avaxbest

[avaxbest]

"Rookie error, Donovan, everyone knows a good cookie can solve everything." If only it were really that easy. "Glad to hear it." And she was, with so much time gone there was almost a relief that came with knowing the people she cared about were doing well. "I always think it's better to be busy than to think things are getting stale. As long as you're not so on your toes it wears you out." Head shook gently at his question. "No, I got my own place. Up in Glenn Estates." It still felt somewhat odd to admit to, the home she now owned such a far cry from the small but cosy house she'd grown up in in Webster Village. Even though she felt no sort of judgement coming from Nate she felt a need to pre-empt it, to make sure he couldn't deem her a bad daughter and make it clear she was doing her best to make up for all that lost time. "We still have dinner together most nights though, when I'm not finishing up work too late anyway." She left out the part where she was still reluctant to be alone, instead continuing on with an offer. "You should come sometime, I'm sure he'd like that."

"Yeah.." he nodded lightly in agreement, "Probably why my last relationship didn't work out." because he didn't get enough baked goods. Nate was merely joking as he made the passing comment, knowing in every single way that he was always the problem. There was a moment in which he thought about breeching that subject of Ava's arrival versus how long she had been away for, but he figured he'd pocket that for later. Growing up with three sisters just made him accustom to the whole time and a place. He chuckled to himself, knowing that Sawyer could chew anyone up and spit them back out again if she wanted to, and truthfully he'd be surprised if Ava was caught in that crossfire. "Busy keeping myself out of trouble," he responds lightly as they moved towards the entrance to the coffee shop, now opening the door for Ava, "You know, work's keeping me on my toes." which wasn't a bad thing. There was also the club in that consideration and yet he didn't feel the need to mention it. "Where're you staying? With your dad or?"

[avaxbest]

"If anything I should be charging extra for the way these depositions send me to sleep." Words were a disgruntled murmur aimed at the papers in front of there, though she wasn't sure if it was really their fault or just the tiredness creeping into her brain. "Oh coffee, please." Hands reached out immediately, grateful but impatient. "You're a lifesaver." Eyes practically lit up at the mention of food, nodding in agreement. "Count me in on that takeout." Hand pushed her hair back from her face as a tired sigh fell from her lips, shoulders rolling into a slight shrug the same way that they always did when someone asked how she was. "No complaints, just ready for this case to be done with. How about you - what's got you staying late?"

"I'm not entirely sure it counts as billable hours if you fall asleep on the job, babe." Lupe stifled a laugh as she stood in the doorway of Ava's office. "But lucky for you, I also happen to be working late except I stopped for snacks." She held up the bag in one hand and drink tray in the other. "I've got coffee and soda, wasn't sure what your vibe would be. I'm about to go in on this Chinese food though so you are so welcome to join me," she told her, not waiting for an invite before stepping into Ava's office to take a seat and set the food and drinks on a table. "You alright?" @avaxbest

[avaxbest]

[avaxbest]

Awkwardness crept in almost as soon as her eyes met El's, though it took her a moment to figure out the source of it. It wasn't as though they had shared anything but good times and there was no denying that a couple of years ago their company had been close to the only solace in her life. But that didn't help her interact with them now, feeling as though El was just another person she'd let become a stranger. Soft smile was returned briefly, giving a lame explanation as to why she'd stopped in the first place. "The colours caught my eye."

It shouldn't have made her so uneasy to have the question reflected back at her, if anything it should have been expected, but she still took a moment to weigh her words before she spoke. "Conflicted, mostly." It wasn't a lie, just perhaps not as insightful as it should have been when she couldn't help but still keep her cards close to her chest. "But if it's as contradictory as you say then that maybe tracks." Head tilted to the side once more, eyes trailing over the artwork before her shoulders rolled into a small, almost defeated shrug. It dawned on her that she should probably ask after them, that's what people did after time apart after all. "So is life more chaotic or calm at the moment?"

