To Say Salem Was Surprised When Rohan Offered To Give Her A Ride From The Airport Would Be An Understatement.

FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS A SALEM WEST !

On behalf of all residents in the Valpo Region, we'd like to wish Salem West a very Happy Birthday ! A heart as beautiful as the voice who owns it, the Valpo region is better with you as a resident. Your talented and whimsical mind has brought joy and comfort to multiple residents with us. We're all waiting on the edge of our seats to see what you're going to drop next, and we know the Valpo region will be your number one streamers. The unwavering support you show to your friends, to the point of willing to rewrite history for them is admirable. We hope you feel as loved here as you make those you cherish feel, and we can't wait to ring in your 30s with you next year. While you're in LA we wanted to send a care package of all our favorite Chilean snacks to remind you where your heart lives (with us) ( @cybermuses )

when salem told luna she wanted to get out of the house and explore she didn't anticipate a shopping binge at the street market. despite luna's despair about whatever they had going on being able to reunite with them was exactly what salem needed, it was comforting to know that she had someone familiar in valpo that didn't resent her at the moment. "you know you could just talk to me about it right?" she flashed them a smile in response to the comment about the necklace. salem placed her bags down and began rummaging through her totebag. "i know my life is a mess at the moment but you may need this more than me." she shook her head while pulling a black obsidian stone out of her bag. "wallowing isn't on the agenda for today but if i have to sage you from head to do in the middle of this street market i will. im fully armed."

               the   walk   was   meant   to   be   good   for   them.   a   good   time   with   an   old   friend,   the   sun   on   her   skin,   breathing   in   fresh   air;   it   all   was   meant   to   make   her   feel   better.   and   for   a   short   while,   it   had   worked   !   then   they   passed   by   a   couple   of   buskers   playing   lo   hice,   te   dijé   and   luna   was   reminded   why   they   were   dragged   out   of   their   bedroom   in   the   first   place.   "   daniel,   me   estas   mantando   that's   why   !   "   it   was   their   favorite   band   after   all.   who   hardly   tour.   and   who   decided   to   go   on   tour   smack   dab   in   the   middle   of   their   finals,   and   filming   of   '   klara   and   the   sun   '   meaning   that   she   wouldn't   be   attending   any   shows.   meaning   they   were   in   utter   despair.   "   this   is   really   pretty   by   the   way,   it'll   look   great   on   you.   "   they   pointed   at   a   necklace   in   salem's   ever   growing   pile.   though   their   tone   made   it   hard   to   believe,   luna   really   did   mean   it.   they   were   just   dramatic,   and   couldn't   muster   up   the   enthusiasm   for   the   words   because   her   soul   was   crushed.   "   how   much   longer   until   i   can   go   back   to   wallowing   ?   i   love   to   wallow   "

"listen i know i tend to drink a lot but i do remember the important things." she said sarcastically. as she grabbed a fork from leon she shook her head, "no, i was waiting to be with you when i tried it. that way if it was gross i could give you hell for hyping it up so much." she teased while plating the food for the both of them. it felt like how things used to be back home with leon. she loved going out and traveling but most of her favorite nights were spent at their apartment with him and stevie. the thought of how things used to be made her a bit sad at how badly she'd messed it all up. "we should eat on the balcony. it's not too hot out tonight and i've been dying to see the view in person."

the nickname doesn't go unnoticed and a wave of nostalgia hits him. it's been a while since he's heard the word blondie. flashing images of their life back in new york speed through his head. the late-night conversations, drinks in bars, fucking in the car, her beautiful face when she's just woken up. "i did, didn't i?" he chuckles softly as he opens the container and the smell of pastel de choclo invades the kitchen. "i'm guessing you haven't tried it then." the man grabs two plates and silverware from the cupboard on the wall in front of them. maybe he's stalling. he doesn't want to have the inevitable conversation. it's looming upon them, like an elephant in the room. but for fuck's sake, leon doesn't want to burst this bubble.

"stop saying sorry! i was only kidding. plus the ceramic flamingo wasn't that important, i just thought it would be kinda camp in my bohemian setting you know?" she said before playfully nudging the other. "we can get everything if you want. the bracelet's would be cute with the matching crystals. i'll even wear your blood in a necklace if you really wanna get weird with it." salem was glad birdie shared her enthusiasm about something most people would probably find cheesy at their age. as the two approached the table salem was in awe of the different options for crystals. "okay, if you could choose any one which would it be? i know amethyst would be nice for friendship purposes."

            birdie's  eyes  quickly  widen.  "  no  !    sorry  –  no,  i  swear,  i'm  not  bored ! i  think  it's  sweet  to  see  you  get  all  googly  eyed  for  a  ceramic  flamingo,  you  know ? i'll  talk  your  ear  off  about  dungeons  &  dragons  and  why  you  should totally join  my  next  campaign  over  lunch.  "  their  grin  widens  at  the  prospect  of  friendship  jewelry  –  something  birdie  was  actually  quite  fond  of  (  embarrassingly  ),  "  can  we  get  one  of  the  bracelets ? oh ! –  we  should  get  matching  colors.  or  crystals.  some  cute  shit  like  that,  y'know  ? unfortunately  for you i'm  even  cheesier.  there's  a  place  a  little  farther  down  that  sells  pretty  ones,  c'mon.  " 

"i know! i've been such a hermit lately and i'm sure if my cat could talk she would yell at me to get out of the house." salem joked before shaking her head. "not really busy, just kind of trying to kill time and jot a few things down." she nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "i figured i should actually be around other people you know? if anything i was bound to run into someone i knew here and i was right!" she gave arin a small smile while closing the journal and moving it aside. "but anyways what are you up to today? how have you been?"

he's here playing errand boy. picking up ... something, for his mom. not entirely sure what, or what for — just that it's not ready yet and he's got some time to kill. he gets himself a cup of coffee and sits himself at a table near the edge of the room, ready to just waste time on his phone when he hears her speak. don't need to invite him twice. "long time no see," slide into the chair across from the one she's seated in, making an all too obvious show of peering at her book on his way. as if he has any real prayer of being able to read anyone's handwriting upside down like that. "busy? what are you working on?"

