atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

location — stomias amusement park.

character — @cjwelford

Out of every fear in the world he possessed, rollercoasters and all their twists and their turns weren't one of them. In fact, even hearing that the amusement park was opening once more caused electricity to flow freely through his veins. "So, it might sound crazy, but we have two hours to get through as many rides as we can and if I don't hit every coaster in this place..." he trailed off, tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth. Did he have a game plan? No. Did he ever? Also no. "If you aren't down for coasters, now's your chance to tap out." He tore his gaze from the other, the sound of screams mixed with fear and excitement catching his attention from a coaster nearby.

[atlaswilliams]

location — frederick's farm.

character — @dylan-westwick

For nearly a month, his presence around the city had been practically nonexistent due to the out of town project his boss had roped him into it. Good money, but he felt as if he'd missed so much. "Look at them," he exhaled, lips curving upwards at the corners ever so slightly as he scanned over the children that had grown like weeds since the last time he'd saw them. Time was a fickle thing. "You need a hand with anything?" He lifted the nearly empty lemonade to his lips and welcomed the sour, yet sweet mix as it coated his tongue. "You have to try out the lemonade if you haven't already."

[atlaswilliams]

The first time he'd gone up in a hot air balloon, his white knuckled grip had been his only saving grace. Heights had never bothered him until they did. "It's not that bad if you don't look over the edge. That's when things get sticky," he countered with a boyish grin. His pounding heart was a combination of excitement and a bit of untamed fear, though the latter would subside with every foot they climbed higher into the sky above. "That'd be some shit, wouldn't it? Fear not, I've got at least three people that would come looking for me." The mothers of his children, and then a few others too. Probably.

@floydparker

closed starter ft. @atlaswilliams

"-i ever tell ya how much i hate heights," he started as he took a hit of his cigarette and watched yet another person climb onto the hot air balloon, "but i get it. it's a once in a lifetime experience or whatever and i figure we might as well, huh?" he was mostly here for the vendors and well, atlas' company. he liked that he was able to stay in his neck of the neighborhood for this part of the spring event. it was nice to be able to have something close to home so that when he was tired of it, he could make his way back to his couch. "i just hope we don't end up like amanda bynes' mom and be forever lost on the air balloon."

[atlaswilliams]

Few people would have expected him to pick up a book meant for his own creative venture into words. Then again, most people assumed the head on his shoulders was for everything other than thinking. "Alright. If you don't think it's worth the read, then what would you suggest?" His counter was gentle as his fingers brushed against the worn spine of the book he'd picked out of a lot, simply for the cover and how colorful it was. So much for judging a book by it's cover. "I'd rather you save my time anyway. Don't have much of that to spare these days."

@thethaliaclark

@atlaswilliams

setting: Claret Public Library lending library downtown

"I would not say that is worth reading." Thalia shook her head as the other picked up a book with a familiar title. "It is slow and predictable." She was a voracious reader and a huge supporter of the public library system. Most of the books that the library brought to the spring event were already ones she'd read but it was still a wonderful experience to wander through a small amount of curated shelves. "Although most books are written from a place of passion and are therefore, meaningful to someone. So please do not let me stop you."

[atlaswilliams]

Casey Deidrick

[atlaswilliams]

"Exactly. It's like going to Costco on a weekend. You get all the best samples and then you're set for a couple of hours." The downfall was that after getting full, it was harder to grab the things that he needed. He scratched at his beard before his hand dropped to his side. The farmer's market beat sitting around at home while he waited for pickup time and the snacking was just a bonus.

A smile switched upwards as he shook the other's hand firmly. Some of the nicknames people had for him weren't exactly safe for public announcement. "I'm looking forward to what you come up with," he challenged with the raise of his chin and a small laugh. Whatever it was, it was bound to strike a chord of amusement.

