Lovely Empire

Grant Lovely | 24 | Tech Savvy

[maddiebensons-deactivated201507]

Yeah I disappeared, but on my adventures I brought home presents.

[grantlovely]

Aren't you kind.

[georgiapeach-xo-deactivated2014]

Grocery items falling out of her hands and onto the dirty concrete, Georgia jumped violently, throwing her hands into the air just like the officer had yelled at her to do. The last thing she expected when turning the corner would be a gun pointed at her, and once she finally gained her wits, and slowed her breathing, Georgia sent Lovely a more than angry look. 

Are you fucking kidding me Lovely?! Georgia all but screeched. She dropped her hands, looking at her ruined groceries before back at the officer. Fuck you, and your whole fucking team. Word of advice? If you’re trying to catch someone in Eris of all places, don’t bring the goddamn SWAT. 

Now are you going to lower the gun, or what? 

[grantlovely]

Grant took in the scene, but his main focus was on getting the man and keeping the bystander that Georgia had turned into safe. He made sure that she wasn't near either his or the gunman's range before storming past her and tackling the man to the ground. He didn't even have to shoot, which was the good part, and it didn't take much of a fight to restrain the guy.

He stood up as two other agents grabbed the man and took him to the car. We're not SWAT. Was all he said, eerily calm as he put is gun back in its holster.

[cole-mace]

Ever since he talked to someone about something going on in Eris, Cole had been spending a lot of his time there. Trying to dig up something, anything. When all of a sudden, he was being yelled at. Turning around with an amused look on his face, he raised his hands. Oh, is there a bust happening? Mind if I tag along?

[grantlovely]

They were wearing the same clothing, he wasn't sure how the other man and Cole had switched spots somewhere in the chase. Grant dropped his gun after a few moments and put the safety in before running his hand across the sweat on his forehead. 

You don't want to get involved, Mace. 

[dancing-stolzenberg]

Edie blinked and turned around, slowly, raising her hands up a little bit. 

[grantlovely]

It only took Grant a split second to recognize the girl there. The other man took advantage of Grant's distraction to run. Fuck. He cursed under his breath. 

Do you usually approach people with guns, Edie? He was undeniable irked. 

[grantlovely]

Put your hands up! [Grant and the team had been assigned to the same case for a few months and it was only now that they had a good enough lead to go after someone. They were in Eris, and he had caught up with the guy when someone unexpected showed up.]

[izzy-rookwood]

I’ve been okay, I guess. How was work?

[grantlovely]

That's good, and busy as usual. But for some reason, coming home is always a vacation even though the load is pretty much the same.

[dancing-stolzenberg]

I- Uh. I’m okay. 

[grantlovely]

Edie, I've been meaning to talk to you. ...About what you said.

I don't care.

[grantlovely]

I always miss Asteria when work calls me elsewhere. How have you been?

[misselenalovely]

I’d tell you that I’m pregnant, but I think you’re too young to have your first heart attack. 

[grantlovely]

I would murder Logan so fast no one would believe it.

[cole-mace]

I think there might be cake in City Hall tomorrow. Does that count?

[grantlovely]

The best surprise I've heard all week.

[grantlovely]

Any more surprises?

[maddiebensons-deactivated201507]

Woah hey, didn’t think I’d be seeing you here. It’s sort like one of those cheesy meetings you see in movies.

[grantlovely]

I'm flattered, but I'm positive I'm not who you were looking for.

[dancing-stolzenberg]

No, I don’t fucking enjoy myself. I wake up every day knowing that I have to go into work to throw myself at a bunch of skeevy old men who are looking at me like I’m some piece of meat. But it’s the only thing I can do. I’m not good enough anywhere else. My family has no money, and I… I can’t get a job because I can’t afford to go to college. 

Are you happy? Is that what you wanted to hear? You know, I’ve dealt with everyone’s assumptions of me for far too long. But I thought that maybe you were different. I knew I was right to keep this from you. Everyone said you would understand, but no. You’re just like everyone else. 

[grantlovely]

You're right, except I'm not judging you. I can't judge you because I don't know you, Edie. I've been trying to, but then you shoot something like that at me when all I knew were the superficial facts. 

I don't know how to take it. [He was mad that she lied from the beginning, worried that she was doing something she didn't like because of the pay his father offered and all the tips, disappointed in the path she had chosen, and yet he wanted her out for selfish reasons.]

[dancing-stolzenberg]

Y-You’re not? I… It’s not your dad’s fault, Grant. I chose this.

[grantlovely]

You chose it. So you like it, you enjoy yourself? Can we just... you didn't have to tell me that.

[dancing-stolzenberg]

Edie’s lip quivered, and she didn’t know why she was so upset. She had never felt this way before.

I-I’m sorry for not telling you… You just… I didn’t want you to look at me the way you are now. I didn’t want you to hate me. I just wanted a chance to be normal.

[grantlovely]

I'm not— I don't look at you differently. Not... I'm more mad at my father to be honest.

[dancing-stolzenberg]

Edie looked down, feeling even worse for telling the truth than she had been for lying. Or at least hiding it from him. Swallowing, she shook her head, and her voice was quiet. 

I’m not kidding. 

[grantlovely]

It all clicked then, and it was as if he could audibly hear his heart sink.

That's why you looked so familiar when we first met.

[dancing-stolzenberg]

What? No! I’m not rejecting you! 

I’m a dancer! At your father’s club!

[grantlovely]

Was this some kind of twister joke, did she really have to come up with such an excuse to get out of a date? But then again, he didn't know her as a liar, he didn't know her at all.

You're kidding right.