She Walks Among Wolves

Gwen Lycaon| 101| Chef- Owner, Nevermore Bar & Grill | Werewolf

[sersh]

FLORENCE PUGH Hair styled by Faye Browne and makeup by Lauren Buckley ahead of Harris Reed’s pool party in Ibiza, May 2026

[caleb-lycaon]

"It's not all on mom..." Caleb returned, the furrow appearing between his brows again. This was a huge topic of contention between himself and Gwen and as much as he did not wish to start arguing with his sister again, it seemed like they were heading in that direction anyway.

"No, he wasn't. But Mom was not in the Lycaon pack anymore when we found out about him being your father and he was. What did you expect me to do about that? Just allow him to stay while that knowledge percolated between us? Mom will have my loyalty as an ex-leader of this pack. She taught me all I know about running this pack. That and that she is our mother."

[gwen-lycaon]

"Oh here we go," Gwen muttered sarcastically as she tossed her hands in the air. "Mommy's little golden boy off to defend her the second the opportunity presents itself. Honestly, Caleb, pick a new song, because this one is is getting real fucking old, " she fired back, feeling her blood beginning to boil under her skin. She wondered what it would take for Caleb to ever see her side of things, if he were even capable. After decades of fighting for it, she wasn't holding her breath to ever getting it.

She took the last drag of her cigarette, putting the ash out under her boot and shoving the butt in her purse. Gwen might have been a hothead, but she sure as shit wasn't a litterer. She contemplated lighting another one as she slammed herself back into the seat, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Yes! Goddammit, Yes! That's exactly what I expected you to do. Because he's family too. He has always been family. Not just mine, but yours too. There's a reason you chose him to be your second, and have continued to make that choice all these years. He doesn't deserve to be cast aside the second something comes up that you don't like, or god forbid, jeopardizes the precious reputation of this excuse for a family." At this point, she didn't know if she was still talking about Jax or Auggie, but the point was still the same. "Caleb's Loyalty. I wonder what that feels like?"

[augustine-lycaon]

Augustine gave an audible sigh. Gwen sounded like she had very much processed his death and accepted it— perhaps in a much more suitable fashion than his immediate family, to boot. His cousin was more than a handful though, and the fact she was casually mentioning her dead cousin’s order to a stranger reminded him the longer he put matters off, the worse it was going to be.

“Fuck the salad,” he mumbled, wishing he had ordered something to drink instead of eat. What a mess. “Look- why don’t you just do us both a favor and take a seat,” he suggested, motioning to the empty seat across from him. Had his magic been stronger, he would have tried to force some semblance of privacy for the conversation. Hell, had he not been terrified of Gwen, he might have suggested a more private location even. How did you ask someone for that who viewed you as a stranger though, without coming off as a creep? Or just flat out admitting the truth up front? A semi public location was as good as it was gonna get, and the witch was grateful the joint was relatively quiet for the moment, with just a few other patrons present. “We need to have a chat. It’s about that cousin of yours you’re referring to- Augustine.”

[gwen-lycaon]

Gwen let out a triumphant chuckle as she submitted the order, "Atta boy!" She was about to go back to polishing glasses when the man caught her attention again. An eyebrow shot up in confusion as he gestured to the seat in front of him, hesitant to follow his suggestion. She'd been know to sit with locals for a quick visit from time to time in between responsibilities around the restaurant. This man was a stranger, and the longer they interacted, the more Gwen sensed he would be trouble.

The alpha wolf was just about to muster the words to politely decline when he mentioned her cousin... by name. Gwen's eyes narrowed, visibly taken back by his words. "What about him?" she said, more power in her voice than she meant to. Just hearing his name brought back an ache of grief that hit her square in the chest. And who was this guy to be saying it in her bar? Gwen knew about Auggie's line of work, and wondered if this man was involved in that world somehow. Maybe a client, a crazed fan, or even a pissed off spouse of a client looking for vengeance? The blonde found her way around the bar, tossing the bar rag over her shoulder as she walked over. "How do you know my cousin?" she spoke as she crossed her arms, sizing up the man in case she needed to throw him out.

[caleb-lycaon]

"Great. Thank you for the update. And thank you for taking the time to go and check in with them," Caleb said and he meant it. Knowing that news of Artemis and even some activity was breaching Vievecor's borders was not good news, but it was better to be informed than not.

