through cracks come the weeds,

… 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙞 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 …

[leavesbeh1nd]

   #leavesbeh1nd                 is   a   dependent   muse blog   for   penned   by   𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐛  ( 28,   est,   she/they ) for @willowglenhq.

𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝙧𝙝𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙨 — thirty5. phillipa soo. she/her. nfl sideline reporter. — intro. 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐳𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 — thirty3. paul mescal. he/him. bartender. — intro.

𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩 — zero.

[sundazeds]

the ballerina grins. " oh, i haven't had a good hot dog in forever. i've only gone out there a couple of times, but the ones at discovery park are so good. i tried it with pickles, ketchup and mustard on it, but i was so surprised that i enjoyed it. pickles don't belong everywhere, but it was incredible ! " jina was nothing short of a foodie, so trying the seemingly absurd topping wasn't entirely unheard of for her. " wait, what's your opinion on fried oreos ? i think we should add them to this food tour. "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"ooh, yeah, slap some relish on there... it's always a win," he says back. really, fitz will eat... just about anything. he's the type of guy to say "five second rule" too, unable to stop himself on any of it, "i like fried oreos. one year, they had fried iced tea. i tried it, it was awful, but i like to wear that as a badge of pride. let's get oreos, though. and — ice cream, too, if they've still got it. the crust is, like, so good."

[sundazeds]

" oh, wait. you have a point about that. " entering the contest had been entirely a spur of the moment decision, so losing wasn't tearing him up in the slightest. " it's terrible and i don't think i fully understand it. " august liked to think that his approach to the gym was rather normal. " carb maxxing ? now, that's something i could get behind. i've really been into grilled cheese on sourdough lately. " his brow quirks, releasing a soft breath. " it was definitely rigged, but there's always next summer, right ? "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"i don't care that much, but it would've been nice for them to feed into my hottest guy in town delusion, you know?" he cracks up, about the carb-maxxing. it's really just the fact that fitz has no self control, and eats like a teenager still. he's not really good at knowing what's healthy and what isn't, "ooh, grilled cheese. love that. i'm a big kraft singles on white bread supporter. but maybe i'm just lazy." he laughs, shaking his head, "if i enter this contest again next year, you gotta have me committed, man. i can't deal with the embarrassment of defeat twice."

[honeyheir]

                      beau   caught   it.   the   smile.   it   was   brief,   barely   there,   but   he   caught   it   all   the   same.   and   perhaps   that   was   the   most   dangerous   thing   about   eilis   —   she   was   very   good   at   pretending   she   wasn't   amused.   reminded   him   a   little   too   much   of   his   own   family,   truthfully.   the   langfords   had   practically   perfected   the   art   of   looking   unimpressed   while   secretly   enjoying   themselves.   "   hand-eye   coordination,   "   he   repeated,   nodding   along   with   the   seriousness   of   a   man   discussing   a   merger.   “   right.   my   mistake.   i   didn't   realize   i   was   in   the   presence   of   an   elite   athlete.   ”   he   glanced   toward   the   cornhole   boards,   then   back   at   her.   “   i'll   be   sure   to   tell   everybody.   beau   langford   got   humbled   by   a   professional   cornhole   player.   should   make   the   papers.   ”   there   was   no   real   bite   to   it.   if   anything,   it   was   easy.   comfortable.   and   that   almost   made   him   more   suspicious.   because   eilis   rhodes   was   not   someone   who   usually   gave   him   easy.   he   took   the   bags   when   she   offered   them,   turning   one   over   in   his   hand   before   looking   at   the   colors.   “   red.   ”   of   course   he   picked   red.   even   in   something   as   stupid   as   cornhole,   beau   had   never   been   particularly   good   at   pretending   he   wasn't   competitive.

