Who: Finn and Tess What: Catching Up When: Friday, 30th August (Backdated) Where: Josie’s, late afternoon. Rating: Low Status: Complete
Finn was humming to himself as he left the library, his bag was slung over his shoulder and violin in its case held by his side as he strolled away from the familiar building. Normally he would go straight home after he finished work but today he was making a detour, there was someone he needed to catch up with. As he walked into Josie’s his eyes scanned around the bar and he when his eyes fell upon the familiar face standing behind the bar and he gave a little wave as he made his way over.
Months ago they had talked about pooling their rations together and letting Riley have a bit of fun cooking a feast with what he was given, but unfortunately as so often in life other things had gotten in the way and their get together was for the moment put on hold. Finn felt a bit bad about this but right now he was more focused on his job and the steps that were needed to make his upcoming nuptials to Riley legal even though they were stuck on this island.
“Esther my love, you’re a sight for sore eyes!”
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Tess was thrilled to be working. It had been a few weeks since her ribs had healed and she was lugging kegs of beer and boxes of pretzels and peanuts. Wearing a dark pair of blue jeans, dark pink t-shirt, and her comfy trainers, she was doing another round of wiping and polishing glasses. She was smiling deeply, thinking about Meg and how they were girlfriends and they loved each other. Mushy.
She caught sight of Finn’s wave and waved back as she finished drying another glass. Things in their life the last few months had diverted the more leisure plans. But they’d get back to it.
“Ooo, thank you. Must be an important visit with you using my legal name.” She winked at him and sighed. “How are you?”
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It was good to see Tess again, and from outward appearances she looked pretty happy, that smile said enough, he remembered it well. Someone or something was responsible for her happiness.
"Na, not really. I'm just in a proper name kind of mood today." Tess wasn't the first person that Finn had called by their legal name that day, especially when people handed over their ID card to borrow books, it was interesting to see and read just how different the name someone was born with could be to the one they used now. Finnegan knew that we'll, except the only person who called him that was Riley. When he was in trouble.
"I'm good, just a quick visit and I'll grab two bottles to go but I've come to ask you a small favor." Not that the task was all that difficult for Tess to do.
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“Oh, okay.” She grinned at Finn. It was nice to be this happy and to see her book friend. It had been a bit. Perhaps things were getting better on the island. At least she hoped so.
“Good, good. Okay, usual poison? Really?” Tess nodded as she stepped over to the cooler.
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While he couldn’t speak for the rest of the island, at least he knew in his own life it was going pretty well. He and Riley were in love and soon were going to prove it to the rest of the world, though they had agreed that they didn’t want the wedding itself to be huge, though Finn was sure Riley would’ve invited half of the island if he was allowed to.
“Yeah, the usual poison.” He said with a smile as he reached into his satchel and took out a small ziplock bag. Inside were two wooden rings, he had spent a bit of time making them - finding the right wood for it and the cutting, sanding and making sure that Riley’s would fit him as Finn could try his own on as he went. “Do you think you could mind these for me? I know you’re Riley’s best ma’am,” the affectionate term the two of them used to describe Tess’s role - a female best man, “but I don’t want him finding them.”
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Tess was giddy-in-love with Meg. She was afraid of the other woman’s response to be if she told that four-letter L word. But Riley had alayed her fears and Meg returned to word when Tess had said it to her. So she was happy, excited.
“Okay,” she answered with a smile as she opened the cooler and pulled out two long necks of the brand Finn had picked in the past. Setting them on the bar, Tess’s jaw dropped at seeing the two wooden rings in the bag. “Those are so pretty.” She smiled and nodded. “‘Best ma’am’? I hadn’t heard that term before. Of course I can keep them.”
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Riley had mentioned to Finn during one of their evening chats that Tess was in love with someone but he hadn’t said who it was, Finn knew that it was really none of his business who it was and Tess would share the news when she was ready. But he could see that Tess was definitely happy and that was kind of infectious.
He chuckled, finger tracing over the shape of the rings. “It’s just a term that Ri came up with, ‘best woman’ just didn’t sound right… and you know that even after so many years you still can’t take the south out of the boy.” It was true, Riley was still such a southern boy at heart. “I’m really happy with how they turned out, it’s amazing that they used to be just a tree branch but with a drop saw, a Dremil and some sandpaper I made something special.”
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“Oh? I like it,” Tess smirked. It was nice. Ri was one of her best friends, almost like a brother. “They look...yeah...amazing. Looks like you have another natural talent.” She shook her head as she ran her fingers over the rings one more time. Her relationship with Meg as moving at a nice pace - not too fast, not too slow. The giddiness was still there.
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“I had to use so many different grades of sandpaper to get it smooth, last thing I want is either of us getting splinters from our wedding rings, that would be uncomfortable.” Thankfully so far the rings were fine, the engagement ring he made from a piano wire hadn’t caused any cuts or scrapes on Riley’s finger and he knew his fiance hadn’t taken the ring off since Finn had put it on there. “Not really talent, just lots of practise and some good tools. When you next got some time off I can show you how I did it, the basics only take about an hour in the woodshop.”
