Amrita's eyes were black, a clear sign that the young witch had been using dark magic. She had been walking aimlessly around the town after spending hours in the forest, she'd figured coming to the beach. By the time she realized she was walking near someone, it was too late to retreat, he had noticed her. At his words, Amrita sighed softly. "Maybe it's on us for trying to celebrate something." The same thought had haunted her since she heard the news. I was getting too greedy. After spending hours alone in utter silence, Amrita realized as she stopped next to him that maybe being in someone else's company might help. Still, she did not look at him, afraid of his reaction to her eyes. "May I sit with you for a while? We don't have to talk or anything..."

altan & open ; @lunarcovestarters location: lunar cove beach, sunny harbor

It seemed almost as if Lunar Cove was under a curse, each event that was supposed to bring joy resulted in even more tragedy, only this time around, death would be permanent. No resurrection or transformation able to change what had befallen Mason, their death a stark reminder that magic and immortality were not options for them all and that life could be fleeting even if well-lived. He'd gone on an early morning run, an attempt to clear his head and stop the grief from spiraling, although the heavy weight in his heart remained even as he came to a brief respite.

The ocean, while so often bringing with it a sense of calm and serenity, seemed agitated too. Rough, choppy waves that seemed to mirror his own spirit, and Altan hardly noticed the footsteps approaching until they were standing next to him. "Which do you think is more likely, that the ocean will turn red tomorrow or that we'll be able to have a celebration that doesn't end in disaster?"

"Fuck health insurance, man. That shit is wild." Noel empathized before pacing around the room. They always needed to be on the move, they couldn't imagine how JC felt cooped up in a hospital room. "Don't you feel like you're suffocating here, dude? But wait. Wait. Roll that back for me." The lighthearted conversation remained due to his confession. "So you have just been eating them? Does no one else in the pack like them?" A small chuckle escaped their lips as they touched their face. "Why did you buy them in bulk? Dude. I'm losing it over here. That's too much. You're funny, you know that, right? But sure, I'll get a whole crate. Honestly, the other dance instructors would probably go crazy for that shit. I'm more of a sweet-tooth kinda snacker, but I'll try everything once." At his invitation, a loud laugh escaped them, only this one wasn't merry, it was incredulous. "Here I thought I was the unexpected one out of the two of us. Thanks for proving me wrong twice now. But yeah, no thanks. If I could be a pack member without having to share my thoughts with everyone I'd join, but... as things are right now. No thanks. It weirds me out. Like. I get the whole family vibe, but there are a lot of things I don't want my family to know about, even more things I don't want other random people to know about. That make sense? Anyways. You were joking, sorry."

Brown eyes observed him intently. "Should I get out of your hair? You might need a nap or something. I don't know what doctors recommend to werewolves. My dad is one but he's never gotten poisoned like this." Truthfully, growing up Noel barely thought about supernatural stuff. Becoming a werewolf definitely made them more interested. Before everything sounded so cool and fun, but the reality was beyond disappointing. "I trust you. I'll help you kick their ass too. Pack member or not, I have your back especially if it involves violence. That's like the only thing I'm good at as a wolf." Noel spoke honestly as if it meant nothing to them, still they paced the room, clearly lost in thought. How could they ensure this never happened again? "Okay, whatever." Rolling their eyes at JC's direction, Noel's pace slowed as they shook their head. "Same here. I want Silas and the Catalyst dead. It'll be hard to stay still until they are six feet under. But you should probably rest. I didn't come here to rile you up. Sorry about that."

JC groaned, his nostrils flaring. "No-name, hospital-brand Jell-O. Who the hell knows? It probably costs ten-thousand dollars a package. The ice rink's health plan is just kind of okay." He grimaced, and while glowering and complaining was easy, some part of him was resolving to try not to do those things. Now, more than ever, he needed others around him, the wolf was realizing. "Look, one of the pack members is vegan. I bought them in bulk for him, and then he didn't like them. But we'd spent money on them, so I started eating them. They're an integral part of my diet now. Do you want any? I can give you, like, a whole goddamn crate." He knit his brow. "You also have an open invitation...should you want to, you know, join up and just pick them up yourself. I'm kidding. I'm not trying to recruit here. This would be a bad place to recruit."

Slumping a big, JC let out a long, tired exhale, a noise that revealed just how fatigued he was. "That's the plan. I'm going to kick their ass. I can't believe it either. I should have fought harder. Got a few good hits in, but..." He trailed off, evidently frustrated more with himself than anyone else.

"Honestly. I didn't have any expectation. I just wanted a truthful answer," JC teased back, raising his eyebrows, but there was no real ire or irritation in his voice. Once upon a time, he would have perhaps been downright challenging to lone wolves, but they were the same, of course. Now, more than ever, wolf needed to rely on wolf. Still, the anger was bubbling in his chest, making his muscles tense. "Yeah, I do. Been like that for a while, hasn't it? I'm tired of this shit."

