Later that night, Parisa lay on her bed in a set of silk pajamas, waiting for Kyros to turn up.
She wasn't all too delighted about Sparrow's new boyfriend either, but Sparrow had made her swear to not say anything unless she had something nice to say, so she found herself silenced. It wasn't that Gabriel was a bad guy. Actually, he was fine. But he took Sparrow away for long lengths of time, and that was annoying.
February 9, 2021

plum — 02/09/2021 2:03 AM
He let himself in after a curt knock on the door, moving to collapse beside her with a huge sigh.
"Okay, so what the hell?"

peach — 02/09/2021 9:21 AM
"What the hell indeed." Pari agreed, propping herself up on an elbow to look at him. "What do you think?" (edited)

plum — 02/09/2021 10:44 AM
"I think it's bizarre that one day things are normal and the next day Sparrow suddenly has a boyfriend. Did you know this was happening at all? When did she tell you?"

peach — 02/09/2021 10:48 AM
"I knew she liked Gabe but that was like, a year ago. And lots of girls like Gabe. He's like Prince Charming." she shrugged. "But I didn't think anything of it. Must have started when Sparrow started going to Vic's water polo practice sessions. She told me that she was getting coffee with him and I thought it wouldn't go anywhere because, come on, he's boring as hell."

plum — 02/09/2021 8:15 PM
"Sparrow would go for boring as hell, though. I mean come on, the fisherman? Not exactly a daredevil there."

peach — 02/09/2021 8:18 PM
"I mean, at least he's better than a fisherman." Pari noted. "He's good at chem and he wants to be a heart surgeon. And he's Baron Ardelean's kid. Although I have no idea how that old fart has a kid that young." (edited)

plum — 02/09/2021 8:20 PM
He just raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "You know how."

peach — 02/09/2021 8:20 PM
"No, please explain the birds and the bees to me."

plum — 02/09/2021 8:23 PM
He rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, those green eyes had to come from somewhere, and the Baroness doesn't have em."

peach — 02/09/2021 8:24 PM
"Oh my god," she grinned, rolling over. "You really think he's an affair baby? That would be hilarious."

plum — 02/09/2021 8:26 PM
He put his hands up and shrugged. "I just wonder what he wants with her."

peach — 02/09/2021 8:30 PM
"I mean, you saw them together. He can't keep his hands off of her." Pari's nose wrinkled in disgust. "It's totally gross. He's a simp." (edited)

plum — 02/09/2021 8:32 PM
"But like you said... a lot of girls like Gabriel." He narrowed his eyes a bit. "So... why Sparrow?"

peach — 02/09/2021 8:34 PM
She looked at him and shrugged faintly. "Vic says that Gabe's liked her for a long time."

The kids were hanging out in their private lounge during their lunch break. Well, most of them: everyone except Parisa had made it there; the princess was running a little late.
Sparrow was working hard on some math problems that were due right after lunch while Mirza skimmed the last few pages of a book for a book report which he had not written, and which was due at the end of the day. Things had been quiet for the last month; after the Sevan debacle, a mutually unsaid peace had been achieved between Sparrow, Kyros, and Pari. They had decided that none of them would talk about it. Sparrow was starting to look a little better after being "fired" from her job at the palace; her cheeks were more pink, her eyes were brighter, and she was enveloped with a warm energy that she'd been missing for years. Nothing much had come of the incident beyond this, though Sevan no longer visited the palace and Sparrow had not mentioned his whereabouts. (edited)
February 4, 2021

plum — 02/04/2021 1:11 AM
"So I was thinking go-karts after school today," Vic pitched, "Before I leave to Murrica tomorrow."
"You say that as if you're not going to be back in six days." Feo remarked.
"And? We never use the go-kart track, that thing's fun."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:12 AM
"I like the bumper cars better," Mirza noted. "I can't be king of Atherdale but I can be king of the bumper car scene."

plum — 02/04/2021 1:12 AM
"For the last time, it's the same thing."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:13 AM
"Maybe in America," he closed his book. "But here in Atherdale, we're sophisticated enough to separate the tracks."
"No we're not." Sparrow said, tapping her chin. "They're the same thing."
"They are? Oh."

plum — 02/04/2021 1:14 AM
Vic jerked his thumb at Sparrow as if to say told you so. "You're just afraid of this mad go-karting action."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:15 AM
"No way. I'll even buy you ice cream if you beat me." Mirza declared. They all chose not to point out that he could afford an entire creamery, not just a cone.

plum — 02/04/2021 1:16 AM
"Worthless bet, but you're on."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:17 AM
"Yeah-ha," the prince grinned. "Who else? Feo, you coming?"

plum — 02/04/2021 1:20 AM
"Only if the girls can tag along, I'm supposed to watch them tonight."
"Aren't they like, twelve?" Kyros pointed out, gaze not diverting from the screen of his phone.
"There was an incident with some candles... They do not have home alone privileges."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:20 AM
"Ooh," Sparrow winced. "Another seance?"

plum — 02/04/2021 1:23 AM
"Yeah, to Joan of Arc apparently." He scoffed, then explained, "History homework."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:25 AM
That brought out a laugh. "Joan of Arc! I mean, go big or go home, right?"
"Imagine if they actually channeled her though." Mirza shuddered. Sparrow grinned, leaning against him. "Afraid of ghosts, Miz?"
"Duh."

plum — 02/04/2021 1:26 AM
"They need to learn a thing or two from you then," Feo shook his head. "Those two don't know how to leave well enough alone."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:27 AM
"It'll get them places." Mirza assured him. "I don't know what places, but it'll get them there."
"They would love go-karting. Illy's a fiend, though, you're all at risk of losing." Sparrow told the boys.

plum — 02/04/2021 1:28 AM
"Yeah, she gives me whiplash when she's not ramming me full speed with a small motorized vehicle."
"Eh, depends when." Kyros said in response to the original question. "I'm Skyping with Sol tonight."
"When are you not, though?" Vic pointed out.

peach — 02/04/2021 1:31 AM
"Yeahhh, come on. One night." Mirza cajoled, "For the boys. And Pari. And Sparrow."
Sparrow hesitated then, biting her tongue. "Actually..."
"What, do you have work? I thought you weren't doing that anymore."
"Well, no..."
"And if it's homework, you can skip for one night! You're doing a lot better now, right?"

Pari, who had just swung the door open and strode into the room, collapsed onto the couch besides Sparrow. She tossed her bag over the back of her seat and said, "She has a date and I'm helping her get ready for it."

plum — 02/04/2021 1:32 AM
Kyros snorted in amusement.
"Is it a big one?" Vic wondered.

peach — 02/04/2021 1:33 AM
Sparrow noticed his derision and her lips dipped into a frown, but she just turned her attention to Vic. "It's our one-month anniversary."

plum — 02/04/2021 1:35 AM
"Just invite him," Kyros said. "I'm sure Feo can bring his prank girlfriend too."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:35 AM
"Prank girlfriend?"

plum — 02/04/2021 1:36 AM
"What? Like I wouldn't know if you had a real live boyfriend?" He glanced up from his phone. "I'm not stupid."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:36 AM
Mirza's eyes widened marginally. "Wait, you didn't know?" (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 1:37 AM
"Oh, shut up. You're not even a good liar."
A shit-eating grin grew on Vic's face as he looked from Kyros to Sparrow.

peach — 02/04/2021 1:40 AM
"Oh my god," the princess cackled. "Wait, Sparrow, you didn't tell him?"
"I wasn't trying to hide it!" Sparrow protested, tugging her hair over her shoulder as she looked away from Kyros. "It just... never came up."
Parisa leaned forward in delight, her dark eyes glittering malevolently. "Oh shit, you actually left him out of the loop!" (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 1:44 AM
At this, Kyros became annoyed. "You all do not seriously expect me to believe Parisa wouldn't have come barreling into my room as soon as she found out? Please."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:50 AM
"Hey man, I tried, but Sol was over for the whole week." Pari raised her hands as though washing them of the situation. "By the time you were available for gossip, I'd already vented to Vic."
"You vented?" Sparrow asked. "About what?"
"That's between me and the ventee."

plum — 02/04/2021 1:51 AM
Vic shot her an apologetic look confirming the statement.
"I call bullshit. That's too big a thing to sit on."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:52 AM
"I wasn't sitting on it. When's the last time you came to a hang out?" Sparrow accused. "What was I supposed to do, knock on your door and be like, 'hey Kyros, I have a boyfriend!'?"

plum — 02/04/2021 1:58 AM
"Yeah? I mean, what the hell? I've been around."

peach — 02/04/2021 2:00 AM
"Well, apparently not when I mentioned him." she said.
"You have only been to two of our hangouts this month," Mirza noted, glancing at his phone. "You left the second one early and Gabe and Sparrow had only been on like, three dates around the time of the first one, so she hadn't mentioned it yet."
"Two dates! The first was just friendly coffee."

plum — 02/04/2021 2:57 AM
"Oh, woah, woah, woah," he lifted a finger. "Dweeby Gabe? Gabriel Ardelean?"
"He's not dweeby, he's fine," Feo muttered. (edited)

peach — 02/04/2021 12:17 PM
"I like him." Sparrow defended. "I met him through Vic. They're on the same water polo team. And he's not dweeby."
At the incredulous look her cousin cast her, Pari lifted her hands again. "Hey, I already swore off of making fun of the guy, sorry." (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 12:33 PM
"Oh, that explains why you haven't come by." He rolled his eyes. "So is this a real thing? I could text him right now and he'd say 'yeah, Sparrow's my girlfriend'?"
The phrase felt so strange out of his mouth.
"I mean, you don't have his number, do you?" Vic asked.
"I mean if I did, moron."

peach — 02/04/2021 12:36 PM
"I mean, yeah. That's generally what happens when you date someone." Sparrow shot back. Pari laughed. "I still can't believe you just... didn't tell Kyros."
"Like I said, it would have been weird to randomly bring up! Like, what would it matter to him, you know?"
"Pari's the only one that ever gets to know anything." Mirza said, casting a wounded look at the two of them. "No one told me. I had to find out secondhand."
"You found out when I told Vic!" Sparrow blustered. Miz pressed a hand upon his heart. "Yeah. The last two to know."
"Actually, Vic knew because Gabe's on water polo. So really you were just the last one to know, Miz." Pari pointed out.
Mirza shook his head, forever the tragic hero. Sparrow frowned apologetically. (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 12:48 PM
"Wait," Kyros's face scrunched up in disgusted disbelief, "So all of you knew and no one thought to bring it up before now?"
"This... is us bringing it up, K." Vic pointed out. "Honestly, this is probably why no one told you. Why can't you just be cool about it for once?"
"Mirza was just complaining about being the last to know and he wasn't even the last one!" He defended.
"Yeah, but Miz was just being dramatic. You immediately went to asshole."
"I just-- like-- obviously I would care."

peach — 02/04/2021 12:51 PM
"I didn't mean it like that," Sparrow sighed. She'd been on the defensive when it came to Kyros for weeks - for good reason. "It's just that... I mean, first of all, you were really busy with Sol so there was never time to pop in and tell you anything." Because Sol hates my guts.
"And we fucked up with Sevan, 'member?" Pari reminded. "That's why I'm on a gag order. Sparrow won't say so because she's afraid of hurting your feelings."
"I mean, n-no--" she protested, waving her hands dismissively. But then she faltered. "Maybe a little bit. That did suck really bad."
"I'm not dramatic." Mirza frowned. "I could have died of heartbreak. You don't know." (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 1:21 PM
"I know, I know, and I already apologized."
"I don't think you did, actually," Feo commented in nothing but a murmur.
"-- but come on, that's different."

peach — 02/04/2021 1:52 PM
"Well, what's done is done." Sparrow said abruptly. "I'll ask Gabe if he wants to come for go-karts. If that's okay?"
"Yeah!" Mirza cheered. "One more ass to kick, yes. I'm gonna be the go-kart champion."
"I'm not doing your hair and dressing you up just for you to ruin it all by whizzing around at mach 10." Pari warned. Sparrow shrugged with a small smile. "We'll do dinner tomorrow night, maybe. Will you help me get ready then?"
"... if I have time, sure."

plum — 02/04/2021 2:02 PM
"Hey," Feo caught her gaze. "Don't give up nice anniversary plans just for us, okay? There will always be another day for go-karts."
"What about y'all do dinner after go-karts?" Vic suggested. "Or before, whatever works."
Kyros sat in a deep glower, still processing all his irritation at the situation.

