MARCH UPDATE

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

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97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Dec 20, 2022 16:49:54 GMT

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Shinra wasn't much of a drinker, yet steadily more and more so he'd found himself acquiring a taste for it. He'd known plenty of drinkers in his lifetime, all of which shouldn't have had so much control over his life as they did. Foster care had forced him to have a unique opinion of such people and none of which was positive.
[break][break]
Yet here he was....
[break][break]
Sure, he was far from anything remotely detrimental and yet the slightest hint of control was loosened from his fingers and that simply wouldn't do. Once again, he felt homeless. Purposeless. Was there really a worse fate for a man than that? He certainly didn't think so. Maybe he was just feeling down for once, that happened from time to time. He was still in a place far from home, feeling the stinging sense of failure seeing his home in the vice of authoritarian regime he wasn't able to stop.
[break][break]
Now, it didn't make sense for him to blame himself for events much larger than he was capable of controlling, but that didn't really matter. Though, he began to understand maybe why people began drinking to begin with. It diminished one's sense of responsibility. He couldn't even find his own happiness, let alone retribution for something outside of his control. So, as he drank the resounding realization became more and more apparent. "I do not care."
[break][break]
Far from the truth, but he was feeling a touch nihilistic as well. There was a way of change, but he didn't much care to. Really, maybe the most pathetic thing one could do was drink alone.

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

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played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Dec 21, 2022 23:31:06 GMT

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Uh uh. No way. Blue sidled up to the bar, sliding into the one stool that was miraculously left open– and of course it was next to that familiar build and silvery white head of hair that she’d come to be a bit more familiar with than she’d care to admit. Out of necessity, she told herself. Even that was partially a lie.[break][break]

“Are you trying to predict my movements before I make them now?” She asked dryly, elbows propping on the bartop as she waggled her hand at the bartender to pull his attention. Then her fingers laced together and Blue settled her chin in the cradle of them as she looked sideways at Shinra, brows raised.[break][break]

She didn’t mean it, of course. There was no way he would have known that she’d show up there. But it was strange– she didn’t mind seeing him tonight. Maybe it was the information she’d managed to dig up on him. Maybe it was the lazy curl of prior drinks weaving through her system at The Ritual before she’d made her way over to Howling. More her speed, though really, when she cared to drink it was usually some cheap six-pack she dragged back to her lousy excuse for an apartment.[break][break]

Sprawled out on her mattress on the floor, empty cans littering the space beside it. That was pretty pathetic.[break][break]

But tonight she actually looked sorta nice. Dressed a little more. Hair actually brushed and neatly put together after insistence from CALLISTA MOON that if they were going out, maybe it was better if she didn’t look like she’d just crawled out of some dumpster or back alley (these were Blue’s words, and not her friend’s, of course.)[break][break]

Granted, the sentiment was…accurate. She had no accomplishments, no great purpose. Why shouldn’t she look the part? Alas, she was neat and dressed nicely, and desperately needed more liquor to distract her from the awkward discomfort of it. The way she felt like an imposter in her own skin for daring to look just a little different.[break][break]

Bothering Shinra might help too. Did he not recognize her, or was he just ignoring her? “Hey, you gonna answer me, Shitra?” Or maybe she was just too lost in her own head to have heard any prior answer he might’ve provided.
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Shinra Moro

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played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Dec 22, 2022 19:35:25 GMT

