nathanielblackwood

[nathanielblackwood]

Nathan felt he was dramatic in thinking this but he literally felt like he never got any proper sleep. In order to do so, he had to drink at least two shots and he hated having to drink alcohol just to crash, but years of going through foster homes and being abandoned had left him traumatized as a kid and to this day, still suffering from the aftereffects of his life growing up. So he was wandering around the Farmer’s Market like a zombie, browsing the food for selection and in his own way, he supposed, trying to make up for his shitty diet and shitty drinking habits as of late. 

Grabbing a thing of tomatoes, apples, oranges, he went on looking through the aisles, still in a daze. His heart beat picked up and slammed in his chest during the first split second that he collided with someone else, not entirely sure what to expect or what was going on for a second, but he quickly realized he’d run into someone else and he was thinking relaxing things in order to calm himself and apologizing to the other and assessing the damage. “Fuck,” he muttered initially as his arm was burning. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t even looking where I was going. I’m just in this mental fog,” he explained, bending down to pick up the tomatoes one by one. Some of the apples landed in the other’s hands and he was thankful for that, and the oranges tumbled down and rolled onto the ground as well as the tomatoes. But luckily the produce was okay. His arm, however, was on fire with pain. He’d broken his arm once when he was a kid doing something reckless on his bike, and it was feeling nothing like that, thankfully, so he figured he’d gotten lucky. “My arm really hurts, but no breaks or bruises,” he gave a laugh the best he could through his pain. “Please, don’t worry about it. Stuff just happens. Are you okay though?” he asked, holding his arm for a second as he set the produce back into his basket. 

open: @mapleviewstarters​ location: farmer’s find market

More than a decade into his career, Julien still didn’t tire of students recognizing him outside of the school. A need for air, a leisurely walk, and a chance to see something new had brought him out to the farmers’ market, whereupon a young student had spotted him and excitedly told their guardian. Seeing a teacher outside of school was always weird, but seeing a new one was even more thrilling, apparently. It was cute, nonetheless, and Julien took the opportunity to say hello and introduce himself to the guardian.

The sight of the small child’s face kept replaying in Jules’ head as he perused the goods up for sale, and he couldn’t help but laugh to himself–moments like that made him feel like a celebrity! It seems like they do want me around, he mused, head tilted down as turquoise eyes skimmed the fresh products, mentally taking stock for later. His plans, however, did not include the full-body near-slam he committed on another poor guest, evident that Jules clearly was not really aware of where he’d been going. He was small, and short-statured, but the force with which he collided with this pitiful stranger was almost impressive. “Oh– Oh, no, I’m so sorry!” he immediately cried out, hands flying up to potentially catch the other person or any belongings that might have fallen. “Please! Excuse me! I wasn’t– Oh, dear–”

[nathanielblackwood]

sms 📲 nathan

Jude: Really? Fuck? I didn't peg you as the type 😍

Jude: Honestly? Kind of. But I respect being open to watching anything. You never know what kind of movie you'll like if you don't give it a chance. And even if it's bad, you can get drunk and make fun of it.

Jude: Nice choices.

Jude: Eh.... I don't know if I can associate with you anymore...

Jude: Kidding. Of course, man.

Nathan: Oh, I'm definitely the type. 🤣😍 Count on it.

Nathan: Hey, that's a good point. I've been trying to get through this movie on Netflix that's an absolute mind trip: I'm Thinking of Ending Things. and I have to drink when I'm watching it because it's like really fucking funny but confusing and kinda dark at the same time and I'm just like wtf is going on here?

Nathan: You jerk. 😛

Nathan: Is now good for you? I'm not really doing anything. I can bring over a bottle of whiskey or some weed.

[nathanielblackwood]

sms 📲 OPEN

Jude: i have a big question that could change the entire course of our friendship

Jude: what's your favorite movie?

Jude: i'm brainstorming movies to suggest to the boss... and i'm bored, could use something different to watch. bonus points if you wanna come watch it with me

Nathan: Fuck...

Nathan: I don't know. Is it a cop out if I say I'll literally watch anything?

Nathan: I guess I really like psychological thrillers, sci-fi, and stuff like that.

