Claire Keane
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@bcrgamvts
bcrgamvts; muses adored by kristina &. dependent for blueharborhq. ⌊ twenty6, she/her, est ⎤
CHARLIE HAWTHORNE ( mike faist ) — thirty1 he/him, architect & part-time soccer coach
DANIKA CHAKRAVARTHY ( sobhita dhulipala ) — thirty2 she/her, ghost writer & video game concept artist
open to everyone! set the day before summerween...
"He said Hannibal Lector was good with knives and that since I'm also a psychiatrist, I must be good with knives." Sitting like a lost puppy in the middle of a field of watermelons in the town square, Rafael looked up. He did have a butcher knife in his hand and there was a 'doctor' in front of his name when he had the option. His shirt was even dyed red (pink) but it was from the watermelons he was trying to carve instead of his potential victims. "Leonard said he needed my help but then he drove me here on that decked out golf cart and left cackling. So no, I wouldn't say that I'm doing ok today but thank you for asking."
"this is where i embarrassingly admit that i've never actually seen hannibal lecter. though i assume he was also a psychiatrist for that to be an assumption he jumped to ??" danika asked in thinly veiled amusement at what she was just told. her gaze drops to the rather large knife in his hand, comically surrounded by the watermelons in the field that made it somehow less intimidating as an object. "was the help cutting up the watermelon ?? in my mind this is the summer answer to jack-o-lanterns, but i imagine carving a watermelon is much harder." danika pauses and brings a hand up to rub the back of her neck. "do you need a ride back ?? i mean, i don't have a drivers license but i can call an uber. maybe help you think up an alternative costume if you're still not jazzed about being a cannibal."
open starter : giselle finch, accepting replies.
place : anywhere in town that works, during the summerween.
in her element as she should be, giselle took it upon herself to set up a little fortune - telling booth on the corner of the street. a lot of foot traffic, guaranteed. she had two offers on this table, one for a single tarot card pull and another for a ghost story. or both, for half - price. if there was something that she embraced, it was halloween during the summertime — and her attire reflected this, having donned her most black, witch - adjacent blouse and large hoop earrings. she even broke out the old hat from depths of her closet; the last time she wore this, she and her twin had acted out the wizard of oz in their room. “don't be scared. the horrors can't get you too much in broad daylight.” lips red as a rose, so on and so forth. a small basket contained several varieties of crystals from her shop, and a few tarot decks if someone was looking for a personal purchase. or gift. “besides, i promise it's all in good fun!”
halloween had always been one of charlie's favorite holidays growing up ( if not sat directly at the top of his list ) due to the anticipation leading up to whatever he ended up choosing as a costume. throw in some candy that had him bouncing off the walls until midnight and the object of his father's irritation each time he had to come into charlie's room and tell him to knock it off and go to sleep. adulthood leaves much to be desired in regard to charlie's sleep schedule and his proclivity to staying inside on halloween to hand out candy. he can't remember the last time he went out for a party. it's why charlie told himself to be social and make an appearance at the summerween festival. his costume choice of danny zuko was easy enough by throwing on a leather jacket and gelling back his hair, enough to claim effort even if minimal. he's focused on a passing citizen in a full mandelorian get-up and only notices the brunette nearby at the proximity of her voice, making charlie flinch as a gut reaction. blue hues settle on the booth, taking in all the spooky aesthetics that draw one in to tarot reading. "i've never actually sat down for one of these before. not sure if i'm a skeptic or just in the dark," he says to her mid assessment of her offerings. "i'm always a staunch supporter of small businesses, so throw in the both for half price deal. i'm always game for a good ghost story. though, just know as a kid i've read through all those scary stories to tell in the dark books, so if you pull out of them i'll know." charlie jokes lightly. "which do you wanna do first ?? a reading or the story ??"
open to all
setting: Friday, July 19th at Whimsy World's Summerween Event
Leonard was seated at the large booth just outside of the Haunted House in a proper throne. With a crown on his head. And a cape and scepter. Incidentally, things he already had lying around and not purchased specially for Summerween. Regardless, there was a clipboard resting on his leg and an elegant feathered pen in his left hand. "Now what makes you think you have what it takes to be Blue Harbor's Next Summerween Monarch?" He went back and forth on how to incorporate a non-binary term to replace 'king' since everyone deserved the chance to show off their spookiness (and he would always hold the title of king). Tyra Banks and Ru Paul both approved of the term though so Leonard was proud.
charlie has heard of christmas in july ( mainly due to his silent penchant for the hallmark movie channel marathons that he will continue to never tell a soul about ), but he’d be the first to admit that halloween in july was an event he was in the dark about. halloween used to be his favorite holiday back when he was a teenager and the idea of traipsing around in a carefully planned costume into the wee hours of the morning was as enticing as it was fun. then charlie meandered into his thirties and realized the joy of falling asleep by 10 o’clock each night. he’d say it’s an age thing but as he passes by leonard at the booth, he’s realizing it may just be a him thing. halloween was seemingly one of those holidays with a diehard fanbase. charlie stops at the other’s words, eyebrows knitting as he raises a hand to block the sun from his eyes. “is it similar to america’s next top model ?? i was told in college i had a killer runway walk,” charlie answers in good humor before adding, “and does summerween promote democracy or do we have to prove our worth to the opinion of one ??”