"As for our family... I know that we're kind of messed up right now, but we'll pull through. We always do." Even if their relationships were still strained. And Caleb wondered if he was also saying this to Gwen to also reassure himself. "You could always go and talk to mom, you know? Same goes for dad... Jax..." They had gotten into numerous explosive rows because of Jaxon, but Caleb still believed that he did the right thing. "I could not allow him to remain in the pack while dad is still in this pack with us. Surely even you can understand that?" But Auggie? Caleb chose to ignore that subject altogether.

[gwen-lycaon]

She nodded at his gratitude, unsure how to take it. She could tell he was being sincere, and a part of her wanted to believe that meant there was a chance that things would eventually be better between them. After decades at odds, Gwen couldn't deny she was tired of fighting. However, there were several choices that she wasn't sure she could forgive Caleb for, at least not any time soon.

Just as quickly as her brain fantasized about a truce, the thoughts quickly evaporated at Caleb's next words. "Are you out of your goddamn mind? Mom and I can't even be in the same room together without trying to kill each other. And last time I checked, she's the reason we're in all of this mess. Besides, i'm giving dad his space for now." Gwen had to bite her tongue before she lashed out at Caleb for that too, considering it had been his idea to inform their father. The younger Alpha rolled her eyes at the comment about her father and Jax. Although she knew that Caleb was right, and their father didn't deserve to be in the middle of this mess, she also knew Jax didn't deserve to be exiled. "What does Jax being my father have to change about him being your second? He's not the only one that lied to you about his involvement with the mom, but you still seem loyal to her."

[gildedxink]

God you're such a dumbass...

The salute was so dumb, how was this woman so hot and so awkward all in one body? Max sighs at the 'deceiving' comment. Then the rest of it tumbled out, and it had them gripping the glass tightly in her hand.

"Yeah, you kinda did..." They shouldn't be doing this drunk, they shouldn't being doing this right now but the bag was open and the cats were getting out. "You didn't give me a choice...You didn't let me be there for you like you were for me."

Max downed the drink they had taking a breath, "I sat there while you were in a comma, Gwen, a FUCKING comma. I found you! I thought your were going to fucking die. And when I did get you back...when you were awake again you pushed me away and you left." The put the glass down with maybe a little more aggresion than she wanted. "You didn't want me in the blast radius..."

"You love me?" She laughed a little bitterly, "I love you, but fuck you, I missed you so much and I've been so alone and everything is still fucked... So tell me are you staying or is this visit? Are you going to leave me alone in the dust again, because I can't do that again"

[gwen-lycaon]

Max's bringing up their grief of their parents stung harder than the alpha was expecting. She knew Max was right. It wasn't fair. Gwen had thrown herself into supporting Max, and when it was time for Max to return the favor, Gwen had ran. Letting people in was still a skill that eluded her, no matter how hard she tried. And with everything crashing down around her, it only made it all the more difficult.

Gwen winced, Max hitting every target they aimed their words at with a steady, beautiful precision. If Gwen weren't the object of their wrath she would have found it incredibly hot, and if she were being honest, she still kind of did. "I deserve that. And more. I..." she trailed off, inhaling before letting out a long breath. "I don't expect you to forgive me, Max. Hell, if the roles were reversed I would have already kicked my own ass by now," she tried to tease, but the humor didn't quite meet her eyes. "Look, I... I didn't realize how much I was leaving behind until I left. I know that sounds cliche'd as fuck, and I hate myself for how corny that sounds, but it's the truth. All my life has been one big fight or flight roller coaster, one I could never get off. And at times I didn't even want to because nothing has every truly felt like home enough to try, not with the my family, the pack, my career, all of it. After everything that happened, I thought... I thought that if I just left again everything would go back to normal. But it didn't. I just felt emptier than when I left. And it's because for the first time, the thing I was chasing was the thing I left behind. You. You are my home, Max. I'm sorry I couldn't see that through my own bullshit to see it sooner." She adverted her eyes from Max to down the last half of her beer in a few big gulps. She could already feel the warmth of the shots coating her belly and brain, grateful for the momentary reprieve.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore."

