[ladamereveuse]

# 𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐔𝐒𝐄  is an independent & closed roleplay blog for  the  original Character  𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂  𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒓 (  est.  2012 ), and is exclusively for roleplayling with one writing partner and her blogs only. currently not open for new interactions, follows, or requests. multiverse. multi-ship. mature content present. ⸻ ⚜  ℓᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʙᴇᴇʙᴇ (  she / her / 30+ / cet  )

     𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒔 :     CARRD     //    MEMES     //     ABOUT       //     GIF SETS   

❝ ㅤ𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲  𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬  from  now  you  will  be  more  disappointed  by  the  things  that  you  didn't  do  than  by  the  ones  you  did  do.  so throw off the bowlines.  sail  away  from  the  safe harbor.  catch  the  trade  winds  in  your  sailㅤ explore. ㅤ dream. ㅤ discover. ㅤ — ㅤ h. jackson brown, jr.

♡  »  𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒚  𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅  𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 @beautyinthetragedy

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔  𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡  𝘩𝑒𝑟  𝑤𝑎𝑠  𝑛𝑜𝑤  𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔  𝘩𝑖𝑠  𝑓𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒  𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡,  but  he  didn't  say  that  outright.  It  was  the  look  in  his  eyes,  the  way  he's  smiling  at  her  right  now  as  he  listens  to  her  as  she  speaks.  Drawn  in  by  the  cadence  of  her  accent  he  listened  to  and  hung  on  every  word  she  told  him.  With  listening  he  learns  that  she  and  him  have  a  lot  more  in  common  than  he  thought.  Hearing  that  her  grandfather  didn't  seem  happy  about  that,  he  knew  the  displeasing  looks  of  family  when  trying  to  find  ones  self  in  their  own  life.  So  all  he  could  do  is  smile  as  he  looks  up  at  her.

❝  I'm  glad  that  you  were  stubborn.❞  he  says  not  even  trying  to  hide  that  look  in  his  eyes.  That  look  of  admiration  in  the  absolute  for  her.  ❝  But  I  get  it,  wanting  to  go  to  places  outside  of  the  norm.  I  just...actually  did  it.  Not  that  I'm  dismissing  you  at  all!  ❞  Quickly  he  lifts  his  hands  up  in  his  defense  and  he  laughs  nervously  trying  to  hide  how  foolish  he  feels  right  now.

❝  Before  it  was  just  me  doing  stupid  things,  I  got  more  injuries  by  being  reckless  than  I  care  to  admit,  though  I'm  sure  my  hospital  records  show  just  how  stupid  I  could  be  ...  I  could  have  just  kept  doing  that  but  my  sister  gave  me  keys  to  a  jeep  and  told  me  to  just  go.  ❞  He  remembers  that  day  too  fondly  but  also  with  a  hint  of  regret  that  he  didn't  get  to  take  Maddie  with  him.  However,  it  worked  out  for  her  in  the  end.  Maybe  not  the  best  road  for  anyone  to  travel  but  she's  with  Chim  now  and  she's  a  mom  ,  he's  an  uncle  and  life  has  been  pretty  amazing.  He  can't  deny  this  in  the  slightest.  And  now  on  a  date  with  a  beautiful  woman  with  so  much  light  and  life?

Life  really  does  find  a  way  to  make  it  all  worth  while.

Hearing  her  speak  of  her  friend  he  laughs  a  bit  giving  a  slow  nod.  The  way  he  and  Eddie  became  friends?  He  hated  Eddie,  that's  how  it  happened.  And  now  they're  best  friends,  he's  like  an  uncle  to  his  kid  but  that  isn't  a  story  he's  sure  he  can  tell  and  have  it  be  as  meaningful  as  how  she  speaks  of  her  friendship  with  Lin.  But  then  comes  into  the  conversation  of  her  cat.

❝  No  sudden  movements,  got  it.❞  a  light  laugh  escapes  him.  ❝  I  take  it  I  didn't  really  get  any  points  when  I  helped  her  down  from  the  tree,  huh?  Don't  think  she'll  put  that  in  whatever  bank  a  cat  might  have  and  give  me  a  real  chance?  ❞  Doesn't  hurt  to  ask,  after  all  he's  been  more  of  a  dog  guy  but  he's  willing  to  learn  the  ways  of  the  cat  if  it'll  help  him  walk  away  from  this  without  a  scratch.

One  could  take  that  as  a  metaphor  as  well,  he  thought  to  himself.  Because  he  really  wants  this  to  go  well,  to  see  where  it  goes.  He  can't  explain  it  exactly  but  he  knows  she's  someone  he  wants  in  his  life.

After  all  he  isn't  about  to  let  her  waist  that  amount  of  money  she  bid  on  being  here  with  him  today.  He  doesn't  want  her  to  regret  it  -  even  if  it's  going  to  the  kids  and  not  directly  to  him.

What  would  he  even  do  with  that  kind  of  money?

❝  What  was  it  like?  When  you  first  got  published?  Were  you  excited?  ❞

[ladamereveuse]

𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓 earns him a look that begins thoughtful and ends amused when his hands rise in defense. She watches the correction arrive before she has time to take offense and a laugh slips from her. ❝ I did not zink you were dismissing me, ❞ she assures him. ❝ Though I appreciate ze quick surrender. ❞ Her smile remains as she turns toward the nearest shelf, fingertips brushing along worn spines. The affectionin his voice for his sister is impossible to miss, even beneath the humour, which makes Cassandra think of her own brother. He had given her the push she needed too. Without him, perhaps she would not have been quite so stubborn. Perhaps knowing she was not alone had made all the difference. ❝ Your sister sounds wise, ❞ she says, glancing back at him. ❝ Or per'aps simply exhausted by watching you injure yourself. Both can be true. ❞ The teasing softens before it can hide the admiration beneath it. Whatever recklessness had once driven him now has somewhere useful to go. At his question about Suzie, her mouth curves again. ❝ You earned points, certainly, but Suzie keeps a complicated system and she refuses to explain ze rules. ❞ Her dark eyes narrow with mock seriousness. ❝ Saving her life may earn you one point. Looking at 'er incorrectly may cost five. ❞ she turns more fully toward him, amusement lingering in her expression. ❝ She came to ze window to inspect you, though. Zat ees something. Eef she truly disliked you, she would 'ave ignored you completely ... or attempted murder. ❞ she chuckles.

The next question draws her away from thoughts of family and back toward the beginning of her own life as an author. What had she felt when she was first published ? There her gaze leaves him and settles on the books around them. She looks as if she can see another room layered over this one which is a parcel on a table, her own name printed where she had only imagined it. ❝ Actually,...I was terrified, ❞ she says first, then laughs. ❝ Excited, oui. But mostly terrified. ❞ Her fingers close around the edge of one shelf, grounding herself in the memory. ❝ When ze first copy arrived, I stared at eet for a long time before I opened eet. I checked my name, as though eet might disappear eef I looked away. Eet seemed so surreal. ❞ A softer smile touches her heart-shaped lips. ❝ Then I smelled ze pages, which ees ridiculous because I knew what paper smelled like...but eet was different because those pages were mine. ❞ she pauses, lips pressed together, then looks back at him. A thin sheen of moisture brightens her eyes, though her smile remains. ❝ But ze strangest part came later when someone wrote to tell me zat my story 'ad 'elped zem. Until then, eet 'ad still felt like something private I 'ad persuaded other people to print. But zen, I realized my words could make a difference to someone. ❞

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝐻𝑒  𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙  𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡  𝘩𝑒𝑟  𝑎𝑙𝑙  𝑡𝘩𝑒  𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠  𝑠𝘩𝑒  𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠,  but  then  she  asks  what  he  could  not  stop  learning  about  as  a  kid,  what  fascinated  him?  Oh,  well  that's  both  easy  and  hard  to  answer  so  he  falls  silent  as  his  eyes  fall  thoughtful  to  her  question.  There  is  a  brief  silence  that  is  overtaken  by  the  atmosphere  of  this  place,  but  he  smiles.

❝  I  guess  what  I  learned  about  wasn't  really  in  books  -  just...pushing  boundaries  of  how  far  I  could  go  until  --  ❞  his  parents  noticed  him  for  who  he  was,  not  who  they  thought  him  to  be.  Living  in  the  shadow  of  a  brother  you  were  only  created  to  save  but  couldn't  only  to  be  treated  in  ways  he  couldn't  explain.  Like  he  was  both  nothing  and  made  of  the  finest  porcelain  at  the  same  time.  It  was  a  weird  combination  but  when  he  finally  got  out  thanks  to  Maddie  he  was  more  so  learning  about  himself  every  single  day  and  he  never  stopped  learning.  Even  now.

❝  Travel,  I've  been  just  about  everywhere  the  U.S  has  to  offer,  Peru  ...  ❞  he  listed  off.  ❝  That  fascinated  me,  then  becoming  a  fire  fighter,  the  rush  of  that...❞  From  a  steady  expression  to  a  smile,  he  does  chuckle.  ❝  But  if  we  go  by  what  I  liked  to  learn  about  in  books,  adventure  was  one.  Danger,  daredevils,  vigilantes.  People  who  would  just  go  and  do,  you  know.  That  it  wasn't  just  for  themselves  but  others  all  the  while  learning  about  themselves...❞  the  way  he  spoke  about  it  made  him  feel  lighter  within  seconds  the  heaviness  of  growing  up  as  he  did  set  in.  That  will  be  something  for  another  time,  to  see  if  he  lets  her  in  that  far  to  tell  her  of  his  relationship  with  his  parents  and  why  he's  even  here  on  this  planet.  But  that's  not  important,  what's  important  is  getting  to  know  her,  to  talk  to  her,  to  see  her  smile  the  way  she  is  in  that  bright  way  that  gives  the  sun  competition.

