con la brisa

tatum tried to continue on to a table but then he had called after her. she turned to face him, aware that eyes were now slowly moving to watch the conversation unfold. one had been banished from heaven and the other given pride of place. gabriel was gods favourite, maybe cj was jasons.

"that would be great, we're in dire need for one over here. i'll drop the cash over for you if you have a spare one kicking around" he was a man of morals and would still pay cash even if his friends offered him anything "how long is that you've steered clear of him? it feels like forever ago" connell let out a sigh and slumped in his chair "please, it's so boring spending all my time on paperwork. i love my job but even i know that i need a life"

"at least you got to avoid the royal rumbles in your family. my health insurance must've been insane for my parents thanks to my brother." the quinlan household was a wild place to be, never safe from an attack from a sibling. "i'm not sure if it would be wise, i was once a romantic and it feels a bit self torturous reading something i likely won't have. people don't exactly line up to date a rabbi, not that you need to know that."

"it frustrates me but i know people mean it from a place of kindness. it doesn't make it easier but it does lessen the initial hit." she could understand jacksons anger, she herself felt her own version of that but she found herself unsure of where she felt directing that to - the person that took jasons life, jason for apparently keeping so many secrets from her or people she thought were her friends who abandoned her in her time of need. "i know how you feel. i feel like mine just sits there in my chest, bubbling away until the inevitable day comes it boils over"

"Oh fuck off," She laughed, leaning back in her seat. "I doubt you could jump scare anyone. Half the goddamn town is smitten with you any surprise appearance would probably just raise the collective blood pressure average. The other half aren't into men like that."

"what? i'll jumpscare you any day" connell barked a laugh, his hand on his chest "you're being far too kind to me. i very much doubt the town is that concerned with me but i appreciate the supportive confidence boost.

"Yes." Danny then laughed and shook his head. "Of course not and don't bother, I don't mind doing the transcribing, it helps pass the day." and he got to see him come and go but Danny kept that to himself. "Oh alright, mines a pint o' bitter." The cockney in him just leapt out, it was too late to take it back now so kind of shuffled over to one of the tables and waited there.

"wow, alright, i see how it is" he chuckled. he was used to danny's accent but sometimes he would drop a line that had connell pause for a moment until his brain deciphered it. "uh...ohhh" he grinned "your accent, man." connell went to the bar and ordered their drinks, returning to the table shortly after and placing the drinks down "here you go, i don't know how good it'll be but you can be the judge of that"

he laughed in their hug "it was, it spat at me the other day. it's an aggressive coffee pot, we need a new one" his eyebrows shot up when he was taking a sip of his coffee "you did? how did that go for you?" he asked, checking to make sure she was okay "nothing exciting over here, mountains of paperwork and late nights at the office"

"i know the feeling too well. siblings can be rambunctious. i have one of my own, he's the typical big brother role - more wrestling less caring" he chuckled. flynn was once the bane of flints existence, making it his life's mission to terrorise his younger brother at any opportunity. "i've never gravitated towards the genre. i've read books with romance side plots but not a romance one on it's own. feels kind of contradictory with the deal i made with the big man upstairs"

if there was anyone that tatum could turn to for understanding, it would've been jackson. he lost his best friend as much as she lost her boyfriend. tatum reached out and gave him arm a squeeze in support "people keep saying it's going to get better but it doesn't feel like it. he's gone and i don't see how things could get better from that." she sighed "i know i'm probably a reminder of him but if you need anything you know where to find me."

"No? I'm surprised!" Danny teased a little with a smile. "Long, because I've got to transcribe your meetings." He teased once again with a laugh and pushed the door of the bar open, gesturing from Connell to go first and took a quick look at his backside while he could before following him in. "What would you like? First round's on me."

"why? what did you think i did all day, go for naps and snack?" he laughed "well that's my bad, but i'm still blaming o'malley for the run time, he likes to talk. i'll try and cut him short next time for you" connell entered the bar and waved his hand "put your wallet away, it's on me. i was the one that invited you. what are you drinking?"

most of the things flint read were rabbi related, but he did enjoy a good book to pass the time. that being said he was terrible at picking good books and relied on recommendations. "sorry for that. i forget that people might not see me before i see them sometimes." he apologised "i'm good, a day off and running errands. i've tried reading the little recommendation tabs they have but most of them are about romances and that's not much my vibe"

who: jackson and tatum @rituxl

she walked around lost in her own thoughts these days. her mind always looping back to torture her with memories of jason. since his death certain people had been distant, she didn't blame them, she was partly a reminder of the friend they lost; and she was hardly the most social person to be around these days. tatum hadn't expected to be approached and jumped slightly at the voice announcing itself

"And what do I have going on?" She motioned around her to the lifeless house. Penny was at school and despite it being her day off Rea was home doing nothing but what she needed to do to survive. "I don't know what you expect me to say. This is all I have the energy for."

"life. you've got life going on and you don't need to justify anything. plus you've got me popping up like a jumpscare so there's that" she joked "then you do what you can and you've got your friends around you to help lift you up when you need it"

connell looked up from his paperwork and smiled at freya's arrival "i'm always excited to see you, especially when you bring me coffee and save me from the dreaded coffee pot in the break room" he grinned and got up from his desk. "how are you?"

"I won't." He will. Danny followed Connell out of the door, nodding his goodbyes to the security as they passed by. "I bet it's great being the boss." He commented as they walked along the street. "Do whatever you want, whenever you want."

"it's good in a sense of being your own boss but i definitely don't get to do whatever i want whenever i want" he chuckled while they walked together "it mostly involves long meetings, late nights and take out food since i'm usually eating at my desk" the life of the justice of peace wasn't as glamorous at it looked "how's life as a stenographer?"

"I'm fine." She replied automatically. "Penny's fine. I'm fine. We're fine." She looked down at her cup. "You don't have to keep showing up." Rea added softly. "You've got enough on your plate, especially with everything that's been going on recently. You don't need to add caring for a widow to your plate."

he looked over at her, unconvinced "rea, it's alright if you're not fine. you've got a lot going on" he reassured her "i know i don't have to but i want to. you're my friend, it's what friends do and you matter just as much as anyone else in this town"