❝𝙸𝙵  𝙸𝙼  𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃  𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃  𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂,  𝙸  𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 

Yeo-reum & Ahn Dae-beom 1.08 |  Summer Strike

I can’t.

Grey’s anatomy - 19x06 - Thunderstruck 

Miller's Girl (2024)

Czeslaw Milosz, New and Collected Poems: 1931-2001

CYNTHIA ERIVO as Elphaba and JONATHAN BAILEY as Fiyero in Wicked: Part One (2024)

"a pony?" that makes them chuckle, amused by nadia's imagination. they shift their gaze past her, scanning the crowd, determination etched on her features. "there has got to be someone in here dressed as a little — there." they tilt their chin behind nadia where one can barely see the head of a horse poking out from a wall of people. "okay, no pony. close enough? i could still go wrangle him for you?" they offer. a poker face not something they usually struggle to maintain but the scenario is so ridiculous that kennedy can't help but break her attempt to look serious with a smile. "good! then you're welcome. happy to be of service." finally someone appreciates their bossy attitude! "shots? nadia... are you trying to get me into trouble tonight?" cus she just might, kennedy thinks. "as long as it's not vodka. unless your gearing to carry me home tonight."

" whatever i want ? what if i want a pony ? " nadia replies , twisting one of her eyebrows up in amusement . she allows kennedy to lead the way , trusting they know the SAFEST way out , with minimum groping by strangers . " firstly , tequila is never basic . " nadia says , with a small shake of her head . " secondly , i'm glad for the dragging . " nadia says honestly . she'll never turn down a party , per se , but of late she's been more than glad to have her routine of sleeping at a reasonable time . she's almost turned anti-social , which is not something that should be synonymous with her . " two tequila sodas then . here i was thinking i could charm you into doing a shot with me . . . "

the   two   painted   an   amusing   contrast   against   the   sterile   backdrop   of   redcreek’s   pharmacy.   taylan,   fiery   and   impatient,   his   vivid   red   energy   pushing   past   vikram’s   more   solemn   blue.   "oh,   sorry."   sass   was   not   something   that   had   ever   come   naturally   to   vikram.   apologies   did.   always   something   to   be   sorry   for   when   your   dignity   is   paper   thin.   and   that’s   exactly   what   he   offers   now,   raising   a   hand   instinctively   in   submission   as   he   steps   aside.   he   had   fully   expected   their   interaction   to   end   there   so   when   taylan   speaks   again,   it   catches   vikram   fully   off   guard,   eyes   widening   as   the   other's   crude   humor   rings   in   the   air,   almost   as   loud   as   the   bell   he   was   relentlessly   pressing   a   moment   prior.

'business   is   blooming.'   vikram   clears   his   throat   at   that,   shifting   awkwardly   in   place.   “uh,   yeah,   i   suppose   it   is.”   brows   twitch   into   a   frown   at   his   own   reply.   immediately,   vikram   can   tell   this   conversation   will   be   one   he   regrets.   one   that   his   mind   will   save   into   the   memory   of   his   brain   and   safely   tuck   away   at   the   corner   of   his   mind   specifically   reserved   for   remembering   any   time   he   puts   his   foot   in   his   mouth.   for   anyone   wondering,   throwing   azi   under   the   bus   in   his   police   interview   is   stashed   away   in   there   as   well.   he   draws   in   a   sharp   breath,   trying   again,   more   composed   this   time.   “they’re   probably   at   lunch   and   forgot   to   put   up   a   sign.”   better   to   address   the   younger   man’s   actual   question   than   the   colorful   way   he   expressed   it.   “or   maybe   they   did   put   one   up,   and   we’re   both   equally   awful   at   noticing   it.”   there’s   a   hint   of   a   joke   in   his   tone   as   his   eyes   flicker   to   the   'no   smoking'   sign   hanging   in   the   crook   of   the   reception   counter,   right   above   the   forgotten   ashes   of   taylan’s   cigarette.

