Vikram Wasnt Usually Out During This Time But With Festivities To Prepare For He Decided To Hit The Town

"UH,  HARD  DISARGEE."  kennedy  is  quick  to  refute.  they  always  found  smoking  to  be  a  nasty  habit,  convinced  it was something  only  a  masochist  would  enjoy.  they  tried  once  in  college,  shortly  after  starting  their  internship because they figured  it  would  make  them  look  and  feel   more  grown  up  in  the  room  full  of  journalistic  big-shots.  men  who  took  their  jobs  and  themselves  WAY  too  seriously.  smoking  might  not  have  stuck  with  kennedy  but  the  underlying  pretentiousness  that  came  from  it?  that  was  still  up  for  debate.   "chicken  and  waffles  with  a  side  of  lung  infection  does  not  sound  like  an  appetizing  combo  to  me."  now settled in the stool, they  turn  their  head  to  witness  the  full  display  of  soren's  theatrics,  elbows  propped  on  the  bar  in  front  of  them.  they  observe  him  carefully,  making  no  move  to  interrupt  his  performance.  a  respectful  audience,  one  that  makes  sure  to  wait  the customary  extra  beat  to  ensure  the  show  is  over  before  offering  their  reaction.  “wow."  there's  a  hint  of  a  smile  there,  perhaps  the  closest  they  have  come  since  the  news  of  the  recently  departed  –  or  rather  – recently  SNATCHED.  they  lean  ever  so  slightly  in  his  direction,  nose  scrunching  up  as if they are about to deliver some harsh news. "sounds  to  me  like  you  might just have a  little bit of an addiction there.”

location: dolly's diner time: late afternoon status: open!

something about diners. greasy leather seats. overheard secrets tangled up with the clatter of forks. bitter, often stale coffee -- unless you got lucky enough to walk in when the place was mostly empty. unlikely. the kind of place where time hangs heavy, like it got tired and sat down to rest in the corner booth. red creek felt the same, like it had long surrendered to time’s weight instead of running alongside it. no reinvention, no salvation -- just a stubborn place clinging to people like mud after rain, or maybe quicksand, tugging until they sank without a fight. soren didn't have to imagine dark things haunting its bones when its effect where already laying there, sprawled out for anyone willing to see. maybe ancient spirits seeking revenge after having their forever homes suffocated with asphalt and cement. maybe nothing at all, just the weight of a town folding in on itself, vanishing into a fog you didn’t know you’d entered until it was too late. soren wouldn't flinch if someone shattered the silence with a lynchian scream -- sinister close-ups, faces trembling under the pressure of things better left unsaid -- right there in the diner, right as he staed at his gone stale coffee. and perhaps it was his obsession with intricate stories that blurred the line with reality, but twin peaks really didn't feel like fiction anymore; it was a blueprint, a warning for places like this, where the mundane teetered on the edge of surreal, where time sagged, like peeling wallpaper in a room sealed off for too long, and good people stumbled into band endings. even diners -- those greasy churches of familiarity -- could warp into confessional booths. soren let his face fall into his hands, elbows propped at the sides of the cup of coffee. if it had been steaming, it would've made a perfect shot. “ you know what's bullshit, ” he spoke as soon as he felt a presence next to him finally glad to push his inner monologue onto someone else, anyone unlucky enough to hear. he continued as his hands dropped to his lap, revealing a face worn thin by restless nights. “ the fact that they made it illegal to smoke in public places. especially diners. ” though it wasn't just diners. it was also cinemas, trains, pubs.... a beat. then two fingers lifted to his lips, mimicking the pitch of a cigarette between index and thumb. soren inhaled theatrically, face tilting upward as though savoring the hit. then, just as theatrically, he ground the phantom amber into an imaginary glass ashtray, the kind with ornate edges. clock. sound design coming from his tongue against his palate and he swat the phantom ashtray away, still dipped in his interactive daydream.

it’s a surprise there isn’t more awkwardness between them considering how little the two have interacted with each other before tonight. ken had heard of the change in the register’s hierarchy before they had made it back to town and naturally, it made them curious. ‘who is ricardo perez and why did he decide to purchase the local newspaper station of some shit town?' in the two months since they’ve been at the register he hasn't really been around much for her to ask and whenever he was, work took precedence over any relationship building. that was perfectly fine with kennedy. their first impression of him had left much to be desired. a man in designer, with an air of self-importance, painfully aware of the edge given by his looks and money. his arrogance almost felt curated, like he had built it for the precise goal of pissing everybody off. tonight they find themselves pleasantly surprised by the man walking beside him. the fact that he’s out here with them, skulking the ominous streets while a potential murderer is on the loose is more than they can say for any of their former employers. ricardo is showing a willingness to get his hands dirty and that kennedy can respect.

