sundazeds. hold me , no question , head to toe enveloped . the background fades away , just the two of us , our universe . starlight , a silent choir , drowning in your deep , dark eyes . long , long days that haunt me , fade before i even notice . written exclusively for willowglen . sunsinspos .
⋆ gianna elizabeth stafford. thirty6. she/her. corporate attorney.
⤷ intro. pinterest. wanted.
⋆ augustine sloan wells. thirty3. he/him. fire captain.
⤷ intro. pinterest. wanted.
⋆ jina amphorn jinathipra. twenty5. she/her. principal ballerina.
⤷ intro. pinterest. wanted.
⋆ sophia namphueng sophonsiri. thirty2. she/they. mayoral chief of staff.
⤷ intro. pinterest. wanted.
──── sometimes , amara forgets how nice it is to host when the event itself doesn't physically stress her out . always loved having people over , figured half the point of having a house this big was to fill it with those you loved . her gaze is fixated on the backyard from the kitchen , too busy watching her friends and family enjoy themselves that it startles her when august pops up from around the corner . " oh god . . . " lets out a laugh akin to a sharp huff from the nose , nodding over towards the mountain of food they've already amassed on the counter nearby . " i'm starting to think we need to ban him from cooking any more ⸺ i hope you know you'll be taking some of this home with you , " knew better than to ever let a guest leave with empty hands or an empty stomach , principle she always stuck to . " you enjoying yourself ? i think beau doesn't like to admit it but he always gets so excited when there's finally some boys around to talk to instead of me and gianna and emi just blabbing in his ear about god knows what , " her own husband a victim of too many unsolicited girl's night chats to count . " you and emi look nice together . . . " smooth , amara , real smooth , " i think she was kinda nervous to bring you around , it's sweet . "
august is surprised he accepted noemi's invitation. not that he didn't want to go or that he didn't want to see her, but as it'd be a breakthrough he didn't think he'd ever reach. he never thought he'd become comfortable enough to attend a party that didn't consist of his family. he supposes his definition of family is different now. a grin is etched on the fireman's features, balancing the tray of food clearly meant for a football team. " you reckon it's 'cause he's got his restaurant ? cookin' for the masses and all that. " his mama was just like merrick— food wise. wells matriarch had a habit of overcooking and over purchasing when it came to hosting parties, so he's not shocked by the massive amounts available to them. he nods at amara's question, feeling a deep warmth settle in his chest. " yeah, i am. it's been a long time since i've gone to a pool party. " august turns, resting back on the counter and letting his gaze drift out to where everyone else is enjoying the festivities. " trust me, i'm used to hearing all the girl talk whenever she stays over. it's better than hearing about my sister's college drama. " a small reveal, one that he brushes past without much of a second thought. brow lifts, chuckling. " oh, do we now ? " he can't ignore how his chest grows a little warmer. " was a bit nervous to come myself— she talks highly of you and gianna. didn't want to disappoint. "
the bonfire night represented everything silver had come to appreciate about small town texas : delicious scents wafting from food stalls serving everything from barbecue to snow cones , a band crooning some song locals seemed to know but that silver didn't recognize whatsoever , children running through the walkways , shouting at one another about needing to buy more tickets for the games . it was beautiful , the way the entire town seemed to show out for such an event ; but it also made silver feel unsettingly lonely . a deep yearning for something just out of reach . . .
she'd ordered something called a turkey leg , and had agreed readily when asked if she wanted it ' texas - style ' , unsure what that meant but looking forward to finding out . but now here she was , half an hour later , with a turkey leg the size of an entire roast chicken gripped in fist , making her feel more like a caveman with a club than a southern belle . she needed to get rid of this thing . spotting the first familiar face , silver speaks up. " oh , thank god ! will you please help me with this ? it's supposedly a turkey leg — texas - sized , obviously — but i've never seen a turkey with legs this big . " she holds up the snack , larger than her head . " i can't eat anymore , but i can't bear to waste it . please ? i'll even buy you a drink if you take it off my hands . i'm begging . "
a firefighter at an event centered around ahem, a fire, isn't all that strange. august is only here at the request of his sister, stone sober and clutching whatever the hell a dirty dr. pepper was. if he's being honest, the night was beginning to wind down for him. not only was it because he kept a strict night routine, but because he felt a little out of place. august is known in the small town— the fire captain seemingly hovering on the edges of the bonfire, unable to find a solid place to land.
