Supernatural
Written by Megan.
71 posts.
18 years old.
no thanks.
I am Male.
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Post by James Murphy on Jul 22, 2022 14:00:17 GMT
Murphy’s eyes blinked slowly—be it in disbelief or discomfort, he wasn’t sure. He could handle talking about shitty moms, that was no issue because hello, he was barely eighteen when he was forced out of his home by his mother’s neglect. He didn’t talk about it, but he could go on for days about how fucking awful mothers could be if he wanted to. His lips shaped around the words to say as much when she pressed on, nerves driving her tongue as she rambled and rattled and he didn’t quite know how to react to that. They didn’t often talk to one another. Being alone was something fairly new to their relationship. Over the summer, as Blake spent more time at Sabrina’s with her sister and Jensen lived and breathed for Iris and Ashton flitted between the Little sisters, Murphy was left to his own devices. It had pissed him off to be abandoned by his brothers for girls, so he found one of his own to do the same out of spite. He’d caught Jamie sulking in the candy isle of the grocery store midsummer. Her lady friends had made plans for a day trip to the beach and she had opted not to go because her mom had promised to spend the day with her. Well, she did what all shitty moms do and fell through, leaving to do some family shit Murphy couldn’t be bothered to remember and Jamie had decided to mope and gorge herself on sweets instead. He’d taken pity on her, something he never did and well, only did this time because it was in his best interest. He told her to pick him up after his shift and after realizing he wouldn’t expand on his vague request, she relented. They spent the evening at the cabin. All of the boys were out with their girls and Benny was shit-faced on the couch. They’d drawn on the slumbering man with Sharpies, smirking and chittering laughter under their breath before he showed her the pool. She sat with her feet in the water, playing with the liquid—making a game out of constructing water animals and making Murphy guess what they were before she completed them where he sat far from the water’s edge. Since that evening, they’d spent more time one on one because, well, they didn’t really have anyone else to turn to. A situationship, he called it. Not a friendship.
Despite that being totally what it was.
He cut his eyes to the side, realizing they were at Eli’s before he had the chance to cut a word in edgewise, her little rant finally coming to an end, and he didn’t know where to begin. This wasn’t about Chrissy, he knew. This was about her mom, and she was redirecting but Murphy wasn’t Jensen. He wouldn’t dive to the root of the problem and have a heart to heart with her. He wouldn’t place his hand on her shoulder and whisper encouraging words. No, he didn’t do that. Instead, his fingers tapped away at his phone’s screen, shooting off a text to Ashton telling him to bring wolfsbane to spike their drinks, knowing that the Alpha certainly hasn’t left his room just yet. He didn’t know if Blake had brought any with him knowing that he’d have a hunter in his car. Better to have too much on hand than none at all.
Setting his phone on his lap, he turned his body towards Jamie and sighed, eyes cold and disinterested as he promised, “No one looks at you and thinks ‘cheerleader’, Flounder,” and now he was just listing off the cast for The Little Mermaid to be mean, “They think stone-cold bitch, so I’m certain she’s not going to try to recruit you for her peppy devil squad.” His tone was bitter, but he meant well with his words—as well as he could mean anything. He didn’t think she should be worried about this Chrissy girl and he wouldn’t explicitly say it, but he’d keep the girl off his back for the soul purpose that Jamie was his only sure company tonight and if she got upset and left, he’d be the only odd man out and he wasn’t in the mood to third wheel with Ashton and Blake.
He got out of the car without another word, slamming the door shut for the principle of upsetting her and giving her something else to be bothered about as he started up the path to the door. “Fuck your mom and fuck the cheerleader bullshit,” he called over his shoulder, sparing her a cold look, “Ash will bring something for our drinks so we can get forget our shit too. So don’t fucking bring me down, Sebastian.” He was surprised he knew this many characters from the film. It was a little embarrassing, but he powered through, walking to the door and into the house without letting her get a word in edgewise.
He glanced around the home, noticing the way Elliot’s friends startled slightly at the sight of him and then Jamie behind him. “Blake’s in the kitchen,” Eli said, his voice sturdy though it was clear he hadn’t been expecting Murphy to just waltz right in. He didn’t spare the boy any kind of acknowledgment, instead walking straight through to find Blake and Jade.
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Supernatural
Written by Megan.
76 posts.
19 years old.
ladies man.
I am Male.
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Post by Blake Griffin on Jul 22, 2022 16:53:36 GMT
“Hey Jade,” Blake started, a grin tugging at his lips and burning his cheeks as he charmed, “Let’s go see the others.” It was clear he was just messing with her, swallowing down everything she’d said and picking through it all. In just a few moments, she had said so much—which was on par for her, but difficult for him because he was always the one babbling to fill the silence. He mulled over where to start, taking a step back to lean against the counter, his ass pressed against the marble as his front faced the opening towards the living room. The conversation the group was having piqued his interest, catching them coming up with fantastical theories about how Blake and Jade became friends since they never saw them interact. All of their ideas were so wholesome and innocent that he couldn’t help but laugh to himself. It was refreshing. Not once did they mention that they were hooking up like any other nosey teens would have been convinced. It was that they were planning a surprise party for Ashton (Sadie) or devising a way to overthrow the government (Freddy). It made Blake more sure in his decision that keeping Jade around this group would help her in the end. He turned his head towards her then, tracing the shape of her smile as the echo of her laughter faded. She was so sweet, and his stomach twisted again at the thought. This was so unfair, but he knew better than to go back down that road. He had to stay focused, had to keep those soft smiles and chiming giggles flowing from her until Ashton got his ass here and made right by her the best he could anymore.
“But really, that’s so fucking adorable,” and well, he’d just done what Eli did so he feels even worse for giving him shit about it. How could anyone look at Jade and not see cute/adorable/sweet. She radiated sunshine and good times. “And plums are purple, yes, but if we’re going that route, I think eggplant fits better,” Blake made a show of wiggling his brows suggestively at her before giving her the most god awfully obnoxious wink—head tilted and lips parted around a cocky grin. He settled down, laughing at himself as he shook his head, “Though that’s not a fruit, is it? Send me the link. I’m curious now. Maybe pineapple because I’m a fineapple,” and even that was just a little too cheesy for even him. Chuckling at his own shitty joke again, he turned his chest a little more her way as he thought back to what she’d said before. “Pomegranate seems about right. They’re a little difficult to break into, but once you do, they have the most amazing tart and sweet little jewels,” he added, bringing the fruit conversation to an end, “Just like you. Took a little work getting you to warm up, but you’re so damn spunky and kind. Not your typical girl, but still a sweet surprise.” He winked again, this one softer and more genuine—letting her know it wasn’t a bad thing to be who she was.
Now to everything else she’d said. He was a keen listener by habit and was sure he recalled everything, holding out his hand and counting off his points to make sure he didn’t miss anything. “You said a lot,” he chuckled, holding out his thumb as he started, “So bear with me. The room thing is just criminal. Ashton and I are going to paint it for you. No objections. I’m thinking yellow and little flowers and like, fake plants because I don’t trust you to keep a real one alive with the way you’re always at our place.” He stuck out his index finger, moving to his next point, “Which makes me think that despite my incredible performance, I’d be better suited as an interior decorator because I mean it, I can see it now, Jay. Not too girly, you know, but you’re a fucking ball of sunshine so I see bright and happy. I’d give up my chance at an Oscar to get you a decent fucking room.” He skipped over the way she reacted when he’d called Ashton daddy, storing that for later. Interesting to say the least. Ashton seemed like the type to like that in the bedroom given it was his damn Instagram username and how he preened when Blake or Murphy jokingly called him that. In public, daddy meant alpha when they couldn’t say it. In private, it was to get a rise out of him. His middle finger popped out, bringing him to his third and final point, “Lastly, you don’t have to thank me for being your friend, darling, because that’s what this is. Friends look out for one another and like hell am I gonna let you get hurt or upset. That’s not how I roll. Ask Brina, she has plenty of stories about shit like that.”
“And so do I,” Murphy’s voice caught Blake off guard, his focus had been on Jade and her light scent and calm heartbeat—he had stopped paying attention to his surroundings, “This dumbass will pick fights with fucking children.”
“Hey!” Blake started to object, stepping forward to clap his friend on the shoulder and Murphy allowed it because, well, it was Blake. Only he and Ashton had that privilege. The taller boy noticed Jamie then, flashing her a grin and reaching out to hug her but Murphy’s pointed look had him faltering. He tilted his head at the curious reaction before smirking and raising his eyebrows at Murphy—who flipped him off and pushed past him to the bar. He grunted a greeting to Jade but didn’t look her way. Blake patted Jamie’s head rather than bringing her in for a quick hold and turned back to Murphy and Jade as he finished his thought. “Those kids kicked a ball so hard it made Sabrina fall over,” he defended his actions, eyes finding Jade’s as he further explained, “It got her behind the knee, and she bit it. I didn’t hurt the kids, just gave them, uh—you know, a stern talking to.”
Murphy rolled his eyes, huffing, “As if,” while Blake rested his hands on his hips and looked for all he was worth like a sassy soccer mom.
