blackcatxmagic

[blackcatxmagic]

Closed starter: Eleanor ( @bitethvhand ) Location: Prescott Ranch

Even though he was getting used to it now, the hardest part of Ocean's job was when he had to interact with the guests at the ranch. It didn't happen a whole lot, mostly just when someone was off or they were especially busy (Ocean typically just did jobs around the ranch), but when it did, it always made him so nervous. However, Ocean knew what he was doing, and after successfully helping or guiding multiple guests, he was starting to be more confident - a tiny bit at least. That was better than nothing. Even so, today he was nervous because the person he would be helping was someone he knew. While Ocean wasn't sure if he and Nell were friends friends yet, they were at least friendly, and they had connections in common, namely Corey. And if she was friend's with him, one of the kindest people Ocean had ever met, then Nell must be okay too. Plus she had been nothing but kind to him that day they'd met and gotten ice cream.

So today was the day that Nell was coming to the ranch. Ocean was going to introduce her to the horses, tell her a bit about them and how to care for them, let her brush them, and ride one too if Nell felt up to that; he knew she was a bit uneasy around them. Ocean had picked a black horse named Stormy, though he'd have to be quick to explain to Nell that the name was a misnomer - Stormy was one of the calmest horses on the ranch. Once he had everything ready, Ocean went out to the front of the ranch, where they usually welcomed guests, waiting for Nell to arrive and giving himself a series of mental pep talks.

[blackcatxmagic]

Even though he'd told the same story (or some version of it) so many times, Winter still felt embarrassed when he did so. And now that he knew the whole story, Winter also burned with shame and guilt, though he left that part out when he told Aris about it. The way that the other man talked about magic was comforting though, and Winter smiled. "That's really true," he agreed. "Even before I remembered I was a witch, I think I still always felt its pull. I mean, for Halloween last year, I went as a wizard because it just felt right. I didn't get it at the time, but now that I remember I'm a witch, well...I get it. And it always felt like I could sense it, I think, like something was always there just over my shoulder, just out of sight." He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Maybe that doesn't make any sense. I don't know."

Winter felt like Aris wasn't telling him everything about the rune, but he didn't ask or even make any indication that he questioned the man's explanation. "Maybe it was magic's pull on you too," he suggested. Again Aris encouraged Winter, and he was glad he'd followed magic's call to this clearing. "I think if I stick to simple things until I've got a better handle on it, then that will be safer," Winter said. "But I think cutting myself off from it will do more harm than good. Like you said, it's a part of me." Winter hadn't been able to have this kind of conversation about magic really. He had talked about it with Ori and Annette, but for the former, Winter had always felt self-conscious given their part in Winter's story, and the latter wasn't a witch herself. So it was nice to be able to discuss this with someone who understood, who could offer opinions without Winter feeling self-conscious.

Eyes widening, Winter replied immediately to Aris's offer. "Yes, I would like that," he told the other eagerly. Being able to get more acquainted with magic with an actual witch was exactly the kind of thing he needed. "When can we start?"

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Aris watched Winter settle beside him, studying the way the younger witch moved. There was a flicker of sympathy in Aris’s expression at the mention of memory loss, a softening around the eyes. “Magic has a strange way of holding onto things, even when we don’t,” he said, voice quiet. “It remembers us, even if we forget it.” Even if we don’t want to remember the things we’ve done.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎He glanced again at the half-scattered rune in the dirt, then gestured toward it lightly. “Nothing much.” He didn’t want to mention that it was some mystery rune from his subconsciousness, so he sat down next to the other.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Winter’s mention of things backfiring made Aris glance over again, his gaze sharper now, but not unkind. “You’re wise to be careful,” he said after a moment. “Magic has moods. Some of them are beautiful, and some of them bite. Especially when we don’t know what we’re touching yet.” He paused, brushing his fingers together to clear the dirt from them. “But that doesn't mean you should be afraid of it. Especially not if it’s part of you. Memory or no, you’re still whole. Even if the pieces don’t always make sense yet.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ His mouth curved, a faint smile playing at the corner. “Mending shoes is a good start,” he added lightly. “Magic for care is underrated. It says something about you.” Aris tilted his head, considering Winter once more with quiet curiosity. “If you want, I could help you get reacquainted with runes. Carefully,” he added with a wry lift of his brow.

[blackcatxmagic]

Already Griffin was allowing himself to be more vulnerable than he was used to, especially with a stranger. For so long, he'd worked at being strong, resilient, unbreakable, but that also made him rigid and stony at times. It had caused problems for him before, but in his experience, being open had caused even more. And here he was doing just that with Jinhwan; at least the man didn't seem like the type to take advantage of it. Actually it was quite the opposite, which was probably why Griffin had let his guard down to begin with. He was being very kind and gracious, and Griffin appreciated that. "I guess it makes me sound kind of badass, surviving a constant earthquake," he replied, making light of it. And he was surviving, but Griffin certainly wasn't thriving, not anymore. "I'm not normally a sharer," he told Jinhwan. "Keeping everything inside is more my style." Griffin laughed, but he wasn't really kidding.

"Yeah, it's definitely a nightmare," Griffin agreed, looking back at the cash register ruefully. "And if I can't figure it out, then everything you get today is going to be free." Truthfully if that happened again, he just planned to close the store after Jinhwan left. It was either that or have an impromptu sale at Arcane Artistry, one that was very much not profitable and very much not done with the owner's permission. Jinhwan's offer surprised Griffin, and he asked, "You'd really do that?" It was so kind, and it made him feel a little guilty about being so bitter. Maybe he could lighten up a little, at least with Jinhwan. "I'm going with a cold color palate," Griffin told him. "It's kind of where I'm at right now." If he started to feel brighter, he could always paint over it. "And don't let anyone tell you that what you do isn't art," he told the other man. "Anyone who says that just doesn't understand it, and that's a them problem. It would be sad if they weren't being assholes about your hard work." Griffin would always vehemently defend someone's art, even if it didn't personally speak to him.

