gold dust woman

golddvstfm. dependent blog for @palmviewfm ! loved by kay.

[golddvstfm]

golddvstfm. dependent blog for palmviewfm. penned by kay! (she/her, 28, est)

holly de leon (dove cameron). twenty-eight. the live wire. bartender at the tipsy shore. she/her intro. pinterest. playlist. stella st. james (chandler kinney). twenty-six. the romantic. hairdresser at so stylish. she/her intro. pinterest. playlist. natalia reed (lisa yamada). twenty-six. the princess. cashier at retro roots. she/her intro. pinterest. playlist. summer henderson. (samantha logan). twenty-nine. the diligent. dance instructor at curtain call dance academy. she/her intro. pinterest. playlist.

[golddvstfm]

closed starter for nolan ( @whskyskies ) !! location: mango bay lofts

dating apps had always been a weird thing for stella; she'd all but considered deleting tinder entirely when she realized how different her wants when it came to love and dating were from so many of the people she met through the apps. maybe it was the romantic in her, but part of her always knew that she wanted something more than surface level. but every so often, there was a little glimmer, someone that stuck out and made her hold onto the app just a little longer. nolan had held conversation well, showed interest, and conveniently lived just downstairs, and on top of it all actually wanted to make a plan to hang out, so of course she'd agreed. maybe she wasn't sure exactly what to make of it, but it would be fun at least.

"you are real!" stella called out, a grin on her face as she bounded down the stairs from the fifth floor to the fourth, stopping her strides once she stood in front of nolan. not that she'd necessarily doubted him for a second, but for all she knew, the subtle taps against her floor earlier that day were purely her imagination. "i made a list of some of my favorite spots around town," she held up her phone. "i don't think those are haunted, but it's at least a great way to see palmview, if that works?"

[golddvstfm]

closed starter for reverie( @whskyskies ) !! location: reverie's place

"honey, i'm home!!" stella called out, rather unceremoniously, as she pushed open the front door to reverie's place. stella didn't remember when she got to this point with rev, the comfort in just being able to let herself in, but in her mind, they were far past it. long gone were the polite knocks or asking permission to enter. nowadays stella and rev had granted each other standing permission to stop by whenever the other wanted (within reason, of course, especially as they aged into adulthood). she'd never grown up with siblings, not in the biological sense, so having rev around had always been one of stella's favorite blessings.

"i come bearing gifts," she continued talking as she pulled items out of the tote bag she'd brought in; chocolate (as promised), a bottle of their go-to wine (not mentioned but stella never showed up without it at this point), plus the gifts she'd bought for both reverie and mimi from her trip to disney. once the snacks were laid out with the plushies, stella beamed, collapsing onto the couch with a sigh, happily allowing the small dog to jump on top of her. "now do you forgive me for not taking you with me?"

[snnydaze]

who: sully & tbd @golddvstfm where: scoreboard

"you've changed." okay, maybe that was the beer talking - or perhaps the chicken wings? - but sully doesn't back down from his observation, though his focus does quickly shift to attempting to clean off his buffalo-sauce covered fingertips. "these are way too spicy, by the way. someone should tell the kitchen. and why are they orange? they almost look like buffalo wings."

[golddvstfm]

"oh, don't be a baby," natalia groaned, waving off his complaints with her hand in his direction. she still wasn't sure why she'd agreed to come with sully to dinner, call it another attempt at roommate bonding, but now she felt like she was one beer away from having to carry him back to their apartment. "i'm pretty sure you did order buffalo wings, babe. wasn't it you who said something about being able to handle spice?" she paused, taking a sip from her cocktail. "and for the record i haven't changed, i've just been busy. that okay with you?"

[mxdnxghtvellxchor]

Theo looked up from the menu he'd barely been reading and smiled when he spotted Natalia weaving through the tables. "There she is." He stood just long enough to pull her chair out a little before dropping back into his own seat, giving a small shrug. "Nah. Maybe... five minutes?"

