— we keep on running.

“Some things never change,” Jesse grinned, taking the glass and clinking it against Hunter’s. As long as he had known the other man, something always demanded his attention, and Jesse had always assumed it came with being born into a wealthy, elite family. Their conflicting busy schedules was - no doubt - the reason he had hardly seen Hunter in a while, despite the fact that they lived within the same city and sometimes existed in the same circles. Now he had to wonder, when was the last time they’d really sat down to talk? Had a drink together?

Jesse downed his glass in one shot, almost instantly feeling the fire in his stomach. He cleared his throat, not really used to the burn of whiskey anymore. Approaching thirty with a successful career meant long nights of throwing back shots of whiskey were a rarity. While he did go out for after show dinner and drinks, his drinks consisted of cocktails and glasses of wine or champagne. Still, it felt good to let loose a little, especially when he knew he was in good company.

“As usual, your family throws another impressive gala,” Jesse grinned and placed the glass back down in front of Hunter. Every time he came to one of these events, Jesse convinced himself that the Claringtons couldn’t top it with the next one; he was always wrong. For some reason, he was reminded of John Hammond from Jurassic Park: We spared no expense.

“Of course I was,” Jesse said with a pleased grin. 

He had welcomed the attention, basking in the praise of the elite around him. He discussed the show and what it was like to be an actor on Broadway, and what was his next step from here? He couldn’t pretend that he didn’t love every second of it. “Fans turn up in the unlikeliest places, though I would expect many of these people to have at least seen one or two Broadway shows. Seems like you made out well with the auction - though who can be surprised with the items you put up there? The tiara alone…” Jesse’s eyebrows shot up, and he let out a low whistle. 

“We’ve never settled for anything less than the very best. Money can get you almost anything and we were never short of that.” Hunter let out another chuckle, shaking his head in amusement as he refilled their shot glasses. He had purposely left out the part where he was doing this to one up his father, to show him that he could do better than he had ever done. Sparing Jesse the details of his family affairs was a no-brainer; things were already cumbersome enough without anyone knowing. 

“Have you ever thought about producing your own show? Those fans of yours would gladly raise up their hands to sponsor it. In a heartbeat.” It was a possibility after all, a huge one, and Hunter would be very surprised if Jesse hadn’t given the matter some thought. He would have leveraged on the connections he had made tonight to get ahead in his career if their roles were reversed. 

At the mention of the tiara, Hunter’s eyes flickered over to Jesse before giving him a sharp smile, saying, “It may be for charity but at its core, it’s an investment. The jewellery auction market is on the rise, and if word gets out that the Claringtons can fetch a much higher price than most auction companies out there, people will start coming to us with their precious heirlooms. Why auction them off publicly when you can do it privately instead? And at a much more attractive return?” He mused, tossing his drink back in one swallow and pouring another. 

“Why? Were you consideri–” His words were abruptly cut off when the lights suddenly went out, leaving them in near darkness except for that eery glow that was coming from the windows, stretching across the floor and into the hallways. Quick as a flash Hunter stood up, whipping his head around to grasp his surroundings. And to think that they were this close to reaching the land. “Don’t move.” He said calmly. He had no idea what was happening, but years of experience had taught him to remain vigilant at times like this. Running almost always trigger an innate predatory response which could easily lead to a sudden attack.

They both stood in total silence until suddenly, Hunter heard footsteps running towards them. He held out a hand in front of Jesse just in case, but was ultimately relieved when he realized that those footsteps actually belonged to his men. “Took you all long enough.” Before he could make his way towards them, however, the beeping sound of his phone caught his attention and he raised his eyes, staring down at the screen for a split second before holding it up and smashing it against the bar. “Everyone who works for me is fucking useless. You call yourselves professionals? How the fuck did they even get into that room, completely unnoticed?” Hunter snarled. He was already worked up, annoyed, and in no mood to deal with this bullshit. 

MBTI AESTHETIC: INTJ (6/16)

With a glance at his watch, Jesse felt a twinge of regret at the fact that it was officially the last day of the cruise. Despite his hesitation to be away from the show for the length of the Clarington cruise, he honestly couldn’t remember a time - recently, anyway - he’d enjoyed himself more than he had in the last week. Engaging dinners, amusing events, and a bit of time in the spa had loosened the tension in Jesse’s shoulders, allowed him to really relax and just enjoy himself for the first time in ages.

A glance around the dining room told him that for most, the party was over. So many had stumbled off to their rooms in a drunken haze, sure to discard their lovely dresses and tuxes in the most careless fashion as they flopped into bed in absolute bliss. A flare of envy welled in Jesse’s chest as he realized most people probably had someone to spend the night with, but he shook himself free of the thought. Music and champagne could still distract him from that.

Almost surprisingly, he caught a glimpse of Hunter Clarington near the bar; he’d thought for sure the Claringtons would have moved their party somewhere more private by now, but then, this was their event. In any case, he hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to Hunter since he’d boarded, not that he had really expected to. Chartering an entire cruise for more than a week was bound to keep a person busy. Still, he decided to take advantage of Hunter’s presence while he still had the chance.

“Mr. Clarington,” He said, somewhat teasingly as he approached Hunter with a playful smile. “Here we’ve been at sea on the same ship for well over a week, and we haven’t had a chance to catch up. Have time for a drink or two?”

