#tophatz

THE INSTINCTUAL URGE to shove Marque away was quickly suppressed despite Hyde’s DISGUST at the physical contact. He’d warned him. He’d fucking WARNED him. He should’ve suspected Marque wouldn’t take him seriously.

This little thing that had been happening between them? This… FRIENDSHIP? Maybe it had run its course.

What a shame. Hyde REALLY didn’t want to get blood on this shirt.

Instead of pushing him away, Hyde simply reached into his back pocket, pulling out a knife. And just as quickly, he RETURNED THE EMBRACE, making his grip as tight as possible to keep Marque in place in his arms. He wanted a hug? Fine.

“Stay RIGHT there.” His voice dropped with malevolence, a small smirk coming across his face. And yet, the dagger in his hand, SHARP BLADE GLEAMING, never plunged into flesh. Instead, with his free hand, Hyde grabbed Marque’s hair, giving it a FIRM TUG so his head was tilted backwards. The other hand pressed the blade up against the side of his neck, cold and calculating, but never quite cutting into the skin.

"no, greg ––" not a single piece of athletic clothing in sight, nathaniel sprinted on the walking pad beneath his desk, suit still in place on his frame. one he got an idea in his head, it was hard for him to ignore it, regardless of how impractical it was, "–– i won't feel better actually doing this in the gym. some imbecile left cheese fries out on the side, and because i'm weak i had some of them. so naturally, i need to run until they're gone." perhaps too harsh on himself, too self critical, but it had always been the way his mind had worked. "so i need to keep going."

It's not like he was prepared for it at all - not with the way he is now, uncertain and wavering, raw and desperate for a way out in a way he's never experienced before. But right now, Ryouga is even more thrown than he expected. Because the person standing before Ryouga isn't IV... but III.

Ryouga has never known what to make of him. He'd always been so focused on his older brother that III himself had escaped his attention. He gives off the kind of aura of a harmless kid, easy to dismiss out of hand, and yet... that's nothing more than a carefully crafted deception. Or maybe it's not crafted at all? The idea that his gentle demeanor really is genuine, but that it doesn't make him any less dangerous... it's quite the scary thought, really.

How would III react if he found out what Ryouga really is? It's been a mere day or so since Ryouga found out himself, even if he'd been suspecting it for longer than that. But the Barians, after all, are the enemy of III's family, the one's who'd used them and caused him so much pain - a pain that Ryouga is bitterly familiar with in a way that now feels all too horribly ironic. He doesn't know what to do. What is he supposed to say? Why is Ryouga- no, Nasch, leader and Emperor of the Barians, frozen in place here like nothing more than a child?

"...I wasn't expecting you here." He recovers quickly, his usual scowl settling over his features once again - but on the inside, he feels sick. "I guess IV's hiding away, then? ...What a coward, as always."

"i've never played the harmonica before," he says, taking a look at the instrument that Jamie is holding. they don't reach out to grab it, because that would be rude, but he's definitely interested in it as they look it over. "i should introduce some of its sound to my music. i think every song could use a little harmonica, if i'm ta be honest."

@tophatz asked ;; “What am I supposed to find?” (( Daichi @ Judai LET'S GOOO ))

"Wait Daichi...you don't know what we are looking for either?"

And cue the puzzled look on Judai's face as he now stares at his friend. Was he just teasing the other or being serious right in this moment.

"...I'm joking, we are looking for my lunch money so we can go get sandwiches! Did you forget!"

There's Judai thinking on with his stomach, yet again. But he was hungry and for once was deciding he would treat Daichi to a sandwich, this totally had nothing to do with a friend baseball bet between the two at all.

Working at LD had its advantages and disadvantages, one of the advantages is that the customers were usually almost, always attractive. Thoughts of bedroom acts that were meant to be enjoyed in the moment and forgotten the next always raced through Sloane Blackwoods' mind. Many times she found herself admiring the muscles that the werewolf men had, along with their sharp jawlines and other times, she found herself enjoying the view of the female witches who always had a certain sparkle in their eye when they spoke.

One of the disadvantages some the occasional run-in with a One-Night-Stand. Oftentimes, Sloane would ignore or demand that Tyler take care of them while she hid in the deep freeze. In the past, Sloane had hated the cold, but with recent developments, the chill brought comfort to her the same way a warm heated blanket brought to anyone human. That was the thing, Sloane wasn't just any human girl, she had become something stronger, faster, and colder and it had taken some getting used to. Ever since that froggy bastard Dagon, practically forced her to make that deal ( granted her life was on the line and she had been paralyzed from the fucking waist down, there wasn't much room to protest while bleeding out ), she had become what he was but much prettier.

Despite those things, Sloane had taken a new view on life and took every opportunity to make sure her life was anything but regrettable. That also meant upping her body count and not giving a single fuck about the opinions of others. Slut shaming couldn't phase her and anyone who tried, well crushed in a cup still looked the same as a shattered body on the pavement.

Idly wiping down the counter from various liquor spills and scattered salt, Sloane would glance up every now and then to see new customers coming in by the sound of the bell that always rang a little louder given the new sense. Groaning in annoyance, the bell had rung once again and Sloane did her best to show a perfectly friendly customer service award-winning smile, teeth ( and tiny fangs ) included; however, when she saw who came in her jaw somewhat dropped before she forced it shut again. The woman who she had, and she means this wholeheartedly, the best fucking night of demonic life had walked in and Sloane couldn't help but smirk and shake her head before brushing those dark brown locks out of her face and moving them behind her ear.

Reaching for a wine glass and the finest bottle LD had to offer, she already began to pour and placed the glass on an lion paw-print imprinted coaster.

" No fucking way, you drink here? " Sloane stated to the woman who she already saw naked before, even fully dressed, Sloane had admired the confidence and the beauty the female had. " If I didn't know any better, I'd think you'd be stalking me, " Sloane began to say as she leaned against the counter with a playful smile on her face. " But you and I both know that's not how we do things. " there's an added wink at the end of her statement.

Even though Sloane Celeste Blackwood had strict rules against interacting with One-Night-Stands, she'd make an exception for the beautiful woman that stood before her.

"So, we're spending the night in this abandoned building, huh...?"

He had to admit, he didn't understand a whole lot about ghosts or the occult but then again, he knew it meant a great deal to Bakura and if it was important to his friend, then it was important to him, too - plus in terms of summer nights, it wasn't the worst way to spend one!