peach — 02/04/2021 3:01 PM
"We could probably do an early dinner that day," she agreed, pulling out her phone. "I'll text him to ask."
Pari glanced over and sighed in relief. "Oh, good, I was worried you'd be one of those emoji girlfriends."
"What?"
"You know, the ones that name their contact something like... baby boy."
"No," she laughed and returned her attention to her phone.
Mirza looked at the rest of them. "I wanna get dinner somewhere too. Something greasy."

plum — 02/04/2021 3:41 PM
Kyros couldn't help but glance over at Sparrow's phone, though he did so with contempt.
"Ohh!" Vic snapped his fingers. "Jo's Diner! They have the best parmesan garlic fries."

peach — 02/04/2021 4:01 PM
"I'm ready for some parmesan garlic fries." Mirza agreed. "As long as they also have fried chicken."
"Aren't you a bird? Shouldn't you hate eating other birds?"
"I'm a bird of prey!" Mirza protested. "Or... I can become one."
"Mirza, in that whole situation, you would definitely be the prey." Pari informed him. "Does Jo's have salads? Because I'm trying not to gain ten pounds before the next gala."
"You could stand to gain a few pounds." Sparrow assured her. Pari shook her head in disgust.

plum — 02/04/2021 4:05 PM
"Uh... they have potato salads as a side?" Vic offered.
"So is this just how it is now, then?" Kyros asked. "Us and Gabe?"

peach — 02/04/2021 4:27 PM
"Well, we've hung out with Gabe before." Mirza said. "He's cool."
"And he wants to hang out." Sparrow added. Unlike a certain someone. "But if you guys don't want him to come..."
"We want him to come." Pari decided. (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 4:41 PM
Kyros groused at her directly.
"Didn't you say you were Skyping Sol anyway?" Vic pointed out.
"That doesn't mean I wasn't gonna come."

peach — 02/04/2021 4:52 PM
"Kyros can Skype Sol while Gabe and I are at dinner and then we can all meet up for go-karts! That works," Sparrow suggested hopefully. "Right?"

plum — 02/04/2021 5:47 PM
"I suppose..." Kyros heaved a long-suffering sigh.

peach — 02/04/2021 6:11 PM
Pari threw a pillow at him. "Hey drama king, you can dial it down a little."
"Maybe Sol can come to the next one." Mirza offered, ever diplomatic, even though they all knew the last thing in the world the Kalyharan Empress would do was to step into a dingy metal cart. "We'll need to make a jersey for Gabe though. What team will he be on?"
"We have to split them up or else Sparrow has an unfair advantage."
"But if we do that, how do we know he won't go easy on her while he's on the other team?" Miz postulated. (edited)

plum — 02/04/2021 9:22 PM
"We could use the two-person ones and do every kart for themselves," Feo suggested.
"Ooh, I call Pari, she's vicious on the trash talk." Vic claimed.

peach — 02/04/2021 9:26 PM
"Yessss," Pari chortled, high-fiving Vic. But Sparrow looked hesitant. "I don't think that's a good idea because we have an odd number of people."

plum — 02/04/2021 9:29 PM
"Do we?" The corner of Vic's right eye crinkled as he counted them all up. "Huh, I guess so. Someone could go solo."

peach — 02/04/2021 9:34 PM
"No, no." Sparrow assured him. "We'll just do every man for himself! It'll be fun!"

plum — 02/04/2021 9:55 PM
"Alriiiight, but y'all better not cheat." Vic pointed at her.

peach — 02/04/2021 10:07 PM
"Of course not," Sparrow batted her lashes at him, leaning over to rest her elbow upon his shoulder. "I would never."
February 5, 2021

peach — 02/05/2021 2:55 AM
Sparrow was running just a little bit late for her date with Gabe, but this was okay because he was also running late. Her phone buzzed with a message - Be there in fifteen. It was one of the things she liked best about him.
It felt like so much time had passed since that day she'd admitted her tiny crush to Feo. Who knew that months later, Gabe would approach her while she was waiting for Vic after water polo practice, and ask if she wanted to grab a coffee sometime? Part of her had wondered if Vic had talked her up. Maybe he'd convinced Gabe to take her on a pity date? But no, Vic wasn't like that, and neither was Gabriel.
He was the son of a baron so he really shouldn't have noticed her at all. He was part of Pari and Kyros' crowd, though the latter would most certainly snort and remind her that Gabe belonged to the lowest rungs of their social ladder, but Sparrow thought this was even better; she was intimately acquainted with the two people at the apex of the pyramid and she knew what it turned a person into. It wasn't that she didn't like Parisa or Kyros - never - but their world was so incredibly detached from hers that sometimes they felt like strangers. Gabe was rich too. He had a sterling reputation. He consorted with all matters of nobility. But he was kind, and he was humble. She'd met his mom and dad only a week ago, but being there had been... comfortable. Their home wasn't particularly large for a manor and everyone stayed in the central rooms, leaving the outer corners for guests and entertaining. It meant that those living spaces were warm and cozy and casual, and Mr. and Mrs. Ardelean had never made her feel less-than. Not like she often did at the palace. They had sat with her and Gabe and they hadn't even mentioned that she was an ex-staff member at the palace; in fact, they'd talked to her like she was... a person. It was a refreshing change. Gabe had been embarrassed while Sparrow had fallen in love.
[3:00 AM]
But before she met him for dinner, she had to make a quick stop. The conversation earlier that day sat in the pit of her stomach like a stone, weighing her down with guilt.
She had never meant to keep the whole thing from Kyros. In all honesty, she was just trying to avoid Mojisola, and in doing so, had inadvertently avoided the prince as well. But Sol hated her, and she wasn't nice, and Sparrow was sick of skirting around the Kalyharan empress-to-be. It was easier to just not be around when she was visiting.
But that wasn't the entire truth either. She had known that Kyros hadn't known and she'd been putting it off. She could have mentioned it one of many times - it might have been a little odd and very unprompted, but she could have. She'd known how Kyros would react, though: his derision that she'd agreed to date someone as comparatively inconsequential as Gabriel, and his disbelief that she'd snagged anyone at all. Pari had let it slip, after all, their mutual concern about her alleged romance with Sevan. He's a fisherman! the princess had cried. I mean, we were so worried that you couldn't get anyone better. Like Kyros said, maybe a doctor or something at least, but a fisherman?!
Sevan was no fisherman - at least, that wasn't all he was - and even if it had been everything about him, he had no reason to be embarrassed. Gabe had no reason to be embarrassed either. But Sparrow felt her heart shrivel at the idea that Kyros pitied her.

That wasn't the point of her brief stop at his room tonight, though. She knocked on the door, hoping that he hadn't already dialed Sol's number.

plum — 02/05/2021 3:04 AM
"Who is it?" The prince's voice called from inside the chamber.

peach — 02/05/2021 3:05 AM
"Me," Sparrow said, her hand on the knob. "Can I come in?"

plum — 02/05/2021 3:08 AM
"Oh," there was a note of surprise in his voice. At least the derision and moodiness from lunch was gone. He tugged on his tangled laptop charger, inviting, "Yeah, whatever, it's open."

peach — 02/05/2021 3:14 AM
She poked her head inside, glancing about the room. She looked... a little different. Pari had done her hair and makeup, so her eyes were dark and large and her cheeks were pink, though there was no telling how much of that was the blush of puppy love and how much of it was actual blush. The princess had managed to accentuate her long throat with a few thin strands of gold, to define her shoulders and clavicle with a brush of shimmering dust. But since she and Gabe had decided to go to a small Asian bistro, nothing fancy, Pari had allowed her to utilize her own wardrobe. Her outfit was that of a crop top and shorts, both familiar sights. The complex hairdo, which had taken Pari a good hour to put together, was already starting to fall out in gently curling strands. It was these things that kept her looking like herself. "Hey, Kyros. Do you have a sec?"

plum — 02/05/2021 3:17 AM
It was hard to hide the double take, but after a moment of marvel, his mind turned quickly to his own girlfriend and how incensed she would be if she was watching this, so he simply didn't mention it.
"Yeah." He confirmed easily. "Stupid laptop's dead."

peach — 02/05/2021 3:18 AM
"Oh no, is it gonna take long to charge?" she asked, approaching the couch to sit beside him.

plum — 02/05/2021 3:22 AM
"Nah," he snapped the charger into place. "Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?"

peach — 02/05/2021 3:22 AM
"We're both running late." she grinned faintly. "Guess it's meant to be."

plum — 02/05/2021 3:33 AM
Her wording confused him for a moment before he realized she was probably talking about her and Gabriel, not the two of them here. "You'll be later if you stick around, you know."

peach — 02/05/2021 3:33 AM
"He'll be at the palace in fifteen." she assured him. "And this won't... take super long. And it's way overdue. I just wanted to apologize. I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you about... us."

plum — 02/05/2021 3:37 AM
Ugh, the word sent a revolted shiver down his spine. Something about her words still rang in his head like a joke, but here she was, dolled up and doe-eyed for Gabriel Ardelean.
"It's fine. I've decided I don't care-- I'm happy for you." He tried so badly to sell it.

peach — 02/05/2021 3:40 AM
"Oh." that stung a little - that he didn't care. And then he'd tried to overcompensate by claiming that he was happy for them, but he didn't... actually care. Why did she think he would care? Sparrow's face flushed a little in embarrassment. She'd hoped that Kyros would at least... genuinely be happy for her. But it didn't matter and that wasn't the crux of the issue. "Um, thanks. I just... I didn't mean to not tell you. I guess I was kind of avoiding it, and that was wrong of me to do... that's not something friends do. So I'm sorry."

plum — 02/05/2021 3:44 AM
"Well, you said it yourself. I don't have the best track record." He wrapped his fingertips tightly around the opposite edge of the laptop. "I just got spooked. Guess I'm no better than Pari in that sense. But I mean it when I say good for you, he's a nice guy."

peach — 02/05/2021 3:45 AM
The corner of her lips tugged up in a hesitant smile; she bumped her shoulder against his. "Thanks. That really means a lot to me -- your opinion."

plum — 02/05/2021 3:47 AM
"Yeah," he let out a small puff of air. "Well. He's boring, but good boring. Won't get you assassinated or targeted by mysterious evil entities boring."

peach — 02/05/2021 3:48 AM
"Oh my god," she laughed a little. "I hope not. He's super... chill. His parents are really nice too. Too nice to be assassinated."

plum — 02/05/2021 3:53 AM
"Weird to think that's definitely how I'm gonna go," he remarked, but redirected, although he did not miss the line about meeting the parents. "But hey, it's cool to date someone who's got their death options so open. You know? You two can both die normal person deaths together."
He knew it was strange territory to veer into but he didn't seem to have full control over his thoughts right now.

peach — 02/05/2021 3:54 AM
Sparrow, however, was not going to let go of that extremely ominous statement. Brow creased in concern, she reached over to take his hand. "Hey, what? Why would you say that? Nothing's going to happen to you." (edited)

plum — 02/05/2021 3:59 AM
"I mean, yeah, hopefully not for a while." He confirmed, oddly unbothered at the moment.

peach — 02/05/2021 4:00 AM
"No," Sparrow told him. "Not "not for a while". Never. Tasia will take care of you, Faey and Rosco will, I mean-- Parisa will. You don't actually think you're going to get assassinated - do you?"

plum — 02/05/2021 4:01 AM
"Sparrow, listen, when I die-- because we all eventually will-- what's the most likely scenario for me? It just tracks."

peach — 02/05/2021 4:06 AM
She frowned and said decisively, "No it's not. You'll die old and happy with... with Sol at your side! And lots and lots of grandkids."

