rest can never dwell, hope never comes

sunshine, morgan, sujin ; penned by bam for cardinal hill.

[pandemoniumfm]

Aart van den Heuvel (Sam Reid)

intro & biography & wanted connections & open starters & playlist & musings

Emilio Videla (Pedro Pascal)

intro & biography & wanted connections & open starters & playlist & musings

Han Sujin (Song Kang)

intro & biography & wanted connections & open starters & playlist & musings

Morgan Love (Ryan Gosling)

intro & biography & wanted connections & open starters & playlist & musings

Sunshine James (Adria Arjona)

intro & biography & wanted connections & open starters & playlist & musings

other

used resources & cardinal hill

[blackcatxmagic]

Even when he was in a place with so many people, Dimi was laser focused on the person he was talking to usually, and this was no exception. And yes, it helped that this person was incredibly attractive - it made it much easier to keep his eyes on him. "It's nice to meet you, Emilio," he replied with a smile, shaking the man's hand. "Everyone I meet here is always so nice. It must be a requirement for Cardinal Hill residents. Or maybe he's only the nice people who talk to me." Dimi laughed, taking a sip of his drink. "Can I buy you a drink?" he asked the other man. "Unless you're here with someone?" Dimi wanted to keep talking, but he didn't want to keep this man from whatever he had going on if he was here with someone else.

"Are you an art teacher?" Dimi asked Emilio. "That's so cool! I always loved art, though I was never like top notch at it or anything, well except photography. That's what I do now, I'm a photographer, and I own the photo studio in town." Emilio seemed genuinely interested in Dimi, so he was happy to answer the man's questions. "I'm from Minneapolis," he replied, "but I moved here for my daughter. She needed...a change, we'll just say, and my best friend moved here, so this felt like a good option. It was just the two of us, and she missed him too, so it just made sense. And honestly it was a great decision." Ozma was thriving, and Dimi couldn't have been happier about it. "What about you? Have you always lived in Cardinal Hill?" he asked Emilio. Dimi liked that Emilio was an artist because he like people who could make beauty, always had. "What kind of art do you make?" he asked the other man.

[pandemoniumfm]

         As he listened to the other talking he moved a bit closer, trying his best to keep up with what the other was saying as he nodded along. At the other's question he hummed, looking around the place. Did it seem like he had come here with someone? He shook his head, a smile on his lips. "I will take a drink," he spoke before holding up the glass he had been drinking from. "After I finish this one," he chuckled. The rowdiness in the bar seemed to have turned up a notch and while Emilio was more than happy to bask in the upbeat energy of the bar, it made it harder to hear the other speak.

"Art teacher, Mister Videla, at your service," he joked, voice high enough to reach above the ruckus, as he brought his hand up to salute at the other before dropping his hand back to his drink with a laugh.

As he listened to the other's questions he hummed. "I've been here for about fifteen years now, moved all the way from Chile," he provided, taking another sip from his drink to chase away a memory that should've been long forgotten. Suddenly his Irish affogato seemed way too sweet.

He shook his head slightly before smiling at the other again. "Photography is quite an interesting form of art," he hummed as if in thought, he was never all that good at photography himself and the red room gave him a major headache whenever he had to be in there. Yet, he always found it very impressive when he met others in his field that were schooled in the art.

"I focus more on purely physical arts," Emilio smiled. "As long as I can make my hands dirty, I'm happy," he chuckled, bringing up his hand to show the other some charcoal stains that just wouldn't wash out. A project he had been working on earlier in the day. "But, my favourite artform is probably sculpting," he nodded at his own sentence, pursing his lips as he did so. "Drawing is definitely a close second."

Falling back on a different part of their conversation, he remembered the other mentioning a daughter. "How old is your daughter?" He questioned, interest showing on his face as he sat up a bit straighter.

[innocentcurse]

"Yeah, who knew?" Romeo commented on the aforementioned hot spot, not realising until after he spoke that it made him sound awfully out of place there at the bar. It's not like he never went out... "I can't remember the last time I made it out here," he added, trying to hopefully salvage his first impression. There was no shame in prioritising work, after all, or perhaps simply socialising elsewhere.

"I'm not sure that we have," Romeo shook his head; there was something familiar about Emilio's face, but Romeo wasn't sure if it was because they had met previously, or if it was instead a case of Romeo having spotted him in the streets in the small town. "Doctor-" There we go, all chance of making a good impression gone. "Sorry," Romeo rolled his eyes at himself, and a light blush came over his cheeks. "Habit from work, I'm really not the type of guy who goes around bars introducing himself as a doctor," he chuckled; it was funny, just horribly embarrassing at the very same time. "Romeo, Romeo Caldwell."

[pandemoniumfm]

         At the other's introduction, Emilio smiled. The younger man was definitely not the kind of person he had expected to meet at the bar tonight, but he wasn't going to complain. Romeo seemed friendly enough and he wasn't against making new connections in town. Even after all the years he'd spent there, there were still so many new and interesting people for him to befriend.

"Pleasure to meet you, Doctor Caldwell," he winked, a playful smile on his face before taking another sip of his drink. "Don't worry, I'm only kidding," he quickly added as he put his glass back down, not yet letting go of the beverage. "You have a lovely name, Romeo."

"When I first started teaching high schoolers I was introducing myself as mister Vileda instead of Emilio," he looked up at the other as he moved his finger over the rim of his glass, shoulders softly shaking as he let out a laugh at the memory. "Practically everywhere, to everyone," he chuckled.

