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@lenavaz
ELENA SOFIA VAZQUEZ. lena. she/her, trans woman; may 26, 1995. born and raised Merrockite, daughter of a banker and a model. little sister, aunt, granddaughter. single, helping to raise her niece, Marisol, in Lupine Lane. works as a freelance make-up artist and owner of Universal Rocks. cat momma to Pepper and caretaker to Pearl.
bio. stats. timeline. connections. wanted. muse. writing ideas.
"'Way back when' is making us sound 90, unless you're suggesting you're just now getting into your Bridgerton era now," Jasmine teased. She thought a moment. "Honestly? Probably going to wear some kind of suit, but I think I'm gonna leave the coordination with that up to Aisha. Might still take a look though" She still needed to get through her promposal to even start thinking about it. "But forreal, what kind of vibe are you going for?"
"I don't know, Jaz, I have my days," Elena said, trying to hold back a laugh. No, it was safe to say that she didn't really feel ninety, but sometimes, get up on the wrong side of the bed, and the bones made all sorts of noise. "Never hurts to look, but you would definitely rock the hell out of a suit," she could see Jaz matching with Aisha perfectly, putting her own spin on the prom outfit. At the question, though, "this is a vibe-finding mission, I think," she laughed. "I don't want to commit to one thing and then find something else I'm in love with, so I'm keeping my options open."
Ben felt a small real smile form on his face as his friend spoke. "I don't think I've heard you say anything so wise before." He joked, but finding absolute meaning in her words. Ben tried his best to keep to positive thoughts and the bright side of life, so it rang true. "Mm, yeah, gelato is definitely an added bonus." He agreed. Ben shook his head at her words, laughing a bit. "Now you saying I'm round? Dang, Lena, I gotta hit the gym more I guess." Ben jokingly teased and winked. He pretended to think about her question for a moment then gave another half grin. "You know I'm joking, girl. I very much know you always got me if I help you out." Ben admitted to her. He grabbed his sundae with Elena and followed her to the nearby tables. Ben eyed both his and Elena's sundaes with drool starting to pool in his mouth. He swallowed softly and nodded his head. "Oh, fuck yeah they do." Ben agreed and took a seat at the table, getting comfy in the chair. "I am so ready to eat this in the spirit of Merrock!!" He loudly explained, grinning widely at his friend.
"Yeah, well, you know," she started, an airy tone to her voice as she lifted both of her shoulders into a shrug, "I like to keep the really wise pearls of wisdom for a rainy day, to really shock someone." And clearly, it worked. Although she liked to think that most of the time, she was more insightful than not, but she, too, fell prey to saying the first thing that came to her mind. Widening her eyes when they said that they were round, she couldn't help a loud laugh, swatting playfully at their arm. "I said no such thing! You're just fishing for compliments now, you big brat," and they wouldn't have any problems getting those compliments, either, Lena knew that much. Getting comfortable at the table that she chose, she let out another laugh, nodding her head, "although it's pretty hard to mess up ice cream sundaes." Hard, but not impossible. Someone could always put on too much or not enough, this… seemed perfect. Good ratio. Taking a spoonful of whipped topping with her cherry on top, Lena licked it off of the spoon and nodded. "Good cherry, we're off to a good start!"
"As in, you haven't watched a single game? Did you even know about the ranch debacle? Haaland? The duck in Boston leading the Scottish tartan army?" She was terrible at keeping her emotions off her face. She was an open book to all who knew her and right now the surprise was splashed across her cheeks. "Lena! I'm - I mean - I'm almost . . . . . disappointed." She let the word linger as she grabbed her own iced coffee and took a sip. "Next you'll be telling me you don't actually like my ceramics."
"… no?" Elena winced, knowing that she was going to embarrass herself, but sports had never been her thing. A little dance, a little gymnastics, but she had never got into soccer -- or football, depending on who she was talking to -- even though the excitement that came along with the sport was palpable with the World Cup. "Oh, come on now," at that, she actually did scoff, "I wouldn't have so many pieces in my house if I didn't love them to bits!" Reaching across the table, she squeezed her friend's hand, as though to apologize for her horrible sins, "and I promise you that if you explain everything that's happening, I will watch one game with you."
WHO: elena & @jazfields
WHERE: treasure chest, suburbs
WHEN: july, 2026
"I'm so torn between buying a brand new dress, or thrifting something, you know?" Elena pushed open the door to Treasure Chest, holding it open for Jaz as they stepped inside together, "but there's something about the gala theme being prom that tells me I should maybe at least do some browsing for second hand, maybe find something that looks like a dress I would have worn to prom way back when. What about you, do you have ideas yet?"
