Amy Margaret Everly

As headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile

[littlesugarnspice]

Ibrahim noticed the few extra seconds that it took Amy to reply to his suggestion. He had that way of trying to notice things, which was also a bit of a curse around her sometimes, when his desire to just not be visible was completely erased. Her eyes did anything but erase him and file him under a nobody, or just a somebody who lived close by, which made things... strained. If you could call that.

"Okay then. Wednesday at... six it is," he said, nodding, having to move a hand up to push hair away again that returned to his face with the movement. He didn't have any hairbands on his arm, knowing that he'd left one on the car's gear shift, however. He'd use it later.

He ordered what she suggested, the last bit of honey for her, as it seems it had been a popular request today or one they had not prepared for, and a simple chocolate for him. He also got two waters and a coffee, by the time he was turning back to where she had stepped back to wait, why the crepes were quickly made - a bottle in each pocket, his coffee between his teeth and the crepes in each hand.

"They did offer honey... and lemon in the crepe itself?" he noted between his teeth as he placed the long pancake in a gentle way that wouldn't let either of them drop it. Once he held the coffee, he looked around. "Let's go sit back on the bench?" he suggested, wanting her to have a seat again despite her numerous protests and assurances.

[amyinnile]

“Sure, six.” She agreed, with just a tad bit of reluctance, already planning to see about getting off work at least an hour earlier on the day so she could prepare. Maybe she should secretly take half or the entire day off… To be decided. As he went to pick up their crepes, she found seats for them very nearby, two folding chairs at one folding table, flimsy and plastic but they will do. When she saw him walking over with the paper cup coffee rim held between his teeth she laughed, standing up from her seat to help him out a little, taking her order off his hands.  "Which degree burn again if you spilled that coffee all over yourself, Mr. Firefighter? Or did they not make it too hot?"

“That’s good enough.” She reassured about the crepes, blinking a little stupidly at him as he suggested going to sit on a bench. “Is this not fine?” She pointed at the table she got for them. Then it hit her - Ibrahim was sort of… withdrawn. Maybe he did not like sitting among the crowd. “Okay, bench it is. Do you want me to carry something else?” Her emerald gaze slid to his bulging pockets, spying the water bottled he’d shoved in there with a cheeky smile on her lips. “Oh!” She shoved her free hand into the pocket of her coat then, coming up with a hair tie she’d kept there. “For you, so you can tidy yourself up when we sit down.” She twirled the little piece of rubber and fabric between her red painted fingers, her grin widening. Ibrahim was right, she was noticing much more about him than he already assumed. He was decidedly not a nobody in her eyes.

[chxsingthunder]

location: gym after a guided meditation led by cullen status: closed @amyinnile

Class had gone by smoothly, Cullen tiptoeing between meditating students. There weren't many, eight people in total, but he'd always liked the smaller groups, anyway. It was usually his morning and early afternoon classes that drew the larger crowds. Evenings were slower, and he didn't typically hold a lot of classes then anyway. He preferred being home with the babies. But a guided meditation for individuals who worked long, arduous hours was definitely necessary. He knew he wanted to provide it to the people who likely needed it the most.

As everyone trickled out, Cullen nodded and smiled and said his goodbyes. When everyone was gone except for one, his smile subsided a bit and he sighed, moving to roll up his own yoga mat and then set about clearing the few things he'd brought in with him. The incense, the music, and anything anyone might have left behind.

Eventually, he turned to see Amy still there, and he smiled again. "I hope this meditation helped you ground yourself a little more. Do you have any questions or concerns?"

[amyinnile]

Of course she would stay behind with her younger brother to help him clean up a bit, even if this wasn’t a large group needing too many props for what the session was for and Cullen could likely handle everything on his own. She started with her stuff of course, putting away her yoga mat which she owned - how could she not own at least some things while having a brother whose vocation was in holistic wellness? - and packing up the gym bag she’d mainly purchased for her swimming sessions. She did not exactly need a change of clothes after this but she did bring something to put over, at least for the walk to her car. The weather had been such a Debbie Downer recently.

As she did so while Cullen saw off the rest of the group, she could not fail to notice the immediate fall of the smiling mask and the sigh that followed after. It caught her by surprise a little bit. She hadn’t sensed anything potentially amiss earlier. But then again, it might be because he’d suppressed it so that he could guide the session properly. 

As he busied himself so did she, putting away some scattered cushions and yoga blocks, perhaps stacking them away much more neatly than necessary. “Oh, yes, thank you Cullen, that really hit the spot.” She admitted honestly, moving off to find the remote of the wall AC to turn it off, figuring that would be appropriate since this seemed to be the last session of the day in this hall. “My concern is that it will last me for a whole two days before I am a nervous wreck again. Through no fault of your class, naturally. I’ve been in such terrible moods lately.” Now it was her turn to sigh a little.

[littlesugarnspice]

Where: Ennora -> New York With: @amyinnile Outfit: click

It was Saturday morning, and Erik had gotten up, as he often did when he hadn't been out drinking the night before, or rehearsing for a new play with the actors at the theatre. But he had made sure to be in bed on time the previous night at 9pm, reading his book until 10 and then turning the lights off and comfortably sinking into the feather pillows that he had enjoyed so much since buying more than 15 years ago.

