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Kamdyn Parents

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mathis-savoie:

The prize Tara was looking for was just to the left once she’d stepped through the door and into the kitchen, and Mathis trailed after her at a distance, moving slowly in the time it took him to resituate the silver chain around his neck. He was relieved that she’d been distracted enough to overlook his initial misstep, but then she turned at just the wrong time, and there wasn’t much he could do but shrug and then snort, “Why does everyone always think it’s got something to do with that? Is it just like the next logical step? Because I’m already blind.” True enough, those glasses weren’t just a fashion statement. He usually wore contacts, but then, he’d only just started his day.

Keeping the hand well away from Tara, he slipped past her to grab one of the bright yellow rubber dish gloves out of the drain board. His normal glove was still somewhere in his bedroom, so he opted for the first convenient covering to avoid keeping his guest waiting. “There. Better, right?” He flashed a triumphant smile, then pulled another mug down from the shelf to pour her a cup of coffee. It was only when he’d returned the pot back to the burner that it occurred to him who Tara’s sister must be and paused without meaning to, just holding the mug he’d intended to hand off to her as he gawped, “Wait, Xera is your sister?”

Well, small world, wasn’t it? Too small, at times. He could already feel his face flushing - something that was hardly helped by her assumption that he’d wanted to pick up where they left off. “Oh my God, that is so not what I meant-” he mumbled, finally remembering to give her her mug when he nearly facepalmed with it still in hand. What was it about this girl that got him so flustered? It was just one curveball after another, and ultimately all he could do was laugh about it as he leaned back against the small kitchen table. “Okay, let me start over,” he prefaced, running a hand back though his unruly hair, “I’ve been working on a project of sorts with my cousin, Finn. There’s a lot of information about Spiritvale’s founding families down in the archives, and, well… your name kept coming up.”

Tara shot Mathis a look that said all too plainly that he had to be joking. If they knew him they knew to suspect that would be the reason for his desire to look like Skeletor. Considering how they’d met and the reputation she’d since learned about him, no, she wasn’t shocked she wasn’t the only one that made that joke, though a little disappointed that she wasn’t at least the first. She spotted the coffee and made her way to the kitchen area, perfectly content to make herself right at home in his house. 

She hoisted herself up on the counter, her slender backside taking up very little space before she caught the yellow glove and snorted. “Mr. Clean has defeated Skeletor in a shocking comeback,” she said with a laugh. The laughter continued when he’d realized who her sister was. “The one and only! Do you know any other ill-tempered fire witches with a desire to melt your skin?” She kept laughing even after she had been given the cup of coffee though it paused when she took a sip. The bitter liquid warmed her insides and calmed her mind. She was having to much fun with Mathis to stop. That was until she able to focus on what he was saying. 

“You’ll see my family’s name in the archives a lot,” she told him with a shrug, “founding family and all that jazz,” she started to take another sip of her coffee. It was about that moment that she put the rest of his statement together and her nose wrinkled. “Finn’s you’re cousin?” She asked, skepticism in her tone. He was her cousin as well which meant they were related. 

Well... fuck. 

This Belongs to You || Tara & Mathis

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malakaikamdyn:

While Tara and Kai shared a lot, almost too much according to some, something he was forever grateful for was the fact that they didn’t share that. A stray comment here, a sly jab there, and that was as far as the two ventured into their sex lives. “As long as he’s not sour to you. That’s all that really matters.” He may have a bit of a reputation, but that ooey gooey fluffy stuff filled his heart. Though it only came out around certain people, Tara being one of the few who actually got to see behind those walls so carefully crafted.

“The cars yours, T. And no amount of begging will ever be enough for me to be caught dead in that thing that some call cars,” he quipped, eyes crinkling just slightly as his tone dipped teasingly. “Perhaps something else can be arranged as payment.”

Smile falling off his face, not out of disgust mind you, but out of the realization of what exactly that would mean for her. There family had always been a little… snobbish, one could say. If you weren’t like them, you weren’t good enough for a Kamdyn. They had all heard it growing up. And for Tara to be marrying a wolf of all things, well shit was definitely going to be hitting the fan. It definitely made sense to Malakai why she was being so secretive about it. Eyes lingering on the ring, and then on the spot that her hand had been occupying, Kai took a few moments before he lifted his eyes. “Tara, I’m really happy for you. Does this mean you’ll finally shut up about him? Or are you going to be even worse?” he asked, letting the worries of what will happen fall to the back of his mind. Those were problems for another day. “Let me guess, you want me to be your maid of honor?”

