“Merry Smoketide, everybody.”

It’s already starting.

M3 M3

W44444444V3R!!!!!!!

[You jump him immediately and wrap your arms around him. It feels kind of like the past month or two have happened in a daze. There were zombies, shit happened, people got hurt, everyone started to recover. And while you were technically there for all of it, it doesn’t really feel like you were. There are parts you remember with clarity--you remember Gamzee getting continuously murdered by small green children--but largely it feels like a blur.]

         May be it was a mistake on his part, vocalizing such thoughts aloud—where someone could potentially hear him. No sooner after saying as much, that very same individual he spotted seconds sits on the seat right next to his. There was no subtly in her actions, including how she had addressed him, which took him by surprise naturally. “Oh!” It was more or less a sound that abruptly passed his lips, matching his current state of mind. Yet that slightly startled feeling soon dissipates, and shortly afterward he regains his composure. Before offering his own reply however, he takes a moment to place his cup of down on the coaster on the table before him. “Unfortunately, I only managed to make out a few words.” He was caught—no use in hiding the fact that he was listening on a conversation. Initially his gaze turns toward her in order to properly address her, however, a minute or so later, he shifts back to look straight onward, one of his hands moving to rest on his chin in contemplation.

         “A strange fog encircling the city was the only mystery I caught, what that fog does, whether or not its of a natural phenomenon, or if there’s even any truth to its existence… all of that is unknown to me. I don’t suppose you know more about this? Or about these other wonders, perhaps?”

1 H4V3 H34RD SOM3 T4L3S OF P3OPL3 1NV3ST1G4T1NG OUTS1D3 OF TH3 C1TY

1 DO NOT KNOW 1F 1T 1S R3L4T3D TO TH3 FOG, P3R S3

BUT  1F TH3Y GO TOO F4R OUT

TH3Y S33M TO W4K3 UP 1N B3D NOT R3M3MB3R1NG WH4T H4PP3N3D

1 H4V3 NOT TR13D 1T MYS3LF

BUT P3OPL3 H4V3 TOLD M3 WH3N TH3Y W3R3 GO1NG, 4ND B33N CONFUS3D N3XT 1 S4W TH3M

[You take a sip from your coffee and join the human in pondering.]

1 4M NOT SUR3 4BOUT TH3 OTH3R WOND3RS, 31TH3R

Moving to sit, the dusty books he held giving a resounding thump against the table as he set them down, he raised his eyebrows as she scooted closer, just trying to keep his composure. As she leaned ever closer, he slowly leaned back just a bit, trying to keep his personal space intact without interrupting whatever… strange thing she was doing.

Her next statement brought him even more confusion, arching an eyebrow at her with a curious look.

“C… Can’t say I am. What was all that sniffing about?”

OH

1 4M BL1ND

SO 1 H4D TO G3T 4 GOOD WH1FF OF YOU TO 1D3NT1FY WHO YOU W3R3

[Mostly you just like freaking people out.]

FOR TH3 R3CORD

YOU SM3LL MUCH B3TT3R TH4N 3QU1US

[As in, he actually smells kind of good. You don’t move your chair further away again.]

YU4N!!!!!!

[When he turns to figure out what the fuck you’re yelling about,you grab his collar and yank him down to your level. Before he can protest, you’replanting a gentle smooch on each of his cheeks.]

[You release him and return to you previous walking stance.]

3H3H3H3

1T 1S FOR GOOD LUCK

1 F33L L1K3 YOU COULD US3 SOM3 >:P

[You bite your lip a bit in consideration, but inevitably asly smile spreads across your face.]

OK4Y

[It’s all you say as you turn on the other teal, getting himto back up against a wall. You move to gently brush the bangs out of his face,only letting the tips of your fingers graze his skin a little, and your grinsoftens.]

YOU N3V3R B3L13V3 M3

[You start, pushing yourself against him just a little bit.]

WH3N 1 T3LL YOU

[You let your hand slide into his hair to keep it fromfalling back into his face, but bring your free hand to very lightly cup hischeek.]

TH4T YOU 4R3 CUT3

[And you’re leaning closer, your face a mere few inches fromhis.]

SO

1 W1LL H4V3 TO PROV3 TH4T 1 4M B31NG HON3ST

[You plant a small smooch on his cheek first, but then,carefully, your lips meet his.]

[It’s a gentle kiss. It’s not a complicated kiss. There’s nooverwhelming intensity, no desperation. It’s more cautious, more deliberate andthoughtful. You know you’ve already shoved him out of his comfort zone, so youdon’t want to completely fuck up the poor dude. You’re very good at showingrestraint!]

[After it’s done, you pull away smoothly, as if you’d neverbeen so much as sniffing him.

The smile on your face could now only be described as beingshit eating.]

3H3H3H3H3H3

S33

W4SN’T TH4T FUN, GORGOR???

