unmissyou

[unmissyou]

easytcfind​:

Even after all these years, he still had Luna, one of the most rational and sensible beings, acting completely irrational. Her hand stung slightly from the impact and her light skin reddened. Though the slap may have been deserving, it wasn’t exactly how she imagined greeting him again once he was no longer behind bars. He covered the tense moment up with humor, like he always did long ago. Luna kept her mouth shut and choked back the embarrassment she felt from the curious gazes of strangers. 

Looking at him felt like looking at a ghost, and as the initial shock of it all was beginning to die down, she couldn’t quite decide whether she was happy or furious to see him. He had broken her heart, gave up so easily on them without putting up a fight, and now he reappeared without a warning. He truly was lucky that it was only a slap.

Luna took in a deep breath and looked at him for a moment, her mind quickly picking up on all the little differences about him that she had missed throughout the years. Though he looked good, she felt saddened by how much time had passed between the two. This was what he wanted, though. Luna knew she need to respect that, which was really the only reason her apology for the slap was sincere. 

“What the hell are you doing here, Jesse?” she spoke quietly, cutting through his bullshit. She was certain he had more time under his belt, but must’ve been released early. Luna stopped keeping track of those things years ago once it felt too strange to ask his sister. It was like a piece of her own family died the day Jesse broke her heart. She didn’t just lose him. 

Glancing back at the clock overhead, she thinned her lips in contemplation. She was getting off soon after working all night, but she didn’t want him to know. She wanted him to think she had work to get back to so he’d eventually leave her be. Even though she was happy he was out, and she wanted nothing but the best for him… she also didn’t particularly want to see him. He reminded her of all of the time she had become a ghost after he went away. It was like they were haunting each other… but she still wanted to hear what he had to say.

“Meet me outside in five.”

This felt too much like an episode of Maury for Jesse, and for a moment, he was transported back to high school, watching the explosive episodes after school with a bowl of Lucky Charms. Except, he was the one about to get slapped and some stranger in another world was watching this all unfold. He shrugged his shoulders and followed his first instinct of giving a smart-ass reply; if there was anything Luna could count on being the same, it was his lack of an ability to take anything seriously, often to his detriment. “I’m just scoping out our local healthcare facility,” he remarked, pursing his lips at her. 

It was crystal clear, though, that she was not in the joking mood with him at all. And you’d think the slap to his face-- the one that felt like a goddamn brick-- was enough to pacify him, but he had to try one last time. Now that he knew for sure that she wasn’t going to play this stupid charade with him (not that he wanted that, necessarily), he heaved a soft sigh. The look he had in his eyes told her he was grateful for whatever time she’d given him. 

“I’ll see you then.” 

-

In five, like clockwork, Jesse looked up from kicking at the parking lot ground to see Luna coming out in her jacket. As she came closer to him, he observed her scrubs tucked underneath her jacket, the mittens sticking out of her pockets, and the beanie she’d haphazardly put on, maybe in an attempt to look presentable. He pushed himself off of his bumper, having gotten to the hospital in a car that he was not yet authorized to drive (though Felicity was at the nearby plaza, and she would take the driver’s seat as soon as he picked her up-- whenever he was ready, of course), and unfolded his arms from his chest. 

You could tell by his initial expression that he was at the ready to kick back up messing with her again, though he figured she didn’t deserve that. It was just habit with him to joke around with her, always the one to try and make her laugh just so he could see that radiant smile on her face. But it was obvious now that it would take much more work than a few cheap lines to make that smile appear again. Shit, that was hard to swallow. 

So his face shifted to something more sullen and apologetic, like a dog who’d just destroyed your favorite thing with its teeth and claws out of boredom while you were gone. He sighed, shoulders rising and falling; it warmed up his chest when his whole body felt a little bit cold, not having brought a jacket of his own to face the chilly fall weather. Standing in front of her, his grip on his pride loosened a bit, though he was still very much guarded. 

“I got out early on good behavior,” he said, “but you probably figured that. I just got out... two days ago, actually.” He chuckled half-heartedly. “Felicity begged me not to come see you, but I just had to.” He reached out to touch her sleeve, tugging on the fabric near the crook of her elbow in an attempt to bring her closer; the echo of an old gesture he used to make whenever they were standing together. “I know there’s nothin’ I could say to make things any better. But I just wanted you to know that... I still care about you. I never stopped. Even if it seems like I gave fuck-all. It was everything to me.”

