forum "What's with the dress? And, um... why are you crying?" (OxO Closed)

Started August 01, 2020 by @Rainy_is_back

tune

It was her big night.
She was getting married in less than an hour. She was in her gown, ready to prove to her family she was good enough for someone. She didn't need them to arrange her marriage.
As she's getting ready to walk down the isle, one of her friends comes up to her in tears, looking utterly devastated. In response to asking what was wrong, her friend informed her that her 'fiancé' was currently in the back making out with her maid of honor.
Of course, the bride is beyond devastated herself, and completely humiliated. In an effort not to make a fool of herself, she rushes out of the building in tears, still in her dress.
She didn't even think about it as she fled down the steps to the subway, getting on the first train to anywhere.
When she drops down on to one of the seats, she bursts into tears, assuming she was alone. What she didn't take into account, was the strange man sitting across from her.

So yeah, there's that. :P
I honestly just want a slow-burn, friends(?) to lovers kinda thing. I've wanted to do this prompt, and now seems like a good time.

Rules, or whatever else to call this:

• I promise, I don't hate anyone, but I'd much prefer a MxF romance. It's just what I'm comfortable with. I don't really care which side I play, I'm good with male or female.
• To go off of the above, I'd kind of like to play the "bride" character. We can always switch roles so that the "bride" is actually a groom. :P But I guess I'm chill with playing any role.
• Swearing, is fine. The only thing, is a.) I don't do it much. Just a personal preference. And b.) If you're going to, please don't use it every single sentence. But besides that, I don't care what you/your character says. That's up to you.
• Steamy stuff is probably going to be implied, but maybe not written? I dunno, we'll see when the time comes. And if you're not comfortable with it at all, that's totally okay. I don't really care.
• andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer)'s rules apply.
• Please don't let this die on me. Just tell me if you're no longer interested in it, so I can reboot/reopen this for other users.
• And finally, I have the right to deny you for whatever reason. Just a heads up, if we've never rped, I'll probably ask for a sample.

That's all I got for now. Just let me know if you're interested.

(Sure! It’s kinda long but it’s the most recent thing I’ve written

I let out a slow, shallow breath. Each time I do so, all I can do is hope the breath isn’t my last. My ship’s oxygen reserves are almost depleted, and any second now, I’ll be choking on air that isn’t there.

With my last bit of energy, I start a recording. Hopefully someone will find it, but most likely it’ll be lost along with me.

“Captain of Scout Ship Alpha reporting. This is my last entry to the ship’s log,” I murmur, fighting to keep my eyes open. “The primary engine core is dead, and the auxiliary core is at 3%. I ran out of food three days ago, water yesterday, and I’m about to run out of oxygen. I’m not going to make it back home. The mission is a failure.”

My arm feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, but I’m able to lift it up and brush my fingers across the edge of the recorder.

“I’m a failure,” I whisper. “And I’m so, so sorry.”

Dropping my hand down to my side, I glance at my image in the recording, but I have to look away. The dim blue light casts dark, sickly shadows across my face, and my chest barely moves with each breath. My eyes look hollow and empty, tear tracks cutting harsh lines down my cheeks. It looks like I’m already dead.

I don’t want that to be the last thing I see.

Instead, I look out the starboard window. A vast nebula glitters with swirls of bright gold and clusters of pure white stars, shifting and spinning hypnotically. It must be thousands of light years across, an enormous, shining birthplace of galactic creation. Even though space is going to be the thing that kills me, I can’t deny its beauty. It’s one of the reasons I chose to go on this mission in the first place. A star at the fringes of the nebula even seems like it’s getting brighter, sending trails of light through my blurred vision.

“Goodbye. I love you,” I breathe out, barely able to hear the words over the sound of my own slowing heartbeat in my ears.

I close my eyes, but the brightness of the nebula stains my eyelids, refusing to let me drift off in peace. I shift my body fractionally to turn away from the light, but it only increases in intensity. A crackle of sound begins to hum through my ship’s communicator, and with great effort, I’m able to open my eyes again. I see only a searing white, and with a final certainty that pins itself to my chest, I know that this is where I die.

The stars are calling me home.)

