Soul a Mix of Chaos & Art

It had been a no-brainer for Jason to agree to the outing to a pottery studio with Ava. He was no stranger to getting his hands dirty, ( even if he’d never done anything quite like this before, ) and he had to admit, there was something appealing about exercising a different creative muscle. He’d had a busy fall, playing a few, semi-local shows with his bandmates ( although not a proper tour, not yet, ) and spending time in the recording studio, too. He’d enjoyed getting back into composing, but there had been a lot of driving ( wearing him down physically, ) and the rest hadn’t always been easy emotionally. Then there had been the holidays, ( the first without his father, ) and then the anniversary of his father’s death — it had been a lot, leaving him feeling a little wrung out. Jason welcomed the reset of trying something new, of creating something that was a little more grounded. A little less emotionally involved.

More importantly, Jason liked spending time with Ava. Reconnecting with her had been one of the best parts about officially moving back to Eureka. She was thoughtful, and easy to talk to, and he always had fun with her. Still, he was a little daunted after what felt like far too little instruction for actually making something with any kind of use; he was staring at the lump of clay in front of him, rather than actually touching it. “I was actually thinking they made it look way too easy, and I know it can’t be as simple as that,” he replied, flashing Ava a quick smile, then laughing softly as she went on. “I guess I can work with those terms, though.” He spent a few moments playing with the speed of the wheel, getting a feel for what a medium speed was, then, once the wheel was still, finally set about centering it on his wheel. “When was the last time you did this?” he asked Ava absently, conscious of the movements of her hands, the changes in her posture, in the corner of his gaze.

🖋

Life had a way of throwing obstacles in the way of spending time together and Ava had always been someone who was grateful for the people who made time. Things hadn’t been overly busy for her ( she was still at the paper, still just going through the motions ) but she knew that they had been for Jason. They’d snatched time together throughout the months and she was always glad of it. There was an ease with him she’d yet to establish with almost anyone else and she wasn’t sure whether it was their shared history or just the way that they’d been able to quietly come together in Eureka. The why hardly mattered when the reality was that she just enjoyed his company. Light laugh is given before she steals a glance at him in her peripherals, knowing better than to take her eyes off her own completely. Noting his hesitance and remembering how daunting she’d found it at first, she offers up some words that she hopes will be encouraging. “I would put money on you having the dexterity to be good at this.” She hums lightly as she considers how long it had been since she’d had clay at her fingertips. “Not since I moved back, I don’t think.”

There was a slight pause where she might have usually ended her answer, restricting how much information she gave away freely as a way of keeping people at arm’s length. But for all there were still parts of her past that she would rather not touch on despite their closeness, she’d found herself less and less cautious about her words over the time they’d spent together. So instead of stopping short of sharing, she willingly offers up more informations without really thinking twice about it. “I took it up when I was in San Diego but with all the excitement and distractions of moving back, I never looked for somewhere to do it here. So it sort of got forgotten.” Privately she wondered if she’d ever be able to pick up all her pieces and keep hold of them all, instead of feeling as though she was constantly having to juggle and drop things just to manage. Introspection hadn’t been the aim of their time though and Ava focuses on the clay in front of her, grounding herself in the present as opposed to the past or the what ifs she liked to dwell on. “Thankfully though muscle memory has kicked in despite how long it’s been.”

So when she found a pottery studio not too far out of town that had open sessions, she wasted no time in texting Jason to see if he’d be up for a trip out to it. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t want to or couldn’t go on her own, more that she thought she’d enjoy it more with him there. She tended to enjoy everything more with him. Somewhere in their weeks and months of reconnecting he’d become her go to person and anytime she took a notion to do something, he was always the first person that she extended the invitation to. They’d listened to a brief demonstration before being let loose on the wheel and Ava took up her position with ease. “I promise it’s easier than it looks.” She grinned as she began working the clay in her hand, full of ideas for her next creation. “And I also promise that there will be no judgement on what you make. But I don’t know if I can promise no teasing.”

