weapons don't weep

33. fundraiser. old town.

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​

Grace had been over once before to Vinnie’s house since the breakup, and each time it tugs on her heartstrings a bit more. This time, she fully took in the small differences. The bare walls, the furniture pieces that didn’t match. Would things have been any different if she came home that night, instead of leaving? If she had deleted the voicemail before listening to it? If she decided to come back, regardless of what she heard? The truth was when Grace left Vinnie - a piece of her was left in this house. The new Grace didn’t spit out random history facts to anyone who would listen, she no longer went with the flow of plans, and even hardly went out with friends. The new Grace was more reserved than the part she had left behind. 

“Okay,” Grace nodded with a small smile as she led him up the stairs, the same ones she had walked up and down a dozen times before -but now felt strange. Grace could feel her heart beating a bit faster, with him behind her. Instinct led her straight to the door that was now his bedroom. It was different, duller maybe? While he dug through his closet, she took in her surroundings. The last time she was in here was the same night she stormed out, and honestly, Grace didn’t even remember the fight. Only the aftermath. 

Walking into the bathroom, the heat from the heater felt nice. She hadn’t realized how cold she had become in the soaking wet clothes. Just as she was shown where the towels were, Grace turned to Vinnie - her bottom lip caught by her teeth, as her eyes met his. “Vinnie.” She breathed, “I’m -” She paused for a moment, as thoughts flooded her mind. “I need… Just kiss me, please.” She finally got the words out. The words she had wanted to say all day and the same ones she was sure would be followed by regret. 

...

Vinnie wasn’t sure what it was, but the moment they entered the bathroom something shifted. Perhaps it was their somewhat closer proximity, bodies barely touching as he walked past her. Opening the cabinet that contained the towels, he turned to her — not realizing how close Grace had really been. Eyes lingered for a second too long, before her words caught him off guard, his breath hitching as he processed those four words. Words were stuck in this throat, though he decided that was for the best. Did he really want to talk now?

That question was shortly answered by his hand cupping her cheek, face nearing hers as his lips slowly landed on hers. A strange, yet so familiar feeling. One he hadn’t feel in six years — not so much the act itself, more so the effect it had on him. Grace still did that to him. His hand easily slid down to the crook of her neck, thumb stroking her jawline like he always did. There were a few pecks before he slowly pulled back, taking his sweet time to open his eyes in case he’d somehow be met with a shocked expression on her side.

“Grace, I —” Vinnie softly started, eyes searching her for any sign of regret. Was there? Not on his side, that was for sure. “Fuck,” he whispered, lips once again finding hers, knowing his words would only tear them apart in this very moment. There was so much still to say, to apologize, more than anything. But he knew now wasn’t the time.

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​

The fact that he could remember most of the facts she had spouted at him throughout the previous years made her smile, and one that she couldn’t hide. The little things such as remembering the facts she had spouted, or making sure she didn’t forget her lunch every morning before work is what Grace missed the most about their relationship. Or, the day they went to look for a puppy and saw Sammy with a lopsided ear and his tongue hanging all the way out of his mouth and they both knew he was the one. As much as she hated to admit it, Grace missed Vinnie way more than she would ever let on. 

The rain fell from the sky as if it had gone a year without rain, and she held on tightly to his hand as they rushed back to his home to escape the raindrops. Her hand in his was such a familiar feeling, and she almost didn’t want to let it go once they had finally returned back to safety. Could they just stay this close forever? Grace had almost convinced herself that she didn’t want the truth about the voicemail, or to even discuss the last six years - however, even she knew it would eventually come out and the conversation would happen. It just wouldn’t happen today. 

Soaking wet and out of breath, she took in their appearance and couldn’t help but laugh. At his offer for a shower, she couldn’t help but nod. Grace did not want to have to make the 30-minute drive back to her apartment freezing in her soaking wet clothes, plus she wasn’t quite ready to leave his company. “Yeah, okay.” She said after a moment. “Are the towels in the same place?” Her question was followed with a small grin. 

...

For some reason the question about the towels made him stall for a few seconds. His eyes never left hers, as though that question made it that little bit more real that this had once been their shared home. Grace had once known his place like the back of her hand, and chances were she still did. Truth was, Vinnie had barely changed anything to the place ever since she left. Perhaps he didn’t want to wipe her tracks from his home, or perhaps it was just his lack of inspiration when it came to home decor and such. He’d just settle for the second option, just to be safe.

