You Should See Me in a Crown...

A grin hit Gage when she reminded him of that day back at the tattoo shop. Mariah wasn't in his chair but he still had eyes for her. That was just pure luck and one in a million. Gage had his regular clients, a lot of them being women..considering he had that soft touch and his art was phenomenal. The one thing he hated was the catty girls who try too hard to hit on him but he never gave in to that kind of thing. The whole time his eyes were only for Mariah. "I had a similar experience. Bullied in middle school, it was a whole thing." However he shrugged it off, moving the conversation onto suits and her parents.

She smiled as soon as she caught his grin. It was always like that with them. Mariah loved seeing him smile and any smile she caught on him instantly made her smile. Her smile faltered as he spoke about being bullied in middle school. "Oh, Baby...I'm so sorry." she frowned, kissing the back of his hand since their hands were still entwined. "Nobody deserves to be bullied. Everyone is different and that's okay. Well, at least it should be, right?"

He was silent for a moment. His sister would lose her shit if she found out that he'd kissed Madison all those years ago. That was one line that Finley knew he wasn't supposed to cross and he had. If she knew, there was no chance in hell that he would be driving Maddie across the country to her wedding; he didn't even know if he'd be invited. "It didn't suck," he finally said, not turning to look at her.

Her best friend would probably disown her if she ever found out that Madison and her brother had shared a kiss. That's why she never told her. It would be a secret just between Finley and herself. "It didn't suck..." she repeated him as she continued to look out of the the window. "Is that a step up from repulsive or tragic?"

Gage smirked, "Not going to lie. There's a lot of women that come and go through my chair at the tattoo shop but...I only had eyes for you. And I'm glad you were interested in me back." He smiled, "Your friend was fun to talk to though." Socializing while tattooing is his favorite pastime and he hated awkward silence but not thinking of it as silence when the music in the shop is playing in the background. "High School...I'm sure we would have crossed paths if we had the chance. You ate lunch in the Library?...Babes, that's...just sad." Making a small sad face, but she had him now.

Mariah wasn't naive. She knew that Gage engaged with many women in the tattoo shop. She knew he probably engaged with women in general. He was an attractive man who was easy to talk to. It had made her a bit anxious in the beginning of their relationship, but he was always loyal to her, and the way his face lit up when she would visit him in the shop let her know that she had nothing to worry about. "You only had eyes for me, and I didn't even have to sit in your chair." she teased with a light chuckle. She smiled and nodded as he spoke of her friend. Her face fell slightly as he asked about her lunchtime in high school. "I did. I didn't have any friends, and the cafeteria was very overwhelming for me. I also had plenty of people who didn't like me and made it known." she admitted softly with a shrug.

AT THIS POINT IN HIS life Wulf was used to people giving him a look as though he did not belong. It came with the territory of being a pirate. And truth be told he really didn't care. He's been told his whole life that he did not belong and that did not stop him from going anywhere he pleased. Besides, he was here to distract and keep attention away from the rest of his crew. Mariah's attention being on him is what is needed. "Well when it comes to dancing practice makes perfect." He straightened as she questioned him, his charming smile never faltering from his face. "Is it not impressive that someone is willing to make a fool of themselves if they have the opportunity to dance with a lovely woman? I would consider myself to be lucky to dance with someone as striking as yourself." He explained nonchalantly. "My origin is of no importance, not when all I ask is the opportunity to dance with a beautiful woman."

"I have heard that statement used before." Mariah nodded as the man referred to practicing dancing. She was just never interested in looking foolish on the castle dance floor or during her private lessons with her tutor. "Is making a fool of oneself supposed to be impressive?" she countered with a slight raise of her eyebrow. Weren't good impressions built on being impressive, not foolish? Perhaps this was why Mariah wasn't doing well in the suitor area. Her parents were none too pleased about it, nor was her father's council. "Forgive me, Sir. However, your origin is of great importance when the woman you want to dance with is the crowned princess and future heir to this country. Especially when all eyes will be on us, and gossip about who you are and where you are from abounds."

"Yes, it sounds like I do." Gage nodded in agreement. Remembering that day they first met at the tattoo shop. The light teasing he had with her friend and getting tattooed, but he was friendly and gentle with her otherwise. Telling them to breathe and relax, and if she needed a break he would have given it to her. "Your friend was an interesting client for sure but I was more interested in you and happy you introduced yourself. Otherwise we might not have been together after all this time." Gage smiled holding her gently. "If only sooner." Gage could have told her that he was bullied in school but he didn't want to be seen as weak, not that she would. A story for another time.