[unmissyou]

easytcfind​:

Work was good. It was a means of distraction, and perhaps that’s why the woman had practically been working since the moment she entered this world. She took the shifts no one wanted, working graveyards and holidays like it was nothing. Luna worked hard so that life didn’t have to be. 

She opened the curtains in a patient’s room and allowed the sunlight to seep in. There was a time when being a surgeon was the only thing that made sense to her. Between her photographic memory and savior complex, the career seemed designed for her. Life had a funny way of never going according to plan for her, though. Luna looked back at her favorite patient who awoke as the sunlight hit them. Even if this wasn’t the plan, being a nurse was infinitely better. She often watched surgeons who came and went through the operating rooms without even knowing their patient’s name. 

“Good morning, Maricella,” she greeted the older woman warmly while updating some notes on her clipboard. 

“Hello, sunshine,” the woman told her kindly. Despite her declining memory, Maricella still managed to greet her the same way every morning. 

After doing their daily check of vitals and standard questions, Luna walked over and gave the woman’s hand a small squeeze. “You stay out of trouble today, ok? Doctor Sherman will be over here to see you in a minute.” 

“Promise you’ll stop by and say hello to me later?” 

Luna nodded and smiled, though she knew Maricella would forget she even requested such a thing. It was still nice to hear. 

“Cross my heart,” Luna said before parting to set some paperwork aside at the nurse’s station. As she walked, she jotted down a few notes and then was stopped by a nurse in the lobby. Of course it was another request to pickup a shift at an unwanted time. Letting in a breath, the blonde nodded and decided to make a deal of exchanging her paperwork over to the nurse in order for Luna to cover the shift next week. Luna passed the paperwork over and smiled as the nurse departed looking relieved that Luna had agreed yet again. 

Adjusting her stethoscope around her neck, she stepped forward to finish up her shift until an all too familiar voice called out to her. Her heart skipped a beat and she unintentionally froze up. There was only one person who ever had an effect on her like that. Luna turned and her eyes met his, the same ones she used to gaze into years before. He looked different - older, stronger. But it was Jesse. It was her Jesse. Every emotion she avoided for years came swirling in all at once as she looked at him. She wanted to be happy to see him again, to see him free… but all the unresolved pain and frustration felt overwhelming. 

Without thinking, for the first time in her life, the woman instinctively reached forward and slapped him across the face. The loud smack echoed in the quiet lobby and she quickly covered her own mouth as if she was truly shocked by her own actions. Though she shouldn’t have needed to apologize, considering how badly he deserved that slap, she couldn’t help herself. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

Jesus Christ, it stung when she slapped him, felt like when Dr. Bragelmeier would stick him like he’d wronged her-- though Jesse figured it was the least he deserved. After all, it had been years since they’d seen each other, and though he had plenty of pen pals to keep his right hand busy in the clink, she wasn’t one of them. He darted his tongue into his left cheek, then took a deep breath, not wanting to show the full extent of how hard she’d slapped him by his expression. He gave a reassuring wave to everyone who’d given the two of them their attention. “It’s alright, folks,” he said. “Just a bad ex-boyfriend coming to make amends.” 

His brown eyes landed on the girl across from him. Traces of an apology lingered on his lips as he gave her a knowing smirk. Though she was rightfully pissed at him, he couldn’t help but to still carry that pride of being a smart ass. It was a classic way for Jesse to deflect, using humor as a shield. “Don’t apologize,” he told her, shaking his head. “I was expecting a full-on punch or a whack with that cute little clipboard of yours. I’d say I’m lucky to have just been slapped.” 

Up close, she was a dime piece-- always had been, and always would be-- and he could never forget just how beautiful she was, but a reminder never hurt. He couldn’t take shit with him when he got locked up, but the first thing he asked for when they broke up and Felicity came to see him was a picture of her. Not just any picture, but one of her that he’d snapped at a botanical garden they’d visited, the only time he’d ever been good wielding that camera of hers. The sunlight hit her smile just right that it almost hid her eyes, the color of them nearly flashed out by white behind her. He looked at that picture every night before bed. 

Now, though, he figured she worked long hours and yet she didn’t look tired at all. Still had her blonde hair, and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t taken a quick scan of her arms to see if any new tattoos had shown up. He couldn’t tell from first glance, but he recognized a few small pieces she’d let him do on her. She looked adorable in scrubs, though a part of him wished she’d been in a white doctor’s coat instead, a symbol of her choosing the path to become a surgeon. After all, that was why he’d been so insistent on breaking up with her... It was a little disappointing to see she’d stuck to being a nurse, but he kept that thought to himself. She was alive, and that was all that mattered. 

