lutherxrex

[lutherxrex]

"Are you going to throw a massive birthday party with all the works?" he chuckled, recalling the extravagant parties his mother used to throw for their twins during the first ten years of their lives. Whether the Sinclair would do something or not, Rex made a mental note to pick up something for the little one. Although it had been a while since he saw Isla, his love for her had never faded.

"The kids are all leaving the nest," Rex continued, happy for them to experience something he had never had the chance to do himself. He encouraged them to try something new and get out of their small town. "Dahlia is going to the University of Florida. Daria is choosing between Harvard, Boston College, and Tufts." He was proud of their achievements despite the odds.

"I hope I'm not being too forward, but what brought you back here?" Isla had been adamant about not returning to their hometown and hadn't even showed up for her father's funeral, though that was a complicated matter.

isla watched and she swore something within her went soft for a moment before she was pulled back into reality and shoving down pointless teenage thoughts. "oh-- he'll be one in june. my little summer baby." she said with a smile. thinking about how it had been almost a year already. the year from hell but she had done everything for him. "college already? oh god! time is flying by. where are they wanting to go? local or shooting big for an ivy league?"

#islasinclxir #c. isla 01

[lutherxrex]

"Cool, cool," he nodded in agreement to Cole's request. "I'll do my best not to," he said, although Rex wasn't sure how he could avoid expending himself completely. He had been raising his twin sisters on his own for the past decade, and it was no easy feat. Without the help of the club, his friends, and the extended family they had become, Rex didn't know where he and his sisters would be.

As he looked around The Black Rabbit, Rex wondered if they could elevate it beyond Isaac's wildest dream. Although it wasn't a restaurant per se, he felt that with his experience and the business classes he had taken over the years, he could help with the hospitality operations. "I mean...I'd be happy to lend a hand around here, whatever you need. Front of house, back of house with ops," he said. Cheffing alone wouldn't be enough if he wanted to own his own restaurant long term.

"I still can't believe he's gone." Isaac was a rock to the clubhouse and it was bittersweet that he was no longer around. It was the price they all paid when they committed to this route.

“Of course,” he nodded in agreement, happy to help however he could, but what he didn’t want was Rex practically killing himself over coming up with this money. “Just don’t spread yourself too thin, a’right? We’ll make it happen one way or another,” he offered, just wanting Rex to know that they’d have his back and find a way to come up with the amount he needed. He didn’t have to do it alone. Sure, it might take some trial and error, but they’d figure it out. “Fair enough,” he murmured, blowing out a long sigh. Vegas hadn’t ever been his scene. Cole figured he could understand the appeal, but he understood the desire to stay away even more. Glancing back down on the paperwork he’d been thumbing through, Cole shook his head, “Bit of a learnin’ curve, ain’t gonna lie,” he supplied, shrugging a shoulder, “Just tryin’ to right by Isaac, y’know? But unfortunately his will didn’t come with a how-to manual for this shit.”

#colemonroe #c. cole 01

[lutherxrex]

"You believed in what you were doing. Not many people have the courage to take such action." Regardless of whether the store succeeded or failed, Rex believed that pursuing one's convictions and interests to their fullest potential is what life is all about. It fuels one's sense of purpose and brings a sense of contentment, if not joy. "I'm glad to know that. If the world were on fire and we ended up in the same place, at least I know what book I could be reading." Tonopah had seen weirder things happen and something was brewing in the air. With all the chaos caused by the Dante mess, it was only a matter of time before someone claimed responsibility for it. "I read Slaughterhouse Five when I was seventeen. No other book has had the same impact on me since then." It was a mysterious find at a war veteran's yard sale, which made it even more ironic.

"I suppose my favorite aspect of cooking is presenting the best food on a plate. I believe that people should do a little dance every time they eat." This was his driving force every time he prepared a dish, day in and day out. "What's your favorite dish or cuisine?"

"Opening a store? Thank you, but honestly...it's just a lot of long hours, number crunching and hoping to god people walk through the front door." a laugh slipping from between her lips as she cuddled further into her coat. Opening the Lost Word had been a dream though, it could be felt the second someone stepped the front door. Warmth, and leather and home. Filled to the brim with books, and antiques that looked like she'd brought them off a fair. However, if anyone paid close enough attention they might notice artifacts stole, or missing from all over the world.