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“Definitely. And it’s so beautiful and natural.” She smiled. She had first seen the piano wire ring the night she lost an argument with a guard over his motorcycle. She barely remembered the rest of that night. But she was and was still so happy for Ri and Finn. “Oh, come on. Talent all around. Really?” Tess blinked, her smile softening. “I would like that.”
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“I got the idea from a book, I know I probably could’ve got a set of gold bands somehow but look at them? They’re so much more personal and unique than a pair of mass produced bits of metal.” Yeah he was really proud of his hard work, why wouldn’t he be? He just hoped Riley liked it as much as the engagement ring. “Of course I will, though if you can find a branch large enough I bet you could make a bangle or something like that.” He remembered his mother with her golden bangles, did women still wear bracelets and bangles?
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“Meh, gold bands are boring! These,” Tess agreed, “..are definitely unique. And you made them.” She wrinkled her nose at the bangle. Meg worked with her hands a lot. If the blonde were to make her something, she hoped it wouldn’t get messed up by paint, clay, pastry dough. But perhaps a sealed ring of wood would be okay. “Mmm, I’ll think about it.”
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“I just hoped that Riley likes his, but he’s not that fussy so I think he’ll love it.” Tess would know that Riley was pretty easy when it came to most things, there wasn’t a lot in this world that get him down. Finn took out his wallet to pay for the drinks, he wasn’t sure what Riley had cooked up for dinner but a beer with their meal would be nice, it wasn’t something that they had often, a treat more than anything. “Well let me know when you’re ready and we’ll go out looking for suitable timber.” And a branch would provide a lot of timber for practising, Finn had quite a few failures before he got the two he was happy with.
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“I know he will,” Tess smiled brightly as she gently eased the bag closer to her. “Anytime is pretty good. I think this weekend may be good if it’s good for you.” A medium brown tone of wood, she thought, would look nice. But it was still too early to consider marriage, but the blonde wouldn’t mind spending her life with Meg. But she wasn’t going to rush things.
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Finn smiled. “How does Saturday, around ten sound? We can either go out into the forest to find a branch to work with or there might be some offcuts in the woodshop to practise with.” He found that the branches and greener timber seemed to work better than dry and seasoned stuff, but he was always willing to give anything a go. “And wear the oldest clothes you have, you’ll end up in sawdust and stuff.”
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“Sounds good. May want to check out the offcuts in the woodshop first. Best to practice on that.” Tess grinned. She was excited to learn how to make something, to work with tools. The grease monkey loved working with machinery! “Okay. I may pull out one of my sets of coveralls.”
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“No worries, we’ll meet there then. We’ll have a practice with their stuff first.” Finn said with a wink, he knew Tess was good with mechanics and metal, hopefully that would extend to woodworking, at least she wasn’t afraid to use the machinery, he remembered someone in school who was so afraid of the bandsaw and lathe that they actually failed the class. “I didn’t think of coveralls, they’d be perfect! I just used my old housework shirt and ratty jeans, brushed the sawdust off before I went home so Riley couldn’t get any clues.”
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“Good. I look forward to it.” Tess smiled. She wasn’t afraid at all. But she may become frustrated and perfectionist when the time came. “Mmm, brushing off sawdust. Sounds like something that would be lovely in slow motion,” she joked with an eyebrow waggle.
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Not many people knew it but Finn was a bit of a perfectionist as well, which was one of the reasons why he was glad that he had plenty of timber from that branch in order to get the rings just right, both the rings had marks from the natural imperfections but that was what made them unique. Finn laughed. “I’m sure that there’s someone out there who’d get off on it, it takes all types.” Though if there was such a thing as a cologne which smelt like old books he’d be the first in line to buy it, it was one of those smells that he loved.
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She would be just that much of a perfectionist if she decides to propose to Meg. But Tess was going to take their relationship one step at a time. No need to rush at this point. The blonde laughed in return. “Mmm, there are all types. And this island may be small, but there are new people arriving.” The smell of books, new engines, rising bread, Meg....Tess had her favorites too.
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Love wasn’t something to be rushed, it had taken Finn ages to admit that he loved Riley and many more years in order for him to actually put a ring on it, they should be waiting longer between engagement and getting married but really they had pretty much been engaged for years anyway. But that feeling, those butterflies that made you want to do anything for the other person was something Finn remembered all too well. “To each their own I say, as long as it’s not illegal.” He smiled. “So… who is it making you so happy?”
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There was a tiny bit of a spark the first time Tess and Meg met in the form of flirtation. The blonde hadn’t realized it for years. Their friendship had developed organically. And this year things bloomed. She hadn’t been able to shake the butterflies, the giddiness, the L word. Tess hadn’t come to the realization of being attracted to women - truly - until Meg. “Yeah, definitely.” she smirked. Then she looked away, blushing a little. When looked back over at Finn, she shrugged her shoulders and smiled softly, “Meg.” Tess giggled.
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Ah, so the pink haired baker was the reason Tess was so happy. Finn smirked a bit, he was glad that both of the women had found each other and were obviously making each other happy. It was how he and Riley had started, just as friends but it grew and now Finn couldn't imagine his life without the dorky brunette in it. "Congratulations! I haven't seen you smiling like this in… well, forever. I'm happy for you both."
