;; more than meets the eye.

“Excuse me, hi, sorry– did you happen to see a large, bear-looking dog run past here?“

Teague: what should i name my new cat?

“It’s not sex hair,” Jade rolled her eyes at the person assessing her half-curled, half-matted mane. “I got rained on.”

“It’s a deck building game.” Jensen set the game down and opened it up. “Easy to follow, I promise.” 

“If you plan on jumping you can leave me out of it.” The words hit her faster than she liked. Her coping mechanisms weren’t her strong suit, and any mention of taking one’s own life was like a hard punch to the face.She didn’t like the fact that no one could speak to her casually without setting off a trigger, and she didn’t blame those who had no idea about her past, but what’s humor in expressing yourself through thought of suicide? She might be taking this out of proportion, and just letting her head get the better part of her. The brunette let silence fall between them as she went back and forth in thought on how to speak next. The awkwardness she felt rising even through the noise of the city. “….I’m sorry, that was–Please if you wouldn’t talk lightly about that kind of stuff here I’d appreciate it,” She had finally glancing up and observed the male. “And no, I don’t have any on me.”

“Am I okay? Mentally or physically? Because physically? Yeah. Never been better. Emotionally? Scarred. Definitely scarred.” Raven replied, backing away from the bag and walking towards the man. “I’m telling you… Turn around… And we’ll just leave. The bag was never here.”

Erik: You're a smart girl, Foster.

ZOE: i know, i know. i'm a freaking genius....

ZOE: :)

Erik: How do you feel about puzzles and problem solving?

Alex: I don't hate them. Used to do them a lot with my grandfather weekend morning and afternoons when i was little

Typical Lalita to ghost away from the party being held in her studio. After being begged and literally pestered by one of her regulars to use her place for her reception she finally agreed. She had grabbed a few snacks and ducked away to the rooftop. She wasn’t expecting any company when she heard the door swing open. “ The rooftop is closed, thank you.”

     “ — would you like to play a game of Dominion?” Jensen asked, holding up the board game. 

“Oh Jesus fucking Christ!” Raven screamed as she opened the bag, jumping and throwing the bag closed again. “Don’t touch that bag.” She whispered, approaching the person behind her. “Just… Leave it on the counter… Walk away… And pretend that nothing’s in it. Sound like a plan?”

                           “Rocky… Rocky! Where the hell are you? ROCKY! Oh god, oh my god, this can’t be hap— oh, hey, you!” Ophelia approached the first person she saw on the street, clearly stressed out. “Have you seen a dog anywhere around here? She’s… uh, she’s a German Shepherd, only about eight months old, and— and she’s— her name is Rocky, and she answers to it, and I can’t find her, and… oh god, my brother… he’ll kill me if I don’t find her, both of my brothers will. God… I have to find her, I have to find her.”

"Daddy! Daddy!" The young girl screamed, as she ran up to their father, who turned to find his daughter, and two young boys following behind her. But his hues wouldn't last long on that image, as it would then fall upon the dog that followed closely to his daughter. His eyes widen a bit, "Look! She just gave up to us, isn't she pretty!" The young girl spoke, "Can we keep her? She can be friends with Cana and Ellie!"

An awkward chuckle fell from Erik's lips, as he shook his head, "Sweetheart---"

'Yeah! Dada!" One twin yelled, while the other twin raced toward the dog and wrapped his arm around the dog. Laying his face against the dog's neck, in a sweet hug. His heart sunk, if only for second, but found himself rather grateful that the strange dog haven't attempted to bite his young son. "Mine."

"Guys---" Erik began, as he shook his head, hues falling upon the dog once again. Something about her seemed familiar, at first, he wasn't sure why until, he reached for the dog tag hanging from her collar. Both the name, and the address written across the silver plate was more then recognized. A chuckle escaped his lips, "Rocky --- hey, beautiful. You got so big." He greeted, as he gave the dog a gentle rub behind an ear. Before looking at his daughter, "This is the O'Hara's dog. You didn't take her out of the yard, did you?" He asked, Ana then shaking her head.

It wouldn't be too long before he could hear the familiar voice shout for the dog before him. Sighing, he stood up, and grabbed up the son who was hanging onto the dog. "Hold your brother's hand." He told his daughter, about the son still on his feet. "Come on, Rocky."

Even when she threw her hits, he still had that look on his face and it really bothered her. “You know, if we weren’t married you wouldn’t be smiling. See you messed everything up.” Remembering those fights they had when they ran into each other here in Lanford two and a half years ago. Then again the fights they had long before he still had that stupid smug look on his face at times. “How is this sucking the fun out if? We can have fun without strippers, and lap dances.” She narrowed her eyes down at the other watching as he began to close the space between them. “Yeah, well I wasn’t giving it anyway. Who knows he probably bugged our house or something. He’s always here, and lets not forget the man’s an ex-marine somehow he gets to knows shit. So you don’t have interest in marrying Aiden huh, what interest do you have?” She asked, licking her lips as she glanced down at his hand outstretched towards her. “What?” She asked, beyond shock that he would want her to live it up before they got married. Again. “Baby…my friends, some of them…..they want male strippers and all that. And me being the center of attention on top of that and having to watch that….” she shook her head. “Remember when you mentioned that I haven’t noticed the men that stare at me? Do I really want to put you in a position to stab some guys eyes out?” She asked, “or….do you already have a bodyguard for that, cause I fell like you do.” She added with a huff, “but I think i’m content with getting drunk off my ass. Hasn’t happened in a while, you know, after you knocking me up, and not being able to drink while breast feeding. I think this is my calling for a good time, drunk, stumbling home…and possible setting off firecrackers, decorating trees with tissue paper. Only to come home to you and pull some movie stunt with a boom box in the air that I might drop on my foot. Can I have that or am I asking for too much while you have a sleep over with Aiden? I mean you can make it a party and invite Jaxon Morgan, he thinks we’re not normal.”

“I am not taking drugs!” She said frustrated. She had tried hard to get off the stuff and it had worked. “I’m not casually lying to you..I-..Fuck sake.” Her voice broke. Even though her skills of lying to her brother had become better over the years, she could see her brother being ultra protective. “Look, I moved to Seattle because I met a guy-After Finn I was feeling lonely, he was rich, was a nice guy..” Emphasis on was. “Then..He started to hit me.” She looked down and looked somewhere else, avoiding eye contact. “…It didn’t stop until he flung my phone across the room and it broke. That night I left.” She then met her brother’s eyes, tear droplets in her hues. “Look, You might think I’m lying or whatever. But I’m not this time. I’m not. That’s why I’m back. I had to get away–I have to start again somehow..” She nodded, she felt like a naughty child getting told off by a teacher. “We’re clear. I’m over with that. I want to get more qualifications Erik..I want to move on…..” She smiled lightly “Congrats on finally fuckin’ proposin’ to the love of your life by the way..Took you long enough.” An effort to lighten the mood.

Erik: I'll be holding you to it.

ZOE: ugh...

ZOE: i should have known.

ZOE: i'll keep it in mind though.