Tempered Steel

Bernard Dreyer | Carpenter I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain— and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light. - Robert Frost

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

@alexxandra-malcolm

Bernard’s path meandered about the town, going nowhere and everywhere as the past held his thoughts in a vice. He wished he had a shit memory, so desperately wished he didn’t remember the date of every galloped over stepping-stone. The day they met, he recognised the date last night which had him drinking like it did every year since. Jesse’s unexpected arrival cut through his self-inflicted haze, the chase for oblivion that happened every year since. 

The sharp scent of yeast flashed a memory of her, laughing as he tried his best to distract her from the loaf rising on the counter. It stung. His feet carried him towards the source as his mind recollected every detail of her face skewed in mild annoyance that melted into amusement. Distantly he heard a small bell chime and the warmth drew him into the present.

Not to seem out of place he hurried to the nearest shelf, frowned at the prices but grabbed a random loaf and made his way to the counter. Attention drawn to searching his pockets for his wallet, he mumbled a greeting and cursed as leather landed on the floor. He descended to grab it, wanting this ordeal to be over as quickly as it could be. As he rose, a ghost apparated in front of him. 

“Theresa?”

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

☆ + Why are you letting Jesse stay at your place? Don't you think he should go back to his parents?

Because he needs a place to stay. I don’t know the situation, it’s really none of my business. Something happened, he needed space, I have a couch and food. It’s as simple as that.

I think Jesse is capable of making his own decisions and dealing with those consequences. He’s a smart kid.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

☆ + Hottest ladies in Lakewood?

I’m not- I don’t-  please no. Goodbye.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

☆ + Describe your previous relationship?

It was ... the best time of my life. She was ... way out of my league. I still don’t know how I managed to convince her to go out on one date with me. She probably agreed out of pity or just because she was nice. But that date did happen and everything was ... wonderful. I couldn’t get enough of her and, thankfully, she found me interesting enough to stick around. This is embarrassing but I tried to write her poems, I never showed her, they were horrible. But I just- I found my future in her. I wanted to share every moment I could with her, I wanted to show her ... everything. I wanted to grow old with her. I wanted to see what our home would look like, what our yard with our child would look like, what we would look like. But- I ... I was an idiot, I hurt her. I never wanted do, but I did. And she left, to better places and things. Now I’m here.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

☆ + Not a question, but you should adopt a puppy. ~Jesse

... We’ll see.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

☆ + What do you look for in a relationship?

The past. Listen, I’m not really ... I’m too old, past the expiration date, all that.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

☆ + Favorite people in Lakewood?

You’re asking a guy who lives in a cabin out in buttfuck nowhere if he likes people? I mean, sorry to disappoint but the list isn’t that long. Jesse grew on me. Aiden’s alright when he’s not trying to seduce me or grab my dick. And- I worry about Aurora. I’m sure there’s good people in Lakewood, I just ... I’ll stick to the woods. 

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

jesse-cw:

Jesse had taken the liberty to grab himself an ashtray and lit a smoke while Bernard was heating up the stew. It wasn’t pot, but it was better than nothing, and it helped taking his mind off his problems a bit. When Bernard returned from the kitchen, Jesse wanted to ask him if he could also have a beer, but decided not to, as he felt like he was already pushing it with the man’s hospitality. “Thanks.” he murmured when Bernard put the bowl in front of him on the table. 

Jesse had to think for a bit before answering Bernard’s question. Although he still didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk, he didn’t want to be rude either. “Maybe that’s why they’re here. They like cougars.” Jesse joked, referencing the double meaning of the word. His lips curled up into a forced smile before he took a drag from cigarette. “I don’t know, dude. It’s just nice there. Quiet. The only person you ever see around there is a scary old man carrying a rifle, but as it turns out, he’s kinda cool, so..”

“They must be thoroughly disappointed with me.” Bernard gave a quiet chuckle, lightly shaking his head before leaning forward to grab the poker and tend to the fire.

“You don’t need to kiss ass, I already said you could stay.” Rising back, he reached out and gently pushed at Jesse’s head, “And I’m not old.”

[roleplaymmemes]

Send me ☆ + a question and my muse will have to answer it truthfully with absolute honesty

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

jesse-cw:

Jesse let out a sigh of relief when Bernard agreed to let him stay over for at least a night without asking questions. It was honestly one night more than he was expecting to get. Feeling somewhat more at ease, he kicked off his shoes though he kept his jacket on as he was still feeling rather cold. In an attempt to get warmer as well as help himself relax, he pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. 

A small smile appeared on his features when Bernard gave him the blanket and put the stereo on. Nirvana, his favorite. He was surprised the older male even remembered that. Jesse wanted to say something snarky about it only taking forty - or fifty - years for Bernard to expand on his limited music library, but he was afraid that if he would open his mouth to say anything, that the emotions he was trying so hard to suppress right now would fly out again. So, instead he hoped a smile would be enough to let Bernard know that he appreciated it, the music and the hospitality in general.

Focus on the stove, he did catch the smile out of the corner of his eye and found the corner of his mouth quirking up in response. It only took a few minutes for the stew to warm up and he poured a bowl before returning to his armchair and his beer.

“What’s with the kids in town coming into the woods?” He spoke into the lip of his bottle as he moved to take a swig, “Especially alone. In winter. There’s cougars.” 

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

jesse-cw:

Jesse was shaking from the cold, as well as from all the emotions that were coursing through his body right now. As Bernard ushered him inside, he started to question whether this was a good idea after all, since he didn’t even know Bernard that well. Hell, they never even had a conversation where Jesse wasn’t high as a kite. Somewhat reluctantly, Jesse sat down on the man’s couch and put his bag besides him. He fumbled with the zipper on his leather jacket, debating whether he should take it off or not. 

