Repose

[Locked to Sam M]

So, decide on any New Year's resolutions I ought to hold you to?

[Locked to Cris M]

Hello Cris. How are you? How have things been since New Year's?

[Locked to Daniel W]

Hello Daniel.

[Public]

Looks like I missed out on letters from the past.

[Several days into the new year, when she's finally received all of her gifts, had a chance to look through everything, and hide it. Then she has to go through the process again, as she's moved from one level of the center to another. They tell her that the first part of her stay there is over, that her withdrawl dymptoms should start to ease, but there are still so many that linger. Nevertheless, she gets a new (not quite so spartan or supervised) room. And a tiny step up in "freedoms".]

[Dahlia]
hey. wanted to thank you for teh books. i'm still working my way throuhg the first one because my attention gets kinda fucked up, but so far so good. [...] i really apreciate it.

[Patrick]
[She's not the best at drawing, and her lines are a little shaky in addition to that, but she manages a "big-circle, two-little-circles" version of a mouse and puts eyes and a smiley face on it. Then it gets a speech bubble:]
thank you for the cute mouse. i keep it on the little shefl right by my bed in my new room. it makes me smile when i look at it.

[Daniel]
[This gift was unexpected in every way, and it means she doesn't quite know what to say in thanks. The necklace itself has been hidden as well as she can, tucked in her things. She's honestly suprised that they actually gave it to her, box and all.]
daniel,
thank you for the nekclace. it's beautiful. i hope you didn't spend too much on it, as i cant give a gift in return right now. i dont know when i'll have a chance to wear it but i'll keep it safe until then.
thank you,
marta (sunshine)

[The Martins]
thank you guys so much for the gifts. i'm not sure whne i'm going to get a chance to use any of it, but hopefully before anything expires. you really didnt need to get me anything, but thank yuo for doing it.
-marta

[Aedan]
aedan,
thank you os much for everything you sent to me for christmas. i think they didn't want to give me the tea, but they couldn't find anythign wrong with them, so i did get them. i'm kinda hiding all the food for now but i had jsut a little of the peanut butter fudge. i dont go outside yet, but i've been wearing everything else.
thank you,
marta

[Steve]
thank you again for evverything you got for me for christmas.
-marta

[After this.]

[Locked to Sam A]
Hello.

Who: Sam & Eames
What: A life-model class
Where: University, the Capital
When: Nowish, evening
Warnings/Rating: Language

Sam wasn't taking classes this semester. She had a job on offer for the art department's gallery, and she was totes doing that nights weekly for a few hours. She had to come into the Capital to feed, yeah? So she might as well, and the department had some really gorgeous shit in their collection. It also meant she got to use the studio space at the school, which was open 24/7, and she could sit in on classes if she wanted. So, yeah, she wasn't TAKING classes, but she did go to the modeling classes sometimes. She mostly liked sketching people on the street, huh? Without them knowing she was capturing them, but it was ok to do models sometimes. Tonight, she was doing it for a REASON, tho, and it had nothing to do with art.

Ok, so some punks had totes harassed Leo, and Sam was feeling hella protective of Leo, so it wasn't like she could just let them get AWAY with it so. So, yeah, nah, she'd taken her ass over to Uber Burger on 29th and Grove, and she'd found the bitches that had roughed Leo up, and she'd scared the FUCK out of them. She got them in the dark, outside the place and with a streetlight knocked out, and she'd shown them a hella lotta fang. And Sam was fast, yeah? She'd shown up behind them, in front of them, and she'd mojo'ed the fuck out of them until they were totes locked in their own trunk and screaming to be let out, and THAT was THAT. Ok, so she maybe made it so they didn't really remember her face, and THANKS, D for being a good teacher.

But, yeah, alibis and plausible deniability (she wasn't married to a cop for nothing), so she was seated at a canvas and dressed sloppy, while the evening's model did their thing on the chair in the front of the semi-circle of artists.

[Sam & Cris M]

[There is a long, long line of :D!]

[Damian W & Misha B]

I know it's New Year or whatever but I hope your Christmas was/is awesome.

[Jason W]

scale of one to ten, how much did it suck?

[Cat C]

you're super fucking generous.

[Eddie N/Steph M]

was it at least a good Christmas?

