open☺give me a moment to catch my breath and hold me every second left

[ohshiny_tomatos]

One year ago today a certain blond thief came falling through the rift in Chicago, and quite literally at that. She still had her harness on her when she picked herself up off the ground in Grant Park

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[willnotbemine]

Lena Austen has no idea today isn't going to be a very ordinary day.

She woke up, did most of the things she had to do before noon, and went grocery shopping since her fridge was sorely in need of an update. She's placing those groceries in the counter when there's a knock on the door. Lena isn't really expecting anyone, and as far as she knows, Lucky isn't either, but they're not strangers to surprise visits.

She loves Parker. She really, really loves her. She loves everything about who Parker is and wouldn't change anything about her, not one hair on her head.

Which is why there will be a very warm smile on Lena's face once she opens the door and finds that it's Chicago's favorite resident blonde thief at the other side.

"Parker! Hey. What brings you to these parts?"

[ohshiny_tomatos]

When the door opens Parker just beams. There's Lena. Her lovely, beautiful friend Lena. She adores Lena. Lena has taught her so much (probably) without even realizing it, and really Parker hadn't realized it either. Until today. And she's grateful. And she loves it.

She holds up a box of doughnuts. "I got these for you," she says. "I paid for them and everything." She stands there a moment, but she really can't keep it all in much longer. She finds the nearest surface to shove the box onto and throws her arms around her friend tightly.

A Lena hug. This is exactly what she wants.

[willnotbemine]

Lena is not expecting the hug, but that doesn't mean she is not receptive to it.

On the contrary, she wraps her arms around Parker tightly and hugs her back, the gesture itself filled with endless affection. She does not know that she has taught Parker much about anything, but she is almost certain Parker doesn't know just how much she has taught Lena, or how special she is.

"Did you? They look yummy! Thank you so much," she says with a laugh, tightening the hug briefly before she draws back long enough to lift a brow conspiratorially.

"You want to come in and share these awesome doughnuts with me?"

[ohshiny_tomatos]

It's a beautiful hug, and Parker is certain more of it will need to happen before she leaves today. There will be time.

Parker doesn't pull back too far, but enough to grin at Lena. "Yes! Only...if you want to share, because they're yours." She would truthfully bring the world to Lena if she could, but instead she brings doughnuts. One step at a time and all.

[theacheisleft]

Lucky has not met Parker in person. However, he did think she was very sweet when he managed to shift back from being a polar bear. She hugged him then, and it was a good hug. It calmed the polar bear down quite a bit. However, he is not out looking for her at all and has no reason to think that she would come up to him since he was a polar bear.

So she wouldn't really recognize him at all.

However, he would not at all be opposed to another hug. After which, he would definitely inform her about the polar bear incident and maybe she can find out that he is Lena's boyfriend. They should be friends in that case. Any friend of Lena is awesome in Lucky's eyes, okay?

Automatically. He is thinking about getting some ice cream at a local store, standing outside of it. Lucky doesn't have a huge sweet tooth, but it seems like a good idea.

[ohshiny_tomatos]

No, Parker does not recognize this man as the polar bear that she once hugged and stole popcorn with, but that matters little to her. She will figure it out, and she will figure out who he belongs to, and those things will endear him even more to her.

But until then? She wants some ice cream. She has had a busy day, and she needs a little break. A giant waffle cone of ice cream is just the thing that she needs. She is so happy about the prospect of ice cream that she's bouncing on her feet in line behind Lucky.

This is her day of love after all, and she is announcing it freely. Even for ice cream.

"I love ice cream! It's the best! And I love this ice cream shop!"

[theacheisleft]

Lucky is standing in line. There is a bit of a line today because summer is winding down. People want their last fixes of ice cream before fall hits and then winter when the temperature is much too cold to make people think Yay, ice cream!

Not that winter stops people from having ice cream. He glances behind him at the exclamation and at all the bouncing in excitement. It makes him smile a little at first and then he recognizes her, and he's like Oh, oops! It's not like it's been really easy for him to track down everyone he interacted with as a polar bear.

"I've never had ice cream here before, but it... looks really good," Lucky says with a small smile on his face from the excitement that she's portraying. It's catching in a sense, in a good sense. "What's your favorite kind?"

He'll ask a happy question before sliding in the whole Hey, I was the polar bear thing.

[ohshiny_tomatos]

This really is the best time of all to get ice cream, but Parker likes her ice cream year round so it's no different for her. Except for the fact that there are a lot of people thinking Yay, ice cream! and therefore a long wait.

She grins though at the nice guy that is talking to her and asking her questions. She loves this city, her home, and she loves that someone just wants to talk to her.

She has to think though. Her favorite changes sometimes, and she isn't sure what it is today. Her finger comes up to tap at her chin. "Mmmm, today...it's cookies and cream with chocolate sauce."

Yes. That's a good one to love today.

[arrowinmyheel]

And as promised, Sonny does not really leave the Crowbar. Ever. However, at the moment, he has to step outside the back alleyway and yell at some people who are hanging around where they shouldn't be.

If anyone is making any kind of business transactions on Crowbar property, it'll be him and his people.

Not some random fucking thugs.

That's what he thinks. So he rants and raves at them in that imposing way of his until they high tail it in the other direction. He rolls his eyes, watching them go.

Kids these days.

