RYAN DESTINY Via Tiktok

“tonight? whatever the hell you want!” kennedy replies to nadia's quip with an easy grin. in a town full of try-hards and depressed wannabes with broken dreams, nadia's levity was such a treat. especially on nights like these, where kennedy is certain they weren't the only one hoping to snag her attention for a couple moments at this party. in true kennedy fashion, they feel like they've won. they make their way out of the dancefloor, maneuvering through sweaty, stumbling bodies before reaching the bartender. it's only a bit quieter, but at least kennedy doesn't feel like they have to yell. "you know me, i'm a basic bitch. tequila soda for me. what are you getting? my treat, for letting me drag you out there! "

" abso-fuckin-lutely . " nadia says easily . while kennedy could dance and move , nadia's extent was shuffling on the spot , and still managing to get grossly SWEATY . " what are we ? " she teases , at kennedy's warm , SOFT touch on her skin . " but more important , what are we drinking ? "

horror and amusement meet in kennedy's shriek as nadia carries on about santiago. "ew, don't say that! you're gonna make me think i failed him as a sister." a topic ripe for debate depending on who and when you ask. kennedy is quick to take the offered lime but nadia's sweet confession causes her to pause. a guilt washes over them then. it feels awfully insincere to say they are also happy to be back in town but seeing nadia again has made their return far more bearable. they would rather lean into the truth of that. “of course — you can’t get rid of me that easily.” they scoot closer, hooking their arm around nadia's as if to empathize their point. “you owe me for all the study guides i let you bum off me. i charge interest, you know. i’ve come to collect.”

there's a reassuring squeeze on nadia's forearm as she replies. they're not looking at her. wouldn't want her to see their brow twitch at the mention of her mom. "yeah? have you heard from her at all?" the way nadia speaks makes kennedy fear the worst. the shots land right in their line of sight. "duty... what am i, a cop?" they laugh. "i probably shouldn't. i have work in the morning." overindulging in liquor was not exactly on the to-do but if there’s ever a night to let loose, it only makes sense for it to be the one where everyone steps out of their skin to be someone else. they look at nadia, taking a moment to soak the jovial challenge in her eyes. teeth sink into their lower lip in an attempt to hid the smile creeping on their features. how could they ever be expected to resist getting swept away in the storm that was nadia singh? "fuck it — it's not like anything exciting is gonna happen tonight. I'll probably end up writing a fluff piece about the party." with that, they snatch the shot closes to them. "your turn to pick the cheers!"

nadia snorts back a laugh . she always forgets kennedy and santi are related . maybe it's the fault of having never been close to her own siblings ( in age , memory or love ) . " hate to break it to you , but santi absolutely says where's my hug . and probably tells his close female friends ' my crush ? gulp . let's just say . . . you know her REALLY well ' " nadia throws back her head to laugh at her own joke , allowing her hair to rain down her back as she does . " other towns ? man , i've been in redcreek for so long i forget other towns exist . " nadia points out .

she watches kennedy chew on their lime , nadia's own untouched . she offers it to kennedy then suddenly , recklessly , feels the need to have another shot . she gestures to the bartender again . there is something heavy pressing against her throat . she doesn't want to think about it . " i'm glad , though . " she says , with a suddenness . " that you did come back . i know it's not the perfect scenario but . it's good seeing you again . " it's the closest nadia will ever get to saying I MISSED YOU . as the question turns to her , nadia's mind immediately can see a closing door , empty rooms , calls that were never answered . she works to keep her face completely neutral . " one day . " nadia says . she used to run away from redcreek any chance she could get . now though , she feels like leaving would be a betrayal . " my mum will come back though . i feel like i should probably be here when she does . " nadia shrugs , hopefully implying that there's nothing further to her words . as the fresh shots arrive , nadia grabs one again . " second shot or are you on DUTY ? " she raises her eyebrows , half - tease , half - dare .

