"And What Is This Difference?" Brooke Questioned, Raising A Brow. "Maybe I'll Get You A Bouquet Of Tulips

muse a is fresh out of prison, solitary confinement to be exact, and hasn’t truly seen the light of day for at least a couple of years. they’re adjusting to the real world; they barely speak anymore, and they haven’t experienced gentle human contact in what seems like forever. insert muse b, their new neighbor.

Jeyda’s eyes flickered to hers for a moment, almost imperceptible—enough to catch the question but not answer it. His lips tightened, a small shift in his posture, but his gaze quickly drifted to the ground, focusing on the faint crack in the pavement as if it held the answers. He didn’t want to talk about the city. The city didn’t matter. The past didn’t matter. Not right now.

“Yep, new to the building not to the city” he muttered, his voice still rough. He shifted again, ready to end this little exchange, but her smile—her lightness—hung in the air like a tug on his chest. She was persistent. It was almost unsettling considering the harshness he had become used to in prison.

“Though it's been a while since I've been out in the city,” he added, this time quieter. He didn’t know how much more he could give her.

Aylin beamed, her usual sunny disposition not even slightly dimmed by Jeyda’s reticent demeanor. The way his fingers had barely grazed hers when he took the mail did make her pause for a fraction of a second, though. She wondered if he was alright.

"You're welcome!" Aylin chirped, her voice light and airy like the dandelion seeds she sometimes saw floating through the courtyard. She noticed he didn't look at the envelopes, and a small frown tugged at her brow. Legal firm mail wasn't usually cause for celebration, was it?

When his rough, quiet 'thanks' came, Aylin just nodded. She didn't expect him to say more. Jeyda never did. She held his gaze for a moment longer, a gentle, unspoken question in her bright eyes. Maybe he just needed a friendly face, even if he didn't want to admit it.

Seeing him tuck the stack under his arm, Aylin gave a small tilt of her head. "Have you settled in? I know you're new to the building but what about the city?" she questioned curiously.

Rory grinned, the kind of easy, lopsided smile that made his fans' knees feel unsteady. "Ember," he repeated like he was trying it out, rolling it over his tongue. "That’s a class name."

She still looked like she might either faint or bolt, and he found himself chuckling, not unkindly—just amused, endeared.

"Big fan, yeah?" he said teasingly, tilting his head slightly. "You sure? ‘Cause right now, you look like you’d rather be anywhere else than here."

He’d actually noticed her. Now he was looking at her. Ember felt the blood rush to her cheeks, warmth blossoming in her chest. Don't be ridiculous, Ember. He probably just thinks you're a weirdo staring at him.

She tried to speak, to conjure up the witty, intelligent greeting she’d practiced a thousand times in the mirror. Instead, a pathetic squeak escaped her lips. Ember cringed inwardly. Smooth, Ember. Real smooth.

Ember finally found her voice, though it was still shaky. "I...I just...I'm Ember. Big fan." The admission felt ridiculously inadequate, a laughable understatement of the devotion that consumed so much of her free time. She wanted to say more, anything to actually start a conversation but she was terrified of saying something even more stupid.

A gentle voice cut through the darkness, but Robbie was too distressed to hear the man's words. He clutched his head in his trembling hands, sobbing as he rocked back and forth. "They're dead. They're all dead." He whispered, his voice a broken echo.

The soft glow of a lamp illuminated the space, casting a warm and comforting light. Robbie felt the bed dip as the male took a seat next to him, trying to calm him. With the man's soothing words and gentle touch, Robbie finally met his gaze. "They're all dead. I watched them die, one by one." He repeated, his voice strangled.

thomas barrow made a habit of being a self-centered man, he wouldn't deny it. he had learnt, from a young age, that if there was no one else to look out for him then he could only trust himself. his reasons for volunteering as a medic had been, in part, selfish ones. his medical training had spared him active military service for the first few months of the war, and he had believed, as everyone else had, that the whole thing would blow over quickly. he would have left the army with newfound status and a possible change in profession. that was the plan at least... how naive that young man had been.

