Avatar of AlteredTundra

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2 mos ago
Current I saw a one-legged man at the ATM. He was checking his balance.
7 likes
4 mos ago
Where do bad rainbows go? To a prism. It's a light sentence, but it gives them time to reflect.
14 likes
4 mos ago
@LG aw hell yeah! Keepin my eye out for it for sure!
4 mos ago
How do you find Will Smith in the snow? You look for his fresh prints.
3 likes
5 mos ago
tfw the colonies have better healthcare than the mainland
5 likes

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Most Recent Posts

Tentatively interested. Digimon is my bread and butter.


𝓵 𝓪 𝓶 𝓮 𝓷 𝓽 𝓸 𝓯 𝓽 𝓱 𝓮 𝓼 𝓸 𝓾 𝓵
𝓵 𝓪 𝓶 𝓮 𝓷 𝓽 𝓸 𝓯 𝓽 𝓱 𝓮 𝓼 𝓸 𝓾 𝓵

𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Seattle U → Beach near his house
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Hera (via voicemail left) @smarty0114
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Odin || Hera || Zeus || Hades || Jormangdr
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“Is it really that late?”

Poseidon glanced at his phone, noting the time. It was significantly later in the AM than he originally thought. He opted not to cancel his lecture, thinking it wouldn’t go over and he would be able to attend the luncheon as he originally intended. What he didn’t factor in was one of his students decided that she would be feeling argumentative with him. Which of course wasn’t a bad thing. Poseidon -- or rather Professor Leventis -- had always encouraged his students to challenge his thoughts. He wanted them to bring their thoughts into the forum of the class, express them freely, and above all else, formulate an approach that worked for them.

Free thinking was the name of the game. It didn’t matter if it was just Environmental Science. Occasionally, he threw in some classic greek philosophy. Poseidon couldn’t help it. No matter how many years that went on, not since his conversations with his dear friend, the Norse World Snake, he didn’t get the chance to engage in mental thought experiments.

But it was late. Later than expected, Poseidon was hurrying out of the lecture hall, making his way through the campus as swiftly as his legs allowed him. Getting to his car, a nice tesla at that, he didn’t leave his reserved parking space just yet. Instead, he went to give that Queen of the Olympians and organizer of the Luncheon a call. Dialing her number, it rang and rang until he got her voicemail.

Shrugging, Poseidon waited for the beep and left a message. “It’s Atlas. I would have preferred to talk to you directly, but I suppose it couldn’t be helped, right? My lecture went over, so if i missed anything - and if it’s not too much of a hassle - just have the fruit sent to my house whenever at all possible. If I’m not there, have whoever is handing them out this year just text me.”

Satisfied (but not really), Poseidon didn’t account on this. He figured it was already too late and, honestly, as much as he wanted to attend late, facing an even more irate than usual Hera wasn’t something he was looking forward to. It didn’t matter whether or not he was trying to be a better God, a better man, and a better brother. If Zeus or Hades actually attended, that would have been a good opportunity to start rebuilding the bridges that were burned, soaked, sunken into the ocean, and completely left to wither away while the crashing waves of time prevented restoration.

But at the same time, there was a deep, impending dread building inside his stomach, rising like the tide and making him feel sick. It was a case of better said than done and Poseidon wasn’t quite sure he was ready for that particular task.

So he drove home. Or at least he was. He was on the highway, going as fast as he needed, that anxiety that he felt was still present. It was as prevalent as it has always been, so Poseidon took a detour. Not turning on Olympic View Drive like he would have to go home, but rather went straight for the ocean. He parked, walked on the sand, took off his shoes and socks. Poseidon sat as close as he could to the ocean without touching it. He just sat there, legs up, arms resting around his legs, and let the sound of the crashing waves fill up and relax him.

The God of the Sea closed his eyes, matching his breathing with the waves. Deep, slow breaths. In and out. In and out. With every swoosh and crash, he could feel it working. With every second of the gentle waves coming after harder ones crashed deeper into the great pacific, Poseidon could feel that dread fading back into a subtle worry. That was a manageable pain compared to the crippling panic he knew was coming. And with that panic, came the familiar rage that he tried so long to keep buried down, to keep away from the surface. The Poseidon who caused tidal waves for fun wasn’t a pleasant God and Atlas Leventis was not that person anymore.

