❝ come on over — joey . ❞

[STIRLING.]

#1b2763[align=center][div style="width: 430px; text-align: justify; font-family: verdana; font-size: 6pt; letter-spacing: 2.5px; word-spacing: 0px; line-height: 12px; color: #000"]Joey was acting off and, honestly, William didn’t enjoy it. Not that he necessarily felt much care and concern towards her more recent absences in his presence and God forbid this sounded like he missed her, but… Well, he wanted to know why she felt obliged to avoid him. During meal times, during meetings, during day-to-day tasks, she felt distant from him, as if they were essentially strangers. William didn’t want any sort of long-standing relationship with her - not even much of a friendship, really - but he still wanted her. Did that no longer go both ways?

Did she lose interest in him or - worse - gain interest in him? Did she hate him? Did she love him? Honestly, William didn’t even know what to believe anymore - he was kept entirely in the dark. He couldn’t think of any reason why she could be acting this way - seriously. Nothing came to mind when he pondered on the thought.

Was Joey stuck on his mind again? Fuck, she was. William hated the fact that he even showed her this amount of consideration.

Stepping silently down the hallway, gaze scanned for any peering eyes before stopping in front of a closed bedroom door. A gentle knock sounded through the wood, William pausing for a second before pushing the door slightly ajar. ❝ Joey? ❞ He questioned with bunched up brows, hesitating for a moment before stepping inside, even without her approval. ❝ I wanted to talk to you- ❞ He began to explain bluntly as he glanced away to click the door back shut.

❝ What’s going on? With you, I mean. ❞ Well that wasn’t a graceful way of putting things, was it? But, perhaps William was a little bothered by just how aloof she could be. ❝ I feel like we’ve not talked in ages. Have you been avoiding me or something? Like I- I- What have I even done to you? Nothing, so why- so why are you so obviously avoiding me? ❞ Hands gestured around as he pointed out matter-of-factly, voice intense and features frowning.

So much for coming across as unfazed. He was totally concerned about this.

[JOSEPHINE]

[align=center][div style="width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 12px; font-family: calibri; letter-spacing: .6px; color: #494949;"]after finding out she‘a pregnant, will has been the last thing on her mind. at first, joey had been worried about telling him, but then, as she sat with her feelings, she stopped caring about him and that aspect of it. why should she? she’s got to save herself, all of that made william’s feelings mean absolutely nothing to her. the brat in her wants to not even tell him, even if he does come to her, just let general lodge gossip get to him; after all, she found out basically in front of a crowd and seb’s known for his blabber mouth. it would be so much easier to just let him find out, then she wouldn’t have to bother; just get through the pregnancy now and figure the rest out. she expects help, when the baby’s here, but until then, she doesn’t want to put up with whatever shit he’s going to throw her way; she didn’t fucking want this, either, but a little late now. sad, too, joey was just starting to have a lot of fun with him.

when she isn’t doing her daily tasks, or whatever the fuck max pulled her out of bed to do because she’s worried, joey spends her time in bed, just trying to sleep through it all. this day’s no different, she’s been posted in her bed since breakfast and then some “morning” sickness; morning is bullshit, it’s all the time sickness.

hearing a knock at the door, joey lets out a mix of a whine and groan, not wanting to deal with whoever is trying to get in. she pulls at her blankets, which get stuck after a little give, but she’s only able to try a half hearted tug before giving up, letting it fall over only half her face; she hopes they’ll get the hint and leave. but then the door opens and joey tenses, “ woah, “ she mumbles, squinting against the light that flows in through the door, but it isn’t for too long. “ joey? i wanted to talk to you- “ will voice fills the dark room and she’s confused, but also can’t help the incredibly satisfying feeling that he’d come to her; not that she likes him, she doesn’t, but in her eyes, it feels like a win, joey’s unforgettable and irreplaceable. she sits up quickly and slides her legs over the side of the bed, her blonde hair pulled up into a bun shifts further down her head as she looks at him, eyes brows furrowing and lips pursing, “ [color=#990000]do i owe you anything? “ joey questions while her head tilts to the right. their agreement had been no strings, so why does she have to explain herself at all?