Tara frowned when he said he wouldn’t take the car. She hated that thing. Everyone, with the exception of Xera, hated that thing. She was never going to get rid of it. Currently, the only reason Roman hadn’t stuck it on the side of the road with a for sale sign was that it was more reliable than the shitbox she loved to drive. He always worried when she drove the tri-colored junker. She loved that car, though, and fought him (mildly) when he tried to get her to take his truck or the other car. She just looked so ridiculous behind the wheel of the monster that was his truck. 

Telling people about Roman and her was not something she was sure she wanted to do. In all honesty, a quick little ceremony at the courthouse with no one the wiser sounded like the best idea in the world, but there were a few people in her life she wanted to tell. Kai was her brother in almost every way. He was one of her best friends and she had wanted to tell him. Xera had gotten a phone call, but it was only a voice mail. In France, she was likely asleep at the time of day Tara had called. She knew, though, what would be the reaction when others found out. Aunt Gwen and her mother... She could feel the disapproval already. While she didn’t care, she also didn’t want them ruining this happy moment. 

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, a smile spreading across her lips. “Hardly,” she told him. “If anything it’ll get worse.” She had annoyed the shit out of her cousin with her pining for Roman as they grew up but now... now she had him. He as hers and she wasn’t fucking letting go. 

Secret || Tara & Kai

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skylielacara:

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Skylar looked at Tara in the eyes,  “I honestly have no idea.” She said as she shook her head at her. “I should be zonked out on the floor right now, but the universe somehow decided that today would be the day that I forget my coffee and not pass out as punishment for my crimes.” Skylar was amazed at herself that she was able to event function at this capacity for this long. Though she knew that her body was going to hate her later for the misstep that she took in her morning routine. In the back of her mind, she still wondered what she could have done to make her miss that step.

“Oh, I would love to.” She said, “Snuggling up and sleeping in is what I work towards. And then when I leave, I can do all the permitting I want. Work hard, play hard. Though, minus the pets.” Skylar let out a laugh. While she loved the thought of having a furry companion, it just wasn’t a feasible idea at this moment to keep one. With her living out of her van, she couldn’t just leave an animal in a vehicle for the several hours that she would be working at the cafe. And she didn’t trust pet sitters or pet daycares just as most mothers didn’t trust leaving their child at a children’s daycare center. Not that she could really afford it anyway, or keeping up with the care of an animal in general for that matter. 

Tara laughed. She was in the same boat. Gone were the days where she was able to crawl into bed at three in the morning and crawl out at two in the afternoon. Even if she still could, she had a boyfriend that got up at five in the morning and sometimes woke her up in the process. Either because he was stumbling around in the dark trying not to wake her or because he wanted something from her. Either reason was perfectly acceptable to her. One made her giggle and the other... was not polite conversation. 

“I’ve got two dogs. Well, my boyfriend does. He just moved in with me and the dogs make it harder to get out of bed than he does.” They were so cuddly and warm and floof was just SO FLUFFY AND SOFT. “Yet here I am, getting ready to do inventory for the day. Yay me.”

Clockwork || Tara & Sky

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charlotteashworth:

Charlie’s eyes rolled hard. It was ridiculous to her that Tara felt the need to hide her engagement. “I dunno why you’re so afraid of your mother.” She sipped her coffee. “She won’t actually murder you.” Meave Kamdyn was something else, an overbearing terror that made Charlie’s own mother - Evelyn Ashworth - look like a benevolent saint.  A quick stroll through the front of the shop and Charlie found just what they needed, lighting the sage and waiting until the smoke filled the room to speak again. “Now we have privacy, not that I think you’re aunt Gwen would care. She’s a lot nicer, maybe too into her plants-” Charlie made a face. Gwen was currently helping her development her second sphere - earth. “but nice.”

