BIG BROTHER

claiming -46 points for FELIX SALAMANCA

point breakdown :

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT : [1] x [5] = [5]

STARTERS : [5] x [5] = [25]

REPLIES : [15] x [1] = [15]

MILESTONE : [1] x [10] = [10]

SUBTOTAL: 55

PREVIOUS WEEK TOTAL : 113

DEDUCTIONS: -101

TOTAL: 67

There was nothing in this world that was free-- his father instilled certain golden rules into the craniums of all his children and that was one of the most important ones. You pay with your reputation or a future favor or a slight of hand, but that doesn’t mean free is still considered bad. It just so happens that Felix may have been genuine with his feelings regarding Astrid and, though every cell in his body was refusing to cooperate, Bo hoped he could place his trust on the fact that Felix’s words were genuine.  He didn’t mind that his pride took a beating, but his character wouldn’t allow him to simply accept something so gracious without providing something else in return.  Bocephus inhaled through his nose rather sharply and pinched his temple.  “–Okay. Okay then. This is.. acceptable.” And what else, Bo? “But I can’t leave you empty handed. I’m not wired to just accept favors without repercussions. I’ll do you a favor in the future, by the end of the year. Just come and ask. DON’T– tell me no, that I don’t need to. I do need to, okay, for my own sake. You don’t have to use it. It just.. exists.”

“a million is probably about accurate,” she laughed along, “genuineness is a wonderful trait, if rarely found in my experience.” 

( but she could see it as he searched for the right description of the artiste, as the smile spread over his face — that expression in itself as much a show of ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ as Astrid Van Renesslaer’s own art — and lingered there, bright and all too telling. they managed to keep their rhythm, as she returned his smile warmly. )

“honestly, none of what you’ve just said about bo surprises me at all. and if you think that’s a ruckus then you should see the duchess of norfolk and the british prime minister in the members chat. insanity, let me tell you. i’ve no time for floraigh corriegarth outside of the necessary, but honestly… wow.”

“My, my, what am I getting myself into?” he said, laughing at the description of the chat which he was not privy to. Felix enjoyed himself for the rest of the dance, making conversation with the President, and when it was finally over, gracefully bowed and kissed her hand. 

LOCATION: AFTERPARTY AT THE MOULIN ROUGE, PARIS, FRANCE

[ FELIX, BATTLING ANYONE AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR FULL CONTROL OF THE PLAYLIST, LETS THE MUSIC FLOW THROUGH THE SURROUND SOUND SPEAKERS. ]

1. BLACK — PEARL JAM

I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life I know you’ll be a star in somebody else’s sky, but why Why, why can’t it be, oh can’t it be mine?

2. CREEP — RADIOHEAD

You’re just like an angel Your skin makes me cry You float like a feather In a beautiful world I wish I was special You’re so fuckin’ special

3. LEAVE YOUR LOVER — SAM SMITH

I will give you all of me Just leave your lover, leave him for me Leave your lover, leave him for me

4. WE’VE GOT TONIGHT — KENNY ROGERS

Look at the stars so far away We’ve got tonight, who needs tomorrow? We’ve got tonight babe Why don’t you stay?

5. TAKE THIS LONGING — LEONARD COHEN

Just take this longing from my tongue All the useless things my hands have done Let me see your beauty broken down Like you would do for one you love

6. OUT OF MY LEAGUE — FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS

All the things I believed You were just the right kind Yeah, you were more than just a dream You were out of my league

7. I WANNA BE YOURS — ARCTIC MONKEYS

Secrets I have held in my heart Are harder to hide than I thought Maybe I just wanna be yours I wanna be yours, I wanna be yours Wanna be yours, wanna be yours, wanna be yours

8. THE LESS I KNOW THE BETTER — TAME IMPALA

Oh my love, can’t you see yourself by my side No surprise when you’re on his shoulder like every night Oh my love, can’t you see that you’re on my mind Don’t suppose we could convince your lover to change his mind

9. STAY BEAUTIFUL — TAYLOR SWIFT

You’re beautiful Every little piece, love; don’t you know? You’re really gonna be someone Ask anyone And when you find everything you’ve looked for I hope your love leads you back to my door Oh, but if it don’t, stay beautiful.

10. CAN I BE HIM — JAMES ARTHUR

When the lights come on and I’m on my own Will you be there, will you be there? Can I be the one you talk about in all your stories Can I be him?

11. BLACK CLOUD — MORISSEY

The one I love is standing near The one I love is everywhere And I can woo you, I can amuse you But there is nothing I can do to make you mine

12. DO I WANNA KNOW? — HOZIER

I’ve dreamt about you nearly every night this week How many secrets can you keep? ‘Cause there’s this tune I found That makes me think of you somehow an’ I play it on repeat Until I fall asleep, spillin’ drinks on my settee

(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin’ flows both ways? (Sad to see you go) Was sorta hopin’ that you’d stay (Baby, we both know) That the nights were mainly made For sayin’ things that you can’t say tomorrow day

13. COSMIC LOVE — FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

“You could’ve just asked me for suggestions but you didn’t. You could’ve stopped bidding and let me win but you didn’t. You wanted to win, beat me, receive public praise, then earn some good boy points with this act of …what, charity?” This train of though could be completely off the mark and Felix could’ve definitely been thinking entirely of Astrid but Bo couldn’t turn off his accusatory stance. “Besides, she said it was okay that you bid on her and she told me you were sweet for bidding on her. How do you know she doesn’t like you? If there’s anybody who understands that jackass can be redeemed it’s her.”

