lucayxng

[lucayxng]

"Oh! You work at the conservatory? I did think that your face looked familiar, that must be why. My research in Marine is in conjunction with the conservatory so much of my time is spent there when I'm not in the field. What do you do?" Luca was excited to make the acquaintance of one of his co-workers. He had been trying to reach out to some of the other workers there, but since his research project was his own, he didn't work directly with any of them for the most part. "Where are you from originally?"

"At the conservatory. Part time." He took his hand back after shaking the others and continued, "Usually what I do toward the end of the year. What about you?" Blue eyes gave a quick glance toward the cliffs and nodded. "Yeah, this place has great views. Food's pretty good too. Not really. Made the permanent move back in December but I have spent time here as a child. So sometimes feels like I've been here for a long time."

[lucayxng]

"the finding nemo ride?" luca shook his head in amusement, stifling a laugh. "i got exceptionally lucky with my education and career, i have to say. marine biology is, as you say, a tough one to get into. it feels like a dream at times." he was never lacking in gratitude for the opportunities he was given in graduate school and beyond. "a dork?" luca blinked, wondering what kit knew about the English king that he didn't. the boy was a little bewildering but it was also incredibly entertaining and luca could always use a little entertainment in his life. "don't get me started on the atrocities committed by the english. i was born there, but i spent the past ten years in scotland, and when i tell you that the scottish have many opinions on that particular matter." he shook his head and smiled at the memories. "there haven't been many times in my life that i have wished to be rita ora, but i do when it comes to taika. she is an incredibly lucky woman." luca scrunched his nose up cutely as he contemplated the question. "working too much, is probably what my friends would say if i had many. see point number one."

˙ ˖ ✶ luca

“oh you don’t have to convince me of that at all for that, but i will say marine biology is a tough one to get into. i know they do an internship program at epcot in walt disney world, it’s with the finding nemo ride but that’s besides the point.” kit laughed, having a bit too much information on the disney subjects. “not really the tudors per say, but i do love history and learning, plus having six bad asses as queens is kind of just pretty amazing. henry was a dork. i mean that’s just the english trying to hold onto what they believe to be the best times in their history, which is funny considering all the atrocities of the past, but anyway.” he stopped himself, laughing as he rolled his eyes. “if taika would give me a chance i’d take it in a heartbeat. so what’s your poison then if you’re not into celebrity crushes?”

[lucayxng]

"Animals are better than people. It's why I went into marine biology," Luca commented. He didn't understand the Anne Boleyn joke and his brow furrowed a bit, showing his confusion. "You're a particularly avid fan of the Tudor period? I can't say I ever particularly cared for that part of British history. Not that I particularly cared for many parts of British history, but the English education system does have some sort of fetish for the Tudors, so I suppose I ended up disliking it more than most. The Horrible Histories song is good, though. Have you heard it?" He racked his brain for the name Thomas Weatherall but came up empty. "Has he been in anything I would know? I think daddy yes is perfectly understandable as far as Taika goes. I'm not usually one for celebrity crushes, but that man is the entire package and then some."

˙ ˖ ✶ luca

“i think it’s like 1995 or 1994 for the oldest, but i know and my dog is my favorite person, even though he’s not really a person…you know what i mean.” he mused, taking note of the little hint of an accent there. “four husbands at seventeen, goddamn. it’s giving king henry the eight and his six wives, and before you ask yes i do love anne boleyn.” kit snickered, his love of musical theater peeking through. “oh it was a joke, i’m just really invested in the actor thomas weatherall and his new artistic projects. taika waititi though, i might’ve commented daddy yes on his instragram a few times, not that i’m proud of it.”

[lucayxng]

luca snorted. "i never know where the line between millennial and gen-z is anymore, but replacing the nuclear family with a dog is about as millennial as one can get." he rubbed the back of his neck, english accent coming out just a little stronger as he spoke of home. "regrettably, i haven't seen those four since i was seventeen. i need to find some new animals here in merrock to project my affection on." luca thought kit's very specific taste to be quite amusing. "which celebrity are we talking about here? taika waititi would be my choice, although he's from new zealand rather than australia."

