‧⊹₊⋆ 𝑚𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟.

─── 𝑏𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦 .

[sundazeds]

sundazeds. i'm so afraid            ,            it's written all over my face            .            they might see it plainly in the lingering gaze            .            i'm tantalus            ,            can't help but reach out and touch            .            i've never wanted something like this quite so much            .            written exclusively for willowglen            .            sunsinspos            .

      ⋆      gianna  stafford  vaughn. thirty6. she/her. corporate attorney.                         ⤷      intro.      pinterest.            ⋆      augustine  sloan  wells. thirty3. he/him. fire captain.                         ⤷      intro.      pinterest.             ⋆      jina amphorn jinathipra. twenty5. she/her. principal ballerina.                         ⤷      intro.      pinterest.            ⋆      jennie han.   thirty.   she/her.   sports agent.                         ⤷      intro.      pinterest.            ⋆      theodore  lauren  alderidge.   twenty9.   he/they.   ufc   fighter.                         ⤷      intro.      pinterest.     

     ​​​ ⋆      draft    count    :    009     .

[still-asunbeam]

actually i don't want to talk about my feelings i'd rather engage in hand to hand combat

[f0rgetme]

             vivienne   accepted   the   lemonade   with   a   grateful   hum,   the   cool   cup   settling   neatly   into   her   hand   before   her   attention   drifted   to   gianna   with   quiet   scrutiny.   "only   twenty   minutes,"   she   said,   waving   the   delay   away   with   practiced   elegance.   "under   the   circumstances,   i   think   you're   entitled   to   take   your   time."   her   eyes   lingered   on   the   gentle   curve   of   gianna's   stomach   before   softening   just   a   fraction.   "you're   carrying   enough   without   having   to   sprint   across   parking   lots   in   this   heat."   she   adjusted   her   sunglasses   with   one   manicured   finger   and   offered   the   younger   woman   her   arm.   "you   look   beautiful,   darling.   positively   glowing,   though   i   suspect   everyone   has   already   told   you   that   a   hundred   times."   a   small   smile   tugged   at   her   lips.   "now   come   along.   we'll   shop   at   a   civilized   pace,   and   if   at   any   point   you   need   to   sit   down,   we   will.   the   linens   and   china   will   still   be   there   in   ten   minutes,   but   i   refuse   to   have   my   shopping   companion   overexert   herself."

[sundazeds]

gianna can't resist the quiet laugh that escapes at vivienne's quip. " i think that's cause for an extra twenty minutes of shopping. don't you agree ? " she feels her face warm and naturally lets her hand brush over the smooth curve of her stomach, something she found herself doing over the course of the last few weeks. " oh, you're too nice to me. " her own arm loops with vivienne's outstretched one. " perhaps it makes me sound a little vain, but i'll never pass up the chance to hear it. " this was everything she could've wanted and more, and gianna will soak up every moment for as long as she can. she easily falls into steps with the older woman and dusts her hair from her shoulders. " i promise to let you know if i need to rest. though, i will admit that this is one of the only times i'm excited to go furniture shopping. " soft laughter rumbles in her chest. " okay, maybe the second after merrick and i first moved in together, but this is incredibly special. thank you for meeting me out here for this. "

[lovehards]

