atlas.

“Oh no we’ll ensure that it lives up to the idol it represents. Maybe in front of a big mirror too so its staring into its own handsomeness every day.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. He had to admit people would definitely find the statue amusing to say the least. He imagined they would flock just to create hilarious photos with the large form of Aaron and his mirror. Smirking at his question he nods. “Generally it does. I mean its the uniform plus we’re saving people or small animals. Its definitely a good look, That’s why we have the calender.”  

“Honestly, the calendar’s the best part,” Aaron said, expression completely serious. “You never see a calendar of rich playboys unless it’s Tony Snark, Bruce Wayne, and Oliver Queen. I think I’d look great in a calendar.” It was a ridiculous conversation, but Aaron appreciated it. It wasn’t that he had a phobia of serious conversations as much as it was that he avoided having them as much as possible. He kept his private life close to his chest and there were very few people with whom Aaron actually felt comfortable having difficult discussions with. “So what’s new with you? Beside posing for the calendar?”

“Think of the movie Hush mixed with the movie Alien mixed with the movie 10 Cloverfield Lane,” she replied. If he wanted a simple baseline she could very well provide him with that. “So, you’re super busy then? You seriously don’t have time to read even a short story here or there?”

“I’ll take it.” Aaron was more of a psychological thriller more than an outright horror kind of guy, but he had seen two out of the three movies that she’d mentioned, and he had memories of enjoying them. So, by all accounts, he should enjoy the movie in question. “Between work and the commute, I am always busy. I’ve been considering audiobooks, but I’m afraid that would make me look like a fifty-year-old.”

The worst thing about being reunited with Aaron – so far – was how little he cared. Violet didn’t remember him as someone that didn’t care, but it had been a long time, so she couldn’t blame him for having changed. It hurt, was all – she’d hoped that he’d feel guilty and that his apologies would have felt genuine, but Aaron just seemed to be exhausted by her, which was why she was surprised when he stated that he didn’t want to be strangers anymore.

Clearly, he felt no sympathy towards her. Her tears, she realized, were only an embarrassment to the both of them. He was frustrated with her and sounded more like their father than he realized when he chastised her. As much as she disliked that, she had to admit that it had an affect on her just as their father had, so she leaned forward to pull a tissue from her bag and cleaned herself up, using the mirror to ensure that her makeup wasn’t ruined. She’d save up the rest of her grief for some time when she was alone with a bottle of scotch.

It was best that Aaron didn’t know what Blake looked like, so she offered no photo for reference, and she gave no other details about their younger brother. Again, she wasn’t sure what to say, so she leaned back once her face had been fixed and took a small breath. She didn’t want to talk about his company or his job or the meeting his was on his way to, she didn’t want to hear about any of it – she was too bitter knowing that this was what he’d left for, and part of her wanted nothing to do with Aaron Champion. She fell into a silence, listening to the occasional honking of a horn or revving of an engine. “So who do you blame for the fact that you’re an asshole these days?” she finally asked, glancing at him so briefly that it was more of a flicker of her eyes in his direction.

Aaron could tell that he wasn’t making headway in this conversation. Nothing he said could convince his sister, so he simply sat in silence. They were less than ten miles out from the meeting location and he needed to gather his thoughts, compartmentalize any emotions that this encounter may have pushed forward, and put on his business face. One didn’t become a shark by falling prey to emotions.

“You’re not the first to call me an asshole,” he said when she finally spoke again. “And I don’t blame anyone for making the way I am. Not even dear old dad. I’ll let you in on a secret, little sister. I’ve always been like this.” Aaron knew his shortcomings. He’d faced them in the mirror many times and fought to turn them into strengths rather than weaknesses. He knew that he could be brash and unsympathetic. That he expected things to be done his way and left no room for mediocrity or error. In many ways, he was exactly what Jonathan Reeves had wanted him to be. He couldn’t waste his time mourning over that,though, as it had brought him to this place in his life. 

