Monsterhearts: The Summer Folk

[WritesNaughtyStories]

"Her cousin," hissed Mister Askars' syrupy-smooth voice through the æther, "get her drunk. Falling down, pissing her pants drunk, scare my little birdy into being a very good girl. Veal, if you will." Velvet could feel the low, predatory chuckle rather than hear it.

"I'll tell you when, but push Charlotte into the pool - I'll collect her from the ambulance."

[WickedCadrach]

Charlotte hesitated, jostled on the dance floor and barely keeping her footing as she watched Dylan slipping gracefully away, the bag of X discreetly flashed as they turned to face the DJ. 

"Fuck." Selene heard Charlotte spit the word, the dark-haired punk looking back and forth from the twins to Dylan as if weighing in her mind which would be able to fuck up her life worse. 

That brewing agitation turned hard, her brows knitting together as her lips curled in a snarl, and Charlotte took a furious step to follow Dylan, her head lowering and eyes intent. 

[Selene, you may not know Charlotte well enough to know precisely what she means to do here, but the last time you saw a girl with an expression like that, it was followed by slap and a fight that left blood under her fingernails. And she's headed straight for Dylan.]

[Chiyako]

Drugs. Have to be careful with that! I probably shouldn't try them, right?

In her novels they had been the bane for many a character. Drugs often led down a dark path of despair, one which generally ended in disaster! That said they could also create unexpected avenues forwards towards friendships or other valuable opportunities! Some were also less dangerous than others. Ecstacy was supposed to be one of the less dangerous ones. Potentially addictive, like any drug, but not something that was going to leave permanent damage. Not on its own, anyway. Even so. . .

If I get offered some will I be able to say no? It would be weird to say no, right? Bad? Heck, I just have to hope nobody offers. That would make things easier!

Dylan was dancing. Was she supposed to dance too? It would let her fit in a little better, right? She didn't know how to dance, but she had seen some videos. There were easy ones that she was confident in pulling off. Shoulders gently lifted and lowered, right and then left. Hips followed the same rhythm, gently popping to the side of each raised shoulder. A sort of wiggle dance. Hopefully enough to fit in without distracting anyone, or pulling attention to herself. She just had to try her best to keep the rhythm going with whatever music was playing in the background. It did at least show off her hips a little better. Those were perhaps one of her better assets!

A slight shiver ran along her spine at Dylan's continued words. Antagonizing Charlotte was definitely not any part of her plan! Threats only worked if one was prepared to carry them out. Was Dylan actually bluffing here? She hoped so! Violence was generally not the answer!

Dylan might be a little scarier than I thought. But he seems to have a plan too. Bribe with drugs. That might work, right?

Her gaze shifted towards Charlotte. She appeared to be caught in a predicament. Unlike the witch however Robin's definitely sister was not meek. She was aggressive. Knew what she wanted and was willing to take the initiative to achieve it! Someone for her to look up to, really. However what was about to happen appeared to be steeped in violence, or at least on the path towards it. Perhaps she was awkward when it came to engaging others, but Selene had spent her life watching people. This was pretty obvious.

Uh oh! Um! Dangit!

She tried to hurry, to close the gap towards Charlotte without spilling her drink. Thankfully it wasn't completely topped off anymore. One hand clasped over the top, acting as best a lid as possible. The other secured its grip around the cup, pulling it close to her chest. Her plan was one intended to cause the least amount of damage to Charlotte, all while protecting Dylan and their plot. She would attempt to place herself in the girl's path, to act as a road block. Hopefully it wouldn't come down to anything painful, but if getting herself knocked over protected Dylan from getting into a fight or Charlotte from getting hurt by Dylan, well, that was acceptable to her!

"W-wait!" she spoke, somewhat hushed but moreso hurried. "You don't want to do that!"

Spoiler

Attempted to Shut Someone Down on Charlotte in order to talk her down from her attempted move against Dylan! Rolled a 2 and a 1. -1 Cold makes it a 2. Big oof once more! Marking experience!

 

Edited July 12 by Chiyako
Rolled to Shut Someone Down!

