runningincirclesx

[runningincirclesx]

His chocolate eyes stayed upon his friend as she sat and mulled over his words, he assumed. Not that he thought he was philosophical in any sense of the word, but people often thought about what he had to say. Which was good, considering it was his job to give advice when asked. His tongue ran idly along his bottom as Parker spoke before he frowned a bit more. She had a point... He couldn't imagine what it would be like to seeing your friends wind up in a place like that. Alex wouldn't even know what he would do, frankly.

"I think it's a stem off of fear, don't you?" Alex asked, more or less rhetorically, "I would fear something like that, at least. And it's...definitely valid. You've seen more than a lot of people and that's something you have to deal with on a daily basis." He paused for a moment, "But perhaps you can take that feeling and put into something else?" The man offered with a raise of his brow, "Perhaps determination." If there was anyone who could figure out what was going on, it was sure Parker. She was a smart cookie, there was no doubt about that.

Parker has never been afraid of Tonopah or the gangs that ran the streets. She’d grown up surrounded by them. Had, at one point, been ready to pledge her life to the Sons. Jackson’s death had ripped her apart at the seams and she’d been unable to find it in herself to continue down that path without him, the pain of it too much to handle. There was no part of her that had ever been afraid the violence or possibility of death… the problem was for as long as she could remember, there had hardly ever been incidents like the last two town events. She’d never known either gang to declare war so publicly. And in the case of the Bike Festival, with such a high chance of civilian casualties. Also the fact that she knew the Sons hadn’t had anything to do with Enrique dying, and all the evidence that seemed to point the LB having setting off the bomb, ending up going nowhere… something else was going on and Parker didn’t couldn’t figure out the end goal. Only that things kept getting worse. That was what had her on edge, that each event has escalated in some way and now so many residents were gathered in one place, devastation could reign down at any moment. Parker was also not ready for the next body to enter her lab to be someone she knew, someone she considered family. “It’s not…I don’t know if it’s fear exactly.” She tilted her head, it wasn’t fear for herself at least, “I don’t want another person I know laying in my lab.”

[runningincirclesx]

He could tell Cole wasn't necessarily comfortable being there... He never had been, but that was understandable. It was hard being vulnerable and coming to a therapist often meant you had to do that. It was just a huge step for Cole to actually set up an appointment and actually show up. When Alex brought it up to him at New Years, he didn't actually expect him to do anything with it. But Alex was happy about it. He followed the male into his office and he smiled, "I'm well!" The therapist exclaimed, "Glad to see you! Truly. Go ahead and take a seat. Make yourself comfortable. I can take your jacket and hang it up if you'd like." He smiled.

Walking over towards his mini fridge, the male bent over and grabbed out a couple of water bottles before he wandered over, passing one over to Cole. He learned over his years of therapy that sometimes, just having a bottle water to sip on was helpful, "I also have some snacks if you want something else." Stepping towards his own chair, Alexander sat down with a quiet groan (he was getting old) and he folded one leg over the other, "How are you doing, Cole?" He asked, figuring he could start with something easy.

When he’d told Aria on New Year’s Eve that his resolution was to be a better man, Cole had meant it. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure where to begin in accomplishing that, but the short and long of it was that he was floundering on the path he was currently on. That alone warranted some sort of change– a shift in his behavior. Hardly anything he was doing made him feel better and so that was why he’d finally decided that talking to someone outside of his usual circle might benefit him. A fresh perspective could challenge him to look at his situation in a brand new light, if he only opened himself up to it. And so there he was, in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting a chance to pick Alex’s brain, although he had no real clue where to even start.

Snapping out of his steady train of thoughts once Alex’s voice cut through, Cole glanced up and slowly rose from his seat, “Uh, yeah–,” he answered, nodding firmly despite being wholly unsure of himself and his entire venture. Not exactly meeting the other man’s gaze, he stepped into his office– not an entirely unfamiliar scene. He’d sat there plenty of times before, years ago when the courts had required him to…but never by his own volition. Taking a seat, he cleared his throat, “How ya doin’, Doc?” He started, keeping his tone  as light as he could despite his own reservations.

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"Yeah, yeah, sure. Okay." Alex said, trying his best to keep his stammer under control, "Come on in." He offered her first entrance into his office and he closed the door behind her. His hands rubbed together a bit nervously for a few moments before he walked over towards his small refrigerator and grabbed out a few bottles of water, then followed her over towards the couch. What did she have to tell him that would be so bad that he wouldn't want to go out with her afterwards? It had been so long... Alex just wanted to catch up.