                      he   stepped   back   toward   the   line,   tossing   one   bag   lightly   between   his   hands   before   her   question   landed.   simple.   too   simple.   beau   looked   over   at   her,   studying   her   for   just   a   second   longer   than   necessary.   there   was   something   about   the   way   she   asked   it.   casual,   polite,   almost   too   casual   and   too   polite.   "   you   know,   "   he   started,   a   small   smile   pulling   at   his   mouth,   “   for   somebody   about   to   get   absolutely   destroyed   in   a   fair   fight,   you're   awfully   focused   on   conversation.   ”   he   threw   the   first   bag,   watching   it   land   closer   than   he   expected.   not   bad.   “   i've   been   good.   ”   a   pause.   “   busy.   ”   which   was   the   most   beau   answer   possible.   he   picked   up   another   bag,   rolling   it   between   his   fingers.   “   work's   been   keepin'   me   occupied.   family   drama's   been   keepin'   me   entertained.   ”   a   glance   toward   her.   “   pretty   much   the   usual.   ”   he   didn't   mention   amara.   not   yet.   not   because   he   was   hiding   her   —   never   that.   but   because   he   knew   eilis.   he   knew   there   was   something   sitting   beneath   the   surface,   waiting.   and   beau   langford   had   survived   enough   family   dinners   to   recognize   when   someone   was   holding   a   knife   behind   their   back.   "   what   about   you?   "   he   asked,   tossing   another   bag.   "   you   been   good?   or   are   you   just   here   to   beat   me   at   cornhole   and   ruin   my   afternoon?   "   he   grinned   slightly.   "   because   i'll   tell   you   now,   eilis,   i'm   a   very   sore   loser.   "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"you'll have to get used to it. our papa is very good at this kind of thing, he'll be demanding you play washers or horseshoes with him at every rhodes bbq 'til the end of time..." if she didn't like beau, there's no way in hell she would be warning him about that little bit of information. realistically, she was just getting over the sting of not being in attendance at their wedding, even if she was still set to be in the big one that they were sure to have eventually. eilis would've driven all night, even skipped the super bowl for it. he chooses red, and she smirks, "good. i wanted the blue, anyways."

"it's the off season, i've been enjoying it..." she says, sizing him up a bit more, before she scoffs, "i don't know, it's been — stressful. you know how wedding planning can be." she is completely incapable of just saying what she means, which is one of her biggest problems. eilis, as a rule, tries her very best to keep things in flux, out of the spotlight and into her private life. she doesn't say what she means, not really, not ever. if she can avoid it. her siblings are the only exceptions to the rule, and maybe — if he's lucky — beau could end up being one of them, too. not that she's optimistic, after this, but... well, "i'm sure you can handle it, i mean, could be worse. i do spend all my time around quarterbacks, so... i've developed a very good aim." she puncutates that by sinking the first bag directly into the hole.

[leavesbeh1nd]

and every ounce my love has growni absorbed another flake when this avalanche has hitimagine the mess i will make . . .

⋆ ⭒˚｡ [ phillipa soo, cisfem, she + her, muse u. ] i can’t believe i just saw eilis rhodes down at the rodeo ! you know, the thirty-five year old nfl sideline reporter that’s been in willow glen since they were a preteen ? i always see them hanging around willow square and live out in the juniper — which sounds about right considering how much they remind me of a type-a personality that seems to overwhelm everyone else, little orange bottles filled with pills to make your hands stop shaking, feeling completely alone in every crowded room, iced coffee with a dash of jack daniels. most of the residents in willow glen tend to describe lish as being real intelligent, but the town’s rumor mill would say otherwise, claiming they can be rather short-sighted behind closed doors. i’ve never seen that side of them, but lately we’ve all heard about the fact that they are constantly trying to outrun their own anxiety by drinking and popping pills — even while on air, which has gotten a lot of folks in town talking.

pinterest. interactions. mirror.

statistics.

full name:  eilis jia rhodes.     nickname:  lish.     dob:  february 5,  1991  (  35  years  old  ).     zodiac:  aquarius.    place of birth:  houston, texas.    current location:  willow glen, tx.     gender:  cisfem.     pronouns:  she + her.     sexuality:  bisexual.     languages:  english  (  native  ),  mandarin  (  native  ),  spanish  (  can order at a restaurant proficiently  ).     fathers:  everett & joshua rhodes.      adopted siblings:  amara rhodes, adopted sibling (  native  )   ! other family:  half sister (  wanted conn  ) !     partners, exes:  fiancé(e) (  wanted conn  )    , highschool sweetheart & ex (  wanted conn  )    !

aesthetics.

quiet mornings in front of the camera a pair of glasses abandoned on a bedside table sweet ice cream dripping onto the concrete in the middle of summer a lexapro refill notification dinging in the silence of the world before dawn throwing your hair in a messy bun and dealing with it manicured hands with a tremor you can't stop thinking that you might have it all together just before the world burns itself down loud sighs when hair & makeup doesn't have everyone camera ready on time leniency as a vice a family that would support you if you'd just be honest…

stylistically.

