[ TOM COLLINS ]  which living person would they most want to meet?

somewhat surprisingly , myles hasn't gotten the chance to meet living legend wayne gretsky yet . but maybe that's a good thing ... he'd probably squeal and embarrass himself upon seeing him in real life . i mean , c'mon , myles is literally named after him ( myles wayne bang ) .

[ mint julep ]  which was their dream job as a kid?

that's an EASY one : myles' dream job was — and has always been — being a professional hockey player ... it was hockey or NOTHING for him . #living_the_dream !

NCT 127 - MARK LEE

myles is too NICE for jail . he might act macho on the ice , but put him behind bars , and he'd probably just burst into tears . he's not sure he's willing to risk time for a couple of hotdogs when he could just buy them himself . oh , the joys of having a multimillion dollar contract working in your favor ! " i would NEVER punch you ... on purpose , at least . besides , you don't even look like a clown . they've got big , red noses and yours is so small and petite , bro . well ... besides the swelling . hm ... y'know , with your nose all taped up , you just might be able to PASS for a clown after all . you got a red marker somewhere ? i think we really might be able to make this happen ... " because that's definitely what elias needs right now . head tilts to the side in confusion . he can't imagine lari would punch elias in the face unless they had a really good reason . something tells myles that elias is leaving out an INTEGRAL part of this story . " uh huh ... well , they're , like , dating , aren't they ? you disrespect someone's girl , you should expect some sort of RETALIATION . what did you do ? and don't say NOTHING , you fibber . "

                    honestly   …       elias   doesn’t   have   the   slightest   idea   if   cheating   in   a   hotdog   eating   contest   is   something   you   can   get   arrested   for   .       and   really   ,   he   couldn’t   care   less   .       more   than   anything   ,   he’s   probably   in   it   for   the   thrill   of   potentially   getting   caught   and   landing   in   hotdog   jail   over   it   .       i   mean   ,   come   on   ,   it’s   a   killer   story   .       perfect   material   for   his   stand - up   routine   .       so   ,   yeah   ,   he’s   all   in   ,   even   if   myles   is   chickening   out   now   .       “   dude   …   ?       you   really   think   you’d   get   canceled   for   punching   a   clown   ?       i   can’t   believe   it   ,   dude   …       that   sounds   …       totally   something   you’d   do   .       wait   a   minute   …       maybe   i’m   the   clown   !       the   one   who   gets   you   in   hot   water   ,   lands   you   in   hotdog   jail   ,   and   then   you   finally   clock   me   one   .       it   makes   sense   .   ”       no   ,   it   doesn’t   .       it’s   just   as   ridiculous   as   everything   else   they’ve   been   tossing   around   .       but   hey   ,   they’re   best   friends   .       it   figures   that   elias’   brand   of   crazy   would   rub   off   on   myles   ,   and   vice   versa   .       “   nah   ,   don’t   worry   —   you’re   still   my   main   supplier   of   hockey   injuries   .       this   ?       courtesy   of   lari   .       yep   ,   they   broke   my   nose   .       said   it   was   their   turn   to   punch   me   ,   can   you   believe   that   ?       after   all   i’ve   done   for   them   .       then   they   go   and   side   with   mona   .       i   mean   ,   seriously   ?       taking   the   word   of   a   gold   digger   over   their   best   friend’s   .       i’m   still   salty   .   ”

it's like he forgets this is supposed to be a FAKE friendship ... myles really is not unlike a puppy : thinks everyone is his friend all the time . " aw , you didn't ? " he pouts a little . truthfully , he hadn't really been looking into the crowd for her too much ( far too focused on the game at hand ) , but every time he had , she'd had her phone in her hand . myles is a little DISAPPOINTED that she hadn't got it for her instagram story . " ah , it's okay ! you'll get it next time . " shoots her a friendly smile , " well , did you have any other plans for the night ? you hungry ? i usually like to celebrate a win with a fat burger . "

          there's  a  forced  smile  on  her  face  when  she  looks  at  myles   ——   truth  to  be  told  ,  camille  has  been  on  her  phone  half  of  the  time  so  she  definitely  has  missed  it  .   “   yeah  ,  yeah  ,  i  totally  saw  that  ,   ”   she  agrees  anyways  ,  head  nodding  to  further  reassure  him  .   “   too  bad  i  didn't  get  it  on  camera  but  hey  ,  at  least  we  both  know  you  did  it  ,  am  i  right  ?   ”