Or at least he tried not to be. With it being so long since Poseidon had felt an everlasting calm, not since the last time he spoke with Jormungandr. How he missed his friend, to hear their voice. They spoke a language that not many could understand -- not even their own kind, the Norse. But Poseidon, being universal at understanding aquatic life, could. Not even barriers of different pantheons could prevent him from knowing what the World Snake said and felt. They both were strangers to their own and felt a loneliness and a lack of longing that nobody but each other could provide for one another.

In a word, they were soul mates. Twin flames.

But like without the moon, without that comfort, the tides within Poseidon threatened to consume everything that he held dear.

“My friend, I wonder -- are you awake just like the rest of us? Or are you still caught in Cronus’ everlasting, infinite wheel of time?” Poseidon lamented as the water touched his foot. It was cool and almost rejuvenating. Paired with the subtle breeze, it almost took Poseidon’s mind off of his longing to hear the World Snake’s voice again.

And there it was. Faint but there. A presence that he immediately recognized.

Eyes widened and Poseidon could feel it all around him. It was in the sea. In the heart of the sea. When the water touched him, he heard something. His friend’s voice…and it wasn’t far.

That was all that he needed. With that renewed vigor in his eyes, Poseidon rushed to his car and drove. He drove and let his heart guide him. It would show him the way.



𝖌𝖔𝖙𝖙𝖆 𝖌𝖔
𝖌𝖔𝖙𝖙𝖆 𝖌𝖔

𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Olympic Club ⟶ Acropolis
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Phobos | Melinoë | Hercules | Apollo | Hebe
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Hades



There was no limit to her strength when it came to clawing her way back to her siblings’ lifeless bodies still there on the floor out in the open. Uncovered. Their deaths screamed out to her. Or it could have just been her own voice echoing off the walls. She didn’t know anymore and she didn’t give two shits. All she wanted to do was get to them and hold them tightly and never let go. Melinoë had made that mistake once before.

Phobos was instructed to grab and pull her back and if she were to stop and think about it she would have felt extremely apologetic for the blood she was drawing on his arms as he yanked her backwards away from the scene. But she couldn’t find it in her to care, or even acknowledge, anything else at the moment. The unburied dead called to her, in their voices. The hauntings were starting already and the sounds coming from her frame, terrified even her.

He gritted his teeth against the pain, tightening his grip around her waist so that he could lift her off the ground, pulling away from her two dead siblings. Only moments ago the heavy weight of fear had come crashing down upon his shoulders, the sheer physicality of it hauling him back to his days on the battlefield. Phobos felt a part of him ache at Melinoë's screams, like daggers in his chest, he wondered why he had never reacted this way to the wails of death before.

"I'm here Mel." He whispered almost imperceptibly, knowing and hoping that she would not hear him. Blood dripped from his arms but it was nothing. He was created for such terrors.

Apollo returned from his sister’s side, his face uncharacteristically grim. He was not accustomed to such a tragedy. The wails of Madness pierced him, drove ice through his veins. They needed to get her out of here, wrong as it felt to take her from her siblings. He stopped for a moment beside Hercules, sharing a worried look before he whispered, “I think you better pull the car around,” and continued towards Melinoë and Phobos.

Reading the room and understanding his role, Hercules nodded at Apollo. “Right. I’ll do that.” And find Hebe, of course. She’d probably want to come, too. So that’s what he did, leaving Mel in Phobos and Apollo’s capable hands.

He knelt beside the pair, meeting Phobos’ eyes and for a moment, sharing in his concern. They both cared for the goddess before them, different as they were. Whatever game Phobos’ might’ve interrupted between he and Mel, it was irrelevant right now. The best they could do was help. “Mel, we need to go. Please. Come back to the Acropolis, and we’ll talk.” He did not dare to spill what Artemis had shared with him. If she was right, and a Norse blade had claimed the lives of Zagreus and Macaria, then war was brewing. Secrets would have to wait for the privacy of his walls.

Melinoë heard without listening, so wrapped up in still trying to get away that nothing else, no words or gestures would soothe the wounds inflicted on her. Her wails had slowed at least, a good sign no one could be so sure, but it was a start. Her grip on Phobos wasn't as vice-like though she refused to remove herself from him entirely. Anything to keep her grounded lest she spiral once more and who is to say she would come back down?

With a silent nod, a hiccup or two passing her lips, she tried to push herself to her feet, allowing Fear and the Sun to help her outside. She half expected it to be twilight, or even some form of night - all tragedies take place in the evenings, don't they? Bright light from the sun's rays fell like beams of light to the ground, a scattering of clouds to reflect the sour mood of the Death family. And to top it all off, raindrops plummeted to the ground not unlike her sibling's bodies what felt like eons ago. But when the warmth of the sun hit her face, drying the tear tracks on her skin she felt… sick. Though it didn't stop the series of mad giggles spilling from her.

