winter rose;

another reluctant thank you as the car door was opened for her were the only words that passed between them once they stepped outside. legs crossed and angled slightly away from him, aurora enjoyed the near-silence of the drive. for a while she watched the city drift past, and then she watched julian through the reflection in the window. he wasn't paying any attention to her, his focus on the road ahead. how did he feel about their arrangement - she refused to call it a marriage - she wondered. he wasn't as easy to read as she would have liked. was he angry, like she was? he didn't seem to be. nor did he appear to be upset or resentful, or anything, really. he had to feel something about it, and she couldn't imagine he had been thrilled to have been made to marry a stranger. when they reached the restaurant and julian opened the door for her again, aurora didn't say thank you this time and got out of the car without a word, convinced he was only being polite to irritate her. when he spoke, she wanted to roll her eyes but she didn't. nor did she snap that she needed no reminder of the appearances they were supposed to keep up. instead she smiled warmly as if she found the comment endearing and not aggravating, the only indication of her irritation being the momentary twitch of the muscle in her jaw as she clenched it. "you’re right, of course," she said as she took his arm. "i'd hate for anyone to mistake us for two people who barely know each other."

When he had no other excuse to look anywhere but at her, Julian took advantage of it to the fullest. Even if only lit by the artificial light outside, Aurora looked every bit the untouchable princess her family had curated her into. The slight twitch of her jaw before replying almost made him grin, but the desire was smothered as her hand slid into his arm and he led them forward. "That's my girl," the attorney whispered, the words half-provoking, half-genuine. Truth was, he wasn't planning on riling her up to get a reaction out of her, since Aurora already looked like she hated his guts and would not hesitate to one night kill him in his sleep if the need arose. But the man also didn't plan on killing her with kindness, no matter how bent he was on believing that everyone deserved the benefit of the doubt before he made his unwavering opinion about them. While everyone that knew him - as small a circle as that was - were bewildered and shaking their heads at the reality of his life, Julian was preparing the long game, adding on top of the plan with each passing day. The greatest unknown was the woman next to him and he knew if he was to make it out alive, he would need to take a page off the books of the meticulous rich clientele he had to defend in court. When they were led inside the restaurant, Julian couldn't not note the subtle looks of the staff, which only made him place a careful hand on the small of her back. He pretended like it was another normal evening and not like he was still getting used to the weight of the wedding band on his finger. "Seems like a decent first step to learn your taste, right?", the man inquired while pulling the chair for her before sitting across. "Why don't you look at the menu and tell me what sounds good to you."

The heaviness was back in full force, only making the wedding all that more unbearable. She hated herself for being like this, for not being able to put her friend's happiness above her own misery, but there seemed to be only room for the echo of his words, reverberating in her mind again and again, threatening to drive her mad. When Luca said he should go, her whole body became numb. It was impossible to be both glad of it and dread it, yet the conflicting emotions were right there, fighting, leaving her feeling utterly alone and sad. Catherine did not want to look at him and yet, the strain in his own voice drew her in, probably for the last time. He looked impossible to reach despite standing a breath away from her, the sorrow clearly etched into every line on his face. Swallowing, the woman managed to shake her head. "No hard feelings. I've forgiven you for not giving us a chance. Like I said... you are a good friend." Then, a beat later, "Don't be a stranger, okay?" Her voice wavered then, but the woman cleared her throat and made a step away from him.

still, after everything he had put her through, she was being kinder to him than he deserved. “i’ll try,” he managed to keep his tone light, but he suspected that becoming a stranger was exactly what he was about to do. he let himself look at her for another moment so that he could try to commit every detail to memory. then he gave her a small nod. “take care of yourself, catherine.” inadequate parting words, words that felt empty and hollow. he didn’t say anything else, but turned and walked away before he could talk himself out of it.

"I would have been here sooner, but I ran into Eric - and you know how much he loves to talk." making sure to sound a little exasperated, so that they could avoid more questions from whoever had apparently been bugging her. "i was going to get a drink, do you want to come with me to order your own? if it's a free bar, might as well step out of our comfort zone and try something new." it seemed like the easiest excuse to let her leave the other guy, and one nobody would question. if nothing else, he did plan to make the most out of the free bar. he had no plans on getting drunk and risk becoming unprofessional, but he could at least try drinks that intrigued him - without him having to foot the bill if he ended up hating them.

Playing a role for other people had turned into something she'd learned to excel in, which was in close correlation to the success her partner and Annabelle had on the ice. Which was why it wasn't hard to turn on the switch for one more time, even if it took her a second before sliding in the ruse. Social interactions were sometimes a difficult thing for the ice dancer. "You should've said your girlfriend gets really unhappy when she's left to wait for long," the blonde half-joked, throwing a subtle side glance at the man who had cornered her a moment ago. Now it was him that looked greatly annoyed and displeased. "Yes, yes, I can get behind that!" Her arm sweetly wrapped around his, fingers sliding into his palm to intertwine them together. "Oh, babe, how rude of me, this is Mike and he so graciously kept me company while you were gone!"

