ezekieltandy

[ezekieltandy]

He wasn't the kind of man that craved the quiet of solitude. He found peace in chaos and what was more chaotic than a ferry ride where people buzzed with excitement of what laid ahead, or what they'd already experienced? "You're not wrong about that. I think I've had my fair share of unwarranted conversations, but sometimes it's not such a bad thing." He craved that too, basic human interaction without the threat of a law being tossed at someone's face, or an insult being tossed back at him. "Trust me, I'm not usually in the mood." It was either a work thing or his family driving him into a place of frustration, but in that moment? The only thing he felt was content. "Guess today is an exception."

She nods her head. "There's a lot of that but it's always the same view and there's too many people." People were going places when they took the ferry and normally weren't the ones to take it to sit by the water so she found herself alone most of the time and that was cherished. Especially since she lived in a complex with paper thin walls where she could hear her neighbours cough, and then in a chaotic hospital otherwise. "The ride is a bonus. I find that too many people want to have conversations." Then she smiled. "This is fine, but sometimes you're just not in the mood, you know."

[ezekieltandy]

"Plenty of other ways to catch a thrill. Pretty sure getting married is enough." It wasn't for him, but he'd heard the happily married stories of those and what it meant to stand at the altar in front of a group of people. Exchanging vows was thrilling enough and somehow they wanted more? Sounded like a planning job for the books.

Mouth fell ajar, a defeated laugh cut off by the acceptance of the trap he'd all but walked into. "You know, I just remembered I have a thing. It's in the city," he hummed in a nervous string of rambling before he took another look towards the deathtrap and opted to take a risk. Who said that playing it safe was the only thing he knew how to do? "Alright. I'll do it. I couldn't possibly let you go up alone, but I'd like to point out that what you just did was entrapment. Totally punishable by law." Another lame joke, but his heart thudded wildly and his palms were damp — so a lame joke wasn't that out of place.

"They swear it's a little bit of both." They'd met at the pier, after all--both the odd man out of their coupled up friend groups, thrown together as single riders, went up as strangers and came down as the early beginnings of something more. It was definitely a story, Delilah would give them that...she had her work cut out for her, but she'd never minded a little challenge.

Delilah couldn't help but smile, nodding her head in agreement. "That's what they say, at least." Thought and intent to follow through, however, she felt were two different things. "Well, I've gotta get up there to see how long their officiant has to make his speech before they reach the top. So, if you feel like today is maybe your day..." She'd already taken a step closer to the line, shoulders lifting in a shrug. "I can't exactly ride alone."

[ezekieltandy]

It was in his nature to overthink absolutely everything. Whether it was his thoughts on how dinner had gone with his parents, or how the upcoming trial he'd been assigned the lead to was waring them thin, there was always something circling his mind. He took precautions to prevent a burnout, but nothing seemed to work quite as well as he wanted. Even sneaking into shows played by his little brother only offered a fraction of reprieve. Perhaps he'd put too much into being the son his father wanted and not enough into what he wanted for himself. It was a bit late to be figuring out something like that and truth by told, he didn't have the heart to place the blame on anyone but himself. He'd picked this path, no one had forced his hand.

Ezekiel defied every warning in his mind and sat at the opposite end of the freed up bench, his arm resting on the cool wood of the back while he gripped his coffee tight in the other hand. "Six hours? Sounds like six hours too long." He wasn't one to judge another, but it seemed like the male had missed out on days worth of sleep. He knew the look all too well, over dedicated and exhausted to the core.

"Hopefully those last six hours aren't too bad. Tell me that you at least get a chance at getting some sleep after you've clocked out?"

Tallon had a love hate relationship with his job really. That what he was doing was work, he was medical intern. So it was a real job, he was a doctor but he was still leaning. It was at hospital too so that always made things busy and had the hours be extra long. You never knew what was going to happen, that you could have a plan and a surgery set. But something in the city could happen and change everything. Tallon did love when he had his plans, like most he did love performing surgery. It was something that did take a lot of mind , and skills and took hours to do. So he had to love it and wanted to do it as much as he could. But more the planned ones, so he had time to be ready for them.

He was glad to take a break and make the most of it when he could. Most did eat or sleep in the on call room. But none of that would really help him finish his day. He need a break from the hospital walls and to get fresh air. It wasn't going to be for to long he knew that, but every little moment did count with him. So the park was the best place for his break.

Hearing someone he opened his eyes and looked over at him with his eyes then slowly sat himself up. He let out a breath and sighed "I am on break... I still have like ... six hours?" he thought about it, thinking it was close to that.