Wow. Why did it still ache to say things like that? She was - she was happy for him, of course she was! She saw the way he and Sol looked at each other, held each other, both lit up each others' worlds. She'd seen the way he whispered in the Kalyharan heir's ear and the way Sol pressed her lips to Kyros's cheek proudly, out in public, even when she was supposed to be regal. She'd known a lot of their peers to find love, but never had she seen a romance that seemed to run as deeply and truly as the one that had blossomed between Kyros and Sol - and they were perfect for each other. Everyone knew it. Even if they weren't both the most powerful leaders of their respective countries, they were both proud and important and razor-blade sharp. They'd both sliced Sparrow's heart to ribbons in their own ways.
She gave his hand a squeeze and dropped it, laughing around the lump that had suddenly risen in her throat. "You're going to live a long and happy life, K." (edited)

plum — 02/05/2021 4:10 AM
"You too, Sparrow." He dropped a hand on her shoulder. The tone had grown far too serious for his liking, so he added, "And if it makes you happy... I'll keep tragic but genuine travel accident on the board."

peach — 02/05/2021 4:11 AM
She snickered this time, shaking her head again. "Stop it!"
At that moment, her phone buzzed in her pocket. With a glance toward Kyros, she pulled it out and looked to the phone screen. Gabe's picture grinned back at her, a single message beneath: Here :)
A soft smile bloomed upon her lips.

plum — 02/05/2021 4:20 AM
He pressed his lips together and inhaled deeply, patting the laptop. "Well. I guess I'll see you at go-karts."

peach — 02/05/2021 4:24 AM
She bounced off the couch and tossed one last smile in his direction. It came easier now, as all things did, with a little bit of re-evaluation. She'd never been meant for Kyros. Kyros hadn't been meant for her. They were of completely different worlds, even taking the whole "future king" thing out of consideration.
Gabriel... well, she wasn't sure if they were bound together the way she imagined she one day would be. He was two-tailed. But maybe she could bring him into the fold... one day. And Gabriel liked her back, which was the most important part of it. "Have fun with Sol... see you later." Sparrow bid before heading out the door.

plum — 02/05/2021 4:32 AM
Kyros heaved a sigh that turned into a groan once she'd cleared the hallway, letting his head roll back onto the couch. Apparently whatever stupid pep-talk-slash-talking-to Feo had put him through after lunch had worked, at least in making up for being so shitty about Gabriel to Sparrow's face earlier. Even if he still felt justified. But their friendship mattered more to him than whatever dumb guy she picked to be her high school puppy crush and he owed it to her to be someone she felt good about talking to. Even if it meant sitting through things like that. Feo had at least talked the idea of losing her to this guy out of his head-- "it'll be your fault if you lose her, not his." The rest was just bottling it up and saving it for Parisa, because though he knew she'd taken a vow of silence, she could still there and validate him... right?
February 6, 2021

peach — 02/06/2021 6:37 PM
peach — 02/06/2021 6:53 PM
The group had enjoyed a fast-paced, high-adrenaline game of go-karts-slash-bumper-cars with Mirza having reigned supreme, for which he was currently gloating. Vic owed him ice cream now. Feo trailed dutifully after Illy and Vera, who were dancing around the prince in hopes of joining in on the ice cream action. Pari and Kyros were perched beside each other now, the former examining her nails to make sure nothing had broken, while the latter nursed a glass of cool water. Sparrow and Gabriel were in his line of sight, standing together in the doorway of the recreation room.
There was no accusing Sparrow of making up a boyfriend now - when Gabriel wasn't doting on her, he was looking at her tenderly from wherever he stood. They held hands and she leaned against him while Vic mapped out the rules. He'd spun her around before setting her in a kart, and then when he'd won a game, she'd laughed and thrown her arms around him. (edited)
[6:56 PM]
Gabriel Ardelean. He was a quiet guy but friendly, with a good reputation among his peers. He was known for his ability to explain chemistry with relative ease, and in a way that those who were listening in might understand. He was on water polo with Vic as well as a litany of other sports. He wasn't very remarkable in any other aspect, but Sparrow gazed at him like she was looking at a stack of precious stones.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sparrow asked, touching his shoulder as she stood in the circle of his arms. "I saw you get tossed against the car. Sorry, Vera can be so competitive."
"No way, don't worry!" Gabe assured her with a soft smile. "I've had it much worse from lacrosse."
"Your game is tomorrow night, I just want to make sure nothing happened to that winning arm. Vic would be upset."
"But not you?"
"No." she teased with a grin, her cheeks dimpling. Gabe laughed and pressed his thumb against one as he reached up to cup her face. "Don't worry, I'm a strong, independent man."
"I still like taking care of you."
"I like it when you take care of me." he leaned down and Sparrow rose to meet him and then they were kissing, and he traced a line along her lower lip. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sparrow."
"See you." she said quietly, glowing pink as they pulled away from each other. (edited)

plum — 02/06/2021 9:59 PM
Kyros's knuckles were white against the water glass and it was all he could do to tear his vitriolic gaze away before they had the chance to catch him looking. He uttered to his cousin, "You know we have to talk about this."

peach — 02/06/2021 10:11 PM
"Oh, for sure." Pari muttered back, resting her elbow on the table as she glanced the couple over. Her nose wrinkled just the slightest bit. "I only said I'd be nice to his face."

plum — 02/06/2021 10:11 PM
"Thank God. Your room after this?"

peach — 02/06/2021 10:23 PM
"Yeah, I'll text you after I'm done with my shower."

Sparrow flounced over and dropped to sit besides Pari, resting her chin on her hands and offering the two a brilliant smile.

plum — 02/06/2021 10:48 PM
Kyros's expression cleared up and he gave her the best teasing grin he could muster. "Looks like you had fun."

peach — 02/06/2021 11:11 PM
"Yeah..." she sighed happily.
Pari snorted, looking over to the others. "I can't believe Miz won. He actually wasn't bullshitting this time."
February 8, 2021

plum — 02/08/2021 3:42 PM
"Miz is the silent killer when he wants to be." Kyros confirmed. "Underestimate him and you're in trouble."

peach — 02/08/2021 4:30 PM
"Underestimate Mirza?" Sparrow laughed. "Never. I've seen that maniacal Tyrneamitore grin."
"Hey! What are you talking about?" Pari demanded.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Sparrow retorted. "Your MTG is a permanent fixture."

plum — 02/08/2021 6:11 PM
"I wouldn't call it... maniacal."

peach — 02/08/2021 6:12 PM
She bared her teeth in what could only be described as a demented mockery of a smile, then pointed at him. "That's you."
Pari crowed with laughter. "Please never make that face again!"
"What face? My Kyros face?" (edited)

plum — 02/08/2021 7:00 PM
"That is not what I look like. Ask anyone."

peach — 02/08/2021 7:01 PM
"Okay. Pari, does K look like this?" she asked and made the face, to which the princess gave her an enthusiastic nod.

plum — 02/08/2021 7:02 PM
"Someone who doesn't have a vested interest in pissing me off," he clarified.

peach — 02/08/2021 7:04 PM
"You didn't say that before!" she prodded him reproachfully, laughing. "And geez, I don't think there's anyone in this room without a vested interest in pissing you off." (edited)

plum — 02/08/2021 7:04 PM
"Wow." He shook his head. "And I trusted you lot."

peach — 02/08/2021 7:05 PM
"That was your mistake, cuz." Pari said, leaning back in her chair. Sparrow beamed at him. "You make it so easy."

plum — 02/08/2021 7:06 PM
"See, Pari I expect to take the low road, but you?"

peach — 02/08/2021 7:07 PM
"Not so morally superior anymore, am I?" she teased in a mild tone, though bringing up the fight stirred a pang of discomfort deep in her chest. (edited)

plum — 02/08/2021 9:43 PM
He shrugged affably as Feo and the girls called their goodbyes from the door.

plum — 02/09/2021 8:35 PM
He turned his head to peer at the opposite wall, gaze calculating as if the answers would be written in the marble. "It'll just suck if she gets hurt."

peach — 02/09/2021 8:37 PM
"I mean yeah, but from everything I can tell, he really is genuine. You don't think I poked around? So far he's taken her out to nice places - casual, because it's Sparrow, but still nice; they're constantly facetiming or texting each other; she even met his parents." Pari snorted. "Watch. He's gonna get her a promise ring in another month at the rate this is going.

[Mirza added Vic and Pari THE GREAT to the chat.]

plum — 07/11/2019 12:19 AM
Vic:
[12:20 AM]
Vic: the circle gets ever smaller

peach — 07/11/2019 12:20 AM
Mirza: okay
Mirza: now that we got through the whole
Mirza: wtf happened to sparrow situation
Mirza: can we please
Mirza: talk
Mirza: about
[12:20 AM]
Mirza: sparrow having feelings for kyros??????
[12:20 AM]
Mirza: like ho ly shit
[12:20 AM]
Pari THE GREAT: NO FUCK U MIRZA

plum — 07/11/2019 12:20 AM
Vic: is there a reason feo isnt in here

peach — 07/11/2019 12:21 AM
Mirza: feo would be like no don't do it

plum — 07/11/2019 12:21 AM
Vic: fair

peach — 07/11/2019 12:21 AM
[Pari THE GREAT has left the chat.]

plum — 07/11/2019 12:21 AM
Vic: awww

peach — 07/11/2019 12:21 AM
Mirza: damn
[12:21 AM]
Mirza: well
[12:21 AM]
Mirza: it's just you and me, vic
[12:21 AM]
Mirza: two gossip mongers

plum — 07/11/2019 12:21 AM
Vic: feels strangely intimate

peach — 07/11/2019 12:22 AM
Mirza: ♡

plum — 07/11/2019 12:22 AM
Vic: you know now that ive thought about it more i can kinda believe it

peach — 07/11/2019 12:24 AM
Mirza: yeah?
[12:24 AM]
Mirza: idk I never noticed

plum — 07/11/2019 12:25 AM
Vic: i mean ive never noticed per se but

peach — 07/11/2019 12:25 AM
Mirza: knew she had a crush on someone but kyros?? I thought it was like
[12:25 AM]
Mirza: ardelean

plum — 07/11/2019 12:25 AM
Vic: yeah idk dude
[12:26 AM]
Vic: there was that one time when we were drinking at my place remember
[12:26 AM]
Vic: she wouldnt tell who she was in love w or whatever
[12:26 AM]
Vic: got real embarrassed about it

peach — 07/11/2019 12:30 AM
Mirza: oh yeah
Mirza: man
Mirza: it would've been amazing if she had said
Mirza: wouldve totally turned the world upside down lol

plum — 07/11/2019 12:31 AM
Vic: it wouldve been so bad
[12:31 AM]
Vic: although tbh we were pretty far gone

peach — 07/11/2019 12:35 AM
Mirza: I woulda remembered
[12:35 AM]
Mirza: you dont forget shit like that dude

plum — 07/11/2019 12:36 AM
Vic: yea but she coulda tried to pass it off you know

peach — 07/11/2019 7:10 AM
Mirza: yeah but its sparrow
[7:11 AM]
Mirza: i've never met a worse liar in my life lol

ages - kyros 7, baseline from there

"What do you think of the 'Lurians?" Pari asked, spooning some ice cream into her mouth. "They're weird."
She, Sparrow, Kyros and the rest of the gang were sitting around Sparrow's dining table. Simona was out, working with the queen, which left the small apartment rather empty.
"I like Uzochi." Sparrow said. (edited)

plum — 01/29/2021 10:12 PM
"It's not like they ever talk to anyone," Kyros shrugged.
"I like mint. I wan' mint." Vic said for probably the sixth time in the past ten minutes, thumping his spoon against the table.

peach — 01/29/2021 10:23 PM
"Uzochi talks to me." Sparrow said again. A small smile lit upon her lips. "He's nice. I like him."
"He's old and boring." Pari decided. "And you can't have mint, Vic, it's stinky and no one likes it so we don't have it."
January 30, 2021

plum — 01/30/2021 12:36 AM
"Stinky?" This was an outrage.
"Isn't it a little weird for you to be talking to him?" Kyros pointed out.

peach — 01/30/2021 1:07 AM
"I help clean his room." Sparrow justified. "He gives me chocolate biscuits."
"Not strawberry? Lame." Pari scoffed.
Mirza patted Vic on the head and said appeasingly, "I like mint." (edited)

plum — 01/30/2021 1:34 AM
"Why are you cleaning his room?" Kyros wrinkled his nose.

peach — 01/30/2021 1:35 AM
"Cause it's my job."

plum — 01/30/2021 1:35 AM
"You're five. You don't have a job."

peach — 01/30/2021 1:38 AM
"I do too!" she protested indignantly, "Simona told me so! I have responsible-cities."

plum — 01/30/2021 11:58 AM
"You're not even in real school yet."

peach — 01/30/2021 12:01 PM
"Yeah I am! I learned counting to one hundred, want to see?" she leaned forward and splayed her hands on the table without waiting for his response. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 'leven, twelve, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty-" (edited)

plum — 01/30/2021 12:17 PM
"Hey, hey, you skipped a bunch!" He accused. "Cheater!"

