BOLD AS LOVE.

jack adler. 39. singer and songwriter. loving, in your language, means i tear chunks from you like some half-starved bird. in my language, means i tear chunks from myself.

[jackadler]

MALIA DAVIS.

If his eyes didn’t always disarm her, it would be Jack’s smile. When he truly smiled, it showed all over his face. It spread up from his lips to his cheeks all the way through his eyes and she was never prepared for it. It warmed her like the sun on a beautiful day. She wanted to enjoy it the same way as a beautiful day as well. Just bask in it as long as she could because she knew how it felt when it was gone. When she didn’t get to see it in person, but was only left with memories of it. It was worse than a rainy day, because she wasn’t ever sure when the sun would come out again or even if it wanted to.

“I wasn’t sure if you were coming so I had to entertain myself.” Malia smirked looking back up at him. “Although…it was always better with you.” It was an honest admittance that she couldn’t stop from falling out of her mouth. Her mouth usually did get her into trouble. Censoring herself and checking her emotions was something that Malia had always struggled with. It mostly pissed people off or offended them, but not Jack. It was like he understood her in a way she didn’t think anybody ever would again. Before it had only been Tommy, but then Jack came along and made her realize that she wasn’t as complicated as she tended to think she was. Maybe she just needed the right person to come along and understand her again. She laughed softly as he teased her about wounding him. Leaning in close to him again, letting her breath caress his neck, Malia said, “Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?”

As she moved back into her space, Malia’s eyes couldn’t stop from going to his lips to his eyes to the heart painted on his cheek with the M inside. Her skin warmed as the butterflies increased along with her heartbeat. They were swimming in familiar, murky waters now. This is where Malia’s head told her to start stepping out of the water, but her heart was louder, planting her feet to the ground. This is real. You’re not making it up. This is all real, she heard over and over in her head. 

His next words hit her like a strong wind, chilling her and almost knocking her off her feet. His voice had been easy and agreeable, but the look in his eyes. It was a dare and Malia never backed down from a dare. She held his gaze for a few moments before looking around the party for one of the painters. She smiled when she saw one and took a small paint pot that held the matching color to the heart on Jack’s cheek. The painter smiled as he handed over a brush willingly to her, already seeing her next move in her eyes. Turning back to Jack, Malia held the pot and brush up to him. “Would you like to do the honors?” she asked, smiling sensually. “I’ll even let you pick the place.” Malia whispered, stepping closer to him.

♪

To be this bold should have been enough to stir up old fears in Jack. Or perhaps even old impulses. But, by some miracle, these thoughts of doubt never truly form. Instead, Jack is basking in a new light, happy to brew in Malia’s presence and melt into the way she speaks. Slow, warm, and close. He leans in more, eyes glued to her, his hands aching to reach out. Somehow, he refrains, letting whatever fire between them continue to simmer.

The moment swells and Jack seems to be in the thick of it, his flesh burning with anticipation and feelings of want and need that he assumed he would never experience again. And then: Do you want me to kiss it and make it better? Jack releases a breathy laugh, shaking his head in amusement. “You already know the answer to that.” He responds, his voice low, still reserved for her. In truth, it feels as though it’s only them on this beach, despite the noise that envelopes them from all sides. Malia’s dark, almond-shaped eyes are enough to make all of that seemingly irrelevant. A damn cliché, once again, and who would Jack Adler be without them?

A hum sounds from Jack then, feeling another surge of excitement plow through him. He looks to the painter who’s now averted his gaze but has probably taken a secret mental note of what was unfolding. Who wouldn’t? They haven’t chosen the most discreet of places. And yet, Jack can’t find the will to care.

“Hmm..” The singer trails off, retrieving the pot and brush from Malia’s grasp. He takes a single step back, teasingly allowing his eyes to scan over her face and body. “It’s all very tempting.” He says before placing the pot down, moving to dip the brush in, gathering a small amount of neon paint onto the bristles. Jack moves toward Malia again, his free hand reaching out to push down the shoulder of her dress, revealing her skin. The pad of his thumb brushes over the area, the feeling all too familiar. Smooth, warm, glistening. Jack leans in even closer then, proceeding to paint a heart near her collarbone, placing a J right in the middle. “I think that’ll do.”

Silence ensues again as Jack sets down the brush, his eyes never leaving Malia. The tension within his stomach grows more prominent, only touching her once not enough to satisfying the ache that also grows. “I want you.” Jack says sincerely, his voice never reaching above the same hushed-tone from before. “But you knew that.”

[jackadler]

JACK AND MALIA BACK ON? WE HAVE THE SCOOP.