Sitting down, he passed one of the bottles over towards her and he turned his body towards her, nodding, "Of course." He said, allowing her the time to speak and explain what was, clearly, on her mind. It was been so prevalent that she had to find him at work and discuss it with him. Again, unexpected. But it wasn't a bad thing, right?

Alex's eyes stayed upon his high school sweetheart as she spoke, taking in each and every word she said. Suddenly, everything made sense. She was pregnant. With...his child. It took just about everything out of him not to widen his eyes to the size of saucers at that realization. She was forbidden from seeing him. That also tracked. Her family hated him because he was raised by lesbians. And for that reason, he was never able to see Penelope again? Until now? That just broke his heart all over again, "Penny." He said softly, his eyes soft, "You don't have to apologize. I'm sorry that happened." He really was. He couldn't imagine doing that alone... "You were pregnant?" That was just baffling to him but then again, it shouldn't have surprised him. They weren't necessarily careful, were they? "D-Did you...did you keep the baby?" He asked.

The stutter she had been familiar with when they were younger slipped back into his speech and Penelope found her smile growing ever so slightly. It had been something he was never quite happy with, but she had always found it endearing because in a way it was like him wearing his emotions on his sleeve. "I have all the time in the world for you," she assured him, grateful that he wasn't upset with her for surprising him and wanting to kick her out. She wasn't sure she would have been able to handle it had he done so, but she would have understood it, known his anger would've been justified with the way she'd left with absolutely no warning. "It might be better to talk here first, and then... I guess depending on how the conversation goes, we can go out?"

A part of her worried that having to explain the reasoning behind why she'd left would cause a completely different reaction, and she didn't want to take him somewhere public where he couldn't genuinely express what he was feeling about the news. She followed his lead to his office, taking a seat on the plush couch and taking in a deep breath. Where to even begin? "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but I want to explain a few things first, if that's okay?" she looked at him, waiting for the go ahead before she spoke again. "I never meant to leave you without any explanation. It... it wasn't my choice. My parents, they forced me to leave with them because..." she trailed, biting her lip. "Do you remember I wasn't feeling very well for a few weeks? Mami took me to the doctor and that's how we found out... I was pregnant. They were livid, even more so when I told them it was yours." He'd been familiar with her parents' distaste for Alex's family dynamic, the reason why they'd had to sneak around to begin with. "They didn't give me a chance to tell you anything. They pulled me out of school, forbade me from leaving the house until they were able to move us out of Tonopah Falls. If I could've told you they were making me leave, I would have. I'm so sorry you went this long without answers."

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He nodded and smiled, "Y-Yes, sure. Let's go." Wherever Mikayla wanted to go, Alex was happy with. He wasn't that picky of an eater, and he could really find something anywhere he went, anyway. Holding onto the strap of his bag as he walked, Alexander began to lead the way down the street towards the chosen cafe. He wasn't quite sure what to talk about with her but that never stopped Alex in the past with anything, "Where do you work?" He asked. He had been almost everywhere in town. He was sure he had swung by her place several times.

He was silent for a few moments before he spoke up again, a smile crossing his lips, "How are you...dealing with everything?" Alex wasn't trying to pry but considering she just had quite the bomb dropped on her, he wanted to make sure that he was okay and coping with things the best she could, "If you don't mind me asking." He mentioned quickly, not wanting to step on any toes or anything.

From their brief interaction on New Year's Eve, Alex seemed like a genuine person, but it was difficult for Mikayla not to feel suspicious of his good-natured persona. In her experience, someone could be the most pleasant person until they got what they wanted out of you and then they'd change their tune. If they got to know each other, would that happen? Was this his true self or was there another version of the man underneath?

She shook her head, trying to banish the thoughts from her mind. He'd given her no reason to distrust him thus far; the least she could do was give him a chance before jumping to conclusions. "I don't really eat out a whole lot, honestly. I'm usually working late, so I'll grab something from work before I leave or reheat leftovers." She felt embarrassed even admitting that out loud. "I've been wanting to try Mon Cœur Café, though? We could go there?"

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When Alex had the time, he loved to go out to eat for lunch instead of staying cooped up inside his office. Today was one of those lucky days. However, he had a client in an hour or so and he knew that he should head back so that he could prepare a bit for their session. Alex had asked them to prepare some goals that they wanted to accomplish by speaking with him and those were always interesting sessions to do. He never really knew what to expect.