Setting the sage aside to burn, Charlie started back digging through her bags. “Well, this is for you. You just look so nice in yellow, and this is also for you because..” She shrugged, placing the dresses on the store’s counter top. Did she have to have a reason to gift someone? “Look, Tara.” As she spoke she pulled several more items from her bags, all for Tara. “I will never settle down and have a nice somebody to gift so.. allow me to gift you.” She continued talking to Tara didn’t have time to protest. “Plus, you need something to wear for your bachelorette party, something that comes above the knees and shows off those nice tits.” From one of the bags she pulled a box of pastries, “I mean, for christs sake-” She started to eat and talk, offering Tara the box. “-you’re about to bind yourself mind and body to one man for forever. One man. One penis. ONE.” Charlie shuttered for dramatic affect. Marriage was never in the cards for her, quite literally. Her fortune for love was always bleak.

“I was thinking we could throw a little party-” She pulled out a few pairs of shoes too, placing them on top of Tara’s new dresses. “I know you don’t like to go out but my parents estate is big enough to accommodate. It’ll be fun.” And it would be fun, but perhaps not in the ways Tara would’ve liked. 

It wasn’t so much that she was afraid of her mother, it was that she did not enjoy the fighting that went with her mother knowing. She was happy. Beyond happy! She was living a dream only her 13-year-old self had been willing to visualize. She didn’t want her mother to ruin that. She didn’t want anyone to ruin it. “She’d care,” Tara said flatly. Her family cared about bloodlines and continuing the magic and the name. She wasn’t going to be continuing any of that. She would take Roman’s name. She would, if kids ever came into play, not have witches because he was not a magical creature. She was doing everything her family was against. She didn’t want to deal with that. 

The sage burned her lungs and made her cough, but Tara only waved the smoke away and focused on all the clothing Charlie pulled out. Her eyes went wide and her fingers glided over the fabric. She loved it all, but she was loath to accept it. She could barely accept tickets to a Metallica concert from Raja, taking clothing from Charlie was worse. “I can’t,” she said shaking her head. Fiercely independent, Tara was one that earned what she had. It was hard for her to take what Charlie was giving even if it was under the pretense of a gift. 

The only thing that really stopped the protest was the rest of Charlie’s little speech. One guy. One penis. “Yes, Charlie, I am perfectly happy to settle for one penis, so long as it’s his.” She rolled her eyes. It was a good thing the store was empty currently but even if it wasn’t that sentence would have slipped from her lips with no thought. She hadn’t thought about it the way Charlie put it, but she also had no issues with the idea. 

“Hey!” Tara said indignantly, though it held no heat. Her eyes were on the shoes. She wasn’t much of a person that paid attention to clothing. She was happy in her jeans and tees, but she couldn’t help but imagine Roman’s reaction to a few of these outfits. Especially the ones that accentuated the boobs. He was a boob man, simple as that. “I like parties,” she said. “Don’t forget who introduced you to Connor,” she countered. Tara had loved to party, she just wasn’t one for imbibing like others and lately, with her sister’s illness and now Roman, Tara had been shoved into a lot more responsibility and partying wasn’t part of it. Not when she had to get up at 5am for inventory prep. “What kind of party are we talking about? Can I invite Kai and Mathis?” Kai was her twin in almost every aspect and Mathis was her family as well. She adored that awkward swamp rat. 

Friends Forever | Charlie + Tara

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Thought about getting you a dog, but figured you already had one. Or three. So happy birthday, T! 

                                   -K

P.S. Make sure Roman doesn’t mistake her for a snack.

Thank’s Kai! You’re the best.

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@illyrianos

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Gra dilseacht cairdea || Love, Loyalty, Friendship 

@malakaikamdyn @flowering-waterfalls @maevekamdyn

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The ring was nestled between her breasts, the chain long enough for it to hid when she didn’t want it being seen, which, sadly, was all the time. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to wear it, it was that there was a specific person she didn’t want to know about the upcoming nuptials. To say Roman had caught her off guard would be an understatement, but it had also been the most wonderful and amazing shock of her short life. She’d told just two people, so far, though there was another that she wanted to talk to. She hadn’t seen Raja since after Xera left. The night at her house, before the remodel had started and Roman had moved in, Raja had been there to comfort her. Tara loved Raja like a sister but she’d maintained radio silence of late. 

She heard the bell ring over the front door and slid out from behind the desk in one of the many backrooms. She was going over the store catalog and considering reordering some stones and wands. The tourists seemed to love them and she could always have one of the people in the shop or her cousin bless the wands. Demitri was very good at those kinds of spells. She always figured it was because he was such a sweet guy. The spells likely came from the heart. 

