it's a crime!

           ۟. 🐻               ៶               𝐦𝐢𝒚𝐞𝐨𝐧               〉               she   ponders   for   a   moment   thinking   about   what   shows   she   likes   the   most   ,   but   looks   at   the   other   curiously   .       “   what   kind   of   shows   do   you   like   the   most   ?      like   genre   wise   ?      i   think   i   could   come   up   with   a   couple   .   ”

      there is a  pause  from the princess,  calla tilts her head in consideration.   "something ... not realistic."   because is that not what media and the arts are for ?  to escape from the current reality of her life.  it's why calla isn't an artist.   "something dramatic and idiotic, where i couldn't see myself for one passing second."

         she’s  usually  good  at  ignoring  what  goes  on  back  in  her  home  country  .  why  put  in  the  effort  when  she’ll  never  move  up  in  the  line  of  succession  ?  not  that  ana  wants  it  .  calla  is  far  more  qualified  .  but  it’s  always  news  of  their  brother  that  gets  to  her  .  she  bores  no  hate  or  resentment  towards  him  but  could  he  actually  care  about  something  for  once  ?  “  could  you  imagine  if  there  was  ?  we’re  already  one  step  closer  towards  the  black  mirror  dystopian  world  .  ”  lips  turn  up  into  a  small  smile  .  “  it’s  my  version  of  meditating  .  and  i’m  glad  you  like  them  !  i  wasn’t  sure  ,  but  baking  is  basically  science  so  if  there’s  a  will  there’s  a  way  .  ”

      "it's the least - what do these americans call it ... ? big brother could do, if they're going to let the world go on as it currently is."   and perhaps that is why she's stepped back from the fight for the throne;  pushed her sister to take the role.  ana was certainly capable,  and compassionate  -  which is where the eldest differed from the youngest.  it couldn't be helped;  calla aimed to be the person she  wished  she had when she was younger for ana.  perhaps calla never stood a chance,  and perhaps it simply took this long for her to realize it.   "mediating what, exactly?"   and calla's never been so subtle either,  the maternal side in her activating so fast,  it's almost like she  had  a mother figure in her life.   "and you must tell me what you changed up as well,"  calla says casually,  taking another casual chomp of the cookie.  

“     ow.    ”    benny keeps pouting,    but it goes away right away because,    hey,    it was funny!     and very creative,     too!     “    ouch.   that hurts more than the energy succubus comment.     and will you tell him that?    that you don’t want him there?    you should totally ruin his day,     i think,     as a treat—     oh,    wait,     where are you two going?     ”

      he's funny,  oddly understanding  -  or maybe he's the type to blindly agree with her  -  and calla's not upset with that,  either.  perhaps she'll even crack a smile,  one that's usually reserved for her favorite human on earth   ( ana, if that wasn't obvious enough ).   "nowhere; he's simply back in thailand, and ana and i are here."  and honestly,  she prefers not to be there.  calla is no patriot,  of any matter;  she's more of a  ...  team calla and ana,  and that's it.  

                     “   almost   any   teen   drama   is   almost   so   ridiculous   that   it   winds   up   being   fun   .      they're   cringe   and   the   dialogue   sounds   like   nobody   in   the   writing   room   has   ever   interacted   with   a   teen   in   their   life   but   you   can't   turn   it   off   .  .  .      at   least   if   you're   like   me   .   ”     

         calla likes to think she's a princess with  standards,  and so you would never catch her watching a shitty teen show  ...  for herself.  upon her sisters' request ?  perhaps.   "i'm sure i could ignore the thing entirely."   she's good at  pretending,  to say the least.   "do you have any show recommendations?"

         nose  crinkles  up  at  the  latest  article  that  popped  up  on  her  newsfeed  .  “  i’m  all  for  our  brother  living  up  his  life  but  is  there  anyway  we  can  escape  the  incessant  articles  ?  ”  ana  sighs  ,  setting  down  her  phone  .  the  oven  timer  goes  off  and  she  turns  to  retrieve  the  tray  of  cookies  .  “  anyway  ,  i  made  pandan  crinkle  cookies  .  ”

        she'll wonder,  if her father will ever see what is right in front of him.  likely not;  since those chances literally ran away,  from western country to western country  -  and now ?  calla wants to see everything that man had ever wanted slipping through his fingers in real time.    "if only there was a filter button on life,"   british voice muses,  she'll reach over to grab a cookie,  humming as she pats her sister's head  -  her fingers don't even register the pain of the heat  ( they never really have ).   "ana, how did you even have the time to make these - and they actually taste decent, too!"

“    and what’s wrong with my nineness?    ”    he pouts,    “    what are you gonna tell him?    may i know?    ”

          "have you ever heard of an energy succubus? it feels a bit like that when you're at a 9."  and call is being a bit grumpy,  a bit short  -  she usually is whenever she's dealing with her brother.  "i'm going to tell him to not bother coming to the city for the winter holidays - because neither ana and i will be there - and we don't want him there, either."  it's not very passive aggressive.  it's really more just straight up aggressive.