His smile lingered as he took her in for a second. "It's good to see you." It was. There wasn't any awkwardness, surprisingly. Maybe there should've been after everything, after quietly drifting apart without much of an explanation. He rested an elbow on the table. "How've you been?"

[golddvstfm]

"Okay, then I don't feel too bad," Natalia teased, settling into the chair across from him. She let her nails tap against the metal table, as her eyes scanned over him in a similar way that she'd just caught him doing, the gentle grin on her face matching his. It was easy to fall back into this routine, with someone that she'd grown to become remarkably comfortable around over the few months she'd known Theo. She let out a breath, silently relieved that there didn't seem to be too much tension lingering between them.

"I mean, I can't complain. Not too much, anyways. Planning something for my birthday, but that's still in the works," she shrugged, her eyes falling back onto him. "What about you, mister back-on-Tinder?"

[lionheartcds]

Ever since her mother's empire stagnated ever so slightly, with her own opinions manipulating the quality of Arslan couture, Derya forced her way into the spotlight to take over. More or less, at least. While her mother wasn't all too keen to be innovative, Derya was. For that to work she'd made sure to find a few loyal talents to use whenever needed, before fashion week, before another collection dropped. Which is exactly where Stella came into play. Naturally talented and incredibly helpful in bringing her designs to life, she'd hoped for Stella to elevate her designs with the right hairstyle.

"Yes, sounds good." She looked at the various hairstyles and made some mental notes before returning her gaze back towards Stella. "I'm aiming to play with loads of textures for the first half, then sleeked back and a ponytail or buns for the other. The collection has two parts, one features a more risque, more outgoing style, the other's more," she wrinkled her nose, "safe, for my mother's safe, but elegant. We can pair the textured hair with any elegant style and the sleeked back buns with the more risque designs. A great contrast. Thoughts?"

[golddvstfm]

"Okay, perfect," Stella nodded, pausing for a moment as she turned back towards her laptop to take a few notes down as reminders. This was definitely shaping up to be the most complicated and probably the biggest feat of her career yet. She'd worked with local designers, sure, but nothing to this caliber, and she knew well enough that this would likely be a huge step in her career. It was coming at the perfect time, too, as everything else in her life seemed to make less and less sense as her days went on. No longer being able to focus on her band and their success, her mind was now entirely on building her career in hair. If she could control anything in her life, it had to be this.

"I like the sounds of this. A little edgy to start, then we move into the sleek look. I think if I have enough people on my team, I can probably get some of your models in both sets, if we play our cards right," she continued, finally looking away from the notes on her computer and back to Derya. "Remind me again what the collection is supposed to be?"

[strynights]

"well, i'm pretty obsessed with you too," mateo replied easily, grinning just a bit wider. "i think this is the sign of a beautiful marriage to come." he nodded once, as though that alone sealed an silent promise. "honestly, i think we're doing great so far. communication? excellent. mutual interests? apparently incredible. legally questionable paperwork? already completed. isn't that how all married couples do it? i think the shady paperwork part just adds a little spicy, you know?" he chuckled. mateo leaned back against the record bin beside him, watching her hold up the abba albums. "okay, first of all, you're absolutely right." he pointed at the records in approval.

"second of all, if anybody asks, i want it on the record that i never questioned your judgment for a single second." he reached over to inspect the albums with an approving hum. "super trouper and voulez-vous? incredibly strong opening choices. honestly, this marriage is starting to feel less and less accidental by the minute." the words slipped out easily enough that he barely thought about them before laughing quietly and shaking his head at himself. "i feel like abba was playing and i discovered your love for them that night at tipsy shore. then i was like 'yeah. she's the one.' popped the question right then and there i bet."

his attention drifted back toward the shelves before suddenly lighting up with inspiration. "okay, wait. hear me out." he held up the ABC album with a grin before immediately reaching back for another. "and before you say anything..." he pulled out Thriller and held both up proudly. "come on." he laughed, shifting side to side with the records in his hands. "tell me you aren't at least a little intrigued by the possibility of seeing your husband do the moonwalk." he gave her a pointed look before setting the albums carefully against his chest and attempting a very small, very exaggerated moonwalk across the floor. it lasted maybe two seconds before he broke into laughter at himself. "okay, listen, the execution needs some work. but the vision? flawless." he looked back at her with a grin. "so? are we adding them or am i getting vetoed already?"

