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Latest Posts by chappcdlips - Page 2
// ( aldis hodge . cis man . he/him ) . ⸻ cyrus cromwell , a thirty-eight year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for ten months (but grew up there) . the magnet is known for being charismatic and vain and is often associated with caffeine fueled days, loud laughter in quiet places, displeasure hidden behind a dazzling smile . in a small town where they work as a teacher at red creek k-12 word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
STATS
full name: cyrus carson cromwell hometown: red creek, mi sexuality: closeted bisexual birthday: may 23 zodiac: gemini sun, sagittarius moon, sagittarius rising height: 6’2” languages spoken: english, arabic, mandarin, russian, spanish, conversational french and german marital status: married children: 2, zeke (8) and lily (6) traits: charismatic, intelligent, driven, vain, manipulative, sycophantic
BACKGROUND
second oldest of the cromwell family, cyrus always knew he was expected to achieve great things
while he helped tori with their younger siblings sometimes, he spent a lot of time out of the house with his friends
he was popular at school and super involved in the red creek community, star of the high school basketball team, class vice president his senior year, valedictorian — his list of accolades is long
when he graduated, he immediately got tf out of red creek, attending stanford
he majored in political science and linguistics with a minor in international relations, eyes on a job with the UN eventually
when he graduated, he moved to europe and then continued to move around the world, working as a translator at various embassies and UN facilities
somewhere in there he met his wife (submitting as a wc... *eyes*) and they had two kids
but about a year ago REDACTED happened and cy shortly after moved his family back to red creek very abruptly
now he's working as a teacher at his alma mater, teaching government to high school seniors and probably is a language tutor on the side for anyone who wants to learn a language he knows; he claims he just wanted to "slow down" but... yeah, that's not really true... ANYWAY!
PERSONALITY AND FUN FACTS tw brief mention of internalized biphobia
kind of an egomaniac, thinks he is god's gift to this earth (and maybe he is idk)
he knows he's hot
very protective of his siblings and family and anyone he cares about
very charismatic, easily commands and keeps a room's attention and LOVES it
was absolutely a ladies man in high school and college, dated a lot before meeting his wife; recent conflict with his wife probably has him being a little flirty when he shouldn't //: men smh
is bisexual but insecure about it and very much tries not to let people know that as he's always kind of felt pressure to be the typical big, strong Man of the House, especially because his parents weren't around a lot he's always wanted to fit the picture perfect image he was "meant for" which only included heterosexuality in his mind
hates navy blue, refuses to wear anything in that color
has an insane workout routine and is in the process of constructing a guest house in his backyard just for a gym space (not very handy like That, so someone please come help him build it)
does not feel guilty about getting tf out of red creek as soon as he could, doesn't feel guilty about most things he does even if they're somewhat questionable????
fake as fuck, even if he hates you he will smile at you like (((:
the murders scared him as a kid since he was around 13 but now he kinda thinks the whole resurgence/boogeyman returning theory is bullshit; he was friends with one of heather's siblings and saw firsthand the kind of grief people were going through, so now he thinks people are bringing it back as a story to scare the young people in town
character inspo: mr. incredible (the incredibles), steve (the haunting of hill house), patrick bateman (american psycho), mouth (the goonies), fitz (scandal)
// ( spike fearn . cis man . he/him ) . ⸻ griffin talbot , a twenty-one year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for his whole life . the introvert is known for being attentive and timid and is often associated with notes scribbled in margins, not speaking unless spoken to, long walks with no destination . in a small town where they work as a cashier at red creek pharmacy word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
STATS
full name: griffin douglas talbot hometown: red creek, mi sexuality: bisexual birthday: june 30 zodiac: cancer sun, cancer moon, capricorn rising height: 5’9” languages spoken: english, some spanish marital status: single children: none traits: attentive, imaginative, independent, timid, oversensitive, evasive
BACKGROUND tw drowning mention, anxiety
the youngest of the talbot clan, griffin knew from a young age that his family was a Big Deal
when he was little he liked the attention, he was a rambunctious and loud child, always running around trying to keep up with his older siblings
this changed when he was 9; that summer, he was playing in a creek with some friends, he fell into a deep drop off and in a freak accident his foot got stuck in a sunken log and he was trapped beneath the surface for too long
his friends eventually freed him but he had lost consciousness and was rushed to the local hospital
he lived obvi, but the event left him traumatized and embarrassed and anxious all the time
he started to withdraw, wracked with fear and anxiety, to this day he has pretty horrible social anxiety and is afraid to go near water
he exceeded all expectations in school though, getting great grades and eventually getting into every college he applied to, including his dad’s alma mater, princeton
but he decided to stay local, commuting to school from red creek
he’s in school to become a pharmacist which is why he works at the pharmacy part-time; he isn’t exactly passionate about pharmacology (he’ll happily collect those nice checks someday though)
PERSONALITY & FUN FACTS
painfully shy, social anxiety beating his ass daily
much prefers to spend time alone or with very few close people
reads a lot (likes horror, thriller, mysteries, but HATES true crime), plays videos games (idk which ones, i don’t go there), watches a lot of movies (letterboxd top four: star wars episode i, wallace and gromit (were-rabbit ofc), the parent trap, snakes on a plane)