"It's cool-" Jack muttered... or, well, he tried to. The brush-off was cut short as a torrent of words spilled from his assailant's mouth. He hadn't expected such an explanation, let alone an offer for a new drink. The old glass hung empty from his finger tips above the bar, only a few amber drops wetting the bottom. He'd finished it long before she'd made any contact with him. Half a second passed, a moment of consideration in which he contemplated just going with it and cashing in, but then the image of Grace's disapproving look flashed up in the back of his mind and he just sighed. "No really, all dry, see?" He tugged on the hem of his shirt, exhibiting the splash-free fabric with an awkward shrug. "...Wouldn't say no to another drink though, so long as you don't, uh, 'koala bear' me again." Okay, so he wasn't a saint and maybe he was taking advantage of a stranger's kindness, but at least he'd been honest.
➥ danika @bcrgamvts
danika has a moment of worry where she thinks she caused further insult to injury by spilling the man’s drink all over him. the last thing she needs is to create enemies in town. well … surely not enemies, but someone danika would linger behind a display shelf of something in the local grocery store to avoid crossing paths with. new york was kind in its size that there was a slim likelihood of her ever running into the shit drivers ( who on multiple occasions ) paying no mind to pedestrian crossing that she cursed at for nearly being hit. blue harbor on the other hand. people here thrived on building close relationships and comradery. her internal monologing and worries are put to an end at the other’s insistence, her gaze dropping to the dry shirt in reference. “that definitely puts my mind at ease then,” danika breathes out as relief catches up to her and she slips into the seat beside him. she lifts a hand and catches the bartender’s attention. “drink is on me so whatever you want whether that’s a beer or anything else. also, definitely no more koala-bearing. if i slip on a spill again then i’ll be sure to aim for the floor in my descent.” the last bit is a joke and chocolate hues flicker over to him, lips quirking upward to signify such. then the bartender appears and danika orders. “i’ll have a glass of whichever johnnie walker you have and whatever my friend here wants.”
Oliver glances over his shoulder in the direction of the table full of women, brushing his tongue along his lower lip before he turns to look back at her. "Is that supposed to be scary?" He teases, tapping his finger against the page in front of him. He knows he could instantly make up a tattoo that reminded him of her but he assumes that would be too much of a flirt. Sometimes people didn't even catch on to him flirting so the fact she had was enough to make the grin remain on his features. "Do you want to look at more?" He asks, picking up his sketchpad and holds it out to her. There were a bunch of different stylings, tattoo ideas, and more. He never stuck to one aesthetic, it always bored him not to expand to all designs. "I like the compliment. No one has ever told me how good my lines are." He smirks. "Professionally, I work at the parlor."
@bcrgamvts
the situation at hand felt oddly surreal while also holding humor to it. because what are the chances of her ending up sitting in a seat across from this … this mysterious stranger where flirting seemed to be his natural default setting ?? danika briefly felt like she was transported into one of those romance novels her sister forced her to read the last time she visited her in new york. his response manages to get a laugh bubbling out past her lips and danika watches him in amusement. “you say that now. wait until you have a conversation with them in their pack. there’s nothing more feral than middle aged women around younger attractive men,” danika answers, shaking her head lightly and taking a sip from her latte. her head nods almost immediately when he asks if she wants to see more and maybe she should feel sheepish, but she always appreciated good art. danika realizes her silence then adds, “if you don’t mind.” she knows sharing art with anyone can be something deeply personal and with plenty of artistic friends back home, danika understands not everyone is readily opening themselves and their art for opinions. she accepts the offered sketchpad with a small, close-lipped smile and flips to the next page. “maybe you’re not showing your art to the right people then,” danika offers, her tone laced in light teasing as dark hues flicker back up to him. “but i suppose people don’t have to be esteemed art critics to recognize skill and want it on them forever.” she pauses in consideration. “i imagine it must be fulfilling to know your art lives a life outside of your sketchpad and on so many people.”
Lainey smiled easily, grateful for the unspoken acceptance of their less-than-stellar track record of staying in touch. She knew it was a two-way street, but she also knew she had a tendency to become unreachable, to disappear off the face of the planet for months at a time. Sometimes, her own dad has to call a friend or a client to get through to her-- so it surely wasn't personal. But she relished relationships like hers and Charlie's, or hers and CJ's, where she could pop in and out without a lecture, without missing a beat.
