life is a flower

everyone welcome back NADIA AVENDAÑO !!! here’s a lil intro

Nadia laughed and it was like coming up from the depths of the water determined to hold him down, sucking in a sharp breath as though it were life itself. He had never been so without people, always surrounded by friends or fraternity brothers, or a new nightly companion. King’s Head Harbor had been an exercise in learning who he was stripped bare.

But for tonight, he could be that Boston version, the polished and calculated Jess who knew what he wanted and took it, who sought after smiles like that one she offered, and found ways to draw them out again and again. A purpose that wasn’t groveling at Stef’s feet and imagining the first time he met Nora as nothing more than her mother’s friend. 

No, he liked this version of himself much better.

“I don’t hate it,” he said honestly. “I’m learning maybe I’m a bit of a basic bitch myself since I would have invited you out to a bar, but in my defense, I’m new to town so. That’s it. That’s my defense.”

He turned back to his blank canvas, stroking his chin while he pretended to think. “I’ll have you know I am a professional. I take this very seriously. And as such, tonight my masterpiece shall be…” He dipped his paintbrush into the small tub of black paint and made a single bold stroke of black in the shape of a three that had been turned on its side. Dipping the paintbrush into the water, he went for the pink next and made two pink circles in the center of each. “Tits. As you can tell, my specialty is realism.” He grinned, eyes shifting over Nadia’s shoulder in time to catch the disappointed look on one of the employee’s faces. It only made him grin wider. “I hope you don’t let my overwhelming talent intimidate you. We all have to start somewhere. I’m sure whatever you decide to paint will be…” His eyes twinkled with mischief, “a work of art.”

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   ❛ That is true... And I wouldn’t have minded a drink but I figured I’d show you parts of town you otherwise probably would have missed, ❜ she quipped, tilting her head a little to the side. When you weren’t particularly interested in painting you probably would walk right past this place. Nadia wanted to show him a side of her and he was definitely showing her sides of him with his dramatics. Childish, yet it had her giggling like they were in art class in kindergarten, making her press her lips together so the teacher wouldn’t tell them off.

  Her face turned into a mix between pensive and excited when he started dragging his brush over the canvas, quickly making a line and two circles that had Nadia frown before meeting his gaze, laugh bubbling in her chest but she almost held her breath to keep it in, only a quiet snort pressing out of her nose as she leaned her forehead against his shoulder for a short second. 

    ❛ If that’s your take on realism... ❜ she placed a delicate hand an inch from her mouth, index finger rest against the tip of her noce as she giggled quietly in one breath. ❛ I’m going to have to assume you’ve never seen a girl... topless. Ever. ❜

    Throwing a look at her own blank canvas, she shook her head in amusement.  ❛ I like to mix realism and abstract... But I have painted numerous naked chests in my life, mostly of women. I like a little more detail though but I’m sure yours would be very appreciated in... Some gallery, ❜ she teased.

closed starter @nadiaven​ event: new year’s eve location: kingston hotel ballroom

He could almost hear his mother’s voice in his head, reminding him that he needed to eat at events even if it was simply appetizers. As Will was contemplating starting with a slider or the chicken satay, he noticed a woman next to him. Stepping aside to allow her access to the food trays, the man offered a smile that met his eyes. “I didn’t mean to block you, please go ahead. I’m still undecided,” Will persuaded, stepping aside to allow the woman to peruse the selection of appetizers. “Have you tried any yet? If you did, I’m open to recommendations.”

