˗ˏˋ w a s t e l a n d ˎˊ˗

𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 ,  𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝  𝐚𝐢𝐫 .    wave of chills washing over tall figure ,    fingers curling around another    &    lips parting to form nothing but everlasting silence .     you  can’t  speak ,      thought sadly to himself with expecting eyes resting upon him ;    awaiting a verdict he was not prepared to give .     you need to talk ,    but you can never find the right words .     what a shame it is to feel so low ,    the world spinning just a little too fast for meek grip to keep holding on .     BROKEN  NECK     &     SPINELESS  BACK .      whatever reason it was that made her wonder whether you like her or not ,    don’t take it for granted .     and he doesn’t ,     clearing his throat awkwardly    &    scratching his jaw whilst gaze falls to the ground .   

𝐢𝐟  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 ,    warmer to the touch of jubilantly spoken syllables    &    happiness coated demeanour in the illuminating afternoon sun ,    declan would throw up .     arden’s enthusiasm is bearable ,    barely ,     but bearable .      BE  HAPPY  FOR  YOUR  FRIENDS  !       he tries his best to do as the voice tells him ,     banishing awful sentiments into the depths of a dark sea that has established itself as his mind .      now’s  really  not  about  you ,       but oh ,     what terribly selfish creatures humans are ;      begging for attention    &    love    &    pity .

          book is the word that ALERTS him he’s being spoken too but the tone is what surprises him. he seems almost frantic — except that’s not quite the right word. he lifts his gaze, his brows, and then the book in mention just to clarify.  ❝ this one ? ❞  gansey asks despite knowing full well that he doesn’t NEED to. there is no one else seated here much less with a book after all. his eyes drop the collection of short stories, a reminiscent hum in his throat. he can’t recall exactly where he got it.

            ❝ i think it was a gift actually. ❞  that it — now he remembers rhea setting it down on his desk a few years ago, her expression a silent i thought you’d like this.

             the weight pressing down on her chest isn’t lifted by these words. the book was a gift, but he hasn’t said if he liked it. she was still a kid when she wrote them; nothing too deep and philosophical, just the strongest and most exhausting THOUGHTS packed into a few short stories to help her cope with the omnipresent fear back then. surprisingly enough, she actually won a youth prize for one of the stories.

                  shoulders slump as if feeling a sense of relief at his first set of words, because that’s how a normal person would react (she presumes, at any rate); however internally her cogs are now turning and twisting in suspicion. the sudden change in attitude seems odd, not forced but definitely not genuine. the second his hand makes contact with her back she stiffens. truthfully this is because she has a pretty good idea he’s aware of her little heist and where his tacky ass wallet is stashed, but she plays it off with a shrugging him away and an uncomfortable expression directed at him before mumbling: ‘ look, i get you’re probs a chill guy an’ i made ya’ mad, but could’ja like…. not do tha’ we ain’t bezzies or any’fing ya’know ? ’ she runs a hand through her hair and crinkles her nose at the way the warmth of the nearing cafe feels on her grossly soaked clothes.

                  wait… ooh. that’s just the ticket ! get him to sit down or wait in line whilst she goes to the ladies to clean herself up ! this was a lot of trouble just for some spare cash but by now she was in far too deep. she sniffs, as if contemplating how to approach talking to a guy she’d just ruined the morning of. ‘ i mean… tha’s proper sweet of ya’ mate. people aren’t really like tha’ ‘round here, ‘s refershin’. an’ look, ‘m… i really am sorry for it all… uh, name’s dorothy, by the way ! an’ i mean – oh, gross this shirt is jus’ gettin’ worse now, d’ya mind me poppin’ ta’ the ladies quickly ? ’

@eigengrav 

          she had PROMISED him this would happen eventually, and since she decided to stay in london, it felt like the perfect time. there were a few things she had to get done first — take care of her flat, make sure that the fair was all right with this decision and find back into her daily routine in london. » do you still want me to do that tarot reading for you ? « there’s a glint of uncertainty in her eyes, not sure if hayden even remembers their conversation — if he doesn’t, she’ll feel pretty dumb, to be honest. 

          they scoff, a bewildered expression plastered across their features. » what makes you think a stranger would judge me LESS than my friends ? «

         at the crooked comment, hazel eyes flit up ( rather crossedly ) to the flowers dangling over her line of vision. ❝ —— o-oh – ! ❞ she adjusts it to as straight as her eternally-lopsided self can allow it, flashing another toothy grin. ❝ s-s-ss’th-th-tha–t ??? b-b-bett–tter ??? ❞ one hand stays on the flower crown, still-surprised fingers running over the petals in a sense of wonder. it’s perhaps the kindest, most WONDERFUL THING that anyone had ever done for her.