really into herpetology as a hobby and has a lizard, bearded dragon named wallace, and a snake, rainbow boa named gromit
always has a plastic baggy of yellow starburst on him (he only really likes the yellow ones but will eat a different flavor if it’s offered by someone else)
has so many pairs of socks that he just keeps them in a large cardboard box in the corner of his closet
has never been in a relationship, is incredibly scared to do so and would not know where to begin
but definitely has a number of crushes and a tier system for them
writes shitty poetry and short stories for fun in a notebook he always carries around with his starburst baggy
in typical baby brother fashion, thinks his older siblings are the coolest people alive
a really good listener, he is observant and notices everything, so even though he’s probably not talking a lot he’s absorbing everything you’re saying
hates the prominence of his family name these days, would rather live anonymously as some local nobody than be in the spotlight
has had problems w insomnia since the incident at the creek, but he’s kinda okay with it bc more time to read and fall down a wikipedia hole or just go on a long ambling walk to nowhere
big into tea, never drinks coffee
sweet and very sensitive, like okay water sign
incredibly caring towards those he loves
character inspo: jughead (riverdale), fez (that 70s show), ferb (really a ferb sun, baljeet moon) (phineas and ferb), quentin (the magicians), marcus (the bear)
"hey, al." a smile spread across her lips, warm and inviting and practically the opposite of how she looked at pretty much any other member of the yalçınkaya family. and it wasn't fake (not mostly anyway), fawn actually did happen to like alara. she especially liked the attention she gave her, never one to complain about the rapt attention of a beautiful woman. and, maybe, she secretly hoped her closeness with alara pissed off the rest of the other's family. fawn was petty that way. "i've been around. you know me, always busy with something." fawn hummed, falling into step beside the other woman, "you should come by sisters, that's where i'm most likely to be these days. or my house. i'd give you the grand tour." she gave a playful wink, sliding her hands into her coat pockets as a slight shiver travelled through her in the cold. she used this an excuse to slide just a bit closer to alara, "what have you been up to, huh? anything new with you? give me the life update." she didn't even have to feign interest when talking to alara, which was a little refreshing. the charm was turned on high, sure, but she wasn't acting when it came to alara at the very least. "we need to accidentally run into one another more often, i think."
@chappcdlips / fawn
from childhood , alara had been boisterous . she had been filled with a confidence that had been mirrored throughout her life and made her quite challenging to parent despite her deep sense of affection and care . there were few people she had met in her life that had ever made her feel a sense of nervousness or anxiety , any kind of underlying whisper of being a little bit on edge . she was used to leading a dynamic or at least being on equal footing ... and yet with fawn , she always felt slightly on the outside of herself . it wasn't that any particular thing had happened during their shared lives but al's childhood infatuation had never quite came to pass - her wistful nature never allowing her to quite see what was really there , a sense of awe and adoration filling her every glance when it came to the other woman . she supported womens rights and wrongs . true feminist to the core . " hey stranger , " not that they ever really were . not that there was any part of her that ever wanted to be . not that she didn't sometimes imagine on those lonelier nights in her childhood bedroom what fawn might eat for breakfast in bed ( such was the nature of a childhood crush , you had to be careful not to take it too far , even in your imagination ) . " i feel like i haven't seen you in forever , " maybe she should have said spoken to ... she had definitely seen fawn ... here and there . around town . looking very ... fawn .
griffin looks up, slightly bewildered until he realizes it's mina, his heart rate lowering as he offers a sheepish smile, "if they check the cameras, i guess we'll see." he turns his book over onto the counter to scan her prescription. "hope i can trust you then. i can't afford getting fired." he teases, hopping off his stool to grab the cigarettes she requested. he scans them and slides them over to her, "these probably reverse whatever the medication is supposed to be doing for you, by the way." he's mostly joking anyway, he's not one to judge anyone else's habits, "though, i dunno for sure yet. i'll let you know the details when i graduate."' he tells her with a teasing smile. "do you need a bag?" he reaches for a small paper bag under the counter.
" ⸻ no greeting? does your manager know you're not following etiquette, hm? " it was her BEST attempt at sounding like a disgruntled customer, but the way she breaks into an easy - going grin soon after makes it more than clear that she was just kidding. of course, she didn't actually care. he could be trashing the place to his heart content and mina would still mind her own business. " don't worry your secret is safe with me... " she says as she stands in front of the counter then carefully places her prescription down on it and slides it towards him as she looks around. it was mainly a formality to make both of their lives easier, she couldn't be bothered to remember the FULL NAME of whatever pills she has to take in order to not feel like her stomach is dissolving itself. but she DID take them religiously. " just the usual for today... and, uh, a pack of cigarettes if you still keep them behind the counter. "
"i... i dunno," griffin admits, avoiding eye contact like a professional — professional in what? he's not sure. maybe just in being nervous, "my boss just tells me what's going on." and he goes along with it. that's what he's paid for. he looks up when the woman mentions his book, a slight smile on his face, "i really like her other work. and i agree, her writing style and the way she integrates everything thematically with realism and depth despite the subject matter... i could go on for days." he blushes a little, always a bit embarrassed when he talks too much about his interests, "is this all for you today?" he asks as he picks up the painkillers to scan.
