Watch Me As I Bloom

Teagan Myrick

[eyeslikemirrors]

Brown eyes stare into the dark abyss of her TV screen, entirely unfocused, unseeing as she loses herself in her thoughts.

As much as she wishes there were, there's no other explanation for the scars. They're too neat, too clean, too numerous to be anything other than deliberate. And they really don't know what to do with that. Arden has had their fair moments of feeling empty and hopeless, but they'd never hurt themself, and they'd never directly dealt with anyone who had. Jo had— their brother— and Matt had…

They reach for their glass, trying to push down against the new wave of panic rising in their chest. It shakes as they bring it to their lips and take another long sip. Teagan isn't Matt, they try to reassure themself. She's going through it, yes, but she's dedicated to taking care of her family. She just needs more support it seems, and, well, Arden is here and willing. Teagan is sweet and fun, and the more she gets to know the blonde, the more she likes her. And while their experiences definitely aren't equivalent, they are both sharing in the same loss.

…

Efa had always been the most emotionally intelligent of their trio. And while they'd all certainly grown over the past decade, she would, undoubtedly, be much more capable of handling a situation like this. Arden wishes she were here, wishes—

Buzz buzz!

They jump, spilling whiskey on their shirt as the buzzer startles them out of their thoughts. “Shit,” they murmur, hopping out of their seat. Stopping to grab a paper towel, they leave their glass by the sink, and dabbing at their shirt, go to let the delivery person in.

They've only just set the bag on the counter when Teagan calls out, startling them once more.

“Oh, yeah,” she replies, rounding the corner to see the woman's head poking out from the door, quickly averting her eyes as she heads into her room. With a flick of her hand, she turns on the light to dig through her dresser. She pulls out a comfy shirt and a pair of both pajama pants and shorts. Quickly setting aside a change for later, she goes over and hands the bundle of clothes to the other. “I wasn't sure what you preferred pants-wise, so you can pick for yourself,” she explains. “I can toss your stuff in the washer if you want. Also, good timing because food just got here.”

[petaledarmor]

With clothes in hand, Teagan shuffles back to the bathroom to get changed. She ruffles her hair in the towel to dry it as best she can before slipping on the shirt and pants. It feels good to be clean and in comfy clothes, a smile curling on her face as she sets the towel on the rack.

When she exits the bathroom, she stumbles slightly with the remnants of the alcohol still in her system. "Oof," But she catches the handle of the bathroom door. Teagan snorts, shaking her head at herself.

"I'm a mess." She says and closes the door. "As for my other clothes, I don't need 'em washed. I'll just--wait! Food?" Teagan eyes light up and she beelines to the bag of food she just barely see peeking from the entryway to the kitchen. If she wasn't so inebriated, she probably would've been able to find it on scent alone. Because if there's one thing Teagan loves, especially while drunk, it's food.

"Where we eatin'?" Teagan grabs the bag of food and looks around. There's a small dining table with chairs, but if the option to sit on a couch and eat presents itself, she's always going to opt for the latter. Nothing beats it. Again, especially while drunk, but also in pajamas.

"Maybe you can get a good movie on the telly going. Promise I won't be a mess! Oh! Oh!" Teagan lights up further at a realization, "This can be like a slumber party. Do adults have those?" She hums, "Um...I don't think I care if not. Efa and I would do it all the time as teenagers, and I miss it." Sorrow doesn't take a strong hold of her, not yet, but mentioning Efa does have an effect on it. Teagan tries to not linger on it, choosing instead to inquire to Arden. "You guys had them too, yeah?"

[eyeslikemirrors]

There's something about being addressed as Miss Arden that just makes her think of Pride and Prejudice, or, like, Bridgerton. “Keep that up, and we'll be the talk of the town, Miss Teagan,” she quips, brows quirking.

The mead settles warm and heavy in their stomach as Teagan eyes them, that playful grin still on her face. So, they take the moment to eye her back, noting a small birthmark on her cheek. But then Teagan blinks, and they turn their attention to the skee-ball machine.

She freezes as Teagan comes up behind her, one hand settling on her shoulder as the other cups her own, still holding the ball. Her nerves are alight at the points of contact, as the woman directs her shot with a few words. It feels ridiculous and a little cheesy— even if it does make her stomach flutter— and Arden's ready to make some comment about how she's not that bad in an attempt to dispel some of the anxious energy buzzing through her body. But then Teagan says good girl, and the words disappear as her brain white screens for a moment.

They can feel the heat radiating off of their face, as they stand there, desperately trying to think of something to say as they try to will themself into acting normally. After a beat, they manage a “Haha, thanks,” before reaching for their small cup of mead and finishing it a little too quickly.

[petaledarmor]

"Oh is that so?" And wouldn't that be awful for Arden? Being tied to Teagan against their will, talked about in the same breath as tragedy. Despite how upset it makes her, Teagan keeps up her smile and shakes her head.

"With my reputation, I wouldn't be too worried." Not that Teagan is positive that it's held up since her years during and shortly after high school. Since inheriting the farm, Teagan has been way too busy for any kind of fling, and it shows.

While Arden drinks their mead a little fast (which makes Teagan a little curious, but she doesn't ask), she grabs the last few balls of the round. She tosses them one by one. Two go in the 10,000 point slot and the final one goes in the 500 point slot. More than enough to secure the giant pink axolotl she's been eyeing.

"Won again, I see, Miss Myrick."

