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♡   bambi & tate​

“sometimes i feel like i’m a bad person.” casually confessed into the void, bloodshot eyes focused on the ceiling, body limp, fully clothed, resting in an empty bathtub. “like–“ an unlit joint hangs from between lips, shower curtain separating him and the unfortunate soul who entered the bathroom seconds ago. “i’ll say something mildly upsetting. vile.” bit of a stretch. “i’ll do stuff i know will get a reaction out of people. and i’ll do it on purpose. it’s premeditated. because i’m bored. because i’m power-hungry. because i want to have an impact. i want to feel like i’m making a difference.” a moment of silence before a hand reaches for the piece of material, pushing it aside to reveal them to the (probably confused) audience of one. “hey babes.” offers a smile, offbeat and welcoming, a sudden shift in the mood. “tell me your favorite zodiac sign and i’ll read your future.” they pull the knees up to their chest, making space for the newfound companion.

          bambi stares at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, blood and the the muffled beat of the music outside thumping in their ears. their eyes are bloodshot—whether it’s from the vodka, the consequential high of second hand smoke, or last night’s tears, is uncertain—and their face feels sticky with sweat. it’s an all too familiar feeling that makes her want to keel over the toilet. they don’t, thank god, and instead hope that splashing their face with cold water from the sink helps them sober up, but it doesn’t. the past few weeks are reminiscent of their time directly after high school, when letting loose at college parties seemed like the only way to distract herself from a heartbreaking loss. the only difference between now and eight years ago is that now her grief also comes with guilt. she feels bad for surviving, for carrying on with her existence like it’s easy when she knows her real fate should’ve been a stake through her chest at the hands of a ruthless killer. then again, the heartache that followed feels just the same.

          she almost jumps at the unanticipated disembodied voice, but is still too caught up in her own head to heed their words. she catches ‘bad person’ and ‘power-hungry’ but that’s about it, and they’re about to leave when the shower curtain pulls back and bambi can finally put a face to the voice. “hi,” they manage to squeak, suddenly overcome with the need to cover up and hide out of diffidence despite the other looking just as disheveled. she swallows the lump in her throat and stares at the room he makes for her in the bathtub, silently acquiescing before climbing in. long legs dangle over the tub as she leans against the cold tiles on the wall, hands folded over the stomach that churns at the mere mention of her future. “i don’t know a lot about zodiacs,” bambi admits, head lolling to the right so that they meet tate’s gaze, “so i don’t really have a favorite. i’m a gemini, though, if that counts for something.”

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & tate . #omg pls dont match #my keyboard has a mind of its own

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♡   marion & camila​

“you sure this is a good idea?” she asks with a hand close below her chin in judgement of the setting. not that camila was opposed to a slasher film but sitting out, and exposed, in a lot was just not on her agenda. “’cause i like… enjoy being alive and shit?” she quips as she pulls out a cigarette and pausing with the stick pressed to her lips, eyebrow raised. “light me?”

          “yes,” marion answers with an air of assurance, though more observant folk would note the way her voices raises with hesitation. “it’s not like anywhere else is much safer anyway. just ‘cause a few weirdos have been terrorizing the town doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying things.” their nonchalance is concerning, though it’s clearly a coping mechanism more than anything. she presses her lips together at camila’s request. “ask someone else; i don’t own a lighter.”

#marion forrest price / threads . #interactions / marion & camila .

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♡   pauline & hayden

maybe it was a bad idea to not wear a jacket today . really , when hayden had first left , it wasn’t that cold . now , as it gets darker and darker , he can feel the cool breeze become stronger with each passing moment , causing him to shiver . what he really needed was a smoke . a joint sat tucked behind his ear , and hayden digs around the pockets of his ripped black jeans for his tye dye lighter , with no luck . that’s when he remembers  –  shit , i left that in another pair of jeans . unprepared as ever , he has something to smoke but no lighter , how could this be ? he curses under his breath , the weather not seeming relevant at all anymore , since his main priority now was finding something to light up with . “ hey . you’d really be my night and shining armor right now if you said yes , but …. do you have a lighter ? ” @shrikestart​