Griffin noticed Jinhwan's reaction to talking about his ex, but he didn't quite understand it. The man didn't strike him as a homophobe, so Griffin didn't think it was that. Shrugging, he tried to sound nonchalant as he said, "I guess it's better I know now what's really important to him. It wasn't me." Maybe that wasn't exactly fair, but again, Griffin was bitter. "You know," he said, "I'm a color guy, but my favorite roses are black. It feels so somber, and I think that makes them feel more meaningful too, like they have a really important purpose. I don't know...maybe that doesn't make sense." He liked Jinhwan's answer about the flowers. "So it is like picking your favorite child," Griffin mused, grinning. "I guess it's whichever flower is inspiring you at the moment. Though I think I would have guessed sunflowers. That seems to suit you."

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Jinhwan’s expression softened again, listening closely. He didn’t try to rush past Griffin’s pain or fill the silence with false comfort—he just nodded, slow and understanding. “I think it’s okay if the shaking hasn’t stopped yet,” he said gently. “Some quakes leave fault lines. You don’t always see them, but you still feel them when you ‎‎least expect it.” 

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The quiet smile that followed Griffin’s joke was small but sincere. “You’re not dumping anything,” Jinhwan assured him. “You’re sharing. And that’s brave. Honestly, I think that’s harder than ringing someone up.” A tiny flicker of amusement lit in his eyes. “Though I will admit—being trapped behind a frozen register is a specific kind of nightmare.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Jinhwan’s easy smile wavered just slightly when Griffin asked if he really meant it, a hint of bashfulness flickering through his expression. “Mhm,” he said softly, the word tucked into a small nod. The invitation to see the mural gave him something steadier to hold onto, and he brightened a little. “I’d like that. Maybe I could bring flowers that match the colors you’ve used. It might be nice—to see how our work speaks to each other. Just let me know what palette you went with.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ He ducked his head a bit, touched by Griffin’s defense of floristry, his words making something warm settle in Jinhwan’s chest. “Thank you,” he said, quietly but with weight. “Sometimes it feels silly, caring so much about petals and stems when the world’s so… big. But beauty matters. Even if it’s fleeting.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The mention of Griffin’s partner again made something tighten in Jinhwan’s chest—not jealousy, exactly, but something tangled and warm and uncomfortable all at once. Empathy, he told himself. It was just empathy. But his hand still came up, covering part of his mouth. When the other mentioned that he didn’t anymore, Jinhwan raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but didn’t push. He felt that, with him covering his blushing face and his flustered words, he didn’t want to embarrass himself further. 

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ He perked up at the mention of roses, though. “Roses are a wonderful choice,” he said softly, nodding in agreement. “Elegant, timeless, and capable of carrying so many meanings—love, respect, even apology. I don’t think anyone could fault you for that answer.” The Witch laughed then, when the question was turned back toward him. “I think the cliché answer would be, ‘They’re all my favorite,’ but… I think it changes. I work with so many beautiful flowers, it’s honestly hard to choose. Right now, I think I would have to pick peonies. If you ask me tomorrow, it might be different. I think that’s truly how another florist might be.” After a beat, he added, "I feel more inspired after our conversation, actually. I might need to choose more colors, rather than just one."

[blackcatxmagic]

Vale had questions. As he listened to Clover talk more about what had happened, he couldn’t help but feel that it sounded like something out of a movie. It was almost too fantastical to be believable, but…Vale believed it. It didn’t seem like Clover was lying or telling a tall tale, just fucking with him. Every word seemed true, and Vale believed him. “You’re right,” he said, “it’s not hard to find a bigger guy than you, but I’m in the same boat. I might be taller, but we’re both skinny guys, so I get it. Also…what the fuck have you gotten yourself into, man?” he asked, laughing a little, though Vale felt his heart rate increase. Now he felt an element of danger in all of this. They definitely needed to get off the street. 

Luckily it seemed like Clover was okay with heading to the ranch, and Vale said, “I’ll call a cab, that way you don’t have to walk the entire way.” There was a pay phone nearby, and 5 minutes later, a taxi pulled up the curb. “You still good?” Vale asked, trying to act unconcerned, but he couldn’t stop himself from looking around for signs of danger.

Clover couldn't help but laugh when Vale asked if the guy was bigger than him. He hesitated another moment, and then finally nodded. "Yeah. I mean, not that it's hard to find a guy bigger than me. But this one literally bases his entire job around lookin' scary and intimidatin', so," he nodded again. "And if he killed me, his boss would never get paid off, so I don't think it's just chance that I was able to get away. I mean, there was definitely a little luck involved, but I doubt his original intention was to fuck me up enough that I couldn't keep workin' for 'em," he explained, sighing. It was late, he was tired and in pain, and he knew he was letting more information slip than he probably should. His guard was slipping, which was never a good thing. He wanted to insist they go to his own place, it was probably closer after all, but Vale was right. There could be someone waiting at Clover's place, knowing where he lives. It was less likely anyone would look for him at a ranch.

"I mean, if you think you can make it farther," he started, trailing off a bit. "It's a good idea, I guess. But also it's a secondary location. So, like, you're not gonna kill me, right?"

