"if It Makes You Feel Better, I Think That You'd Be Better At A Fight Than Me," Admittedly, Tthat Isn’t

their eyebrow twitches at his ‘no’. how absolute it is. he leaves little room for debate and while it’s not hard to understand ricardo’s side of why he would push against their idea, kennedy has always been sure of themselves and their ability to sell a story so any time they are met with opposition, they can't help but wonder — 'who the hell does he think he is?' they're certain he can see it, too. the look of defiance that washes over their black eyes. they open their mouth to speak, then quickly close it. before turning away. "fine." they leave it at that because it seems that they still see eye to eye with the 'spread fear' plan. kennedy can work with that. they've spun gold with less.

“wow, how fortunate” they reply, fully monotone to properly display just how little they care about their boss’ sex life. as they walk, kennedy keeps their eyes set ahead as well, deviating only when they think they catch something moving from their peripherals. no doubt the darkness playing tricks on them. or maybe the prospect of a murderer in their hometown has shaken them up more than they're willing to realize. they chose not to examine that, instead shifting focus to ricardo’s dry reply to their mundane question. “is it cus you’re too busy having sex?” they stifle a snort at their own joke, hand rising to cover their mouth as they do so, lowering it only once they've regained composure. “i…" they clear their throat, "i might have had a little too much to drink, tonight.” they admit, and that's the best they can muster up as an apology. “what’s wrong with halloween?”  kennedy had already guessed ricardo wasn’t the biggest fan of the holiday based on the little, or rather, lack of effort he put in his ‘costume’, so there's no surprise or offense found in the question. just pure curiosity. anything to pass the time and make this walk as painless as possible. as they walk, they find themselves wrapping their hands around their bare arms to warm them up some. if they had known they were going to be skulking the streets around this hour they might have thought ahead and brought something warmer to wear. “how well do you think you can talk up a bartender?”

RICARDO IS ALL TOO AWARE of the missing estrada woman . it's been playing on his mind ever since he got the news . the coincidence of it all . the timing . it can't be ignored , least of all by him . his stomach feels like it's dropping and he has to remind himself that this is just a job . just a town . there is nothing here and nobody here . nobody that matters , anyways . he reattunes his attention to kennedy , like an instrument that may need TUNING . " no . " he says , voice firm . " until we know it's daniela , we don't say anything . intrigue sells more than fake claims do. " A FIRST FOR HIM . he doesn't dwell on it . ricardo doesn't care for being reputable , but there's a difference between being a gossip mag and spreading false news . " or simply say : could it be daniela ? are we next ? ask questions , spread fear . " he begins to nod now , his brain working alongside kennedy's , as if in sync .

the sickly over-saccharine way they say YES SIR has ricardo's lips twitch up for a second time . fine. kennedy amuses him at times , but that's it . " fortunately i've had too much sex to count as an incel . " he brushes the sentiment off , with another shrug . ricardo doesn't even notice he's walking in line with kennedy . he's distantly aware that they're moving into conversation that ISN'T work related . rather than think about that , he focuses on their question . he keeps his gaze ahead , eyes adjusting to the dark - the interruptions of people milling past every now and then . ricardo still can't fathom that redcreek exists . that it's a real place . even less that HE'S HERE in it . " i don't have time for movies . " he says easily . he's always been more of a reader , honestly . back in foster homes , it was rare to find a television , let alone one that was AVAILABLE and didn't come with high stakes . books were free and everywhere . it carried with him after being adopted , into adulthood . he's never really gotten on the train of movies or television or even POP CULTURE really - besides the bits and pieces he overhears at overly expensive LA parties . " i'll never understand the obsession with halloween . " ricardo says instead , distaste abundant on his tongue .

“did something happen today?” they ask, never missing an opportunity to be nosy. kennedy isn't sure why they invited efiie out to dance. they never made much of a habit to hang out with another journalist back in new york. maybe they were growing soft. a realization they will no doubt nurse along with a headache tomorrow morning at the rate they are going. that’s a problem for later though. right now? everything is good. the music is good, the ambiance is good, kennedy is feeling good, effie is looking good. it’s all good! effie’s observation earns chuckle from kennedy. “i can’t get anything past you, can i? okay — i might have a bit of a head start on you.” they admit, looking down at their hands for a moment before flashing her a rare, mischievous grin. “so let’s get you caught up! what’s your poison?” 

