cross your heart

[dailyninagifs]

[daisylowes]

Nina stealing a jalapeno from a stranger | Instagram Stories 11.25.18

[dailyninagifs]

[sierra-moore]

ADAM

                                             Keeping track of Mia’s sleep schedule and patterns, wasn’t really something he did anymore. In the beginning, he tried to do everything by the book, even when it didn’t work, and when a baby clearly can’t be fitted into an average, no two the same, and now all of it was down to impulse, to gut feelings, and as far as he gathered, Mia was in a steady phase, sleeping through the night despite still waking up early. “Not nearly enough,” he agreed, a chuckle escaping his lips. He opened his mouth to try and catch her finger when she traced his jawline, a playful growl leaving him in the attempt, though with little success. He laughed instead, pulling her closer to make up for any space possibly created between them in the last twenty seconds. “I talk in my sleep, huh? Do I at least say interesting stuff?” He asked. He knew he mumbled a few things here and there in his sleep, but as far as he knew, it was harmless stuff, barely decipherable. “Right now I can’t imagine ever thinking she’ll sleep too much. I mean, if she ends up sleeping until noon when she’s a teenager, we’ll technically have most of the house to ourselves until noon too, you know? I like the sound of that,” he smirked, a boyish grin tugging at his lips when he glanced down at Sierra by his side. There was no doubt that he loved and adored Mia, but he sure as hell didn’t mind more alone time with Sierra either.

                                    His teen years seemed a lifetime ago by now, but thinking about it did prod at some sort of sentimentality inside his chest, memories pouring back— a time where things had been easier at some point, and then much, much harder the next. Losing his mom at sixteen had been life changing, but having caring friends and family had held him together, and Sierra, even back then, had a lot to do with his survival. “Yeah, she definitely thought you knew everything— well, everything that had anything to do with me, which, you know, you kind of did.” No secrets had ever lived long among the two of them, not even back then, maybe with the exception of suppressed ones, like him having feelings for her, but he supposed it didn’t matter that much now; everything worked out in the end, after all. “Cop training? Sounds really hard, don’t know if I can do it,” he joked and turned his head, placing a kiss on her fingers, barely focused on the conversation—- not compared to how focused he was on Sierra instead, gazing down at face, every feature etched into his brain, and yet still as breathtakingly beautiful as if he’d only just seen her now for the first time. He could kiss her like this, like there was no tomorrow, for the rest of time, and not be bothered, not even realize time was ticking, and the outside world was still there. Maybe if he didn’t love Mia so much, he’d never move from this couch ever again. “More in love with the waffle iron?” He said and managed a faux gasp, leaning his head back to look at her with mock horror on his face, but only for a second. “Yeah, you’re right, I only have eyes for the waffle iron. If it was here right now, I mean, god, you could get naked right in front of me and I wouldn’t even notice,” he teased, hooking a thumb through one of her belt loops to pull her closer to him with a boyish grin— oh, he’d definitely notice.

                                  Strong arms wrapping around her held her in place against him, his lips brushing against her hairline as he peppered her skin with featherlight kisses in their embrace. It was hard to focus on any kind of conversation with her when she was this close, but he was getting better at it; and this one in particular was important enough to rope and hold at least enough of his attention to make every word genuine when it formed on his tongue, and left a second later. He leaned his head back, blue hues taking in her contrasting ones as they held his gaze, a sea of trapped emotion to drown in in auburn shades and golden undertones— he loved those eyes, so expressive and earnest, nothing even remotely insincere about them, and maybe especially now, begging him not to do what he’d done to her too many times already. “How could I?” He whispered and loosened his hold on her, only to bring a free hand to her face, fingertips brushing back stray locks of umber hair to pin them behind her ear. “—when you’re here?” He gave a small shake of his head, his brows furrowed now in the same serious manner her features had found, fingers pushing to the nape of her neck as he cupped her face in his hand. “You and Mia, you’re everything I need, you know that, right?” He looked at her, eye to eye, willing her to try and look for any signs of dishonesty, knowing she’d never find even the sliver of it. He loved her—- he’d always loved her, and just the thought of ever leaving her behind for any reason at all, well, it didn’t even exist to him; it was as impossible as bringing the dead back to life was. “No you won’t let me,” he agreed and closed his eyes when she pressed a kiss to his forehead, his thumb sweeping along her malar as his heart skipped a beat. This was all he’d ever wanted, and with it, everything else fell into place— every little thing he might have wanted to run from in the past, it no longer existed to him, swept away with that first kiss, with her ‘I love you’, as if life suddenly made sense. “No,” he said. “Hopefully you wouldn’t have, but love makes people crazy, right?” At least he knew that, and that was why, in a way, he was glad Sierra didn’t have to love him when he’d gone through his dad’s death for instance.

