Master Bedroom
Evelyn listened intently, her eyes locked on Rip’s as he spoke. She watched the subtle movements of his brow, the way his eyes seemed to drift into memories, and the soft lines that appeared around his mouth. Her fingers traced these contours, feeling the softness of his beard against her skin. It was unexpected, this gentleness, and it contrasted beautifully with the strong, rugged features of his face.

As she explored these details, she realized how much she enjoyed discovering these little nuances about him. A beard was not something she had ever imagined in a partner, yet here she was, finding it deeply endearing and integral to the man she was growing to love.

"Really? Not anything else?"

she asked softly, her voice filled with genuine curiosity and affection.

She continued to trace her fingers through the thickness of his beard, lost in the texture and the comfort it brought.

"I find it hard to believe that someone as passionate and driven as you wouldn’t have any other dreams or desires. Maybe something you’ve never said out loud before?"

Her eyes held his, searching for any hint of a hidden dream or unspoken wish.

"I want to know all of you, Rip. Even the parts you’ve never shared with anyone. It’s important to me."

Evelyn smiled warmly, her fingers pausing in their gentle exploration as she leaned in closer.

"We’re building a life together, and I want it to be filled with dreams—both fulfilled and those yet to be realized. Tell me, what do you secretly wish for, even if it’s something small or something you think is silly?"

Inside
"Immersed, like in hallucinogens? Shit, you wearing a wire?" Though it may just as well be that you had to look out for your, like, public image?
Qalli had no idea what famous-people-concerns you were juggling, or maybe you just didn't trust her as a member of the public to take careful custody of her opportunity at the rumor mill.

"Yeah, or at least that's what the test says. Who knows if it's accurate, they send you that kit and it's like 'yeah scrape your cheeks, spit in the tube' or whatever, who knows if it's picking up all of your DNA or whatever's been in your mouth, right?"

There was a slant to the way she worded her doubts, jabbing the point of her tongue to poke her cheek out, a giggle dancing her septum piercing.

"I mean I'm fairly eclectic — I just said I was listening to ancient Javanese ceremonial music. I was partial to Glamorama, though…"

Her attention fixed to how you easily picked up the cue to share the melon, like a lightweight dessert or something, delighting in how her interest in your music seemed to impart a certain glow. "Sounds like hard work, though. Like I might paint what I see, or maybe some jewelry or knit something and yeah it bears some mark of my soul on it, but I think music feels even more intimate than that. 'S kinda why I always wanted to date a musician, like do you feel more in touch with yourself?"

G

Grinding

Red

Belly

button

Panic

Master Bedroom
He heard the compassion in your voice and it adhered him more to you, and he felt that connection deepen more to you. He turned his hand as you continued those gentle circles, entwining his fingers with yours he lifted your hand up and placed a kiss across your fingers

"Thank you Eve...At the time it hurt and upset me, but I have come to learn if I had not gone through that, and had the help of my brothers I might not be the man I am today."

He saw the empathy in your eyes and kissed your hand again

"We sure did and I am grateful for that my brothers are great men and I am lucky to have them as my family, and we are growing our family Ace has Vee, Zeb has Blaze and now I have you."

He reached up with his other hand to caress your cheek lovingly

"I am glad you are here Eve glad you are in my life and we can support each other."

He squeezed your hand when you ran your fingers ran through his hair

"Your welcome Eve I want you to know everything, and it means a lot to me that you think that way about me."

There was a rise to his brows when you asked him that

"Ohhh that is a very good question truthfully I do not know I mean when I was younger I used to dream of having a ranch and now I have one with my brothers. I do not think I ever dreamed of anything else."

emergency

C

captivating

connect

join

necessity

Inside
Well, he mentioned K-pop as a more western-enjoyed style of music, which is enjoyed by the indonesians as much as anyone. Brix included! That shit was catchy!

"Deeply immersed in what?"

His eyes traveling from your food, back up to your face. Watching you eat. No scrutinization in his vision, it was more like he was painting a mental picture at the moment. And then your words about travel... You mention your origins, and he nods along, like you were reciting any other bit of information.

"Mmmm... I saw that, on your profile you said you were 3% black. No other information than that, huh?" His eyes lower a bit, but the grin remains, a little bit of a challenge in those last few words.

Your response to his comment about Hooligan's has him laughing. But he doesn't offer up the fact he was playing, afterward.

