--Off to Never-Never Land

Multi-Muse Blog for Independent OC's as penned by Caro.

[seolinah]

The press of her body against his does wonders for his already wandering imagination. A hand rests around her waist, steadying her, or maybe himself in the process. There's plenty he wants to do with Margot, but at least some part of his brain is working and reminding him that they are very much in public still. He's very adamant about that changing as soon as possible.

His lips tingle where her thumb brushes against it. "Your place sounds good," he murmurs, staring down at her. It's difficult not to stare at her in awe or as if she's still bound to disappear in the blink of an eye if he isn't careful. It's enough of a distraction where he can't fully remember where it is that Margot lives... Though that might've had something to do with that last shot as well - Jasper's not exactly sure he'd be able to remember where he lives either. "How do we get to your place again?" he says with a light laugh.

[unsoundintuiitions]

She feels breathless, lightheaded from a heady rush of alcohol and proximity to Jasper. They've been close before, hugged before, even kissed before just the once. None of it was like this. None of it came even close. Margot nods jerkily, leaning away from him even though every nerve in her body screams the opposite, sliding her hand down his throat and shoulder and arm to take his hand again. The sooner they get there, the sooner they can pick up where they left off.

"Follow me," she says, voice barely above a whisper before pulling them both off towards unfamiliar territory.

---

Margot wakes up slowly, head pounding in retaliation to what was surely too many drinks last night. There's a haze around her, a heaviness to her limbs, a resistance to the light sneaking past the crack in her blackout curtains. But as she comes to, one thing becomes abundantly clear. Someone came home with her last night. Letting out a slow breath, she rolls over and opens her eyes to look at them.

As soon as she sees his face, the events of the night before come flooding back and her breath catches in her throat. Jasper. They got drunk. They kissed. They did much, much more. Her lungs scream, retaliating against the breath locked in her throat, until she coughs and the air starts flowing again.

"Um... Jas? You awake?"

[seolinah]

Jonah nods. "It is. There's always something. Not usually the best options, but better to have money coming in even from working 2am shifts than be stuck choosing between having a roof over your head or food to eat." At the very least, she's had her car to rely on for a night of sleep, but it still meant scrounging for gas money and some kind of meal. Her smile is light. "But thank you. It's certainly been easier being here since meeting you." Even if she doesn't always seem like that's the case, the other woman has surprisingly been one bright spot in quite a while.

"Thanks." She steps through the doors of the café. "How far away do they live?" she asks, glancing back at her while they head towards the counter to order. There's a pause in her speech before she shares a tidbit of information about herself. "I, uh, don't exactly have much family left to go and visit - though the ones I do have, I'm not exactly close to, so..." Her eyes scan the menu nervously once the words leave her mouth. Jonah's opened the door for further questions if Calliope decides to, though she's unsure how to navigate that conversation if it becomes one.

[unsoundintuiitions]

Calliope laughs, half a mused and half horrified. "I haven't thought about 2am shifts since college. God, that was the worst. Work until 8 and classes at noon? No thank you." She's had her fair share of sleepless nights, of course, but none recently. And certainly none that came with the same strings Jonah seems to be pulled on. It's like they're operating in two completely different worlds. Still, she smiles at Jonah's thanks. "I'm glad to hear that. It's been nice getting to know you."

"Oh, uh... about two hours. It's not so bad, really, just inconvenient sometimes." She grabs a menu by the door, skimming it with her eyes like she didn't already know what her order would likely be. She'd known before they even got here, but it feels impolite to leave Jonah in the lurch as it were. As the other woman opened that theoretical door, she took pause, gaze lifting from the menu to look at her. "Do you... do you want to talk about that?"

[seolinah]

There's a moment where Art watches her as she looks over his pieces. Under different circumstances, if this weren't a professional setting, he might've been more a little more forthcoming the origins of some pieces. And while he's well aware that he needs to show some vulnerability if his plan is to sell his work, the idea of being known by others is a difficult thing to get past. At least he can mostly choose what he wants to say.

Maybe it's best to practice, to an extent, with her. "Well, is there anything you want to know about them?" he asks lightly. His arms cross loosely over his chest, taking a step towards her and the piece she's viewing. "Might as well get used to the kind of questions potential buyers might ask me."

