Occupation: Bartender at The Whiskey Barrel; freelance seamstress
Neighborhood: Downtown
Time in Blackstone Ridge: Lifelong, with periods away for freelance work
ă the introduction ă
⢠Sharp, stubborn, and fiercely loyal small-town girl with big ambitions, who isnât afraid to call you out while secretly watching your back.
⢠Works hard behind the bar and at her sewing projects, balancing creativity with practical hustle.
⢠Experienced family tension earlyâher mother suffered a stroke when Adri was 13, leaving lingering friction in their relationship.
⢠Extremely close with her brother, whoâs been her confidant and partner-in-crime through everything, and distant from her father, who was mostly absent emotionally until he was permanently removed from the picture.
⢠Has a flair for noticing details others missâboth in people and in lifeâand isnât afraid to push boundaries to get things done.
⢠Guarded but empathetic, Adri values honesty and loyalty, and she can read people better than they expect.
⢠Lives her life on her own terms, juggling responsibility, ambition, and the occasional mischief.
⸝
ă chaos with a side of charm ă
⢠Adri thrives on challenge, wit, and independence. She notices the little things and remembers them.
⢠Fiercely protective of the people she trusts, she rarely lets her guard downâbut when she does, her loyalty is unshakable.
⢠Loves music, cocktails, fashion, and moments that let her personality shine.
⢠Sharp humor and occasional bluntness hide a softer side, reserved for those she considers family or friends.
⢠Lives in the gray area between playfulness and intensity; you have to keep up to keep up with her.
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"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.
She watched Adri talk about Javi with a small, simple smile on her face. She wasn't here to throw him under the bus or rat him out, not really, and she wasn't prying for information he didn't want her to know. She hadn't known they'd kissed, but she wasn't entirely surprised by it, either. It made sense, in some weird sort of way, that those two would be drawn to each other. "I have been kissed in the same bar so many more times than just twice, not weird at all," Mickey said with a shrug. "And that was before Aslan, for the record. It's not just that I'm dating a bar owner."
She could tell Adri meant her words, that she really was down bad for Javi, and she was glad to hear it. Worst case, they'd have some kind of fling and part ways amicably. Best case? They could actually be something special. "Well," she said as she pursed her lips together and considered her words carefully. "Javi is the most caring, supportive person I've ever met in my life. Truly, he's practically not actually human. So if it feels right, then I say lean in to it. He's the kind of guy you can trust not to play games or do stupid shit. I don't say that lightly, either. Javi's my best friend in the whole world, so I might be biased, but he's a good decision, every single time." She hadn't had to think twice about offering him a room in her house, and she'd choose to do it over and over and over if she faced the same decision again.
"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.
She glanced down at her hands, picking absently at the chipped red polish that remained before looking back up at Mickey. "I appreciate the fact that you don't mince your words. So many people do, but it's like...just shoot me straight, you know? Who even has time for bullshit anymore?" She poured a round of drinks for a nearby trio of patrons, then turned back to Mickey. "But...yeah, he's definitely a good one. It's incredibly refreshing." The brunette propped her elbow against the bar top, resting her chin in her hand. "Anyway, you didn't come here to be subjected to all that. Tell me about the trip! You ever been there before, or was this your first time?" Adri hadn't even met Aslan, not yet. She knew she was probably giving a little bit of a younger sister vibe, but she hoped eventually she'd get to meet the guy who had Mickey practically glowing like a literal sun goddess.
WHERE: The Whiskey Barrel (pre-event)
WITH: @recklessreyes
Heâd never seen the letter coming, or the intent behind it. In fact, heâd expected to just sort of forget all about whatever spark thereâd been between him and Adri like itâd never even happened. As long as she was with someone else, Javi knew he could do thatâ he had to, because he wasnât that guy. But most of all, heâd just wanted her to be happy, regardless of who it was with. So when Matt had intercepted this letter and set it in Javiâs hands, heâd had to read the damn thing at least four times before any sort of comprehension had sunken in. And then heâd had to read it five more times before he figured out how to act on it.Â
Javi walked into the Whiskey Barrel early that afternoon, solely because he knew Adri would be there well ahead of time. This was his best chance to approach her about the letter, and more importantly, where it could lead. âHey,â he started, spotting her behind the bar. Nerves swamped in his stomach, kicking up a hornetâs nest, because despite how demonstrative her letter had been, Javi still held onto his uncertainties and carried them so close to the chest that they damn near suffocated him. âDid some light reading today,â he continued, lifting up the letter so that thereâd be no mistaking his meaning, âIâŚI donât know what to say.â It was trueâ heâd only ever been a true loss for words only a handful of times in his life, and this was one of them. âButâŚitâs not all in your head, Adri.â He at least needed her to know thatâ to know that he felt something that was worth a second look. âNot even a little bit.â
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.