He had made coffee to drink and read the morning newspaper, now on the phone rather than in his hands like it had been before. And then he has spent longer than necessary deciding between scarves before settling on one in a rust-red, intertwined in white silk that made even a simple coat interesting. Soon enough, he was out and into his old Chevrolet, driving out of the gated territory of Small Pines and all the way to the other end of town to Riverbank, where Amy was. By the time he reached her house, there were 3 burned-out cigarettes in the ashtray.

Leaning back in his seat for a moment, he tapped ash out the window and reached for his phone to let her know he was outside with a simple "Dearest Amy, I have arrived outside your humble and beautiful home, please do feel free to come outside whenever you fancy". He looked out at the gloomy sky, letting himself enjoy the quiet little luxury of the thing, taking a niece to New York for porcelain and lunch, as if such outings were perfectly ordinary.

[amyinnile]

She was already pretty much by the door, placing her phone into her handbag when the text arrived. So she responded by simply hurrying up with putting her coat on in front of the hallway mirror, making sure her long blonde curls weren’t caught under the collar. She was out of the door in less than a minute and her thick heels made quick work of hurrying down her walkway to the Chevrolet parked on the street. 

“Well I fancied I should come out quick from my humble home, hope I did not keep you waiting for too long.” She poked with a hint of a red-painted smirk, just finding the wording her uncle used to text funny, knowing full well that she did not keep him waiting long. She let herself into the passenger seat, turning around to deposit her bag onto the back one. She felt like green today, to match her eyes, and although it was warm enough for a short skirt she still found use for a coat in the perfect shade of forest green that complimented the rest of the outfit. Uncle Erik and her got along that way - they both had style. This was why any outing with him always felt like quite an experience. She would even argue that he’d influenced her own style a lot throughout the years, inspiring and classy as he always was. 

Buckling up her seatbelt, she was ready. “Are you sure you’re okay with driving there and back again? We can switch on our way back, at least up to my place.”

[littlesugarnspice]

Milvi wasn't convinced by the sound that Amy made, but she didn't probe into it, putting her nose in people's business, not her favourite pastime. Sure, she sometimes got interested or nosey - but it had always been about history or facts. People's lives? that had always been daunting, even more so in the past years. So she let it go, opting to think that if Amy wanted to share something with her, she would.

"You can mention something at a future meeting, about appropriate desserts? Men tend to overlook the little details like that for dinner. Maybe..." she mused, thinking aloud while still careful with her words. "Maybe he had distractions that didn't let him reach the bakery on time?"

Once inside, Milvi felt a nice warmth on her cheeks and hands, a thankful sigh escaping her lips. "This is so much better. I really do wish it were spring already. And then summer, cold can be done for the year already," she said, quietly, not wanting to intrude on her talk to any of the dinners. "Do you have something you like here? Last time my meal wasn't the best if I'm honest," she said, thinking of a simple shepherd's pie she had ordered then.

[amyinnile]

“Oh he was certainly distracted.” Amy commented, very quickly going from being annoyed with her siblings to defending them, which was very typically sisterly even if she wasn’t aware of doing it most of the time. “I don’t want to trouble them too much. None of them. That’s mostly the point of the Sunday dinners we have. So everyone can just come in and be themselves and relax.” It was impossible to call the Everly family atmosphere relaxing in the true sense of the word but it was soothing in a way, for the Everly’s at least. Familiar, better said. It was, after all, what they grew up in and what all of them were used to. Nature and nurture could always battle but some core memories and habits might never fade away. A weekly reminder that there is a safety net to fall back to was what Amy always wanted to take over from their parents and continue indefinitely, as long as there were at least two Everly's on this planet still breathing.

“Agreed.” Amy was also much more fond of warm weather. Heck, she had literally moved for years to one of the warmest places in the world for the hot weather, even though it hurt her and did not like her back. She’d always much rather be warm than cold. She briefly smiled at the server coming in to greet them and asked for a couple of minutes to decide what they’d like to order before returning her attention to Milvi. Not needing to pick up a menu because the diner was here for as long as she can remember, mostly unchanged throughout the years including what they offered, she instead worked on taking her coat and hat off, setting them aside on the seat next to her. “Oh honey, if you want to lunch here, you go with their meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy.” She suggested almost immediately as she’d heard Milvi’s last experience in the diner.

[littlesugarnspice]

"Great, I will," he assured her and nodded, his own brows knitted even if for completely different reasons. He always felt this emotion coming off her; it was almost as if he could taste it in the air, and it wanted to stick to him, too. Part of the reason why he needed to just get away right now and go reconnect with himself and rethink why things weren't possible for him with her or anyone else.

Just as he was ready to turn and go to his own house, she asked him to stay still... and so he did, his eyes heavy and his brain blank for the time that she rushed into the house until the moment she was coming out with a... he wouldn't have guessed gloves, but he was good at hiding his thoughts so his face was still blanks as he took what she presented. He took the fuzzy item in his hand, nodding and looking at it. "Knitting? That's an interesting hobby," he commented, thoughtful, spreading the two gloves apart and then frowning as he shimmied them on his hands. "They fit great, thank you," he said after a moment of looking at the handmade gift.

