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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Mar 19, 2019 4:31:37 GMT -5
(Aww thanks I’m glad you like her
Don’t worry take all the time you need, I get it. Also don’t worry about length, if your replies are longer or shorter than mine I’ll match them because I’m pretty happy to do long or short replies)
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Post by Tealraven on Mar 21, 2019 20:43:56 GMT -5
( sorry for the late reply! It's been a hectic week ) May 11th, 1943 Sunderland, U.K. They had arrived only nine hours ago. Several thousand troops of young men from all branches of the military, many of them still asleep, were jolted awake as the liner swung into port. Several were nearly rolled off their standee bunks, gripping the edges for support while the ship docked. When at last she slowed to halt, bobbing slowly up and down in the ripples generated by her massive propeller, the servicemen rubbed their groggy eyes and got to their feet. In a thundering herd, they grabbed their equipment and headed down the gangway.
So this is it, Alex thought dazedly, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the cold grey light. This is where my new life begins. It was early morning, the sun just barely up and concealed by coastal fog. Old houses dotted the bay, looking almost like tombstones in the half-light. He caught a glimpse of someone peering through a nearby window, but the drapes snapped shut before he could make out the figure. Beyond the quiet town, grey-green moors rolled away into the mist.
Alex stood still in the surging crowd, letting his legs get used to standing on solid ground again. The U.S. soldiers, sailors, and airmen milled restlessly around him, searching for their units. Some looked vaguely worried, others wore expressions of confusion mixed with nervous excitement. All were strangers in a foreign land awaiting an unknown fate.
Ten minutes later, he was climbing into the covered cab of a Dodge WC with the other eight men in his squadron. He took a seat on the bench closest to the end of the truck, so he could look out at the countryside as they drove. From here, it was only a few hours to Usworth. For the first forty-five minutes, he chatted with his companions about the voyage across the Atlantic, and speculated about what sort of reaction they'd receive from the locals once they got there. The sheer number of American troops the Queen Elizabeth had brought to shore was nothing short of a friendly invasion; there was no guarantee the English would take kindly to this sudden influx of enthusiastic G.I.s.
After awhile, the conversation lulled. Alex leaned back against the canvas and crossed his hands in his lap, gazing out the back of the truck. It was pretty out here, but the scenery began to blur before his eyes as the day dragged on. He was beginning to wonder if they'd ever get there when the engine sputtered to a stop outside the gates to the RAF base.
Most U.S. Army Airmen had been stationed in Southern England, but his detachment would be training under an arm of the VIII Fighter Command attached to the RAF. This meant they got to use Usworth for a month or two before heading to Bristol, where they would fly convoy escort and strike missions over the summer. With grunts and groans as cramped muscles stretched, the 416th Fighter Squadron piled out of the truck and headed into the base for orientation. The rest of the day went quickly from there. It was nearing late afternoon when they finished and the men were allowed some free time before dinner. After consulting a map, the Americans decided to head into nearby Sunderland to see what the town had to offer.
And so, it was this sequence of events that led to Alex flipping through the pamphlet the U.S. War Department had provided them with, looking for something to do in this remote little corner of the island, so far from home. He turned to the page subtitled "Indoor Amusements" and began to read:
Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain: "Indoor Amusements" "The British have theaters and movies (which they call 'cinemas') as we do. But the great place for recreation is the 'pub.'
If he remembered the map correctly, there was a pub just down the road from here. "Parker's Something." Little family-owned joint. Never been much of a drinker, Alex thought, jogging across the street and making his way down the sidewalk. He caught some curious stares from young children, but otherwise, nobody made eye contact. He inhaled sharply and pushed open the door to the pub, the bell tinkling overhead.
