Max looked at the clock on top of his desk and huffed. He was bothered about the fact that he hadn't been able to finish checking up the latest lease contracts that had arrived that week, and that it was making him lose quaility time spent with his boyfriend. Served him right for having done that many good, and much needed remodelling to the building he was the owner and manager of, so that now it seemed everyone wanted to live in it. Good for him, of course, but bad for his time not spent with Teo, which to him were the best kind.
It had been a couple of months since they had decided to live together at Max's penthouse, and that they had also decided Teo would work for him to keep his own independence, as his personal assistant, and also that he would work at the OnlyFans site, so that his natural side of making other jerk at the sight of his body humping the air on the screen could thrive. Of course, that was mainly because they had also agreed Teo wouldn't work as a prostitute no more, than his body would belong to Max and to him alone. But making money that way was also not a bad way of doing it.
When he finally read through the final paragraph of the last contract he slammed the paper on the desk and stood up. "That's it. I'm done" he declared, then put his phone away and headed down the hallway. "Babe?" he called out, now moving to where the door of his boyfriend's own private/work room was.
CLOSED STARTER for @marlownewman
Merrock Times office
After having his brain cells fried by Deacon, Tommy eventually finds his way to the office of Merrock Times. He walks into the main doors with a sandwich in one hand and coffee in another, attempting to fuel himself long enough to stay awake. It wasn't the first time he'd been here but given very few knew he was home it was a surprise. Tommy finds Marlow's desk unattended and sits in her chair, eating his sandwich as he looks at the items on her desk for a clue where she might be. Who knew finding the stand in matriach of the Newman's would be so hard?
Location: Hop Notch Brewery
Connection: First Date after Late Husband Trauma - @leongriffin
Status: Closed Starter.
Alexis had never had to deal with the frustrations that came with dating applications before, but now living in a new location, basking in the freedom of being single, not having to deal wit the abuse she’s dealt wit for years. You deserve this. Lexi would say to herself as she pulled into the brewery and sat in her car, readjusting her white blouse, Alexis sat back and texted Leon to let him know she was here. There were many factors that helped in Lex decided to say yes to a date with this handsome stranger. They moved into town virtually at the same time, He was a year younger than her, but that’s alright. He was good at keeping her attention, and if she was completely honest with herself, it didn’t hurt that he was very, very handsome. Grabbing her bag, Lex decided to walk ahead and meet him in the front of the brewery doors, she didn’t look at her phone to see if he replied so perhaps Leon had already been waiting for her. For any event, Lex was always in the five minute frame of being early, Work was definitely a contributing factor to that and she was curious how her well her date was at organizing his time. Frankly, Alexis was excited for her date, he seemed like a catch from what she could tell. Regardless, she just hoped they both had a pleasant night tonight. Come what may.
“You’re making it very hard not to fire your ass right now.” Atlas was running short staffed with the wolves out for full moon, and now he was dealing with Gary. Gary was the guy he staffed behind the bar when no one else was available. Usually he was on clean up duty in the kitchen, but desperate times where here and making an absolute mess of a basic cocktail. “Any other week Gary I’d have the patience for this mess. Any. Other. Week.” With the other rushing to clean up the liquid he’d spilled Atlas took a moment to scan the room.
The jazz band was in full swing; the notes of a deep base danced along with a talented piano players hands as a woman’s voice sang across the room. Seats were filled though less than usual due to part of the population staying away from crowds like Atlas should be. His eyes danced from shadowed figure to the next, catching the beat of hearts raised by the excitement of the show and the cold of the night. It would be so easy to fall into habits he’d long left behind, and the fact he was thinking of them so eagerly had him rather concerned. His eye caught a man sitting on his own, seemling expecting no other guest to join him. Atlas mind started mapping out ways to get the other alone, how easy things could be if he just went along with his natural desires. The Corn Moon was a hell of a week, and truth be he wasn’t sure he was going to get through it at this rate. It was the sound of a glass breaking behind him that broke the spell and he was both thankful and annoyed once more at the hopeless bartender. “Gary- For crying out loud!”
