Marcus

"The cards will always play out in the end." She knew of her brother's struggles with always having a spotlight shining on him and that didn't even include the added stress of her and Eden living at home. "I don't mean to make this all too heavy on you. So, maybe we should get back to fun? Like... What is your favorite drink, then?" @marcusyoung

Marcus swirled the ice in his glass, watching as the whiskey in it shifted with the movement. “Whiskey on the rocks,” he answered, lifting the drink slightly before taking a slow sip. “Simple, classic, does the job.” He smiled softly, shaking his head. “I’m not into all those fancy drinks. Too many years of grabbing whatever was available while working in the field. You learn to appreciate the basics.”

"Um, well this is where my feet took me and my feet always know the best place for me to go, so I think yes?" Adile rarely questioned herself. "Um, I don't know what better-tasting dots would be. Unless you're talking about Dippin' Dots. Those are so good."

He smirked, arms crossed. “Not every game’s about zoning out. Some are about pure chaos, which I feel like you’d be good at. But if you don’t think it’s fun, then hey, not everything has to be.”

At her mention of Dippin’ Dots, he let out a low chuckle. “Now that’s a throwback. I haven’t had those in years. You’re telling me your feet dragged you all the way here, past every other possible place, and they didn’t lead you to ice cream instead?”

She took a sip of her drink, giving him the space he needed, her eyes lingering thoughtfully on him. “We all have our stuff to figure out,” she added, offering a slight smile to let him know there was no judgment, just acceptance. “You don’t have to dive into anything you're not ready for. Besides, it’s not like life’s going anywhere. The right moment will come when you’re ready to meet it."

Her voice lightened again, though the playful edge was replaced with something more grounded. "But hey, if you change your mind, I’m always up for chaos. Just know where to find me when you’re ready to make the next move." She winked, the softness still lingering in her expression, but there was a quiet understanding there, too.

He exhaled, a quiet acknowledgment, before glancing down at his drink. “Timing’s a funny thing,” he murmured, half to himself. “Sometimes you wait for the right moment, and sometimes you realize you’ve been waiting too long.”

His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile, but wasn’t nothing either. “I appreciate that, though. The lack of judgment.” He finally met her gaze again, a bit more present this time. “And the offer for chaos, I'll keep that in mind.”

"Well, it'll be a regret if you're unable to pay you bills and your bank account is in the minus. Unless you have that much money?" Now she was more curious about him if that was the case, not because she was interested in his money, but his intention behind his actions. "I'll take another drink, I'm not sure about getting fucked up but we'll see where the night brings." / @marcusyoung

“Mediocre version? Depends on who you ask,” he said, lifting his glass slightly before taking a slow sip. “I wanted to uncover the truth, and I still do. Just happens that these days, I don’t have to get shot at to do it.” His tone was even, but there was a weight behind it, a hint at the kind of things he’d seen that made paying bills seem like the least of his concerns. "Don't worry about the money though, I never do so what does that tell you?" He asked, pouring her another drink and sliding it over to her. "Happy to assist in whatever way necessary."

"You better be here to give my journalists the next massive story that's going to sell a bunch of papers, or give me some exclusive photographs of the town superhero. If not, your parked ass better get movin'."

Bo has yet to see a showing of any sort of ability from the other man and his exasperation at that was clear. Unless he was a jinx of sorts who messed up Marcus' game by presence alone, he thinks this may not be the sport for him.

When his own suggestion comes bounding back at him like every ball Marcus launched towards the gutter, he scoffs.

"I'm playing an excellent game. You make me look like a pro."

He lined up his shot, focused, determined... and promptly sent the ball skidding straight into the gutter. Again.

There was a beat of silence before he turned back to Bora with a deadpan expression. “Alright, maybe I’m doing it on purpose. Keeps you humble.”

He gestured for Bora to take his turn, sighing as he sat down. “And every damn day,” he added, finally answering the question. “Some of us are just consistent like that.”