The adrenaline was still pumping through Hunter’s veins like a strong drug even as the night came to an end. He couldn’t help but feel relief that they would be returning to land soon. The sooner he could get away from his own parents, the better. Having to spend the entire week meeting his father’s scrutinizing gaze was more than enough to make him dislike the cruise in general, although, he couldn’t deny that the gala had given him the chance to reconnect with some old, lost bonds. Like Kitty, for example, and as it turned out, Jesse St. James as well. 

“What can I say? I’m a very busy man.” He replied easily, matching Jesse’s teasing tone with a quip of his own. It had been far too long since Hunter had seen him last, and while he had a vague idea of how Jesse had been progressing in his career from the news, he knew next to nothing about his personal life. It was truly a shame that they hadn’t been keeping touch, for Hunter had always found Jesse’s company enjoyable. They were both arrogant, ambitious, and had similar taste. Every conversation they’ve ever had had been met with approval from Hunter’s end, which was a rarity in and of itself. 

Hunter liked people with intellectual, fiery depth, and Jesse was definitely in possession of that.

“Here,” Hunter said as he filled another glass to the top with whiskey and handed it to Jesse. “You’ve caught me in an excellent time.” He let out a chuckle and clinked his glass to Jesse’s, downing his shot in one gulp and wincing a little as it burned his throat.

And neither was she. While it seemed like the vast majority of females were falling at his feet, she couldn’t have been any further from doing so. Sure, she could admit he was attractive, as was his lifestyle, but perhaps not to him. It seemed his ego was big enough as it was, and besides, she couldn’t risk her parents actually thinking it was a good idea in the first place. If anything, maybe the two had a common understanding of what the entire thing meant in the first place; money, power, and everything else in that lifestyle that would possibly make for a more luxurious life on either of their ends. Except, what more could someone possibly offer someone who had everything?

“You say that like you don’t believe it.” Turning to face him once more, Kitty paused their stroll through the masses. She couldn’t believe him, well, she could, but she didn’t like to. He’d been blunt with her from the start and while she appreciated it, sometimes it infuriated her to no freaking end. “I’m not some cliche, Clarington. It’s not like I haven’t been through hell before and made it out okay because my parents couldn’t take my side.” She’d been blamed for being a victim, yet here she stood taller than ever. She was fierce and independent, and if he couldn’t see that, then what more did it matter?

“Right. I don’t chase anyone.” Apparently no one chased her either, but for now, she was fine with that. She had too much work to focus on and not enough time to give anyone else. Eyes rolled as she felt the gentle touch of Hunter’s fingers against her blonde locks, her immediate reaction before to softly push away his hand. “Why? Why does it have to be about money and power? Why can’t I take care of myself without having to labeled as someone’s property? What? I stand as a piece of arm candy through some events and then get whatever I want? Yeah, no thanks.” She was more than just a figurehead for some wealthy asshole; she was strong and she was worth it. Taking a moment to look around, Kitty couldn’t deny how good it felt to be stared at in awe, but she knew it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with him. “It might come as a total shock, but maybe I don’t want someone like you.” It was harsh, even cold, but it was only method of defense she had left. “I wish you and everyone else would stick that system talk straight up your ass. Seriously, I’m tired of it.”

“I don’t.” Hunter answered bluntly, just like Kitty would. While they hadn’t known each other for long, this was one thing they both shared in common. They were both blunt, direct, and straight to the point. Hunter liked that. Those who preferred to sugarcoat things for the sake of keeping peace were the most unproductive people in the world, and Hunter was nothing if not an efficient person chasing after excellence. “I don’t believe you can handle everything life throws at you, at least not on your own. But frankly, what do I know?” He commented with a hint of humor in his voice because while, yes, Kitty had her walls, but he knew he was just as prideful in his own right. 

“I don’t see you as some cliche. I know you’re not some damsel in distress, waiting to be rescued.” Hunter said absentmindedly, his tone a little softer than it previously had been. Even though Kitty was talking about her own experiences with her own parents, her words were still too close for comfort. He saw it as an opportunity to pull himself back when she pushed away his hand, turning his gaze away and placing some distance between them as he willed himself to shove down the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach warning him that things were getting too personal too quickly. 

It took a few moments for him to break through his own thoughts, but even then, he still managed to catch bits and pieces of what Kitty had been ranting about. After stringing things together, he merely gave her a scoff before saying, “Why can’t it be about money and power? In a world such as this one, those two things are your strongest allies and your first line of defense.” Hunter pointed out, not really understanding where Kitty was coming from. To him, there was no such thing as enough; he could have owned everything in the world and still wanted more. “I’m not telling you to rely on someone, I’m telling you to use them. You’re in a position where you can actually control your own fate, your own match, and it’d be idiotic of you to not take advantage of that,” Hunter said coldly before glancing down at his wristwatch for the time, his brows furrowing as he realized he was cutting it too close to his next schedule. As if on cue, his men started to move forward then, ready to follow him to the next venue. “It’s not a shock because you’re not the first.” He smirked as he turned around to walk away, but before he did, he let his eyes trail over her jacket for the last time and said, “Take good care of that jacket for me, Miss Wilde. I will get it back one day, like I always do with what’s mine.”