you talk of the pain like it's all alright.

GRANT JACOB BANNISTER. twenty seven. graphic designer. "you can let it go. you can throw a party full of everyone you know. you can start a family who will always show you love. you don't have to be sorry, no."

[grcntbcnnister]

♡ GRANT BANNISTER — ❝ i think he’s very lonely. lonelier than he lets on. maybe lonelier than he even realizes. ❞ — twenty seven , he/him , bisexual , graphic designer , dog dad. — penned by line ( she/they ).

♡ — intro • biography • pinterest • playlist • wanted connections

[grcntbcnnister]

saveurluv​:

𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 : family dinner 𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 : for @grcntbcnnister

🪅 — for this exact reason susie had brought extra rhinestones and eyelash glue to the event. she stood in front of grant , cornering him and blocking him from escaping. ‘ hey , don’t be alarmed… i have a question for you. ’, susie reassured him, holding her hands out in front of her as if he was about to bolt any second. ‘ but , i want you to really really think hard about it. i seriously think it would be good for you. so good. ’, she continued. she pressed her lips together while narrowing her eyes at grant. ‘ can i please put tiny little rhinestones by your eyes. i feel like it would really make you slay. seriously. ’

Grant was looking for some chips to get before he head back into the kitchen when he was cornered by Susie. He raised his eyebrows at her. “Susie, I love ya, but no,” Grant said, hoping that she would let him still go, but he knew very well she might not let up till he gave in and let her put rinestones on him.

[grcntbcnnister]

saveurluv​:

‘ you’re gonna have to show me, babe. i want to see if my decorating skill rubbed off on you. ’, susie’s eyes full of excitement. she nodded her head in agreement at his sleep statement. grant was definitely a nice face to see , which was probably why she ended up visiting australia so often in the past. ‘ looks like we’re in the same boat. who knows maybe this could be our new home. ’. she shrugged , not knowing her future herself. ‘ clementine , of course.  will helped me with my laundry and i ran into ted at a bookstore this morning. what about you ? ’

“Trust me, they haven’t, all I have in the apartment is a bed, a couch, a desk, and a TV. You’ll find that it is very, very plain,” Grant said with a laugh and then a shake of his head. Grant shrugged at her comments about Skopelos though. “I saw Ted and Sawyer so far already, we were at the pool earlier when I first got here. Not all together, I feel like I have to note. I did see Will when he was just getting in. It’ll be interesting to see us all together again though, that’s for sure.”

[grcntbcnnister]

quixotiics​:

━━━   ❛ ‎  🕊  ‎ :    he  gives  up  his  lame  excuse  easily   with  a  shake  of  his  head .  ❛  ‎nah  ,  i  don’t  know .  it  really  wasn’t  that  bad  ,  just  ,  like  ten  hours .  ❜     which ,  to  the  well - traveled  oliver  ,  should  feel  like  nothing .   ❛  ‎maybe  i’m  just  out  of  practice ,  ❜   he  mused  in  another  bad  attempt  to  find  an  excuse  or  a  reason  ,  but  it  still  sounds  like  a  question  somehow .  it  was  true  he  hadn’t  traveled  much  outside  of  the  states  in  the  last  six  months  or  so  ,  but  he  wasn’t  sure  if  it  had  any  scientific  backing .  oliver  second  guesses  the  water  quality  ,  but  he  smiles  to  himself  as  grant  speaks  about   it.   ❛  ‎smart …  ❜   he  speaks  softly  and  quietly  ,  conscious  of  this  as  it’s  still  early .  oliver  chooses  to  sit  next  to  grant  anyways ,  but  backwards —  so  that  his  back  faces  the  pool  &  his  feet  stay  out  of  the  water  as  he  folds  his  legs  close  to  his  chest  .  ❛  … ‎i’m  sure  she’d  like  that .  ❜   

                     ❛  ‎ man  ….  you’re  dedicated , ❜   he  offers  a  gentle  smile .  ❛  ‘s  that  why  you’re  awake?   actual  jetlag  ?  ❜   oliver  gives  up  his  own  excuse  with  those  words  .  he  might’ve  believed  it  (  or  even  gotten  grant  to  believe  it   )  if  it  weren’t  for  grant’s  own  travel  time  or  even  for  grant’s  next  question .  he  nods  ,  briefly  ,  and  laughs  a  quick  and  breathy  laugh  ,  more  of  an  amused  exhale .  ❛  ‎uh  , yeah …  i  have . ❜   he  appreciates  grant  informing  or  warning  him  ,  but  says  nothing  more  on  the  subject  for  now .  he’s  just  not  sure  what  he  even  would  say .

