ཻ۪۪♡. 𖦹ׂ ₊˚⊹⋆. ⟡.

Olivia squints a little at McKay at his words. "Intuition, reflection, and clarity. Are you sure that you're not giving me some shroom tea or something? Will this get me high as shit?"

❝HIGH AS SHIT—?❞ HE QUOTED AND COULDN'T HELP but laugh . ❝ no , no , it definitely wont . unless , you consider maybe connecting with your higher self , ❞ he attempted at a little joke , still smiling by being caught off-guard by olivia's question . ❝ no shrooms were involved in the brewing of this tea , ❞ he assured his friend . ❝ i promise . besides , the only drug i've ever done is a little weed , here && there . i wouldn't even know where to get those kinds of shrooms . ❞

"Are you okay?" Ashleigh asked. "You seem.. uneasy," she commented. She listened and watched him tripping over words that didn't seem to want to come out. "Oh. Welcome to the school then," she said, offering the simple greeting, but she still wondered if that was it. "Yeah, that's me," she confirmed. "Magical botany. If you need me, I'm probably either in the classroom or in the campus' greenhouse," she said. "I didn't catch your name. Are you thinking about taking one of my classes?"

The coffee was bad. Sabine knew it before she even tasted it. The little diner on the edge of Main had never pretended otherwise. It stayed open late, it was quiet, and it didn’t ask questions. That was enough. She sat at the counter instead of a booth, coat folded neatly over the back of the stool, sleeves rolled just enough to show the edge of a silver ring she never removes. A case file lay open beside her plate, pages clipped, annotated, precise. No wasted ink. She didn’t look up when someone took the seat beside her. She registered them anyway. Weight shift. Breathing pattern. The faint smell of rain on fabric. “You’re either here because you need something,” she said calmly, turning a page, “or because you think I do.” Now she glanced over. Dark eyes. Assessing, not hostile. Just thorough. “If it’s the first one, start talking. If it’s the second, you’re about twelve hours late.” She closed the file with a soft tap. No smile. Not cold. Just steady. “Get on with it. Let’s not waste each other’s time.”

ODISÉAS SAT LIKE HE BELONGED THERE, still , composed , a gloved hand resting l i g h t l y against the counter . he was a master at the kind of stillness that came from long practice , and not comfort . the smell of rain clung to him , faint , persistent , like everything did this time of year . he watched over the file she’d just closed . not reading , nor prying , but rather assessing . ❝ you’re right about one thing , ❞ he responded , turning slightly toward her now . ❝ i don’t come here unless something requires it . the coffee alone is reason enough to stay away , ❞ he confessed . ❝ and , i've never been one to a s s u m e . besides , you'd have it handled before i ever got the chance to offer any s o r t of assistance , ❞ odiséas commented , then asked : ❝ so , how close is that — ❞ his gaze dropped , deliberate this time , to the report , lingering just long enough to make a point . ❝ — to b e c o m i n g one of my problems ?? ❞

"Scar you for life? More like scar me for life. I think walking in on your doing it with someone is more scarring on me than you," Zoya said. "Your sanctuary? Okay buddha." Sarcasm dripped from her tone. "No, I just didn't want to go all the way to the store when I could go to my twin's apartment down the hall and steal eggs from him, but glad to know that you're ride or die for me, really boosts my ego. You can lick the bowl, but I will kick your ass if you get in the way."

LUX LET OUT A SHORT LAUGH at that , shaking his head as he set the eggs down on the counter like he was conceding defeat . ❝ yeah , yeah , alright , maybe we both would be equally traumatized , ❞ he shot back , completely unbothered . he leaned back against the counter . ❝ ❛ okay buddha ❜ is crazy , by the way . okay , this is a sanctuary . you just don’t respect the vision , ❞ he added , gesturing v a g u e l y around his loft like it was something curated instead of . . . whatever it currently was . at her jab about the eggs , he scoffed lightly . ❝ oh , relax . i am ride or die , but there’s levels to this shit , zo . you gotta know your worth in this crazy fucked up world , ❞ he teased as he moved past her to grab his phone and shoved it into his pocket . ❝ and hey , threatening me before i even get into your kitchen ?? you're really on one today , ❞ lux joked . ❝ you know that what i bring to the brownie process is actually more important than actually baking . you're getting morale support . quality control . immaculate vibes . ❞ he pointed at her like he was making a s e r i o u s argument and moved toward the door , glancing back at her with a crooked smirk . ❝ — c’mon , chef , let’s go before those people from that british bake-off show hear us , break in , and take you away before we even get started . ❞ he chuckled .

Ford nodded in response to the stutter, "That certainly sounds wrong," he said. If Crawford was being honest, he hated that his brother raced. He had seen too many injuries to not be nervous about it, both at Cyprian's races and his own experience in the brain injury ward while he had been recovering. "When's your next race?"