"Besides," he spoke as he looked around the busy bar, bringing his hand up as he motioned across the bar in a swinging movement. "Having a doctor in the room might be a good thing on a night like this, seems people are really letting go," he hummed softly before turning back to the other. "What brings you here tonight, Romeo?"

[pandemoniumfm]

status: closed starter for @eldritchxembers (rafe) location: morgan's house time: early evening, weekday

         Sitting back in his chair the man let out a long breath, head tilted towards the ceiling. The sun was slowly going down, coating the entire kitchen in shades of orange and pink. The sunset always looked prettiest from his kitchen window. Turning back towards his companion he put on a playful smile. Eyes roaming over the other's face to find anything. Anything at all.

Nothing. Damn, he was good.

The man sitting across from him was one of the people he'd known since he was but a young boy. Growing up in the same town had its perks, you got to know people over time, especially if you stuck around long enough. Yet, who would've thought the man would've ever ended up sitting in his kitchen, playing a game of 'Go Fish' after working together all day?

The pair had bonded when Morgan had been in his late twenties, his interest of cars showing its head rather late in life for the younger man, but it was large enough to spark a, what to many seemed to be unlikely, friendship between the two.

Despite the idea that the two seemed to be too different to be friends according to outsiders, they enjoyed each other's company just fine. Their friendship only deepening once Morgan had found himself on Rafael's doorstep one evening, practically begging the man for a job after he had left his family's estate.

Yet, this was old news.

"You're way too good at this," he commented as he looked back at his cards, lips pursed. He was definitely losing this game and his stomach was starting to think of the dinner he had in the oven, waiting for the two of them to finish their monthly game night and put plates on the table. "And I am way too bad at this. Do you have any fours?"

[eldritchxembers-deactivated2026]

For: Anyone | @cardinalstart | cap of 3 Location: The Museum of World Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy Character: Rune

The Museum of World Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy didn’t exactly scream come visit me from the outside. The walls were an odd shade of weathered green, with mismatched shutters and a sign that looked like it had been hand-painted by someone with a questionable sense of humor. On the door, there was a small placard that read:

"Enter if you dare, or don’t. We’re open anyway. Unless we're closed."

Inside, it was strange. More than strange, actually. It was downright peculiar. The layout of the museum had the chaotic energy of a house that had grown more as a result of whimsy than any sensible blueprint. Rune hadn't never figured it out. One room led into another with no rhyme or reason, as if the building itself had been rearranged in the middle of the night by a very eccentric, and blind, poltergeist.

The hallway that should have been a neat line of doorways instead curved in bizarre, illogical directions. Some doors led to rooms full of antique furniture, while others led to nothing but sheer brick walls—no handle, no sign of exit. Windows opened to dark, empty space, the glass panes shimmering in eerie stillness. There were staircases that slanted slightly to the right and hallways that sloped down at odd angles, as though the house was perpetually tilting.

At the front desk sat Rune, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the wood in a perfect imitation of someone trying not to throw themselves out of the window. He stared at the door, half-expecting someone to wander in, though the hopeful anticipation was always crushed by reality. Most days, it was just the occasional tourist peeking in from curiosity, unsure whether they'd just wandered into a house of horrors or a very niche historical attraction.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

"Step right up! Step right up!" Rune grumbled under his breath, though his voice did little to carry through the dusty air. "Come witness the world's most perplexing curios! Behold the room where gravity doesn't work quite right! Marvel at the taxidermied creatures that could’ve sworn they were still alive! And of course, don't forget to visit the Room of Doors That Don’t Go Anywhere... except the walls. You won’t want to miss it!"

Rune half-heartedly adjusted his scarf, glancing around. No one. Again.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, eyeing the nearby door that led to a room purportedly full of mystery artifacts. The truth? It was filled with items that probably came from somewhere important. They were certainly important to someone, but not to Algernon. But he’d never get around to fixing the signs. He hadn't even dusted since he arrived in January.

"Maybe next time..." Rune muttered to no one in particular.

[pandemoniumfm]

         Running down the streets or Cardinal Hill, Aart almost tripped over a patch of ice. The snow that had looked so beautiful only a few days ago had turned slippery and mushy, yet, the male didn't care. He did not have time to think of any doom situations or what would happen if he were to slip right now.

Steadying himself he took in a deep breath, eyes on the path forward. His nose was red from the cold, his coat's buttons done up completely wrong and he was completely missing his scarf, the garment still laying forgotten at his workplace. But he did not have time.

He did not have time for this, patting himself down to make sure he still had everything he needed, 'keys, check, wallet, check, apology donuts, check,' he continued on his way, ignoring the slippery mess under his shoes.

No, he didn't care at all, because he was late. He was so late.

He felt like the worst best friend ever. It didn't happen often that he missed their weekly meet-ups at the museum. It sure had been an issue when the two had first started hanging out, but Aart felt like everything had been going so well recently, it had been several months since he'd last forgotten.

The universe seemed to agree that it was going too well, apparently. Work had been busy and somehow the one post-it he truly needed for that day had fallen off the wall and gotten buried under a bunch of paperwork he'd been working on.

Aart had promised he'd be at the museum at two in the afternoon, like he always was, like he mostly had been every week for the past at least six months and yet, it was already way past three.

Stupid Martha, always giving him all her extra paperwork on top of his own. He rounded the corner and shook his head, the museum finally coming into view, this wasn't Martha's fault, he should've been more careful.

Sorry, Martha, you're not stupid, I am.

