hard times

eve realized she probably had made him uncomfortable and moved away as he patted her back. she wiped away her tears and looked down. she couldn’t help but smile as he rambled again. honestly it was quite cute and actually made a small giggle escape from her lips for the first time that day. “ice cream sounds good.” she said quietly. 

aaaaand now they were back to the farm thing, but at least it didn’t throw her off this time. granted, jude had never met anyone who’d wanted to have a farm, but there were seven billion people in the world and she doubted farming was anywhere close to being the weirdest hobby people had. “ you should buy some land and start your own farm. life’s too short to not be doing the things we love, right? i’d offer to help but frankly i don’t know shit about farming, so i’d be more of a hindrance than anything but hey, it’s the thought that counts i suppose. ” jude grinned, glad to have found something in common with a fellow castmate. she hadn’t particularly been good at school, but she did enjoy learning. “ y’know, there’s really no excuse for their ignorance. i mean, the internet exists, and it contains a wealth of information! a quick google search would’ve kept them from making a fool of themselves, which makes me think you’re right and it’s just wilful ignorance on their part. like, if they never bother to find out the correct version of the phrase, then they can continue to misquote it to suit their agenda. ” she raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “ i think i deserve the chance to decide whether i find the things you like to do enjoyable as well, do i not? and well, if it turns out that you were right, maybe we should just hit the pool instead? can’t go wrong with that, can we –– everybody likes pools. i think. ”

‘i know!! honestly, i hate myself for putting myself through the torture of listening to them, but i’m just too curious, and i end up paralysed at night. it’s so stupid and i can’t stop doing it. my friend told me one about the boy at disneyland, she said it’s a real story, there are pictures and everything, so now i am never going there again, i swear,’ she shook her head, still pissed at her friend for telling her that.

“oh my goodness same!” she laughed, relieved that she met someone nearly like her. “i’ll keep that in mind and if you need advice from your local bookworm, i’m always here” she smiled, “well i love movies too. let’s see, well i love food and going on adventures”

when she felt his fingers brush away her tears her doe eyes locked with his. his words hit her hard and made the tears continue to flow. she buried her face in his chest and let out a shaky breath. “t-thank you.” she breathed out.

his rambling couldn’t help but make eve smile a little as the tears flew down her cheeks. she squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in her arms. she couldn’t contain the pain anymore. so she just sat their as she cried silently. she hated this, how weak she looked. but all the things people had been saying about her kept replaying in her head. she wished she had thicker skin, so she wouldn’t be so vulnerable to people’s criticism. but she wasn’t, and that made her a target. people loved going after the people they knew would react in someway and she was one of those people.

“oh my goodness same!” she laughed, relieved that she met someone nearly like her. “i’ll keep that in mind and if you need advice from your local bookworm, i’m always here” she smiled, “well i love movies too. let’s see, well i love food and going on adventures”

‘of course, i’ll be glad to. well, you’ll still get your campfire, it’s not a total lose situation. if you never try it, you will never know if you love or hate s’mores. it’s better to live in a harsh reality then a blissful dream. knowing the truth as early as you can is the best policy. and if you love it, but you are too scared to try it, then you’ll lose so much time in your life that you can use to stuff your mouth s’mores.’

“exactly! i absolutely hate drama. i swear in high school, all my friends were always in some kind of drama and each time i felt like i was free from that i was sucked in.” she laughed and smiled. “no i swear i love sleep but i’ve been up overthinking. what else you do like besides plants and sleep?” she smiled, obviously wanting to know his interests.

jamie simply stood there as the IMPRESSIVE monologue ( they didn’t know how else to call it ) was poured onto them. they couldn’t remember every being greeted by anyone with an essay, but that didn’t mean they didn’t like it. in fact, it sparked their interest as most people would resign from calling themself a narcissist in their introduction. “ those were like two hundred words, “ jamie pointed out once he’d finished, not even knowing how SPOT ON they were with their guesswork,  “ that’s just an observation, now comes the judgement. “ there was a dramatic pause. “ i love it. “ a genuine smile spread over their lips, appreciating whenever someone was able to use their words. “ it’s not that strange for you to walk up to me. i don’t think so at least and my opinion definitely matters on this one. if you ask me it’s a little weird to have written an introduction, but that’s where my opinion stops mattering. i mean, a whole introduction? was it longer than your speech right now? and what were you planning to actually do with it? i mean, there’s not a meeting with an admission ritual, when did you—” they stopped themself in their inquiry and curiosity. “ sorry, too many questions. let’s answer your question first !! it’s my phone. “ to proof their words, jamie reached for their bag and pulled their in r2d2-case clad phone out of one of the pockets, showing it to him. “ i uninstalled siri as my intelliget personal assistance and instead used the r2-d2 assistant i programmed in university. it works the same, basically. only instead of siri’s voice it’s beeping and when i ask a question hologram princess leia shows up on the screen and she explains it to me. honestly, the princess leia part is not very well done, but i haven’t gotten around to make it better yet. ” also, they usually didn’t use their phone to ask questions, so it never really bothered them.