“Ah — yeah, they are. I’ll come up with you, get you a change of clothes,” Vinnie spoke, gesturing for her to go upstairs first so he could follow. With one last glance towards Sammy, he checked that the dog was fine doing its own thing before the two of them went upstairs. Once he reached his bedroom, he opened the door and walked towards his closet to get Grace some fresh clothes. “Chances are there’s still some stuff of yours somewhere in this closet,” Vinnie mumbled, though loud enough that she’d probably hear. Just like the rest of his home, he hadn’t really touched her side of the closet. Though her parents had gotten most of her stuff, he wouldn’t rule out that there was still some left. Vinnie had just filled up the empty space with blankets and such.

“Here you go,” he said, handing her a set of his comfy clothes. “I’ll put on the heater so you can put your clothes to dry on there.” It would probably take a while, but he didn’t really mind. As long as she didn’t either. “Bathroom is still pretty much the same as it was back then, so I’m sure you’ll know your way around. I’ve changed the shower head, though — remember the old one that would constantly leak?” Subtly clearing his throat, Vinnie momentarily averted his gaze before settling on her features once more. “Anyways — let me know if you need anything else, okay? Oh — and the towels, of course,” Vinnie spoke, leading her to the bathroom to show her where the towels were.

[vinniebraswell]

maverickarlington​

Maverick shook his head at Vinnie’s question, before taking another sip of his water. “No.” He said, before continuing. “I mailed her a birthday card on her birthday right before I got out, but that was the last time I ever tried to contact her I guess.” To be fair, Maverick hadn’t realized he was moving back to Eureka, until he had been discharged, and was on a plane heading towards California. “I gotta go see her.” He admitted before leaning back into the couch and letting out a sigh. Had anyone asked Maverick if this is where he would be, 10 years ago, he would have laughed. He never imagined that he would be a divorced, recovering alcoholic, who had just gotten out of rehab within the last 6 months. 

“Does she know?” Maverick arched his eyebrow and glanced over at Vinnie. The two never really talked about what had happened between Grace and Vinnie, and Maverick really felt for his friend. Especially, since he was also going through his own relationship trouble, “Probably, because it was like Monday night I think.” After a beat Maverick spoke again. “Hey, have you ever seen Bridgerton? Sonia made me watch it. Pleasantly surprised.” 

...

“You gotta,” Vinnie confirmed. He wouldn’t know how he’d feel if Grace had been in town for the last four months without him knowing. Though he knew the thing between Maverick and his ex-wife was different. Still, though, he stood by the fact that she should know. “You nervous to see her?” Perhaps it was a stupid question, but he wasn’t really sure where they stood right now.

As Maverick glanced over and asked that question, Vinnie avoided his gaze. “Does who know what?” Straightening out his posture, he couldn’t help but clear his throat as he awaited the answer. Vinnie wasn’t sure why, but the fact that he’d been spending time with Sonia somewhat unsettled him. Not many people knew what exactly had happened between him and Grace — Sonia did, Maverick didn’t. Part of him would’ve liked to keep it that way, though he feared that the question meant Maverick knew something. “Bridgerton? No, never heard of that. You and Sonia best buddies now?”

[vinniebraswell]

tabsmalls​

@vinniebraswell​

It might have been because she was sleep deprived. It probably was because she was sleep deprived. Tabitha was on her third day of four hours’ sleep nightly, and though she was loathe to admit, it was getting to her. She was much more irritated by little disturbances around her, and while the animal scratching and banging around the trashcans wasn’t the only problem keeping her from getting the blissful embrace of sleep she so craved, it was the biggest one at the moment. She threw open the curtains on her window after the noise continued for fifteen minutes, bleary-eyed and blood boiling, only to see a raccoon trot from one trash can to another. Without much forethought, Tabitha tugged on her boots and marched out of her apartment down to the parking lot where the trash cans were all laid neatly out.

It was only once she stepped out onto the landing toward the animal that Tabitha realized she was lacking tools or a plan to get rid of this sleep disturbance, and was about to turn around when she noted someone walking by. He looked familiar and Tabitha was pretty sure she’d seen him in passing around the apartment complex, and they’d perhaps exchanged pleasantries before, but at the moment she couldn’t even remember his name. “Hey!” she called to him. “I need your help. I’m going to murder this friggen racoon.”

...

There wasn’t anything worse than being alone in a big house late at night, even though his dog had been a great housemate through the years. So he’d take up every chance of socializing he could. This time around it was his sister, just to share some drinks and catch up. Until he was reminded that it was getting pretty late and Sammy still needed to go out for his last walk of the day. Making his way outside, his attention was grabbed by a set of noises coming from the trashcans. With a raised brow, he came to halt as a voice called out to him.

“Who, me?” Vinnie spoke, eyes finally landing on the blonde belonging to said voice. This time both brows were raised as she mentioned a racoon. He couldn’t help but chuckle at that, still not moving as he tried to process. “I don’t think I’m sober enough for racoon murdering,” he first tried to reason, then saw the little bastard running from one trashcan to the other. That’s when his feet dragged him over to the — now somewhat familiar — woman. “Alright, what’s the plan?” His eyes scanned her hands and surroundings, before settling back on her features. “You planning to do this with bare hands?”