" i dunno , probably something like the teleporter from fantastic four . you know , where they gotta suit up like they're going to space and then get in those WEIRD metal tubes ... do you remember that too , or did i just make that up ? " maybe he needs to rewatch that movie before attempting to conjure up a teleportation device . nose wrinkles up suddenly , " i'd hate for my last name to be cabbage . " right , because that's DEFINITELY what she just said . " but more power to her — i also believe in her ! " she calls him handsome , and now the only thing he can really focus on is willing his ears not to go BRIGHT red . then she squeezes his cheek , and he knows there's no hiding his flush . guess he'll just have to roll with it ... his face is ALWAYS this pink , yup ! " i don't know , silly . that's why i brought you with me . " it's not like he's going to wear them anyways . he'll just continue squinting to see on the ice . " shopping for glasses is kinda stupid when you think about it ... you have to try on glasses with fake lenses , so you can't even really see what they look like anyways ! "

“      and what kind of teleportation machine would you invent,     hmm?      ”      dainty hands reach forward to fix his glasses,     eyeing him curiously as they did so,      “     and if your idea is oh so stellar,     you could always sell it or inspire a bright and ambitious mind with it.      i know someone from columbia,     y’know?      she believes she will be the next charles babbage and i believe her      —---      and they don’t make you look like a nerd,     they make you look smart and handsome,      ”      they give his cheek a gentle squeeze before pulling away,      “      however,     i think a solid frame would fit you better than a clear one.     what do you think?     or do you like these better?     ”

" you've got a POINT there ... i think it'd come down to a mix of insurance and the government though . i'm sure in the avenger's world , there's like clauses 'n shit in someone's car insurance that says they're protected against a world ending alien or a superhero's pursuit in stopping said alien . " clearly , he's thought about this WAY too much . " but also ... the avengers sorta work with the government , no ? i feel like the president can pay off those people's bills to help them rebuild . at the end of the day though , it's like ... crush someone's car or let the aliens win ? " shoulders lift in a shrug , " i'd have to go with crushing someone's car . the aliens CAN'T win , gem ! " a very impassioned speech , indeed . myles makes a mental note to visit benny on set and pester the director with logistical questions like these . " being employed in a sport is both a blessing and a curse ... on one hand , i'm literally living the DREAM ... on the other , it's like ... what am i even doing with my life during the off season ? " hockey is his entire life , after all . he can't help but feel a little LOST without it . " just know that whenever you decide to release some new shit , i will be forcing it onto the practice playlist . i am something of a dj , if i do say so myself . "

brows raised just slightly as gemma entertained his logic for a few minutes. comparisons of rogue frisbees and captain america's shield are totally reasonable. "oh yeah, that makes total sense. probably should practice some more, preferably not when i'm nearby." she chuckled. who was she to ruin myles' superhero delusions. "although i always wonder like are the avengers and other superheroes paying for the damage that happens during all the save the world fighting. like the parked cars that get demolished and all that shit. are they paying for hospital bills of innocent bystanders who get hurt?" these were the questioned that plagued her mind whenever she watched those type of movies. "hockey season isn't even over yet and you're already mourning it?" she inquired with a confused little laugh. gemma wondered if she just hadn't been paying attention. then again, she didn't really follow hockey as much. her knowledge of the sport was very limited. the singer glad when myles changed the subject. "i'm doin' good, and working on music. as always." she grinned at the image of a bunch of hockey players jamming to one of her songs. "nice, appreciate the free promo. that's a good one people love to get hyped up with."

