BRAVERY.

[timbradford]

[amesscott]

best friends to lovers supremacy

[minasimsek]

@alexhunter

[minasimsek]

ALEX HUNTER.

They were always going to have some kind of teething issues when this started again before Christmas. There was a lot to deal with, not only did they have the pressure of eventually telling their families, but they also had a lot to work out together. Peter’s ghost was always going to be in the background until they dealt with it individually and together, then they each had their own little issues to work out. Alex’s guilt, their true feelings for each other, even Alex’s worries that maybe it would end like last time, although this was a possibility he viewed as more impossible by the day. For now, he just had to relax.

He leaned his head a little towards her hand, turning his head to press a kiss to her palm. Barking out a laugh, Alex shook his head as his hands lingered on her waist. “I can think of worse ways to spend the evening, you know..” Dropping his hand as she moved away, Alex glanced away, although nothing could pull the smile off of his face now. It had been a long time since Alex had been to an event like this, even longer since he’d had someone on his arm who made him walk this tall and proud. “I might have, but you’ll just have to wait and see. We can bid on something together, if you want, well, you can bid and I’ll show you.” As they reached the bar, Alex took two of the pre-filled champagne flutes before handing one to Mina. “Were you thinking of anything in particular?”

     “If it was up to me, we’d never leave the bed, but we do need to be among other people, you know?” She teased him with a raised eyebrow. She never wanted to leave the comfort of her room, or his room for that matter. The space felt safe for them, comfortable, it was just them two, and seeing other people and wondering if they were thinking whether or not they were together was enough to make her feel as if her breath had been stolen from her lungs. There weren’t any doubts on her mind however, and she didn’t know how much she’d need to say or do to make Alex believe she wouldn’t slip away like last time, but she would keep on doing it until he understood it to be true. The both of them had reservations about stepping out of their bubble, but they needed to, especially since their relationship was real now. 

     She took the champagne flute from his hand and took a seat on the nearest unoccupied stool, if she was going to walk around the whole night on those heels, she would definitely have to take breaks here and there. “Bidding together is actually not a bad idea,” she smiled and took a sip of her drink, reminding herself to not go all the way, she definitely didn’t want a hangover later, or to be too drunk to enjoy the rest of the night, the part when it would be just the two of them and he’d help her out of the dress. “I’m not sure what I want to bid in, I almost feel like bidding on things most of people wont. Maybe the SPA treatment and take Tilly, since you’ve been taking up all my free time and wandering around the apartment half-naked,” Mina teased with a light chuckle. “It would be nice to win something regardless, just to give away money for charity.”

[minasimsek]

ALEX HUNTER.

He knew that at this kind of event, running into his mother and sister was always a risk, but he’d thought ahead, confirmed with both of them, subtly, that they weren’t going to be there. Luckily, that had covered for his shock when as he walked into the resort with Mina, his mother had been heading out. Luckily for them, she had only come to make a quick bid and leave again, not wanting to spend the night in heels when her sister was coming over for the evening. Waiting for Mina outside of the bathroom, Alex pushed his hands into his pockets, trying not to think the worst. The last time that his mother had nearly caught them, he hadn’t seen Mina for over a year and he couldn’t help but wonder if that was going to happen again. He wanted to scream for the rooftops that they were together, that everything was finally working out, but with a situation this delicate, he knew that they would have to be a bit more diplomatic. 

As the door opened and Mina reappeared, Alex couldn’t help the grin that spread over his face. Shaking his head, unable to shake the smile, he simply reached for her hand. “You sure you’re okay?” Looking around, careful of anyone who knew his mother being around, just in case, Alex tugged her a little closer. “First, I need to tell you again just how amazing you look, because you are breathtaking. Second, I just need to do something as I’ll probably have to stop myself for the rest of the evening.” Placing a hand on her waist, Alex pressed a soft kiss against her lips, feeling a thrill at being able to do that in public. “Now, we can get a drink. Champagne?”

     She hated that she even worried him. She swore she would never make him feel that way again. Running was not an option this time around, she was in for the long haul. While Peter was never not going to occupy a place in her heart, she knew that the type of love she felt for Alex was different, it was greater. All consuming. It sucked that they couldn’t walk hand-in-hand, but she didn’t want anything to disrupt their happiness right now, she was not up for the judging, she didn’t want to know what his father thought of their relationship. What her father thought of their relationship. Those were thoughts she had gladly pushed to the back of her mind, at least for now. Besides, it was entirely too difficult to think coherently when he pulled her in like that, and when he kissed her like that. She needed to remind herself that they were in public, otherwise she would let herself go, dangerously so.