He should've remembered to check the time instead of keeping himself busy with why they were somehow losing extra money to coffees, that wasn't even his job to begin with, he was supposed to answer phone calls and welcome people.

Coming up to the entrance of the museum he came to a full stop, nearly slipping over another ice patch near the door at the sudden change in movement. Luckily he safely made it into the museum and he took absolutely no time to start leaning heavily against the entrance doorframe as he tried to catch his breath, donuts held high in the air. The logo of a local coffee shop he could never remember the name of plastered all over the bag.

"I come," he brought out, voice strained as he struggled to get air into his lungs. "Bearing gifts," he smiled as he looked up at the other. "Sorry, I'm horribly late," he then added, pushing himself off of the doorframe as he made his way towards the other, holding to bag towards them. "I lost track of time."

"But, I got us donuts," he placed the bag on the desk, pouting slightly. "Can you forgive me?"

[blackcatxmagic]

This night had not gone the way that Copper had planned at all. In fact, it had gone so spectacularly different that he couldn't quite fathom it. Apart from Aris and Percy, there was no one in Cardinal Hill he'd gotten so emotionally raw with about Damon. "I'm sorry," Copper whispered softly, holding Morgan's hand and leaning against him. "I didn't plan this. I planned for us to have a fun time, and now I'm making you relive unpleasant memories." Really Copper should just let the topic go and try to turn the night around, even if that didn't mean sex. There was beer, and they could order food, and they could try and pretend Copper hadn't just dropped this bomb.

For a long while, Morgan was quiet, and maybe Copper should have just let the man leave. But Morgan didn't make any motion to do so, even if Copper could practically hear the gears moving in his head, so he just remained by his side, still holding his hand. And when Morgan finally spoke, Copper laughed, grateful for the levity. "Yeah, we definitely are," he agreed, turning his head to look up at Morgan and smile. He moved up slightly to kiss Morgan's cheek, but it wasn't a sexual gesture at all. It was just appreciation. "Are you sure I'm not broken?" Copper asked, more than a little skeptical. "I feel like I'll always be broken. I feel like someone shattered me and then put me back together, but the cracks and chips are there, will always be there, and I'll never be sturdy. I'll always be so close to shattering again."

What Morgan was saying made sense, and Copper nodded. He pulled the man down further in the bed so they were lying down, and he moved Morgan's arm so that it was around him. "Is this okay?" Copper asked as he moved against him, resting his head against his chest. For a moment, Copper just laid there, thinking about what Morgan had said. "I think you're right, that the grief never really goes away," Copper said. "But maybe that's okay. It's like their mark that stays on you, one that shows how much they mattered."

That was a tough one. Copper thought about Morgan's question, and really considered it seriously. "There are so many," he said, partially to buy himself some time, but then one came to him. "We were on our honeymoon," Copper started. "We went to Italy because one of my dads is Italian, and I always loved visiting, but Damon had never gone. Our plan was to spend half the time there in different cities and half the time in Greece, and we had to go to Venice because Damon wanted to ride in gondola. He was like a kid on Christmas morning, so excited, and he had this way of just charming everyone he met, so it wasn't a surprise when the gondola...driver? Is that what you call them?" Copper laughed before continuing, "Anyway, it wasn't a surprise when the gondola driver or whatever let Damon trying steering it, only...well let's just say Damon lost his balance and fell into the canal." Now Copper was really laughing, the memory filling him with happiness. "The gondola driver guy and I were losing our shit, and at first Damon was mad, but then he was laughing too." Copper thought about the memory, letting it infuse him with much needed joy, even if - like all memories of Damon - it was tinged with sorrow and loss. "What about you, Morgan?" Copper asked the other man. "What's one of your favorite memories of your husband?"

[pandemoniumfm]

         Listening to his friend explain his thoughts and feelings was hard, but Morgan understood them just as much. It was a situation he was all too familiar with and so he let the other speak. He easily let himself be pulled down, accepting the closeness that was both offered to and asked of him without any question. He knew it was something they both needed and was more than happy to give the other man the comfort he was asking for.

Listening to the other explain his memory, Morgan could help but chuckle along with him as he was laughing. “Your husband sounds like he was a funny guy,” he commented, voice soft. It was definitely a good memory, he noted and he was glad it seemed to bring the other man even just a bit of joy in his sadness, he was happy to see the other brighten up, if only a little. Maybe this night wasn’t so bad after all.

Though, when the other’s question came the man blanked for a moment. His favourite memory of his late husband? He had so many to choose from, they’d known each other for a long time, after all. He took in a deep breath, humming softly as he thought things over.

There were so many memories that he often thought of, like cooking together with his late husband, back when he had absolutely no clue what he was doing in the kitchen. That had been a blast. Femi had taught him everything there was to know about cooking after Morgan had almost burned down the entire kitchen once. Or maybe that time they had decided to go camping and had made love under the full moon, that was definitely something he wouldn’t forget.

But his most favourite memory of the man, was much simpler than that. “My favourite memory of Femi,” he started a soft looking coming over his face. “Was of how he would kiss me goodbye each morning,” he chuckled. It almost sounded comical, the other had given him a genuine story, yet, this was what made Morgan happiest to think back to. “The way he would,” he brought up his hand, softly touching his own cheek, a faraway look in his eyes. “Caress my cheek,” he closed his eyes, the memory clear as day, different times all melting together into one. “How he would look over my face before he would come in close and kiss me, he was warm and soft,” he hummed, opening his eyes again to look at the other. “It would never last long, but it was perfect to me.”