The question, though, had a playful scoff slipped from between her lips. "You expect me to choose? Oh, that' just...that's cruel." Laughter spring from between her lips at the obvious jest in her voice. "Uh, probably Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. It was one of the first books that ever truly hooked me, y'know?" she took a moment's pause. "Do you have a favorite? I might have it in the store."

Kathryn knew from her stint in waitressing just how stressful a kitchen could be, but she'd always maintained respect for the wonderful service chefs were able to deliver under pressure. "Most people don't last six months in a kitchen, a year, that's good work -- you've got it. Just gotta keep pushing."

#kathrynharinger #c. kathryn 01

[lutherxrex]

"They should invest in having emergency parachutes on those suckers." Honestly, Rex didn't know, but it certainly wouldn't be a bad route to go out in terms of an emergency evacuation. When he'd heard the proposal idea, he thought it was a bit much, but to each their own. Lydia was a pretty bougie individual, how she even entertained the likes of Shane was a bizarre situation in itself. "Okay…so what you're saying is that we need to go bungee jumping to help you overcome this fear?" Rex didn't mind a nice adrenaline rush. He's jumped out of a plane twice before and found it to be rather exhilarating. "She dumped him completely, but I think he's just saying they both mutually agreed to end things for his ego."

Shoving a french fry into his mouth, Malcolm narrowed his brows at the other male's words. "Shane and Lydia..." Almost a year in and the prospect still had trouble remembering the names of everyone who stepped foot in the clubhouse. Years of prolonged drug use would do that to a person -- but, regardless, there was a ton of foot traffic in and out these days. "Oh! Right, yeah, I heard about that. Poor guy, he went all out with the hot air balloon and everything, too." He scrunched his nose, shaking his head. "Can't imagine that was a fun ride back down. Honestly, those things freak me out, but I also ain't ever been a big fan of heights, y'know? That's why I can't get myself to go on ferris wheels or roller coasters. You think they'll stay together, or did she dump him completely?"

#malcohen #c. mal 01

[lutherxrex]

"Every time I see Mia, I can't help but wish that I was as cool as her when I was growing up," he chuckled. Rex had observed Mia's wise demeanor around the clubhouse with her mother, and he couldn't help but feel impressed. He imagined that with Donovan as her father, her future was bound to be bright.

"I've been thinking about my next moves, trying to figure out what my options are. With Cole recently acquiring the Black Rabbit, I'm thinking maybe I could help him?" Rex was open to exploring any opportunities, especially since he would have ample time not having the twins around anymore. "What do you think? What would you do?"

Nate's smile widened at Rex mentioning Mia, finding himself nodding almost instantly. "Yeah that's right. She does so much, can't keep up." he chuckled lightly, only partly joking. Naturally, Nate was making it his purpose to keep up with everything his daughter was doing, he wanted to put in every effort he could and he was thankful to Olivia for giving him another chance to do so. Mia was a credit to her. "She's good, though." he paused, "You ever gonna branch out of Joel's place?" meaning license to grill, purely asking because Rex would soon have an assumed abundance of time.

#nathaniel donovan #c. nate 01

[lutherxrex]

"That's very admirable." Rex too could only hope that some luck would fall onto him in such a manner that he could open his restaurant one day. Perhaps even be lucky enough to woe an investor or businessman to give him that opportunity to do something different. "Am I allowed to ask…what's your favorite book? It only seems right considering you own an eclectic book shop?" Anyone could be a salesperson with a decent pitch. However, to invest one's time and energy into running such an operation, there had to be some personal vested interest.

"Yeah, it's a pretty nice gig. I've been doing it formally for a year, but essentially learned how to do so for the past ten." Although they had very little, Rex did his best to make the minimum healthy and edible for himself and his sisters. There was no way in hell he was allowing them to eat bland ramen or spaghetti-os.

The question might've tripped her up, or caused her to falter if she hadn't played the game so many times before. The art of working in the con business was to be quick on her feet, to prepare even when she wasn't aware she was meant to. "No, this is my first time owning a store. I've always been a lover of books and after I came into some money, I wanted a fresh start. So I chose here, and I just...jumped, I guess."

