Fathom Into Constellations

-

Never one to leave anyone hanging Mike reached up and high-fived Feliks, grinning broadly. “A few days? Maybe you should get that checked out, dude,” Mike suggested. “Or if you’re not gonna at least hydrate and catch some extra z’s? Or hey, if you wanna kill two birds with one stone - might be time for some grass, if ya catch my drift,” he suggested. “Me? I’ve been doin’ alright - can’t complain,” he added with a shrug.

-

“Oh I have. Trust me. But, I’m afraid I’m suffering from a not so lovely thing called withdrawal,” Feliks admitted with as simple of a shrug as he could. “I do catch your drift and that’s not a bad idea. Grass is good,” He couldn’t help, but muse, despite knowing that it was probably the last thing he should be doing seeing that he was only on day 4 of attempting to stay sober. A feat for him seeing how rough of track record he had the past handful of attempts he had tried to be. “And that’s good. Anything story worthy happen to you recently? Or has it all just been same old, same old these past few days?”

-

“Definitely something! I think everything tastes better when it looks good. Which doesn’t mean that it has to be impeccable. There’s something nice about something clearly homemade, but when it comes to drinks, the more vibrant the better.” There was nothing wry or sarcastic in what Chloe said; she really just loved pretty colors and was not that into drinking. “No, I’m here to meet up with the owner Ivy for a quick moment. Just for work. But I can take the time to talk. I love talking to people I don’t see every day. And also the people I see every day.”

-

“I mean I guess I can’t argue with you there? I just personally prefer my beverages to be a little less... neon myself?” Aida admitted with a shrug, scratching the back of her head as she did. “And oh. Yeah, I know Ivy. Are you a bartender here then or something?” She guessed. “And I can see that. But, it’s cute. You’re cute.”

-

Kai couldn’t stifle the laugh as Feliks spoke. “How do you know I’m handsome? I could just sound handsome but actually, be hideous.” He teased a smile on his lips and coming through his voice. He didn’t truly understand what it meant to be blind, but since meeting Feliks and actually spending a few minutes with him he had started to learn, little things from books, and occasionally a youtube video or two, but he wanted to know more. Wanted to know all he could to make things a bit easier for Feliks – if for no other reason than to make his life a bit easier. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and his stomach flipped. Oh, gods what was this man doing to him that had his attention so fervently? “I guess I can. But only after I get you some water and food. Otherwise, the hangover you’re going to have is going to be rather nasty.” He said chuckling as he pushed the door to his place open with his foot and carried Feliks down the hallway and into his bedroom, the door had already been cracked – Dory must have gotten something for he always closed his door when he left the house. With a slight roll of his eyes, he pushed the other door open and lead the drunken man to his bed. “Now take off your shoes, and get in. I’m going to make you some soup and a sandwich, something light but will help absorb all that alcohol.” He said in a bit more of a firm voice not wanting Feliks to argue with him about staying in the bed.

-

“Not possible,” Feliks said with a shake of his head. “You don’t need your eyes to know someone is incredibly attractive. You know from the sound of their voice. Like music to ones ears. From the second you heard it, a feeling overcomes your bones like- like that sound- the simple sound of the word hello is the first thing you want hear when you wake up every morning? You know from the way the feel. The way ones incredible arms feel wrapped around you as they carry you down the hall? You know from their scent. The scent of new books that seem to cling to your skin. And you know it from the way your stomach does flip flops whenever they’re around. And I know that you are incredible period and handsome beyond compare,” His voice was all but a murmur as he buried his head into the nape of Kai’s neck, not wanting to let go of this feeling of home that the other man’s arms seemed to bring. “You’re going to bring me that ol’ bat’s ancient hangover remedy again, aren’t you?” He let out a deep chuckle himself. Feliks’ arms wrapped tighter around Kai’s at the suddenly thought of the other for even a second pulling away. 

