1v1 RP: "The Detour Notebook" Semi/Lit+

[Faith3344]

Juno
24
She/Her pronouns
Mood - Calm, Nervous
Location: coffee shop

She blinked at him, then gave a slow, theatrical clap. “Wow. That was either the most poetic thing I’ve ever heard in a coffee shop… or you’re secretly auditioning for a spoken word night and forgot to mention it.”

Her lips curled into a crooked smile, teasing but not unkind. “Breadcrumbs though—yeah. I get that. Some people leave them on purpose, and some of us just drop the whole loaf without realizing, then wonder why ducks keep following us around.”

She rested her chin on her hand, tapping her fingers against her cheek thoughtfully. “And you’re right—emotional closure’s kinda a scam, huh? Like, some days I think I’ve got it, and then I hear a dumb song or see a neon sign flicker the same way it used to, and bam—back in the memory soup.”

At his question, her expression faltered for a flicker of a second—barely there—and then she popped back into her usual rhythm like flipping a switch.

“How am I feeling?” she echoed, pretending to ponder. “Like a soda that’s been shaken and then left in the sun. Weirdly bubbly, slightly unstable, and not really sure what flavor I am anymore. So basically: thriving.”

Juno stood up suddenly, brushing off imaginary dust from her jeans. “Anyway, this was—surprisingly not terrible. You’ve got a good ‘brooding philosopher meets local ghost tour guide’ vibe going. You should put that on a business card.”

She grabbed her jacket, eyes darting briefly to the time. Her tone softened as she added, “I’ve gotta head out, though. Got...a thing. A kinda important one. One of those breadcrumb-following, heart-weird things.”

She smiled, this time more gently, and tilted her head. “Maybe I’ll see you around, Existential Espresso.”

And just like that, she was gone—her exit light, but her thoughts anything but. She darted out the door, pulling her phone out of her clutch to check the time and pull up the gps locations to the funeral. She left with extra time, wanting to enjoy her air on foot.

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - contemplative & sad
Location: coffee shop -> funeral

It was her parting words that sat with him as he continued to gaze out the window. "Exestential Expresso" she had called him. He couldnt fight the faint smile from his face, normally after an interaction hed be reaching for his phone to tell Eli all about it. He would have adored her. Glancing at his watch once more he realized it was time for him to head out as well. Tossing his empty cup he walked out, the jingle of a bell his only goodbye. The funeral home wasn't far, so he took his time during the ten minute walk south. He took in the chirp of the birds, the crisp air that had a hint of rain, the soft breeze and the blue of the sky. The town wasn't a large one and mornings were always slow, in a way you got to watch as the town itself awoke along with its people.

Without preamble he slipt inside of the building, not allowing himself to over think it. "Oh Alexander!" A weepy voice greeted him moments before he was wrapped up in the arms of a petite older woman. Watery emerald green eyes, the same shade as Eli's, looked up at him. Her warm auburn hair falling out of its bun and fraing strands framed her heart shaped face. "Aunt Jess." He greeted in response, returning her hug. Eli's mother had been where his cousin had gotten his personality, bubbily and bright, along with his bright eyes. Other than that Eli had favored his father, who being the identical twin of Alecs father, had made them look rather similar. It was the look in his Aunts eyes that she was seeing those very similarities in her nephew that she saw in her son. The similar hair, the height, the complexion. Jess sniffled, letting Alec go before announcing to all present that "my darling nephew Alexander is here. Josiah son, yes Alan's brother." As usual his social butterfly of an aunt had fallen into conversation with others gathered for Eli's funeral.

His interaction with his Uncle was much more stilted. A simple nod of the head in acknowledgment. Alec knew he was the spitting image of his father, which was hard on some, but so was his Uncle. For Alec, seeing his Uncle was like seeing a ghost, big factor in why his mother had taken him and left all those years ago. Alec made small talk with a handful of older guests as he slowly made his way to take a seat. Finding a spot next to his grandmother, who gave him a weary smile and clasped his hand between her tiny withered ones. She was a woman of few words, a comfort in a moment like this. Alec kept his head down, wanting to limit the I'm sorry interactions.

