cross your mind;

[jaywinstcn]

[cis man, he/him] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [JAYDEN "JAY" WINSTON]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [FINN COLE]. You must be the [TWENTY-EIGHT] year old [TATTOO ARTIST AT CRESENT MOON]. Word is you’re [LOYAL] but can also be a bit [STUBBORN] and your favorite song is [CROSS YOUR MIND BY CALUM SCOTT]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

BIOGRAPHY.

Jay was the second son to two drug addicts who couldn’t get the devil to loosen their grips from them. His brother, Kade was twelve when he was born and took over that role of parent, taking care of him.

In the early years of Jay’s life, his relationship with his brother was close. He did everything he could to try to lighten the load on his brother but being as young as he was there was only so much he could do and whenever his father lost his temper, Kade was the one who got the most blows and their mother was the one that held Jay back.

When Jay was around the age of ten, Kade left the house and never returned. So, he did what he could to step up and take over the house. He cleaned, made sure the bills got paid, did his homework and made sure his parents made it through each day.

 He did his best to stay out of his dad’s way, by crashing at his friend’s house. This best friend had been one of those friendships that saved him from having to deal with the wrath and fists of his old man.

When he was working part time at his uncle’s convenience store, he came home one evening to find his mother on the couch, deceased. Everything else was packed up and it looked like someone left in a hurry. He called the paramedics then his uncle. He sat in the chair and watched as the scene played by and then his uncle ended up packing up his things and taking him out of the house.

It would only go down hill from there when he got caught sneaking out of his best friend's twin sister's room by his friend. The two of them got into a massive fight and when Jay walked out, the two of them stopped talking after that.

He focused on getting out of high school and his part-time job after that. Art was easier than people. That’s pretty much how he chopped it up, it was easy to have no one close to him than a million people close to him so he kept people at arms length.

[billieconway]

"Your generation is seriously missing out on good dive bar culture," Billie sighs, signaling the bartender to bring them another round of the same.

"I was practically raised on these things -- we didn't do cocktails where I'm from. Just spirits straight and beers."

Once the shots are before them again, Billie advises.

"Okay, so you drink the whiskey first and then the pickle juice to chase."

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay nods his head. "I'll be sure to let everyone know at the next generational meeting we have."

He smirks slightly as he rests his arms on the surface of the bar. "A beer is great and so is a regular shot." He muses as he watches her put the shots down in front of them.

He presses his lips together as he clears his throat, sitting up on the stool he's in as if it's going to prepare him for what's coming.

"Before we get started I have a very important question... What kind of pickle juice is it?"

@billieconway

[oldrowan-deactivated20260302]

"You know what?" Rowan says, pointing a manicured finger in the man's direction. "You might be onto something there." A mischievous grin spreads across her lips. "Just look at me - I love trashcans, trash women, and trash men," she adds, emphasizing the last part while her brown eyes lock onto him, gradually drifting to the warmth of his fingertips on her wrist. She feels her heartbeat quicken at his gentle touch, having to force herself to steady her breathing, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing she could be his tonight if he played his cards right. She knows she shouldn’t - after all, they weren’t together anymore for specific reasons. Yet, the comfort his presence brings her is intoxicating, and who is she to turn down a good fuck? “You know I haven’t worked here in ages, right?” she says with a raised browed. “I’m actually here alone as a paying customer - Sterling’s pregnant, so now I have to terrorize the bars of Aurora Bay by myself.” She annonces as her eyes dart around the establishment, “so, which poor girl did you manage to convince to go out with you tonight? Still doing your bogo deal, get a tattoo and get a free date with Jay or?”

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay tilts his head to the side when she tells him that he has a point. He can only imagine where she's going with it and the way her mischievous grin spreads her features has him knowing there is going to need to be some sort of a witty com back he can come up with. He glides his tongue along his lower lip as an amused smirk curves his own features. Trash men. He had to give it to her, that was a good one and one he didn't see coming. "Good one, Ro." He murmurs. His fingertip still brushes along the inside of her wrist as he drops his gaze to look down at what he's doing, making sure he's working the pulse spot. It's hard to keep the smirk from widening at the feeling of her heartbeat quickening under his touch.

