I've been facing trouble almost all my life. my sweet love, won't you pull me through? everywhere i look i catch a glimpse of you. i said it was love, and i did it for life, did it for you...
what was so funny about this? nick thinks about his previous statement for a brief moment, looking for something, anything that was remotely funny, if anything it was nervewracking. “ uh— no, i just happen to read a lot, not online forums though, ” he speaks, a small frown across his features. “ it doesn’t freak you out? it doesn’t even make you think? ”
eventually, his laugh dies down, but the flicker of amusement in his eyes remains. “eh, i guess you do learn something new every day.” he shrugged. “not really. money rarely stays with me. as soon as i get it, i pay bills, so i don’t see how it matters. not to mention, it’s just paper. why should it matter?”
“maybe i’m bluffing.” bitting the inside of her cheek, chloe took a few seconds to measure the level of difficulty of his proposition. she was good, but was she that good? there was only way to find out. “ okay, i’m always up for a challenge ! “ she finally replied, nodding her head in agreement. “ how am i supposed to get blindfolded, though ? we could use your shirt. that way i can also get some eye candy motivation. “
“something tells me you aren’t.” a brow lifts in challenge, and a smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. “oh, if only you had said distraction instead of motivation... hell, that could’ve gotten me naked seeing as how competitive i am---------but i guess a cloth napkin will do,” he teases, peering over his kitchen in search of a piece of fabric, finding a cloth napkin for the challenge. “ready?”
“if i wanted you to give me a shower i would’ve said hey, thomas, shower me, but as i recall those words did not leave my lips,” she points out. “i have no idea what you’re talking about because all i hear is nonsense,” casey makes a face at him, though there’s nothing in this moment that’s going to remove the smile from her lips. “yeah… i do,” she slowly nods. she’s heard this offer a hundred times or more since olivia was born, most of her friends stepping up just in case casey falters, yet she still feels a little flutter every single time those words reach her ears. it’s… nice to know that there’s people out there that will look out for her and her kid. with her thoughts miles away, the touch of his hand on her back brings the officer back to earth and she settles against his side, hugging him back. then, placing a hand against his chest, casey pulls back just a little so that she could face him, an attempted stern look upon her features. “there’s no way in hell my daughter is going by the name lee lee.” after a pause, casey playfully rolls her eyes and swats his chest with a feather touch. “if olivia’s first word is tommy then i’ve clearly failed as a mother.” she’s joking, but god she feels it deep in her bones, the fear of failing as a mother ever present. it’s hard to escape.
“that’s very... direct. still doesn’t answer my question, though. do you want that? me, giving you a shower? i mean, should i grab the hose?” he jokes, punctuating by an exaggerated bobbing of his eyebrows. “that’s what happens when you talk too much to yourself, casey. you start to hear nonsense. we’ve talked about this.” he waves a hand in a dismissive manner, only to laugh and separate from her, allowing his hand to drift away from her body. “hey, now. you were just claiming the world’s okay-est mom title moments ago. you can’t set ground rules now. if lee lee wants to be called lee lee, then that’s just the way it’s going to be.” he shrugs. “that’s rude---------i know olivia loves me, but we know mommy is going to outshine tommy by a long shot. all i’m saying is... it’s gonna be one of her first words. maybe before binkie.”
“uh… not really,” alex shakes her head. “i never set out to be a writer. at all, actually. this is my fall back so i’m still, uh… learning the ropes,” she admits, quite sheepishly. after thomas’ athletic display, alex can only laugh. “i don’t think i can write about your one waste paper shot, tommy. i doubt my boss will like that. besides, that – that was a fluke.”
thomas shrugs his shoulders, the corners of his lips turning down slightly. “well, how much time do you have to learn these ropes? i mean, when is it due?” he walks up to her, hand reaching up to scratch the side of his neck. he had some basketball knowledge; a bulls fan, being a born and raised a chicagoan. he witnessed a victory in 1998, when he was only six, and it was memorable. “pffft. i just won the championship of paper basketball. if your boss don’t like it, is he really a sports fan? eh,” he considers for a moment, shrugging later. “how dare you? we’re so through!”
“i hate you,” casey rolls her eyes and wafts her shirt a little, the paranoia of the previous smell still lingering in her mind. “no, that’s you treating me like a damn couch – i deserve more than a scoosh of some damn fabric whatever the heck it is thing,” she waves a hand mindlessly, the exact word for the spray completely lost on her in that moment. “okay, you know what? shut up. i’m extremely capable of keeping my hands to myself around you. i’m in full control of myself, thank you very much,” she offers him one of the largest grins that features can offer. “i gave her something to bring her temperature back down, and she seems fine now that she’s asleep, but i think she’ll be okay. if it doesn’t go away within the next hour i’ll take her in.” casey is clearly worried about her daughter yet she tries not to show it. after all, she’s not exactly known for having that side of the emotional spectrum these days. “also, we’re not – i mean, i’m not – calling her liv. for all i know, she could be an oli or a via. who am i to decide that for her?” then again, she is two.