peach — 01/30/2021 12:19 PM
"I'm not a cheater!" She cried. "You're mean!"
"Sparrow is a cheater, Sparrow is a cheater!" Parisa thumped her fists on the table, grinning.

plum — 01/30/2021 12:20 PM
"It's just the truth," he defended. "You have to say all the in between numbers or it's not right."

peach — 01/30/2021 12:22 PM
"You're not right," Sparrow pouted, putting her spoon down. She didn't want to eat ice cream anymore. "I did say them, I did."
"Kyros is mean," Pari declared. "And he's stupid! Stupid kyros!"
"Uzochi's smart, that's why I like him." Sparrow sniffed. "He's nicer than you." (edited)

plum — 01/30/2021 12:31 PM
"He's a dummy and a bad prince."

peach — 01/30/2021 12:32 PM
"No he's not! He's nice, he gives me chocolate biscuits and he helps me clean." Sparrow informed him hotly. "He's nice and cool."
"Uzochi's cooler than Kyros!" that was Pari, obviously.

plum — 01/30/2021 12:34 PM
Kyros could think of no bigger insult than to stick his tongue out at his cousin. On the other side of the table, the other three kids were having a peaceful discussion about ice cream flavors.

peach — 01/30/2021 12:46 PM
Pari reached over and poked his tongue, fast, before he could pull away. "You ate my germs!" she crowed.

plum — 01/30/2021 12:47 PM
"You're disgustin'!" He crowed back, face scrunching up in disgust.

peach — 01/30/2021 12:48 PM
"No, I'm Pari!"
"Do you like mint, Sparrow?" Mirza asked in his squeaky voice. Sparrow thought on it. "It's spicy."

plum — 01/30/2021 12:50 PM
"Haha," Vic crooned. "I like it."
"Mint's not spicy, it's cold." Kyros put in.

peach — 01/30/2021 12:52 PM
"Do you like it Feo?" Mirza asked. When the boy said nothing he nodded and agreed, "Me too."
"It's ice cream, it HAS to be cold." Pari said scornful. "Stupid Kyros, stupid Kyros!"
"Pari, don't be mean." one of the guards chastised. She frowned at him. (edited)

plum — 01/30/2021 1:11 PM
"Even if you eat other mint things, they're always cold." He rebutted. "Mint is cold. You're the stupid one."

peach — 01/30/2021 1:12 PM
"No it's not! You can have hot mint tea." she sneered. "Hot so it can't be cold, you're stupid!"
"I'm gonna go hang out with Uzochi." Sparrow decided, sliding out of her seat. (edited)

plum — 01/30/2021 1:13 PM
Kyros turned his attention to her suddenly, grabbing her wrist. "Hey, you can't just leave."

peach — 01/30/2021 1:14 PM
"I want to!" she insisted. "Uzochi will play games with me and he isn't a meanie!" (edited)
January 31, 2021

plum — 01/31/2021 3:17 PM
"You're the meanie for calling me mean," he accused.

peach — 01/31/2021 3:18 PM
She squinted at him, then looked mollified. "I'm sorry." (edited)

plum — 01/31/2021 3:20 PM
"It's okay. I'll forgive you if you finish your ice cream with me."

peach — 01/31/2021 3:20 PM
"Okay." she said, clambering back onto the chair and picking up her spoon. "Maybe we should invite Uzochi for ice cream!"

plum — 01/31/2021 3:21 PM
"I don't think he would come," Kyros shrugged.

peach — 01/31/2021 3:40 PM
"We won't know if we don't ask!"

plum — 01/31/2021 3:46 PM
"Well, you can ask him, then, cause I won't."

peach — 01/31/2021 3:49 PM
"I will." she replied stoutly.

It was hard to hold a steady line of communication with everything going on, but Roo didn't think that her sisters had misunderstood Queen Tyrneamitore's warning. Historically, the queen didn't mince her words, and she'd been particularly blunt about what it meant to leave the Altirian gate open. She'd also been very clear about how they would have to close it. Rhea and Binzy and Nquilla and the others were out there right now, milling about in the dining room or the living area or one of the offices, combing through every page of ancient text or every obscure ritual they had access to; summoning demon allies and sea witches to interrogate about planes and how to tether them, not that anyone would know anything. Tasia Tyrneamitore was the gatekeeper and her word was irrefutable law, despite everyone else's protestations. Roo had known better than to argue, not that hearing the verdict had been easy to swallow; but she'd always been a little cursed, and she supposed that there really was no other way for all of this to end.

She sat in the relative dark of her room, scratching small, meaningless designs on a pad of paper with a quickly-drying pen that had been lying in her nightstand. Motes of dust floated through thin strands of light that tried to push their way in from underneath the blinds. The air was still and cold. Mina was gone and Moira had left because rabbit... deer-crow creatures, Roo supposed, could also be haunted. And she was alone. And now... she tipped her head back as a telltale gnarl wended its way around her throat, thorns pricking at the tender lump that was her voice. Now, she thought steadily, distantly, she had practice. She knew what it was, to be lonely, and now she'd be alone forever.

There were only two options: anchor Altair fully and unleash her demons upon the world, or evacuate and close the gate - lose Altair and everything horrible within to the vast expanse of whatever existed outside of what was known, but save the rest of the realm... one that she had never, and now, would never look upon with her own two eyes.
The gnarl tightened. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, pen stilling in her hands.
There was no point in wishing things were different, praying that they could be. They had all the answers right in front of them. She just had to sit and wait for her sisters to come to the same conclusion.

Pari would know what to do. And she was free-- he'd checked with her personal assistant. Or rather, he'd shot Sparrow a text to ask if she knew if Pari was up to anything, and she'd said no, and that was good enough for him. He'd risk her criticism of his strange fashion choices and emotional stupidity and in exchange for expediency. There was no point in hiding any of it from her anyways, not if they didn't do something quick. It was for this reason that he knocked firmly on her door this Thursday evening in some of his finest (read: "artsiest") party couture without bothering to try to clean up the black eyeliner that had turned his face into a raccoon. (edited)

peach — 06/29/2020 2:13 AM
The door to Parisa's room opened quietly and a member of the staff stood on the other side. She looked at Vic once, then again, the second time with more alarm. "S-sir?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:14 AM
"Oh, don't give me that look. Is she here?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:17 AM
"Princess," she called hesitantly into the room. "Vic is here to see you."
"Send him in and leave." Pari's voice echoed. The girl gave Vic an obedient curtsy and stepped inside, waiting for him to enter before taking her leave.
Vic ventured through the princess' suites, walking past the common area and her sunroom before following Pari's voice into her enormous bathroom, where she was wringing her hair out in the skin she used to condition it in whatever essences the staff brought over. Today, the whole place smelled of roses and camphor. Pari squeezed the last droplets out of her hair before tossing it over her shoulder, then turned to Vic and froze. "What the hell are you supposed to be? (edited)

plum — 06/29/2020 2:20 AM
He heaved an enormous sigh as he crossed the threshold. "I was /supposed/ to be hot. Forget about it."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:23 AM
"In what universe? Vic, you look like a drowned lemur." she gave his outfit a once-over. "... wearing Lady Gaga's cast-offs."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:25 AM
"Thank you, exactly what I was going for." He stood there, arms at his sides with palms pointed towards her. "Anything else you need to get out of your system?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:27 AM
"Just one tip: try to go for less of a kindergartener-raiding-mommy's-makeup-bag look next time." Parisa snorted. "Mala's gonna kill you."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:28 AM
"I took it from you, actually, so if you want to get mad at me for that now, go for it."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:29 AM
"No, I'm glad I could contribute to this work of art." she took a seat on the edge of her hairwashing tub, raising an eyebrow at him. "Is that it, you just wanted me to rate your look?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:31 AM
This actually got him to crack a bit of a grin, but he quickly sombered again. "No, um... I kind of need your help."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:32 AM
"Of course you do. What's up?"

"You know-- well, you might not know-- but anyway the sophomores were throwing that dumb after-finals party tonight?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:34 AM
"Yeah?" She crossed her arms. All of the parties went through Pari's radar, but she was notoriously choosy about which ones she attended. The sophomore post-finals bash certainly wasn't worthy of taking a spot in her schedule. "What about it?" (edited)

plum — 06/29/2020 2:35 AM
"Well I went, clearly."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:36 AM
"Like /that/? Jesus, Vic." (edited)

plum — 06/29/2020 2:36 AM
"Well, no! I looked better on the way out!" He was quick to protest.

peach — 06/29/2020 2:37 AM
She didn't look like she believed him. "Okay, so? You went to the party..."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:38 AM
He swallowed, fidgeting with his phone. "God, this is really embarrassing."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:38 AM
"What, did you puke on someone? Dance naked on a table?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:41 AM
"No... I might have started hitting it off with someone. And then found out that someone was indulging me as a joke. And someone has video of it."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:42 AM
Her eyes narrowed. "What happened, exactly?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:45 AM
"Well. You know how I mentioned that mystery crush like a week ago? I guess I misread the whole stupid thing."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:46 AM
"Vic, who was it?" she asked. "If you're being all coy because it's a guy or something, you can stop. I guessed a long time ago. And my brother's /gay/."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:46 AM
"Lucifer's gay?" He paused. "I guess that makes sense."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:47 AM
She paused, realizing that this was probably a secret. "Shit. Don't tell anyone, I don't think he wants it out there yet."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:50 AM
"Oh, it's fine, I won't tell. I kinda always wondered."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:50 AM
"Back to you," she said pointedly. "Who's this mystery crush and what did they do?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:53 AM
"Okay, first of all, it might've been Vinny Sonders, so hoorah, you were right, I guess. I mean, kinda."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:54 AM
"Vinny Sonders is a total fuckboy." She said in disgust. "He thinks /muscle tanks/ are the epitome of fashion. I'm pretty sure he still uses the word "swag" unironically."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:56 AM
"Okay, well sue me for thinking he might've had some depth to him!" He threw his hands up. "You know, like when someone's /so/ straight you get suspicious?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:57 AM
"No." she said flatly. "I find that people are exactly what they present themselves to be, just a lot more stupid than they think they are."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:00 AM
"The point of the matter is, it was a prank. And it was really kind awful. Like, I don't care, I should've known, it's whatever," he purported, with a growing expression that said he might have cared a little bit. "I just don't want everyone talking about the stupid video at school tomorrow."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:02 AM
"What happened?" She asked for the third time. "I can't fix it if I don't know what went down. Tell me everything you remember."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:07 AM
"I was just in some corner, he came up to me and I thought it was just us. He said he'd noticed me like," Vic's cheeks were hot. "Whatever, noticed my interest. The whole time, I thought he was flirting. Turns out he was just making fun of me. Then he /actually/ mocked me, and he brought you all into it, and then he and his dumb friend ran off with the stupid recording."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:07 AM
"What do you mean, he brought us into it?" her eyes slanted further.

plum — 06/29/2020 3:08 AM
"He was just talkin' shit, Pari."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:08 AM
"Do you have the recording?"

plum — 06/29/2020 3:09 AM
"No, but I'm sure it's started making its rounds. Or if it hasn't, it will soon. The hell am I supposed to do? He's in my stupid chem class tomorrow. I can't go to that class."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:10 AM
"Vic, what do you want me to do?" She rested her elbows on her knees. "Stop the video from circulating? Ruin his life? Run him out of the country?"

plum — 06/29/2020 3:11 AM
"You actually have ideas for all of those?"

peach — 06/29/2020 3:14 AM
"I mean, give me a day." she shrugged easily, expression taking on a wicked gleam. "Vinny's dad works for an engineering firm. I can have him demoted and transferred. His sister goes to big-name music school in America. Her reputation tanks, the family gets to deal with international backlash and she'll never find a job in the industry again. Vinny's started applying for colleges. It'd be easy enough to block him from getting a seat in Atherdale. If I can get my hands on that video, we can prevent him from getting a seat /anywhere/, especially if he shit-talked me or Kyros."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:16 AM
"Any clue onnn how to stop literally everyone from seeing that video?" He shifted his weight on feet. "Like maybe we could discredit it, right? Or um... make people talk about something else..?"

peach — 06/29/2020 3:17 AM
"Oh." She frowned. "If that's it, then yeah. Easy enough to discredit him. But I need to know what he said, first."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:18 AM
"All of it?" He cringed.