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This was the second time in one night that he was caught off guard; however, this time, he nearly jumped out of his seat. Clearly, he was making no effort to keep his surroundings in check and, obviously, wasn't doing anything as nefarious as what he was accused. It was probably due to the fact he'd already had a couple of drinks and they'd done their duty of lowering his self-awareness and tolerance. Though, it wasn't all bad, considering it seemed to be keeping his mind off the more minute details of his usual compulsions. His hands, glove-free, pressed finger prints to the foggy glass of his drink. He'd gone a long time without noticing that there was an ugly sticky stain on the bartop.
[break][break]
All to be pulled away and hype-aware of the young woman glaring back at him. It was remarkable that he'd gone without noticing blue murtagh, as she wasn't a girl someone could just overlook (not without getting two black-eyes for it). She just didn't exactly... look like herself right then. Something clearly wasn't right with him then because all he could do was blankly stare at her, piecing together how she could possibly make such a transformation from the dodgy gremlin cage fighter he knew her to be.
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"You...." He started, pausing once more. It wasn't to think his words carefully, so much as to try to piece together exactly what he was thinking. But there lied the problem. He wasn't thinking anymore, not well enough to guard his words or even speak them with intent to annoy. "Look cute." He just said it, "It's kinda weird."
[break][break]
God, had he drank that much already? He couldn't recall. Alcohol did have the nasty means of making him more honest and that clearly was the effect tonight (not that he was well-versed in excess). He'd drank considerably after Kanto, but that had been mindless and messy, not something he was proud of. This time, well... he wasn't much proud of this either. "What are you doing here? Obviously, no... I didn't pre-determine your chosen rat nest"

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

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played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Dec 23, 2022 5:03:49 GMT

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A sazerac was slipped across the bar top to her waiting hands. She studied the man beside her carefully, fully expecting the coy twist of his grin, or the glint in his eyes that liked to insinuate that he was staring straight through her. Oddly enough, Blue found neither.[break][break]

Her head tilted, a soft frown slipping across her face as he lingered over his pause. “Me…” she drawled back, head swiveling in a way that indicated he should continue. In the meantime, her glass lifted to her lips to drink from it. Masking the fact that she felt a bit strange over the delay, and the way he was observing her. It felt markedly different from the normal, sly and cold glint in the sharp blue of his eyes. Must be a trick of the light. It was a bit dim in there, after all.[break][break]

The liquor slid down her throat with a mellow burn, only to nearly shoot back up in a hacking cough when Shinra finally found his words.[break][break]

Cute. Blue didn’t know how to describe what she felt just then— the heightened prickle of self-consciousness that she had already been feeling intensified, but there was a slight twist of pleasure to it now. Like she was pleased to have been noticed. (Maybe that wasn’t so surprising, given her deep seeded need to be seen.) But she wasn’t accustomed to the reaction being prompted by her looks.[break][break]

And from Shinra of all people. “Are your eyes working?” she asked, but it lacked bite. Instead, it came out dumbfounded. Setting her drink down, her hands lifted to her face. Her cheeks were hot. Why? Maybe she was coming down with a fever.[break][break]

Her hands remained planted on her face for a bit longer as Blue tried to will the warmth to fade. Eventually, though, one returned to her tumbler, fingers curling around the sweating glass as a regained smirk flashed at him. “How drunk are you, exactly? Should I catch up?” She scoffed.[break][break]

The remnants of her prior drinking seemed to soften of her sharper edges, mellowing her out as more alcohol padded that softening. “Uh, I like to drink here, duh? What are you doing in a rat’s nest?”

[break][break]

[break][break]

Shinra Moro

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close tab

played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Dec 25, 2022 19:21:40 GMT

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He eyed the sazarac that was slid across the counter towards her and ordered one for himself to follow up the drink he was steadily finishing. Perhaps he should've slowed down some, put more thought behind his actions and yet, once again, he couldn't find a reason to give a damn. Maybe he should find more time for himself instead of wasting his life making up for past mistakes. It wasn't like they were his mistakes. His actions didn't lead to Kanto's destruction, had it?
[break][break]
Shinra smiled, looking down at his hands distractedly. "Yeah, think my eyes are working plenty well. You should know though, you're the one that put the effort into... well..." Without thinking, he reached across a poked a naked finger against the coiled ball of hair on her head. "It's cute." He didn't, however, anticipate the blush. That was what that was, right? He didn't think that shade of red could be found on the woman's face. Certainly not due to his actions.
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"I'm not drunk," He muttered, trying to recall just how many drinks he'd had up until that point, but he couldn't remember. That didn't mean he was drunk though. His vision was simply operating as expected, that was all.
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"I don't know," He said honestly, not knowing why he was here. "I wasn't feeling very merry during this holiday time so I decided to try any figure out what people do this time of the year. Turns out they drink... a lot. Although maybe the year will get better before it ends, who knows. How about you, are you feeling very merry? Enjoying the happy new year? All that holiday shit?"

