Marcus

˙ ˖ ✶ Marcus

In Kit's eyes there wasn't a single soul in New York that could ever compare to Marcus Thompson's beauty. All the lights within the grand scape of the city that never sleeps felt dim next to the utter radiance of this one man. The sincere kindness in his heart could spark a fire in the coldest abyss, and Kit Santos was truly amazed at his friend every single day. The wisdom and pain behind his eyes, the smile that could always make him forget he ever had a bad day to begin with, and an embrace that felt like home. These were just a few of his favorite things. He knew his friend wasn't the type to post thirst traps, he'd never engage in frat boy behavior of the sort, he wasn't wild and rambunctious, but ever so sweet like the slow trickle of honey on a hot summer day. "Not gonna lie, you could do that but you'd probably disappoint the person because their end goal would always be you, and I honestly can't blame them. You're a catch." Kit mused, rolling his eyes at his best friend's compliments before nudging him slightly. He knew there was pain and regret in both their pasts, but whenever Marcus was near Kit tried to stick to the positives, anything filled with joy to match the energy his friend brought to his life. "I did have a side gig for a little big ghost writing for women on onlyfans, so I could definitely get into the headline business if you'd think I'd be that good at it." he laughed, and he thought about how different his life turned out to be thanks to the people in his life. "Good, because they'd definitely love me and hey if anything I'm sure the variants of ourselves are happily married with their pack of pets in Copenhagen or somewhere that isn't the United States." Lately Kit had been thinking about what his next move in life would be and being an author in another part of the world sounded nice, but he'd miss life in the big city, and most of all he'd miss his friend, he'd miss Marcus. "Alright, I'm taking your last name then, unless my parents fight me and then we'll hyphenate."

This was the kind of hug he'd never wish to be freed from, the one where he could cry his little heart out without fear of judgment or reproach. Even with all of the pent up emotions of guilt and regret, he couldn't help his smile as Marcus spoke.  “I love you completely. And you loved me the same. That's all. The rest is confetti,” he replied, as he kissed Marcus' cheek. "But you're right, it's not fair, and I should know just how amazing of a friend you are by now, it's just always been this little thing with me to not be able to say everything I want to. Which is funny coming from a writer." he chuckled, even if the words sounded bitter sweet. "I've always tried to make sense of it, the why me, why not any one of them who had so much ahead of them and they were such good people and I'm just...me. But you're right, plus they'd hate that I was thinking this way at all, plus I got to meet you." As he leaned on Marcus' arm, letting his words sink in he thought about his friends, and how each of them would react to Marcus, and he couldn't help but laugh. They'd all love him, even if one in particular would be slightly jealous of him. "Thanks, and most people who've read my books have gotten to know them in a way, but I'll tell you that there was definitely one of them who would've been obsessed with you. She was so boy crazy which is why we got along so well. Such a lively girl, beautiful to the very end. Her name was Emily, and she wanted to be a model, and a thousand other things, she could never quite decide." he giggled. "If I actually start talking about them I don't think I'll ever stop."

Marcus let out a hearty laugh at this universe where he was posting thirst traps. He hardly posted pictures of himself as it was, most of his social media containing those special to him more than himself and the occasional picture of something he baked and was proud of. "I wouldn't even know what to do in that situation. I'd probably end up sending whoever DM'd me toward a single friend." It wasn't like he was completely hopeless when it came to navigating romantic interest. It had more to do with the fact that, regardless of how much time passed, his heart was still very much with his ex. A couple failed first dates a few months back only solidified that for him. "If you weren't a best selling author, I'd tell you, you should start writing headlines like that." Wasn't this what life was all about, laughing and simply enjoying the moment with people you cared about? It was to Marcus. His life was so rich with people who made being around them as easy as breathing. "Oh, don't worry, I didn't mean it like that. My family would be delighted with you. Whatever lecture I got would have nothing to do with you." He meant what he said. He couldn't think of many, if any, friends his family disliked. Maybe he was just a good judge of character. "Hey, I'm fine with whatever. I'm not really someone to get hung up on the little details." He played an active role in planning his own wedding, but he cared less about the details and more about getting to marry the person he was in love with.

