"are You Okay" No Can We Change The Topic Before I Start Oversharing

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.”

"listen i know i tend to drink a lot but i do remember the important things." she said sarcastically. as she grabbed a fork from leon she shook her head, "no, i was waiting to be with you when i tried it. that way if it was gross i could give you hell for hyping it up so much." she teased while plating the food for the both of them. it felt like how things used to be back home with leon. she loved going out and traveling but most of her favorite nights were spent at their apartment with him and stevie. the thought of how things used to be made her a bit sad at how badly she'd messed it all up. "we should eat on the balcony. it's not too hot out tonight and i've been dying to see the view in person."

the nickname doesn't go unnoticed and a wave of nostalgia hits him. it's been a while since he's heard the word blondie. flashing images of their life back in new york speed through his head. the late-night conversations, drinks in bars, fucking in the car, her beautiful face when she's just woken up. "i did, didn't i?" he chuckles softly as he opens the container and the smell of pastel de choclo invades the kitchen. "i'm guessing you haven't tried it then." the man grabs two plates and silverware from the cupboard on the wall in front of them. maybe he's stalling. he doesn't want to have the inevitable conversation. it's looming upon them, like an elephant in the room. but for fuck's sake, leon doesn't want to burst this bubble.

"well if it's through a rescue then i think it'll be okay! maybe i can make a donation somewhere?" salem said as she gently rubbed behind the ears of a smaller black cat that resembled stevie. she wondered if there was a local animal shelter she could bring supplies to or donate some money to. "see, when i got stevie i adopted her from a shelter as a kitten. i almost ended up taking her and all her siblings but i knew it would be too much." which if you asked salem was probably the best day of her life (hopefully) winning a grammy one day would come second to that though. "so i'd much rather adopt or pick up a stray kinda like boat cat." pausing for a moment, "even though i technically stole her too, but we have a custody thing worked out. wait--how many cats do you think is too many cats? would three make me seem a little crazy?" chuckling at the last part before focusing her attention on an older grey cat wylie pointed out. "he does seem chill. i wouldn't mind an older cat actually they're usually more relaxed. stevie is still so active so maybe he could mellow her out a bit."

"i think so?" wylie never had a pet before jinxx meowsoon - certainly not during their childhood; they took up too much time, according to their mom. and while dogs seemed like - a lot to handle - wylie could do a cat. jinxx mostly just knocked shit over, played with stray feathers, and slept in a sprawled position. he knelt against the ground, scratching behind the ear of an older, scraggily black cat with patches of sparse fur, "like, i think it's like, um - like through a rescue, maybe? so the cats like, get awareness brought to them and then, like - patrons can adopt a cat if they're like - vibing with it? they do it in the states in some places, don't they? i mean, it'd be nice, i think, too - to like, adopt a cat cafe cat. strays are cool, though! my cat's a stray, but like - going through a rescue is good, too. as long as you're like, not paying a buncha money for like - a purebred cat, because i don't know if that's like - the most ethical? i don't know, i know for dogs it's like, really iffy. and i feel bad for the cats with the like, pushed in noses -" they paused - acutely aware of their tendency to ramble on, and the fact that he'd been doing exactly that. "- sorry. anyways - yeah. i think you can - you like this one? he looks, like - cool. chill. epic, maybe."

KIANA LEDÉ for Grudges Tour Merch

♡ kiana ledé via tiktok ( kianalede )

salem didn't intend on stealing rohan's cat, technically, but when she came across the cute orange creature she assumed it was a stray and had the bright idea to bring home a friend for stevie. her brain was buzzing with ideas for how the two cats could play and the matching outfits she'd already been plotting on putting them in. secretly she was hoping no one would come looking for it but after some back and forth in the group chat salem realized she did in fact already have a home. the owner in question though was unfortunately it was rohan.

"actually, it's me being a good cat mom and it's you being a horrible cat dad by letting her roam so far i was able to snatch her up. you couldn't pull yourself away from the ocean for two seconds to check on her? truthfully i think she’d be better off with me." salem replied sarcastically as the two sat on her couch observing the napping cats. "you know, if i didn't believe in karma i would have stayed silent in the groupchat but i'd be inconsolable if my cat, stevie which is her name by the way, went missing and i couldn't find her."

closed  starter  for  SALEM  (  @cybermuses  ) location  :  wherever  the  kitty  cats  are  at  right  now  lmfao

-ˋˏ ꒰ 🐚 ꒱ ── boat  cat  does  look  comfortable,  curled  up  in  the  basket,  sleeping  next  to  the  second  cat,  the  black  one,  exactly  like  the  picture.  it's  a  fact  rohan  can't  deny.  he  never  worried  that  she  was  in  the  wrong  hands, really the cat has always come and gone as she wanted,  but  he  did  have  a  lot  of  questions  that  were  left  unanswered  :  how'd  she  get  here  ?  where  did  salem  come  across  her  ?  did  she  know  anything  else  about  this  little  orange  cats  other  alter  egos  ?