         it's   a   rare   sort   of   comfort   to   see   that   she's   not   the   only   one   who   finds   herself   struck   by   her   own   clumsiness   in   the   worst   possible   situations   .   first   instinct   is   to   rise   from   her   chair   ,   a   hand   reached   out   like   that'd   help   the   girl   who'd   been   bested   by   gravity   a   few   feet   away   from   her   .   "   oh   god   ⸺   are   you   okay   ?   "   worlds   tumble   directly   over   the   other's   laugh   escaping   as   their   sentences   collide   in   mid   air   .   "   oh   no   ,   no   ,   not   at   all   .   .   .   i   was   just   killing   some   time   before   my   pilates   class   in   a   few   minutes   ⸺   saw   the   piano   sitting   in   here   and   couldn't   help   myself   ,   "   hand   that   was   once   extended   now   motions   towards   the   grand   piano   ,   swiping   an   invisible   patch   of   dust   from   the   top   .   "   by   the   looks   of   it   i   think   you   and   i   might   be   going   to   the   same   thing   ?   that   set   is   so   cute   ,   i   almost   bought   it   when   the   blue   was   in   season   but   i   missed   the   sale   and   couldn't   bring   myself   to   spend   that   much   on   a   bra   and   leggings   ,   "   funny   she   should   say   that   ,   though   .   her   own   body   adorned   with   matching   two   piece   navy   blue   set   from   lululemon   .   giggle   escapes   when   she   realizes   ,   gaze   dropping   to   her   clothes   ,   "   okay   .   .   .   to   be   fair   i   got   this   from   the   outlet   ,   two   for   one   ,   so   basically   it   was   free   ,   "   girl   math   ,   right   ?   "   i'm   ollie   ⸺   you   look   sort   of   familiar   .   .   .   i   know   this   is   gonna   sound   a   little   strange   but   ,   do   i   know   you   from   somewhere   ?   "

[sundazeds]

she's a woman who likes to think she has it all put together— no mistakes or missteps, never a hair out of place or heel stuck in sidewalk split, but falling through a door of all things has her second guessing herself. jennie straightens herself out and brushes loose tendril behind her ear. " yeah, my god. i'm okay ... i just didn't expect for that to be a swinging door. " she laughs at her own ridiculousness and shakes her head, an attempt to shake of the embarrassment that still lingers. " for what it's worth, before my blunder, your playing was incredible. my parents would've loved if i picked up piano like you. " of course they didn't lose their minds over it, especially considering that it was only after one lesson when jennie expressed her disinterest. " oh ? " she takes in both of their appearances before agreeing. " i think we are ! and thankfully this means i'm not late. " thank you, your's is so cute too. i can never not go into the alo at willow village. i'm always saying i'll just go in for a quick browse and end up spending three hundred dollars. " jennie blinks when she's told she looks familiar, and it's in that moment that she fully takes in the other woman's features. " ollie ... " her voice trails. " wait a minute. did you go to usc by chance ? " brows raise. " did you ever stay in mcclintock ? "

[leavesbeh1nd]

"ooh, yeah, slap some relish on there... it's always a win," he says back. really, fitz will eat... just about anything. he's the type of guy to say "five second rule" too, unable to stop himself on any of it, "i like fried oreos. one year, they had fried iced tea. i tried it, it was awful, but i like to wear that as a badge of pride. let's get oreos, though. and — ice cream, too, if they've still got it. the crust is, like, so good."

[sundazeds]

delicate features scrunch slightly. " wait, you like relish on your hot dogs ? " she has no room to judge considering her admittance to liking pickles on her own. jina listens while they make their way toward the food trucks, taking another bite of the fried potato. " there's no way that's a thing. " she's in disbelief and it's written all over her face. " so, fried oreos and ice cream are on the menu. i think it's only fair that we close out with a boba tea. "

[palcminos]

          ✱   ✱   ✱            this   was   more   his   speed,   a   simple   day   of   shopping   (   not   that   he   did   much   of   it   before,   but   he   figured   his   wardrobe   was   in   desperate   need   of   some   lighter   clothing   in   this   heat   ),   than   most   of   the   happenings   in   this   small   town…   something   he   was   familiar   with.     ❛       i'm   just   glad   we   were   able   to   find   spaces.   that   lot   filled   up   so   quickly   !     ❜       he'd   managed   to   squeeze   his   car   into   a   spot   between   two   very   large   pickups,   making   his   mini   cooper   look   like   a   child's   toy.     ❛       not   long   at   all,   i   got   here   about   five   minutes   ago.     ❜

