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╱     slam dunks on u

/    :33

can’t   tell.        i’ve   met   a   lot   of   people   here.        they   come   and   go.        some   die,    some   simply   retire. 

@intellac        ✑       ❝      I get that a lot.  I guess I have a familiar face then   […]    Let’s see if you can put a name to it,  yeah?  Anything that rings a bell?       ❜❜ 
            

@GUN2TEMPLE       ✑       ❝      Hm,      […]    I was going to offer you a drink but now I’m not too sure,  Deaza.  How about a mocktail instead?       […]    Well,  thank you.  I appreciate that.  Hah— a “  Star  “.   I wouldn’t say that about me,  was she a star?      ❜❜ 
            
                      ⧼       0⃨1⃨.⃨      ⇽    ESTELLE SCRUNCHES HER NOSE IN AMUSEMENT.   THE SOUND OF HER “REAL”  NAME WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A LIE.  HER THANKS FELT SHALLOW.  ESTELLE BECKONS THE BAR TEND FOR THE DRINK MENU,  SLIDING IT TO HER NEW FOUND COMPANY.

@I938-O23rd     |            “not often no,”       —     OR EVER,    FOR THAT MATTER;     the taste & smell alone reminded him of home   (THE FALSE PROMISES,     THE LINGERING SCENT OF MELANCHOLY—      HIS   “HOME.”)       hand is pulled away as he settles into his own seat;    a brief smile is offered before it fades off.      
            
            “your name is beautiful,    estelle.     i had a friend back in congo who shared that name with you     —      she’d brag about how it meant ‘STAR,’   funnily enough.”

@GUN2TEMPLE       ✑       ❝      Jax Deaza. Memorable.     […]    Be my guest,  I don’t bite.  Some company would be nice anyways.  You can call me Estelle.  Do you drink?   I don’t mind putting something on the table for you.      ❜❜ 
            
                      ⧼       0⃨1⃨.⃨      ⇽   ESTELLE REACHES OUT,  ENCASING JAX’S HAND IN HERS.  SHAKING FIRMLY.  SHE EVENTUALLY LET’S GO.  SETTLING INTO HER CUSHIONED SEAT ONCE MORE.  ESTELLE HAS HER FULL ATTENTION ON THE STRANGER NOW,  A LOOSE SMILE RESTS AGAINST HER LIPS.

(    suddenly,   THIS  is  too  much.   the  sheer  saturation  of  SYMPATHY  makes  hound’s  blood  BOIL.   flickering  anger  to  unbearable  rage,   a  level  of  frustration  eating  away  at  him  that   he  doesn’t  know  how  to  DEAL  WITH.   twisting  in  on  itself  like  a  snake  biting  its  own  tail,   face  warming  at  just  how  INFURIATING  this  level  of  CARE  is.   this  is  not  how  he  should  be  treated—   NOT  HOW  HE  IS  SUPPOSED  TO  BE  SPOKEN  TO   )    
            
            `ДОСТАТОЧНО,`   (    hound  BARELY  waits  for  the  other  to  finish  her  thoughts,   lips  curling  and  teeth  bared  all  too  suddenly   )     `…do  NOT  speak  of  me  fondly.`    (   whatever  bit  of  sorrow  still  lingering  is  shielded—   messily  and   haphazard,   he  stitches  together  a  straw  house  that  stands  shakily  around  his  true  thoughts   )    `whatever  i  have  just  trusted  you  with  does  not  give  you  the  right  to  act  like  my   MOTHER.`

@SHCHEN0K      ✑       ❝      Everyone can be released.  Some way,  somehow.  But if you insists.  After all,  you can’t release something that refuses to leave it’s cage    […]    I guess we all have skeletons in our closet,   I just can’t figure out who you lean on when you’re feeling like this.  I guess you hide it away,  Leonid.  How sad.  ❜❜ 
            
                      ⧼       0⃨1⃨.⃨      ⇽   ESTELLE LETS LEONID DRIFT AWAY.   MAHOGANY HUES WOULD NARROW IN RESPONSE.   THERE ARE TOO MANY THOUGHTS THAT RACE AROUND HER MIND,  THE STAGGERING AND DIZZYING DIFFERENCE OF THE HOUND AND LEONID.  WHAT DID HE LOSE? WHO DID HE LOSE?  ESTELLE HAS HARDLY CRACKED AND YET—   IT FEELS LIKE HOUND HAS BEEN WAITING ON A MOMENT THROUGH LIKE THIS.  SHE STEPS AWAY,  ASSESSING THE SCENE BEFORE HER.   REGRET, CONFLICT,  ANGER,  NOSTALGIA PLAGUES HIM LIKR A COMING STORM.
            
                   ❝      I’m sorry.  I’m not sure what for,  maybe you’re pain.   Your grief.   Or whoever you see in me,  but—   I can listen.   You lose yourself after a while when you pretend for so long.  It’s not healthy.  I’m sorry,  Leonid.  I hope you have someone taking care of you.     ❜❜ 

(    there  it  goes  again.   THE  HOUND  RETREATS,   flinches  and  backs  itself  away  from  the  door  of  it’s  cage.    tenderness  extended,    discomfort  suddenly  clear  in  the  mans  features.   the  crinkling  of  eyes,   the  slight  scowl  upon  his  lips.   the  look  always  filled  with  mischief  and  deceit  gives  way—   CRUMBLES  AND  CRACKS—    but  the  sight  under  is  no  more  ugly  then  the  façade   )     
            
            `почему  ты  такой…`    (   tone  subdued,  DULL  AND  EMPTY.   there  is  nothing  here.   the  anger  bubbling  in  his  stomach,   the  anger  he  feels  towards  himself,   is  the  only  thing  left  as  he  leans  unwillingly  into  the  touch.   this  is  not  about  HIM  and,  yet,   he  can’t  bring  himself  to  pull  away.   he  never  can   )   `i…   i  am  no  more  human  then  an  animal  tied  to  a  pole.   it  becomes  more  complicated  when  you  give  the  animal  a  name,   yes?   you  can  no  longer  release  it  from  it’s  misery.`   
            
            (    a  sigh,   deep  and  steady  as  he   begins  to  curl  in  on  himself,   acid  rising  to  his  throat  as  he  struggles  against  what  he  IS  and  what  he  WANTS.   suddenly,  he  winces  away,   taking  a  step  back  and  grimacing  at  just  how  comfortable  he’s  gotten  with  pretending.  a  moment  of  clarity.  it  doesn’t  matter  what  HE  WANTS,   not  anymore   )    `…LEONID.`

&&.            soft  please.

*  puh leasee

* gr 

@vilewoven      ✑      ❛    I’m am shocked that you decided to discard the gun,  but I am not shocked at Russell’s persistence.  Though, I can respect your choice on not wielding one.  I’m assuming he sent you for some hand to hand practice with me?   ❜   
            
            
                     ⧼       0⃨1⃨.⃨      ⇽   ESTELLE SUGGESTS LIGHTLY. LIPS WOULD CURL IN AMUSEMENT.  AN EASY SMILE RESTS AGAINST ESTELLE’S EXPRESSION.  THE SUGGESTION IS MORE LIKE A REQUEST,  CURIOSITY  HAS TAKEN A HOLD ON HER. 

though,   your husband is persistent that i should be.

@GUN2TEMPLE   STAWP ITTT

*   i may have giggled n twirled my hair

 @GUN2TEMPLE   hey lil mama  

⁕ ╱ ╱     SECTION TWO:     BEGINS.   

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⁕   ╱ ╱     ⁰⁰¹       SECTION ONE: COMPLETED.