[golddvstfm]

"now that you mention it, i'm pretty sure dancing queen was playing when you proposed. i guess that means that's our song. very romantic," stella beamed, happily stacking the two records she picked out off to the side into a neat pile. she was halfway through digging through another row when she heard mateo speak up again, and her eyes were back on him and the albums in a second. her eyes widened, and before she could even properly praise his choices, she was bursting into a fit of giggles at the attempted dance moves happening in front of her. not bad, not in the slightest, but amusing enough that she was back to getting looks from surrounding patrons.

"and i think that is the thing that made me realize that i just had to marry you on the spot," she said through laughter, happily taking the albums from him and setting them at the top of their slowly building album stack. "so that's abba and michael representation done. that's already a pretty good start to the wedding playlist. what else are we thinking? maybe high school musical? olivia rodrigo? elton john? i mean, the possibilities are endless, except i think breaking free should absolutely be there. that might be my new non-negotiable."

[chasingthetide]

  ࿔  𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𓂃 @palmviewstarters   ࿔  𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𓂃 shorefit gym

usually, it was only when summer was approaching that people signed up for the gym or fitness classes in droves, but even now, well into the season, jericho still found new sign ups for his dance classes in his inbox. mostly salsa. that had always been his bread and butter growing up, and what had once been a beloved hobby, and a way to meet new people, had become his job. not a career, but a way to keep doing something he loved while earning enough to get by. that was all jericho had ever wanted out of life: never to be stuck in a dead end nine to five office job, but to spend his days enjoying the things he loved.

the morning class had long since finished, its students filtering out into the day’s sunshine, a part of him twinging with jealousy. he was the type of person who thrived in the sun, someone who could spend hours beneath it, soaking up every ray. he was a summer baby, and it showed, especially when it came to the beach. there were twenty minutes before his next class, and while he waited, he couldn’t help but daydream about how he’d spend his upcoming break, probably heading down to the beach after stopping by sunset tacos.

mid daydream, his bubble burst at the sound of the dance studio door creaking open. “class doesn’t start for another twenty minutes. i hope that’s okay…” turning, he came to a stop, his hands settling on his hips. “i didn’t expect to see you here.”

[golddvstfm]

dance was always something that had been in summer's life, all the way up to the point that even on her days off from her studio, she was still seeking out new opportunities to learn and dance. it was nice to dance somewhere that wasn't her own studio for once too; made it less likely for a parent of one of the kids from the juniors class to inevitably bombard her with questions about the upcoming season and class schedule, or something else that she truly had no answers for. she wanted to be able to do something for herself, to take a class in a style she didn't teach, which ultimately brought her into the gym.

"oh, i'm always early," summer remarked, resting her hands on one of her own hips, mirroring the way jericho stood in front of her. she let her eyes scan the studio, then him, and she let out a small sigh. it was rare to find herself in a peaceful environment nowadays, between the studio's owner slowly giving summer more work to do, and her daughter having more free time than either of them were used to, and she was almost jealous of the peaceful room that jericho stood in. still, she had a slight mission in front of her, so she continued talking.

"i caught the end of the last one earlier, and i can't help but wonder when you're gonna bring those skills over to my studio."

[daydia]

on nights like this, it was almost possible to forget about the hard times - the years of struggling that'd led them both to this beautiful moment. even as a teenager, nayara had always been convinced sami would change her life for the better. every smile, every laugh, every dance battle lost was that belief coming to fruition. she sighed happily as she felt the assuring weight of summer's head atop of hers. "i still think it's a good idea. just maybe not a great idea." nayara chuckled tiredly. "it couldn't be an apartment though, unless it's on the bottom floor. the downstairs neighbors would hate us."

