lose your soul

Rowen Adler. Your local Antiques dealer based in Eureka, CA. (this is RP for eureka-roleplay. everything is fake)

[rowen-adler]

👁‍🗨 - what is a secret that your muse hasn’t told or is hiding 💬 - for my muse to directly say a secret or confession

👁‍🗨 - Rowen has some very illegal business deals going on in Eureka due to a deal he had to run to get himself out of prison. It isn't something he's proud of.

💬 - "One time when I was younger I cheated on a test that was supposed to be for my degree path even though I knw the answers. I just wanted to see if I could get away with it. My college could still be investigating it to this day, but what are they gonna do? It's not like I go there anymore.."

[rowen-adler]

💢 - what would cause your muse to be annoyed

Rowen would be annoyed with several things including but not limited to: willful ignorance, the sound of people chewing loudly, bad business deals, rude customers, or someone lying to him.

[rowen-adler]

owenrockholt​:

Thankfully, the person he’d spoken up to in passing had stopped. When Owen glanced up at the male’s reply, his lips twitched in a slight smile at the familiarity. “Hey, thanks, Rowen.” In general he had been fairly gifted in remembering faces and names, it was even more so when he shared some intellectual conversations about his greatest passion — or, when it came to his music, Owen considered it his savior. So, Rowen was etched into his memory bank for their few conversations alone. Once his guitar was secure in it’s case, he rose to his full height and soon fell in step with his newish friend and took a glance toward the vehicle pointed out. “Yeah, yeah — things are fine. Cops are on the way and I’m just getting out of the area.” It was a very ambiguous reply, especially if anyone knew that the cops was his father, a long time detective with Eureka PD, and the person he still help responsible for his greatest loss in life. His answer left room for implication that someone had called and complained about his playing on the street. Though, as a world class musician on the guitar it wasn’t likely that was all that believable. “Appreciate this, I’ll owe you one. You’re not in the middle of anything, are you?” Not that it would deter Owen from taking the ride and getting out of dodge. “I can make this quick, just need to get out of the area.”

-->

“Yeah...alright.” Rowen could tell from the cadence in Owen’s voice that he was trying to bullshit him, but he let him. In his own line of work it was easier that way. The less he knew, the better off the both of them would be. He didn’t know Owen well enough to know why cops being on the way would be a problem, but he knew it probably wasn’t because of his guitar playing. He’d seen Owen surrounded by a crowd of people multiple times and all of them seemed to enjoy it. Maybe someone that came into Rowen’s antique shop could’ve been to blame for it? Doubtful. Most of those people were older residents and would have no reason to go downtown for longer than few minutes, much less complain about a man playing guitar. “Hey, it’s no problem..” He said as he opened the trunk of his car for Owen to store his guitar in and then moved to get in the driver’s seat. “So..where are we off to? Anywhere in particular you’re wanting to go?” Rowen seemed strangely at easy with the idea of cops arriving. His entire demeanor was one of calm, of serenity even. He had no doubt that if the cops were to chase them down, he could get them out of the issue. Especially considering he had ran guns to a couple of police officers under the table for his boss. 

[rpsourcedmemes]

Questions For My Muse(s)

Introspection

👁‍🗨 - what is a secret that your muse hasn’t told or is hiding

💬 - for my muse to directly say a secret or confession

⚪ - what are small things that mean something to your muse

🔴 - what are bigger gestures that are important to your muse

👌 - what are some of your muses quirks?

💦 - mannerisms that your muse has when they’re shy or nervous

💢 - mannerisms that your muse has when they’re angry or sad

🙌 - mannerisms that your muse has when they’re extremely happy

🤞 - what’s the most impulsive thing you can picture your muse doing

☠️ - does your muse fear death?

👻 - recall one or more times your muse has been the most scared or fearful

😠 - what is something or someone your muse has ever hated or hates

🏹 - would your muse ever kill and why

💢 - what would cause your muse to be annoyed

👍 - what are your muse’s good traits?

Flaws

👀 - is your muse prone to jealousy?

🖤 - can your muse be selfish?

❓ - can your muse be indecisive?

🙈 - can your muse be blindly loyal?

❌ - what would cause your muse to be petty or say something hurtful

🙊 - has your muse ever put their foot in their mouth?

💥 - is your muse reckless? or too cautious and paranoid?