the war had changed him, changed everything — the footman turned medic, now managing the makeshift convalescent home that had taken over downton, working alongside members of the very family that he used to serve. he was no longer at the front, but thomas had seen firsthand the horrors that these men had returned from. he knew the destruction, the death, the pain and suffering, the desperation. he felt a duty of care; underneath that egocentric, individualistic mindset, thomas barrow cared about the poor souls. if he could ease their plight in any way, he was glad to.

a shout drew the lance corporal's attention — night terrors were becoming increasingly more common in the soldiers that passed through his care... depression, shell shock, post-traumatic stress disorder, was it truly any wonder when they had been through hell and back?

❝ hey now, easy there. you're alright, sir. ❞ he started, coming to the soldier's bedside as he jolted awake. speaking in gentle, hushed tones, a hand rested on the man's good shoulder, thumb rubbing in soothing circles as thomas tried to meet his gaze. in the soft lamplight, sharp grey hues searched the soldier's own slightly vacant stare, as the medic continued — with a string of comforting words and a grounding touch, he tried to bring the other out of whatever nightmare plagued his mind.

❝ you're alright, just breath for me, nice and slowly, sir, that's it. you're safe. ❞

dxrlingdevils​:

“A normal person who thinks students are easy to take advantage of. Which is exactly the way I wanted it remember? You should consider yourself lucky that I called to ask for help, isn’t that enough?” Faye responded with a sigh of exasperation as she pushed away from the counter and walked over to the fridge to grab them both a drink. “It’s not about the room, you know that. it’s about wanting a normal life. I asked my big brother for help not the other side of you.”

Brax resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was tired of the same old argument. There was no convincing Faye once she’d set her mind on something. It was something he really respected, but in the same breath, it was something that caused him countless amounts of headaches. “I just don’t understand why you’d live like this when you don’t have to. You can still have a normal life, just one with a decent house.” He stated, looking at her for an answer. “Will you at least let me report him?” Brax asked, wanting to do something about the landlord. If she wouldn’t allow him to use violence, this was the next best thing. “And I’m helping. I’m just voicing how I feel while doing so.” He replied, reaching into his toolbox. 

Kai’s smirk faltered the second he saw the shift in her expression. He hadn’t expected that. He’d meant to rile her up, to keep their game going, not—whatever this was. Not her shutting down, withdrawing, like he’d just snuffed out the fire between them with a careless flick of his wrist.

His jaw tensed, watching her clutch her jacket, the way her lips pressed together like she was trying to hold back more than just words.

“Pia—” His voice came out rougher than he intended, but she was already looking away, already dismissing him, already convincing herself that this was over. And that—God, that didn’t sit right with him.

Before she could take a step, he reached for her wrist again, this time gentler, more deliberate. “That’s not what I meant.” A sigh left him, low and sharp, like he hated having to say this out loud. “You think I don’t—” He stopped himself, exhaling through his nose. His grip tightened just slightly, not enough to keep her there if she really wanted to go, but enough to make her listen.

“I don’t want her, you've got to know that” he admitted, quieter now, but no less intense. “We've been playing these games all night. I don’t get jealous. I don’t—” He ran a hand through his hair, looking away for half a second before locking his gaze back onto hers, something raw flickering beneath the frustration. “But then you make an appearance here in this shitty little club where you clearly stand out, and suddenly, I’m throwing punches in bars and watching every move you make like a fucking idiot.”

His tongue darted out to wet his lips as his grip on her wrist loosened, fingers dragging down her arm before dropping away completely. His expression hardened again, but not before she caught the ghost of something else—something vulnerable, something unguarded.

