As Benjamin moved inside, Juniper guided him toward the living room area. She had taken the time earlier to tidy up, so the space felt cozy and calm, the kind of environment perfect for a quiet evening with a little one. The rest of her roommates were out for the night, leaving just enough room for laughter, comfort, and a little chaos without feeling overwhelming. She had already picked out a couple of ideas for the evening that revolved around immersive storytelling and a kid friendly art project so Ben would have a little something to hang on his fridge.

Sliding onto the couch she tilted her head and teased, “Anything exciting planned tonight?” Her eyebrows wagged in a teasing little arch, her grin just wide enough to suggest mischief. Of course, she meant no harm by it and honestly assumed he was going to work a late shift. But she asked, she always asked and hoped one day he would tell her it was something different.

He took the clothes and the towel gratefully, chewing on the inside of his cheek when Andrej left him alone in the bathroom. The clothes were placed on the bathroom counter, the water turned on, and then Iggy was looking in the mirror at his reflection, frowning when he saw the smeared glitter around his eyes. With dry hands he rubbed at them, hard, the skin red and still glittery when he finally pulled them away. Groaning quietly, he turned away from the mirror, stripping himself of his coat and last night's faux leather pants. Before getting in the shower, he sent a text to his roommate asking if they were home to let him in or get him a spare key.

Andrej was right about the shower getting hot, but Iggy preferred it. He spent a few long moments under the water, feeling it burn his skin and wondering how long he could withstand it. At what point would the heat be too much to bear? He was pretty sure he could stay like that forever, until his skin blistered or his bones melted or whatever could happen in hot water like that. But it wasn't his shower, and he hated to stay long enough to make his gracious host question what was going on in there, so after only a few minutes of standing and a couple more minutes of scrubbing last night's sins from his hair and body, the water turned off and he wrapped himself in the dry towel.

When he was mostly dry, he dressed himself slowly. The clothes were big, and the least revealing things he'd worn in a long time, but he sort of enjoyed that too. It felt nice, to be covered and comfortable. The clothes smelled clean, he felt fresh, and the whole thing was starting to make him feel almost human. Though being sober was not really his thing, and the longer he went without some sort of fix the more anxious he was going to be, he knew.

His curls were still damp when he finally exited, water droplets slowly dripping down the back of his neck. His own clothes were rolled up under his arm, and he moved to place them near the front door before sitting on Andrej's couch, legs curled up underneath him. He nodded and held a hand out for the joint, feeling relief that he could at least be getting a little high now. "An animal documentary sounds good to me. Just nothing in the ocean."

While the middle of town was something that Briana really loved, she had realized that there were so many different points of Ennora to learn about. There were a lot of places to explore and she wanted to make sure that she was enjoying all of her time. She was sitting in Town Square in her warm clothes as she was looking out at the world. She liked to keep herself busy but knew it was important to sit around and enjoy the moment you were in. Briana looked over as someone came near her, "Sorry if I scared you, I tend to hear everything."

Peyton loved a good taco and that's why he was headed to the local taco bar. He wasn't sure if he was going to be stood up but he had met someone who had sparked his interest and he invited Juniper to join him for some good Mexican cuisine. As he was sitting at the table and waiting for his friend to join him, he was trying to figure out what to get. As Peyton looked up, he saw Juniper and he smiled wide. "Come join me! I don't know what to get!"

He took the clothes and the towel gratefully, chewing on the inside of his cheek when Andrej left him alone in the bathroom. The clothes were placed on the bathroom counter, the water turned on, and then Iggy was looking in the mirror at his reflection, frowning when he saw the smeared glitter around his eyes. With dry hands he rubbed at them, hard, the skin red and still glittery when he finally pulled them away. Groaning quietly, he turned away from the mirror, stripping himself of his coat and last night's faux leather pants. Before getting in the shower, he sent a text to his roommate asking if they were home to let him in or get him a spare key.