" what a peculiar deal . " renee says aloud , fingers skimming over the shelves of products . she offers griffin a strained smile , tries to pretend not to be bothered by the omnipresence of the talbots wherever she turns . it's not his fault . none of this is his fault . he's so young , really . just like josie - and renee would hate for anyone to ever think poorly of her daughter just because of who her parents are . " not necessary for me , though . do you have extra stock or is it a christmas special ? " she slides down her packet of painkillers onto the counter . " shirley jackson has a way of showing women's desperation and grief so well . that's the real horror , in my opinion . " renee muses aloud , smile painted on her lips , never budging . " what made you pick it ? "
fawn nearly snorted at kaz's attempt to be rude to her, a clever smile curling her lips as she looked him up and down patronizingly. he almost made it too easy. she clicked her tongue, "nah, buying food to drop off at my place. money's tight, my friend," she sighed, "sometimes you gotta watch your own back. but feel free to waste your money on charity. least you can do considering where ya work." she flashed a faux sweet smile, grabbing a box of cinnamon toast crunch and tossing it into her cart. "but be sure to tell june i said 'hey.'" she teased.
"i'm buying food to drop off at finch and june's apartment. is that what you're doing too?" he was never good at being mean, being the bad guy, provoking someone. he preferred to sit and watch, bide his time until they confessed to him. but he couldn't resist himself, add a little quip as he ran into fawn at amrak.
@chappcdlips
"fuck." cyrus hissed, most of his coffee hitting the floor, about a quarter of it soaking his tan pants. now he had to get another coffee and change his damn pants. perfect. he let out a breath, eyes meeting robbie's, "nah, it mostly got the floor." but now he was thankful that he always kept a spare pair of neutral pants in his classroom. he reached over to a nearby booth and grabbed some napkins, patting his pant leg with them and pasting a smile on his face, composing himself, "listen, man, accidents happen. might charge you for my dry cleaning, though." he teased. his eyes flicked over robbie, "did any get on you?" he held out a mostly clean napkin to the other just in case, "must've been a rough night, huh, doc?"
who: open to all! (capping at 5!) where: dolly's diner when: 5.43am
it was too early when he made his way into dolly's diner, after a long, boring shift at the hospital. it was like waiting for the other shoe to drop every night; at some point, something or somebody would make their way into his ER, and shit would hit the fan. it was just a question of when. still, this morning was not for serial killer theories but for coffee, and robbie let out a sigh when the sweet aroma of coffee hit his senses.
this morning already seemed like a mess, as when he stepped into the diner, he walked directly into someone else, spilling hot beverage between them both. "shit, sorry! are you alright? did you burn yourself?"
griffin tugged down the hood of his sweatshirt as he entered the kitchen — not necessary to be the more hermitic version of himself in kieran's presence — hands shoved in the pocket as he approached the counter. he wasn't sure what he expected when kieran told him to come downstairs, but the array of weapons spread out across the cold countertop weren't exactly what he had imagined. and he was sure his face said as much, eyes slightly widened and eyebrows shooting up his forehead, "this looks like a hunger games survival kit. who are you? haymitch?" he would be dead from the jump in that scenario. or maybe he'd hide like peeta. regardless, griffin wasn't sure of his skills with weaponry of any kind. "you're trying to cause me twenty-one more years of absolutely no dates, huh?" he gestured to the hello kitty taser, which looked about as threatening as a sleeping golden retriever despite its designated purpose. he looked up at kieran, "i'm gonna need a utility belt." then griffin paused, deciding to finally set the jokes aside and humor kieran as had been requested, a deep sigh pulled from his lips, "do you really think i'll be able to do anything useful with these things? not saying that they aren't useful, but i'm not the most..." he trailed off, glancing back down at the things his older brother had brought, "i feel like i'd just fuck myself up with the bear spray on accident or something like that, if y'know what i mean." he wasn't physically imposing like his brother and he wasn't exactly coordinated. he had thrown a punch maybe once in defense of angela when they were kids and he had missed and nearly fallen on his face which was mostly just incredibly embarrassing and not-at-all tough. but, all that aside, he understood what kieran was doing and why he was worried and he loved him for it. as a kid, griffin had practically hero worshipped kieran, thinking of him as a protector, as a person to emulate — everything an older brother is supposed to be. in some capacity, he still thought those things, but he knew, too, that now that they were older, kieran wasn't always around to be those things. griffin wasn't trailing behind him down the sidewalk like a shadow anymore. and even if he was, when if it came down to it, it seemed the boogeyman had no problem taking down those who seemed big and strong. griffin ran his fingers gingerly over the knuckle dusters, "it's only gonna get worse, huh? the murders and attacks? i mean, that was the pattern the first time, right?"