“When’s your break? I got a lot of explaining to do.” 

[unmissyou]

Girls  |  2x08 - “It’s Back”

[unmissyou]

Jesse’s always hated the fucking hospital. Standing in the lobby, watching the nurses wheel in screaming or unconscious patients, he remembered a time when he was terrified of needles. His pediatrician used to always squirt out a little of whatever bullshit he was going to get shot with on that day, and Jesse always swore she did it just to scare him. She was never gentle when she grabbed his arm with her powdery latex gloves, and she stuck him like she had a damn vendetta against him every single time. 

Not too long after, he curbed his fear of needles by getting into tattooing, taken on as an apprentice by some shop owner who saw him scribbling on the back of his hand at a bus stop after school. And, unlike Dr. Bragelmeier, he was as gentle as he could be, barred from wearing latex gloves, and even went so far as to offer a lollipop to whoever’d let him draw on their skin. 

Looking back, it seemed so long ago. He wasn’t afraid of needles now, but something else was looming over his head. Luna always said she’d work somewhere close to home after she graduated, even though they both knew she’d prefer to get the hell away from home. When he looked her up on Facebook, he half expected her to be across the country, if not on the other side of the world, but... to his surprise, she was still in Door County. 

It felt a little bit stalkerish to be standing here and waiting for her to come out, especially when the last time they’d seen each other, she was worried about acing one of her exams. But, some sort of distorted pride swelled in him, too-- the girl finally made it, and he hoped she was happy. Though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to shake up her world somewhat, now that he was out. 

Felicity, his sister, and her family were the only ones who knew he was out of the clink. Getting out on good behavior and being on probation meant you had an extra leg up on getting settled into civilian life. Jesse wasn’t exactly rushing into getting to reconnect with everyone in his life, but Luna was first on the list. 

“This is probably the worst idea you’ve ever had,” Felicity warned him just minutes ago in the parking lot. She herself hadn’t spoken to Luna ever since things went down many years ago, though she knew enough to ensure that the girl was fine without the likes of her pesky brother coming around. “You dumped her, remember?”

“Ah, just pick me up at 1 p.m.,” he said, getting out of the car. 

He sighed deeply through his nose, impatience and anticipation taking over his face. A sticker claiming him as VISITOR ruined his goddamn outfit, a nice three-fourths sleeve gray henley and a dark pair of jeans that hid his ankle bracelet so well. At least he smelled good, or so he hoped. The pine cologne lingering on his skin was unlike the harsh soap he bought in commissary.

Then, he heard her voice. It made him turn around, eyes trailing everywhere to find the source of it, until they landed on her in a pair of the cutest scrubs he’d ever seen. Jesse parted his lips. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he saw her, but it wasn’t the way his heart beat so goddamn fast and dared to jump out of his chest when they locked eyes. And yet, his exterior stayed Newport cool. When the nurse finished what she was saying to her, it was finally just the two of them-- well, as private as they could get in a bustling hospital lobby. 

“Hey, kid,” he said. “You know how long I’ve been waitin’ out here for you? I could’a died.” 

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

When was the last time Luke had been on a proper date? It was funny considering the man was quite the romantic. He liked the romance, he didn’t like the concept of intimacy and vulnerability that came with relationships. Luke often wondered if he’d always be like this, destined to be a bachelor constantly self sabotaging himself. “She’s not my type,” he answered before taking a large bite of his sandwich. Luke didn’t necessarily have a type, but it felt like the only answer he was willing to give.

Luke then realized how bad of an idea it was to mention Andrew. Gwen was nicer than Stevie about his little friend, but he knew Gwen didn’t like him just the same. The stubborn man rolled his eyes and shook his head at her. “You’re not babysitting anyone, G.” 

Her worry was valid, although the man refused to see that. Some days he liked to pretend he was still twenty-one, chasing just about any adventure that presented itself. It only grew worse when Andrew was around, but still. He didn’t see an issue. A large sigh escaped him and he took his glasses off once more just so he could look her in the eye. Holding up his hand, he said, “Scouts honor. I’ll be good. Don’t worry about it. Andrew’s getting married soon, anyways. Those days are long over for him.”

Gwen scoffed, giving a playful roll of her eyes before sipping her tea. She held the cup close to her mouth for a moment as she heard him out, her concerns not at all eased by the fact Andrew was engaged. (It was hard to believe, but for reasons she was too nice to say out loud. Instead, she made a mental note to share them with Stevie.) If anything, the boy was probably eager to get all of his pent-up energy out one more time before cuffing himself down. 

