alex glanced down at the menu, then back at her, caught mid-indecision in a way that would’ve embarrassed him if it were anyone else. instead, a small smile tugged at his mouth, amused and a little guilty. “i was weighing the emotional consequences of hot chocolate versus coffee,” he said lightly, stepping aside to give her room. “you probably saved me from overthinking it entirely.”
his eyes flicked to her drink, then back to her face, lingering in that way that came naturally now- familiar, unguarded. “cherry coke, extra ice,” he repeated, approving. “bold choice. he leaned a little closer, voice dropping just enough to feel private despite the noise around them. “and here i thought you just wanted an excuse to cut the line and flirt with me.” as the worker turned back toward him, alex finally made a decision. “coffee,” he said, then glanced at theo again, warmth softening his expression. “thanks for the assist. i owe you one.”
"that is a dicey decision to make, especially in this weather. hot chocolate is a great indulgence, don't get me wrong, but coffee... there's something to be said about a familiar comfort, right?" theo comments, falling easily into the dialogue with him. the concession worker slides her drink across the counter and drops a bit of change into her hand, which theo quickly places in the jar labeled tips in black marker. "since when do i need an excuse for that? i thought flirting was the kind of thing you welcomed happily, especially from me," she chuckles, lips wrapping around her straw and taking a long slip as theo watches him with quiet consideration.
as far as relationships go, theo doesn't maintain any of the romantic variety, but alex is a special exception to that unspoken rule. maybe not something romantic, exactly, but consistent and comforting in the same way your favorite sweater is, even if it's not something you wear exclusively. "perfect! as tempting as it could be to hold that over your head, i already know how you can pay me back." the words expose a secret motive for greeting alex in line tonight, but theo is visibly unbothered, bouncing a little on her heels. "sit with me, keep me company during the game?"
when: 01/31
where: monthly trivia night
with: open (0/4)
after so many months in town, it had become a ritual for river now: every saturday night, after every dinner, he would swing by nicolette's and pick up a piece of cherry pie to take home. when he stumbles in tonight, the last thing he expects to find is an exceptionally large crowd, and what he can only surmise is some kind of... game show? in a canadian pub? river's palms are already growing slick with sweat, the author immediately unnerved, even before a staff member pushes him in the direction of a table with one open seat. he stutters after the departing waitress, blinking, then looks at the person seated next to him. "i just wanted pie," he blurts out.
when: 01/09
where: the red cheetahs game
with: open (1/4)
theo clears her throat before speaking, aiming for the attention of the person in front of her in the concession line. "phone a friend?" she inquires, a tone of merriment in the question. from the auditorium, an announcer's voice booms in the distance, not quite clear enough that theo can make out any actual words. "from who wants to be a millionaire," she adds in lieu of a real explanation to her joke, digging a few dollar bills out of her pocket as she sidesteps them, chin jutting at the worker behind the register. "cherry coke, please? extra ice." theo hands over the cash, disinterested in the monetary value of her drink, gaze fixed instead of the person she technically cut in line. "you looked like you were having a tough time trying to order. thought i'd buy you some time," theo offers, head tilting with natural consideration.
do you know RIVER SINGH ? he is that AUTHOR … no ? really ? i hear they are creative and stoic but i’ve also seen them being impulsive and guarded. they have been around town for SEVENTEEN MONTHS of their THIRTY FIVE years of age, and whenever i see them, i am reminded of INSPIRATION STRIKES AT THE WORST TIMES, CHOOSING BOOKS OVER PEOPLE, GHOST STORIES TOLD AROUND A CAMPFIRE. they even look like that RAYMOND ABLACK and i remember hearing JACKIE AND WILSON by HOZIER blaring out of their earphones that one time. do you know who i’m talking about now ?
