cross your heart && hope to die

[stauncherhearted]

[An August catch-all! Please note that Nancy has been cursed to compelled to tell the truth. This curse lasts until she reveals 3 things that she never would have otherwise, or until the next full moon (Aug 29). Please mention if a thread occurs AFTER the 29th as for now, she's defaulting to cursed.

Lots of fun. Please see these lovely starters, and check the comment section for a few starters. Want something specific? you know where to find me (sheakespeare).]

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Option A
The day after Lammas, Nancy woke up like any other day. She fed her cat, had some coffee and cooked up a bit of bacon to keep her hangover at bay. Today was supposed to be like any other day, grab a few bottles of Blood Replenisher to give to Cooper, more VT for her, and maybe stop by a local cafe to read for a while. And everything was going just great.

At least, until she got to the apothecary. When she was asked how she was doing, instead of just saying 'alright' and moving on like any normal person would do, she found herself looking at him and saying, "I'm bloody hungover and I don't know what just happened." But she'd said those words, even if they weren't the ones she wanted to. Blinking, she tried again, but the results were the same. Even after a third time.

"Fine, just ring me up I can tell you're impatient and think I'm crazy." He gave her a look, but rang up her purchases. Nancy was only too glad to get out of there.

Once on the street, that's where she was able to take stock of herself. Putting her bags down, she leaned against the wall. "Alright, Nancy. What's going on with you? This isn't like you." And that was the first of many incidents that day, where she thought one thing, and wound up saying something entirely else. Something, she found, that was true, and only occurred when she was lying.

Someone had cursed her. And she still had to run errands.



Option B

Nancy was determined not to let this curse keep her from working. So here she was, another night, another bar, dolled up. Whenever she approached men, however, she still couldn't, try as she might, even dance around telling the truth.

She sounded desperate, awful, and her game was at an all-time-low. At this rate, she'd have to ask Fagin for money, and he was notoriously tight with his purse strings. The only thing worse than that would be asking someone like Killian to help her out. Completely unacceptable.

Another failed solicitation, and the bartender finally nodded to the bouncer. said bouncer, who had once happily checked Nancy's ID, marched over to the petite girl and promptly informed her that this bar had no room for prostitutes, and she was therefore banned from the establishment for the rest of forever.

Shoulders sagging forward, Nancy trekked through London, trying to keep her tears at bay. Tonight, she decided, she was just going to walk home. Usually, she'd find herself at Fagin's, pouring herself a drink of gin on nights like tonight. But seeing the old man would only be a disaster tonight. Besides, she needed some time to think to herself.


Option C

If anyone has cared to notice, it's been a few days since Nancy'd been seen around London, or even responded to any sort of texts or anything. Her phone is off, and she's more than happy to spend her time right now sitting on the couch with her cat in her lap and read. Reading would lead to drinking and watching television, or even practicing videogaming but all the same, the fact remained she was lonely. Lonely and bored. First July kept her in the house for the Hunt, and now August had her nearly unable to open her mouth at all to have any sort of normal human interaction.

And, when it was feeling like it was going to be impossible to ever lift the curse, she started researching. She had a few books hidden away from when she lived at the Den, and poured over them, attempting to find a solution to her problem.


Option D
Wild Card. Make your own prompt.

Comments

while you're out there getting high (Cooper)

[stauncherhearted]

Cooper had a standing invitation to stay at Nancy's, while he was recovering from fae blood. Not exactly the safest thing, considering he'd been planning on draining her dry, but it was still Nancy's decision, and he was her friend. She needed to help him.

Which meant when he was craving, she'd go to the apothecary again to bring back more replenishers and vt. It was only her second trip that month, and returned back to find Cooper where she'd left him with the pizza.

"I grabbed you more Blood Replenishers like you wanted, and I got myself some VT because I care about you, but I don't trust you." Immediately, she dropped the bag to the couch and slapped both hands over her mouth. "Oh gods. Cooper. I'm so sorry."

