Mason Wilkes.

Matilda’s nausea had dissipated thanks to the attention she was needing to pay to the situation they had now found themselves thrown into. The photographers didn’t care what was going on in their personal life as far as her feeling unwell was concerned, they just wanted to be the one who managed to get the best photograph of the new couple so they could sell it to the highest bidder for the biggest profit. The Wilkes were expecting both of the couple to be putting on an acceptable show and despite not wanting to be stuck in this position that didn’t mean the woman was planning on doing a bad job. It might sound dramatic but her life literally hung in the balance. Mason might not have life or death stakes with this but she did know it was important that he did a good job as well, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have been lashing out in the way he currently was. “I can imagine, but it’s not the back of the seats fault, so there is no need to take it out on it.” The brunette murmured as she moved her hand up to his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before turning her attention back to putting on her engagement ring quickly enough that it’s absence not be noted by anyone outside the car. Thank god for tinted windows. It afforded them at least a little moment before all eyes were on them. Matilda would like to have her go punching the back of a seat to relieve some stress but it just wouldn’t be practical. No, she’d eat a stupidly large slice of cake when she got home instead, that would make her feel better for a small time at least.

Ring weighing down her left hand she considered it for a moment as she chewed her bottom lip, it was beautiful no doubt about that, but it just…felt wrong. She better get used to it rapidly though. “Yeah, you’ve got it.” Trying to steady her breath she took a slow inhale as he stepped out of the car, still in disbelief that she had to do this at all, before plastering a sweet smile on her lips as if she was positively giddy by her impending marriage, far from the truth. Reaching out when he offered his hand to her she took it gently, carefully getting out the car as flashes greeted her invasively causing Millie to squint a little before she got accustomed. This was certainly new to put it lightly. Lifting her hand she waved in greeting, channelling her inner Princess Diana so she could hopefully earn the reputation of smiling quiet type rather than someone who engaged in lengthy conversation with the media. Slowing things down. Once they were inside the two of them could at least breath a bit easier knowing they’d gotten their first appearance out the way, even if neither of them wanted to be there still. Keeping close to Mason she didn’t let go of his hand as they headed towards the entrance of the shop, he might not be her choice of fiancee by any stretch of the imagination but he was at least someone she knew which made him her port in the storm for this little outing. Something she recognised was better than nothing. “Lets get inside.” The words were muffled through her smile whispered only to the man next to her as they finally moved to the doors and the quiet of the otherwise empty store. Once the glass doors swung closed behind them she felt her chest loosen a little so she could breath easier, looking over at Mason with a slight incline of her head. “That was…interesting.”

One would think Mason would be accustomed to the chaos and hysteria that came with the media by now. After all he had grown up surrounded by it, perhaps even more so after his mother died. Once his father started dating, the media had been following closely, morbidly looking for the next scandal. And while there had been some minor ones, he supposed they wouldn’t be satiated. Now that he was no longer a child or a teen, he was fair game. There was no issue of consent to be photographed anymore. And as the Wilkes family name remained one that was popular and frequently used in the papers and blogs, he couldn’t escape the attention. The kind which some might love.. He’d give it to anyone who wanted it if it was possible. Give much to escape. And yet he couldn’t. Especially now with a fiancee on his arm, a pending wedding to be hyped up. Heh ad to perform his best, or he would never hear the end of it. Though if anything he really didn’t want to let Theo down or put anything more on her plate at this moment in time. “Its the only thing I can take it out on..” he murmured back, though a bit more resigned under her touch, feeling surprise that she was reaching out, not to mention doing what he was asking her to without a snappy comeback. Breathing deeply a few times, he reminded himself that he could do this. Heck he had to do this.