🔷️ - is your muse good or bad at lying?

🤔 - is your muse cynical? naïve?

✋ - can your muse be rude or unfriendly?

🤝 - is your muse a people pleaser?

😔 - is your muse insecure?

🎭 - does your muse try really hard to compensate for something?

🤜 - is your muse overprotective? in-between? or not protective/concerned enough?

⬛ - what are some bad traits your muse might have?

[rowen-adler]

danixaguilar​:

⸸  

“I think it’s pretty safe to say, you’d look just as good in about any form.” Dani rolls his eyes as one side of his mouth curls into a smirk while he glances over at the other out the corner of his eye. Yeah, so maybe he had a few edibles and a few drinks and what of it. It was a good day and he got to look over into anxious and brooding blue eyes that made his stomach flutter like this was some sort of teen romance novel. And if he was a little loose with his tongue as the night went on, then so be it. Nothing was going to ruin today. He was even more stead fast in that as the smile that seems to haven’t left his face for hours merely shifts into something softer as he listens to Rowan speak. The more he learned about Rowen, the more it felt like earning pieces of a puzzle before then having to find where it fits and Dani was all about determined to go on and on for as long as he could. He wasn’t so much interested in finishing the puzzle, he liked the process of putting it together too much. And Rowen was someone he wanted to sit and put together in his head for longer than he’d like to admit.

“I knew you had to be some sort of teacher or instructor. As cliche as it is, you’re pretty much exctly what kept daniele steele in business for so long. And you’re very smart or whatever too I guess.” He chuckles the last bit sarcastically. “That’s what I meant, yeah. I work on it between everything else, but it’s just me so that’s why it’s taking so long, on top of life, ya know?” His teeth graze and passover the skin of his bottom lip as hums. “I’ve never…..No one’s ever seen it before. I’ve never….Wow. I’ve never even told anyone I was working on it until now so….Congrats, I guess?” His laughter is both confused while in his head he’s overwhelmed at having revealed something he’d held so sacred to him for so long, so easily but then he’s distracted not just by the compliment, but by how happy, the other man looks. Genuinely excited and like he’s having a good time and before he really has time to think about it his hand is traversing a little further down the other man’s arm until their fingers are intertwined as they continue to walk.

Daniel’s heart speeds up a little more but he smiles anyway. “But um…yeah, you can see it if you want. It’s in my studio with all my instruments and stuff.”

-->

“Oh yeah? What gave it away? Was it the “roguish good looks” or the glasses?” He laughs and it’s a gentle sound deep in his stomach. It’s the kind of noise someone could get lost in if they tried hard enough. Rowen tried to remind himself that this wasn’t a good thing, that it wasn’t good to get attached because as far as he knew his time could be as limited as some of the antiques in his shop: his time could turn to dust in his hands and he’d be obscure, invalid. Nothing. But, God, he couldn’t help it. Not with the way the man was smiling at him or the way Rowen could almost trace the heartline in the small laugh lines anytime that smile was brought to the surface. 

“Really? Never? Well...I guess I’m now the holder of this information. I’m sure it’s just as incredible as everything else about you.” Maybe it was the alcohol in his system that made the slip of the tongue happen, maybe it was the one thing he was holding onto harder than anything else. “I have a confession to make...the only reason I’m seen as reasonably intelligent is because I worked hard at it. I actually..failed a couple of classes in college for the thing I was studying for because I felt too overwhelmed at the time to do it. I had to retake them later and since my parents paid my way through college because they couldn’t get me to do fuck-all else, they weren’t exactly pleased with me when I told them they had to pay extra for those.” When Dani’s hands laced with his Rowen felt a warmth spread through his body that was as foreign as it was welcoming. When was the last time he allowed himself to just..be? To be weird, goofy, awkward, conversational? All of these things had been buried under years upon years of pain, of the fear of losing someone. Though that fear still stayed there like a phantom in his psyche, he was also convinced that being this close to Dani was healing him in some way. Unconsciously, he squeezed the other man’s hand and kept walking. 

“What’s your favorite game you ever played? What inspired yours?” He asks it like it’s the most interesting thing in the world to him, like it’s one of the secrets of the universe. He keeps walking with Dani, hand in hand. 

[icarusgf]

You still crave lemonade, but the taste doesn’t satisfy you as much as it used to. You still crave summer, but sometimes you mean summer, five years ago.