[sundazeds]

this early in her pregnancy and gianna is already nesting which fully explains her desire to go shopping. plus, if she sat in the house any longer she was sure she'd end up going insane. " oh, didn't it ? i swear, one car left a spot and another would swoop in so fast. " thankfully she managed to find street parking, but she's sure she'll catch hell when it's time to leave. " good, i was hoping it wasn't too long and i hope the lemonade makes up for it. " gianna smiles, adjusting her purse on her shoulder. " so, where should we go first ? if it were up to me, we'd be spending the next two hours in pottery barn. "

[wldminds]

it's  not  exactly  something  she's  expecting  ,  as  she's  carrying  a  brown  paper  sack  ,  stuffed  to  the  brim  with  groceries  -  someone  popping  out  from  a  bush  .  so  ,  gives  her  a  scare  it  does  .  as  jina  emerges  ,  a  lemon  rolls   across  the  pavement  as  esti  jumps  .  "  oh  ,  goodness  .  no  need  to  apologize  ,  "  the  woman  proclaims  ,  reaching  to  retrieve  her  lemon  before  it  rolls  completely  out  of  grasp  .  "  you  did  give  me  a  little  freight  .  i  just  wasn't  expecting  a human  to  pop  out  from  there  .  a  racoon  maybe  .  "  she  sets  down  her  bag  ,  dusting  her  palm  against  the  pleat  of  her  skirt  ,  beginning  to  rummage  through  her  bag  .  "  do  you  have  anything  to  lure  the  cat  out  with  ??  i  have  some  prosciutto  in  here  we  could  try  .  "

[sundazeds]

" ooh, sorry ! i heard footsteps and got a little too excited. " jina clears her throat and turns back to esti, listening for the cat's tiny rustles. she feels so bad for nearly making the other woman jump out of her skin and brushes a wisp of hair from her eyes. " well, i thankfully haven't seen any raccoons so i think we're in the clear with that. " her brows knit while watching esti dig through through the grocery bag and she beams, surprised. " i didn't think about that ! i thought if i left i would've lost her. "

[evigh3t]

stellan   had   thought,   when   their   daughter   moved   into   her   own   place   and   left   the   nest   empty,   whether   getting   a   pet   would   have   been   a   good   idea.   something   soft   and   loving,   a   child   without   all   of   the   commitment.   if   him   and   esti   had   it   their   way   they   would   have   brought   an   entire   pack   of   hallström's   into   the   world   ;   life's   ways   had   stopped   them   in   their   tracks   and   allowed   the   couple   only   one.   walking   back   from   the   school   at   the   end   of   his   shift,   listening   to   the   birds   twittering   above,   he   slowed   at   the   sight   of   a   young   woman   emerging   like   some   forest   creature.   “a   cat   ?   ”   a   brow   raised,   yet   stellan   couldn't   help   his   smile,   “what   do   you   need   me   to   do ? ”

[sundazeds]

there's a leaf stuck in her hair when she pops out of the bush, hands dusting away dirt and pushing her hair from her face. " didn't mean to come out of the bush like that, sorry. i've been struggling for the last fifteen minutes. " a pretty, slightly chatty petite maine coon is hidden somewhere and jina is determined to get her. " you're a life saver ! " she shifts, careful to not jostle the bush too much. " my arms aren't long enough to reach where she is. i keep getting poked in the face with branches. "

[trustmylove]

    june instantly turned around upon hearing gianna’s voice, the corners of his mouth curving upwards as he noticed her hands seemed quite full — maybe something refreshing ? “ yeah, the traffic is pretty foul, isn’t it ? we’re kind of almost on LA’s level of bad . . . and, i truly forgot about the kids . . . you’re so right, though. ” he honestly couldn’t wait for when the little critters returned to school ; it just seemed less congested that way. the way he liked it. “ thanks, gianna, ” he appreciated the attorney’s gesture, taking the cup from her. “ nah, you didn’t . . . but speakin’ of nightmare, it took me so long to look for a spot — how much d’ya wanna bet i’ll lose the car ? ”

