*✧ — yours truly

he wasn't so keen on lingering on the thought though, and thus pushed it from mind as he he tilted the bottle again, topping off her glass before his own with the automatic politeness of a man who didn’t know how to be anything else, even half a drink past sober. taymour leaned back in his chair afterward, shoulders eased, watching her over the rim of his glass with a small smile that didn't feel rehearsed. "y'know what i noticed?" he mused, smile easy as he tipped his glass toward her. "people are starting to pay more attention to you than this... package deal." this them. a compliment and genuine observation wrapped in one: she was a star, no doubt. the thought of it'll make it easier when we get to break it off, no one will notice me gone, crossed his mind then, but he opted to swallow it back with another swig of his drink instead.

or maybe the next drink or two was because his mind hadn't quite let go of the way she'd called him baby earlier and the quick press of her lips to his when no one was watching, nor the steady weight of her hands against his chest as she softly reassured that it was other to breathe around her. pr was supposed to begin and end the moment the cameras did; most days, it dropped like a curtain the second they were out of sight... but today, the warmth had followed him back here and settled in, stubborn and unfamiliar. and he wasn't exactly in a hurry to shake it off. "cheers... to another success."

tonight was no different. the perfect gentleman. hard to hate. everyone giving him compliments that viv will admit, he so rightfully deserved. "hm, what's that?" she responded, taking a sip of champagne. a sly smile slowly unraveled as he mentioned their 'package deal.' playing with the rim of her glass, she found herself entranced with him. maybe celebrating throughout the day with drinks wasn't the best idea, because all she could think about in that moment was kissing him again. "tryna get away me, already? didn't see that one coming," sarcasm exuding in her tone. bashfully looking away, she picked over the snack pile and grabbed some sour gummy worms. anything that'd help distract her hands from reaching for his.

she grabbed her glass again to clink with his, "cheers," a grin formed. realizing she wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment with taymour, her only constant right now. the one thing she was sure of, even if the relationship was only a ruse. "what's our next plan?" not knowing whether that question was meant for the next hour, days, or months, but wanting an answer nonetheless. viv held out the pack of gummy worms to share as a silent truce... to be nice for the time being. after all, it was a mistake that they were sharing a dressing room, but maybe it wasn't so bad to end the night with him.

the younger girl let out a small laugh as the questions came. "tu deviens de moins en moins originale avec tes questions et tes excuses, geo. you're telling me you'll suddenly be seeing someone within a couple weeks? i'll believe it when i see it!" though she would be genuinely so happy for her big sister, it sounded a little unlikely. belle had spent years trying to set her up to no avail. countless blind dates she'd cancelled, the smallest detail about a man enough reason to never call him back. "besides, if you were already seeing someone then i would know. because we tell each other everything. no secrets, right?" the thought made her agitated for a split second, guilt quickly following as she remembered she herself hadn't always been completely honest.

"be for real, you don't look a day over thirty-five. you're absolutely stunning, you've got an incredible job, and an even better head on your shoulders. you have your own money, your own place, anyone would be lucky to have you." and she meant it. no one compared to her sister. no one ever could. "and what if we both met someone? how cool of a story would that be?" she nodded her thanks to the server as he walked away, her attention immediately snapping back to geo. "we could always dine & dash... kidding." belle paused before speaking up again, not quite ready to move on from a certain topic. "you are single, right? not keeping a brother in law away from me?" feeling a sudden pang hit her chest as the words brother in law fell from her lips, bringing adrien to mind. no one could ever replace him, but she took comfort in knowing that, deep down, he would want her sister to move on. to be happy. just as much as belle did.

"right, of course... no secrets." trying to shake the thought of the literature professor out of her mind, she grabbed the glass of water and took a gulp, swallowing her guilt with it. he was worth telling her sister about, but only at the price of requited feelings — not just a schoolgirl crush. god, she needed something stronger to sip on.

belle always did an incredible job at trying to cheer up her older sister. geovanna adored her for it (even if it didn't always work). "i love you for always trying to gas me up, i don't know if it'll work this time though," she shook her head with a smirk. "c'est fou! i don't know what's a more outlandish thought: the fact you think we'll both meet someone at the same event or dining and dashing," she tried holding her tone seriously, but a loud laugh escaped instead. her younger mirror bringing the woman back to reality with the mention of a brother-in-law. "oh my god, belle. yes, i'm single!" it was already hard to think about going on a simple date; marriage would be another thing to tackle.

geovanna played with the rim of her glass, her eyes finally meeting belle's. "and when should i expect a brother-in-law or sister-in law?" she teased back. "you know, i'm only getting older," a playful grin spread across her lips, pretending like she was about to give her little sister a lecture like their parents used to do. truth is, belle's happiness was always at the forefront of geo's mind. no one in the world deserved true love more than the girl across from her.

𝓵𝓮𝓯𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 … geovanna auclair ( @rec0llection ) .

↳  INSTAGRAM: @.geoclair uploaded a new photo

"𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝔂𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓼" 𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓯𝓸𝓻 … vivienne jupiter ( @rec0llection ) .