“So what you mean to say is, you guys are probably going to have one last hurrah at the bachelor party before he gets married?” she asked, smirking, finally lowering her cup back down. It was already cold at this point, but she liked the taste just as much. 

For a moment, she thought back to her kitchen counter. Ah, so that was what Andrew had to tell her via snail mail. He was getting married. 

“I’ll never forget that guy you both tried to hook me up with in college,” she said, snapping back to reality and giggling in front of Luke. “Do you still talk to him? Hunter?” 

Gwen was, at that time of her life, all too focused on leading the climate club at her college to really worry about dating boys, despite the twins’ relentless attempts on getting her to “de-virginize.” Little had either of them known she’d already lost her virginity before college, but Gwen wasn’t one to really talk about that too much. 

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

She smiled in the kiss and she couldn’t help but feel like it was nice knowing he wanted her there, even if he deemed it to not be a big deal. Then again, sometimes she was convinced he looked for reasons to spoil her with a nice experience. “What is this? Pretty Woman? Are you going to show me a case with a beautiful necklace then snap at my hand when I reach for it?” she teased jokingly, recalling the classic flick. “Okay, okay. I’ll be your pretty date. Make you look good.” She sent a small wink just as the ride on the boat came to an end. 

Unraveling herself from him as Chives walked over, she smiled at the kind man and nodded. Though she didn’t want the night to end, it would have to eventually. This was how it always was with them - sometimes she forgot the rest of the world existed. “No,” she answered Joey playfully and smiled. “But I guess we should.” Together, they walked off the boat and their feet soon touched the docks. Chey’s arm wrapped around his waist as he joined her side and she walked with him. “Thanks for… Well, you know. All of this. Tonight, the boat, surprising me. I’ve already said thanks, but I should probably say it at least a thousand times more.”

Hand in hand, Joseph led the way back to the brewery. The beautiful thing about Hawaii was, you could easily get from one place to another just by walking. You could certainly do the same in New York, too, Joseph thought-- you’d only have cab drivers in the way. He could appreciate the beauty of it and knew all too well why it appealed to the blonde he walked beside; Chey always dreamt of freedom and sun. What was Hawaii if not that?

“Stop thanking me,” he said, chuckling. “Honestly, it was nothing. If anything, I should be thanking you for not chewing my head off coming here outta nowhere.”

His spontaneous visits were now more well-received than they used to be, back when they were broken up and he showed up just to stir the pot between them. Things had changed so much, it almost felt unreal that they were in such a good place. 

Standing outside of the brewery and under a street lamp in the parking lot, Joey leaned back against his rental car and placed his hands on Chey’s hips. He smiled softly at her, licking his lips out of habit. “Are you gonna invite me back to your place or should I drive back to my hotel?” 

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

It was no secret that Luke had become a different person after the passing of his mother. Loads of regret and remorse manifested in the man and swallowed him whole. So much so, he hardly remembered what life was like before it. He forgot what it was like to feel passionate, like he was seeing the world with bright eyes. He had forgotten what it was like to not have such an aching empty feeling in his core that could only be stifled with loads of alcohol and the occasional drug. Life was much different for Luke. It had been four years - almost five - since she had passed and left him with some painful realizations. They all thought he’d be different by now, and sometimes he liked to play the part of just that. With every day, it seemed like he only got worse but he did his best to sweep it all under the rug. 

But Gwen often knew he was struggling despite the distractions he threw. Even if he hadn’t spoken to her in ages, she could tell by the way he wrote. There was no heart in it. It was just his job now. “Fine, torture yourself, then. I guess you’re into that kind of thing…” 

Digging into his food, he realized it had been a while since he had a decent meal. It was amazing the man managed to keep himself alive. “I don’t know… Two years now? Either way, I rather not even think about that guy. You know how I feel about him.” Truth be told, Luke never liked his sister’s ex-husband. For the longest time, he had no reason to dislike him. In fact, he seemed pretty decent to just about everyone else. Whenever the man cheated on Stevie, as sad he was for his sister, Luke felt a little triumphant - finally everyone saw he was right.