Grant didn’t admit that it was because it was Elli. He did always have a sweet spot when it came to Elise, but he’d probably do it for everyone, except maybe Val, probably not Val. Grant shrugged though in response. “I guess that was the downside of moving to Australia, very much away from everyone and everything,” he replied. He let out a small laugh. “Yeah actual jetlag I’m sure, I think it’s a 7? hour difference between here and Brisbane? It’s later in Brisbane right now.” The silence that followed his words after the Susie mention felt... awkward, to say the least. There was another pause before Grant spoke again. “Did you... speak at all?”

[grcntbcnnister]

dismvntledvlmosts​:

“only souvenirs i brought is my presence, you’ll have to make do with it, i’m afraid.” god, no damned souvenirs, none of the sorts that ted wanted to share with grant, was brought back from scotland. not that grant would actually know, of course. contact had been sparse, to say the least. it was not a proof of his appreciation for the younger man, though. just that ted was shite at maintaining long distance relationships, be it friendship or anything else.

(will was an exception, of course.)

“i just got in yesterday, i’m getting old, grant. i need my old man sleep and i couldn’t get it,” he smiled at the other, settling in the sitting position next to him, watching the pool in front of them, grant’s feet in it, then the other’s face. “how are you? for real, i’ll know if you lie. i’ll force will to tell me if you’re not.”

Grant let out a soft laughed at the other’s comments about being an old man. “Nah, you’re not an old man, but you’re definitely still the Mom friend it seems,” he commented with a small teasing, but loving smile. Grant bit his lip and nodded lightly. “I’m good, really. I uh, I needed this honestly. Being in Australia, away from everyone... was really hard,” he said vaguely. There was a slip up he had with drinking the year prior when he felt lonely, being so far away from everyone, and the time difference got to him. It didn’t help that Grant tended to be quite bad at staying involved with everyone. “I’m able to work remote though, so I’ll be here for a while.” Grant seemed like the one who could deal with being alone and spending time away, he did like his moment away from everyone, alone in his apartment. Deep down though, Grant was a creature who thrived on interaction with others, especially those who he had a deep connection with. 

[grcntbcnnister]

rebcllicus​:

          “ Missed you too. “ she uttered ever so softly, arms circling back around him as she squeezed. elise loves his honesty even when at times she doesn’t want to hear it. yes, she’s missed thier group of friends, but that doesn’t seem o be enough to quell the tsunami of emotions swirling in her belly when the idea of seeing everyone is brought up, so she answers with a small nod in agreement. resisting the temptation to run her fingers through his  hair like she had many times before when he turned into her shoulder. “ Understandable… I won’t guilt you only if you say I’m allowed over when I need to hide. “ elli teases quickly eyebrows wiggling along. “ I do believe so they’re either getting settled or have yet to arrive. You’re going to stay just a tad longer though right ? a small frown pinching he corners of her mouth at the thought of him leaving so soon. “ You can tell me about your plane ride or what you’ve been up to. “ 

“You’re always allowed over,” Grant promised in response with a small smile to her. “Just don’t tell everyone that, then everyone will be constantly at my apartment.” He let out a small laugh to show he was joking... mostly. “Tad longer as in today, or tad longer after the restorations?” he asked. “Because I suppose I can do both, but for the latter, I’m just trying to take everything day by day honestly.” Grant shrugged at her last comments though. “I don’t think you want to hear about my plane ride, 30 hours of travel by plane is probably boring talk.”

[grcntbcnnister]

willfostcr​:

              “Ah,   is that so?”   William nods understandingly,   patting Grant on the back to comfort him or to applaud his travel accomplishment;   it’s unclear because William ends up handing him his luggage either way. 