˙ ˖ ✶ luca

“the word millennial makes me feel old, but you’re so right about that.” kit said, sighing a bit as his being single wasn’t that big of a deal, and his last boyfriend wasn’t that long ago or so he thought. “see now that’s just very exotic husband replacements and you got four of them, i think you’re set for life. I think i need just a nice sweet australian aboriginal man with great brows and a cute accent to sweep me off my feet, and no i’m not talking about a celebrity…i am.”

[lucayxng]

Luca slowed besides her, matching his steps to hers. "That's good to know. Are you doing anything special for Valentine's Day?"

"Likewise," she nodded, pausing momentarily before extending her hand out. Cori slowed her pace to a near halt as the pair chatted. Listening to Luca explain his absence from the gala, she understood the circumstances. "I can assure you, we have a couple of galas and a whole bunch of other parties year round. So while you may have missed out on the crystal gala, there will be plenty of other events to enjoy coming up. Both Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras are next month, which means a few events to look forward to."

[lucayxng]

gratitude rushed over luca when the man came over and offered to help. he waited until the man was closer and then cautiously held his hand out, showing the crab he had held in a careful grip. "i'm fine, sorry for interrupting your walk, i just need an extra pair of hands." he nudged his head towards a group of teenage boys walking further down the beach. "i saw them fish this little man out of the water and throw him around, but when i came to check that he was okay and get him back into the ocean, i slipped and now my leg is trapped. embarrasing, really, considering trecking through rock pools is half of my job some days. would you mind helping me get my leg free?"

mateo was a frequent visitor of the beach, always taking walks along the shore, as cliche as it sounded. he usually took them as a way to get his mind off of things when he was feeling stressed, something about hearing the ocean's waves made him feel calm. mateo wasn't really paying attention as to where he was going until he heard a voice call out to him, his ears following the voice. as he got closer, he could see the other was in a tricky situation and concern was immediately pouring out of his body. "are you okay? do you need some help?" he asked, though he knew it was an obvious answer that it was a yes; the other did need some assistance. pushing his glasses up, mateo reached forward and put out his hand. "here, let me help."

[lucayxng]

Luca's lips quirked into a smile. "I suppose she doesn't understand the bond between a millennial and his dog. I used to tell my mother something similar when she would pester me about marriage, although my husband replacements of choice were the sea otters at the aquarium I volunteered at rather than a dog. Why I would have needed a husband when I had those four fur balls, never mind that I had barely finished my A Levels, was beyond me. Mothers, hm?"

“You know it’s bad when your mom asks when the hell am I gonna start dating someone. Can’t believe she’s pushing for me to put myself out there, like I’m fine, I have a dog.”

[lucayxng]

Luca spluttered out a laugh at her comment, muffling it behind his palm. He shook his head. "A meet horror?" She was very funny, and Luca found himself relaxing in her company. He found himself quite pleased when the child waved back and Annie told him that he liked him. He looked over to where she was watching the other child and saw how she was busily collecting rocks. "A budding geologist there, I see. How old are they both?" He stifled a smile. "I didn't choose Merrock, per se. I was promoted at work and that promotion came with the opportunity to conduct research in Maine on a two year contract. As much as I love St Andrews, I couldn't say no to an opportunity like that."

"But it'd make for a heck of an interesting first initial meet story. Think of it like a meet cute except...not." she laughed completely kidding and wanting to make him feel at ease. Most people didn't know Annie liked to make jokes as a way to break the ice and make people feel comfortable. She picked up her boy and smiled seeing that he had waved back. "He likes you." She kissed CJ's hand and kept an eye on her daughter. "That one is mine too. But she's busy collecting shiny rocks right now. I was born here and lived here until I went off to college then moved back here late last year with my husband and kids. There's so much that goes on in town you'll never get bored. What about you? What made you choose our town to settle in?"

