Trash Panda

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

There was a water park too, but we just went to the normal one. They had a high speed roller coaster that went 50mph (~80kmh)! It was awesome.

Oh dang. That's a lot! Good luck ^^;

And okay! Take your time. Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate.

Match Up in Malibu [Bee & Summer]

Watching the pairs square up in the pool, Jett’s thoughts about the matchup were the opposite of Anna’s. To him, it seemed logical that whatever went up, must come down, so Traci and Adam could find a way to use Nina’s weight against her. He leaned back in the lounge chair he’d chosen with his feet kicked up. Even though he wasn’t excited about his own arrangement with Anna, he looked forward to the sight of all the other groups playing the game. Choosing to focus on that, he kept his gray eyes honed in on the match, avoiding the woman beside him. He wasn’t above moving on from their spat that morning, but until he saw even a hint of a sign that she understood why he was put off by her attitude, he wouldn’t be the first to let it drop. He had too much self-respect for that.

At an announcement by the host, the pairs in the water went at each other with the ferocity of wild animals. It was obvious that neither team wanted to lose their shot at staying on the show, and that made for great entertainment, in Jett’s opinion. He watched amusedly as Nina managed to throw Traci from Adam’s shoulders. Maybe her weight would win her the match after all. However, in the second round, Traci turned the tide by getting inside Nina’s defense and tossing her down from her perch on Luke. Jett whistled and clapped with the rest of the spectators, thoroughly enjoying the competition, but the moment didn’t last long before he noticed that Luke had a concerned expression on his face, and Nina wasn’t making any move to get back on his shoulders.

He leaned forward in his seat, wondering what had happened. It hadn’t looked like she’d gotten hurt when she’d toppled into the pool, but she was grimacing like something had gone wrong. From where he was sitting, he couldn’t make out what was being said, but he could see the others’ gestures. Nina muttered something to Luke, whose eyes widened before he helped her hobble out of the water. It was only when she was thigh deep that it became clear that she was cradling between her legs. The sight didn’t give Jett any clarity until she briefly moved her hand away. He gawped at the sight of… well, not female anatomy that had become noticeable beneath the fabric of her swimsuit.

The realization struck him right before he heard Bella whisper the word ‘transwoman’ to her partner nearby. Again, he could practically feel the cameras bearing down on him as the crew members sought to drink up every second of his reaction to the news that the girl he’d kissed the night before wasn’t a natural woman. He stifled a groan and raked his fingers through his hair. He hadn’t even been on the show for twenty-four hours, and it already felt like he had landed himself in the worst situations. When he’d accepted the invitation to join for the summer, he’d been hoping for a fun, relaxing getaway with a few stunts for the public here and there. Instead, he was neck-deep in drama he hadn’t wanted to be involved in from the start.

That’s reality TV, I guess, he thought dryly, making a mental note to pass up the next offer he got to participate in a show like this. The pay and perks weren’t worth the hassle.

Acutely aware that the cameras wouldn’t leave him alone until he gave them a satisfactory reaction, he glanced at Anna. “Who would’ve thought?” he mused idly. Hopefully by playing his surprise off as cool nonchalance, the crew would lose interest and move on to someone else.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

On his way to the kitchen, Cas checked his phone to find that he’d received another barrage of texts from Jay and Miles who both wanted to know if Iris was still staying with him and if she had gotten her memory back yet. He sent back a quick ‘yes’ and ‘no’ respectively and then paused as he remembered that he still needed to stop them from getting their hopes up about the mysterious stranger who had entered their lives vicariously through him. Chewing on the inside of his lip, he added:

BTW I changed my mind. I really like her, so I’m calling dibs.

Just as he sent the message, he heard Iris greet him from the kitchen. Quickly, he shoved his phone into his pocket, irrationally worried that she would know what he’d just said to his friends even though she was too far away to read the text. He had only been trying to get Jay and Miles to keep their paws to themselves when they eventually met her, but the detail that he liked her was a little too close to home. The last thing he wanted to do was freak her out by admitting he had a crush on her when neither of them even knew who she really was. It was too weird. And there was still the lingering detail that there was a possibility she was taken.

