[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

CW: language?

---

The last yoga class of the day was finished. Emie spent about a half hour cleaning the mats, making sure they were all dry, before rolling them up and putting them away in the corner. She still had a couple minutes of time before her shift officially ended, but the owner, Jimmy, didn’t care if she didn’t stay busy until the last minute, as long as everything was put back in order before she left for the day.

She liked her classes for the most part. She had a couple people who were disinterested, but kept coming anyway. But most of the regular attendees were catching on, and seemed to enjoy the practice of yoga well enough.

”Okay, I’m all done!” Emie called out to Jimmy as she walked out of the studio where she held class, and headed to the employee locker room.

She took a quick shower, towel drying her hair and throwing on some sheer pink lip gloss. She changed into a pair of jean shorts and striped sweater over a tank top, and slipped canvas sneakers. She was dressed more for comfort tonight, which was her usual habit. She only dressed up when she had a reason to do so. Tonight she was supposed to meet up with some friends from school at a bar down the street, celebrating the end of the school year. They’d all made it through finals, and summer break had officially arrived.

”Have a good night.” Jimmy called after her, giving a smile as Emie walked by, waving as she passed. ”Thanks, you too!”

It wasn’t a far walk from the gym to the bar they were meeting at. It only took about ten minutes to get there. When Emie arrived, she looked around, not immediately seeing the group that she was meeting. They should have been here by now, probably half plastered already. She walked around, and couldn’t find a single one of her friends.

”Well fuck me.” She pulled out her phone. No notifications. Liam was in the group that was going out, so she decided to text him.

Yo, where the hell are you guys?

Oh shit, no one told you? Plan changed.

No shit. I’m at the bar and no one is here.

House party in the Heights. I can get the address. I can’t come get you though, I’m already drunk.

Yeah, get me the address. I’ll get an Uber out there. I’m not driving that far in the dark.

”Assholes.” Emie muttered under her breath with a chuckle as she stepped back outside, waiting for her brother to text her the address before she could order an Uber to get out there. She wasn’t really irritated, but she was planning on giving Liam crap about not keeping her updated anyway. What good were brothers when you couldn't pick on them?

---

open
Make assumptions, move her a bit, whatever.

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

It had been a long day for Walter at the coffee shop, with a surprising amount of spills and wrong orders. Not many people in the shop were pleased with the great customer service the shop claimed to have, and it usually did; Walter just guessed he was off his game today. Today had been pretty exhausting for him, with the only other employee running the shop with him being the manager, who also had a bad start to the morning and only barked at Walter to do better. He thinks he deserved one or two drinks to take his mind off work (which he usually enjoyed, boo) and get back to his old self again.

Once Walter clocked out, he decided to take a walk across town and pick whatever bar would catch his eye. It was a nice summer evening, not too hot but just enough to be comfortable, which Walter enjoyed as he strolled across the streets of Los Eurosia. He took a deep breath in, thankful for this great city he loved and the opportunities it gave. Finally, he stopped in front of a simple bar, not too far from where he lived in the Heights. Walter decided that this would be the one, and stepped inside.

He ordered a couple of shots, and as soon as they arrived at his table they were already gone. It left him slightly buzzed, a little loopy but overall feeling better than his rough couple of hours before. He went to go step outside to take a breath of fresh air, but just as he was about to step outside the door he heard a frustrated feminine voice grunt, "Well, fuck me." He stopped for a second, his feet pausing in place. It didn't take too long for the woman to speak again, muttering "Assholes."

Walter finally stepped outside, his hands in the pockets of his beige-colored hoodie, deciding to see if he could strike up some conversation. "You don't sound happy," he began, leaning against the wall behind him. "Rough day?"

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 343
※ notes: hey, i know it's been a couple months since you've started this thread but i hope you don't mind me popping in!

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

Emie hadn't realized anyone had paid attention to her grumbling aloud, until a guy in a hoodie commented about it sounding like she was having a rough day. “No, I mean, it’s not a huge deal.” She smiled and let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “I was supposed to be meeting my friends and my brother. We were going to celebrate the start of summer break from school, but apparently someone decided to move the get-together to a house in the Heights and no one told me.” She scrunched her nose in mock irritation. “Not even my brother.”

Honestly, she would have thought Liam would make sure she knew, but it wasn’t the biggest deal in the world that he hadn't. She knew that things happened, or passing on information could get overlooked.

