mvrcer​:

“Jesus, where’d the time go.” And judging by the look on Dante’s face, they were thinking the same thing. It was a little DAUNTING to see how fast time went by and how much faster it seemed to pass, year after year as he aged. Watching children grow up seemed only to illustrate that. “Listen, five months is a lot for me when I’m sittin’ around doing nothing. Felt like an eternity.”

Jude laughed, “Yeah; phone necessary.” He pretended to consider their request; rubbing his chin. “Don’t know, ‘think it’d be pretty funny to witness Maeve rubbing it in.” A moment later he dropped the act though, chuckling with a gesture of reassurance. “She’ll definitely be glad, but don’t worry; you can count on me to provide cover and delay the gloating until at least after the tour.”

Dante grinned. Tiago also grew like a lil sprout, just... started making all the inches in the last few years, before they knew it, he was going to be as tall as him... or hopefully taller. Dante hoped he would become as tall as his mom, that would be a sight to see. They saw a lot of her in their son, his eyes for once, but also some of his mannerisms. A lot more was genetics than people realised. "Okay, fair, that's true, time goes differently for you. He also grows really fast."

Dante shook their head in amusement. "See, I knew I could count on you, I will count on you, and she'll laugh at me in return. Or we'll have to make sure to miss her, then i can come in the next day and look like I already know the place by heart." They imagined it for a moment. It would be fun to look like they knew what they were doing.

matildahq​:

mattie smiles back at the other, “i know right? sucks for me. yeah, it’s a lot but i’ve got strong arms”. a laugh falls from her lips, “doordash? have you not used it before, it’s what most people use to order in these days” mattie tells them. “i’ve tried to get them to use it but they prefer to do things the old fashioned way”. 

"Oh, I guess I'm old fashioned too then," they said. Dante grinned. "I usually order from the website, but I mostly like to just... go places. Then again, I never have to get lunch for a whole office, I don't work in one, that must be why. Do you need help?" they rambled on.

emma-caine​:

Emma watched as the other held a hand out as if wanting the note from her but she’d already dropped it in the mostly empty garbage bin and grimaced back at them. “I’m sorry…I just figured it was a random prank or something equally silly.” Emma laughed at their words and shrugged, “while a free lunch is never a bad idea, I don’t know if mine and their’s schedule would’ve matched up well,” she let out a soft chuckle knowing that she hardly ever got time for an actual lunch during her days and mostly just opted for some snack type meals. “Anyways–how are you doing?”

-

"You never know, could've been the start of a beautiful friendship." Or perhaps Dante themselves liked to believe that, for one, their mother always liked to do those things. She used to go to introduction classes and such in her free time, she was always making new friends and learning new things. They must've gotten their passion for other people's passions from her. "Oh, good, good, I mean... it will take a few minutes to stop thinking about the consequences of that message, but... how are you?"

mvrcer​:

“Small world, huh?” Jude chuckled, sitting back in his chair with an almost-exhausted sigh — he’d CERTAINLY eaten his lion’s share tonight. “Speaking of which, how old’s your kid now? Feel like I haven’t seen him in ages.” The latter being his own fault, given how busy he’d been and considering he’d been away for nearly half a year, but that was partly why he’d invited Dante out to catch up with them.

He could practically SEE the cogs turning in Dante’s mind at the idea, and he grinned as he watched them consider it. Jude had never been that way; hardly ever the ‘try anything once’ type on a whim; probably credited to his stubbornness. But he admired that outlook about Dante. “That’s what I’m talking about!” he cheered, chuckling. “Throw me a text once you book the trial in, I’ll schedule my workouts so that we can be at the gym at the same time. It’ll be great, you’ll love it.”

“Big city,” Dante agreed, they grinned and could almost imagine them walking into the club at the same time, though it had never happened. They didn’t know all of Maeve’s friends, or those who went to the gym. They had friends from all walks of life, that’s how they liked it. “He’s... ten,” Dante said, cheeks slightly red because they had to think about that. He grew up so fast, they could still remember when he was a little baby. “Probably only a few months, but sure: ages.” They chuckled. 

“I have to use my phone for that?” they asked. “Okay, okay, I got this, I’ll shoot you a message, you will have to meet me and then take over the guided tour to cover if Maeve sees me, she’ll gloat, I am certain of it. Secretly, I think she’ll be glad I’m finally going to work out.” 

emma-caine​:

status: open for (2/4) @vancitystarters​​ location: anywhere really

She’d just completed a rather long shift and was on her way home when she’d run into someone. Emma had just been about to tell them to watch out for others and at least apologize when she realized the other person had stuck a note in her hand. That was weird. Not to mention Emma thought note passing only happened in high school and junior high. But here she stood, unraveling a random piece of paper. “’You were right. I was wrong. I’ll buy you lunch tomorrow.’ Well that’s not weird at all.” 