Andrej was right about the shower getting hot, but Iggy preferred it. He spent a few long moments under the water, feeling it burn his skin and wondering how long he could withstand it. At what point would the heat be too much to bear? He was pretty sure he could stay like that forever, until his skin blistered or his bones melted or whatever could happen in hot water like that. But it wasn't his shower, and he hated to stay long enough to make his gracious host question what was going on in there, so after only a few minutes of standing and a couple more minutes of scrubbing last night's sins from his hair and body, the water turned off and he wrapped himself in the dry towel.

When he was mostly dry, he dressed himself slowly. The clothes were big, and the least revealing things he'd worn in a long time, but he sort of enjoyed that too. It felt nice, to be covered and comfortable. The clothes smelled clean, he felt fresh, and the whole thing was starting to make him feel almost human. Though being sober was not really his thing, and the longer he went without some sort of fix the more anxious he was going to be, he knew.

His curls were still damp when he finally exited, water droplets slowly dripping down the back of his neck. His own clothes were rolled up under his arm, and he moved to place them near the front door before sitting on Andrej's couch, legs curled up underneath him. He nodded and held a hand out for the joint, feeling relief that he could at least be getting a little high now. "An animal documentary sounds good to me. Just nothing in the ocean."

He leaned forward next, opening the containers one by one—rice first, then sweet and sour chicken, lo mein, beef and broccoli. The egg rolls got set off to the side. Andrej slid a plate closer to Iggy before looking over at him. “Don’t be shy about your portions,” he said evenly. “It’s just me here, and I don’t really want to live off Chinese for the next three days.” Even when he ordered the small portions it always felt like they gave him the large ones. He often wondered if this was small what the large portions would look like, and then again, he shudders to think about it at the same time.

He started building his own plate, a little of everything—rice as a base, chicken with sauce drizzled on top piled on one side, noodles tangled on the other, beef and broccoli filling in the gaps. He took a few bites while the documentary rolled on, chewing quietly, eyes flicking between the screen and his food. It surprised him a bit to find how natural everything seemed to flow right now with Iggy.

When the joint came back to him again, he took another slow pull before handing it off again, entirely content to let Iggy keep it while he focused on eating. A minute passed. Then another. Finally, Andrej cleared his throat softly. “So,” he said, not looking up right away, nudging a piece of broccoli around his plate with his fork. “I’ve been thinking. With how often you lose your key.” He glanced over then—not judgmental, just practical. “I’ll make a copy of mine and stick it in one of those fake rocks that’s meant to hide keys. I’ll show you the rock, of course. That way you won’t be stranded in shitty weather like today, and you just leave the key here so I can put it back.”

He paused, took another bite, then added, “I’m not trying to come off as an asshole, if that’s what it seems. I’m just…looking out, I guess.” He swallowed, set his fork down, and reached for an egg roll. “Your thoughts?”

It was her day off, and weekends were always so unbelievably long and lonely. But not in a way that made her crave to have someone next to her, more like the need to have noise. So she wouldn't be stuck inside her own head and think over her life decisions. So she took a few documents in her briefcase, her laptop already in, pushed in a notebook and a book on New York State and headed out.

Outside of her usual heels, she felt too short and vulnerable, but it seemed preferable to be wearing flat boots in this snow and walking around town on the icy sidewalks. She was huddled into her coat as she opened the door to the cafe she had walked by too often on her way to work, but had decided it was as good a time as any to sit there.

The smell hit her first. She scrunched her nose before remembering this was something she had meant to take care of for weeks now, her CBD supply long gone. She would need to figure out that today.

She settled on one of the many free tables; perhaps it was a slow hour for a Saturday. She took out her book and notebook, her laptop and then got up to go order, looking at a man on the side and not by the counter, appreciating the sight before promptly scolding herself for it.

"Hi," she said after a beat, quieter than she meant to be. She was working hard to overcome her desire to be invisible, but it was hard work. "I'm... first time customer. Would you be able to give me a recommendation on what's best?"