       He grips his other bag,   dragging it along with them as they walk,   its wheels struggling against the pavement.     “I mean,   yeah.”   William looks off with a distant gaze,   wondering about Grant’s question.   Giving a vague answer feels easy.   He could evade it entirely and bring something else up,   taking advantage of the vast amount of topics to choose from between him and Grant and their long-awaited reunion.   It would be safe,   but William catches a sunlit glimpse of Grant at the corner of his eye and is all of a sudden reminded that he’s not among coworkers and shallow acquaintances in London–   he’s not being asked out of politeness or dry attempts at conversation.   Grant is his friend,   he wants to know,   and he’s willing to carry any amount of load William could give him with his reply.   It makes William smile,   and he finds that he’s not lying when he answers.   

       “But it’s work,   you know?   No matter how much I struggle and stress out,   I’m somehow satisfied at the end of a heavy workload.   But,”   He adds quickly,   “I’m not working at the moment,   if that’s what you mean.   I’m technically unemployed.”

“Yeah, but you still need breaks and time to do things for yourself,” Grant commented. Grant definitely learned that the hard way, before his job in Australia, he did nothing but work, build his resume, do every and any order he could, until it was hurting him artistically and mentally. Grant knew Will was ten times more of a workaholic than him. He definitely did worry a bit. “Technically unemployed...” Grant repeated, unsure of what that meant. “Did you lose your job or something? Should I be worried about you? Did you come to Skopelos to run from your problems?”

[serotoninsuggestion]

a soft, stay at home ask game

send me some numbers and i’ll share my answers to the below! 💐🌻

your favourite playlist (made by yourself or someone else)

how many houseplants in your room, and what kinds are they?

your favourite “grounding” activity (anything that involves using the hands/doesn’t involve “spacing out” or escapism - something like gardening, knitting, dancing, cooking)

an account on social media whose posts make you smile

5 tv shows that cheer you up

how you get relaxed when you’re struggling to sleep

your favourite board game

if you were going to write a non-fiction book on any topic, what would it be?

a quote that you would consider getting tattooed or putting in a frame

something you’ve created in the last year that you’re proud of (a playlist, a piece of art, some writing, a craft hobby, a social media account, etc)

a tip or hack you’ve learned that makes cleaning or tidying easier

if you could make a candle that smelt like anything, what would you pick?

the last so-bad-it’s-good joke you heard

an artist (of any kind) whose work you look forward to seeing

the last tv episode that made you laugh out loud

how you wake your body up when it’s feeling tired, achy or needs a stretch

a bath, shower, beauty or toiletry product that makes you feel revived, or that you always re-order when it’s running out

a book series you can always escape in

the sport or exercise you enjoy the most, and what’s helped you get better at it

a skill you’ve picked up in the past few years

a youtube video you find useful, entertaining or relaxing

if you were going to dye your hair any colour of the rainbow, what would you choose?

the book you just finished and what you thought (no spoilers!)

describe the most wacky, weird and wonderful at-home outfit you’ve put together

a game you’re playing that takes your mind off things

the film you watched most recently that you could watch again and again

your favourite flavour and brand of tea

a good-will story you’ve heard on the news that’s made you feel hopeful

a favourite easy recipe: 5 ingredients or less, or takes less than 30 min to make

a song that makes you want to have a boogie round your bedroom

[grcntbcnnister]

willfostcr​:

               Before Grant can swat him away for good,   William’s hand darts up to tousle his hair.   It’s an affectionate gesture,   though the thin layer of aggression in it is definitely not an accident.   William jokes about Grant’s inability to look after himself often,   teasing him in all familiar capacities,   but it’s true that he worries about the younger man.   The times that they’ve had serious conversations about it are rare;   William doesn’t like to push Grant,   he doesn’t really like to push anyone.   Joking about it is different,   it’s enough–   it sends the message that he’s paying attention while avoiding the emotional toll of a real conversation. 

       “I don’t know,   a couple of months.   I’m a free bird for a while.”   Just as long as his senior barrister can hold off from his retirement.   “And I’m on my way there.   You do have just the perfect timing,   mate.”   William smiles at Grant as he takes a couple of steps back and picks his duffle bag off the ground.   He steps back towards him.   “Here,   you can help me carry my bags there.   If you refuse,   I’ll report to Elise your unwillingness to be helpful.”