"I'm beyond certain. I'd love to keep you company." She wondered if Leyla was also used to this? As Leyla laughed, Amrita smiled a bit brighter than before. Surely this situation was beyond unorthodox, but what else was there to do but adapt to it? She opened her mouth before closing it, pursing her lips, and pondering for a bit. "If I may," she spoke nervously "do you have any friends or family you can inform about this? Maybe it'll be good if they can like keep you company or check in?" Amrita hoped the comment wouldn't come off as overstepping, but she knew personally what it was like to deal with messes (literal or metaphorical) and not having anyone to lean in. Although she didn't know the other very well, she hoped that she could be taken care of after dealing with such a crude form of vandalism. While raising her hands to shake them, Amrita also shook her head. "I definitely didn't. No. This is out of my wheelhouse. Though I don't think I could send anyone a threatening message." Not even as a joke. The mere thought made Amrita nauseous. "Oh? How exciting! It must be quite fun but also busy to run your own business?" As a child, Amrita had various dreams, one was to be the owner of a restaurant or bakery or flower shop. Now her dreams had shifted dramatically, but she still found it admiring especially local spots. "It's very rare to meet someone who would rather a plant rather than flowers! I can definitely send something that will last you a long time. Do you have a preference? Or it can be a surprise?" At the mention of preserving flowers, Amrita smiled again. She really liked Leyla.

"Maybe, but I'm-" Leyla cut herself off, pressing her lips together as she couldn't bring herself to finish her thought out loud. I'm used to this. This was the first time she found herself covered in a loved one's blood and she was starting to feel like it would hardly be the last. "It's okay. I've got it. I promise, but I- I'd take the company, if only you're sure?" She offered up with a small smile as she moved to ring out the sponge in her hand once more. "Nice to meet you too! And yeah, that may be for the best," A small laugh broke from her lips at the thought, despite how unfunny their present circumstances seemed. "R-right? I mean blood, I'm typically okay around. That part is, well, it is what it is. I've seen worse. But, I just think that this is just really crude for no reason," She admitted, motioning with a tilt of her head back towards the vandalism at hand. "It's okay. It's not like you did it. You didn't did you- I mean of course you didn't and oh no, this is my place. We've been open for nearly two years actually," She admitted, a smile beginning to break across her lips only for her to realize that this was some anniversary gift. "You don't have to, but if you want to, I'd love that! Though, I'm not sure if it would be something you'd do, but is there any way to have a plant in full? With the pot? I just really love plants, but bouquet sometimes make me sad, since the flowers are now dead, though then again, I'd be happy to take a bouquet too. I can always press the flowers after they start to wither, so that way they can be preserved forever?"

At Ken's questions, Amrita opened her mouth to speak before closing it tightly. She let out a defeated sigh, and while nodding spoke. "You got me there." Had she overreacted? It was funny how Ken said one thing and suddenly Amrita felt as small as an ant next to him. "I suppose given how long vampires have been around, it is a predator and prey thing." She easily agreed with him even though she hadn't thought about it like that... Maybe because magic still felt unnatural to her to some degree. The young witch couldn't help but frown before quickly removing any expression from her face. "I never said it was your doing. I'm sorry if I offended you." If she ventured deeply enough into the squirrel's minds she could see which vampires had bothered them. Their faces were hard to forget for the small creatures. But she didn't. They were neighbors and it'll be hard to not unsee them the way the squirrels did. At his suggestions, Amrita nodded, still feeling dejected. "While I don't think me talking to those vampires personally would do any good, I could certainly inquire someone about it." It'll be interesting to see if the park ranger had any way to protect the wildlife or ensure that the numbers of certain species didn't get low enough. Maybe she should ask Meena about it.

What Amrita just a very passive person? She found herself scolding herself mentally for complaining to Ken about it, but not making plans to do anything about it. Turning to look at the squirrel, who was still standing strong and proud staring at Ken, she grew pensive. "Silence is not something I get to experience often, but it is very nice the few times I get it. So I can understand why you'd want it to not be interrupted. The first time I used dark magic and lost access to my animal telepathy was really off putting though. I don't know if I could explain it to you." Maybe he'd find the explanation bothersome. Once again, his words were sharp, and Amrita found herself pursing her lips before nodding. He wasn't wrong. She should look for a way to help. "Yeah, I'll do that." She whispered before letting out a big breath. The squirrel was currently cursing Ken off and encouraging Amrita to leave. She did want to leave, but that'd be rude. Turning away from someone just because they challenged her wasn't very nice or mature. "Tabernouche. If I swore I could translate it to you, but I don't, so I'll leave it to your imagination." There was a pause before an idea interrupted Amrita's thoughts. "Oh! Have you been a lawyer for long? It's been a career prospect I've been thinking for a while now." Maybe changing the topic will help ease the furious squirrel who refused to leave her side. Who's protecting who here?

