𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔬𝔣 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔰

[salemhwang]

jooniesong​:

“If I haven’t stopped thinking about cookies for over a hour does that mean I really should get some.. And if so, do I make them or buy some?” Minjoon huffed out a breath before pouting. @vestalanding​

       ❝  if  it  gets  you  to  stop  asking  me  like  i'm  some  magic  eight  ball  then  go  for  it,  dude.  overall  it  depends  on  your  level  of  dedication  and  urgency  for  the  cookies.  homemade  brings  a  sense  of  satisfaction  but  the  potential  of  fucking  up  where  store  made  leaves  little  room  for  fuck  ups.  ❞

[salemhwang]

charlienavarro​:

     Though he could understand what Salem was saying, it was a lot harder trying to get himself to believe it. It was hard for him to recognize confidence coinciding with comfortability. In his mind confidence meant pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and feeling good about it. He knew Salem was making good points, but with his capability to continuously find excuses to hide away it was harder to him to believe he didn’t need to change himself completely to be a confident individual. So at his question he doesn’t offer up more than a simple nod and a smile as a response, filing into the changing room to switch back into his clothes; meticulously trying to get the shirt back on the hanger the way it was when he grabbed it as he walked back out to meet Salem once again. “My fashion fate is in your hands.” He chuckled, looking around at the aisles not having an inkling as to where the other would start. “And if you’re ever looking for a good meal you know where to find me, and yes I do take requests.”

       salem  knew  that  fashion  was  an  entirely  subjective  matter  and  while  he  could  definitely  give  him  positive  opinions  to  charlie  on  how  he  looked  in  whatever  outfit,  it  was  purely  up  to  the  other  and  his  own  comfort  level.  it  took  a  while  to  build  up  his  own  confidence  once  he  got  his  first  job  and  had  the  ability  to  his  own  clothes  —  one's  he  actually  liked  and  weren't  given  to  him  by  his  aunt.  it's  really  just  trial  and  error  of  figuring  out  what  worked  best  for  you.  he  waited  as  charlie  changed  back  into  his  clothes,  shooting  the  other  a  thumbs  up  with  a  grin  once  he  stepped  out.  ❝  as  someone  who  regularly  looks  good  on  a  daily  basis,  you  couldn't  have  picked  a  better  person.  ❞  salem  replied  in  a  teasing  tone  as  they  began  to  walk  through  the  isles.  ❝  you  say  that  now  but  just  wait  until  i  take  advantage  of  your  hospitality  and  culinary  skills.  ❞  he  chuckled  before  pausing  at  one  of  the  racks  to  examine  a  shirt.  ❝  what  were  you  looking  for  ??  casual  ??  dressy  ??  short  sleeve  or  sweaters  ??  ❞

[salemhwang]

nijikato​:

“Odd question, don’t ask, but do you have glue, by chance?” she asked, holding her broken shoe in one and it’s heel in the other.

@vestalanding​

       brown  hues  traveled  down  to  the  broken  heel  before  they  settled  back  on  niji,  readjusting  the  strap  of  his  gym  bag  on  his  shoulder.  ❝  can't  say  that  i  do.  either  you  have  a  mean  power  walk  and  wore  these  to  all  they  were  worth,  or  they  tapped  out  early  on  you.  since  i'm  heading  to  the  gym  i  have  a  spare  set  of  socks  if  you  wanna  borrow  that  so  you  don't  dirty  your  foot  or  step  on  something.  ❞

[salemhwang]

