statuescrcmble

[statuescrcmble]

it was a soft, beautiful day — the breeze tickled cruz’s cheeks, the air rich with a mixture of sugared cream and the warmth of what felt like one hundred home cooked meals and cruz had quickly decided that wicklow ridge felt like what home should feel like. after just one bite off of a plate of iced sugar cookies, cruz had to sneak back for more, one in his mouth and three in a hand — the icing delightfully melting on his tongue. he was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard a dog next to him and it didn’t take long for the puppy dog eyes to tug at his heart, so cruz dipped his finger in a cookie’s vanilla icing and snuck it to his new friend. his gaze flickered upwards when he heard a voice — familiar in a way that he couldn’t quite grasp. and when his eyes met eddie’s, all those nights together flooded back into his mind and caused his cheeks to flush. it must’ve been nearly ten years since they’d seen one another, surely eddie wouldn’t remember — would he? “oh, um,” for once in his life cruz was at a loss for words, “i’m having a great time.” a sheepish smile pulled on his lips as he held up his handful of sweets, “the cookies are divine.”

ᝰ　　open  for  anyone ᝰ　　wicklow  summer  social,  afternoon

ᝰ　　　　the  perks  of  having  an  older  and  (  seemingly  )  well-behaved  dog  means  a  lot  of  things,  mostly  that  eddie  has  the  luxury  of  keeping  him  leash-free  as  he  spends  most  of  his  time  sleeping  on  their  blanket.  but  predictability  was  never  something  max  is  known  for,  and  one  passerby  later  he's  up  on  his  feet  and  following  the  scent  trail  of  food  and  inconveniencing  its  possessor.  “  max!  c'mon,  boy,  that  isn't  yours!  ”  eddie  calls  out,  rushing  to  clasp  the  leash  back  onto  his  dog.  “  sorry  about  him,  you'd  think  i  don't  feed  him  enough,  ”  he  jokes  as  max  tucks  behind  his  legs  like  a  reprimanded  child.  “  you  enjoying  yourself?  ”

[statuescrcmble]

cruz had been mystified by wicklow ridge the moment he’d stepped foot out of the team’s airbnb two weeks prior, eager to explore and eager to be surrounded by nature. he’d never been to a town so quaint — a place that seemed to wrap an indescribable warmth around one’s heart, like a hug from a loved one. it was more charming than he could’ve imagined and cruz had rather uncharacteristically been waking up early each day to soak it all in. there’d been an excited flitter of his heart as walked through the wicklow summer social, his eyes lit up as the warm murmur of the crowd washed over him. he nearly stumbled upon someone stretched across a picnic blanket, placing a hand over his chest when he realized he’d escaped disaster. but the man didn’t seem to notice — instead, his focus was elsewhere. a smile dance on cruz’s lip as he turned towards the birds, “am i in the presence of a professional bird watcher?” cruz made himself at home — a terrible habit he would never break himself of — and settled onto the ground next to the other. “what else can you teach me?” a wide grin as he ran his fingers through his hair. he bit his lip in thought — he’d tried dishes that had melted on his tongue, how could he choose just one? “i had a few pieces of apple pie,” he leaned closer as if he was spilling an important secret, “it’ll change your life. the crust is so flaky and sweet. i could go sneak another piece for you, if you’d like?”

⤿ open  starter  :  @ wicklow  summer  social

despite  having  lived  in  wicklow  ridge  for  just  over  twenty  years  now,  there  was  something  about  events  like  this  that  still  felt  special  --  the  gentle  warmth  of  the  sun  against  his  skin,  the  sound  of  chatter  and  laughter  --  it  wasn't  something  you'd  find  back  in  the  frenzy  of  inner-city  london.  he  rests  back  on  his  elbows  where  he's  sprawled  on  his  picnic  blanket,  stomach  full  from  one  too  many  muffins,  eyes  trained  on  a  trio  of  birds  on  a  nearby  tree.  “   downy  woodpeckers,   ”  he  thinks  aloud  to  the  nearest  person,  “   very  similar  to  the  hairy  woodpecker,  but  these guys  have  smaller  beaks  ...  and  black  spots  in  the  tail  feather, see ?  ”  he  watches  for  a  moment  before  shaking  his  head:  snap  out  of  it,  david  attenborough.  “   anyway,   ”  sheepish  grin,  “   what's  the  best  thing  you've  eaten  so  far  ?   ”