He hadn't received a gift since... well, he couldn't really remember the last time someone had given him something. Let alone make him something. His frown deepened as he kept his head down, feeling strange but also nice about it, a smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Amy," he repeated, looking up and rubbing his hands together, not yet warmer in the cold, but it seemed like the gloves might help with that for another day. "I'll make sure to wear them a lot," he added, nodding.

[amyinnile]

The smile on her face upon seeing him accept and even put on her gift was almost girlishly happy. It was a hobby she had picked up very recently and she was very self-conscious and aware just how new and clumsy she was at it. Even as he tried them on, they would be a very tight fit. She did notice that his hands were big, handsomely so, but that did not entirely translate to the gloves. They still fit well enough and with a couple of hand washes with a fabric softener, they might even begin to feel comfortable. 

“Really?” She asked, as if for reassurance, though she did not expect more than the thanks he'd already offered. Just hearing him say that he’ll wear them often was enough, even if it might not be true. Feeling a little awkward now, just a smidgeon, she cleared her throat softly and wrapped her hands around herself again. “I’m going to… scoot inside now. Getting a little chilly.” A severe understatement, she’d been quite cold all this while but she did not care. All things considered, this turned out to be a lovely interaction after all, much better than what she’d hoped for. It would make her entire day for sure. Until, unfortunately, the dinner invitation starts getting rescheduled over and over again…

“Have a good day, neighbor.” She threw him one more smile before she turned around to go back inside, bashfully glancing over her shoulder a couple of times on her way and even giving him a little wave goodbye when she was halfway there. But her doorway was only a few steps away so soon she’d disappeared into her home, closing up the door this time.

[littlesugarnspice]

Where: Amy's home With: @amyinnile and Liv @monstersunderurbed Outfit: click

Katherine had been biking around town all day, enjoying the rare sunshine but also gathering things in the basket of the bike for later that day. First, it had been a few fresh sweet bagels, chatting away with River. Then it had been some flowers, where she had run into Nin and been friendlier than she would ever admit she had been if she mentioned it to Dom. After that, she had veered back downtown to get a few snacks for the evening from Spoonful of Sugar. She'd gotten a coffee for Phoebe and headed to the Booknook, where she'd spent another hour before she realised that it was getting around 3 pm at that point. So onto the supermarket... where she had chatted with Jodie for an hour... or three - before leaving with two bottles of white wine...

By the time she arrived at Amy's, it was already getting dark, and she was late... as usual. She used her spare key without knocking, barely able to get through the door with everything she had bought. The bike was dropped by the pathway and, of course, away from Amy's flowers. "Sorry, sorrryyyy, I was... uh, I was accousted on the way here by a mob of very friendly faces. And some sunshine. I swear that I got a few things to compensate and I totally planned on coming before Liv arrived so I can help with setting up the food and the snacks, but time just runs so fast I simply can't catch up to it!" she breathed out, storming into the kitchen where both her sisters were already hanging

[monstersunderurbed]

Liv had been tiptoeing around important topics with Amy. She was dying to talk about whatever secret she said she had been keeping, but she didn't want to get to it before Kat showed up, which should have been about an hour ago. She had already gone through half of the cheese they got out when she arrived, and kept asking questions about the hot neighbor in question– all while looking out the window in hopes of seeing him. By now, Liv had done enough 'research' on the guy to at least know who he was and what he looked like– she'd seen him a couple times at the gym, but had yet to speak to him. She wasn't sure if Amy would be okay with that bit, but it wasn't like she would ask for permission. Better to apologize later.

As she popped one more piece of cheese into her mouth, Liv almost jumped out of her seat when she heard the door closing, only for Kat's voice to come immediately after. "Jesus fucking Christ, you scared the living hell out of me," Liv exhaled in relief, going back to shove a couple more pieces of cheese into her mouth at the same time to cope with the scare. "What in the world did you bring with you?" She said, standing up just to go through whatever Kat brought– curiosity killed the cat and all that, but she couldn't help herself. @amyinnile

[amyinnile]

Kat being late was no news. As a matter of fact Amy had already expected it and wasn’t about to get angry for it. Liv kept her company in the meantime and the two women were working on a huge charcuterie board - Amy whipped out the largest wooden tray for it she owned. Well, Amy mostly worked on it while Liv worked on eating all the cheese. Amy had warned her sister multiple times about stomach aches before she gave up because it was to no avail. As Amy arranged a mix of cured meats, cheeses, crackers, and accompaniments like fruits, nuts, and spreads, she had also started to pull out all the sides that would go along with it like a huge platter of snacks wasn’t enough. Breads and crackers, hummus, rocket salad with pear and Parmesan, a cucumber-tomato salad, roasted asparagus, cheesy mashed potato puffs and deviled eggs, all the while rolling her eyes quietly as Liv went around the house to peer through windows in hopes of catching the elusive neighbor Amy very much regretted revealing as her crush. 