[blackcatxmagic]

"Highlight reel, hmm?" Vale mused, grinning at Dante. "So you're telling me one time with me was good enough that you've got a montage of my best moments playing in your head? Yeah, that makes sense. I'm damn good in bed." Vale immediately began to laugh, clearly just kidding (well kind of - he was confident in his sexual prowess, and Dante at least seemed to be a very satisfied partner). "Oh really?" Vale asked when he heard Dante's comment. "That's actually kind of a relief," he said. "I always wondered what my sex face looked like, but I was also afraid to ask. I'm glad to know it's not like...weird or something, like how it would look in a funhouse mirror." It had been an insecurity of Vale's, a small one, sure, but one nonetheless. "Hopefully you get to see it again sometimes," he said, grinning at Dante.

It was nice the way they were casually touching each other as they talked, no agenda, just enjoying each other's bodies. Vale definitely wanted to hang out with Dante again, and he definitely wanted to do this again, but for now, he was more than content to just enjoy the man's presence. He shivered slightly as Dante touched his shoulder, and when he squeezed his thigh, Vale felt heat pooling in his groin, though he wasn't ready for another round yet - Dante had worn him out. "Maybe I'm just fueling your ego so that you work hard to keep up to my standards," Vale suggested playfully, laughing as he said it. "No, but really...this was top tier sex." It seemed his new nickname was going to stick, and Vale said, "I need to think of something to call you. Any suggestions?"

Vale laughed along with Dante at his stomach growling. "If you remember, we were eating when a different kind of hunger took over, and now that that urge has been satisfied, the original is back with a vengeance." Vale didn't have much of an appetite usually, but he was voracious after sex, especially the kind he'd just had with Dante. "See, there you go being a tease," he bemoaned playfully. "You bring up tamales with no intention of making them for me. Why bring them up at all?" Although he was teasing Dante, that was actually something Vale wondered. Maybe it was just to tell his story, and Vale smiled, listening to Dante as he spoke. This was all so easy, which surprised Vale. It felt like Dante was letting him into a private little piece of his world, and it felt like a privilege. "Why haven't you done it in awhile?" Vale asked. That felt like a personal question, but it also felt like it was okay to ask, this moment somewhat intimate and vulnerable. "And why December?" Vale asked. "Was it like a Christmas thing?" He thought about his own family's traditions, and Vale said, "We always do something called les treize desserts, which means 'the 13 desserts,' and it's exactly what it sounds like. I can't usually try one of each on Christmas Eve itself, though one year I tried and...well, it didn't end well." Vale laughed at the memory, though it had been traumatic at the time. Sighing, Vale said, "So you make me offer sexual favors for you to even make the tamales, and then you're going to put me to work in the kitchen too. You drive a hard bargain, Dante. But I accept your terms."

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The brunette grinned, and then stretched, catlike, before letting himself roll onto his side to face Vale again. “I got a whole highlight reel playin’ already,” he teased, eyes dragging lazily down Vale’s body with no shame whatsoever. “Some real Oscar-worthy scenes goin’ on in there. ‘N you? You got a damn award-winning face when you’re comin’ apart.” His fingers traced one slow line along Vale’s shoulder, feather-light. Yeah, Vale was fucking hot. 

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ At the comment about the sock guy, Dante snorted. “Okay, yeah, nah. That’s all fucked up.” The compliment that followed caused the man to smile again, and he gave Vale’s thigh a little squeeze in return. “Shit, you keep sayin’ stuff like that, I’m gonna start gettin’ a big head.” He laughed. “And I don’t mean the fun kind.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ When Vale admitted that he liked being called Curly, Dante said, “Yeah? I’ll keep doin’ it.” The gearhead wasn’t looking for anything serious, but he knew he wanted to keep seeing Vale at least. When Vale’s stomach growled, Dante laughed. “Aye, that’s the sound of a man in need.” He reached over, playfully poking his side. “Can’t make tamales without masa n’ cornhusks, ‘n I really don’t think Cardinal Hill’s got an El Super.” He tilted his head then, and then said, “Well, maybe. That one restaurant sells tamales.” Admittedly, the man hadn’t visited Mama’s Cantina–it felt too much like home.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Without looking back over at Vale, he said, “Used to make ‘em with my mamá and cousins every December. Family thing. Lotta mess, lotta teasing, lotta love.” Sighing, he added, “Haven’t done it in a while. Kinda miss it.” His gaze flicked toward the other. “You fuck me like that again n’ maybe I’ll consider makin’ you some. It takes fuckin’ forever. I’m talkin’ everybody piled into a shitty little yellow kitchen, assembly stations, whole mess.” He rolled his eyes, but there was an unmistakable fondness in his voice. Pointing a finger at the other suddenly, he narrowed his eyes and said, “But you gotta help. No freeloadin’.” 

[blackcatxmagic]

It felt a little awkward to randomly introduce himself to a stranger, and the way Colt looked at him after he'd done so said that he felt the same way, but Griffin was trying to make connections in town. It was challenging to do that when he focused so much on what he'd given up, which was often; he wished it were easier to focus on what he had. For one thing, he lived in a much, much bigger place than he had in the city. And of course he had Colt and Sparrow here. Those were all good things, but Griffin supposed he was a living example of the way people always focused on the things they wished they had. He shot a look back at Colt, one he was getting pretty good at, which told his brother not to test him right now, and then Griffin turned back to Andy.

"It's nice to meet you, Andy," Griffin replied. "I don't remember seeing you the last time I was here, but that's been...uh..." How long had it been? Griffin looked to Colt again, this time for help, but even he just shrugged. And Griffin knew Colt wasn't just being difficult - he genuinely didn't remember either. "Well awhile," he said finally. When Andy said he knew how to make pignolata, Griffin's eyes widened in both surprise and excitement, and he smiled widely at the baker. "Then it sounds like you're the closest thing Cardinal Hill has to an expert," Griffin said, still smiling. "Colt here thinks I'm making a big deal about it, but that's because he's never had it. Thank you in advance for helping me to prove him wrong."