[statuescrcmble]

cruz’s cheeks were warm and his eyes were bright as he waved to a group of brand new friends he’d managed to convince to race him down a grassy hill as if they were eight years old again — maybe, just maybe, the off season was making him antsy. he ached for the thrill of being on the ice and would find any way to replicate that adrenaline. but, he was out of breath and in dire need of something to drink, so he’d decided to take a break. eyes found nety and he gave her a beaming grin — one that he knew she’d roll her eyes at. “there she is,” he hummed, patting her on the head affectionately. her words suddenly registered. “you can’t trust me to be alone for five minutes and not get hurt?” cruz laid a hand on his heart, eyes wide with mock horror. a loud giggle slipped through his lips before he tried to compose himself again — feigning being truly offended by the accusations, though his eyes were bright with humor. “no, you’ve wounded my heart — an injury that needs much more attention than gauze.” the corners of his lips betrayed him, causing him to break into another smile. “tell me,” he nudged her gently, “how many broken arms have you healed today? it’s got to be at least three.”

* wicklow summer social, @statuescrcmble, closed.

she'd been roped into unofficial first aid duty, a role she’d accepted with the same serene nod she gave most things. bee stings, twisted ankles, heat headaches. she moved from group to group like a shadow, barely noticed until needed. and then there he was, loud and easy like a summer storm on the edge of the horizon. like he’d been conjured from her thoughts just to test her patience. "you’re not limping." she said at last, quiet and cool. her gaze flicked toward him, unreadable but steady. "should i be concerned, or relieved?" there was no smile, not quite — but the corner of her mouth tipped in a way that wasn’t entirely indifferent. it was the kind of softness that could be mistaken for a breeze if you weren’t paying attention. "i have gauze and judgment. take your pick."

[statuescrcmble]

having just arrived in town, cruz was like a kid in a candy shop at the summer social — eyes wide and mouth agape as he had to make the impossible decision on whether to fill a plate at the potluck or socialize first. he was eager to make friends, but he was almost as equally eager to get his hands on a piece of that pie that he'd eyed earlier. it seemed as if fate made the choice for him when his gaze had met a woman's. he grinned at her question, shaking his head, "i couldn't possibly take any of your stash." his brows furrowed and his eyes flickered to the crowd and then back to her. leaning closer, he lowered his voice, "is that what usually happens here? do fights break out?"

who : open to anyone

where : the great ridge potluck

summary : sat around a campfire, late morning/early afternoon

'It's five o'clock somewhere' was a quote Harper lived by most days as she pulled out the half bottle of whiskey, filling up her travel cup for the second time already. The annual potluck wasn't exactly her thing, yet it was a spectacle she never missed. Most people enjoyed the company of friends, playing games and engaging in pointless activities. Whereas Harper enjoyed the messier side that came with such a large group, thriving on the people watching. "Want some?" She offered the other who mistakenly made eye contact with her. "I'm taking bets on the first person to lose their shit over a bad review of their food. Who is your money on?"

[statuescrcmble]

late evenings out were few and far between for avani who found social events to be a tad bit overwhelming. but, she knew she had to get herself out more — lately, most of her interactions were with her kindergarten students, and that couldn't possibly be healthy, could it? a fond grin was written on her lips as she listened to alara and she couldn't help but giggle as the other turned to her. "not a buzzkill," she shook her head, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "just protective — a true mama bear," her smile wide, "and nothing is wrong with that. in fact, we would all be so lucky to have a friend like you."

 open starter ( event one )

       location : wicklow ridge's park , mid - evening .