She had barely even flinched when Kat was finally in, licking hummus off a spoon she’d used to transfer it into serving bowls. Celery sticks and other dippable bites would be used to scoop it up because that’s the sweetest way to taste hummus in Amy’s opinion. She merely glanced over as Kat made her way into the kitchen, moving off to rinse a few dishes along with that spoon. “Set everything aside and pull out what you need.” She instructed the two regarding the things Kat had brought, although she probably did not need to - Liv seemed to already be on it.

@littlesugarnspice

[riverbankguardian]

Ethan caught the brief edge in her tone, the way her posture shifted before smoothing over, and he didn’t take offense to it. If anything, it made him a little more careful with his words. Her question lingered between them, and he let out a quiet breath, one shoulder lifting in a small, almost sheepish shrug as if the title sat heavier on paper than it did on him. ❝ It sounds bigger than it is, ❞ he admitted, voice calm, unassuming, his gaze drifting for a second before returning to her. ❝ Mostly just making sure things run the way they’re supposed to, helping where I can. Keeping people safe, if it comes down to it. ❞ There was no bravado in it, no attempt to make it impressive, just a simple truth, worn easy. His eyes softened slightly, thoughtful again, like he preferred it that way. ❝ Plenty of folks around here do more important things than I do. I just happen to have a longer title for it. ❞

[amyinnile]

“Well don’t sell yourself short. Despite how you’re trying to downplay it, it does sound like a position that requires top-level strategic leadership.” She noted, quite pleased knowing that a man with such a reputable job position was interested in her sister - even though he might not know her last name yet. It was something she very much approved of, not that anyone was asking her. “So, I assume you are directing police, fire, emergency medical services, and emergency management departments? I figure that’s what would fall into the municipal duty, at least.” She idly wondered if this would make Ethan the boss of Ibrahim’s bosses, more or less. He was in the fire department. If so, she had a few complaints about the fire station’s staff’s schedule and shifts. 

As she pondered, she’d noticed the people ahead of them had finished up their orders and leaned forward a little to double-check if they were cutting any lines. “Oh, I think it’s finally your turn.” She informed him, he had come in before her after all.

[littlesugarnspice]

Where: Abe's home With: @amyinnile Outfit: click

It had been almost a month since his renovation finished, and almost as long since they'd been trying to figure out a fitting time to have this dinner. He couldn't say he was extremely excited about it, and it had nothing to do with Amy specifically. If anything, he was surprised that he liked her well enough to invite her in his personal space. But the fact was that the space was personal. He didn't remember a time when he had ever had anyone enter his home, be it here, around the states, while he had been hopping from place to place or even back in Turkey. It had always been a private place. And yet, here he was, having begun this with a suggestion.

He had prepared steak for dinner, some of his own catch from the freezer in his garage. Potatoes, a shepherd salad, tabbouleh and of course, Menemen, as one of the recipes from back home, he was actually good with. This was the first time the salad bowls he'd gotten with the help of the interior designer a year ago were being used. He even had a box of real Turkish Delight that he'd gotten from a shop in New York two weeks ago when he'd passed through it.

He felt like it was too much, but also - not enough. Amy had been practically bathing him and feeding him after for close to four months, and just a simple dinner didn't really seem fitting. But he also didn't want to go to a restaurant because he felt that it would send the wrong message. He wasn't blind; he knew that she was interested. But like all women before, he figured that once she was tired of his grumpiness and the way he would push people away, she would be over it. Even if a part of him really hoped she wouldn't.

That part of him was something he was trying always to smother down because he had accepted the fact that he had no right to have someone close to him and so he strived to keep it this way. He would never want to risk someone finding themselves in trouble because of him, and he knew that it would happen someday.

With such not-so-bright thoughts, he opened the door when Amy arrived, right on time, of course. He had learned that with her, things needed to be perfect. Or as perfect as possible. He kind of missed the perfect organisation of her bathroom now, even if he was happy that he could stay in the shower for as long as he wanted and not have to dress in there when he was done, walk around with or without a towel, whatever he fancied.

"Hey.. glad we are finally doing this," he said, and surprisingly, he meant it. The frown deepened for a second before he smoothed his face over. Ibrahim stepped aside to let her in the green hallway of the house, barefoot on the carpet. "You can keep your shoes on," he said motioning for the to follow him. Was a tour expected?

[amyinnile]

It was finally happening. Never mind that he likely did not consider this a date but just a thank you dinner instead. The important thing was that it was happening, after many reschedules and rain checks. This was a chance, an opportunity even. She did not know exactly what for yet, but nevertheless it was there and everything seemed more up in the air than before which was a step forward from the so far distant and borderline hopeless expectation for the other side to do something, make some sort of a move. 

She had taken forever to decide what to wear that day. But the girls helped; as chaotic as they could be, Amy knew they just wanted for their sister to be happy and were trying to be supportive in their own shambolic ways. In the end, she hadn’t gone with anything they’ve suggested, not because it was inappropriate or because she did not like their choices but because she did not want to give off the impression that she was trying too hard. Not that there was anything wrong with trying hard to, essentially, seduce a man but she figured he was the type to feel pressured when seduction was not subtle. If he wasn’t, he would’ve expressed something by now, wouldn’t he?