Just days after the gaming mogul’s 43rd birthday, Malia Davis was spotted out and about in Catalina Island with ex and musician, Jack Adler. Their first outing consisted of the exes getting breakfast the morning after Davis’ party. A few days later they were spotted running errands together in Ventura while walking the singer’s dog.

The pair split back in December after spending Thanksgiving together with his family and her two children. The two seemed to have ended on less than favorable terms, the couple giving only vague statements about their very private relationship. Reps for both of the stars have declined to comment on the status of their relationship. But, an insider claims they saw the two looking flirty while hanging out at her birthday bash on Descanso Beach Club.

FEATURING: @maliaplayer1.

[jackadler]

MALIA DAVIS.

Malia was usually aware of everything going on around her. She was observant and liked to stay in the back of a room and take everything in at her own pace. However, when Jack was in front of her, she found it extremely hard to do that. Her eyes were drawn to him. Her attention was on him. She could not focus on everything else. He consumed her focused. Tonight was no different. If anything, it was even more as he carefully moved closer to her to combat the loud music as he spoke to her. She didn’t mind it. Somehow, her body calmed when he was close to her, yet it tingled with anticipation. 

A soft smile settled on her lips as he moved in more. She could smell his cologne and it was just as intoxicating as it always had been. The smell perfectly fit his personality. All mystery and playfulness. Charm and smoothness. Care and compassion. “Thank you, Jack.” she replied close to his ear before their faces got too far away from each other. She wouldn’t mind if they stayed close together for the rest of the party honestly. Malia chuckled softly, looking around briefly before settling back on Jack. It was a crime how good this man looked. A felony in the least. “Just a little bit.” she grinned. “Honestly, I don’t think I know half the people here. I’m more than sure they just saw lights and heard music and invited themselves to the party, but it’s not on my dime so the more the merrier. Or the more to look at and make fun of slightly in my head. I have a whole commentary going right now.” she smirked, giving him a wink. 

“Well, I have to look the part don’t I? I am the Queen of Gaming after all.” Malia smiled, before giving him a once over. She was unable to stop the smile that came to her face, biting her lip softly as her eyes settled on an addition to his face that she hadn’t caught before. “I see you’ve visited the body painting tent.” She gestured to the heart with the M inside. Was that M for her? Maybe they were doing hearts with Ms because it was her birthday. But she had seen lots of people that had gone to the body painting tent and had gotten all kinds of different designs. Not one had a heart with an M inside. “Should I get a matching one?” Malia asked curling an eyebrow as she looked up at him. “Getting an M inside of the heart may be a little arrogant of me. I mean I do love myself a lot, but being that girl at her birthday party just doesn’t seem like the right choice.” she shrugged with a soft shake of her head before turning her full gaze on him. She leaned into him, very close to his neck and ear. “Can you think of a letter that I should have in my heart?”

♪

Suddenly Jack could no longer combat the smile that threatened to spread across his expression. It’s wide and beaming, shedding light on the giddy feeling that inhabits his body. In truth, before Malia, he had forgotten this feeling. He had forgotten that it can come naturally and without the constant push and shove of a past scorned and written out. With Marion, things grew weary in the eyes of their on and off love affair. The butterflies in his stomach came as nothing positive and more of a plea to the universe. Desperation. But, then there was Malia, a natural-born presence to his slowly shattering world. And she came with ease, even in tense moments. It was still new, steady, and always exciting.

So, his smile grows, the apples of his cheeks remaining red and warm. He reaches up to brush his hair from his face before allowing his hand to run over his beard. “Don’t tell me you’re making up stories and commentary about people without me.” The singer teases, reflecting on something they often did as a couple. Teasing others and their clichés, despite being something of a cliché themselves. Jack’s hand reaches up to clutch his chest, as if to hold his aching heart. “You wound me, Malia.” He jokes, his smile never fading. 

And, then, the other heart. The one painted on his cheek. The one with an M so prominently on the inside. It’s not too far from the truth. He playfully shrugs, gaze wandering for a moment. “I’m thinking you need a matching one, yeah.” He says in agreement, allowing his eyes to rest upon her once more. He’s leaning in again, humming in mock-thought. His impulse seems to run on high but Jack has learned that not all impulse was bad. No, this brand of impulse was pure and never fleeting. It was real, just as his feelings for Malia were. Even now. 

Blue eyes narrow, leaning in again, their faces close. His gaze flickers again over her face before landing on her eyes again. “Get a J.” He continues, voice quieter than before, as if his words were reserved for her and her only. 

[jackadler]

BECCA RODIRIGUEZ.