"All the heavens will weep for you…" she mused through her twisted laugh, the sickening feeling taking root within her, refusing to let up, "It was the last thing I said to Macaria… before the Fall."

Her mutterings broke through the silence, only footsteps to accompany them. With a sigh, and a quick glance at Apollo, Phobos suddenly lifted Mel off the ground, cradling her in his arms. It wouldn't do if she fell before they had even reached the car, her gaze focused on places far away from here. The laughter, the strange words, it didn't perturb him. His sister did not fare well in this world and he had been the only one willing to deal with the messes she created. People broke like glass shattering and he had learnt long ago that gods were no different. It was sad but life was sad…he had no way to change this.

As they walked the rain fell atop his dark curls, dripping irritatingly onto his forehead. He let out a murmur of annoyance as he tightened his grip on the goddess, trying to shelter her from at least some of the rainfall. Where was the wonder boy?

As if like some sort of divine intervention, the roaring, purring engine of a red Ford Mustang pulled in front of the club. Hercules, the great wonder boy, drove and Hebe, Goddess of Youth, rocking shotgun. That’s what had taken him a bit longer than it normally would to bring his mustang around. He had to search for Hebe. After he had explained the situation to her and did the bare minimum of begging, he managed to convince her to come along. Mel needed them more than ever and he had one job, so he was determined to make sure he did it without fail.

“Someone order an uber?” Wonder Boy joked. Despite everything, that was one of his specialties: make people smile, laugh, or even just shake their head. If it raised spirits, bet your ambiguously greek ass he’d do it.

“Brother,” Apollo grunted a slightly more somber greeting, as he clambered into Hercules’ car, doing his best to remain unbothered by Phobos’ little show. I could’ve picked her up. He ran a hand through his once golden hair, massaging the rain drops into his wavy locks, and spared a worried glance at the goddess next to him. He resisted the urge to break the tension with a dark joke, instead choosing to lean forward as Phobos shut the door. “Back to the Acropolis. I’m starting to feel like this whole club is a giant fucking target,” Apollo said.

Leaning back, he hazarded another glance at Melinoë. He was not good with tragedies, never had been. He was the Sun. He was light and laughter and joy, and he did not like to focus on the sad stories, did not like to acknowledge that he too, was familiar with pain. “We will find whoever did this, Mel. No one strikes against us without repercussions, you know that.”

Being squished into the backseat of Hercules’ mustang wasn’t ideal, but Melinoë was the furthest from concerned about her comfort levels at this point in her day. It had started off shitty and only got worse. What’s a little cramped space going to do to her?

Apollo spoke to her, in the same careful and calm tone that Phobos had used just moments before he carried her like a swaddled babe. It was embarrassing, she remembers thinking. She could barely pick up the words spoken to her, soothing and warm, a feeling of home; of the old days swimming back to cloud her already distant gaze. Melinoë was very much aware of two pairs of eyes watching her like a hawk, probably to ensure there wouldn’t be any more damage done, to them or to herself. On some level she was sorry for that, it wasn’t her intention to harm them, but they needed to realize that all she wanted was to be there with her siblings. She didn’t want to leave their sides.

For a moment, Melinoë calmed, no longer trying to claw her way through the throng of immortal beings to get to her siblings. There wasn’t enough space in the muscle car for the three godly beings to sit comfortably, so instead of sitting in either one of their laps - of which she gathered would set them off into some kind of war - Madness laid there across the both of them, legs thrown across Apollo’s lap, curled up and just… there. While her top half rested neatly on Phobos’. She resigned herself to being this lifeless doll, staring up at the ceiling of Herc’s too small car; as nice as it was. Only ever flicking her gaze to catch the son of War watching her with a concerned look upon his face. A furrow in his brow. ‘It doesn’t suit him,’ she remembered thinking before turning her attention to the Sun incarnate. He too wore a look that was too far out of place for his jovial nature. It was unsettling to say the least, but there wasn't any notion within her to broach those topics for the moment. Instead she turned her gaze back to the fabric lining the roof of the backseat.

It wasn’t the most ideal, but what about today was?

The son of war mirrored these thoughts of the daughter of the underworld, wondering why he was even surprised by the levels of chaos that the gods seemed to attract. At least he was away from the crushing fear that had begun to permeate the country club. Though initially it had felt immense, he now felt guilty that part of him, probably the true him, basked in it. That could, if given a chance, work to make that fear more.

