Tristan had been at Fitness Factory long enough to really regret all the choices that got him there, but not long enough to actually leave. His hoodie was around his waist, his t-shirt sleeves were already dark with sweat, and he was staring at the dumbbells like they had done something bad to him. He rolled his shoulders once, then again, breathing out through his nose. "Alright," he mumbled to himself. "Just because you used to be good at sports doesn't mean your body remembers how."

A machine close by made a loud clank as he finished his reps. He grabbed his water bottle, took a big drink, and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He noticed someone nearby, maybe waiting for the same machine, maybe just watching him struggle, and let out a little laugh. "Feel free to lie and say that looked easy," he said, kind of smiling, kind of dying. "Or tell me now if I'm doing something that's going to hurt my back tomorrow. I'm open to suggestions."

As he moved to a different machine setting it, he heard the metal plates hit together, jarring him from his thoughts. "Definitely looked easy, man." Levi let out a small chuckle, "I'll be honest, I wasn't really paying attention. Was in my own little zone." As he shrugged, "I mean, are you lifting more than your body is really ready for, I heard the plates hit a little harder and that's a sure fire way to pull something, or worse. I'd hate to have to go into work mode if you snap a ligament in your back. Hurts like a bitch too."

The moment Adrian Sinclair walked into Magenta, it was already buzzing. The bass thumped right through the floor, like a second heartbeat in the room. Everything – the walls, the people, the glasses – was bathed in pink light, making the whole place feel fuzzy and alive. He shucked off his coat by the bar, rolling his shoulders like he was shedding the day, and just soaked it all in. Good crowd tonight. Relaxed, loud in a good way. The kind of vibe that makes you forget your worries for a bit.

He propped an elbow on the bar, ordering his drink without shouting, clearly a regular here. His eyes roamed the dance floor, not really searching, not bored – just watching, waiting for something to grab his eye. Or someone. When it happened, he focused in, a small, curious smile playing on his lips. "I bet," he said to the person who'd ended up next to him – he didn't care if it was on purpose or not. "First time here, or you know this place messes up your sleep and you come anyway?" He gave a little nod with his glass. "Either way, good night to pick. Magenta only gets like this when it's trying to show off."

Raising a brow when he heard the familiar voice of Adrian Sinclair, "Hardly." Levi turned, the families that knew each other due to the status of being founding families was hard to deny. The Sinclair's were infamous for a plethora of reasons. "But I don't typically come here anymore, figure it's more for the younger crowds now, or at least most of them." Didn't mean he could enjoy a drink or two there. "And what brings a Sinclair out, looking for trouble?"

This determination was why she'd found herself at the brewery. While she wasn't a big drinker- it was something new and it was a start. She sat studying the menu on the counter over and over. She had hardly any knowledge of liquor tastes and the list of offerings was overwhelming. She found it slightly humorous that her sister had owned a Honky Tonk Bar and still Hattie had zero idea what any of this was.

Her internal debate was cut short by a hand reaching over the bar and tapping a name on the laminated menu. Blinking a few times before she looked up at him, the words taking a moment to register. "Oh" she looked back down at the menu. "W--what is it?" she coyly asked.

With the upcoming holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Levi had to admit avoiding his family had become a bit of a specialty of his. Loving his family and tolerating them were vastly different specialties that he had learned to perfect. A lot of this meant that he knew when to keep away and when to show his face. As much as he joked, and partially meant it somewhere deep in his soul, he had learned how to balance his family in a way that kept him from losing his mind. Working with the public day in and day out, learning to have a drink to unwind but not cross a line where it'd become a problem was something he had learned over the last several years. Consuming yourself in alcohol was an easy way with some of the things he saw in his job as a paramedic. Things that broke pieces of his soul and left his crushed to highest moments of appreciation from families that he barely even knew for a blip of a moment. "It's an imperial raspberry stout." he said swirling the drink. "Fruit based, hint of chocolate undertone. Really delicious." Though he knew that wasn't always what people enjoyed. "If you're not into that I will say the one called Truth Serum is just as good."

Instead she pushed through the front door of her favorite beer garden and slid into the first empty seat she spotted at the bar. It had been a moment since she had last stopped in and she was curious to see what new flavors they had brewed up. She flipped over the drink menu, immediately zoning in on one particular flavor. Moments later, the person next to her somehow telepathically confirmed her decision. "I fear I'm already attached now that I know I can't have it whenever I want it. And I haven't even tried it yet," the blonde continued with a soft giggle. "I'm Phoebe, by the way."

Holiday time was always stressful for Levi, it settled under his skin, unsettling him in ways that he never spoke aloud. The Goldstein family had their own traditions, ones that Levi didn't always feel like he fit in with any longer. There was the continual questions that were asked about his life, it seemed like with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner came a side of intrusive conversation and reminders of disappointment on the family name. Typically it came with untold amounts of alcohol later in the evening, but it was something his father could never help but point out. The waste that his law degree was going to as he ran around town attempting to play superhero. Consideration of taking on another holiday shift was playing in the back of his head, knowing there were plenty of his co-workers that would trade away the shift without a second though. Asher, however, would spite him into oblivion and he knew it. Didn't mean his mind didn't wander there knowing it'd be far easier, his patients didn't ask those questions, for a moment he was an everyday hero, saving lives, making a difference. Levi hadn't really expected anyone to be listening to him, often brushed off when people were just attempting to enjoy a drink on their way home or such. "Don't worry they come out with new flavors all the time that are just as limited as this one that you can get attached to until the next one." he pointed out before taking a long drink of his own drink. "Levi." he said, "Don't think I've seen you around much." But then again, from what he could observe she was far younger than him and probably didn't frequent the same places. What he did know was she wasn't from one of the founding families in town, he knew all of them far more than he liked to admit.

location: supernova.