Glancing briefly at her finger Mason had to admit that the ring seemed to be fitting her finger just right. And while their relationship currently meant nothing emotionally, he could quietly admit that he liked the sight. Just like his mothers ring that one. It gave him a small sense of pride, and the smallest of hopes that maybe, just maybe there would be a chance for love further down the road. After all he had to be capable of it if he could pick out such a ring and feel something, anything at the sight of someone wearing it. “Thanks.” he muttered, failing at not staring as her acting chops became visible with that smile that appeared on her lips. He got to see it before anyone else. In return though he tried to remember what awe and adoration felt like, drawing on that feeling to fit his features accordingly. Anyone looking on would see a man totally enamored by the woman who was to be his wife. He kept her hand securely in his as they walked trough the crowd and blinding lights that came with the rapid camera flashes. Though he didn’t really see much of the people around them. His focus was on her the entire time. Even after getting trough the door, as they were granted a moments respite, his eyes didn’t leave Matilda. Now he did get why his family had chosen her. She truly was a great actress. Which in this situation was a compliment. Later it might not be. At least she won’t have any problem pretending to be in love with me.. He thought. It sucked though that that was all he’d be likely to ever get. Her pretending. “Time for dresses.” His response was not as low as hers but filled with just a little bit of amusement and mirth at the position they were in. Once fully inside, Mason felt a little more relaxed. “Interesting? Guess thats one way to put it.” he said, softly shaking his head but keeping his smile. “But now you know what they signed you up for.” He added, the words somewhat apologetic. Just then a sales woman came gliding across the floor to them. “Welcome Mr Wilkes, Miss Reed. We’re open at your disposal. Would you like me to show you around? What are you looking for today?”

Matilda didn’t really care about where his suits came from or how much they cost, at this point the two of them were just bickering for the sake of it, sure she was leading some of it but damn was it exhausting. Turning to look out the window of the car she took a couple of deep breaths to settle her stomach, thinking about how his expression had softened for a moment and wondering why it was so short lived. Clearly he was capable of it, maybe he was just being snappy with her because she was being snappy with him, honestly Matilda wouldn’t judge him for that. She could be hard to deal with when she wanted to be. “Well I can’t wait to bond then…” she murmured, a soft frown coming onto her features as they approached the end of the second block since she’d asked how long until they’d get there, a mass of people apparently gathered there for some reason. The brunette opened her mouth turning slightly to ask if he knew what was going on when she clapped her eyes on the sight of her future husband slamming his fist into the back of the passenger seat in front of them. Alarmed she jumped back slightly, eyes widening, before reaching out to place her hands on his arm. “Hey…hey hey hey, stop that, you’re going to hurt yourself.” Her tone was both firm and gentle at the same time, trying to push him back against his seat. “Don’t freak out, it’s going to be alright.” They had gotten close enough for her to notice the official looking cameras around the necks of all the black clad photographers. Paparazzis. Apparently she was getting a baptism of fire into her new life today.

Looking down at her left hand her heart jumped as she realised she wasn’t wearing the engagement ring he’d given her. Despite her want to tell him where to shove it she knew there was no option when it came to wearing it right now, hand dipping into her bag to pull out the velvet box with a soft sigh. She’d not even placed it on her finger since she’d been given it and as she slipped it on there her stomach lurched, it looked so official, there was something profoundly scary about it. Swallowing she shoved the now empty ring box into her bag again, turning to look at him. “I’m doing what I have to do, now I need you to do what you need to do, and one of them is to calm down. Got it?” She spoke in in was an attempt at a calming tone, eyebrows raised as she gave him a small nod. “If you play your part as well as I’m planning to play mine we’re not going to have a problem with it. Channel your inner high school drama class.” Her eye caught that of a photographer outside and she forced a smile onto her lips.

Mason quietly wondered if this was what the next fifty years would look like. Trapped in small spaces, in public, whenever the rest of the world required them to be a couple, bickering like high schoolers. It was no surprise to him that they weren’t getting along. After all, liking the other or being agreeable meant conceding to the arrangement that neither of them had chosen. But would they always be like this? Truthfully, he didn’t know if he’d survive such a marriage. Quite honestly he would rather cut his losses and his life short rather than always wondering if he could be happy, or if he was going to be the constant that made her unhappy and miserable. Her murmured response had him smile, but it was a sad one. No doubt she was just saying that to come up with a response. To fill the silence between them. Silence that was about to be broken by a dozen media hungry, selfish and obsessive people banding together. Once his fist connected with the seat, Mason only wanted to keep hitting it. The tinted windows assured that no one saw him, though Matilda couldn’t be spared this time around. He exhaled with a hiss, pressing his lips together and fixing his eyes, still filled with frustration and anxiety, on her. Despite his urges, he stilled under her touch, doing his best to keep himself in check. “There’s never any damned privacy..” his words were hard, but the harshness wasn’t directed at her. “Hate it..”

