post modern anxiety

Adrian smiled, easy and genuine, the kind that didn't feel like he was performing for once. Brayden wasn't wrong and he appreciated that he didn't posture about it. "Yeah," he said nodding as they moved closer to the tables. "That's exactly it. Half the battle is not letting someone else decide how serious you're supposed to be." He picked up a cue from the rack, tested the weight in his hand like muscle memory kicking in. Comfortable, familiar, low pressure. He liked this version of the night - no stakes, no reputations to defend, no expectations hanging overhead. It let his shoulders drop without him even realizing it.

"I can do warnings," Adrian added with a quiet laugh. "I'm pretty good at reading the point where fun turns into stubborn pride, usually in myself first." A brief, self aware glance over at Brayden before he lined up the balls. "If I start squinting too hard or going quiet, that's your cue to remind me this is supposed to be enjoyable." He racked the balls, straightened and stepped back to offer Brayden the break with an open palm.

"Thank you for agreeing with me. I am glad that I'm not the only person that thinks that way." Brayden mentioned to Adrian as he looked at the other and smiled softly. "Alright. I like to think that I am good with knowing where fun turns into trouble." Brayden chuckled a bit while looking at the other man. "Alright, I will keep you posted on whether you're being too much. But I will say is that if you seem me cursing under my breath then you need to do the same thing as well." He assured the other. He smiled softly as the other racked the balls up and then he squatted down and shot, hitting a nice break, but nothing went in.

Adrian shook his head with a quiet laugh, easing back a little as if the pressure had gone out of the moment. "Hey, being honest about it already puts you ahead of half the people who pick up a cue," he said. "Most folks talk a big game and then spend the whole night blaming the table." His eyes drifted back to the pool tables, pausing there a moment. "Honestly, winning someone's cash holds zero appeal right now, even by mistake." A relaxed shrug followed his words. "Winning respect would do fine instead." Maybe they could pretend it was nothing more than training rounds, keeping things light. That way, nobody ended up annoyed.

He tipped his bottle toward Brayden, a small grin tugging at his mouth. "And subpar's not the end of the world. Pool's one of those things where half the fun is pretending you meant to miss that shot. Couple games sound good, though. Low stakes, no trash talk. If either of us starts taking it too seriously, we pull the plug." Adrian pushed off the bar, already halfway committing. "C'mon," he said. "Worst case, we drink another beer and blame the lighting."

"I think people that talk a big game but then can't back it up they are really trying to play a mind game to get you to slip and then they can go in for the win. You have to be smart though and not allow people to do that." Brayden mentioned, smiling softly at the other. "That's really respectable of you and I appreciate that honestly because it's not always about the money. It's nice that you can make it about the money when you want to, but it doesn't have to go that way." Looking towards the pool tables that were on the floor, he was trying to eye up which one he wanted to sign the two of them up for.

"Alright." Brayden let out another chuckle when Adrian said that they were going to pull the plug if it got too serious. "Listen, I'm not going to say that it won't happen because there is always that chance so you might just have to give me a couple of warnings before you actually pull the plug." Brayden shot a wink over to Adrian quickly before then moving towards the tables with him as well. "Exactly, sounds like it'll be a good time regardless."

Adrian admired the ease with which Brayden ordered. Trusting the wrong people sure was one of the ways to learn harsh lessons that you don't forget even if you want to. He liked that Brayden was straightforward about it without any bravado. "Yeah," Adrian replied, this time he was quieter, less amused and more understanding. "You only have to get burned once or twice before you start recognizing the people worth listening to." He rolled the bottle between his fingers. "You become selective."

Reacting to a question about pool, he let out a laugh. "Yep," he admitted, "I do play. It's not like I'm in a league or anything, but I know enough to be able to keep up with the others." He gave a slight smirk. "It's when I'm playing casually that I'm best. Once someone starts talking trash, I either lock in or completely lose interest, there's no middle ground." He glanced toward the pool tables, then back at Brayden. "You asking because you want to play," he added, "or because you're trying to see if you can take my money after the beer's done its job?"

"Awesome, that's great to hear then. Maybe we can get a game or two in if you'd like." He mentioned to Adrian as he looked at him. "Oh I mean I play but I don't know if I'm that good. If you want to play for some money then we certainly can but I will be honest and say that you'll probably whoop me. I'm not going to even pretend." Brayden replied as he smirked and then sipped from his beer. "I wish I was good though, but I guess it's not the end of the world to be subpar at pool."

Adrian chuckled softly and gave Brayden a little tip of his bottle. "Exactly," he said, nodding. "You go along with it because you trust the person suggesting it, not because you actually want a messed up drink." He grinned, glancing at his bottle. It's funny how that idea applied to more than just beer. He took another drink, feeling his shoulders ease as the noise around them faded into a low buzz. "I think I've just learned my limits," Adrian said, sounding thoughtful rather than defensive. "I like knowing where I stand. Doesn't mean I won't try new things, just means I don't feel the need to prove anything by doing it."

A comfortable quiet settled between them. Adrian looked at Brayden again. "Anyway," he said easily, raising his bottle one more time, "solid choice tonight, can't go wrong with that."