She couldn’t help but say the words aloud, honestly still surprised that this had even happened just now. The only people who would give notes as adults–were probably bank robbers as well and given the subject of this note–luckily that wasn’t the case. “Well whoever they’re going to buy lunch for are definitely going to be surprised…hopefully in a good way,” she said to whomever was nearby as she crumbled up the paper once more and tossed it in the garbage bin.

Dante looked just as confused, though perhaps even more. And when the note was crumbled, they felt heart-broken for a moment. “Oh no,” they said, holding out a hand. “Maybe they would’ve come back for it,’ they said, watching it disappear into the garbage bin. “Or maybe you could’ve gotten free lunch out of it,” they suggested. 

mvrcer​:

“Oh, you know Maeve then?” Jude asked, mildly surprised yet given how small a world it always seemed to be, he needn’t have been. “She’s a good girl, runs the place well. I bet she’d like it if you did join — anyone who’s into fitness wants to see others take part. You got your Exhibit A right here.” Still focused on his food but knowing he had space for only a little more, Jude scoured the dishes nearby for something he hadn’t tried yet. “Hmm, bit of everything, though I’ll usually train specific parts of the body each day. If I only go once a week, I’ll do a mixed workout.” This was another one of the many things Jude had encouraged Dante to get into — and he was aware that he had a habit of doing so, but it was only because he liked spending time with them and the more activities in the common, the more opportunity for that, right? He set his cup aside following a final gulp of mead, bringing the water closer in it in it’s stead. “It’s flexible. You could even come in and do a trial run one day, see if it suits you?”

Dante grinned and nodded. “I know her, yes,” they said. “Pretty well, I would say, only I think she keeps me around so she can chill with Tiago.” They nodded some more, trying to envision themselves sporting, and not being too sure about it. But that was the thing about Dante, when someone came with a good argument, or when someone was especially passionate and took them along, they eventually got into it. They alway ended up with far too many hobbies. 

These things were what got them over the edge, if they were promised a nice lesson to try it out, that usually was what got them into something. That and someone else’s passion, though an introduction lesson usually was met with someone who was passionate about it. They had once started drinking Scotch Whiskey after a very fun guided tour through a distillery in Scotland. They also always gave money to good causes when they met those on the streets. “Okay, a trail run actually sounds like fun!”

rafesullivan​:

❝ at sully’s tavern, capped ¾ — @vancitystarters​

“I know​ I might be biased—” he absolutely was— “but there’s nothing else around like Matt’s brew.” Say what you wanted about a man like Rafferty Sullivan, but he was nothing if not one hundred percent supportive of his little brother’s endeavors. “You try it yet?”

Dante shook his head. “Nope,” they said, looking at the beer and the tavern, perhaps they should be ordering it. “Why are you biased?” they asked, thinking they could easily be convinced, so who knew, they might go for it. Even though they had placed a cap on the amount of alcohol they consumed. 

Dante smiled, they too had no idea what doordash was. But they enjoyed starting random conversations about subjects that were far from their bed-side. “You are getting lunch for your whole office? That’s a lot of lunch? Don’t they order in? Or... what is doordash?” Not that they would ever have to get lunch for big groups of people... or well, not anytime soon, things might change quickly in Dante’s line of business.

open starter / location: holy chow (@vancitystarters​) 

“i’m just gonna say sorry now, you’re gonna be waiting for a while ‘cause of me” mattie was picking up lunch for the office she worked at. “my bosses have no idea how doordash works, even though i’ve showed ‘em like fifty times” she carries on, “so they still order food the old fashioned way and then of course, i’ve got to go get it”. 

rosewcterdrunk​:

Halen was suddenly convinced the person before her was heaven sent at this point, and their offer was taken with gratitude. She nodded to their point, adding, “I’m sure the cost goes up when you’re snipping orchids to garnish a plate of food that would probably still leave a two year old hungry.”

“I work over at a few hotels uptown,” She said. “I’m a housekeeper. It’s fast paced and the tips keep me coming back, so it’s not too bad. Plus I do get an employee’s discount on those overpriced snacks.”

Dante nodded and chuckled. “Probably,” they agreed. “I am pretty sure that if we would eat at an expensive place we would still want to go for the Mac afterwards,” they suggested. 

“Ah, is a housekeeper like… a cleaning person?” they asked, not sure about it, all these other words that were used these days. They felt old, but that didn’t mean they weren’t looking to constantly learn. “Do you get good tips there? I can imagine rich people not tipping so well.”

logan8bentley​:

Logan had no idea really it wasn’t anything he  ate or anything people he knew ate really. “I don’t know where I am from in Texas we don’t have much of it if we do” he chuckled a moment.  He looked at him and shook his head “I mean I know it’s bigger then it used to be but I am not one for it  and most people I know are more of a fan of meats” he did his best to eat right but still he did eat a lot of it. He raised cattle at his ranch back home for food, he hunted he did it all really. “The part of Texas I am from it’s rare still I don’t think I remember seeing the like plant based meats in stores at all” he shook his his head. “I don’t think many people who are would be a fan of me what I do… well did for work he shrugged. 

