taliawade

[taliawade]

Talia smirked, arms loosely crossed as she imagined the absurdity of it all. A secret agent rat with a double life, balancing PTA meetings and high-stakes espionage? Yeah, she’d watch that. “See, now you’ve got me fully invested. I’m picturing him in a tiny little tux, sneaking out of the house after kissing his husband goodbye, off to save the world from some deranged, cheese-obsessed villain.” She tilted her head, amusement flickering in her gaze. “Probably has a gadget-packed briefcase too. Maybe a grappling hook disguised as a toothpick.”

She exhaled a laugh, nodding in approval at the name. “James Squeak is solid. And Double O-Cheddar? That’s genius.” She tapped a finger against her arm, mock-serious. “Honestly, if you don’t pitch this, you’re wasting potential. The world needs this movie, and more importantly, you need to get paid for it. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see a rodent spy navigating the seedy underbelly of the cheese smuggling world?”

@adiletopal

She would probably watch a movie if this was the plot for it. Adile couldn't help but laugh as she thought about a rat as a secret agent. "He totally has a husband and children at home that he's trying to protect. I'm sure of it. By day, he's juggling trying to get to dance lessons and bake goods for the bake fair and by night he's capturing evil rats bent on taking over the world." She laughed. "That reminds me of the one show I used to watch as a kid. I believe rats are probably smart enough to take over the world."

Adile nodded. "Exactly. Sleek, but mysterious." She thought for a second, trying to think of something clever, but failing. "Oh my gosh! James Squeak is so perfect. Double O-Cheddar." A grin appeared on her face. "Yes, I think I'm going to pitch it. Make enough money I don't have to clean rooms for people anymore."

[taliawade]

Talia leaned back against the wall, one boot pressing lightly against it as she listened. She understood that kind of bond, the way people could build something close to family out of shared hours and late-night conversations. It wasn’t always about blood, sometimes it was just about who stuck around. She nodded slightly, glancing toward Kaede. “Yeah, I get that. Sometimes the people who actually show up matter more than the ones who are supposed to.”

At his question, she let out a slow breath, eyes flicking toward the alley like she could still see the ducks staring back at her menacingly. Or at least they felt meanacing. “Enough, but I think I lost count at twenty.”

@kaede-yamada

Kaede loved his family by blood. He honestly missed his sisters but he knew they had their own lives and careers. He was grateful his cousin was in town because then it gave him someone to be close to and for someone else other than himself for his daughter to be around. However there was just something about the way that the bar family felt that made it really feel like a team. It had to be cause they were all just people trying to make things happen in their lives. “ you spend enough time with people and it starts to feel like a family. And then they become one “

“ everything is in my name. At the end of the day everyone’s safety and security relies on me. I’m not out here to make anyone feel uncomfortable taking out the trash or dealing with drunks “ he noted before glancing down the alley with an amused expression “ we’re there a lot of them?” @taliawade

[taliawade]

She stretched out her legs, cracking her knuckles absentmindedly. “It’s just reality, right? And I hate that. You either look out for yourself, or you hope you’re lucky enough that nothing happens. And luck?” She scoffed. “Not exactly the most reliable plan.”

Glancing over, she let out a sharp exhale, like she was physically pushing the tension away. “But yeah, a drink sounds good. Something strong. Something that makes me forget just how fucked the world is for a few hours.” Her lips twitched into a bit of a twisted smile. “You buying, or am I about to regret asking?”

@rominacortez

"It's messed up and everything that's wrong with the world but it'll take a lot more than us to change it." After all, situations came proving that they were far from changing and that was depressing enough. "People don't care as long as it doesn't affect them, so we continue to do what we can to protect ourselves even if it shouldn't be our job"

In the end, it was a battle that many people before them had fought and they could still continue but the reality was that there was a lot more work that needed to be done. "I agree with you, a thousand percent. Now I think we need to get a drink cause that shifted the mood." / @taliawade

[taliawade]

Talia glanced up from her phone, her expression unreadable for a beat before she let out a quiet breath. “Barely,” she muttered, setting the device down. She had been considering it, leaving before he showed, but here he was. That counted for something.

She leaned back in her chair, eyes scanning him like she was trying to figure out if this was a mistake or not. “And yeah, congrats, you conquered traffic and technology. Big day for you.” The tease was light, but there was something guarded in her tone, like she wasn’t ready to let the tension slip away just yet.

Picking up her glass of water, she swirled the straw idly. “I figured if I left, you’d just text something barely readable again, and I’d have to decipher it like a damn codebreaker.” She took a sip, then finally looked him in the eye.