The bartender came over and he decided to go with a tall of the seasonal lager. He pulled some cash out and he was ready to hand over to the person who was assisting him in his order. "Right, I know exactly what you are talking about. I sometimes trust too many people when it comes to this and it certainly has come back to bite me in the ass so now I have to be more careful." Brayden responded. "There's nothing that you need to prove when it comes to anything honestly. I like you're thinking on that because there's too much pressure in the world to prove that you aren't too scared to try something, but like if it's not for you then it's not for you." Brayden shrugged before turning back around slightly to receive his drink and pay for it.

Turning back towards Adrian so that they were looking at one another again, "Thanks for the suggestion, I owe it to you." He said as he raised his glass slightly then sipped from it. "Do you play pool at all?"

#adriansinclair

zaidhassani

it wasn't his first coffee of the day, wasn't his second either. it was third, but the other two before didn't count. not really. they were coffee pods from a machine that had seen better days, but this? this was the kind of golden nectar that would leave a quiet buzz beneath his skin.

he'd barely registered the coffee, but he'd caught the way the barista smiled at him patiently, like she was waiting for him to make up his mind. with a look towards the other and a clear path paved, he offered a kind smile of his own and stepped up. "i'll take a triple espresso, soy milk. iced, please." when he ordered and the other had paid, zaid stepped to the side and waited to capture the other's attention with a grin still on his mouth. "i appreciate that. next time, it's on me." after a beat, he offered his hand, a professional habit. "zaid."

#zaidhassani #conversations*

Brayden handed his card over to the barista who had taken their order and waited patiently to receive it back. Once the worker handed his had back to him, Brayden then looked over at Zaid and nodded. "Of course! Sometimes it's nice to just pay it forward. You never know what someone is going through so it could really make their day." Brayden responded honestly while looking at Zaid. "Nice to meet you Zaid, I'm Brayden. How long have you been here in Windsor Bay? Anything you would suggest a new person to do?" He asked curiously.

Adrian chuckled softly, taking a swig from his bottle before replying. "A seasonal lager is smart," he said. "Not too crazy, usually pretty good. A solid choice." He put his bottle down and looked at Brayden. "Me? I act like I'm daring, but I usually play it safe. If I order something wild, it's usually because someone talked me into it." He gave a small shrug. "Most nights, I stick with what I know I'll like. I prefer knowing what I'm getting." A slight smile played on his lips. "Though, I have ordered something strange just to show I wasn't boring, regretted it right away. But I still drank it out of spite. Only planned risks for me. Life's got enough surprises without my beer also being one."

"Right? It's just the right amount of crazy in my opinion." Brayden replied with a small smirk on his face. Brayden couldn't help but laugh a bit when Adrian said that he acted like he was daring but then played it safe usually. "I understand. Sometimes you can go crazy because a trustworthy friend suggests something crazy and not in your usual realm but then you just can't get yourself to really enjoy it the way you enjoy your usual?" Brayden laughed a little and then nodded. "Exactly, we don't need anymore surprises in life sometimes."

#conversations*#zaidhassani

Starter for: @zaidhassani Location: Java Junction

Brayden felt like he needed a kick in the butt to get his day going so that's why he relied on Java Junction. It had easily became one of the most important places for him since arriving in Windsor Bay. As he was in like, waiting his turn he was scrolling through his phone. He already knew what he was going to get. He then saw the counter empty and walked up. "I'm going to get a cold brew with cold foam and three pumps of peppermint mocha with an extra shot of espresso please." He then looked behind him and saw someone there and then mentioned, "I'm also going to get what the person behind me is getting." He said as he stepped to the side to allow the other move up to the counter to order.

Starter for: @levigoldstein Location: Pride Palace

After having a stressful day in the ambulance, Brayden needed to let off some steam and he didn't feel like being surrounded by boredom so that's why he found himself at Pride Palace. After he had finished his shift up at the fire station, he threw on some eyeliner and highlighter and he was in a pair of black skinny jeans with a tight dark green button up. He loved dressing up and it showed most of the time. Shortly after arriving, he had shown his ID to the person at the door and then walked up to the bar and he ordered himself something he didn't normally order, "Lemon Drop Martini please." He requested as he pulled his card out and saw someone else waiting for a drink and smiled, recognizing Levi as he had worked with him a couple of times on some overtime he's picked up. "Hey, what are you drinking? It's on me." He offered with a smile.

#levigoldstein #conversations*

Adrian watched over from his spot at the bar, an elbow propped, and a bottle of amber ale in hand. He noticed the jacket, and how Brayden seemed a bit unsure. Brayden looked like he was easing himself into the night instead of jumping right in. Corner Pocket felt like the right place for that kind of mood. Adrian gave a small, easy smile back. "It depends," he said, in a relaxed tone. "Are you indecisive in a 'wants something familiar' way, or an 'accidentally orders something crazy and regrets it' way?" He tipped his bottle a bit. "If you want something safe, the pale ale on tap is a good choice. If you want something interesting but not too much, the seasonal lager is solid." He paused, then gave a slight smirk. "Or you can do what I usually do, pick something and pretend it was what you wanted all along."

