a court of writing and muses;

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Zekai leans back in the chair across from Benito, holding a bag of Cheetos in his hand. His gaze raises up from the bag to look at the man across from him, a slight smirk curves his features. "You're getting old," he teases. He plucks a Cheeto out of the bag and pops it into his mouth. "It's so fun though. You get into trouble and no one knows it's you." He muses. He clears his throat and crosses one leg over the other. "How about... heave and hell?"

They hadn't a clue how they made it there in the first place, but Valentina wasn't going to question it. Hunter knew how to drive and guided them the entire way while Val attempted to not crash and get the cops called on. Not something they couldn't talk themselves out of, but for the moment they were really just hungry. Xander: He smells like wet dog Hunter: That's an insult to dogs everywhere "And why can't we again?" they asked after the giggles settled from Hunter's comment. "We seem to have forgotten." Xander: Get the other guy! He smells more appetizing. "Hush." Val said pointedly as their gaze moved to the customer in the shop. They could smell him from inside the vehicle.

Asher stares at them, his gaze flicking over to the passenger seat. It's not every shocking to hear them talk to themselves; it seems more typical than out of the ordinary. "There are people here," he murmurs, raising his arms to cross them over his chest. "And I'm sure Javier wouldn't appreciate his gravel being shot everywhere into other cars in this parking lot." He furrows his brows, his gaze shifting from them to the empty seat once again. "Do I even want to know what they are saying?" Whoever the fuck they are.

Frankie had spent an embarrassing amount of time outside of Hazal’s place. This always happened, especially when they were desperate to see her. The more they wanted to, the more they told them self to hang back. Hazal had left them once, and now that they knew it was because she didn’t feel as if she deserved the happiness of a relationship, they wanted to take things slow. But they still wanted - badly. Trying to raise the courage to knock on her door, pacing at the bottom of her steps, when she left her place. Kismet, they chose to believe, face brightening as soon as they took her in though a smile didn’t appear on their face. Stoic as per usual, despite being wrapped in giddiness. “Hey.” They repeated, watching her approach. “Yeah - me too. A lot.” Without a second thought, Frankie was reaching for her hand. They’d drop it, drop everything and take ten steps back if she gave them the inclination it wasn’t okay, but after the last time they spoke - it felt natural to Frankie. “I’ve been quiet. Again. I do that - I… I want to. Give you, uh, space. I don’t know. I don’t know… how to navigate this. But I - wanted to see… if you were doing. Okay. Are you? Okay?”

Hazal drops her gaze down as they reach out to take her hand, her own hand shoots out to meet theirs. "Hi," she repeats; unsure why the word comes out of her mouth once more. Maybe, it's because after the events in the hospital, it feels natural. It feels as if the walls she built around herself are no longer suffocating her. Her near death experience was enough to whip her back into trying to be alive mode... or maybe that's just how she felt with Frankie. They were the first person she let in about what was going on with her and now... She's been trying to give them time, not wanting to bombard them or rush them on anything especially since she didn't know what this was. "It's okay," she says softly. "You don't owe me any explanation. Sometimes it's easier to be quiet than it is to navigate through situations like ours." She raises her eyes up to them. "If that makes sense," she chuckles lightly. "I'm not sure how to navigate either but... I'm doing better now that I'm looking at you. How are you doing?"

Dante couldn't help but smile inspite of her worries. In the world they lives, he'd be more surprised if she were mentally ill then seeing actual ghosts. Her therapist would have caught onto something by this point wouldn't she? And if not then they certainly had a lawsuit coming their way. He wasn't worried, though. If the entities frightened her then he'd do everything in his power to ensure they kept their distance. There had to be someone out there able to do something about these apparitions. "You won't find out for sure until you confront the problem, pretty girl." He pulled on her hand, messing with her fingers as she'd done his before guiding her to their bed. "That is if it's something you want to do." Dante moved around her and undoing the covers so she could climb in besides him, "If you don't want to then I'll chase them all away!" His joked lightheartedly, but his gaze remained on her. Dante wasn't a fan of how scared her own sanity made her. The only way he could show his support was with encouragements and being present. "We can stop by the church and get some holy water. I'm sure the old man would just love that."

Sawyer presses her lips together as she lifts her gaze up to look at him. Sometimes she wonders what she would do without him, it's not something she likes to think about. Not after finally knowing what it's like to be his. Even though, it's not a topic they touch often she knows deep down that his emotional connections are something she has to let him navigate through even if one day he ends up finding someone who makes him choose. There would be a point in time where he finds a person he connects with more. Through the last year and a half, lots of meetings, lots of one on one therapy appointments she's come to the understanding of herself, of what her relationship is like with Dante and all that truly matters to her is if he finds someone and they ask him to chose between them and her, he'll always choose her.