[gwen-lycaon]

The alpha’s eyebrow quirked as the man stumbled on his words, curious as to what his deal might be as she awaited his order. “Ahh, you just caught us between rushes today. Usually we’re kinda slow around happy hour,” she shrugged offhandedly, offering him a soft smile at his recognizing her. “That would be me. I’ve been gone for a while working on some projects. Figured i’d give my bartender a night off so I could check in on things. Besides, I can’t let the big boss get too rusty, now can I?” she teased, seeing a patron down the bar signal for another and moving to pour their drink. “Might have to remind me again what that usual order is,” she asked, sliding the drink skillfully the short ways to the customer. There was something about the man that Gwen couldn’t put her finger on. Maybe it was in his mannerisms, the way he spoke or how his gaze shifted but something felt off, maybe even familiar? Gwen brushed away the thoughts then, attributing them to overthinking regarding being back at the bar.

[augustine-lycaon]

“Cheeseburger with grilled onions and bacon,” he responded, curious now that Gwen was back what she might make of his order— what he *always* ordered when they grabbed burgers together or when they grilled out together. “Side salad with the house dressing,” he added— the only difference now that he was trying to eat marginally healthier as a witch.

[gwen-lycaon]

Gwen made her way over to the POS to enter in the man’s order before her head whipped up in surprise. That order. His order. She half expected to see Auggie smiling back at her when she looked up, a small frown following in its wake as she moved to put it in. “Uhh, sure, got it,” she mumbled with a nod of her head before bringing her attention back to the screen. “Onions and bacon on a burger, interesting choice...” she trailed off, debating on continuing before deciding to hell with it. “You know, I used to have a cousin who ordered the same thing. Except he’d get it with my famous Parmesan garlic truffle fries. Not exactly a salad, but they’re damn tasty,” she mused, smiling more to herself. Flashes of memories grilling and cooking with Auggie, playfully bullying each other’s skills and talking shit about their family over beers played in her thoughts. “Not too late to change your mind before I hit send,” she teased, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

[magiktricks]

FLORENCE PUGH at the Dune: Part Three Teaser Trailer Event

[romestuffs]

florence pugh.

[les-fleur]

A Good Person (2023, dir. Zach Braff)

[will-rogers]

Will snorted, diving for his own napkin and spilling Cheetos off his lap in doing so. "That's gross, Gwen." He couldn't keep the laughter out of his own voice. Something about her joy brought him joy. Seeing her injured sent Will on a revenge spree with Faith. He needed to take revenge on those who would even dare to harm his Pengwen. But then she left, and Will felt a bit of his family leaving with her. Of course his heart went out to Maxie. Whatever his daughter and Gwen had was pure, but he couldn't imagine a life without Gwen in it. "I lost count of the stern talking tos and the disapproving stares. I'll just call him a butthead to his face for the shock value now." He sent a wink in her direction.

"Pope-rex? Is the Canon canon?" He chuckled, shaking his head. They were definitely thinking way too hard about this, but there was some relief in not having to think of anything serious. There was a comfort in simply being- and that wasn't just the pot talking.

He sobered up for a moment. "It has to do with Faye. That's all I'm allowed to say without her here." Knowing what a smart kid she was, Gwen would eventually figure it out. He'd probably get scolded for technically not telling her but telling her, yet that was a price he was willing to pay when he had so much good in his life. He reached out, squeezing her shoulder. "When I was a bit younger than you, I left the whole city and pack behind to see the world. Sometimes you need something bigger to bring everything into perspective. I get it."

[gwen-lycaon]

"Fuck you, you're gross," she retorted with childish humor as she wiped her nose and face, a fit of laughs escaping her lips as she continued cleaning her mess. She looked over to Will, grateful for moments like this where she could be her genuine self with someone who got it. There weren't many people in this world Gwen showed this side of herself, and it seemed the numbers were dwindling as of recently. "You and me both, man. I'm sure I have one coming the next time I see him. I've been sneaking onto the property to visit Auggie but i know my luck is bound to run out eventually..." she trailed off, the mention of her late cousin driving a cold stake through her heart.

"No, but it should be. See, this is why we should be in show-business. We're geniuses." It was definitely the levels of cross-fading channeling those words, but she enjoyed the banter and idea of them making movies together too much to care.

Gwen watched her uncle's features turn serious, peaking her interest as she sat up a bit straighter. "Oh my god, is she okay?" she asked with concern, the haze of weed in her brain causing her to forget that Will had previously mentioned it was a good thing. "Is it something with the business?"

The young wolf, leaned her head against Will's touch, grateful for the wisdom and safety he brought to the storms raging in her mind. "You know it scares me how well you get me sometimes. Are you sure you're not my dad too?" she teased, a soft grin tugging at her lips at the joke.