she's a very pent up kind of girl, especially when it comes to her style decisions. from the moment she was able to dress herself she was a prep school girl, when it came to the outfits she chose. it's all cardigans tied over shoulders and sundresses, tennis chic and mary jane pumps — and she doesn't dress differently often, as it is part of her onscreen brand now. when she's on-air, she has a polished, serious look — every piece of her carefully put into place and designer shell tops paired with a rotating set of different colored blazers. being a woman in sports means having to be perfectly polished, every time, lest you gain the ire of the mostly-male audience.

personality.

eilis is an extremely varied person, with plenty of mood swings and different faces for different things. in fact, she is a hard person to pin down at all. to the general population of willow glen, she is a golden girl with a bright, pleasent smile on her face, no matter what is happening. a local celebrity in town, as they see her on the televisions each morning, she is a familiar and bright light in the midst of willow glen's society. to those who see her on television, she is an intelligent and much more measured voice compared to other reporters, always playing at being the serious journalist amongst the group and, while she does break sometimes, she is very focused on continuing the rhodes legacy in football — especially considering the gender politics that play into that. to her family, she is their goofy eldest sister — the one who would set herself on fire just to keep them warm. she is completely devoted to their little family unit, and she thinks she has hidden her downward spiral well from them, but that definitely is not true. to her fiancé, she is their best friend in the world who is slowly pulling away, creating a distance that has never been there before. whether it's the reappearance of their ex, or the stress that she is constantly putting herself under, there is no promise that things will work out between them. to her friends, she is loyal to a fault, but very no-nonsense. she will not participate in delusional activities, and is always the one who is attempting to work out solutions for her friend's problems instead of just being empathetic about them, which has led to plenty of trouble over the years.

history.

tw !!!!! implied alcoholism, drug use & discussion of adoption-related trauma.

born to a set of teenagers in a small town south of houston, there was never any question that eilis would be put up for adoption as soon as she came into this world. her parents, both catholic, were put in a bad position when they conceived her with their respective families, and found the only acceptable solution was for them to disappear from town for a while, and then come back different but without their child. and sure, it can be argued that things worked out — eilis was adopted into a very nice family, but there is a part of her that has always felt like she was abandoned from the start, and a part of her that fears it will happen again and again, like a curse she cannot break. she would be placed into the foster care system right after birth, and then would find herself in dallas at age three. she claims that she remembers this period, but it all through the lens of her fathers' camcorder, asking her to smile for the camera and laughing like only a child being shown unconditional love for the first time can. she would get two siblings after this, and make being an older sister her entire personality, deciding that the family who took her in was her "real" family, and she wouldn't allow herself to dwell at all on the past, the before of it all. she would move to willow glen during her sophomore year, and then would really never leave. she was a whiz kid in school, skipping a grade very young and graduating at seventeen, on track for an excellent career in journalism — and falling completely in love for the first time along the way. both of them were quiet, nerdy types, and they were completely devoted right back. but the issue came about when eilis decided to study at NTU and staying near home to follow an opportunity in sports broadcasting she got by way of her father, instead of going off to an ivy league school, like everyone expected. they were disappointed, and things fell apart quickly, leaving the two of them at odds — and eilis to run into the arms of her childhood best friend for comfort in the aftermath. journalism was her calling, she found out — and she graduated top of her class with plenty of time spent involved with the student newspaper, radio station & broadcasts, plus plenty of time spent around the media team for her father's former nfl team. her professors believed she might take off into the stratosphere, leave willow glen and never look back, but there is a part of her that loves this small town far too much to leave. so, instead of trying to snag an offer from CNN or another big name company, she took a job with the cowboys, and slowly became the face of women in professional football. it wasn't a forever career at first, but sideline reporting was something she was good at — and she grew to love being an inspiration to young girls all over the country with her technical understand and serious reporting. eilis has never been in-tune with her emotions, always finding ways around introspection. some therapists have told her this trauma stems from her very early childhood, but eilis disregards things like that with ease — she is okay, she insists, even if that has not been true for years. she's slowly fallen into a state of disrepair, with only pills and alcohol being able to keep her going day-to-day. most of them prescribed, and she keeps the drinking under wraps, but the cracks in her psyche are beginning to form in ways that others can see. the breaking point will come with her relationship. her high school sweetheart, who's been by her side all this time — the two of them are finally on equal footing, a power couple that everyone expects to tie the knot in a spectacular fashion sooner rather than later. but with new challenges coming into her life with the reappearance of an old flame, she's left adrift and unable to cope, truly. the wedding stress in addition ot the work stress and the stress of being herself on a day-to-day basis... there is no telling what will happen when her walls finally come crashing down.