"Really?" he shot back in question, seeing as she now made a safe passage for them away from him, "Then why the caution to not get hasty? Chalk it up to part of the natural cycle, a predator prey thing." He scoffed at the explanation given, it wasn't on him that young, idiotic vampires refused to join the clan or spread their diet across the spectrum of wildlife found in the woods, "That's hardly my doing, why don't you go talk to the vampires that feed on them if you and they feel so strongly? The alternate is humans and there's regulations on that." Still, she raised a point he hadn't given much thought to, but then again he didn't have to since he joined almost instantly on his arrival after a year of feeding like those the squirrels complained about....Fuck he was losing it.

Seeing that smile, Ken shook his head in not a dismissive or negative way, "What a family," he muttered, "I suppose that is something I can agree? As fucked up as that sounds. Actually no, I'd rather not talk to animals or humans. I prefer my silence to be clean and without any disturbances. Being captivated by peoples problems is unfortunately part of my job as a lawyer however I don't make it a point to simply understand and not help. Look into things if you really want to do something otherwise what's the point of it? Talk to your brother about his plays." He needed a drink, or three, to forget the ridiculousness of this conversation he was sure. The squeaking brought him out of his thoughts and gaze narrowed onto the one stubborn one that refused to move, "You're not keeping me, I will still finish my run, but this, this almost makes me want to laugh," he pointed, "What is that thing saying?"

"I'm sorry. A rainbow couch?" Noel stood, stunned at Jamie's words before leaning their head to the side and letting out a small click of their tongue. "I don't know about that, man. That may look quite horrendous. Maybe that's your vibe though." She teased before chuckling softly at his joke. "Are you moving by yourself or with others? Some times listening to someone else's perspective or preferences helps you narrow down a decision. I'm not much help because I would say red velvet couch. That's probably not your vibe, yeah?" Cake decorators. Noel struggled to keep her laughter contained before nodding along. "Yeah, that might come in handy honestly. Do you have any ideas for what the furniture besides the couch will look like? That could help." Maybe this was a lost cause, but they found him too entertaining to leave. Even when Noel was quite decisive about her own taste's she struggled to pick cushions and decorations, so she imagined making those decisions without a clear end goal in mind was twice as torturous.

"That's the spirit. Kinda?" Noel spoke, dubtful before letting out a small laugh. "Why are you going crazy? This does feel very Alice in Wonderland. It's a good thing they aren't passing out gummies like during the White Elephant party." Of course, Noel had been solely responsible for the passing of infused gummies, but they didn't have to say that. Right now, they weren't Noel, they were just some guy. "Have you tried the orange drink? It's like relaxation in a drink." Their eyes wondered a bit on the illusions around them before Noel focused on the other and offered their hand to Daphne. "Not a fan of magic and illusions? I still think it's really cool. I grew up around magic, but seeing what people are capable of in large groups is very surreal." She pondered, nosy without any reason other than well, they were both anonymous, might as well chat about anything and everything. "Would it be alright with you if I lead or would you like to?"

Daphne had not wrapped her head around the magic of it all- how it worked was over her head and she still had convinced herself that maybe this was all a gas leak hallucination. Trays of champagne and liquid emotions passed her by and she curled her fingers around one called happiness and drank it down feeling a light bubble of warmth spread through her before she had been asked to dance. She'd not known who they were behind the mask and still she smiled took their hand, "Why the hell not." She beamed, "Might as well enjoy the insanity if I'm going crazy anyway." She figured she was sounding nonsensical, but in a place where nothing made sense, Daphne didn't much care if she did or didn't.

There weren't many people who knew how Noel liked to nerd out about insects or about board games, but Briar was quickly pushing Noel into exposing herself. "That's quite a sentimental point of view, yeah?" She said with no ill-will or malice in her tone. One of the reasons Noel liked critters so much was because of their huge impact on ecosystems. She didn't know a lot about biology, but she found it fascinating that even something as small and vulnerable as a bee could completely offset their planet. Growing up, Noel often felt like those insects, smalls, forgettable, a nuisance, but if even insects held up power and meaning, who the fuck was she to assume she didn't? "Yeah, I fuck with Death's-head Hawk-moths. To say it's my favorite though. I don't know about that. Too many to choose from. Do you have a favorite insect or something? You give off Rosy Maple moth vibes, have you seen it?"

I'm okay. Noel nodded at Briar's words, looking at her for a long while. "I'm sure you are." She said sarcastically before shaking her head. "But it ain't my business to intrude, so you can keep your cards close to your chest, yeah? It's been a total shitshow in this town, which I don't know why it surprises anyone." There was a pause, and it was Noel's turn to shift her feet around, swaying her body a bit as she thought how to answer. "Me? Hm. I'm alright. Got shot, which is a new experience. Not a huge fan... I don't know. I truly wish we could get rid of the threats to this town. Though I know peace is but a foolish dream, I can't help craving it these days, you know? Just been trying to take it day by day." Noel played around with the book in her hands, turning a few pages over. "Did you hear that Jas and Nico got married?"

