coming down

PAISLEE ACHAIA ---> 30 --> FLORIST --> ECHO CREEK

Species: Fae Sexuality: Bisexual Pronouns: She/Her Favorite Song: Graveyard by Halsey Big Three: Aries sun, Capricorn moon, Pisces rising

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Meg wasn’t used to doing like girl things with other girls. She was a grump more often than not and happy about it. Paislee could get her to change that though. This actually sounded kind of fun. “We’ve got to like at least see what the bar is like, right? It’ll be like not the worst maybe,” she shrugged before exhaling. “I just… Have to figure out things with work. I’ve been uh working overtime at the diner recently.” Meg didn’t want anyone to know with her involvement in Hopper’s world just yet. Especially not Paislee, it would only worry her. This was something she needed to do alone. “But we can figure it out, I just have to plan a little ahead.” Or something like that. “I don’t want you having to talk to Harold for any reason either so I can handle him, I’ll tell him it’s with you and he’ll cave,” she said as a laugh started. The last thing she wanted was Paislee having to be around Harold anymore than she already had to. 

-

“We can go to the bar, get room service...I’m sure the mayor will be extra accommodating since we all got trapped in city hall.” She pouted. She didn’t like that Meg was working herself so hard. She wished she would quit that diner job and work at her shop with her, but she understood that Meg needed her space and she needed places that were hers. Even if it was a shitty job. She trusted Meg more than anyone, so she didn’t question the extra hours. If she needed it, she needed it. Paislee understood how important it was to hold onto the things that did belong to yourself. “I can handle talking to Harold, you know. I won’t bend to his will. But I won’t fight you on this.” She would absolutely fight Harold if he tried to tell Meg no though. But for now, she will keep that to herself. 

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There were so few moments where Meg felt quiet, like the world wasn’t against her and those were usually spent with Paislee. She was the calm against the current that Meg was almost never able to escape for more than a second. This was where she found some sort of solace and one of the few people who truly understood what it was that she did. If anyone knew Harold at his ugliest it was Paislee. “Fuck, you’re going to get me to take a girls weekend,” she said with a laugh, shaking her head. Most people didn’t see the softer side of Meg but Paislee always had her way of bringing it out. “I hate to say it but that sounds actually really nice.” Everything here reminded her of how stupid it had all been, how stupid she had been. “New Salem, ha, all I saw when I was there was the inside of the town hall. Might be like not the worst time ever to go look around, see what else it has to offer.” 

-

Paislee grinned. “New Salem it is. We can find a cute hotel and just....never leave it if we don’t want to leave it. Whatever you want. It will be all your choice. A taste of freedom until...Until I can help you make it real.” She giggled at her comment about a girls weekend. It was one, yeah, but knowing them it wouldn’t be any ordinary girls weekend at all. “I will make the arrangements. We can leave tomorrow night if you want to, even! I will make it all happen. All I need you to do is pack what you want and not worry about a single man in your life right now. And if anyone has anything to say about what you’re doing, if you don’t kick their butts, I will.” She squeezed her friends hands and as her gaze turned hopeful. She wanted nothing more than to see Meg happy and relaxed and she would burn all of Animania down to get it if she really had to. She knew the dark thoughts in her head were something to not entertain, but she just wanted to do what was best for her person. Meg was everything to her. She just wanted to show that to her.

“And perhaps they shouldn’t,” Paislee said, eyes narrowed. When Meg had come to her about all of this, she was more than mad, she was downright furious. She had hoped she wouldn’t have to run into Blaise on the streets or anywhere really anytime soon because she was not sure how well she was going to be able to control her temper. Meg was the kind of woman you didn’t hurt. She had been through enough, she is going through enough, and he knew all of it. Meg bared her soul to him and he ended up being exactly what Paislee told him to his face that he would be. She had no sympathy for a man like him.

