you got the keys

nick and gabriela being around each other for an extended period of time was a dangerous move. "that's quite the specialties set to have" she smirked "if you clear this desk, i'll make you pick all of it back up and resort it" while she wouldn't be opposed to a desk wipe situation, she had spent all morning on paperwork and didn't fancy seeing it tossed around the room. gabriela kept here eyes on him while she picked up the phone and made the call. nick being this close to her with his wandering hand while she was talking to a client was not ideal.

"hot," nick grinned at her warning, she had always been so particular. gabriela archibald, always ahead of the curve and the smartest person in the room. all work (although, nick knew that not to be quite so true). he held her gaze as she picked up the phone, fingertips wandering as she did. nick waited for her to start talking, of course. he looked as innocent as he could before slowly falling to his knees and heading, shall we say, off-camera.

the bar was forgotten around her, the music and people surrounding long tuned out. nick had always been the most interesting person in a room, even if she begrudged admitting that at times. a smirk funds its way to her lips "the best boy" as far as people went, he was intoxicating and was her poison of choice. no one really had been able to hold her attention as much or as long as he had. "now you're just trying to win extra gold stars. you're such an overachiever"

nick's smirk only intensified at her words- her praise- before he moved even closer to her. there were no rules here, and nick would only break them if there were. he had always been someone who followed their instinct. if he wanted something, he never shied away from asking and he wanted her. "you caught me, gabriela. i can only imagine what you're going to do with me now... i do hope the punishment fits the crime."

"Sounds like a good way to spend a while together in the shower." Dawson smiled at the idea, it wouldn't be a first for him, lots of interesting stories from Art School. He nodded his head, wondering who he would get paired with. "I can hope for both, I mostly want hot tonight. Makes the most interesting romances for sure. For the record, so am I." He raised a glass, toasting to Nick. "Cheers to being easy."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Nick grinned. If there was one thing that Nick was grateful to his brother, Peter, for it was his infinitely more interesting artistic connections. Admittedly, Nick wasn't particularly well versed in the subject but he could appreciate beauty anywhere. "Touché. Looking around, I would say the odds are most certainly in your favour. Have you met Logan's mother? Angie Hunter, powerhouse on Broadway. If you're looking to stack the deck, she's the one putting together these little tête-à-têtes." Nick chuckled, utterly delighted by Dawson. He raised his own glass back. "To being easy."

"Give me a reason to and I will." She grinned, giving him a casual shrug. "Oh. Very fitting of you. I can see it. Well, not completely sorry to break your heart but you haven't earned me putting your name on that slip. I put something about making great memories. Didn't know you just left everything to fate. I thought you were a man of action."

"Yes, ma'am. You certainly do know how to make a man feel like he isn't working nearly hard enough. Well, I'm quite sure that we won't have any trouble making them tonight." Nick opened then promptly closed his mouth. She was good, wasn't she? "I get the feeling you'd put me through my paces, Michelle. I am a man of action, it just depends on how much action you're looking for here. Do you want me to freshen up your drink or shall we make a mess of the bar?"

"remind me to find you a gold star sticker" she smiled "some say angie hunter has a better track record than saint valentine, so you never know" this type of thing was completely out of her comfort zone. for someone who literally controlled things for her job, leaving something as important as love up to a blind date felt insane "they do. i'm just as lucky to have them in my life"

"promises, promises. well, if her match making skills are half as incredible as her performances, we're in very good hands. that's both on stage and at the annual hunter holiday party. although, i do appreciate that you're leaving quite a lot up to chance nonetheless. perhaps not your forté, my darling?" nick smiled kindly then, knowing that real friends were hard to come by on the upper east side. "i'm glad to hear it. tell me though, isn't there anyone you have your eye on?"

"difficult? yes. important? not so much." this man was not a quitter. on any other occasion (lowkey including this one) he would respect it, atticus was not someone that could afford a distraction right now. lola was already one. "you also seem to be a stupid one. not quite letting the information sink in there, nicky" he said, rolling his eyes. he regretted the nickname slipping out the second it left his lips, he knew he'd never hear the end of it. "you keep those lips to yourself. i don't know nor want to know where they've been" he joked, finishing up the last of his cigarette and flicking away the butt. heading back inside, nick found a path to the bar. it wasn't long before a fresh drink was placed down in front of him. "does that actually work on people?" he asked, shaking his head.

nicky. atticus must have been kicking himself for letting that slip out. for once, nick managed to keep his pretty mouth shut long enough for them to make it across the bar. he'd remember that one, though. when nick might have avoided atticus bass at every turn before, he now found himself seeking him out. like a moth to the flame. perhaps he wasn't being quite as clever as he thought he was.

she wouldn't put it passed him to try something like that. ella fairchild would be dragging him from the stage quicker than either of them could imagine. she could feel sets of eyes of them as they danced and she had no doubt that his mother was likely hitting speed dial to get her own on the phone.

