laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

Laurel: Yeah, okay. Laurel: Paranoia isn't a great look on you, you know. Laurel: Interesting... Laurel: You've drawn a boundary and I'll respect it, but congratulations on the sex, at least. Laurel: Was it good?

Delilah: I am NOT pouting and it is not adorable. Delilah: I don't know how exactly but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you two conspired against me. Delilah: But thank you for at least acknowledging it. Delilah: I may or may not have gone home with someone. Don't ask who.

[laureljacobs]

Laurel sort of wished she'd brought a legal pad and momentarily considered taking out her phone to jot down notes with, but she didn't think that Ben would take to that very kindly.

So she settled on a bulleted mental list; one column for the straight facts, the other for Ben's responses. (And another section underneath, for judgmental thoughts that she'd have to filter for later.)

She hummed every now and again to signal to that she was listening, and wasn't subtle with her facial expressions with each bomb he kept dropping, but otherwise didn't interrupt.

"Okay, I don't love that last part, so we're going to circle back, but I think you know that you're missing some key details here," they said, voice firm. "What exactly did you say? To both of them."

God, maybe they should've been a therapist instead.

@benj-hyun

There is something about being in the same vicinity as Laurel that has Benj acknowledging the level of stupidity in which he acted out. He knows what he’s going to be told to some degree. But that’s exactly why he’s peeling back this lid to Laurel of all people.

“Okay…” he starts, hesitant and reluctant and so ready to just get up and walk away now that he is facing a source of sound logic. 

One warning glare (if it can be called that) as if he didn���t just tell them to be honest, and then he says, in a rush of words, “So on St. Paddy’s at the Four Leaf, Santiago told me he slept with Delilah, and I might have reacted poorly in response, as in I pushed him and maybe raised my voice a little.” It's vague, but it gets the whole thing started.

“I haven’t really talked to him since, and oh.” He sucks in a deep breath and frowns at the admission of, “I might have also said something real unsavory to Delilah about it when I ran into her. In front of the diner. Publicly. And not at all subtle about it.”

@laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

"Yep. Second base. Division I champs in my junior year," Laurel said, unable to keep the tinge of pride out of her voice. She wasn't a nostalgic person by any stretch of the imagination, but there were a couple exceptions to the rule.

"Can't say that anyone's ever cared much what my last name is, which has its own cons, too. But sure, I know a thing or two about being easily judged. And bad families."

@jamesonxcassidy

“ No shit? “ he replied glancing back to them with a small smile. That really was impressive to hear because he didn’t know many people who were that good at a sport and continued in higher education

He looked at the photos again and couldn’t place some of the people he’d gone to school with. Probably cause he was in his own little world at the time. “ sometimes “ he admitted glancing back. “ weed was expensive when you’re like sixteen. “ he noted before letting out a sigh. “ bad family. You know where they think they know exactly who you are before you even walk through the door just because of a last name? That’s been my whole life “ @laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

"Your words, not mine," Laurel said, holding up their hands. He did look bothered, upset, and dramatic, but their way of saying it had been much more efficient.

It wouldn't have taken a lawyer to put some pieces together and draw conclusions accordingly. Ben had refused to go to the Four Leaf, and then he'd used the words "heartbroken" and "betrayed" (and he was, in his own words, dramatic, but he probably wouldn't have used either about Santiago's cousin), and then Delilah was being cagey about her love life.

All circumstantial evidence, sure, but Laurel liked to think they knew both of those people well enough by now.

She hummed, eyebrows raising slightly. "Alright," she agreed easily. "Let's hear it."

@benj-hyun

“Is that your way of saying I look bothered or upset or dramatic?” Benj asks, and he frowns, almost disappointed sounding. He doesn’t think he’s let the bad energy he’s harbored really take all that much of a toll on him, but then again, he sees himself every day.

The beer is taken graciously, though he doesn’t sip it right away. He’s not even sure where to start, because he knows that somewhere in there is a feeling of guilt festering beneath it all.

“I need you to tell me that—” he huffs, shifting to lean forward so he can turn his head and look at them fully. “I need you to tell me if I’m justified or if I’m blowing this out of proportion, or if I fall somewhere in the middle. Because you’re Laurel, and you don’t pull punches, even if it might hurt my feelings more. Because I might need that, even if it might look like you kicked a puppy. That puppy being me.”

It’s not something he asks often, even if he never really has to ask it of them. Laurel comes with that patented brand of blunt honesty.

"Alright?"

@laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

📲 – the last texts our muses sent + joey

Laurel: Jo, where the fuck are you. Laurel: Someone just tried to pull me into a conga line, that means it's high time we get the fuck out of here.

@joey-madani

[laureljacobs]

Do you have a comfort item? Tell us about it!

"I have an old A&M hoodie that's basically falling apart. Been telling myself to get a new one for years, but I dunno, call it a sentimental attachment."

[laureljacobs]

"Softball," Laurel answered as her eyes scanned over photos, looking for old ones of friends so she could send a picture to them accompanied by the laughing-crying emoji. "I was pretty good at it, too. Varsity, then I played in college."

She frowned a little when she ended up empty-handed on the embarrassing old photos but turned her attention toward the man. "Ah. So, classic rebel type then? Were you a burnt out stoner who liked to hang out under the bleachers instead of going to class?"