Her name was bellowed from the front and she smiled. She knew that shrill timber. Her favorite of the Ashworth sisters by far and one of her best friends. Charlie. She always did know how to make an entrance. It took her a moment to understand what it was that was being said. She caught the world coffee and grinned broadly but it slipped when she caught the words engagement and Roman. Tara was quick to get in front of the purple pentagram tapestry that hid where the real magic was and when she did she shushed Charlie. “Shut up,” she whispered. “Shut up, now! My aunt is back there.” Her mother wasn’t in the shop. Her mother never game in, but Aunt Gwen had come in for a few readings. Tara was praying she hadn’t heard Charlie. 

Her eyes scanned the stacks of bags and glanced up at Charlie, her interest getting the better of her. “He would look good in Armani,” she admitted. Though, to be fair, Roman looked good in anything. Or in nothing. She wasn’t particularly picky on that front. “What did you get?”

Friends Forever | Charlie + Tara

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The smell of fall was in the air, freshly fallen leaves of beautiful golden hues littered the streets of Spiritvale and Charlie was in love. The town looked like something straight out of a story book this time of year, quite a suiting backdrop to a town of mythical creatures. 

Having spent her morning off pampering herself with spa treatments and a shopping spree it only felt right to spread a little bit of that goodness around, so she headed to Tara’s shop with almost two many bags to carry hanging from her arms and piping hot coffees in her hands to boot. “Hey!” She called out to a passerby, “Open that door.” Her nose tilted upwards, pointing out the entrance to Enchantments. “Please.” Charlie added for polite measure, flashing a smile that was truly dazzling. Despite her aversion to all things formal many summers spent at finishing school had equipped her with an arsenal of persuasion. She could finesse anyone in any situation, all done with a smile, too.

“Tara!” Charlie called out loudly from the store’s front, already unloading her days haul onto the front counter. “I come baring gifts! And coffee?”

Sure, a lot of Charlie’s purchases had been for her, but a lot had been for Tara too. Her sisters were to mouthy to be gifted clothes, always critiquing her style like they thought they worked for vogue. “I went to that new boutique on second avenue, so disappointing,  place looked like a Marshalls but was priced like Bergdorf’s.” She pillaged through her bags, laying out the things she wanted to see Tara in. “This dress would be perfect for your engagement photos, although I have no idea what to dress Roman in. Armani? He looks like an Armani man.”

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roman-ayres:

Conversations with Romy were ever a bit stilted, particularly when it came to him having to give his opinion on something. Thankfully Tara was a patient person, giving him the time he needed to organize impressions into thoughts, and then thoughts into words. She didn’t criticize or challenge him when the sum of that process was just a few words, either, which over the course of just a few short months together had actually done wonders, as Romy now found it easier than it’d ever been to express himself. Never in his life had he ever thought he’d have much to say about home remodeling, but now that they were basically living an HGTV show, he was at least able to engage and contribute, giving little bits of feedback when requested. Generally, they were able to find some mutually agreeable solution. 

This morning, however, was apparently not one of those times. Without even lifting her eyes, Tara once again refused his offer, and Romy just sat back from the table, folding his arms as she defended her decision for the nth time. While it was true that the house was now her responsibility, he couldn’t help but feel like he was taking more than he was giving here. He respected her independence and the life she’d made apart from her parents, but he also made good money and, now that they’d moved in together, his living expenses had never been lower. It wasn’t fair that he was essentially just coasting while she was struggling to make ends meet, her time for such projects in shorter supply than ever now that her sister had left the store to her as well. He was getting frustrated - not with her, but the situation in general.

Perhaps his obvious discontent was the reason she expanded on her rationale, when the conversation about money usually started and ended practically the moment it came up. Romy’s eyes had been boring holes into the side of his coffee cup but lifted with her question, regarding her with guarded curiosity. It wasn’t so much what she said but the faltering way she’d said it - the waver in her voice, the sorrow in her eyes. His brow furrowed as he realized what she was implying, and though she attempted to return to the subject of paint colors and quick fixes, he remained stubbornly focused on what he perceived to be the bigger problem at hand. “Tara-” he came dangerously close to actually interrupting her as he uncrossed his arms and shifted to the edge of his kitchen chair to take her free hand in both of his own. The suggestion that he might not always want to be in this house with her had cut him to the quick, hurting more than he’d expected (and almost certainly more than she’d intended). Yet if that was where her truly mind was, it was no wonder she’d refused to let him contribute in any substantial way. He needed to fix this, now, so he spoke, no longer caring that thoughts and words and feelings were jumbled and doomed to come out in no particular order. “Tara,” he breathed again, “I wouldn’t ever want to live anywhere you’re not. This house is only important to me because it’s our home. We can make that official, if you’re really that worried about it. We could add my name to the house title. I don’t think it’s difficult to do, though it might be easier if we got married…” He blinked, then tilted his head, “What do you think?”