“Is this your gentle way of saying that I’d know how to hypothetically offer you a solution because I’m used to creating any sort of giant mess in my life, and eventually, how to fix it?” The lack of emotion in their tone merging with a serious expression became Rebecca’s way of replying to the man next to them. Perhaps he wouldn’t know that they were joking at first, and it would take her actually allowing her lips to curve upwards and form a smile to give that up. In the end, it was humorous how on point he was about Rebecca.

With a small sigh, they continued. “Honestly, I’m sure my ex just never wants to see me again, so I guess that would be the best birthday gift I could give to him,” at least, Becca assumed that. “But, if you still had a thing going on and ignoring the whole hypothetical mess, chocolate is usually a great option. Or something of a hobby that this person talked to you about? I mean– you did use to talk about what you both like and dislike, right?”

♪

The seriousness that envelopes their tone is enough to a bout of silent panic to wash over Jack. He’s quick to shake his head before a chuckle sounds from his throat. “No, no, not at all,” He says in return, assuming she was joking. Perhaps the assumption wasn’t too far fetched, as their conversation continues without a hitch. He leans back, releasing a sign of his own. The situation was complicated, that much was true, but at this rate he would’ve taken any form of advice. 

“Oh, come on,” The singer says now, brows furrowed in amusement at what Becca says. “That can’t be true. What happened? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.” In truth, if anyone knew about the blowback of past lovers scorned, it was Jack Adler. It was a miracle Malia even wanted him at her birthday bash to begin with. Hence why her present needed to be perfect or damn near close to it. “Chocolate isn’t such a bad idea. Do people still like getting those fancy arrangements that have flowers and chocolates? Or is that too simple for a birthday gift? You know, hypothetically..” Jack’s lips purse in thought, sifting through his brain. Him and Malia seemed to like and dislike all of the same things, but their personalities differed, which is often what made them work so well. “She’s all business.” Jack says then, deciding to drop the hypotheticals for a brief moment of clarity and truth. “And a great mother, also a good person. Probably better than I’ll ever be. In reality, she deserves more than something I can just pick up at a store, you know?”

[jackadler]

MALIA DAVIS. 

It was an hour into her party and Malia had already visited most of the tents, the food tent more than once. She had to admit that she was having a lot more fun than she believed she would. The music was all of her favorites. The activities were on point very fun for her since she had a competitive side that she didn’t always get to live in. And the food. Damn, the food was so good that she would be completely happy in the food tent for the rest of her party. However, she knew she couldn’t do that. She had to be social and accept the birthday wishes and compliments on the party. 

She had been on her way back to the food tent for another cup of fries when one of her employees stopped her to speak with her. He told her happy birthday and they began discussing some of the new games she had in development. Malia tended to get easily caught up in speaking about a new game. She loved sharing her thoughts and hearing new one on how a game could be developed or even improved from it’s prototype. She was about to share her idea when she saw movement on her side and blue eyes staring down into hers. Her breath caught at the unexpected sight. Yes, she had invited him, but she wasn’t sure he was actually going to come. They both had made mistakes and, as always, Malia believed hers to be too big to forgive. She blinked a few times, regaining her composure, until she saw his outfit. A white shirt that hugged every muscle he had on his chest and arms, which there were a lot. She could feel the butterflies starting to form as he continued to stare at her though he was talking to her employee.

“We can continue this discussion later, Xavier. Thank you for your input.” she said with a smile and a nod before turning her brown eyes back towards the blue eyes who belonged to Jack Adler. Her stomach clinched and there were soft chills on her skin. It was crazy to think he ignited this reaction in her, but he did. He still did. “Thank you for coming.” she smiled up at him, before licking her lips softly. “You said you wanted to borrow me. What would you like to borrow me for?” she smirked.

♪

That same shaky feeling inhabiting his body seems to grow more prominent once Malia is in view. The apple of Jack’s cheeks redden too, warming up his entire complexion. He tries not to make it too obvious, dipping his head a little as Xavier bids his goodbyes to the woman before them. An air of quiet envelops them, despite the noise coming from the party. Jack turns to her again, smiling, the paint on his warm cheek still intact. 

“Of course.” The singer starts, stepping closer. His eyes wander for a moment, taking in the atmosphere around them. Some people danced, covered in paint, others leaned in to mingle with strangers while holding onto flutes or sickly-sweet champagne. For once, Jack doesn’t feel that usual tightness in his throat, the one that often urged him to throw away his progress. A hitched breath escapes him as he allows his gaze to rest upon Malia once more. By instinct, he looks her up and down, getting a better look at her attire for the evening. It makes Jack do that little thing where it skips a small beat. 