Andy could bake French pastries with his eyes closed. He learned from his mother and grandmother, recipes passed down by generations. They were recipes he would've been happy to pass down himself, had life been any different. But he didn't linger on the shadow of that thought as he moved throughout his day. Lattice cakes had been restocked, as had been the buttery sweet Madeleine cookies.

He had been busy restocking the donut display when the pair walked up to the counter. He closed the case and smiled at them. "Hey! It's nice to meet you," he said when Griffin introduced himself and his brother. "I'm Andy, I'm the baker here." He looked around and shook his head a little.

"I don't have any pignolata, but I know exactly what that is. If you give me about three hours, I can make some. I know three hours sounds like a lot, but there's a lot that goes into it if you want it to come out right, like from an Italian bakery," he mused. "Now, I'm not Italian myself, but I did learn how to make that from a lady who used to work as a baker in Sicily. It's been a little while, though," he nodded.

[blackcatxmagic]

Vivian was a stranger still, and Griffin didn't want to assume that she wasn't telling him the truth, but he couldn't help but feel he had some part in her change in mood. Even so, Griffin didn't want to call her out - not only would it maybe piss her off, there wasn't really any benefit to doing so. Everyone was entitled to their secrets; Griffin had his own skeletons in his closet. "Alright..." he said, letting it go.

Lately Griffin felt like he couldn't relate to people, didn't know how to talk to them anymore. He was so bitter about the hand he'd been dealt - the hand that could be said he had dealt to himself - and sometimes he grew impatient or frustrated for reasons that really shouldn't have that effect on him. But one way he knew to loosen up was with a drink or two. "Alright, should we go to Breaking Glass sometime?" he asked Vivian.

"No, no... You didn't." Vivian assured the man - it really wasn't his fault that she was so messed in the head. As much as she liked to blame Cubs, it was mostly her own fault. She choose to do drugs, at the end of the day. Now she was just too far gone to ever do anything about her addiction, as far as she was concerned.

"Well, I'm not going to say no to something stronger." She said, with a small laugh. That would always be her one weakness, she'd always say yes to things like that.

[blackcatxmagic]

When he heard the way Jinhwan responded, Winter couldn't help but feel a little sad. "Are you lonely a lot?" he asked, not really thinking it through. A second later though, he realized that was kind of a personal question. "I'm really sorry," he apologized. "That was so rude of me." It was quite the personal question, and he and Jinhwan didn't know each other very well, had only just met today. Blushing a little, Winter went on, "But yeah, you can come here if you want to. It's usually just me here, my parents are away for their work most of the time." He hoped Jinhwan wasn't offended by his overly personal question.

"Are you sure this isn't too much trouble?" Winter asked, though he smiled at Jinhwan's response about the bees. Maybe he was just humoring him, pretending that he believed Winter understood them, but it felt sincere to him. And whether or not Jinhwan believed it, Winter knew it was true. They were so attuned to each other, and Winter felt like not only could he understand the bees, they could understand him. They were his best friends. It seemed like Jinhwan really didn't mind, but Winter still offered, "Can I at least pay you something? I feel bad that you're giving me this for free," unknowingly voicing the very thing that Jinhwan was thinking.

Winter laid back in the grass as he and Jinhwan continued to talk, looking up at the sky, the bees settling all around (and on) him. "This kind of harmony doesn't exist very often, does it?" Winter stated. "I think people are just constantly in competition, either with each other or with nature itself, and they don't stop to just exist peacefully together." If everyone could stop fighting and struggling against everyone and everything and just existed, things would be better, Winter truly believed that. Looking toward Jinhwan, Winter smiled at him. "I'm always happy to introduce people to my friends," he told the other man, who had become a friend himself now too.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ He blinked at Winter’s offer, the invitation landing so quietly and kindly it almost made his chest ache. “I might take you up on that.” He said after a moment, continuing, “It’s a good kind of quiet here. The kind that doesn’t make me feel lonely.” His voice stayed soft, like he didn’t want to disturb the peace curling between them. It had been such a long time since he had met someone with such a kind soul as Winter–he was glad the two of them had met.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ When Winter said the bees liked the idea of coneflowers, Jinhwan lit up a little. “They have good taste,” he said lightly, though he meant it. He turned his gaze back to the bees now exploring the cuff of his sleeve like tiny, curious explorers. “A sample box it is, then. I’ll make a little pollinator sampler.” When Winter protested, he smiled and continued, “I’m happy to do it. It’s not a bother at all. Truly, nothing makes me happier than giving flowers to those who need it.” He ignored the chastising voice in his head that said, this is why you’re struggling to pay rent.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ He tilted his head to look at Winter again, his expression thoughtful now. “You’re very connected to them,” he murmured, more an observation than anything else. “Not just like a keeper. More like you’re part of their rhythm.” There was admiration in his voice, a kind of reverence that came naturally to him when he witnessed someone existing so harmoniously with the world. “It’s beautiful. I think people forget they can live like that—with everything around them, not just on top of it.” Jinhwan looked down at the bee now resting lightly on his hand, its wings shimmering. He didn’t move. “Thank you,” he said, not quite sure if he meant it for Winter, the bees, or both. Maybe all three. “I didn’t know how much I needed this.”

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean wanted to be there for his brother, and he was trying. The problem was that Forest was making that difficult. It wasn't that his brother was doing it on purpose...well, Ocean didn't think he was at least. Lately Forest hadn't been home a lot, and when he had been, it felt like there was this distance between them, ever since that night Forest had come home and scared him. Ocean hadn't even told Forest about Aris, which was one of the biggest things to ever happen to Ocean; he felt guilty about that one. Forest was Ocean's best friend, had been literally since his birth, and he was going to make this right. Ocean just needed his brother to talk to him.