“I...” He drew out a deep breath. His voice cracking ever so slightly as he whispered out, “I’m really sorry by the way. That- that you have to see me like this again?” hating how needy his voice sounded in that moment as Kai finally lowered him back down and hating how hopeless he probably looked as he struggled to get his shoes off. For a first time in a long time, he realized that he dearly cared about what someone else thought of him and he could only imagine the impression he must be giving the other from the previous interactions up until this point. “Okay, okay. Just... Kai?” He mumbled out as he started to crawl into the other man’s bed. The pleading tone of his voice only growing as the words fell from his lips, “Just hurry back? P-please?”

-

“ i mean , alive is a start , and that you appear to be . ” river offered with a shrug as he looked down at the other . when asked where he was , river shrugged . “ laying in the middle of the road , down the street from the pub . ” he told feliks honestly . “ i’m river . lived here all my life , surprised you don’t know me . ”

-

“This is very true and ah. That makes a lot of sense. And honestly? I probably do? I mean the name and your voice sound fairly familiar, but blind and hungover aren’t always the best combos. I am sorry though that I didn’t recognize you right away,” He admitted with a sheepish smile as he pulled himself up to his feet. “How about I make it up to you? Buy you breakfast? Or dinner? Lunch? I’m not all too sure what time it is. I just know I’d like to eat and wouldn’t mind the company?”

           𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄  in the past months, Sasha decided go out from home with her twins. She was losing her mind, and perhaps a fresh air was good thing to do. Elena and Illya was wide awake inside of the twins baby stroller, as she was pushing them for a walk, she even decided to make a haircut, changing a bit her visuals. After leaving the saloon, deciding where to go next, she saw a familiar figure on the bench, it couldn’t be?! Could it? She stops her tracks, putting the baby stroller aside, hearing her babies cooing inside. ❛ Mom?! ❜ She was tempted to pick the baby bottle of one of her twins and throw the milk at his face to wake him up, but then again, one of them would be hunger so it’d be a terrible idea. ❛ I would say, I’m your nightmare. I’m mother to Elena and Illya, only. If you want to be their mom, I mean, I’m in! I want a holiday. ❜ She teases her friend, smirking. ❛ We need to stop meeting like this, y'know? ❜ She refers always bumping into him when he ‘seems’ in bad conditions. ❛ For your question, it is morning yes. How about a bit of breakfast right now? ❜

-

“Ah! мой друг!” Feliks exclaimed as her heard the sound of Sasha’s voice. “And such adorable little parasites at that,” He teased, referencing how Sasha had once said she would name her future babies that quite some time ago. “And as much as I would be honored to, for their sakes, I’ll pass. Best to not be responsible for anyone else, but myself at this moment, I think,” He mused as he pulled him slowly up to his feet. “Mhmm. But, why? You always feed me the best breakfasts when you find me hungover.”

-

“I don’t know what Rapunzel is.” Jane said, confused by what he was talking about. The mention of snow interested her though. “What’s snow?” It sounded pretty but she really wouldn’t know what was pretty and what wasn’t.

- 

“You’ve never heard of the story of Rapunzel? Oh. Okay. Let me see if I can’t summarize it for you- There once was a beautiful girl who lived in a tower. Well technically she was a princess who was kidnaped at birth by an evil witch lady because apparently her hair was magical? But, the magical hair was also very, very long. Like so long you wouldn’t be able to step anywhere without tripping over heaps and heaps of hair, which now that I think about it sounds awfully unsanitary. No matter, a prince from a far away land or apparently in some recent adaptations he’s a dashing thief- where was I? Oh yes, so this prince stumbles upon the tower. Calls out to the girl to let down her hair and blah di blah dah, long story short, they escape together after suffering a fair deal of trauma and live happily ever after. Sort of reminds me of you in round about sort of way, I guess?” Feliks attempted to explain, only to press his lips together at the mention of snow. “Like rain, but white little crystals fluttering down from the sky instead that is cold to the touch. Happens in Winter. I think you’d like it.”