He felt like a major shit, making her put the ring on.. or rather all but ordering her to. It was clear she’d had no intention to wear it when she didn’t have to, and he understood why. She had a boyfriend and she didn’t want to face what it meant. All very understandable. Yet there was no room for those feelings in this situation. They had to keep up appearances. They had to make everyone believe this union was one of love, not of force. God what a shitshow.. Mason had never been a very good actor. Sure he could fake it and lie, but pretend to be in love? He had little practice in that department. In acting on emotions that weren’t the slightest bit his own. Her sudden inclination to give him pep talks was new, and despite his current mood, not something he found himself averse to. Sure the sudden kindness was kind of odd which made him wonder if it was genuine or just out of pure survival. Did it matter though? “Yeah, I got it.” he said, taking a forced but deep breath, lowering both his hands to his lap. How did he play a part he had no idea how to fake? He couldn’t just pretend he knew her.. but he could pretend he wanted only her. “I wasn’t much for drama class, but I’m going to do my best. Well, lets get this shit on the road then.” With that he met her gaze, nodding a little at her in an attempt at reassurance, before he opened the door and stepped out, turning to hold out his hand to her, gentleman style. All they had to do was survive the walk from the car and into the store. Once there they could ask for privacy. Though they still had to do some acting for the sales personell mind you.

‘Cutting it a bit close? Well, I do hope we manage to find something today then. Otherwise we’d be in a world of trouble.” She muttered sarcastically, as if they weren’t already. Her eyebrows lifted at the mention of the dress having to be white, of course it did, because they were really trying to drive this wedding thing home. It was as if someone had reached into her brain to find out what her worst nightmare would be, putting it on a plate, and presenting it to her in the form of Mason and a forced marriage. She was trying to keep her temper but it wasn’t proving easy, fingers twisting together in her lap as she swallowed. “Do your suits cost enough money? Rumour has it that the Wilkes family are pretty hung up on how much things cost. Funnily enough I have a lot of dresses as well, I’m sure I could have found something suitable. I’m not unable to dress myself you know.” Sighing she internally relented as she sat back in the seat and rested her head on the headrest with her eyes closed. Matilda was starting to feel nauseous, and if she threw up in the car that would really piss the man off. Not to mention it would be the second time she’d thrown up in front of him in as many meetings.

“How long until we get to the store?” Hopefully it wouldn’t be too long, if she could just hold herself together a little longer they’d be okay. She’d be okay. God how Matilda wished she could talk to her mother right now to get some clarity, she missed the woman so much, she missed having that support. Obviously she had Niklaus but…well it was understandable that he was taking some time to deal with this issue himself. “You should probably get a white pocket square to go with my dress then, if you want to look like the properly doting fiancee.” Even saying that word was weird in her mouth, she shouldn’t be saying it about him in any universe let alone this one. If she should be saying it to anyone it would be Nik. She couldn’t get the man out of her head which was understandable but painful when she was trying hard to switch off that part of her life didn’t exist. She was Matilda Reed. Cold, calculated, right? No, she was Matilda Reed. Scared, confused, lonely.

