“Oh you know it’s never too long before I need to see that handsome face of yours,” Lizzie teased right back, she hadn’t been in the bar since the last time she’d visited her parents months ago and she had missed it. “Just an orange and lemonade please,”
“oh, you flirt.” thurgood teased and nodded. “coming right up.” they told her as they set out to make the drink - as odd as it sounded. they figured that it would be more lemonde than orange juice and then put it before her. “hope you like that strange little concoction.” they joked. “what brings ya here? bored? lonely? in need of a bartender’s listening ear?”
florence fell decidedly into the ‘ had been the previous night ’ category , but had likewise frequented safe haven sufficiently to know this was just what she would call a thurgoodism : to be expected.
“ i get used to that, you know, ” she said , half-jesting as she returned their little grin , “just that little affirmation of what i already know. and … hmm , i think it’s whiskey , tonight. got to make my father proud somehow. ”
“aren’t we all longing for fatherly love in here?” thurgood said before looking over at a particlarly handsome guy at the end of the bar. “though a daddy will do for me.” they teased and then laughed as they turned around to make her a whiskey.
“so, what brings you here for yet another night? don’t you have a fiancée longing for your company?” they wondered as they put her drink on the bar right before her.
today’s update in ‘ musings in the park with riley leigh ’ as she lifted a hand to push breeze-tousled hair out of her face :
“ … when my mother said to me ‘ you’ll appreciate looking young when you’re older ’ i never realised she would be so right. ”
“you don’t look a day over thirty, so i don’t know what you’re talking about.” vera said and she wished she looked like riley... sometimes she felt insecure, even if she did like what she saw in the mirror more and more. would she ever be attractive again to her wife, to the one person whose interest in her really mattered. “you’re gorgeous.” she complimented.
vera’s hands were shaking as she was trying to peel and cut the vegetables for dinner. all the kids were out of the house and thus, vera had dared to ask stevie to spend an evening together. she has used the excuse that as co-parents, they had to speak about their children and what better way to do that then over dinner. stevie had agreed and vera was over the moon.
now, though, she was nervous. she was still so absolutely smitten with her wife and it hurt her to know that that may never be returned again. she wondered how her ex saw her now. did she look strange? unattractive? manly? all the things she feared she looked like? she hadn’t dared to ask up until now. she had never dared to raise the question of ever being together again. she wasn’t sure she’d ever get the nerve to.
“so, uhm... i feel like our little duckling’s words are coming out better and better. i was worried for a while but sentences are going way better.” vera said, just to say something and couldn’t help but look at her wife almost longingly before she quickly looked back at the carrot in her hands.
it was quite a common occurrence to only realise someone’s presence belatedly ; or at least it was to everyone except him , apparently. perhaps he was just too wary , or it was a skill inherited from endless games of hide and seek with his little brother. levi was never very good at hiding , but brilliant at finding.
“ don’t worry about it. we all need to talk to ourselves sometimes to make us all feel a little more sane. i know i do. ”
vera was grateful for his understanding but she was still quite embarrassed. “i don’t do it often.” she spoke to him and bit her lip. “i just... i don’t know, i’ve done strange things recently, just like this. probably because i’m tired. little ones do that to you.” she told him as she looked at her toddler.
riley’s gaze tracked amanda’s own until it landed upon the pack of wolves tourists congregating upon the high street , a slight divot forging between her brows ; but they could make light of this , at the unknowing visitors’ expense. “ … how long until that kid loses his ice cream to a misadventure with a seagull ? ”
“it won’t be soon enough so maybe they’ll just leave. if i wanted to live in benidorm, i would have.” she complained and glared at the tourist who dared to look her way, having heard what she’d said - at least, she assumed that. she couldn’t care less what they thought of her. “i hate it even more when people around here cheer on this kind of ‘economy’.”
