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@lcststops
black cat /// white knight
penned by finch of bloodnglory.
ELENA CAVALLARO ↳ 40, she/her, fixer for the family. intro | threads | wanted connections | pinterest
BRESLIN ROYCE ↳ 48, she/her, mayor of los angeles. intro | threads | wanted connections | pinterest
AUGUSTINE BELL ↳ 42, she/her, assassin for nightshade. intro | threads | wanted connections | pinterest
LOCATION: the slaughterhouse TAG: lana @cfshadowsnangels
"I'm here for my payout," August said by way of greeting. During the day, the Slaughterhouse was empty save the owner herself, someone whose reputation she'd come to know without ever being across from her in the ring. The way she moved immediately told her military background--something she could pick out after spending two decades enlisted--and some slightly illegal digging told her dishonorably discharged, which didn't bode well for August's ability to behave civilly. A gloomy mood and an opinion made without so much as saying two words to the other was a recipe for disaster, but she showed up anyway. "Even though that fucker pulled a knife on me," she added grimly.
LOCATION: Bourbon + Smoke TAG: kaan @staincdvermillion
Though the location usually struck August as slightly too upscale for her liking, the comfort of relative safety within those walls was more than enough to put those feelings to rest for one evening. Quiet, secluded, and strangely cozy--all of it in service of hiding in plain sight, exactly the sort of thing she took to so easily. After procuring a pair of high-end whiskeys, she headed to the pair of comfortable stuffed chairs Kaan picked in the corner, the lighting warm and dim enough to make the pair of them practically invisible.
"Jobs done, proof sent. Sorry for dipping for week," she said as she settled, one of the drinks offered to him with an outstretched arm. Arden's death and subsequent funeral ignited the beginnings of a tailspin that could only be solved with some alone time sans technology in the mountains, and she'd done it without telling a soul. Probably irresponsible, but she was always the sort to ask forgiveness rather than permission. "Any word on the shit we lost? I haven't found anything, which is frankly bizarre considering the manner it was stolen."
LOCATION: a cafe somewhere TAG: @rachelxhargrove
August wanted to cancel, she did, but if she learned anything about dealing with difficult emotions, it was that regardless of healing process, isolation never helped. Mind and body health were both important, all that bullshit. God, how many times had she repeated that to friends and soldiers in a bad spot? It meant that after a week and a half of silence, she finally texted Rachel back to say she'd really like to go grab a cup of coffee. In this text, she did neglect to inform her friend that she might be somewhat sour company despite her best efforts. She stood with her shoulder blades pressed against the outer wall of the shop next to the door, feet planted and knees locked, eyes unfocused as she stared at nothing in particular on the ground while she waited. The scrape of shoes on the cement nearby caught her attention and she looked up, then straightened somewhat in order to offer her friend a weak wave. "Hey," she greeted, then offered a half-hearted grin. "I don't have it in me for yoga this week, don't even try."
he generally never announced where he was going to be , it was just part of who he was and elena should have expected this when he was starting to make his rounds. " i have some big dinner coming up , " he said sitting in front of her desk , blue eyes already going into their usual pleading look when it came to her. " and as much as i would love to wing it ---- i know you'd hate it if i did that , " both index fingers pressed against each other , " how much do you care about how i look to la ? "
@lcststops ( elena )
Despite her outward demeanor when it came to Santiago, she considered him a bit as an obnoxious little brother, his behavior endearing rather than irritating most days. Plus, of all the blood relatives of the Family, he seemed to truly want the best for people as a whole, not just those under the safe umbrella of their organization. "I mean, I care," she said, waving her hands vaguely. "How important is the dinner? How badly do you need to be a dumbass?" She sighed, resigned to the fact that regardless of the situation or difficulty, she'd always help him. "What's it for, when is it?"