It fell off her tongue as if she'd said it a thousand times, and to be honest, she'd gotten the practice when she'd first moved here. Back when she'd been playing a part every waking minute of the day until she'd settled and found her place. However, a mention of his occupation had brows raising. "A chef? That's a great job, but I've heard the hours are a killer. How long you been doing that?"

#kathrynharinger #c. kathryn 01

[lutherxrex]

"Okay, yeah," he said, nodding his head in agreement. "Sign me up for whatever and I'd be happy to pick up some extra shifts here." Rex knew that working his life away at License to Grill was not his long-term plan. He dreamed of opening his own restaurant someday and even expanding it to a few more under his name. But for now, his focus was on helping the girls reach their goals and pursue their respective dreams. "Considering my family's luck, I think it's best to stay away from the slots." His mother had gambled away everything they had many times and entrusted everything to the twin's father, which turned out to be a big mistake.

"Anyways, how has this been anyways?" he asked, pointing to the room. Rex was aware that the transfer of ownership of the speakeasy to Cole surely was not an easy takeover.

“No shit,” he muttered beneath his breath, hardly able to fathom what the actual fuck could cost that much money, but then again, he’d never had a reason to. College hadn’t ever been on his radar, but he commended those who went, as well as people like Rex, who was clearly working hard to help give his sisters that experience. Hearing that Rex had until July to come up with that sum, Cole nodded, “Well, we got a few runs between now and then– should be able to make a dent with those. In the meantime, can always take on some shifts here,” he suggested, gesturing around the speakeasy. They were always in need of extra hands, and Cole will rather fill that need with people he trusted, rather than someone he wasn’t overly familiar with. “Other than that…ya thought ‘bout givin’ Vegas a shot?” He wasn’t trying to be funny in making the suggestion, he just wasn’t sure of many other ways to earn a shitload of money in a short amount of time.

#colemonroe #c. cole 01

[lutherxrex]

"Thanks, man," he said with a small smile and nod. He had heard it thousands of times over the years. People often commented on how unusual it was for a young man like him to give up his future to take care of his tween twin sisters. It was a difficult decision, as he had to put aside all his own desires and dreams. However, he could not bear the thought of his sisters being separated or ending up in the foster care system. So, here he was, eight years later, finally with a blank slate to pursue his own path and rediscover himself. "How's Mia? I saw her come through the Grill with some teammates... basketball, I think?"

He nodded along lightly to what was being said, taking it all in he smiled faintly. He too, by default, was happy for the twins. It was nice to know that they were off set to do bigger and better things than Tonopah. After a small moment of silence from Nate - it's him letting Rex's last part really settle in, he finally responded, "You should be proud of yourself, you know? Doing everything you've done for them." knowing that Rex had put himself on the backburner for years to make sure his sisters had a chance in life. Bringing his soda up from the bar he took a small sip, apparently happy with making this drink last. "You're a good guy." which he hoped the younger man knew, as well as listened to if he didn't.

#nathaniel donovan #c. nate 01

[lutherxrex]

"Sure, I'll remember that," he nodded, making a mental note of the name of the shop. He planned to look into it later and perhaps even recommend it to his sisters, who were avid readers themselves. They had all become bookworms after their parents were imprisoned and all their former sources of entertainment had been taken away. "How did you get into this business? Did you own a similar shop back in New York?" Rex assumed that it must have been a profitable idea in such a diverse environment.

"I'm actually a chef. I work at Licensed to Grill," he explained. He was currently contemplating his next move, with his sister's graduation coming up and their mother returning soon. The dynamics were changing and he needed to plan accordingly.

Kathryn kept the shake firm as she had the years she'd spent rubbing elbows with New York's elite. Still, as she retracted it, a small smile graced her lips as she needed. "Nice to meet you, Rex." and maybe it was the ease in which people seemed to speak to her that intrigued her the most, had her wondering if it was the change in state or just this place in general. "I mean, it's definitive not been boring by any means of the word." It hadn't disappointed, if that's what he meant. So might've argued for her to get out of the town.

But, no.

"I own the Lost word," she jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. "It's a specialist bookstore. I sell special editions, old tomes, y'know. The written world, and all." She half-smiled. "You?"

