Oh, Please, Noa Laughs, Eyes Threatening To Roll Though There May Be A Slight Tinge To Her Cheeks. Still,

“ oh, please, ” noa laughs, eyes threatening to roll though there may be a slight tinge to her cheeks. still, she waves off the idea with a perfectly manicured hand. “ don’t flatter yourself. inflated egos are so not it. ” shifts on her feet, intrigued as to what he may ask her to promise— what he does she isn’t expecting. lips part, doe eyes wide for a number of seconds. oh. “ a dance ? with me ? you and me ?” she looks baffled, but it’s only because for the first time— well, ever, she’s not entirely sure what to say. but it comes to her quickly. “ i don’t think you understand how busy i’m going to be. i mean, i’ve been organising this for weeks. i have a whole system. charts, compatibility scores, body language analysis. the average song is around 3-4 minutes, do you have any idea how many things i could miss in that amount of time ? some people don’t realize how important one single stolen glance can be— that’s why they need me.” a simple sorry, no can do would have sufficed, but in typical noa fashion she’s over-complicating it. the brunette stops, hands slowing as she lowers them and takes a breath, offering a smile now in return. “ i can find you someone less preoccupied to dance with, does that work ? ”

leaned against the counter , a lazy smirk playing on his lips as he took in her bright , animated presence . the flyers she handed him were bold and colorful , but they couldn't outshine the energy she exuded . " a mixer , huh ? " his voice drawled out , teasing as always . " and here i thought you were just lookin’ for an excuse to see me . " he took the flyers , holding them up as if inspecting them closely . " i’ll put ‘em up for ya but don’t think i’m lettin’ you off that easy. you're gonna have'ta promise me somethin’ . " he paused , eyes gleaming with mischief . " save me a dance at your little ‘ get-together ’ . seems only fair , don’t ya think ? " he flashed her a grin , knowing full well he’d enjoy watching her reaction , teasing her just enough to keep things playful .

he’s in his own world, always is. music blasting loudly through headphones. when he glances up to see the others confused expression, something clicks. “ what ? ” kai questions, hitting pause on his current song selection, pulling listening device down around his neck. “ stuck ? ” words are followed by a dry chuckle, a nonchalant shrug even though this is his worst nightmare. doesn’t want to show the panic that’s setting in so he masks it as he steps closer, glaring at the buttons as if somehow that’ll change things. “ well, how ‘bout you keep on pressin’ the buttons until somethin’ works and i’ll stand back here and pretend like I have a plan. sound like a deal ?”

starter type: o p e n. @palmviewstarters where: elevator in location of your choice. (i'll adapt to whatever location works for your muse) when: friday, time is up to you.

''I-...'' Hyun looks around him before focusing on the other person briefly, his gaze going back to the buttons panel, confused about what to do next but choosing to remain calm. ''... I guess we're stuck.''

“ oh, no, you don’t have a friendly face whatsoever. great bone structure, sure, but inviting ? not so much. luckily for you, i don’t intimate easily. but really, it wouldn’t hurt to smile more. or once— ever ! ” once again she’s talking quickly, animated, ignoring his first statement. eyes roll instantaneously as she adjusts her stance, exasperated sigh escaping perfectly painted lips. “ well, for starters, i haven’t seen you with anyone since charlotte, except for nova but she’s your roommate and if that was going to happen it likely would have by now. which is good for me because i also plan on getting her to sign up. but back to you. yes, you probably could get a date easily if you actually tried, but i’m just, like . . . way better at it. and honestly, men often can’t be trusted to make good decisions. that’s just fact. ”

"yeah, you're not exactly making me feel better as you boast about how much better you could stalk me..." he places the bottles in his bag. "you know, you're the only person i've ever met who seems to think i have a FRIENDLY FACE." he'd tried to let this girl down subtly what felt like a hundred different ways, and yet, she always found her way back to him. "and i ask you again... what makes you think that i can't get a date on my own?" probably the fact that he, well, you know... wouldn't. but he liked to think it was his own personal choice. his relationships had all been with dancers ( the exception being charlotte ) and they all ended poorly. apollo didn't see the point in making empty promises to others. he would provide what he could, and often times, it wasn't enough.