Her gaze lifted to Noel's face, a small smile as she stepped in closer. "Yea. It is." She agreed in a quiet but excited, hushed tone. Briar enjoyed fossils. After all, they were relics of history, a part of the story of the world. "I think it's touching." She said, turning the book over in her hands, "something so small can become so meaningful." Maybe she had picked this book up as a sort of olive branch, maybe she was hoping to heal one relationship of her own, when it felt like another was in odd straights. Briar pressed the book to her chest, a soft oh of interested fascination. "Survival of the most adaptable species. Would you say that's your favorite sort of moth then?" She asked, shifting her weight from foot to foot, rooted to her spot.

Briar's smile was soft and sad, how had she been? It had been hell, she had been existing in an uncomfortable limbo between herself and Jules, wondering if she could patch up the space they'd taken to firmly close old doors to flames she'd put out long ago. And with Poppy, who she was starting to believe would never forgive her. "I'm....okay." She lied as convincingly as she could, "I was honestly escaping the streets..." Avoiding her troubles, she sucked her cheeks in, forcing an easy smile. "We could have a moth off...or you could tell me how you've been?"

Amrita: I'm sorry :(( Amrita: I'll be sure to tell you next time something happens! 👯‍♀️ Amrita: Yeah! I like browsing and finding antiques too. Window shopping is fun as well

(After many minutes of debating what to send. Amrita replied a solid ten to fifteen minutes later.)

Amrita: Are you sure? I don't want to burden you, and I wouldn't be able to pay you back Amrita: Can I help you get your look for the wedding too? 🥹🥹 Though I think everything will look good on you 🥹🩷

Bri: It's okay, it's not your fault Bri: It just is what it is 🤷🏾‍♀️ Bri: Eh I don't really have much of a family anymore besides Jonah and the fam I've made for myself Bri: Though really? Good! Then we'll get along 💕 Bri: Don't worry about budget Bri: I can get them Bri: Consider it my gift to you as future cousins-in-law or something and, before you say you couldn't possibly, trust me its a gift for me too and I'm not really going to take no for an answer regardless so it will just be easier for the both of us if you go along with it 😘 

Noel made a face at all the papers he had stacked up before walking deeper into the room. Why did firefighters have so much paper to do anyway? "That's both really sad and really admirable. I guess emergencies can't wait, but damn." At his expression, they raised their hands up in surrender. "Dude, I don't get why people are mad at you like you did something so metal." Destroying property wasn't that bad especially given the circumstances, but people would complain about the smallest things. "Besides, did anyone get hurt from that big hole? But sure, sure. I won't burn anything. Maybe I should get those little trashcans that are like fire proof? That could help. But hey, if you ever need some fresh air, give me a text, and I'll have you out of here like that." They snapped their fingers before flashing Efe a grin. It was mostly a joke, mostly, underneath was a very real offer to fuck something up if he needed to leave the station. "You know, I do love a good chili, so I'll take it. Unless ordering in means less stress for you given these unending towers of work. Can't imagine I could be much help with that." A pause. "Nah, it's all good. I just didn't think not being able to do anything would be so infuriating."

"Oh...uh, lunch break?" Efe looked up from the stack of papers through which he had been rifling, distracted from the messy desk at which he had been keeping his post for the past few hours. "To tell you the truth, I don't really get a lunch break. Emergencies don't wait, you know? If I'm here, I'm here. I can eat and all, but if those sirens go off...." He trailed off, but his features contorted after a beat. He shook his head. "Please don't do that. If you do, I'll have to drive out there and put it out. And look, everyone's already mad at me about the bulldozer. I'm trying to keep a handle on destruction. It'll be a whole thing. But yeah, that must be really frustrating. I get it. And I'm sorry. Do you...do you want to order something in? I can get the stove on. I make a mean chili. Really. I know it's cliche, but...." He smiled softly. "If it works, it works, right?"

There weren't many occasions were Amrita's doorbell went off without her expecting company, so at the sound, she jumped out of the couch, settling Plum down in her play pen before reaching from the front door. The past couple of days felt like a dream. The young witch couldn't believe what had happened, and what hadn't happened. Opening the door after checking the little peephole of her front door, she offered Kui a very tired smile. "Welcome back," was Amrita's response to Kui's rambling. Their rambling often mirrored her own, so she didn't mind it. "It's not weird that you showed up here. It's a pleasant surprise, really. Did you have a good trip?" She knew she couldn't ignore the elephant in the room. The masquerade ball. But just for a second, Amrita wanted nothing more than to ignore it. The fact that Kui had forgotten her pastries and had forgotten them made her giggle. "You can come in if you want. I have some lemonade and strawberry juice, or I could make tea. I have some cinnamon rolls we could have, but you'd probably need to go pick up the pastries, no? It'll be a waste if you don't go get them." There it was. Concern. Amrita knew she didn't deserve this especially coming from Kui. Even if the two had made amends, the young witch felt indebted to the fae. The mere question made her pout momentarily, eyes growing teary before she turned her back to Kui. "Please, come in. Let's talk inside. But heirloom seeds? That's really kind! I'm excited to plant them. Thank you for thinking of me. From my knowledge heirloom seeds are seeds that gardeners pass down from generation to generation. These are the seeds of many bountiful harvests, and are often quite clean, like non GMO kind of stuff." She turned to look at Kui again, now that her eyes were dry, and smiled more genuinely. "You really didn't have to go out of your way to get me pastries or seeds. I'm not hurt. Just... out of sorts? I don't really know."