"Is... everything okay?” Grant asked, sensing that Will wasn’t telling the whole story, or it felt that way. He didn’t know much about Will’s work besides the fact it seemed weird that he was able to take that much time off as Grant thought his job was pretty demanding. “I mean, your job seems very demanding,” Grant said. “Though, I might be wrong.”

Grant made a face at William’s comments about carrying his bags. “Damn, I should’ve ran the opposite direction when I had a chance,” he teased. “Either way though, Elli loves me too much to do anything about that unwillingness to be helpful complaint. I’ve travelled on a plane for over 24 hours to get here.”

[grcntbcnnister]

saveurluv​:

susie hummed into his chest before releasing the embrace. ‘ i don’t know. figured there would be a disappearing act just before it was time to board the flight. i know i was about to pull one but this was all calling my name. ’, susie gestured towards the water. ‘ and you’re out for a run instead of sleeping ? major major kudos to you. ‘ susie took the time to sit back down on her towel, making a spot for grant to join as well. ‘ i never bought a flight back. not too sure , to be honest. maybe a while if i could make it by without a proper job. what about you ? ’

“I’ll sleep when I get back to my apartment. All my sleeping is screwed up from the timezone change,” he said, waving his hand in dismissal. “Plus, you know me, I’ve never been the greatest sleeper.” Grant had a tendency to be kept up from his anxiety, a few nightmares here and there. Even after college, that didn’t change much. Grant shrugged in response to her last question. “Don’t know, I’m able to do my work remote, not sure where I’ll go from there. I’m just trying to take it day by day.” Thinking too far in the future overwhelmed Grant, made him shut down, it was easier if he just figured things out later. “Have you seen any of the others yet?”

[grcntbcnnister]

sawyerfms​:

Watching the realization that something mischievous was underway dawn on Grant’s face gave Sawyer the same rush it always had, which shouldn’t have surprised them. After all, they’d spent most of their time after college pretty much deluded that they were still twenty, untouchable, and invincible. The moment they jumped in the pool, it was true. And yeah, the contrast of seeing everyone together again should’ve made them feel the difference that much more heavily – should’ve made them feel older – but instead it just felt like old times. Even with the people they’d kept up with since college and seen recently, it felt like they were right back where they started. “I just couldn’t contain myself!” they teased, throwing their head back dramatically and cackling. They stayed in the water, resting their elbows on the edge of the pool. “I’m just so excited to see you! To see everyone,” they added, their smile taking a softer turn for a moment before growing bright. “Besides, you need adventure.”

Grant tussled Sawyer’s hair lightly with a laugh that matched their’s. Grant didn’t remember the last time he felt so at home, so happy. It was now that Grant was starting to realize how alone he really felt in Australia, not only with proximity, but with time differences, it was hard to keep connections well, even with the ones he was closest with because of that barrier. If he was being honest, Grant had been procrastinating from dealing with those feelings, holding off from admitting how lonely he really had felt. Not that he’d say that out loud. “I missed you too, S,” he said with a smile growing. “I need adventure? And what do you suppose I do about that?”

[grcntbcnnister]

quixotiics​:

━━━   ❛ ‎  🕊  ‎ :   ❛   JETLAG  ?   ❜ ‎   oliver  offers  ,  aware  that  it’s  a  lame  excuse .  really  ,  it  spills  out  like  more  of  a  question.  like  he’s  unsure ,  like  there’s  more  to  it  than  that  but  it’s  just  the  easiest  way  out.   ❛  uh  ,  early  morning  run ⏤  just  got  back  …  couldn’t  sleep,  ❜   he  admits  ;  it’s  not  something  he  typically  does  .  he  gestures  to  the  empty  bit  of  space  next  to  his  old  friend  with  a  newfound  smile ,  ❛  mind  if  i  join  you ?  ❜   oliver,  of  course,  waits  for  a  response  before  jumping  into  his  next  question .  ❛  so  when  did  you,  uh,  when  did  you  get  in ?   ….  town .   in town  ,  not  the  pool .  ❜

“Hit you too?” Grant asked with a raise of his eyebrows at Oliver’s excuse to be awake right not. Grant nodded at Oliver, “Go ahead, though if you’re looking to stick your feet in too, the water is warm. I think I’m going to see if Elli wants the pool drained and cleaned later today. I’m sure she’s not awake though.” Grant moved the water around some with his foot. “I got in yesterday, I spent most of the day sleeping after I took a run and saw a few people. I spent like 30 some hours on planes and in airports and then five more driving and on a ferry, I needed the sleep, didn’t help the jetlag though.” He paused for a moment. “I uh, Susie’s here, in Skopelos too. I don’t know if you’ve seen her yet.”