Location: Cobblestone Cage When: July 18th Who: Open (0/5)
"I'm going to watch the world cup, but it's like," Delilah shrugged and got comfortable against the Cobblestone's cushions. It was a warm and smokey day outside and she was taking a long lunch from the shop. "My enthusiasm went way down after Norway was eliminated. I really wanted that large, raccoon-loving, Viking in there. What about you?"
"Is it going to damage our friendship forever if I tell you that I've only caught bits and pieces in the background?" Elena asked, cringing playfully, as though expecting Dilly to yell at her across the table. She had an iced latte in front of her, a delicious brownie off to the side, happy to spend a little time wasting an afternoon with a friend. "I'm just rooting for whatever team looks like they're having the most fun."
TASK #35 DEEP DOWN
elena sofia vazquez may 26, 1995 springtime lady
Yeah, or a cheap guy. It's a glass half empty, glass half full situation. I keep all the most scandalous things inside, don't you worry. Sometimes things taste better because of the effort, though. I don't understand the science of it, I just know that it's true.
You're not wrong, it depends on the way that you look at it and what kind of person you are. And how much optimism you are or are not full of, on top of that. I figured that you did, you're a good kid! No, you're right... you whine and pout about how much work you have to do, until you eat it. Then oh, good, tastes great.
Ben laughed as he accepted the receipt from the cashier. "You're right, my dude. We're fortunate enough to have too many good choices. That's not too bad of a deal I suppose." He bumped her shoulder lightly as he stepped aside to wait for their order and motioned for Elena to follow suit. "Alright, I guess I can accept the title of 'lovable lug.' That's probably the nicest insult anyone's ever given me at least." He pointed at her with a teasing wink and cheeky grin. "But, don't get any funny ideas, Lena. Just because I'm a lovable lug doesn't mean I'm helping you move a couch without at least being bribed with pizza." Ben paused for a moment then quickly added, "Actually, make that pizza and beer." He chuckled before crossing his arms. "No sweat, I'll hold you to getting the bill next time. I have a very good memory when free desserts are involved." Ben laughed again, finding himself feeling so happy for the current moment. Being around friends was something Ben tried to savor. He pretended to pout about not getting a cherry before saying, "Fiiiine, you can have the cherry. I won't touch it."
"Always look on the bright side of life," even if that bright side wholly centered around having enough ice cream flavors to choose from. "Plus, you have the even brighter side of us also having a place to get gelato -- that's really a double win when you stop and think about it." Didn't fancy a hard dip? Sundae wasn't right up your alley? Gelato might get the job done, and it was always good to have more options. "It's not an insult! It's a compliment, just in a round about way," there were far worse things that she could call Benito if she wanted to come up with some sort of insult, but she definitely did not. "Have I ever not rewarded you handsomely when I've asked for a favor? Especially a favor that requires manual labor!" Elena was good at making sure everyone felt rewarded for their hard work. Even if that meant buying pizza and beer for someone else. "I figured as much," she laughed, shaking her head as she reached to take the sundae when it was held out for her, gesturing for Ben to follow her over to one of the tables nearby when he had his own. "They look pretty damn good."
"Oh, me too. I've got electrolyte packs too, just in case," Aneesa said, tapping her bag. "Gotta stay hydrated, especially in these summer months!" She was always prepared, and with self-care being part of her job, she knew the importance of making sure they had the essentials--water, sunscreen, snacks. "Exactly. And I think I saw that they have some of their summer specials already so we may just have to go check that out later," she said, watching the three girls running around and doing cartwheels around them.
She opened one of the drink packs and took a sip. "Oh, same. I'm on my feet most of the day at work, walking back and forth, and then afterwards, chasing those two around and going to after school activities. Thankfully, our little neighborhood is also good at keeping an eye on the kiddos so that when I do have to go back to work, I'm not worried," she said. "She's gotten so tall! And I feel like I just saw you the other day with her. I'm also really glad the girls have someone like Marisol to hang out with."
"Oh, that's a good idea! It's always better to be safe than sorry, right?" Maybe she wouldn't need to worry about having the electrolytes, but if someone began to struggle with the heat and the sun, it wouldn't hurt to have the good stuff with them. "I feel like I'm always overly prepared when I go out on a summer day and most people laugh at me, so it's nice to be around someone else who gets it," she admitted with a laugh. "I'm absolutely down for that," she nodded, looking over her shoulder towards the building before returning her gaze to the beach, the girls, and the ocean beyond, which she had missed during the cooler months in Merrock.