Inwardly sighing, he continued to look out of the window, having turned after catching Mel's gaze upon him. A hand resting near her head but not atop it. Pulling out his phone, he quickly brought up Hades' number. There wasn't much to say or ask, but Phobos was certain that he would worry.

To: Boss
Mel's safe. Let me know what I need to do.


His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the passing landscape, knowing that most of his family would be on the case. His father was likely on some sort of self-righteous rampage. He would help Hades if he needed it but Mel might want him to stay. Though he suspected not. It wasn't exactly the nature of their relationship and he'd been a bit of an asshole to her only moments before their bodies had fallen. Great job Phobos...

Hercules tried to focus on just driving. He and Hebe rode front, of course, but that didn’t mean it was easy to focus. He wanted to say something, say anything that would be a comfort to Mel. To help in any way that was in his power. He hated being so useless in the sense of that, but Apollo and Phobos had that handled. Everyone had a part to play in this. They were to help her by just being there and Hercules? His part was to make sure they made it to Acropolis in one piece.

It was a lot easier, but Hercules was rarely the time to solely focus. Maybe that’s why he had crashed into a streetlight earlier. Ironically, Hebe was next to him just like she is now. Circumstances might be different, but that single thought renewed his focus as they turned a left into the long winding driveway and he slowed down to a reasonable speed, something no doubt the others would note, especially with the impressive Casa de Hercules and Apollo -- AKA Acropolis -- in the immediate distance.

“Never fear, dearest friends! We are here!” Hercules announced as pulled into the circular part of the driveway, directly in front of the front door. Hebe’s door was the closest to it and Herc just smiled at her. “Pretty spankin pad, huh?” Sure, it might’ve not been the best time for jokes, but what else could he do? This was his thing. Some people excelled at being able to comfort people with emotional words and assurances, which was amazing in its own right. He wished he had the capacity for that or the ability to do it in an effective way. Sadly, Hercules wasn’t wired like that. What he could, however, was make people smile and laugh and lift their spirits up. And he took pride in that.

Hebe brushed away the tears that still marred her face as she let out a small laugh, Herc's words lightening the heaviness in her heart if only a little. "It's amazing..." She replied truthfully, before opening her door slightly. Hebe couldn't deny that her presence at Acropolis felt sort of awkward. She really didn't have any reason to be here but still, she knew she should do something, and she felt sure that Mel would not want them all hovering around her.

Leaning over to Herc, she indicated for him to come closer before whispering gently in his ear. "Um...maybe we should get Mel some water...and make sure her room is okay?" She shrugged her shoulders, the gesture uncertain. "Give her some time and space. At least...I think that's what I would want…"

“That’s a good idea,” Herc muttered. He got out of his car, which he dubbed Pegasus because a mustang is a horse and he missed Pegasus. He glanced towards the backseat. He knew he should say something. It would just be rude of him to not say anything. “You guys can hang tight. Me and Hebe are gonna go inside and make sure everything is situated, okay?” It was at this moment, his eyes went to Mel. “Just take your time. There’s no need to rush anything. Promise!”

Feeling that he did as good of a job as he could, Hercules closed the driver side door. As he glanced over at Hebe before rounding around the front he was at her side. “The crib awaits!” He gave her a small smile as he walked towards the entrance, keys in hand.

Apollo slipped out of the car. “I’ll start some food,” he said, leaving the door open behind him so that Phobos and Mel could follow. As he walked up towards the front door, he stopped and looked out onto the street. Theirs was a peaceful suburb, lined with magnificent homes too big for any one person. He’d always felt safe, here in this perfectly manicured slice of Seattle. Now, he was not so sure. Were eyes on them now, watching and waiting? He made a mental note to discuss upgrading security with Herc. Perhaps they’d grown too cautious in their comfort.

A @metanoia & @BrutalBx Collaboration
TIMESTAMP Monday || 6PM
Introducing Jessie James Milligan AKA Bluejay
Featuring Laura “Lamb” Costigan & Sonya Rossi

__________________________________________________


__________________________________________________

Well that was far from fun.

Lamb didn’t particularly enjoy being grilled by Daddy James and her own twin brother Clayton but she did understand why it had to be done. These new letters meant that the dark spotlight that had once been on Edenridge High class of 2020 had now shifted onto the class of 2016; her class. Even more specifically, the focus had been tuned to a group of people that were called the Elite. Lamby hated that name so much. There was nothing elite about them. They were just kids, same as everyone else. The only difference was that they happened to have the weight of the world on their shoulders thanks to the pressures of their names.