Standing up from his table after paying, he stepped outside the diner and was greeted by a familiar face. Immediately, Alex smiled and he turned his head to look back at the establishment, "Oh...no." The man said softly, frowning, "I didn't see her in there. Were you supposed to meet up with her?" He asked, suddenly worried that something had happened. That was just Alex's natural reaction, however, to most things. Worry. "Want some help looking for her?" He asked, "I have some time."

WHO: @runningincirclesx LOCATION: Outside of Cozy Corner Diner

Beau wasn't even sure if Hallie was working a shift that day or if she was at one of her other millions of jobs, but he hadn't heard from her and he was concerned, to say the least. After the falling out with Nate, it was hard not to be. He made his way up the sidewalk towards the diner and peeked up through the windows, humming low in his throat when he realized how awful a vantage point that proved to be. He heard the door to the diner open and he glanced over, spotting the other man leaving the building. "Hey Doc," he greeted with a grin. It was hard not to know who Alexander Morales was around town, especially both of them having grown up in the same town all their lives. "You wouldn't happen to have seen my sister in there, would you? Hallie? Tall blonde?"

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Are you dating because you want to find love or because you're just afraid of being alone?

"Am I actually dating someone?" Alex asked with a laugh, "But, when I am dating someone, it's for a myriad of reasons. Of course, I want to find love. Everyone does. Love is something that is so pure in the world that I believe it's something everyone should chase and experience."

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Who was the last person you held hands with?

Alex hummed softy as he thought about it and smiled, "Penelope." Just her name made him smile.

@penelopebeaumont

[runningincirclesx]

He truly couldn't believe that Penelope was standing before him. It had been so fucking long...but that hole in his heart had never really recovered, as sad as that was to say. They had met when they were so young but that didn't mean anything to him. He truly believed in his heart of hearts that Penelope was who he was supposed to be with all his life. Not that he would ever say that out loud. Not now, at least. That would just have her running again, now wouldn't it?

"It's appreciated." Alex laughed out and adjusted his glasses (a habit of his), "Not that...I'm not happy to see you, of course. It's just...wow." Swallowing a lump that had suddenly grown in his throat, he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as he rubbed her back softly, "It is really good to see you." He sighed out.

Slowly, he pulled himself back and smiled again before he nodded his head, "Do you w-w-want to talk?" Alex asked, stepping back and pointing towards his office, "Do you have time?" He asked, tilting his head a bit, "Or did you want to g-go somewhere?" His stutter was clearly acting up. It did whenever he was nervous or excited. And right now? He was a mix of both. So very happy to see Penelope but also nervous. What brought Penny back after all this time? Was everything okay?

Penny's heart skipped a beat the moment her eyes landed on Alex. He looked different now -- finally able to grow a full beard that hid his smile lines she'd loved so much -- and it only highlighted the stretch of time between when they had last seen each other. They had been children compared to now, but the butterflies awoke from their hibernation all the same.

"It's me," she replied, offering up a soft smile. She hesitated before taking a few steps forward. She wanted to close the space between them, pull him into her arms and hold him for the rest of her life, but she couldn't judge how he was truly feeling about her presence and didn't want to risk misreading the situation. His laughter and wide eyes could be incredulity or joy; she really couldn't be sure.

"When I looked you up, I saw you had a practice in the area," she began to explain, "and I wanted to wait until the end of the day just in case... in case me showing up wasn't a pleasant surprise." It was a statement as much as a question. Was he happy to see her or would he send her out the door?

[runningincirclesx]

Special Delivery for @colemonroe

After New Years, Cole had been on Alex's mind. Quite a bit. He was concerned about the man, to put it simply. He wasn't much for talking and he wondered just what was going on in that mind of his. The man mentioned wanting to meet up with Alex and actually talking, which surprised the hell out of him but he never expected an appointment to actually be made. So, when he saw Cole's name on his list today, he about fell over. The man was really making some big strides.

Cole was his last appointment of the day since it was, technically, Alex's early day. On Tuesdays, he only took appointments until one so that he could catch up on paperwork from the week before. Having Cole come in last was a good thing in case they went over. Turning to his betta fish, Ronnie, Alex spoke, "Make a good impression, alright?" Walking towards his door, he opened it up and stepped out into the lobby, smiling, "Cole? You all set?" He asked, stepping aside so that the man could enter if he wanted and was ready.

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It had been a busy day at the office. He tended to over book himself because the last thing he wanted was to turn someone away who needed him. Alex would wear himself so thin and then he would exhaust himself. It was just how it worked. But it was worth it because he was helping people. That was all Alex ever wanted. He wanted people to know that they had someone there for them, even if it was just their therapist.