[lucayxng]

Luca offered his hand out to shake and returned her smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Vera." She seemed nice and Luca relaxed a little. "Why did you move to Merrock, if you don't mind my asking?" He was curious about the people in this town. Half of them seemed to have been born and raised here and never left, while the other half seemed to have stumbled here by mistake or fate like him. "I arrived here in late November, so it's been about two months, give or take a week. It's beginning to feel like home much faster than I expected. How have you found it here?"

Vera stopped in the middle of the path to fix her ponytail. She was making the most of having a day off from school and from work. It was nice to just breathe. And that meant in taking in the salty air. But she wasn't going to complain. It was nice and relaxing. So she had no reason to stay put on a nice day out like this. Something rare in the middle of winter, and she did love it.

She smiled. "Hey, welcome to town. I'm Vera," she nodded. She was always happy to make new friends. Having been in town for about a year now, she was more familiar with her surroundings. "I did! It was a lot of fun. I think it's one of the best events in town that I've been to so far. And I've been here only a little more than a year," she grinned wider. "Nice to meet you, Luca." she said. "How long have you been in town for?"

[lucayxng]

A little smile graced his mouth as he watched her skim her hands along the top of the plants. It was a sweet gesture, one that gave Luca the impression that she was a kind sort of person, someone who probably cared about the little things, like the feel of plants against your fingers. He nodded as she spoke about her family. "Do you enjoy living so close to your family?" Luca absolutely could not understand willingly residing in the same town as your family, but then he didn't have the best relationship with his. He wondered what it was like to have your family close as an adult. He imagined it was nice. "I grew up in a small town in England, in fact, but I moved to St Andrews for university when I was seventeen, so it was my home for ten years. I do travel quite a bit for my job, but never for long. Until now, that is."

"Olivia," she answered as he asked about her name being short for something. "No one really calls me that, though. Not that I don't like it or anything, it's just one of those names that was used in school and at work, you know?" She figured that a lot of people could relate to that when it came to nicknames. As they walked along, she reached down to run her fingers along the tops of some plants that had made it through the winter so far, letting out a soft laugh, "I do, yeah. My family is here. Mom, dad, siblings, aunts, uncles, lots of friends. Some that I even grew up with, so it just feels nice to be home." For as much as she had loved San Francisco, she couldn't imagine making her life out there. "I think so. I'm in a good place in my life."

"Oh, wow!" she looked over at him as he mentioned being from Scotland, the similarities between St. Andrews and Merrock, understanding how someone could think that. Merrock was a beach town, sure, but it was the kind of beach town that was picturesque and quaint. "Are you from St. Andrews, originally? Or are you the kind of person that travels quite a bit?"

[lucayxng]

"excuse me," luca called out to a man passing by the beach, hoping his voice would travel far enough to be heard. he was standing on some rocks amongst a collection of rock pools, a little lopsided although the reason why wouldn't become clear until he walked closer and saw that luca had tripped and lodged his leg between two rocks. he had his hands cupped to his chest and a bag strewn on the rocks behind him. luca watched the man, trying to get his attention and hoping he would come and help.

@mcteofuentes

[lucayxng]

one of luca's favourite things about merrock was simply the incredible range of places to explore. from cafes to art galleries to parks and back again, there really was no shortage of new places to explore on his lunch breaks. after demolishing a small portion of fish and chips from & chips, luca had wandered down through the coastal area and decided to take a look through from brush to canvas. it was one of those places that he had been meaning to check out for a little while now but hadn't found the time to. since he had an extended lunch break today, he took his time, looking at some of the art and then at some of the leaflets by a counter. he looked up and noticed a man nearby. the man looked like he worked there, but luca wasn't entirely certain. he hesitated for a minute, trying to decide whether it was worth bothering him, but he shut up his thoughts and forced himself to take a few steps closer to the man. "hello. i'm sorry to bother you, but do you work here?"

@owenryder

[lucayxng]

Luca nodded at her description of the party, a small smile on his lips. He imagined that most of the parties she had attended had been college parties with people of a similar age, rather than the type of party the people of this town appeared to throw. "Graduate school? What are you studying?" That perked his interest. Having a PhD himself led him to be quite interested in other people pursuing an education after their Bachelor's. "I arrived in December, so I have been here only a couple of months."