[caleb-lycaon]

"I just wanted to check in on you. You haven't been back to the family home since you returned," Caleb responded, doing his best not to raise to any bait Gwen might throw his way. It was not easy given their tenuous relationship, but he was the older of the two and he had to try. The suggestion that she needed to eat more was on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to bite back that comment.

"Did you manage to get in touch with the packs outside of the city?" The ones Caleb had tasked Gwen with speaking with through unanswered texts interspersed with other texts asking after her.

[gwen-lycaon]

Her eyes crinkled in speculation as she looked over at Caleb, his words hitting her ears like an instrument off key. Playing the caring older brother after everything they'd been through the last few years left a sour taste in the Alpha's mouth as she inhaled her cigarette again, desperate for it to give her wisdom for an answer. He'd still been trying to play that card the last several months in texts and voicemails, and hearing it in person left the same result each time. "Tell me, what exactly is there to come back to, Caleb? I'm not talking to mom. Dad's barely talking to me. You kicked Jax out of the pack. Auggie's dead, and our siblings are off doing god knows what." She really had been trying to be on her best behavior, but even the nicotine couldn't help the word vomit that spewed.

"I did," she spoke, her voice returning back to business. "I briefed them on what's been going on here. They've had suspicious events within their community but don't have evidence to directly tie it to Artemis just yet. They're each tracking a few individuals that are of particular interest and they'll keep us posted on what they find," She reported matter-of-factly.

[gildedxink]

Did she just do finger guns at me? God I'm in love with a fucking dork.

The little goofy gesture had them stiffling a laugh. It was always a miracle when Gwen could go from looking like she could kick your ass to voted most likely to be a stand up comedian. Max got into the stool flinching a little at least most of the bruising was going to be in parts of their body that they could heal easily but that could wait. It was better that they not try to do too much while their emotions were too all over the place. "Hard question for me to answer really."

"However, I'm already drunk, so you'd have to catch up and I'm kinda impatient. Just stay in the stool tho, the floor here is gross trust me." They brought the low ball glass to their lips and took a sip the burn of the alcohol starting to dull the ache in their muscle. The ache in their chest stayed, "You look better.."

That admission maybe hurt the most, Max was sure that they looked worse than the last time she'd seen them. They'd only just started to come to terms that they were alone and that leaving VC and them was probably the best thing for her. Maybe they weren't drunk enough for this conversation. "This really isn't what I thought getting to see you again for the first time was going to be like."

[gwen-lycaon]

Her heightened senses caught the glint of amusement in Max’s eyes at Gwen’s display of awkwardness, hoping it meant she was breaking through their facade. The alpha bit her lip, mostly from anxiety, the rest was to keep herself from staying something stupid. She fought the urge to word vomit, regurgitating a monologue of explanation and penance. Seeing them flinch brought a wave of clarity to the wolf as her worry for their partner increased. Gwen let out a tense chuckle at Max’s admittance of their lack of sobriety, ordering a few more shots for herself.

“Yes, ma’am,” she mock saluted with two fingers before shooting back the three that lay in front of her. She chased the burn with a sip of beer, clearing her throat before responding to Max. “Looks can be deceiving,” she replied back solemnly. It was true she had more color in her cheeks and possibly even looked slimmer after traveling for her book and PR for her brand, but her soul still emanated a darkness as her reality came crushing back the minute she got into VC limits. "I- I know, and i'm... sorry, Max. I-," the rest of her sentence lost on her lips as she looked into her partner's eyes. "I fucked up. I keep fucking up, actually, no matter how much I try not to. Even coming back to you and seeing you again, I fucked this up. Look, the truth is, I didn't picked up the phone because I didn't even know if you'd even want to see me. I honestly wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't. I shouldn't have ran... I know that now. I knew staying here in the headspace I was in, I was going to go nuclear and I couldn't stand the thought of you being in the blast radius for that. It's.... it's not that I didn't trust you... I love you, Max. Fuck, I love you. I just... I knew I couldn't trust myself." The alpha drew her beer back to her lips to shut herself up, the last several months of emotions spewing out of her mouth.

[gwen-lycaon]

🎾

What are they currently juggling in their life?

The short answer is trauma. The long answer is working back in her bar after the fire, trying to rebuild Max's trust and affection after basically abandoning them for several months, same but Jax, same but not Caleb. Also, the family drama and tension with her brother. Debating about leaving the pack. Also trying to finish her latest cookbook. And also trauma.