❝ not if you didn’t want me to. but i think whoever it is you’re buying that for, that they will love it. ❞ josefine offered a friendly smile to the woman before waving slightly at the sweet young on on her hip. ❝ hello, sød en. but if it helps, no one can resist such a kind gesture. ❞ she shrugged slightly, looking at the item in question before down at the item in her own. ❝ i think i should apologize, my …friends say that i should try to get to know more people around here, i didn’t mean to overstep. ❞
“you’re not overstepping.” she assure the other woman and smiled gently. “i’m vera and i would have bought this for my wife but we aren’t together now, so i fear it’ll... appear strange to just hand it to her.” she answered honestly.
“You know if you’re looking for a seat you might struggle. Peak weekend business right now.” Lizzie glanced up from her paper to look at the poor soul who seemed to be searching for somewhere to sit in the very busy cafe. She paused for a moment before shifting in her seat and nodding to the space across her table. “If you’re not about to bring in a big group you can join me here though.”
amanda was glad when lizzie spoke to her and sighed. “it’ so busy here, honestly - too many people are coming to this town.” the pregnant woman grumbled and sat down with a gentle grown. “thanks.” she replied and sighed. “all i wanted was an easy, quiet breakfast that i didn’t have to be on my feet to prepare.” she nagged before she rubbed her bump.
closed starter for @retiredvariety || josephine & thurgood
thurgood was always a little nervous after the bell rung, which meant that josephine would open up the door and the evening would begin. they weren’t ashamed of this - of paying for sexual gratification. what they desired once in a while was very specific and not everyone could provide that. their son was with his best friend, as he did once a week and that was the evening thurgood went to mistress josephine, who was - other than those few hours a week - just his friend, josephine.
the door opened up and they kept looking at the ground. “good evening, mistress.” they spoke gently, and it excited them because they were still outside as they said it. they could be overheard. it was thrilling.
“i think stevie would like this...” vera mumbled under her breath as she had her youngest on her hip, looking at the sparkling bracelet. then, she realized they were separated and had barely started to build a friendship again. “uhm... yeah, it doesn’t matter.” she said and then noticed that she wasn’t quite alone. “sorry you had to hear my internal dialogue.” she apologized, her cheeks tinting pink. || @fortyhqstarter
“i haven’t seen you here in a while.” thurgood teased, something they often said even to people who had been to safe haven the night before, or even never had been before. “what’s your poison, good-lookin’?” they grinned. || @fortyhqstarter
“if i see one more pair of bermuda shorts and ugly sandals paired with a giant camera, i am going to implode.” amanda groaned. “i feel like a zoo animal - they’re coming to gawk at us.” she spat. || @fortyhqstarter
FINANCIAL: wealthy | moderate | poor.
MEDICAL: fit | moderate | sickly | disabled.
CLASS: upper | middle | working | unsure.
EDUCATION: no schooling | some high school | high school degree | vocational training | bachelors | masters | ph.d. | other.
CRIMINAL RECORD: yes, for major crimes | yes, for minor crimes | no.
family
MARITAL STATUS: married - happily | married - unhappily | engaged | partnered | single | divorced | separated.
OFFSPRING: has children | no, but wants children | no, and doesn’t want children.
SIBLINGS: close with siblings | not close with sibling | has no siblings | sibling(s) are deceased.
YOUTH: orphaned | fostered | adopted | disowned | raised by birth parent.
beliefs
RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE: monotheist | polytheist | atheist | agnostic.
RELIGIOUS: orthodox | liberal | in between | not religious.
BELIEF IN GHOSTS OR SPIRITS: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
BELIEF IN AN AFTERLIFE: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
BELIEF IN REINCARNATION: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
BELIEF IN ALIENS: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
PHILOSOPHICAL: yes | no.
sexual and romantic orientation
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: heterosexual | homosexual | bisexual | asexual | pansexual.
SEXUAL APPETITE: sex-repulsed | sex-neutral | sex favorable.
ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: heteroromantic | homoromantic | biromantic | aromantic | panromantic.
ROMANTIC APPETITE: romance repulsed | romance neutral | romance favorable.
SEXUALLY: adventurous | experienced | naive | inexperienced | curious.
POTENTIAL SEXUAL PARTNERS: male | female | agender | other | none | all.
POTENTIAL ROMANTIC PARTNERS: male | female | agender | other | none | all.