Marcus was quiet as he held Kit in a warm hug. He wanted to be able to give the other the space to get what he needed to off his chest. When he was sure the other said what he wanted to say, he finally spoke up again, "First of all, you don't have to apologize for that. I saw this thing and it said something like 'don't hide yourself when you're in pain, it's unfair that we laughed together but you cried alone' and that's how I feel about this. Besides, no one can be happy all the time." Something his grandma would remind him of whenever he tried too hard to keep everything together for the sake of everyone else. "I don't know how the universe works," he started, his heart aching for his friend and the loss he suffered, "and I think it's unfair that you lost them. I'm glad you did get a second chance though, even if you can't understand why you got it." Kit was the type of person he believed you could somehow miss even if you never met him. "For what it's worth, I think you are. I know I didn't know them, but I bet if there's an afterlife and they can see how you're keeping they're memory alive, they'd be happy with it." He paused for a moment, "If you want, you could tell me more about them or we can go find something to do to take your mind off it. Whatever you need."

andré lamoglia

˙ ˖ ✶ Cece

"Singing? Cece have you gone loca? But obviously we need to do Holding out for a hero." Kit mused as he kept watching his friend peruse the music selection. This was definitely a much needed distraction from the fiasco of his love life, and Kit was just about ready to become a spinster and a hermit before Cece dragged him out here and out of his funk. He could always count on his best friends. "And yeah anybody could tell that movie raised you." he said teasing her lovingly. @chcmpagneprblms

starter: (specifically for @drvioletmetcalfe, @mvximized, @tctteredwings, & @kitsantoss) but also open to anyone else! @bhqextras location: Songbirds & Sangria Karaoke Tent

(this is a group starter, not a group thread!)

cece needed something like this. the woman had been feeling more established now in new york but work was starting to actually feel like...well a job, instead of just a fun thing she got to do with her favorite cousin, and a part of her was missing ricky just a little bit extra...so the festival filled with drinks, tents and good music couldn't have come at a more perfect time. she was currently buzzed, swaying and singing along as someone finished their rendition of a fleetwood mac classic, and she quickly turns to the other in excitement, eyes bright as she almost tips over her cup in excitement. "oooh, sing with me? you're singin' with me! what should we do?!" she gasps, grasping onto the mini book of selections that a worker hands her way. "i mean don't go breakin' my heart is a classic, of course, but there's also (i've had) the time of my life...oooh! or you're the one that i want!" she looks back over at them from where she's pointing at the line. "ya know, believe it or not that movie absolutely raised me."

˙ ˖ ✶ Devi

"Exactly, like why wouldn't the two hottest people in New York city not have a life changing experience? What's more surprising is that we're here." Kit giggled thinking of how the fates had played their hand and somehow managed to put these two in the same place in this...let's call it an event. "Your mind is a dark place, and I kind of love it. He would probably caress my cheek with the puppets hand." At this he couldn't help but laugh at the mere image and scenario that was now playing in his head. "I know, time is truly just an illusion cause I still feel like I'm in my mid 20's and not about to be 30 years old." Nodding at the prospect of finally understanding what J-Lo's aforementioned and mysterious orange drink was, he was excited to make a new friend out of this horrible experience. "I'll let you handle it, last time I flirted with a straight man he wanted to elope."

Devi wasn't a huge horror fan, however, she had enough knowledge to catch the other's reference and laughed at it. "The worst part is that I could see something along those lines happening." She was perhaps being overdramatic, but she was sure the other dodged a bullet either way. "Oh my god, or like he continued to talk to you through the puppet while you guys were hooking up." She shuddered. Yeah, the duo was definitely getting out of here before the puppet man or anyone else could stop them for yet another encounter neither one of them wanted to be in. "I completely forgot about that. I was thinking this year was flying by, but looking back that whole thing feels like ages ago." She supposed time was just strange like that, sometimes feeling like there was never enough of it and other times dragging on at a snail's pace. "That would be something though. Maybe we could even figure out what orange drink she was even talking about." Maybe the night wasn't so bad now she had an entertaining companion. "I don't think we'll have to, but I'm not above batting my eyes to get some extra."

˙ ˖ ✶ Violet

"Oh, that's not...You know what honestly, you could easily turn that into a hypothetical not so subtle statement about how the patriarchy believes it has ownership of female bodies." Kit mentioned quickly finding an excuse to make that sort of thing work if Violet ever found herself in that situation again. "Thank you, and I do think your little cootie cat on the cheek was definitely cute, but it's a good thing that didn't happen today. Honestly, face painting can never be a bad idea, I'm pretty sure a hot star wars nerd is gonna ask me out now."

"Very true. I feel like the last time I got my face painted was in college. I lost a competition and had to get a vagina with a top hat and a mustache on my cheek. Honestly it was a cute look." Violet mused, trying not to move her face too much while she was being worked on. "Oh I love it! You look adorable I doubt anyone would even get mad. I love Star Wars so I especially like it. This was a good idea."