“As long as you’re not hoping to make more than, like, a meal and some leftovers …” Ivy paused, considering. Ava was right, it wasn’t really that hard to make a fresh tomato-based sauce, all you needed was some time. Which, she’d already established Ava had plenty to spare that afternoon. Canning was a whole other ordeal, one Ivy didn’t have experience with, but she figured there was no need to freak out Ava with all of that. “Yeah, we can definitely get stuff for you to make sauce. Forgive me if you’ve said already, but is there anything you’re allergic to? Or don’t especially like?” She’d meant what she said, that they could be guided by what they saw that afternoon, and what looked good, but as with anything, it was easier when there were parameters in place, especially if they were trying to keep Ava from being overwhelmed. “Pretty much,” Ivy agreed with a grin, glad that Ava was somewhat amenable to her suggestion. “But absolutely, yeah, this is just a starting point.” And if Ava didn’t want to pre-plan too much, well, it was time to stop standing around, and time to start wandering and seeing what the market had to offer. “Um, the latter, I think. I mean, partly because it’s not like it’s the same vendors every single time, some of them only come every few weeks, or seasonally, or whatever. Plus, I’m not really so great at favorites, like, generally speaking, so that probably doesn’t help any.”

🖋

“Oh god no.” Head shook to show that she wasn’t expecting big things initially. While she couldn’t help but hold herself to high standards she was all too aware that she’d developed a horrible habit of dropping things if they didn’t work out first time for her. So while she knew that she wanted to try to persevere with cooking, she’d rather not have to battle herself constantly throughout it. “I’m definitely not being ambitious with this. At least for now. One day I’ll have you over for a five course meal.” The words were mostly a joke but there was a part of her that hoped she’d be able to show her appreciation for Ivy’s friendship and all her help in some way. She hummed in acknowledgement at the other woman’s words about favourites, feeling as though she’d find it impossible when everything looked so good. Pulling out her phone she check the recipe she’d found the night before, a simple one but she was counting on the fresh ingredients to elevate it. “Okay so I need tomatos, onion and garlic to start.” As she glanced around at the stalls again she was struck by the seemingly endless choices in front of her. “I can see why you’d love this place and I’m assuming you like cooking too?” There was unhidden curiosity in her voice, tone hinting towards a desire to get to know Ivy better. Recently she’d been straying away from questions knowing that usually people asked them in return and that was something she’d been trying to avoid. But now she was feeling slightly more willing to swap information.

“That’s very sweet of you,” Jason remarked, casting a curious glance Ava’s way. Of course there are plenty of things he can’t do; even the most talented, accomplished people he knows can’t do anything, and Jason never felt like one of those people, anyway, but he liked seeing himself through Ava’s eyes, anyway. And maybe it wasn’t such a total stretch, between the number of instruments he plays and languages he’s familiar with; Jason was his own brand of accomplished. Still, there was such a gap between this version of him, and the one in his own head, that he couldn’t reconcile them for long, and was happy enough to let the subject drop there. Jason chuckled softly at Ava’s request, and whether she had been entirely serious or not, was only too happy to oblige with some insight into his paint color choice. “Just remember, you asked for it …” he teased, before briefly describing the color in question, and why he’d liked the blend of crispness and warm undertones. By then they’d arrived at the bar, and there were drinks to order, and other catching up to do. He let Ava cover the bill as promised, and by the time they were waiting outside Arts and Drafts for Ava’s taxi and his rideshare, it was almost hard for Jason to believe this was the first time he’d seen her in so very long. He felt loose and at ease, and maybe the drinks were partly responsible, but talking to Ava, about topics usually mundane but occasionally more important, had been something he was missing. “I’m glad you had time this evening,” he told her earnestly. “This was fun, catching up.” A car pulled up to the curb, then, very clearly Ava’s taxi. Swiftly, Jason stepped forward, and wrapped an arm around her. “Next time, it’s gonna be my treat.” He lingered in the embrace a few moments longer than he’d really intended to, his other arm coming up to enclose her fully in a proper hug.

