paint me a picture

“Ow!” He protested sharply, glancing back towards the brunette to shoot her an affronted look that was equally as teasing as her tone. A slightly smile took over Isaac’s lips a second later as he shook his head, but still reached over to rub at his arm instinctively. “I usually don’t bother to go out on St. Paddy’s Day,” he admitted. “It’s kind of a shitty holiday. I mean – no offense to the Irish or whatever, but I don’t love potatoes enough to get what’s being celebrated here.I am, however, into just how many drunk people will buy everybody free rounds if you go to the right bar.”

“I agree,” Nora said, shrugging her shoulders up. “I mean, I don’t even really know what the point of the holiday is, I’m not religious so saints don’t mean anything to me, nor am I Irish - but I do love a good excuse to drink, so I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she agreed with him, letting out a little laugh. “I mean, if you go to the right bar, you can make that happen on any given night with a few of the right words.” 

Peter had to crouch a little lower to minimize the difference in their height, helping her help him with his attire. Once the beads were around his neck, the toyed with the necklaces, tugging at the sides so that they lay perfectly. “No one’s pinched me yet, but now they won’t have a reason to,” he mused, thinking of an idea and asking, “do you mind if we do that again so that I could film it? Or if you film me putting some on you?” It wasn’t his first request posed to a stranger – today or otherwise. He had on occasion approached different individuals for help for the sake of a better video. “Think that might put us at two drinks then that I’ll owe you.”

“I’m sure people will still find a reason to - not enough green, maybe,” Nora replied as he stood back up, towering over her, really. She was used to it, at 5 foot 1, but he was really tall. At his request, she let out a scoff of laughter, shaking her head. “Yeah, no. I’m not about the whole camera thing. Feel free to reenact the scene with someone else, but I’ll stick with the one drink you owe me as it is.” 

Zoe looked over at Nora when she was grabbed, raising an eyebrow. “My outfit isn’t festive enough?” she asked, sticking out her lower lip in a pout. She took the green beads and looked at them before putting them around her neck.

“I mean, you look like it could just be another day and you happen to like the color green, in my opinion,” Nora replied, shrugging up her shoulders. “Beads definitely help though.”

“ — Not enough festivity? Really?” Nina wrinkled her nose, staring down at her ‘I’m Not Irish But Kiss Me Anyway’ t-shirt. “So much for actually making an effort this year. Well, I’m still taking the fact I haven’t gotten pinched as a good thing. Whether or not, people take notice of the message is still debatable. What else do I need to get more festive? A pot of gold maybe?”.

“A pot of gold would definitely be a nice touch. Maybe just sloshed enough that you’re slurring your words so badly it could be an Irish accent,” she suggested, her hand with the cheap plastic beads dropping back to her side after the brunette didn’t take them when she held them out. More for her, she supposed. “I mean, some people literally go all out. Like, body paint, hair dye all out.”

He glanced down towards his attire – granted, it was a little underdone in comparison. There were guys running around with their chests painted green and blondes who had sprayed their hair lime, but he felt like he’d put some effort in. He was filming today, for work and his personal channel, and needed to dress the part, to seem excited and festive. “Good looking out,” he said, crouching a bit so she could put the beads on him. “You should be selling these things. You’d probably make a fortune.”

Nora reached up, standing on her tip-toes to drape the beads around the males neck, shrugging her shoulders up afterward and letting out a little laugh. “You looked like you were uber focused. Hate for you’d get to beat up when you’re on a mission. And I could, or I could hold you accountable for a drink when I decide I need it later on.” 

Rory stopped in his tracks, eyes peering over his shoulder to look at the stranger. He wasn’t one to go FULL out on St. Patrick’s Day, but this year he felt a bit more festive than usual. ❛ You REALLY think so ? I thought wearing all this green would be good ENOUGH, ❜ A few faint laughs passing his parted lips. It didn’t take him long to notice the gaudy beads dangling before him, one hand grabbed a hold of them. ❛ How nice of you, thanks. ❜   

“Nah, definitely not. No such thing on Saint Patrick’s Day,” Nora countered, shaking her head as she glanced at his outfit again. “Trust me, I weirdly have like a thousand of these. You’re really doing me a favor by taking them.”

Isaac stopped short when he felt someone unexpectedly take his arm. He glanced back, a furrow forming between his brows before he registered exactly what was being offered. “For a second there, I thought you were about to pinch me yourself,” he replied with a quirk of a smile, reaching out to take the festive beads to loop around his neck. “But thanks. I wish that I’d met you sooner, you could’ve saved me from the bruise I’m already rocking on my shoulder.”

Nora quickly amended her movement, her hand turning to pinch the underside of the arm where she had grabbed him, the corners of her lips turning up as she did so. “Don’t tempt me,” she said teasingly. “A tragic mistake really, but one I would’ve thought you would’ve learned this far in your life. People are savage about this holiday.” 

“I mean, I though’ I was doin’ alright,” Gwen chuckled, looking down at her green, plaid dress, green nails, and green shoes. “But I guess a few beads couldn’ hurt, for the sake of festivity,” she amended, taking the beads that Nora had offered and throwing them around her neck. “Better?”

“No, no, not at all. I mean, looking at you, I’d have no idea that it’s Saint Patrick’s day at all,” Nora said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at the Irish girl. “Much better,” she joked as the beads were draped around the other’s neck. “Shall we go get some Guinness and drink to your holiday?” 