He sighed softly, letting his hand fall down to the bed as he rest his forehead against the others. “You’ll be fine,” he whispered, a smile on his lips. “It might take a while, but good things take time, I’ve been told,” just something else his husband used to say, tonight was just filled with memories.

[coldasxwinter]

Clover mirrored Sujin's frown, though he was still confused. And he didn't become less confused when the sweater was shoved into his arms. He looked down at it, and his eyes widened. But Sujin had a bag...he'd paid for this. He'd actually bought the sweater. Why would he do that for Clover?

Looking up, he watched Sujin's hands, and then he looked at the sweatshirt again. After a moment, he handed it back to Sujin so he could take off his threadbare hoodie and place it on the ground. Left in a plain t-shirt, he took the sweatshirt back and pulled it over his head. He had been right; it was warm, though not thick enough to take up too much space or be too heavy. Already he felt better in the chilly weather.

Picking up his hoodie, he threw it over his shoulder for the time being and then smiled at Sujin. "Thanks," he spoke, fingertips of his right hand resting on his chin and moving forward as he signed as well. "So, do I look good? How attractive do you find me?" He teased, spinning around in the sweatshirt with arms outstretched.

[pandemoniumfm]

         He smiled as the other accepted the hoodie from him. It wasn't that they were scared that he wouldn't, but as they stood there in front of the other they felt like it might've been a bit too spontaneous of a move. He really wasn't that good with social interactions anymore. Years of solitude seemed to do that to a person and the little interactions he had had were with a grumpy old person, which also didn't help.

But, Sujin was trying. He wanted to make friends again and Clover was one of the most fun people he'd met, ever, probably. Even his old friends who he would hang out with before leaving home weren't as intriguing to the young witch. Sure, some of them had been interesting. Most of them were older and more outspoken than Sujin had ever been, which left the witch somewhat starstruck and in awe of their skills and passion, but none of them seemed as genuinely friendly and down to earth as the other did. Not to Sujin at least.

At the other's question, Sujin looked the other over with a big smile before signing; 'Extremely sexy,' he decided to add a playful wink as he did so. 'If you're not careful I might end up falling in love,' the playful attitude came easy to the man, but was quickly exchanged with a shiver. Looking around he motioned towards a nearby café bringing up his hand to his lips as if he was going to take a sip of a drink. 'Wanna go drink something?'

[blackcatxmagic]

It seemed like every time he had a night to himself and decided to go to a bar, Dimi met a handsome man. Ozma was with her friend again - the girls had been spending so much time together, which made Dimi happy - so he decided to check out Breaking Glass finally. It was definitely a different vibe than the bar where he'd met Jack, but Dimi found that he liked both of them. And he wasn't exactly looking to meet someone tonight either, just wanting to do something that wasn't at either Sebastian's house or the photo lab. So Dimi sat at the bar drinking his beer, just people-watching and enjoying the ambiance.

And then the handsome man entered. Dimi noticed him almost immediately, smiling at the sight of him; maybe he wasn't looking for anything in particular, but he could enjoy the view. And he did want to meet more people in Cardinal Hill, even if that hadn't been his aim tonight. The man moved to sit in the stool next to him, and Dimi smiled at this; it was a bit of an ego boost that this handsome guy had chosen to sit next to him, even if it had purely just been the first barstool he'd seen. Turning to the man, Dimi kept smiling as he spoke. "Exactly what I was thinking," he replied, raising his glass in return. "I like being somewhere so lively. It's kind of invigorating, you know?" Dimi kept smiling at the man, taking the chance to discreetly look him up and down as the other took a drink; yeah, he was definitely handsome. "My name is Dimi," he introduced himself. "I haven't been in Cardinal Hill long at all, so I'm trying to get to know the town - and the people - a bit better."

[pandemoniumfm]

         Emilio was happy to have found someone interested in making idle conversation. Or maybe deep, too, you could never know when going to a bar. Turning to the man he listened to them with great interest, a smile on his face as he did so. As the other introduced himself, he wondered where he was from, the man definitely looked interesting and Emilio loved interesting people. He wanted to know everything there was to know about people, and Dimi was no exception. Yet, he had so be careful not to interrupt with questions as the other was still talking, but his mind was already cooking up all kinds of questions for the other.

“Well,” he chuckled as he held up his drink to the other. “Welcome to Cardinal Hill,” he then added. “The people here are usually pretty nice, albeit a bit weird,” he said, and he would know, as a teacher you met many people, even those you rather not meet. “I’m Emilio, I teach high schoolers about the wondrous world of art and own the art exhibit just down the block,” he smiled as he took a sip of his drink, enjoying the buzz of the people around them. “Where are you from, Dimi?” He then asked, turning his chair slightly so he could better look at the man. “What brings you to Cardinal Hill?”

[blackcatxmagic]

When he saw the other sign his response, Winter signed back, 'Sweaters are good for that too. I love sweaters. It still amazed him how easily this all came to him; it was like it wasn't even a conscious thought, coming as easily as speaking did. Winter just wished he knew how he knew sign language, but he was glad in this case. 'I don't like big events either,' Winter signed. The biggest events he went to were those in Cardinal Hill, which always had a small town vibe anyway. 'They're...a lot,' he signed. 'Too many people.'

There was something so nice about this interaction with Sujin. It felt so nice, and Winter realized he didn't normally shop with people. Maybe he should do it more often. 'I wear a lot of sweaters' he confirmed. 'They're so cozy.' Winter laughed as he signed this, and then he spotted a colorful short that was bordering on garish, but Winter liked it. 'This is a lot' he signed, 'but I like it. The pattern is cool. What do you think?'

