AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 5, 2020 19:28:12 GMT
The sky above Hiraeth City was a starless void, the halo of pollution from every neon technicolor light drowning out every inch of star. You can see the stars in every glittering, lit window of all the skyscrapers and high-rises stretching to the heavens, a galaxy of light to rival even the Milky Way. Even without a star in the sky, you always felt like you were seeing them... artificial and lifeless as they are-- artful imitations of the priceless gems that once decorated the dark fabric of midnight... flickering and unwavering even now.
Claret stared out a window at these stars, every twinkle holding some untold story as this nocturnal city moved ceaselessly at such a late hour. The bronze liquid in her drink reflected every shimmer and shine that basked the entire city in a blue glow. She took a drink. Maybe she was just nervous.
The synthetic jazz felt stifled from where she sat in a dark booth on the second level of a well-known lounge. The black leather felt cool against her skin, the tables and glass equally chill to the touch, like everything else here. The Blue Cosmicaut was The Place for business or pleasure-- a dim, penthouse establishment that gave an aerial view of most of Uptown and all its glittering lights. Large windows lined the walls, inches thick but seemingly so fragile... there was more window than wall here, fueling the city's propensity for voyeurism. There was no privacy. Not here, not anywhere.
Claret was waiting for someone. She should've gotten their name-- all she knew is that they were from the Kenne family, and that fact alone made her incredibly nervous. She looked at her phone, the texts between them saying they were going to meet up at 8pm here.
7:52.
She'd gotten a drink and took a seat about nine minutes ago, but her anxiety was eating away at her already. Should she have agreed to this? Her mother already paid them up front, she couldn't just turn back on this now.
About a week and half ago, she'd received death threats from someone she believed to be a fan of hers. Within a day of her telling her mother about the incident, her mother had arranged something with one of the most powerful crime families in the city. How could Claret not be nervous? Was a bodyguard truly necessary?
Claret texted the individual.
I'm on the second level. I'm the only one with bright red hair, you can't miss me.
She put her phone down and sighed, twirling a lock of her hair absentmindedly as she waited. She was the only one with bright red hair, at least on this level of the lounge. Her clothes were appropriate-- a short, black-velvet dress coupled with a pair of thick-heeled pumps and a few pieces of gold jewelry. She would've dressed flashier, but it was neither the time nor the place. This was business, not pleasure.
Five
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|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
|
Post by Five on Apr 5, 2020 22:51:35 GMT
"The client is the head of the Vauleaux family. You know the one. You’re assigned to act as a bodyguard to her daughter. You’ll be watching over her day and night, protecting her life as if it were your own. This assignment will last until further notice. I trust you know what would happen if you failed.”
The Mother’s words-- a thinly veiled threat-- echoed through Five’s head as he sat in the back of a matte black Audi. Both in front and behind the vehicle were identical cars, escorting Five to his destination safely. While he didn’t feel like he needed such an escort, it was better to be safe than sorry in a city like Hiraeth, and like it or not he was one of the heads of the Kenne family.
His Mother acted as though it were an assignment of grave import, and maybe it was, but it was clear she didn’t take it very seriously. Initially, the twin pair of Two and Three had volunteered for the task, but Mother had other plans in mind. Five was yet unproven in the field, and she saw this as an opportunity to see how he would perform. The client was to receive the greatest of protection he could offer, but not the greatest that the Kenne could provide. Yet, she would very much claim otherwise. At the least, Five was among the best and brightest in the Family, but he knew that Mother was trying to keep him occupied with what she would’ve considered a throwaway task.
A long, throwaway task.
”And don’t forget to keep an eye out for the usual. Be careful, now.”
The usual… items of great value which would fetch a pretty price with the right buyer. Mother was always looking to expand her wealth, power, and influence. Money could buy anything she wanted. Her Children could protect her from any potential threats. She was nigh untouchable.
At least it would be easy to claim his client had nothing of value. He was more focused on the job at hand, rather than what he could stand to gain from it by being underhanded.
”Here we are, Sir. The Blue Cosmicaut.” The driver would say, the car coming to a stop right outside of a rather large and fancy establishment. Even from the places he was used to being, this building looked rather brilliant, but he knew the nature of what went on in an area like this.
The other vehicles would drop off two men each, before all three cars would drive off to go park. Five made his way up into the building, the four men behind him. As he entered, his phone would vibrate, seeing it was from the client’s daughter.
