shrouded in red

Pumpkin Spice : Dream car?

"car.....?"

carmine repeated, cautiously. her brows furrowed in confusion at the inquiry presented to her. dream car? like a car she dreamt up or a car she wanted? briefly, she was concerned she gave off the impression that she cared at all about machinery. but figured this was just someone's simple way of getting to know her better.

"i don't... i don't know cars," her eyes darted to a random one passing by. pointing, her finger followed after it. it looked to be a hondo civic, "that one?"

Flat White : Coffee or Tea?

"i prefer tea," she answered smoothly, prepared with an answer for this one. "i like the variety of flavors more and coffee tends to be too strong for me."

she refrained from saying that coffee made her too buzzed. her senses too hyperaware that always put her on edge more than anything. it made her too conscious of everything around her, and her paranoia spiked up when she drank it.

the thought of being in a candle shop had carmine scrunching her nose in discomfort. she had always been a bit sensitive to smells, even outside of her unique background. she had visited the local candle store once to get a gift for her grandmother and had been overwhelmed by everything in there.

from the florals, to the spiced cinnamons, to the fresh mints and everything else in between-

"uhm..." she paused, trying to recall a scent she did like. "pine... tree? i think is what it's called?"

"of course," carmine answered, a touch defensive in her tone. it was more reflex than anything else. she clutched the dishrag tighter, her knuckles turning white, before she loosened her grip and let go of some of that tension in her body.

"i don't have any reason to be unhappy," she answered, closing up a cookie bag that had somehow tumbled open, "isn't that enough?"

"Like... monopoly...?" Carmine asked tentatively, trying to recall some of the titles she had seen in passing at the stores. She had never played a board game before- unless maybe if one counted a twisted version of darts. She had played something similar like that growing up, but that most likely did not count as a board game.

She didn't like being inebriated either- so drinking games were always out of the question for her.

"a poem...? a song...?" carmine felt herself rendered speechless by the question. she wasn't the overtly creative type- the most her imagination went was trying to figure out how to organize the pastry display. infact, carmine would say she had negative creativity. so she wondered if something about her said other wise...?

shaking her head, carmine offered the other a humble shrug of her shoulders, "no. not really. i think... if i were to attempt, a three year old could make something better than what i could do."

the second question was even less welcomed than the initial one. carmine couldn't help the way her body stiffened at the word 'marriage'. as if the very string of letters brought out a sense of revulsion in her.

carmine wasn't sure how to answer that question initially. it felt as if a lot was out of her reach- either by the world's machinations or her own willingness to stay stagnant. she was never someone who was particularly brave or compassionate. she didn't consider herself bold or passive. but she was someone who often let opportunities slip past her. the ever present fear of attempting only to be met with disappointment was a burden she carried daily.

maybe if she had more resolve, she would regret less.

wha-

carmine blinked, staring down at the finger till her vision narrowed down to the single digit. there was an exceedingly long, painful moment there time stretched as she took in the gesture and all its implications.

there was a long, painful moment where she considered snapping his hand in two for even doing that to her.

carmine's eyes drifted to the dirtied red cloak that sat atop the counter. the familiar lace patterns following the hem. the deep scarlet of the cloth that had always been her favorite color despite everything it came with. the little silver button that tied it all together with that stupid stylized rose. it sat on the countertop as if mocking her.

years of learning how to keep her composure was the only thing that kept her from breaking out into a sweat, but it did nothing to help the growing anxiety in the pit of her stomach. "i suppose i should ask why you're showing this to me..."

her question hung in the air, though the brunette already knew it's answer. she had told sloane she wasn't there the day of the robbery. just some usual idiots thinking they could make a quick buck, and they had targeted sloane's car. it had been a snap decision.

put them in their place.

she had left the would be thieves there on the ground battered, but the sounds of the sirens approaching had caused her to flee. she didn't want to be anywhere near where the police could be.