Laura spat on those names.

The young woman stood in the staff room bathroom, washing her face and freshening up for her soon to start shift at the Afterlife. She still had a little while before she had to begin work but Lamb liked to walk the floor of the club, get her bearings and the lay of the land. She was working the VIP section tonight but that didn’t mean that she shouldn’t know exactly what was happening elsewhere in the club. She was like her big brother in that sense, Lamby wanted to know everything so she could protect everyone. Nobody was going to hurt her girls, bet on that.

After drying off her face, the brunette foundling looked into the mirror that sat before her and checked her makeup. Appearance was everything, especially in her line of work. No wealthy punter wanted to be entertained by someone who didn’t look after themselves. She quickly reapplied some lipstick before blowing herself a kiss. ”On with the show”

Afterlife was huge, to the point on some nights it felt infinite. It did feel somewhat strange sometimes for Laura that this den of iniquity was once a place of worship, a place of God. Destroyed by a blazing inferno and rebuilt into a small slice of sinful paradise, many believed it was home for prostitution and drugs. Drugs maybe but not sex work. As a Hostess, Lamb’s job was not to fuck her customer (unless she wanted to) but simply to sit with them, entertain them, regale them with pre-made stories to wet their whistles and spend more money whilst she looked pretty. It was an easy gig really.

Walking out onto the club floor, the day drinkers were starting to funnel out of the bar to make way for the far more lively crowd that usually rocked in later in the evening. Then again, with a massive storm overhead, it could end up being a quiet night at the Afterlife. This was fine because Lamb had an extra special guest coming in before her shift really kicked off, her favourite cousin, JJ. She took a seat at the bar, the eyes of men and women already staring upon Lamy’s natural beauty as she was handed a complimentary Black Mojito from the bartender, her friend Sonya.

The lost Milligan girl, that’s what they called her some times, though she was seldomly lost. Jessie James always knew where she might end up. All her life she always knew where she might end up but she never bothered to plan out the journey. It was her way. It was how everyone from little, if not sometimes misguided by her lust, sister Bron to her favorite, less-guided-by-her-libido cousin, Lamb, knew her to be. Always sure about what she wanted but never about the fun that might be had along the way. One thing was certain, after nearly five years removed from her high school graduation, in 2016, not only had Bluejay made it home right before that storm had gotten too severe for her to drive in, but she managed to get to Afterlife.

As JJ strode into the club, wearing a skintight pair of leather pants, a black top that exposed part of her bust, and a blue leather jacket with bluejay emblem on the back, she made her way past the immediate crowd of day drinkers and wannabe playboys (they were on her as soon as they smelled her but she turned them down fast). She went straight for the VIP section and took a seat right at the bar, meeting the gaze of her cousin. “No need to wait any longer, Lamby - I am here~” JJ, in typical grandiose fashion and the somewhat dramatic woman she was, announced herself to her cousin.

Lamby turned in her chair, pulling down the hem of her little black dress to hide the height of her long legs so she could face the breathtaking blonde that was her mother’s sister's eldest and she smiled. Of course, Jessie James looked like an absolute badass. How could she not? She shared her name with one of the most legendary outlaws of all time and that was something that JJ definitely was herself; an outlaw. Her sister too. The Milligan’s were not burdened by the pressure of being Foundlings, much like the Costigan’s, even though their names were plastered all over town on bridges, buildings and streets. ”It’s been way too long, JJ”

Laura got up off of the chair and pulled her cousin into a tight embrace. God, she missed Bluejay. JJ was her person. The one she turned to whenever things were rough or she needed to just forget about the world. She was to Lamb what Avery was to Clay. And more sadly what Clayton himself should’ve been for her. She loved her big brother but their disconnect and inability to get over it was one of her greatest regrets. ”Well you look sexy as fuck” Releasing JJ from her arms, Lamb re-took her seat and turned to Sonya. ”Another special babe”

“I do, don’t I?” She responded with a half-smirk on her face. JJ was never one to be shy away about owning up to whatever anyone said about her, especially not her ride-or-die. She had been absolutely right about the amount of years that had passed since she’s even stepped foot inside Edenridge. She, of course, set as much time aside to meet up with Lamb as much as she could, but between the demands of college, losing time because of parties and other things that distracted her, it was damn near impossible, but she could have tried harder. That, at least, was something she was trying to rectify. “But me, what about you, Lamby? You’re working, yet here you are looking the best you always do.” She glanced at the bartender. “Doesn’t my cousin look amazing?”