“ [color=#990000]what have you even done to me.. “ the woman scoffs, talking more to herself than william. her eyes roll so far back into her head as she pushes herself up onto her feet, stepping forward so she’s standing in front of him, having to look up to keep eye contact. “ [color=#990000]you got me pregnant, “ she states, saying it out loud to him makes it more real, it’s happening, but she has to keep her wits about her, “ [color=#990000]so, i don’t know what you wanna do with that, but it’s your kid and i won’t do it by myself. “ she adds, her tone dry to keep her composure as her arms cross around her body. joey shifts most of the blame to william, refusing to actually take the responsibility for this happening, even though they’re both at fault in a sense, she’d just never had to have the blame and she isn’t starting now. as well, she doesn’t expect some coparenting bullshit, but she can’t be stuck as the only one caring for the crotch goblin. joey isn’t exactly the mothering type, never saw that for her, but what the fuck can she do now? she wants to be able to drop it off with its deadbeat dad and have a break once in awhile.

[spoiler=tags, updated 05/17/2020]◜BASICS ┊ [color=#990000]I HAD A DREAM◞
&. ❝ josephine elena van doren ❞ |  joey, joy, hoey | female [ she/her ] .
&. 21 years old . | november first ; scorpio .
&. forager of flintlock lodge .

◜PERSONALITY ┊ GOT EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED◞
&. impulsive . outgoing . femme fatale . flirtatious . seemingly emotionless . guarded . self-destructive . obsessive . hot headed . reckless . kleptomania tendencies . selfish . brat .  assertive . loyal to those close to her . intuitive . stubborn . passionate . self-preserving . quick . nosey . reliable . non-committal . determined . secretive . resentful . resourceful . distrusting .

◜ APPEARANCE ┊ NOT WHAT YOU THINK ◞
&.  five foot six & one hundred and seventeen pounds ; reference .
↳ blonde hair just past her collarbone, grows a dirtier blonde, lightening up as soon as any sun touches it .
↳ slim, muscular build. legs on the longer side .
↳ big blue/green doe eyes, light yet well-groomed eyebrows, full lips, dimples .

◜ INTERACTIONS ┊ AND IF I’M BEING HONEST ◞
&.  [ 8/10 ] physically  |  [ 9/10 ] psychologically .
↳ difficulty w/ guns [ medium ] | difficulty w/ melees [ hard ] | difficulty w/ hand-to-hand [ hard ]
↳ combat information .
&. attack in bold #990000 | [member=570]scully[/member] | PM for any major plots .
&. friendly or nonviolent actions may be powerplayed .

◜INVENTORY ┊ IT MIGHT’VE BEEN A NIGHTMARE◞
&. [ 2 ] weapons | [ 0 ] armor pieces | [ 0 ] consumables | [ 2 ] aid items | [ 1 ] misc .
↳ one combat knife .
↳ a three piece throwing knife set
↳ one german short-haired pointer puppy, demetri
↳ one english setter puppy, robin
↳ a bracelet from her late mother, each one of her sisters has a piece to the same set, their mother having the biggest piece

◜ RELATIONSHIPS ┊ TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT CARE◞
&. elizabeth van doren (npc) x malcolm van doren (npc) | second youngest of nine children .
↳ cassian van doren, eldest, flintlock .
↳ beau van doren, second eldest, flintlock .
↳ range rover van doren, unknown & scarlett van doren, dead .
↳ auden van doren, unknown & tara van doren, dead .
↳ maxine van doren, just older than joey, flintlock .
↳ richard van doren, youngest, flintlock .
&. pansexual, panromantic ; mongamous  . | scared of commitment, however enjoys casual fun .
&. pregnant ; first trimester . [/spoiler]

[STIRLING.]

#1b2763[align=center][div style="width: 430px; text-align: justify; font-family: verdana; font-size: 6pt; letter-spacing: 2.5px; word-spacing: 0px; line-height: 12px; color: #000"]tw. implied reference towards abortions

Now pregnancy was never something which tended to cross his mind. In fact, he was unfortunate enough to have already landed himself a son a couple of years ago, and yet he barely had to associate himself with the lucky kid. A mindless love affair with some peace-loving nonconformist - Ophelia was never too concerned with raising a child without William when she already had a whole close-knit ❛ family ❜ of bohemians to rely upon. If anything, William would have been quite the black sheep of the family, always somewhat bemused by their jolly appearances and unconventional traditions. He’d only gone there for the notorious physical intimacy one would find there.