[golddvstfm]

"well, when we both win the lottery, we can get a big house just for the four of us. no need to worry about neighbors," summer teased, letting out a heavy sigh as the laughter finally fizzled out. the two young girls, seemingly oblivious to the exhaustion of their mothers behind them, had already started up the next song, and summer took that moment to let herself fall back against the couch. her head tilted towards nayara's, eyebrows raised in amusement, though her voice stayed low as to not let their young children hear too much. "so what's been going on with you? feel like we have a lot to debrief on since i saw you last."

[h0tblood]

a  laugh  is  drawn  out  of  him,  watches  as  sami  instinctively  pulls  charlie  towards  the  water,  her  dyed  dark  red  curls  briefly  brightening  under  the  sunlight,  going  on  about  how  they  should  totally  play  mermaids  now  that  she  looks  like  one.  “  couldn't  come  empty  handed,  ”  he  says  with  a  shrug,  sitting  down  next  to  summer  and  pulling  his  drink  out  of  the  carrier  before  taking  a  quick  sip.  “  you  know  how  they  are.  they're  like  magnets,  can't  stay  away  from  each  other  even  if  they  tried,  ”  he  remarks.

[golddvstfm]

"you know, i think it's good for them. it's good to have someone close like that." summer mused, pausing to take a sip of her own drink as she watched the girls for one more moment. she remembered how important having friends her age was when she was growing up, and even moreso as she got older and it became more difficult to maintain. if the girls were lucky, they'd have each other for the rest of their lives. with a small chuckle, she turned back towards spencer. "i always thought about having another, but that's probably not in the cards for me. but it's nice to know she's got sami."

[lionheartcds]

closed starter for Summer @golddvstfm

He'd made sure to grab a second helmet before heading out. With roses in hand, he made his way to Summer, filtering through traffic with his motorcycle just to be a bit faster, which wasn't something he'd ever try with her. Securing his bike and walking towards the apartment complex, Alistair started to become just the slightest bit nervous. Still, he rang, shaking himself before removing his helmet. He clearly had too much energy for tonight, with anxiety getting to him every now and then, especially once she'd opened the door. "Hey," he couldn't muster much more before wordlessly presenting Summer with his bouquet of roses, an absolute classic. "You look beautiful. Uh, I hope you don't mind us taking the bike for tonight?" Raising an eyebrow, Alistair grinned and Summer, "Don't worry; I'll make sure to drive safely."

[golddvstfm]

Summer had tried really hard to keep herself together, but she couldn't deny the nerves she'd been feeling all day leading up to this moment. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd ever see Alistair again, let alone agree to a date with him as an adult, but here she was. When she opened the door and stood face to face with him and the bouquet in his hands, she couldn't help but feel some of those nerves wash away, a small laugh escaping her lips instead. Like coming home.

"Hi, come in. It's a bit of a mess, but..." she trailed off as she took the bouquet from his hands and nodded towards the door. Not in long enough to suggest anything, instead keeping herself busy as she immediately worked to fill up a vase with water. Her lips turned up in a small grin as she faced him again, gently placing the flowers in. "I don't mind. You'll have to teach me though; I don't think I've been on a motorcycle before."

[lovesh0ts]

demian wouldn’t say he has a resting bitch face,  but the difference between the face he had as he waited for holly and the one he made the moment he spotted her was abysmal.   absolute joy exploded in his expression,  and he could feel,  more than see  ( even with the mirror in front of him ),  the way the smile broke his early profound expression. “   heyyy !   ”   they greeted cheerfully,  even when holly’s attention went first and immediately to lynch.   demian couldn’t blame her, though;  they knew very well that when lynch was around,  they were nothing but a supporting character in this life.   their gaze moved,  then,  the moment holly retrieved a note from her pocket and handed it to them.   “   oh,  is this—?   ”   they laughed,  their eyes landing on the terrible handwriting on the note card,  and a dramatic gasp fell from their lips.   “   okay,  i did believe you when you texted me earlier,  but this is …  so cool.   ”   demian handed the note back to holly and looked at her intently for a moment.   he didn’t want to be cheesy,  but at the same time this was important,  so he felt like he had to say something.   in fact,  he wanted to.   “   i’m …  really proud of you,  hols,  you know that,  right ?   ”   he started,  his voice soft,  his gaze softer.   “   this—this is all you,  all you’ve accomplished is all because of you and what you’ve done to get here.   and i’m—i’m proud,  really.   ”