"So, what I'm hearing is that I should just go ahead and prepare? Get a loaf and look out for the invite?" He thanked the vendor behind the table and stepped back to allow another to fill the space he'd occupied. "Whole life. Make it thirty-five years in August. What brought you to the city?"

@abelthcmpson

"At least you get a full meal while shopping around, right?" A grin appeared because he fully understood the catch-22 of it all and still went in for it each and every time. Abel also understood the indulgence could come from trying to fill whatever void one was feeling. No judgement on the other male, nor assumption, it was mostly himself. Clean for little more than 90 days and feeling the crushing weight at the failure of his engagement was doing him in.

The welcome made him chuckle and he took the man's hand to make the meeting official. "Well, now I'm just curious what other people call you. Once we get to know each other better we'll see what comes to mind," hand to chest, "personally." Once his hand was freed up Abel took one last sample of the bread and dip before calling it quits. He had to save some for others.

Another laugh around the food in his mouth. "Trust me, my folk know our sides for the cookout. This bread would get you an invite. So, how long have you lived here?"

[atlaswilliams]

The smile that had felt permanent on his mouth faded and his stomach knotted. Out of everything he'd expected, such a response hadn't crossed his mind. "You haven't. I would have definitely remembered that one," he countered, tone a bit dryer than the dripping wit he'd offered up until that moment.

His arm tightened around the male's shoulders and the boyish grin returned, even if what James had dropped still weighed heavily on his mind. Gaze drifted down to his friend as he continued on, nerdiness intact. Surprisingly, the woman on the other side gave a laugh, one full of understanding.

"Look at you two Star Wars nerds," he added, though the raised brow look from the woman told him that maybe he'd gotten it wrong. "Anyway, I made a bet with this guy that I could beat him in pool, but my shoulder has been killing me. Think you'd wanna stand in for me? Show him how it's done?"

@jamesxreed

It hadn't occurred to him that he never told Atlas about Sophia, so his reaction was of surprise and not offense. "She died," James replied. "Wait, I've never told you this before?" The incredulousness in his tone was palpable, not knowing how he could have not told this to Atlas of all people.

It was only when Atlas had stepped back to his side that he realized how dorky what he said was. He felt himself spiraling if not for Atlas literally holding him as if to keep him from keeling over there and then. That proud smile transformed into a nervous and sheepish one as the professor felt his knees get weaker and weaker every second.

"Uh, yeah, it's... tough," he managed to sputter out. "Not as tough as the bringing back Emperor Palpatine for Rise of Skywalker though." Shut up, Reed, shut the heck up.

@atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

His first attempt at channeling his emotion into a run had gone as well as one could have expected for a man his size and lungs that had taken a beating in his youth. If it wasn't the trail itself that had nearly brought him to his knees in defeat, then it was the voice that called over to him as he slowly crept back towards his car. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing," he countered, brows furrowed as he tried to read her features. It was no use, Ingrid wasn't the kind of person one read easily. "It's going. Can't really complain too much." Except he could. Someone thought he'd killed their sister and he was giving up booze. "I'll have you know, I haven't bad a stupid decision in a good few weeks. That's not really my style anymore. What about you? How have things been in your world?"

@ingridlczano

location: bighorn hills

character: @atlaswilliams​​ & ingrid.

As Ingrid made her way home after a long shift at the bakery, she wasn't expecting to run into Atlas on the quiet street on the outskirts of Bighorn Hills. Yet there he was, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at seeing him. "Now, this is a face I was looking for," she mused, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It had been a while since she last saw him at the nightclub, and she couldn't help but wonder what had kept him away for so long. "How's everything in Atlas' world?" she asked, her tone teasing yet genuinely curious. "I swear I got a little worried, thinking your stupid decisions had landed you behind bars, so this is definitely a pleasant surprise."