THE QUESTION HIS BROTHER ASKED HAD landed somewhere between them , simple on the surface but , for cyprian , it was somewhat heavier than it should have been . ❝ soon , ❞ he said , ❝ at least , i hope so . ❞ his answer settled into the space between the uneven rhythm of the engine , the low hum of the garage , and the workshop p l a y l i s t cyprian had made for moments like these . for a moment , he just stood there with his shoulder angled a g a i n s t the frame of the car , rag loosely hooked in his fingers , gaze still fixed somewhere beneath the open hood . ❝ couple weeks , maybe ?? to be honest , i'm not exactly sure . ❞ he exhaled through a faint , humorless huff of a laugh , dragging the rag across his hands before tossing it onto the workbench beside him . ❝ they’re still figuring out the schedule . sponsors , locations , all that behind-the-scenes mess they don’t bother me with unless they h a v e to . i just show up when they tell me to and try not to embarrass anyone . ❞ it was a joke . mostly . but with how things have been , it was a little too real . his eyes flicked toward ford then , sharp for a second — not defensive , but aware . he knew that look . he’d seen it so many times before . doctors’ offices . under hospital l i g h t i n g . the kind of concern ford tried to pass off as casual conversation . cyprian’s expression softened just a fraction , something quieter slipping in beneath the usual bravado . ❝ i’ll be sure to let you know when it’s all locked in , ❞ he added , a little more grounded this time , like he was offering something real instead of deflecting . ❝ you can come out , if you wanna . i'll be sure not to crash spectacularly , ❞ his shoulder lifted in a half-shrug that didn’t quite commit to certainty . ❝ y'know , if you don't judge my life choices too bad . ❞

「 closed starter 」 noah and brooklyn. @fairywilds

BROOKLYN GLANCED OVER AT HER, really looked at her for the first time since she’d been back t h i s long , taking in the accent that hadn’t quite settled yet , the way something about her felt a little . . . elsewhere still . she shrugged one shoulder lightly . ❝ no, ❞ she said simply . ❝ doesn’t sound stupid to me . ❞ it had been too long — long enough that seeing her like this again , hearing that softness in her voice , felt like reopening something brooklyn had carefully packed away for a l a t e r day , and the soft realization that today was that day . ❝ i think that sometimes places hold things people can’t anymore , ❞ she added after a beat , voice a bit softer now . ❝ you know , like memories , feelings . . . pieces of someone . it's like smelling something familiar and being hit with a m e m o r y you didn't even know you forgot . ❞ she attempted to explain . her jaw tightened just slightly before she spoke again . ❝ . . . ireland’s so much quieter , isn’t it ?? less , uh . . . ❞ she gestured vaguely , like she couldn’t quite find the word for everything northknot carried . ❝ less of all this . i should really get to visiting again , eventually . ❞ she said in a way that made it seem like it wasn't at the t o p of her to-do list just yet . ❝ it's probably easier to hear yourself think there , ❞ she paused , then nudged noah lightly with her shoulder — something small , and familiar . ❝ but , i've missed you , you know . even if it is a little bit selfish , i think it's good to have you back . ❞ brooklyn confessed .

The sea was pretending to behave. That was the first red flag. Koralis stood barefoot at the edge of the tide, skirt hem soaked, silver rings glinting like stolen starlight as she squinted out at the horizon. The sky was still bruised from sunset, all plum and molten coral, and the waves were too neat. Too polite. Like they were sitting up straight because they knew Nereus was watching. She tipped her head back without turning around. “If you’re going to brood, at least do it closer to the water. It makes you look taller.” A beat. Then she finally glanced over her shoulder at her older brother, eyes bright with that particular brand of chaos only little sisters are licensed to wield. “I need you to settle something,” she announced, already wading a step deeper like she trusted the ocean to catch her. Of course she did. “If I hypothetically may or may not have told a very old, very dramatic sea serpent that you said you could outswim her under a blood moon… would you prefer to lie convincingly, or actually try?” She smiled sweetly. Dangerously sweet. “And before you answer, just know I described you as heroic. Broad-shouldered. Mysterious. Brooding but in a poetic way, not in the ‘needs a nap’ way.” Another step back into the tide, arms spread like she owned the shoreline. “Anyway. Hi. I missed you.” @fairywilds

NEREUS HAD BEEN THERE LONG before he noticed her , leaning against the weathered rail of the old boardwalk where the wood had been k i s s e d by salt and time . he watched the tide perform its careful little ritual . considering it had stormed a few days ago , it was almost impressive , really , how calm the water was today . but , the ocean pretending to behave was like a storm trying to pass itself off as a polite afternoon breeze ; technically possible for a short time , but never c o n v i n c i n g to anyone who knew it well enough . and nereus knew the ocean very well . his gaze drifted from the water to koralis when she spoke . he watched as she stepped into the tide like it had been waiting all evening for her , the fading sunset catching on the rings s c a t t e r e d across her fingers , soft reflected light that reminded him , unhelpfully , of the way scales sometimes broke the surface . he huffed out a quiet laugh under his breath . ❝ now , hold up a minute , ❞ he responded , pushing himself off the railing and strolling down the sand toward her . his gaze assessed her , and it almost immediately hit him how much she had changed since they were last face-to-face . ❝ if i'm brooding , i get to choose when and where i'm doing it , okay ?? ❞ his mind kept discovering small details . nothing too dramatic , but the way she held herself stood out to him . she wasn’t the gangly little minnow who used to follow him down hidden corridors anymore .