WHY: Joni and Patrick do some light flirting at her gym
WARNINGS: None
PATRICK:
Patrick adjusted the towel draped over his shoulder as he leaned back against the mirrored wall, eyes scanning the gym floor like he was sizing up a poker table. The place was busy - Joni’s gym always was, drawing in everyone from serious lifters to office workers trying to burn off stress. But the noise didn’t bother Patrick. If anything, it gave him a distraction, a steady hum to let his thoughts drift as he cooled down from his workout. He’d spoken to Joni a few times now, and knew that this was her place. She was young - mid-twenties, maybe - it seemed. She was gorgeous and the way she carried herself was breath-taking. Sometimes though, it felt as if he would catch her eyes on him, while he was lifting or doing exercises on the punching bag. Maybe it was in his head, but after a few times, he really didn’t think it was a coincidence anymore. Catching her eyes again, he let her watch him for a beat longer before deciding to close the gap. Patrick straightened, ran a hand through the tight curls, and strolled over with that same deliberate stride he used to walk casino floors, exuding a casual confidence that came with years of practice. “You look deep in thought, Joni,” he said, leaning against a water-cooler. His voice was low, almost a purr, a habit he hadn’t bothered shaking since Vegas. “Trouble in paradise?”
JONI:
Okay, so maybe it was a little bit inappropriate the way she stared at Patrick when he was here. He was a person, not a piece of meat, and yet….she couldn’t stop sneaking glances, her eyes tracking him whenever he entered the gym or switched machines. It wasn’t like she was into him, she barely knew him other than casual gym chit chat, and she was pretty into Cassie, plus he was kind of old, but that didn’t stop her from staring. When he made eye contact with her, her first instinct was to look away but decided against it, that would be embarrassing and if he knew she was staring it it would make it seem like she was ashamed, which she probably should she been but she wasn’t. Except then he was walking towards her and she felt her face grow warm. When he spoke, she let out a small chuckle, “No, no trouble. Just enjoying the view.” She grinned, “You seem like you like a good workout,” she added, shrugging a shoulder, “You ever need any help with that? Ya know, taking things to the next level, or anything?”
PATRICK:
Patrick caught the grin Joni flashed his way, the flush coloring her cheeks, and filed it away with the precision of a card shark keeping track of the deck. It was almost too easy, but he didn’t mind. He raised an eyebrow at her response, the corner of his mouth twitching into a slight smirk. “Enjoying the view?” he echoed, voice laced with amusement, as if turning the phrase over in his mind. When she made her offer, throwing in that casual shrug as if it wasn’t the most blatant invitation he’d heard in a while, Patrick couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He leaned against the water-cooler, resting his elbow on top of it as he angled his body slightly towards her. Close enough to create the illusion of intimacy, but not so close as to be invasive. It was all about careful positioning. “Taking things to the next level, huh?” he said, letting the words roll out slowly. His tone was light, teasing, as if he were considering the idea. But his eyes never wavered from hers, wanting to get every reaction. “Well,” he continued, as if he were weighing his options, while a smirk grew, “I’m always up for a challenge. What have you got in mind?”
JONI:
She let out a soft laugh at his words, enjoying the way he moved closer to her. Joni wasn’t easily intimidated, but she imagined if she were that this man could make her crumble. “Well, it’s clear that you have a great understanding of strength training, and you look like you have great stamina,” she said, one hand reaching to trail gently down the muscles of his upper arm, “But I’d be interested in seeing your mastery of flexibility, endurance…precision.” Joni grinned. She knew that everything she said could easily be taken to mean something else, in fact, she was being almost too obvious with it, but Patrick seemed like he could handle himself. There were men that you avoided even making eye contact with for too long, fearing they’d interpret it as some kind of invitation, and there were men like Patrick who Joni suspected, if she purposely spilt coffee all over herself and then stripped naked right in front of him, he’d still probably check that she was okay with being touched. Of course, this assumption was only an assumption but she was usually pretty good at sensing that kind of danger, and she had no alarms going off when it came to the man in front of her. “You know, we offer pole dancing classes as well, and one thing I’ve learned with pole dancing is that you can’t just focus on strength, you have to understand what every part of your body is doing to contribute to the most satisfying final product.” She’d moved a half step closer to him while speaking, and she could smell him now, “Do you eat dinner?” She asked, her voice more innocent now as she smiled, head tilted as if this was a completely normal segue in the conversation.
PATRICK:
Patrick felt her fingers trail down his arm, and for a brief moment, he was almost tempted to react - to tense or respond like a less careful man might. But instead, he kept still, just barely arching an eyebrow as if to acknowledge her touch. He let her words sink in, absorbing their double-edged nature with a practiced smile. Joni was clever, he’d give her that; bold in a way that made it clear she understood the game they were playing. “That’s quite the list of requirements,” he replied, voice steady and low, a touch of admiration laced through it. He didn’t take the bait, at least not directly, but he also didn’t dismiss it. He knew better than to give more than what was necessary; the trick was in leaving her room to keep pushing, if she wanted to. When Joni moved in closer, Patrick held his ground, watching her carefully while keeping that same easy smirk in place. He was aware of the proximity, the way her confidence seemed to grow with each subtle move. It was a well-executed play, and it didn’t escape his notice. “Pole dancing classes,” he mused, the hint of a chuckle in his voice. “Now that’s a skill set I hadn’t considered adding to my repertoire.” He delivered the line lightly, almost jokingly, but he didn’t downplay her point. But then, she shifted the conversation, her voice softening as she tilted her head and posed her next question. “Do you eat dinner?” It was such a stark change in tone that Patrick nearly laughed, genuinely amused by the abrupt innocence. Joni was weaving in and out of her own narrative with ease, and he admired that kind of flexibility in conversation as much as in any other skill. “I dabble,” he replied, deadpan, letting a pause hang between them, his smirk growing slightly. He met her gaze, reading the curiosity in her expression.
