sinking in the deep end

unruly and irascible she might have been, a commitment to her duties had been instilled within the rancher over recent years with the past few months witnessing a surge in fervor. not only did diligence maintain order but distractions provided a bulwark against mental tumult when her offspring were not clinging to her arms. busyness proved a double-edged sword - though it offered scant solace during nocturnes, it allowed her to cling to focus, to avoid shattering beneath the weight of her thoughts. ( perhaps more accurately, she endeavored to persuade herself of resilience against the vulnerabilities her mind insisted upon revealing. but how could it resist the re-emergence of tension, when the moschetti’s news broke, and vanishing - bodies, alive and dead, propelled another stack of newspapers on her desk? ) yet even the most indomitable amongst many falter, wounded and lacerated - and it was not until the query posed to her was reiterated that she became aware of how profoundly her attention had strayed. “sorry - fuckin’ - sorry.” partial-functioning gaze landed upward to the customer, and she should let someone else take over, really, but of course in lieu push was dragged into a shove. “yes - we’ll have valentine’s specials over the week. sweetheart swirl - raspberry and white chocolate swirl on a cheesecake. there’s more but - wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, yeah?” she wasn’t certain if that had been the question in the first place.

“Oh, no worries,” Nari smiled at them. “When do the specials start? I want to get some things for my friends.” She was slowly getting back into the swing of things, trying to reclaim some of that old normalcy. Even though she was still a bit on edge whenever she went out, it was nice to feel more comfortable moving around town. Nari had been looking forward to picking up gifts for her friends for Valentine's Day. It was an opportunity to show her appreciation for the support and love they've given her over the past few months.

as soon as they had stepped foot in the gallery, rosalind was asking themselves what on earth had made her agree to do such a thing? they were sensitive and the near death experience that they had been subjected to at the art shack had unnerved the young person further. "uh-" they stopped at the announcement that there was no tour guide in front of their group. "i didn't see one go past me." they hastily looked back slowly, determined for their eyes to not play tricks on her - shadows would not move if nothing was there. it was concerning that things weren't as they should have been in this situation. they wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. "we're close to the end, right?" it felt like it was too long to go back the way they came. "we should just just finish up as soon as possible, right?" they turned to the nearest person for reassurance. @sxtmefree

“Wait, what?” Nari exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly as she scanned the dimly lit room. The flickering overhead lights cast uneasy shadows on the walls, deepening her unease. “The guide wouldn’t just leave us alone in here, would they?” She felt a chill run down her spine; something about this situation didn’t seem right. Her heart raced, amplifying her nervousness. Turning her gaze to Rosalind, she met her worried expression. “Yeah, if we’re really towards the end of this tour, let’s just get out of here. I don’t like this at all…” Nari’s voice trailed off, her instincts urging her to flee the unsettling atmosphere surrounding them.

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there was only so much he could do, and the weight of that helplessness settled over him like an old, ever-familiar burden. as events in anchorage continued to unravel, the days inching closer to that grim anniversary, his worry only deepened. what he wanted, truly, was to take her hand and press a plane ticket into her palm, but it wasn't that simple. it was never that simple. “ of course. of course you can, ” he nodded, words softer than intended, as if they might break under their own weight; the pit of anxiety lodged deep in his chest gnawing at him. “ you think bash would get mad if i stole loki for a bit? big scary dog privilege, or whatever, ” even if he couldn't muster a smile himself, some levity was summoned; second nature. it was a skill he had honed as far back as he can remember, after all—sliding into humour as a shield, making things seem lighter than they were. “ actually, he should just stay here too. fuck it, double big scary dog privilege. ”

Nari let out a soft chuckle as she pondered the plan. "Sounds like a solid plan. It's like one big sleepover for a few weeks," she said with a smile. The idea of staying with Nik for a while sounds fantastic, like a much needed escape and a good distraction from everything happening. "I'm just hoping that all of this ends soon… I don't like feeling like I'm being watched. Nothing weird has happened around you has it?"

