Ambrose Langford

65 years old - Chief of staff

[astraearinehart]

──a pleased smile curled at the corner of her lips, adorning her features, when the man caved; if anything, she was glad now she had intruded in his little made-up office. there was a charm about the man across from her, but also something more that she could not pinpoint right away and she was intrigued. he was interesting, despite her initial impression, thinking how he would probably be one of those stuck-up, snob workaholics; now she was even more curious why he was at the party but chose to work anyway when he was just so pleasant to talk to. “is this California?” she asked, followed by a small laugh, “I am from Australia, so don’t hold it against me if I am wrong,” words spoken with a soft, sweet smile adorning her lips.

her blue eyes remained on him as he responded. “you did strike me like a classic man…the old Hollywood type,” she teased, winking at him a little playfully. the waiter approached and Stella allowed the male to order first, thinking how it was only fitting when he seemed so old-fashioned, well-mannered, but in a good way; she liked it. “and two rounds of whiskey shots,” she added after before the waiter would be off with the order —she is more of a tequila girl, but she doesn’t mind mixing it up a little. “so,” she turned her gaze back on him, an easy smile forming on her lips. “what do you do for work that keeps you so busy?” she teased; the playfulness evident in her tone.

[ambroselangford]

"Why do I get the impression that you're making yourself seem more foolish than you actually are?" Even if she came from Australia, he was certain she could place California, Texas, Florida and Alaska on the map. "So, Ms. Australia," after all, he didn't know her name, and he wasn't sure she felt comfortable introducing herself yet. "Are you visiting or do you plan to stay here for a while ?" He finally returned her smile, although he was certain it didn't have quite the same appeal on him.

"Oh, that would have been my father. He was a movie producer for MGM back in the days," he had grown up in another borough : Pacific Palisades. But he preferred to keep his introduction as vague as possible for now. Chatting with near stranger was never an opportunity to unveil everything about you.

Besides, the way this was headed, he was likely to get talkative really fast. "You really don't want me to get back to my work, do you?" He scoffed, leaning forward to look at her better. Forearms resting on the table, he waits a moment before he answers. "I work for a politician. Surely you've heard of the elections to come." He couldn't imagine any English speaking country wouldn't cover it. "What about you, what do you do for a living?"

[ambroselangford]

[astraearinehart]

──Stella looked at him and smiled; a charming, coquettish smile. she set her glass on the table, leaned a little closer. “tsk, tsk,” she clicked her tongue, half-sat up as she leaned forward ( leaving some of her cleavage slightly exposed to the man sitting across from her ), began to gather the pages he had left, scattered on the table in a tidy pile. “you are already here,” she said in a slow, sweet drawl, “might as well relax.” his following question made her laugh, and she momentarily paused the task at hand, glanced at him. “I like the weirdness, sometimes,” she winked at him. “I love New York, it’s…fun,” to her, so far; weirdos or not, there was something about this city, that made her feel alive.

meeting his eyes, she smiled. She set the papers on the corner of the table beside him, slowly leaned back in her seat once more. “have a drink, for starters…” she proposed, lifting her own glass to him before taking a sip. “what’s your usual?” she inquired, looking for a waiter to flag them down —she already had in mind, she was going to get them a round of shots.

[ambroselangford]

"You don't ha-" He took notice of the smile on her. This was a woman who was used to getting all of someone's attention. That made him pause. Intrigued, he set down his phone, face up, on top of the table. "I suppose that this is not such a terrible idea." The older man glanced down, finding her cleavage, then back at her face. Wondering if she was aware of it, he made no comments, and kept his eyes on her face. He was hardly a fan of seeming like a creep, though he was able to appreciate a beautiful woman too.

She was rather charming. He wondered if that was her natural setting or, selfishly, if that was for him. "New York is a lot of fun. I thought I would hate it when I first got here. I'm from the West Coast," he explained. As such, he was used to a more laid back, modern approach. LA was just as ruthless a town, but the energy was completely different here.

"My usual is a nicely shaken Manhattan," which was frankly harder to find than you'd think, even in this city. "Although rye whisky usually does it," he completed. He glanced aside as well, and raised his fingers at a waiter passing by.

[berkeleys]

"Somehow," he laughs, "I'm not at all surprised that you do."

"Upset? No," a shake of his head. His turn to tease back. "But I might need to take a picture of you with it, for... cataloguing purposes." One thing's for sure: they're never beating the brat allegations.

Julian takes the offered seat, and eyes their surroundings for a waiter. "You know me, Ambrose. I wouldn't turn down a bourbon."

[ambroselangford]

"Julian, I am nothing if not an open book to you." No hidden agenda. Because politicians liked how far his arm could reach, how sharp his talons were, but they wouldn't have trusted him if he had not been transparent with them.