"The painting?" Ella knew the answer but the question could be addressed in a lot of ways when it came to Ava. It was still catching them off guard to see her in town and though it was a welcome sight, it was just another reminder of all the things Ella had buried deep inside themselves. Still, they couldn't resist the interaction and gave her a soft smile before turning back to look at the drawing, giving it actual consideration so they didn't just give her a sarcastic remark. "It's kind of calm and chaotic at the same time, which I can relate to," they admitted. It was how life usually felt, especially now that they had two businesses to run and dozens of people looking at them for answers and directions. It was hard not to feel chaotic but there were moments that reminded them to stay calm and their dear ones who helped them stay grounded. It was something they were thinking a lot as their birthday got closer.

"What about you?" They glanced over at her and stood up a bit straighter, resisting the urge to look her over in the most obvious way. "It obviously made you stop for a reason."

[avaxbest]

There'd been a time when she'd desperately wanted nothing more than to be deemed cultured enough to be on Richard's arm, constantly feeling as though she needed to better herself to put herself on his level. Playing a continuous game of catch up when he'd had decades more than her to expand his horizons and learn about the world. Art and music were two of his favourite areas to measure her knowledge and find her lacking, her understanding never as broad or in depth as his or if it was then somehow her opinion was the wrong one, insult taken at the notion she might have opposed him even briefly.

Maybe that was why the frown was so quick to settle on her brow at the word 'dumbass' and why her head began to shake almost immediately at the idea that art was meant to be something so out of reach. "I think the best art should be accessible, something that can make anyone and everyone feel something. It shouldn't have to always be some kind of test that only an elite few have the answers to. Surely the more people you can move with your creation the better?" There was a brief glance his his direction but she barely paused before she continued. "I'm not saying it can't be challenging but when it becomes something only the rich boys club can pat each other on the back for supposedly understanding is it even still art?"

As the rhetorical question hung in the air between them, cheeks began to flush at her overreaction and a sheepish half smile was offered in apology. "Sorry, I didn't mean to trap you in some kind of one-sided debate."

Malcolm's days were typically structured all the same; he'd wake up, make himself a cup of earl grey tea, and then take Pepper out with him for a jog. He'd learned in recovery that maintaining a routine was an important part of keeping himself clean and sober, not to mention it kept his mental health in check. It was almost funny -- the Boston native used to absolutely loathe mornings, more often than not getting out of bed well past noon as he dealt with the previous night's hangover. Now, it was the best part of his day.

He'd brought him and the french bulldog to a stop when he spotted Ava, a quizzical look crossing his features as she forewent a more casual greeting and asked him a question. "Uh --" he turned to face the painting in the window fully, head ever so slightly tilted. "Makes me feel..." Dark brows narrowed. "...like a bit of a dumbass?" Art was never his forte -- he didn't know what he was supposed to be looking at, just that he couldn't for the life of him desire. "Isn't the best art supposed to make you feel like that, thought?"

[avaxbest]

So much of her time in New York had been superficial, the only way to get by being to hide the more raw parts of herself in order to present something polished. Conversations were still had and opinions still given but they were often so curated to not scratch the surface of truth that they were hollow and empty. She'd vowed to herself to leave that kind of exchange behind and yet as soon as there was a threat of being open she wanted to return to half truths. "A little confused." The words are said almost as though she's testing them out and in a way she was, or at least trailing the honesty behind them after so many years of cloaking and concealing her thoughts. There was a vulnerability in admitting that she didn't have a firm answer, one that threatened to cause enough discomfort that she'd revert to old ways. But if she was going to trust anyone Emiri would be near top of the list.

So she continued, studying the piece some more and trying to process her emotions into something that she could rely to the other woman. "I think I couldn't stop fixating on the darkness creeping in and how it seemed so at odds with the rest of the painting." Maybe it was some kind of indicator of how they both viewed the world, Emiri able to see the positives first while she couldn't help but obsess over the worst case scenario. She missed the days that she an unshakable optimist. "It just seemed to overshadow whatever calmness there is elsewhere, like some kind of lurking danger." Furrowed brow softened as her attention turn fully to her companion, grateful smile flickering over her lips. "Thanks for humouring me."

Having finished her shift at Cosmic Ink, Emiri was already thinking about how she couldn't wait to get home and just fall into her couch. It wasn't that she had had a rough day, her day had flown by, if anything she was simply in the mood to be completely and utterly lazy. So as she headed downtown and towards the direction of her home - knowing that she had a long walk ahead of her, she found herself reflecting on her day and so almost, almost missed the attention Ava was trying to get from her.