     “I am more than okay, I promise,” she touched his cheek, caressing his beard, looking lovingly into his eyes. Right now not even being able to care if any of his mother’s friends saw them. “Let’s not start on who looks great here because if we do, then we’ll just have to find the most hidden bathroom around here, or maybe just forget the night entirely and go back home,” she grinned mischievously and cleared her throat, stepping away from him when she realized their space was being invaded by other people wanting to get to the bathroom. “Champagne sounds amazing, let’s go,” she took his arm, something that would definitely look friendlier than if they walked hand in hand. “Have you bid on anything tonight? I feel like I’m not gonna win anything, I might not really know how to bid.”

[minasimsek]

▬ at the rockwater resort charity event. ▬ january 22nd, sometime after 7 in the evening. ▬ closed starter for matilda castillo-davis.

     It felt slightly strange being in a place like that, and not that Mina wasn’t used to those types of parties, but there was something that had changed fundamentally since the last time she attended one. She was with someone, well, Alex to be more precise, but people didn’t know it just yet, at least no one outside of Tilly, and Hannah ▬ or at least that’s who she was sure of ▬ and it was weird not wanting anyone else to know. Right now, she had locked her arm with her best friend and roommate, who had proven to be a great distraction, especially as they navigated through the crowds of people, wanting to grab themselves some well deserved drinks. “Okay but, my question is, should we bid on something for the both of us? People have been rather generous on their bids so far and I’m not sure any of mine went through, I mean, 150.000 dollars? Who even has this much money to spare?” ( @tvllycd​ )

[minasimsek]

▬ at the rockwater resort charity event. ▬ january 22nd, sometime after 7 in the evening. ▬ closed starter for alex hunter.

     Bumping into Alex’s mother leaving the charity before they had a chance to step inside had really freaked Mina out, for the lack of a better word. It’s not that she wasn’t ready to tell both of their families about their rekindled relationship, it was that she wasn’t really ready to tell anyone at all. She had excused herself to the bathroom as soon as they bid their respective farewells, knowing that she really just needed a couple of seconds to put herself together. After all, unlike the last time his mother almost caught them together, this time around Mina couldn’t be more sure of what they were doing, she just needed a few seconds. Going to the bathroom and washing her hands, placing one cold hand behind her neck, was enough for her breathing to slow down, it was only then that she took notice of how flushed she looked and how ridiculous her reaction had been. She was scared of their reactions when they found out, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy their first night out together. Hanging her purse on her shoulder again and smoothing the tulle of her dress she stepped out of the women’s restroom and walked up to Alex. “Hey▬ I’m sorry about that, it was just one minor freak out,” she smiled at him, “should we get some drinks? Or walk around for a bit?” ( @alexhunter​ )

[minasimsek]

▬ at the rockwater resort charity event. ▬ january 22nd, sometime after 7 in the evening. ▬ closed starter for otto casado.

     Disassembling herself from the people she came with, Mina approached the table where people were placing their bids, taking a chance to look at how she was doing on what she had bid so far. And so far, so not good. It was a shame some of the things she’d hoped she’d get would be far from price range now, but she would never be able to go against someone who had over one hundred thousand dollars to place a bid on something, she didn’t think she had gone that far on any of her bids. She was happy though, it was all for a good cause, after all, that’s exactly what they were there for and having some fun, which she was. Being able to dress up was something she usually didn’t do in her daily life, unless there was something in the restaurant, in which case, she would still be in her usual chef attire. Humming her way through the bids, the brunette frowned slightly, not really paying attention on her steps until she lightly bumped with someone. She had her apology ready until she saw Otto, a smile spread on her lips and she felt relieved. “Sorry▬” she still apologized though, she was far from being an uneducated neanderthal, “it’s a bit hard concentrating when people have all this money to spend. Did you bid on anything?” ( @ottocasado​ )

[minasimsek]

NASRA ALI.

