[ … ] ❀ you’re not from around here , are you? i figured because you totally just missed { EMMETT HAYES } walking by. don’t tell me you don’t know who { HE/HIM } is/are ? they kind of look like { THOMAS WEATHERALL } and i could be wrong but i think that they might be { 27 } years old right now. they’ve been living in palmview for the last { ONE MONTH}. and i don’t know if anyone has ever told them this before but they kind of remind me of { PONYBOY CURTIS } from { THE OUTSIDERS}. if you stick around the town long enough you might catch them in action working at { EARLY MORNING BREWS } as a { BARISTA }. you see this town isn’t really that big of a place, some folks like to call them the { THE DREAMER } of palmview! they took a liking to the name too after a while, go figure. oh crap, they must have heard me yapping. they’re coming this way. i got to warn you though, rumor has it they can pretty { RECKLESS } at times. i wouldn’t take it too seriously though, from the times i’ve spoken to them they seemed pretty { ADVENTEROUS } to me. we see each other all the time since they live in that { 2 BEDROOM } residence beside me over in { HARBORVIEW RESIDENCES/APARTMENT 1C }. i better leave you to it. it was nice meeting you!
✦ EMMETT HAYES. counterpart: ponyboy. known as: the dreamer.
age: twenty seven
pronouns: he/him
sexuality: unlabeled
hometown: queens, nyc
current location: palmview, florida
occupation: barista at early morning brews
residence: harborview residences 1C
first impression:
quiet, thoughtful, a little distant
actually:
loyal to a fault, curious, reckless when someone needs him
✦ THE STORY:
triggers: mentions of jail & bad parenting
emmett hayes grew up in a fractured home where the cracks showed early. his parents’ marriage dissolved in a haze of arguments and absences, leaving him and his siblings to hold the pieces together. the adults who were supposed to be there slowly disappeared, and his older kids became the ones making sure there was food on the table, homework got done, and someone was always awake during the nights that felt too quiet. emmett learned early how to take care of people, how to carry more than he was supposed to, and how to keep his heart open even when life gave him plenty of reasons not to.
as he got older, emmett became the kind of person who was always searching for somewhere to belong. he bounced between cities, picking up whatever work he could find and never staying anywhere long enough to feel like he was truly putting down roots. he worked odd jobs, spent nights writing in worn out notebooks, and collected stories from every person he crossed paths with. while some people saw him as someone who couldn’t settle down, emmett saw it differently. he was looking for something that felt right, somewhere that felt like home. books, music, and writing were the things that kept him grounded through all the changes, the one constant he carried no matter where he ended up.
he was twenty six when everything changed. emmett had never been good at standing by when someone needed help, and that was what got him into trouble. one night, he found a homeless person being harassed by a group of people who thought they were untouchable. emmett stepped in without thinking, putting himself between them and someone who had no one else to defend them. what started as an argument turned physical, and the person on the other side happened to be the kind of person with money, connections, and a parent willing to make sure emmett paid the price. suddenly, the story was no longer about what happened that night, but about who had the power to control the outcome.
emmett ended up facing charges that landed him a year behind bars. it wasn’t the kind of place anyone would call easy, but he kept his head down, followed the rules, and used the time to reflect on the person he wanted to become. he spent hours filling notebooks with stories and thoughts, and held onto the belief that one mistake, even one that changed everything, didn’t have to define the rest of his life. after serving his sentence and earning early release for good behavior, emmett walked out with community service hours still left to complete before he was officially free from the consequences of that night.
while he was inside, writing became more than just an escape. it became a way to connect with the outside world. through a prison penpal program, emmett started exchanging letters with someone who saw him as more than the reason his name appeared on paperwork. what began as simple conversations slowly became something he looked forward to, a reminder that there was still a life waiting for him beyond the walls around him. eventually, that person convinced him that maybe palmview could be the fresh start he needed.
a month ago, emmett walked out and found himself starting over in a town he had never stepped foot in before. with a bag of belongings, a stack of notebooks, and more uncertainty than answers, he found a two bedroom apartment in harborview residences and luckily got hired at early morning brews as a full time barista.
timeline: been out of jail one month. 100hrs of community service to go (he's totally throwing a party when it's over)
possible wanted connections: neighbors, roommates, penpal (taken by rowan lockhart), friends before palmview (filled by: quinn, alistair, and natalia), friends made in palmview (filled by: holly, trey, boone), cherry to his ponyboy (filled by: stella)
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"of course, wouldn't miss a cat fathers' meeting." boone says whilst he fixes his hair as he walks up to emmett, a grin etched in his expression as his eyes immediately lands on the small feline on his shoulder. but before he could get another word in, the man was already looking at the bruises he's earned from the brawl they were in days ago. "stayed out of trouble as much as i could, or else i would receive many, many lectures from people i know."