-

“A reality unique to you, but I will accept this because I am not in the realm of changing minds,” Nikhil said, baffled by how confidently flirty anyone could be from the ground. “Yes… let’s start with hands and- ah, only hands.” He planted his feet on the ground, and reached for this weird person’s hand. Worried that someone so helpless would be heavier than he looked, Nikhil braced himself for a difficult rise. “I’ve got you if you want to try to stand. If you don’t remember most of last night, how about I get you some water and something to eat?” This wasn’t exactly Nikhil flirting- it was mostly his instinct to gently try to help someone else that did not inconvenience anyone or make too many waves.

-

“One could argue that everyone has their own version of reality solely unique to them. But, it can’t help, but make me wonder why in yours, you don’t see yourself as handsome?” Feliks noted with a frown as he held up his hand and let Nikhil lift him up to his feet. “Thanks, love. And don’t worry. I can stand fine. Believe it or not, but this is not the first time, nor do I imagine it to be the last, I’ve ended up in such a predicament. But, I’ll hardly say no to free food and beautiful company, so lead on?” He offered up with a smile, flirting practically being second nature to Feliks at this point.

LUNA smiled softly when aida gave her a light nudge and she just responded by taking her glass between her fingers . when the other offered to listen to her stories , luna laughed and shook her head . “ honestly , i like the second option better . ” she admitted with a shrug before lifting her shot glass and pressing it to her lips , throwing the shot back like a pro .

“Okay, then the second one it is,” Aida smiled brightly over at Luna as she downed back her own shot, before extending her hand out towards the other girl to take. “Shall we?” She offered up with a playful smile and tilt of her head towards the dance floor.

Chloe had come down to the nightclub purely for business reasons, and had certainly not been planning to stick around long. This was not exactly her scene, but she found herself enjoying seeing this many people in one place again. “Oh! No, that’s okay. I’m happy with what I have,” she had, holding up brightly-colored, beautiful monstrosity that she had been holding under the countertop. “Are you here with many friends tonight?”

-

“Oh wow. That’s... that’s something, to say the least,” Aida blinked over at the girl with her brightly-colored drink. “And oh no. Nope, not me. I just got back into town and wasn’t exactly feeling like hanging out in my empty apartment alone, so figured why not see if I can bump into anyone on the way? What about you? Here with anyone?”

-

At the idea of Aida having some manners, Zoey couldn’t help but give an exaggerated gasp in faux surprise. “You? Manners,” she asked with a teasing smirk firmly placed on her lips. “Excuse you, we’re more than just friends. We’re best friends. I mean, Dex will cut you for the top spot, and I couldn’t take it from him because we’d both cry, but you’re up there.” Zoey and Aida had been close for years. Explaining that as just being merely friends just didn’t seem right. “You’re right about me not being the hook up type. I have no problem with you being the type at all. I could never judge you. It’s just not my style of things,” she said with a shrug. The whole concept seemed too complicated for her. 

The pout made her affectionately roll her eyes at the redhead. “I have no reaction because I’m trying to grasp how the woman I had a crush on for two years was flirting with me.” The words were out of her mouth before she could process them, but she didn’t regret them. She’d rather Aida know the reason she was so flabbergasted than think she wasn’t worth a reaction. Their plans for what they’d do after wasn’t that big of a deal. Instead Zoey waited while biting her bottom lip to see just what reaction she’d get. She knew her friend didn’t do relationships or feelings really. Hearing what she’d just heard could make things awkward, and Zoey was terrified of messing things up.

-

“Oh shut up,” A laugh broke from Aida’s lips as she gave Zoey a playful nudge. “You know what I meant and oh wow! Now, I’m not even your best friend? Ouch, Zoe. Way to shoot me in the heart with that one,” She shot Zoey a teasing smile. “I know you’re not. Sometimes, I selfishly sort of wish you were, but  know it’s not your style. Just like relationships aren’t really mine or well erm... I’m not relationships? Even if I wanted to be in one, they never work out for me. So... what’s the point I guess?” She admitted quietly, followed by the smallest little shrug.

