tequila tongued

"I'm sorry, I just don't trust animals where their eyes are on different sides of their head. If I can't look you in the eyes, you're shady as fuck, that's just a fact when it comes to animals," Mickey said with a shake of her head, shuddering again at the thought. It didn't matter that horses were domesticated enough to allow people to ride them, she just couldn't muster up enough trust to get on one.

"I think the best thing about them is the way they run with so much freedom. It's dumb and poetic, but...yeah, aside from that, you've got some valid points." Adriana couldn't help but laugh, moving on from the subject pretty quickly. She wasn't generally an informational dumper kinda gal, per se. That, she was discovering, was something that really only happened when she was emotionally backed into a corner. Emotions were always so fucking confusing and terrifying, and if not for Mickey's words, she would've swallowed them up and denied ever letting her true feelings slip. But the thing was, Mickey was becoming someone she could trust. Everything was messy as fuck, and Adriana knew it. It was even more anxiety inducing knowing just how close Mickey and Javi were to eachother. "I...know you said you weren't going to pry. Word vomiting is a habit I'm trying to kick." She offered a small smile as an apology, but the truth was that Mickey's words really struck a chord.

WHERE: The Whiskey Barrel (pre-event) WITH: @recklessreyes

It had never been Adri's style to write love letters--hell, she'd scoffed at the girls in high school who actually passed notes with the stupid little yes or no check boxes once upon a time. Even in therapy, she'd been tasked to write a letter to her father, and she could barely get one line in without wanting to just shove her feelings down. She hadn't initially planned on delivering the letter, be it not for the fact that it was practically burning a hole in her coffee table every time she walked by. She had replayed every line from that conversation at Bleachers, reliving the gut punch at the idea of being friends. They weren't, and she knew it.

Beck scrunched up his face. "I'm not much of a computer person. Only really use 'em for work." The kids played a few games, but Beck didn't. For him, computers were for editing pictures and videos, responding to emails and business enquiries, updating his sales posts, and of course, horse shopping. A lot of the admin stuff he didn't even do himself anymore. Shit, when did he become Mister Big Shot?

"Oh my god." Adri choked out a laugh, eyebrows practically hitting space. If everything happened for a reason, and there was a purpose to everything, maybe her sole purpose was to be the tech savvy smartass he so obviously needed. Someone had to scoop up the task. "Right, okay, because then that wouldn't be escapism, would it?" She shoved another nacho into her mouth, chewing carefully so the corner of the chip wouldn't painfully clash against the roof of her mouth.

He’d known the moment he started talking that he shouldn’t have taken it there. He should’ve buried all thoughts and feelings surrounding the kiss, largely due in part to her being in a relationship now. If that kiss had been meant to lead somewhere, then it would’ve, and it wouldn’t have been right into the arms of another man. “Shit,” he blew out as he reached up to run a hand through his curls. He didn’t know if it made him feel better or worse to hear that she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Because now he felt stuck, like he’d missed a chance that might not have even been meant for him to begin with, but now he’d never know. He shook his head, “You’re not hurting me,” he tried to assure her. The moment between them had been so fleeting, perhaps that meant there hadn’t been a chance to get hurt. At least that was how he was choosing to view it, largely because he didn’t want to be the reason that there was even more weighing on her shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere,” he offered, “I can be your friend, Adri. One kiss isn’t going to ruin that unless we let it.” Rubbing his lips together in a thin line, he shook his head, deciding then that he wasn’t going to get in the way of her relationship, or be some sort of thorn in it. “You’re seeing someone…so this probably isn’t a conversation we should be having at all, and it’s my fault for opening the door to it. I shouldn’t have done that and I’m sorry,” Javi concluded, figuring it was best to leave it there before he said or did anything to make her feel worse. “We should enjoy the party.”