salvador  emerges  from  the  heavy  back  doors,  both  hands  clutching  oversized  black  trash  bags  that  reek  of  grease  and  kitchen  waste.  the  shift  from  the  suffocating  heat  of  the  kitchen  to  the  sharp  chill  of  the  night  air  sends  a  shiver  up  his  spine,  making  him  painfully  aware  of  the  sweat  clinging  onto  his  brow.  he  exhales  sharply,  annoyed  that  his  hands  are  too  occupied  to  swipe  it  away.  then  his  gaze  lifts—and  locks  on  her.  henrietta  nivan.  the  woman  of  the  goddamn  hour.  salvador  had  clocked  the  moment  she  walked  into  the  diner,  could  hear  the  commotion  of  surprised  patrons  through  the  sizzling  of  the  stove  and  the  blaring  baseline  of  his  coworker's  shitty  playlist.  even  he  couldn't  resist  peering  through  the  ticket  window  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  her  as  she  left  the  diner.  she’s  back.  he  doesn't  expect  to  see  her  out  here  though.

her  greeting  is  quick  to  fill  the  silence  between  them  and  a  laugh  from  him  shortly  follows.  "please."  he  scoffs,  the  corner  of  his  lip  twitching  upwards  as  he  turns  away  from  her  to  finish  his  task  of  hauling  trash  over  a  grimey  commercial  garbage  can.  "nah,  hen.  no  kids."  none  that  he  knows  of  anyway.  he  shoots  a  sideways  glance  her  way,  full  of  feigned  expectancy.  "⏤  unless  you  have  news  for  me?"  the  last  bag  is  tossed  over  and  the  lid  is  closed  with  an  echoing  thud  against  the  metal.  he  wipes  his  hands  on  his  apron,  uses  his  forearm  to  finally  clear  his  forehead  before  stepping  back  towards  her.  “i’d  give  you  a  hug  but  i’d  hate  to  ruin  that  fancy  blouse  you  got  on.”  an  outfit  he  never  once  saw  her  wearing  if  he's  honest.  prim  and  proper  and  so  unlike  the  girl  he  remembers  fooling  around  with.  it  wasn't  a  bad  look.  just...  different.  “are  the  city  cops  after  you  for  raiding  hilary  clinton’s  closet  or  something?  that  why  you’re  back  in  town?”

ꜜ ﹙ 🪞  ﹚ ﹕ homecoming was its own specific kind of hell⸻ sat on the corner booth of dolly's, the cracked leather of the seat pinching at the back of her thigh with every shift. the clatter of forks & plates punctuated the low hum of conversation that seemed to crescendo with each passing minute, whispers and glances sliding off the walls and settling right on her shoulders as they finally recognized her. church friends of her parents, high school classmates who had never left town, people well-aware of the nivans name, all of them orbiting, pausing at her table with bright smiles and the mind-numbing idle chit-chat. do you remember me ? you've grown so tall now ! is that a wedding ring on your finger ? didn't think we'd see the day, hen ! fingers drummed against the chipped tabletop until the small talk finally clogged her throat, jaw finally hurting from her everlasting polite smile, appetite shriveling beneath all the tedium of smalltown reunions. henry excused herself to attend some imaginary business, throwing down enough money to cover the pancakes, lukewarm fires and watery cola ﹕ the door's bell shrilling her departure. but henry didn't get anywhere too far, the alley behind dolly's was cooler, quiet, gravel crunching underfoot as she leaned into the rough brick wall and reached for her lighter. that silence didn't really last very long however, smoke curling from her lips as she noticed the backdoor swing open ﹕ and there he was, salvador, an apron splattered with grease tied around his waist. “ so, ” hard stare pressing against him, lips slowly tugging into a smile, almost as if trying to formulate a theory on salvador's life during the last eight years she had been away. “ did you ever manage to knock someone up ? got all sorts of welcome, only thing that's really missing is someone telling me i'm the godmother of a child i haven't met. ” @brntout

RYAN DESTINY as ALEXANDRA CRANE in STAR (2016-2019)

"hello? earth to quinnie!" salvador's voice cuts through the air. "think you getting all glassy-eyed is gonna stop me from nagging the shit out of you?" salvador hasn't been standing there long enough to warrant the sass in his tone but as per usual, his impatience gets the better of him when it comes to quinn's safety. "i said that you better let me know next time you get off work this late. i could have walked you home or something." at least she's at his job, where he has access to an abundance of frying pans and kitchen knifes to fend off whatever sick freak is out there killing people. he ignores the shiver down his spine at the thought. with a resigned sigh, salva settles himself on the seat across from her, resting his forearms on the table as he leans in, trying to catch a glimpse of her textbook. not that he'd have the faintest clue what any of that medical jargon meant, but the gesture is familiar, the comfort of old habits from when she was working her ass off in college and he was doing anything but. "how was work today?"

