always room here for the lonely.

parker edel lewis thirty-six. park ranger. bighorn hills. i watched the night sky with it’s countless stars and its moon, and i wondered about the universe and all that had been created, why the stars and the moon rose at night and the sun in the day, how vast it must be, how i could never understand the infinite measure of its size.

[parkerlcwis]

FULL NAME: parker edel lewis.

NICKNAME(S): park, pewy.

AGE:  thirty-six.

DATE OF BIRTH: june 15.

PLACE OF BIRTH: providence peak, colorado.

CURRENT LOCATION: providence peak, colorado.

GENDER: cis female.

PRONOUNS: she/her.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: pansexual.

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: panromantic.

RELIGION: none.

OCCUPATION: park ranger.

EDUCATION LEVEL: bachelor's degree.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: cabin in bighorn hills.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, ETC.

FACECLAIM: kylie bunbury.

HAIR COLOR AND STYLE: dark brown & it depends on the day. sometimes she likes to wear it tied back, other days she prefers leaving it down.

EYE COLOR: dark brown.

EYESIGHT: perfect vision.

HEIGHT: five foot, eight inches.

WEIGHT:  one hundred and twenty-eight pounds.

BODY AND BUILD: athletic / slim.

TATTOOS: none.

PIERCINGS: ears.

CLOTHING STYLE: casual.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: smile.

HEALTH.

MENTAL DISORDER(S): anxiety.

PHYSICAL DISORDER(S): none.

ALLERGIES: none.

SLEEPING HABITS: she doesn't really sleep. not because she has anything keeping her up at night, but she loves the stars and the moon? loves sitting out on her back porch until sleep hits.

EATING HABITS: is very much a home cooked meal kinda gal. she doesn't really like getting takeout when she can whip up a mean meal, but her favorite spot (and is top secret to most people) is the burger joint. she'd argue their fries are the best she's ever had.

SOCIABILITY: oh, she can work a room well. humor is out of this world, but it's not for everyone.

ADDICTIONS: sarcasm?

DRUG USE: marijuana occasionally.

ALCOHOL USE: casual drinker & loves a good glass of wine to settle down.

FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS, ETC.

MOTHER: erika lewis, née novak.

FATHER: gregory lewis (†).

SIGNIFICANT OTHER: none.

BEST FRIEND: 

EXES: lainey lee (unofficially).

SIBLING(S): marcus lewis (younger brother).

PET(S): unnamed cat she found recently.

BIOGRAPHY.

The only thing Parker's parents loved more than the beauty of nature was the simple fact of being parents. Erika, her mother, was a wildlife preservationist that met her father in her fourth and final year of university and while Gregory was in his first year of veterinary school. They were the epitome of love at first sight, the kind of love story that authors write about and that directors long for in film. Even the planning of the first child was oddly perfect. Her father had only just graduated veterinary school when her mother found out she was pregnant. The running joke was that Parker was the best graduation gift he could have asked for.

Having been born and raised in Providence Peak, Parker lived in a few areas around the city before her parents settled in Bighorn Hills. At the time, she'd just turned the big five when another happy twist was added to their story. Her mother was pregnant again, and this time, the running joke was that it was a late gift to the child who had always voiced wanting a younger sibling to go through life with. Nine months later, it was Marcus Hershel Lewis that was being welcomed into the world.

Despite being young, there wasn't an ounce of jealousy to be felt. Instead, she was the best big sister she could have been. Throughout the years, that never changed. It didn't matter how annoying her little brother got, she was always there for him and to no one's surprise, he was always there for her.

Their picture perfect story came to an end when Parker was a teenager. She and her brother had been playing out back when their mother's shaky voice called them in for the evening. She knew that something was off, even if their mother tried her best to remain strong. It was a work related accident, they'd said. She assumed the details were spared for the sake of their juvenile hears, but it didn't stop the kids at school from whispering about their parents had heard. Every version was a more gruesome than the last, but in the end. the details didn't matter. Her father was gone and a big piece of the family feeling was too.

The loss didn't keep her mother from trying though. If anything, the woman's efforts tripled. Marcus took it harder than Parker did, or at least, he showed it more than she had managed to do. He got into trouble and when she tried like hell to keep him out of it, he seemed to push back a hundred times harder. She didn't quit though. He was her responsibility. At the age of five, she'd sworn to protect him from everything bad in the world and no matter his resistance, she wasn't going to stop.