[vinniebraswell]

kevinnor​

“At least for this round,” Kevin said, repeating Vinnie’s words exactly, even if he couldn’t match his friend’s voice at all. “Come on, you gotta admit, that’s ominous. At least a little.” Maybe not horror-movie levels of ominous, but certainly not an auspicious thing to hear. “Ah, well, too bad I’m not really the grand declaration kind of guy,” he said with a shrug, then bent to the shot, knocking one of his balls into the pocket … only to have the cue follow suit. He’d scratched. “And that is exactly why I don’t go in for grand declarations. At least not about my hand-eye coordination.” He didn’t mind, though; the fun in pool for him, was in the attempt, not victory.

...

“Maybe a little,” Vinnie finally agreed with the other, a grin seeping onto his features as he shook his head. Eyes then followed every movement as Kevin, nearly cheering his friend on until he saw the cue ball smoothly going into one of the pockets. “Nice one, man. Started off strong, though. Maybe we should both just skip the grand declarations.” Vinnie just sucked at pool and that was fine. “Anyways, what have you been up to? Anything new?” He asked, as he thought out his next shot.

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​:

The sound of thunder could be heard in the distance, and that was their cue to head back to Vinnie’s house. However, she would be lying if she said she didn’t want at least a few more minutes out with him and Sammy, before returning back. “Probably because she probably thought you liked lobsters. Who knew with my mom.” That small memory of her mother made her smile grow. It was the small memories that made Grace realize that her mom was actually gone, and as much as tried to deny it - Monica Chen was never coming back. Though she would never admit that out loud, it was something that she would have to deal with eventually. 

A chuckle escaped her lips at his words. “Yeah, but you liked it when I told you random facts.” Grace eased off of the leash some as Sammy walked in between them, almost as if he was happy to see the two of them together. As if his family had been made whole again. His question caught her off guard, although it shouldn’t have. For a moment, Grace debated her answer. “Actually. I did. All the time.” It was her first time since the two of them had seen each other, she had been somewhat honest about her thoughts. Just as she was going to explain further - rain fell from the sky hard, as if the sky opened up, and let the flood through. “Shit.” She laughed as they ran back toward Vinnie’s house both already soaking wet. 

...

“Of course I did,” Vinnie agreed with a hearty laugh, “I enjoyed them because they came at the most random times and they were truly random facts. I still remember most of them.” It was bittersweet — being with her felt so much like home, brought him so much peace, it didn’t feel like six years of no contact had passed. Where had that time gone? It felt like the last six years had been completely wiped and they were just there, being Grace and Vinnie like they always had been. Where had they gone wrong? Though Vinnie knew the answer to that question pretty well.

What stopped you? The question that had been stuck at the back of his throat, because he’d been rudely cut off by the rain that had decided to pour down on them like their lives depended on it. Perhaps it was Mother Nature telling him to not ask stupid questions that would ruin this moment of reconciliation. Though could he really call it that? Wasn’t it just once again them being them, wiping all their problems under the carpet — waiting for it to build up so much that they’d eventually trip over it? Probably. Was he enjoying it? Vinnie sure was. It only took him a split second to grab her hand and rush back to his warm home as the water soaked their clothes.

Once they safely made it inside, he was somewhat out of breath. Sammy pulling on his leash because he absolutely hated the rain didn’t help either. “Well, that was something,” Vinnie spoke as he chuckled, slowly regaining his breath. As Sammy went on to do his own thing, he took a second to take in their appearances. “If you want you can go upstairs and take a shower. You, ah — can just change into some of my clothes while yours dry.”

[vinniebraswell]

soniarosales​:

It wasn’t the answer she was hoping for, but it sufficed nonetheless seeing his expression and feeling his shoulder nudge against hers. The little things that reminded her that things between them were perfectly fine, that she didn’t have to worry that he was mad at her or secretly harboring some resentment. As far as Sonia had come in her recovery, there were still things that she couldn’t help but hold on too – the obsessiveness with how she was perceived, for one, and with Vinnie those insecurities were only multiplied. “Puh-lease. The only places I go around here anymore are my AA meetings and the b-and-b when you’re not dragging me out,” she tossed back with a grin.

Her own body stiffened as they walked, practically feeling the way his body tensed and loosened from inches away. Just because they had never been together didn’t mean Sonia didn’t know him better than most people. They’d grown up together – hell, he was her family, and that meant being in tune with them even when you weren’t looking to be. “Of course I talked to her – she was standing right in front of me. I wasn’t going to ignore her,” she answered, unable to help the small eyeroll that followed.  There wasn’t any reason for her to be defensive, so why did she feel like she’d done something wrong? It was the insecurities creeping up again, as usual. “She looked really good. Which isn’t a surprise. Um – told her I was sorry about her mom, and…yeah.” Sonia shrugged.

