𝖵𝖨𝖱𝖳𝖴𝖠𝖫⁄ 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬

[kalcidoscope]

#𝚔𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚘𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚎 : and even uʍop ǝpᴉsdn it's 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 somehow; it's never just a shape alone, 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 is a 𝚔 𝚊 𝚕 𝚎 𝚒 𝚍 𝚘 𝚜 𝚌 𝚘 𝚙 𝚎.

dependent multi-muse blog for maplebrookhq as adored by g.

𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚝𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚜 : intro · spotify · pinterest · google doc

𝚜𝚎𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗 : intro · spotify · pinterest · google doc

𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚊 : intro · spotify · pinterest · google doc

[sweetfridays]

♡ GRETA ONIEOGOU via instagram

[bigassbowlingballhead]

[sportsmusicsoapsmoviesfan]

[allwegetnow]

mcallister green was one of eli's favourite places in all of maple brook. the lush greenery, fresh air, and constant bustle of the town around her made it the idea spot to sit and draw. today, she was enjoying the end of the lunch rush, having just finished her lunch. the wind rustled her hair, eliciting an annoyed whine from the sugar glider trying to sleep on her shoulder. she had her legs crossed in front of her on the bench, sketchbook in her lap, head bowed in intense focus. she didn't know how much time she had left and didn't want to risk running out. every few minutes, she would glance up, looking at one specific person sitting on a bench just down the path.

they weren't sure why this random person caught their eye, but they knew they had to be drawn. finally, they managed to get the last touches done on their art, pulling the now-completed sketch from the sketchbook. they quickly flipped the book closed and jumped up from their bench, dropping the book on the now-empty seat next to their bag. they closed the distance between them and their subject quickly, and held out the drawing by way of greeting. "i drew you." they said with a bright smile. "i hope that's okay. you just...looked like a work of art in this lighting." eli was a talented artist, especially in realism, but even after years of tattooing, they still wavered in their confidence.

[kalcidoscope]

sebastian inhaled, content, as he sat on the bench to enjoy the impromptu picnic he had prepared for himself not many hours ago with pollux, his chocolate labradoodle sat nearby in complete relaxation and munching on some snack he had brought along so the both of them could have their lunch together. the author had spent the past week in a trance, writing, editing and making calls, only stopping to walk pollux around the neighborhood, eat or take two to three hours naps every now and then. it had almost drove him to absolute madness, yet he had managed to deliver his novel to his editor about a month past his deadline early in the morning and alas, he had decided to finally step out of the house and have an impromptu picnic with his forever trusty and incredibly patient furry companion to celebrate in his all time favorite place in maple.

the author, with eye bags and a multiple-days stubble itching to be shaved down looked up from his peach and iberico toast when he heard a voice calling for his attention near him, a gentle grin exchanged for the gesture. "wow, you are very talented. i'm genuinely honored. tell me the truth, did you mean to only draw my dog but i was on the way?" he mused back with a playful grin, leaving his lunch to the side to pay his undivided attention to the beautiful drawing being shown to him, trying very hard not to get too conscious about leaving his home without doing much more than a shower after a week of little to no sleep. "it truly is great, i don't even look half as tired as i possibly look up close—" a pause as he looked up at the author of such mesmerizing work, his smile unwavering "can i buy this? or there should be a way i can repay you for boosting my ego here and making me look this cool."

[mapleluke]

where: Station 5

when: 18th October (Jack o'Lantern Lane)

open

Luke took a step back to admire this years Jack o'Lantern's and nodded his head some, giving those rookies their much wanted approval. "This one looks a little sad, but otherwise, great job. Let them in." He moved to turn to the doors opening to allow the locals to come into the station, there was enough room for this and room to make sure they got out quickly if the alarms went off.

"Good morning, welcome to Station 5, enjoy the pumpkins."

[kalcidoscope]

"okay kids, don't wander around too much and behave" ari gave his children, particularly his eldest a knowing look while ruffling their hair as the two walked into the station, his gaze focused on them as they began their walk through the jack o'lantern lane. he was about to follow through when someone spoke near him, making him turn to grin at the source, his gaze still focused on his children as he did so. "thanks, you guys did an amazing job, my children where so excited to come see a real station like this, it's so cool" he voiced, briefly switching his gaze from the two pre-teens to the other. "did you make any? to this day i still don't know how to make one look even half decent so, props if you did."