                                   Those memories were particularly dark, but they didn’t get their foot in the door this time, his mind preoccupied with Sierra as he trapped her under his weight, thankful for the size of their couch maybe right now more than ever. “Couldn’t be happier that that someone is you,” he said against her skin and looked up at her, a boyish grin tugging at his lips, only momentarily faltering when her finger came to it too. “On one condition?” He repeated against it, arching a brow in curiosity. It could’ve been anything, but the one she chose was pretty damn easy to go along with, a laugh escaping him and a small shake of his head offered. “Oh, you mean, making out on the couch like teenagers? I guess, if you really want that, I could go along with it,” he said and kissed her again, fervent, persuasive, in love.

                               Mom status, one that Sierra had dreamed about occasionally but never seriously considered until it was sprung upon her. At first in the form of a distant godmother, but in the space of less than a year she had become one. Aside from the exhaustion, Sierra felt little different from how she did two years ago, beginning months of heart ache and anger from her former boyfriend. Smile on her face, Sierra shook her head and laughed, “You just mumble random crap—” For a long time it had scared her awake, but now she just grunted and gently pushed his head to get him to stop. “Of course you say that, you never left your damn bedroom as a teenager! Always sleeping until the afternoon, wasting your life away. Hell no, she’s not doing that. Even if it means losing a few hours of quiet, she’s not gonna’ spend her life asleep.” The woman sniggered, wondering how things would be different is his mom and dad were still here. They would’ve been the best grandparents, proud and supportive given the situation; they dedicated themselves fully and spared no part of their hearts for anything but love. “She always asked me about girls, who you were dating, if they were nice...” And explaining that her son was a hunk for almost all female eyes at that age made her feel sick, not out of jealously but disgust at intimacy and the idea of dating. “I didn’t know about half of them—” She reminded him with a flick of her finger into the crease of his elbow, “You always kept them quiet.” She didn’t mind though, even now. At that age the last thing she wanted to do was sit down and talk about boys, discuss dating or enter into a conversation that required the raw details of sex. At fourteen all she wanted to do was sip on lemonade and hang out in the forest, not exactly friend-making desires at that age. 

                               Occasionally she let him have his way, large arms encompassing her small frame in a way that felt safe and secure. They always had done, but now his hands moved with purpose and intent, a dimension to their friendship that was still blossoming into something unlike anything she had before; desire was one thing, lust another, but love? Sierra had been devoid of that feeling for a long time. Her eyes looked up to his and she elicited a laugh, reaching up stroke the side of his face before allowing them to fall to the back of her head. “I’m calling bullshit—” Sierra snorted, faux jealousy written over her pursed lips. “Bullshit...” Teeth bit into her lip as he tugged her hips forward, lapping up every second of affection knowing that it would have to end. That was the hardest part about being with a man who had a child, putting them first. Maybe tonight would be the first in months where she slept through without needing one, or both of them. “I know—-” And she believed him, but doubted herself when it came to trust. There were times she didn’t put full confidence in her own promises, “But you can take her. Anytime...” Losing him would be devastating, but not watching Mia grow up would be a lifelong heartache that there was little recovery from. Sierra swallowed away her doubt and breathed out slowly, head falling into the top of his chest momentarily before coming back to meet with his emerald hues. “I know, I know you won’t, but I can’t help this tiny part of my brain picking away at everything.” She wasn’t sorry for protecting herself, she never would be and in time she would learn that in doing so, she was also providing security for Adam and Mia. But until then, doubt and insecurities would remind her of their location every single night. “Life makes people crazy, Adam. It’s not just love...” The woman reminded him with a quick peck to the end of his nose, a smile finally returning to her lips. “Look at me, I’m kind of nuts before factor in the whole love thing...” She shot him a wink and locked her arms around his neck, “I love you.” 

                               The past was the past, even if she needed answers to some parts of her history... Over recent years she had come to understand that in order to move on, she had to let go. Her father going missing, her brothers abandoning her, the sickness within her mom, her future was brighter than the shadows of her past. It was the same with Adam, their future together was more promising and hopeful than what they had before... “I definitely mean making out on the couch—” She laughed, pulling at the end of his shirt. “Until we’re disturbed...” Which they weren’t likely to be, his lips against hers before she broke away to pull it over his head and let it fall onto the floor. 

