here comes the sun

"If it's concerning you it's concerning me," Ivan replies with a definitive nod before setting down some of the firewood he gathered. He sits next to Aksek, watching at the builds the fire. It was the last of their camp that needed to be set up. "Excuse you plants are living creatures," he counters with a playful smirk, truly just wanting to get the other man out of his head a little bit. "I hear you though. I could never do what you do, man."

Ivan has always been kinder than Aksel, a man who possessed more sympathy for animals than he often did humans. Aksel's eyes remain on the branches in front of him, only tearing away when the flame ignites. "You are right. My apologies. We would not be able to breathe without your green friends." His friend's efforts work and he manages a lopsided, half-hearted effort at a smile. "We are both where we are meant to be, I think. But a part of me thinks I'd fare better if I just stuck it out and became a human doctor. Is that terrible of me?" There is something more vulnerable about his furry patients.

“so this is why you were lurking near my closet.” eva teases with a playful grin, her hands running smoothly down the fabric of her dress from the sides as she admires the flattering silhouette reflected back at her in the mirror. “i love it — thank you.” it certainly isn’t the first time she has received a thoughtful gift from him, but a tailor-made dress undeniably feels much more personal and considerate than anything that could be easily purchased in stores. “can you help me zip this up, please?" she gestures subtly near her back to make her request clearer, her free hand moving to lift her hair up in a makeshift ponytail, exposing her pretty neckline. the fingers of her other hand trace the cool metal of the delicate silver necklace she’s picked out and laid on the vanity, her gaze thoughtful as the artist studies the subtle gleam under the soft light. “i think this would pair really well with the dress.”

"yes," grayson affirms, his expression turning impish with an undercurrent of pride at the admission. eyes trail up and down eva's body without prudence. "i did so with good intentions." and they had paid off. the gift had been not about yet another showcase of the older man's wealth, but an earnest attempt at giving eva something that was for her. only her, crafted specifically for the younger woman. their arrangement was a complicated one, and the lines blurred on what lines grayson should cross when it comes to displaying his genuine affection. he crosses the threshold of distance between them anyway. obliging any request from her is second nature, as easy as breathing. his tall frame perches behind her, zipping up the dress in a smooth, singular motion. fingertips graze the bare skin of her upperback, eyes moving only briefly to the necklace. his hand lifts to her shoulder, thumb massaging the jut. "you have the better eye for such things. you will look beautiful to me regardless."

does she think she’s a bad person? maybe not in the typical sense of the word, but she’s certainly nowhere near as good and selfless as he is. she has never sacrificed her own life or well-being for the happiness and betterment of others, nor has she ever insisted on loving someone who’s so eager to flee with fear and self-preservation. “one night.” she echoes softly, her stance visibly softening as she takes a final swing of her beer before setting the empty bottle down on the nearby table. “i wasn’t really feeling this party, anyway.” if she’s so determined to stay away from him and protect herself from the potential heartbreak, then why does she still find her gaze drifting back to him so often, drawn by an invisible force? getting up from her seat at the rooftop bar, she shoves her hands deep inside the pockets of her worn denim jacket as she looks at him again, a faint, hesitant smile gracing her features this time. “where do you want to go?”

one night. the agreement to the terms arrives and seonho pivots once more on his feet, still restless. while her response had been affirming, he then has to actually move forward when he had no real plan. as if he had not anticipated that she would agree. her more tepid smile is graced with a bright one of his own, nodding his head. he hadn't been drinking, so he is able to offer, "well, there's this place not too far from here. a jazz bar? the music's not too loud, really, and it's rather chill." one of his favorite places, really. "or if that doesn't interest you, maybe we could go for a drive?" he continues to give her options, his vape placed back into his faded jeans and reaching instead for the keys to his car. "i didn't exactly plan for any of this," he admits with a characteristic, breathy laugh, free hand scratching at his cheek.