“You need to leave Meg alone. You’ve done more than enough.” She could feel the magic at her fingertips, the need to heal and create buzzing in her ear. Her magic was already unpredictable at best but now that she was mad? It was consuming her faster than she could handle. She always had a darkness to her, but she always tried to push it down because she didn’t know all that she could do. But right now, as the dark and spiky thorns erupted from the ground and circled her arms, she knew that this was only the beginning if she allowed it. Creating life to a plant that had withered away was one thing; bringing life to these thorns was another. “If you ever come close to her again, I will make sure you regret it. My patience with you has expired.” @blaiselumiere

Paislee’s eyes softened and she immediately wrapped her friend into a hug. She let it linger for a few moments before pulling away, furrowing her brows. “What happened?” she asked softly, trying to soothe Meg’s troubled soul as much as she could. Whoever made her feel the way she did was dead and she had the feeling it was that foolish boyfriend or Harold and honestly either of them could be taken out quick enough if she....no. She took a deep breath. She couldn’t let that side of her get too loud or nothing good was going to come out of it.  She had to be strong and soft for Meg and she could do that. She could be whatever Meg needed her to be because it was Meg. No love was stronger than the love she had for her. She pet her friends head, her fingers gentle detangling her hair as she looked at her with such fondness and attention that a car crash could happen next to them and she wouldn’t notice it. “I only want you to feel peace. Do I need to tear this place apart to mess someone up? I’ll do it for you.” @rottenjudgemcnt

“Aren’t you a bit hard to kill off anyways?” Paislee joked, giving him a small smile. She worried for Paul often, so hearing that he was making progress with the things that plagued him was good. No matter what it was. “I’m so proud of you. I knew you could handle it.” She had a feeling he was talking about Harold and even though it was not easy by any means to talk to him especially after avoiding the man that it was something that had to be done in the end. She was sort of a hypocrite for not just...doing what Paul did herself. But if he needed her to, she would without a doubt. “So how did it go? Do you have time to give me the juicy details? The shop is rather slow so...I don’t mind if you wanna hang around for a bit.” @paulpanics

Daisy had been begging for her coworker to be coming to her other job since she’d started. It was a new year, and that’s what she was using to try to convince Paislee that it was a good idea for her to come to Wonderland. Finally, she’d gotten her out of her shell and in the club, and she was excited to show her around her second home. “No, of course not. I took the night off just for you. Otherwise I would have to entertain stupid boys, not you.” With a roll of her eyes, she shook her head at Paislee. “You’ll be fine. We don’t bite. Plants can’t be your only friends, you know. Besides me, that is.”

-

Paislee giggled. She adored Daisy and her spark. She was someone she related to more than she ever admitted, but she was sure Daisy would easily see that tonight if she got enough drinks in her. “I have Meg too!” She said, faking offence. “You only know plant Paislee. Drunk Paislee? She is a completely different person!” She took another look around. Even if the people here did bite she was sure she could handle it. Jack told her that it was okay to let go sometimes, so she really wanted to take those words to heart. “What do we do first? You are the expert here. I am just ready to have a good time.”

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Jack smiles down at her, reaching his free arm over to brush against her cheek. “Well, it sounds like we have more in common than I thought,” he hums gently. “It can grow so exhausting, trying to be a good person all the time. Especially if that’s going against what you want–against what you feel and desire.” She kisses his neck and he leans in closer to her. “What I mean to say with all of that, with all that I’ve said, is I know you hold no malice toward me. And I would be more than happy to help you explore all those options.” He looks down at her, something dark flashing across his eyes. “You can’t scare me away, Paislee. So please. Don’t feel the need to be a good girl on my account.” Her arms go around his neck, and he shifts, his hands going to her waist as he pulls her into his lap. “No, not really. Maybe sometime, but… not now.” Jack moves forward, kissing her neck, “Right now, I want to see you. And all that darkness you want to explore.”

-

Paislee sighed into his touch, allowing herself to let go more than she had been. She was feeding into his words, his touch, and all she wanted was to enjoy this night with Jack. He was encouraging her to let go and she wanted to do that for him, she just wasn’t really sure where to begin. As they kissed, red poppies bloomed from the ground around them. She supposed it couldn’t be helped and tried not to think too hard on it. “I’m going to need you to guide me,” she whispered between his lips. Her hands went to his hair, tugging gently before she realized she had the chance to give more. Her tugging became pulling and she tried to kiss him with more passion. She honestly didn’t want to go back for air but her lungs eventually demanded it, and when she pulled away she stared into his eyes with complete trust. “Don’t hold back on me?”

