𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬

𝘤𝘶𝘵  𝘵𝘩𝘦  𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘬  𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵  𝘪𝘯  𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧       𝙞'𝙡𝙡  𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮  𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢  𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧  𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚

[dustedluck]

&.  —  introduction.

i  took  a  walk  in  the  rain  one  day  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  tracks.  i  stood  on  the  rail  'til  i  saw  that  train  just  to  see  how  my  heart  would  react.  now  some  people  say  that  you  shouldn't  tempt  fate  and  for  them  i  can  not  disagree,  but  i  never  learned  nothing  from  playing  it  safe.  i  say  fate  should  not  tempt  me.  i  take  my  chances.

catherine  "caz"  brennan,  43,  peach  tree  lane,  civil  engineer

ireland  born  and  raised,  stanford  graduate,  phd

cis  woman,  she&her,  bisexual,  divorced,  capricorn

&.  —  the  application.

———  ☀︎  no  way  is  that  CATHERINE  "CAZ"  BRENNAN  .ᐟ  rumor  has  it  they’re  43,  born  on  JANUARY  9TH,  a  true  CAPRICORN .ᐟ  seems  like  they’ve  been  in  mirabella  for  5  YEARS,  working  as  an  CIVIL  ENGINEER.  i’ve  seen  them  around  PEACH  TREE  LANE  lately;  they’re  notoriously  known  for  being  RUMINATIVE  &  STUBBORN  but  some  people  have  seen  them  being  OBSERVANT  &  PERCEPTIVE  when  the  island  is  quiet  and  the  ferries  stop  running  .ᐟ  if  you  ask  me,  they  remind  me  a  lot  of  AN  IRISH  BROGUE  THAT  NEVER  SEEMS  TO  SOFTEN,  INSTANT  COFFEE,  THICK  STRAWBERRY  BLONDE  WAVES,  VIOLIN  SOUNDS  DRIFTING  FROM  CRACKED  WINDOWS,  THE  GRIT  OF  HAVING  LOST  IT  ALL  AND  IS  STILL  STANDING,  just  keep  an  eye  on  them  &  see  if  their  true  colours  shine  through  .ᐟ

&.  —  the  story.

tw  infidelity in  ireland,  with  it's  rain  and  overcast  skies,  a  wicked  wind  that  whipped  your  cheeks  red,  catherine  had  never  had  a  dream  to  leave  the  emerald  isle  that  had  raised  her.  life  hadn't  just  been  content,  she'd  been  happy  there  with  a  strong  family  foundation  and  deep  roots  with  friends  that  spanned  from  infancy  to  when  they'd  all  split  off  for  university  and  wherever  adult  life  would  take  them. for  caz,  the  desire  for  higher  education  and  an  international  scholarship  would  be  what  caused  her  to  initially  drift  from  home  and  who  she  was.  stanford  university  in  california  of  the  united  states  was  the  place  she  truly  found  her  grit  and  what  tough  irish  stock  she  was  made  up  of.  being  on  foreign  soil  and  so  far  away  from  everything  she'd  known,  plus  a  challenging  educational  program  truly  tested  her. while  she  earned  a  degree  in  civil  engineering,  caz  had  met  the  man  that  she  thought  would  be  the  love  of  her  life.  they  married  when  she  was  23,  just  a  year  before  she  earned  master's  degree.  while  she  continued  her  education  to  eventually  earn  a  phd,  caz  worked  at  a  top  firm  in  the  area  to  cut  her  teeth.  she  and  her  husband  had  an  arrangement,  one  she'd  come  to  regret,  that  her  career  would  take  a  backseat  to  his.  both  of  their  jobs  were  initially  paying  off  student  debt,  of  which  caz  was  still  racking  up,  with  the  goal  being  they'd  start  a  family  once  she'd  earned  her  doctorate.  the  problem  was  the  goal  line  kept  moving  further  and  further  away  the  closer  they  got  to  it. some  six  years  ago,  14  years  into  dedicated  marriage,  caz  would  discover  that  her  husband  had  been  having  an  affair.  not  only  that,  he'd  also  had  a  child  with  this  other  woman  and  it'd  completely  broken  catherine.  filing  for  divorce  was  immediate,  it  was  separating  their  lives  and  their  assets  after  nearly  a  decade  and  a  half  that  had  been  the  real  challenge.  plus,  the  numerous  regrets  caz  had  in  all  that  she'd  given  up  to  make  a  happy  marriage  with  someone  that  never  genuinely  wanted  that  life  with  her.  the  years  she  lost  in  playing  the  violin  and  doing  irish  dance  were  things  she'd  never  be  able  to  get  back. on  a  whim,  five  years  ago,  caz  took  a  job  offer  for  a  firm  on  mirebella  island,  california.  the  divorce  still  hadn't  been  settled  so  in  order  to  get  away  and  start  over  she  gave  up  absolutely  everything  and  started  over  with  nothing.  she  spent  her  first  year  on  mirabella  island  living  in  a  rented  room  in  a  beach  bungalow  while  her  hard  work  and  paychecks  went  into  savings.  with  her  head  down,  spirit  broken,  caz  eventually  found  herself  surfacing.  the  firm  she'd  signed  on  with,  by  the  time  they'd  finished  their  first  housing  development,  she'd  been  able  to  buy  a  house  and  get  some  furniture. there's  some  indifference  to  the  growth  of  mirabella  island,  the  build  out  and  expansion  of  it.  after  years  of  living  there  now,  after  it  becoming  the  place  where  she'd  been  rebuilding  herself  her  attachments  are  changing.  stuck  between  inevitability  and  progress,  her  focus  is  more  on  continuing  to  find  herself  again.

