Closed Starter ⊹₊ ⋆ @cxrsedmuse Muse ⊹₊ ⋆ Gabriela Chavez Location ⊹₊ ⋆ charity

hearing the other voice caused her shoulders to jolt upwards, wiping her tears, she sniffed before letting out a sigh. "no, not really. pretty sure the only person who has seen me cry is my husband. which has been in our house and never in public." this all felt like a new low, of course she'd dealt with much worse. being a demon who brought souls wasn't exactly an easy or decent job. yet, she would rather be doing that than know that her family was in danger. "just got a lot going on and really not sure how to handle any of it, but i'll figure it out."

looking up at the other, she noticed the cigarette and decided to give into temptation. "do you have any more of those?" the only thing the demon smoked was for medical purposes but right now the smell seemed to provide calm.

Cigarette smoke swirled upward from the ash tray on his desk as he read over the current file he'd been working on. Typical work like always, some husband wanting to catch his wife in the act of cheating or vise versa. It seemed like no one in New Orleans had the desire to be faithful. At least not the seedy fools who came slinking into his office. It always ended the same way, even the ones seeking truth were often unfaithful as well, just looking for a reason to feel better about their own actions.

Tired, and with a headache that made reading the small printed text nearly impossible, he stood up, placed the still it cigarette in his mouth, and stepped out of the office. Down the internal steps and out the front door, he walked with the cigarette hanging from his lips, checking his phone and barely looking where he was going. That was the typical routine. He always had unread notifications from girls he'd hooked up with once or twice (never three times), or clients looking for updates on cases he hadn't broken yet. For the most part, all of them went ignored.

As he strode out of the office building and toward the water to enjoy fresh, clean air along with his cigarette smoke, he caught the sound of someone crying. His bread and butter, truly. Unlike some men who loved to pray on the emotionally unstable for romantic purposes, Heath had realized early in his career that these were the people who needed his help most. They had cases, they had issues, they had problems that only a sneak like Heath could solve.

He came to a stop next to the emotionally distraught person and flicked the cigarette ash onto the ground. Taking a long drag, he exhaled and said, "You alright?" Clearly they were not alright, but hey I noticed you sobbing from across the street was not a good entry into conversation with a stranger.

'Cause yesterday, I felt like dancin' Tomorrow, maybe I'll cry Today, I feel like watchin' So let them walk on by, yeah Oh, today, I don't feel like talkin' Oh, soak me into the walls And I'll just watch the world go I'll watch you pass on by, yeah

eleanor never actually made it into the ball, her nerves not allowing her to go any further than the steps, but with the events that unfolded she was now thankful. once seeing everyone else run, she decided to follow. there was one place she knew to go, the magic shop that she often visited before her death, a place she hadn't been in years. yet she knew the way and stumbled in, with messy hair and labored breaths. "yeah, i saw that but hunters they attacked the ball and everyone was running and i used to come here all the time so i thought it would be safe." the woman was rambling, a nervous tick some may say, but she had grown to just consider it part of her personality. "i'm sorry, really, i just need a moment."

fear swirled in her mind, wondering if everyone was safe that she cared for. then she began to curse herself for being such a coward and running away. tears filled her eyes and she allowed her shoulders to slouch forward in sadness.

open start ♔ @inaducursehqstarter location ♔ enchanted emporium bonnie's shop during 6/20 plot drop

something  was  wrong.  she  could  feel  it  in  the  very  air,  an  oppressive  heaviness  that  seemed  to  cling  to  her  skin ┈┈   weaving  through  the  magic  that  enveloped  them  all.     there  had  been  a  time  when  she  longed  for  simplicity ┈┈   when  lifting  feathers ┈┈   lighting  candles,  and  coaxing  plants  to  grow  were  the  pinnacles  of  her  magical  prowess.  she  reminisced  about  her  travels,  the  joy  of  discovery,  and  seeing  the  world  alongside  the  man  she  loved.  but  now,  especially  recently,  a  restlessness  churned  within  her  soul ┈┈   a  silent  call  from  the  spirits  that  echoed  in  her  bones.  they  sought  a  bennett  witch  ┈┈   and  she  felt  the  pull  keenly.  was  it  foolish  to  want  to  answer?

with  a  flick  of  her  wrist  ┈┈   one  of  the  tomes  flew  off  the  shelf  of  her  quaint  shop  on  to  the  counter  before  her,  its  pages  fluttering  open  under  her  magical  command.  her  eyes  narrowed  as  the  door  creaked  open  ┈┈   an  unwelcome  intrusion  into  her  sanctuary.  "pretty  sure  that  sign  says  we're  closed,"  she  called  out,  her  voice  laced  with  warning.  her  magic  ignited  at  her  fingertips  ┈┈    shimmering  with  a  readiness  to  be  unleashed.

