characters: atlas & @oflaylaperez​

Truth was, ever since he’d found out about the kid thing, Atlas hadn’t bothered reaching out to Layla for the trip to the rescue he’d promised. If anything, he figured she could do the reaching out after she figured out when she’d want to visit. He wasn’t pissed, but maybe disappointed? He’d spent months thinking about her, only for her to move on and do whatever it was she’d been doing. It didn’t seem fair, but then again, he’d been the one to leave. He’d walked away from a good thing, but logically so, right? He’d had a home to return to and it wasn’t like he’d offered up a second ticket for her to follow. They’d had a few good weeks together; he shouldn’t have expected anything more than that.

“I didn’t know if I’d be seeing you around here today. Sorry I haven’t reached out. I’ve been pretty busy with the rescue,” he half lied, voice quiet. Even with a little booze coursing through his veins, he still felt as cold as the wind that brushed his face. “You should really check this place out. Maybe grab a map. It’s the best time to shop around down here.” What else was he supposed to say? “How’s it been?”

characters: oakley & @oflaylaperez

If there was one thing about Oakley that anyone needed to know, it was that her sweet tooth was nearly impossible to please. Some days, all that could even get close was an ice cream sundae at her favorite creamery. “Extra caramel sauce,” she hummed, the college student behind the counter looking surprised by the request. It was only when she heard a small child make the same request that Oakley tore her eyes away from her sundae. “Someone has good taste,” she grinned, assuming the child had merely repeated what she’d said. “Caramel is the best topping you could ever get. Good choice.” Gaze shifted to whom only Oakley could assume was the child’s mother. “She’s sweet.” She wanted to compliment the woman on her daughter’s manners, but opted out of doing so. “Have you two been here before?”

CHARACTERS:  atlas & @oflaylaperez​

The night at the Grape Escape hadn’t gone the way Atlas wanted it to. To be fair, it’d been entirely his fault. He’d made the conscious decision to invite Azra and while they’d had fun, he hadn’t enjoyed watching Layla walk away like he’d done something to hurt her. It wasn’t like they were together. He’d made the choice to leave that part of their relationship behind the moment he returned back to Providence Peak. He couldn’t do long distance, not that he’d even tried. He knew himself too well and even if keeping in touch might’ve been something he wanted, he knew it wouldn’t end poorly for the both of them. So, he cut contact and got back to doing what he knew best. It was easier that way. If she couldn’t understand that, well, that wasn’t on him to figure out.

It didn’t mean he wouldn’t try, though. Which is exactly why he’d made a small meal for them and offered the invite for her to take. He’d texted her the address and given her a time. Now all he had to do was wait, and he did. He sat patiently on the porch, despite the cool breeze that chilled his entire body. It was only when she showed up, that he lifted himself up and leaned against the railing. “I didn’t know if you were actually going to show up,” he admitted, a little nervous that she had. Lucky for him, the hickey on his neck was basically gone, but the black eye her brother had given him wasn’t. “It’s good to see you.” Had Mateo told her? ‘Cause he wouldn’t. He’d tell a lie to spare himself and the other male too.

-- closed thread for @oflaylaperez​ -- 

Zen only needed one more ‘volunteer’ and then the show could begin. This wasn’t like the shows she used to put on back when the world still worked like it used to. Those shows involved lighting effects, loud music, and a huge crowd of people. These days, Zen’s shows were a little more understated, what with light shows and huge crowds of people being unavailable. But she still put her all into them. She believed they were important in keeping up the spirits of the kiddos she was teaching. Anything to put much needed smiles on their faces.

Today’s show required at least one more person to complete the cast. No preparation needed, just a good attitude and a willingness to go with the flow. Zen was teaching the kiddos about Shakespeare and wanted to stage a scene from one of his plays to show them his poetry was better when they were performed instead of being read silently. The kiddos were busy constructing a set in their classroom when Zen went in search of a volunteer.