The old attendant, Jerry smiles and points her to the section of prizes she can pick from. Teagan doesn't hesitate to point to the axolotl, happy to have it in her hands when Jerry pulls it down. With a dramatic flair, Teagan twirls around to present her winnings. Or rather, winning. "I believe this is yours." Teagan offers it over to Arden, grinning. "Suits you, I think, eh?"

[eyeslikemirrors]

Arden pulls her hair out of its ponytail, running a hand through her locks as she heads over to the dining table to drop her bag onto a chair. "Medium well with swiss and grilled onions sound okay then?" she asks, rattling off her go to order while pulling up her notes app to jot down their order. "Curly fries, ranch, ketchup, got it."

When they look up, they freeze, finding Teagan has already stripped down to her underwear in the few minutes they glanced away. Jesus Christ, she's trying to kill me.

It takes a second for their brain to catch up to their eyes, and then another to manage to tear their gaze away. If there's a moment in between where they give her a glance over, well, that's between Arden and the pit of guilt in their stomach isn't it? But there is something unusual that catches their eye to the extent that they can't help their curiosity and take a another look.

There on Teagan's right thigh, in stark contrast with her pale skin, is a small red line, straight and neat, the surrounding skin the inflamed red of a newly healing injury. And even further around it are others, other cuts in various state of healing. Straight lines scattered across both thighs— some faded reds and pale pinks, but most of all white scar tissue, again and again, over and over.

Shit.

Chest aching, heart sinking to the depths of her stomach, Arden turns her eyes to her phone screen once more as her thoughts run rampant. Teagan used to and has recently been hurting herself.

Fuck. Fuck. They don't know what to do with that information, and Teagan is saying something, fuck. "Sprite, noted." They mindlessly jot that down in their notes, voice sounding distant to their own ears, but mostly even. It takes the sound of a door opening and closing to jar them out of staring through their phone. "Oh, the bathroom's— yeah, you got it."

Mind lagging while they process, Teagan has already closed the bathroom door behind her by the time Arden thinks to say, "I'll, uh, grab you a towel."

Get towel. Order food. Freak out while picking up.

She shakes her head as if that will help settle the mess in her mind before pulling her hair back up into a messy bun and heading into her room to pull an extra towel out from the closet. After a quick knock, Arden leaves the fresh towel on the rack, shoving her own aside. While there, she grabs an armful of laundry to toss into the washing machine before switching back to the contact info for Granny's and placing their order. She neatens the apartment in a fugue state, body moving on autopilot as she tosses more clothes into the washing machine, adds several cups and plates to the sink, and puts some books back onto their shelves. The entire time, all she can picture is the mess of scars and the look on Teagan's face as she had broken down earlier.

Once she's finished, she pours herself a glass of whiskey, neat, and takes a good, long swig before she all but falls onto her couch for a few moments of reprieve before the food arrives.

[petaledarmor]

There's water running over Teagan's body, but she can't hardly feel the way it pattered rapidly against her skin. She doesn't grab soap or shampoo, though. Instead of a full shower, Teagan just stands there and lets the day trickle down the drain for a while so her head can clear itself at least a little.

It works, for the most part, but the shower really does its job when Teagan shifts the temperature to cold. She jumps slightly at the change and it takes a few deep breaths to settle the sobriety in as much as she can before shutting everything off and heading out.

When she dries herself, she realizes there's a bit of a dilemma. Sure, she can just wear her underwear again, but the rest of her outfit isn't fit to relax or sleep in, and she's positive Arden won't want her walking practically naked around her apartment.

Teagan sighs and wraps the towel around her body, relenting. "Hey, Arden?" She peers out cautiously, not veering far from the entrance of the bathroom. "Do you have any clothes I can borrow? Just some trousers and a jumper. Or a t-shirt is fine, too."

[eyeslikemirrors]

At least she didn't take it poorly.

“You don't need to pay me back,” she shrugs. “Though, I won't turn down a bouquet. Could always use some more actual greenery around the apartment.” They'd been managing to keep a succulent alive with some of Teagan's pointers, but, aside from occasional flowers, the plant life in their apartment was fake. Too many plants had been murdered in their care over the years.

“This is me, yeah,” they nod. “It's actually the first time I've really had my own place,” they admit. “I was living with Jo in Boston, so I had my own room and bathroom, but otherwise we shared. It helped with the cost of living in the city. They were quiet, though.” They'd go nuts, never getting a moment of silence.

“You can always stop by,” the offer is blurted out before they can really think it through. It's not that they regret the words or don't mean them, it just feels like a bit much, extending an invitation to their home like that. “If you need a break from the noise,” they add lamely, biting down on their lip as if that will quell their anxiety. “The store's usually pretty quiet, too.” That's a little less intense, right?

Thankfully, they arrive home, and Arden lets go of Teagan's hand in order to unlock the door. She takes hold again to help her up the singular flight of stairs and over to her door. There's a feeling of relief stepping into her space after a long day. She flicks on the lights and drops her keys on the cabinet near the door.

“Welcome to my place,” she says with an awkward little flourish.

Now that Teagan is actually there in her home, her anxiety starts to make a fuss. It's not like she has a ton of guests over generally, and she definitely hadn't been expecting anyone to come over tonight, so the apartment is a little messier than she'd like. There were several empty cups as well as a plate or two sitting around, the hamper was getting rather full, honestly, and she knew there were some articles of clothing strewn around, especially in her room— thankfully dark at the moment.

