try me;

"I can't be having a crush on the Princess of the entire country, August," Aiden says, his tone flat as he stares at August for another. "I'm fairly certain it's illegal," he adds, trying for humour but his voice isn't matching the concern lines on his face. He glances around but no one is near them anyway, the music and conversations take up the air.

"Aiden. It's not illegal to have a crush on a princess." He shakes his head, "Besides, Elijah is super cool? Modern in a lot of his practices as King. Like...if this becomes a real thing? I don't think he'd have a lot of negative things to say about it." He breathes in, looking over at Luci as she ends another dance and glides across the floor to get a glass of wine.

"The only thing I'd like to remind you about is that...Luci, while a princess, is still a person. And it makes total sense for you to have a crush on her...besides, who says it's one-sided?" He raises his eyebrows.

If this were anyone else's problem he's be all ears and ready to provide some kind of words of wisdom or realistic options. He supposes the only way to get it out of his head is just to say it. "I think..." Aiden trails, wincing, "I like Luci. Full stop. A crush, if you want to call it that for lack of a better word. And that's what's fucked up," he lets out a slow breath, shaking his head. "I can't... I can't be doing this."

He listens and like...he follows the line of thought Aiden has and he tamps down on a smile because the last thing he wants is for Aiden to think he's not fully supporting him? Or that he somehow thinks this conversation is funny. But like...man he feels like he saw this coming. Not directly, but like...Aiden having a crush on Luci? Feels legit. She isn't his type, but he can see it. How could someone not?

Especially someone as great as his brother.

He opens his mouth and then closes it, resets, "Okay, wait so...how is this fucked up?" He smiles at him, "Can't be doing what exactly? There's nothing wrong with having a crush on Luci--she's lovely, funny, Aiden-sized...and as far as I know? Single."

Aiden schools his face often, trying to find his unbothered side. Although he thinks he's getting his polite face confused with a semi-resting unimpressed look. Will, another security guard comes around and taps on Aiden's shoulder for him to take a small break. Aiden's actually thankful for it, nodding and checks on Luci as she's dancing with some other man.

He moves along, grabbing a water on his way before finding his brother not too long after. Aiden's brows flick as he motions with his head off to the side, "I might be fucked."

His eyebrows draw together when Aiden mutters he might be fucked and he...he doesn't want to panic because he doesn't have that expression exactly, that something is really wrong? But he also knows Aiden well enough to know that he wouldn't be talking to him about whatever it is he's about to bring up if he didn't need support.

He steps towards a wall with him, raising his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"

Another smile forms about the dance offer. Ryan thinks about Sloane's birthday and how much fun that was. They danced for a long while and it felt effortless. "I'd like that a lot," she tells him, reaching out to fix his suit jacket and touches the front part of his hair.

"I just really like to dance," She says after a moment, her eyes scanning the room though August isn't sure who she's searching for. It looks like she's about to touch her crown but then someone interrupts her.

"Can I have this dance, Ms. Fitzgerald?" August knows who it is just because he's royalty from the West. Archibald, he thinks, is the last name.

Luci hums, glances at August with a knowing grin, but then allows him to take her to the floor. August breathes in, finding another glass of wine and then looks up to see his brother approaching.

"Hey stranger."

And she doesn't hate that he's happy to see her too.

"That's really good," Ryan smiles. "I know Elijah and Luci are happy to have you here as well. Just... a genuine person on their side of all of this," she motions around. She breathes in lightly, angling her body towards him. "And me too, happy you're here. I know you're working so I promise not to take up too much of your time."

"Don't worry about it," He tells her gently, not wanting her to think that he's too busy to talk to her. While he's taking the article writing seriously, he has time.

"Find me later, we can get a whimsical dance in on the floor."

She looks out at the dozens upon dozens of people here for the event. She spots Luci and smiles a little bit, the Princess is sparkling. ""Might be too early to ask, but how is your evening going?" Ryan turns her head back to August.

He's still trying to figure out how best to word the article he's going to write about the comeback from the last one about the royal family. He looks over at Ryan and smiles,

"It's going good," He nods, "Just feels good to be back in an official compacity." He admits, "And to see you."

Interesting.

Breathing in, Ryan's eyes sweep the partygoers as she sips her drink and nods to a few people she's seen before, saying hellos. If she's being honest with herself, she feels a bit nervous seeing August again. They've still been talking and maybe Ryan's being hard on herself but she doesn't want to fuck anything up again. So when she sees him about twenty feet away from her, she's hesitant for a moment until Ryan realizes how ridiculous she is and walks towards him.