He leaned forward a bit, “First time can feel a little overwhelming with all the options,” he said calmly. “But it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re just looking to take the edge off and still stay functional, I’d probably point you toward something mellow. We’ve got a couple lighter flower options that are good for focus without making you feel glued to your chair, and some pre-rolls if you don’t feel like dealing with grinding or anything like that.” He gestured loosely toward the menu board. “I’ve also got a CBD-forward joint that’s nice if you want more calm than buzz.”

He straightened a little, moving down the counter to grab a few jars and set them out so she could see. “This one’s more uplifting—good for mood, not too heavy. This one’s more body-relaxing, better if you carry stress in your shoulders or your jaw.” His tone stayed calm and practical, no pressure in it. “And if smoking’s not your thing, we’ve got gummies and tinctures too. Slower onset, but smoother ride.”

Then he looked back at her, head tilting slightly. “Do you have an idea of what you’re sort of looking for?” he asked. “Focus, relaxation, sleep, or just…quiet?”

Messy hair flying everywhere, tank top and bathrobe on, Daphne flopped onto the couch next to Nyx with a dramatic sigh. She'd texted the same question to Kitty earlier, but was waiting for an answer. She rolled her eyes at her phone.

"Babe?" she shoved the screen to her friend and roommate's face, sighing. "Look. This photo," she explained as the phone showed a picture of her boss's almost naked picture. Of course, he never sent pictures with his face in it, so it was easy for Daphne to keep it a little fun secret of exactly who she was sexting. "Does it deserve a bra or no bra picture? I'm thinking that he should have dropped the towel."

She offered the joint to Daph, thinking over her words. With a flick of her wrist, she lifted the screen with a lazily manicured hand, glancing at the picture again. “Mmm…I think you’re on the right track with the towel selfie,” she agreed, voice soft and teasing. “Don’t show him anything until he drops that towel.” Juniper paused, picking up another chip, letting it crunch loudly between her teeth before looking back at her roommate. “Honestly, though,” she said, voice softening slightly, “you could get away with just the playful suggestion. He’ll be imagining more than anything you send anyway.”

Her smirk widened as she leaned back against the couch cushions, stretching one leg over the other lazily, letting the smoke curl around her like a curtain. “Whatever you decide, it’s going to drive him insane,” she said with quiet certainty, taking another chip and nibbling at it slowly. She tilted her head, eyes glinting with mischief. “Oh, you know, if you go the shower route… you could cover up with some suds and send him that, if you really want him to lose his shit.”

Still, he stepped into the apartment without waiting for an answer, looking around and breathing it in. It was nice, and it was warm, a far cry from the street outside. He watched Andrej pull out plates for the food he had brought home with him, and he glanced down the hall towards the bathroom. A hot shower actually sounded incredible, if he was being honest. Looking back at Andrej, he smirked. "If you want to get me naked so bad, all you gotta do is ask," he teased, completely unable to accept kindness without making jokes.

He shook his head, the smirk softening into something warmer, clearly amused at his own theatrics. “Relax. I only eat people who don’t say thank you first.” He finished setting the plates down, then tilted his head toward the hallway. “Come on. Shower’s this way.” He led Iggy down the short hall, pushed the bathroom door open, and leaned in to twist the handles for him like it was second nature. “Hot’s on the left, cold on the right. It takes a second to warm up, but once it does it stays hot. Don’t burn yourself trying to be macho or whatever. Shit gets scalding hot very fast.” He stepped back, then held up a hand. “But wait. Don’t go in yet.”

Andrej disappeared into his bedroom for a moment. When he returned he was holding a pair of soft black sweatpants and an old, faded charcoal long-sleeved tee—both clearly oversized even on him, the kind of comfortable, worn-in things he threw on to lounge around the apartment on quiet days. He passed them over along with a clean towel he’d snagged from the linen closet. “These should fit…ish. Better than freezing in what you’ve got on.” He stepped aside, giving Iggy full access to the bathroom, but paused in the doorway just long enough to add, “Don’t slip and fall. Please.” The please was quieter than the rest, almost under his breath, like he didn’t want to make a big deal of the fact that he actually meant it.

