marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

“As a licensed therapist, you’re not wrong.” She laughed a little bit. “Well, maybe about them being the same thing you’re wrong. I went through a lot of schooling to get my license.” She teased him again; her heart skipping a little as Liam grinned. He always had a way of doing that to her and since he had been back, it had just picked right back up. “It does.” She agreed as she took her drink and then took a sip of it. “You’re right about that. If my parents had their way, I would be married right now and currently in some house probably in Cresthill Meadows fixing however many kids I have lunch right now.” She tried to laugh, but it was clearly forced. The topic of kids was always a hard one for her after everything that happened and she didn’t talk about herself as a parent in any sense. Any conversations with her friends about when she would settle down and start a family always ended pretty quick. “I guess we are. For the most part, at least.” There were still a lot of things that made her feel like she wasn’t okay, but like usual, she wasn’t about to dive into that. @liamxadair

"Hey, I wouldn't take my advice to heart. I have no claim to being a licensed therapist, only a bartender." He joked, "Though I do hear those are about the same thing sometimes." Liam flashed her another grin. He took a sip from the glass he got for himself, only nodding his head as he set the glass back down on the bar top. "Yeah, I get that. Feels kind of surreal, huh?" Liam admitted, chuckling at the thought of her parents walking in. Or his parents. Though, his would likely turn around and walk right back out at the sight of him. "Not exactly the reunion either of our parents would expect or probably want," he trailed off a moment, "but I think we are doing okay, all things considering." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

closed starter for @lancexbrowne location: kismet harbor elementary

“Hey, Lance.” Marley smiled as she entered the music room at the elementary school. Every once and a while, she went over to the elementary school with the kids in choir so they could sing with the little kids. Today was one of those days and she was happy to see Lance there. “The kids excited?” She asked as she looked over the group they had today and recognized a face in the crowd of kids of one of the kids she worked with at Next Gen. She waved at the kid as they waved and turned back to Lance.

[marleyxmadden]

closed starter for @altanceyhan location: coffee carousel

The rain was hammering down on the roof of the coffee shop Marley was in. When she walked inside, it was barely a drizzle, but now it was going full blast. She was debating leaving since she wanted to get home before it got too bad, but she was hoping it would calm down soon. As she stared out there, someone came in and she looked up at the man. “You look freezing. It’s not letting up out there, is it?”

[marleyxmadden]

[marleyxmadden]

@liamxadair

— nn. (via eternaldroplets)

[marleyxmadden]

Heather Havrilesky, How to Be a Person in the World

[marleyxmadden]

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Milla Blake

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (2025) | "TOXIC" 1.01

[marleyxmadden]

She nodded. "Well, apparently it was just meant to be." She shrugged. "At least it all worked out and they are, but definitely cute." She laughed a little bit as she looked down at the kitten. Her face fell again before she nodded and took a deep breath. "That it definitely does. I definitely have an act for feeling that wave." @courtneyxblake

END

"Yeah and with Seymour, Cohen and I are so careful not to leave a door open too," she replied regarding their dog. He was loveable and friendly but they didn't want to risk him running out and getting lost or worse. "Cats are weird," chuckling she made sure not to move too much as the kitten was still in her lap and she didn't want to jostle him. With a half smile she nodded and reached out to squeeze Marley on the shoulder gently, "it's okay even if you thought you did. Stuff like that comes and goes and it's okay for it to come up like a wave again." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

Marley laughed a little before nodding. "Right? I think this whole room understands that." She said as she looked around and then her eyes fell back on Solana. "Exactly." That's how it always felt for her. Since leaving her parent's house, it all just felt easier to not have the pressure of having somewhere to go or have to talk to someone. There was comfort in going home after a long day and just being able to unwind on her own. "I appreciate it. The offer goes to you too." @solanaxortiz

Solana huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head. “Right? Nothing like a little shared trauma to really solidify a bond.” Her tone was light, but there was understanding in her gaze. “But seriously, I get it. Sometimes being alone is just… easier. No pressure, no expectations.” She paused for a beat before adding, “But if you ever change your mind, the offer’s always there. No questions asked.” @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She smiled at him and nodded. "Mmm if only you told me that sooner, you could've saved me a hundred dollars to hear it from my therapist." She laughed a little and nodded at him as he got them each a drink. "Cheers." She said back and took a drink. "God, this feels weird." She said and shook her head. "If my parents were to walk in right now, I think they'd burst into flames seeing the two of us talking and drinking." @liamxadair

Liam nodded, listening intently as she explained. "Yeah, sometimes things hit harder than we expect, even when we think we've already dealt with them." He had felt a similar sentiment when he first ran into Marley after moving back to Kismet Harbor. "Tawny port, solid choice," he said with an approving nod. "I'll grab us a round," he gave her a small grin before heading off to pour them both a tap of the beer. After doing so, he returned, placing her glass on the bar top. "Cheers," he smiled at her, taking a sip of his own. @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

ALYCIA DEBNAM-CAREY as Milla Blake Apple Cider Vinegar (2025)

[marleyxmadden]