Composing himself, the prince cleared his throat. “Well, I survived, so I can’t complain too much,” he answered her question with a shrug as he stepped over to join her at the table. “There’s not much else to say about economics. It’s just numbers, the history of numbers, and the projection of numbers. Nothing you’d be interested in, I’m sure.” Sliding in next to her, he took in the smells of cooked food that the staff had been preparing for lunch. His stomach growled in anticipation. It hadn’t been very long since breakfast, but there was nothing that could rouse a person’s appetite like the aroma of fresh, gourmet dishes.

“Whatever they give me,” he said with a smile in response to her second question. “My dad always orders specific entrees, but I’ve never had a meal I didn’t like from the royal chefs, so I usually let them surprise me. It’s more fun that way.” It was a habit he’d picked up from his mother after watching her ask every server to surprise her when they ate out as a family. Before the rebellion grew and before her passing, he and his parents had spent far more time outside of the mansion. They had everything they could want at home, but the late queen had insisted on supporting the local businesses and thought it was a waste to stay cooped up indoors all the time, especially when the weather was nice. Cas had taken after her adventurous spirit, which was why he knew a few spots around the capital that were known to attract foodies like his mother.

“Was there something you wanted to eat?” he asked, propping his elbow on the stone tabletop and resting his chin in his hand. “You must be hungry, right? I didn’t see you at breakfast this morning. If you’ve got a taste for something specific, I’m sure they can make it for you.” He tipped his head toward the working chefs, who were currently putting the finishing touches on a stew for his father. Stews, soups, and breads were what they usually fed the ailing monarch, since his stomach couldn’t handle heavier entrees anymore. However, the youthful prince was always spoiled with rich spices and flavorful ingredients. Already, the workers who weren’t assisting with their king’s lunch had begun gathering everything they would need to make his afternoon meal.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

Yeah, my husband and I both love theme parks, so it was a great trip ^^

And aw, dang. At least you had some extra time after your holiday!

I'll get started on my next post now :)

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

It was great! We went to a theme park for a couple days, so I got to spoil my inner adrenaline junkie with lots of roller coasters xD
How have you been?

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

The majority of breakfast passed in a bleary haze to Caspian. He had never been a morning person, but with both his father and Iris sleeping in, he was even less motivated than usual to rouse himself enough to follow a conversation. The kitchen staff didn’t try to ask him how he’d slept or how he was feeling that morning either. They had worked for the royal family long enough to know that when the prince was this tired, the safest play was to keep refilling his coffee until he was coherent for his lesson. That was what they did today. By the end of his meal, he was still a bit physically tired, but he was alert mentally, stimulated by the three cups of espresso they had given him to wake up.

It was just the pick-me-up he needed to endure the three-hour lecture with his tutor. Since his father hadn’t been up to reprimand him about his unkempt appearance, he showed up to the study exactly as he’d rolled out of bed earlier. He could tell his instructor was displeased, although the older man restricted his irritation to lingering stares and pursed lips. Like the rest of Cas’s teachers, he was a high-ranking member of his father’s court. Also like the rest, he believed the royal family ought to look their best any time they stood before the eyes of their citizens. It was a matter of public appearance, the court claimed, since God forbid any royal be seen in the clothes of a mortal.

The prince preferred to be comfortable within the walls of his own home, even if it meant sacrificing slacks for sweatpants.

When the lesson was finally over, he parted ways with his disgruntled tutor and went back to his bedroom to get ready for the day. He hadn’t been enthusiastic about his mandatory class, but he was excited to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening with Iris. Seeing her again was enough to warrant a shower, at the very least. As he washed and fixed up his appearance, he noticed idly that he was putting in the same amount of effort as he normally would have for a date. The thought brought a hint of color to his cheeks, and he tried to will it away while he studied his freshly shaved face in the mirror.