“So, Jamie,” he looked towards her, smiling and bright as he pointed Jade’s way, “This is Jade. Don’t know if you’ve met. She’s Ashton’s girlfriend, Erin’s sister, and probably your anti-thesis.”
“Oh, a big word for the caveman,” Murphy bit out and Blake took the two steps over to smack him playfully on the back of the head. Murphy set his drink down and hit Blake back. It divulged into a small slapping contest until Blake pressed his hand to Murphy’s forehead and pushed him back.
Murphy knocked his arm away and grabbed his drink before stepping back towards Jamie. Blake just snickered, leaning towards Jade and pretending to whisper, “Do you think he likes her?”
“Fuck. Off,” Murphy bit out, “I would rather eat my own foot.”
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Human
Written by Megan.
15 posts.
18 years old.
lady lover.
I am Female.
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Post by Sadie Robbins on Jul 22, 2022 17:00:20 GMT
Elliot in the living room could faintly hear their banter, smiling to himself as he clocked Murphy in a better mood than normal—though he still sounded like an absolute ass. He kept quiet as he listened to Sadie and Freddy banter back and forth about the newcomers. Chrissy was securely on Zach’s lap, having moved to join the jock and slip into the conversation he was having with the boys after Sadie had finished playing with her hair and Freddy had taken her place on the couch as they conspired over the likelihood of Murphy and Jamie being gay.
“He’s an absolute dick, Fred. Why are you even interested,” Sadie quizzed, glancing towards the kitchen’s archway but not able to spot any of the group, “Plus, I don’t know, they came in together. I really thought Jamie was gay, but maybe I was wrong about which one it was.” Eli laughed then, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle the sound. She shot him a heated look that really didn’t sell—she never looked intimidating because she was rarely ever upset to begin with. He’d teased her earlier about her gaydar being off and well, she hated to admit that he may be right.
“Maybe they’re beards,” Freddy shrugged, combing a hand through his mullet as he defended his attraction to the smaller, hostile boy, “And I think it’s charming.” Both Sadie and Eli let out a guffaw at that but Freddy presses on, “No, really. Listen to me. Nothing is hotter than a guy who is super mean to everyone else but has a soft spot just for me. Like, c’mon. Imagine him being all crass and mean to everyone while I sit on his lap like a king,” and this was his fantastical, magical game master side coming out—preparing a scene for them as if this was a D&D match, “Someone insults my luxurious, gorgeous hair and he delicately sets me down and then beats the daylights of them.” There was a breathy, day-dreamy sound to his voice, like he was swept off his feet at just the thought.
“You hate violence,” Eli pointed out, and Freddy waved him off.
“You’re violent and I put up with you,” he shot back around a smirk, then looked at Sadie, “And I’ve gotten in fights before sticking up for you, Dede.”
They both shrugged at that. It was a fair point.
“That doesn’t change the fact that they may be together,” Sadie sighed.
“Or maybe they’re just friends,” Eli suggested, and they both frowned at him, “Really guys? Neither of you have even talked to either of them! I can’t believe you’re this worked up over it.” He laughed, shaking his head.
“You’re worked up over Jade and Ashton,” Sadie teased, and Eli pointed at her.
“Not the same.”
“It kind of is,” Freddy came to her defense and Eli sighed, clearly outnumbered.
“I’m just saying, maybe you should actually talk to them before building up this fantasy and crushing it,” he offered, and they both mulled over that before nodding. Eli was always the voice of reason between the three of them. He leaned back into the seat as Sadie pressed to his side and Freddy threw his legs over their laps. The conversation shifted once more as they waited for Blake and his friends to join them back in the living room.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
132 posts.
18 years old.
in looooove.
I am Female.
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Post by Jade Little on Aug 14, 2022 20:40:40 GMT
Shaking her head as an amused smile crossed her face as he parroted back her words. Cheeks blowing out as air filled them at Blake’s use of ‘adorable’, Jade took careful steps in her brain to not let out a deranged cackle because, that, surely, would not be adorable. “Eggplant, no, no, no,” Jade managed to get out, eyelids shuttering close as she rid her mind of all reasons why he’d suggest that. Still, the eyebrow wiggle and the wink just made her laugh even more. “These jokes get worse and worse, someone please save me,” Jade teased, casting a dramatic look back towards Eli and co even though she was fairly certain they couldn’t actually see her. Even though her words had been a complete tease, as Blake was so kind to her with his compliments, Jade wished she could take back the joke, eyes near sparkling at what he said. There were no words to explain what his words meant to her. How she felt truly seen by Blake in that moment in a way that she wasn’t normally. Spunky was probably not a word she’d normally use to describe herself or something she’d want people to think of her in case they thought she’d be difficult because of it. The description felt different coming from Blake - from one of Ashton’s best friends - someone who she was meant to make sure liked her because best friends were always in each other’s ears whispering about how good or bad a person was. Yet, with Blake, the roles felt reversed, like he was trying to make sure she liked him. Truth was, it would be harder to not like Blake. And there he was, coming out with the baddest jokes around to coax a smile from her because she’d been down whilst reassuring her that she was enough.
Thankfully, Jade didn’t have to come out with a thank you that expressed her gratitude enough without revealing her deepest insecurities as Blake was back on a roll, recounting all she’d said. A grin slashed across her cheeks, followed by an agreeing nod because yeah, her lack of paint wasn’t okay and if the boys were willing to put in the sweaty work, well, Jade was not going to say no. “I have a cactus…” Jade added even though she knew you could basically leave them alone and they’d live a long and happy life. Anything higher maintenance was probably off the table. “I’d like that,” Jade said softly, fingers tangling with themselves because she didn’t trust herself to do anything else as a pot of warm golden honey flooded out from her heart and slid along her very marrow, coating her in an embrace of joy and care. That feeling was only heightened at Blake’s reassurance that they were friends, he wasn’t just some guy who lived with her boyfriend. He was her friend, too. Such stable connections were a rarity usually and Jade relished in the feeling of adding another name to her firm list of Beacon Hills buddies.
Her thoughts were cut off by the additional pair and voices entering the room, head snapping across to offer Murphy a joyous grin which she did not expect to receive a mirror image of. The redheaded girl who came to a stop beside him with her arms folded across her chest and a wry look on her face was not someone Jade could immediately name or place but she offered her a softer smile all the same. Mouth gaping open at the accusation thrown Blake’s way, Jade’s hands dropped to her sides, determined to not allow herself to anxiously fiddle with her hair or something else at the shift in dynamic. Surprise nudged it’s way across Jade’s eyebrows as they rose just a millimeter or so as Blake halted himself from giving the other girl a hug. Now that was out of character but clearly they knew one another as the redhead tilted her head to one side and mouthed “hi,” to Blake before flicking her gaze back to Jade although that quickly changed as Jamie’s head was disturbed by Blake’s large palm, a sudden fiery look sweeping across her features that complimented the girl’s bright hair a little too well. “Well, yeah, if it’s Sabrina, of course,” the words were desperate to come out but Jade bit them down, holding her tongue and simply nodding enthusiastically along.
Jamie.
Right, the name rang a distant bell as if she’d been mentioned in the odd conversation here and there but, no, they’d never met. Jade raised a hand then in a little wave as Jamie glanced her up and down, “dating Ashton, that’s a tough gig,” Jamie got out, ignoring the two boys and their playfight as she took a step or so closer to the other girl. Jade had an itching feeling to take a small step back but held her ground as Blake and Murphy slapped each other besides them.
“Oh, I like it, has the added bonus of these boys and Sabrina and Jensen, so, it’s a win-win really,” Jade replied, words a little hesitant and only truly relaxing as Jamie moved past her to get a drink before returning to her original distance. That was really odd. Eyes flaring wide and a shhh, pouring out from her at Blake’s terrible attempt at a whisper, Jade batted the boy away, shooting Jamie a sympathetic look in hopes of getting the girl on her side. “I think Murphy would deny liking anyone,” Jade pointed back, actually bothering to keep her words quiet as she shot Blake a mildly disapproving look even if it was tinged with amusement for the way Jamie’s body language had seized up, the girl fiddling with her car keys. Jade looked between the group, not set enough in her position to suggest what someone like Murphy do.
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Supernatural
Written by Jasmin.
75 posts.
17 years old.
gaaaay.
I am Female.