"  so  is  this  like.  .  .  some  kind  of  messed  up  cat psychological experiment  thing  ?  "  he  asks  her  dubiously,  "  you  just  go  out  onto  the  street  looking  for  other  unsuspecting  cats  and  then  play  matchmaker  ?  bring  them  home,  set  them  up.  .  .  "  he  gestures  vaguely  towards  the  napping  cats  with  his  hand.  that's  a  weird  hobby,  he  thinks,  ever-curious  to  see  just  how  the  tabby  ended  up  in  this  most  recent  situation.  "  hope  they  live  happily  ever  after  ?  "  he  points  to  the  second  cat,  the  culprit  in  question,  "  can  i  least  know  their  name  or  is  that  an  impolite  thing  to  ask  ?  " 

salem wasn't sure what exactly was in a terremoto but after taking the first sip it already tasted significantly better than the everclear. "this is tasty which is probably super dangerous considering i could easily down like ten of these..." she sipped on the drink as esme spoke and shrugged, not really wanting to admit staying away from him was much easier said than done. "it's just so hard. im very out of sight out of mind when it comes to people but the more im away from him the more i miss him. that's actually super fucked up when i say it out loud isn't it?" taking another sip of her drink she nodded. "honestly? yes but i kinda feel like he's better off without me sometimes. did i mention how amazing this drink is by the way?" salem said slurring her words a bit, her body starting to feel warm from the alcohol.

            esme  has  to  think  about  that  one  for  a  moment.  she  doesn't  think  everclear  is  actually  ... sold in  chile,  you'd  have  to  get  it  from  out  of  country,  "  short  answer ? probably  not.  i'll  make  you  something  tastier,  don't  worry  –  no  promises  it  won't  get  you  just  as  fucked  up,  though.  "  she  slides  salem  a  very  pretty  terremoto,  because  if  she's  going  to  get  her  drunk  she's  going  to  do  it  kindly.  the  look  for  reassurance  has  esme  looking away, unable  to  help  the  little  cringe  she  does  with  her  face,  nose  scrunched  up,  "  i  mean  – will  you  ? you  said  that  last  time.  where  are  we  now ? "  she  leans  against  the  counter,  propping  her  chin  on  her  hands,  "  do  you  want  to  get  back  with  him ? or  was  that  kind  of  a  ...  '  just  for  funsies  '  thing ? "

kiana ledé via instagram stories

she chuckles at the knight and shining armor comment. salem's not really sure how to act around birdie now. typically she'd try to play it cool and be flirty but subtle about it but she would be lying if she said she wasn't already pretty down bad for the other. "well --i'll just tell her buying it was my lame attempt at trying to spend more time with her cousin. she can't be disappointed in that." she replied with a smirk before scanning over the selection of plants. "you mean the swiss cheese plant? a monstera would actually be perfect for you." she took a moment to glance over at the other before quickly looking back at the plants. "it's super easy to care for plus with my help there isn't any possible way you could really murder it. since i'll be over to water it and stuff you'll have like maybe twenty-percent responsibility." try to relax salem she thought to herself. soemthing had to be done to break the awkward tension between the two.

                ꒰ა   ♡  ໒꒱  --—  ‘  if  it’s  for  you  ‘  rings  in  birdie’s  ears  and  they  feel  like  hiding  behind  the  huge  pot  in  front  of  them.  their  face  heats  up,  right  up  to  their  ears,  and  for  a  second  they’re  grateful  salem  can’t  really  tell.  “  awww,  for  me  ?  my  knight  in  shining  armor.  —  nah,  it’s  fine,  avivas  not  that  scary  when  she’s  mad.  more  like,  kind  of  hurtful  because  you  can  tell  she’s  disappointed  and  exasperated,  you  know  ?  “  they’re  rambling  a  bit,  which  is  normal,  but  —  well,  she’s  overthinking  everything  she’s  doing  right  now.  they’re  not  used  to  being  so  nervous  around  salem,  but  it  may  be  their  new  normal.  hands  on  her  hips  she  nods,  scanning  the  plants  in  front  of  them,  “  we  could  get  a  palm  tree  —  no,  too  big.  not  an  inside  plant.  want  one  of  the  huge  monsteras  ?  “  much  better.

status: open @valpostart location: cerro barrón street market

"i love this place, i absolutely love it." salem said enthusiastically to the other while holding up her bag of treasures. she'd spent most of the morning at the street market shopping around for things to put in her temporary place in viña del mar to make it feel a little more like a home to her. to no surprise though she mostly purchased jewelry and a few articles of clothing for herself. "i know i'm probably going overboard and i look like such a fucking tourist but i'm a sucker for hand made things. why aren't you as excited as i am?" she said slightly offended the other wasn't sharing her excitement.