"I'd be more surprised of something that didn't turn you on, Z." Apple combatted with a smile. It was no secret that her best friend got around and she could see how with the way he flirted so easily. Like it was second nature. They needed to have plenty of things that turned them on, no? Apple didn't really know. Yet she knew damn well that Z knew the movie she quoted. She's made them watch it endlessly when they were younger. "You can certainly try, although I'm not sure how far you'll make it." she replied with a smirk mirroring their own. Feeling herself daring and amused Apple leaned over extending the bag of chips for Zekai to help themself but quickly pulling back the moment the other got near. "I think you missed the bag there, buddy."

Zekai breathlessly chuckles, a little shrug of the shoulders. "It's not my fault, I was born to be a lover, not a fighter." It was ironic; their form of nature and here he was dropping comments as if it were true. If they were honest with themselves, he'd realize the only person he has ever even cared about was sitting right in front of him. Everyone else could fuck themselves for all he cared. Even though his actions behind her back simply told a whole other story. "Should know better than to challenge me, little A." He bites on his lower lip as he reaches out to drop his hand into the bag of chips when she pulls it back. "You think you're so cute, don't you?"

"In this disgusting bar? I'm just as surprised as you, truly." Charlotte frowns, the loud thrumming in her ears drowning out any rational thought strand she had about how she'd ended up in May's. "I must have blacked out or something because I would never come hear willingly. And it smells way worse than usual, ugh. Can you smell that?"

"I wouldn't call it disgusting," they scrunch up their nose at her words. Yet again, Charlotte always had a taste for the rich life more than they did. They practically did everything they possibly could in order to prevent even thinking about the fact they came from a rich background. Their tongue brushes over their lower lip as they glance over toward her. "I thought maybe you were here to see me." They smirk but the smirk falls as their gaze takes her in, trying to figure out what the hell she's talking about. "What smell?" They reach for their beer, raising it to their lips and taking a sip of it.

"I ever tell you that you are a pain in my fucking ass, Frost?" Although, Dylan was probably one of the only people he allowed to get close to him after Maddison ditched him all those years ago. "I told you we had shit we were going to do today," he murmurs. "Do you not remember the things I tell you or do you just not care what comes out of my mouth?"

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Zekai smirks, putting his hands behind his back to lock them together. "Am I? You know it kind of turns me on when you talk to people like that," he teases, knowing she's talking about a line from a movie. He drops his gaze down to her lips for a brief second before moving it to her snack. "Are you actually willing to share or do I need to pry it from your hands?" He smirks.

Dylan spots the familiar frame of Sawyer from an embarrassingly long distance away as he trudges through the park, dragging his feet with every step. He considers diverting his path to the treeline instead, in the hopes that maybe the blonde won't see him. The pair haven't spoken since Christmas; always thankfully in other company when they are forced to cross paths and he's not in the mood to dig up more of their complicated history. But then again, he never is.

Sawyer had to admit; she also wasn't in the mood to bring up the past especially since she just attended a meeting. Her meetings usually leave her feeling more humble and a tad bit emotional which normally puts her in a mood to let things go and not really talk about them. Dylan and her cross paths more often than they would admit to each other given he's been working on being a musician and she works at the studio.

With the two of them practically cradling each other, Leo couldn’t help but feel the usual fondness that always washed through him when he was with Sawyer. They knew each other more than most, which meant it wasn’t hard for Leo to read her face. Her tone, the way her hand froze in his hair for a moment. If he didn’t care so much about her, he wouldn’t have noticed the hesitation at all. “Woah. What’s up with that?” He asked, vague but hamming up the scenario to cover up his own curiosity. Usually, they blabbed everything and anything to each other, if Sawyer was purposely deflecting it really wasn’t anything to worry about, or it was something to be very worried about. “You’re holding out on me. Since when? I can read you like the morning newspaper, Marshall.” Leo hated pushing when it came to people, much preferred a ‘they’ll talk when they want to talk’ method, but it was hard to keep the same momentum with Sawyer. “We don’t have to talk about it. But I know you. At least tell me I don’t have to worry now - I’m, like, getting greys and everything now, Sawyer. Have one kid and you’re in your 50’s hobbling around with a walker. Don’t let my heart age more like this.”