He only shook his head a little at her sarcasm, once more finding that if he could just keep his words to a minimum, that might better serve them both. Because if he began lashing out at her every time she lashed out at his family or him, they’d end up pushing each other that much faster to the breaking point. Mason truly wanted to do what was right, to make this all a little easier somehow.. but he had no idea how to do that. He only knew that being mad at her didn’t help. When she kept harping about the suits and the money, he grimaced, pressing his lips together in order to just let her finish before saying his piece. “You don’t think I’ve been forced to these dog and pony shows before? All my suits are tailor made, costing a small fortune. Not that I care how I look but they do. As if I’d be allowed to show up and embarrass them trough lacking the proper clothing.” he shook his head, disgust in his voice. Taking a deep breath, his expression softened, attempting to explain. “Look, its not about your ability to dress yourself or your clothes. Its about their image. All other opinions be damned. I’d much rather have sent you with a personal shopper but my father insisted this would be a nice bonding experience..” Now it was his turn to finish with sarcasm. Rolling his eyes, not at her but at the whole situation, Mason directed his glance and posture back towards the window, sure he had just failed at explaining with patience as he had promised himself he would try to achieve.

“Just another two blocks.” his voice was remote now, as he spent what energy he could on the scenery, wishing he was somewhere else, drowning his climbing anxiousness about being out and about with her like this. The stakes seemed impossibly high, the pressure turned on tenfold. Since the announcement he’d found paparazzis circling his block, the phone ringing off the hook. There was no doubt the media was watching now, hungry for details. While he heard her words, Mason was distracted by the sight that met them when the driver positioned the car to park outside the shop. The street was full.. photographers, paparazzis, even what seemed like a news crew. “Fuck.” he swore, punching the empty passenger seat in front of him simply in the need to react and drive some frustration out. Looking over at Matilda, Mason’s gaze became scrutinizing, halting at her hands. “Your ring Matilda.” he said, his voice harder than he’d intended it to be. “Put it on. Now.” Nothing, absolutely nothing could happen before she did that.

Matilda didn’t know what she’d done in a past life to deserve this, but for some reason this was the situation she’d found herself in, and despite telling herself she was going to be nicer to Mason today she apparently couldn’t manage it. Frowning at him as he called her Miss Matilda instead she paused, turning to look at him before getting in the car, raising her eyebrows at him. “Yes, your manners do matter to me, if we’re going to get married then we might as well be polite to each other, don’t you think darling?” A smile that on first glance looked sweet was cold if you stopped to consider it too long. There was nothing behind her eyes because she was finding it hard to deal with her emotions. Adopting instead the method she used when completing a kill for the Wilkes family and entirely shutting off the part of her that was the kind, loving baker, instead becoming the detached empty husk she used to protect herself.

Settling herself into the car she made sure to buckle herself in securely, after all it wasn’t just her she had to look after but also the baby she was carrying. The one Mason had no idea about, that would be an interesting conversation to put it lightly. “So what is this event we’re expected to play nice at? And when is it? I don’t want to buy a dress too uh… early, if it’s not for a while.” The brunette tried to ask delicately, hands placed on her knees because honestly she didn’t know what else to do with them. This was all just so weird in every single way, how was she even meant to be nice to him? What was she meant to say? “Do you have an outfit ready for the event then? Or are you allowed to just show up in jeans and a shirt and call it a day?” It was impossible to keep the bitterness out of her tone, even though she really did try, finally making eye contact with the man. Millie wasn’t wearing her ring but it was in the bag at her feet, just incase he insisted on it being on display, or someone in his family had told him it had to be. She just followed orders now, that was her new life.

Mason supposed that he’d been naive to think there would be no consequences for his array of mistakes. Not only as far as his family was concerned, but the deep, dark, unspeakable kind. The ones that most would think of as sins.. If he was religious he might have used that word too. As it were he thought of them as unforgivable mistakes. Acts he couldn’t take back. And it was as if both fate and his family had come together, deciding to punish him. If he’d been asked to pick someone to marry, Matilda wouldn’t have been one he’d consider. She was too strong willed. Stubborn and independent, not to mention potentially lethal if she so chose. The fact that she seemed to be wielding her emotions like a weapon made the task of being around her even more difficult than he could have imagined. A meeker, more quiet, less willful girl would have been easy to push around, to toy with and ultimately even pretend to love. But as she pushed back with every turn, Mason had to work that much harder in return.. when he didn’t really feel like working at being nice, kind or patient at all. “It would be preferable. But then your manners would need some adjusting too, honey.” His answering smile was robotic, his eyes flashing with annoyance. God he hated this. 