it’s undeniably true that to expect there would be no bickering from now on would be entirely unrealistic for both of them, their familiar, playful, and often dark-humoured jabs having become an integral part of the unique dynamic that they have both grown attached to over time. “you should learn to trust me more when it comes to your safety and protection.” she asserts firmly, considering that she will absolutely not stop fighting him tooth and nail if he ever dares to make a reckless move that can jeopardise his safety again, especially given that he only recently survived a terrifying close call with death. “and i’ll try to trust you more with everything else.” she adds quietly yet thoughtfully, offering a ceasefire of sorts as she lets her gaze wander idly on the gleaming silver tableware for a fleeting moment. it is about as close to a formal truce as she can bring herself to agree to at this point in time. truthfully, she is rather surprised by her own ability to remain outwardly composed despite the fact that she certainly doesn’t feel composed on the inside. it is a strange and unsettling feeling to be stripped bare emotionally, her vulnerability when it comes to matters directly concerning him now thoroughly exposed for him to see. “you’re making perfect sense here, boss.” there is a subtle playfulness evident in her voice as she acknowledges his statement, finding it somewhat amusing that they have somehow managed to turn what could easily have been an emotionally charged confession into something that almost sounds like a strategic business meeting. it does, however, feel far more like their distinctive style, considering that neither of them is particularly well-versed or comfortable in the complicated matters related to the human heart. her hands instinctively find the familiar ceramic of the coffee mug before she takes a slow, deliberate sip, the once perfectly prepared omelettes now unfortunately gone cold, but that’s the last thing on her mind at this particular moment. “i guess i’ll stay until the day you decide i’ve overstayed my welcome, then.” she concludes softly, her eyes locking with his in a silent promise.

trust. that has been something that minki has struggled with his whole life. he had been rejected at infancy by his birth parents, and then also discarded by those that had adopted him and then decided to set him aside. from then on, minki had trusted only himself. jason had won his trust, but other than his lifelong friend, there had been no one that could scale the walls that he had moted around the castle that was his soul. then there had been hana. she had been a hired hand, someone that proved her worth by cost, and then someone who had gone beyond that expectation. "you know that trust does not come easy," he counters, though his shoulders are no longer stiff. his body is at rest, a rarity. "you are not a shield in front of me." despite the fact that hana has acted as such, minki finds that he does not want hana to exist in that role. not because he does not trust her, but because he finds that he does not want to let her go. her safety has somehow become more paramount to his own, and that is a truth that he cannot admit. a lesson that he still has yet to learn. "i will trust you, then." that is not a lie, despite the smooth, casual delivery. "i trust you. you trust me. we both keep in mind what we are best at." what they are agreeing to is no small thing, not after what each of them had lived through. their youth had been shaped by adults that had hurt them. here they were, though, adult themselves, and choosing to trust each other. eyes falling to his eggs that have gone cold, he breathes and exhales. minki is not a naive man, and while he cannot name what is transpiring between them as a transaction, he also cannot proclaim what is happening between them as something that is shared. an affection that is growing like a weed that minki chooses to not cut at the stem and instead lets grow. "that works for me," he muses, swallowing a forkful of egg. "you have a place here." his gaze locks onto hers, heavy and with a warmth that he would deny if it was called to attention. "until you prove yourself unworthy," then his eyes break from hers, moving to focus on the food. the promise has been made and he will not turn hana away.

threading her fingers through his, she tries to ignore the way her heart almost leaps out of her chest, following him onto the dancefloor. their lives are so much different now, they're adults and yet... standing in close proximity with him like this, she feels seventeen again. "don't look, but everyone in your entire family is staring at us right now." faith whispers, laughing a little under her breath, as she attempts to breaks the ice. "it's ok though, just keep your focus on me."

a want that he cannot bring back to the surface. not now, not after the time that has elapsed between them. he cannot let himself be caught up in the moment. still, he will deny faith nothing. "for old time's sake," he mutters with repetition, unable to deny faith any request when she looks at him with that smile on her face. as weak in the knees as he's ever been despite him standing straight, tall and to attention. holding onto one of her hands, he guides them upward as his other hand finds her waist. as the music plays, he falls into a rhythm. a broken laugh escapes him, a puff that is devoid of the humor that he wants it to carry. "i don't want to look at them right now," he admits, his gaze remaining downward, on faith's gaze. "what they think matters little compared to what you are thinking right now..."