[WickedCadrach]

As Selene stepped in front of Charlotte, trying to block her way and talk down the punk on a warpath, Charlotte felt a flash of anger spike behind her eyes. Selene, her quiet, purple-haired... friend? An hour ago she might have said so, strange as it felt for not really knowing Selene that well. But whatever she was, she had lied, pretending to go along with Lizzie and Sam's plan, she had embarrassed her already and now she was trying to get in her way again. Why did everyone have to butt in on what she wanted to do? She didn't care if people thought she was a bitch or crazy, but why couldn't they just shut up about it and let her do what she wanted?

For a moment, Billy rose in her mind. He could be a jerk, but at least he didn't treat her like a child. At least he let her be herself. At least he wouldn't choose fucking Robin over her. 

Charlotte saw red and in the moment, her goal of stopping Dylan was forgotten. "Fuck off!" Black-painted fingernails highlighted with red crackles like broken glass came up. Palms shooting forward and studded-leather wrist bangles clattering, Charlotte shoved Selene full in the chest, sending the other girl sprawling onto the dance floor and tumbling into the bare legs of a boy in board shorts who stumbled in turn. The dancers who noticed shifted, confused, surprised or intrigued in their own ways as a loose circle formed instantly around Charlotte and Selene. 

"Oh, hell yeah! Girl fight!" someone called over the music and a few startled gasps. 

Charlotte didn't pay any attention to the others though, her glare was steady on Selene, who was now lying on the dance floor, her fruity drink now completely spilled over her front and dripping down to her waist. 

"Why did you even come tonight? You act like you're my friend and then you turn on me the first chance you get. You're a bitch, Selene! Just stay the fuck away from me."

[Selene, your failed attempt to shut down Charlotte has put her over the edge. If you try to stop her again and fail, there's a chance she'll actually try to hurt you (1 Harm). If you let her go, you can tell she's headed straight for Dylan. Either way, a lot of attention is on you and Selene, and if Dylan intervenes, a lot will be on them too.]

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Dylan heard the commotion behind them before they got a chance to talk to the DJ. Turning, the Hollow saw Charlotte shove Selene to the floor and anger flared. They bit down on it - they'd had a lot of practice suppressing fury - and turned back to the DJ.

"Hey!" they called with a forced smile painted on their full lips, "Can I ask you a favor?" Dylan began, drawing the little bag of pills from their pocket, concealed in their fist for the moment. "You don't happen to have Hurts So Good by John Cougar, do you?"

"My friends are going to bring a video to you to show. O have a bunch of X  that I can give you to record me getting the shit kicked out of me and play it instead - be a nice video for Johnny..."

Dylan let their wrap slip again as they offered the DJ all but one of the pills and gave him a wink as they turned to face the dance floor. It had been a day or failure and hurt. It was so much easier when there was blood. It made sense. Dylan strode forward, and grabbed Charlotte by the shoulder and spun the girl to face them.

"I'm your problem, not Selene, CUNT!" they shouted the last word, giving Charlotte a shove, trying to force the girl's hand into violence. This Dylan could control.

/OOC: Dylan, rolled 6 using 2d6-1 ((3,4))

[Chiyako]

Oof!

A sudden powerful shove interrupted all thoughts. It had enough power to send the petite witch stumbling backwards over her own feet and, unfortunately, into the legs of some poor boy. Chill suddenly washed over her chest, the drink spilled and soaking both the thin silken robe along with the swimsuit worn beneath. Neither were white thankfully enough, and even if they had been the drink most certainly discovered whatever she had worn. That however was not on her mind.

She lay there for a moment, dazed while her now emptied cup was tossed aside. On instinct her free hand lifted and pressed atop her head, first making sure that her hat remained on and then taking a moment to adjust it. Force of habit. Her chest hurt a little bit, as did her rump and the back of her head. What hurt most were Charlotte's words.

"I didn't-" she began, trying to get a word in, only to wince and find any retort cut down by the girl's insult.

I didn't mean to betray you!

At that moment she wanted to sink away into the ground and simply return home. To throw herself into a good book. Legs pulled in close to her body and hands gripped at the brim of her hat, pulling it down slightly to conceal her face or, rather, to conceal the world from her vision. She felt the sting of tears forming, however these she managed to blink away.