Marley nodded as Courtney talked about she was glad she didn't have a panic attack. "I know, but you were calm and that's what matters." She said and looked around her friend's place to see where a cat could possibly sneak in. "I have no idea. Cats tend to be sneaky, though." From what she heard at least. Her parents never liked cats because they associated them with witches. "I definitely get it." She said before smiling at her best friend. "Glad to hear it." She said and nodded. "Me too. I just really thought I worked through all this stuff." @courtneyxblake

"I'm just glad I didn't have a panic attack, because you know," she replied as she gestured about. Not that she suffered constant anxiety, but she did have some from time to time and had had panic attacks in the past. "I just wonder how she had gotten in, because I'm usually so careful and so is Cohen, but I'm kind of glad she had chosen our place.. If that even makes sense?" then nodded, she smiled at Marley, "I know and they love you too, I know Seymour surely does." To which the pittie came over and rested his head upon Courtney's knee, his little stub of a tail wiggling back and forth. "That's great to hear, I'm really glad it's helping." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She just smiled and nodded at Solana as she said she should take her up on it. It was always a nice gesture, but there was something about being alone during the holidays that had felt better for Marley. At least for the moment. "I'm glad you have that too. You deserve that." They both did and she understood completely how Solana felt. "Hey, they call it trauma bonding for a reason, right?" She smiled, trying to joke a little bit. @solanaxortiz

"You should," she knew the holidays were a ways away, especially this early in the year, but the offer would still stand months from now. However, Solana did not expect Marley to go through with it. From how she felt when Vance died, she had always found it easier to isolate herself. "They are," she nodded her head in agreement, "I'm lucky to have the people that care about me that do and this group," the group had been a life saver for Solana when she first joined. "I know we all have different stories, but the grief binds us. Even as sad as that sounds, I've made some great friends here." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She shook her head. "It wasn't that. I mean, yeah it was unexpected, but it was really things I thought I had processed already. I didn't realize things were so fresh." Marley tried explaining, but she wasn't sure if it was coming out right. "That'd be nice." She smiled at him and her heart skipped a beat. "Good to know." She thought for a moment. "I guess I'll have a glass of tawny port?" She shrugged. It was her usual drink when she did drink so figured it wouldn't be a bad choice. @liamxadair

"Hey, emotions don't often let us control the setting that they come out, as much as we want to." Liam let out a soft chuckle with the words he spoke. "I understand that. It was unexpected, I sprung it on you and I should not have done that," he told her, "I'll call, next time," he said with a playful tone coating the words. Liam actually had no plans to leave Kismet Harbor. "Yeah, if you want something to drink, no pressure or anythin'. This isn't that kind of place." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She laughed a little bit and nodded. "I understand that." She shook her head. "I get that. It was a good thing you were there." Though, it didn't sound like there were any complications or anything so it probably would've been fine. Or, so she hoped. "I know, but still." She waved her off. She didn't mind being alone sometimes. "I appreciate it. I love seeing them. And you and Cohen too." Marley grinned and nodded. "It is. It's helped a lot lately." @courtneyxblake

"You're telling me, it did, though let's just say I don't ever need to see anyone give birth ever again," she shuddered at the sight and sound of it. "They really do, but on a plus I'm kind of glad it wasn't during the day and I was gone though. Who knows what would have happened," she didn't want to think about that, plus she figured they'd have to keep them all, probably from Seymour falling in love with all of them. "You're welcome here whenever to visit, you know that," she smiled before adding, "I'm sure they both love having you here just as much as I do. Because I do." Marley was in fact her best friend in all of Kismet and the world, unless you counted Cohen. "That's great to hear!" @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She cocked her head at him as Liam said she didn't have to apologize. "Of course I do. If anything, I shouldn't have done it like that. I should've been more in control." Marley told him. "It's just seeing you again brought out a lot of things I thought I had worked through and apparently there's some unresolved things going on, but I'm working through it." She was seeing her therapist weekly again instead of every two weeks and it seemed to be helping her. "Oh, um, are you sure?" @liamxadair

As Marley began to apologize, Liam already felt his head shaking with it. He hadn't felt like she needed to apologize, though the moment had been with him since it happened. "Hey, I appreciate your apology but know that you didn't have to." But Liam knew what it was like to get a weight off one's shoulders. "I get feeling bad, but it wasn't unwarranted," he told her, "so," his lips curled into a smile, "what can I get you? On the house." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

"That's good." She grinned at her before nodding. "Thank you, I appreciate that. I'll keep that in mind for this year." She told her and while she would always probably have it in the back of her mind, she wouldn't go through with it. Marley never wanted to intrude, so she didn't get out too much. Hearing the sigh in Solana's voice, she understood completely how the other felt; well, to an extent. "I get it. The holidays kept me from coming as well. I'm sorry. Anniversaries are the hardest." @solanaxortiz

"It was nice," though there were tension between her and Tanner currently, Solana still allowed herself to have a good time for the few hours she spent over there. "I understand," she'd heard enough of what had happened when they were in high school to know why Marley spent the holidays alone. "You're always welcome to tag along to my hodge podge family," she suggested, "we never mind another guest." Solana offered for the upcoming year as a kindness. "It has been," a sigh passed over her lips, "all the holidays I feel like kept me from coming and that's when I needed it the most. It was two years this November." @marleyxmadden