Raising a brow when she questioned if it mattered, he reasoned he didn't have to voice the fact, that it obviously mattered if she was there. If it wasn't anything serious, she wouldn't be seeking shelter at his home. Despite the anger coursing through him at them ending up there again, he swept his hand inside of his house for her to enter. "Do you want anything to drink or eat?" He'd find a way to ask the serious questions later on, but his parents had drilled manners into his head so much, that he couldn't not lead with offering her something.

Lea exhaled a silent breath out when he didn't press on the matter more and instead gestured her to come in. With a slow nod and quivering lips pressed tightly together to hide that fact, the brunette stepped past him and went inside. "Uh, no, no, I don't think so... Thank you, though." While still close to him, Eleanor turned, fingers wrangling one another nervously. "For everything, John. I promise I won't take too much of your time this evening." Then, with an insecure smile, she added, "Okay, maybe I spoke too soon. Water would be actually great."

"You're not a bad influence in my life." The words coming out almost automatically. Things hadn't exactly been the best between them lately, but she reasoned the problems never really happened when they were together. It was that sometimes she felt like she didn't rate highly enough on his list of priorities. Or she felt as though she had to fix things for him, despite knowing that there wasn't really anything she could do, that would fix things. "If you were a bad influence, I wouldn't want anything to do with you. I just... I think something has to change."

The man didn't like the way his heart seemed to leap when he heard her dismissing that he was a bad influence in her life. It was a sign that there was still some hope, however slight, and Gabriel didn't have a good track record of handling hopes really well. In fact, it was probably just another reason why their relationship couldn't seem to get through a certain point and why he was still falling short at making her happy. "I just don't want to hurt you anymore, Ash. But I don't know what you need me to do differently, honestly."

"I am the wisest of the wise." Mock bowing at the words. As much as the words were in jest at that point, he did like to think of himself as pretty wise. Mostly because he'd had to learn how to navigate through life quickly, to avoid being taken advantage of. His area of expertise may be niche, but as far as he could, he wanted to give advice to people new to the industry, especially kids. "You know... I'm pretty sure guests are meant to relax, not be put to work." The quip coming as he left his room and made his way to the kitchen. Gathering up what he had in his fridge, he settled on an omlette and toast. Not as boring as basic eggs, but nothing that took michelin star levels of cooking.

With a soft chuckle, Azalea went on to change into the shirt she'd picked at random from his - the action too normal and surprisingly wholesome. The fabric held that specific masculine scent she'd learned to tie to him and suddenly being engulfed in it made her remember a moment prior, when they were still wrapped in sleep and in each other. Suddenly, her cheeks were flaming once more and the brunette had to scold herself in her mind, deciding that finding something to do would be the best thing to stop thinking weird stuff. Once she made her way out of his room, the smell of breakfast welcomed her and Azalea realized she'd never been more tempted than in that moment. "How are we friends for so long and you still surprise me with something new?", the young woman asked, head poking into the kitchen. "This smells really good, Patrick. And I know you said guests shouldn't be put to work but come on, this can practically be my home too. Am I still a guest to you?"

Shaking her head at the question, she pursed her lips for a moment, trying to think of the best way to phrase what she wanted to say. "It's not so much that they've said anything, it's more... Not having the energy to deal with Mrs Grant's 'helpful' hints about how to run a home." Something that she'd thought was innocent at first, until the 'help' turned more into criticizing anything that she did. "Things have been hectic at work, and I don't have the energy to listen to a lecture on flower arrangements."

Warner's shoulders visibly relaxed after he heard her reply and the man tried not to show it too much. For a second there he'd thought that someone else had made her uncomfortable in a whole another way, which was a thought that awoke the protective side of him quite quickly. Not that he dismissed the veiled rude words of Mrs. Grant, of course. "She can be quite a lot sometimes. I'm afraid it runs in the family, because I know her mother as well and she's just the same." Leaning back into his chair, Warner leveled his eyes with hers. "We don't have to do anything you don't feel like. But we can't avoid our neighbors forever, so if next time - whenever that happens - she starts pestering you about flowers, you can always give me a sign and I'll come save you. She has a weak spot for me and wouldn't have another choice but to agree with me." He quickly though over what he wanted to say next before inhaling a deep breath in and adding, "And I like everything you do."

It was a reasonable question, so it didn't phase her too much that he'd asked. "I asked around, the general consensus was that you were one of the few people who are actually passing the class." She'd always been somebody who liked to be as prepared as she could be, and that meant gathering up as much information as she could. "I'm not looking for free tutoring, or to cheat somehow." The latter tacked on, because cheating was something one of her friends suggested that she'd shut down straight away. "I'll pay you for your time. Whatever you want... Within reason I guess."