Second floor, bright red hair. He committed that to memory as he headed for the stairs, commanding his men to remain on the first floor and mingle in with the crowd. He would rather not have them around in the first place, but especially not when he was going to have a conversation with the woman he was meant to protect for the unforeseeable future.
Vauleaux… why does that name sound familiar…?
Five wondered as he made his way up to the second floor. The amount of windows and see-through walls was rather unnerving, and while it was darker up here, the lights that did shine through reflected upon his black and red suit and vest, complimenting it rather well.
It took only a few seconds to scan the floor and find the bright, red hair that he was supposed to be looking for. Making sure his hair and suit looked nice, Five would begin heading towards the woman, steeling his nerves and trying to remain calm and professional. It was his first time doing something like this, and he had no idea how it would go or what kind of person she was.
Wait, Vauleaux is...
Five’s eyes widened as he got close enough to the woman to see her face. No way. No goddamn way. There’s no way it could be her. He had to have been caught up in some wild prank.
An immediate nervousness swept over him, and he was thankful it was dark as he felt his cheeks get warm. He took a deep breath, clearing his throat before speaking. Maybe it was just some woman who looked an awful lot like her… who happened to have the same name…
”...Are you Miss Vauleaux?”
Claret |
|
AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 6, 2020 0:10:45 GMT
Claret had been staring out the window, lost in thought, when she heard someone clear their throat. Her head turned to meet her visitor, her earrings twinkling in the light.
The young man before her was a sharp and attractive figure, and the woman was clearly surprised to see him. This wasn’t the guy, was it? He looked a bit young to be a bodyguard… If he hadn’t called her by her name, she would’ve thought he was just some guy trying to buy her a drink. A fan would’ve called her by her full name, she thought— and certainly wouldn’t prefix it with “Miss”.
He really did look rather young to be a professional, but it wasn’t like she had much to go off, either. Movies and books tended to embellish the details, making bodyguards look burly and tall and menacing. The individual in front of her looked young, handsome, and approachable. A far cry from what stereotypes would imply someone like him would look like.
But what did she know about crime families? She wasn’t intimately familiar with the inner workings of organized crime, nor had she ever wanted to be. She wasn’t doubting his competence necessarily, but she couldn’t help but be a bit skeptical. Surely with as much as her mother was paying the Kenne family, Claret was receiving some of the best protection money can buy. But even she was privy to the fact that the criminal underworld was full of liars and fools. She just hoped she wasn’t caught being the latter in this scenario.
“You can just call me Claret,” she smiled something sunny and extended a hand towards him. If he shook it, she’d then gesture for him to take a seat across from her.
“I take it you’re from the Kenne family?” She’d ask, swirling the liquid in her glass before taking a sip. “Sorry, this whole thing is a bit new to me.”
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|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
|
Post by Five on Apr 6, 2020 2:28:32 GMT
Just call her Claret... Claret Vauleaux... Gods, it really was her. THE Claret. Social media influencer, model, and absolute queen. Five had been following her for a long time, particularly interested in her story. It allowed him to pass the time when he had nothing better to do, and it killed the monotony of his job. He was just as shocked as anyone else, however, when she released more risque photos online to paying subscribers.
And what did Five do?
Naturally, he bought her highest possible tier. Initially, it was due to sheer curiosity. He was surprised by what he ended up seeing, and before he knew it, he remained a consistent subscriber from early on. Sure, it cost a lot of money on the regular, but he had consistent money flowing in from his family's work, and he very much enjoyed supporting her and her content. It was interesting being able to fund someone's lifestyle when you had never even met them before.
But now here she was. In the flesh.
Did Mother find out what he had been doing? Is that why she assigned him to this particular job? No, she would've brought it up and shunned him to no end... This was one huge, strange coincidence...
His heart was racing in his chest. Everyone had stranger things they did, and buying an e-girl's photos was one of his. Even still, the chances of meeting the one person he found attractive and had something of an internet crush on was... It was absurd.
He would do well to never admit this.
Trying to pass it off as shyness, Five would take her hand and shake it firmly. He would sit down across from her at her gesture, folding his hands on the table as he tried to compose himself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Claret. My name is Five. I'm one of the Lieutenants of the Kenne Family. The boss's son, so to speak." He'd say, doing his best to remain focused on the business. "I'm here to provide protection all hours of the day. So we'll be seeing each other a lot. I'll... do my best not to interfere in your daily life."
