Nadia's Reaction Is Met With A Full Body Laugh As Kennedy Lazily Tries Escape Her Push To No Actual Success.

the message behind rafael’s words only deepens kennedy's amusement. it’s such a stark contrast to everything she’s ever known. she’s used to plotting, to blending grit and determination with a little bit of elbow grease to get what she wants. the simple idea that sometimes all she had to do was ask? that feels almost foreign to her— even for something as inconsequential as having rafael buy her a drink. “careful— give me too much power and i can't promise i won't let it go to my head” she replies, a hint of mischief finding its way in their eyes as they tap a cautionary finger on his chest. when rafael leans in, kennedy does too, smiling at his critique. “you’re only saying that to make me feel better!”  they holler over his shoulder, allowing themselves to be pulled in by rafael's familiar and ever so careful lead.

the bar is not nearly as loud as the dance floor but it’s still lively enough to warrant them staying close. any more yelling as kennedy fears they won't be able to use their voice tomorrow. “wait— that is the cutest thing ever!" fondness flickers in her expression at the mention of rafael's parents. "i’ll have to hold you to that dance another time, then. preferably when we’re less likely to get elbowed in the face. oh— i'll just have a tequila sunrise or something." they should probably follow rafaels lead and stick to nursing a beer for the night but they have never been a fan of them. prefers their flavored cocktails.   their index finger hooks onto the strap of his wings, careful not to snap the elastic as she fixes it over his shoulder. “nice costume, by the way. … icarus? no — wait, don’t tell me.” their eyes narrow as they try to place it. “the guy from saltburn?” the one that people swear looks like kieran but kennedy thinks it's just the height.

"all  you  need  to  do  is  ask  and  i'll  obey,  kennedy.  i'm  only  semi  -  oblivious."  he's  always  been  a  compliant  person;  the  spotter,  the  watcher,  the  willing.  won't  put  himself  into  a  risky  position,  but  won't  let  his  friends  walk  into  danger  alone,  either.  almost  too  eager  to  accompany  them;  like  it's  his  duty.  rafael's  smile  only  widens  as  kennedy  laughs,  his  gaze  drifting  upwards  as  purple  and  orange  hues  wash  over  them.  "and  between  the  two  of  us  -,"  leans  in,  eyes  falling  onto  her  again,  "-  i  don't  think  half  the  people  in  here  know  how  to  dance  -  to  anything.  but  -"  his  hand  finds  her  wrist,  gentle  as  he  guides  her  away  from  the  floor  and  towards  the  bar.  always  delicate  -  always  cautious.  "-  your  wish  is  my  command.  personally  -  i'd  love  to  waltz  across  the  room  with  you.  i  know  a  thing  or  two,  y'know  -  my  parents  were  big  on  that  stuff.  probably  didn't  want  me  to  embarrass  them  at  my  first  school  dance."

BOBBY BRIGGS TWIN PEAKS | 1.04

"hmm that you did." they muse, a smile tugging at the corners of their mouth. "man, you always had the best stuff." she was discreet too, which was something kennedy always appreciated about nadia. they can't even imagine what trouble they would have gotten in if their parents had ever caught wind of all the times the two smoked beneath the school bleachers, giggling about whatever nonsense was relevant at the time. they were a match made in heaven. nadia needed their book smarts to pass class, kennedy needed her street smarts to make this godforsaken town remotely bearable. an unlikely duo, but a friendship that kennedy didn't realize how much they've missed until tonight. distance ihas a watt of testing relationships and kennedy, of all people, knew that all to well. despite the years apart they still felt a little corner of their heart reserved for nadia. they didn’t know how to navigate moments like this, though. they knew she wasn’t the type to look for sympathy and it didn't feel right to bash her parents when nadia still clearly held some attachment towards them. would kennedy feel the same if they were in nadia’s shoes?

so they don’t say anything. instead, offer a solemn nod. they are sure they will ponder this later, when their brain finally manages to come up with something remotely wise. the glamorized pictures that nadia paints of their job description are far more exciting than the reality that is a gray cubicle and the sound of typing filling the air like elevator music. a laugh breaks out at nadia’s anchor-like voice and they follow suit, unhooking their arm from nadia’s to sit up straighter, raising a fist to their lips as if it were a microphone. “thank you nadia, for the local hottie report. we cut back to announce that unfortunately for everyone back at home, the glamor will end the moment the liquor leaves your system. we recommend thinking twice before sending that ‘u up?’ text.” not exactly the type of reporting kennedy does, but definitely more amusing on a night like this. kennedy’s smile falters a little as they cheer once more, nadia’s words stirring something inside kennedy. something they don't particularly want to put a label to yet. the pause between them is brief, but heavy and it seems they are both happy to choke it down with the tequila rather than addressing the unspoken truth – that despite rekindling their friendship, the years have placed them on different paths, two worlds apart. “you wanna go dance?”

