ofwishfulthinking

[ofwishfulthinking]

Pedro Pascal as Harry in MATERIALISTS (2025) dir. Celine Song

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Mal's twenties had been consumed by the military which was definitely not a time that he wanted to repeat. Even thinking about now, caused his heart rate to increase. It hadn't been an awful time -- it had given him a sense of purpose when he'd felt the most lost and least like himself -- but it had also left him with deep scars against his psyche that a lifetime of therapy would never completely fix. "And the slowing metabolism, and the back pain, and the feeling of being always tired," Mal teased. He really was enjoying his forties. They were the new thirties, he'd been told. "Haven't heard that one before," he laughed, "but I appreciate the compliment."

"I don't think I'd want to be in my twenties again even if I could." Vince admits, shaking his head. His twenties, while transformative, weren't a time he'd want to revisit. He quite liked the age he was now, at least for the most part. "Though I could do without the crick in my neck whenever I sleep weird." He says with a soft chuckle, a smile moving over his face at Mal's kind words. He always knew just what to say, but he supposed that was part of why they were best friends. They knew each other inside and out and were there for each other for better or for worse. Mal had definitely seen him at hos worst and had been by his side through it all. "Thanks. I do pretty much chase Gia around full time now that she's a pro crawler. Plus Rafael and Mateo, plus Leota..." Amused, Vince sips from his drink again, licking the whipped cream from his lips. "I'll pencil you into my schedule. Not that you need penciling in, I always have time for you." He adds, laughing when Mal says he'd never be able to take him down. "True. You're sculpted like a damn Greek god. It's really not fair."

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"That makes sense." Malachi didn't have children of his own. He didn't even have a partner. So, he couldn't imagine what it was like to have to split your life, to have one week where life felt like it was supposed to only to be followed by another where it felt as if all you did was wait for life to start again. It was disorienting just thinking about it. "Ever think of a hobby or something? Bird watching, maybe? Or running. You'd be able to pause it on the weeks that the kids are around so you're not losing time with them, but it'd give you something to do when you're alone."

"Always good to see you, man." Javier replies, giving Mal a smile. It was nice to have a core group of people that he could rely on, who understood what he had seen and experienced throughout his years of military service. "When is it not?" He asks half jokingly, shrugging his shoulders. Life was a lot, but for the most part, it was good. "I know I've talked about it before, but it's always tricky when it's not my weeks with the kids. The apartment is so....quiet. 've been trying to fill my tie, but I don't want to overextend myself either."

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"Caffeine and chaos would be perfect name for a bookstore cafe, I think," Ishmael commented. He grinned at the librarian comment. As far as labels went, that was one he would gladly accept and wear with pride. "I'm all for niche recommendations. The less mainstream the better." He lifted the book in his hand. "Horrors, mostly, but I don't discriminate when it comes to reading. At least, I try not to. Can't really say I've ventured into the world of monster smut yet." He quirked an eyebrow at that. He was an adventurous reader, but maybe not quite that adventurous.

Jin gave a low hum of approval, and nodded. “Books and bribes. Morally grey librarian energy. I respect the hustle.” He smiled some. “If I ever write a memoir, I’ll be sure to dedicate it to whoever first lured me in with caffeine and chaos.” He glanced back at the book. “It’s probably not a bestseller. So either you’re about to get a very niche recommendation, or I owe you a better one next time we run into each other. I can tell you already, I’m a big fan of Stephen King books. I can recommend you one of those instead.“ He smiled some, and looked up at Ishmael. “So, what do you usually read?” 

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Life happened. Wasn't that the truth? Archie, perhaps more than anyone, knew the way that decisions could change the trajectory of someone's life. "Though he was almost sure that his previous experiences "Smoke," he replied, smiling down at the little creature. "Well, Smoke n' Mirrors is his full government name." He'd been at the cafe for a few weeks, but Archie had known that sooner or later, he'd find the right home. "I can have everything set up for you if you're committed to adopting him. Then if you'd like to come back tomorrow or so, that'll be good. Give you enough time to prep a space for him at home. Or like I said, you can just wait until the upcoming adoption event. Your choice."

"No, no, I get it. Shit happens. Sometimes people just can't take care of 'em anymore." Corey simply couldn't imagine not having Pirate in their life now. If something happened and they had to give him up, it would break their heart. The cat seemed pretty content in Corey's arms, but they set him down so he could wander freely. Notably, he chose to stay close, rubbing against their legs and rolling on his back. "Shit, I might be sold on this one."

Corey had already decided they were going to be taking Silver home. "Dude, you serious?" Corey hadn't imagined when they stopped by the cafe today to drop off the food that they were going to be bringing another cat home, but hell, if cats were happier with a friend, it only made sense that they take him, right? "What do you guys call him?" Corey continued to play with him while the two talked.