So, she’d opted for something subdued and everyday in the end. It made her feel less pressured too and less likely to feel disappointed if there was no obvious reaction to it. Her hair and makeup though were perfect. Blonde curls loose and a subtle cat eye on the eyelids. Of course, she did not come in empty handed either, bringing in a pot of butternut squash risotto, carrying it in a dish it would also be served in because it was easy to just transfer it between houses that were one next to the other. 

When he opened the door, she was ready, having taken a second before she rang the bell to school her smile into a pleasant neighborly one, the lack of her usual red lipstick helping the homely, casual vibe. “Hey! Yes! It’s been a rollercoaster to set this up, wasn’t it?” She immediately regretted her careless comment though, hoping the frown she’d noticed on his face wasn’t because he disapproved of her noting this. She did not mean to say that he’d put her through a rollercoaster with this dinner date, although he kind of did. But it was partially her fault too, his work and her work had been clashing lately and when he was available, she was not… Anyway, moving on, she did not dwell on it and stepped her short boots into the hallway. “Where would you like me to put this down?” She motioned to the pot of risotto she carried.

[amyinnile]

From Amy to Kitty (@kitty-hexrst)

A care pack of bathroom goodies, a box of cookies and treats and a portable record player.

[amyinnile]

From Amy to Nathan (@monstersunderurbed)

A new electric razor with cologne and shaving/face creams and an aftershave. Hopefully appropriate everything considering, but still showing that she cares and remembers.

[amyinnile]

From Amy to Dominic (@heartfells)

Cupcakes in shape of farm animals, unfortunately not homemade because Amy can't decorate that well, a cute tractor table lamp and a new roll up tool bag full of brand new handyman tools.

[monstersunderurbed]

"I really wanted to be early, I promise. I've been good– it's just..." Nate couldn't even finish his sentence. It was a habit of his, never leaving work at a normal hour, no matter how hard he tried. And he had actually tried this time around! But his case was one of accidentally becoming too important at work this time around, and he had ended up having three micro meetings in the middle of the hallway before he could finally leave the building. He figured talking about work in front of Amy wouldn't help his case, so he simply let his words trail off.

For a moment there, Nate was genuinely surprised when Amy tossed her back onto the empty chair next to her. He hadn't considered she would take it personally, but perhaps her time was so valuable that he, in fact, had missed his chance of a quick catch-up. It took him a few seconds and a whole other very clear joke for Nate to break into a little smile, his shoulders relaxing more than they had been when he walked in. "Sorry, I forgot my Brendan Fraser outfit and the mask that goes with it– you're going to have to settle for this," he said, his hands gesturing around himself for a second before they dropped to switch Amy's purse to the other empty chair, and took the seat for himself.

It took him a moment to settle, taking off his jacket and hanging it on the backrest, then loosening his tie around his neck and undoing a couple buttons; Nate was officially off work, and he wanted it to show, although he never looked fully relaxed– this was probably the closest. "Are you really not going to eat it?" His eyes showed confusion– he couldn't understand how someone could have a biscuit on their plate and not eat it before even tasting a drink. He knew she wouldn't have offered if she didn't mean it, so without taking longer than a second. Nate reached for it and put it in his mouth in a single bite. "Sorry," he said, covering his mouth with one hand. "I skipped my last break– I'm hungry."

[amyinnile]

“I don’t believe a word you say.” Amy narrowed her emerald eyes at Nate but a smirk was nevertheless playing on her lips, except it was hidden behind her cup of flat white. She knew him well enough though to be skeptical of his attempts to be good versus to throw himself wholeheartedly into work to the point of, well, what had already happened. Who knows what other warning signs he'd ignored in favor of his job prior to this.

But she wasn't here to nag so she rolled her eyes playfully, putting her drink down. “Oh come on, like you could ever compare to Brendan Fraser from back then, even in his outfits.” Teenage crushes were teenage crushes, after all. 

“I knew it.” She had watched him carefully as he settled down and took the offered biscuit, her long, almond shaped nails, painted in her trademark coral red of course, idly drumming against the table surface. “Should we order some club sandwiches then? The prosciutto ones they have here are fine. They serve them bite sized to go with the coffee, but we can have a couple of plates so you’d get at least half full. And a little dessert after. Some macarons maybe?” The latter, at least, he wouldn't refuse. But it was a good boy reward for eating something not sweet first.

[hllboymglds]

Mars gets a dreamy look about him when she talks about Ryden. Naturally his thoughts end up meandering down a rose filled pathway with all sorts of dips and turns and spirals, easy to get lost in. "Yeah," he replies, only half paying attention really because his thoughts have fallen somewhere very private, "he's got edge," and a little curl at the corner of his smirk paired with a dazy shimmer in his eye can easily give away exactly what sort of thoughts he might be having.

It is with many regrets that he pulls himself out of his daydreamings because he is still in the middle of a conversation. He blinks those thoughts away to be returned to later and washes away the memory of them with another drink from his steadily declining mimosa.