BREAKING: VIVIENNE WITHOUT TAYMOUR FOR PRESS ON THEIR NEW MOVIE! when asked why, this was her response (live video):

“  You know what I’ve been thinking…?  ” Mena spoke, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them over the past few minutes of people watching. Though she did her best to not judge, there were outfits present that Mena wouldn’t have been caught dead in, even less in public. “  What if this entire thing is nothing but a money grab? An excuse to have us pay for the renovations they did?  ”

“  Professor! It’s so nice to see you.  ” Lupe approached, arms ready to lean into a side hug and a bright smile on her face. It never ceased to amaze her just how much Belle and her sister looked from the back. Had it not been for Isabelle’s wardrobe choices, Lupe would have surely confused them. “  How are you?  ”

Guadalupe handed over a single bag, daring Viv to ask for more with a single look. Between her and Tomas, Lupe wasn’t sure who pampered her more. It was a satisfying sensation, one that she held onto tightly for the longest of time, but as she grew older the more she felt the need to give back somehow. She accepted it all without complaints, not that she had any if she were honest, but always held the thought that one day she’d pay it back by offering the same love and kindness to her future niece or nephew. Lupe did her best to mind her business and not ask why they never had children, but she didn’t have a shred of doubt on them being the best parents that anyone could ask for. 

Quick as they entered, Lupe placed the snack bags on the counter, leaving the ice cream for Vivienne to put away, while she did as instructed. “  It’s been good. I got a new student, though he’s not really part of the church. I don’t know if you’ve met Dante from the fifth floor? His son has been learning with some of my church students.  ” she answered, smiling as she pictured the young boy’s grumpy demeanor that matched his father’s almost effortlessly. Just as soon as she heard the sound of kernels popping, the smell of buttered corn filled the air. “  I uh-... I read you’ve been seeing someone. An actor was it?  ”

"dante..." while viv didn't run into her neighbors much, she still tried to rack her brain for the few who had kids in the building, since she knew there weren't many. "the hunky man who keeps his door open from time to time, right? i could swear i've seen those kids on a different floor, too," she shrugged, setting the tray down, not trying to take the focus away from the other woman. "that's amazing, though, lupe! pretty soon you'll have a whole piano ensemble and can give us a little concert," a grin spread across her face as she uncorked a bottle of wine, pouring the contents into one cup, leaving the extra cup for lupe's vice. taking a sip, she continued, "are you indulging with me? because i can also make a mean mocktail." she hit play on the movie so that it could be in the background as they talked, sure that lupe had seen the very first movie of the franchise.

she walked back to the kitchen to see what was in her fridge. before yelling out the assortment of sodas, brands of sparkling and still water, and other juices, she was immediately thrown off by lupe's question. not that it was a secret who she was seeing, or that it even mattered because it wasn't (supposed to be) real. but the fact it was the sister she never had, paired with the sibling of someone she considered the love of her life, asking her this question? it caught her by surprise. vivienne cleared her throat before answering, "ah, yeah. taymour. seeing is generous terminology," she quipped. "something our publicists and managers came up with to promo our new movie. tomas knows about it."

her heart tugged a bit when she thought about her ex-husband in that moment, revealing this 'classified to the public' information out of... guilt? obligation? clarity? who knows? "what about you little sis? seeing someone?" the cold breeze from the fridge pulled her back to what she was originally doing. "— or undecided, right now? like your drink choice: sprite, coke, ginger ale, and all the diet versions, sparkling water, or still water?"

his gaze dropped briefly to the plate between them and to the fork pressed into his hand before lifting back to vivienne's face, studying her expression. there was a softness in his own there that he hadn't meant to show, tempered by something heavy and stormy beneath it. maybe things have changed, she said. "yeah," he murmured in quiet agreement, thumb brushing along the handle of the fork without lifting it. "i guess they have." the comment wasn't intended as an accusation or a slight, but instead stoof as quiet concession. his jaw tightened for a moment before easing again, a faint exhale slipping past his lips.

for a moment, he didn't pull back. not right away... not until he again thought of geo. these days, he always thought of geo. he shifted away then before he offered a small, rueful smile, eyebrows furrowing as his eyes dropped away. "you always did make it hard to say no."

even the small stint of him agreeing that things have changed tugged at her heartstrings in a way she couldn't explain. grieving the loss of someone, while they were still alive, is a battle not even god's toughest soldier could endure. that's probably why vivienne finds it harder to let go these days. the brunette simply nodded in acknowledgment, trying to hold her tongue, again. did she have the right to start an argument? it didn't really matter when it was a case of mind, body, and soul... things she had devoted to the man for over a decade, all to be met with emptiness in the end. funny how life works.

"—but that's only because i make seeing 'yes' so easy, right?" the woman said playfully. she drank some of the coffee in the cup beside her, taking a glance over the rim at tom's body language. vivienne always joked that he was a man who worked with literature, but never had much to say, unless it was important (or to argue with her). his eyes always revealed much more. the way his body tenses up when he's deep in thought always made her want to know what he was thinking. she bit into a piece of bacon, figuring out how to formulate the question without it sounding accusatory. "what's on your mind, handsome? or is who bettter to ask?"