[grcntbcnnister]

dismvntledvlmosts​:

sleep evaded him, and grumpiness invaded him. ted was not a morning person, though he was glad for the coffee shop (‘call my sofia, love’ the woman had said handing him a strong cup of coffee, after advising him that it’d be better than her tea) attached the hotel. he had left the room as silently as possible not to wake will, and made his way outside. it couldn’t be jetlag, as there wasn’t much a difference with scotland. probably just post-arrival anxiety giving him the jitters.

deciding he was not going anywhere for the next hour, content to just chill at the hotel (perhaps he could convince will to come visit the surroundings with him after he’d wake up) with his phone and his coffee. well, that was his plan before he spotted a familiar mop of hair, smiling a little. “little grant, nice to see you.” he sat next to the other man, grunting as his old bones hit the floor. “is this your polite way of saying you want me to fuck off?” he teased a little, his shoulder bumping into grant’s for a second.

Grant playful bumped the other back with a light laugh and a shake of his head. “Nah, if I wanted you to fuck off, I’d tell you to fuck off, so I guess, fuck off Ted,” he said with a smirk to show he was only joking. “Though, I am a bit surprised to see you up, if I remember correctly, you’re not a big morning person. When’d you get into town?” he asked the other. “Weren’t you in Scotland? Did you bring me any souvenirs?” Grant raised his eyebrows lightly, his smirk turning into a smile. 

[grcntbcnnister]

rebcllicus​:

      elise hadn't even turned around to face him yet and her lips were already spreading into a cheshire grin.  “ C’mon it’s not exactly that bad. “ elli mumbled pocketing the swatches of paint. she takes a few steps before enveloping him into her arms. eyes closing briefly as she takes in the moment & the smell that is just grant. pulling away quickly before she actually starts to cry. always emotional when it came to others helping her, she didn’t know what she did to deserve the friendships that she has, but she’s eternally grateful.  “ Thank you for coming. Seriously, I adore you. Are you staying here ? If not that’s fine, but some of the beds are quite comfortable “ she teases softly wiggling her brows. “ You just gotta get the musty smell out of the room first. “ 

When he got close enough, Grant squeezed Elli in a hug spinning her around gently before settling in one place. “I missed you,” he said, “I missed everyone honestly.” He curled his face in her shoulder for a moment. “I wasn’t sure how many rooms you had set up, I just got an apartment nearby. As much as I love all of you guys, you know I need some alone time to decompress too,” he said. Grant often got very over-socialized at times and he’d occasionally disappear for a bit. “Is everyone coming back?” he asked.

[grcntbcnnister]

willfostcr​

               Recognition settles in quickly;   a turn of his head,   his gaze centering,   his eyes smiling before his face has the time to catch up.   William lowers the heavy bags he’s carrying–    a duffle and a wheeler dragging behind him–   and meets Grant halfway with his arms spread for a hug. 

       “Surprised,   you say?”   William raises a dramatic,   inquisitive eyebrow.    “And here I thought you were standing around and waiting to be the first one to welcome me!”   He pulls Grant towards him,   enveloping him in his arms,   squeezing and patting firmly.   “C’mere,   boy.   Look at how much you’ve grown.   Are you wearing sunscreen?   Have you been hydrating enough?”    While talking,   he pulls away but keeps Grant close,   looking at him closely,   putting one hand on his forehead to check his temperature,    and doing all of the fussing about that a parent would do.

       “Oh,   look at you,   look at how handsome you are–”   With a cheeky grin and a voice used for talking to babies,   William pinches the younger man’s cheek,   hitting him with the full force of his ability to be immediately annoying.

