Jasper

who: @asteriastarters​ where: downtown

It was a huge change. Moving from New York, a big city to a small town in North Carolina was almost a shock. While he had always thought that small towns were charming, Grayson never realized how little people and how little things were actually in a place like this. It had it’s charms. The coffee shop was adorable the people were kind and everything around here had their own unique looks and unique ways of being but it still surprised him at the utter difference there was between here and his home. Grayson had found out about his brother and where he lived only days ago and now he was here. It’d been a stupid idea to come here without a plan but Grayson thought an adventure would be due for him. Especially after things happening back home, getting away from it would be good for him. So now, standing here in the middle of the sidewalk, Grayson found himself admiring the beauty of downtown. Yes, it as kind of dead because of the winter but he was impressed with how everything looked. He walked forward and bumped right into someone, blinking. “Oh, sorry.” He smiled at them, “Just being a tourist, I’m sorry about that.” He admitted with a smile.

When Jasper heard the word tourist, he almost felt like the male was talking about him. He’d only been there a few short months, but he still felt like the new kid in school, which was also weirdly true, he was a year off but he also just started college as a freshman, normally though, Jasper was late to everything. School, fads, even being places. The concept of time was rather hard for him and at times he found himself procrastinating or just distracted to the point of nearly being late. He had been distracted once more when he felt the bump, he was a bit on a taller side so he didn’t stumble much. Looking to the other he nodded some with a small shy smile. “I--I understand,” he murmured as he nodded to the male once more. “S--Sorry to be in the um... the way. I was-- distracted.”

Where: near the fire station

Who: @asteriastarters​

It was his time to walk with the dog, which he didn’t mind doing, since he loved pets so much. He was thinking about adopting a dog, but his cat was already 3 years old, and he wasn’t sure how she would react to it, so for now he decided to just have her as a pet, maybe in he future he would adopt a dog, “I love walking with you, buddy, but we have to go back soon,” he could see that the dog was sad about it, but they didn’t have a choice, “Don’t look at me like that, you know we have duties,” he kneeled down, and stroked the animal on the head, which seemed to be his favorite place to be pet. He was so focused on the pet that he didn’t notice someone was close by.

Jasper was glad to be with his nephew that day, more than glad, actually. The days he got to babysit, he really got to see Sage grow up and learn and get excited about things that were all so simple for him. He entertained the five year old many times as he asked what this or that was and questions no adult would ever think to ask. It was fun for him even on his more stimulated days when things were hard and he was in a sour mood. Sage seemed to brighten even his darkest moods.So when they were walking back home from getting ice cream he no sooner saw the man with the dog before Sage said ‘puppy’ ever so loudly and pointed. Biting his lip he did his best not to laugh at his nephew’s excitement. “Sorry, he--he um.. he loves dogs.” 

special delivery - @asteriastarters​

Lincoln hid inside the house through the holidays, spending it with his family more than out in the open but he knew he had to get back out there. So here he was in the grocery store, the carseat settling on the cart with the sleeping baby inside of it. He stood in the diaper aisle, staring at all the different kinds, brushing the tip of his tongue along his lower lip. He turned his head to see someone walking into the aisle. “I have a dumb question,” he muttered. “Can you tell me what the difference is between the brands of diapers?”

It seemed one place in town would hire him and that was the local grocery store, he didn’t mind it though. For the socially awkward male, stocking shelves was easy, sure there were some questions were a bit more difficult because he was still learning where everything is but it was for the most part ideal. He was just getting out of work, stopping near where the diapers were because there was a cute toy he thought his nephew would like when he heard Lincoln’s voice. “O--Oh, well...” Jasper looked at the diapers he was pointing at. “We--well my s-sister-in-law um... um loved Pampers when my ne--nephew was a baby. S--Said huggies leaked w--way too often,” he murmured as he looked at the carrier. Grabbing a bag of the pampers. “The--These look like her size.”