“I didn’t mean to sound so grumpy about it. Really, it’s okay. I’m just waiting for them to text me the address.” She shrugged, and let a smirk tug at the corners of her lips again. “It’s also quite possible that I have a flair for being overdramatic. My brother will say I do, anyway.” And he’d be right. Sometimes, she could be loud and pile on the melodrama, usually trying to amuse someone, even if only herself.

“What about you, what brings you out here? You have a bad day yourself?” The guy looked about her age or Liam’s age. She wondered if he was a local, a visitor, or maybe another student. It wasn’t like she knew everyone.

---

Walter Bell
Let me know for changes.

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

Walter quietly listened and nodded while the woman told her story, making sure to give her his undivided attention. He wanted to absorb every detail so that he could ensure the best assistance possible, whether she needed support or something else- it was something Walter felt inclined to do, even with people he just met. But as the story began to wrap up, and the woman made the mocking remark about her brother, his smile slightly faltered (but he did emit a breathy snicker). He already didn’t like this brother character right off the bat, but did find it a little funny how he thought the situation could have been worse.

He re-adjusted himself on the wall as the woman talked about her knack for being overdramatic, and he chuckled slightly at this, his face warmly beaming. He seemed to genuinely enjoy the woman’s company, especially after a long and stressful day of hot spills and hot words. It wasn’t long after this, though, when the woman asked him “What about you, what brings you out here? You have a bad day yourself?”

Walter softly lifted his back off the wall, taking his hand out of his hoodie pocket to itch the back of his head while he spoke. “You could say that.” His itch satisfied, he put his hand back into his hoodie pocket. “I work at a cafe not too far from here, and I guess I was off my game today- people got pretty surly. Not entirely sure what went wrong, maybe it was just bad air or the communication just wasn’t there today.” He looked up at the woman, smirking slightly in his own amusement of finding the best transition. “Speaking of bad communication, I’m sorry things didn’t go well with your group. I agree with you that it probably isn’t a big deal.” Walter quirked his eyebrow in a slightly joking manner before continuing. “But they should probably pay for your uber. I assume you’re taking one?”

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 332
※ notes: lmk if you want any changes!

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

The guy confirmed that he hadn't been having the best day himself. Emie listened as he talked about the cafe he worked at, not far from there, and how it seemed like the day had been full of bad communication. Then he smirked, and swung the topic back to her dramatic reaction. She let out a laugh when he said they should pay for her Uber, which was something Liam would probably actually do if she asked him, but she wouldn’t.

“I was planning on taking an Uber out there. I mean, I could just drive myself, but I hate driving in the dark. Like, really hate it.” She scrunched her face. In fact, she wasn’t sure she really wanted to get into an Uber either, it was always a risk not knowing anything about the person driving, but she generally convinced herself that it was okay because the Uber drivers literally did this for a living, so they had to be careful and responsible, right?

“Honestly, I don’t even like being in the car at night. Maybe I’ll just ditch them.” Emie smirked, trying to keep her tone decidedly light and playful, even though there was more truth there than there should be.

She glanced at her phone. Still no text back from Liam. He’d probably gotten distracted on his way to asking someone for the address, but she wasn’t really bothered. A mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth, and she got a different idea.

“You don’t happen to skateboard, do you?” There was a park nearby where she liked to practice, even though she spent almost as much time on her ass on the ground as she did actually successfully staying on the skateboard. It could be more fun than making the trek out to the Heights to a party where everyone was probably drunk already anyway.

---

Walter Bell
Let me know for changes.

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

Walter's expression mostly stayed the same as the woman described her plans to ditch her party, a slight smile with a couple of light chuckles while she talked. Walter didn’t exactly like her plans to abandon her friends, but wasn’t entirely against it either. Ultimately, though, Walter decided that it wasn’t his business what she did, and if she wanted to ditch her friends, he’d treat it lightheartedly.

Then he heard her as she asked him another question: “You don’t happen to skateboard, do you?” Walter laughed heartily at this, which quickly turned into a cough. After a couple seconds of hacking, he waved his hand apologetically before answering the question. “Sorry about that. If you call falling on your ass skateboarding, then sure. I’m sure I’ve done a little as a kid at one point, but…” Walter trailed off, painful memories beginning to resurface. His expression only faltered for a moment; he quickly shoved them down afterwards. After fixing his expression, Walter continued. “Why? Did you have something in mind?”

