* 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒕 𝒂𝒊𝒓

[svltairs]

𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰  —  intro 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧  —  intro 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠  —  intro 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐳  —  intro

[svltairs]

vveridtime​:

“there’s even a sign.” an old, kind of dusty sign, but a sign nonetheless. it’s still readable. “you’d think that being in a beautiful place would make people want to keep it that way. guess they all missed the day in second grade when we watched that video about it with the weird little trash and recycling mascots.” he’ll never understand it, personally. maybe happy feet and wall-e just hit him different as a kid. “yeah, totally.” he smiles. “let me know any advertising i can help with. i got a good idea where the good bulletin boards and walls are.”

      “  i’m so glad to finally find someone on this beach who gets it,  ” august admits, a small smile tugging upwards at the corners of her lips, “ you can’t imagine the sort of people i’ve had to deal with today. most just walked away before i could even get a word out of my mouth, which, like, i get. being solicited is annoying. but all i’m asking for is a moment of their time and for them to care about keeping this beautiful beach, well, beautiful.  and yeah, i’d love any help i can get. i’m trying not to do the whole flyer thing . . . don’t want to get here for the beach cleanup and find our flyers all littered about or something, so i’m kind of just relying on word-of-mouth. oh, and a social media push ! i’m thinking of setting up some sort of insta page. would you share the info on your story?  ”

[svltairs]

eastrnhighway​:

“i  want  to  do  something  fun,”  signs  and  speaks  at  the  same  time,  because  enzo  likes  to  consider  himself  multitalented.  is  he?  not  actually,  but  it’s  the  self-confidence  that  counts.  “like  rob  a  bank.  or  make  —–  what  are  they  called?”  s’mores.  he  means  s’mores,  the  sick  fuck.  “you  have  to  help  me  make  a  fire.”    /   @svltairs​  .

     “  woah, slow your roll there,  ”  august laughs, a bit amused by enzo’s antics,  “  how about we use our time more productively. like, hey, i’m organizing some picketing down by that old hotel that’s being redone. the whole thing is a mess for our environment. so instead of landing yourself in jail or setting a fire that could like, totally pollute the air, how about we channel this energy into something good?  ”

[svltairs]

getttingby​:

“any chance you have any experience with breaking into someone else’s phone? i may have left my ex a drunkenly embarrassing voicemail that needs to disappear pronto.”

@irvingstarters

     “  oh absolutely,  ”  valentina replies nonchalantly, the request barely phasing her. she’s done something similar plenty of times. “ you could say i’m a veteran at that sort of thing. now, do you have the phone on you or do we need to go snatch it first?  ”

[svltairs]

selfawarc​:

oh, the stories she could tell ! alissa swears that her decade of coaching high school students has exposed her to the most controlling and demanding people she’s ever met in her entire life — and she grew up a spoiled brat among other spoiled brats on the upper east side. “i’m sure if we sat down and really compared notes, we’d find that those people talk about their coffee orders the same way they talk about their kids.” she scoffs, disgusted at the thought that seems all to easy to believe. “no,” alissa hums, “i mean, i’m not your manager or whatever, but i’m sure you’re doing fine,” she offers, “it’s just, that bracelet you always wear. it runs, like, what ? a few grand before you even factor in custom alterations ?”

       she’s about to agree with alissa, even suggest that they swap stories sometime, but the next words out of the other’s mouth have her recoiling a bit. she tries to not react too visually, but it’s clear that alissa’s digging for some kind of information from her. hell, the woman probably knows exactly who she is and is just waiting for darcy to admit it. this feels like a trap, but luckily darcy is all too skilled in the art of the white lie. and besides, the lie she’s about to tell has some truth to it. she’s just choosing to leave out some of the more crucial details. “ i wouldn’t know,  ”  her first lie.  “  it was a gift.  ”  not a lie.  “  i had this eccentric aunt who liked to put all her money into tangible things, which ended up being a lot of jewelry. she gave it to me. said she wanted me to inherit it someday anyway, so . . .  ”  not fully a lie. it was a gift, but it was one from her mother for her sixteenth birthday. no matter how many times she’s tried to part with it, for it’s a relic of her old life, she can’t seem to take the damn thing off her wrist. 

[svltairs]

fortyfivcs​:

@svltairs​

       “ yo vanessa, ” he sidles on up next to her, arm shrugged around val’s shoulders, head raised — an aura of confidence that may have been an obnoxious over-exaggeration worn on anyone else, but for victor it held true. compensation was a part of his nature — came hand-in-hand with being a disappointment. he knew valentina’s name. “ was thinkin’ you should invite me to your family’s place for the holidays. it’d look good for you, trust me. it really would. sexy, smart, talented man on your arm ? nah, it’s a no shittin’ brainer. i’m doing you a favor, practically. i’m a hot commodity, y’know. i really am. ”

     the entitlement is what gets to her the most — the way in which victor sidles up to her side, as if he has express permission to lay a hand on her ( he does not ). and the fact that he’s gotten her name wrong on purpose — at least, she assumes its on purpose . . . he definitely knows who she is — isn’t exactly helping his case. with a look of disgust, she reaches over, making a show of removing his arm from around her. “ you’re literally delusional, vaughn,  ”  two can play at that game,  “  if you ever think that’s going to happen. i mean, i could maybe get you a job as a cater waiter for one of our holiday blowouts, but i don’t think you have the credentials. you need at least half a brain for that, and i’m convinced you’ve only got a quarter of one.  ”

[draumas]

[chandlebing]

Now, I need you to be careful and efficient.