ꜜ ﹙ ⚰️ ﹚ ﹕ sometimes, looking at his brother felt like looking at himself⸻ a reflection of his own timid set of shoulders, the way anxiety and fear clung to him like cigarette smoke. and it was a terrifying thought, that griffin could be carrying all the same emotions he did when he was at that age. those feelings of being small and inconsequential, so insidious with how it could compel him to fold himself up in so many ways as to not take too much space and draw attention in such a big terrible world that devoured people like them. and there was nothing in this world he wouldn't do, not a sharp knife he wouldn't jump in front of, just to make sure his brother never think, even for a second, that he didn't matter— that his softness wouldn't be enough to keep him whole. but kieran also knew that he wouldn't always be able to protect griffin ﹕ not that kid who used to follow him and his friends around anymore, couldn't just put his hands over griffin's eyes whenever something abhorrent happened, like taylan beating someone up or finch pissing in the middle of street like a bad dog. though, maybe this could be a helpful⸻ objects solemnly laid out like artifacts on display, every item looking incredibly barbaric on top of their father's sleek choice for a countertop. a bear spray, bright orange, its purpose blaring like a hazard light ; the hello kitty taser he got on sale from amazon, as though violence could be sanitized by design ; and the knuckle dusters, inherently brutish, something primal made manifest. and kieran stared at them for a long time, as he wondered if his brother could stomach it ... how protection, if it came down to it, would demand more than tools. it called for instinct, resolve, the kind of hard calculus that turned you into something you might not recognize.
then, he thought about the memory of alaina price, not just the soft recollection of laughter or late night babysitting when they were kids, but the raw unflinching truth of the morgue. he'd been there when thierry gore unzipped the bag and made the first incision in that sterile and cold room. he was the one who weighed and cataloged her organs like they belonged to a stranger, not the girl who taught him how to braid piper's hair or told them monsters weren't real. and kieran had held her heart in his gloved hands, felt the emptiness in it, and wondered if she had known— really known— how brutal the world could be. how wrong she was about the monsters. and it was the kind of knowledge he couldn't risk griffin learning the same way. ❝ hey, c'mere for a second, ❞ kieran beckoned to the kitchen once griffin finally came downstairs, his expression quiet but deliberate, hand brushing briefly over the taser's smooth surface before retreating, as though unwilling to impose the weight of his fears too heavily on his brother. despite how raw the memory of seeing alaina's corpse was, the lacerations in her flesh, the way memories of her effortless smile had been replaced with seeing her lips purple and slack. ❝ just humor me, alright ? i want you to carry this stuff, please. ❞ no sharpness in his tone, no explicit urgency— only the quiet unyielding care of someone who had seen too much and refused to let it happen again. ❝ it gets dark so early now, i don't want you walking 'round without anything to protect yourself. ❞ @chappcdlips
cyrus barely registers that someone else is out there until he hears carlos' voice and when he does, he hardly flinches, eyes traveling over them in appraisal. in threat potential until he realizes that the other doesn't look altogether threatening. he's got maybe a hundred pounds on them he thinks, leaning against the side of building, arms crossing, "it's not me. and i'm gonna go out on a limb and assume it isn't you either, but looks can be deceiving." cyrus pulls out his phone and sends a quick text, the call he was about to make decidedly cancelld now that there's someone else present. he doesn't know carlos, but you can never be too careful who you say what around — especially in a town like red creek. "why are you standing back here alone if you're so afraid the killer's gonna get you anyway?" he asks with a chuckle, a teasing lilt to his voice, "that seems like a bad strategy."
𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘. behind redstone bar, 11:30pm 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛. anyone
𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲. no matter how much carlos tells himself he should leave, that there are so many reasons he should get the hell out and return to life as he knew it ( despite the potential consequences they could face if ever ████████ ) they stay. carlos stays, trapped between its tragic grasp and forced to watch its horrific history unfold. under the impression of being alone, carlos jumps at the sudden noise, nearly dropping the cigarette held between their fingers. “ jesus, f — dude! you can't be doing that anymore, there's like, a killer out and shit! ” brief pause, eyes narrow at the person standing before him. it doesn't help that his response to all this is misplaced carelessness, the kind that could make you the first kill in a horror flick — not the kid who trips on air, but the one who stands face to face with the killer and laughs in disbelief. “ unless . . . the killer's you. is it you? ”
// ( aldis hodge . cis man . he/him ) . ⸻ cyrus cromwell , a thirty-eight year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for ten months (but grew up there) . the magnet is known for being charismatic and vain and is often associated with caffeine fueled days, loud laughter in quiet places, displeasure hidden behind a dazzling smile . in a small town where they work as a teacher at red creek k-12 word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
STATS
full name: cyrus carson cromwell hometown: red creek, mi sexuality: closeted bisexual birthday: may 23 zodiac: gemini sun, sagittarius moon, sagittarius rising height: 6’2” languages spoken: english, arabic, mandarin, russian, spanish, conversational french and german marital status: married children: 2, zeke (8) and lily (6) traits: charismatic, intelligent, driven, vain, manipulative, sycophantic
BACKGROUND
second oldest of the cromwell family, cyrus always knew he was expected to achieve great things
while he helped tori with their younger siblings sometimes, he spent a lot of time out of the house with his friends
he was popular at school and super involved in the red creek community, star of the high school basketball team, class vice president his senior year, valedictorian — his list of accolades is long
when he graduated, he immediately got tf out of red creek, attending stanford
he majored in political science and linguistics with a minor in international relations, eyes on a job with the UN eventually
when he graduated, he moved to europe and then continued to move around the world, working as a translator at various embassies and UN facilities
somewhere in there he met his wife (submitting as a wc... *eyes*) and they had two kids
but about a year ago REDACTED happened and cy shortly after moved his family back to red creek very abruptly
now he's working as a teacher at his alma mater, teaching government to high school seniors and probably is a language tutor on the side for anyone who wants to learn a language he knows; he claims he just wanted to "slow down" but... yeah, that's not really true... ANYWAY!
