red

leonette fossoway five and twenty

[leonettefossoways]

twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes // leonette & garlan // september 15th

[garlandtyrell]

Approaching the dance floor with her on his arm was a little on the side of normal. Garlan didn’t think too much of it, they were coworkers, adults after all. And besides, it would’ve been rude to discard her aforementioned of said dance.All the same, Garlan tried to see Leonette Fossoway for a dance partner and not his office assistant.

"Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about that." He down-turned his lips in a way that should’ve shown her there wasn’t anything to worry about. He led them through the crowd, pairs too wrapped up in each other to notice anything outside of themselves.

The music played softly in the background, and people milled about, either dancing or conversing with others. He dropped his arm, releasing her’s and extended his hand for her to take. Once she did, he relaxed a bit more, and smiled easily, pulling her a fair distance closer. 

[leonettefossoways]

The minute Leonette stepped onto the marble flooring that was being used a dance floor, she could feel her stomach drop in nerves. She was going to dance with her boss, and while maybe that would not have been such a bad thing for someone else, she was sure every Tyrell knew of her silly adolescence crush on him. Having a crush seemed like the wrong choice of words, but she wasn't exactly ready to drop everything and be his little wife.

Woah. Where did that come from?

She subtly shook her head, small smile on her face. Thankfully no one spared them a second glance. A few people nodded in acknowledgement and she inclined her head in greeting as she took his hand. Garlan excluded a warmth that was both foreign and familiar. She had brushed against him a few times before, sliding into her office that still had that sickeningly small doorway. Sometimes she stumbled over that little bump on the carpeted floor and Garlan would have to pull her back from falling face forward into hot coffee. But this was different. 

Her fingers were gently resting on his shoulders, his hand a grounding presence on her waist. She tried not to blush and probably failed drastically. Pulling a bit of boldness from behind redden cheeks, she subtly swayed closer, adjusting the position of her hands on his shoulders. They had been hurting before, hanging in a tentative distance. "I never knew you could dance." she said lightly. His steps were the most fancy, but he knew enough and had a good rhythm. 

[sola-nin]

水原希子 for NYLON JAPAN, July 2013

[leonettefossoways]

the smell of coffee bean // leonette & loras // 26th october, 2009

[ink-and-cigarettes-blog]

 Loras laughed softly as she admitted to changing things underneath Garlan’s nose. She was sneaky— he liked that. Sometimes the only way to get something done was to just go ahead and do it, regardless of what the other person thought they wanted. Garlan could be such a grouchy old man at times, completely stuck in his ways and disliking pesky things such as ‘change’.

 Her acceptance of the lunch invitation made Loras sag a little in relief, the guilt of having kept her during her break seeping away. “Don’t worry about not knowing anyone— it’s a huge company, even I don’t know half the people here, and my father owns the place.” Grinning, he stepped back from her desk as she collected her things, her cheeks still bright pink, causing Loras to flush with a certain amount of pride. He knew it was a bit rude to flirt with a woman like this, given he had no intention of ever going further with it, but what was wrong with a bit of harmless flirting? She didn’t seem uncomfortable— quiet the contrary. It was fun for both, even if it never lead anywhere beyond friendship.

 Besides, even if Loras wasn’t completely and utterly gay, his new found romance with a certain politician was enough to entice him away from all others— not just women. He still couldn’t get Renly off his brain. The way he smelled, the way he felt, the crinkles in the corners of his eyes when he smiled, his laugh and his voice… the taste of him. His moans— god, his moans.

 Snapping out of his daydream when Leonette emerged from behind her desk, Loras coughed into his hand as if to clear away the dirty thoughts in his head, and guided her toward the lifts, pressing the down button. “You’ll acclimate soon enough— trust me. Everyone here is really friendly, and if they aren’t then they are complete tossers so why bother?” Shrugging, he let her step into the lift first before following behind. “So where did you work before you came to TMC?” he asked as the doors shut. He decided to actually get to know her, rather than just shameless compliment her and laugh at how difficult Garlan could be.