“Hungry?” he repeated, the word barely registering in his mind. “I guess. Wait, no. I mean, not really. I just…” Jesse paused, biting down on his bottom lip for a bit. “Can I.. Can I stay here?”

Hearing the request, Bernard closed his eyes and inhaled, taking a moment to think after mumbling a soft, “For tonight yes, no questions asked.” He had to be careful about this, approaching the situation wrestling with his morality. 

Memory had him floating back to a foggy night, drenched and shivering on a familiar doorstep only for warm concern to turn cold as the door was pushed closed. Hindsight brought understanding, fear of consequence makes kind people revoke their hands. Opening his eyes he took in Jesse, exhaled, and moved to a cupboard. He would deal with the consequences when they came.

Bernard returned with a couple of blankets and a pillow, dumping them unceremoniously onto the couch. As he passed, his hand landed on the kid’s shoulder with a light squeeze, leaving to turn on the stereo that started playing Nirvana before he went to the kitchen to reheat some stew.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

jesse-cw:

Closed starter // @bernardxdreyer

Jesse had managed to sneak out of the house with a small bag of clothes and a few paint supplies. It was perhaps childish for someone his age to run away from home, but as for now, Jesse couldn’t deal with the questions as to why he wanted to leave, and he knew Jane would have a lot of those. After their last conversation he just couldn’t face her, so he ignored every call and text she send to his phone. How more obvious could he make it that he wanted to be left alone by her, by everyone?

He wasn’t sure where he could go to, as the blonde didn’t have a lot of friends. There was Pierre, but that guy still lived at home with his parents too, and he didn’t think Giselle and Nadine would keep quiet about where he was to his two dads. There was one other person that he knew that might let him stay over for a bit, but he also knew that it was a bit of a longshot. However, it wasn’t like he had any other option right now, and it was too cold to stay outside for the night. 

Still looking and feeling very distraught, he knocked on the door of Bernard’s cabin in the woods. Jesse was a little surprised he still remembered the location, considering the state he was in last time. He hoped he still looked the same to Bernard, even though his red and puffy eyes weren’t from smoking pot this time around. The last thing he wanted right now were a bunch of difficult to answer questions, as that was the very thing he was trying to escape.

The night was quiet, though to be fair every night was quiet this far out. Maybe he should get a dog. Bernard took in the state of his cabin and shook his head, where would he even get a dog. This idea was sounding better and better the longer he thought about it, which meant it was that time of beer where every idea sounded awesome.

Bernard froze, turning his head towards the noise and furrowing his brow. At this hour? He reached for his ax before he made his way to the door, cautious as ever. Only crazy was out in the woods this late, which explained him but the possible threat behind the door had him steeling himself as he cracked it open. 

One look at Jesse had him flinging it open, disregarding the ax and ushering the kid inside. Questions weighed down on his tongue as concern etched into his features, but he figured pestering was on the list of things that probably drove this idiot to his doorstep in the first place.

“You hungry?”

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

carsonerie:

Camera in hand, Carson had just entered the woods. He had only gotten a few feet in, maybe a yard or two, before he heard the snap of a branch behind him. Pausing abruptly, he turned to see who it was, before his features stretched with a grin. “Hey!” He said in his usual chipper tone. “What are you doing out here?” 

Food had started to run low, which meant that Bernard was out hunting, hoping for a deer but settling on the 2 quail currently strung together and dangling off his pack. Not minding himself, he cursed as he cracked a twig, knowing that would’ve scattered any nearby game. As if the kid nearby hadn’t done that already.

“Hunting. You should watch yourself. Cougars out, keep your eyes up.”

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

mrsaurorafraser:

“I just…” Her entire body was telling her to get out of the truck and walk away. They could never find out what she did, she almost left them alone and she felt a tremendous amount of guilt for her actions. “Logan… She just looks so much like him. I don’t know what to say to them, I really don’t.”

He tried to empathise, focusing on the herculean task of admitting weakness and confronting internal demons, struggles that were now his old friends. Compound all that complexity with the added factor of children and the situation seemed impossible. But in the vast darkness, a small optimistic light winked at him, urging his next words, 

“Treat them as you would an adult, they’re not stupid, Aurora, they know you’re struggling but they don’t have all the information needed to help you even though they want to. Help yourself by being honest with them. Don’t be brutal, that’ll only hurt them, but you have to admit the painful truth in order to heal from it.”

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

three things about your character that people don't know about?

(Just assuming this is for Bernard. I might make separate posts for Naomi and Mei.)

1. He’s very cautious in terms of regarding his self-control, leading to him to be extremely hesitant to approach certain topics or options. He sees his past life as a dark sickness he’s still fighting to this day, like an addiction. Thus he avoids anything to do with computers and refuses to use any technology beyond a Nokia brick and stereo.

2. Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is his go-to karaoke song and he rocks it. Other hits include Elton John’s “Rocket Man” and George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”

3. He’s always yearning for a family and his dreams and nightmares involve gaining or losing a child. This leads him to be very good with children although his no bullshit approach is an unconventional parenting style. He also highly views mothers in general and finds himself kinder and more willing to help them.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

Back from hiatus, if you had an interaction with Bernard, Naomi, and Mei please read.

So if I haven’t replied to a thread we have please like this so I know who I need to reply to. I have some drafts on Bernard I’ll work thru. Then I’ll dive into replying to new starters.

[bernardxdreyer-blog]

Bernard Moodboard #1