Illustrated Illusions

Rieken laughed a bit. "I think I could be tricked onto it, because I can't see. I, however, do not think I would be able to get off of it though when I touched back on the ground. I can just imagine the way my head would swim." He smirked a bit, leaning into Rhett's touch. "I promise not to make you go on it."

Rhett laughed, shaking his head. “See, that’s exactly the problem. You’d agree to it before realizing what was happening, and then I’d spend the next hour trying to guide a man who suddenly forgot which way gravity works.” His hand settled at the small of Rieken’s back as they moved through the crowd.

Roscoe chuckled. He could only imagine what it would be like for Taryn to join the faculty. He was sure Dutton would be very proud of his daughter, but he also felt like Dutton would likely suffocate her. Be a little too overbearing. Or maybe, he would be too much of a perfectionist. It was hard to say. Roscoe didn't entirely know what their connection was like.

Taryn smiled softly when he told her she would make a good counselor. It wasn't the sort of compliment she got very often. Most people praised grades or accomplishments. Not the way she connected with people. "Thanks," she said quietly. "That actually means a lot." She twisted the cap back onto her tea bottle and smiled slightly. "Though I can't tell if 'you'd make a great counselor' is a compliment or a warning that I ask too many questions." Her smile widened briefly before she shook her head.

Bleu chuckled and nodded. "Exactly! You work in customer service. That doesn't mean you should bring the weird home." Bleu teased him, but he was still very glad to be able to go home with him. He wanted to stay with Bleu, wanted to sleep in his bed, and wake up to his beautiful face. He smirked a bit. "You can wear them a full day and then I will wear them a full day, then we will wash them. Luckily I have lots and lots of sweatshirts. We can rotate." He liked the idea of being wrapped up in Bleu's scent all day every day.

Benny laughed as he ducked back behind the bar.“See, that's where you're wrong,” he called over his shoulder while grabbing a towel to wipe down a recently abandoned table. “The weird already lives at my house. Esme and I are Ramoses. It's genetic.” He glanced back at Bleu and pointed at him accusingly. “Also, let's not pretend you're proposing a perfectly normal sweatshirt rotation system right now.” He teased, giving him a small wink.

Tucker rolled his eyes affectionately as he followed her into the classroom, setting the heavier bag down exactly where she pointed. "Your hero?" he repeated. "Mom, I carried a bag twenty feet. Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Still, he couldn't help smiling. He glanced around the room while she made her way to the table, immediately noticing the way she'd sat down instead of jumping straight into unpacking everything. It wasn't unusual anymore. He just hated that it had become something he noticed at all.

As soon as Dahlia said she loved the Gee-Whiz, Ross' eyes lit up. "You'll ride with me? Can I ride with her, Mama?" He immediately asked, giving Demelza's hand a tug. She gave a small smile, knowing damn well she was not going to win this fight. As much as she would have loved to wrap her child in bubble wrap and keep his feet firmly on the ground, she knew he would not stay easily. She wouldn't let him ride with just anyone though. That was why she was waiting for Brooks, but something about Dahlia seemed very, very trustworthy. She gave a small nod. "If she would like to ride with you, I would let you..." She told him, glancing toward Dahlia. She gave a small nod. "Tiny humans are alarmingly breakable, but also... equally as spongy, but moms never seem to see it that way." She confessed, practically admitting that she was overprotective and paranoid.

Dahlia looked down as Ross's entire lit up and immediately knew she'd made a promise she was absolutely going to have to keep. When Demelza agreed, Dahlia glanced up at her and offered a small smile. "I'd be happy to." There was something unexpectedly touching about the trust behind it. "And I promise to return him in exactly the same condition. Possibly happier. Potentially a little sticky if there's cotton candy involved after, but otherwise identical."

"Yeah, Mr. Evans was not good at controlling his tone of voice." More than once that man had made her cry and looked so confused when she did cry. It often got her out of trouble though because he would just turn around and walk away. Maeve remembered when Holden's wife would come into the office when she was an office worker. She always seemed nice enough, but she always wondered how that woman had managed to get this man. It had been none of her business. It was still none of her business. But Holden looked happy and that made Maeve happy. Along with a little joy of having the biggest crush on this man and seeing him as single now. Not that it mattered. She would never subject someone to her memory though. She nodded. "Love can't always be a fairytale..."

Something flickered across Holden's expression at her comment about fairytales. "No," he agreed quietly as they stepped closer to the loading platform. "It usually isn't." The response was simple, but there was something in the way he said it that suggested he'd spent enough years trying to believe otherwise. "I absolutely drank the Scotch," he informed her, a faint smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth. "The student still received detention."

Tarragon nodded. "Yes, that old Irish faith runs very, very deep in her." He had been watching Saoirse for weeks. She'd been getting more and more desperate for something. Her confessions were so desperate. She was so afraid for her family, but it wasn't his place to reveal all of her secrets. Even to her husband.