          when she first moved to shrike heights, pauline had made a personal promise to purge herself of old habits that never served her any good, and that included smoking. it worked out fine for the first few months, if not for the slight withdrawal, but she managed. though as the temperature dropped with each passing december day, quitting cold turkey proved to be a lot more difficult than she had expected. cut to present day, lit cigarette begrudgingly held between two fingers in an attempt to introduce some warmth in her steadily freezing system. the company is unexpected, but the voice makes her jolt nonetheless; one can never be too on edge these days. “of course,” she nods, fishing a sleek lighter out of her coat pocket. when she turns to hand it over, she can’t help but furrow her brows in concern. “darling, are you alright? you look like a dog caught in the rain,” she muses. “i have an extra jacket in my car that i can lend you, if you’d like.”

#pauline humphrey / threads . #interactions / pauline & hayden . #smoking tw

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♡   niamh & river

“Alright, mi cielo. The Christmas spirit is here-” He walked in with a box full of ornaments that he did not use at Come What May (some of them slightly inappropriate, of course),  but some he found in the trash, and some at home since his father decided not to put up anything other than the very old nativity set by the fire. “Where should we hang all these things?” 

          the doors swing open just as niamh finishes ringing up a customer, familiar voice cutting through the carpenters’ lulling rendition of have yourself a merry little christmas on the record player. tracks is already as decked out as it can be for the holiday season, but she reckons a few more ornaments wouldn’t hurt the aesthetic the store has already established. niamh eyes the contents of the box wearily. “all of them?” she blurts, eyebrows rising when her eyes land on the more questionable-looking decorations.

#niamh callahan / threads . #interactions / niamh & river . #flashing tw

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♡   bambi & kori

In any other situation, Kori would’ve been a little annoyed that all of her rambling had fallen on deaf ears. But, considering what had been happening around the mall as of late, she knew that there were some that were more affected than others and that was something that she took into account. “Are you sure? I mean, if you wanted to get out of the mall but not go home, we could go somewhere else. Totally your call.”

          bambi would be lying if they said they weren’t looking for anything to do. they weren’t working today, not to mention still exhausted, but hung around the mall anyway hoping to take her mind off of things, but it seems like everyone is still reeling from halloween the same way she is. she can’t exactly blame them—she’d seen everything firsthand, after all. they look up at kori with curiosity, energy slowly replenishing like an empty tank at a gas station. “that depends, where do you wanna go?”

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & kori .

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♡   for lark delaney (@cherrybitcs​) ♡   location: lark & julien’s place

          marion didn’t think much of it when they picked up the telephone to the sound of lark’s voice that night. she’d left the commune early after coming down with a migraine and assumed they were calling because they’d left something with them or just because. that is, until they told her they were at the hospital after falling victim to one of the town’s brutal attacks. from the moment she argued with a nurse just to see lark after visiting hours, to offering to take them home once they were discharged, marion had been nothing short of neurotic. they’ve tried hiding it, having grown up seeing vulnerability as a weakness, but the worry and concern is clear with the way she spends every waking hour by lark’s side, playing caregiver just to know they’re doing alright.

          she strides into their home like she lives there, mcdonald’s bag in hand, and plops down beside lark on the couch. she’s significantly calmer now that lark’s out of the hospital, but still buzzing with unrelentless anxiety. they’re marian’s only real friend, possibly the only person they care about outside her own family, and seeing them hurt like this is like a personal circle of hell. “god, you look...” like death, is what they almost say, but bite their tongue before they can. with anyone else, making an offhand remark like that would be nothing, but with lark it seems she always makes a point to be careful with her words, careful not to hurt them. “how are you feeling?”

#marion forrest price / threads . #interactions / marion & lark . #pls . do not match jngdffg #also i hope this is ok lol lmk if u want me to change it

[radiostcr]

Louise Glück

#bambi hyun / musings . #niamh callahan / musings .