[allwegetnow]

english may have been sugar's second language, but he would still consider himself fluent. however, the words coming through the small speaker on his phone sounded like an alien language all together, the words rattling around in his brain. "you can't be serious. a month? how am i supposed to complete an entire novel in a month?!" his voice was harsher than he meant it to, considering his novel was already about 75% complete. the reply that came was just as frustrating as the request being made of him, so he slammed his finger onto the big red 'end call' button just to make it stop. "maari tatoori ne chalay, benchod." he muttered to himself angrily, staring at the now-black phone screen as if it was going to bite him.

unfortunately, he soon realized he wasn't alone. he had stopped himself in the middle of the sidewalk, oblivious to the world, and didn't realize he was stopping traffic. and the person who'd ground to a halt on the sidewalk trying to get around him had clearly heard the not-nice things he was saying, although not in english. his cheeks turned a bright pink, automatically assuming he was going to be in trouble, as if he were still a child. "sorry. you shouldn't have had to hear that." he flashed them an awkward smile, hoping they wouldn't hold it against him. he cared a little too much about what other people thought of him.

[kalcidoscope]

carrying a few paper bags with key ingredients for dinner, violet stood silently as she awaited for the sidewalk to clear or a taxi to take her to the b&b, whicever occurred first. as much as summer thrilled her for every aspect of the season, she had to accept she tended to enjoy fall a tad bit more as it often meant less work overload and more free time to do what she loved about managing the inn without the outlandish influx of guests demanding all her attention or two to three weekly weddings stepping on her toes, keeping her glued to the building with a million thoughts running wild through her head. she embraced the chaos whenever it found its way into her life and by now she had grown accustomed to it, yet she couldn't help but feel more drawn to the calmness of fall and the way it tainted every corner of the town bright orange. big brown eyes looked around in awe as the person next to her talked over the phone, her attention shifting from the picturesque landscape to the other once his tone shifted.

"that's okay— fits of passion only mean you care about something, right?" she responded at the other's apology with a reassuring grin, a small shrug falling from her shoulders. "and rushing art is a recipe for disaster, so i think you have the right to be a bit mad in my very humble opinion" violet voiced. she understood why deadlines were a thing and as an artiste who once or twice had been given a few by costumers and even herself, she knew how they tended to meddle with the artistic process of creating. she considered continuing her path, walking a bunch of miles to get to the b&b with hours to spare before dinner service began with no changes in her routine whatsoever. however, that wasn't who violet was as a person so instead she shifted some of the bags to her other arm and looked for a taxi before turning her attention to the other. "a writer? that sounds very exciting, deadlines aside. do you enjoy it?"

[clemcntia]

For   someone   who   had   promised   her   sister   she   would   go   back   to   giving   dating   another   try,   Adriana   wasn’t   doing   much   to   begin   with.   That   evening,   however,   she   was   practically   dragged   out   of   the   house   by   some   close   friends   and   to   Widow’s   Bite   none   the   other.   The   place   itself   seemed   like   it   could’ve   been   the   perfect   choice   for   a   date,   but   Adriana   wasn’t   in   one–otherwise,   she   was   certain   that   she   would’ve   prepared   better   for   it…   but   her   friends   were   having   fun,   laughing   and   chatting   about   nothing   in   particular,   so   the   brunette   decided   not   to   be   a   debbie   downer   and   ruin   their   fun   by   saying   she   was   going   home.

Instead,   she   made   her   way   to   the   bar   where–she   wouldn’t   say   instantly,   but   Dri   also   didn’t   think   it   had   been   that   long   since   she’d   arrived   for   the   younger   man   to   offer   buying   her   something   to   drink.   “Are   you   sure   you’re   not   here   because   my   friends   told   you?”   It   was   all   in   good   spirits,   but   from   the   way   the   group   of   fifty-something-year-old   women   was   cackling   loudly   from   their   table   (not   necessarily   at   her),   Adriana   felt   like   she   had   to   ask.    “   Your   offers   are   really   generous.   Are   we   celebrating   something   or   were   you   just   offering   out   of   the   goodness   of   your   heart?   ”    After   all,   if   they   were   celebrating,   the   older   woman   wanted   to   be   part   of   it,   too. 