&.  —  headcanons.

roughly  3.5  years  ago  caz  joined  a  celtic  band  as  their  violinist,  they're  called  the  ashes,  and  sometimes  sings  harmonizing  vocals.  she  gets  lively  on  stage  and  will  often  break  out  into  a  bit  of  the  irish  jig.  (  sound  /  music  claim:  derina  harvey  band.  )

an  avid  chess  player,  she's  been  in  competitions  and  tournaments  she  she  was  a  tween.  in  her  adult  years,  especially  during  university  and  while  she  was  married,  caz  didn't  play  much  and  when  she  did  it  was  for  pleasure  only.  the  last  few  years  she's  gotten  back  into  it  quite  a  bit.

as  an  early  morning  riser  caz  can  be  found  going  for  walks  to  stretch  her  legs  and  move  her  body,  but  she  tends  to  refer  to  these  as  her  "think  walks"  because  they're  the  best  way  to  clear  her  head  and  start  the  day  right.

it's  tradition  that  whenever  she  has  guests  over  she  treats  them  to  tea  or  coffee  and  some  biscuits.

while  she  has  a  traditional  kettle  caz  mostly  makes  instant  coffee  for  herself.  much  to  most  people's  dismay,  but  she  likes  the  taste  and  it's  quick  and  easy.

aside  from  her  morning  walks  caz  is  a  big  adventurer.  loves  to  swim,  tries  to  surf  a  little,  enjoys  hiking  and  exploring,  and  can  be  easily  talked  into  trying  something  new.

&.  —  wanted  connections  /  plots.

university  pals

neighbors  on  peach  tree  lane

adventure  /  traveling  companionship

chess  enthusiasts

those  who  might've  seen  her  and  the  ashes  play  and  maybe  enjoys  their  music,  comes  to  their  shows

bar  /  pub  buddies  that  are  down  for  drinks  and  games,  maybe  even  some  dance

as  a  self  proclaimed  cinephile  anyone  that  would  want  to  be  a  movie  buddy  or  even  movie  goers  club?

how  do  i  do  this?:  while  her  ex-husband  wasn't  her  first  love  or  first  relationship,  caz  spent  so  long  with  him  from  dating  to  marriage  that  she  has  no  idea  how  to  navigate  the  single  life  or  the  dating  world.  i  imagine  her  fumbling  through  dates  made  through  dating  apps  and  just  never  quite  getting  it.  she's  pretty  happy  being  solo  but  there's  still  a  part  of  her  that  craves  romance  and  companionship.

oh,  landlord:  when  caz  first  arrived  on  mirabella  she  had  nothing  but  the  bags  she  could  carry.  this  person  rented  a  room  to  her  in  their  beach  bungalow  and  she  lived  there  for  roughly  a  year  while  she  saved  money.  i'd  love  to  discuss  dynamic  /  relationship  as  far  as  how  they  interacted  and  got  along,  how  they  managed  sharing  a  house  and  space  since  they  were  likely  virtual  strangers.  this  person  had  a  big  impact  on  caz  starting  over  in  life  at  38.  this  would've  been  5  years  ago.

my  confidant:  technically  this  could  be  anyone  but  i  do  have  a  vision  of  a  next  door  neighbor  on  peach  tree  lane  where  they  connected  over  starry  skied  chats  from  their  respective  patios  /  porches.  this  person  became  the  landing  for  all  of  her  late  night  thoughts,  feelings,  ruminations.  lots  of  laughs,  plenty  of  tears,  but  something  special  and  unique  was  built  between  them  in  the  process.  maybe  they'd  helped  her  move  in,  put  together  furniture,  played  chess,  learned  a  bit  of  irish  dance  from  her,  been  the  first  ears  to  hear  new  music,  etc.

open  to  anything,  really!