Eventually, he worked through his grief and when there was no one else to fix, it came time for her own grief to consume her whole. She was freshly graduated from high school and everything in her burned. In hopes of the feeling passing, she continued on, but the longer she avoided the inevitable, the more it hurt. So, at the age of twenty, she took off to New York City. For what? She had no real plan in mind. There was nothing there for her. She worked odd jobs to keep her head above water, but a few years into it, she realized that running from her hometown wasn't going to solve the void in her chest.

Only coming to terms with her father's loss would. Once more, she packed her bags and returned home. She finished the degree she'd started and as if she hadn't taken a break from schooling at all. She completed various trainings and after a short volunteer stint with search and rescue, she passed the physical exam to become a park ranger.

Now, she's living in the mountains of Bighorn Hills on property she purchased with part of the funds her father had sat aside for her. It's not much, but the cabin is all she needs with a back porch view worth a million dollars.

[anna-thebanana]

[remiwilder]

“A milkshake or a Slurpee also work fantastically.” The smile said she approved. Remi picked up the bottle of champagne to examine it further. “We should’ve chilled it first. Probably would’ve tasted or gone down better.” Easy comments, not complaints. Sometimes it didn’t really matter the form the booze came in, it was simply needed for a good release of stress and anxiety. Or to deal with life in general. The happy cat on the back of the couch stole her attention as she reached out to rub its soft fur while it purred in his cozy content. “Seems he has no bones about being a house cat. Who could complain when your servant is a genius.” Mostly a tease, she grinned and scrunched her nose at Parker. 

A lazy shrug of her shoulders silently answered that she hadn’t been up to anything new. Her life revolved around her son and work, leaving little room for much else. “Just working all the time. When I’m not working I’m with Cash. He’s eager for little league and soccer to start up but enjoying karate for now.” Which was good. The eight year old was pretty active and not like most kids these days that preferred indoors playing video games or stuck to screens. “What about you? I feel like that’s why you were asking anyway.” A teasing smile mostly because Remi could sense some kind of anticipation. She sipped on the champagne, brow risen as Parker spoke of her dad’s old briefcase. Of course she was interested and involuntarily shifted forward some. “Does it have anything in it? Like his notes or books — anything?” The house calls mention made Remi smile a little to herself, she did those on occasion. “Yeah, I’d love it, if you’re sure…” ( @parkerlcwis )

[parkerlcwis]

"Noted for the next time." Her stomach turned at the thought of dipping fries into a milkshake. If the chilly weather outside hadn't of been an entire feat within itself, she would have made the short journey to retrieve one for the each of them. "I thought about sitting it outside, but I must have gotten distracted." Her smile pulled a little wider, said distraction coming in the form of a cowboy. The mention of Grimm caused the ranger's gaze to sweep over the room to where the feline friendly purred peacefully in place. "He likes hikes too. Weird cat, isn't he? I ordered him a leash. If he's going to be taking hikes with me, I don't want to run the risk of him getting lost out there." He'd been lost once, she couldn't bear the thought of it happening again.

Laughter spilled into the air, her eyes rolling. "Exactly. He's the luckiest." She went out of her way to ensure perfection, an ironic feat for a woman who'd had a father as a vet. "Speaking of your mini, you should bring him by sometime to meet Grimm." She might not have had a child of her own, or had ever really considered it, but she adored Cash in the way any aunt would with their nephew. "Both," she countered with a soft smile and nod. Neither she or her brother had any use for it, but if Remi could do something with it, then it belonged with her. "I'm sure it would have ended up in your hands anyway. He adored you and it's not like Marcus or I were going to be filling in his shoes anyway. Please, if you'll have it, it's yours."

@remiwilder

[theaxharris]

Thea paused for a moment let out a laugh at Parker remembering her brother in fact owed her money. "Oop, well okay maybe he really shouldn't be expecting anything then." Her own only-child status left her only ever loaning money very rarely out to friends. She usually tended to do so when asked but it was increasingly longer in between being asked nowadays.