He figured having a constant shadow would be a bit suffocating. If she could live normally, while maintaining the promise of safety, maybe sooner or later her life could go back to normal.
Five would do his best not to stare, at least, not in any way other than for casual conversation. She was somehow even prettier in person. It was certainly strange seeing her on another but a screen. Still, he had a hard enough time talking to anyone normally. Let alone someone he'd... seen everything of.
Claret |
|
AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 6, 2020 2:58:32 GMT
For someone who came across as rather subdued, he had a rather firm handshake. Maybe it was in the nature of the business to have a strong presence and yet no presence at all, but he seemed like the type who could blend in with the shadows and act assertively if he needed to, though judging by his body language, perhaps he wasn't as used to dealing with people directly. Perhaps he was the lurk-in-the-shadows type. This could work in her favor, actually. Maybe she could pretend he wasn't around at all-- ignore him almost entirely and go about her daily life without any knowledge he was even there. But that was the problem, wasn't it? She knew he'd be around anyway.
She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a bit worried about how having a professional bodyguard might effect her public image. People might think he was a lover or a boyfriend if he didn't have the words SECURITY written in big letters all over him, and the last thing she wanted was some sort of scandal. She wasn't a big enough celebrity to be able to bounce back from something controversial. That's one of the reasons she rarely went outside and was absolutely rigid about how she depicted herself online-- one wrong move could end her career. She was able to take the step towards making adult content with little backlash, but that didn't mean she didn't lose fans in the process. Gained some plenty, for sure, but it still affected how people saw her. She was tasteful and sensitive with what she posted... keeping such a fine balance being able to create content that was wholesome and content that was geared towards her adult fans wasn't an easy task, but she'd been doing it long enough that she was aware of whatever threatened that precarious balance.
A handsome young man shadowing her was definitely enough to rock the boat.
Not to mention the very likely possibility that he didn't even want to do this. She enjoyed believing she was likable enough, but even she could recognize that fame had made her somewhat entitled and accustomed to glamour. If she were in his shoes, she'd absolutely loathe the idea of shadowing some superficial celebrity, even if she was paying a lot of money for it. She had to pity the poor man.
"I really appreciate what you and your family are doing for me," she prefaced, a sympathetic expression on her face, her arms folding themselves on the table as she leaned forward a bit. "But I can't imagine you're too excited to be doing this, either." She wasn't going to sugar coat it. "My mother's just worried about me is all, you really don't have to treat this so seriously."
If she could dispel the tense, professional air, and let both of their guards down, then talking like actual people will come a lot easier. She wanted to make sure they were on the same page about whatever this arrangement was going to be.
Five
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|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
|
Post by Five on Apr 6, 2020 3:40:06 GMT
Not excited to do it either? Could she really tell already? Or maybe she wasn't particularly excited about having a stranger shadow her 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He knew he wouldn't be very happy about that either. Even if he made himself very sparse, she'd know he was around and that could considerably put a damper on her day to day life.
And lord knew she was the last person he'd ever want to bring down.
"I... do a lot that I'm not particularly keen on." He'd reply, knowing that his Mother always gave him the more menial jobs that befit any other nameless lackey in their group. "I just want to make sure you're safe. Other than that, well... it doesn't have to be all business. If our respective mothers wish for us to be around each other for a while, then maybe we could become better acquainted."
Friends? Maybe it was too soon to say. It was the best possible outcome out of all of this, though. Especially considering that the two of them could be forced to be together for actual months. And that was a long time to be on his best behavior, acting professional and trying to maintain a sense of being a soulless machine whose only purpose was to protect her.
Well, he already failed that last part by letting his guard down a bit. Thankfully, she was a very chill person and seemed very easy to talk to from a first impression.
He just hoped he wasn't being overconfident in his ability to keep her safe. He didn't think of many things that could put him on edge, but when it was someone else's life at stake, things suddenly seemed a lot riskier.
Five had to wonder what kinds of threats she had to had received for her mother to contact a family like the Kenne. He was worried that asking that now would steer things back towards the professional, however, and maybe she would talk about it in her own time. It would be best to show her that he wasn't completely stern and mission-focused.
Claret |
|
AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 6, 2020 4:11:30 GMT
Claret enjoyed the idea of them being on friendly terms, even if she knew almost nothing about the man sitting across from her. Enigma came with the job, she supposed, although they have only said about a dozen words to each other. He spoke of breaking down professional barriers, but he spoke with all the pompness of a literature teacher. He seemed rather stiff, all things considered. She wondered if he could get him to lower his guard down even further.
