[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

For the life of her, Maddison couldn't figure out why she had let Mason talk her into going to dinner at his house with him and Miranda, their mother. Through the whole dinner, it felt like Miranda was either trying way to hard to get Maddie to talk to her, or she was busy judging Maddie's life choices. By the time she left, she didn't even want to be around Mason, so when he asked if she wanted a ride back to her apartment she told him she would just make her own way home.

Going home upset seemed like a bad idea. Stopping at a bar on the way home also was a bad idea, and the irony was not missed on Maddie. She hated her mother for the substance abuse that caused her to neglect her children. Now, here was Maddie, going to a bar to drown her emotions at the bottom of a bottle.

It didn't matter. Maddie knew that she wasn't like her mother. She didn't have a baby at home that she was ignoring. She didn't have anyone who depended on her. So she got off the bus a little early and wandered into a bar that she had been to a couple times before. She remembered it being a decent place, and it wasn't the little hole in the wall with creepy dudes hanging around like the one closest to her apartment.

Before long, Maddie had ordered several shots and a mixed drink to follow it up. She was sitting at the bar, scrolling through Facebook on her phone. It seemed like everyone had their life together, why didn't she? Her mother's questions kept going through her head. "When are you going to find someone to settle down with?" She had asked. "Where do you see your life going?" Maddie was so angry. According to Miranda, Maddie was wasting her child bearing years by partying and having too many one night stands.

Maddie held up her shot glass, and stared at the empty glass. She had ordered a couple different things, and she was trying to remember what the most recent shot had been. It went down smoothly with no burn. Maybe she was just already too drunk to notice the burn of the liquor? She should have probably stopped drinking already, she was a shot or two past her usual limit, but she didn't give a damn tonight. She was getting wasted and she refused to feel guilty about it.

"Oh, hey.." Maddie smiled when the bartender started walking back over. "Can I get another one of these? And a water, please... I should probably drink some water." Water was important. She remembered that even half in the bag. Maybe if she drank enough water, she wouldn't end up regretting this decision in the morning.

---

Tag: Gavyn Colburn
Note: Let me know if you want me to change anything.

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]Gavyn had been on his feet all day.

It'd been pushing 4am when he finally collapsed into bed that morning, having spent a long night closing up the bar. Around 7am he'd been woken up by Marky Mark's insistence to go outside. An hour later, when he was just about warmed up and on the verge of falling back asleep — lulled right to the very precipice of dreaming — Scotty's cat, Beyonce, had made a mad dash across his face during her typical morning zoomies. Finally, at 9am, the neighbors on the other side of his bedroom wall started vacuuming. He was awake for good then, ordering breakfast for the boys, feasting on an impressive number of Taco Bell Crunchwraps, and carting himself to stage rehearsal and hair-and-makeup for the local theatre's first matinee show of the day.[break][break]

After the production's last show and final curtain call, the cast and crew had gone out to dinner. During dessert, Gavyn had received a text from a desperate coworker, begging for his shift to be covered due to an emergency, and (of course) Gavyn just couldn't say no. Despite his lack of sleep — and not having the chance to thoroughly scrub off his stage make-up and "guyliner" — he shot back a cheery response, wolfed down his chocolate souffle, and skipped out of the restaurant, waving his goodbyes to half-drunk stagehands, hiccuping leading men, and giggling understories while they all whistled and hooted their 'good luck's. [break][break]

When he entered the bar and relieved his coworker, he had the faint suspicion the man's emergency was little more than a strong want to be elsewhere, but still Gavyn didn't much mind. He was buzzing from performance day, lack of sleep had made him almost manic, and he loved working at the bar. He was fully prepared to bounce between customers, chat up the regulars, and pour an extra finger of alcohol in almost every drink, all while humming tonight's tunes under his breath. Every time the door chimed, he would lift his head and caw out a greeting, eyes glinting with hope for an entertaining bachelorette party (sans vomiting, if he was lucky) or the group of men who always made a determined bee-line for the karaoke machine tucked in the corner. [break][break]

As he made his way down the bar, immediately a woman beckoned for him. Tipping his chin with a wide, instinctive beam, he approached and noted the number of empty glasses before her. In his eager dash to be elsewhere — a date, Gavyn if had to guess — Sam had neglected to key him in on how the current patrons were doing. Or what they were drinking. This woman was quite obviously a little plastered already but Gavyn only hummed as he collected her empty glasses and tucked them into the water well. Pulling out a clean rag, he wiped down the counter in front of her, slapped the towel over his shoulder, and then tipped forward with his elbows propped on the bartop and his face slotted between his palms. [break][break]

"I can probably do that for you. But first, interrogation. Ready? Three questions. What's your name, what were you drinking, and..." Gavyn straightened, trying to spontaneously decide what the "drinking tax" poll would be tonight. "What's your favorite ice cream flavor?"

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
This man is a bar owner/peaceful drinker's worst nightmare. [break] Give me a nudge for any changes!

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

It wasn’t until he was almost standing directly in front of her that Maddie even noticed this was not the same bartender that had been helping her before. Normally she was sharper than that, more observant and aware of her surroundings. She watched the new bartender as he gathered the empty glasses from in front of her, thoughts crossing briefly that he might cut her off, but she wasn’t that drunk. Not yet, anyway. Though, admittedly, her plans for tonight included getting wasted enough to forget the whole evening had even happened. Not that she had high hopes for that to actually come to fruition.