She'd been watching as one of the patrons drained his drink, a towel twisted into the bottom of the glass. Her eyes willed the guy to go, and sure enough he did. Adri's hands shook as she turned back to Javi, but she did her best to make it look like she was fine. Because she was. Mostly. "Oh, yeah?" She replied casually, turning to place the glass. And then her eyes caught the paper. She'd be lying if she said he didn't make her feel things, and clearly now he knew it too. Thankfully, the glass didn't tumble out of her hands and paint her into an idiot. Adri let out a long, slow breath. Whether it was relief that another glass wouldn't be a casualty or just a calming reflex, she wasn't too sure. "Don't get used to it, Rojas. I'm not a genderbent Shakespeare. I'm not gonna write you silly little love notes like it's the 1950's. I just....thought you should know the truth before it really ate me alive." She pursed her lips then, stepping out from behind the bar like she was in slow motion. "I...um, I could take a break It's...I'm not gonna say the q word, but..." She gestured around the bar with a small smile. Truthfully, she'd taken her last break of the night maybe thirty minutes ago--but he didn't need to know that. It was like a magnet had drawn Adri to Javi yet again, anyway. "I'm guessing you have questions?"
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?
You wouldn't have thought he had millions of dollars behind him, the way he walked around in worn wrangler jeans and dirty cowboy boots, baseball cap and white t-shirts under plaid shirts. He was still just a kid from the dairy farm. His folks and the business were doing good now, but it was nothing compared to the machine his employer at Golden Oak had behind him. Brett was the generationally wealthy person who just happened to love Beck's dad and his family to the point they became an extension of his own, and no matter how many hundreds of thousands of dollars he let Beck invest in horses for the programme, Beck was always that same person who would rather be outside covered in dirt and hay.
"Don't really understand running a farm in a little game when I got one to run in real life," he chuckled. "You're lucky I even found clothes that weren't covered in horse shit," he joked. They had stable hands to do a lot of the stall cleaning, mucking out the pastures, but some days Beck still enjoyed the routine of doing his own horse chores if he could fit it in. Marisol never would have been happy with that life, right? It was easier to pretend he hadn't hurt her as badly as he did when he thought about her billionaire family and successful modelling career, tried to act as if she hadn't bought a little house in small town Arizona with some land to raise horses with him. He'd thrown it all away.
"Ah," he started, contemplating how best to explain his complete failure as a romantic partner. "I screwed the pooch on that one. Couldn't deal with my shit. After my brother died, I disappeared on her. Literally." And yet he couldn't help the affectionate, nostalgic chuckle at Adriana calling Marisol a firecracker. "God, she is. She's all fire and fury and somehow the softest person you ever met. You'd probably get along. Don't know that she spends too much time at the Whiskey Barrel, though. Don't even know where she hangs out anymore. Maybe the golf club. Think her family still owns it."
"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.
She listened sympathetically, maintaining a straight face as best she could. Her composure nearly cracked at 'screwed the pooch.' She didn't even know that was a phrase people still used. "Is that code for 'you done fucked up'?" She asked in between short and breathless laughs. "God, I like hangin' out with you. Even if you call me kid. I'm going to be twenty-five soon, so I'm pretty sure legally you can't call me that." She stuck her tongue out at him, probably not helping her case, but whatever. "Not that it would stop you."
