mayaswollman

[mayaswollman]

ELI STONE. 

Miraculously, Dolly was in the mood for a walk—these days, most of the time she refuses to walk further than the neighbor’s driveway. The fact that she was okay with walking around the whole damn neighborhood today is a fucking miracle and Eli’s taking advantage of it, getting both Riley and the dog out for a walk. 

“Oh, shit, you okay?” Eli says as he rushes to help Maya up. When he realizes what he’s just said, he turns his head to look at his daughter. “You didn’t hear any of that, baby, got it?” he says with a chuckle before switching his attention back to his friend. “Sorry, emergency cursing is still bad cursing, apparently. As far as humiliating goes, maybe like a two out of ten at best. Entertaining? Probably zero, I’m not that kinda guy, you see,” Eli adds, putting on an accent for the last bit, which makes Riley laugh. “How’s the knees? Hands? Anything bleeding? In dire need of medical assistance? I played Operation, that board game, once in my life, think that’s enough experience.”

Like a sudden miracle of light, Eli is the one to reach out and help her. For a moment, Maya almost drowns in gratitude that it was him and not some stranger. Maya was never good at first impressions, but this was certainly a new low. As he speaks, Maya can’t help but laugh, darting her eyes between him, Dolly, and Riley. They looked like the most picturesque family, even now. For Maya, she was never quite sure how to act around children, but she gives Riley a smile, anyway, which is instantly returned. This kid was the human embodiment of sunshine.

Carefully, the dark-haired woman hoists herself to her feet, brushing away any dirt that’s stuck to her bloody, scraped knees. “Do you know every curse word already, Riley?” She chuckles out, now brushing dirt away from her hands and elbows. “When I was a kid, I thought shut up was a really bad saying. Like, the worst of them all. Whenever someone said it, I was absolutely baffled.” Laughter weaves through her words now, feeling good focusing on the conversation at hand rather than the fact that she’s just toppled over onto the hard concrete.

“Oh, um, my knees are a little scraped up and bloody, same with my hands. I kinda feel like a kid who got overly zealous on the swings and hopped off only to land on their face. I used to do that all the time.” That was the truth, actually. It was rare she ever landed on her feet like some comic book superhero. At the mention of Operation, Maya snorts, shaking her head soon enough. Eli was a treasure and this world didn’t deserve him. “You guys mind if I walk with you? I’d love the company.”

[mayaswollman]

GISELE RAMIREZ. 

Eyes scanned the toy area as Gisele contemplated on what to purchase Spot. He was teething and she was learning it the hard way as some of her furniture fell victim to his teeth. Therefore, she opted on solving it with a bunch of toys she was choosing at the pet store. Huffing a heavy sigh, she took a bunch of toys at random and purchased them in hopes that it would solve the problem. Stepping out of the shop, she slipped her sunglasses on and began making her way over to her parked vehicle until she heard a yelp nearby. Concerned, Gisele followed the sound and noticed Maya on the concrete. Rushing to her side, she shook her head and asked, “Oh Maya, why are you apologizing?” Shaking her head once more, the dancer disagreed and helped her up onto her feet, “Um not entertaining, nor humiliating actually. It looks like it stings, c’mere I have a first aid kit in my car.” She hits her car controller and unlocks the door as she propped the passenger seat open for Maya to sit in, before heading to the trunk to dump Spot’s toys and take out the kit. Returning to her side, she smiled softly and said, “I’m just gonna clean up the wound and then bandage it up mmkays?” 

Moments like this make Maya realize how truly pessimistic she’s become. Somehow, she’s shocked when someone rushes to her side, aiding in helping her up from the concrete. It was a simple gesture, human kindness, but it stuns Maya. At this portion of her life, she believed that most might harbor bad intentions. But the moment her eyes avert to Gisele, looking down towards her and helping Maya onto her feet, that outlook is seemingly wiped clean. How could she ever believe that? People were kind. Perhaps not always, but there will always be a glimmer of kindness in every scenario, and for that, Maya was thankful. “Apologizing is kinda my default sometimes. Even for stupid things.” She says, another laugh sounding from her, attempting to sound nonchalant. It was the truth, though. Maya apologized for so many of her most innocent antics. Finally, she moves to carefully sit down inside of Gisele’s car, feeling terrible for getting her passenger’s seat wet, but she tries not to dwell on that much. “Thank you, really. This is really nice of you..” The woman trails off, looking down at her bleeding, scraped hands. It reminds her of being a child on the playground, becoming a little overly zealous on the rusty swing set and hopping off while mid-air, only to land right onto the hard pavement inside of on her feet. “Should every car have a first aid kit? I never thought of that..maybe I need to purchase one myself.” More jokes, something to fill the air. “How, um, how have you been?” Maya asks now, genuinely curious. She feels like she hasn’t seen the other woman in forever.

[mayaswollman]

OPEN TO: Anyone. LOCATION: Anywhere, y’all can make something up. TIME: Afternoon, around 2pm.