kennedy's reaction is exactly why nadia finds it as indulging to tease them about santi . nadia would be lying if she didn't inwardly cringe at it , too . her grin stays large and present on her face as the two laugh . she feels like a teenager again , which is only elevated at the mention of study guides . " did i not offer you weed and alcohol aplenty in return ? " she pretends to scoff , as if the exchange wasn't still WHOLLY UNFAIR to kennedy . " i wouldn't have passed any classes without those study guides . " nadia's grades were as abysmal as anything else that requires her to spend time on it .

the warm contact of their arm around her makes her smile , almost abashed , down at the floor . they're both not huggers , but there's familiarity there . " i hear from her every now and then . " nadia replies and hopes to god they leave it at that . her phone burns in her pocket , silent and abandoned . a reminder of how her parents view her generally . " i mean your duty in the same way the royals talk about their crown . " in a way , kennedy and their job is comparable to the monarchy . nadia offers them her sweetest smile and is pleased when it works when kennedy eases up . " a fluff piece , huh ? what will that constitute of ? the night was young , and the town people were hot . . " she fakes a news anchor tone . honestly , nadia can't remember the last time she read the register , but she'd be more prone to pick it up now if it meant supporting kennedy . nadia beams , all teeth , as she clinks her second shot glass against kennedy's . " cheers to us drinking together again . who woulda thought that would happen ? 22 year old us would refuse to believe it . " it's meant to be said in a positive way , but it sounds like a horrible REMINDER OF FAILURE even to nadia's ears . she busies herself with clinking the shot glass again , with more determination this time , and swiftly downing it .

"good save, babe. you had me worried there." they tease. as if hana could do anything to make her look ominous. kennedy thinks she could commit a murder and still find a way to make it endearing. something they might have to consider a little deeper about after tonight's events. fingers easily interlocking with hers as kennedy leads them out from the dancefloor. not without giving hana another twirl of course. "is it just me or is this party... actually fun?" especially for how low their expectations were to begin with.

☾ ❝ eee ! ❞ she nearly squeals at kennedy, nodding enthusiastically at the suggestion. ❝ yes please. i want one of those things that look like a lab experiment. ❞ she pauses, then laughs at herself. ❝ like, one of the tube drinks. not the people. ❞

"so it sounds like you're having a good night?" even in her current state, hana's magnetism and her ability to command a room seems as prevalent as ever. even a man like vikram, who tended to navigate through spaces with a downcast gaze, can't help but have his attention on her as she weaves ( bulldozes? ) them though the crowd. his eyes are trained on white bunny ears, watching them bob in tune with the buoyancy of her steps. next thing he knows, he's settling himself into the space next to hana, sandwiched between her and another group of partygoers trying to catch the bartender's attention. hana beats them to it and while he can't really make out just what exactly she is ordering, he does manage to at least place his card down for the bartender to take. "goals for tonight?" he repeats the question slowly to give it some thought but before he can, hana takes off with her own ideas. the more animated she becomes, the more dread vik feels and suddenly his free hand clasps over hers, giving it a small, desperate squeeze.

"hana... please." it's almost a whisper, barely audible if it wasn't for the proximity. "have some mercy on me tonight. can we settle for... a dance, maybe? i don't think anybody wants to see me on top of anything." if he didn't have a fear of heights and djs, he certainly does now. "how about the goal is that i make it to midnight without wishing i would have stayed home?" there's a bit of a joke in there. somewhere. his eyes land on the drinks placed before them and is immediately weary of it as hana hands one over to him. he swears he can smell the heartburn from here. "oh, do you want to do that thing they do in movies? where they lock arms?" see, he's not a total stick in the mud! ahaha.

☾ hana is ever so grateful that vikram simply goes along with her plans. there's an internal moment of triumph whenever she manages to chip away part of the shell — even if it always seems to be temporary. ❝ perfect. 'cos i've had, like, so many shots already. gotta get you caught up, vik. morgue-a-ritas, mystery mimosas, green goblins . . . whatever will get the job done ! ❞ she shimmies her way between people at the bar with an over - zealous excuse me, pointing to something on the special drinks menu as soon as she can catch the bartenders attention. she pulls vik in too, wordlessly insistent that he take up space too. ❝ do we have any goals for tonight ? like, ummm . . . infiltrate the dj booth ? climb the tables ? ❞ hana's teasing, of course — suggesting bogus options to see the reaction they pull. no sooner do their drinks hit the bartop (a concerning shade of green) before she's pushing one glass into his hand. ❝ bottoms up. ❞

the   two   painted   an   amusing   contrast   against   the   sterile   backdrop   of   redcreek’s   pharmacy.   taylan,   fiery   and   impatient,   his   vivid   red   energy   pushing   past   vikram’s   more   solemn   blue.   "oh,   sorry."   sass   was   not   something   that   had   ever   come   naturally   to   vikram.   apologies   did.   always   something   to   be   sorry   for   when   your   dignity   is   paper   thin.   and   that’s   exactly   what   he   offers   now,   raising   a   hand   instinctively   in   submission   as   he   steps   aside.   he   had   fully   expected   their   interaction   to   end   there   so   when   taylan   speaks   again,   it   catches   vikram   fully   off   guard,   eyes   widening   as   the   other's   crude   humor   rings   in   the   air,   almost   as   loud   as   the   bell   he   was   relentlessly   pressing   a   moment   prior.