“Wait, hold up- You had a crush on me? When? What? Why- why didn’t you tell me?” Aida blinked over at Zoey. Her eyes widening in shock at her friend’s words. A mix of emotions flashed across her face at once. Confusion. Happiness. Surprise and then the smile that started to form faded as she pressed her lips tightly together, still trying to wrap her head around this new found information. “So... um... had? As in past tense then?”

“What a stupid question.” Max had been in his own little world, sat at his usual place in the bar with a bourbon between his hands, when he’d felt movement beside him - surprised to see it was Aida, he was about to question where in the hell she’d been over the past few weeks, but the look in her eyes told him to save that question until later. Picking up one of the shots once it was placed down on the table, he knocked it back quickly, having shot her a wink. “Next round is on me.”

-

“Have I told you, you’re incredible lately?” Aida mused. Her eyes brightening as she downed back the current shot in hand before sliding into the seat beside her brother. “Cause you are. A+ brother for sure,” She promised him, knowing that the question of where she had been these past few weeks would come up eventually, but for now, she was just grateful to sit beside the familiar face and drink until the thought of the trip back home she had just taken became a bit more bearable.

ANOUK WAS SURPRISED who came to enjoy her table. She was so busy traveling for work, these past weeks…In parts, she felt bad for not reaching out to her and having contact. She snaps her fingers on her gloved hands, to get the attention of the bartender to serve Aida. She drank her whiskey and slides down her empty glass expecting it to be refilled. ❛ Long time and no talk. ❜

-

“Yeah... Sorry about that. My... uh- there was a family emergency back home in LA. So, I sort left on short notice. But, I know I could have reached out and I didn’t so... sorry for being such a sucky person, I guess?” Aida apologized, giving her an awkward smile of her own before thanking the bartender as they slide the drink over to her. “You look good by the way. Really good.”

-

“Am I not allowed to be happy?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he chuckled. He will admit that there had been a lapse in his façade; after all he came here to make connections, not make enemies. He hoped that seeing him in better spirits would change the way she saw him. “I assure you, I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about,” he teased as he took the offered shot, clinked it against hers and downed it with ease. “That was a good idea,” he mused, as he raised his glass and motioned to the bartender for another. “Have you talked to Briar, yet?”

-

“No, no. Of course, you are. It’s just- I don’t know. Happiness looks good on you is all,” Aida admitted. A warm smile of her own finding its way across her lips as she clinked her glass lightly back against his. “Mhmm. Sure you don’t. Cause you were oh so very warm and friendly when we first met. The perfect gentleman truly,” She teased. Her smile only growing as she gave him a little nod. “Yeah. I have and I don’t know. It feels like everything is starting to be a little more right in the world, I guess? What about you? Seen her yet?”

-

“Ohh, gotcha, dude.” That was good to hear; he’d been a little worried that Feliks might be experiencing memory issues. “Yeah, I don’t really have a clue either. But I think we can consider this particular dream case closed - take that, Freud!” Now that he’d gotten to talk about his dream and come up with a semi-plausible reason for it, he was ready to move on. “But anyway, enough about that -  how’re you doing, man?”

“High five to that,” Feliks offered up, extending his hand out towards the other man’s, despite not actually being able to see Mike to know if he’d be left hanging or not. “And I’m... entirely too sober. But, other than that and the massive headache I’ve had these past few days that isn’t seeming to go away, I’d say fairly good, I suppose? And you? Other than the weird dreams that is?”