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Post by Jamie King on Aug 14, 2022 20:45:11 GMT
Jamie had the audacity to gape, disbelief crossing her features even if it was all heightened by a dramatic flair and mischief in her eyes as he said no one would think of her as the cheerleader type. “I can be preppy,” she quipped back, raising her wrists and flapping them about in imitation of the only thing she really knew cheerleaders did. Her little performance, if you could even go so far as to call it that, fell quickly as he continued, her eyes rolling deep into her skull. He was right. The general perception of her was less than positive. Especially when the closest people to her were Lottie and Murphy, neither of who were radianting happiness and joy to the town. Jamie wouldn’t trade their company for anything. Lottie knew that, the two were typically inseparable, regularly spending the night at each other’s house, laying beside each other like the moon and the sun. Bouncing light and ideas around but never getting too close for fear of blocking the ability of the other and casting the world in complete darkness. A beckoner of death and a the spirit of a fox trapped inside two teenage girls. Then there was Willow and as the girl’s name skittered through Jamie’s mind, Jamie’s eyes stilled their descent into her skull, eyelids flickering shut as she thought about the girl. Before she could linger on Willow’s smile too much, Murphy was slamming her door shut, a reflexive “hey!” shouting out of her. Grabbing her phone and keys, Jamie scrambled out of the car, the open flap of her dungarees hitting against her ribs as she made a deliberate effort of shutting her car door nicely. Hands landing on her hips at Murphy’s next words, Jamie went to the childish act of sticking out her tongue at him for all of three seconds before closing the distance between them until she was a step behind him with half a mind to trip him up as they approached Eli’s front door. A single chuckle was all she could get out before Murphy was marching inside like he owned the place. Sparing one last look back at her car, Jamie followed in after the boy.
Withholding the need to grimace at the group of people sat far too comfortably around one another, Jamie kept her focus on the back of Murphy’s head, barley taking note of who was sat around because oh, yep, there she was. Of course, how could Jamie have forgotten that it wasn't Chrissy she should be stressing about, but Sadie and her touchy touchy mannerisms and words that came out 100 miles per hour. Fuck sake. Jamie could barely look at Eli when he spoke, gaze focusing down on the floor and her steps as she nodded. Yep, find Blake, find safety in numbers of people who hopefully wouldn’t get under her skin.
The safety this group offered was looking poor, Blake and Murphy were just as likely to wind Jamie up than keep her calm and then this girl Jade, well, Jamie was struggling to get a solid read on her but antithesis from her warm smile offered to Jamie and Murphy seemed about right. Jamie had been able to bond with Lottie, Willow and Murphy overtime because of the way smiles and laughter were shared once trust was there. Once a bond was good enough to not snap at the very first hurdle. Jade came across as the opposite, using smiles and warmth to build a friendship rather than Jamie’s method of getting to know a person first. To each their own, she seemed only half as annoying as Chrissy so far so if Jamie had to spend some time with Jade, sure, so be it. She would only complain half the amount to Murphy. “I’d cut your own foot off before you could even say something sweet to me, dog brain,” Jamie quipped back, left hand curling around the plastic edge of her cup, plain old coke for now until something better actually came along. “Then I could call you hoppy or peg-leg James,” Jamie mused, a dreamy expression passing her features as she imagined unleashing such nicknames on her friend. “Oh please, ask me out just so I can.” Jamie crooned, a smirk twisting its way across her lips.
Next to Blake, Jade watched the exchange with those wide eyes, not used to seeing someone come up against Murphy so casually and without care. Even in the Pines’ home, quips and teasings felt different to this. This was… something else. Something that almost felt like flirting if it wasn’t for the dark undercurrent of energy that seemed to pour between Murphy and Jamie, waiting to be ignited. “Blake, since you’re our Eli middle-man, lead the way back in there before Murphy says something nasty to me,” Jamie added quickly after, pointing a thumb towards the larger group even though Jamie wasn’t actually that bothered about making small talk with them. She was, however, up for a round of beer pong. “You know, I have to uphold my Beer Pong King title, and 2 v 2 gets way too competitive and Murphy’s a little cheat,” Jamie prattled on and Jade smiled quietly to herself, so Jade wasn’t the only one to go off on rambles even if Jamie’s seemed more like an excuse to throw another dig Murphy’s way.
As if on cue, Biscuit popped his head around the corner and Jade, as if in a trance, made a beeline for the furry orange dog. “Or, you know, Jade can lead the way.” Jamie finished before falling into step and following the other girl out, leaving Blake and Murphy behind.
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Supernatural
Written by Megan.
76 posts.
19 years old.
ladies man.
I am Male.
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Post by Blake Griffin on Aug 15, 2022 19:58:20 GMT
The words that Jade had rambled were stored in a little box in Blake’s mind, keeping note of the inflections and the changes of her facial features as she said them. The moment had come and gone—Murphy effectively killing that conversation the moment he interrupted—but he held onto what she had said for later. He wouldn’t forget his promise, but now that he had the chance to think about it, he may have to tweak it. Blake didn’t know how this was going to play out. He didn’t know if Ashton was going to break up with Jade without being caught or if he was going to fuck around with Erin until Jade threw open the door and caught him balls deep in her twin sister. In the end, he supposed it didn’t matter how it happened. His heart twisted at the thought of her running back to her room and staring at the walls Ashton would have spent days slaving over, perfecting until it was her happy shade of canary with pretty white lilies and charming blue tulips along the trim. No. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that to her. He’d ask Jensen, knowing that his friend wouldn’t hesitate to lend a helping hand. The other boy seemed to have a soft spot for Jade and he was apt to believe it was because of the same reason Blake had one for her. She didn’t deserve this and the guilt that their hands were tied was overwhelming. It wasn’t cut and dry. She wouldn’t understand it. Hunter or not, she didn’t understand pack dynamics and never would. He couldn’t go against his alpha. It wasn’t that easy.
Blake never was good at being alone. He couldn’t jeopardize his home again.
It wasn’t until Jade and Jamie were standing across from one another that it struck him how different they were. He hadn’t considered it before. He was in so many different circles that the sudden overlapping had him falling silent as he watched the two struggle to interact. Interesting. Polar opposites, truly. He pursed his lips as the stilted introductions passed from one to the other, a poor attempt at conversation as they sized one another up. It would have been cute if he wasn’t so preoccupied with the way Murphy slid back to Jamie’s side. Odd. So fucking weird. A bitter taste settled on his tongue as he squared his shoulders back, arm brushing against Jade as he did. He didn’t know what was going on and that irked him. Blake knew everything but somehow missed Murphy and Jamie sidling up with one another right under his nose? He thinks the fuck not. He was going to get to the bottom of this because if Murphy liked Jamie, like hell is he going to let that go.
“He wouldn’t deny liking me,” Blake teased, countering Jade’s more serious tone as he forced the tension from his shoulders and let them go slack once more, “Or Ashton, of course. Everyone else? Yeah. No dice.” His voice was quiet, muffled by the bickering coming from the pair across the room—the soft hazelnut of his eyes trained on the redhead and his best friend. James. No fucking way. His brows shot up at that, sparing Jade a curious look to see if she caught that before his attention was back on the pair.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Ariel?” Murphy grit out, teeth bared and the plastic of his cup cracking as his squeezed his fist around it, “Fucking Peg-Leg like a damn pirate. I’d hunt you for sport, you fishy bitch.” Blake’s eyes widened at that, wondering if ‘dog brain’ and taking the fish aspect a touch too far in front of a hunter would potentially spark something in Jade’s brain. He didn’t look her way then, not wanting to bring attention to it. If he played it cool, she’d have nothing to pin down. At least that was his train of thought.
“Too late for that,” he laughed, having perked up from his constant inner monologue as Jamie addressed him, “You know Murph. No stopping that fountain of filth.” Murphy didn’t shoot him the dirty look he’d been expecting, half turned towards the living room with his eyes cast to the liquid in his cup. He was eavesdropping but Blake didn’t have a chance to join him before Jade was shifting towards Biscuit who had peeked around the corner and Jamie was trailing after them. It wasn’t until they were finally out of earshot that Blake moved.
“Hey,” he spoke softly, a hint of concern in his voice as Murphy kept silent on Jamie’s insult about him being a cheater, “All good?” He pushed his hearing out towards the living room, but whatever conversation his friend had caught was shifted as Elliot began to speak to Jade.
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Supernatural
Written by Megan.
71 posts.
18 years old.
no thanks.
I am Male.
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Post by James Murphy on Aug 15, 2022 20:33:11 GMT
"I’m fine,” Murphy huffed, not moving away from the hand Blake reached out and set upon his shoulder—taking silent solace in the small comfort because fuck. He hadn’t been prepared for that. He’d tuned out Jamie’s whiny voice the moment he’d heard his name in the living room. He’d expected something nasty to be said in a haste, a comment on his assertive entrance and overall rudeness. He hadn’t been expecting Freddy the Freak to gush about how he found Murphy’s gruffness hot. He’d gone still, playing indifferent as he listened to the banter of three of the members in the living room. He held onto the girl’s slip—Sadie had a crush on Jamie which, now that the idea was in his head, had him coming to similar conclusions. He’d never ask. He didn’t care, but maybe Sadie wasn’t so off on that front. Jamie certainly didn’t seem interested in him, which thank God, but on the same page, she didn’t seem interested in any guy that they’d been around. Maybe she was. Maybe she just didn’t care for relationships the way he didn’t. Another thing that they had in common, he’d begrudgingly admit. Two peas in a fucking pod.
He hadn’t thought about Freddy Byers before. Not in this context. But now that the thought was loud and proud in the forefront of his mind, he couldn’t help but consider the mullet-wearing, D&D playing fucking goofball wasn’t the worst person to have a crush on him. Though, to be fair, he may be the only person to have a crush on him ever. And not just a crush, but Freddy has actively fantasized about this. He has fucking sceanrios in mind! This was weird. He didn’t know how to handle someone being charmed by his blunt and brutal personality and felt like a fish out of water. Shove it down. Forget. Cleanse the mind. He could consider the pros and cons of that another day because right fucking now, he had to deal with the imploring look in Blake’s eye and the crooked little smile twisting his lips.