⌊  closed  starter  ⌉  EZRA  &.  SALEM

       ❝  i  dunno  —  i  know  you're  not  really  into  succulents  like  i  am  but  it  made  me  think  of  you  when  i  stopped  in  one  of  the  plant  nursery's  downtown.  so  i  figured  why,  you  know  ??  ❞  salem  started  off  with  as  he  entered  into  the  all  too  familiar  theater  room  in  ezra's  house.  there's  a  nervous  edge  prickling  the  hairs  on  his  arms  not  only  from  being  whipped  enough  to  bring  ezra  a  freaking  gift  just  because,  but  also  just  being  aware  of  how  frequently  he's  inhabiting  the  younger's  home.  almost  to  the  point  of  rivaling  how  much  time  he  spent  as  his  own  apartment.  licking  dry  lips,  salem  kicked  off  his  doc  martens  chelsea  boots  beside  the  coach  and  sat  beside  ezra.  he  shouldn't  be  feeling  bashful  over  buying  his  friend  something  yet  here  he  is  looking  like  some  dumb  asshole  about  it.  either  way,  he  offered  out  the  small  succulent  in  the  just  as  small  pot.  ❝  besides,  i'm  here  enough  anyway  so  consider  this  succulent  as  my  own  toothbrush  in  the  bathroom.  it's  an  echeveria.  ❞  salem  spoke  again,  meeting  ezra's  gaze  with  a  small  smile  and  a  teasing  lilt  to  his  next  words.  ❝  i  thought  it  looked  pretty  and  the  pink  ends  made  me  think  of  your  hair.  it  doesn't  need  much  watering  ...  also  why  i  thought  this  would  work  well  with  you.  perfect  for  the  busy  architectural  types  on  the  go  and  always  out  the  door  with  their  cup  of  motor  oil  ready  to  start  the  day.  ❞  @ezrarhees​

[salemhwang]

imanidarbandi​:

     “Do you ever think about how bold Usher was in Confessions part two? As if saying ‘I hope you can accept that I’m man enough to tell you this’ as if he had a fucking choice. And then to blast it for all his fans to hear? Just to get a sympathy vote? How embarrassing for the woman he was singing to y’know? Makes me so mad that it slaps as hard as it does.” It’s clear that she’s thought about this a lot.

@vestalanding​

       salem  watched  on  in  silence  as  imani  spoke,  eyebrows  raised  in  amusement  from  the  unexpected  route  of  the  conversation.  ❝  i  see  you've  had  a  lot  of  time  to  consider  this.  it's  been  a  while  since  i've  even  listened  to  the  song  but  the  general  premise  is  ❛  i  cheated  and  because  i'm  actually  telling  you  about  it  that  means  you  should  forgive  me  ❜,  right  ??  unless  you  actively  listen  to  the  lyrics  of  songs  written  by  guys  then  you  don't  realize  how  stupid  half  of  them  are.  ❞

[salemhwang]

theoxhornburg​:

“riddle me this- is it a total bitch move of me to deny couples dressed up as - say pepper and salt, candy? i dunno maybe it’s because i’m single and petty but couple costumes that generic don’t deserve to be rewarded, right?” ( @vestalanding​

       ❝  how  old  is  the  couple  ??  'cause  if  they're  older  than  teenagers  then  i  would  question  why  they're  still  going  door  to  door  like  children  asking  for  candy.  either  way,  i'd  tell  them  to  stop  being  cheap  and  buy  their  own  goddamn  candy  rather  than  take  what's  for  kids.  ❞

[salemhwang]

jeremyjjb​:

With tired eyes he takes a seat at the closest table, hot coffee settled between both palms to warm him. “I’m sorry, do you have any sugar at your table?” He asks in a low voice, eyeing the person at the next table over.

@vestalanding​

       chocolate  hues  travel  over  to  the  source  of  the  voice  and  at  the  question  directed  to  him,  there's  an  upward  curl  to  his  lips.  ❝  no,  but  i'm  often  told  i'm  sweet  enough.  will  that  do  ??  ❞  salem  quipped  back  just  to  be  a  little  shit.  he  paused  for  moment  before  grabbing  three  sugar  packets  and  offering  them  out.  ❝  you  look  like  shit,  dude.  pretty  sure  a  coffee  is  the  opposite  of  what  you  need  right  now  but  go  crazy  with  these.  ❞

[salemhwang]

julianjeong​:

“Sure, that’s a great story… also one that I totally didn’t ask for. I just approached you because you seem to have dropped this so I’m here to give it back…”  @vestalanding​

       ❝  appreciate  the  concern  but  then  i'd  also  recommend  to  check  your  shitty  attitude,  dude,  since  i'm  telling  you  that  you  have  toilet  paper  attached  to  your  shoe.  i'm  not  all  that  generous  in  offering  up  my  valuable  time  and  recounting  my  day  to  strangers  who  lack  basic  manners.  ❞

[salemhwang]

autumnhornburg​:

“Exactly! Her system is flawed.” Autumn exclaimed, because of course it wasn’t her at fault. “Oh, my God! Who would have thought the perfect person was stood right in front of me! I love when the stars align.”

       ❝  of  course.  if  it  doesn't  work  for  you  then  clearly  it's  a  flawed  system.  ❞  salem  snickered,  amusement  dancing  across  his  features.  ❝  funny  how  these  things  work,  yeah  ??  should  i  expect  a  full  fashion  show  with  you  trying  these  clothes  on  or  are  we  just  deciding  as  we  pick  them  out  of  your  closet  ??  what's  the  occasion  anyway  ??  making  room  for  the  upcoming  season  ??  ❞

[sungschan]

there’s gon’ be better days (ʸᵉᵃʰ) 🎶 

[salemhwang]

autumnhornburg​:

“I tried to Marie Kondo a few months back and only ended up throwing, like, three things out. If only there was someone I trust who would help me and tell me I don’t need to keep things just because of the sentimental value…”

       ❝  how  can  you  throw  away  whatever  doesn't  bring  you  joy  when  everything  brings  you  joy  ??  ❞  salem  joked,  chuckling  at  what  autumn  said  next  and  pointing  a  finger  at  himself.  ❝  someone  you  trust,  you  say  ??  'cause  this  someone  is  very  trustful  with  a  great  eye  for  fashion  and  cutting  emotional  attachments  to  fabric.  is  this  a  late  spring  clean  out  ??  ❞

[salemhwang]

charlienavarro​:

     Even with only Salem there, feeling the other’s eyes so focused on him made him feel a little antsy. Like disapproval was waiting for him right around the corner. But he manages to stay still as Salem smooths out the fabric and gives him advice that didn’t sound so bad in the grand scheme of things. The only issue was that he still hadn’t decided if it was Anna he was trying to look suitable for, and if that had been the case wearing it around the B&B was more terrifying than wearing it out in public. “You make a good point — think I could just… wear it around my bedroom where no one can see for starters? Or does that defeat the purpose?” He presented the question like a joke, complete with a soft chuckle. Though the idea didn’t sound so bad when he thought about Anna never seeing him potentially looking ridiculous. “Are you serious? Salem that would be great, thank you so much. I clearly have no idea what i’m doing here. Dinner on me afterwards?”

       while  salem  had  always  been  a  bit  more  adventurous  when  it  came  to  fashion  and  trying  new  things,  he  could  see  why  charlie  wouldn't  see  the  appeal  of  it.  for  most,  their  clothes  was  an  extension  of  themselves  and  some  people  preferred  to  keep  things  simple.  simplicity  and  staying  within  one's  comfort  zone  of  what  they  knew  worked  meant  minimizing  risk.  fashion  was  just  as  much  confidence  in  what  you  were  wearing  as  it  was  putting  complimentary  pieces  together.  salem  smoothed  down  one  last  bit  of  the  fabric  before  giving  a  light  squeeze  to  charlie's  shoulders  as  a  physical  response  to  his  question  before  opening  his  mouth  to  offer  a  verbal  reply.  ❝  clothes  are  for  you  and  your  own  enjoyment  so  if  that's  what  you  want  to  do  then  who's  to  stop  you  ??  ❞  he  asked  with  an  upward  quirk  of  his  lips  upon  hearing  charlie's  laughter.  ❝  sometimes  you  just  have  to  build  up  your  comfort  level  and  it  can  be  done  slowly  as  you  get  more  used  to  different  styles  you're  not  usually  accustomed  to.  ❞  charlie's  reply  managed  to  widen  his  smile.  ❝  of  course.  what  are  friends  for  ??  i'm  sure  i  can  find  something  new  that  fits  into  your  current  style.  plus,  i  can  never  turn  down  the  promise  of  dinner.  so  switch  out  of  what  you  have  on  and  we  can  head  back  out  for  something  more  promising.  ❞