JONI:
"I have high standards," She said, when he mentioned the list of requirements. "Well, if you're ever interested, I have plenty of videos on my instagram to show you what it's all about. And I'm happy to offer private lessons...Or demonstrations." She grinned, when he said he dabbled in dinner, before letting a genuine laugh bubble out of her. "Good, you should come by on a Tuesday night sometime." She said, grabbing a flyer from the board behind the water cooler, forcing her to lean in so close to him she was almost pressed against him, and then pulling away to hand it to him. "We do a healthy living cooking class every week. We teach the recipe, everyone makes their own and then gets to hang out and eat it, it's free, and it's a lot of fun, if I do say so myself." She smiled again, her tone much lighter and happier now. "Then I can see how good of a cook you are and see if I'll let you cook for me sometime."
PATRICK:
Patrick’s smirk deepened as Joni mentioned her high standards. He’d expected as much. It was almost charming how she dropped the line so smoothly, making sure he knew that if he chose to play along, he wasn’t going to be dealing with just anyone. The mention of her Instagram and private demonstrations was an interesting move, a not-so-subtle invitation masked as casual professionalism. “I might take you up on those private lessons,” he replied, keeping his voice easy and neutral, like he was talking about scheduling office hours. “Purely for educational purposes, of course.” He didn’t clarify what kind of education he meant, and that was deliberate. Let her interpret the statement however she pleased. As Joni laughed, he allowed himself a small chuckle, watching her reach past him for the flyer. He didn’t shift or step back, holding his ground as she leaned in, almost close enough for their shoulders to brush. When she handed him the flyer, he took it without breaking eye contact, a faint trace of amusement in his eyes as he glanced down at the bold print and cheerful graphic. A cooking class? It wasn’t the kind of thing he’d usually find himself in, but then again, neither was flirting in a gym he frequented out of habit more than passion. “It seems I’m getting the full tour of your expertise today.” He let the words hang for a moment, then nodded slightly, as if making a mental note to consider it. “And would you look at that, Tuesday nights are exactly the nights where I dabble in eating dinner,” he added, tone heavy with irony. Joni’s lighter, happier tone told him she was enjoying herself, and he was enjoying this. When she made her final comment about seeing his cooking skills, Patrick’s smile grew just a fraction. With a polite nod, Patrick took a step back - if she wanted to play this game, then he could play it too. “We’ll see if I can impress you in the kitchen,” he added, his voice light, as if it were all just a friendly challenge.
JONI:
She didn't hate the chill that ran down her spine when he said he'd considered the lessons, something tell her that his mention of educational purposes sounded more like him offering to teach her a thing or two, rather than the other way around. An idea she was shamelessly delighted by, even though he was older and she was sure it was something she'd just have to fantasize about on her own time. "The full tour?" She repeated, a hand reaching up to brush her hair back out of her face, "Not quite, I'm a multifaceted wonder, I've barely even offered a taste so far, but hang around some more and maybe one day you'll get the full experience." She had moved from blatantly obvious to practically handing him a handwritten invitation at this point, but she seemed like he could hold his ground, and that made her want to test the limits. "What a fantastic coincidence." She laughed again, her confidence growing just from being able to hold his attention for this long. Taking in a breath as he stepped back slightly, she nodded. "Good, I can't wait, but like I said, I have high standards, so don't take the challenge too lightly." She licked her lips, not letting her eyes wander from his, "But if it's good I might offer you something for dessert."