That’s when he leans in to speak to her, to be heard over the noise. “To wish you a happy birthday, obviously.” Jack says, slowly backing away again, their faces close. Jack thinks to tell how her amazing she looks but somehow refrains, afraid that might overstep certain boundaries. Besides, it was obvious. “There are a lot of people here,” He decides on, a chuckle lacing through his words, “You’re very popular, Ms. Davis.” Jack teases, leaning in again. Once again, Jack’s impulse seems to kick into high gear and he could no longer combat the thoughts that spew like a running faucet. “You look...” The singer begins, motioning with his hands, suddenly at a loss for words despite his endless stream of thoughts. He continues, “Phenomenal.” And gorgeous. Sexy. Perfect. Electric. Beautiful. The whole lot. 

[jackadler]

STARTER FOR: @maliaplayer1​. LOCATION: Malia’s Birthday Party at Descanso Beach Club. SETTING: 10:00PM.

Adrenaline was a feeling Jack had reserved for the past. You know, that raw, jittery feeling that he often associated with getting so high that he could burst through the ceiling of his mind. And yet, here he was, experiencing this rush in real time and all because of Malia Davis. 

He had spent the first hour of her party pacing his home, contemplating what to wear and what to do. Does he show up and keep to himself, allow her to enjoy the festivities without the reminder of what was? Or does he stay home and send flowers the next morning the way any polite, slightly domineering man might do? Both options seem easy but somehow also calamitous. 

By some miracle, he leaves his home, driving down to Descanso Beach at a steady pace. When he arrives, parks, and heads onto the sand, the blaring sound of music and mingling strangers envelops him. He gets stopped by some familiar faces and fans, some ask for photos and some simply want to chat away. Though his eyes keep lingering elsewhere, in search for Malia. The music gets louder as he heads deeper into the party, neon paint flying. A body painter stops him mid-walk, practically screaming in his face. “Jack Adler! Come on down, man!” He has no choice but to oblige, plopping down onto the small seat accompanying the booth. The painter draws a bright pink neon heart on his cheek with an M on the inside. “To celebrate the birthday girl!” He calls out, handing Jack a mirror. 

He was really in for it tonight. 

And then he’s off again, weaving through dancing patrons. Finally, he sets his eye on a head of braids he knows all too well. The singer’s adrenaline kicks in once more and suddenly he’s acting on pure impulse. He walks over, leaning toward the man she had been speaking with. “Mind if I borrow her?” Jack says over the noise, his gaze resting on Malia the entire time he speaks. 

[jackadler]

LYDIA BECKETT. 

Fuck.

It’s Jack.

Her mind momentarily shuts down when she realizes it, his voice bringing her back to reality in ways she did not want to be.

She doesn’t want him to see her like that. Thrown to the wind, carelessly, trying to drown out her sorrows in as much alcohol as she can get her hands on. She’s ashamed for a moment. Her mouth closes, the smile fades and her stance shrinks under his gaze. She didn’t want to bump into anyone who knew her, especially the way Jack knew her. He had been one of the few people who had see her writing— but they haven’t seen each other in a while, even before she knew that her father wasn’t her father.

Lydia attempts miserably to regain her posture, to put back the smile on her face with a timid sip of her vodka on the rocks. Her mind is fuzzy, but not even a fuzzy mind can keep her from observing him. What was he even doing sitting there? Oh, exposure therapy, he had said and her brain only registered at that moment. Was she staring? Maybe she was staring. Okay, she needed to look away. Fuck.

She needed another sip. A longer one this time. She didn’t know how many seconds of silence had transpired between them as she attempted to regain control of her brain, if just a little bit. She was ashamed to have been caught red handed, it was more than noticeable that she wasn’t there having fun, otherwise she wouldn’t be there alone. “Sorry,” she told him, finally, “I swear my brain was still registering that it was you,” she attempted a small grin when she looked back at him, but didn’t know how it had come off, she bit on the inside of her bottom lip for a moment as she considered her options.

“You don’t have to humor me, you know?” Her speech was slurred, she felt a small pang at her heart at the possibility of roping Jack into her mess. “I don’t— I don’t even have a game in mind, really. My mind was going towards silly ones, you know, never have I ever, truth or dare, or even pool, really. I’m just… drinking alone really sucks.”

♪

Drinking alone. When the words escape Lydia, they earn a strange pain to inhabit the area inside his chest. Perhaps it was the memory of drinking alone that causes this, the idea that he used to plop himself down onto the couch and drinks bottles of wine alone, to feel something, to feel nothing. Everything at once. It’s all daunting and he suddenly fears for Lydia. His gaze averts, allowing himself to look at her entirely. She seemed okay but not at the same time and Jack was afraid of making assumptions. Though he couldn’t help it, especially by the way Lydia was speaking in this moment. Regardless, he takes it slow, doing what he came to be a friend despite anything that may be looming across the horizon. 