"hey, toothless, you look comfy up there, hmm?" he says as he finally acknowledges him, letting the cat sniff his hat. "and this is pumpkin, found him on the side of the road during one of my rides, now i'm his dad." he gestures at the carrier with the orange kitten, trying to reach whatever he can grab. "he's a clinger, but also friendly with other cats, i think they're gonna get along just well."
"very good. if i can't rely on my fellow cat father, who can i rely on?" he teased, toothless stretching his little neck out from emmett's shoulder in an attempt to get a better sniff of boone. such a curious little thing. "don't stay out of too much trouble, though. otherwise life gets boring. remember to...i don't know, jaywalk or something." despite the joke, emmett was genuinely glad to hear boone had managed to stay out of trouble since their last encounter. he reached up to scratch toothless gently beneath the chin, a small smile tugging at his lips. "you know, i guess the fight wasn't so bad. makes for one hell of a story about how this whole cat fathership began, right?" when boone introduced pumpkin, toothless answered with a soft mew, immediately leaning forward to sniff the hat before headbutting against it in what seemed like a demand for attention. "he's a feisty little guy, ain't he? it's a mystery where he gets it from."
emmett's attention dropped to the carrier and he practically melted on the spot. "oh my goood." he stepped closer, reaching down without hesitation as pumpkin clung to his arm, emmett apparently having no problem using his own limbs as a climbing post anymore. "hey, pumpkin," he greeted softly, bringing the kitten carefully against his chest. "look at you. your dad's told me so much about you. you're such a brave little guy, huh? this is toothless." toothless immediately tried to stretch his nose down toward the kitten, and emmett lifted pumpkin just enough to let the two officially meet. "i think you're right, man. they're gonna get along just fine." once boone was ready, he carefully handed pumpkin back before leading the way inside.
after getting settled in, emmett helped boone get his bowling shoes on before pushing himself up and looking toward the rows of balls. "now that we got your shoes on, the fun part comes." he motioned toward the ball racks, already slipping into the role of instructor despite the fact that he was mostly just excited to have someone to bowl with. "we need to find you a ball. the key is getting a ball that..." he paused, looking over the selection with a thoughtful expression before glancing back at boone, "...actually fits your hand without feeling like you're trying to throw a bowling ball with a brick attached to it. but nothing too light because then your ball will go flying. that happened to me once, flew right into a strike...in the lane next to mine."
One shitty weekend followed another and Clemence started to wonder if it was going to be an ongoing theme. He’d left New Jersey months ago – years ago almost at this point. Yet he seemed unable to shake the curse that damned placed stuck on him. Or perhaps it wasn’t so much the place but [ … ] the people there. The exact people who should have made it feel like home, who he should be excited to go back to and visit. Yet, he dreaded the thought of that monthly family dinner with each moment that passed and even more so did he dread those few days after he came back to Palmview from it. He was so wired up, charged with all that negativity [ … ] it felt almost like an out of body experience to go on with his life here while all of that weight sat heavily on his shoulders.
It had been a good enough excuse to drink himself senseless last night. This morning? It didn’t sound like that great of an idea anymore. Clemece pushes his sunglasses up on his head when he moves through the door of Early Morning Brews. His eyes burn at the contact of too much light and cool air coming from the aircon but [ … ] the scent of coffee made up for it. “ Uh … “ The barista had gone off chatting away ; he wasn’t sure he could hear anything but his own thoughts between that buzzing pain in his head. “ Whatever design pleases you just– just let me have a large cappuccino and one of those ham and cheese sandwiches if you got one left. “ Ocean eyes finally glance at the barista and he would’ve perhaps offered more of a reaction if there was more life in him but … instead Clem just nods a tired, slightly moody nod. “ Emmett. “ Then wets his lips briefly. “ Wasn’t aware this is the place you’re becoming an artist at. Morning. “
emmett's expression shifted the second he recognized the voice, the easy warmth from a moment ago giving way to something more guarded, his voice a little firmer as he held up his phone. "still an option, if you want it. i've got a few designs." he offered the pictures anyway, though he lowered the phone when he felt it was clear he wasn't about to entertain whatever had occured between them the other day. the brightness of the shop seemed to bother the other guy, or maybe it was the noise of the morning crowd, and emmett simply watched for a moment without saying anything. he waited until clemence finally looked up properly before offering the smallest smile and a single nod. "clemence." there was no warmth in it, but no hostility either. "it is indeed morning." a refusal to give him a morning greeting, but not about to ignore the other's greeting either.