“Um, do you want to shower now?” she asks, running through all the things she needs to clean up in a hurry as she kicks off her shoes. “I'll put in our order, just lemme know how you want your burger, and if you want anything else.”

[petaledarmor]

"Mm...yes. Shower now. I'll take whatever burger you order. Just make sure they give you ranch and ketchup with the fries please." Teagan scrubs at her face, a little turned around once she truly realizes where she is. It's a safe space regardless of the fact that it's her first time there. She immediately starts to settle in and kicks off her shoes, "Can you make the fries curly?"

Since her teenage years, after Efa saved Teagan from herself, she made it a point to always utilize dim lighting when it came to undressing. She has scars. The kind you made in silence, where blood and tears mixed together when you were at your lowest.

In her drunken fog though, Teagan doesn't care to hide. She undresses as she stumbles over to an open area, drunkenly hoping that she can find the bathroom on her own. First her shirt, then her trousers, and she leaves the rest on out of respect while she goes on her search.

"Oh and can I have a sprite?" Teagan opens one door, and it appears to be a bedroom. Then, another, and it's a closet. Finally, she turns around to open one more and it's the bathroom. "Aha!" Teagan exclaims proudly and makes her way inside, undressing fully once the door is closed. The rest is a blur once turns over the water and steps inside.

[eyeslikemirrors]

Arden blinks, pausing for a moment before speaking. “…did you just boop me?” they ask, letting out a laugh at the absurdity of it. They take another, longer sip of their mead. Teagan is clearly a much more physically affectionate person than they're used to dealing with. Which, they suppose, makes sense considering she has three rather young siblings.

Again, Teagan beats her to the punch, handing over a bunch of tickets before she's able to. She shoots the blonde a bemused look, though her focus is more on the game in front of them.

They're hit with a twinge of nostalgia at the sound of the plastic balls rolling down toward the slot and clacking against one another. It had always been one of their favorites as a kid, though it'd been years since they last played. Still, they accept the offered ball, not wanting to back down from the challenge. “I'm so rusty,” they flash her a sheepish grin. “Please be nice if I totally suck.”

They step up to the ramp, tossing the ball in their hand and trying to get a feel for its weight. After a quick breath, they wind back and send it rolling up the ramp. It bounces off the edge of the 30 point hole and into the 10.

“First pancake,” they murmur— mostly to themself— before trying again, this time managing to get 30 points. Their next attempt is for the 50 slot, but they overshoot it, and it rolls down, only earning another 10. Damn. Lips twisting into a slight pout, they take their next shot, now really starting to feel their competitive nature coming out. But, they were still with Teagan, so between attempts, Arden tries to keep up a bit of conversation. “Don't think I've played since… god, probably since leaving town.”

[petaledarmor]

Teagan grins, "I believe I just did, Miss Arden." She stays there for a moment, simply hovering her gaze over Arden's features. Her eyes, the dip above her cupid's bow of her lips, the way her brows curve, everything. "

Um," Teagan clicks her tongue, blinking several times before she can focus back on the game in front of them. "Yes, the game." She chuckles breathily, looking at the machine as Arden takes her stance.

It gives Teagan the opportunity to let her gaze wander a little more, taking stock of the physique all that running has given Arden. She's impressed, again staring too long when they start talking again.

"Hm? Oh--Yeah. I bet." Teagan nods and grabs her cup to take a long sip. "I tend to play every year. Can't help it." Another ball lands in the 10 slot, and Teagan takes a little initiative. "Here." Slipping behind Arden, Teagan places her hand behind theirs and her had in their shoulder.

"You want to flick the ball on the release, and aim for the corner of the ramp. Like...so." She guides Arden's arm forward, doing exactly that. Just as expected, the ball lands in the 10,000 point slot, and the bells and alarms ring. "Ah, see?" Teagan claps happily and pats Arden's shoulder with pride. "Good girl."

[eyeslikemirrors]

After standing, holding her while she sobbed into their shoulder for god knows how long, it's really good to hear Teagan laugh. It's a good laugh, too, one that Arden revels in when they hear it, bright and endearing, and as infectious as her smiles.

The moniker of sunshine had come naturally to them during their time together at the festival. While the blonde hair certainly contributed, there's also just an undeniable brightness to Teagan. Joy and kindness seem to radiate off of her. Although, likewise, so do the grief and sorrow.

They continue walking, Teagan holding on tightly as she drunkenly trudges alongside her, looking a little lost in her thoughts before she turns to face Arden. “Still,” she shrugs, “I've got dinner. Maybe you get breakfast or something.”

She regrets the words as soon as they reach her ears. “Ugh,” she cringes, “that sounded like a horrible pickup line. Forget I said that.”

They readily jump into the different topic. “Nearly there. It's that building,” they reply, pointing with their free hand to a brick building several feet away. “And sure,” they nod. After the drinking, crying, and also falling, they'd likely want a shower were they in her shoes. “That'll probably work out great actually, I'll order, and then the food should be delivered by the time you finish showering.”

[petaledarmor]

"A bad pickup line?" Teagan snorts and shakes her head. "I don't think it sounded like that, but I think bad pickup lines are cute anyway." She doesn't really know what she's accidentally implying at that point, but it hardly matters.

"I'll pay you back somehow. Free bouquet?" Teagan bounces her brows, smiling drunkenly with just a hint of a flirt. She'd thought about giving Arden an impromptu bouquet after their fun at the festival, but every time she thought she'd built up enough nerves to do it, there was no follow through.

