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[safiadecastilla]

LOCATION: Bare Necessities

WITH: @bodexjames

Safia's shift had ended over an hour ago, and yet she remained in the girls' dressing room, pacing back and forth. She had seen the man with the blonde ponytail and neck tattoos before, in a very poignant time in her life. When the loan sharks her brother had messed around with had sat down with her to break a deal for his overwhelming debt. But why was he here, now? Was it because her brother's parole hearing was only around the corner? It all seemed too coincidental, and frankly, Safia didn't want the confrontation, especially not on her own.

And yet for some reason, she leaped for the safety of someone she hadn't seen or spoken to in years. But she knew he was back in town, and she knew that if she called, he would answer.

Or at least she hoped, as the ringing tone echoed through the ear piece of her phone. "C'mon Bode, pick up..." Safia exhaled as she nervously chewed at her thumb.

[safiadecastilla]

"Yes but, I'm proud of you for setting your own boundaries, and proud of him for respecting them. You guys sound like actual goals, I'm jealous." Safia sighed airily, resting her chin upon the palm of her hand. "Maybe... Maybe your brain slapped a big fat no on him so it was giving you reasons to hate him, but now you've opened yourself up to the idea and it's like you opened the floodgates and out comes all these emotions and feelings. Just don't get caught out by the honeymoon period." she warned Hazal, lazily pointing her index finger. "She can be a real bitch sometimes. And we wanna make sure these feelings you've got are legit." because at the end of the day, all Safia wanted was for Hazal to be happy and safe, whoever she was with. "He's gonna have to live with my parents again until he's back on his feet which let's be honest, can sometimes be as bad as prison when you're an adult." Safia chuckled lightly. She couldn't even imagine moving back home with her parents, she enjoyed her freedom with Donnie too much. "I just hope he can stay out of trouble this time, y'know?" she chewed lightly on her lower lip.

"It does," she nodded, "He's good to me and taking things slow is hard when all I can think of is him. Who knew dating could be this complicated?" Hazal sighed, frustration and contentment in her tone of voice. She took another sip of her mango bubble slush, as she pondered her situation. “It's funny. I spent so much time hating Lincoln, convinced he was this awful person. And now..." she trailed off, a small smile playing on her lips. "I can't imagine my day without talking to him. It's like he's become this essential part of my life so quickly." Then again, she had no clue he was going to be such a great boyfriend. "You’re not wrong though, I do deserve to be happy. And I’m enjoying the ride. Let’s just hope shit doesn’t hit the fan." God, she hoped not. "Not gonna lie, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to go wrong. But it hasn’t happened. Maybe this is just what it feels like when things are right." Since she was so close to Alara, she could imagine the excitement Safia was feeling. "That's wonderful news about your brother. I hope the hearing goes well and he gets paroled.” She nodded, “Yeah, I would go stir crazy if touch wood,” she knocked on the table, “I ever land up in prison.”

[safiadecastilla]

"Yes, you." Safia confessed with a warm smile and a quiet chuckle. "Don't worry, I'll have you out of your shell in no time, I have a certain way with people. Just a few solo classes with me and you'll have every man and woman in this town dropping their jaws at the way you can move." she explained before leaning in slightly closer to him. "Because yes, I'm that good." Safia had always believed that dancing was 80% confidence and just 20% skill, and she was a strong believer in faking it until you make it. "How about I just tell you a day and a time-" she stretched her arm over the reception desk to grab a business card and a pen. "And you be there." she held out the business card with her writing on it in between her index and middle finger, her eyebrow quirking like a challenge. "I spend a lot of time with people, I like to think I can tell a lot just by eye contact and body language." after all, it was all she had to go by when working at Bar Necessities. "Your business?" this peaked her interest. "What do you do?"