[pandemoniumfm]

         Sujin hadn't met a new person who was able to sign as well as the other did in a while, the last person he'd met who was able to understand signing and be able to sign back themself was probably Clover. It was refreshing and left the young witch feeling warm inside. Maybe he could finally have another friend, the idea excited them. It was nice to be able to fully understand what another person was saying instead of grasping at straws.

As he looked over the garment the other had picked up, Sujin thought about the question the young man had asked him. It was bright, brighter than anything he'd ever owned, but he didn't hate it. 'It's not bad, I think this would suit you,' he signed as he looked over the piece again, wondering if this was something the other liked to wear. 'Do you often go for brighter colours?'

[boris-themenace]

.

"I mean, you can go both ways. This isn't really an either-or matter, sorry if I made it seem like it was," they said, then gave the sweater they had picked another look. "My favorite sweater's this one that has this checkered pattern, with blue and green. But then I was a complete knucklehead and put it in the washing machine, so it shrunk, and now here I am." Boris huffed loudly. They liked this one they had selected, but they wanted one they could love. "You've got a more minimalistic style, it seems."

Boris kept looking around through the store, giving little glances behind them every once in a while to make sure Sujin was still around. Turning around once more, they found a sweater with a cute pattern of puppies running through a field, and they held it out for Sujin to see. Most of the sweaters they came across were too big for them, even the ones they actually really liked. Now, they were as adept to oversize fashion as much as the next person, but they didn't want to seem too small by wearing something that looked huge on them.

"A seagull, in Cardinal Hill?" Boris chuckled. "It would have to be a pretty lost seagull." They really liked animals, and they were all for having more pets –the more the merrier; but Ralph alone made such a mess, they couldn't even begin to imagine the sort of things birds could do if tried to keep in a closed environment. "Oh, you got a bird? What's their name? How long have you had them?"

[pandemoniumfm]

         They were trying their best to keep track of what the other was saying and were so happy they had taken the extra time in the past few years to learn how to lip read. It had been a while since Sujin had had to put this much focus on another person during a conversation and despite the struggle he thought he was managing pretty well, if only this person would stop looking away. He was sure he looked like a madman trying to keep his eyes glued to their face as he was.

But, despite the small hurdle, the conversation was pleasant. Sujin had only barely understood that something must've happened to the other's sweater and understood immediately, nodding along with their story, they had had a similar experience before with a pair of jeans. Sujin was never putting his jeans in the dryer again.

As the other was making their way through the store, Sujin followed close behind, it seemed there was much to learn about in the world of less depressing sweaters for the young witch and he loved watching the other pull things from the bunch, he could learn something from them here. Everything they pulled out looked so nice and colourful, which made them want to try and find a similar sweater.

"Yeah, I have an African grey parrot, his name is Patchy," they confirmed with a small smile. "He's kind of a pain in my ass, though," the young witch chuckled as he remembered the stubborn bird he'd left all alone back at home. He hoped he wouldn't be coming back to a mess later, but knowing his bird he might not have that kind of luck. "But, I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world, he's my best friend and he's been with me for about fifteen years now."

His beloved parrot had come to him during his early teens, when the boy had only just learned of his magic abilities. Looking over the sweaters again, the witch pulled out a sweater that had a pattern on it in bright yellows and greens. "It would be so nice if they had a sweater with birds on it."

[blackcatxmagic]

There were a lot of thoughts swimming Leo's mind, and if he dwelled in any of them, he was worried he'd bolt. This was no big deal. That was what Leo kept telling himself, trying to convince himself; this was just two friends hanging out eating breakfast. In bed. Wearing almost no clothing. Friends did that all the time. Even as he thought this, Leo smirked, laughing shortly, as he pet Pepper. There was a part of him even now ringing the alarm in his head, but it was such a small part, that alarm muffled and barely audible, so it was easy to ignore. There were worse ways Leo could spend his time than lying in bed with one of the most gorgeous men he'd ever laid eyes on.

When Morgan walked in, Leo immediately smiled, a reaction that came naturally yet caught him totally off-guard. Morgan just had a way of inspiring happiness inside him, but again, was that so strange? They were friends. And besides, at least some of that happiness was because of the breakfast - Leo was hungry. "Dogs just usually like me," Leo told Morgan. He took the plate gratefully, and once Morgan was in bed, Leo automatically scooted closer to him, settling in next to the man while trying not to think about how their bodies seemed perfectly shaped to go together. "This looks really good," Leo said, taking a bite of toast with one hand while the other settled on Morgan's thigh like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The pair ate breakfast together, talking easily, Leo marveling at how he not once was itching to make his escape. Even on the rare occasions he spent the night with someone, he left as soon as he woke up, but Leo was in no hurry. In fact, he was already thinking of ways to extend his visit. "So Love," Leo said, smirking at the nickname he'd given Morgan the first time they'd met; how could he not use a last name like that? "What do you have planned today? I...well, I'm off work today at both jobs, and uh...I guess if you were off work as well, we could maybe do something?" Leo hated that he was stammering because - again - this was no big deal. This was just two friends making plans to hang out. Leo kept eating his breakfast, and once he'd had his fill, Leo set the plate on the nightstand and said, "That was good." He moved even closer to Morgan, pressed against him, reaching up to casually turned Morgan's head so he could kiss him softly on the lips. "Handsome, funny, good kisser, great in bed, and now a good cook too," Leo remarked. "You're just the whole package, aren't you?" And now Leo was thinking about that, his hand sliding a little up Morgan's thigh, though it was mostly just a flirtatious gesture - for now. "I didn't even tell you the best part about my plan," Leo said. "It involves showering together first."