[sundazeds]

gianna smiles when june turns around and takes a sip of her own lemonade, letting her nose crinkle at the mention of the traffic. " i'm blaming it on back to school shopping. pretty sure we're where all of the trendy preteens like to shop, so we're in for a real treat. " she picks now, but give it a few years and she'll be joining the other parents, rushing to get school supplies and school clothes for the impending school year. " no problem. it's the least i could do for being late. " she sips her lemonade once more before a soft laugh escapes. " i'm convinced we'll both end up circling the lot a few times. if we're placing bets, though— i'd say ten bucks and a cookie from that gourmet place around the corner. "

[grlstrip]

               ★    “   i   don’t   think   they’d   care   too   much   if   it   means   they’re   making   money   ,   ”   autumn   replies   ,   amused   at   the   possibility   of   being   banned   for   buying   too   many   tornado   potatoes   of   all   things   .   “   however   —   ”   she   starts   ,   glancing   in   the   direction   of   the   food   truck   for   a   moment   before   turning   back   to   jina   ,   a   happy   smile   on   her   face   .   “   i’d   be   more   than   willing   to   grab   us   more   .   in   fact   ,   i’m   gonna   do   that   anyway   .   one   bite   of   those   things   isn’t   enough   ,   i   need   like   thirty   to   satisfy   this   newfound   craving   of   mine   .   do   they   sell   smoothies   too   ?   i   think   i’d   kill   for   a   mango   one   right   now   because   of   how   hot   it   is   .   ”

[sundazeds]

her lips twist slightly. " hmm, you have a point with that one. i need another one of these things so i can fall into a potato coma later. " she grins, wiggling her brows while taking another bite of the fried delight. jina turns, careful to not knock into anyone passing by as she does so. " thirty ? you'll definitely end up in a potato coma at that rate, and i'd be happy to join you. " she sets the stick down on the tray and hums in thought. " um, i think so ! i saw boba tea was on the menu, so i'm sure they have smoothies. i need a brown sugar milk tea before i explode. "

[s1cparvis]

 *   ╰     𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍   𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑    from dahlia delgado.                ›            𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔       :     canyon valley ranch

                        for   dahlia,   the   saddle   had   always   felt   more   like   home   than   something   to   be   climbed   into.   she'd   been   riding   since   she   was   old   enough   to   keep   herself   upright,   and   mariposa   responded   to   the   slightest   shift   of   her   weight,   carrying   them   through   the   trails   at   an   unhurried   pace.   it   was   one   of   the   few   places   where   the   noise   of   touring,   interviews,   and   cameras   couldn't   reach   her.   the   peaceful   ride   was   interrupted   when   she   spotted   someone   further   ahead   wrestling   with   their   horse.   dahlia   slowed   mariposa   to   a   stop,   watching   for   a   second   to   make   sure   no   one   was   in   danger   before   calling   out,   "   everything   alright   over   there?   "   she   swung   down   from   the   saddle   in   one   fluid   motion   and   walked   over,   reins   gathered   loosely   in   one   hand.   "   you   look   like   you're   negotiating   with   a   very   stubborn   lawyer,   "   she   teased   with   an   easy   smile,   glancing   between   them   and   the   horse.   "   need   another   set   of   hands?   "

[sundazeds]

jennie is not an outdoor woman. at most, you'll catch her going for a run through town or the occasional outdoor yoga session, but this was something different. coming out to canyon valley was in an effort to do something new, to push herself into something she otherwise would've declined, but now she's full of regret. the horse, ginger as she learned, was incredibly stubborn. they hadn't made it very far out on the ranch's vast acreage before ginger seemingly rooted her hooves into the ground and refused to move. " oh, you are a real piece of work, ginger. " she's not really mad at the horse, hands settled on her hips and watching her shake her head. " excuse me, little lady. we're nowhere near the ranch ! " her standoff with the horse is short lived when she hears a voice ring out and she turns around, using her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. " dahlia ! " jennie releases a quiet breath of relief. " thank god you're here. she's practically teasing me at this point. i'd really appreciate the help. "

[grlstrip]

               ⌗   open   starter   ★   the   lot   ,   1pm   .