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"Of course." Ishmael should have figured that Toby would have returned to town -- he couldn't blame someone for craving the comfort and familiarity of family and their childhood home, even if that home was tainted. He'd simply stopped keeping up with the twists and turns of the case after the verdict had been reached. In Ishmael's eyes, justice had been served, and that was that. He'd needed to move on, for his own peace of mind. He'd never have his sister in his life again, his parents would never have their daughter. No court case could change what had happened. "Yeah." His book had been good. It had been the only way he could honor the ghost that haunted every page of it, but Ishmael didn't want to talk about that. Not with Toby, of all people. "Respectfully, no. It doesn't help. It never will." He took a deep breath. Ishmael wasn't the kind to lose his temper especially not in public, but seeing Toby left him feeling raw. "And honestly, I'm not really looking for a social call."

It surprised Toby that Ishmael didn't know they were in town. They supposed the city was big enough that the two fortunately hadn't crossed paths very often in the last few years since Toby's release. The legal case had been draining for everyone involved. Toby hadn't spoken to Hayley's family on the recommendation of their lawyer, Elijah, but that didn't mean Toby didn't think about them.

"Uh, mostly been back here since I got released. My family's here." It might have made sense for Toby to just disappear, start a new life somewhere, but they were stubborn and refused to leave, even if it meant unwanted attention and the occasional awkward run in like this one. "I read your book, y'know? It was... good." Complicated. It was complicated. Every word felt somehow laced with Hayley's ghost. "Don't suppose it'd help to tell you again that I didn't do it?"

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"Yeah, the worst mistake you can make is signing up for one of those services. They make it nearly impossible to cancel." That was one of the things that Malachi had made sure to simplify when it came to signing up for gym memberships. He'd jumped through enough hoops where it came to canceling memberships. He simply didn't want to deal with the hassle for his own patrons. "They're super accessible," Malachi agreed, "and I know a lot of people enjoy a treat after a session. So, I'm hoping this place lives up to the hype. Let me know your thoughts when you get your order? I feel like my opinion can't be the only deciding factor, you know? So, now we're research partners in this."

"Could be worse, right? At least they have stuff that tastes good now. I got way too much of that whey powder. They sign you up to those subscription services and it's like they got you by the balls," Corey joked. They weren't an athlete anymore, not actively, but they loved the challenge of working out, the relationship it forced them to have with their body. It was good for their mind. "Get out. You own that place? I work out there all the time. Seems to make sense. Customers coming out of the gym, wanna pick something up. Smoothies are good shit when you wanna drink your meals. When my mom started having trouble swallowing, was a good way to help make sure she got all the sustenence she needed."

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"You figured right," Julien replied with a chuckle. It was a good thing he had folks in his life who were committed to ensuring that he had home cooked meals at least a few times each week. The restaurants in Clearwater served good quality foods that were healthy and could give the sense of a home cooked meal, and Jules was a regular patron at most of them, but there was no true stand-in for a homecooked meal. Especially not one cooked by someone who loved and cared for you. "Beer's fine," he replied as followed Eddie, trailing behind the other man like a lost puppy.

Jules had always loved the idea of living on a houseboat. Maybe he was romanticizing the idea of it all, but he imagined that there was a certain level of freedom to it that one sacrificed when living in a more traditional kind of home. Maybe he'd buy one when he finally retired from politics and finally embraced the eccentric artist vibe that he'd been trying his entire life to capture. "Oh, you know..." He ran a hand through his hair, tugging slightly at the strands as they slipped between his fingers. "The Festival's taking up a lot of my time and attention. Thank goodness I've got a good staff because it's way too much for one person to manage, but outside of that, someone always wants something or is complaining about something or is asking me to reconsider the budget, but it comes with the job I guess." He expelled a long breath of air. "Anyway, how are you?"

Eddie had made it a bit of a personal mission to make sure that Jules and his niece were gonna be alright after his sister had passed. It had fucked up Eddie and having some people to worry about had kept him from completely crashing out or immediately reenlisting. He gave Jules as long of a hug as the other man wanted. He didn't hug a lot of people but the ones he did, like family, got good full-body hugs. It was something he needed too, he just didn't say it. He smiled at the apology chuckling as he said, "Eh late, shmate. I just put the food on so you're right on time." Since late was more akin to Jules' on time these days. And Eddie had just made his own mental adjustments. If they said one time, Jules would be there late. In someone else it might have bothered him, but not in his brother-in-law, it was just part of him having a whole town to worry about along with everything else.

"Some Walleye I caught a bit back. And some veggies. Figured you could use a home cooked something." He opened the door and stepped into the house boats main space, opening the fridge and saying, "You want a beer? Or I got some soda and water." He handed Jules whatever the other asked for and took a beer for himself. Opening it one handed as he asked, "So what the a lot about work? Just getting the Cherry Blossom Fest all set or are people griping about something else? Or are we putting a moratorium on work talk?"

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Malachi didn’t smoke. He barely even draft. The only thing that could even be classified as a vice was his love for chocolate. “I…” He patted at the pockets of his jeans knowing that he wouldn’t find the requested item, but coming away with a chocolate bar instead. “All I’ve got is this. It’s yours if you want.”

