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Ana laughed, the memory of their last cooking fiasco flashing through her mind as she moved easily around the kitchen, reaching for a bottle of wine and pouring them each a glass before handing one over. She pulled out a couple of plates, setting them down with practiced ease as she settled in, her expression softening into something more relaxed. “How do you feel about a little Love Island tonight?” she asked, glancing over with a small, knowing smile. “Have you caught up?”

zahir lets out a quiet huff at that, the corner of his mouth tugging just enough to count as a smile, shaking his head once as he shifts his weight, hands settling easy but his posture never fully dropping. “you say that, but it already feels like one,” he replies, tone dry but not sharp, something familiar in it that lingers a second longer than it should before he lets it go with a small shrug. her comment about scanning the street doesn’t go ignored. he glances out anyway, reflex more than choice, then back to her, softer this time, less guarded if only by a fraction. “occupational hazard,” he says simply, like that explains everything it needs to. for him it does. a beat passes, the weight of the last few days sitting heavy between them without needing to be named, miles, josephina, the ball. rift valley doesn’t get to pretend it’s untouched anymore. his gaze steadies on her, thoughtful now. “i don’t expect to find a miracle,” he admits, voice low, honest in a way he doesn’t offer often, “but they happen anyway.” another small pause, something reflective crossing his features before it settles back into that calm control. “just… usually takes more work than people think.”

Anastasia watched that near-smile like it was something rare, something she wasn’t quite meant to see but did anyway, and for a moment, her own expression softened in response without her realizing it. “You always did have a way of making things sound simpler than they are,” she said quietly, though there was no edge to it, just quiet familiarity. Her gaze followed his out to the street before returning to him, steadier now, more present than performative. “And maybe that’s why it feels like one,” she continued, her voice low, thoughtful. “Because you’re still willing to believe something good can come out of all of this…even when everything around us keeps proving otherwise.” There was a pause, her fingers brushing lightly along her arm, grounding herself as she studied him. “I think I learned how to report on miracles,” she continued softly, a faint, almost self-aware smile touching her lips, “not how to believe in them.” Her eyes lingered on him then, something unspoken settling between them before she exhaled quietly. “But you’re right…they don’t just happen. They’re built. Or fought for.” Another moment passes, gentler this time, before her tone shifted just slightly into something warmer. “If you’re not too busy putting in all that work tonight,” she added, tilting her head just enough to catch his gaze again, “I was going to grab a coffee. You could join me… short walk there and back.” A faint smile followed, softer now. “Or I can bring you one, if you’d rather stay out here and keep an eye on things.”

"An entrance and an exit, I like to be remembered." It was the opposite, actually, but it seemed as if no matter what Bash did, a spotlight found its way onto him, blinding out any good he'd ever done. Hell, it was as if half the valley was ready to rip him a new one, and if he was being honest, he couldn't give two shits. Despite the ass-whooping he'd taken, he'd made sure Eddy wasn't walking away without a reminder, either. "I'd do it again, ya'know." He offered his signature shit-eating grin as he sank against the car beside her. "'Course ya don't. Why would you?" He shook his head, then stilled as her hand lifted.

Nova’s breath caught for half a second when he pulled her hand in the rest of the way, her fingers finally meeting the heat of his skin. Her expression softened despite herself, eyes flicking over every bruise like she was trying to memorize them, like if she could undo them the more she studied them. “You’re an idiot,” she murmured, but there was no real bite to it, just something quieter, almost fond. “And don’t say you’re fine like I can’t see the damage that asshole caused. He’s lucky I wasn’t wearing stilettos that evening, it would’ve gone into his head.” She smiled, warmly, not pulling her hand away, letting it rest there gently now, careful, like she was trying not to add to the damage.

location | @crimsonlitskies (whoever!)

Nova didn’t turn to him immediately, as if she hadn’t noticed his presence long before he chose to make himself known. Someone like him doesn’t go unnoticed for long. When she finally did look at him, her gaze steady and assessing, a faint, knowing smile finds her lips. “That depends,” she replied smoothly, “are you asking because I stand out…or because you were looking hard enough to notice?” Her head tilted slightly, curiosity threading through her expression as she held his gaze without hesitation. “I’ve found it’s rarely accidental,” she added, almost thoughtfully. “People tend to see what they’re already searching for.” A small pause followed, her smile lingering just enough to suggest she was slightly amused. “You strike me as someone who doesn’t waste his attention,” she continued, her tone thoughtful rather than pointed. “So tell me…are you still curious?”

outside of rift valley police station | a few days after the plot drop | @crimsonlitskies

Anastasia’s lips curved faintly at the sight of him, something softer breaking through her usual polish before she could stop it, and for a moment she simply looked at him, as if measuring the years between who he had been and who he was now. “Relax,” she said gently, her voice quieter than it ever was on air, stripped of that practiced edge. “No interviews tonight.” She stepped closer, not invading his space but settling into it in a way that felt almost too familiar, like muscle memory she had yet to quite unlearned. Her gaze drifted briefly to his phone, to the subtle tension in his posture, before returning to his face, more attentive now. “Long night,” she echoed softly, almost to herself, before letting out a quiet breath. “Seems like everyone’s had one lately.” Her expression shifts just slightly, the composure still there but softened at the edges. “You don’t have to keep scanning the street like it’s going to give you an answer,” she says, though not unkindly, slightly amused. “Do you really think you're going to find a miracle here?"

closed starter for @crimsonlitskies ( anastasia ) location: intentionally vague, so go wild !!