[Faith3344]

Juno
24
She/Her pronouns
Mood - Afraid, Scared
Location: Funeral Home

Juno had been standing just outside the funeral home's entrance for what felt like a lifetime. The soft drizzle that had begun minutes ago clung to her hair and coat, but she made no move to go inside. She breathed in slowly, then stepped through the doors.

If there was a sound when she entered, she didn’t hear it. Just the press of silence. The kind that muffles even your thoughts. She didn’t belong here, not really. Everyone inside seemed connected by blood or history, bound to one another through generations of familiarity. She, on the other hand, felt like a word scribbled into the margins of someone else’s story.

Her heels barely made a sound as she walked along the edge of the carpeted room, her eyes downcast, the weight of unsaid things pulling her shoulders inwards. Her curls hung damply around her face, and she let them, a curtain between her and the world. She spotted a corner seat in the very last row, half-shielded by a large potted plant, and slipped into it silently.

No one looked her way. That was good. She didn’t want to be looked at. Didn’t want anyone to see the way her lip trembled despite her best efforts to stay composed. She clutched a crumpled tissue in her lap, its edges torn from being folded and unfolded too many times. In her pocket was a note she hadn’t been able to leave at the grave. It just said: “Wish you were here. But also wish you weren’t gone.”

She blinked hard and swallowed. Her gaze drifted across the backs of heads, people whispering, dabbing at their eyes, holding hands. And then she saw him.

Existential Espresso.

The nickname floated to mind before anything else. The guy from the coffee shop, the one with the faraway eyes and the kind of stillness that felt too heavy for someone his age. She hadn’t expected him to be here, though in hindsight, maybe she should have. She watched him quietly from behind the leaves of the plant, unsure if he’d seen her yet. Unsure if she wanted him to. Their meeting had been brief, just a few shared words over caffeine and quiet understanding, but it had stayed with her. In a room full of strangers, he was the only one who felt...familiar. A little broken in the same shape.

Maybe later, when the words didn’t feel like stones in her throat, she’d say hi again. For now, she let herself disappear into her corner seat, fingers clenched around that worn tissue, and let the stillness take her.

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - contemplative & sad
Location: coffee shop -> funeral

The funeral passed fairly quickly. Alec was greeted consistently by family and friends that he hadn't seen in years. Eli really had always been the social one. Looking around the room as he lead his grandma to the door he spotted familiar dark curls. His brow creased but he continued walking his grandmother out the door.

"Thank you Alexander. Always such a good boy." His grandmother's raspily voiced, pinching his cheeks with her cool fingers. Saying his goodbyes to her he slipped back inside, finding himself slipping into the seat next to Juno.

"You know I had thought you would have blended well with Eli, didnt know I was right." He spoke softly, so his voice wouldnt carry or draw too much attention. A few people called his name in their goodbyes as more people left the building.

[Faith3344]

Juno
24
She/Her pronouns
Mood - Afraid, Scared
Location: Funeral Home

Juno had been mid-way through trying to discreetly blow her nose (and failing spectacularly) when she caught Alec sliding into the seat beside her.
She let out a soft, broken laugh, folding her tissue into a sad little origami crane.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, sniffling. "My emotional meltdown has an audience now."
Her voice cracked as she had attempted to joke her way out of the awkwardness of her tears.
"You know," she sniffled, glancing sideways at him, "when I met you earlier, I thought you just weirdly looked like him."
She gave a watery, almost embarrassed laugh, the tissue-turned-crane wobbling in her hands. "Figured it was the grief and too much caffeine making me see ghosts."
Juno tucked her knees up slightly onto the seat, trying to make herself smaller, less exposed. "Didn’t realize the universe had a real messed-up sense of humor today."
She tilted her head at him, squinting like she was trying to solve a riddle only he knew the answer to.
"So,"she said, rocking back and forth, "are you like... one of Eli’s secret pen pals? A long-lost bandmate? Or- Wait. Were you the mythical ice cream sorcerer Eli swore were either genius or a cry for help in just a single scoop?"
She paused, blinking wide-eyed.
"Basically, what flavor of chaos connected you two?"