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    As much as Nadia liked a fancy ball, she was still an introvert. However, the mask helped more than she thought it would, making her feel a bit anonymous but also more badass. Too bad it was fairly uncomfortable, probably because she had made it herself out of a material that wasn’t exactly soft. Sam had said it was amazing though but she figured it was mostly because of the fact that her mask was decorated in tiny pieces of a broken mirror she’d saved just in case.    ❛ Oh--- Thank you. ❜ Nadia has been deep in thought waiting for her turn at the table full of delicious things to pick from and hadn’t realized she was partly blocked by a handsome man in a deep red suit. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she looked down at the appetizers in front of them. ❛ Yeah, a few... Depends on what you like but I think I’ll have some more crostinis. ❜ She didn’t like to mention first thing that she was a vegatarian. People usually seemed to have opinions about it.

nadia avendaño: new year’s eve masquerade

WHERE: happy brush hour. WHO: @nadiaven​ & jess.

Tinder dates, at least in Jess’ experience, didn’t usually start in a place like this. Generally speaking, he preferred bars, maybe a restaurant. It’d only ever been a means to an end. But now, he’d been left with a mess of nerves he wasn’t yet ready to untangle and too many empty hours in his small motel room. He felt untethered in a way he never had before and he just desperately needed human connection.

And that human connection took the form of a pretty girl named Nadia tonight. 

Taking a sip of his drink and glancing down at the arsenal of paints and paintbrushes they’d been supplied with, he had his doubts he’d be any good at this at all, but hopeful it would at least be kind of fun. A brief reprieve from his ego beating and abject loneliness. He was beginning to annoy himself with all his internal whining. 

“Okay, taking bets on who’s gonna be the first one to paint a dick on something,” Jess said, leaning in as his voice pitched low in a conspiratorial whisper. His eyes scanned the small space, zeroing in on a guy in flannel with a backwards hat currently using the paintbrushes as drum sticks on the edge of the table. “I say it’s gonna be that guy.”

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Of course Nadia was nervous. She didn’t go on dates a lot to be honest becuase so many times it had turned to shit. She’d been stood up, ghosted right after and even when some of them showed up she’d had a terrible time and just felt uncomfortable. Her and Jess had gotten past the awkward introduction though and arrived at Happy Brush Hour. She did feel a little bad though, picking something that she felt like doing in the moment but he had agreed so they’d went and while he seemed a little rough around the edges sometimes it was kind of refreshing. He did make her laugh and that was something, even though it was sometimes very silly. 

The male’s words pushed a snort bordering on a giggle out of her when he spoke and her eyes scanned the guy Jess pointed out as most likely to paint a dick on his canvas. ❛ Well if not you then him, ❜ she mused as she leaned in to the side where Jess was sitting, her dark hues looking at him in the corners of her eyes as she pressed her lips together in a teasing smirk.  

Then her expression turned slightly apologetic, despite seeing that he wasn’t having a terrible time here. Hopefully. ❛ Sorry for dragging you here, I hope you wont hate it, ❜ she said softly.  ❛ A bar or a coffee shop just... Felt so basic. I didn’t want to be that, ❜ she added with a small laugh.

❛ If not genitalia, what are you going to attempt to draw? Maybe you’re a professional and just haven’t told me. ❜

With their usual order with an extra side of nachos swiftly on the way, Aurora planted herself on their living room couch and spoke into what was probably the fanciest item in their home. The voice detection remote that she could simply say the show, the app, or whatever it else she was looking for that would just appear on the smart tv. There was certainly a perk to being a great event coordinator for The Octavium, she was generally gifted some pretty swanky things. Placing her wine on a coaster on their coffee table, Aurora scrolled until she found the re-run from a few episodes they’d missed. “Nadia, we’re behind by like six episodes, it’s a binge night.” She exclaimed in delight. 

Just as the title screen for 90 Day Fiancé came on, Aurora could feel her shoulders slump just as Nadia questioned the very reason why her innocent trip to Mike’s had turned asunder. Was it a particular man? “The manager,” Aurora said as her lips drew a thin line. She sighed as she leaned over to grab her wine again, staring off to the center of the coffee table. Nadia had been a pivotal shoulder for her to cry on when things had ended so abruptly with Ravi, especially as it was the first time it simply hurt to let go. “I’ve played all these scenarios in my mind on what it would be like to see him again after all this time. That everything happened for a reason, and we were just meant to be star-crossed and I could get over it, but…” Aurora paused for a moment. “I think I still care about his happiness, I just don’t think it’s on par with caring about it more than my own.” That was a thoughtful way to think of it. “But I still care.” 