𝑂𝑃𝐸𝑁 𝑇𝑂: Everyone. @clearwaterstarters 𝑊𝐻𝐸𝑅𝐸 | 𝑊𝐻𝐸𝑁: Outside of Pure Roots, afternoon or evening.

⸻ The desire to be home borders on biblical, at this point, after the longest and most exhausting shift he's had in awhile. It shows in his expression, now that he's off the clock and sitting in front of Pure Roots, waiting for an Uber or Lyft ride home that isn't astronomical in price. He really wishes his humble sedan wasn't in the shop right now.

"Hey, mate," to the nearest person, putting on the friendliest smile he can manage. "You got a cigarette I can bum?" He quit years ago but they don't need to know that.

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who: open @clearwaterstarters (5/5) where: frisky kitty cafe

It was difficult to believe that Adoption Week had arrived. Archie had prepped and prepped and prepped some more, and now it was finally here. "We have twenty-five cats looking for homes," he announced. Twenty-five and he was determined to see them all adopted. He'd created individualized posters for each cat that spoke to their interests and likes in the style of dating profiles hoping that the whimsy of it would spurn some interest, as well as put together adoption kits to go home with each cat. He was sure there was more he could have done but, in that moment, he couldn't think of a single thing. Either all of his hard work would pay off or it wouldn't. Only time would tell. "So, I'm sure you'll find someone here that fits your needs. Please feel free to let me know if you need any assistance."

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who: open @clearwaterstarters (5/5) where: cherry blossom festival

The Cherry Blossom Festival had always been Julien's favorite time of the year. There was something about the flowers that inspired creativity and caused him to believe that life could one day be perfect again; it was an illusion, of course, but Julien didn't mind giving in to it if just for a bit. "So," he said speaking over his shoulder to the person beside him, "how'd I do? Live up to expectations or have you seen better?"

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texts from the shadow world: 27/? ↳ in which luke and maryse find an unexpected home in each other.

[ofwishfulthinking]

this just in! ANDREA GOMES has just been spotted in town. Wait. You don’t know who she is? the 42 year old ETHICS PROFESSOR has been in town for, like, 30 years. they’re known to be quite STRAIGHT LACED, but being FLEXIBLE IN HER THINKING seems to balance that out. or maybe it’s the fact that they resemble nicola correia-damude. personally, i’d love to know more about them seeing as how they’ve got those pant suits and heels, a love of constellations, and a desperate desire to be needed vibes. and maybe i’ll get my chance if i hang out around avonlea gardens long enough! 

details (tw infertility, car accident, parental loss, adoption):

Andrea was born to Michael and Alyssa Gomes. They'd been married for ten years and had given up on ever having children by the time she came along. So, needless to say, she spent the entirety of her childhood knowing that she was a miracle of sorts.

For the most part, her childhood was idyllic. Andrea is sure that if she really thinks about, she can pinpoint moments that weren't great, but she prefers to think of that time of her life as perfect. Especially as it compared to the remainder of her teenage years.

Her twelfth birthday signaled the great before and after moment. One day, she was a child, well loved. The next, she was an orphan adrift in the world.

The Ruiz family weren't the first foster family she experienced, but they were the best. So, when they sat her and down and asked if she'd like to be part of their family, Andrea had no choice but to say yes. Her parents were never coming back, and remaining in care until she aged out did not seem like a better option.

Slowly she began to open up and enjoy this new life she'd been given. She even had two brothers now.

Teaching wasn't a profession that she imagined for herself, but more of something that she's fallen into. Now that she's been at the university for half a decade and is working towards tenure, Andrea can admit that she enjoys it, but she can't help but wonder if there's anything else out there for her.

[ofwishfulthinking]

Shadowhunters S3E06

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"Are you considering a career change," Malachi asked, eyebrow raised. He couldn't fathom another reason for why Ash would be concerned about serving as a bouncer even for a few minutes. "Though I'm always happy to spar with you. We can definitely discuss the details next time, but I'd need to know your experience level to make sure that I'm catering appropriately to your needs, and if you're interested in pursuing it more long term, we can always talk to one of the trainers about getting you on a regular schedule." Malachi was committed to ensuring that patrons didn't feel as if they were stuck doing just one type of exercise; if they wanted to branch out and explore other options, his staff had the experience to make that happen. Malachi moved towards the weights, selecting a pair of dumbbells and setting them on the mat. "How are you feeling today? Like we're pushing ourselves or just being good enough?"

Ash's schedule needed to be as predictable as it could be knowing that things could very quickly become unpredictable at work. It would be easy for him to fall into a completely chaotic schedule if he didn't try to keep something a little more organized. The winery had a great staff and Ash wanted to be a manager that showed up for what was needed and not one that managed from the back. But he knew the value of taking care of himself. Ash smiled at the greeting then shook his head, "Nope, you're completely fine." He stepped inside and finished the last little bits of his shake. Putting his things where they should be and listening. "Weights are completely fine." He smiled thinking about a conversation he'd had at work and said, "Someone recently told me that they didn't think I'd last five minutes as a bouncer. So maybe we should do some sparring next time?"