[unsoundintuiitions]

The highlight is that he asks the question, not her. Unable to stop herself, Renata looks over her shoulder at him with a wry grin. If he wants to play the game, she'll play with him. She can play the buyer and he can play the seller and neither will be pretending exactly but also not quite being themselves. Sort of like they were in the bar that night, neither quite themselves, but neither putting on a show either.

Her palms tingle a little as she looks back at the piece, eyes raking over it as she takes in details. "Was it rage?" She asks it quietly, eyes still on the work itself as she tilts her head to the side. "It feels like rage. Or something heavier. Mmmm... not heavier, more... evocative?" Ren cringes at her own word choice, a bit on the nose.

[seolinah]

closed @unsoundintuiitions for liking this post // ft. samuel + muse of your choice

Samuel rubs the palms of his hand over the knees of his pants as he sits beside them. Guilt has ate away at him over the years, but he's tried his best to stuff it way, way, way down in his subconscious. But a part of him is waiting for the other shoe to drop. For someone to piece it together and tell them the entire truth of their connection to each other. It's not simple (not that anything related to his past is) - his father's last victim, almost victim, befriending the son of the man who wanted them for nefarious reasons and the "brave" son turning him in to save their life... The truth is much harder to swallow and it's one Sam doesn't like to think about, but considering the friendship they still had after all this time, he wonders if it's wrong to keep it from them.

He doesn't realize they're speaking to him until a hand is waved in his face. Blinking, he glances up and slides his hand back onto the tabletop. "Sorry. Was just thinking about something..." he sighs. His head shakes, trying to shake the dark thoughts away. "What were you saying?"

[unsoundintuiitions]

"Sam?" Sevil says his name softly, leaning in just a fraction to get his attention. She casts a tight, apologetic smile in the direction of the reporter who just joined them, shrugging as if to say it's like this sometimes. And, to be fair to him, it is. For both of them, in fact, there's an element of getting lost in the past, getting wrapped up in what did happen and what might have instead of what's happening in the present. She is certainly no stranger to the wandering mind, especially in times like this.

She's uncomfortable in her own right, not particularly keen on the spotlight -- especially for something like this. An anniversary that the papers seemed to deem worth highlighting. It had crossed her mind a few times to deny the requests for a statement, to just keep to herself and go without any public acknowledgement. Too much of her life had been wrapped up in the incident. But reality was cold and harsh, and it seemed they wouldn't be left alone whether they spoke about it or not.

But when Sam finally responds, she shakes her head slightly, reaching up to brush a strand of hair that had snuck free of its bun from her face. "You okay?"

[seolinah]

"What's there to be sick of?" There's a shrug that accompanies the soft words spoken. It's meant to be taken lightly, spoken lightly, but there's an underlying tone in which Jimmy finds himself saying it. His gaze flicks back towards her, unsure if she'll notice or not. When he finds her already looking in his direction, he stills, heart jumping in his chest a tad faster. That impulse is back. The one with the tiny voice in his head to do something. But logic and sensibility always win out despite the thudding in his chest and that deep yearning to know if this is all in his head or not.

The smile on his face is small and unassuming. It's the easy one he's learned to sport in Isla's company - a safer expression than the one full of longing he has when she isn't looking. "Does make me wonder what Kendall would say if he knew how often we hung out together." It's another casual statement, but the implication is there. He's never mentioned how close he's grown to Isla since moving out here, and since he'd never been asked about it by him either, Jimmy could only assume Isla hasn't said anything either. He knows why he hasn't, but it does make him feel guilty. But he doubts he can mask his feelings well enough for the other man not to notice.

[unsoundintuiitions]

"Are you asking me to list out all of my flaws? I mean I can, but it'll take a while. I don't know if you have that kind of time--don't you have an early shift tomorrow?" It's all in jest, of course, but she's nervous now. Her mouth is getting ahead of her brain and she can feel herself leaning his way, just a little bit. So Isla smiles, looking away for a second, out the window over his shoulder, and trying to collect herself. The night life is just starting outside of these four walls, the city growing brighter still as the sun sets. So much to do, to see, to experience. So many things to photograph or laugh at. So many neons to dance under.

But, given the chance, she's here. Sitting on Jimmy's well-loved couch with shoes off and wine in hand, just like she was the night before. Her cheeks burn--not with embarrassment, but with adoration. With the knowing, deep in her chest, that she'd do this forever whether or not he loved her back. That she could spend the rest of her life loving Jimmy from a distance and be okay with it.