She just daydreamed about it instead, knowing she was too complicated to tangle anyone else in her life. It wouldn't be fair. To Teagan, to Arden, to Teagan's siblings...to anyone.

Looking ahead, the building Arden is pointing at grows closer, and it feels like she barely takes a blink when they reach the landing. "This you?" She whistled in amazement, "Can't imagine having my own space like that. I mean--" Teagan shakes her head and pinches the bridge of her nose. "I have my own room, but the house is never quiet."

She takes a breath and shrugs, stumbling only slightly when she walks again. They're in Arden's apartment in another blink, and it takes a few beats for Teagan to really notice. When she does, she smiles. It's nice to see a little bit of Arden in the space. Books and journals around the plant-filled living room. There's splashes of forest green around the neutral tones, and it feels a lot like nature has had a good influence on the space. It's a whole life Teagan doesn't know about yet, but she isn't sure she has the right to.

[eyeslikemirrors]

The water was clearly a good call.

Teagan chugs greedily, spilling water down her chin in her urgency. They're not sure how much she had to drink tonight, nor when she’d started, but she'd been 'falling-on-her-ass, having-a-menty-b' drunk by the time most people were just beginning their night. She definitely hadn't been pacing herself or prioritizing hydration.

Arden lets out a bark of laughter. “We'll get a big thing of fries,” they promise, not giving a second thought to the marriage comment. Instead, they scroll through their contacts, pulling up the number for Granny’s before turning their attention back to Teagan.

They shove the water bottle back in their bag, keeping an eye on the woman as she moves. If at all possible, they'd like to prevent her from falling on her ass a second time that night. Therefore, holding hands is also a good call. That doesn't stop them from feeling anxious about it, though; it'd been even longer since they held hands with someone than it had been since their last hug.

Hand in hand, they start the short walk to her apartment. Only for Teagan to pause as she voices her complaint. “What kind of asshole would let their drunk,” grieving, “friend pay?”

[petaledarmor]

Arden's laughter causes Teagan to laugh in return. It's the lightest she's felt in hours, and she's thankful for the briefest moment to feel free. She's greedy for it, staring too long at Arden's lips as they curl and reveal her teeth.

They're living in that moment. For themself or for Teagan, or for both of them, she doesn't know, but she wants to live in it too. She continues to watch and holds Arden's hand tightly as she leads them down the sidewalk.

Teagan's gait is messy and uncoordinated, but it somehow doesn't impede their walk to Arden's apartment. She follows willingly. Like it's the raft she's been waiting for for the entirety of the year.

And then Arden solidifies their friendship, giving Teagan another moment of reprieve by sealing her wallet in her pocket. She was always the sibling with the most problems growing up, so she made all the current ones as small as she could. No matter the issue, Teagan made a point to take it on herself so that no one else has to. So that no one has to worry about her again.

It's only natural that she feels lucky that Arden didn't let her do the same with them. They brought everything to the forefront, giving Teagan the chance to breathe. When she does, she relaxes, one foot in front of the other.

"I wouldn't call you an asshole when I offered to pay first." Her voice still has a drunken lilt to it, but it's more coherent than before. "How long until we're to your place? Feel like I might fall over. Oh!" She blinks, still following Arden. "Can I have a shower at your place?"

[eyeslikemirrors]

Her words stick with Arden, burrow their way under her skin and into their chest. I don't want to be alone.

They'd been lucky for so long, having a close childhood friendship that continued on into adulthood, they knew that— know that. They hadn't struggled with feeling alone as often as the average person their age had. Jo and Efa had been there when her dad died, Jo had been by her side through university and her work struggles, they'd been there through her short-lived relationships, seen her at her worst and helped pick up the pieces. Of course, having a close friend or two didn't stop the loneliness from creeping in, but it helped, having someone she could truly be open with and comfortable confiding in.

Which had only made the past two-ish years that much more difficult. They'd never before felt quite as alone as they had since coming back home. And Efa's passing had only worsened that feeling. They'd lost someone they'd once been so close to, but also the opportunity to rekindle that friendship had slipped through their fingers. They could never get that back. And she had had to deal with it all alone. Jo had never called her back.

Arden will not be leaving Teagan alone. However, she can't say it's entirely out of empathy and the goodness of her heart— a selfish part of her doesn't want to be alone either.

A good length of time passes, the two women just standing there in front of the Stag, hugging. The sky has fully darkened by now, stars shining above them. They can still hear the distant sounds of the bar behind them, a steady hum of voices audible underneath the ambient sounds of the night— crickets and katydids, the rustling of trees. It's peaceful in a way. However, that peace is eventually broken by a patron leaving the bar, making Teagan finally pull away.

Her eyes are red rimmed and slightly puffy, a discernible, lingering sorrow in them. But there's more clarity in her gaze, as if the crying has helped to sober her up a bit. Enough so that the reality of the situation seems to hit her, leaving her looking embarrassed by her breakdown. It's not as if Arden can judge, though, certainly not after their own breakdown at the cemetery in front of a total fucking stranger.

“Yeah, of course,” Arden says kindly. “My place is pretty close by.” Before they even start walking, they pull their water bottle from their bag and offer it out to her. “Yeah, I was gonna suggest we get something, my treat. Burgers sound good.” A shrug. “I could fuck up some fries right now, not gonna lie,” they add, trying to lighten the mood a little. They could also really go for a fuckin' drink, honestly.