She hadn’t expected him to react to her reason for not letting him put all that money into the house. It had been said because she was tired and half awake. Yes, it was the truth of the matter, but under normal circumstances, she was cognizant enough to know that he wasn’t going to just pack up and leave on a whim and that her worry was asinine and shouldn’t be vocalized. It should have remained an internal turmoil where the man at the center of it was none the wiser. He had never given her a reason to think he would leave. In fact, on many occasions in the last several months, he’d given her the indication that he was in this for the long haul. He’d let his apartment lease go, moved in. Those were not the actions of a man that had one foot out the door. She knew better. Sometimes, though, it was hard to remember that he saw her now. She had been invisible to him for some long, which was likely her fault given what she knew of him, but she worried, from time to time that she was simply living on borrowed time. 

Insecurity was a foreign feeling for her, she didn’t like it and pushed the thoughts from her mind. She loved him and he loved her. The words didn’t come from his mouth as easily as others, but when they were said she knew he meant them. She had to remind herself of that. She was being silly and needed to clear the thoughts from her mind. Which she did the moment he took her hands in his. She stepped closer so that her arms weren’t stretched awkwardly in front of her. She sighed softly, her eyes shutting as she spoke. “I know,” she said softly. She wasn’t trying to interrupt him, she just needed to tell him she knew he wasn’t going anywhere. He wasn’t good with words, but what he lacked vocally he made up for in other ways. She needed him to know that she knew that about him. She wasn’t bothered by the fact that he was hard to read. Others didn’t get it, but she did. She understood. 

Her eyes opened, shock flooding the pools of hazel green. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and breath hitched for a second before she forced herself to breathe properly. Did he just... No. There was no way. “I think,” she said softly, one hand slipping from his to reach for her coffee for no other reason that to give herself something to do. The nerves were getting the better of her and while he might have been just talking, she wasn’t. “that you shouldn’t joke about something like that. Please.” He had asked her what he thought. What she thought was that she’d slipped into a Cinderella story and she was standing before her prince charming watching a dream come true.  The idea of marrying Roman was something she’s thought about a million times in her younger years when her annoying crush had been in full force. Her pre-teen self was silently screaming in excitement, but he hadn’t actually asked... had he?

A Little Remodeling | Romy/Tara

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malakaikamdyn:

“As if I could forget, you got your little lover boy,” he sing-songed, waggling his eyebrows just enough to be suggestive. “Of course you want to stay in bed a little longer. Though, keep what you do in that bed to yourself. Roman might be slightly attractive, but much too sour for my tastes.” 

Eyes rolling, he set his coffee cup to the side, using on hand to prop up his chin. Gasping in a deep breath, a look of hurt contorted his features as he jutted out his bottom lip into a pout. “Lies! And slander. How dare you accuse me of such a thing!” he exclaimed in mock offense before the facade dropped and their food arrive. with a quick middle finger to his cousin, he picked up his burger and took a big bite. Emphasizing the moan as he did so, his eyes rolled back as he swallowed. Despite how similar they were, there were still key differences in the two of them, though that hardly mattered. “And that’s deforestation.”

Falling silent, he enjoyed a couple bite of food before chuckling. “You’re so dramatic, T. I swear that I wont tell another living or dead person, sentient or otherwise object, and it will stay between us. You know me.”

“I never kiss and tell, you know that,” she told him. It was one thing the two of them did not share and she was perfectly happy with that. She didn’t need to know who he slept with and she certainly had no desire to regale him with info on her conquests. There were some lines that just didn’t need to be crossed, that was one of them. “We’ll agree to disagree on the level of attractiveness of Roman, kay? Thanks.” With the piercing eyes and the sharp profile, Roman was far from slightly attractive, but that was not a point to discuss because she knew the truth. “And he’s not sour... Well... not to me.” Roman did often come with bitter notes but he was kind to her. It had taken a jog to the head from his sister for her to get it, but she got it. 