🖋

For months it had felt as though every interaction posed a new difficulty to her as she tried to navigate her way through trying to strike the balance between who she was and who she thought she was supposed to be. She’d been so concerned with weighing every word and schooling every expression so that she didn’t give too much away, every conversation had been exhausting. But whether it was the few cocktails or Jason’s company ( she strongly suspected the later ) it was the easiest interaction she’d had in months. She felt freer, lighter, and even though they had mostly stayed within topics she felt were safe she felt open. There’d been a weight of her past pressing down on her and while she was certain it would return, she’d been able to forget about it for a little while. Even though their catch up had come to a natural close there was a part of her that didn’t want it to end so she could stay wrapped up in the warmth of their friendship and avoid facing cold realities. “I’m glad you showed up.” With hindsight it was easy to feel as though she shouldn’t have been as surprised to see him as she initially had been. At least not when he had a flawless track record of being there for her whenever she’d needed him. But time and distance had made that easy to forget. “Let’s just not leave it as long this time.” Though that was something she held herself entirely responsible for. To her surprise she didn’t stiffen at his embrace like she might have predicted when after Lance she’d developed an  aversion to it. But whether it was because she’d relaxed so much during their drinks, the closeness she felt with him or the memory of their previous affection she found herself able to return it. After letting them linger that way for a few moments she pulled back gently. "As long as the time after that is mine.” She couldn’t help but laugh lightly as she stepped back towards her cab, already envisioning the two of them playing their own version of tag when it came to picking up the tab.

Jason had expected a number of possible reactions from Ava after the level of detail he’d offered about the painting he’d done — teasing, perhaps, or questions as to why he’d chosen that particular color — but laughter simply hadn’t been one. He was more startled than anything else, but he let her get it out, only to give a soft chuckle when she explained. “When have you ever known me to draw anything? Let alone paint?” he asked affectionately. Of course, this was the first time they’d seen each other in … well, far longer than he cared to admit. He may not have been artistically inclined before, despite his musical talent, but who was to say that hadn’t changed since they’d last spoken? Maybe it wasn’t such a crazy assumption, after all. He gave a small nod at her request — he would hold her to it, especially after she’d asked that he do so. It was all the sign he needed that a little change was a good thing, after all. And even if Ava wasn’t ready to share a particular something, well, he’d keep asking, asking until she was ready. And until then … “I’ll take all the puns you can come up with. Though right now, I’ll settle for some food and an update, okay?”

🖋

Wry smile settled onto her features, nose scrunching slightly as she was forced to acknowledge her mistaken assumption. Thankfully Jason’s laugh was enough for her to allow herself to make light of it instead of dwelling too long on any guilt she might have felt for the time that had passed between them or the nagging feeling that perhaps she didn’t know him so well after all. “When you put it like that never but I guess I just thought you could do anything and assumed art would be up there.” Because in truth she was almost more surprised that he didn’t feel that kind of artistic inclination than she would have been if he’d told her some of his work had made it into Yirru Ga. But on reflection that was just her high opinion of him and his capabilities colouring her view on the matter. “But, in my defence, I know plenty musicians who dabble in other creative spaces.” After all, she had even dabbled in sculpting and claywork on occassion, if only because she found the process therapeutic. His nod was enough to indicate to her that any difficult questions would be shelved for a later date but that she would have to start preparing herself for that inevitable moment. “Deal. If only because I’m dying to know what made you pick Mountain Peak White specifically.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly right,” Ivy agreed with a grin. Privately, she was impressed with the bravery Ava was displaying, in admitting to the gap in her knowledge, and trying to take such a big step to remedy it, but she kept those thoughts to herself, for now. She had no doubt that Ava would appreciate the compliment at some point, but to do so now, would only raise the stakes; emphasize just how big a deal Ivy thought it was. That was the very last thing Ava needed, in her humble opinion, especially because at the end of the day, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Ava would learn, and if she ever made an inedible mistake, there was always takeout. Today, though, she was determined that things go well, to start Ava off on the right foot, so to speak. “Like a jar of sauce?” she asked, simply clarifying. “Usually, I—” Ivy hesitated only for a moment before answering, “Well, I don’t try to see everything. I think that’s the biggest thing. When wares start blending together, I call it a day. We can try to stick just to the produce, today, though, if you’d like.”

