miss. americana 💋✨

However, on a small level, he didn't want to see her hurt. Not completely. He knew she would ultimately be fine. She was one tough bitch. One of the toughest he knew next to Illy. But she was still a girl and he knew how fragile their feelings could be. Even though she was just as good at hiding it as he was, he could smell his own and knew things bothered her just the same. So, deduce what she may of it, he was trying to be a good friend and look out for her by inquiring as to Mr Olivier's intentions with her.

A scoff easily fell from his lips, echoing gently in his glass as he took a drink. "Sorry to disappoint, but no. In case you forgot, I'm not exactly marriage material and I am just fucking fine with that," he admitted freely. Besides, if he were, it would be Anora's hand that would wear his ring. Not Eloise's "Never saw a point to this shit and see even less of one now."

the apocalypse didn't change anything about how she felt. it did change how she was perceived. something that she was able to care about less and less as the months ticked by. there were no tabloids to run to, no chances of the world starting back up again. these idiots couldn't tell the difference between their imagined dangers and the real ones— how would they know love.

“that’s because you don’t like sharing.” sitting with a big ol’ fortune and a bad attitude, pretending he was too good for partners in crime or the like. she didn't feel inclined to clear his view for the potential he was missing. "and you've never worn a nice white dress."

Cain stands there before another girl, one who does not fit the form of the one his mind had pictured seeing. He had pushed beyond what little voice in the air had whispered to him, tugging at his senses to distrust his wants over reality. Punishment comes in shattered pieces, evident in the way his smile flattens, dissolves altogether. He stands with only what his rushing has left him with: bare feet, fingertips stained in smudged acrylics, nails dirtied underneath, and eyes wandering down to what laid inside the sheath at her hip.

"I don't seek any temptation you've got to offer." Sharper objects are in the room that pale his words ten-fold, and his vision peels around the stitching of what metal glint is hidden beneath. For a moment. It is only a moment. She is looked at. Her. Girl of blonde hair, teeth baring, voice as bright as the scorching sun to dry out the fields and burn sweat right off reddened skin.

"What is your need?"

his excuse is flimsy at best, construed as some sad longing that she can start to put a figure to. fat chance that he didn’t actually want what was on offer from the jut of her hip, the glint of her knife. he can deny all he wants, she doesn’t even entertain the phrase— just as she ignores the detachment he tries to ply his phrasing with.

“i think you haven’t been very truthful with me,” she was no private detective, but when last names aligned so did the stars. “i thought you were all alone in this big bad world!” there were plenty of genetic similarities to give the sentence weight, a rhetorical question which was only to measure her next reaction. “tell me who is abilene boseman to you?”

"It's either that or my gun and no way am I giving you that much of an upper hand. Sorry," he mouthed the last word silently. "Unless of course you think you can take a whole lot of chompers out with my flashlight," he dismissed of her giddiness over using his personal weapon with a laugh.

the sentiment is silly in its sugariness, delivered to be glossed over— heaven forbid she take a shot at the idea! "some prize you are!" she's past the days of fighting with girls over boys, if they'd ever started. and she's definitely not going to fight with anora without good reason. illuminating all of this for ethan is more work than she's interested in, so she just nods along to his words, a chirpy smile on her face.

"if you're allowed to like a girl, why can't i have a guy?" it's not really a question worth answering. it's not much of an answer in its own right. "do you have a problem with soulmates?" it's not the word she'd normally use. it's too flippant, too much, and yet still too overstated. an effect she's trying out for the time being. "or are you finally too scared to play with fire?"

It didn't take much for Eloise to implant ideas in Aspen's head, each one carrying some strange kind of weight that maybe came with how pretty she was or something. No one had ever said that she wasn't shallow, that's for sure.

"I mean... no, but he doesn't seem the kind of guy who would just drop a hook up if it wasn't." Then again, he'd never explicitly said... Eyes turning to find her Moose in the crowd, a brow rose as she contemplated that point. Maybe it was worth a shot for at least one more roll in the hay? It had been a long time since she'd had those delicious bruises on her thighs.