[pandemoniumfm]

         The man was so happy that he'd already finished his breakfast. It wasn't that he didn't like having the other all over him, but he knew if he'd still had a plate full of food in his hands, that plate would've ended up all over his bed's covers by now. Which, he had only just changed the day prior. Something about the other man's presence was intoxicating and Morgan wasn't entirely sure how to deal with it just yet, given he ever would be able to get over it.

He felt like a teenage girl having her very first crush, only he got to kiss his crush, amongst other things. On second thought, he probably wouldn't get over it. What was he even thinking? He didn't have a crush. No, nope, he definitely did not. No sirree. He just thought the man was attractive and good company. Great company even. A beast in bed and out of bed too. The other man made him feel wanted and that was it. He just hadn't had this type of attention in a while. A long while.

As he listened to the rest of other's proposition, he smiled. It sounded like a nice plan and he actually didn't really have anything else to do himself, either. Plus, he was absolutely dying for a shower at this point too, and he wouldn't ever say no to sharing the water with his way too attractive friend. It definitely was unfair. Yet, for a moment he pretended to think it over, humming softly as if he was deep in thought before throwing the other a playful smile. "I don't have anything planned for the day and I think we have some time before the Queen herself," he motioned to Pepper, who had laid down at their feet. "Demands her daily walk."

As he pushed himself up off the bed, he leaned down over the other placing a short kiss to his lips before turning to leave to the bathroom, breakfast plates forgotten. "I think a hot shower is the best way to start the day," he spoke over his shoulder as he let his robe slide down his body, leaving the garment laying on the bedroom floor.

[innocentcurse]

It was extremely rare to see Romeo out and about somewhere like Breaking Glass; he wasn't a big drinker, and he wasn't exactly a socialite, either, so the sight of the red head up at the bar, drink in hand, was quite the spectacle for those who knew him. As much as those closest to him might have wanted it to be, however, the visit wasn't only one of leisure - naturally; instead, Romeo had found himself at the bar with a hidden agenda, though his initial plans had unfortunately fallen through by the time that Emilio showed up.

Disappointment was plastered all over Romeo's face as he sat there, cradling his beer. He had so been hoping to a find a regular patient of his there, having heard rumours of his weekend plans; Romeo had intended on steering the patient in the right direction after he had discharged himself against medical advice, but alas, he hadn't shown up. Romeo supposed it was a stupid idea in the first place, one that would never have worked out as intended, but still, he was positively disappointed that he hadn't been able to save the day.

"It is," Romeo remarked in response, having almost forgot just how busy the bar was as he hadn't found the one person he had been looking for. It was almost as if Emilio's words finally snapped Romeo out of his own little world. "I suppose I should, yeah," Romeo hadn't expected their words to act as such a powerful reminder, but the more he thought about it, the more he realised that it would be an absolute waste to get nothing out of his time here. He took a swig of his beer. "I actually hadn't realised just how busy it had gotten since I arrived," he commented as he looked around with a little more presence now.

[pandemoniumfm]

         The older man chuckled as he looked over to the other, glad someone replied to his attempt to start a conversation. The young man at first seemed slightly distracted, which Emilio figured was because of how loud it was in the bar. It was quite busy at Breaking Glass this specific evening, people around them were holding their own conversations and it seemed there was a new game of pool starting on the other end of the bar that was getting people pretty riled up.

Even for the older man the noise was slightly getting to him, he wondered if it was because he'd spent the entire day cooped up in his office. Either way, he hadn't seen the bar this busy in a while and while he wasn't here every single night like some of the people he knew, he would definitely call himself a regular. As long as they made his beloved Irish Affogato, he was always happy to come back, time and time again.

Taking another sip from his drink, he hoped the noise would die down a bit, soon. While he quite enjoyed the buzz and sounds of happy people around them, he could only just understand what the other man was saying and when he looked over to the man once more, it seemed like the other had come back down to earth. "Seems like Breaking Glass is tonight's hot spot," he provided, giving the other a playful smile. "I'm Emilio Videla," he said then, trying his best to be heard above the ruckus. "I don't think we've met?"

[ritualove]

Lorelei hadn't been someone that goes out very regularly, even less by herself, but recently she hasn't minded it. She's been trying to go out more, and Breaking Glass Bar is a reliable place to find some people she knows, unfortunately however, the faces in the bar today were unfamiliar. She ordered some fruity cocktail that she had recently learns she actually enjoys, and sat at the bar, taking in the sights of the people.

Emilio's face caught her attention as he walked in, and ordered a drink Lorelei had never heard of. She couldn't help but stare as the bartender put together the concoction she never would have thought of, surprised that someone would have even made it up, let alone order it at a bar. As she watched Emilio take the glass from the bartender, she was happily surprised to hear him talk, interested in learning more about him. "It is, isn't it?" She asked, rhetorically, looking around at the bar that had filled up considerably quickly since she last examined the ambience. Her attention was caught again but Emilio's invitation to clink glasses, which she gladly accepted, tapping the dainty cocktail glass against his cup. "What drink is that? I've not heard of it before... is that icecream?" She asked, taking a chance to peak inside of the container as they cheersed.