Luckily she wasn't as in the clouds and so a natural smile formed on her features as she looked over towards the other, finding her motion towards the art piece on the display Emiri soon found herself stood beside Ava as she took in the work before her. "Hm..." she mused, her brows softly knitting together as she wondered how it made her feel - as requested. "I think... content?" she questioned, though more to herself as she remained in thought. "The colours together... they're soft? Everything blends together nicely, so it's.. calming? Yeah." she nodded in self confirmation. "Though the darkened edges could be seen as the calm before the storm, maybe... What about you?" she asked, knowing that everybody was different and that interpretations came with many varied opinions.

[avaxbest]

"Oh, so sexy." Word were enthusiastically laden with sarcasm, smile tugging at her side of her lips to betray their teasing nature as she helped him close the distance between the two of them. "If you're not careful you'll make it look too good and then everyone will want one." Embrace was returned warmly before she pulled back, eyes widening as though he'd just told her something she hadn't been expecting. "Showered and everything? My plan was to just keep you all cooped up inside but that changes everything." As if to prove her point she held up her car keys, jingling them slightly. "Where to?"

"What do you think? Sexy, right?" Will laughed as he pushed himself out of his chair to show Ava the boot that had just been put on his foot as the next stage of his recovery. He slowly walked over to her and smiled before pulling her in for a hug. "Please tell me you're hear to take me for a drive or something. I even showered today, I'm in the perfect mood to be great company." @avaxbest

[avaxbest]

The whole thing was a bit pathetic really, her inability to not only think for herself but the fact that she couldn't even make a simple choice. It was just paint, so why was she so stuck on what to choose? But it wasn't that simple, she wanted to make the right choice, the one that would make people think that she had it together and her life was on track. Maybe a large ask from a coat of paint but Ava had always struggled to not put unfair pressure on herself. "I hadn't decided yet." The confession was sheepish, knowing it was yet another indicator that she didn't know what to do without someone coaching her every move. She knew that Eve hadn't meant anything by it but the attention drawn to the fact that it was her place and she could do whatever she wanted pricked at her. Maybe just because of the unwelcome reminder that she'd spent too long without anything she'd felt was truly hers. But that wasn't the case any longer, she had some family pictures and some art she'd tentatively collected that could go up on her walls now. Something to build her new home around. "Maybe we should start with those and it'd help it all come together more? They're over here - I'm sure there's a couple of you in there."

Eve tilted her head to the side, glancing between both walls as she thought over her friend's words. Despite her penchant for taking on projects around the house on the whim, the brunette wouldn't have really considered herself very decisive -- why the hell would she be changing things up every three months, anyway? Still, it had always been easier for her to make decisions on other people's behalf rather than her own, perhaps because she didn't tend to over-analyze. "I think it depends. What kind of pictures are you thinking of putting up? Or does that depend on the color you choose?" Personally, Eve didn't have a single white or cream colored wall in the house, but that was only because a lot of her pictures tended to be in black and white. "One thing you could do is just paint the one wall, leave the other one as is. Adds a bit of dimension, doesn't crowd you in with one color..." she mused, looking at Ava finally. "And, I mean, this is your place, ain't it? You can always just paint it cream again if you hate it."

[avaxbest]

"Mm, you're very trying." The joke wasn't exactly her own, merely an echo of the kind of quip she'd heard her father say a thousand times over, but she figured it wasn't worn out just yet. "Well I figure I've got some making up to do and nothing wins people over faster than baked goods." There was still conflict within her as to whether it was better to acknowledge her absence or simply try to brush over it if people let her. She'd be lying if she said that she didn't tend to hope for the latter but she knew Nate well enough and long enough that it felt almost a disservice to him to play it off as though she hadn't been gone for years. The mention of her new job gave her a chance to redirect the conversation before the point could get laboured and for that she was grateful. "It's been great, actually." She left out the part where almost anyone would be better than her last boss, instead "Not yet but I'm sure she could if she wanted to. I'm hoping I won't give her reason to though. What're you busy with?"

