#shivawne

the sun is bright in the sky, an endless expanse of blue above them. connor has for once detached himself for willa to show his baby sister the ranch. pride sitting warm in the center of his chest as they walk side by side. leon in the gator not far behind them, but @shivawne had mentioned privacy, and there wasn't a single place more private in the world.

it's nice to have her here, even if it seems she's uninterested. connor much prefers to believe his family simply plays hard to get in their own way.

if we get heatstroke, i'm blaming you.

FIRST  DOOR,   UNLOCKED   :     nothing  in  this  world  better  than  an  unlocked  door,    the  ripe  possibilites  blooming  like  a  wilting  flower  trapped  in  reverse       (       come  on,   alice,   jump  into  the  hole,   go  through  the  door      ---       WONDERLAND  IS  WHAT  WE  MAKE  IT       ).       a  bathroom,   expensive  lighting  that  makes  every  surface  look  clear       [       they  almost  never  are,    fingertip  rot  against  porcelain       ].      door  is  banged  shut,   locked  twisted  into  place,   an  exhale  not  finding  her  wine  -  stained  lips.   FOOTSTEPS  GROWING,   A  BANGING  WILL  COME  SOON       (      a  prophecy  of  noise  in  this  dirty  escape     ).    it  is  only  in  her  slouch,    body  weighed  against  the  door,    that  she  notices  the  stranger     ---     idiot,   idiot,   always  check,   throw  out  the  innocent.    PROTECT  WHAT  YOU  CANNOT  SAVE.     ‘     hey.   you  start  screaming  and  we’re  both  dead,   sunshine.       ‘       and  why  does  the  canary  sing?    BLOOD,   BLOOD,    ALL  OVER  WREN’S  SHIRT.

@shivawne said: you're a lousy dance partner. (she's starting off on a bullying note fr)

he glances up at her, surprise briefly clouding his face before an apologetic smile takes its place. " i might have told you as much before we began, miss roy, " he says, his hand taking hers once more as they go down the dance. he still finds it strange that she is dancing with him at all - a sentiment no doubt shared by the gathered company. compared to much of the crowd, he is a nobody. a penniless doctor with a respectable, but ultimately unimpressive name. a man who'd spent his morning in cramped hovels tending to the ailments of fishwives - and free of charge at that. hardly a suitable partner for one of the most eligible young ladies in the country...

he knows full well that he has only been invited tonight to make up the numbers of young men in the party. the truth of that does not offend him - as diverting as it might be to look into this world for an hour or so, he would much prefer to be at home with his books... all the same, he is by no means insensible to the charms of an attractive partner, even one he is as ill-suited to in skill as he is in station.

they're on their way out of a restaurant, a formal function where kenny was paraded around, cream of the crop style. could almost assume it was second oldests birthday, at least that would explain the favoritism. but really it's a sign, connor had seen it the day logan brought first brother home: the real eldest boy, or maybe the only real kid. ( @shivawne and rome are treated real enough, though. maybe just enough to keep them satisfied. ) he tries not to think too hard about it nowadays.

“i call shotgun!”

          “ you don’t expect me to believe that, do you ? ”    if it wasn’t his baby sister  talking to he might be offended, instead connor is ( or at least pretends to be ) amused.

don't smile at me : @shivawne

"no, i do not want you to be quiet." there's a beat that passes in which the knit of her brows seems to contradict the assurance, and her hands raise, pinching the arms of her glasses in her fingertips to gently pull them from her face. a steadied inhale is drawn through her nose, then, and claire leans back in the chair with the faintest curl plucking at the seam of her lips.

the jaw sets.     the other woman  [  @shivawne​  ]   sits across from her,   a sigh leaving a pink mouth.      the file is opened:     inside is an agreement contract,    something related to a deal the ambassador was proposed with  ––  Agree to this...   money will fall into your lap.      diana thinks it’s a sham;     a little bit of money made too easily,    too quickly.    a moment of silence before shiv speaks:      ❝   i’m not really the advice type,  but i am damn good at coming up with distractions to forget the bullshit for a while.  ❞

𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙸𝚂 𝙰 𝙱𝙸𝚃 𝙾𝙵 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙵𝙾𝚁𝚃,    𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴,      a bit of unsureness that settles on her tongue.         ❝   what kind of distractions are we talking about ?    ❞      as if she tempts the idea just a bit,    as if a distraction is just what she needs  ––  almost.     the file is closed and removed from the table,    placed back inside the medium - sized briefcase it was removed from.     the legs uncross and she sits forwards,    elbows sturdy against her knees.      ❝   i am free until the evening.    we have a few hours.    ❞