[leonettefossoways]

There was still so much to do, and really, Leonette had been skipping lunch a few times this week just to get things finished before Garlan came back, but Loras was his brother. Maybe it was all some sort of test, to see if she would fall for a pretty face (and by God, Loras was beautiful, all curls and cheekbones, easy smiles that made Leonette feel more at ease) or if she was going to stay back to finish her work. If that was the case, she would just have to figure something out on the way back, because her rumbling stomach didn't seem to be silenced by cold coffee and the disgusting egg and cucumber sandwiches from the machine outside the office.

Stepping away from her little corner, she brushed down her skirt, making sure nothing was creased or stained by any coffee spills. Instinctively, she glanced to the side, used to having mirrors around her work place, and she quickly ducked her head back down, remembering that she wasn't working for her father, and acting like she was higher than everyone else (save the Tyrells, of course) wasn't going to get her any friends. He was very politely, waiting for her to ready herself instead of just walking away like some of her male friends are known for doing and she felt herself smile again, chin pushed up a little bit higher at the knowledge that he didn't mind being seen with the new girl.

"That's probably true. No one has been outright horrible, just...silent. Though I guess it's mostly me." she said softly, fingers lacing together in front of her skirt as the elevator started to move down. "Well, I worked for my father. He's a designer, you see." Here, she smiled a bit wider, voice picking up an almost excited tone. Perhaps it was because promoting her father's brand, even just mentioning it, was already programmed into her system, but she would rather blame it on duty.

"That's how I met Margaery, actually. I spoke to her about attending one of my father's shows and she did. She's very lovely, your sister." She felt a bit silly, blabbering on about her father and Margaery, so she tried to give as much detail without going into a monologue. "She wore one of...," my "my father's dresses for her birthday party, actually."

[leonettefossoways]

twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes // leonette & garlan // september 15th

[garlandtyrell]

Garlan nods at her before taking a rather large bite of his own sandwich. She was slowly working on her’s, well, his, still, it doesn’t matter. He finds himself smirking to himself as he looks down at the floor, then at the people mingling across the large room.

His smirk brightens into a smile at her compliment. It’s nice of her, and he tilts his head, “Thanks, even with a plate and mouth full of food.” He says with a laugh, after a hasty swallow of the sandwich in his mouth. At his previous state, he didn’t know how good he looked, good enough to impress the other men here at least, and show his status amongst them. He had a power here, which people clamoured to, even if it was for the greater cause of London, no cause was greater than upping themselves in the world.

Garlan dreaded those sorts of conversations. However, with Leonette here, surely none of that would come along. “You too, great.” He adds suddenly, remembering that she had infact complimented him before his mind ran wild. Chuckling softly, he raises his glass to drink from as she coughs. It isn’t a worrying cough, perhaps something in the air, or the sandwich had dried out in her throat. Either way, she looks fine, great even, but Garlan reminds himself that she is his employee, his assistant in truth, so…none of that.

Taking another bite as she doesn’t seem to feel brimming with conversation, he watches her watch the room, glad that she is in fact here. At least someone that wasn’t his sister is in attendance. 

Do you dance? It’s abrupt and it sounds like she hadn’t even meant to say it. He knits his brows together and glances down at her. Is she asking him to dance? He decides to forego the formalities and pleasantries, it’s much too exhausting, and they’ve known each other for three years and fucksakes they’re adults. “Miss Fossoway, are you asking me to dance?” He says with an amused tone, placing the remainder of the sandwich in his mouth, and the plate of food on the table. 

After finishing his bite, he unceremoniously dusts his hands for crumbs on his pants and grins, “Why don’t we find out then?” 

