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

[iqtrash]

name; alexander winnow
nickname; alec
age; 26
gender; male he/him
sexuality; heterosexual
smell; a dark roast mixed w/
hints of rosemary
positive; charming, outgoing,
& hardworking
neutral; competitive & sarcastic
negative; hardheaded, vain,
& forgetful
fc; kit harrington

Alec’s father and Eli’s father were twin brothers, with the two being so close it was only natural their children were also close. They were inseparable it seemed until the age of 12. Alec’s father passed, so at the age of 13 his entire life was changed. He was still close with Eli, but from a distance. His mother moved them back to her hometown to cope with the loss of her husband. Alec always made time for Eli, though they were never as close as they once were. In the last 6 years they had grown apart as their lives changed into adulthood. Alec feels like he’s chasing moments of his past, especially the rode trip. It was a dream trip mentioned as children. Now he’ll do anything not to loose these little pieces of the sibling he never had.

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - feeling down & scattered
Location: coffee shop

Bzz. Bzzzz. Bzzz. The mixture of ringing and vibration startled him from his blissful sleep. Blearily blinking his dark brown eyes open, he fumbled for the phone on his nightstand. The room was unfamiliar and for a moment he was confused. For a moment, he forgot.The hotel room was as it had been the night before, all sorts of wrong. The bed wasn’t as comfortable as his own, the white linens harsh and the space felt so empty. He knew he’d find his suitcase kicked under the bed frame from the night before. He had pushed his flight as much as he could. He had ignored the facts, in a state of denial. Everything was crashing down on him now as he grew more and more conscious. Grief was a weight that clung and struck at the oddest times.

Pushing the heavy white comforter away from himself he pushed to his feet. He ran his fingers through his tangled brown curls before rubbing his hand down his face. Last night had been rough, sleeping in a strange bed and rushing to this town after work. He really had been pushing everything to last moment, waiting for Eli to call and tell him it was all alright. He fell into his normal daily routine, as well as he could being in a hotel room and pulling his items from his suitcase.

Around forty minutes later he was looking at his own reflection in the mirror, nit picking as he continued to mess with his curls. He was dressed in simple dark slacks and a crisp white button down, his sleeves rolled up past the elbows. His did always tell him that his own vanity would always be his greatest weakness. He knew he looked good, however he was seeking anything to prolong this moment. With a heavy sigh he stepped away from the bathroom mirror, slipping back into the small bedroom. He finished off the outfit with a few wrings, hir wrist watch, and black dress shoes. Grabbing his wallet and keys he stepped out, leaving the mess in his wake as a problem for him to address at a later time.

Asking the lovely receptionist for any coffee shops or breakfast locations they would recommend on his way out. With those recommendations in hand he headed out, glancing down at the clock on his wrist. 9am. He had time, he needed the normalcy. Everything had been so hectic recently. His new job in publishing had been a little overwhelming, his mother being his mother, a recent breakup that wasn’t going well for his ex, and in the end he just really needed a break. Lost in his own thoughts he stepped into the first coffee shop on the recommendation list. The fresh aroma of coffee and the jingling of the door bell a small greeting.

Stepping behind one person speaking to the employee behind the counter he perused the menu. It was written in different colored chalk, adding to the overall homey welcoming feel of the little shop. He again checked his watch, 9:30am. The walk had done him some good, the fresh air had cleared his head. He continued to look over the menu, overthinking all of his options.

[Faith3344]