[kalcidoscope]

sebastian could nearly feel a gaze piercing the back of his head as he made the offer. perhaps it had to do with him not being quite familiar with the place— it had always seemed far too hip for him to visit on a whim whenever he did happen to go out for a drink but he tried to pay no mind to the feeling as he focused on the woman next to him. for a brief second, he looked back at her with a gentle yet puzzled smile until his gaze followed hers to the group of friends giggling somewhere near and things began making sense to him. "i don't think i've had the pleasure yet, no. they do seem like a lively group" he bowed his head towards them before turning again to face the other, the grin on his face still bright and present. "are you all celebrating something? i wouldn't mind extending my offer to the rest of your friends in that case. and i wouldn't want to be the asshole keeping you from a good celebration."

as the question was posed to him, he couldn't help the way his grin grew every so slightly. after the mess the last month had turned out to be, having some good news felt like a breath of fresh air he was willing to hold onto for as long as he could. "a little bit of both is a valid answer? maybe we can start a chain reaction and next time you buy someone a drink and so on. a nice way to meet new people i've been told" he jested before shrugging every so slightly. "but yes, we are celebrating something if you want to partake. i am a couple chapters away from finishing my book after weeks of thinking my career was over so, this is on me not being a phony and a failure if you will."

[whiskeyneats]

after an hour or so of going into stores and leaving empty handed, santiago had decided that it was time to take a break. clearly he hadn't been meant to buy anything on this particular day, which was fine. he didn't need anything, mostly deciding to stop by ludlow plaza to get himself out of the house for a bit. with fall coming upon them, santi had been spending most of his time at the widow's bite making sure that they were prepared for the upcoming specials that came with the season. between the early starts and the late nights, he had realized that he had probably needed to take some much needed time for himself. even though the shopping hadn't been successful, it was still nice to be out and about.

lost in his thoughts, santiago enters the food court, scanning the area to decide on what he wanted to get to eat. he wasn't that hungry, but still wanted snack. so a bag of pretzel bites seemed to be the winner. he's busy looking for a place to sit for a moment when a voice cuts through, offering a smile at the offer. "thanks. i'll trade you for some pretzel bites, if you'd like." santi offers as he takes a seat, setting the little paper bag down between them.

[kalcidoscope]

there's some pressure on his chest as he takes his phone out of his pockets and places it on the table screen up in case there's an emergency text or call from any of his children. he had never been the helicopter parent kind before— ari's childhood (as brief as it had been before he started working) had been blissful and free, running through the streets of his hometown in mexico with a soccer ball attached to the hip, away from screens and parents and rules and they were the best memories he had, so he had always tried to give a considerable amount of freedom to his own children growing up; letting them make their own mistakes while making sure they knew if needed, he was always around. however now being a single parent of two pre-teens who had recently lost one of their parents, something had shifted in the family dynamic and althought he tried not to think much about it, the uneasiness that was now perpetually on the pit of his stomach was hard to shake off.

"who could say no to pretzel bites? that's like the perfect mall snack" he shoots back at the other's offer as he wrestles with some of the shopping bags he had been carrying, placing them on some of the empty chairs next to himself, leaving an equal amount for the other to occupy if necessary before taking one of each snacks and bringing them both to his mouth, looking around to the sea of people. "you'd think some store is giving away free stuff, i don't think i've ever seen this many people in here before. yet again, i don't come here very often" he voices out loud, eyes still scanning the room before returning his attention to the other. "it's nice though, i should change that. you come here often?" an overdone ice breaker, sure, but one that worked most of the times in ari's experience.