“You just chose to see me as a hero because that’s what you needed at the time and now you’re realizing that I’m just a plain old human. Not a hero or a knight or a charming prince. We weren’t raised to be good people. We were raised to be efficient and profficient bosses, whether or not you like it. You’re allowed to hate me, I won’t hold it against you.” 

“We’re talking more of it’s own kind of thing. I try not to do too much of the comparison thing. Kind of builds up false expectations,” Bevin said with a shrug. She could usually hang with the best who sought to give her a little light hearted aggravation. “My latest is a novel called Hollow Places. Not sure if you’d know it, but that’s it.”

“It’s not so much comparison and as it is looking for a baseline, but sure, I’ll accept the ‘it’s in a category all its own’ argument.” Aaron didn’t usually concede debates, but he’d already planned to see the movie and didn’t see a point to continue arguing about its nuances. “Can’t say that I’ve heard of it, but then again, I can’t say that I’ve had much time for reading lately.” 

After the day he’d had, Aaron thought that he was entitled to a few drinks. It was the middle of the work week, sure, but he hadn’t begun the week expecting to run into his sister who he hadn’t seen in twenty years. He was still recovering from the stress of it. The simple thing would have been to have a drink with Rohan, complain for an hour, and then go home so that he would still be in proper working condition for tomorrow. Simple had never been his style though.

Instead, he’d invited Shea over. They’d had an easy kind of friendship — the kind without expectations or disappointments — and Aaron enjoyed having her around. Aaron had strict rules about who he invited into his home. It was his sanctuary, where he retreated to regroup after each day. It was not a place where he brought one night stands or acquaintances, but the few friends he’d made during his time in Westwick were something of a ragtag sort of family to him, even if the majority of them didn’t know the truth of his past. 

He’d already poured himself his second drink when the doorbell rang. Peeling himself off the couch, Aaron opened the door, threw a quick “thanks for coming” over his shoulder and unceremoniously turned to resettle himself on the couch, bring his glass to his lips. “Drinks are over there. Take anything you want. There’s probably food in the fridge if you’re hungry or I can just order something. Hope I didn’t disrupt you from something important.”

Shea: Are you kidding? Your place has the best bartender. Never short changes the liquor

Shea: no need for the uber though, I'm sober enough to drive now but you may be stuck with me when I'm not

Aaron: well glad I could oblige

Aaron: i’d honestly have to be the dumbest person on the planet to complain about that

Shea: Sounds like you had a bad day

Shea: I'm definitely up for a drink..where do you want to meet

Aaron: not a bad day. Just a stressful one

Aaron: I was thinking my place. I could send an Uber for you

Aaron: Pretty lady

Aaron: you up for a drink?

But she wanted him to be. Throughout their childhood, they’d had normal spats and disagreements, like any siblings, but Aaron had never treated her like their father had. He’d never yelled at her in front of anyone, never embarrassed her at the dinner table. Aaron had been there for her piano recitals and to comfort her when she needed comforting. He’d never made comments about her weight like their mother had, eyeing her and wondering aloud if she really needed to be eating that popsicle. Violet had relied on Aaron to build her up rather than to tear her down, and she wasn’t ready to face the reality that he wasn’t the perfect big brother she’d always made him out to be.

Violet could tell that he was looking at her, so she quickly dabbed at her nose, sure that it was runny. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d cried so much – she wasn’t much of a crier. “We’ll just pretend like we don’t know each other, right?” she managed, finally turning her head to look at him. “You won’t have to explain anything to anyone that way. I won’t make a scene or anything if I see you again, we’ll just… be strangers. But if you could just– not disappear again?” she asked, fully aware of how pathetic she sounded. She was a grown woman, but still the same size that she was in middle school, sunken into the leather seat of the car. “I– I miss you. That’s all, I guess.”

She didn’t want to think about how Blake would react to finding out that their brother was in town. He’d always asked too many questions about the oldest Reeves child, to the point that Violet had had to ask him to stop, and this would only open the floodgates again. “He’s… dealing with boy problems and he’s trying to figure out what to do with his life and I don’t want to put this on him. He doesn’t know what you look like, Ron. You could have an entire conversation with him and I don’t think he’d ever realize who you were. I need him to be left out of this.”