Sawyer isn't surprised Leo can read her almost as easily as Dante can. The two of have been friends back in the childhood era, running around on the streets, riding bikes and coming home covered in mud. Their connection over shitty parents is what kept her alive during those years and there's never a thing on earth that would ever change the way she will always hold the man close and dear in her heart. She bites on her lower lip as she turns her head to look over at him, her fingers still dancing in the strands of his hair. "I should know better than to jump around things with you." Just like he knows better than to do it with her. She laughs, turning her head to look over at him. "You do realize you're talking to a mother of two under two, I think I'm in my 60s and Lissy goes out of her way to make sure I have at least one heart attack a day." She muses, her eyes glancing down to the little girl her other hand is currently touching. "Since the twins have been born, I've been seeing..." She exhales. "It's going to sound so cheesy but I'm seeing dead people." Her head slowly turns to look over at him. "They haven't really said anything but... I don't know. I'm worried I fucked something up in me."

Frankie wasn’t the most observant at the best of times - when it came to their surroundings, time, anything relative they were clueless. But people, they could read. Not the same level as a therapist by any means - or someone who was actually observant - but they noticed things, liked to take mental notes about the people they knew and met. Filed everyone away easily for later pilfering, when they could really read back and scope through their entire interaction with a magnifying glass. Usually to poke and prod at their own errors. But they wanted this to go well - they wanted this to go really well. And it didn’t take someone who was observant to focus on just how likeable and at ease Sawyer was. Or at least seemed. If she was faking it the way Frankie was trying to fake their own casual atmosphere, she deserved an Oscar. Luckily, Frankie usually had no problem perfecting a look of stoicism, considering it was their go to - it was probably the way they were trying to force a smile, show that they were happy to be with her, that gave them away. The worst was that they were happy to be with Sawyer, but they were terrible at showing it every time. “Hm. Pawpaw predicted… our meeting. I can sense it.” They tried to glaze over the mention of the twins as nonchalantly as possible. Dante had insisted on Frankie meeting them a few times now, and it wasn’t anything against their kids - Frankie could only imagine they were probably the most beautiful babies with the best personalities. As good a personality as babies could have. Frankie had just… always been terrible with anyone under the age of 18. Even that was a stretch. Teenagers still scared them. “The beach?” They were still reeling from the fact that Sawyer was so insistent on wanting to hang out with them. They’d hoped for such a positive reaction, but hope was a fickle thing so they’d learned. Still, they couldn’t help but preen, blush slightly as they considered the option. Glancing at the coffee in hand that was meant for their aunt but - whatever, she didn’t know it was coming. Worst surprise ever, but it was their drink now. “Yeah. I’d, uh, love that.” Should they warn her? That they talked weird, stared sometimes uncomfortably, already had a crush on her? That’d be weird. Instead, Frankie gave her a grin - a genuine one, that wasn’t forced, hopefully looked a bit more natural. “I have - um, a lot of questions.” Frankie insisted, as much as they could, while holding the door open to leave for her. Curious to see if caffeine did anything to affect them after taking a few sips of whatever caramel contraption they’d ordered. “Dante talks about you all… the time. But I - I’m always… uh, curious. Birthday? Favourite colour? Um… Love Language? Or is that, uh… getting too deep?”

It's been over a year since her and Dante officially started being a thing; there was more a comfort within her as well as a trust beyond anything she could ever explain or have toward another person. They've known each other inside and out since they were practically kids that it was impossible for her to feel anything ill toward individuals Dante loved in some way or another plus she would never do anything to hurt the father of her children even if he decided one day he had a enough of her even though she knew it was impossible. Frankie was an important part of Dante's life and she wanted the two of them to be as comfortable as possible around one another, the same way Dante was comfortable around Leo. "Yeah, it's one of my favorite places." It seems right, dragging Frankie to walk along side of the beach. A beach that would always hold a place in her heart because it's where her and Dante had their first kiss, the line between friendship and love gets crossed. She's sure she's not the only person who has shared a first kiss on the beach. She raises her cup of coffee up to her lips, taking a sip of it. "Great!" She practically had no time to swallow before she excitedly responded to them agreeing. "You'll love it! If you want, we'll even take off our shoes and put our toes in the sand." She moves over to the door, turning around to face them as she backs into the door to push it open. "Ask away," she waits for them to walk through before she turns to walk along side of them. "He does?" She smiles lovingly at the idea of Dante talking about her all the time. "Well, I'm a Gemini I don't know if you are a big zodiac believer but I feel like mine fits me completely that it's pretty terrifying. My birthday is next month, May 24th to be exact. My favorite color is plum purple, there's something about the dark color of purple that just... it's gorgeous. Love language? I believe we have that in common, I'm a physical person. If you ever ask Dante I don't think there has been a single point in our entire lives where I'm not touching him one way or another. I'm even like that with my friends." She muses. "You can get as deep as you want," she chews on her lower lip, a small sinful smirk daring to curve across her features as she turns her head toward them. "I'm going to steal all your questions and ask you the same thing. Birthday? Favorite color? And I believe I'm pretty sure what your love language is. Believe it or not but Dante talks about you all the time too." There isn't a single thing Sawyer doesn't know about Dante. There may be some things he needs to figure out on his own but she eventually finds out when he's ready.