"of course, your dad and i are willing to help you with whatever you need. what you are is still new to both of us, being a mix of demon and werewolf, it means that you have abilities we both do." finishing her drink, gabbi let out a soft sigh. not happy that kaya had threatened raymis, he most likely would retaliate, but she also knew that he was able to press too far. make you say and feel things that weren't exactly what you meant, anything for him to stop. "no he didn't like that, but don't worry i will speak with him. we haven't talked in a really long time and i was hoping to never see the man again. but life can't be that sweet i guess."

twirling on the bar stool, they eyed the dance floor and watched as others began to enjoy the night. "have you tried any of the fancy food? i had a few salmon puffs and maybe one day i can perfect that recipe." she decided to make jokes, enjoy the night for what it was. there was no way she'd be making salmon puffs, the family was normally eating crawfish boils and other new orleans favorites. it wasn't fancy but it was enough.

Kaya listened to her mother talk with sympathy and understanding. She knew that both of her parents had been through the ringer. That was part of the reason why she didn't like to trouble them so much with the goings-on of her own life. She never wanted to be a burden or cause them too much stress.

"I'd never felt anything like that before. I honestly think this is the first time I've used my like, demon powers, or whatever. Maybe after the masquerade, you could teach me more about all this stuff. And Dad, too. I don't really know what's going on with me lately, Mom." She took a small sip of her drink, already feeling the effect of the shots coming on. "No, no. That was it, just tried to scare me. I did also threaten him, and I don't think he liked that so much."

open starter ⊹₊ ⋆ @inaducursehqstarters muse ⊹₊ ⋆ gabriela chavez location ⊹₊ ⋆ french quarter farmers market plots ⊹₊ ⋆ utp

every other sunday, gabriela would go to the local farmers market, to pick up new produce for the bed and breakfast that tyler and her ran. the night before had been restless, tossing and turning as the a curse began across the city. doing their best to not yawn, gabi took a sip of her iced latte while examining a new batch of tomatoes. looking for just the right one, she reached for the same bright orange berry. pulling back, they gestured toward the other to take the fruit themselves. "you can have it, looks like there is another one just like it."

this was so easy, the way their fingers interlocked, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. a surge of warmth ran through her body, it being so intense that she also felt chills. she'd never felt this way before, like she was meant to be near someone and not because she needed to protect them, but because she needed to know more. for a moment, it seemed as if the two were floating on air, their bodies closer than most on the dance floor, josie's thumbs rubbed small slow circles on the sides of her waist as they swayed to the music. pure bliss, was the only way to describe the feeling that was bubbling in her chest.

a smile crept on her once pursed lips, noticing the way the others cheeks began to turn pink, or at least the part of her cheeks she could see. something which josie matched after the compliment benni gave. "thank you, i....." she was cut off, as screams began to replicate through the dance floor. looking the other in the eye, she began to speak sternly. "hey, we gotta get out of here. i saw a room with a big window in the back, everyone is going for exits so let's head that way." gripping benni's hand, she waited for a response, hoping the other would trust her.

" i won't step on your toes i promise, " benni joked with a gentle laugh. once their hands met, benni instinctively interlocking their fingers with the other's as she was moved closer. that pervious draw to the other woman seemed to only heighten as they were pulled into her orbit. as if there was some shift in benni's gravitational field and it was no longer the ground that kept her in place, but their intertwined hands. while it was an entirely knew feeling for the human, one that she would certainly investigate once it passed, for once, let herself just feel.

another soft laugh bubbled from her lips as the woman spoke once more. " my batting average isn't too shabby, " humor with the tiniest indication of deflection as the compliment brought the faintest hint of a flush to her cheeks. one that was mostly hidden under the mask resting over her features. " but, many are not as stunning as you. " even with the inability to properly see her under the mask, the comment was not hyperbole.