PERSONALITY AND FUN FACTS tw brief mention of internalized biphobia
kind of an egomaniac, thinks he is god's gift to this earth (and maybe he is idk)
he knows he's hot
very protective of his siblings and family and anyone he cares about
very charismatic, easily commands and keeps a room's attention and LOVES it
was absolutely a ladies man in high school and college, dated a lot before meeting his wife; recent conflict with his wife probably has him being a little flirty when he shouldn't //: men smh
is bisexual but insecure about it and very much tries not to let people know that as he's always kind of felt pressure to be the typical big, strong Man of the House, especially because his parents weren't around a lot he's always wanted to fit the picture perfect image he was "meant for" which only included heterosexuality in his mind
hates navy blue, refuses to wear anything in that color
has an insane workout routine and is in the process of constructing a guest house in his backyard just for a gym space (not very handy like That, so someone please come help him build it)
does not feel guilty about getting tf out of red creek as soon as he could, doesn't feel guilty about most things he does even if they're somewhat questionable????
fake as fuck, even if he hates you he will smile at you like (((:
the murders scared him as a kid since he was around 13 but now he kinda thinks the whole resurgence/boogeyman returning theory is bullshit; he was friends with one of heather's siblings and saw firsthand the kind of grief people were going through, so now he thinks people are bringing it back as a story to scare the young people in town
character inspo: mr. incredible (the incredibles), steve (the haunting of hill house), patrick bateman (american psycho), mouth (the goonies), fitz (scandal)
fawn's head whips around as kingsley speaks up and she snorts, "i never suspected you, trust me, but i would support you if you were." she tells him as they fall into step together, lengthening her stride slightly to keep pace with his longer legs. "you're right, though, it's definitely some annoying white guy. but the idea of a hot girl or NB is a nice thought, y'know as i support women and queer people's wrongs." she may draw the line at serial killing, but it really depends on how hot the perpetrator ends up being. plus, maybe they have a really good reason — you never know. fawn hums, inclining her head slightly in thought, "yeah, i hear you, but boogeyman kinda gives me scooby doo villain and that's a little less scary than just saying 'oh yeah, the brutal serial killer tormenting red creek.' it could be somethin' scarier like... the red creek ripper. that's more threatening, i think." not that fawn will admit any fear regarding the situation. she has enough going on in her life to worry about. "you'd make a really good shaggy if we were doin' real life scooby doo." fawn muses with a teasing grin on her face, "i don't think i fit the velma or daphne archetype unfortunately. plus, i'm sexier than both of them, no offense to hanna-barbera or whoever the fuck." the thought evokes the memory of mornings, siblings sat on the trailer floor watching reruns of old cartoons as she tried to make breakfast, but she shakes the remembrance away quickly, "ritten can be scooby, just a lot more temperamental."
○ NOW DELIVERING TO . . . ⏤ @chappcdlips !
kingsley squints at the familiar figure walking on the other side of the street . that slumping of shoulders is par to his own , although kingsley leans back more as he walks ( like something out of ed , edd and eddy ) . people walk in very distinct ways , and kingsley has always enjoyed seeing the tiny mannerisms that make up a person . for fawn , she walks leaning forward , hair curtaining off everyone , quick steps that slow down every now and then as if she's remembering she's not in a race . his lips quirk up and he crosses the street easily , picking up his pace to try and catch up with fawn . even though he's tall , fawn is FAST . it takes him a few moments to realise that a grown man following a woman right now is probably not something that is very ASSURING . he clears his throat . " i'm not the boogeyman . i have a feeling that guy's white . 82% of american serial killers were white , so that's just statistics, you know ? " kingsley states as way of introduction . " then again , gender isn't real . i guess it could be a hot girl killing everyone . or some cute NB . " he shrugs , thoughts spinning in his mind . " also , should we even be calling him boogeyman ? isn't that SERIAL KILLER 101 ? don't call them by their name cause it gives them more power ? " kingsley has a lot of thoughts on the entirety of the situation , but he mainly keeps them to himself . well . to himself, and to fawn .
he looks up at the sound of her voice, grinning at angela, "mhm, then the week after that it's rope and boxcutters." he relaxes slightly. talking to angela isn't small talk and she's more than used to his antsy, neurotic presence. "hey!" griffin laughs then, shaking his head and grabbing for the book as she slams it down, "i'm not the most pretentious one." he'd argue that's probably his dad. "but it's a good book, i swear. you can borrow it when i'm finished if you want." though, then she'll have to put up with his barely legible shirley jackson fanboy notes in the margins. he tucks the book under the counter, glancing at his watch, "yeah, i get off in an hour. i'll grab some snacks before i leave too. that 30% employee discount... i'm practically the richest guy around." he gestures at the last aisle, "oh! most exciting thing to happen in awhile here actually," here as in the store, he wishes the rest of red creek would relax a little, "we got some of those sour patch kids that are just grape? i've never had them, but the just peach ones kind of rock, so the grape ones have to be pretty good too, right?"