Contrary to Amy though, Mars did not mind getting buzzed before noon and it was actually part of the fun of bottomless mimosas otherwise what was the point of bottomless mimosas. Still, he does have some food before him. Just a classic ham and cheese omelet with hashbrowns on the side. He spears some of the potato on a fork but misses his mouth. "Okay," he sets it down and scoots his plate to the side, not a lot, just a little. Just enough to give him room to prop his elbows against the table and steeple his fingers as he gazes over them with his striking blue eyes like he's pinning her to the seat. "So... we're talking more about that," he dips his fingers toward her in a gesture that clearly implies she should continue.

[amyinnile]

She caught the dreamy look he had, how could she not? He was right in front of her, all of his expressions on display. This might’ve annoyed her a little despite herself. How nice to have someone you can get so dreamy about. All she’d been getting lately from the object of her dreams was frustration. She put down her drink only to pick up her salad again, stabbing at it this time a little angrily with her fork. Whenever frustration about love life arose Amy felt the urge to stuff her mouth with food. Usually it was sweets. She would at least have to visit the dentist soon for some damage control… God knew she’d never be caught dead in a gym. “Well how nice.” She might’ve pouted a little there. It really wasn’t Marsden’s fault, certainly she would not want him to diminish what he was feeling or hide the fact that the romance was blooming for him just because it wasn’t for a friend of his. She was more irked at Ibrahim. She was yet to encounter a man more clueless and obstinate than him.

So, a bite went into her mouth, a large but still careful one so as to not disrupt her lipstick. She was still chewing when Mars decided they would be talking about her proposal instead of his, her right cheek puffed up with the food inside. She froze like a deer in the headlights with this particular spotlight on her, eyes shifty before they finally settled back on her friend, green against blue. “Why? It failed to end in marriage. End of story.” She shrugged, back to chewing so she’d have an excuse not to talk about it further, her fork unsuccessfully chasing down a cherry tomato that had unhelpfully not been cut in half by whoever had prepared her salad.

[littlesugarnspice]

"Yeah... but it's nice, what you have here," he said, waving his hand around to all the stalls and people, the decorations for the Saturday events already starting to pop up by the town square's gazebo. It wasn't something he would have joined on his own if he hadn't run into her just now, but he had found it nice to watch from the side the few times he had work towards town.

They continued walking as he nodded at her words, agreeing that they were adults, but still wanting to make up for the fact that he had been easily there when he had needed her help, but now that it was his turn, things kept coming up. Be it plans he had had for a while, like the week at the lake by himself in the bungalows or the broken freezer he'd had to spend hours fixing and then replacing to make sure none of his game meat would go bad.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's say... next Wednesday? Once this fair is over and there's no possible emergencies on my night off?" he suggested, finally just as they stopped in front of the crepes stand. "What do you want to have?" he asked, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet and standing in front of her so she won't try to get any money past him.

[amyinnile]

“Yeah, I suppose.” Amy said, with the shrug of someone who was used to a thing that had been happening for basically her entire life, give or take. Some years were cancelled, for some the town had tried something new and some things were an unbreakable tradition that she might actually be taking for granted, as opposed to an outsider for whom everything would seem new and more ‘nice’, as Abe had put it, than she was considering it to be. She made an attempt to look at everything through his eyes, as one of those outsiders. No matter how she looked at it, she still hated the traffic in town around holiday and festival times. 

If she were perfectly honest, when he suggested next Wednesday she did not get her hopes up like the last couple of times. It had become a fact that Abe’s work and overall schedule operated within the terms of emergencies and that simply meant that things would come up unexpectedly, even with the best effort on both parts. The only thing she was still struggling with was making sure to let herself know that it wasn’t because she was less of a priority. There was really no basis on which she could ask to be a priority compared to anything in Ibrahim’s life. After all, he still seemed to consider them as just neighbors and acquaintances. So, she couldn’t exactly demand anything more or keep getting all up in her head over him cancelling, rescheduling or just treating her with what she considered a distant attitude. Where was her right to do that? In time, perhaps she will manage to reconcile with it.

“Next Wednesday sounds good, as long as it’s after 5 pm.” She nodded, keeping a polite smile on her face which stretched a little wider when she saw him take out his wallet. Fine, she would allow this. He could do that much at least, as a gentleman. “Hmm… Ask them if they just have lemon rind and honey.” She really needed to cut back on deserts… She still loved the lemon and honey combo anyway, though.

[icanbuymyownflowers]

Back in school, he thought it was embarrassing whenever his older sister chased him around just to make sure he ate. As an adult, it wasn't so much embarrassing as it was completely unnecessary. ''What's wrong with the diner?'' he asked.

He probably wouldn't stop by the diner either. He would simply go home. It's only when he would wake up the next morning with his stomach loudly yelling at him that he would remember he had nothing to eat the night before.

He didn't care so much if anyone heard their conversation. He would love to see any of them try to mention it to him later on.

He closed the door and sat behind his desk. He directed his attention towards his computer. He couldn't remember what he had been doing before his sister interrupted and felt annoyed. ''Wow. Thank you,'' he said sarcastically. He really loved being insulted randomly in his own office...