[Clary House]

hey, was your Christmas merry and bright? because mine was totally awesome. and thanks, P. I'm basically marathoning Stranger Things because weird-ass town, it felt right. when does Newt move in?

[For Sam, all things ugly and cute. First, these little critters. Along with this mug and finally a sweater.

The card is simple, with only a Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy! scribbled inside.]

[No presents from her this year, but she can at least send messages on the forum. All the same, but each is locked separately (except Sam and Cris, which is locked to both of them).]

[Individual Locks to: Patrick, Destiny, Dahlia, Aedan, Sam/Cris, Daniel, Jude, ...and Seven]

Merry Christmas. And Happy New Year.
-Marta (Sunshine)

[Locked to Sam M, Lou D, Iris M, Manning T, Leo B, Dawn L, Daniel W]
Okay, so what's the plan? We can't host without bringing down the ceiling, so who's volunteering this late in the game?

[Locked to PJ R]
Hey, PJ, how you doing?

[Locked to Oliver K]
Oliver, you got plans for Christmas?

[Locked to Holly R]
Hey, chica.

[Locked to Jason W]
How's it going?

[Locked to Stephanie M]
Hey, chica, you got plans for Christmas?

Who: Cris, Daniel, Sam
What: A prezzie that will probably go all kinds of wrong
Where: Above Webster's Music
When: Nowish
Warnings/Rating: Vamps and language

Sam thought this was a great idea, yeah?? She hadn't seen Daniel in a while, and she could tell he was messed up and sad and drunk, but none of that deterred her. She was bouncy chaos in smudged eye-makeup, a heathered tee, jeans and Docs. Gone was the girl that had minded even the slightest nip of cold. She didn't even wear a jacket, yeah? Her fingers were bedecked in loud rings painted cheery pastels, and her hair was a mess. Her jeans rode low and loose, and there were vestiges of portraiture in the oil paint that declared itself in random spatters along denim and black boots.

But, yeah, she thought this was a good idea. She was trying to reconnect lately, ok? It felt like hugely important to her, and she didn't know why. It was like she'd somehow drifted the fuck away from everyone, or everyone had drifted the fuck away from her, and maybe that was just clarity wrapped in bloodlust or something. She was different now. She got that, yeah? It wasn't that the damage was like GONE, but it kinda was. She didn't see scars when she looked in the mirror anymore, and she was more concerned about the gaping maw blood-hunger left in her belly than she was in wishing for the days of needles. So, yeah, different. Anyway, she wanted to see Daniel, and Daniel was whining about wanting to be human, and Cris could do that.

Merry Christmas, huh? She stopped outside the music store, and she wondered if a vampire-someone needed to be invited INTO another vampire's house. No fucking clue, so she looked over at Cris, and then she tipped her head back and YELLED at the upstairs window. "CAN I COME IN???!!!"

Gin fueled can’t sleep thoughts by yours truly. I know you’ve all missed me and my views on the world. Sorry, I got weirdly into football.

Hobby horse jousting but on roller skates. Yay or nay?

I’m glad they made Gaston 200 more times evil in the live action movie because I’d have bit right into that. Madame Gaston? Yes please.

I counted all my hats. Guess how many I have.

I literally live in a B&B down the street from my actual house. But now I can say things like “I’m going up north for the weekend” even if it’s like spitting distance north.

I spilled gin on the carpet.

I once had a rabbit that looked like Winston Churchill. She was a girl but I named her Winston anyway. I called her Winnie.

What kind of cookies does everyone want me to burn for Christmas?

Hi, Sam.

[Leo waited in front of the big rusted gate that surrounded of the factory. He wore his beanie, fingerless gloves and a thick jacket in case he accidentally brushed up against a rusty nail. That happened once, back in Italy as they were exploring old mills, and nothing in memory was as physically painful. He didn't want to make the same mistake here, looking like some kind of newbie detective in front of his sister.

They agreed on early evening and during the winter it got dark fast. The sky turned amber and then in a blink of an eye it was inky black. Out here, the only light that could be seen were from yellow, dying street lamps and washed out stars. Leo couldn't even pinpoint the moon, which was probably hiding under a thick blanket of clouds.