"If I knew that, it would mean we talk more than we..." He muses, raising his eyes up toward her. "Yeah, I think I saw something like that on Instagram or something." He glances around them, pressing his lips together. "That means you didn't come here with someone if you are out here terrorizing the place all by yourself?" He chuckles at her words. "I guess that means you are in for a surprise when you hear that I too... am here all by my lonesome."

@lonelyhcart

[ninaxgray]

God, did Jay always have that perpetual look of perturbation? Maybe she caught him on a bad day, however it was getting hard to distinguish when exactly they were. "I'll alert the press." After a momentary roll of her eye's, and an aimless flick of her hand into the air, the piercing motions over to the bartender for a drink of her own.

Resting her elbows on the countertop, Nina doesn't like the way he turns away from her even when engaging in conversation. "No?" A girl didn't always need a person with them to enjoy a drink, but whatever. "What about it?"

— @jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay leans his arms down against the surface of the bar, his gaze shifting up toward the bartender. He lifts a few fingers to let the bartender know he'll also get another drink. He brushes his tongue along his lower lip as he tilts his head down to look at his arms. He's not sure whether to look at her or not because looking at her always ends up with the two of them going home with one another and then it's back to whatever this was.

"What about what? You being here with someone?" He shrugs. "I was just making small talk, Nina. You don't have to get defensive about it," was she really defensive? No. But it felt better to say.

@ninaxgray

[phoebekeller]

Phoebe chuckles behind her hand as Jay's face twists in disgust. "My friend had me try it once, I'm just passing the torch," she tells him, trying very hard to look apologetic despite her amusement. "How about I pay for your next drink to make up for it?" @jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay stares at her as she giggles behind her hand, an eyebrow arching up slightly. "Next time you think about passing the torch to me, don't." He muses as he leans back in his seat, keeping his attention on her despite the chatter around them. "You sure you want to buy my next drink, Keller? I didn't imagine you wanting to be so nice to me the last time we talked. Kind of assumed that the drink was your revenge on me."

@phoebekeller

[thecelestexzhao]

"I agree. And honestly? I bet the makers do too, but if it's what some people want then..." Celeste shrugged, even wrinkling her nose again as she said it. She'd never be caught dead drinking stuff like that--and that's coming from someone who used to drink five dollar vodka. "Nothing fruity tuity, got it."

A worthy drink was something that had everything in it, so Cel got to work on making a Long Island- a drink with practically every alcohol and nothing fruity about it. In fact, as she served it up and slid the glass over to him, she even plucked the garnishing cherry off it that she put on instinct, popping it onto her mouth instead. "Hope this meets your standards?"

[jaywinstcn]

Jay scrunches up his nose. "Not sure how anyone could," he murmurs. He leans his arms down on the surface of the bar, brushing his tongue along the edges of his lips. He turns his head to look around the inside of the bar, finding it a little more empty than usual. "Did I happen to miss the rush hour? He asks.

He keeps his eyes on her as she starts to make the drink, wondering if he was able to tell what she was making just by watching her. He was used to sneaking any and all alcohol he could so he wasn't really used to have something with flavor. "You like making drinks?" He tries to make small talk, he might as well with the place not being as busy as usual. He pulls it close to him and raises it up to his lips, taking a sip of it. "Hmm," he murmurs. "It's not bad actually."

@thecelestexzhao

[coradeveraux]

"Odd form of punishment, but I do believe trying new things is healthy, so... Knock yourself out?" Cora says with a laugh, taking a sip of her own drink. A classic, a safe choice. "Maybe they secretly hate your guts and have been getting ready for this moment for a while. I'm having an amaretto sour. A safe choice, you should try it next time." @jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay laughs. "We all have to force ourselves to try new things or we don't." He shrugs, raising it up to his lisp to take a sip as he scrunches up his nose. "It wouldn't surprise me, I can't say I'm the most liked person in the world." He teases. "An amaretto sour, I can't say I have ever even heard of that. What does it have in it?"