PATRICK:
Patrick watched the way Joni’s confidence seemed to swell with each exchange. She was clever, strategic even, pushing boundaries without stepping too far over them - at least not yet. He could see the shift in her demeanor, the way her smile widened and her laughter softened with a mix of genuine amusement and unspoken intent. It was clear she enjoyed the chase as much as he did, and it wasn’t lost on him that she had moved from hints to almost outright offers. “You set quite the standard for yourself.” There was a weight to his gaze, but not a heavy one - just enough to let her know he was taking in every nuance of her approach. Patrick didn’t mind playing along, especially when the other person was so eager to test their own limits. “Good to know where the bar is set,” he replied, a faint smile playing at his lips. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint.” His voice was steady, almost casual, but the underlying message was clear: he wasn’t the type to shy away from a challenge, especially not one that came with this much effort to raise the stakes. When she mentioned offering something for dessert, her tone thick with innuendo, Patrick couldn’t help the slight chuckle that escaped him. Joni was pushing harder now, clearly testing just how much she could get away with before he might push back. But Patrick wasn’t one to react hastily, and he enjoyed this verbal sparring too much to end it prematurely. Patrick leaned slightly closer again, just enough to make it clear he was giving her his full attention. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he added, voice soft but firm, as if he were making a note of something important. He let that linger, the tension simmering between them, before he finally stepped back. “But for now,” he said, his tone shifting back to a lighter note, “I’ve got a workout to finish.” He nodded toward the gym floor, his expression relaxed once more. “We wouldn’t want you to think I’m slacking off after all this talk about standards.”
JONI:
Joni smiled as he stepped away from her, a small chuckle escaping her. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for any kind of slip from your normal performance." She winked, not wanting to get back to work quite yet, even if she knew she should. At least now she knew that he knew she was watching and didn't seem to mind too much. If she'd sense any kind of discomfort she'd have stopped right away, but she hadn't. Instead she stayed where she was a moment longer, watching him get back to his workout before finally heading back into her office, after a satisfactory break.
The best part of this whole celebration thing was the witch that spelled painted pastel flowers on Marlene’s face, making her look a lot more festive then she was feeling. Somehow in the process she managed to get separated from the girls, but when the witch was done, three knuts later, Marlene spotted another familiar face, one she wasn’t exactly displeased to see. It was rare that she found Sirius Black alone so she walked towards him, arms crossed over her chest defensively because she just knew that he would have something to say about her attire. “There you are— I’ve been looking everywhere for you- guys.” There was a brief pause before the last word was added, almost like it was an after thought. “Where are your partners in crime? James, Remus... I lost Pete but he’s around here somewhere.” She shrugged one shoulder, letting both arms fall to her sides. “—And before you say anything about the dress, you should know that I’m Lily and I drank a polyjuice potion. Marlene wouldn’t be caught dead wearing this.”
Aoba was finally beginning to get used to his new surroundings. Some things were still strange, however it was sort of similar to Midorijima in a lot of ways. Of course he still wished that he could have Ren, if not to use then just to talk to. He missed Tae something awful, and worried about her constantly. However, for the mean time, he was trying to make things here work. And part of making this work was figuring out how to make money. As a healer, it should not have been that difficult to find people to mooch off of and consider himself "helping" as most of the new healers in Pyli seemed to. However, that didn't mean he really knew where to start.
Walking into the Warrior's Guild, he heard that they often had jobs there for all sorts of adventurers. And while Aoba still didn't consider himself anything more than an outsider, adventuring would hopefully put some coins in his pocket. Walking up to the board, there was apparently a listing about killing rats. And while pillows or mail might seem easier, they also involved running around the monster infested country side. And... after all... rats couldn't be that difficult to kill, right?
Now that you have at least some of the basics of this world under your belt metaphorically speaking, the premise of the situation you currently found yourself and gear and what-not at the very least. That being said there was still a lot you had not discovered or figured out completely. It was to be expected, you figured, given the nature of being plucked out of your universe and dropped into another. But at least you felt a little more confident, not like when you first walked into Estaria incredibly worried about interacting with more people than you had ever seen in your life.
With a new sword (albeit the wrong kind, but you could at least work with it) and some sensibly priced armor, you felt as though you were finally beginning to blend in a little bit. You just needed to figure out what to do with himself now that you were here and it didn't look as though you had the immediate resources to work on getting yourself home. After all, you couldn't exactly leave Roxy and the others back in your session without your help. Roxy was a smart girl but could come off as flighty, while she was undoubtedly the backbone it did not detract from the fact that you were in your own way completely vital to the success of your small team.
You headed back to the boarding house for the moment though. It would take a bit of thought to decide what to do next, so it would be nice to take some time and decompress.
That's when you saw him.
You stop in the middle of the boarding house lobby, seeing a familiar looking figure in front of you. But... that was impossible, for multiple reasons. Your brother had been killed presumably years before your session, so even if he wasn't before he certainly was now. That, and this guy looked your age, if not younger. There was no way your older brother was standing in front of him... and yet... it was so uncanny.