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

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close tab

played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Dec 26, 2022 1:58:10 GMT

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"It...it was a suggestion from a friend!" she bleated out, cheeks darkening further still. As if she had to justify way she wasn't all schlubby like usual. The reaction bubbling up in her was foreign. Completely unknown. It had to be the sazerac. Or...or what she'd had before coming over to Howling. That was causing the heat under her skin, and the spin in her head. It wasn't him repeating himself. It wasn't.[break][break]

It wasn't because she felt she knew him better now because of her snooping, even though Shinra didn't know she'd looked into his history before turning up in Hoenn on loan from interpol. It wasn't because she felt a weird sort of kinship with where he'd come from. How it mirrored her own time as a child.[break][break]

It was just the drinking. Maybe she was the drunker one.[break][break]

"You have to be," she continued to babble indignantly, brows pinching together. "To think...that." Why would he think that she was cute? She was like a case study. She wasn't his client, and there wasn't some inhibitor. But he'd been required to evaluate her. Wasn't that enough of a deterrent. Even more than that, the general...herness? Blue wasn't a desirable person, she'd never thought so. She was never made to believe it.[break][break]

So despite that inherent want for approval and acceptance, that want for somebody to see her differently, as wantable...it felt almost frightening to consider. There'd be some ulterior motive. Some reason to use her for their gain.[break][break]

Not that she really thought Shinra was deeming her as someone he wanted anything to do with, but still. It was a little aggravating he was causing all these thoughts in her already hazy head in the first place.[break][break]

Cute.[break][break]

Her annoyance didn't linger, though (also annoying,) when he began to explain. Her gaze shifted away, down to her glass as she spun it between her palms where it rested on the bartop. "You don't really seem like the merry sort." Her dry words were followed by a short snort, amused. "That's okay, though. I'm not really, either."[break][break]

Blue gives him a sidelong glance. "Do I strike you as festive?" She'd never had any real reason to enjoy holidays. They were just there and she existed through them. She wasn't a merry-maker or overtly cheerful. But she wasn't really the sort to dump on someone else for being that way, unless they really gave her a justifiable reason to. Mostly, she just stayed home. "How do you think it'll get better, though? Before the end of the year? That's literally, like, hours away. Maybe not even that."[break][break]

She'd lost track of the exact time ages ago.

[break][break]

[break][break]

Shinra Moro

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close tab

played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Dec 29, 2022 15:15:39 GMT

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"Here you are again referring to this friend, I'm beginning to think they don't exist and are just an excuse." He was actually teasing her, which some (by some, that meant no one) would say that, that was practically flirting for him. Maybe he'd not realized how much he drank before arriving here. Considering he'd only had a couple of drinks with Gunner Graves and a couple more here as well. It wasn't like he was counting or anything, which therein lies his error.
[break][break]
"I have to be drunk to think you look cute right now?" He laughed at that. "Regardless of whether or not I am, which I am not... it'd be impossible not to think that." He raised a brow at her skeptically, maybe even conspiratorially. "Did you dress up because you have a date or something? Am I interrupting it?" She didn't seem to have anyone else around, but maybe the date was before or... after? Hmm.
[break][break]
Despite this circumstance being purely coincidental, he was unexpectedly happy to have the company. This was the second time someone he knew popped up out of nowhere so maybe the universe was telling him he was in desperate need of company. He begged to differ, but Blue was certainly company he wasn't about to object against.
[break][break]
"No, can't say I'm very merry." He shrugged at that, a very light admittance. The holidays didn't mean much to him and he hadn't any fond memories of them. "Well I'll admit, the outfit had surprised me into thinking you might be."
[break][break]
Of course, with her track record, it made sense why she might not be entirely festive either. In that, unexpectedly, he could empathize with. He wasn't sure if he liked the feeling though. It seemed messy. "Well you showed up out of nowhere, so I think my luck is on the up and up. Do you disagree?" Of course, she did.