❝  What  about  you?  Was  writing  always  your  passion?  Did  you  know  from  the  start  it's  what  you  wanted  to  do  ?❞  he  asks  with  genuine  curiosity.  It  took  him  a  long  time  to  figure  out  what  he  was  meant  for  and  he  wondered  if  it  was  easy  for  her,  or  did  she  go  through  trials  til  she  got  to  that  point.

❝  And  one  thing  I'm  dying  to  know,  you  and  your  friend...you  two  seem  like  complete  opposites.  How'd  you  two  become  friends?  And  what  are  the  odds  of  your  cat  taking  me  like  she's  part  of  a  mafia?  ❞  he  has  to  ask,  to  keep  it  light,  to  keep  it  going.

To  keep  him  in  a  wavelength  that  keeps  this  moment  as  it  is.

One  of  the  lighter  ones,  happier  ones  of  his  life  happening  in  this  moment.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒, the more the picture she has begun forming of him gains another piece. The brief silence tells her there is more beneath his answer, but curiosity does not give her the right to reach for it. So she listens. Her gaze remains on him while he speaks which all makes sense to her. He seems like a man shaped less by standing still than by everything he encountered while moving forward. Someone who learned from what happened around him, from the people he met and the risks he took, until all of it became part of the person now standing beside her. She understands it in her own way; she has travelled too, though not nearly as far. Perhaps they had both been searching for pieces of themselves in places that did not already know them. When he moves to the things that fascinated him in books, her mouth softens with recognition. It suits him almost too perfectly. Her eyes drift over his face while he speaks, catching the way the earlier heaviness begins to lift from his expression as the subject changes. She chose a more restrained way of reaching people, though perhaps the purpose beneath it is not so different. He saves people and she gives them stories, somewhere to place their hope when reality has not been kind. Especially children. The ones who still need to believe that fear can be survived, that being small does not mean being powerless and that even the loneliest person can find their way. Stories had given her that once. She is still gathering those thoughts when Buck turns the question toward her and the sudden shift draws her out of the answer she had been quietly arranging. She breathes out, the sound carrying the beginning of a laugh looking toward the shelves before them as if the rows of books might help her decide where to start. ❝ Oui, you could say zat, ❞ she answers, a small smile settling on her mouth. ❝ I began writing almost as soon as I could hold a pencil. Though I am not certain what I wrote at first could be called literature. ❞ A chuckle slips from her, pressing her heart-shaped lips together briefly before continuing. ❝ Later, eet became stories. Places I imagined, people I wanted to meet, lives zat felt larger zan my own. Stories I could escape into when I needed somewhere else to be. ❞ Her gaze travels along the nearest shelf, resting on the worn spine of a book she does not really read. ❝ My grandfather was not very fond of ze idea, you know. ❞ Her shoulders lift in a small shrug, though the faint line between her brows reveals that the resistance had mattered more than she now allows the words to show. ❝ So naturally, I became stubborn. ❞ She turns her face back toward Buck, amusement returning to her eyes. ❝ Per'aps zuat was useful because every time someone told me eet was unrealistic, I wanted eet more. ❞

[ladamereveuse]

At the mention of Lin, a soft laugh leaves her, her eyes dipping briefly to their joined hands. ❝ Oui, we are complete opposites, ❞ she agrees. ❝ Which is per'aps why eet works. She speaks before she thinks while I can think for so long zat I nearly forget to speak. She pushes forward. I 'esitate. Zen... she becomes impatient and pulls me with her anyway. ❞ Affection softens every complaint before it can become one. ❝ I 'ave known her since we were children. At this point, she ees less my friend and more my sister, whether either of us agreed to eet or not. ❞ Her smile grows, though a more vulnerable feeling begins to show at its edges. ❝ To be 'onest, I owe 'er a great deal. Lin 'as a way of knowing when I am pretending to be fine and unfortunately, she 'as nevair respected my desire to be left alone while doing eet. ❞ Lin would call her too emotional for allowing herself to look like this on a first date. She would also be secretly pleased. She draws in a quick breath before Buck's final question brings the amusement back.

❝ I think you should be patient with 'er and per'aps avoid making any sudden movements. ❞ Her eyes narrow with playful seriousness before her expression softens again. ❝ She used to be a stray. From what I know, she was abandoned her before she began wandering near my 'ome. She did not trust people and she made that very clear whenever anyone tried to approach 'er. One day she was caught een a wire. She tried very 'ard to convince me zat rescuing 'er would cost me several fingers but I did it anyway. After zat, she kept coming back. ❞ A fond smile curves across her mouth.

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑯𝒆𝒓  𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏  𝒕𝒐  𝒕𝒉𝒆  𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒆  𝒊𝒔  𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈  𝒉𝒆  𝒉𝒂𝒅  𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒅  and  makes  his  heart  flutter  more  than  he  thought  it  would.  One  might  think  that  he  was  having  palpitations.  Calling  it  perfect  --  the  smile  on  his  face  gets  bigger  than  it  was  a  moment  ago.

❝  They  have  everything  you  could  want  here,  rares,  first  prints,  hard  to  finds,  or  so  I'm  told.  ❞  This  is  his  first  time  coming  here  with  a  real  purpose  other  than  just  driving  around  to  see  the  sites.  When  he  first  saw  this  place  he  knew  it  would  linger  in  his  memory  and  become  a  staple  in  a  moment  and  now  it  is.  He's  here  with  her  and  he's  taking  her  into  this  place,  something  of  her  world.  Something  he  can  experience  with  her  and  get  to  know  her  more  without  asking  five  hundred  questions  and  making  this  feel  line  an  interview.

Then  it's  the  squeeze  of  her  hand  that  gives  him  the  real  validation  and  he  holds  hers  back,  fingers  locking  with  hers  as  gently  as  possible.  ❝  Come  on,  let's  go  see  what  treasures  lie  within.❞

Walking  with  her  inside  the  air  hit  him  as  cool  and  the  scent  was  obviously  that  of  pages,  new  and  old  as  well  as  a  hint  of  coffee  beans  fresh  in  the  coffee  pot  and  a  hint  of  something  baked  though  he  couldn't  pinpoint  it.  Apples,  he  thought  first.  Maybe  even  peaches?  Something  fruity  lingered  in  the  air.

Buck  doesn't  fixate  on  that,  instead  he  turns  his  attention  to  her,  the  woman  beside  of  him  right  now  taking  in  the  very  things  he  was  just  taking  in.  The  scents,  the  sights,  and  what  little  sound  there  was  here  to  enjoy.  It  was  soft  music,  so  soft  he  couldn't  tell  you  what  exactly  it  was.  Maybe  classical  or  just  generic  radio.  Still  didn't  hold  as  much  importance  as  her  here  with  him  and  the  way  she  looked  on  in  awe.

❝  Where  should  we  start?  ❞

[ladamereveuse]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐒 at her reaction tells Cassandra that he had been waiting for it. Hoping for it, perhaps, beneath all the confidence with which he had presented the place to her. The realization softens her expression before she can hide it, because he had thought about her, about the part of her life she had shared with him and brought her somewhere that belonged to it. For a moment, she tries to remember the last time anyone had done something so thoughtful for a date. There had been dinners, of course. Restaurants, wine, flowers, all the usual gestures people reach for when they want an evening to feel romantic. Nice things, certainly, but familiar enough that she had always known what was expected of her. This is different. Then again, nothing about this date had begun in an ordinary way. Perhaps expecting anything conventional after that would have been unreasonable. Still, she had not expected this. Then his fingers settle between hers and suddenly the hand she had accepted without much thought feels different. More intimate than before. Her heart gives a small jump at how naturally they fit together and at how wrong it feels to trust that ease so quickly. His promise of treasures brings a softer smile to her mouth as she follows him inside. The change in temperature meets her first when they step through the entrance, cool air moving across the skin of her bare shoulders after the warmth outside. Then comes the scent. All of it gathers into a smell she knows at once, familiar despite being thousands of miles from the bookshops she used to wander through in Paris. Her pace slows without her meaning it to. Shelves rise around them, crowded with books in every color and condition. Some covers still catch the light with a new shine, while others have been softened by years of use. The books draw her so completely out of her nerves that her expression opens with a delight she has not worn so freely since childhood.

When he asks where they should begin, she turns toward him with a helpless little lift of her brows. ❝ To be 'onest, I do not know, ❞ she says, a soft laugh slipping into the words. ❝ Zere is too much. Give me a moment. ❞ Her gaze moves over the shelves again, considering, before she turns toward him with a brighter smile and a thoughtful narrowing of her eyes. ❝ When you were a child, what could you never stop learning about ? What fascinated you ? ❞

[beautyinthetragedy]

❝  If  you  ask  the  firehouse,  they'd  tell  you  I'm  known  for  taking  on  a  challenge  or  two.❞  Though  they'd  call  it  biting  off  more  than  he  can  chew,  but  he  doesn't  seem  to  think  of  this  situation  that  way.  Instead  he's  looking  at  it  as  a  chance  to  see  if  there  is  something  real  that  could  bloom  from  this.  If  he  lost  hope  in  having  something  like  his  sister  has  then  it  would  only  lead  toward  a  lonely  life.