"You'll have to teach me your ways, one day." Elena's grin was contagious, smile curving over her own lips as they headed towards the bar. "We did." Something she was beyond grateful for now. "A trial isn't a bad description." It had certainly felt like an endless battle, though she doesn't stray too far into that territory. There's a sense of gratitude that her friend cares but she had no desire to relive it nor dampen the mood of the evening by referencing how the last one had gone so badly. "But it is back to normal. Always feels a little eerie how things continue almost as if it never happened. It's how we get through, I suppose." While she'd learned to hold space with the emotions that came with being a doctor, rather than brush them away, she also knew that some of it had to be left behind before it buried her. "How's work for you?"
"Oh, that would be a multi-week course. Multi-month. I have so much knowledge," she said, expression faux-serious the few seconds she could maintain it. "I would absolutely be barred from every casino in Vegas, though." A little wave and she caught the attention of a bartender, then ordered herself a glass of white wine before she leaned against the bar itself, absently toying with the obsidian crown pinned carefully to the top of her head.
"Anybody ever figure out where the poison even came from?" Her curiosity was two-fold--the information would certainly help the Family, but the also the idea of lingering damage done to Cat put her stomach in knots. "A friend of mine was affected. Caterina--Cat," she added after a beat. If Zeina was right, that the eerie sense of normalcy was true and not some calm before the actual storm, then she was more than happy to take it. "Work's mostly the same now, more fixing scandals for rich parents whose kids misbehave in extremely creative ways and less playing whack-a-mole with conspiracy theories involving the recent bullshit."
Arrogance didn't sit well, particularly not from someone half her age with even less experience, but she at least managed to summon the grace not to reprimand the Barone lawyer like some school teacher might an unruly student. Instead she offered a tense smile and a nod as she accepted the proffered cup, continuing on her path to her office with the other in tow. By now surely Vivienne relayed just how much the mayor didn't trust a single member of their combined families, and she surely wasn't about to start.
Breslin pushed open the door to her office and stood aside briefly to allow Mia to enter, then moved to her desk and placed the coffee on her desk and dropped into her chair. "What exactly can I do for you?"
In any other world, Mia knew she would be below the mayor of the city. After all, she was a junior lawyer at a law firm. In any other world Mia would truly respect the woman before her for carving out a space of power in a world ruled by men. Incompetent men at that. And perhaps she did have some respect for the other. But, this was no other normal world. They both knew what Mia's last name meant. The invisible ties she had that were not spoke aloud, or that could be proven. They both knew that this city did not belong to the government of this city.
Smiling at the other, Mia dropped into the offered seat opposite her. "I want to talk a deal." She started, taking a sip of her own coffee. "I know you are not included on that task force the police have put together. That must be frustrating, insulting even. Here you are, a decorated civil servant and the highest one in this city. And yet... they don't trust you."
Perhaps in another universe, Breslin might have tossed her out of her office after laughing in her face. It might have been satisfying, even. This one, however, required her to sit still and take the disrespect from someone half her age with even less experience. She offered a patient politician's smile in response, betraying nothing of her absolute displeasure for this entire situation beyond the as yet untouched cup of coffee placed on her desk. A denied peace offering, a warning.
"You sure do know a lot," she said finally tone even but tense. She'd play the game with her, even with the knowledge that she'd already set a meeting with Kian Fitzpatrick in a week's time. That information would remain between the two of them, however, and she'd rather die than betray it. Still, the Barone name meant a lot in this city, and despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to burn that bridge, she knew better. "What makes you think I'd even be interested?"
francis had worked at city hall for so long , its almost as if there was some sort of plan he had devised --- maybe he could be the youngest mayor ? for now , he settled to being number two , always there , always two steps ahead for breslin and abigail. however , on this particular day his head was throbbing and the time change certainly did not help.
he sighed as if the answer was so simple , " children always beats everything else. did you learn nothing from your campaign ? " he leaned back in her chair taking a sip of his electrolit. " i'll make some calls , " he paused. " i'll make my assistant make some calls to the insurance companies to make sure they don' cancel their premiums and then we can do another form of fundraiser for wildfires later. " phone already out and typing as a reminder in the group calendar he shared with the interns and rest of his staff. " you're the face of the city --- not an attorney anymore. give equal attention to both causes but in different ways. " he smiled , " it's what i'm here for. "
Attitude like this was so rare from him that instead of a flash of anger in response, she merely lifted her eyebrows as a smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Tell me how you really feel, Shepherd," she teased gently. He wasn't rude necessarily, but blunt and direct had never quite been his style in her experience, at least where their relationship was concerned. Light eyes followed the movement of his hand as he lifted his drink to his lips and took a sip before continuing. Competent to be sure, however hungover.