Nate's hand momentarily touched his chest, it's an action in response that met her sarcasm, "I'm a trier, can't ya tell?" His amusement shined quite present within his eyes; appreciating her humour. As he waited in those split-seconds for Ava's decider, his eyes narrowed subtly as he began to take her in - always being one to naturally fall into that slot of silently gauging character. His smile tugged slightly wider, as if her response was the right one, after all there was nothing worse than being rejected, right? "Yeah? Spoiling me already.. like to see it." it was a harmless tease as he made motion to begin to walk along beside her. "How's working under Decker?" he asked as he then followed on with a small joke, "She make you want to spiral yet?"

[avaxbest]

[avaxbest]

Reaper Crew with Maeve MacNally @maevemacnally

It was no big deal, just a quick trip to pick up her car, she'd be in and out before she knew it. Just some of the things she'd played over in her mind when she'd spent the day convincing herself that she didn't need her dad to do it for her. For all most of her run ins with the people she'd left behind had been positive, Ava hadn't wanted to push her luck by making her presence too know around the clubhouse or the business that shared the same lot as it. Deep breath was taken, reminding herself that she'd faced far worse. But there was still a sense of hesitation that overcame her at seeing familiar faces, steps becoming slightly more doubtful at the sight of an old friend. News had still reached her in New York about the turns Maeve's life had taken but she'd been far too busy trying to keep her own head above water to even spare a thought for someone else who might have been drowning. "Hey." The greeting left her lips with a half smile, figuring it would be easier on them both to stick to business first. "My dad dropped my car off earlier for a once over, said it was ready to be picked up?"

[avaxbest]

Indecision had gripped her as soon as she'd spotted Cole up ahead of her in the queue, debating whether or not she could get away without making her exit obvious. There was still a lingering fear that she might fail to meet expectations or somehow pale in comparison to the memories of her former self or the encounter would leave them wanting the old version of her back. She did herself often enough. But Tonopah wasn't big enough for her to dodge and hide from them all forever, no good would come from her continuing to distance herself. But even with her decision to greet him made, it seemed that the president had had ideas of his own to secure an exchange between them. After thanking the cashier she headed over towards him, raising her tub up in a kind of wave. "Thank you." Grateful smile fluttered over her lips before she took a spoonful, head tilting to the side as though something had occurred to her. "If I'd know it was your treat I'd have gotten more sprinkles." The question about whether she was free was left unanswered, figuring the fact that she slid into the booth opposite him. Slight grin was repressed, lips pressed together as she hummed thoughtfully about his declaration about calls or texts. She agreed, ice cream was easily more of the sure-fire way to get her attention but she shared her father's dry humour, nonchalantly deadpan words filling the silence between them. "Yeah but for future reference I respond best to carrier pigeon." A few more spoonfuls were taken and she knew that she was supposed to ask how he was but that would inevitably lead to the question being reflected back to her. So instead she went for the innocuous, leaning over the table slightly to get a better view of his pick. "What did you get?"

WHERE: Sixteen Handles WITH: @avaxbest

Cole needed something sweet. That wasn’t anything new for him, or even anything remotely shocking considering the metric shitton of sugar he dumped into his coffee every morning. But to those in town who didn’t really know him, the sight of a biker cradling a strawberry ice cream cake like it was his most prized possession might have appeared a bit odd– certainly in stark contrast to how Cole usually carried himself. Reaching the register, he quickly paid for his and for the patron in line just four people behind him. He’d glimpsed Ava not long after she’d walked in, but didn’t make a move to catch her attention. Instead, he took his ice cream and tucked himself into a booth off to the side, waiting to watch her reaction. It’d been a minute since he’d caught up with her– something that he knew was his fault after how distant he’d been with everyone over the last few months– and upon spotting her in line, he’d decided it was time he changed that. He just hoped she wasn’t in a rush and that he could actually steal a few minutes of her time. Grinning crookedly as the cashier pointed Ava in the direction of who’d paid for her ice cream, Cole wiggled his fingers, giving a little wave before gesturing for her to join him. “Long time, no see,” he greeted, lifting a shoulder in a lazy shrug as a smirk settled across his lips, “Figured this was more creative than textin’ or callin’, right?” He nodded towards the empty space across from him, “Ya in a hurry or ya got a minute to catch up?”

