" Yeah, No, I'm Not Giving You The Satisfaction Of Some Enthusiasm. " What They Do Give Is A Shred Of

" bourbon. " and with her outburst, effie tries her damndest to reign it in. end of the day : the register wasn't under her thumb and name. frankly, she wasn't sure if was something she'd ever thought of. sure, it would run better that way. thinks a paper boy off the street might have more tact than ricardo, but at the end of the day ... she'd probably reject it. pass it off to kennedy who, frankly, could benefit more than it. maybe they'd be able to communicate better together, too.

she does almost stomp to the kitchen, anger simmering from her voice and presenting only in her body. " look. your register, your choice. however ... " hands raise to run down her cheeks and rest against her own chin. " playing games doesn't get you anything but tangled into a nasty little web, ricardo. so, you don't even know who sent those to you? somebody and you. those are great fucking sources. forget about wikipedia. " and maybe that's what is bringing in the sting of betrayal. trusting an anonymous source with a pretty little photo than his own employees. she waits until she has her drink to continue and damn near downs it in one go.

" you couldn't even tell me? kennedy? dammit, think a little! it's nice to see you running your mouth on paper instead of just air, but ... the hell am i suppose to do with this? " vaguely gestures out into the air, leaning her elbows against the counter. maybe she's ... worried, in her own way. if ricardo believes this, real or not, what else is going to believe? will he go down a wild goosechase and not come back? trip over his own feet, post the wrong sort of hot gossip? " look. i'm just asking for a bit of trust, ricardo. i know damn well i won't get any more of your respect, but at least your trust. games aren't meant to be played alone. "

" oh for fucks sake - " he cuts himself off because this is really getting ridiculous now . is there anywhere he won't be accosted ? silently , he reminds himself to get himself a maid or something , so they can get yelled at in his place perhaps . as soon as ricardo sees effie , he knows its game over . kennedy and effie were two of the main people he was vaguely concerned about . he almost cares . he almost wishes he was better . ricardo is a puzzle filled with almosts .

EFFIE MOVES WITH MORE ANIMATION THAN HE'S SEEN BEFORE . she's usually calm and collected . the ice to kennedy's fire . it's a testament to how clearly she thinks he's fucked up . " the photo isn't fake . " he says . " as for sources . well . they're mainly me at the moment , and i trust me . " he shrugs , a purposeful picture of BLASÉ . " everyone's so fucking interested in the story . nobody seems to give a shit about the more important thing : somebody gave this to me . right on my desk . they WANTED it on the register , effie . you of all people should be seeing the bigger picture here . this is a game , and i'm playing the part handed to me . someone knows something and wants to let everyone else know it, too . ABOUT DANIELA . ABOUT BRONTE . " he folds his arms over his chest , eyeing her . he can't lie : she looks really hot . " do you want a wine or bourbon while you yell at me ? you can continue in the kitchen . "

FOR : kieran ! @horrorphase. LOCATION : exiting a back alley into the sidewalk, yikes . TIMESTAMP : fuck ass o'clock prob .

you're probably wondering how damon got into this situation. see, a common note about them was their tendency to be out of place. constantly on the move, stopping for a quick drink or maybe a smoke on a bench. odd jobs, favors and fuck knows what else ... they never really seemed to pause. there's a restless energy to them at their core and it seems to finally be deflating as they excuse themselves from who they're smoking with in the alley. a little two finger wave, a heavy sigh. despite being a human battery, at some point they always seemed to run out. not to mention no one is here to see damon crash and burn. they can let their shoulders  — 

scaaaaaaatch that! ( it's always that fucking way, isn't it? ) as soon as they step out of the alley and take a turn they're scuttling back just as quickly. boot heel catches against cracks in the pavement, hand raising to catch themselves on the building's brick. " wooooo, shit, kier! " immediate recognition. they laugh a little until it dawns on them: how fucking weird to be slinking out of a back fucking alley in the middle of the day. sure, they've been in weird buildings with kieran. kieran's been out of place before, but with the news of late? yikes.