It sounded like Parker really knew the man, which was a bit surprising considering just a month or so earlier she'd been trying to distance herself from the mention of Silas. Thea just gave a look her way, not making comment on it. She listened as her friend opened up and she nodded in understanding. It was awhile since she'd felt that way, she'd been with a few people before Elliot, but she'd been single for quite awhile before then and had gotten used to certain things. When asked how she'd done it with Elliot she couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "We did not do it very well. I was in denial that I even liked him as a person for months after we first hooked up. And then even when I did express that I had feelings for him we weren't official until months later. Like people ask how long we've been together and sometimes I have to remember we took like six months to become official. And it wasn't until after I called him out on wanting to live the best of both worlds; act like he was still single to his friends while taking me out on dates and making me feel like we were exclusive. I know I had my guards up and he did too." Thea shared knowing that Parker probably wasn't expecting this to be her answer, and she probably was oversharing too. "But, I mean it took us both realizing we wanted to be with another more than we wanted to lose what we had for us to make things official. So...I'd probably not going about things that way and just have the conversation on expectations and what you're feeling before you get to that point."

@parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

"He's kind of an idiot, but I love him. He's lucky he's my brother." As much as she jokingly complained about him, at the end of the day, she would have done damn near anything to ensure his happiness in the world, just as he would have done for her and had done for her plenty of times. It was the kind of sibling bond that most weren't even lucky to have, but those who did often didn't realize how fortunate they were.

The fiery exchanges between her and Silas had been going on for far too long to keep track of. She'd liked his company, even on the nights around the ranch hand's fires where she'd kept a distance them, all while playing with another kind of fire too. "I'm not sure that either of us are in denial about anything. It's just... when you made things official, did anything change?" A part of her feared losing the banter, but at the same time, the kind of heat that boiled between them didn't just fade away with a label. Nodding to let the other know she'd heard every word, Parker sucked in a deep breath and blew it out a few seconds later. "You're right. We should talk about it. It's the only way we're going to know where we stand." Officially, at least.

@theaxharris

[dilanxbarak-deactivated20240522]

Dilan's lips curled upwards in a smile as the woman said that she could use company and a friend. There was comfort in knowing that strangers were still kind, even when approached randomly in the bar. "Oh, good," she smiled, taking a seat next to the woman as she offered up the free spot next to her. "What brings you out, tonight, then?" Dilan asked curiously with a warm smile on her lips, "Dilan," she introduced herself in return to the woman. "Oh, you don't -" she was shaking her head, but as she stopped, she lifted her gaze to meet that of her new friend, "thank you, that's far too kind, really, consider the first round on me next time we see each other. I'll have whatever you are having." @parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

If it weren't for Silas being busy and tensions being high, she would have had no problem waltzing through the ranch gates and hanging with the other hands and the man she'd fallen hard for. The bitter reminder of what Del had done, or had tried to do, kept her away. "Pleasure is all mine, Dilan." She nipped at her bottom lip, head dipping to further acknowledge the other's greeting. If she were going to make a new friend, she wasn't going to hold back. "It's a blue hawaiian. Figured it's cold out, but it doesn't have to seem that way in here."

@dilanxbarak

[phoebeyates-archive]

Phoebe wasn’t up for doing much this week. She had been trying to stay optimistic, to be the complete opposite after the last time her and Foster fell out, but the last thing she wanted was to be around happy people. It was why she made excuses to leave whenever Eli popped by to see Asli on their lunch break (well, that, and the Day That Didn’t Happen at Condom Sense was still fresh in her memories), and had massively reduced her screen time, avoiding Instagram and anything else with bright smiles and people with their shit together.

But she couldn’t avoid everyone forever, and she had felt guilty for feeling like she had neglected Parker somewhat, even if the woman’s bright smile in greeting when she entered the bar soothed any fears of actual annoyance of it taking while to pin Phoebe down to have a drink with. She glanced around, on the off-chance Foster was here somewhere, but couldn’t see the familiar blonde curls, just the few regulars she befriended during her brief stint of unemployment. “You surely don’t come here enough if you think here’s the best. Randall will swing by any minute to talk about fishing,” She said in greeting, referring to one of the old men who usually slumped at the bar around this time. “Umm, wine? We can share a bottle if you want?” She sat on the free stool next to Parker, shrugging off her jacket. “Anything new to report?”

▬ @parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

She was riding out a happiness high, no desire to hold back in sight. What heartbreak she had faced as a teenager no longer had a hold over her, though the pain of what she had lost would forever linger beneath the surface. Phoebe was right about her not visiting often enough. Usually, she was tucked into a cowboy's side when they graced the bar and if she came on her own, it was for one drink and nothing more before she headed off to the seclusion of her cabin where she cracked open a bottle of something ro another and enjoyed the view out back.