closed starter for @dvsconocvdo (amrita) where: amrita's home in shadow lake ≽·≼

Kui tugged at the strap of their satchel bag nervously after ringing the doorbell, and began speaking the second the door opened, in short quiet bursts, pausing as their thoughts bounced from topic to topic but never stopping long enough to actually relax. "Hey, um. I'm sorry, feels really strange to just show up at your house. But you showed up at mine, I guess—but mine's also my work, so... whatever, I picked up some pastries." There were currently no pastries in sight. That required an answer. "I left them at the cafe by accident. I should've texted or something, but I forgot that too." They dug out a small bag from their larger one, wrapped with a lace ribbon. "I got you some heirloom veggie seeds, though? I looked up what they were but I think it just means they're gonna be... weird? Old? You probably know better than me." They took a breath. "Anyway, I'm back so, I'm like, checking to make sure people I like aren't like... hurt, or too fucked up from the whole... being extorted and tortured... thing. Some of them are, though, obviously. Are you?"

It was odd. How Meena's presence could both unnerve her and reassure her. Being in her office made the young witch feel quite at ease. Amrita didn't need to take charge of the conversation here. Interviews she enjoyed because they were structured. They had a beginning and an end, whereas most social interactions left Amrita tired beyond words. She never knew when to do what. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she smiled, still nervous, but slowly growing more at ease. "Thank you." She sat down before tilting her head at her question. "Well, before coming to Lunar Cove my plan was to study geology or archaeology, or both. Some universities offer a mixed program. Given my inherent skills with rocks and anything earth based, I thought it would be a good way to grow my skills while learning more about the planet we're in. Archaeology intrigues me because I've always been a history nerd, and to get the opportunity to respectfully research into what previous civilizations and cultures have done in the past. My plan is still the same. Only difference is where before I planned of traveling around for a really long time, now I'm focusing more on the role of museum curator or archivist in the Historical Society. Of course, I could still travel, but given the consistent growth of hunter attacks, I'd rather stay still until it's a bit safer." Although the threats of hunters would never really disappear. How could it? Especially when they were locked in town. "I quite enjoy the Historical Society maybe it's because I grew up outside of Lunar Cove, but having a place where we maintain information and items pertaining to the town and to different species feels specially crucial as a lot of us have died down outside of the town's barrier."

"Of course. I'm happy to make the time for anyone looking to continue their education, especially a potential candidate. So, please, take a seat," She met Amrita's smile with one of her own as she held the door to her office open for the other, motioning for her to sit in one of the leather bound chairs in front of her desk before she joined her in her own seat tucked behind it. "You heard correctly and I appreciate the ambition. But, I must ask, what are these new ideas for the future you have? What is it you'd want to study if you were to be selected for the scholarship?" She asked curiously as she leaned back in her own seat, crossing one leg over the other as she eyed the young witch curiously.

Noel rolled her eyes and chuckled softly at his response. "Oooh! I like the sound of that. You can definitely pull that off. Listen, I'm just trying to help you, so you avoid rookie mistakes, yeah?" She teased him. It was true that she was humoring him, but she also wanted to put some crazy ideas in his mind. Knowing Ralph this number would be unexpected and entertaining, so she could calmly get in his way with a few off the pocket thoughts. In the end, it'll be great. "Dude, I'll be so honest with you. I completely forgot Valentine's was because of a saint. That's my bad. I was deep into my mythology bullshit. I hope that's true and you cash in big time. Doing solo sessions also helps cash in quite a bit of money. Not sure if you'd be comfortable with that though." At his gesture, Noel's mouth turned into an o shape. "Oh, you meant your face. Damn, I'm slacking today. Yeah, you're totally right about that. You're a super handsome guy. Let's go western. That'll be fun too. You could pull anything off except the diaper. But that one's impossible for anyone even me." She flashed them a toothy grin before shaking their head at his words. It didn't take much observing to know how fae and vampires who were around for a long time were pretty well-off. Noel imagined it came with well just being alive for that long, and maybe stealing, but she wasn't about to say that out loud. "That does take a while. It's a patience game from what I've heard... I'm all for a career change." At the mention of Rangi, Noel scrunched up her nose, but said nothing. "Fifty years though? That's a long ass time. If it helps, I never get tired of dancing whether solo or with other people in the stage."