[lovehards]

                  these   were   the   nights   amara   missed   .   life   had   gotten   so   busy   ,   so   wrapped   up   in   work   and   weddings   and   everything   in   between   that   so   little   time   was   left   for   the   two   of   them   to   simply   be   sisters   .   she'd   been   determined   to   change   that   tonight   ,   clinging   to   eilis'   side   ,   a   near   spitting   image   of   the   way   they'd   been   as   kids   ⸺   two   peas   that   had   finally   found   their   way   back   to   their   pod   .   "   oh   my   god   .   .   .   mozzarella   sticks   ,   "   can   feel   her   pupils   dilating   ,   eyes   widening   at   the   mention   as   her   stomach   simultaneously   growls   with   an   overwhelming   agreement   .   "   okay   we   can   do   the   fried   pickles   but   i   want   those   little   pigs   in   a   blanket   things   too   .   .   .   i've   been   thinking   about   them   ever   since   we   got   here   and   i   swear   to   god   if   i   don't   have   one   in   the   next   five   minutes   i   might   just   burst   into   tears   ,   "   slightly   dramatic   ,   but   with   the   alcohol   in   her   system   ,   she   couldn't   confidently   say   she   was   kidding   .   "   are   we   too   old   for   shots   ?   this   seltzer   isn't   cutting   it   anymore   but   i'm   scared   that   taking   shots   over   the   age   of   thirty   is   socially   unacceptable   .   .   .   maybe   i   need   one   of   those   cutwaters   or   something   .   "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"no, like, exactly. that's perfect, let's get two mozzarella stick orders, though. i'm starving," once again, she knows it's against her nutritionist, and she's got a season coming up, but... god, she wants to eat whatever she can, now. before she's back to getting photographed at stuff like this, when the random middle-aged men of the world remembr the girl who reports on football exists, "we're too old for shots. let's do them anyways." she shakes her head dramatically, and waves at the little cocktail waiter that knows they're going to tip like crazy — two extremely drunk girls who love another diva to talk with always do, and she orders messily, getting them another round, shots and the appetizers. it's going to be awesome, "should we do this for my bachelorette? everyone has to sing in my honor and i can be the queen who judges the winner. or is that too bridezilla?"

[sundazeds]

august chuckles, shaking his head while continuing to dry his hair. " come on, you placed in my heart. " his tone is teasing, though lighthearted while slinging the towel over his shoulder. " nah man, it's a valid question ! i feel like i've been slacking on my protein maxxing, as my sister puts it. " august's brow lifts with a soft snort. " should we put in a complaint ? i'm sure the winner might've had something to do with the rigging. "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"the win in your heart doesn't sound like free stuff. unless you're buying drinks," he retorts, even though he knew that he probably wasn't going to win, and he couldn't blame them for choosing other people, but... well, he always had a little bit of hope, "protien maxxing sounds awful. i'm carb maxxing, like, 24/7. and we definitely should, i think it was totally rigged. and no towels? gotta be illegal."

[honeyheir]

            "   what   ?!   "   bonnie   whipped   back   around   to   look   at   eilis   ,   eyes   wide   with   absolute   betrayal.   "   uggggh   !   "   the   groan   came   from   somewhere   deep   in   her   soul   as   she   threw   her   head   back   dramatically.   "   fiiiine   ,   "   she   huffed   ,   dragging   the   word   out   as   long   as   humanly   possible.   "   i'll   be   the   bigger   person.   "   she   folded   her   arms   tightly   across   her   chest   ,   lips   pursed   into   the   world's   most   exaggerated   pout.   she   looked   less   like   a   woman   making   peace   and   more   like   a   child   who'd   just   been   told   she   couldn't   buy   another   toy.   "   i'll   let   it   go   ,   "   she   grumbled   ,   punctuating   the   declaration   with   an   indignant   little   nod.   "   but   i   deserve   compensation   for   my   emotional   growth.   "   her   eyes   flicked   back   to   eilis   ,   a   mischievous   grin   already   breaking   through   the   act.   "   so   congratulations.   you're   buying   me   frozen   yogurt.   "   she   pointed   a   manicured   finger   toward   her.   "   and   don't   think   i'm   getting   one   topping   either.   i'm   healing.   healing   requires   mochi   ,   cheesecake   bites   ,   cookie   dough   ,   and   those   little   popping   boba   things.   "   she   placed   a   hand   dramatically   over   her   heart.   "   it's   what   pinkie   pie   would've   wanted.   "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"i'm proud of you," eilis intones, shaking her head about the whole thing. really — she hopes that they can work their way through the issue, and make everyone happy. she knows that won't be happening, though, because that's usually not how things go whenever bonnie is involved. she smiles anyways, hoping they do get... pinkie pie, "do you have rainbow dash, though? i always liked her the best." she laughs out loud at the frozen yogurt request, as if they weren't going to end up going there, anyways. eilis loved spending cheat days skulking around the "healthier" dessert places, pretending it didn't count, "i can totally cover whatever you want. you just can't get ten pounds of toppings, because i think the scale only goes up to ten, and i'm getting at least three pounds, myself." she shakes her head dramatically, and laughs, because — pinkie pie probably would've wanted this, "i needed to corner you about some sports tv stuff, anyways. i'm thinking of branching out of football sometime soon, and i thought — oh! bonnie's got a team."