She wasn’t trying to be cold, but this whole thing, him showing up, acting like this was normal, wasn’t easy for her to settle into. Wanting a relationship with him was one thing. Trusting that it wouldn’t end the second things got too complicated was another.

"Don't tell me, you need glasses now too?"

@josephxwade

Joseph squinted down at his phone, holding it at arm’s length like that would somehow make the tiny letters easier to read. He let out a quiet huff, muttering under his breath as he clumsily tapped at the screen.

Joseph: "On my way. Traffic. Hold tight."

He stared at the message, frowning when he realized he had somehow typed “Trffic. Hld tigt.” instead. Close enough. He hit send.

Stuffing his phone back in his pocket, he picked up his pace, already knowing Talia was probably debating whether to leave. Damn phones, he thought. Damn time.

Joseph pushed open the door to The Jade Bowl, the scent of spices and sizzling oil hitting him immediately. He scanned the restaurant, his eyes landing on Talia at a small table near the window. She looked just how he expected—arms crossed, eyes flicking between the door and her phone, probably deciding if she was annoyed enough to leave.

He let out a breath and smoothed a hand down his jacket before making his way over. “Alright, alright, I know,” he said as he reached the table, his tone halfway between sheepish and defensive. “Traffic was bad. And before you say it, yes, I know how to use the GPS… Mostly.” Joseph pulled out the chair across from her and sat down with a small grunt, shaking his head. “But look, I made it. And you haven’t run off yet, so I’ll take that as a good sign.”

[taliawade]

Talia exhaled, barely glancing at him before returning her gaze to the water. She wasn’t surprised Carlos had noticed the tension, he was observant like that, but she wasn’t sure what to do with the softness in his tone. She let a beat pass before shrugging. “It’s a public bench. Can’t exactly tell you to leave.” Her voice was neutral, maybe a little dry, but she didn’t shift away. That was something.

Fiddling with the edge of her sleeve, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Guess I’d rather deal with a possible weirdo than sit here alone,” she admitted, her lips twitching like she might smile but didn’t fully commit.

@carlos-pereria

Carlos slowed as he reached her, catching the tension in her posture before she even spoke. His usual easygoing nature didn’t waver, but there was a softness in his eyes as he shook his head. “Nah, benches are for sharing,” he said, offering her a small smile before sitting down, leaving just enough space to let her breathe. He stretched his legs out in front of him, glancing toward the water rather than straight at her—giving her the option to ease into the moment.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” he added after a beat, his voice light but laced with quiet curiosity. “But I figured if I didn’t say hi, you’d think I was some weirdo lurking around.” He shot her a sideways glance, the corner of his mouth tugging up. “Unless you’d rather I keep moving?” @taliawade

[taliawade]

Talia almost saw it coming, she couldn't help herself, she darted her hand out to steal it before Lexie could. She turned around quickly and split it half and held half out for her.

"Bitch, if you thought I wasn't going to share it with you." She said, tutting softly. "Like you don't even know me I swear."

@alexandriaxvargas

open starter for @aurorabaystarter where: maybe a party? or even like a stall at the markets?

Lexie’s eyes narrowed as her hand hovered over the last piece of caramel-drizzled cheesecake on the table. Just as her fingers brushed the edge of the plate, another hand darted in from the side. She looked up sharply to see a someone else.

“Uh, excuse me,” Lexie said, her tone dripping with polite venom. “I saw it first.”

[taliawade]

Who: @josephxwade Where: The Jade Bowl

Talia had been waiting for what felt like a little too long. When she had text her father asking to meet for lunch she was almost unsurprised that he was late. She took a deep breath, wondering whether it was even worth it to wait around for him. She flicked another quick text to her father.

Talia: “Hey, I'm at the Jade Bowl you coming?”

[taliawade]

Talia leaned back, her eyes lighting up at the thought, there was definitely going to have to be more to this story, and maybe she’d be taking home a pet wild rat. "He’d definitely have a whole backstory. Maybe he's not just a rat, he's got a secret identity, you know? A double life, a high-stakes mission, a really sharp tuxedo... kind of like an underdog hero, but with whiskers and a tail."

She tapped her chin. "As for the name, it’s gotta be something sleek, right? Something that sounds like a legend in the rat world... How about ‘James Squeak’? Or maybe ‘Agent Cheddar’?" Talia chuckled, her imagination clearly running wild. "Whatever it is, I’d watch that movie for sure. Could be the next big hit, a rat saving the day with his own little rat army."

