This is not a love story

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“Honestly? Me too. I’ve only ever grown up in New York, so not seeing the stars was sort of the norm for me? But, when I did start traveling the states a bit and getting out to see the world, a part of me realized what I was missing, not being able to peer up and see the constellations like you can almost anywhere else?” Leyls admitted, having always liked the idea of the stars being a sort of constant in the world. Always there shinning down upon them even if they were just out of view, hidden by all of the city lights. “Only some?” She let out a light laugh as she playfully nudge Remi back. “But, you know what? I’ll take it. As long as I’m top of the list,” Leyla teased, thankful to have found a friend like Rem. Someone fun who she could let loose around while also feeling weirdly at ease with. As if she didn’t have to say it out loud, but Remi instantly understood the girl she had become, maybe even better than she did herself.

»»——-♔——-««

Remi smirked at the almost wistful tone in the other woman’s voice. The stars had been one of the few solids in her life, sheerly because everything else around her had always been in flux, ever changing. It was always a new town, a new man her mother was falling off of, there were few things that her mother couldn’t throw into a tailspin at a moment’s notice. Despite how her mother acted, she could not move the heavens. “You should go to Coudersport, it’s in Pensilvania, it’s one of the best places I’ve been to see the stars, or Alaska.” Remi offered. “Of course you are.” Remi replied with a wink, playing off the comment, but meaning it more than she would let on. For a long time there were only a handful of people that she let in, and she pushed them away just as quickly, she had torn her own heart out to push Wes away, and the only reason that she hadn’t done the same with Leo was because she knew he could take her twisted bits, see her darkside and accept it without question. She didn’t want to admit aloud how much Leyla had managed to wiggle her way into the succubus’s heart, didn’t want to give her that power, like saying it aloud would make it real, but it was true.

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“Yeah… I was about to say, eating raw fish in a power outage sounds like a good way to get food poisoning to me personally,” He admitted with a low whistle followed by a grin as he slumped himself into the seat next to her and cracked open the beer in hand. Sliding open the take out containers of food he had made over in her direction as he did. “I will say the food would probably go better with wine than beer, but we’re also not exactly all that picky are we? so bon appetite and cheers,” He said as he held the bottle up to her. “So, how have things been going with you anyhow? You know, despite the power being off for the foreseeable future?”

»»——-♔——-««

“I mean, spending hours with my head in a toilet would definitely pass the time, if that’s your thing.” She mused as she went about grabbing cutlery. “Unfortunately, the wine does not go bad in a power out so I can’t claim it as wastage, I wish though, there’s a really nice merlot in the back.” Remi shrugged, the little white lie on her tongue. It was something she always did, acted like she was a little bit ‘better’ than she was, acting to the life she wanted. She had a taste for fine food, but would rather a cheap beer than a fine wine any day, but admitting, even to a friend, wouldn’t get her anywhere. “Yeah alright, still getting used to living with people I don’t hate, you should tell your sister to be less likeable, it’d make me more comfortable.” Remi joked easily. “How about you, loverboy, you and Miss Supreme haven’t had a screaming match outside my door so I assume you’re not doing terribly?”

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“Well, you don’t have to tell me twice,” Jay let out a deep chuckle under his lips as he moved to grab a beer. Plan B wasn’t exactly his scene these days, given that he was happy in a relationship, but he couldn’t help, but want to check in on his neighbor. That and, with the blackout, the restaurant had far too much food than they knew what to do with, so he was going around hanging out food to whoever needed it and swinging by his friends to see if they might want a free dinner or two. “And I’ll tell you what? I will match you beer with all the french food of your dreams? Do you like ham and cheese because I can offer you a croque monsieur or maybe some chicken paillard?”

- ♔ -

@remimarlowe·

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“You know this may be the only time in New York City where you can truly see the stars?” Leyla mused. A light laugh escaping her lips at the thought despite how horrible their luck had seemed to be at this very instance. Hanging out on the roof of their apartment building had seemed like a good idea at first, offering them a change of scenery from their pitch black apartment. Only when the door clinked into place behind them, trapping the pair out there, the situation quickly morphed into one that was less than ideal. But, at least they had one of a view until one of their other flatmates or her brother was able to get across town to rescue them.