[suturedxsoul]

there weren’t many things that could surprise tally in the garage anymore. engines lied, customers lied, everyone thought their emergency was the end of the world until it wasn’t. but violet — tilapia in a box, jacket too neat for a place that smelled like grease and gasoline, trying to imitate the death rattle of a car engine with a straight face — yeah, that gave tally pause. she leaned one shoulder against the edge of the service desk, rag dangling from her hand like she was already halfway through deciding whether to laugh or groan. the corner of her mouth twitched, threatening a smile she hadn’t signed up for. “trtrtrtr, huh?” she echoed, deadpan, before finally letting the smirk break through. “good thing i’m fluent in weird noises. though i gotta say, your sound effects need work.” tally pushed off the desk, walking slow toward the coupe like she was circling prey, her eyes flicking from the car to violet. “you’re telling me you risked your life just so some picky chef doesn’t pitch a fit about fish?” she drawled, crouching by the hood to pop it open. the engine’s guts were still warm, the smell of metal and oil bleeding out into the air. “that’s either dedication or insanity. maybe both.” she ducked under the hood, hands steady as she checked connections, her voice drifting back out toward violet. “relax. i’ll get her sorted before your tilapia turns into compost. but don’t think you’re bribing me with dinner.” she wiped grease across her jaw absentmindedly as she straightened, shutting the hood with a heavy thunk that echoed through the garage. “see, here’s the problem — offer a mechanic free food and suddenly everyone thinks they’re doing you a favor. meanwhile, i’m the one saving your ass from walking miles pushing this beauty down main street.” but there was no bite to it, not really. tally’s grin softened into something sharper, mischievous but not unkind. “still… a gourmet fish dinner does sound better than microwave ramen. you might be onto something.” she took a step closer, rag slung over her shoulder, looking violet over in that way she always did — like she was taking in the whole story, not just the words. “so here’s the deal,” she said, low and sure, like it was already settled. “i’ll take care of your car. you keep your tilapia cold. and later, you prove to me that your b&b’s kitchen is as good as you say.” her smirk curved, a challenge wrapped in promise. “sound fair?"

[kalcidoscope]

her anxious grin turned genuine as the other mused the sounds she had been trying to replicate back to her, a soft chuckle escaping her lips in response. "i knew if someone would understand me and my weird sounds, it would be professional like you" she gave a confident nod. truth be told, violet wasn't big on cars and driving. she had always felt more comfortable walking or riding a bike around town; hadn't even learn how to properly drive until way past her twenties and only did so when absolutely necessary— reason why the entire ordeal had shaken her up the way it did. at the other's query, the b&b simply shrugged lightly with an amused smirk stretching through her lips. "oh, definitely both. don't get me wrong I would risk my life for each and every person working at the b&b no questions asked because they are like family to me but I can't even fight the madness accusations at this point. no sane person would nearly cry over a broken car" she jested, shaking her head to herself.

violet's eyes scanned the other's movements as she moved closer to the car, her attention entirely on the other while waiting for a verdict. "oh, i promise i'm not trying to bribe you or attempting to pay you with food, i will pay accordingly, thank god for the b&b card" she tilted her head to the side slightly "just— a 'thank you for saving my ass from pushing her down main street while people honk at me' gift, if you will" vi reassured the other. as the mechanic decided to make a deal, the b&b owner rose a brow every so slightly as she mulled over the proposal, only to extend her hand for the other to shake "fair. and you won't have to order fish if that's not your thing that's how much i trust our chef. do you have a favorite dish you haven't had in a while?" she questioned. "if you really think you can fix her before the tilapia turns room temp, i will tip you and add a glass of wine to your dinner tonight— we have a very nice selection straight from maple's very own winery if you are into that. any hard liquor we may need to negotiate."

[kalcidoscope]

[charlesleclerrc]

You're going to need me.

[kalcidoscope]

( @porphyros )

[blcssomfully]

there was that familiar thump in her chest when his lips brushed her forehead, one that she used to ignore before--but now, there's no denying it. the gesture was so achingly familiar, but the way he lingered a heartbeat longer had her chest fluttering with something else. letting out a soft laugh in an attempt to disguise the warmth rising on her cheeks, bekah teased him gently, " seb--you don't have to wait in the car, you know? you can come inside. " she stepped back to hold the door open for him and barely got the words out before the rapid patter of paws echoed down the hall.

snow came bounding over, the big samoyed practically throwing herself against sebastian's legs as she wagged her tail happily. " it seems like i'm not the only one who missed you, " she murmured under her breath before it was followed by another chuckle to mask the weight of what she couldn't say. that she missed him terribly and there wasn't a day that she hasn't thought about him and new york. stepping back to let him inside with snow glued to his side, she added, " give me two minutes to grab my shoes and then we can head out. " / @kalcidoscope