Pádraig's smile lingered for a moment at the mention of Fionn settling into domestic life before he shook his head slowly. “Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd hear,” he admitted. “If you'd told me thirty years ago that Fionn O'Reilly would end up settled, I'd have asked what you'd put in the communion wine.” He let out a small chuckle before sighing softly. “But you're right. They seem happy. Most days that's enough for me.” He laughed at the offer of assistance. “I'll hold you to that, Father. Though between the lot of them, wranglin' O'Reilly's is practically a ministry all its own.”

Rayne laughed and shook her head. "I don't think it's considered flattery if it's true..." she said in a soft voice, giving a small shrug. She watched the way that Theo tilted her head back toward the sun. She was so beautiful. She smiled and looked down at her drawing, gently tracing the drawing with her finger. She wanted to add Theo to this drawing, but she wasn't sure that it would be right. Theo deserved her own canvas.

Theo shrugged slightly, giving her a smile. "Well I certainly appreciate the kind statements. Even if I still think you're partly saying them just so you can stay." She teased gently. She didn't believe that was why the girl was saying them but she wanted to get a rise out of her. See how feisty she could get.

She chuckled. "Yes. You get to meet my best friend. And you better hope she likes you." she teased playfully. "Because I take her endorsements very seriously." she said knowing even if Mari told her she should break up with Arjun she wouldn't. She liked this man far too much.

"Oh trust me. I know how important it is to make a good impression on the best friend. I don't take that lightly." Arjun admitted, giving her a smile. He didn't want to put River in any kind of awkward situations. "You'll have to meet my sister now that she's in town. Though I can only imagine the embarrassing stories that she can't wait to tell you." He cringed slightly, shaking his head with a laugh.

As Briar pointed at him, Dawson tilted his head to the side. He wondered where she was going with it when she asked about him having a grandson and then she said he was too young-looking. He chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, God, sweetheart... you are too kind, but we both know that I am not exactly a spring chicken anymore." He wasn't as old as he felt most days, but there were days that his body definitely felt the age of hard work and growing up too soon. "My son is probably around your age. I was a dumb teenager when he came into the world, but still..."

Briar let out a laugh, immediately shaking her head. "That's exactly the kind of thing a grandfather would say." Her smile widened as she pointed at him. "And for the record, I still don't believe you." She looked him over again, not entirely in a professional way. "You're either lying about your age or you've made some sort of deal with a sea witch. Those are the only explanations I'm willing to accept." The compliment caught her a little off guard, though. A faint warmth crept into her cheeks and she looked down briefly before laughing. "Well, thank you." She glanced back up at him. "You know, if you keep complimenting me, I'm going to start thinking you're just saying nice things because I'm feeding you."

"Good I think I want to get some Chinese and watch a bad slasher movie we can make fun of together." she said kissing her shoulder softly. She hoped Fiona didn't know. She just wanted to spend time with her girlfriend.

Fiona smiled softly. "Well, I can't say no to that combo." She admitted, sliding her hand over Nick's side gently. She winced slightly when she mentioned paying for her ticket. She couldn't imagine how much it would even cost but it was nice that she was still making the donation to the museum. She didn't want to admit that she was thankful that they said she couldn't have gone. She knew she wouldn't have had to go up the stairs in front of all the paparazzi but she couldn't imagine the social anxiety she would have. She leaned in, kissing her back with a small smile. "You make a pretty convincing argument.. come on, let's pick up some food and head home."

Graceland laughed and nodded. "Hot sauce fanatics are real, and they are insane..." She gave a firm nod when he insisted that his goal was familiar and unfamiliar. "A good blend so people don't get bored, but also so that there are safe foods... Perfect. You've learned so well." She gave him a playful wink.

Marco looked down at the empanada in his hands before glancing back at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “That's reassuring, because the first batch looked like something I'd apologize for serving.” He laughed softly and shook his head. “I swear I've made empanadas a hundred times before, but the second I decided they might end up on my menu, suddenly I forgot everything I knew.” The words slipped out before he really thought about them. The pressure of it. The difference between cooking for someone else's restaurant and cooking for his own.

As Julian began to mention his titles, Cyrus' brow furrowed. Then he said 'ethical violations' and 'manipulation' causing a small frown to form. Cyrus shook his head. "No... I wouldn't ever manipulate you..." He sucked in his bottom lip, wondering if he had gone about this flirting thing all wrong. He looked out at the water, letting the waves beat against his ankles. He almost sighed in relief, letting it wash away any of the anxiety and stress that he had just felt.

Julian immediately caught the small frown and felt a stab of guilt. That hadn't been what he'd meant at all. “No, Cyrus,” he said quickly, shaking his head as he stepped a little deeper into the water. “I didn't mean it like that.” The cool water surged around his calves before retreating again. “I was teasing.” His voice gentled. “You haven't manipulated me into anything. I came looking for you, remember?” For a moment he just watched him, watched the way the anxiety seemed to disappear the second Cyrus looked back toward the ocean. It was interesting. Like someone returning to their natural habitat.

