beck-hartman

[beck-hartman]

Can I get the receipt? It better be really good coffee, then. Oh, shit, yeah, I think I knew that. Okay, I'm going to be hanging with you guys then and get all the insider scoop. What secrets do you know already?

Ha. You wish. Being your sister should be a gift enough. I’ll buy you coffee, dork. We are! They are from New Orleans so we’re excited to go around and explore.

[beck-hartman]

Beck: enjoying a couple of my Christmas presents, I can't elaborate further ;)

Beck: And miss the trip to NOLA? no fucking way. Our private trip for two will come later in the year, and no, you're not invited to that one. So who's planning shit for the trip? Because it's not me, I'm along for the ride

JD 📨 @beck-hartman

JD: duuuuuuuuuuuude where art thou!?

JD: Don't tell me that you and Shosh decided to go on a trip and not tell me

[beck-hartman]

Living large, as per usual. After I helped you get it over wtih? You should be thanking me, I do accept cash or gifts. Unless we get a better offer, yeah, you know I don't miss a chance to travel. You and Stellar going?

So, baby brother... how've you been? Don't worry, I'm still gonna get you back after you threw me into the water. You an Shosh heading to New Orleans?

[beck-hartman]

Beck Hartman @ The Royal Gala, January 20, 2024

Going with the royal purple suit with navy button-up, still sans tie, unfortunately, but as always, accessories are a big check mark! One ring is on his pinky, the other on his thumb. Attending with the queen that is @shoshanna-hart.

[beck-hartman]

Beck had lost sight of his girlfriend as they mingled with their friends, searching the crowd for her. Everyone looked ridiculous, he thought, but in a good way as he shifted uncomfortably in his own outfit. The galas were a blast, the dress code...less so. As a piece of paper was offered to him, he couldn't help but laugh before he even read the note. "Someone, huh? Red-hair? Probably wearing the cutest, most mischievous smile you've ever seen?" Scrunching his nose a little as he did have to concede to another, less likely option, he joked, "at least I hope it is because cute Little Red-Haired Girl might have something to say if it's not. You didn't read it, did you?" The chances of it being not for others' eyes was pretty good if it was, in fact, Shosh.

two minutes. that’s all it takes for the slip of paper to be practically shoved her way with a hushed request to deliver it pronto. and sure, rafa is undoubtedly confused by the entire thing, but when presented with an opportunity to play cupid, who’s she to turn that down? “so, someone thinks you're cute." here, the piece of paper is sheepishly handed over to its intended recipient, refusing to glance at what’s been written (it’s not meant for her eyes). "i think it might have a name? maybe even a number somewhere, if you wish to call them." a beat. “or it can just be thrown out, i guess. up to you.”

[beck-hartman]

Beck grinned as he took in how bundled up Cordelia was, a vast contrast to himself. Not that he wasn't cold, the water was quickly rebelling against him in this frigid air. "I see you did not," he quipped playfully, still buzzing with the excitement of the day. "Probably should. They really should have heated towels...or do they? That's a thing, right? Heated towels?"

Cordelia was just walking by, still tucked happily in her warm clothes, thick jacket covering her slim limbs, making her away to where all those who had dove into the water were collecting hot cups of cocoa, warm treats, and drying off from the cold weather. When someone hopped up and suddenly she was being hit by drops of water across her face, someone shaking their hair out standing on something and she wiped at her face. "I believe they're all gathering that way." Cordelia said pulling her glove off to better wipe the water away. "I see you got in the water this morning." stating the obvious before pulling her glove back on. "Better get a towel and something warm before you freeze."

[beck-hartman]

"Nah, I think I've just decided I'm not going to age. Be young forever somehow." He cherished how little sleep he could thrive off of, and nothing about growing up ever sounded fun. "That's my motto," he agreed. If money was limitless and his family would have come with him, he'd probably still be traveling. Nothing he loved more, except Shosh and said family. "We'll make something happen this year." He nodded, may be one of the reasons he didn't really make them. "I don't like doing things because I'm supposed to, even stuff I've told myself to do, so it doesn't work for me. Gotta go where life takes you, right?"

"Just wait until you hit your thirties, Beck. You'll be saying the same thing as your resolution." Elliot teased, grinning as he moved his hands back in reply. Though it was partly true, the older he got, the more he found himself always in need of a good nap. "Traveling is always a very good plan, you can't go wrong with that. I did a lot of it when I was around your age and it was one of the best experiences in my life." He signed back with a nod of his head, that was something else that was on his list for the year. To travel, at least take a few days trip somewhere. It had been way too long since he had done so. "I feel like I always make them and then within a week I've given up." He admitted with a laugh. "I think it's easier to just go with things you want to do, resolutions seem too serious almost."