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

"Please... Make it a tripl- NO- quad. Please." She chuckled slighty, trying to mask how clouded her mind was. With all of the grief and worry engulfing her, every aspect of her outfit seemed more apparent to her skin. The way her dress dangled around her ankles, the feeling of her strappy black heels pushing against the tops of her feet, even the way her curls were bouncing against her neck as she moved was putting her on edge.
As she stood there waiting for her order she opened her phone, a reminder notification which read "Eli's Funeral: 11am" was plastered at the top of the screen on a picture of Eli eating a ketchup-covered churro with a face of the upmost disgust which had a caption of "Don't make a bet ya can't win, loser". The time read 9:46am. Clutching her phone, a tear began to trickle down both cheeks. She had yet to fully acknowledge the loss of her best friend as she had only found out two days prior due to a Facebook post. She opened her phone despite knowing the pain ahead, she scrolled over to her messages with his contact labeled "E-LIar" The last Three messages read:
Saturday, March 8th, 1:59am: "Bro! I just found another amazing location we MUST check out one day. The largest BUBBLE GUM WALL! It's CHEWED GUM. ON A WALL.",
Monday March 10th, 2:32pm "Okay bud, weekends over haha get back here. Text me"
and Saturday, March 15th, 2:34am: "Eli..? You've gotta answer your phone more bud you're freaking me out"
With being long distant, she was used to Eli not being able to get in contact as often as she had hoped but now, since March 8th, "not enough" had officially became "never again".
As her eyes continued to well up, she heard a faint sound from in front of her.
"...Ma'am..? " "Ma'am"
"Huh?" Juno said, lifting her head from her screen as the tears fall onto her cheek.
"Your total comes to $5.27"
"Oh, right, yes. sorry! Card, p-please." She sniffled as she ruffled through her bag to find her card, the chip holding onto it's last life and all that remains of numbers are small silver flakes.
As she inserted her card into the machine to pay for her quad, her phone alarm, set to full volume, echoed throughout the space.
"Oh shoot..." She said as the card fumbled out of her hands straight to the floor. Bending down to pick it up, her clutch opened, spilling its contents all over the floor, her lip gloss rolling right into a nice pair of men's dress shoes. After quickly turning her alarm off and grabbing each and every cough drop, tube of makeup, a mini M&Ms tube, and a loose wad of tissues off of the ground, she stood back up, dusting off her flowy dress.
"I am so sorry, sir. It's been a crazy morning." She smiled as she flipped her hair away from her face, revealing a soft glossy lip and sloppily applied mascara with tear marks that ran from her eyes to her mid cheeks and a tiny gold chain with a tiny pendant which appeared to be made from rainbow glass.
She wipes her face, quickly. After making eye contact with the man, her heart had felt as if it had dropped down into her stomach. He looked so similar to Eli that she froze, staring for a few seconds before stuttering out;
"I- I am just not myself today..."

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - feeling down & scattered
Location: coffee shop

The clatter of belongings falling to the floor pulled him from his thoughts, his dark gaze settling on the young woman in front of him. Kneeling down to offer some assistance in gathering her belongings he looked her over. There was a look in her bright eyes that he could relate too. He offered a slight smile as she spoke, she was clearly a kind woman who had far more energy than he.

“Thats relatable. Nothing seems to be going right at the moment in my life.” He chuckled slightly, the deep tenor of his voice easy to hear over the soft chatter of the cafe. He offered her the tissues that had tumbled out of her bag. “But what is life without some mishaps?” He added, a more genuine smile lighting his face as he quoted something Eli would say to him regularly. He couldn’t help but think of his cousin, who was always so bright and happy. Nothing ever seemed to phase him the way it would Alec, he’d probably be teasing him now, raising his spirits as he always had. Instead of allowing himself to follow the saddening thoughts his mind was taking he considered the young woman for a moment. What would Eli have done in a moment like this he asked himself. He would have offered to buy her the coffee she had just ordered and asked for her thoughts, allowing himself to make a friend out a small moment like this. So taking Eli’s example Alec decided to give it a shot. Company would be nice before he could fall into his own grief and wallow.

“How about I buy that coffee for you? Give you a moment to catch your breath and find yourself, tis’ still the morning after-all.” With his offer he stepped up to the counter, the employee briefly glancing at him as he rang Alec up for the womans coffee and his own lavender latte. The conversation was brief, allowing for him to pay quickly and turn back to the potential friend. Eli would have been so proud of him. Ever since his fathers death he had struggled with putting himself out there, perhaps thats why he had almost closed himself off from everyone entirely. Outside of his weekly call with Eli, his interactions outside of work had been close to zero. If you don’t consider the very short relationship he’d had with Ariel that is.

“I’m Alec. I’m going to sit by the window, you are welcome to join me. I hope you are able to find yourself again, regardless of what you decide.” He stepped away, heading for the cozy booth spot directly next to a window just as he had said. He had already imposed and bought the woman her drink, he didn’t want to force his company on her unless she wanted to join him. Slipping into the seat, he glanced outside watching a few birds play within the bushes. Eli really would be proud of him.