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With a content exhale Nadia let herself down on the couch, strecthing out her limbs after hours at the kitchen table with probably terrible posture - one that would likely look very good to any other person. She smiled softly as her room mate used the smart TV; a feature that would probably forever amaze Nadia. ❛ So what does that make our bed time? ❜ she asked curiously with a small chuckle. It didn’t really matter though, she didn’t have anything in the morning but there was a risk she, or both of them, would just pass out on the couch and wake up at five in the morning all confused.

❛ The manager, ❜ Nadia repeated with a nod, paired with a soft but meaning gaze at Aurora even though it also was to try to keep it in her mind. The manager at Mike’s Aurora had a thing with and then it just... Ended. ❛ Of course you still care. ❜ She leaned forward a little and placed a hand on the other woman’s ankle. ❛ And that’s okay. ❜ Pressing her lips together in a thoughtful expression Nadia’s eyes flickered to the TV and then back to Aurora. ❛ Did you just... See him there or did you talk? ❜

The soft pat on her head was reassurance that they could turn it around, and Aurora couldn’t have been more grateful to have landed the best roommate when it came to Nadia. “It sure is over, it has to be.” Aurora began, as she sighed with relief as the other woman made a swift decision. “Your brain, it’s wonderful, brilliant, have I told you that lately?” She asked, before she opened up the menu to their favorite mexican restaurant. They’d ordered so much from the place that they wrote asterisks next to items they would order no matter what it was they were craving from there that day. “Anything else you want?” 

Aurora asked as she pressed the numbers into her phone. Once everything was ordered, she started digging through the cabinet where they kept their wine, easily popping open a rose before she lifted it to offer her a glass. “Hmm, I feel like something mindless, is 90 Day Fiance on tonight?” Aurora asked. “Or maybe we can stream it.” She poured herself the drink, taking the first glorious sip and sighing in relief. 

She rarely liked feeling this way, but between week turning on its head and then running into Ravi during what should have been an easy lunch run? Her mind was in slight shambles. “I was gonna wait until the taquitos got here, but can I start about my day?” She asked softly. “Remember my convoluted plan to just be brave and order my favorite chicken sandwich from Mike’s? I got way more than I bargained for.” 

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  At the row of compliments Nadia pressed her lips together and scrunched her nose for a moment, her cheeks heating up but only for a few seconds. Then she tilted her head to the side. Yes, Aurora did say that a lot. Maybe not lately but they had both been busy so perhaps take out and a mind-numbing show they could laugh and gasp at would be a perfect night for them and when her room mate pulled out the bottle of wine it got even better. Finishing grading by tomorrow wasn’t necessary anyway. It would have been nice but it could absolutely wait til the day after that. She was way ahead of deadline as it was. ❛ Hmm, extra nachos? ❜ Nadia suggested before the other woman made the call.   ❛ No idea, I can barely keep track of what day it is but we should definitely stream it, ❜ she grinned softly, sending Aurora a kiss through the air as she handed a glass of rose over.     Nadia’s week hadn’t really bee particularly interesting, per se. Just work, working out, painting, grading... So she was more than happy to hear about anything fun, or less fun but still more intruiging than what had been her own week, that had happened to Aurora. So, she propped her chin up in the palm of her hand as the other brunette began speaking, showing her she was more than willing to listen. ❛ Does this maybe have anything to do with a particular man -- who works at Mike’s? ❜