Ralph stuck out his tongue, blowing a raspberry in mock annoyance. "Well, damn. Who said anythin' about a diaper? Maybe I'd wear, like, a snazzy Cupid-themed swimsuit or some shit. You don't know." An easy grin etched its way across his face as he spun the record around in his grasp. "It's Valentine's Day year-round in Ralph-town, capiche? I got the smile of a heartbreaker. Hmm. Say, you think all that would fit on a business card?" He sighed. "Who's Eros? We're talkin' about Cupid and St. Valentine here. But, nah, I feel like this is my moneymaker, ya feel me?" He gestured vaguely around his face, spinning around to return the record and retrieve a country Western one instead. "Maybe I oughta be a cowboy instead," he grinned, but after a beat, Ralphie allowed his features to fall. "Look, all the other vampires are rich as hell. Wild, right? And I ain't. So they were gonna help me invest...you know, in stocks and shit? Well. That takes forever. Really. Ain't that a bite? I figure I could get a more lucrative start in show business. Or...at least have a better time than what I'm doin' now. I've been workin' in hospital basements for nearly fifty years. Gets old. Ain't good company down there. Except Rangi, but Rangi don't count."

Today was her day off which meant that Amrita had slept in (for the first time in two weeks), and had decided that all she was going to do was garden, play with her pet bunnies, and do laundry. Coming to Out of Stalk felt like coming to her second home. Engulfed by the scent of dirt and surrounded by vegetable patches, she truly felt at ease. There weren't many occasions were she came across other people in her gardening down time, but she was pleasantly surprised to see someone nourishing his plants with such kind words. She too spoke to her plants, she found that it was rather quaint company. So, the young witch did her best to stay quiet as she passed by plants that weren't hers, she used a big of earth manipulation to help a few sad plants before landing next to Royce. It was rather hard to swallow down the innate nervousness that filled Amrita by being next to the advisor, but she did her best to contain it. After all, right now they were just two gardeners.

In her own journey to shove down her nervousness, she completely missed the presence of the bee. It was rather easy for Amrita to let animal thoughts or feelings to dwell in the back of her mind especially little insects. "No, you're not crowding them at all. I didn't want to interrupt you." She offered a well practiced smile before kneeling into the floor. One of her two pairs of jeans was used exclusively for moments like this, and hence the fabric surrounding her knees was always darker due to the dirt stains. "Some Jwala chili, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and a bit of basil." She notified him with a proud smile. "I see you have some tomatoes too! Are we going to have a tomato show off? See which one is the best?" She joked before giggling, shaking her head at her own words. "I wanted to do carrots, but didn't have enough space. I also want to try to go eggplants or cucumbers next year. Even my little garden at my balcony is getting crowded."

Just then she heard it, the faint buzzing of a bee. Amrita turned away from Royce in the direction to the bee. "It looks like there's a little friend nearby." She whispered, hand reaching out as she used her powers more intentionally, calling the bee towards her. "When did you start gardening? If I can ask. Have you grown tomatoes before? I always try to grow something new in each season. I even try to make it work without using my powers." If she wanted to, she could make every plant in her garden grow and bear fruit regardless of the season, but Amrita liked the process. She enjoyed waiting. She enjoyed letting nature take its natural course with her garden. Some times she lost plants or flowers, other times they bloomed beautiful, and other times they bore fruit in all shapes and sizes. It could be an unexpected process if she didn't involve herself. A time of unpredictability that made her expectant.

setting: out of stalk, one sunny afternoon

featuring: royce van doren iii & open @lunarcovestarters

“Look at you,” he said in a low voice, fingers delicately brushing over the leaves and yellow flowers of a tomato plant. “You’re coming along well, I can already tell you’re going to yield the most delicious fruit this year.” He’d been a faithful member to the town garden, taking care of various veggies, fruits, and plants whenever he was home. It was the one place where he didn’t mind stains on his nice clothes, wearing then a thick canvas apron with gardening shears and other tools tucked into its large pockets to protect his crisp white dress shirt from being dirtied. The knees of his gray slacks were already dark from being pressed against the side of the garden box, though he didn’t mind. He had his sleeves rolled up, hands glove free as dirt crept under his finger nails, checking on the health of every plant before him. “And you’ve already grown several inches since we last met,” he complimented another, smiling widely at them. Royce liked plants, he liked their simplicity, their unique vibrancy, how accomplished one felt when they raised them up from seed to beyond.