How was she going to block out Miranda? The woman was on an incessant mission to ruin Maddie’s entire life, Maddie was absolutely convinced. Tonight, Miranda had made herself clear that she thought Maddie was partying far too much, and that she should be trying to get married to ’a good man. What year was it? Maddie didn’t want or need to be tied to anyone right now. She didn’t really do commitment, anyway. Short term only, duck and run when things got too serious was her M.O. And who the hell did Miranda think she was, talking about how much Maddie partied? Mason had just kept quiet through most of the back and forth between Maddie and their mother. He tended to clam up whenever Maddie and Miranda argued, not wanting to take sides. Maddie knew he was trying to be a good son and a good brother at the same time. She shouldn’t be mad at him for it, but she couldn’t help it. She was furious.

The final straw was when Miranda brought up wanting grandchildren that she could spoil and dote on. Maddie didn’t argue anymore. She didn’t say anything else to Miranda at all. She just grabbed her bag and her jacket and walked out, brushing off Mason’s offer to bring her home.

Coming back to reality, Maddie watched the bartender wipe the counter. This new bartender already seemed much more enthusiastic than the last one. Maddie could only imagine that he was the best kind of coworker to have. He seemed like the life of the party. She watched him lean his chin on his hands, propped up by elbows resting on the counter top. The smile was infectious, and if she had been in a better mood she would probably be giggling by now.

”Oh, well, if it’s an interrogation, I’d better answer.” She gave a shrug and a half hearted smile. She wanted to let his levity and playfulness lift her mood, but she wasn’t sure that it would be enough. ”I’m Maddie, and I was drinking.. whiskey, I think. I don’t remember what brand it was. It was shots. I think I also had, um, rum? Yes, rum. As for ice cream…” She paused to consider for a brief second. ”I really like moose tracks the best, but all ice cream is good ice cream.”

She tried to keep her tone light. She didn’t need to infect everyone with her bad mood. It was too early in the night to be a buzzkill.

”So, I told you my name, what’s yours?” She questioned him in return. ”Kinda late for the start of your shift, isn’t it?”

It did seem like it was later than most shifts started, but maybe they just had strange hours in this bar. Or maybe there was some reason why he was coming in this late that was out of the norm. Really, it wasn’t her business, but she could use a distraction.

---

Tag: Gavyn Colburn
Note: I love him so much already! Let me know if anything needs to be changed.

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]The woman shrugged, lips upturning only a fraction (as if her heart weren't truly in it), and answered that she didn't remember what she'd been drinking. They were all subtle clues Gavyn took to assume her night-out wasn't built up for fun. That wasn't uncommon and he wasn't unused to it. But, still, she seemed receptive enough; wasn't glaring at him like she very much wanted her drink and to be left in peace, the less talking the better. (He wasn't unused to that either.) [break][break]

"All ice cream is good ice cream," he repeated her words with a low hum, nodding slowly as if they were the wisest thing someone had ever said. His smile tugged infinitesimally wider as he turned away, fetching a clean glass and filling it with ice water. "I couldn't agree more. That's the best answer I'll hear all night, guaranteed." As he set the water on a napkin before her, he shifted his gaze down the bar to meet the eye of a man who waved his empty glass on the air. "BRB." [break][break]

Sweeping down the bar, he refilled the man's beer — the last one for the night, he insisted in a slurred drawl — settled his tab, asked him his favorite ice cream flavor, and cleared the empty glasses and plates around him. After wiping the counter down and checking on a couple of other drinkers, he moseyed back in Maddison's direction, stopping to take a considering look at the wall of half-emptied bottles behind him. [break][break]

Whiskey, she'd said? That paired well with chocolate. And Moose Tracks was her favorite ice cream. He tapped his foot for a moment, then pulled a couple of selections down. Plucking a chilled cocktail glass from the freezer, moving quickly and humming softly under his breath, he added a dash of chocolate syrup to its sides. After scooping some ice into a cocktail shaker, he unscrewed the caps on his selected bottles of peanut butter whiskey and chocolate liquor, added a generous amount of both to the tin, and gave it a good, long shake. [break][break]

Satisfied it was chilled, he poured the drink into the glass, set the shaker aside, and moved back to slide the glass in front of her. "Let's try this one. Don't like it and I'll replace it with something more tried and true." After casting another look down the bar, making sure no one was trying to get his attention, Gavyn allowed himself to prop once more before her. "Now, to answer your questions." [break][break]

"I'm just here to finish out a coworker's shift. Sam, the bartender before, I don't know if you talked to him — the one with the enchanting blue eyes and charming smile? We call those the Tip Makers — he called me in to cover for him." He leaned the tiniest bit closer and lifted a hand to shield his mouth as he added in a conspirative whisper. "I think he had a date." [break][break]

"So you're stuck with me now. I'm Gavyn. If Sam left you alone before, I won't unless you tell me to, so.. y'know... feel free to tell me to. I'm a Pisces and my favorite ice cream flavor is, and please don't be disappointed... vanilla."

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
 Give me a nudge for any changes (or if you need/want more to worth with)!

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

Maddie couldn’t help but let another small smile spread across her face when the friendly bartender said it was going to be the best answer he heard all night. It was true, though. Creamy, smooth, delicious ice cream had no rival in the dessert world, not to Maddie at least. Now she was thinking about ice cream… She was certain that she had some in her freezer at home, and it would be a good night to polish it off once she got home. Unless, of course, she plastered enough that she forgot it was there. Which honestly, was the most likely outcome for the night at this rate.