I should not have come here. This is not my world.

Dylan's even sharper words prompted the small woman to release her grip upon her hat, gaze snapping upwards just in time to spot them in their initial engagement against Charlotte. With haste she pushed herself to her feet, however once she had Selene hesitated to move in towards the two. Everything she had done had only ended in failure. What could she even do now?

"Don't!"

Is this all I can do?

[WickedCadrach]

The DJ barely registered what was happening as his attention split between the shouting on the dance floor and Dylan's wrapped hand sliding the little baggy of X into his palm. But before they turned away, Dylan was rewarded with a nod and the sight of the DJ's phone rising to join the digital wildfire of recording devices coming out all around Charlotte and Selene. 

"Whoa!" "Stop!" "Wait, are they fighting?" "Who's fighting?" "I can't see!" 

The music cut. And the chorus of voices around the trio were swallowed by gasps and approving cries for blood as Dylan shoved Charlotte, the Hollow's challenge cutting through the din as the punk stumbled and regained her feet with a glare. 

On 16/07/2025 at 15:54, WritesNaughtyStories said:

"I'm your problem, not Selene, CUNT!"

"You're right," Charlotte replied. "You are the fucking problem!" And with a scream, she hurled herself at Dylan. Hands caught wrists, and another cry went up from the filming crowd around them as the pair struggled, nearly stomping on Selene before the other girl got back to her feet, her open robe clinging to her with her spilled drink. 

Dylan momentarily avoided catching one of Charlotte's black nails in the eye, a thin line of blood rising on their cheek as they twisted and put the smaller girl's back against the DJ's table. A pop on a microphone and the clack of rattling sound equipment preceded the MC's voice over the standing speakers, "Hey, hey! Take it over there." And a sudden shove in the center of Charlotte's back sent her and Dylan tumbling back onto the dance floor. 

Knees. Nails. Screams and grunts through gritted teeth. The pair rolled over the hardwood as camera phone flashes strobed over them. Charlotte drove a knee into Dylan's liver, and for the Hollow, the room pulsed with a view like being dunked underwater as their hands went weak and dropped off their attacker. It was the chance she needed. Seeing red, Charlotte's fingers tangled in Dylan's beautiful dark hair, pulling their head up off the dance floor before shoving back down with a crack that sent a flash of white through Dylan's vision along with the explosion of pain that followed. The only upside was that the blow stunned the Hollow so thoroughly, they didn't feel it when Charlotte pulled back and slammed down a second time. 

One of the dancefloor lights swept over and a wet red glimmer flashed on the floor as Dylan's head lolled to the side.

The DJ popped one of the pills and put on a faux announcer voice as they called out, "C-c-critical Hit!" and several onlookers let out audible winces. Charlotte was breathing hard, still gripping Dylan's head. 

Even through the shock and horror, Selene hears Lizzie and Sam over her shoulder, paying no attention to the little witch as they watch the scene through their own cell phones. 

"What a fucking psycho," Lizzie says in a stage whisper to her sister while Sam hums back a sing-song note of agreement. 

...

Outside, the abrupt cutting of the music on the dancefloor and the commotion of people moving from the other rooms of the house to investigate the swell of voices sets off a wave like deer scenting a predator. Robin's grin fades, she suddenly stops, halting before she reaches Derek and turns to Velvet. 

"What's going on?" she asks, her voice low in fearful confusion.

Spoiler

Dylan takes 1 Harm. 

 

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Dylan's head swam. Black crept in at the edges of their vision even as the flash of jarred-nerve white filled the center. The steely taste of blood filled their mouth.

And then the eXstasy hit.

The familiar arousal stirred into the hurt. Pure, identifiable pain that sang in the burn of scratches and the aching disorientation in their skull. So much better than the usual loneliness as warm breath leered at them on party nights.

As the sexual tension rose, thoughts of Robin pushed into the swirling confusion and Dylan smiled.

"Why do you hate her so much? She loves you so fucking much and you don't know how good you have it." They asked, poking at their split lip with their tongue.