“Don’t say a fucking word, Blake,” he warned, shifting his shoulder so the boy’s hand fell from his arm—Blake’s act of raising his hands in defense at war with the smirk that worked its way onto his face, “I do not like Jamie. I tolerate her. It’s an acquaintance-ship built on a mutual dislike of everyone else. So don’t fucking even.” His crystal eyes were ice cold and narrowed, lips quirked into a deep frown as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Whatever you say, Murph,” Blake placated, smiling once more as he ruffled Murphy’s hair—causing the smaller boy to let out a growl as he smacked at his hand again. The older pulled his hand back before Murphy could land a second blow, his face more sincere as he added, “I’m just happy for you. I’m glad you’re branching out, bud.” He didn’t say more despite looking like he had a whole spiel he was ready to delve into and Murphy was infinitely relieved.
“Yeah, yeah. Fuck off,” he muttered, taking a sip from his cup before turning towards the archway back into the living room. Before he could take a step, Blake snagged his wrist and stilled him. Murphy bristled, shooting him a harsh look over his shoulder but it faltered as he caught the deep level of distress that had made home in his friend’s eyes. “What?” He prompted, not moving his arm from Blake’s hold as he turned back towards him.
“Jade,” he started softly, guilt an acidic scent rolling off of him and Murphy scrunched up his nose, “I mean, what happened at lunch with Erin and then when I was home at the cabin, I just—”
“Don’t,” Murphy interrupted, tone biting and rough, “We aren’t talking about that.”
“But—”
"I said no, Blake. Stop,” and he turned on his heel, leaving no room for argument as he left Blake standing alone in the kitchen.
The older boy followed after a few moments, collecting himself and joining his friends in the living room.
Murphy stood just to the side of Jamie, hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket as he frowned. Surveying the room, he caught Freddy’s eye—the boy beaming at him as he pushed his hair behind his ears, a blush high on his cheeks as his eyes cut back down to his lap. An odd warmth flushed through Murphy’s chest but he drowned that feeling with a soft shake of his head, letting his hair fall back into place as his eyes moved back towards Jamie.
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Human
Written by Megs.
35 posts.
18 years old.
ladies man.
I am Male.
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Post by Elliot Munson on Aug 15, 2022 20:50:35 GMT
The conversation had easily shifted away from Freddy and Sadie’s love interests, with Elliot listening on as the two bantered—a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. This was nice. He’d been so scared of his senior year, of everything he’d known coming to an end. Most of his friends were planning on running off to some college in another town or state and he wasn’t ready to lose them—not when he couldn’t imagine ever leaving home. Munson Motors was his future, he’d known that his whole life. Cars were what he loved—grease coating his fingers as he pieced together ancient engines and the excitement that burst in his chest as a car from well before his time purred to life for the first time in years. He loved that. He lived for that. They promised to keep in touch, as high school friends always do, and he could only pray that they would. These people were his family. He knew they would last. Eli let out a laugh as Freddy began to tell a story about Miles, going far too into detail about how he’d caught the boy trying to shave his non-existent mustache and slicing the fragile skin just under his nose and letting out the most girlish, blood-curdling scream after. Freddy had a way with words, with storytelling. It’s what made him such an affluent Game Master in his Dungeons and Dragons sessions, always so invested in the tale he was weaving—making the most mundane things fantastical and mystic. He shook his head at his antics, glancing off towards the kitchen just in time to catch Jade crouching down to catch Biscuit before he got too far out of reach. He patted Freddy’s legs and the boy moved them off his lap without missing a beat of his story. Sadie spared him a curious look before spotting Jade and grinning wickedly at him. Rolling his eyes, he pushed off the couch and headed over towards the four people who’d gathered just outside of his kitchen.
Murphy wouldn’t meet his eye and Jamie seemed tense. Blake had a tightness to his smile that hadn’t been there before and Jade seemed to be the only one at ease. He addressed them all as he spoke, one hand on his hip and the other gesturing as he talked.
“It’s not the rager I’m sure you’re used to,” he started, directing himself more towards Murphy and Jamie, “Because Blake sprung the idea on me this morning so I didn’t have much of chance to get anything big together, but we have the Switch set up,” he pointed towards the large television in the living room, “for Mario Kart or Party or Smash Bros if you’re in a gaming mood. Table for beer pong is out on the back porch by the pool—I know you have a reputation to uphold,” he teased Jamie with a smile, knowing that every time she’s stopped at a party of his that she had cleaned the floor with anyone who challenged her at the game, “But other than that, not much. We have a shit ton of snacks, but we can order pizza too. Someone mentioned Truth or Dare or Spin the Bottle but we’ll need to be a hell of a lot more drunk than this for that to be any fun.” It was rare for him to feel out of place, especially in his own home, but there was something about Murphy and Jamie that had him just ever so slightly on edge—be it their indifference or the fact that his best friends were just barely keeping their fantasies about these two from being pornographic. He was apt to lean towards the latter.
“So make yourselves comfortable wherever,” he laughed then, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes jumped from person to person before settling on Jade, “And if you’d like, I can give you a tour of the house so you know where everything is.” The others had been here before so he didn’t extend the offer to them, knowing they would come along if they wanted. Blake gave him a curious look, knowing that it was a thinly veiled excuse to be alone with her, but he kept quiet—proving to himself that he trusted Elliot, refusing to cave to Ashton’s previous doubts. He smiled then, patting Jade on the top of her head softly before doing the same to Elliot.
“I think I’m going to catch up with Zach about the basketball team. I’ve been going back and forth about joining this year,” Blake excused himself, heading towards the blonde and his girlfriend, sitting across from them and striking up an easy conversation.
“Yeah, no—fuck this,” Murphy huffed, sparing a look towards Freddy who was doing an awful job at hiding his bashful glances this way. Murphy could smell the desire and it was suffocating. “I’m going out back,” he said in parting, expecting Jamie to follow as he said, “I don’t need to cheat to kick your ass at beer pong.” And with that, he departed, slipping out the back door and turning the corner out of sight to where the table was set up beside the pool.
He shared a look with Jade then, a hint of disbelief on his face at Murphy's exit. "The guy's always at 100% isn’t he?" Eli laughed, the act softening his features. He never would understand why James Murphy was the way he was.
He crossed his arms over his chest then, biceps flexing under his jacket as he bit his lip—he suddenly feared that he'd been too forward and offered, “And if you don’t want, you know—we can just join the others. Sadie’s been dying to talk to you. I don’t want to get you in trouble if Ash shows up and you’re off with me somewhere.” He kept the bitterness from his tone, but there was a slight twitch to his eye as the words left his mouth. He couldn’t help it. The bad vibes had a strong current, the undertow ripping at the little shreds of respect he held for Ashton Pines and pulling them far out of reach.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
132 posts.
18 years old.
in looooove.
I am Female.
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Post by Jade Little on Sept 12, 2022 19:06:54 GMT
Jade’s bright eyes met Blake’s in a flash. It had become very clear to her rather immediately that Murphy was Murphy and not James. She’d gone weeks thinking Murphy was his actual first name until he’d said something that had Ash putting him in his place. The word had ricocheted around the room, Jade shifting awkwardly in her chair as Sabrina squirmed back and pushed against Murphy whose arms had been holding her in a tight headlock as the two bickered about something completely arbitrary. There had been a hint of worry in Ash’s voice that had the pair coming to a stop fairly quickly as if they were all aware that what they were doing would go a step too far.
The name on Jamie’s tongue was different. Entirely teasing and dripping with the weight of the redhead knowing she was pushing Murphy’s buttons by calling him as such. Especially with Murphy’s reaction. Jade pressed her lips together, keeping quiet as she studied the pair, trying to find any way to excuse herself that wasn’t just outright walking away from the group without saying goodbye. Still, Murphy and Jamie were entertaining to listen to, insults switching back and forth at a rapid pace. Jade’s eyes continuously flicked between the two as if she were watching a tennis match, desperate to not miss out on who scored the winning point. Still, the words snagged on her a little. Ariel was understandable with Jamie’s hair but the dog part was interesting. Then again, Blake didn’t flinch. Must just be the way the two interacted. Blake’s words confirmed her thoughts. That was just Murphy and clearly, Jamie was his equal in that field. Smiling over at the pair, Jade couldn’t help the relief at Jamie’s suggestion they leave the room. Entertaining as it was, she wasn’t sure how she’d react if the insults started coming her way after the day she’d been having.
Thankfully, and boy, Jade would marry a dog if it meant she’d have a constant reason to excuse herself from uncomfortable social situations, Biscuit appeared in all his fluffy, cute glory before Blake could prolong the conversation any longer. Hurrying over in what Jade hoped was a reasonable pace, she busied herself with Biscuit as the boys stayed behind. She had the vague sense that Jamie was only a step or so behind her, quietly surveying the room but not making a move to talk to anyone or go any further without Murphy as her shadow.