[emotioneater]

For the first few days, Cooper had been all but insensible. He'd been laid up, sleeping heavily during the days, and going through withdrawal symptoms at night. Shivering night sweats seemed to be the order of the day. He'd talked too, sometimes to Nancy and sometimes to people that weren't there. A name that kept popping up was Stefan and Cooper seemed to keep apologizing over and over for failing him.

When the worst of it had passed, he'd woken up looking like death. The first order of business had been to take a shower and get some blood replenisher into him. Afterwards, he'd started feeling more like himself again, albeit a version weak as a kitten. He and Nancy hadn't really gotten a chance to talk beyond a few cursory words.

Currently, he was laid up on the couch, a slice of pizza half-eaten in front of him. He frowned at Nancy's words, folding his arms over his lanky frame. "You don't trust me? I'm not the one that poisoned their supposed friend!"

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy had spent the past weeks pushing her sleeping habits closer and closer to nocturnal for Cooper's sake. She couldn't leave him, she knew, and had relied on the kindness of some of the boys to help her out with groceries. They were always happy to help her out.

Juliet, for her part, was under strict instructions not to leave Nancy's bedroom, and was taking her food with vt in case of the worst. The cat wasn't happy about it, but she'd settled into a routine as well.

It was only recently she felt that she could take off. Take off and, well, speak to him. But even that was just paltry nothings. And now? Now she was cursed.

"You were going to drain me. I had to, to save both of us. I was terrified. I-" She swallowed, oh gods, this curse couldn't have come at a worse time. Wincing again, the words came out. "I- I'm so sorry. I thought you were going to kill me!"

[emotioneater]

He had a small amount of anger built up, still resenting her for tricking him in the first place. It all fizzled out like water being poured on smoldering embers when Nancy said that she had been terrified. She was his friend and he had nearly crossed a line into something that never could have been taken back. "I wouldn't have killed you." The words sounded feeble even to his ears. He'd been out of control and knew it.

He sighed, dropping his arms back to his sides. "I shouldn't be getting mad at you. There's not many that would take in an old drugged-out vampire 'n let him stay as long as he liked to dry out." Maybe it was time for him to take off. He was nowhere near back on his feet, but if this is the way she felt, staying didn't really seem right.

B

[entitles]

"All alone, are we?" Balem said, stepping out from behind the corner of a building, his footsteps eerily silent, "You don't look overly joyful. Is something the matter?"

Not because he actually cares, but because he wants to know if Circle Midnight had the tar beaten out of them in a magic war or something like that.

[stauncherhearted]

The arrival of one handsome and increasingly creepy fae caught Nancy off-guard and she stopped in her tracks. Oh, Cephei.

"I am-" she winces at her words and knows what's coming even before the words cross her lips. "Yes, there is something the matter I just got kicked out of a bar for soliciting." Which brought her to her next point: "I can't say what I want to. something's making me say all this."

[entitles]

"Oh, dear, looks like you've been cursed," he said, "I knew I sensed something strange in the air. Do you know who did it?"

one more night to wonder why (Kenzi)

[stauncherhearted]

[continuing from here.]

--

When Kenzi knocks at her door, Nancy's already opening it, throwing her arms around her friend. "Kenzi- I'm so scared I can't stop!" She was shaking in her bare feet probably crushing the tinier girl.

"I'm cursed. I was kicked out of Five Swans, I have to avoid Stiles, and- I can't even work! Who would curse me?" She pulled back for a moment, her eyes red and puffy. Any makeup she had on had long since run down her raw cheeks. Her curls fell limply, and even Nancy was reduced to wearing sweat-pants and an over-sized t-shirt, alcohol on her breath. It was safe to say, she looked like a train had run her over a few times.

Without waiting for any indication that Kenzi understood, she grabbed the other girl's wrist and pulled her into the apartment, slamming the door behind her and dragging her to the couch.