[golddvstfm]

the praise from her friend made holly beam instantly. it was one thing to feel pride in herself and her accomplishments (which she did, for the record) but getting that response from the person that not only witnessed what could be considered her absolute lowest point was very quickly making it into holly's top ten best and most exciting moments of her twenty-eight years. demian knew better than anyone else just how much she'd manage to accomplish in the last few months, probably more than her own family even realized. he'd been there through the worst of it, practically dragged her into that rehab facility back in whatever town they were in at the time, and still stuck around after. she wasn't sure she'd ever have the right words to thank them.

"couldn't have done it without your support," holly responded just as earnestly, her grin falling into something gentle, despite the way she kept the energy light with a gentle tap against her friend's nose. a loving gesture from someone who really did not consider herself a hugger or a physically affectionate person, but the words carried the correct amount of weight, nonetheless. "but thank you. i'm really proud of this, and myself. we're only a few weeks out from the six-month chip which is... huge. yeah." she let out a laugh of something akin to disbelief. it was hard to imagine just how much had happened, but here they were. "but not too much on the sappy stuff, you promised me a beach."

[tut5ak]

Holly.  Holly.  –   Even  before  she  leans  on  the  counter  to  close  the  distance  between  the  two  of  them  some,  he  mustered  her.  Watched  the  length  of  her  slim  arm  when  she  put  away  the  tip  he’d  given,  glances  over  where  it  melts  into  the  rest  of  her  body  ;   her  waist  that  would,  no  doubt,  fit  into  his  palms  easily.  The  curve  of  her  hips,  the  meatiness  of  her  thighs  even  though  he  couldn’t  see  all  the  way  down  her  long  legs  because  the  bar  was  in  the  way  of  his  sight.  More  than  once,  drunk,  tipsy,  sometimes  sober  like  now,  he’d  thought  about  it.  Had  thought  about  the  weight  of  those  thighs  against  his  shoulders  and  if  she’d  let  him–  no,  too  soon.  Too  soon  for  inappropriate  thoughts  when  all  she’d  given  him  were  probably  the  same  charming  words  she  gave  all  the  other  customers  who  left  her  a  good  tip.  

Fingers  close  around  the  body  of  the  bottle  before  him  instead  of  her  shape.  Not  nearly  as  satisfying  but  he  washes  down  the  disappointment  with  a  sip  of  his  beer.  Then,  when  Holly  leans  in  and  the  weight  of  her  gaze  settles  upon  him  …  mhm.  Right  where  he  wanted  to  be.  How  thrilling,  Clemence  thought,  leans  in  just  enough  to  see  the  color  of  her  eyes  better,  the  paleness  of  her  nearly  perfect  skin.  “  I’d  hope  you  know  my  name  by  now.  Or  did  you  want  to  hear  a  reminder  ?  “  A  teasing  nuance  flickers  through  his  voice,  a  spark  in  his  eye.  It  had  been  the  right  choice  to  skip  the  trip  home  after  all.  

Instead  of  having  traded  his  button  down  for  a  looser  t-shirt,  his  pants  for  denim,  just  to  fit  the  establishment  more,  he  releases  the  bottle  from  his  grasp  and  starts  to  roll  up  the  sleeves  of  his  shirt  until  they  sit  around  the  middle  of  his  lower  arm.  One  or  two  buttons  from  the  top  unbuttoned  as  well.  Better.  Perhaps  good  enough  to  keep  her  attention  for  another  moment.  “  Let  me  invite  you  to  a  drink  ?  Make  the  most  out  of  those  few  seconds  before  you  pretend  someone  else’s  company  is  more  interesting  than  mine.  “

[golddvstfm]

"You've got a lot of faith in me to remember anyone's name around here," Holly teased. It wasn't a total lie, she'd never been great with names. In the last few months since she'd been in town again and working at the Tipsy Shore, Holly had really only managed to learn a handful of names, but when they came in enough or kept her attention long enough, she began to feel more confident in her memory. Clemence was just memorable enough for her, and not even just for how unique his name was. Something about his presence made her want to stay in his orbit just a little longer, and the way his eyes stayed on hers made it clear to Holly that this was not one-sided.