"You are better with the relationship part, I know when people are flirting. I guess clearly better than you," Sawyer teased. "Come on, you never know who you'll find. Just next time someone is talking to you like that, start joking and flirting back. If you like them, compliment them. Don't second guess it."

SAGE LET OUT A SOFT GROAN, DRAGGING a hand down his face like sawyer had just handed him the most complicated assignment imaginable . ❝ yeah , because that sounds so natural for me , ❞ he muttered , though there was no real bite behind it . he gave his twin a skeptical look . ❝ ' just start flirting back ' , he says — like it’s really that easy . ❞ sage shook his head , a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth d e s p i t e himself . ❝ you realize if i tried that , it’d probably come out sounding so embarrassing halfway through the sentence. ❞ for a moment he stared down at his hands , turning sawyer’s w o r d s over in his head . ❝ and what if i end up reading things wrong ?? ❞ he added . ❝ what if they’re just being nice and suddenly i’m the idiot-freak making it weird ?? ❞ he expressed his worries .

"My little raccoon hands?" Logan responded, eyebrows raised at her words. "I knew I have shitty hand strength, but you do realize that I really enjoy pottery, right? I could make another one, but it wouldn't be ready by the time I need it."

VALENSIA’S BROWS LIFTED LIKE SHE HAD just been personally accused of slandering the good name of raccoons everywhere . ❝ um , excuse you ?? ❞ she scoffed . ❝ first of all , raccoons are extremely talented little critters , and i totally meant it as a compliment . ❞ her gaze dropped back down to the broken gift , though , the humor softening just a fraction as she carefully nudged one of the larger pieces with her fingertip . ❝ also , yes , i do realize you enjoy pottery , ❞ she confirmed , glancing up at him again . ❝ i’m not questioning the passion . only pointing out that making pottery , and holding onto it are two v e r y different things . ❞ valensia picked up another piece , holding it up so the edges lined up with the larger piece in his hand , already mentally m a p p i n g how it would fit back together . ❝ — and see ?? ❞ she insisted , turning it a little so the fracture lines matched a little better . ❝ this is exactly why we’re not giving up on the first one . this one a l r e a d y has history and drama . ❞ her grin returned , crooked and conspiratorial . ❝ the second one would just be . . . rushed anyways . ❞ she assured him . ❝ besides, if you make a new one, then what am i supposed to do with all my brilliant ideas , huh ?? keep them bottled up ?? ❞ she gestured vaguely to the shards. ❝ no , no, that's too tragic . . . unless , you just want to settle for heading to one of the stores in town and s e a r c h i n g for a gift there ?? maybe the dazzling moon boutique will have something she'll like . ❞ valensia suggested , realizing she probably wouldn’t be putting in this much effort to help if it weren’t for people she actually cared about .

Ashleigh's day had been full, having multiple classes to teach throughout it. It was the heavier of the days in her schedule, but she still had more to do when they ended. Grading, tending to the plants, it didn't get to go undone just because she was tired and wanted to curl up with a glass of wine. Filling a pot with soil, she looked up when she heard a voice. "Hello there," she greeted him, curious eyes studying him. She didn't recognize him as one of her students, but there was something there that was familiar, but she didn't know why or how. "You aren't interrupting, I promise," Ashleigh assured him. "Of course, what can I do for you?"

MCKAY NODDED QUICKLY WHEN SHE assured him he wasn’t interrupting , though the knot in his stomach didn’t loosen much . up close it was worse somehow . the resemblance he’d only seen in old photographs suddenly felt impossible to ignore , and for a m o m e n t it made the words he’d practiced feel dangerously close to actually spilling out , and that made it all real , that would mean all his hard work paid off , but still , there was that g n a w i n g question inside him : what if she still doesn't want me ?? ❝ right . okay . ❞ he let out a small breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and g l a n c e d briefly at the plants around them , giving himself a moment to collect the pieces of the speech that had completely s c a t t e r e d the second she looked at him . ❝ i was just — um — ❞ the words caught in his throat . for a split second he nearly said it : my name is mckay . and i think you’re my — he swallowed hard and pivoted at the last second . ❝ i just transferred here this semester , actually , ❞ he said instead , the sentence coming out a little too quickly . ❝ and i saw your n a m e on the department directory . professor bryidae , right ?? ❞ he asked, though he already knew the answer.