And then he mentions her brother, and the bubble pops. They can't do this, actually. Not forever, at least. They've been lucky to keep this charade up for as long as they have already, but sooner or later someone will find out. And what, exactly, will they do then? Her smile drops, just a fraction, and she tears her gaze from the horizon to look at her brother's best friend again. "What's there to say? We're both adults and it's not like we're dating and keeping it a secret." Isla hates herself as soon as the words come out of her mouth. "Not that I wouldn't--or that I would--I just--" She stops, takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. "People back home might think it's weird or whatever, but I don't know what's so weird about it. We've known each other... a long time. Why wouldn't we hang out?"

[seolinah]

The worst case scenario of what could have happened only make her feel all the more awkward. But it does have her feeling more and more grateful towards Josiah. "Yeah, uh, me too," she smiles. Ezme stands, shaking the other woman's hand in greeting. "Chastity," she repeats warmly. "Nice to meet you too." Knowing she's his roommate shouldn't mean much to her, but it does and she's unsure what to make of that. The last thing she needs to do is grow an interest to the first person that's shown her any ounce of kindness. Keep your head straight for once, she chides internally.

Ezmeray shakes her head. "No, it's fine. Not like I really have a right to ask considering you rescued me and all." Even if Josiah and Chastity were an item, it wasn't her place to complain. Still, she can't help but watch the pair's interactions. In a way, it's a nice change of pace than the interactions she's had to watch between her ex and some other woman he claimed was simply a friend or some kind of co-worker. "Oh, water's fine for me right now. Thank you though."

"So have you two been roommates for long?" she asks, curious about learning more about the both of them.

[unsoundintuiitions]

"Sorry, maybe that was too much? I'm sure you would have been fine, y'know." The redhead looks apologetic, fingers twisting into the hem of the shirt she'd been using to scrunch her curls back into place. She seems to take it as a chance to talk Josiah up, though, swinging an arm around his neck and grinning. "He's a real catch, y'know. He cooks, he tidies, he takes care of his family. Could maybe use less dramatic taste in music, but everyone's got flaws."

Josiah groans, though it seems playful, as he shrugs her arm off of his shoulders and looks back at Ezme. "Still, I should have given you a heads up. The situation's already disorienting, the least I can do is warn you there's someone else here." And he proceeds as if he hasn't heard the rest of his roommate's praise, glancing at the toaster to gauge how much longer it has. "Mind if I ask what you do for work?"

"Oh--" The roommates glance at each other, faces written with calculation, as if neither of them can quite remember. Eventually, after squinting at Josiah for another moment, Chastity supplied, "Four years, I think?" To which he nods, though neither of them look quite certain. "A long time, at least. Long enough that I've been over for Thanksgiving and he's come over for New Years, y'know?"

[seolinah]

"I think I can handle some toast if that's alright." She feels conflicted with asking him to make something else, even if he's offering it. The fact that he's done so much for her already has her thinking about what she could possibly do to return his kindness. Otherwise she knows this will sit on her guilt conscious for a rather long time.

Just as Ezme's about to open her mouth to share her sentiments of thanking him, someone else steps into the kitchen. Her gaze slowly sweeps from her back to Josiah, slight confusion etching over her features. For a second she wonders if she's walked right into someone else's relationship - it would be just her luck to run into another cheater - but the conversation comes off as innocent and completely platonic.

Feeling awkward as the other stranger goes back to glancing towards her, she shoots her a nervous smile. "Hi. I'm, um, Ezme. Sorry for crashing here unexpectedly... Hopefully I didn't cause you any trouble."

[unsoundintuiitions]

Chastity's attention immediately flits over to Ezme, blue eyes curious. Still scrunching her curls with the t-shirt in hand, she shakes her head. "No trouble at all. I'm just glad it was Joey who found you and not some creep." She tosses the shirt over her shoulder then, taking a few steps closer and extending her hand. "Nice to meet you, Ezme, I'm Chastity. Josiah's roommate."

"Nickname." He says again, slightly admonishing and mostly exasperated. Bread goes into the toaster as he turns back to look at the ladies on the other side of the counter. "Sorry about her, I should've warned you that I don't live alone."