[petaledarmor]

As much as sobriety has begun to creep in, whenever Teagan closes her eyes, she feels like she's falling forward and resetting, over and over again. She groans and takes the water bottle, helping herself to a handful of gulps. A bit manages to teeter away from Teagan's lips, down her chin, and onto her chest, but she doesn't pay it any mind. At this point, water tastes like the best thing ever.

"If you get me fries right now, I'll marry you on the spot," Teagan says with a pleased sigh, twisting the lid back onto Arden's bottle. She doesn't really know what she's saying, but when she realizes what came out of her mouth, she's mortified. "Kidding," Teagan breathes, "Obviously."

Not only did Teagan not care for marriage, she's positive it isn't for her in the first place. And now with Efa, Jac, and Catrin gone, she feels justified. As Teagan said to Quentin anyway: who would want to date someone with kids? On top of everything else, there isn't enough room to love or be loved by anyone else but the family Teagan has left.

Though, that doesn't stop her from daydreaming.

Clearing her throat, she hands over the bottle back to Arden and shuffles her way down the sidewalk to get a better position to feel the light breeze. "Lead the way, I guess." Teagan says warmly, returning to Arden. She laces her fingers with theirs for better support, a smile resting easy on her face as they begin their walk.

Then, her brows furrow. "Hey, wait. I said I was going to pay."

[eyeslikemirrors]

Teagan doesn't say anything, just clings onto her with a desperation that makes her heart hurt a little.

It had become apparent in their recent interactions that Teagan was wound incredibly tight, and it made total sense. Not only had she lost three family members in one day, but also, as one of the two eldest siblings, she had inherited the farm and taking care of her three youngest siblings. But it had also become clear to Arden that she had been trying to bear all of her new responsibilities alone, despite having multiple adult siblings around her that could be helping. So why weren't they?

It was a thought that had been nagging them since they'd begun to talk more. Maybe Teagan just put up a better facade in front of her siblings, but did they not see how overwhelmed she was? Lord knows, she and her mother didn't talk about things when her dad died, but they also weren't as close as the siblings appeared to be.

Arden slumps into the hug a little herself. She doesn't exactly remember when she'd last been hugged like this— probably not since Boston, honestly. More feelings of guilt stew in her stomach, but she doesn't have it in her to deal with that right now. Certainly not when Teagan is making a pitiful plea that breaks their heart.

“I'm right here,” they say simply.

[petaledarmor]

Teagan doesn't know how long the two of them stand there embracing each other, but she knows it's a while. Her face feels stiff from where the tears fell, and she's no longer sobbing. It's not until someone exits the Velvet Stag and the sound of the crowd blasts through that she realizes she should probably let go.

"Um, I..." Teagan reluctantly pulls away, certain that she is being too much for the person that wasn't even her friend. They were Efa's.

The two of them hardly know each other in spite of Arden being a guest so often at the Myrick's. What can Teagan possibly be to them? Besides being mostly a stranger with baggage, what else is there? They only sometimes saw each other throughout childhood, and she's sure she was nothing more than Efa's sister.

All this, and it still didn't stop Teagan from taking the promise Arden is offering her. It's selfish, but she can't help it. For one night, and one night only, she's letting someone else do the heavy lifting.

"I guess we can, um...go." She croaks, swaying slightly. "If that's still okay." Wincing from embarrassment, Teagan looks around to keep herself from making more of a fool of herself, adding, "I'll order us some burgers to be delivered. If I'm famished, I bet you are too."

[eyeslikemirrors]

Of course, she only leans forward, her mismatched eyes trailing over Arden in concern. The moment seems to stretch onward, Teagan's gaze lingering as they try to regain their composure. “Yep, yeah, I'm fine,” they nod, waving the other off.

They are decidedly not fine, nerves now alight, though they try to banish any thoughts of dates from their head. Them on a date with Teagan Myrick? They shake their head, running their fingers through and ruffling their locks, maneuvering it to hopefully help obscure their reddened cheeks somewhat.

“Just went down wrong 's all,” she murmurs. And, while she clocks the emphasis on swallow, the intended joke goes over her head.

Clearing their throat, Arden takes another sip of mead and tries to pull themself out of their head. They're in the town square, surrounded by other festival goers. An upbeat melody floats above the din of chattering voices, and the scent of fried foods hangs in the air. Teagan is still peering down at them, but her concern has been replaced by a bright, infectious smile as she suggests skee-ball.

“Oh?” She can't help but smile. “I didn't know I was in the presence of a master. Lead the way then, sunshine.”

[petaledarmor]

"If you say so." Teagan boops Arden's nose and takes another sip before setting her drink on the edge of one of the skee ball booths.

"One round please." She hands over the tickets and the attendant activates the machine. The gears snap and then the skee balls descend down the slot, clacking together a few times before settling still.

Teagan grabs one and offers it over to Arden. "Do you want to try first, or are you gonna let me do the heavy lifting?"

[eyeslikemirrors]

She's a bit of dead weight, so it takes a bit more effort than they initially calculated to pull Teagan to her feet. Once they let go, she stumbles again, hands quickly finding purchase on their shoulders in an attempt to steady herself. Instead, she just tugs them forward, nearly pulling both of them down. But they both move instinctively, Arden grabbing her by the waist and pulling back as Teagan pushes forward. Thankfully, they're able to find an equilibrium instead of both sprawling to the ground.