#kathrynharinger #c. kathryn 01

[lutherxrex]

"Drawing the attention to herself." Whether intentionally or unintentionally, his mother had a flare for the dramatics. One would think that the walls of a prison cell would thwart that vibrancy out of someone's aura. However, it seemed like she was ready to jump out of that cell and return to the life she was previously living. Unfortunately for her, that was not a reality anymore. "We've been fine without her, you know? She'll come in and try to pick things up but the girls are gonna do their own thing and I don't want them to derail their plans by her influence." It's not that Rex thought his mother would skew the girl's paths by any means, but she was sneaky. How else did she get away with her crimes for as long as possible? "I think I'm just gonna have to suck up my feelings towards it and just support the twins through her introduction back into society."

Humming to herself, she glanced over at Rex, knowing just enough to know that his mother was a bit of a sore subject for him. Already, she could sense the sort of downhill slide that this conversation was likely moving towards, but she didn’t outwardly show it. Instead, she just handed him more dishes to place back in the cabinets. In a lot of ways, Rowan could understand Rex’s reservations and his visceral need to protect his siblings. She’d absolutely do the same for her own sister and brothers. And then there was that other part of her that had to play devil’s advocate– that was always harder for her, considering she was more apt to just expect the worst out of people instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt. Sighing gently, she momentarily abandoned the task in front of her and glanced over at Rex, “So…just to sort of play devil’s advocate here, what’s the worst that could come outta your ma coming?” She asked, mostly just out of genuine curiosity. “I guess…bigger question is, if they want her there, what does the fallout look like?” Meaning, would it start World War Three, or would it be just a memory for the twins to harbor in their minds?

#rowan macnally #c. rowan 01

[lutherxrex]

"Yup. Ten years, just like that." The twins were devastated when their house was raided and they saw their parents being taken away by the police. Rex was also shocked, although he always considered his mother's partner a sleaze bag. He faced a difficult decision that not many eighteen-year-old guys would struggle with: leave Tonopah as planned after graduation or sacrifice his future to ensure his half-sisters didn't end up in despair. "Ha. That's a good question," he chuckled as he thought for a moment. "I think it'll be a fair blend of the two. I'm happy for them though. They can pursue what I couldn't, you know?"

He nodded just to show he was listening; his left hand remained curled around the glass before him. Nate's thoughts seemed to drift off slightly - it's more in wonder of what was happening in June - it wasn't that he hadn't paid attention prior to this, it was more because his mind had done a complete one eighty flip and he was still trying to remember bits that had just been pushed right to the back. Though that mention of Rex's sisters and school had that light switch just turning on. "Yeah that's gone by..." he paused, "Really quick, wow." actually, it made him feel old as fuck. "How're you feeling about it? Apart from knowing you're gonna miss them... you know, you gonna have an existential crisis or are you gonna like the peace?" either way, it was nice to hear that Dahlia and Daria were progressing with their education.

#nathaniel donovan #c. nate 01

[lutherxrex]

"Yeah I know...the American education system is a scam," he said. Although his twin sisters had received full scholarships, Rex still had to cover their daily expenses and miscellaneous costs. His job as a chef at the restaurant paid well enough to keep a roof over their heads, food in the fridge, and the lights and heat on, but it was not enough to cover both of their college fees. "I have until the end of July to figure out a solution. The girls are leaving in August, so I want to get ahead of the game and figure out what I can do now." He knew that time was ticking and summer would soon come and go. "I'll do anything, really. I will try to take up some extra work wherever I can."

“Jesus Christ,” Cole croaked out, nearly choking on his own breath at the amount Rex needed, “I thought ya were talkin’ a couple hundred bucks, not fifty grand.” Raking a hand through hair, he sighed hard enough to flutter his lips and tossed his head in a quick shake, “We ain’t got another run ‘til the end of next month,” and even then, it wouldn’t guarantee him fifty thousand. But, Cole did have the fleeting thought to give his own cut from the run to Rex, or at least a hefty portion of it. Any little bit would help when he was staring down a need that great. “How soon do ya need it?” He wondered, his mind already trying to think up more alternatives.