“Pretty safe to say that if Gamzee won’t eat it, that’s a pretty good sign.” (”I’d probably get sick…”)

And out they go! Good thing Anda brought a jacket.

“Uh… not much? I kinda work and go home. Haven’t done much.”

…

“What’s, up with you?”

L1ST3N, G4MZ33 4CTU4LLY C4N B3 PR3TTY P1CKY

[Yeah, because he actually knows how to cook real food and also you eat weird ass things.]

4ND NO

TH4T 1S NOT WH4T 1 M34NT

1 M34N

WH4T 1S *UP* W1TH YOU

They were already waving their hand, reaching over for the files to being back to Waver when she grabbed hold of their arm. It caught them a little off-guard, judging by their reaction.

“Uh…” (”I was just going to make something at home, but… I’d feel bad for turning her down.”) “O-okay. I’m up for it, I guess. I mean, not that I don’t like whatever technicolor mess you drag out of the kitchen, but–takeout might be a better idea.”

1 DO NOT KNOW WHY 3V3RYON3 JUDG3S MY T3CHN1COLOR M3SS3S

TH3Y 4R3 D3L1C1OUS!

[Only to your fucked up taste buds.]

[You drag them along, heading to your collective favorite take-out joint.]

SO

WH4TS L1K3

@justicescales

VRISKA: Terezi!

vriska throws her arms around her before either of them can say anything more, pulling terezi into her embrace with a sharp jerk. oh, how she’s missed this; the steady cadence that is terezi pyrope, the one constant in vriska’s life. even here, where she believed terezi wouldn’t follow. (she briefly thinks that terezi is her only partner in crime, and always will be.)

VRISKA: I’m so glad you’re here! I thought I was going to 8e stuck here with a 8unch of losers, 8ut now I’m stuck here with a 8unch of losers and you! VRISKA: Life is always 8etter when you have someone to 8itch a8out it with.

she pulls back, just a little. her eyes dance with a mixture of wild joy and worry.

VRISKA: I got your messages! VRISKA: Jeez, you really had me going there for a second. 8ut you’re okay, right?

WO4H

[You’re collided into, arms squeezing around you with enthusiasm and relief. You return the embrace instinctively and it takes less than a second before recognition hits you.]

[Vriska.]

[For a moment, you’re stunned. It feels like it’s been so long since you were last with her, yet at the same time it’s only been a couple of months since you were embracing under the destruction of the universe.

You were, admittedly, afraid to find her on this island. Afraid of what to say, of what to do. Afraid of all the shit that had happened between you throughout the sweeps.

But the embrace is nice. You let yourself squeeze her back, your face buried against her.]

[And then you start to hear the words she’s saying.]

PL34S3, S3RK3T

1 4M 4LW4YS H3R3 

4ND 1 4M R3L4T1V3LY OK4Y

[ Barely able to even comprehend what was going on.  The only thoughts that really crossed his mind were: I deserved that.  Though, that’s what that would stay.  A thought.  He would never dare verbalize that thought. ]

Ggh…

[ He groaned, wincing at being picked up.  By who?  He thought it might’ve been Terezi.  He’ll go with that. ]

Green…Hulking skeletal man.

*_________ 

OH

TH4T 1S LORD 3NGL1SH

P1CK1NG 4 F1GHT W1TH H1M 1S 4 M1ST4K3

Galekh had heard… a lot of things in his short time in Spirale. As is his nature, he wanted to learn everything he could in this new situation, including information about the unfamiliar people he was now sharing a city with. There was just… so much now, it was mind-boggling. So many new things to learn, so many new people to meet, so many new experiences to have. And as it turns out, those three tied together quite well in Galekh’s mind, preferring to kill two (or three) featherbeasts with one stone.

Trotting up to a mostly empty table, books on his current topic of interest (art history) gripped tightly to his chest, he turned to the unfamiliar troll seated at the table of choice, a small smile on his face.

“Mind if I sit here?”

@justicescales

OH Y34H

SUR3

[You say instinctively, turning the page of your book. You’re doing some research for a case your working on, hoping some of these resources aren’t completely useless.]

[It takes a solid belated few moments before you sniff back up again.]

[Then you scooch your chair closer to the other. Another sniff.]

[Then you scooch your chair just a liiiiittle more.]

[Sniff. Sniff sniff.]

[You’ve been like... in charge, or something, since Waver got sick. Nothing is currently on fire, so you think you’re doing a pretty bang up job.

There is something that’s been bugging you, though, so at the end of the day, as Anda’s about to leave, you hook arms with them.]

L3TS GO G3T FOOD

1 WOULD OFF3R TO COOK

BUT YOU WOULD JUST K1CK M3 OUT OF TH3 K1TCH3N

SO T4K3 OUT 1T 1S!

“…” 

–「 TEREZI? 」