It’s not a date, he reminded himself silently, turning away from his reflection and ambling over to his closet to choose his clothes. She might have a boyfriend. But wouldn’t a boyfriend have noticed her absence by now? The thought gave him pause. It had been four days since he’d found her in the woods. If he had a girlfriend, he was sure he would have realized something was wrong by now. After a day or two of not receiving any texts or calls back, his first impulse would have been to visit her in person to make sure she was all right. That no one seemed to have done so for her was suspicious.

It still hasn’t been that long though, he argued with himself. Don’t jump to any conclusions. Tossing his damp towel aside, he replaced it with khaki trousers and a black button-down shirt, which he left untucked so he wouldn’t look too dressed up. After checking himself once more in the mirror and combing his fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to straighten it a little more, he headed back down to the kitchen, where he assumed Iris would be waiting to eat lunch.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

I just got back from my trip today, but we've been busy, so I'll get my next post up for you tomorrow! ^^

~Bonsoir~

Vail sank down in his chair as his father left the room, letting out his breath in a long exhale. Although it wouldn’t change his determination to defend Victoria, he disliked how much tension his involvement with her was causing for his family. Until he had met her, he and Peter had gotten along quite well. The clan leader would set rules, and he would obey them just like the rest of the Hygraces. Sometimes he pressed his father for more personal freedoms, such as his fondness for attending human events to get out of the manor, but arguments like the ones they’d been having recently had been few and far between. He could tell that Peter despised the conflict between them too. In fact, the fights had probably been even worse on the elder Hygrace since his son was supposed to be the next clan head. Now that he was starting to stray from the long kept traditions of their family, he was sure his father was starting to question his ability to lead the others.

His hazel eyes found the window, which wasn’t quite as dark now that the night was slowly coming to an end, and he yawned again. Normally he would be settling down to sleep right now, but he had given his word to Peter that he’d keep his distance from Victoria, who still laid on his bed. A small part of him was tempted to disregard the order and rest next to her anyway, but his respect for his father hadn’t degraded that much. Even though they disagreed about his feelings for a human woman, he believed the clan leader had been given his authority for a reason. If he wasn’t worthy of it, Reginald would have passed the title to his oldest son. That Peter’s name was the one outlined in the will was proof enough that he was a capable head of the estate. The heir didn’t want to cause any more unnecessary friction between them than he already had.

He was just pondering if he could find a comfortable enough position in the armchair to sleep when Victoria asked about the Wynters. Her question caught him off guard, and he stiffened. The incident she was inquiring about had happened long ago, but it was still a bit of a sore spot for him and the rest of the Hygraces. They prided themselves on being the most powerful vampire clan in England, so it was shameful to admit that the Wynters had nearly managed to best them once before. However, there was no good reason to avoid giving the curious Lady an answer. He looked up at her, pausing thoughtfully before he decided on a reply.

“They’ve tried to attack us a number of times,” he admitted, idly toying with a frayed string in the fabric of his armrest. “Mostly myself and my father, since either of our deaths would carve the deepest wound in our family’s chain of succession. They think we’re ‘cowards’ because we don’t go out of our way to kill humans or use our strength to help our kind rise up as the new apex species.” He shrugged. “But we believe dominating humans would cause more harm than good. Your people are stubborn and innovative, so trying to force you under our rule wouldn’t last forever. I’m sure one of you would come up with a plan or a new weapon to turn the tide in your favor, and we’d be back to square one. It’s just not worth the wasted bloodshed.”

Languidly, Vail stretched his legs and folded his arms over his midriff before going on: “The Wynters don’t agree with our rationale. That’s why—about… one hundred and thirty years ago?—they attacked us with the intent to kill all of the most powerful members of our clan, so they could take our place as the strongest vampires in England.” He lifted a hand to his throat. “You already know about our weakness to silver, but there’s one other way to kill a vampire: We can’t recover severed body parts. The former leader of the Wynters was a man named Elias, and he murdered all of my father’s siblings by cutting off their heads.” He dragged his index finger across his neck for emphasis and dropped his hand back into his lap.