hemmett didn't want to start another argument, especially not here, but he wasn't thrilled to see clemence either. his eyebrows lifted slightly at the comment that followed, and he gave a small shrug. "how could you? you started chewing my head off before getting to actually know me." there was zero venom behind the words, no bitterness in his tone either. just the truth as he remembered it. he turned toward the register to punch in the cappuccino and sandwich, briefly considering whether double charging him would be deserved before deciding against it. that wasn't who emmett was anymore, and besides, he wasn't going to let one bad interaction turn him into someone else. once the order was entered, he glanced back over his shoulder at clemence, taking in the tired expression and the way he seemed to be struggling just to exist in the bright, noisy shop. "you look like you've seen better mornings, man." his brows pulled together slightly. "what happened to you? please don't barf on the counter, alright? i will lock the doors and make you clean that up."
“ do you really offer latte art like that? ” quinn asks when it’s his turn, grinning as he shakes his head in amusement. he’ll hand it to emmett; that was excellent customer service. the person seemed excited about getting little hearts on their coffee — day made? probably. “ wouldn’t mind having you working for me in the shack, bro. you’d probably sell merch fast, ” he teases while idly tapping the corner of his phone against the counter. what coffee is he getting? something that’ll make latte art stand out. a cappuccino? the foam might be thicker. “ i’ll have a flat white then, ” quinn decides, fishing out his card case and plucking a folded bill.
“ can you swap the whole milk for almond milk? ” he wonders while he drops the money in the tip jar. “ like is it gonna affect the foam? if so, let’s stick to whole milk then. ” no oat milk for quinn — that’s not his thing. flashing emmett a smile, quinn pays for his coffee and playfully snaps his fingers. “ bonsai art — i get that pick, yeah? i want that one, please. ”
“it’s becoming a bit more of a regular occurrence,” emmett admits with a soft chuckle, the corners of his eyes crinkling a bit from his smile widening a little. it started out wanting to practice more for the bonsai he had promised quinn but emmett was starting to figure that he just liked brightening someone’s day in one way or another. especially if it was a little kid who thought that having a blob with eyes and a smile was the coolest damn thing in the world. "if you promise me an espresso machine so i can practice my foam masterpieces during my break, i might just consider leaving behind this place for the shack. i heard the owner has a dazzling smile, wouldn't be so bad to catch a glimpse of it ever so often," he teased, giving quinn a playful wink. "but, alas, for now, flat white with almond milk coming right up."
he turns back toward the espresso machine, getting the coffee brewing, carefully steaming the milk before pouring it into the cup, his tongue poking slightly against the inside of his cheek as he concentrates. once the foam settles, he grabs a small pick and starts shaping the design, brow furrowing as he works. every so often his gaze would flicker towards the picture he had displayed on his phone, moving carefully as he attempted to replicate it. when he finally slides the cup toward quinn, his expression immediately shifts into an apologetic smile. the bonsai is...well, technically there. it looks more like a squiggly tree with a few birds flying away from it instead of leaves, but the effort is there. “okay, maybe a week was overly ambitious of me,” he confesses, glancing up at him. “but it’s still damn good coffee.”
he gives him a moment to inspect the questionable creation before reaching for a cloth and starting to wipe down the display case, glancing up at quinn every so often. “i'll get it eventually. probably.” a quiet laugh slips out as he continues wiping the glass. “and hey, at least the coffee tastes better than the art looks.” he gives the display case another swipe before leaning slightly against the counter, looking back toward him. “so, what's on your agenda for today?” his head tilts, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “exciting plans?”
reverie leaned over the counter, eyes narrowing with exaggerated concentration as she scrolled through the little collection of latte art like she was judging an extremely prestigious art competition. the hearts earned a thoughtful hum, the tulip got a little nod, and the bear received a quiet, "oh, he's cute." but then she reached the last photo and immediately pointed at the vaguely ghost-shaped blob. "hmm. i pick that one." her finger hovered over the screen for another second before she looked up at him with a grin.