basics:
written by: kat
full name: river maxwell singh
nicknames: riv, reeves
gender: cis man
pronouns: he + him
sexuality: heterosexual
aesthetics: worn wool sweaters, fingertips stained by ink, chipped coffee mugs, organization undone in seconds, the scent of lemon and cedarwood, unfinished sentences, deleted folders, crumpled paper, trees lining empty roads, restraint mistaken for indifference
age: 35
date of birth: march 10
zodiac sign: pisces
residence: a rented guesthouse
occupation: author
appearance:
faceclaim: raymond ablack
height: 6'0
eyes: brown
hair: black
piercings: none
tattoos: an unfinished line of poetry on the back of his left shoulder, rarely seen by anyone
other distinguishing features: a lean build, observant eyes, dark circles under the eyes during cycles of strong creativity, a barely visible scar on one knuckle from a moment of impulsivity when angry
personality:
traits: creative, stoic, a controlled exterior, a sensitive interior, impulsive, guarded
character inspo: mort rainey (secret window), paul sheldon (misery), lucas scott (one tree hill), daniel osbourne (buffy the vampire slayer), mike ross (suits)
mental health: insomnia disorder
physical health: carpal tunnel, migraines
fears: loss of creativity, prolonged silence, loss of control, being misunderstood, irrelevance
hobbies: long walks, collecting original publications of his favorite novels, cooking, baking, people watching
quirks: rewriting single paragraphs countless times, talking with his hands, forgetting to finish meals, annotation in every book he reads
pet peeves: deadlines, performative actions, forced optimism, repetitive calls, being asked what kind of writer he is
family:
mother: rhea singh, alive
father: karim singh, alive
siblings: one younger sister
faves:
ice cream flavour: lemon sorbet
time of the day / night: whenever creativity strikes
weather: sweater weather
breakfast food: pancakes
dinner food: lentil dhal
colors: muted blues and greens
songs: jackie and wilson by hozier, no surprises by radiohead, brain stew by green day, work song by hozier, all my love by noah kahan
more info:
river is originally from the states but spent most of his adult years in london, england, chasing academic pursuits and the start of his literary career. he comes from a very traditional family and faced significant backlash for his career choice early on. if asked, his father will still lament how river should have a more high profile career choice, but for the most part, his parents have accepted that this is his path.
he is known for being reserved in both person and his work, but a trademark of his works is catching people off guard with emotional twists. his first two books were historical fiction and very well received, but his latest work is something different: a mystery novel. to make things worse, he scrapped his entire first draft without warning his agent and is currently on very thin ice.
wanted connections:
the landlord: river rents a guesthouse from this person, either on their property or one that they own. because of his tendency to withdraw when writing, he can be a bit of a challenging tenant at times.
sister: will submit a formal wc for this at some point. in short, river’s younger sister that surprises him by appearing in town.
an unlikely friend: someone that river would usually keep his distance from, likely someone very upbeat, demanding, or just has difficulty letting river avoid them. for some reason, he finds them endearing.
his muse: it starts with river observing this person from afar, but he’s not subtle about it. they start to influence his current work.
one night stand: a girl who saw river as simply an unfamiliar face and had an unexpected fling with him when he first arrived, not expecting that he would still be in town more than a year later.
the ex: river tried to have a relationship with this person, but between his stoicism and unpredictable creative cycles, he proved to be too unreliable for her. this likely ended very recently.
the attraction: river is attracted to her but doesn’t act on it for some reason, or maybe he’s blind to the fact that she likes him just as much.
other ideas: friends, crushes, someone who has looked out for him since he arrived, people who dislike him, neighbors.
do you know THEODORA 'THEO' GABLE ? she is that CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SUPERVISOR … no ? really ? i hear they are devoted and outspoken but i’ve also seen them being intrusive and emotional. they have been around town for TWENTY TWO YEARS of their FORTY SIX years of age, and whenever i see them, i am reminded of COFFEE STAINS ON A BLANK WHITE PAGE, AUTUMN LEAVES STARTING TO FALL, FAINT LAUGHTER LINES AROUND TIRED EYES. they even look like that MADCHEN AMICK and i remember hearing I'M ON FIRE by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN blaring out of their earphones that one time. do you know who i’m talking about now ?