"Absolutely understand," she nodded her head, "I'm on my feet all day, too, unless I'm sitting at my desk at the shop, and then I'm crunching numbers and doing finances, and that's somehow more mentally tiring than the physical stuff, and anyway, I think we deserve a beach day," she said with a laugh. "Oh, trust me, I know," she pouted a bit, looking after Marisol where she was playing in the same. "Seungbin and I talk all the time about how fast she's growing. I really think kids just hit a certain age and they just… go, you know? They don't look back!"
Ben let out an exaggerated sigh as he stepped up beside Elena. "Exactly! I walk in with a game plan, and then I read the menu and suddenly I'm like, 'Actually... I need seventeen different flavors and a second stomach.'" He laughed at the cooties comment and shrugged his shoulders, wagging his eyebrows a bit playfully at her. "Don't all boys have cooties though?" He teased her. When Elena called him a lug, he looked over at her with mock offense. "A lug?" He pointed to himself. "I'll have you know I'm a gentleman...who just happens to have the appetite of a teenage linebacker." As the cashier rang them up, Ben reached into his pocket. "Nuh-uh, put that wallet up," he said, already pulling out his card. "I've got this." He flashed Elena a grin. "You can get me next time we decide supporting the town requires eating ice cream or whatever." Sliding his card across the counter, he leaned over just enough to whisper, "Besides, if your s'mores sundae ends up being better than mine," He narrowed his eyes dramatically. "I'm absolutely stealing at least two or three bites, so I should pay." He winked and flashed another grin to her.
"I guess, if you want to look on the bright side, there are much bigger problems than us not being able to make up our mind because our food choices are so good," she said with a warm laugh. It could be that nothing sounded good and they struggled to find anything on the menu that they wanted to eat, so… small victory, maybe? It might not have helped them feel any better right then and there where they were standing in the ice cream shop with a million decisions to make, but you had to take what you could get, victory-wise. "Everyone has cooties, if you look hard enough," she answered with a laugh, "and yeah, you are a lug -- lug is a good thing! It's a lovable thing! I'm definitely not going to complain about having a lug for a neighbor." In fact, she might take advantage of that. Eating like a teenage linebacker meant that he had plenty of strength to help with projects she might need an assist on, too. Widening her eyes when she saw Ben pull out the card and tell her to put her wallet away, she slid it back into her pocket and held up both hands as though to surrender, "okay, okay -- but you're right, I am getting the next one!" Because that was how friendship worked. That, and threatening one another to steal bites of ice cream, which did steal a giggling laugh from her as she nodded, "I think I can allow that. As long as you still let me have the cherry on top!"
Xander stared for a moment, his brows knitting together in confusion, and then asked, "Why would you want to take them to different places?" He didn't mean to come across as rude or anything, but he really couldn't understand the point of it. "I don't see that working..." It wouldn't work for him at least, and who wanted to carry around a cumbersome garden everywhere they went? He was happy to move on to talking about the coast, though, a smile crossing his features. "I go out there a lot to watch the sunrise," he admitted.
"For when you're traveling!" she suggested, "or if you're the kind of person that works a really stressful job, and you want a ten minute break to just... rake through some sand and relax." They came in such small containers, it became easy to take them anywhere you needed to go, rather than building a large garden out back. "Plus, you have people who might live downtown, or out on the water, and they can't have an actual zen garden, they might not have the space for it at all." It was important to come up with something cute and useful for others, despite where they might be. "So more of a sunrise than sunset kind of person? Or do you like both?"
ఇ Seungbin's own happiness reflects and gets bigger whenever he has the blessing to watch Marisol and Lena together. He rarely doubts the move back to Merrock, but sometimes the thought pops up, the what-ifs and the should-have, but this always brings him back to the reality he made the right decision. "I'll be in need of the Icy-Hot for sure," he retorts in an eager tease. It's easiest to with her although he has been trying his luck with humor elsewhere. Marisol insists that he still tells too many dad jokes. "You have the boon of good luck then. I have the batter's arm. It makes me regret not being more athletic." Is it too late to start that? One thing at a time. He manages to throw three of the darts in rapid succession, then breathes out and flips the last one in his hand. "I think you do have the good luck boon. Without you here I wouldn't make half of these." It's warm too. Marisol's joy bubbles out in a laugh, a tug on Lena's hand as she got excited for her dad to make the last throw. Agreeing at the top of her lungs, a good luck charm! The last dart hits the bottom of the balloon but doesn't pop it. He groans. "Mid-plush it is. How much do you want to bet she picks that one?" He points to the fluffy Golden dog. He turns his smile to Lena. "You really think so?" There were times he felt the years way more than others.