Alida Nugent (via icarusgf)

[rowen-adler]

owenrockholt​:

LATE MORNING, on a sidewalk somewhere downtown.

For Owen, the bits of success he’d reached with his music hadn’t put a halt on his need to pull out his guitar in public spaces. That morning he’d already played for more than an hour, strumming instrumental pieces he’d been working on for some time and then a few he came up with on the spot. Sometimes he’d play something specific for a person that stopped, usually whatever came to him inspired by their name. Though, after a rest and a move to go grab a quick cup of coffee, Owen returned to crouch down at his guitar case and retrieve his phone. It was his father. Again. The man never really could leave him alone, even with Owen being a full grown adult and more than capable of taking care of himself — with his dark days of spiraling out and drug induced adventures behind him. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath, reading the texts and seeing that Matthew was in the area, “hey, hey —” Owen called out to the person passing by. His hands were closing up his guitar in it’s case and he was rising to his feet. “You think you could give me a ride? I kind of need to get out of here pretty quick.”​

-->

Rowen had been lost in thought for a few minutes now, aimlessly wandering the city streets and trying to find something to do. Being newer in Eureka, he hadn’t gotten the chance to stretch his legs and finally decided it was time to get out and about on his own. He’d set himself up for success by circling a few things in the directory he was given when he moved here and made it a point to stop at a couple of them. Because of this, he’d been to the record store a time or two and had even chatted briefly about music with the owner. He remembered thinking that Owen had a real passion for what he did and he admired him for that. He remembered his old friend and how they used to play guitar, too, and something about seeing someone that reminded him even a little of his friend was a strange and happy comfort. When he passed the man on the street he’d given him a nod but noticed that he was occupied by his phone and Rowen started to walk away. The other man called out to him and it stopped him in his tracks and he turned around to look at him, processing his question for a second before answering. “Yeah, that shouldn’t be a problem. My car’s over there..” He pointed about a block away and started that way. “Is everything alright?” 

[rowen-adler]

angelwallace​:

Killing time. That was what had drawn Angel to the antique store. She was between clients, and with Eddie on the up and up rushing home to check on him and tend to any of his needs wasn’t required. So, Angel strolled a little, ate a little, and wished she could smoke a little. Instead she let her curiosity lead her into a shop she hadn’t been in before. Though, Angel figured it was about time, given her Eureka residency now spanned back to February. 

“Cutlery and blown glass,” she parroted, her head nodding some, “thanks for the tip.” A really damn good deal sounded more like he was desperate to get it off his hands, which left Angel to ponder on the reasons why. 

After finding her way to a display of trinkets and figurines, she found one that reminded her of her mother. It put something akin to a smile on her face, though… it was fleeting. Angel couldn’t remember the last time she’d spoken with the woman or what was even going on in her life. There were many questions she had for the woman who hardly raised her now; now that she had been having some uncomfortable conversations with her absentee father. 

“How much for these?” A glance over her shoulder, she offered a bit of a smile. “Just looking for something unique for the record table. Display and aesthetic purposes, you know?” The figurine in her hand, she turned over and over. Eventually lifting her eyes back to him, “I mean, it’s no blown glass but…” 

Knowing full well she had a habit of annoying people with her sarcasm, especially since west coast people didn’t get the wit that came from her tenure in New York, she made her way to the counter with the figurine. “And cutlery would look kind of odd. Not that I’m opposed to that sort of thing.” After listening to people all day thus far while etching ink into their skin, Angel was cognizant of the fact that she needed to tamp down her desire to chat away now. She’d been on the verge of spilling how the antique reminded her of her mother and where she’d been born in New Orleans, yet refrained in noting his demeanor. “Long day, huh?”

--

The next person that walked into his shop was someone he hadn’t seen around before which caused the man to relax just a little. He was used to the older crowd: the ones that would come in and yell at him over whatever was going on with them at the time and this seemed less like that and more like a breath of fresh air. His shoulders softened and his gaze watched her with a little more warmth than apprehension. 

He watched her go over to the trinkets and smiled just a little when she asked for the price. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re willing to pay for it?” Truth be told, he didn’t know anything about what any of this was worth and he didn’t really pretend to on most days even though he was supposed to. He was more worried about the side business, but he wouldn’t get into that with polite company. 