”Thank you.” She watched him set the water on the napkin, and she was glad that he wasn’t the kind of person who just set it right on the counter. She hated when condensation gathered beneath a glass. She didn’t work at the kind of place that used coasters or napkins beneath their cups, unfortunately. There was always water on the table when she was cleaning up, and she hated that. She was sure that was an even bigger issue here for the bartenders. Everything was about the drinks here, so if they didn’t use napkins or coasters, she imagined that that countertop would be in a perpetual state of dampness.

After giving her the water, he had to go take care of the other customers. Maddie watched a moment as he helped the others, seeming just as friendly with everyone. She’d have to remember this place had the good bartenders, and come back here more often.

She sipped at the glass of water, trying to keep her thoughts from wandering to the earlier portion of the evening too much. She was trying to convince herself that she didn’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations, especially not Miranda’s. Her mother had no right to judge her, especially not so vocally. Even trying not to think about it, Maddie could feel herself getting worked up about again, so she took a deep breath and focused on shutting down those thoughts as she let it out. She could feel herself shutting it down, and she hoped she could keep that feeling of inner calm going.

The bartender came back and set a new drink in front of her. It looked frosty and delicious, and she was sure that she was going to enjoy it.

”That looks great. She had all the confidence that it looked like something she would enjoy, and she took a sip. It tasted like chocolate and peanut butter, with no alcohol burn even though she could tell it packed a punch. And his ice cream questions made a little more sense, as she thought about it. It had the same flavors as the moose tracks ice cream. ”Okay, that’s just delicious.”

The bartender begane answering Maddie’s questions. It made so much more sense that he started a shift this late when he whispered about the other bartender, Sam apparently, having a date.

”Well, those eyes may be a ticket to tip city, but nothing beats good old fashioned personality.” She commented, glad that Gavyn had taken over for Sam since he seemed a lot more fun. Maybe the night wouldn’t be a huge disaster after all, maybe it was still salvageable. ”And thanks for not leaving me alone.” She appreciated the effort.

What Maddie didn’t realize was that in her effort to keep herself calm and her emotions under control, she had accidentally used her power negation, letting it seep out in a fuzzy radius around her.

”Vanilla? I mean, it’s not a disappointment, but a little unexpected.” Maddie commented. ”But who doesn’t like vanilla, really? It goes well with everything.”

---

Gavyn Colburn
Let me know for changes!

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]Gavyn watched her sip the drink, a soft smile curling at the corners of his lips at her clear approval. It pulled even wider at her comment about personality and he blinked lazily in appreciative agreement — yes, exactly, again he couldn't agree more. She was just spouting wisdom left and right. When she thanked him for not leaving her alone, he tipped his head and felt a warmth bud in his chest. It immediately bubbled out of him in a quiet hum, like a cat unable to resist purring its contentment. [break][break]

He was pleased that she didn't mind the company or conversation. Perhaps she needed it. Someone or something to take her mind off whatever put her to drink (since it didn't seem she was here at the bar for the hell of it). Gavyn was more than happy to be that distraction. To try and coax a smile or steal her mind from whatever was occupying her. And if she decided she wanted to talk about whatever it was that was bothering her? He'd be an empathetic ear. But that was entirely up to her. It was always a gamble whether someone preferred distraction or discussion — mindless chatter or attentive listening — and, on principle, Gavyn was open to either. [break][break]

But he had learned to take his cues when it came to which line to toe. [break][break]

Most people weren't willing to "trauma-dump" on practical strangers without the proper "buttering up". To risk making someone uncomfortable or to turn them off by "being negative" or "needing to vent". Gavyn liked to think he didn't require the buttering up, but understood, too, that sometimes people just weren't willing or readily able to share things with others. He'd be patient. Had learned to be patient, often by being too forward and prying in the past. By scaring people off (or making them angry) by being too eager in his want to be there for them. And, on other occasions, the shoe had been on the other foot. Sometimes — when he openly vented to a stranger, an acquaintance, a friend... a guy he didn't know in line at the grocery store— they'd looked at him horrified and uncertain. Perhaps not feeling quite equipped to comment on the matter or that they just didn't know him well enough to care. (Or they just didn't want to hear it.) [break][break]

So, he'd keep with the light-hearted talk for now. Perhaps it would pave the way for some gentle prying when he felt it was warranted. More preferably though, Maddie would feel comfortable enough after a bit to provide the opportunity herself. Extend the invitation and crack the door into whatever had brought her here before him tonight with her half-hearted smiles and preoccupied mind. All he needed was a crack in the door and he'd wedge his foot in. [break][break]

"Right?" Gavyn responded, smile parting into something more open and toothy. "Some people say vanilla is boring but I say nay. Without vanilla..." he trailed, dropping a hand to the bartop as he became vaguely aware of a slight... discomfort. His gaze traveled to a hangnail tucked in the nailbed of his pinky and he frowned. Turned his hand palm-up to note where he'd suffered a bit of rope-burn while working the backdrops for the night's last show. The skin was slightly chafed, nothing alarming, but it kinda... stung a bit? Or... burned? That wasn't quite right but he almost couldn't find a proper word to attribute to the new, alien sensation. His brow crinkled.[break][break]

Realizing he'd trailed off, Gavyn chuckled distractedly and straightened, gaze darting back to Maddie while he curled his fingers into his palm and picked up where he left off. "Without vanilla —" the words clipped from his mouth, becoming a mumbled outcry as he shifted his weight more heavily on one leg and a hot, raw pain lanced through his foot. He folded, falling out of view behind the bar.[break][break]

"What the fuck?" He whispered, crouching, eyes darting across the ground in clear confusion. He knew he had blisters on his feet. He'd checked for them when he'd gotten home last night, knowing they often accompanied a long, tiring shift. And he'd known they'd probably be raw and terrible-looking after performing a number of shows today, but... they hurt? They actually hurt! And that wasn't right? [break][break]

Hopping back up, thoughts of ice cream completely and swiftly forgotten, he locked wide, wild eyes with Maddison and extended an arm across the bar between them. "Hey Maddie, will you... uh... pinch me? Like hard? Just real quick. Is it weird? It's not weird."