“ 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝗴𝘀? ” angela jests, having come from the other counter to retrieve her new prescription bottle. the customer who'd just walked in shoots her a bewildered stare before disappearing into the aisles, eliciting a snort out of the young woman. she takes the book out of griffin's hands and flips throught the pages, brows furrowed as she reads aloud a few passages. “ sometimes, with a vast aching heartbreak, the great, badly contained intentions of creation, the poignant searching longings of adolescence overwhelmed her — ugh, you pretentious little bitch. all you talbots are the same, ” she teases, slamming the book face down on the counter. “ there's a silent night, deadly night marathon at polaris today, you wanna come and binge 'em all with me after your shift? ”
for? BRONTE ( @lifekisses ) where? dolly's
griffin slides into the booth across from her, a small grin lifting his lips as he settles into the sticky seat, "do you carry pepper spray?" he asks immediately. then, he backtracks, "i mean, hi, bronte. how are you?" he pauses then repeats, "so do you carry pepper spray?" he tries not to think about it very much, but with the wave of new crimes that have been hitting the town, he's a little worried about the people he cares about. and despite all the slightly convoluted history, bronte falls into that category. his days of being terrified of her are long over, though he would absolutely never want to be on her bad side, he knows better. "because, y'know... all the stuff that's been going on," griffin shrugs, "safety first and all that. not to bring the mood down or anything!" and now he's nervous he's being too paranoid and is going to freak her out. "anyway, i'm just saying, maybe mace is the best stocking stuffer this year."
he looked up, eyes landing on none other than foster. naturally anxious already, he could feel his anxiety ratchet up a notch, his mouth suddenly feeling drier, pulse racing. griffin looked at him with slightly wide eyes, shrugging, "i don't study, um, marketing." he didn't know what possessed him to try a business school joke, but it was too late to backtrack, so he just plowed on. he much preferred to talk about his book anyway, "relate? um.. not particularly," though, the loneliness... sometimes, "i just think shirley jackson is so masterful at building suspense, in... in storytelling, really. anyway... yeah, i could write a thesis on her." he ducked his head a bit sheepishly, not used to being put on the spot — and by put on the spot, he meant literally just being asked a question by someone outside of his family and close friends. if he were braver even a little bit, he would ask foster if jackson's work had ever influenced his, but then that would make it known that griffin had seen pretty much everything the other had made and that would be very embarrassing probably. griffin nodded then, humming, "i, um... stuff related to tech is over in aisle six. i can't promise there's polaroid film, but i know there's disposable cameras and that sort of stuff so... there's a chance?" he told him, "would hate to see you flee town, but i can't make any promises." in griffin's own head, it sounded like he was practically begging foster to not leave town. though, that didn't stop him from the follow-up question that required incredible bravery on his part, "what do you need it for?" maybe he'd even get the scoop on what foster was working on now, which was an exciting enough prospect to keep him from avoiding eye contact completely.
ꜜ ﹙ 📹 ﹚ ﹕ INTRODUCING A BEGRUDGING GARGOYLE HUNCHED OVER A BOOK ! couldn't even be bothered to look up when the bell above the door clanged its weary tune, foster entering the pharmacy and stamping snow off his boots onto the welcome mat. and he couldn't help but snort at halfhearted sales pitch tossed his way, funny how griffin's father probably had the charm to sell used condoms at the motel while the kid couldn't even look a customer in the eyes. ❛ you're really selling it there, champ. ❜ foster laughed, more tease than bite, as he stepped closer to the counter, boots squeaking faintly on the worn tiles. and he planted his palms on the counter, leaning just enough to catch sight of the book that must be so engrossing. a flicker of recognition crossed his features, eyebrows lifting lightly as he drew his gaze toward the younger man. ❛ hangsaman, huh ? you relate to it ? ❜ he asked, nodding toward the book, his voice dipping lower, gentler— not quite mocking now but probing, his curiosity piqued. ❛ the loneliness ? the descent to ... madness ? ❜ but foster was just half-joking with the inquiry, a small chuckle slipping past his lips as he fished his wallet out of his back pocket. ❛ i'm just here for some polaroid films, by the way. please tell me you've got some, or i swear i'm driving straight outta this town and never coming back. well, no. but i'm definitely not gonna be happy about it. ❜
for? JUNE ( @bittenmoths ) where? outside white pine auto garage
"if i get my car serviced here, are you gonna cut the brakes?" fawn teases when she spots june. she's smoking a cigarette and leaning against the hood of her car — a red 2008 buick lacrosse that she bought off a guy on craigslist over in traverse city. and as much as she's tried to fix the problem herself, she is not that kind of lesbian. and as much as she's not overly confident in june's skills to fix her car, there are other employees and she assumes they were hired for a reason. she's never really bothered to ask. she doesn't know what june actually does there, really. fawn crushes her cigarette under her boot and stands up straight, eyes flicking over the other liao, "i took all the valuables out. can never be too careful." and, honestly, if fawn were in her shoes, she would immediately check the console and the glove compartment for something good. fawn knows that part of her runs in their genes. like blue eyes or the potential to have a widow's peak. there's some metaphor or joke about how the apple's rotten right to the core, but that's not really fawn's style.