When Beck spoke about his ex, Adriana raised an eyebrow. "So, probably like looking in a mirror, then. Except I'm not that soft. Not really. Put a puppy in front of me and then we'll talk, though. And I dunno, I haven't been golfing since I went with...well, that's not important." She didn't know what to call him. Boyfriend was technically accurate, but she was kind of starting to feel like maybe it shouldn't be that. "But you know what, she does sound like fun. We have a dart board. Think if you tell her it has your face on it, she might be more inclined to come?" She gave Beck a gentle nudge, a silent apology for any salt poured in the wound. "Thanks for getting me out here. Nice change of scenery. And honestly, these nachos are top tier."
Heâd known the moment he started talking that he shouldnât have taken it there. He shouldâve 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 wouldâve, and it wouldnât have been right into the arms of another man. âShit,â he blew out as he reached up to run a hand through his curls. He didnât know if it made him feel better or worse to hear that she couldnât stop thinking about it. Because now he felt stuck, like heâd missed a chance that might not have even been meant for him to begin with, but now heâd never know. He shook his head, âYouâre not hurting me,â he tried to assure her. The moment between them had been so fleeting, perhaps that meant there hadnât been a chance to get hurt. At least that was how he was choosing to view it, largely because he didnât want to be the reason that there was even more weighing on her shoulders. âIâm not going anywhere,â he offered, âI can be your friend, Adri. One kiss isnât going to ruin that unless we let it.â Rubbing his lips together in a thin line, he shook his head, deciding then that he wasnât going to get in the way of her relationship, or be some sort of thorn in it. âYouâre seeing someoneâŚso this probably isnât a conversation we should be having at all, and itâs my fault for opening the door to it. I shouldnât have done that and Iâm sorry,â Javi concluded, figuring it was best to leave it there before he said or did anything to make her feel worse. âWe should enjoy the party.â
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.
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CLOSED STARTER: @recklessreyes.
LOCATION: The Whiskey Barrel.
"So I just had a customer get upset with me because I never personally drank the beer he's having." She said, as she sat herself down on the counter to speak with Adri. "I told him that I'm vegan, so no, I have not drank that beer. Didn't judge him, just said I wasn't going to drink it. Then he started yelling at me that all beer is vegan." It was just like a man to think he knew more about her lifestyle choices than she did. "How is your shift going?"
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?"
âOkay,â he said slowly, almost like he wasnât totally convinced of what he was hearing. He shrugged a shoulder, knowing it was probably best to just let it go, butâŚwhen had Javi ever been able to do that? Running a hand through his curls, he eased out a long sigh, âYou just seem a little distant lately, thatâs all,â he explained, figuring honesty was the best policy here now that heâd chosen not to hold his tongue. Though in an instant, he felt like he shouldnât have mentioned it at allâ 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, âIf I was that bad of a kisser, you can just say that,â he teased, moments before his expression fell once what heâd said actually seemed to catch up with him and register. She had a boyfriend, apparentlyâ hell, heâd seen them kiss with his own eyesâ and so it didnât take him long to realize how inappropriate his attempt to lighten the mood had been. âSorryâ I donâtâŚI donât know why I said that,â Javi rushed to explain, head shaking as he mentally kicked himself, âWhy would that make a difference? Not like it meant anything, right? I meanââ He paused, realizing that the more he spoke, the more of his foot he could actually shove into his mouth. âYou know what? Iâm just gonna stop talking now.â
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.
She'd always tried to follow her instincts, and something told her not to walk away. Not this time. "Fuck, I don't mean that like you should go." Talk about the opposite; here she was chastising him for existing in every part of her thoughts, yet backtracking when it seemed like she was pushing him away. Adriana swallowed thickly, letting out a bitter little laugh at herself. "I'm afraid of what it means if I tell you the truth about how I feel, okay? No matter what happens, someone's going to get hurt because of me. I'm extremely aware of that." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears that she fought like hell to keep contained. "I can't let myself get too close to you because I'm scared you'll just be another man in my life that leaves, as much as I'd like to ask you to stay." She blinked, thinking back to Beck's words. When was the last time she'd truly done something for herself? Her fingers twitched with the ache to reach for Javi, but she clasped them together instead. "This...this feels like a conversation we shouldn't be having here." She mumbled, even though she was clearly adding fuel to it.
"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."