“First of all, back up,  please, ” she said, reaching out to clear some space between herself and the man who had been shooting failed advances at her for the better part of the night. She thought she remembered the guy from high school. She might have been more than friendly with him back them, but at the moment, he was on her last nerve.  “Second, your breath smells like a cross between a fifth of Mad Dog and a pile of steaming shit. Like you bathed in a cess pool or something. Seriously. I’m not impressed,” she said, bringing a hand up to her face to block out the offensive smell. Just then a warm presence filled the space behind and she breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to face whomever it was that had unknowingly come to save her life. “I swear I thought my soul was about to raise up out of my body if I had to smell that dudes breath another second. Thanks to you, I breathe again” she chuckled. “Can I get you a drink or something? To pay back the favor I mean” she said, too unbothered to care if the bothersome man had caught the hint finally. @elisabethstarters​

     Mina was not a confrontational person, in fact, there was a very loud part of her who avoided confrontation at all costs, usually they caused her to embarrassingly cry, but she wasn’t entirely sure if it was due to the fact that she had been in her fourth glass of champagne ▬ prosseco? ▬ or the fact that she really hated when men hit on women who were showing their desinterest loudly, but she jumped in the opportunity to stand up for the other woman. Girl power and all that. She was concise, telling him to beat it or she would have to call security, the man called them both bitches, which Mina took it as a compliment and as soon as he was gone, she turned to the woman with a smile and a breath of relief. “You have nothing to be thankful for,” the brunette grinned at the other, “and you don’t need to pay me back, I’ve been indulging on the champagne so far and I should really stop before I go about confronting every dude under the sun around here,” her nose wrinkled. “Are you okay, though? The guy seemed irky, to say the least.”

[minasimsek]

LUCY BAKER.

It was a night out on the town and Lucy hasn’t done this type of thing since her college days in the city that never sleeps. Sure that’s when she was younger and would call going to the bars and clubs an event with her friends. However this event felt bigger than the ones she had been to in New York, including a lot fancier and Lucy decided she was going to relax and have fun tonight. With the type of week she had last week, the blonde realized she needed to take a chill pill. The event was semi formal, and even though Lucy hated getting dressed up the blonde decided to do it anyway. Putting on a purple long dress, her back was open & it was tied in a bow the Chicago native kept her hair down and threw on her heels. Little make up and her favorite necklace, the thirty-two year old grabbed her clutch and checked herself in the mirror one more time. Taking a breath, she did a shot of whiskey before leaving. 

 Once arriving, the blonde took a deep breath. She hated crowds, always have and always will. For some reason they just bothered her but the blonde kept her promise and decided she was going to have fun. The cold wind hit her skin and she instantly felt chills, heading into Alibi. She walked around for a few minutes and then pushed her hair back behind her ears before finally moving towards the bar. Standing at the bar now, Lucy turned around to the person standing next to her “Please tell me what your choice of alcohol is.. I need some options.” @elisabethstarters·

     The Rockwater resort looked beautiful with the decoration they had chosen for the evening. Mina had taken the night off from the restaurant to attend and at some point after almost bumping into Alex’s mother, laughing with Tilly and talking with some more people, the brunette found herself at the bar once again. She could feel herself starting to get bubbly, just like the champagne she had been choosing to drink so far, she was definitely a light weight, but that wasn’t a secret for anyone who knew her, and maybe one of the reasons why Alex had asked her to slow down earlier. The easy smile on her face, showed others that she hadn’t. Giggling at the feeling of her dress’ tulle on the smooth skin of her legs, she reached one of the bars available at the party and took in a sigh, looking to her side when she was spoken to just a few moments later. “Champagne,” she replied, “although, I’m not entirely sure it’s champagne, but it’s sweet and bubbly, so it’s fine by me. There are plenty of options though, we have an entire open bar at our disposal. Just take your pick.”

[minasimsek]

DOM MILLER.

While Dominic walks alongside her, he catches a glimpse of her shifting the items in her arms, squinting a little bit before he asks: “You good? You want me to take something off your hands?” he asks, figuring even if he took all of it, the man’s not too worried about it. Hell, maybe it’d keep his heart rate up considering the run he had been on. Dom chuckles and nods in affirmation of the way they both had become ingrained in their routine and not bothered to explore elsewhere. “Before it got cold, I liked some of the trails around here. Good for a run or just hiking, if you’re into that sort of thing,” he tells her. Not that he was at all an expert in the trails but he’d gone on a few before the winter whipped in. “Guess I’ve been missin’ you in the gym— which one do you go to?” he asks, figuring that he would’ve noticed her— there’s no way he would’ve missed her. “Yeah I’m here in Myrtle Rock. One of the apartment buildings that way,” he points in the direction of the building (he thinks). “We’ve been getting lost in the opposite places or something.”

end of thread headcanon ▬

With Dom’s help, Mina would be able to find the closest pet shop and buy everything she needed for Rainbow. Since she doesn’t want to keep him from his exercise for too long, she thanks him at the door and promises to let him know how everything will go regarding the cat, Mina is not too shy when making new friends, especially if those friends live nearby. She also promises to invite him to explore more of their neighborhood soon, so the both of them wouldn’t get lost anymore. Dom offers his company whenever Mina hits the gym next and she promises to take him up on it. They part ways and after she buys everything, probably spending way too much money, Mina goes back home, shooting Dom a thank you text with a picture of her purchases attached.