               ★    “   do   you   think   i’ll   regret   drinking   coffee   right   after   i   finish   these   tacos   ?   ”   the   question   is   almost   hypothetical   in   nature   .   minho   knows   what   the   answer   is   and   what   he   wants   the   answer   to   be   before   he   even   asks   it   but   that   doesn’t   stop   him   from   asking   anyway   .   they're   currently   sitting   at   a   table   with   too   much   food   for   two   people   in   between   them   ,   including   the   best   birria   he   can   find   in   willow   glen   and   a   burger   the   size   of   his   hand   .   minho's   looking   longingly   in   the   general   direction   of   birch   &   butter   ,   already   thinking   about   what   his   order   will   be   when   they   make   it   out   of   the   lot   .   “   i   guess   it   doesn’t   really   matter   right   now   ,   i'm   getting   one   regardless   .   ”

[sundazeds]

jennie's brow knits at minho's question, brow lifting while chewing on her taco. " uh, your stomach might sound like boots in a dryer, but that's up to you if you wanna deal with that. " her tone carries the inflection of laughter, wiping her fingertips on a nearby napkin. one thing jennie would never pass up is some birria tacos, especially these. her gaze follows minho's with a quiet hum. " birch & butter is pretty nice, isn't it ? " brow quirks and a smile pulls at the corners of her lips. " i mean, best of luck to you with that one, but i might get the strawberry matcha ... and you better not say matcha tastes like grass or i'm leaving you with the bill. "

[f0rgetme]

                   snow   stared   at   him   for   a   long   moment,   watching   him   stretch   up   on   his   toes   like   that   was   somehow   going   to   make   him   less   suspicious.   it   only   made   her   grin   wider.   "oh   my   god,   august,"   she   laughed,   crossing   her   arms.   "you   look   like   a   kid   trying   to   hide   a   bad   report   card   from   their   parents.   you're   making   this   so   much   worse   for   yourself."   she   leaned   back   against   the   rig,   thoroughly   enjoying   herself   now.   "first   of   all,   i'm   offended   you   think   i   need   your   phone.   i   don't   need   evidence.   your   face   is   doing   all   the   talking   for   you."   she   raised   her   brows   at   the   mention   of   his   girlfriend,   pretending   to   be   shocked.   "your   girlfriend?   wow.   okay,   look   at   you   being   all   mysterious   and   romantic.   buying   gifts   and   everything.   i'm   proud.   genuinely.   growth."   her   smile   turned   teasing   as   she   pointed   at   him.   “but   just   so   we're   clear,   i   am   absolutely   still   going   to   judge   you   for   making   me   think   you   were   looking   at   something   scandalous.   that's   on   you.   and   bathroom   duty?   please.   you've   clearly   forgotten   who   you're   talking   to.   i'll   turn   that   bathroom   into   the   cleanest   bathroom   in   willow   glen   just   to   spite   you.”

[sundazeds]

august stares back as if anticipating for snow to reach for his phone again, but tries his best to not look like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. he's sure he's doing a bad job at it. he shifts his weight onto his left leg. " in my defense, i haven't had a girlfriend in years. all of this is kinda new to me. " words are a little sheepish, especially considering that his girlfriend has a son that he loves as if he were his own. the last thing he wants to do is mess anything up. " i was never really good at hiding things. " he admits quietly before a laugh escapes, one that makes him shake his head and roll his eyes slightly. all in good nature, of course. " that's what good boyfriends are supposed to do, right ? gifts without being asked, filling up her gas tank without a second thought and what have you. " he lets out a quiet snort. " i didn't think you could see my screen, okay ! " so much for a privacy screen. august is sure he bought some junk. " hey, it's your mind that's in the gutter, not mine. " he shifts, unable to disagree. " huh, you're right. i'll have to think of something much worse. something that you're not good at. "