He gave something between a chuckle and a huff. Sometimes it was funny how people looked at him when they realized he was a little less ignorant white redneck than he looked, at least culturally speaking. "Estoy lleno de sorpresas," he said with a wink; I'm full of surprises. He realized he'd shot himself in the foot mentioning Marisol, but he couldn't deny she'd been on his mind recently. Knowing she was back in town, it was tough to stop thinking about her.
"Pretty sure the first thing I said was 'are you okay?' then 'don't stand so close to a bucking horse or try to pet it like a dog'." Beck shrugged. He could be a little moody at times, but he tried to be at least something that resembled charming. "But I said it in Spanish so sje knew I wasn't as stupid as I looked. Guess it worked. We went out that night."
"...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.
When he spoke Spanish again, Adri snorted as she popped another nacho into her mouth. "Claramente." She responded. "Eres como un rompecabezas. No lo odio." If he was like a puzzle, so was she. Adri was nothing if not self aware. She listened, chewing thoughtfully as her eyes drifted to their surroundings. "Nah, you're not stupid. Just a little out of touch with technology. But some people find that charming. I kind of admire how unapologetic you are. Probably because I'm the same way, in a sense."
She kicked at the ground absently, then gave Beck a sidelong glance. "You mind if I ask how it ended? We can change the subject, or you can throw a loaded question at me if you want. Soften the blow." She shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "She sounds like a firecracker, though. I know the type."
"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 â 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."
âHonestly? The horses arenât that bad. With Beck around, youâre in good hands.â Adri leaned her elbows against the bar top, propping her chin in her hand. âI dunno, though, if it makes you feel any better my biggest fear was either stepping or falling into horse shit. Iâm proud to say I didnât do either.â She grinned, her features softening just slightly as Mickey spoke again. âWhen 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 donât believe in coincidences or brujeria or any of that, but I do think itâs weird that Iâve been kissed in the same bar twice.â 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?"
Jin shrugged. âBar work definitely counts as exercise. All that reaching and moving around, plus dealing with drunk people, probably burns extra calories and brain cells.â He said with a playful grin. âHm, thought youâd seen the movie before?â He teased. âIâm not going to spoil anything. And I won't cry or anything,â he promised.Â
Jin stood up when he heard the doorbell, announcing the arrival of the pizza he had ordered. When he came back, he set it on the table along with soda for both of them and removed the lid from the pizza box. âOkay. Studio Ghibli is obviously amazing aesthetically, so the animation is so pretty, and the music is something I wish I wrote. Thatâs about all youâre getting out of me.â He said, reaching for his phone and the remote for the sound system. âReady?â He said, not waiting for her response before pressing play.Â
"Cut me some slack, my guy. It's been...what, upward of a decade?" Adri snorted, shaking her head. She didnât mind the teasing, though. Her memory had more or less been blocked out by all the years spent trying to focus on working with her brother to make things better for her mom while their dad did whatever the hell he wound up doing. âBut I wouldnât judge you if you got a little misty eyed. Iâm not that heartless. And youâre so right, Iâve lost brain cells over customers before. Remind me later to tell you about the guy who thought he was Justin Timberlake but better.â The amount of stories she had was comical, really.
She reached down for a slice of pizza, nodding dutifully at Jinâs words. âIncredible animation, incredible soundtrack. Got it.â With a little salute, she settled in and turned her attention to the movie.
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"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'm the closest thing to a dad they got. I always give in," he said with a sad smile. He never wanted the kids to miss out on anything, always wanted them to know the value of a dollar, but to also be able to enjoy things. "I don't know if they're artsy, paint-y kids. More like horse riding, hunting and fishing kids. But if you think you can get 'em to sit still long enough to sew, be my guest. Closest I've got to that is saddle repair, and shit, I ain't very good at it." Beck knew a little about a lot of different tasks associated with cowboying, anything he could do to save a little money; trimming his horses hooves himself, maintaining his own vehicle, fixing up an old saddle or pair of boots rather than buy a new one.