"thank you for noticing," nick teased as their dancing slowed more and more. there was nothing wrong with causing a stir or drumming up a little scandal, but even nick knew he had to somewhat behave tonight. that was proving increasingly difficult the closer she leaned into him.

Sapphire when Caisson

"humble as always, darling" wandering hands and smirking lips were a recipe for trouble with these two "depends, maybe i should go see these someones to see if they are better than you. call it market research"

"is that just how you like me? humble." nick couldn't seem to help himself around her, they really couldn't be trusted to behave. "i wouldn't waste your time chasing disappointment, darling. by all means, though, if you find a winner - you should invite them to join."

"that feels like a pity statement. it's alright, you've chosen your bass, and i'll be here heartbroken and bereft" he dramatically whimpered, feigning crying. "well there's your first mistake because there's not much either of us aren't doing. speaking of which, how's a certain lawyer? still pretending you don't like one another?"

"this is all hearsay at best. c'mon, chuck... would i throw you under the bus like this?" nick chuckled at his dramatics, noting the stark difference in the two basses. "ah, so true. we certainly aren't for the weak of heart, are we? now, now - let's be honest, everyone likes me. and yes, that would include our darling gabriela. she is very well, thank you."

"Gotta say I like the boldness." Dawson's cheeks were a little flushed, glad that Nick had flirted back. "I will be sure to take you up on that one day. Actually, I am here to see the owner. I am trying to get some of my work in here. I am an artist."

"There's certainly more where that came from," Nick winked. He let out a delighted laugh at Dawson's answer. "Really? Well, you're in such luck that I'm planning to stick around a while. I'll tell Peter he simply has to take you on, I have a lifetime of leverage on the man. In return, you can add me to your collection. Artistically speaking."

"I know, but I think I can have it all. Trust me, I know, I made such a big deal about actually going, no way he would fall for me dropping out. I don't even think I can manage that. Work definitely can't go, I think I might actually be able to do it as a job, not just for fun. I've been hanging out with William Huntzberger. There is no way that I can get more casual." Juliette laughed, shaking her head a bit. Sometimes, she wished she could just fast-forward when it was all figured out for her. "I have heard, spending a lot of time with Gabriela."

"That's the spirit," Nick grinned. He did have every faith in his little cousin just as he did in himself. You never let anyone see the cracks in your resolve, you always keep your head above water - William Vanderbilt (the first) made sure they all knew that. "There's no better reason to thrive at something than to make sure you're never humbled about it. A world renowned model and a qualified lawyer? Any contract will hate to see you coming. I, for one, am already proud. Huntzberger? My, my. There's some news but you're quite right. Yes, Gabriela and I have... re-connected since law school. You know me, I love to have fun and live life close to the edge."

"in your dreams, vanderbilt." nick had always been a pain in the ass, but at least a mildly amusing one "this is why you find yourself in some sort of trouble all the time. is the conference room your favourite or the client?" why the hell was he asking this? this is why he tried to avoid talking to nick.

"and they are always awfully sweet, bass." nick had admittedly grown fonder and fonder of atticus. whether it was the thrill of the chase or the thought of what one might be hiding under that three piece suit... who could say? "trouble and i are old friends, it's nothing i can't handle. favourite conference room, it's often been where the magic happens - legally speaking, of course. sturdy table, too."

"I think the least you can do is two drinks, but so long as you don't flee, I'll take what I can get."

"Two drinks it is," Nick conceded, waving to the bartender for just that. "I promise, my feet are practically glued to the ground this evening. Ask me anything, I'm powerless to run."

harvard was several lifetimes ago and here they were reincarnated again. they could never learn from their past selves. picking at old wounds even though they knew it would bleed. gabriela archibald was a woman who always had the answer, but when it came to him, she was at a loss.