[Faith3344]

Juno
24
She/Her pronouns
Mood - Hopeful yet conflicted
Location: coffee shop

"Thank you, you're really kind. Let me freshen up in the bathroom and I'd love to join you." She felt a grin grow across her face, something she hasn't done the last two nights, despite the feeling in her stomach as she looked at him.
'There's no way... He looks like Eli...'She puzzled to herself as she jotted to the bathroom and immediately glanced into the mirror. Her hair was disheveled and a mascara stain snaked down her cheeks. As she cleared her face with what now was crumbled tissues, Juno's thoughts had wandered to Eli once more. She slammed her hands on the edge of the sink with frustration, and mumbled to herself.
" Stop doing this, Juno. Think about something else! Please." Irritated with herself, she stared into the mirror once more, trying to collect herself before someone were to have entered."Just breathe, Juno"
She knew Eli wouldn't have wanted this, but grief works in mysterious ways. She took one final deep breath and exited through the colorfully decorated door, covered with hand-painted monarch butterflies and a quote that read "Every Fall Is A Chance To Rise". As the quote settled in her mind, she felt a bit like herself for the first time since hearing about Eli. She slowly made her way to the eerily similar man at the booth. She needed a positive memory for the day she was about to experience. Fixing her dress, she sat down across from him, the sound of the pleather against her bodyweight echoing lightly.
"And so, Juno sits down, wondering why Alec is looking at her as if she just farted." she giggled slightly, "Sorry, I have a weird thing for narrating myself... I'm Juno by the way, I'm sure you can tell I'm not from around here." She took a sip of the electroshock-therapy disguised as a cup of coffee and inhaled deeply as she sunk into the back of the booth.
"Mmm... I need this right now."

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - feeling down & scattered
Location: coffee shop

"And so Juno sits down, wondering why Alec is looking at her as if she farted." The bright young woman smiled, taking the seat across from him and a sip of her drink. "Sorry I have a weird thing for narrating myself. I'm Juno by the way, I'm sure you can tell I'm not from around here." Alec smiled, sipping on his latte as he allowed her to talk. She seemed like someone who would've bonded with his cousin, perhaps it was his cousins ghost that had prompted him to speak to her in the first place. Leave it to Eli to interact from beyond the grave, if that was even a possibility. His warm drink was a soothing balm, a distraction from his inner turmoil along with the young woman in front of him.

"I actually wouldn't have known. He chuckled, offering the woman, Juno as she had said, a warm smile. "I haven't lived here in nearly thirteen years, and with time anything can start to look unfamiliar. His tone turned wistful, thinking to himself that there was nothing here any longer that would have been the same now. Strange how there was a time where everything here was familiar, but now he was the stranger.

"So Juno, what brings a fellow outsider like you to this little town? He kept a smile on his face, somewhat drawn to this woman. She had a story to share that was clear, the least Alec could do was offer to listen. "Or if that's too personal, what would help you find you again? It's hard to go even one day as anyone that isnt you." He didnt even know her and yet he found himself comfortable enough to tease. She must have a way to get beneath peoples skin, a skill he himself did not have.

[Faith3344]

Juno
24
She/Her pronouns
Mood - Hopeful yet conflicted
Location: coffee shop

Juno tilted her head, amused by the question but caught a little off guard by the way he asked it—like he wasn’t just asking about her day, but about her.

She swirled the straw in her drink a little too long before answering.

"That’s a big question for a first conversation, don’t you think?” she said with a crooked smile. “Most people just ask what I do for a living or what I think about the weather.”

She looked down at her drink again, her fingers drumming the side in a quiet rhythm. There was a flicker behind her eyes, like she was about to say something heavier, but it passed.

“But... okay. I guess I’m here for a friend in a way. They've always said this was the kind of town where weird little things still happen, like chalk art showing up overnight or a radio station that only works past midnight.”

She laughed a little. “That sounded like magic to me. And I think I just wanted to see if it was real.”
“So... what about you?” she said, nudging the conversation away from her. “You’re the one who came back after thirteen years. What pulled you back in? Homesickness or something harder?”

The smile she gave him was soft now, less playful, more like a quiet invitation—one only someone else carrying something would recognize.