DRINKING ALCOHOL: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
SMOKING: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
OTHER NARCOTICS: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
MEDICINAL DRUGS: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
INDULGENT FOOD: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
SPLURGE SPENDING: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
GAMBLING: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
nail biting | throat-clearing | lying | interrupting | chewing the ends of pens | smoking | swearing | knuckle cracking | thumb sucking | muttering under their breath | talking to themselves | nose-picking | binge drinking | oversleeping | snacking between meals | skipping meals | picking at skin | impulse buying | talking with their mouth full | humming/singing to themselves | chewing gum | leg jiggling | foot-tapping | hair twirling | whistling | eye-rolling | licking lips | sniffing | squinting | rubbing hands together | jaw clenching | gesturing while talking | putting feet up on tables | tucking hair behind ears | chewing lips | crossing arms over chest | putting hands on hips | rubbing the back of their neck | being late | procrastinating | doodling | shredding paper | peeling off bottle labels | forgetfulness | running hands through hair | overreacting | teeth grinding | nostril-flaring | slouching | pacing | drumming fingers | fist-clenching | pinching bridge of nose | rubbing temples | rolling shoulders
experiences
fallen for a character in a movie | lied about their age | finished an entire jawbreaker | been kayaking or canoeing | bungee-jumped | skydived | experimented their sexual orientation | stolen something | done a successful handstand | skipped class | flown on an plane | gotten drunk | gotten high | taken nudes | sent nudes | kissed someone of the same sex | kissed a stranger | been in a fistfight | been in handcuffs (for any reason) | fallen asleep at the movies | taken part in a talent show | cut their own hair | experienced sleep paralysis | tried lucid dreaming | thrown up on a roller coaster | chipped a tooth | gone hunting | had a bad allergic reaction | worked at a fast-food restaurant | looked through someone else’s phone without permission | changed a diaper | eaten an entire pizza by themselves | been pulled over | eaten out of a trash can | played candy crush | been cheated on | been bullied | told a horrible lie | stolen something of value | overdosed on drugs | been drunk | passed out | cheated | bullied | punched someone in the face | been beaten up | broken a bone | been admitted to hospital | had a near-death experience | been drugged | done drugs | smoked | kissed someone you weren’t attracted to | bled severely | lost someone | loved someone | gone without food for over three days | gone without sleep for over three days | been arrested | been slapped by a parent | had a panic attack | been in a car accident | had sex | had sex with a stranger | passed out from pain | cried yourself to sleep | spent a whole day in bed | taken your anger out on someone you love | been terrified | played a cruel game on someone | been sexually dominant | been sexually submissive | been forced to smile | been misgendered | felt too many things at once | laughed when you felt like crying
this or that
gryffindor, hufflepuff, ravenclaw or slytherin? melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguine or choleric? coffee or tea? cake or pie? cake or ice cream? ice cream or frozen yogurt? cookies or brownies? chicken or beef? hamburgers or hot dogs? waffles or pancakes? white rice or fried rice? bacon or sausage? fruit or vegetables? soup or salad? homemade or take-out? hard candy or gummies? milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate? chocolate with caramel or chocolate with peanut butter? marinara or alfredo? hard pretzels or soft pretzels? pretzels or potato chips? salty food or sweet food?
FINANCIAL: wealthy | moderate | poor.
MEDICAL: fit | moderate | sickly | disabled.
CLASS: upper | middle | working | unsure.
EDUCATION: no schooling | some high school | high school degree | vocational training | bachelors | masters | ph.d. | other.
CRIMINAL RECORD: yes, for major crimes | yes, for minor crimes | no.
family
MARITAL STATUS: married - happily | married - unhappily | engaged | partnered | single | divorced | separated.
OFFSPRING: has a child | no, but wants children | no, and doesn’t want children.
SIBLINGS: close with sibling(s) | not close with sibling | has no siblings | sibling(s) are deceased.
YOUTH: orphaned | fostered | adopted | disowned | raised by birth parent.
beliefs
RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE: monotheist | polytheist | atheist | agnostic.
RELIGIOUS: orthodox | liberal | in between | not religious.