" you know what ... after the evening i've had ? why not. " she matches the volume over the music, smoothing down the front of her daphne dress. a small tear, poorly put together with a safety-pin at her side, proving to be the source of her frustration. the spin takes her off guard, makes her sputter off something close to a laugh. a squeeze is given to the fingers interlacing hers, but a brow promptly arches upward. " have you already started drinking, kennedy? "

location : redstone bar

time : evening

for : taylan ( @ofvolatile )

there were two things the town seemed to be in silent agreement on when it came to the yalçınkayas. one, their kid was bad news. two, they weren’t talking about the daughter or their 20(?) cousins. wherever taylan went, trouble seemed to follow and it didn't take kennedy much convincing from their parents to keep their distance from him. and yet, it always felt like like taylan was always lingering somewhere in the periphery of her upbringing—as selin’s problematic brother, santiago’s troublemaking friend, and a thorn on redcreek's side. but with the recent murder of one alaina price, taylan's return to town was beginning to feel less of a coincidence and more like an omen. was alaina's downfall the wrath of a boy who never quite grew out of his rage?

he was a recognizable figure, even from behind. a head of brown messy waves sitting on top of broad shoulders and an aura that just screamed for someone, anyone, to just give him a reason. against carefully developed instincts, she approaches. the stool beside him creeks against hardwood as she settles herself onto it, announcing her arrival to both taylan and the bartender. “tequila soda, please.” her gaze darts over to taylan, as if to size him up, before turning back to the bartender and tipping her head towards him. “—and whatever he‘ll have.”

Monkey Man (2024) dir. Dev Patel

location : redstone bar

time : evening

for: nadia(@hypnotiscd)

"you know, i was actually watching love is blind with june the other day." he has his designated spot on the couch of her apartment— the side with the missing leg, where he remains still as a rock until it's time for him to leave out of fear of it buckling under his movement. "she thinks it's a load of bull but... i don't know. there's something kind of sweet about it." did the experiment have it's flaws? sure. did he become embarrassingly invested in everyone's journey? of course. he glances over at nadia, an easy smile present as he speaks. with how heavy redcreek was feeling recently, the levity gained from grabbing a drink with her and talking mindlessly about something so silly was relieving. "maybe i should apply." it's only a half-joke, emphasized by the sheepish laugh that escapes him. he brings the bottle of beer to his lips for a swig before offering a shrug, "i don't know. beats whatever i've been doing." which has been sitting pretty at the funeral home, waiting for love to knock at his doorstep like some sort of hallmark movie.

which hot priest are you today 

"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 . . . "

"so it sounds like you're having a good night?" even in her current state, hana's magnetism and her ability to command a room seems as prevalent as ever. even a man like vikram, who tended to navigate through spaces with a downcast gaze, can't help but have his attention on her as she weaves ( bulldozes? ) them though the crowd. his eyes are trained on white bunny ears, watching them bob in tune with the buoyancy of her steps. next thing he knows, he's settling himself into the space next to hana, sandwiched between her and another group of partygoers trying to catch the bartender's attention. hana beats them to it and while he can't really make out just what exactly she is ordering, he does manage to at least place his card down for the bartender to take. "goals for tonight?" he repeats the question slowly to give it some thought but before he can, hana takes off with her own ideas. the more animated she becomes, the more dread vik feels and suddenly his free hand clasps over hers, giving it a small, desperate squeeze.

"hana... please." it's almost a whisper, barely audible if it wasn't for the proximity. "have some mercy on me tonight. can we settle for... a dance, maybe? i don't think anybody wants to see me on top of anything." if he didn't have a fear of heights and djs, he certainly does now. "how about the goal is that i make it to midnight without wishing i would have stayed home?" there's a bit of a joke in there. somewhere. his eyes land on the drinks placed before them and is immediately weary of it as hana hands one over to him. he swears he can smell the heartburn from here. "oh, do you want to do that thing they do in movies? where they lock arms?" see, he's not a total stick in the mud! ahaha.

☾ hana is ever so grateful that vikram simply goes along with her plans. there's an internal moment of triumph whenever she manages to chip away part of the shell — even if it always seems to be temporary. ❝ perfect. 'cos i've had, like, so many shots already. gotta get you caught up, vik. morgue-a-ritas, mystery mimosas, green goblins . . . whatever will get the job done ! ❞ she shimmies her way between people at the bar with an over - zealous excuse me, pointing to something on the special drinks menu as soon as she can catch the bartenders attention. she pulls vik in too, wordlessly insistent that he take up space too. ❝ do we have any goals for tonight ? like, ummm . . . infiltrate the dj booth ? climb the tables ? ❞ hana's teasing, of course — suggesting bogus options to see the reaction they pull. no sooner do their drinks hit the bartop (a concerning shade of green) before she's pushing one glass into his hand. ❝ bottoms up. ❞

"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. "

Miller's Girl (2024)