[aftcrglovv]

a grin stretched through his lips at all the flattery, bowing his head in response. cooking had become a sort of love language to the author from a very young age being the one person responsible for the nurturing of his sibling and, at times, of his mother. he perfected his skill by trial and error and had become a way to tell the people in his life how much he appreciated them without saying a word. caz happened to be the one to be treated the most out of everyone in his life. "is that like a fantasy of yours, brennan? because you know you can just walk in and take things off the fridge any day of the week, no need for criminal offenses. but who am i to crush your hopes and dreams?"

the author grabbed his own bottle of beer as he made himself comfortable on his seat, a small nod given as an immediate response. "i mean why not? you wanna gatekeep that knowledge so you can mesmerize everyone with your talent? i see how it is" a chuckle fell from his lips then at the other's implication as he brought the neck of the bottle to his lips, giving a small sip. "i'll have you known i know my way around the dancerfloor so joke's on you, i'll be great irish dance student. i have my mother's reputation to uphold so i take dancing very seriously" his lips curled up further hearing about his friend's band. "sounds fun. let me know when in august and i'll get some tickets. ever wanted to play another instrument?" then, his eyes fell on the bottle as a soft sigh escaped his lips. "publisher. nothing special, bargain, if you will. 'give us something, a chapter, or this fancy wine will be the last thing you see from us' type of deal which sounds counterintuitive if you ask me" he shrugged.

[dustedluck]

"you  know  what  they  say..."  a  long  enough  pause  followed  to  leave  wonder  if  she'd  actually  finish  the  statement,  something  on  her  screen  had  captured  her  attention.  a  new  email,  a  response  to  some  questions  she'd  sent  out  earlier,  and  it  was  promptly  ignored  as  caz  locked  her  ipad  screen  and  put  it  aside.  "where's  the  fun  without  some  level  of  danger?"  was  that  a  saying?  maybe  something  similar  to  it,  though  she  had  a  feeling  sebastian  would  catch  on.  her  blue  eyes  found  his  and  she  smiled  again,  felt  her  cheeks  warm  at  the  level  of  intimacy  offered,  they'd  been  neighbors  and  friends  a  good  while  but  the  trust  of  an  open  door  and  freedom  to  go  through  his  things  (  just  the  fridge  and  maybe  the  pantry  )  meant  something.  "i'd  make  for  a  terrible  criminal  though.  i'd  get  caught  cleaning  up  after  myself  and  making  sure  all  was  tidy."  caz  winked  at  him  regardless,  an  acknowledgment  of  the  trust.

"just  like  you  with  your  books,  bas."  meant  to  be  a  touché  moment,  caz  tipped  the  mouth  her  beer  bottle  in  his  direction.  "i  teach  you  how  to  play  violin,  will  you  teach  me  to  write  like  you?"  that'd  be  a  proper  challenge.  though  she  may  have  had  an  ivy  league  education,  caz  excelled  in  the  maths  and  sciences  not  the  arts.  even  if  her  band  playing  and  dancing  might've  said  otherwise.  once  again  she  was  smiling  as  she  pressed  her  shoulders  further  back  into  her  chair,  brow  raised  so  high  it'd  wrinkled  her  forehead.  "oh,  the  man  can  dance,"  some  notes  of  teasing  there  hid  just  how  curious  she  was  of  that,  "that  i'll  have  to  see.  when  are  you  available  for  a  night  at  the  pub?  i  have  to  be  sure  there's  no  letting  your  mother  down."  tipping  the  bottle  back,  she  drank  a  couple  swallows  of  the  beer.  as  it  warmed  her  belly  caz  set  it  on  the  table  and  shifted  enough  so  that  she  was  angled  toward  sebastian  a  little  more.  "i'll  get  you  some  tickets,  don't  you  worry  about  it."  then  she  let  out  a  sort  of  sigh.  "i  can  play  a  bit  of  guitar.  i'd  like  to  get  better  at  it  but  its  hard  to  find  the  time  to  practice.  i'm  not  sure  i've  ever  asked,  shame  on  me,  but  do  you  play  any  yourself?"  her  eyes  drifted  to  the  bottle  of  gifted  wine  as  well,  then  shifted  up  to  his  again.  "being  threatened  with  a  bottle  of  wine  doesn't  seem  so  bad,"  she  grinned  a  little,  "how  are  the  chapters  coming  along?  no  threats,  just  support  and  curiosity."

[comprosing]

open starter for anyone! feel free to assume a prior connection where?: on the ferry heading back to mirabella @mirabellastarts

It had been a long day and a longer week for Sky. It was officially summer vacation so the aquarium had been over run by wild children and their already exhausted parents or nannies. During the summer, they doubled the daily marine mammal shows so he'd been talking nonstop. It was going to be a long summer. Sky was ready to be home in his bed for the next two days. As much as he loved living on Mirabella... Sky really hated this fucking ferry sometimes.

"Mind if I sit here?" He asked, finding an empty seat next to someone looking out at the ocean. Sky sat down before he even finished asking. He was trying to be polite, but he was sitting regardless. He let out a yawn, covering his mouth with his hand. "God, it's been a long week." He sighed. "There's a beer and some buffalo wings with my name on it the second I get off this boat."