"I'll tell Randall to find another seat if he wants to talk about fishing." Despite the playful pitch and smile on her mouth, she was serious. It wasn't often she got to catch up with the other, even less so in a place like the bar and she be damned if some regular was going to ruin that. "Wine it is." After glass number two, she'd most certainly be reaching out to Silas for a ride past the city limits sign and if he wasn't available, another text to a New Yorker would be sent to see if the short trek to her place would be an option all the same. "We made it official," she hummed, bottom lip captured between her teeth to stifle the excitement that fluttered in her chest. What had transcribed after made her heart sink, but she shoved that thought away. "I'm a spoken for woman now."

@phoebeyates

[ayselkarademir]

Since business was usually slow in the first few weeks of January, Aysel tended to be in the store more often and to give her sales associates less hours to work as it wasn't profitable for her. The worst part of winter in her opinion, wasn't even the cold, but the shorter days. Before she realized, it was dark outside and it made the hours move slower. It bored her.

But, as if someone had heard her thoughts or read her mind, in came Parker, with her beautiful curls sporting specs of snow, which, almost made Aysel whine at the thought of going home under the snow. Yet, she focused on what was important: Parker visiting the store.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The brunette shook her head as she stepped away from the counter. "You should always be happy to see me. Isn't that what friends do?" And considering that Parker was the only one the businessowner considered a friend, she felt entitled to ask that. She greeted her best friend with a gentle kiss on the cheek, quickly rubbing the spark of the lip gloss that lingered on the other's skin, and then pulled away. The dichotomy that was Aysel Karademir... she always had the harshest words, but she had always been the softest with Parker.

"Oh, I have plenty of recommendations, but they would depend on what you're looking for." Smirking, she arched one brow to Parker. "Are we looking for toys, clothes, games, what?" / @parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

They weren't vanilla by any means. The chips off her headboard and other various pieces of damage through her home would have said otherwise. Even the backseat of their vehicles had been christened with their untamed desire for one another. The sex shop idea had merely been a way of adding a new layer to what burned so brightly it caused her insides to ache when she couldn't have it — when she couldn't have him.

"Happy to see you, sure. Happy that you'll be seeing what I grab? Not so much." She wasn't a prude, but some things weren't meant for the public eye. That, and she didn't possess full confidence that she could pull anything off in the same way that others did without any sort of effort. What was she looking for? She wasn't sure, even as she paused at the foot of an aisle decorated in toys, her gaze shifted to Aysel.

Shoulders lifted in a shrug, each idea sparking an interest within. "Maybe one of each of those things?" Would he enjoy a game? Or seeing her in a thin piece of clothing that did little to cover her frame? "Let's start with clothing. I could use something new. Not something edible," she added, having already glanced over a box for edible panties. Maybe another time, she agreed to herself.

@ayselkarademir

[syweston]

— characters: silas & parker — setting: kendrick ranch, main barn —partner: @parkerlcwis

It had to have been one of the best rides to their spot, or one of the best rides he'd ever taken. The whole way, riding and chatting over snow scattered hills, nerves had turned and twisted his stomach.

There were things he wanted to talk seriously to her about. Silas had something to ask her. His feelings regarding her had grown faster than he'd ever expected or experienced. It was wild how they'd gone from a relationship of nothing but bickering and bitching to knowing he cared for her more than he'd ever cared for anyone.

They'd gone across states for each other. The ranger wore his shirts. On nights where the world was too much and his demons from the past, from wartime came for him, Parker had been right there.

Somehow she'd even weathered his family and still chose to stay on with him.

Not only had he needed to get his feelings out in the open, the cowboy couldn't take anymore hiding or keeping it from the world. She needed to be his and his only, and he wanted to be the same for her.

Now back from their ride, a couple, he began removing the saddles and brushing out the horses. He kissed her a few times and wrapped his arms around her, wanting nothing more than to get back to his place so they could celebrate on their own. Then maybe get dressed up and head out on the town.

The phone buzzed in his pocket and seeing that it was a call from the main house he reluctantly broke away from the park ranger, assuming importance. When he walked back over to her an apology was in his soulful eyes. "I gotta get up to the main house for a few minutes. Wont take too long, pop just needs some paperwork signed." Silas leaned in and kissed her. "Mind puttin' the horses out," he gestured to the small pasture on the left, "I'll be back in just a bit."

Another kiss and the rough hand of the cowboy pat her hip just before he went off to his truck.