Spending time together was an inevitability. She figured she may as well make the most of it while she could, at least until she felt safe again. Who knows-- they could end up great friends. That doesn't erase the issue of his presence in her life and its reflection on her public image... if she formally introduced him as a body guard, then it's like playing all her good cards too early, even if it was the truth. People like to jump to conclusions, and it's not like people just normally introduce their hired heavy online like you would a collaborator or a spouse. But if she introduced him as a friend... well, that changes everything. Would he be comfortable with the publicity? She doubted as much. His line of work probably wouldn't be benefited by having his name (what kind of name is Five?) being chattered about online. She needed to address this issue with him up front, but she wasn't entirely sure how to bring it up. She could worry about it later. Maybe she was just being paranoid.
"Better acquainted works for me," she smiled with a wink, sugary sweet affection dripping from her voice. She couldn't help it.
She should stay focused on business, not pleasure. There was a fine line between friendly and flirting, and she had to be careful not to cross it. He was attractive, but she needed to keep things casual... as fun as it was, she didn't want to lead him on while her life hung in the balance.
"You should probably know what you're getting into," she spoke, diverting the subject back to the matter at hand. She may as well be transparent about it. "What do you know about my situation?"
Five
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|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
|
Post by Five on Apr 6, 2020 5:28:45 GMT
God, did she really just talk to him in a sweet, playful tone? His heart skipped a beat, but he did his best to keep on a straight face. He didn't want to let her know that he genuinely liked that, seeing as they had only just met and he was called here for a very serious reason. He'd just have to try to not let himself get distracted, or giddy around her yet.
He had a job to do.
She would ask what Five knew of her situation, and he'd shut his eyes for a moment, sitting up straight as he spoke.
"That you're receiving death threats. That, and your identity were basically all I was told." He'd open his eyes, looking at her. "But they wouldn't call someone like me in for just anything. High profile aside, these threats would have to be very serious for your mother to contact mine of all people. It's some of the greatest protection you could get, with the level of discretion we provide."
Not to talk himself up or anything, but he was the best at stealth amongst his siblings.
"But I want to focus on the nature of these threats. How bad are they? Do they happen frequently? And do you know the person sending them?"
Being as popular as she was, it could've easily been a fan. In a city like Hiraeth, any threat could and should be taken seriously, so maybe her mother did the right thing. If Claret knew who sent it, maybe Five could deal with it early on so her life could go back to normal fast, if she so wanted. But if she didn't, it'd make his job considerably more difficult... and he would have to worry about almost everyone that got close to her.
"Sorry for bombarding you with questions. I just need to know every little detail you can give me, so that I can ensure your safety at all times."
Five couldn't imagine anyone sane wanting to hurt someone like her, but maybe it ran deeper than he realized. After all, he didn't truly know her.
Claret |
|
AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 6, 2020 15:51:37 GMT
Claret suddenly felt like maybe this wasn't worth all the trouble. He made it seem like this had to be some world-shattering problem in order for his family to have been contacted, and while she knew her own mother was quick to action and perhaps overstated the severity of the issue at hand, Claret couldn't help the pang of embarrassment she felt at his words. It was really no big deal, right? Maybe this didn't even warrant protection. Celebrities get threatened all the time, right? She'd gotten hate over the years, for sure. Trolls tend to be extremely nasty even at the best of times, but the joy of creating her content and seeing all the love she received from the majority of her audience tends to make it all worthwhile. She really was paranoid. Nothing else had happened since the incident, so maybe things would be alright?
No, she couldn't take chances with her own life. There's a difference between receiving a baseless death threat and... this. She wasn't sure if the person was a fan gone too far or a really bad troll... this was more than hate.
"No, no, it's okay. I understand." She sighed, fishing into her purse at her side to take out an opened envelope smeared with pomegranate red lipstick. God, this was embarrassing. "About a week and a half ago, I received this in the mail."
She carefully opened it up and dumped its contents on the table.
A folded piece of paper, also smeared in lipstick.
An ornate gold earring.
Several photographs of Claret going about her day, oblivious to whoever had taken the photo.
And a pair of lacy blue underwear. Smeared in lipstick. And... some other white substance.