Sure,  he'd  have  his  friends,  his  family,  that  is  true.  But  he  wants  the  kids,  too.  He  wants  the  someone  to  wake  up  to  in  the  morning,  to  come  home  to  after  his  shift.  And  while  he's  not  laying  his  eggs  in  one  basket  as  they  say  -  he's  still  going  to  keep  going  until  he  finds  it  or  it  finds  him.  And  right  now  maybe  it's  too  soon  to  tell,  but  there's  something  telling  him  that  maybe,  just  maybe  the  woman  crazy  enough  to  spend  that  amount  of  money  on  him  at  an  auction  might  be  it.

But  was  for  charity,  of  course.  For  the  kids.

Lunch  was  a  good  start  if  Buck  does  say  so  himself,  the  Korean  soul  food  a  good  choice  to  start  the  day,  and  that  is  where  he  learned  he  did  good  in  choosing  such  a  place  since  Cass  is  pescatarian.  A  good  thing  to  know  for  the  future.  Now  to  the  place  he  wants  to  take  her  to  the  most  he  has  her  close  her  eyes  as  they  drive  the  street  leading  up  to  it.  There  is  laughter,  a  smile  on  his  face.

❝  Come  on,  just  trust  me,  you'll  want  to  close  your  eyes  for  this.❞  And  when  she  finally  caves  he  grins,  soon  pulling  up  into  the  parking  lot.  Helping  her  out  of  the  car  he'll  walk  with  her  aways,  and  then  they  are  standing  at  their  new  destination.

The  Iliad  Bookshop.  where  the  outside  is  decorated  with  large  painted  books  on  the  sides  of  the  building  and  where  a  collection  of  old  and  rare  books  are  stored.

❝  Alright,  open  'em.❞  He  stands  proud,  smiling  at  the  shop  in  front  of  them  then  glances  back  at  Cass  hoping  deep  down  that  she  is  a  little  impressed.  Even  if  some  might  think  the  exterior  of  this  place  is  cheesy  as  hell.

He'd  like  to  think  it's  part  of  the  charm.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐌 for taking on a challenge or two, Cass finds that she believes him without difficulty. Somehow, it does not surprise her at all. He seems like the sort of man who moves toward things rather than away from them. Toward danger, apparently, if his profession is anything to judge by. Toward whatever has caught his interest, with that open expression and the kind of smile that does not seem to know how to hide what he is feeling for very long. She could almost envy him for that, because she has spent too many years becoming skilled at the opposite. Stepping back before something could disappoint her. Finding reasons not to reach too far beyond the life she had built around herself, then calling it wisdom because that sounded bettre than fear. After enough relationships had ended in ways she had not wanted, it had become easier to pour the parts of herself that still wanted devotion into her writing instead. Even Lin, with all her teasing, encouragement, and refusal to let her disappear entirely into her work, had never quite managed to pull her away from that decision. Yet, Cassandra had done it herself. For charity, of course .... this excuse still sits within reach whenever she needs it. Although, she knows the truth, even if she has not said it aloud. It had been him because they had met before. He had left an impression and apparently, a rather expensive one. Lunch only confirms that choosing him had not been entirely unreasonable. The restaurant suits the beginning of the day, comfortable enough. The food works with her being pescatarian, something he learns without making it feel inconvenient. By the time they return to the car, some part of her has stopped treating the day like something she needs to survive. Which is perhaps why he chooses that moment to ask something completely unreasonable of her. She turns her head toward him, her brows lifting with immediate suspicion, though the smile beginning at her mouth makes it difficult to take seriously. Her younger self would have accepted without hesitation. She would have treated it as part of the adventure, closing her eyes simply because someone promised there was something worth seeing at the end of it. The woman she has become is more cautious. She likes knowing where she is going. When he tells her to trust him, laughter slips out before she can stop it. Her shoulders shake lightly with it, turning her face away for a moment. Still, she is smiling. That may be the strange part of him. He reaches some older version of her with surprising ease. The one who had once followed curiosity before caution could object. She does not know how he does it. Perhaps it is because he seems so incapable of hiding his excitement. Whatever the reason, she lets out another small breath of laughter ❝ Okay… all right, ❞ she concedes, lifting one hand as if surrendering to something far more serious. ❝ I am closing zem. ❞ PART 1/2

[ladamereveuse]

Her eyes shut, though not before she gives him one final look meant to remind him that she will hold him personally responsible for whatever happens next. At some point, another chuckle escapes her when she realizes how absurd the situation is. She is sitting in a young firefighter's car with her eyes closed because he has planned a surprise for her, and somehow this is what her life has become less than a week after attending an auction she had not even wanted to go to. Lin will completely be unbearable when she hears about this. When the car finally stops, she resists the temptation to open her eyes immediately. She hears his door, then the movement around the car before her own opens and his hand finds hers. She accepts it carefully, keeping her eyes closed. The lack of control should make her tense, but the smile has not left her mouth. If anything, it grows when she nearly asks whether they are there yet and decides she refuses to sound quite that impatient. They walk a short distance before he brings her to a stop. When he tells her to open her eyes and she does so slowly. Her lashes lift, her gaze finding him at first with that proud, hopeful smile. Then her gaze follows his toward the building and the change in her face is immediate. Her lips part as she takes in the painted books across the exterior. The Iliad Bookshop.  Surprise moves across her face first, then more touched than she knows how to hide. She should be able to put it into words. Words are supposed to be the thing she understands. Yet for one rare moment, they arrive too slowly. Her eyes move over the painted covers again before returning to him, wide and bright with pleasure.

❝ I love eet, ❞ she breathes, the words leaving her with a small, delighted gasp. She turns toward him again, her hand still resting in his, even squeezing it. ❝ Buck,... zis is perfect. ❞

PART 2/2

[snowbairdd]

ANNE HATHAWAY attending “The Odyssey” New York Premiere (July 14, 2026)

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑯𝒆  𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒔  𝒇𝒐𝒓  𝒕𝒉𝒆  𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏  𝒘𝒉𝒚  𝒔𝒉𝒆  𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆  𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆  and  when  she  first  starts  off  he  just  grins.  ❝  So  like  a  delicate  flower..?  ❞  he  teases  as  he  watches  the  road,  but  glances  at  her  from  time  to  time.  But  needing  something  new?  He  gets  that.

It's  why  he  jumped  from  place  to  place  hoping  for  a  sense  of  home  since  he  never  really  felt  that  anywhere,  not  until  he  came  here.  After  Maddie  got  married  the  first  time  and  he  was  left  with  his  parents  who  didn't  seem  to  give  much  thought  to  him  being  around  he  though  the  nomad  life  was  the  next  step.

But  then  he  came  here  at  the  suggestion  of  a  friend,  and  now  he  can't  imagine  himself  anywhere  else.  This  is  where  home  is,  this  is  where  his  people  are.  Even  with  the  trials  and  tribulations  that  life  throws  at  him  this  is  where  he's  meant  to  be.  He  knows  this,  he  feels  it  in  his  bones.

But  her  saying  she  needed  something  new,  to  write  her  own  story  he  nods  with  a  smile  on  his  lips  as  he  glance  sat  her.  ❝  L.A  has  it's  own  kind  of  charm,  nothing  like  Paris  I'd  imagine,  but  it's  got  something  that  draws  people  in.  People  leave,  but  then  they  come  right  back  a  lot  of  the  time.  Can't  seem  to  stay  away  from  it.  Guess  it's  just  got  that  pull.  Or  it  could  be  the  call  of  Hollywood  or  youtube  influencers  ...❞  A  chuckle  leaves  Buck,  but  then  he  just  gives  her  this  smile  before  looking  back  at  the  road.  Within  moments  they  are  at  their  first  destination  and  he  parks.  He'll  even  be  a  gentleman  and  get  out,  opening  her  door  for  her  and  offering  his  hand  to  her.

❝  First  stop,  lunch.  ❞

With  the  offer  of  helping  her  out,  he  can't  help  but  let  his  smile  remain  as  he  watches  her  step  out  like  he's  a  lucky  guy  to  be  in  her  presence  right  now  with  a  smile  brighter  than  the  L.A  sun  itself.

❝  I  hope  that  with  everything  I  show  you  today,  it  gives  you  a  reason  to  stick  around.❞

[ladamereveuse]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 earns him a slow turn of her head, studying him for a second, eyes narrowing as she studies his face, apparently weighing whether she ought to be insulted or amused. The smile at her mouth makes the decision obvious. ❝ Delicate, per'aps, ❞ she says, settling back against the seat. ❝ But I think you would find ze flower 'as thorns. ❞ Fortunately for him, the amusement in her voice keeps the remark from becoming an official warning. She looks back toward the road while he speaks about Los Angeles, about its pull and the way people seem to return even after they leave. Her gaze drifts through the window again, following the buildings and palms as they pass. Perhaps he is right. Los Angeles does seem to ask something of the people who come here, though she has not yet decided whether it wants them to become someone new or only brave enough to admit who they already are. The mention of Hollywood and influencers draws a soft laugh from her. ❝ Though I suppose I should not judge too quickly. I did spend ten thousand dollars at a firefighter auction. Per'aps I 'ave already become very L.A. ❞ By the time the car slows and he pulls into the first destination, she realizes her shoulders are no longer held quite so tightly. Some of the tension from earlier has eased without her noticing. She watches him park, then reaches for her bag, expecting to open the door herself. Before she can, he is already out of the car and walking around toward her side. Her hand pauses near the handle. Of course he comes to open her door. It should not surprise her after the way he had arrived at her house, hand already offered, every part of him trying so earnestly to make the day right. The door opens, bringing the warmth of the city back around her. She gathers the skirt of her dress with one hand, careful not to catch the fabric, then looks up to find his hand waiting for her again. And there he announces that their first stop is lunch and she looks from his hand to his face, amusement touching her expression. ❝ I 'ad gathered zat part, ❞ she says, though she places her hand in his all the same. This time, there is less hesitation. Her fingers settle against his palm more naturally as she gathers the light skirt of her dress with her free hand and steps out of the car. The sunlight meets her bare shoulders, warm but not unpleasant, and for a moment she turns slightly to straighten the fabric at her waist before looking back at him. Then he says he hopes everything he shows her today gives her a reason to stay.