Nathan: If the course of our friendship hasn't changed, I'd love to come watch something with you. :P

[nathanielblackwood]

bexwindsorxo​:

          “ yeah, just tripped over my own fucking feet, no big deal   caught myself before i hit the floor   if i were too drunk, i wouldn’t have been able to do that. ” she tells him, before she’s leaning against his car & asking if he wanted to hang. he’s close ( closer than usual ), but it wasn’t nearly as close as they had been already   like on halloween to be specific, which nate promptly brings up. “ oh, yeah. been busy with work & all that. ” she says, nodding her head. she had been working & wasn’t necessarily avoiding him, so it wasn’t a lie.           it’s hard to not notice the way he’s looking at her lips, bex studies him for the few moments following   as if she’s trying to figure out what he’s thinking. the hand that comes up, too is unexpectedly affectionate & bex doesn’t know how to handle it in the moment. her lips press together in a smile in response as he brushes her hair behind her ear. “ yeah, if you’re ready, you goof. ” she says with a chuckle & she gives him a little playful nudge before she gets inside the car when he opens the door for her.            he joins her in the car & another silence falls over them, & that makes her a little nervous   she isn’t sure what to expect when he does speak up. “ hm? ” she says & looks over at him at his question as it shakes her out of her thoughts. her brows furrow together for a moment. she opens her mouth to answer, but what does she say? “ i always miss you, dude. ” she decides after a second, with a smile. “ & if you’re asking why i texted you   i mean, you’re one of my best friends, nate. why not you, would be a better question. ” she’s definitely wondering what he means when he asked if she was missing him like he was her, but bex doesn’t ask. because, well, she’s bex. “ so your place or what? ”

-

“Ah, you have a point, you have a point,” he was holding his hands out in mock surrender with a little smirk on his face as she defended her tripping over her feet. “I mean, you are really clumsy just naturally, anyway, so it’s totally understandable that that would have happened,” he smirked, teasingly. He was nodding then, knowing they were skirting around something, at least feeling like they were, like they were dancing around each other. He just smiled and nodded his head. “Me too. Really busy with work, that is.”

He could tell that perhaps she wasn’t ready, or wasn’t feeling it, when his eyes went to her lips and he had brushed her hair back. Or maybe they were both just scared--could that be possible? Either way, he acted as if nothing had happened and just chuckled, starting the ignition and backing out of the parking lot. “On we go, then,” he murmured. 

The silence between them made him nervous, admittedly, and he could tell that she was lost in her thoughts, but he was just focused on her. Too focused. He couldn’t seem to help it. He felt himself drawn to her in a way that he couldn’t resist. When she said she always missed him, he looked over at her briefly as to not take his eyes off the road for long, then returned his gaze straight, smiling, only slightly disappointed at her answer, and only barely letting it show on his face, so he just pursed his lips in a careful smile as he drove. “You’re one of my best friends too,” he answered her, then looked over at her again when she spoke again. “My place is good,” he said casually, his thoughts instantly going there, even if they were just casually talking as friends. 

He didn’t say much on the way to his place, rain lightly trickling down from the dark night sky as he pulled the car up to his place and turned off the ignition. He opened the door for her, something he always liked to do, and headed for his door after she got out. He fumbled a little bit with the keys in the door, but managed to quickly and deftly repair himself and get the door opened with ease. 

[nathanielblackwood]

bexwindsorxo​:

          when bex gets the texts back, she smiles at her phone. she didn’t doubt one bit that nate would agree to come get her. admittedly ( to herself, of course ), she hadn’t reached out sooner just yet because she couldn’t be sure exactly where they stood after halloween   she knows the only way to find that out was to talk about it. which they’d yet to do, even since that first kiss they shared. instead of talking about it, they just   did it again. although, that was more so her fault than nate’s as she was the one to impulsively initiate a second kiss.           she’s quick to type out a response, Perfect. I’ll see you soon then. And I make no promises. she taps send & then is patiently waiting, taking her time sipping on the whiskey in front of her.            it isn’t too long after she finishes it that nate arrives, a little smile materializing at the sound of his voice. “ hey, ” she greets, returning the hug when it’s given to her upon his arrival. she reaches for her jacket on the stool beside her & is ready to go, she’s about to say just that when he jokes about giving the bartender hell. “ ‘course i fucking did. i’m basically one of the town drunks. just because i’m 5 fucking 2, had 5 drinks & almost busted my face, doesn’t mean i’ve had too much. now, he’ll remember me. ” she’s already leading the way outside as she speaks, “ i can hold my liquor. it’s offensive that he thinks i can’t. ” she chuckles a little at how that sounds, but she was far too stubborn to believe he might’ve had reason to cut her off. she was a little tipsy, but not nearly done for the night.            heading straight to nate’s car, she gets there a few steps before he does & she leans against the passenger side, & turns to look at him. “ what were you doing anyways? wanna hang out for a bit? ”