[coyotetm]

✿   open   starter   !   11 am , birch & butter .

"  listen  .  i  think  i'm  probably  the  local  expert  on  this  , just so you know . n'  my  mom  used  to  read  tea  leaves  ,  which  i  feel  is  a  bit  more  subjective  than  tarot  !  just trust me ."  having  felt  a  sudden  stroke  of  inspiration  ,  silver  has  pulled  out  the  tarot  deck  she  keeps  at  the  ready  in  her  overfilled  purse  .  call  it  generosity  ,  call  it  delusion  ,  but  she's  decided  the  person  in  front  of  her  needs  a  reading  now  ,  on  the  house  .  "  .  .  .  oh  .  .  .  i  see  .  .  .  hm  ,  that's  interesting  .  .  .  "

     whether  they're  into  it  or  not  ,  silver  doesn't  care  —  she's  too  busy  chewing  upon  her  lower  lip  ,  brow  furrowed  slightly  as  she  takes  in  the  spread  of  three  cards  before  her  .  “  five  of  cups  .  .  .  queen  of  wands  .  .  .  oh  !  the  devil  . my oh my ,  ”  silver's  eyes  flick  up  to  meet  theirs  ,  brow  raised  ,  waiting  as  though  they  both  know  what  this  means  . 

”  .  .  .  okay  ,  let  me  ask  you  this  .  maybe  tmi ,  but  the  cards  are  saying  it  ,  not  me  .  "  silver  leans  forward  towards  them  ,  speaks  softly  ,  "  are  you  ,  like  .  .  .   gettin' it on ? got a ticket to pound town ? getting  cracked , as the kids say  ?  like  .  .  .  the  cards  are  saying  either  you're  having  really  good  sex these days , or  you're  about  to  .  "   she  finds  herself  intrigued  ,  hands  reaching  to  shuffle  the  deck  again  .  .  .  lord  knows  she  could  use  some  tlc  herself  .  " hm . very curious , indeed ! "

[leavesbeh1nd]

this wasn't her vibe at all, but the way things had been slowly deteriorating in her life — well, maybe the cards would be right. maybe they'd tell her something, or maybe they'd just be a laugh. she just wanted to know what the right path was, what to choose. getting spiritual was probably going to make things worse, but carrying around a few rocks might help — even if it's all just psychosomatic. but when it comes to this, she's so far out of her league. her eyes are glued to the woman in front of her, trying to figure out what those cards mean, in conjunction with each other, as quickly as possible.

"that's... the opposite of what's going on for me, actually," she says, making a face, trying to decide if she should traumadump on silver, if it's allowed in things like this. really, she just wants to say some of it out loud — she hasn't even brought up her doubts to amara, and that was really, really crazy. so, she phrases it like a question, instead of a statement, "do they say anything about... if i should get married? or if i should call it off?"

[sundazeds]

jina can't help the grin that spreads, taking a sip of lemonade. " isn't it ? i got this once before and it's so good. i got ketchup, but it's even better the aioli. " she points at the condiment in question with her pinky and and dips the potato into it, taking a happy bite. " let's go it ! wait, i haven't had a corn dog in forever. we have to get one too. " she couldn't get enough of the street foods, though she'd have to work this off for the next week at pilates. " come on, we have plenty to do that's not eating before the party's over. "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"i'm a big corn dog fan. and hot dogs. dogs of all kinds, really," fitz says, stupid ass grin on his face. he's really just having a great time at these kinds of things, it's the way that they're kind of suited to his goofy ass demeanor in general. he's a clown happily at the clown show, "i'll get anything that's fried at this point, i think."

[lovehards]

⌗      𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖾𝗋      ,             cowboy karaoke @ franks     . 