[dailyninagifs]

via Nina Dobrev’s Instagram Stories ( November 4, 2018)

[sierra-moore]

ADRIAN:

                Her tease about him and the Tide were lead coated with candy floss; sweet on the intake in their teasing wrap, but heavy, dense, once they settled in your gut. All he could do was laugh with her–– take a hearty swig, drink up, but laugh with her, “Like they’d take me. ‘Narks’ don’t do well in the ranks of rebels,” Swirling the last sips of amber brew at the bottom of his bottle, he thought about where he landed among them: the narks and the rebels. No man’s land. Adrian but a man in the middle, dead-set on synthesis, on peace, as each side tore him in two. At work he was too North End and on the streets he wasn’t North End enough. It was enough to dismantle a man piece by piece, but he’d hold his ground; stalwart as oak with his integrity and beliefs intact, unwavering no matter what, until the voices of the marginalized were heard, sans violence, “––Yeah?” He licked his lips, the lions’ ears perked, hungry for whatever information she could relay, “Anything worth giving me?” Rubbing at his jaw, hazel eyes searched amber, “You hear anything else, you tell me. Whatever you can. I’m, um… –trying, to find a way to talk to them down,” He blew out a breath, “To find them before Swan does.”

                 The raven male, full lips still toying in a smile of dimples and mirth, expected a laugh from the brunette stationed beside him, but instead of a shake-off of her misplaced guilt, the anxiety only seemed to magnify. Adrian found his smile diminutive now, lowering as he lifted slightly, his attention too stark for the rest of him to be in a laze, “Hey, hey… It’s alright. I get it, Sierra. I do,” If anyone knew the fear of burdening another, especially the person you loved, it was Adrian. Thinking differently didn’t happen overnight. A heated palm found its way on the back of her shoulder when she looked out at the sea, salient touch comforting in that O’Hara way, before it dropped back to sand, threading through grains. She was unravelling. Anxieties verbalized, fallen from quivered lips for him to grasp, and he clamoured after them the best he could, “He wasn’t alone. He had you,” It was as simple as that, and as simple as this– “He has you. He has you.” It ached him to hear about Adam’s suffering on such an intimate degree, for the men thick as thieves, but men, was the keyword there; men who’s tender vulnerability seemed to reserved for their respected counterparts, for the women who made them better for it. Their loves. And it seemed as if Adam’s couldn’t see all she had done and given through a thick fog of guilt, and fear, “He’ll get that break. Trust me. You think I can go that long without seeing that hot blonde?” He smiled, wider, hoping to gain one from her too, “Point is, both of you are Mia’s parents, and both of you deserve a break.” He paused, searching the facets of her expression “… What else is egging at you, Si?”

                Narks, Sierra couldn’t help but chuckle at the word, one thrown in her direction almost as many times as ‘woman’ and ‘weak’. They were meant to make her feel inferior to those she was arresting or questioning, when in reality they filtered through her brain like any other. “I don’t know, they might make an exception for you—” She teased with a smirk, leaning back in the sand and lifted the bottle up to her mouth. “Narks, though? After all these years, you would think the public could come up with something better.” The brunette snorted, swallowing back a mouthful of beer as she watched a couple walking along the sand some distance in front of them. Sierra shook her head and moved her gaze over to him, “Just recruitment details. New waves of support, or something. They disbanded pretty quickly when a couple of kids ran past them...” And that’s all she knew, a small amount of useless information that was no help for anyone. “I didn’t see their faces, just heard two male voices.” She sighed, reaching out to squeeze the top of his shoulder. His face could hide a lot of things, but the battle that went on behind his eyes were shielded by little. “I promise, anything I find I come to you.” The woman nodded, “But I won’t let you do that alone. You find them, I’m with you.” No matter what it entailed, she was going to be right behind him.

                Insecurities didn’t usually come in waves of doubt for Sierra, who had built her life on pretending she was invincible, but Adam and his daughter? They crumbled those foundations and replaced them with glass, beautiful but dangerously fragile. Maybe he did understand, but she was still figuring out how to handle those feelings... Years of regret for those they lost, her distance from him in a time of need and now, the pressure of being a mom. “I know, I know, but—” She paused, chewing on her lip as she pulled herself up from her elbows. “What about when I wasn’t there? When he wasn’t around for me?” She shook her head, trying to make sense of everything in her head. An emptiness filled her up every evening, a reminder of what she had without him. Those few months where he disappeared, or she stopped talking to him, time lost because of their own demons. “God, I don’t know. My head is a mess.” Exhaustion brought this out, second guessing herself and the trust she had knowing that she was good enough to warrant a life like this. One full of love and family, two things she had been seeking for most of her adulthood.