But, this was far different to his secret rendezvous in the world of fermented drinks and shared sensuality.

No, this was quite different.

He wanted to feel offended by Joey’s lack of eagerness upon seeing him, but her impassiveness seemed to be the norm, especially nowadays. William couldn’t complain; at least she wasn’t snubbing him entirely. And, she shouldn’t begin to think that he was pursuing her in any way - that wasn’t his intention. But, ultimately, the lack of attention had him growing increasingly antsy. He didn’t like the fact that she no longer satisfied his desire for some thrill of the chase but instead gave him no sign of interest whatsoever. This wasn’t fair! Where was that excitement? That lust-fueled game that the two of them so hopelessly played with one another? ❝ Do I owe you anything? ❞ Oh, atta girl. Whether or not it was her intention to catch his attention, William was hooked. The hard-to-get game would never get old for a man as ambitious as him.

He returned with a casual shrug and, without missing a beat, he mumbled beneath his breath, ❝ More than you may think. ❞ Perhaps their relationship with a casual one, no emotion strung along with the physical aspect, but he still expected something from her. Anything. Joey pushed herself up to her feet after William was finished with his mindless rant, brows furrowed as his hands fell back down to his sides. He wanted answers but, most importantly, he just wanted her. Was that too hard to ask for? But, with all of his restlessness, he overlooked to cue to simmer down for just a second to understand the gravity of the situation before-

❝ You got me pregnant. ❞

Ah.

William stared at her face as she oh-so confidently stated the news, and William wished that this was some horrible joke but she was so serious as she searched his face. He blinked, and his face paled with the realization that this time, there was no running away from this problem. There was no keeping his issues under wraps. Unlike with Ophelia’s affair, this was happening right at home where everybody would find out about the pregnancy. Where his family would find out. Oh God, he didn’t want this.

❝ What? Are you sure it’s- that it’s mine? I bet you sleep around with more guys than just me - it could be anybody’s at this point! ❞ His words were tactless and curt, the insinuation possibly the worst thing he could reply with first. With a concerned sneer riddling his features, he gestured meekly - most certainly the lesser composed one of the two -  ❝ Are you… gonna keep it? ❞ He asked after a long pause, the sickening sensation rising at the realization of - shit. Maybe it was time that he took some responsibility for the things he did. He craned his neck, trying to not appear as uneasy as he felt. A baby would only get in his way. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be involved in this. And so, as Joey shifted the blame onto William, William tried to push the blame straight back to her. ❝ Surely we could find someone who could… y’know… there are enough coat hangers and shit around- ❞

[JOSEPHINE]

[align=center][div style="width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 12px; font-family: calibri; letter-spacing: .6px; color: #494949;"]joey always figured that max would be the first to venture out into parenthood, after all, she’s raised her and seb since their parents perished and did one hell of a job, if one’s asking joey. however, it seems that joey overlooked the maturity her older sister gained from it, the ability to properly plan and prepare, to be ready for a child. now, it seems max is a world away from her own babies and joey’s nearly there. she can’t even remember having a scare any time before this, must have gotten too comfortable.

when will tries to claim there’s a possibility it isn’t his, joey isn’t too surprised, she’s had to go down that route and figure out what makes sense. but even after walking through her history in her head, it had to be will. she clenches her jaw for a moment, face stone cold, “ well, of course i have, did you think you were good enough to satisfy me? “ she jabs, trying to get under his skin, “ [color=#990000]and even so, you were constantly back for more. i don’t know if you’re a betting man, william, but i don’t like those odds. “ joey’s facade is the only thing keeping her grounded in the moment. as soon as he leaves, she knows it’ll dissipate and she’ll slide right back into bed and hiding from the world. “ are you gonna keep it? “ seems to ring in her head. well, yeah; she doesn’t want to, but what the fuck kind of options does she have? if she had figured out better and sooner, she probably would have had it taken care of right away, no one but her would’ve known about it. joey could just pretend it never happened, bury any and all feels six feet under and continue on with her lifestyle. but, people knew now and, frankly, the idea of anyone performing any type of procedure on her scared her. joey would do anything to save herself and her cause of death would not be a fucking wire coat hanger.