“you too. --------- what, you actually want me to give you a shower?” he questions as a brow lifts at his own interpretation of her words. the conversation had taken a turn, a quite amusing turn. “really, you are? funny, your actions contradict your words,” he laughs, and teases, but her smile brings one of his own; a gentle smile, just a subtle lift of the corner of his lips. “that’s good. i’m sure she’s gonna be fine. if you need anything, you can just ring me, you know that right?” hesitantly reaching out, he places a hand on her back, moving it up and down before turning it in a reassuringly side hug, squeezing her body close to his. “or ollie, maybe lee lee. so much variety. i guess you’re right. --------- but then again... i mean, have you seen the way she looks at me, the way she holds my hand, the way we cuddle? we’ve reached that level of intimacy. she’s my best friend. trust me, one of her first words will be tommy.”
“hey, remember that time i was nice to you? yeah, remember that and return the favour,” casey huffs as she pushes his head away with the palm of her hand. “you’re supposed to make me feel better, not make me feel like i need to go to the cdc to be decontaminated.”
“i don’t, actually. should’ve been a very rare occasion,” he retorts, nudging her playfully with his elbow. “hey, i was being kind! offering to buy some febreze? that’s chivalry at its finest. --------- and please, no touching. i know it’s hard to keep your hands to yourself in my presence, but i don’t want to smell like... that.” he gestures to the entirety of her before lifting his shoulders in an apologetic shrug. “maybe you should go to cdc. maybe we should take liv to the emergency room because it clearly smells serious. is she okay?”
heidi was sitting in her usual coffee shop, scrolling through her phone and reading the news and once again wondering how can some people be so dumb. at least half of the news she came across with was about people being stupid and having to deal with the consequences, and at this point her eyeroll was constant and never stopping. this was the moment when she sensed somebody standing next to her booth. not even looking up from her phone she took a sip of her coffe and shook her head. “no.”
upon the blatant denial of his company, thomas peers over the sea of people in the coffee shop; all booths seemed to be occupied. “well, good morning to you too,” he mumbles, sitting down in front of her. “what’s got you so grumpy this morning? did you fall out of bed or something?”
for the fifth time that day, alex balls up her attempt of an article and tosses it at the bin… missing by at least three inches. “good thing basketball was never my sport,” the ex-professional mutters to herself as she dumps her body back in her chair. “how am i supposed to write about something i’ve never actually watched?”
thomas clears his throat and leans down to retrieve the paper ball. “you’re a writer, didn’t you learn how to write fiction at some point?” he suggests, walking up to her. “or, better yet, write about the best-looking basketball player you’ve ever seen...” he pauses, only to jump and toss the ball into the bin, nearly halfway across the room, with the accuracy of a basketball player. “me.”
maybe he’s hungover… well there’s no maybe. he lost count after shot twenty and he’s pretty sure his liver is currently putting him through hell for it. he squints at the volume of the diner and shifts on the stool. “i swear i ordered coffee ten minutes ago.” he places both fingers to his temples and groans. “i bet she’s spit in it- it’s not my fault drunk me landed on her car. she should’ve parked it somewhere else.”
thomas straightens up on his stool, only to roll his eyes at the young man. “can you blame her? you sound like a spoiled brat. hell, i would spit on your coffee right now.” he takes a sip of his coffee, gesticulating as he speaks. “try saying please for once, jax,” he jokes. “---------and maybe don’t pass out on top of other people’s cars.”
at this point, nicholas didn’t care much about who was beside him, he was too exhausted to care. tired eyes, his barely functional headphones hooked to only one of his ears. “okay, but have you ever actually considered how many germs and other substances are on money? it’s widely believed that up to 80 percent of the money in circulation in the US have trace amounts of cocaine… kinda makes you think huh?”
thomas snorts and chokes on his drink. he thumps his chest and smiles, awkwardly trying to regain his composure after the odd statement. “germs... and cocaine... on money...” he repeats, trying to make sense of the information in his mind. “did you take this from shower thoughts on reddit?”
“we should make a bet.” chloe said as she put her own body on the other person’s path, a mischievous smile on her lips. in her hands, she waved three milky way bars into their field of vision. “if i can juggle these candy bars for fifteen seconds or longer, i win. if i drop one, you win. if you win, you choose your prize. if i win, you get me a double cheeseburger with a large milkshake. how does that sound?”
“---------uh, should we?” he questions, halting abruptly to avoid a possible collision. a brow lifts in confusion as gaze shifts between the candy bars and her eyes. “i don’t know... you sound too confident. i’m not sure if this is bet is fair. how about... you juggle the three milky way bars blindfolded for 10 seconds and the double cheeseburger with milkshake is yours. if you drop one, i get the candy bars.”