Plucking a generously-loaded chip off of Charlie's nacho plate, Lainey took a bite and helped herself to a sip of his Coke to wash it down. "Thanks, bud," she smiled, turning forward to face him. "Your poor judgement is another man's lunch, or whatever they say," she joked. "No?" Lainey asked, resting her head on her hand, tilted to the side. "What's up with that?" Maybe they weren't close enough anymore to prod, but intrusive questions were one of Lainey's love languages, right alongside not being pissed off when she goes off-grid.
"It can be," Lainey agreed, plucking another nacho off the plate. "But you know me, I love being in the know." She lifted a shoulder in a shrug, hoping she wasn't pushing her luck with Charlie's goodwill. "Almost a month now. Getting settled and all before I made my rounds... but it sounds like you're inviting me over for dinner."
if there’s one thing charlie can appreciate about his friendship with lainey is that even with time spanning on the longer side since they last spoke ( or actually even saw each other ), it doesn’t really feel like it. as a teenager he never really understood when he would hear his parents or other adults claim time got away from them, but now in his thirties he’s starting to get an understanding. throw in the fact that he went ghost on so many of his friends in the year of his recovery post knee surgery, charlie finds himself to be understanding of patchy communication skills. amusement dances across his features as lainey makes herself comfortable plucking from his lunch and charlie rests his chin in his palm, silently watching. “my mom always told me when i was younger that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. guess she was right,” he answers in response, mirth lacing his tone. “as you said, works out in your favor.” charlie knew bringing up his parents even in a throwaway comment was a slippery slope. especially when the hawthorne’s were so well known around town. he shifts his seat and drops his hand, instead choosing to feign interest shuffling around the nachos in hopes of finding one with a sufficient amount of toppings. “you’ve met them before. not exactly the baking chocolate chip cookies and offering advice to your shit day type.” charlie ends up picking up a plain nacho chip and snaps it evenly down the middle before taking a small bite of one half. “not sure if i’ve told you before or if you know, but i work at an architecture firm in chicago. not working here in town alongside my father and cementing the hawthorne legacy leaves family christmases a bit strained,” charlie concedes unable to keep the undercurrent of bitterness out of his voice. blue hues flicker up at her comment and his lips are unable to stop from twitching upward into a ghost of a smile. “should i be honored that you found me and made time for a pit stop ?? “ he jokes. “if your answer is yes then it would be. but you know you’re always welcome over.” a playful smirk takes over his features. “what’s that saying ?? my food is your food and my house is your house ?? something like that.”
Dahlia could sympathize with the other’s struggle. At her descriptions, Lia had flashbacks to her time in college and the trap of deadlines and convenience that had a way of keeping people from taking proper care of themselves. “Smart choice,” she nodded as the other declined to go for slushies. “Jesus,” Lia muttered under her breath as she realized the other woman had gone basically an entire day without eating anything. She looked at the options available in the ready-to-go section, trying to find something that wouldn’t take too long to prepare. Her eyes landed on a pre-made chicken caesar salad. It wasn’t exactly gourmet, but it was better than another cup of coffee. “Here, how about this?” Dahlia suggested as she held up the salad. “It’s quick, easy, and actually food. Plus, I’m sure having something green right now wouldn’t hurt.” As she said the words, Lia’s eyes glanced over to the slushie machine. She really hadn’t eaten much better that day herself, so she was starting to second guess her own decision for slushies. “Don’t think you’ll make your deadline if you pass out from hunger and dehydration.”
suddenly danika feels like she’s back in college where she oftentimes ran off of coffee fumes and the sheer determination of elle woods. not that she could ever pursue something as intense as law when her childhood consisted of letting her imagination run wild through both writing and her drawings alike. she’s grateful that she’s able to pursue both now in her adult life ( given, they’re different jobs entirely even if they both have her wanting to tear her hair out at their own respective times ), even if the deadlines start to feel like a metaphorical shadow looming over her shoulder. or the monster under her bed. not everything will be peaches and rainbows despite doing what you love for a living. video game development with its long hours, constant reworkings, and tight deadlines left much to be desired, but danika thought it was oddly worth it once you saw your art applied within a game as others played. daunting but thrilling. danika is broken out of her train of thought once the other speaks again and chocolate hues blink rapidly before focusing on the salad being held up. “salad is much healthier than what i had in mind, but you’re giving me motivation to put effort in compared to my original idea of ramen,” danika chuckles and reaches to the refrigerated section to grab one of the pre-made cobb salads. “are you on your lunch break too or just restocking on snacks ??” the comment about dehydration is right in making danika feel sheepish. “i think you’re right. my boss would more annoyed than concerned by my withering into a husk since i’m pretty sure he has a tempurpedic cot in his office. that’s if he’s not secretly a robot and just puts himself in his charging port at the end of every day.”