Mariah smiled and looked at Gage as he spoke of the first time they met. "She's always been interesting. She's the only person I know who wanted all the constellations on her body. She was that obsessed with them." she chuckled softly. Her best friend was not like anyone else she had ever met before. She was a bit of a space nerd like Mariah, but also very extroverted and cool, at least according to Mariah's standards. "Honestly, I thought you would be way more interested in her than me. Most boys were usually." she shrugged. "But I'm so happy that you were interested in me because I was interested in you, and now we've been together ever since." And Mariah couldn't see herself with anyone else. "I don't know if you would've liked me in high school, though. I was always in the science and engineering labs. I ate my lunch in the library as well." High school hadn't been a good place for Mariah, socially speaking.

James brought his bottle of beer up to his lips, taking a quick swig as he listened to the brunette talk about her jersey. He could see the confusion in her eyes as he mentioned the last name that was printed in the back, and he was pleasantly surprised that she had no idea who Harrison was. “Are your friends hockey fans? Or are you just wearing these for fun?” It was truly a nice switch to be around someone who didn’t know much about hockey, or even who James was. Most girls were fawning at him the minute he would say one word to them. “I’m James,” James reached out his hand towards her.

"I think for fun. They watched some hockey show on TV and became obsessed with it and decided our next girls' night should be hockey themed." Mariah said with a small smile. "Are you a fan of hockey?" she asked before taking a sip of her soda.

TIMESKIP.

Aniyah had been with her family talking to a variety of people and investors for the company party. Her dad was thinking of becoming a pretty substantial investor in Stevie's company. Her father had excused her from a conversation so that she could go announce the raffle winner. She politely told the people goodbye before making her way to the stage. She smoothed down her black velvet dress and adjusted the platinum and diamond jewelry she was wearing before making her way onto the stage. She smiled at the crowd as she walked across the stage. She caught eyes with Stevie for a moment. He really looked good in his suit.

Gage grinned looking back at his girlfriend, "Yes. I have told you that before. To not let how others think of you affect you." He did encourage her to stay positive and to stay clear of that negative energy. It was advice that took Gage a very long time to process himself. Moving his hands into hers, letting them hold hers. Moving their hands so that he could kiss her palm. Listening to how there was no other guy. "Yeah, well...you interested me and I just had to have you." He teased giving her a wink. "You never bore me, I always like listening to your crazy theories. In school I used to have bad panic attacks. They are not fun, and I still love you just the way you are."

"So it sounds like you need to use that advice on yourself this time." Mariah smiled back over to him before kissing his cheek. She knew he had done a lot of things to better himself over the years before they had met, and Mariah definitely saw the benefits of it with the man he was today. She couldn't help but smile as he gently kissed her palm. He was always very sweet and gentle with her and she loved it. He was like her own Prince Charming with tattoos and a leather jacket. People could perceive him as the villain, but he was far from that. "I looked that interesting, holding my best friend's hand while you tattooed the big and little dipper on her arm?" she teased him back with a soft giggle. Remembering back to that day, Mariah knew there was something different about Gage as soon as their eyes met. Once she had moved from behind her bestie and introduced herself as her moral support. Her smile fell slightly as he told her he had panic attacks in school. He had never told her that before. No wonder he was so good at pulling her out of hers. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you through those panic attacks. I wish we met when we were younger." she sighed as she let her head fall back on his chest. "I could've fallen in love with you way sooner." she grinned up at him softly.

"You were never insignificant," he mumbled in return, but he kept his gaze on the windshield. The friends of his sister had always been completely been off limits. There'd always been something about her, though. Apparently she'd felt the same at least at one point because they'd kissed. After that, Finley had left for college and he'd never reached out.

"Oh, I wasn't?" Madison smirked, raising an eyebrow. "The way you haven't talked to me normally after that night would prove me correct, I think." The kiss had sparked something within her. She thought it was just something fun to do when she first did it. Kissing her best friend's brother, but it proved to be a bit more, and it had caught Madison completely off guard. "I guess the kiss sucked that bad, huh?" she asked, looking out of the window at the passing scenery.

open to : anyone

Mariah looked up from her book at the man. "I'm working on my thesis paper and presentation. It's pretty serious." she said before typing on her laptop. "What are you doing that makes you look not serious?"