[parkerlcwis]

If the ride could have lasted forever, she would have allowed it, all responsibilities and expectations outside of their bubble be damned. The tall and reinforced walls around her heart had finally come crashing down at the calloused hands of the man riding in time at her side. Her tight grip on the reigns had everything to do with anchoring the world consuming emotion that coursed through her chest and little to do with the sway of her saddle.

Every kiss felt like a slice of heaven on earth, but every departure left her bottom lip curling in a playful pout for more. She'd watched in awe and despite the thickness of his jacket hiding the muscles beneath, she knew what flexed with every lift of a saddle and it ignited the same fiery need she always felt while in his company.

His touch, his smile, his everything, it was was almost too much to bear. As the man pulled away to take a call, the park ranger busied herself with hanging the reigns in the designated spot within the barn. It was funny how many times they'd been out and how routine things felt with every step.

"Paperwork and signatures. Know what you're signing?" A brow lifted as she leaned into the short lived kiss, her gaze sweeping over him upon the departure before shifting to the pasture in question. "I can handle that. Don't worry about me. If you need anything, call me." It was a partial demand, but it stemmed from a place of worry that not even the kiss could have washed away.

To her surprise, a familiar face stepped into the barn and offered a toothy grin beneath the brim of his cowboy hat. He offered to take one horse over while she led the other to the pasture that Silas had pointed out. Laughs here and there were all too typical. Del was a funny guy and never failed to show it. He went on and on about how busy things had been, only dropping a flirtatious line once they'd reached the barn once more.

"Del," she muttered, but the ranch hand had closed the distance between them. He'd said something about not being able to keep it to himself any longer, his curiosity of wondering if she'd felt the same getting the best of him. Before she could utter a word in defiance, his hands were on her face and his mouth was on hers. Panicked and flushed with anger, the park ranger shoved at his chest, knocking him back a step. "I don't," she started, but he'd stepped forward once more, his hands going for her wrists.

Anger flooded dark blues, a look she'd never seen before. His spat venom about her leading him on and how there had to of been some part of her that wanted him. "Get off of me." It was stern, but his grip tightened around her wrists in a way that would surely leave bruises in his wake.

@syweston

[avengerdaisy]

Cassie Dewell & Cormac Barnes in Big Sky [28/∞]

[parkerlcwis]

location — condom sense.

character — @ayselkarademir

Venturing into the woods alone was exciting. It didn't matter that animals were tucked somewhere within, some not so friendly and inviting. There was a certain thrill behind that journey, and yet, when it came to the sex shop, she felt as if her legs were jello. A shaky hand curled around the handle and the welcoming chime above her head caused her heart to flutter. She'd been in a few once, more recently with Phoebe, but this time, she'd wanted to get something to surprise the cowboy who'd be in her bed in a few hours time. "Not sure if I'm happy it's you working today or what," she greeted, a grin pulling onto her mouth as she stared back at the woman behind the counter. Part of her was thankful for a familiar face, but another part screamed to run for the door. "I thought I'd look around." As most people did when they went shopping. "Any recommendations?"

[parkerlcwis]

location — the jagged yard.

character — @phoebeyates

Genuine happiness had felt like a stretch for a long while. She'd avoided needing anyone and had settled for the seclusion of her cabin in the woods and the pretty view it offered to the mountains above. Old friendships had been enough for her and so had the bottles of wine and whiskey she interchanged. However, the last year had proven her theories all wrong. Putting herself out there for a new flame and friendships had been well worth the risk. So much that she was left with only regret that she hadn't done it sooner. The park ranger had shown up early to the bar where she'd agreed to meet one of her newer friends, though nothing felt new between herself and the other. They'd hit it off in an instance over a nerds rope, a day that Parker couldn't forget even if she'd tried. After a few looks over her shoulder, she spotted Phoebe, leaving her to turn and offer a wave and smile. "Got us the best seat in the house." Front and center at the bar, the main attention. "What are we drinking?"

[parkerlcwis]

location — parker's place, bighorn hills.

character — @remiwilder

"I'm telling you, nothing washes down fries like a bottle of champagne." The fast food venture had been entirely on a whim, as had the bottle of cheap champagne she'd found buried in her pantry. Grimm purred contently, perched atop the back of the couch as if it were his throne. From lost boy to spoiled king. It was a rescue that she knew her father would have been proud of had he still been around. "I'm basically a genius." Self-proclaimed, but it did nothing to change how she felt about the odd combo that worked. The ranger shifted on the couch, tucking her legs beneath her as an arm draped over the back, mindful to not to disturb the peaceful Grimm. "So, tell me what's going on in your life right about now. Anything new?" Her chest hummed with a deep excitement and a warmth flushed to her cheeks at the thought of her own update to offer. The one she'd held onto for far too long and the very thing she had avoided too. "I found something of my dad's the other day. It was his old work bag. I know it's not much, but if you want it," she offered, the casual offer rolling off her tongue with a drip of emotion intertwined. "He used it for house calls mostly, but you can use it for whatever you want. If you even want it."