His first impression was not a great one. The pub was small and worn, though that was to be expected; there was a war on, after all. The place looked and felt old, yet had a quiet air of dignity to it, as if it had been here for so long and seen enough history it would take more than a world war to knock it down. Rather like the country itself, Alex mused, gently shouldering his way past an older gentleman who was clearly on his third round. The pub was nearly deserted save for a few stragglers, probably loyal regulars. As the man tottered back to his table, a strikingly pretty young woman was revealed behind him, wiping down the bar. Alex felt his breath hitch in his throat.
How strange! A woman bartender? Thinking back to the few times he'd accompanied his girlfriend and their friends for a night out on the town, he couldn't recall ever seeing a woman serving drinks. Maybe things are different in England. "H'lo, miss," he greeted her with a warm smile, striding up to the counter and giving the brim of his crush cap a flick with his thumb. "Corporal Alexander Jones of the 416th Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force--" he gave a mock bow -- "at your service." He leaned forward on one elbow and rested his chin in a cupped hand. "I'm here to sample what your fine nation has to offer. Give me your best liquor, the one all the locals talk about. If you please," he added with a genial wink.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Mar 22, 2019 2:02:42 GMT -5
(Don’t worry about being late, I’ve been busy too - plus, this reply is great. You clearly did a lot of research I’ll get a reply up later today)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Mar 23, 2019 2:28:02 GMT -5
(Or later today haha. I got super busy yesterday. I’ll definitely reply today)
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Post by Tealraven on Mar 23, 2019 12:40:06 GMT -5
Take your time! I'm not impatient (:
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Mar 23, 2019 15:43:41 GMT -5
(Bit short but I’m a bit poofy haha)
The young woman looked up when she heard a voice addressing her, watching the rather theatrical greeting from the American man approaching the bar. A lazy smile grew on her face as her eyes flicked to look him up and down. Her gaze was perceptive, a little calculating maybe, but not hostile.
“And how honoured I am that you chose this pub to be representative of the finest the country has to offer,” Marion said jokingly, her eyes straying to the drunk men who were her customers. Truly Britain’s finest.
But she poured him his drink, definitely the best liquor the pub stocked. In Marion’s opinion, anyway.
“First round’s on the house,” Marion smiled before adding “and trust me, after a little time spent around here yeh’ll be grateful for the extra drink.”
Whether she meant Sunderland or the pub was unclear. She did like the pub, it was a decent little place, but the inhabitants of Sunderland could be seen as rather rough at first and sometimes a little mistrusting of new faces. It was a tight-knit community despite it being a relatively big city.
“I do believe I forgot to introduce meself. Me name’s Marion Parker—“ she gave her own mock curtsy to poke fun at him “at yer service. Oh, and also, no need to say you’re part of the U.S. Air Force. I could tell you were American a mile off”
He seemed different from a lot of the people around here. She couldn’t put her finger on what quality it was that made the American man so different from the British men. Maybe there was something about his humour. She wasn’t entirely sure. He was good-looking, though, and that she couldn’t deny.
“So, yeh’ve been stationed over here, aye?” Marion asked “Good luck with that one, mate. It’s a nice city, the people here are decent hard-working folks, but I have to warn yeh that they don’t always take kindly to new faces.”
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Post by Tealraven on Mar 23, 2019 19:46:22 GMT -5
( you're fine, my starters tend to be kind of wordy ) Alex felt his mouth turn dry. "On the house, you say?" His cheeks flushed lightly, but he managed to hide his embarrassment with a lopsided grin. "How generous of you, miss. Thank you." He hadn't thought about payment; all he had in his pockets was about 20 dollars, and that wouldn't exactly get him far here. Having just arrived that morning, none of the men had exchanged their money for British currency yet. He felt uncomfortable accepting the drink for free, though. Money was tight in wartime no matter what country you were in. He made a mental note to pay her back later.
The pilot watched her pour his drink, his eyes following the bubbles as they rose to the surface. He avoided her gaze on purpose; though her expression was politely friendly, the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and he had a feeling she was reading him like a book. He tried to ignore that. Instead, he looked for ways to keep the conversation going. "You could tell, huh?" He laughed. "Must be my winning disposition and all-American good looks, right?" He picked up the glass and brought it to his lips. The liquor was strong, and had a bit of a bite to it. "Hm," He swallowed, blinking. "Unique." He took another sip, holding back a cough.