He washed down his bite with more coffee and some water - again, not realizing how thirsty he was, too. As Gwen moved in and her eyes directed towards the waitress that served them, Luke stole a glance and caught her gaze. He gave the woman a charming smirk, one that surely made her cheeks turn pink. Letting out a soft laugh, he looked back at Gwen. “Maybe she’ll give us a discount,” he joked and wiped his fingers with his napkin. “Oh, did I tell you about Andrew? He’s coming to visit this weekend. It’s been forever since I saw him.” The words came out so absentmindedly. Last time he checked, Gwen wasn’t fond of his friend from his college days. Andrew. He always seemed to stir up trouble, but some of the craziest stories of Luke’s stemmed from night outs with the man. While everyone found Andrew to be a nuisance and bad influence, Luke saw a hell of a friend.

“Maybe,” Gwen half-considered, though her mind was elsewhere. “Or you could, you know, take her out on a respectable date.” The chances of it were slim to none, but it always amused the blonde to give it a shot. Throughout their entire lives, she couldn’t remember a single woman he’d ever gotten serious with. Maybe there were one or two possibilities, but they’d always ended up being dodged bullets-- which were a good thing. Gwen was almost starting to believe Luke would be alone forever, though it was the last thing she wanted to do. 

She bit into her salad, furrowing her brows at the mention of Andrew. There was nothing inherently wrong with Luke’s friend in that, whenever Gwen was around him, he didn’t do anything bad. Save for the few gross quips and catcalls here and there, Andrew was passably nice. But he was almost like poison for Luke. Luke would be doing really well, and like clockwork, Andrew would come around and ruin that for him. Her hopes were that maybe Andrew and Luke had grown out of their fraternizing ways, but those hopes were too far out. 

“So it sounds like I’m going to be on babysitting duty this weekend, then,” Gwen spoke, half-sarcastic. No one ever asked her to look out for him, but she always just did. Whether he called her or not, she always found herself staring at her phone, anticipating a call. It started in college, when she was in her dorm, studying for a final while Luke was out on the town. She knew how much he loved to drink, and it worried her. Stevie would tell her to stop babying him, but she couldn’t help herself-- especially now that their mother wasn’t around. 

Would you watch over Luke for me? Stevie, she’ll be fine, but... 

Their mother’s final words to her echoed in her mind. She cleared her throat, snapping herself out of it and glancing up at him from being halfway done with her salad. “Just promise me you won’t end up in the news,” she teased.

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

Her jaw dropped as she smiled at his clever quip, but he distracted her with dancing before she could make her own, or better yet, just give him a classic shove to his shoulder. “Jerk,” she mumbled with a chuckle and shook her head at him. 

Even though he downplayed the gala like it wasn’t much, she knew it was important. Surely he’d see that too, eventually. Chey was a lot of things, but easily her best and biggest trait was her love and loyalty to those close to her. She’d endlessly support him, just as he endlessly supported her. 

“I’ll be available,” she answered without hesitation. “I’ll be sure of it.” 

He had gone to all here premieres - even the ones she hadn’t invited him to personally. When they were younger, he’d go to her band’s shows almost every single time they had a gig. And here he was now seeing the opening of the brewery all away across the country. She wasn’t going to miss this gala. She owed him that much. “The brewery will be fine. My brother is a part owner for a reason. He can manage it for a weekend. It’s the least he can do considering I do all the work. Of course I can go.” She chuckled and squeezed his side a bit. “You know, unless you’re really not wanting me to be there or something.”

It wasn’t that big of a deal or anything, and Joseph certainly wasn’t expecting Chey to go, and yet it still was a pleasant surprise when she said she would go. With everything going on in this new chapter of her life, Joseph didn’t necessarily think he was going to be left behind-- rather, he knew she had more important things to do. In short, it meant a lot to him that she’d be going, though he shouldn’t have expected anything less from the blonde. They were fiercely supportive of each other, if nothing else. 

Wordlessly, he planted a tender kiss on her lips for a moment, before pulling away. “Of course I want you to be there,” he affirmed, continuing to sway with her atop the deck of the yacht, even as the song began to fade out. 

Mischievousness took over his expression again, though, as he looked from the darkening waters to her face. “But I hope you know that means I’m going to have to ask you to be my date,” he said, chuckling. “And I’m going to have to take you shopping for a pretty dress.”

The slow song inevitably reached its end, and it seemed as if their ride on the yacht was at a close, too. Chives came from the captain’s port and onto the deck, keeping his distance but interrupting them as he cleared his throat. 

“Sir,” he said, “and Miss Chey. It looks like we’ve reached shore. Shall I park the yacht?” 

Joey slipped away from Chey to hand Chives a card from his wallet. “Thanks, Chives,” he said. “And you’re off for the night once you park. Get some rest.” 