Biscuit was a wriggling lit bundle of joy beneath her hands, desperate for her to stroke more and more and more. “I only have the two hands,” she apologised, offering the dog a sympathetic look as he flipped onto his back, the action drawing a chuckle out of her. Freddy’s story filled Jade’s ears, so continual and full of life that she hadn’t clocked on to Eli approaching until he was there and she was once again crouched on the ground in front of him. Like a fucking goblin. Keeping up her vigil of rubbing Biscuit’s belly, Jade looked up toward him, an easy smile on her face. Still, as Eli explained what there was to do, Jade felt increasingly awkward in her position on the floor. With a murmured, “sorry,” to Biscuit, Jade straightened, sidestepping to avoid colliding with Jamie and looking up just in time to catch Eli’s eyes.
A tour. Just for her. Jade’s eyebrows raised a millimetre or so, sparing half a thought to look toward the door as she imagined Ashton walking in at that very moment but she kept her gaze steady against Eli’s, startled instead when Blake patted her head. “Biscuit will be jealous of that,” Jade said to Blake’s retreating form. Hearing his name, Biscuit got up from his position on the ground and circled Jade’s legs in a surprisingly catlike motion.
Murphy’s words were characteristically his and Jade couldn’t stop the laugh as he walked away, already hurling trash talk Jamie’s way who didn’t take a single second to turn and walk after him. The disbelief on Eli’s face had Jade laughing a little harder, nodding at his words. “Never a dull moment with him,” she agreed, attention catching on Blake in conversation with his other friends on the sofa. She was so used to just seeing him with the boys and Sabrina that it was striking to have him interact so easily with others. Perhaps if she went to more parties it wouldn’t have come as such a shock but shocked she was. And, oh no, what if that was coming across to Eli and he was doubting his offer. Easing her face into relaxed excitement – if there was such a thing – Jade shook her head at his words. Which again, perhaps a bit of a contradiction. “I’d love a tour, give me your best MTV welcome to my crib impression,” Jade replied, trying to ease Eli’s whose biceps seemed to tense with Jade’s hesitation to say yes. “I’d also love to talk to Sadie but I think if I start talking to her, I won’t stop so I’d say we do the tour and then I can finally gossip with Sadie.” Jade kept her tone upbeat, chucking Sadie a grin as she mentioned her name again just in case the girl heard her and thought she was saying something mean.
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Supernatural
Written by Jasmin.
75 posts.
17 years old.
gaaaay.
I am Female.
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Post by Jamie King on Sept 13, 2022 19:27:31 GMT
Jamie had walked off after Jade, fully expecting the boys to be a step behind her. As she came to a halt behind the other girl, Jamie fidgeted with the loose strap of her dungarees, busying herself to a) not get involved with the dog – because, please, she was already hanging around Blake and Murphy – and b) not stare out at the group of comfortable friends strewn across sofas.
Casting a brief look back toward the kitchens, Jamie’s eyes lingered on the places where Blake and Murphy touched. The hand of Murphy’s shoulder was a brave move and certainly not one that Jamie would dare try. Or want to. Ew.
She missed Murphy jolting his arm and brushing off Blake’s words. No, her attention had snagged on a shaggy bob, Sadie deep in conversation with Freddy and not catching on to the way Jamie’s eyes skimmed across her jawline, a second spent on the girl’s lips as they moved at rapid pace before Jamie told herself to look away. Stare at the ceiling. Stare at the ground. Anything. Anywhere else. The one person who Jamie knew could break her. Who could ruin what she was so desperate to hide because Sadie wouldn’t hold back. That wasn’t who she was. Or at least, that’s the impression Jamie had picked up over brief glimpses at Eli’s parties. Jamie couldn’t start blabbing about who she liked. She couldn’t bear adding another level of complexity to her life. And Sadie was all complexity. At least hanging around Murphy was like walking around with a mean dog who people crossed the street to avoid. Whether he knew it or not, he had become her safety blanket, keeping people at a safe distance and not letting anyone in too closely.
And where the fuck was he?
Jamie chucked another look back towards the kitchen just as Murphy made his way toward her. Jamie kept her gaze stoic, non-blinking as she folded her arms across her chest. She just about caught wind of Freddy’s attention on Murphy, fighting back the feline grin that begged to push its way across her lips at the interaction. Interesting. That feline glee was glimmering in her eyes as she met Murphy’s gaze. No words necessary to let him know that she’d seen just enough. But that glee flickered as she considered the consequences of opening that can of worms. Because she wouldn’t be able to just brush off any questions he had for her. No. No, she wouldn’t mention it unless he did. She couldn’t have him start to ask her those kinds of things.
She stiffened up again as Eli approached their group, hands gripping her arms a little tighter. Her own protective shield. Eli’s words washed over her, staying silent and barely registering as Jade stood up. The promise of beer pong had her ears perking up, arms relaxing slightly and a – whilst mildly reluctant – smile gracing her lips in return to Eli’s one. Silently thanking whatever mythical being had put her on this earth that the table was outside, Jamie’s brows creased together as Blake patted Jade and Eli’s heads. Weird kid.
“You’ve never successfully kicked my ass,” Jamie snapped back, trailing after Murphy without sparing another look to anyone else. Sure, he’d won the odd round but never a game. Best of five and Jamie would win every time. Okay, maybe she was the real cheater but what good were powers to alter liquids if she couldn’t give herself advantages for a game involving liquids. She’d be stupid not to.
Sliding the door shut behind her, Jamie sighed a breath of relief at the cooler air and the lack of overlapping conversations. Usually she thrived at these parties, particularly when she was with Lottie, but this one... it was far too intimate. “If we leave by hopping the fence, I don’t think anyone would notice.” Jamie offered as she approached the beer pong table, casting a watchful eye over its surface to check that it was flat and that she wasn’t about to offer Murphy an unfair advantage by picking the lower side.
Fishing the ping pong ball from where it was idly floating inside a cup of water, Jamie only then realised she’d foolishly left her drink in the kitchen. Not that it would make much difference without wolfsbane. Sober and thirsty it was. Because under no circumstances was she about to go back inside unaccompanied. Which reminded her, “what were you and Blake whispering about?” She asked straight and to the point as she lazily bounced the ball on the table, listening to its ricocheting before catching it again between her thumb and forefinger.
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Human
Written by Megs.
35 posts.
18 years old.
ladies man.
I am Male.
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Post by Elliot Munson on Sept 14, 2022 12:17:48 GMT
Idle hands weren’t ideal—not to Elliot. His fingers itched where he held them captive in the pockets of his coat, curling into a fist before relaxing and then repeating. He was always moving his hands, waving them to and fro as he spoke or perching them upon his hips as Freddy and Sadie came up to him with pitiful pouts and puppy-dog eyes as they try to convince him that breaking his mom’s vase had been an accident and not a party foul while they’d been drunk dancing in his living room. He liked to them keep busy, to have them dirty with grease as he plunged them deep in the guts of another broken down vehicle. He liked the trigger-happiness of his index finger as it clicked at the camera’s shutter button over and over as a symphony of colors swell just beyond the lens. Elliot was prone to lingering and wandering touches—his palm pressed to his friend’s shoulder or the small of a girl’s back, always carefully placed and never intrusive, but always touching. He was gesticular and like the feeling of inclusion that a soft touch brought, but now? He tightened his fingers in his pockets once more, smiling down at Jade as he fought from his natural instinct to reach out and guide her with an arm around her shoulders or looped through her own. He didn’t want to push the glaring boundary that Ashton had put up earlier and didn’t want to add any more fuel to the fire that Sadie was stoking. He only met Jade today and didn’t want to mess up his chance at what he could only imagine would be a good friendship.
He was at war with himself. It was stupid, really, but he was a teenage boy and defiant at heart. At the start of the day, he’d merely only been intrigued by Jade. He knew who Ashton had been and for him to settle down had been so strange. He wanted to know what Jade was like to feed his curiosity more than anything, but then he got to know her. That short hour in class had been enlightening. She was quite the character and he could see her meshing in well with his friend group. Ashton had thrown a wrench in that, however. His blunt display of possession had twisted that savior complex Elliot held onto so fiercely and had him tucking himself into his shining armor. He had an intense need to save her, but from what? From Ashton’s crude jokes and pissing contests? She didn’t seem unhappy, though her demeanor had changed. Maybe it was just because Ashton told him no? That he had made such a disgusting attempt at prohibiting her from talking to Eli that he felt this need to push himself just a little more into her line of sight? Just to befriend her. Sadie was eccentric and romantic. This wasn’t love at first sight. This wasn’t a crush. This was just, god, he didn’t know and he hated that he felt the need to justify himself to anyone—let alone himself.
Elliot paused his inner monologue, his smile coming a little more easily at her joke—his fingers loosening where they were hiding and his shoulders drooping as he let himself settle down. Ashton wasn’t about to leap out from behind his curtains and start a fucking boxing match with him for showing Jade where the bathrooms were. This was okay. Friends. He was being friendly.