                    "   'CAUSE   I   DUG   MY   KEY   INTO   THE   SIDE   OF   HIS   PRETTY   LITTLE   SOUPED   UP   FOUR   WHEEL-DRIVE   .   .   .   "   words   are   more   slurred   than   sung   at   this   point   ,   microphone   white   knuckled   in   one   hand   while   she   grips   the   can   of   a   truly   in   the   other   ,   both   held   so   tight   one   might   think   they'd   threatened   to   grow   legs   and   walk   away   .   hair   is   flipped   out   of   her   face   ,   squinting   as   she   continues   to   sing   along   to   the   lyrics   that   were   ,   for   all   intents   and   purposes   ,   the   anthem   to   her   life   for   a   period   of   time   more   extended   than   she'd   ever   be   willing   to   bring   herself   to   remember   long   enough   to   admit   . 

                    "   MAYBE   NEXT   TIME   HE'LL   THIIIINKKK   BEFORE   HE   CHEEAAATTTSSS   !   "   sang   with   the   full   extent   of   her   lung   capacity   ,   one   long   ,   final   bow   taken   before   mic   and   sloppily   placed   back   into   its   stand   .   heavy   steps   carry   her   off   the   stage   ,   tipsy   to   the   point   where   everything   seemed   a   little   funnier   than   it   actually   was   ,   giggles   spilling   from   between   her   lips   as   she   finds   her   way   back   to   the   table   she   came   from   .   "   do   you   think   they   were   clapping   because   i   was   good   or   because   they   were   excited   i   was   getting   off   the   stage   ?   "   she   asks   ,   though   she   honestly   doesn't   really   want   to   know   the   answer   .   "   are   you   getting   another   drink   ,   cause   i   want   another   drink   but   i'm   not   gonna   drink   it   by   myself   ⸺   oooh   ,   should   we   get   a   snack   too   ?   "

⭑    𝖺𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀    

[leavesbeh1nd]

"yeah, go amara!" eilis shouts, as if the entire bar isn't lowkey cheering for her. the point of karaoke isn't that you're good, it's that you're entertaining. and amara is the most entertaining one here by a country mile. eilis is getting sappy, but she's always glad that amara ended up being her sister. even if her song choice is a little out there, considering she's more than happily married to beau, now.

"i'm going to need another drink before you get me up there singing paramore," eilis says with a grin, kind of wishing she hadn't imputed this is why into that kiosk about an hour prior. she's got to be in the next five performers. which is making her anxious, which means another drink is in the cards, "please! oh my god, let's get the appetizer platter. i want mozzarella sticks and fried pickles."

[lovehards]

                    "   oh   don't   you   worry   babe   .   .   .   i   filmed   it   ,   "   bold   of   him   to   think   that   she   wouldn't   ,   was   never   one   to   pass   on   an   opportunity   to   embarrass   the   people   she   loved   .   "   and   you   better   hope   you   never   find   the   nerve   to   fuck   me   over   otherwise   it's   gonna   be   all   over   the   internet   for   the   rest   of   your   natural   life   and   then   some   ,   "   she   smiles   like   that   wasn't   a   threat   he   should   be   weary   of   ,   bringing   a   plastic   cup   still   halfway   full   of   frozen   margarita   to   her   lips   for   a   sip   .   "   it   wouldn't   be   all   bad   though   ,   if   you   went   viral   i'd   have   a   reason   to   have   you   on   my   show   so   people   can   see   how   fucking   annoying   you   are   when   you're   drunk   ,   “   shoulders   lift   to   a   shrug   ,   wouldn't   be   all   bad   ,   at   least   not   for   her   .   “   fuck   ,   ”   laugh   has   already   slipped   from   her   mouth   before   she   can   even   get   the   beginnings   of   her   thought   out   ,   ”   remember   when   people   would   get   to   go   on   talk   shows   for   going   viral   on   vine   or   something   ⸺   like   ,   what   ever   happened   to   alex   from   target   ,   do   you   think   he   works   a   desk   job   now   and   uses   his   trip   to   ellen   as   his   icebreaker   fun   fact   ,   "   god   ,   what   a   fall   from   grace   . 

[leavesbeh1nd]

"i-" he probably should've been paying more attention to what was going on off the stage, but who could blame him? he was getting pelted with water right out of a hose, and there was about ten other guys up there having the same thing happen. forgive him that he didn't know what was going on past his direct field of vision, "i can't believe you! delete it!" he pauses, for a second, "but let me watch first? i want to see the evidence of their crimes against me, rigging the whole competition." he shakes his head overdramatically, still getting a few droplets all over her, although not near as much as he would've earlier in the night. "fuck, i don't want to be the next alex from target, that sounds horrific," he makes a groaning noise, puts his head down on the table in front of him. he needs another drink, stat, "not nearly as bad as damn daniel, i think. but still kind of a terrible existence. can you imagine that's your new job fun fact — i was back at it again with the white vans?"