[salemhwang]

autumnhornburg​:

“I really need a clear out. I think I’d need a whole moving truck for my clothes alone.”

@vestalanding​

       ❝  looks  like  you  could  use  some  advice  from  marie  kondo.  are  they  out  of  season  or  do  you  just  not  wear  them  anymore  ??  ❞

[salemhwang]

ezrarhees​:

It brought a warm feeling to his chest knowing how easy it was for them to flow back into their routine of quips and retorts. Even if Ezra was only away for a week, he always found it different, and oftentimes difficult, to not be physically around people he deemed as close. “Not at all. Who would provide you with your daily dose of bidet reviews when I’m gone?” Though Ezra wouldn’t admit it, but Salem wasn’t wrong. While the time away from Vesta and the responsibilities that came with it was nice, something was missing. As much as he enjoyed all the activities he had lined up for himself, it would’ve been better if there was someone to share it all with. The next jab that broke from the older felt half-hearted, which was most definitely odd coming from Salem out of all people. Though Ezra figured that it might just be an off day for his friend, and decided to shrug the feeling away. “So be it,” were the only words he threw back, hoping that disregarding it would help Salem focus on his shot and stance, which proved successful once Ezra heard the sound of the balls sink into one of the pockets. “Well, you’re learning only from the best. It’s not everyday you get the privilege of being guided by a hotshot billiard player like me,” Ezra scoffed, though the smile on his lips kept growing wider that it reached his dimples. “Tell you what. If you make this next shot, then I’ll let you win. Think of it as a make or break. Whatever happens decides the winner, and then we can go get some food after. I’m absolutely starving.” His hands were fidgety and he wasn’t sure of how to stop, for it was distracting him from his own train of thought. But with him standing behind Salem, and with what seemed like the other reacting well to the support he was giving, perhaps Ezra was doing something right. Seemingly unconventional teaching methods and all. Ezra’s first instinct prompted him to wriggle his hands between Salem’s arms and wrapped them around the other’s waist, resting his head on the juncture between Salem’s neck and shoulder. “I think you already have your foundations laid quite well. You probably just need a little bit of luck, y’know?” Dark brown eyes widened ever so slightly as they darted back towards the older’s face and before he knew it, Ezra couldn’t help the smitten grin that pulled on his lips. Some things really are prettier up close. Without much thought or hesitation, Ezra leaned in closer to plant a short kiss on Salem’s cheek, a bashful smile gracing his features as he pulled away. “How’s that for good luck? Maybe a bit of that pool shark magic will rub off on you.”