[dustedluck]

residing  on  an  island  was  wonderful.  for  the  most  part.  as  much  as  she  loved  the  small  community  of  it  caz  still  had  to  often  visit  the  mainland  for  work  purposes  and  gigs  with  her  band  on  the  few  occasions  those  came  up.  this  trip  the  strawberry  blonde  was  returning  from  had  been  back  to  back  meetings.  too  much  coffee  in  her  system  still  trying  to  burn  off,  caz  felt  jittery  sitting  there  watching  the  water,  her  thoughts  on  the  depths  and  mysteries  of  it.

"not  at  all,"  she'd  said  with  a  quick,  small  smile  and  moved  her  bag  closer  to  her.  it  was  more  of  a  welcoming  than  needing  to  actually  make  space.  when  he  sat  and  yawned  caz  nodded  in  solidarity,  even  chuckled  under  her  breath.  "oh,  we  still  got  a  ways  to  go  before  the  week's  out."  one  side  of  her  mouth  quirked  a  little  more  at  his  plans  as  soon  as  they  arrived  on  the  island.  "so  you're  more  hungry  than  tired  then?  as  good  as  that  sounds  i  think  i'm  ready  for  the  couch  myself."

[bitterwcter]

closed starter for @dustedluck

red lion tavern

emerson's date with caz didn't exactly crash and burn, no, but it did fizzle out into an awkward exchange at the end of the night which left him (and he's sure, her) feeling confused and unmotivated to stay in the dating world. it wasn't that it was bad, persay. it was just that it was awkward. no fireworks or romantic chemistry at all. he wasn't delusional, he had no pretences that love was supposed to be instant, at first sight, but he also knew chemistry, and they simply didn't have that kind of connection. you win some, you lose some, or whatever. the thing was that they both seem fine with that, in fact, so fine that they had decided to hang out together again. no pressure for it to be anything. if the pressure was off, emerson knew the feeling of devastating awkwardness was, too, and so they found the most lowkey place on the island to meet, the red lion. a sports bar that he had frequented to catch a game, or catch up with friends, nothing particularly remarkable about it at all, but it was solid. he orders a beer when he gets there, and is playing darts alone when he spots her come through the doors, eyebrows raising. "ah, there you are," he offers in lieu of an actual greeting "and here i was thinking i got stood up by someone who rejected me once already," he teases, and nods towards the bar. "let me buy you a drink?"

[dustedluck]

entering  red  lion  tavern  it  wasn't  difficult  to  spot  emerson,  a  man  little  more  than  a  foot  taller  than  her,  through  the  bit  of  crowd  that  night.  the  irishwoman  made  her  way  towards  the  darts  area  with  a  lighter  feeling  in  her  chest.  maybe  their  date  hadn't  gone  in  the  most  positive  direction  with  no  romantic  chemistry  between  them,  they'd  still  come  out  of  that  attempt  with  something  good  in  that  they'd  enjoyed  each  other's  company.  enough  to  try  again  sans  the  original  objective.  for  caz,  maybe  that  was  more  important,  making  another  friend  and  avoiding  something  that'd  end  up  fleeting  in  her  life.

"you  know  no  one  is  going  to  believe  that  story,"  the  strawberry  blonde  claimed,  smirk  on  her  lips  as  she  settled  with  him.  "that  i  rejected  you,"  caz  clarified.  not  only  did  he  have  height  on  his  side,  emerson  was  remarkably  handsome  and  he  had  his  own  brand  of  charm.  amused,  she  glanced  toward  the  bar  and  nodded  as  she  looked  back  to  him.  "you're  not  drinking  that  light  shit  are  you?  i  can  see  through  it,"  caz  teased.  "are  you  already  in  the  midst  of  a  game?"  tipping  her  head  toward  the  darts,  the  woman  who'd  spent  plenty  of  quality  time  in  a  pub  was  game  to  play.

[femalestunning]

Kerry Condon for The New York Times | February 2023 photographed by Ariel Fisher

[aftcrglovv]

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: closed starter for @dustedluck

𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: sebastian's porch, midnight

deep brown eyes study his pantry as quickly as possible, searching for two mugs to complete his spread for the night: coffee or tea of choice, a bottle of chilled wine sebastian had received that morning from his publishing house as an incentive to write his next novel, a charcuterie board assembled by the author himself and his rendition of prosciutto, buratta and peach flatbreads. he had had the same menu for lunch so when night hit and he stepped out to his porch for a night read and saw caz, he couldn't help but offer to share a late night dinner, as they often did.

with everything fitting in his trusty wooden tray, sebastian walked to his porch once again, placing the tray in the little table he had purchased a month after meeting caz in one of those nights where sleep would not claim either of them and they ended up accompanying eachother through the night. "hope you're hungry, pol nearly took everything for himself earlier" he spoke as an unbothered pollux laid on the bed he had specially bought for the porch. "so, how was your day? the ashes been keeping you busy? will you ever teach me to play?"