-

It was only a matter of time before the two broached the subject of the kisses, and quite frankly, Nathaniel was ready to but he was afraid. But the fact that she’d kissed him again must mean that pursuing the kiss and maybe even taking it further wouldn’t ruin things, right? he contemplated to himself as he watched her get up from the bar and chuckled as she explained about how it was offensive that the bartender couldn’t believe she could hold her whiskey. He paused a bit when she said she almost busted her face and leaned in so she could hear him. “You almost busted your face? How did you manage that? I’m glad you’re okay,” he murmured. 

When they reach the car, and she was leaning against it, he approached her, maybe a little closer than normal, and put one hand against the car at her side as he gave her a lopsided, half smile. “I was looking for an opportunity to have something to do--I’m glad you texted me. We haven’t really talked since Halloween,” he said, and then he realized he was looking at her lips longingly before he flickered his eyes back up to hers. “I’d love to,” he agreed, licking his dry lips slightly to wet them. “So if you’re ready---” he started, gesturing his head towards the inside of the car, but he didn’t move, was kind of mesmerized by her and just stood there looking at her before he reached his hand out towards her face and brushed her hair behind her ear. Then he smiled softly, his smile saying a thousand things, like how much he wanted her even right there and right then, but he was a bit scared in that moment even though it didn’t shine through on his face. He opened the passenger seat for her and let her get inside, shutting it behind her, before walking to the driver’s seat and getting into his seat. He sat in silence for a moment, feeling the longing practically palpible in the air. He took a sort of shaky, deep breath and turned towards her. "Bex,” he started, shaking his head a little. “Why me?” he asked, referring to why she had called him instead of anyone else she knew. “Have you missed me like I’ve missed you?” he asked lowly, looking down then looking up into her eyes. 

[nathanielblackwood]

NATHANIEL HADN’T SLEPT IN WHO knows when. So even though it wasn’t even eleven at night yet, he was still wishing he was asleep, though simultaneously wanting anything but to sleep, to avoid the nightmares, the constant waking, the tossing and turning. He wandered aimlessly around his house, feeding his cat despite his best instinct, who was begging for just an extra scoop of food that night in the kitchen. Nathan provided it and unscrewed the cap of whiskey for the first time, taking a swig. 

It was then that his phone buzzed in his pocket and he scrubbed at his face and put the whiskey bottle away, taking his phone out and looking at the message on the phone. Bex. A smile instantly turned the corners of his lips just slightly, through his sleep deprived haze, and he texted back right away. Not busy. Actually the literal opposite of busy. So your text came at the best time, he shot back. Then, adding for good measure, I’ll be right there. Take it easy on the new guy, okay? Everyone was new at one point. :P 

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he grabbed his T-shirt off the couch and slid it on, grabbing his leather jacket and putting his arms through the sleeves, looking into the mirror once he was dressed. He ruffled his hair a bit and then went on, getting into his car and driving towards Blue Ridge, his thoughts racing about Halloween, every fiber in his being thankful she had texted him and that he’d get to see her tonight. The demons were out to play tonight in his head, and he wasn’t enjoying them in the least. 

Pulling up into the parking lot, he made his way into the building and looked around and instantly spotted Bex at the bar. He gave a nod of his head and a smile and made his way towards her. “Hey,” he said a bit lowly, putting one arm around her into a sort of hug and even that felt good then he gestured towards the door, a sort of tired expression on his face but a happy one nonetheless. “Are you ready?” Then, saying into her ear: “Hope you didn’t give that bartender too much hell,” he laughed and joked into her ear. 