She waved her hand making him hush. “You can sue me for slander later,” she told him. “I’m sure you could take the Prius off my hand in the settlement.” What her sister had been thinking when she bought that car, Tara had no idea. she hated it, but it was more reliable than her shitbox and didn’t after to hear Roman worry about her safety when she drove it, though she did have to listen to him whine about hating the car. 

“I’m serious, Kai. Utmost secrecy. I will end you if you tell.” She was serious, completely serious and he would know by the look in her eyes. There was no joking around. “Roman asked me to marry him,” she said in a hushed voice. Her hand splayed out on the table to show off the large ring with the gentle pink diamond in the center. “Obviously I said yes.” She pulled her hand back and set it in her lap, eyes scanning the room to make sure no one was listening. 

Secret || Tara & Kai

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malakaikamdyn:

Since Tara had taken over the shop, Malakai had been more prone to stopping by and helping out when he could. Honestly, he couldn’t stand to see her struggling with anything, so if helping out here and there eased her work load a bit, he’d do what he could without any hesitation. Kamdyn’s had always prided themselves on their familial bonds, and Kai was no different. 

“That’s definitely a useful skill to learn! Who knew you had it in you, Tara?” he asked, a playful tone overtaking his voice. Moving back slightly as he saw the waiter bring his coffee, he raised the mug, taking a tentative sip before nodding in satisfaction. “Awe, T, you wound me! When do I ever do something I shouldn’t. I’ll have you know, I’m the angel of the Kamdyn boys.”

His devilish grin told a different story though.

“C’mon. Tell me, anything interesting happen this last week? Secret affairs? Naughty things you know better than to be caught doing? I want all the details.”

She flipped him off, a broad grin forming on her lips as she did so. “I’ve got a good reason to want to stay in bed nowadays. Or even to come home a bit early.” Now that Roman had moved in with her, coming home didn’t seem like such a daunting task. Before, when it was just her and Xera, it was hard to go home because it meant watching her sister slowly waste away, but with Xera healthy and happy in Paris and Roman and his puppies, she was happy to go home. 

“I know you’re a liar, and if you were made of wood your nose would be growing,” she told him with a laugh. The two of them were a lot alike. She had been the same before Roman. She flirted and sleep with any good looking guy that crossed her path so she knew there was more to Kai’s evil grin. She didn’t press it, though, she had other things to talk about and his latest exploits would have to wait. 

“Well,” she said but stopped when her salad and his burger were delivered to their table. She wrinkled her nose at his choice of food and picked up her fork for the salad. “Meat is murder,” she told him, though she said it in a joking manner. Her mother had raised them vegetarian. Meat was not something she ate and she was forever thankful that Roman was also a vegetarian. The wait cleared off and she took a breath. “I have something to tell you but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Living or dead. Not a soul, Kai.” 

Secret || Tara & Kai

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malakaikamdyn:

Malakai was running late. Which wasn’t entirely unusual for the man, though he always tried his hardest to be on time for these weekend meetings. They had been going on long enough that he really shouldn’t be shrugging on his jacket as he walked briskly down the side walk. With all the times he was late, truly Kai was surprised that Tara hadn’t gotten annoyed with him more often over it. 

As he moved inside the little cafe, he didn’t even need to look for her to know that she would be at their table. It never failed that she was there. Plopping down on his side, he shot his cousin a smile, more apologetic than anything. “The week just flew by.” 

As the waiter stopped by, he ordered a burger and coffee before turning his attention back to his companion. “You don’t look as tired this week, T. That’s good. You’ve been working to hard lately.”

She sipped her coffee, the band of her ring tapping against the side of the cup as she watched him enter and make his way over to their table. It had been their table for the better part of 4 years and would continue to be their table. The Kamdyn’s were an extremely close nit family, they all worked at the shop, they all valued family. There were spots and relationships that were strained, of course, but in general, the family was very close. Tara had always been closest to Kai. Growing up he had been her companion. The two of them were thick as thieves and she loved him dearly.  

“It really did,” she agreed as she set the cup done and leaned forward, arms folding over each other. The week had been a mess of paint projects and ruined furniture on top of keeping up with the shop and everything that went with that. She was still learning, but she was getting there. The shop probably should have gone to Gwen, in all honesty, but she’d been the one to step in when Xera got sick and now it was her’s. She was still trying to figure out how she felt about that.