Supernova wasn't a place that Levi frequented all that much, it wasn't really his thing, but friends had made plans to meet here. It wasn't until he had gotten there that both of them had cancelled, one needing to pull in an extra shift thanks to a call out and another starting to feel under the weather. A laugh left his lips as he saw her set the shot glass down. "That my friends should have better timing when cancelling before I get somewhere." It wasn't meant mean, he was more so joking, he had cancelled his fair share of times.

THE CHARACTER.

FULL NAME: Levi Gabriel Goldstein

GENDER: Cis man

PRONOUNS: He/him

AGE + BIRTHDAY: 37 + April 30, 1983

LENGTH OF TIME IN WINDSOR BAY: Entirety of his life, other than college and law school.

HOUSING: Mountainside

OCCUPATION: Has his licensure to practice law but became a paramedic.

THE INTERVIEW.

What’s it like, living in Windsor Bay? Did you ever picture yourself settling down here or did you always know this would be your home?

"You know, it's home? It's somewhere I've come to just feel like this is home. Makes sense, generations of my family are here. It always felt odd that I might not end up here, know it's definitely what my family didn't want, to move away and start something away from where it all started. Then again, I was slated to take over the family business, you know Goldstein Law? I've been licensed, passed the bar, could step in any time I want but then I did a full 180 and became a paramedic. There's both disappointment and pride from my family, probably more pride from mom, still something honorable in her eyes. My dad? Well, it's still a point of contention. So many Goldstein's have passed through that building that it's kind of lurking in the background for me." 

If you could recommend one hidden gem around town everyone should try, what is it? What makes it so special?

"The Food Stop — need I say more? Is there anything you could ask for but a line of food trucks with all kinds of delicious food for one stop shopping? Personally, I'm a very big fan. You want delicious Mexican that can travel? This is the top place, I'm a sucker for getting some Mexican and a side of gourmet macaroni and cheese to go. Figure it's supporting two small business ventures, and keeps my belly happy." 

Would you say you’re easy to get along/work with? Why or why not?

"Doesn't every person like to believe they're easy to work with? I'm a bit of an over-thinker at my core, which means I read into far too much. Even a tone change, so I'm always trying to be someone that's easy to get alone with, work with, all of those things. Being a paramedic it's kind of imperative that we work well together, can predict others movements on the team, so it's a skill I've come to really work on and make sure that I'm always putting that effort into." 

THE PERSONALITY.

— + Compassionate, Resilient, Ethical — - Self Critical, Guarded, Restless

Laughter escaped Levi, not because he found it actually amusing, but because he knew the same exact tactics. "You're how much younger than I, and I haven't brought home a wife, think how the holidays are going to be for me this year?" He pointed out, "But you do get the being in New York City, most densely populated cities but you missed one part." Now using his hands to gesture like most of their older relatives. "And you bring home no nice Jewish boy for us to meet?" A tisking noise leaving his lips, "Such a shame, such a pretty girl." Before giving a roll of his eyes, it was nothing he hadn't heard in his years. Levi had come to the conclusion disappointment was just part of his nature and widely accepted in his family now. After all how many people had a law degree and didn't use it. "Favorite cousin? I feel like you're just saying that because I stumbled upon you and had it been Asher you'd be singing a different tune." Eyeing her with disbelief but amusement clear on his face. "No, not really. No work shift today and I don't really know what to do with myself when I'm not working."

The pro about moving out of her parents' place was that there was no rush to get her shit together. The con was also that there was no rush to get her shit together, so here she was three years after aforementioned move still cleaning out her old bedroom. Alana balanced the box of old books on her hip as she slammed the trunk closed. The step up onto the curb was where she went wrong-- or the box did, at least, breaking through the bottom and spilling its contents onto the cement. "Shit!" Alana's voice rang out. She knelt, picking up a stack and looking hopelessly at the broken box when someone knelt beside her and picked up a copy of My Name is Barbra. "Okay, in my defense, six different people bought me that for graduation, so I'm not, like, committing a war crime by selling it." Alana took a breath, looking up at them and beaming, "Thank you."

Having no plans while having a day off was a struggle for Levi, he was always in a state of movement, needing to go, do, and he was pretty sure that was from his long-standing ADHD. Agendas had become his best friend when it came to those days off to keep him on track or else he'd run a million places and never get accomplished what he needed to, or worse, he'd end up in bed rotting while scrolling endlessly through the obnoxious amounts of digital media and streaming sites at his fingertips. There had been no plans for the Book Nook in his agenda but the sound of a box snapping and suddenly the street covered in used books jarred him from the direction of his journey when he spotted Alana. "Not the "My Name is Barbra" do you know how many hearts in our family you're going to break?" Unable to resist the teasing sentiment as he handed the book towards the woman. "What are you doing, trying to sell all your book collection to rob the Book Nook clean?"