He could have gone on and on about it, but Dante didn't want to make her feel scolded either. He felt as though she's been doing so good that her not accepting the credit felt criminal. But that wasn't something he could teach her. It was something to learn with time and effort. Instead, Dante smiled and squeezed her hand. From a very young age, Dante had been able to see, feel, and do things that others couldn't. Those were secrets that his family ensured he kept as he grew older. Secrets that he'd never been able to keep from Sawyer who's always been his other half. The moment he began feeling everything she felt he thought he'd gone crazy. Thought perhaps she truly was part of him after all, but his grandparents walked him through it. At first it had been just emotions, but the more he trained his abilities the more things he was able to access. Controlling emotions for once... Being so easily able to take away all of her pain and take it for himself. To ensure she felt nothing but the love he felt for her and not the heart wrenching emotions her parents brought out of her. Sawyer was his pretty girl. His, to love and protect against all else. They'd both been rash and done things slightly out of order, but there wasn't a single moment of their time that he'd take away. Their lives were always meant to merge. That he believed with everything in him. "Maybe you should talk to them and find out." he offered in response, "That might help you get somewhere. And if they are talking then you can both help each other." Dante couldn't see them or hear them, but he was able to feel their aura whenever they were near. Same as if someone walked into a room. The presence were potent. "What do they typically say?"

Sawyer raises her eyes up to him, her hand reaching out to take his. Her love language has always been physical; at any point in time she's near the man in front of her she has to have her hands on him in some way or another. His little smile and hand squeeze tells her he's taking a route where he's not going to try and keep scolding her a little longer. If there was one person in this entire world she knew loved her inside and out, it was Dante. They've had a connection for as long as she could remember and the only thing she can say she regrets when it comes to their relationship was not pulling him closer when she lost herself in Chicago. She tilts her head to the side, pressing her lips together when he mentions she should probably talk to the spirits at hand. "You..." She inhales. "You don't think I'm just seeing things," it's not question, the way he's wording it makes her think that he fully believes she is seeing spirits and it's not something her past inflicted on her in some form of a disease. "I've been too worried to try and talk to them." She chews on her lower lip. "I thought maybe when I almost..." She drops her gaze to his hand, her fingers still touching his. It's a sensitive topic for not only her, but him as well. She sometimes wonders if he ever felt it; the moment she died. "I thought maybe the drugs did it."

HE'S never felt the tell - tale pull towards the ocean - never felt beckoned home by the waves, or comforted by the salt that now settles over his skin. It's almost uncomfortable - walking salt lamp, right to the warmth that constantly emits from him. But he likes the warm sun above head - has to remind himself not to instinctively flex out his wings and fly towards the ever - growing star. "Thanks, dude!" It's a cheerful reply, one that doesn't carry his discomfort but a wide, toothy smile instead as he settles into the sand besides Sawyer and pulls an apple from seemingly nowhere - infinite pocket hack. "D'you wanna share? My dentist says if I keep biting into apples like I do that my gums are gonna have recess or something - so I gotta cut it, anyways. I've got a knife n' everything - but I think I can break it in half if I try like - really, really hard. I've seen people do it before - you've gotta like - palm it, gently - I think -"

Sawyer turns her head to look over at him, her gaze shifts to the apple in his hand then to what he's wearing to try and figure out where the hell it came from. "Yeah, yeah." She chuckles. "Unless you put it in a place that apples probably shouldn't go," she teases. Her attention remains focused on them as they talk, the idea of watching someone actually rip an apple apart the way people do in those videos. "It amazes me what people are capable of. Have you seen the videos where they squeeze a watermelon open with their thighs? I want thighs like that but again maybe not because I wouldn't want to pop my boyfriend's head."