[jessica-nichols]

"Is it normal?" Emerson echoed, before shaking her head with amusement. "No, that's actually quite unusual." While cats did like to have a little territory to themselves if they were allowed outdoors, they didn't often enjoy full on hiking. "If he's going to keep doing that, maybe get him a little harness and leash? So that if anything were to ever happen, he doesn't get scared and run away. I'd hate for him to find himself lost again." Though at least now that he was microchipped, if he did get lost, he'd make his way back to Parker. @parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

Hearing the question aloud had the ranger clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth in understanding. Yes, it was weird and yes, she'd have to get him a harness and leash. "Checks out for any animal of mine." She peered back at the cat, his calm demeanor going against everything feline in nature, or so she'd assumed. "I'll work on the harness and leash. Do pet stores have those?" Her home was littered in cat toys and treats, but she hadn't considered the thought until now. "I'm happy that we found one another. It's been nice having him around." He'd even taken a liking to the cowboy that crawled in and out of her bed and between the two of them, she never knew a moment alone. "Be honest, are we the weirdest case you've had this week?"

@emersonhart

[dilanxbarak-deactivated20240522]

starter for @parkerlcwis

location: holy spirits

Her daughter was spending the night with her father and Dilan had plans to go out with some friends. Unfortunately, they were all unable to come by the time she already got there. "Excuse me," she walked up to someone, at least a cocktail deep by now when she had been waiting for her friends. "Do you need some company? A friend?" She gave way to a small laugh, "Sorry, new mom and all my friends bailed on me tonight."

[parkerlcwis]

She couldn't stop herself from staring at her illuminated screen where a familiar, yet not so familiar face stared back at her. The park ranger could recall seeing the woman a handful of times, but hadn't called much attention to when those meetings had ceased to occur. Jaw clenched tight in thought, something only further driven by the cocktail she'd attempted to choke down. It was lighter than the whiskey she typically went for, a blessing and a curse. "I could use company and a friend," she attempted beneath a soft smile, thumb dipping into the side button of her phone to lock the screen where the woman's face would remain for a later time. "See, I don't have a valid excuse for being alone. I don't tend to hang around in the city limits often. I'm Parker, by the way. Please," she paused, chin lifting towards the free spot. "First round is on me. Consider it a thanks from a new friend."

@dilanxbarak

[theaxharris]

"Ah yeah, well tell him to wait and you can get him something when there are all the year end deals. Give it as an IOU or something. I'm sure he'll appreciate that, right?" Thea didn't have siblings, but she felt like if she did that to a close friend they'd be chill with it. Her brows raised as Parker admitted that they were more than just friends. She felt like it was probably a lot more serious considering she was even sharing this with her so she was definitely intrigued. "Well alright then, this is very good to know." Thea couldn't help but grin over at her even though she had a feeling that it would just Parker to groaning and telling her to stop. "Yeah, I mean that's a good idea to ask him. Oh? Some ideas that you can find here, care to share? You're not going to get him a new horse are you? That might be a little too much, Parker." She joked, knowing that her friend wasn't that intense as to buy the man that she wasn't even defining what she was with him an animal.

@parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

"Speaking of IOUs, I'm still waiting for that asshole to pay me back for all of the times I've loaned him cash for his beer runs. He's lucky I haven't started a tab." Her brother and all his pain-in-the-ass glory was someone she'd leaned on in life, just as he'd leaned on her. When times got tough, money differences aside, Marcus wouldn't hesitate to show up and neither would she. She matched Thea's grin, even if she lacked the confidence to tag along. She'd had plenty of ideas on what to get the male who'd been keeping her bed warm on a nightly basis, but a horse wasn't one of them.

"What? No. I wouldn't do that. He has enough to manage as is." That, and he already had a horse he favored and adding another to the mix wouldn't change that. A low huff floated from her lips, her gaze shifting to the woman at her side. "I'm not used to this, you know? The whole... being with someone thing. It's new." She had to give the other credit for her commitment and how she'd made it seem so easy. "How did you do it? With Elliot. How did you two finally make things official?"

