Status: Open @valpostart Location: El Café De Los Gatos

salem wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings due to being too preoccupied with scrolling on instagram. suddenly she felt someone crash into her, knocking her phone out of her hand. "shit!" she exclaimed while quickly retrieving her phone off the ground before looking over at the other, realizing it was drew on the floor. "oh god...are you okay? here take these." crouching down she handed him a couple of napkins for the drink spill. she couldn't help but laugh a bit. "immortal? but you can't handle a simple festival ride? seems like that theory has just been debunked."

open starter / @valpostart location / la fiesta de vendimia

still unsteady from his third go around the tilt - a - whirl, drew stands in front of a stall selling what smells like food, but he won't be able to confirm that until his vision returns to normal. he tries to take a sip from his tall cup of grape juice, but his aim is off so he jams the straw up his nostril. his violent recoil ( combined with the wooziness which still plagues him ) knocks drew backward, causing a collision with another festivalgoer and spilling his drink everywhere. "sorry," drew groans, sitting on the ground as he rubs his spinning head. "i'm feeling a little ... " he splays his arms out above his head, waving them around wildly. " ... you know ? three rides in the tilt - a - whirl will do that to a person. even a suspected immortal such as myself."

🎈 BALLOON — what is something you've created and/or accomplished recently that you're proud of?

🖤 BLACK HEART — what would you say is the darkest thought you've ever experienced? what do you think caused you to have that thought? have you ever planned on or fantasized about acting on it?

🏹 BOW AND ARROW — if there's something from your past that you'd give anything to go back in time and redo, what is it?

💔 BROKEN HEART — is there anyone in your life you wish you had a better relationship with? if so, how come? what makes this person important to you?

🎄 CHRISTMAS TREE — what is your favorite holiday and why?

🎈🏹 answered here!

🖤 BLACK HEART — what would you say is the darkest thought you've ever experienced? what do you think caused you to have that thought? have you ever planned on or fantasized about acting on it?

"that's crazy, next question?"

💔 BROKEN HEART — is there anyone in your life you wish you had a better relationship with? if so, how come? what makes this person important to you?

"myself definitely. being picked apart about everything little thing for so long does a lot to a person's confidence. being on tv has damn near done irreversible damage to how i perceive myself. i'm trying really hard to be kinder and more patient with myself though."

🎄 CHRISTMAS TREE — what is your favorite holiday and why?

"halloween! i always try to be back in new orleans around that time because the atmosphere is absolutely insane in the best way. i would love to throw a giant halloween party at some point."

she playfully rolled her eyes at her friends response. salem couldn't comprehend anyone getting used to being in such unique place, even when she would go visit new orleans she always found something new to be in awe over. "if this is boring you we can do something else? seriously i'll sacrifice the rest of the day hear more of your dungeons and dragons lore." she teased with a playful nudge. "or i could find us a matching bracelet or necklace to solidify our friendship. with all this cool handmade jewelry there's bound to be something. unfortunately for you im cheesy like that."

             the  happy  amusement  on  birdie's  face  is  evident.  her  face  breaks  into  a  bright  smile  when  salem  speaks  to  her,  eyes  scanning  the  bags  she's  presented  with.  birdie  loves  to  see  people  excited  about  chile,  their  heart  bursting  at  the  thought  of  people  loving  their  home  as  much  as  they  do.  she  shakes  her  head,  accompanying  it  with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  "  nah,  be  as  tourist-y  as  you  want,  i  love  it  – i  am  excited  ! "  they  laugh,  "  i've  lived  here  forever ! i  don't  get  as  excited  as  i  did  when  it  was  all  new,  it  happens.  "

"god you're so embarrassing..." salem said with a chuckle while browsing over the souvenirs for sale. looking up for a moment she playfully flipped off the camera, it seemed like leon was filming content non-stop lately. the two had been practically inseparable since getting back together. "you do realize by constantly shoving that camera in my face you're giving me ptsd from my reality tv days right? please don't tell me we're turning into my parents, my therapist already has so much on her plate with me." she teased while turning away from the camera and fixating her gaze back on the souvenirs.

"and here's my lovely lady," leon grins behind the camera, as he points it to salem. he thought bringing a camera for the day would be a good idea to create content for his social media. and since salem arrived, he's been pestering her with the videocamera he borrowed from a friend. "say hi, babe."

@cybermuses

salem, do you believe in ghosts? do you think you've ever seen one?

