emperor's new clothes

Alex: Fine it doesn't have to be embarrassing.

Alex: Also just so you're aware my sister is going to be there just as an fyi.

Liam: good on you, pal

Alex: Plenty of things.

Alex: Oh okay. Well now this seems a little embarrassing that I was willing to bribe you and you were just joking.

Liam: like what?

Riley returned the kiss before shaking her head. She smiled and looked to the floor, her hair falling over her face. “Well, if it hurts you, I’ll try to make it look more difficult. Do you want me to draw on a monobrow on myself or something?” She teased easily. Riley shook her head, chuckling at Liam as he lifted her arms up. “You know that handsome comment I just made? Ruined. All ruined.” She gestured again as she said it, waving her hand over him. “Do you see you wearing sweatshirts? I’ve had to work with what I’ve been given here. Flannels were what it was.” She argued. Finally, the beer was held out to her and Riley grinned before taking it swiftly, walking to her fridge. “Hey, if that’s what you think I mean, then I’ll run with that. I could mean that you should wear tank tops or sweaters but if you think it means no shirt, I’m not going to stop you.” She called out as she placed the beer into the fridge and began taking out food for dinner.

Liam smiled brightly at her. “Thank you so much parmesan chicken wing. I appreciate you taking my feelings into consideration. Even though you would still look good with a monobrow.” He was pretty sure he would think she looked good with any look she wanted to go with. “Nope, I didn’t hear that. It isn’t ruined at all. I’m still handsome.” He grabbed her hand in his when she waved it in his direction. “Hey, I wear sweatshirts sometimes. It just hasn’t been cold enough for that yet. The weather is still turned up to like eighty.” He followed her towards the kitchen and leaned against the counter. He took off his flannel on the way, leaving a black shirt on underneath. “Alright, I’ll try out the tank tops and sweaters. But I’ll bet that you’d still say I shouldn’t wear those. And then I’ll be confused.” He stayed seated on the counter as she took out food. “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?”

“I was gonna say do you even know me? Have we met?” She laughed. Riley felt a little bit bad that she didn’t really try around Liam but it was better to have his expectations low so she could actually surprise him sometimes. “I’ll keep that in mind. Although I don’t know if you’re being insulting or not. I try sometimes.” Riley said, trying to keep a straight face. “Yeah, you’re pretty much the only angry one here, I’m just enjoying the view. I think that’s the difference between you and me.” Riley folded her arms. “I’m a girl. This comes in our terms and conditions. But you do realise that your only job was to bring beer. How have you messed this up?” Riley shrugged again. “Hey, I didn’t say anything. I just said you don’t have to wear them. What you take from that is your choice.”

“I caught myself, don’t you worry your little blonde head about it, my little chicken wing.” He leaned forward and gave her a peck on the lips. “I would never intend to be insulting. I’m just saying it’s absolutely effortless. It actually hurts how effortless it is for you to look good.” A great personality and good looks? It was like he made her in a factory just for himself. “If you’re enjoying the view, wait until I take off my shirt. Then you get to see the gun show.” He lifted his left arm up. “I call this one Bang.” Then he lifted his right arm up. “And I call this one Bam Bam.” His arms fell down, beer still in one hand. “It does not come in your terms and conditions. Blasphemy. It was totally sweatshirts in the manual. Not flannels.” His eyes squinted at her. “You make a fair point, buffalo chicken wing.” He held the beer out to her. “You said I don’t have to wear them which means you don’t want me to wear them.”

“Oh. Well, that’s okay then. I can deal with that. At least I’m winning something… unlike someone.” She poked him on the nose and grinned. She got bragging rights, she was in front. It was a win in her book. “Oh, don’t even. It’s shorts and a shirt. Are you going to die if I actually try one day?” Riley teased. Her hands reached for the beer until he blew her a kiss. “You know. All grey eyes and stubble with some seriously great biceps. All that handsome bullshit. I should be the angry one here.” Her hands landed on his arms when she mentioned them and she smiled wider. “Let me keep it? Oh, I see you like thinking you have a choice.” A smirk went on her face before she just shrugged. “Nah, you don’t need shirts. That’s a lie. Who told you that?”

His nose scrunched up when she poked it. “You know what? You don’t gotta rub it in my face.” He paused for a second. “Actually, I can’t even say that to you. Of course you’re gonna rub it in my face.” Liam nodded his head immediately at her question. He didn’t even need to think about it long at all. “If you try one day, just dig me a grave right this very moment. I’m actually dying just thinking about it. Something other than the nice jeans? Woah there, calm down.” When he saw her reach for the beer, he pulled it behind his back so she couldn’t. She was still looking awfully disrespectful so he wasn’t giving it back. “How about we just both agree that we’re angry here? Me more than you though,” he said offhandedly. His hand went to his chest, eyebrows raising as it did. “Wow, so you just weren’t even thinking about giving it back? Well, that says a lot about who’s gonna get this beer now. I’ll give you a hint. It rhymes with ‘Not Smiley’.” He couldn’t stop the chuckle that left his mouth. “So what you’re telling me here is that you don’t want me to wear shirts. That’s what you’re saying right now?”