"TWO HUNDRED WORDS?” cael’s eyes grew wide in shock at first realizing the extent of how much his brain functions at an incredibly fast speed of tangency but they fell into their natural state after realizing it wasn’t particularly out of the norm for him. when given the affirmation about the stranger followed by a smile, cael couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief, his shoulders slumping down when he realized they had been tense since the moment his feet walked up to them. while many would find his sudden two hundred word speech given to a complete and utter stranger in the middle of nowhere rather quaint, cael was glad that they didn’t push him away. “no, no, there’s no such thing as too many questions. i mean granted you’re asking someone that really likes to talk . i guess it’s important to note that i don’t often to mean to talk as much as i do it kind of just spills out in waves. and i find myself unable to stop until i’ve said a majority of what my mind was thinking about. in any case -- i don’t really remember how long it was? perhaps around a hundred words if i had to make an educational guess. you see, i had expected everyone to kind of huddle and be like ‘okay! introduction time’ or you know how contestants on other shows would introduce themselves in their first interview. i realized i would get neither of those,” cael let his shoulders reach his ears in a shrug, clearly saddened at the remembering of such a cruel, cruel past.

graham was new to the show and especially new to dating, in his past he really never pursued anything often too busy studying and well, he liked being alone. and while he originally joined the show for the sake of the adventure and making friends he wasn’t going to turn away the opportunity to find more, either. it was only his first couple days being here and he’d already managed to effect someone as much as they affected him. he enjoyed talking to cael and he found the conversation they had both easy and exciting. he had a different thought process then his, and thought of things that graham normally wouldn’t have, and was glad to have learned about from him. whether it be having a pet goat or whether eating an animal cracker one way was normal or not, he was glad to have this new information that opened his mind up to new ideas and perspectives.

going on a date with cael was something he was very much looking forward to, especially since it’d been mutual, he felt like he was back in high school passing notes again, except well, the note was returned and not pushed under a table for no one to read. plus with the date in cael’s hands, he was very curious to find out what they’d be doing, though he was certain he’d enjoy it regardless of what it actually consisted of, he just knew he’d be happy just getting to know the other male.

getting dressed, graham had a lot of outfits planned pre-joining the show, and he decided to go with one he found to be casual but comfortable and easy, which consisted of a dark blue jean button down and a pair of light blue jeans rolled up to his ankle, and his favorite pair of white vans. and had anyone been around he was certain he’d make a back at it again with the white vans joke, but well, no one knew wore them that often, and well he’s no daniel.

he heard the door knock, he finished tying up his laces and raced to answer it, though he did his best to not make it seem that way. he couldn’t help but chuckle as the other walked in hitting himself with the doorway. “i am so sorry the doorway did that to you, i’ll definitely put a word in with production about that. very cruel of them.” he joked. “but no, need to worry, you’ve already caught my attention,” he beamed.

"THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME i’ve done this since i’ve come here,” he groaned, rubbing the red mark that plastered itself on his forehead. the wince, however, was soon replaced by a flushed smile, the comment graham told the brunette obviously affecting him. “well, don’t you look particularly dashing today,” he commented as a way to change topics, his eyes glazing over the man who stood in front of him, “i mean not like you don’t always look good every day or anything like that. you know, like you look great every day but it just feels different today -- and uh. yep, i don’t know what i’m talking about. -- nice vans, yes. that’s what i wanted to say.” obviously in some form of embarrassment, cael could feel the heat return to his cheeks as he let his hand rest behind his neck, eyes facing down trying to count the number of cracks in the floor.