The roommate in question, looking anything but offended, shrugs. "I'm only here because the rent is cheaper with two people than one. And because Josiah's cooking is to die for." She slides around the counter to the fridge, tossing one door open carelessly. Turning her gaze to Ezme again, she quirks a brow. "You want orange juice or anything?"

[seolinah]

To an outsider, sure her life sounds like a person with wanderlust's kind of dream, but the circumstances behind it would certainly change their mind. It's a bubble she would've popped if she'd been more jaded or more angry with the outcome of her life, but Jonah's never really hit that stage of her grief. Instead she's been stuck in a pit of depression and denial, unable and unwilling to leave it of her own accord. And at this point, she's not even sure what her life would look like without that cloud of doom hanging over her. A small, forlorn smile appears over her lips for a second. "It has its perks," Jonah says instead with a casual shrug. "I think the hardest part is always finding a job. At least in smaller places like this anyway."

"That must be nice," she replies wistfully. Her expression switches in a split second, trying to lighten the mood (though mostly for her own sake). "Guess another drawback of moving is not seeing family as often. Though if you don't have much then it doesn't really matter." Try as she might to make light of the situation, her tone still seems off despite a less serious look over her face.

[unsoundintuiitions]

There's something about the way Jonah talks that tugs at Calliope's heart strings, though she'd struggle to put a finger on what exactly it is. A general sadness that sort of hovers over her, perhaps. What Cal wouldn't give to see a genuine smile grace the other woman's face. But that seems like a long-term goal, so it's set aside for the moment. For now, she listens, nodding along as Jonah offers her own thoughts on the state of her nomadic lifestyle. "Must be easier in the cities, surely. But if you ever need anything around here, you can always ask me? I've got some decent connections around. Might be able to point you in the right direction for whatever you're lookin' for."

It happens again here, the small tonal shift that doesn't feel congruent with the topic. Curiosity spikes through Calliope like lightning, questions begging to be asked, answers hovering just on the periphery of their conversation. And yet, if she pushes, she'll lose her chance. Of that, she is absolutely sure. "I can kind of understand that. I don't see my dad or his kids as much as I'd like to, with them bein' further out. It can be... a little weird." She pauses, questions buzzing in the back of her throat as they reach the café. So she shoves them down and opens the door, gesturing for Jonah to go in first. "After you."

[seolinah]

It's impossible not to feel like his skin is on fire with every place the two of them are touching. His hand falls to her waist, sliding across her lower back as he tried to bring her as close as he can. There's a strong possibility Jasper won't be able to go back from this, but it's not exactly a pressing concern to him in that very second (even if it should be). The swipe of her tongue fizzles those concerns down to a low hum, but it's completely thrown out of his mind with her whispered words in his ear.

His fingers dig slightly into the material of her clothes. It isn't as if he's thinking with his brain any longer, the function of that had disappeared two seconds into their lips meeting along with that fourth shot they shared. "Yes," he breathed out quickly. "God yes, let's go." As much as he'd like to stay pressed against her, the public eye be damned, he separates from her aside from placing his hand in hers. They make their way through the bar, Jasper doing his best to avoid outright bumping into the other people in the place - a feat tricky when his sight's drunk and wobbly. "Your place or mine?" he questions once they manage to get out into the fresh air.

[unsoundintuiitions]

She smiles when he agrees, lips still tingling from the press of his against them. His fingers dig into the fabric of her top, pressing hard against the skin of her back with only that barrier between them, and Margot wonders what it'll feel like when his fingertips drag across her skin for real. Her pulse jumps at the thought, another shot of adrenaline down as his hand slips to hers from her waist. The impulse to kiss him again is strong--she's half-drunk on that alone--but she follows him out of the bar and onto the street with only one bump of her hip into someone else's table and a slurred, rushed apology.

"Mine's closer," Margot says, leaning into him as best as she can without toppling either of them over. Being far from him feels impossible, pulled in his direction like magnets drawn together. She looks at him, breath catching in her chest as she registers that his lips are as kiss-swollen as hers must be, and she reaches up to run her thumb across them slowly. It's magnetic, the way he's looking at her now, like he needs her. Like he has to have her. Like she's the only woman in the world. She squeezes his hand tighter in hers and nods, sharp and decisive. "Definitely mine. I need..." She stops abruptly, unsure if she should say it out loud. If it's too obvious. If it'll break whatever spell they might be under. Unable to stop herself, she leans in closer again and presses her lips to his, murmuring his name against his lips.