VANESSA MORALES outfits part one, IN THE HEIGHTS ( 2021 ).

there were very few people who hadn't reacted with wide eyes and a dropped jaw as eleanor walked into the room, one of them happened to be felicity. this wasn't exactly that weird to witness when your family had done similar things for centuries. so despite all the anxious energy that filled the streets of new orleans, there was still this content energy that wasn't shocked by a person crawling out of her grave. right now, it was all that elle could handle every other type of environment overwhelmed her senses.

art was important to the gerard family, how could it not be when you've lived so many lives and seen it evolve? so as the two settled into comfortable conversation, the busy world around them began to melt. feeling as maybe the world didn't have to be as terrifying as eleanor thought. yet it couldn't be denied, the eerie feeling in the air that never left since the power went out, only to mysteriously come on. a chill ran down her spine, causing her eyes to grow wide. "sorry, i'm still adjusting to having a pulse." elle admitted, ever since coming back, she had become hyper aware of her heartbeat. the way it would quicken when someone gave her a certain look on the street. it caused her to feel vulnerable in such public places.

Felicity looked up and, upon recognizing the familiar face before her, a smile of recognition tugged at the corners of her lips. "Oh, hey there! I'm sorry, I was so zoned in I didn't even notice you," she said apologetically, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Her friend chuckled softly, a warmth in their eyes as they responded, "No worries, you looked really focused. What are you drawing this time?" they asked, leaning in to get a better look at Felicity's sketchbook.

As Felicity eagerly shared her latest project, the two friends settled into an easy conversation, the bustling energy of the coffee shop providing a comforting backdrop to their reunion. In that moment, Felicity felt grateful for the interruption that had brought them together and looked forward to the shared moments of creativity and connection that awaited them.

@inaducursehqstarters

the boy before her seemed more worried than most while shopping at the farmers market. normally, people were care-free knowing that it was the last few hours before heading back to the working week. taking a small package of blueberries out of her bag, she then handed them over to charlie with a grin. "here you go, i bought a lot of them earlier. planning on making some type of cobbler but i got way too many so i'd rather them not go to waste."

giving the other another glance, she realized why he looked so familiar. "are your parents hayley and elijah?"

Charlie looked down at the piece of paper that had his father's shopping list on it. Blueberries weren't on the list. He had been told to stick to the list and only the list. "I'm sure," he replied, as he surveyed the items he had gathered.

He knew that the blueberries weren't on the list, but he couldn't resist the temptation. "I'll keep that in mind for next time, but it's for my father. He won't mind if I don't pay full price," he responded with a shrug of his shoulders as he grabbed his order and started to put it into his backpack. "Maybe I'll have to try the blueberries next time," he thought to himself, already planning his next excursion to the store.

it was far too early for gabriela's face to show the exact amount of excitement that ran though her body once elena pulled out the extra coffee. machine coffee was the bane of the demons existence, it provided no actual energy and tasted burnt. taking the cup as if it was treasure, she smiled sweetly at the other, grateful to be so in sync.

"I mean unless someone that was raised from the dead was really bad, like not a demon who fell in love and is grumpy about life in general." before meeting tyler, gabi's life was filled with violence and moments that would stick with her for the rest of her life. even if she managed to do good things now, it would never erase the things they did. only few knew that she was a demon, not wanting it to get around town, it wasn't easy to explain. "does uhh damon know that you are part of the faction? cause i haven't told tyler yet, but i plan to when he comes home..." she trailed off a smirk on her lips. "it will probably be the next morning when i actually manage to say something."

Elena leaned back into the car and pulled out a second coffee. "Call it intuition," she said as she handed it over to her friend. She was going to use it to bribe the morgue guy, but she had other tricks up her sleeve if necessary.

As they walked into the hospital, Elena scanned her badge and let them into the service elevator that would take them downstairs. "Yeah, I don't believe it, either. Unless we're missing something, it seems like the dead that have been raised are innocent." She thought about Summer, certainly she wasn't out there killing witches and vampires, right? "It's too close to be a coincidence, but why would they raise the dead and then kill more supernatural?" Whoever was behind the recent goings on had to have some kind of master plan, and Elena was determined to figure out what it was.