Adriana blinked hard, trying desperately to swallow the sting in her eyes. Friend. The word should've been a relief, so why did her chest feel like it was about to split open? "Yeah." She managed to say after a moment, voice wavering. "Friends." Right where her heart had metaphorically cracked down the middle, it seemed to slowly and painfully crush into dozens of tiny pieces. That wasn't it--wasn't what she wanted. Not by a long shot. "That's...uh, noble. You're not supposed to make this easier for me." Adriana cursed under her breath, feeling a little nauseous like maybe she shouldn't have chosen to drink tonight. She brushed her palms on her jeans, willing herself not to look like she'd just gotten the wind punched out of her. If it was truly the easy thing to do, Adri could get up and walk away and move forward, try to salvage whatever shred was left of her relationship. But the longer she looked at Javi, the more she realized she wasn't the girl to string anyone along. The corners of her eyes stung, a sign that she needed to peel herself away from him--and fast. She reached for her drink, only to set it right back down, because the thought of swallowing anything past the lump in her throat felt impossible. "You're right, though." She murmured, voice quieter now. "We should just...do that." The words burned on the way out. Adri smiled shakily, and it didn't quite reach her eyes. Before she could change her mind--and before Javi could see just how much she didn't mean it, she turned and walked away.

CLOSED STARTER: @recklessreyes. LOCATION: The Whiskey Barrel.

Adriana clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she listened to her coworker speak. "Men." She muttered disdainfully, rolling her eyes. She sympathized, although not a vegan herself. It sucked to say she was used to that kind of attitude. At Ana's question, she tilted her head, carefully considering. It hadn't been too bad thus far, but the night was still young. "Next time someone gives you shit, tag me in. I got 'em." It wasn't a real threat--Adriana seemed to always know how to toe the line. "I can't complain, oddly enough." Her eyes drifted toward the entrance, where she had a feeling Javi might be, and a soft smile brushed against her lips. She turned back to Ana, busying her hands quickly by collecting her hair up into a neat bun. When she was done, she washed her hands in the nearby sink before reaching for a glass to pour another drink for a patron. "Can only go up from here, right?"

“Okay,” he said slowly, almost like he wasn’t totally convinced of what he was hearing. He shrugged a shoulder, knowing it was probably best to just let it go, but…when had Javi ever been able to do that? Running a hand through his curls, he eased out a long sigh, “You just seem a little distant lately, that’s all,” he explained, figuring honesty was the best policy here now that he’d chosen not to hold his tongue. Though in an instant, he felt like he shouldn’t have mentioned it at all– a side effect of being the overthinker that he was. He questioned damn near everything, then tried to cover his uncertainty with humor. Cracking a small smile in a bid to do just that, he shrugged again, “If I was that bad of a kisser, you can just say that,” he teased, moments before his expression fell once what he’d said actually seemed to catch up with him and register. She had a boyfriend, apparently– hell, he’d seen them kiss with his own eyes– and so it didn’t take him long to realize how inappropriate his attempt to lighten the mood had been. “Sorry– I don’t…I don’t know why I said that,” Javi rushed to explain, head shaking as he mentally kicked himself, “Why would that make a difference? Not like it meant anything, right? I mean–” He paused, realizing that the more he spoke, the more of his foot he could actually shove into his mouth. “You know what? I’m just gonna stop talking now.”

Adriana's brown eyes snapped up quickly to meet Javi's as he spoke. She was hooked on every word, but the joke he made didn't land. Instead, it reached into her ribcage and squeezed. It felt like she'd been slapped in the face. "Javi, don't. That's not it." Her lower lip trembled ever so slightly, until she sucked it back in, trying to keep the vulnerability at bay. It was quite the opposite--he'd been occupying a pretty hefty chunk of her brain space. It wasn't just the kiss, it was the chemistry. It was the fact that she'd been lying to herself for weeks now. She stared down into her drink for a moment, exhaling sharply before gathering the courage to speak again. "I can't stop thinking about it. You...do you not realize that you are everywhere?" Adri felt a little dizzy, but she wasn't sure why exactly. She set her drink down nearby, suddenly not feeling it. It was as if she was daring herself to step closer to Javi.