#colemonroe #c. cole 01

[lutherxrex]

"I don't understand," he said, shaking his head in disbelief as he tried to process what Beau had told him. "That's all she said to you?" Although he was not aware of the information shared between the Sinclair siblings, he realized that Isla still had his heart. It was bittersweet to see her leave while he remained behind. However, he couldn't let the system take his sisters, despite his hatred for their father. "Something must have happened," Rex was certain of it. Isla had made it clear that she would not return. "How did she look?"

Rex's appearance in the Outpost wasn't necessarily a surprise so much as his accusatory question was, catching Beau off guard. He cut his conversation short and let the patron know he'd be right back before stepping out from behind the bar. "I only just found out earlier today," he replied, placing his hand onto Rex's shoulder to guide him towards his office in the back, where they could converse more privately. "She showed up in the bar out of nowhere and I had to tell her about what happened to dad." He closed the door behind them, then turned to look at the younger man. "I don't know why she's here. She just said she'd been back for a few weeks."

#beauaustinsinclair #c. beau 01

[lutherxrex]

"Born and bred indeed," he nodded with a small smirk. Rex had never really considered what life elsewhere would have brought him after his mom ended up behind bars. There were both pros and cons throughout his upbringing, so he knew never to take it for granted. The odds could have been far worse.  "Rex," he said, extending his hand towards the blonde. "I hope you've been finding the town to be somewhat entertaining, surely not New York." He had never gotten the chance to make it to the East Coast like he dreamed, but maybe one day soon. 

"What do you do? You know... besides saving people from being pickpocketed?"

"New York was wonderful while it lasted," it'd been a dream come true until the very end. Even when she'd been ran out, there had been many times when she'd first arrived in Tonopah that she'd wished to go back. However, this place had wormed its way into her heart. Slowly, but surely. "You're not wrong though, it's vastly different. Are you born and bred here?" She asked, taking a step out of the side walk so others could move past. "I'm Kathryn, by the way."

#kathrynharinger #c. kathryn 01

[lutherxrex]

 "Atticus," he greeted with a smile, looking down at the little boy in the stroller before returning his gaze to Isla. "How old is he?" It was surprising to think that Isla had become a mother, but Rex was confident that she would be a great one. Isla had always been empathetic and had a talent for discovering things in people that they couldn't see in themselves. Atticus was a fortunate child with a bright future ahead of him. As for himself, Rex chuckled, "No, I don't have any kids of my own. I've just been working and taking care of the twins since you left. They'll be heading off to college soon."

"it's nice to see you too, rex." isla's smile unfaltering as she looked at him. his features had grown, he was more mature looking in all the right ways. but, she looked into his eyes and still saw rex. the sweet boy from her past. "oh- yeah." she said pushing the stroller around so he could get a better view of her son. "this is atticus. or atti for short." she said looking down into the stroller were her son rested. "it's just the two of us now." she explained, rubbing the back of her neck, "do you have any kids now?" she asked, curious on what exactly he'd been up too.

#islasinclxir #c. isla 01

[lutherxrex]

Closed: @malcohen – Catching up at the Gold Dust Diner

Rex would like to consider himself a person who had a refined taste when it came to food. He preferred high-quality products that were locally sourced and had minimal impact on the environment. He believed that by doing his part, he could contribute to the preservation of the earth from imploding a little sooner. However, he didn't mind indulging in some unhealthy food every once in a while.Nonetheless, he didn’t mind his arteries getting clogged every now and then. Let alone indulging in it with one of his best mates. “Did you hear Lydia decline Shane’s proposal?” The fellow member shot his shot epically and failed.

#malcohen #c. mal 01

[lutherxrex]

Closed: @theodoreknox – Hanging out at Lake Mead

Today, Rex decided to play a prank on Adam, the prospect he was assigned to oversee. Adam was a scrawny kid from the roughest part of town, looking to break free from the box he was placed in due to his chaotic household. Being the youngest of six siblings, no one had succeeded in that home, but Adam was determined to turn the tables for himself and his family. 

On a trip to Lake Mead, Rex invited Theo to come along. As they waited on the dock for Adam to drop sandbags on the other side of the lake to test his endurance and perseverance with a single oar in a rowboat. Rex chuckled, "He's going on a hour and a half. How long do you think it’ll take him to realize this isn’t actually to prove anything?”

#theodoreknox #c. theo 01