Last time on the Kenzi & Nancy Adventures!

[kleptofaeniac]

Kenzi came over right away, and it's pretty clear she was in the middle of a hair experiment because there is a smell of fresh bleach and dye. Those colored extensions don't make themselves. Her fingernails are all completely purple.

"Okay, okay - " Kenzi could only manage that much as Nancy ran on and pulled her to the couch. This was new. And very awful.

"What the hell happened?"

First things first.

[stauncherhearted]

She can't even tell Kenzi what's up yet. No, she has to address the smell and the nails and oh gods, "I'm sorry I brought you away from something. Next time you should wear gloves." Oh. Well, that was a lot better than she expected.

"I haven't been able to lie! I have to tell the truth! Cephei says it's a curse. I don't know who would have done this and I'm terrified, Kenzi." She'd been in sticky places with everyone she'd spoken to so far, kicked out of bars, on the verge of ruining everything in her life against her will. "You're the only person I trust."

A

[necromancynow]

"Nancy, isn't it?" Speaking of errands, Faust had one or two of his own to deal with today. Perhaps running into one of Fagin's contacts was providence. He looked around in case anyone was listening, but as was often the case in the big city... well, no one really was.

"I need to talk to you. Or rather, to him. My shipment arrived -- dead. There's no way I'll be able to use any of it for my craft."

[stauncherhearted]

"Yes it is," she said, turning on her heel to face Faust. Oh, no. He didn't look happy. At all. And she had no choice but to continue the conversation.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Doctor Faust." And she was. "I wish I could do something about it." She couldn't, it was completely out of her hands to begin with.

[necromancynow]

"Did you know this would happen?" His voice was little more than a whisper. "You did, didn't you? That's why you were acting so... odd."

He should have recognized the signs; this sort of thing had happened before. But he'd been too tired, too off his game.

B

[specifiercity]

Arthur's heading home when he spots Nancy crossing at an intersection ahead of him. He notices her posture right away and considers whether or not he should catch up and see if she's okay - it's not really like he knows her that well, maybe she just wants to be left alone. On the flipside, maybe she's in trouble. Arthur decides to pick up his pace.

He turns the corner to follow her and then calls her name when he's close enough.

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy turned the second she heard her name, spinning on the ball of her foot to see- "Arthur!" Not an unwelcome sight, even if he was yet another failed solicitation.

She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, desperate to appear like she wasn't crying just seconds ago.

[specifiercity]

Arthur notices, but it doesn't seem to register on his face. He smiles, looking down the sidewalk and then back to Nancy's face.

"You going this way?"

He gestures down the road, in the direction Nancy was walking.

C

[falsify]

Eames doesn't check up on Nancy as much as it might seem to an outside eye - though the two of them move in a lot of the same circles, he's content to leave her be unless he catches whispers of something that may endanger her. She's useful to him yet, after all.

But tonight he had a question and it seemed best to ask in person, only... She's not in her usual haunts and no one seems to have seen her for a few days. Not that he's concerned, but it's the sort of thing that'll bug him if he doesn't find out what's going on. Which is what has him at Nancy's door, cautiously pushing against her wards instead of knocking to see how intact they are.

[stauncherhearted]

The wards are intact, and she can feel something pressing against them. Rising to her feet, she carefully approaches the door. "Who's there?" She creates a small ball of fire, just in case.

[falsify]

"Eames." He answers noncommittally and leans against the wall by the door, waiting for her to open it. "I'm checking up on you."

A

[rules_winter]

Mab passes Nancy on her way into the Apothecary and at first she almost didn't stop. But witch magic cloaks the girl drawing her attention and that's when she hears her murmuring to herself with frustration. It makes her look again. She seems familiar but likely only because she had been at Abigail's party and in the same general area as Abigail during the young Witch's announcement of a coven. The group was young.

