#thread: 003

Jesse didn’t know where his mind was. He can’t explain why he is the way he is or why he loves Cooper, but he needed to hear the truth. The last thing he wants right now is to bring another child into this world when he can barely look after himself. He could walk away from this; he could leave and start again. But there was no one like Cooper.

He flew back out to LA and started to feel slightly annoyed with air travel. This was perhaps the third flight of the month for him and they were only on the fourth day. He tried to push back the smells around him or the hard plastic of the cabin and try to focus on what mattered, fixing things.

When he received the text, he sighed and placed his phone back in his pocket. He had a lot of time to kill. Jesse called a cab and had it drive him to their home. He unlocked the front door and made his way straight into the shower.

The water ran down his body lazily and warmed his feet as he stood there, head in the clouds. Jesse enjoyed being clean. He enjoyed hot showers and most of the time, he enjoyed being alone with his thoughts. Not this time.

He got out of the shower and changed into a smart dress shirt, black blazer and his best shoes. He sat on the sofa and checked his watch against the clock in the house. He still had time. Blankly, he flicked on the TV and zoned out to whatever was playing. He wasn’t focused on that, he was focused on the time, every hand bringing him closer to Cooper.

When it was finally time, he called another cab and made his way to the pier. He ran a hand through his hair as he always did when he was nervous and checked his watch every few seconds in anticipation of Cooper’s arrival.

@clairestcndish

John knew he was playing with fire.

Considering how much he’d made a big deal about how much he loathed the very idea of prom – showing up to the fancy Drake hotel in Chicago, dressed in the cheapest suit that Men’s Wearhouse had to offer, fiddling with his cuff-links (which he still wasn’t sure served any real purpose but that of decoration) – it would really fuck things up for Claire to be royally pissed when he did actually turn up to prom.

(further reading here)

Once it was time to go, John Bender looked at himself in the mirror and was proud of what he saw. He knew he looked good, albeit being pleasantly surprised at how well he could clean up for a guy who’d been spending a lot of time up to his elbows in grease. Slipping his phone, keys, and wallet into his pockets, he was ready to go. The drive to Chicago was quick, but that was mainly because John was so nervous that he sped, even catching up to a limo bound for the same location. He parked his truck and waited for the limo to disembark before getting out of his truck and meeting up with his friends. Allison looked beautiful in her red dress that fit her form perfectly, her hair swept up and away from her face that bore an uncharacteristic smile as she gazed up at Andrew, shifting his weight from foot to foot in his black suit. Brian had opted for a slate grey suit with an tie decorated with small disco balls and dancing silhouettes and his signature beat-up white high-top Converse sneakers. Brian saw him first and lit up, “Thank God you made it. We were worried you weren’t gonna show.”

John ran a hand over his slicked back hair. “Well, here I am.”

“You clean up nice, Bender.” Allison stated, smirking as she looked him over.

“Thanks, Allie-cat.” He retorted, earning him an eyeroll from her as Brian opened his suit jacket, rummaging around before he pulled out a white envelope, removing the singular ticket from the envelope before handing it to John, who accepted it. “Thanks for hanging onto that for me, dude.”

“Of course,” Brian responded, inclining his head forward. “Knowing you, you would have lost it by now if I didn’t hold onto it.”

John chuckled, patting Brian on the shoulder. “Sorry that the date fell through, but you look sharp.”

“Yeah, there’s probably a bevy of single girls in there, so, who knows, you just might get lucky.” Allison quipped, causing Brian’s face to flush.

“I-I don’t know about that, Allison.” He managed to stutter out as Andrew chuckled, wrapping an arm across his shoulders.

“Just don’t bring up Star Trek or quantum algebra.” Andrew advised, causing Brian to shake his head.

“I think you mean quantum physics, because quantum algebra is something else entirely.” Brian corrected, only for Andrew to briefly noogie him, messing up the other boy’s hair.

“Alright, boys, can we go in now? I’m fuckin’ freezing out here.” Allison said, breaking the moment and rubbing her hands over her arms. Breaking away from Brian, Andrew didn’t hesitate to remove his blazer, wrapping it around Allison’s shoulders, causing her to beam at him as the foursome walked into the foyer where they were collecting tickets.

“Are you guys sure that Claire is already here?” John asked as the older woman stamped his hand and took down his name from the student ID he produced.