it’s almost like he reads her mind when he suggests getting rid of it. she’d entirely zoned out for a moment but his suggestion snaps her back into the moment. as he speaks, one of her eyebrows raise and her nose scrunches up. “ [color=#990000]i’m not letting anyone near me with a fucking coat hanger, “ she says, quickly shaking her head. oops. her cover slipped some there. the idea of her maybe dying because of a botched abortion scared her more than having the baby in all honesty. she quickly straightens up, taking in a breath and swallowing hard. if she’s being really honest with herself, she doesn’t trust being alone with will under that idea, he could kill her himself and just claim there was an accident and minimal questions would be asks. “ [color=#990000]plus, look you after i don’t speak with you for a few days,” she tilts her head, “ [color=#990000]imagine what a wreck you’d be if i died, “ she forces a smug smile onto her face, arms crossing.

“ [color=#990000]trust me, will, i don’t want this thing either, “ joey says after a bit of silence. her tone is softer now, eyes avoiding him now. she feels like crying, but knows she can’t with him still here.

[spoiler=tags, updated 05/17/2020]◜BASICS ┊ [color=#990000]I HAD A DREAM◞
&. ❝ josephine elena van doren ❞ |  joey, joy, hoey | female [ she/her ] .
&. 21 years old . | november first ; scorpio .
&. forager of flintlock lodge .

◜PERSONALITY ┊ GOT EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED◞
&. impulsive . outgoing . femme fatale . flirtatious . seemingly emotionless . guarded . self-destructive . obsessive . hot headed . reckless . kleptomania tendencies . selfish . brat .  assertive . loyal to those close to her . intuitive . stubborn . passionate . self-preserving . quick . nosey . reliable . non-committal . determined . secretive . resentful . resourceful . distrusting .

◜ APPEARANCE ┊ NOT WHAT YOU THINK ◞
&.  five foot six & one hundred and seventeen pounds ; reference .
↳ blonde hair just past her collarbone, grows a dirtier blonde, lightening up as soon as any sun touches it .
↳ slim, muscular build. legs on the longer side .
↳ big blue/green doe eyes, light yet well-groomed eyebrows, full lips, dimples .

◜ INTERACTIONS ┊ AND IF I’M BEING HONEST ◞
&.  [ 8/10 ] physically  |  [ 9/10 ] psychologically .
↳ difficulty w/ guns [ medium ] | difficulty w/ melees [ hard ] | difficulty w/ hand-to-hand [ hard ]
↳ combat information .
&. attack in bold #990000 | [member=570]scully[/member] | PM for any major plots .
&. friendly or nonviolent actions may be powerplayed .

◜INVENTORY ┊ IT MIGHT’VE BEEN A NIGHTMARE◞
&. [ 2 ] weapons | [ 0 ] armor pieces | [ 0 ] consumables | [ 2 ] aid items | [ 1 ] misc .
↳ one combat knife .
↳ a three piece throwing knife set
↳ one german short-haired pointer puppy, demetri
↳ one english setter puppy, robin
↳ a bracelet from her late mother, each one of her sisters has a piece to the same set, their mother having the biggest piece

◜ RELATIONSHIPS ┊ TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT CARE◞
&. elizabeth van doren (npc) x malcolm van doren (npc) | second youngest of nine children .
↳ cassian van doren, eldest, flintlock .
↳ beau van doren, second eldest, flintlock .
↳ range rover van doren, unknown & scarlett van doren, dead .
↳ auden van doren, unknown & tara van doren, dead .
↳ maxine van doren, just older than joey, flintlock .
↳ richard van doren, youngest, flintlock .
&. pansexual, panromantic ; mongamous  . | scared of commitment, however enjoys casual fun .
&. pregnant ; first trimester . [/spoiler]

[STIRLING.]

#1b2763[align=center][div style="width: 430px; text-align: justify; font-family: verdana; font-size: 6pt; letter-spacing: 2.5px; word-spacing: 0px; line-height: 12px; color: #000"]It had been worth a try when William pointed out that he probably wasn’t the only person who’d shared a bed with Joey. She was undeniably a promiscuous woman; how easy had it been to spend a night with her? He couldn’t imagine that it was too difficult for any other man to do the same. Oh, her comeback was smooth, though, earning a short scoff from William before he shifted his weight uncomfortably. All right, so she’d evidently already weighed the options and it was most certainly not in his favor. This made him feel sick to his stomach at the very thought. He didn’t want to be a father; that essentially was the death of his life as a bachelor. 