The question hung there, not urgent, but full of meaning. Her lips parted, the words forming on the tip of her tongue. She hesitated, but only for a moment, because despite all the things that had happened between them, something deep inside her whispered that maybe this was the time to try again. To open up, just a little more. Her voice was steady, but the slight tremor in it betrayed the mix of emotions she felt. “Marcus…” She let the name linger, like a quiet promise. “I don’t know what the future holds, and I’m not going to pretend like I have all the answers. But… I think we owe it to ourselves to see if we can find our way back to what we had. Slowly. We don’t have to have it all figured out right now. But yeah… I’m willing to try again. Together.”

Her eyes met his, and the steady warmth in her gaze matched the depth of the words she’d just said. “We’ve been through a lot, but maybe that’s what makes us stronger now. If we’re both in it, I think we can figure it out. Whatever this is, we’ll figure it out together.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, a quiet promise without needing to say more.

His fingers curled slightly against hers, grounding himself in the warmth of her touch. “Slow works for me,” he said, his voice steady but low, like he didn’t want to break whatever fragile thing they were rebuilding. “We’ve rushed before, and look where that got us.” A hint of something wry passed through his expression, but there was no bitterness in it, just the honesty of someone who had learned the hard way.

His thumb brushed against her hand before he finally exhaled, a small nod following. “Together, then.” The words weren’t grand, weren’t overpromising, but they meant everything. And for now, that was enough.

It’s said again, a bit louder, as an affirmation when he picks up his ball. When the pins reset, Benj lines himself up and as he does with most things, overthinks it. The ball hits the lane, rolls with a decent enough speed, but quickly veers right and only takes out the two end pins. “Well… at least it’s not a gutter?”

Marcus leaned back in his seat as he watched Benj work his magic. He was actually pretty satisfied with the results, while not the best possible shot, the fact that Benj has listened and actually got results meant more to him. “Hell yeah brother, look at that shit, hit some pins.” He said, holding up his hand for a high-five.

She paused, letting the tension linger between them for a moment before adding with a smirk, "But hey, if you're looking for a little excitement, I’m more than happy to provide it. Who knows? Maybe we’ll make this mess a little more... memorable." Her tone held a playful challenge, the kind that dared him to take the plunge.

"I think you're right, life’s too short," Marcus said, his tone a little distant as he took a sip from his drink, carefully avoiding her gaze for a moment. "But I’m not looking to dive into chaos right now. I’ve got some things I need to sort out first, things that have been holding me back. So, for now, I think I’ll pass on the excitement."

He met her eyes for a brief second, his expression apologetic but firm. "Maybe another time, but not today."

She gave a small, knowing smile as he mentioned the pie. "I swear, Aunt Holly’s pie should be a national treasure. It’s magic in dessert form. If it could fix everything, I’d be stocking up on it for sure."

Her expression softened when he spoke about the ring, her hand gently squeezing his arm. "You don’t have to let go of what’s important to you. But you don’t have to carry it alone, either." She took a slow breath, her voice low and thoughtful. "And if you’re ever wondering about the ‘we,’ you don’t have to stop yourself. Not here. Not with me." Her gaze held his, steady and reassuring. "It’s not a silly question. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out. Together."

He swallowed, finding his voice a little more sure than before. "Haley," he began, his tone quiet but steady, "there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. I know we’ve been through a lot, and I don’t know if it’s the right time, but… can we try again? I’m not asking for everything to be perfect, but… can we give this a shot? Can we figure it out, together, like we used to?"

"It definitely sounds like you have some experience in the spotlight with all of that good advice." She should have been taking down notes if her divorce were to ever make it to the papers. She didn't think it would, but if Brock wanted to make it a public affair, Addison wasn't so sure she could stop him. "I wish that could make it all easier. I can settle with fun, though." @marcusyoung

When Addison mentioned the spotlight, Marcus’ expression softened slightly, his eyes narrowing a touch as he considered her words. "Experience, yeah. A lot of it," he said with a dry chuckle, his tone almost nostalgic. "Sometimes I wish it was easier, but... that’s how it goes, right?" He gave her a knowing look. "Fun's definitely a better option, though. It’s the only thing that keeps everything from feeling too heavy."