...

“Sounds to me like that covers the most important things, yeah?” Vinnie teasingly offered. He knew she had far more important things and people in her life now than him. Perhaps once upon a time he had been that important, when they truly shared every single part of their life with each other. But that had shifted through the years, as events happened that shaped their life into something different than it had been before. That had shaped their friendship into something different than before, too. She was still important to him, just as he knew he was to her — but things had changed, and he’d struggled to accept that and go along it. It was part of why he’d distanced himself from her since Grace’s return.

"I know you wouldn’t ignore her, I’m just asking,” Vinnie replied, definitely not missing the eyeroll that followed soon after Sonia’s words. It nearly made him roll his eyes, though refrained himself as she continued to talk. He simply nodded his head, focusing his eyes on the ground until she finished talking, letting his gaze fall on her facial features once more. “Okay,” was his simple reply. pondering on whether to spill what had been on the tip of his tongue or not. And so he decided to do spill. “It’s weird, you know? Suddenly having to deal with her return after six years of no contact. So I’m sorry if I’m being weird about it. There’s just... certain things we haven’t talked about yet, so...” Once again followed by a simple shrug, averting his gaze from hers as they continued to walk.

[vinniebraswell]

maverickarlington​

@vinniebraswell​

Location: Vinnie’s house. 

“I haven’t even seen her since I’ve been back. I’ve been avoiding it. Is that weird? ” It was weird admitting that fact out loud, even if it was to his best friend. He was talking about the woman that he had once been married, the same woman who he couldn’t wait to come home to every day. Now, it was as if the two were strangers. Though, to be fair, he hadn’t seen her since their divorce almost four years ago. Maverick had changed so much since then. He wondered if Giorgia had also changed. 

Maverick handed Vinnie a beer, before grabbing his own cup of water and making his way toward the couch. “Bro, what the fuck is going on between you and Grace? Is she back for good?” Maverick asked without a pause and looked over at the other man. “I hung out with Sonia the other day. Did I tell you we both attend the same AA meetings? Small world, man.” 

...

“You haven’t seen her at all since you got back?” Vinnie asked, slightly raising a brow as he accepted the beer from his friend. “Does she know you’re back?” Perhaps she hadn’t tried to reach out either and the both of them were just scared to face each other. Obviously Vinnie didn’t know where they stood in this very moment, though he wasn’t sure if Maverick even knew at this point.

He’d just barely taken the first sip from his glass when he was hit with the Grace question, lightly clearing his throat as he pressed his lips together for a short moment. “There’s nothing going on, really. We’re just trying to get back on good terms and... yeah, co-parenting Sammy, I guess,” Vinnie spoke with a simple shrug, then nodding to answer his second question. “Think so. She took on a teaching position at the high school, to spend more time with her dad and all.” The fact that his next question involved Sonia made his breath hitch for a second, though barely noticeable. The fact that the two women had been brought up in the same conversation more often lately somewhat unsettled him, which wasn’t all that strange. Or the fact that they talked about each other, to him. “Really? She didn’t tell me,” then again, it was hard to mention something to someone who was sort of avoiding you.

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​

The laugh that escaped Grace’s lips was a genuine laugh, and it was nice. Ever since coming back to Eureka, and dealing with her mother’s death - thing had been kind of grim, but it was nice to escape life, even if it was only for a few hours. “Why do you still have that ugly thing? Did you even wear it? And, where would you even wear it? I don’t know what she was thinking when she bought you that.” Grace had even told her mother not to buy that shirt, but of course that didn’t work and the shirt was purchased anyways. However, when Vinnie opened the box he still acted as though he loved it not wanting her to feel as though he was ungrateful. It was the small details, that made Grace wish that fight had never happened that night. Perhaps, the two of them would have already been married, and maybe even have a kid or two. 

His questions caught her by surprise. ‘Because, it was the farthest place from Eureka and from you.’ Was the real reason, however it wasn’t the answer that came from her lips. “Well, I had been offered a teaching position. Plus, it’s a historical town, which rich hisotry. Basically porn for a history teacher.” Her eyes found his, and she let a smile settle on her lips. “You would have liked it.” Her eyes found Sammy, before glancing back up at Vinnie. “Why did you stay?” 

...