The woman in front of him was definitely doing a great job of trying to sell him on the whole ‘scary things being exciting' and while he wouldn't admit it right now--she was right. He’d done a lot of rather terrifying things and almost all of it had helped him along in life. Still he liked the idea of one-on-one lessons because that meant he'd only be embarrassing himself in front of one person rather than the entire class. “You mean me," he chuckled as she spoke about the people those classes were best for. At her question, he couldn't help the crooked smile as he admitted he had no clue what he wanted to try. "Maybe you can suggest something then because I have no idea what I'd even be remotely good at," he grinned at her before nodding at her words about thinking he was going to end up being a good dancer. Someone having that faith in him was nice even if he was skeptical to believe it himself. “You got all that in the three minutes we've been talking? I'm impressed...I might be able to use someone like you in my business," he chuckled as he leaned against the desk this time, looking over the timetable of different classes offered.

[safiadecastilla]

"Well you and I have always been of the same mindset." Safia explained matter-of-factly, a gentle shrug in her shoulders. "We're the cut the crap and cut to the chase kind of people." frankly, life just sometimes felt easier that way. It meant there was no animosity, and everyone knew where they stood. "Damn, what is it with everyone around me taking things slow." first Hazal deciding not to have sex with her boyfriend, and now Kye. "Maybe I should try the whole taking it slow thing." Safia mused briefly. "Who knows? Maybe playing the long game might land me a hot husband hell bent on wooing me." she joked, flashing Kye a teasing wink. "That's the plan." Safia sighed gently, thankful that the round of shots was over despite it being her idea. "Although, both you and I know that trying to keep my brother on the straight and narrow is like a full time job at this point." she adored her younger brother, but he was definitely a handful... Moreso than herself. "You been to see him yet since moving here? I know he'd love to see you." for Tomas, any connection to the outside world was good.

"Not gonna lie, I would rather do it your way too," Kye admitted with a sly grin. The thought of sleeping with Josephine crossed his mind briefly before he shook his head slightly. Sex with her would be...nope, not going there tonight. He would only be left frustrated as hell. He motioned to the bartender for a beer before turning back to Safia. "Anyway, going that route wouldn't bode well for me, so I'm taking things slow." He took a pull from the bottle as she mentioned her brother's upcoming parole hearing. "That's good news about your brother, right? He'll be out and you can keep an eye on him?” Once more, he felt a little guilty. "Just make sure he stays on the straight and narrow when he gets out. Last thing he needs is to slip back into old habits." He gave her a pointed look over the rim of the bottle. While he had encouraged the guy to make some risky bets to further his own con, he wasn't completely heartless. Families sticking together was important, even if he didn't have much experience with that himself.

[safiadecastilla]

"Pft, c'mon. You're not going to fall." she reminded him, giving a gentle tug on their ropes to double and tripe check they were all safe. "You've got to have some faith in your partner." Safia grinned, knowing that she was the one in control of his ropes, and vice versa. "Do we really have to do one of those trust falls to prove you're good?" she teased gently, although fully ready to do so if that made Matias more comfortable. "Would it make you feel better if I told you I've never done this before either?" Safia had always told herself that her thirties was going to be full of new experiences.

OPEN STARTER @ THE GRIP FACTORY

this was his first time giving this whole thing a go but when the other invited him out, he wasn't the type to tell them no. after all, wilmington was the place he'd started over and the only person he remembered having back in new mexico was his late wife. that's now how he wanted things to go this time around. as finished putting on the harness, he turned toward his company. "alright, so you can't laugh if i fall. i told you i've never done this before. i am pretty much fully prepared to embarrass myself though."

[safiadecastilla]

"Scary doesn't always mean something bad. It can be different, exciting." she reminded him, with an amused smile and a lightness to her voice. "We do, they're a little more pricey but sometimes it's worth it for those a little more... Tentative about stepping out of their comfort zone." she offered, knowing just how nerve-wracking it was to start something new. "What were you thinking of trying? It might be something I teach." Safia didn't just step out onto the stage and Bare Necessities and feel comfortable dancing, it came with practice, and time. "Oh yeah, and my radar is never wrong." she confessed with a chuckle. "I can tell by the way you hold yourself, the way you talk and move. You have confidence, and half the time that's all you need."