he sips the drink in his hand, a strange combination of soda and vanilla cream, as silver's tone is steady on his eardrums. madelyn had just run off, leaving eldest wells child after checking in. august is sure she's off to hop onto her friend's boat. he'll keep his head on a swivel. " might be the gmos. " august responds with a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips. he looks between the turkey leg and silver once she holds it up to her head and lets out a quiet laugh. " hand it over. " he takes the greasy turkey leg from her grasp and takes a bite, savory flavor spreading on his tongue. " god, i haven't had one of these in forever. " his hand waves. " my sister left me with this weird drink that's surprisingly decent. " august blinks, setting his cup down on a nearby table. " you been out here for long ? "
status : closed for helena cho, @facvde.
location : after a pilates class — canyon valley country club.
" whew, that was intense. " but it felt so damn good, too. it's been a long while since her last pilates class and a free one at the country club made sense. she pulls tee shirt over pink alo set before turning to the woman next to her. " how was it for you ? " she's reaching into the locker, packing up her bag while peeking around the locker door at helena. it was nice to run into a familiar face. " what are you doing after this ? i might go over to birch and butter for a smoothie if you want to join. "
" honestly, i don't even care. " she deserves a reward for how much of a liar she is, the way she thrusts straw into the ice of her drink like a mountaineer to show how much she means it. " i mean, i do ... but, i don't wanna seem clingy, you know ? like, mega-clingy. " person is kind enough ( look up the definition of forced ) to listen to woman ramble on at the bar, having become a regular occurrence by now, until it was time to send her home by uber or phone call to a familiar. tonight was just another one of those nights. " i want him to know i like him without saying i like him, i wish he'd go ahead and say something. one of us has to say something. "
as if she can't be bothered to be the one to bring it up, words freezing up in her chords until all she can mutter is a sullied nothing when prompted. " i don't want him thinking i only want him for the hook-ups, or hanging out, or his smile ... or his ... really wide ... shoulders ... " sentence starts drifting off somewhere else when she realizes she's not getting a response, finger poking against their shoulder. " are you actually listening to me, or are you letting me talk ? i could really use your advice. "
jina sits, listening. she's been in noemi's shoes before— uncertain if the feelings brewing in the pit of her stomach would be reciprocated. her first boyfriend had also been her last, so jina doesn't know of how much help she can be right now. so instead she sits quietly, perched on the bathroom counter as if it were her own personal seat. left leg is crossed over the right, feet kept en pointe despite wearing amina muaddi pumps. ballerina doesn't frequent the vortex very often, let alone does she have girl talk with someone in the restroom either. she looks over at noemi and releases a quiet breath, steady as she takes in all of the information presented.