Chives gave a polite thank you before returning to the captain’s port, lowering a staircase for them to head off of the yacht and onto the boardwalk. “Ready to go?” Joey asked, looking back at the blonde.

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

Some things never changed. No matter the circumstances, she never fully answered his questions correctly. Of course it was always interesting to know those little details of her life, but she constantly deflected the questions to talk about the things that weren’t exactly important in terms of her well being. It was quite possibly one of the biggest similarities they shared. Luke was never particularly personal. If one asked how he is, he’d talk about all the fun and admirable little things he may have took part in. Never did he speak on anything deeper. 

But Luke was a hypocrite. Even though he didn’t discuss his own personal matters, he wanted to know Gwen’s. “Wolf puppies and plants, eh?” he chuckled and was interrupted by the waitress returning with his coffee and sandwich. He thanked the woman with a smile before looking back at Gwen. “No where in there did you really talk about, you know, you.” He eyed her and blew some steam from his coffee. 

Ah, then there the subject changed to his book. On second thought, wolf puppies and plants suddenly seemed like the best topic in the world. “It’s trucking along. I submitted a few chapters yesterday.” His heart wasn’t in this book, just as it wasn’t in the last two. Jacob, his editor, really did a good job polishing a piece of shit. Luke was writing for the publishers, the paycheck, and nothing else. And he hated that - surprising enough. “Do me a favor and just… don’t read it when it comes out.” He chuckled halfheartedly before taking a bite of his sandwich. With a cheek full of food, he shrugged. “It’s no good, but at least I’m writing again… Anyways, other the that, I’m doing pretty great, actually. I just saw Stevie the other day. I’m pretty sure she’s still sleeping with her ex-husband. It’s entertaining watching her try to lie to me. But, you know…. the twin thing.” Something he had always referred to since they were children. Luke was always convinced he had a sixth sense when it came to his twin sister Stevie. They could never hide anything from one another even if they tried. It was like sharing some awful telepathy neither signed up for. “So that’s a fun mess… But that’s about all the excitement I got going on. It’s not wolf puppies and plants, but I try.”

It always shocked Gwen how harshly Luke spoke about his own writing. When he was younger, he had a bit more mercy on himself, but the older he got... the more he truly seemed to hate what he did. It broke Gwen’s heart a little bit. Back then, he put his heart into his writing. And, she didn’t know what happened in between, but something in him-- maybe that fire in him-- just fizzled out. She wondered if, maybe, it was just a rut he was in. But she’d first had an inkling of the rut a few years ago... and it had yet to pass. 

Gwen would’ve loved to ask and pry, to try and get Luke to open up to her... But she didn’t know how well it would all go. Luke had his ways of coping, and she was there for him in the only way she knew how to be: sitting across from him on these weekly, monthly catch-ups, telling him about baby wolves and the state of her plants. 

“Don’t be crazy,” she said, chuckling. “Jacob’s going to send me the first copy, signed,” she said, looking at him with warning-- he would sign it, or else-- “and I’m going to eat it up in one sitting.” 

She had every single one of his books on her shelf, and she read all of them front to back. Some, she thought, had more soul than others-- but they were still Luke’s, and she treasured them in ways he may never understand. 

At the mention of Steve’s affair, Gwen couldn’t help but wince. She cared for that girl as much as she cared about Luke, and unfortunately, the two were so much like twins that they sometimes loved to get in the same mode of self-destruction. Gwen never minded picking up the broken pieces. “How long has it been since they split up?” she asked. “I thought I heard Bobby was seeing somebody else, or at least, going on dates.” 

And they got into these conversations, sometimes. Where they’d start off talking about each other, but dove deeper into other people’s problems. It was a blessing and a curse in their friendship.

The waitress passed by, pouring them more water in their glasses. Gwen couldn’t help but notice the waitress’ gaze lingering on Luke; something she’d noticed a few weeks ago when they were last here. “You know,” she said, leaning in. “I think that girl likes you.”

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

Despite how often she felt like Joseph could be her soulmate, she just as often felt as if they were from two far away universes. A part of her wondered if she could have bridged the two universes together by just biting the bullet and moving to New York. She didn’t need to open the brewery. She was in a point in her career where New York made actual sense. It would have made things easier for them, and perhaps had given them exactly what they were always looking for. But Amanda Chey was bold colors of blue, green, and purple and there was no way to hide that in the grey of New York. She didn’t belong in his universe. And she’d certainly lose herself if she tried to fit. 