       like  most  of  his  time  spent  with  ezra,  salem  found  it  easy  to  fall  into  laughter  each  time  he  made  a  joke.  he  wasn't  sure  if  that  was  due  to  the  younger's  great  sense  of  humor  or  maybe  his  judgment  had  been  skewed  from  how  wrapped  salem  was  around  his  finger  in  such  a  short  span  of  time.  ❝  who  knows,  maybe  i'll  turn  on  hgtv  by  myself  —  see  if  their  design  wisdom  holds  up  in  comparison  to  yours.  though  i  doubt  there  would  be  as  much  enthusiasm  for  bidets  so  it  won't  be  the  same.  ❞  salem  answered  with  an  upward  curl  to  his  lips.  the  mere  thought  of  how  much  he'd  gotten  used  to  daily  conversations  with  ezra  and  being  in  the  other's  company  fo  extended  periods  of  time,  to  being  cut  off  to  merely  phone  calls  and  facetime  requests  had  been  a  stark  question.  if  it  hadn't  been  for  him  accidentally  hanging  up  on  ezra  once  and  calling  him  back  swiftly  after  the  fact,  then  salem  wouldn't  have  otherwise  noticed  the  shortest  call  time  of  their  many  chats  had  been  an  hour.  an  embarrassing  heat  rushed  to  his  face  at  the  mere  memory  of  realizing  he'd  fallen  asleep  talking  to  ezra  and  seeing  that  regardless  of  the  fact,  ezra  hadn't  hung  up  until  salem  woke  up  to  go  to  the  bathroom  later  on  in  the  night  and  noticed  the  light  up  screen  of  his  phone.  maybe  he  had  been  reading  too  much  into  what  it  could  mean  and  his  own  optimism  was  the  blame.  ezra  was  too  nice  to  hang  up  whereas  salem  was  inconsiderate  enough  to  fall  asleep  mid-conversation.  he  couldn't  tell  if  ezra's  body  so  close  against  his  from  behind  was  a  comforting  presence  or  not.  even  with  how  fidgety  he  felt  from  the  proximity  and  the  shame  of  liking  it  as  much  as  he  did,  salem  stayed  put  so  he  wouldn't  arise  any  suspicion  in  the  younger.  he  had  to  act  normal  if  he  wanted  this  to  go  away.  ❝  truly,  i'm  honored  that  you  decided  to  grace  me  with  your  sheer  talent  and  presence.  maybe  one  day  i'll  be  as  great  as  you.  although  why  do  i  get  the  feeling  that  your  offer  is  to  lessen  the  fact  that  i  actually  suck  ??  i'll  have  lunch  with  you  either  way  so  try  not  to  worry  too  much.  ❞  salem  replied  smoothly,  tone  laced  in  a  good  natured  teasing  as  looked  back  to  ezra,  amusement  twinkling  in  his  gaze.  honestly,  he'd  been  expecting  the  younger  to  step  away  once  salem  had  made  his  first  successful  shot.  any  of  his  expectations  of  what  to  happen  next  were  thrown  away  when  ezra's  arms  looped  around  his  waist,  pressing  them  closer  together  as  he  leaned  his  chin  down  on  salem's  shoulder.  he  could  feel  his  mind  turn  to  static  all  the  while  his  heart  seemed  to  lodge  itself  in  his  throat.  breathing  seemed  to  be  something  he  had  to  remind  himself  to  do  and  he  was  certain  any  of  his  attempts  to  keep  the  blush  off  his  face  at  this  point  was  futile.  exhaling  a  breath,  salem  willed  himself  to  relax  against  ezra  and  briefly  indulged  himself  in  the  thought  of  if  this  is  what  it  would  be  like  to  be  with  the  younger.  what  dating  someone  you  actually  liked  and  enjoyed  being  around  felt  like.  salem  never  claimed  to  be  anything  other  than  selfish.  after  a  moment,  he  leaned  his  head  against  ezra's  and  with  a  light  breath  of  a  laugh,  salem  brought  up  his  free  hand  to  play  with  ezra's  newly  dyed  pink  strands  of  hair.  ❝  are  you  saying  you're  my  good  luck  charm  ??  guess  i  may  have  to  keep  you  around  for  a  little  while  longer  then.  ❞  salem  hummed,  oddly  content  in  the  moment  despite  how  much  his  heart  hammered.  he  watched  his  friend  from  his  peripheral  view  and  offered  a  small  yet  playful  smile.  ❝  i  see  the  thought  of  missing  me  too  much  made  you  go  pink  too.  don't  they  say  imitation  is  the  highest  form  of  flattery  ??  don't  worry  though,  i  don't  mind;  i'm  flattered.  you  look  good.  ❞  any  other  jokes  died  on  the  tip  of  his  tongue  the  moment  ezra's  lips  pressed  against  his  cheek.  salem's  breath  hitched  and  he  swallowed  the  dryness  in  his  mouth.  ❝  i  think  it  will  help.  ❞  salem  breathed  out,  hand  pausing  in  ezra's  hair  while  he  licked  his  lips.  ❝  but  i  don't  know  how  well  i'll  do  with  you  clinging  to  me  like  an  octopus.  not  that  i  mind  —  you're  warm  and  i'm  a  little  cold.  are  you  ...  are  you  sure  you  just  don't  wanna  call  it  a  game  and  we  can  go  eat  ??  ❞  with  how  close  the  two  of  them  were,  salem  didn't  find  it  necessary  for  him  to  raise  his  voice  louder  than  a  murmur  for  ezra  to  hear.  he  scratched  lightly  at  the  younger's  scalp  one  last  time  before  dropping  his  hand  and  resting  it  on  the  edge  of  the  pool  table.

