@murdcrofcrows Essie & Vinny Striker's Lane

@murdcrofcrows otis & rafe old world casino

never really one to gamble, and certainly not a talented poker or card player, otis never had much luck or fun in the casino. but there were few times they made exceptions of their usual avoidance of the place, and that was whenever rafe dragged them along. "you ever thought about sports betting?" it had been very popular once upon a time, "less strategy but bigger rewards right?" or something like that. they shrug, leaning back in the chair as they sip on the now warm beer.

#Quinning

she may roll her eyes, but essie would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy frankie's company. at the minimum it was entertaining, at the most she found it meaningful. friendship, fling, it didn't much matter to them. "i've put up with it this long, what's another time?" she smirks, taking another sip of her drink, as she pretends to be bored when frankie starts listing everything that she'd been up to. "emergency room visit? any good story or just normal stupidity?" she interjects with a raised eyebrow, curious to the trouble the other got their self into. "you need a vacation frankie, they can't have you working so much and expect to still heed your brilliance." she scolds, as if she was one who vacationed. essie couldn't tell you the last time she took an extended break of vacation from her work. "secrets? maybe. evil? maybe." she teases. "everything is going smoothly, which honestly is a bit boring."

"class? in this economy?" frankie mocked a scoff. "sorry can't afford it, you're just going to have to look past my gremlin demeanor and love me for who i am, baby cakes." she shot essie a wink and chuckled while the redhead scanned over the menu. frankie would much rather flirt than talk about something boring like politics or the government. a place she feared every conversation she had with someone near her age would go. "can't help it when you look like that. not sorry in the least, you ought to be told, doll." but when the change of subject went to what the scientist has been up to she let out a long sigh. "work, work, casual and meaningless sex, work, a random emergency room visit, oh,. and wouldn't you have it? more work." she ticked them all off on her fingers while she listed them. "how about you? any evil secrets you can tell me in the big pharma world?"

*     ◟    :    〔   margaret qualley  ,      demi-woman   +   she/they    〕   taylor ryan ,      some say you’re a  twenty - five  lost soul among the neon lights.      known for being both  perceptive  and  evasive,  one can’t help but think of  i’m your man  by mitski  when you walk by.    are you still a    empress   /     principal ballerina  at   the snake den   /  nya ballet,     even with your reputation as the the opulent?     i think we’ll be seeing more of you and  skin glittering under the moonlight, doe eyes looking up at you, ribbons flowing in the wind, diamond rings over gloved hands.   although we can’t help but think of juliet capulet (romeo & juliet), daisy buchanan (the great gatsby), ophelia (hamlet), sansa stark (game of thrones).    whenever we see you down these rainy streets. ’

BASICS

NAME: taylor isabella ryan (originally kowalski) NICKNAMES: none JOB: nyc principal ballerina, empress in the snake den BIRTHDAY: april 19th ZODIAC: aries sun SEXUALITY: pansexual  GENDER: demi-woman, she/they RELIGION: non practicing catholic THREE POSITIVE TRAITS: perceptive, inviting, demanding THREE NEGATIVE TRAITS: evasive, vain, needy ENNEAGRAM: 7w8 MYERS-BRIGGS: enfj AESTHETIC:  skin glittering under the moonlight, doe eyes looking up at you, ribbons flowing in the wind, diamond rings over gloved hands CHARACTER INSPO:  juliet capulet (romeo & juliet), daisy buchanan (the great gatsby), ophelia (hamlet), sansa stark (game of thrones) LIKES: DISLIKES:

pinterest | playlist

WANTED CONNECTIONS

serious ex (or ex fiance?)

frenemies

someone she has charmed for her own needs

a mentor of some sort

flings/fwbs

current connections

ex-husband: bash owens (they were young and dumb)

casual fling: bash owens

siblings: raven & donovan kowalski

FAST FACTS

youngest sister of donovan and raven

is the only sibling that 'made it'

was eventually adopted by a very rich family who gave taylor everything they could ever want

distances herself from her past/siblings to keep up with her 'princess' persona she adopted

though given everything, she always wanted more, is also resentful of her parents and the life they easily lead

is a bit of a romantic at heart (or as romantic as she could)

lawful evil

has her own rules she follow, at the expense of others

on the prowl for more power hence the snake den

studied art for a while

was a dancer in her youth, now principal ballerina for nycb

considers herself classy & above others because of her money

father worked in government, mother was a philanthropist though she could have whatever she wanted, taylor still resents them...

self-obsessed and joined snake den, just because she should and seems to have a vendetta against everyone

more to come...

it was something of 'staff bonding' though tennessee would prefer a higher class place, she knew it was important for morale or something like that to show up where her co-workers and subordinates were. so here she was, sitting in a bowling alley, listening intently (or at least pretending to) while the girl next to her droned on and on about whatever was plaguing her life. essie wanted to shake her and say wake the fuck up, but that felt unprofessional, so instead she nodded along.

that was until suddenly their was a buzzing and she looked just as a bowling ball came soaring by, landing between her and the other. the girl shrieked and essie made no move as she looked up to see the culprit behind the ball come rushing forward. "did you just through that...anita right?" she pointed to the ball and then back to her. "you know it's supposed to go that way right?" she points to the lane in front of them. and though she's playing it cool - it's honestly the best excuse to get out of that boring conversation. so she pushes away from the girl without a word and toward anita. "i'm not expert bowler, but i can give you a pointer or two if you'd like."

