bittersuite

he's spotting jackie while she does bench presses, watching her carefully from above and keeping an eye on every little detail. the last thing he wanted was for her to accidentally injure herself while just trying to get a good workout in. "come on, get it up. you got this. good shit, jackie." he's encouraging her, cheering her on to finish up her set. he helps her rack the barbell as soon as she's done and nods his head in approval. "alright rest for a minute before we do your last set. give yourself a little bit of a stretch and drink some water. you wanna try for a pr today? if you do it, i'll get you a free drink from blooms as a reward. or a bouquet if you want, either works. just tell me what plate you want me to load up." even though she hasn't even answered yet, vanni's already looking on to the rack of plates so that he could load up the bar.

although jackie is technically on a break right now, she still makes sure to do her daily workout at the local gym. it’s how she meets vanni in the first place; jackie appreciates his assistance whenever she comes in to do her sets and today is no different. focusing on her breath, she pushes the bar back to the starting position, only sitting up once vanni helps her rack the barbell. “alright thank you, coach,” she tells vanni, reaching for her bottle to drink some water. “can i get both? i feel like i deserve a free drink and a bouquet if we’re going for a pr. maybe even a special handwritten note from you while we’re at it,” she chuckles. putting down her water bottle, jackie starts stretching as she ponders over the thought. “how about you decide on the plate this time? i mean, you’ve seen me do this for a while so you probably know what’s my limit. what do you think, coach?”

"mostly just a lot of work," they tell her with a shrug, "collaborating and trying to make hits. the usual." and trying to ignore my feelings for you, but spencer can't say that. and it obviously wasn't a successful endeavor because here they are, heart beating more quickly and palms inconspicuously sweaty. "oh, nice. your cousin, charlie?" they ask. they don't know him well, but they know of him, having spent plenty of time with jackie. their eyebrows raise slightly and her question, though, and they nod, "i was about to ask. let me buy you a spooky ass drink." spencer opens the door for her, offering a small smile, letting their eyes traipse over jackie for a moment, "let's get a table." it's their way of agreeing that yes, they should talk, even though spencer knows it's probably not going to paint them in the best light. they deserve it after the shit they pulled on jackie. "do we need a ring of salt or some shit to make sure a demon doesn't attach itself?" they joke.

“so all the cool shit, huh? i see,” she nods at spencer. there is no doubt jackie finds them inspiring; they always seem to know what they want to do with their life right from the start and jackie admires them for that. it’s why she decides to not resent spencer for ghosting her all these years; maybe they just got busy chasing their dream, maybe that’s just something she tells herself so she could stop dwelling on the past and move on. “yeah, that’s right. it’s charlie,” she confirms. another person who used to ghost me, but the words never made it out of her mouth. instead she smiles at spencer when they open the door for her. “well, you better,” she tells them, stepping inside the place. “i’m afraid it’s a little too late for that, babes. maybe there’s one attached to you already,” she teases, looking over her shoulder to make sure spencer’s following. she stops at an empty table near the corner and takes a seat, suddenly feeling nervous now that shit is about to get real. “since you’re the one buying, i’ll let you pick the poison, yeah?”

She wiggled her brows as she handed the other their protective gear. ❝I was thinking you might really enjoy it too. You know, just letting loose and smashing stuff. And I feel like you really need it.... No offense, of course.❞ Did Aiv think they look like they needed a release? Yes. Hence, why she took them to the rage room. She wore her safety goggles, gloves and helmet before moving to look at the array of hitting equipment laid out on a table. Aivryn pursed her lips as the thought about her weapon of choice for today. ❝Whatcha thinkin' of using, hm?❞

“so your therapist suggested violence and you’re okay with it?” rachel asks, frowning at the thought. “not that it’s bad- i mean it is- how could anyone agree to do this?” well, she did, but then again aivryn told her it was a surprise; rachel didn’t know they were going to be smashing stuffs in here, or else she would’ve said no. “when you told me we’re going to do something fun, this is not what i have in mind at all. this is crazy, aiv,” she tells her friend, reluctantly taking the protective gear from her. is it too late now to say no? rachel sighs in defeat as she puts on the safety goggles, gloves and helmet; just like aivryn did. “you wanna know what i’m thinking? i don’t think i can do this and i'm freaking out. it's not too late to cancel this thing, right? can’t we just do something else?"

"of course, have to be fueled up to take on the day." she takes a sip of her own coffee, grinning at the younger woman, "so good? wow. incredible, we're off to a great start." she reaches out and gives rachel's shoulder a friendly squeeze, "see? 'manifesting' sounds so much more normal coming out of your mouth." oh to be young and hip. rania agrees then, nodding, "you're right. self-care is important!" and something she neglects and is bad at, but that is not important right now, "mmm, i'm fine. sonia threw a fit over her hair this morning, but nothing a french braid couldn't fix." she snorts, teasing, "if you ever had kids? add different types of braiding to the list of things to know. a little french or fishtail can remedy almost anything. it's like me and a cup of coffee. healing, even."