❝ Zat ees a great deal of responsibility to place on one afternoon, ❞ she says at last, but her voice has softened enough that the teasing does not hide everything. Her gaze stays on him while the warmth returns faintly to her cheeks. ❝ But per'aps you do not need to work quite so ‘ard, ❞ she adds. ❝ I may already be finding reasons. ❞

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑯𝒆  𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅  𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆  𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅  that  maybe  he  could  be  giving  off  potential  serial  killer  vibes  -  but  he's  just  enthusiastic,  overly  so.  And  it  shows  with  the  energy  of  a  young  boy  trying  to  impress  the  girl  of  his  dreams  who  sits  across  from  him  in  History.  Maybe  algebra.  Either  way  he's  trying  to  contain  the  excitement  even  if  it  seems  to  be  spilling  out  in  ways  that  Hen  would  call  him  out  on.

But  that  doesn't  matter,  he  promised  her  a  day  of  seeing  L.A.  and  he's  going  to  deliver  that.

She  makes  note  of  the  number  of  surprises  and  he  grins.  ❝  Might  be  both,  I  guess  we'll  have  to  find  out,  won't  we?  ❞  The  smile  he  offers  her  is  genuine  excitement  and  shyness  mixed  into  something  that  is  uniquely  Buck.

The  offer  of  the  radio  lingers  and  he  looks  at  her  as  she  says  it's  very  brave.  ❝  Now  I  admit  I'm  worried  ...  ❞  he  offers  half  of  the  joke.  But  she  lets  it  stay  where  it  is  possibly  to  get  an  idea  of  what  he  listens  to,  and  he  usually  flips  through  to  find  what  he's  feeling  that  day.  Today  it's  on  the  KOST  103.5,  some  soft  rock  to  enjoy  the  day  to.

When  a  song  starts  playing  he  glances  at  Cassandra  to  engage  her  reaction  to  the  music,  to  get  an  idea  of  what  she  might  enjoy  herself.  Does  she  like  this  kind  of  music?  Would  she  rather  listen  to  something  else?  Does  she  sit  and  listen  to  classical  music  while  she  writes  her  books  and  does  she  perhaps  know  Baby  Shark  in  Korean  like  he's  learned?

That  is  an  awkward  ask  on  a  first  date,  he'll  save  that  for  later.

❝  I  am  curious,  what  brought  you  to  L.A?  ❞  Was  it  her  writing  that  brought  her  here?Connections?  The  weather?  It  could  be  anything,  as  he  finds  that  L.A  really  brings  in  a  lot  of  people.  Some  who  just  like  the  warmth,  some  for  stardom.  He  went  there  because  he  got  convinced  after  living  in  Peru  for  awhile.  And  now  this  is  the  best  place  he's  ever  had  the  privilege  of  calling  home.

It  gave  him  purpose,  it  gave  him  family.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐈𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 when he says it might be both. If anything, it only makes the whole thing worse, because he looks far too pleased with himself for a man who has just admitted that three unnamed surprises may come with questionable intentions. She turns her head toward him, her brows lifting as if she is considering the evidence very carefully. ❝ You know, zat sounds less like reassurance and more like a confession, ❞ she says, though the smile at the corner of her mouth gives her away before the words can sound too serious. When he admits he is worried about giving her control of the radio, her eyes narrow again, this time with clearer amusement. ❝ You should be, ❞ she says, as if the matter is very serious. ❝ I could 'ave terrible taste. You do not know. ❞ But again she does not reach for the station. His car, his city, his plan, his music. She had asked to see Los Angeles through him, and perhaps that includes the small things too. The songs he leaves on. The streets he knows without thinking. The places he chooses first because they have already become part of him. So she leaves his station untouched, though her fingers begin tapping against her bag in time with the song. Apparently, his music taste has survived the first test. Then he asks what brought her to L.A and she lets her head turn slightly toward him, the corner of her mouth lifting. ❝ Ze sun, obviously, ❞ she says first, as if that alone should explain everything. ❝ I am very delicate. I require warmth, good light. ❞ It is a joke, though not completely untrue. Los Angeles does have that quality, as if everything in it is already waiting to become part of a story, too bright, too vast, too much to understand in one look. She turns her gaze back to the road, watching the city pass in fragments through the windshield. The cars, the palm trees, the sharp sun on the buildings. It is still unfamiliar, still loud and wide in ways Paris never was, but perhaps that is exactly why she had come.

❝ I needed something new, ❞ she continues. ❝ I think I was waiting for my own life to feel like a story again, not only ze ones I give to other people. I just needed a place zat did not already know me. ❞ Her heart-shaped mouth softens a little, then she looks back toward the road. ❝ Do not get me wrong, I love Paris. But I do not know… ❞ Her bare shoulders lift in a small, delicate shrug. ❝ I wanted somewhere different enough to frighten me a little. ❞ Then she turns her head from the road to him, her eyes resting on his face a little longer this time. ❝ L.A. seemed bold enough. ❞ Bold enough. The city had been that, certainly. So had the move. And perhaps, now, so was the man sitting beside her, carrying a day full of surprises and a smile that made her thoughts less obedient than she would like. She should look away, but she lets herself stay there for another moment, her smile softening.

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑺𝒉𝒆  𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔  𝒊𝒕'𝒔  𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔  𝒂𝒏𝒅  𝒉𝒆  𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕  𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑  𝒃𝒖𝒕  𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆  𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉  𝒉𝒆𝒓  𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆,  but  the  smile  says  he's  excited  for  it,  every  minute  to  spend  with  her.  When  she  asks  where  they  begin  he  grins.  ❝  First,  I  thought  we'd  start  off  with  lunch.  I  want  to  take  you  to  one  of  my  favorite  places.  Best  Korean  soul  food  you'll  find  here  in  L.A.  ❞  plus  with  a  name  like  Kingbop,  if  it  failed  to  deliver  they  couldn't  have  king  in  the  name,  right?

❝  Then,  well,  that's  a  surprise,  and  after  that...  a  surprise,  and  lastly...a  surprise.❞  the  joy  in  his  tone  is  undeniable.  Anxious  almost  like  a  puppy  to  a  point  where  if  he  had  a  tail  he  just  might  wag  it.

But  the  smile  that  seemed  to  stay  on  his  lips  would  have  to  do  for  now.

❝  Trust  me,  there  will  not  be  a  single  dull  moment  today  and  if  there  is...I'll  just  have  to  fix  that  somehow.  ❞  and  then  he  pulls  out  of  the  drive  ready  for  the  date  to  begin,  even  if  he  feels  like  his  palms  are  sweaty  as  he  grips  the  wheel  and  starts  driving.

Even  at  stoplights  however  he  can't  help  but  turn  and  glance  and  smile  at  the  woman  next  to  him,  even  find  that  there  is  a  pink  in  his  cheeks  that  he  just  can't  shake.  Buck  doesn't  want  to  get  too  ahead  of  himself  in  the  moment,  he  wants  to  take  his  time  to  feel  this  out  and  see  where  it  goes.  But  something  is  telling  him  that  this  could  be  the  one  ...

Or  maybe  that's  the  song  on  the  radio  taunting  him  a  little  bit,  it's  hard  to  say  which  it  is  really.

❝  You  could  uh,  change  the  station  to  anything  you  want  if  you  want  to  listen  to  something  else,  I  don't  mind.  ❞  Normally  he  doesn't  let  others  touch  the  radio  except  for  Christopher.  And  Maybe  Jee,  but  she's  usually  just  happy  to  listen  to  the  Kpop  Demon  Hunter  soundtrack  at  this  point.

He's  certain  he  hears  Golden  in  his  sleep...

[ladamereveuse]

𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑. Instead, Buck gives her lunch, Korean soul food, and then hides the rest behind surprise, surprise, and another surprise. The way he says it should probably make her more nervous. A whole day planned by a man she barely knows. It should make her wonder if she has made another impulsive mistake but his smile ruins any proper attempt at worry, as there is too much excitement in it, too much open anticipation, and none of it feels careless. He does not sound like a man trying to impress her with something expensive or rehearsed. He sounds like someone who has thought about this, who has chosen pieces of his city and hidden them away for her because he wants her to like them. And she wants to enjoy it. Her fingers shift over the clasp of her bag, letting her gaze move from him to the street ahead as he pulls away from the house. The distance from her house grows, and with it, the knowledge that there is no pretending this is only an arrangement from the auction anymore. This is happening. Yet the panic does not rise to meet it. She watches the road for a moment, the bright wash of Los Angeles through the windshield, the passing houses and cars, the ordinary life of a city she still does not know how to belong to. ❝ Three surprises, ❞ she says after a moment, her tone carefully thoughtful, teasing. ❝ Zat is either very charming or very suspicious. I 'ave not decided yet. ❞ Her eyes move back to him, the corner of her mouth curves, catching one of those looks he keeps giving her at the light, the smile, the color still refusing to leave his cheeks. It makes her own mouth soften before she can pretend not to notice. There is something dangerous about being looked at like that. Not dangerous in the way she would run from, but in the way that makes her too aware of herself. Her hands. Her dress. The space between them. The fact that she had spent the morning worrying over every small thing and now he is looking at her as if none of those doubts belong in the car at all.