" i'm listening, i swear ! " she turns her attention to neomi with a soft breath. " how's he supposed to know you like him if you don't say anything ? he can't read your mind, silly. mm, maybe he can read your body language. " jina blinks rapidly at the description before she's laughing— the genuine kind that makes her head tilt back, which is a slightly bad idea considering the two glasses of wine she already had. what ? she's a lightweight. she steadies herself, gripping the counter's edge. " it's been a long time since i dated someone. " a year, but that doesn't matter. " sounds like you have a big crush on whoever this is. you shouldn't be shy to going after what you want with him, either. "
brooks stifles the laugh threatening to spill upon hearing their description of herself . it's very possible — even probable — that she's telling the truth about him being an aggravating presence in her life , like a gnat that just won't go away . " you think you're chill ? that's really interesting . i guess we aren't all born with the gift of discernment , are we ? " his flat tone comes across mean but he's simply teasing , poking at her buttons because he knows sophia can take it . " beta blockers make you less stressed . like , if you're super fucking high strung and can't chill , " he looks at sophia pointedly , " it brings your heart rate down . just thought you should know about 'em . " the barista hands him his coffee , and he grasps the cup with the hand not holding her purse , blowing steam from the pitch black surface . " what are you doing today , anyway ? what's the rush ? "
" i'm extremely chill. " despite her own affirmation, it's entirely a lie. no chill person has color coordinated schedules in both physical and digital forms. no one, that they know of, goes out of their way for physical newspapers while simultaneously tapping away at keyboard of macbook. sophia's eyes roll. " oh, shut up. " her words don't carry weight. delicate hands settle on her hips while peering up at the taller and kicks the heel of louboutin mule against laminated floor. " i am chill— i can be chill. " the pointed nature of her tone says the exact opposite, words almost spoken between gritted teeth and forced out as if she was making herself believe them, too. it's shortly after brooks is given his coffee that sophia is handed their own. she reaches for a sleeve and straw. " i have nonstop meetings like always. working for such a charismatic mayor comes with its challenges. " sophia takes back their purse with a quiet thanks. " i only have about an hour and a half before i'm stuck at city hall until tonight. "
" ugh , you're so boring , " bonnie groaned dramatically , slumping deeper into her seat as though his order had personally wounded her. she rested a hand against her chest and shook her head in disappointment. “ do you realize the possibilities available to you right now ? we're at burger king. this is a place built on bad decisions. ” she gestured wildly toward the menu board. “ you could get cheddar tots. you could get a whopper. you could get mozzarella sticks. a hershey pie. onion rings. ” her eyes narrowed. “ and you pick a shake. ” a beat. " not even a fun shake. "
another beat. “ literally the worst flavor possible. ” bonnie clicked her tongue and looked away like she couldn't bear to witness it. “ i'm actually embarrassed for you. ” despite her words , a grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. she shifted in her seat and pointed an accusatory finger in his direction. “ you know what your problem is ? no whimsy. no sense of adventure. if i handed you a menu with a hundred options , you'd find the plainest thing on it and go, ' yes , this sparks joy. ' ” she sighed dramatically before leaning her head against the steering wheel. " god gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers , and apparently my battle is being friends with people who order strawberry shakes. "
sophia blinks. " i'm not boring. how could you say that ? " brow quips but her tone carries no malice, instead having a tiny grin pulling at the corner of her lips. she sighs and presses her back into the leather of bonnie's car, releasing a breath while listening. " what's so wrong with a strawberry shake, huh ? " they lean forward to read the menu once more, eyes landing on every item that bonnie calls out. " sounds better than whatever a firecracker cookie pie is. i'm sure i'd be on a sugar rush with that thing. "
her lips part. " i have whimsy ! " she doesn't and it's entirely on purpose. a part of her was shoved into a box that didn't let her enjoy hershey pie slices or the classic oreo shake— simplicity is best. safe. they look over at the other woman and brows knit at the finger pointed in her direction. " i refuse to get a stomachache because you want me to order a fish sandwich from burger king of all places just to prove that i have whimsy. " an impatient patron beeps their horn behind them and sophia lets out a breath. " fine, fine ! " their eyes scan the menu once more. " i'll take an order of crown nuggets and uuuhhh . . . " voice trails, thinking. " the have - sies with honey mustard. and i still want my strawberry shake, too. "