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

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close tab

played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Dec 30, 2022 19:38:13 GMT

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“Huh?? I’m not making her up!” Blue cried, immediately more indignant and dramatic than need be, heightened by the flustered feeling already brewing. “She was just here with me and had to go meet up with someone else…” An explanation that sooo didn’t help her case, but it was the truth![break][break]

Blue frowned, unable to quell the stupid heat that brightened her face, her mind fixated on how he’d reached out and poked her hairbun without her instinctively flinching away, even if it wasn’t direct contact. “Well…no, you don’t. But…” she huffed, rose eyes darting away as she pouted. “Impossible not to think that,” she echoed quietly, mostly to herself. Really? Her? Coming from Shinra of all people, which meant he…thought that about her? To an extent.[break][break]

The chemical reaction that caused inside her was confusing. Like she was suddenly hyper-fixated on each and every thing he said next, like the slow lift on a roller coaster before the sudden, gut-twisting drop. Blue had never been on one, but that’s what she expected it felt like.[break][break]

Even more strange—why was she so hopeful for more?[break][break]

“What? No, I don’t- I’ve never…” she stared hard at him, trying to reel back in the embarrassment and the floundering that he was so good at pulling out of her. “No date. You’re not interrupting.” She grumbled wordlessly then into her glass, trying to drink faster so maybe she’d black this mortification out her brain.[break][break]

“Well, like I said, it was a suggestion. Not because I’m merry or some dumb shit like that,” her eyes cut away, unable to look at him evenly just then, “feel kind of weird for it, actually. Add it to your little psych notebook.” Her bottom lip puffed, and she knew she was being petulant in her embarrassment, but Blue didn’t care.[break][break]

“Holidays are just an excuse to be fake,” she added after a beat. It wasn’t wholly true, maybe. Should her New Year’s resolution be to improve her negativistic thinking? It seemed like an impossible task.
A futile effort.[break][break]

His words cut through her line of thinking and her gaze snapped back to him, mouth agape for a moment. “Are…are you still chatting me up?” She looked away again, before he could catch the full effect of a fleeting smile, small and bashful, tugging at her lips. “No, don’t disagree…guess I could have run into…worse.”

[break][break]

[break][break]

Shinra Moro

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close tab

played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Jan 3, 2023 20:30:12 GMT

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Shinra raised his hands at that, "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I believe you." Maybe it was because he'd had more drinks than he could handle, but this was not going at all like he expected. He certainly didn't expected blue murtagh to turn that shade of red or speak with a nearly bratty hitch to her tone.
[break][break]
Despite his brevity paired with intoxicated abruptness, he had to take a moment to study her. The look of pause on her face as she studied the compliment, it was enough to tell him she wasn't used to receiving compliments. It was a shame, though he shouldn't have been the person to provide her with that. How disappointing that would be for her, to realize these compliments are temporary. The person he is under it all was unfeeling, uncaring, vacuous.
[break][break]
"Good," He said, risking a smile, which he found was unexpectedly difficult. Not out of ease, but practice. He smiled often, but it was rarely genuine. "Nope, tonight a psych-free night. I probably wont remember it anyways." He shrugged, a little nudge for her to speak as she wished. He wasn't here to analyze her, even if he might retain the memory for posterity's sake. Though the alcohol might not allow for that.
[break][break]
He tilted his head at that, not exactly the pinnacle of depth in any way. He was a fake person, a persona. Who would he be to suggest otherwise to her? That the holidays could hold more depth? "I can't disagree with you there, I suppose." Was all he could manage. She was a bit of a struggle for him, admittedly. Usually, he adapted with who he spoke to, but with her he didn't necessarily know how to adapt. Instead, he felt the inclination to honesty, which was dangerous... and boring.
[break][break]
"Chatting you up? Is that what the kids say these days?" He snorted at that, "No, I'm not chatting you up. Oh — so I'm not the worst person you ever met? That's a first."