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“Thanks! It’s so…” Tess smiled brightly and gestured trying to capture the right word to describe how she felt. “...new, amazing. I’m trying not to rush things. But Finn, I love her.” She softly snorted to herself. Confessing that L word was both exhilarating and terrifying!
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Finn had known Tess for years, they had first met when they were both new on the island, long before he had even met Riley. He remembered Tess seeing him in a similar lovestruck state when he developed feelings for his now fiance. He could help but smile, she deserved all the happiness in the world, so did Meg. “It’s a great feeling, isn't it? Like you’re walking on clouds with nothing but sunshine above you. I should see with Ri about having the two of you over for dinner one night, he’ll love it.” Riley soon-to-be Thompson - the island’s social butterfly loved having people around for dinner.
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Finn, Meg, and Riley were Tess’s closest and oldest friends on the island. She loved them all. But Meg and most intense of all. She was all smiles watching Finn when he was in the same lovestruck state. “Yes, it is. And this bright bouncy sensation in your chest. Ooo, that would be cool.”
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"Yeah, you feel like your heart is about to burst out of your chest every time you see them. That's love." It was great to see other people finding happiness on the island amongst all the sadness and horror that was going on. "I'll check with the other half and will let you know what he thinks, then we'll work out an evening when we're all free." While he loved Riley's cooking he also enjoyed Meg's baked goods, it was a guilty pleasure of his.
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Tess blushed brightly, looking down at the wooden rings for a moment and looking back up at Finn. It was one of the greatest feelings in the world - love. “Okay. Sounds good. And as for these,” she spoke and carefully picked up the clear bag that held the rings. “I will keep them safe.” Then the blonde slipped them into her half apron pocket and secured the velcro.
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Finn smiled, there was no doubt in his mind that Tess would take very good care of the rings, probably treat them as if they were her own. He could have jumped across the counter between them and given her a big ‘thank you’ kiss but he didn’t, he had some self control. “Thank you Tess. We’ll keep you updated as to when we decide on a date.” With the money out of his wallet he handed it over to Tess to pay for the beers. “This is for the beers, and keep the change.”
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Oh yes, she would treat them as if they were her own. They’d go in one of her dresser drawers near her favorite pair of socks were along with a small journal and a motorcycle engine manual she treasured. Oh the self control. “You’re welcome. Okay. I look forward to it. Is there a dress code?” She took the money and nodded. “Ooo, thanks.”
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“Not formal but not too relaxed either, say smart casual? It’ll probably be down at the beach so nothing you don’t mind getting some sand or salt water on.” The last thing they wanted was the whole ‘tux and evening gown’ thing for their wedding, although they both looked good in a suit and tie it was more about their union than what they were wearing, plus barefoot doesn’t really go that well with fancy pants.
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“Okay.” Tess nodded. She had perhaps one or two dresses, but the rest were jean shorts, regular jeans, capris, and some pairs of trousers. She had tops - tees, halter tops, and a few blouses. She could come up with something. The blonde woman smiled.
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Whatever Tess wore Finn was sure it’d be fine, when she wasn’t at work here or in her greasy coveralls she had a pretty good sense of fashion, that capris and a decent blouse would be more than suitable. He still had no idea what he was going to wear, not that it really mattered, he was sure Riley wouldn’t care if everyone was in swimwear as long as the people they cared about were there that was all that really mattered. “We’re just happy that you’re going to be there. Thank you again Tess, I know Riley adores you.” He said with a smile, both of them did.
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She was sure she’d look okay. “Aww, I'm so happy and excited for the both of you!” Tess smiled. Maybe one day she ask Riley to be her best man/man of honor.
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Truthfully Finn was nervous as all hell, not as much as he had been leading up to the proposal but still, getting married wasn't exactly a small step, or an easy one. "We're planning on having the reception here, but don't go all out or anything." The more low key in Finn's books the better. "I should let you get back to work. I'm sure Riley will come looking for me if I'm any longer with these beers." Probably not though, Riley was probably still hanging out with one of his friends.
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“Oh okay. So no streamers, cans on strings, confetti.” Tess smirked at Finn. She understood the wanting to be low-key. There were things that were sacred to just the residents, to the closest of friends. “Mmm, probably. Take care.”
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“And try to keep Ehren away from organizing any kind of bachelor’s night, please?” While his friend’s heart was in the right place, that kind of party was definitely not him, and honestly he hadn’t been a bachelor for years now, Finn and Riley were pretty much an old married couple already, just not legally. Leaning over the counter he placed a kiss on Tess’s cheek. “You too. When you finish here go and give that girl of yours the biggest kiss ever.”
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“Mmm,” Tess hummed and nodded. “I will try. Just beers and music. Perhaps some jokes.” She had seen how close Finn and Riley had become. It was so sweet and inspiring. “Always,” she blushed at Finn’s kissing her cheek. “I will. Thanks.” She smiled brightly.
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With a smile and a wink Finn picked up the beers, slung his bag back over his shoulder and stepped back. “Look after yourself Tess.”
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“You too.” Tess smiled back as she sidestepped to the cash register.