"you know what, em? i think i'm switching it up today. surprise me with a coffee. iced is all i request!" she rocked back onto her heels, glancing around the shop for a second before looking back at him. "so, how are you doing? been up to anything exciting since we last talked?" she'd started making a habit of stopping by early morning brews, admittedly something she'd missed while she'd been out of town. she leaned her elbows against the counter, eyes flicking briefly toward his apron before returning to him. "also, dude, have you like, always been into foam art? because that's pretty awesome."
emmett followed her finger to the ghost shaped blob, eyebrows lifting before a quiet laugh slipped out of him. “that one?” he asked, glancing back at the picture like he was hoping it might somehow look more intentional the second time around. “okay, period, shout out spooky season. i dig it.” he tucked his phone back into his apron pocket, already turning toward the espresso machine. “iced and surprise me. got it.” he started gathering what he needed, focusing on the beverage while an easy smile spread on his lips. “i'm doing pretty good, actually. can't complain too much. palmview's been keeping me busy, and i've been trying to get out and actually see more of the place instead of just going to work and going home.” he paused, looking back at her. “though i don't know if i'd call any of it exciting yet. i'm still working on that part.”
“and no, definitely not,” he answered with a small laugh, beginning to put together her drink. “foam art was not something i ever thought i'd get into.” he carefully added the ice before pouring the coffee over it, giving the cup a little stir. “it started because i figured it'd be a fun thing to learn, and then i got way too invested in trying to make things actually look like what they're supposed to.” he slid the finished drink across the counter, the foam settled into something that was unmistakably supposed to be a ghost, even if it looked a little wonky. “so now it's kind of become a hobby.” he leaned against the counter, looking at her with a grin. “apparently i'm at the point where people are choosing to challenge me with various little things. the other day, rev, i had a kid ask me for a ninja turtle. i ended up drawing them a snail by mistake...at least they were happy." he smiles at the memory, shaking his head at himself. "what about you? what have you been up to? saw you were at a street race last night. how was that?"
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brunette femme looks at the phone ── squints at it, really, as she refuses to wear reading glasses in public. they're reading glasses anyway, so this doesn't count! ──, eyebrows arching up as she takes in the somewhat unfortunate collection of latte art. she studies the pictures for longer than necessary, mostly because she's trying not to laugh at the last two. “ i don't know how i feel about drinking something that looks like a small, angry cloud, ” brown hues dart up to looks at him, the corner of her mouth twitching with barely suppressed laughter. “ the tulip is the safest choice, obviously. but, umm—let's go with the capybara. if you're serious about practicing, i think that's the one that could—no, needs—that's the one that needs more work. and i'm not saying it to be rude, it's just . . . well, there are laws against misrepresentation, ” she jokingly mentions ( the laws are there though they don't apply to poorly drawn capybaras. probably ) and shifts her weight against the counter, finally letting a smirk show.
inquiry about today's order is met with a hmm-ing sound. thinking about it. the words "surprise me" are on the tip of her tongue, but she lets them die there because that's exactly the sort of thing people say right before they end up with a deconstructed chai. “ i'll have a dirty chai, ” she reaches for her wallet, already hoping the drink is not served in three separate glasses, and hands over her card, “ and get yourself whatever you like, please. i'm a huge advocate for hydration breaks. ”
emmett's eyebrows lifted at the request, clearly surprised as he glanced down at his phone again. he flipped through the pictures one more time, mostly double checking to make sure he hadn't somehow accidentally included a capybara in the collection without realizing it. "you picked the capybara?" he asked with a quiet laugh, trying to play off that he wasn't a little nervous at the request, looking back up at her. "i don't even have a capybara in here." apparently, that was the challenge she had decided to hand him, and instead of being deterred, emmett found himself weirdly motivated to actually make it happen. he accepted her card with a nod, then gave her a look as she offered to buy his drink. "you don't have to do that," he started, though he was already pretending to punch his own drink into the register anyway. "but if you're insisting..." he gave her an amused smile before sliding her card back across the counter without charging her for anything other than her own drink. one of the perks of working here was being able to have as much coffee as he could possibly handle, and out of the goodness of his heart, he wasn't about to let her pay for his.
he turned to get to work on the dirty chai, carefully steaming the milk before pouring it into the cup. once the foam settled, he grabbed the little pick and started attempting to shape what was supposed to be a capybara, his brow furrowing as he concentrated. unfortunately, by the time he was finished, it looked far more like a funny little teddy bear head than anything remotely capybara-shaped. he stared at it for a second before sliding the cup across the counter with his best smile. "sorry... i'm afraid capybaras are a little advanced for where i'm at." a quiet laugh escaped him as he shook his head. "but you know what? you better believe i'm going to work on them. capybaras and bonsai trees. that's the goal."