[ezekieltandy]

kendrick sampson

[ezekieltandy]

His day was consumed by work, just as it usually was. His newest task was more of an errand boy kind of run, but when asked, or better yet told, he made no complaints. After all, how could he? This was the game he needed to play in order to keep moving up the ladder and eventually, he'd get to where he wanted to be. So, like any good employee would, he jumped through every hoop and in the end, got the answer that anyone could have gotten if they tried hard enough. A medical report would be faxed to the King County Prosecutor's office by the end of day and if it wasn't, he'd have to make another trip on his own time in order to make good on the request his boss had made.

On his way out, Zeke treated himself (or so he'd thought) to a coffee from the cafe on the lobby floor. He'd heard good things about it, and didn't doctors need the good stuff to get by on? As the warm settled into his hand, he gave one look towards the parking lot before opting to cross the street to a park. Rather than rush back, he chose to take time for himself. Baby steps, right?

"You doing alright?" He spotted the man resting at the bench, his scrubs an indication that he too was probably overworked and underpaid. The only difference was that what he did actually mattered. "Is your shift over for the day, or this what you call taking a break?"

Hospital life could be a little bit to much at times. He could handle it all normally and was used to working on little or no sleep most days. He was well used too it by now and really lived off of no sleep. But today was hard another long shift that never seemed to end. With one crazy thing happening after another. He had times he thought he had be on one of the tv medical dramas with how wild it could be. It started off fine and normal but it kept going. Nothing really that crazy like lot of people hurt or anything. It was just a lot of people being foolish for the most part.

He sighed as he was at last on a well needed break that seemed to be hours late. He was over with all the crazy people today being foolish and needed to get away. So he went out and stopped at the coffee cart outside the hospital and grabbed a coffee and muffin and walked across the street to the park that was across from the hospital. Put there to help people be able to relax and enjoy nature. He quickly went to a open bench he sat down a moment drinking a lot of his coffee before he sat it down next to him and laid down. "lyudi idioty" he mumbled to himself in Russian. He still had good accent on him even more when he spoke Russian.

He just needed a break, a breather and be away from it all. He did still have his scrubs on but had his jacket on over them. Not to really cover him up, it was just cold out and he rushed.

@sewastarters

x/four

Where: park across from hospital

[ezekieltandy]

Fifteen seemed too long, five too short, so ten was somewhere in between. His wallet should have ached at the thought of every round in between his guess and the actual time, but it wasn't like he was strapped on funds. The most he ever treated himself with were drinks and the occasional five star restaurant that always left him wishing he'd gone to a takeout place instead. "I figured he'll see us soon enough, but too soon." No, because that would be too easy and if it were easy, there would have been no need for a bet in the first place.

Lips parted in surprise, the other's guess topping his own. He'd expected the man to play it safe, but fifteen? Fifteen was high. "Are the last five shots of water? Because we might need it," he countered with the flash of a charming smile.

"Pleasure to meet you, Zero. I'm Zeke," he hummed, a hand offered out for the other to take if he wanted. If he didn't, he'd need a shot for that too. "So, do you normally make bets with people at the bar?"

"Ten minutes?" Zero whistled with amusement, somewhat surprised and impressed by the man's guess. He thought he might have taken it slow and easy—opted for a shorter time to save him from burning a hole in his wallet. Zero was a stranger to him, after all. Why would he want to commit to buying a stranger his drinks for the rest of the night? "Okay," Zero said, nodding. "Ten it is." He could play ball too, if that's how his consort wanted to play it.

"Fifteen." He said, casually. Maybe he was aiming too high, maybe he just wanted to impress the cute guy who had been game to join in his drinking game or maybe he just had a competitive streak. "Fifteen minutes, fifteen rounds." He said, mirroring the man's own words.

"I'm Zero, by the way. If you're going to be buying me drinks all night then you should probably know my name."

[ezekieltandy]

He wasn't there to make small talk, not even for the sake of playing friendly. All he wanted was his watch and if she was there, what was the point in taking the long way around? "Pleasure, Levi. I'm Ezekiel, some people call me Zeke." Cemile called him plenty of things, but normally, his name didn't make the long list. "I'm not looking to interrupt her day, I just need my watch. Would you mind paging her or something? I would really appreciate it, Levi."