location: blue ridge brewery status: closed tagging: @nathanielblackwood​

doing what bex does best, she’s in the process of getting drunk at blue ridge. she’s had about five drinks already when she stumbles back to the bar from the bathroom, tripping over the her own fucking feet as she did from time to time. bex is genuinely surprised & irritated though when her little stumbling results in the bartender being convinced that she’s had one too many. “ are you fucking kidding me? ” she states to the bartender, who was so obviously new to the place & town since he didn’t know just how much bex drank to begin with. most bartenders already knew her. “ i’m not even drunk, dude! just because i almost busted my face back there doesn’t mean i’ve had enough! ” she realizes how she sounds, but goddamn, she can’t help it & she doesn’t like not getting what she wants. especially when that something was a fucking drink.            after some bickering back & forth, the bartender seems to compromise with her, “ i’ll tell you what, you get someone to come pick you up & i’ll give you one more drink. ” that has bex glaring at him for a few seconds because it’s so fucking stupid, but she was honestly not as drunk as she wanted to be, so she lets out a sigh after a few moments & caves. “ fucking fine! jesus fucking christ, ” it wasn’t a terrible compromise. she reaches for her phone & texts nate, the first person that comes to mind. joke was on the bartender because she planned on texting nate to hang out anyways.  hey, are you busy? i’m at blue ridge and apparently, i’m really drunk. come get me? she presses send, i’m not really though. i’ve only had like, five drinks. fucking bartender is new and an idiot. i was gonna text you anyways though, so. she sends a second message & sets her phone down. “ okay. there. ” the bartender, satisfied, beings pouring bex another whiskey, “ make it a double. ” she says. he sighs, but obliges. “ thank you. ” she says a bit harshly & obviously annoyed. she sits at the bar patiently though after closing out her tab, sipping on her whiskey & awaiting nate’s arrival.

[nathanielblackwood]

oqhclia​:

     THIS  IS  PROBABLY  THE  LAST  PLACE  she’s  expecting  to  see  nathan,  but  it  feels  good  to  find  a  friendly  face  out  here.  he  always  was  an  outdoorsy  guy  so  ophelia’s  shock  is  slowly  replaced  by  a  sense  of  familiarity.  she  doesn’t  feel  like  that  big  of  a  fool  asking  for  help  from  someone  she  still  considers  a  friend.

     nathaniel  wraps  her  up  in  his  arms  and  for  just  a  second  it  feels  almost  like  home.  god,  everything  had  been  easier  when  it  had  been  just  the  two  of  them  against  the  world  —  at  least  that’s  how  it  feels  now,  looking  through  rose-colored  glasses.  growing  up  is  never  easy  after  all,  and  part  of  ophelia  will  always  long  for  what  maybe  could’ve  been  had  she  stayed  here,  with  him.  but  the  reality  is  something  different  completely  and  she’s  not  one  to  be  stuck  in  the  past.  that’s  what  she  tells  herself  anyway.

     «  thanks,  nathan,  »  ophelia  smiles,  «  honestly  i  never  thought  i’d  be  out  here  either.  »  she  chuckles,  nodding  towards  river,  still  sitting  patiently  with  ophelia’s  phone  in  his  hands,  probably  playing  some  game.  «  yeah,  he’s  always  with  me.  i’m  obsessed  with  him,  »  she  jokes,  grabbing  a  part  of  the  tent  to  help  even  if  she’s  unsure  how  helpful  she  actually  is  in  this  setting.  «  i’m  doing  good.  still  trying  to  figure  out  what  i  wanna  do  here,  but  i’ll  get  there.  how  are  you  though  ?  it’s  been  a  minute.  »

-

“It’s no problem,” he smiled and took hold of the tent, hammering a hook into the hard ground and pulling the tent taut to fit into the hook. He repeated this with the opposite hook, looking up from time to time to listen to Ophelia, tossing her a smile. “Don’t know what you’re doing here at the campsite, or don’t know what you’re doing in general?” he asked casually, hoping he wasn’t crossing any boundaries. Moving to the third pole, he set about assembling most of the tent, fishing the poles through as he went. He paused before assembling the last and took a swig from his water bottle and stood up from the ground as he did so, looking towards Ophelia with a shrug. “I’m good,” he mumbled, shrugging and pausing for another water break. “Just been working at the tattoo shop and drinking my nights away,” he said, somewhat teasing, somewhat serious, but flashed her a playful smirk anyway.

He had insomnia, and even his medication didn’t help sometimes so he would just forego taking it. So ‘drinking his nights away’ was technically true, at least in that regard. Seeing Ophelia set his heart to hammering in his chest, remembering those days and nights together where it felt like they were on top of the world. Nathan would always wonder what could have been between them. 