Pleasantly surprised that his fellow concert-goer was actually carrying cash ( who even did that nowadays? ), Daniel nodded and reached into his wallet to provide him the twenty-dollar bill to exchange. “These will work perfectly – just have to show my appreciation!” he said, a sense of child-like excitement filling him. Daniel moved to the front of the stage, arm in the air holding the folded-up ten-dollar bill. He’d never personally tipped a performer before (always handing the bills to Jia or another friend), but the energy in the air made him feel a bold and a little adventurous. After a moment or so, Clare saw him and strutted her way to him, her sequined outfit sparkling under the stage lights. With a playful flick of her wrist, Clare Voyant accepted the tip. “Honey, with tips like these, you’re keeping me in glitter for life!” she quipped, eliciting laughter and applause from the crowd. Daniel blushed, feeling the warmth of the crowd’s reaction wash over him. He nodded at her, laughing good-naturedly and watched as she continued with her performance and collecting additional tips. As he made his way back to his previous spot in the crowd, he made eye contact with the man who’d offered him the cash, and pointed at him. “I owe you a beer, friend! Or whatever drink you want from one of the stands. That was all because of you!” Daniel called out, grinning brightly. This was what Pride was all about – celebrating together and creating memories to last a lifetime.
charlie accepts the money exchange and watches in amusement as the show unravels in front of him. audience participation was never something that called out to charlie despite his proclivity in high school to being the class clown and center of attention ( not due to vanity or anything, just his yapping abilities that went hand in hand with his position as captain of the soccer team ). he liked being in control of the situation where he put himself out there and crowd interactions with any performer left too many instances for a shoe to drop. so charlie likes hanging back and seeing people enjoy themselves as much as they are. it’s why he was willing to swap bills for the dark haired man to get a moment to interact with claire with how enthused he seemed to be. charlie grins over at him once she shimmies away. “i think you might be her new favorite fan, dude.” he says with a good natured laugh. the offer of a beer has him perk up and charlie extends his arm out. “lead the way. you don’t have to pull my arm about a free beer. glad you were able to get your moment though.” charlie sets out as they maneuver their way out of the growing crowd. “have you seen her perform before ??”
micah has been through his fair share of sticky situations in relationships, to put it lightly, but he can't say he's ever been in one as danika, caught between being stranded in the midwest with an ex or losing some money. "catch twenty-two," he offers by way of empathy. "listen, if i knew, i would've switched with you when i was still lookin' for a place." ruairi's not a bad roommate at all; also having a kid around the apartment made for some interesting times and no shortage of things to do. but if danika needed a scapegoat, he would've been her man. "if you ever need a tension buffer, just give me a call, alright?" it's like a bit he wrote once back in college: gay best friend periodically interrupts his best friend getting broken up with in a coffee shop only to reveal that he and the best friend's boyfriend had been fucking behind her back. actually, maybe it's not like that at all. "or just drop by the apartment, i'm sure ruairi won't mind you spendin' the night. i can sleep on the floor, it's no biggie."
sipping his iced latte through the paper straw (god, he hated these things; he's such a slow drinker, it always ends up breaking in his drink, but it's good for the environment and all that stuff he'd already publicly claimed to care about), he mumbles, "i'm sure my dad can tell you all about that," on the matter of moving to your partner's hometown. but the guy's loaded, so his staying in blue harbor was more of a personal choice than it was a financial one. "the plan was just for the summer or so. least 'til my internship at my dad's firm is over. or until i do enough law courses to make 'em think i'm taking the law thing seriously again. whichever comes first." he shrugs, setting his drink down and wiping the cold moisture on his fingers against his jean-clad knee. "but it's... weird. this is the first time both my parents are living close enough to buy their shit at the same grocery store in like, twenty-five years. i think it's a good thing, know what i mean? and it's pathetic, but..." he chuckles, shaking his head at himself for even admitting it out loud, "but i kinda wanna make the most of it. you know, while it lasts."