" alright first off, fancy meeting me here, eh? " points at kieran, " before you start doing your little ... " opens their hand to wave their palm around, " psuedo-ghost-hunter-detective-nancy-drew-carmen santiago thing ... just meeting a friend. reclusive fella. what are you wondering about for this time? "

a certain restlessness has taken root in damon's bones. insurmountable energy that just couldn't be placed. maybe it was because their hands were empty ( except for their take-out piece of toast ) and the day unfulfilling in every possible way. what the average citizen of redcreek doesn't expect out of damon was how money driven they were. likely, they'd pick up just about any job. taxi service, weekender at the diner, the bar, the warehouse ... anything to add weight to his pockets. well, maybe they do. they're everywhere. also nowhere. a hard little mouse to keep track of, but a mouse after cheese nonetheless.

they're chewing with a spacy eyes, looking towards the bustling customers headed towards the car or down the street. recalls some of the faces: tyler, from the gas station. dwayne, a mid shifter getting off work from the diner, priscilla or miss. priss from the tenth fucking grade. faces and faces they'd seen from their lifelong stay in the creek. what pulls them back down to earth is the loud, recognizable voice of none other than tobias northcott. a pause of their chewing, a squint of their eyes. " what, think i'm not suitable for the public, northcott? " northcott in return for short - streak.

" think your temperature is running a bit too high there. it's fucking nipply. " they return to their piece of toast, tongue chasing the grape jelly from the side of their mouth. tobias, a goddamn blunder of a newcomer. well, not really new anymore, but maybe they will be again. also everywhere and nowhere. must be why they keep rubbing shoulders. if damon were a different person, maybe like kieran, they'd be questioning what tobias got up to in the dead oof night. thumb to mouth, releases it with an obnoxious little ' pop! ' the silence is dragged on to be just as obnoxious, dramatic. " i got a better question for you. the hell you tryin' to trip into? good standings with the waitresses? "

closed starter: @c0nnectdots — damon del valle . located @ dolly's diner & in the surrounding circumference .

arriving  in  town  for  the quintessential  american  breakfast  means  that  his  taste  buds  are  open.  he  adapts.  he  blends.  (  actually,  this  just  means  that  dolly's  is  the  easiest  place  to  go  after  an  all  -  nighter.  )  but  who  pulls  that  kind  of  thing?  no  circles  under  his  eyes,  no  bedhead,  no  lackadaisical  jacket  —  surely  not  him.  (  it's  him.  )  tobias,  hands  stuffed  in  the  pockets  of  his  canary  -  yellow  letterman,  blisters  about  as  obnoxious  as  an  off  -  key  warbler  as  he  coaxes  his  way  across  the  diner  parking  lot.  hey,  hey,  how's  it  going?  felix,  right?  because  he  remembers  those  brazen  enough  to  knock  their  heads  getting  to  his  dj  booth  on  a  busy,  whirring  night.  he  remembers  them,  all  the  way  down  to  the  cut  of  their  jaw  —  and  the  distinct  upturned  curl  of  their  hair  —  and  the  way  ink  ribbons  follow  their  shoulders  —

fuck,  what  the  fuck  is  damon  doing  here?  disguised:  he  releases  felix's  shoulders  and  aims  both  guns,  they're  both  made  of  fingers,  in  damon's  direction.  “no  way!”  smile  already  curling  around  the  greeting.  “well,  well.  fancy  seeing  you  here,  short  -  streak.  what  kinda  meet  -  cute  bullshit  are  we  tripping  our  way  into?”  his  steps  were  quick  before;  they  quicken  further.  golden  retriever  bounding,  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing  grinning,  it's  all  the  same  after  the  eleventh  hour. "least you deserve, after all this not - so - radical heat burning the shit outta your neck."

damon pauses for a moment, racking his brain on if the face is familiar or not. so many faces in redcreek remembered and forgotten. seen on a day-to-day basis as a client, a grocery story regular or someone he'd rub shoulders with the wrong way in high school. so many options! they eventually conclude she looks familiar from bygone teenage years. brows furrowing trying to think about her name.

" star-struck, eh? c'mon don't gotta be a flatterer now. i'm just a redcreek native, not a celeb. " gives a slight laugh at that, mouth splitting into a grin. " don't hate me, but i can't remember your name. high school, right? " snaps his fingers to point at sianni before they're leaning back against the bar. " well. maybe it isn't a good look for anybody right now, no. " agrees without much fight there. takes a drink from the beer bottle before they're turning fully to face her, a snort towards her exaggerated expression. " bit dramatic, don't you think? off us one by one? that's stranded adults in a woodland cabin plot. " doubts its some grand show of control or something similar. hasn't really given it much thought and finds themselves straying away from the turbulence as much as possible. they keep in the know, but they're not trying to be within the know.

" refresh me. what's your name aaaaaaaand do you drink. it's on me. for forgetting you. "

sianni turns to see damon del valle in a seat while he speaks directly to her, which has her honestly taken aback a bit.

she knew them from high school-- well she knew of them-- she was in her sophomore year going to her junior year as they were graduating from their senior year. "not gonna lie, a little star-struck right now, didn't know you'd even-- know me--remember me? or maybe you're just trying to make conversation with a stranger?"