Nevermind those thugs were in their thirties. It's still kid-like to Sonny.

Sonny has no idea who Parker is except from the journal comments she left to him and would not recognize her if he saw her on the street. That does not mean that this cannot change.

[ohshiny_tomatos]

What brings Parker to the back alleyway of the Crowbar? There really is no telling. She's there though. She's walking along, a little bounce to her step, and she passes the thugs as they walk away from Sonny.

She turns over head head to watch them go and stops to look at Sonny. No, she doesn't know who he is off-hand, but he's standing there staring at the same thing as her.

"Were they bothering you?" She asks. "Do you want me to scare them away?" It's an honest offer with not so honest means, but she just wants to help. She doesn't like bad things happening in this city that she loves, not even thugs. And she may not look like much, but she has been in training for being a ninja, and that goes far.

Have your own little hero wannabe, Sonny.

[arrowinmyheel]

It is one of those beautiful mysteries of the world that never needs to be solved, because the fun is in the fact that it is a complete mystery.

Sonny is not really expecting anyone to be in the alleyway other than the thugs. He looks over at her when she speaks however. That was... unexpected. She's a wanderer. It's in his habit to automatically read people as well as he can.

He's really fucking good at it, and he's not getting 'thug' from her. Sure, more there than meets the eye, but not thug.

"Nah, they were just trespassing where they shouldn't be, and I told them what the fuck they should not be doing by my bar," he says and then he raises an eyebrow at her. "No offense. You're not exactly the scary sort. I mean I"m sure you've got the ability to kick ass. I know of plenty of non-scary-looking people who can, but..."

He does not get scary from her.

[ohshiny_tomatos]

It is a mystery that exists purely for the powers that be to let these two end up in an alley together, obviously.

Parker might have qualified closer to thug status back in the day, but she's leaning a little more towards superhero now when she can. Life has a funny way of changing every now and again.

"At least they listened to you and you didn't have to fight them," she says with a shrug. Then she watches the brow raise and smirks. "Lots of people who should be scarey don't look scarey," she offers. Not to say that she is scarey, but it's a point of argument.

[wereall_addicts]

Sophie startles quite a bit when Parker pounces on her, but that's nothing new. Still startling is a natural part of things when you're pounced on out of a dead sleep. Sophie jerks awake with a small cry, and at first her instinct is to pull away, but then she sees who it is and relaxes.

Marginally.

"Parker?" she mumbles, rubbing her eyes as her body instinctively curls into the snuggle. "Something wrong?"

The last time she was woken up like this, the Kashtta was having a Tell-Tale Heart moment. She doesn't hear any obvious thump-thump noises, but one couldn't be too sure these days. She has just woken up after all.

[ohshiny_tomatos]

She does try to land lightly, but she really can't help startling Sophie either way. She pouts a bit and reaches up to pat Sophie on the head to calm her down a bit.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She sighs and curls up again, wrapping her arms around her. "I just wanted to say good morning."

This entire situation probably screams something similar to a Tell-Tale Heart moment, in the fact that it's odd and just a little creepy. Being that it's Parker.

Parker is oblivious though as she snuggles close.

[wereall_addicts]

"Oh."

Yes. Odd, and just a little creepy, but she can work with this. Somehow. She gives in to the sleep-addled part of her brain and snuggles closer, just soaking in the close contact.

"Well. Good morning."

[ohshiny_tomatos]

Parker has probably been getting closer to Sophie here in Chicago quicker than she would back home. Here they not only share a living space and spend a lot of their time together, but there was also that sense of loss for Parker. That feeling that had been in the pit of her stomach that she would never see Sophie or the others again had sat with her for a long time before Sophie fell through, and know what that feels like does change things a bit.

All in all Sophie means a lot more to Parker now, and she would really be at a loss if the Rift ever sent the woman home.

"I'm glad you're here," she says a bit serenely. "You're really important to me."

[sitherequietly]

The narration doesn't know if Parker even knows where Castiel's room is, but they do know that if all else fails, you can usually find the wayward angel sitting in the middle of Grant Park, watching the fountain.

Maybe that makes him predictable. But Castiel has enough power that he really doesn't have to worry about that, does he?

Regardless, that is where Parker finds him now, sitting in the middle of Grant Park on a bench, being calm and pensive like as he is wont to be. There's really not much more to it than that, but Parker hugs are always welcome on any end. And he really does like hugs.

[ohshiny_tomatos]

Parker probably knows where Cas' room is, because she's Parker and he's Cas and she likes to troll him, but that's okay. She had planned on finding him later, so happening upon him in Grant Park is just a lovely bonus.

She bounces on her feet a bit at the sight of him, then rushes over and tumbles onto the bench beside him.

"Castiel! I was going to find you later! Hi!" And her arms go around him tightly, pinning his arms to his sides, while her head rests on his shoulder. "Hi there."

[sitherequietly]

Castiel doesn't see it coming, which is probably a good thing. But Castiel also likes hugs. He likes hugs a lot. He smiles softly as he looks down at her, before placing a hand over her arm.

"Hello, Parker."

[ohshiny_tomatos]

She's glad he likes hugs, because she likes to give them today, and he deserves one. She smiles more when he doesn't push her away, but instead puts his hand on her. In fact that only makes her feel more warm.

"Did you know you're my friend, Cas? You're so nice and squishable, and I love hugging you and talking to you."