"Don't know where Stardew Valley is. That somewhere you used to live?" Beck asked stupidly, unfamiliar with the video game by that name. "Don't know why you'd wanna catch an eel anyways. Don't think they make for good eating." Beck liked trout, cod, bass, a good tuna or salmon. He'd probably be dumb enough to try something like an eel if it was put in front of him, but it wasn't gonna be what he chose from the menu at the local seafood place. "Sounds slimy."

"...Oh, my god. Yeah, I'm definitely sitting you down in front of a computer and teaching you the art of video games and the background music will be the most disgustingly cheesy music from the 90's and 2000's that you probably haven't heard yet." Adriana barked out a laugh, tilting her head curiously at Beck. The way he called her kid like she was ten years younger than her actual age, plus the lack of knowledge made Adri think he was just an old soul. And that was fine--it was kinda fun for Adri to jump into teaching all these lessons about music and pop culture that Beck was lacking.

"I knew he would, he's smart as hell," Mickey said with pride at how much Javi had adapted since he'd arrived. She knew he would be great at reintegrating with society, but it was still a scary place to be, and Javi had taken it in stride. "Oh yeah? The rodeo? Shoot me straight, on a scale of one to ten, how disgusting are the horses? Beck keeps trying to get me to come see them for myself, but I just..." Mickey shuddered at the thought, shaking her head. "I can't do it. They creep me out. I mean, I can't see both sets of eyes at once, what the fuck is that? I'll tell you what, that's demonic, that's what it is." She couldn't help herself, getting worked up at the thought of the horses like she was — they were gross and smelly and scary. Any animal that could shit without stopping was a force Mickey did not want to reckon with. "And not much, for the record. I just asked him about you and figured something went down based on the look he had on his face." She shrugged, nonchalant. "I'm trying not to pry, but I'm going to corner him eventually, unless you want to spill the beans first."

“Honestly? The horses aren’t that bad. With Beck around, you’re in good hands.” Adri leaned her elbows against the bar top, propping her chin in her hand. “I dunno, though, if it makes you feel any better my biggest fear was either stepping or falling into horse shit. I’m proud to say I didn’t do either.” She grinned, her features softening just slightly as Mickey spoke again. “When he first started out here, we kissed. And somehow after that, I got swept up into a relationship with someone who also kissed me right here in this bar. I don’t believe in coincidences or brujeria or any of that, but I do think it’s weird that I’ve been kissed in the same bar twice.” Adriana shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed she was even in this situation in the first place. She fixed Mickey with a long look,her usually unreadable exterior cracking. "The relationship with the other person didn't last very long, either. He was here and then in Antarctica, which.... I thought I wanted to make that work. But I don't settle. I never have." She'd learned the importance of not settling very young, when she was thirteen and advocating for her mother's well being as best as she could. And the last thing she'd wanted to do was string someone along--someone who was far away--when Javi was there. He was everywhere. Adriana took a deep breath and brushed her hands on her jeans, looking her friend in the eye. "I'm down bad for him, Mick. It's kinda gross, but it's also...like, it just feels right." Her hands ached with the need for something to do, so she scooped up a nearby towel and twisted it as she continued to speak. "You can ask whatever you want, and I'll try my best to answer. No pinky swears this time. Deal?"

"You brought it up," Beck shrugged, even though it was clear Beck could take almost any situation and make it filthy. "I'm not in a position to say anything about therapy." He shoulda had a lot more of it himself, so getting on anyone else's ass about it would just make him a hypocrite. "And I'm more than down to model any Western clothes you wanna dream up. Always looking for nice stuff to show in." Every day wear he could throw on any old jeans and a t-shirt, but for showing, it was important you looked the part.