'Fuck, that feels and tastes good.' They thought.

Edited Saturday at 05:43 PM by WritesNaughtyStories

[WickedCadrach]

Charlotte blinked, her nose crinkling in confusion and disgust as arousal washed over Dylan's face and their tongue emerged to sensually indulge in the taste of the blood beading up from their cut lip. She hung over Dylan a moment, letting out a shaky breath as the adrenaline of the fight made her lungs stutter, and once it seemed clear her opponent had no interest in continuing the fight, Charlotte dropped one knee to shift back onto her feet. 

23 hours ago, WritesNaughtyStories said:

"Why do you hate her so much? She loves you so fucking much and you don't know how good you have it."

The soft question hit Charlotte like a slap. For a moment, she could only stay where she was, straddling Dylan in the middle of the dance floor while the X in their blood set the Hollow subtly wiggling under her. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to grab Dylan's head and slam it down again, but instead her arms felt numb, and her palm went to her eyes where she felt them stinging and watering. 

"I have fucking sweat in my eyes now," she murmured, though no one asked. When she spoke again, a huff of anger preceded the words, pushed out as petulant and sudden as the shove she'd delivered to Selene moments before. "You don't know a god-damned thing about me. Don't pretend like you give a fuck, Dylan. I don't need to be your brownie points so you can hook up with my cousin. But fine. Fuck it. You win. You saved the day."

Charlotte shoved her wrist across her eyes again, smeared makeup leaving a dark line on the pale skin as she mouthed 'fuck'. Looking up, her already flushing face turned crimson at the sight of the phones still turned on her, and she rushed to her feet, stumbling over Dylan's ribs as she did. Looking around, her gaze landed on Selene and then on Lizzie and Sam as they angled their phones to capture the glitter of the faint tears at the edges of Charlotte's eyes. 

"Charlotte!" Robin's voice cut over the low rumble of the onlookers, heads turning as she raised a hand and tried to weave her way through the sea of shoulders. 

But Charlotte was already walking, heading out the opposite side of the room while the wall of gawkers parted for her and disappearing with the gunshot bang of her heel driving open the door into the dim hallway beyond. 

...

Robin felt a fist around her heart as she watched her cousin, missing for two days, disappearing once more. When she reached the gap in the dance floor, she looked down in surprise, first at seeing Selene outside her usual corndog purchasing hour, and then at the sight of Dylan bleeding on the floor. 

"Oh my gosh," Robin's breath caught as her eyes went wide, and in a flurry of hurried apologies and nudges, she made for the bar and grabbed a fistful of cocktail napkins, dropping to her knees beside Dylan and pressing them to the cuts on his face. "What happened?" she asked, first turning the question to Dylan, then to Selene and Velvet. 

However, the first replies were smothered as the DJ called out, "Well, that was fucked up. Hey! Clear the dancefloor! Party's not over, bitches!" and the speakers kicked back on. 

[Chiyako]

Oh gosh! Gosh! Please stop!

Selene recoiled slightly, cringing and wincing as a whirlwind of strikes was unleashed upon Dylan. Charlotte was terrifying! She wanted to jump in again, to put herself between them, to protect both of them from each other and from what might result from this very public fight. Alas, she was physically weak. At this point she doubted in her ability to wedge herself between them. Worse still: she was a coward.

Please! Somebody stop this!

There was a slight stumble in her step, a desperate attempt to escape from the two before they crashed into the DJ's booth. Charlotte's onslaught was too much, and soon everyone gathered paid witness to a truly vicious finisher, one which would have almost certainly left her weeping on the floor. Despite the excitement of those around her she managed to catch the hushed words of one of the twins. It was the sort of thing she had been concerned about, one of the reasons why she had tried to stop Charlotte initially: this sort of thing would look bad for her. It had not just been about protecting Robin, or Dylan. A fight like this rarely ended up looking good for either party.

"S-she's just upset!"

For a moment her attention turned towards the twins. A challenge, a perhaps feeble attempt to patch up this great misunderstanding, to repair Charlotte's image even perhaps at the risk of damaging her own. Of course Dylan was the one who really appeared to need help in the moment, but she didn't really know how to deal with that yet. Selene was doing her best on the fly. Unfortunately this wasn't really her forte.