[dustedluck]

"i  couldn't  blame  him,"  the  strawberry  blonde  glanced  up  and  somewhat  over  her  shoulder  to  witness  her  neighbor  making  yet  another  nightly  entrance  with  a  tray  of  goods.  "you're  a  wizard  with  your  offerings.  if  i  hadn't  known  you  to  share  i'd  be  working  up  theft  as  well."  blue  eyes  moved  over  what  he  was  setting  on  the  table  between  them,  the  drawings  in  her  lap  of  her  latest  work  project  forgotten  about  momentarily  as  her  lips  stayed  quirked  with  some  amusement.  typically,  caz  found  ways  to  pay  back  the  author's  hospitality.  especially  since  he'd  mostly  taken  over  this  part  of  their  quality  time.  the  irishwoman  appreciated  many  things  but  whenever  it  was  her  turn  the  offerings  were  much  more  basic  and  simple.

while  he  questioned  her  eyes  drifted  to  the  dog  taking  up  his  space  in  his  bed  on  the  porch,  just  as  much  apart  of  this  ritual  as  the  pair  of  them,  and  smiled  a  bit  to  herself.  "you  wanna  learn  to  play  violin?"  forehead  creased  at  the  raise  of  her  brow,  her  head  turned  to  be  sure  he  wasn't  messing  with  her.  "might  be  easier  to  teach  you  irish  dance,  seb,"  she  laughed  softly,  then  reached  out  and  tore  off  some  of  the  flatbread.  "they're  funny,  ya  know?"  caz  was  saying  of  the  ashes.  "canadian  folk  playing  celtic  music,  but  i'm  learning  them  some  new  songs.  we  don't  have  any  shows  until  august  though.  how  about  you?  look  at  that  wine.  special  occasion?"

[gummysharkbites]

"he's a good omen!" jibril echoes quietly, a soft gasp coming from him as he looks back at the frog. their gaze takes on a slight reverence, almost as if they respect the ceramic figure more now. "oh, i was already planning on getting him, but i think that sealed it for me. thanks for telling me!"

but, reality hits him again as he realizes he's still standing in the way, and his face takes on a slight pink tinge. "um...you were trying to look at something over here, weren't you?" they glance toward the shelf. "weren't you looking at that jewelry box a second ago? i can grab it if you'd like.

[dustedluck]

"you're  welcome,"  caz  smiled,  "seems  it  was  meant  to  be.  quite  a  serendipitous  moment."  head  nodded  toward  the  frog  in  his  hand,  there  was  still  a  pleased  quirk  to  her  lips.  in  her  days  she'd  found  too  many  people  looked  down  on  or  just  completely  overlooked  symbolism,  but  there  were  cultures  behind  these  faiths  and  beliefs  and  that  had  some  weight.  at  least  in  her  opinion.

a  glance  over  her  shoulder,  when  she  turned  back  to  him  a  moment  later  she  nodded.  "yeah,  that  one  there,"  the  irishwoman's  hand  lazily  gestured,  "reminded  me  of  one  my  granda  had  gotten  for  gran."  briefly,  caz  looked  it  over  before  connecting  gazes  with  the  male  again.  "it's  a  nice  piece  of  woodwork  regardless."

[comprosing]

"I probably could find something to complain about," Collin admitted with a chuckle. "But I won't." When she made her request, he grimaced slightly and shook his head. He hated having to deny a customer, but there were only so many types of beer they could keep on tap. "I've got Guinness... but that's it for Irish stouts." He tried to switch out the types of offerings he kept on hand, but Guinness was one of the regulars. He'd have to look into the ones this customer mentioned, though. Collin grabbed a glass, then glanced back at one of the TVs. He shrugged his shoulders, "Whoever is winning..." Maybe it was strange for an owner of a bar & grill to not care much about sports but, he didn't. He knew enough to follow along with basically every game played, but he wasn't the type to go diehard fan for anyone. "For this one... I think I'll go with Panama." And that was only because that's who some guys who worked here wanted to win. As he slid the drink in front of her, Collin leaned against the bar again. "Lemme guess... Ireland native?" It was easy to assume considering what she'd ordered, but he could hear the accent, too.