Sliding back in beside her, Mason pulled the door shut and nodded to the driver, who started the car and began to drive them to the first store. Wanting to remain impassive, he stared out the window at the city flying past, until she spoke. Only then did he turn his head, and ultimately attention to the girl beside him. “I did tell you via text but I guess you need a recap.” he barely managed to keep his eyes from rolling. Tedious.. “My family are benefactors to one of the galleries downtown. Its been under construction for months, but has its grand opening this Saturday. Five days from now. So its not too early.. if you ask me we’re cutting it a bit close.” he explained, somehow managing to find a calm tone. Its not her fault. Its not her fault. He had to repeat the words, almost as a mantra, to remind himself that he should work against his impulses and dig around for some amity. Being this late to getting things together didn’t help. While he might be a mess in many ways, his time in the military had left him with a need to have things in order. “I have several suits in different colors with suitable shirts to go with them. I might get a tie or pocket square to match your dress, but if we go with white like they are requesting then I won’t have to.” He lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. 

Artemisia took a deep breath as Mason barked back with a heated response, she knew he would probably react volatily to getting chewed out. Short fuses were pretty much a staple of the Wilkes bloodline, something she was usually better at keeping in check. Normally she wouldn’t even be talking to Mason about family business, he worked in a very different portion and there were more than a few degrees of separation between them. Especially since he came back from the army she tried to keep him out of the intensity that came with her job and business. The mess at the dock just had her on edge, and she would not allow her cousin another option for escape and destruction. “And exactly what mood is it that I am pissing on? You coming to the hospital for fun now Mase?” She asked, eyebrow raised. She fought to keep from rolling her eyes, not needing Mason to remind her that Theo was the most prepared to handle everything. “We’ll call in the doc if needed, we just don’t need to bring any more mess or attention to us right now. Because if someone follows the trail and finds out we are hiding, and helping, someone who got shot on our dock is just as damning.” Letting out a groan of frustration she leaned back and rubbed her face with her free hand. “I just hate being so fucking useless” it wasn’t an apology, she didn’t make a habit of apologizing. But she didn’t want to fight with her cousin, and she knew if she didn’t start biting her tongue and reigning in her anger that’s exactly what would happen. Wincing, the pain in her ribs came back with a vengeance. “Hell, I might be calling in the doc for myself at this point. I don’t think I am going to get checked out today.

They’d never really discussed it, but since returning from his military service, Mason had found that his cousin spared him what most would refer to as ‘work talk’. If she could avoid it, she didn’t talk to him about the business their family ran, legal or illegal. All in all it was a nice little unspoken arrangement that he was grateful for. Now though he was being faced with the impossibility of steering away from the subject and clearly so was she. Then again he tended to think both his cousins were a bit too cautious about things. They seemed to think he was one of the ones the media watched a lot, when in truth he could more easily blend in with the citys citizens than either Art or Theo could. They didn’t see it that way though, and in return they felt like he was being too reckless and not mindful enough of his own behavior. It was about to get old.. “The mood between us. I have no desire to fight with you.. though you aren’t making it very easy to have a calm conversation right now.” he replied with a heavy sigh, biting back the anger, trying to push it back again. Like he came here for fun.. the insinuation that all he thought about, especially during a crisis like this, was how to have fun.. well that hurt. And he thought she’d have just a little bit more faith in him. “One cigarette hardly qualifies for another mess or the kind of attention the shit at the docks came with. You’re overreacting Art. Breathe.” He shook his head a little, focusing on the fact that she was stressed and frustrated, rather than looking inward on his own emotions. “You’re not useless, okay? You just got to have faith that our people can handle themselves for a wee bit longer. Then you’ll get to be hands on and back in control.” his voice gentle now, catching her gaze and holding it. As for all the talk of needing a doctor, Mase supposed it wasn’t the worst idea to call. It wasn’t looking like much would happen here tonight, and if Artemisia had an important matter that needed tending she should get that done. “Its nothing serious, is it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow inquiringly at her. 

Ayla: Fun by Pitbull definitely does fit you better for sure…I mean I very well could be babe. Mase the only thing I take personally at this point is being shot.