Right now though, Forest wasn't home. Ocean was down in the basement working on a piece. Lately he'd been really inspired, and he'd been mostly working on his pottery and sculpture work, but right now he was painting something for his brother. He'd been working on it for days, and it was finally done. Sitting back, Ocean admired his work, proud of it; his crippling self-doubt was quieter lately, though he knew it would rear its ugly head eventually. It was an abstract piece, swirls of greens and browns and earth tones, inspired by the forest. Maybe it wasn't the most original piece of work, and now Ocean was wondering if he should have gone with something else, but that was when he heard Forest. The piece needed to dry, so Ocean left it, going upstairs to meet his brother.

At least Forest seemed to be in good spirits, and Ocean smiled when he saw his brother. "Hey Forest," he greeted him, walking over to Forest and giving him a hug. Shaking his head, he replied, "I haven't actually. I've been painting." He looked down at himself and saw various splotches of paint on his shirt and pants and arms and hands; sometimes he was messy when he was really in the groove. "I'm hungry though, so that would be great," he said. Leaning against the doorframe, Ocean tried to sound nonchalant when he asked, "So how was your day?"

@blackcatxmagic

It was a decent time, still daylight even, when Ori got home. He'd actually been good today. Work, a little socialization with friends that remained innocent, a quick stop at the local church and rec center, and now he was home. In fact, he was pretty sure it wasn't even quite dinner time. The pamphlets he'd been rifling through during the walk home, he took one last glance at before shoving them into his duffel bag, which he dropped on the floor next to where he'd kicked off his shoes.

"Hey, Ocean?" He called out, running a hand through his hair as he walked further into the house. "You home?" He hadn't really been avoiding his brother or anything lately, but he knew they hadn't seen much of each other. Ori had been spiraling, though he wouldn't admit it. And spiraling, for him, meant making terrible choices and not wanting to face anyone that would remind him just how terrible those choices were. "I was going to roast some veggies for dinner, have you eaten?"

[blackcatxmagic]

Davis knew most of his customers - Theater of the Mind had a very loyal clientele. So when the man with the long hair walked into the shop, Davis realized right away that he wasn't one of his regulars. With hair like that, he stood out, and Davis thought he would have remembered seeing him here before. Usually when new people came into the shop, they were either new in town, exploring a new interest, or just satisfying some curiosity. Regardless of why he was there though, Davis smiled brightly at him, happy to meet someone new. And if he could help nurture a love of comics or board games or puzzles or whatever the case may be, then that was just a bonus.

"Hi!" Davis greeted the man happily, striding toward him. "Welcome to Theater of the Mind! Can I help you find something?" He looked the man over, partially because, well, Davis liked what he saw, but also he liked trying to guess why someone new was there (and he was always so pleased when he was wrong, when the person surprised him). "You look like you're into Dungeons & Dragons, and I bet you usually play like a monk or something - you seem like someone who's good with his hands...and that sounded a little bit dirty, which was not my intention." Davis laughed, blushing a little but mostly unfazed by what he'd said. "Usually I play monk too, or sometimes paladin. I like the idea of having a sword but also being able to use some magic, like it's the best of both worlds. And who doesn't like wielding a sword, am I right? It just automatically makes you a little badass, you know?" Smiling still, Davis asked, "So? Am I close?"

Davis was not close it turned out, but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm in the slightest. "Oh, so you're here less for the game stuff and more for the hobby side of things," he said. "Luckily this place caters to all kinds of different things, so I think I can help you out. Follow me." As they walked, Davis of course kept talking. "What do you want to use the paints for if you don't mind me asking? Are you painting a figurine or something? Once I did that and got red all over my hands before I had to go somewhere, and it wouldn't come off. I got a lot of weird stares...it looked like I'd just been at a crime scene." Davis laughed at the memory, and then he stopped at a display of paints and brushes. "Is this the kind of thing you were looking for?" he asked the man. He kept smiling, adding, "My name is Davis by the way. You would think I'd have said that already with how much I've been talking."

Dove didn't hate comic books, he didn't even dislike them, he simply just hadn't been brought up with easy access to them at all. While others had charming stories about finding representation, company, or simply entertainment in comics, Dove really just didn't. He didn't mind the fact, though, not even when it meant that there was an entire store in Cardinal Hill that he had immediately counted out, assuming that he'd never need to go in there for any reason.

Theatre of the Mind was only brought into the forefront of Dove's mind when he was told that they also sold the specialised paints that he'd been searching for for some time now. Funnily enough, the paints widely used for miniatures in games such as D&D were also useful in some woodworking projects, and better yet, the painting implements such as the fine brushes were godsends to a woodworker needing to paint fine details on something so small.

Stepping into the store for the very first time, Dove had no idea where to find what he was looking for. In all honesty, he looked as though he was just aimlessly wandering around with wide opened eyes as he searched for the pain, but didn't stop to ask for help. Thankfully Davis made a name for himself as having good intuition as he was the first to reach out to the other. "Oh, nah, never really got into that kind of stuff myself," he answered. "I'm actually looking for the paints that you've got, and any of your finer brushes."

[blackcatxmagic]

Holding up his free hand (really it was amazing that Copper wasn't double fisting these muffins with how good they were), he conceded with his mouthful, "Okay, yes, the baker knew what he was talking about." It was unclear how much of that actually sounded like human speech to Andy and how much was just the muffled sounds of a man devouring something delicious that he had previously expressed skepticism about. Swallowing his mouthful, Copper asked, "How much cucumber do you actually use anyway? Like how much do you think is in each muffin? I know you were kidding, but now I'm curious to know how many you'd have to eat to get your daily allotment of veggies."

