de oppresso liber

Maggie: Is like honesty isn't even worth it anymore.

Maggie: Would I have anything to do with that?

Colin: You're honorable, but honor isn't very cool, is it?

Maggie: This morning I woke up and just felt happy. You have something to do with that. Okay you have everything to do with that and I don't care how cheesy or uncool it is for me to say. I feel like I have been smiling since seeing you last night.

Colin: It is very uncool... feeling differently about you now.

@colin–cleary​

“Can I confess something to you?” She leaned in, hand on his chest pretending to be flirty. “I’m already really tired,” the act broke as a smile a little pathetic laugh broke through. 

Colin’s brow rose at her little question. In truth he didn’t know how to feel with her hand on him like that here. He hated to think he was keeping two women from each other, but the thought of Rae seeing them close made his chest tighten. He slipped out of his thoughts when she finished, laughing along with her. “That’s because you’re really, really old,” he nodded, crooked little smile up the corner of his lips. “I could give you some tricks on how to stay awake.”

“Look, it doesn’t even have to land on you. I’ll kiss you anyway. I’m generous like that.”

“Huh. You usually play much harder to get than this.”

@colin–cleary​

“I feel like there’s a missed opportunity here that they didn’t decide to serve tubs of Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream on it’s own. Anyone else craving ice-cream now? Or is it just me?”

“Come on, didn’t you read the fine print of the invitation? It clearly said BYOBAJ.”

“I ordered you fries,” he took the barstool next to her after spotting her across the bar, sliding the drink he’d gotten for her over to her as well. “You never eat enough.”

“Sorry, not really myself tonight,” Colin tried to force a little smile with the apology. He hadn’t really been this version of himself in front of her. It felt a bit like he was about to ruin the bubble they’d been in, but he couldn’t fake it.

Melody: Applesauce is in fashion, right? Cause I just spent the last two hours wearing it and no one even told me before I realized when I looked at myself in the mirror.

“Smart move. Keep me cooking at the stove for both our sakes,” she came up beside him. “You know, I didn’t know that it did until now. It’s pretty attractive watching you man the grill.” In high school, Maggie did everything to run away from a future that would have looked like this but dating Colin was a taste of something of the normal average life and truthfully she found herself wishing she had more of it.

“And you do great with the stove. We’ve got a good thing here,” he smiled, arm wrapping around her waist. “Oh I see, so it’s not something you’re usually into, just something that you uniquely like in me,” he nodded, little smile poking out. “I’ll grill all night if it gets you going,” he jested.

“Well I’m not there yet, but I’m sure I’ll come up with one shortly to make it up to you.”  Macy grinned and picked up another drink for herself. “Well that’s good, me too. The rest of people were getting to be too much.”

“I’m not interested until there’s a solution,” Colin shook his head, a little smile to show he was only joking. “Oh yeah? Is that how it usually is for you? Like to escape the crowds?”

“Well that’s on me and I take full responsibility for that.” She laughed a little, “More comfortable than having to mingle and make small talk?” Not that Macy blamed him at all, at some point it just became exhausting. “Like I’m subjecting to you right now.” 

“Taking full responsibility, alright, but what’s the solution?” Colin deadpanned. “Kind of, yeah. I mean don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind talking to people.. but groups can be a bit much at times,” Colin shrugged and chuckled. “Believe me, I’m good here.”

“No definitely not, I got ahead of myself very very quickly.” Macy laughed a little and tucked a piece of hair behind her hair. “Do you always end up at the grill?” 

“Clearly... honestly the whole thing has me pretty offended at this point,” he joked and shook his head. “Umm, yeah, kind of. I like doing things, so at cookouts and things it’s just more comfortable than anything.”

“Maybe I just hadn’t put in too much thought about how weird it would look to start a parade on your own?”

“Feels like you haven’t put nearly enough thought into any of this!” Colin teased.

“That’s true, you’d really look like quite the asshole.. but then I’m going to look nuts if I start that charge so we may have reached an impasse.”

“If you think you’ll look nuts it kind of feels like you don’t really think I deserve a parade here.”

“Well I can sound the alarm and try to lead a charge, but we need others to hop on board so you should probably start pleading your case to the masses.”

“I can’t be doing that. You’ve got to lead the charge. If I start asking for a parade, who is going to want to give me one? I’d just be annoying and full of myself-- this is on you unfortunately.”

Rae looked out to the lawn, pretending to be impressed as her eyes fell back on me. “Careful. You start talking about your lawn mower and I might just get turned on thinking about you mowing in a pair of New Balance.”

“You’re saying it as a joke, but you have tried to convince me to stop mowing my lawn to have sex, so,” he shrugged, a little chuckle falling.

“You really are a hero, do you get a parade when this is all done to acknowledge your brave work?” Macy asked with a grin

“I don’t know that anyone has one arranged, but I mean... it takes one person to start planning if you think it would be appropriate.”