@theaxharris

[alesolcno]

— characters: ale & parker — setting: ranger's office — partner: @parkerlcwis

In the bag handing from her shoulder held a file of freshly printed flyers. They had Mariana Solano's picture, sizable and center, the words MISSING PERSON in big block letters at the top, then all of her older sister's details and last known whereabouts.

There was a constant sinking feeling these days. Another holiday had passed and she'd not really gotten a step further than when she'd arrived in Providence Peak. It had been a year of no progress.

She was failing Mariana.

Something had happened and Ale has done nothing to help her.

As the brunette stood in the lobby staring at the front desk of the ranger's office but not really looking at it, she braced herself. It was going to be another 'no, I haven't seen her' and likely 'no, you can't leave those here' when it came to the missing person flyers.

Broken and crying all the time, frustrated and in want of hitting something until her knuckles busted open raw, Ale was at a crossroads.

The trance the photographer had fallen into wasn't broken until the voice of someone else had snapped her out of it. "Oh, uhh, umm—" Shaking her head, Ale stammered a bit in trying to find her footing. Where was she again? Oh, right, the park ranger's office. "Hi, yes, you can help me." She approached the desk and pulled her folder out from her back and set it on top. When she opened it to reveal her sister's beautiful face, a pang shot through her chest. "I was wondering if you've ever seen her through the park? It would've been roughly a year and a half ago."

[parkerlcwis]

A mix of stale cigarette smoke and cheap cologne lingered in the shared space of the ranger's station. If it weren't evident that she were out numbered by that alone, then a single look within would confirm the statistics of the male dominated field. Most of the men she worked with were fine, but a few had earned their way to the long list of people she wouldn't swerve for if karma and opportunity had anything to do with it.

The expectations of what the new year would bring had fallen short. Only twice had a call been made to the station for assistance and even one of those had all but been a false alarm. It was a double edged sword to swivel on boredom and the desire for something to happen.

Brows pinched together and forehead wrinkled in curiosity as a female approached the front lobby desk where a short man who'd made Parker's list should have been sitting. Smoke break, she assumed? Annoyed, yet nearly relieved, she closed the space and offered help before another uniform could step in.

"I hope so," she countered with a bated breath. Between mind numbing paperwork and offering help to someone, the latter would win each and every time.

Parker swallowed down the breath, surprise washing over her as her gaze dropped to sweep over the photo. Carefully, she plucked the file from the countertop, bringing the image closer to rake over the details of gorgeous woman on the page. Stomach twisted in knots at the MISSING PERSON title. How had none of them heard of this and if they had, why wasn't a flyer stapled to one of their boards?

She studied the image and combed through every memory she could muster, but it was the name that cleared things up. "Mariana," she echoed quietly with a nod. She'd ran into the woman a few times, but hadn't thought of it when those by chance run ins had ceased. "I met her a few times. She introduced herself as Mari, but she told me her full name was Mariana. She favored this one trail. I always thought it was an interesting choice." It wasn't well known for popularity, but she'd assumed that the woman had preferred a more peaceful option by comparison to a busier path.

"Mind if I take a couple of these? We have a couple of boards around here I could put them up on." Surely she hadn't been the only ranger to have a run in with the now missing woman and if not a ranger, then perhaps one of the people who stopped by would recognize her. "I could show the trail if you wanted?"

@alesolcno

[jessica-nichols]

"Don't feel terrible about that. That was inevitable. But at least this way he got himself a home with a great owner." Emerson's head tilted, offering Parker a soft smile. She really didn't want the other woman feeling bad for giving him a home that he otherwise wouldn't have had. "Different cats like different scratching materials." A hum as a shrug fell from the redhead's shoulders. "You might just have to try a few different scratching posts before he finds one he likes more than the door." @parkerlcwis

[parkerlcwis]

"He's made for a pretty good roommate so far." Minus his affection for the bedroom doorframe that would never be the same. Truth was, she kind of liked the new edit to her home. "Any suggestions on where to start?" For someone who'd grown up with a vet for a father and currently had a vet as close as family, one would have thought that Parker would have been more prepared for such. "I did find out that he likes to go hiking. Well, he follows me and stays on the trail. Is that normal? Seems more like a dog thing, but it's been nice."

@emersonhart