“How are we tied?” Riley asked incredulously. “I was so far in front. How did this happen without me knowing about it?” Her hands went on her hips, her eyebrow raised. She normally wouldn’t take points this seriously but it was a fun element of whatever it was that were. She looked down at her clothes before looking at him. Then the beer was suddenly gone from her grasp. “Hey. Come on, that’s not fair. I’m comfortable in this, there was no attacking or disrespecting, I just didn’t want to be dig comfortable straps out of my sides. Besides, how is it fair that you like that and get beer?” She gestured to all of him. “That’s cause you didn’t ask for it and I wasn’t going to offer. That thing is comfy as hell.”

Liam’s hands lifted up to rest on the sides of her head, his fingers playing with her hair in the process. “We’re tied in fights, not in general. You’re still way ahead of me on the points front. I’m pretty sure you’ve got like twenty points on me.” He shook his head just thinking about it. This was something he had started and he was the one behind. He looked down at her clothes again while she did the same. “Comfortable or not, still disrespectful and rude. I mean, seriously. Who told you to look that good, hm?” He rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. “That I look like what? Use your words, sweetheart. I know you can.” He blew her a kiss and winked. “Of course it’s comfy. That’s why I wear it, ya goof. I’ll let you keep that one. I need some shirts though, you know.”

Rachel was in the middle of recording what could potentially help her find the hard-hitting story she was looking for. The brunette was crouching behind an armchair, vigorously writing in her notepad keywords that the two whispering professors were exchanging. They were just getting to the juiciest part when she noticed the shadow of a person grow from behind her– and just like that, the professors caught on and took off. Rachel stood with a huff and turned to address the person who cost her her story. “Look its the beginning of the year which means that rumors are ripe, scandals are slow, and opportunity is practically pleading with me to make something interesting happen. If you’re going to lecture me about spying, eavesdropping, and the like, then why don’t we skip that, avoid these silly morals, and have you answer some questions for me instead?”

Liam had seen Rachel spying on something from afar. He wasn’t sure what it was since he couldn’t really see what was going down, but he was curious. Just as he got over there, he noticed two professors heading in the other direction. Well, that was disappointing. He’d have to work on his stealth. When she turned around, he shook his head. "Oh, I would never lecture you. I wish I didn’t interrupt that hot goss you were getting, but it seems I’ve done that. My bad.” He tilted his head slightly. “What questions specifically do you wanna ask?”

“I didn’t think the way to befriend your sister was to break your nose, so other than satisfaction, it served me no purpose.” Declan waved a hand idly at Liam. 

"Hearing you speak makes me want to blow my fucking brains out.”

“Oh, I’m always avoiding it. Trust me, you’re definitely not alone there.” Lauren grinned when he seemed confused at having to guess, but she just nodded her head and rested her chin in her hand as she waited. “Hell yeah I did! The best place on Earth! My sister got us tickets.” She closed out of what she had been watching on her phone before pulling up her photos to show him the ones from the trip. “I’m gonna warn you, I seriously have, like, a thousand pictures on my phone of just the week we spent there. And it’s probably embarrassing how many are just of The Little Mermaid parts.”

“Good. Keep up the good work, friend. I can’t be slacking on my own. I need my slacker buddy here.” When she told him he was right, he fist pumped into the air. Then a short chuckle left his mouth just from seeing the excitement on her face. "Oh man, lucky!” He leaned forward to look at the pictures she was showing him, smile planted on his face. If only his break was as entertaining as hers. He was pretty sure he was still suffering from it. “Well, I mean, that’s your habitat. If you weren’t chilling in the grotto, I would be disappointed in you,” he joked.

Riley chuckled, her cheeks only going slightly pink. It was a pretty great memory, she had to admit. He had pretty much impressed her that afternoon. “I don’t know how good your sense of direction is. Or if you’d only remember that and not what happened beforehand.” She took the beer from his hand but his face was serious and Riley’s brow furrowed for a split second. But her face split into a grin and she laughed, tugging at her hair bashfully. “Sorry, I didn’t realise that you wanted another gown. I should warn you now, that’s a very rare thing. This outfit is more common, you might have to get used to it.” Her hand did lift though and she straightened his collar before her palm was against his chest. “I like the flannels though. They look like they’re be fun to steal.”

A smile lifted onto his face at her facial expressions. How she was both cute and sexy still blew his mind to this day. “I remember everything, trust me. Which reminds me that I still have to one up you in a fight because we’re still tied right now. I can’t let you just win.” Well, he could, but he was very competitive when it came to his relationship with Riley. Actually, they both were. “Hell no, I don’t want another gown. I’m just saying that you need to stop attacking me like this. Wearing shorts and a tank top. The blatant disrespect. I’m not letting you have any beer whatsoever. I’m gonna drink it right in front of you.” He grabbed the beer from her again and shook his head. “Oh no...” He took a few steps back and grabbed her hands so that they were away from his shirt. “...you’re not stealing anymore flannels. I still haven’t gotten my other one from the masquerade back.”

Alex: Not at all.

Alex: Are you? At this point, I was convinced I was bribing you for your silence.

Liam: that is so sad. what do you even do for fun then?

Alex: Do you have some suggestions because I'll be honest I don't know any games outside of like Call Of Duty.

Liam: oh man, that's rough. you don't play any games at all?

Alex: What game do you want?

Liam: oh man, i don't know

Alex: Sigh. Do you want a video game?

Alex: Whichever one you want?

Alex: Yes, she told me about the painting you have.

Liam: that is interesting information