And that’s when his brows furrow, an amused smile gracing his slightly concerned expression. “What do you mean?” The singer questions, head canting to the side. “I would never humor you. You’re my friend. I meant what I said.” Which was the truth and Jack tries to make that much evident. With that, he orders himself a water with extra ice and the bartender complies, bringing it over in no time. Jack takes a generous sip, happy to lubricate his suddenly dry throat. 

The noise around them seems to grow louder as minutes go by. Patrons continues to mingle and shout, just doing what normal people do in places like this. Silently, Jack wishes to be just like that. Normal. Maybe Lydia was suffering from that same desire. Who knew. He swats his hand then, attempting to lighten the mood, “Those aren’t silly. They’re classics. I’ll play whatever you want. I can be your boring, sober companion.” He says over the noise jokingly, leaning in so she could hear clearly. 

Even so, he was still concerned, “Are you okay? I just wanna check...” It’s the drinking alone that he couldn’t quite get past. For him, that was the first and most prominent factor indicating that something wasn’t okay. 

[jackadler]

SARA YOON. 

           — Truth be told, Sara didn’t really know what she was doing there. It was one of those extravagant parties where she had to attend because it was the daughter of one of her show’s producers, so, she kind of really needed to be there. To see people and be seen. Since she didn’t particularly know anyone there and the rest of her cast was yet to arrive, she hung in the back, a glass of a colorful, bubbly drink in hand as she tried not to look as awkward and as out of place as she felt.

When someone approached her and started asking hypothetical questions, Sara was so relieved to finally be making conversation with someone, instead of looking at her phone or the door, wishing someone would be punctual enough to arrive already. “So it’s kind of a ‘I’m sorry I fucked up, but happy birthday’ kind of present?” Still, she smiled, setting her drink on a surface nearby, so she wouldn’t be rude enough to be drinking around a, hypothetically speaking, recovering addict. “Well, in any way, I would give them something useful. Like, something they’d be able to use around the house, or maybe something you know they really like? I mean… hypothetically speaking, of course.”

♪

Parties should have been a thing of the past. When he was invited to them, perhaps he should have politely declined and went about his business at home. But, this was business, being in the entertainment industry held the promise of parties and a life like no other. So, it was seemingly inevitable that he’d end up here, despite any and all tribulations that beg him to indulge. Or to dip a toe into his usual vices. 

Regardless, he’s happy to engage in conversation, even within hypotheticals. He sets down his glass of water, looking out toward the crowds of mingling strangers and industry big heads. A subtle smile graces his expression, Jack’s light eyes resting upon the person at his side who has graciously offered their help. “Kind of...” He trails off, motioning with his hand, “It’s more of an I’m sorry things are so complicated present. I don’t feel like any gift I could get can measure up, if that makes sense. You know, hypothetically, of course” Quiet laughter weaves through Jack’s words before he turns, taking a seat at the bar counter. That’s when he gets a better look at the woman at his side, which earns his brows to furrow a tad. “Do I know you from somewhere? You look so familiar.” He says before chuckling, “God, that sounds so creepy now that I say it out loud. Sorry about that.”

[jackadler]

STARTER FOR: Anyone / Open. @catalinastarter​ TIME: Afternoon. LOCATION: Anywhere, you decide!

Being thoughtful was usually where Jack shined. He adored remembering the little things, the things most people would assume that others simply wouldn’t absorb. But, no, Jack was a little things kind of guy and he always has been. Though, these days, he’s got himself trapped between a rock and a hard place. Gift giving has fallen down his list of usual endeavors that have now seemingly dwindled thanks to his newfound sobriety and attempts at picking up the pieces of his shattered mistakes. 

“Hypothetically speaking,” Jack muses to someone at his side, “what would you get for somebody who’s kind of your ex but kind of isn’t because you never really talked about what you were to each other for their birthday?” Jack clears his throat before speaking, “Oh and, um, hypothetically, in this situation, you’re a recovering addict who relapsed on the night you two first got together so it’s all kind of a giant mess. A hypothetical mess...”

[jackadler]

MALIA DAVIS. 

Who: @jackadler Where: Antonio’s Pizzeria (you know why she’s there ;) )

She should’ve called ahead. She usually always called ahead, but not today. She thought she could just walk in and order. Get it hot and fresh then go home. That was not the case. Ordering was fast, but when she saw the large group of hungry patrons by the Pick Up area, Malia knew that it was going to be a long wait. 