@adiletopal

Adile loved animals from a young age. She was never allowed to have a pet, but she would adopt random animals—adopted random cats, lizards, rats. It didn't matter. The older she got, the more she loved animals. She only had a cat now, but she'd had dogs and rats before. Often she would come up with stories about them, the weirder the better for her. "Oh, maybe! A Royal Rat sounds like it would make for a good book or movie. I'd watch it at least." She smiled. "What if he's actually on a big quest to save a prince from a dragon?" she bit down on her lip and thought. "What would Rat James Bond's name be?"

[taliawade]

Talia rocked lightly on her feet, something about still being out in the alley and not scurrying her way home was making her more nervous than she cared to admit. She nodded slowly, a soft smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “I get that. Making your own family… it’s a lot easier when you can choose the people who care about you. It’s not always blood, you know? Sometimes, it’s the people who have your back when it matters the most.”

She tilted her head slightly, considering his words about responsibility. “I don’t think you’re invincible either, but I get why you’d want to take on the weight yourself. You don’t want the people who care about you getting hurt. I get that.” She paused, her expression softening a little. “But hey, just because you’re the one carrying the load doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.” Talia glanced back the way she had come, shaking her head as she turned to look back at him. “There were a bunch of ducks over the road where I usually walk, and something about it unnerved me more than walking a back alley.”

@kaede-yamada

Kaede wasn’t always the protector type. He had to sort of grow into the role in a lot of ways. When it came to family, his sisters were so much more type A people than him but he still would have went out of his way to help them. It was only when he moved to Aurora Bay and socialized more that things started to change a bit. He liked who he was a lot more now. “ it’s my bar. If anything happened under my roof? Well just couldn’t let that sort of thing happen” Kaede noted for a moment “ we make our own families sometimes. And sometimes they’re the best ones “

“ oh i certainly don’t think im invincible but i also would rather take the responsibility than let anyone else deal with it” he admitted. He wouldn’t let anything happen to the staff even if he did have quite a few people who cared for him. “ I have people who care for me but I can’t let them have my back. Some of them have kids or are my girlfriend. I don’t like the risk. “ he noted before glancing at her confused. “ what ducks?” @taliabrown

[taliawade]

[taliawade]

[she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [TALIA WADE]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [BAILEE MADISON]. You must be the [TWENTY FOUR] year old [MODEL & HEIRESS]. Word is you’re [CALM] but can also be a bit [SHY] and your favorite song is [CONTROL BY HALSEY]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [FISHER COVE]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

Triggers: Abandonment, mild abuse, drugs, kidnapping, PTSD, gambling addiction.

Talia grew up as a triplet, at first her mother was a kind and sweet lady, but eventually her responsibilities as a high-class elite socialite called her, Talia and her siblings were handed around the family and they never really shared the most love for their mother because she always left them in precarious scenarios. Talia always felt like her mother never cared for her, but it only strengthened the bond between her and her siblings so intensely. 

Talia struggled in school as a result of the treatment of their mother, of course, she had enough money to do anything that they wanted, but that didn’t mean they received the love and support that they needed from their mother. It was what had made her drop out of school at fifteen despite their mother's clear disappointment. Talia was very quickly developing a devil may care attitude and it wasn’t going to end well for her.

Talia wanted to go on to do something meaningful with her life, but she was going around in circles, one day she signed up for a talent hunt with a model agency at first she was rejected, but she finally won them over. The circle she had been going through began spinning a little harder with the whirlwind that modelling took her through, she got caught up in the lifestyle and got into a few scandals, started up drugs and sleeping around.

Her mother tried all she could to tame Talia, but it wasn’t working, so in an elaborate scheme to try and get her to settle down. Talia was kidnapped and eventually rescued by her so-called doting mother. It was what finally convinced Talia to leave their mother and go looking for their father, of course while Talia had contacts she didn’t have the smarts. That was left to her brother, and when they finally found him they showed up on his doorstep eager to finally have a loving parent.

It was all going well until her brother did the worst possible thing, at first she refused to believe anyone could do what he had done. Upon reflection of her upbringing though, she could see that her brother was battling his own demons, all three of them were and there wasn’t enough reasoning in the world that could convince Talia that her mother wasn’t to blame. Talia began to withdraw from social events, choosing to give into some of her PTSD and continually ask the question of whether or not she could have done something.

Talia was no longer the fun outgoing party girl, instead, she stayed home, getting addicted to online gambling sites, using up all her pay until there was almost nothing left, taking out loans and sending herself thousands of dollars in debt. She’s currently clean from gambling but only because no banks will give her another loan based on her previous offences. She still models and can play up as the party girl if needed but it will never be the same as it used to be and she holds firmly onto her secret about her gambling. Having just moved out of Joseph’s home and into a small spot in Fisher Cove, she’s just trying to remember how to be a normal human being.