danika has to think that her current situation is some kind of frustrating learning experience … or a punishment. for what exactly she isn’t quite sure, but it definitely has to be some cosmic lesson sent her way. whether it be for something she did in a past life or maybe she accidentally elbowed an elderly woman when walking in a rush on the streets of new york. micah’s presence lessens the overall bite of the situation. he’s a sweet kid and for as much as she longs to be back amongst the brownstones of the upper west side, having micah across from her feels a little bit like home away from home. a comforting companion in the way that ravi would be if it were him sitting with her. his offers has a gentle smile pull at danika’s features. “you’re a sweetheart,” she replies in earnest before adding with a slight wave of her hand. “i think ravi would give me the silent treatment if he found out that we were roommates before you and he could be.” danika laughs and eats another fragmented part of her bagel. “i might actually take you up on that offer sooner than you might think. more so, hanging out rather than kicking you out of your own bed and making you sleep on the floor. i’d feel too bad. but how do you feel about karaoke ??” the mention of micah’s father gives her a moment of pause, peering at the younger from under her eyelashes as she chooses to fiddle with her iced latte, swirling the straw around the drink and mixing in the caramel syrup settling at the bottom. she’s aware in a broad sense of micah’s father, never having really met the guy but she knows stand up is where micah’s true interest lies rather than law. he’s always been funny, even when they grew up alongside one another and having made danika laugh more times than she can count. it’s for those reasons that she holds a moderate dislike for micah’s father, though it’s one she won’t ever vocalize considering it’s hardly her place to say such an opinion. she sips her drink and stays silent. “are you at the point where you’re choosing classes in a specific field of law ?? i’m sure you look dapper in one of those fancy corporate suits like they wear in law procedural shows if you have to wear them for your internship. unless i’m thinking of those british law schools and their legacy rules.” danika stops her stirring at micah’s next comment. while she was fortunate to have parents whose love and marriage persisted after many years and to this day, she understands micah's circumstances. divorce is never a fun ordeal and especially so when it happens when you’re young. “hey,” danika starts, tone more serious as she leans slightly forward with a frown to look at micah. “it’s not pathetic, so don’t even think of it like that. it’s normal to want your parents close by and enjoy having them both being a short distance away from you. even if it’s not family dinner then it’s still something.”
Open Starter: Pride Event
Nerves weren't something that Dante ever felt when it came to performing. The stage was like his second home. Inviting and oh-so encouraging. Anything he did was a form on art up there. Once his fingers graced his guitar and his gaze fell upon the crowd an entire different Dante emerged. While he originally planned on ending his music career when his grandma passed, Dante was plagues by the thoughts of her scolding him from beyond the grave. His pawpaw was more than eager to remind him of that constantly, which he greatly appreciated, but there was no way Dante was leaving the state any time soon. Performing at home though? That brought back so many good memories from his start. From practicing around with the band, to performing their very first show together. Dante remembered just how excited they had all been that first night. "Where should we go first?" Dante asked, handing them a drink and sipping his own, "I have no clue what it is, by the way. One of the plenty cocktails from The Labyrinth today. Drunken Barney? - I think was the name. Super tasty though, so slow sips. You know how they tend to creep up."
danika has been to her fair share of pride events in new york city come june each year and it was truly something she looked forward to. the overall environment was always one of acceptance and joy — just people looking to enjoy themselves in a place where they were in a community of others who understood. it took danika some time to fully be loud and proud of her own bisexuality after some choice belittling comments from old exes who were irrelevant and thought it was a phase. blue harbor is certainly not new york city … it’s much smaller for starters, and danika can’t help but feel a little homesick, longing for the familiarity of pride in new york. but she has to suck it up ‘cause she’s not here to kill her own vibe or anyone else’s and especially not when the event is meant to be one of happiness. there’s no time like the present, right ?? and what better way to get more familiar with the people in town then join in on the fun ?? it’s why she accepts the drink from whoever’s beside her, already a little loose from a shot of liquid confidence a couple minutes prior. “i was about to ask you the same thing,” danika answers with a laugh and accepts the offered drink. “you probably know better than i do where the fun is.” she takes a sip from the drink and her nose immediately scrunches. “is that rum ?? i wasn’t expecting that from a drink that looks like you just mushed different colored play-do’s together. kind of reminds me of one of those secret menu starbucks drinks.” despite her commentary, danika takes another slip, mindful to pace herself according to his suggestion. “what number drink is that for you ??”
WHO: open starter !!WHERE: rally stage WHEN: june 23rd, 7:34PM
Pride was Daniel’s favorite holiday. It was a time that not only helped him celebrate his sister, but also a time to reflect on several decades of self-discovery and coming to terms with his own identity. Spending most of his life thinking of himself as a straight man, and then at the ripe-old age of 35 coming to terms that he was, in fact, not had been a lot. But he’d settled comfortably into his queer identity and figuring out what it all meant to him. All that to say, Pride represented so much to him, there really was no match for his favorite time of year. As the sun began to fall, Daniel rushed through the crowds towards the Rally Stage where the much-anticipated Drag Showcase was set to begin soon. The crowds were buzzing with excitement and chatter and Daniel weaved through to secure a spot near the front. The show began and the first performer, Clare Voyant, took to the stage sparkling in a bedazzling sequined outfit. Daniel’s eyes shimmered as the opening notes of Meghan Trainor’s ‘Me Too’ blasted out of the speakers. Clare’s stage presence was utterly captivating as she lip-synced and danced across the stage. At one point, Clare was on his side of the stage and Daniel swore she made eye contact with him and winked. His cheeks flushed, a giddy feeling in his chest at the attention, and he immediately turned to the person that found themselves beside him. “God, I have a crush,” Daniel laughed. “Sorry to ask, do you have change for a twenty?”