[salemhwang]

leejsung​:

“ Uh. Not an introduction about themselves, I don’t need that. But like. Mini-responses? Sorry I’m the awful teacher who assigns a written assignment within the first two weeks. ”  Jason says as a half joke and quip against himself, rolling his eyes at the comment about Scottish shows. As much as he dislikes an overt amount of teasing, he can’t help but feel like he’s missed Salem’s jokes the last few days, so he welcomes them with a happy smile. Too much though, and he’s bound to snap a little.  “ Oh. So we’re still on this club thing? I’m a little offended you call my sex life as dry as tumbleweeds – no, I’m not admitting to the last time I had sex, but yes, I’ll say it’s been a while – but it almost sounds like a dicking down is done out of pity. But when you say you’re here to help… please, my good man. I love you to absolute pieces, but I don’t want to sleep with you. Plus, isn’t your dick reserved anyways? ”  Jason adds as an afterthought, before swallowing and hoping the other wouldn’t notice the comment. Instead, the male clears his throat and leans back into his end of the sofa, his nose scrunching up as he contemplates.  “ A round, usually drinks, yes, but I forgot for a moment that’s not your scene. So it could be a round of shirleys, or just three rounds of food? I know you enjoy that. We grub out often together. ”  Jason nods with a small smile. The smile grows at the mention of their mutual friend, and he cannot help the tug of a mischievous grin as he leans forward just a tad. He’s testing the waters with his next statement, surefire in his assumptions, but not wanting to scare Salem off.  “ I see… are you happy he’s back? Sad Ezra didn’t invite you to his vacation? ”