"So, Miss Parker. Is this sweet little place all yours?" Alex let his blue-eyed gaze travel over aged tables and chairs. Seated at the one closest to the counter were two middle-aged men looking as though they'd just come in from a long day at the factory. Somebody had to keep the town running while the rest of the nation's men were at war, he supposed. In the back corner was the older fellow who had been speaking to Marion when Alex came in. He was playing cards with a few others his age, and seemed to be getting progressively tipsier, his voice beginning to carry across the room.
Can't imagine why she'd want this sort of occupation, he thought privately. Cleaning up after drunkards. Men must try to have their way with her all the time. He arched his eyebrows at her, tilting his head toward the back table and shooting her a humorous sideways look. "Real charmer, that one, ain't he."
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Mar 24, 2019 2:45:05 GMT -5
”No problem,” she said with a nod “A free drink for a military man these days is the least I can do.”
With her family members in the army themselves, she would only hope they could be treated as nicely by the people of France, where they were stationed. Money was short, but if anybody deserved a free drink it was people like Alexander. Even if money was short.
She listened to his comments about how she might have been able to tell he was American, her gaze moving once more to evaluate him.
“Aye, if you like,” Marion replied with a raised eyebrow “and yer tan, yer uniform and yer general exuberance.”
His energy was just so different from the others around here. His excitement, his cheerful nature. The people around here had been beaten down by the war for too long and they’d never really been exciteable types anyway.
She watched him try the liquor, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she watched his reaction.
“Ah, yeh’ll get used tee it,” Marion assured him “British liquor too strong for yeh, pet?”
At his question, she shrugged.
“Kind of, aye,” she began “it’s me dad’s place really, he and my uncle ran it together. But all the blokes in my family are off fighting so they’ve left the place to me. I thought it’d be a shame not to keep it running, it’s about the only thing the workers round here can look forward to at the end of the day. If I didn’t work here it’d be a job in the munitions factories. Jobs are limited in wartime, Corporal Jones, and you take what you can get.”
She did let a slightly more genuine smile grow when the man indicated one of her regulars and made his comment. She chuckled lightly, eyes flicking to the customer and then back to Alexander.
“And a member of the Home Guard, that one,” she said with a slight roll of her eyes “I could defend Britain from an invasion better than him. Smash a few bottles over their heads and that, job done.”
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Post by Tealraven on Mar 24, 2019 11:27:56 GMT -5
Alex nodded, taking another gulp of his drink. It burned a little as it went down, but it wasn't unpleasant. "It takes an acquired taste," he admitted sheepishly. In truth, he rather liked how it tingled his senses, woke him up a bit. He might could use a drink like this after a long day of training to perk back up again. And, he was starting to realize, he certainly wouldn't mind seeing Marion again. Just because she's interesting talk to, he told himself, thinking of Alice. It would be nice to have at least one friend so long as he was here.
He listened as she told him about the pub and her family, his head tilted attentively. "Smart fellas. Good business sense, keeping this place open for folks like me an' him," he replied, glancing once more at the men playing cards in the back of the room. "I was wondering why you weren't, yanno, off in the fields somewhere. Workin' with the Land Girls. Seems like that'd be preferable to slaving away in the factory."
He shifted to a more comfortable position, leaning on his other elbow and shaking out the hand that had fallen asleep. "You can probably expect more of my crowd to be comin' in after tonight. That oughta give business a boost, eh?" He thought of the rest of his squadron tromping into the quiet pub at happy hour in all their boisterous American glory and almost grimaced. "Or at least... make things more interesting around here."
When the absurd picture of Marion conking Nazis over the noggin with empty liquor bottles came unbidden into his mind, Alex covered his mouth with one hand, smothering a laugh. "Now, that I'd like to see! Make your pops and uncle proud." He took another sip. "What branch are they serving in?"