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 171
※ notes: lmk if you want any changes! sorry for a shorter post, kinda tired

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

Emie tried, but failed, to hold in a giggle as he stated that his skill with skateboarding was just falling on his ass. When she’d first started that was absolutely how she spent the majority of the time she tried to stay on a skateboard, but now she’d been getting a bit better at it. Maybe it was all the yoga that had really tipped the scales where balance came in, or maybe it was just the stubborn amount of time she’d put into practicing. She wasn’t too afraid of falling and getting hurt when no one else was around, so she’d taken some pretty stupid risks from time to time in the name of ‘getting better’ at it.

“I was gonna say there’s always the skatepark when other plans fall through, but if you can’t stay on the board I don’t think that’ll be much fun for you.” She scrunched her face as she tried to think of something else to hijack the stranger’s night with, and came up short. Perhaps that was because she literally knew nothing about him yet, but if she was successful at convincing him to hang out then that would change by the end of the night. “What do you like to do?”

Maybe she shouldn’t be assuming this guy had nothing better to do, but the worst that could happen was he would say he was busy or wasn’t interested. “Oh, I’m Emie, by the way.” She realized maybe she should at least introduce herself if she was going to continue to try and monopolize his time.

---

Walter Bell
Let me know for changes. Emie is solidly like “YOLO, let’s hang out, random guy!”

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

Walter couldn't help but giggle when she giggled, his default response to laughter. Walter had always believed that laughter spreads like wildfire (along with yawning), and now he was feeling the effects of this firsthand. He beamed, genuinely happy in moment, no matter how minuscule it might have been.

Walter continued to listen to the next things the woman had to say. He chuckled slightly as her face scrunched up as she thought of a response, he thought it looked like she had ate something sour. Walter shrugged when she mentioned the skate park, he didn't mind going there or somewhere else. Maybe it was the shots he'd had, or maybe it was something else pulling at his personality, but he felt very agreeable. He would go almost anywhere and not put up a fight.

Walter put his hand on his chin when she asked about his likes, sifting through all the files in his brain to find the things he liked that stood out among the rest. "Well, depends on my mood! Are we gonna have fun or are we gonna be chill?" He smirked, taking his hand off his chin and hanging them at his sides, slightly swinging them around like an excited little child who was trying to contain their happiness. "In terms of fun, I would say I'm a pretty good dancer. I've been told that I've tore up the dance floor more than once. We could go to a club!" He chuckled at his own remark before continuing. "If we're going on a more relaxed route, I love listening to and playing the guitar, plus other similar instruments. We could go to an open mic around town, if there's anything. Up to you."

Walter looked up as she introduced herself. It was a small, simple name; a nickname by the sound of it. Emie. Walter smiled. "Nice to officially meet you, Emie! I'm Walter, but Walt is fine as well." He jokingly bowed a little, then straightened himself and giggled once more, waiting for her to say something.

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 343
※ notes: lmk for changes!

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

Having fun and being chill weren’t always mutually exclusive, but Emie had to admit to herself that she had no chill. She was a lot, and that was okay. Especially in the summertime, when she had less responsibility than normal. “I’m not sure I have the capability of being chill, I’ll be honest.”

He mentioned a couple options, going to a club or finding an open mic night somewhere. They could both be fun, depending on the crowd at an open mic. Her unchoreographed dance skills were a hot mess, but she didn’t care, she still had fun with it.

“I’m absolutely down for either!” Emie smiled, formulating a plan in her head. “How about we find an open mic or some place that’s doing karaoke? If we get bored or don’t like the vibe, we can always dip out and head to a club instead.”

She thought that it was a solid plan, starting with one and swapping to the other if it wasn’t going well. Emie was no stranger to performing, and she enjoyed being in front of a crowd. If he played instruments, it would be fun to see him in his element. It seemed like a better idea than going to the loud club right away.

Walter. Walt. A name for the face. His bow and giggle made her laugh again, unable to maintain calm while he was laughing. Once she regained her composure, she pulled out her phone to text her brother that she wouldn’t be going out to the party after all, then she looked back at Walt. “So, do you know of any places that have a good open mic happening tonight? Otherwise I could try to google a place.”

---

Walter Bell
Let me know for changes.