Wet clothes might be the most uncomfortable feeling on the planet. Maya’s decided it right here and now, right behind smacking herself on the forehead for forgetting to bring a towel during her trip to the community pool. Though it was a nice swimming day, at least. She obtained the exercise and escape she desired and that was enough for her. Maya had always loved swimming. With a careful hand, she scrunches up her head of wet, curly hair and tugs it into a small bun. Random curls come loose, dangling just at the nape of her neck and around her forehead.

Now she was left to wander through the streets of Olympus all wet, her swimsuit soaking her shirt and shorts. It wasn’t so bad if she thinks of the pros. It was a warm day, at least she was staying cool thanks to her dampness. Okay, maybe this was the only pro. But it was certainly better than nothing. 

That’s when she slips on the pavement, falling right onto her knees and the palms of her hands. “Shit,” The dark-haired woman yelps from inside her throat, feeling the skin of her knees and hands drag against the concrete. God, what was her luck today? It was almost comical. Maya feels the need to curse out the universe because of it but somehow refrains. Brown eyes avert to an onlooker, “Sorry, sorry. I’m okay. Was it at least a little entertaining to watch and not completely humiliating?”

[mayaswollman]

FINN O’CONNOR. 

“If my place wouldn’t have been demolished I probably wouldn’t be looking for a house. I have lived in the same place for the past decade.” A slight chuckle of disbelief came out of the man. Change, it was something he’d tell everyone he didn’t care about but it bothered him. He didn’t like feeling uncomfortable and change brought him out of that comfort zone. Another thing to add to the list of shit he wasn’t ready to accept nor talk about. He was who he was and while he had been working towards changing some of that, the progress felt like it was already regressing back to the way it was before. Whether he truly realized it or not. 

He gave her a genuine smirk and looked over at her while they walked. “Rebellion is always the best route. Fuck anyone who tells you what to do, you make your own fuckin’ decisions.” Which was only slightly hypocritical of him, since he listened to anything Seth told him to do. At the same time, there wasn’t anything Seth told him to do that he didn’t want to so it evened out. He walked up to the house with her, surveying the outside. It wasn’t bad looking, needed some landscaping but not bad otherwise. Inside had around the same feel. It was nice but could have some upgrades, it definitely wasn’t a new house. “I never thought I’d be around this long, to be honest. It’s probably too late for me on a lot of things, but I’m still here so what the fuck, right?” He shrugged and looked around the room. It looked good enough, something that he could grow in with a few bedrooms. Maybe actually get a roommate or a dog or some shit.

“You feelin’ okay M? You just called me a good person and friend in the same sentence. All I’ve done is walk you around town and make sure your stupid ex didn’t come pull some shit.” He usually took compliments really well, but the last two years changed that. “I’m good enough I guess, but you’re better. Trust.” He moved around the room that he assumed was meant to be the dining room. “How many bedrooms does this place have, you think?” Finn changed the subject, moving further into the house.

Change. An area of sudden serious emotion that Maya has never learned to cope with either. Perhaps they truly had that in common. Strangely enough, Maya was finding herself relating to Finn on a couple different levels which was something both unexpected but nice. 

But when it came to change and moving on, Maya has never settled well. It’s one of the biggest reasons she hasn’t cut all ties with her toxic parents. That would mean she’d have to endure the biggest change of them all. For as long as she could remember, her parents were all she knew. Hell, she was still festering within that same mindset. On days where she swore she’d never speak to them ever again, she still knew she’d come running back in no time. With that thought in mind, she shrugs, “There’s nothing wrong with that. Dealing with a change like moving is annoying. Trust me, I know it well. Adjusting is always the worst part.”

Brown eyes continue to scan the house, looking into a storage closet before peering up the wooden stairs that she assumes leads to the master bedroom. It really was nice. Homey. Maya even feels a pinch of jealousy at the thought of Finn possibly living here. But his words make her head turn once more, looking to the man. She couldn’t help the ache that spreads through her body at what he says. Probably because she resonates with those too, just as before. 

A sigh sounds from him, “It’s not too late for us.” The receptionist states, her tone stern, “Fuck that. You’re here for a reason and so am I, so let’s stop being mopey losers and do what we can. Even if we’re just surviving for now.” Maybe Maya was feeling a tad sentimental today. You can blame that on the fact that it’s rare she ever finds someone she can relate to. Her feelings have always been so singular, so specific, so it was certainly hard to find. Finn was a little miracle.

“I feel like absolute crap these days. So, no. But I’ll be okay eventually.” It’s the first time she’s admitting it. In truth, it feels nice. “Thanks for saying that. You’ll learn soon enough that I’m also kinda shitty. If worst comes to worst, we can just be shitty together...in your nice new house perhaps..” Maya wiggles his fingers towards the staircase dramatically, “There has to be at least three bedrooms. Two bathrooms too. You’d be living large here, my friend.”

[mayaswollman]

NIC CORTEZ. 

Standing on the edge of the sidewalk, Nic was getting ready to hop onto his bike. All he needed to do was put his helmet on that was dangling from the handlebars. But something stopped him from putting that helmet on. His handles were sticky. “Shit,” He said aloud, “Motherfuckin’ shit.” Yeah, that’d really tell the bike how angry he was. 