“Pretty sure I never wore it. Never had the heart to throw it out, either, honestly. Your mom always had the best intentions with everything she did — but yeah, I can’t really think of why she chose that shirt.” His once mother-in-law had a good heart, just like her husband. They were truly a family he’d once found a home in, and continued to do so even when him and Grace broke up. Vinnie’s first Christmas with the Chen’s was somewhat of an eye-opener to him, showing him what the holiday was truly like when a family was still intact. Ever since, it had been his favorite time of year. Though since the break up, it surely hadn’t been. In fact, it had almost been a little disheartening to go through Christmas alone after all those years.

Vinnie simply nodded as she explained her reasons for moving to Savannah. Though he wondered if that was all — perhaps in his head, he knew it wasn’t. “That makes sense.” Once their eyes found each other and she spoke up once again, Vinnie smiled along with her. “You think? I’ve never been that much of a history geek, you know that.” Though he would’ve liked any place with her. Her question made him think for a few seconds, followed by a lazy shrug. “I don’t know, honestly. I thought about moving to New York, even for a few months. But I had Sammy, and the house, and my job, and just... my life’s here, you know?” Even if without her in it, there was a huge gap missing from the life he used to live. “You ever thought about coming back? Before your mom passed, I mean.”

[vinniebraswell]

soniarosales​

She could tell his mind was slipping in and out of elsewhere, and it made her anxious – both because she began to feel that same insecurity that plagued her in years past regarding her and Vinnie’s friendship, but also because she didn’t want to go back to how she had been in years past; bitter, jealous, possessive. Things had been made perfectly clear that they would never be more than friends, and so Sonia had let that pipe dream go long ago. But still – just because she’d moved towards acceptance didn’t mean she felt nothing. And that was part of the problem. “Your loss,” she shrugged, finishing the last of the cupcake off before licking a bit of frosting from her finger. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were avoiding me,” Sonia teased, nudging him slightly before adding, “but I know you better than that.” It wasn’t so much a pointed comment as it was for her own assurance, willing the statement into existence so that he’d affirm it, so that it would be true. “That’s great – sounds like things are going well.” The brunette smiled, returning her gaze to the path in front of them. “About the same. The place was booked for spring break, so we’re still recovering from all that craziness. I don’t know how Isla Jean does it, honestly,” she shook her head, always in awe of her boss. “Yesterday was the first calm day in weeks – I was even able go out for lunch, which is unheard of. And um – speaking of which…” she trailed off, wondering if it was even worth it to bring this up. But she never wanted to keep things from Vinnie, and thus, “…I ran into Grace at Humboldt Coffee. She was, um, standing in front of me in line.”

...

He tried to keep a straight face as she threw that comment at him — though based on her tone and the words that followed, Vinnie knew she was just teasing. Still, his eyebrows rose slightly as his jaw tensed. The breath he’d been holding in was silently released through his nose, at the same time his jaw relaxed a little. “I don’t think I could avoid you, even if I wanted to — let’s be real, Rosales, you’re everywhere,” Vinnie shot back, tight lips slowly stretching into a grin as he nudged her back slightly harder. She managed to worm her way back into his life over the years, and as much as he tried to fight it — she had once been his best friend. And Vinnie valued his friendships just as much as any other relationship, whether that was familial or romantic. Sonia was sort of family to him in a way, since they’d known each other longer than any other person in his life — besides his blood-related family, obviously.

“That’s good to hear. I’m sure she appreciate your help.” He’d visited the B&B a couple of times, even had his mom stay over a few times when she visited Eureka and didn’t want to invade her son’s private space — which he never minded, yet understood. As soon as the um left Sonia’s lips, his heart started beating a little faster. It was never good when Sonia started saying um. “...Mhm, and?” Vinnie pushed as she trailed off, eyes squinting a little as his grasp around the cup filled with iced coffee tightened. As soon as her name rolled off Sonia’s tongue, he let out a sigh. “Oh,” he simply replied, nodding his head slowly as his grip then loosened just slightly, shoulders relaxing a little, too. “Did you talk to her?” 

[vinniebraswell]

soniarosales​

where: outside of baker’s dozen, bayview who: @vinniebraswell & sonia rosales

“Mmh, I swear, you could tell me there was a whole cow’s worth of milk in this thing and I’d believe you. It’s delicious – you sure you don’t want a bite?” Sonia asked with her mouth half-full, wiggling the vegan cupcake up in Vinnie’s direction as they walked. She hadn’t seen much of her friend lately, and it’d admittedly been making her anxious. There was no way he was avoiding her – they’d been through far too much over the past twenty years for something like that out of the blue, right? Of course, it was hard for Sonia to bury those thoughts, especially with the apparent return of a certain ex-fiancée in his life, but she attempted to keep her worries at bay for fear of going back to her old ways. Besides, they were together, now, weren’t they? So there was no way he could have been mad at her. 