"I'll keep that in mind." Adriana popped a nacho into her mouth, feeling the satisfying crunch and burst of flavor from the jalapeño. She'd definitely have to set aside some time to sketch and plan, Most of the time she just let her fingers guide her with almost no visual inspiration except for the random idea here and there that jumbled in her brain. Adri remembered what Beck had told her about his family, so while he wasn't in a position to say anything about therapy, the truth was that she probably couldn't encourage him to go when she was still on the fence herself.

"You know how old you make me feel sometimes, kiddo?" Benny pretended to scowl, but it wasn't a very solid effort at all. It wasn't Adriana's fault that she was born when she was, or that her generation had essentially undone all the great things he remembered from his youth. "My first job was throwin' papers." He wasn't sure why he confessed it, but it slipped out so quickly that he didn't have a chance to question it. "Shit, I couldn't say, I don't bother finishin' a movie if it sucks. If it's not good, then why waste my time?"

"What is it with you and Beck calling me kiddo, or kid? I'm so close to turning twenty five." Adriana snorted, tucking her hair behind her ear. Not that she minded, of course--she did have a young face. Which she supposed was good, considering she'd had to grow up pretty quick so she'd basically done a speedrun in emotional maturity. "Throwing papers." She repeated thoughtfully, thinking for a moment. "Mm, gotta do what you gotta do, I guess. But for the record...you're not that old. Like, I don't feel the need to throw out an 'okay, boomer'--because that's just not fair. Borderline cruel, even." She reached for another glass, working at a smudge she'd noticed. She liked Benny--and she'd never felt like pity hire just because of the situation with her mom. Adriana had forgotten how nice it felt to be protected by someone else because she'd spent so long doing it on her own. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and she looked down at it. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "My mom." She explained to Benny, knowing she wouldn't need to go too in detail. "She said she hopes we're not working too hard, She's probably up late watching a Red Sox game. Can take the girl outta Boston, but she'll still bleed for them no matter how good or bad they're doing." Firing off a quick reply, she pocketed her phone. "Can I sweep or something?" Her eyes flickered toward the entrance briefly, almost like she was hoping for a glimpse of Javi. Almost instantly, she looked back at Benny. "Just trying to be useful, I guess."

"I am, and you should," she teased as she poked her tongue out playfully in Adri's direction. She'd had a hard time coming back to reality after her trip with Aslan, and she hadn't even actually gone to work yet. "Oh, trust me when I say I came back with far less energy than I left with. I wouldn't exactly say it was restful, but it was fun as hell." She took her drink from Adri gratefully before scanning around the bar near them, hoping nobody was going to be pestering them any time soon. "Well, I'm no Javi behind the bar, but I'm happy to be a friendly face in front of it." She had a feeling something had happened between Javi and her new friend based on how he'd responded when she asked him about Adri specifically, recognizing instantly that his reaction was different from how he reacted to the other coworkers she named. "How have you been? Holding down the fort around here?"

Adri bit hard on her tongue at the mention of Javi, determined not to let it rattle her. Still, her hands shook just enough. Damn him, having that effect on her. "He's made progress, I'll give him that." She reached for a towel and a glass, focusing on wiping it with such precision so that maybe she'd take care not to drop it and let her focus stray too close to Javi. And, well, at least she hadn't jumped a mile in the air. "Yep, that's me. Holding down the fort, hanging out with Beck at the rodeo. You know, just waiting for fall weather to bless us." She turned, putting the glass away, and then went back to Mickey, knowing she couldn't possibly bullshit her. "...How much do you know?" She asked, voice lowering. It wasn't usually like her to get vulnerable like this, nor to let a man rattle her--part of the issue, Adri was learning, was that Javi was different. And if he had Mickey in his corner, Adriana knew he was for sure one of the good ones.