jason had no business being at the board game event. he looked about as out of place as a grizzly bear at a tea party. somehow he'd ended up crammed into a chair clearly designed for someone significantly smaller , one leg stretched out beneath the table while the other bounced impatiently. a cold beer rested in his hand , the bottle sweating against his palm as he took an occasional sip while staring at the game board in front of him. beside him sat an opened blind box and a tiny bunny figurine he'd won earlier , though he refused to admit he actually thought it was cute. " i still don't understand how this is a game , " he complained , gesturing vaguely with the neck of the bottle. " there's no fighting , no checking, no chance of a concussion. feels kinda soft if you ask me. "
despite the nonstop complaints , he hadn't moved from his seat once. a small collection of snacks , game pieces , and unopened blind boxes had accumulated around him like he'd quietly claimed the corner as his territory. every so often his attention drifted toward the entrance whenever the bell above the door chimed before he quickly looked away , pretending he hadn't been watching. " alright , " he announced , leaning forward and setting his beer on the table as he pointed dramatically at the board. " somebody explain the rules again. but slower this time. i'm serious. use little words. i got hit in the head for a living. "
board games were not jina's forté. she found monopoly entirely too long winded, she lost at sorry and mouse trap made her head hurt, but she enjoyed playing them with low stakes. and when someone wasn't fussing at her for taking too long on her turn— she likes to be strategic, okay ? jina sits, waiting patiently, a half finished blueberry matcha from birch and butter sitting on the table. eyes flick from the game board then back up to jason. left brow quicks before her lips part in response. " we're playing candy land. i think that's as soft as we can get. "
her own set of blind boxes sit next to her, unable to resist the call of peach riot and baby molly, a suntan hello kitty resting on her lap. jina sips her drink while she makes her move but is surprised when he mentions the rules. " we're supposed to be getting to king candy's castle, " she points to the appropriate section of the board. " whoever gets there first wins. " ballerina reaches for a pretzel, crunching quietly while pointing to the stack of cards. " take your pick. at this rate, the manager might kick us out for taking too long to play. " the manager in question is the calico cat peeking around the corner at them.
status : closed for merrick vaughn, @fawnvinyl.
location : positano, italy — aboard a yacht, spiaggia grande.
when gianna mentioned going to the coast to amara and noemi, she was honestly thinking small. maybe a weekend in malibu or up to nantucket at the absolute furthest, but not italy. she was anticipating their weekend away since they talked about it and gianna was happy to have some time away with him. it's been a long year and a half, a revolving door of too sterile walls and stuffing away moments of disappointment, holding down feelings that she never wanted merrick to see. there were too many times where she tucked away her feelings about having a baby— it just wasn't in the cards for them. at least, not right now. it's what she told herself every single time.
the gentle rock of the yacht is soothing, gianna steadying herself after an unpleasant sway sent her to the bathroom. sea sickness she assumes, but the feeling has long since passed. dries van noten sundress covers swimwear while crossing the yacht's lounge, a lemonade with mint for herself and margarita for merrick. " don't tell me you're up here working, " gianna guffaws at the sight of her boyfriend on his phone while sitting next to him. " i thought we were on vacation. no working, remember ? "
camera pans to the from door of jina amphorn's modern townhome, where the front porch is decorated with subtle hints of muted pink. there's a single cushioned chair and welcome mat that says please wipe your paws. the door opens after courtney rings the door bell and she can see jina round the corner. a small, slightly scruffy calico is by her feet. " hi, welcome ! " ballerina greets. " come in ! "
" what complex do you live in and what made you choose it ? what made you stay ? "
" i live in willow commons, of course. " she leads up the townhome's stairs to the first floor. " uh, if i'm being honest, i chose it because there was immediate availability. i sort of moved here on a whim, so i had to go with whatever was available on sort notice. " she pauses and rests on the couch, a white modular sectional. " i stayed because my neighbors are really nice. everyone welcomed me with open arms which i was really appreciative of. "
" what is your most prized possession in your home ? "
jina thinks for a moment before motioning to her shelf, holding a display of books. " my bookshelf ! some of these books are from home and some of them are ones i recently purchased from old fox books. i like a lot of classic literature and some of them are about ballet, too. " she motions toward a lower shelf. " this shelf has some i found out about tiktok. we won't talk about what's on it. "
" what's your favorite spot to relax in your home ? "
" oh, on the deck. " ballerina opens the sliding back door, revealing a decorated back deck. there's a chaise lounge and small table, clearly still in development. " i'm not done yet, " jina confirms. " for the most part, i just sit out here and read with mandu, but she doesn't like being outside for long. plus, texas is sooooo hot ! i don't come out here past noon. "