“Maybe some records for the record table?” He shrugged a little, his own sarcasm breaking the surface. “Or would that be too on the nose? A friend of mine used to keep his records in frames on the walls and he’d switch them out when he was feeling like listening to them. I told him there were boxes and tables for that, but he was always leaving them everywhere.” Was that a hint of sadness in his voice? Longing? If it was, he covered it up with a sip from his coffee cup. 

“Cutlery would look great if you were going for a Hannibal Lecter aesthetic..but I’m assuming that isn’t your preferred vibe. Unless your record table was in the kitchen and you just needed the extra counter space.” He brought himself to stand up from the stool he was currently occupying. 

“Sorry if I seemed a little on edge. Some of the people I’ve gotten today have been..ridiculous to say the least. But yeah, you can totally name your price on that and take it..I won’t stop you. It came in with a lot of things I bought off of somebody so either way I’d make a profit.” 

[rowen-adler]

danixaguilar​:

Dani was, for all intents and purposes, quite ecstatic today. Not only was he able to bask in all that was music, he got to spend time with Rowan. The past several months getting to know the other man had been nothing short of a treat for Daniel, a thought that still sent his nerves into a frenzy. Dani was careful of becoming too attached to anyone. He hadn’t attempted an actual relationship for almost two years now. They never really worked out because of his tendency to get skittish about people getting too close and finding out about what it is he really does, or even worse, end up getting them into trouble too. But he didn’t have to worry about that with Rowan because they were in the same shitty boat that was threatening to be sunk at any moment, that misery ironically made it so much easier to fall into his…feelings. It was a funny thing having to admit to yourself in your thirties you have a crush, but he wasn’t in denial about that being what it was. 

Having had a few drinks at this point himself, Daniel has been practically beaming for a while. Especially when Rowan starts rambling, as if being as enthusiastic as he was about the games wasn’t enough. Maybe Daniel was losing because he was too busy throwing tipsy heart eyes at the guy and today was perfect. Nothing really mattered except the songs he loved so much swirling around in his head and how much of Rowan’s smile he got to see today. 

The only way to describe what escapes Daniel’s lips is a giggle as he tosses his head back before sighing and shrugging. He makes a tsking sound with his teeth before he hums. “What can I say, Rowan? I got bested by a master at his craft and if anything, I’m a gracious loser.” He leaves out the part where he wants to say, ‘especially with a smile like that’ but much like every comment he wants to make so far that makes his too obvious flirting very obvious, he quite literally has to bite his tongue. Although he’s wondering how much longer he’ll be able to do that. “I’m ready now, actually. I’m starving and as good as the food is here, you got me into how good that rum goes with kababs. Plus my feet are fucking killing me.” Still smiling, Daniel walks up to Rowan, staring at him fondly for a few moments before looping their arms together and leaning into him just slightly as they begin to walk towards the exit. “I don’t mind listening to your stories. They’re always a pretty good time, honestly. Never know where they’re gonna go but the more I hear of them the more you start to come together so…Take up all the space you want.” Daniel waves his free hand and grins over at Rowan. “When I was a kid, when I still got to be a kid anyway, I did art and played music and video games. I wanted to make them. Video games, I mean. That’s why I went to school for it…” He trails off not wanting to contemplate where he’s ended up ruining how happy he was right now. “I’m still working on it though. I’m writing and storyboarding one. Been working on it for years. I’m gonna get it made one day.” He laughs airily, nudging Rowan a bit. 

--

There are moments in life where everything feels like a fever dream, like things are passing in slow motion and like the universe has come to its final event horizon. Moments where time stands still like the hands of a clock that finally chose to give up keeping up with its perpetual, monotonous rhythm. There are moments where Rowen’s sure he’s shifting into something else like an alternate universe version of himself where the Mandela Effect is a litany of impossibilities and not certainties. He remembers some of those moments now, how each one is its own little nugget of a different universe, how it’ll never be proven that things are not always what they seem. Simulation theory passes through his head like a poem and he suddenly wonders if he’s falling into yet another loophole of possibilities that he hasn’t wanted for himself in a long time. All of this is brought on by the way that Dani looks at him in the low light of the street, how the lights flicker on his face as a car passes. It’s the same look that he’d seen a few times back when they were having drinks over arcades, the same one that causes his stomach to tie into knots. His heart is in his throat but he drinks it back down with one final swig before throwing his last beer bottle into a trash can as they pass it. 