“Not really..I mean trying a new food isn't scary,” he countered before looking back at her when she spoke on it depending on the instructor he got. Meaning some of the people here were clearly the scary teachers and with his luck, that is who he'd be dealing with. “You guys offer one on one classes? That might honestly be more my thing, especially to start out." Once he felt comfortable enough maybe he could join a group class—if he lasted that long of course. Arnav watched her as she leaned against the desk and spoke to him about his body being able to move that way which had a small smile growing on his face. “Oh you think so, do you? How can you tell? Is there a certain radar you guys are blessed with?” 

[safiadecastilla]

"I don't have an opinion about it." she responded casually, her attention turning back to the fruit on display so that she appeared entirely aloof and disinterested to the man stood beside her. To the man who once could have asked anything of her, and she would have done it. But now, there was a solid wall forced between the two of them, from Safia herself, and she over the years she had tried with all her might to keep it there. "Why are you so defensive?" she pushed, a gentle frown upon her forehead as she tried to maintain her appearance of detachment.

Aaron's brows furrowed for a split second, taking the cue from her words and set tone how the conversation was going to go. So much for going the civil road, though he wasn't quite sure why he deserved the unpleasantness. He didn't reply to her total disregard of his question, instead crossing his arms at her chosen words. "I just might be. Question is, why do you have an opinion about it?" He countered, perhaps more harshly than he had originally intended, but if she was going to spew venom, he couldn't see why he had to hold back. Last time he held her emotions in consideration, he got ghosted for it. He wasn't going to expect anything different. @safiadecastilla

[safiadecastilla]

"It kinda freaks me out though." she confessed as she wrapped her arms around her chest tightly, her eyes peering past him into the darkness outside. "Almost feels like we're about to enter a horror movie, I don't know if I should be stashing food or finding a weapon." Safia joked lightly, knowing it was most likely her imagination running wild after watching one too many movies with Donnie late at night. "No, no, my brother- he's in prison." her brow furrowed slightly at her confession. She hated the judgement that could often follow because prison immediately made people think he was a criminal and a bad person, but he wasn't, he was just a victim to gambling and falling into the wrong crowd. "He only gets access to a phone at certain times so if I miss it this week then we have to wait until next time."

Dario laughed, shrugging as he tried to get a look outside. "It's pitch black out there though, maybe the entire town is just dark, right now. Which would explain no phones, maybe?" He offered as an explanation. Of all the times that he had been stuck at home, Dario was annoyed that it'd happened while stuck at a supermarket, but at least, he could talk or help other people. He arched an eyebrow, not entirely sure what she meant. "Were you stuck somewhere else before you got stuck here or how does that work?"

[safiadecastilla]

LOCATION: Bare Necessities

WITH: @parkersharpe

Safia had her suspicions that her brother's criminal friends would make an appearance the closer it got to his parole hearing, and that thought alone had put her on edge and slightly paranoid. It was difficult whilst on stage to really see the faces of the men peering up at her, the bright neon strobes often blurring their faces. But that one man with the ponytail... He looked familiar, maybe?

"Hey Parks-" Safia's break had just started as she leaned her forearms upon the bar. "That guy with the blonde ponytail and neck tattoo from earlier on, did he say anything to you?" it was likely that she was making a mountain out of a molehill but, she needed to know if they were tracking her.

[safiadecastilla]

The farmer's market was where Safia could aimlessly stroll around, oftentimes dragging Donnie along with her so they could buy things for the apartment or dinner that evening. It was where she could see herself as someone's wife who did yoga and pilates every other day, and drank green juice each morning - a very different version of who she was now. Safia had wandered off on her own after giving Donnie a list of items to keep him busy so she would live in her fantasy just a little while longer. Until - the way he spoke her name caused sharp shivers to spike her skin. She paused, her hand hovering for a moment as she swallowed heavily, willing herself to glance upwards. "I don't really think we need to do the how are you's, do we?" she offered, her lips pressing into a thin line as she mentally pleaded for Donnie to come and save her. Although she huffed a sigh to herself, knowing this was Aaron's way of navigating an awkward situation and Safia was just being stubborn. "What are you doing here? Inviting the future in-laws over for dinner?" she challenged.