[minasimsek]

MATILDA CASTILLO-DAVIS.

“I mean, nothing will replace coming out of my room for a midnight snack to find one of Ella’s hookups in the kitchen in one of their shirts but… this is better than nothing.” She joked, reaching out to take the kitten into her own arms and hold her close to her chest. “And she’s absolutely adorable. We’ve needed something furry around here for the longest time. I could never be mad… I think she’s perfect.” Gaze finally moving from the kitten her arms to her roommate, Tilly’s wide smile hadn’t faltered a bit. She loved animals and had always wanted to get a pet for the apartment, so she was glad Mina pulled the trigger for them both. “You think she’ll be okay with any of the other animals I bring home work?”

end of thread headcanon ▬

Mina and Tilly both decide that Rainbow will be a nice, nay, perfect addition to their apartment. They spend the rest of the day helping the kitten adjust to her new surroundings and making sure she knows not to scratch their couch, meanwhile, they also do a whole lot of gossiping as they do on a daily basis. At the end of that day, Rainbow ends up sleeping at her feet, cuddling on the fluffy blanket and Mina has no heart to put her on the cat pillow she had bought earlier.

[minasimsek]

EVENT OUTFIT  ▬  @elisabethguide.      ROCKWATER RESORT CHARITY.

[dailymidsomermurders]

Midsomer Murders (1997 - Present) Season 17, Episode 4: A Vintage Murder Kate Wilding and Sarah Barnaby 

[minasimsek]

@tvllycd

[morningstargifs]

[minasimsek]

ROMY DAWSON.

↳ LOCATION: BEAN & CO. 

 TIME FRAME: EARLY MORNING, AROUND 8 AM.

@elisabethstarters.

Damn. 

Was she that out of practice that she forgot how to work the damn espresso machine? Romy struggled getting the portafilter twisted on to prep for the next drink. She continued welcoming other’s inside, regardless that she was struggling internally to keep up with the overflowing orders. Of course she wasn’t alone, but the other barista might as well have been nonexistent with such little help they had been. 

Finally getting the handle secured, she moved on to froth the milk; which if she would’ve known there was a clog somewhere in there, she wouldn’t have attempted it in the first place. Letting out a small yelp, just as the milk began spewing across her apron, while little bits of it landed in her hair, she struggled to turn the machine off in time. She glared at the other barista, “You just gonna stand there? I–” But before she could go on, a hand reached over to end the nightmare that was her first day back.

“I am so sorry,” she pleaded towards the other, “for all of that.” Her hands motioned towards the machine before flopping back down at her sides, “Thank you, for the rescue. What can I get for you, anything, it’s on the house.” A grin spreading across her features with such thankfulness, she was practically beaming, “Anything at all. Maybe not an espresso, but anything else.”

     She would have helped Romy regardless of gaining something back or not. It reminded her of the time when she was in Paris and worked as a barista, but French people were much more demanding about their coffees than any other costumer she had ever met before in her life. Though she wasn’t entirely sure she should have slipped behind the counter at the establishment, the other barista didn’t seem to be very ready to lift a finger.

     Mina had gone to Bean & Co as she always did for her caffeine fix, it was on her way to work and today she had called in the team early at the restaurant ( a few hours before opening time ) so they could work out the mistakes that had been made the night before. She wasn’t a hard boss, there was no room in her restaurant for calling people idiot sandwiches, but there was little room for error and forgiveness, especially since they were all well practiced in the new menu they had all contributed for.

     She smiled at Romy and shook her head. “Please, it was absolutely not a big deal, you were in need and I had both hands free▬ to be entirely fair, the both of us,” she looked over at the other barista with an annoyed look on her face, “had out hands free, but apparently there is some competitiveness in the barista business?” The brunette grinned, trying to make her friend feel at least a bit better about what was happening. “I should probably get back to my place in front of the counter, but, I will have a cappuccino, and not free of charge okay? I fully intend to pay.”

[minasimsek]

MARLOW BENNETT.