Sonya slid the glass over to JJ with a wink and a smirk. “Drop dead gorgeous. The best girl we have here by a clear country mile” Her chocolate eyes took on the two beautiful cousins that sat before her. She had known both off and on for years. Being the daughter of the town's fire chief meant that despite her lack of Scott Street status, Sonya would be dragged to any and all charity functions her mother had to attend. This meant that she would often rub shoulders with the likes of the Elite and the crazy Milligan sisters. “If you’re ever looking for work, you should hit us up cowgirl. You’d fit right in” The Indian/Italian stunner comped off the drink on her register and then moved further down the bar to serve the next customer.

“Looking good is part of my job, babe” Lamby stirred her drink a little. She was doing her utmost to be in the moment with her cousin but she was struggling to shake off the cold, clammy feeling in her stomach that had been sitting there since Clay and his boss had left her.

She was under no illusions in the slightest. The minute Laura heard about the latest batch of the devil’s letters, she was expecting a visit from Clayton, both personally and professionally. It was his job. He had to ask her everything she knew but he also had to care. They were twins. They were supposed to be the same person. Yet whenever Lamby gazed upon David and Jamie, she knew that she and Clay would never have that “magic”, which was what Jamie called it. Laura had it with JJ though. Her outlaw cousin. In many ways, Lamby was the same. She could have ridden her family money to some easy gig. Instead she chose to entertain guests in a club. Maybe she was an outlaw too?

Sucking the air through her teeth, Lamby’s face switched to a large grin. ”Tell me everything. How’s college? Bron? How long you in town? Any hotties in the picture?”

JJ caught a small glimpse of what her cousin tried to hide. She couldn’t say what it may have been about, but there was definitely something in the air. The faint hint of anguish, but Lamb had always been proficient at switching gears. Guess it came with the job of being closer to that foundling royalty than JJ was herself. She didn’t think too much about it, though. As much as she wanted to ask, if her dear cousin wanted to talk about it with her, she would have.

“College is as good as it can be. Started going for my masters in business, but I might just cut my losses. Way more difficult than I anticipated.” Truth be told, JJ had another reason for not being able to focus. For a while now, a certain correspondence she had with someone she was enjoying -- a letter correspondence -- had stopped. She fell back into old habits that probably set her own self-worth back about a year or two. It was only recently she arranged…something. “I got back this morning. Spent some time with mom and Bron. Both are good. Mom misses you and her love is with you. My sister is as spunky as I remember. Maybe more so now that she’s older.” Bluejay laughed, thinking about how her sister had only gotten worse in that aspect. But she still loved her. Family was family and someone had to show her unconditional love. “No hotties, though -- least, not yet.” Maybe a lie, but JJ didn’t know how to really explain.

She took a sip of her radioactive blue cocktail that tastes sweeter than both outfits that her and her cousin were wearing combined. “Now your turn. How’s that doofus brother of yours been? Is he still chasing skirts?” She laughed at the memory that she had of him gaining quite the reputation when they were younger. It was hilarious to think about but also sad. She felt bad for Clay in that sense.

The curse of being a twin is that one is always asked about the other. Lamb and Clay were a package deal whether they liked it or not. ”Clay is still Clay, except he has a badge now” She took a sip from her drink and gazed out as more people began to fill out the VIP rooms. ”Yeah, big brothers a cop now and as far as I’m aware, still fucking Eden’s horny housewives and broken young clovers with daddy issues”

Laura really wanted to open up to JJ but to open Pandora’s box here and now in the club would be like that scene in Indians Jones and Jessie’s beautiful face would melt off. ”I don’t really know the details but I think he’s struggling right now, with the whole David letters that are making the rounds thing. That was his best friend. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for him to accept all the truths that go with that…” She drifted for a moment into the pool of thought. She really hoped that Clay would be ok. ”Anyway, I digress. I heard what you said; not yet, you are seeing someone aren’t you?”

Good old Clayton is a cop now? God help Edenridge. JJ knew her cousin was a good guy. Too goofy for her short temper sometimes and a damn fool otherwise, but she never had a problem with him. Certainly not as high as Lamb was, but he was still family. So, she felt for him. She wasn’t terribly close with David, but she couldn’t imagine what she’d do if she ever lost her rock that pulled her own of too many hard places to count, so she could at least understand what that hypothetical pain must feel like for Clayton. “Mom told me about the letters. Some secret lover or something?” She mused into her cocktail, taking a thoughtful sip of it. “They better catch the person who did this. It’s just awful!” A bit of anger came through, but JJ recovered quickly.