peach — 06/29/2020 3:18 AM
"I mean, yeah, that would be the place to start."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:24 AM
"Um, I don't remember it /all/, but... after he did his little shtick he basically just laughed in my face and said a lot of dumb shit about the way I dress and the fact that I'm always "chasing after the big kids" and "desperately mooching off of your limelight" or whatever."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:25 AM
Her expression contorted into a terrifying amusement. "Wait, seriously?"

plum — 06/29/2020 3:25 AM
"... yeah?"

peach — 06/29/2020 3:31 AM
"Vinny said that?" she sneered. "Vinny, who's been trying to get Kyros to hang out with him since freshman year? Vic, he's totally jealous."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:31 AM
"Of /me?/"

peach — 06/29/2020 3:34 AM
"You've literally been Kyros's friend since you were a baby." she dismissed. "God, it's so easy it's almost unfair. I'll just ask Kyros to cut him down really bad in front of everyone. And I can just shit talk his outfits for a couple of weeks and any time someone sees that video, the only thing they'll be able to think about is the pot calling the kettle black. God, Vinny's such a limp dick."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:35 AM
He laughed at her choice of words. "You were so ready to run his entire family's lives into the ground."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:37 AM
"I barely ever get to do it. The last time was that bastard, Kaynor." her eyes were dark with hatred, but she pushed herself off the tub and descended the stairs toward him. "No worries, Vic. It's easy enough to fix. And if you want the video down, I mean, where's he going to distribute it? Twitter? Just file a complaint with Mala's name attached and you're golden. It'll get passed around our school, probably, but again... he'll just look pathetic."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:39 AM
"Thanks... I'm glad you're on /my/ side."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:41 AM
She paused, standing next to him, and said, "Don't listen to limp dick Vinny, by the way. If I didn't want to hang out with you, you would know. Same for Kyros."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:42 AM
"You'd for sure tell me if I was annoying?" He asked, a rare moment of doubt flashing in his eyes.

peach — 06/29/2020 3:45 AM
"You're being annoying."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:47 AM
"Hey!"

peach — 06/29/2020 3:49 AM
She bumped his shoulder with hers and said, "The only bad thing is that you're gonna get outed. Do you care?"

plum — 06/29/2020 3:51 AM
"I mean, kinda. It wasn't really supposed to be a whole thing, at least not yet... it would've been nice to experiment in peace, you know? Don't want all the ladies to think I'm off the market all of a sudden because of some douchebag."

peach — 06/29/2020 3:53 AM
She frowned, thinking on it. Preventing Vic from being outed would be harder once that video started circulating. "It'd be easy enough to deny that you're into guys and make Vinny look like a desperate loser, but I don't think you want all the guys to think you're off the market either."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:54 AM
"This is balance is harder to keep than I expected."

peach — 06/29/2020 4:00 AM
"I mean, I could just set you up on a blind date with a girl so that everyone knows you're still available."

plum — 06/29/2020 4:00 AM
He raised his eyebrows. "Got anyone in mind?"

peach — 06/29/2020 4:01 AM
She scrutinized him. "Ina has a little sister in the grade below you. Know her?"

plum — 06/29/2020 4:01 AM
"I've heard of her..." he offered.

peach — 06/29/2020 4:02 AM
"She's cute, kind, open-minded. Idolizes Sparrow so she's a good kid. And you can get rid of her easy after the first date because she's so sweet."

plum — 06/29/2020 4:03 AM
"Man, that was so wholesome until the last sentence."

peach — 06/29/2020 4:04 AM
"All I mean is, she's easy to get rid of." Pari shrugged. "And hey, it's not like you're the love of her life. She'll find a dude, or a chick, or whatever. She gets the experience and you'll get to showcase your availability. Win-win."

plum — 06/29/2020 4:05 AM
"Yeah, it's not the worst." He agreed. "You think you could actually set it up? Won't she wonder why you're asking?"

peach — 06/29/2020 4:05 AM
"No, I'll just drop a hint that you're looking to mingle." she shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

plum — 06/29/2020 4:06 AM
"Alright," he allowed. "I know you have your ways."

peach — 06/29/2020 12:30 PM
"I do," she agreed blissfully as he followed her out the door.

plum — 06/29/2020 1:12 PM
"By the way... can I borrow something to get this off?" He motioned to his face. "It's enough that all your staff had to see me looking like the Winter Soldier."

peach — 06/29/2020 1:19 PM
She glanced at him again and laughed, pointing back at the bathroom. "Yeah, go to the vanity and there'll be a pad of makeup wipes."

plum — 06/29/2020 1:26 PM
"Thanks," he muttered, going to retrieve them. He returned with a much fresher face, heaving another sigh as he came to a halt in the bathroom doorway. "Did you have plans?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:02 PM
"No, but by that multitude of sighs I'm guessing you want a distraction?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:06 PM
"Please. I'm trying to avoid adding that memory to the 2am embarrassing memory playlist. Do you even have one of those?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:07 PM
"What, an embarrassing memory playlist?" she leaned against the back of a divan in the center of her room. "Vic, the trick to not having embarrassing memories is to never be embarrassed. I have no shame. It makes life a lot easier."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:07 PM
"Well, it's not for lack of /trying./"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:08 PM
Her lips twisted to the side as she thought on his plight for a moment. "Yeah, I guess it sucks to not be one of the most powerful people in the world. Glad I'm not you!"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:12 PM
He rolled his eyes with a good-natured scoff. "I do an okay job, I think. I'm not actually that worried about people in general, it's more like..."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:13 PM
She waited for him to continue, swinging over to the other side of the divan and settling on the cushions.

plum — 06/29/2020 2:14 PM
"I don't know, the context of it all. I wasn't ready to talk about it with everyone. And by everyone, I guess I just mean the crew."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:16 PM
She patted the seat beside her, waiting for him to come over before asking, "Am I the first one to know?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:19 PM
"Yeah, basically," he scoffed. "I mean, I was gonna tell you first anyway, but."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:20 PM
Pari tried to tamp down the satisfaction she felt at his answer, but she couldn't deny that knowing Vic would turn to her first stroked her ego some. She pressed her lips together and gave him a short nod. "Well... you know everyone will be nice about it? I don't think anyone would make it a big deal except for Sparrow, and she'll probably make you cookies or something, so it's not a bad idea for her to know."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:27 PM
"Well, Feofil's family is all like conservative Catholic Russians, so... And Kyros was just kind of a wild card to me. I knew Sparrow would be chill, and Mirza honestly probably doesn't care."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:29 PM
"Kyros is a good guy." she said. "He'd make fun of you for your hair and your makeup and your clothes, but not because you wear makeup or choose certain clothes. And he's definitely not homophobic. And Saskia's best friends with Lucifer. I dunno if she knows that he's gay, but I have my doubts that she'd care. She's also been looking after you since you were a kid." (edited)

plum — 06/29/2020 2:31 PM
"I know. I also don't know what my mom's gonna say. If anything, I think she'll just tell me not to tell my grandparents." He said, then mused after a pause, "And I promise I really was killing the eyeliner before shit went down."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:32 PM
"Well, we'll never know, unless you have pictures." she noted. "... Vic, don't worry about the gang. We've known each other since we were kids. I promise you this will pass like a fart in a windstorm."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:34 PM
"Interesting metaphor," he laughed, unlocking his phone and finding the photo app before showing her a selfie he'd taken with Delaney Cox as they rolled up to the party. "See? It was tasteful. Rockstar."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:41 PM
She scrutinized the picture for a moment, then said. "Mm. Wings aren't symmetrical but it's a good first try. Delaney, though. Someone tell that girl to stop laying it on so thick. Her eyes look beady."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:44 PM
"Listen, at least she tried," he took a second look at the picture. "Although yeah, that is a really questionable shade of orange. Her face looks like a construction zone."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:47 PM
"Yeah, that spray tan? I'd rather go for a regular tan and risk the skin cancer than look like that."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:49 PM
"At least I could be confident she wasn't upstaging me in the looks department." He decided.

peach — 06/29/2020 2:49 PM
"Yeah, standing next to her you look like a 7 at least." she agreed. "Was the party fun, other than Vinny?"

plum — 06/29/2020 2:50 PM
"Excuse you," he tucked his phone away. "I'm definitely at least an eight. And meh. It was fine. My expectations weren't super high to begin with."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:51 PM
"Seven point four." she bartered. "Asymmetrical eyeliner. And hey, we can do something that'll be more fun than that stupid party."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:52 PM
"Not a hard thing to do," he looked to her. "What'd you have in mind?"

peach — 06/29/2020 2:53 PM
"We can always go bother Kyros." she suggested. "I think he's just studying or prepping for something or whatever. Or we can go play that VR zombie game."

plum — 06/29/2020 2:55 PM
"Oh, I forgot that came out last week."

peach — 06/29/2020 2:55 PM
"Miz hasn't let me forget." she rolled her eyes. "But whatever, it looks fun and I like shooting things."

plum — 06/29/2020 3:51 PM
"Let's go kick some zombie ass, then!"

Pari's closet was a mess, and the seamstress - a wizened woman with more wrinkles than she had hair - stood resolutely as the princess stalked around the room, tearing the silken fabric she'd been draped in off of her shoulders, letting it trail after her stomping feet like slime off a snail. "I have told you again and again, Cher Ghul, that I need this gown to be made of Kalyharan cashmere." she scowled, snatching her robe off of a nearby stand and slipping her arms into the sleeves. "You made me a gown with mulberry silk. It's not that complicated and somehow you fucked it up. What the hell am I supposed to wear to dinner tonight? We're meeting the Kalyharan Council and I'm not showing up in a dress made from a directly competing material!"
"Princess, I think you're... perhaps it's not so bad..." a nearby maid offered weakly and Pari spun on her, face flashing white with fury. "Are you suggesting that I don't know how to do my own job?" she seethed, stalking towards the offending woman. "I'm sorry, are you the one who's going to be sitting in front of a panel of the most important people in the country? Are you the one they're going to be dissecting?"
"I'm sorry," the maid breathed, "I apologize--"
"I don't need or want your apology, I want you to fix this!" she shrieked at them, pointing one trembling finger at the cast-off gown. "Dinner is in three fucking hours and I have nothing to wear. Fix this or I will make sure that no one in this room gets a job on this continent ever again."

"I will not be threatened, Princess." Cher Ghul retorted. She folded her hands together, watching Parisa disapprovingly. "This behavior is unbecoming."
Pari turned to stare at her, a sheen of disbelief in her gaze. "Unbecoming? Unbecoming?"
Who was this demented old bitch to tell her that she was being unbecoming? Who cared if she'd been the one to embroider Tasia's swaddle or craft the late queen's wedding gown?

peach — 07/16/2021 2:14 AM
She was past her prime and clearly, clearly, her legendary skill with shears and cloth and needles had been well over-exaggerated.
Fifteen Kalyharan ministers, captains, and secretaries were arriving at the palace in two hours and fifty-five minutes and she had nothing to wear to show off her expertise in their affairs. Three of those Kalyharan diplomats had talked down to her at their previous engagement; she wouldn't be humiliated like that again. At least, she didn't plan on it, but Cher Ghul's utter fucking incompetence threatened to topple her plans like a stack of neatly-laid dominoes. She was supposed to bowl them over - she was supposed to have had it in the bag - and so much of it relied on a goddamn dress that hadn't been made.
"Get out." she snarled, and her voice wavered, and that made her even angrier. A veritable tsunami of boiling, roiling fury seemed to spark against her chest, constricting her throat, dotting her forehead with unbecoming sweat. Two hours and fifty-two minutes, and she was a damn mess. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