When Dylan finally spoke up Selene's gaze snapped back over towards the two combatants. Their words had managed to somehow halt the attack. If there was any moment to interject then now would have been that moment! She took a step towards them, only to stop when Charlotte spoke. When the girl's gaze set briefly upon her Selene could only lower her own in shame, shoulders lifting slightly in a defensive reaction.

I'm sorry.

Lips mouthed her thoughts, only to be interrupted by the voice of someone familiar, the voice of the person who had set her entire plot into motion in the first place!

Robin!? Oh thank goodness!

Her attention snapped over towards Robin, just as everyone else's had. With the most frightening person having departed Selene made her way over to Dylan's side. Robin was already assisting them. The little witch would only get in the way. Mess something else up. She was about to answer Robin's question when the DJ's mic blared up behind her, instantly drowning out whatever words were about to leave her lips. With booming music following the announcement Selene was forced to move closer and crouch down, speaking up loud enough to hopefully be heard over the tunes.

"There was a video" she explained, pausing to glance between Robin and Velvet with a look which hopefully conveyed what said video might have been about. She didn't really want to say it out loud. "M-maybe somewhere quieter?" she asked, glancing then to Dylan, and then finally to where Charlotte had been. "I can help Dylan if you want to go after her. O-or should we leave her be?"

Spoiler

Selene attempted a little Shut Someone Down on the twins! Alas, the poor luck continues. Rolled a 4 and a 1. -1 Cold. 4 result. Another failure, another experience. This is not Selene's night!

 

[WickedCadrach]

Lizzie and Samantha ignore Selene, lifting their phones over her head and around her hat to catch Robin as she helped Dylan to their feet. With Charlotte gone and the chaos already being forgotten in a fresh round of drinks and the thumping rhythms of a new track hitting the speakers, the twins swept past Selene, whipping her in the face with a toss of their hair and swaying their way to the DJ's table. 

Though the sound of their voices was drowned in the bass, the pantomime show of shock and indignation was clear to read in their eyes and gaping mouths. With a shrug, the DJ gave a dismissive wave, brushing off Lizzie's offered phone, before turning the gesture into a double-fingered salute as the fashionista threw her drink at him. 

As quickly as it had started, the fight was over, and as the DJ had proclaimed, the party certainly wasn't. 

...

On 21/07/2025 at 11:25, Chiyako said:

"There was a video" she explained, pausing to glance between Robin and Velvet with a look which hopefully conveyed what said video might have been about. She didn't really want to say it out loud. "M-maybe somewhere quieter?" she asked, glancing then to Dylan, and then finally to where Charlotte had been. "I can help Dylan if you want to go after her. O-or should we leave her be?"

Looking anxiously toward the far door where Charlotte had disappeared and back to Dylan's prone body, Robin shook her head. "It's ok. She's ok. I... I'll find her later." Though her younger cousin had been missing for two days, seeing her here, alive and whole, at least alleviated the unspoken concern that Charlotte was dead in a ditch somewhere. It was still something to worry about, but Robin couldn't bring herself to leave her cousin's victim... not him... and to pursue someone who clearly had no interest in speaking with her. Robin was very good at turning the other cheek, but it was another matter to invite the slap. 

She didn't know what Selene meant by 'a video' or what that had to do with Charlotte attacking Dylan, but with the sounds of the party so close, she could barely hear herself think and it was difficult to extrapolate with the smell of Dylan's blood in her nose. "Let's get somewhere quiet," she said, looking from Selene to Velvet in silent pleas for help. She had no idea how bad Dylan was hurt yet, but blood always made her uneasy and a panicking voice in the back of her mind was already repeating that her crush had a brain bleed or a chipped skull over and over. 

Pushing the thought away, she fretted with Dylan's hair, combing it with her fingers as she tried to clear space to press the bunch of cocktail napkins to the wound. Robin smelled copper between the syrup and alcohol, and as she looked into Dylan's eyes, she saw they were dilated and drinking in everything with a look that was somehow both extremely focused and only vaguely directed. 