“Yeah the Kebabs sound pretty good right now..” He agrees with a wistful expression on his face. “We’ve been eating but I’m always in the mood to eat more. Eventually I’ll have the body that matches my appetite.” It’s not a negative phrase at all but almost a wish to grow old and happy. A wish to get out of this mess that he’s in now. If he hadn’t done what he did, though, he wouldn’t have met the man next to him clutching his arm. The man that doesn’t know that what he’s said to him and the kindness he’s offered him is more sacred to Rowen than learning each constellation by their name and by the names they whisper. More sacred than keeping everything as close to his chest as possible for fear that something will escape and it’ll be a means to an end. 

When Dani says “take up as much space as you want” his stomach does another little turn and he wonders to himself if he’s going to tip over where he stands. He wonders if Dani is being genuine but then remembers he always is. He listens and raises his eyebrows when he mentions he went to school for video game design. “Really? That’s interesting. My schooling was Astrophysics....I used to be a substitute teacher for awhile, too. Back before..” He trails off and gestures around. “I have my degree and everything. I’m hoping to get back to it one day, maybe you can get back to the storyboarding one you’re doing....” He realizes how much he’s smiled in the past 24 hours and brightens even more, his gestures becoming even more grand for a moment. “Wait. I have an idea..what if...you just did it in your spare time? I don’t know fuck about programming, but I could maybe check it out and see if it’s a good idea. Considering it’s coming from you, I can’t imagine it’s anything but.” If Dani was watching as closely as Rowen perceived him to be, Dani would notice a very vital piece of information: Rowen hasn’t touched his glasses to adjust them in hours. 

[rowen-adler]

ofrosesandmuse​:

—

Something of a loving smirk came to Matouš’ features as he watched his son light up at the offer of the Santa, and eagerly grab it from the man’s hands to give it a squealing hug. A moment later, Tomas lifted it up, to brandish it to his father as if in achievement. A soft chuckle rumbled through Matouš and a palm reached out to muss up the boy’s curls. “I love it!” he agreed, feigning excitement mostly for the toddler’s sake. Though he was deeply grateful to the shop owner and tried to mouth a ‘thank you’ at him. It wasn’t often he ran into folks who went above and beyond to make his son feel welcome. If anything, he got mixed reactions. Some people seemed to be annoyed by the kid’s presence, while others did similar to what the shop owner did, and others just ignored him entirely. “When Christmas comes around we can put him up on the fireplace. You wanna go look at the toys?” 

The boy agreed vivaciously, and Matouš turned back to his counterpart with a swooping gesture of his hand. “Lead the way,” he encouraged with a genuine grin.

__

There was always something about Rowen that people were either put off by or found endearing. Something that bled through in every pore of who he was, something that was just inevitably odd about him. Luckily, toddlers seemed to see his strangeness as something that they could anchor themselves to. A beacon of weird. The way the child’s face lit up when he handed him the Santa was completely worth it. This wasn’t a fresh hell that had wandered into his shop but what could prove to be one of his favorite experiences since being sent here by his Boss. When his father mouthed his gratitude to him, Rowen gave him a nod and a small smile.

“Alright. If it’s toys you want, toys you’ll get..” And with that, he moved his way through the shop to the room in question that was absolutely lined with almost every kind of toy imaginable. Vintage Lego sets, Star Wars toys, many action figures, stuffed animals, a playhouse that had been there since he’d gotten the shop, etc. He gestured to all of the shelves. “Take more than two and I’ll give you a really great deal on ‘em. A lot of them have been here awhile..” 

[rowen-adler]

eddiexevans​:

she’d made him uncomfortable, not what she intended to do, but she had, that much was evident in his mannerisms. it wasn’t like eddie to be openly talking to strangers, hell she’d been keeping to herself for god knew how long, but there were a couple margaritas in her system, and it brought out that side of her that generally talked to anyone (not a good thing). “I can only afford one— waitress wage, but I’ll follow the advice and go for…” she looked over the pair again, before placing one back and holding onto the other. “this one. thanks. are you shopping?” 