“My father stopped him before he killed anyone else, but my uncle, the former head of our family, was among the slain,” he grimaced. The memory of the slaughter was still vivid in his mind whenever it came up. “It was fortunate that my father survived. If he hadn’t, the rest of us might have been forced to flee the country—and that’s only if the Wynters didn’t pick us off first. That’s why we detest them. They’re willing to put their lust for power above their own kind if it means they can get what they want. It’s vile.”

He leaned his head tiredly against the backrest of his chair. The subject of his family’s massacre was painful to dwell on. Even though he tried to be clinical in his description of it, it was impossible to completely separate out the abject horror of witnessing the brutality that had happened within the walls of his own home. His eyes wandered back to Victoria. “Based on everything you’ve told me, I’m certain they’re planning to try again. If I can get my father to understand that, he might be more accommodating to you.”

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

Managed to squeeze a post in before my studio ^^

Nice! And yeah, but I'm used to it xD I'm busy most of the time, and there was no way to prevent it since we're traveling right in the middle of my fall semester.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

“Hopefully you won’t have to,” Cas laughed when Iris said she couldn’t imagine going through all the sample drinks. “The goal here was just to have a good time, not make anyone sick.” When he finished speaking, he finished off the rest of his glass and slid it to the edge of the table with the empty margarita cup. Almost as soon as he did, Martin was on his feet to make him a second cocktail at the bar. The servant knew the prince almost always had more than one when he visited, so he didn’t want to keep him waiting longer than he had to. It was bad form to delay any member of the royal family their gratification.

Used to the treatment, Cas paid him no mind while he hurried to fill up the next round. “I may have been called that once or twice,” he held up his hands in a guilty gesture. “But I prefer to think I know how to have a good time.” He was well aware that the media ate up his party going habits. Most princes and princess who came before him were far more concerned about their public images, so they had kept away from anything that could sully their reputations. Many of them had kept away from the public altogether as well. His father would have liked to see him do the same, but he didn’t consider himself above the other high borns in the capital. He hadn’t even chosen to be the next king. If he could have picked his own fate, he would have wanted to be part of a family with less power and responsibility.

When Iris commented on the duties he had to take up on his father’s behalf, the prince just shrugged. He didn’t enjoy most of it, but like she said, it was all important. Someone had to keep up relations with the other influential families in Aspiria, negotiate with foreign ambassadors, and humor the newscasters who were critical in presenting the crown in a positive light to the rest of the country. The latter was especially pressing with the rise of the rebellion. If their enemies found out just how steeply their monarch’s health had deteriorated, he was certain they would take advantage of it. That was why he had started giving statements for his father. It was better for a young and healthy face to appear on the people’s screens instead of a decaying figurehead.

“You’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, huh?” Cas teased when Iris announced that she liked the last sample. Turning away from her, he raised a hand to get Martin’s attention. “One more mimosa for Iris, a full one this time.”

“Of course, your highness,” the bartender bowed.

“Thanks, Martin,” he flashed the servant an appreciative smile and turned back to the girl sitting across from him.

Cas enjoyed the rest of the time he spent with Iris, talking and drinking until he cut himself off for the sake of keeping at least some of his wits about him. By the time he was done, he could feel his exhaustion from the long day finally catch up with him. Too tired to think of an excuse to stick around her any longer—although he wished he could have, because she was great company—he walked her back part of the way to her room. Luckily, they managed to send her to her quarters before his father’s assigned curfew, so the guards didn’t hassle them, and he parted ways with her on peaceful terms to return to his own bed for the night.

The next morning, Cas found it harder than usual to get up. Though he wasn’t hungover, the alcohol left him feeling drowsy, and he dreaded sitting through another boring economics lesson without getting a few more hours of sleep first. Unfortunately, the only one who could change the time his tutor arrived was his father, so he slapped his alarm clock and forced himself to crawl out of bed. He threw on a pair of joggers and an old, dark green t-shirt and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Between the loose-fitting clothes and his uncombed hair, he looked more disheveled than usual, but he was too groggy to care. If his father complained, he would just tidy up his appearance between his meal and when the teacher showed up later.