Jasper’s face was hanging low as he stared at his phone, as if it had scorned him in some way. To be honest it was the furthest from the truth, no, he got himself lost-- again. He was more mad at himself than anything else in that moment. He’d texted his brother, his sister-in-law, Nathan, even Felix and no one was getting back to him. He shouldn’t expect them to reply right away, but the longer he didn’t get a text the more his stomach twisted with anxiety. He’d found himself at a familiar landmark, it was the bench when he got lost the last time. Sitting down he ran a hand through his hair as he grew frustrated. Closing his eyes he let out a low whine as he his head fell back. He didn’t know how he managed it, but he did. He wanted to cry, but he didn’t want to look like a fool crying alone on a bench as he waited for someone in his life to get back to him. He was so much in his head he didn’t the person approaching the bench he was on. 

Mingyu gave a nod and sat own. This boy looked like someone Mingyu once knew in his life, he was a handsome person. Mingyu rubbed at his thighs tiredly, feeling a little stressed out about how tired he was. Things had been looking up after the hurricane but it was still hard to get up in the morning despite living with his friend Matty. The tress of everything that had happened was beginning to melt away and at least he didn’t have to be perfect for his parents anymore. That in itself was a blessing. Mingyu paused before looking back over at Jasper. He would normally have just ignored the other person but he was withouthis art supplies today so he decided to try to talk to him. “Are you okay? You seem a little scared.” He asked, trying to keep a kind face even if he was a bit nervous for this encounter. What if the kid didn’t want to talk? Mingyu began to regret this decision but pushed through the regret.

Jasper sat in silence as he stared at his slowly dying phone before taking a small deep breath and leaned back as his eyes closed, trying to calm his nervous heart. He knew it wasn’t a big deal, but the idea of being lost scared him down to his core. When he heard the other speak, his eyes opened slowly as he shook his head some. He felt like an idiot, who got lost in a town they’d been in for a few months now. “I--I’m lost,” he whispered shyly as he hid his reddening face. He felt embarrassment and his eyes were already filling with tears. He fully believed he was stupid in that moment. “I-- I um.. I’m sorry,” he whispered using his sleeve to wipe his eyes some. “My p--phones dying and my um... my brother isn’t answering,” he sighed as he finally looked to Mingyu with a small pout. “I feel r--really s--stupid,” his voice had a hint of defeat in it as he spoke. 

“That’s okay! We don’t have to take a picture. I was just offering because I saw you admiring my dress.” She kindly replied, not wanting to overwhelm the boy anymore than he already seemed to be. Her son Ashton had pretty severe ADHD, so even when he took his medicine correctly, he still got overwhelmed and easily over stimulated in certain situations. “I’m Leanne, Leanne Rhodes. I’m head of the committee that set up the festival. I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself tonight?” She kindly asked him. “I know there’s a lot of lights and smells and sounds happening right now. If you’d like to come with me to the little building we’re doing the cookie decorating in later your more than welcome too. It’ll be just us for a while so it might give you a chance to relax a little? Sorry you seem overwhelmed. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but my son struggles with overstimulation  sometimes so I was picking up on the signs.” 

“Oh!” He flushed bright red as he smiled sheepishly. It was a pretty dress, very bright and festive and he was easily distracted by such things. “It---it’s bright,” he whispered, knowing he was probably as red as a tomato at the moment. “Hi--” he waved slightly as he nodded some. “I’m Ja--Jasper,” he spoke after a moment realizing he didn’t introduce himself. “I’m t--trying. My um.. my brother and nephew a--are here but I’m not good with um... with crowds,” his voice while deep was soft as he spoke shyly. He was a bit thrown by the offer, he wonder what was the telling part of his demeanor that showed just how not okay he was with everything that was going on. “I--I’m a bit over-- um.. overwhelmed, it’s a lot,” Jasper said meekly as he looked to his feet. “I--It’ll be quiet?” He questioned as he looked back to Leanne.

open starter: @asteriastarters​ where: downtown

Mingyu was so tired of sitting around, but luckily he was at the point where he could begin to exercise and move around. He still had to be careful but Mingyu couldn’t sit around anymore. He was now living downtown - closer to his studio which luckily had not been too damaged by the storm A few pieces were lost due to a broken window and water damage and the whole room was in disarray but Mingyu was overall pleased to see it wasn’t that bad. Today, he was alone in Matty’s apartment and decided he needed to take a walk around to stretch the skin like the physical therapist told him to do and while it really hurt, Mingyu didn’t want to sit around anymore. As he walked along, his body began to grow more tired once he did a good 20 minutes and he turned to sit down on a bench, noticing someone already sitting there. “Oh… do you mind if I join you?” He asked, ignoring the way his legs were shaking and tired.