This time they don't immediately let go, hands lingering on her waist to make sure she's steady. “It's all—” they start to brush off the apology, when Teagan cups their cheeks. Their heart jumps and starts beating in overtime as there's an explosion of nerves in their stomach. “—good,” they finish, voice a whisper, as she leans down, face inching closer.

Arden doesn't breathe— can't breathe— she's just frozen in place, eyes wide, as Teagan presses a kiss to her cheek. Cheek. Right. Okay. That— that made more sense. She definitely hadn't been thinking Teagan was about to kiss her, that would be weird and wrong. Her mind flashes to Jo for a fraction of a second, and the mess in her stomach suddenly feels more like nausea than anything else.

Fuck.

She takes in a shaky breath as the clearly inebriated woman backs away, looking like she's trying to cling to sobriety. Teagan takes a second to breathe and think, mussing with her hair before speaking once more.

It's the anniversary.

The words only add to the feeling of nausea creeping up their chest. Fuck, it was the anniversary? It's like a punch to the gut, but Arden tries to swallow down the knot in their throat because Teagan stands in front of them drunk and drowning in grief, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. More déjà vu, more nausea, mixing with panic at the sight of her falling apart in front of them, as well as guilt that they'd forgotten and their own sorrow. They want to throw up.

Instead, they try their best to shove their own emotions aside as they focus on her. There are no words they can think of to try to calm her down, so instead they just pull Teagan into a tight hug, occasionally rubbing a hand across her back in a— hopefully— comforting manner.

And they stay like that until she starts to calm down somewhat. Only then does Arden speak, offering a solution to one of the issues plaguing her mind. The only one she can really help with. “You can crash at my apartment if you want.”

[petaledarmor]

Teagan hadn't been hugged in a minute, hadn't wanted to be. Not really. Anything close to pity made her turn away. Teagan isn't one to take any physical reassurances from her siblings.

She redirects everything to them in hopes of bringing them an iota of comfort or reprieve. Because if she receives it, there's less of it for them, and she is supposed to be the source of what they need. So it surprises her when she sinks into Arden. They stop her freefall without hesitation, and it startles her, just for a moment.

In it, Teagan lets go for the first time since she first heard the news last year. She grasps at Arden's blouse, tangling her fingers inside the web of hair at their nape, doing anything she can to get closer.

Despite the way Arden quells most of the agony plaguing her heart, Teagan's voice still comes out as a rasp. "Please," She nods, keeping her face buried in Arden's neck. "I don't want to be alone." Not anymore. Not for now.

[eyeslikemirrors]

She moves as if to walk past them, but stops and turns at the sound of their voice. It very quickly becomes apparent that Teagan is drunk. Not only can they smell it on her, but her movements are clumsy, eyes unfocused and heavy-lidded. She has to lean in closer to inspect their face. Their, apparently, cute face.

The words make a mess of Arden's stomach, which churns with an anxious energy. “It's okay,” they murmur, “I've had worse,” The pain is fading with each passing moment, especially now that there's something else to focus on. Because Teagan is very drunk, and she wants to walk back home alone. Still, she offers some slurred advice about icing their head before she actually takes a few steps… and then proceeds to fall into a bush.

Shit.

She's laughing, at least, an adorable bout of giggles that brings a small smile to their face. They take a breath before heading over to the blonde sprawled out on the ground and offer her a hand up. “Let's get you home.”

[petaledarmor]

As she lays in the bush, Teagan can see the beautiful night sky. With so little light pollution from the town, the stars sparkle endlessly. Teagan is in awe, but while everything is coming in blurry flashes, focus is fully out of reach. So when Arden gets her back to her feet, the stars are completely forgotten.

"Hi," Teagan mumbles, balance still mostly evading her. She has to plant her hands on Arden's shoulders to keep from falling back into the bushes.

Briefly, it seems like Teagan is going to topple over again, taking Arden with her this time around, but she shoves her weight forward to prevent this. She miraculously keeps them both up, using both of their bodies to counter-balance the other.

"S-sorry." Teagan bashfully shambles upright, maneuvering her hands from Arden's shoulders, to her cheeks. She leans forward with a drunk and crooked smile, and gives Arden a grateful kiss to their cheek.

For a few seconds, she lingers, but a sharp instance of sobriety catches Teagan off guard. She immediately pulls away and has an apologetic expression contorting her face. "Um...wait. Wait, wait." Blinking several times, Teagan takes a moment to brush away some messy strands of hair until she's able to focus again.

"I-I can't go home like this. They, um...no, no. It's the anniversary. They're dealing...dealing with enough." She chokes a little as she speaks, eyes brimming red and watering with tears. "I'm such a mess. I'm-I'm..." Teagan can't finish the thought, too consumed by the grief she was trying so hard to avoid.

[wldngmn]

Quentin laughs warmly, not at all fussed by the 'rejection', "Why, thanking you kindly Miss Teagan for the compliment. We have that in common, preferring dates with women, though I usually prefer if the woman I'm on a date with knows it's a date beforehand." For all of Q's wishywashy nature and placid temperament, they don't like when things are uncertain. If they like someone, then they like someone and they will tell them. If they don't like someone, well, that's plain as day as well. It's so rare though that Quentin doesn't like someone. It'd take quite a bit to stir up any negativity in his mind.