@jamesonxcassidy

Status: Open Location: Outside the gym @aurorabaystarter

When Jameson had been in high school, he was essentially banned from attending prom. The last year of school he had tried to better himself. Doing the work that would help him academically and socially but in the end they still just saw a Cassidy which always spelled trouble; Someone to be made an example of. It was why he was somehow still shocked that he wasn’t being immediately thrown out of the dance this time around. He’d arguably been through worse, but it wasn’t high school anymore. Hopefully people changed. Still, he was sitting out in the hallway after a couple drinks and looking at some of the photos and trophies that adorned the cases. “ you ever try out for any sports? “ he asked glancing over. “ I was really good at track but I got put on academic probation so joining a team would have never happened. Honestly I’m shocked the school didn’t put me on a do not enter list out of tradition “

[laureljacobs]

closed: @benj-hyun

location: boardwalk

Maybe it was a little fucked, but Laurel couldn't help but feel a kernel of excitement as she approached Ben on the boardwalk with two beers stuffed into koozies, as promised. There was concern, sure — she wasn't a total asshole — but the slightly morbid curiosity was winning out.

She wondered if this is what high school would've felt like, if high school had been anything but terrible.

"You look like shit," they commented plainly as they took a seat on a bench next to Ben and handed over his beer. "You wanna get right into it or would you rather just drink in silence for a minute?"

[laureljacobs]

Laurel: God, you're something else. Laurel: I can do that, but you're gonna let me buy the alcohol. Laurel: Which is to say that you'll get a single beer. I can deal with a drunk Benjamin Hyun or a sad Benjamin Hyun, but not both at once. @benj-hyun

Benj: That's a funny way to spell heartbroken and betrayed. What context clues?! Benj: Anywhere but Four Leaf. Are you against day drinking on the boardwalk? Because I can be there in ten. Benj: I already took a sick day for today, so I'm already home. @laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

⁇ + joey

Send ⁇ for a worried text

Laurel: You're a big girl, and I know you can take of yourself and I'm not gonna tell you what to do. Laurel: Just keep in touch. I'll even turn my ringer on for you.

@joey-madani

[laureljacobs]

Freesia - What are some subconscious signs that your muse cares about another person?

"Subconscious? God, I don't know. If I care about someone I usually care more to show it. Consciously."

[laureljacobs]

Laurel: I can't help but read of all of this while imagining you, a mother of two, pouting at me and crossing her arms and stomping her feet. Laurel: It's kind of adorable, actually. Laurel: How am I to blame for you ending up at speed dating, exactly? If I recall correctly, that one was Bernie's fault. Laurel: But okay, fine, I'm a terrible friend. Laurel: Now tell me everything.

Delilah: You and your little comment about liking our friendship better when I'm the one with the fucked up love life jinxed me. Delilah: I hate that I even just had to type the words "love life" and that's all your fault too. Delilah: While we're at it, I'm just going to go ahead and also blame you for how I even ended up at speed dating to begin with. Delilah: Mostly because I know you're reading this and laughing. Have I mentioned lately that you're a terrible friend?

[laureljacobs]

"There are people for that, you know. Cleaners and whatnot. I actually know a guy — ex-crime scene cleanup crew who developed a weak stomach and got out of the game. He cleans my house now, actually. Might be good to keep on retainer, just in case."

Laurel chuckled a little as she idly swirled her glass on the bar top. "It was Surrender. A little too obvious, if you ask me. If he was going to go that hard, he should've held out for a deep cut."

@kaede-yamada

Kaede nodded his head at their comment and had to agree. If they were good at fighting this night may have been a lot worse off and he would have had to call the cops. He’d done that before but only once or twice; Kaede was normally able to handle the situations that would happen from running a place that’s man job was to sell alcohol.

“ don’t I know it. I really hate having to clean up that kind of stuff and I sure as hell am not making any of my staff clean it either “ he notes. That was not what he hired the team for.

Kaede was pretty surprised by the story and the last part had him cringing a bit when it came to the mop. “ you really have to be out of it to think mop water was a good taste “ Kaede replied shaking his head. “ what song by cheap trick made him go that wild ?” He asked before noting that their story definitely deserved a drink. @laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

Laurel: Jesus Christ, you're dramatic. Laurel: It was just a theory based on context clues, but you've basically confirmed it. Laurel: Name a time and place. I'll buy you a beer. @benj-hyun

Benj: What gave you that idea? Benj: You must have heard my heart cracking into two from across town. @laureljacobs

[laureljacobs]

laurel 📲 ben

Laurel: Something tells me that you need a drink. @benj-hyun

[laureljacobs]

🍎 + dallas!

"Having him back in my life has been making me revisit a lot of shit that I never thought I'd have to think of again. And a lot of it is fucking painful, but some of it is good. Maybe more than I thought. I'm learning how to be grateful for the good stuff, and it helps that he's there for a lot of it.

And I'm grateful that he's as willing as I am to get to know each other again, even with all of the bad it brings up. Makes me think about how far we've come from all of that."

@nomadjones

[laureljacobs]

How my Muse acts differently around their love interest(s)

"I don't, really, which is probably why I don't have one right now. If anything, I'm softer, I guess. Gentler, more patient. I try to be, at least."