[kalcidoscope]

the familiarity of it all was a dangerous slope. not only because this was their routine; the feeling of her home feeling like an extension of his at night when they worked past midnight and sleep clouded both their minds and he slept in her couch or during their usual movie marathons that went way longer than expected as they paused to talk or simply let the movie roll through the credits and beyond, way too invested in their little world to notice the movie ending— but because how familiar the shift in their whole relationship felt. as terrifying as it was, accepting that their friendship had changed since their last time together it also felt like a natural progression, a dance they hadn't rehearsed and yet knew by heart. even if at times he didn't quite know how to act yet, walking on eggshells whenever a sight of her or her scent made him feel dizzy. "right, just making sure" he chuckled gingerly, stepping inside into the home that always felt like a warm hug after a long day. but perhaps that was just her presence.

he opened his mouth to say more, comment on the situation or make use of his word and say out loud what he had been thinking every day since the two returned from new york yet he was rapidly interrupted by snow, immediately causing the writer to fall to his knees to pay undivided attention to rebekah's fury friend, a smile creeping onto his lips. "maybe pol and i just need to kidnap you two for a couple days so no one misses anyone or anyone distracts someone else from their daily task by constantly appearing in their mind" he commented off-handedly, the words leaving a sweet taste in his mouth, the promise of a tomorrow. giving a small nod as he began placing gentle kisses on snow's head, he chuckled at the dog's response. "don't worry i'll be waiting for you right here and i will try my best not to get too distracted."

[divineinfamy]

who: open (4/5) where: maple brook school open house bake sale

Rafael wasn't a parent. So, there was no reason for him to attend the school's open house. Still, he'd attended every year religiously since he'd moved to Maple brook. It had started as a way of supporting a friend who'd been pressed for time and hadn't been able to attend and had turned into a way for him to satisfy his sweet tooth. Or that was what he'd thought up until a few moments ago when his hopes and dreams had been shattered. "Can you believe that Mrs. Fletcher didn't make her kitchen sink cookies this year," he grumbled. "I'm going to file a personal grievance because this is definitely a crime."

[kalcidoscope]

one of the many perks that came with owning his own business was having the time to attend every event on his children's lives. this time it was no different; the bake sale was a personal favorite of his and his youngest who every year requested for her grandmother to bake some of her favorite Mexican pastries to share with her school and his own mother being a sap for her grandchildren often obliged. so there he was, an array of pastries and desserts in front of him as he studied the rest of the parents, suddenly feeling competitive. it wasn't until a voice called for his attention that his eyes left the rest of the stands to focus on the source, his lips twitching up every so slightly. "don't tell anyone about this but i heard there was an incident last year— don't know much but apparently she wasn't allowed to" he had heard many things in the past few hours as he offered his service to the school, the legitimacy of every piece of information remained unknown. "which really was a shame, i still haven't run those off. they were so good i couldn't stop thinking about them the rest of the year" a pause. "we can try to get the recipe from her."

[suturedxsoul]

open starter!! || location: the spiked wheel!!