“God, I forgot about that show,” he laughed, bright and loud and causing Sadie to perk up—catching her name on Jade’s lips shortly after the sound. She smiled at the pair and shot them a thumbs up before focusing back on her conversation with Freddy and the boys the best she could. Her fingers were drumming against her thighs, eyes cutting to where Jamie and Murphy had disappeared outside. This was the first time she’d been at a party where Jamie wasn’t with one of her other girl friends and she felt the need to go talk to her given this rare opportunity, but as she spared Elliot another look and could see how awkward and uncomfortable the set to his shoulders still was, she steeled herself to stay for now.
“I’ll do my best to live up to those cribs,” he joked, lips lifted on one side as he took his hand out of his pocket and gestured towards the room she’d come from. “You’ve already seen the kitchen and this is the living room,” he moved his hand to wave at the couches and the television, “There’s green everywhere. My mom loves it. She thinks it helps us all stay happy and calm and I like to think it works.” Other than the fight with Leo, his home had always been calm and welcoming. While he still had a heavy fist and often came home as the victor of a righteous fight, his house was a consistent safe space for not only him, but all who he welcomed into it. He nodded towards the hallway, tucking his hand through his hair to straighten it out, but his fingers got caught on his glasses. He laughs, catching the frames before they fall and pushing them into his pocket for safe keeping. “Don’t know why I even put the damn things on,” he says, chastising himself, “I mean, who wears sunglasses inside? Douchebags, that's who,” and then, after a brief pause, he looks back her way and clarifies, “And, well, blind people but they’re not douchebags.” He presses his hand to his chest, right over his heart and swears, ‘I’m an ally to all,” and then points to where Freddy has perched himself atop his couch—sneakers on the leather as he dramatically explains yet another endeavor he’d faced this week in school, “Clearly.” Then, to Freddy, he hollers, “Byers, the shoes!” Freddy is quick to hop down, quickly kicking off his worn-in Converse before pushing his Hello Kitty themed socks back into the couch cushion as he stood upon it once more—resuming his story without missing a beat.
“I swear to you, I’m like a fucking mother to these monsters,” he sighed, turning back to Jade with an amused smile and soft tint to his cheeks. He wasn’t embarrassed by his friends and his parties have certainly been more wild than shoes on a couch before, but part of him was nervous that she wouldn’t find his group endearing. He wanted her to like them. “Anyways,” he cleared his throat, gesturing once more towards the hall before beginning to step towards it and trusting that she was following, “Down that way is my parents' room and my mom’s office. There’s a bathroom in their room, but I try to keep people out of there.” He was pointing at the hallway across from them, catching her eye to make sure she’d heard him before heading down the hallway she’d be using. “The bathroom is this door here,” it was the first door they’d encountered, and he opened it to show a green-accented room. He left it open as he stepped away, pointing at his brother’s door as he said, “This is Wyatt’s room. He’s my little brother. He tends to hide out in here at parties. Freddy’s brother is in there now. Sadie’s too. Gavin’s brother usually comes, but,” he didn’t know why he hadn’t tonight, so he shrugged. Sometimes Tanner was a little nervous around crowds or maybe he was worried about his homework. “This door leads to the garage,” he opened it and flicked on the light to show an immaculately organized room, a bit of pride building in his chest and he looked down at Jade to see if she liked it, “My dad’s a mechanic. He owns the shop down in town.” She was close, shoulder brushing against his chest as she tried to peek past him where he was still in the doorway. “I mean, I am too,” he laughed, a little flustered, “A mechanic, I mean.” He waited for her to step back before flicking the light off and leading her to the last door in the hallway. “This is my room,” he informed, throwing the door open and stepping in. It was clean, he didn’t tend to be slobby, and quite dark. He gestured for her to look around, glancing down the hall to see if anyone was looking for them before he took a seat on his bed. There was a scattering of photos on his desk from his most recent photoshoot and a collection of printouts tacked to a board on the wall beside his television. There were pictures of his friends and family—only any with him in it if he was forced into the shot. There was one with him and Leo, taken not long before his brother had left and another of him much younger hanging off of a small blonde girl—it was the only photo he was able to keep up of Mae. There were pictures of a younger Sadie and a tiny little Freddy and another with him holding Wyatt in a headlock as he ruffled his brother’s hair. It was clear that Elliot loved a lot of people, that he cared deeply for his friends and family.
“I don’t feel like it was up to MTV standards,” Elliot found himself saying, a short laugh bursting from him as he pressed his palms to his knees. He watched Jade with soft eyes, curious as to what her thoughts were on his house—but more importantly, his room. He didn’t know why that mattered so much, but he wanted her to like it. To like this representation of who he was. "But that's my crib. You can poke around, or we can head back out," he offered, not knowing if she needed a moment. Biscuit, who had been trailing them as they toured the home struggled to jump up on to his bed so he reached down and scooped the pup up, patting his head softly as Titan entered the room and trotted to where Jade was and curiously stared up at her after sitting next to her feet.
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Supernatural
Written by Megan.
71 posts.
18 years old.
no thanks.
I am Male.
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Post by James Murphy on Sept 14, 2022 19:18:11 GMT
A roll of his eyes was all Murphy gave in response to her insistence that he has never ‘successfully’ kicked her ass in beer pong—not that she could see it from where she was walking just behind him, but he was certain she would know in her bones that he had done it with the way their (God, he hated to even think it, but what other word was there for what they were to each other?) friendship had been going. He gagged internally; nose scrunched at just the thought. Friends. Murphy didn’t have friends outside of the pack, and yet, here he was with the lone fox bitch in Beacon Hills glued to his hip. It was revolting, and yet, not the worst thing. Jamie understood him. While she could be annoying to all hell and pester the fuck out of him, she understood him. They had a mutual respect for one another that was built upon their hatred for everyone else. He didn’t like it, but it worked. It worked so well it made him uncomfortable sometimes. He’d spent so long on his own, a stoic pillar of unapproachable energy when Blake or Ashton weren't by his side. He, even now, still struggled to connect with Jensen and Sabrina. Erin was easier than them to get along with, her pessimistic attitude and bitchiness were refreshing (she didn’t even try to be fake and hide who she was, which he respected the best Murphy could respect a slut sleeping with her sister’s boyfriend), but he couldn’t lean into her the way he could Jamie. Maybe it was because he knew what Erin was capable of. He knew he couldn’t trust her. And maybe he couldn’t trust Jamie either, but like hell if he was going to give up the solace she offered from the people gathered on that couch to go brood next to Blake.
He looked at her then, watching as she made her way around the beer pong table—inspecting it for imperfections as if he didn’t know damn well that she was going to manipulate the water in the cups to her advantage. And she called him a cheater. What a bitch. Her words had him pausing though, eyes dropping to the triangular arrangement of cups on the table—fingers reaching out to dip into the lukewarm liquid and swirl them in a clockwise motion. He picked his words carefully, knowing that by saying such, he was provoking her into asking probing questions of her own. Normally he wouldn’t care. Murphy was a man who spoke first and never considered the consequences. He was ready to face whatever he was up against, bad or worse. But now? He raised his eyes to hers, peeking through his bangs as he lifted his hand and shook the water from his fingers—wiping them against his jacket for good measure. “Wouldn’t say no one would notice,” he said curtly, voice harsh and clipped—feigning normality, but he was still rocked by the conversation he had overheard, “Seems we’ve got ourselves a fan base.” He didn’t expand, knowing that Jamie was perceptive enough to put together what he wasn’t saying. It was one of the things that made her tolerable. She knew when to shut up and keep her ears tuned in, even when she couldn’t stretch her senses the distance he could. She must have picked up on Freddy’s blush and Sadie’s stolen looks. This was his way of broaching the topic without opening the can of worms—like checking the expiration date, seeing if it’s even worth finding the opener to twist and grind until the metal was peeled back. She couldn’t lie to him.
Fox or not, she couldn’t trick his nose nor his ears. And she knew that.
“And wouldn’t you like to fucking know, weather boy,” he found himself quoting, snipping and suddenly on the defense. Not normal Murphy irritation but pushing pissy with the way his nose crinkled and lips rose in a half snarl, “Mind your own shit, Fish Bitch.” If he wasn’t ready to talk about what was going on between his alpha and the Little twins with his pack, he sure as hell wasn’t going to dump this onto Jamie. He didn’t doubt that she would keep her mouth shut, but something held him back. He couldn’t. The words wouldn’t grace his lips out of devotion to Ashton. He didn’t care about Erin or about Jade. He did care for his alpha and until Ashton came to him about what was going on, he was going to continue to pretend he was blind to the affair.
“Let’s get this shit started before someone comes out and tries to mingle,” he instructed, knowing if they looked busy and invested in their game, people would be less likely to approach. When Murphy and Jamie leaned into their competitive nature, it wasn’t a pretty sight. The first time he’d played her, he’d caught onto her tricks and flipped the table, dumping the water all over some poor girls who had been nosey enough to keep watch. He hadn’t apologized and Jamie had been too caught up in holding in her laughter at their distressed whines to be upset. He’d only done that once, but every other match had ended up with the pair shouting at one another before amicably walking off together, much to everyone’s absolute bafflement. Murphy and Jamie were an enigma. Fire and water. They should smother each other out, and yet, they continue to coexist.