When he tells her to trust him, that there will not be a single dull moment, she lets out a soft breath of amusement through her nose. ❝ No pressure, zen, ❞ she says, turning her head toward him again while her hands lift without purpose, then settle quickly back into her lap. She is smiling sill, giving away more than the words do. Because beneath the teasing, she does trust him enough to be here. Enough to have left the safety of her doorway, Lin's watchful eyes, Suzie's judgment, and step into the unknown. When he offers her the radio, she looks toward the console, then back at him with a small, almost suspicious narrowing of her eyes. ❝ You are offering me control of ze music already ? ❞ she asks, amusement warming her voice. ❝ Zat is very brave. ❞ Her hand lifts as though she might reach for the station, but she pauses before touching anything. The small hesitation is not nervous this time, it is curiosity. The radio is his, the car is his, the day is his plan, and she finds herself wanting to know what pieces of him are already here before she changes them. So instead of immediately turning the dial, she lets her hand settle back lightly over her bag.

❝ You know, ❞ she says, glancing toward him with a small, almost teasing narrowing of her eyes. ❝ I do not mind zis. ❞

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑯𝒊𝒔  𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉  𝒊𝒔  𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏,  𝒔𝒉𝒆  𝒊𝒔  𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚  𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈.  Gorgeous.  So  much  so  he  has  to  bring  himself  back  to  the  moment  to  offer  her  his  hand  so  he  can  lead  her  to  his  car  so  they  can  start  the  day  he  planned.  A  plan  he  went  through  time  and  time  again  hoping  that  it'd  be  the  perfect  day.  But  he  knows  unpredictability  so  he  hoped  that  nothing  would  go  wrong.

Like  a  tsunami.  He'd  rather  not  go  through  that  ever  again.

As  she  calls  back  to  whomever  is  in  the  house  he  pauses.  Oh,  okay,  so  it  wasn't  the  cat  that  giggled.  That  makes  more  sense  now,  that  someone  is  in  the  house.  He  assumes  it's  the  woman  who  she  was  with  at  the  auction,  but  he  does  notice  that  the  cat  is  still  staring  at  them.  He  says  nothing,  but  will  wave  a  bit  when  Lin  comes  over  to  hug  Cassandra  goodbye  and  wish  her  a  good  time.  Though  as  Buck  looks  back  at  the  house  Lin  gives  him  a  look.  He  knows  that  look.

He  gave  that  look  to  Maddie's  boyfriends.  He  understands  it  entirely.

Clearing  his  throat,  Buck  smiles  at  Cass.

❝  You  look  beautiful.❞  he  wanted  to  keep  it  simple  and  say  she  looked  nice,  but  what  he  really  thought  slipped  out  of  his  mouth  and  he  finds  himself  turning  a  fair  shade  of  pink  in  that  moment.  Shaking  it  off  he  holds  the  car  door  open  for  her  and  helps  her  in  before  he  gives  himself  a  quick  pep  talk  of  keeping  it  cool  before  getting  into  the  driver's  seat.

Once  they're  buckled  in  and  ready  for  adventure  he  smiles.  ❝  I  hope  you're  ready,  I've  got  a  whole  day  planned.❞  and  he  doesn't  hint  to  even  the  first  stop  on  the  list.  He  just  looks  at  her  like  he  has  been  blessed  with  her  company.

And  he  has,  he  knows  as  much.  He's  not  a  spiritual  guy  really  but  if  this  goes  well,  he'll  be  thanking  his  lucky  stars  for  it.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐔𝐏 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐔𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐑 goodbye, Cassandra lets herself lean into it for one quiet moment. Her chin rests lightly against Lin’s shoulder, and for that brief second, the sharp edge of her nerves eases. It is what Lin has always been able to do best, even when she is unbearable about it. She can tease and push and look far too pleased with herself, but somehow she still knows exactly how to bring Cassandra back down before the panic carries her too far. A small, quiet ❝ Thank you, ❞ leaves her and when she lets go, her smile lingers for her friend, softer than the look she had given her only moments before, before she turns back toward Buck. He is still there, waiting and that alone makes something in her chest tighten again. Her mouth curves that is a little too wide to be as composed as she wants, her teeth catching briefly at her lower lip. She lets him lead her toward the car, her hand still in his, and with every step away from the house the date becomes a little more real.  Her heart is moving faster than it should be, faster still as they get closer to the car, and she tells herself this is ridiculous. She has done far more difficult things than get into a car with a man who wants to show her the city. Then Buck says she looks beautiful and the heat in her cheeks blooms at once, stronger than before. Her eyes drop for half a second while her mouth betrays her by pulling into a smile too wide to hide. ❝ Merci, ❞ she says and her gaze flicks over him, quick but not quick enough to pretend she has not looked, her smile lingering at the corner of her mouth. ❝ You look nice, too. ❞  It is a weak word for what she means. In fact, a perfectly useless word for a man who looks far better than nice ... but apparently her mind has abandoned the rest of her vocabulary. When he opens the passenger door for her, she slips into the seat, gathering the skirt of her dress so the light fabric does not catch awkwardly beneath her. Once she is settled, she draws in a deeper breath, trying to quiet the hammering beneath her ribs. The door closes and for a moment she is alone inside the car, watching him walk around to the driver's side and in that small pocket of time, she gives herself the same kind of silent talk, reminding herself of Lin's words: You are going to have a great time today. Don't be nervous.

By the time Buck gets into the driver's seat, she has managed to arrange herself into something that could almost pass for calm, if one did not look too closely at the way her fingers rest over the bag in her lap, or the way her eyes return to him just a little too quickly before she looks ahead through the windshield. When he smiles and tells her he has a whole day planned, her dark brows lift. Of course the man who had looked so genuinely pleased by the idea of showing her Los Angeles would not choose one simple place and decide that was enough. There is something endearing in it, though she would rather not examine too closely how easily the thought comes. ❝ Zat sounds very ambitious, ❞ she says, and there it is , the teasing. ❝ So, guide, ❞ she says, amusement warming the words as she turn her head back to him, ❝ where do we begin ? ❞

[beautyinthetragedy]

Lin's  POV

She  didn't  come  here  to  help  just  to  watch  her  best  friend  in  a  panic.  She  came  here  to  help  because  she  loves  Cass  and  wants  to  make  sure  she  looks  good  for  this  date.  Casual,  but  cute.  Comfortable  of  course.  After  all  if  Buck  is  going  to  be  taking  her  all  across  L.A  for  sights  and  sounds  it  makes  sense  not  to  over  do  it.

Watching  her  go  through  dress  after  dress,  Lin  offered  suggestions  but  watched  the  uncertainty  and  panic  in  her  eyes  and  across  her  features.

❝  Are  you  nervous?  ❞  she  asks,  that  hint  of  playfulness  in  her  tone.  ❝  If  you  are,  I  couldn't  tell.❞  a  chuckle  follows  after.  ❝  I'm  here  for  moral  support.❞  And  getting  entertainment  out  of  it  at  her  dear  friend's  expense  but  she  isn't  about  to  say  that.  It's  purely  out  of  love  ,  truly.  To  see  Cass  this  happy  makes  Lin  happy.  Reaching  over,  she  gently  touches  the  top  of  Suzie's  head  giving  her  a  light  scritch.  Then  the  blame  comes  to  the  cat  and  Lin  laughs.  ❝  Oh  yes,  you're  devastated  that  she  helped  you  meet  a  sweet,  attractive  man.❞  If  Lin  could  roll  her  eyes  any  harder,  they'd  be  in  the  back  of  her  head.

Walking  over,  she'd  put  her  hands  on  Cass'  shoulder  and  smile  at  her  directly.  ❝  You  are  going  to  have  a  great  time  today,  don't  be  nervous.  Don't  think  of  your  age  gap  or  anything  like  that.  It's  not  like  it's  that  big  of  a  gap.❞  reassurance  she  offers  and  she  means  it,  it's  not  like  she's  a  vampire  and  he's  a  teen  boy  in  high  school.

How  is  that  a  trope  that  people  seem  to  like  so  much  in  today's  media?  That  thought  aside  she  moves  her  hands  from  her  shoulder  then  takes  her  soul  sister's  hands  in  hers.  ❝  Let  today  go  as  it  will,  let  him  show  you  who  he  is,  show  you  this  place  and  by  the  end  of  the  date  you  should  know  if  it's  something  you  want  to  pursue,  or  if  he's  just  another  California  shmuck.❞

About  that  time  the  knock  comes  to  the  door  and  Lin  turns,  then  looks  at  Suzie  who  is  glaring  out  the  window  toward  the  front  door.  Lin  smirks.  ❝  He's  here.❞

Buck's  POV

He  stands  at  the  door  nervous,  but  then  he's  in  a  stare  off  with  a  cat  he  once  rescued  from  a  tree.  They're  just  having  that  moment  until  the  door  opens.  He's  almost  uncertain  of  looking  away,  but  he  does  and  he  smiles  at  Cassandra,  then  he  has  a  moment  to  not  only  look  at  her  and  smile,  but  then  give  a  glance  over  at  her  attire  for  the  day  then  back  up  again.

Hot  damn,  she  is  gorgeous.  For  a  moment,  he  finds  himself  speechless.

When  she  greets  him  in  french  he  actually  blushes  a  bit.  ❝Hi.❞  He  takes  a  moment  then  he  brings  himself  back  in.  ❝  Are  you  ready?  ❞  he  asks,  nervously  holding  out  his  hand.

He  can't  hear  it  outright,  but  he  could  have  sworn  he  heard  the  cat  giggle.  Do  cats  giggle?