the clang of metal on metal echoed through the garage as tally wiped her grease-streaked hands on the worn rag tucked into her back pocket. the smell of motor oil and burnt rubber hung heavy in the air, mingling with the faint tang of exhaust that seemed to cling permanently to the walls of the spiked wheel. sunlight cut through the high windows in slats, dust motes swirling lazily in the shafts of light, and for a moment the world outside the garage — its politics, its gossip, its tensions — felt distant. she leaned over the hood of a cherry red coupe, inspecting the engine with a practiced eye, fingers tracing the lines of pipes and wires like she could read them by touch alone. this was the kind of car that made people nervous when they brought it in — the kind that could cost more than a small apartment — but tally didn’t flinch. she had an affinity for machines the way others had for people: understanding their moods, knowing their weaknesses, anticipating their next move. a bell jingled at the door, sharp against the low hum of fluorescent lights, and tally didn’t look up immediately. she could tell the type of customer that walked in by the sound of their steps — the hesitant shuffle, the confident click of heels, the casual thump of sneakers on the concrete. whoever it was, they were about to enter a world where rules bent depending on who could negotiate, who had the patience, and who knew when to back off. “be honest with me,” she said finally, wiping her hands and leaning back against the hood. her gaze swept over the newcomer, sharp and assessing. “are you here because you want the best mechanic in the county to actually fix your ride… or because you want to see if I’ll play nice with your wallet?” her tone wasn’t mocking — it was a challenge. an invitation. one half-smile tugged at her lips, but her eyes were still cold enough to warn anyone she didn’t play favorites unless they earned it. the spiked wheel had a reputation, and tally carried it like a badge she both respected and exploited. she lived for the moments like this, when someone walked in with a problem, expecting the usual small-town service, and instead found herself sizing up not just their car, but the person behind it. every vehicle had a story, every customer a weight they carried, and tally had learned long ago that some of the heaviest burdens came in luxury packages and expensive exteriors. “so, what’s it gonna be?” she asked finally, pushing off the car and striding toward the service desk, rag still in hand. “i can spend an hour guessing what’s wrong, or you can tell me straight, and maybe we both come out alive.” she raised an eyebrow, eyes glinting with just enough mischief to hint at the chaos lurking beneath her calm exterior. “and if you’re lucky… maybe you’ll leave here with more than just a working engine.”

[kalcidoscope]

violet was down on her luck. she wasn't much of a driver, often opting walking or riding her bike to jumping into a car to travel around the city; especially during the end of summer when the weather was just perfect to enjoy the fresh air of the small town in early september. yet there she was with a car that technically wasn't even hers miraculously staying on enough to pull onto the garage. the b&b owner had been praying to every god and goddess she could think of on her ride to the spiked wheel, going as obscure as her knowledge of deities allowed her to in order to arrive to the mechanic safe and sound without having to push the car seven miles by herself.

it had been her own wrongdoing genuinely, there had been too much in her mind that morning to remember to put her bike on her usual spot the moment he got to work and instead letting it on the side of the garage of the b&b, not counting for the person who had to leave fetch some stuff early in the morning not seeing her bike, running over the damn thing entirely. it had also been her wrongdoing to have the car break on her; as the owner of the b&b, the entity behind the ownership of the car it was her responsibility to have the company car's maintenance up to date yet here she was, the engine killed the minute she parked, her head reeling.

the minute she entered the building however, she could felt the energy shifting. either due to the very official and unknown (to her at least) gadgets sprinkle throughout the shop or due to the bravado of the workers, especially the one that approached her, a small part of her worries melted away once an expert was in front of her. still she rose a brow, staring back at the other with a genuine puzzled look on her face. "oh no, whatever i must pay i will gladly do so, tip included" she was a firm believer of overpaying for services, after years of working odd jobs to make ends meet. "i think... the first one?" she grinned worried. that and the fact that she didn't know many mechanics in town and that made her feel self-conscious. "i really wish i had the words to tell you what happened but if we are being honest i am so incredibly lost" violet chuckled gingerly, scratching the back of her neck with one hand and the hem of her tailored jacket with the other. "i was on my way to the market to get some stuff for dinner tonight, i have a whole list my chef gave me and i was already running late because i had to stop to get the tilapia that is now sitting on the car on a box with ice— and i will never hear the end of it if i let that tilapia rot" she sighed. they had some frozen one for emergency somewhere in the back of the fridge that would be enough for the reservations they had for dinner and yet knowing her chef, it still wouldn't be enough.

"sorry, i know you mean the car. it started making weird noises. like uh... trtrtrtr" she tried her best to replicate the sounds she started to hear the minute she picked up the fish, "and then it would stop randomly. i would get it back on and it would be okay for a little while only to stop again— it took me ten minutes to get here from like half a mile away. you think you could help me before my chef completely quits on me for ruining tonight's dinner? added to your payment i will offer you a free dinner at our b&b— hopefully with a nice fish made by a gourmet chef."