heavy-lidded eyes fell shut, head shaking as a hand ran over his face. in truth, he didn't know what he was suggesting. let it be said that despite his efforts to seem put together and have all the answers, nikolai really wasn’t, and didn’t. what did he know at all? “ no, i’m not suggesting that, ” his voice was soft, a sigh following a brief pause. “ i think you should stay with someone, so you won’t have to be alone. i can help you look for a new job, or you can stay unemployed until all of this is over if you're more comfortable doing that — whatever you want. the police are always useless, but i'm not gonna let it go, ” he continued, “ i just... don't want anything to happen to you. ”

She understands that he's just worried about her safety, he has always been like this. However, it seems to be more intense now since her brother told him to take care of her while he was gone. It would probably be best to stay unemployed for the time being. To not have to worry about that on top of everything. "Could I stay here with you? You're the only one I fully trust here.." she sighs looking to her best friend.

One sidelong glance at the box and the tattooist felt his body warping to ice as if he had took a dip in the bay. He was taken aback that she had evidently walked there alone, and in Alaska's unforgiving weather, no less. "...Come in, it's freezing." Annaki's supplies weren't urgently needed, they merely had objected the notion of leaving Andrea's side before her discharge. He stepped aside, holding the door wider. With uncertainty, petite fingers coiled around the box she held out, and he didn't stop to contemplate if the tremor in his digits was the gyres that had bemoaned the erstwhile voyage of time or a low blood sugar. Part of him was expecting a more macabre discovery — a note still chucked his heart into his feet, regardless. "Ah... Did you report it yet?" he asked as he shut the box, returning it to her, "To the police." He paused. "My wife... had something like this happen at an old job. You don't think it would be anyone you work with, do you?"

Nari, feeling a mix of fear and confusion, follows them into the house, her body trembling with each step. "I haven't reported it yet. I'm worried they'll take it and act like nothing happened," she confesses, her voice weary as she sighs and shakes her head. "No, it's just been Nik and I for a while, and I know he would never do something like this. Someone must have broken in or something." Nari and Nikolai have been best friends for years, and she's certain he'd never betray her trust, even if it was meant as a harmless prank.

A blink, when she opened the door. "... oh." Not surprised, but taken aback. "Nari. You look fucking terrible." They flipped over the latch of their bag to show what they had brought. For once, it wasn't papers to grade; it was goodies from one of their favourite restaurants in town. "You've not been sleeping well. At least, you don't look like it. You look worse than me during exam season." These kinds of reserved observations happen if you're a friend of Blue's. It's how they poorly show affection by noticing. "I'm here to help. Or something. If you need it. Or company."

She sighs at her words, knowing how bad she probably looks. Blue was right about her not being able to sleep; every little noise at night seemed to wake her. "Some company would be nice actually," she smiles softly and motions for her to come into the apartment. Nari walks over to the couch and sits down. "What kind of goodies did you get?"

"You know you could like... stay here for a while if you're too afraid to go home or something." Mei-xie knew how petrifying it could be to have that unshakeable feeling that one was being followed. ( If anything, it was a constant in the game attendant's life since they left Prison Valley, as it was frostily dubbed. ) Sitting on the edge of the bed with their friend, they flipped to the next page of an outdated catalogue they'd already circled three or five times over, their clock ticking softly in the background. "Maybe you need to, like... find a new job. I know you like your boss, but... What's it matter if some creep is your regular? I mean, what the fuck do they mean, a 'second date'? Have you gone out with any complete weirdos lately you would've swiped left to if we weren't living in the dark ages?" Without the internet, in other words, although Pixie had avoided social media, herself. "You know the police won't do anything," she scoffed, picking up another slice of pizza, "You should come work with me at Peppy's. You get like, free pizza. And soda."