But there lay the elephant in the room, and Sonia wasn’t very good at keeping her mouth shut. These days she valued honesty, and had been working hard to ensure she didn’t keep things bottled in. “Thanks for coming with. I’ve been craving sugar, like, all day,” she lamented with a sigh, the warm California breeze cascading against her skin. “So, um, I’m guessing work’s been busy for you lately?” Sonia asked gently, brows arched.

...

“Hmm? No, thanks,” Vinnie spoke, slowly slipping out of his thoughts as he moved his gaze from a blank space ahead of him to the cupcake Sonia was biting into. His fingers fumbled with the straw in his iced coffee as he kept his gaze on the brunette in question for a while. It had been a while since the two of them hung out. Definitely a lot less since Grace’s return to Eureka, which... one could say was related to the matter. Though Vinnie would, obviously, deny that if he was ever questioned about it. It’s not like the guilt seeped into his bones every single time he hung out with Grace or Sonia — a constant reminder of that night and the events that followed. Or maybe it was the fear of running into one of them while being with the other. That hadn’t been something that had crossed his mind before, since his ex-fiancée hadn’t even been in the same state as them for six years.

A small smile formed on his features at her comment, shortly nodding. “Yeah, of course. It’s been a while since we caught up anyways, so—” with a simple shrug, he took a sip of his iced coffee before once again nodding at her question. “Yeah, it’s ah — it’s been busy. Lots of new clients, y’know? What about you? How are things at the bed & breakfast?”

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​

“Yes, but a good chunky!” She exclaimed with a laugh while reaching over to give Sammy another pat on the head. “Never deny him treats, but he could probably use a few more walks.” Her words came out as a tease. Grace nodded at Vinnie’s question, and practically sprinted to the kitchen to grab the treat from him. Of course, she didn’t make the dog work for it – In stead just reaching her hand down and letting him softly take it from her hold. It was hard to believe this was the same 12-month-old puppy the two had adopted together six years ago. Now, he was 3 times bigger and even had a bit of grey sprout underneath his chin. That was a detail Grace almost refused to acknowledge. “At least he has been here with you. I don’t think he would have liked the small one-bedroom apartment Savannah.”

Her time in Savannah was fine. She made a few friends through her work and hung out with them on occasion. However, most of her nights were spent in the apartment alone grading papers or catching up on trash reality tv (Which had always been a guilty pleasure of hers.) Analise had visited a few times, but every time her sister came it brought back memories of Eureka, ones that she had tried so hard to forget. Following Vinnie and Sammy out the door, Grace smiled and took the leash from Vinnie happily. This was nice. The three of them, under the sunshine. Plus, it was nice to just forget everything and enjoy the moment she was spending. “Hey.” She started after a few seconds. “Do you remember that awful shirt my mom bought you that Christmas? The one with lobsters.”

...

Vinnie momentarily pushed his brows together as the lobster shirt was brought up. “God, how could I ever forget that awful thing? When was that, Christmas 2012? Or 2013? I’m pretty sure if you dig deep into my closet, it’s still there, somewhere.” A hearty laugh accompanied his words, along with a shake of his head as he reminisced that day. The funny thing was, no matter how much time passed — the memories never left. He could probably write a book about all the memories he shared with Grace. From the smallest moments, like receiving a lobster shirt from his mother-in-law, to proposing in New York surrounded by snow. It seemed the weather wasn’t quite in their favor this time — looking up, the dark clouds promised more of a rainy day, instead of the white snow they’d experienced back then.

“Why Savannah?” The question popped out without a second thought, suddenly remembering the conversation they had right before they left the house. He’d never truly wondered why she chose Savannah, obviously having heard from her parents where she had relocated. But something inside him had sparked that curiosity after she had briefly mentioned it. His eyes were focused on Sammy as he sunk deep into his thoughts. Quickly shaking them away, his gaze traveled back to Grace. Truth was, he had so many questions — questions that, perhaps, weren’t meant for a simple dog walk. The kind of questions that once you started, there was no going back. And seeing the smile radiating from Grace’s features, he decided this wasn’t the moment. Vinnie wasn’t trying to deceive himself, trying to rebuild something based on many unanswered question and unresolved issues. This was a simple walk, instead trying to regain some of that trust he’d broken six years ago.

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​

“You’ve made him chunky.” She teased with one last pat on Sammy’s head before standing back up. It was almost hard to stand there, and pretend that Vinnie hadn’t shattered her heart into a million pieces six years ago. Although, Grace almost wanted to forget that night. Tuck away into the back of her mind, and run back into his arms and never let go. “It’s okay. The extra weight looks good on him.” The question lingered on her tongue. ‘Why?’ or better yet ‘Who?’ Who had it been that night six years ago that made him break everything the two had built together? Perhaps, that might have been too heavy of a question to ask on a dog walk.