Anastasia’s expression didn’t falter, though there was the faintest pause before her lips curved into something polite, composed, just this side of amused. “That depends,” she replied smoothly, her voice carrying that familiar, steady cadence, the kind that tended to linger in people’s minds longer than they expected. “Most people think they know me because I’ve been in their living room at some point or another.” Her head tilted slightly as she studied him, more curious now, her gaze attentive but never intrusive, as if she were quietly sorting through possibilities of her own. “It comes with the job, I suppose. Familiarity without ever actually meeting.” Her fingers brushed lightly against her arm as she considered him again. “But you don’t strike me as someone who confuses faces easily,” she continued, a hint of something more thoughtful threading through her tone. “So if you think we’ve crossed paths somewhere more…tangible, I’d be interested to hear where.”

Jason caught the tail end of Nova's tirade, busy dealing with some other shit on the far side of the club—a drunk who thought he didn't have to pay his tab, now answering for his bullshit in a heap out back by the dumpsters. The rawness was still hot on Jason's knuckles as he walked out from the back alley, already shaking his head at the sound of Nova’s threats.

Nova didn’t even look surprised when she heard his voice, just rolled her eyes a little as she turned her head, the cigarette still tucked between her lips. “Oh, here we go,” she muttered under her breath, but there was no real bite to it, just that familiar edge she always had with him. “Have you ever seen the damage a stiletto can do?" Her gaze flicked back toward where the guy had disappeared, then back to him, one brow lifting slightly. “And for the record, I handled it. He’s gone, isn’t he?”

The last thing Bash needed was another run-in with law enforcement; hell, his face was still fucked, his ribs sore, capillaries leaving his dark-hued skin bloodshot. But when it came to Nova? No one crossed the line. "Look, motherfucker!" The Glock lurched from the front of his pants, the heavy metal lifting to aim at the center of the dirtbag's chest. "Show your fucking face around here again, and I'll make sure it's the last time you see anything, you fucking got me?!" His angry growl echoed through the dark alleyway. The drunken swine stumbled away, hiding behind cars, signs, and dumpsters as he made his escape.

Nova didn’t flinch when the gun came out, she didn’t even blink at the sound of his voice tearing through the alley. Her eyes tracked the man just long enough to make sure he actually left this time, her jaw still tight, before her attention slipped back to Bash like nothing about that moment had been out of the ordinary. “You always make an entrance,” she teased, cigarette still resting between her lips as she watched him step closer. At his question, she huffed softly, shaking her head. “Nope. I was just going to leave her here until morning. I can probably just call Jay tomorrow, though he's going to be ticked I don't have a spare. Whatever."

@crimsonlitskies

open starter: @thefaultstarters

Nova huffed in amusement, the sound thin and tired, as her eyes dragged over the woman with quiet amusement. “Some man popped off at another man at the worst possible time, and that other man, Bash, just happened to be my date,” she said, voice dry, almost detached, her shoulder lifting in a lazy shrug. “Then my date stabbed the guy popping off. Maybe it was because the other guy’s trash talking was fucking ass, maybe it wasn’t, who knows.” She paused for a beat, lips pressing together like she might laugh again but didn’t quite get there. “And then he got arrested. That’s it. No lovers quarrel, no dramatic bullshit, just bad timing and worse decisions. Tell Mary Ellen to get some better fucking gossip, or at least make it believable next time.”

honestly, andre had assumed that people would be scattered through every inch of this hotel tonight, whether it was to be alone with someone they shouldn't be, or to be doing something they shouldn't be doing. even he was tempted to roll up a blunt and smoke his worries away, but he knew this ritzy ass place was probably covered in smoke detectors that would ring obnoxiously loud if he tried it. but for now, stumbling right into a room with gorgeous company was just as good of a distraction. "see, i thought it was just me sitting back and taking note of the way people were moving as though everything were fine. one person returns alive while two are dead, and here we are dressed to the nines indulging in a party. it feels wrong." he states, not hiding the way his voice lowered, as though it were a bad thing to not be focusing on the joyous intent behind tonight's festivities.

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, not in suspicion but in quiet acknowledgment, listening as he spoke. A faint smile touched her lips at his honesty, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It does feel wrong,” she agreed softly, her voice lowering to match his without losing that steady, composed cadence. “But people have a remarkable talent for continuing on as if nothing’s changed. Sometimes because they don’t know what else to do, and sometimes because it’s easier than asking the questions they don’t want answered.” Her fingers shifted slightly against the table, as her gaze flickered toward the door at the mention of a killer. “And right now, I think it’s less about whether it’s believable and more about the fact that it’s already happened. Twice.” She softly hummed to herself, her expression thoughtful.

Brooklyn never paid full attention to Jason's self defense lessons. They usually ended in her flirting with him till their clothes came off in some fashion, but she couldn't help it, he easily distracted her. That being said, when he taught her how to use a firearm... that she listened to. And that night in the ally when she found Ana, she saved her life. The air grew thick as Brooklyn looked at her, her chest heaving slightly. Brooke wasn't sure how she would react, not everyone was happy of her return, some were hurt and others angry. Relief washed over the girl as her old friend wrapped her arms around her and welcomed her back.

Anastasia let out a soft, almost disbelieving laugh at Brooklyn’s words, the sound catching somewhere between relief and fragility. “I missed you too,” she admitted, her voice a bit quieter now, more honest than it ever allowed itself to be in front of anyone else. When she felt Brooklyn’s arms wrap around her fully, she didn’t hesitate as her own tightened in response, squeezing her just a little closer, as if grounding herself in the reality that her friend was actually here. For a moment, she just held on, cheek pressed lightly against her shoulder, eyes closing briefly as the years between them seemed to collapse into something manageable. “Don't you ever disappear like that again,” she scolded, not really scolding, more just a friend concerned for another friend. But when she pulled back Ana had a smile on her face, happy beyond all things to see Brooklyn alive.