Okay, so it was his but surely it didn’t mean that they had to keep it? A procedure ought to do the trick. Perhaps the mortality rate was high, but Joey was the one who got herself pregnant, after all. She was practically a disaster waiting to happen. But, with his very suggestion, Joey’s face said it all; an abortion wasn’t going to happen, at least not willingly. ❝ I’m not letting anyone near me with a fucking coat hanger. ❞ William’s eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly. No; he couldn’t allow himself to even entertain the thought of doing so regardless. So if they couldn’t kill the fetus, they had to do something to prevent this baby from rearing its ugly head.

The Stirling family had been renowned for covering up even the most suspicious of murders… It wouldn’t be so difficult to end things right now, claim Joey just couldn’t handle the pressure of carrying an unborn child. William could weep at her death; his crocodile tears were a convincing act. Oh, but it would be too satisfying to watch the life drain from her, knowing that it was his own experienced hands that had sealed her fate. That feeling of being in control. The feeling of enjoying death more than life itself and-

❝ Imagine what a wreck you’d be if I died. ❞ Well- William’s face crinkled slightly as if he carefully contemplated her words. He wouldn’t go as far as say he’d be a wreck if she died, but she certainly wasn’t useful to him dead.

After all, she was a pretty good kisser.

So, a casual murder was evidently off the cards, William shaking his head slowly with a somewhat thwarted smile sat on his lips. Almost as if he was embarrassed that she was right. God, no - whilst he let her believe that his whole world revolved around her, he had other things to deal with. She was nothing more than a warm body for a man so shallow to spend the night with. ❝ Fair enough. ❞ He decided to point out smoothly, looking away as he stood in thought.

The silence in the room was almost deadly, until Joey’s soft voice filled that void. Will glanced back at her, eyes searching her face as she avoided looking at him all together. What was he supposed to even say in response to something like that? ❝ We don’t have to be parents, you know? ❞ He pointed out matter-of-factly. ❝ Have the kid and then… you can figure out the rest later. ❞ It was easy to push the responsibility back onto her. So easy to claim that he’d not help raise the child with Joey.

After all, the kid would probably be better off without William for a dad. He was doing it (and himself) a favor.

[JOSEPHINE]

[align=center][div style="width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 12px; font-family: calibri; letter-spacing: .6px; color: #494949;"]she's always found it empowering to sleep around. because of this, the usual insults hurled at any women who acts as most men do don't upset her like they're intended. joey's well aware she's "easy", but that's how it's intended to be, if anyone has to work much to get to sleep with someone, they're doing something very wrong. plus, any of the insults can be thrown right back and have the same effect. people just don't seem to get that a girl can just do what she likes? that's where her anger and frustration came from. she would have assumed someone like will would understand, and welcome, her willingness to spend some time with him, but... wouldn't be the first time she's been disappointed by a man.

with both of their affinity for self-preservation, joey's glad she got through to him on the issue of her dying. she gets a small grin with his giving in and agreeing to her point. little did the blonde know, she's just been out-manipulated. " good to know you're finally realizing that i'm the best thing to happen to you, " she says, a smug shrug of her shoulders but her eyes still gleam. she likes the spot she thinks she has him in, but she doesn't have much, if any, experience with anyone who lacks all emotions. she can hold her own with will, maybe even give him a run for his money, but, ultimately, joey's unaware what kind of beast she's dealing with. and, she just made a big misstep, " [color=#990000]and that will ever happen to you, " she adds, batting her eyes just a couple times and raising her chin at him, basking in her perceived victory.

her mood change is quick, like a flicker of a light, her mask slips which causes the softening of her voice and inability to hold his eye contact suddenly. her guard's down and she lets herself be vulnerable for a moment. there's a small part of her that really wants him to comfort her, to lie to her and say it'll be alright and there's time to figure out what to do with the ticking time bomb in her womb. but, the desire quickly dissipates with his tone. she slips back into her act, face contorting into a glare. " [color=#990000]excuse me? " she questions, lip pulling back into a snarl, " [color=#990000]i already told you, i'm not doing it by myself, " joey snaps. " [color=#990000]you seem to think i did this myself, " she lets out an airy laugh, shaking her head in near disbelief, " [color=#990000]you could impregnate the whole lodge in a day if you tried hard enough, don't put this on me just because i'm the unlucky one to have to carry it. " joey's voice gets progressively more intense as she speaks. her anger is getting the better of her, " [color=#990000]you fucking coward, can't even accept what you did! plus, you think after everybody knows, you can just ignore the issue? " tears burn in her eyes, " [color=#990000]deranged and a coward " she mutters, looking at him in near disgust. her hands ball up into fists, almost shaking from trying not to swing at will.