@coradeveraux

[addisonxoconnell]

"Hmm... That depends on what you got. Maybe we could switch?" Addison certainly had her rules about coffee, and one was that she never really went off her current script of both regular and seasonally festive coffee flavors. But today, she was feeling somewhat adventurous. Though, the line that was currently forming mainly meant she didn't want to wait any longer. "Or if you don't have any cooties, we could pretend it never happened?" @jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay lifts his gaze up toward her. "I don't drink any of the frilly stuff so I should either buy you a new one or something." Maybe it was the way he grew up but him and fancy drinks were never a combination seen in the same area. He brushes his tongue along his lower lip, glancing down to her cup before lifting his eyes up toward her, holding it out. "I can solemnly swear that I do not have any cooties, but I also can just order you a fresh one like a real decent human being would do."

@addisonxoconnell

[blake-michaels]

It's the greatest relief that Jay opts for the ingredients over the name. He might intend on googling it later to see what it really is. The three parts of the shot though, mulling it over, causes for Blake to wince and cringe with a light hiss.

"Tequila, tuna fish juice and Tobasco."

She bounces slightly, her hands clasped together in front of her chest while she tries her best with her puppy dog eyes.

"Please don't be mad, but I couldn't do it myself. You're totally my knight in shining armor for stomaching it."

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay stares at Blake at the words come out of her mouth. Did she just fucking say tuna fish juice? He scrunches his eyebrows together to show his displeasure at what she put in his drink without a warning.

But his face softens at her little puppy dog look. "You know that look should be illegal. It's not fair," he mutters, gesturing for something else to drink. "It would only make it up to me if you make me something better to get this horrible taste out of my mouth, Michaels."

@blake-michaels

[oldjacee]

"Do you like it or not?" he asks, raising an eyebrow, unsure of what to expect from his friend. It wasn’t a bad taste when he tried it; the concept was unheard of to him, but he could also be a bit biased. "And what kind of question is that?" Jace replies, leaning back in the booth with his arms crossed defensively. "That's like asking SpongeBob what’s in the Krabby Patty!"

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

"I don't know. I'm not a big fan of candy corn but I don't think I'd stop drinking this because it was free." Jay mutters, raising the cup back up to his lips, taking another sip of it. His eyebrows scrunch together as he glances down to look at the mug. "I feel like it's a valid one," he laughs. "You would have to tell people what's in it before you sell it so I don't see what the difference is, sir."

@jaceberg

[kcte]

Kate gave him a shrug, as she already started to gather the ingredients and juices used to make her second whimsical concoction of the evening. "Well, not every one of them is going to a banger okay!" She said, shooting him a death stare. "But that's the whole point of this. To find out what works and what doesn't... that is literally how everything gets made, Jay." She lined up her jiggers and began preparing another beverage he'd be forced to try. "Tell me something interesting that's happening in your life, before I get bored of you."

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay presses his lips together at her death stare, knowing he shouldn't laugh out loud at it or else she'd probably reach across the bar and smack him in the back of the head. He crosses his arms over his chest, nodding his head slightly. "I'll make sure I keep it in mind that not all of them are going to be bangers," he raises his eyes up toward her. "Well, I can vote that this one isn't going to work, Harmon. It's a horrid combination." He laughs, shrugging his shoulders. "Still tattooing," he murmurs. "Still flinging it." A hint toward the fact he's still playing the field rather than dedicating himself to one person. "I unfortunately can't say I have anything interesting or gossip worthy happening in my life. What about you?"

@katexharmon

[jaywinstcn]

JAY WINSTON AS THE DEVIL.

@aurorabayaesthetic

[missxrivera]

Closed for @jaywinstcn

Ramsey didn’t have the longest dating history. She was mostly work oriented that it was something she focused on primarily, which was why she could pick out any of her exes and old flings in a line up a mile away. So when she saw Jay while she was on her way to grab some take out for her mom she paused and offered him a small wave. “ hello stranger “ she noted

[jaywinstcn]

Jay stops when he hears a hello, his head turning to see Ramsey standing by the counter. "Oh hey," he nods as he walks over to her. Thankfully, he had already ordered so waiting by the counter wasn't entirely weird. He crosses his arms over his chest, clearing his throat as he drifts his gaze to her. "How are you doing? I feel like I haven't seen you in a minute."