it's not a common occurrence , to spot alara out in town past 9pm . well , it used to be when she was younger & had absolutely no obligations or worries but now at the age of thirty - two , while running a business & raising a 5 year old , things definitely took a different turn . which perhaps explains why she keeps on refusing any strong liquor tonight , opting for a non - alcoholic beer , despite her friends begging her otherwise . " who's gonna drive y'all home , huh ? somebody's gotta' , and besides , i was promised dancing not drinking until morning , " she stands her ground with a sigh , taking a sip of her beverage before turning to the person now beside her . " do i sound like a buzzkill mom right now ? i do , don't i ? "

[statuescrcmble]

★  ‧₊˚  ⋆  taylor zakhar perez.  cis man.  he/him  …  now  playing:  homesick by noah kahan  —  oh  ,  that  ?   might  be cruz barrera,  an  thirty-three  year  old  professional hockey player ( boston yellowjackets, left wing ) who’s  been  hanging  around  wicklow  ridge  for  two weeks,  just  long  enough  to  stir  up  some  trouble  if  you  ask  me.  they’re  a  regular  at  ridgeview lake,  always  going  on  about  “when you can’t find light, be it”  like  it’s  gospel.  around  town  ,  folks  say  they’re  gregarious &  warm —  but  when  they  think  no  one’s  listening  ?  it’s  more  like  heedless &  immature.  are  the  rumors  true  ?  maybe  not  …  but  it  sure  makes  life  around  here  a  little  more  interesting. 

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗖𝗦 ;

name : cruz barrera

age : 33

hometown : denver, colorado

occupation : professional hockey player ( boston yellowjackets, left wing )

personality traits : gregarious, warm, heedless, & immature

pronouns : he/him

orientation : bisexual & biromantic

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗬 ;

( tw ; anxiety & tw ; injury )

chaos — chaos wrapped up in a loopy grin, a soft heart, charm, and endless laughter — that's how cruz’s mother would describe him. there’s never silence when he’s around. the youngest of 7 children, cruz learned early on that he had to be noisy in order to not get left behind. but, despite how hard he tried — despite how loud and silly he was as a child, his parents’ focus was on his older, more successful and promising siblings. cruz was seen as nothing more than the immature youngest sibling — he had no true direction, he just loved life and loved people. to his parents, that wasn’t enough. the only place that cruz felt true worth was on the ice rink. and while his parents didn’t take his ‘hobby’ seriously, cruz did. at age nine, cruz began playing for a hockey team. in high school and college, the hockey teams he was a part of were his family. cruz's parents never once came to his games and he learned to lean on his teammates, his brothers by choice. his parents asked questions — why hadn’t he gotten accepted into an ivy league school like his siblings? why did he go to community college? why didn’t he have a steady job? did he really think hockey was going to take him far in life? the questions weighed heavily on cruz who usually paid no mind to pressure and stress.

after college, he got drafted to the colorado avalanche hockey team and for a few years everything was right. while he didn't have the emotional support of his parents, he had a community of brothers and a passion for the game and that was all he needed. but it all came crashing down in his mid-twenties after an injury he received in a game, he tore his MCL and was told he'd likely never play hockey again, even after surgery and physical therapy. cruz grew anxious during his time off of the ice — never leaving the house and hiding away from his family’s ( and society’s ) expectations of him. everything he'd worked for was gone and what did he have to show for it? for a few years he stayed in his home, not daring to venture outside until a close friend intervened and got him back on the ice. slowly, but surely he built back up his strength and it was almost as if he'd never been hurt. he had to catch the eye of another hockey team, it was all he knew in life. after some hard work, he caught the eye of the boston yellowjackets and he never looked back, eager to leave denver in the past.

cruz is chaotic and doesn't think before he acts. he’s sickeningly sweet, loves to be surrounded by others, and always has a grin on his lips, but he has a lot of growing up to do at 33 years.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 ;

ex :  cruz had never been happier, until said character left (we can discuss why/how/etc!) and cruz was heartbroken and devastated. he used his heartbreak to motivate him to accomplish something — now he’s a left wing on the boston yellowjackets — and every once and a while he wonders if said character catches him on tv. but now that they’re in the same small town, will they avoid one another, try to reconcile things, or find closure? ( taken by aylan kaplan )

found family : cruz wants to family anywhere he goes, so any

unlikely friend : this boy needs a best friend who will balance his chaos out; perhaps they’re opposites and they just work !

anything else !