Then he turned and padded back to the living room in his socks, leaving the bathroom door cracked just a hair so steam wouldn’t fog the whole place up. He dropped onto the couch, reached under the coffee table for the small wooden box he kept there, and started breaking up flower for a joint—slow, methodical, the way he always did when his hands needed something to do while his mind settled. The faint scent of weed mixed with the lingering coffee and lavender as he worked, the apartment quiet except for the distant sound of water starting to run. And he found that…he liked the sound of another person in his otherwise quiet place. Perhaps he should get a dog.

Andrej already has a rolled joint, or two, ready by the time Iggy steps back out to the living room. The weather has gotten worse, somehow. “Might as well get comfortable. Whoever is meant to bring you keys is probably going to be delayed due to the weather.” The food sat untouched as Andrej lit one of the joints, taking a slow, deep drag. “You in the mood for something particular? Usually I just toss on whatever animal documentary I can find and zone off to it. Nothing special.” He takes another drag, offering the rest to Iggy, “you smoke?”

Without hesitation, he pushed himself off of the rough brick wall and followed behind Andrej for a few steps. Then he caught up, offering a nod. "Thanks," he said quietly, not usually one to accept help from others. But hey, it was freaking cold out, and he really wanted some hot water to splash over his face until he could get ahold of one of his roommates.

The apartment itself felt settled and quiet, a stark contrast to the bite of winter outside, it was like stepping into a pocket of calm Andrej had carefully carved in this world. He flicked the lights on as he toed off his boots, abandoned them by the entrance. Then he crossed the living room and set the takeout down on the coffee table, pulling containers free and grabbing plates from the kitchen before glancing back at the other guy.

“If you want a hot shower, you’re welcome to use mine,” he said, giving a nod down the hall “I’ve got some clothes you could probably fit into—though they’ll be a bit big on you. Or you don’t have to. Whatever.” He nodded toward the food as he set the plates down. “You’re welcome to some food too. They always give too much.”

Thinya woke up at 4AM that morning, unable to fall back asleep and burdened with thoughts she wished she could've chased away. It was one of those days where her heart felt empty and she doubted the choices she made in her own life. After leaving London, devastated by the tragic death of the only person who truly believed in her, Thinya moved across the world to settle in a small town. One where she hoped she would find peace.

Her first week was uneventful. She had visited Elias' farm to tend to one of his goats and simply tended to clients at the vet clinics. Animals were the only comfort she found when darkness invaded her heart. They had so much love to give and she was there for them.

However, today was her day off. While the woman always carried her professional phone for emergencies, she decided to go for a walk at Evergreen Park. She still had to discover the town, meet new people. It was 12PM when she walked down the path that would lead her to the beautiful river. Still slightly intimidated, the woman noticed a few people enjoying the sunny day and she wondered: should she approach people? Perhaps they wanted to enjoy their peaceful day and not have a complete stranger disturb them?

Juniper glanced down at the woman, startled for only a moment before her easy smile returned. “Oh, it’s no problem at all,” she said softly, her voice carrying a calm, reassuring tone. She stepped back slightly, giving her space, her warm smile never faltering. “I was just enjoying the day myself—can’t blame anyone for getting lost in their thoughts.” Her gaze drifted briefly over the woman, noting the slight hesitation, the way she held herself.

Her eyes softened with gentle curiosity, and she looked down at herself for a brief second, then back up with a quiet laugh in her tone. “Seems to me like everything is in one piece,” she said, letting the words carry a small, reassuring weight. She shifted slightly, tilting her head, and let her gaze wander to the sun glinting across the river nearby. “No harm done. Are you alright?” she asked, her voice soft but genuine.