📍 location : dolly's diner 📅 time : 2:30 AM , thursday morn

it  was  2am  at  dolly's  where  the  quiet  hum  of  the  jukebox  mixed  with  the  clinking  of  coffee  cups  and  the  soft  hiss  of  the  griddle  could  be  heard  throughout  .  quinn  had  been  scheduled  for  an  odd  shift  at  the  hospital  &  was  told  to  go  home  at  midnight  .  something  about  going  home  down  a  dark  road  was  frightening  to  the  brunette  ,  besides  she  also  had  a  test  scheduled  in  the  next  few  weeks  to  potentially  help  her  get  a  promotion  at  the  hospital  ,  so  she  was  all  in  .  taking  a  sip  from  the  coffee  cup  in  front  of  her  ,  she  heard  a  voice  asking  her  what  sounded  like  a  question  ,  but  her  mind  was  so  focused  on  the  textbook  in  front  of  her.  “  what  was  that  ?  ”  she  said  ,  glancing  up  .

on the dance floor, they couldn't make much out of their newfound companion outside of their killer set of legs ( badum tss ) but now that they are in a quieter spot, kennedy takes the opportunity to quench her curiosity and look her over. "minnie? as in the mouse?" they ask, wanting to make sure they have it right. "that's so pretty. i'm kennedy." they introduce themselves with a smile. "yeah? are you saying we have the cosmos to thank then?" they can drink to that! they raise their shot glass toward her, angling their body to face her better. "me? oh i grew up here. born and raised like ninety percent of the town." they offer a one-sided shrug. they found their upbringing to be so mundane. "left town to pursue a career in writing— journalism mostly. i've only been back in town a couple months." a little detail that provides another practical reason as to why the two have never crossed paths before, but kennedy thinks they like minnie's poetic explanation better. "just the weekends? what do you do for work?"

"upped the budget? that sounds so for serial. i wouldn't know, i haven't been in town that long, i guess?" her nose wrinkled up. five years, give or take, could be a long time for some, but for minnie, it had passed in the blink of an eye. so much of that time wasn't remembered. she believed it though, and regardless, she twirls in the last song, and so does the other, and she thinks to herself: okay, yeah, this could be the whole point of this shit, and that's on that. eyes brightened at the rush of adrenaline, and the super change in the night, minnie sidles up to the bar, hand-in-hand, and look, it's the simple things. even this contact has them in a flush. oh, please blame it on the heat! "ooh, these are snazzy. we made a good choice. i'm minnie." is it a brilliant smile? at least the other can show it because her mask is over her shoulder, to avoid sweating her fucking balls off. "our orbits have totally chosen not to collide until, like, the time was right, and now's our time. that's just my opinion! or maybe it's because i work nights on weekends?" the nose scrunch returns. "okay, enough, what's your sitch?"

the shock of the impact jerks their shoulder back, causing them to stumble against the wall. it's was a narrow hallway, clearly not meant for much traffic. “ow!” a hand shoots up at her own shoulder, fingers clutching at it like she received a mortal wound. damon retreats like a wounded dog but kennedy? kennedy bears her teeth like a feral cat. “fuck off!” her hand now balling into a fist, fully intent on striking if he moves closer. it’s reflexive — her body reads his frantic movements as a threat before her mind processes the apology spewing from him.

there’s a tense pause between them in which kennedy’s glare slowly morphs into a look of recognition — and concern.  “damon? oh my god, are you okay?” obviously not, kennedy! they are about to approach him to when another body bulldozes between them, this one not so keen on apologizing and it serves as a reminder that there are still people out there frantic and maybe some itching to start another fight.  they turn towards the figure leaving, catching a door just up the hallway with the worn out 'employees only' plaque. "there's probably a first aid kit in there. do you want to check?" and in case there is room to hesitate, they add, "you're looking god awful right now, d."