--

“Yeah, that’s the one I would’ve chosen too.” He was non-committal in the way that he said it, offering the woman a small shrug. “Maybe you can look at the brand of the other one and look it up online for yourself later?” That was Rowen..always attempting to solve a problem that didn’t seem like a problem he needed to solve. It was one of his best qualities, but also one of his worst. “I’m not sure what I’m doing here...” He admitted. “I guess taking in the scenery and seeing what the market had to offer. I’m not sure what I’d shop for if I chose to shop for anything. What about you? What other things are you shopping for?” 

[rowen-adler]

ofrosesandmuse​:

—

Amenities were not of scarcity in Eureka, and since his recent move, Matouš had been lugging his son in tow to explore the city as much as they could in the small bits of time they had between work, preschool, and bedtime. The adventures around Eureka had become something he and Tomas would bond over and he felt himself getting excited for their next destination, even when he was worn down and stretched thin from long days teaching and partnering with artists and buyers alike. A yawn stretched out his expression as the man and son entered the antique shop, despite it not even being mid day yet. He’d had a class rescheduled for some assembly the university was holding, which meant his afternoon freed up just a few hours. But a few hours was plenty when budgeting time with a toddler, and so he scooped up his boy for their daily adventure a little early, which just meant he’d have time to relax later in the day once the other half of work was finished. 

The curly-haired toddler tried to yank his father deeper into the shop, faster than his tired body was willing to let him. So he let go of the grasp, and let Tomas run excitedly over to some knick knacks. “Tomas, be careful,” he urged, keeping a watchful gaze on the boy as he inspected some vintage Christmas ornaments, eyes wide and in awe of the designs. Matouš approached the desk, grinning over at the man who seemed buried in a book. “I’ll uh… pay for it if he breaks anything. You happen to have any vintage toys?”

-->

Rowen failed to hide his surprised expression when the first thing he saw was a toddler absolutely crushing this whole running thing through his shop. Immediately, his expression softened. He’d had to watch his kid cousin when the two of them were younger when she was just about as small and the image brought back a wonderful memory of also having to chase her around through any store they were in while his parents watched the two of them lovingly. He watched him go over to some of the Christmas ornaments and instinctively he moved towards where he was standing, keeping a decent distance just as he heard the child’s father’s warning. He turned his attention to the other man and laughed a little. “Oh it’s no problem, really. If he breaks it it’s just one less thing I have to try to get outta here.” Kneeling, he brought one of the vintage Santas that was made out of soft felt fabric from one of the shelves behind them and offered it to the kid. “This one’s one of my favorites and since you’re a new customer it’s yours..free of charge.”  He had a soft spot for children, really. Normally he was very rigid when he was working, but this was a special circumstance. He brought himself back up to his feet and adjusted his composure just a little. “Vintage toys are all in that room over there. There’s a whole lot of them..some I just got the other day. You’re welcome to peruse them for as long as you’d like. I can show you..if you want.” 

[rowen-adler]

@eureka antiques --> ( open starter @eureka-starters​)

The workday had just started and Rowen was already fed up with everything. His first customers had been an older couple who insisted they had an original copy of the Declaration of Independence (they didn’t) and wouldn’t take no for an answer. They’d tried to convince him that it was the original and the one back West was a “fake because they entrusted the original to someone else”. When Rowen pulled up information showing them that theirs was indeed a fake, they both told him he didn’t know what he was doing (he really, really didn’t), and stormed out with their phony paper. 

His second customer had been a general sale but he was absolutely certain they had stolen something else after he noticed a large candlestick in their back pocket. Oh well, they probably needed it more than he did. 

The hours were bleeding together with the kind of urgency that came with the passage of time and Rowen was intimately aware of it with each passing moment. Was it lunchtime yet? Should he close up shop early? Was there another transaction that was more important coming through later today that the Boss would bust his balls for missing? He busied himself by picking up a copy of the book he was reading: “Wonderland” by Zoje Stage and tried to fall into the flow of the words, the phrases. Tried to put himself anywhere else but where he was at currently. 

When the bell above the door rung again he didn’t look up initially, instead he called through the store. “There’s a sale on all cutlery and blown glass today so take your pick and I’ll give you a really damn good deal on it.” He reached up and adjusted his glasses because they actually needed adjusting this time and finally looked up to see what fresh hell had walked into his shop.