[porphyros]

                              eyes linger on the newest arrival — most of these white boys look the same, but he is a little taller than jd, so she recognizes him as the one looming in the back around the farmer. olive doesn't bother to try to remember his name, though, but she knows it would be hypocritical to be so domineering when he had just as much right as her to this, perhaps even more so, as jd's friend and someone the farmer was actually comfortable with. the offer of food makes her perk up, an eyebrow raised. "who's us?" she looks at the spot he's occupying, concerned about the amount of people who may be coming in and crowding an already small space. "jd joinin' you?" she tries not to feel the pang of jealousy at the thought that her friend would pick another over her.

[kalcidoscope]

the author's gaze falls on pollux, his labradoodle waving his tail from side to side right by his feet. one hand reaches over to scratch the back of his dog's ear while looking back at the other with a gentle smile. "i'm afraid it's just pol and me for the day, sorry to disappoint" he half jested. "i was thinking of texting him to come join us so we'll see" he provides with a small shrug. after a second of hesitation, he begins setting up his own blanket, keeping pollux to the other side just in case. "so food— i have fresh fruit and some homemade snacks. i found a recipe for vegan cheez-its that i'm still testing but the rest is all guaranteed" he offered the other the basket. "i also have two sandwiches, i brought one extra just in case jd says yes but you can have mine if you want— uh, you eat turkey? bread is homemade."

[divineinfamy]

JD trailed after Sebastian like a puppy, silently watching as the ingredients were set out. "Yeah, I know," he muttered. What he didn't know, though, was how to explain to his oldest friend that asking for help made his throat close up. It made him feel as if he was being shredded from the inside out. JD knew that Sebastian would insist that he wasn't an inconvenience, that he wanted to help if JD needed it, but JD had never been good at asking for and accepting help. Entering care, finding a place where he felt safe again, accepting that place as his inherited property... it had all felt too much. He couldn't add to that by asking others to help with the upkeep of that place. "I'll keep that in mind," he hedged. "I'd pay you, of course, but who knows? Maybe you'll end up with a grumpy farmer for your next main character," JD joked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I don't know anything 'bout what you do," JD admitted. He tugged at a curl that had fallen into his eyes. He didn't enjoy feeling like he didn't know something. Sometimes, it seemed as if it played too heavily into the stereotype of a farmer, but with Sebastian, he knew there would be no judgment if he admitted that. "But I figure it's hard. And I figure you're good at it even if you don't think so." He'd likely say so even if he didn't believe it to be true, but JD was definitely saying that to simply provide a lip service; he believed in Sebastian's talent. "So what if you need to be an asshole every now and then? You'll make up for it when you're bringing them all the money." He set a hand gently on Sebastian's shoulder before turning his attention to the pizza ingredients. "Pepperoni and onions, I think."

[kalcidoscope]

sebastian shook his head at his friend's insistence of monetary compensation. the author was a pretty flexible guy when it came to most things; went out of his way to please others because it was the right thing to do and he enjoyed feeling useful yet he tended to be stubborn in the stuff he really cared about and that included being there for the people in his life. jd had been that person for him many times before even without knowing so the least he could do was to return the favor in any way he could, even if he had to be a bit smarter about it when it came to his friend. "trust me, helping me get out of the house every once in a while is payment enough. i feel like one day i'm gonna grow ivy in my office chair and you will only hear it when there's an article about it on the maple brook post. 'pseudo-writer dies choked by ivy, while the words 'about time' were the one thing found in his drafts" he half jested, knowing by heart he had had a similar dream not long ago. "so just saying, just call me any time and i'll come over if just to keep you company while you handle all the hard work of being the boss. pollux would love the open space too."

he lined up every ingredient for the pizzas and even some fresh produce for a side of salad if any of them chose so as he listened to his friend's words, each one genuinely causing the muscles on his shoulders to relax little by little with every word given, simply because it was jd who was saying them and he knew if someone in life would be honest with him, that would be the man he had known the vast majority of his life. "thanks man, it really means a lot coming from you and i mean it" sebastian sighed his worries away with jd's gesture. "it's not— that hard. i feel like a phony complaining about having a few shitty weeks with a job like mine" he shrugged. "the publishing company lost a few clients so i kinda have to nail this and it's keeping me on edge" as instructed, he grabbed the ingredients listed by the other, placing them in front of them. "you ever think what you'd be doing if you didn't have the farm?"