Kai Stands In The Doorway, Hands Stuffed Into The Pockets Of His Over-worn, Over-sized Jacket. It Wasn't

kai stands in the doorway, hands stuffed into the pockets of his over-worn, over-sized jacket. it wasn't exactly in his plan to pop into the shop, but on his way home from working a double shift at the arcade, he'd struck with the notion to. a familiar exhaustion already set in deep. " some might call that perfect timing then, huh ? " his tone comes out dry, but there's a playful glint behind his gaze. the thing about kai is, he doesn't ask for help, or care to ever admit when there's a problem. but it's gotten to the point he has to try something. conceals a sigh beneath his breath as he walks inside, has a quick glance around before his eyes settle on her familiar features. " i can't sleep, " he admits, his voice carrying a trace of vulnerability he seldom shows. " figured you might have some kind of concoction for that. " insomnia has plagued him on and off for years, seems to have come back lately with some kind of vengeance. weed had worked wonders at one point, but he fears he's built up such an intolerance it would take more than anyone should smoke to help with that now. " and if not, " adds with a wry smile, shrug of his shoulders, " then i guess i'm fucked. "

( open starter @ tide & thyme : a herbalist shop . )

as  the  sun  dipped  lower  over  the  horizon ,      casting  a  golden  glow  over  the  quaint  beach  town ,      adi  carefully  arranged  her  wares  at  the  small  herbal  shop  she  managed  with  her  aunts  .      the  scent  of  dried  lavender  and  chamomile  filled  the  air ,      mingling  with  the  salty  breeze  that  drifted  in  from  the  ocean .      it  was  one  of  those  perfectly  peaceful  evenings ,      the  kind  that  felt  like  a  bonus  level  in  her  otherwise  busy  life .

with  a  sigh  of  contentment,      she  turned  to  the  door,     ready  to  hang  the  “ CLOSED ”  sign.     just  then ,     a  gentle  knock  sounded .     she  looked  up  to  see  them  standing  on  the  doorstep —     adi's  eyebrows  raised  in  surprise .  “     oh  hey !     we’re  just  about  to  close ,     but  if  you  want  something  from  the  store  i  can  help  you  out  real  quick !     ”     she  motioned  for  them  to  come  in ,     curiosity  twinkling  in  her  eyes.

@palmviewstarters

" sure they are, " ace retorts, like he's so certain of it, when in fact he's far from it. " i mean, what if you need to go out of town for weeks on end and you need someone to water it ? that's where i come in. if i have to do it for someone else, i'm sure i'd do a better job of it. " maybe. truthfully, it would probably still slip his mind. the mention of pets soon has his smile growing, genuine interest. while dogs are his favourite, he's a fan of pets in general. though he's never been able to quite understand anyone who chose cats over dogs. " oh, yeah. for sure. but now you have to tell me, what pets do you have ? "

officially stress free? if only she knew what that feeling was like in other aspects of her own life. a plant? well, that she was able to handle at least. " well, you know what? then i'm happy to be able to take it right off of your hands for you. it seemed to really stress you out! remind everyone you know to never get you any plants. " she playfully teased. " a plant mom now? well, thank you for such a great honor. i promise to do my best to take care of it. " the blonde playfully shook her head. " honestly, i don't think plant sitters are actually a thing... like at all. but if i ever need someone to watch my pets, then i can let you know! think that's something you'd be able to handle or? "

there's a brief crinkle of his brows, slight confusion washing over him. but her enthusiasm is palpable, soon causes a smile to stretch onto features. " i see. and how clean exactly is ' maya clean ' ? because my apartment could probably use some of it. " truthfully, he has too much space for one person, and isn't often there to keep it in check. but he likes to have space, always wants to be prepared should any family need somewhere to rest.

𓍼⋆⊹ 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 : @dreamerfms

"and guess what? it's not just health department clean. it was "maya" clean!" she was awfully enthusiastic about that. how could she not be? it was just the way she wanted for it to be. well, not necessarily wanted but she wasn't going to let anything be a mess. especially not any future restaurants she was looking to own... or even her apartment.

" ha ha, " she teases in return, " maybe i just know good food when i taste it, ever thought about that ? " she nods along, listening intently. likes how effortless his company feels. while part of her is always wearing somewhat of a mask except for in the comfort of her own home, she feels mostly herself. " i like the added crunch, " she adds, in reference to the beansprouts, understands what he means about the texture. " it's a nice addition. " she watches as he adjusts food in her bowl, and at his next words she lets out a laugh. " hmm, except for the fact i would win both. i meant it when i said i don't like to lose. i think you might underestimate just how competitive i can be, " she states, glances up at him with a playfully challenging stare, brow raising. it's no lie. failure is a feeling she detests, sends her into frenzy for longer than it should. " no competitions, no. show season is coming up, though. it's swan lake. i'll be auditioning. " is fairly certain she'll land the lead, usually does. " apollo is my good luck charm, " words come out without thought, in no way meaning to sound rude. " or, well, i like to think of myself as his. " her laugh is somewhat nervous, shakes her head. " sorry, that came out wrong. it's just . . . we've been dancing together for years, so . . . but outside support is always welcome. and greatly appreciated. as for cooking, i'll never say no to this. "

“ oh really? not a single bad thing to say? are you sure i'm feeding the right person? you must really have missed me.  ”  he's more impressed with nova than himself. a smug smile finds a way to his lips and he does his best to conceal it by pressing his lips into a thin line.  “ i usually use the beansprouts to help cool down the soup. texture's fun too, especially cause it almost tastes like nothing.   ”  miles uses the opposite ends of his own chopsticks to help push the vegetable under the tofu in nova's bowl.  “ if we had a cook off, we'll also have to have a dance off. then the score would be even. i only win when you do.  ”  another triumph grin before his eyes widen slightly. “ speaking of—did i miss any competitions? i've been so busy.  ”  this time, there's an apologetic look. “ i'll just cook for us for the rest of our lives if i missed any... i'm basically your lucky charm. what would you do without me?  ” 

closed ft. @wandererfms

kai sits cross-legged in the sand, worn-out hoodie pulled low over his eyes, joint hung lazily between his fingers. he hears the slow approach of footsteps in the soft sand but doesn't look up, simply takes another slow drag. however when the figure gets closer, he finally glances over at them, exhaling smoke into the breeze. " want some ? " he questions, tone light as he holds the joint out towards them.

Seinfeld (1989 - 1998) 8.22 The Summer of George