Claret closed her eyes for a moment, steeling herself, stifling her nerves as she tried to think about the best way to explain this. Her eyes flicked up to his. "I lost a few things two weeks ago. You know how sometimes you just... lose things? I didn't pay it any mind, really, people lose things all the time. I lost this earring," she picked up the object, "and thought that maybe I had just misplaced it somewhere, or that maybe it fell out of my ear one day." She reached into her purse and pulled out an identical earring to show him. Setting both items down, she picked up the photos, shuffling through them before setting them down again. "I hardly need to explain these."
She picked up the envelope, fingers careful not to touch the makeup smeared on it. "I lost my signature lipstick, too, which I thought was the weirdest thing. I put it on almost every day-- losing it is hardly possible. I bought a new one immediately after, of course. It's the one I'm wearing right now." She pulled out a napkin from her bag, bring it to her lips as she blotted it to leave some of the pigment, setting it down beside the envelope. Though the room was dark, anyone with a trained eye could see the color on the napkin was the same as the color on the envelope-- it was an uncanny coincidence. "I have no proof it's the same lipstick of course, but I can't see how it isn't."
She sighed before picking up the lacy underwear, holding it up with her fingers like it was something she was disgusted by and didn't want to touch. "I lost this pair, too. I thought I just lost it in the wash or something, but... clearly not. I don't want to think about what this person was doing with it, but it's... really gross and creepy." The panties were blotched and dirty with lipstick and you-know-what. "Needless to say, they weren't in this state when I lost them."
She set her panties back down and passed him the folded slip of paper. "And then there's this."
If he opened the letter, he'd see it was typed in standard Arial font. Nothing spectacular at first glance other than more lipstick stains. It would read:
To Miss Claret Vauleaux,
Claret, you are just so beautiful and mesmerizing. I can't stop thinking about you. Every day I look at your beautiful photos and I wish I could hold you and play with your pretty hair and see your pretty smile.
Most people love you for your body, but I love your for your personality. You're so enchanting every time you smile.
I want to talk to you but I don't know what I'd say. I think about taking you home with me and playing with you all night. That would be nice, wouldn't it? I'm too shy to talk to you, so I just watch and admire from a distance.
One day I will finally take you home, and we can be happy together forever and ever. I will love you even after you're cold and still. You wouldn't mind if I played with you after you were dead, would you? I think you'd be so beautiful covered in red.
Most people would say this is "creepy." You know otherwise, don't you? Surely someone as beautiful and intelligent as you knows all I want is to love you. Here is all the proof of my love for you. I can't wait to be with you.
Much love,
Your secret admirer <3
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|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
|
Post by Five on Apr 6, 2020 19:02:46 GMT
Claret pulled out an envelope, opened and stained with lipstick. She explained that she received it in the mail fairly recently, and as she dumped the contents onto the table before them, he would reach into his coat and pull out a pair of black gloves. They were to ensure that if he touched any of the objects to look at them that he might not tamper with any potential, necessary evidence... or leave his own prints behind.
The first thing she showed him was one of her earrings, and provided the identical one to match. It was pretty and made of gold, certainly the kind of jewelry that could've been pawned off for a hefty dollar. Yet it found its way back to her.
Next were some photos, and Five would take them into his hands carefully as he examined them. They were just Claret living candidly from day to day, going about her business without a care in the world or any idea she was being watched. He shuffled through them closely, seeing if there was any potential patterns the photographer might've given away. While there wasn't any consistency in the time of day, much to his chagrin, he opted to examine these in full later on to see if there were other, less obvious hints.
Claret then pulled up his lipstick, talking about how she wore it daily. Using a napkin to wipe some of what she was currently wearing off, she would place it on the table side by side with the envelope. It was easy enough to see the colors were a perfect match, and the more Claret went on, the uneasier this whole situation became.
She then lifted her panties up, and as surreal and unbelievable as this situation was, he felt sick to his stomach just thinking about this, rather than the usual awe or excitement he might've felt in much more normal circumstances. It was easy to see that this person had done... questionable things to them. Even with his gloves on, he was happy he wasn't touching them, and he was thankful he had no reason to pick them up and examine them closer.
Finally, Claret would pass the folded paper to Five, and he would take it and open it up carefully to read it. He'd read every last word carefully, but the further he went along, the more disgusted he felt himself feeling. It started out more akin to a really possessive love letter-- if he was to be nice about it-- but swiftly grew more and more deranged. To say it was dark was putting it lightly. It was absolutely a declaration of murder, and wanting to keep her lifeless body to... God, he didn't even want to think about it.
This was proof of love? No, this was complete bullshit. Even someone like Five could see how wrong this was.