The maid had not needed to be told twice; she'd turned tail at Pari's first order. Cher Ghul cast an unimpressed look in her direction before slowly turning around, easing her way out of the room in a geriatric waddle. Pari clenched her hands into fists so that she wouldn't throw something at her. "FIX THE DRESS, GHUL!" she hollered, but the seamstress gave no indication that she'd heard.
A scream bubbled in the pit of her stomach but she swallowed it back down, instead giving the mulberry gown a good kick before stalking into her closet. Fucking stylists couldn't do anything right - what was their family paying them for? And speaking of incompetence and her family - Kyros. This was all. His. Fault. He wasn't even here - he wasn't even going to be at dinner to suffer with her. Not that it would have mattered at all, because Sol was around and she was all he really needed. (edited)
[2:18 AM]
Pari ripped through her outfits with violent gusto, tearing them off the hangers and tossing them to the floor behind her. It was a futile task and didn't help in the slightest, and rather than relieving her frustration, it only made that lead ball grow heavier and heavier and heavier. There was nothing here for her to wear. The diplomats were coming in two hours and forty-three minutes. Kyros was occupied, Tasia was counting on her, her parents were absent as ever, Lucifer was no help and Fizara's very existence only made everything worse. She was an island, and she was sinking, and everyone around her seemed to be waiting with giddy anticipation for it to happen. Her hands shook as she stifled something that rose alongside the scream, but she swallowed that down too. There was already an ocean around her; no need to endow its waters. (edited)

plum — 07/16/2021 2:27 AM
"Parisa?" Feofil called tentatively from the other side of the door, punctuating his inquiry with a quiet rap on the door. He'd witnessed the banishment of the staff on his way over to check on her before dinner, and steeled himself for the volcanic response that was sure to greet him.

peach — 07/16/2021 2:29 AM
"Go away, Feofil, I don't have time for whatever problem you've gotten yourself into." she barked, her voice muffled by its thick wood.

plum — 07/16/2021 2:30 AM
"Even if that problem is solving your problem?" He returned, eyebrows raised in anticipation.

peach — 07/16/2021 2:32 AM
"You think you can solve my problems?" she laughed, the sound sharp and unfriendly. "Sorry Feo, I'm not looking for extracurricular advice or what to get Vera for her birthday." (edited)

plum — 07/16/2021 2:35 AM
He sighed, rolling his eyes, and called "I hope you're decent," as a courtesy before pushing the door open.

peach — 07/16/2021 2:36 AM
She was, luckily, decent enough; her robe was full and black. So was her expression. "Get out." she said venomously.

plum — 07/16/2021 2:39 AM
"You know you can't threaten me," he reminded her. "Tell me about Cher Ghul."

peach — 07/16/2021 2:40 AM
"She's a fucking nuisance and halfway to a hospice." Pari muttered, casting a look of utter and entirely-undeserved loathing towards a red ensemble that was really quite pretty. She tossed it over her shoulder and continued down the line. "I honestly don't know how that old bitch hasn't croaked."

plum — 07/16/2021 2:42 AM
"What happened with the dress?" He wondered.

peach — 07/16/2021 2:44 AM
She finally turned on him, hands planted on her hips, cruel and contemptuous all at once. "Oh my god, are you going to sit here and nag me for a play-by-play? Please, dude, I have enough on my plate without having to spoon-feed you information on top of everything else."

plum — 07/16/2021 2:50 AM
"I am literally in your corner right now," he said, calm expression unfaltering. "And if you let me help you, I will. Honestly, if you don't, I will anyway."

peach — 07/16/2021 2:51 AM
"What the hell could you help me with?"

plum — 07/16/2021 2:52 AM
"Pretty much anything if you tell me what's up."

peach — 07/16/2021 2:54 AM
"Nothing's up." she snapped, but it seemed that her resolve had weakened, if only slightly. "Everything is wrong, actually. I've got to deal with the Kalyharans and I can't wear that."

plum — 07/16/2021 2:57 AM
"What's wrong with it?" he dared to approach the mess that littered the floor surrounding the closet.

peach — 07/16/2021 2:58 AM
She looked at him like it should be obvious, uttering a groan of exasperation with just a hint of impatience. "Oh my god, Feo, seriously?!" (edited)

plum — 07/16/2021 3:01 AM
He patiently looked her in the eye.

peach — 07/16/2021 3:02 AM
"It's mulberry silk! Do you know where the mulberry silk is from?" she seethed. "Taiwan. Guess who's an ally to the Harahan?"

plum — 07/16/2021 3:04 AM
"Taiwan," he replied almost in unison with her petulant proclamation. "Right. That doesn't mean the night has to be ruined."

peach — 07/16/2021 3:05 AM
"I don't have anything to wear!" Pari cried, glancing at the clock and turning a ghostly shade of white. "Damn it. Dinner's in two hours and thirty minutes."

plum — 07/16/2021 3:06 AM
"Okay, hold on," he put his hands up to catch her attention again. "You know who's gonna come through for you right now? Me. Will you give me two seconds to do that?"

peach — 07/16/2021 3:07 AM
She stared at him, her cheeks flushed with anger, her expression white with panic, and a strange sheen in her eyes that he'd never seen before. And then - her voice - full of defeat. "Fine."

plum — 07/16/2021 3:12 AM
"Work with me here. Do you still have that gown you wore to that Atherdalian industry celebration or whatever that big bash was? The one that's 100% all-Atherdalian?"

peach — 07/16/2021 3:12 AM
"... somewhere in here, I think." she gestured vaguely to the rows and rows of dresses hung out behind her.

plum — 07/16/2021 3:15 AM
"So get someone to find that, and I'll meet you back here in five minutes tops. Okay? Tops." He promised. (edited)

peach — 07/16/2021 3:15 AM
"Wait - where are you going? What are you doing?" she asked, a hint of her old fire returning. "... I'm so not in the mood for surprises."

plum — 07/16/2021 3:21 AM
"I'm gonna steal something real quick. You'd draw too much attention, so don't worry about it." He was already on his way out the door. "I'll be right back!"

peach — 07/16/2021 3:22 AM
She watched him go, somewhat frustrated by the lack of transparency and somewhat intrigued. Either way, she was too tired to care about it at all. Instead of summoning a maid, she picked herself up and trooped over to the back end of the closet, where the dress would be. It was one of Sparrow's favorites, so she'd have kept it preserved in her special corner for the prettiest Pari outfits.

plum — 07/16/2021 3:28 AM
Feo was back quickly as he promised, with an unassuming, flat box tucked under his arm and a wary glance about his face. Once the door to her chambers was securely closed, however, he held the box up with a smug sense of glee.

peach — 07/16/2021 3:29 AM
She was leaning against the wall, scrutinizing the dress he'd made her retrieve. "What's that?"

plum — 07/16/2021 3:33 AM
"The jackpot." He offered her the box-- on it was an elegant name, embossed in golden letters. An up-and-coming Kalyharan designer, he assumed she'd know.

peach — 07/16/2021 3:37 AM
"Adiah al'Azur?" her brow furrowed as she gingerly took the box from his hands, gaze flickering between his face and the glittering calligraphy. Where had he gotten this? al'Azur's collection was ferociously limited; each piece went for hundreds of thousands. Getting access to her stuff would have been as easy as ordering pizza, sure, but not on such short notice. "What--?"

plum — 07/16/2021 3:44 AM
Feo's eyes almost glimmered with satisfaction. Sparrow wasn't the only resourceful one around here. "Kyros dragged me into helping him birthday shop for Sol," he explained, "But that's still two months away. Wear this tonight, rep Atherdale, rep Kalyhara, and tell Kyros to suck it up and buy something else later."

peach — 07/16/2021 3:48 AM
She stared at him, the migraine burning in the back of her brain fluttering out like a dying candle. With this, she could... stick it to Kalyhara, she could stick it to Kyros, she could salvage the stupid dinner. And it was because of... Feofil?
Shock was too small of a word to describe the tide of disquiet that rolled through her now. "Thank... you. Jesus, Feo. Thanks."

plum — 07/16/2021 3:49 AM
"See?" He tilted his head. "I got you."

peach — 07/16/2021 3:51 AM
She opened the box to draw out a shawl that fell with the characteristic faint shuffle of rich Kalyharan cotton. It was embroidered with what looked to be an entire scene of the kingdom. "Kyros is going to blow his top. This is perfect."

plum — 07/16/2021 3:57 AM
"He deserves it after those harrowing three hours he had me staring at jewelry and whatever else." Feo agreed.

peach — 07/16/2021 3:59 AM
Strangely enough, Pari didn't laugh. She seemed to enamored by the shawl, which she draped around her shoulders. It sat right on top of her curtain of hair, leaving it billowing around her face, her gown fanning out and her eyes bright against the dark cloth. She glanced at a nearby mirror and then back to Feo. "How do I look?"

plum — 07/16/2021 4:00 AM
"Stunning." He replied simply, in earnest.

peach — 07/16/2021 4:03 AM
A smile, however faint, found its way to her lips - like the sun breaking over a storm. She glanced at him again and realized that it wasn't the shawl that was special. It was beautiful, sure. The craftsmanship was exquisite; unmatched. But so was Feofil. "Good. I hope I blow those old geezers out of the water."

1

plum — 07/16/2021 4:08 AM
"Hey," he pressed gently after a moment of them basking in their glory. "Be honest. Was it all really about the dress?" (edited)

peach — 07/16/2021 4:09 AM
Her smile faded and she looked away, brow dropping once more. "I've just got a lot on my plate. Once it's over, I'll be fine."

plum — 07/16/2021 4:13 AM
"Well, until then..." he leaned back against the wall, settling in. "You want to talk about it?"

peach — 07/16/2021 4:14 AM
"Two hours and twenty minutes." she warned him. "... but I could complain for days. You've already done your time."

plum — 07/16/2021 4:18 AM
"You can talk while you get ready, can't you? It's kind of the whole reason I came up here, you know."

peach — 07/16/2021 4:23 AM
"Sparrow didn't send you?" she said half-jokingly, heading towards the vanity with the knowledge that he would follow.
Sparrow had borne some of her anger earlier that night. She'd probably sent Feo a text to have a quick peek to make sure the princess wasn't about to explode.

plum — 07/16/2021 4:26 AM
"She did not," he confirmed. No more than she usually did, anyway, always worried about Pari when she wasn't around. "I noticed you've been stressed and I know your usual confidantes are gone." (edited)

peach — 07/16/2021 4:31 AM
She snorted, taking a seat and beginning to pin up her hair. "What's up Feo, are you stalking me?"

plum — 07/16/2021 4:31 AM
"It's called being your friend, dumbass."

peach — 07/16/2021 4:33 AM
Pari's reflection grinned at him. "Wow, someone's feeling spicy today."

plum — 07/16/2021 4:35 AM
"And you're feeling better." He mused. "I'm glad, though."

peach — 07/16/2021 4:39 AM
Her smile faded a little at the thought of everything to come. "Yeah. I am."

This was one of those moments - the ones that Mirza was always going on and on about. A branch. A pathway. He believed that every choice built a different path, that every tiny diversion from a pattern yielded an entire universe full of lost possibilities. Pari didn't know if she cared enough to contemplate the idea - she was someone who lived by the choices she made. There would be no looking backs. Regrets were for smaller people than her. But she could acknowledge that those pivotal points existed, and she could recognize when she was smack dab in the middle of one.