where : red creek pharmacy status : closed with @brntout

with a cigarette dangling between his lips and insomnia looming underneath his eyes , taylan's days and nights blend into an aching mess that he can’t ease with the pills that he takes . years of playing hockey and fighting on the ice led him to shed blood , and steal from others without repercussions . but one accident had pulled on a loose thread making everything come undone . unraveling a poorly stitched pattern that his coach attempted to stitch close over the years with the help of painkillers . no pharmacist in sight and patience running thin . rough , careless and blowing out a waft of smoke , taylan pushes past vikram and leans against the counter , disregarding the no - smoking sign as if it were mere decoration . impatiently , he presses the call bell , over and over again . ding , ding , ding , resounds and bounces against the the pharmacy walls . “ think they died ? ” toying with the cherry at the end of his cigarette , taylan burns the pad of his thumb before pressing it out on the reception desk , leaving a dark marring spot behind . “ for all we know , the boogeyman gutted them in the back , and we have one less pharmacist in this town . ” too soon . “ congrats business is blooming for you . ”

santiago's attempt at levity makes her scoff, and it's only because she got most of her bitching out already that it manages to add a hint of amusement in there. "you're so annoying." and right. when has santiago ever listened to kennedy? how many friends has she warned him against? how many parties did she try to dissuade him from going? how many family dinners did she suggest he attend? kennedy knows that santiago has always been the type to march at the beat of his own drum. maybe she wouldn't get so worked up about it... if it didn't sometimes feel so personal. "i'm glad you didn't get into any trouble." she huffs, "- and that you're okay." she makes her way over to the other side of the couch and settles themselves down there. "i wonder what the fight was about... do you think it was just some drunk dudes pounding their chest at each other?" men are so unserious.

⁑ ❝ okay, but— when have i ever listened ? ❞ santi asks, trying to shift the mood to something lighter. he wants to roll his eyes, but she does have medicine in hand & his head is starting to pound. the wound on the side of his cheek stings, but nothing too bad. santiago huffs and adjusts the frozen bag of peas on his head, holding out his free hand. ❝ i'm alright. at least i didn't get in the fight, right ? ❞

even with the defensive action of raising his hands up, the silence that ricardo offers only serves to fuel the fire raging within kennedy. it brings them right back to that halloween night—the walk to redstone just hours after hearing the news. the body. the cold chill in the air. ricardo, glossing over the moment kennedy tried to stand up for themselves, brushing it off like it didn’t matter. like they didn’t matter. that memory claws at them now as he takes time to process. think. whatever the hell he does when he doesn't want to hear her nagging anymore. they stand there for a moment, dumbfounded, resisting the urge to snap their fingers at him to hurry it along. "respectfully? i don't have the time to watch you disassociate, right now."

ricardo's helpful reminder of where they stand in the register's hierarchy doesn't go unheard. they scoff at it, jaw clenching in useless defiance. “then act like it” they spit, stepping closer until they're right in front of his desk. they plant their hand flat onto his desk, pinning the article they brought in beneath their palm. “work with me.” the words teeter between a demand and a plea, frustration lacing each syllable. “you could have called me,” kennedy presses, their voice lowering, but no less tight. “i would’ve picked up. we could have pushed it. we could have worked together." that was the root of their issue with this. their biggest strife with ricardo.

harsh expectations? kennedy was used to those. thrived under them even. it was his dismissal of her ability that enraged her. made it difficult not to take his decision to run the story personally when it was paired with diminishing comments like 'wine and gossip' along with a refusal to relay where he got the intel. someone had to have given this information to ricardo. out of everyone in the register... why him? what the hell did he have that they didn't? "don't be petty with me, ricardo." they warn, the mention of their book striking a fresh new chord. "you have no right to tell me what this is bigger than. this isn't your town." they straighten then, squaring their shoulders. "you don't want to tell me where you got this intel? fine. i'll figure it out myself." if ricardo wants to keep secrets between them, kennedy will do what they do best. they will dig.

kennedy's words are true - that's the worst thing . kennedy is the smartest person in this shithole town and they don't even realise it . his eyes are careful as they watch her finger raise . he hasn't seen anyone this mad at him in a long time ( forgetting taylan , that was just for fun ) . ricardo holds up his hands , a long sigh leaving him . he opens his mouth , but finds it slide closed again . kennedy's words ring in his ears . FUCKED US . FUCKED ME . for a moment , he lets the silence wash over them . his breathing is out of tune with his heartbeat . why didn't he share it ? why didn't he text them or effie ? why does he make a bad situation worse ? he doesn't have answers for her . " may i remind you that i'm your BOSS ? " ricardo says instead , but his voice isn't as heated as he'd normally have it . he almost feels like a child scolded and can't help look down at the newspaper scrunched on his desk with some uncomfortableness now . " there was 15 minutes until print . i didn't have time to have a wine and gossip with you and effie . " he presses his mouth closed , eyes zeroiing back in on the image of bronte and daniela mid-argument . " i don't owe you an explanation . i did what was best for right now ." he tears his gaze from the newspaper , jaw locking . " daniela is missing . people are dying . this is bigger than just you wanting your next failed attempt at a new york times best seller . "

RYAN DESTINY as ALEXANDRA CRANE in STAR (2016-2019)