“So yeah. Go back inside if that's what you want. Go find someone else to dance with.” He tilted his head slightly, dark eyes scanning her face like he memorised it. “But don’t stand here and act like it's not you that I want to take home with me tonight. That’s bullshit, and we both know it.”

of course he was going to twist it to his advantage. couldn't just outwardly admit that he was envious about the fact that she was close to another male, and that she let him kiss her as well. the fact was pia was a pretty confident person, she knew she was fortunate to be graced with good looks and she was content in herself and her own skin, however kai definitely made that waver.

the fact was, his comment didn't make her want to go out there and kiss someone else just to see if he was bluffing, oh no, it made her feel withdrawn instead. he'd officially put a stop to their little game in one fleeting sentence and he didn't even realise it. now she felt dejected and not to mention that she was even more furious with him than she was earlier, which she didn't think was possible.

"oh okay.. fine, have it your way.. you hit him because he was an asshole, right.. cos he was dancing with me, because you didn't seem to know him so that's not a very credible answer. but i am done, kai.. made it clear that i'm not exactly desireable anymore, so i'll save myself embarassment and quit while i'm ahead, hmm?"

she curved her jacket over her arm, her nostrils flaring with clear irritation as she looked away from him for a moment, lips pursed.

"have fun with your peppy little date over there."

To All Shy, Anxious Roleplayers: This is your PERMISSION to come speak to me! You are not bothering me! I want to talk with you!

Kai had been halfway to stepping away when he felt the tug on his wrist, her fingers wrapping around him in a way that was hesitant but firm, like she wasn’t entirely sure she should be doing this—but couldn’t stop herself either.

He turned, his gaze flicking down to where she held him before sliding up to meet hers. She was standing now, still slightly breathless, her hair a mess from their time in the car, lips still red and swollen from his. And fuck, the way she was looking at him—like she was fighting every instinct screaming at her to let him go but couldn’t bring herself to do it.

His smirk was slow and lazy, the kind that held a promise of trouble. “A hot tub, huh?” His voice was low, teasing, but his eyes were sharp, searching. She was trying to play it casual, like this wasn’t a plea for him to stay—like it was just an offer, no big deal. But he saw through it.

His free hand slid into his pocket, head tilting slightly as he watched her. “So let me get this straight,” he murmured, stepping closer and closing the space between them again as he leaned against the car. “You want me to stay, get in the hot tub with you, eat takeout at one in the morning…” His smirk deepened, gaze flickering over her face, lingering on her lips.

After a moment, he gave a small chuckle, shaking his head slightly like he was amused with her. “Alright, Princess,” he finally said, voice full of that same cocky, knowing amusement. “Lead the way.”

it took a matter of seconds where panic set in. where she saw him leaving and it's almost like she couldn't let it happen, have him away from her for too long. she was glad her father wasn't home because she was sure that he would raise hell with her bringing kai back, but she leant forward to this time catch his wrist instead of the other way around. "wait.. kai."

she shifted herself to the edge of the seat as the door was still open then slowly rose to be opposite him, still having a tender grip on him. "if we aren't going to do it again might as well make a night of it? i have a hot tub.." she raised an eyebrow at him though there was this pang of worry and insecurity that he was going to turn her down.

"unless you have plans at almost 1am? but i'm intending on ordering take out and having a dip..so.. the choice in there for you." at she realised instead of them being scrunched up in a compromising position in the back seat he'd actually be able to see all of her.

Closed Starter || @ofblcssxms​​

“Did you miss me?” Asher asked cheekily, a smirk clear as day on his features. He knew turning up unannounced wasn’t ideal, but he had few options left and so he found himself on their doorstep, hoping their last encounter wasn’t one that ended badly. “So, uh, I kinda need a place to crash for a bit.“

Spencer gave a shrug not wanting to make a big deal out of the situation, he hated conflict and he'd had enough of it for one night. "What was I meant to do, say no?" He retorted not quite meeting Miguel's eyes, he could already tell he was pissed and he hadn't even told him the full story.

muse: miguel [ 30s, professional boxer ] open to: m only pls! plot: taken from here! your muse was recently dumped and kicked out of his boyfriend's apartment, forcing him to rely upon miguel for help. miguel and your muse being past exes is also an option!

"The fuck you mean he just kicked you out? And you let him?"