[spoiler=tags, updated 05/17/2020]◜BASICS ┊ [color=#990000]I HAD A DREAM◞
&. ❝ josephine elena van doren ❞ |  joey, joy, hoey | female [ she/her ] .
&. 21 years old . | november first ; scorpio .
&. forager of flintlock lodge .

◜PERSONALITY ┊ GOT EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED◞
&. impulsive . outgoing . femme fatale . flirtatious . seemingly emotionless . guarded . self-destructive . obsessive . hot headed . reckless . kleptomania tendencies . selfish . brat .  assertive . loyal to those close to her . intuitive . stubborn . passionate . self-preserving . quick . nosey . reliable . non-committal . determined . secretive . resentful . resourceful . distrusting .

◜ APPEARANCE ┊ NOT WHAT YOU THINK ◞
&.  five foot six & one hundred and seventeen pounds ; reference .
↳ blonde hair just past her collarbone, grows a dirtier blonde, lightening up as soon as any sun touches it .
↳ slim, muscular build. legs on the longer side .
↳ big blue/green doe eyes, light yet well-groomed eyebrows, full lips, dimples .

◜ INTERACTIONS ┊ AND IF I’M BEING HONEST ◞
&.  [ 8/10 ] physically  |  [ 9/10 ] psychologically .
↳ difficulty w/ guns [ medium ] | difficulty w/ melees [ hard ] | difficulty w/ hand-to-hand [ hard ]
↳ combat information .
&. attack in bold #990000 | [member=570]scully[/member] | PM for any major plots .
&. friendly or nonviolent actions may be powerplayed .

◜INVENTORY ┊ IT MIGHT’VE BEEN A NIGHTMARE◞
&. [ 2 ] weapons | [ 0 ] armor pieces | [ 0 ] consumables | [ 2 ] aid items | [ 1 ] misc .
↳ one combat knife .
↳ a three piece throwing knife set
↳ one german short-haired pointer puppy, demetri
↳ one english setter puppy, robin
↳ a bracelet from her late mother, each one of her sisters has a piece to the same set, their mother having the biggest piece

◜ RELATIONSHIPS ┊ TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT CARE◞
&. elizabeth van doren (npc) x malcolm van doren (npc) | second youngest of nine children .
↳ cassian van doren, eldest, flintlock .
↳ beau van doren, second eldest, flintlock .
↳ range rover van doren, unknown & scarlett van doren, dead .
↳ auden van doren, unknown & tara van doren, dead .
↳ maxine van doren, just older than joey, flintlock .
↳ richard van doren, youngest, flintlock .
&. pansexual, panromantic ; mongamous  . | scared of commitment, however enjoys casual fun .
&. pregnant ; first trimester . [/spoiler]

[STIRLING.]

#1b2763[align=center][div style="width: 430px; text-align: justify; font-family: verdana; font-size: 6pt; letter-spacing: 2.5px; word-spacing: 0px; line-height: 12px; color: #000"]William had manipulated every person who had ever fallen for his acts to adore him in one way or another, which either made him a very good liar or a very unlovable human being. And all kind of adoration had to seemingly be reciprocated somehow for it to feel more authentic. It was simply human nature to crave intimacy and love from others, whatever it took for them to feel less lonely. Give them that feeling of fulfillment, satisfaction, the feeling of being wanted. Joey was smug; it must have felt good for her fragile ego to be stroked in such a way as to think William had caved in with his confession. She tipped her chin up at him, reveling in her perceived glory, and all William could do was hum and fake a short closed lip smile. Whatever made her happy.

But then things turned for the worst.

Next thing, Joey was flying into him, teeth baring and voice barking at him like some rabid dog. Bitches like her would be put to sleep back in the day, but William knew when to hold his tongue and keep his opinions to himself. Obviously his previous reaction wasn’t one that she necessarily liked; he didn’t like it, either. He felt out of control of the situation where, in his world, control was mandatory. That’s what made him feel safe, pave the way to a future where he was adored by many because he had enough control over his surrounding environment to create the perception that he was a good man.