" do you prefer painted walls or wallpaper ? "
" i can't paint my walls since i'm renting, but i do like the look of wallpaper. it gives such a chic look to a room, i think. if i ever have my own home i might make use of wallpaper instead of paint. i'd have to hire someone, though. i'm the least crafty person ever. "
" what is the best feature of your bedroom ? "
" the en suite bathroom, easily. " jina shows off the room joined to the primary bedroom, which boasts an alcove shower and wall - mounted vanity. " i spend way too much time in here in the mornings. " courtney opens one of the drawers, revealing an organized display of skincare and makeup. " my skincare routine is easily twenty minutes, if not more when i do a face mask. this is my first time ever having my own bathroom so i'm a little type a with how everything is. "
the door of apartment 908 swings open after courtney knocks, and a well dressed sophia nampheung holds the door open. the chief of staff lives in the juniper, a well maintained and luxury condominium in downtown willow glen. sophia has been living in the juniper for the last five years. a smile spreads on the woman's features to let the host and camera crew in. " shoes off please and welcome to my home ! "
" what is your favorite kind of house guest ? "
sophia leans against the back of chocolate brown 7th avenue couch, arms folding across her chest while pondering over question. " mm, someone who knows when it's time to go home ? " she laughs, waving her hand. " i'm kidding, but i just love anyone who brings a peaceful vibe in the home. i like when girlfriends come over— their presence is always so comforting. "
" which room has the best lighting for selfies ? "
" easy, my bedroom. " she shows off massive windows, which gives a beautiful display of downtown willow glen. it's mid morning, so the room is alight with the sun. " it's one of my favorite rooms when i need to hop on a zoom call, too. the lighting is incredible. "
" when was the last time you used your pool ? "
the woman shrugs, shutting the door that accesses the pool behind her. " it's been a while, honestly. if i come to the pool it's usually just for a change in scenery. "
" if your home had a soundtrack, what would it be and why ? "
sophia stands in the kitchen, having just shown off the sky light calendar on her wall. " oooh, i love this question. i tend to listen to music to unwind when i come home, but i'd say it'd be olivia dean's entire the art of loving album. i might have overplayed it and gotten on my neighbors' nerves with it. "
" what's in your fridge right now ? "
she makes a face before turning to her fridge, a stylish platinum glass café fridge with french doors. " uh, not much ... actually. eggs, yogurt, some fruit and like— " her voice trails while counting. " seven cans of diet coke ? uh, i need to go grocery shopping, clearly. i tend to order take out more than i actually cook, so my fridge being bare bones isn't all that surprising. "
" you're a little too good at playing that very large t-rex ... it's only a matter of time before he starts greeting you with a bunch of raaawrs and showing off his best dino walk. " she makes a claw with her hand, teeth bared as a hushed roar of her own is made. " three years of being his mom and i've only mastered a quarter of your amazing, heart-stopping jurassic genius ... are you teaching classes ? i would love some pointers. "
words don't come easily, at least not with august. it's not that he's hard to talk to ⸻ it's that she has too much to say, so little space say it all between busy schedules and glances that ask for him to stay a while longer. for now, until she can find the courage to do so, she settles for the warmth that blooms over freckled cheeks and a smile that's hard to wipe away at the sight of her toddler growing to trust him, just as she had.
" oh, believe me, i know. he was so excited to have another ' speeover ' here, tonight. " noemi crawls from his lap, not before planting a chaste on his lips, gathering items to store in medicine cabinet. " why, afraid that they're gonna have to hose you down when you show up looking even hotter ? " body leans against bathroom doorframe, fiddling with necklaces between pointer and thumb. " i can already see it, now ⸻ caudalie's sexiest new model and fireman … we need to get that on a plaque. "
" how do you know that's not exactly what i want ? " august is teasing as he always is. keeping up with a three year old was tough, especially when their imaginations ran wild and their seemingly neverending energy seemed to play a major factor too. august lets a smile pull at his mouth then. " i'll have to share my incredible skills with you ... someday. right now we're just two t-rex's roaming in the planes of the sahara or wherever sol wants us to be. you can continue your role as sleeping koala— assigned by sol. i can't share all of my secrets. " he sends a wink in the woman's direction.
this is not the man august was just over a year ago. he was once angry and bitter, a man who shut out everyone and felt sorry for himself. he didn't ever think he'd return to normal. with noemi, it all came so naturally, conversations flowed easily and he laughed— a real laugh. one that started from the pit of his stomach and continued to rumble in his chest long after the moment has passed. he's grateful for it. grateful for her.