[seolinah]

"I'll make it work." At the very least he's accrued vacation days. How many, he's not entirely sure. There's been very few reasons Jimmy's needed to take a day off aside from an occasional sick day, but even that didn't happen too often. But he reasons that he should have enough for a few days here and there. Probably enough for a weekend bachelor party and a few days for the wedding itself. He really did just need to run dates by Kendall and Melanie.

When Isla falls silent for a moment, he can't help but glance over in her direction. Sometimes in those quiet moments between them, he considers crossing over that thin line that still separates them. To admitting to his feelings and seeing if she feels the same. Every once in a while he thinks she does, but he can't help but question if that's simply wishful thinking on his part. But either way, he's not sure he's ready for any changes to be made in their relationship.

Her comment comes as a surprise. It brings a light laugh past his lips, albeit the thought does make him a tad sad. "Yeah, I guess not." He wonders how much will change between them, if he'll see her less outside of these wedding-related events. Jimmy itches a non-existent scratch on his cheek, glancing away from her for a second. "You'd still be free to come over, if you want." It's an unspoken invitation to begin with, but saying it now before plans came up seems like a good idea.

[unsoundintuiitions]

Isla dreads crossing the county line. For all the love she has for Kendall and Melanie, for all of her happiness for their pending nuptials, there is a voice in the back of her mind that is endlessly selfish. Going home means reverting, means playing a silly game of hide and seek with the truth. She's become accustomed to their private rhythm--meals together a few times a week, movies some nights, easy chats on the others. Here, in this world away from their hometown friends and family, they have... something. A little garden that they're tending together, caring for, and maybe if they're at it for a long enough time, it'll turn into love. Mutual love, that is.

She's been deep in it for years, took space to give them both the chance to breathe without it. And still he ended up following her not long after. Now they'll never get away from it; or at least she won't--not when there's all these tiny moments captured on film to remember it by. Loving Jimmy will be the rest of her life.

She smiles as he laughs, ducking her face to hide from the sheer authenticity of it. Something soft and warm burns behind her collarbone, lit by the sound of his chuckle. "Yeah? You're not sick of me yet?" It's a dangerous question, teasing or not, and Isla regrets it the second it's out of her mouth. Still, she waits with baited breath, eyes locked on him, hoping for an answer that doesn't leave her shattered. "I mean if you are, now's one hell of a time to figure it out. We'll have to be around each other at the wedding and all, y'know? No real break from each other during that." For better or worse. Her fingers twitch along the couch cushions in his direction.

[seolinah]

This would be one of those times that his overall distrust in others would hurt him more than help him. Because it isn't as if Renata's given him a reason to think she wouldn't maintain professionalism - she had so far. But still, Art still finds himself asking just in case. As if the extra reassurance would really assuage his concerns just like that. It isn't fair to her, nor her fault, but he doubts how much confidence he'll have until the event is over and done with. Life has simply burned him too many times to not try to look for ulterior motives or assume the worst in others.

He momentarily stares, still assessing and debating, before finally nodding. "Okay then," he utters casually in response. "Yes then, we have a deal." Extending his own hand, he takes hers in his. Shakes it twice before loosening his grip. While Art may still have his reservations, he figures there's no reason for lines to be crossed as long as their conversations revolved around work. Taking a quiet breath, he eases up on being so stiff - how well that works is a different matter altogether. "I hope so," he says with another nod. "I have been looking forward to showcasing these specific pieces."

[unsoundintuiitions]

The pause is telling. Ren tries not to watch too closely, to give him space to think without the pressure of her gaze heavy on his shoulders. She looks around the room instead, taking a steady curiosity in the pieces he's brought. Undoubtedly she's curious--what brought him to creating them, how long they took, what he'll want on the placard beside the pieces. And, of course, how they'll look next to the other pieces she's already agreed to put in this show. All business for now, focused on the professionalism of the moment.

There will be time to panic later.

"I'm sure some of my buyers will like them," she says quietly, an easy smile pulling at the corners of her lips. Renata skirts past Arturo on her way to look at his pieces more closely again, still trying to leave him feeling calm in the midst of the thrashing sea of uncertainty he seems to be in. Hard to tell if he's the cut and run type or a fight til dawn, but either way, she'd rather he stick around. She cocks her head as she comes to a stop, a few feet back from one of his pieces. "They're so emotive."