Setting back to putting the fourth hook into the ground and hammering it in, he then fished the rest of the poles through the tent until it was standing strong and firmly snapped together. “And there we have it,” he grinned. “The water’s cold but I was gonna take a last dip into the lake before we don’t have a chance to anymore... I have plenty of firewood...so...” He shoved his hands into his pockets, standing there almost awkwardly, but somehow at ease with her still. Was there time ending now? Was it coming to a close? He didn’t want it to. “...If you need anything, just let me know. Okay?” He purposely spoke his words slow, and then flashed a look to River. “How are you doing, buddy?”

[nathanielblackwood]

hatlvs​:

     TO  BE  HONEST  HE’S  MORE  EMBARRASSED  about  the  fact  that  an  empty  house  made  him  faceplant  so  hard  than  that  he  did  it  at  all.  everyone  falls  —  it’s  just  that  atlas  keeps  it  as  an  old  habit  now,  constantly  followed  by  own  demons.  it’s  time  to  grow  up,  he  reminds  himself.  he  winces  as  he  gets  up,  taking  the  other’s  hand,  appreciative.  «  thanks,  i’m  good  though.  »  he  wobbles  as  he  gets  up,  like  a  baby  giraffe.  «  see  ?  i’m  perfect.  »

Nathaniel scanned the guy carefully but ultimately decided to nod his head and let it go. He clearly didn’t want to be bothered, though he took his hand in what seemed like an appreciative manner but didn’t seem to want to look like he’d been hurt. “Hey, I got it,” he held out his hands in mock surrender and smiled. “But if you weren’t okay... that wouldn’t like, be a sign of weakness or anything.”

[nathanielblackwood]

ejaelinjames​:

          She was a mess— no, Jaelin was a disaster— and no matter how much she wished otherwise, it seemed like it could only get worse as more people entered the establishment. Despite it all, the brunette continued to try to keep her cool. “No – I mean, yeah.. I’m good. Great, actually.” Her lie clear as day even when she tried to mask it with nothing other than a chuckle. “I’m happy you’re okay, though. You’re- uh, you’re quick. Could’ve been way worse than what it was without your reflexes, so thank you .. for that.”

-

Nathan felt bad. He could tell the female was having a hard day, and he wanted to help her. But he didn’t work here and there really wasn’t much he could do. He smiled when she said he was quick and at the last minute, thought of something he could do for her. “Maybe I could buy you a drink after your shift?” A lopsided grin pulled at his features.

[nathanielblackwood]

Nathan was finishing up a dragonfly tattoo on a young woman as Daniel looked around and spoke aloud with his eyes widened--a welcomed compliment, most definitely. He finished up the tattoo and performed the aftercare and gave a smile on the person’s way out. Nathan cleansed his equipment when he heard that Daniel might be interested in another tattoo and his eyes perked up with intrigue. “Oh? I’d love to hear your ideas,” he murmured. “I guess it’s the only talent I’ve ever really acquired. Luckily it doesn’t require a degree because college has never really been my thing,” he added, making small talk. “Join me on my ten?” he asked him, grabbing a cigarette from the carton and heading towards the door, as he had a ten minute break, looking back at Daniel with a smile. 

CLOSED STARTER FOR @nathanielblackwood​ !

location: tattoo shop

Daniel might be pretty new to town, but there were already a few people around that were becoming one of his favorite ever. One of them was undoubtedly Nathaniel. He first met him when deciding to go get a small mark on him forever when first moving here, like he always did whenever there was a new location he was supposed to stay at… it became like a personal little tradition. Daniel had so much respect for Nathaniel’s work because tattooing was obviously a form of art (one that he was so intrigued and drawn by) and that’s exactly why they bonded in the first place: over their shared love for it. He was at the tattoo shop, just observing with amusement how Nathaniel worked his talent’s on other people’s skins. “Holy shit dude, how do you even do that!?”, he spoke, eyed widened as Nathaniel was finishing up a person’s tattoo. Thinking out loud, mostly. “I’ve been wanting to get a new one but I’m unsure what could it be… though I might have a few ideas, would you like to hear them?”