Running his hands down his face after finishing up his paperwork for the day, Alex stood up and threw his jacket on, followed by his bag, then walked out of his office. After closing the door and turning off all the lights, he exited the establishment, locking the main door as well. Turning when he heard someone clear their throat, his brow furrowed the moment he saw it was Mikayla. His eyes widened, "Hi! No, no. You're fine. Don't worry about it." Alex smiled, "It's...good to see you." It really was. Mikki had been on his mind since New Years, to be frank. But he was giving her the space she required.

Her suggestion did come to a surprise to him but Alex couldn't deny he was excited, "Oh...yes! That would be great." He smiled, "Did you have a place in mind?" Alex asked as he approached his daughter, "What's your favorite place in town?"

WHO: @runningincirclesx LOCATION: In Session Counseling

It had been about a month since Mikayla had met her father for the first time, and it had taken her nearly that long to force the narrative she'd crafted over the majority of her life with regard to her paternity out of her mind. All of her life, she'd believed that her father -- whoever he was -- had known about her and decided he didn't want to be in her life, and that had been flipped on its head. The cognitive dissonance had been difficult to process. She found herself outside of In Session Counseling shortly after closing, uncertainty freezing her on the pavement. That dissonance wouldn't get any better if she continued to avoid the problem, but her nerves were getting the better of her. What if she didn't end up liking him? What if he got to know her and did decide he wanted nothing to do with her? The door opening startled her out of her thoughts and she watched as Alex stepped out and locked up behind him before clearing her throat. "Hi." She bit her lip. "I know I'm... catching you off guard, but I thought maybe we could get dinner or something."

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Alex never minded talking and listening to someone. Sure, it was his job to do so but that didn't mean anything. Therapist Alex and Friend Alex were two different people. Though, sometimes, yes, they did mix and mingle. But Parker was his friend. He wanted to make sure she was okay and he from her words, she wasn't. What kind of a friend would he be if just let her suffer in her own mind? The answer was simple: he wouldn't be one. Pulling the masquerade mask off, he set it down softly onto the table and leaned back into his seat, listening as she spoke.

His head nodded. Parker had a point. The last events in town had ended in travesty. She was extremely valid in her feelings. Alex's brown eyes shifted through the party, and he wondered how many people felt the same way. He was sure it was on everyone's mind. Frowning a bit, he turned back to Parker, "Unfortunately, it's something we have to worry about living where we do..." Alex mentioned, "I think it's just something we have to keep in the back of our minds but we can't let it stop us from enjoying the moment." He offered, "If we let fear run our lives, then we'd never get anything done."

“Sweet is definitely the word I’d use. Nothing wrong with corny though, as long as you’re happy who cares if someone thinks it’s corny?” And maybe it was just because Parker had long stop caring what others thought of her. She was confident in who she was… even if she still struggled with the sexual confidence thing, the point being she’d been the freaky girl with the fascination with death and bones. Letting go of other people’s perspective of her was an imperative to surviving high school. She smiled as Alex offered her a seat. A smile that became slightly strained at his question. It wasn’t so much that the question itself bothered her, or even that Alex asked it. It was that sometimes she felt like she took advantage of her friend’s job, without meaning to. He was always a good sounding board but she also felt like she cheated him sometimes because she was out here getting free therapy sessions… or at least it felt that way sometimes. “It’s nothing to serious just… the last two town events have ended in someone dying.” Multiple someone’s dying last time. People she’d known for ages, who had been in her life since she was a child. People who were brother in arms with her father. “The night has been going so well so far it just feels like we’re on a knife’s edge.”

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He nodded softly, "That is a benefit." Alex mentioned. The less those mortal enemies were in the same room together, the better, he felt. However, he was sure that was it was hard on Cassie, especially if they were as close to her as she was saying. Having to keep two important people in your life separate was difficult and it weighed heavily upon the middleman's shoulders. Alex hoped she realized that. But it wasn't much of his place to say. As she continued, the man listened and nodded, allowing her to speak before he chimed back in, "I didn't necessarily mean have them speak to each other." Alex mentioned, "More...have you spoke to them about this situation?"

Settling into his seat more as Cassie sat down beside him, Alex folded his hands neatly into his lap, taking in her words. He assumed that the two were in the rival gangs in the city. That could make for a very tumultuous situation, so he could understand why she felt the way she felt. Alex frowned a bit at her next statement as he adjusted the mask on his face. He didn't have his glasses on, so it was the next best thing, "That is an understandable fear." He said softly, "Do you know what you will do if you have to?" Alex asked, tilting his head a bit.