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♡   niamh & myles

Myles was on his break and headed to his usual spot, out back of the mall for a smoke. It was quieter there, the only people he really encounter behind the mall were other employees also seeking some peace and quiet, there was the occasional random person back there but they either kept to themselves or took off when he arrived. His back pressed against the wall of the building Myles dug into his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter, only managing to find one of two. Placing a cigarette between his lips he searched his back pockets for the missing lighter, trying to remember where he might have left it when it wasn’t in any of his pockets. “Fuck” he muttered to himself, realizing the lighter was probably in his jacket pocket, which he left back at fast times.  As luck would have it someone joined him, perhaps saving him from a trip back inside the mall. “Hey, do you have a light?” he asked holding up his unlit cigarette. 

          niamh is perfectly aware that behind the mall is not the ideal place to be when there are potential threats lurking around, even in broad daylight, but with a mall as big as shrike it’s almost impossible to find some solace when things got overwhelming—and lately, things have been very, very overwhelming. it wasn’t like she could go back and forth from the comfort of her home between breaks either, so she didn’t have much of a choice. she’s a little disappointed when she makes her way to back and sees someone else already there, but as long as he doesn’t bother her too much, niamh supposes she wouldn’t mind a bit of company. “yeah, here.” she digs into her jacket pocket and holds out a lighter covered in a variety of stickers. niamh doesn’t smoke (not cigarettes, at least), but she has friends who do, so keeps them on hand just in case. one could easily mistake it for something owned by a child if it wasn’t what it is.

#niamh callahan / threads . #interactions / niamh & myles .

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♡   phoenix & wyatt

     HE  UNDERSTAND  PHOENIX’S  FEAR  AND  he  didn’t  want  to  disregard  her  feelings  .  instead  ,  he  was  attempting  to  bring  his  best  friend  some  comfort  -  -  -  some  reason  for  the  marks  that  were  left  outside  their  apartment  .  he  nodded  along  to  the  other’s  words  as  she  spoke  .  wyatt  couldn’t  say  he  didn’t  agree  ,  really  .  it  could  come  off  a  bit  insensitive  but  .  .  .  people  deserved  to  have  fun  ,  too  .  ❛  no  ,  i  get  it  .  i  just  don’t  think  they’d  ever  cancel  this  ,  you  know  ??  they  do  it  every  year  and  people  plan  way  ahead  for  it  and  -  -  ❜  he  cuts  himself  off  as  he  realizes  he’s  making  excuses  .  ❛  hey  ,  free  pie  though  ,  right  ??  ❜

          despite the initial anxiety that came with the ominous manifestation outside their apartment, phoenix can’t help but end up agreeing. after all, who is she to demand a total shutdown of an annual festival as someone who hasn’t even been harmed? “i guess, when you think about it in a different light, it kind of gives us a reason to stop thinking about all the shit going on for a second,” even so, they could still point out all the nuances of mass escapism, but for now she supposes she should just let people (and herself) enjoy things while they can. “there were definitely more stalls last year, though.”

#phoenix laurel / threads . #interactions / phoenix & griff .

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♡   marion & lark

     MARION’S  COMMENT  CAUSES  LARK’S  LIPS  to  curl  into  a  soft  smile  .  if  there  was  anyone  who  could  get  them  to  smile  without  even  trying  to  ,  it  was  marion  .  they  shrug  their  shoulders  ,  attempting  to  act  casual  about  winning  the  stuffed  toy  . ❛  you  should  be  impressed  .  that  works  more  in  my  favor  .  ❜  lark  rubs  at  the  back  of  their  neck  ,  fidgeting  and  trying  to  debate  if  they  should  be  honest  with  the  other  or  not  . ❛  just  .  .  .  worried  ,  i  guess  .  don’t  want  anyone  else  getting  hurt  or  anything  .  ❜

          she's not sure where lark's sudden unease is coming from, but they figure it's just what it’s like for those who knew how to sympathize. marion has always admired lark’s compassion. they actually cared about other people; the same can’t be said about her, who loved to twist the knife on them. "hey," they say, bottom lip caught between their teeth as their brain works to find words that, when put together, could offer something sound. marion was never much of an optimist, but for lark they would look for the bright side in every possible scenario. "i know times are terrifying right now, but there's no point in dwellings on things that haven't happened yet. no one is hurt today and that should at least count for something, right?"

#marion forrest price / threads . #interactions / marion & lark .