his gaze flicked toward the pastry display case before returning to her. "would you like a pastry on the house?" he paused, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "congrats. you're our fiftieth customer today." it was completely made up, but emmett had always enjoyed finding little excuses to do something nice for people.
early morning brews had finally settled into one of its quieter stretches, the line from the morning rush long gone and replaced by the occasional customer wandering in to escape the florida heat. emmett stood behind the counter with his phone in hand, swiping through a small album of photos he’d started collecting over the past couple of weeks. somewhere between learning how to steam milk properly and remembering everyone’s orders, he’d gotten a little obsessed with latte art. some of it actually looked decent. some of it…well, he liked to think it had character.
when the bell above the door chimed, he looked up with an easy smile before turning his phone around so the screen faced them. “at no extra cost,” he said, scrolling through pictures of little hearts, tulips, leaves, a bear that was only mostly recognizable, and something that had accidentally ended up looking like a ghost, “you can pick one of these designs if you feel like getting fancy with your coffee today.” he shrugged, the grin tugging a little wider at the corner of his mouth. “gives me an excuse to keep practicing.” slipping the phone back into his apron pocket, he rested his hands on the counter. “so…what can i get for you? the usual, or are we branching out today?”
"you thought of everything!" stella grinned, leaning forward to take the joint from emmett's outstretched hand. she tried her best to do most of the leaning and stretching as to not let him have a chance to overexert himself, and once it was securely grabbed, she gave him a grin before lifting it to her lips. she was quiet for a moment as she took a deep breath in, taking in the peace of the palmview evening, and only spoke up again once she'd exhaled the smoke upwards towards the night sky. her eyes flicked to the cat sitting by the window, gave him a small wave and pulled the window shut with a small laugh. "remind me to bring my cat over next time, they can be friends," she nodded, taking one more quick inhale from the joint before handing it back to him. "you're asking the right person, you know," she grinned. "been here for my whole life. i mean, a lot has changed since i was a kid, but the tourists are about to leave for the summer so it's about to get a lot less crowded. makes the beaches and the bars better that way, i think."
emmett accepted the joint back with a quiet laugh, leaning his forearms against the fire escape railing as he looked over toward the now closed window where toothless had disappeared from sight. “oh, he’d absolutely love that,” he said, the corner of his mouth tugging into an easy smile. “he thinks everybody’s here to be his friend. hasn’t quite figured out that not everyone appreciates getting climbed on. honestly? not too sure what i am going to do once the little guy is older. i guess accept the fact that he’ll be chilling on my head once he realizes it’s another part of me he can actually sit on besides my shoulders.” he took a slow drag before resting his elbows against the railing again, letting the smoke drift lazily into the warm evening air. “i’m kinda looking forward to seeing palmview once it settles down. i like places better when they feel…lived in.” his eyes wandered out over the street below for a beat before finding stella again. “so you’ve got a lifetime’s worth of experience here.” he smiled. “if you’ve only got one recommendation, where are you taking somebody who’s been here a month? not the place you’d tell a tourist to go. the place you’d actually take a friend.”
"he can be a bit too curious, even with his old age." quintessa smiles with a smile on her face, thinking about her cat home. she doesn't miss the black kitten climbing up on emmett's shoulder. and shouldn't help but say aawww. "oh my god, hello, what is your name, little man?" she coos, giving the kitten a little scratch on top of his head. "i also do have the same color at home, he's still as friendly and as playful as he could be, a bit vocal during late nights, how about this little one? how old is he?" she then turns to both of the bouquets in her arms. "i may just get both of these, one for home and the other for my daughter. she recently moved to a new place. a perfect excuse to get both, don't you think?" she asks. "i do love having flowers at my home, they bring... a sense of life."
emmett couldn’t help but laugh softly as toothless immediately accepted the attention, leaning into the scratches like he hadn’t spent the last few minutes pretending he was too independent to need anyone. “that’s toothless,” he introduced, glancing up toward the kitten perched proudly on his shoulder. “he’s about three months old and thinks he’s a lot bigger than he actually is.” as if to prove the point, the little black kitten gave another tiny mew, earning a smile from emmett. “he’s definitely curious. i think he spends more time trying to figure out what everyone else is doing than he does sleeping. and using me as his personal climbing post. is your cat as rambunctious?” his attention shifted back to the flowers in her arms, listening as she explained the reason behind getting both bouquets. “honestly? i think that’s a pretty good excuse,” he said with an easy smile. “i feel like if you already have a reason for one, getting the second one just means you planned ahead. hmm. you’re making me feel like i should make my own bouquet but i know they would probably die really quick. out of curiosity, do i give sunflower or tulip vibes?”