She took another sip as Lamb persisted on her love life. With a light chuckle, she gave her favorite cousin a shrug. “Not exactly. There is someone I’ve been talking to, but I wouldn’t say we are seeing each other in the way you’re thinking.” She thought about it and she wasn’t sure herself. Musing a thoughtful sound, she continued, “I mean, we’ve only been communicating through letters.”

“A pen pal? How nineties of you!” Laura pushed JJ’s shoulder slightly in jest as she laughed. “He’s not a serial killer is he? Like he’s not in jail?” It seemed that even in adulthood the fact remained the same. Jessie James had a habit of placing herself in the strangest and foolhardy situations that one might come across. Clay was an idiot. JJ was headstrong AF. Always had been. ”Just do me a favor? Meet this guy in a public place if you’re going to do it? This town is already full of horror stories and missing women, we don’t need another one. Especially not in our family. Knowing our luck it’ll be Clay who finds your body rolled up in a carpet under your ancestors bridge with the trolls” Lamby looked at her cousin for a minute, her face awashed with concern for a moment before replacing it with a smile. ”So what’s this guys deal? Why letters and not DM’s like a normal creep?”

She never thought of it as creepy. Maybe it was how intimate the correspondence was. An old fashioned approach versus how people now communicate with each other - not for a lack of trying said means, at least. “I tried, believe me, Lamby. I searched high and low on just about every social media site and app you could think of - popular and obscure. I couldn’t find him anywhere, so letters were the only option left.” She didn’t mind. It was nice to get back to basics. “And no, he’s not in jail. That was one of the first things he cleared up for me. He worked in construction or something like that. Real wordsmith, too.” As she started to talk about it, even if she wasn’t aware that she was blushing, her face did feel a little warmer. Her pen pal made some of those lonely nights at college bearable, when she wasn’t out and about.

”No socials?” Laura cocked an eyebrow. ”Total serial killer” The brunette could see how red Jessie’s face was getting. She really liked this guy, you could see it in the warmth in her face as she spoke about him. It didn’t make Lamb any less suspicious. No social media. Letter correspondence and a job in construction. Why would construction stop social posts? Or phone calls or anything like that? Laura certainly didn’t trust any of it but then again, she wasn’t a cop. She served drinks and flirted in a bar for tips. Perhaps once all the letter business was dealt with, Lamby would ask Clay to have a look into Blue’s secret admirer. ”At least, tell me he’s hot?”

Under normal circumstances, she lived for Lamb’s commentary. There have even been times when she joined in with her as some form of backup or something, but not this time. At her question, Jessie smirked and chuckled. “Unbelievably so. Has the dreamiest eyes you could imagine. And so fucking funny. You know how I like funny.” She laughed again.

”The way between a woman’s legs is definitely through her funny bone” Lamb tried to picture JJ’s mystery man in her head. A funny construction worker with dreamy blue eyes who was also apparently unbelievably hot….shit was Jessie James fucking Chris Hemsworth? Hot dang! ”Well I guess someone is a lucky girl. I hope it works out”

Lamby remembered a conversation she one had with Roddy. He was very clued you on the whole Edenridge curse thing and he had once told her just the curse of a Callahan was that they were destined to be lonely. Whether that stretched to the Costigan’s and the Milligan’s the hostess didn’t know but damn she could lie. She was lonely. Apparently, she was difficult to love. ”Maybe I’ll find Mister or Misses right tonight. I’ve got a full guest book”

“The night’s young, Lamby!” JJ smiled wide at her cousin, her best friend. “And you in that killer of a dress? You’ll have em’ lined up just waiting to get your time of day.” She knew just how phenomenal of a person Laura was. There was someone out there who would not only be hot enough to be by her side, but to capture her heart. “Trust me on this. Tonight is gonna be your night!” She wrapped her arm around her cousin’s neck, bringing her in close for a side hug.

Lamb embraced her cousin tightly. It was so nice to see her and it would be nothing short of amazing to have her back in town for any amount of time. She was her other half. The one that got her to the next day with a smile on her face. ”Love you Blue” Laura looked at the clock on the wall. It was time for her to start her evening shift. It was a shame she couldn’t hang out with JJ more than night but mama had to earn her dollar. ”I gotta go start my shift, JJ but we’ll catch up soon ok?” Lamb got to her feet and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her cousin's cheek. ”Be safe. I’ll drop you a message tomorrow and we’ll sort out another day for proper drinks. Love you” Waving, the Costigan girl entered into her “office” for the evening.