@missxrivera

[atticuscortes]

"Them's the rules, buddy boy. King's Cup, drink up." Atticus laughed, clapping Jay on the shoulder as he takes a sip of the resulting concoction.

He definitely didn't envy him, considering even he couldn't recall for sure what all had been poured into the middle cup, but was the game.

"Hell if I know, dude. At least half my beer, I think Sabrina's drinking--what? A vodka Redbull?" He checked with the redhead for clarification, who nodded. "So some of that. Who else had a King?" It didn't really matter, in the end, since there was probably nothing that could salvage the combination of those two anyways. "You starting to get the hang of the game, though?"

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay shakes his head. "Remind me to be more careful drinking around you," he mutters as he reaches for the glass, picking it up and examining the color of the liquid. He wasn't sure exactly what the fuck Atticus could have put together but it's a fun game, at least he isn't drinking alone at the bar.

Could be worse.

He turns his head to look over at Atticus, trying to figure out what Sabrina could have been drinking. It might not be too bad. It's better than whatever the hell has been served to him before. What was it? The liquor in the mat or whatever. He picks up the drink and tosses it back in one swift motion, scrunching up his nose.

"I'm going to need a beer," he grumbles. "Kind of. All I know is some of you have ass taste in liquor."

@atticuscortes

[oldrowan-deactivated20260302]

She playfully mimics him, her head tilting allowing blonde hairs to cascade down from her bun. "Maybe someone lookin' to get fucked up, Jay?'" She retorts. Extending her arm across the bar, she reached for his glass with a manicured hand. "Hard, obviously," she spoke confidently, as if everyone should know the answer. ''Just the basics, I think.. Vodka, gin, rum, peach schnapps, and blue curaçao.'" She eagerly brought the glass to her lips, taking a long, satisfying sip and dramatically popping her lips as she pulled the glass away. "It's like a reward."

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay shakes his head. "Or they don't have taste buds. Anyone who drinks this clearly doesn't care what they are tasting and I'm not that desperate." He muses, leaning his arms down against the bar as he drops his gaze down to her hand that grabs the glass. He reaches out and takes her wrist between his fingers, brushing his fingertips against her pulse point. "How much longer are you working for?" He asks before letting go of her hand and moves his hand to his lap. "You lost me at peach. That's the worst flavor in the world," he muses.

@lonelyhcart

[thelucexcaldwell]

closed - @jaywinstcn

where - crescent moon tattoo

Lucinda had just about been in town for one month now so she figured she needed a way to commemorate it--and what better way than some new ink? She already had over twenty (mostly fine line) tattoos scattered all over her body, some on display now with the tank top and denim shorts she was sporting, so the idea of getting another was definitely something that had been on her agenda already. So smoothie in hand and absolutely no idea on what to get, she strolled into the tattoo shop she'd spotted the other day, looking around for a moment before seeing one of the assumed artists and she headed over, a smile on her lips, "Hi there. Do you have time for a walk-in? I promise I'm an excellent tipper if you do."

[jaywinstcn]

Jay lifts his eyes up from the monitor in front of him, the schedule up on the screen already. He was trying to see when his next appointment was and he had a least a few more hours. "Depends on what you're looking for," he muses as he drifts his gaze across her to take her in. Her facial features are innocent; so he's imagining that she would want a rose or something on her hip or her wrist which would be an easy hour to squeeze in before his next appointment. There was nothing he enjoyed more than his job, there was something about getting lost in designing a piece of art that was going to be on someone's skin.

@thelucexcaldwell

[hughxjackson]

Hugh shrugged, it wasn't the first time someone didn't like one of his creations, but that's why it was his. "A little protein powder, some spinach, banana, chia, and some dates for sweetness. Not everyone like it, but I'm sure we can find the right blend for you if you want it." Hugh said, picking up his own glass and sipping at the decidedly green beverage.

@jaywinstcn

[jaywinstcn]

Jay keeps his gaze on the other, furrowing his brows. "It's gotta be the dates, I suppose." He murmurs. He wasn't into the little protein drinks, it wasn't his thing. If he had his way he would drink a beer all the time. It seemed to be the only piss poor drink he actually liked. "What's the difference with the right blend? Is it what you put it in it or how long you blend it?"

@hughxjackson