[pandemoniumfm]

         Emilio was glad to see the other actually reciprocate his attempt at conversation. Not that it happened often that conversation at the bar wasn't reciprocated or welcomed. Especially at Breaking Glass, it seemed like people were more than happy to make conversation. No matter what about. Maybe it was the small town mentality? He wasn't sure, but he was more than happy to be able to talk to someone after the lonely day he'd had, stuck at the office all day.

Looking over at the other when she spoke again, Emilio figured he'd never seen the woman before, which was rare for the man. Being a teacher and business owner, it sometimes truly seemed like he knew everyone there was to know in the town, but he was happy to find this wasn't the case just yet. At the other's question he smiled, nodding. "That is ice cream," he confirmed, looking into his own cup before taking another sip. He honestly wasn't too sure what was in it himself, but it tasted just right every time and so it had quickly become his go-to cocktail. "It's an Irish coffee, creamy, cold," he chuckled. "Coffee-ish."

Sitting back in his stool slightly, the noise in the bar was only getting louder. It seemed some of the patrons had decided on playing a drinking game and the space was filled with laughter because of it. He smiled at the sound before he let his wonder take over. "I don't think we've met before, I'm Emilio Videla."

[blackcatxmagic]

Ever since the other day when he'd gone through the woods with Annette, Winter had been spending more time out here. There was something about it that felt a little bit unsettling, but more than that, it felt like Winter belonged out here, like the answers he was seeking could be found here, at least some of them. And he had always liked winter too. It was his namesake after all, and he was born in a blizzard on the winter solstice, so it felt like he was predestined to like it. The snow was falling softly, muffling the sound around him, and everything just felt so peaceful. There was no fear right now, and Winter felt more at home than he had in awhile. It's like you belong here, he thought, though Winter didn't quite know what to do with that thought or what it could mean.

As he walked through the woods, Winter emerged through the trees into a clearing, and he stopped abruptly - he wasn't alone. "Oh," Winter said, surprised by the sight of the man. "I didn't think anyone else was out here." He was about to leave the man in peace when he spoke, so instead Winter approached, moving to stand beside him. "It really is," Winter agreed. "I love being out here, and honestly I love being outside when it's snowing. My name is Winter, so I guess that makes sense." He looked over at the man, smiling at him, though he felt that familiar uneasiness. "Do we know each other?" Winter asked. "I'm sorry, my memory isn't the best." That was definitely an understatement.

[pandemoniumfm]

         Keeping his eye on the other as he spoke, Aart buried his face a bit deeper into his scarf, trying to keep his nose as warm as he possibly could. No matter how much he loved the cold season that was winter, a cold nose was never fun to the human and he just so happened to have forgotten to bring tissues on this fateful day. Bummer. Listening to the other speak, he let a smile fall over his features. He wasn't expecting to see another person at this place, but was happy to hear that someone else seemed to enjoy being in the woodlands, just like he did.

The man was slightly taken aback at the other's name, surprise clearly showing on his face as he looked at the other. Just like the man next to him though, he absolutely adored the season and he said just as much. "I love winter," he told the other, eyes meeting the others' as he did so, voice soft. He looked out at the scenery once more before he realised he should probably introduce himself as well. The pair clearly didn't know each other and he was already being weird. Shaking his head, he quickly added: "I don't think we've met," he smiled as he brought out his hand for the other to shake. "My name isn't as interesting as yours I'm afraid, it's Aart."

[innocentcurse]

Dorothy was absolutely freezing, the chill working its way right down to her bones. While Dorothy was an extremely social person - particularly in Cardinal Hill where she had friends and family around every corner - when the weather started to get this bite to it, she was so often found bundled up in the warmth and safety of her home as much as she could be. That wasn't the case that day.

Instead of cuddling up to her partner in front of their television set, Dorothy had rugged up as much as she could, and she had set out for a walk. Her mind felt too busy to simply enjoy staying in, the type of busy that not even good company could help her to avoid. Everything felt too much, a feeling that Dorothy had began feeling more and more as of late. She needed to get out, she needed to clear her mind, and what better way to do that than to freeze it half to death?

She hadn't meant to come across anyone else, not that she was totally avoiding it, but it wasn't at all part of her plan. To say that she was startled when she first caught sight of Aart was to say the very least, but she quickly recomposed herself, and if anything, the fright had silenced her thoughts at least a little bit. She pulled a soft smile across her face. "It's gorgeous; I thought I'd be the only one out enjoying it, if I'm honest."

[pandemoniumfm]

         Aart hummed softly, smiling at the other's words. In all honesty, he too had thought he'd be the only one there at this time of the day. It was nearing nightfall already and he knew the dark, at times, brought with it unwelcomed guests. Yet, he wasn't too afraid. The woods had never done him wrong and he believed the comfort they brought him would last.

Thinking back to the other's words, he realised he hadn't ever really run into another person while he was out this far before, or if he had, he sure couldn't remember at this point in time. Of course, the occasional bird would fly past, every now and again he'd run into a lost deer, but it seemed the townsfolk genuinely believed in the stories floating around about the place and steered clear of the woodland.

Turning back to look out at the scenery, the human wondered just why people seemed to be afraid of the place. He could vaguely recall some of the stories he'd been told by others, but somehow he didn't believe any of it. It was a lovely woodland, calm and beautiful. Even if it was definitely way too cold for a human to be out right now. Stuffing his hands a bit further into his pockets he turned back to the other.