"Pandejo? Okay, rude," Beck laughed. He didn't really care, though. He'd heard way worse from the ranch hands over the years. "People don't expect the tiny white butch to throw out the fluent Spanish. I got plenty of tricks up my sleeves." Not that many, actually, but he could spin it. "Did you speak it growing up?" Beck asked. "My sister-in-law is Mexican-American, so she always spoke it around the house, and we raised the kids to be bi-lingual." 'We', as if he'd had anything to do with it. That wasn't entirely fair, though. Beck had been in their lives almost as much as their mom had since moving home. "Ex is Mexican, too. First time she saw me she was cursing me out in Spanish, calling me chico blanco tonto with no idea I could understand her."
"I'll keep that in mind." Adriana popped a nacho into her mouth, feeling the satisfying crunch and burst of flavor from the jalapeĂąo. 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.
When Beck said he was the closest thing to a ad that the kids got, she couldn't help the way her heart twisted in her chest. After her dad had left, Adri and her brother really didn't have many male figures in their lives that were consistent. Their uncles tried to be there, and she recognized that--but they all had their own lives and families. "Only fishing I've done is on Stardew Valley, and I still can't catch an eel." She snickered, shaking her head. "That's pretty well rounded, though. I don't think I'd have the patience to actually fish for hours on a lake."
Adriana hummed softly, popping another nacho into her mouth. "I sure as hell didn't expect that coming from you, but it's fine. Kinda fun to be caught off guard like that. And me and my brother grew up speaking both Spanish and English. I find that most times I don't switch to full on Spanish unless I'm either stressed or tired. But I'll use it sometimes conversationally just to tease, as you heard." She glanced over at him. "Oh yeah? Sounds like an immersive experience." She smirked. "Well, what'd you say back to her?"
"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.
"Yeah, with their little gremlin faces with the snaggle teeth hanging out. My freaking niece has started asking me for one. How young're they starting to brainwash these kids?" At the ripe age of almost thirty, Beck was very 'old man yells at cloud' sometimes. "Went to see if I could even get her one, and shit's all sold out. So no, I ain't played the claw machine for one. She can get a new riding helmet or cute pair of riding boots," Beck chuckled. He was at least partially kidding. Even if he didn't like it, if it wasn't doing any harm, Beck wasn't the type to deny the kids something that would make them happy. He'd get two 'blind boxes' on ebay and pay above market value for them if it meant giving one to each of them and making them smile.
Beck arched an eyebrow at the revelation she made clothes. "No way! Get out. What kinda clothes? Y'ever make Western stuff, like Western shirts with the patches and embroidery? That why you wanna go to Paris? Fashion capital of the world?" Beck flashed the guy behind the counter a grin as they got to the front of the line. "Ayyy, Armando, how's it goin', man?" He engaged in very brief small talk in perfect Spanish, placing both their orders. "Don't say I never gave you anything," he winked, handing hers over. "Jalapeno breath."
"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.
She turned to look at Beck, eyes widened slightly. "You better not give in! 'Cause then you'll be part of the problem. But I do think new boots or a riding helmet are solid choices. Builds character. Or you could get 'em art supplies. Nothing more fun than painting on a blank canvas." Then, it was like a lightbulb went off. "Hey, do you think they'd eventually be interested in sewing? I could teach 'em--it's not that hard, and I'd do it for free."
With a laugh, she shook her head. "No Western clothes, not yet. I'd like to, though." As for why she wanted to go to Paris, well. Adri clicked her tongue lightly against her teeth. "Well, maybe. But also to go to town on chocolate croissants. I'd be willing to bet money that pastries in Paris are hard to beat." Adri watched as Beck ordered in Spanish, and she was unable to stop the way her jaw dropped. "You...pendejo! I can't believe you, whipping out your Spanish skills like some kind of magical lasso. And before you say it, fine, I'll take pendejo back. It was the shock." She took her nachos, quickly popping one into her mouth. "One step closer to being a dragon lady with hot breath, thank you very much."