🖋

Ivy’s grin was met with a smile of her own and she was surprised at just how easy she found it to answer the question that had been posed. It felt as though once her first confession was out the way and greeted with understanding, nothing else she had to add was quite as daunting. The worry that she would seem ridiculous for her lack of knowledge on such a basic skill had almost completely vanished. “Usually a jar, yeah. But I figured it might be simple enough to start making my own.” Or at least that was her theory, after all she had no real experience to draw up to prove it one way or another. Nod of understanding was given to the brunette’s take on the market and her plan of action for them. “So conquer it one section at a time? I like that for a starting point. And if we get bored or I still feel uninspired we can always switch it up.” It was a vague compromise when she didn’t want to impose too many restrictions on their trip even if she could see the sense in Ivy’s suggestion. Ava was all too aware that she was the one who had asked the other woman to come and she wanted to make sure that it wasn’t an afternoon that Ivy would regret. “Do you have a favourite? Or is it one of those places where you can’t choose?”

Jason gave a resigned sort of chuckle at Ava’s quip, nudging her shoulder with his ever so slightly as they walked. “And she’s stubborn, too,” he said quietly, affection lacing every word. It was clear he considered that an asset, just as much as Ava’s wit or willingness to buy him food. “I’d missed playing with them,” he said of his bandmates. Sure, the other three had come up for Jase’s birthday, and individually for a spare weekend or random midweek visit, but that wasn’t quite the same as making music, the four of them, with the crowd behind them. “I’m so thankful for them, even rehearsals the past few weeks were special. But we got on stage tonight and it was—” It had come back like it had been no time at all since they’d taken to the stage together, even though it had been close to eight or nine months at that point. More than just came back, really. “I could feel it, that energy,” he added with a grin. “And thank you, really. But, okay, okay, enough of that, or I’m gonna start to get an ego or something.” He appreciated every word of her praise, but despite the post-show buzz, they’d reached max capacity for what he could accept gracefully. Jason didn’t want to distract Ava from her decision making, but he couldn’t help the, “I knew I could count on you,” that followed her acquiesce, any more than he could help the accompanying smile. Waiting, he caught the motion in her stance and tapped the fingers of his right hand in accordance with the same beat, finishing with a final tap at Ava’s final decision. “Tacos sound perfect,” he agreed with a nod. “Let’s go get in that line before it gets any longer.” He hesitated only a moment before carefully nudging her in the appropriate direction, following right behind.

🖋

A flash of a smile is all he gets in response to his remark about her stubbornness, she didn’t always need to get her own way but she found it somewhat reassuring that she was starting to stand her ground again after years of letting life happen around her. Even if it was over a little thing she’d still take the progress. As he’d been speaking she hadn’t be able to help but lean into him a bit more, increasing the contact between them as a way to show how happy she was for him. His energy even now was contagious and she wanted to find some way of expressing how much her heart was swelling with excitement for him without more words. “Pretty unforgettable. I’m glad you got to do it with them, do you think you’ll get anything else lined up?” Head shook almost instantly at the notion that her words would be able to affect him in that way. “You? Impossible.” She’d seen firsthand what fame and success could do to people, changing them in irreversable ways and not always for the better. But she couldn’t believe that Jason would ever become one of them. It felt impossible to imagine a version of him that would fall victim to too much ego and she would have made sure that he knew it if she wasn’t about to agree to reign in the compliments for a little while. “But fine, we’ll celebrate you in wordless ways only from now on.” She wasn’t entirely sure how long she’d be able to keep that up given that she always thought highly of him in general and liked to make it known. “Always.” The word is said softly, a promise that she’s hesitant to make out of fear of what feels like inevitably letting him down but one that she’s determined to keep. “I don’t know, I was thinking of standing here a couple of minutes more first.” A joking half step backwards was taken before she moved forward to join the queue, beginning to move slightly to the beat of the next song that greeted them.