"Walk with me?" He asked, motioning with his head, tilting it to a path that led deeper into the woodland. "It's not getting warmer, so let's try and move a bit," he chuckled, the breath escaping from his lips making white clouds appear. As the pair moved further into the woods, the man was silent for a moment before speaking again; "Have you heard any of the tales people tell of this place?"

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean sat there on the floor with the cat - Mouse it seemed - petting him, smiling at the cat crawled into his lap to settle in for a nap. But he couldn't bring himself to look at Sunshine right now because he was feeling so stupid. Why had he thought it was okay to just show up? Most people didn't like when visitors just showed up with no warning; what if Sunshine had been in the middle of something. The more he thought about this, the more Ocean started to spiral, and he tried to keep himself from spinning out, but it wasn't that easy. He focused on Mouse, leaning down to kiss the top of the cat's head, smiling as the cat purred. "I wish I had called first," Ocean whispered, almost like he was talking to Mouse rather than his sister.

It didn't seem like Sunshine was mad, but Ocean knew his siblings wouldn't let him know how irritated they were when he messed up, which was all the time. Still, he accepted the chocolate, smiling when he saw that Sunshine really had written his name on it. "You bought this for me?" Ocean asked, surprised. "You could have bought something for yourself instead." He hated when his family wasted their money on him; he wasn't worth it. The longer Ocean was here, the more he spiraled, which was the exact opposite of what he wanted to happen. In fact, this had been why Ocean had avoided coming here for so long, the fear that this exact thing would happen. You should have known, Ocean thought. Why did you think this would be any different? He really was delusional.

Holding Mouse was helping though. He continued to pet the cat as he talked with Sunshine, and Ocean started to wonder if he should actually get a cat. "I just am worried I wouldn't be able to make a cat happy," Ocean said softly. "I don't think that's something I'm good at." He said that last part in a voice barely above a whisper, again like he was talking to Mouse rather than Sunshine. Even though he was unraveling right here on Sunshine's floor, he wanted to spend time with his sister, so Ocean willed himself to pull it together. It helped to keep Mouse in his arms as he stood up, walking with Sunshine into the living room. "If you want, I can come back when you're not busy," Ocean offered.

[pandemoniumfm]

         Sitting down on the couch, Sunshine motioned to the other to sit down on the space next to her. "Again," they smiled at the other. "You are fine, there is absolutely no reason for you to feel like you're intruding," they looked around their small living room, her forgotten journal still laying open on the small desk she'd been able to fit into the space.

"I wasn't doing anything interesting anyway, in fact I was waiting for a distraction to take me away from my dull, dull, life," she joked, softly bumping her elbow into the other's arm. She wasn't lying when she said she wasn't doing much of interest, her journaling wasn't getting anywhere, maybe now she finally would have something to write about in the small notebook she's been ignoring for way too long. "You're always welcome here, you're my brother."

She wondered if the other knew just how much she'd missed this; being close to her family. Life away from the commune was lonely to the witch at times, the place always so full of life and love, but most of all she missed her family. How they would have breakfast together, or how she would spend the evenings with her siblings, just being together. They missed that.

Taking a sip from her hot chocolate, she looked over the other, her dearest Mouse was still glued to the younger man. He seemed to like the youngest sibling. Maybe the small animal realised just how important the other was to the witch. A smile fell over her lips at the thought and she looked back up at the other. "How are you coping, Ocean?" They asked, voice soft. "How is life in Cardinal Hill treating you?"

[hexstrom]

Astrid’s thoughts wandered as she listened to the other’s words about old married couples. Her mind briefly drifted to her own parents—how they had never gotten the chance to grow old together. Fate had been cruel to them, taking both far too young; and she was left with no memory of them as a couple, no chance to see the years of shared moments that others often had. The thought of them growing old together, laughing and supporting each other through the years, or even getting their rings fixed, was something she would never know. It was a quiet ache; but she had learned to mostly live with it.

She blinked, pushing the bittersweet memory aside, and smiled at Sunshine. "It sounds like a lot of responsibility; men, I am certain they appreciate what you do for them."

Her gaze then shifted back to the pastries still taking residence in the display case. "Something filling... a kardemummabulle is always a good choice. It is filling och will last you all afternoon." She glanced over, considering the other’s request and what else she could possibly suggest. This time of day, there were far less options than in the morning hours; so her suggestions were limited. "Eller, if you want something, um... vad heter det... um, something not sweet, rye bread och cheese should be good?" She paused, adding with a small smile. "I can put it all in a takeaway box for you if you are in a hurry? I might have a tomato also if you want cheese och tomato on the rye?" Cheese and tomato on a slice of freshly baked rye bread had been one of the brunette's favorite snacks since she was a child. It never failed to satisfy.

[pandemoniumfm]

         Sunshine listened to the other's explanation, nodding along here and there before humming, letting the information sink in. She was craving something sweet, but the mention on cheese on rye bread sounded quite good too. Biting on their lower lip, they nodded to themself, decision made.

"I'll take the rye bread with some cheese," they smiled up at the other before quickly checking their watch. It seemed they hadn't been away too long and they knew their colleagues would be fine without her for a while. Usually around this time they didn't see too many people till close to closing time, which people seemed to decide was the best time to come into the store to get their ears pierced or to pick out wedding rings. She would never understand how some people could waltz in like that ten minutes before closing.

"I'll eat here, if that's okay?" They didn't really want to leave the warm bakery just yet, nor say goodbye to the other woman. Sunshine didn't really know how to explain it, but the other was intriguing to the young witch. Something about the woman pulled them in and they wanted to explore it more.