"you mean to tell me this entire time i didn't have to pay you to get encouraging words from you?" salem teased as esme sat down in the seat across from her while quickly making space for the other. "i promise you're never intruding on me. i don't mind one bit! plus it gives us a chance to catch up somewhere else that isn't a dimly lit bar for once right?" she chuckled before taking a sip of her coffee. salem nodded as esme spoke about what she'd been up to, a bit taken back that her favorite bartender was no longer at los fantasmas. "wait you're at catch now?! any reason specifically or did you need a change of scenery?" she asked curiously. "i'll come to any bar to see you, that's never an issue. i've dealt with worse people before."

                ꒰ა   ♡  ໒꒱  --—  "  you  know,  i'm  proud  of  you.  and  i  can  promise  i  mean  it,  because  i'm  saying  it  without  you  giving  me  money.  "  esme  sends  salem  a  smile,  settling  into  the  chair  across  from  her.  she  sets  her  back  on  the  lone  third  chair  —  she  figures  she'll  be  here  for  a  while,  might  as  well  get  cozy.  "  do  you  mind  me  sitting  with  you  for  a  bit  ?  i  don't  wanna  intrude.  just  glad  to  see  you  alive  and  not  a  corpse  in  your  house,  y'know  ?  "  the  ribbing  is  gentle,  and  she  nods  while  sipping  her  coffee.  "  needed  a  recharge  —  trust  me,  i  get  it,  you  don't  have'ta  be  sorry.  i'm  good,  actually  !  oh,  that  reminds  me  —  got  a  new  job.  i  work  exactly  one  day  a  week  at  catch  now,  so  you're  gonna  have  to  make  the  trek  out  if  you  wanna  see  me.  i  understand  if  not,  though,  sometimes  those  people  suck.  "

she chuckles at the knight and shining armor comment. salem's not really sure how to act around birdie now. typically she'd try to play it cool and be flirty but subtle about it but she would be lying if she said she wasn't already pretty down bad for the other. "well --i'll just tell her buying it was my lame attempt at trying to spend more time with her cousin. she can't be disappointed in that." she replied with a smirk before scanning over the selection of plants. "you mean the swiss cheese plant? a monstera would actually be perfect for you." she took a moment to glance over at the other before quickly looking back at the plants. "it's super easy to care for plus with my help there isn't any possible way you could really murder it. since i'll be over to water it and stuff you'll have like maybe twenty-percent responsibility." try to relax salem she thought to herself. soemthing had to be done to break the awkward tension between the two.

                ꒰ა   ♡  ໒꒱  --—  ‘  if  it’s  for  you  ‘  rings  in  birdie’s  ears  and  they  feel  like  hiding  behind  the  huge  pot  in  front  of  them.  their  face  heats  up,  right  up  to  their  ears,  and  for  a  second  they’re  grateful  salem  can’t  really  tell.  “  awww,  for  me  ?  my  knight  in  shining  armor.  —  nah,  it’s  fine,  avivas  not  that  scary  when  she’s  mad.  more  like,  kind  of  hurtful  because  you  can  tell  she’s  disappointed  and  exasperated,  you  know  ?  “  they’re  rambling  a  bit,  which  is  normal,  but  —  well,  she’s  overthinking  everything  she’s  doing  right  now.  they’re  not  used  to  being  so  nervous  around  salem,  but  it  may  be  their  new  normal.  hands  on  her  hips  she  nods,  scanning  the  plants  in  front  of  them,  “  we  could  get  a  palm  tree  —  no,  too  big.  not  an  inside  plant.  want  one  of  the  huge  monsteras  ?  “  much  better.

@hecticlife

Cousin Cousine, 1975

"shut up." she said playfully at his compliment. salem was surprised at how leon still managed to get her flustered with his words and overall presence. they'd known each other for what felt like forever and her feelings for him completely consumed her in certain moments, this one being one of them. she chuckled at his question "did i make this? no, you're giving me way too much credit now blondie." salem didn't think to make the dish from scratch which probably would have been a nicer gesture in retrospect. "i found this place when i was out a couple days ago having lunch with a friend and saw they had it on the menu. so i figured i'd surprise you with some, i remember you used to talk about it all the time back home in new york." she smiled up at him for a moment, quickly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

leon listens to salem, without interrupting her. the musical genius comment causes him to blush a little, and he watches her set his favorite chilean dish on the kitchen counter. did she make it? when she mentions she's sober, the man nods. her laugh, even her nervous laughter, he thinks it's cute. "you're such an idiot," leon ends up chuckling himself before walking up to her. each step that he takes, he takes it blindly. because he would let her break his heart a million times if it just meant that they'd always go back to each other. he's so in love. he's so hurt. "you actually clean up really nice," the blond teases her, standing so close to her that his heart rate goes up. he can't stop looking at her. his hand on the counter, next to hers, wanting to touch her but unable to do so. the love of his life. eventually, leon looks down at the food, "did you make this?" he asks softly.