"Hi."

He smooths his hand down the black on black suit he has on, the press badge he always wears clipped onto his pocket. He sips his on his drink, the bubbles tickling his nose. He turns at a voice and smiles a little as he sees Ryan.

"Hi yourself," He says, running a hand through his hair. It's been better since they got back on the same page, "You look gorgeous."

"Noted," he offers her a small smile. He turns his head to the doors as one of the doorman waits, his hand on the handle, to open it up for Luci. How lucky that everyone here gets to see Luci. Aiden hopes they appreciate it.

"Good luck, Ms Luci," Aiden nods to her, taking a couple steps back.

Despite how hard everything has been the past few weeks, he feels like if anyone has this, it's Luci. She's a natural at being a princess.

He moves around the edges of the party, grabbing a drink off a tray.

"Everything happens for a reason," He offers a small smile, bumping his shoulder into hers. "Maybe those people were just...getting us through certain situations to get us ready for other ones. For better people."

"Least there's baked goods, I guess." He smiles loosely, "Elijah sent me an email saying that I was going to be revaluated. It was very formal but...then he called and said he was just doing this with everyone."

He's not offended, after what's happened? It's a good idea. He wonders if Aiden got something similar.

"Luci's lucky she's got a good support system, friends like you."

"Luci told me too, a big formality but it's worth it to ensure nothing like this happens again," Ryan replies, looking down by her feet as Moon comes around. She smiles and slowly bends to interact with the cat, small strokes for pets and lets Moon figure her out. His comment is nice, "I'm trying my best," she half smiles.

August couch is comfortable as they sit and wait for the food. It's an easy conversation that flows, yet Ryan still feels the urge to clarify when she felt like she needed to turn on him to quickly, why she felt so defensive, "So I got home after a long day, a women's empowerment conference with Luci, unlock the door and walk in.... there's boxes all packed right in the living room."

Ryan rolls her eyes a bit, gently petting Moon, "James packed all of my things and said he was seeing with someone else and that I had to leave. I had only lived with him for six months and then all of a sudden I didn't have a home. I was livid. How do you invite your girlfriend of two years to move in, see someone else, then kick me out?"

"That's awful," He acknowledges, "Like your entire life was just tipped onto it's head."

He has a bite of his sandwich, letting out a sigh from his nose,

"I was in a long distance relationship for a while, it was good except you know. Distance. Just didn't work out."

"Um, she was stress baking so," Ryan frowns. "It a sore spot, it's always going to hurt when her mom comes around. But the article on top of that I think elevated the whole situation including the gardener. Elijah was doing damage control with Amber..." she looks up at him, shrugging a shoulder. "She'll be okay, will just take a few days."

"Least there's baked goods, I guess." He smiles loosely, "Elijah sent me an email saying that I was going to be revaluated. It was very formal but...then he called and said he was just doing this with everyone."

He's not offended, after what's happened? It's a good idea. He wonders if Aiden got something similar.

"Luci's lucky she's got a good support system, friends like you."

She nods, stepping into the familiar apartment and closes the door behind her. There's a small laugh in her chest as his cat is entertained by the balloon, well, a good few bucks spent then. Ryan unzips her boots and puts them to the side, taking a few more steps inside. "What were you going to order?"

"Thinking this one."

He leans against the counter, watching Ryan for a moment. He chews the inside of his cheek, replaying their conversation,

"How was Luci?" He asks, tilting his head. He's wanted to reach out to her but...he feels like, ever since the article, he just...he didn't want to push any buttons. He also wanted to ask Aiden, but he's not sure if he's seen her yet.

"I hope she listens to you. Whoever she let write that article is a fucking idiot," she tells August, a half smile on her face. Then again, Maggie approved it so she falls right into that same category. "If she choices gossip over good journalism, then it's her loss, not yours."

"Right," He gives her a half smile back, letting the balloon float into his apartment, Moon darting out of the living room to play with the string. "Do you want to come in? I was just about to order dinner."

Ryan exhales again, tucking her arm behind her back, "It all seemed coincidental in the moment, red flags and blaring alarms. I'm sorry I called you out like that, that I didn't listen to your explanation. My trust is a little weird with guy but that has nothing to do with you," she shakes her head, looking down the hallway as someone exits their apartment and walks down to the elevator.