"it is a wedding." and no one had yet to cause a scene, a ticking time bomb that she could wind a little more. she doesn't press the comment about aspen's sex life, it would veer her friend's attention a little wide of the mark. which wasn't a conversation between girls, it was action! "it's worth an ask."

"Oh, that's surprising." And maybe a little disappointing. It would have been something to see her acting live and in person. Though there was something about her that made Amelia think that maybe, just maybe, acting was an every moment thing for her. Though she put that out of her mind, a cruel and judgemental thought that she refused to entertain.

"it's been a treat." she said suddenly, her best red carpet smile across her features, the last dazzle for the moment, just because she was so nice. "i so appreciate you recognizing me. does wonders for a girl's self-esteem!" she seemed to glow from within, as though that statement was powering some shining battery for the rest of the evening. "you have fun with this reunion!" don't let her hold you up! not when her own escape from the event was imminent. "i'll be sure to save you a spot at lunch sometime."

it simply wasn't safe to have people who knew about their community out there. between the ex-military and roving groups of hostile survivors there were too many threats to risk letting that information out. "very useful," henri agreed. "they would've ended up like the rest." dead. shot or stabbed, stalked through city's blocks until they were out of the town's range. at least with their current plans for the duo their inevitable deaths would strengthen the town ( or at the very least provide some entertainment for them ).

"this wouldn't have been nearly as fun without your talents." he complimented, feeling charitable with his affection. "you've certainly opened a range of possibilities for us."

"i'm just happy to put them to good use." how many people had thought they made it to the wexley's gates, and how many were allowed in were a minor solution to a major problem. but she had all the faith they'd work it out! "i wasn't made for local plays." especially the kind with children's dance numbers, yuck!

the possibilities were wider now, seeing how their newest guests interacted with everyone. it was a test of judgement, whether they'd found just the people to stick out in a crowd. but so far, they were doing just fine pushing everyone to the outs. a dangerous position for newcomers. "once this day is over the real fun can begin."

henri stood from his chair and stalked towards her, his hand coming under her chip to force her gaze up to him. "if i wanted a puppet i could find one in the nursery." he wasn't interested in having to direct her every move. she should be able to come up with something herself ( or at least anticipate what he'd want her to do, a skill elisabeth had honed over the years ). "make your own choice."

truthfully he wasn't sure what he was hoping for. obviously there had to be flare. he had offered his own declaration of murder as inspiration but the bar didn't have to be that high. he'd settle for severe emotional distress or mild to moderate maiming.

he tapped her chin before removing his hand and sliding into the pocket of his slacks. "i do like excitement, miss bardot," there was a tone of warning in his words.

"don't waste my time."

she wraps her own fingers around his wrist, manicured nails digging into his skin. not enough to draw blood, not yet. equal pressure, nothing more. "of course you do." the smile that dances across her lips is a slow enjoyment, growing as she senses the person that she's picked is a step up from the rest. or, at least he's willing to meet her somewhere further away from small talk. "i could make sure the rest of the heir apparent doesn't get anything more than her thrift store."

emotional distress was easy when she'd already slotted herself into the younger sister role. violence was a task that she resorted to later. she knows he wants blood and anguish, but she's still doing what she can to make sure that there's no reason to send her out to the mean streets "just cause you're a real charmer." finally she pushes at his hand, a soft sign to give up the game. she doesn't shove, she's asking kindly. "but, i've got to take it slow."

As much as he liked Anora, he was beyond thrilled she wasn't interested in something as trivial as marriage. Ethan didn't need, or want for that matter, such a public declaration of his commitment to another. He found the ritual to be fucking pointless before the fall. He was hard pressed to find a deeper meaning to it now - even with his growing attachment to Illy.