His attention is suddenly drawn away from his computer screen as he spots an unfamiliar man standing before him with an air of urgency. When he asks for Cemile, his curiosity gets the best of him. Who is this man and what does he want with his ex-wife? Without hesitation,

Levi introduces himself and attempts to engage in small talk while also assessing the stranger's intentions. “Yeah, she's here. I'm Levi, by the way. What's your name?" Despite the fact that they are no longer together, Levi's protective instincts for Cemile remain intact. There is something about this man that leaves him uneasy and suspicious. And regardless of their history, Levi will always prioritize Cemile's safety and well-being.

[ezekieltandy]

The ferry ride to and from the island was the only amount of peace he ever found. It was the combination of crashing waves into the side of the metal and the warmth of the sun's rays beaming down on him that made the combative cool breeze worth it. "You just come to sit? You know, there's plenty of shoreside without the ferry ride over." Maybe one day he'd actually get off the ferry to explore the beauty everyone buzzed about. "I think I could sit here all day. Just go back and forth until they kicked me off."

Gabi looks over at him and then smiles slightly. "I did enjoy it. There's a bit of sight seeing but you just sit by the water. At least that's what I like the most about it." She brought some snacks and a book. There wasn't any service so that was nice as well. "I do enjoy the boat ride there as much as I do getting of and walking the island but you might want to give it a try." She looks out at the water and smiles when the wind brushes past her. "It's a beautiful day to be on the water so you didn't go wrong either way."

[ezekieltandy]

[ezekieltandy]

Despite being a calculated man, he wasn't above a little risk for the reward of amusement. Smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth, light hues scanning over the bar top before his gaze settled back on the other. What was it going to hurt? It wasn't as if he were getting entertainment. "Sure. I'll humor you." Whatever there was to lose, it wasn't anything he couldn't handle, especially financially.

With a nod, Zeke looked down at his watch, tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth. "Ten minutes." Of course he was interested and without much thought, he rattled off the first number that came to mind, throwing all calculations aside for the sake of good fun. "Ten minutes, ten rounds. Are you sure you can handle that?"

He wasn't even sure that he could, but he'd try. "I'll make this easy on you. Even if I win, the rounds are the drink of your choice. How's that sound?"

"We could make a bet," Zero suggested with a shrug, casting him a sideways glance. "Make the wait a little more interesting." He peers down the bar, following the other man's gaze. The commotion at the other end of the bar makes Zero roll his eyes, frustration marring his features. This is why they were waiting, because some bartender had spent too much time watching Bartok videos and considered himself an entertainer? He gives a frustrated shake of his head, turning away from the circus show at the other end of the bar.

"What do you say?" He asked, hoping he would go for his proposal. It beat standing awkwardly at the bar, blocking anybody else from worming their way to the front. "Closest guess to how long we actually wait before somebody serves us wins. Loser owes a round for every minute we wait." Zero wiggles his brows, smirking. "Interested?"

"Coke and ice every time."

[ezekieltandy]

Turns out, romance wasn't entirely dead after all. "Either they're thrill seekers, or they have the most romantic story known to man. Either way, sounds like you've got your work cut out for you." He offered a smile in her direction before his gaze inevitably shifted back towards the ferris wheel. Out of every place he'd want to tie the knot, one without a safe escape route didn't seem like much of an option. "Absolutely. I'd like to think it's for the best." His brother would have claimed his ears could keep him in flight if something so large ever came tumbling down, but all jokes aside, his fear was real. "Something like that. Not sure I'll ever actually give it a shot. It's the thought that counts though, right?"

"Oh, I'm not looking for me." Delilah lowered her gaze from the top of the ferris wheel, attention turning to the man next to her. "I have a couple who's trying to get married at the top of one of these things, and I'm just trying to find out if that's even possible." With proper timing, a chat with the ride operator, maybe even the Seattle Historic Waterfront Association...she was almost positive she could make it work. "I, for one, definitely prefer both my feet," and her body with them, "planted firmly on the ground, thank you." A polite smile on her lips as she glanced back at the ride towering above them. "Is this some sort of exposure therapy for you? A little closer every time?"

[ezekieltandy]

"No wife, no girlfriend, not even a pretty boyfriend. Just me, myself, and I." Anything more than that was an easy path to complications and with a career demanding as his own, he couldn't afford any of that. "Absolutely not. If your followers found out about that, it might be the end of your PR packages," he teased with an eye roll. "I'm sure my mother will enjoy this. If she doesn't, my sister might. Who knows, my brother might be the asshole who swipes it."

