𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝

he’s pissed about his yuletide post, so alice’s calculated bombardment regarding baby making doesn’t entirely mend his current stormy mood . he focuses hard on the motions, the ritual of getting ready for work, ignoring her attempts to crack him open, make him give . usually, she has the power to convince him of anything . but this is the one thing he refuses. to bend on . tension presses at his shoulders . “ not now, @virescos . ” he mutters, words clipped and final . this is how it always is, alice starting the essential conversations, and frank ending them without give . “ we're not discussing this now . ”

it’s  simple  enough  to  spot  the  uncombed  mass  of  fuchsia  on  an  overfilled  street  .  as  impartial  as  andromeda  is  to  the  attention  it  draws on a regular basis,  it  is  a  comfort  to  be  able  to  spot  her daughter  from  a  mile  off  .  the  part  that’s  less than  simple  is  that  dora  also  has  the  means  to  change  her  appearance  —  and  also happened  to  be  exacerbated  and stubborn enough  to  do  just that  .  it  seems  as through andromeda  hadn’t  been  as  inconspicuous  in  her  observations  as  she  thought,  and  as  a  result  her  daughter has resigned to be  just  another  face  in  a  congested  market,  full  of  the unspecified  dangers  that  a mother has constant nightmares about  .  her  face  drains  of  colour  as  she  considers  the  possible  fatal  outcomes of her daughter's disappearance  .  she  appears  like  a  mother  that's  sent  her  cherished  child  to  the  front  line  —  not  to  some  annual  market  with  her  school  friends  .         “         i  knew  it was a  mistake to let her go alone  .  she  could  be  anywhere,  @troubldharts  .         ”

he’d  prefer  to  be  on  the  grunt  shift  in the office than  find  himself  in  the  middle  of  this  festive  hell  .  the  jam-packed  market  might  be  his  last  choice  of  station on earth  .  it  feels  erroneous  to  feign  contentment  for  the  season  as  the  conflict  rages  on  in  the  background  .  to  brush  the  shoulders  of  the  suspected  monsters  hanging  red-lined  on  his  evidence  board  .  the  orders  are  clear:  keep  his  attention  sharp  for  dealings  regarding  the  obscura  or  anything else  abnormal  .  to  frank,  the  most  abnormal  and  disturbing  thing  about  this  is  the  deliberate  ignorance  of everyone here  .  his  bristling  mood  doesn’t  settle  on  sight  .          “           no,  i  haven’t  seen  my wife  .          ”          a  non-greeting  for  @corroding,   sullen attention  still  on  the  mindless  crowd  .

andromeda tracks the mangled fuchsia mane for as long as she's able — until it bounds and disappears alongside a larger group of children, deep into the festive crowd . instinct tips her forward, a cautioning glare towards her current companion as she forgoes pretenses and promises and moves fast to tread on the heels of her daughter . “          don’t say a word .           ” she cautions @corroding before judgement comes, maternal instinct clouding her initial commitment to be cool, as dora insisted . “          i'll keep out of sight .           ” she commits, recalling the feeling of being a child on a leash . but that doesn't heed her concern . after all, also remembers her cousin and his friends at this age, and what the lack of a leash might look like . “          remind me of all the trouble you used to find yourselves in ?           ”

peter  used  to  feel  as  if  time  stood  still  just  for  them  .  but  time  has  since  lost  its  patience  .  life  has  felt  like  a  race  since  graduation,  but  the  annual  market  is  a rare  moment  of  reprieve  .  the  nostalgic  scent  of  roasted  chestnuts  and  suspended  light  is  enough  to  pause  time  for  second enough to make him forget about everything else  .  he  glances  sidelong  at  his  old friend  —  distracted,  far-off,  as  if  he too is  holding onto  something  leaden  .  but  he’s  determined  to  forget  it  .  moments  like  these  are  so  rare  .            “          bet  he’s  peddling  dope  .         ”          peter  muses,  nudging  @me1ofors’  attention  to  the  crooked  potions  stall  .          “          or  something  stronger  .  reckon  i  report  him  or  pinch  something  off  ?         ”