“i guess we should be friends then.” marlow hummed, when the other mentioned the universe pushing them together. it wasn’t that marlow hadn’t wanted to befriend the other woman when they’d first met, but with the holiday season sneaking up like it so often did, it seemed neither of had found the time to pursue that friendship. but here they were again, meeting in the oddest of circumstances, but ones that marlow only found amusing.

peering into the crate when it was held up, marlow let out a coo at seeing the cat, grin spreading on the brunette’s features. “rainbow huh?” they teased, though secretly enjoying the name. it wasn’t as if marlow could judge - ramekin was named after the food disk he’d taken to sleeping with when marlow had first brought him home. “well rainbow, it’s nice to meet you.” straightening, they offered mina a smile. “i think cats make pretty good first pets, right? they’re pretty independent and all that.” if marlow was going to get another pet, it would probably be a cat - one that wouldn’t mind that they were gone all night, and slept part of the day. an eager not at the offer to come over when the cat was settled. “i’m totally holding you too that. but first, let’s get those supplies. – you want to put her in the basket?” a gesture to the basket on the front of their bike, not sure if the cat was heavy or not. not that marlow was planning on riding the bike; they’d walk with mina, but perhaps the other woman’s arm needed a rest. 

     Mina shrugged a bit. “Well, I mean, if the universe is conspiring, it’s the very least that we can do,” a light chuckle followed her words. It had taken a long time for her to properly feel at home when it came to Elisabeth Island, she always thought about it as the island her dead fiancee had grew up in. Now, however, she finally felt like there were its and bits and pieces of it that she had made some memories and she could definitely see herself being there for the long haul, especially when most of her friends, Marlow included, now lived there. 

     “I know, I like it too, she already came with the name though, apparently she was found with her two brothers▬ Blue and Red, and they had been adopted before her, something about female cats attracting other cats later on,” she didn’t know anything about it just yet, it would be a few months before Rainbow grew completely and she was absolutely ready to make sure her apartment was cozy enough that she never thought about slipping away like most cats did, the last thing she needed was for her to become pregnant by some unknown male cat. Still, this seemed years ahead now. “Yeah, that’s exactly what the lady told me when I said I was too busy and hardly home, and she is so sweet, I mean, how could I not fall for this orange ball of fur?” Right now Rainbow seemed extremely cozy and patient, she either was sleeping or curious about her surroundings, but she didn’t seem in a hurry to get out of the crate either. “Ah yes, thank you, I would love that,” she nodded and put the crate on the basket, shaking her arms a bit. “So, what are you up to today? Anything fun?”

[minasimsek]

DOM MILLER.

“Rainbow— nice. I like it,” he comments with a nod. Lately, he’s been thinking about getting a dog but hasn’t really committed to the idea. Considering he works late nights and other times he’s in the gym for two hours before working, he finds that maybe it’s too much for his schedule, even though he likes the idea of having someone at home when he is. Maybe the apartment would feel a little less empty. Thankfully, with no roommate, no one could tell him no. “Oh, yeah, no worries then,” he mentions, never really knowing what could come up on the island, considering he’s pretty new so apparently, he was also easily fooled. “Like I said, I’m headin’ that way,” he shrugs, figuring it couldn’t hurt to make a new friend around town, especially when they seemed to have a cute cat and were nice. “Yeah, I’m pretty new around here too. I just have my run route down and my way to work and the gym, that’s… about it,” he admits. “Mina,” he says as he shakes her hand. “I’m Dominic but basically everyone calls me Dom, so feel free to too,” he tells her, mimicking her introduction a bit.

     Mina nodded in agreement, having a pet would certainly be something new to her. Growing up, with her sister’s sickness and her father’s allergies, any kind of furry friend was off limits to the family. Her sister had been the first one to get a pet when moving away from home, she had a beautiful German Shepherd and she constantly sent pics of them hugging. That wasn’t what led to Mina’s decision, however. She thought that her anxiety had been deserving of pampering an animal, someone who would keep her company and cozy up to her when needed. Cats were great companions, but more independent than dogs, which was exactly what she needed at that point. Besides, big chances were that Tilly would fawn over Rainbow more than Mina ever would. She was just a bit apprehensive about how the kitten would adjust to her surroundings.

     She walks beside the man, carrying the small crate and the few items on one arm, it wasn’t heavy in the least, but it wouldn’t take long for her to tire out, she hoped that they’d get to the pet shop soon enough. “You could have described me, Dom, today I am making a mental note to explore the island a little further, maybe I’ll be less lost when I do something other than work, go to my favorite restaurant or hit the gym” she adds with a small smile, “do you live around here too? In the Myrtle Rock area?”