Joanna sucked in a deep breath, smoothing out her white dress. She was minutes away from walking down the isle, her heart pounding in her chest. Her smile stretched across her face, as the bubbly feeling in the pit of her stomach kept growing. Nothing could bring her down in the moment. Or, almost anything.
The second she saw her best friend's face, the bubbly feeling fizzed out. She was in tears— and not the good kind. The way she stood, trying to hold back whatever was wrong, sent off major red flags.
"What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Joanna asked weakly, not sure she wanted to know. Especially when the girl in front of her violently shook her head, trying even harder to hold her tears back. "Then what's wrong?"
"Oh, Jo…" The girl whispered, streaks of eye-makeup running down her face. "I'm so, so sorry…"
Joanna gave her a worried look, slowly approaching her. "Darcy, what's wrong? You're worrying me. Did the cake get messed up, or something? Because it sucks, but it's not the end of the-"
Darcy shook her head, interrupting Joanna. "No, the cake is fine… it's beautiful, just like you. You're beautiful in that dress, and deserve way, way better… I-I mean, are you really sure you want to go through with this?" She asked softly, trying to avoid what was bugging her.
"Darcy. What's. Wrong?" Joanna insisted, ignoring her excuses.
With a heavy sigh, Darcy slowly started to break down into tears, stammering and stuttering as she tried to tell Joanna. "I-I-It's Holden… he… he was- he was in the b-back… with… with your sister…" Darcy cried out, dropping her face in her hands. Though Joanna was completely oblivious to what she was trying to tell her.
"What's wrong with that? I don't understand why you're so upset." Joanna definitely looked confused, looking up at her taller friend. "I know my sister and I don't get along great, but why should I-"
"J-Jo…" Darcy whispered, trying so hard to gather herself. "They're…. they're t-together, together…"
Slowly it dawned on her. Her features slowly shifted into disbelief, before tears started to prick at the corners of her eyes. "No… no, you've gotta be joking! Please tell me you're joking." Joanna pleaded, struggling to stay calm. "They're actually… you- you're sure?" Darcy only nodded in return, feeling even worse as she did.
Joanna felt absolutely sick. Holden, and her own sister, doing who-knows-what together, on her wedding day. That was lower than low; even for her sister.
"I'm so, so sorry, Jo… I- I didn't want to tell you…" Darcy whispered weakly, tears running down her face. Joanna only glanced up at her, before tears started running down her face. She couldn't go out there, not if she wanted to save whatever dignity and pride she had left. So in the midst of the moment, she turned around and ran out of the building. Darcy tried to call out after her, but gave up as she watched her friend disappear.

Joanna tore through the streets, ignoring the confused or annoyed looks from the people on the side walk. She couldn't bare to try and think about it— she was in enough hurt as is.
Silently she made her way down to the subway, keeping any interactions as brief as possible. She never smiled, already worn out from trying not to cry. When her train finally arrived in the station, she tried to find the emptiest car to be left alone on. Maybe then she'd feel like she could let go of her emotional hold.
When she was in, and the train started, Joanna dropped down on one of the seats, letting everything start to sink in.
In a fit of frustration, she tore the engagement ring off her finger, throwing it as hard as she could. She didn't care what it was worth, too angry about it all right now. As soon as it was out of her hands, she dropped her face in her hands, letting her sobs come forward. She couldn't hold it back anymore, and she was alone, so what was the point in trying?

Joanna sucked in a deep breath, smoothing out her white dress. She was minutes away from walking down the isle, her heart pounding in her chest. Her smile stretched across her face, as the bubbly feeling in the pit of her stomach kept growing. Nothing could bring her down in the moment. Or, almost anything.
The second she saw her best friend's face, the bubbly feeling fizzed out. She was in tears— and not the good kind. The way she stood, trying to hold back whatever was wrong, sent off major red flags.
"What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Joanna asked weakly, not sure she wanted to know. Especially when the girl in front of her violently shook her head, trying even harder to hold her tears back. "Then what's wrong?"
"Oh, Jo…" The girl whispered, streaks of eye-makeup running down her face. "I'm so, so sorry…"
Joanna gave her a worried look, slowly approaching her. "Darcy, what's wrong? You're worrying me. Did the cake get messed up, or something? Because it sucks, but it's not the end of the-"
Darcy shook her head, interrupting Joanna. "No, the cake is fine… it's beautiful, just like you. You're beautiful in that dress, and deserve way, way better… I-I mean, are you really sure you want to go through with this?" She asked softly, trying to avoid what was bugging her.
"Darcy. What's. Wrong?" Joanna insisted, ignoring her excuses.
With a heavy sigh, Darcy slowly started to break down into tears, stammering and stuttering as she tried to tell Joanna. "I-I-It's Holden… he… he was- he was in the b-back… with… with your sister…" Darcy cried out, dropping her face in her hands. Though Joanna was completely oblivious to what she was trying to tell her.
"What's wrong with that? I don't understand why you're so upset." Joanna definitely looked confused, looking up at her taller friend. "I know my sister and I don't get along great, but why should I-"
"J-Jo…" Darcy whispered, trying so hard to gather herself. "They're…. they're t-together, together…"
Slowly it dawned on her. Her features slowly shifted into disbelief, before tears started to prick at the corners of her eyes. "No… no, you've gotta be joking! Please tell me you're joking." Joanna pleaded, struggling to stay calm. "They're actually… you- you're sure?" Darcy only nodded in return, feeling even worse as she did.
Joanna felt absolutely sick. Holden, and her own sister, doing who-knows-what together, on her wedding day. That was lower than low; even for her sister.
"I'm so, so sorry, Jo… I- I didn't want to tell you…" Darcy whispered weakly, tears running down her face. Joanna only glanced up at her, before tears started running down her face. She couldn't go out there, not if she wanted to save whatever dignity and pride she had left. So in the midst of the moment, she turned around and ran out of the building. Darcy tried to call out after her, but gave up as she watched her friend disappear.