[rowen-adler]

@eurekafest arcade --> @danixaguilar​

In an exciting and surprising turn of events, Dani had managed to drag Rowen away from his house yet another time. To Rowen, this was an astounding turn of events especially considering his aversion to crowds, loud noises, and just about anything else that could be deemed fun. Both times Dani had brought him to the festival previously had been considerably more enjoyable than Rowen had thought they would be and for that, he was weirdly grateful. 

Tonight, though, they had taken up residence in the arcade for awhile and Rowen was able to show his skills at Space Invaders (top score), Medieval (made it through all of the game on one coin), and Mortal Kombat. “When I was younger, I used to sit with my Nintendo on for hours and then have a headache the next day for school, but it was worth it.” His voice had the smallest hint of a slur to it, a silkiness brought on by having one more beer. He wasn’t drunk yet, but he was pleasantly buzzed and some of the lights were starting to bleed into hypodermic little lines. It was beautiful. He laughed a little, shaking his head at the memory.

“Anyway..I’m ready when you are to leave...if you’re done getting your ass kicked. There’s over a hundred combos for Mortal Kombat and I memorized all of them years and years ago because I had very little to do at certain points in my life. What were some things you did when you were small..I know we haven’t talked about that yet. I tend to take up a lot of space and conversation time all on my own.” He leaned back against the wall, the bright blue of his eyes watching every single move Dani made and swirling what he thought would be his last drink around in the glass. 

[rowen-adler]

eddiexevans​:

@ eurekafest market stalls —    ( open to any @eureka-starters​ )

“call me stupid but I just can’t choose—” there was a laugh that almost peeked above the sound of the music in the distance as eddie held up the two bikini pieces from the stall. “there is no way a bikini with tiny little aliens on it isn’t needed in my life— but there’s also a chance that if I don’t get the one with the chili peppers on it, I’ll regret it for the rest of my days… help a girl out… which one?” 

Rowen wasn’t very good at festivals.In fact, larger crowds made him feel a bit..strange. It wasn’t that he was afraid of them. It was more that it was easy to disappear, easier to understand parts of oneself that one may not understand without getting lost in them. It was a strange fear..the fear of being unknown in a way in which obscurity would become normal. Even so, he was here and he was just taking in everything, carefully avoiding people and murmuring apologies to anyone his large, awkward frame ran into. Suddenly, he found himself standing in front of a woman at the stall and she was looking at the two bikinis and now she was..wanting..a decision? He raised an eyebrow and adjusted the glasses that sat on his face, clearing his throat and giving her the slightest smile. “Well..in my experience with decision making you should always go for the one that was instinctively your favorite first. Either that or just get them both.” He shrugged. “We do live close to a beach, after all..” 

[rowen-adler]

danixaguilar​:

⸸

“I had no idea what you were going to say but I guess I wasn’t expecting such a quick acceptance. Not that I’m complaining.” He says with a soft smile, one that grows as the other man actually tells him a tidbit about his life before. Dani remains quiet as he listens, leaning forward a bit more to make sure he doesn’t miss anything. Of course he’s about to ask at least half a dozen questions before Rowan does that cute thing with his glasses again and he can tell the little spiel wasn’t a surprise to just himself. It makes him smile wider. Instead of ruining it and making things awkward for the other man, Daniel decides staying the course as he has been so far, and waiting until Rowan feels comfortable enough to share things with him is best. That means saving the questions for when the time is right, a time he didn’t know he was anticipating so much until now. 

“We’ve actually got some really great rum flavored brownies. I’ll grab some for you on the way, if you’re into that sort of thing.” Dani laughs and winks playfully at the blonde before he looks at his own watch again and shrugs. “I can be out of here whenever, really. We can stop at the store on the way to my place. Get your ruuummmmm.” Daniel accentuates teasingly before he tilts his head, staring at Rowan once more. “I’m so looking forward to this.” 

-

“Of course I’d say yes....you’re basically the only person around here I’ve communicated with on a less than superficial level.” He shrugged, taking the last bite of the sweet potato chips and the last bite of the wrap. He noticed the way Dani’s smile grew when he started talking about his previous life and made a note of it. Sometimes words were all someone needed to feel closer, to feel more alive. “I’m going to be honest with you..the last time I got in any way high I wound up in the grass in my backyard staring at the stars. I guess at some point I passed out because the next thing I remember the sun is in my eyes.” He laughed a little, shaking his head. Momentarily, he got a flash of a previous time, a previous life. The way Caleb convinced him to smoke weed with him, the way everything was perfect the way it was. 