                But Adrian was right, no matter how guilty she felt for leaving them on a morning like this. Just like her, he needed time away even if they had to force it; a superior father figure for his daughter, dedicating his existence to her... It was beautiful, but sometimes they both needed a little push. A smile did start to pull at the edges of her mouth, Sierra leaning into the hand he had put on her back. “Can you tell him that?” She asked with a laugh, “It saves me having to call him a hot blonde.” She chuckled, shuffling closer to her friend in a rare moment of closeness. “Yeah, that’s what scares me—” The woman admitted, leaning her head onto his shoulder as she felt the weight of that title pushing down on her again. “Being a mom...” Most people were certain of whether or not they want to be a mom, but Sierra? She had never been sure. “I— I only have one mother, and she was so good. The most amazing mom I could ever ask for, until she—” A small pause in her words, voice cracking under nerves. “Wasn’t. I don’t want to damage her, like my mom destroyed me.”

[sierra-moore]

MASON:

                    He shook his head, amused at the scene: Sierra, breathing hard, standing before him, strains of her dark umber hair from her ponytail loose and on the run across her forehead. He knew the taste, and it was a good one, feeling like you’d actually done, and it appeared she had. The male allowed her to take the keys, an entrustment in her, one not many held from him. He certainly wouldn’t have let just anyone into his home, especially now, feeling so empty and inhospitable in some ways. He wanted to move, soon, to somewhere nicer and bigger, and he wanted to and to do so quickly, but his lease wasn’t up quite yet. December though would embark an adventure, and he thought about it, briefly, working on his bike as she went in and came out what felt like just a few moments later. He dried his hands on the towel beside him, looking up into the bright sun, at her, recognizing the glass from a set his mother had purchased for him before he’d taken his initial move to Nashville, three years ago on the dot. He nodded up, shifted his gaze back down, a smile on his lips, “Do you?” He asked, letting out a small laugh, genuine, a reserved compliment in its most diluted forms, for she certainly didn’t look like she needed it from his eye, “From the sound of it earlier that might’ve been enough of a work out for the whole week.” There was the essential caper.

                    He started wiping down the shock absorber, and then to the rear tank, looking for a glisten. He took her observation with a grain of salt, another small laugh as he moved onto the exhaust pipes, “Maybe you don’t hang enough around me, Moore,” The boy japed, an eased smirk on his features, though he spoke more earnestly with his next words, “But uh– no, matter of fact is I haven’t been on it as much as I should.” He told her, giving his shoulder half of a shrug, “I mean… I took Skye out on some rides a few times over the summer, but I haven’t touched it in a while since then. Figured, y’know, better get some use out of it before winter rolls around,” He continued, glancing back up at her before he stood, taking the rag with him as he cleaned his fingers, knuckles, and bone and grease, “You ever been on one?” The blonde asked curiously, not quite sure if he’d peg her as a girl that either liked the idea of motorcycles or hated them. It usually was either-or with her, black and white.

                    Acid receding somewhat, Sierra managed to lean herself against the wall next to him and sit down with as little pain as possible. “I’m really out of shape, really tired...” She chuckled quietly and lifted the glass back to her lips, three large gulps of water relieving her of the breathlessness. “Adam keeps wanting me to go to the gym, but I don’t like it in there.” Even though it would be better for her fitness, Sierra enjoyed running around the lake and being alone with her own head. “But you’re right, I’m done for a few days.” With the glass almost empty, she put it down and stretched her legs out, looking at the bike a little closer. The woman knew little of them except they were fast and his, it looked like one of the faster ones. Maybe she was wrong, but there was a distinct difference between a Moped and an actual bike... “I don’t hang around anyone enough, at least nobody my own age.” After all, having a one year old at home took up most of her free time. Anything that was left she dedicated to Adam, occasionally her other friends, but most of the time she only saw two people on the regular. “Better to get some time out of it now, than in six weeks time. When bikes skid, the outcomes aren’t usually happy. I’ve seen some pretty bad accidents in my time—” She sighed with a nod, remembering the distress calls from other stations while she was in the city. “It’s not even worth getting them out once the winter sets in.” She concluded with a small smile, the mention of his former girlfriend filling her with empathy. Sierra had ended on good terms with her first boyfriend who moved away too, in the name of his mother who unfortunately passed away a few months later... Little did she know, his promises to return never quite came true. “Are you offering me a ride?” She asked, eyes widening in anticipation. “Because, hell no I’ve never been on one and hell yes, I want to.”