"no wife and no girlfriend? how about a boyfriend?" she asked persistently with a smirk painted on her lips. "moms love random gifts like this. so yeah take it. i'm not gonna do anything with it but toss it. and in this new plant-friendly era that's a no no."

[ezekieltandy]

How was he? He was fine — by definition, of course. His career was thriving and all familial drama aside, there wasn't much to complain about. "Living the dream," he countered with a toothy grin and quiet hum of laughter that rattled his lungs. What did that even mean? Most often, it was a knee-jerk response, but Nate wasn't just another professional face. If anything, he was a friend. "Not usually, but I decided to take one for myself this week. Burnout is a real thing and I'm not trying to get there just yet."

nate enjoyed the tourist places. it brought an air of new to his everyday. he had learned that seattle was the place he enjoyed planting roots in after his traveling years. his head popped up at the sound of his name, a name that he rarely used outside of campus. "Zeke, how are you man?" he asked with a nodd as he extended his hand out for a shake. "Yeah, of course. I would have thought you don't get weekends nowadays."

[ezekieltandy]

He had more of those nights than he liked to admit. It was rare that he ever stepped foot into his place without needing something to take the edge off. "I have a lot of those. Can't say it's anything new to me." There were nights, more often than not, where he leaned on Cemile to fix that for him. There were other nights where he leaned a little too heavily on a bottle, but in the end, he managed. "I guess I never have to worry about you stealing my drink and if you do, you won't enjoy it." A quick look down at his cleared phone screen was a relief. No notifications meant no one needed him, and if no one needed him, he had time to himself. "It's your lucky day. I don't have anything on the schedule and no one's blowing up my phone needing something, so I've got some time to spare."

archie paused, it wasn't necessarily a rough night as such -- more just, a night. "just one of those where, you need to take the edge off." is what he settled with. the man's arms folded across his chest as he waited alongside zeke; as much as he loved this coffee spot, he had every mind to find a new one that wasn't so chaotic first thing. "almond is like pish water," archie pointed out, "oat milk is the more tolerable out of all the non-dairy options but it still makes me feel sad." the man chuckled. "you got somewhere you need to be or you gonna sit in for a minute?" archie then asked as their coffees were finally brought over to the two of them.

[ezekieltandy]

If this weren't the norm coming from his younger brother, he might have actually mustered an ounce offense to the nonsense that so easily spewed from his mouth. "I worked hard to get where I am. I know you wouldn't know much about that though."

Was he bitter about the freedom that Thadd had been allowed growing up and even into his twenties? Of course. While Zeke was working his ass off to make their parents proud, Thadd was pounding on a drum set and getting the same reaction of love. It was bullshit.

"Does it make you feel better? To be such a childish ass? Truthfully, I thought you'd grow out of it, but surprise," he exhaled beneath an annoyed breath. He didn't even want to entertain the back and forth the other had started, but despite knowing better, he simply couldn't help himself.

There was an ounce of guilt that settled deep in his chest. Little did his younger brother know, he cared. It was the kind of brotherly bond that couldn't be broken by rough insults and childish jabs. It was the kind of bond that left him adamant on protecting the other, even if in the end, it had caused Thaddeus to hate him. He'd taken the role of perfect son so that the other could do whatever the hell he wanted.

"I'm sure you wouldn't want this big head of mine in any crowd of yours, right? Might take up too much room." He'd been there more times than he could count, lingering in the darkness while his brother drummed his soul away. It was a talent really, more talent than Zeke could ever muster. It was one thing to give a closing argument in front of a row full of people, but to perform with one's everything in a rotating room of strangers? It was more bravery than Ezekiel could ever imagine having.

He made sure to avoid the shows where their parents were present. The last thing he needed was their mother trying to make peace and outing his presence at any of the other's gigs. "We both know it doesn't take much for them to be proud of you. You're the baby and it shows." They'd given him far more power over his life than they'd ever given to Zeke or their sister. While they were guilted into seeing things through, Thadd had gotten the luxury of trying his hand at everything. "If you want me to come to one of your shows so badly, why not just ask me?"

"There's probable cause to believe--oh my God." Thadd mimicked--admittedly, immaturely, eyes rolling as he huffed out a laugh that was anything but amused. "Do you ever turn off that asshole attorney voice of yours or is it like permanently stuck like that? Like, my God, dude, we get it, you're a lawyer...like you don't remind us every thirty fucking seconds."