Watering a few thirsty looking plants with a small canister, he glanced up in time to see another person enter the garden. “Am I crowding your plants?” Royce asked, not sure who’s own were growing near his tomatoes and peppers. “Here, I’ll get out of your way,” he said, using a cloth rag to wipe his dirt-caked hands as he carefully pulled himself up to his full height. That was when he heard it, the faint and unmistakable buzz of the one thing that could scare him more than the Catalyst, hunters or any other powerful threat combined: A bee. Royce dug into his apron pocket, feeling for his EpiPen and curling his fingers around it the second he placed it, the thundering of his heart calming for a second before he turned back to the other with a bright smile. Not a single sign of his momentary panic was evident on the man’s handsome brow, even as he casually glanced around for the buzzing beastie. “So what’s your poison then? Carrots, winter squash, basil?”

A question died on the back of her throat. Did he want to be a dweeb right now? Is that what he implied? Amrita shook her head and offered an easy smile. "I have days like that, so I can relate." All it took was one night of bad sleep, and Amrita was fumbling for the rest of the week. At his question, she nodded, "I suppose it's sloped just right. It's a pretty nose." Was that okay? She had to idea how to respond to this. At the mention of him knowing Rohan, any sort of uneasiness vanished. "Hating someone takes up a lot of energy, no? I don't think he hates you." In all honesty, she wasn't sure, everything had been so complicated, but still he bought Todd back. Accident or not, what would he gain by hating someone who just wanted their life back? "Scott Gerald? Hm, I don't know you mention a cover with someone's face on it and I immediately think The Giver, but maybe it's The Great Gatsby?" At the compliment, she smiled a bit more brightly. While she couldn't agree that she was gorgeous, she certainly thought that her brother was handsome. "That's really kind of you. And I'm a Virgo for what it's worth." She definitely knew a little too much about astronomy, but tried to act like she wasn't that interested. "You said no baby breath, right? Let's see here." All it took was a few clicks on the computer before she found it. "Yes! We've only had two orders for no baby breath, so I guess that makes this easy for us. They're both ready, so let's see which one it is." Amrita walked to where they kept the prepared flowers before pausing, maybe she ought to extend an olive branch. It was hard to not take on a responsibility that did not pertain her simply because her brother bought him back. "Did you have lunch by the way? If you need help with meals or getting situated time wise or anything since you came back not so long ago, I'd be happy to help out."

Leaning forward on the counter, Todd flashed an easy, sideways smile. "Oh! You rock. I'm a total airhead, you know? Like a total dweeb when I wanna be. I'd totes forget my nose if it wasn't stuck to my face. But, hey, what do you think of my nose? It's sloped just right, ain't it? Like there could be maybe a little snow bunny skiing off it? Major, right?" He turned his head to one side to show off his profile, bringing up a finger to trace along his bridge before breaking into a laugh. "Hmm. You know, I'm not sure. Scott sounds like something. Is that a first name or a last name? Wait, who was that one guy? You know, the guy who wrote the book, the book with the face? Scott Gerald? Maybe I'm just thinkin' of him." He sighed very deeply, rolling his shoulders. "Oh! I'm s'posed to make sure there's no baby breaths. Do any of them not have baby breaths in them? That must be the one. Hey, why are the babes even breathing, huh? What's that about?" His brow shot up in that moment. "Oh! No way. That's hella major. I thought you looked familiar...Your family's got, like, killer genetics, you know that? Hella gorgeous, both of you. But, yeah, I know Rohan. Well, not really. It was a whole thing. Like, gag me, right? I didn't mean to upset him or nothing. But I was a ghost, and then I wasn't a ghost. It's all real all-over-the-place-and-a-half, brah. Like, shit, totes heinous. Did he tell you about me? Does he hate me? I don't do good at bein' hated. Everyone likes me. I'm cool. And a Libra. Love astronomy. If it means anything."

"I'm sorry. A rainbow couch?" Noel stood, stunned at Jamie's words before leaning their head to the side and letting out a small click of their tongue. "I don't know about that, man. That may look quite horrendous. Maybe that's your vibe though." She teased before chuckling softly at his joke. "Are you moving by yourself or with others? Some times listening to someone else's perspective or preferences helps you narrow down a decision. I'm not much help because I would say red velvet couch. That's probably not your vibe, yeah?" Cake decorators. Noel struggled to keep her laughter contained before nodding along. "Yeah, that might come in handy honestly. Do you have any ideas for what the furniture besides the couch will look like? That could help." Maybe this was a lost cause, but they found him too entertaining to leave. Even when Noel was quite decisive about her own taste's she struggled to pick cushions and decorations, so she imagined making those decisions without a clear end goal in mind was twice as torturous.

The list of suggestions made the decision no easier. Jamie's lips pursed at the impossible choice. "At this point," He joked. "Maybe just a rainbow? Do they make rainbow couches?" He was sure. They made everything. Google was free, and the internet always looking to sell you something. "What would I even pair with a rainbow couch.." Words of genuine concern left his mouth. "Maybe I should just hire one of those people... you know... like cake decorators, but for your house?"