Although he'd already been sure of his decision to let Andy sell his baked goods in the shop, his reaction just reaffirmed Copper's decision. It was clear that the prospect of doing so made his friend happy, and Copper was happy too now. It seemed to have made Andy's day, plus if the rest of his bakery items were as good as this muffin, they would be selling like crazy. "Whatever you want," Copper replied. "I actually have no idea how to price this out, so I'm going to follow your lead on this." That wasn't something Copper would have admitted if he didn't trust Andy.

Andy watched the way Copper's face changed completely as he lifted that muffin and took the first bite. His curious expression shifted to a light-humored 'I-Told-You-So' look. "Hmmm, it's almost like I know what I'm talking about..." he said with a little smile on his face. "Take as many as you want! Best way to sneak in your veggies for the day," he joked. Eating pastries definitely wasn't the same as eating healthy, but that never stopped Andy!

Copper's offer made his day, his week and maybe his month if he was honest. While he was having a great time at the bakery, he also liked the idea of having a side gig doing what he loved most. "Alright, let's do this. I will make a grocery list of what I need to make a couple of batches. I'll buy them, and get copies of the receipts for your records, so you know where your money's going. I'll take note of how long it takes to make everything, and then charge by the hour," he proposed. "Then add in the price for the total goods and we'll have a good baseline fee," he proposed. "If that sounds good to you, I'll start a list later tonight and give you a call once it's done."

[blackcatxmagic]

Hana was right: Vale was definitely uncomfortable, yet somehow he was still smiling. He remembered a time when that didn't feel so strange, though it had been nearly ten years ago now, so the memory was fading day by day. Now it was always so bizarre when he experienced such a long moment of pure happiness, the kind untainted by the weight of his reality. It wouldn't last - it never did - but Vale was enjoying it for now. Laughing a little at Hana's comment, Vale looked down and said, "I guess that makes this all worth it then, doesn't it? I've earned something intangible that gives me no sort of benefit or reward of any kind, just a blossoming grudge against the lake. Best day ever." That was of course an exaggeration, but it was definitely a good day for Vale.

That was still true even though everything started to fall apart now that Vale was standing at Hana's keyboard. Luckily Hana proved to be very understanding, and Vale felt relieved by that. "Thanks," he said quietly. "I can't tell you when that raincheck will come, but I won't forget it." With how good of a day he was having, the last thing Vale wanted was to ruin it by playing imperfectly, his hand shaking, trying desperately to achieve the dexterity required to play at the level he knew he was capable of.

Pushing past this moment that threatened to derail his good day, Vale answered, "I love Star Wars, and I'm always down to watch the movies. Han Solo just does it for me. His whole vibe just works. Do you think there will ever be more movies? I mean, the world is so vast, so like...there are more stories to tell." Then Vale laughed, saying, "Even if it happens, we'll probably all have been waiting for years and then get a movie that sucks."

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Hana had just finished wringing out their shirt and was pulling their overalls back on when they spotted Vale heading back, visibly damp and clearly uncomfortable. “Oh, yeah, dude, that was my bad. I forgot to grow like, 4 inches so I could outrun you.”  They snorted a laugh at his struggle. “You have now unlocked the achievement: Wet Denim Warrior,” they declared with mock ceremony, tossing a half-hearted salute in his direction. “Very elite title. Very exclusive. Comes with exactly zero perks and the eternal regret of ever going in the lake.” Despite their teasing, their eyes softened the moment he approached the keyboard. They were still a little breathless from the run, but their excitement hadn’t dimmed one bit.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ But when Vale hesitated, when his voice tilted just enough into that uncertain place, Hana stilled. They started squeezing the water from their hair, but kept their eyes on him. “Yeah, dude. You don’t have to earn your cool points with music. You already ran into a freezing-ass lake, which, honestly? Pretty rad of you. Anyway, no rush. I’ll take the raincheck whenever you’re ready. Even if it’s next summer. Or never.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ “So,” they took a few steps toward him, hands linked behind their back. “You like Star Wars? You wanna have a movie night sometime?”

[blackcatxmagic]

“Well if you want to leave some business cards or something here, I’d be happy to put them out,” Dimi told Elian. “You really saved my ass, so it’s the least I could do.” Dimi believed in showing gratitude, and he believed in people being rewarded for their hard work. “And I’ll definitely be providing good word of mouth, though I might leave out the part where I locked my key in the darkroom,” Dimi added with a laugh. 

Elian was very interesting to Dimi; it seemed like they lived a life very unlike his own. Leaning against the door frame as he considered Elian’s reply, Dimi asked, “What’s that like, moving around so much?” And then he blushed slightly, glad his complexion made that hard to notice. “Yeah, I’m sort of interviewing you, aren’t I?” Elian’s joke had been fair: Dimi was asking a lot of questions. Sighing, he explained, “It’s just really interesting. I could never do that. I have a daughter, so I couldn’t really uproot her, plus Enzo is here. But when I was younger, before Ozma came along, I sort of thought that would be the kind of life I had. I wanted to be a photojournalist and travel the world.”

It seemed like Dimi had offended Elian, and he quickly said, “No, not at all! That’s not what I meant!” He was a bit panicked before realizing Elian was just giving him a hard time. Smiling now, Dimi told them, “You had me worried for a second. But no, I didn’t mean that. You’re very good at your job, or at least this one, and I imagine you are at others too.”

" I'm sure there is but as I mentioned, I've only now started to publicize my services, hopefully word of mouth will help with it as well." Elian hums, chuckling softly when they hear Dimi." So many questions, Am I that interesting?" They don't mind them, having practiced what to say if the occasion ever presented itself.