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
This post is such a mess, I'm sorry lolol. F'ck it, YOLO! [break]
Give me a nudge for any changes!

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

When Gavyn began talking about vanilla and cutting himself off, not finishing his sentence. At first, Maddie just assumed that something was distracting him, that maybe another customer was trying to get his attention or he was just gathering his thoughts. But when he continued, there was a different sort of tone in his voice.

Maddie watched as he bent over behind the bar. Odd. What was that about? Her head was starting to feel even more fuzzy and clouded as the night went on, but she could still tell that he seemed distressed. That was strange. He seemed fine just a moment ago…

Then something clicked. No, it wasn’t as strange as it seemed. In her inebriated state, she had ignored the fact that he was gifted. Suddenly she could feel it, the fuzzy feeling of letting the negation slip out around her. She hadn't meant to, but she must have done something to him, causing some kind of problem for him.

”I, um, no, it’s not weird… But, hold on.” Maddie took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing herself to regain control and reel in her ability. She hadn't meant for this to happen. What was his gift, that it could cause such a dramatic effect from her canceling it? She couldn’t let her mind wander too far down that path this moment. There would be time for questions, but not in a busy bar.

Maddie watched Gavyn as she reached out and obliged, pinching his arm, though not quite hard. She didn’t know what he was trying to test, but she was hoping he would be okay now that she was no longer canceling out his gift.

”Whatever just happened… Um, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” In the state she was in, it didn’t even occur to Maddie that she might sound crazy to him. If he didn’t know, or maybe whatever happened wasn’t gift related, and just a coincidence. But what were the chances of any of that? Coincidences didn’t happen, not like this. And he had to know, right? Maybe. It wouldn’t be the first time someone didn’t know, but she wasn’t usually the one to have these kinds of talks with people. Especially not after trying to drink herself stupid.

”Actually, uh, what did just happen?” It was inconvenient that she couldn’t tell the nature of a gift when she sensed one, only that there was a gift. In people, the sense was strong. In animals or objects affected by a person’s gift, it was more like a faint echo that she had to pay attention to trace it back to the person. She was so used to it that sometimes, especially when she wasn’t sober, she wouldn’t pay enough attention and would forget that it wasn’t what everyone felt like.

---

Gavyn Colburn
Sorry it's a bit short. Let me know for any changes, or if you need more to work with.

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]Although Gavyn was certain he was acting bizarrely, Maddie took it in stride. He had a feeling he might have to apologize later for being so suddenly strange, but it would have to wait. He could hardly think beyond the confounded anticipation that he felt when she took a deep breath and reached for him. He leaned closer, eyes wide and lips slightly parted; watching intently as her fingers pinched at his arm. [break][break]

Nothing. [break][break]

He blinked dumbly, tongue poking from between his lips while his brow furrowed. He could feel the brush of her fingers against him and the faint impression of pressure, but — per usual — there was no answering twinge. He'd seen people get pinched — heard the angry hisses; witnessed the surprised gasps and the way they smoothed at the offended area as if to rub away the feeling of hurt. When she pulled away, he slid up the sleeve of his hoodie to examine his arm and could see the skin beginning to redden; blooming evidence that she'd actually done it and not just pretended. [break][break]

With a low, confused hum, Gavyn bounced tentatively on his feet. The strange and alien burn... or shock... or whatever it was that'd taken him out only moments before was inexplicably gone. He cocked his head, like a dog trying to puzzle out a command, when she explained that what had happened to him was her fault. Then she apologized. But that just didn't make any sense. And, as if joining him in the confusion, a moment later she asked what had happened. [break][break]

How did she not know, if it was her fault? Nothing was adding up. The whole thing was peculiar. [break][break]

"Uh, y'know..." Gavyn lifted a hand to scrub through his fluffy hair, eyes screwing up in the corners as he tried to work out the whole thing. "I don't rightly know..." His voice was openly mystified. He glanced down the bar again. Everyone was engaged in their own conversations; slowly nursing drinks or working themselves up to throwing back their next shot. He wasn't yet needed. No one was signaling to him or trying to catch his eye. Licking his lips, he bent forward and began in a low whisper as he met Maddie's gaze, "I think I have blisters on my feet." [break][break]

He let the sentence linger, lifting his brow as if were the most severe thing to happen to anyone in the world. Then, blinking rapidly, he planted his forearms on the bar and launched into a quick, rambling spiel that gradually raised back to a normal, conversational volume. "Which, granted, isn't a big deal. Or, well, it usually isn't a big deal. But just now, for like only a moment, it was... kind of a big deal?" His eyes widened again with the wonder of it all and then, after a moment, he chuckled, realizing he probably needed to explain. [break][break]

"I've got this medical condition, right? Con... gen... whatever it's called, it doesn't matter — it's an insensitivity to pain. I broke my arm once and didn't even know it! I've never felt it before... pain... I think until just now?" He hummed once more and settled a chin in his hand, eye trailing to beyond Maddie, as if the answers could be riddled out in the grain of the bar's back wall far behind her. "But I can't feel it anymore. I didn't feel it when you pinched me and my feet don't hurt now." He drummed his fingers against his jaw and then drew his gaze back to her, eyes narrowed with clear curiosity. "What did you mean, that it's your fault?"