[svltairs]

oceanvd​:

          fresh  cups  of  coffee  in  hand,  one  was  extended  towards  the  young  teacher  as  she  watched  gil  run  to  collect  the  last  of  his  days  activities.  he  was  seeming  to  enjoy  class  thus  far,  but  if  the  rest  of  cherry’s  students  were  as  energetic  as  he  seemed  to  be,  she  could  only  imagine  the  amount  of  chaos  those  little  kindergarteners  could  cause.     ❝  how’s  the  first  week  been  ?  it  seems  like  there’s  been  no  shortage  of  things  for  them  to  do.  if  i  have  any  room  left  on  my  fridge  by  the  end  of  this  year,  i’ll  consider  that  a  feat  in  and  of  itself.  ❞     a  pause,  offering  the  girl  a  warm  smile.     ❝  stanley’s  being  behaved,  isn’t  he  ?  gil  has  talked  about  snack  time  with  him  every  day  so  far  and  i  admit,  i’m  a  little  jealous.  ❞     /     @svltairs​

        she doesn’t have the heart to tell clem that she’s strictly a morning coffee drinker — she’s a naturally perky person so an afternoon coffee tends to keep her way too wired into the evening — so instead, as one does, she takes it graciously, but takes the smallest of sips. “ thank you so much. you didn’t need to do that, really.  ”  cherry doesn’t play favorites — not with her students, not ever — but she’s already taken quite a liking to clementine, finding her one of the kindest parents in the bunch so far. and her son, gil, is an absolute delight in class as well. “ it’s been so good. kindergarten is always a big transition, but the kids are doing great. they’re a wonderful bunch. i think it’s going to be a great year.  ” she can’t help but smile at the mention of stanley, gil’s favorite stuffed animal. “ oh yes, stanley is a star pupil. he’s great a snack-time, but even better during story-time.  ”

[desultory-suggestions]

One day you’ll sit in the sun and things won’t feel so bad

[svltairs]

ncbodyshome​:

Cricket stopped on his way home from work when he noticed the bee in the puddle. It wasn’t exactly the kind of thing he could sidestep and ignore. He’d spent a good five minutes trying to carefully fish it out of the water on a leaf and once he’d managed, he’d set it gently on a bench and taken a seat besides it, keeping it company as the last rays of sun toasted it’s wings – he wasn’t sure whether it’d make it or not, condition considered, and he wouldn’t like to be alone, himself, in a situation like that. Still, despite his conviction in the matter, he couldn’t help but feel like some kind of fucking freak in love with Barry B. Benson when he suddenly looked up from fiddling with his camera, noticing someone about to take a seat and waving a hand in panic. “Oh, uh, shit, it – s-sorry, it’s, like – like, s-seat’s k-kinda, uh, t-taken, not – there’s – uh, th-there’s a – a b-bee… there,” he finished lamely, physically cringing like he’d heard a door slam at the sound of his own voice, the absurdity of his sentence. The shells of his ears turned red. Cheeks flushed. All of a sudden, his pulse was so fast he felt a bit nauseous. “Fuck, s-sorry, it’s – uh, there’s – b-bee was, uh, d-drowning, and – and sh-shit, it – h-had to, like – like, you, uh, you know, d-dry off and – and shit. Sorry, he – uh, d-don’t think it’ll – you c-can have, uh – have my, like, s-seat, if – i-if you, uh , want? Not gonna, uh – n-not, like, h-hogging the – the b-bench, like – like s-some k-kinda, like, greedy, uh – g-greedy f-fuckin’, like – king, and – and shit. Sorry.” @svltairs​

       she had been lost in her own thoughts after a particularly rough day of teaching. cherry loves her job, don’t get her wrong, but wrangling a group of five-year-olds day in and day out does come with its own unique set of challenges. today, there was a big meltdown, courtesy of vera, who when confronted with the concept of sharing a purple crayon, chose to scream instead of allowing tommy the pleasure of using it to color. the issue was handled and all students got a lesson on sharing today, but her eardrums are still ringing from the shrill pitch of the five year old’s scream. that’s why, when she sees cricket’s friendly face, as she strolls on back toward her apartment, she doesn’t hesitate to stop and spend a moment with a friend. of course, out of it as she is, she doesn’t initially realize that the seat she’s heading toward is, in fact, obviously taken. “ oh . . . oh, i see! i’m sorry, i didn’t see them there,  ”  cherry replies, even giving the bee a little wave,  “  have you two been sitting here long?  ”  when cricket offers up his seat, cherry is quick to shake her head no. “ it’s alright, i’m happy to stand here. just chat for a bit, you know? the sunset is pretty tonight, isn’t it?  ”

[esterexpositio]

Modern Family: T3EP9

[dailytvwomen]

Brooklyn Nine Nine - “Balancing”

[svltairs]

deadzne​:

          unable to control her own face, natalia laughed when val admitted her maniplation tactic. “i admire that so much.” she mused, giving her a playful nudge. “i mean, YOU’RE the expert on these things, so they really should take your advice. but if there’s ever a couple who needs it – i’ll gladly offer them a little money. i just like helping out, you know?” she admitted. 