[southrngrit]

some  might  say  it  was  always  about  the  fun  for  her,  and  for  a  beat  callie  simply  watched  him  lean  back  a  little  to  stretch  his  chest  and  then  cross  his  arms.  "are  you  scared...  of  little  ol'  me?"  as  an  attorney  she  could  be  fierce  when  it  came  to  an  argument,  and  truthfully  sometimes  she  just  liked  to  for  the  sake  of  it.

drawn  back  to  the  screen  the  blonde  watched  the  player  limp  off  the  pitch  with  the  some  assistance.  it'd  been  a  rough  tackle  that  had  hit  the  player  right  in  the  ankle.  the  motion  of  his  hand  brought  her  attention  back  to  him  moments  before  theo  responded.  "yeah,  i  know,  my  brother  owns  a  hockey  team.  sometimes  that's  more  fight  club  on  ice,  and  i  guess  that  makes  sense  on  why  you  like  it  more."

thinking  it  over,  she  sipped  her  beer  then  set  the  near  empty  pint  aside.  callie  never  drank  the  last  few  sips.  "so,  is  that  your  background  then?  wrestling  champ  in  high  school,  trained  heavy  in  the  muay  thai  since  you  were  knee  high?"  a  grin  began  to  take  shape.  "you  know,  you're  kinda  too  pretty  to  be  a  fighter.  i'd  expect  cauliflower  ears  and  a  leather  face."

[sundazeds]

teddy's brow quirks, a small inflection of surprise written on their face. " no, not by far. " they shakes their head but their arms remain folded, something they've always done before fully fleshing someone out. maybe it was teddy's way of protecting himself when it came to strangers, but they'll never admit that out loud. " see, it makes sense. " not really, but go off. " sure, they get chucked into the penalty box after throwing a few elbows, but that's where most of the entertainment is. "

they mirror her actions, lifting the half finished glass to their lips before taking a slow slip. a laugh escapes through their nose while licking away foam from their upper lip. " no, i was never on a wrestling mat. my nonna put me in kickboxing first. " shoulders shrug, gaze landing on the television for a moment. " didn't start muay thai until middle school. " teddy shakes their head. " oh, so i'm supposed to be busted is what i'm hearing. "

[palcminos]

stepping   up   beside   them   –   a   laughable   sight,   really,   considering   their   considerable   difference   in   height   –   della   mimicked   his   stance,   crossing   her   arms   over   her   chest   as   she   frowned.   the   costume   had   very   clearly   seen   better   days,   it's   threadbare   nature   and   slight   matting   spoke   of   years   with   no   replacement.   it   was   sad,   really,   especially   considering   how   much   money   the   place   had   to   be   making   off   of   locals   (   like   herself   –   she   had   purchased   an   annual   pass,   as   she'd   done   for   most   of   her   life   )   and   tourists   alike.     ❛       looks   like   they   modeled   it   after   a   drawin'   somebody   did   of   a   moose   from   memory..   and   their   memory   was   complete   shit.     ❜       squinting   up   at   him   against   the   glare   of   the   sun,   she   raised   a   curious   brow   at   their   tone.     ❛       i   don't   think   the   appeal   of   the   mouse   is   that   he's   a   mouse   ..   he's   also   charmin'   and   decidedly   does   not   look   like   he'd   give   children   nightmares.     ❜

[sundazeds]

teddy's eyes squint against the sun— a somewhat silly thing to see considering the backwards cap on their head. he towers over della, a near foot and some change, but as much as they're sure she wants to wack them over the head, the two were still something of a dynamic duo. at least, that's what teddy thought. as much as he ragged on cedar peaks, teddy can remember coming here with his mama and papa when they were a kid, hands cradled in theirs to keep them from running off. they laugh, a soft rumbling in their chest. " aye, i think you're on to somethin' there. i reckon that thing gets freakier every year. " and yes, it definitely has something to do with their dislike of mascots. " the mouse has friends too. i swear, i don't think i've seen the moose advertised with other mascots in years. i can guarantee there's some kid about to burst into tears before they even enter the park. "