Doing her best to hide a smile, Elena nodded her head, trying to harness a very stern, serious, adult voice, "I have some of that at home, we'll fix you up good, old man." As though he wasn't just a few years older than Elena herself. Still, she wouldn't let him go home in pain, even if that pain was just caused from playing a few good carnival games to make sure that they won some prizes and had some fun. "Ah, yes, well… it's never too late to start a second life as an athlete," except for the part where most of them had probably trained their entire lives and would roll their eyes at someone like Seungbin coming in and saying that he was going to take over the team, become a pro athlete. Worth a shot, though, maybe? "I'll take it!" she grinned, looking down at Marisol, "although I think she's even more lucky than I am." And given that she was going to win a really cute prize, maybe she used all of that good luck for, well, good. Leaning in towards Seungbin when he talked about the prize that his daughter would choose, she let out a soft laugh, "is that like… a push to get another dog, you think? 'Look dad, LeeLee would love to have a friend just like this!' kind of vibes? Not that I'm encouraging it, of course," she said, keeping her voice low, nudging him gently and then softening her smile to something more sincere. "Yeah, like you never let your prime at all, don't worry."
Ben studied the menu with the intensity of someone making a life-altering decision, his arms folded across his chest. His tattoos proudly on display as he wore a black fitted shirt and grey shorts. "See, this is exactly why I can never come in here with something pre-planned," he said, shaking his head. "Everything sounds too fucking good." Ben was happy to support his hometown and stop this asshole trying to ruin the vibe of their tight community, which is why he had pretty much been living on drinks and food from the businesses all month long now. He glanced over at Elena as she described the s'mores sundae and let out a dramatic sigh. "Y’know, you make a very compelling argument.” Looking back at the menu, he rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. "Vanilla, hot fudge, toasted marshmallow, graham crackers..." He repeated slowly while nodding his head in agreement. "That does sound very cozy. But, I was lowkey thinking something with cookie dough like that Cookie Jar sundae. Cookie dough bites, oreo pieces, hot fudge, and sprinkles. Like my inner child is screaming.” He paused then dramatically exclaimed. “I know what to do, Lena. You get the s’mores, I’ll get the cookie jar, and we can share! Besides, isn’t that neighborly?”
"Because the second that you see the menu, every idea goes right out of your brain?" she asked, barely holding back a laugh. Elena knew that feeling all too well. And even worse still was when you decided what you wanted based on what was on the menu only to turn around and see someone be handed a delicious looking sundae that you needed to have for yourself. She was really, really good at asking people in public spaces what they had just gotten delivered, to see if it was something that she wanted for herself. No shame. Sometimes it was just nice to know what tasted good! "Thanks, I try!" she laughed, craning her head to see if anyone in the ice cream shop had a s'mores sundae to see what it looked like, but… she supposed that she was going to have to let it be a mystery until she got it. "That does sound good, you're right… but I like your idea. I trust you enough to not think you have cooties or germs, so we should be okay to share," she grinned, nudging him gently as she stepped closer to the counter and began to pull out her wallet, smiling to the young girl working behind the register. "This lug and I will take a s'mores sundae and a cookie jar sundae, please!"
Cass nodded, "it does. And honestly I am not a people person. Despite dealing with people for a living." Thankfully it was usually on a one to one basis but sometimes she was drained after a session. Moreso than the person she just tattooed. "Yeah," she smiled for it turned into a wide grin, "thank you! And oh it would be. But yeah, too bad there's no sealant or a way to preserve the chalk art." She playfully pouted about that before laughing, "I mean adding in a little color isn't too bad!"
"I was going to say!" Elena let out a loud laugh, "you have to deal with people to some extent, or else you're not going to be able to do your job." Unless she was tattooing a mannequin or a dummy, which Lena supposed was possible, just... maybe not nearly as fun. "There might be something to keep it around for a little while, but not forever," she frowned thoughtfully. "But hey, you'll get tons of good pictures of it, and that matters! I'm sure Stelly's got a lot on their camera, I saw them around a lot today."
Gavin smiled over at the girl for a brief moment before running a hand through his curls for a moment before he looked at the game. He nodded, "Oh the biggest one hey? You want to carry it around for the rest of the day?" He laughed a little before nodding, "Okay, well if you think you can do it, I look forward to welcoming the challenge." Hearing the girls question made him laugh a little, "Well I have played quite a lot with mates back home and I did win quite a few games. So I would say I am pretty good." He smiled as he walked over to the game and paid for two games, "You ready?"
"Part of the fun of winning a giant stuffed animal is getting to brag about it by hauling it around," she said with a laugh, before see-sawing her head, "but I might find someone to volunteer to carry it for me, and if not? Take it to the car. I have to have free hands for sno*cones and cotton candy, after all." If she didn't have that, she was going to feel like she was missing out. "I'm ready!" she nodded, "even if you saying you're pretty good is a little intimidating. I'll let you go ahead and go first to show me how it's done, then!"