[avaxbest]

It was too predictable really, the man swiftly making his exit this moment her cousin interacted with him. She pushed down the bitterness that threatened to rise at the notion the stranger had only listened at the arrival of another man, instead choosing to focus on the simple relief that came with the fact he'd finally left her alone. There'd be time for venting her supressed female rage some place else but she wasn't about to risk driving Cormoran away before they really had time to talk. Though what exactly she thought they'd talk about she didn't know. Despite their blood ties and club ties, the pair were practically strangers and yet he'd still been there for her in the moment she'd needed someone most. He'd gotten more of a glimpse into what her life had been life in New York than almost anyone. As far as she was concerned that more than made up for the years that their mothers had been estranged, forging a new kind of bond between them even if neither of them really knew what to do with it. But since her arrival back in town Ava had been determined to at least try to make something of it, the invited she'd sent the beginning of her efforts. "Well that makes it easy for me to remember." She smiled but her minded lingered on how someone had once told her to be loved was to be known and the fact that he had no preference for her to commit to memory felt almost impersonal, creating a false sense of distance between them again. "Oh, um, hilly and sometimes foggy but good." Realising that she was deflecting she tried again for something more honest. "It helped my find my feet again, at least." The conversation was moved on, equal parts shifting the focus away from her and curiosity about the man who was still something of a mystery to her. "How's it been here? You work at the ranch, right?"

The black rabbit was too chi-chi for him.  Even the knowledge that due to it’s new ownership, he’d most likely get to drink for free didn’t sway him.  But it felt rude to request meeting some place different when Ava had reached out to him after so long, so he’d grin and bare it through the annoying lighting, pretentious drinks, and less than likable clientele.  – Last minute club business had left him both running late and wearing his kutte.  It was a sight he knew Ava was familiar with, her own father one of the first prospects to the founders of the club.  But a place like the Black Rabbit tended to draw out of towners, those who would not find it to be a familiar sight, which was made blatantly obvious as Mo drew close enough to Ava and her company to understand what was happening and see the sudden flicker of fear across the man’s face.  – Cormoran knew he cut an intimidating figure, tall, scowling and silent.  Often it got his work done without him needing to ever throw a punch.  “Problem?” he questioned, eyes trained on the interloper.  The words were quiet and low, knowing from past experience he rarely had to do anything more.  And experience proved right as the man quickly excused himself.“It’s whatever has alcohol in it.” He answered, but taking the whiskey with a nod of thanks anyways as he slid into the seat.  He never knew what to say to Ava, which felt so odd, they were family for fuck’s sake.  It was yet another thing he could blame his mother for, the estrangement from family who lived in the same god damn town.  “How was San Francisco?” Good one, Mo.

[avaxbest]

Ava's place with Eve @evesyoung

Ava had never thought of herself as indecisive, in fact she could remember a time when her mind was made up about things almost immediately. No room for hesitation or enough time left for doubt to creep in. But even after two years in San Francisco trying to learn to stand on her own two feet again, she was still out of practise. Frown of confusion had long since settled on her brow, an SOS text sent to her friend in the hope that she could help her reach some kind of conclusion about which paint would suit her living room best. She'd take any excuse to invite Eve over but given her friend's penchant for DIY she thought her best qualified to lend her an expert opinion. "Every time I lean towards the green I get caught up on how it looks over there -" She gestured towards the other side of the room where the light hit differently. "- and I just don't love it anymore. Cream's too basic, right? I can do better?" Figuring out what she liked and disliked had been far more difficult than she'd have ever thought, untangling her thoughts from the ones of Richard's that had become embedded in her mind more painstaking than she could have predicted. Never knowing if it was her own or one he'd planted there.