She raised an eyebrow as Marcus mentioned the shadows, a teasing spark in her gaze. "Hiding in the shadows, huh? I can see that. Keeps you out of the crossfire, I guess. But then, there’s no fun in hiding forever, is there?" She smirked, her tone light yet challenging. "Unpredictability’s what keeps us on our toes. Who wants everything to be clean and neat? Boring’s for the people who don’t want to get their hands dirty." April leaned back, her grin widening. "But hey, if you’re gonna be caught in the mess, might as well make it interesting. Don’t you think?"

He met her gaze with a mix of amusement and challenge, his voice taking on a lighter edge. "Unpredictability, huh? Maybe that’s what keeps things from getting too dull. Honestly, at this point, I don’t know if I’d even recognize a clean, neat life if I had it handed to me. But you’re right... if you’re stuck in the mess, might as well make it interesting." Marcus gave her a half-smile, his eyes sharpening with a hint of something more. "Could be a good way to keep things moving, even when it feels like everything’s out of control."

She laughed softly at the mention of Aunt Holly’s pie, her eyes lighting up with amusement. "I think that’s the kind of pie that could solve world problems if given the chance. Maybe not the big ones, but definitely the smaller, annoying ones." She nudged him playfully, trying to keep the mood light, though she could tell the weight of his thoughts still lingered.

When his eyes dropped to the ring, she followed his gaze, her expression softening with quiet understanding. "I didn’t need to ask," she murmured, her voice gentler now. "I can imagine the meaning behind it. Sometimes, we hold onto things like that... not just because they’re a reminder, but because they’re a piece of something we never want to lose." She gave him a small, reassuring smile, her eyes meeting his with a quiet strength. "But you’re not alone in this, Marcus. You never have to be."

He gave a half-smile at her playful mention of Aunt Holly’s pie, the tension in his chest easing for a moment. "You’re right, though. That pie could probably fix anything if we just gave it enough of a chance." His gaze flickered back to the ring, the simple weight of it pulling at him in ways he hadn’t expected. "Yeah, it’s... it’s more than just a reminder. It’s a piece of something real, something that doesn’t feel so far away when I hold onto it." He met her eyes, the quiet strength in her gaze giving him something solid to lean on. "I don’t want to let go of that. But I don’t want to be alone with it either."

He sighed softly, looking up at her with a quiet hope in his heart. "Do you ever think... That we..." He stopped himself, shaking his head. "Silly question on my part."

"Terms, huh?" he repeated, his tone half-amused, half-intrigued. "What kind of terms are we talking about? You want the scoop in exchange for...what? Another drink? Or are you angling for something juicier for that paper of yours?" Cole’s eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity and caution mingling. “Because I’m not the kind of guy who spills secrets unless I know exactly who’s drinking them up.” @marcusyoung

As Cole spoke, Marcus’ expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly, sensing the guarded tone. “Terms, huh?” he repeated, his gaze fixed on Cole now, weighing his words. "I’m not here for a scoop, at least not like that. I don’t need anything juicy for the paper. But if you're trying to make deals, I’m not the one to push. I’m just trying to make sense of things, same as you." He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping. "But if it’s secrets you're worried about, you’ve got the wrong guy. I know when to keep things close to the chest."

At least that was her guess. "I won't complain since I'm gaining from your generosity but there's something to be said about a gamblers high and perhaps this being just a version of that. The alcohol, the attention of people— and then the light of morning bringing regrets with it when you remember the night before." It wasn't her job to mother him. "My husband let me go through with our marriage knowing it wasn't real." The only story she had. Outside of her own betrayal but she wouldn't share that one. / @marcusyoung

“I have a lot of regrets, being a little generous and giving away alcohol is definitely not one of those regrets I’m going to live with in the morning. However, my bank account might feel it a little more than I do.” He nodded, tapping a finger on the bar. “The question is, do you want to talk about it… Or do you want another drink and to get fucked up along the way?”