Though, sianni doesn't hesitate to take a seat across from him, "but to answer your question, is it even a good look for any of us to be here-- especially when there's somebody-- or even people, who wants to--" sianni makes a face expression, one meant to express agony on someone's face, "off us one by one it seems."

( samuel larsen . masc nonbinary . they / he ) . ⸻ damon del valle , a thirty year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for their entire life . the charlatan is known for being charismatic and factitious and is often associated with always  having  a  smile  on  your  face  ,  but  it  doesn't  seem  to  be  good  natured  /  always  seems  to   have   something   tucked  behind  that   smile   that's   mischievous  ,   knowing  everyone   doesn't  actually  meaning  knowing  who  they  are  and   the  same  goes  for  you  …  maybe  everybody  knows   your  name  ,   but  who  are  you  really  ,  charisma   gets   you  far   and   you  know  it  and  thinks  it  saves  your  face . in a small town where they work as a tattoo artist at devil’s ink word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that  [ THIS PAGE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BURNT ] .

full name: damon del valle. nickname(s): n/a, but you can try. age: thirty. zodiac sun sign: scorpio. birth date: october 27th. gender & orientation: masc nonbinary, they + he & bisexual. place of birth: red creek, michigan. occupation(s): tattoo artist at devil's ink , various other sidegigs. familial ties: single mother, only child and it shows. height: 6'0".

CHARACTER INSPOS : sand ( only friends ), zack taylor ( power rangers 2017 ), todd chavez ( bojack horseman ), nick miller ( new girl ), joel ( santa clarita diet ), kon el ( dc )

FAST FACTS ⸻

damon is a longterm resident of red creek and it shows and anyone who was in their graduating class remembers them for his antics. classical rowdy teenager into disaster of an adult, but they're not a terrible personal believe it or not! extremely approachable, can chat anybody up at a bar ... they seem to be everybody's friend. however, nobody seems to really know who they are at their core.

close with their mother and still frequents her two - bedroom home. above all else, their mom is their world. growing up it was just the two of them and despite his wild behavior ... he does his best to keep from disappointing her or letting her figure out what he does in his freetime.

a tattoo artist, but that isn't his only job. damon has been seen working at auto shops, running ubers and doordash, volunteer work. it seems they're always doing something for quick cash. most people just assume they're money - driven, but there's always a reason for everything isn't there?

has a variety of tattoos and piercings, too many to count actually. started getting them in their senior year of highschool and it became a right of passage for their main passion of tattooing. at the end of the day, they're a creative soul and find tattooing to be the easiest way to express their creativity and share it with others. their creativity also shows through eccentric style and their knack for putting on makeup.

(  laz alonso  .  cis male  .  he/him  )  .    ⸻  abel d'angelo  ,  a  fifty year old  ,  has  survived  another  day  in  red  creek  where  they  have lived  for thirty-four years  .  the  catalyst  is  known  for  being  passionate  and  argumentative  and  is  often  associated  with  old leather jackets stained with years of wear and grime ; an old motorcycle's association stitched into the back ; despite its age it looks well loved and never free from heavy shoulders / large hearts doesn't always mean soft ; something that beats so strongly has to have grit to it, it has to be able to bear burdens and that's exactly what you're known for / looking behind you is never going to get you anywhere, the only place to go is forward ; keep your eyes forward or lose them to the blinding lights of the past.  .  in  a  small  town  where  they  work  as  co-owner of redstone bar word  travels  fast  .  it’s  hard  to  keep  a  secret  ,  and  it  looks  like  the  boogeyman  knows  that [ LOUD SCREECH OF TIRES ]

full name: abel joseph d'angelo. nickname(s): angel, abe. age: fifty. zodiac sun sign: taurus. birth date: may 2nd. gender & orientation: cis man, he + him & demisexual. place of birth: detroit, michigan. occupation: co-owner of redstone bar, rider with the steel wings motorcycle gang club. familial ties: spouse of 28 years ( wc tba ), two children ( wcs tba ), younger sibling ( wc tba ). height: 6'0".

CHARACTER INSPOS : jax teller ( sons of anarchy ), luke cage ( marvel ), corvo attano ( dishonored ), herc hansen ( pacific rim ).