He spread his legs an inch, getting into position to start the match.
Inside, he could hear Sadie suggesting to Freddy that they head outside to play a match while Eli was busy, and the boy was quick to agree. His eyes zeroed in on Jamie, frowning as he informed, “And it sounds like they’re coming sooner rather than later so throw the fucking ball.”
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
132 posts.
18 years old.
in looooove.
I am Female.
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Post by Jade Little on Sept 15, 2022 20:05:35 GMT
Jade beamed at Eli’s laugh, relieved that she hadn’t caused him any level of distress in her beat to reply. Causing others upset was totally against all codes and rules when it came to making friends. Jade kept her smile perky and pretty, a move meant to disarm any negativity as Eli gestured behind her at the kitchen. “Ah, I thought ovens and fridges belonged in a bathroom,” she replied easily, humour edging and lining each word with a friendly tease. Nodding along to the green explanation, it checked out with what Blake had already told her. Jade liked the colour, it was the colour of life and reminded her of training in woodland across the country, long runs and scooting closer to Erin as they collapsed in a pile on the muddy floor, chests rising and falling rapidly as they fought to get their breath back. They always got too competitive when running side by side, pushing the other to go further and faster until one of them raised a hand in defeat and they both crashed to the ground.
Jade’s hands started to reach out as Eli’s glasses looked as if they were about to tumble and smash onto the floor into irreparable black fragments. But, Eli seemed to have it covered. Shoving her hands into the back pockets of her jeans to avoid another high five moment, Jade chuckled at his joke and attempt to recover the situation. Conversations with Eli seemed quick moving as he turned his attention to one of his friend’s – Freddy, maybe? – and scolded him. Jade turned her head away, trying to hide her laugh at Eli’s raised voice, “oh, I’d say they’re more toddlers than monsters?” Jade offered, meeting Eli’s eye. They all seemed far too innocent and friendly for a ‘monster’ title to be thrown their way. Jade couldn’t imagine any of them taking a bite of another person or threaten anyone in particular. Not someone that didn’t deserve it anyway.
As Eli took off, Jade lingered for just a moment before following after him, Biscuit keeping pace with her. Jade took in the bathroom quickly, it felt fairly standard and she thought it might be a little strange to study it too closely. Pushing the door shut as they continued down the hallway, she nodded along to Eli’s explanation of his brother and his friends. Jade couldn’t easily see through Eli into the garage, because, duh, not a robot with x-ray vision. Stepping around his side, Jade peered into the well-lit space, noting the structured organisation of the room. Turning her face up to look at him, she offered a reassuring smile. “I haven’t been there,” she offered, an apologetic crease forming between her brows before stepping back behind him.
Trailing behind him, Jade’s heart rose just a little as she clocked what would be behind that door. The room she probably should feign no interest in. Pausing on the threshold, Jade watched Biscuit closely, slightly too nervous to look elsewhere. Hesitating was weird, right? Making a deal out of this (big or small) was probably a little strange. After a short moment, Jade stepped inside and allowed herself to take in Eli’s room. Walking over to his desk, Jade’s eyes took a second to look at each picture individually before moving onto the next. Some faces she recognised. Others were entirely unfamiliar. Lots of people to love. The only photos Jade bothered to keep around were ones of her and Erin. Everyone else was too fleeting. Only recently had she propped a series of photos of her and Ashton up in her room. They’d stumbled upon a photobooth on a date a few weeks back and Jade had dragged Ash inside. After convincing him with a series of kisses across his lips and neck, Ash had fished out the eye watering amount of money the booth wanted to charge them. The photos were all different, smiling, kissing, Ashton wrapping both arms tightly around her as she laughed, hair covering half of her face. The last picture constantly caught Jade’s eye, her fixing her hair behind her ears whilst Ashton was frozen, staring at her with a soft look in his eye. He’d pouted when she’d claimed the strip of photos for herself but she just used it a tactic for him having to come and see her more.
Continuing her search around the room, Jade looked back toward Eli as he spoke up. She dipped her head at his words, a gesture of thanks before her bottom lip poked out in sympathy for Biscuit’s short legs. “Oh, I think Titan would agree with me that MTV would be lucky to receive such a tour,” she offered, reaching a hand down to scratch the top of Titan’s head. “Thank you for showing me around,” Jade added, pulling out the desk chair and sinking down onto it as she looked across at Eli. “I can’t drive,” she said, a shrug following as Titan took up position in front of her. Stroking his fur idly, Jade cast her mind back to Eli’s friends, doing a mental check on who was who. “Which is why I’ve never been to your shop, sorry, realised I said that out of nowhere.” Rolling her eyes at herself, Jade swung the chair from side to side ever so slightly.
“My head’s been all over the place today but I promised Blake I wouldn’t think about it anymore so I’ll stop that conversation... which, yes, I was the one to start, I, uh,” Jade trailed a pained expression crossing her face, “am not used to doing shots.” Yeah, let’s go with blaming everything she says on the single shot of alcohol she’d taken. “So, go on, tell me something embarrassing or two truths and a lie me so I can pretend I’m not a thought away from spiralling.” God, she needed to stop being so ridiculously open with people she barely knew. But Eli... he felt easy to open up to. She wanted him to know her.
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Human
Written by Megs.
35 posts.
18 years old.
ladies man.
I am Male.
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Post by Elliot Munson on Sept 19, 2022 16:18:02 GMT
There was something so charming about Jade’s commentary. As she poked around his room, idly browsing through his photos and studying the styling of his decor, he thought back onto what she’d said during his rather rushed tour. She was funny—a smile finding his lips as he recalled her joke about the kitchen and the way she’d amended his accusation about his friends (and really, toddlers was a better fit than monsters, but those kids could be hellions from time to time). It was cute, damn it. Jade was silly and adorable, and he really understood why Ashton snatched her up. She was a ball of sunshine, and her laugh rang out like brilliant bells and her mannerisms were so astonishingly silly and yet somehow polite. But she wasn’t perfect. And while that’s perfectly fine, no one was, he thought it was important to note as he looked up from his hands as she spoke up. “Titan better agree,” Elliot joked, but he was troubled by what she had said after, “He’s my damn dog.” His smile was easy and disarming, but he knew his eyes were shaped with concern. Not being able to drive wasn’t something to be ashamed of. Sadie still didn’t have her license because she was terrified of being behind the wheel, but it was the way she had said it that had his eyes watching her facial expressions just a little more closely. He had a bleeding heart, always looking for something to patch up, to save. He had to remind himself that she didn’t need him to step in. She didn’t need him at all. It was an ideal he was slowly grasping. It was all fun and games now to go get in a fight because he felt he was in the right, but once he was out of high school? It was a felony. He couldn’t just throw a punch without solid justification for his actions and in the real world, not everyone would swoon over his heroic intentions the way high school girls did. He needed to learn to pick his battles, to keep his nose out of where it didn’t belong—but remain vigilant all the same. Sadie had teased him, saying he should become a cop or a detective with the way he tried to police bullies, but his heart would always beat along with the purring rhythm of an antique Chevrolet.
“It’s fine that you haven’t been,'' Elliot said softly, turning more towards her as she took a seat at his desk—proving he’d been right in his assessment, she did need a moment away from the crowd, “Honestly, it’s better I suppose. Means the family car is working just fine. It’s never an insult to have a safe vehicle.” He shrugged, hoping his nonchalant behavior helped to ease her fidgeting.
He frowned slightly at her rambling, a crack in her sunny exterior. It wasn’t his place, he knew that, so he kept his wording careful as he tilted his head to the side and said, “Sometimes it’s nice to talk to someone on the outside. A non-biased opinion, you know?” He pressed his hands together, locking his fingers as he leaned forward an inch. “Obviously right now isn’t the best time for something like that, but if you ever need to talk, Jade,” he smiled then, a warm and welcoming sort of twist of his lips, “I’m always happy to listen or if you and Sadie hit it off, she can be a great outlet. Just know that you aren’t alone and that you have options.” And damn, that was heavy. It felt weird on his tongue to say something so sincere in such a setting. There was a buzz in his brain, the effect of the few shots he’d taken with Sadie before the party settling upon him. He had a stranger, practically, in his bedroom while a party sparked around them and was giving her therapeutic advice on how to handle problems he could only guess at. Strange.
Elliot thought her method of distraction was brilliant and was thankful for the opportunity to change the subject. Not that he didn’t care, but because he was scared of caring too much. He knew he could become overwhelming when he tried to help handle a problem and he really didn’t want to scare her off.
“But enough advice from your local certified therapist, Dr. Munson,” he teased, leaning back as he clapped his hands softly and then ran his left one through his messy hair, “Two truths and a lie—on it.” He pursed his lips in thought, glancing around his room for an idea on what to tell her. “But let’s make it fun,” and this was him taking a page from Freddy, finding a theatrical sort of silliness in the game, “No simple answers, okay? I’d like to get to know a little more than your favorite color.” He waited for her to nod before he placed his hands on his bed behind him and leaned back on them—legs spread and eyes finding hers once more as he beamed.