"If I'm being candid, it's very rare that they're in the same place at the same time, let alone the same room." Cassie guessed during events like these is when Matias and Cole were in the vicinity of each other. But really, she knew nothing of what they were like before moving back to town. Cassie guessed the two men avoided each other like the plague. Now, with their mutual connection being her, it was possible their paths would be crossing more often than they both wanted. The night in front of the Griffith was a prime example of what she didn't want to happen again. "Talking isn't really an option for them. At least not now, anyway." Cassie let out a sigh as she took a seat next to Alex. "I'm not ignorant of their history. I don't know much about it, but what I do know is they've both kind of been taught to not like the other." In a sense. "And the things that have been happening in town aren't helping. I don't know." Cassie shrugged. "I guess I'm just afraid I'll be forced to pick sides eventually." Cassie knew neither Cole nor Matias would put that decision on her. No, her fear was feeling the tension too often or overthinking herself into thinking that was her only decision.

[runningincirclesx]

Oscar Isaac photographed by Erik Tanner for The New York Times

[runningincirclesx]

Taking a sip of his drink, his brown eyes fell upon the woman as she spoke. Slowly, he lowered the drink and pulled himself onto the stool, sitting down. His leg folded over the other, idly licking his lips. He wasn't sure what he was expecting the question to be, but it wasn't that. The therapist took a breath, and he shook his head a bit, "Well, I think the first thing I would ask them is if it's necessary for those two close to being mortal enemies to be in the same room as one another." He said, his brow raising, "Then I would ask if that person has talked about the situation with either of them."

"'ppreciate it." And she truly did. Any time someone could cut in and play Devil's Advocate or spare a word of advice was something Cassie needed more than she liked to admit. Being almost forty, she believed having all the answers at this point in life would've been her saving grace; that wasn't the case, not by a long shot. Taking the offered Coke, the woman took a quick sip. "What advice would you give someone who had two people in their lives that they cared deeply for - but those two people were ..." Cassie paused to find the right word. "Close to being mortal enemies?"

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Alex had trained his face to remain neutral as he spoke to people. It was part of his job and he just used it in real life too. When Cole actually spoke and revealed that the last few months had been weird, Alex was shocked. That was more than the man had said their entire therapy sessions. Maybe, just maybe, the man was interested in talking to him. Not just as a client, but as a friend. That was pretty exciting, Alex had to admit, "Yeah?" He asked softly, "Weird can be difficult navigate." The man said with a nod, adjusting his glasses, "Good weird?" He asked, raising his brow.

The next question was an even bigger surprise. Alex's brows raised and he cleared his throat, nodding, "Yeah...yeah, of course, Cole." He said with a nod and a smile, "Whenever you want. You have my number." Alex had given it to the man their first session. He told him that if he needed to talk, whenever it was, he would be there to listen and he meant that. And while he was curious, Alex didn't press the matter. Cole would reach out when he was ready.

Nodding, Cole offered up a warm smile. It wasn’t all that often that good things happened to good people, and so he was happy to learn that something good seemed to be unfolding for Alex. Sure, Cole barely knew him– something that was Cole’s own fault– but the biker knew enough to know that Alex Morales was a good man. He wouldn’t have been so patient with Cole if he wasn’t. “I might’ve gone,” he chuckled, even though deep down Cole knew it would have been a cold day in hell before he showed his face at a Tonopah High prom, “I spent my prom gettin’ shitfaced out at Stargaze,” he divulged with another laugh, shrugging his shoulders. 

Catching Alex’s smile, Cole only smirked wider. There was so much more beneath the sentiment the biker had used, but he wasn’t about to elaborate. Instead, he thought about Alex’s question and hummed low, shaking his head, “Won’t lie, it’s been a weird last couple months,” he admitted, easing out a soft sigh. Between finding out who his father was to then murdering said father, Cole could hardly remember a time in his life where he felt worse. Add that to the growing shitpile of gang violence in Tonopah and he was practically at his wit’s end. He did well to hide it, but he was teetering dangerously close to his breaking point. Swallowing thickly, he glanced over at Alex,  “Actually, I was wonderin’ if I could pick your brain sometime. Not now– don’t wanna dampen the mood– but…sometime?”

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DILFGIFS 20K EVENT: FAVORITE DILF ROLE PER MEMBER ↳ OSCAR ISAAC in SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (2021) - Michi (@anthonysperkins)