He felt especially disgusted by all of this seeing as he too was something of a secret admirer of hers. But even putting that aside, he was mortified as a fellow human being. Claret was in serious danger, especially if this person could grab some of her personal effects like this and threaten her life when she had done nothing to deserve it.
"...Your mother was right to contact us." Five would say after a long silence, folding the paper and returning it to the rest of the objects across the table. His expression was grave and serious, but it was easy enough to tell he was angry that such a person existed and was doing this to her.
"Celebrities and other influential figures receive threats often, but nothing on this level..." He continued. "This is a lot, even for a stalker. And after the Dollmaker that once plagued these streets... these are threats to be taken seriously, I think."
He recalled a series of disappearances where the victims were later found to be in a doll-like trance, stuck as his playthings for all of eternity. They were anything but alive. And his heart sank at the thought of Claret running into anything nearly as close as that.
"Do you have any idea who this could be? Or are there any places where you think these belongings might have been taken from?"
He sincerely hoped they were all taken while she was at home.
Claret |
|
AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 6, 2020 20:00:37 GMT
Seeing him take this so seriously made Claret more comfortable that she was working with an actual human being. She initially thought this whole thing wasn't as grave as her mother thought it was, but after explaining it to him, and seeing him visually affected by the nature of the threat, she wondered if perhaps she had been taking this too lightly. She was glad he was a professional, it made talking about it feel less awkward, but the entire thing was still a bit embarrassing even for her. A stalker? A love letter? She was more inclined to believe this was just a really bad joke. A prank played by someone with far too much free time. This is the kind of stuff that happens in all those crime dramas and documentaries she watches, not in real life, right?
God, why was this happening to her?
She started putting the objects back in the envelope as she thought on his questions. For the past week and a half, she wondered who the hell could be following her and taking her things without her noticing. It was one of her fans, clearly, but it wasn't like most of her fanbase actually lived in Hiraeth City. A lot of them did, sure, it's a big city, but she was just a single individual among millions of citizens here, and she didn't even leave her house all that often. Someone must be really invested in order to look for her and find her like this, and she had no idea who the hell it could be. She wasn't an actress or a famous musician, she didn't have millions of fans worldwide, she wasn't chased by the paparazzi every time she stepped out for groceries. She was small fry in the celebrity world. Her information wasn't public.
"It could be anyone, really, but definitely one of my paying fans," she spoke, putting the envelope back in her purse. "Most of my content is public and free, obviously, but I do sell adult content on the down-low for a pretty penny." Her explanation was devoid of elaboration. He said he knew who she was, so surely he was aware of what she was popular for. "I like to think I have a personal relationship with my fans, but not on an individual level, so I really couldn't name names."
Claret leaned back, her gaze shifting out the window and the sea of stars beyond. She treated her fans like her family, she loved them and cherished their support immensely. At the beginning, she'd respond to every single comment, show her appreciation in every post, and while she can admit that it's a bit overwhelming to keep up with the emails and the comments nowadays, she likes to think she does a better job about maintaining a close relationship with her audience than most celebrities. She can see how maybe someone took her affection and adoration and twisted it in their minds, maybe make themself think she was giving them special treatment, even if that wasn't the case. She was good at playing the game, maybe a bit too good at it. Sweet smiles and sugary words go a long way in a dog-eat-dog world. Did she get carried away at some point? She wasn't sure.
She turned back to look at him. "I think all of my belongings were taken from my home, which I know means I may not be totally safe there. I can imagine my earring falling off or my lipstick falling out of my purse while I'm in public, but it's not like I carry a spare pair of nice underwear everywhere I go. This person was at my house at some point around two weeks ago, but it's not like I have a lot of visitors, or leave my door unlocked while I go outside. It's hard for me to wrap my head around. Honestly, I haven't been able to sleep properly since I got the letter." She hadn't stopped posting on social media, or creating the content she loved, but she had grown increasingly more paranoid in the last week or so.
|
|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
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Post by Five on Apr 7, 2020 1:13:35 GMT
Five’s stomach still felt like it was sinking in. He knew he couldn’t expect all of her fans to be like himself, or any of them really. Here he was sitting in front of her, and instead of making things awkward or going on about how she was everything, he wanted to instead treat her like a normal human being. It was basic, human decency. But some people were so depraved that they went to such extremes like stealing her belongings and threatening her life all to fulfill their twisted fantasies. Sure, she was selling the content, but the fault lied entirely on them.