[statuescrcmble]

★  ‧₊˚  ⋆  simone ashley.  cis woman.  she/her  …  now  playing:   the prophecy by taylor swift  —  oh  ,  that  ?   might  be  avani deva,  an thirty year  old  kindergarten teacher at wicklow ridge school who’s  been  hanging  around  wicklow  ridge  for three years,  just  long  enough  to  stir  up  some  trouble  if  you  ask  me.  they’re  a  regular  at everwood café,  always  going  on  about  “own the strength in your softness”  like  it’s  gospel.  around  town  ,  folks  say  they’re  compassionate &  tender —  but  when  they  think  no  one’s  listening  ?  it’s  more  like  timid &  reticent.  are  the  rumors  true  ?  maybe  not  …  but  it  sure  makes  life  around  here  a  little  more  interesting. 

♡ 𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗖𝗦 ;

name : avani deva

age : 30

hometown : atlanta, georgia

occupation : kindergarten teacher @ wicklow ridge school

personality traits : compassionate, tender, timid, & reticent

pronouns : she/her

orientation : bisexual & biromantic

♡ 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗬 ;

( tw ; mention of sibling loss, tw ; mention of death )

avani grew up in atlanta, georgia in a loving home. her parents were wonderful and doted on her like she hung the moon in the sky. she'll tell you that the best day of her life was the day her younger brother, amul, was born — avani was seven and was eager to be a big sister and to care for her little brother. and that she did. she helped her parents around the house, begged to hold and feed amul, and loved to make him laugh. despite the seven year age difference, she and amul were attached at the hip as they grew up — avani would always tug him along when she was playing with friends. because, at the end of the day, amul was her best friend. when avani was thirteen, tragedy struck the deva family when amul, only six, got into an accident and passed, leaving avani and her parents devastated and hopeless, claiming that their sunshine was gone.

it took years for avani and her parents to recover (or, come as close as possible to recover), but things would never be the same. avani had leaned into her emotional side over the years, allowing herself to feel things — whether they were positive emotions or negative. she'd always been gentle and sensitive and she knew she wanted to dedicate her life to nurturing children. so, she followed her dream of becoming a teacher and after college she landed a job as a kindergarten teacher near her childhood home.

when she was twenty-five, avani met who she believed was the love of her life. they had a whirlwind romance and became engaged within a year. she thought she'd found her happily ever after, but she was sorely mistaken. within a year, things fell to a crash between avani and her fiancé when she caught him in an affair, causing her to call things off. in a desperate attempt to escape from the heartbreak, avani searched for jobs far away from georgia and landed a kindergarten teaching position at wicklow ridge school. she's been here for three years and claims she's never been happier.

avani is soft and patient, but she has walls up and doesn't let anyone too close to her. she'd much rather deal with kindergartners squealing than ever tell someone how she's feeling! she's painfully shy around her peers and despite being in wicklow ridge for three years, she's still a bit of a mystery as she typically keeps to herself when she's not at work.

♡ 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 ;

parents of students / parents of former students : avani loves her students and it'd be cute if she made lil friendships with some of her students' parents !

close friend : perhaps someone who's more outgoing and noticed how quiet avani can be and began tagging along with her everywhere ! someone who balances her out and encourages her to put herself out there more !

un/requited crushes / former dates / friends / anything else !

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Taylor Zakhar Perez | Lacoste Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025-2026 Show in Paris, France | March 09, 2025

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Simone Ashley se prépare à monter les marches au Festival de Cannes | VF

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dependent roleplay blog for wicklowridge ── penned & loved by alex

muses :

cruz barrera : bio, threads, pinterest avani deva : bio, threads, pinterest