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 13, 2019 13:14:58 GMT -5
[Yes I'm on hiatus Yes I'm meant to be studying Yes I got bored and missed this Yes I'm doing a reply XD
Gimme a minute, haha]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 13, 2019 14:27:16 GMT -5
[Okay so I introduced a little brother XD I'm not planning on killing him, but he's there]
Marion had seen the American man stifle a laugh at her joke about hitting Nazis on the head, and she could feel another smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She really didn't usually smile this much, but she was scarcely able to stop herself. Sure, she was usually reserved and a little cynical, but there was something about this man that drew her out, forced a smile from her that she would never normally give.
"They're both in the Durham Light Infantry," she responded "and my little brother's in the air force. The lad's barely 19, it's suicide if you ask me, but there's nowt you can say to our Charlie when he's got his mind set."
Charles Parker had worked at the docks and so had been in a 'reserved' trade, meaning he didn't necessarily have to have been taking part in active fighting until he was about 25. But he wanted to join up anyway, and Marion considered him that type. He was always looking for adventure and had a sense of patriotism that the cynical Marion couldn't say she possessed to quite the same level as her brother. Planes were relatively new, a shiny and glamorous branch of the army that Charlie simply hadn't been able to resist. Even if Marion worried about him every day.
In response to his comments about wondering why she wasn't in the Land Army or something like that, she shrugged.
"I was going to join the Auxiliary Territorial Force or the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, figured if I was going to do my bit I might as well get directly involved, and if I joined the Air Force I could try and keep an eye on Charlie. But my dad told me to look after this place, so here I am. Plus I figured at least this way I'll still have a job when the war ends. God knows the ladies in those factories and in the fields won't."
It wasn't seemly for a woman to work, some would say, but Marion had never had that opportunity before. Her mother had died when Marion was a teenager and so she'd had to fast learn how to run the household. She had spent most of her days like a housewife once she had left school, cooking and cleaning and taking care of her brother. But now she had a chance at work, earning her own wages to support herself while it was only her at home. She had no intention of spending her father's money while he was out fighting.
She preferred to support herself whenever she could, and if her mother were still alive and caring for the house Marion would've found some sort of job for herself to make some money.
"So there's more of your lot coming here, hm?" she asked, chuckling lightly "I'll have to prepare for the hordes. So, how are you enjoying Sunderland so far? It's not exactly London, but I think you'll enjoy it here?"
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Post by Tealraven on Apr 13, 2019 16:52:26 GMT -5
( psh, I knew you couldn't stay away XD But it's great to hear from you again! I know what your schedule's like, so don't worry about replying every day. I'm flexible. ) Alex noticed the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips, then noticed that he was looking at her mouth. He blinked and redirected his gaze. It was easy to let one's eyes wander when jetlagged, and Marion's voice had soothing tonality to it that made it easy to listen to her. It was almost musical, offset by the local slang she slipped into her sentences. The pronunciation of some words was strange in his ears, but in a way that made him want to keep hearing her talk.
"True," he murmured thoughtfully, in response to her explanation about the Auxiliary Forces and the women factory workers. That was something he'd been trying not to think about in the days leading up to his deployment. Unlike most of the other servicemen, Alex had voluntarily signed up instead of waiting to be drafted. His life before the USAAF had been pretty unremarkable, and a small, hidden part of him recognized that that was the biggest reason he'd left. He'd wanted to get away and be someone. He'd spent more time fantasizing about escaping his rural Kansas hometown than actually thinking about what he'd do with his life after the war.
"You're a sensible lady, Miss Parker. It's easy to get swept up in all this patriotic war-fervor." It's easy to not think about the future. He paused, then added, "In a way, the job you do is just as important. You give people a sense of normalcy." That's what this conversation was doing for him, anyway. It was a nice distraction.