Jade couldn’t hide , not loving the idea of having to choose some place that would entertain both her and Ava. Much like Weston, the things she enjoyed were usually pretty tedious to anyone that wasn’t a control freak. “I don’t know if you want me to pick, Ava. Only Weston enjoys my particular brand of fun. There’s a reason we’re getting married,” she warned. “We could do one of those escape room things. I would be awesome at those.” If her choice of activity didn’t ruin her potential friendship with Ava, her competitiveness just might do the trick. “How about we go to Arts and Drafts? There’s the word art in there and I might suddenly understand these more after a few drinks.”

🖋

After spending more than a decade of her life in LA where no one seemed to ever say what they were really thinking or feeling ( at least she had never felt able to ) she found Jade’s openness and honesty refreshing. “I guess we’ll see if us Jamesons have similar taste in fun or not then. But I’ll try anything once, especially if I have someone who’s likely to be great at it on my side.” She flashed a smile Jade’s way, well aware that the other woman would likely be far better at an escape room than she would be. The competitive streak had somewhat missed her, perhaps because she’d always done well enough in things to never really have to consider if her performance was good enough or not. Once upon a time she’d been self assured enough that she’d never felt the need to measure herself against someone else and whilst that belief was slowly coming back, she still had her moments of doubt. “I love Arts and Drafts. The cocktails are amazing so if nothing else we’ll enjoy our drinks while we discuss art. But I’d love to hear more about what you love too, it doesn’t have to stay an art focused evening.”

“Oh, well, that’s a relief,” Jason said, amusement still clear in his voice. Pretension was one thing he tried to avoid; he was just a guy who wrote songs and played some of them in a band. He worked hard, and he liked learning ( about some things, anyway. ) but he wasn’t especially clever, or smart. He didn’t want to make anyone feel less than, in any way. So maybe relief wasn’t the right word, but he was glad that Ava had remembered that about him. “You know, I’m sure there are some people who prefer print to reading on screens, but for the most part, you’re probably right. Just not as convenient as having it at your fingertips. Or read to you.” Because there were plenty who, rather than watch the news, would listen to a podcast, seeking the same effect. “Yeah, just some trim. And this one paneled section of wall,” Jason answered casually, unaware of the way Ava had misinterpreted his words. “Nothing fancy. Just going to white. Well, off white. Benjamin Moore, OC-121, Mountain Peak White, if we’re gonna get technical.” Given the time Jason had spent with paint chips, he felt he’d more than earned the right to be technical about that. “I’m glad, too,” he said, shooting her another smile.

He’d spoken lightly, casually, but still Jason watched Ava’s expression carefully after he spoke, after he gave her that nudge. He wanted to be sure that he hadn’t overstepped, that Ava wasn’t expecting them to simply pick up where they left off. It would be difficult to do, given how much things had changed, but even so, he wanted to know. So he caught the surprise in her expression, but there was a moment, just a moment, when he thought maybe it would be that simple; that it wouldn’t take any more prompting or effort on his part for her to give an explanation. It would’ve been nice, but Jason wasn’t exactly shocked that it didn’t work out that way. He hadn’t even really been asking for immediate results; he’d meant every open-ended bit of his proposed timeframe. Still … “I’m gonna hold you to that,” he assured her. Wrapped in his own thoughts for a moment, he never noticed the flutter of movement from Ava’s hand, and even if he had … well, he wouldn’t have guessed at her intentions. There was some alternate reality where Ava’s hand in his, even for a few moments, eased the ache of loss and made it just the tiniest bit more bearable. In this reality, though, he simply laughed at her tease, and responded with equal lightness, “Oh, yeah, that’s definitely a requirement now. No straight asks, only puns and twists on sayings allowed.”