[leonettefossoways]

It felt weird, turning suddenly shy in front of a man she usually went all out to prove herself to. Leonette had tried her hardest to show that she was not a pushover, because she wanted him to respect her, to trust her. And if she was putting in a little more effort because she was fond of him, no one would ever know, either. It was assuring though, that he didn't immediately reject her half arsed attempt to get him to dance with her. He seemed more amused than anything, which still didn't give her a clear idea as to what he answer might be. 

A small part of her wanted him to brush it off, wanted to say something to make it a bit more nonchalant, but then again, she didn't really want to take it back either. Leonette settled for a small shrug, face heating up. He might want to dance with her, for the sake of being nice, or even because he wanted to. Oh stop it, she told herself, that's so adolescence. She was no longer a blushing teenager, waiting patiently for someone to look at her. Of course, she still felt a little self conscious, but Leonette knew that if she didn't make an appearance, she would fade in the background and she had enough of that with working for her father. 

She averted her gaze from the chocolate fountain, where she was mindlessly looking at nothing in particular, just to keep her eyes occupied, when he placed the plate on the table. A small smile, shy and slightly amused, tugged at her lips and she wiggled her feet in a little bit more into her heels, making sure they were properly secured. She didn't want to trip or step on his feet, after all. "Lovely." she said simply, linking her hand through his arm. If he noticed the slight hitch in her breath, Leonette hoped he wouldn't point it out. "I feel like I should warn you," she said softly, as they made their way to the floor, "I haven't danced in a few years."

[leonettefossoways]

twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes // leonette & garlan // september 15th

[garlandtyrell]

One thing was certain: Garlan Tyrell rightfully enjoyed these little functions. They were perfect places to meet new acquaintances, and chat amongst old friends, but if he had to pick one thing that kept him coming back, other than the public importance that he go in the first place…It would probably be the food. 

The Martell Gala, was no different. Although for a good cause, which made Garlan more at ease in the setting. There would be people here contributing to a better London, one that saw the rubble of the attacks away. Of course, there would always be the people who only sought to put their name in good light. Garlan didn’t so much appreciate those people, as wish they just…weren’t.

He arrived fashionably late, normal for him and made the usual rounds, talking to people, he thought worthy of his acknowledgement. It wasn’t that he thought himself better, it was…He ran a company now, there were certain things expected of him. People would expect his attention, and if not, it would be taken as a slight towards them. Garlan definitely didn’t want to offend anyone just as he’s getting control of this monster company under his belt.

A fair bit through the night, he found himself by the large array of food on at least several tables in a large portion of the room. He smiled his way through the line, grabbing a plate. He looked at the women, who’s plates had barely anything on them, and then some of the men would not even indulge in a little party sandwich. Garlan rolled his eyes at them, setting himself up with a rather full plate.

The clatter had it’s ebbs and flows, quiet moments and boisterous laughs sparking throughout the crowd. He had thought he saw Leonette through the crowd, but it wasn’t as if he would acknowledge…her. No, he wasn’t at work, so it would be entirely alright to just ignore her. Though he had to admit, amongst seeing his sister here, she was a welcome addition. 

He busied himself with his plate however, and heard a distinct sound of clacking heels come his way. Perhaps another would like some food, some bare semblance of food, but still. He was surprised however, to discover it was Leonette Fossoway that had approached him. “Ah, yeah.” He manages a chuckle in her direction when she had grabbed a sandwich off his plate. Rather…rude, but he did have three others there, so he supposed it was alright. 

"Quite nice, this gala…Don’t you think? Good cause too." He gave her a soft smile, picking up a sandwich for himself off his plate. 

[leonettefossoways]

Leonette had decided to forgo the food herself, partially because her dress did not allow much movement and she felt uncomfortable eating in front of strangers. Of course, these were important strangers and perhaps that was why she took extra care to keep herself clean and well presented. A heavy lunch managed to balance out all the liquid she was drinking, and though it was probably impossible to get drunk off a few glasses of champagne, she was feeling a bit more lighter than before. Nibbling at the edge of the sandwich she had nicked from his plate, Leonette felt her face flush slightly at his smile, and quickly averted gaze to the dancing couples, nodding her head slightly. 