[ladamereveuse]

𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃, she notices the way his eyes travel over her, then find her face again and it does nothing at all to help the careful grip she is trying to keep on herself while the heat rises into her cheeks again, quick enough that she has to fight the urge to glance down at the dress, to search for some flaw. A twisted strap. Fabric sitting wrong. Anything else than to believe the possibility that he is quiet because he likes what he sees. Dieu,...don't be silly. Then Buck says hi, the blush still on his face, holding out his hand to her. It is simple enough. Nothing dramatic. Nothing that should make her thoughts stumble over themselves. And yet, for the length of one heartbeat, she manages to overthink even that. It is only a hand. A gesture. An invitation to step forward...not a promise, not a test, not something she needs to make heavier than it is. She draws in a breath through her nose and looks back up at him. ❝ Oui, ❞ she says, then a small smile pulls at her heart-shaped mouth when she hears how quickly the answer leaves her. ❝ I am ready. ❞

Her voice gives away the nerves but there is enough amusement in it to keep the moment from feeling too bare. She shifts her small bag over her shoulder, then places her hand in his before she can think too long about it. His palm is warm against hers, and apparently even holding a hand now requires Cassandra to lose half a second of composure. It is barely noticeable, which of course means Lin will notice immediately. She steps out a little more, turning just enough to glance back into the house, where Lin is exactly where Cassandra expects her to be. ❝ We are leaving now, ❞ she says, which is probably enough to inform Buck that the suspicious little sound from inside the house did not come from Suzie after all. Cassandra lets Lin come forward for a proper goodbye, because pretending her best friend is not part of this moment would be useless while Suzie stays at the window, watching as if the whole house has appointed her judge. Then her head returns to him, and there it is again. The awareness of him standing close, of her hand in his, of the fact that this is no longer the auction. This is Friday at noon. This is real, with Los Angeles waiting beyond her door. What had she thought, that wanting this would not frighten her once it was finally in front of her ? Do not think about the age gap. Let him show you who he is. Excellent advice, truly, if her mind were not so determined to do the exact opposite.

[beautyinthetragedy]

Lin's  POV

She  watched  with  intrigue  at  her  friend  and  the  fellow  flirting  with  one  another.  Both  coming  off  as  shy.  Aislin  just  kept  tabs  on  everything,  every  movement  and  every  glance.  She  does  this  out  of  protection  for  Cassandra.  She  knows  she's  special  and  deserves  the  world  which  is  why  she's  been  highly  judgemental  of  every  other  man  who  came  into  her  best  friend's  life.  But  this  one  has  potential.  This  one  could  be  the  one.  But  it's  still  too  early  to  tell  --  so  she'll  be  as  patient  as  a  Lin  knows  how  to  be.

Which  is  as  patient  as  a  cat  ,  and  if  you  have  a  cat  you  know.

When  Buck  finally  got  up  and  left  and  went  to  the  table  where  she  assumes  it's  family  and  friends  waiting,  that's  when  Lin  came  back  over  to  sit  next  to  Cass  and  just  give  her  the  knowing  smirk.  The  knowing  smirk  that  seemed  to  be  Lin's  signature  if  paired  with  a  light  crimson  lip  stain.

❝  I  have  not  seen  someone  light  up  this  much  before,  that  Buck  must  have  something  special  to  make  you  smile  like  that.❞  Back  in  the  seat,  her  back  to  it  while  legs  are  crossed  and  her  fingertips  rest  under  her  chin,  Lin  just  gives  Cass  this  look.

❝  Maybe  this  is  the  one  time  I  wont'  have  to  threaten  someone  interested  in  you  --  that  takes  a  little  bit  of  the  fun  out  of  it  for  me,  but  I'm  sure  I'll  survive.  If  I  find  myself  flat-lining,  maybe  one  of  his  friends  can  give  me  CPR.❞

----

Buck's  POV  -  Friday,  date  day

He  had  spent  every  moment  after  that  night  planning  the  day  to  show  Cass  around  Los  Angeles.  He  made  a  list  and  then  narrowed  it  down,  revised  it,  and  did  it  again.  With  help  from  Maddie  he  was  able  to  make  the  perfect  list  for  the  perfect  day,  or  at  least  assuming  that  nothing  came  up  to  ruin  it.  LA  ,  while  beautiful  in  it's  own  right  is  very  unpredictable.  So,  even  while  he  planned  for  a  perfect  day  he  also  stored  in  the  back  of  his  mind  anything  that  he  may  need  to  be  ready  for  the  unexpected.

That  makes  it  expected,  but  he's  a  fire  fighter.  It  makes  sense.

He  didn't  over  do  it  with  dressing  up,  he  kept  it  casual  but  cute,  but  he  made  sure  to  not  have  his  hair  too  tossed  and  unkempt.  He  didn't  over  do  it  with  the  cologne  but  he  still  found  himself  wanting  to  impress  her,  so  his  fingers  were  crossed  when  he  walked  up  to  her  door,  looked  at  his  watch,  and  he's  ready  to  knock,  but  he  notices  something  or  someone  glaring  from  a  window.

Suzi,  the  cat.

He  gives  a  slow  wave  to  the  kitty  before  lightly  knocking  on  the  door  but  he  doesn't  turn  to  it  ,  his  eyes  are  locked  on  the  cat  who  is  still  staring  daggers  at  him.

❝  I  saved  you  once,  remember  that.❞  Buck  muttered,  but  the  way  he  swallowed  after  seemed  to  indicate  he  knows  that  while  he's  bigger,  the  cat  has  more  sway  than  he  does.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐁𝐘 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆, she had learned that planning to be calm and actually being calm were two very different things. At the auction, noon had been a time. A plan. A polite answer to a practical question. Now it was inside her house, inside every dress she had taken out and put aside. Too plain. Too much. Not enough. By the third dress, she had to admit the obvious. The dress wasn't the problem. The woman panicking in front of the mirror was. A woman in her forties, old enough to know better, experienced enough to recognize bad ideas ; yet apparently still capable of spending ten thousand dollars on a young firefighter she had met once because her cat had no sense of self-preservation. In the end, it's a white dress scattered with blue flowers, elegant enough that she didn't look as if she had forgotten this was a date, but light enough for a warm day in Los Angeles. Every time she passed the mirror she adjusted some part of herself that didn't need adjusting. A dark brown strand near her cheek that escaped from the rest of her loose hair. The line of the dress at her waist. Her hands kept finding work ; if they stopped, she would have to admit how nervous she was, though Lin noticed every little movement. Lin knows her too well, after all. She knows every little thing Cass does when nerves start taking over and today she has made herself far too comfortable in the living room, sitting there as if she has been granted a front-row seat to the most important performance of the year. ❝ You know, ❞ she says without looking at her, ❝ you don't actually 'ave to sit zere and watch me lose my mind. ❞ Then, she turns away from the mirror, reaching for her small bag, checking inside it for the third time. Nothing she had not already checked twice, but it gives her hands a task and that is better than standing still with her heart moving too quickly beneath her ribs. Suzie sits near the window, tail flicking with judgment, her folded ears making her look far more offended by the world than any creature has a right to be. ❝ And you, ❞ she murmurs toward the cat, ❝ do not start. You are ze reason we are in zis situation in ze first place. ❞ Suzie blinks at her. Unmoved. Unashamed. Completely certain of her innocence.

Then, a knock comes at the door and she flinches before going still where she stands, staring toward the door, then toward Lin. Oh dieu. ❝ Don't say anyzing, ❞ she says, pointing once at Lin before she starts toward the entryway. ❝ Not one word. ❞ The warning would probably have more power if her voice did not carry so much nervousness underneath it. Reaching the door, she pauses with her hand on the handle, drawing in a breath that doesn't do nearly enough to settle her. Through the glass in the door, she can see enough to catch the shape of him outside while Suzie at the window is staring at him with so much focus that is usually reserved for birds and furniture she has decided to destroy. Then she opens the door. For half a second, all the things she had thought about saying disappear from her head. He is actually there, looking far too good for her already fragile composure, forcing herself not to stare like a woman who has never seen a man before. Her fingers curl against the edge of the door before she remembers to let them loosen. ❝ Bonjour, ❞ she says, then catches herself with a small breath of a laugh, because of course the French comes first when she is nervous. ❝ Euh… hello. Hi. ❞ Her smile turns a little embarrassed, but it stays. Behind her, Lin is probably pretending to be quiet while laughing into her sleeve.

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑾𝒂𝒔  𝒊𝒕  𝒕𝒐𝒐  𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏  𝒕𝒐  𝒔𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕  𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕  𝒊𝒕'𝒔  𝒂  𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆.ᐣ  That's  what  it  is,  isn't  it?  That's  what  she  bid  on,  a  date.  So  he's  going  to  call  it  that  even  though  when  she  repeats  it  with  her  beautiful  accent  he  finds  himself  blushing  like  he's  a  kid  confessing  his  first  crush.  Buck  lets  himself  chuckle  quietly  before  looking  back  at  her  and  he  nods  his  head.  ❝  I  think  it's  the  correct  term  but  if  I'm  wrong  ...  ❞  he  says  with  that  smile  on  his  lips  and  his  nerves  are  dancing  around  in  his  nervous  system.  Though  he  currently  feels  like  his  entire  body  is  a  nervous  system.

It  doesn't  help  that  he  knows  they  have  an  audience  and  if  he  were  to  look  behind  him  right  now  they  would  all  cast  their  eyes  away  fast,  or  do  that  cheesy  little  finger  wave.  Maybe  half  and  half  depending  on  who  is  doing  what.  He  suspects  Chimney  would  do  both.