Hooking her Birkin bag in the crook of her elbow, the video game mogul made her way over to the growing crowd of people waiting for their name to be called. Just as she found a space, her phone buzzed in the back pocket of her pants. She had to smile as a picture of Tahj showed up as he was calling her from his IPad. “Yes, Tahjy.” she grinned as her son started asking how long before she would be home and told her that he and his sister were very hungry. “I’m waiting for the food right now, Baby. Tell Tahli that Mommy’s going to be home soon with pizza and wings for dinner….Yes, I’m getting the little pizzas so you can have yours and Tahli can have hers….Have you been good? Because only good boys and girls get gelato? Okay….okay…You know it’s Tahli’s turn to choose the movie….Ask nicely, okay? I have to go so I can hear when they say the food is ready, okay? I love you, my son.” Malia make a kiss noise before her phone slipped out of her hand, fully expecting it to hit the ground and shatter. 

She closed her eyes preparing herself for the sound, but did not hear it. Instead there was a hand holding it. A strangely familiar hand. “Thank you. You fucking saved my life.” she smiled to the hand before moving her gaze up to the wrist, then arm and shoulder before settling on a pair of blue eyes that still made appearances in her dreams late at night. There were no words in her head. They just disappeared as different memories floated through her mind. His smile. His laugh. His soft touches. “Hi Jack…” Her voice was small and her stomach twisted. She could feel her lips trembling softly. Was she nervous? There weren’t many instances when she felt this way, but Malia could count this as one of them. “What are you doing here?” she blurted out before closing her eyes and shaking her head. “That’s not what I meant to say. I…” Nerves again made their presence known as she put her free hand in her pocket and gripped her purse tightly. “How are you?”

♪

“I’ve been here since, um,” Jack plucks his phone from his pocket. The screen reads 4:00PM and he laughs a little, “Maybe a little past three. They’re really booked up.” The singer says to the patron to his right. They’re leaning against the same wall as him, waiting for their chance to order. In truth, Jack had enjoyed the vague chaos from the inside of a budding restaurant. The sound of people speak, families gathered around a small table devouring pizza, and the couples on awkward first dates, sharing a coke. It makes him feel less alone and the entire world knew how Jack Adler navigated loneliness. 

Oh, I’m up. Thanks for chatting with me, man. The other man says, waving as he walks toward the front counter to order his food. Jack smiles in return, shoving his phone back into his jeans. A couple minutes go by and Jack does what he can not to spiral down the usual same stream of thoughts that inhabit his mind. It had been difficult as of late, to hunker down and combat his impulses and sorrow. But he’s learning to live with it, once step at a time.

Then, like a runaway train, a voice comes. Even among the mingling customers he could still recognize it. Silvery smooth and warm. Jack gets goosebumps. Still, he keeps his head low, too nervous to interject and say hello. Though it’s the polite thing to do, he can hear his mother’s voice in his head informing him of such. Bright blue eyes glance over, hovering under his lashes. For a moment, he thinks to flee but doesn’t. Malia’s presence had a way of making him stay and fester, even if they both wished for the opposite. That’s when her phone slips from her hand and all of Jack’s impulse comes rushing to the surface. He jogs over and catches the device in his hand before it clambers to the ground. 

“No worries.” He replies at first, allowing his gaze to tear from the tile below their feet and to Malia again. She looked the same. Still the same kind of beautiful that made his stomach twist and ache and his cheeks to burn that same shade of bright pink. “Don’t worry, I — I know what you meant.” Jack says with a chuckle, brushing a few strands of hair from his face that had gotten long again. He clears his throat before speaking again, “I’m good. Trying to get some pizza and failing.” His eyes search her expression, “What about you?” It was May. He hadn’t even realized until just now. Jack was never one for tracking the dates. Still, her birthday was coming up. “Oh, hey, it’s Taurus season.” Jack says out of the blue, also on impulse. Idiot, he thinks to himself. 

[dailytvfilmgifs]

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS 2013 | dir. Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

[jackadler]

SEBASTIAN PRESCOTT. 

OPEN STARTER​​ @catalinastarter​

LOCATION: Open House in Ventura

DATE & TIME: April 26, 2021 at 5PM.

         “– I look forward to it. Thanks.”  Right as he says goodbye to the next couple, a few more people walk in and start looking around. The condo is a fantastic piece of real estate: not too expensive for its location and stunning inside and out. There are already a couple of offers, and it’s only been on the market for a couple of days. It’s a damn shame Sebastian doesn’t have any use for it himself; he’d have kept it in a heartbeat. But he would be broke if he kept every fixer-upper he took on and fell in love with.  “The view is stunning right?” Bash stops next to the person, who’s looking out at the ocean. Catalina really is amazingly beautiful.  “You should wait and see the sunset. It’s breathtaking.”