BELIEF IN GHOSTS OR SPIRITS: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
BELIEF IN AN AFTERLIFE: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
BELIEF IN REINCARNATION: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
BELIEF IN ALIENS: yes | no | don’t know | don’t care.
PHILOSOPHICAL: yes | no.
sexual and romantic orientation
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: heterosexual | homosexual | bisexual | asexual | pansexual.
SEXUAL APPETITE: sex-repulsed | sex-neutral | sex favorable.
ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: heteroromantic | homoromantic | biromantic | aromantic | panromantic.
ROMANTIC APPETITE: romance repulsed | romance neutral | romance favorable.
SEXUALLY: adventurous | experienced | naive | inexperienced | curious.
POTENTIAL SEXUAL PARTNERS: male | female | agender | other | none | all.
POTENTIAL ROMANTIC PARTNERS: male | female | agender | other | none | all.
DRINKING ALCOHOL: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
SMOKING: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
OTHER NARCOTICS: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
MEDICINAL DRUGS: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
INDULGENT FOOD: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
SPLURGE SPENDING: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
GAMBLING: never | sometimes | frequently | to excess.
nail biting | throat-clearing | lying | interrupting | chewing the ends of pens | smoking | swearing | knuckle cracking | thumb sucking | muttering under their breath | talking to themselves | nose-picking | binge drinking | oversleeping | snacking between meals | skipping meals | picking at skin | impulse buying | talking with their mouth full | humming/singing to themselves | chewing gum | leg jiggling | foot-tapping | hair twirling | whistling | eye-rolling | licking lips | sniffing | squinting | rubbing hands together | jaw clenching | gesturing while talking | putting feet up on tables | tucking hair behind ears | chewing lips | crossing arms over chest | putting hands on hips | rubbing the back of their neck | being late | procrastinating | doodling | shredding paper | peeling off bottle labels | forgetfulness | running hands through hair | overreacting | teeth grinding | nostril-flaring | slouching | pacing | drumming fingers | fist-clenching | pinching bridge of nose | rubbing temples | rolling shoulders
experiences
fallen for a character in a movie | lied about their age | finished an entire jawbreaker | been kayaking or canoeing | bungee-jumped | skydived | experimented their sexual orientation | stolen something | done a successful handstand | skipped class | flown on an plane | gotten drunk | gotten high | taken nudes | sent nudes | kissed someone of the same sex | kissed a stranger | been in a fistfight | been in handcuffs (for any reason) | fallen asleep at the movies | taken part in a talent show | cut their own hair | experienced sleep paralysis | tried lucid dreaming | thrown up on a roller coaster | chipped a tooth | gone hunting | had a bad allergic reaction | worked at a fast-food restaurant | looked through someone else’s phone without permission | changed a diaper | eaten an entire pizza by themselves | been pulled over | eaten out of a trash can | played candy crush | been cheated on | been bullied | told a horrible lie | stolen something of value | overdosed on drugs | been drunk | passed out | cheated | bullied | punched someone in the face | been beaten up | broken a bone | been admitted to hospital | had a near-death experience | been drugged | done drugs | smoked | kissed someone you weren’t attracted to | bled severely | lost someone | loved someone | gone without food for over three days | gone without sleep for over three days | been arrested | been slapped by a parent | had a panic attack | been in a car accident | had sex | had sex with a stranger | passed out from pain | cried yourself to sleep | spent a whole day in bed | taken your anger out on someone you love | been terrified | played a cruel game on someone | been sexually dominant | been sexually submissive | been forced to smile | been misgendered | felt too many things at once | laughed when you felt like crying
this or that
gryffindor, hufflepuff, ravenclaw or slytherin? melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguine or choleric? coffee or tea? cake or pie? cake or ice cream? ice cream or frozen yogurt? cookies or brownies? chicken or beef? hamburgers or hot dogs? waffles or pancakes? white rice or fried rice? bacon or sausage? fruit or vegetables? soup or salad? homemade or take-out? hard candy or gummies? milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate? chocolate with caramel or chocolate with peanut butter? marinara or alfredo? hard pretzels or soft pretzels? pretzels or potato chips? salty food or sweet food?