" so you think ghosts are real . " is the only thing that myles gets from that statement , head tilting to the side . he really does his best NOT to consider the supernatural ( he's a bit of a WIMP ) , but he's never got the vibe that harlowe would believe in such a thing . they're always so ... harlowe . myles feels like they should be telling him to stop believing in ghost conspiracies and get real , not feeding into them ! " well , i don't even know if i'd come back as a ghost ... does everyone come back as a ghost or is it like ... only people with unfinished business ? 'cause i don't think i've really got any of that ... unless my contractual obligation to the new york islanders counts . i'd be honored to be the first ghost to play in the nhl though ! " he'll add it to his bucket list ... his POST - kicking - the - bucket bucket list , that is . " oh that's ... REALLY embarrassing , actually . maybe a good thing though ? at least his date will know that he's not worth her time if he's gonna act like that . " he cringes . " well ... i mean , sorta ? i guess i don't know for sure why any of my exes decided to date me , but ... it just feels LOGICAL to me . i dunno , i usually develop feelings for someone once they've shown that they're a nice person . nobody wants to date a meanie ! "

          “  see  ,  you  just  answered  your  own  question  .  ”  the  corner  of  their  lip  twitches  to  hold  back  a  laugh  .  “  oh  yeah  ,  getting  murdered  by  a  carnival  clown  would  definitely  lower  your  street  cred  .  sounds  like  you  spiraled  and  though  through  how  much  of  a  pr  nightmare  it’d  be  .  could  you  imagine  coming  back  as  a  ghost  just  to  witness  all  that  but  not  be  able  to  do  anything  about  it  ?  ”  harlowe  fondly  shakes  their  head  at  his  ramblings  .  it  was  certainly  something  .  how  they  found  themselves  in  the  company  of  such  a  person  ?  they’ll  never  know  .  “  nailed  it  right  on  the  head  .  got  all  pissy  .  tried  to  ask  for  another  shot  without  paying  .  one  of  them  attempted  to  swipe  a  hello  kitty  plush  and  then  fell  ,  ”  they  snicker  at  the  memory  .  “  listen  ,  i  never  try  to  understand  guys  .  it’s  not  worth  the  effort  .  ”  this  coming  from  someone  who’s  more  into  women  than  men  so  …  that  tracks .  “  are  you  speaking  from  experience  ?  ”

" hmm .... does that apply to just ice skates ? or does that include roller skates too ? — i'm actually terrible at rollerskating . something about WHEELS over blades ... it's like they're not as smooth . maybe we should do that next time so we're BOTH stumbling . " he suggests , a light TEASING tone lacing his words . maybe he's onto something though ; surely , it'd make yeji feel better if he's the one flailing around . myles is skating backwards , making it look like it's nothing , and being sure to keep a close eye on her in case he needs to swoop in and rescue her from colliding with the ice . he laughs when she stumbles a little , " i know , i know ! that's why i suggested it . they've got a BUNCH of yummy pastries . maybe we need to do a taste test of all of them ... " he's never one to say no to a little treat , " see ? you've got the spirit now . sometimes all you need is a little distraction for a moment . when i get frustrated , i'm either out on the ice or playing a video game . going on the HUNT for a specific villager in animal crossing is also a great distraction , you know . " he pauses , " do you like video games ? i'm always open for recommedations . but nothing HORROR ! i'm kinda a scaredy cat ... "

"i mean it in the best way possible! i promise it means your a reliable friend." it's reassuring and comforting that she always knows what she's going to get when she sees him. even when he surprises her by taking her to an ice rink, she knows how she'll feel around him. it's an easy friendship. "when it comes to this, i have zero faith! anything else, maybe, but being on skates? absolutely not." she laughed, as she stumbled about, mostly just moving forward and putting her hands out in front of her to, hopefully, balance herself. "that does sound amazing. oh my god, that sounds so good right now. and you know how much i love croissants!" she almost trips out of excitement. "okay-okay. so. maybe this is working. like... i can't think of anything else but good hot choco, amazing treat, and how cold it is. but at least i'm not thinking about how stressed i was before, i forgot what i was so worried about...maybe ice is magic."