Matt realized he'd been staring at her quite perplexed and at lost for any real words. All those essays he so excelled at, the books hidden in his mind, and he lost all comprehension of any of it just because the girl he had a huge but impossible crush on was talking to him. Matthew tried to kick himself mentally into replying something, anything, other than keep staring at her like she'd just asked why he couldn't stop dreaming about her and her smile... which she was now giving to him, in all of its glory. "Uh-... Anything I want?" Quickly, he realized how creepy that sounded. "N-Not that I'd ask anything, of course... I'm just surprised... that's all. Your friends usually don't chose the hard way out of this." And now you're being judgmental, he scolded himself quickly. it was infinitely better to just shut up and speak only about what she was asking of him and nothing more. "I can help. But only if you're really serious about it, because there will be a lot of nights studying ahead of you." And then, because he remembered the last part of her offer, he added, "You don't have to pay me for tutoring you, Blake. It's okay."

aurora hesitated for a split second when julian held out her coat. her immediate instinct was to refuse, to take it from him and put it on herself, if only to make it clear that she didn't want his help. but she stopped herself and let him help. there was no point, it seemed, turning every interaction into a battle, especially since the battle seemed to be so one-sided. besides, it was so inconsequential that it hardly mattered. the murmured - and reluctant - thank you as she slipped her arms into the sleeves was so quiet she would have been surprised if he even caught it. she glanced at him as she swept her hair out from beneath the collar. it was a completely innocuous comment - hope you're not afraid of heights, but one that highlighted precisely just how little they knew each other. because a husband, though she loathed to even think the term, would know that. they had skipped every stage that should have preceded this one. there had been no first date, no gradual process of getting to know each other, not even a whirlwind romance. they had gone straight from strangers to husband and wife. the intimacy of that title felt entirely disconnected from their reality. almost mockingly so. "nope," she said flatly as she pulled open the front door. "not afraid of heights."

He felt the moment she decided not to make this another battle, rather than hear it and greedily, the man took advantage of it. Staying a step behind, his calculating eyes followed her brisk moves with the attention of someone studying an intricate painting. And when she opened the door, Julian followed, a small smirk forming in the corners of his lips. The attorney had a feeling his new wife had little fear of anything, the image of her so carefully curated that he sometimes wondered if it was possible to be all real. Only time would tell. And as they reached his car, Julian made the only acceptable action - opened the door for her and waited before shutting it again. The drive was quiet, just like he'd anticipated, but the man liked it that way. His hand didn't reach for the radio, but stayed idly on the steering wheel, focus seemingly unwavering. Catching their reflection in the windows, he couldn't not note that they looked good next to each other. Yet complimenting her felt wrong in the light of who they were and what roles each of them had to play. So, instead, quiet it was. And when they reached the restaurant, Julian got out, opening the door for her once more before buttoning his suit and offering her his arm in one seamless motion. "Appearance, remember?"

it wasn't the response he wanted to hear. luca was selfish enough to want catherine to ask him to stay, to try and dissuade him from going, but not selfish enough to say that out loud. even if things were different, even if they weren't painful and complicated, he couldn't imagine her ever asking him to turn down an opportunity like that. he nodded slowly. "yeah. it is the smart choice." the words sounded strangely hollow. "you're right, i should do it. i don't even know why i was questioning it." a transparent lie if there ever was one. he fell silent for a moment as he imagined what taking the job might look like. a different country, a new city, new people. a whole new life. a life that catherine wasn't a part of. perhaps that was what he needed. what they both needed. he couldn't be with her now but he also couldn't stay away from her. being on a different continent would certainly help enforce that, even if the thought did make him feel sick to his stomach. "i should go." luca turned away from the dancefloor to face her, to look at her, take her in, perhaps for the last time. "i'm sorry. for everything." he swallowed. "you deserve so much better than what i've put you through and i'm sorry i couldn't give you that."

The heaviness was back in full force, only making the wedding all that more unbearable. She hated herself for being like this, for not being able to put her friend's happiness above her own misery, but there seemed to be only room for the echo of his words, reverberating in her mind again and again, threatening to drive her mad. When Luca said he should go, her whole body became numb. It was impossible to be both glad of it and dread it, yet the conflicting emotions were right there, fighting, leaving her feeling utterly alone and sad. Catherine did not want to look at him and yet, the strain in his own voice drew her in, probably for the last time. He looked impossible to reach despite standing a breath away from her, the sorrow clearly etched into every line on his face. Swallowing, the woman managed to shake her head. "No hard feelings. I've forgiven you for not giving us a chance. Like I said... you are a good friend." Then, a beat later, "Don't be a stranger, okay?" Her voice wavered then, but the woman cleared her throat and made a step away from him.