When  she  asks  when  they're  doing  this,  she's  not  wrong  about  his  busy  schedule  but  he  thinks  about  it,  then  simply  suggests  ❝  How  about  Friday?  I  can  come  pick  you  up  at  noon  and  we  can  just  spend  the  day..?  ❞  it  seems  like  a  good  date  day.  It  is,  isn't  it?  Why  can't  he  seem  to  recall  when  a  good  day  to  go  on  a  date  is..?  Is  he  that  completely  blind-sided  by  this  situation  or  simply  taken  aback  by  her  and  the  fact  that  he's  here  with  her  with  a  chance  to  get  to  know  her  outside  of  an  emergency  of  a  cat  up  a  tree?

One  way  to  find  out,  right?

Buck  offers  a  nervous  but  charming  smile  still.  ❝  If  that's  good  for  you,  I  mean.❞

[ladamereveuse]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐈’𝐌 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 makes her look at him again, because what else would they call it ? A charitable exchange of time ? A guided tour purchased under emotional duress ? She had raised a paddle, won a date, and given Lin enough material to torment her for the rest of her life. It is almost easier when he seems nervous too ; not because she wants him uncomfortable, but because it makes the moment feel less one-sided, less like she is the only person sitting here with her pulse moving too fast beneath her skin. Her gaze drifts for half a second past him, toward the room behind his shoulder, because she is still certain Lin is watching from somewhere with victory written across her entire face. There are probably others too, his family, his friends, people who know him well enough to turn this into a story before the night is over. The thought should make her want to retreat into herself again. Instead, she looks back at him when he offers Friday at noon. He says it so simply and just like that, her impulsive ten-thousand-dollar decision has an appointment. Oh dieu. Her fingers brush once over the stem of her glass, but this time she does not reach for the wine to hide behind it. ❝ Friday at noon, ❞ she repeats and for a second, she considers pretending she needs to check something, a calendar, a deadline, any small excuse that might make her look less available than she is. But there is no point. Her time is her own in a way his is not. A chapter can wait. A page can be written later, or in the middle of the night when her mind refuses to rest. Fires, emergencies, people calling for help, those things do not arrange themselves around a convenient hour. ❝ Zat is good for me, ❞ she says, and the smile that follows is still nervous at the edges but it stays. ❝ I can make Friday work. ❞ Her eyes lower briefly, and the amusement grows a little warmer before she looks back up at him. ❝ And eef you are picking me up, I suppose you already know where to find ze house. Or at least where to find Suzie's tree. ❞ she chuckles, the smile on her mouth pulls a little more easily now.

❝ Though I should warn you, eef she sees you again, she may believe you are only zere to carry 'er down from places she should not climb in ze first place. ❞ She makes it sound like a tease because that gives her somewhere to stand, but it does not fully hide the fact that she has already agreed. The date. Him. The city through his eyes, whatever that will mean once they are out of this room and away from the auction, away from Lin and his people and every witness who has watched the beginning of this with far too much interest.

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆  𝑳𝒊𝒏  𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅  𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆  𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅  𝒉𝒆𝒓  𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆  𝒔𝒉𝒆  𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕  𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈  on  the  firefighter  than  it's  usually  the  bidder  that  plans  the  date,  but  it  seems  that  Cass  has  an  idea  of  her  own.  One  of  which  Buck  wouldn't  argue  against.  In  fact,  the  idea  brings  a  smile  to  his  face  when  the  suggestion  for  him  to  show  her  L.A  is  presented.

This  place  was  once  just  a  town  that  seemed  like  a  get  away,  a  vacation,  a  way  to  enjoy  his  life  to  the  fullest  in  all  the  ways  that  he  used  to  when  he  was  traveling  the  country.  But  now  it's  home,  everything  he  loves  is  right  here.  His  family,  his  job,  the  scene,  the  people.  Even  if  it  gets  chaotic  and  crazy,  and  sometimes  even  life-threatening.  It  doesn't  stop  him  from  calling  it  home  and  living  life  tot  he  fullest  and  in  the  moment.

So  the  idea  of  sharing  it  all  with  someone  else  makes  Buck  smile  ,  the  excitement  already  bubbling  up  within.

❝  Yeah...yeah!  We  can  do  that,  I  can  show  you  around,  show  you  the  place  I  enjoy...❞  It's  like  the  gears  are  turning  in  his  head,  he's  already  planning  the  events  of  their  date.  Where  they'd  go,  what  they'd  do,  and  where  to  go  to  eat  lunch  or  dinner  depending,  the  sights  they'll  see,  and  he  tries  to  think  of  the  one  place  that  truly  feels  like  Los  Angeles  to  him.

❝  I  would  be  more  than  happy  to  show  you  around.  Consider  it  a  date.  ❞  and  if  the  blush  on  his  cheeks  was  any  indicator  of  his  excitement  of  this,  one  would  say  he's  about  to  burst.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 the way his face changes when she suggests he could show her the city. His expression opens with it. He seems to like the idea, really like it, and she can almost see him beginning to plan it in his head, choosing places before either of them has named a day. For a second, she only sits there and watches him do it. That might be the most dangerous part of this, she realizes. Not the bidding, not even the fact that she had spent ten thousand dollars on him before thinking any of it through. It is the way he seems happy about the idea. The way he does not make her feel foolish for asking. The way his excitement comes so quickly makes it harder for her to remain cautious. It pulls at her nerves until they loosen just enough for her to notice how much she wants to smile back. That is the problem, of course. She is smitten ... and she does not like how easily he has made it happen. When he says he would be more than happy to show her around and then adds that she should consider it a date. Her eyes remain on his for a little too long, until the heat rises into her face again and she has to lower her gaze before he can see just how much the word has affected her. It is so ridiculous, dieu. She is not a young girl hearing the word date for the first time. She is a woman in her forties, an author, and she has written enough romances to know exactly what kind of scene this would be on paper. Even so, she lowers her gaze to the wine glass, smiling at the stem as if it can save her from the heat in her face. Her fingers move once against the tablecloth, smoothing a place near her glass that does not need smoothing at all. ❝ A date, ❞ she repeats, softer, as if she has to hear herself say it before she can accept that this is what she has bought herself into. When she looks back at him, the smile is still on her mouth, though it sits there with more nerves than confidence. ❝ Zat sounds fair, I suppose, since I did technically buy one. ❞ she chuckles. It is meant to sound harmless, almost teasing, but her heart refuses to treat it that way. It keeps reacting to him, to the way he looks at her, to the blush on his cheeks, to the possibility that this has caught him off guard too. That thought gives her a little room to breathe but not much, because Lin is certainly still watching from some corner of the room, dessert in hand, collecting every detail for later.

Her fingers brush once along the stem of her glass before she looks back at him. ❝ And when ees zis supposed to happen ? ❞ she asks, then gives him a small look when she realizes how quick that sounds. ❝ Euh...I only ask because your schedule must be difficult, non ? Being a firefighter. I am an author. I can write in ze morning, at night, at ridiculous 'ours when no one should be awake. ❞

[beautyinthetragedy]

𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉  𝒊𝒕  𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕  𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈  𝒕𝒉𝒆  𝒕𝒘𝒐  𝒐𝒇  𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎  𝒂𝒕  𝒕𝒉𝒆  𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆,  it  made  it  easier  for  Buck  to  relax  and  just  be  himself  even  if  he  could  feel  the  eyes  of  his  sister  and  his  brother-in-law  slash  coworker  staring  at  the  back  of  his  head  .  He  didn't  need  eyes  there  to  just  know  that  they're  probably  now  conversing  about  this  ,  about  him  and  this  situation.  Or  as  it  should  be  called  --  gossiping.

But  he  wouldn't  let  that  take  him  away  from  the  moment  of  getting  to  know  her  more  personally  after  the  adrenaline  of  being  on  stage  was  dying  down  and  a  full  flush  of  a  blush  rushing  to  his  cheeks  with  proper  focus.

❝  She  is  my  niece,  I  also  have  a  nephew,  Little  Bobby.❞

When  she  asks  what  happens  now,  Buck  just  smiles.  ❝  Well,  we  go  out  on  a  date,  any  date,  usually  it's  the  bidder  who  plans  it...❞  not  that  he  wants  to  put  that  pressure  on  her  if  she  doesn't  want  too,  they  can  think  of  something  together  or  he  can  come  up  with  something  if  she'd  prefer  it,  but  as  he  tries  to  note  that  suddenly  his  mouth  goes  dry.  He's  never  been  this  nervous  around  a  woman  before  so  why  is  she  making  him  feel  like  he's  twelve  years  old  with  a  crush?  Even  at  twelve  he  had  the  charisma  to  ask  someone  out  if  he  liked  them  enough.  This  was  different,  this  was  something  unlike  he  ever  felt  before.  Maybe  it  was  just  the  intensity  of  the  situation  ,  the  night,  the  crowd,  or  maybe  it  was  something  deeper.

But  he  still  felt  it  was  too  early  to  contemplate  that.  Yet  something  tugged  at  his  heart  in  a  way  unfamiliar  yet  welcomed.  Something  that  made  it  feel  like  his  heart  was  truly  beating  for  once  in  his  life.  Maybe  it  came  with  the  way  she  smiled,  or  maybe  it  was  the  look  in  her  eyes  who  went  from  being  so  bold  with  her  donation  to  now  seeming  slightly  shy  in  his  presence.

He  didn't  question  it,  couldn't.

Wouldn't.

He'd  let  fate  decide  what  this  might  be  without  holding  on  to  hope  that  it  could  be  something  that  would  go  down  a  long  road.  Yet  hope  would  linger  in  his  peripheral  view  as  though  giving  him  something  of  a  hint  of  things  yet  to  come.