“I can’t believe I let you take me here,” Paislee called out to her co-worker and friend. She never really went to Wonderland for anything, but Daisy was another person telling her to bust out of her shell and have a good time and she was tired of making excuses for not doing it. She doubted she would run into Harold here and that made it perfect. “Are you working tonight?” she asked her curiously. She knew Daisy was a performer here, but she had yet to see her in the act. She was sure the woman was incredible and in a way Paislee was jealous that she was so free. “It’s really weird being in a place so far away from plants...I feel like a fish out of water!”

Paislee always felt at peace when she was at her shop. She could be completely in her element and not have to worry about the rest of her problems. Of course, sometimes her problems came to follow her into her shop, like Harold the other week, but she tries to not let that consume her. She said her peace, he said his, and she was doing what she could to move forward. Jack had been excellent in terms of distraction of the heart, but there was still a part of her that just...sad about her situation. She poured all of that out in the form of love to her plants and tried to keep it at that for now, but when she noticed Paul enter her shop her flowers wilted slightly. She hoped this was a friendly visit and not him checking on her for Harold. 

“Welcome,” she said brightly, bringing the flowers she was working on back to life before looking at Paul. “What brings you to my shop today? Business or...?”

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Hearing her say that name makes that anger flare up inside of him again. But he’s able to settle it as she speaks more about what’s been going on. “I’m sorry you’re going through all of that,” he says softly, meaning it. He may not like Harold, but he does know that Persephone cares for him at some times in some ways. But he’s also relieved to hear she might not want to go back to him. “I don’t think you could ever be an awful person, Paislee. I mean that. The fact that you’re even considering that in this situation proves as much.” He folds his hands in his lap, looking out into the room for a moment, just sort of in his own head. Thinking about all she’s said to him–the parts that relate to him. “I wouldn’t think that. That you were using me, I mean. Because it’s not in your nature–not that I’ve seen. You are so dear to me as well, and I would hate to lose our friendship–to lose everything we have. But you couldn’t ruin it. Anything I could think of that could ruin what we have, I cannot imagine you ever doing. And perhaps I’m wrong in thinking that, but you… You’re one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known. You’re one of the people that makes me want to keep trying to do better–to be better. You have never made me feel like I wasn’t enough.” Jack looks back up at Paislee, trying to give her a reassuring smile. “We don’t have to ever do anything you don’t want to, but for me at least, I don’t think anything would be messed up.” He leans back against the couch, relaxing a little. “If you would like, we could just hang out and watch a movie? Or keep chatting, about whatever… How are your plants doing?”

-

Paislee grinned. She was so grateful for Jack and his kind words. She was happy that for the first time in forever she felt like she was surrounding herself with good people only. She snuggled closer to him the moment it felt okay to; like she wasn’t being mean to him or that he was going to resent her for being the way she was when it came to Harold. She knew this was all a mess and she didn’t want to drag Jack down a rabbit hole he didn’t deserve to be in, but he was making this feel so much easier than it was. She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. Her hands gripped his arm and she rubbed circles into it, looking up at him after a moment. “I really appreciate everything you said,” she said softly. “But...I am not a good person. I want to be, I’m trying to be....but I’m not what you think I am...” She pressed a kiss to his neck. “I’ve been good. I do good things....but I’m growing tired of being the good girl in every situation too....I meant what I said earlier. I want to...explore all my options.” It was the one thing Harold understood about her best, and she was tired of reserving her darkness for him and only him. How could she truly find balance if she didn’t explore? She could very well regret it but...she had to give it a shot. “My plants are doing very well. They are being taken care of and my business is growing.....” She sat up suddenly, her arms going around his neck instead. “Do you really want to hear about my plants?”