[nathanielblackwood]

bexwindsorxo​:

          by the time they get to the dance floor, the songs changed to a much slower one & bex can’t help but think what the fucking fuck? of course, some sort of slow, romantic fucking song would play when she & her one of her closest friends who she’s kissed, & is having different thoughts about get to the dance floor. “ well, shit,” she says with a huff, but she’s got a little smile on her face. she looks over at nate & throws back what she has left of her whiskey, sets the glass aside & moves in close enough that she could bring her arms up to wrap around his neck ( their height difference made that a bit of a feat, but she manages ). she tries not to, but she’s sure she’s a bit awkward in her movements if only because being this close to him only makes her think back on that kiss ( as if, at this point, she could not).            following his lead, she sways with him to the music & lets the silence fall back over them as they begin dancing. she’s again ( like that hand on her knee moments ago ), way too conscious of his hands on her & even the way he pulls her closer. she doesn’t realize it at first, but she’s smiling, too as he presses that kiss to her head. “ i mean, i guess i could think of a few things worse than slow dancing with you. ” she teases, lightheartedly. fingers brush tightly at the nape of nate’s neck, finger tips threading a little into his hair & her eyes are looking anywhere but into nate’s. although, when they’re glancing at his lips, she also glances up to meet his eyes a couple of times following. she’s quick to press her face into his shoulder after that eye contact though because she knows herself, & she knows what she’s about to do despite her hesitance   she really wanted to. again. without a second thought ( especially not to the consequences that might follow her actions later   how very on brand for bex ), she caves into her impulses. she lifts her head from his shoulder & doesn’t look him in the eye before she’s pulling him down & into a kiss. 

-

Although Nathaniel was slightly nervous about dancing with her during a slow song, he didn’t let it show. He just chuckled at her ‘well, shit’ as he watched her throw back her whiskey and swallow and he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Ready?” He felt her arms go around his neck and he looked down at her, a smile on his face as he gazed at her for a moment. It was an innocent gaze, and an innocent smile at first, but he couldn’t help the feelings that were elicited by looking at her so closely. 

He felt the warmth coming from her body pressed against him, and it felt nice. He was a little tipsy and he was having fun with her, even if they hadn’t done much so far; just being with her was nice and he liked that. “Mm, I’m sure you could find more than just a few things that are worse. Maybe not many that are better,” he teased back, letting his eyes flutter closed as he felt her fingers at the back of his neck, threading through his hair. And that was when he felt his skin heat up and it could be said he practically turned to putty in her hands, but no, he held firm, giving off the aura of someone who was confident and strong. When her eyes sought out his and looked from his lips to his eyes, he searched her eyes carefully, feeling a tingle go down his spine at the thought that she might kiss him. And then she was, and they were both giving in, letting their guards down, and doing what they’d probably been wanting to do for a while. He kissed her back passionately, bringing a hand up to place it on the side of her face to deepen the kiss. And he kept kissing her, not wanting to pull away, wanting to be close to her. “That’s a lot better than just dancing with you,” he said a bit breathlessly before leaning in to kiss her again. 

[nathanielblackwood]

Nathaniel was walking home from work at the tattoo shop, feeling the breeze blow against his skin, watching the leaves as the wind sent them scattering along the pavement. He smiled to himself. It was good to be off of work. He’d probably grab a drink at the bar, or maybe he’d go grocery shopping, he kind of needed to do that -- since he’d been putting it off -- but in reality he’d most likely end up just ordering food and having a few beers and passing out. 

Nathan was startled when he saw a guy in front of him hit a fire hydrant and go head first into the concrete, startled to the point that he went running over to the guy. “Holy shit! Are you okay?” he asked as he made it over to his side. “Man...” He held out a hand to help him up. 

𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢:  𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡:  𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻  𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁.  @mapleviewstarters​

     HE’S  ON  A  BICYCLE,  WHICH  in  and  of  itself  is  kind  of  a  weird  sight.  whenever  he  needs  to  go  somewhere  he  has  his  car  (  although  it’s  practically  falling  apart  at  this  point,  he  refuses  to  let  go  of  it  )  or  his  legs  to  carry  him.  but  it  was  nice,  for  a  change,  to  use  another  mode  of  transportation  —  at  least  this  is  what  he  tells  himself.  the  truth  is  he  bought  the  bike,  a  bright  coral  color  and  a  basket  in  front,  off  of  craigslist  whilst  he  was  high  out  of  his  mind,  and  it’d  be  wasteful  not  to  use  it,  no  matter  how  ridiculous  atlas  looks  on  it.