[sierra-moore]

HUNTER:

“I could have, but I just feel like that’s rude.” Hunter shrugged, “and I try my hardest to not be the rudest person i know.” He tried to even himself out, even if it was harder than he wanted it to be. “It is not.” The man shook his head, “the saying you’re in a tunnel is the oldest one in the book, I’m sure.” Hunter smiled at the brunette before nodding, “well, you’re welcome. Giving people their firsts is like a public service.” His eyes flashed down the girl’s more out of habit than appreciation. “boyfriend and hit man.” He said, clearly joking, “it’s a complicated relationship.” 

                            “Lying to him isn’t rude?” She refuted with some curiosity, “Don’t tell me, you’re happy to be the second rudest person you know?” Sierra chuckled, her interest quickly dwindling in his reasoning behind that action. It was none of her business, she would have just handled the conversation differently. “Well, I truly appreciate your services here today —” Voice laced in sarcasm, Sierra ordered her coffee and stepped aside so the next customer could get their request in. “That must make for an exciting partnership. Does he take you on exotic trips wile he’s working?” The brunette asked in jest, brow quirking upwards as she leaned against the counter patiently.

[sierra-moore]

SCOTT:

attn ⇾ @sierra-moore.

Laying on the couch in front of his former academy-shenanigans-partner-turned-psyche, Scott wanted to do absolutely everything besides discuss what he was departmentally mandated to do. Stretching out like a lazy cat, he pulled his arms above his head, cracking various bones in a satisfactory way before resting down with his head on a cushion. And then the rambling began, casual as ever. “So I was in the city over the weekend and I ran into my ex at a bar– you remember Justin? The one that left to do drag? The only upsetting part about the exchange was that I said ‘go off miss thang’ like a 21 year old twink and, on top of it all, I’m still dealin’ with the fact that both the Falcons and Yankees have lost recently. My life is in shambles, dude. Don’t you think I deserve gummy bears for breakfast after all of this?”

                            Rarely did she allow anyone into her office at work when she didn’t have any appointments, but Scott continually ignored her protests; apparently the couch was comfortable and the only place in the building he could fully relax before the change of shift. He stretched out like it was a bed, a dramatic cracking of joints ensuing the movement that made her twitch uncomfortably. “Ew, stop—-” She groaned, grabbing a ton of files from her desk as she made her way over to a cabinet. “Justin? Yeah, skinny dude with cheekbones that could cut a thousand bitches? I think I remember him.” In all honesty she could barely picture the guy, but Scott had a type that he rarely deviated from. “No, I think you deserve me kicking your ass off my couch and into the cafeteria where you’re meant to be.” Pulling a drawer in the cabinet out, Sierra threw the folders inside and closed it shut, pulling a bag of gummy bears from the top of it and throwing them in his direction. “But here I am enabling your shambolic lifestyle, just so you don’t get in a mood.” Pulling his legs off the couch, she sat herself down and lifted them back onto her lap. “Do you need a wingwoman? Because give me two weeks notice and I’ll be that person for the night.”

[sierra-moore]

ZOE:

                                 With the boys out of the house and Mia asleep, left in the Haverford home were Zoe and Sierra and a bottle of wine. Zoe was walking around the living room with her glass, Sauvignon Blanc licking up the sides with every step she took. “Is that Adam’s mom?” She asked, stopping in front of a designated photo wall, framed photographies littered all over it— mainly pictures of Mia, but quite a few of Sierra and Adam as well. “I don’t think I ever actually met her,” she admitted, eyes narrowed in their inspection of the small family photo, Adam probably not more than ten years old in the photo, his sister even smaller. “And what about this one, is that… your mom?” Her finger touched the frame of another photo, a beautiful dark haired woman smiling back at her.