Alex didn't like reflecting on melancholy thoughts for long, so when Marion changed the subject he pounced on it. "The boy's in the RAF?" He asked delightedly. "What a coincidence! My squadron's here to train up under a branch of the RAF for, oh, about a month. Maybe I'll run into 'im." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the door. "We're stationed up at Usworth, by the way. Seeing as this is the nearest town, I reckon this won't be the last time you see me."
He drained the rest of his glass and slid it across the counter for her to clean. Pushing away from the bar and straightening up, he fingered the folded map in his back pocket. "To be perfectly honest, I haven't been here long enough to enjoy Sunderland. I don't know what here is to see here." The corner of his mouth quirked mischievously. "Maybe a local could show me around sometime," he suggested. It was clear he'd used the word 'local' in place of her name.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 13, 2019 17:04:47 GMT -5
(Haha yeah, I really couldn’t. I mean tbh it’ll get bad next month when my exams start kicking in but for now I can get a reply or two in before the madness begins. It’s late for me so I’ll reply in the morning probably I really appreciate your understanding and everything)
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Post by Tealraven on Apr 13, 2019 17:45:53 GMT -5
( sure, no problem! I get it. If replying just once a week until exams are done is easier, that's fine. Do what you gotta do, man. I'm not going anywhere )
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 14, 2019 8:27:11 GMT -5
[I'm working on a reply right now. Also, you calling her voice 'musical' is very accurate the accent around the Sunderland area is quite singsongy, or so I've been told, and we always raise the pitch of our voices slightly at the end of sentences.]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 14, 2019 9:08:05 GMT -5
"Please, call me Marion," the young lady suggested
She would prefer her own name to 'Miss Parker', and she didn't normally go for nicknames. Her brother was the only ones who gave her nicknames; her brother called her Ari or Marnie, though she had no idea about how Marnie came about.
"But, yes," she continued "it is easy to get swept up in it all. But one way or another, Alexander, this war's going to end. Either way, there will be suffering. And whatever happens, we ordinary folk'll have to get on with our lives somehow."
The world would keep turning whatever happened. But she understood the stakes of this war, she knew this was not a war of greed, nor was it just a war of survival. This was a war of morality, too. There was no way out of this war without suffering, but allied victory would lead to less suffering than a victory for the enemy.
She heard the delight in his voice in his response to her words about her brother being in the RAF, and Marion nodded in response.
"He wouldn't have it any other way," she replied before adding "I'm sure you'll see him, he's based there too. He spends most of his time in France, though. If you do see him, keep an eye on him for me. Charles Parker. He's probably strutting around the place thinking he's a big-shot. You'll definitely know him when you see him."
He didn't look too different from his sister. He was tall and lanky, with slightly tanner skin than Marion, and his eyes were a dark brown, but his hair was the same sandy blond colour and they had the same smile and mannerisms. He was a pretty good-looking young man and he seemed to know it; Marion had noticed him flashing perfect white smiles at the local girls. He was cocky and charming, stubborn, but good-hearted, and in many ways Alex reminded Marion of him. The girl loved Charlie, and she would never shake the fear that he was throwing his life away, going to his certain death, until he returned to her safely.
As Alex suggested that a local show him around sometime, Marion stopped cleaning the glass he'd just given her, pausing to meet his eyes.
"And I'm sure a local would be happy to show you around," she said, obviously volunteering to show him her town.