Aaron began to regret his enthusiasm towards his fiancee that he would be able to remember what he had to get from the farmers market and he didn't need to write things down. After the leek, tomatoes and pumpkin, he was at a complete loss. He had to lick his wounds and text her that he had forgotten after all. With his eyes glued to his phone screen, he hadn't noticed he was in the close vicinity of the woman who had both set his heart alight as well as broken it in half in a short amount of time. It was upon seeing he stood near a stand with pears that he recalled it was an item on the list and reached for it, crossing hands with someone. Eyes widened slightly and he was taken aback when he saw who it was, a ghost from the past. "Safia." He uttered, clearing his throat. "How, uh.. How are you?" @safiadecastilla

[safiadecastilla]

Safia had noticed the man enter the reception area but didn't approach him just yet. She kept herself busy, but knew from the way he was lingering that he was watching the current class in action, weighing up whether or not it was for him. Finally, when he spoke, Safia turned to face him as if she hadn't been watching him the whole time. "Anything can be scary the first time you try it." she explained nonchalantly. "Although it really depends on the instructor you get. And if it's really terrifying, you can do one on one classes." Safia countered, leaning her petite frame against the edge of the desk. "Your body can move like that, trust me." she chuckled softly. "All you need to do is learn how to move it in that way, I can tell that you've got it in you."

closed for @safiadecastilla location: feel the beat dance studio

Arnav wasn't that much of a dancer, but he'd always wanted to learn. He kept putting it off though, month after month, year after year, but that day--he'd been walking past the studio in midtown and finally worked up the courage to step inside. He could see a class in session and so he hung back by the reception area, just watching and observing; truly feeling like a fish out of water before he turned to the person closest to him, "is it always so terrifying the first time you come to a class? Because not gonna lie, I don't think my body even moves like that."

[safiadecastilla]

"Well that's what makes it even better though, right? It was more of a natural progression for you guys, which means you're heading in the right direction. See, I seriously need to start taking a leaf from your book. My plan of action was literally sleep with him and find out, yours is way more sensible." Safia rolled her eyes at herself with a chuckle. "You're not crazy!" she was quick to remind Hazal. "Sometimes when it's right, it feels scary because we're so programmed to believe that we don't deserve anything good but you deserve to be happy, to feel like this is right for you." Safia's grin widened at her words, feeling thankful that Hazal's relationship with her boss was going well, and not in the other direction. "Well mine isn't as exciting as a hot new boyfriend," she flashed a quick wink. "But, my brother has a parole hearing coming up which means he might be coming home. Which is good, he needs to come home and just rest, you know? Prison is... Well, it's prison. It's suffocating." of course there was that lingering concern for her brother and his gambling addiction once he was released, because his behaviour had already gotten himself into one mess, Safia just hoped he had learned his lesson...

"I know," Hazal agreed, her cheeks turning the shade of a tomato. "I didn't plan it. It just happened." She took another sip of her drink as she collected her thoughts. “It is exciting. Terrifying, but exciting." He leaned back in her chair, her fingers tracing patterns on the condensation of her cup. "I'm just trying to be smart about it, you know? I mean, he's still my boss, and we’re being careful. I don't want to rush into anything without being sure it's real." The thought was there, yet her heart was telling her this was right. He might be the one. "But when we're together, it just feels... right. Like everything falls into place. Am I crazy for thinking this could actually work?" She shook the question aside before going on to ask, “now tell me good things are happening in your life. I need to hear that.” 