FAST FACTS ⸻

was born in detriot, michigan, but due to abel's uncle needing to retire from ownership of the redstone bar, the family moved into red creek when abel was 16 years old. it was a relatively easy adjustment for abel, since they found themselves drawn to adventuring. as a teen abel was a bit rowdy, getting into trouble for all of the right reasons. apart of wrestling in his high school years really made him the wrong kid to let you see shoving someone into a locker or determining someone as "lesser".

often hung around redstone prior to being 18, working under the table and helping his dad with random tasks. overall, they were pretty friendly growing up in a social setting. during his time working for his father and living in red creek, eventually he briefly dated choi dasom for a total of 2 months before breaking it off. it wasn't long after their breakup that dasom went missing, making abel and his new relationship with his current spouse a bit of a rumor factory. it eventually died out once he asserted himself as uninvolved, but the thought still may remain in old red creek's residents minds. it didn't help he was a known close friend of casimir's, the charismatic musician later murdered. abel seemed to take this extremely personal and almost shut himself off from getting that close to anyone else for the entirety of the string of disappearances and murders.

an active community member who tries his damndest to be involved despite his reclusive behavior. like his father before him, he's a man of community. such is why redstone is open place to be with comedy nights still upheld, the live band, and frequent pitstops for motorcycle gangs.

sometime in the last 10 years, abel's interest in motorcycles lead him to becoming a tertiary member of a motorcyclist group called the steel wings. occasionally he will ride with them and be gone for a span of 2 months, hence his decision to acquire a co-owner for redstone bar which became zakaria singh. nonetheless, there are times he can't stand to be within the walls he once stood beside long gone friends. however, there are times you'll catch him bartending and chatting in order to keep his face and stay involved with his patrons. he likes to know what is going on and remain his own bouncer in times where shit gets too messy.

a family man above all else. despite disagreements and roadbumps with his fast marriage to [TBA], all roads lead back to family. when it comes to decisions, there is always a thought about his spouse and children present. despite everything he is a warmhearted man and this extends to those who stick around him or become regulars.

hobbies include: mechanic tinkering, boxing, morning jogs, motorcycling, life-long standup comedy enjoyer.

POTENTIAL FOR MORE TBA.

Okay maybe mama did raise a fool

FOR : kennedy ! @brntout . LOCATION : a booth in redstone .

it wasn't often kennedy and effie were found outside of the office together, but this happened to be a special occassion. no, it wasn't a warehouse party turned sour. it was their own shared space : the register and a common 'enemy' of sorts. perhaps a way of strengthening a coworkers bond was by mulling over a mutual anger for their boss. sharing a drink, effie offered to pay, putting the little tension and pinpricks aside just for ricardo. " believe me, kennedy, i already had a talk with him. " spoken with a rub to her temples, eyelashes falling to a close. ricardo, as of late, was beginning to spark a headache for effie. thwarting her plans, putting a literal fucking pin in what she herself intended to write. she then wonders, briefly, if kennedy has had the same roadblocks.

" believe it or not, " a harsh puff of laughter, " i stormed into his haughty little house. brought it right to his doorstep. " the drink has long gone untouched and isn't disturbed until this moment. effie seems to trail off in thought for a moment, staring at the neatly cubed ice and condensation of the glass. she watches it drip down the side with one singular point in her head: is ricardo ever going to stop running the register like its a reality tv show? when she returns to the present she's taking a long drink of the cinnamon whiskey, lets it burn her throat before continuing. a rare question gets asked: " so, what do you think, kennedy? lay it on me. "

" well, it was a fight that's what ... " damon shouldn't be a smartass right now, but they'll blame the adrenaline crash. hands, clammy and head rightfully throbbing from a bottle crack. yeah, they're not exactly their best self. a thumb lifts to swipe at their nose ring. at least it wasn't ripped out, that would be a real pain. " well. guy shoved me. had some real force into it— mix in some good ol' jack daniels ... and bada bing you got yourself a fight. "

there's a pause with their eyes glancing down at the med kit. " look, vanessa, already put another on shitshow on halloween ... really don't think i need that. " gestures to the first aide. " probably should just suck it up and go home. " they feel a slight drip of blood down their forehead. pauses. " on second thought ... yeah. yeah, maybe. " they move from the doorframe to leave against a wall, hunching down to make it a bit easier. " i'm sorry, really. swear i ain't ... you know, like that. haven't caused shit on your shift in a minute. we cool? "

❝ ⸻ WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ? ❞ vanessa's day off and out of all nights and situation , a fight breaks out . Everyone knew she had a no fighting policy in the bad .... AT LEAST WHEN SHE WAS WORKING . not only did a fight breaking out looked bad for business , killed the vibes of the bar , and such , but she simply wanted everyone to leave the bar on a feel good note . with the first aid kit in her hand , vanessa motioned for him to follow and sit , away from everyone .

❝ how did the fight even started ? ❞ one minute she heard chatter about the body found and small laughs here and there , and the next thing she heard was a glass breaking before she broke up the fight and threatened to kick both asses . Something everyone knows she could do . ❝ Let me help you ❞

Just do what I say, Atwood.

THE O.C. | 4x01: “The Avengers”