FOR : open, come on in ! LOCATION : redstone bathroom ( or just coming out of it for accessibility ) TIMESTAMP : 2:43am

" great fucking job, damon. hilarious, really ! why not start a fight on the night someone's fucking murdered. genius ! " loud nonsense from a split - opened mouth. they're not speaking to anyone in particular, but their own reflection in the dirty mirror. they're not sure how bad they look, but they're definitely going to feel it in the morning. head, swimming. knuckles, aching. " gonna have a blackeye ... christ. " they smack their own face just to feel the sting. spring themselves from the disorientation of adrenaline and mixture of alcohol.

this is their cue to stop mulling and find a place to sit until the crowd settles down. slip away with an opening. otherwise, who could say they wouldn't start another fight? with their unsteady movements ... a threat of this already appears. shoulders knock into someone and they're immediately scrambling back like a wild animal. " shit — " their hands move in a sporadic manner of surrender. palms up, moving around in a circle in front of them. " sorry. i'm sorry — not trying to start anything else. swear it. "

DEV PATEL in MONKEY MAN (2024)

"already? i'm not done smelling the candles." he's been at it for fifteen minutes now, moving from one jar to the next like he was shopping for a new scent at a home goods store, not browsing the shelves of a psychic shop. "you know," he says, "i used to see this girl a couple years ago that was seriously obsessed with this shit? had a rock collection and everything. kept saying she was going to curse me if she ever found me cheating." clearly in no rush to leave, he looks up from the displayed candles to flash nadia a grin, amused by her accusation. "you're still here aren't you?" there it was again, that playful challenge in his voice, the same air of flirtation he always slipped in, whether or not she acknowledged it. "locking me up isn't the only way to have fun with me, nadia." his grin lingers. always hinting, always offering. he has yet to make a move to leave. instead, he resumes the task of sniff testing every candle the sisters of the moon has to offer "hurry up and close up then. i'll give you a ride home." his tone gives little room to argue but he'd never turn down an opportunity to. "unless you have plans after this?"

○    NOW DELIVERING TO . . .    ⏤ @brntout !

" we're closing up . " nadia announces to salvador , looking him up and down as she flips the sign on the door . if anyone should know sisters ' moon hours , it'd be HIM . nadia rests a hand on her hip , jutting it out as she turns to face him properly . " and there's nobody here left for you to hit on , which i know is the real reason you're here . " her voice is drier than ever . she knows salvador , because he is everywhere , all the time . with a smile , a glint in his eye . HE'S A FLIRT and not even a good one . the amount of times nadia rolls her eyes while hearing him try his way with hana could make her eyes permanently stick . " chop , chop , salvador . locking you inside here does sound fun but i need this job , and something tells me holding you hostage inside would get me fired . "

vikram was feeling tad out of place here. his therapist was the one to suggest he wear a mask to the town's halloween party. a happy medium between his desire to socialize more and his fear of being perceived. it was working! for the most part. clearly not well enough if hana was able to spot him clinging to the walls like some sleep paralysis demon. "oh! i was just um, admiring the decor." that sounds better than him saying he was spacing out in the corner, right? vikram doesn't question the boldness in which she snatches his wrist nor does he resist her pulling him towards the bar. he knows better than to try to dissuade hana when she has her mind set on something and if that something is having a drink with him... then who the hell is he to get in the way of that? "i think they have two for one morgue-a-ritas?"

🔒 closed starter for vikram // @brntout 🧡 for a starter from mid party. 📍 the warehouse's halloween party, ~10 p.m.

☾ the moment hana sets her sights on him, his attempt at being a wallflower is promptly ended. ❝ you ! vik ! ❞ she calls out over the music, not - so - subtly shouldering her way through the crowd to get to him. ❝ what are you doin' in the corner ? ❞ her accent comes out thicker, thanks to the drinks settling in her system from a generous pregame. with possibly too much familiarity, she takes hold of his wrist and starts to pull him along. ❝ we gotta get you out there . . . to the bar ! trust me ! do you think they still have the fun themed drinks this year ? ❞