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♡   bambi & rose

being  one  of  the  eldest  in  a  big  family  meant  that  she  was  used  to  the  responsibility  of  having  to  care  for  everyone.  a  true  empath  where  sometimes  she  forgot  to  allow  herself  to  feel,  too  focused  on  making  sure  everyone  else  was  feeling  okay.  she  picked  up  what  others  were  feeling.  and  sometimes  it  felt  like  a  heavy  burden  she  had  no  control  over  and  clearly  her  town  was  in  a  lot  of  pain.  what  was  worse  was  that  rose  didn’t  know  how  to  help.  no  solution  in  sight.  she  collapsed  beside  bambi  and  offered  them  some  licorice,  “want  some?  it’s  good  shit.”

          it's a familiar feeling, being pitied. when her mother died, it was an endless slew of condolences and compassion from loved ones and strangers alike. they hated it at first, didn't like the way people would walk on eggshells around them like one wrong move would make her break. but overtime she learned to accept it. some people are just kind, and they would never fault them for making sure others feel okay. she catches a waft of the candy's sweet scent, and it's enough to get her attention. "is that watermelon?" bambi wonders, taking a piece to confirm their suspicion. "i didn't know sweet tooth had other flavors."

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & rose .

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♡   bambi & kori

“that’s cool? you’re not even listening are you? you’re not even here right now, huh?” kori asked, letting her story about how food names could be highly misleading and why she wasn’t okay with that get lost in the background noise of the mall. “i’m thinking you probably shouldn’t even be here right now. you want me to give you a ride home or something?”

          the offer gets through to her like a hot blade on frozen butter, and immediately bambi's head shoots up in protest. "no!—no..." she clears her throat, slightly embarrassed by their own outburst. although the nearly desolate mall failed to provide them with a distraction, staying home would be no different. if anything, it might make her feel worse. "i swear, i'm fine. i'd rather stay here."

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & kori .

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♡   bambi & ian

Ian took people’s word. He never felt it was his place to tell anyone how to feel. Ian wasn’t the type to open up to strangers especially when they weren’t looking for the help it seemed. Still, with everything going on and how he saw it effect so many people so close to him he couldn’t bring himself to leave either. He saw the same look in their eyes that terrified him. He saw the change in his friend knowing full well what thoughts hid behind those eyes had motivated him to leave this place all together. He didn’t know their story but he didn’t find it a stretch that any of the attacks that plagued Shrike Heights might be causing the distance he could tell they were experiencing. Ian swallowed regaining the confidence needed to be insistent. “What about some coffee?” Ian asked pointing to the diner across the food court. “I work there and I know they toss the pot out every hour regardless,” he tried to add. He’d heard that caffeine actually helped with things like this from a pharmacist of all people so he had to believe that was true. It was the only thing he could think to offer someone he didn’t know. 

          it always seems like history is doomed to repeat itself. the last time bambi felt this way was when her mother passed away, a death unforeseen by many and affected bambi the most. when corey died that night it was to stop the slayer from impaling her with a stake, a heroic deed equally unforeseen that she’ll never get the chance to thank him for. though grief is now replaced with guilt, bambi is distant all the same. but in the eight years that have passed since then, they realized that all it does is ruin good things. so when they lift their gaze up to where ian points, bambi figures she should stop pushing people away when she’s hurting and learn to let them in for once. “sure.”

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & ian .

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♡   bambi & akito

                “ i heard you did more than most people might have . you and adi … ” he didn’t want to bring up the details , as much as he wished he could properly express how selfless he thought the pair of them were to fight and focus on momoko at the same time . they could have left her to save themselves , he was sure it would have been much easier if they did so , but they hadn’t let her die , instead they risked their lives for someone akito didn’t even know if they knew well . “ i just really appreciate it , i don’t know what i would do - ” he shook his head , not finishing his thought , not wanting to even say ‘ without her ’ . “ thanks , is all . ” he didn’t want to project his emotions onto bambi , not after all they went through , so he tried his best to keep his point clear and concise , his deeper and more confronting feelings to himself . “ she’s … i mean , she’s stable right now , they told me she’ll be fine but … ” he shook his head again , though he did finish his thoughts this time . “ i’m her big brother you know ? so i’m still gonna worry until she’s fully recovered . ”