basics:
written by: kat
full name: theodora noelle gable
nicknames: theo
gender: cis woman
pronouns: she + her
sexuality: bisexual
aesthetics: unsent letters, coffee gone cold, wrinkled cardigans with pens hiding in the pockets, reading glasses worn on top of her head rather than on her face, bracing for impact, mixed metal jewelry, faint laughter lines around tired eyes, the ache of knowing too much
age: 46
date of birth: august 30
zodiac sign: virgo
residence: a newly renovated condo in downtown
occupation: supervising social worker with child protective services
appearance:
faceclaim: madchen amick
height: 5'7
eyes: blue, wide and bright
hair: naturally brown, dyed black
piercings: small silver hoops in each earlobe, a cartilage stud she got in her late 30s during a moment of quiet rebellion
tattoos: a constellation tattoo on her inner wrist, often hidden by long sleeves
other distinguishing features: a lean and wiry frame, faint worry lines between her brows from years of focused concern, dark hair falling over her face while she works
personality:
traits: outspoken, devoted, compassionate, intense, intrusive, loyal to those she cares about, even when they disappoint her
character inspo: rust cohle (true detective), erin brockovich (erin brockovich), olivia benson (law and order), phoebe buffay (friends), nancy botwin (weeds), sarah linden (the killing)
mental health: nothing diagnosed, has previously seen a therapist for the purpose of an “adjustment disorder” at various times in her career, each time due to vicarious trauma
physical health: no diagnoses
fears: causing harm when she tries to help, being confronted with the past, silence, inactivity, losing her place in the field she has dedicated her life to
hobbies: journaling, browsing thrift stores, listening to podcasts, gardening (which she does poorly), organizing notes, driving backroads when she needs to think
quirks: constant fidgeting, distractibility, little piles of organized chaos
pet peeves: avoidance, “red tape” in the system, being told to calm down, being prematurely judged for her career
family:
mother: amy gable, alive, in contact somewhat regularly
father: oliver gable, deceased
siblings: none
faves:
ice cream flavour: cookie dough
time of the day / night: late morning
weather: sunny with a cool breeze
breakfast food: black coffee, repeatedly heated up because she forgets to drink it
dinner food: anything with hot sauce
colors: forest green
songs: i’m on fire by bruce springsteen, fast car by tracy chapman, landslide by fleetwood mac, dog days are over by florence and the machine, gravity by sara bareilles
more info:
theo was born and raised in vancouver, british columbia, which is also where she attended college. she applied for a job opening with child protective services in town, and the rest is history. she has been a staple in the community for over twenty years now — for better or worse. she is passionate about her work and helping others, but her need to help often has her pushing rules and boundaries. people love her or hate her, but almost everyone in town respects her.
she became a supervisor with the department a little over five years ago, which means most of her job now consists of advising less seasoned workers and doing a lot of paperwork, but theo still makes a point to get involved in cases here and there, if only to keep her wits about her.
wanted connections:
the failed engagement: imagining this as someone she met when she first arrived in town, or close to it. she was deeply in love but something stopped them from getting married. it could be her blossoming social work career or something to do with the other party, and years later, they still have to face each other.
ride or die: someone who has been her constant for many years noe, likely the person she goes to when she is overwhelmed about her job.
former cases: theo has been a social worker with cps for twenty years by now. she is currently a supervisor but before that, she was active in the field. maybe she saved your muse from an abusive situation, or got in the way when your muse wished she would just stay out of it.
partner in crime: someone in the social work or an adjacent field that gets in trouble with her (in the interest of helping others, of course). could be an attorney, a doctor, a teacher, etc.
a friendship she betrayed: theo means well but undoubtedly has let her moral compass get in the way of following boundaries.
a fellow advocate: someone who shares her drive for social justice and collaborates with her on things like fundraisers. could be a former client, a foster parent, or another professional.
other ideas: friends, other exes, flings, neighbors in her building, found family, business owners she supports.
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