“i fully believe in ghosts actually! my grandma is super into the paranormal and took me on one of those haunted tours at the lalaurie mansion in new orleans once. i didn’t actually see a ghost but i felt the presence of all these spirits and i had to sage myself afterwards it was really intense. i also have a theory that imaginary friends are just ghosts that are only visible to small children but that’s another conversation.”

salem gave iris a reassuring nod before pushing a few things on the table aside to make room for the other to set her things down. "of course i'm sure! i need to be around people anyways plus i would love the company." she said with a smile. "you're actually the first familiar face i've seen all day if you can believe it." salem had seen iris around town and made conversation in passing but still hadn't gotten a chance to really speak to her or check out the infamous quilpué zoo for that matter. "is your hand okay by the way?" she asked with a bit of concern after eyeing the bandage. "i'm sure handling animals all day poses great risks. hopefully you weren't mauled by a tiger or something."

iris had spent most of her time with... animals. which made great company, at least so she thought, but it wasn't the same as connecting with people. she had been having a hard couple of months, which fuelled her into taking more hours at work with her practice and ignoring everyone else in favour of animals. she had just gotten done with a doctors appointment, her hand slightly mauled by a cat and it was just a precaution to see the doctor but everything was fine and she couldn't even blame the cat for acting out -- it was all just part of the job. now that she was at the cafe she desperately needed some kind of caffeine after her shift. it used to be like this when she was in school, getting a coffee before, and getting a coffee after just to keep her head up. when she gets her cup of iced coffee she has her ipad in hand to do some charting but realizes there's not many spaces left until she eyes salem, and she looks behind her to see if she's talking to anyone else before cautiously making her way over towards the other woman and gently sitting down in the chair. "are you sure?" she asks, "i just wasn't sure if you were talking to me or not. but i'd love to sit with you, of course."

salem let out a small chuckle at her response. with all the hand made pottery and jewelry it was understandable to feel a little cautious. "i'm sure you're not that clumsy. but if this isn't really your speed we can do something else maybe? i just thought this would have something for everyone." still being very new to the area meant salem had so much more to explore which made her open to other people's interests and it was nice to be able to make new friends in a different scene. it was a good distraction for her anyways. "seriously i'm open to anything. birdie convinced me to let them teach me about dungeons and dragons and we spent hours the other day playing. at this point in my life im very easily influenced." she said jokingly.

in  all  honesty,  there's  still  quite  a  few  places  aviva  hasn't  explored  yet.  between  working,  and  trying  to  make  sure  her  life  doesn't  implode,  making  sure  birdie  doesn't  kill  anymore  innocent  plants,  or  that  charlie  isn't  rearing  his  big  forhead  back  into  her  life  (  more  on  that  later  )  ,  it's  been  a  bit  difficult  to  go  out  and  do  things.  an  eyebrow  raises  slightly  at  the  sight  of  the  bag.  if  she  was  braver,  she'd  be  able  to  do  the  same  —  but  also,  as  silly  as  it  sounds,  she  doesn't  want  to  intrude  on  her  cousins  house.  it's,  like,  a  respect  thing,  she's  sure.  "i  just  —  i  dunno,  i'm  really  picky,  you  know?"  kind  of.  "and  i'm  afraid  if  i  touch  anything,  it'll  break.  bull  in  a  china  shop  deal,  you  know?"

when salem told luna she wanted to get out of the house and explore she didn't anticipate a shopping binge at the street market. despite luna's despair about whatever they had going on being able to reunite with them was exactly what salem needed, it was comforting to know that she had someone familiar in valpo that didn't resent her at the moment. "you know you could just talk to me about it right?" she flashed them a smile in response to the comment about the necklace. salem placed her bags down and began rummaging through her totebag. "i know my life is a mess at the moment but you may need this more than me." she shook her head while pulling a black obsidian stone out of her bag. "wallowing isn't on the agenda for today but if i have to sage you from head to do in the middle of this street market i will. im fully armed."

               the   walk   was   meant   to   be   good   for   them.   a   good   time   with   an   old   friend,   the   sun   on   her   skin,   breathing   in   fresh   air;   it   all   was   meant   to   make   her   feel   better.   and   for   a   short   while,   it   had   worked   !   then   they   passed   by   a   couple   of   buskers   playing   lo   hice,   te   dijé   and   luna   was   reminded   why   they   were   dragged   out   of   their   bedroom   in   the   first   place.   "   daniel,   me   estas   mantando   that's   why   !   "   it   was   their   favorite   band   after   all.   who   hardly   tour.   and   who   decided   to   go   on   tour   smack   dab   in   the   middle   of   their   finals,   and   filming   of   '   klara   and   the   sun   '   meaning   that   she   wouldn't   be   attending   any   shows.   meaning   they   were   in   utter   despair.   "   this   is   really   pretty   by   the   way,   it'll   look   great   on   you.   "   they   pointed   at   a   necklace   in   salem's   ever   growing   pile.   though   their   tone   made   it   hard   to   believe,   luna   really   did   mean   it.   they   were   just   dramatic,   and   couldn't   muster   up   the   enthusiasm   for   the   words   because   her   soul   was   crushed.   "   how   much   longer   until   i   can   go   back   to   wallowing   ?   i   love   to   wallow   "