“so i feel it’s important, you know so i don’t get sued by the graham fanclub viewer people, that i am in no way in expert in the art of going on dates nor do i know what i’m doing 24/6 -- i usually have one day where i know what i’m doing. in any case, i’ll do my utmost best to make sure i don’t act as boring company or i trip and land on my face because that would also be embarrassing but i feel like i already found that i’m embarrassing myself as i keep talking so yeah, i’m just going to not. talk.” 

“Dude, did you just read all of that from your phone? I mean I’m not judging you because that was some kind of pretty dope introduction if you ask me. But honestly, I haven’t put that much thought into introducing myself.” Jesse chuckled, glancing at the other with an impressed look on his face. “Cael’s a great name and the reference to the vegetable thing is amazing, your parents must be very creative people. It’s nice to meet you by the way. I’m Jesse.”

@caelss

    kieran wasn’t quite sure how he had managed it to accomplish such a task within twenty-four hours of arriving on cuban soil. surely this had to be some sort of record. or, then again maybe the universe did have it out for him after all, intent on his destruction. it certainly appeared that way a great deal of the time. ONE MOMENT he had been jogging down the stairs in search of a drink to quench his thirst and the next kieran had found himself pounding desperately on his bedroom door with clenched fists, a string of profanities falling from his angrily red-bitten mouth. a series of obscenities one would normally maintain a strategic distance from in an easygoing discussion. sighing in vanquish he lets his legs give out from underneath him, sliding onto the carpet of the hall with a displeased moan. uncertain of where to continue from here.

the sudden sound of a neighboring entryway opening follows a minute later. a castmate presumably having heard him assaulting the door. another frustrated groan tumbles from kieran’s lips, cerulean gaze fixated on the floor, arms traversing his chest in immaculate disturbance. ❝ I CAN ASSURE you all is well. try not to mind me, sitting on questionable flooring while simultaneously suffering from an existential crisis is somewhat my niche. nothing to see here. move along. ❞

  11:07 PM. it wasn’t particularly late for the average human being but cael found himself already half asleep, cosmos by carl sagan laid open on his stomach (one could tell how much cael loved the book, the bindings already so frail and the cover tattered). his mind was slowly reaching a light, dreamless sleep -- his brain waves slowing down a considerable amount. he wasn’t far into his snooze however when consistent bangings next door had quickened his heart into alertness. his eyes had to adjust to the brightness of his room once more, his brain in a certain confusion on whether he was dreaming or awake at the moment. he lightly slapped the side of his cheek in a way to address the situation.

yep. most definitely awake.

at the time cael wasn’t essentially angry - no, he was more so concerned about the well-being of his neighbor, which he remembered he did not have a day ago. worried that perhaps the new kid on the block was having some issues getting into his room, the momma like character quickly put on his shirt – backwards, in fact – and left the room in hopes to be able to provide some assistance.

“it’s pretty good, i’m just happy that i didn’t show up last week since there was heaps amount of drama so i guess you can say we dodged a bullet. honestly, i haven’t had that much sleep” 

at his sudden remorse, jude felt any pettiness she’d been holding onto melt away. it was quite a sight, this lanky man frantically waving his long arms around. the part of jude that wasn’t worried he might accidentally smack her in the face found it all quite endearing. “ oh, that’s okay, no real harm done here… except maybe to my pride, but i think i’ll survive. ” wait, rewind–– she could have sworn that the man had just spoken in a southern american accent, saying something about sharing vegetables from his farm? it came so out of left field, truthfully jude felt like she’d taken a quick trip to the twilight zone and back. “ did you just… did you just say something about a farm? ” sizing cael up once more, she supposed she could imagine someone like him out on a farm easily enough, he certainly had the… disposition – for lack of a better word – for it… shrugging off the odd comment, jude tried to force herself to wrap her head around the more comprehensible conversation at hand. “ oh my god, you know the full quote! it’s always irked me when people tell me that curiosity killed the cat in an effort to deter me from doing something. or like, when people say blood is thicker than water to try and excuse a family member’s shitty behaviour. god, if they’d bothered to do at least a little bit of research then maybe they wouldn’t make a fool of themselves so often! ” realising that she’d started to get a little too fired up, she cleared her throat, relaxing against the couch once more. “ well… what do you like to do? since you recently grew out of the ‘newbie’ title, i think it’d be nice if you could show this newbie around, eh? ”