"I'm fully aware," she said after a beat, finally responding to the actual content of his words. "I am used to direct, however. Two years in and I'd like to think I'm a bit better at it, but after a decade of swinging a hammer and getting my way, it's a little... off-putting to navigate sometimes." Finesse certainly amounted to a lot of her job as district attorney and she excelled at it, but the politicking as mayor still occasionally made her feel as though she missed a step walking down the stairs. "So I take it the casino night charity was a success? All things considered, anyway."
Emil nodded, knowing that to be factual. He considered Elena good at her job, really. This crisis that they were in seemed to be hard to keep track of, if he were to be honest. He was in no way shaped up or down by what The Hollow did or didn't do to their organization or himself, but Emil hated losing. He wouldn't let people that didn't even show their faces get away with anything, they'd taken enough from everyone in The Family specifically. Taking another shot, he managed to get two more, leaving him with only one last move, which he missed. "Got it." He'd say that it was good to see her in better shape this time around, of course, but Emil was a man of few words, if any. The fact that he was still playing billiards and not walking away from her after getting what he wanted from the conversation probably said enough. "You ready to lose or what?"
He seemed satisfied with her answer, which allowed her shoulders to drop as she released the tension that built there over the course of the conversation. This was a tightrope walk for all of them now, and one wrong move meant a stranger could dump their darkest secrets into the open to the detriment to their group as a whole. Now apparently comfortable with the conclusion of business for the evening, Emil sunk another pair of billiards and missed, and Elena beamed. "Oh honey," she said, teasing, then lined up shot after shot, each done with the speed and efficiency bestowed over years of experience. "I paid for college doing this shit. I don't lose."
❧ @lcststops (breslin) ❧ city hall
A knock, like so many other times before. The sound echoed for just a moment before the blonde slipped into the office that lay behind it, leaning against the door frame after the door itself had closed. Breslin was someone Agatha could consider a friend, had been friendly with for so long. At times one could even imagine that she felt bad for the plethora of secrets the deputy mayor kept from the one that had picked her. And in her own way she did, hated it but found the thrill and fun of her other life far too enticing to ever let go.
Still, she would support were she could. Benefits, all around. "I thought I'd poke my head in. Work has been ever so busy." The blonde glanced over at the mayor, her friend. "I thought it was high time we caught up, talked about a few things. Above all, discuss the mess." And the way some people, even those on the side of law - supposedly - seemed to work against them. "And you'll have to come over for dinner one of these days." Distraction. A hint of kindness. Layers.
By now, that knock was familiar enough to earn a simple hum of acknowledgement at the sound of it, her attention still mostly focused on the screen in front of herself as she finished another email, then moved to schedule a meeting in a shared calendar. Francis maintained it for the most part--small blessings--but she frequently altered it where necessary. She'd thankfully decided against going to casino night after a string of bad luck where events were concerned, and thus dodged most of the media storm that followed it. That didn't mean she was entirely free of the fallout, however.
"Hey, hi," she greeted after a moment, then inhaled deeply as she carded a hand through her hair and slouched slightly in her chair. She met the offer for dinner with a small but genuine smile, Agatha's kindness as always a small oasis in tumultuous times. "That sounds great, I'm sure we can work out time for that," she replied, then leaned forward slightly and began to organize some of the paperwork strewn about her desk. "Did you go to that Halloween thing? That uh--mafia sponsored casino night?"
Stella listened with a smirk. Of course, there were plenty of angles and sides to consider. Did she deal with rich kids almost every day? Well, to a degree. In that regard the detective found herself dealing with said rich kids after work far more than during the times she spent getting paid by the police department. Though whether that made it her scene or not was up for debate. "What can I say, I do like a challenge." It was certainly challenging at times.