" he's welcome to have a speeover whenever he'd like. " she's moving before he can do anything about it but remains rooted in place, watching her move around his room as if it were her own. his brow quirks. " god, i would hope not. you know i know nothin' about skincare outside of what she's told me. " his sister was serious about it. august stands up from the bed then, careful to not rub off any of the face mask she spent her precious time spreading on his face. " huh, a plaque ? " he mulls over it for a moment. " doesn't sound like too bad of an idea, but somethin' tells me you'd want want a poster. "
"oh, shit, that's kind of messed up," gin was already sipping her drink, all alone on a weekday night, trying to get some peace and quiet away from the family home she was currently squatting in. whatever, though — she was plenty spontaneous, and whenever a cute girl asks to share your table, it's always a win, isn't it? "i don't drink like that anymore, but you don't have to pay for anything, we can go dutch," it wasn't as if it was her fault that all of it had worked out like this, it was a restaurant thing. maybe they should comp their meals or something, since they were so understanding about it, "no worries, though. i'm gin, by the way. well, viginia originally — but gin fits me better. you new in town, or am i just that out of the loop?"
" it's not a big deal. " jina waves her hand a bit dismissively, not wanting the hostess to think she'd file a complaint. overbookings happen all the time— there was no reason to cause a fuss over it. at least, not to her. her lip is pulled between her teeth. " i'm okay with going dutch. i was probably going to get a mocktail anyway. " jina wasn't much of a drinker herself, often one to crinkle her nose even at the simplest glass of wine. the hostess offers one last apology while setting the menu down on the table across from the other. " gin, " she repeats to remember. " jina ... our name's are pretty similar. " a silly thing to point out, but still noticeable. ballerina nods, setting her purse next to her in the booth while making herself comfortable. " oh yeah, i've only been in town for about a year. i, uh— i don't get out much. "
──── ollie's own straw is left to rest on her bottom lip , sip taken of her drink as she watches jina stew in the same state of confusion ⸺ somewhat regretting her decision to not get something more similar to what jina had picked . " it definitely has . . . movement . . . " can't help but laugh , if nothing else she'd just trick herself into believing this part of the aquarium had just been hit by a particularly rough wave . crab is fastened to the part of the reef jina points at , her head falling back to it's tilted state , " i dunno , ji . . . but that's where he's gonna live because staring at these bricks is starting to make my head hurt , " time had flown , sun already starting to make it's descent from where it was when they started . " why don't we take a little brain break ? it's so hot outside it's making me want like . . . ice cream or something ⸺ plus i think someone's itching to go for a w.a.l.k , " had to spell it out , head nodding towards her front door where corgi patiently sat with a eagerly wagging tail . " i think the lot has an ice cream truck now . . . i saw something about a milk and cookies sundae on their instagram and i haven't stopped thinking about it since . "
confusion is written all over the ballerina's features as if someone placed a complex math equation in front of her. legos didn't require this much brain power, but when she was focused, jina could probably figure it out. keyword on probably. " movement ? " her brow quirks, watching the crab as if it was going to shuffle across the table at any given second. her lip is pulled between her teeth for a moment as she listens and settles her hands on her hips in an effort to return to her full height. " please, a brain break would be so good. " she rubs at her temples dramatically and shakes her head, eyes closed as if they were just doing something so strenuous. " i think both of those options sound perfect. i've been craving ice cream for days now. " and even with being just short of begging, glen's still has yet to stock up on ben & jerry's strawberry cheesecake. " ooh, milk and cookies ... now that's something i can get behind. "