          bambi knows it’s useless to play the humility card now, because akito is right—she did what she could, and though they didn’t offer much in terms of help, they know not a lot of people would have given his sister so much as a second thought in favor of staying alive. helping momoko was a responsibility, but it was also a choice. (bambi wonders briefly if her own life had been spared due to the karma of their selfless deed). “that’s good.” lips curl into the faintest trace of a smile, shoulders relaxing in relief knowing no more lives would be taken even in the aftermath. she can only sympathize as her co-worker as they express their worries. she doesn’t have a sibling to worry over nor does she have one who worried about her, but she knows what’s it like to lose family and how painful it can be. "she’s pretty strong. surviving something like that isn’t easy, but she managed to pull through. i’m sure she will be.”

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & akito .

[radiostcr]

♡   bambi & river

“i… i don’t even remember, honestly.” river shook his head. he was also trying to forget the very last minutes he spent at the halloween festival– specifically around corey– it wasn’t… it wasn’t worth it to think about it with people around. not if he wanted to be a cheerful energy, something to help them all push through. “you could have asked for a day off probably. nobody is showing their noses in the mall today…” he sighed. it was better not to be busy, but it could be so fucking boring at the same time. “are they putting up the christmas decorations already? really?” he noted, looking at one of the center ornaments in the mall, being covered with white lights.

          "yeah, i know, but—" bambi rests both elbows on the table, rubbing her hands over her face, "—is it weird that i'd rather be here?" her apartment is too empty, too quiet to provide any kind of fruitful distraction. at least at the mall there's always someone to keep their mind off of halloween. though admittedly, there isn't much to do when everyone else's spirits are just as low as hers. their lip twitches in disgust as they eye the inappropriately bright christmas display. normally, they didn't mind when they saw holiday decor up as early as november, but immediately after the attack? that's plain tone-deaf. "can't say i'm surprised. management hasn't been able to read the room since june."

#bambi hyun / threads . #interactions / bambi & river .

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♡   phoenix & rose

“i   swear   to   fuck   if   ONE   more   creepy   guy   tells   me   he   wants   to   play   connect   the   dots   with   my   freckles   and   then   eyes   me   suggestively … i’m   going   to   start   beheading   some   dicks.”   brows   furrow   ever   so   slightly,   confusion   falling   onto   freckled   features,   “beheaded   kind   of   works   in   this   exaggerated   scenario   right?”  

@shrikestart​

          “that’s terrible...” phoenix shudders in disgust. she empathizes with rose, having heard similar unsolicited remarks from customers whose coffees she’d secretly spit in as she made them. “that being said, that totally works and it’s one hundred percent justifiable if you ask me. i think you’d get away with it, too.”

#phoenix laurel / threads . #interactions / phoenix & rose .

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♡   phoenix & wyatt

     WYATT  HAD  SEEN  THE  MARKS  on  the  door  but  only  after  the  other  had  pointed  them  out  .  he  was  sure  that  he  would  have  heard  something  outside  the  door  but  he  had  reassured  phoenix  already  that  he  hadn’t  .  he’d  been  home  with  amy  most  of  the  door  and  between  cleaning  and  taking  care  of  her  ,  he’d  been  a  little  distracted  .  griff  though  the  fall  festival  might  distract  phoenix  too  but  that  didn’t  seem  to  be  the  case  .  the  blonde  shrugs  ,  lifting  a  hand  to  rub  at  the  back  of  his  neck  .  he  hated  to  disappoint  the  other  . ❛  i  really  didn’t  phoenix  .  i  dunno  .  .  .  maybe  a  big  cat  or  something  .  ❜

          phoenix knows he's only being reasonable. it's easier to brush the incident off, to chalk it up to a big cat, or something else just as mundane. after all, if something truly nefarious had been lurking near their apartment then they wouldn't have stopped at the door. still, "i'm just worried. with everything that's been happening lately, it could be anything, and it might not be good. i don't want anyone to get hurt. not us, and especially not amy." they shake their head, then gesture to their surroundings. "and honestly, all this, after some fucker with a pumpkin mask killed people? i don't know if it's just me but it seems a little insensitive to be holding it this year."

#phoenix laurel / threads . #interactions / phoenix & griff .