"I'd go out of my way, though, and claim this place makes for the better drinks." A bold statement to someone who didn't seem to come to the place as often. "I think we both know the types of people I find myself around. It isn't always bad." In fact, it never had been bad. "Not all of them are kids. Some of them are a little bit more than that." ❧ @lcststops
August laughed brightly and shook her head as she toyed with the glass in her hands. "Challenge is certainly a word for it," she replied before she took another sip. She herself would be quite so patient with people over a decade her junior acting like they owned this city on account of a name or money, something she never quite tolerated even during her younger years. Now it became a point of contention where the gangs were concerned, but at least she wasn't in a position that required regular interaction.
The idea of here of all places serving good drinks prompted a huff of a laugh as she took another pull of hers, then set it down on the bar and idly traced the rim with her ring finger. "I mean, if overpriced and mediocre are your personal hallmarks of a good drink, then sure," she teased, then placed her elbow on the bar and her chin in her hand. "Oh? Not all bad? Tell me about those people, they sound far more interesting."
"As much as I support her wrongs as well as her rights, I don't think either of us want to deal with that." She chuckled as she encouraged Alfie to follow along, grateful that the picture her friend had painted probably wasn't going to come to pass. "I'm not sure I could do without her at this point - we've lived together since college." Their house only really felt like a home when they were both there, Blair being the crucial part of that. "Guess living on your own is peaceful?" The question is tentative, more curious about where August found that feeling than believing it was something that she'd find reassuring. Quiet had always unnerved her, growing up in a house where silence at best meant disinterest and at worst was wielded like a weapon.
Laughter rang out as the brunette proclaimed her innocence. "Oh, obviously. You've done nothing wrong ever in your life. I'd get on the stand for that." Not even that much of an exaggeration, instead always choosing to see and believe the best in her friends. And it would never be difficult for her to wax lyrical about them as she played character witness. "Yeah, my sisters are going and I think I'm gonna join them. You wanna come?" Excitement bloomed as ideas already filled her head, immediately offering to put her hobby to good use. "I can make you a costume, whatever you want. I think there'll still be enough time to make a good job of it."
As the trail grew a little rougher and stepper, August eased up on the reins and allowed Boone to pick his way carefully among the rocks and dry shrubs, his footing sure despite his inexperience. "Uh... yeah, peaceful," she answered absently, her attention on the direction her horse chose up the steady incline, then glanced back at her friend once he seemed comfortable. "When you're in the military, you're never really alone. Like yeah, I got an apartment on base when I was a little older and ranked higher, but it's still very communal. Deployed life is just tight quarters and no privacy. Much the same when I worked in Montana," she explained, "My condo isn't secluded or anything so it's not necessarily silent, but it's a lot more than I had for... shit, more than half of my life, actually."
August mirrored her friend's laughter at her insistence about her innocence, and she went so far as to pretend to toss her hair over her shoulder despite having it in a messy bun pulled through the back of a baseball cap. "You are a woman of excellent taste," she quipped, beaming. Her offer to join at the Halloween casino event prompted a bark of a laugh, then shock as Grace continued to talk about it in earnest. August twisted in the saddle. "Oh shit you're serious, sorry," she apologized, eyebrows arching. "No I'm not going. Honestly I can't fucking stand most of those people." A pause, then a small grin. By now she'd seen Grace crumble under the perception of rejection, and August wasn't about to be the cause of it where she could avoid it. "I was gonna paint bones on Boone and haul him down by some friends in Burbank. Wanna help me paint him before I go?"
"And sometimes you don't know the potential of how good something could taste until you try it and realized what you've been missing." This was about how romantic in words that Lorelai would get. And of course it had to do with food. Her face went to one of disgust at the mention of eggs in a powder form. "That can't be true. People can't actually like that. You're making it up." She felt certain about this, because even people with poor taste wouldn't go that low, right? She laughed again at August's lack of words. "I will take that noise to mean I was right."