[atlaswilliams]

Retail therapy really did make all of the difference, even if it came in the form of worn out records that could be easily played on one's phone. Outside of the car, he'd never quite enjoyed putting music through a speaker. Nothing compared to the crackling of the vinyl every time the needle dropped. "I'd say so. It's a shame, really. They've got a lot of good stuff. I mean, feels like people don't appreciate anything these days unless it's on their phone." His smile pulled a little wider and his fingers trailed down the front of the cover. For something so old, it didn't look as worn as the cover he had at home. Then again, after so many times of pulling it out to play, that kind of wear and tear was bound to happen.

"I'm taking a wild guess that collecting isn't new to you." The man seemed comfortable shuffling through records and filing them away. Someone new typically didn't know where to start. "So, now my question is... how are you settling in?" He ran with the assumption of being right.

@rcmandaniels

Roman hadn’t been hiding. He was a grown adult, he didn’t hide. However, he had asked his co-workers at the record store to just inform him if Elijah had come in, so he could go on a break. Completely coincidental, of course. It had nothing to do with their verbal bust-up at the hotel during that ridiculous party, or how Ophelia seemed disappointed in the way he once again pushed away the only person who understood what Roman had gone through. Yeah, nothing to do with that at all. 

It seemed though that things had worked in his favour today, there was going to be no sighting of his former friend today. Regardless, he stacked the records in C, in such a way it was warning the few customers in store that he was not to be approached. Yet, one man seemed undeterred, yapping on, clearly not caring that Roman didn’t care. “Really? Not many Creedence fans come in so maybe it’s your lucky day.” Good, he thought, when the stranger observed he hadn’t seen him around. That’s the plan. “Yes to one, no to the other.” 

☆ @atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

It felt like a lifetime since he'd been in baby mode. Maggie was on her way to being a whole three years old and Alex was turning seven. As heartbreaking as it was to know that he'd missed so much time with his younger daughter, he was happy to know that he'd more than made up for it over the years and could continue to do so with time. "I feel like they look at me and those two words come to mind. They might not know it yet, but cool uncle is going to be their first word." He beamed a silly face down at the twins, both seeming entertained by whatever it was he was saying. "I'll put in a good effort. I'm sure between the two of us, you'll have your hands full." He'd be the fun uncle to a point, always respecting boundaries and whatnot, but he'd have fun with ensuring the twins raised a little hell within reason. "The more you try and talk them out of it, the more likely it'll be that they're little tornadoes."

Atlas nodded in acknowledgement before his attention turned back to the twins. He'd probably stay long enough to have a run in with the male anyway. "That was always hard with Maggie too. I thought she was allergic to sleep for awhile." He'd spent too many restless nights on Sage's couch staring at a baby monitor. He'd gotten his work out too, seeing as the crib had been upstairs and every little cry or movement had sent him upwards in a panic. "If you ever need someone to keep an eye on them while you sneak in some sleep, you can always ask." Handling one baby was a lot, but handling two would be a challenge he'd happily accept. "Life's been good. I can't complain too much. Dad life is the best. Maggie's a handful and Alex is tiny genius. I can't believe she'll be seven."

@dylan-westwick

Dylan's eyes flicked from Atlas to Lysander who was currently doing tummy time on the little mat. Leda was on a cushion on her lap as she was gently bicycling her little legs to help with motor skills. "Atlas, I think you've got a little while before they even know what cool or uncle mean. Theo already has been warnin' that they're gonna be troublemakers, and he sees 'em every day so he might beat you to it. Though I look forward to seein' you try." She teased as she kept pumping Leda's legs. "You're not gonna be a troublemaker for Mommy, right bug? No you're gonna be so nice to Mommy." She spoke with a little more sing-song to her voice when she said that. Watching Leda smile as she stared back at her.