Jasper hadn’t been in town long but that didn’t deter him from at least getting to know the places around town. He had decided to walk, and maybe he was a bit distracted, but by the time he ended up at the bench he was on he had gotten a tad bit lost. Furrowing his brows some as he looked at his phone, he was trying to map out a way back to his brother’s house-- to his house. Slightly frustrated because he couldn’t even remember the street he lived on now. He’d texted both his brother and sister-in-law with no luck of a response, so he decided he’d wait till he got a text. It shouldn’t be too long. He told himself. Though he was starting to think that it was going to be took long as an hour passed and his phones battery life was surely going down. When he heard Mingyu’s voice he looked up, nervously as he bit his lip. “I--I um.. y--yeah it’s um.. it’s fine,” he nodded slowly before looking at his phone again. 

@asteriastarters​

Maddison was unloading boxes out of her car to take into the donation place when one of the bottom fell out of one of the boxes and everything fell out of it all over the sidewalk. It was the cherry on top of the bad day she was having. Her garage was flood because her hot water heater broke. Her laptop was fried and she didn’t see any hope in recovering it. She was pretty sure there was a racoon living in the attic and it was her mom’s birthday today. So the bottom of the box falling out and all of her moms little baubles and things falling all over the ground. She felt the emotions explode out of her as she just dropped to the ground, tears spilling downing her cheeks, the mess of things all around her.

Jasper was unsure what to do when the scene in front of him turned to an array of items on the ground and the girl in front of him in tears. HIs eyes darted all over the place as he tried to take in the scene a bit better before moving forward to help pick up the items that fell through the box. “P--Pl--Please don’t um.. don’t cry,” he murmured as he looked up to the woman with soft eyes, filled with a bit of worry now because it seemed that the tears weren’t just for the faulty box. “I--It’s okay, see-- nothing um.. nothing broke,” he tried to assure Maddison the best he could. 

OPEN STARTER || WINTER WONDERLAND

“But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!” Closing the story book, Leanne smoothed out her fluffy red dress as she stood from the rocking chair. Leanne would spend the first hour of the festival singing her set list of Christmas Carol’s, which included I’ll be home for Christmas and Santa baby, after which she’d humbly turn the stage over to Oliver’s band and change into her Mrs. Claus costume where she spent the remainder of the evening reading to the kids and helping them decorate cookies with her special elf helpers. Most nights it was Ashton, Olivia, and Dylan, but there were still some spots open for astierian’s to volunteer to be an elf helper for the night. Another board member was walking around somewhere dressed up as Santa. “Well hello there, did you want to take a quick photo?” Leanne spoke in a jolly manor as she noticed someone eyeing her. “We’re having a cookie decorting party later on if you’d like to join us??”

@asteriastarters

Jasper had been dragged from the house by his family to the festival. He hadn’t really wanted to go, it had been an overload sensory day and being around a crowd didn’t seem fun, what so ever. He’d been wandering aimlessly before he stopped watching the woman in the red dress, furrowing his brows some as he tried to process what she wa saying for a second before he quickly shook his head. “Oh-- um, no-- uh.. I’m so-sorry,” he flushed brightly. “I--I’m not uh... not much of a um... photo person,” he added as he looked around more before he looked back to Leanne. “Maybe-- my n--nephew my um... might enjoy that,” he nodded with a small smile. He wasn’t sure what to say, as his awkward side began to show. Social interaction wasn’t his thing but he was also raised to not be rude when spoken too.