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
Give me a nudge for any changes!

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

While Gavyn checked his arm, Maddie watched closely. She felt a little like the room was moving, but focusing on him was helping to keep that feeling pushed back. She was curious just what he was checking, why he’d asked her to pinch him. What effect had she had on him? It was clear to her that she’d stopped his gift from working accidentally, but she wasn’t sure what his gift was so she didn’t have any clue what had actually happened to him. She hoped it wasn’t anything too bad.

Maddie hardly processed when Gavyn said he didn’t know what had happened. Then he mentioned blisters on his feet. Maddie tilted her head to the side slightly, getting ready to ask and?, not following what the significance of having blisters was, but he seemed very serious about it. Blisters weren’t uncommon for service workers. She had them from time to time. They were irritating, for sure, but there was nothing for it other than slapping a bandaid on them and getting back to work.

She was slow to form the questions, so before the word had come from her lips he continued on, telling her that he had a medical condition. Oh no… He didn’t know that he was gifted, did he? She was responsible for this situation, she’d been the one to lose control of her own ability, however briefly, and now she was going to have to make sure he was okay.

”So, um, you don’t feel pain, but you just did briefly, and now you don’t again?” Maddie was certainly not sober enough to have this conversation, but she had messed up so it was her own fault. ”I can tell you how it’s my fault, but…” She looked around the bar. There were a lot of people there. No one seemed to be paying attention. ”I don’t think you have a medical condition.. It’s something else. And I think I accidentally messed with it, stopped it from working. It’s hard to really explain it and not sound nuts. But it’ll be easier if I just show you. Here, let me see your arm again, please?”

Maddie waited for him to reach out again. When he did, she intentionally used her power negation and pinched him again, lightly. ”Uh, that should have felt different…” She had no idea how he was going to take this. Even though she was already too drunk to be having this conversation, Maddie downed the rest of the drink he’d made her while she waited for his reaction.

Would he freak out? Would he think she was lying? Would he think she was a witch? Maybe she should have asked him if there was somewhere more private where they could have gone for her to answer. Perhaps a back room or kitchen or something. Anything would have probably been better than out here.

---

Gavyn Colburn
I hope it’s okay that I assumed he’d go along and give her his arm, but let me know if I moved him too much or if you want me to change anything.

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]Maddie reiterated a short-hand version of his explanation and Gavyn nodded in affirmation, inwardly relieved that she'd understood and that he didn't need to try and explain better. He was used to that. Not only could he be terrible at explaining anything, but a lot of people didn't believe him when he said he couldn't feel pain. Most felt he needed to prove it to them. Once, a boyfriend of his older sister had even broken his collarbone in an attempt to discredit the claim. But Maddie hardly seemed scrutinous or disbelieving at all. In fact, she seemed the opposite.[break][break]

Gavyn wet his lips as she began to explain her part in the strange ordeal, glancing about the bar as if she were worried about being overheard. He leaned the tiniest bit closer in response. What she actually said though, only confused him. If it wasn't a medical condition, then what other explanation could there be? And how could she disrupt it in such a way? Her explanation was vague and she claimed it was hard to explain and would sound "nuts". He wanted to reach out and shake her by the shoulders; to let her know he was fine with crazy! That he said (and believed) crazy things all the time! But then she asked for his arm again... to show him... and he only blinked dumbly as he offered it out, this time lifting his sleeve so he could watch closely.
[break][break]
She pinched him again and he winced at the inexplicable, unexpected sting of it. Quickly, he pulled back his arm and lifted it before him, inspecting the reddening skin, eyes widening once more. "Yep! That certainly felt different!" He exclaimed incredulously, voice sounding half a laugh. He immediately recalled her earlier wariness and lowered his voice to a whisper as he folded his arms back across the bar and hunkered a bit down. "I mean.. it actually, well... felt!" Another laugh, this time quieter and more private. [break][break]

Maddie downed her drink and Gavyn gave the empty glass a longing look. He wanted one now, too. A dozen questions raced through his mind, all at once, running over each other in a frenzied attempt to form into words. He might have spewed them all out in an overexcited, eager jumble, if he could just figure out how to ask them. If he could make enough sense of the whole thing to know where to start. "What.. how... wh—" He shook his head, mouth flapping open and closed. Finally, he chose to go with the easiest one and beckoned to her glass with a breathless chuckle. "Do you... want another? Something else?"[break][break]

Someone whistled from further down the bar and Gavyn whipped his head up, shooting them an apologetic smile and nod. "Be right back." He started to step forward then stopped dead in his tracks, careening back as if pulled by an invisible rope. "Hey, hey, can you keep it... uh, stopped? From working, I mean? I just gotta know what walking on blistered feet feels like." His eyes widened again. He wanted to know what everything felt like. Or, well... maybe not everything. But his friend Gwyn had once complained that he hugged too hard. How could someone hug too hard? How could a hug hurt?[break][break]

The person waiting for him made an impatient noise and Gavyn hopped off. He only made it halfway down the bar — his lively pace quickly devolving into something jolted, awkward, and stumbling — before he stopped, planted a hand on the bar beside him, and cast a tortured glance back at Maddie. Ouch, he mouthed dramatically, though his eyes remained bright and wide with incredulous wonder. [break][break]

Once the patron's drink was refilled and he'd checked that everyone else was doing okay, he made his way back to her. "Okay, uhm." He leaned against the bar, trying more seriously to cart through the whirlwind of thoughts and questions barreling aimlessly through his skull. "I guess... how? Are you doing that? And what do you mean, it's something else?"