'business   is   blooming.'   vikram   clears   his   throat   at   that,   shifting   awkwardly   in   place.   “uh,   yeah,   i   suppose   it   is.”   brows   twitch   into   a   frown   at   his   own   reply.   immediately,   vikram   can   tell   this   conversation   will   be   one   he   regrets.   one   that   his   mind   will   save   into   the   memory   of   his   brain   and   safely   tuck   away   at   the   corner   of   his   mind   specifically   reserved   for   remembering   any   time   he   puts   his   foot   in   his   mouth.   for   anyone   wondering,   throwing   azi   under   the   bus   in   his   police   interview   is   stashed   away   in   there   as   well.   he   draws   in   a   sharp   breath,   trying   again,   more   composed   this   time.   “they’re   probably   at   lunch   and   forgot   to   put   up   a   sign.”   better   to   address   the   younger   man’s   actual   question   than   the   colorful   way   he   expressed   it.   “or   maybe   they   did   put   one   up,   and   we’re   both   equally   awful   at   noticing   it.”   there’s   a   hint   of   a   joke   in   his   tone   as   his   eyes   flicker   to   the   'no   smoking'   sign   hanging   in   the   crook   of   the   reception   counter,   right   above   the   forgotten   ashes   of   taylan’s   cigarette.

where : red creek pharmacy status : closed with @brntout

with a cigarette dangling between his lips and insomnia looming underneath his eyes , taylan's days and nights blend into an aching mess that he can’t ease with the pills that he takes . years of playing hockey and fighting on the ice led him to shed blood , and steal from others without repercussions . but one accident had pulled on a loose thread making everything come undone . unraveling a poorly stitched pattern that his coach attempted to stitch close over the years with the help of painkillers . no pharmacist in sight and patience running thin . rough , careless and blowing out a waft of smoke , taylan pushes past vikram and leans against the counter , disregarding the no - smoking sign as if it were mere decoration . impatiently , he presses the call bell , over and over again . ding , ding , ding , resounds and bounces against the the pharmacy walls . “ think they died ? ” toying with the cherry at the end of his cigarette , taylan burns the pad of his thumb before pressing it out on the reception desk , leaving a dark marring spot behind . “ for all we know , the boogeyman gutted them in the back , and we have one less pharmacist in this town . ” too soon . “ congrats business is blooming for you . ”

her compromise still threatens to leave vikram outside of his comfort zone but he appreciates her willingness to meet him halfway. he's never particularly felt like he was someone easy to be around—too quiet, too meek, too hesitant. sometimes, he wonders if he is deserving of hana's patience or the gift of her company and as often happens, guilt starts to creep in. surely there are better things, better people for hana to invest her energy in. but then she laughs, and the warmth that radiates from her is enough to melt those pesky fears. the last thing he wants is to diminish her enthusiasm with his lack of it, so he nods, a newfound determination to enjoy the festivities settling into his bones. “deal.” he says, smile obscured by his half mask.

her enthusiasm on his silly suggestion, paired with the reality of their height difference earns a laugh from vikram, nose scrunching slightly in endearment. "oh— that would probably help, wouldn't it?" arms still locked, he begins to bend his knees until they are as close to eye level as they can be. he shakes his head at the mention of her tiktok account. "miss sayoc, sometimes i think you might be the death of me." there's a fondness as he says that because they both know vikram could never say no to her. not fully. "ready?" he asks, eyes darting from the shot back to her.

☾ hana bobs her head in agreement: she's having a perfect night. moving back from los angeles made their hometown seem impossibly dull. but on nights like this, when the town convenes for something fun, she can almost pretend there's a comparison to be made. as expected, his reaction to her nightly chores is as amusing as ever. she laughs. ❝ you'd probably be surprised, but i guess i could rework the to - do list for you. let's say ... a dance, three drinks minimum, annnnd– no bailing until at least 12:30 ? ❞

an excited hum of approval leaves her at his suggestion. ❝ ooohh, you are so smart ! ❞ hana cheers, instantaneously moving to link their arms together. their heights make it look a little impractical. ❝ —you might have to bend down just a little, so we don't spill everywhere. ❞ just to tease him a little further, she adds, ❝ next one's going on tiktok for sure. ❞

Reality Bites (1994) dir. Ben Stiller

@mclodrma

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. "