“You got some water or somethin’?” Nic asked the nearest person. He wasn’t sure what’d make his handlebars less sticky but he wasn’t about to put something that was unnatural on his bike either.  “I can’t ride all sticky.” 

Workdays have been surprisingly tame these days. Maya leaves her shifts feeling quite refreshed. Though she knows going home was going to be a struggle. But, that too had been relatively tame. As tame as anything can be, really. With Matthew focusing his attention on fixing his home due to the storm, he hasn’t had the time to belittle and hurt Maya. She knew this sudden relief was only temporary, but Maya couldn’t help but marvel in this newfound freedom. 

Even now, she had stopped after work to get herself some ice cream. Just as a way of treating herself. She had to find small pleasures these days, something to ease her troubled mind. It helped, truth be told, even as small as it seemed. That’s when someone is speaking to her and Maya stops in her tracks, averting her gaze to the source. “I don’t think water will help much with the stickiness. Once it dries, the residue will still be there a little..” Maya says with a quiet laugh, attempting to reach into her purse while holding her ice cream cone. “Shit, I usually have wipes with me but I guess they’re in my other purse.” She mumbles, digging out her packet of tissues instead. “How’d they get all sticky, anyway?” She asks, handing him the pack, hoping they’ll suffice for the time being while she continues to look through her bag. 

[mayaswollman]

DELPHINE DUPONT. 

Del couldn’t help but be startled out of her thoughts, turning to the side, gaze resting on a familiar face that had her shoulders relaxing almost immediately. She offered the other a slightly strained smile before glancing back down at the socks. “I like them too. I was just wondering how many I should get… and then I guess I got distracted.” She mumbled before putting them in her basket. She swallowed thickly before again meeting Maya’s gaze, eyes flitting down to her shoes every so often. 

Then the question. 

She had gotten several ‘Are you alright’s and ‘Is something wrong’s, but for some odd reason, Maya’s question had her heart hurting. Her breath stuttered as she tucked a piece of blonde behind her ear. “Yeah, I… It’s fine. Just fine.” Her smile however seemed to waver and before she knew it, she felt the tears stream down her face, the exhaustion and worry and paranoia and sadness all crashing down on her all at once, and without another word, she moved towards Maya, resting her forehead against the other’s shoulder as she cried. 

“Oh g-god, I’m s-s-s-so sorry…” She sobbed, pulling away to wipe aggressively at her eyes. “I d-d-don’t… e-e-even…” Fat tears continued to roll down her face as she tried to string together a sentence. “S-s-sock aisle… s-s-so stu-stupid o-of me…” 

Truth be told, this was the last thing Maya expects. She doesn’t mean to jump a little when Delphine rests her forehead on her shoulder, but she’s quick to wrap a gentle arm around the other woman’s shoulder. The receptionist had grown weary in the presence of strangers, but she considered Delphine to be a friend now. Someone she trusts, especially as the blonde had witnessed her completely breakdown not too long ago. Breakdown even seemed like an understatement when she looked back upon the situation.

There’s a quiet sigh escaping her, resting her hand gently onto her own chest. “Don’t be sorry. Not at all. Delphine, it’s completely okay. I promise. What’s going on? Are you alright?” Maya opens her purse now, plucking out her little packet of tissues. She removes a few from the pack and hands them to Delphine, smiling with empathy behind her brown eyes. “Hey, I was sobbing like a baby on the curb to you not too long ago. You’re allowed to cry wherever and whenever you’d like. It’s not stupid at all. It happens.” A chuckle sounds from her then, hoping she can uplift the other woman’s mood just a tad. Maya reaches out again, carefully rubbing Delphine’s back. She surveys their surroundings, seeing that the workers here have just witnessed Delphine’s little meltdown too. “Can you give us a minute, please? Thank you.” Maya says only a tad bitterly, brows furrowing in their direction before turning back towards the younger woman. 

“Tell you what, let’s go somewhere. Maybe we can make a day of it. We can do whatever you want and you can tell me what’s going on, okay?”

[mayaswollman]

DELPHINE DUPONT. 

who: OPEN where: some retail store in town

“… Should we tell her we have it in yellow?” 

“How long has she been standing there for?” 

“Five minutes maybe?” 

Del had tuned out the voices that seemed to whisper in both concern and confusion as she stood there in front of the shelves of socks, a pair of blue fuzzy ones in hand. She had been standing there for a while now, slightly dazed and staring blankly at the rest of the socks very much deep in thought. She’s been like this for a while now, mind not completely there as she lost herself in the what-ifs and what-abouts of her current situation. Maybe she should just run away… Maybe she should leave Olympus and not look back… 

How many socks would she have to bring if she did so. Maybe no one would notice. She let out a sigh before finally putting the pair in her basket, much to the sigh of relief of the store’s employees, only to grab another pair and stare at it. 