Thaddeus. His given name, though rarely anybody who didn't share the Tandy last name called him by it. He'd never had any problem with his name until Zeke had begun using it to punctuate his every disapproval. When are you going to get a real job, Thaddeus? You can't chase this pipe dream forever, Thaddeus. Mom and dad won't say it to your face, but they're worried about this path you're walking on, Thaddeus.

If changing his name wouldn't run him a couple hundred bucks...

"You know what, Ezekiel, it is actually really impressive that those ears can still manage to look so big on such a huge ass head." Thadd's own head shook, already beginning to fray around the edges; record timing when it came to the other.

Their relationship, as it stood, was a culmination of many things: Zeke's air of superiority, his inability to keep his opinion to himself, the fact that in the eight years Thadd had been playing with Asteroid Cows, he had not made it to one show to see them play, or ever asked a question about them that wasn't drowning in condescension and his general douchery.

Thadd snorted, checking his phone to see if anybody had texted him back yet. Still nothing. "Yeah, man, you got me. Just me and a drum, banging away at some open mic night for a quick few bucks." Maybe it wasn't too far off, but if Zeke couldn't be bothered to come see it for himself, then what room did he have to judge?

None, as far as Thadd was concerned.

"Mom and dad always ask." But he knew they'd never say anything negative about it to his face. Knew they'd reserve that for the older man before him, knew that as much as he brushed off Zeke's disapproval as just his own, that there was more than just his weight behind it. "They ask a lot of things, actually. How the band's going, when's our next show, when can they come see us...but you must be busy that night, right?"

[ezekieltandy]

He was almost certain he'd grabbed everything from her place before leaving, but clearly he hadn't. It was only after he'd gotten home that he'd realized his mistake. At the early hour of two in the morning, he hadn't cared much to go back. After all, his watch was something he could live without... at least until sunlight greeted him and every other person in Seattle.

He'd sent a text to Cemile before dropping by, but either she hadn't received it, or she was too busy, or perhaps both? "I was hoping to speak with Cemile? She has something of mine. I just needed to get it back. Do you know if she's available?"

Who: @ezekieltandy

When: March 11th, 2023

Where: His Vet clinic

The vet clinic is as hectic as usual, with patients coming in and out all day long. One of the latest visitors was a lively Jack Russell terrier named Peter, who had kept Levi on his toes during the exam. But now that Peter has been given a clean bill of health and sent on his way with a biscuit, he can finally take a breather.

Just as he settles back into his chair, a stranger enters the clinic. He doesn't recognise him, but he greets the man with a polite smile and a friendly nod.

"Can I help you with something?" He asks, ready to assist the stranger with whatever he needs.

[ezekieltandy]

Following the dissolution of her marriage with Levi, Cemile made her priority to stay away from attachments. It would be unfair of her to say that her ex-husband was unkind to her. No, their story went beyond that. He was a good guy, and tried to be a good husband to her. The unfortunate part of their situation was the time they spent apart. By the time they settled in the same city, those tender feelings they shared were long gone. She tried to make it work—tried to fight for their marriage. But it was too late. The decision to end it had hurt her more than she would like to admit. Now, she was too gun shy to jump into another relationship. Sex was easier. It didn't require commitment or her time. When the itch came, Zeke was there. It might sound cold and callous, yet it was the truth nonetheless. Her hands wandered across his back and chest—savoring the maleness of him. They continued kissing until eventually she broke free so she could remove his pants before pulling away to retrieve the condoms stashed in the bedside drawer. As soon as she finished putting these items together, she pushed him onto the bed, where she straddled his lap. "Put this on." She demanded, her blue eyes zeroing on his manhood.

Commitment was fickle thing, at least, it felt that way in terms of anything outside of his career. It wasn't that he hadn't tried to be with someone, because he had, but at the end of the day, nothing mattered more than being the best. There was an image of perfection to maintain and it was hard doing such when his attention strayed elsewhere. It was why this kind of arrangement worked best. The kind of arrangement where the only expectation between them was pleasure and that, out of everything, was the easiest thing to give.

Every touch left the fire growing deeper in the pit of his stomach, daring to burn everything down around them. By the time he'd hit her mattress, nothing else in the world had mattered. The hours that followed had been a tangled mess of need, one that only ended after his chest ached and body pleaded for a moment's worth of peace. A quiet exhale was forced from his lungs as he crashed into the comfort of her mattress, a tired grin painted on his lips. "Rough day, huh?" He could feel the scratches left in her wake sinking into his skin and come morning, he was certain that no part of him from the shoulder down had gone unmarked.

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