“so you don’t watch movies because you’re too busy being rich?” kennedy flashes him a look — they are calling bullshit! “i’ll be fine.” hm, that’s not what he cares about. they add, “and i’’ll be able to write just fine, thank you.” quick to dismiss his comment, unwilling to humor any question to their competence, even in their current state. they aren’t wasted and they probably have the sobering effect of the news to thank for that. it was a poor move to allow themselves to get carried away with the evening’s festivities. one that they haven’t stopped mentally cursing themselves for. "oh — " ricardo’s gesture to give them his jacket visibly catches them off guard. a moment of chivalry that they wouldn’t have expected from anyone, much less him. then he follows it up with his usual snark and kennedy’s mind focuses on the familiarity of that instead.  “sorry, i wasn’t expecting to be out this late. i would be in bed right now if it wasn’t for the body. if there is a killer, then it has to be one with a flair for dramatics.” they huff indignantly but they allow their fingers tug at the fabric of his blazer,  securing it over themselves.  “the way you said it made it sound like you didn’t like halloween and i was just wondering why. sue me.” they reply, their voice kept at an even, matter-of-fact tone but if he were to take a glimpse of her, he would notice the corner of her lips twitch in amusement. the irony of him telling a journalist of all people that, when all kenny knows to do is dig and dig for something deeper. who would they even be if they didn’t read into things? if they didn’t push for more? even his refusal to elaborate intrigues her, and gives her an all too familiar itch to scratch, but they have more tact than that. besides... there’s work to be done. “great, we can divide and conquer then. make more use of our time that way.” they’re in a time crunch after all, with only so many hours left in this godforsaken night. “so you wouldn’t take me up on an espresso martini, then? killjoy.”

he lets out a long breath of air as they walk together . for a brief moment , he can feel the tension unspooling from within him . the tension that's made a name , clawed its way deep into his body , nested there , left bloody marks - refused to let him go . but when he inhales again , it's right back . heavier than ever . ricardo's only been here 6 months and in those 6 months he's spent next to no time at the register . THE REGISTER ISN'T WHY HE CAME HERE , it was just a great opportunity . on his first day in town , he'd done the obligatory show of face , but had hopefully made it clear that the register would continue it's boring hum-drum life without him . he was purely OPERATIONAL . everything changed , of course , when daniela went missing . he can sense that apprehension and distrust from kennedy . he gets it a lot . at least from them , it makes SENSE .

at their comment , ricardo manages a half roll of his eyes , using the opportunity to look up at the blank night sky . there's not a single star he can see . " being rich takes up more time than you'd think . " he replies coolly instead . it's not exactly a lie . he chances a glance at kennedy as they walk , analysing their drunkenness . " you better still write coherently . i don't want to read the front page of you just garbling drunken nonsense . " as kennedy wraps their arms around themselves , ricardo makes a show of rolling his eyes this time . he shrugs out of his blazer and places it over her shoulders . " next time , wear something weather - appropriate . " he continues walking , eyes still keenly ahead . " nothing's wrong with halloween . must there be ? sometimes things simply aren't that deep . " ricardo's voice is like silk , sliding between topics , words , sentences , oozing confidence he doesn't deserve to have . " firstly , i can talk up anyone . " it's true . when he turns it on , ricardo can REALLY turn it on . he simply chooses not to . " secondly , we're not getting you another drink . you owe me words and i owe me bed . if anything , we're getting you a coffee so you can stay up , preciously tippy - tappying away . "

"are you volunteering?" kennedy asks, nose scrunching playfully in jest. had they been in high school or even back in college maybe it wouldn't have been much of a joke to them but hey! growth. we love to see it. “we look hot – it almost looks like we coordinated this. we’re just missing the hearts sweater jennifer and the white puffer jacket jennifer” they would be too powerful, they fear. avery’s confession earns a slow, impressed smile from kennedy. holy shit – the talbot girl is all grown up!  “really? well... whoever it was deserves a toast in their honor then! wanna go upstairs?" the tables there are much more discreet. less likely to get caught with their own booze up there.

" well , one of us is gonna have to change. " she's joking -- mostly. the two costumes were the same character , from the same movie -- though avery had gone with the cheerleader out. " let's be honest , they're not selling any of the good stuff here but someone -- not naming names -- may have swiped something from my parent's liquor cabinet and placed it in my purse. "

location : deer lake

time : early afternoon

for : selin ( @inlustre)

"don't make fun of me." he starts, tone light despite his aversion to meet her gaze as he spreads the blanket out for them to sit. "i did get one of the precut fruit trays from your store but it's because i ran out of time. i uh, tried my hand at baking croissants for the first time and..." the laugh that escapes him is nothing short of sheepish as he sets the basket down between them. "next time, i'm just grabbing us something from the bakery." is it bold of him to already be hoping for a next time? perhaps. he just feels fortunate to have managed to steal this moment of selin's time.

if people watching were a sport, vikram would be a medalist. years of observing people—how they moved, what they said, how they reacted to one another. and selin, well, she was like the sun. bright and warm with a natural orbit of people surrounding her everywhere she went. then there was vikram, who never quite knew how to navigate the world of casual socializing. had to admit he was a little in awe of her. at how simple she made it look. “i’m glad you could make it out today,” vikram says, finally settling himself beside her. “it’s nice, being outside of work for once. i don’t get to do this much, but—well, you probably know how it is. i'm sure the store keeps you busy." lord knows he’s done his fair share of taking up selin's time when he's there.