[safiadecastilla]

"There's just something about watching a guy in a rodeo that tells me he'd be able to throw me around the bedroom just the same, y'know?" Safia mused with a gentle sigh, forgetting for a moment that there were probably certain boundaries when it came to your brother's friends. Although said boundaries hadn't really stopped Safia before... But that was a whole other story. "Isn't that the answer to most things? To just get laid? And if it doesn't help things - hey, at least you got some." she laughed airily, knowing it was damn sure her first port of call of resolution before moving onto other measures. "Except what happens in Vegas now wears a wedding ring in Wilmington... Hmm, doesn't quite have the same ring to it." she teased Kye jokingly, nudging him with her shoulder. It was almost like muscle memory now to prep her tequila shot as she noticed the way Kye so easily knocked them back one after the other. "Except I can't seem to find anyone fun enough to cause a little mayhem with." she forced her lower lip out to sulk at her words. "Well if I keep taking these shots at this rate, I'll have no problem with that reputation of mine." and with her words she inhaled sharply for her fourth shot.

"Funny. Didn't see you as a cowboy type of girl," he said, teasingly. Kye chuckled at her quip about trying to "tame" his imprisoned father. The mental image was certainly an amusing one. Regarding his half-brother, he shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm working on loosening him up a bit. Guy needs to learn to live a little. If you ask me, I think he needs to get laid." Why else would he be so fucking cranky, right? "Hey, what happens in Vegas..." he trailed off with a wink. When she joked about swapping out his dad, he let out a bark of laughter. "I'll keep that in mind if things don't work out with the wife." Safia's confession that she was actually staying out of trouble for once piqued his interest. "No way, you're pulling my leg," he said with an incredulous look. "The Safia I know lives for causing a little mayhem." He licked the salt off his hand before downing another shot smoothly. "Well, we can't have that now, can we? A girl's gotta have her reputation." 

[safiadecastilla]

"Tell that to half the men in my phone." Safia groaned, rolling her eyes gently. Although when she found herself with Esra, who was trapped in a loveless marriage, it was a swift reminder of just how lucky she was to have no commitments. "What police? By that point we'd be fleeing to a European country." she sighed, teasing with a wide smile. Surely life would be simpler for the two of them if they just fled to France or Italy? Living on bread and beaches. "Yeah? And what are you going to win for me?" she teased Esra softly, nudging her with her shoulder as they trailed slowly along the beach.

"Anyone who doesn't is a certified idiot." Put bluntly, Esra didn't have an issue with Safia's chosen career path so long as she wasn't a danger to herself or others. To her husband and others in their circle amongst Wilmington's most affluent, spending time with the dancer could be seen as abnormal and below her, but she never felt that way. If anything, Saf might've been the truest person Esra had ever met. "If the police ask, I never heard you say that and I wasn't here." A slow smile began to pull its way across her lips. "But seriously, if you win me a bear I'll keep it on display in my room forever."

[safiadecastilla]

Most of the time whilst on stage, Safia had quite the trick for finding peace within her own mind, the faces of the customers she had to dance for blurring within seconds. It was how she got through most nights, by switching off and disappearing somewhere else within her mind. It was easier that way. But there were certain faces who slipped through, and his - his face had slipped through. She remembered him, even now.

"Why don't you ask for my name first, before my number?" Safia smiled with a quiet chuckle. He didn't even have her number in his phone and yet he had seen more of her skin than most, something that made her swallow down and press a smile onto her lips. "That seems a little less scary, huh?" she teased softly.

"C'mon," without hesitation, Safia took his hand and lead him through the sea of bodies ebbing and flowing to the band on stage. Once outside, she turned to face him, finally seeking those eyes she had found solace in. "There you are." with a quiet smirk within her gaze, she held out her lighter to him, her eyes not shifting once.

Could a voice be hot? Because she sounded hot? But the way he stuttered, the pause as realisation began to set in. And Olifer was pretty sure from that very moment he was fucked. And maybe that was the reason that Olifer froze in his step. Because she sounded just like — no, it couldn't be. But his mind, especially on the battlefield, had always been the one thing he could count on. And it was a voice he was pretty sure he'd never forget. Embarrassment leaking from every part of him as a groan formed on his lips.

Look me in the eye first. Ah, fuck.

He needed to say something, but his mind was blank so when he mouth parted and he word vomited..."But, if I look at you, and you're gorgeous..." his eyes lifted finally... "Ah, fuck sake, see, Now I'm a dead man walkin' because I've gotta' ask for your number and you're gonna' turn me down. Give the little man no hope."