“Wait, keep the table that way. I don’t want you to lose your place,” Aurora insisted. She eyed the tornado that was Nadia’s grading system one that she could only watch unfold like a dance that was far too foreign for her. At the woman’s concern, she simply crept up behind the teacher and rested her head on her shoulder for a bit of a reprieve. It felt nice to have her to lean on, even if just for a moment. “Everything that could have gone wrong today went wrong,” She admitted. “Trains were delayed, booking agents were M.I.A., the sound guy today? Came in completely plastered, I could have just crawled into a hole at any moment.” She began. It was rare for her to whine, but with Nadia she felt comfortable enough to let it all out, the easier part was Aurora tended to let things go just as fast as she rambled on about it. Already she felt like some of the weight of the day was cast away from her. “I didn’t mean to worry you, I could have sworn I sent you a text I was going to be late.” The woman whipped out her phone just to see that the message in fact did not get sent whatsoever. “I give up, just for today.” She said with a small laugh. Aurora moved away from Nadia then, going for their menu drawer and tapping her fingers on the marble counter. “What are we feeling tonight? Mexican? Thai? Japanese? Italian?” 

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  Beginning to pick at her papers she stopped when Aurora ordered it to stay the way it was.  ❛ Okay... ❜ she sighed almost in relief. They could actually just sit on the couch and watch TV while eating. Both of the young women seemed in need of rewinding a little bit. Especially Aurora. Nadia frowned when she told her about her horrible day. At least Nadia had only had one class and then stressed within the walls of their own home, not running around like her room mate usually did for her job. She didn’t understand how the other brunette did it sometimes but they both loved what they did, more or less. Today maybe less. 

 ❛ It’s over now, ❜ Nadia comforted and patted Aurora gently on the head as she tipped her head to the side to lean back on her friend. Then she frowned a little, pushing papers around and putting her palms over them to feel around for her phone.  ❛ Oh, must’ve left my phone in the charger in my room when I got home anyway, ❜ he apologized softly before sighing. At least they were both home now. 

Nadia stood up, stretching her legs out before leaning over the table with a small groan. ❛ Let’s give up together and... Eat Mexican? ❜ She leaned her head to the side. Didn’t really matter, honestly, she just picked the first one. ❛ We can watch a movie? Or finish season four of The Good Doctor. ❜

location: Their Townhome with: @nadiaven​

Aurora knew that it was her night to cook dinner for the duo, but she was running behind so massively that she thought her head was going to pop off. Anything that could have gone wrong today at gone drastically wrong, and it wasn’t until the sweet mercy of finally being able to insert her key into the lock that would grant her access to the shared space she had with Nadia, did Aurora finally let out a sigh of relief. Their townhome smelled of oranges and lavender, Fauna immediately came rushing for the room nearly knocking her down from how excited she had been. She laughed softly as she bent down to scratch at her beloved dogs ears as she said, “Nadia? Where are you?” She walked through the space then, placing down folders and her bag, wishing she could bury it in their secret garden if only to forget it existed for the night. Once her eyes landed on the brunette, she leaned into the threshold of the door opening, she was sure the look on her face explained the ordeal of her day. “I know it’s my turn, but wanna get takeout instead?” 

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 Somewhere in the back of her mind Nadia did register the front door opening. The same place in her brain probably knew she was getting hungry but too focused on grading the last of some papers stacked beside her, she didn’t want to leave until it was finished. She was sitting in the kitchen, to change her surroundings a little from her own desk in her room, and was therefore more easily interrupted and brougt back to reality as Aurora walked in and her bags made a loud thud as they landed on the floor. ❛ Where have you been? ❜ she asked, a little concerned about how tired housemate looked; like she’d ran a whole marathon. Brows furrowed as she reached to sharpen her pencil. Shit, right, she needed to fill it in with permanent marker as well. Nadia just liked grading with non-permanent first, because as good of a teacher as she thought she was, she didn’t want to make mistakes and always checked twice. Despite it being her own language that she knew by heart. ❛ Yeah, absolutely. I’m... Pretty hungry. All of this just swallowed me up, ❜ she sighed, gesturing at the papers covering their dining area.  ❛ You want to call? I’ll clear the table. ❜