     he’s  on  his  way  home  from  work  and  is  used  to  driving  this  road  every  day,  but  something  about  riding  a  bike  is  making  him  much  more  aware  of  his  surroundings.  he  slows  down  when  he  approaches  the  vacant  house  his  grandparents  used  to  live  in.  atlas  has  always  wondered  why  no  one  ever  moved  in  after  them.  it  would’ve  been  easier  if  someone  did.  

     distracted,  atlas  hits  a  fire  hydrant  and  goes  face  first  into  the  concrete,  bike  falling  over  next  to  him.  he  feels  a  burn  on  his  face.  fucking  hurts.  sitting  up,  he  looks  at  the  now  haunted  house,  his  own  ghosts  terrorizing  him.  «  fuck  you,  »  he  mutters.

[nathanielblackwood]

bexwindsorxo​:

          just hearing the way nate says that he can’t stop looking at her has bex wondering if maybe the same sorts of thoughts that are filling her mind are a thought in his, too. that makes her just a little anxious, but only because it’s nate. he was one of her closest friends & doing anything that might ruin their friendship wasn’t something she wanted to do. yet, bex ran on impulse & that was dangerous. “ yeah, well   thanks. i didn’t go buying a costume, but figured this dress screams halloween. ” she shrugs, deciding not to read into the way he spoke those words or the ones to come.           “ oh, yeah? what sorts of thoughts? ” she finds herself asking anyways despite knowing he’s probably kidding. that’s what they did   the teased & joked, always had. “ well, put me in a good enough mood & maybe i’ll let you have a couple. but don’t push it, you’d be lucky if you got like, 2 from me. ” she chuckles, bringing her glass up for another drink. “ shit, you really wanna watch the exorcist? because if we do   i think i’d definitely take you up on that & that’s saying something because i don’t do that sort of shit. that movies fucking terrifying. ” it was one of the few that gave her nightmares as a kid. yet she still watched it.           suddenly, nate’s whispering words in her ear & she’s pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. jesus, she thinks, she’d never allowed herself to think of nate in any other sort of way than her close friend( which hasn’t changed ), but the physical attraction she felt towards him as of late seemed to intensify after that kiss a few days ago. “ alright, jack straight it is   & then we dance. ” she nods, lips pressing together in a smile before she turns towards the bartender to order their shots & a couple of seconds later, they’re set down in front of them. “ to hopefully being too drunk later to actually watch the exorcist. ” she jokes before she downs the shot in one go. she winces a little & grabs her drink in one hand & nate’s hand in the other, “ lets go fucking dance before i change my mind. ” she says, pulling him along as she leads them to the dancefloor.

-

Nathaniel’s compliment was completely impulsive and he couldn’t help but wonder about the kiss, if she still thought about it, if she wanted to do it again. He literally had butterflies in his stomach that he only had when he was around her; he felt simultaneously like he just enjoyed her company and they could be doing anything and also like he wanted to pull her in, hold her, kiss her a little or a lot. 

When she asked what sort of thoughts, he kind of froze up, but he let it work for him because his silence spoke everything for him that he couldn’t say out loud as his eyes went to her and he gazed at her meaningfully, almost longingly. “I don’t know if I should say,” he admitted. And he knew if he said anything, anything more, that they might take the teasing and playfulness a step further and go there. He covered her knee with his hand and let a few beats of silence pass. When they landed on another subject, he went along with it. “Don’t tease me. You want to give me at least half of your Reese’s, Bex--if not more,” he teased with a grin. Then, at the mention of the movie, he chuckled. “There’s something about watching someone walk like that that’s just really creepy,” he agreed, downing his on shot in one swallow and letting it burn down his throat in the best way. Was he trying to flirt with her by bringing his lips to her ear, or was he just talking into her ear over the music? He didn’t have much time to think when she began pulling him to the dancefloor, and the smile on his lips widened a little. 

The upbeat song had gone off and now a slow one was playing, a romantic one, with themes of Halloween, one that he hadn’t heard before. Finding a spot somewhere somewhat away from people, at least so that they weren’t stuffed in the middle of people, he brought his arms around her waist and pulled her close to his body, waving back and forth with her. Just smiling at her face to face for a moment before pulling her even closer, letting his hand circle her waist briefly as they danced. "See,” he said into her ear, smiling a bit. “It’s not so bad.” And then, just because, he pressed a kiss against her temple. 