He finally gave up on work with a frustrated sigh. ''Felt bored?'' he asked, gesturing towards the homemade meal. He would never do anything like this for any of his siblings. No matter how much he cared about them.

He was pretty content when he realized the food was still warm. He opened it and ate a few bites. ''Thanks,'' he grumbled just like when he was a child and she made him. He was thankful, really. He was simply terrible at showing it. ''Look. I might be a dad, doesn't mean you have to check on me. I really need to finish this. Who knows when I'll be stuck changing diapers for the rest of my life,'' he said with a disgusted expression. He didn't know what he would do if he really was the father.

[amyinnile]

“You can’t possibly live off burgers and french fries every day.” Amy’s hands found her hips, resting there in what likely everyone behind her back called the ‘mom pose’. Even their own mother, Petunia, did not do this pose when mad at any of them or otherwise. “Don’t thank me. Fix your habits already.” She continued, a rapid fire of non-sugar coated motherly concern. When he let his annoyance become too obvious, making him get a little mouthy, Amy stepped closer to his desk and picked up a random file on it to smack his upper arm with. Not enough to truly hurt because the thing she’d hit him with was just paper and thin plastic, but her point was obvious. “Don’t talk back to me.” ‘Or I’ll tell dad’, which was a line that usually followed when they were little and fighting, but had not been used for years now. Jordan could ‘talk back’ all he wanted. How much of it sort of hurt Amy’s feelings when he did would remain unspoken.

She left him be when he actually took up the food offered to him and dug in for a few bites, giving Amy a moment to walk away and sit in one of the chairs in front of the desk. “I am not checking on you because you might be a father. I’m checking on you because you don’t eat.” She rolled her eyes while he was too busy taking a bite and not looking. “The diaper situation is not a permanent thing, children grow up you know. Besides, as we already talked about it, you still have no confirmation yet. It could end up being someone else’s child.” She reminded, happy to see him wolf the food down instead of setting it aside to do all his important work before the diapers come in.

[wolfontheloose]

Location: Marsden & Ryden’s Home in Old Mill District Closed: for @littlesugarnspice @amyinnile @hllboymglds

“Yeaaa, bump every vehicle on yer way in why don’cha. Mess up me new paint job.” Ryden grumbled unduly as Daphne parked her way into their three car garage, a space freed-up for her bike while anyone else would simply have to settle for street parking. She was actually nowhere close to hitting any of the two men’s vehicles parked inside, an expert driver as she was, but with their shared mobile property being at least double the average two vehicles per single family home, it was a tight fit. At least Ryden had kept the garage spick and span at all times, so there was no need to watch out for random clutter. 

“We’ve gathered up, the pizza’s on its way and we got beer. Yer the only missin’ link.” He informed her from his vantage point on the steps leading into the mud room and then further into the home, a long arm reaching to the side to hit the garage door switch, the metal closing with a rumble of hinges. He was severely underdressed for something that was supposed to be a ‘double date’, in one of his old tank tops full of what he considered aesthetically holey and torn. The inside of their home is comfortably toasty for the baby, though Ryden would vehemently argue against it if her comfort weren’t more important than anyone else’s, so despite the wintery weather outside, he wore a pair of gym shorts and was padding around barefoot, a sophisticated ‘date’ indeed. 

It was a unique place, their home, very snug yet modern-looking on the outside, but eclectic and mainly incoherent on the inside. A relatively new home, hand-built mostly by yours truly unless it was structurally too important to DIY mess around with, full of love and comfort and things. So many things. Not in a cluttered, hoarder sort of way but in an orderly yet enthusiastic and slightly nerdy (okay, a lot nerdy) sort of way. This home loved to accept things that were a bargain on a trinket or a collectible from all sorts of fandoms and popular franchises, mainly from the comic book and superhero universes though a few movie classics could be spotted here and there. Otherwise, there was also a high possibility of something goth or creepy lurking on the shelving, display cabinets and other random furniture surfaces about, a courtesy of Mars’ love for the unusual and macabre. 

All in all, most of the place seemed to have started off matching, the first bought furniture purchased in sets as advertised online or in stores, but as the two men settled in, they seem to have begun adopting stray pieces, throwing off the whole initial coherent setup with mismatched whimsical things they did not necessarily need. Yet still everything appeared somewhat organized, with its own rhyme and reason and, most importantly, toddler safe and cozy. 

In the living room, a leather couch with much too many blanket coverings and squishy mish-mash of pillows and plush toys hiding cat claw scratches Ryden was perpetually pissed about already had an Amy seated and occupied with the baby, who was just handed to her and left there with good luck wishes and manage on your own regards. Luckily, the woman had been helping raise a few of those since she was a child herself so it did not end up with Maria Elena being returned to a parent even if it had already been almost half an hour since they were left to hang out together. “Pick a seat, any seat. But don’t git too cozy. Cozy means lazy fingers and only losers’ve lazy fingers.” Ryden directed Daphne, leaving her to fend for herself while he walked across the room and disappeared elsewhere only for a second later to be heard shouting for his man to emerge from wherever the heck he’d lost himself at. “YO NOODLE! DAPH’S ‘ERE.” 