[seolinah]

Everything else falls away and all he can focus on is her in his arms. Her against his lips. His skin warms further under her touch. A shiver running down him when he fees the intake of her breath against his lips. It's why pulling away, even for a few seconds, felt like torture. How he managed to be sensible under the circumstances would have to be one of those questions for the ages. No trace of regret or uncertainty lines her face. Instead there's a look in her eye that mirrors his own. A hunger for her builds at the sight of it all over again. One he isn't about to push aside or pretend isn't there now that the floodgates have opened. Margot's voice brings him back to what they're doing, or were doing until he had pulled back in question.

Jasper brushes back her hair, hand tangling in the strands to caress the back of her head. A slow smile creeps over his lips. "Just making sure I haven't passed out," he says with a chuckle. At the very least he's about eighty percent sure this is real and not some drunken hallucination. Leaning back into her space, his lips find hers again. He's not as careful or gentle as he was the first time around. He tilts her face up towards him, deepening the kiss. Greed overtakes him, wanting more with every kiss. After denying every impulse of his to kiss her prior, rejecting any notion of wanting anything of the sort from Margot, it's difficult not to pour year's worth of desires.

[unsoundintuiitions]

It's impulsive. Reckless. Dangerous. The step they've taken here is set up to topple a series of dominoes that Margot isn't sure they can set up again. The last time they kissed, they were kids. They were young and stupid and trying to be something they weren't. This time... this time, she doesn't know if she can go back to not doing this. Luckily, she doesn't have to think that way for long: he pulls her back into his gravity again and as soon as their lips meet, any nay-saying thoughts disappear.

She presses herself ever closer, hunting the feeling of his skin against hers as press of lips comes with a chaser of tongue. Her hands roam his shoulder, his jaw, his neck, desperate to feel every inch of his skin that she can. It's a slippery slope, this kiss, and she has no intentions of slowing down. When Margot pulls away, it's only so she can run her lips across his cheek, his jaw, towards the shell of his ear. "You wanna get out of here?" Over his shoulder, she spots the girl from before, who now looks angrily at the bottom of her glass. It might make her a bitch, but Margot grins anyway.

[seolinah]

Ezmeray nods, still fitfully embarrassed. Knowing she's put him through an ordeal at her expense makes it rather impossible for her to view it as a 'You're good' kind of situation. She certainly would've snuck out to try and live down her shame on her own if he wasn't already awake and making breakfast. But she'd try to take his kindness as some kind of saving grace to an otherwise embarrassing ordeal.

"I don't really eat it, but you're still free to eat some," she says. Even if she did though, the idea of something oily didn't exactly help her already churning stomach. "I'll probably stick to something plain if that's alright with you..." Hopefully she wouldn't be sick -- hopefully she hadn't been sick in front of him while bringing her back. She nods slowly. "Ezme. Suvari," she introduces in response. "Wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but um, thank you again for helping me." She hate to thought how much worse last night could've ended for her. Lips pressing into a thin line, she frowns slightly. "I feel so-so. Gotta remember never to drink again, but I'm sure I'll live to see another day."

[unsoundintuiitions]

"Something plain..." He echoes, turning his gaze back to the fridge to hide his grin. It's clear she's still embarrassed, and he can't say he blames her. Josiah genuinely couldn't mind less, but he's spent enough time talking with his siblings and Chastity to understand why it would feel awkward. He rifles through the drawers for a few moments of quiet and then turns back around. "Nice to meet you, Ezme. Your gratitude is appreciated but wholly unnecessary. I'd want someone to do it for the people in my life, y'know?" He shrugs, glancing across the island between them. "So I've got bagels, toast, frozen waffles, and uh... bananas. Any of that sound appealing?"

He tries to stay busy, not watch her for too long. With how awkward she's feeling already, it surely wouldn't help. Neither, likely, does the door opening across the living room as his roommate Chastity bounds out of her room. "Joey, I--" She stops, a cotton shirt in hand already damp and scrunching her hair. "Totally forgot someone else was here. My bad." Josiah chuckles as his roommate bites the inside of her cheek, eyes dragging across the scene. "I was just going to ask if you could make me some eggs. But if you're too busy..."