[vievecorcityrp]

Players who are interested in taking part should reblog this post to their characters blogs for other players to them a headcanon question to answer~

💥 If they had to pick a single word to describe this year (2025 until now) so far, what would it be?

☺️ Do they have something special that picks them up when they feel down? What is it?

🚫 What traits would they want to avoid when it comes to choosing a romantic partner?

🤑 What’s the biggest wager they’ve ever made?

😡 What is the last thing that they totally overreacted to?

💤 What’s their opinion on naps?

🤔 What do they find they spend a lot of time wondering about?

🌹 What smell always brings back some type of memory?

🪣 Do they have a bucket list?

🎾 What are they currently juggling in their life?

✨ How difficult is it for them to try new things?

👽 What’s something that they believe that most other people don’t?

🙈 When do they feel the most guilt? How do they respond to it?

💕 What do they remember most about their first crush?

🤫 Do they consider telling white lies to be okay?

🤬 Is there anything that makes them far angrier than it should?

🕛 What have they been thinking about lately that has kept them up at night?

😒 What is something that will instantly annoy them?

🧟 What’s their (NEW) plan for surviving a zombie invasion?

👍🏻 What do they consider the best decision they’ve made thus far in their life?

🍪 Did they take a cookie from the cookie jar? What kind of cookie was it?

🤩 What’s something that they never seem to get tired of doing?

💋 Do they have an ideal "type" in a romantic partner?

Taken from HERE

BONUS:

Send ♡ to see what my muse thinks of yours ○○○○○ | ATTRACTION ○○○○○ | AFFECTION ○○○○○ | INTEREST ○○○○○ | LOYALTY ○○○○○ | TRUST LOW | ●●●●● | HIGH

Taken from HERE

[gwen-lycaon]

Who: Gwen x Faust ( @augustine-lycaon ) Where: Nevermore When: Around 2PM

Everywhere she turned, all she could see was flames. All she could hear was the roar of the fire as it consumed. And when she wasn't reliving the trauma of her attack, she was pushing away memories that popped up on every corner of her late cousin. To say it pained her to be back was an understatement, but she was determined to get over herself and find solace here once again. She was grateful for the lunch rush that kept her and her thoughts busy, but it was quickly dying down, which meant she needed to busy herself again.

Working on a few inventory reports at the bar, she noticed the fellow out of the corner of her eye. A new regular, she guessed, considering how many times she'd seen him in here since they'd reopened. She felt relief in knowing that people enjoyed her bar, especially after everything it, and she, had been through. Walking over, she tucked her pen behind her ear and placed a bar coaster in front of him. "Welcome to Nevermore. What can I get you?"

[augustine-lycaon]

Augustine hadn’t been able to help himself, frequenting Gwen’s establishment event before he was back in town. He knew he had become a regular, but her recipes and cooking were something he had missed and enjoyed— something to remind him of family even when he couldn’t quite resume his old life yet.

The witch hadn’t considered Gwen herself taking his order however- caught off guard and wondering where her usual wait staff was as the wolf approached him that day.

“The usual- I mean,” he stumbled, immediately realizing Gwen possibly didn’t know his order. “-Short staffed today? You’re the owner and head chef, right?”

[gwen-lycaon]

The alpha’s eyebrow quirked as the man stumbled on his words, curious as to what his deal might be as she awaited his order. “Ahh, you just caught us between rushes today. Usually we’re kinda slow around happy hour,” she shrugged offhandedly, offering him a soft smile at his recognizing her. “That would be me. I’ve been gone for a while working on some projects. Figured i’d give my bartender a night off so I could check in on things. Besides, I can’t let the big boss get too rusty, now can I?” she teased, seeing a patron down the bar signal for another and moving to pour their drink. “Might have to remind me again what that usual order is,” she asked, sliding the drink skillfully the short ways to the customer. There was something about the man that Gwen couldn’t put her finger on. Maybe it was in his mannerisms, the way he spoke or how his gaze shifted but something felt off, maybe even familiar? Gwen brushed away the thoughts then, attributing them to overthinking regarding being back at the bar.