Allison nodded. “I told her to save us a table. That we’d hit traffic.” Stuffing her hand into the pockets of Andrew’s blazer, she pulled out his phone and showed him the text: Here! Can’t wait to see you! xoxo “See?”

John nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets, nervous. “You guys go in first. Just tell her that there’s, like, I dunno, a problem with something. That some prom committee person wants to talk to her out here. Please?” There must have been an edge to his voice that made Allison and the other two nod their heads vigorously. “Yeah, yeah, sure. I got you.” Allison responded, putting a hand gently on his forearm. “I’ll send her out. She’ll be so happy to see you.”

“You really think so?” John asked, his voice soft so no one would think twice about overhearing John Bender being vulnerable.

The sea was… intrusive.

Cassius had decided that within the first hour of arriving in Ritrinc.

It was in everything -- the air, the stone, the very texture of the breeze against his skin. Salt clung where it had no business lingering, the humidity pressing faintly at his composure in a way he found… inefficient.

And yet... he had come anyway.

Duty, as ever, was rarely negotiable.

The spring feast had drawn nobles and dignitaries from across Liathra. And Vissai, in all its wisdom, had seen fit to send him as its liaison. A quiet presence. An observer.

Cassius did not mind that role.

He rarely did.

He stood at the edge of the shoreline now, boots planted firmly where sand gave way to stone, hands loosely clasped behind his back as his gaze swept outward across the water. The horizon blurred where sky met sea, the light too bright, too reflective -- ever-shifting, never still.

Unpredictable.

His ring turned once against his finger.

Twice.

He had already reviewed the political landscape. The alliances. The undercurrents. Ritrinc thrived on openness -- trade, celebration, excess -- and yet even here, patterns existed.

They always did.

A disturbance broke the surface.

Cassius’ attention shifted immediately -- not outward, but downward, toward the shallows where movement had caught his eye. Water displaced. Light fractured. Something deliberate beneath it.

He stilled.

Watched.

And then, a figure emerged.

Cassius didn't react outwardly, though something in his focus sharpened, subtle but immediate. He took in the details without pause --- the water still clinging to skin, the ease of movement, the complete lack of ceremony in how the other occupied the space.

Unbothered.

Uncontained.

Noted.

His gaze lingered a fraction longer than necessary before he spoke, his tone even, measured, carrying without effort.

“You’re either remarkably unconcerned with being observed,” Cassius said, in Common, “or very aware of it.”

A pause.

The ring stilled.

;; red balloons go flying by (3) -- @sclvatcr

The news about a found  RED BALLOON  was enough to allow him to forget that, once again, the leader of the Saviors had found him in a  PRIVATE  moment ( though this particular moment was, by far, less personal than being caught crying ). Taking hold of the offered shirt, Kevin’s mood  PERKED UP  in a manner of moments at the very thought that his daughter was still leaving him clues to her whereabouts. With shirt placed over his head, muscles flexed as arms lifted above his head before pulling the clothing over him. He was quick to grab hold of his jacket as he walked with a new pep in his step.

He watched as Will set the girl down softly onto their moth eaten couch and he let out a quiet sound. “I’ve never seen someone talk themselves out of that state before. It’s supposed to be impossible.” He started, staring down at the brown haired, spit of a girl on his couch. She looked... small, like she was unable to do what she just did. “Who is this girl?”

If she were intoxicated, then she could blame her poor decision making skills on the wonderful wine she’d downed glass after glass while hoping that no one could tell that she wasn’t exactly sipping. All in all, it was a good time, but looking around the room had just left her with the ache in her chest that seemed to not want to fade, despite her best efforts. And of course, Lex knew what was causing and exactly what she was doing as her clumsy feet took her straight to the wrong apartment - or right apartment depending on who was asking. Leaning heavily into the wall, she frowned at the way her feet seemed to want to walk in too different directions and how so much of the room hallway seemed to be leaning. Or was she leaning? This was a bad idea, and she knew it, but still popped a mint into her mouth before trekking the rest of the way to Selene’s door. 

"Hey." He seemed so tense all the time and it constantly made her nervous. "It's a grocery store, you're scaring the old ladies." With gentle hands, she picked up a few oranges and apples. They weren't going to be malnourished, although it really did seem like this guy didn't eat.

"Do you have any requests for food? Poptarts, chocolate, junk food of any form? Otherwise you're eating healthy with me."