everyone should thank me because as bad as i am, i am holding myself back from being much worse
for? OPEN where? the pharmacy
he doesn't look up as the door swings open with another customer, keeping his gaze trained on the open book in front of him – it's shirley jackson's hangsaman. he does, though, call out (less of a call and more of something about a decibel louder than a mumble), "we're, uh... there's a two-for-one deal on gauze and band-aids right now." and the only reason he says anything at all is because it's allegedly his job to upsell. today's bogo deal seems a little too on the nose, though, considering the town's latest events, but griffin didn't come up with the sale. he just rings it up. he makes a quick, barely legible note in the margin with his fading black pen and flips the page, hoping whoever just came in doesn't need to know where anything is. or worse, want to exchange small talk with him.
"what? it's even illegal to walk down the street these days?" her words come out in a deadpan as she stops in her tracks, a safe enough distance away to not scare the other even further. she's joking, mostly, but the tone doesn't leave her voice when she continues, "i'll start wearing a bell like a cat or somethin'." her own cat doesn't have a collar much less a bell – ritten is a citizen of the world, not fawn's house. her gaze flicks to the price house then and fawn hums, glove-free hands sliding into her warm coat pockets, "yeah, everyone's on edge. or on the edge. or both." she mutters, looking away from the house and back at maeve. growing up in town, she's accustomed to things suddenly becoming haunted. haunted by memory more than real ghosts. she was young twenty-five years ago, but she has pieces of memories of how things were before and after. her life was miserable before and after, so, really, she supposes it doesn't make that much of a difference. and yet, fawn, not a believer in anything, still finds herself avoiding the places that feel haunted. it's just what this town does to you. or maybe it's just what misery does to you. "it's only a matter of time before kids are breakin' in to try and see bloodstains or something." she shakes her head as if to shake that image away altogether. though, if she were younger, she may have been one of those kids, "but c'est la vie in red creek, i guess." fawn hums, a tight, mirthless smile slipping onto her lips.
🗝️ open starter for anyone. 📍 norwood street, just outside of maeve's front door.
✦ ⋰ norwood street feels particularly haunted now. it's a feeling that maeve can't escape – the moment she steps out of her front door, she's there. it's there. she often finds herself looking at the front door of alaina's home like a deer caught in headlights. so close, but impossibly far on the one night that it mattered. maeve nivans has finally met with a problem she couldn't fix ; alaina price was murdered- gone from red creek forever- possibly joined the uncomfortably long list of people that you just didn't talk about. she wonders if alaina's home will be notated as the price house in red creek history ; reduced to a horrific event & molded into a haunted house to prod at in the same way the thorne house was. her heart seizes at the thought. as she peers at alaina's front door, it almost feels like someone looks back — she nearly jumps out of her skin when she hears the footsteps. hand pressed to her heart, she nearly squeaks. ❝ oh my god. a warning would be nice. ❞ the anxiety is a new hurdle, too. an unwelcome guest that moved in with the ghosts on october 31st. she breathes out through her nose before offering a warmer expression– ❝ sorry, sorry. i'm just— on edge recently. you understand. ❞
// ( spike fearn . cis man . he/him ) . ⸻ griffin talbot , a twenty-one year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for his whole life . the introvert is known for being attentive and timid and is often associated with notes scribbled in margins, not speaking unless spoken to, long walks with no destination . in a small town where they work as a cashier at red creek pharmacy word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
STATS
full name: griffin douglas talbot hometown: red creek, mi sexuality: bisexual birthday: june 30 zodiac: cancer sun, cancer moon, capricorn rising height: 5’9” languages spoken: english, some spanish marital status: single children: none traits: attentive, imaginative, independent, timid, oversensitive, evasive
BACKGROUND tw drowning mention, anxiety
the youngest of the talbot clan, griffin knew from a young age that his family was a Big Deal
when he was little he liked the attention, he was a rambunctious and loud child, always running around trying to keep up with his older siblings
this changed when he was 9; that summer, he was playing in a creek with some friends, he fell into a deep drop off and in a freak accident his foot got stuck in a sunken log and he was trapped beneath the surface for too long
his friends eventually freed him but he had lost consciousness and was rushed to the local hospital
he lived obvi, but the event left him traumatized and embarrassed and anxious all the time
he started to withdraw, wracked with fear and anxiety, to this day he has pretty horrible social anxiety and is afraid to go near water
he exceeded all expectations in school though, getting great grades and eventually getting into every college he applied to, including his dad’s alma mater, princeton
but he decided to stay local, commuting to school from red creek
he’s in school to become a pharmacist which is why he works at the pharmacy part-time; he isn’t exactly passionate about pharmacology (he’ll happily collect those nice checks someday though)
PERSONALITY & FUN FACTS
painfully shy, social anxiety beating his ass daily
much prefers to spend time alone or with very few close people