But now? Well, a child put a massive spanner in the works. He was terrible with children, and he hated them. They weren’t even human. These sexless, small growths which would eventually become some semblance of a fully functioning adult. This child would make his life so much more difficult. He didn’t have the time to have to deal with one, especially when he was busy trying to fabricate a mask which made him look more like the model human being that he undoubtedly was.

Most of all, he felt humiliated; his family would laugh at him because evidently his misfortune was always seen to be some twisted sort of karma for being a dick in disguise.

His face fell - as if he was genuinely baffled by her response, genuinely concerned about her - as he listened to her deliver a tirade of words which sounded like they were supposed to hurt. Impregnate the whole lodge in a day? Huh, don’t start giving him ideas. Lips wanted to twitch into an amused smile at the thought, but he refrained from showing any sign of emotion apart from assumed bewilderment. Oh, and he was a coward now? A coward was a woman too afraid to raise a baby on her own, in William’s opinion, but he supposed that would only make her even angrier if he were to enlighten her on the topic.

❝ Joey. Joey, listen- ❞ Something in his voice changed as William knitted his brows together, taking a small step closer as he gazed down at her. ❝ It’s not like that- ❞ Well, yeah, it kind of was. He wasn’t ready to accept that what he had done made him feel fear. An unnerving adrenaline coursing through his veins, and he didn’t like it. This feeling of being so out of control suddenly. ❝ Is that what you really think of me? It was just poor phrasing - that’s all. Of course I’ll be there for you. I mean, where else am I gonna go? ❞ He huffed a short breath, as if his ❛ joke ❜ was so funny.

❝ C’mon angel, don’t cry now. ❞ William couldn’t deal with all of the dramatics. Oh, this was already exhausting. He carefully raised a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear - was this the kind of man she always hoped he’d be? Altruistic? Supportive? If compassion would save him from all this bickering… ❝ You need to understand it’s a lot for me to take in, all right? I will make this all better, though... Somehow. Just gotta take things one day at a time, yeah? ❞ He was quiet for a moment, looking at her expectantly. Hoping that that would be enough to qualm the tension in the air.

❝ Yeah? ❞ He repeated, just for good measure, before he cracked a smile, opening his arms. ❝ C’mere, let’s see a pretty smile on that face now. It’s no good being all pouty, huh? ❞ He tried to pull her into his arms because he supposed that would be what she’d expect of him in her little ideal world. He’d appease her, for now, until he could get his bearings again. William pressed a kiss to the top of her head, swaying her gently with a quiet hum of a chuckle, as he smiled at the thought of managing to rectify his current issue. Now he had to think about how he was going to deal with this baby situation.

[JOSEPHINE]

[align=center][div style="width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 12px; font-family: calibri; letter-spacing: .6px; color: #494949;"]joey’s eyebrows scrunch together and eyes narrow when will starts to speak. she doesn’t even want to give him the luxury, she wants to storm out and refuse to listen to anything he has to say, however, the debilitating fear of being stuck caring for an infant on her own. she knows she would always have her siblings, however, she wants to be able to forget about it sometimes, leaving it with william when she wants. plus, she feels little sympathy for him, no matter what things he complained about, joey knows she’s the one getting the short end of the deal. losing her reputation, gaining heaps of expectations where he could do the bare minimum and be praised simply because he’s the guy, losing her own body. that being said, josephine’s feet are stuck in their place; even if she wanted to move, she doesn’t think she would be able to. even when he moves closer to her, she can’t move, she’s just able to move her upper body back, just trying to keep some distance between them.