“I learned to delegate,” she admitted. “I stopped getting up at 3am to get everything ready for the day, decided to let others take turns with it.” It was so hard to get out of bed when even Roman wasn’t awake. The dogs pinned her to the bed and made the desire to get up even less than it already was. “You look cheery. Did you do something you shouldn’t have?”

Secret || Tara & Kai

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Secret || Tara & Kai

Her fingers drummed on the top of the table, a tuneless beat that was followed by the tump of the sole of her chuck hitting the concrete floor of the cafe. She was sitting in the back of the place, her salad already ordered and the cup of coffee already filled and emptied twice as she waited for her cousin to show up. Their standing lunch on the weekends was one of the few things she went out of her way to never miss. Even the shop couldn’t keep her away from them. Kai was like a brother to her, the same age with similar blonde hair, the pair often passed for fraternal twins. It got to the point where they just let people think they were siblings. The last names fit, they looked alike... it was perfect. 

“Another cup of coffee?” The deep voice caused her to look up and she smiled at the replacement waiter. 

“Please,” she said with a nod as he started to pour the hot beverage. 

“Would you like any creamer?” 

“No, thank you. This is good.” She said before the waiter moved on and her fingers had taken to picking up the cup. The ring on her finger glinted in the light and she considered taking it off. Typically she wore it around her neck, under her shirt, but she knew the secret would be safe with Kai. She actually kind of wanted to talk to him about it. She hadn’t told anyone but she wanted to tell him. She was almost bursting at the seams with excitement.

@malakaikamdyn

[flowering-waterfalls]

skylielacara:

@flowering-waterfalls

Skylar listened intensively to the blonde as she talked about her sister. The empty feeling that she had from being away from her family was something that was all too familiar to her. If it’s one thing that is never easy, it’s having to say goodbye. “I’m so sorry about what you’re going through,” Skylar said. “I know how you feel. Leaving my family and my hometown behind was a hard thing for me to do. It’s never something that comes easy.” Being so far away from home for the first time in her life often left Skylar in a low mood and anticipating a call or a text from her mother. A mood that she often hid from people in the guise of a smile.  

“It does feel like it’s going to be one of those days,” Skylar said. It was still very early in the morning, and she had already forgotten her morning pick me up. “I normally prepare myself a cup before my shift starts, but I guess I’d gotten so caught up in getting here and opening that I forgot. Silly me.” She made a motion to poke at her head in a rather comical matter, a motion to communicate the phrase ‘douy’, for the fault that she had made in her morning routine. It was odd for Skylar to be out of routine this morning. She thought she had gotten through what she needed to do to get her ready for the day. No big deal, she would just have to brew her own cup whenever she had her next break.

When Skylar was asked how she was doing so far in the cafe, she nodded to the blonde. “It’s going alright so far. It does seem a little slow right now because…Well…I would think, at this time, people are still just rolling out of bed,” She said, letting out a laugh, “I’m not really an early bird myself, so I don’t blame a lot of people for not being out and about just yet. I’m sure the traffic will pick up soon though.” It was true, as energetic and giddy Skylar usually was, she was far from being a morning person and went it came to sleep, she slept like a rock. However, one of the pors of working at a cafe was having access to some amazing coffee. Just at the blonde mentioned, perhaps coffee would be helpful for her. Skylar smiled at her. Perhaps coffee would be the answer to her woes. “I don’t think I’ll charge you for this cup.” She said as she began to void the transaction on POS system. “This one will be on me.” The warm smile on Skylar’s face ever so radient, she didn’t feel that charging the girl would be necessary for what she was going through at this moment.

Tara grimaced at the fact that Sky hadn’t had her own coffee. “How are you standing right now?” She asked. Her tone was light and joking, but she was also slightly serious. She was struggling to stand herself and she’d had a cup before she left for work. Bless her boy and his ability to make coffee, it had been waiting for her when she walked out of their bedroom. He was off on a run, leaving her to get ready for work on her. A blessing more than a curse, if she was being honest with herself. When he was up at the same time she was, work was the last thing on her mind. 

Tara looked around the cafe, noting the quiet atmosphere and lack of patrons. “Lucky bastards,” she said with a wry smile. “Don’t you wish you were them? Still snuggled in their warm beds curled into their significant others or pets.” She missed Floof and Spaz. Romy was already up and being productive but his dogs were currently sprawled out on their large bed and that was exactly where she wanted to be.  