Life seems to be going back to normal for everyone here in Olympus. Like clockwork, Matthew appears again, deciding to stay with Maya for a little bit while his house was being fixed after the storm had destroyed it. She should have seen this coming, really, her sudden victory turning sour in no time. But could you blame her for celebrating even the smallest of miracles? Maya was happy to be free of him even for the shortest while, even as he appears again into thin air once again without a trace.

With that, she’s back to lingering in places in order to put off going home. In truth, there doesn’t seem to see an end in sight. For now, she’s coasting, aimless and unknown. That’s when she spots Delphine a couple feet away, holding onto a pair of socks and looking completely lost inside her own head. Perhaps Maya was the same, as she’s been holding onto a pair of denim shorts for what feels like forever. The receptionist tries not to recount their previous interaction, the one where Maya cried so hard her nose was stuffed for hours. Though it’s seemingly inevitable, especially as the sight of the blonde makes Maya’s stomach stir nervously. 

The mumbles of employees earn her brown eyes to avert to the source, lips now pursing in thought. With all the impulse in her, Maya decides to approach Delphine, “I like those,” Maya says, nodding towards the pair of blue socks she’s just dropped into her basket. “I have a red pair at home. It’s my favorite color.” A quiet chuckle laces through her words and the sound is soon paired with a shrug. “How’s your heart?” The woman asks, both joking and serious. 

[mayaswollman]

ADRIAN HENDRIX. 

It’s not her fault, Oliver had insisted. And to an extent, Adrian knows that’s true. Maya hadn’t known, at the beginning of that night, that Adrian was approaching six months of sobriety. She hadn’t known he’d agreed to go along with her with every intention of throwing that work away. Because Adrian had deliberately kept that information from her. Until wine loosened his tongue and let it slip. 

What sickens him the most, more than feeling betrayed or the guilt of feeling like he’s betrayed so many people who were all in his corner, is the way Maya looked at him when she realized what had happened. He can see it in his memory like a photograph, like a billboard on the highway. He wants to tell her to shove her pity, her disgust, her horror straight up her ass. 

It’s not her fault. Adrian just isn’t ready to admit that it’s actually his.

“Stop,” he says when he sees the shine of tears in her wide eyes. “Just stop.” Adrian shakes his head, drops his eyes to the ground and wraps his arms around his torso. “I don’t want this… bullshit. The apology. The… pity. I don’t want it. So just, please. Don’t.”

He takes a deep breath, eyes narrowed into a hateful glare when he looks back up at Maya. “You called Oliver. Of all fucking people. I would have been fine. I was almost fucking home when he found me. I’ve disappointed Oliver more times than I can fucking count. And I let him down again. So, thanks. Fuck the ‘I never would have’ bullshit. What you shouldn’t have done was get him involved.”

The anxiety pumping through Maya doesn’t subside, even as she attempts to gather her own composure. She does what her old therapist used to tell her, the technique Maya believes only works in movies. You know, the breathing exercise. Breathe slowly, listen, and ground yourself. Needless to say, Maya’s breathing was jagged and sharp, her insides feeling as though they’re trapped inside a pressure cooker or like they’re being shaken and squeezed violently by large hands. 

But despite this, she listens. She listens and she hopes one day he can understand. A part of her knows he must be blaming himself. Maya was always one to drown within her own troubles, too stubborn to reach out and ask for help. Mostly in fear of being a burden or seeming like too much. Maybe Adrian feels the same way. 

“I’m sorry,” Maya repeats once more, words escaping her. What else was she meant to say? As moments past, the dark-haired woman becoming enveloped in her own silence and his words, an untapped anger bubbles to the surface. Deep down, Maya was a defensive person. Inside her head, while her anxiety reels, she goes over how Adrian is actually a fucking asshole. 

“You’re not disappointing anyone. These things happen..” As stated, Maya is at a loss for words. “Oliver cares about you and you know that. So do I, despite everything. You’re a good person and a good friend and I don’t know what I would have done if you got hurt that night. So, you know what, yes. I called him. I’m sorry about that.” She places the cases of food down onto his doorstep, notable nervousness, and aggravation decorating her expression. “Hate me all you want. I don’t care.” She cared but Maya does her best to not make that evident. “Whatever makes you feel better. I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry about what happened. I’ll leave now.”

[mayaswollman]

JEREMIAH THANE. 

Jeremiah was sitting on the receptionists desk. Scribbling down notes as Delphine was rattling off client names and vehicles that were brought in differing states of disarray, when he heard the bell over the door jingle. Glancing over his shoulder, Jer raised an eyebrow when he saw Maya walk through the door. Pointing his pen at her, he rotated so he was facing her instead of having his back to her. “Thank God, I was about to have some words if I had to fix that car already.” 

Setting down his clipboard, Jer rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah power came back, been running around checking on people all morning, taking appointments ‘cuz we gotta clean up back in the actual garage today. How’s your place? Good shape?” Lifting the box of food Jer shook his head, “I appreciate this, you really didn’t  have to do that.” 