"No." Gage shook his head, "I don't want to start any unnecessary drama. I can deal with being looked at differently." All that mattered was the way Mariah looked back at him. It was only a thought he had, but now talking about it outloud, it somehow made him feel slightly better. Even if it didn't solve the problem, he just wanted to be more open with his girl. "You don't have to spend time around my friends." Knowing how snippy some of them can be out of jealousy. The women could be harsh but he wasn't into them. Now not knowing what kind of output he was looking for here. "It's just hard to believe sometimes that you picked me over someone else, that's all." Leaning into her, he kissed her deeply but not forcefully. "I just want you and your family to like me." He might have the look of a bad boy, but to her he treated her like royalty.

Mariah frowned and shook her head. "But you shouldn't have to. No one should make you feel less than the wonderful man you are. Isn't that what you're always telling me?" she asked with a small smile. When she was at her lowest, Gage was always encouraging her and reminding her how amazing she was. She could only do the same when he needed it. "I'm willing to do it if it would make you more comfortable. I want to make you as happy as you make me. I can sacrifice too." she offered him as she took his hand and entwined their fingers.

open - m/f/nb

Mariah played with the edges of the hockey jersey that her friends had forced her to wear as she spun her glass slightly. They had all found men to occupy their time during their girls' night, leaving her at the bar waiting to drive them all home, or the text that they were finding their own ways home.

"I left because of work, the work was going to kill me." Which was no excuse for breaking things off with her, not when Malia had been the one good part of his life at the time. But love and attraction were not enough to keep him away from the edge of that building. "Of course you were right, I was weak. I still am, I won't make my mental health an excuse for having hurt you. But you deserve the whole truth, regardless how embarrassing it is to admit. Love couldn't heal me so I ran in search for what could."

"Work was going to kill you, but you broke up with me...for what? The fun of it all?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. She nodded as she looked at the back of him. She didn't want him to jump to...nothing. She was mad and hurt, but she wasn't trying to put all of that on him and cause him to make a horrible mistake. "And what was that? That you were searching for? Could you even find it or was it another figment of your imagination that you love to wrap yourself in?"

@crowns-and-claws ⸻ continued from here

"I can dance just not very well. I tend to step on others' feet or my own." she clarified. His response made her curious. She hummed as she assessed him. She had never seen this man before at any other ball. He must be visiting from another country. A foreigner meant she would need to be diplomatic. "You wished to impress me by possibly dancing with me poorly? I...I'm not sure that makes much sense." she said, thinking for a moment before one of her ladies nudged her and gave her a look. She pressed her lips together, carefully moving her book into the pocket of her dress. "I'm sorry, I did not ask who you are and where you come from. I've never seen you at any other balls at the castle, so I know you are foreign to this country. So, you are..."

Gage did have a small interest in science when Mariah had brought it up. Sometimes deep conversations on how Pluto was no longer considered a planet but in school it was considered one. Life on planets was an interesting thought but also terrifying since Gage had seen way too many movies but he liked the discussions and random PowerPoints they made for each other. Then letting out a low sigh but not a huff out of anger. "Sometimes I feel like...people, your peers I guess don't see me as smart as you or..." A breath left him again, "Just a thought I keep getting."

Mariah watched him intently, trying to look for any movement in his face that would give him away or give away what he was thinking. He looked pensive...maybe a little nervous, but that didn't help Mariah guess what was going on. Her head tilted softly at his words and she frowned. "I'm sorry that they made you feel that way. I'll speak with them. I'm sure they don't mean to. Sometimes, we hear a theory or a new finding and we instantly want to share and deliberate about it. I guess we get overly excited about it." she said taking a moment to think about when she had brought Gage around her friends and how quiet he had been. "I don't want you to feel left out. I know what that feels like, and it doesn't feel good." she said with a shake of her head before kissing his fingertips. "We could also spend some more time around your friends, too. So you don't feel uncomfortable often." she suggested. His friends were always nice, but the women really didn't care for Mariah. She could tell they thought she was weird.

open to . . . w / w-identifying muses. (muses 25+) muse . . . lance yoon, 29-31, doctorate literature student and arts patron. comes from old money. plot . . . our muses have been in a stable, long term relationship and now lance feels like it's time to start discussing marriage.

Billie was tired. Actually, she was exhausted. She had gone to work all day in the joint practice she worked in as an opthamalogist. She was also working on opening her own practice. She developed the business plan, received a small business loan, and bought a building. She was currently trying to renovate the building which meant going to it after her work day and meeting with contractors and designers for another few hours.