- ♔ -

꧁ ꧂

“Mmm, room temperature beer, don’t mind if I do.” Camila swayed slowly on into the bar. Beer would never be her choice drink, cold or warm, but she wasn’t opposed to it, knowing she’d tasted far worse in the past. “I did come with a gift, but I got hungry on the way over…” With the large box in her hand that contained a cheesecake, the lid was open, making it rather obvious she’d been helping herself. “I’ve just been picking the strawberries off the top so I’d say it’s relatively germ free if you want a slice. You’ve got around 60 seconds before I dig my fingers in it like a savage.” 

- ♔ -

Clover looked back towards her date when the other pointed him out and she turned back with a smile. “Bishop? He’s just the best honestly, agreeing to match and everything,” she laughed. “Our apartment kind of turned into a huge dressing room this week trying to find the right thing to wear, I don’t usually wear dark clothes,” she admitted with a laugh. “But you look amazing too!” she gushed while taking in the other’s outfit. “I’m Clover, how do you know the hostess?”

- ♔ -

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“Go right ahead. Trust me, it won’t be anything I haven’t heard before,” He said truthfully as  he brought the glass in hand up to his lips. It there was a mocking jest or insult to through Wes’ way, it either had already been thrown or was something he told himself anyway, having practically ripped his own self apart on that day Remi had walked out on him all those years ago alone. “Yeah, well if I recall, neither did we, now, did we?” He mumbled out, pressing his lips together as he gave a small shrug. His feigned grin faltering as his gaze fell back to his drink. His eyes practically fixated on the amber liquid rather than having to look her in the eyes. “No, Rem. I really couldn’t. I’m pretty sure you’d have to be a half-way decent person for that and oh look? I’m not so…” Wes downed back the last of his glass. His eyes slowly shifted back to hers and he just stood there for a prologued moment, taking her in. A part of him wanted to argue with her and tell her that he did. That he owed her the world, because maybe, just maybe, if he had given it to her way back when, she wouldn’t have done what everyone else did in his life and left. But, instead, all he found himself saying was, “It’s just a drink, Rem. No need to overthink it.”

- ♔ -

“I don’t know, Wes, I have quite the imagination.” She returned with a cock of her head and a sly smile promising trouble. “Well, we’ll always have Paris.” She replied, her voice flat, losing the pretence of calm and cockiness she maintained, letting slip how much talking about this hurt her. It was ironic she supposed, that Paris is where she had escaped to, that it was where she transformed herself into a new person. She wanted to protest to his words, to tell him that he had swept her off her feet, that he had been home for someone who had never really had one. The words spun around her head, defending him, criticising him for thinking so little of himself, but she couldn’t say them. They would be an admission to something that she couldn’t speak aloud, and she knew she no longer had the right. Coming from her she thought the words would mean nothing, she was the one who had left. Instead of saying all she wanted to, she replied: “Thing’s aren’t that simple. You are decent.” It almost felt like her heart was breaking all over again when he looked at her, she felt years younger, felt like she was still the girl she was back then. “If you say so, but I will be paying for the next round.”

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“Maybe, but can’t say they weren’t helpful,” He said with an eased shrug. A low whistle breaking from his lips as he leaned back on his heels. His eyes all the while still soaking her in. Only at her question did he find himself momentarily pause. “Yeah,” He whispered breathlessly. His hands shoving themselves deep inside his pockets as his eyes fell to the ground. “You probably should. But, what would be the fun in that, right?”

- ♔ -

“That makes it sound like you’re wanting to keep tabs on me.” The succubus teased. “I’ve never been good and doing what’s good for me. It’s not in my nature.” Remi replied, her practiced smirk faltering. “Would you care if I was?” She asked without thinking, regretting it the moment she had, not sure what she wanted the reply to be, and now sure if she could handle whatever it was. 