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there was something about seeing emmett again that natalia couldn't seem to fully process, even as he was sitting directly in front of her. it'd been a while since they'd spoken, over a year if she recalled correctly, and after he basically disappeared, she figured that their friendship had abruptly ended with his departure. a sad fact, sure; she'd grown to really appreciate and cherish the bond she'd built with him. he'd been one of the only people in her life that she was sure ever really saw her as more than just harrison reed's daughter, and losing that friendship as suddenly as she had had been a heavy blow. the text out of the blue had been unexpected, but now he was sitting with her, complimenting her, and talking to her like they'd never really parted ways.
"flattery will get you everywhere in this life," natalia mused with a teasing grin, manicured nails tapping against the hardwood of the table as her eyes flicked from the menu to him, and then back down. he hadn't changed either, not by much, but there was something in his eyes that natalia clocked quickly, something that she wasn't sure if mentioning would be wise. she promised to let him tell her everything on his own time, and she needed to keep that promise.
"i still eat loaded tater tots," she chuckled, setting the menu down to really look at him. her eyebrows raised at his question, and she leaned back against the booth. "like, four small pours of different ciders, to try them out. you've never had a cider flight? jesus, what part of the world did you disappear to?"
a relieved smile tugged at emmett’s lips when she admitted she was, in fact, still a loaded tater tots kind of person. good to see some things didn’t change while he was locked up. “good,” he laughed, closing the menu just enough to peek over the top of it. “nice to see you still have good taste in food.” he gave a small nod toward the appetizer section. “loaded tater tots it is, then.” his attention drifted back to the drink menu, eyebrows lifting with genuine curiosity. “four different ciders, eh? that actually sounds…kinda genius.” he traced a finger beneath the listing before glancing back up at her. “guess i’m getting the flight.”
her question lingered in the air a little longer than the others had. emmett’s eyes settled on the menu again, though he wasn’t really reading it anymore. after a quiet second, he looked back up, thoughtful more than anything. “you could say it was banishment to an undisclosed location.” the corner of his mouth twitched into a small, crooked smile. another pause followed, his lips parting like he was finally about to explain, but before he could get a word out, the waiter appeared beside the table with a notepad in hand. emmett glanced over, the smile lingering as he leaned back to let natalia order first. once she had, he nodded toward the waiter. “i’ll do the cider flight, and we’ll definitely take an order of the loaded tater tots for the table.” by the time the waiter disappeared again, he’d let the moment pass without forcing it back.
he drummed his fingers lightly against the edge of the table before looking over at her again, the easy smile returning. “so…” he began, folding his arms loosely in front of him. “i feel like i’ve missed a lifetime worth of stories.” there was no rush in his voice, no expectation that she’d fill him in all at once. “what’s new with you?” he tilted his head, genuinely curious. “last time we talked, things looked a whole lot different. catch me up. what’s happened while i’ve apparently been off in my… undisclosed location?”