[honeyheir]

                     it   wasn't   in   beau's   nature   to   be   nervous.   he'd   been   bred   ,   quite   specifically   ,   not   to   be.   his   entire   occupation   relied   on   his   ability   to   charm   ,   persuade   ,   and   command   a   room   without   ever   appearing   to   try.   but   doing   that   with   amara's   family   felt   disingenuous.   rude   ,   even.   he   wanted   to   be   real   with   them   —   especially   with   eilis.   they   deserved   at   least   that   much.   these   weren't   investors   he   was   trying   to   win   over   or   clients   he   needed   to   impress.   they   were   family.   or   ,   at   the   very   least   ,   people   he   hoped   would   one   day   consider   him   as   such.   and   to   a   man   like   beau   langford   ,   family   meant   everything.   his   shoulders   relaxed   by   a   fraction.

                     still   ,   he   remained   on   edge   ,   uncertain   whether   eilis   knew   what   he   knew.   whether   amara   had   already   told   her.   whether   amara   would   prefer   to   share   it   herself   ,   in   private   ,   away   from   prying   eyes   and   backyard   games.   relax   ,   he   ordered   himself.   easier   said   than   done.   he   managed   a   laugh   as   he   reached   for   the   purple   bean   bag   ,   weighing   it   in   his   hand.   "   i   do   ,   "   he   said   ,   “   but   i   reckon   there   isn't   much   skill   to   cornhole.   mostly   luck.   ”   a   blatant   lie.   beau   was   abysmal   at   the   game   ,   and   downplaying   it   was   simply   how   he   coped.   “   darlin'   ,   i   don't   think   i'll   have   to   let   you   win.   ”   he   rolled   his   shoulders   ,   a   teasing   smile   tugging   at   the   corner   of   his   mouth.   "   should   be   a   fair   fight   ,   no   ?   "

[leavesbeh1nd]

there's only a few moment's wait between the offer and the acceptance. he agrees, and also agrees that she will win, and eilis almost breaks and smiles. it's just — the problem is eilis likes beau. it makes the posturing so, so much harder. he makes her sister happy, and there's no quicker way to endear yourself to eilis than by doing that. "there is plenty of skill involved, actually. hand-eye coordination, you know," she responds, defending the honor of professional cornhole players all over the world, and herself — because she actually is pretty good at cornhole.

"sure, a fair fight," eilis agrees, shaking her head and actually cracking a smile this time. he's kind of sweating. the thing is, she's not sure that he knows that she knows about the elopement. she wants to keep him on his toes as long as possible, maybe she's just... kind of an asshole, but. "red or blue?" she asks, picking up the bean bags and sizing up the playing field, "how have you been, beau? all good, i hope?" the small talk is all bullshit, but she'll wait and see who breaks first.

[r3spair]

               “   right.   well,   ”   pearl   turns   her   head   in   a   slow,   semi-circle,   only   pretending   to   search   for   something   that   he   might   dry   himself   with.   “   i’m   sure   there   are   towels   around   here.   somewhere.   ”   and   if   there   does   exist   a   folding   table   with   said   towels   sat   atop   them,   and   only   some   feet   away   from   where   they   stand   now,   she   simply   could   not   know   for   certain.   what   she   does   know,   what   she   comes   to   know   mere   moments   into   their   conversation,   is   that   fitz   is   in   the   mood   for   misbehaving.   she   lets   slip   one,   huffing,   incredulous   laugh,   as   the   shock   of   those   few   droplets   settle   over   her.   she   scowls,   though   not   so   harshly,   and,   wiping   one   bead   from   her   face,   she   scolds   him—   “   bad   dog.   ”   she   should   punish   him   for   that,   really.   “   .   .   .   that   darned   texas   heat.   they   would   probably   spray   you   down,   again.   if   you   asked   nicely.   ”

[leavesbeh1nd]

"yeah, they gotta be somewhere," the dog thing is — that probably shouldn't work for him. it does, but it probably shouldn't. he's just standing there, smiling at her like an idiot, and he's completely forgotten his whole embarrassing loss in an instant... but he reminds himself pretty quickly, "oh, but i don't know if i'm in the mood for asking nicely. especially after that loss, damn. i'm going to have to disappear for a while." not really. he's got shifts this weekend, and he needs the cash now that his home is kind of... like, gone. and the rent is ridiculous, "at least you get something nice to look at, huh?"