Ayla: pretty ass? well aren’t you a charmer darlin’, I’m not sure how much distraction I’ll be able to provide tonight but I’ll do my best ;)

Ayla: oh? care to elaborate on some? muuuuch more good looking is damn right. sounds like a plan babe, I’ll text you when I’m almost at your place <3

Mason: See, I found a better song. Oh you are. Naturally. That won’t be an issue here though. 

Mason: yess. I love that ass. Anything for you babe. Oh don’t worry about that. You being here is distraction enough. though I’m sure we can have some fun even if you are to not move too much. ;) 

Matilda wasn’t in a good place at the moment and if she was being honest with herself the last thing she needed in a million years was to have to go shopping with Mason of all people. What she wanted to do was spend her time trying to repair things with her actual boyfriend, not play happy families with a fictional one, but when the Wilkes family said jump she had to ask how high, or die. She’d hardly even been able to focus on the forth birthday cake she’d been frosting that afternoon ready for delivery tomorrow because she was so preoccupied by what was happening in her personal life. Something the woman hated because she always wanted to give her job one hundred percent.

Grabbing her coat from behind the kitchen door she said goodbye to the girl who was closing up in as breezy a way as possible, pushing out into the cold February street so she could take a deep breath in of that fresh air. No idea if Mason was even there yet but she just had to get out. Then she heard a voice ring out from across the street and her face darkened. There goes the hope for a couple of moments to herself before having to become a dress up doll for a family she had no want to be a part of anymore. Lifting her hand to signal that she’d heard the brunette crossed the street carefully, giving the man a slightly annoyed look. “You could just call me Matilda instead of yelling my last name at me across the road, it’s not very god damn polite.” Her hormones were making her even more grumpy than usual, in addition to all the other stress in her life.

Mason had come to a point where pretty much felt as if he was moving trough the motions of life around him. Sure he had part of his own life when he was in his own apartment or hidden away in the back of a club. But the second he had to put that invisible ‘Wilkes hat’ on, he tried not to feel too much. If he did he wouldn’t fare well. He’d end up messing things up even more, and he couldn’t afford to at the moment. His family had been right about one thing, this whole engaged to be married shit farce had made him take things a bit more seriously. Just knowing that ignited that too familiar fire in his gut. Where bitterness, anger, betrayal, hatred even swirled around. 

He dug his hands deep into his coat pockets, not much minding the cold winter wind or cold that took a hold of his clothing and made his skin freeze. When you were telling yourself to feel numb on the inside, it was a relief to feel so on the outside. Honestly he’d happily just sit out in this weather until someone reminded him to get back inside. Instead he had to steel himself for an afternoon of dress shopping. With someone who didn’t really want to be around him. Sounded like a recipe for disaster. His eyes followed the brunette as she came across the street, wearing anything but a friendly expression. Why on earth did you think this would be much different? For some reason he’d held out just a little bit of hope that their interactions this time might not be so hostile. If this was the start though, there was little reason for hope. “And that matters a lot to you? My manners?” he asked, his tone even but void of emotion. Without another word he pulled open the car door, holding it for her. “Better Miss Matilda?” a sardonic smile accompanied the question. It was all he could do not to roll his eyes. 

There wasn’t much done in daylight that Mason enjoyed. Mostly because he didn’t much care for crowds or contact with too many strangers looking for interaction. In a dark bar he could ignore them or tell them to piss off, but in broad daylight? Oh no he was all too visible then. Sometimes he was even recognized out on a lit street. That sucked even more. Fortunately at five pm the daylight were fading. And when you were driven around in a window tinted car, you were as anonymous as you could be. “Park across the street please.” he told the driver, folding and unfolding his hand as the car moved to park. It was still a bit nerve wrecking, going to see her again. Last time neither of them had been in their right mind. This time, he at least was a lot more level headed. 