the truth is she’d never be rushing for an excuse to avoid him, which is far from the case when it comes to most other people that she knows of. while she is typically reluctant to spend time with others — a tendency that she’s always had and only intensified after she followed the path of a career criminal, he has remained one of the few exceptions despite the years they were separated. “that doesn’t sound like a bad idea either.” as all artists are prone to be, she can sometimes be too immersed in her creative processes to tend to her bodily needs, her churning stomach now reminding her faintly of hunger. “what’s on the menu?” she asks, merely curious as she’s never been picky and he has always been better in the kitchen than her.

jason understands that yuna is reluctant to trust anyone around her. while he may be an exception due to their past, he does not move as if expecting that he will be granted special access or what is far more valuable than any treasure in a fire-proof chest: yuna's trust. even with her agreement, he does not assume that he holds any favor with yuna. "i was thinking of making a chicken carbonara, but i am open to any other suggestions." while he pivots on his feet, his smile remains and he does not let it falter in accordance with the flutter of his nerves. yuna may not be particular on what is on her plate, but he expects that she does have standards and expectations for the hand that is feeding her. and he does not want to let her down, especially not when they are now granted the rare opportunity to be alone.

#biblically accurate dean di laurentis

"He's too humble for his own good. This kid kicks my ass at the park near our apartments." His head shakes. "Unfortunately, besides my good looks and atheticism he has not inherited much from me. Including my confidence. I've encouraged him... he shrugs the convo off, teach." Maybe hearing encouraging words from a parent was worth less to a teenager these days. Leon knew better than to push him too much when it came to his encouragement. He knew better than most people that having an assertive and overbearing father was anything but favorable. "But I see him with those damn school flyers for tryouts. Staring at them like they're a frickin' artifact." With a sigh, Leon crosses his arms, glancing around until he spots the basketball courts just outside the window. "You know what, why don't you come play basketball with us this weekend? We can say you and I kind of hit it off and bonded over sports or whatever."

"He's at that age where either a boy's confidence is inflated or nonexistent." From what Leon is saying, however, Sunny has the right support at home. It felt like the exact opposite of what Seán had experienced growing up with a father who pushed him beyond what he would have chosen to do on his own. "Perhaps he just needs to see for himself what we are both talking about." So Seán is receptive of the idea that Leon proposes, rubbing at his chin. "I could do that, yeah. My Saturday is rather open, if that works for you." And it's not as if it would be all that much of a lie. "You can let me know where to meet the two of you. The tryouts aren't until late next week, so there is still time for him to change his mind and decide to go for it." He unearths his phone from his pocket, an older model that is cracked at the sides and hands it to Leon. "I have access to all contact information for my student's guardians, but it feels more personal if I just ask you for it now?"

grabbing a drink after work is one of the few things that keeps mari sane. while she’s always the first in line to suggest happy hour or thursday office drinks, she’s also not opposed to finding herself a quiet spot to grab a beer too. not that it’s been all that quiet with the live music situation but it’s been nice all the same. “hm? yeah, sure. it was good." she realises pretty quickly he's not just looking for her to offer a throwaway comment and so she continues on, "you play here regularly or was this a one time thing?”

malik nods along to the compliments, not wanting to fish with them but also precariously trying to keep the conversation going. how to do that without being too much or too intrusive remains to be seen. "one time thing, probably. depends on if the bar owner wants to invite me back." plus he had done it for free, just for the exposure, which is part of the reason why he is now in the situation that he's in. with no way to get home now that it is far too late for the busses to be operating.

“oh… no,” kaori offers a half laugh as she turns to glance back towards her house. there’s little about it that’s funny. she’s been going on at her husband to fix it, or at least call someone to fix it, for ages. however, he’d rather work “overtime” and she’s still not even entirely convinced work is where he spends his evening. “really?” turning her attention back towards jimmy, she pauses long enough to give her an appraising glance. “do you know what you're doing?"

"i do," jimmy blurts out before she can pause and think about what she is agreeing to. not that she is speaking falsehoods, but she should hesitate a bit more before making such an offer to kaori. someone that she does not want to make a fool of herself around. "i'm, uh, i'm a carpenter, and so long as the problem is structure, i know my way around a roof. and if the problem turns out to be something else," as jimmy isn't sure that kaori exactly knows what he is looking at or doing, "i know people that owe me a favor, so. i'd be happy to help you out."