A wide smile graces Maya’s expression, happy that everyone was okay despite the mess cluttering their feet. The auto shop was a place she held dear to her heart, so it broke her heart a little to see it become so disheveled. “My apartment is good, thankfully. I wasn’t home and spent the night at a friend’s place, but I came back to my place in one piece.” She shrugs, “I feel terrible about Finn’s complex. I’m lucky mine wasn’t hit as bad. That’s just devastating, you know?”

The receptionist moves to fiddle with her fingers, brown eyes scanning the shop around them. “I wanted to, don’t worry about it. I’ve been baking and cooking nonstop since this morning and I’m running out of room in my kitchen. So, please, take it. It’s my pleasure.” Maya says with a laugh, averting her gaze back towards Jeremiah. “How’s your place? My parents’ house got pretty banged up. I have to head over there after work..” Maya purses her lips before continuing, “Do you need any help here? You know, with cleanup and stuff? I don’t have to work for another few hours and I’d love to lend a hand.”

[mayaswollman]

FINN O’CONNOR. 

A heavy sigh left his chest and he did a quick shake of his shoulders, shaking off the bullshit. His jaw worked while he pushed the running list of things that were wrong that needed to be fixed to the back of his mind. Finn steeled himself again and listened to Maya. “Thanks, Maya but I got places to stay. If one falls through though, I’ll let you know.” He was beginning to feel like a charity case and while he knew that people were trying to help, he still hated it. As long as he’d been alive, he’d taken care of himself and survived through shit he probably never should have. To have someone take over now sounded like he had truly gotten weaker with time, that allowing himself to feel and open up had left him vulnerable and exposed. Finn was anything but weak, he would not allow this extra stress to break him. He refused to be a broken man again. He’d already lost his heart, which to be fair he didn’t know he had, he wouldn’t lose his dignity as well. 

“Cool, I’ll follow you, then.” Even though he was walking by her side, keeping his eye out for her piece of shit ex who didn’t know how to take no for an answer. It was a good distraction, walking with Maya. He didn’t have to talk to her if he didn’t want to, could listen to whatever she was talking about and still feel like he was doing something worthwhile with his time. At the very least, he was making someone who was, from what he could tell, a good person feel safe. Which in turn showed others that the Primordials weren’t a stain on the community. That the outlaws weren’t always the bad guys. Finn wouldn’t place himself in the good guy territory, but he wasn’t against helping people if they really needed it and they asked. Like Maya had a couple weeks before.

He nodded along and looked down the street to another person walking on the opposite side from them. Blue eyes scanned the man to assess if he was a threat or not. “My apartment was a shithole. But, it’s the apartment I moved into when I first came to Olympus.” Finn shrugged. “I probably should have gotten a new place a long time ago. I have the money, but I never had a reason to move. I mean why fix somethin’ if it ain’t broke, y’know?” The amount of stuff he had collected and the memories made in that place were endless. A mixture of good and bad, but still memories nonetheless. It was sad to see it all gone. “Good, that he’s leavin’ you alone.” He affirmed. “I’m just trying to get through shit day by day right now. Helpin’ club members who need it, workin’, makin’ sure everyone is okay and avoidin’ addin’ anymore stress to what I got goin’ on already.” Like figuring out what the fuck was going on with him and Ryder or if he has a kid. Then worrying about his friends and if they are alright and what he could do to help them out. Something he had a hard time letting them do for him. It was a whole lot of extra shit he wasn’t ready to unleash on anyone let alone the woman beside him. But, he could give her the surface of it all.

In truth, the last thing Maya wanted was for Finn to feel like a charity case. While sympathy for his situation certainly oozes from her words, pity was at the very back of her mind. Especially since she knew what it was like to stare into the face of someone and suddenly feel like a burden. It’s why she often hid her troubles in the shadow, tucking them away for a later date, only for them to fester and rot somewhere inside a deep, dark forest inside her mind. She doesn’t want that to happen to Finn. She doesn’t want him to retract into himself in the way she assumes he could, mostly because she does the same thing. In the end, Finn was a good person. A good enough person to help a stranger when in need. That was enough for Maya to look out for him, to make sure he doesn’t become his own worst nightmare. 

A chuckle sounds from her at his words, Maya nodding her head as he speaks. “You’re preaching to the choir. My apartment isn’t so great either. It’s small, kinda dingy. But it works, you know? I’ve been there for a long time too, so..” She shrugs, looking up from the pavement and over to the man walking beside her, “My mom is always hounding me about getting a house. Like, a serious one. Where I can settle and all that shit that humans are supposed to do in a certain timeframe.” Another chuckle, though this time she shakes her head instead of nods. 

That’s when they come up onto the first house, a little sign out front that signals that the open house was still on despite the storm. She decides not to dwell on Matthew anymore and focus on Finn. So, Maya’s grin grows, leading the way into the home. It was nice. Not too big, not too small. Maya assumes it’s much nicer than his apartment especially since it’s nicer than her very own. “You ever feel that way?” The receptionist questioned now, taking a look through the living room. The homeowner seems to be talking to someone else, so Maya nods towards the tray of snacks on the coffee table. She grabs something for Finn and then something for herself, “You know, like maybe you’re running out of time?”