     “  thats sweet, nat, really, but you don’t need to just offer up strangers money,  ”  val insists,  “ i mean, you don’t even know these couples. donate to a good cause instead or, i don’t know, treat yourself to something nice once in a while. like, i get that a couple having their dream wedding day is important, i mean, that’s what my job is, but that’s why i’m here. to make sure they’re able to have that dream day on their budget. if you start throwing out cash like that, i’m sure everyone in irving is gonna end up barking at your heels and you don’t really need to be the go-to for free handouts like that.  ”

[svltairs]

hiqhtide​:

“   so  messed  up.   ”   he  echoes,   nodding  vigorously  as  the  weight  of  her  words  set  in.   he  absorbs  them  like  a  sponge,   ready  to  believe  anything  spoken  with  that  much  conviction.   “   i  found  a  subway  wrapper  on  the  sandbar  yesterday   —   and  the  closest  subway  is,   like,   two  towns  over.   ”   and  it  wasn’t  just  subway !   beer  cans,   straw  wrappers   —   god,   he  was  starting  to  sound  like  lane.   despite  the  wayfarers  perched  atop  his  head,   he  uses  his  hand  as  a  makeshift  visor  as  he  scans  the  digital  flyer  with  genuine  interest,   eyes  squinting  as  the  letters  takes  shape  before  him.   “   this  weekend.   alright   —   cool.   should  i  bring  anything ?   ”

      “  it’s just awful, isn’t it.  ”  it’s a statement, not a question. finally, after an afternoon of canvasing the beach, hoping to find some volunteers, she’s stumbled upon someone who seems open to suggestion, someone who actually seems to care about what happens to irving. “ i’m hoping if we make enough of a difference here, that we can get other towns along the north carolina coast to do the same. lead by example, you know?  ”  he tells her he’ll be there and she can’t help but to smile. he’s one of the first volunteers she’s managed to wrangle. “ no, no, just bring yourself and a positive attitude. i’ve got all the supplies taken care of. i’ve even managed to snag some reusable water bottles for the team. unless, you have your own already, in which case, i guess you can bring that!  ”

[svltairs]

vveridtime​:

“trash isn’t even three feet away,” nez concurs, gesturing toward one of the cans along the edge of the boardwalk as he walks past it. “lazy asses can’t even toss it on their way out.” and that’s assuming it didn’t wash up here from somewhere else. which is somehow worse. people are gross. he likes to think it’s the tourists, and that it’s not his neighbors polluting the beaches. “i got time,” he says, eyes scanning the screen for all the relevant information. “yeah, i can totally swing by after work.”

     “  i know. and don’t even get me started on recycling,  ”  august sighs, “ the recycling bin is right next to the trash and yet they still insist on throwing their recyclables in the trash. there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to educate this town, but hey, if we don’t do the work, who else will, y’know?  ”  she’s glad to have stumbled upon a likeminded individual, someone else who seems to care about the wellbeing of irving’s beaches. “ really? that’d be great. we’d love to have all the help we can. it should be a fun and rewarding day.  ”

[svltairs]

smalltragedy​:

with the ocean, long and vast and beautiful, in front of her - lydia’s eyes are sharply peeled to her phone, instead, platform sandals only slightly digging into the sand beneath her as she scrolls instagram with a brief sneer that should’ve long been permanent. “huh?” she says, eventually, eyes drifting up from behind rose-tinted lenses, one hand still loosely attached to her phone and the other straightening out the strap of her tank top, “oh - yeah, no, like. totally - yeah,” she’s nodding along, now, giving the flyer a quick skim. moments earlier she’d carelessly tossed a couple of napkins into a trashcan - but the wind had picked them up and carried them away. lydia, of course, had turned a blind eye. now - she smiled at august, like she’d been eating it all up. “i love, like, um, ecologists like you, y’know - it’s like, so tragic when people disrespect the beaches. i’ve always like, loved sand. and like, the ocean. and whatever. and irving is so, like, quaint and cute, it’s like - who would even want to litter, anyways? i’ll like - totally see, if i can go. i have, like … a like, um … dentist’s appointment, but afterwards? i’m pretty sure i’m like, free.”

       “ well after your dentist appointment, we’d love to have you,  ”  august states, with all the warmth she can muster up. typically, she can tell when someone’s putting one on, when they’re saying what they need to say, just to get her to leave. but with this particular individual, she’s not really certain what her motive is. she did say she’d try to stop by the cleanup, but there’s something deep down that tell august come saturday the blonde will be nowhere to be found. she won’t count on her appearance, that’s for sure, but it’d be a welcome surprise if she did come. “ if it’s any motivation, i usually chip in and order some food for everyone once we’re done and we hang on the beach for a bit, maybe get some drinks too. it’s usually a good time.  ”