“But yeah..the rum flavored brownies sound perfect. I’ll give them a shot.” He considered his next words wisely and looked down at his hands on the table, the way that the pointer fingers had made a small temple of nervousness. “You know...” He trailed off, thinking again before those blue eyes were on Dani’s face again. “You’ve made living here pretty okay..” It was a strange compliment, but Rowen meant it with every fiber of his being. “I guess what I’m saying is...I’m glad that out of everything..all of the bullshit..I get to at least be in a shitty situation with someone like you.”

[rowen-adler]

danixaguilar​:

⸸

It must look funny how far Daniel’s eyebrows travel up his forehead at how fast and surprisingly eager seeming Rowan accepts the invitation. There’s something about it that makes him feel bad for not considering enough what things must be like for the other man beyond being forced into this job. He had no idea why Rowan was here beyond that and he only knew he was forced into by the annoyance and disdain he expressed for it and his own experience with The Boss practically black mailing him into the position himself. It’s not like he didn’t wonder what Rowan did when he went home. It wasn’t lost on him that the guy never really mentioned family or friends, let alone anything like a partner but until now Dani assumed it was because of the situation and wanting to keep the more vulnerable things to himself. With a family of his own he understood the impulse, it just worked out that in the long run Dani was better at hiding things than he had ever imagined. His trick was diverting attention from any inkling of nefarious dealings with simply being who he was and who he was wasn’t defined by this “business”. He was lucky enough to have a family to focus on. Still helping his ex. His parents. It was the one upside to being roped into this “arrangement”. Not having to worry about how to take care of his family. It made it easier to leave work at work (as much as possible, anyway). But Dani had no clue if Rowan had any such outlet and even it’s only an assumption on his part, the guy being forced to a place he’s unfamiliar with into a job he doesn’t like and going home alone on top of all that upset him more than he thinks it’s appropriate to admit at the moment. Instead he’s grateful that the other man wants to come, that means Dani can at least give him some company. Try and take his head out of what they are indebted too. Maybe even, dare he be bold enough to think it, show the guy a good time, although considering Rowan, Dani has no clue what that might be and somehow still finds himself eager to find out.

“I’ve got some steaks and kabobs marinating. The kids are with their mother for the weekend so I was going to grill and chill. Maybe go for a swim. You don’t have to bring anything but if you’ve got a drink you like to pair with such things, feel free. Personally I’m very curious as to what you’d like. You seem like a whiskey guy to me but I could be wrong. You’re full of surprises, it would seem.” Dani grins at the other man from across the table and checks his watch. It’s not like he has to be there, at least not when there’s no ‘side business’ ordeals to worry about and he had employees, of course but that would mean admitting he only showed up every day feed and listen to Rowan. Another thought best left for the confines of his head for now. “How does about seven sound to you?”

-

There weren't a lot of people Rowen had in his life. Sure, there had been lovers....when he and Caleb moved out, there were more than a few. But, none of them stuck for Rowen. Something about him always threw them off a bit, and if it wasn't something with him it was something with them. He knew he could be awkward, even off-putting, but it didn't bother him any..he knew people could see him for who he was sometimes and find it endearing. Like Dani, for example. The look of surprise on the other man's face wasn't lost on Rowen. "..Did you think I wasn't going to say yes?" The brilliant blazing blue of his eyes had settled amusedly on Dani again before they flicked away and to the room around them. Funny that they both wound up here. Circumstances had brought them to this place and had brought them together. Though Rowen was geared towards science, he couldn't help but wonder if there was a great singularity that brought them together even now for some other purpose other than their jobs. Being around Dani was..comforting and confusing all at once. He had to think about what kind of drinks he wanted, and he hoped Dani didn't mind if he brought snacks over as well because he didn't want to feel like dinner was a one-sided affair for the other man.

  "Actually, I really enjoy Rum." He smiled a little as he took another drink of water. "Back when I lived in Los Angeles, there was this liquor store and they had the cheapest Rum so I'd just chug that shit and get absolutely blasted." It was one of the first times he'd ever mentioned living somewhere else and he immediately felt like he'd shown too much. He shifted in his seat and once again reached up and straightened his glasses. He cleared his throat and nodded. "7 is perfect. I'll be closing the shop in a few if you want me to just come back and follow you home.."