Clockwork || Tara & Sky

[flowering-waterfalls]

seeing-this-through:

“Lets do it, to it,” she said, flashing the other woman a grin as she stood.  She took a moment to stretch, her arms reaching out behind her, a satisfying crackle echoing through her back, shirt rising just enough to show a toned midriff.  She let her arms sing back down with a sigh and winked as she gently hip checked Tara as she walked past her.

“Do you wanna stop anywhere and get snacks first?  Some water would be good too.  Don’t want that pretty face of yours getting dehydrated.” 

Tara grinned brightly when Raja agreed to head out with her. The woman worked way too hard, honestly, but Tara understood why. She was kind of doing the same thing, considering everything that was going on in her life, but it was what it was. The important thing was that she had someone to pull her out of her life and provide her with something a little more. 

Tara laughed when Raja collided with her, the movement forcing her to move sideways slightly. “Sure, we can pick up some snacks, there’s a health food store a few blocks over, I can grab some stuff there.” Tara didn’t partake in eating much junk food anyway and had grown up vegetarian as had her sister. Both her parents were. With the addition of Roman in her life, she’d found her eating habits influenced more and more by him. “You don’t need to worry about this face, I’m always hydrated... though perhaps we should stop and pick up the bathing suits.” Tara loved the water. She was a fish herself most of the time. It was her magic. It simply called for the water. 

Up a Creek || Raja & Tara

[flowering-waterfalls]

Favor || Tara, Mathis & Maeve

Nerves were not something Tara typically had, but in that moment, as she stood in the kitchen of what was once her sister’s house, her finger hooked on the ring that hung on a chain around her neck, Tara was only nerves. The ring clicked against the little links of the chain as she moved it back and forth, her motions unconscious. She stared blankly at the cold cup of coffee that sat in front of her, the steam long evaporated. How long ago had she poured that for herself? She didn’t even know. It was rare when a cup of coffee went undrunk in front of Tara and perfectly reflected how she truly felt about this meeting that was set.

She was not on the best of terms with her mother. She didn’t particularly care for the ways she did things, truth be told. When she was growing up she had loved her parents, but after Xera came back, after she learned of what had happened and how they had sent her away... Tara couldn’t abide by that kind of elitism. It wasn’t in her. She didn’t care about her founding family name or the bullshit pride that when with it. She didn’t agree with her parents on a fundamental level, though she was still their daughter. She still loved them. She just chose to do things on her own. It was why she hadn’t reached out to any of them for help in the shop while Xera was sick or now when it was suddenly very much her responsibility. Even her aunt was left out of the equation most of the time.

The doorbell rang and a cacophony of sound consisting of dog barks and nails on hardwood pulled her from her thoughts. She blinked for a moment before understanding just what it was she had heard and moved forward, her fingers letting for of the ring around her neck. “Shh,” she said waving a hand at the dogs. “Quiet!” The large fluffy one went silent at the command but the small one, the one she called spaz continued to bark even as she picked him up.  

She reached the door and opened it, a sigh of relief escaping when she saw that it was Mathis on the other side. “Hey,” she said moving to let him in. The dog in her hand wiggled and spazzed, his paw catching on the necklace she wore. “Son of a,” she said in a soft undertone as she made to remove his paw from the necklace in the hopes of preventing it from breaking. “Gods, Spaz,” she set him on the ground and popped him on the butt. “Go bother Roman,” she told him but he turned and plopped down in from of her, tongue hanging out of his mouth, a happy smile on his face.

She shook her head and turned back to Mathis. “Talk about a welcome wagon. Come on in,” she said with a laugh before she closed the door. She took a moment to straighten herself and put the ring under her shirt so that the next person to walk through that door didn’t see it. “So you’ve met Baloo.” She pointed to the one she called Spaz. “And that’s Bagerha.” She pointed to floof. “Don’t mind him, he doesn’t like anyone.” He took after his owner in that regard but she didn’t say that out loud. Roman walked through the living room as she dolled out the introductions. He wore a simple white sleeveless shirt and a pair of basketball shorts and was holding a can of primer and a paintbrush. “And that’s Roman,” she told Mathis, “my... boyfriend” She faltered as she said the word boyfriend. He was actually her fiance but they weren’t telling anyone so boyfriend it was.

“Do you want coffee? I have coffee.”

@mathis-savoie