He had heard stories of other pseudo-celebrities being killed even in public with crowds around them, all because of a false love story a crazed fan formulated in their mind. It was terrifying, and as she wasn’t sure who it was, it meant everyone who knew her was truly a suspect. But the last thing Five would ever want was to just cage her away from the rest of the world for her own sake.
The items in question were taken from her home, she believed. Five shut his eyes as he thought about everything. There was a chance her home was compromised (news he would choose to keep from his pickpocket-happy family), or that it was someone who had access to her home regularly if her family had employed anyone.
Five would reach into his coat pocket again, pulling out a small notebook and a fountain pen, the word “Montblanc” was embedded near the tip. He’d start writing in the notebook, details about their conversation thus far. He wanted to keep notes to look over just in case he forgot something.
”I see… I can see two options at the current time.” He began. ”I’ll need to inspect your home, look for any possible points of entry that you’re unaware of, and make sure that it’s all secure. Of course, you can be with me the entire time so you can be sure of what I’m doing. If there are any cameras, I’d like to see any possible footage from the last two weeks to see if anything is out of the ordinary.”
It was the simplest, most logical thing to do at the time. If her home was safe, at least she could go to sleep without worry of someone breaking in to harm her.
”But that brings us to our options. Being your new bodyguard and having to stick to you like glue for the foreseeable future, it means I’ll have to be close by at all times…” This was the part he was hesitant to bring up, if only because being in close proximity to her made him nervous. ”I can either stay somewhere close, but I couldn’t be any further than a building over or so. And we’d have to be in constant communication… The other option is… well, to put it simply, I crash at your place for a time.”
It would definitely be a shock to have some stranger suddenly move in, even if it was to protect her. He couldn’t see this idea being particularly acceptable by any means, but it was their safest bet for now.
”You could live in complete peace while I make sure your home is safe, while trying to solve this issue for you. I’d need enough time to go over everything to see if I can’t find any clues… so this would be great in regards to the investigation.” He would add, ”… But I understand if that’s not what you’d like to do. It’s invasive and I’m capable of doing my job from afar if necessary.”
Claret |
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AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
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Post by Claret on Apr 7, 2020 3:43:44 GMT
Claret was fine with him taking a look around her home, that didn't bother her a single bit. A private investigator or detective would probably do the same had she gone to them, so she had already factored in the possibility of having her home searched and inspected. Her home was her sanctuary, she'd much rather risk a bit of privacy in exchange for safety, though living in Hiraeth City, much of her privacy had been compromised a long time ago.
What she was hesitant to agree to was Five's close proximity. Sure, he was going to be her bodyguard, so he had to be around her when it mattered, and if her own home wasn't completely safe, then that meant he had to be within a certain distance to defend her if something happened there. She didn't like the idea of sacrificing the last bit of privacy she had left by having him move in with her (though Lord Byron might enjoy a new friend), and having a young, attractive male in her living space wouldn't dissuade her mounting concerns regarding his impact on her public image. On the other hand, she felt equally as uncomfortable with him staying next door and needing to text him 24/7, as her life could be at risk at any moment and she couldn't guarantee he'd get there in time to prevent something from happening. Living right next to each other sounded close in theory, but all it takes is a few short seconds for her life to be cut drastically short. A few seconds too short.
She had to compromise somehow, and figure out how to make the most of the situation she was placed in. He seemed likable enough, but needing to be with someone at all hours is enough to drive anyone crazy. He could end up being a friend for life if she's lucky, or a complete nuisance if she's not. All she can do is cast the die and hope this ends up favorably for both of them, and that she still has her head intact in a week or two.
He seemed to favor the idea of living with her, and she tried to remain focused on the fact that he's a professional first and foremost, not some guy trying to get in her pants. If he thought that staying with her was the best course of action, then she'd respect his formal opinion. He'd know better than she would, after all.
"I'm fine with you staying at my place for now. It's not big, but I have a futon you can use and I think my dog would like having someone else in the house," she resigned with a sigh, clearly hesitant about this arrangement but willing to try it out. "I'm going to ask that you respect my space and my privacy, though. Just because you're my bodyguard doesn't mean you get to watch me sleep." She half-joked, putting on a smile to keep things light-hearted. She was serious about trying to keep a sense of normalcy in her life, and she hoped he knew enough about being discrete and invisible to be a help and not a hindrance. She was at least glad that he seemed to have that same goal in mind. She took a sip of her drink. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm crazy about this idea, but I'm hoping we can make the best of it, right? I do appreciate that you're willing to do this for me."