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She pulls away again, and he stops. He feels all those feelings that started to grow get overshadowed by his worry. Jack watches as she runs her hand through her hair, holding his breath, feeling a cold wave of panic rush through him as she says his name. Perhaps he was wrong. He went too far too fast, he worried, panicked that he was scaring her. But she continues and he’s… confused. A little relieved that she’s not telling him off or say he’s done something wrong or to upset her. “You could never be cruel to me, Pais,” he says softly. “What… of course we can talk. You can always talk to me. I’m… I hope I didn’t take things too fast for you. I’d hate to ever make you feel uncomfortable. But yes, please. Let’s talk.” he walks to the sofa. “What’s on your mind?”

.

-

Paislee took a deep breath as she settled on the couch next to him. “This is going to sound bad but....Harold. He has been trying to win me back and I have been refusing him but I just....I don’t want you to think I’m using you because I’m not with him. I made the choice to not be with him. I swear, I am not trying to get back with him right now....I don’t know if ever though. Does that make me an awful person? Jack, I treasure you so much. You’re one of my dearest friends and I just don’t want to mess what we have up because I made you feel like you’re not enough or something. You’re so wonderful!”

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It was genuinely hard for Paul to see the world with a positive outlook. Between growing up in the Underworld with Paxton and leaving with him and Harold, their list of things that made them happy was quite small. Still, he couldn’t help but smile as she called Harold the disappointment. “One of many. I could say the same about Paxton.” He had a love-hate relationship with him — it was hard to dislike their own sibling, but Paxton made it very hard to love him at times. When trouble was afoot, Paxton was always involved somehow. “I think you’re the first person to ever say that. I don’t know how you do it,” he chuckled lightly. Harold was the scariest person they knew. “Yeah, I figured. I think that’s part of why he’s been in a mood. And then he takes it out on the rest of us.” Of course, the last thing Paul wanted was for Paislee to get on his good side so he would ease up on them, but perhaps her voice of reason was what they needed, instead. “It pays off being the favorite,” he said with another smile. “Things definitely are better here, though, even if he sucks. Sometimes I actually feel normal, if you can believe that.”

-

Paislee giggled. She liked that they had their own jokes and their own opinions on the people they were closest to. Things always felt so easy when Paul was around. He was a calmness in the raging storm that was Harold and his schemes. “I’ve seen a side not a lot of people see. And that makes it a lot easier to know that some people do hold power over him. Even if they do not wish to have it at the moment...” It was complicated. All of it always felt complicated. She hated that he took his loss of her out on everyone. It was not fair and it was cruel. It did not win her good graces at all. “I’m glad you can feel that way!” she said happily, feeling some sort of warmth from all of this. And for once, it was not a raging inferno. “All I want is for you to have a good life here. One that didn’t involve bloodshed and hurt and....I know it feels impossible right now, but it won’t always feel that way.”

~

Harold noticed as Paislee nearly dropped the plant. He wondered if she would slip, prove that his suspicions of her not controlling her powers would be true. The plant seemed fine though so Harold blew the thought off for now. “Well, it’s a start. Isn’t it? It’s not like I would only show up with flowers. I’m more of a gentleman than that.” He gave her a goofy grin. “Come on, flower bud, I’m not really a bother. Am I? I know I came unannounced but surprises can be fun.” He walked around the counter a little bit and his grin softened into a smile. “At least give me the time a day,” he said as he approached her. “Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? I just want to give you the world, that’s my only goal. I just want you to be happy and I want to be the one to make you happy. I know I fucked up. I’ve apologized a million times. Won’t you at least give me the chance to prove I’m sorry?”

-

“No,” she said, slamming her hands on the counter in front of her. She hadn’t even realized when the plant had been set down and after her outburst she had to look in horror at the dark thorns that now grew around her fingers. She balled her hands into fists, trying to calm down and get ahold of her magic, but of course she knew Harold had seen her slip and now she had to deal with that too. She did not turn to face him. She did not move an inch. “You get no second chance until you have earned it. I need time. I need you to leave me be. I need...to figure things out without you.” She finally turned to look at him, hating how her heart ached seeing his face. “I will not get into a relationship with you again. Not until I let myself see if that it was I truly want.”