it’s been just over a decade since charlie became aware of his bisexuality and slowly settled into it. high school was enough of a hurdle on its own to jump over, but mix in discovering he was attracted to boys in his grade just as much as certain girls ... and it was certainly a confusing time. college certainly helped him carve out aspects of his identity as he had the freedom of being away from blue harbor and in a different state entirely for those four years. any kind of self-acceptance and being confident in oneself is a journey. charlie’s been well aware of such a fact for years as he attended a multitude of pride events, albeit more of an observer than an active participant in some of the festivities. less to do with any type of shame in his sexuality — just him being unsure of where to step in and be involved. it felt different than the high school or college parties he’d find himself at the center of. being an observer enjoying the events instead of being smack in the center was nice and it meant that he got to watch the drag show at the rally stage among the excitement in the crowd. charlie knows he’s been to one or two drag shows in chicago, but his memory is a but muddled from the amount of drinks he had those nights. nevertheless, memory or not, it didn’t take away from the raw charismatic force that was clare voyant dancing on the stage. charlie was a confident guy, but nowhere near her ability to put on a show as she was. even if her song choice wasn’t his particular favorite ( meghan trainor never particularly stood out to him as a strong pop-star contender ). even so, the show was enjoyable and her costume looked like it took real dedication in time and effort. there’s so many sparkles. he’s nodding his head along to the song, enjoying the performance of a lifetime that clare is giving when the person beside him speaks up and charlie turns to him. “she’s certainly captivating,” he offers as a response, smile twisting at the ends of his lips. his question has charlie pull his wallet out from his back pocket where he holds up a ten bill and two fives. “not sure if you’re looking for singles or if these will do ?? but you can have these if they work just as well.”
x. status -> open starter x. location -> o'shea's irish pub
Bars. Damian hates how commonplace bars have become as the prime location for a first date. And everything else, really. Want to hang out? Let's go to a bar. Want to meet up? Let's go to a bar. Still want to talk after dinner? Let's head to a bar. It's bad enough having to sit surrounded by the one substance he's quite literally spent the past six years struggling to keep away from — but having to explain to a person he's only just meeting for the first time why he's not having a drink with them, too? He'd rather spend the evening stabbing at his eye with a pencil.
Still. He'd promised Sofia he'd "put himself out there" at least twice a month, and he doesn't know how she finds out whether or not he's lying, but she does. It's as impressive as it is terrifying. He wouldn't be surprised if his sister had hired spies to follow him around, or something. Either way, he's here now, nursing a Sprite (the bartender had given him a dirty look when he'd tried just ordering a water, so he did what he had to do, alright) at the bar and checking his phone for the fifth time to try and get an ETA from this app-date.
Still nothing. He sighs and locks his phone, then surreptitiously does a breath check. His lips curl into a disgusted frown — did bar peanuts really do this? Seriously? He looks to his left and leans over at the person nearest to him, waving awkwardly. "Hey, sorry to bother," he clears his throat. "Do you happen to have a mint or something? I've just smelled my own breath and am lucky I didn't pass out."
danika can count on one hand the amount of times she’s inhabited o’shea’s irish pub and she’s hoping it stays that way. not for her own dislike of the pub — it’s actually quite nice in terms of interior decoration and general vibe, but more to do with her first instance at the place was the direct night after calling off her engagement. so … not very happy experiences were found at the bar top where she guzzled vodka cranberries like they were water. they most definitely were not water if her hangover the next day was anything to go by. though, danika was nothing if not a supportive friend and with the small amount she currently has in blue harbor, she took unexpectedly running into damian as a sign. her love life may have failed spectacularly with the past five years spiraling down into the toilet, but who was she to stand in the way as a possible wingwoman for damian ?? given, her position at the bar a few seats down had little to do with hyping up her friend ( she was certain that damian was able to charm a date with his humor and freakishly long eyelashes alone ) and more as an emergency option in case things were shit. such date is seemingly late as damian checks his phone again while danika peers at him from her peripheral vision. she’s sipping at her shirley temple ( whether it’s her second for the night is whatever — grenadine was delicious and she was always a sucker for the maraschino cherries ) while automatically pressing down on the rolling dice in her open app game of monopoly go. her attention perks at the sound of damian’s voice, wondering if the date finally showed up, but realizing he was only talking to her when she glances over. “well, i don’t think anyone is really judging someone’s dental hygiene at the bar when they all smell like beer and peanut salt,” danika answers, but nevertheless fishes into her purse that’s hanging off the claw under the bar top and pulls out a dispenser of tic-tac’s. “if i’m gonna be honest, there might be an explosion in your mouth from the taste combination of sprite and tic-tac’s. unless i’m thinking of altoids.” her tone is kept light in an attempt to alleviate any nerves damian may have from his date’s tardiness. she extends out the container with raised eyebrows. “i’m sure your breath isn’t that bad.”
x. status -> open starter x. location -> happy tails
In lieu of a dog, Rory's promised Annie a guinea pig. He'd figured it'd be easier upkeep than a dog, at least — less strain on the bills, and still something Annie could pick up and spoil. The compromise was settled the day before yesterday, though you'd think it'd been a fortnight instead with how long Annie's been deliberating between guinea pigs. Rory sees no difference in any of them, frankly — there's a brown one, and a white one, and a brown and white one — but you'd think they were each from a different planet, with how closely his six-year-old's inspecting them.