Aaron wanted to be empathetic, he did. He just didn’t know how to be. He’d been on his own for so long, catering to his own needs and emotions, that he simply didn’t know how to be accommodating of others’. Even in his role as CEO... He attempted to be accommodating of his employees’ feelings. He was adamant about ensuring that the work environment was positive and productive, but he’d learned quickly that there were days when feelings had to be sacrificed for the sake of the business. 

Now, though, he could see just how unfit he was to play this role. “Be thirty-two for a few minutes, not twelve.” It wasn’t the most empathetic thing he could’ve said, he knew, but Aaron had also learned that sometimes a stern attitude was the best way to combat emotional responses. “I’m not going to disappear. I have too many responsibilities now.” Plus, it was more difficult for the CEO of a company to disappear than it was for the sixteen-year-old son of a disgraced public figure. 

“I miss you too,” Aaron said after a pause. “We don’t know each other anymore, but I hope we can change that. I don’t want to be strangers.” Of course, it didn’t much matter what he wanted, he knew that, but still, he hoped that they could be friends if not siblings again. “I won’t harass Blake, I promise. I probably wouldn’t even know him if I saw him.” He’d been a baby when Aaron had left them, and Aaron had given up keeping tabs on his siblings years ago. “I just hadn’t expected for Westwick to be the location of the Reeves family reunion.” 

Listening to him speak did nothing to ease the aching in her chest. If anything, it made it worse. The way he spoke about their family without emotion, the way he explained the facts that he’d decided on, explained away his decision. She’d had boyfriends like this, she realized. Ones that broke her heart and then tried to explain to her why they’d had to, as if they had no other choice. It was beginning to make sense why she’d dated so many men like that – it was the only example she’d had growing up.

Violet had never described her ringtone as piercing before now. It sliced through the quiet as she’d tried to process his words and nearly made her jump, but she ignored it. She didn’t want to move, as she’d begun to feel a bit numb, and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I guess I’m just too naive to understand then, Ron, ‘cause I don’t get it,” she replied once the phone had finally fallen silent again.

“I don’t want to ruin your new life,” she sighed, defeated. “You moved on, clearly. I’m not your sister anymore, if you think about it. ‘Cause Aaron Champion hasn’t got siblings, does he? I’d just drag everything back in.” Violet had so much more that she wanted to say, more that she wanted to tell him – she wanted to know everything and she wanted him to know everything, but talking to him was painful, and she knew that he’d worked for twenty years to erase her and the rest of their family from his life. “I’ll leave you alone if you promise me you won’t speak to Blake. I don’t want him to have to deal with this.”

If Aaron hadn’t had a meeting to keep -- one that was incredibly important to the future of his company -- he would’ve pulled over the car and taken the time to explain things to her as clearly as he was capable of doing because right now, it seemed as if Violetta was not understanding. He wondered if that was on purpose. If somehow, she’d become incapable of truly understanding anything that was outside of her perception of the world. He wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. It was the Reeves way, after all. She’d already made up her mind that he had died because what other reason would he have for leaving her? Now that she knew that that wasn’t true, she’d cast him in the role of the villain and blamed him for all the wrongs that all been done to her. As if he was solely responsible. 

“I can’t be the hero you want me to be, V.” He tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible. It was difficult to be empathetic when he couldn’t make eye contact with her. “We were young. I was the only one you had so, of course, you made me out to be some sort of knight, but that’s not me. I’m not that man.” 

After driving for a few more miles, Aaron finally encountered the traffic for which Los Angeles was famous. He’d never been more grateful for it. Quickly, he glanced over at his sister, taking in her appearance. He’d never been good at handling crying women. It was why he maintained a strict no strings attached policy in his romantic life. “You’ll always be my sister. After you get over the shock of bumping into me randomly, you’ll realize that and that I didn’t do anything to hurt you.” She was being dramatic. Aaron was sure it would pass, or he hoped it would. “God,” he groaned, surprised by her final words. “Please don’t tell me the kid’s here too.”