       just  because  he  liked  to  mess  with  jason,  salem  tutted  with  a  shake  of  his  head.  ❝  and  here  i  thought  you  were  a  cool  professor,  professor  lee.  your  looks  can  only  keep  your  students  behaving  for  so  long  before  they  stage  a  mutiny.  ❞  he  quipped  and  found  himself  enjoying  how  easy  it  was  to  fall  back  into  their  normal  routine  of  messing  with  one  another.  it  feels  good  being  around  someone  he  considers  a  friend  again,  proving  all  the  more  as  a  reminder  that  salem  needed  to  do  more  other  than  go  to  his  job  and  complete  his  coursework.  the  amusement  dancing  across  his  features  from  jason's  reply  quickly  contorted  to  disbelief  and  salem  choked  a  bit  on  his  coffee.  he  brought  up  his  arm  to  hide  his  coughs  into  his  elbow  and  salem  shook  his  head.  once  his  coughing  was  done,  brown  hues  refocused  on  jason  and  blinked  wearily  with  the  tears  gathering  on  his  lashline.  ❝  i'm  sorry  —  what  ??  ❞  salem  rasped  out,  torn  between  incredulous  laughter  and  losing  his  mind.  there  was  too  much  to  unpack  in  what  the  other  said.  his  dick  ...  reserved  ??  what  ??  ❝  i  wasn't  offering  to  sleep  with  you,  dude.  i'm  sure  your  dick  game  is  great  but  no.  fucking  you  would  be  like  climbing  a  goddamn  tree.  and  what  the  fuck  do  you  mean  reserved  ??  ❞  it  seemed  as  though  his  voice  kept  raising  an  octave  and  by  the  end,  salem  could  feel  his  eyes  widening  further  as  a  blush  crept  up  on  his  cheeks.  what  the  fuck  was  even  happening  now  ??  with  a  groan,  salem  removed  one  of  his  hands  from  his  coffee  and  bunched  his  sweater  up  in  his  free  palm  and  rubbing  the  wetness  from  his  waterlines.  he  let  his  hand  linger  on  his  face  and  breathed  out.  whether  the  bulkiness  of  the  sweater  also  helped  to  conceal  his  face  and  the  pink  dusting  across  his  cheeks  wasn't  something  salem  would  confess  to.  ❝  i'll  gladly  accept  shirley  temples  on  you  or  food.  or  both.  i'm  down.  ❞  salem  replied,  voice  somewhat  muffled  from  his  sleeve  before  he  dropped  his  hand  back  into  his  lap  and  took  a  sip  of  his  drink.  he  noticed  the  shift  in  jason's  demeanor  as  the  elder  leaned  forward  and  salem  side  eyed  him.  ❝  why  would  i  be  sad  ??  he  kept  blowing  up  my  phone  with  facetime  call  requests  every  night  before  i  went  to  sleep  so  it  didn't  really  feel  like  he  was  gone  anyway.  ❞  salem  said  with  a  light  shrug,  dragging  his  gaze  away  from  his  friend  and  onto  one  of  the  rips  in  his  jeans  as  his  finger  played  with  the  fabric.  ❝  i  see  enough  of  him  as  it  is;  i  don't  think  i  could  tolerate  a  whole  week  devoted  to  him  on  some  beach  getaway.  besides,  i  have  work.  ❞

[salemhwang]

thealecchance​:

alec was sitting at a bar, beer in hand, and sulking. it was rare that he let something get to him, but for once he didn’t have his token smile on his face. “do you ever just feel so defeated that you wish you could just give up and become a hermit?” he asked the person next to him with a sigh. 

@vestalanding​

       salem  had  been  drying  one  of  the  glasses  he'd  recently  cleaned  from  the  lull  of  activity  at  the  bar  when  the  person  in  front  of  him  spoke.  chocolate  hues  flickered  upward  to  settle  on  the  owner  of  the  voice  and  he  wiped  his  hands  with  the  rag.  ❝  can't  say  that  i  have,  to  be  honest.  being  alone  with  my  thoughts  sounds  all  the  more  troubling.  ❞  he  replied  smoothly  as  he  placed  the  glass  down.  salem  really  didn't  care  all  the  much  for  a  stranger's  issues  but  he  could  pretend  if  it  made  a  better  tip,  so  he  leaned  his  forearms  on  the  bartop  and  cocked  his  head  to  the  side  in  feigned  curiosity.  ❝  sounds  like  you're  going  through  it  though.  penny  for  your  thoughts  ??  ❞

[salemhwang]

lysataylor​:

“We’re talking platinum, right?” Lysa perked up at the familiar reference, her head dipping forward in immediate approval. “Cause I can totally see it. And I don’t think you have anything to worry about — with your eyes, vibrant personality and a darker brow, it’d look amazing. Very ethereal, very Jack Frost. So you can tell that friend they’ve got good taste.” Smiling to herself as they wandered through the flowers, Lysa nearly choked on a sudden bout of laughter bubbling up from her throat, the reappearance of the word ‘crotch goblin’ just as much to blame here as her emotions regarding the pregnancy. “Ohmygod, yes! There is a baby on the way!” She finally got out, beaming ear to ear as she delivered the news. Seeing how fast it had happened, she couldn’t help but feel grateful whenever people didn’t immediately go down the ‘shit, Lysa, really?’ route, so Salem’s, whom she hadn’t even known for that long, genuine excitement and joy warmed her to the core, adding a little bounce to her step. “I can’t even begin to tell you how excited we are! They’re very wanted, even if it was a little unexpected. I mean, not for you, apparently, but.. Definitely for us. I don’t think I’ll ever dare doubt your gut feeling again after this though.” Catching herself rambling, she let out another excited giggle, before toning it down a little. “You know, I’d be happy to come to the salon with you and maybe get some blonde highlights in, or like.. a really subtle balayage, but that’s the most you’re getting out of me. Just the thought of bleaching my roots is giving me goosebumps,” she said with a shudder. Following his gaze to the warm, peach-toned lilies in her hand, Lysa grinned, a slight tilt to her head as she answered. “Those are for my place, the daddy is more of a herbs kind of guy. Although, the first time we met, he got lavender for his herb garden, so I’d say we’re halfway there. But succulents, huh? Want to add some greens to these chrysanthemums too? Cause I think I saw some over there. Would you say that some baby’s breath would go well with the lilies?” 

       salem  nodded  along  to  lysa's  question,  averting  his  attention  away  from  the  abundance  of  flowers  in  front  of  him  and  settling  his  gaze  back  on  her  with  a  grin.  while  he  was  generally  confident  in  his  appearance,  it  still  felt  nice  to  reassured  in  his  decisions  by  someone  he  genuinely  enjoyed  the  company  of  and  speaking  to.  ❝  funnily  enough,  i  was  actually  jack  frost  last  year  for  halloween  so  maybe  it's  time  to  bring  that  look  back.  yeah,  he's  great  so  i'll  definitely  let  him  know  you  think  so  too.  ❞  salem  replied  easily.  he  wasn't  sure  if  the  warmth  he  felt  came  from  the  comforting  sun  rays  on  his  skin,  the  easygoing  nature  of  his  blooming  friendship  with  lysa,  or  the  brief  yet  lingering  mention  of  ezra  in  the  back  of  his  mind.  the  latter  of  the  three  was  too  loaded  of  a  decision  to  settle  on  and  salem  figured  he  would  much  rather  enjoy  his  time  with  lysa  in  the  flower  field  rather  than  be  stuck  in  his  own  head.  his  feelings  could  wait  to  be  dissected  at  another  time  —  in  private.  the  vibrant  laughter  coming  from  lysa  brought  out  a  giddiness  in  salem  that  was  incomparable  to  any  other  instance  that  he  can  think  of  and  it  wasn't  even  his  kid.  is  this  what  genuine  happiness  for  another  person  felt  like  ??  regardless,  the  smile  on  his  features  widened  at  lysa's  excitement.  ❝  that's  amazing  !!  i'm  a  little  skeptical  now  that  i  may  be  a  psychic  so  i'm  gonna  have  to  go  invest  in  a  crystal  ball  or  something.  but  from  how  excited  you  are  now,  i  have  no  doubt  that  you'll  both  be  great  parents.  is  it  too  early  to  say  what  it's  gonna  be  ??  ❞  he  asked,  chocolate  hues  widened  in  curiosity  as  he  fell  into  step  beside  lysa.  happiness  looked  good  on  her  regardless  if  it  was  the  pregnancy  glow.  ❝  i'll  take  it  !!  you'd  look  great  with  some  honey  blonde  or  ashy  blonde  highlights.  ❞  salem  nodded  with  another  laugh  bubbling  out  past  his  lips.  ❝  ah,  herbs,  you  say  ??  i  don't  know  about  here  but  we  could  probably  find  some  mint  or  rosemary  for  him  somewhere  nearby.  sure  thing,  let's  head  over  there.  some  greens  will  probably  spruce  them  up  a  bit.  i  think  —  ❞  salem  cut  off,  lysa's  joke  fully  processing  in  his  mind  and  he  let  out  a  chuckle  and  shot  her  a  smile.  ❝  clever.  if  not  baby's  breath  then  maybe  some  marigolds.  ❞