" that all sounds amazing, " nova replies, bright smile. " there's something about fall that just makes everything feel so cozy, don't you think ? " the darker nights, wrapping up warm, a greater sense of togetherness. it might just be one of her favourite times of the year. " you can't go wrong with banana bread, but those pumpkin-shaped cookies ? that’s such a good idea. do they come in different designs, or is it just the pumpkins ? because personally, i think little ghosts would be adorable. "

" doesn't it? " hadley smiled at the other. caffeine was honestly one of her daily essentials. at least one cup a day because she needed to be awake. especially when working slightly longer shifts at the bakery. a lot of the items were new things they were trying out and selling to hopefully get the fall vibe going more. " you got it. well. one of my co-workers has added apple fritters to the list, pumpkin pie, banana bread, pumpkin shaped cookies. i'm not sure if any of those spark your interest but i must say... they are SO good. " hadley felt the same way when it came to choosing a dessert. anything with apple or cinnamon and she was entirely sold.

“ that’s not taking a risk my friend, that’s committing culinarily sin. and that’s saying a lot coming from someone who doesn’t know the difference between noodles and pasta— i mean, isn’t it all just pasta ? ” it’s been explained many times, yet here he is, confused as ever. all he’s certain of is that they’re both carbs, and he loves those. “ you know me, I’ll never say no to a beer, ” ace shrugs casually, shaking his head and letting out a snort. “ no way. life’s short, dude. if i’m destined for high cholesterol so be it. i wanna enjoy my food, and avocado is not enjoyable. that’s known fact. ”

"you gotta think out of the box and take risks, man. open up to the possibilities of being pleasantly surprised." leon gets rather inspirational when he smokes too much. it's like the happy part of his brain flips on a switch and all he can see is adventure, good times and risks worth taking. "i'll buy you a beer, what do you say?" the blond asks as he picks up his wallet from the sofa. "tomato, avocado and mayo. you gotta try it. have you gotten checked in the last few months? you might be ripped but the cholesterol, man. no joke." it's a simple blood test. "you should go to chile too, man. learn to eat proper hotdogs."

there's parts of kingsley that never feel like they'll be whole, like he's destined to be a partially incomplete person for eternity. so much unresolved that it feels easier to keep things light, a faux filter of being carefree. because he has everything he could possibly ever want, right ? enough money that he could live multiple lifetimes in pure, blissful comfort. a name that could open any door with ease. but there's never been a real understanding of love, or direction. just a need to try and fill the void with alcohol, drugs, reckless acts that make his heart beat fast. but esme, well, there were moments with her, completely sober and still, that felt like just as big a rush. " guess i was feeling nostalgic, " kingsley responds with a smirk, his voice light, almost playful. but there's a weight behind it he can't quite shake. he shrugs, like it’s no big deal, like he didn’t just climb up here chasing a feeling he can’t define. “ figured i’d see if the place still lived up to it's charm. " breath threatens to catch in his throat as he allows his gaze to fully settle upon her, memories filtering back into his mind. " though i don't think it could ever lose it. not while you own the place, at least. " because she was the main part of the charm, the reason he knew this was the perfect view of the sun setting. " you look good, esme, " he adds, smile softening slightly, " how've you been ? "

her breath caught in her throat as kingsley’s figure emerged against the backdrop of the setting sun . the sight of him , framed by the warm , golden light , was both a shock and a comfort . the rooftop , once a shared haven , now felt charged with a history that lingered between them . she turned fully to face him , her eyes reflecting the soft hues of twilight . the distance he kept was palpable , a physical manifestation of the space that had grown between them over time .

“ kingsley , ” she said , her voice steady but touched with a hint of emotion . she took a deep breath , trying to steady herself . “ it’s been a while . ” as he settled a few feet away , she leaned against the rooftop’s edge , the cool breeze ruffling her hair . she glanced out at the horizon , where the sun dipped lower , painting the sky in shades of pink and orange . “ chasing sunsets... yeah , it’s one of those things that just sticks with you . some habits die hard , i guess . ” her smile was tinged with both nostalgia and a hint of sadness , reflecting on the shared moments they once had . turning back to him , she met his gaze with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension . “ so , what brings you here , kingsley ? "