"Is that right?" They look at her carefully, "Now, I'm not sure about that one. I wouldn't mind. I like children though and I'm not as young as I once was. Dating someone with children already don't seem all that bad to me," their voice drops a little as their expression softens thoughtfully. In their heart, they haven't gotten over their relationship with Misty. It's been over now for quite a few months but she still manages to make his chest ache. All the love remains, it just doesn't have a place now.

They only nod at her when she says she can drop by another time with business cards. It's no matter at all so there's no rush. The oven dings and Q ambles back toward it. Already the warm and savoury aroma of cornbread hush puppies is filling the space before they've even got the oven open. Like all things Q does, he tends to move slowly so he takes his time putting on his oven mitts -- they're shaped like chickens and their beaks part as he takes out the tray of hush puppies. Naturally he isn't going to serve her from the tray and so then takes a few extra moments to arrange them prettily on a little dish. It's not easy to make hush puppies look pretty. They're just brown fried balls of dough, but he stacks them up in an attractive looking pile and sets them in front of Teagan.

"There now, let me get you a small plate and a napkin," he does this and then leans their elbows against the counter top, "Now, if you don't like 'em, I won't be offended, but I hope you do. Like 'em I mean."

[petaledarmor]

Teagan snorts with a scrunch of her nose, "I believe we're into the same women then. Careful, you may have a bit of competition." It's obviously just a tease. Considering the way Teagan rarely ventures out, she's sure there wouldn't be any sort of competition. Not that Quentin seems the type to make it one.

Besides, with Teagan's track record from high school, she's sure the two of them would be tied. She has her charm and her wit, and Quentin has their welcoming energy and genuine heart. Otherwise Teagan wouldn't have so easily jumped at the chance to have a dish she's never eaten, with someone she hardly knows. "Don't got time anyhow, even if I did want a date." In another lifetime, perhaps the two would have killed in clubs. The ladies and theys wouldn't be able to resist.

But that hardly matters now. Teagan tries hard to not daydream a life she can't have, instinctively adjusting her smile. It isn't fair to her siblings to wish she wasn't in this predicament. To wish for another life. Thankfully, the hush puppies are ready, so Teagan takes the opportunity to take a large gulp of her wine before taking a moment to eye the hush puppies now in front of her.

"Well these smell delightful. Can't imagine I'd dislike them." There's are hint of onion that Teagan finds particularly enticing, but instead of digging into the hot food, she waits patiently for her place and napkin with a question. "Do you cook often?"

[eyeslikemirrors]

It's Friday and after closing up Pioneer's for the night, Arden is ready to get some dinner and a few drinks and relax. They're off the following day, and are looking forward to sleeping in and a day of incredibly limited human interaction.

Leaving the bookshop, they cut across the park, looking up at the evening sky. Pale blue meets orange and violet at the horizon, a pastel gradient of colors stretching out into the slowly darkening skies, not a cloud in sight. It's not the most extravagant of sunsets, but it's beautiful regardless, a calm, muted sort of beauty that makes her chest ache just a little. She pulls her camera out, snapping a few quick pictures before, feeling satisfied, she continues walking.

It's clear upon approach that the night is just about getting started at the Velvet Stag. Warm light spills out from the windows, from which she can see that the usual Friday night crowd has begun to file in after a long week of work. She can already see several familiar faces, townies nursing drinks and engaging in conversation with one another. The sounds creep out from the under the door, only becoming louder and more clear as they near the door. Taking a deep breath, Arden steels themself before reaching for the handle. However, before she can open it herself or react in any way, the bar chatter becomes much louder as the door swings open and smacks her in the face with a soft thunk. “Aughh.”

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Acting on instinct, a hand flies up to cradle their head, though that does nothing to help the dull pain pulsing across their forehead. It isn't the worst pain they've ever felt, but with the added surprise, it does leave them stunned for a moment. They're brushing off the apology, when then they blink and look up to find an especially familiar face.

“It's oka— Oh, Teagan.” They straighten, letting their hand fall to their side. “Hi.”

[petaledarmor]

A hand is obscuring the other's features, so, as drunk as she is, Teagan nearly continues her walk home, believing the apology sufficed. In her mind it did, at least. Then, Arden speaks, and Teagan hurriedly begins to inspect them for any serious injury.

"Oh no, your cute face. I'm sorry, lass." She hiccups, eyes half-lidded. "I was...I'm- I'm walking home." A wobbly arm juts out toward the Myrick residence, and Teagan struggles to see more than a muddied haze. For a moment, she is afraid that her eyes were filling with tears, but when she checks, she is happy to find it's just a symptom of the alcohol.

"I hope your face is okay. Put ice on it. There's lots of ice at the bar." While true, Teagan doesn't really understand what she's saying at this point. Only that her feet are moving and she has a goal to meet: home. But she only has the chance to take a handful a steps before she loses her balance and finds herself giggling in a bush.

[petaledarmor]

location: Velvet Stag status: closed starter for @eyeslikemirrors

Oh this isn't good.

Teagan's finishes her fifth drink of the evening and when she stands up, her legs are a little wobbly. She hadn't planned on venturing to the bar today. Originally, Teagan was supposed to make dinner for the kids, finish a few bouquets, and then take a nice bath with a few relaxing oils before heading to bed.

Unfortunately though, the grief got to her when a memory popped up in her notifications. A stupid recap of June from last year. It was filled with pictures she downloaded and arranged in her phone for the funeral service. Because tomorrow is officially the day the Myrick's lives changed forever.