“god, i still smell like a two year old threw up on me,” casey wrinkles her nose and makes a face. “i mean, she did throw up on me, but still! three goddamn showers later and it still sucks – hey, do you smell it, too?”
in reply, thomas ducks down, hesitantly sniffing. “you need a fourth shower.” he finally asserts, wrinkling his nose and moving his head away. “or a febreze shower.” the corners of his lips curls into a smile. “we could walk to a grocery store and get you fixed up.”
carmen sighs dramatically, letting her body hit the door frame with a thud as she eyes the other. “so- you’re just going to- continue to do… well this ?!?” she gestures to the entirety of the person before huffing out a breath. “but that’s boring !!! we could be road tripping to the biggest ball of yarn in the world !! in. the. world !!!”
a brow lifts upon the rather audible breath, but his gaze remains upon the screw he held between his index finger and thumb. “i thought you needed help with this?” he distrusts, eyes squinting. he drives the screw in anyway, and turns to her. “that’s a no from me. one, i don’t trust your driving skills and two, i’m pretty sure you’ve lost a good percentage of your eyesight by now because you never wear those goddamn glasses.”
⊰ ⦂ ⋰ * ✧ [ SEAN TEALE, 26, CISMALE, HE/HIM ] have you seen THOMAS HALSTEAD around san francisco? it’s been said that they have been in the city for EIGHT YEARS and works as a CONSTRUCTION WORKER. if you look closely, you can see that they are RESOURCEFUL & HUMOROUS but look further still and you’ll see that they can also be WITHDRAWN & HESITANT.
trigger warning: drugs.
BEFORE SAN FRANCISCO.
thomas was born in the slums of chicago, to a mother that solely cared about drugs.
living there was troublesome, to say the least. his mother struggled with putting food on the table and paying bills as she often would direct her paychecks towards whatever drug she could buy on the streets.
when thomas was six years old, a concerned neighbor reported them to child protective services, claiming the boy looked far too undernourished when he went outside to play. and he, in fact, was. with that, child protective services intervened and he was put into foster care.
once enrolled in the foster system, he struggled to find his place. and by the age of sixteen, he managed to switch between six foster families and three schools. the foster families often reported that he was undisciplined and isolated, and being unable to handle him, he would often be sent back.
he moved from foster home to foster home for the next two years. eventually, he aged out of the system and was left completely on his own.
at eighteen years old, he scrambled to find jobs, but he couldn’t get a decent paying one.
with that, he also attempted to reconnect with his mother, return home and help her, but it was far too late. she had overdosed when he was still in foster care, around the age of twelve.
that information led him to leave chicago completely, he packed what little he had and skipped from town to town, from city to city, getting rides here and there, living a few weeks in big cities, few weeks in small towns, until he found himself in san francisco.
AFTER SAN FRANCISCO.
within the first weeks of being in san francisco, he managed to get a job as a construction apprentice.
truthfully, his goal had been to move to los angeles, the city of angels. staying in san francisco was never a plan, he found his place.
eventually climbed the ranks to fully become a carpenter. the pay isn’t astonishing, but it pays the bills, pays for meals and for the beer he drinks every night after work.
this life is steady, and he can build a family, and it’s what he always wanted.
PERSONALITY.
as mentioned before, he used to be very troubled and withdrawn. while he is certainly less ill-tempered and far more open to new friendships and relationships, old habits die hard.
he has yet to witness a happy ending, or even a goddamn happy beginning, so he hesitates. he keeps lovers at arms length, he doesn’t let himself feel too much, or get too close.
as for new friendships, working with so many people in the same construction site led to a far more amicable, funny and courteous. he no longer carries himself as a rebel or misunderstood as he did during his foster kid years.
it’s almost done i sweaR
...this is just a cry for plots! gimme friends, gimme neighbor who lives across the hall from him, gimme fwb, gimme coworkers, gimme his one friend from the time in foster care. all the plots.
full sleeve. thigh tattoo. shin tattoo. wrist tattoo. lower back tattoo. hand / finger tattoo. foot tattoo. neck tattoo. face tattoo. chest tattoo. one tattoo. a few here and there. multiple. no tattoo. monroe piercing. nose piercing. septum. nipple piercing. industrial piercings. earlobe piercing. prince albert piercing. eyebrow piercing. tongue piercing. lip piercing. tragus piercing. angel bites. labret. stretches out ears. navel piercing. cheek piercing. nape piercing. hip surface piercings. no piercings.
cosmetics.
light eyeliner. heavy eyeliner. cat eyes. mascara. fake eyelashes. matte lipstick. regular lipstick. lip gloss. red lips. pink lips. dark lips. bronzer. highlighter. eyeshadow. neutral eyeshadow. smoky eyes. colorful eyeshadow. blush. lipliner. light contouring. heavy contouring. powder. matte foundation. shiny foundation. concealer. wears make up regularly.wears makeup from time to time. never wears make-up.