[coyotetm]

               brooks  stares  at  them  for  a  long  second  ,  genuine  disbelief  written  across  his  face  .  "  you  think  i  made  up  koné  ?  "  he  lets  out  a  laugh  through  his  nose  ,  shaking  his  head  .  "  jesus  ,  teddy  .  next  you're  going  to  be  tellin'  me  bellingham's  not  real  ,  either  .  "  another  replay  rolls  across  the  television  ,  drawing  his  eyes  away  for  a  heartbeat  before  he  points  at  the  screen  with  the  neck  of  his  bottle  .  "  that  guy  .  midfielder  for  canada  .  got  absolutely  folded  a  couple  games  ago  .  "  brooks  pauses  ,  attention  entirely  focused  upon  the  game  .  "  .  .  .  actually  ,  don't  quote  me  on  his  position  .  point  is  ,  buddy  got  smoked  .  his  leg  was  like  .  .  .  "  brooks  makes  a  floppy  motion  with  one  arm  ,  shakes  his  head  with  a  grimace  and  downs  the  remainder  of  his  beer  as  the  server  appears  with  fresh  ones  .

               "  don't  look  at  me  like  that  .  "  he  nudges  teddy's  shoulder  .  "  i'm  not  throwin'  three  grand  around  every  match  .  not  .  .  .  anymore  ,  at  least  .  "  there's  just  enough  bashfulness  in  his  grin  ,  like  he's  learned  his  lesson  but  will  probably  make  the  same  mistake  again  .  "  well  ,  it  started  off  with  a  couple  hundred  here  and  there  .  then  i  got  cocky  'cause  i  started  payin'  attention  to  the  predictions  .  .  .  "  he  tips  the  bottle  toward  teddy.  "  n'  that's  how  they  get  you  ,  ted  .  "  he  takes  a  swig  ,  and  nods  .  "  every  sport's  got  its  own  bullshit  .  yours  has  nepo  babies  ,  this  one's  got  refs  pretending  not  to  be  on  someone's  payroll  .  "  he  shrugs  ,  smirks  .  "  maybe  they're  not  ,  maybe  i'm  just  pissed  i  lost  three  grand  .  who's  to  say  ?  "  brooks  groans  as  the  television  informs  them  it's  the  hydration  break  ,  and  he  finally  focuses  his  attention  on  teddy  .  "  what  about  ufc  ,  though  ?  are  the  refs  paid  off  ?  what's  the  predictions  market  look  like  over  there  ?  "

[sundazeds]

their shoulders shrug. " i don't know who that is ! i've only been half paying attention for thirty minutes ! " teddy stabs their fork into the lukewarm appetizer in front of them before taking a bite, chewing thoughtfully while listening to brooks. teddy blinks. " even if they are real, i don't know who that is either. " his nose crinkles like that of a petulant child, but the smile that pulls at the corner of their mouth says otherwise. teddy's gaze drifts back to the television when prompted and watches what's happening for a few moments before letting it return to brooks once more. they grimace. " i've seen some fucked up injuries during my time, but once you see someone's knee go backwards is still enough to my stomach hurt, fuck. " teddy has seen plenty of careers either end or never be the same after such occurances.

" i'm not looking at you like anything ! " they totally were, but would his deflection skills were above average in certain cases. " i hear ya, but three grand is a lot to be losin', man. you said that like you lost ten bucks to one of the claw machines or somethin'. " teddy lets out a quiet laugh, raising their glass and taking a sip. " fuck, the predictions will get you tangled in a weird ass web. had a few friends lose like that in the past, but they always found a way to blame it on somethin' else. " just a bad pick they'd always say, but teddy knew better. teddy shifts in their chair and sets their glass back on the bartop, arms folding across his chest. " wouldn't be surprised if they were. calling point deductions when the poor little rich boy is getting their ass kicked. " teddy sniffs then, quiet. " er, i wouldn't know. i haven't been keeping up as of late. "

[davikahoorne]