She let her eyes scan over him for a moment, shamelessly watching as he rolled up his sleeves. Her eyes scanned from the blue ones staring back at her, to the rest of his face, his shoulders, his torso, his arms. They lingered there for longer than maybe appropriate to most, but Holly wasn't shy. Whatever he was trying to do was working, but two could play at that game. It was only when he spoke up again that she let her eyes move back to meet his, and she tilted her head at his offer.

"What, and lose all of the business I'm getting?" She asked with a dramatic wave of her arms towards the nearly empty barstools nearby. There was enough of a crowd on the dance floor and at surrounding tables, but not many people really stuck around the bar on a weeknight to talk to the bartender. Either way, she wouldn't admit that she probably would have let him hold her attention either way. She let her nails tap, tap, tap against the hardwood of the bar, humming softly. "I don't drink anymore, but I wouldn't say no to your company if it's interesting."

[dilvtedd]

NICO REMEMBERS FEELING DRAWN to holly nearly instentaniously since they met at the first meeting. of course it had felt out of place seeing a younger person close to his age there ( not in a bad way -- just suprising is all ), but he could tell there was a story there. and then had come her album, listening to it in silence. it told so much more than likely any person ever would. thus, he'd never pushed -- never demanded that she talk about anything that she wasn't ready for. he'd had an amazing support system when he'd first gotten his feet underneath him, but very few who had gone through something similar to him. thus, he wanted to be the kind of support who understood.

even if she just didn't feel like she had the energy to go, he would be that for her. even if it was through the small things like driving her, bribing her with food -- he would do it. he'd found that getting motivated to go to meetings was always easier when you had some support.

" hey! saying that t'the man who's about to make you pasta carbonara is crazy. " nico chuckles, placing the bag in his hands down on the kitchen counter. and yet, it was understandable -- the dog was pretty fucking cute as he nuzzled his head against her legs. " not my precious son! how dare you. " he laughs, gesturing her to come take a seat. " how're you feelin'? i know that was a lot today... i'm glad you came. "

[golddvstfm]

"now hold on, this is not me saying that i don't like you too," holly shot back, lifting the hand that wasn't currently scratching behind ajax's ears up in defense. "i could never do that. you're like... in my top five when it comes to people right now. that's a huge deal. and it's not just because of the food."

when ajax finally lost interest in the attention holly was giving him, holly stood up and stretched slightly before pushing in the direction that her friend was. she always enjoyed evenings like this with anyone that she considered to be a part of her circle, just existing in the same space as the other, letting them work or carry on with their own thing while she either sat and watched or existed nearby. spending as long as she did touring, and then working in loud bars and nightclubs meant that she'd gotten too used to the loud rooms, the shouting over music to talk, and the fast paced enviornment that came with it, but spending this time since coming back and discovering how much she didn't actually hate quiet had become a huge development. she had something to be proud of.

"i'm alright," she finally said, shrugging her shoulders as she settled into the barstool at the kitchen counter. it wasn't avoidant the way she responded, not always, but those meetings took a lot out of her even on her most energetic days. "i didn't think he'd make me talk that much. i'm glad i came too, but i didn't know so much of it would turn into holly's story hour."

[lionheartcds]

He exhaled quickly, trying to calm his nerves once again. Despite having a plan to save up some money in order to help Summer, despite leaving his old life behind and changing for the better, he'd completely glossed over the fact, that he'd have to face Summer sooner or later. With no real plan, he entered their conversation with nothing but hope, that she'd even listen to him after all these years. Clearly undeserved, but Alistair never stopped believing. The way she immediately shattered his own self-view and breathed purpose into him... he briefly wondered when he'd stopped even believing in himself. Probably twelve years ago without him completely noticing.