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
I also made some assumptions with this one, so just let me know if Maddie wouldn't go along with it! Or if you desire any other changes! c:

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

The last thing Maddie had expected to do tonight - or ever, for that matter - was to hurt someone with her gift. She always thought that she was harmless, that she couldn’t hurt anyone even if she tried. Not with her gifts. She could expose people, or stop them from hurting other people, but she’d never considered the implication that she could be the one to do harm by stopping a gift from working. Until now. Here this man was, who had apparently never experienced pain before. His explanation had included not even feeling when he broke a bone. So she could only imagine what he was feeling now.

Her experiment seemed to have worked, he felt the second pinch and seemed excited. Then he followed her lead, and lowered his voice. Maddie was glad for that. She was always paranoid when she was in public. That was also Mason’s fault. He’d told her to be careful, to look out for people who wanted to hurt anyone who was gifted. She didn’t know much about it, he never wanted to actually answer her questions, but he’d warned her enough that she tried not to draw attention to herself or anyone else for being gifted. The last thing she wanted to do right now was put Gavyn at risk, so she was glad that he caught on.

He asked if she wanted another drink, and as much as she did, she shook her head no. ”I should probably hold off on that.” She knew that she was already pretty wasted, and downing the last drink so fast wasn’t going to help that at all. This conversation was going to be complex already. She would wait until after she was done answering any of his questions before getting another drink, one she would definitely be wanting by then.

Another customer needed attention. Gavyn started toward them and stopped, asking her to keep negating his ability. ”Um, okay.. If you’re sure.” She nodded and directed her power negation back to him. She couldn’t say that she fully understood wanting to feel blisters, but if she’d never felt them before, maybe it would be novel to feel them? When he turned to glance at her she wasn’t sure if she should keep up the negation, but he hadn't asked her to cut it out yet, so she kept it going.

Once he was back in front of her, Maddie let the negation fade, even though he hadn't said anything yet. This conversation would be best had without distraction from brand new sensations.

”So, uh, I.. I sense people like us. And I can cancel things.” Maddie was having trouble finding the right words. Her mind was a jumble, and she wasn’t sure if she was even making any sense. ”I don’t know what people can do. But, um..” She looked around again. No one seemed to be paying them any mind, so she continued. ”You, and me, and people like us… we’re gifted. We have abilities, sort of special powers.” She made a point to keep her voice down, still worried about the wrong person overhearing their conversation.

Maddie knew there were going to be follow up questions, but she was having trouble anticipating what he would ask. What would she ask, if it was her, just finding out that what she believed her whole life was basically a lie? When she really thought about it maybe it could be considered a medical condition. She was pretty sure it had something to do with genetics or evolution or whatever, so couldn’t all gifts be considered medical conditions? If that was the case, instead of being targeted and feared, gifted people should be protected. Accommodated by the ADA standards. Maddie realized her thoughts were going down the rabbit hole and needed to refocus. Now was not the time.

”I’m so sorry.”

---

Gavyn Colburn
Lemme know for changes or if you need more to work with.

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]As he settled in front of her, slouched forward with his arms bent atop the bar beneath him, Gavyn felt the burn in his feet recede back into the nothing he was accustomed to. He shuffled a bit testingly, eyes probing curiously at Maddie's face at the lack of sensation. Then he stilled, gaze becoming fixed with rapt attention, as she began to explain. Again, it made little sense and again, she seemed wary of the people around them.[break][break]

He tried to keep the confusion from flitting visibly across his face but it was no use — regardless of any intention, he felt his brow crinkle and his lips downturn while his gaze pulled to her hands on the bar. Gifted, huh? People with abilities and special powers? Not being able to feel pain didn't feel like anything more than a freakish oddity. While convenient at times, it had caused him — and his mother — more grief and trouble than anything else. Pain was a universal teacher, he'd been told; something everyone understood far sooner than words and warnings. It'd been difficult for him, to figure out how to navigate life safely without hurts to learn from. Even more difficult to understand how he could hurt others in ways he couldn't understand. He was still learning every day.[break][break]

She'd said there were others? He thought of his best friend, Isaac, and his beautiful art. Aaron and his proclivity in maths. Scotty's uncanny ability to discern when he was upset and how to make him feel better. People at the theatre, able to reduce audiences to tears with their performances. All of the brilliant and superbly interesting people and strangers he met and who awed him on a daily basis. Everyone had gifts. Talents. The power to affect people strongly and emotionally with the things they created and the passions they poured their entire selves into. Was it something like that? That was easy to swallow, but somehow also vaguely disappointing. As if it were a discredit to believe their skills and magnetism were owed to anything other than dedication, hard work, and love. [break][break]

But... what Maddie said she could do, that was... somehow different. More. Canceling things? Making him feel physical pain, something he'd never felt in his whole twenty-eight years of living? That was different. Harder to attribute to anything else other than something inexplicable.[break][break]