[dustedluck]

guinness.  that  was  what  caz  was  afraid  of.  no  offense  to  the  stuff.  it  had  it's  merits  and  was  a  very  strong  stout,  earned  it's  popularity  the  good  old  fashioned  way,  and  hell,  the  engineer  was  proud  something  of  her  native  country  had  made  it  all  the  way  out  here  on  another  distant  island.  "right,"  caz  said  with  a  lopsided  grin  and  nod  of  her  head,  "that'll  do."  though,  he  hadn't  waited  and  began  to  pour  a  pint  regardless,  the  strawberry  blonde  watched  his  technique  because  guinness  was  fussy.  "the  poor  stuff  doesn't  travel  well  but  it'll  be  good  enough  to  give  me  my  fix."  as  he  answered  about  the  gameplay  her  eyes  drifted  from  television  to  television  and  then  landed  back  on  him  when  the  stout  was  placed  in  front  of  her.  "appreciate  it,  thanks,"  her  accent  rung  out.  "so,  why  a  sports  bar  then?  or  is  footie  just  not  your  game?"  once  again  her  eyes  shifted  away  to  check  a  score,  that  time  to  see  how  panama  was  doing.  "yeah,  how'd  you  guess?"  being  cheeky  about  it,  her  grin  was  prominent.  "it's  been  a  long  time  now.  believe  it  or  not  i  moved  out  this  way  for  uni.  are  you  from  here  yourself?"  as  many  years  as  she'd  lived  away  from  home  there  was  no  real  ridding  the  accent,  it'd  faded  some  but  there  was  no  escaping  the  tells  with  her.

[comprosing]

"I'm planning an end of the year Jeopardy game for my first graders," Birdie explained, motioning a hand around at all the different colored index cards and various other craft supplies. "The last week of school is next week, and I like to send them off to summer with a band, you know?" She smiled. "I've got to come up with enough questions for the whole class to get at least three turns, so, it's taking up more time than originally planned..." As organized as she could be, albeit chaotically, Birdie sometimes procrastinated and then had to scramble at the last second. It always worked out, though!

"You're Caz, right?" She pointed a finger at the woman then turned it on herself. "I'm Birdie! We live down the street from each other." She was positive she'd waved to this same woman on numerous occasions, and probably even called out a 'hiiii' but they hadn't had an official sit down meeting yet. Birdie's mission in life was to know all her neighbors, though. She stuck out her hand, wiggling her fingers slightly. "It's so nice to finally meet you, I love meeting all my neighbors."

[dustedluck]

impressed,  caz's  brow  lifted  enough  to  crease  her  forehead,  the  ingenuity  and  fun  seemed  like  something  her  students  would  remember.  "that's  a  brilliant  idea,"  she  commented,  a  smile  turning  the  corners  of  her  mouth.  "if  you  need  help  with  questions  —"  the  offer  stopped  shy  of  telling  the  teacher  she'd  be  happy  to  help,  only  because  the  strawberry  blonde  was  suddenly  stricken  with  the  fact  that  she  had  no  idea  what  kind  of  questions  were  at  the  student's  academic  level.  "well,  first  let  me  ask  what  kind  of  questions  you  already  have  on  cards  for  them?"  a  chuckle  followed  her  inquiry,  hoping  that  wasn't  offensive  at  all.

oddly,  it  felt  nice  to  be  known  and  recognized.  the  irishwoman  took  her  neighbor's  hand,  the  teacher  she'd  greeted  many  times  in  passing,  and  appreciated  the  familiarity.  "nice  to  officially  meet  you  as  well,"  she  said  with  the  almost  musical  lilt  of  her  accent.  "i  am  caz,"  head  nodding,  "that's  so  sweet  you've  remembered.  i  love  your  name,  by  the  way.  birdie."  it  was  a  unique  name  but  one  that  fit  the  young  woman  well.  "you'll  have  to  come  over  for  tea  sometime  now  that  you'll  be  free  for  the  summer."

[ofmercies]

“instant,” lav repeated, lips tugging into a teasing grin. “i’ll try not to hold that against you.” if there was one thing she couldn’t quite stomach, it was instant coffee. she would sooner brave a caffeine headache than drink a packet of it. “a little under two years," she replied, still not entirely used to saying it out loud. her attention flicked back to the woman. “i’m going to take a wild guess and say you're not a regular.” then, amused, “i've got a terrible memory for faces, but unfortunately i’m a little too much of a sucker for accents.”

she reached for a cup, starting on the relatively straightforward drink. “the darkest. italian blends are actually darker than most french roasts, and the arabica beans we use have a softer taste that keeps it from being too bitter.” then, almost conspiratorially, “but if you don’t like it, i keep a bottle of french vanilla creamer in the fridge.”

[dustedluck]

"i know, i know," lopsided grin secured, her hands were posted in a placating manner, "but you've got to admit that was brave for me to admit in such an outstanding coffee shop." the instant coffee was a mainstay from her irish roots, and well, every single time she visited home. it became a convenience that eventually turned to a norm, given that every time you took in guests at your home in ireland you always were hospitable with a tea or coffee. "well, congratulations," caz complimented, her brow shifting up, impressed. "you've done well with the place since you've claimed it." then she shrugged and that curve on her lips grew, "you've got me. not a regular, but i've been in a time or two. i'm just either drinking office coffee or home coffee. now i've got even more of a reason to stop in here."

one of her favorite things was listening to anyone with more knowledge than her on any particular subject, and as she learned a bit more about beans and roasts caz found herself nodding to the intake of information. "which, in your expert opinion is the better for flavor? i've heard light roasts are the most pure flavor, is that true?" a bit of laughter slipped out at the creamer comment, leaving caz to shake her head. "i'm sure it'll be fantastic. it's my head overthinking the flavor combinations."