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

Walter loved listening and performing at Open Mics, thinking of it as a more low-key way to express one’s creativity, which he admired. He had been absolutely blown away by a couple performers in the past, and so he was glad that Emie felt inclined to go to one. He also chuckled at the thought of karaoke, he hadn’t thought of it but it sounded like a blast.

When she pulled out her phone, Walter did as well, quickly googling any places that had an open mic that night. There were a couple at some coffee shops he had never heard of, one at a mom and pop shop, even a karaoke party at a recording studio. But there was one that specifically caught his eye: an open mic about to start at his place of work. Walter’s face turned a little red as he stared at the screen, slightly baffled about how he had forgotten. Somehow it slid right past him at work that day as the hours ticked by. Walter shook it off, trying not to think about it.

After more careful thought, he knew it was probably one of the better options. It wasn’t too far of a walk from the bar they were at, and he knew the shop better than any of the other ones. Walter sighed, turning off his phone as he raised his head to listen to Emie as she spoke.

Walter once again chuckled at her mention of googling a place, doing it just a couple seconds before. “Funnily enough, I did just Google a couple options. The capital cafe’s hosting an open mic tonight, and I saw a karaoke party happening at a recording studio.” His face flushed a little as he started to talk about his work. “There’s also an open mic starting at the cafe I work at, not too far from here. Probably the closest out of all three.” Walter smiled, his face still slightly red. He didn’t necessarily want to go back to work a second time, but it’s not like he had to work when he got there, he’d be there to have fun and sing. The redness in his face faded, letting that ease his conscience. “Up to you once again.”

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 376
※ notes: lmk for changes!

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

[attr="class","EMIEpost"]

Walter listed off a few options that he’d already googled for them. It seemed like they had both had the same idea about looking up where to go, though she hadn't done it yet. Finally, her phone buzzed and Liam was texting back. She glanced down and smirked. ’Em, omg I got distracted. You sure you don’t want to come out here?’ She typed back a very quick ‘I’m sure, going to an open mic. Have fun!’, then she shook her head. "Now he texts me back." She laughed it off and pocketed her phone again.

“Wait, you work at a cafe near here? The one right around the corner over there?” Emie pointed down the road, questioning. “I work at the gym a few doors down from there, if that’s the one. I teach yoga a few days a week.” Emie explained her own job, wondering if she’d ever met him and not even realized it if that was the same cafe.

“Would it be weird for you to go to an open mic where you work?” She didn’t know if he’d feel weird about that. She could see him blush as he talked about it, and wondered if maybe he was the shy type. Maybe he wouldn’t want to get up on a stage in front of people who knew him, afraid to be judged or whatever.

“If it would be weird, we definitely should go to one of the other places. Walking distance is always a good thing too, though. But really, if it would be awkward we shouldn’t do that one.” She was aware that she’d basically hijacked Walter’s night, though he didn’t seem to be opposed to it . At least, he hasn’t said as much. But she didn’t want to push him into something that was completely out of his comfort zone if she could help it.

---

Walter Bell
Let me know for changes.

[newclass=".EMIEpost b"]color: #D73699;[/newclass]

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

Walt let out a soft giggle at her remark towards her brother. He was glad to find himself genuinely laughing again after the rough morning at work, and speaking of which, he wasn’t the happiest about going back. Sure, he wasn’t going back because he had to work, but he couldn’t be sure if it would make him sour all over again. He didn’t want that to ruin the night with Emie, especially after just meeting her. At the same time though, he wasn’t picky and didn’t have anything else planned for the night; if she felt like going, then he would be fine with it too.

Walt’s face lit up when she mentioned the gym she worked at- very close to the shop where he worked at himself. “Huh, what a coincidence! I think I know which gym you’re talking about.” His face was practically glowing, radiating with genuine happiness and a bit of surprise. “Maybe I’ll pop in sometime.”

As he listened to the second part of Emie’s questions, he let it sink in for a second. Walt did admit that it would be weird to go back, especially after his previous experience that day. Despite this, Walter’s lip quirked upwards, a giddy jump in his step. “Nah, I don’t mind! It’s the closest one anyways, and I know it best. Why not?” His eyes glinted with a hint of playfulness, excited to get going. Maybe it was just him, maybe it was the alcohol still in effect, but he felt ready for anything. The night was a comfortable kind of cool, and he was eager to get walking and have a good time.

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 276
※ notes: sorry for the wait! lmk for changes.