“That is crazy but I mean dont we hear every few years it seems like the world is gonna end” and so far it has not so who knew how that was going to go. “But I hope you both live another 40 years or so “ he smiled “But really you never know my grandpa was a old rancher worked everyday of his life from the time he was a kid he was working on the ranch, never stopped till he really dropped “he did do less as he got older and the family made him but still till the week he passed he still be down giving water to the animals. 

-

“You probably do, but you’re not looking in the right place yet,” Dante said. “I mean… eight percent,” they repeated. That meant that even Texas had plenty of Vegans, even meat-loving countries like Spain. “You can be a fan of meats, and still care for the planet,” they said. “Just… eat less. Obviously my kid made me go overboard, but I do think eating less meat is what is needed to save the planet.” They would never hold it against people if they ate meat. Though they felt like their son might, he might care far more and far more dangerously as well. It wasn’t fair that young kids like him had to carry all the responsibility. 

“I mean… there are 2012 and all that, but this one is based on studies, we hear it every year because it gets less every year. It’s called the tipping point, basically when we’ve reached a certain degree in temperature rising and we can’t come back from there.” Dante had started to believe it, it was hard not to when he got so much information on it. “I mean… that’s good for him, but he lived in different times as well,” Dante said. If they had to believe their parents, the generation before them hadn’t had it that great. Their parents had left to find something better in Europe, and now they had migrated to find something better in Canada. Only time would tell if their son would end up doing the same as well.

mvrcer​:-

“It’s the Sullivan clan’s homemade potion. I hear the recipe’s TOP SECRET; maybe the mystery lends itself to the high demand. Maybe the ol’ Rattle needs an exclusive drink on the menu, too.” Jude pretended to mull it over, stroking his bearded chin thoughtfully. “Whaddaya think, Dante: should I dabble in brewery next?” It was all in jest and evidently so, of course — despite running a bar, he wouldn’t exactly say it was his calling.

"I keep tellin’ ya to join my gym. TRANSCEND has top-notch facilities, you’d like it.” He leaned over the table with a grunt, grabbing the jug of water sitting on the other side and hauling it back over to theirs; though not without a tiny spill first. “Food and water, my friend.” Jude’s pour was successfully despite the haze in his vision: one for them and one for himself, before raising his newly-filled glass of water in mock-cheers. “Here’s to not getting sloshed OR hungover.” Unlikely.

“Top secret? I always wonder what happens if like... you have a secret recipe and you have someone who is very good with recognising what’s in it, like a top chef or something. Are they sworn to secrecy, you think? Is there a chef pact?” Dante smiled, they were spending far too much time with Tiago, his natural curiosity was rubbing off on them. And the need to turn unknown things into stories. “I am sounding like my son, last week I couldn’t help him understand why zebra’s have stripes and he decided to make up his own reason.” 

“I should join it one day... I’ve helped the owner in the past, but she’s always... I don’t think she cares that much if I go to the gym or not, or maybe Tiago has distracted her too often,” they said with a laugh. And they continued to laugh when Jude raised his glass in cheer. Dante was quick to follow, sharing a quick salud. At some point they would switch back to alcohol, but for now they felt comfortable, and they liked that point. Where the world looked just a little softer. “What do you do at the gym?” they asked.

logan8bentley​:

He did like all types of food really and was into trying them all. But was more one that enjoyed the meats more then the rest. He was just raised that way to enjoy meats and things that were not that good for you. Full of butter and everything that made food good, but wasn’t good for you. But he was going to always eat them and he knew it.

“I don’t know if that’s a thing… maybe? “ he had no idea if they made  carne asada vegan yet. “it’s so good like I cant help but love it but they also have it in burritos too” well sort of. He thought it was really more American then real Mexican food.  “That’s good for your son to do their part” he smiled a moment. “I am not that side of thing but I’ve worked a cattle farm before and I don’t think we will like have any issues any time soon”

-

“Probably,” Dante said in response. “I’ve found out that there are a lot of vegan things nowadays, and if not in the store, then google certainly has good recipes. I learned some actual vegan dishes as well... I mean, I learned how to cook them. I am sure I can find someone who managed to fake the taste.” They smiled. “Did you know that eight percent of the world population is vegetarian or vegan or something in between? That’s... almost one in ten people. Kind of amazing. I remember when I was young it was rare to find someone who didn’t eat meat.” 