“ I’ll be sure to write a more detailed invitation next time; assuredly with a more selective guest list. ” Her implication may not be subtle or courteous, but she isn’t feeling particularly like either one at the sight of Remi. “ You’re right, I’m not bothered by yours in the slightest. Someone else drew inspiration entirely from matching my outfit. For being so tactless, don’t you almost admire their dedication to the theme and design ? What inspired yours ? ”

- ♔ -

“ Of course it’d be slow motion, ” she jokingly agrees, entertained with the thought. “ We could have been announced and everything. ‘ And now, hailing from 1001 Union Street… ’” She finishes her glass of champagne before standing. “ Please do, actually. She’s quite small, and we were far from the only ones who picked red for the occasion. ”

- ♔ -

♥♥♥

Barhopping became a trend, almost routine to Liam since making the decision to move to the city a few years back. For once in his life, he allowed himself to take a breather from it all, even not showing up for work. He made a promise to make something of himself all those years ago, to not turn out like the man who took everything from him. And with moving on the horizon, Liam thought it best to find something better than to flaunt what he’s got all for the sole purpose of feeding. Eclipse was next on his list and it hadn’t even been five minutes before he spotted a familiar face among those at the bar. Then he watched as some sleeze attempted to put their arm around her waist and that was the final straw. He wasn’t angry, he was pissed off. Everything seemed to boil over in that moment, his eye twitched in annoyance and the next thing he knew his fist connected with the side of the guy’s face. “That meant no, bitch.”

The scene gathered some curious eyes, but no one seemed to question Liam as he stood there, snarl and all. He was just about as shocked as those around, but little did they know he was being fueled by the anger of some guy he fed from hours prior. Some overwhelming stuff. “What? He deserved it.” Words finally broke the awkward silence despite the pounding of music around them. The bartender mentioned something but the steam from Liam’s ear was still to thick to understand. He looked back down at the guy getting help back up, taking a deep breath as he dusted off nonexistent particles from his jacket, and took a seat next to the other. “Hey, Remi, how’s it going?”

- ♔ -

It all happened in a blink of a second, if she hadn’t just fed she likely would have been reeling from it all. Looking from the man who was now at her feet, and up to the other succubus that had made the messy before her, Remi’s eyes narrowed at Liam. “It would be going better if you didn’t go all psycho on the sleaze. We need to get you a feed, now.” She instructed, not leaving room for protest. “You can’t just lay out every creep in the place.”

T A S K 0 0 1

P  L  A  Y  L  I  S  T   ╳   [  1  /  ?  ]

a n g e l  o f  s m a l l  d e a t h  a n d  t h e  c o d i n e  s c e n e  // hozier // With her sweetened breath, and her tongue so mean, she’s the angel of small death and the codeine scene

i d l e  w o r s h i p  // paramore // I hate to let you down I got your hopes up Now I got you hoping But I’m gonna be the one to let you down 

r i p  2  m y  y o u t h // the neighbourhood // Might be a sinner and I might be a saint, I’d like to be proud, but somehow I’m ashamed, sweet little baby in a world full of pain

w o l f  i n s h e e p s  c l o t h i n g // set it off // Tell me how you’re sleeping easy, how you’re only thinking of yourself, show me how you justify, telling all your lies like second nature

c o r a l i n e // måneskin // but she knows the truth, not everyone can go on with their heart split in two, it’s already cold

n i g h t m a r e // halsey // I’ve tasted blood and it is sweet, I’ve had the rug pulled beneath my feet

h y p n o t i c // zella day // spun like a bandage touch on the outer surface, bright eyes of the solstice wherever your mind is headed

s h e ‘ s  a  r i o t  // the jungle giants // Always takes what she needs and leaves the rest behind, oh, this love would kill me but I don’t think I’d mind

c h o k e // i don’t know how but they found me // and what a lovely time, that it would surely be, so bite your tongue, and choke yourself to sleep

p a r e n t s  // yungblud // It’s alright, we’ll survive, ‘Cause parents ain’t always right

@remimarlowe·

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“You know,” His voice was all, but a low murmur as he caught Remi’s gaze. The corner of his lips itching upwards as he took a step forwards. Rocking slightly back and forth on his heels as he gave her the smile he once used to reserve solely for her. “A little birdy told me you were avoiding me? That wouldn’t happen to have any truth in it, would it Rem?” He asked with a slight tilt of his head. 

- ♔ -

She hated that smile, loathed it even, it whispered promises of things that she was too scared to have. “The little birdy sounds like a snitch.” She said with what was almost an uncomplicated smile, one without a calculated thought behind it, until it shifted into a half smirk. “Should I be avoiding you, Wilder?”