[gwen-lycaon]

"Why not? I've done it for the past few months. Seems best not to mess up a good thing," she mused sarcastically, taking a long drag before exhaling slowly. The younger Alpha found it hard to meet her older brother's eyes, but when she did, it was with an intensity that could have bored a hole straight through Caleb's head. It also wasn't lost on her that he hadn't once acknowledged Auggie's grave in their interaction, only fueling her anger. She bit the inside of her cheek to maintain her composure, the metallic taste of blood coating her mouth.

Gwen let out a low, annoyed growl as she turned around, knowing this tactic all too well. It would only be the beginning of his pestering until she gave in, and it was a long walk back to her jeep. "Ugh! Fine! But I'm not putting my cigarette out," she argued back with finality as she trudged towards his stupid car. Flinging the door open with the yank of the handle, she landed in the passenger seat with a thud, slamming the door and adjusting her posture to face the door.

[caleb-lycaon]

Hearing that Gwen had been deliberately avoiding him hurt even though Caleb already knew that to be the case. And when Gwen's eyes bored into his own, he could not help the nervous twitch on his face as she seemed to only get even more angry.

Caleb's shoulders dropped when she finally gave in and got into his car. Letting his sister smoke in his usually pristine vehicle would be a small price to pay in his attempt to get her to open up. He got into the driver's side, closed his door and tugged at the seat belt before he wound down the window on Gwen's side to let the cigarette smoke out.

They sat in silence for a long awkward moment while Caleb drove the car out of the cemetery before he decided to be the first to break it. "Have you eaten yet? Do you need lunch?"

[gwen-lycaon]

The awkward silence made her uncomfortable. She was caught between savoring the cigarette like a life line and sucking it down to the bud to rid herself of the anxiety that pooled in the pit of her stomach. This is the closest they’d been to one another since their last blow up at the manor almost a year ago. She could still hear his words echoing through her brain at the rationale to tell her father about Jax. Just as she was contemplating an exit strategy that consisted of tuck and rolling out of a moving vehicle, Caleb spoke, nearly startling her as she turned to him.

“This is my lunch,” she countered, flicking the accumulated ash out of the crack in the window. Stress had not been kind to the alpha, having lost some of her muscle mass and weight. She knew that but she hated that it wasn’t something she could hide better. “What is this about, Caleb?”

[gwen-lycaon]

Who: Katya x Open ( @vievecorcitystarters) When: Morning, Last Day of Shooting Where: Hair and Make-up Trailer

Katya readied her supplies for the upcoming day ahead, buzzing from her usual breakfast of coffee and cigarettes. A lit cigarette clung half-hazardously between her lips as she flitted around the hair and make-up trailer, excitement oozing from her pores. Today was the last big scene, and her ambitions to make everyone show-stopping overcame any lingering anxiety she had about the film. She felt the cool metal of the unplugged curling iron, staring at her reflection and envisioning it as an Academy Award, before a knock at the door broke her fantasy.

Putting out her cigarette, the blonde threw open the door with a beaming smile, "Ah! Good morning, my little Zvezda star!" Her Russian accent thickened from excitement as she greeted the person with a kiss on the cheek. "Are we excited for the big day?"

[matthew-alexander]

"Katya," Matthew greeted in return and leaned in to return the kiss. "I suppose I should be. Then I can finally be rid of this production," his voice a deadpan as he stepped into her hair and make-up trailer. This department was probably the only one Matthew did not give a hard time because he genuinely liked Katya on most days and it was her job to make him look good.

"I brought you a pastry," he said and held a croissant wrapped in a napkin out towards her. It did well to curry favour with her too, lest some 'unfortunate' mishap happen with her curling iron and his hair. "How are you doing, gorgeous?"

[gwen-lycaon]

The short blonde ushered the actor inside the trailer, “Mathew, my darling. Come come, sit sit.” She chuckled at his reply, amused by his blunt candor. “Oh come on now. It hasn’t been all bad! You got to meet me,” she fired back with a wink as she grabbed her comb. Katya had sat through many of Matthew’s vent sessions, as she had with many of the actors on set, often acting as the set’s therapist as much as their beauty stylist. She didn’t mind. Katya enjoyed sitting through the gossip and took pride in the safety they felt in her to do so. They also knew they would get her famous Russian honesty which could be a blessing as much as a curse.

She gasped enthusiastically at the kind gesture. “Aaaah, Matthew! You spoil me,” she chided playfully, taking the pastry and taking a large bite. “I am sad, you know, because our time is coming to an end, but I am good, nonetheless. And you? How is my Victor?”