"It's fine, I'll start on them in a second." He reaches for the egg carton just a few inches from the sink. "And what did I say about the nickname?"

[seolinah]

He nods in acknowledgement. "I will make sure to do just that." More than likely he'll be asking for plenty of input from Kendall and the rest of the party -- he wouldn't pretend to know what exactly would be the making of an exciting and memorable bachelor party otherwise. Jimmy could only hope that he wouldn't accidentally make a mess of things. The last thing he'd want is to create any kind of let down for Kendall during this celebratory time. "You're going to have to let me know what Melanie and you guys do then. Gotta be able to compare and make sure we aren't slacking if Melanie ends up getting everyone to go all out."

Even with the shared events of what would be going on, he realizes then that there will be a slight change to their routine. It shouldn't be a surprise that they wouldn't necessarily get to hang out together like this once plans started coming up, but it did. Slightly. As happy as he would be to see everyone else, he would have to admit to missing his alone time with Isla. If he were braver, maybe he would mention it. But surely saying something like that would be akin to admitting that he viewed their nearly daily evenings together as something more than something between friends. And for all he knew, maybe Isla would be happy with the change in routine for them.

"Well, feel free to let me know when you're heading back. I can always try to make plans with Kendall around the same time so we can head over together," he offers with a shrug. There's an ulterior motive, of course, for going together, but he did think it would make some of the planning during these wedding plans more practical. "But hopefully there aren't too many plans... Not entirely sure how much time off I can get off for it. At least not without plenty of warning ahead of time so I can make sure I can get someone to cover my shifts anyway."

[unsoundintuiitions]

Isla sets the glass down on a coaster, head falling back onto the couch cushions as she stares up at Jimmy's ceiling in thought. She'd play off the slight blush on her cheeks as a side-effect of the wine if he asked, but she knows he won't. Because he toes a very specific line here, because he never pushes past that line even when she wants him to. Even though she's been wishing he would for half their lives now. The drive back together would be nice, a small moment of quiet on the road, a taste of this semi-domesticity they've made for themselves in another city. But the destination would pull at the fabric of that same domesticity, force them to don old masks and strip themselves down to who they'd once been.

She doesn't really want to think about it. So instead, Isla lifts her head again and look sat him for a long moment, wishing she had a camera close enough to grab, to commemorate the moment in a way that she could play off as celebratory when it was really just selfish. Sometimes it felt like there were more moments with Jimmy that she wanted to record than breaths she'd taken.

But that was just silly romantic drama.

"Yeah, work will make things complicated. This is where the long-distance thing gets... messy." She says it apologetically, like she asked him to move out here with her. Like she's the reason he will have to make a more intentional time commitment to her brother's pending nuptials. Her eyes drop down to her hands, where they rest awkwardly on her legs. And this is where she forces herself to say something-- "I guess that means we're not going to have as many movie nights, huh?"

[seolinah]

The comment nearly throws him off, his thoughts turning back to the kind of charming he had been when they had met the previous time. But whether she means it that way isn't something he tries to focus on for long. Having charm to sell his work isn't a strong suit, especially when usually his art spoke for itself. "I'll work on it," he states instead. How exactly he would is a completely different question though. Art would need to figure out how not to get pissed off by the types of customers he'd most likely be talking to.

Paperwork. A drag, but a necessary one. He nods. While he doesn't technically have a lawyer to look over things like this, he'd been making do with an acquaintance he had in law that'd give him advice -- a fortunate thing considering he doubted he could pay full price for one. Noting that the other woman has left the pair of them alone, his lips turn down slightly in a frown. Waiting a beat to ensure they wouldn't be over heard, he squares his shoulders while looking over at her. "I take it that working together won't be a problem then?" he asks as if they hadn't been perfectly fine talking shop. "I don't typically mix my personal life with my professional one, so I'd rather know now if this will end up being a problem."

[unsoundintuiitions]

She almost laughs when he asks, the sound barely choked-off in the middle of her throat. It's not that the question is out of line or even all that funny, it's that the situation as a whole feels too absurd to be real. Honestly, the first one night stand she's had in... maybe ever, and he turns out to be a potential client. Still, work is work, and Ren is nothing if not a professional. She smooths her features over into a work-suitable smile--nothing like the ones she gave him across the bar--and shakes her head.