                    “   so   ,   uhm   ,   who’re   you   rooming   with   ?       honestly   ,   was   kinda   looking   forward   to   share   a   glass   of   wine   on   the   balcony   and   stealing   your   blankets   ,   but   whatever   .   ”       //       @callastars

          "my sister. and she doesn't do well with strangers."  ana actually does really fucking well with everyone;  it's exhausting.  the last thing calla needs,  however,  is for her little sister to decide to play  matchmaker  because thea's and her own gaze hover on each other a little too much longer than necessary for associates.  "... that does sound nice. who are you rooming with?"

          “  i  know  you’re  not  fond  of  company  but  don’t  tell  me  you  decided  to  show  up  alone  .  ”  she  approaches  the  younger  woman  and  slides  into  the  vacant  seat  next  to  her  .  “  and  if  you  did  ,  next  round’s  on  me  and  no  ––  it  is  not  a  pity  drink  .  ”

          "my sister's somewhere around here."  does she sound a bit  bored  with all the gossip,  giggles,  and booze flowing around the resort ?  yes.  it reminds calla far too much of royal family parties she does not care for at all,  and the only thing missing is a certain  patriarchy.   "is it your goal to be a walking opposite tonight, dahlia?"

                    lucian   nods   ,   easy   agreement   coming   as   naturally   as   breathing   .       “   you   got   it   ,   boss   .       not   moving   an   inch   ,   ”       he   says   with   a   light - hearted   grin   ,   tone   light   but   sincere   .       (   and   let’s   be   real   here   ,   the   dude’s   practically   wagging   his   tail   with   that   puppy - like   loyalty   he’s   got   for   calla   )   .       “   i’m   not   going   anywhere   .       not   even   for   christmas   this   year   .       kinda   wanna   be   surrounded   by   concrete   right   now   ,   you   know   ?       so   yeah   ,   it’s   a   promise   .   ”       blue   eyes   meet   hers   ,   lips   parting   slightly   .       it’s   brief   ,   soon   overshadowed   as   he   laughs   it   off   ,   feigning   nonchalance   about   his   all - too - obvious   crush   .       it’s   as   though   he’s   saying   ,   ‘   yeah   ,   i   know   ,   totally   transparent   ,   right   ?       i’ll   work   on   it   ’   .       “   a   chia   pet   ,   really   ?       dude   ,   i   really   want   one   now   that   you   mentioned   it   .       but   …       what   about   you   ,   huh   ?       it’s   kinda   tough   to   think   of   something   for   someone   who’s   already   got   it   all   .   ”       //       @callastars

          she could likely ask him to step lay on heated nails for her and use him as a plank,  and he would not hesitate to do so.  would calla ever be so cruel ?  if the occassion for the need arose;  perhaps   ( a part of her wishes it would never, realizes there are good people here, too - but it is a dog eats dog world, and she must put herself and her sister first at some point ).   "do you have anywhere to go in this concrete city for the holiday?"   calla is more so asking to survey people's activities,  what she should do for her own holiday;  what she could get away with not doing.  obviously,  presents were very much needed.  gets up,  head tilts towards her car.   "come. we need to go shopping. show me the things you like. and i will get you a chia pet. -- and you need to help me pick something out for my sister."

holds keys out to the other , almost EXPECTANTLY ; jingling it , little SANRIO character ( a black devil ? unsure . ) stuffed animal keychain almost DANCING with it . face is FLUSHED and if one is to ignore the smell of gas on her hands , the stench of booze is undercurrent . " drive me ... home ? no one ... no one TOLD me it was alcoholic ... bubba ... " it sounds like she's trying to say bubble tea , but she's slurring her words a bit too much .... ( @nepofmstarters ! )

       the girl is sweet  -  and calla knows she'd never want her younger sister to end up in the same situation as her  -  and the princess of thailand supposes if she ever had any maternal instinct,  this moment would be the closest it'd get to it.   "why are you here alone, alune?"   the british accent taints her words so lightly,  brings the royal elegance her brother never seemed to manage,  and holds out her hand.   "you are lucky i am here, and that i was taught to drive."   by one of her friends' fathers back during highschool;  and so granted,  she learned to drive in england,  but at least she can do manual and automatic.   "don't drink alcoholic boba again. it's gross. which one is your car?"

                    “   ever   find   yourself   thinking   about   where   we   could   be   this   time   next   year   ?   ”       //       @callastars

           "-- to confirm, you intentionally said we, correct?"

                      “   sometimes   all   you   need   is   a   mega   cringe   show   to   binge   watch   to   make   you   think   life   isn't   too   bad   .   ”

          "i cannot say i have wasted much time binging cringe shows."    but  ...  it sounds like something her sister would enjoy.   "do you have any suggestions?"