"The Big Bad Wolf, of course." Noel flashed Jas a smile before chuckling to themself. "Come on, it's fitting since Nico is like the complete opposite of that. Oof, who shit on your parade? I can't imagine that it was Poppy. Hm, did Briar stop by?" She rolled her eyes at her sister before beginning to look at Jas and Nico's home more closely. It came along pretty well. "It looks really nice you know? All that decorating paid off. Definitely screams you. Wait. What this all because our dads are coming? Walk me through that conversation, please. Oh, to be a fly on the wall as you told them that you got married. They didn't even know about Nico before, right? You know I kept my mouth closed on that matter." They couldn't help but tease Jasmine. Of course, it was her prerogative what she told their dads or didn't, but it was so amusing to drop those big information bombs on them and then expect them to stay still. "I won't fuck with your records. I actually care for my life. Thank you." She teased before moving to help Jas unbox the record. "I got a good warranty on it too. So I added the receipt on the box, if it breaks or anything happens you can go to the shop in town to get it fixed or replaced." Noel stood proudly of making such a smart purchase.

"Are we good?" Noel whispered more to themself than to Jasmine. In all honesty, they had done their very best to not think too hard about everything that went down in the last month or two. Did part of them wish they had been included in that moment? Yes. But did Noel understand that given Jasmine's personality, doing it that way felt better and easier than dealing with all of the family? Also yes. Still there was a little pang of yearning in Noel's heart. They truly hoped that if Jasmine ever decided to have a ceremony or if they renewed their vows that she'd be able to at least be present. She didn't care about the logistics of being titled bridesmaid or anything of the sort. Most wedding things were so extremely gendered and suffocating anyway, she just wanted to be in the room. "Yeah. I mean, it already happened, so there's no use me dwelling in a woe me mentality is it? I'm just happy for you two. Nico is a good guy. I'm glad he's by your side."

The fact that their dads were coming to town worried them, but they were glad holidays were far enough away that it meant that they'd be safe for the most part. God, she missed them. "Have they decided where they are going to stay? God, I wish I had a bigger place. How are you feeling about them coming though? Does Nico know about it?" A skylight. How fitting. "Dude, that sounds sick as fuck. I bet it was pricey too. I'm glad you were able to do whatever you wanted to the place! Do you need help paying off the like expenses for it? You know I can always help out, yeah? And yes, I know you are in a good enough spot to pay for it yourself, but still."

"I'm sorry, Big who?" She rolled her eyes lightly over as her sibling actually referred to her husband as 'the Big Bad'. "And it's fine. I'm fine. I don't need tea. Though, if you want stock my fridge with my husband when I'm out of the house, help yourself. It's not like you'd be the first," She said sarcastically, seeing that Noel knew how much she loved when people tried to take care of her, even when they meant well and, there had been a couple of people already who had tried this past week, when all she had wanted to do was to move past her birthday as quickly as possible. "Dude, you're seeing it. We used to only have the bed," She said, as she motioned around to the layout of the cabin. "Don't touch the records, but the rest, I guess," She tentatively said as she narrowed her eyes over at her sibling. "Though, the real change is the sky light that I had added to the bedroom and I can see that. But, thank you. I was in a need of a new one. Here we can put it over here against this wall. So, we're good, right? About the whole me going to court house thing on a whim without a real wedding? Cause if so, then I should probably tell you, our dads may be coming. Next week actually, surprise?" She offered up with an awkward smile. They had been more shocked than ecstatic about her getting married without telling anyone. But, after a long phone call of her convincing them not to jump in a car immediately to go 'meet this young man', they planned a date for them to spend the week in town as see all of their kids in one place.

"What the fuck does it look like, Jas? Bringing you and the Big Bad your wedding gift, duh!" Noel retorted fast, rolling their eyes before looking over at Jas with concern. "How's your throat by the way? Have you had some honey lemon tea or something? I could try doing it for you if you don't fear knife accidents or being poisoned." Sure, they should be resting and sure they shouldn't apply pressure on their hand, but who cared? Noel was just glad to be around someone else after being holed up in the hospital. "Well, I wasn't going to ask someone to come with me. People are busy." And she wanted to hang out with Jas by herself, but she didn't need to say it out loud. "Oh, sure, you and your dark magic." Noel said in a mocking tone, truly joking before nudging Jas with her good shoulder. "Listen, my threats got you to open up, so my need for arson is satiated for now. What were you decorating? Can I see? Can I judge? Can I mess it all up?" She joked again before walking into the house, careful to not bump into Jas and the record player. "Oh, it's a record player. You needed a new one, so here it is. Congrats on tying the knot!"

"What the fuck are you doing?" Jas asked as she swung the door open. Her voice was still hoarse from being taught a 'lesson' back at the Emerald Hotel, but it had healed enough that she was at least back to forming complete sentences, even if she did sound she was an avid smoker at the present. "You're supposed to lay off your hand, you, dork," She exclaimed as she reached out to help Noel bring the record player in. "What even is all this? And if you try, don't think I won't bring dark magic hell down upon your ass. I just finished decorating and you know how much I hate that."