"It's very well planned." Her eyes glanced towards the sharply dressed men who served as guards at every entrance before smiling slightly, ducking her head down to shift her attention from the floor to Garlan. "You look good." He always came into the office well dressed, though by mid afternoon, his sleeves would be rolled up, ink staining the tips of his fingers. Leonette realized she liked that Garlan better, because a cleaned up Garlan, with his soft smiles and amused gaze was just too much. It was easier to be more serious around him in the office. Outside, in public, it was harder to keep it professional, and she often found herself observing his movements in a totally unprofessional manner. 

Coughing softly to clear her thoughts from heading in that direction, she couldn't help but be drawn towards the dancing couples, a wistful smile tugging at her lips. There had been a few people she could have asked to accompany her, her father for one, though if he had been her date, Leonette would probably be spending most of her time sitting down, gossiping about who wore what and did you see her hair?, with him. "Do you dance?" The question was out before she could think on it and she glanced at him, worried for a moment that it would make things awkward. "I mean, just...Just asking." she threw in a shrug for extra precaution.

[leonettefossoways]

twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes // leonette & garlan // september 15th

There had been an unspoken agreement that once at the venue, Leonette would have to mingle around, introducing herself always as Leonette Fossoway, PA to Garlan Tyrell. She was not to go looking for him, unless the situation called for it because it would probably be weird and people would jump to conclusions. So far, she seemed to be handling the mingling part well enough, since it wasn't like she was a newcomer to such events, but Leonette's part was always behind the scenes, designing and fitting dresses, never really talking to many, so it had been a bit difficult at first, to find appropriate discussion material, but once she got the hang of it, she managed to be friendly yet not too annoying, proper yet not too boring. 

She was, however, beginning to feel the initial pain of what would probably greet her as a splitting headache the next morning and excused herself politely from the circle of people she had slipped into, finding an empty seat as most of the crowd had navigated over to the dance floor, swaying with their partners or family members. Sighing softly, she wiggled her feet around her shoes slightly, toes aching, glancing around to see if she could find a more familiar face. 

She recognized a few from TMC, as well as her boss, standing by a table laden with food. Unbidden, she snorted softly under her breath, covering her mouth with one hand as she took in the sight, amused more than anything. Of course he was near the food, she thought to herself, as she got up to go say hello, heels clinking against the polished marble flooring. "Enjoying yourself?" she asked softly, flashing him a cheeky smile before fishing out a sandwich from his plate for herself. 

[expresswaytoyourheart]

[garlandtyrell]

it's a terrible life | leonette and garlan [september 2009]

[garlandtyrell]

Even though he hadn’t let it show, he was rather annoyed that his father’s PA had been rude to his. “If that happens again, tell them to call me. I’m the one mucking it up, not you." 

Garlan relaxed in his office chair, setting up the day’s work. Gathering some papers from one drawer, starting up his computer and logging in. It was all very monotonous, and Garlan still found it rather boring. Still, it was a job, and it was to help his family so he was happy to do it. 

It wasn’t too much longer when Leonette peaked into his office. He smiled as she came forward with his coffee. He would’ve made it himself, but that’s what she’s here to do…might as well. He noticed she was rather nervous-looking, to him anyway. He didn’t actually know if she was, but there was a certain doe-eyed scared look she had to her.

"No, no, I’m sorry." He pulled his chair closer to his desk. That would make sense, he had been rather…serious when he came in this morning. Though he didn’t want her fearing for her job. “No you’re not, at all. Opposite, actually." He grinned, shaking his head. “You’ve been doing quite well here these past months, Leonette. I don’t want that to go unnoticed, or think I’m taking you for granted, because I’d really be lost in this schedule business without your help." He was humble in his admission, but sure to throw in a good laugh every so often. 