"That would actually be great... thanks," she replied with a soft smile. The thought of returning to her apartment alone didn't sit well with her. "Nik has basically banned me from the creamery, so I won't be working there anymore," she explained, feeling uneasy as she fiddled with the hem of her sweater. "I also haven't gone on any dates, so I don't know what that's about, or how someone even got into my locker," she added. "I'll have to think about it. I might just stay unemployed for a bit."

anchorage was seeming more and more like a mistake. what the fuck was wrong with this town? six nights out of seven, the vocalist either tossed and turned until the birds began to chirp at daybreak, or woke up in a cold sweat, a trembling hand pressed against his chest, the weak organ within his ribcage ruthless with its banging and beating. it wasn't so much himself that he was worried about — no, he couldn't give less of a shit about himself, it was everyone else. how could he have told korain that he'd keep his little sister safe during his enlistment, when that promise had already been broken? a stranger was targeting her, under his own fucking nose, in his shop, for christ's sake. nikolai was actively coming apart, and it showed. “ i don't want you coming in to the creamery anymore, ” he spoke quietly, brows furrowed, his gaze unfocused and locked on the floor. i never should have brought you here. “ until i find out who this fucking freak is, i don't want you anywhere near it. ”

Nari looked over at Nik, a hint of surprise in her expression as she processed his words. "So, what are you suggesting, Nik? Should I just shut myself away in my apartment?" she inquired, crossing her arms. "I've barely left the place in days. Yes, I'm scared, but hiding me away won't solve anything. What if you never find them? the police aren't doing anything. they didn't even seem to care."

Nari hesitantly accepts the envelope and examines it. She sighs in relief, realizing it's just a letter from her brother. That must be why she hasn't heard from him in a while, sending his letters to the wrong addresses. She must remember to tell him the right one when she writes back. "Thank you, sorry for being weird," she says with a small smile, "it has been a stressful couple of days for me.."

Atticus had stopped by at his twin's behest to collect a few belongings and return to the hospital. His skin was crawling and itching intangibly, scourged by a dozen angry insects to feed off the inharmonious dread singing in his intestines. The night was no longer young, and every longing glance at the birdhouse clock was an unheard wish to be in bed and asleep. Annaki's pink, fuzzy eyesore of a bag was slung over his shoulder as he made to exit the quaint cottage, breaching the threshold. Reflexes muted by the milder catatonia evoked, he didn't lurch back when his path nearly collided with someone else's. "— Nari? What are you doing here?"

Nari's mind had been racing since she got the note and necklace. Atticus had helped her the last time something like this happened, nari walked to where she thought she could find them. "I'm sorry to bother you.." she speaks clutching the box in her hands, she hesitantly extends it toward him to look. "This was left in my locker at work," she explained, her words filled with apprehension. "I didn't know where else to go..."

"I think we should stop by my sister's station — she's really good." It may as well be considered a family tradition that the Graves-Seongs attended Pride every year, like clockwork. No matter where they were in the world, they would interlink hands in spirit ( and other times, in person ) and celebrate the joyousness that was love. The blindness of it, and the emancipation that one harnessed when they embraced their identity. Being comfortable in their own skin was nary an issue. He and his friend were braving the crowd together, and he'd tentatively Kennedy Cup with root beer from the pizzeria on the way there. "She's been helping out with the facepaint. Do you have any siblings? I don't think I've ever asked you."

"Ooh! Should we have her paint our faces?" she asks excitedly as they stroll over. Nari has always loved attending Pride. Ever since she was little, she has been in awe of all the love and acceptance at pride. Being a part of the community makes her experience even better. "I have an older brother, Korain. I was living with him before I came to Anchorage. He is serving in the military right now."

Well, if nothing else, it was a relief that someone else was feeling suspicious. At the very least, it meant that she could file away any concerns she might have had about sounding like a raving lunatic, for want of better terms. Rika tapped the headline with her finger, the word bat creasing under the pressure each time. “So, what do you think it is?” she asked, an eager glimmer in her eye. “Or, what do you think it might be?” Rika had her own theories, of course, but she was hesitant to run with her immediate kneejerk guesses. If she did, she'd be no better than the cops and their half-baked solutions. “Not to be nosy but I really want to know what everyone else in town is thinking, if they're thinking about it at all.” After all, the people of Anchorage were notorious for moving on from an incident almost as quickly as it happened.

"I really don't know, I doubt anyone here does," she replied with a small chuckle. "The only thing that comes to mind is pterodactyls, but they're extinct, so that's impossible. Do you have any ideas?" The girl across from her likely had a better theory than her own. Dinosaurs are even less likely to blame than bats.