Joanna tore through the streets, ignoring the confused or annoyed looks from the people on the side walk. She couldn't bare to try and think about it— she was in enough hurt as is.
Silently she made her way down to the subway, keeping any interactions as brief as possible. She never smiled, already worn out from trying not to cry. When her train finally arrived in the station, she tried to find the emptiest car to be left alone on. Maybe then she'd feel like she could let go of her emotional hold.
When she was in, and the train started, Joanna dropped down on one of the seats, letting everything start to sink in.
In a fit of frustration, she tore the engagement ring off her finger, throwing it as hard as she could. She didn't care what it was worth, too angry about it all right now. As soon as it was out of her hands, she dropped her face in her hands, letting her sobs come forward. She couldn't hold it back anymore, and she was alone, so what was the point in trying?

This was Shane’s first day off in weeks, and by God, he wasn’t gonna let it go to waste. He had his sketchbook and charcoal all packed up neatly in his backpack, a fresh latte in hand, and hours to spend drawing in the park. A perfect day by any definition of the word.

He started humming a little tune as he trotted down the stairs to the subway, enjoying the hustle and bustle of people going about their days. Just before the last train to the park left, he put on an extra burst of speed and slipped through the doors just before they squealed shut. Letting out a sigh of relief, he sat down, closing his eyes to listen to the sound of… crying?

He opened his eyes to see a woman in a wedding dress sobbing her eyes out, a glittering diamond ring on the floor in front of her. Standing up from his seat, he picked the ring up off the floor and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Um, ma’am, are you okay? I think you might have dropped this?” Shane said quietly.

Joanna hiccuped as she lifted her head, trying to swallow her tears at the sound of a man's voice. When she realized he was talking to her, he rubbed the tears away, choking down her tears.

"I… yeah, um… sorry." Joanna mumbled, reaching out to take it from him. She wasn't about to throw it away, or tell him she had purposely dropped the ring in front of her. He was a stranger after all, and she doubted he wanted to hear her life story. Who would, anyways? Putting the ring back on, she tried to ignore the hurt she was feeling as soon as she touched it again.

She sighed softly, assuming she looked like a total wreck. But there was no way for her to tell. "I'm fine… I just… just had a rough day. Nothing I can't handle." She mumbled, swallowing down the rest of her tears. She would be fine until she got home that evening.

With everything she had, she mustered up a smile, trying to convince him she would be fine. Even if she felt like it was practically the end of the world, in the moment.

Shane sat back down across from her, an awkward smile on his face. He never did figure out what to do when he saw someone crying.

“You don’t need to apologize. Really. If you need to talk about it or something…” he trailed off, playing with the strap of his bag. Was that too weird? Crap, that was too weird. He should probably just shut up now.

“Nice dress,” he said lamely. He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, and he cursed internally. Why couldn’t he just shut up? This poor lady was clearly having an awful day, and he probably just made it worse.

Joanna blinked in surprise, glancing down to her dress. Only now did she remember she was wearing it— she probably looked completely ridiculous to someone who didn't understand what had happened.

"I… um, thanks." She replied softly, reaching up and pulling the vail out, that was pinned to her hair. A couple of the curls in her hair fell down, framing her face. Sighing weakly she ran her thumb over the small crown-like piece for her hair.

"Though I don't actually get to use it." Joanna admitted, not sure how much she should tell him. Mostly for the fact she doubted he would want to listen. It wasn't like he should actually care. She was just some strange woman on the subway— nothing new, really. "Not now, anyways. Probably not ever."