The mention of the candles made Grace perk up slightly. She couldn’t help the grin that came across her lips. “I thought I smelt watermelon lemonade when I walked in.” The scent lingered around the two of them, before she gave a nod to his question. “Yeah, let’s go before it rains on us.” It was suppose to rain that afternoon, but the thought of coming all the way over and not being able to spend time with Sammy - with Vinnie, almost tugged at her heart. “The park?” Grace asked as she sat her purse on the table, wanting to leave it while they were gone.

...

“Chunky?” Vinnie repeated in fake disbelief, mouth slightly agape though not for long, as a set of chuckles slipped past his lips. “He’s my boy, what was I supposed to do? Deny him his treats?” Though he should’ve known better than to use that word, Sammy’s ears perking up at the mention of it and immediately running towards the kitchen — knowing that’s where the treats were kept. With a shake of his head, he nodded towards the cupboard with the dog treats. “Wanna give him one?” Part of him was glad Sammy was there, somewhat break the ice between the two but also divert the conversation to anything but the big, big elephant in the room. That neither of them were probably going to address anytime soon.

“Yep, watermelon lemonade — that’s still the one,” Vinnie admitted. Perhaps it was one of those things that kept her presence around, even if her scent had been long gone in those six years. Just like the peluche dog toy he kept fixing for Sammy. Parts of her he wasn’t ready to let go of. Not even after all this time. At the mention of the weather, he eyes the sky through the window. “Good point — let’s go,” he agreed, grabbing a handful of dog treats and putting them in a small bag for during the walk. “Park’s good, yeah,” he nodded. It was probably one of the first places they went to when they first got Sammy, and in a way, this reminded him of that day. Zipping up his hoodie, he opened the front door once he secured Sammy’s leash and waited for Grace to step outside before locking up and making their way towards the park. “He’s all yours,” Vinnie said, handing her the leash as they started walking.

[vinniebraswell]

itslucaromero​

Luca couldn’t help but chuckle a little as well when Vinnie mentioned his New Years resolution. “That sounds… like a really successful one then!”, he joked, knowing that this was exactly the reason for why he didn’t even bother trying something like this. He already knew he’d fail after a couple of days as well. And apparently Vinnie wasn’t much better at it either. “Speaking of it…”, still grinning, Luca raised his eyebrows a little, “We should definitely grab a couple of drinks again at some point! Preferably one when I’m not completely broke…” It had been quite some time since he hadn’t been completely exhausted because of his job and actually had some fun but he was definitely starting to miss this. He couldn’t spend his whole life either at the garage or at home after all.

...

“It sure was,” Vinnie spoke, words followed by a lighthearted chuckle. Perhaps his resolution for next year should be to not have one at all. At Luca’s words, he couldn’t but nod as the corners of his lips tugged up. “Absolutely, man! It’s definitely been a while,” and the younger man was good company, one Vinnie could relate with and to. Though as he mentioned being broke, he slightly raised his brows. “Weren’t you working at that garage?” Vinnie asked, remembering Luca telling him about his job some time ago. “Still working there? Or are you looking for something else?”

[vinniebraswell]

kevinnor​

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t written down anywhere, and that ‘officially’ claim had been overstating it, but common sense remained. And common sense told Kevin that he’d have at the very least, a headache in the morning if they got into tequila. A headache he did not want to suffer. “I don’t know where you come up with these things,” he replied with a shake of his head and rather pointed eye roll. A pep talk seemed rather counter-productive given his aims were at odds with Vinnie’s, at least temporarily, but he gamely offered, “Getting old fashionably definitely sounds superior to the alternative, so … come on, let’s see what you can do.” What he could do, it transpired, was miss in rather dramatic fashion, and it took a great deal of self-control to keep from laughing. “Do you know how ominous that sounds?” he asked, grinning, as he circled the table, looking for his next shot. “I feel like i should make some grand declaration before I do this,” he added, though what that might be, a counter challenge of his own, perhaps, he didn’t know.

...

“Honestly? Me neither,” he offered at Kevin’s comment. Sometimes the dumbest shit rolled off his tongue, without alcohol being involved. It was probably the talker in him, feeling the need to let his thoughts out freely. Vinnie had gotten better at it over the years, though. The pep talk — or the attempt at one — made him chuckle. Had the roles been reversed, he probably would’ve been the same. That’s what he cherished about friends like Kevin. Taking a swig of his drink, he couldn’t help but shake his head as a grin formed on his face. “Ominous? Don’t know about that, buddy. You probably should make a grand declaration, though. Just in case, y’know? Don’t wanna miss your chance in case you make the shot.” Looking at the placements of the balls, perhaps Kevin had a better chance at making the shot than he had — then again, he’d always sucked at this.