♪

As it turns out, Jack’s parents wanted to possibly buy a place in Catalina after spending so much time here with him. It was something that Jack wasn’t going to protest, not even a little bit. He missed his family so much that it pained him. It was often that he grew lonely and knowing that they wanted to visit more often, so much so that they wanted to buy a place, was enough to warm his heart and ease his nerves. So, here he was, attending open houses and mingling with neighbors. It was a nice break from the usual. Writing, recording, label meetings, and traveling to LA. He wanders onto the back porch, taking a look at the view. “It’s so beautiful. I might stick around for the sunset, actually.” He says, “I’m looking at the home for my parents and they love to sit outside and watch the sunset together.” The singer turns to the man at his side, “Has anybody made an offer yet?”

[jackadler]

LYDIA BECKETT. 

follow up from this self para, at bootlegger’s pub on APRIL 18TH. around eight in the evening. 

3/5 open starter — @catalinastarter​.

Eyes zoomed in the near empty glass of vodka on the rocks.

Lydia had never been one for hard liquor but there she was, grimacing every time the cold liquid touched the tongue and warmed down her throat.

She had absolutely no idea what she was seeking in the bottom of whatever bottle she had selected for the night, but her only requests were that whatever she was drinking was cheap enough for her to sustain during the time she occupied that particular stool of Bootlegger’s.

Her father had been a fan of the bar once — it was hard to know what she should call him nowadays — so much the bartender had recognized her from day one. It made her wonder if he thought she was trailing down the same path as he was, maybe she was. 

Swallowing back the rest of the transparent liquid in her glass, Lydia knocked on the wooden counter asking for a refill. It wasn’t hard to see that her train was on the way to drunk station, her cheeks were flushed and she was far from focusing on what was happening around her. Letting out a loud sigh, she felt the overwhelming feeling of restlessness consuming her as she started looking around. She wasn’t certain on what she was looking for, but as her eyes settled on the person occupying the stool on her right, one eyebrow raised.

“Hey— you drinking alone? Want some company? Drinking alone fucking sucks and we can even play a game to make things more interesting. Are you game?”

♪

Why am I sober? Jack asked his reflection early in the day, staring blank faced back into his own eyes. It feels like torture, the question at hand. It rattles around his brain like a marble and Jack can’t quite find an answer. So it continues to clink against his skull and the noise feels very real. The emotions it brings feel just the same. Deafening and sincere. 

It’s a question he assumes all addicts face at some point. Perhaps this was the part of his story where he falls from the wagon again and rolls around in the dirt for the sake of doing so, for the selfish reasons he always found. That’s how it worked, it seemed. A cycle. Patterns. And he’s staring it down. 

Then, a familiar voice, which makes him jump from his skin. The singer does what he can to gather his composure, but he’s a little like a bull in a tea shop. He clears his throat, a subtle yet nervous smile gracing his expression. “Not drinking but alone, yes.” Jack muses with a teasing tone, laughter tearing from his dry throat. He needed a drink in general, whether alcohol or not. “I’m trying out exposure therapy.” Jack explains with a swat of his hand, motioning to the drinks and drunken strangers surrounding them. That was a good excuse, at least. He was lying again, though, which was never a great sign.

Jack nudges Lydia’s shoulder. Despite all his inner turmoil, he was happy to see her. It had been a while. “Either way, I’m always happy to have you as company, Lydia.” He says, leaning in a little. “I’ll play a game but I’ll just have to be the uh, sad sober companion, though.” He adds, calling down the bartender and ordering himself a coke. This was another kind of torture. “How do we play?”

[jackadler]

MARION STEWART. 

She’s never been fond of birthdays, and reaching forty is a milestone that feels profoundly disproportionate to what she’s achieved in life. But there isn’t time to dwell on that fact — not when her ex-husband-turned-friend, or whatever term used to constitute their murky relationship, is about to show up with a cake ready to be devoured and a bouquet of flowers ready to give her apartment some semblance of color. 

Yet once Marion’s opened the door, there is no cake in sight, only Jack, donning a conspicuous cap and delivering a bright orange bouquet. She is almost disappointed at the lack of food, but he supplies an answer to her question quickly enough — cake is in the car. Still, her attention is directed elsewhere. “Do people still fall for that?” Marion chuckles, pointing at his hat. It’s almost embarrassing how quickly she recognizes the logo of their hometown’s baseball team. “You mind if we just stayed here? I’m not a fan of people right now,” she answers, before adding pointedly, “Or any other occasion, for that matter.” 

♪

Of course the hat is mentioned first, earning a bright smile to grace Jack’s expression. It feels genuine for the first time in weeks. For once, it’s not cranked out by Jack’s dry, calloused hands, fueled by the lack of energy inhabiting his large body. “You’d be surprised.” He teases, matching her tone. That’s when he nods, handing over the flowers. The smell of them wafts toward him again and Jack isn’t sure if he should fight the sneeze that tickles at the back of his nose. For some reason, he does, scrunching his face a little in passing. “Sure thing. Honestly, I’m kinda the same way right now. Go figure.” Another truth that Jack has been trying to combat. 