Maya pauses then, turning towards Finn once more, “You’re a really good friend, by the way. A good person too. The club is lucky to have you, that’s for sure.” 

[mayaswollman]

“I feel like a little machine that puts out flowers into the air. My motor’s always going. There’s always bubbles coming out.” Jenny Slate for Vanity Fair

[mayaswollman]

ADRIAN HENDRIX. 

The storm had come and gone and left Adrian with a fresh collection of wounds to pick at. It has been a long time since he’d felt this small. Like the first few days in rehab when his body raged against his betrayal, punishing him for all the damage he’d done to it over the years. As if Adrian isn’t perfectly capable of punishing himself. It’s always been a particular talent of his. His body feels heavy, stretched out on the couch with his guitar on his chest. His fingers mindlessly move over the strings and he hums a melody he found in his rehab journal. He needs something to care about more than he cares about chasing a high he can’t have. He needs to find something that can make him a person again, instead of just an addict, a liar, a thief with a painted face.

For a moment, he considers ignoring whoever is at the door. It could be anyone from Ryder’s evil fucking brother to a random package. They don’t need to know that someone is home. The guitar leans against the coffee table and Adrian’s feet drop to the floor as he pulls himself upright. Remi is already yipping at the disruption and Adrian has to nudge her out of the way so he can get the door open.

His first impulse is to slam to door in Maya’s face. But he steps outside, bare feet pulling in the warmth of the concrete patio. “I’m fine,” he says, ignoring the container she holds up. “Apartment’s still standing, no one died.” His hatred for her is so fresh in his body that he can feel his veins freezing inch by inch. It’s not the explosive fire he feels when he sees Finn stealing a glance at Ryder or the sick taste of bile in his mouth when he remembers Mitchell’s hands on him before he knew who those hands belonged to. This is new for Adrian; this is the bitter cold of betrayal. “Did you need something? Because you could have just texted me. Or you could have called Oliver.”

The evident distaste from Adrian was something Maya expected. Hell, she had silently prepared for it. But she was never one to combat cruelty in the right way. Not that way she anticipates to. No, she’ll stand there ashamed, stunned. Anxious. Though, Maya can’t quite blame him. While Maya has been through enough tribulation to last a lifetime, she’s never truly come face to face with addiction. Even on the outside. So, this was uncharted territory, something she was walking into blindly. If there was one thing she did know for sure, it was that she would have never been his tripwire the way she had been that night if she knew. 

God, she wished she had known.

Needless to say, the guilt was eating her alive. “Very funny,” The woman finally says, voice quiet. Defeated. For a moment, her eyes look anywhere but at his own, nervous that his gaze might send daggers through her heart. Or perhaps she’d stare too long and her head would just roll right from her shoulders and clamber to the ground pathetically. Then she’d be a sad, headless body, holding containers of sad, homemade food. “I really just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Maya says, her tone sincere but still hushed. Just as she was nervous to look Adrian in the face, she’s nervous to speak at a louder volume. Later, she’ll reenact this moment on her own time and become a fiercer version of herself. The one that taps into the anger that’s always living inside her. 

“Adrian, I really am sorry.” She says, “I — I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you that night. I was so messed up and wasted. I wasn’t thinking. But —” Finally, she looks to him, tears brimming her brown eyes. Though she fights them to the bitter end. Maya didn’t want to cry right now. “If I had known, I would have never...” Her words trail off. In truth, nothing sounded right when the escaped her mouth. For some reason, she couldn’t quite muster the right words. “I’m so sorry. Really. I’m just — I’m so sorry.”

That’s when she averts her gaze back down towards the containers of food, “Um, if you want...I have some lasagna and cake. I, uh, you can take it and I can leave if you want. I didn’t mean to bother you..”

[mayaswollman]

SUTTON HART. 

Closing her computer, Sutton leans her elbows on the desk. After spending an entire day with voices over the phone and typo riddled emails, she was so grateful to have an actual person to talk to. On top of that, it was a familiar face. So in reality - a win win for the engineer as she nodded. “Yeah I saw, The Studio is gunna need some new windows before we can start classes again, but worse things could’ve happened y’know?” She asked before taking the phone from the brunette before her. “I’m glad you were able to find shelter though.” Scrolling through the photos, Sutton makes a couple notes in her notebook. “Well the good news is these look like some quick fixes. I’ll have Maddox come by and do a more detailed look around. Figure out exactly what needs to be done. You got an idea when would be a good time for that with your parents, or should we have them call another time?” Glancing up from her notes, the former ballerina considers Maya’s question. “My parent’s place did pretty well. Considering my mom goes crazy with preparedness stuff. They had everything boarded up when the sky was lookin cloudy. The boys are good too. Have been sent by our parents to everyone’s houses to sweep up branches.” Chuckling a little she slid Maya her phone back. “Being the youngest of five has it’s perks - I’ve never had to lift a finger when it comes to clean up after something like this.”