After a long moment of silence - always comfortable, with Feo - she admitted quietly, "You... looked out for me. People don't usually do that."

plum — 07/16/2021 4:42 AM
"Well, yeah. You're my friend," he reminded her. "And you can't always be the one in charge of crisis management, not when it's your own crisis."

peach — 07/16/2021 12:37 PM
"I'm not in a crisis, no need to be dramatic." she said, but it was without her usual bite. "It's just... a busy season. I just need some time to wind down. I'll get it when we're done."

plum — 07/16/2021 12:38 PM
"Done with... what?" He wondered, thinking to himself that he'd never seen a non-busy season in Pari's entire life.

peach — 07/16/2021 12:40 PM
"These last few weeks of galas, dinners, tea, all of that." she said, dabbing a dusty pink color on her lips. "It just sucks because Kyros hasn't been carrying his half of the load. He's got his hands full of Mojisola."

plum — 07/16/2021 2:21 PM
"Yeah, I've noticed..." he muttered. "Have you mentioned it to him at all? If he'd hear anyone out, it would be you." (edited)

peach — 07/16/2021 2:32 PM
"When is there any time?" she said, touching up her lashes with a long mascara brush. "If he's around, he's busy. He doesn't answer his phone. No point. I'll just do the work; someone has to."

plum — 07/16/2021 2:43 PM
"You can say no, you know. If it's his responsibility, then..."

peach — 07/16/2021 2:52 PM
"It's not something I just push off onto someone else. The work has to be done. If it isn't, that gets reflected onto my family. So sure, it's his responsibility, but it's also my ass on the line." she pressed a tissue against her lips, dabbing the excess color away. "It's not terrible. Just social events, which I'm good at. I can handle myself. It's just that there's too much overlap. I haven't had a break in two weeks." (edited)
July 17, 2021

plum — 07/17/2021 1:34 AM
"It's still messed up," he concluded. "If I could do anything about it, I would."

peach — 07/17/2021 1:35 AM
She glanced back at him with a faint shrug. "Well, the shawl was enough."

plum — 07/17/2021 1:41 AM
"I'm a good listener, too," he tried. "Good to vent to, maybe? Let off some steam?"

peach — 07/17/2021 1:45 AM
"You never have things to vent about, though." she noted, squinting at herself in the mirror. "... well, no, you just go to Sparrow." (edited)

plum — 07/17/2021 1:52 AM
"Not even, really. It's not my fault I have a pretty chill life," he countered. "But it's what makes me, y'know. Reliable."

peach — 07/17/2021 1:53 AM
"Till all that bottled irritation comes pouring out."

plum — 07/17/2021 1:55 AM
"Yeah, that's my tactic. Save it for when I need to Hulk out and clock a rich kid in the face."

peach — 07/17/2021 1:57 AM
"I guess that's definitely one way of dealing with it." she turned to look at him. "Too much eyeliner?"

plum — 07/17/2021 2:01 AM
"No, it looks good." He confirmed. "I still do think you should let Kyros catch some flack for not pulling his weight sometime. He can't expect to be able to drop his work and have someone else magically pick up the slack, ride-or-die cousin or not."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:05 AM
"Oh, don't worry, I'm gonna kick his ass when I get a chance." she assured him, spritzing some bottles in the air. "Ride-or-die should go both ways. Which perfume do you like?"

plum — 07/17/2021 2:10 AM
He leaned forward and took a moment to process each scent. "Mm. Pink bottle," he gestured.

peach — 07/17/2021 2:13 AM
"Gardenia," she said approvingly. "My favorite too. I hope it makes someone choke."

plum — 07/17/2021 2:17 AM
"How long is this thing supposed to go for?"

peach — 07/17/2021 2:18 AM
"God, I don't know. Hopefully it ends whenever Tasia leaves, and she leaves midnight at the latest." she rolled her eyes. "She's lucky, she can just have Simona pull her out for 'a meeting'."

plum — 07/17/2021 2:19 AM
"Hey, you need an out? I can make a well-placed phone call."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:22 AM
"Nice try, but I'm on the hook till their general leaves." she said with a wry smile.

plum — 07/17/2021 2:22 AM
"Maybe I oughta call the general then," he cracked a grin.

peach — 07/17/2021 2:23 AM
She rolled her eyes in amusement. "The man's totally stoic. I'd love to see you face him down."

plum — 07/17/2021 2:30 AM
"Hey, I'm scrappy, I could do it."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:31 AM
"I'm sure." she glanced at her watch. "Learned from Sergei?" (edited)

plum — 07/17/2021 2:36 AM
"Well, when you grow up around some of the most important people in the world and nine Russian uncles built like tanks, you kind of lose the ability to be intimidated."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:37 AM
"When are you gonna tank up?"

plum — 07/17/2021 2:41 AM
He smiled and reminded her with a note of misfortune in his voice, "No blood relation. Best I can hope is to eke out a few more inches maybe."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:42 AM
"Rats. I need a bodyguard when I'm older. Figured I'd tap into your talent, but I'll have to go with a rando."

plum — 07/17/2021 2:48 AM
"Sounds good. I'll just stick around and be, uh... the Palace librarian or something."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:49 AM
"I feel like you'd just nap on the job." Pari accused.

plum — 07/17/2021 2:51 AM
"It's part of the fun! Scavenger hunt, find the librarian."

peach — 07/17/2021 2:53 AM
"Fine, fine, I'll put in a good word for you." she said, rising from the vanity and traipsing back over to the closet. "You don't need a blood relation to get jacked, if that's what you want, you know. You can try. It's just eating a lot of carbs and protein and doing the right exercises. I can show you, if you want to come work out sometime."

plum — 07/17/2021 2:55 AM
"What, now you're going to get built like a tank?"

peach — 07/17/2021 2:56 AM
"God, no." she snorted, "But you think I look like this because I got lucky? I know what I'm doing."

plum — 07/17/2021 3:03 AM
"To be fair, though... your parents are also ridiculously gorgeous. I'm sure you put in the work but you also did basically win the genetic lottery."

peach — 07/17/2021 3:21 AM
"Do you have a crush on my parents, Feo?"

plum — 07/17/2021 3:22 AM
"Feels like the whole kingdom does sometimes."

peach — 07/17/2021 3:22 AM
"You're really good at non-answers." she smirked.

plum — 07/17/2021 3:45 AM
"What am I supposed to say? Lie and say they're ugly? Like most people I have eyes."

peach — 07/17/2021 10:30 PM
"Ewww, Feo, you think my parents are hot? Gross."

plum — 07/17/2021 10:32 PM
He gave his eyes a big roll. "Hence the non-answer, Pari."

peach — 07/17/2021 10:34 PM
"Gross!" she laughed again, pushing his shoulder. "I'm totally telling my mom that you have a crush on her. My dad, too!"
August 5, 2021

plum — 08/05/2021 10:22 PM
He just shook his head, knowing there was little he could say to get her off his back at this point.

plum — 07/02/2020 5:27 PM
"Aren't rabbits the ones with the carrot thing?"
"No, hamsters like them too, we Googled it," Illy insisted. "Anyway I think you should just try chocolate for Valentine's Day. It's lethal to hamsters, but he doesn't eat carrots, so how much of a hamster can he really be?"

peach — 07/02/2020 5:29 PM
"What if he dies, though?" Vera pointed out. "That's the opposite of what I'm trying to do."
"Does he like cake? You could bake him a cake," Sparrow said, almost mentioning why /she/ made cakes and then thinking the better of it when she glanced at Kyros. "Or... uh, some kind of pastry."
"I guess... that seems like a lot of work."

plum — 07/02/2020 5:32 PM
"You girls mean to tell me you have the energy to do laps around the Palace but you can't bake a cake?"
"We were playing Extreme Combination Hide-and-Seek Red-Light-Green-Light Cops and Robbers Tag that time so it doesn't count."

peach — 07/02/2020 5:33 PM
"Yeah, and baking cakes is boring." Vera made a face. "And messy."
"It can be fun," Sparrow protested. "I bake cakes all the time!"
"Yeah, so we never have to!"

plum — 07/02/2020 5:33 PM
"Yeah! You owe us anyway, for the nail painting service!"

peach — 07/02/2020 5:34 PM
"What if I paid you by teaching you how to bake a cake."
"Mmm... we'll think about it." Vera said, looking at Illy. "What should we ask Kyros for, since he got his nails painted too?"

plum — 07/02/2020 5:35 PM
Illy practically cackled. "Ha! I can't believe the Prince of Atherdale is in debt to us."
"Hey, this was a favor I did for you."

peach — 07/02/2020 5:36 PM
"Mmm, I don't think so." Vera pointed at his hand. "You'd never have pretty nail polish if it weren't for us. Maybe we should ask him to invade a country for us."

plum — 07/02/2020 6:27 PM
"Oh I know exactly what I want." Illy puffed out her chest. "I want that red high-collared gold-embroidered coat you have. The one you last wore to Tasia's New Year's address?"
Kyros looked to Sparrow with furrowed brows, admittedly bewildered. "How..?"
"I like that coat."

peach — 07/02/2020 6:29 PM
"I think Illy runs that Tyrneamitore Fashion Insta." Sparrow recalled. "Right?"
"Yeah!" Vera cheered, eager to boost her friend's popularity. "Are you following it, Sparrow?"
"I think so? You made me, last time." she said, more for Kyros' benefit than Vera's. It wasn't like she'd follow a Kyros fanpage because she wanted to see him on her timeline. That was ridiculous. (edited)
July 6, 2020

plum — 07/06/2020 1:05 AM
"It's not a /big/ deal, it's just something I do when I'm bored," Illy made sure to play it off cool.
"Sounds like a lot of dedication." Kyros commented, seeing right through it.

peach — 07/06/2020 1:07 AM
"Illy's dedicated to everything she does! That's why she's such a good best friend." Vera said sunnily. "And it's why she's gonna be the best warlord of Hell when she gets big."
"Vera..." Sparrow said disapprovingly, "That's... so dark. I bet Illy would love to be, like... an astronaut. Or a magician?"

plum — 07/06/2020 1:14 AM
"Magicians don't really get to rule the world, or any part of it. I wanna be the boss of people when I grow up."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:15 AM
"Oh, like a super cool CEO!" Sparrow said. "That would be neat."
"I want to be a sorcerer!" Vera told them. "Not a witch. I want all the magic."

plum — 07/06/2020 1:23 AM
"Do you /have/ any powers, Vera?" Kyros wondered.

peach — 07/06/2020 1:23 AM
"I can exorcise demons." she told him, waving her hands around.

plum — 07/06/2020 1:23 AM
"Apart from that?"

peach — 07/06/2020 1:24 AM
"Uh..." she thought hard.
"You're a cat." Sparrow said helpfully. "With feathers. That's pretty cool."
"Oh yeah!"

plum — 07/06/2020 1:24 AM
"Her dad said he would teach her to fly someday," Illy volunteered.

peach — 07/06/2020 1:25 AM
"Yeah!" she confirmed, pumping her fists into the air. "Then I'll cast spells from the sky and they'll fall on unsuspecting civilians like rain! Buahaha! Mmm. What do you guys wanna be when you get big?"

plum — 07/06/2020 1:26 AM
"Well, I'll be the king someday, I imagine."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:26 AM
"What about you, Sparrow?"
"Um, I don't know." she admitted. Vera looked aghast. "But you're already almost big!"
"Well... I guess I have time to figure it out."

plum — 07/06/2020 1:41 AM
"I wanna be an Empress when I grow up. Maybe even before if I can do it! Then you can be one of my councilwomen if you want to, so I can ignore your advice and do what I want anyway."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:42 AM
"Aw, you'd ignore my advice?"

plum — 07/06/2020 1:43 AM
"Of course! Just like how I'm going to ask you to reach the snack cabinet and you'll say not before dinner but I'll sneak in and grab some anyway."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:45 AM
"Well, that's very sneaky of you, Miss." Sparrow said, more amused than angry. "... we'll have to find you a kingdom to conquer."

plum — 07/06/2020 1:46 AM
"Not mine, please." Kyros said. "Not while my nails are wet."
This made Illy giggle. "Sounds like the perfect plan of attack, actually."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:49 AM
"You can't go telling all the people you're going to conquer your plans," Vera told her seriously. "Forget that, Kyros. No one's conquering Atherdale while your nails are wet."
But she crossed her fingers behind her back.

plum — 07/06/2020 1:50 AM
Illy snickered again, hopping to her feet. "I call a biffle meeting in the laundry room."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:50 AM
"What's a biffle?" Sparrow asked.

plum — 07/06/2020 1:51 AM
"You'd know if you had one!" She responded, motioning to Vera as she slunk off through a doorway. "Come on!"

peach — 07/06/2020 1:52 AM
Vera scampered after her and Sparrow looked at Kyros. "Somehow, I feel offended."

plum — 07/06/2020 1:52 AM
"Little girls will do that to you. They have no filter."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:55 AM
"For real," she sighed, leaning back against the couch. "At least they're honest."

plum — 07/06/2020 1:55 AM
"In their own middle school view of the world, I suppose."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:57 AM
"So? Nervous about Illy?"

plum — 07/06/2020 1:58 AM
He laughed. "Her coming to steal my crown? I'll be waiting."

peach — 07/06/2020 1:58 AM
"She's gonna pluck it right off your head," she said, and tapped his red noggin.

plum — 07/06/2020 1:59 AM
"I'm actually more concerned about the coat. That, she actually has a chance of stealing."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:01 AM
"Hide it in Pari's closet." she suggested.

plum — 07/06/2020 2:03 AM
"Or yours."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:03 AM
"Mine /actually/ might be better. They never dig around in there."

plum — 07/06/2020 2:20 AM
"It's because all you have is practical and simple stuff. And anything that isn't is borrowed from Pari," he pointed out, perhaps a bit brutally.

peach — 07/06/2020 2:22 AM
It was lucky for him that Sparrow had known him long enough not to take it as an insult. She merely gave him a thoughtful nod. "Yeah, my closet is probably best. But she'll just find something else of yours that she wants."

plum — 07/06/2020 2:23 AM
"Maybe I'll throw her a bone sometime. Keep her sated for a little while."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:24 AM
"Her birthday is coming up. She'd lose her mind if you remembered." Sparrow gave him a nudge. "Not in front of you, of course."

