#// layla01

[sagexmackenzie]

Sage laughed with the bartender before taking another sip of her drink. "Well, I still think it was pretty badass." She let out another laugh as shook her head. "I'm Sage! I only really come out to bars like this when I'm ready to quit my job. At least I'm honest?" She made a face as she gave a little shrug, knowing she was probably giving off too much information, but she figured as a bartender, this woman had heard much worse from patrons.

@ponderosus

"no." layla laughs, leaning her weight on her elbows resting against the countertop, "they told me to fuck off and sober up. i feel like they should of been more appreciative for my efforts." she shoots a wink across the bar, knowing very much nowadays she'd just expect the bouncer to deal with the issues of drunks inside the bar — her fight breakup days are over.

@sagexgrayson

[benj-hyun]

CLOSED STARTER for @ponderosus

Ben hadn't been paying attention when he walked into the elevator. Face buried in his phone, sending a text message to one of his colleagues about a question they'd asked him no less than an hour since he punched out — early day for the lovely annual physical visit at his PCP's — he only says "third floor please" to the person standing by the buttons.

And then he turns, looking up with a smile that so very quickly fades when the identity of say person registers and before he knows it, the doors close.

"Oh." Oh no, is more like it. "This is awkward."

[finn-brooks]

CLOSED STARTER for @ponderosus at Sharky's Halloween Party

“I know Lara Croft when I see her.” Finn sidles up next to Layla to give her costume a once over, forgetting for a moment that he should consider putting himself in people’s space much more slowly. 

He also lacks the desire to be considerate because it’s Halloween, and it’s not his fault that there is a chance of someone donning a horror movie monster’s mask for the night.

That someone being him, of course.

“I used to play the game, the old one. Oh, hmmm… what was it, Playstation?” His hobbies have long since shifted from that to sudoku books, bird-watching, and photography, so he abandoned the controller well before a PS2 gaming console was even considered. “Hi, I’m Finn.”

[evcnrosierx-blog]

He was in the middle of rounds, rounds that would have otherwsie been a relatively easy day had it not been for her strolling into the ward. Looking up, his face went from calm to total irritation in the space of five seconds. Moving away from his patients, he stopped her in her tracks. "And what can I help you with? Because last I checked, you're not usually here. And after the things I've heard you say, I know you cannot possibly be here for me."

@laylarowle

[sagexmackenzie]

"I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help." Sage huffed a laugh as she kept her arms spread out to attempt in keeping her balance. "I'm a soccer player, not a figure skater." While standing seemed to be easy, Sage wasn't sure how she was supposed to glide like the other people around them were doing. "Uh... maybe we should get one of those things they give kids. What are they called-- oh! Skate Aids." Sage laughed at herself for being so bad at this.

@ponderosus

starter: open ( feel free to assume connections !! ) @aurorabaystarter location: cooldown ice rink

"why did i agree to do this?" tense, spine hunched over, it must be quite a sight to see the nashville native sporting a look for absolute terror as she moves, albeit slowly, over the ice. layla had never been iceskating before, and had never planned to until she'd been coerced down to the rink, it was a good excuse to get out of the house post hangover "for the love of god don't let me fall."

[samucl-kane]

“I don’t have a single doubt about it.” Sam reaches up and places his hand on Layla’s shoulder. It lingers for a moment, then with a gentle squeeze, he lets go. “Just because I’m gone doesn’t mean you can’t shoot me a text if you need to. But, enjoy yourself.”

With one more soft smile and a subtle nod, Sam parts ways to leave Layla to her devices. So that she can celebrate the end of this year and the beginning of the next, and he can keep himself far enough away to not risk being a damper on it.

@ponderosus

"No, it's alright. I'm a tough one, I can handle it." Layla promptly nudges back, with an exaggerated wry smile. "Oh yeah, I'll find something to do. Get enough alcohol in me and I'll talk to anyone."

— @samucl-kane

[blake-michaels]

“If it’s one thing this town does well is it gets into the theme.” Whatever holiday it may be — from peppermint martinis around Christmas to flower themed teas at Driftwood during the Spring, nothing slips by without some form of celebration. Blake personally loves it. “Oh, a rose strawberry? That’s it, that’s the one.”

Layla sold her quickly. Blake puts her menu down. “The rose themed one. What type of liquor is in it? Doesn’t matter, I want it.”

@ponderosus

"certainly brings in the customers." that wasn't the only reason, despite the tourists bringing in a lot of money, she enjoyed the creativity of coming up with drinks and using her skills from serving so many different individuals over the years to make something catering to their taste. "i like the 'rose' themed one. took me ages to work out how the people on the internet cut a strawberry into a rose."

@blake-michaels

[samucl-kane]

"Good call on it. It looks great here."

Catching the light and accenting the space there. It gives him the itch to get another, though he knows well enough. There is not much space left out on his balcony, and his apartment isn't the greatest in terms of natural light everywhere.

"What were our plans for the bash? I am not much of a ride person, except maybe the ferris wheel, but nothing too fast. I would like to find the fried pickle stand once we get out there."

@ponderosus

"I knew you like it." Layla replies, proud of her effort in taking care of the plant. It stood with pride of place in the hallway of her apartment near a large window, next to a catch-all bowl of keys and random rings. "I honestly don't remember who sold it. I just saw it on the table and knew it was coming home with me — pronto."

— @samucl-kane

[sagexmackenzie]

"Damn." Sage laughed, though she respected it. "So what, did the bartenders call the police or something? Hell, if I was a bartender and you broke up a fight for me, I'd buy you another drink." Another laugh left her. Sage was an athlete, but she definitely considered herself a lover, not a fighter.