[avaxbest]

Somewhere Downtown with open

After years of having her schedule planned out to the last minute for her, she was still trying to figure out how best to arrange her days herself without leaving herself with an excess of time on her hands. Silence had a way of bringing unwanted thoughts with it and it had become a challenge for her each weekend to find something to occupy herself with. So far, she had mostly ended up using it as an opportunity to reconnect with her home as well as explore what had changed. Maybe a part of her was hoping to take some comfort in the fact that maybe Tonopah had changed just like she had. Her walk through Downtown had come to a halt outside of a gallery, one particular piece drawing her attention. Usually art in any form left her feeling something but this time she was struggling to find even a stirring of emotion. Frown had begun to settle onto her brow as she looked at the piece, almost certain that it was herself rather than the art that was lacking.

To prove her point to herself she turned at the sound of footsteps, words leaving her lips without any form of greeting, hand lifted to motion to the piece. “What does it make you feel?” No sooner had she caught their attention her eyes were back on the painting, wondering once again if it was supposed to invoke a feeling of a void or that was simply her view.

[avaxbest]

Steps had slowed at the sound of her name, allowing him to catch her up. Eyes rolled skyward at a joke that had long since been worn out but there's a subtle fondness in the gesture, a slight warmth that came with the familiarity of the joke, easy response falling sarcastically from her lips. "Can you believe you're the first person to ever say so? Congrats on beating everyone else to the punchline." Brief smile was flashed to soften any offense that might have been taken. Light hum was given as she considered his offer, ignoring the brief temptation to claim she was too busy in some kind of misguided attempt to protect herself ( though from what exactly she didn't know ) . Finally she heaved a mock sigh, as though she'd lost a hard-fought war against her better judgement. "Well, when you put it like that I can't say no." But for all her faux begrudging tone she'd be lying if she said his company wasn't welcome. A far better alternative to being left alone with her thoughts. "Luckily for you my day's all clear. But I'm buying the snack."

with: @avaxbest where: downtown

Exiting his sister's shop Nate made his way further downtown, crossing over the moment his gaze recognised the woman on the other side of the road. "Ava!" he called out to simply get her attention, knowing that since she came back to town officially he had really had a chance to speak to her. "Anyone ever tell you you're better than all the rest?" he quirked his brow, his features lighting up into a smile - highly aware that he was being cheesy as he made relations to the popular Tina Turner song and her name - as he walked closer her. "You free? Can I get you a drink - coffee?" Nate showed up his loyalty card to her, one that only had two more stamps left until his free one. "Help me out?" he smile grew, one that was there in full attempt to make sure she didn't say no.

[avaxbest]

"It'll get there in no time, I'm sure." She means it as some kind of reassurance but she's not sure why she thinks the other woman even needed it. It wasn't as though her opinion would still hold any weight after all these years. "A while." Her words hover between them before she elaborated, unsure why she hesitated to say that it might be for good. Maybe because she'd spent years making promises she'd been unable to keep she was reluctant to make anything about her life a certainty lest she start letting people down again. "I've got a job in town so just moved back." The sincerity of the florist's next words caused her eyes to widen, vague grateful smile flickering over her lips in some kind of reflex. "Thanks." The word felt hollow but that wasn't Freya's fault, not when she never really knew what to say in response to those who offered condolences. But she supposed Freya knew how that felt too and that thought persuaded her to continue. "These are for her, actually. It's coming up two years." And yet it still felt like a lifetime and just yesterday all at once. Tears threatened to prick at her eyes and she was suddenly left feeling far too open, quick apology was given. "Sorry, feels weird to say it aloud sometimes." Throat was cleared. "So what time is best for me to come pick them up?"

"Next Friday, sure." Freya nodded faintly as she opened her diary that she kept close to her at the counter, jotting down the small bits of information she had already as well as the colours and flowers that she had seen in the picture shown to her. Her attention lifted back up and onto Ava as she spoke once more, "Thanks, still feels a bit like a work in progress but it's getting there." she mentions with a smile, she had a wide range of ideas for mixing up the interior and exterior displays just to keep people looking, knowing that the last label she wanted to hit was boring. "How long are you back in town for?" she asked, especially when she hadn't even noticed Ava even being back, not that she would and that's why she met that silent assumption of her visit being brief. "I - um, was sorry to hear about your mom." she spoke sincerely, the smile that made its way back to her expressions was faint, yet the most genuine she had lifted since seeing Ava. She didn't want the other woman to feel awkward - or more so than she already was, she just knew the pain that came with losing a parent.