[honeyheir]

 ★   ˖   ⊹         𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛   𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟.                               ↳     𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧    …     block   party,   tiny   sprouts   booth.

                              “   hey   !   that's   mine   !   ”   bonnie's   hand   shot   out   at   the   exact   same   moment   as   the   stranger's.   for   one   glorious   second   ,   she   thought   she   had   it.   then   the   man   plucked   the   blind   box   from   the   display   and   casually   walked   away.   the   last   my   little   pony   x   skullpanda   box.   bonnie   stood   frozen   in   horror.   “   oh   my   god.   ”   she   turned   slowly   toward   whoever   was   standing   nearest   to   her   ,   eyes   wide   with   betrayal.   “   oh   my   god   !   did   you   see   that   ?   he   just   committed   a   crime.   ”   she   pointed   an   accusatory   finger   at   the   retreating   figure.   that   was   the   last   one   !   i   only   need   pinkie   pie   !   i've   spent   ,   like   ,   four   hundred   dollars   on   these   stupid   little   horses   and   now   some   middle-aged   man   in   boat   shoes   is   going   to   ruin   my   collection   ?   "   bonnie   immediately   started   gathering   her   hair   into   a   ponytail.   “   oh   ,   that   fucker.   ”   she   yanked   the   hair   tie   tight.   “   hold   my   purse.   i'm   going   to   beat   him   up.   ”   a   beat.   “   not   ,   like   ,   seriously.   i'm   a   general   manager   now.   i   can't   assault   civilians.   ”   another   beat.   "   i'm   just   going   to   follow   him   around   the   block   party   and   make   him   feel   weird   until   he   gives   it   back.   "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"no, bonnie, that's not!" things escalate so fast that eilis isn't entirely sure that she's supposed to be intervening. like, is this really her responsibility? she cannot fathom caring about cartoon horses like this, but... well, if she'd spent $400 and an elderly fucker in ugly shoes took the last piece of it? maybe she does understand, "fine. i'll hold your purse. why don't we just offer to pay him for it, like, i feel like every man has a price?" and it isn't like the two of them don't ahve the cash to back it, "violence just doesn't seem to be the answer, uh, this time?" if he does not give it to them, she's sure that is where this is going.

[grlstrip]

               ⌗   open   starter   ★   the   ranch   he   grew   up   on   ,   midday   .

               ★    there's   a   softness   to   his   eyes   that   isn't   usually   there   and   the   faintest   of   smiles   on   his   face   as   he   runs   his   hand   along   the   shoulder   blade   of   the   bull   —   affectionately   named   venom   the   day   he   showed   up   to   the   ranch   as   a   calf   .   leon's   inside   the   bull   pen   ,   free   of   the   fear   and   inhibitions   that   should   be   telling   him   to   stay   on   the   other   side   of   the   fence   .   “   if   anyone's   in   danger   here   ,   it's   me   .   ”   he   says   ,   head   turning   towards   the   person   standing   an   amusing   distance   away   from   the   pen   .   “   you   can   even   pet   him   ,   just   .   .   .   make   sure   he   can   see   me   when   you   do   .   ”

[leavesbeh1nd]

"that doesn't exactly make me feel better!" in fact, eilis had been worried mostly about his safety, not hers. she had placed plenty of space between her and the bull, and didn't plan on getting closer. the whole thing scared her enough, and she already wasn't on good terms with horses, so... "are you sure. he doesn't seem very, uh... happy? relaxed? i don't know, he seems pissed."

[sundazeds]

status   :   open for all ! location   :   later in the evening   —   the wet t - shirt contest !

water clings to august's skin, a bit chilly as the sun begins to set. " i can't believe i let you talk me into that. " there's no malice in his tone, instead a slightly goofy grin spreading on the firefighter's features. shirt clings to his frame, soaked through and through, picking up a nearby towel to help rid himself of some of the wetness still lingering on his skin. " i got second place so i guess it's not too bad, right ? do you think i should've hit the gym a little harder ? " his gaze shifts. " be honest. "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"and i didn't even place!" fitz throws his hands up, somehow still sopping wet and slinging water all over the place, droplets flying into other people in their vicinity without him even noticing, "no, you're good. like, super good. what the fuck kind of question is that?" he looks the other man up and down, "but i'm not that bad! this thing has to be rigged."