“He’s really into Greta Thunberg, says the world will end in... six years. I don’t mind giving it up, I got forty years on this planet already, I would like my son to have forty years of this as well, at least,” they said with a smile. “You’re still optimistic about it all then? That’s good, we need those people too.” 

odionabaza​:

“Oh, that’s rough. More power to you. I wouldn’t have that willpower. I would be popping the mints left and right to mask the smell.” Odion found himself replying, laughing shortly after.  “Yeah, it’s something I can’t put words towards. But hey I might ask - that kind of things bugs me until I have some answers.” 

-

Dante chuckled. “One look at his sad face and I was done for, really. I think it would be different if he wasn’t my son,” they explained. “I would’ve never even thought about it if not for him. I do like some good bacon. They do have good substitutes, vegan alternatives.” They nodded. “Me too, especially when it comes to food, it’s... like, you know the expression ‘it’s on the tip of my tongue’? But then it’s actually on the tip of your tongue.” 

rosewcterdrunk​:

“Well, don’t mind if I do,” Halen said with a grin, taking the offering. She had just managed to escape what felt like the longest shift at one of the hotels and found herself unable to help involve herself in the celebrations at hand. The fry was like a victory against a day of endless feeble requests. With a tilt of her head back in momentary euphoria, she nodded. “Damn. That is good. The place I work out has somethin’ like this on their appetizers, and they charge an arm and a leg. This is definitely givin’ ‘em a run for their money.”

“An arm and a leg? That sounds like too much to be asking for fries, and herbs can’t be that expensive... at least I think these were herbs. My mom always told me expensive food usually only offers more in presentation, you can make good food with cheap stuff too, you just need to know how to season it,” Dante said, taking another fry for themselves, before holding out the small container again. “Have some more if you want,” they offered. “What place do you work at?” 

logan8bentley​:

“I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s gravy… or like it?” he wasn’t to sure if it was gravy or just some sauce that was all over the fires. “They do so much with spices and sauces who knows” he smiled a moment, they were good. “They are so good, like it’s type of meat beef that’s cooked in Mexico it has cheese and sour cream, peppers and good fries, it’s soo good” he smiled a moment. “But I have not seen it around here…”  it was to far up north he guessed for real good Mexican food. The most he saw around here was taco  bells and other chain places.  “ the meat is    carnitas  but they call it carne asada fries” he smiled.

Wasn’t gravy also made from animals? Dante wondered, then decided that if it was, they could be spared this one, because they weren’t certain to begin with. Or maybe not tell their son at all about the gravy and the fries. They nodded, while their father and mother were both from Mexico, this dish in particular wasn’t something that had made it into their childhood, perhaps it was too new, after all, they had not been back that often, and Dante hadn’t visited since they were twenty-four. 

Carne asada fritas, they smiled at that, recognising the language. “I will have to check if they have a vegetarian version of it, then. I promised my son to stop eating meat, he says it’s the only way to save the planet, and he can be very... forceful,” they said with a grin. 

angelsrojas​:

“You hadn’t even heard of it?” Angel asks, eyes wide at the very notion. Spending most of his life in the States from birth to his forties could be responsible for just how uncultured he felt at that moment, which only made him curious about whether a lack of Halloween knowledge was unique to Dante or a universal experience elsewhere. 

“What a holiday to have to learn about as an adult. Must seem so strange, does it?” Stranger still it would have been if they had been completely unaware of the holiday only to have Angel implying some sort of Satanic ode ensemble. 

“I think we just locked in a costume pact,” He says as though it was serious, his hand held out to the other for a friendly shake on it. The chances were he would forget, but in the present it was fun to pretend otherwise. 

“Uhm, maybe heard of it, but in passing mostly. You know Hocus Pocus came out when I was in my twenties, so I really wasn’t that excited to watch kid’s movies,” they said, grinning. “And we didn’t have a holiday near the end of October in the Netherlands. Though I did get the 1st of November off when I lived in Spain but that was because of All Saint’s Day. Tiago is actually the only reason I learned about Halloween.” 

“Oh, it’s very strange, I don’t understand how the candies got into that. I thought at first it was like Carnaval,” Dante said. “Which is like... a huge festival in the Netherlands in February/March when everyone dresses up and they drink beer, dance, and they have all these uhm, parades. Like South American carnaval but gloomier.” They had lived in Noord Holland for most of their life in the Netherlands, but of course once they had hit sixteen they had travelled south to partake in the festivities and participate in hossen and polonaise. They smiled fondly at the memory. 

Dante nodded with a determined face and shook Angel’s hand. “It’s a deal, I’ll ask Siri to add a note for next year,” they added with a laugh. Though they counted on Siri, Siri kept them sane. 

jacexevans​:

CITY BREW PUB w/ @vancitystarters​

“Chocolate tequila? They really will make anything, won’t they?”

Dante nodded, smiling, then took a sip from the tequila. They made a face, putting the glass down again. “That they do, but some things are really a mistake.”