[littlesugarnspice]

Daphne had been very angry when she'd seen her own name in the roster of the auction a few days ago, but... she guessed in the end it was all for good since the money was going to go to charity and she was going to go play games with her bosses. Which she didn't really consider bosses as much as those guys I see twice a week and get paid to have fun. She liked both of them well enough. "If I fucking scratch it I'll fix it for free, but I won't", she rolled her eyes with a smile under her helmet as she turned the bike off and started peeling off the top layers off herself.

Since she had no plans after this, she was wearing a rather simple outfit with cargo pants and a tank top, which she dressed down to now, considering the heat she felt as soon as she walked into the mud room. Plus, basing off of Ryden's own clothes, she might be hot soon. "Nice place..." she grinned as they headed through the mismatched home, feeling as if she'd stepped into the vomit of five different interior designers. She didn't judge; her own room looked like a clown show.

Once in the living room, she looked at her boss's girl, sitting with a blonde who seemed so out of place it was almost funny. "Evening," Daph nodded, as she popped a bubble with her gum, taking a seat further away from the little menace and the other guest. Daphne didn't remember her name, but she was pretty sure that was one of the other women in the lineup. "Can I get one of those beers?" she shouted after Ryden, taking her phone out of her pocket to check her messages.

[amyinnile]

“Hello!” Amy greeted the new arrival when she was acknowledged, a wide grin on her face as she used her hand to throw her hair back and toss her curls out a bit. They’ve just been ‘brushed’ by Maria Elena - with a toy comb far too small to actually flatten the curls Amy always so meticulously released from her overnight hair curlers in the morning - because she had come into the little girl’s home, which was also a hair salon right now, and therefore simply had to sit down for a new hairdo. There was an assorted pile of hair clips, ribbons, scrunchies and bows on the seat next to them on the couch, which the toddler will likely soon use to make a glorious masterpiece out of Amy’s long hair. Small as she was, Maria Elena had to sit on Amy’s lap to even begin to reach up and do what Amy let her to do with her hair (and that was whatever Maria Elena wanted), which the little girl seemed to be absolutely obsessed with. After all, both of her dadas had never even gotten close to having this much hair. 

Daphne was so very right with her first impression of Amy. The one who she fit the most with out of everyone gathered was actually Maria Elena. Even if this was so totally just a casual hangout of a group of friends rather than an actual date, she still came in with a matching navy blue outfit and heeled boots, the coat matching those now hanging in one of the two mens’ coat closets. Amy was not a person who looked like she knew either Marsden or Ryden well and yet, surprisingly, she would consider Mars as one of her dearest friends if not the best in the last few years. She could not help Daphne with getting a beer, not the type to snoop around other people’s homes, and was much too distracted by Maria Elena anyway, who was now wanting to tie a side ponytail for her.

@hllboymglds

[heartfells]

⸻          closed starter.   amy @amyinnile ⸻          location.   dominic's apartment, around 18:25pm

“i’ve recently started therapy.” dominic couldn’t bear to look at his sister as the confession slipped from his lips, fearing what he might find there. pity? concern? understanding? instead his gaze remained intently trained on the wooden cutting board before him. he hesitated one, two, three seconds before his hands came to clutch the edge of the counter, head tilting downwards as he willed himself to breathe. "it's been years. it shouldn't be affecting me still." both shame and grief engulfed him, entirely unpleasant— yet all too familiar companions of his.

he often wondered how amy did it— how she managed to hold herself together even when everything around her appeared to crumble. he supposed that's the wisdom and strength bestowed upon every eldest child. "anyways." he dismissively waved his hand mid-air before grabbing his kitchen knife. he continued chopping up vegetables, though slightly more unsteady this time. "enough about that, tonight is about you. how are things going?"

[amyinnile]

Well that was a sudden confession, for sure. Amy put down the stinky can of tuna in olive oil that she was dumping into a large bowl soon to be turned into what she swore would definitely be a delicious tuna salad. Considering their mother’s newest diagnosis, Amy made sure to have everyone commiserate during their regular Sunday family lunches and support mother by consuming the same diet she was now bound to. Amy had been with mother to one of her last appointments, where she shook the doctor out of his pants for any and all information she could possibly get out of him on how to support her parent through this new health issue. So, a selenium-rich addition to iodized seasoning, zinc-full side dishes and anti-inflammatory fiber dense dessert was currently being tested out on Dominic, a willing guinea pig for everything Amy was planning to serve this week. 

She glanced at him where he stood next to her, above the cutting board where he would be chopping the onions for Amy, because bullying her siblings as the oldest one did not stop, it just changed forms. She waited in patient silence while he mustered the courage to continue. “No, don’t do that.” She said, putting the fork she held down too, perhaps connecting it a little too forcefully to the countertop. “Don’t just drop something like that on me then try to change the subject.” She had to consciously make an effort to remind herself to be gentle, despite the suddenness of everything. After all, it wasn’t often that Dom spoke up about things like these. She exhaled softly, looking away from him to nod her approval. “That’s good, Dom. That’s very good. Have you gone to Benjamin? The one I recommended?” Her tone was considerably calmer now, no longer the one she used to scold with.