⭒ ˖ ꒰ ✩ ꒱ the interaction that happened in front of her eyes warmed madhavi’s heart to its very core; it was so calm and so genuine she knew she was witnessing something unique, something she had only heard about from others until today. there had been a connection between onyx and emmett, it was obvious. the little black kitten had chosen him, yet madhavi refused to get her hopes up — not everyone was financially available, stable enough, or simply willing to take a pet home. so she just observed, quietly, until the boy spoke words that brought an unavoidable smile to madhavi’s face. maybe there was hope for onyx, at last. “ well, this little guy … ” she started, rounding the cage to stand by emmett’s side, and crouched to caress the side of the kitten’s face. “ his name is onyx —very original, i know, but we try to give them generic names so you can properly name them later—, he’s three months old, and he’s the oldest of this group because he was the runt of his litter, so we had to keep him longer to make sure he would make it, you know ? ” onyx’s life hadn’t initiated easily, he was a weak kitten, often sick and quiet, but he had improved impressively over the months. “ he’s a strong one now, but as you can see, he’s very serene. he likes to observe and approaches the others once they’re all … calmer, especially looking for some comfort to sleep. i think he would make a great companion if you’re looking for endless affection and a little bit of dependency. ”
emmett listened as she spoke, his attention never really leaving onyx for long. every so often, he reached through the bars to scratch gently beneath the kitten’s chin, watching the way he leaned into the touch with a small smile tugging at his lips. there was something about the way she described him that felt familiar somehow. the quiet ones who took their time, the ones who needed a little extra care before they were ready to trust. once she finished explaining, emmett straightened up slightly, his hand moving toward the cage to scoop the little guy up, only for onyx to decide he had other plans. the kitten used his back legs to give himself a determined little hop before clinging onto emmett’s arm, earning a brief wince before a soft chuckle escaped him. “okay, alright,” he laughed, carefully lifting him up and adjusting him against his chest. “rambunctious, ain’t ya?” the tiny mew that followed seemed like an answer as onyx immediately began climbing his shirt, eventually settling comfortably on his shoulder with a steady purr, gently bumping his head against emmett’s cheek. emmett’s smile softened as he scratched behind the kitten’s ear before looking back toward her. “do you guys have his medical paperwork here?” he asked, glancing back down at the little black kitten. “when would i need to bring him back for his shots?” after another second, his eyes returned to her with a quiet certainty. “and how much is it to adopt him?” he nodded toward the kitten now proudly perched on him. “because i think he’s definitely coming home with me.”
the familiar sight of boone approaching drew a grin onto his face. “you made it.” pushing himself off the wall, emmett met him halfway with an easy nod. without really thinking about it, he reached up and gently cupped boone’s chin, angling his face just enough to get a better look at the bruises that were still fading. after a quiet second, he let his hand fall away with another approving nod. “you’re healing nicely.” he tipped his head toward the kitten perched proudly on his shoulder, who answered with a tiny mew. “this is toothless,” emmett introduced. “he’s a little scamp, but he’ll be alright.”
turning toward the entrance, he reached out to pull the door open, lingering just long enough to gesture boone inside with a crooked grin. “after you.” once they stepped into the familiar sounds of crashing pins and scattered laughter, emmett glanced toward the snack counter. “wanna grab some finger food?” he asked, already steering them in that direction. “i think i heard they have wings, nachos… that kind of stuff. we could throw an order in while we game.”
“damn.” he glanced over at natalia from behind the menu, his eyes drifting over her features again like he was still trying to convince himself she was actually sitting across from him. if her father could see them now, emmett was pretty sure he’d be thrown back in jail, and this time he definitely wouldn’t be seeing the light of day again. “you haven’t changed a bit, you know that?” a playful, crooked smirk found its way onto his face, followed by a quick wink. “just aging like wine. somehow better and better.”
he looked back down at the menu, a quiet smile lingering to himself. little moments like this still felt unfamiliar, but they were getting easier every time they happened. “what’re you getting?” he asked, eyebrows lifting as his eyes skimmed farther down the page. “holy shit…they have loaded tater tots here?” he laughed softly, shaking his head. “i can’t remember the last time i had those. probably when i was a kid.” he glanced back up at her. “wanna split an order for the table?” he paused, suddenly realizing he wasn’t even sure if she liked that kind of food anymore. “or… maybe not. i don’t actually know if you’re a loaded tater tots kind of person.” another glance at the drink menu had him tilting his head in confusion. “and what do you recommend to drink?” he pointed toward one of the listings. “what’s a cider flight?”
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› STATUS : open. ( @palmviewstarters )
› LOCATION : ceramic making class @ brush to canvas
› FEATURING : nalini & your muse.
⋆.° ᝰ.ᐟ “ i’m kinda between making the sipper mug or a garlic grater plate. both have their uses so i’m a little torn. ” nalini hums, tapping the bottom of their lip with their index finger as they look at the two designs. “ what are you planning to make ? ” they ask [ your muse ]. “ i fear two hours is not enough. but i guess i can always come back for another class next time if i really wanted to. ”
“if you want, i could do the garlic grater plate for you. i’m definitely not an expert, but it seems simple enough.” emmett offered with an easy smile, glancing down at the blank piece before looking back up. “and if it ends up looking terrible…” he let out a quiet laugh, already accepting this will probably be the outcome. “we can just pretend it was never supposed to be a garlic grater in the first place. just call it one of those little ring holders people keep by the front door, or a tea bag holder.” he nodded once, clearly pleased with the solutions he came up with. “aren’t you excited to see what it’ll turn into?” he joked, looking down to the clay. “what’s the first step?”