[leonettefossoways]

She felt oddly silly when Garlan told her to inform him the next time something like that happened. Leonette hadn't meant to say anything about Mace Tyrell's PA, because whilst she was rather prone to sharp answers and undisguised looks of ridicule, Leonette knew she wasn't someone who would be easily cowed into submission by a few harsh words. Still, she had meant it in a joking manner, though she had been rather riled up at the time, but it was nice to know that Garlan, despite his initial feelings on her employment, was concerned with her work.

It was flattering really, and Leonette felt her face heat up slightly, head pounding from the sudden rush of blood to her cheeks and the late nights she had been spending at the office. Thankfully, even in six inch heels, she wasn't all that weak and she was smart enough to lean against the desk slightly after setting his cup down. "Oh!" Leonette would be lying to say that she wasn't a bit surprised, but she was more proud than anything. There were many sayings about pride being an unattractive quality, but she couldn't help the wide smile that tugged at her lips. 

Feeling a bit more comfortable now that she knew it wasn't something that she did wrong, Leonette took a hesitant seat on the chair opposite him, crossing her ankles just so she could feel her legs. It was all right numbing, her headache and Garlan being so nice, she needed a bit of an anchor to remind her that this was real and that bumbling like an idiot was not advisable, so the slight strain she had to make to cross her ankles properly was helpful, if not slightly irritating. "Oh, it's not a big deal, really. After being spoon fed for most of my life, it's rather nice to be treated like everyone else for a change. I'm glad that my work is satisfactory though, I'm trying very hard." she said softly.

[garlandtyrell]

it's a terrible life | leonette and garlan [september 2009]

[garlandtyrell]

“Wonderful, thank you. Careful, they’ll probably see you doing better than me and think you and I should switch places.” He grinned; the compliment is good natured, humorous  though maybe he shouldn’t. He doesn’t want to give Ms. Fossoway the wrong impression, nor make things…uncomfortable with her. He’s never really had to deal with that before, never really needing an assistant.

Garlan coughed, smoothing down his suit and listened to her, “Postponed? Today?” He groaned. Garlan did not look forward to meeting with his father. Maybe he could get out of – No, it was one of his responsibilities now, and he didn’t want his father to think him incapable. His smile was in danger of being erased, but seeing her smile brought it back. He wouldn’t want to seem like a grouch as well.

“Hmm, coffee. Yes, coffee yes, please. You can bring it to me in my office, I have something to discuss with you any matter.” He nodded once and departed from her desk, walking a few paces into his own office.

It was as clean as ever, but noticeably Leonette has been through. There’s something to be said about an assistant who has access to their bosses office but never is tempted to steal anything. Not that…he’d liken her to burglars and thieves, but still, it’s there. Though she’s been here two months, always showed up early and hardly complained. She’d organized his schedule to a T. Garlan unbuttoned the middle button on his suit jacket and took his seat, waiting patiently for Leonette to return with his coffee.

[leonettefossoways]

It did take her a moment to realize that he meant the statement as a compliment, mingled with a playfulness that she should have caught on earlier, instead of ducking her head down in partial embarrassment. Feeling a bit silly, she glanced up from the thin book in her hands (that had dates and meetings and post-its stuck between pages) and smiled at him, faint amusement twinkling at the corners of his eyes. At least she didn't have to worry about him disliking her or anything of that sort. "Your father's PA," she says the words with playful distaste, though she does not quite like the woman either way, "was quite cross with me." 

Leonette had been rather rude in return, but it didn't verge into name calling. She was more professional than that, even though she wanted to stalk away and sulk like a child. Working for Garlan meant facing rather displeased people sometimes. It had been difficult at first, since Leonette never really had to deal with such things when she worked for her family, but she was managing fine so far. "Yes, of course, sir." she said obligingly, nodding her head before scurrying out of the room, setting the book down on her desk before glancing around for the pot of coffee she had made earlier.