reads a lot (likes horror, thriller, mysteries, but HATES true crime), plays videos games (idk which ones, i don’t go there), watches a lot of movies (letterboxd top four: star wars episode i, wallace and gromit (were-rabbit ofc), the parent trap, snakes on a plane)
really into herpetology as a hobby and has a lizard, bearded dragon named wallace, and a snake, rainbow boa named gromit
always has a plastic baggy of yellow starburst on him (he only really likes the yellow ones but will eat a different flavor if it’s offered by someone else)
has so many pairs of socks that he just keeps them in a large cardboard box in the corner of his closet
has never been in a relationship, is incredibly scared to do so and would not know where to begin
but definitely has a number of crushes and a tier system for them
writes shitty poetry and short stories for fun in a notebook he always carries around with his starburst baggy
in typical baby brother fashion, thinks his older siblings are the coolest people alive
a really good listener, he is observant and notices everything, so even though he’s probably not talking a lot he’s absorbing everything you’re saying
hates the prominence of his family name these days, would rather live anonymously as some local nobody than be in the spotlight
has had problems w insomnia since the incident at the creek, but he’s kinda okay with it bc more time to read and fall down a wikipedia hole or just go on a long ambling walk to nowhere
big into tea, never drinks coffee
sweet and very sensitive, like okay water sign
incredibly caring towards those he loves
character inspo: jughead (riverdale), fez (that 70s show), ferb (really a ferb sun, baljeet moon) (phineas and ferb), quentin (the magicians), marcus (the bear)
// ( jessica henwick . cis woman . she/her ) . ⸻ fawn liao , a thirty year old , has survived another day in red creek where they have lived for her whole life . the pretender is known for being clever and dishonest and is often associated with rings on every finger, a sharp tongue, the smell of incense clinging to clothes . in a small town where they work as a reader at sisters of the moon word travels fast . it’s hard to keep a secret , and it looks like the boogeyman knows that redacted .
STATS
full name: fawn may liao hometown: red creek, mi sexuality: lesbian birthday: april 2 zodiac: aries sun, capricorn moon, capricorn rising height: 5’6” languages spoken: english marital status: divorced children: none traits: clever, adaptable, confident, dishonest, cynical, self-indulgent
BACKGROUND tw parental death, neglect mentions
oldest of the new generation of liaos and is just as bad as the rest <33
when her mom died, fawn was barely old enough to brush her own teeth much less raise her little siblings but alas… that’s what she had to do
their father, of course, was all but useless, fawn can’t remember a time when he actually did the things dads should do
she tried to help keep things together at home and it made her angry and it made her strong in a way she shouldn’t have had to be, so naturally, she needed someone to blame — that person was june
she tried at first, she swears, but it became easier just to let her frustration and anger reflect in the way she treated her youngest sibling
she was smart and good at school, but not in the “pleasure to have in class” and way, more in the constantly trying to prove the teacher’s point is wrong sort of way that teachers don’t tend to like
she graduated high school middle of the road, she skipped class a lot and had to take care of things at home
as soon as she graduated, she moved out of her dad’s trailer and rented a house
the house is tiny and a lot of shit is broken but she still lives there, it’s home
she didn’t have money to go to college and she didn’t have the desire either, so she just kept doing what she does best: scamming
since middle school, she would run little grifts, making false returns at stores and tricking adults into giving her money because she was “a few cents short” as well as planting hairs and bugs in meals at restaurants to get a free meal
when she got older, the scams got more elaborate and she became a constant guest at the local hospital running car and bike accident insurance fraud scams— if she had had the time and money, she would have been a theater kid (derogatory), because baby is an ACTRESS
now fawn works at sisters of the moon, which just happens to be another one of her scams bc… she’s not psychic and doesn’t have any magical “gifts,” she’s just really, really good at fooling people
she was married, briefly, in her early twenties (potential wc…) but her wife left her after a few years bc… she’s kind of an asshole and also has never healthily expressed an emotion in her life
PERSONALITY & FUN FACTS
very angry, but good at hiding it most of the time, has a punching bag in her basement w pictures of her various enemies taped to it
always lying, not just at work, she loves to lie just for fun <33 and about everything <333
never talks about her mom unless it’s to guilt someone into doing something for her
doesn’t believe in “guilty” pleasures, just pleasure
scarily confident, a bit of a narcissist
has a twitter where she shit posts and live tweets tv shows she illegally streams bc she doesn’t have cable or a single streaming service
very charismatic and charming when she wants to be
definitely sleeps around a lot and always has
she has a skewed view of intimacy and sex makes her feel like maybe she’s kinda normal
has a cat named ritten (rotten kitten) that she loves more than she’s loved any person including her ex-wife
despite her known life of scamming and fraud, has only had a few brushes with the law, prides herself on this fact
maternal in a tough love way, has a soft spot for Some (not june)
again, zero emotional intelligence to be found
trying to quit smoking, it’s not going well
character inspo: fiona (shameless), rossi (criminal minds), zinnia (matilda), the wizard (wicked), kady (the magicians)