Kai Tilts His Head, Smirk Still In Place But His Gaze Softens. There's Something About Winnie That Feels

kai tilts his head, smirk still in place but his gaze softens. there's something about winnie that feels safe to kai, and that's no common thing for him. he's spent the last decade keeping most people at a far distance, so to have someone who feels like a friend despite the fact they only ever seem to meet in the dead of the night, is a big deal. despite his sarcasm and the way he tries to act like he hates the whole world, there's a genuine care for her. " blew your world up ? no. no, i don't believe we've gotten to that part yet. " there's a teasing edge to his voice before he lets out a chuckle, momentarily directs his gaze to the gravel beneath his feet. " the good news though ? i don't have anyone to tell your secrets to even if i wanted to, " he reassures, with of course the exception of his sister meave, though even then he's never been one to blab about other peoples lives, " so if you wanna unload, i’m here. no judgment, no shitty advice you didn’t ask for, just . . . whatever you need. "

a chuckle escapes her lips as the other speaks. "the latter, obviously. am i really that easy to read?" winnie found it very hard to be open with others. spending so much of your life hiding who you were made one terrified that the secret could slip out at any moment. any moment of honesty and vulnerability was an opportunity to ruin a perfectly good image. but, she remembers the time kai stumbled upon her here at this very park. everything just kind of fell into place. she was new to town and very overwhelmed with... well, LIFE. a listening ear from a stranger somehow brought her back to earth. "well, you're definitely keeping me on my toes," she tells him. she's stalling, despite the fact that she called him here. explaining ronnie was something winnie had never expected to do, but here they were. "have i ever told you about the time i blew my own world up?"

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

closed ft. @bittcrsweetsfm

" hey, " kai begins, smirk tugging at his freshly bust lip, hands raising up in defence, " i want to be good, life's just not letting me. but in my defence, he fuckin' started it. "

noa’s eyes light up with excitement as she listens to alyssa, a girl after her own heart. thinks anyone she can talk endlessly to about clothes are the greatest people on earth. " five times in one week ? someone is living dangerously. i love it, " the brunette exclaims, before continuing, " but i totally get it. sometimes you just have to be in the store, touch the fabric, soak up the energy. shopping isn’t just a transaction, it's an experience. you’ve got to connect with the clothes, feel their potential, " she nods her head, eyes rolling in complete agreement. " ugh, and yes ! i mean, sure, if you want to buy the trend then buy the trend, but at the very least style it in a way that elevates you enough to stand out from the masses. fashion was meant to set us apart. some people forget that. " with a bright smile, she links her arm through alyssa's, eager to quite literally shop until she drops. " and while we shop, you can fill me in. how's life ? and more importantly, is there anyone special in it ? "

" are you really asking me how i have that kind of self control? because truthfully speaking here? i genuinely have no idea myself. it's hard and not easy, let me just say that much. " it's hard for alyssa to even pull herself away from a just a couple of her favorite stores. mainly because of the fact that if it was up to her, she'd be taking everything right off of the racks at once. " or just don't entirely know how to style the things that they end up getting? or it's all solely just for the trends of everything. " maxing out credit cards was truly a nightmare for her and she hoped every time she went out shopping that it didn't do that. or at the very least decline. another nightmare of hers. " i hope i never reach mine. i went to this one store like 5 times in the last week and i thought i was going to end up reaching it. keep in mind that i didn't even get that many things at one time. " alyssa smiled and clapped her hands together excitedly while she started to lead the way, this was always her favorite part. " yay! come with me and i will show you just how inspired you'll get! "

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.

in life, there's people that linger for only a short time, that are only meant to be a moment in time. then there's people who stay, who mean something even when time and distance changes things. for kyro, that's celeste. there will never be a time he thinks of her as just his ex-girlfriends. she's his friend, a constant. someone he'll forever make an effort to keep in his life in any way he can. so when there was an offer of dinner, there was no way he was turning it down. she opens the door and she's smiling and he barley has a minute to process as she ushers him inside. a wide grin soon tugs at his lips, eyes crinkled with softness. " smells amazing in here, " he states cheerfully. it feels familiar too. creates a warmth he can't find when he's on the road. " i got you these, " turns to hold out a bunch of flowers towards her, because there's always flowers. " i can't take any credit for how good they look, that was all winnie. " a moment passes, and finally he gets a proper look at her. takes it all in. kyro doesn't tend to get shaky breath, but in that split-second, he does. wants to tell her she looks beautiful, but he doesn't want to make it weird. yet, his next question still has the potential to. " did you miss me ? "

@dreamerfms // letty's loft

making dinner for kyro had once been no big deal, just another sunday night for the pair. now, letty bumbled around her kitchen, tasting everything twice, and then three times to make sure it was just right. though time had passed, his favorites were still at the forefront of her mind, preparing each dish the way she knew he liked them. it was just a catch up with a good friend, that's what she told herself. the rap at the door has her head snapping up, the dish on the stove turned to the lowest heat setting as she smoothed out her outfit and walked toward the door. with a deep breath, she pulled it open, smile wide and welcoming as she ushered him in. "hi ! you're just in time, dinner is almost ready."