"Okay." Gavyn hummed quietly, after a long moment. He let the single word of acceptance wash through him, quieting his brain to make room for the sort of higher thinking he'd never, ever been good at. Okay. He'd believe her, of course. Why shouldn't he? But what now? What was he supposed to do with this information and what else did it imply? His brow bunched further as he thought of the last thing she said, then he lifted his eyes to her face. "Wait, why are you sorry, though?" That didn't make sense. Did she feel bad for making him feel? Ashamed in some way? Or was it something else? Was there a catch? Did people like them have short life spans? Would their powers worsen, or take a toll on their bodies or their minds as they aged or something strange and wild like that? Wasn't there always something like that? "Is being... this way..." he licked his lips, uncertain. "Bad?"[break][break]

Unable to wrestle with the daunting notion of anything she might say, Gavyn immediately sucked in a breath and straightened a bit, gaze flitting to the people laughing across the bar as he drummed his fingers against the tabletop. He thought for only a split second, then drew his eye back to her. "Maddie, I know it's late already, but what... what are you doing after this?"[break][break]

"Last call isn't far off. Once the bar itself is closed and I've cleaned it up, the rest of the staff probably won't mind if I bounce on further closing duties. We all kinda do things for each other around here. I could..." he paused and offered a light shrug, as if he wouldn't be too bothered if she were to refuse him. "Order us some food to go out of the kitchen before it closes." Probably make himself a tall drink to take with him as well. "And I know a really cool place super nearby where we could just chill under the stars, chow down, and maybe... talk about this some more?" He lifted a brow. Chanced the smallest of encouraging smiles. "No pressure, though. I'll get it if you don't feel up to it or if you don't want to wait, promise."

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
Speed run, sorry if it's messy! [break]
Give me a nudge for any changes!

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

It seemed like Gavyn was accepting the new information easier than Maddie had expected. She watched as he seemed to work things out mentally, his confused expression fading rather quickly. It was a lot to digest, and she knew that she wasn’t explaining it very well. It was hard, when they were surrounded by so many strangers, so many ears that could overhear their conversation.

”I’m sorry because, well, I hurt you.” She began to explain. ”I shouldn’t have.. I mean, I should have had better control than that. It was an accident.” She made him feel pain, and now was telling him what he’d believed about himself his whole life wasn’t actually true. It had to be a lot. If she just hadn't lost control of own
power, he likely would never have known how different he was. Would that be a better or worse fate? She wasn’t entirely sure, she didn’t know how finding out might impact him or what his life was like at all.

When he asked if being gifted was bad, Maddie shook her head. ”Uh, no.. but, well. Some people don’t like us.” She didn’t have all the details. She still had questions about it, in fact. But there were people who targeted Gifted, people who didn’t think they belonged in the world. She probably put him more at risk already.

”I’m not doing anything.” Maddie answered, probably too quickly. It was true, she had no plans. Aside from panicking over all of the events from the night. It would be better to have something to distract her. Maybe if she let herself sober up some and actually answered any questions he had, the best she could, she wouldn’t feel so guilty.

He had a whole plan thought out already, and it seemed like a good one. ”Sounds like a good plan to me.” She looked around. ”It’ll be easier to talk when there aren’t so many people around, for sure.”

She wasn’t sure what all he would ask or what must be like, finding out about a gift when you’re an adult. At least there had been doctors who diagnosed him with something, who thought they knew what his condition was, so he wouldn’t get targeted. He could still lean on that, it could still protect him.

”If you need help with side work or anything, I can help with that. I’m a server, so I have experience cutting citrus and filling salt shakers. I don’t know what else needs done in a bar.” She offered her assistance, figuring she may as put herself to use if she was going to be hanging out until closing, not that it was too far off from where they were.

---

Gavyn Colburn
Lemme know for changes

[Gavyn Colburn]

[nospaces]

I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE

warm yellow light that pours over everyone i love

[break]

[attr="class","mottledbug-text"]Gavyn's brow furrowed as Maddie explained the reason for her apology, claiming some sort of guilt for having made him hurt and asserting she should have had better control of herself. Not liking the sound of that, and liking less the sound of people "not liking them", he decided to focus first on the soothing of any misplaced culpability. He would save the worries about the latter half of what she said for when they were elsewhere. [break][break]

"You didn't hurt me," he said, trying to sound firm and imploring as he tipped the tiniest bit closer to her. "I hurt me. Or I... suppose... I was already hurt? I just didn't know it? Okay, well," he gave a playful roll of his eyes and shrugged a shoulder, "You did pinch me, but I asked you to do that. My blisters aren't your fault. I'd feel them if I was normal. And hey," he perked, lifting a hand to sift through the air. "It's actually better to know they're there, right? So I can take care of them when I get home and they don't get worse, yeah? So... all things considered... you've actually helped me!" He ended with a satisfied grin and settled back into his easy lounge. [break][break]

When she agreed to his plan and offered her help — informing him that she was a server — his eyes danced. "Oho, a fellow slave to the public?" He hummed thoughtfully, lips tugging. "That's great. Now we can cry to one another about insane scheduling, rude customers, and terrible inventory management. Mmm... and blisters, of course." He nodded slowly then his smile pulled wide and he laughed. "Just kidding! I love all of it, even the not-fun stuff."[break][break]

His gaze traveled down the bar and he feigned an exaggerated shudder as he stepped a bit down the bar to fill a fresh glass with the beer on tap. "Speaking of not-fun stuff, I'll be back in just a mo." [break][break]

Gavyn moved to the far end of the bar, where the owner was leaning back in his seat; arms crossed over his chest, legs stretched out before him, and head tipped back to watch a small TV mounted in the corner. Gavyn swapped the mostly-emptied glass before him for the full one, aware that it was more shameless bribe than him simply doing his job. "Heya, Mike." [break][break]