"Oh-Oh my God, Dylan? Are you ok? How do you feel?" she asked, anxiety making the words fall out quick despite her efforts to over-articulate against the onslaught of music. And pushing back her dark hair, setting the little silver cross earrings dancing, she shifted on her knees to find a better position to support Dylan's back and head. "Come on, let's get you up—" 

Robin froze, but only for a moment. As she reached around Dylan's shoulders to help him up, her eyes landed on the open front of his robe, the soft swell of cleavage and bare skin she'd never seen before from the baggy outfits Dylan had worn around town. She blinked, surprise and sudden embarrassment causing her to hesitate. Was Dylan a girl this whole time? How hadn't she noticed? What did it mean? First Velvet and now Dylan—

I'm a lesbian, Robin thought abruptly, the statement feeling simultaneously ridiculous and logical. Suddenly, Robin felt a little numb, her heart feeling as if it were beating once every ten seconds. The boy she'd been dreaming off for weeks was not a boy. She'd kissed a girl tonight, and now... this. For a moment the music fell away, and Robin felt as if her stomach was in freefall. She was acutely aware of how she was dressed again, how very unlike her all this was. And yet, it was her. All of this was her. And looking down into Dylan's dazed eyes, Robin silently asked herself if this changed anything about how she felt.

And the the answer was no.

Robin sucked her bottom lip between her teeth as she focused on helping the boy—no, the girl—who secretly made her heart race these last weeks back to her feet, leading the way toward the bar just to avoid the churn of the dancers returning to the floor. 

---

How does Selene feel now that she sees the partying college students ignoring Dylan's injuries and returning to drinking and dancing?

What's going through Dylan's mind as they see some of their blood running from the napkins onto Robin's hands?

What does Velvet think as she sees Robin drop everything to rush to Dylan's aid?

Anyone: What are Derek and his posse doing right now? What changes are you noticing in the party now that the fight is over?

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Derek stood a head taller than most of the other collegiates and gave a rough chuckle as Charlotte floored Dylan, "Jesus, look that freak - getting wrecked by a girl. He hoped that Charlotte would press the advantage a tear the freak's jacket off and show them all what promised to be very pretty tits.

But then, Charlotte started smashing Dylan's head against the floor.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! NO!" He screamed, The last thing he wanted, anyone wanted. Anyone NEEDED. Was Charlotte killing anyone. Even that butter-face freak.

Before he could push through the crowd and pull Charlotte off, Dylan said something and the whole thing ended as suddenly as it started. To his credit, the DJ tried to redirect the crowd and Derek made a mental note that the was the guy for future parties.

Then some hottie - fucking Robin!? Nah,

Yeah, Robin, ran over and knelt beside her, Fucking freak!

 

Dylan blinked up at Robin, their eyes still drifting in and out of focus as the blows to the head mixed with X. They smiled weakly and licked at their lip. "It's okay." they stammered as loudly as they could manage, working to help Robin sit themself up. Talking hurt more than sitting up. Dylan folded their bandaged hand over Robin's handful of bloody napkins.

Then they saw Robin freeze. The sudden ache in their chest pushed aside the thunder in their skull and the fire in their lip. Things were cold and Dylan closed their eyes, trying to decide how they were going to get out of Derek's party. Simply sucking into the floor or Just. Stopping. didn't seem like likely options.

But then they felt hands under their arms, trying to help them up. 'Fuck, Couldn't Charlotte have just stomped me?' They wondered silently as the opened their eyes and tried to focus. It was Robin. Still. And sexy, Well, slutty sexy. Not her usual wholesome sexy. And the warmth and taste of steel suddenly become more. They licked their split lip again.

"Wow," they croaked, their skull pounding with the noise of their voice, "you look," Finding a word hurt, and Dylan pressed a hand to their head, "Hot." They forced a smile, "It's different."

Dylan held onto Robin's shoulder and struggled uncertainly to their feet, leaning on the girl heavily. "I'm okay, You?" They said gesturing with a vague wave off the dance floor. "Just kinda spun."