The ground was frosted with snow, just enough to crunch under foot. Cold. This was going to make searching a little more dangerous and they'd have to be faster about it. Leo didn't think much would come out of tonight. He imagined a document that didn't point to anyone living, a relic that couldn't be the source of a murder that only happened a few years ago. His hopes had to be incredibly low, a safety net, so that he wouldn't be hurt from no strings to pull on.]

[Newt P.]

A word?

[Call to Sam.]

Ring.

[Locked to Cris M]
HEY. I'm gonna meet up with Leo in the Capital. Also there's some weird shit on the air, like something strange feeling, but it was gone fast or whatever. IDK. OH! And Leo is buying us a fryer and we're gonna invite his GF over for dinner. We'll invite Lou and Iris too, and Manning and the kids, but IDK if they're gonna wanna come. And I have NO IDEA where we're gonna find the room for this, so, yeah, that's on YOU. ;)

[Sam M]

Where are the good chicken wings in this godforsaken place?

[Dawn L.]

Hey.

[Public]

This town without anything weird happening is like Mario without his mustache. It's somehow more weird?

Who: Sam & Dawn
What: Checking out Leo's gf
Where: The flower shop
When: Nowish
Warnings/Rating: It's Sam, so let's go with language.

Sam was curious, yeah? She hadn't seen Leo yet, but she was totes curious about the gf his brother had managed to get himself in like five seconds in town. And, yeah, Sam wasn't hella good at impulse control, so she wasn't gonna deny her curiosity. Look, she'd told Leo, yeah? It wasn't like she was gonna drop in on Dawn without telling Leo. But, yeah, ok, she totes woulda checked the girl out without telling Leo. But the point was that she'd told Leo, huh? It was all good.

Originally she was gonna bring Lou, but Lou had stopped answering her and she kinda felt like she was twisting his arm. So, yeah, no Lou. Sam was feeling more and more distant from Lou lately, and it made her sad. But she wasn't gonna think about it tonight. There wasn't any point thinking a lot about bad stuff. It just brought her down, and Sam didn't like being down. It was like thinking too hard on the fact that life had become stagnant now that the fellowship was done and they hadn't found anywhere to move or anything. She still went to the Capital every few days to eat, but even that was repetitious now. Shit was just on some kinda repeat cycle, and she was getting hella antsy.

So, yeah, this little outing was different, which was good. It was cold now, and it got dark earlier, and that meant Sam could actually leave the apartment at like 6 pm. It was SOMETHING, yeah? Something different in a life full of same. So, on foot and glad of the walk, she made her way to the flower shop on the far side of town. She wore overalls over a bright yellow thermal, and her hoodie was blinding cherry to match her Docs. Her hair was grown past her shoulders now and lacking in blue, and she pushed into the shop and stomped to get the attention of this chick Leo was hot for.

[Public]

it's a brand new world, post-rabies. which means if you're skeevy enough to turn up to a strip place, stare and don't tip, you have options. elsewhere options.

what's the one thing you'd miss if it was gone, even if you don't exactly like it right now anyway?

[Sam M]

hey, so I finally have enough cash to drop by the store and pick out whatever. upgrade from ballpoint pen. give me a guided tour?

[Cris M]

hi :) how's shit post rabies and stuff?

[Clary House: Patrick G, Destiny S, Matt D]

so are we talking about the fact Matt is still missing and it's nearly a week since the party? does he do this like, often?

[[Family lock: Cat C, Eddie N, Stephanie M]

so are we throwing a party, or what?

[With the same lock that Manning used, she sends out several photos with no additional comment.

1. TJ sitting next to and leaning over a baby carrier where AJ is just visible as tiny wrinkled hands and a pink face in a pile of carefully-tucked blanket.

2. AJ on her back on a lush sheepskin on the floor, Iris' hand visible on AJ's tummy, tiny eyes peering over at the snouts of the two dogs as they lay nearby with their heads on their front paws, studying her.

3. Obviously taken as a selfie, but all that's visible of Iris is the end of a light braid coming over her shoulder. AJ is cradled close and in the middle of a huge, toothless yawn.

4. Manning, TJ, and AJ, all asleep on the couch. Manning laying with his head propped on the arm of the couch, AJ propped by his arm and the cushions, TJ starfished along his other side with his hand on her back so that she doesn't slip off the couch (though it's easily deep enough for all of them).]