She brushed a finger against Leda's sweet little cheek as she looked back up towards Atlas. "Theo? Oh he's just out runnin' a couple of errands. I think he may be stoppin' by Asli's too." It had been a week now since her birthday and Theo's gift that had left her speechless. As much as she loved her house in Claret Park, as the twins grew, she knew they would feel a bit more cramped and though that was how Dylan grew up, it didn't mean that she felt like the twins needed to grow up that way to remain humble. "Mom life has been pretty amazin'. I can't complain, even if there's no such thing as enough sleep. The twins are gonna be havin' more of a timed sleep schedule soon." Dylan shared as she carefully slid the cushion out from under Leda and held her in her arms as she stood up to place her on the pad next to her brother for tummy time. "How 'bout you? How've you been? How's dad life?"

@atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

Coming a long way was an understatement. While he'd found pieces of himself had remained the same, the biggest parts of him had shifted. "Took me long enough, but I think I could agree with that. Growing is good." Many still doubted he was capable of such a feat, but those who doubted him didn't give him the fair chance to prove otherwise.

Another understatement, but he offered a barely there grin and nodded. "You two must be pretty close," he countered, half assuming on the statement. While he'd never said anything ill about the woman, he could see the care and thought in the other's gaze and hear it in his voice too.

The truce was hanging by a thread, but he had faith that in time and with any ounce of luck, it'd stick. "I appreciate it. I think I'll need all the wishful thinking I can get. She helped me out big time in college, so I definitely owe her."

@dtorres

Daniel nodded, his expression softening with understanding. "Yeah, I get that. People change, though. It sounds like you've come a long way," he replied, genuine admiration in his tone. He couldn't help but respect Atlas's honesty about his past, something Daniel himself struggled with at times.

The mention of Ingrid brought a knowing smile to Daniel's lips. "She's… complicated," he admitted, his gaze distant as he recalled their tumultuous history. "But deep down, I think she means well. She's just been through a lot."

As Atlas mentioned their current truce, Daniel couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy. "Truces can be fragile, huh?" he remarked, a hint of wistfulness in his voice. "I hope things work out for you both. They say it's the people who challenge us the most that leave the biggest impact."

[atlaswilliams]

Shirts were replaceable, even if it meant wearing a cherry stained shirt until he could make the effort of replacing it. "No need to apologize. Dave deserved it." He peered down at the stain and sucked in a breath of defeat. His luck was simple: he simply had none. Nodding, he side stepped to grab a few napkins from the dispenser to try and brush off some of the drink. It was a fruitless effort, but he tossed the used napkins anyway and kept a smile. "Sounds like he really sucks. You want me to rough him up a bit? I could give a good shoulder check. Unless you want to get another drink and save it for him?"

@yasdogan

It was, of course, Yasemin's luck that not only had she managed to douse Atlas of all people in her drink, but also that he was wearing a white shirt. "I am so sorry," she reiterated as she looked at the red dripping down through the fabric. Atlas wasn't her favorite person, a part of her unable to let go of the small bit of blame she'd internally shifted his way for things between her and Sage ending. Even still, she hated to see his shirt ruined on her behalf. "But, yeah, you definitely don't want to be Dave from Albuquerque. He kind of sucks." He definitely sucked and Yas was almost a bit disappointed he hadn't been on the receiving end of the drink. "Been following me around all night and I guess that was just...the last time I could take it before my drink hit his face?"

@atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

Being in the bar left battling feelings he didn't necessarily understand. There was a comfort in being there, but at the same time, there was an itching beneath his skin that made him feel entirely out of place. "Pretty cool, yeah. Unless you make her mad or something, then not so much," he jokingly replied.

There was only a small tug towards the bar and the bottles behind it. He swept a single gaze over the selection before shifting back to Estie. She'd always been kind to him, even when he'd stumbled into the shop like a dumbass.

"Definitely helps." He gave a nod of gratitude, his attention sticking to the blonde as she continued to speak. "Only for a little bit. I'm uh," he paused, wondering if it was something he was ready to share. In the end, he figured it wouldn't hurt. "I'm trying to cut back on drinking. Been avoiding bars for the better half of two months now."