his  smile  widens  at  the  sight  of  hana  rolling  her  eyes,  always  a  sucker  for  that  type  of  banter,  especially  when  it  came  from  someone  as vivacious as  hana.  always  smiling,  always  sunny.  salvador  couldn’t  help  but  wonder  what  she  looks  like  when  she’s  annoyed.  would  she  be  the  type  to  yell  or  silently  plot  revenge?  can’t  really  picture  her  slashing  a  tire,  but  he  is  convinced  that  she  has  to  be  some  type  of  crazy  to  work  here.  to  base  her  reply  on  what  a  playing  card  has  to  say. he  was  a  sucker  for  crazy  too.  his  gaze  only  flickers  to  the  image  when  she  presents  it,  a  lazy  attempt  to  feign  interest  before  landing  back  on  hana.  “the  fool?”  he  repeats,  an  airy  chuckle  escaping  her  as  he  does.  “didn’t  even  know  they  had  a  card  named  that.  i’ll  take  it,  i  guess.”  he’s  been  called  worse.  mostly  deserved.  honestly,  she  could  have  told  him  anything  and  he  would have  accepted it. knew better than to question a woman with witchy inclinations.  “fresh  starts  and  taking  risks…  think  it’s  talking  about  you?  you  got  some  danger  attached  to  you,  han?”  he  asks,  taking  a  step  back  to  look  her  over,  as  if  he  could  find  an  answer  on  sight  alone.  “what  are  you  doing  this  weekend?” // @repentulant

☾ ⋰ hana rolls her eyes as she stands upright, although she isn't entirely annoyed. any attention is great, positive attention even better. she bites the inside of her cheek to keep an excited smile from spreading across her features. head tilts like she's heavily debating the answer. ❝ hmm... let's see what card has to say about that, yes ? ❞ she flips the card & shrieks out a little laugh : in her hands sits the fool. she can think of more than one person that would love to know the card he pulled. she turns it to him like a gift. ❝ so, this one isn't bad. it was just funny to flip around. it's all about fresh starts & taking risks. ❞ and also warns of the dangers of blind optimism & delirium, but she can tell him about that later. ❝ lucky for you, it also means yes. ❞

location : the register

time : early afternoon

for : ricardo( @inadeqcies)

in response to this

it was kennedy’s day off. they had plans to unwind. do some grocery shopping. take themselves out on a date to the movies like they had been meaning to. maybe even try not to think about the murder that had been weighing on their mind since halloween. the last thing on their todo list? a literal manhunt... yet there they were, storming into register, stomping past familiar cubicles and any coworkers that might still be lingering in the area. if anyone had said anything to her, kennedy couldn’t hear them over the blood roaring in her ears. “what—” the door slams behind them as they barge into his office. they knew ricardo was in there—could practically smell his cologne from the moment they walked into the building. intrusive. out of place. like the rest of his presence in redcreek. . “—in the ever-loving fuck—” a copy of the newspaper is slammed on top his desk, the sides wrinkled from where they had dug their nails into it, red ink scattered angrily across the print. almost like a bloodstain. “—were you thinking? quickly.”

TEEN WOLF 3.03 Fireflies

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

kennedy does one better than closing the door. they lock it. in one sharp motion, unwilling to let anyone get wrapped up in the shit storm that is about to ensue... they turn back to face him, expression a melting pot of emotions— anger, disdain, disgust, and just when it's about to flicker into something more vulnerable... he opens his goddamn mouth. "don't—" they raise a cautionary finger. the smug calmness in his response only serves to stoke the fire burning inside them, their pulse pounding in their throat. "don't act like you have the situation under control.   dimwit officers? don't trust the sheriff?" it wasn't that kennedy didn't share the sentiment. they're certain they've made a passing comment about the incompetence of most police departments to ricardo. but in the world of journalism, there were rules to play and pissing off the most reliable source of information had rookie mistake written all over it. "you fucked us. you fucked me." and he doesn't pay her enough for that. "where did you even get this information? why didn't you share this with me? or effie?"

ricardo knew this was going to happen . he's never been an idiot , but he does move fast enough that sometimes it makes people consider he COULD be an idiot . cunning always is worn in a certain way when it comes to him . WHEN HE GOT THE PHOTOS - he did think of kennedy . he thought of them straight away . he knew exactly how they would have looked at the photos in reverence and awe . kennedy would have known exactly the way to deal with it . the best way to write it . the PUNCHIEST statements to click ' enter ' on . ricardo hates to admit that he needs anyone , let alone kennedy . but if she had been in the office with him that morning , things might have turned out differently . ALAS SHE WASN'T . he was as alone as he was born , and like wolves do - he struck as quick as he could . RICARDO CLOSES HIS EYES AS SOON AS HE HEARS KENNEDY ENTER . the rage within her in imminent , it vibrates through the walls of the register . " close the door behind you . " he greets back , pleasantly . he doesn't need to look down at the newspaper to see his own typed words and the photos BLINKING BACK AT HIM . he's spent enough time with them . " you're mad . " he notes .

Czeslaw Milosz, New and Collected Poems: 1931-2001