                                 Convincing Adam had been a challenge alone, but teaming up with Adrian proved a calculated move that resulted in the answer she wanted; yes. It was a good excuse to get Zoe around and crack open a bottle, spend the evening deep in conversation and ensure that Mia was in safe hands. Once they had informed Adam of that, it took little convincing. “Which one?” The brunette asked as she flicked the baby monitor onto loud, leaving the couch to approach the frame that hung proudly on the wall. “Yeah, that’s her—” Sierra smiled fondly at the memories of the woman, even in the last few years. “She was very sick when we were teenagers...” The smile faded into a frown as her eyes flickered to the photos of the other Sterlings, all smiling and laughing like her memory recalled. They were a happy family, even in the toughest of times. It was then her vision fell to a smaller frame, long dark hair and a beaming smile, the rarest of pictures when it came to her mom. Sierra simply nodded and reached out to pick it up, hidden behind the rest of the frames. “Adam insisted we had one, so I told him we could put it there.” She chuckled and took a sip from her glass, “I like that photo, though. He found it in my stuff, I forgot that I even had it.” The lack of photos was a coping mechanism for Sierra, who found it easier to see her mom how she was today, than to dwell on just how much she had lost over the years. But things were a little different now, she was learning the importance of remembering her mom in a good light. “She doesn’t look like this anymore, though.” With that she put it back, tucked away between a maze of photos that hid her well and picked up an old picture of Adam, “Look at this though...” Placing it next to a photo of Mia around the same age, she stood back and moved her eyes to Zoe, “They could actually be twins, it’s adorable.”

[sierra-moore]

CECILIA:

“That goes for pretty much everyone,” Cecilia said, “I sometimes run into people that poured their hearts out to me the night before, and they don’t even spare me a glance — They don’t remember me even a little bit.” She chuckled at the thought, because really… She couldn’t blame people. Alcohol was a fickle thing, and even worse on your short term memory. “Ah, I see. Being single does get us a lot of customers to be honest. I’m glad you found someone instead — It’s a lot cheaper and you don’t have to deal with hangovers.” She smiled softly, soaking up a bit of bliss from someone else’s life. Sometimes living through others was just the easiest way to get a little bit of something you didn’t otherwise search out. “Oh, you have a baby at home? Wow, you really stepped up your game.“ Cecilia was obviously impressed, and she couldn’t help hoping she never had to see Sierra at Kube again, not unless it was for something like a birthday or an event like that. Stepping inside the bar with the brunette, Ceci nodded her head with a little chuckle. “It is kind of weird. I hated it at first — It’s tragic that most of my jobs have involved some sort of socialising. I guess that’s why I usually don’t last long. What do you do?” She asked. The two of them seated themselves at the relatively empty bar, Ceci looking around. She had only been there a few times before, but it had been a while ago. It looked almost the same though. “Oh really? So you’re moving in together today, and I basically just kidnapped you away from him? Damn,” she said with quiet laughter. “I’ll have a mojito too actually. Can’t go wrong with one of those.”

                   “Oh god, I would hate to know just how many times I’ve done that...” Sierra visibly grimaced at the though, wondering just how many bartenders knew the darkest secrets about her life. Had it been a few months ago, Sierra knew that it was likely most of them in town knew everything; the jealousy she had surrounding Adam, her father’s disappearance and the betrayal she felt from her brothers. At least one of those things were on the mend, the other two being healed slowly by a small amount of closure she had forced upon herself. “Has anyone ever told you something, I don’t know, really personal?” The brunette asked curiously as she grabbed them both stools, hopping onto one herself. “Your place is the only club to go if you’re single. I remember when I broke up my ex-boyfriend, I spent three nights straight doing shots at the bar.” She chuckled, thinking back to the emotional rollercoaster that her former relationship had been. “I was making up for lost time,” She smiled. “Well, I used to be a cop but I went back to school and now I work in the psych department for the NYPD.” Sierra ordered two mojitos and turned back to Cecilia, offering a little more insight into her career. “Long story short, I get to decide whether or not cops and detectives are mentally fit for duty.” She shrugged, making herself sound much more important than she truly was. In reality her job wasn’t all that interesting, it was why she was considering a small change closer to home. “There’s a lot of paperwork involved, a lot of travel.” Rolling her eyes, Sierra handed over a twenty dollar bill and thanked the bartender as he went off to start on the cocktails, giving the woman a nod as she chuckled. “Well, I kind of did it to myself. Wanted to get the last boxes by myself and what not, so... But yeah, it’s moving day. What about you?” Sierra asked, “Do you have a partner?”