"I've been to a few other fancy parties," Iris explained. "But this was maybe one of the fanciest, definitely the most slow dancing of any party." She pulled out her mittens to pull them on, in order to cope with the cold. "A few years now, actually. I moved to get a bit away from my parents when I started grad school, even though that was online. How recently did you arrive?"

[lucayxng]

Luca reached out to shake JC's hand and returned the smile. There was something about the man that felt familiar to Luca, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Ah, it is unfortunate when work comes between you and free food. I had a similar problem. Where do you work?" He considered JC's question briefly, looking out at the view from the top of the cliffs. "Well, the views are certainly nothing to scoff at. Have you lived here long?"

JC turned his head a smile quickly spending across his features at the other beside him. "Hey." Hearing the name he nodded and let out a soft chuckle. "It's nice to meet you Luca." With him traveling back and forth in the last week for his work he hadn't gotten a chance to get a run in around the cliffs. "I'm JC." His hand stretched out for the other to take. He had heard the name and something about a second marine biologist in town but wasn't a hundred percent sure if his companion was the one that was talked about. Though he only worked part time at the conservatory he always seemed to be in the loop with the latest developments. At the question he nodded. "Yeah. I did though had to cut out early. Work beckoned. But it was a lovely time. From that I gather you didn't get to go? How are you liking the town?"

[lucayxng]

For a moment, Luca wondered if the man would respond at all. Perhaps he had miscalculated in approaching Mr-Vaguely-Dark-And-Broody. Thankfully it was but a moment before Dane spoke and Luca let out the breath he had been holding, grateful that he wasn't going to have to navigate that extremely awkward social situation. What would he have even done if the man hadn't responded? Luca shook that thought away and held his hand out to shake Dane's. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dane," Luca said politely. "I didn't get the chance to attend the gala, no, but I heard good things. What is your type of night, if you don't mind me asking?"

The closer he was to the ocean and the better Dane felt. There was something peaceful about the cliff. Some kind of haven he could go to whenever he felt like reconnecting with himself. He wasn't one to talk about those moments when his brain would focus on something that had happened in the past. Truth be told, Dane was too proud for that. Yet, keeping it silent didn't make it any less real. So in those times, he had only one way to get rid of the feeling: going in or near the water. He was smoking there, the nicotine stick stuck between his lips, when another person showed up and came closer, introducing themselves. For a second, Dane remained silent. He wasn't used to the way people would just go and talk to someone else in town. "Nope", he replied eventually, "galas aren't exactly my type of night. I assume you didn't go either." Then, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to be social, his hand left his pocket and Dane held it out to the other man. "I'm Dane."

[lucayxng]

Luca was careful not to stray into Cori's personal space, aiming to present himself as a potential acquaintance rather than a threat. He reached his hand to shake hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Cori." He tucked his hands back into the pockets of his jacket. "I was unfortunately waylaid at work, so I didn't get the chance to experience it, but I heard it was an incredible night. Are there similar events often in Merrock, do you know?"

Corrine had decided to venture on a walk up by the cliffs after a late lunch at Sandcastles. She had been minding her own business, enjoying the view, when she felt someone approaching. She turned only for the other to catch up to her. While she maintained a degree of distance, Cori smiled over. As Luca introduced himself, she softened her posture, "No worries, I'm Cori." It took her a moment to respond to the second question. "I did. I have to say it was a good time. It doesn't sound like you had the chance to join?"

[lucayxng]

Luca smiled in return. "Was that your first gala here in Merrock?" He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and continued walking down the cliff path, matching his pace with Iris. "Thank you. I hope so. How long have you lived here?"

By some cruel fate, Iris's last semester of grad school had started on the Monday after the Crystal Gala. She'd needed some fresh air to get her head in the right mood to go back to online learning and writing papers, after a few weeks off to relax for the holidays. It was cold by the sea, between Merrock's usual winter chill and the wind, but she was mostly used to it now.

"Oh, hey," she said, turning into a smile when the stranger spoke. "I'm Iris, it's nice to meet you. It was a great event, yeah, still a bit worn out from it, but good. You're going to love this place."