Opening the car door, Mason slid out and closed it, leaning against the car as he fixed his gaze on the bakery across the street. He was unsure wether he should go up to the door or simply wait here. It would be polite and proper to meet her at the door.. The fleeting thought made him dig his feet in, remaining where he was. He could wave at her or something, when she came on out. No need to raise any expectations or pretend to be something he was not going to be. Not for her anyway. When she did appear, he did wave, but he also raised his voice. “Reed. Over here.” 

Matilda: Congratulations to the Wilkes, but unless they are planning on footing the bill for this crazy expensive dress, i'm not planning on buying one

Matilda: I can be forced to do some things, but I have my own expenses and fancy dresses are not one of them.

Matilda: Fine.

Mason: of course they are paying. you won't have to spend a dime.

Mason: your expenses will not be touched

Matilda: ...Crazy expensive? I don't want to spend money on a crazy expensive dress I'm not rolling in it you know

Matilda: Ah yes, and i forgot, your family run my *whole* life now

Matilda: I can leave at five at the earliest.

Mason: oh im aware, but status and image is the bread and butter of the wilkes Reed.

Mason: our whole life but yeah.. certified pupped masters they are

Matilda: What do you mean 'wilkes approved'?

Matilda: My dresses are fine!!

Matilda: Well...yes but not just for shopping or something like that. Funnily enough I care about my job Mason.

Mason: oh you know. crazy expensive. looking like a million bucks.

Mason: I'm sure they are. my family won't agree.

Matilda: Wait, what? THIS saturday? As in....six days from today?

Matilda: I have dresses..

Matilda: And a bakery I have to run, i can't just leave to shop

Mason: Yes. I was just informed myself.

Mason: not one thats wilkes approved

Mason: Good morning.

Mason: any chance you can clear your schedule for this afternoon?

Mason: apparently we need to shop.

Matilda: Good morning

Matilda: I'm...what? Shopping?

Mason: they want us to come out publicly this saturday

Mason: Gallery opening.

Mason: Good morning.

Mason: any chance you can clear your schedule for this afternoon?

Ayla: which I seem to have a knack for providing

Ayla: fun mason it is, do you think ‘girls just wanna have fun’ fits better for a ringtone? i think you’d like it better if I continued in person on that matter. oh /mostly/? good to know babe

Ayla: well I’m happy you’re pleased by that. you possibly do, but in a fun way I can appreciate. oh fuck that sounds awful, honestly I would rather have been there to help you than where I was during the whole blackout. I always enjoy distracting you ;)

Ayla: just one of the perks of knowing me, eh? that’s true, and you’d be a much better looking doctor than my current one…alright, I’m sold. I’ll see what I can do, because now I really want to ditch so I can see you.

Mason: you sure do. 

Mason: more like “Fun” by Pitbull. I also think you’re baiting me, which definitely would be more intriguing in person. it does get a bit tedious at times when the mood is wrong. don’t take it personal axe 

Mason: appreciation is appreciated :p yeah, could have been without for sure. i know you would have. then get your pretty ass over here to do so ;) 

As the car slid to a stop in front of the massive building, Mason felt his stomach twist with the uncomfortable sensation of being back at the manor. It was not that he heated everything about it. For him the outside of it was considered a safe space, a place where he had mostly fond memories. While inside.. well that was a very different story. Of course it did not hold the same memories as his fathers suburban estate in Pembrooke. Now that house was referred to as ‘the house of terror’. But he still didn’t feel at ease at the Wilkes manor. Wha hit him was a sense of not entirely belonging. A sense of not fitting in. A reminder that he didn’t belong just to himself, but was beholden to his family in ways other mundane family members of other households could scarcely imagine. 

Stepping out of the car once the door was opened by the driver, he quietly thanked him before moving up the stairs and to the main door. He only had to knock once before one of the staff came to the door, greeting him with respect. As it was one of the females, she also had a hint of fondness in her tone which Mason wasn’t entirely sure he deserved. Pulling out a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, he politely conversed with her as they moved into the foyer. “Is my cousin in the study?” he inquired, only to be told that she might be. Gently dismissing the woman, Mason made his own way across the marble floors and staircases, rolling his eyes at the pretentious art and strange sculptures that popped up trough the house. When he reached the study, he knocked twice before entering. “Beau? You here?”