Hearing him talk about business always made her think those things in the split second. She questioned why she was so difficult, why couldn’t she just give this all up if she truly loved him? Hearing how well business was doing was one way of telling her a very obvious truth - he had to stay in New York no matter where she was. She danced with him and kept those thoughts deep inside her mind and instead only felt proud. She was always proud of him, though. He had been impressing her since day one. 

“That’s amazing, Joe,” she told him before reaching her hand up to cup part of his cheek. Her thumb grazed against his skin as she smiled at him proudly. “I can’t say that I’m surprised, though.” His accomplishments were always large and well deserved after all the work he had put into them. “A gala? And you’re just now telling me about this?” she narrowed her eyes somewhat playfully. “Am I not invited?”

“My wife’ll be there, and I’m not sure I’m ready for her to meet my gorgeous mistress yet,” Joseph teased, an undying smirk on his lips. Before she could give a quick rebuttal, he twirled her and dipped her as the bridge of the song kicked off. He straightened her back up and chuckled. He was never much of a dancer before, but as he grew older, he picked up a few things. 

“But, honestly, it kinda didn’t cross my mind over the last few weeks,” he responded, giving her a shrug. “I had a whole bunch’a other shit going on, and with you at the brewery... Well, I was too worried about you to really care too much about the gala. That’s what I have people like Erin for.” 

Erin was probably too good of an assistant for him, but he made up for his shitty personality in a huge salary and ample vacation time. Perks included attending New York Fashion Week and, well, exercising that part of her life. Truth be told, he’d been pushing her to go to more fashion events as a way of grooming her out of being his assistant. 

He looked down at Chey and his smirk turned into a smile. “I’ll tell you the details tomorrow and you can decide to go if you’re available,” he said. “But you know it’s probably better for you to stick around the brewery for a few months, at least until you’re sure everything’s smooth.” 

[unmissyou]

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ohdarling‌:

He had already begun scanning the menu, which was ridiculous on two accounts - he always got the same thing, plus he knew she would’ve ordered for him already. It was just in her nature. Closing the menu, he pushed it away before brushing his hair with his fingers. Who was the lucky lady? Ah, she assumed a casual hookup was the cause of his delay in waking up. Though most times she wouldn’t be wrong, she happened to be this time. No lucky lady - just the bottom of bottles and blank pages of the book he had been struggling to write. 

Somehow he rather her believe it was a girl. It was easier that way and held less of a punch. “Sierra or Shea…. Something like that,” he replied casually and gave the girl a wink. “Thanks for ordering, ace.” 

Flagging down the waitress, he ordered himself some coffee in hopes to fight off just about everything wrong in his body at the moment. He reached over and snatched his sunglasses back from Gwen and put them on. The bright sun - although they were in the shade - only made his hangover worse. 

“Let me borrow that when you’re done,” he nodded towards his book. It was something that the two always connected on. Reading had always been his favorite thing to do, and Gwen had even caught sight of the complete anti-social bookworm he once was a child, too. “Okay, sorry, sorry. How are you? How’ve you been? Yadayada… You know the drill.”

“Sure,” 

Gwen gave him a playful roll of her eyes before folding her book up and setting it inside her purse, which sat in the seat beside her. “And you’re welcome,” she responded, actually beginning to eat her salad now. The few pieces of bread the bistro offered at the beginning of her stay held her over for long enough. “Hope you had fun with Sarah or Sadie.”

It was their silly little name game: He offered her two names, and she batted right back. His womanizing ways were heartbreaking to most, but they amused Gwen more than anything. Often times, she wondered if he’d ever settle down, and thought about the kind of woman it’d take for him to do so. The woman she ended up concocting in her brain ended up being too perfect to exist, a strange hybrid of a martian and supermodel. 

She took a deep breath at the question, always finding the task of condensing the time span between their last meeting and this moment a bit troublesome. “You know, things have actually been pretty good,” she reported, shrugging her shoulders. “You remember the pregnant wolf I told you about last time we saw each other? She finally had babies, and I’ve been kind of like a crazy person showing people pictures of it like they’re my own kids.” Truthfully, the blonde seldom had anything to share about her own life whenever they caught up. “Other than that, my plants are thriving and the sun’s out. No complaints.”

Remembering he’d been on the cusp of a deadline, she furrowed her brows in curiosity. “How about you, Caulfield?” An endearing nickname for her writer best friend. “Is your book almost done?”