@ponderosus

layla chuckles gently, pondering momentarily on a memory the question spur within her. "ironically i broke up more bar fights when i was one of the drunk patrons." nowadays a generally more sober layla (there's exceptions to the rule, see her latest breakdown over her mothers message), was less likely to get in line-of-sight of some drunk asshole with a glass bottle and a chip on his shoulder with some toxic masculinity to maintain. "for a few years in houston my lanky self took it as a responsibility to defend the honour of my favourite bar staff. i don't think that's how the bar staff saw it, however."

@sagexgrayson

[sagexmackenzie]

Sage wasn’t really one to complain but sometimes her job warranted a nice venting session. “Oh. My. God. I work at Tejas and sometimes it can just be… a lot. Like everyone yelling and all this shit. And the new school year just started and I already have a test that I haven’t studied for.” Sage let out a huff. “Sorry. Im sure you hear all kinds of bullshit all night. You doing okay though?”

@ponderosus

turning around instinctively to work on the drink, layla offers a quick glance over her shoulder at the patrons rather dejected comment. "may i ask what's on your mind?" chatting with bartenders was almost like free therapy for certain people.

@sagexgrayson

[sagexmackenzie]

"Jack and coke?" Sage gave the woman a smile, though her shoulders kind of slumped as she settled in her seat. Sage loved the restaraunt but there were times she was so over it all. "I hope you're having a better night than me."

starter: open @aurorabaystarter location: the reef

tourist season, as usual, was nothing short of chaos. but layla didn't mind too much, she just focused on the motions of making the drinks and eventually time would slip by. only one in a while someone would make a poor choice of music on the jukebox, which she'd fantasised completely unplugging once 'benny and the jets' got played a little too many times. out of the corner of her eye she notices a figure sliding into the empty bar stool, but she doesn't exactly see who they are, focus centred on scrubbing at a stain on the counter. "what can i get ya'?"

[sagexmackenzie]

"You have no idea." Sage shook her head as she thought about how crazy her work got, but then again, she wondered if anything crazy ever happened at a bar. Surely it had. "What's your craziest story working here? Like, you ever have to break up any barfights or anything like that?" Sage laughed but she genuinely wanted to know.

@ponderosus

layla frequented teja's often and understood the place got a little loud, it was a busy place. "i order from you guys a lot." the bartender nods, "i get that, sometimes it gets too much and you just gotta go somewhere quieter." occasionally the reef got that way, especially on weekends and when they streamed major sports games. "all good, bartenders are the free therapists of the world." layla motions away the notion with her hand as if it hung in the air, "plus it's interesting to hear about peoples day. most of the talking happens at the tables while i'm behind the bar, so i don't mind."

@sagexgrayson

[samucl-kane]

He nudges her with his elbow. “Alright, alright. I think aging is a gift, but if it bothers you, I won’t talk about it. ”When life feels so fragile to feel his muscles grow weary with time, and to see new places where his skin kisses itself in the form of smile lines and more is a reminder to him he’s made it here. Maybe one day Layla will feel the same. 

“In fact, I’m ordering my UBER before surge pricing kicks up the prices. You’re going to be okay for the rest of the night?

@ponderosus

"A lot of native plants for the bees. That's right, it's the bees we gotta save yeah?" Most things were tittering on the edge of endangerment, however a few felt a bit more detrimental than others. "Don't remind me. I don't like feeling this old so early in my life."

— @samucl-kane

[samucl-kane]

It would do the town good. Not even due to his own bias, there is just plenty to benefit from having any form of greenery around. Sure, palm tree line the walkways, and jacarandas will be blooming in the next couple of months, but it isn't the same as flower beds and yielding crops. Work with something to show for it.

"Good idea. It'll probably get more chaotic once the new year sets in and everyone's celebrated the first minute of 2024. The kids can have fun, us elders can get home and to bed so we're not out for the count tomorrow."

"milk 'em for all they're worth, fill this place with gardens." a smile sits upon layla's lips. in all seriousness, she hopes that they're generous enough to give sam one garden at the very least. "half an hour." she nods, checking her watch. the faux leather strap barely holding on, "same. once that clock strikes 12, kaede and i will probably be out of here."

@samucl-kane

[samucl-kane]

He will always count his blessings when it comes to the path that led him here. The one the crossed over Layla's as well as Will's, Auggie and Rosie, and more recently, Sola. That's a fresh one, but it's one he can tell he wants to hold onto for a lifetime. Nothing Charleston could offer him would match California, not by a longshot.

"Ten botanical gardens. That's a lot, but I could argue that too." The sort of money he never has any hope of seeing in his life. Something Sam's fine with, as long as he's comfortable. "How long until the countdown? I have my UBER scheduled for quarter after."

"i can do that." a nod follows, to solidify the fact. if there was anything layla could be to help samuel, she could be a sounding board for him any time. "day or night, i got'ya." it's times like this where layla has to remind herself to take her own advice, once one who could rather chew her own hand off than ask for help. "they've got enough money for ten gardens. botanical gardens."

@samucl-kane

[samucl-kane]

"It'll happen when it does, but no matter how or when, it doesn't make me less happy for you," Sam insists, wanting to make sure she knows it. His heart swells with excitement for her in this new chapter of her life. "Into the garden, or into the dating scene? I definitely need help for the second thing, but if you're up for it, and have the time, you should claim a box in the garden. Once it's confirmed I have the green light from the mayor's office and the funding."

@ponderosus

"it's never a good idea to get in a relationship if you're not feeling ready for one." layla nods. or at least, that's what she's been told. this is her first one. maybe it was time to dip away from the subject of relationships, the very mention hers seem to dredge out some melancholy in way too many people. "oh! — that's so good!" layla's eye's light up, which usually manifested at any mention of botanicals. she shouldn't be surprised considering who she was talking to. "let me know when you get back into it, i'd love to help out."

@samucl-kane