He was almost ready to avoid eye contact when she began to reciprocate it, but he didn't falter just yet. Instead, he just let those raw emotions take over, with a slight, but visible smile appearing on his face in utter appreciation. "Oh, I wanted to. I just didn't know how. Gotta work on all of that, I guess," he sniffled once, "to be honest I truly believed you'd just hate my guts by now." Then again Summer probably protected her own peace if she didn't have to dwell on the past for too long, which made him wonder how long she'd truly thought about him. Nothing to dwell on now, given the fact that they were talking now, very open and honest. "No, no I get it. Got my money and affairs in order, I think." He wrinkled his nose and nodded as he mentally went over the list of things he'd promised himself to have ready once the time came. Alistair had paid off a decent apartment, had saved up some money and had separated himself from his former 'friends', ready to just start over.

Her next words didn't help and Alistair caught himself just ready to burst into tears once again. Though he managed to just stare at her in awe and disbelief. What good would ever come from him? Yet, to have his own likeness and mannerisms transplanted into a new generation seemed almost too good to be true. He'd never considered becoming a father before, not after what he'd gone through, but this? Feeling all air leave his lungs, he just exhaled inaudibly, tears falling down silently as he sniffled once more. "She does? Damn it, fuck," he smiled from ear to ear, head now slightly tilted downward as he gently reached towards the middle of the table, giving her the opportunity to take his hand, or not. "I hope she's more like you, though. All good, determined and strong-willed. What is she... like?"

[golddvstfm]

"I really wanted to," Summer admitted softly, a gently laugh escaping her lips as she spoke again. It was no secret nor surprise that for years Summer wished she could just hate him and move on. She did, for a little bit. Hated his guts for leaving her alone and leaving their child before he even had a chance to get to know them. For leaving her alone to defend herself against her parents and her grandparents. For leaving her alone with all of the what if's.

Maybe if he'd stayed she wouldn't have had to finish high school in another city. Maybe she could have graduated right in Palmview, and the two of them could have raised Charlotte together from the beginning. But for some reason, there was always something that kept her from feeling fully angry or resentful towards him. The way her anger would entirely fizzle out when she looked into her daughter's eyes and saw all of the expressions, she'd inherited from her dad without realizing, and every ounce of hatred disappeared.

Summer's expression softened when she saw Alistair get choked up again, and damn it if she didn't feel herself begin to get choked up too. She let out a breath, keeping her eyes locked on his. Her hands were on the table, now inches from his but still at a bit of a distance from his own (she recognized his hand being closer, but something in her kept her from reaching out to grab his). Instead, the corner of her lips turned up in a small smile, and she pulled out her phone with one hand.

"She is a lot like me," Summer said gently, using one hand to swipe through her phone until she landed on what she'd been looking for; a photo from Charlotte's eleventh birthday in March. All big smiles and bright eyes right in front of them. Summer's curls and Alistair's eyes. She turned the phone around and set it on the table in front of him. "But she's also got your spirit. She's a fighter, she's stubborn, and she cares so much about the people she loves. She loves art, she's a great dancer, she's funny. She's... she's perfect. In every way."

[lionheartcds]

She’d meant the world to him, a world he’d burned down because of his own cowardice. If it wasn’t for his involvement with his gang, Alistair would’ve stayed. Yet, nothing excused him leaving and nothing ever would. Just like his father abandoned him, albeit emotionally not physically, Alistair had abandoned both Charlotte and Summer. Trying to stop the tears, he forced his eyes shut, squinting almost too harshly. A moment of weakness, the words of his father did come to mind then. Man up. A sentiment worse than anything else, so he opened his again to face her. Emotions or not, they were real and raw, nothing he had to hide, ever.