Bocephus was ready to get the fuck out of the Louvre and sleep until his headache swallowed him whole, but of course, Felix’s booming voice interrupted his well crafted plans for the evening. What was he there to do? Boast? Make dumbass comments about the state of Astrid that night and exactly how wow’d she’d be at their ultra fabulous date later? But when he spoke about his generous donation, Bo did not hide his initial shock well. His blue eyes scanned Felix’s expression for any hint of deceit before he slowly turned his head to peer at the hand grasping his shoulder.  “..What are you planning?”

she doesn’t see it coming. astrid, though quiet, is not often rendered speechess. an upside to being pensive is that it is rare that astrid doesn’t know how to respond to something, but she stands across from felix, in the parisian night, rendered speechless. 

she isn’t sure what to say. 

astrid, though innocent, is not dense, and she can see the strain behind his smile. it is incredibly thoughtful, and though he insists he doesn’t know what her perfect night would be, he has gotten it exactly right. the crux is that it’s not fair to him. felix, who has treated astrid with nothing but the best respect and kindness. felix, who has payed good money for her art and her time. 

she’s known bo since they were just kids, and her fondest childhood memories are entwined with his. she’s comfortable with bo; she’s trusted him implicitly since the day he punched a kid for making fun of her, and he gets her like no one else. he’s her person, and she cares about him endlessly. that much is true.

but. but. she enjoys felix’s company, and the last thing she wants is to cause any heartache. she is torn; she doesn’t want him to think he has gotten it wrong, or that she is ungrateful for his willingness to be so selfless. but she doesn’t want him to think she doesn’t like him, too, or that she is unwilling to get to know him, because neither of those things are close to the truth. 

and this dithering is why elise refers to her as a wounded animal, she knows. 

she takes his hand and presses a light kiss to his cheek, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it all. “that is, most certainly, the nicest thing anyone has ever offered,” astrid tells him quietly, an appreciative smile tugging at her lips. “but i don’t want you to have wasted so much money on me if you’re not certain that’s what you want to do with it.” her smile grows slightly as she considers him. “and either way, i do feel obligated to let you know that you still owe me a meal along the french rivera.” 

elise morgan, astrid knew, often referred to the younger blonde as a ‘baby bird’ or ‘wounded animal’ or something of the like. she didn’t think elise meant it as an insult; once upon a time, she and elise had been the best of friends, and she had protected astrid like it was her job. much like bo still did. the morgans were a protective bunch, and astrid was grateful for the friendship. 

she was aware, however, that compared to elise, or leah, or even bo, the people she was most often with, astrid was viewed by some as timid and weak. and she didn’t begrudge those people their opinions. it was up to her to change their minds. she didn’t think that kindness and softness equaled weakness, and she found value in being intentionally good; in approaching everything she did with a soft smile and the best expectations, and in seeing the best in people. and if people thought that she was boring or invaluable for being quiet, then astrid simply had to prove them wrong. not everyone had to rule the world; some people were content with making it beautiful. 

still, the Society was a competitive sport by nature, and astrid, though gentle, was not stupid. she could see, when she was approached, the auction for what it was; a chance to step up, out of her comfort zone. an opportunity to prove that she, and her art, had value. and it was out of her comfort zone - greatly so, but she’d be damned if she didn’t prove herself. her art being the topic of sale, well that, the artist was used to. she near enjoyed it, actually, the validation of her work having real value to the people around her. it was putting herself up for sale that caused her anxiety. 

she knew Felix Salamanca, at least somewhat, and she liked him. he was fun, and kind (to her, at least), and he flattered her greatly. she was not immune to his charms, and she was fairly pleased with the way the night had turned out. 

(she’d assumed her best friend would’ve gotten in on the game, but it wasn’t like he had been expected to and what did it matter? it wasn’t a productive thought.) 

she grinned at the compliment, grateful for the space he left. “once again, you compliment me greatly,” she demurred. the mere mention of their date brought a pale hue to her cheeks. astrid had never been smooth in personal matters - in fact, she’d cried in elise’s dorm room before prom, and she’d only been going with bo - but she gamely took the offered arm, appreciative of the ability to take it herself, rather than be grabbed. “planned it already?” she giggled with some degree of surprise. 

“That’s the thing,” Felix said, humming as they walked, “I have been planning it. I’ve been thinking about it this entire night. I love planning things, you know. Parties. Business strategies. Social media empires. So, yes, I’ve been planning it. I can’t think about anything else.” There was laughter in the chilly air as he stepped out onto the terrace, finally letting go of Astrid so he could smile at her, taking the space across her and leaning against the railing. He looked at her for a moment or so, at the way the moonlight illuminated her hair, her features, soft and sharp as they were, a contrast that caught every gaze in its trap. She looked beautiful. God, he could feel his heart stop in his chest. What an absolute fucking loser he was for Astrid van Renesslaer. 