“Oh, if I knew the time you were coming, I’d run the opposite direction,” he joked. Grant laughed at all of Will’s fussing. “Yes Dad, I’ve been doing all those things,” he continued to joke. “Well, maybe not the sunscreen part, or well, maybe the hydrated part either.” Grant has always been pretty poor when it came to taking care of himself in terms of remembering to drink water and eat well. He swatted Will’s hand away from his cheek. “How long are you thinking about staying? Have you seen the hotel yet? The way Elli told me about it’s state definitely was an understatement.”

[grcntbcnnister]

whvmsy​:

the  sybil  looked  absolutely  ridiculous  —  a  terribly - dressed  cartoon  that  had  spontaneously  decided  to  hop  out  of  a  television  screen  to  explore  the  world  .  bright  red  sunglasses  sat  on  her  nose  ,  aiding  owlish  eyes  in  their  invasive  search  ,  while  a  colorful  scarf  hugged  her  messy  head  ,  granting  her  the  appearance  of  an  old  hollywood  starlet  (  certainly  a  more  demented  one  )  .  after  a  brief  interaction  with  one  of  the  shop’s  baristas  ,  clementine  became  convinced  that  they’d  previously  met  .  had  they  been  feline  friends  in  a  past  life  ?  lovers  ?  performers  in  a  joint  circus  act  ?  there  were  so  many  puzzle  pieces  scattered  across  her  mind  and  none  of  them  seemed  to  fit  together  .  her  gaze  was  nearing  hole - burning  territory  when  a  familiar  voice  pulled  her  feet  back  to  earth  ,  sending  the  not - so - strange - stranger  into  a  buried  and  forgotten  place  .  “  grant  ?  ”  she  twisted  and  turned  ,  wiry  arms  somehow  finding  their  way  around  his  neck  and  pulling  .  “  you’re  actually  here  .  i  mean  ,  it  is  you  ,  right  ?  not  some  …  strange  robot - thing  that  looks  exactly  like  you  .  well  ,  not  you  you  !  human  grant  !  ”  in  the  midst  of  her  thought  spillage  ,  calloused  fingers  began  to  prod  and  poke  his  cheeks  ,  trying  to  test  her  robot  theory  .  “  quick  !  name  something  only  real  grant  would  know  about  me  .  ”

Grant let out a laugh, “No Clem, I’m a clone,” he said sarcastically in response to her comments asking him if he was the real Grant. He embraced her back at the weird angle they were at. Grant scrunched his face up in return to her poking, moving her hand from his face with another small chuckle. He moved to take a seat. “Okay bet,” he said, thinking about a good specific thing. “Mmm, you carry cinnamon brooms in your purse and I found that out after you had me grab your tarot cards and I ended up with a rash on my hand and that’s when you found out I’m allergic to cinnamon.”

[grcntbcnnister]

sawyerfms​:

It took everything Sawyer had in them to not immediately scream, delighted, when they saw Grant by the pool. They swore their footfalls were soft, going full stealth mode in the morning light, and swore to themself when Grant caught their eye. But nothing could put a dent in their mood when all the people they’d missed most over the years were all just a few minutes away again.

“Put your phone away,” Sawyer said with a Cheshire grin, moving in deliberately slow, even movements. “If you have your phone, you’re gonna wanna put it away, bud,” they added before breaking into a smile that smashed through a thousand watts. Warning given, they ran the rest of the way to Grant and indulged the impulse they’d immediately had when they saw him; shrieking through laughter as they tackled him into the pool.

Even as they reemerged through the surface of the water, they couldn’t stop their cackling. “Welcome to Greece, Bannister!” was all they shouted as they swam around him with that wild grin, clothes drenched and regrets nonexistent.

“What?” Grant said, tilting his head in question at their comments. “Sawyer... what are you...” he started as they smiled. Grant knew that smile, and the minute they started to run toward him, he swore, “Shit.” Grant slid his phone from him on the concrete just in time for Sawyer to tackle him into the pool. Grant reemerged from the water, “Sawyer!” he yelled with a loud laugh. He sent a splash her way before making it to the edge and pulling himself out of the water to sit on the side of the pool again. “What was that for?” Grant ran his hands through his now wet hair, smoothing it down and out of his face.