„No, I didn’t. I was afraid they’d come for you if I ever tried to call or text. I knew they kept looking for me for a while and even asked my father. Luckily he told them I’d left town and since then they’ve moved on from Palmview to a neighboring town.“ He’d run away for so long, Alistair could finally breathe again, finally try and find her. So when he did, his whole world snapped back into place. „I’m a monster for putting you through so much pain. Trying to find a father substitute, a purpose… Instead I walked straight into towards worst kind of people. Honestly, I thought differently back then and even considered them my family, but,“ He shook his head, unwilling to continue. What they’d do to actual family if one stepped out of line. „The gang’s still active, but from what I’ve heard, most I’ve dealt with in the past have ever been arrested, moved or worse…“  He didn't know how to continue. Nothing would ever make up for the fact that he'd left, but he still had to try and make things right. "I'm debt free, while my conscience isn't. I worked a shit ton to safe some money, legally, just to support you. If you'll have me," he added, more quiet than should've been. "I'm trying to be better these days, I promise."

[golddvstfm]

"You're not a monster-" Summer interjected softly, her brows furrowing as she felt that all-too familiar tightness sit in her chest. Ever the protector and the caretaker that she was, she always worked hard to make sure that the people in her life were uplifted and taken care of, and hearing Alistair talk about himself in this way was enough to bring that tightness back. No matter what happened between them, no matter what distance or time kept them apart, she couldn't bring herself, not even in this moment, to feel as angry towards him. Not in the way she always thought she'd feel, how her friends encouraged her to feel. She always thought she'd be angrier; she imagined herself seeing him one day and getting a chance to lay into him and tell him how much he'd hurt her, and maybe one day relay that story to her daughter. But now as she sat here, she couldn't bring herself to feel an ounce of that.

"...I do believe that you want to be better," she said after a moment, her eyes now locked onto his, to make this point really hit home. She had to steady her own breathing when she saw the emotion on his face. "I always wanted you to be involved in her life, even when we were seventeen and I was madder at you than I'd ever been at anyone before for leaving." Another pause, a sad laugh. "I just... This is a lot right away. But I mean- I told you this that first day, I always wanted you to be a part of this story, and for a long time I didn't think you wanted to be." Her voice was soft, almost an embarrassed admission with sadness lingering through it as she remembered how much his disappearance had destroyed her. "Words just aren't going to cut it anymore, and I think you know that. Not when Charlotte is growing up." She took one more pause and really looked at him, observing his face properly for the first time.

"God, she really looks like you."

[dilvtedd]

@golddvstfm

LOCATION: nico's place, late evening FOR: holly de leon

THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING about the de leon sisters. it had been a recurring thought in nico's mind -- both enigmatic and larger than life, while he himself was ordinarily far more reserved. and yet, he's always gravitated towards holly in a manner that even he knows exceeds past just having been where she is before. it's a protective feeling that sits in the center of his chest, from the moment he listens to her talk at meetings -- even after they leave. he'll do anything to keep her from going through that again. of course he intended to keep his promise to make them both dinner, some comfort food after baring their souls to a room full of people who far exceeded their age.

as he turns the key in the lock -- he can hear ajax's paws connecting with the wood floor by his door before they eventually meet the doormat. and then, when it opens, the pitbull goes right to holly -- excited eyes bright and small barks soon following. " ajax, behave bud. we have guests! " he laughs, placing his keys on the counter. " see, i told you he liked you more than me. "

[golddvstfm]

to this day, holly wasn't sure what she'd done in a past life or this present one to deserve the people in her life she'd come to find. her dads and her sister had been more than she'd ever hoped for out of a family, her band had at one time been the greatest group of people she'd ever had the chance to be around (even if they wanted little to do with her now), and then she moved back to palmview and met some of the most important people in her life. demian, who got her to rehab and then came back home with her; jim, who, despite his grumpy demeanor, wanted nothing more than for holly to get better.

and then she met nico, who lifted her up without asking for anything in return and cheered for her at every step. he supported her through every step, even through transportation on the days when she couldn't bring herself to go otherwise. she wasn't sure she'd ever find a way to thank him properly, truly.

"well that's good, because i like him more than i like you, too," she teased, immediately crouching down next to be at eye level with ajax. she stayed there for a moment, scratching behind his ears with absolute joy. "you have to be careful, or he's gonna come home with me one of these days."