“ i mean, where else am i gonna go? “ paired with a laugh makes the harshness in her face drop and her mouth opens a little, “ why is that funny? “ joey questions in a shaky voice, a sick feeling twisting in her stomach. it felt like some foreshadowing to a plan he’s hatching up in his head. a tear rolls out of one of her eyes and is shortly followed by one from her second eye. she closes her eyes tightly to try and stop it, almost not even hearing will pleading with her to stop crying. with his hand moving closer to his face, joey’s eyes flutter open and pulls her head back an inch or so, hand gently meeting his wrist to try and push his hand away, but the strength just doesn’t manifest. and she wouldn’t admit it, but the touch is nice, which only hate it more and feel worse. “ [color=#990000]a lot for you? “ she raises her eyebrow, “ [color=#990000]what about for me? “ she retorts, letting out a labored breath. again, she’s failing to see how this is so tough for him. but she finally looks him in his eyes, a deep frown on her face and green eyes still watery, not responding to his attempts. she sighs when will opens his arms and her head rolls back, clearly still upset.

joey lets him pull her in, her shoulders up and forward as the smallest form of protest. however, after a few moments, she relaxes and rests her forehead against his chest, a couple tears leaving her eyes again. once will kisses her head, she turns her head to her cheek against him, “ [color=#990000]okay, “ she mumbles, not even sure what she’s agreeing to. her head just hurts and she feels kind of nauseous. joey just doesn’t feel like she’s able to get away. again, he is comforting in the moment, it’s a new feeling, for sure, something she would normally refusing. the mushy gushy stuff usually repulses her and the fact that it doesn’t in this moment is relatively upsetting to her. it has to be the thing growing in her, right? ...right?

with a final sniffle, joey wipes her face and forces a laugh that comes out airy and uneven. god, how’d she let herself get to this point? she feels incredibly embarassed, especially with how she thought she was doing well until the loss of her temper. “ [color=#990000]fuck, i really liked what we had going, “ she tries to just play it off, play it cool, ya know. she closes her eyes again, turning her head to hide her face in his chest. maybe this is her new life, maybe this is her best bet, even thought she never ever ever would have imagined or wished this, maybe it’s meant to work out this way. but, if that’s it, why does she feel so uneasy.

[spoiler=tags, updated 06/15/2020]◜BASICS ┊ [color=#990000]I HAD A DREAM◞
&. ❝ josephine elena van doren ❞ |  joey, joy, hoey | female [ she/her ] .
&. 21 years old . | november first ; scorpio .
&. forager of flintlock lodge .

◜PERSONALITY ┊ GOT EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED◞
&. impulsive . outgoing . femme fatale . flirtatious . seemingly emotionless . guarded . self-destructive . obsessive . hot headed . reckless . kleptomania tendencies . selfish . brat .  assertive . loyal to those close to her . intuitive . stubborn . passionate . self-preserving . quick . nosey . reliable . non-committal . determined . secretive . resentful . resourceful . distrusting .

◜ APPEARANCE ┊ NOT WHAT YOU THINK ◞
&.  five foot six & one hundred and seventeen pounds ; reference .
↳ blonde hair just past her collarbone, grows a dirtier blonde, lightening up as soon as any sun touches it .
↳ slim, muscular build. legs on the longer side .
↳ big blue/green doe eyes, light yet well-groomed eyebrows, full lips, dimples .

◜ INTERACTIONS ┊ AND IF I’M BEING HONEST ◞
&.  [ 8/10 ] physically  |  [ 9/10 ] psychologically .
↳ difficulty w/ guns [ medium ] | difficulty w/ melees [ hard ] | difficulty w/ hand-to-hand [ hard ]
↳ combat information .
&. attack in bold #990000 | [member=570]scully[/member] | PM for any major plots .
&. friendly or nonviolent actions may be powerplayed .

◜INVENTORY ┊ IT MIGHT’VE BEEN A NIGHTMARE◞
&. [ 2 ] weapons | [ 0 ] armor pieces | [ 0 ] consumables | [ 2 ] aid items | [ 1 ] misc .
↳ one combat knife .
↳ a three piece throwing knife set
↳ one german short-haired pointer puppy, demetri
↳ one english setter puppy, robin
↳ a bracelet from her late mother, each one of her sisters has a piece to the same set, their mother having the biggest piece

◜ RELATIONSHIPS ┊ TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT CARE◞
&. elizabeth van doren (npc) x malcolm van doren (npc) | second youngest of nine children .
↳ cassian van doren, eldest, flintlock .
↳ beau van doren, second eldest, unknown .
↳ range rover van doren, unknown & scarlett van doren, dead .
↳ auden van doren, unknown & tara van doren, dead .
↳ maxine van doren, just older than joey, flintlock .
↳ richard van doren, youngest, flintlock .
&. pansexual, panromantic ; mongamous  . | scared of commitment, however enjoys casual fun .
&. pregnant ; second trimester . [/spoiler]