@estherclements

"Oh, that's cool," says Esther, wondering at the vagueness of his answer but deciding not to push it, since he probably would have elaborated if he'd wanted to.

He seems distracted anyway, focused more on figuring out where the bar's owner is than on Estie, which isn't exactly an unfamiliar position to be in for her. From middle child to side piece, she's actually quite used to being an afterthought.

"I haven't seen her since I came in, if that helps," she says. "I don't really know her that well but we worked with Spirits for the Valentine's Day thing and I helped out a little bit. Were you there?" @atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

He was always curious about what his children would be like as they grew older. He'd even been thinking a lot about the upcoming child he shared with Kenny. Would their child have her blonde locks, or would they take after him? "I always think about how her and Maggie are alike and how they're different. Obviously Maggie looks like a copy and paste of Sage, but I think her and Alex are alike in ways too." They were both too curious for their own good, both loving and caring. Maggie adored her older sister and Alex was the best big sister. "I'm surprised he didn't just buy out the machine," he half joked, though he meant it in a way that said how caring Richard Bailey could be. "They're both pretty damn good people." They'd taken him in back in London when he'd been nothing more than a traveling American. "I know, but if you really think about it... imagine how cool it would be? I'm just saying, there's always room to change things up."

@zeynepxturkmen

Humming, she thought about Alex when she was older. With mischievous hazel eyes and a brilliant mind full of wonder, they knew that she would be a perfect combination of her parents. That the world would be a better place because of her and her siblings. "That's the beauty of parenting: witnessing your children become their own people. Seeing how you and others influence them, what they take from you, but also what traits and interests are completely their own. Whoever she becomes, I'm sure that she's gonna help change the world for the better. Luckily, she's got a pretty great support team along the way." Thinking about it, she hummed. "I think... I met her dad when she was in the hospital. I just can't remember if it was 2021 or 2023 when I did. He seemed pretty cool; Spotted me some change for a snack at one of the vending machines." Both were scary moments that Zeynep tried not to remember too much. Snorting, she shook her head. Raising her eyebrows at him. "Dude, we're talking about Asli here. I think it's safe to say that she'll choose a machine that'll fit the time period. Can you imagine ancient Egyptians seeing a DeLorean and making hieroglyphs of it? The pseudo-scientists who believe that the Pyramids were created by aliens would have a field day with that. I think that's one of her biggest fears." ||👾@atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

Her teasing response left the male nipping at his bottom lip to stifle laughter. "I guess it's a good thing Cash knows best, huh?" Granted, Remi was solely responsible for the young person that Cash had grown up to be. He'd watched as she played wonder woman not only in her career, but as a mother. It was admirable and it had influenced him to be a better parent too. "What's up with everyone thinking I do stupid stuff? I'm a changed man now," he countered, though the boyish gleam in his eyes and joking pitch said otherwise. Changed or not, he was still very much making stupid decisions more often than he liked.

This time, there was no holding back the laugh that rolled off his tongue. Sharing his passion and love for wolves was one thing, but seeing how it influenced others was another. "No way? I'm not saying I told him it would be a good idea, but I told him he should try and see if it worked." Some dogs had it in them, others didn't understand the concept, no matter how hard one tried. His own pup most certainly did and often cried to the skies above. "Alright then. He's good to come by. She seems comfortable in here anyway. It's probably for the best."

The assault on his knees was a combination of those stupid decisions and all his years in baseball. "Thirty-five in August," he replied, knowing that it wasn't actually a question. He bit back a smile until one inevitably played on his mouth. "A lot of that stupid stuff." It was his wonder his knees hadn't fully given out beneath him. He felt a sense of comfort wash over him at confirmation that she wouldn't be leaving. "I can run down and grab it. It's cold out." He wanted to spare her any more time outside if he could. His gaze bounced between the pup and the vet, only pausing on the woman when she asked about bison. He considered for a moment before nodding. "Sure. I'll find something to do with it."