"Gavyn." The man acknowledged, taking a sip of the fresh beer without moving his eyes from the screen. Gavyn waited a moment, mouth pulling to one side of his face while he drummed his fingers along the bar. Eventually, Mike lowered the glass and smacked his lips, appearing to sense that the silent (and fidgety) lingering was loaded. "What's up?"[break][break]

The words had barely left the man's lips before Gavyn launched right into it. "Hey, yeah, I was actually hoping I could maybe hop out a bit early? After last call? Kind of strange I know, I'll only have been here like forty minutes," he interjected a quiet chuckle, "But it's been a strange night. Would that be cool? If I get everything cleaned up and everyone settled before?" [break][break]

Mike settled again, arms recrossing. "Why are you asking me and not Nora?"[break][break]

As if summoned, the shift lead — the true runner of the show, all things considered — seemed to materialize, slipping before Gavyn to prop herself on the counter and cast him an appraising once-over. She quirked a brow and lifted her eye to his face, as if to drive home the point of the question posed. Then she started a slow, knowing nod. "It's cause he knows you're a pushover." She stated quietly.[break][break]

Michael scoffed a half-amused, half-offended breath through his nose before his lips parted to begin a retort. But Gavyn cut him off with a snort of his own, shifting his weight. "No, no, she's right. This was definitely an 'ask Dad because Mom will say no' sort of play." His lips quirked. He (and all of the Colburn siblings) were intimately familiar with the tactic and they'd tossed their father in hot water numberless times with it during their youth. [break][break]

"First Sam, now you?" Michael shucked a tiny, suffering sigh, and then his eyes finally flickered from the TV screen to where Maddie sat at the opposite end of the bar. When his gaze traveled back, it lingered on Gavyn for only a moment. "Just what it is in the air tonight?"[break][break]

"Nauseating." Nora chimed in tonelessly, dropping her chin into her hands.[break][break]

"Hmm. Hope it's not catching." Another, long moment of silence followed in which Michael's eye remained trained on the TV, lips sucked tight against his teeth. Then he lifted a hand to smooth across his mouth and finally spoke again. "Go on then, have fun. Do as much as you can before last call. I'll pick up the rest."[break][break]

Gavyn bounced on his toes, a beam spreading wide across his face. Just before he whirled around and began a spirited step back down the bar, he was aware of Nora giving the bar owner a dark, pointed look. "What? I'll help." Their soft bickering — an easy sort of back-and-forth nagging that belayed a teasing fondness — followed him as he made his way back to Maddie and made a show of skidding to a playful stop in front of her. [break][break]

"Good news!" He said, folding his arms on the bartop before her and tossing his head to try and dispel the scatter of black, curly bangs that'd loosened into his eyeline. Completely unsuccessfully. "I'm good to go as soon as last call. I'll put our order into the kitchen and start up some closing duties. What would you like? Do you need or want a menu? It's mostly your basic bar stuff but everything's pretty good. And that's server-to-server honesty. Totally not saying that 'cause I have to." He chanced a quick wink.

[break]

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
Sorry for the wait, and that this is a massive mess lmao. [break]
Give me a nudge for any changes!

[newclass=.mottledbug-text b]color:#F38574;font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][newclass=.mottledbug-text a]font-size:8pt!important;line-height:8pt!important;font-family:Open Sans!important;[/newclass][googlefont=Poppins][googlefont=Open Sans]

[Maddison Lancaster]

And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head

---

Even as he assured her that she didn’t hurt him, she only caused him to notice that he was already hurt, Maddie still felt badly. Losing control of her ability rarely happened. She should be better than that, she should do better. Mason would probably blame it on her being too drunk. The alcohol certainly didn't help matters, but the reason she even got as drunk as she had tonight was him and their mother. Miranda had a way of getting her this worked up, and she hated it. And it was Mason’s fault for forcing her to be there, to spend time with their mother.

“I mean, I guess it’s good to know. But still…” She let her shoulders drop and sighed. “It shouldn’t have happened like that.”

It was too late to put the genie back into the bottle now. At least he hadn't completely panicked. Or called her crazy. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like, finding out as an adult that what you thought was a medical condition your whole life was really something different. Something harder to explain. Science would probably label it as a mutation. An evolutionary mistake.

Maddie giggled when he mentioned being slaves to the public, and the universal complaints from the service industry workers everywhere. The job was absolutely great, except for the customers and bad managers and inconvenient schedules. But the people who worked in the service industry either loved the misery, or they ended up finding some other job to hate just as much. “Oh man, right? Like, working Christmas sucks but at least the coworkers make it fun, right?”

She nodded when he said he’d be back. She slowly sipped at the water he’d brought her. Hydration is important. Mason always told her that, and now, even being mad at him, she couldn’t get him out of her head. She hated that he was always right. Maddie shoved her own wallowing to the side. She’d already done enough damage tonight by letting it drag her down. She wasn’t going to obsess over it anymore.

Gavyn came back and declared that he had good news. Thankfully, his enthusiasm was infectious, and she could feel her mood improving as she watched him attempt to flip the hair from his eyes without much success. She tried to hold back a giggle, but she was far too tipsy for that. “If you guys have chicken strips that would be great.” Maddie realized that most people at a bar would be asking for chicken wings, but she was too picky for that. She didn’t like a lot of the sauces they came in, or dealing with the bones.

---

Gavyn Colburn
Lemme know for changes