[moiraxrose]

#the saturday night for introverts starter pack

[comprosing]

Open to anyone!

Birdie's usual organized chaos was scattered around her, taking up half a leather couch and a table at the local coffee shop. School was nearly out, but there were still a few things she needed to do for her class of first graders. She wanted to send them off to second grade on a high and make sure they remembered how much fun they had in her class. Birdie liked working in public because she'd usually see someone she could talk to, and Birdie loved talking to people. She never minded sharing her space, even if someone didn't want to chat, so when she saw someone approach from the corner of her eye, she looked up with a smile. "Oh, hi," Birdie quickly grabbed up her colorful papers and things to make room. "Please, join me!" She smiled widely. "Ignore the chaos, I'm like a colorful tornado blowing through..."

[dustedluck]

between  meetings  and  not  wanting  to  be  stuck  inside  a  stuffy  office  space  for  the  hours  she  had  to  kill  before  she'd  have  to  do  time  in  a  conference  room  at  a  table  with  a  bunch  of  suits,  caz  hit  the  coffee  shop  and  had  her  americano  in  hand  as  she  surveyed  for  a  place  to  sit  and  review.  the  strawberry  blonde  had  looked  down  right  as  the  brunette  had  looked  up,  the  slant  on  her  lips  was  instant.  "hello  to  you,"  caz  greeted  as  she  watched  the  woman  clear  up  some  space.  "aw,  luv,  you  don't  have  to  go  to  all  that  trouble  for  me.  i  don't  take  up  much  space."  while  petite  for  sure,  mostly  the  irishwoman  didn't  want  to  intrude  on  the  project  the  other  had  going.

"a  colorful  tornado,"  caz  repeated,  charmed,  and  took  up  some  of  the  space  freed  up  and  offered  to  her.  the  bag  she'd  had  hanging  off  her  shoulder  she  placed  on  the  floor  between  her  feet,  then  pulled  out  her  ipad  and  set  it  onto  her  lap.  "i  wouldn't  have  called  that  chaos.  looked  like  you  were  up  to  some  fun.  mind  if  i  ask  what  it's  all  for?"

[comprosing]

Open to anyone, feel free to assume a prior relationship!

Collin should've already been home by this time of night, but his bartender called out and there was no one else to replace him. So, he was behind the bar until closing. On the Rocks was relatively empty this close to last call, but there were a few stragglers enjoying their meal or nursing a beer while they watched the game. Collin was leaning against the bar, his gaze on one of the televisions when someone took up one of the stools at the bar. "Hey," He said, turning his attention towards them. "How's it going? What can I get you?"

[dustedluck]

"hiya,"  caz  answered  as  she  settled,  "can't  complain.  how  about  you?"  while  her  irish  brogue  had  faded  some  it  was  still  very  present  as  she  spoke.  the  phone  in  her  hand  had  been  placed  screen  down  on  the  bar  top  in  front  of  her,  she  didn't  want  to  look  at  it  and  be  tempted  by  anything  pertaining  to  work.  "have  you  got  beamish  or  murphy's  stout?"  even  if  irish  beers  were  hard  to  come  by  at  most  places,  caz  still  tried.

as  she  rested  her  forearms  against  the  bar  her  eyes  wandered  around  the  space  a  bit,  took  in  the  games  on  the  tvs  and  remembered  she'd  just  interrupted  him  watching  one  of  them.  "so,  who're  you  rooting  for?"  it  was  her  interest  in  the  reply  that  lifted  her  brow.  "i've  gotta  admit  it's  been  fun  seeing  the  rise  of  footie  in  here  in  the  states."

[ofmercies]

“that’s my fault, i’m afraid,” lavinia admitted, ducking her head. “when i bought the place the old owner had so many options and everyone seemed to have a different favorite. and, well, the menu’s the result.” she laughed, leaning gently against the counter.

thankfully, she had added her own spin to most of the drinks and had a few suggestions. “i have a cold brew with whipped honey cold foam that you might like? it’s topped with a pinch of sea salt flakes. it's not quite as rich as the lattes.” the brunette nodded to a small chalkboard resting atop the pastry display. “or, if you're after something summery, there’s an italian caffè al limone. espresso with a bit of lemon zest.”