Claret felt like she was going to regret this. She hoped he proved her wrong.
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|
AGE
21
PRONOUNS
he/him
SEXUALITY
Claret
OCCUPATION
scion, photographer
UNSORTED
|
Post by Five on Apr 7, 2020 4:55:24 GMT
Claret seemed to agree to have him stay with her for a time. On one hand, part of him was finding the prospect extremely strange. An online model he supported and loved needing help, and he’s the one to help her, and he gets to move in with her for a while to help protect her. It was really weird, and his life was starting to sound like a really terrible fanfiction.
On the other hand, he was glad. Five got the chance to keep Claret safe, and being in the same home as her allowed him to protect her to the best of his ability. It was a lot preferable to staring down the sight of a sniper rifle 24 hours a day just in case he needed to protect her, but there was still only so much he could realistically watch at once. Being in the home with her, not more than several feet away at worst, meant he could protect her all hours of the day. He could be vigilant, keeping his eyes and ears open for anything that sounded even a little strange. Close quarters combat was what he excelled in anyway, and if this person was truly as scum of the earth as these actions made them out to be, Five would personally want to ensure they were down and out.
There was, of course, the one con he could think of to moving in with her. The stalker would likely snap photos of the two of them together at some point, which could either make them back off, or cause them to get more violent. If it brought them out into the open, they were liable to make a mistake and be caught off guard, but Five didn’t know how calculated this individual could be.
Five decided he would do his best to remain in the shadows and out of view, even when living with Claret. Maybe if the person took photos at her home, he could probably turn it on them and find them instead. He knew his way around a camera, and with enough analyzing, he felt he would be able to recreate the angles from where the photos were taken in the first place.
”I know it’s not the most ideal thing, but while I’m on the job, I’m treating your life as if it were my own.” He would say, emphasizing the fact that he was going to do whatever he could to keep her safe, but leaving out the fact that he’d put his own life on the line if it meant protecting her. That was the true depth of his job, and if she were to die, he was as good as dead anyway.
”And don’t worry, I know how to make myself sparse. Your sleep will be undisturbed.” He’d say, returning her smile a bit softly. ”The most I’d need to do in your room is make sure any windows or other entrances are completely secured and reinforced. If I do my job right, nothing short of a tank is getting in there.”
It was a bit exaggerated, yes, but it was a light joke with some truth to it. There were a few ideas he had in mind, but nothing concrete until he saw what he had to deal with. At the very least, he could make sure she was protected and also make sure she had ample privacy and didn’t have to worry about any sudden photos.
Five would look at Claret, genuine sincerity in his eyes.
”Things will be okay, Claret. Maybe soon enough, things will go back to normal and you won’t have to worry about me either.”
Claret |
|
AGE
23
PRONOUNS
she/her
SEXUALITY
bisexual
OCCUPATION
online persona
UNSORTED
|
Post by Claret on Apr 7, 2020 5:24:45 GMT
He seemed understanding and sympathetic enough. Had he done jobs like this before? Claret hoped she wouldn't be the worst person he's had to protect. If anything, she'd hope she was a delight-- maybe she could have some fun with him and loosen him up a bit, so that she didn't have to live with a stiff board for weeks or months or however long this would be. Were you allowed to have fun in the criminal underworld? When was the last time he had fun? She imagined those crazy prohibition-era parties in those mafia movies. No, he seemed too rigid to be the partying type. She might have to change that.
While she didn't fully trust him yet and still had her reservations about all this, she could at least appreciate his sincerity. He seemed to be taking this more seriously than she was, which was both a relief and a blessing. He seemed confident in his abilities, but not too cocky. This could work. There can't be two people with massive egos living under one roof, after all-- she had enough of an ego between the two of them already, so his composure and humility will go a long way.
She felt safer already.
"Alright," she said, "If you say so." She twirled a lock of her hair and leaned forward again. "But what if I end up enjoying your company? Do I get to keep you around?" She flirted in that sweet voice of hers, eyes dark.
Dammit, she needed to stop doing that. She was going to get herself in trouble if she started flirting with her cute bodyguard on a regular basis, and the last thing she needed was to risk losing the only protection she had because she couldn't keep her mouth shut. Maybe a part of her just wanted to see his cool exterior crack, or maybe it'd just been a while since she'd been around someone she found attractive.
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