🖋

It took her a moment to processs Jason’s reply when she had been expecting him to relay that he’d been using paint on some sort of canvas rather than a wall. Once she does she can’t help but laugh at her own assumption. After a moment she collects herself and is quick to assure him that the laughter was at her own expense as opposed to his. “I’m sorry, I’m sure all that Mountain Peak White looks great. I just assumed, wrongly, that your painting was the more artistic kind than decorating. Clearly I’ll have to work harder on the investigative part of reporting.” Heartbeat picks up for a moment at his response to her vagueness but she is quick to calm herself when she reminds herself that he’s not asking her for anything just yet. Even then it wasn’t as though he was asking for a lot - just some honesty. But openness was something that she now lacked when she had learnt to hide and conceal her thoughts and feelings as a way to get through her life in LA. The walls she’d built had been her protection and the notion of beginning to take those walls down was an unsettling one. But there’s a part of her that feels a small glimmer of hope that at some point the dismantling of them and the return to openness might not seem so daunting. It feels as though that future is distant and almost unreachable given that she doesn’t know how long it would take for that flickering hope to grow enough for her to make good on any promises. So she keeps her response devoid of a timestamp but it’s not lacking honesty when she figures that a little encouragement might be what she’d eventually need. “I hope you do.” As soon as the words had left her lips she was keen to move the conversation on from her small moment of vulnerability and she attempted to steer them back to levity once more. “Well then I guess it’s a good job I’ve been known to be punny on occasion. But I’ll start brushing up on some new ones in case you ever need a little extra persuading.”

Despite the fact that Weston was a fairly confident and well-rounded person, even he had moments of insecurity and doubt, and nothing calmed that faster than a few words from his big sister. There was an easy smile that rose to his features at the hopeful words and Weston instantly felt a little better about the situation that had been plaguing him. “I guess you’re right. Besides, he’s not as tough as he seems,” He added with a faint chuckle before shaking his head. Their father had always intimidated him during their youth and given how free and outspoken Ava and their older brother Daniel had been towards him, Weston always felt somewhat small around the man. Even with all of Weston’s successes, a part of him would always feel like he wouldn’t be measuring up to his father’s expectations. “Hey — I’m pretty damn persuasive, you just can’t use that power of persuasion on your family all the time,” he said, features lightly up with a smile. “I guess I just don’t think it’s about me and Jade getting married. I think it’s about mom not being around to see it, you know?” Their mother had always been supportive of all of them, and knew all her children were on their own paths that sadly led away from her. Knowing that, Weston felt guilty. It was the reason why after their mother’s diagnoses he came back home and put down roots with no intention of leaving ever again. Ava was a more difficult child to get back home, Weston had known that but didn’t blame her for it even if he often found himself missing her.  Thankfully she had returned and he instantly felt better about everything. Weston paused for a moment, deep in thought he added, “Do you think she’d be proud of us if she were here?”

🖋

Light, surprisingly easy laughter leaves her to join in with her brother’s before she aims a fond eye roll in his direction. “So gracious of you. With great power comes great responsibility, right?” The smile on her lips slowly drops to be replaced by a more thoughtful expression at Weston’s theory behind what was really bothering their father.  “I hadn’t thought of it that way. But you’re right, it must be hard for him. It’s a reminder of the future that they lost together as much as a reminder of their past too. A lot of could and should have beens.” If his previous statement had made her pause, the question he posed just about knocked the air from her lungs. It was one she’d considered herself endlessly and only made her question her choices in life even more, but she hadn’t thought it would be on the agenda for family dinner. She says as much, words dry in an attempt to turn how she felt into a joke. “Did I miss the memo warning me that you were bringing out the heavy hitters tonight?” It buys her a moment to consider her answer once more, never ceasing to find it ironic that she strung words together for a living and yet always seemed to struggle to find the right ones when it mattered most. Honesty became her ally once again, a soft admission as she weighs her words even more. “I hope so.” There was no doubt in her mind that their mother would be proud of Weston, her hesitation was purely on her own behalf when she couldn’t help but question her own worthiness. A small breath is taken as thoughts are slowly turned into speech. “A mother’s love is supposed to be unconditional but pride - I don’t know - I don’t think I can see that being conditional from Mom either. As long as we’re trying to live a good life, be a good person that’d be enough, right?”