❝  I'm  game  for  just  about  anything.❞

And  those  words  were  not  in  reference  to  only  the  date  to  come.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒 that the bidder usually plans the date, her dark brows lift a little before she can stop them. Of course that would be how it works. She had paid ten thousand dollars and somehow had not thought beyond the second her hand lifted the paddle. The date had only been part of the auction wording until now. Now he is sitting in front of her, saying he is game for just about anything. Oh dieu. Her gaze stays on him a little longer than she means it to, long enough that she has to lower it before he can see too much. The smile comes back slowly at the corners of her mouth, not because she knows what to do with what he said but because the warmth in her face needs somewhere to go. ❝ Just about anyzing, ❞ she repeats, softer, letting the words sit on her tongue for a moment. ❝ I should probably admit, ❞ she says, looking back up at him, ❝ zat I did not zink very far ahead when I raised zat paddle. ❞ The confession comes with a small curve of her mouth, caught somewhere between embarrassment and amusement. There is no point trying to make herself look more composed than she is. She had not planned this. She had not sat there with a list of restaurants or date ideas hidden away in her purse, waiting for the right firefighter to step onto the stage so she could win him. She had reacted and now the consequence of that reaction is smiling at her across the table. ❝ I also 'ave not seen very much of Los Angeles yet, ❞ she continues, ❝ I moved 'ere only recently, into a little 'ouse with more air around it because I thought eet would be good for a new book, but most of what I know ees my street, my desk, ze places I go for coffee and apparently ze tree my cat believes belongs to 'er. ❞ Her smile grows a little more at the end because it is easier to talk about the cat than to admit that sitting here with him still has her heart beating too fast ( and that it has very little to do with the auction now. ) ❝ So per'aps, ❞ she says, tilting her head slightly as she looks at him, ❝ I could use a good guide. ❞

❝ You probably know zis city better zan I do, ❞ she adds. ❝ and I would rather see a place zat actually means something to someone who lives 'ere zan whatever a travel list tells me I am supposed to see. ❞ she pauses, her eyes flicking over his face to catch his reaction before she lets herself continue. ❝ It does not 'ave to be complicated... ❞ A small breath slips out of her, close enough to a laugh that her mouth curves again. ❝ Maybe somewhere you like. Somewhere zat feels like Los Angeles to you. ❞ That feels easier to offer than some grand date with candlelight and expectations neither of them has earned yet, not a perfect evening planned to prove anything. Just a place. A beginning.

[speedster96]

mother mary

[beautyinthetragedy]

Lin's  POV

She  could  tell  that  Cass  was  now  avoiding  her  gaze  and  her  smile  and  paying  more  attention  to  Buck.  Which  of  course  would  only  make  Lin  grin  all  the  more  as  she  sipped  her  wine  and  watched  the  interaction  between  this  young  fire  fighter  and  her  best  friend.  Truly  of  all  the  men  that  have  come  in  and  out  of  Cass'  life,  she  could  find  herself  threatening  this  one  less.  Not  that  she's  ever  truly  threatened  Cassandra's  exes.

Those  were  promises,  clearly  a  different  thing.

Leaning  back  she'd  keep  her  mouth  shut  but  just  keep  watching  until  she  noticed  the  awkward  tension  between  Cass  and  Buck  with  her  there.  She's  trying  to  reel  in  her  smile  even  just  slightly  but  she  fails  miserably  as  she  stands  up.

❝  Well,  I'd  love  to  stay  and  watch  this  love  story  blossom  into  the  garden  of  roses  I  don't  doubt  it  will  become,  I  admit  I'm  a  little  bummed  I  didn't  win  myself  a  date  so  I  will  give  my  money  to  charity  another  way.❞  She  points  across  the  room.  ❝  On  expensive  desserts.❞  as  she  stands  she  turns  to  Buck  and  she  reaches  out  her  hand,  that  playful  smile  still  on  her  crimson  lips.

❝  Pleasure  to  meet  you,  Buck.❞  Then  her  attention  goes  back  to  her  brunette  bestie.  A  touch  to  her  friend's  shoulder  and  she'll  be  on  her  way.

Buck's  POV

When  Lin  gets  up  to  walk  away,  Buck  feels  some  sense  of  relief.  ❝  Your  friend  is  uh...pretty  intense.❞  Scary,  she's  scary,  but  he  didn't  say  that  outright  as  he  didn't  need  to  be  picked  on  for  finding  a  woman  almost  terrifying,  like  she  somehow  has  his  entire  profile  on  her  phone  from  the  second  he  sat  down.  She  just  gives  off  that  vibe.

But  Cassandra  is  different,  she's  comfort  and  warmth,  and  in  her  presence  he's  able  to  just  sit  back  and  relax,  he's  able  to  breathe.  One  look  in  those  eyes  of  hers  and  the  world  just  seems  quiet,  still,  something  in  his  line  of  work  could  be  grateful  for  after  chasing  after  so  many  thrills.

Maybe  this  is  what  it  feels  like  to  want  to  settle  down  and  find  something  like  his  sister  has,  like  Hen  has  and  maybe  he  found  it  because  of  a  cat  and  a  charity  event.  But  he  doesn't  get  too  ahead  of  himself.  His  luck  in  love  has  proven  to  be  lackluster  at  best  so  he  wants  to  take  this  slow  and  not  assume.

But  he's  never  felt  this  nervous  around  anyone  before  and  his  chuckle  gives  him  away.

❝  Oh?  Yeah?  ❞  he  asks.  ❝  I  wonder  if  Jee  has  read  anything  of  yours,  I  admit  I  never  looked  into  her  book  collection,  I  just  read  what  she  tells  me  to  read  when  it's  bed  time,  and  then  a  few  more  books  after  that  because  she  knows  I  can't  say  no.❞  a  faint  chuckle  escapes  him,  the  blush  just  as  quiet  against  his  nose  and  ears  as  he  lets  his  gaze  fall  on  her.

❝  I  should  also  just  thank  you  outright,  because  if  not  for  you  and  that  bid  I'd  be  over  there  with  them,  which  I  don't  mind  hanging  out  with  the  elderly  ,  don't  get  me  wrong,  but  hanging  out  with  with  a  group  of  individuals  whose  vitals  you've  taken  before  just  somehow  doesn't  sit  right  with  me,  I  think  because  it  feels  like  it's  the  potential  plot  for  a  crappy  medical  drama.❞

A  chuckle  leaves  him  as  he  looks  away,  but  not  for  long.  His  eyes  find  hers  again  almost  immediately.

[ladamereveuse]

𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐀 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐍 when she stands, but that does not mean she misses a single word of what is said. In fact, it is worse because every sentence arrives without the mercy of her being able to stop it with a look. Love story. Garden of roses. For one second she considers whether it would be too obvious to disappear beneath the tablecloth and stay there until the auction is over. Her eyes close for half a breath. Dieu. Lin never just leaves, she has to press the bruise of this moment with a smile on her mouth, then walk away as if she has not just set fire to the air around them. She only opens her eyes again when she feels that touch on her shoulder, giving her friend a look that is calm enough on the surface, but it says everything Lin deserves to hear later of how impossible she is. But she is also Lin. She had dragged Cass here, watched her bid ten thousand dollars on a man she had met once, then somehow known when to step back.

When Buck speaks after Lin leaves, she finally looks back at him and the corner of her mouth moves. ❝ She is, ❞ she says, and the words leave her too easily to pretend they are anything but true. Then her gaze flicks briefly in the direction Lin has gone before returning to him. ❝ But she is also loyal, which makes eet worse, because she believes she ees always doing me a favor. ❞ A small breath escapes her that is almost a laugh, reaching for the wine again without drinking from it yet. Her fingers just need the glass more than her mouth needs the wine. ❝ She can be a lot, ❞ she adds, ❝ but she means well. Mostly. ❞ The last word comes with a glance that makes it clear even Cassandra is not fully convinced of that tonight. Now there is room at the table that was not there before. Without Lin sitting beside her, she had almost expected the moment to feel easier to survive. Instead, it leaves her more aware of the young man sitting there and of the way his attention has nowhere else to go now except toward her.

When he speaks about a girl named Jee and how she decides what he has to read to her, her smile softens. She remembers the presentation that had flickered across the screen when he came onto the stage, the little details meant to show who he was beyond the uniform, beyond the grin, beyond the body the room had been bidding on. Uncle. Baker. A man who wanted a family one day and now he is sitting here, speaking about bedtime stories as if being asked for one more book is not a burden at all, but a defeat he is willing to lose every night. ❝ Jee...I assume ees your niece ? ❞ she asks, her eyes moving over his face as if she's trying not to let the fondness show too plainly. Then Buck thanks her again and this time it is not only for the donation but for saving him from the group who had nearly won him. She looks up at him and the image of it catches in her mind before she can stop it, causing a small smile, lowering her eyes for a second as if that might hide how much he has managed to pull it out of her. ❝ Euh, oui, ❞ she says, looking back at him with the smile still there. ❝ I can see why zat would feel… complicated. ❞ Her lips press together, but the amusement remains in her eyes. ❝ Though I am sure zey would 'ave been very 'appy to 'ave you. ❞

❝ So maybe, ❞ she says, ❝ we can agree zat I made a good donation and you escaped a dinner zat might 'ave become a medical emergency for entirely different reasons. ❞ Her smile pulls a little wider. ❝ So, since I apparently bought ze most expensive date of ze evening, ❞ she says, the nervous smile returning at the edges of her mouth, ❝ I suppose I am allowed to ask what usually 'appens now. ❞