[dustedluck]

"it's  a  good  thing,"  caz  assured,  "having  plenty  of  options.  i'm  just  a  simple  one."  there  was  a  small,  quiet  laugh,  mostly  at  herself.  "i  usually  drink  a  black  coffee.  instant  at  that,"  the  slant  to  her  lips  inclined,  "and  at  the  times  i  do  feel  adventurous  i'll  maybe  add  a  flavored  creamer."  the  fact  that  she  wasn't  coffee  savvy  was  likely  even  more  pronounced  with  caz's  ignorance  to  the  café  having  changed  ownership.  it  was  great,  and  impressive,  to  see  a  young  woman  at  the  helm.  "how  long  ago  did  you  buy  this  out?"  the  strawberry  blonde  leant  into  her  curiosity,  her  irish  accent  always  coming  through  in  the  musical  cadence  in  which  she  spoke.

the  first  suggestion,  cold  foam  honey  sweetened,  sounded  delicious  and  she  was  already  sold  on  that  when  her  blue  eyes  followed  where  directed  with  the  owner's  nod.  "you  know  what..."  there  was  a  pause  as  she  considered  the  flavors  together,  espresso  and  lemon  wasn't  necessarily  a  combination  she'd  ever  think  of.  that  was  precisely  why  she'd  decided  on  it.  "i'll  give  the  italian  caffè  al  limone  a  try.  is  it  a  dark  roast?"  while  she  imagined  the  café  was  often  busy,  caz  was  grateful  it  was  slow  in  that  moment  so  she  wasn't  holding  a  bunch  of  people  up.

[stuckinreversemode]

Even when I’m going to a party or when I’m not seen necessarily as an actress, I don’t need people to think I’m great, I don’t look for validation from other people. There probably was a time in my life when I did, I don’t know if I ever did really badly, but I’m quite like her in that way where I’m very internal and I don’t need everybody to think I’m great to feel good about myself, or the movies that I’ve done, how much money I have and all those silly things that a lot of people are quite obsessed about.

[gummysharkbites]

status: open (0/5) @mirabellastarts

where: cherry street flea and thrift

jibril had entered the thrift store with the intent of "just looking", when in reality he never left one without buying something. it's not long before they find themself perusing the objects, inevitably being drawn in by one. he's currently standing in an aisle holding an almost cartoonish ceramic frog, when he looks up and notices someone trying to get by.

"oh, sorry." they step to the side and their fingers tap lightly against the ceramic as they consider it, a small smile pulling at their lips. "i know it's just a frog, but i think he has a great personality. i'd trust him to watch over my garden, wouldn't you?"

[dustedluck]

"you're  good,  luv,"  caz  assured  as  she  moved  past  the  male,  the  irish  brogue  still  present  despite  the  years  away  from  home  in  the  states.  truthfully,  the  strawberry  blonde  hadn't  noticed  the  frog  in  his  possession  until  he'd  pointed  it  out  and  her  attention  swung  from  a  vintage  appearing  jewelry  box  on  the  shelf  that'd  reminded  her  somewhat  of  her  grandmother's  to  the  ceramic  in  his  palm.

"absolutely,"  said  confidently  with  that  trademark  quirk  to  her  lip.  "frogs  are  a  good  omen,"  caz  then  added,  eyes  lifting  from  the  item  to  meet  his  own.  "they're  symbolic  of  fertility  and  renewal  so  i'd  say  that's  pretty  good  for  a  garden.  wouldn't  you?"  reaching  for  the  box  on  the  shelf,  her  thumb  pushed  open  the  lid  a  little  before  her  head  turned  back  to  the  male  to  add,  "they're  a  sign  of  a  good  ecosystem  but  also  wealth  and  prosperity,  so  maybe  not  a  bad  thing  to  have  hangin'  around  your  house."

[ofmercies]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑: open (0/3) | @mirabellastarts 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: clementine café

the morning rush had come to an end in a flash of splattered glasses, flurried hands, and too many pitchers of steamed milk. the last of the early customers sipped their drinks idly in the sand, not quite as rushed as the commuters. an indie pop playlist played softly from the speakers, drifting out onto the beach.

lavinia hummed under her breath while she cleaned, just finishing wiping down the espresso machine when she noticed someone waiting at the counter. tossing the cloth over her shoulder, she approached them. “thanks for waiting, darlin’. what can i get started for you?”

[dustedluck]

when  it'd  come  to  simple  pleasures  such  as  coffee  caz  usually  enjoyed  them  at  home,  on  the  porch  or  patio  whilst  enjoying  the  quiet,  as  sacred  me  time.  though,  clearly  vulnerable  to  temptation,  the  scent  of  espresso  pulled  the  strawberry  blonde  into  the  clementine  café.  while  the  barista  was  busied  with  tasks  to  keep  the  shop  in  tiptop  shape  her  irish  eyes  perused  the  menu.

surely,  when  noticed,  the  young  woman  would  see  that  lost  look  on  caz's  face  as  the  majority  of  what  was  to  offer  confused  her.  a  small  chuckle  broke  between  them  and  her  head  shook  just  slightly  enough  to  be  noted.  "well,  i  dunno,  that  selection  is  pretty  extensive,"  head  tipped  forward  to  the  posting,  "what'd  you  recommend  that's  refreshing  but  not  overly  complicated?  something  to  enjoy  as  i  walk  to  the  shops..."