"Please tell me you aren't actually in to all this shit," he half pleaded with a motion to the party, taking a drink of his beer. "Or am I going to have to pretend to care when you walk down the aisle with Frenchy?"

unfortunately there was no one left to impress. her existence had been to show the a-listers, the upper-classes, the whole of the media-centric world that she had bested them all. that world no longer existed, leaving a yawning void in what she felt like bothering with these days. she certainly wasn't going to twirl on stage for this group of losers.

"what's with the twenty questions?" if ethan felt half of what she did, there was no reason for him to feign entertainment in the topic du jour. or, he was interested, and she was going to have to pepper illy with just enough drama to spend a day or two gossiping. "going to ask for my hand?"

The mention of the cowboy though, had her whole attention stolen, eyes flicking over the crowd to catch sight of him. "I mean, I don't know. She looks a lot younger than him, but sometimes you can't really tell." Aspen also was quite a bit younger than him, but it wasn't bad when she did it.

"She doesn't look like she'd be in any shape to make his knees buckle for him, though, does she?"

she didn't put much stock into either of aspen's options causing much excitement— but a girl could always dream!

"does she?" the couple had appeared to her to be somewhat of a solid unit. they had something that other people around here didn't, but she wasn't going to spell out for aspen what loyalty looked like. someone had to try to test the foundation before any sweeping claims were made. "doesn't she?" head was shaken, curls catching shine, officially uninterested in a conversation that revolved around what other men deserved in their lives. "or do you think you're up to the task?"

good thing he and eloise were always willing to do the dirty work. to remind the group that the world was still full of monsters and inviting them inside was particularly stupid. "the only good decision they've made as of late was involving us in the council." not on the council, but still involved. because as much as the others' wanted to cling to their facade of morality at least part of them could recognize the need for eloise & henri. most of their misdeeds were of the alleged kind, but the rumors circulating the duo made it clear they had no qualms about doing what it took to survive. "who else would have gone these lengths?" to wake them up. to remind them they were not as safe as they liked to pretend they were.

her placement in the order had grown stale over the past two year. she refused to keep up this facade that all was happy and nice, because that meant things were boring and stagnant. what was the point of living if you weren't going to be the best. and what was the point of this whole township if they didn't keep that in mind. complacency was weak. it was an affront to her sensibilities to spend all this time pretending like eric sanders knew the ways of the world.

"i sure wish they'd talk to more people!" the two who'd come in with amelia ryder did themselves no favors by keeping to themselves. even here at a party they were nearly attached to the hip. she could always reason with love and devotion, but me-oh-my!

"seems like they could be a useful pair..." it could mean animal handling and horse training, or it could be anything. that was the beauty of life when you didn't limit yourself. "if only we knew their last names! could really get the sense of how those o's work."

not anora though. she was always good at cutting through the bullshit. illy's next comment was dismissive of her sister's knack for drama. she wasn't sure if it was supposed to be spoken in aspen's defense or against her. like her attitude towards most things, her feelings towards aspen changed day to day. "she usually doesn't mean anyone harm. she just doesn't do a good job.. thinking things through." anora had the self control of a monk compared to aspen's squirrely ass.

"teach me!" it was about as much of an acceptance as anora would get with anyone else in earshot. she wasn't much one for admitting to wanting a weapon when she was in the midst of pacifists. it would be a fun skill to have, all things considered. "wow that'd be a real show-and-tell." at least it would be something other than the walls of a council room.

"if you say so." she's all sing-song and shrugging, a kid in a candy store, being asked if she'd like to skip the cash register on the way home. they'd find out one way or another. "it's either that or another round of the two-step!" how much more thrilling could one event get. "come find me when you want some real fun."

The compliment from her pretty friend had Aspen beaming, almost wriggling in her chair as she basked in the hint of praise. "I mean... I guess but it's so lame to just sit here, too, you know." Though she didn't blame her for not wanting to mess up her hair or whatever glamorous people like Eloise worried about more than just having the time of their lives.