“You know the store won’t be open forever, monkey,” he reminds his daughter, half-amused, half-exasperated. “You’ll need to make up your mind soon.”
Annie hums thoughtfully for the umpteenth time. “Just a sec,” she tells him. Just a sec. She’s picked that up recently, just a sec. Probably at school, or from one of her friends. She repeats it incessantly, and sounds proud every time she says it out loud. She looks up at the poor floor attendant that’s been hovering awkwardly behind them for quite some time now. “Can I see the hamsters?”
Rory sighs. “The hamsters?” Annie looks up at him pleadingly, and like the very brave and indomitable man he is, he gestures his permission for the attendant to lead Annie across the aisle, where the hamsters are kept. He stays a couple of feet away, still within eyesight, and eyes the guinea pigs sympathetically. “Tough luck, there, buds. Looks like you might be sticking around longer than you thought.”
He doesn’t realize someone’s near enough to him to listen to him speak to animals that will not, in fact, speak back to him, until he catches them through his peripheral. He clears his throat, smiles apologetically. “Sorry,” he tells them. “You hang out with a six-year-old for long enough, you’ll find yourself talking to just about anything that breathes.”
charlie isn’t entirely sure when he became an errand boy for his sister, but he knows if he were to point out his seemingly new occupation to her she’d shrug and tell him that he can’t complain when she’s the only one in their family he can tolerate. which … is true. but it also means that he gets random texts from her to pick up her dry cleaning when he’s back from work since it’s on his way home. despite the fact he commutes daily to chicago and would prefer to just rest when he’s home. charlie is quite fond of not being on the receiving end of a death stare from his sister or the head slaps she gives him on occasion. so instead he’s sucking it up and buying dog food that she’s running low on with the silver lining of seeing said dog ( more horse than anything else with the size of the damn thing. charlie is a bit weak when it comes to seeing murdock since the bernese mountain dog is a gentle giant and it allows him the companionship of a pet without the responsibility ). he’s trekking through the pet shop, eyes glued to his phone as he searches through past messages with his sister where she mentioned the brand name of the food she gets. charlie is just a bit lost when it comes to where exactly. he’s broken out of his mission at the sound of a voice nearby speaking to him. when he looks up and sees it’s rory, a smile easily filters across his features. “i don’t even have a six year old, so i have no excuse for the amount of times i catch myself talking to no one,” he jokes as a chuckle bubbles out past his lips. “i take it annie isn’t too far. what’s she manage to wrangle you into this time ??”
She’d just finished with a visit to her dad’ place, and found herself craving a red slushie from Dreamland. She’d been standing in front of the machine trying to decide what size cup she wanted when she heard someone ask a question. Dahlia turned her head, and saw the woman’s hand before following the (albeit shaky) limb up to the other’s face. “‘Fraid so,” Dahlia commented with a nod. “If you were aiming to switch to slushies, I’d advise against it. I don’t think sugar’s gonna help your situation right now.” It was a light hearted joke, but now, Lia was intrigued. “Can I ask what required three plus coffees? And when’s the last time you ate something…?” Her eyes narrowed as she tried sizing the other up. “...that didn’t com out of a vending machine?”
@bcrgamvts
the goal itself was fairly simple — find something quick and easy to make so that she could have lunch and not resort to just making another coffee out of laziness. that’s how her day has been since starting her work day from her home office. danika will say it’s in part of the strict deadline approaching for her character designs … cooking took more time than brewing another pot of coffee. except now her stomach was in tangles, she was mildly dehydrated, and she needed to eat something to absorb all the excess caffeine. if that’s how the human body and science worked. “slushies are tempting, but i may save those for another day,” danika replies, her gaze staying locked on the machine and betraying her words. she shakes her head and looks at the brunette beside her, lowering her hands. well, shoves them in her sweatshirt pockets to hide her fidgeting. “i would say maybe, like, dinner last night ??” danika pauses with eyebrows knitting in thought before nodding in confirmation. “last night, yeah. to be fair, i woke up late this morning and i work from home, and there’s this deadline approaching. so coffee was easy to make and one became two and two became three and here i am. searching for food. i’m hoping something relatively filling will absorb the mess in my stomach.”
who: Lainey & Charlie ( @bcrgamvts ) where: the Tres Amigos food truck!