"Cataloguing purposes?" The older man allows himself an unbecoming snort. "I can't believe I'm helping a hellion become head of the country," leaning back into his seat, Ambrose set down his phone face down. "I suppose it's a good thing I'm not going for a pornstar martini then." He wouldn't. Too sugary, as were all cocktails with a suggestive name. Go figure.

"Then I'll happily have a bourbon with you."

[berkeleys]

This very sight of Ambrose couldn't be a more familiar one. Working, always working. At the office, in his home, or at an obscene party on Halloween night.

Julian chuckles to himself, and steps closer. "I promise you, the intern hires aren't that urgent."

Beat. Can I help you? "Yes." No hesitation. "Share a drink with me, friend. We are five days away and our nerves won't calm themselves."

[ambroselangford]

Well, now he could abandon all hope of getting work done tonight. He was, as his nieces would say, busted. Raising his gaze, he deadpanned at the other's offer. "If you want, I might have a bottle of Xanax somewhere, Sir," he teased.

There was no arguing with Mr Berkeley and he tidied up the table to invite him to sit on the other side. "Will you get upset if I order an espresso martini?"

[astraearinehart]

──her blue eyes narrowed slightly observing the man’s reaction; she hadn’t expected that if she was, to be honest, she had expected an argument, at best, the other to get annoyed at her for being so blunt and invasive, but he surprised her pleasantly. “a gentleman,” she exclaimed with a smile as she got a little more comfortable. a pearl of light laughter fell from her lips at his response and she arched, a perfectly shaped brow as she gave him a look. “please, you look fine to me,” she said, picking up her glass to take a sip of her tequila. not that she could argue with the following statement, but Stella always loved a good night out, a party, or just any chance to drink and dance, really —of course, it is up to taste, but she learned to adapt. “that’s what got you working in the middle of a Halloween party?” she laughed and then tilted her head studying him a little, “but you are here already, so why not have fun? Unless you were forced to come.” she giggled.

his question made her grimace a little and she tried to mask it by taking another sip of her drink. “it’s been a weird night, actually. and do you believe it is only my first night in New York?”

[ambroselangford]

A gentleman. He might not be as cut-throat as the politicians he has worked for, but years of working in the industry earned you a reputation. You didn't get to work for presidential candidates if you let morality stand in your way. In his private life, he might have been one, but ever since he had lost his wife, he had had no such thing as a private life. Work had taken over.

"I can work anywhere." he explained. It would take more than noise to distract him. A conversation, for example. "I wasn't forced to come," he smiled faintly. "I suppose I have forgotten how to relax as of late." The elections were just around the corner and Ambrose knew that it was fundamental not to bring down their guard just yet.

He caught the pause before she replied to him, and her response did not surprise him though it did intrigue him. "I do believe it's your first night in New York," with an air of benevolence on his face, he added: "How do you like it here so far? Weirdness of the night aside?"

[astraearinehart]

──Stella had been looking for a little quiet corner to rest for a moment, feeling overwhelmed after meeting her daughter, thought she had found the perfect place when she noticed the man, almost startled when he just about looked up to address her. “is New York full of weirdos everywhere you turn?” she huffed as she sat down across from him anyway, pushed a paper or two aside to place her drink down. “don’t mind me, I will only be a moment…” she offered; she would likely be comfortable there for far longer, but she didn’t feel in the mood to get into an argument about invading his space —and who the fuck works at a party?

“you sure are fun at parties,” she blurted out, giggling a little to herself.

[ambroselangford]

"You must be new." he reached out to get her side of the table uncluttered. She might not be here for a long time, still he had manners. "No need to rush. I do not own the table," even if he had been there first, and taken advantage of the table, Ambrose didn't believe in first-come, first-served. In his line of work, you had to fight for results. If you were second, the only acceptable option was to pry open the opponents claws to attempt getting the upper hand. He lived for it. The thrill of the fight. The metaphorical taste of their blood.

"I'm afraid I'm past my prime days," that was a blatant lie. The older he got, the more he felt like he was in control. "Or maybe parties aren't what they used to be." Because he remembered the 90s, or maybe idealized the 90s... Hard to tell. "Are you having fun?"

[ambroselangford]

open to: all setting: halloween at the palazzo

He wasn't one for caring where he worked. As long as confidentiality was possible, he was going to keep at it. On the plane, the train. There was always the possibility of taking the last row. No peeking over his shoulder. Right now, he had picked the corner table at a dreadful halloween party. The place might have been busy, he had been able to get work done. Besides, it was not like hiring staff was precisely sensitive content. Not for these job positions at least. He barely looked up as someone approached his table, apparently looking for something. "Mmmm? Can I help you?"