" wait ... there's a shrek musical ? but how do they get a DONKEY to follow cues on stage ? like ... does someone voice over for the donkey via microphone ? " innovative idea , myles ! but terribly incorrect . head tilts , not unlike a puppy , as keith scooches himself across the rink . weren't dancers supposed to be elegant ? well , myles had FUMBLED his way through a ballet class before . maybe this was payback . " ice skating helps a lot with balance , you know , and it gives you strong ankles . honestly , i think they should add it as a part of broadway training . " as if myles knows ANYTHING about that . he's skating circles around keith , like a blood-sniffing shark , as he talks . " ... i wouldn't say bashing people's heads in . " he purses his lips , although he definitely has participated in his fair share of knocking someone's teeth out . myles comes to a HALT in front of keith , leaning forward and holding a hand out to him . " you're an athlete in your own right ... even if you're not great at ice skating . hell , i'm sure you can do a BUNCH of things that i can't . you've gotta have great coordination for all the dance breaks you do . "

‘  that’s  what  they  told  me  when  i  auditioned  for  shrek  the  musical  at  age  seven,  but  at  least  they  gave  me  a  lollipop  before  screaming  next,  ‘  keith  shouts  from  across  the  rink,  wincing  as  he  slips  and  slides  and  utterly  fails  to  get  up  from  his  position  on  the  cold,  hard,  career-ending  ground  of  artificial  ice.  eventually  he  just  pushes  himself  across  the  surface.  can  frostbite  result  in  amputated  butt  cheeks?  better  ask  the  cast  of  frozen  when  that  gets  revived.  ‘  i’ve  never  ice  skated  before,  no.  i  think  i  was  too  focused  on  my  respiratory  system  and  not  turning  into  a  banana  split  to  do  anything  you  can  do.  ‘  which  he  can  do  better,  which  keith  isn’t  bitter  about.  no  way.  if  his  smiles  doesn’t  reach  his  eyes,  it’s  because  his  unshed  tears  have  refrigerated  in  his  sockets.  ‘  look,  myles,  i  appreciate  the  offer,  but  isn’t  your  business  bashing  people’s  heads  in  when  they  skate  in  your  way?  if  side-eyeing  under  the  spotlight  isn’t  a  sport,  i’m  not  an  athlete.  ‘

MARK NCT 2023 CONNECTION

closed starter for @opulosers ! ↪ on the ice rink !

he's not entirely sure how they've managed to get here , but now he's kinda wishing they weren't ... keith's form is ... interesting , least to say . " you kinda look like ... like a baby deer taking its first steps . " weren't dancers supposed to be elegant ? " have you never ice skated before , or ... ? what's going on ? help me help you . "

closed starter for @salvateure ! ↪ after a game !

thrill of winning the game has completely blinded him to the fact that they're not actually friends , " — did you see that ?! 5 - 0 ?! did you ?! i made two of those goals — you saw it , right ? "

closed starter for @rainforum ! ↪ shopping perhaps ? emotional support friend at the optometrist ? who's to say ...

" do these glasses make me look like a nerd ? — that's not to say being a nerd is a bad thing . i wish i was a nerd , actually . i'd SO invent a teleportation machine ... why hasn't anybody hopped on that yet ? we as a society have moved past cars . "

closed starter for @lovesues ! ↪ probably playing games together or s/t !

" do you ever do streams of you playing minecraft ? the update where they added the cherry blossoms is really pretty , but the snow is EVIL now . i don't trust walking on it anymore , which is sad , 'cause i love the snow ... it's probably a good thing that i exclusively play on creative . "