Classically, between all the commotion and trying to find CJ and the parade itself, Lainey had totally forgotten to eat. It was just hot enough that that was about to be a problem, so she tore herself away from the group to seek out something deliciously heavy. Free water bottle in hand courtesy of BHCH, Lainey joined the Tres Amigos line... and then quickly abandoned it for an already-occupied picnic table and a familiar shock of blonde hair. "Hey stranger," Lainey announced as she swung her legs over the bench. "You almost done with that?" she asked, dropping a hand into the nacho tray and plucking one for herself. Sure, it'd been years, and sure, Lainey'd done a shitty job of keeping up with Charlie-- but why get weighed down in the weeds? They were both adults. Their lives had naturally grown apart. "I've been meaning to stop by your parents' place," she explained, the closest to apologetic Lainey would get. "I just... kind of didn't want to get into the whole... everything," she waved a hand in the air, hoping that Charlie would know what she meant. Or pretend to.
while the weather was proving to be a great day for the pride event, it certainly was doing a number on charlie. he came prepared with sunglasses to keep the sun out of his eyes and made sure to cover every inch of exposed skin ( face included ) with sunscreen, so he didn’t come out of today resembling a lobster. one less thing his sister could clown him on the next time he saw her. his stomach started making its unhappy presence known two hours in and eager to sit down for some rest, he managed to get in line for tres amigos before the line became as huge as it was now. his assortment of a mexican coke, a plate of nachos, and tamales were the result of skipping out on breakfast, but charlie momentarily feared his eyes may have been bigger than his stomach in that moment. that was until a familiar voice appeared near him and blue hues blinked up. “hey yourself,” charlie greets in response, removing the glasses from his face and perching them on his head. it’d been a hot minute since the two of them saw one another, let alone talked, but in the moment it didn’t really feel as such. “take what you want. i may have been overly ambitious.” charlie’s fingers pick apart the tamale and shove a piece of chicken into his mouth. he chews as lainey continues, nose scrunching at the mention of stopping by his parent’s place. more to do with his parents than the idea of a visit from lainey herself. “if there’s one place you won’t catch me it’s at my parents’,” charlie replies with an upward quirk of his lips. “everything, huh ?? a bit overrated if you ask me.” he uses a free hand to push the plate of nachos toward lainey. almost like an olive branch. “i live in deer park now, by the way. if you find yourself making house visits. how long have you been back in town ??”
> Dreamland Market. Open.
Cap: 3
The meetings had been becoming more frequent in Weaver Ridge. A lot of the staff for the project seemed unnerved by the area, but all Magda could see was untapped potential. Once a bustling area providing much industry for Blue Harbor, now a mere ghost town of abandoned warehouses and boarded up shop fronts.
There were few services here. A couple of pubs — O'Shea's seemed to be more in the public favor than the infamous Pour House — a gas station and a small convenience store. That's where Magda found herself that evening, after finishing meeting with the senior surveyor at the warehouse her company were interested in purchasing. It was quiet, perhaps a bit too quiet, not even a gentle melody on the overhead radio could be heard. Even the harsh overhead fluorescents were little comfort. After gathering her essentials: milk, snack bars for the days she was too busy for a sit-down meal, a magazine book of puzzles to keep her entertained, she headed toward the un-manned cash register, looking around in confusion.
"Oh — sorry!" Magda called out to the nearest figure, both relieved and on edge at there only being this stranger inside with her. "I just... Do you work here?"
the day being presented to danika was proving to be one that was average at best. most of her day consisted of having to work through conceptual character art sketches with last minute feedback despite providing the sketches well over a week ago and her supervisor only getting it to her that morning. when final drafts were due tomorrow. so definitely not the happiest of days as danika stayed hunched over her tablet, redesigning her art to make such modifications despite finding the edits unnecessary. she’s been wearing her prescription blue light glasses that she’d gotten from her optometrist before she left new york for blue harbor, but even with them she found herself fighting off an eye ache. any effort she initially wanted to put into trying a new creamy chicken and orzo dish ( courtesy of tiktok ), her energy was sucked bone dry by the time she ended for the day. the closest she could get to orzo were the yummy pink ramen cups they sold at dreamland market. swap out water for milk and toss in some shredded cheese and it’ll have her feeling somewhat at ease. though, the lack of a cashier unfortunately kept this cheesy future from materializing as danika wandered the aisles. she nearly jumps at the sudden voice and danika whrils around, arms full off ramen boxes. “no, i don’t. unfortunately. do … you ?? i’m assuming no since you're asking me,” danika answers with a chuckle as she glances around the seemingly empty store. “i wonder where the workers are. i hope this isn’t the start of some horror movie type shit.”