"I like all of the thought processes that you are putting into this." Brayden mentioned to Adrian as he looked at the other individual. "I think that the seasonal lager might be a good idea. I don't think I've had it and I don't want to miss out on it so I think that's going to be the best idea." Brayden replied as he looked at the other. "What about you>? What's your normal go to? Do you like to play it safe or take some risks with what you're drinking and then regret it or something?" Brayden asked since his suggestions had involved so many different scenarios. He wanted to know what Adrian's process was when it came to picking out a drink."

Starter for: @adriansinclair Location: The Corner Pocket

Wanting to go out but not party super hard, Brayden found himself at The Corner Pocket. Brayden enjoyed playing pool and he thought it would be something fun and different to do. As he walked in he felt the heat instantly because of how cool it was outside. After pulling off the jacket he was wearing, Brayden walked to the bar and sat himself down and hung the jacket over the back of his stool. He was looking through the beer list before he saw someone sitting next to him. "Oh, hello." He said with a smile. "Having trouble thinking of a beer I want, any suggestions since I'm so indecisive?"

#polaroids*#windsorbaynye

@windsorbaydaily

amaraxhawthcrne

Though she wasn't technically a vegetarian, despite it making sense given her volunteer work in the local shelter, Amara had noticed over the years she'd withdraw from eating meat. It was curiosity really that opened the door for her. "You definitely need try it then." She mused, moving forward in sync with the line. "Are you new in town?" She didn't consider Windsor Bay big, but it was certainly full of surprises, including the people in it. "I've never been to Chicago, but the way you've described it - it sounds tasty. Maybe I can look up the recipe only and try it out some time at home, though I doubt it would beat the original. Was it by any chance a family recipe?"

#amaraxhawthcrne #conversations*

"I wouldn't say that I've been here a long time, but I'm also not new. I have been in Windsor Bay for about two years now. How about you? Is this home for you or is it something new?" He asked the woman as he looked at her and smiled. "Yeah you might want to try that honestly because it's some of the best food that I've ever had in Boston. They also have a really good seafood boil place that is phenomenal." Brayden responded to her. "I don't know if it's a family recipe for them, but it's something I could try finding out. If you ever want to take a trip out there, let me know and we can make a plan." Brayden laughed.

amaraxhawthcrne

Standing in line was physically and emotionally draining for Amara, who had a hard time standing still in the first place, but it was even worse when there were people around her — people she constantly felt the urge to comply with. She knew some people would get infuriated if someone bumped into them and pressured them to move forward, but in her case the urge was to turn around and apologize. But the man caught her off guard, words getting stuck in her throat before she was able to voice them out. "Um, if it helps, I'm going for the veggie burger. I love the sauce they use for it." She shrugged, knowing it wasn't a popular choice. "But if you're a meat lover than I guess the regular burger is also an option. Or if you like breakfast for lunch then... I higly recommend the waffles. You could never go wrong with a waffle."

#amaraxhawthcrne #conversations*

"Oh really? I mean I am a vegetarian as well and I haven't had the veggie burger here before." He said to her as he raised a finger to his chin and then tapped on it a bit. A veggie burger did sound good as well and he was intrigued by the sauce. "Waffles are good. I remember back when I used to eat meat I would love chicken and waffles. I went to Boston for a while and there was this one place that made their own bbq sauce maple syrup for their chicken and waffles and it was so good." He explained to the other while smiling.

loresalazar

"really?" her somewhat amused gaze moved up and down the blond next to her, as though she'd find the reasoning behind his words. "i'll pay for it. don't even worry about that. since i'm being so possessive and all about it." lore laughed lightly and reached for a plastic knife in the offered collection to cut the pastry in half.

"unless you're trying to tell me you're on some strict diet." with a rise in her brow, she paused her sawing through the soft treat and gave him a pointed look. "you look good to me," she complimented. "besides, coffee deserves some company too, don't you think?"

#loresalazar #conversations*

"Really? Are you sure. I don't mind giving you half of it or buying a vofee for you or whatever it is you may be looking to get." Brayden mentioned to the woman, glad that she seemed okay with him wanting to go for just half of it as well. "I am not on a strict diet I just know that if I have too much sweets in the early morning then I'm going to absolutely regret it in a few hours and I'll be ready for a nap." He smirked. "I do agree with that as well, actually. Can't have coffee without a sidekick for it." He responded with a playful smirk.

tinglingpeter

LEO WOODALL photographed by Rosaline Shahnavaz for Sharp Magazine (2025)

#polaroids*

brookshawthorne

stood there, debating himself if he should order to-go or grab a table, brooks was pretty certain that he'd order a lunch staple. the club sandwich and fries, perhaps a cup of soup as well to cosy up the average rainy winter day, because it was safe. any memories it pulled were generic.

the bump against his back shifted his upper body forward a little but he tossed a half smile over his shoulder as the apology came. "no worries," he told them, "no harm done." as the younger man continued on he nodded in understanding and half turned his body to be conversational. "it's the same for me, kind of. i'm one of those that cranes their neck when at a table and wait staff goes by delivering a dish. if it looks good i'll inquire about it." then, after a beat, "not in the mood for anything in particular?"