“Got it. Okay. So, when I was seven, my older brother and I snuck into the garage looking for a screwdriver. Leo had just gotten this super cool toy, but it needed batteries, and my parents weren’t home. So we think we’re tough shit and head out there, but the garage was a fucking mess back then, so we have to high step and climb over dad's tools and just as my brother finds the right screwdriver, I slip off a toolbox and I mean, this thing was like four feet tall and I’m tiny as hell and I just bite it. I sliced my arm on a saw blade he had laying out and,” he traced the outside of his left arm from just before his wrist up to his elbow, hoping that the display would make it that much harder to guess, “I have this long, thin scar on my arm from it. It healed well enough, but it’s still pretty obvious. Leo made my arm look like a mummy’s,” he laughed, shaking his head softly as he looked down at his lap—overwhelmed with the memory, “My dad cleaned the garage after, and it’s been pristine ever since. So, uh, that's the first.”
His eyes rose to meet hers again as he mulled over what to say next. “Second, let’s see. When I was thirteen, I got lost in the preserve. I was out taking pictures—I had just found this really cool camera my mom had—and I just lost track of time. It was a full moon that night, but with the trees, it was as good as pitch black. I couldn’t find my way out and, I’ll be honest, it was terrifying. I hid in this hollow tree, just tucked up inside and waited the night out. It’s, uh, it’s why I’m scared of the dark. I could hear wolves howling,” he shivered, partly for show but more so because he hated recalling this story, “And I didn’t think we had any in this part of the state, but they were so loud.” He paused, looking back down at his knees as he fought to keep them still. Pursing his lips and then pushing them to the right side of his face, he paused before he chuckled softly, “The pictures came out pretty cool, though.”
Elliot shifted on the bed then, sitting more upright and letting his hands hang clasped between his spread legs as he rounded out the game. “And third,” he hummed, tilting his head from side to side just slightly as he tried to think of a good, final answer. When it hit him, he laughed, “Back in, like, third grade, Freddy and I were swimming in my pool,” he gestured vaguely to where the pool was, a bright smile on his lips, “And a bee flew past. It has to be the biggest, meanest fucking bug I’ve ever seen because it just would not leave us alone. We’re splashing at it and trying to hide under the water and there was no escape. So we make up this plan, being the dumb kids we were, that Freddy was going to distract this bug and I’m going to run inside to find something to spray it with. He tries splashing it while I climb out, and I kid you not, I’m one step away and the fucking thing stings me.” Eli laughs then, a loud, sunny sound as his head tips back and his hands clutched his stomach. Calming down, he wipes at a tear that snuck out in his laughter and beams at Jade.
“God, sorry, that was a lot,” he apologizes, pressing his lips tight to try to hide his smile but it wasn’t working very well, “So, recap. I have a scar on my left arm, I’m afraid of the dark, and Freddy failed to save me from a bee.” It was a rough summary, but he felt that it worked. “Which are the truths, and which is the lie?” He wiggled his brows teasingly at her, leaning forward to perch his elbows on his knees and cradle his face in his palms. He was curious as to if she’d figure it out or not—and even more so as to what her own answers to the question would be.
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Hunters
Written by Jasmin.
132 posts.
18 years old.
in looooove.
I am Female.
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Post by Jade Little on Sept 20, 2022 20:35:09 GMT
There should have been more of a reason for why she couldn’t drive. Or rather, wouldn’t. There were only a handful of circumstances in her head which would have her willingly sliding into the driver’s seat of a car. Most of which involved narrowly escaping death often with Ashton or Erin bleeding out on the back seats with their only survival option being Jade launching the car into a high speed getaway. She’d been in bumper cars enough as a kid to figure out steering without hopefully crashing them all horrifically into a tree and if the car was an auto? Well, that was child’s play... right? You don’t drive? The words peeled out in her head, a clanging whine of Slots voice, lashing her from hundreds of miles away. It was out of spite. That was her main reason for not driving. Even if he would never know that she still didn’t drive. Even when she knew that he wouldn’t care either way or probably even remember. Spite and holding onto resentment weren’t actions that were regularly in Jade’s arsenal but for Slots, for Slots she would hold onto those bitter feelings for as long as she could.
The quiet kindness in Eli’s words had Jade’s heart easing up, freeing her from thoughts of Slots as she nodded to what he said, a little numbly but recognition nonetheless. A smile, tentative and not as bright as usual, pushed its way to her lips when he offered her a shoulder to lean on. Options were always nice to have and up until recently, had been in limited supply in her life. That’s how it had felt anyway.
Doctor Munson. The smile that had painted her lips in a pretty curve diminished, blinking as she pulled her hand back from Titan, fingers wrapping their way around each other to form a protective ball on her lap. There was no way to hide her reaction, so blatant and sudden as if a ghost had passed in front of her. But she tried to brush it off and play along with the antics she’d set up so when Eli looked her way she nodded, mustering as much enthusiasm as she could.
Despite her thoughts having once again been contaminated by Slots, she could help but lean forward, mirroring Eli’s posture as he got started. She longed for a notepad and pen to take notes with to understand any hidden clues or details that seemed just a tad too specific or over exaggerated to be believable. Grabbing her phone and tapping away would hardly seem polite, even if it was to win so she just nodded along, making mental notes for each story. Her eyes followed the pattern he marked on his arm closely, trying to remember if she’d gotten a glimpse of his skin earlier but again, he’d had long sleeves on. She dared a peak at the photos around the room, trying to see if she could see the scar on any of them but they were too far or it was too dark to properly tell without making it obvious what she was doing. Hunters had to look for clues wherever they appeared. His mannerisms were the biggest giveaway, there was genuine emotion in his words as he spoke about his brother. Unless Eli was an exceptional actor, Jade had to put this one down as true.
She reigned in her own reactions, not wanting him to catch onto her internal mulling’s over what was real and what was a fabrication. It was that delicate grip she had on her facial muscles that stopped her eyebrows from contorting and her mouth dropping open as he mentioned being lost in the preserve on a full moon. Foolish boy. Not that he had any reason to believe it was a dangerous place in the way she knew it to be. He was right to have been scared and that made Jade almost believe this story. He could have said he was fine with it but it took a night in the woods when it was pitch black and there were only howls for company to understand how truly frightening those luscious brown and green spaces could be when the moon hung high in the sky. That shiver, Jade’s eyes widened a little at it. Dammit was he making these all believable or had he just forgotten to mix up the order of his stories. Shifting in her chair, Jade returned her hands to the top of Titan’s head, ruffling the soft fur between his ears. A soft chuckle escaped her at the comment on the pictures, unable to help herself as she watched his face move. So animated. God, she wasn’t sure he could lie with a face like that.
Jade was listening closely, leaning in more and more until she was half nervous that she was about to tip off of the chair, especially when she looked quickly toward where the pool supposedly was. She only allowed herself to take her eyes off of Eli for a moment in case she missed a little lying tell. That damn smile. So believable. Jade chewed on her lip, sifting through all he’d said. She was going to have to try and play this smart. Which felt rather difficult with the three options laid out in front of her. Especially with that laugh. Jade’s eyes must have been panicked, rapidly trying to come to a convincing conclusion as her nose crinkled up and her mouth squished together. “Oh man, you made that hard, Eli!” Jade protested, shaking her head at him but a grin was pushing onto her lips. Plucking one hand off of Titan’s head, Jade flexed her fingers as she thought before lifting her index finger up into the air. “Okay, one sounds reasonable but maybe you’re sneaky and the lie is that it’s your right arm, not your left.” Jade began, flashing Eli a piercing look which was full of humour as she attempted to see past all he’d said. Flicking up her middle finger, Jade paused, tipping her head to one side as she eyed Eli up. “Now, would a boy who’s lived in Beacon Hills his whole life and knows when it gets dark, or at least I hope he does, get lost in the preserve? But then again, you shivered and I feel like you wouldn’t admit to being scared of something unless it was true.” The last sentence was playing, laughter bubbling through as she spoke. “And last but not least,” Jade raised her ring finger and promptly pressed all three fingers to her lips as she gave one last moment of thought, “I think the bee story is a lie and I think that you were meant to save Freddy and failed and you’ve lived with that guilt ever since which is why he half gets away with putting his shoes on your couch because he knows that you still owe him for him getting stung. I’m sure it pains you every day that you failed in your hero duties as a kid but I’m sure you’ll get your revenge on a bee one day.” Jade said, words becoming increasingly solemn and serious, ending with a deep nod of her head and Titan looking up at her for she’d stopped her stroking. “Although maybe go after a wasp or a hornet, we need bees for the planet.” Jade added, a smile cracking through her serious complexion. She wasn’t sure if she was right but she’d had fun in her internal justification and conclusion making. “If I’m wrong, you need to remember that I’ve been on the brink of tears all day so you have to tell me in the nicest way possible or just change your own reality so that I’m right.” Jade said, looking Eli in the eye as she said even if in doing so she was perhaps revealing a bit too much about her emotional state.
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