✶ °. smolder

i really never thought there would come a day where i’d leave carthay. when i first joined back in 2014, it was my first rp and i met so many people online and irl that i still think of as my friends today. i developed characters, muse, and relationships in a way that no other rp group could ever sustain. the community that carthay creates is so special that i am so grateful i was part of it for this long. picking up flynn was the best thing i could’ve ever done. i am so happy that i was able to develop him and give him a voice for as long as i have. he has such a special place in my heart, and i feel like i’ve really grown attached to him after all this time. this makes it really hard to let him go. 

as many of you have realized, i have not been active. life, unfortunately, has gotten extremely busy.  rping has always been a form of stress relief for me...but staying in an active group while going to college and working part time in the school year and full time in the summer isn’t sustainable. as much as i would like to stick it out, at the end of august i’ll be studying abroad for three months. asking for that long of a hiatus after being inactive for a whole summer isn’t fair or even workable, and i don’t want to hold on to a character when i know someone might be able to develop him better. i don’t want to leave, but i feel like maybe the time is right. 

i really love you all, and i am so sad to leave...but right now isn’t optimal in my life to keep rping. that’s so weird to say...because i’ve been doing it for almost 6 years? it’s crazy to think that this is the place where it all started. i’m sorry for rambling, and i know it’s really not that deep because i’ll probably be back at the start of 2020...but i literally am so heartbroken and torn about leaving, but it’s a choice that i think is best to make at this moment for me.  

~ time skip~ 

raps room didn’t have blinds, she liked to be waken up by the sunlight but the story wasn’t the same for the man asleep next to her. rolling on her side, she couldn’t find it in herself to wake him so she did something else to occupy her time. doing her best to avoid startling him, the girl hopped off the bed and rushed downstairs to make them breakfast. 

it only took a matter of time before she was up in her room with a tray of his favorites, gently setting it down at the end of her bed. climbing back into her bed, the girl laid her head on his shoulder, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “hey, morning sunshine… time to wake up.” 

no amount of natural light could wake the man, although his bedroom was fairly dark at this time in the morning. his shades and curtains were almost always drawn. to make matters even worse, flynn wasn’t exactly a light sleeper...especially after he had drank too much. if left to his own devices, the man could sleep until the late afternoon. so, it seemed somewhat out of character when the soft sound of rapunzel’s voice and kiss pulled him out of his slumber. 

sally: maybe a group costume would be nice ... if i could think of a concept.

sally: what are you going to be this halloween? 😀

flynn: might be a little ... soon?

flynn: but i appreciate your enthusiasm.

   "what the hell is he doing here?“ hissed megara under her breath. she had just wanted to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things. she was running dangerously low on toothpaste. the last person she thought she would see was hercules. she was unthinking as she found herself quickly turning and pressing her back flat against one of the end caps. a few cans of soup fell which made her groan,” of course!“ she was just praying that no one had seen her acting like a baffling idiot. all in the name of avoiding the person she was trying to get close to.

    —- shock looked lazily at the other person, finally fed up. “if you don’t move,” she threatened, “i will put a spider on your head.”

the stupid crossword puzzle was going to drive jasmine absolutely insane. the clues were no help whatsoever, and every time she thought she had something to go off of, it turned out to be very, very wrong. a low huff of frustration slips from her parted lips and she turns to the closest person to her, annoyed beyond belief that she has to actually ask for help. “hey, do you have any idea what three down could be ?” she holds the word puzzle out to them, her irritation radiating off of her.

Tootles: Have you seen my hearing aids anywhere?

Tootles: not that i lost them or anything... just curious...