When her friend once again mentioned certain things being not privy to her, she wasn't exactly sure if that was true. Even though they were close, they had differing interests and allies. "You know, if you continue to talk like that, people are going to believe that Nightshade does not pay their employees well. I'm happy to continue the rumor so in return they give you more money." Lorelai teased as she decided at the moment, she didn't need to know exactly all the ins and outs of what Augustine was knowledgeable on. She continued to eat as the other woman continued, rolling her eyes. "You make it sound like you do a lot less than I know you actually do." The tidbit gave her pause as she places the toast back down on the plate. "Does anyone suspect it was anyone in Nightshade or are all eyes on other people to blame?"
"Oh sweetheart, there's so many things the military can do to fuck you up forever. Powdered eggs is the lesser of all those evils," she teased. August escaped with some brutal scars on her ribcage, a distaste for fireworks, and an almost-obsessive exercise regiment--a taste for powdered eggs was not among the things that remained with her upon retirement. Food was really her first sort of freedom upon retiring, and even the occasionally shitty meals the other ranch hands made on their days to cook were way better than the same-everything usually offered on base and in the field. Reconnecting with Lorelai when she returned to LA meant it was doubly pleasant in that regard.
August picked at her toast while her friend spoke, clearly not entirely buying whatever she told her in regards to her work with Nightshade. "They pay me plenty," she said as she popped the remainder of her food into her mouth, eyebrows arched and a cheeky grin forming on her lips. "You've seen my condo," she added a moment later. Lorelai was one of the few, truly. Despite August's reputation as a little bit of a player, she rarely took people to her home, much preferring to keep the space private except for people she trusted. At the question, her brow furrowed and she considered, light eyes focused on nothing in particular out the nearest window as she thought.
"No, I don't think anyone thinks it was us. We lost money because of this, not to mention we had people in the hospital too and I stayed with one of them for a while when she came home. Whatever they got hit with, it was pretty strong," she explained, then tipped her head slightly and grimaced. "People do think it was the Network or the Family, though." She gave the Network the tiniest bit of grace based on Lorelai's proximity alone, but the Family didn't get an ounce of it.
lingering shreds of sentiment cease to dissipate while esme settled nearby her sister. granted, they didn't share the same blood, such candor failed to take away from elena being one of seldom few people who beared the privilege to witness the multifaceted perspectives esme often preferred to keep under wraps. no matter the passing of several years and different phases of womanhood having shaped both cavallaros into significantly different individuals, their shared ability to alchemize pain into persistence seamlessly magnetized the duo. discreetly perched at a table nestled between generous vineyards, no other time proved better than now to catch up.
"life's been hectic lately," falls from esme almost passively, a sliver of that sheltered, frazzled girl who first turned up on her newfound parents' doorstep nearly gleaming through, defenses voluntarily surrendering within her sibling's presence. uplifting her glass to allow some contents to ingest, she only continues after it's set down. "speaking of, i'm glad it's been treating you well enough. how've you been holding up, 'lena? pr business still keeping you on your toes?"
Elena absently spun the stem of her wine glass between her fingers as she listened, smiling a little to herself at the idea of things changing so much but still remaining very much the same. "Yeah? What's been going on? The Arsenal doing alright?" Her work both for the Family as well as the PR firm afforded her access to all sorts of information, including rumblings that the low-key weapon shop was not all it appeared at the surface. That was all she knew, and if Esme wanted her to know, Elena figured she'd tell her eventually. Until then, not her business.
"Yeah, work's busy right now," she replied, stretching her arms over her head and arching her back briefly to work out some of the tension lingering over the business in question. She heaved a sigh once she relaxed and slouched slightly. "Mom wanted to do dinner with the both of us sometime soon, but I haven't been able to tell her dates that might work because of it. Halloween is always a busy time of the year for us--a lot of rich assholes doing dumb shit with drugs and alcohol involved."
Kathryn Hahn at the LACMA Art+Film Gala
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (2023)
Kate Siegel as CAMILLE L'ESPANAYE