JASE: nah, it's not like that, there's no list

JASE: i just like knowing what's up with you

JASE: i'm not gonna faint or anything, so, yeah, i'm happy to wait. i can swing by and pick you up?

AVA: I'm keeping track even if you're not

AVA: which I appreciate, by the way

AVA: well that's a relief. but yeah, I'd like that. I should be done in thirty minutes max

DOWNTOWN w/ @avaxjameson​

Clayton walks down the street, glancing at his phone as he reads the list he wrote himself to pick up for his apartment, the bachelor party and the parlor. He lifts his eyes up right in time to see Ava standing in front of one of the windows, staring at something. He furrows his brows and slides his phone into his back pocket, closing the distance between them as his head turns to look at what she could be staring at. “What are you lookin’ at like that?” He murmurs with a slight grin on his features. 

🖋

Perfectionism hadn’t always been a trait of hers and it was only taking hold of her now because of the pressure she was putting on herself to get her brother something amazing as a wedding gift. She’d been staring at the display in the storefront in some vain hope that it would give her an idea when a familiar voice starts her out of her reverie. The surprise had made her jump slightly and narrowed eyes are aimed Clayton’s way. “I didn’t think I was looking like anything.” She shrugged slightly, glancing once more at the display before giving him her full attention. “Searching for inspiration, I guess. You know Halloween’s over, right? We’re done with scaring people.”

JASE: hm, okay

JASE: no worries, though. you may have to tell me what the nonexistent complication was someday

JASE: i was thinking about eating in, so sounds like mediterra's the winner

JASE: thanks!

JASE: … you busy? you want to tag along?

AVA: uh huh, someday.

AVA: I'll add it to the ever increasing list.

AVA: anytime

AVA: that would depend on how hungry you are

Jade wasn’t exactly used to not knowing everything about everything, so this wasn’t her proudest moment. It was 100% her fault, though, she shouldn’t have agreed to meeting here. She wanted to impress the girl, not make her think she was an uncultured idiot. “Sorry, I should’ve warned you I’m not much of an art person. My apartment walls were completely bare. Maybe you can pick up a few things for our place.” She might be an uncultured idiot, but she was an uncultured idiot who could dish out compliments like no other. What she lacked in art knowledge, she more than made up for in charm. Classic politician. 

“Sounds good. I could use a few drinks to wash down the embarrassment of this entire evening,” she said jokingly, happy Ava had offered to leave this damned place. “You can give me a crash course while we have drinks. Why pick one when we can have both?”

🖋

It wasn’t quite the smooth start that she’d wanted for them and she quickly blamed herself for not taking into consideration the fact that not everyone found themselves as affected by art as she did. “No, not at all.” The words come out fast, eager to let her know that there was really no need for apologies and when Jade changed the subject she was quick to gratefully latch onto it. “Sure, I’m really not an expert so don’t set your hopes too high but I’d love to help.” Smile rested on her lips, happy to be included and left feeling as though she could be useful. “How about you pick next time?” It seemed obvious enough to her that this would be far from the last time that they spent time together and it was only fair if Jade got to choose an environment that she was a little more comfortable in. God knows there were plenty of places Ava felt out of her depth if she wanted to return the favour.

Smile widened to a grin as Jade continued and she felt pleased that they seemed to have found a way to get back on track. “I like the way you think. Any suggestions?”

Ivy’s eyes widened slightly in surprise; she’d suspected Ava didn’t have much experience with the farmer’s market, which was definitely different from grocery shopping at a big store, or even a smaller one. You never knew what was going to be around the next corner, and while sometimes there was a logic to the arrangement of stalls, sometimes the only way to find the treasures was to stumble upon them. Still, she hadn’t expected Ava to be such a novice when it came to cooking, and she couldn’t help but say as much, “This is a big swing for someone who doesn’t really do that much cooking,” and, lest her words be misconstrued, she quickly added, “Which is good. Big swings are good. Okay, so you can fry an egg, and do pasta. What do you usually do with the pasta, once it’s cooked?” She hadn’t expected she’d be giving impromptu cooking lessons that morning, but it wasn’t a role she minded, not in the least. Besides, this was more about the shopping part of it, and whether it was for clothes, or books, or music, or, as in this case, food, Ivy considered herself a very good shopper. She grinned at Ava’s confirmation that she had plenty of time, tucking the knowledge away that they didn’t have to hurry any of this, and there was plenty of time to wander.