Flynn: are you implying ... that i stole your hearing aids

warm golden rays brushed against aurora’s skin as light bounced off her glittered covered curls. her clothes stained in a rainbow of colors as she twirled and spun around the grass. she was quite the sight for sore eyes, having spent all day in the park filled with a day of adventure that ended with arts and crafts. her last kid had finally been picked up by their parent, leaving aurora with a little over an hour to prepare for her evening dance class. a small speaker played music from a tree a few feet away as journal lay in front of her feet. as the song finished, aurora stopped, jotting down the rest of the choreography on a notebook that was sprawled open in front of her. indecisive eyes scanned what she’d come up with a she bit her bottom lip, not completely content with the dance. a sigh left her lips as she looked up, eyes scanning around the park as she made eye contact with a figure standing a few feet away. a smile curved on her lips as she stoop up, waving as she ran toward them with notebook in hand. “hey!” she greeted, “can i get your opinion real quick?”

flynn had finally gotten off work. it seemed that his shifts were piling up ever since the break up with rapunzel. he had been picking up extra hours to pass the time. it was a distraction more than anything. the park was a quick way to cut across town towards his home, which was only one of the reasons why he frequented it so often. of course, it was also his old stomping grounds for thievery. that was in the past now. nevertheless, the voice calling out towards him caused the male to defensively raise his hands. “what? i didn’t —” he begins, but immediately drops his defensive demeanor. “sure, yeah. i mean...depends on what it is.” 

  "oh? wanna redecorate my place for me?“ asked megara with her eye brows raised. it wasn’t like she cared since she didn’t really consider it her place,” that would imply i have guests, pretty sure you are the first person i have had over here.“ she merely laughed at the expression on his face,” i doubt it would surprise me pretty boy.“ she was going to climb to her feet,” and i don’t need to clean up your vomit in the morning.“

“i could call up my designer,” he jested with a laugh. flynn raised his brow at her words, his smile widening. “wow, well look at that. i must be pretty special, huh?” he shook his head, body sinking once more into the couch. “you think i’m pretty?” he teased. “don’t worry. i’m not gonna vomit anywhere in your pristine apartment.” 

   jack normally wouldn’t dare do such a thing. he had intended on going shopping. at least until he spotted the mayor walking on the other side of the road. without thinking he had ducked into the first open door he saw. he could hear the mayor yell his name which caused him to make a face. he wasn’t in the mood to be stuck in a long conversation. though he allowed himself to take a breath before turning to see the person standing a few feet away from him,“ mind hiding me for a few minutes? i’ll owe you.”

she didn’t know what came over her. the truth that slipped her lips was enough to make her hide in her home forever. she couldn’t believe how up front she was with him and every inch of her being felt guilty as she walked to a bar. but she couldn’t go to the regular one, she couldn’t visit her friends that she had taken a liking to, no –– because he worked there. she had to go to an obscure one to irrationally deal with her feelings. this was a rule she broke –– to not drink when she was upset in anyway. 

but talking with a friendly face, she found closure in the night, enough to make her call a cab and settle the bill just like the mistakes she had made the evening before. she felt drained. that seven years of her life was put on a man that couldn’t even love himself the way she loved him. it wasn’t his fault. his upbringing was strong enough to make even the biggest of men weep for him. but knowing eugene, and  yes –– to her, his name will always be eugene fitzherbert. knowing him, he wouldn’t ever tell that story to anyone besides her. 

arriving home in the cab, she held her strapped sandals in her hand, letting her bare feet hit slap upon the pavement as she drunkly walked towards her red door. the door was delicately painted with wisterias and daisies, the sight bringing happiness towards her. but as she got inside and dropped her shoes, she couldn’t help but feel loneliness. usually her company was doubled, with someone always causing the mimic of a smile but her lips didn’t hold that this evening. thats exactly when she heard a knock on the door. 

being as late as it was, she opened the door, not wasting a breath but her green orbs nearly jumped from her head. he was here on his own? “euge––” the small breath barley even came out before she pulled him in, her small hand grabbing his sleeve, and wrapping her arms around his neck. “i know i should tell you how wrong you were but i can’t –– do you even know how much i miss you?” 

maybe it was because he missed her, or maybe it was because he was growing tired of being so alone. either way, eugene was losing his mind being lost in his own thoughts. the alcohol only made matters worse. every time he drank, the only thing he could see was her. it was a desperate attempt to keep his sanity intact. part of eugene knew that it was wrong, stomach twisting into knots. everything he said was the truth, but it didn’t make matters any better. he wanted her right now, but that was the present was all he could focus on in his state of mind. 

