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Logan reached out and put a hand on the other man’s shoulder, squeezing briefly before letting go. He wasn’t sure people ever really knew anyone, including themselves, but he didn’t think now would be a good time to say that. “Is there anything I can do?” he said, and offered a little smile. “I can’t cook that well, but I’m a whiz with to-go menus. We could have your fridge packed with leftovers in 30 minutes flat.” 

         there was nothing anyone could do at the moment except to spit out some answers and logan wasn't the person to do that when the cops themselves looked more lost than abandoned puppies. well, charles was part of the pack now. they were all looking for the same thing. he allowed a soft smile back at logan's effort. “ i'm not that hungry, but why not. i can make us something to drink. fair enough huh ? ” 

Deena let out a sigh, placing her notepad away. “It’s alright Charles. Thank you for answering my questions.” She said with a nod. It looked like no matter what way she painted it, the truth nagged in the back of her head. Someone was summoning the devil again. “Is there anything I can do for you Charles? I know this is tough time.” She offered out.

              as he heard her close her notepad, his gaze moved away to the steps he was sitting on. the sunnyvale air normally smelled of cut grass, lyses, but something had changed. “ i’ll be fine. if it’s not too much to ask --- i really would like to know if you have any news about the case. it’d  help me sleep at night. ” 

Olivia smiled as soon as she saw the familiar face. Her and Brittany weren’t close, but they were coworkers. “Hey, Brittany.” She smiled, trying to appear more cheery than she did a couple seconds ago. “I’m fine, really. Did you get a good photo?” Through the time they had spent together at work, somehow Olivia never knew the other was a photographer. “Do you live around here? I didn’t know. We could be going home together.”

Closed starter: @ghcstsfear

There was nothing Jiwoo hated more than car problems. She had been running around town all afternoon, getting some supplies the bar needed too much to wait for the actual delivery, so she had a car full of stuff she very much needed to take back before the bar opened at 6PM. It was already 5PM, and though she had plenty of time to get there on her car, she did not have enough if she would have to figure out whatever was going on. Seeing someone pass by, she waved. “Hey! Do you know anything about cars?”

“hey at least i’m making money while you’re going to school.” she says crossing her arms over her chest as she rolls her eyes at her older brother matching his eye roll. god he was annoying sometimes, but unfortunately she did still care about him. “hell, i’m surprised you actually showed up i knew that food would convince you to come.” she says, plus he had the car at least it meant that she didn’t have to take public transportation after work, she was already exhausted dealing with people all day. “thank you,” she says sighing as she sorts thru the trash pile trying to figure out what was the least disgusting thing to pick up in the pile. 

            he didn't mean it, but before he could think twice, the damage was done. “ and we can say for sure that mom and dad are super proud of you. ” words came out like FIRE. “ weird things have decided to happen in this town, so i wouldn't let you go home alone today. ”  their parents asked him to keep an eye on her. but as far as juniper knew, him being there being all attentive was his idea. “ gross. ” he held his breath. “ this is what you call making money. ” 

Charles hadn’t been his first call. He had just been the first call that answered. TJ’s guilt nipped at him when he first opened the door to the car and could smell the familiar scent of febreeze covering alcohol before he even got in the car. Maybe this wasn’t the brightest idea but TJ climbed into the car anyway. His year away from his hometown had actually been really good, after he got over the withdrawals and the bitterness of having his addictions taken from him. “It was a joke but that’s kind of fucked up. Going to bring your own alcohol to pick up the sober guy.” TJ ran a hand through his hair as he caught the glance the younger male threw in his direction. “I could give you the whole ‘you should quit now while you still can speech’ that I heard a hundred times.”

Deena frowned. She was hoping for something. Instead her worst fears were being finalized. “he didn’t vent about his parents maybe? no problems in the home? any pressures?” she asked, praying he gave her something. ANYTHING she could go home and tell her wife that everything was okay and normal. “any shady people maybe he would hang around?”

           his head tilted to the side at her obvious reaction. her eyes mirrored fear. even though she tried her best to hide it. but he could do nothing to make it go away. “ we all suffer from all kinds of pressure, especially at this age. ” tone remained light. “ i'm sorry, detective. ”

Closed starter: @ghcstsfear​

Location: La Fleur de Lotus Bar & Inn​

Lorina re-read the message on her phone screen. You should stay out of it. Another vote confidence from one of the few friends she had from back home, though friend might be the wrong word of what they were. More like a contact. Yes, Lorina, had a bad track record, but it didn’t mean she was going to fuck up this investigation. She was a good journalist. She wouldn’t necessarily fuck up. In fact, if she could find information before anyone else, this might be her ticket out of Sunnyvale. “Fuck off.” She puffed, and then realized she’d been too distracted to realize there was someone sitting next to her. “Shit, I’m sorry. I was talking to myself.”

he looked forlorn in a way riley would probably never be able to understand. not unless one of her friend’s ever did what his dead, she would never imagine the feelings that coursed through his head at such an tragic event. “… “ silence besotted her momentarily, taking the words in and thinking deeply about her response. “you really care about him, didn’t you?” if it hadn’t been clear before it was practically skywritten now. “i… “ the question was tough, and riley wish she could give an answer that would be helpful. as it was, she didn’t know any that would. “i don’t know. didn’t know him or…” or the other one. “whether it’s better or not is something i don’t think we’ll ever know for sure. and honestly… who are we even to decide?” they were just people. thats all anyone ever was in the end. 

               his gaze locked with hers for what felt like an eternity. the look on his features darkening. “ yeah. and i’d like to know the truth. ” his tone sharp as steel. “ the cops ask me if he had problems at home --- and you should see the look on their faces when i say they were one happy family. ” finding out the real truth was just HOPELESS. there wasn't much he could do now. “ you’re probably right. ” he produced a packet of marlboro from his pocket, taking a cigarette for himself, then extending his arm to offer her one. 