In a matter of hours, Teagan found herself drinking alone at the Velvet Stag, so inebriated that she got cut off and is now standing on unstable legs. She takes a few moments to center herself, waving off an offer to get a ride home. She wants to walk back so she can try and sober up on the way there. And if that doesn't work, somehow sneak inside without her siblings catching her.

When Teagan gets through the door though, it hits someone on their way out. "Oh!" She slurs, "I'm so sorry."

[eyeslikemirrors]

They walk and talk, heading to the apiary stand. Teagan is as bright and playful as ever, joking nudges and crinkled nose. It's quite endearing.

She can picture the scene: Teagan heading back to the booth a bit drunk, Aeron and Aelwen, maybe Emyr, too, poking fun, making little jokes and teasing comments for the rest of the day. Their sibling dynamic seems sweet and playful, but she had to imagine it would get kinda old after a while, especially when inebriated. But also… Underneath the brightness, Teagan seems to be incredibly stressed with her new responsibilities as head the of household and the farm. She seems tightly wound and very self-critical, and Arden knows what that's like. Any little digs, even if they are just jokes, just add to that criticism.

"Fair enough," she nods. Then, a little softer, "I promise."

Teagan's prepared, tickets already in hand when they stroll up to the booth to order, far before Arden even thinks of pulling out their wallet. They're going to comment, but Teagan beats them to it; Arden'll get the next round. "Alright," they concede. They take their cup with a quiet, "Thank you."

They take a sip while Teagan continues, and are caught entirely off guard, heart jumping, at the word 'date'. It takes effort not to sputter and choke on the mead. She pauses for a moment, allows herself to breathe before swallowing, hard.

Does Teagan see this as a date? Is this a date? No, right? She means that in like a joking, teasing kind of way… right? Arden tries to push the thoughts aside, because, no, they're being ridiculous. Also, because there had been a question posed to them. Festival games.

"Um, I mean the balloon pop is fun," they reply, a little flustered, but really trying not to show it, "and that basketball hoop game's a good competitive one. Uh, skee-ball is always fun, too."

[petaledarmor]

After a few healthy sips of her mead, Teagan feels the faintest hint of a buzz creeping up on her. Probably doesn't help that she hasn't had any lunch, but she thinks she'll be fine. One or two drinks aren't going to have her completely smashed. The worst that'll happen is she'll get a little silly, which doesn't feel like the worst thing in the world if it's with Arden.

Teagan catches her friend struggling with something, but doesn't have enough information to help. "Hey, you okay?" She examines Arden, looking a little closer than she probably should. Likely because she's feeling just a tiny bit fuzzy.

"You look like you might've choked on your mead a little. You're supposed to swallow." A playful double entendre, and Teagan adds another elbow jut to Arden's side. It's easy to be playful, and she's happy she took the opportunity to take a break. It's been far too long since Teagan has been able to have time for anything other than the farm or the family.

"How about some skee ball? Fifteen-thousand points lands you a prize. I can get that, easy."

[wldngmn]

Quentin shakes their head while now fussing around the wine fridge, peering through the window panel with a thoughtful expression, “I popped into Thistle & Thread for a couple of things with Patty actually. She had quite a few thoughts about us meeting here like this,” a warm chuckle escapes them as they pull open the fridge to retrieve their selected wine. “She got into the notion maybe this was a date but I set her right,” Q uncorks the wine and pours into two polished glasses, absolutely sure and certain this was not a decidedly not a date. Simply two neighbors getting to know each other better.

“I still can’t believe you’ve never had a hush puppy before. Maybe you have and just hadn’t realized it,” they offer with a lifting brow as they push a glass of wine toward her. “They serve ‘em at Granny’s,” as one of the side options. Quentin doesn’t stop with the wine, naturally there must be other pairings and so also pulls out some cheese and dried fruits, a dish of lightly salted nuts, some crisp bread until there’s a small spread of assorted nibbles across the island counter. This is precisely the sort of warm and hearty hospitality the Hennessey family likes to display.

Upstairs, he can hear his mother finally get off the phone, or rather he hears the lack of her voice booming from the ceiling. Q waggles their finger toward Teagan, "You know, actually, I've been meaning to reach out to you. Do you got any business cards? I've got a couple from out of town coming down the next weekend looking for a venue for their wedding. They mentioned still needing flowers." They were often hosting visitors, locals or out of towners who wanted a quaint vineyard setting for their wedding. Maybe a joint business venture could be worked out that could benefit the both of them.

[petaledarmor]

Teagan's brows raise with surprise at the idea Patty cooked up. She shakes her head, smile still strong as she watches Quentin pour the wine. "You're quite the handsome fellow, but I prefer my dates to be with women."

Not that Teagan dates very much, or at all really. Even before inheriting the farm, she only kept things as flings with people. The less commitment, the better. And now that she has the kids to think about on top of everything else, dating is way more out of the question than before.

"Besides, I'm basically a mom now, and that's not a great setup. Most people don't want to date someone with kids." Teagan's tone becomes dejected and hollow the more she explains, but she manages to keep herself from drowning in the sorrow.

Thankfully, Quentin brings up a little shift in conversation. It helps her get distracted, for the most part. "Business cards?" She pats the pockets of her dress, but only feels her phone. "Shoot. Left my wallet at home." Teagan huffs, face twisting with disappointment. "I'll stop by some time tomorrow and drop one off. Sounds like a great opportunity. I really appreciate it."