[unmissyou]

ohdarling‌:

It was picturesque - almost dreamlike if she thought too hard about it. The setting Hawaiian sun, a boat of her own out in the big blue, just enjoying the small and big pleasures of life with Joey. Was this Heaven? It felt like it, but she knew it couldn’t be. In the end, it was still all so temporary. But Chey had learned from the past that the only way to live is to be in the present. So, she embraced their time together and enjoyed the now. 

“Hey, I don’t know about that,” she playfully defended with a full belly of her own. “Mine still kicks ass.” 

Pushing her food carton aside, she watched as he turned on the music - a perfect and classic favorite of hers. She laughed a little as he snapped his fingers and danced around - and who was she to deny him? 

She got up from her chair and began to snap along with him, making her way over by dancing to the beat. Taking his hands, she spun herself around towards him and let out a loud laugh. It felt like being in high school on a summer night, just getting caught up in one another and whatever music they were obsessed with. 

“You still got it,” she joked and looked up at him. Towards the end of the song, her quick movements slowed and she wrapped his arms around his neck, not even caring what the tempo was. She just wanted to hold onto him and be with him. “Catch me up on you. How’s things in New York?”

Though it was just the two of them on the yacht, it almost felt like they were throwing their own party. A permanent grin was etched on Joseph’s face as he danced along with her, thrown back to memories of them dancing just like this when they were teens. Back then, though, they were usually drunk and dancing mindlessly to whatever thrown-together beat the DJ put together. That was fun, too, but there was something about still carrying on that tradition many years later-- without the drunken shenanigans.

When the song faded and something slower took over, the new sound coaxed Joseph closer to Chey. He placed his hands on her waist, swaying gently to the beat with her-- Two of the Lucky Ones by The Droge and Summers Blend-- as they danced atop the deck. 

Eventually, he loosely bracketed his arms around her waist, curling his fingers together behind her back. At her question, he pursed his lips in thought before exhaling. “Well, you know,” he said, shrugging. “Definitely not as exciting as things are here in Hawaii.” He cracked a smile, then figured he owed her a true recap. It had been a while, anyway, since they got to talk as deeply, her being so deep into the world of her brewery. 

“My company, uh... you know, we reached a thousand clients just last week,” he said. It was an accomplishment, but for some reason, he didn’t think too much of it. “And that’s-- you know, that’s all over the east coast, or at least New England. Honestly, my brother’s trying to get me to branch out somewhere, but... I don’t really know yet.” The business talk, it bored him, but he liked sharing things with Chey. “Mostly, my assistant’s been wrangling shit together with the event planner. We’re wanting to host a thank you gala.” 

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ohdarling‌:

It was always fun to compliment Lulu, though that never made it insincere. Rory smiled at the girl as she turned shades of red and she felt a sense of accomplishment from the sight. “What? It’s just common fact,” she playfully defended before lying back and enjoying the sun. 

But then the sudden mention of boyfriends couldn’t help but shift her sudden upbeat mood. She’d be a fool to say she didn’t feel some sort of pang of sadness or even jealousy at the sudden idea from the brunette. It was moments like this she was reminded Lulu was just her friend and always would be just her friend. Rory had thought she had let go of that silly crush ages ago, but here she was fighting against it. 

“Boyfriends?” her voice drenched in disgust. “I’m on vacation. I don’t even want to have to look at a man.” It was true the woman had grown so tired of men in her life. After escaping a toxic relationship, she then entered a toxic workplace with demeaning men as her employers. “Maybe I’ll get a girlfriend and find you a boy toy then.”

Girlfriend? Rory had mentioned being interested in women maybe once or twice, and every time, Lulu hadn’t thought much about it. Now, though, if she were a dog, her ears would visibly perk up-- and at the same time, maybe, she’d growl, too. 

“That’s fair,” she chose to say, snickering before she took another sip from her drink. Deflect, deflect, deflect. Perhaps one day, Lulu would have the courage to admit her true feelings for Rory. But her gross lack of bravery-- and the fact that she would certainly risk losing her friendship with Rory-- were like handcuffs that kept her wrists behind her back. And no matter how hard she tried to break through them, the handcuffs were made with iron, and she’d get closer to gnawing her own hands off before escaping.

A beat of silence between them passed before the brunette looked back over at Rory, setting her drink down. “You think Zelda’s expecting us to come back with a formal report of how we worked on us after all this?” she chuckled. “What did that stuff even mean, anyway? I never really got to ask you what you thought.”

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson photographed by Andreas Laszlo Konrath for L’Uomo Vogue Magazine