@eigengrav liked for a lyric starter 21 Gun Salute by Half Moon Run

           » when you look in the face of my friends, when i try to talk with a cloudy head — i keep fucking it up and it’s ROUGH. maybe it’s just that i’m out of luck. «

though it may not seem to be that way, keziah truly did understand where margo was coming from. really, the blonde didn’t want to focus on the subject any longer, so with a soft, comforting smile dancing over her lips, she simply offers margo a comforting smile & a gentle rub of her shoulder, mirroring the same feeling as her brims. ❝ that doesn’t mean your life is sad though, just ‘cos nothing major is happening. y’know, i’d enjoy that while you can, because from my experience something SHITTY will be just waiting around the corner. ❞ there’s a soft sigh bubbling from rouge painted lips, the same ones that press against the cool glass as she takes a sip of wine soon after. though, naturally, margo manages to entice her completely. when she reveals it’s underwear, keziah squeals. ❝ let me see! let me see! ❞ being an ex-burlesque dancer, kez has quite a thing for lingerie! 

            at henry’s chuckles (which she clearly knows is well intended) anna sucks in her lips, crinkles her knows some as she furrows her recently threaded eyebrows to properly showcase her disapproval. her expression morphs into one of ‘told you so !’ upon him saying breakfast. ‘ how long ago was breakfast now, ‘enry ? ‘cause it’s comin’ up for one o’ clock now. ’ small bout of tuts punctuate her sentence to full effect. ‘ you’re no’ bein’ as ‘ealthy as ya’ fin’k if ya’ don’ eat regularly ! i’ll go an’ whip a li’l sum’mat for ya’ love no worries ! ’ she pays his finaly comment no verbal mind, instead choosing to channel her belief of him in fact not being a other into his eleven course meal lunch !

         a surprised shout of a laugh is her response to the spin. ( it isn’t loud, really, & she’s only surprised that it’s a hug that doesn’t feel necessary. ) the already-askew flower crown somehow doesn’t fall off, though it does fall in front of her eyes. once her feet reach the ground again, she fixes it, smile still large & lopsided. ❝ o-oh — G-GOSH-SH – th-thank you !! ❞

               he’s particularly nervous today. shaky fingers constantly reaching out for the bandaged arm before freezing in motion and drawing themselves away, though still itching to scratch at the already wounded and ugly red skin. everything is blurry. so, so blurry and out of focus, unreal and frightening       it feels like a nightmare he’s stuck in. everything reminds him of a nightmare lately, but this time it has managed to escape past the dream barrier and slip into reality with its sharp claws ready to slid his throat open. he’s suffocating, surrounded by oxygen his lungs don’t want. it’s another bad day, but he reminds himself to keep it together, to not fall apart when there are too many eyes resting on him already.

               the hospital is a place he’s all too familiar with. albeit it has never been for the same reason he’s here for today, it still holds many memories he wishes could be forgotten or even better erased out of his mind. instead, he’s preparing himself for new images to remember; new gasoline for the night horrors that terrorise his very being every time he dares to close his eyes. the nurse leading the way down the hall is nice and gentle, almost seeming out of place with her warm eyes and soft voice. she tells him nothing, but merely holds her finger up as she stops in front of a door and explains for him to wait while she announces his VISIT. his entire body freezes just like his hand did minutes prior, the skin beneath the tight bandage burning and aching to be set free. he wraps his hand around it, firmly. though it should hurt, it’s merely a numb throbbing that irritates his body. he hasn’t slept and it’s obvious, but this felt like the only right thing to do. 

        a mystery. a noun. something that is difficult or impossible to understand. something others deem necessary to solve. there is a purpose to her secrecy – she could be disbelieved & deemed insane, or believed & locked away anyway. she’d seen to movies, read the books. the silence is tangible in the air ; she breathes it in sourly & exhales it like a purge. the verse she was currently rattling off fumbles & fades, concerned gaze moving to him – a shadow. so distant, so far away – like he’s anywhere but where he is. ( she wonders how often she looks like that, too. ) a small hand, cold & pale, reaches over – slowly – & sets itself barely on his hand. it’s a feather-light touch, ready to be removed at a moment’s notice.

                 she frowns. god beware it’s because of how sinister his statement sounds. no, it’s more so the sensation of meeting someone that seems as odd in this setting as she does. then again, wouldn’t two oddities add up to being almost normal? probably not ( at least not if other people were judging the situation; people with the right mind to spot that the curve of her lips in response to his words was hardly appropriate ). ❝ mh, ❞ she hums finally, ❝ i do love a good optimist. ❞ a mild coat of sarcasm laces her voice, the tone of it softly teasing as she takes a small step further into the direction of the dark figure. ❝ are you waiting for someone else to take the lead? i just couldn’t help but notice that you seem to be dressed accordingly for an impromptu funeral        at least from what i can tell back here anyway. ❞ the young woman slightly tilts her head to the side, a shrug of her shoulders following. ❝ almost makes me feel bad that i’m not particularly fond enough of exercise to even considering climbing over that railing. ❞ karlie purses her lips, as though she’s considering but shakes her head at last. ❝ huh. too lazy to jump to my death, who’d have thought? guess you really do learn something new about yourself every day. ❞

          while he lets out a little chuckle, he can’t help but be endeared by her ( rather unique ) laugh. » i’ll consider that as constructive criticism. « he’s not serious at all, but he thinks she’s cute — a little shy, but her sense of humour seems brilliant. his eyes rest on her, a spark of interest evident in them. » not you, too — i’m starting to feel like it’s SCANDALOUS that i haven’t watched it yet. am i a traitor to my name now ? «