[beck-hartman]

"Me? I would never," Beck replied, which she obviously knew better but not soon enough. It was his duty as her brother, and he was simply performing that duty. "It helps when it's quick, so you're welcome!" He hollered back, quite proud of himself before laughing along with her. "See, not so bad, is it?"

“First of all, stop grinning like you’re up to something, second of all, it’s cold!” Mandy said, sticking her tongue out at her brother. She yelped, flailing her arms. “You’re lucky I’m short!” She squealed, covering her face as if that would save her from the cold water. Laughing as she surfaced, she splashed him right in the face. “You’re terrible,” she rolled her eyes, still laughing.

[beck-hartman]

"Sounds like the perfect time to get wet again, wanna go jump back in?" He joked, not sure he'd calm down again any time soon. This was the most fun he'd had in a minute...or since last night. Looking toward where Lou had pointed, he shook his head at her, "didn't save me any? Ouch."

"Damn it, Becky, I just got dry!" Lou curled away from Beck as he came in fast and shook his head like a dog after swimming. She was laughing though, holding her hot chocolate close to her chest, and tugging her towel a little tighter about the shoulders. His energy was infectious, hard not to match in some manner. "Go get your own," she motioned toward the hot chocolate tables a few feet away. "Be quick about it though. They're running out of tiny marshmallows."

[beck-hartman]

Beck was amped up, this was his event. All the galas and fests were great, but this is where he thrived. On and in the water. Everyone else was shivering and eager to get back to the fire, but he'd have gotten right back in if it was safe to do so. He knew he needed to get warm, though, which is why he'd finally left the water. "I thought people loved those dogs?" He quipped, shrugging. "That was fun, right?!"

It had been Colton's idea to do the polar plunge on New Year's Day, not that Cage was necessarily against it. It was tradition, something he had always enjoyed, but he probably would have been okay with celebrating at home, under a warm blanket, with a cup of coffee. But still, he had done it, and he didn't have any complaints as he stood near the fireplace, already changed into a hoodie and shorts, cup in one hand, the other scrolling through his phone. Glancing up at his heard a voice nearby, het let out a low laugh, gesturing towards the table set up with everything Beck was looking for. "You're like one of those annoying wet dogs, the ones that have to make everyone else wet in the process?" he referenced the water droplets that dotted his sleeve from Beck's hair.

[beck-hartman]

WHO: Beck & OPEN (3/4) WHERE: Gull's Landing WHEN: January 1, 2024

Beck came barreling up from the Swim Beach, swim trunks and blonde hair still dripping and towel draped around his neck. Today, he'd get to enjoy Gull's Landing with his rest of the participants and not as someone who worked there, though he did give his boss a wave as he approached. "2024, baby! We made it," he hollered as he hopped up on one of the chairs briefly, full of even more energy than usual after his swim. Shaking his hair to rid himself of a little more water, he looked around, "who's got the hot chocolate?"

[beck-hartman]

"Hell yeah, we do!" Beck called, following them out of the water. "Don't you feel alive?" Clearly they did not. "The worst part is getting out, this section between the adrenaline of being in the water and warm heat and towels. But may be my favorite part of the holiday season." Again, it was obvious his sister's partner did not agree. "What? You didn't have fun?"

WHO: Stelly & OPEN!

WHERE: Swim Beach / Gull's Landing

WHEN: January 1, 2024

"People do this?" Stelly asked, shuddering as they hurried back out of the water, arms waving at their sides as though it would help warm them up, bring some heat back into their limbs. They had done it -- plunged straight into the water, dove under the surface, and it sucked. Invigorated? Refreshed? No, frozen. And it was beyond time to go get warm. "I mean, like, for fun?"

[beck-hartman]

WHO: Beck & @mxharleyhua WHERE: Swim Beach WHEN: January 1, 2024

The best way to start a new year. Beck would swear by it, and the ocean always did seem to welcome him back with open arms. The cold temperature was a shock to the system, but what better way to feel alive. If it were possible, he'd be out here for the rest of the day. "Let's go!" He signed at Harley from the water, knowing he had been chatting with some people before taking out his cochlear implants.

They had taken a big hit to their friendship last year, but they'd gotten through it. While Beck had forgiven the secrets, the lies by omission, trust would have to be rebuilt over time. Broken trust is in a lot of ways like breaking glass. Sometimes it shatters, and there’s too many pieces to ever put back together. Other times you can get all the pieces and the cracks remain. And then there's a third: it breaks so cleanly, you can glue it all back together where it looks like nothing ever happened, but there is glue there that wasn’t before. And while they lived this third reality, a day of fun and swimming in freezing waters was exactly what they needed. Just like the good old days.

Maybe there was more than one fresh start to be had in 2024. "Get in!"

