#act 01.

could she say that was exactly what she was looking for? could she say that - despite the knowledge that he'd disappear soon enough - she wanted to spend a little bit of time with the man standing in front of her? nikki knew it was bad news. she knew what she was walking into. but she also knew she was done with her duties for the night. she didn't need to work and she didn't need to write. all she needed to do was look at the man across from her, shove her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket, and give him a knowing smile. 'shit, okay. i didn't know you'd cave so easy, but if that's the case . . . follow me,' @bloodsalted.

'oh, hi - sorry, can i help you find something?' nikki pretended like she wasn't just looking through their new stock of vinyl albums. she liked to see what came in before they're picked over, which she knew would not go over well with her manager, but what he didn't know . . . smile shone bright now as she turned to the other. 'like my script says, cassel has all of your music needs,' she chuckled. @daylighter.

'do you play?' setting down a box of guitar strings, nikki pressed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she approached, nodding toward the drum set sitting up on display. 'honestly, drums are the sickest instrument. those ones aren't the best, though. a lot of what's out here kinda sucks quality wise, but i could probably find you something better, if you're looking,' @octobereyed.

she was tired of boys, of seeing them and hearing about them. sara wouldn't shut up about bear. ian kept taking their hook ups for something more romantic. and she was very aware of how bear looked at her. jennifer was the only person who wasn't boy crazy, and nikki appreciated having conversations that passed the bechtel test. 'so hey, i'm . . . getting some of my work published. just in a magazine, or whatever, but . . . i wanted to tell someone. celebrate, maybe?' @devilscheck.

'now emmett - i know you aren't trying to get out of getting drunk with me on a saturday night,' knowing glance was given his way, nikki clearing teasing him. there would be no pressure if he really decided he wanted to go home, but she couldn't help but give him a little bit of shit for trying to back out of their weekend festivities. 'come on, don't make me take tequila shots all by myself! i'm literally just a girl!' @vamp1rics.

'you're great at this, dude. it's like you've lived through a million history classes, or something,' nikki looked forward to trivia night every week, but she knew her strengths. literature, pop culture, movies, music, art. she never got questions right about geography or the history of the world. that's why she needed ian, sarah, and bear - between the four of them, they had enough knowledge about enough things to do pretty well each week. but she had to admit she was impressed by alexei's skill set. 'how do you know so much stuff? tell me your secrets, i'll even get a freaking pencil to write them down, if i have to,' @quad4xel.

the house was much too big for a twenty something year old girl.    yes,  nikki was an adult woman  -  she should be able to live by herself,  be independent,  and act okay with that choice.  which,  most of the time,  she did.  but pretending with gillian wasn’t only useless,  it was dishonest.  she didn’t want to put on her mask for the other woman,  because she didn’t have to.    ‘it’s not like i’m kicking you out,  gill,’    nikki laughed quietly,  turning over so that she could see gillian face on.  the women laid side by side in nikki’s twin bed,  close enough to feel each others breath.  nikki got lonely when gillian wasn’t there,  and so she wanted to cherish every moment when gillian wandered back into the city.    ‘i’m just saying we should get up and get something to eat before i waste away into nothing.  i promise we can come right back here when we’re done,’ @studiodrafts.

‘i know it doesn’t look like much, but wait ‘til i show you the inside,’ the cabin is a dump, from the outside, all splintering wood and moldy trim. vines wove up every side of it, moss practically eating its way into the lodge. looking at it, though, nikki had an almost soft smile as she took cynthia’s hand in her own, guiding the other woman through a half hinged door and into a world that looked completely different from its exterior. ‘tuh duh! welcome to my safe space,’ only lit by a dim lanter, there were posters along the walls of different bands, some more worn than others. two bean bag chairs sat atop a shag carpet, one nikki had thrifted without a second thought. a small table sat between them, covered in a few books, two cans of soda that she thought she’d set out for each of them, plus a handful of miscellaneous shot bottles, in case they wanted to have some fun. she sat down in one of the chairs, ushering for cynthia to sit in the other as she leaned her head back with a grin. ‘this is where i come when shit hits the fan. i thought you’d like how quiet it is,’ @runeread.