Lucas had never used St Patrick’s Day as an excuse to go out drinking, but now that he was in Boston, it seemed like he was obligated to partake in the city’s Irish roots. Some of his neighbors that he had become friends with and convinced him to go out on a bar crawl, which actually wasn’t a bad idea since he was still exploring the city and trying to find places to call his own, bars included. He didn’t want to just use the closest bar to him as a regular watering hole, the place needed to fit him. 

They were at the fourth, maybe fifth bar now, he’d lost count but surprisingly he was one of the more sober ones in his group. They more they drank the less they noticed that he wasn’t keeping up with them. They had grabbed a table and he offered to go them beers. He had turned around, walking backwards when they called him asking for a round of shots to be ordered as well. Lucas turned when he heard a rather upset female, already feeling guilty because he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. “Sorry.” He said looking at the floor to make sure nothing spilled. When his eyes finally looked to see who he had almost run into, he felt his breath get stuck in his throat for a moment. “Nora…” His voice quiet and breathy, mostly like not audible over the noise around them. 

He rubbed the back of his neck. Nora was someone he thought he’d never see again, and he had made peace with that. “Yeah, sorry again. Um, if you need me to get you and whoever the next round, I can.” He struggled with trying to figure out what to say. He was tipsy, she was probably well intoxicated, this wasn’t an ideal scenario.

Nora blinked a few more times, her mind not quite comprehending what she was looking at. Lucas wasn’t someone she was supposed to see in Boston. He was supposed to be in New York, with college and everything else she had left behind when she decided to move back to Massachusetts. There was no way he was actually standing here in front of her, despite the fact that he obviously, very obviously was. 

“Um,” she said, glancing down at her now semi-empty pitchers, looking back up to try to catch a glimpse of the group of people she was with, her mind racing in a million different directions as she tried to figure out what the hell was going on. “Yeah, um, I need a drink,” she said, the only words she could even figure out how to say. She knew she was fucked up, her sobriety long left earlier in the day, but somehow the reappearance of someone she had never expected to see again made her realize just how bad it was. She had wanted to be sober if she ever ran into him again, to be able to take the high ground, but the high ground wasn’t where Nora often found herself, and this was no exception. “What the fuck are you doing here?” she finally asked.

“Why are you touching me?” He freed himself from her grip. Had been someone else he wouldn’t mind it, but this was Nora and they did not stand each other. For the sake of the festivities, he’d try to remain civilized though. “Keep your beads, I dare for anyone to beat me up and they’ll want to keep their hands to themselves.”

Nora glanced up when she heard the snap of a voice come back, enough out of it that she didn’t realize the tall dude walking past was someone she knew. And kinda hated. She snorted, her eyes rolling. “Is that show of masculinity over? Because I doubt you’re that tough, if we’re being honest.” 

“Surely no one would beat up a pregnant lady,” Emily half-joked. It was still a bit of a shock to say, let alone hear. “But thanks for the beads, I could use a little more creativity when it comes to my outfit choice for today,” she smiled, taking the beads and looping them around her neck.

Nora tilted her head to the side, a frown crossing her face as she glanced the woman up and down. “Well, ya don’t look pregnant so I don’t think that’s gonna guarantee your safety, unless you’re planning on dropping it into the first five seconds of conversation all day,” she said with a laugh. The idea of babies made her uncomfortable, if she was being honest. “For some reason, I have like, thousands of these beads in my house, so really you’re just helping me get rid of one of my hoarder boxes.” 

Connor chuckled a bit. He only owned a green shirt, so he wore it with black pants, white converse and a denim jacket. Sure, he wasn’t the most festive, but he tried. “Well, I don’t want to get beat up, so I will gladly accept those beads. Thank you, Nora!”

“No worries, kid. If you’re sneaking in you should try to draw the least amount of attention to yourself as possible,” Nora said, giving Connor a smile as she held them out for him.

Feeling her arm being tugged, Emily looked at herself up and down. She was wearing some green things, but she wasn’t about to walk out of her house looking like a watermelon. At least she did hope Nora wouldn’t make her go inside to change. “What do I have to do then? Turn into a freaking Leprechaun? Cause this is about as much green as I have in my wardrobe.”

Nora let out a little laugh, shrugging up her shoulders, her hand holding the beads out dropping to her side with the blonde didn’t take them, pressing her lips together after a moment. “Hey, I was just trying to give you a warning. Some drunk bastards are being very vicious to those they aren’t deeming festive enough. Prepare to get pinched.” 

Nora had a pitcher of beer in each hand, weaving her way through the crowd as she tried to get back to the friends she had come with. Normally, she wasn’t a beer drinker, but it was St. Patrick’s day, and it was an exception. Who day drank with wine? Sad, middle-aged moms, that’s who. She was trying very carefully to not spill anything, which was easier said than done considering that she was nowhere near sober, and it was only made more difficult when a body almost crashed into her. “Watch it!” she snapped, scooting backwards and holding the pitchers away from her to make sure she didn’t get spilled on before looking back up. “What the fuck?” The words fell out of her lips as she made eye contact with Lucas, quite possibly the last person she expected to see her. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her eyes, but with no such luck. Not a hallucination, then. “Lucas?”

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“I mean, that wouldn’t make for very good artwork, and judging from the amount people wanna give me for it.....people really think it is.