✶ °. 𝒇𝒍𝒚𝒏𝒏 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓 / instagram ! 

flynn’s day had pretty much gone sour since the minute he had that interaction with rapunzel. all he could think about during his shift was the look on her face. he could hear his words meshed with hers over and over again. it was like a broken record. matters didn’t get any better once he clocked out. it was the same old routine: drinking himself into oblivion in hopes to get her voice and face and touch and eyes and everything out of his head. 

he knew it was a mistake trying to reconcile old wounds. she was right...about everything. he needed to grow up and stop giving up on every good thing that entered his life. of course, he still loved her. even more importantly, he wanted to be with her. the drunken haze made his epiphany all the more certain and pressing. within, what felt like minutes, he was at her door. flynn clumsily knocked on the painted wood, heart racing a mile a minute. 

   megara was just relieved that she had her own space. otherwise she would be screwed. plus she didn’t love the idea of living with hades. though she was at his beck and call no matter what. she laughed as he said it wasn’t a shithole,“ but it is.” the furniture had been purchased by hades as well. though she had fought him in getting to pick it out,“ a coffin could make a good coffee table,” she teased, going to throw her legs onto his lap and staring at him intently. all she did was laugh at his question,“ no vodka so i suppose it’s time for you to help wash my hair.” though she didn’t make a move to get up,“ besides you don’t need anymore booze.”

“i don’t know...it looks like an apartment i had a while ago. definitely needs a little love...” he trailed off with a small chuckle. “yeah, it sure would. definitely scare off any potential guests with weak stomachs. good way to weed ‘em out, i guess.” as their skin touched, flynn leaned in slightly. “you’d be surprised how well i can hold my liquor,” he mused with a devilish grin. 

   it was probably the first time she had someone over that wasn’t panic or pain. usually they just showed up anyways. she rolled her eyes but chose against commenting. instead she was just going to throw her purse aside and shrug off her jacket,“ right.” her apartment was small but it was hers. plus hades had gotten it for her so she wasn’t going to complain,“ it’s a shithole but it’s all mine,” she declared, dropping down beside him,“ and what did you imagine?” she was curious, always had been.

flynn never understood the idea of hard work manifesting into an actual dwelling place. nevertheless, it still felt like home when he walked into his beach house. as far as he knew, the girl had acquired the place all her own. it was something to be proud of, something he couldn’t quite understand. “it’s not a shithole,” he assured. eyes wandered around the room once more before his vision centered onto the girl next to him. “maybe a few coffins,” he teased, before shrugging. “but seriously, it’s not as dismal as you make it seem.” resting his hands on his thighs, he slumped further into the couch. “does this humble abode come equipped with vodka or are we getting right into the hair washing?” has asked with a devilish grin. 

  of course megara knew that she should have been trying to get rid of him. though she was actually enjoying their bickering. it wasn’t often she ignored hades but she figured he could deal,“ an underground gambling ring? i’m afraid i have to disappoint, what you see is what you get.” that was bullshit but flynn didn’t need to know that. instead she rolled her eyes as she pulled him out of the bar and went to lock up,“ thank god you have a hero complex.” it didn’t take long to reach her place in new holland. it wasn’t often she had company but she went to flick on the lights,“ home sweet home.”

if there was one dependable thing in his life, it was the snuggly duckling and everyone in. it was the same every day and night he worked, and it was comfortable. maybe that’s why he decided to show up at closing. “i think we both know that’s not true.” as the two finally made it to her home, flynn realized it was rare for him to make it to this end of town. “quite the place you’ve got,” he mused, eyes wandering around the space. eyes finally reached hers before sinking into the sofa. “not what i imagined. you’re just full of surprises.”