"you and oscar aren't going together? gosh— i'm sorry to hear that!" she didn't keep track of aspen's love life, and no one else seemed to pay close enough attention either. still, there could be some power in that sort of position. she picked a few real targets to say the least. "i didn't realize he was with that ol' doctor." of course, that meant also playing attention to ruth, which blah! "are you sure he's through with you?"

she tapped a finger to her chin as if in thought, considering both the conversation with oscar and the other option that aspen gave her. "boy, that cowboy!" apsen's second pick promised just about as much interest as the first. "do you think he's with that girl he came with? seems like a real recipe for trouble."

"I was... for a minute, and then Canada and now here. It's a long, horrible story I'd rather forget to be honest." It was so much easier to focus on the here and now, where Ashton was, with all this happiness and security. Where she could deny to herself that he truly hadn't needed her at all. He'd built a new world from the ground up without her, and despite how proud she was of herself, the selfish mother part of her couldn't help the sting. How strangely easy it had been to forget that he wasn't still her baby.

"oh no— i don't really work with the theater." if asked, she wouldn't turn down the diva's position. but she had no interest in sharing the stage with amateurs and children. she didn't believe in the spotlight for anyone who just so happened to have the fancy. it devalued her work, her skill. her. "i'm with your son on the council! i take all the notes."

Oof. Eloise was sure spikey tonight, not being the center of attention, and for a minute she thought about just leaving her there, but then again who would do that to a friend. She'd really been working hard on remembering what friends were supposed to do and remembering to do it. Oscar and Ashton had been a really big help in drilling good morals into her, but it was never going to become second nature.

"you are so cute!" she chooses her words carefully, emphasizing her appreciation, tracking each one with as much honesty as she could muster. "really— i'm not in the mood." the vision that had been painted for her wasn't very appealing. she wasn't the type of girl who'd ever felt the need for an empowering female friendship moment. "you oughta find a better partner."

she glanced around the dance floor, the edges of the party, at all the people awkwardly shifting and considering things. "there has to be a guy or two you're interested in asking when the mood is right."

Even though it was true, if anyone asked he would deny, deny, deny. Because that was what he did when things became too real for him. Too normal. It was already bad enough that he'd begun falling for Anora. God forbid he also have friends. But it wouldn't matter how hard he fought it, that's what they were. Friends. He would soon need to just get over it and admit that he didn't mind El's company - even preferring it at times.

"Word of advice though, I might not tell Illy. Unless of course you want to die," he warned with a knowing smirk. "On second thought, I might like to see you two go at it over me so why don't you go on and tell her first," he added with a chuckle.

He merely shrugged and pursed his lips in nonchalance, uncaring if they were forced to endure a casualty or two if they came upon a crowd at the hospital. There was bound to be at least some collateral damage during the apocalypse. Truthfully he didn't want it to be El however so he supposed he could even the playing field for her.

"This is my personal weapon of choice so it's only on loan to you. I get it back when we're done. Capiche?" he instructed as he pulled out his knife and handed it over, pulling it back just as she reached for it. "Why don't we also keep this as our little secret too, hmm? The last thing I need is a fucking safety lecture from Sada because I let you carry a weapon," he warned - though he really only wanted to keep it from Anora. If she found out he let Eloise use his knife he'd have hell to pay.

she bypassed the implications of his own words, sticking with her own version of the statement and going for the knife that was offered out. he jerked it back, pulling a hint of frustration from her tone as she finally takes it. "your personal weapon just for me!" the knife is larger than her usual choice, making up for its weight in the sentiment that ethan shared with her. she twirled it just once before pointing it down and grinning, "i'll be real good, don't you sweat it mister."

the safety lecture would have to be missed. there was nothing that she gained from trying to get on sada's good side. she wasn't sure there was much to gain from it unless she was thinking about opting for a lobotomy like wells had— shes preferred a more gainful route to the top. "you point, i'll stab!"