[taliawade]

👻 …someone my muse considers a best friend.

"I don't really have a best friend anymore, I think I'm still a little too much of a shut-in. I don't really leave the house enough to have a best friend. Maybe at some points I would have said Ziggy, maybe with the few conversations we've had I'd say Lexie too."

@ziggykyeons @alexandriaxvargas

[taliawade]

👌 …someone my muse has only met once, but will never forget.

"There was this photographer at this one shoot I was at, he was so fun-loving and kind. I remember that day I was a little sad and he brought me a bag of candy after lunch, it's the little things that stick with you. I tried to get in contact with him again but he didn't make any more bookings with me, I think he didn't like a sad model."

[taliawade]

Talia chuckled softly as she stood, brushing off her hands with a light laugh. "I know a great pizza place nearby, and I’m buying," she said, knowing the exact place with perfect pizza at this time. "You won’t regret it. Trust me, it’s my favorite, and you’ll see why once you taste it."

She paused, considering the question for a moment before answering, her voice lighter. "I’m not in the habit of inviting strangers out, but I figure there’s a first time for everything. Plus, it feels like the right thing to do."

@amarawash

Her dark curls bounced as she nodded, her eyes focused intently on the woman across from her. “I can see that,” she replied, standing up and brushing off her hands. A soft laugh only escaping her lips at the mention of the real danger here in town.

A part of her was taken aback by the invitation; she certainly hadn’t expected it, yet she felt an almost eager desire to accept. “Yeah, I’d be up for that,” she chirped. “Do you do this often? You know, inviting strangers out?”

@taliabrown

[taliawade]

“Oh, that one I know, I answered like that once when I was still heavy in modelling and I got marked down in points, really makes you wonder huh?” She might not have been a pageant queen, but she was very much in a similar scene, she had to use some creative answers in her time.

“Yeah, when I was little I got handed around family, I saw some really bad shit, but when I landed in a happy family with parents who were actually in love, it was a beautiful situation.”

@presleyfarrow

"I mostly bring up world peace because I'm fairly certain you get docked points if that's your answer. Which, take what you want about the current world about that."

That was a large part about the life of a pageant queen -- but aspirational but never rock the boat. Everyone has to like you.

Presley faintly smiles at the answer of the other.

"That's actually very sweet. Do you have a personal experience that makes you answer that way?"

@taliabrown

[taliawade]

Talia tilted her head slightly, offering a small, appreciative smile as she met Lexie’s eyes. "Sometimes, that’s all you need," she said quietly, her voice softening. "Just someone who’s there. No need for words. It’s the small things that make a difference, really."

She looked back toward the horizon, her expression thoughtful. "I’m not great with the emotional stuff either," she admitted, her voice carrying a slight edge of self-awareness. "But it’s nice to know that even in silence, it still counts. And hey, if I ever need more than just company, I’ll let you know." Her smile flickered, genuine but guarded, a hint of trust in her eyes.

@alexandriaxvargas

Lexie leaned back slightly, crossing her arms with a light, casual shrug, though her expression softened at Talia's words. "Sometimes silence says more than words could, you know?" she said, her tone easy but sincere.

She glanced toward the horizon herself, her lips curving into a small smile. "Besides, I’m not exactly great with the whole deep, emotional conversation thing. But just... being here? That, I can do." Lexie shifted her weight, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You let me know if you ever need more than that, though. I’m not completely useless." The tease in her voice was gentle, a quiet offering wrapped in her usual lightheartedness. @taliabrown

[taliawade]

Talia crossed her arms, her expression tight. "You know, it’s messed up that we even have to think like this. We’re expected to figure out how to protect ourselves instead of just living without fear." Her gaze darkened for a moment before she shrugged it off. "Not that it’s right, but people seem to forget that we're supposed to be safe, no questions asked."

She let out a dry laugh at the mention of aggression. "Yeah, I’d say there’s enough of it inside to get the job done. Probably more than enough, honestly. Just wish it didn’t have to be this way."

Most likely not. A scary thought in itself given the advice given to women for protection was pepper spray or keys between their knuckles. All of which would do little if it came down to it. "Depends how good your aim is. It might give you enough time...."' She trailed off, realizing that she was falling into the trap of guiding the woman rather than holding the culprit accountable.

"The shoes would be ruined and that would be a shame." She teased in an attempt at lightening the mood slightly. She didn't think it was working too much as it was hard to come back from such a serious conversation. "I've been told that a time of two. I would love the chance to beat someone to the ground. I've got enough pent up aggression, or am deluded enough, to believe I could." / @taliabrown