🖋

There had been a time that she’d been fearless, never hesitating to throw herself into life without spending too much time dwelling on the potential consequences. It hadn’t been naivety or ignorance of the more negative aspects of life but rather she’d had almost unlimited belief in herself and her capabilities to get herself out of any problems that arose. She’d lost that confidence when she’d begun to doubt her choices, seconding guessing every decision that she made. Part of her trying new things was her trying to reconnect with that part of herself and so she made an effort to squash the rising feeling of awkwardness and choosing to laught it off. “I figured it was about time and it’s supposed to be go big or go home, right?” Jumping in at the deep end was something that she had a habit of avoiding but in this case it seemed to make the most sense. Besides, she felt comfortable with Ivy and grateful for the way that she had reacted to her confession. “Usually just whatever sauce I’ve picked up. I was hoping that I’d be struck by some sort of inspiration I’ll maybe start there. But I’m more than open to your endless wisdom - how do you usually take this place on?”

“Oh, come on, you always bring more than your wit to the table,” Jason assured Ava. She was also so much more than just another fan, but he doubted she was really concerned about blending into the crowd. Not, of course, that the crowd of fans was that large — it wasn’t like he’d been swarmed and couldn’t enjoy the rest of the festival, after all. Still, it had been a good show — a great show, a phenomenal show, really. A reminder of why, as much as he’d needed the last few months, he couldn’t just play handyman for the rest of his life, or even just collaborate on writing music. He needed the performance, the energy from the crowd, too. “It just felt so great being up there,” he admitted, not even noticing there was something a little strange about the way Ava phrased her response. Besides, as he went on, he felt the glow of praise that felt truly deserved. “That setlist — talk about a labor of love. It was a tough choice, you know, ‘cause some of our songs aren’t really the thing for Pride, but we didn’t want—well, couldn’t do, in all honesty—a set that long that was all up tempo, so finding the mix … I’m just glad it all came together like it did. That you liked it.” Because her opinion did matter to him, both her subjective experience, but also what her experience and knowledge led her to, slightly more objectively. He chuckled softly at her indecision, and teased, “You can have one minute, but not any longer, ‘cause it all smells great and I’m too hungry to be picky.” In other words, it was entirely her choice where they ate, but he’d be good with anything. And despite his tease, he wasn’t going to hold her to a strict sixty seconds, though he did shift to stand behind her, so he wasn’t blocking the path to the food quite so much.

🖋

Light hum of appreciation was given to his remark and while she was truly grateful for his view that she had plenty to give she couldn’t resist a quick show of her aformentioned wit - even if it was verging on groan-worthy. “Sure, in this case it’s dinner.” If there had been any lingering regret left in her about her damaged relationship with music, it vanished as soon as she saw how exhilarated Jason was and she found herself more than content to bask in the warmth of his happiness. She knew from experience that there was nothing quite like the buzz that came after a show and his obvious high was enough to put a spring in her own steps. “You guys looked great up there. The chemistry you have and the energy you created - infectious and electric.” Further praise slipped easily from her lips and whilst it was truthful and honest she also wanted nothing more than to keep the light firmly on his achievement, doing what she could to make it shine brighter. Maybe a small part of her was living vicariously through him but it was vastly outweighed by the thought that after all he’d been through recently he deserved to have nothing dim the evening for him. “How could I not? You made it impossible for me and everyone else not to - that labour of love paid off. It was a flawless balance.” Light laughter fell from her lips to match his and she held her hands up in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll try not to deprive you of your hard earned food for much longer.” As her gaze flicked over the various trucks and contemplated her options, she shifted her weight from foot to foot in time with music that was drifting towards them from a nearby radio. Figuring out where the sound was coming from her decision was made, turning slightly to pitch it to Jason. “Tacos?”