"Only if you think so. I'm more than capable of keeping that..." She pauses, looking for the word. "Incident separate from what's happening here." She makes an attempt at a casual shrug. "Do we have a deal?" Her hand extends to shake, brow arched on her forehead. "I really do think we could do great things together."

[seolinah]

There's a life Jonah sees for herself in the ways Calliope's sounds. Once upon a time anyway. Small town. Same annual events. Surrounded by people she'd grown up around and with. She smiles forlornly for a second at the thought. And while she deludes herself on a daily basis into thinking things are better this way, she knows that's not ever really going to be the case. "I haven't stuck around in one place for long for a while now, so I guess I can't exactly picture doing things like that all the time." It feels like a heavier lie on her tongue than usual, but she doesn't want the questions that would likely happen if she admitted to also coming from a town similar to this one growing up.

"It's fine," she utters out nervously with a shake of her head. "I didn't think she was being intense." If the other woman was, Jonah hadn't noticed anyway. Having her own little moment of panic tended to distract her from things going on right in front of her face. "Just hope I didn't cause any weirdness... Or offend her or anything." She fiddles with the strap of her bag. "I'm not exactly a people-person to begin with, but she, uh, definitely didn't meet me at a great time--not that that's her fault or anything." Stress from the festival and reminders of her past surely ruined lots of things that should've been a rather simple and easy interaction. "But you two... Are you guys close?"

[unsoundintuiitions]

"I'm a little jealous of that, I think." In some ways, at least, Calliope thinks that makes her normal. Most people wish for things they can't have, will never have... right? "The ability to move around, I mean. I don't really... I mean I did college outta state, but otherwise, I've pretty much only ever been here, y'know? And I think it'd be nice to travel, to blow in and out and around as the wind takes me." None of which she really meant to say, but it's out there and she can't take it back now. "I just mean the freedom must be nice."

She fidgets with the strap of her bag on her shoulder, readjusting it for the sake of having something to do with my hands. "It'd take so much more than that to offend her, you are totally in the clear." And when Calliope laughs, it's affectionate, amused. Like this is something she's familiar with. "I don't think you did anything wrong, she's just a little presumptuous and forward is all. Which is absolutely a her problem and not a you problem." Jonah's question gives Cal pause, head turning to look at the other woman as she considers her tone. "I'd say so, yeah. I mean I've been around her whole life and she's been around most of mine. Annoying as she may be sometimes, she's still my kid sister y'know? I'd do anything for her."

[seolinah]

The question has his mind wandering with one too many answers to give. There's plenty of things he wants to do with Margot, but he can't claim any of them are good ideas. At least not ones he's going to be able to stand by the next morning when reality inevitably crashes back in. But the rounds of shots makes it all to easy for Jasper to silence those doubts along with her proximity coaxing him in.

His gaze lingers over her lips, slowly dragging up towards her eyes. The expression there doesn't have him reconsidering his actions. Closing whatever distance is left between them, his lips pressed against hers. A hand falls to her waist. Jasper pauses momentarily, their lips a breath apart. He lingers, waiting to see if she wants this the way he does. As much as his head is screaming to kiss her again and again and again, there's at least some rational thread still there. It's different from the last time they'd done this a near decade ago. Better if he's being honest, but perhaps that the alcohol coloring his perception. And now that he's kissed her, it's difficult to remember the exact reasons they had thought this was a bad idea. Why he thought it would be a bad idea.

[unsoundintuiitions]

When Jasper presses his lips to hers, she forgets how to breathe. It's a fraction of a second, her body shocked out of a reaction, before her hands start to move. The one at his wrist slides up, up, up his arm until she finds his shoulder and then down a little, pushing against the bump of his shoulder blade to encourage him closer. The other comes up to cup his neck, thumb grazing against the underside of his jaw. Only as his stubble grazes her skin does she remember to take a breath.

When he pulls away, she follows him back, chasing the feel of his lips on hers as he gives them a moment to breathe. And to think he's the one playing it safe here, looking down at her with a studying look. She's afraid to think what he might see when he does--the desire burning hot down her throat, the high flags of color on her cheeks, the desperate look in her eyes. So long. She's wanted to kiss him for so long. "Jasper...?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, thumb sliding very intentionally up and across the line of his jaw. "Why did you stop?"