"You are a good person, Luci and Elijah really do think so and that holds a lot," Ryan tells him sincerely. "I should have trusted that."

He really does understand where Ryan is coming from. It couldn't have been easy to see her friend hurting like that, to assume that she had something to do with it, to put trust in someone she's just met. Part of him wonders if he would have been able to have a clear head. He wants to think he would, but, that's not altogether true.

"Even though I wanted you to believe me, I get why you didn't. You were just looking out for your friend. I would have done the same thing."

There's a small smile as he listens about Elijah and Luci and...it means something to him that she possibly stuck up for him.

"I went to work and threatened to leave the paper, so, I'm hoping Maggie will wise up on what she decides to run with."

All castle news comes through him. Period. He doesn't want a raise, he doesn't want special privileges, he just wants this to be a decent fucking place to work.

He showers when he gets back home, feels like he needs it, and towels his hair dry as he wanders into his kitchen. He's about to figure out dinner when there's a knock on his door. Sighing, he leaves the towel on the stool and goes to look through the peephole...

and stands a moment. He closes his eyes and sighs out of his nose. Mise well get this over with.

He tugs it open, raising his eyebrows, "Was accusing me on the phone not enough? You need to do it in person, too?"

She waits knowing not to expect anything but when the door opens, there's some surprise in her chest. Ryan looks up from her boots and stares at August. He doesn't look amused, maybe. It's something in his eye and he's had his own fucked up day too.

"Being here in person is me coming to apologize to you," she tells him, her hands coming from behind her back to relieve a singular balloon similar to one of the thousand from Sloane's birthday he didn't get to bring home. A peace offering in her head, but maybe it's pitiful.

Ryan continues, "It was a gardener at the castle who told a reporter. Luci told me. I went to apologize to her because I thought it was partly my fault and it was some idiot who wanted quick cash," she explains, maybe he already knows.

He thought the way he talked about Elijah and Luci told her everything she might need to know.

He glances at the balloon, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He looks back at Ryan and nods a little about Luci and the gardener. Makes sense, he guesses.

He wants to be angrier? But he knows he can't be. It's not like the article wasn't from his newspaper, it was. It just wasn't his name attached to it.

August reaches for the balloon, accepts the peace offering, "Well. Next time you might need at least two balloons."

Leaving the castle, Ryan makes a pit stop before taking herself to August's apartment. She remembers it from when they walked there after Sloane's birthday. It feels like there's a thousand marbles in her stomach weighing her down as she steps into the building and makes her way up to the apartment. God, what a fucking idiot she is. He explained himself and everything but she didn't want to hear it.

Quite frankly with the track record of men, it happens.

Ryan inhales then slowly exhales as she knocks on his door, taking a tiny step back to wait. She wouldn't be mad if he opened the door and then slammed it. Or didn't answer at all.

All castle news comes through him. Period. He doesn't want a raise, he doesn't want special privileges, he just wants this to be a decent fucking place to work.

He showers when he gets back home, feels like he needs it, and towels his hair dry as he wanders into his kitchen. He's about to figure out dinner when there's a knock on his door. Sighing, he leaves the towel on the stool and goes to look through the peephole...

and stands a moment. He closes his eyes and sighs out of his nose. Mise well get this over with.

He tugs it open, raising his eyebrows, "Was accusing me on the phone not enough? You need to do it in person, too?"

There's heat all over her body, irritated and upset. Part of her feels so stupid for feeling bad that August's boss was trying to squeeze a dirt story out of him and she openly gave him something write about or to tell someone else. So fucking stupid.

"I don't get it. I thought..." She sighs, a bit of a frustrated groan too. "I felt like I could trust you."

"Really?" He actually isn't sure he knows what to say. The last thing he expected was this article but what really feels like a suckerpunch to his gut is the fact that Ryan thinks it was him.

"My dad plays poker with Elijah, I...I bought Luci one of those fucking goldfish for her pond and you think..." He trails off, "You think I would tell someone about Luci's mom? When I know how rough that relationship is for her?"

He takes his phone off speaker, bringing the phone up to his ear. He scoffs out another noise and purses his lips,

"Well I guess we're both disappointed then," His voice is clipped, icy, "Because I expected you to be someone who doesn't jump to conclusions about someone else."

And then he hangs up the phone.