-

Steffi nodded indignantly - then, remembering the man couldn’t see her, added “That’s right.” She frowned, annoyed that the man still wasn’t standing just yet, though annoyance shifted to bewilderment at his casual mention of being stepped on. “I’m not going to step on you,” She snapped, “even if you’d deserve it for laying there like that.” If this was something the man made a habit of, no wonder he’d been stepped on before. “Do you… need help getting up?” She hated helping people, but offering seemed like a better idea than leaving this guy for someone else to step on.

-

“Welp, as I said, I’m truly sorry if I have offended you in any way,” He said once more, resting his hand over his heart as to convey his sincerity, before pulling himself up onto his feet. “Like this?” Feliks raised a brow up at the comment. “I didn’t know there was a proper way to lay in the street. But, sure. I mean I’m not going to say no to the help.”

Wrapping her arms around her sister, Briar found herself sighing in relief. She had been so worried when she returned and Aida was not here. Since moving to the island, Briar had grown used to the idea of her Aphrodite siblings always being around and when she returned Aida had been missing in action. As her sister explained, Briar gave her a soft smile and wrapped her arms around her once more. Briar couldn’t imagine how she felt about her father’s condition. From what she could tell, her sister loved her father very much which was a foreign concept to Briar. “Is he alright? Do we need to go back and visit him? You know I’d come with you if you wanted.” She figured that Aida would not be back if he wasn’t completely fine but Briar wanted to always make sure Aida knew the offer was there. Briar wanted to get her mind off of things that they couldn’t control, so she nodded to her sister’s question. “We’re young, beautifully strong women on a Friday night so why wouldn’t we take advantage of the scenery? Plus, I’m an excellent wingwoman.” Briar certainly had planned on dancing the night away. Waving down the bartender, Briar ordered them another round of shots and held her out to her sister. “To being reunited and hopefully no more kidnapping schemes.”

-

“Yeah... he’s fine. He always is,” Aida mumbled under her breath. Aida loved her dad. She really did. It used to be them against the whole world and even though they had their ups and downs, they always had each other. But, recently, seeing his face just felt... exhausting? She was still mad at him for hiding the fact that of who her mother was for all of those years. He had brushed off her abilities and made her feel delusional instead of just telling her a truth and she was mad at herself for continuing to show up when he gave her less and less of reason to. “And no. Thanks, Briar. But, I just... I just want to be here with you celebrating our asses off. And not thinking about all that for a bit? I mean look at you! You’re here! You’re back and if anyone ever tries to take you again, they’re going to have to go through me. And oh really?” She let out a light giggle at the thought, lifting her shot glass up to cheers that of her sisters. “Okay. Game plan- one more round before we hit the dance floor and find each other handsomely beautiful strangers to potentially go home with? And to being together and having each other’s backs. Forever and always.”

“Ahh, i’m on thin ice enough as is. Smart is about the only card I have left to play here,” he spoke with a shrug, a lighter smile playing at his cheeks. “Oof, that bad, hu?” he offered as a retort when she asked him to define good, wondering what it was that was causing such a flow of alcohol to be poured. “Fifteen hours, wow. That’s intense. I’m an army brat who’s used to flights but fifteen hours is still fifteen hours,” he spoke with the shake of his head. Luke was just about to indulge his curiosity in asking her where she was coming from when he heard her question, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “Bit of both- if i’m being completely honest. Can’t say i’m not known for having a wild streak… but i’m also a detective around these parts who just came back from being missing who has connections to those who did the missing-ing so, yea… it’s a bit complicated,” he trailed off, embarrassingly rubbing the back of his neck.

-

“Oh? Shame. I happen to like thin ice,” Aida shot him a teasing look as she threw back another shot, before giving him a drawn out nod. “Yeah... that bad. Not that the trip was really much better, but hey, at least I’m here now, right?” She offered up with a small shrug. Her smile faltering once more at the thought of the days she had spent out with her dad. “Oh. Fancy. And- ah... That definitely makes things complicated. But, hey, if you ever need someone to talk to? I’m pretty use to complicated. So you can think of me as a no judgement free zone? You know, if you want to?”