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

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close tab

played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Jan 4, 2023 22:09:09 GMT

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Blue huffed, expression still petulant. “Yeah, you better.” It had to be the alcohol fueling her behavior now—making her flustered and bratty, though in a way that almost invited him to continue. It should probably have been a relief that he relented, but her eyes slowly drifted back toward him, curious.[break][break]

And he was watching her back.[break][break]

Her face flushed again, but rather than look away, her head tilted. Something in her stomach twisted nervously when he smiled at her. An honest smile. Not the ones she’d become accustomed to in the time since she’d met him. The hollow, conniving ones that teased warmth but never truly were. Funny, she felt funny.[break][break]

Like she was a soda bottle that someone had come and shook up, the contents waiting for a pressure release before rocket outward. And why was it suddenly sort of disappointing when he said probably wouldn’t remember? “You know, it’s not very nice to basically tell someone they’re forgettable,” she huffed, arms folding as her chin tipped up snootily. “‘Specially after complimenting them.”[break][break]

Who was she right now?

“I’m not a kid.” Her nose wrinkled in distaste. And as if to prove that, she downed the rest of her drink before hailing the bartender for another round. Heat continued to simmer in her cheeks. “Keep calling me cute and sayin’ the year is better ‘cause I’m here feels an awful like bein’ chatted up..” she remarked, voice full of skepticism.[break][break]

Or maybe it was just the fact that she was so disused to it that words like that stood out like a sore thumb whenever she received them.[break][break]

“Nah, you’re sorta alright, I guess,” she replied, lips twisting coyly as she looked away toward her new, refreshed glass.

[break][break]

[break][break]

Shinra Moro

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played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Jan 13, 2023 16:11:30 GMT

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There were alarm bells going off in his head, but he couldn't trace the origin. It felt quite far away, by that point, fueled by a fear he couldn't understand. He had no reason to be afraid of Blue, even if she was... a bit of a peculiarity in comparison to other people he'd spoken to. Almost nearly a complete enigma. This was a closed case, she was dirty. He could tell the first time he'd met her, could see it in the bloodless lines of her hands, the war in her eyes, the brutal edges of a fighter in more ways than one. Though, a foolish part of him, wanted to believe that her crimes were limited to the ring.
[break][break]
It was okay to be angry. It was okay to fight. He handled his own demons by digging in people's heads, why couldn't she handle her own with her own brand of violence. They weren't unalike. Yet, that didn't mean she was Rocket. Or, at least, that she was like the people that burned his country. Even then, he wasn't even so much sure if he cared about his country. It had never really been home, but an excuse for something to fight for. In reality, he just liked to break people. So what if she broke things with her hands? Broken bones mend over time, but a broken mind...?
[break][break]
"Oh you are far from forgettable. I was simply giving you an out if you wished to share any secrets." No amount of alcohol could dilute his mind that much. Or well, he'd yet to meet that limit. He drank his drink then as if he was seeking out that limit. Maybe he could turn his brain off for a second and simply be. Would she prefer that?
[break][break]
She waved down the bartender and he took the opportunity to order yet another liquid mistake.
[break][break]
"Okay, I hate that you're here and my day is thoroughly ruined." He laughed at that, despite his attempt to seem genuine in his contradiction. Shinra shook his head at that, feeling a little ridiculous. "You say that, but if you knew me, you'd say otherwise." If she'd met him a couple years ago, she'd be afraid of him. He was sure. His job would have been very different.

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

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played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Jan 18, 2023 23:48:12 GMT

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Despite all of her efforts to be a threat, she didn’t exactly feel like heckling him right then. Maybe it was the drinking coupled with the information she’d uncovered about him. Or maybe it was just the information itself. Either way, she wasn’t accustomed to softening to people. Especially those she’d gotten off on bad footing with. So it was strange that Shinra suddenly felt like some exception for her. She remained ‘undetected’ by the PD for her status. So that must’ve meant he’d shrugged off anything he’d noted about her in his report to them. He hadn’t taken what he’d found out later to the captain, either.[break][break]

She didn’t get why. She didn’t get him, or what he was doing to her.[break][break]

But for some reason, the simple bluntness of his words made her face warm all over again. She wasn’t forgettable. What was that supposed to mean? He thought about her, or whatever? Even weirder was the sudden, fuzzy feeling that made her feel alright with that idea. It had to be all the drinking. Had to be. “What sort of secrets are you tryin’ to worm out of me now?” she asked, huffing. Though if he caught sight of her at just the right moment, he might’ve spied the flicker of a smile at the corners of her mouth.[break][break]