“that’s right! you really shouldn’t miss breakfast. it’s the most important meal of the day,” rachel chirps, although she couldn’t say the same about the others. it’s easy to miss lunch or dinner when she gets too caught up with work sometimes, but she often makes it up with midnight snacks; that’s if she ever remembers to eat them. there is a bashful smile on her face when she heard rania, head shaking softly in response to her words. “oh come on, you said it just fine! at least you know what it means and how to use it. i gotta give you props for that,” she teases, listening attentively when rania talks about her kid. “thanks for the tip, mama. i think i’m good with french braids. might need to work on the fishtail and learn the others though.” it’s not like rachel is getting married nor getting kids anytime soon, but it’s nice to be prepared, right? a laugh escapes from her mouth. “sounds about right. anything else i need to know about having kids?”

"well, i ate vegetables when i was her age!" not that he had much of a choice, "my sister and i ate whatever. and emmy did eat them, but then she turned eight and suddenly... it's all ewww gross, baba." adem shakes his head, "do you think this is some sort of rebellion? she's growing up on me and suddenly my cooking is bad?" or maybe his cooking isn't that good. he made a note to ask ysla. and also rohan, for a more blunt answer, "well, when did you start eating vegetables? do you eat vegetables?" he hopes so, but he will withhold judgement regardless.

“so you’re one of those good kids who just eat everything, huh? that’s cute,” she tells adem, head tilting to the side as she muses. “i’m sure your cooking is not bad. if it was she would have told you earlier, right? i know some kids can be brutally honest like that. just give her a little break, babes. it’s okay to not eat your veggies sometimes.” jackie would know because she’s been there, done that too. “do i eat vegetables?” she repeats his question playfully. “well, yeah, i do now! but there was a time i really hated it too, just like emmy. my parents never really cared about it so in the end i just went back into it myself. i could say i’ve grown, ” she laughs. “now that i think about it, maybe it’s some sort of a rebellion after all. have you ever talked this out with emmy though?”

“would you even pick up if i call first?” she asks, although she already knows that he wouldn’t. it’s why she chooses to linger around his plant shop instead; it would be harder to avoid her if they run into each other like this anyways. “i came here to see you,” she admits, tears welling up in her eyes. “i was just on my way to get lunch. have you eaten yet?“ 

little leaves meant a lot to vanni for more reasons than them being blooms & coffee's competitor (if you see him sitting in little leaves, no you didn't). it was the place that vanni associated with being productive and work on whatever project he was working on and he had the person he was sitting across to thank that for. amongst all the places they had gone for him to be tutored, little leaves was his favorite. "¡che!" he nudges her ankle with his foot, a habit that he didn't seem to grow out of in all his years of knowing rachel. "the fuck are you looking at? you've been spacing out this whole time i've been trying to tell you about an important life update." he turns around in his seat and looks behind him to see if he can make out who or what rachel was looking at that was more important than him catching her up on his life.

the sudden nudge on her ankle makes rachel jump in her seat. if this was some other time she would have been upset that vanni almost gave her a heart attack (well, he still did though) on purpose, but once she manages to process what he just said, rachel shakes her head gently at him. “sorry about that,” she sighs. must be the lack of sleep i’m getting these days; somehow the words get stuck in her throat ⸻ it’s not her turn to tell him about her life updates yet, so she takes a small sip of her tea, hoping it would keep her stay focused this time. “what were you saying just now? i’m sorry i wasn’t listening- i mean, i did, but then i don't know what's gotten into me.” she offers him an apologetic smile. “can you tell me about it again? you said it’s an important life update.”

"well paying for it wasn't really apart of the plan. i just figured i could like...subtly walk out with one you know?" it was technically stealing but salem saw it as rescuing a stray animal. "i'm gonna be honest but i don't even know where the owner is. you notice how empty it is in here? they probably wouldn't even realize if i took one." salem teased while rubbing the chin of a grey tabby that jumped into her lap. "let me buy you a coffee first and we can discuss theft afterwards. its the least i could do for dragging you along."