"I was talking about you playin' around with other people, girlie. Who gives a shit what he's doing? I doubt there's much hot tail to chase in Antarctica, unless he's planning to fuck the hole in the ice. Meanwhile, you work at a dang bar where customers are in and out eyeballing you all day. As someone who admittedly works too dang hard, it might be fun if you let yourself loosen up a little. And not just for the Electric Slide, or whatever." Beck playfully nudged Adri with his elbow.

"Oh. Well--ew, that's gross. I don't need that mental image." Adriana laughed,returning the playful nudge. She considered Beck's words, pursing her lips. "Yeah, if I had a therapist, she'd probably say some shit about how I'm allowed to have things for myself." To be fair, she did have a therapist after everything had happened, but once her mom was officially out of the hospital, therapy for Adri and her brother took a backseat. It was, admittedly, a little fucked.

Beck gave a little sigh at the idea of wandering eyes. "I mean, what's it matter if you ain't exclusive, right? I date around, but I'm not tied to anyone." Sure, Marisol was back around, but that didn't mean anything. They hadn't been a couple in years. Still, he'd be lying if he claimed Marisol being around didn't mess with his head. "I never really done long distance, mainly because I ain't commited to anyone like that. My ex lived in Los Angeles for a bit while I was in Arizona, but we got a place together when stuff got serious." Then he had been the one who left her, something that had been weighing on his mind recently. It hadn't been fair, but it was done now. All he could do was live with the consequences.

Adri gave Beck a look that was half exasperation, half amusement. "It matters if I care." She said simply, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. She wasn't the type to give long winded explanations about her feelings--especially not to someone she barely knew--but that was the closest she'd get to admitting she still got herself tangled up in complicated feelings more than she wanted to. "I know, it's super dumb. But I'd rather keep my dignity than spiral into some jealous cliche. File that under personal growth, I guess." Her tone made light of it, but the little twist of her mouth betrayed that it was harder for her than she wanted to let on.

With the Whiskey Barrel having closed early that night, Javi had shown up at Bleachers, eager to lend his support during the re-opening. He felt like he’d done that, having ordered a couple drinks, having mingled…he was just about ready to call it a night and head home, but then he got stopped in his tracks– quite literally. Sucking in a sharp breath as Adri turned into him, somehow managing to not spill her drink, Javi went ramrod straight, almost like he’d been bracing for impact. “Oh shit– sorry,” he mumbled, glancing down at her, his brow furrowing slightly. Why was this so…awkward? They’d hit it off so well in the beginning (maybe too well) and they worked together– even if Javi had gotten the impression that she’d been avoiding him at times. He shook his head, almost like he was trying to make sense of the thoughts running rampant in his head, but couldn’t. “No worries– didn’t spill a drop,” he assured her, a smile he didn’t exactly feel tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You alright? Seem tense,” he mentioned, shrugging a shoulder, “Or…like you’d have rather run into anyone else?”

Adriana tried not to flinch--if it wasn't from Javi's words, maybe she'd claim it as an aftershock of the minor jostle. Of all the ways he could've read her, that wasn't it--not even close. "No." She said quickly (almost too quickly), shaking her head. The word sounded more like a plea than she'd meant it to. Javi seemed to have that effect on her; throwing her off balance and making it hard to keep her carefully constructed walls up. She couldn't help it--the pull was real, and it was just as scary as it was thrilling. "You just caught me off guard, that's all. If I had to run into anyone, I'm glad it was you." She didn't say how much she meant it-- not the tiny flutter in her chest, not the guilt over the little distance she'd been keeping, not the part of her that feared she'd set a match and fuck everything up. Javi didn't need to know she was still figuring her shit out. Adri took a long sip of her drink, both to stop it from another potential slosh and to buy herself more time in the conversation. The only thing that silence did was bring her back to the morning Javi had first started working at the Whiskey Barrel. Back to that kiss. She subconsciously reached up to the corner of her mouth, eyes locking on his and wondering if...maybe, just maybe, she wasn't the only one brought back to that time. It'd been simpler. She should've just acted then. But...here they were.