Just a glimmer.[break][break]

“The truth comes out,” Blue replied with a snort of dry laughter as she tipped back her refreshed drink once it was in hand. It was curious, though– obviously he didn’t mean it. It wasn’t expected that he might like being around her. It wasn’t as if she’d made it easier at any given turn. “Why’s that?” She shrugged, unbothered. It wasn’t as if she held expectations, or believed he was on some higher plane. “You act like you’re talking to a saint. You know I’m not.”[break][break]

So what if he wasn’t as pristine and spotless as he liked to look. It was almost better if he wasn’t.

[break][break]

[break][break]

Shinra Moro

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close tab

played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra

POSTED ON Jan 31, 2023 22:18:42 GMT

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“What sort of secrets are you tryin’ to worm out of me now?” He paused at that and frowned, it was an awkward stumble of mental motion. Of course, he was jarred more because the alcohol had made him clumsy. Under normal circumstances, he might have followed this up with something witty, whatever you will feed me. Because that was the truth, in an obscene way, he felt hungry to know. Yet experience had long since taught him that his hunger wasn't something that could be fed. It was pointless, it never filled up the vacancy there. It only left him feeling more empty.
[break][break]
Not to mention, he asked an awful lot of questions, didn't he? That was who he was and also his job. He asked questions, they sometimes answered, and then he evaluated. The same kind of pointless consumption that resulted in further emptiness. "Mmm... none, in fact. I think I've asked you enough questions, haven't I?" He laughed, realized he'd just asked her another question in the form of an opinion. Another problem of his, his opinions didn't matter so much as the factual conclusion that his analysis concluded. People were no more than arithmetic. "I think it's probably time to return the favor so... if you have questions? I'll do my best to answer."
[break][break]
"The truth is what you make of it," He shrugged at that, knowing his lie could be convincing if she willed it to be. She was probably used to harming herself on other's words as well as her own. "Honesty is a saintly quality and as much as you try to lie, you are pretty bad at it."

[break][break]

[break][break]

blue murtagh

[attr="class","star3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

close tab

played by

lou

blue, murk

she/her

twenty-seven

october 29

goldenrod city, johto

grey-ace

lost dog (defector?)

executive

5'7 height

death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

awards

322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @blue

POSTED ON Feb 3, 2023 5:09:47 GMT

THEO BECKETT likes this

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“None..?” Her face twisted up, confused. As much as she’d wanted him off of her back, why was it oddly hollowing to hear he had none? Did he not actually want to know about her? She could’ve smacked her forehead— of course he didn't. Not really. Even with his following her to the fighting pens and this weird interaction now, they were something purely transactional in nature. He performed a job. She helped him fulfill it.[break][break]

The last thing she expected, however, was for him to turn the option back on himself. “I know you,” she blurted, unable to retract it before it was out in the open air. Her eyes found her glass and fixated on it instead. “I mean—I did my own digging.” The false cover had done her few favors, but the ability to pull his files (at least his general ones,) with very little red tape had been one.[break][break]

“I get what it’s like, you know. To not even be last pick. Or to be so tired of it you fuck up good things when they do show up.”[break][break]

It was difficult to believe they were real, after all. Just like it was difficult to believe any part of this right now was real. His drunken bluntness, her delicate embarrassment. It all felt like a fabrication that younger, more hopeful her dreamt up. The monster in her had destroyed that little girl, and now—[break][break]

The thought was halted. There had been no test yet. No opportunity to see if THEO BECKETT would reassign her after all. Until then, she was still Shinra’s problem. “Bad or not, it’s not always a kind or compassionate honesty. Some things are better not said.”

[break][break]

[break][break]

Shinra Moro

[attr="class","star3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

close tab

played by

roux

moro / shin

he/him

thirty-six

february 1

fuchsia city, kanto

gray-ace

interpol investigator

officer

31 height

Maybe this is what I get for leaving you out in the cold. Drag my body to the woods and let me go.

awards

97 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shinra