Jin let out a snort at the FitBit comment, settling onto the couch. âYeah, maybe I should track my stress pacing. Probably getting in more steps than I think.â He shrugged. Gesturing towards the kitchen, he nodded. âSojuâs Korean alcohol, kind of like vodka, but smoother, and less harsh.âÂ
Jin pulled out his phone to connect his phone to his smart TV. âThatâs a long time without Howlâs Moving Castle,â he shook his head when she said how long it had been since she watched it. âI probably watch it⌠I donât know, maybe once every few months? Whenever I need something thatâll definitely make me feel better. Or if Iâm sick.â Jin shrugged. âBut I listen to the soundtrack a lot when Iâm painting or sketching.â He turned slightly on the couch, genuinely excited to share this movie with someone. He had pulled it up on the screen, but paused it for when the pizza got there. âDonât worry about asking questions. I love talking about this movie.â He smiled some to himself.Â
"You'd be surprised. I didn't think I'd get that many steps in working behind the bar, but some days are a little more chaotic than others. A lot of the same movements back and forth, but hey. Movement is still movement." Adri paused, a triumphant grin on her face. "Ha! I knew that was in the same line. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Pun intended, absolutely."
She listened as he spoke, nodding along. "Yeah, that sounds like me with Selena. Like, I know how the story ends obviously, but I still have her music on replay. Another staple from childhood. I probably actually watched it while making some kinda cupcake, now that I think about it." She stretched a bit, making herself a little more comfortable as she settled in. "Okay, so--what should I know prior to you hitting play? Or do I just go in blind and hope for the best?"
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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.
"You pick the weirdest stuff to be guarded about," he observed, curiosity in his tone. "Why would it be a secret to like stuffed claw machines, other than 'cause they're a scam, whatcha got to be ashamed of? Competive aspect, cute stuffed animals, just a little bit of adrenaline, spending more money tryna win it than if you just bought a damn plushie yourself. Y'know they've started doing claw machines for those Labubu things. You seen those?" Filet mignon was fancy. And Beck didn't even know what that sauce was. He didn't know much outside BBQ, mayo and ketchup. Never had a reason to.
He didn't know asking someone about their hobbies was a touchy subject. "Is it a real question? See, I can answer real easy. Fishing, hunting, hangin' out with my niece and nephew, playing banjo and acoustic guitar..." Seemed like a pretty simple question, but her difficulty answering it gave the perfect indication that she was someone who hadn't had much time to think about herself. "What kinda freelance stuff? Ain't that like when people do photography or something and they're self-employed?" He joined a line for a little food truck that sold nachos, hot dogs, and deep-fried oreos. "You never told anyone you wanna go to Paris? Ain't that a pretty common dream vacation spot?" Not for Beck. He couldn't think of anything appealing about the place, but he never really liked vacations anyway. Too busy travelling with work to travel for fun. "What d'ya want? I got it," he offered, nodding towards the menu board.
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.
Her brows rose at the mention of Labubus. "Oh my god, those creepy little gremlin things? Yeah, I've unfortunately seen 'em. Please tell me you've never actually tried to win one of those." She laughed, shaking her head, the sound quick and sharp. "But yeah, I'll take the adrenaline rush and the overpriced plushie shame. It's harmless fun." He was right, of course, but Adri had learned to hold things close. Sharing left her feeling a little too exposed. "Besides, you start letting people know dumb things like that, they think they got you figured out. No thank you."
The nacho truck menu lit up in the glow of string lights, and Adri paused to scan it. "I make clothes." She explained. "Alterations, custom orders, prom dresses...even a couple wedding gowns. It's not steady, but it's mine. Sometimes I think sewing's cheaper than therapy. You should try it." She glanced toward Beck briefly, then back at the board. "Yeah, Paris is basic as hell, but whatever. It's more the idea of getting lost in a place where no one knows me. Kinda intriguing." She tapped her fingers against her lip, finally deciding. "Hmm, I'll do nachos. Extra jalapeĂąos."
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 heâd done that, having ordered a couple drinks, having mingledâŚhe was just about ready to call it a night and head home, but then he got stopped in his tracksâ 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 heâd been bracing for impact. âOh shitâ sorry,â he mumbled, glancing down at her, his brow furrowing slightly. Why was this soâŚawkward? Theyâd hit it off so well in the beginning (maybe too well) and they worked togetherâ even if Javi had gotten the impression that sheâd 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 couldnât. âNo worriesâ didnât spill a drop,â he assured her, a smile he didnât exactly feel tugging at the corner of his mouth. âYou alright? Seem tense,â he mentioned, shrugging a shoulder, âOrâŚlike youâd have rather run into anyone else?â
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.