[nathanielblackwood]

Nathaniel could use the female taking a few steps back, and knowing that she was about to collide with him and was moving too fast for him to stop her, he put an arm out to avoid the collision, her body sweeping across his arm. He then removed his arm once she turned around and realized she’d run into him. “A hundred percent okay,” he smiled. “I’m glad we managed to avoid anything catastrophic happening,” he laughed. He could see that she was overloaded with orders and he decided to ask. “Are you okay?”

location: sunrise diner with: @mapleviewstarters​​ — open .

          All that praise she seemed to give herself previously when it came to how well she managed to handle the stress that came along with lunch hour seemed to be spoken too soon. Way too soon. This afternoon had been a shit show and despite the award winning smile that Jaelin wore on her features, the stress was devouring her alive. The only thing that repeated like a mantra in her head was ‘don’t fuck up today’ and so far, so good.. but only time seemed to be able to tell. 

After taking her current tables orders, the brunette placed her pad back into the front pockets of her apron and began to take slow steps backward, “I’ll put your orders in now and then be back in just a moment with your drinks, alright? Shouldn’t be too long–” but the words seemed to bit her in the ass because the second she took another step back, her body immediately collided with someone else’s. “I am so sorry!” Jaelin exclaimed instantly, eyes wide with both surprise and embarrassment, “Are you alright?”

[nathanielblackwood]

bexwindsorxo​:

          “ uh, when i was a younger, yeah. of course. haven’t given these arms a go at that in… shit, in years. ” she honestly can’t remember the last time she actually carved a pumpkin. maybe when he was in her early teens. her later teens were spent figuring out where she was going to fucking sleep   carving pumpkins was the last thing on her mind at the time. it probably still is.            even though bex caught the smirk & how he seemed to move closer to her, she wonders if being so bold with her flirting is a good idea. but then again, she can’t exactly help it when she had alcohol in her system   she tended to say exactly what was on her mind ( unless it was something she really didn’t want to talk about then she avoided it like the goddamn plague ) . she’d flirted with him before though up until the kiss they shared, it was said jokingly & hardly even taken serious, she was sure. “ yeah, yeah, you’re just saying that because i said it first. ” she chuckles & waves off his words.            brown eyes look at the other over her glass as she takes another sip ( she always drank her drinks way too fast & in turn ended up drunk sooner than she intended ). “ yeah, maybe. whatever we want. ” her mind wanders even as she says that. the things they could do. “ i’m down. i do still have a bag of candy… & that bag of reese’s   but that’s mine. they’re showing the exorcist later, too, that’s some real scary shit. i don’t know if i’m down for that. ” she takes yet another sip. “ i am down for a shot though   you in? on me. ”

-

“All the more reason to try it,” he smirked mischievously, but then shook his head and placed a hand on her back reassuringly. “I’m kidding. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said softly so just she could hear. 

Nate could begin to feel the two whiskeys having some effect on him, but he was in no way a light weight, so he’d need a couple more drinks before getting on the dancefloor. He didn’t know why, because he wasn’t much of a dancer, but he really wanted to dance with Bex. There was an inexplicable pull to Bex, and it took him a moment before he realized their proximity, and he moved away casually, not to seem like he was repelled by her at all, because that most certainly was not the case. “Not true. I can’t stop looking at you. I swear,” he said a bit lowly, a hint of a sensual tone in his voice as he bit his lip and swallowed thickly, letting his eyes sweep down her body once more before he realized what he was doing and looked back into her brown eyes.

“You could only imagine the thoughts filling my brain right now,” he murmured, a smirk on his lips as he thought of a few things they could do, but he was still just flirting, only half serious. “You can keep the Reese’s, although that’s one of my favorites. But I’m happy with sour skittles or any kind of chocolate,” he added. “You can hide your face in my shoulder during the really scary parts,” he continued and flashed her a smile. “I can’t say no to that. I’ll have a Jack, straight up. And then... we dance,” he murmured over into her ear softly, lowly, pulling away and looking at her with a half smirk. He wanted her to have a good time at this thing, hoped that he could enhance her enjoyment of the event, and there were so many people on the dancefloor that it was practically calling to them.