She found that she enjoyed spending time with Alexander. He was so much more interesting than the other people here. He felt like a breath of fresh air, someone new and exciting and charming. Marion was no hopeless romantic, she liked to keep her feet on the ground rather than have her head in the clouds, but she enjoyed his company.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 14, 2019 10:39:45 GMT -5
(Hey inky! I’m down! Do you have a particular plot in mind?)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 14, 2019 10:49:47 GMT -5
Oooh okay that would be really fun, for sure! I’ve been into Lord of the Rings and I’ve also recently been seeing some Dungeons and Dragons type stuff so that kinda genre has been on my mind lately. I will see if I can find any interesting prompts or ideas we can work from)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 14, 2019 10:58:16 GMT -5
I found a page of prompts here but I don’t know if they’re any good or if any catch your eye. Also, we can move to PM or a new thread if that’s easier for you)
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Post by Tealraven on Apr 14, 2019 15:46:11 GMT -5
( oh, right on! In my head when I was describing it, I was thinking of other regional English dialects I've heard lol
Should we do a timeskip like to the next day? Or just continue where we are and have them go out exploring after closing? )
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 14, 2019 15:48:50 GMT -5
Haha well you’d be right, you were very accurate x
Hmmm maybe skip to the next day? That works.)
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Post by Tealraven on Apr 16, 2019 19:37:05 GMT -5
Alex laughed. It was a laugh full of Kansas sunshine and dusty wheat fields. "Oh-ho, so that kid parading through the mess hall with his chest out was your brother?" He hadn't actually seen anybody like that back at the base, but he liked to tease. "Sounds like a real grandstand. If I see him I'll be sure to let him know Marion sends her regards -- and a parcel of common sense." He dug into his pocket for payment, then remembered he didn't have anything and bit his lip. "Thanks again for the drink. And the talk." He thumbed his crush cap again and made for the door.
The regulars at the back table had finished their card game, and it was clear who the loser was. One of the men looped his friend's arm around his neck to support his weight, stooping slightly. Alex paused in the doorway to let them stagger out into the street, hiccuping, and glanced back at the bar. The man who had approached Marion before returned, sliding coins across the counter. Alex's last glimpse of her was as she accepted the customer's money with a half-exasperated, half-amused smile. He gave her a little wave and let the door shut behind him.
The pilot reconvened with his friends on the outskirts of Sunderland for the walk back to Usworth. Pictures of all the things he'd seen and everyone he'd met today danced in his head, and he wasn't paying very close attention to what Jonathan was saying about some castle-shaped theater he'd seen downtown. He remained distracted through dinner. His eyelids felt very heavy.
Later that evening, Alex perched on the edge of his bed, scribbling out a letter.
Dear Alice --
Landed in England today. Thought we'd never get here! The Brits were kind enough to lend us one of their bases for awhile. We're stationed at Usworth, near this place called Sunderland. It's on the east side of the island, up north a ways, if you look at a map. Went into town tonight to check out the scene -- nice place! Locals are decent, hardworking people. I like it here. Miss you, though. It's just not the same as home. We're not in Kansas anymore, haha --
"Jones!" A voice barked from the hallway. "Lights out!"
"Yessir."
Oop, gotta go. That's the commander.
All my love, Alex
- - -
At around the same time of day the following evening, Alex found himself wandering the streets of Sunderland again, looking for a familiar landmark to point him to Marion's pub. But nothing was familiar yet. He ended up tagging onto the end of a pack of factory workers and following them. He slipped in the door unnoticed, hidden behind one of the tallest men. He waited until they'd all placed their orders and moved aside before stepping up to the counter, a boyish grin spreading across his face.
"Evenin', miss!" He greeted cheerily, slapping a few pound notes on the counter. "Have we met?"
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 17, 2019 1:17:00 GMT -5
(I’ll get a reply up sometime x also Marion will totally take him out exploring soon, we can do that. I forgot to mention I was still happy to do that. She can take a break and go for a walk with him)
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 14, 2019 3:12:50 GMT -5
( I did it I survived finals and I'm free at last yeehaw
Just checking in to see if you're still up for continuing this. if not that's totally fine~ Hope your exams are going well! )
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Jun 14, 2019 3:13:42 GMT -5
Hi! I’m glad you’re finally free My exams will finish on Monday and they’re going okay so far, and so when I finally finish I would be more than happy to continue this It will be great fun to do this with you)
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Post by 𝒯𝓌𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝒹𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉 † on Jun 15, 2019 5:00:59 GMT -5
Are you still looking for someone?
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