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liv paid no mind to rose at first, flipping open the pages in front of her and setting up her laptop on the table. she kept the smile that so desperately wanted to break across her face well hidden, knowing that it would drive her cousin mad. the way liv saw it, rose’s greatest weakness was control — the lack of it in any given situation makes her tick, makes her lash out.  ‘ i wasn’t aware that this library was yours, ’  liv said without looking at her. she typed some nonsense onto her computer screen.  ‘ but it’s nice to meet you mr. thomas j. watson. ’  she continued with her idle work, keeping herself looking busy. she could already feel the steam coming off of rose’s being. she couldn’t help the way the corner of her lip turned up at the other’s suggestion.  ‘ then i’m sure they have room for you down there too. ’  

Her first instinct was to pull out her checkbook and buy the library, but she can practically hear her grandmothers voice in her head, telling her to think rationally, rather than making her decision out of anger. At sixteen, it was easier to get away with buying a restaurant because of some slight against her, but she wasn’t a teenager and this wasn’t something she could pawn off to someone else once she had the bill of sale. “Considering the generous donations my family makes, I don’t think it would be too much trouble having you thrown out of here if I wanted to.” The threat was empty, though she doubted the other would call her bluff. But, the last thing she wanted right now was someone trying to get a picture of her having a student thrown out and finding the news splashed all over TMZ. “However, so long as you don’t try to make this into your own exclusive interview with Rose Winters, I’m sure we can co-exist. If I have to face another faux Birkin wielding student that the seat is taken, I might lose my mind completely.” 

her mark acquired and shadowed for the better half of the last month. liv sat quietly by on the instruction of her superior – no, uncle – told to observe the lovely, porcelain-skinned co-ed across the library. and observe she did, gathering the other woman’s patterns and habits; following her to her classes and schedules. stalkerish, liv knows, but it’s part of her training. con the very one you’re going to end up protecting. make her trust you before introducing yourself as family. you’re already a surprise to the ones who took you in, and with rose’s temperament, she won’t be as warm as her grandparents were. liv pushed off from the tall bookshelf she was leering from and walked over to where rose sat, laptop and fake dissertation in hand. placing her items on the table, liv took a seat across from her cousin without asking permission. i’m sure she wouldn’t mind, she thinks smugly to herself. 

Closing the file she had been analyzing, Rose slipped it under her textbook, before training her eyes on the brunette across from her.  “You know, the polite thing would be to ask if the seat was free.” It was easy ripping into someone that seemed to be the living embodiment of disappointment, it brought her the very solitude she needed. Rose had always enjoyed the attention that her name brought her, but it was different when it was someone that was living the same life that she was. All Manhattan had offered her in the last eights years was leeches. People constantly finding a way to latch themselves to her coattails, ready to do whatever they needed for their five minutes of fame. It made being cold to them easier, there was no reason to feel sorry. The girl in front of her had barely acknowledged her, before slipping into the seat she had been warning people away from all day. She clenched her pen, not quite sure if she was frustrated or impressed at how ballsy the other girl seemed. “Do you mind finding anywhere else? I’m sure there is room in the basement archives, the smell of desperate first years is particularly strong down there — at least that’s what I’ve heard.”