plum — 07/06/2020 2:24 AM
"Maybe." He stressed. "I don't want to indulge anything unhealthy."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:25 AM
"What do you mean?"

plum — 07/06/2020 2:25 AM
"Well, I don't know. She's a little obsessed."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:26 AM
"Not at all," she told him laughingly. "She thinks you're cool. She thinks Tasia's cool. But she's not about to steal your pillow or anything."

plum — 07/06/2020 2:28 AM
"I'm not convinced."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:29 AM
"Well, even if she were a little obsessed, it's healthy for her age. All little kids have some sort of obsession. Pari's was reading, Mirza's was stars..."

plum — 07/06/2020 2:29 AM
"Yours was?"

peach — 07/06/2020 2:33 AM
She pressed her lips together, wondering. When she'd been Illy's age, what had she been obsessed with?
Well, that was when Apolonia had taken her aside and said clearly, "You can't be of the sea and the land. You have to choose one."
Then Asherah had swooped in and swatted Apolonia away, crooning to Sparrow that she could do what she wanted and she didn't have to listen to bitter old Po. And maybe she hadn't had to listen, but the words stuck. When she'd been ten, she'd been obsessed in figuring out where she belonged. Only, Sparrow wasn't sure she had ever fallen out of the obsession. It still sat like a rock in the pit of her stomach.
But she couldn't tell Kyros all of this, so she told him another half-truth instead, making a face at him and teasing, "You."

plum — 07/06/2020 2:52 AM
He wrinkled his nose in amusement. "Me? You totally thought I had cooties."

peach — 07/06/2020 2:54 AM
"Yeah, you and your cooties. See, the question was, if Kyros is royal and the cooties feed off of him, does that make them even more royal? And if so, then who's more royal: the prince or his cooties..." (edited)

plum — 07/06/2020 3:10 AM
"Listen, it's clear as day. Pari's obsession was me, and yours was her."

peach — 07/06/2020 3:11 AM
"Thos are some big assumptions to make." (edited)

plum — 07/06/2020 3:11 AM
"Why? There's plenty of supporting evidence."

peach — 07/06/2020 3:12 AM
"Enlighten me."

plum — 07/06/2020 3:31 AM
"She always wanted to do whatever I was doing, and you always followed after her."

peach — 07/06/2020 3:32 AM
"Because we were friends!" Sparrow protested. "But I wasn't /obsessed/." (edited)

plum — 07/06/2020 2:03 PM
"Okay, but you have to admit she was."

peach — 07/06/2020 3:01 PM
"A little." Sparrow admitted. Parisa had always enjoyed bothering Kyros. "But you were the most obsessive of all of us. You still are!"

Vera was sitting in Illy's bedroom, her knees drawn to her chest. She'd chewed through three fingernails and was working on her index finger now. She didn't know what was going on at home, but she'd heard Mama and Papa muttering to each other about Feofil and some party, and using words that she didn't know the meaning of. She wished someone had taught her more Russian.
They'd dropped her off at Illy's house and for the first time in her life, she didn't want to be there. She'd much rather be at home, or wherever the rest of her family was. It wasn't fair that they wouldn't let her get involved.

plum — 04/17/2021 12:48 AM
Illy had been confused when one of Vera's uncles had pulled up to the house in the wee hours of the morning with her best friend in tow, exchanging hushed conversation with her mom. She didn't know what was going on, but the vibe was weird, and not in a good way. Gal had made them some hot chocolate and for the first time ever let them take it upstairs into her room. She'd already drained her mug dry, and held the thing between her hands as she lightly kicked her feet against the side of the bed. "Uhhh... well, I could braid your hair for you if you waaaant... or I was gonna say we could paint our nails, but you're eating yours, soo..."

peach — 04/17/2021 12:49 AM
"Do you have that gross nailpolish that makes your nails taste bad so I won't eat them anymore?" Vera asked miserably, her finger in her mouth.

plum — 04/17/2021 12:55 AM
Illy's eyes twinkled. "The one that was supposed to be pineapple-flavored but tastes like licking vomit off a shoe?"

peach — 04/17/2021 12:55 AM
"Yeah," she looked even more beaten-down. "That one. I'll... put it on."

plum — 04/17/2021 12:57 AM
She hopped up and went to grab her nail polish box from its spot on the closet shelf, dropping the mug off on the nightstand along the way. "It's gross but it is super shimmery at least."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:02 AM
"I do like shimmers..." Vera reached out to grab it, but her voice was still melancholy. "I think something's wrong with Feo."

plum — 04/17/2021 1:03 AM
"I was wonderin' why you showed up at like four in the morning."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:04 AM
"Yeah, Ma and Papa ran off somewhere and they were talking about him..." she frowned at her feet. "I think he's in trouble."

plum — 04/17/2021 1:08 AM
"Well where was he?" She deposited the box at the foot of the bed and picked out the aforementioned pineapple polish. "Also, I'm gonna give you braids while you paint your nails so your hair'll be curly tomorrow, cool?"

peach — 04/17/2021 1:10 AM
"He was at some party." she said, nodding her assent to Illy's latter request. "He went with Kyros and Pari and them. Can you do a fishtail?" (edited)

plum — 04/17/2021 1:12 AM
"Sure, I've been practicing." Illy fetched her little spray water bottle and hair bands from her bathroom and settled down behind her friend. "D'you think he got arrested? Like maybe they got busted for something?"

peach — 04/17/2021 1:13 AM
"Busted for what, though?"

plum — 04/17/2021 1:14 AM
"Uh... punching another important guy?" She guessed.

peach — 04/17/2021 1:14 AM
"You know, maybe he did. There were lots of important people at the party, I think." Vera ruminated. "... do you know why he punched the last guy?"

plum — 04/17/2021 1:18 AM
"Not really, none of them seemed to want to talk about it. Did he tell you why?" Illy spritzed Vera's hair to dampen it up so it would form lovely, curly waves whenever it was released, combing through it afterwards with her fingers.

peach — 04/17/2021 1:21 AM
"Nope, but Papa gave me a really long talk after I punched Bobby and he was like, 'Vera, you can't go punching people for no reason, you can only use fruit borscht if you're trying to protect yourself or your friends.' And I was like, what's fruit borscht gotta do with it? Can you even make borscht like that?"

plum — 04/17/2021 1:22 AM
Her brow furrowed. "Huh?? That makes no sense."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:24 AM
"Right? That's what I thought, but Papa just goes on and on so I just said, 'okay papa. Okay papa. Okay papa.' I even tried asking Feo, but he said he didn't wanna talk about it!"

plum — 04/17/2021 1:31 AM
"Your dad does talk a lot," was all Illy gleaned from that. "I feel like my dad doesn't talk as much, but he does talk loud."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:35 AM
"Your dad talks to your mom a lot." Vera objected. "And to Furfur. But he doesn't really talk to me a lot. I have tons of questions for him, actually. Do you think I could do my Parent Jobs Interview paper with him? 'Cause Ma and Papa aren't allowed to talk 'bout their jobs..."

plum — 04/17/2021 1:36 AM
She sulked, "Nooo... Gal told me I can't talk about his job either."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:37 AM
"Huh? But his job is so cool!"

plum — 04/17/2021 1:39 AM
"I know!" Her fingers weaved carefully between the sections of Vera's hair. "I think it's a dumb rule. I guess she doesn't want him to get in trouble for punching people like Feo did."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:40 AM
"Yeah, that makes sense. Hey, what about Uncle Seir? Can we interview him?" (edited)

plum — 04/17/2021 1:41 AM
"Well she didn't say anything about him."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:41 AM
Vera's eyes lit up. "I still need someone for my report. And it's due tomorrow!"

plum — 04/17/2021 1:44 AM
"Tomorrow's Sunday though. But I don't know when he works, it's pretty random, so we should get him when he's free."

peach — 04/17/2021 1:48 AM
"Oh. It's due after tomorrow. Is he free right now? Can we go? It'd make me feeeeel betterrrrr..." she sang, then realized that it was true. It did make her feel better. If she was off on an adventure, at least she wouldn't be sitting around here waiting for someone to tell her what was going on with Feo.

plum — 04/17/2021 2:24 AM
"Yeah, I guess we could try the door in the basement, even though my mom keeps it locked."

peach — 04/17/2021 2:29 AM
"Ah, what's a piddly little lock to the greatest detectives on the earth?" Vera sprang up.
April 18, 2021

plum — 04/18/2021 2:24 AM
"Truuuue, besides I'm pretty sure she just keeps the key in their room somewhere. Do you want a hair clip?"

peach — 04/18/2021 2:25 AM
"Ooh, do you have a cat one?"

plum — 04/18/2021 2:26 AM
"Uhh, I think I might've left that one at your house." She hopped off the bed and bounded over to the bathroom to retrieve her little box of hair clips. "The blue one?"

peach — 04/18/2021 2:26 AM
"Oh yeah... maybe. Do you have a smiley-face one?"

plum — 04/18/2021 2:28 AM
"Yeah, here," she picked out a little orange smiley face and handed it over.

peach — 04/18/2021 2:28 AM
"Thanks!" Vera tucked it into her hair. "How are we gonna get the key from your mom's room?"

plum — 04/18/2021 2:29 AM
"I don't know, especially if she's sleeping..."

peach — 04/18/2021 2:29 AM
"Do you think Iezabel could get it for us?" she wondered, "We can just ask nicely."

plum — 04/18/2021 3:17 AM
"Yeah..." Illy scratched at her head. "It depends what kinda mood she's in, but she might. Let's try it."

peach — 04/18/2021 3:41 AM
Vera followed her out the door and down the stairs. The house was warmly lit, soft orange lamps glowing amidst the darkness. She could hear dark whispers emanating from the shadows and then the echo of footsteps behind them, but it had never bothered her. The lesser demons were bored, too. They had to entertain themselves somehow.
April 21, 2021

plum — 04/21/2021 12:56 PM
"Iezebeeeeel," Illy whisper-called, not wanting to alert her mother, whose location was unknown. "Geez, she's never around when you need her to be."

peach — 04/21/2021 1:10 PM
Vera made a face at a small, squat demon that tried to bite at her ankles and shooed it away. It was called the Harbinger, and Gal like to keep it around because it ate bugs that came in from the forest, but Vera thought it was just a little too keen on nibbling anything in its path. "You think she's sleeping?"

plum — 04/21/2021 5:56 PM
"She might be reading in her room or something..." Illy guessed, banking a left in the direction of the basement. "I dunno."

peach — 04/21/2021 5:58 PM
"How does Iezabel read if she doesn't have eyes?"

plum — 04/21/2021 5:59 PM
"Not Iezebel, dingus. My mom."

peach — 04/21/2021 6:01 PM
"Oh." Vera blinked. "That makes more sense."

plum — 04/21/2021 6:06 PM
Before they knew it they were standing in front of the warped basement door, protected by an unassuming keyhole with no matching key in sight. Aside from wear and tear over the ages the door had stood here, it also housed a tangle of crosshatching scratches all down the bottom... the dogs got excited whenever they anticipated Dad coming home. He liked to believe it was because they loved him, but Illy suspected it had more to do with the assortment of outlandish treats he often brought back for them to gnaw on. "We could pick it." she suggested.

peach — 04/21/2021 6:10 PM
"Do you have a bobby pin?" She asked. She didn't know how to pick locks with one, but it seemed prudent to ask.
May 11, 2021

plum — 05/11/2021 12:04 AM
The ghastly, wheezing susurration that emanated from between the two girls murmured, "I have a fingernail."
Illy couldn't help but jump at Iezebel's sudden appearance, turning to fix the gangly mass of black hair and paper skin with a scowl. "Bel! It's rude to sneak up on guests."
"You do it all the time," the woman hummed in her peacefully melancholic manner, jarringly at odd with her death rattle of a voice. (edited)

peach — 05/11/2021 7:20 AM
"You didn't sneak up on me, Iezabel." Vera said, patting her head where she'd thumped it into the wall upon startling. "I knew you were there the whole time."
June 14, 2021

plum — 06/14/2021 6:00 PM
"Why are you girls trying to break into the basement?" She glossed over the obvious lie to inquire.

peach — 06/14/2021 8:06 PM
"We're trying to get to Hell so that I can finish my school project." Vera said, holding up her phone. "I'm gonna interview Mr. Seir!"