The witch shrugs." I often don't stay in one place for long. I was suppose to only be passing by Cardinal, a couple of weeks but it captivated me enough to decide to stay for longer. A few months won't hurt and in the mean time I can make some money for my travels." Elian tilts their head to the side." Huh? Am I that bad with my services that it seems that this is something new for me?" They tease him.

" In any case, no. It is not." Elian stares forward." My life consistent of odds jobs and travelling, a simple but modest life. It suits me."

[blackcatxmagic]

Closed starter: Mateo ( @angstfactory ) Location: Breaking Glass

It had been a hell of a week. When he had come back to Cardinal Hill, Griffin knew that things were going to be challenging - in more ways than one. It was be difficult to adjust to quiet small town life after coming from NYC, sure. And Griffin would not be a well-respected artist showing his work in galleries here either (at least not at first). But Griffin knew that the hardest thing was going to be his relationship with Colt and Sparrow. Despite trying to maintain a connection with them all these years, things were strained, and Griffin tried not to take it personally. After all, they were all still recovering from their loss, and this all seemed to be part of the grieving process. Even so, it wasn't going as well as Griffin had hoped. There was Colt, who was always being a smart ass, and Sparrow, who was closed-off and quiet; neither of them seemed willing to let Griffin in. Of course he was going to keep trying, but right now he needed a break. Both of them were away with friends for the night, not that they needed a babysitter anyway (they were 16 after all), so Griffin could stay out without being held accountable (it was a humbling experience to come home late and find your teenage siblings waiting up for you like angry parents).

Most of all, Griffin needed some stress relief, needed to talk to people, to feel like a normal person. That was why he was at Breaking Glass. It wasn't even the lure of alcohol that had brought him here (well not just that), it was just the fact that there were people here, real life adults whom Griffin could talk to. He really needed that right now. As he walked into the bar, Griffin scanned the room, not really sure what he was looking for - well not until he found it. Sitting at the bar was a drop dead gorgeous man, one that stopped him dead in his tracks for a moment. And as luck would have it, there was an empty barstool behind him. Griffin headed in that direction, and once there, he asked, "Is this seat taken?" before sitting down next to he man. He looked over at him and smiled, saying, "My name is Griffin. Mind if I join you for a drink?"

[blackcatxmagic]

Luckily Jamie didn't ask Vale about his accident, and it helped Vale move past the uncomfortable (for him at least) moment. If he explained to Jamie what had happened, the man would understand why this was a sensitive topic, sure, but it would also kill the mood, not to mention open himself up to a lot of questions he didn't want to answer. So Vale just nodded and agreed, "Yeah, it does." Jamie understood the importance of discretion, that much was clear, and Vale appreciated that about the guy.

Shopping with Jamie was fun. Vale had never been much of a shopper, but he thought he might enjoy it more if he did it with a friend. "I wonder what it's like, looking like him," Vale said as they moved away from the deli counter, though he glanced back at the man, admiring the view one last time. "I mean, I wonder if people are just constantly throwing themselves at him, you know?" They moved through the aisles quickly, not that Vale was in a hurry because once their shopping was done, that might be the end of this fever dream of an encounter. Vale had gone from nearly breaking his own car window to shopping with a cute boy while checking out other cute boys. The day had certainly taken a turn for the better.

Vale couldn't help it: he started laughing at Jamie's comment. "I'm definitely not a rancher," he responded. "I live and work on my brother's ranch, but I'm..." Vale trailed off, trying to think of how he wanted to word this. "I'm...sort of a fish out of water there. My parents thought it was best I leave Seattle for awhile, and I didn't really have anywhere else to go." Vale didn't present this like some sob story - he didn't want or need any sympathy. It was just a statement of fact. "My brother is more of what you'd expect a rancher to be like," he went on. "Maybe I should get a cowboy hat. Do you think I could pull it off?" As he took the basket, Vale laughed, smiling at Jamie. "I only do this for the really cute guys, just so you know," he teased.

There was something about the way Jamie answered Vale's question that felt...well not dishonest, but like he was leaving parts out. But that was fine - Jamie didn't owe him anything, and Vale had left some of his own backstory out too. "So are you happy here now?" Vale asked Jamie. "Or are you still looking for your place? I can relate to that." Vale liked Cardinal Hill, but it didn't really feel like he belonged - here or anywhere else for that matter. "I'm good," he answered, "though I want some Nerds while we're here. Those are probably at the counter, right?"

Jamie had been ribbing him playfully, but he sensed the shift in Vale's demeanor when he talked about having gotten into an accident in the past and being careful since then. He was quiet for a moment and nodded. "Sorry to hear that. That sucks," he said, not pressing too hard into the matter. Maybe it was something hard to talk about, or maybe it wasn't. Jamie wasn't there to pry into the matters of someone he'd only just met.

When they hit the deli counter, Jamie smirked when he noticed Vale checking out the guy behind the counter after the comment he'd made. "Anyone with eyes would be hard pressed to pass him up, I think," he mused, moving past and continuing to grab the things he needed. It wasn't a lot, really. Mostly basics so he wouldn't starve to death at home. Bread, lunch meat, cheese. He was a quick shopper too, picking up everything without too much fuss.

It wasn't surprising to learn Vale was from Cardinal Hill. A lot of people Jamie knew were locals, or local-adjacent. "You're a rancher? You don't look like one, but then again you're the only rancher I've ever met, I think," he teased. Jamie always envisioned grizzled cowboys. When Vale asked to hold the basket, Jamie handed it over without fuss, glad that someone else wanted to hold it for him. "I could get used to this," he joked. Then the question was turned on him, on what brought him to this place.

"I kinda closed my eyes, threw a dart on a map, and it landed here," he said. "I wasn't happy where I was from. Decided to go make a life somewhere else." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't the whole truth either, but it wasn't something Jamie was ready to talk about to Vale, or anyone else for that matter. "I think I'm all set with this. You need anything else?" he asked, feeling like he was ready to head out.