[vinniebraswell]

chengrace​

“Sammy!” Grace said, and quickly bent down to the level of the black lab and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. The last time she had seen him was when he was still able to sit in her lap, though she was almost postive that he still thought he would be able to sit in her lap happily, not realizing how heavy he actually was. “Oh my god, you’re so big now.” 

A few moments of taking in excited dog kisses, and Grace finally looked around the house. It felt almost emptier than how she remembered. As if the love that once filled the walls, went away and caused it to become a shell of what they used to have. The thought pained her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to pretend that Vinnie didn’t cheat on her, and that they could go back to how things were - hell she still didn’t know who he had been with that night. However, running and pretending were two things Grace had been good at. 

Standing up and slipping her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, a pair that she felt were never worn enough - she looked back up at Vinnie, and smiled. The times they kept running into each other, the awkwardness that was built up between the two of them slowly began to fade away, and the familiarness crept back in - and Grace was surprised that she was so willing to let it. “I’m surprised you haven’t moved.” 

...

Perhaps this moment had crossed his mind more times than he’d ever admit over the last six years. Grace even stepping foot inside this house again once seemed like too big of a wish. Yet, here she was, cuddling the dog they once adopted together in the house they once shared. Though as Vinnie laid eyes on the scene in front of him, it seemed as though the last six years never happened — or more so, the cause of the last six years. A pang of guilt washed over him. One he felt way too often, one that would never disappear, most likely. “He really is, huh? Vet told me last time he’s around 77 pounds, isn’t that crazy? Wasn’t he around 20 when we adopted him?”

Reminiscing those times was a beautiful, yet painful thing. Though Grace’s comment left him somewhat surprised, eyebrows slightly raised as his eyes searched hers. Vinnie slowly nodded. “Ah — yeah, well... it’s a good house, y’know? I could’ve sold it and bought something smaller, an apartment, maybe — but that didn’t feel right for Sammy. He loves the backyard.” I couldn’t leave the memories we made together, stuck on the tip of his tongue. Perhaps he’d admit that to her after having one too many drinks one day. Today was not that day, though. “I didn’t change much, honestly. Maybe it’s, I don’t know, more manly? Messier, probably. I still buy those scented candles you bought back then. Keeps me cozy at night.” And there was Vinnie, rambling, oversharing, trying to avoid the awkwardness that might be creeping up on them. Quickly clearing his throat, he turned to Grace with a small smile. “You want a coffee? Tea? Or you wanna get going?”

[vinniebraswell]

katiebirch​

The free coffee that came on the job had been one of the first things that had tempted Katie to take up the lowly job at Humboldt Coffee when she’d graduated. And despite the years and promotions, it was still the main thing that kept her in work. Especially now. It wasn’t that Katie was weary to her job at all, but the distance away from the place and the time to brood had gotten her thinking about what it was she really wanted to do. Especially when she got off long and frankly, pointless, phone calls that wasted a good half hour of her time. 

The other perk of working in the place was how staff orders were fast tracked, even if that broke every single one of the customer care rules. And so Katie had only just closed her hands around the coffee cup when she heard her name being called and spun on her heels, only for her gaze to fall on Vinnie. “Vin” she grinned, placing down the coffee cup carefully before she gave him a quick hug. “Wait really? I basically live here. And work here. Did Wes not tell you?”. She picked up her coffee cup again, stepping back from him. “Oh you know the usual, work, play, had a breakdown, all standard stuff” Katie joked, taking a cautious sip from her coffee cup. “How have you been?”

...

At her question, he slowly parted his lips before pressing his brows together as he thought back to his last conversation with the male in question. “Y’know what, he probably did mention it. Though I don’t recall being told which coffee shop you worked at, but this is nice! Means I actually might see your face around every now and then, Birch — I probably come here way too often nowadays. I’m surprised it took me this long to spot you here.” Then again, Vinnie mostly came here in a semi-rush, getting a coffee before running off to his next client.

His lips stretched into an amused smile at Katie’s response. “Ah yes, breakdowns, just the usual,” Vinnie echoed, followed by a soft chuckle. “Well, you look like you’re doing good.” And as if on cue, his order was ready, hands wrapping around the warm to-go cup as he pressed on the plastic lid. “I’ve been good. Same as always, work is work and aside from that, no exciting stuff.” His words were followed by a simple shrug, taking the first sip of his steaming coffee, softly humming after. Perhaps no exciting stuff was a little bit of an understatement, though he wasn’t sure exciting was the right word to use anyway. “How’s the mini Birch doing?” Vinnie asked with a small smile, referring to her son. It seemed as though he was surrounded by friends with kids  — or expecting kids. It was something he enjoyed, though, and hoped to experience himself one day.