[sierra-moore]

ANNIE:

Annie let out a soft chuckle at her friend. ‘’I mean you’re obviously going to be alot better than I am with babies. I think they all actively hate me, or maybe they can smell fear.’’ She knew how odd a situation it must be, what with Sierra being the little girls godmother, while being in a relationship with the father. She couldn’t even comprehend how it must feel to be in that situation. ‘’Well as an outsider looking in, you’re definitely doing a fantastic job with her, plus she really really seems to like you.’’ Annie smiled as Sierra placed Mia on the couch next to her, trying to hide the fear in her eyes. ‘’Peak-a-boo, right, peak-a-boo I can totally do that, I can handle that.’’ She stammered, before turning towards Mia and placing her hands over her eyes. ‘’Peak-a-boo, Mia.’’ Annie crooned at the toddler. 

Letting out a curt laugh as Mia quickly turned her attention to the food, quickly settling on the carrot puffs. ‘’Looks like madam has already made her own mind up about her snacks.’’ She smiled, watching as the toddler sucked on the carrot puffs as she looked around the room. ‘’Me? Oh I’m just fine. Just the same y’know. Everything’s a bit weird, but I feel like we’re starting to make progress? Even just a little bit?’’ Annie shrugged her shoulders, as she thought about her current situation with Elijah. ‘’Oh, no worries at all. I can totally get it, you’ve had a really busy time recently. I can imagine how much you’ve had to do!’’

                 That was true, she would undoubtedly be better with babies than Annie was, but it was only due to circumstance. Had Sierra fallen in love with someone else, or Adam not have had Mia, there wouldn’t even be a conversation surrounding them; when it came to children, Sierra had always been neutral. Sometimes she found them amusing, other times they were nothing but annoying... Mia, though? She was the exception to every bad thought she had ever had about babies. Her tubby little arms outstretched as far as they could reach, fingers showering carrot puffs into her lap. She was cute, period. “Thanks, I think we’re getting the hang on it...” Sierra smiled, picking them up and holding them out for the little girl to take again. “The sleeping? Not so much.” A high-pitched squeal came from Mia as she stuffed her mouth with carrot puffs, eliciting a laugh from the brunette as she reached out and wiped away some dribble.

                Peek-a-boo was a classic for all babies, their uncontrollable laughs infectious to even the coldest of people. Mia responded in a full-body laugh, little legs vibrating in amusement as Annie played with her, “See? I don’t know what I’m going to do when she’s older, this is all that keeps her entertained at the moment.” That and chewing anything her legs would carry her to, including wires and electronic devices. Adam and her had to clean the place up and turn everything off when their backs were turned, she could crawl at the speed of light. “Oh yeah, she’s decisive. Doesn’t get that from her dad, though.” It begged the question, what was her biological mother like? The answer had the power to plague Sierra’s doubts for days on end, so she tried not to think about her. “A little bit of progress is good, better than none...” The brunette concluded with a small nod, “Steps in the right direction, I hope?” Rubbing the top of Mia’s back as she rocked back and forth, Sierra looked up to her friend in hopes of a positive answer. “It’s not a good excuse, I’m just bad with keeping up with people. I don’t want you to think I’ve abandoned you just because I moved in with Adam .”

[thequeensofbeauty]

[sierra-moore]

HUNTER:

“Really, just by being the person closest to me.” He said with a shrug, there was nothing particularly special about her, she could have been a completely different person, and the effect would have been the same. “That you did.” Boring being the least she could call it, but that was neither here nor there. “Mostly you just were a convenient excuse because he can tell when I’m lying, and here I am, only lying a little bit, not all the way.” 

                   Sierra quirked her brow as she browsed the chalkboard menu, “You could have just hung up, you know?” That’s what she would have done anyway, it seemed pointless to drag others into it if there was an easier way out. “Then he’s not very good at detecting liars, because that trick is the oldest in the book...” She sniggered, offering him a shrug. “Convenient excuse, though? That’s a new one.” She had been called a lot of things over the years, but that was a first even for her. “Who was it, dad, boyfriend, hit man?”

[sierra-moore]

MASON:

@sierra-moore

                    He was outside of his house, squatted down in the parking spot that held his bike he’d purchased now nearly two years ago. Nearly. He hadn’t been on it in a while, not alone, and he figured he may as well not be paying for a lifeless lot, especially not in looming autumn: perfect riding weather. It needed to be greased up before he took it for a ride, the chain, grown dry, even a little rusty around the axle block, which he would fix later whenever he found the time to go out to get the materials. He looked up, over at the brunette who had joined him partially for the day in search of a new couch, chair, and some pillows to go along with it. He figured he could use a woman’s touch on the matter, and Sierra had become a rather good friend over the past month–– someone he was grateful for; a hand in, even if it be carrying some furniture up a flight of steps. His hazel eyes were hooded, squinted under the evening sun, “You can go sit in the shade if you want, I don’t mind,” He offered, as they waited outside, ideally for the delivery of the chair that had taken some extra time for them to locate at the store, “Or go inside, get yourself some water.” The male added, reaching for his keys, ready to offer them to her.