He circles back toward his car, plucking the cake from out of the passenger seat before making his way back to Marion’s front door. When he’s inside, he allows himself into the living room, resting the box down onto her coffee table in front of the couch. Jack decides to just plop down onto the ground, stretching his legs out, one hand reaching up to remove his hat. His hair was growing out again, getting longer. “Oh! I almost forgot,” He starts, pulling two plastic forks out of his pocket, “Fuck plates, you know?” The singer moves to reveal the cake from its thin, cardboard cage, revealing that the top says, sloppily, Happy Birthday, Mary. “What the hell? You’re kidding me.” He chuckles out, brows furrowed. “Well, shit. Dig in, Mary.”

[jackadler]

STARTER FOR: @marionstewart​ LOCATION: Marion’s home in Avalon. SETTING: Afternoon.

Ordering the cake was easy, as well as the flowers. They sit in the passenger seat in replace of a person, which alone seemed strangely poetic. Though Jack does what he can to not dwell in that space again, the place where poets go. By some miracle, he’s spared for the day, driving over to Marion’s home, surprisingly at ease. 

His attempt at vague anonymity from photographers is a Boston Red Sox baseball cap and darker clothing. Lackluster, sure, but it usually does the job. He arrives in a few minutes, hopping out of his car and to Marion’s front door. The flowers, a bouquet of bright orange daisies assorted with baby’s breath, rest in his hand at his side. Once the door is open and Marion comes into view, he smiles, lifting the flowers to his chest. “Cake is in the car. We can eat it here or at the park. Your choice, birthday girl.”

[jackadler]

ALYCIA ACOSTA. 

The change in Jack’s expression wasn’t lost on Aly. It brought a slight, coy smile to her full mouth, as she enjoys baring witness to her affect on others. Good or bad. Their reaction to her feeding an ego too big for someone who, beneath the goddess complex, is just a woman. 

When questioned the brunette’s head turned. Her eyes of rich mahogany lock with Jack’s clear blue. Their color reminds Aly of someone she hadn’t thought about in awhile. She does not answer right away but allows the other to finish his tangent about importance. It’s not a conversation piece that particularly interests her, yet she entertains it. “Oh, sure.” The slight smile on Aly’s lips blossoms with the pupil of her eyes; an effect of the brownie she’d consumed. “What’s court without jesters?” 

It takes her a long moment to respond to the second question. Her mind has begun to wander. She eyes the first collection of paintings from a far before tilting her head towards the collection. Her pump clad feet carried her over with an audible tapping with each graceful step. She purses her lips, like she’s pondering the word, then says, “That’s personal. So, if you want to know.. you go first.”

His gaze doesn’t leave hers, as if he might find an answer in her eyes or within her expression. Nothing ever ever comes, and Jack learns to be okay with that. Besides, perhaps this game of back and forth was better than sulking inside his bedroom, writing songs and rhymes about things come and gone. Though, the brown of her eyes reminds him too of someone he hasn’t thought about in a little while. Malia. It’s the thing that makes him turn his gaze, eyes casting upward toward the collection before them. 

A throaty laugh escapes him at her next statement. You go first. Jack didn’t mind that demand, his hands moving into his pockets as his eyes narrow in thought. “I suppose it’s a bunch of different things.” The singer says, “In the grand scheme of things, I guess being higher up will always made you important on a conventional level. Politicians, people in business, CEOs, activists, the works.” Jack looks to Aly again, noticing the way her pupils retract and expand. The sight makes his brows furrow, though he decides not to pry. “But, call me corny, but I think importance should come from the heart. If you’re able to and have the means to do good things, no matter what the scale, that makes you important. I think just getting up in the morning and making yourself breakfast makes someone important. In their own world. To the people around them.” The singer shrugs, lips pursed, “But that also can be seen as naive, which I understand too. I guess at the end of the day, everything really is objective.” He nods to her, “Your turn.”

[jackadler]

iMessage: Marion.

MARION [12.19PM]: Chocolate buttercream please. :-)

MARION [12.19PM]: But yeah I'd like to have cake and eat it too. Sidebar, I'm starting to think we're just pretty shitty people.

MARION [12.20PM]: Don't forget the flowers. Very important, the flowers.

JACK [12.25PM]: Good choice.

JACK [12.26PM]: Marion, we literally suck. It's taken me a while to get here but I think I've found peace with the fact that we're both pieces of shit, in hindsight.

JACK [12.26PM]: Of course. Noted. I'll see you in an hour.