@remiwilder

At his teasing Remi leveled a look up at Atlas. "Cash may agree with you, the jury is still out for deliberations where I'm concerned," she joked back. It was something she noticed she had in common with him. Not always just often Remi too used humor as a go-to or defense mechanism. It also came up whenever she didn't know what to say or how to respond to something, anxiety wasn't a big thing for her but she could get socially awkward at times. Mostly for the years she missed out on during her formative years as a teenager when she retreated from the world going on around her.

"Just make sure it's about the wolves and not because you sprained your ankle doing something stupid," she warned, half-heartedly, with a point of her finger. Generally she was the type that would answer the call no matter the reason. There was just a chance she wouldn't be happy about it. "He's been dying to come by so I'll do that. Thanks to all his time here he's now taught our dog at home to howl. The neighbors love that." The sarcasm came with a roll of her eyes but Cash's antics weren't too excessive. Mostly what she thought most eight year old boys were like. "Yeah, he's great," she said of the mobile vet. "I just need him to swing by for the x-rays since I don't want to have to transport her into the hospital. I'd rather not traumatize her." Or have to sedate her.

Watching for a moment as the pup satiated her hunger put a soft smile on Remi's face. The little girl only jumped slightly when Atlas knees cracked as he lowered to a crouch. "Geez, how old are you?" She teased. "What did you do to your knees growing up?" Her voice and tone kept a lighter, softer quality due to wanting to keep the pup soothed even while giving Atlas a hard time. "Oh, I'm not going anywhere. I just didn't know if you had the time right now. Unless you feel comfortable leaving me here. I think I can have the hunters drop it off here if you want to meet them at the gate?" Phone out of pocket Remi began scrolling through her contacts. The first call was to the mobile vet and they were on their way, then the second was to the first reliable source she could think of. While on the call, Remi muted it and looked up at Atlas, "he's trying to unload some bison. Do you have any use or want for that?" ( @atlaswilliams )

[atlaswilliams]

The construction job was hard work, long hours, and good pay. It was everything he'd wanted and then some, but he couldn't help but feel as if he were still lacking. It had a lot to do with the rescue and how it felt as if he were being nudged out. It was difficult going from knowing one thing for a lifetime, to barely being present and feeling as if every time could be the last. When he laid eyes on the blonde, he forgot about all of it for a moment and smiled. "Thanks. I didn't know we'd be on that project as long as we were. Still have some stuff to finish up, but I told them it was best to call it quits and come back to it."

As for the rescue and her stopping by, he nodded. "You should." It wasn't like his mother would say anything to either of them. Odds were, she'd see Ken's car pulling up and lock herself in the office or magically decide that it was time to leave. "It was her screw up that got everyone into this mess. I get having pride, but shit. You would think she'd want to make it all right." Then again, she'd barely admitted to being in the wrong to begin with. Why would she cave on her picture perfect image for something so far in the past?

Atlas shuffled towards the microwave, pausing at the mention of murder. Seeing as only one neighbor was even remotely close, he knew who to blame. "It was this big misunderstanding," he assured, though guilt pooled in his stomach for the way he'd handled the whole situation. He'd been too busy thinking it was a scam to actually realize the depth of what he was being accused of. "There's this woman who thinks I did something to her sister because we spent some time together." He didn't go into details, but he turned slowly and shook his head. "I didn't do anything."

@kennydavis

There wasn't enough time in a day for the blonde to finish the large to do list she set out to get done before she was forced away from the shelter and the bar to start her new role as a mother. With that, spending time with Atlas felt impossible apart from the sliver of moments they could steal in bed or in the morning before heading off to work. Scattered in front of her were properties of places that could potentially work to build a shelter for abused women. A new venture she was taking with Aysel that was progressing quicker than she anticipated. "A few minutes short." Ken said with a smile. "But there's a plate in the microwave."