“it might be a little more aligned to my circadian rhythm or whatever it’s called…” ahra muses, nose scrunching up slightly since she doesn’t actually know what she’s talking about. really she knows better than to complain about her lifestyle but it’s just a little too easy for her to open her mouth and let whatever is on her mind come out — especially in present company. javier has perhaps turned in to a little bit of an unwilling diary for her since he’s just someone that’s always around. “you sound awfully boring.” her comment isn’t made with any sort of judgement really, a stating of fact for someone who wouldn’t enjoy such a calm evening routine. "there's different and there's boring, javier. why don't you spice it up a little?"

"circadian rhythm is correct, and if that would were the case, you would be better suited for a retail or office job." and, of course, ahra isn't in reality. the woman is not meant for any kind of occupation that relies on customer service. and there is nothing wrong with that. ahra is walking on the path meant for her and it comes with its own share of burdens, something that javier has bore witness to in person as someone that serves as her shadow. "my daily life is exciting enough. i don't need the thrill when my shift is over." javier's life outside of his work is a shell of existence, but he doesn't admit as much to himself, let alone to ahra. "and how would you suggest i spice it up? should i start reading stephen king before i go to sleep?"ste

via instagram

EUPHORIA 3x02 "America My Dream"

while sevyn suspected that their friends had good intentions with finding a chance to force them to be alone together, she didn't think they'd considered her or kareem's feelings. sure, their break up wasn't recent, and they were mature adults, but the belief that time heals all wounds was absolute bullshit. in her opinion, anyways. even after all this time, her feelings towards her ex were complicated. he was still the only person who knew her better than anyone else, and she'd never been able to just loving him altogether; however, the hurt and resentment still lingered, no matter how much she tried to let it go. her mind replayed their ending more than she'd like, yet it was never more haunting than when someone tried getting close to her romantically. as soon as things started to become more than late night hookups, the reminder of kareem throwing everything they had out the window was enough to make her cut and run. "the craziest part about this is that i don't know what they expected to come out of this little plan." if she had to guess, they thought forcing her to talk to kareem would give the exes a chance to finally gain some sort of closure (or they were hoping for them to get back together, but sevyn wouldn't allow herself to think about that). for now, she was just going to settle on the idea that their friends were tired of running interference every time they were in the same room and wanted them to simply have one conversation. long overdue, but at least they were on speaking terms for the time being. as nice as his praise was, him then confirming that she was right in her observation about him still putting work over everything didn't make her feel much better. "i am always right, but this time, i wish i wasn't." sevyn sighed, though clearly kareem wouldn't listen. "it is nice being wanted to much, but i do need a better work/life balance." as the song changed, she hadn't even noticed it until he popped that question, and her body froze momentarily as she thought it over. it was one dance, so how bad could it be? "i will, but i haven't done this in a while so i might be kind of rusty." she teased, holding a hand out to kareem.

kareem didn't know what their friends had expected, either. a significant amount of time had elapsed since the breakup. he and seveyn had managed to be cordial, to maintain friendships with their shared social circle throughout the years. the wound of their separation had been sutured, but a scar remained. they could not reconcile as if closure was something that could be scheduled. their friends, no matter how well-meaning, could not fix what had been broken through force and wishes alone. "perhaps what might be crazier is that i can imagine what they expected, but what i do not understand is why they had put their faith and effort behind that belief." there had been nothing that had transpired between sevyn and kareem throughout the years that should have ignited that faith. it seemed that their friends were merely believing not in the ashes, but in the flame that had once lit up the room whenever sevyn and kareem were sharing the same space like they were now. none of them were what they had been. for kareem, the two of them being more candid to each other than they had been prior was enough of a step forward. with a huff of laughter, he shook his head, as if disagreement with sevyn had become the default. "you are undermining your own success," he notated with a click of his tongue, letting that string of conversation die there. his hand slid into hers with a steadiness that was the result of years of transforming into marbled stone. one song that would be nothing more than a shared moment where they did not have to exchange words and could pretend that they could share the same space without argument. as if it was a display for their friends, though that had not at all been the reason why kareem had asked. "rusty is fine," kareem mentioned, "i imagine that we both have been out of practice for a long time." he guided her onto the dance floor, onto the edge where attention was hopefully not drawn to them, one of his hands finding the small of her back, the other settling on her waist. he began to move, somewhat clumsily but becoming more precise, to the beat of the song. as if there was a still a rhythm that could be found between the two of them.