                   Almost every morning Sierra went for a run; one that circled through the lake and Haverford, around the back of North End and then straight back home.... Most mornings, that was. She allowed herself a few days here and there, but the run was for more than just her physical health. While she liked to keep fit, it was just as important to keep her mind clear... Free of as much stress that life threw towards an individual, away from the high-pitched cries of a baby who knew no better and freedom from the prison that her own mind created. Running was more than exercise, it was an outlet, one that kept her from the demons that lurked beneath her skin. Today it was no different, her usual good mornings and breakfast, then braving the venture out even if the weather was teetering on edge of cold. Sierra had only been out for an hour, half walking, half running, when her usual route took her out of the front Mason’s place, a man she had barely known a year ago. In many respects she still didn’t, but his friendship with Adam and their few encounters had proven to be entertaining. He was a good guy, no matter what had happened in the past.

                   Unlike the years before, Sierra was out of shape. It was self inflicted, but she was happy and okay with losing a little bit of endurance if it meant spending more time at home. Still, it didn’t make for a good feeling having to stop half way through, struggling to breathe normally as she granted herself permission to use his front yard as a resting place for a few moments. The brunette had spotted him in her line of vision and collapsed, back on the grass as his footsteps settled not too far away, keys dangling above her head. “I need new lungs—-” She groaned, taking them from him without a moments hesitation. “Thanks, I won’t be long...” And with that she hauled herself up despite the pain in between her joints, dragging each one of her legs into his house and finding the kitchen to fill up a glass once, then twice as she downed the original. Then, five minutes later she was back on his porch, keys being thrown in his direction as the woman finally took refuge on the edge of one of his steps. “I need to work out more...” Her breathing was still a little erratic, but nothing of what it had been before. “Thanks, what you working on?” She asked, nodding towards the bike. “Never seen you on one of those before.”

[neenadoughbreva]

[sierra-moore]

CECILIA.

Cecilia chuckled lightly with a couple of nods, “Probably not. Maybe today is the day your luck turns though, let’s count on it.” Unfortunately, luck or the lack thereof usually tended to follow the same people — It was sad but true, and all Ceci could do was hope no more laptops of Sierra’s ended up in the ocean, especially not working ones. “Yeah, I do,” she said when Sierra asked about Kube. “I’m usually behind the bar.” She was still pretty new when she remembered seeing Sierra there though, “You don’t go anymore, do you? Not that I blame you honestly, it’s usually very loud.” It was tolerable, but mostly when you were drunk. It had the classic night club feel to it, where when you get home after a night there, you can’t sleep because your eyes are ringing. It drew out a lot of different people though, always with one thing in common: a desire to drink. “Good point. I see too much of Kube as is anyway.” Putting her hands in her jacket pockets to shield them from the cool Atlantic wind, she followed Sierra and fell into step with her a moment later along the pier. “That’s nice of you — And of your boyfriend. Does he live close to here?”

                    "I’ve spent so many nights wasted there, I don’t think I would fully recognise anyone—” Sierra was shameless, unafraid to speak her truth no matter how terrible she was painting her own picture. Being open and honest was important to her and if anyone passed judgement before getting to know her, Sierra would reconsider whether or not they were worth the time. “No, not anymore. When I was single and drinking my life away to pretend like being alone was okay, I was there a few nights a week.” She shrugged, “I went in a few weeks back for a friends party but I wasn’t drinking. We’ve got a baby at home, hangovers aren’t worth it when you have to change diapers and all that...” The thought made her shudder, that one time she had agreed to look after Mia a few hours after going to sleep enough to haunt her for the rest of eternity. That day, both of them were crying. “I can’t imagine socialising at work, it’s weird...” The brunette laughed, pushing the door open and stepping inside. “About ten minutes, not too far. We’ve been moving all my stuff into his place, I handed the keys for my apartment over to the new owners an hour ago.” Sierra sighed as she went to the bar, grabbing a menu for them to look at. “It’s meant to be an exciting day, but hey. Pick what you want, I’m starting on a mojito.”