“   right   .   charming   .   ”   gaze   is   giving   him   a   once   over   ,   before   focusing   on   the   small   notebook   in   front   of   her   .   femme   hadn’t   heard   the   greatest   of   things   about   him   ,   and   so   ,   she’d   like   for   things   to   stay   professional   .   “   my   point   is   …   i'll   say   it   as   many   time   as   i   have   to   until   it   gets   through   that   thick   skull   of   yours   .   ”   she’s   lifting   her   gaze   then   ,   browns   boring   into   his   eyes   .   “   all   of   this   is   strictly   work   related   .   so   don’t   try   to   woo   me   .   it’s   not   going   to   work   .   ”

"Woah, woah," Jere chuckled, mockingly lifting both of his hands in surrender. "Lower down the guns, I promise I come in peace. Mostly." It's not hard to imagine the things that she'd heard about him but as most things said about other people, mostly all of them were greatly exaggerated. "I'm only saying, no need to look at me like I'm the most evil thing you've ever laid your eyes on. Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Point is, I only meant that there's no reason not to have a polite conversations. I promise I'm not hitting on you, but if you do end up miraculously changing your opinion about me, I save the right to tell you 'I told you so'."

closed for @wintcrstcrfall

It was always tricky to talk about what had happened to her, even if it was in veiled terms and only half-spilled truths. The generic apologies that came naturally to humans but very rarely truly meant something only proved another point to Jo - that she had made the better decision to go somewhere remote, a town with a very small population. Sure, gossips tended to be worse at times too, but in time everything passed if one was persistent enough to evade the most difficult questions. Yet when Beau had offered his steady, understanding companionship, Jo hadn't recoiled like she used to do, nor did she feel the creeping sensation of anger slowly making its way in her bloodstream. For whatever it was worth, he seemed to be one of the very few ones that actually meant what they were saying, so that night, when he told her to stay, she listened. It wasn't because of the offer for a free drink - though she'd started to do more of that recently, despite the medication she still had to took. There was something in him that put her nerves at ease, despite that she'd lost trust in her own judgment. "Only if you keep me company. Drinking is no fun alone and those chairs are not going anywhere." And despite how lighthearted and a little slurred the words were supposed to be, there was heaviness behind them, the unsaid painfully stacking in the air.

“   i'm   right   fucking   here   .   ”   he’s   raising   his   voice   ,   gaze   bouncing   between   her   eyes   .   “   but   you   –   you   showed   up   here   with   him   ,   and   i   –   i   literally   told   you   ,   that   i   want   you   .   not   anyone   else   .   just   –   just   you   ,   annabelle   .   ”   his   heart   is   racing   inside   his   chest   ,   hands   balling   into   fists   the   same   way   hers   have   .   “   you’ve   given   up   on   us   haven’t   you   ?   ” 

Flinching when he raised his voice, Anna hurried to avert her gaze from his intense stare. She couldn't begrudge him his anger, because he had every right to. But the way things looked from her perspective, she wasn't in any better circumstances. "He's my skating partner. We show up together almost everywhere. You know I don't like going to these places alone, I can't stand the vultures..." But she still wanted to apologize, which led to her biting her tongue and fighting with herself. "Our mistake was that we thought there could be an 'us'. But there can't be, not really... Not when you can't control your jealousy and constantly jump to conclusions."

A sweet laugh forced its way out of her chest the second his breath tangled into her hair. It was all for show except the heat spreading all over her body and the way she reminded herself that this was all in the name of making a step reckless enough that no one would dare think it pretend. But faking had never been easier than in that second, with his hands on her, bodies moving into an intimate embrace that probably seemed too personal to be viewed by anyone else. But view they did. Annabelle didn't had to focus on any face in the crowd to know that they were all following them, scandalized and envious, wishing that they were him or her. And she tried to play into that, to think as if all of that was indeed real, as to make it the most believable it could be, even to people who knew her personally. Especially them. A part of her wanted to seek her partner into the crowd, to gauge the reaction spread on his face, but the heaviness in her chest made her a coward. And the blonde chose to believe Luca - someone who took way too great of a pleasure in riling someone else up. "I thought you two were friends," Anna whispered, smile on her face as if she was whispering sweet things into the ear of her boyfriend. Her fingers moved over his body, tips brushing upwards against his chest before stopping on his shoulders, gently gripping close to his neck. "No... no hurting him physically. I mean it. That's the line." And she hated herself for this, the feeling sudden and raw at the pit of her stomach. But the blonde made an attempt at hiding it, burying her face at the crook of his neck like he was the only thing keeping her upwards. Maybe he was. "There has to be a line, right?"