So instead of heading into the shop, Mab stopped next to the girl feeling a complicated mix of magic twisting around her. Interesting. "Are you well?" She asked finally, like a concerned citizen might seeing a young lady slumped against a wall.

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy barely had time to look up from the ground, hair a mess as she looked up to see the fair woman in front of her. Nancy suddenly became very aware of how much of a mess she was, in comparison to the stranger.

"No," she whined pathetically, unsure if it was herself or the curse spurring her to speak. "I can't say what I want to say! Everything is coming out wrong." Everything of importance, at least.

[rules_winter]

The girl was barely blooming out of childhood and it was likely the way she whined up at Mab was making it more obvious how young she was. Mab dropped a hand to the top of the girl's head, in what could be construed as a comforting gesture and the touch was warm even if the air around them might seem strangely cool on a sweltering August day.

One had to wonder if a spell had backfired on the young witch. It would explain the complicated signature of magic around her. But then again, some of it felt fae in nature. "Come, child, we will get you a drink." Perhaps it would make the explanation make more sense. "And then you can explain the problem."

B

[knightscode]

Lancelot off duty is far less tidy and clean-shaven than he is otherwise.

It's late out, but London is never truly dark or quiet -- street-lights keep a minimum of eternal twilight and people go back and forth to and from late shifts, pubs, bars, 24 hour shops. His jeans are faded and a little frayed at the bottom, shirt loose and untucked and hair a slightly rumpled array of curls as he walks his dog. The fluffy white samoyed is walking neatly beside him, ears twitching uncertainly and shying from anyone particularly loud or drunk. In truth, Lancelot isn't paying a huge amount of attention to what's going on around him -- half scrolling through his phone now and then and pausing when Lily decides she wants to investigate something (or to steer her away from things she shouldn't).

He's surprised, therefore, when he looks up and realises he recognises someone.

Part of him thinks he should leave her be and not get involved. After all, she already knows he's police and surely he will be the last person she'd want to associate with?

The other part can't stand the defeated look in her, and even if she turns him away he'd hate himself for not trying.

So he gently turns Lily away from where she was heading, moves to slowly intercept her with a frown of concern.

"... Hi," he begins, slightly awkward (how do you begin such a thing? 'Hello, I moved you on once by a river and now you look like you're crying. Can I help?') before he rallies. "I suppose it would be silly to ask if you're all right," he carries on. That probably doesn't help either. She likely as not doesn't want to hear she looks like shit. He winces a little, awkward. "Look, do you... want a drink or something? Or -- there's a good place not far that opens late selling coffee and frozen yoghurt and things. You might regret that less in the morning."

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings when Lance calls out to her. With a small gasp, she looks up to see a familiar looking man and a very large fluffy puppy. He sounded familiar. Was he- the cop. From the river.

But he certainly didn't look like he was on duty tonight.

"It's really silly," she admits, "because I am crying. And I need a very strong drink. Tonight-this week, it's all been awful." She stamped her small foot a little, which only made her look all the more pathetic. At least it wasn't raining, so she couldn't add bedraggled to her list of adjectives.

"I'm sorry- you don't have to take me anywhere. No one else is going to tonight, so why should you?" Bitter sarcasm bit at her truths.

[knightscode]

Something about her behaviour gives Lancelot pause. It's such a significant contrast to before, such a flood of emotional honesty that he's thrown for a moment with how to handle it. He'd been expecting something of her reticence before, her to challenge why he'd care or to tell him to go away. Instead... Well. It doesn't matter.

He collects himself, shifting his grip on Lily's leash as she twitches her ears uneasily. One hand drops reassuringly to her as he thinks how to reply.

"Well," he says finally, "I might not have to, but I have little better to do so I don't see why I should not. No strings, just a drink -- I promise. You don't even have to tell me about your week, if you don't want to, although Lily always says I'm a very good listener. Don't you?"

Lancelot drops his eyes to the dog, who looks up questioningly. Does she? She wouldn't know about any such thing.