[beck-hartman]

"No better way," Beck agreed, knowing if anyone got it best, Theo did. He didn't downplay his love for Shosh, but he never felt he ever should with this particular friend. He felt the exact same way about his own wife. "The best kind of party with dates like ours is the after-party," he joked. Shaking his head, he laughed, "nah, I won't allow it. You can't be that old yet, it'll be my personal mission to get you to midnight."

With a nod, Theo smiled right back at Beck. Patting him on the back, he looked around the room at everyone. "It really is, The Mirage always throws a good one." He agreed and then followed Beck's gaze over to Shosh, "sounds like a good way to end 2023 and ring in 2024." He felt the same way about his wife, and he definitely saw himself in Beck, which is probably why they got along so well. "Even if the party was a dud, I get to go home with my smoking hot wife so anything else is just an added bonus." He said as he looked over at his wife and gave her a wink from across the room as she looked at him momentarily. "It's going pretty well, how about yours? I will most definitely try, you know us old folks. Gotta be home and in bed no later than 11 pm." He teased and faked using a cane and being an old man.

[beck-hartman]

Another positive to the party tonight was getting to hang with so many people who didn't share blood with him. Not that he didn't love his family with his whole heart, but he missed all the time he got with his friends. "Sleep?" He laughed, teasing, "I think that's the first indication of getting old." Thinking for a moment, he signed, "travel at some point, besides the snowboarding trip. Shosh and I haven't gotten to do a trip, so I kinda want to take her somewhere. That's the only other plan, the rest will be as it comes. I hate making plans, that's not my skillset."

Elliot had avoided the dance floor at all costs, even when several of his friends had tried to pull him onto it. Despite the fact that he had been tempted to make his way onto it. So he diverted away from it, that was until he caught waving in his direction, and turned back around, grinning when he saw that it was Beck. With the holidays and hours he had been pulling at work, there had been little time in the last few weeks to catch up with people, and he was beyond glad to see Beck. "I can't wait for our snowboarding trip and to learn to surf. Also hoping there's lots of sleep and naps in 2024 for me." He added with a laugh, grinning ear to ear. "What about you?"

[beck-hartman]

Grinning, as happy as he could be tonight, he was hopeful for all 2024 would bring. There were things that would be carried into the new year, things that didn't go away, that still had to be battled and faced, but he felt only positive things tonight. The rest would come as it may. "I'll always take those odds," he laughed as her correction, "I think that depends if you're glass half-full or half-empty." Tasha had a point, and he nodded in agreement. "Then we'll say good, one year has to be your year, right? So why not this one? Mine are make new friends--that's always on there because it's a guaranteed win, take my girlfriend Shosh somewhere, and do something I've never done. Another staple. And yes, of course, teaching you how to surf. I'm actually going to teach Elliot Newman how to surf this summer, so maybe I'll make it a class. Surf 101 with Beck Hartman has a nice ring to it, you think?"

"I sure hope so," she said with a nod and pointed a finger at Beck. Letting out a soft chuckle, she shook her head, not being one to be superstitious, she still hoped he was right. "A 50/50 shot ain't half bad," she then paused and looked up, deep in thought. "Or is it considered half bad?" She giggled and waved off the thought. "They're cliches for a reason, since so many people say it. So they have to count for something." Taking a deep breath in, she chewed on the inside of her cheek before answering, "I want to say good, but I feel like it's a vicious cycle where each year I start off strong and then by the end I'm pooped. What about you? Also what are your resolutions for the new year? Teach me how to surf finally!?"

[beck-hartman]

Beck had forgotten how much fun New Year's could be around here, surrounded by people he loved most. To say he spent each of the last 5 years celebrating in different countries was amazing and experiences he treasured, but he might have missed this a little bit.

"Maybe we'll revisit in 2025," he joked, not at all planning to let her live the Masquerade down. It was part of their history now, legend as one might say. "Been good, yeah. I don't have any plans, just taking life as it comes, ya know. But I've been thinking I might take Shosh somewhere this year. Like Paris or something. You think you'll do any traveling?"

Although Aisha thought the event at the Mirage had been a bit classier than her ideal New Year's plans, she could admit she was having a good time. Mingling and sipping on one too many drinks, she'd been looking forward to the potential that next year could possibly bring. But for tonight, she was determined to make it somewhat memorable. Glancing around the room for a moment, she turned slightly at the sound of her friend's voice.

"Just regular Aisha tonight, pretty sure bartending will not be on my list of things to improve on in the New Year." She slightly cringed as she remembered being awfully hungover the day after from her overly ambitious plan of making drinks at the Masquerade-- she wouldn't make the same mistake again. "So how you've been? Looking forward to anything in the New Year?"