He looked away for a moment because he couldn’t bear it, and then he forced a smile and looked at her once more. “I literally couldn’t think about anything else. I wanted to give you the perfect night. The most wonderful night of your life. And I kept thinking about what that would entail. Would you enjoy an evening in an exotic country you’ve never been to before? Rich, new cuisines, a funny experience with a language barrier, the whole restaurant closed down, a damn orchestra just for you — or would you enjoy a simple night out? A night in your home city, at all your favorite places, maybe an old arcade or laser tag place, where we eat ice cream and pizza and shawarma off the cold streets — the thing is, what I realized is — I don’t know. I don’t know.” Felix was gesturing, and a small chuckle escaped his lips. 

She looked so beautiful under the moonlight. It almost made him want to reconsider. In another world, perhaps he might have said this: And I’m asking you now because I want to know, I want to know how to make you happy. I want to know how to make you think of only me. 

But he didn’t. In this world, what he said was:

“But I would bet my life that Bocephus Morgan does.”

The evening was wild, riotous, full of energy and adrenaline — he’d known from the start what he wished to bid on, and he’d known from the start that he would win. There was left the question, of course, of what he would do with his prizes: the artwork was easy; he’d display it either in his house, in a corner where it could be properly venerated, or in his office, where multitudes of people would be able to appreciate it as it deserved to be — plus he would get to see it every day while he worked, a beautiful piece to inspire him to be greater than he is.. 

The date was much harder. 

He liked Astrid. He liked her more than he had ever expected to, he liked her more than he had expected to like anyone, especially given his image and his proclivities (a playboy, a user, a man with two models hanging off each arm, to be thrown away at the end of the night). He liked her; he admired her artwork and her talent and her skill and she made him feel funny when she spoke to him and perhaps he was just the slightest bit smitten by someone who he was in all regards barely more than a stranger to. He adored her, and all he wanted to do was give her the best night of her life. One she wouldn’t forget, one that would make her happy, one that would bring that damned cute smile to her face, that smile that he’d so far only caught in glimpses.

It took a lot of thought, spread through the entire evening, informing every single moment and action and speech, each one distant and distracted and occupied with something so much more important. It took a lot of thought to arrive at his brilliant idea, and it came, actually, as he was bidding on New York in The Clouds. It came as the prices rose and his determination grew into steel, as he and Morgan gouged the prices higher and higher. It came, that single thought, the one that would lead to his demise.

Yes, he knew exactly how he was going to give Astrid Van Renesslaer the perfect night. 

(His stomach churned, his heart beat slowly and quickly in his chest all at once. Oh, the thought of it. How stupid all of this had made Felix Salamanca.)

“well, thank you,” 

she returned his smile; truthfully, it was her goal to get it a second time and beyond — in order to make the most positive change she could, amending and atoning wherever possible — but this wasn’t the place nor time to court americans’ attitude to constitutional change. it would be a long, and hard, road; this she knew, and it all rode upon her re-election in november, so for now that was her focus. campaigning as the incumbent was harder, surprisingly, given the incumbency effect ( you never had as much time as your rival to spend on the trail, on meeting people ) so your focus had to be upon fully proving your worth and your mettle to the people through your actions behind the oval office desk and beyond. 

her smile became more mirthful, a chuckle spilling from her own lips, “you? behaving? now there’s a pleasant surprise. is it perhaps to do with your goal to get a date with astrid?” she frowned pensively — just for a moment — at his mention of bo. “he has been particularly protective of late. not that i mind, of course, as i myself love astrid like a sister of mine.” well, not quite like her own sister. better than that. it came more easily, the artiste not being of morgan blood. “but it is curious. unfortunately, i’m unsure he’d tell me anything, were i to ask about its motivation.”

the brief troubled moment — and glimpse inside the morgans’ dysfunctional relationship — smoothed over, a wave disappearing back into the wider ocean. ( and, much like the water, as the buddhists say, the feelings are still there, unseen, behind the smile that rests on her lips. )

“besides, don’t you get a token for one free personal attack, considering the catacombs incident? quid pro quo?”

“as much as i can be. as you can imagine; but i ought to get used to it, i’m to have them around for the rest of my life.” 

she watched felix’s delight with a brand of confused curiosity, lightly taking his hand; annoying the secret service was ( after all ) hardly foreign to leontine morgan, and she found this small push against the boundaries enough satisfaction to prompt a smile. 

he would, of course, bask in the bright light of attention, and she would have something almost normal. it would be normal, were it not the louvre, at a charity auction with items selling for millions, with the multi-billionaire owner of a social media corporation as her dance partner. 

“i wouldn’t worry; i haven’t properly danced since my inauguration ball. i imagine you’ve more freedom than i, of course; any mischievous plans up your sleeve that i should know to steer clear of?”