open starter — any muse !

location : some random ass bowling alley

blend   in   ,   blend   in   ,   blend   in   —   that's   the   task   here   !   &   when   your   co   -   workers   ask   you   to   come   out   for   a   drink   ,   as   the   new   girl   ,   you   say   YES   .   .   .   nevermind   if   you   short   circuit   while   staring   into   oblivion   as   they   ask  you if you have any plans  .   .   .   it's   all   apart   of   the   charade   .   it's   what   weasels   do   best   right   ?   W   E   A   S   E   L   into   any & all situations . gain their trust . . . or whatever you call it . never bowled before , never even held the ball — but she's observant enough to understand ; to pick up what the others are doing with little effort . until it's her turn . okay . . . don't panic , you got this . is this how the fingers go ? okay , feels good . . . now knock down the pins . cranking her arm back , anita looks straight at the bowling pins ahead ; only to let it go . . . but it wasn't going where she anticipated . every single eye watched as the fifteen pound bowling ball flew threw the air . mouths slightly ajar , irises following where it was going to land . it was all in slow motion but it missed whoever it was going to hit by a H A I R — caving in the surface that it connected with instead . " HOLY . . . SHIT ! i . am . such a CLUTZ — i'm so sorry ! " first & last time bowling .

DEREK LUH Schön! Magazine (December 2023)

"perfect, have i ever told you that you always know exactly what to say?" essie smiles, something people usually akin to that of a shark baring its teeth, but it's genuine in this moment. "you deserve a night off my lovely lady! so please, let us carry ourselves over in that direction." she coos this time, leaning back up and nodding in that direction already starting to walk backwards, beckoning the other along.

she genuinely enjoyed her time with pilar, tennessee always likes to collect beautiful powerful women in her pocket. "what's your poison for tonight ma'am?"

there was just the minor house keeping that needed to be done . file some paper work , make sure guest accounts were in order — the dumb , mundane shit that would make the normal person reek with boredom . but pilar found it oddly satisfying . . . seeing as though she spent a majority of her life overseeing brainwashed children & killing others for their offspring . no , no this pace was MUCH more her speed these days . looking up from the screen before her , pilar managed a smirk toward tennessee — shaking her head . " almost . lucky for you , i kept the bar open . "

@murdcrofcrows taylor & silas the slow down cafe

"si," taylor begins with a soft sigh in her voice as she steps into line with him. "if i was a better person, i'd love to open a cafe where you match a coffee or tea with someone's favorite book." tucked under their arm is a worn edition of emma. "what would you say your favorite drink and book is? we'll start with your combo and build out from there." she teases with a small nudge, biting on her tongue. though it's obvious that this would be a life that would bore taylor to no end, it's fun to imagine what being good and wholesome could lead to from time to time.

*    ◟    :    〔   angela sarafyan  ,     cisfemale    +   she-her    〕      tennessee gant ,      some say you’re a  fourty-three  lost soul among the neon lights.      known for being both  determined  and  inflexible,  one can’t help but think of  the devil  by   banks  when you walk by.    are you still a    cfo  at   anunnaki pharmaceuticals,     even with your reputation as the tenacious?     i think we’ll be seeing more of you and  pink lips in a thin line, the chill from seeing something move in the back corner of the bar, the condescending pat on your head.    although we can’t help but think of shirley schmidt (boston legal), catherine of aragon (the spanish princess), dolores abernathy (westworld), queen ravenna (snow white and the huntsman).    whenever we see you down these rainy streets. ’

BASICS

NAME: tennessee baron gant NICKNAMES: essie JOB: cfo, anunnaki pharmaceuticals BIRTHDAY: january 1st ZODIAC: capricorn sun SEXUALITY: bisexual  GENDER: ciswoman, she/her RELIGION: none THREE POSITIVE TRAITS: determined, mature, persuasive THREE NEGATIVE TRAITS: inflexible, confrontational, judemental ENNEAGRAM: 8w9 MYERS-BRIGGS: enfj AESTHETIC: pink lips in a thin line, the chill from seeing something move in the back corner of the bar, the condescending pat on your head CHARACTER INSPO: shirley schmidt (boston legal), catherine of aragon (the spanish princess), dolores abernathy (westworld), queen ravenna (snow white and the huntsman) LIKES: DISLIKES:

pinterest | playlist

WANTED CONNECTIONS

estranged daughter

ex/father of daughter (could also be estranged or a one-night stand)

current fling/fwb/casual relationship

other exes

work enemy

confidant

someone with connections that helps her get things she wants

current connections

ex-husband: vinny nolan

old friend/casual ex: frankie levin

work rivals: diana ingram

girl boss besties: rowan rockwell

FAST FACTS

while in school, essie accidentally fell pregnant (boyfriend/casual fling/one night stand), and thought briefly she could do both - be successful and be a mother

essie had bigger plans than being a mother, so being pregnant in her early twenties was not ideal

after giving birth, she tried the mothering thing before deciding she couldn't do that and instead gave her daughter up for adoption

then essie focused entirely on her career and climbing the ladder at anunnaki until she made it to coveted cfo

never had time for too many relationships, comes off as harsh, believes in the future that anunnaki can bring

she's the kind of person that either loves you, hates you, or if for some reason you don't fall in either of those categories she forgets you exist

more to come...

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