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

[attr="class","EMIEpost"]
He knew the gym, which wasn’t a huge surprise, but it still made Emie smile a bit wider. She loved her job, and she saw all kinds of people coming in for classes or just to work out on the equipment. “You should! If you’re interested in yoga at all, I teach classes that welcome all skill levels too.” She was better at teaching the beginners and intermediates, but she welcomed anyone and everyone in her sessions.

It seemed like he didn’t mind going back to his place of work, proclaiming it as the best option even. “Okay, but if it gets weird we can dip out and find something else fun to do.” She pointed toward the direction where she thought his coffee shop was, the same direction as the gym. “It’s this way, right?” She was already starting to walk that way as she asked, almost certain that she was going the correct way.

“So, other than work, what do you do?” Emie questioned as they started on their way. “Do you go to school? Have any hobbies? What do you like doing?”

Emie was well aware that she was asking a lot of questions and that she didn’t even really know Walter. But that was exactly why she wanted to ask him what he liked, what he did for fun or just in general. There had to be more to him than just where he worked, and she intended to discover whatever he was willing to share with her.

---

Walter Bell
Let me know for changes.

[newclass=".EMIEpost b"]color: #D73699;[/newclass]

[Walter Bell]

❝

we never got to finish the book of you and i...

Walt nodded to confirm that the way Emie was pointing was the right direction, and off they went to his place of work. The air was just the perfect amount of cool, which Walter deeply appreciated; growing up in the rainy part of Washington, his move to California was a big change of weather for his skin, and he practically boiled alive for the first couple of weeks before starting to get used to the heat. The strange coolness of the night felt good to experience again.

Walt beamed at Emie's playfulness as she began to talk, expressing her hope to see him stop by her yoga class. He chuckled. "Yoga sounds fun! I'll be there." And then the questions came. Walter perked up his eyebrow, placing his finger to his chin as if he was playfully thinking. Work was a big part of his life at the moment, yes, but he did have other noteworthy hobbies he felt like sharing. "Well, sure, I like to do a lot of things! I play the guitar, I read, I dabble a bit in photography, I dance a little... yeah! That seems about it." He dropped his finger back to his side, letting his arms swing a little as they continued to walk down the street. "No, I'm not in school right now, but I don't mind. I'm satisfied with where I'm at right now."

He'd turn his head and turn the tables on Emie, expressing the same desire to get to know her better. "What about you, though? Anything notable in your life that you feel like sharing? Hobbies, funny stories, et cetera?" He once again smiled widely at Emie, appreciating the openness between each other.

✎ tags -- (Emerson Vanderbilt )
✉ words: 285
※ notes: Lmk for changes! Sorry for a shorter than usual response, been a while since I've written as walt

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Emerson Vanderbilt]

[attr="class","EMIEpost"]

We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life then you put a line through it

---

Emie was well aware of the fact that she could be described as a lot at times. She was easily excitable and had a tendency to ask too many questions, prying even when her curiosity wasn’t welcomed. So she was glad that Walter didn’t seem irritated with her prodigy questions. He listed off several hobbies and revealed that he wasn’t in school, which there was nothing wrong with. She’d only asked because he seemed about her age, and it was a fifty-fifty shot either way.

“How long have you played the guitar? And what kind of music do you play?” She asked him as they continued to walk toward his work. “I can’t only play like, one chord. I’m pretty much hopeless. But I didn’t take lessons or anything, just my brother tried to teach me, and I don’t think either of us took it seriously at the time.”

Walter asked if she had anything she’d share, and a huge grin spread on Emie’s face. “Me? I’m pretty much an open book.” Aside from one big secret, Emie would talk about almost anything else. “I’m going to school to be an elementary school teacher, I’ve done competitive cheerleading since I was in middle school but I’m still an awful dancer when I’m improvising, and I’ll try just about anything once. As long as it isn’t something that would be likely to get me arrested.” Emie shrugged. “Maybe even then, if it was exciting enough. I don’t believe in living with regrets or letting fear make decisions.”

There was a lot more she could say, but she figured she’d babbled enough for the moment. “Did you grow up here?” She asked him another probing question, trying to get to know him better as they made their way to the open mic night.

---

Walter Bell | Let me know for changes.

[newclass=".EMIEpost b"]color: #D73699;[/newclass]
[newclass=".EMIEpost img"]border: 1px solid #D73699; padding: 3px; height: 90px; width: 90px;[/newclass]