Gunner smiled softly when Wyatt insisted that animals were better at reading people than humans were. But there was a tiny shrug when Wyatt praised Rafe. "He really doesn't like when you compliment him..." Gunner said in a soft voice, sighing. "I wish he wasn't so grumpy."

Wyatt nodded slightly when Gunner explained that Rafe didn't like him when he complimented him. He gave Gunner a small smile. "Don't worry. He doesn't trust me yet but I'm not giving up. I'll win him over." He smiled, watching as he waved goodbye to the horse.

She loved how he talked. How he thought. He saw the world so beautifully. A way she hadn't in so long and she felt as if it gave her world life and color. She felt warmth filling her when she was with him. She hadn't felt this in almost two decades and she was scared how fast she fell fearful that if it fell apart it would hurt just as much. "Perhaps I should have kissed you. Would that have removed any doubt of my intentions." she teased softly. "Well yes your charm and bone structure are magnificent but I've had good looking men hit on me before. But no it's how you were so open to the just being yourself. You weren't putting on some act just enjoying yourself and it made me enjoy your company even more." She told him. "And I doubt you could be insufferable. Or are you some preening peacock and I've just missed that side of you."

Atlas let out a small laugh at that. “Gia,” he said, shaking his head slightly, “if your solution to my uncertainty was to kiss me, then I have to say your conflict-resolution strategies are significantly bolder than mine.” He smiled softly. "Though it would certainly be nice to be kissed by you." When she explained what she meant by different, however, his expression softened. “That's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me.” His thumb traced absentmindedly along the side of his glass. “I spent a lot of years feeling like the odd one out in a room. Eventually you get tired of performing normalcy for people. Being yourself becomes less exhausting.” His eyes met hers again. “So I'm glad you like the real me.” He studied her for a minute. “Can I tell you something? When you first started talking to me, I assumed you were being friendly because that's who you are. You have this way of making people feel welcome. Seen. It never occurred to me that someone might choose to do it specifically for me.” He looked up as the server approached, giving a glance toward the menu, clearing his throat. "Do you know what you're going to order?"

Valerie felt nervous. More than she ever had before to be up on the stage. She half wondered if she deserved to be here or if she was up on this stage because Greyson wanted her to be. She appreciated him if that was it but it made her even more worried that she'd make a fool of herself. Still she made sure her guitar was tuned before stepping on the stage and the minutes the lights hit her every lick of fear melted off. She smiled as she started playing a couple songs she'd written on her own that she hadn't sold to make sure the power or water stayed on. Ending her set with a love song she'd just written about a certain blonde haired boy that made her so giddy she couldn't breath most days.

Greyson hadn't moved. Partly because he wanted to be the first person she found when she came off that stage. Partly because the drug had settled into his bones and made standing there feel easier than doing anything else. He leaned against the fence as people filtered away from the crowd, still grinning like an idiot. The second Val appeared from backstage, scanning the crowd, his face lit up. "There she is." He pushed away from the fence and started toward her. "Hey, superstar." The grin on his face was impossible to hide. When she reached him, he immediately hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her in. "You were incredible." Greyson bent down long enough to press a kiss against her forehead before pulling back to look at her. "No, seriously." He shook his head. "I mean it."

Brant leaned into his hand and Scott sighed softly as his heart fluttered gently. Obviously he wished Brant wasn't feeling this way, wished at the very least that he could switch places with his husband, but even after all this time these small tender moments still got him sometimes. Still meant the world to him. Just a few years ago Scott had accepted that he would only be to share moments like this with Brant in his dreams. Even now, this was only possible because Brant had been brave enough to take a leap of faith and pack up his life and travel to tiny little Cypress Cove based on a connection the two of them had shared. Scott was beyond grateful that he had and while he knew he didn't have to, he would spend the rest of his life trying to prove to Brant in little ways, in small gestures like this that he had made the right choice. Scott noticed the way Brant's eyes began to close softly at the touch and began to rub the side of Brant's face gently with his thumb. "Okay, I guess that's not too long." He said.

Brant's expression softened immediately. It always got him a little, hearing things like that from Scott. Maybe because Scott never seemed to realize how devastatingly sincere he was when he said them. "You're ridiculous," Brant murmured, though there wasn't much conviction behind it. His hand found Scott's wrist, fingers curling loosely around it as he kept Scott's hand against his cheek. The cool touch felt nice. Everything felt a little too warm and a little too uncomfortable right now. "You know most people would've heard 'stomach bug' and maintained a safer distance. Instead you're over here tellin' me you would've left work early and that sittin' on the couch with me while I look like death is your ideal afternoon."