Closed starter: @ghcstsfear

Location: Shadyside park

Olivia had been lost in thought for a while when she stopped at the park and decided to sit on a swing. She had a dream, you know. She wanted to open an art store or something, somewhere where she could sell her own things. But lately, she’d been so stuck on her own routine that she hadn’t even tried to do anything. She just needed to take a breath, really, before going on her merry way. But she heard a noise, and Shadyside being the way that it is, Olivia got worried. “Is anyone there?” She screamed into the nothingness, rather ill-advisedly. That was definitely how people died in movies.

     “Hey! Uh, is there any chance you could maybe do me the biggest solid and pretend I just said something hilarious? Or, I don’t know. Just pretend we’re talking long enough for that guy over there to leave?” she asked, nodding her head gently in the direction of the man in question. “He’s been on my tail since I left campus and while it could be nothing, I’m looking to lose him sooner rather than later, you know? I’ll..buy you a coffee or something. That’s a thing, right?”

@fearstreetstarters​

Jiwoo smiled at the girl, already getting her cup and gesturing a waitress to get a refill. Although she didn’t personally know the drink the girl was having, her staff probably had it written down in her bill, so it would be no problem. “The uniform here is whatever you can stand to wear for a full shift.” Jiwoo chuckled. “For me, that’s heels. For most people, it’s jeans and snickers.” The waitress brought back the cup, and with a bright smile, Jiwoo handed it back to the girl. “Well, what do you work with?”

her office had an opportunity to volunteer with the homeless shelter with the holidays coming up hence the reason why she was there in the first place. she was not really expecting to see anyone that she knows here to be quite honest and she was not expecting to see brittany of all people at this place. she froze at the nickname that brittany chose for her that seemed to stick with her over the years, even people in her job appeared to call her june for one reason or another. “what are you doing here?” she asks, almost as if it was the first thing that she thought she spoke out loud. her eyes narrow down at the plastic gloves on the girls hands and the red mary jane shoes along with the stupid charm bracelet that they had gotten for each other when they were young. god, she was hoping that brittany was the last person she would see in a place like this. this wasn’t her style. “i’m here with my job, i have to go, it’s uh– nice to see you again, i guess.” 

                “ i thought it was the right time to help the poor and please the gods. ” a smile found herself dancing to her petals as she tried to justify the occasional fake kindness of the day. she hated these places almost like she hated the ugg boots. she hid her long red claws under her plastic gloves. her lips parted as more words were about to come out and soon the blonde was slipping out of her hands. AGAIN. red brows knitted together. “ please ? i really want to help with something here. if i could --- at least watch you so i would know what to do. the last thing i need right now is homeless people making fun of me because i'm unable to even serve them food. ”

             a room dedicated to helping homeless people was the last place brittany thought she would step with her miu miu platform mary jane’s in RED, her signature color. all the christmas gifts she bought for those who deserved something from her consumed all her giving and sharing spirit. at least it’ll make me look nice, she told herself. the blonde she'd once known was by the food, getting ready to serve. the smell almost made her vomit, but she held her breath and kept walking. “ june. ” features mirrored only emotions of surprise upon seeing the other girl. she’d make a great actress when she wanted to be. “ i was hoping to find a familiar face here, i feel so lost in this place. ” digits found plastic gloves, then raised her wirst, drawing attention to a gleaming gold bracelet. it had a J and a heart charm. 

location: alleyway of the sunnyvale community college

time: early evening

it has not been a good day for the young research assistant as she was closing up. “i told harold to fucking take out the fucking trash and he fucking didn’t.” she turns around to face the other whom she thought was another one of her lab mates, but to her surprise it wasn’t as the trash bags ripping from the bottom and completely breaking. great, wonderful, she already had to clean up the lab by herself that was left a mess and now she has to clean this mess up? groaning slightly she rubs her eyebrows with the palms of her hands. “are you just going to stand there and stare? you could help y’know, maybe we’d actually get out of here faster.” 

“Thanks for picking me up. I clearly didn’t think about how I was getting from the train station to home. I could have walked but we both know I’m too lazy for that. And in this weather?” TJ looked over to the driver’s seat with an appreciative grin before adding, “Stop to the nearest bar and the first round is on me.” It was just a joke, or so he told himself, considering he did just get out of a year long rehab program. As rain tapped against the car’s windows, TJ ran a hand through his hair to push the wet locks back from his forehead. He could already feel the presence of this town and he wasn’t sure that coming back had been the best idea. He had the chance to leave, to start a new life somewhere else, and he was probably going to regret not taking that opportunity.