At his request, she gathered her listings and placed them in a binder. A conversation needed to be had, especially after hearing of an incident from the neighbours. "I'll have to pass by and come see when I have time." Which, between them, would probably not be as soon as she wanted. Elizabeth had always been a sour point for Ken but she flashed him a sympathetic look. "It's her pride that's getting in the way. It has nothing to do with you." The matriarchy didn't know how to handle her secret being out and the fact that she couldn't blame this on anyone else but herself. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something." Ken sat opposite him, trying to get comfortable. "I spoke to the neighbour a few days ago and they told me about something they overheard. I didn't want to bring it up because I've been busy and trying not to take on too much stress. Apparently the neighbour heard a ruckus at the house after a girl showed up accusing you of murder." It almost felt laughable. Either way, it was a bad look for the woman who was trying to get a woman's shelter up and running. Ken stopped, looking at him and waiting for him to provide an explanation or his side of the story.

@atlaswilliams

[atlaswilliams]

Grudges weren't something he tended to any longer. He'd spent the better half of his life nurturing them and allowing the bitterness to seep into his veins. Not once had it ever worked out for him. What was the point when he'd been the root of the problem anyway?

In his youth, pushing boundaries had been a pastime. His parents hadn't given him the kind of attention he wanted, so he sought it out elsewhere. Sometimes, it was as simple as running his mouth and others, it left him with physical reminders of how low he'd stooped for a second's worth of attention.

"I'm a bit more likable than I used to be," he assured, trying to make out what the short response meant. Maybe the blonde wasn't as forgiving, or maybe he had no interest in fruitless conversation.

Either way, Atlas had never been one to take a hint.

Gaze swept over the shelf of parts before inevitably shifting back to Lincoln. If he walked away, he doubted the other would care much, but the curiosity within him burned too hot.

Peachy. "It's been a long time since I've seen you around. I think the last time we tried to have a conversation, it wasn't so much with words." His features scrunched into a look of doubt, his tone playful and light.

The fight had been his fault. Whether it was boredom or booze, or the mix of the two at the time, he couldn't recall. What he did remember was being surprised in how well the other handled himself. Blow for blow, he'd underestimated the smaller male.

At the end, he'd held nothing but respect. Anyone that could hold their own was good in his book. "So, you still living here or just passing through?"

@joshlincoln

There were some things about Joshua Lincoln that would remain unchanged no matter what life had thrown at him. Things that time nor the evolution of aging could effect.

Outwardly; the ruffian was taller, broader, covered in tattoos, and had now a trademark bleached blond head. Inwardly; he was even quieter, more introspective, dealing with more turmoil, but still fearless and calloused to the damage others and the world could put upon him.

As he shopped around, mostly to kill time while he waited on some information he'd paid to have passed along to him regarding the next money heist, Linc hadn't really been expecting a remembrance from days gone by.

At first the words and voice did nothing for the blond, memory hadn't been triggered just yet, and Linc merely shifted a single step to the side. Troubled blues were focused just barely over the stock on the top shelf on a scene outside the store's front windows when it dawned on him that he'd been recognized.

It wasn't uncommon.

Though, maybe laughable all things considered.

"For the best," he commented, voice quiet, unbothered, then shrugged his thick shoulders, "probably."

When it came to their history Linc hadn't held onto any grudges. The fight that had gone down with no clear winner in the end was a resolve in his books, at least by the way he was raised, violence had always been the answer.

It was an event like any other— the extremist had thrown himself into the fire head on and hadn't pulled back until someone/s had forced him to. He may have been a bit smaller but what no one really knew was just how toughened his body was due to growing up as a punching bag. The dirt racer could take a beating without a wince and dish out brutality like he'd been born for it.

Even if he truly hated it.

The question pulled him from his observations right as a chime on his phone indicated there was something he'd rather give his time to. Instead, Linc turned and slightly face the taller man. Face blank of expression, "peachy." / @atlaswilliams