getting one of your letters is always the highlight of my week. have i ever told you that? that probably makes my weeks sound pretty boring, which they aren't. i just really like hearing from you. your stories are always interesting to me, and i can tell you were born to write. you can make the most mudane things sound exciting, like shakespeare, or the serving of chicken patties. i hope you got them. please keep writing!! keep filling those notebooks. you probably won't look back on this time very fondly, but at least you'll be able to see how far you've come, one day. it's the same reason i'm taking pictures, all the time. even the smallest details matter, i think. will you let me read what else you've written? i know you only capture so much in these letters. maybe there's only so much you want to tell me, which is totally fair. but if you ever want to share them, i will listen! as for my week was pretty good. i had a wedding to shoot for last weekend. i've never been much of a hopeless romantic, but weddings ALWAYS make me cry. i feel like, as a photographer, i spend so much time staring at bride and groom together i can tell whether or not they're going to last, you know? this couple i have hope for, but i'm always a little pessismistic. being a child of divorce does that to you, i suppose. i got a lot of free food, though, and cake, too! it was chocolate raspberry flavored. weddings have some of the BEST food. have you ever been to one? i swear, everyone i know is getting married left and right nowadays. it's kind of annoying. maybe i'm just a little scared to grow up. i also went on a hike with my sister yesterday. i think i mention her in, like, every letter, but she's one of my favorite people. i think you're one of my favorites, too, even though i've never met you. i feel like i know you though, just through your letters. anyway, we went hiking right before the sun rose, because you get the best views that way. palmview has a lot of them, if you need more convincing on where to move next, once you're out of there. i could keep writing, but my hand is starting to cramp. seriously, if when you meet me in person, you're going to be surprised by how much i talk. letters feel different, like i know i only have so much room to say what i want to say. every line has to count. but the nice thing about letters, and pictures, is that they can last forever. here's another one for your wall, to pin with the others. it's from the hike yesterday - i made a little dragon fly friend! just another reminder for you there's so much more out there. you'll get to see it one day soon. hang in there.
dearly and sincerely,
ro
attached to the letter is a picture from rowan's polaroid camera.
first of all, thank you. seriously. thank you, ro. i think sometimes it’s easy to forget that the things you say or write can actually reach someone, and your letters have done that more times than you probably realize. they give me something to look forward to, and in here, that means more than you know. also, very important update here, i did get the chicken patties that night. i know you were waiting for that update on this extremely important piece of information, and i can happily report that they lived up to the hype. were they the best chicken patties i’ve ever had in my life? nope. but when everyone is standing around talking about them like they’re some kind of legendary event, you start to appreciate the little victories. the cherry jell-o did not make an appearance, unfortunately, so i’m choosing to believe they’re saving it for a better occasion. maybe christmas. i think you might be right about writing, though. i’ve always been better at putting things down on paper than saying them out loud. there’s something easier about having time to think about the words before they leave you. and yeah, i’ll let you read some of the things i’ve written. don’t get too excited, some of it is probably just me complaining about the vending machine or writing three pages about a short story i made up. by the way, i loved the picture. how did you get the dragonfly to land in your hand? i think that’s a pretty special thing to be able to achieve. and the wedding sounds like it was actually pretty nice, though. and chocolate raspberry cake? i think i would’ve shown up just for that. i’ve been to a few weddings, but it’s been a while. i think i like the idea of them more than the actual event. two people promising forever is a pretty big thing. kind of terrifying when you think about it. but also kind of hopeful. i get what you mean about being a little pessimistic, though. i think people who have seen things fall apart just become better at noticing the cracks. it's hard not to notice them when you experience certain things in life. i’m glad you got to spend time with your sister. honestly, i don’t mind hearing about her in every letter. i think it’s nice having someone you can talk about that way. someone who feels like home. i’m still figuring out what that means for me, but i like hearing about people who have it. not to mention, your sister sounds pretty great too. and palmview sounds more and more like somewhere i should see for myself. between the hikes, the views, and apparently all the good food, you’re making a pretty convincing argument. i laughed at you saying i’ll be surprised by how much you talk when we meet. i don’t know, ro. i think i have a pretty good idea already. you write like someone who has a hundred thoughts happening at once and wants to make sure none of them get left behind. it's one of my favorite things about your letters and i have no doubt it will be one of my favorite thing about you too in person. i’ll keep writing. i promise. and you keep taking pictures.
p.s you're one of my favorite people too.
p.s.s i made the basketball team in here. fuck yeah.