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - feeling down & scattered
Location: coffee shop

“I can ask you about the weather if you rather?” He found himself smiling at Juno, feeling lighter than he had in days. He listened, finding himself nodding along when she mentioned the magic about this little town. He found his dark eyes flicking to the window, allowing himself to think of moments of him and Eli out on these streets, or even older memories of him and his father. His smile held a bit of sadness as he focused back on Juno.

“My cousin brings me back, I think he always will. There is magic here if you know where to look and have an open mind, it’d surprise you. The town itself is superstitious just like the people, though that is both a good and bad thing.” He chuckled, finishing his small cup of coffee and once again checking his watch. 10am. Another hour to go. He felt wary of what was to come, he was sure there would be a crowd. Eli was easy to love and know, he made friends wherever he went. Setting the empty cup down he glanced around looking for one of those specific odd things she mentioned in this vary coffee shop. Pointing to the clock hanging in the back corner by the bathrooms. “See that clock? This shop used to be some ma and pop diner, that clock was there too. But heres the thing, there is no clock there. It only appears on the wall from 8am to 11am, it'll be gone before most even notice it.”

[Faith3344]

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

Juno squinted at the clock like it might wink back at her.
“Okay, that’s… actually very weird. And possibly cursed. I love it.”

She leaned sideways in the booth to get a better angle on it, nearly knocking her coffee off the table in the process.

“First time in town, so I didn’t know all the lore yet—but that clock? That was exactly the kind of nonsense I was hoping to stumble into.”
She sat up straighter, tapping her finger against her cup like it helped her to think.
“Either it was magic, or the universe was doing some very specific interior decorating between 8 and 11.”

She glanced over at Alec, her curiosity sharpening, though her tone stayed light.
“Your cousin sounded like one of those people who leave breadcrumbs behind without meaning to. The kind who just… get stitched into the map of a place.”

When Alec checked his watch again, she leaned in like she was about to share a secret, but instead just said,
“You’ve got a look. The ‘I have an appointment with the ghost of emotional closure’ kind of look.” The same look she had been trying to avoid on her own face. She grinned like it was a joke, but there was something else flickering behind it—something thoughtful. Then she pointed back at the clock.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on the vanishing timepiece for you. If it starts ticking backwards or floats off the wall, I’ll let you know.”

[iqtrash]

Alec
26 | Eli’s Cousin
He/Him pronouns
Mood - feeling hopeful, uncertain, & thoughtful
Location: coffee shop

He couldn't help the airy laugh that slipped out at her commentary on the clock. A full smile gracing his face, brightening his eyes, however brief the moment was. Juno was easy to connect with and talk to. He had needed this, that he was certain. Magic was something he disbelieved in, being more skeptical than most, but it was moments when he felt this clarity that he knew in some aspects fate was at play. Clearing his throat, focusing back on her comment of 'emotional closure' he felt almost nervous jitters. This lead to him lightly tapping his fingers on the counter before him.

"I suppose emotional closure is one way to look at it. However, with the way life is I'm not sure that's ever something someone could truly achieve? I feel there will always be moments of regrets, at least for me... He swalled, his dark eyes growing unfocused as he fell more into the thoughts he was thinking aloud. "For instance, although this town does make me think of my cousin, it also makes me think of my father. I would say leaving breadcrumbs would run in the family. Though for each of us those breadcrumbs may look different. No matter how much you can chase a memory, even finding those breadcrumbs. Just like how this town leaves its own breadcrumbs. Just as someone once put up a clock, the town now continues to return that clock at specific times for whatever reason. To someone here or someone who like myself has moved away, that means something. Although what they may be, in time, will be lost to the living world.

Alec found himself focusing back in, his leg bouncing under the table from his own nervous energy. He raised a hand to scratch the back of his neck, a sheepish smile appearing and disappearing just as quickly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so philosophical on you. Ive had a lot on my mind being back in this town. Theres moments where it is just as it was and then there are moments where it is jarring on how much has actually changed. But enough about my dramatics, how are you feeling? Finding that spark that makes you the one and only Juno?" As Alec continued to drone on his deep voice drew softer. He had been wanting to help her and somehow had made it about himself. At least they could help one another and not keep it one sided.