The brunette leans back, happy to engage in a simple conversation with Sutton. It was a nice break from the current hectic state Olympus has found itself in, especially Maya has found herself in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. The Community Center was currently the busiest it’s ever been, with rescheduling and various cancellations, the receptionist had her hands full. So, she takes this time to breathe, to discuss mundane things and family without scratching the surface or looming horror and consequences. “Oh God, that sucks. I’m relieved it’s only gonna need some new windows. How long does that usually take?” Maya questions, genuinely curious about how this worked. In truth, she’s only lived in various apartments, never a home. Especially since she doesn’t quite consider her parents’ home as her actual home. They rent the place and only got it right before Maya moved out. She’s never had a serious childhood home, so the process in fixing one was intriguing to her. Certainly more interesting than calling maintenance in her apartment complex and waiting a week for them to arrive. 

“Shit, thank God,” Maya says, taking back her phone. She locks it before speaking again, “Um, good question. I might have to call 'em and see what time works for them. They’re currently still out of town, something about my dad and the VA, so I’ll let you know. I might stay there for a little while myself, just to make sure everything’s settled. Can you do the repairs while it’s just me there?”

The dark-haired woman snorts at the mention of Sutton’s perks, a shake of her head coming next. “Oh my God, are you kidding? That sounds fucking amazing. I’m so mad! I’m the oldest so I do literally everything. Does it piss off your brothers or what?” She giggles out, swatting a hand. “My youngest brother barely does anything. I mean, he’s only like, twenty-three, but when he came to our parents’ house this morning he stuck his face under one of the leaks. So, that pretty much explains where he stands within the operation.”

[mayaswollman]

TEAGAN MARON. 

The morning after the storm meant the hospital would be hustling and bustling with crowds of patrons needing assistance ─ whether big or small, extra hands are always needed. It’s why after she said her goodbyes to Jeremiah, once again thanking him for taking her in before the storm’s havoc left her stranded on the road, she made her way to the hospital. A few of the nurse’s demeanor was tense but the moment they saw Teagan, the illumination of relief flickered upon their overlays. At that moment, it instantly dawns upon her the staff had been wearing thin with no sleep, over-indulgence of coffee whilst people further grew insufferable waiting around for results or assistance for that matter. So, she went to the attending lounge to get into her scrubs, as her lab coat before bee-ling toward the Emergency Room pit. Let the action begin. 

For the past three hours, she was constantly on the move, maneuvering in and out of patient rooms and even soothing a few of their worries ─ knowing quite a few people saw doctors as a free therapist as whilst curing for their wounds. Which she doesn’t blame them. If she was in the opposite position, she’d be doing the same. Everyone is stunned over last night. Teagan is as well but buries those emotions deep within to remain professional and gripped with laser-focus. All of the years she has lived in Olympus, which happened to be her entire life but minus four years when she lived in Los Angeles, a storm like such never reached such magnitude in this town. Then again, there’s always a first time for everything, a quote that her grandmother informed to her regularly. Oh how right she is. 

Finally having a moment to catch her breath, seeing as the pit of the emergency room slow in pace, she stood by the nurse’s station signing off on another patient’s chart before a body in her peripheral vision greets her. Turning to the other, the brunette sees Maya and sends her a soft smile before hazel optics glance down to the tubs of food. “Oh wow,” she gently begins. A glaze of appreciation glides upon her demeanor toward the other. The neurosurgeon briefly knows about the other through the Community Center, but other than that, Maya is someone Teagan did not have a chance in knowing yet. “All of this is really kind of you. You save me from having to cook tonight. Plus, desserts are a way to my heart,” she speaks through a laugh. For a moment, a beam is sent to the other, knowing everything had been safe with her because she was inside but a pit of worry sat in her stomach ─ making her believe it has something to do with her grandmother’s antique shop. It’s a mental reminder for her to check up on the shop before finally heading home. “I’m okay. No injuries. I managed to find safety right before the downpour left me stranded me on the side of the road.” A soft sigh slips from her lips. “Did you get a chance to stop by the Community Center?” 

The longer she stands within the hospital, the nerves settled inside of Maya begin to slowly increase. She’s not sure why, perhaps it’s the concept of being so social during these times, her anxiety for social situations kicking into high gear. She often found herself picturing the way certain scenarios will pan out before they even happen. This time, she pictures Teagan swatting her away upon arrival, too exhausted and too overwhelmed to give someone like Maya the time of day currently. Not that she’d blame her, there was so much going on right now. Maya was only the receptionist at the Community Center and even she knew how jam-packed she was going to be for the next couple of days. So, in hindsight, she couldn’t imagine being in the medical field. What Teagan did was admirable, courageous. 

But, with that, Maya is instantly relieved when she’s met with a smile and grace. It calms the nerves inside her that begin to helplessly fester. It was nice to see a familiar face too, especially considering Maya spent her evening with someone she didn’t quite know. Sure, she didn’t know Teagan that much either, but the man she was with last night was barely an acquaintance, the town’s newest detective. That alone was a surefire way to jumpstart her nerves, despite his kindness in allowing her to stay with him instead of her abusive, anger-fueled boyfriend.