“Love ya more!” JJ hollered at her departing cousin.

She remained at the bar, ordering another blue lagoon cocktail for herself. She also took the liberty of ordering a beer. She saw what brands they carried here. Afterlife had most of the affordable ones, but she only went for the cheapest one. Bud Light seemed like a good choice. In the back of her mind, Bluejay wondered just how long she should remain here. That storm she saw looked kind of bad before she came to the club. But at the same time, she had endured worse weather conditions. Nothing ventured nothing gained, right.

Absentmindedly, she looked at her phone just to see what time it was. “Not late at all. I’ll give it a few more minutes.”

He hurried through the growing crowd of people. Even in a near tornado, the fact that the bar was swiftly filling up baffled him.That said it was likely most of these folk were coming in to simply hide from the weather and where better than a den of sin? He climbed the stairs of the Afterlife and finally parked himself on a stool next to the blonde. ”Sorry I’m late. Trying to get through traffic in that weather is absolute murder” Hyde’s deep blue eyes drank in the bombshell before his lips contorted into a rattlesnake smile.

”Hey there”

There was that smile - that smile that started it all. The smile that drew her in. If she was a moth, he might’ve been the flame to light her up, but instead he lit her up in very different ways. For a man who was so devilishly good looking, eyes that drew you in, and a smile that could kill, she was damn near shocked to her core that he would not want to show his face off to random strangers on the internet. Reaching out to him was hard because he was nowhere to be found - not until she received a letter like she was fucking Steve from Blue’s Clues. Then they got reacquainted. He was so charming, so eloquent, so damn attractive.

“You’re late, but I figured with the storm you might be, so I ordered your favorite.” She turned to face him. Maybe part of it was to show off what her shirt couldn’t hide, no doubt an attempt to make up for lost time, but really there were no real hidden intentions other than her getting comfortable. “Personally, I could never drink that, but people call me mad for liking my cocktails as radioactive as Chernobyl. So who am I to judge?”

”Every fire needs a fuel, just so happens yours is chemical waste. Nothing wrong with that” Hyde breathed in Blue’s facade for the evening. In the time the pair had been away and separate she had most certainly gotten more attractive. He wouldn’t hide the fact that he was checking out every curve, every contour. Her body had tightened and toned, she obviously worked hard for that. There was a new, very subtle hint of red in her hair that was not too dissimilar to his own. JJ had always been beautiful, even when he knew her about her lifetime ago. The main difference was that back then, he wouldn’t have known what to do with someone like Blue. Now things were different, now he knew exactly what she wanted and what she deserved.

Hyde grabbed a hold of the beer that the Milligan girl had ordered for him. Perhaps its ice cold taste would calm the raging inferno that had been blazing through his skull since his visit from the woman he sadly called his mom? He raised his glass in celebration. ”Cheers. To old friends and new adventures”

She hid nothing from him. Not the fact she had purposely come to the club knowing full well she would meet up with him nor the fact that she wanted to highlight her body. She also could tell he would look. She played the subtle game but she wasn’t blind. It was going to be a good night and the many days that would follow, Bluejay knew it in her heart that she had come home at just the right time. Raising her glass up and clinking it with his, she smiled, giving the man with the dreamiest eyes her undivided attention. “And to unforgettable memories!”

Here's how I've always looked at it: I insert pieces of my life into my characters. Male, female - it doesn't matter. That's how I've always created my character. I use pieces of my life either as a building block for characters I create or as inspiration. Same for tropes. I use them as stepping stones. Sure it is easier to write female characters because that's a perspective a lot of writers (rpers, authors - you name it) like to toy with regardless of their biological gender. Everyone likes confident, badass heroines in their stories. SOmetimes there's a bias and sometimes it's nuanced, but at the end of the day, whether you're a man writing as a woman or a woman writing for as a man, there's nothing wrong with that.

I can certainly tell you I've never run into anyone having any problems with me writing for my opposite gender (I'm cismale for those curious). Sometimes people didn't like my writing style or the characters I made, but that's not really the point of this thread. I've never had to explain why I do it, but for the sake of conversation, I don't have a reason why other than sometimes I have ideas and I try and execute them the best I can. In my 14+ years of writing for fun (including roleplaying), I have never needed a reason past that.
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