It was sitting on a stack of papers, leaving a bit of a stain behind, but thankfully those papers were supposed to be keyed into the computer and thrown away later. Mixing the coffee with enough sugar and creamer and whatever else Garlan liked in his drink (she made sure to write it down at first, but making his coffee was like making her own now, she could do it without blinking), she walked back into his office, coffee in tow and smiled shyly, setting the cup down in front of him. "I'm not in trouble, am I?" she asked softly, hands clasped in front of her.

[leonettefossoways]

the smell of coffee bean // leonette & loras // 26th october, 2009

[ink-and-cigarettes-blog]

 Loras caught the blush, and his smile became even bigger. If he didn’t know any better, he’d have said she thought he was flirting with her. Well this could be exciting. Sometimes Loras blurred the line between just being nice and flirting, but really, flirting made people feel just as good about themselves as anything else. It also gave him an incredibly ego boost when he could make a woman blush with the flash of a smile, or a man’s eyes grow dark with the twist of a curl. It was fun, and Leonette looked like a lot of fun.

 Leonette’s comment about Garlan not wanting help made him snort, although his smile was still there. “Yeah, he’s always been like that. Refusing any help unless he really needs it— which he does. Even if he doesn’t seem to appreciate the help you give, know that he needs it. He can just be inordinately stubborn.” Loras noticed her attention kept flicking to the clock, and when she asked about his lunch he shrugged.

 ”Nah. Well, sort of. Is it your lunch hour?” he asked. Leaning over on to her desk a bit, he looked at the clock she’d been inspecting, seeing he’d already taken up five minutes of her precious lunch hour. Well now he felt a bit bad. Snapping his head back up to look at Leonette, he grinned again. “Do you want go with me for a bite to eat? It’ll be my treat. Whatever you want— even if you want to go down to that prissy lunch spot a block away where all the news casters go.”

 He finished it off with a wink.

[leonettefossoways]

Leonette was no stranger to the occasional compliment followed by an invitation to dinner. It had been rarer during her schoolgirl days, she had been plain, both in looks and personality, and had dressed in colours to match, but working with her father had changed that. She wasn't allowed to hide behind dull browns and dark blues and with her new wardrobe came the attention. It had been flattering at first, and Leonette, unsure of how to reject someone without seeming rude, had accepted whenever her schedule permitted it, but she was a rather boring character, who was prone to blushing and staring down at her feet. 

She hadn't changed much from back then, only now she was more comfortable with making conversations and her cheeks only turned slightly pink (only slightly, but Loras Tyrell seemed to make her turn tomato red, which was quite embarrassing). "I was worried at first, since he didn't seem to like me very much." He had been lovely, of course, but Garlan had tried to do everything by himself and Leonette didn't feel comfortable with just taking charge all of a sudden. "I had to sneak in slowly and change everything up." Thankfully he was slowly starting to get used to her way of arranging his daily activities and things had been flowing rather well lately.

Leonette's fingers clenched into fists, momentarily, resisting the rather childish urge to giggle when he winked, though a slightly embarrassed, rather excited smile made it's way to her face. She would never dream of dating someone that worked alongside her, let alone someone who was related to her boss, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to make friends. "Well, if it's not too much trouble." she said softly, head ducked down. "I don't know many people around here and well... It'd be nice to go out to get something to eat." she said finally, nodding her head. She wasn't a little girl anymore, she could handle this like an adult. 

[garlandtyrell]

it's a terrible life | leonette and garlan [september 2009]

It wasn’t often that Garlan was taken by surprise. Though when his sister had told him that he’d be getting an assistant, he had to work not to gape at Margaery. He didn’t need an assistant, he was thoroughly self sufficient, cooking, and cleaning his own flat, in his own way. No, assistants weren’t maids anyway. Though they did things for people, that much Garlan understood. 

