archived

Mari’s job was a very hard one. There was simply no denying that. Running a store day-to-day was hard enough, with having to deal with customers and the books themselves, and then on top of that was all these big decisions that no one was there to watch you make. Well, no, Ella was here to watch Mari make it, but no one could tell you which table to put where. It was a hard burden, and though it was small, it seemed to mean an awful lot to Mari. And Ella could understand that. “I don’t think so,” Ella repeated. “Here, let’s just…” She walked out to where she thought the table would be and stretched out her arms. Ella didn’t make a very good table. “It’d be like this, right?”

shots had been the first order of business, she welcomed the sharp taste and the warmth that followed which seemed to spread through her chest. she whistled loudly, clapping her free hand against the counter in support of the other woman “and that is how it’s done” and just like that she was throwing her last shot back, she welcomed the slight burn in her throat, the heat just spreading further into her chest. A trail of empty shot glasses spread out against the bar in a line, she drops the last glass back down and just like that the bartender was coming back over with the bottle of tequila, a coy smile played on her lips “with these two you might be better leaving the bottle” she leaned across the bar slightly, she was mostly trying to tease the other two women, but if the bartender felt the need to leave the bottle she wouldn’t have been against it. at the sound of indie’s voice bowie turned to look out at the crowd, eyes lingering over the guys, she wouldn’t have normally given a single one of them a chance but this was different. “your best bet it to pick the guy who looks like his mom dressed him, unfortunately for them money does not buy good taste” she looked around, following indie’s gaze until she finally landed on the guy she had been talking about “and ding ding ding we have a winner” her eyebrows were furrowed, head cocking to the side slightly as she took in what he was wearing. just from looking at him he seemed like the type of guy who just loved the sound of his own voice, they talked and talked but nothing ever really came out. “he’s worth a shot but there’s no promises i don’t trip him up or tie his shoe- ” it was then she noticed he was wearing loafers and that tying his shoelaces together was no longer an option “this has got to be a joke, he’s wearing fucking loafers in the club” she says mostly to herself, turning back to the bar knowing she was most definitely going to need some more shots “we’re going to need the bottle” she says to the bartender this time completely serious.

@mariposapena​

   ( ─── :: “ okay, okay ! slow down ! it’s not water ! no todas somos alcohólicas. . .── “ mari muttered the last part to herself under her breath as she tossed back the latest shot of tequilla that had been placed down in front of her. admittedly, it was not her best drink thanks to previous bad decisions, and it always took more effort to force it down. but mari was never one to back down from what she saw as a challenge ── and with both bowie and indie finished already, mari had seen it as a challenge. bringing the back of her hand up to press lightly against her lips, she grimaced, gently placing the small shot glass back down on the counter in front of her. pushing past the burning in her throat ( and the warmth that was spreading across her chest because the speed of which they were throwing those shots back ) she turned her attention to the conversation at hand.

Ella tilted her head, considering Mari’s idea. She liked to draw things out, personally, seeing how pieces fit together on paper before trying it in real life. But even without a pencil and paper, she could see what the other woman meant. There seemed to be a hole in the room. “Well, it might make it harder to walk around,” Ella began slowly. “But I think you need something there. What if–” She stood up, walking into the spot and putting her arms out. “I think you’re right. Can we try it here and if it doesn’t work, we’ll move things around?” There was something so relaxing about arranging furniture. And something relaxing about being with Mari. She was so nice, so easy to be around. Ella could spend hours here and not notice the time pass in friendly companionship.

Bowie cradled the warm cup in her hands, fingers still chilled from being outside in the cold. She always had great time for Mari, she had put up with her coming into the store and hanging out with her since she had discovered the place back when she was a teenager just new to the city. the corners of her lips turned upwards, a small smile on her lips as Norman laps up all of the attention. “no mari that’s not even it” she shook her head “she then put it in her pocket, there is a line and it was a mere speck in her rearview mirror” she taps a finger against the counter “and I may have been sleeping with her ex, and I may have bumped into her on the way out of his apartment building, and she might have been there to pick up the rightful owner of those dog biscuits because they had joint custody of their dog” the sentence came out quite hushed, speaking into the cup before lifting it to take another sip “he was obviously blocked on the way home”

“please tell me you didn’t eat the gum, because the key words there are ‘an old man who used to come into the store’ and maybe one day he just had his last piece of aged cool mint orbit gum” she began to tease Mari, her tone might have not faltered but her face broke out into a smile “Mari you could never” she presses a hand to her chest, she could never really tire from hearing her friends talking about the things that they loved, or something that they were passionate about, even when she might not have known what they were talking about “work has been a bitch but you can bet your ass that once I have finished I will be here with more coffee, maybe even some tequila instead and we can have a real party.”

       mari continued to listen to bowie’s story with an expression of concerned confusion, the lip of the travel cup hovering close to her mouth. “ ...she put it in her pocket? “ mari echoed, placing emphasis on the word pocket. “ like, a whole dog biscuit... in her pocket? aye aye aye. “ shaking her head, she was content with just that tid-bit of information, but then bowie was launching into a whole story and mari found herself leaning into it. raising her coffee but never breaking eye contact, she took a sip. “ they had joint custody of their dog  ── like, a real dog, one that barks? that’s not just what they called their child? like ── you know how some people put their babies on leashes? “ it was a bit of tangent, but mari brought herself back to the conversation, lowering the mug to sit on the counter once more. “ i don’t blame you. that’s way too much trauma to unpack. “ she shook her head.

mariposa àlvarez de peña: ( noun. )

it was pretty standard greeting whenever Norman was accompanying her anywhere, well it depended on the person really, she had been bringing him by the bookstore since he was a puppy and he was always just as happy to see the woman as she was to see him whenever they popped by. she unhooked the leash since it wasn’t necessary considering Norman was pretty well behaved, never straying too far from Bowie.  She had stopped by a little coffee truck on her walk and decided to pick something up for mari, setting the two cups of coffee on the counter “oh yeah, lovely to see you too mari” her tone was sarcastic, nothing unusual for Bowie. “no I think I will leave the treats for norm, although, if you’re offering I did see some girl before on the street just going to town on some dog biscuits before” she thought to herself for a moment “pity I don’t remember because I’m sure she’d be thrilled with an offer like that” she shook her head at the woman as she spoke about the book that she had previously recommended to Bowie “I haven’t gotten a chance to yet” she says before lifting the cup, taking a sip “but I could never say no to some more recommendations”

    mari let out a soft laugh at the other woman’s sarcasm, the words bouncing off of her without leaving even so much of a dent. her fingers never left norman’s head as she gently scratched behind his ears, a bright grin embracing her delicate features. “ you can’t blame me, “ she insisted in response, ducking back down to the puppy’s level. “ you know i’m a sucker for a handsome man. “ cooing the words towards the dog, she planted a kiss on his nose before standing back up, approaching the counter where bowie now resided.

closed starter for @bowiegallagher location: guess besties. guess where mari is. 

closed starter for @ellataeglass location: mari’s bookstore because once again, she never leaves that place i guess.