“Don’t even mention it,” Maya says kindly, “You deserve it. I can’t imagine how intense all of this has been for you right now. It’s the least I could do.” As Teagan speaks, relief pools through Maya. It was nice to know she found shelter during the storm. Without even realizing, Maya had been worried about everything and everyone. Perhaps she as always fixating on her most attractive problems, the one that stems from a more hopelessly cynical part of her, that when things like this happen they snap her back to reality. It was daunting, a sudden reminder. “Good, I was worried. It was all so wild. I’ve never seen a storm like that in my entire life, especially in this town. I’ve also never seen people scramble for toilet paper like that in my whole life.” Maya says now, quiet laughter weaving through her hopes. She does what she can to keep the conversation as light as she can, despite the topic at hand being a rather serious one. For now, she does it for Teagan’s sake, not wanting to exhaust her more. “I’m about to head over there soon. My shift starts a little later today since they’re cleaning up the roads still. I’m expecting a busy day, though.” Though, a part of Maya was happy to get back to work. She wanted to give back as much as she could, hence the food and a helping hand. “Have you ever seen a storm like that? It was not how I expected it at all. I’ve seen pretty tame snow storms back in New York, but never a tornado at that magnitude. Certainly not as romantic as Twister with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, that’s for sure.”

[mayaswollman]

OZ DEMIR. 

Oz’ expression softens at the mention of them. It was true, they were his entire world. His life revolved around them, everything they needed, everything they wanted, he would move mountains just to at the very least try and provide. And it wasn’t like he felt he was the only one who contributed. His parents, for all those years, have broken their backs to give their children the life they had now, and his siblings did their best to also put as much love and energy into that unit as well. If there was one thing that was going right in Oz’s life, it was the family that he had, and he would damn well like to keep it that way. 

“I’m lucky to have them. Keeps me sane mostly, even if they drive me nuts every other time.” He laughed at the contradiction before clasping his hands together and rubbing them in anticipation. 

“Well, if a pretty lady offers me free food, who am I to say no? My ma didn’t raise no heathen. What’s on the menu?” 

When Oz talks about his family, the little knot that formed inside of Maya’s stomach begins to untangle. While her pessimism attempts to beg to differ, as if he may be fabricating the true nature of his family, that sensation begins to gradually dissipate. Did people truly have loving, undeniable families? The scenario seems unfathomable to someone like Maya. But to witness the way Oz beams, speaking on his family like treasured jewels, she eases into the plausible existence. 

“Families will do that,” Maya says, smile more subtle this time, but still sincere. “I think every family has a tendency to drive you out of your mind sometimes. It’s inevitable.” For Maya, that much was an understatement. Her entire life had been plagued by the troubles her parents planted upon her. But she won’t bother Oz with the details, even as her expression falls just a tad at the mention of family. “I hope they take care of you as much as you take care of them. You deserve it.”

The reddened hue decorating her faze deepens. His compliments seem to plow through them and Maya’s body threatens to reject this feeling. These days, she felt undeserving of this kind of kindness. Especially in the form of compliments. “Are you trying to butter me up, Oz Demir?” Maya questions with a laugh, still unable to accept the compliment despite feeling a bit more at ease in this situation. She invites him into the Community Center’s backroom where all the employees hang out. With everyone’s busy schedules, it’s just Oz and Maya in there today. The brunette heads towards the fridge, “Lasagna and chocolate cake. I brought some for everyone because my kitchen is practically overflowing. But I love cooking for other people so, it’s worth it.” She turns to him for a moment as she prepares plates for them, “Do you cook at all? You know, considering your mama didn’t raise no heathen.”

[mayaswollman]

STARTER FOR: @adrianhcndrix​ LOCATION: Ryder and Adrian’s home. SETTING: Late afternoon.

The guilt that came from being the one to witness Adrian’s relapse hasn’t left Maya. It seems to chase her around in circles as Maya does everything in her power to make up excuses. Really, she had no clue that he was an addict. The moment she learned so, her entire world came crashing down. Guilt, shame, and sorrow were all she could feel at that moment. Now she hasn’t seen him since, especially after she called Oliver. Which was another thing she probably should have thought about beforehand. It was an impulsive decision, made while too wasted to even gather her thoughts. 

But now, here she was, sober as ever, standing outside his home. Maya stands there, unmoving, because she’s waiting for a sign from the universe. A sign that’ll aid her in the right direction. She hopes the direction leads her right home, something from the universe signaling that this actually wasn’t a good idea. But, to her dismay, nothing ever comes and Maya is forced to accept reality. The receptionist makes her way to the front door, knocking lightly. Once the door is opened to reveal Adrian, Maya sucks in a small breath, “Um, hi,” She says, nervousness evident within her tone. “I — I wanted to make sure you’re okay. Especially after the storm.” She doesn’t mention their night on the curb. Not yet, anyway. Instead, she holds up a container holding a large piece of homemade chocolate cake. “Cake?”

[mayaswollman]

MAYA WOLLMAN as MOVIE POSTERS.