Olifer remembered exactly who she was, and he was doing his best to not make a complete fool out of himself. So pretending he didn't recognise her was the best way to go. Still, his eyes found the cigarette. "Thank you."

[safiadecastilla]

The emergency lighting cast a neon shadow upon his facial features, but her stomach flipped and took a deep dive the moment she recognised who she had spoken to. Safia had been fairly successful at avoiding Johan's family following his death - surprisingly well considering they all lived in the same town. Occasionally she would hear whisperings of Arhaa's struggles and successes over the years, and at times she even reached for her phone, her finger hovering over his name in her contacts. Although what stopped her was the glaringly obvious stark contrast in their life choices... He had become a best-selling author and a father, and Safia a stripper.

Without uttering a word, she kept her gaze held downwards as she slowly took the phone from his hand. She turned her body slightly, mostly to shield the clear expression of what the fuck upon her face. Safia's thoughts had suddenly derailed from her own brother, to the brother of her ex, and trying to piece together how she was going to escape the unintentional interaction.

Slowly, she tapped at the screen, acutely aware that this was the closest she had been to Arhaa in years, although all of her focus was within her peripheral. The phone stubbornly denied her of any signal, and she hesitated, inhaling shakingly before turning her body to face him again. "Looks like we're both shit out of luck." Safia pressed her lips into a thin smile. "Thanks, anyway." her hand reached out to offer his phone back, her eyes searching for anything but his gaze.

"Fucking— goddamn" Arhaa whispered into his phone as he tried tried for the seventh time to get a call through, panic in his voice as he crossed from one aisle to the other in a frenzy, his already filled-to-the-brim cart long forgotten somewhere between soda cans, pasta sauce and uncooked pasta several aisles behind. He had left Jack and Mia in good hands and deep down, knew there was nothing to worry about other than making it home safe after the blackout and yet he couldn't help but feel mortified, knowing he couldn't be near the children during their first blackout as his kids.

In an attempt to make himself worry less, he flipped his focus to his surroundings, breathing in and out and making sure everything was okay. It was until then that a vaguely familiar voice called for his attention, a few inches away as his phone was kept glued to his ear, hoping the call would go through this time.

The voice, familiar enough to run a shiver down his spine yet foreign enough to keep him from putting a face to it, made the author turn around ready to speak up and tell the source his own attempts had failed, yet one glimpse to the person standing there in the same supermarket aisle barely visible through the emergency lights, was enough to freeze him on the spot.

"...n-no" he managed to stutter, lips suddenly dry. He gulped harshly, mentally thanking all heavens once his body began to react and allowed him to lower his hand to her reaching level, offering it to the one person in town who had the power to stop his heartbeat. "I haven't had any luck, I mean. But maybe you will" he offered, praying his voice didn't sound quite as shaky as he imagined.

[safiadecastilla]

"Damn right. I'm a fucking catch and finally someone is starting to see sense." Safia groaned with a soft chuckle, although the brunette was well aware that her chosen career often scared off any thoughts of potential dates. It was a sacrifice she had been willing to make if it meant saving her brother's ass. "I'm fantastic at ring toss." she reminded Esra with a wide grin. "Why? Are you fishing for me to win you one of those giant teddy bears that we can suffocate your husband with? Honestly, no one would ever suspect it as a murder weapon." she teased jokingly, giving her a playful nudge with her shoulder. It was all an innocent joke made in jest, right?

Grateful hardly began to cover how Esra felt about the time and energy Safia offered when she could. When the lurking presence of another didn't threaten to cut short their quiet moments of confiding in one another, or their semblances of affection. Amongst the tumultuous waves of her life, Saf had always been one of the very few sources of solace and comfort to keep her afloat. How did a person even begin to repay that? "Only on days that end in Y." Harmless banter really. Though her eyes skimmed down the other's silhouette for a brief moment. "You look perfect as always... If it doesn't rain we should head up to the carnival games. Are you any good at ring toss?"