"So you are a recent adopter of Hip-hop, huh?" A bit of a boost to his Ego. You knew who he was without knowing his music, per say. That made him feel a bit more famous... He leans forward, his elbows gently resting on the table as he uses his fork to spear a bit of melon.

Pressing it to the flat of his tongue in his mouth and closing around it. His next words suffused with the scent of melon...

"New album comin' soon. Blockhead. Any of my songs you like?"

Master Bedroom
Evelyn sat with a pensive expression, absorbing every word of Rip's poignant story. She could feel the weight of his childhood memories in the air, and her heart ached for the young boy he once was. Gently, she traced comforting circles on his hand, offering silent solace as he shared his past with her.

"I'm sorry you had to go through such a tough childhood, Rip,"

she said softly, her eyes filled with empathy.

"But it sounds like you and your brothers found a way to support each other, to become a family in the truest sense of the word."

She inched closer to him and tenderly rested her forehead against his, a gesture of unspoken solidarity.

"I’m so glad you have each other, and now, we have each other too. I want to be here for you, just as you are for me."

Evelyn let out a soft, reassuring smile, her fingers delicately brushing through his hair.

"Thank you for sharing that with me. It means a lot to know more about your past, about what shaped you into the incredible man you are today."

She paused, her gaze locked onto his with a tender expression.

"Tell me something...what's one thing you’ve always dreamed of doing...but haven’t had the chance to yet?"

she wanted to know everything. everything. moments like this meant the world and the sharing was something she had not been able to do for along time, so she would cherish every single word you shared with her.

Inside
Qalli stopped to absorb that answer in silence for a moment as you pivoted to K-pop to talk about it as though it was just an 'Over there' thing, or just as one piece of a long answer that left her a little lost.

"It's like from thousands of years ago, it hits crazy when you're deeply immersed," she continued, rather than answered, necessarily.

About travel, though, she hesitated to form an answer that she thought really qualified. "Ain't been to one just yet, that's definitely a bucket-list thing? I do want to go somewhere-in-Africa one day, though — I'm like three percent African and like four percent Cherokee."

Seconds later, she blinked and parsed your answer for a moment. "Ooooh, yeah my mom's a huge gamer — Candy Crush, yeah? Oh, and Subway Surfers, I played Among Us with the stream, Bloons…"

Counting on her fingers, like this was a big connecting moment. She was in the middle of taking a drink when you mentioned rats, causing her to freeze with her cheeks slightly bulged out, brows crashed in concern.

"Oh my god."

Nearing the bottom of her salad after a difficult swallow of that water, she decided she'd get her fluids from the peaches-not-with-cream and cubed watermelon instead.

"Yeah I'm kinda embarrassed to admit I looked up some of your music after we set a time to go out — hiphop's not my usual thing but I liked what I heard. People are saying you're gonna drop a new album soon or something?"

Qalli Mmm!'d at the fruit and slid the bowl to the middle of the table to invite you to pluck at it if you wanted to.

The House
I should also go attempt sleep again. Work comes too early.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/761c075d0771b4a52fe547b2def9497a/6fe02bddcbba47ff-f1/s640x960/b304e193057e77d50c83463c37eb525ac977b257.webp

The House
Safe travels and have fun!

Master Bedroom
He smiled wider when he heard you say ours, you kept tracing those circles on his hand and it soothed him even more. He moved up a little more to lay the side of his head on the pillow, his eyes never leaving you

"I am very happy to hear you are comfortable here cause this is your home now."

A bold statement maybe but it was truthful

"We will share everything with each other."

He looked away for a second a sigh spilling from his lips

"Well the few cherished memories I have from my childhood all have my brothers in them. My parents were not the greatest well more my father, my mother tried.

The day Zeb, Ace and I became blood brothers is a cherished memory the three of us were always together, cause their situation at home was like mine. We always hung out and did things that kids do and one day we were down at the waters edge. It was after school and we had gone home and done our chores and Zeb's father had gone on a tirade about something. Got in his face, raised his hand to hit him but he got away and ran to Ace's place got him and they came and got me. We were talking about how our home life sucked and skipping rocks, and Ace said you know we are like brothers we should make it official by becoming blood brothers, always be there for each other no matter what so we made a cut on the palm of our hands and did just that.

It hurt but it was one of the best things we ever did."