“oh,” comes out her response, followed by a nod. jackie takes a glance at their surrounding for a bit before her attention is back on salem. “you’re absolutely right, babes. there are so many cats in here anyways, i'm sure they wouldn't even notice they're missing one of these." reaching out to pet another cat lingering nearby, jackie couldn't help but grin at the thought. it never crossed her mind to steal a cat out of here ⸻ only because jackie doesn't want one, but she's also not opposed to helping someone who actually wants it. "i don't mind it, really. it's an honor to be your stealing accomplice," she teases back. "you sure you just want one? why not get two while you're at it? i could help smuggle the other one."

i could never forget you, they should say, but instead settles for, "you're hard to forget." despite going no contact, spencer thinks of jackie often, thinks of reaching out, trying to mend things. but they haven't, clearly, as they're standing shell-shocked in front of her. they know that jackie knows they meant what are you doing in chile, but they only hum in reply, "mm, right. i had the same thought, was hoping to see if could contact any demons. brought my ouija board and everything." they joke, trying to act at all like this is normal, like they haven't been ignoring their connection for so long, "i... well, it's a complicated answer," not really, "just been going through some personal bullshit and my mom used to take me here as a kid. just needed a break." they shrug, "now your turn. what brings you to chile? other than trying to find a ghost at this bar, of course." they resist the urge to move closer. even after all this time, there's a natural draw, there's a palpable connection that's hard to shake.

although their words should’ve made her heart flutter, somehow they just leave a bitter taste in her mouth. there’s a sudden urge to bite back at spencer, but she has never been the type to lash out at somebody, even if she’s still upset that they just upped and went on with their life one day. “i know,” jackie responds, grinning cheekily. “you must be going through some crazy shit if you’re out here trying to contact demons. what have you been up to without me, huh?” although it comes out as a silly banter, she truly wants to know all about it. there are so many questions she wants to ask, but for now she decides to bite her tongue ⸻ she doesn’t want to risk scaring spencer off now that they’re here. “oh, i’m just visiting my cousin. he’s a really busy man, so i had to come here and find him myself,” she chuckles. taking a moment to gaze at spencer, she wonders if they would stick around this time, or maybe they would try to run away from her again. either way she thinks it’s worth a try, so she asks, “do you want to check out this bar together? see if we could find any ghost or demon to contact?” it’s her way of saying we should definitely talk. “pretty sure they got some spooky ass drinks we could try too.”

"they are having an incredible deal on garlic scapes." he tells the person closest to him, picking up one of them and inspecting it, "i've had them before, but never cooked with them," adem explains, voice going up an octave in excitement over the prospect of learning how to cook them, "i think you can make pesto out of them? or use them instead of scallions or asparagus? oh, or as a side?" he stops, humming, "emine is being really stubborn about green stuff lately, though. apparently eight-year-olds don't love vegetables. do you think i can stick these in butter or a cheese?"

seeing how excited adem is about the deal, she couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. “oh babes, i’m afraid you’re asking the wrong person about this.” jackie isn’t much of a cook, that much she could admit. “i don’t even know what to say to all that, but i’m surprised you didn’t know that some kids don’t like their veggies,” she teases. “i feel like that’s a phase every kid goes through at some point. did you not have that ever? have you always liked vegetables even as a kid?” there’s nothing wrong with it, of course, but she absolutely gets it why emine would dislike vegetables at her age. “i’ll say it’s a little tricky. just give it a try!”

“well, it’s okay to worry,” she reassures, a gentle smile on her lips. “it’s normal to be worried, especially when it comes to something that really matters to you like this. just don’t let it get the best of you.” jackie knows it’s easier said than done, but she trusts that leon would be able to overcome it eventually. “who? me?” she asks, letting out another laugh. “of course i do! there are so many ways things could go wrong in a big race, but you know, it gets better the more you do it,” she grins. “you've done this a lot before, right? think of all the fun you'll be having on that stage, leon. i'm sure you’re gonna fuckin’ nail this.”

#that’s me right now

"good morning!" rania chirps, handing the other a fresh cup of coffee and flashing her a smile, "how we doing? everything good? sleep deprivation hitting?" she takes a sip of her own coffee, humming, "today's going to be an easy day. i'm manifesting it. not that i believe in manifestation, but that's what all you young people say now, right? you're manifesting and the aura or whatever." she waves this off, "anyway, are you drinking enough water? did you eat breakfast this morning?"

“hey, good morning!” she greets rania back, mirroring the smile on her face as she takes the cup of coffee with both hands. “this is so sweet of you, rania. thank you so much.” rachel already had her daily dose of caffeine earlier, but she wouldn’t mind another one. “everything’s good, we’re doing so good.” for once she’s being honest, although it wouldn’t be wrong to see it as some sort of manifestation too. “i mean, manifesting is really just you believing in something hard enough it becomes real, and i do believe in your manifesting power! today’s going to be an easy day for sure,” she agrees, taking a small sip of her coffee. “yes and yes. can’t take good care of other people if you don’t take care of yourself first, right? what about you? everything’s good with you too, i hope?”