[blackcatxmagic]

Even though the two of them were being incredibly vague, Vale still got the sense that he and Candace could relate on a deeper level than either of them was willing to talk about. Of course Vale wanted to know more. Had Candace caused a car accident too? Was she responsible for someone else's death like Vale was? Was she responsible for her friends' deaths? These were all questions Vale had that he would likely never ask. "Sorry," Vale apologized. "I don't mean to be so bleak. That's just kind of where my head's at today, which is why I came to the lake to begin with."

It was easier to talk about Seattle. "It's pretty great," Vale answered, "especially if you like coffee, grunge, and rain, and that's sort of my whole aesthetic. It suited me there. It's much more fast-paced than Cardinal Hill, though it admittedly has a lot less charm. It was home though...until it wasn't. So now I'm here." But Cardinal Hill didn't feel like home either. "What about you? Have you ever lived anywhere else?" Vale had noticed a lot of kindness in the people who were lifelong Cardinal Hill natives, at least in general.

Shrugging, Vale told Candace, "It's not so bad. I mean...it's maybe a little awkward since I'm not really suited to ranch life, but that's not Jesse's fault. He's been really great actually. He can be...uh, kind of gruff, but he's always watched out for me. And it's really just us. His dad is gone, so there's no like...awkward family dynamics at play. But I think it feels a little like I'm intruding because the side of the family that belongs on the ranch isn't my side, you know?"

Candace nodded her head when he said that existing was hard. But what was the alternative? Non-existence? The mere thought of that made her shudder. On a rational level, non-existence didn't sound bad. It was just nothing... But somehow the thought of nothing just bothered Candace to no end. Because existing was all she knew, it was all anyone ever knew. She didn't remember a time before she was born.

"Seattle? What's that like?" She asked, though truth be told, Candace liked living in a small town. It was like a small little world where nothing else mattered. Everything outside was just for adventure, fun. But she would always come back to this small town that was everything. "That must be awkward." Candace agreed, though her parents have always been together - she had no idea what it was like to have stepparents or half siblings. She probably never will. "Is your bother's family nice at least?"

[blackcatxmagic]

Again Winter looked up at the sky, searching for what Stoker had seen, but he couldn't pinpoint it (if it were even still there). "That's true," Winter replied. "It can be a UFO but still be from Earth. The 'unidentified' doesn't always mean alien." Winter thought that was what Stoker meant by what they said. "Probably a good thing it might not be alien, whatever it was," Winter stated, looking back at his friend. "I mean, I think if there's intelligent life out there, the only reason they'd come to Earth is to eradicate us, so...yeah. That was bleak, wasn't it?" Winter laughed, but there was something broken about it, the sound laced with concern for Stoker and their brother.

Winter sat with Stoker, letting them set the pace of the conversation, not wanting to push. "It's okay," he assured his friend. "I can't expect everyone to take my stupid brain into account." He tapped the side of his head as he said this, sighing. It really was frustrating, but it wasn't Stoker's fault that he'd forgotten. That brought a smile to Winter's face, the idea of Stoker forgetting that he was forgetful, but he thought voicing this would only make Stoker feel worse, so Winter kept it to himself. And he smiled too when Stoker said that Winter being there was enough; it was nice being able to help a friend.

Since he was intuitive enough to recognize that Stoker probably didn't want to talk about or even think about the attack, Winter didn't ask too many questions about the incident itself. He just squeezed Stoker's hand, saying, "I"m really glad Silas is alright." But there was one thing Winter had to ask about, couldn't just let go: "What do you mean it's your fault?" he asked Stoker. "How could it be your fault?" Winter was confused, and he gave his friend a meaningful look, silently imploring them to elaborate. "Did something happen with you and Silas?" Winter asked. "Before the attack I mean? Why do you blame yourself for it?" The only way it would be Stoker's fault is if they were responsible for the attack itself, and Winter knew that couldn't be the case. So what was it then?

"Yeah, I did," Stoker confirmed with a nod. "Probably wouldn't be anything exciting, but you never know... was outside of the regular flight path that goes across this way, so it was... definitely unknown." Spotting a UFO didn't always mean there were some sort of extra-terrestrial beings up there, in fact, Stoker often thought they must be government operations that the public population weren't privy to. With that being said, he was in no state to get into it all with Winter - or with anyone for that matter. Instead of elaborating unprompted as per usual, Stoker simply squeezed Winter's hand back in return, extremely glad to have him by their side.

In his intoxicated and shaken state, Stoker honestly wasn't thinking straight enough to take Winter's memory issues into consideration. Had he have been more with it, he certainly wouldn't have made it easier for his friend to follow along with all of the troubles that he was facing. Admittedly, Stoker felt bad when he was reminded, though he knew that actually going through life with such memory issues would have been so much worse. "I believe you, I know," Stoker nodded his head, frowning apologetically - though trying to ensure he wasn't giving an expression of pity. "It's not your fault. I could have made it more obvious, rather than just..." he trailed off, slightly zoning out. "I just appreciate that you're here, that's all I need right now I think."

Thinking properly about Silas' attack again was enough to sober Stoker up slightly. He sat up straighter, clearing his throat as he tried to figure out what was best to say next. "He got hurt pretty bad, but he'll be okay," Stoker nodded, trying to remember the reassurance that came from the doctors who he spoke to shortly after he found out about his brother. "I just can't help but to feel like it's my fault, though." He really hadn't meant to say that out loud, but they were the exact thoughts that led him to his state of intoxication in the first place. Stoker struggled with the idea that he was no good for any one, that he was the sole reason for such harm to have come to good people. He sighed, close to spiralling again.