Still, why did he need an assistant again? Meetings, times and places often got mixed up while he was working. Was it 6:15, or 5:16? Or even 1:56…Well, he was rather busy at times, maybe he did need one. Though he didn’t need his sister telling him that. Still, he agreed to interview them. Margaery said that Garlan would like her, and he was starting to get suspicious of his sister’s motives.

Did she think that he really needed an assistant, or was there an ulterior scheme brewing in her mind? He more or less dreaded the meeting. Though when it came to it and he met her, Leonette Fossoway, she was kind, and even a little bit nervous. She was also rather…attractive, which made Garlan feel uncomfortable. If she was going to work for him, well, that would have to stop right there. 

And so it did, and Leonette started working the following Monday. Garlan had to admit, any reservations he had about her working for him, dissolved after a month or so. Though he still wasn’t sure he needed her, and he wasn’t about to admit to Margaery that she was right. Still, Leonette was a hard worker, serious, respectable, by Garlan’s terms, and even if he didn’t fully appreciate her, he still…was glad for all intents and purposes that she was around to keep things straight. 

It was still strange, having someone running meetings, fitting things together for him. Well, he could still have dominion over his flat, she didn’t have to tell him when to eat, or sleep, or anything else. So he came into the office, spotting her by her desk. It was rather neat, organized, which made Garlan smile as he approached her. 

“Good morning, Miss Fossoway.” He greeted with a slight nod of his head.

[leonettefossoways]

Leaving her father's shop and the comforts of home had been difficult at first, but Leonette felt that her choice to follow Margaery's advice had paid off rather handsomely. Of course, her first few days working for Garlan Tyrell had been a mess of trying to fit in things for his schedule (which was actually a bunch of sticky notes and scribbled writing on a board that left her wondering how he managed to get to all of those meetings in time) and finding time between copying meeting minutes and proof-reading reports to get something to eat. 

The office was rather welcoming despite her quick ascension to succession as the Garlan Tyrell's secretary, but Leonette treated him like any other person. It was rather troubling at times, because Garlan had a funny way of smiling that drew a smile from Leonette (and everyone that looked at him really, it was contagious) as well and smiling at her boss like a silly fifteen year old with a crush was not professional, in her honest opinion. So she kept her head down and read her reports, answering questions in clipped professional tones. She made sure to smile every so often though, she didn't want him to think she was a bore to be around.

Why she didn't want him to think that was another matter altogether.

Coming into the office early had been one of the things she picked up gradually, finding it much more easier to handle things and fix up his desk, keeping things neat and easily accessible without him talking to her and making her hide bashful smiles. Stop being silly, she scolded herself as Garlan walked in. She straightened her back and stood up instinctively, nodding at his greeting. "Good morning, Mr. Tyrell." she said lightly, wondering if it would be too bold for her to ask him to call her Leonette. Another time, another time. 

"I have your schedule ready for today, yesterday's meeting with your father was postponed to today." Because you got the time mixed up, she wanted to add. Instead, she smiled. "Is there anything I could get you? Coffee?"

[jeou]

kiko mizuhara for a.p.c campaign f/w 2011

[leonettefossoways]

the smell of coffee bean // leonette & loras // 26th october, 2009

[ink-and-cigarettes-blog]

 ”Oh, he mentioned me, did he?” Loras quirked a brow and smirked, figuring Garlan had gone over how amazing he was. Amazing and charming and a brilliant brother. Or perhaps he’d said what he normally said when asked about him, which usually contained the words ‘annoying’ and ‘a bit of a tit’. Judging by Leonette’s expression, Garlan hadn’t said much, which meant he had to make a glowing first impression.

 ”Oh, I’m not here to see him,” he said quickly. Flashing her a grin, he leaned against her desk casually. “I’m actually here to see you. I was told Garlan got a new secretary, and I just had to meet you. I like to know who is who around here, you know?”

 In actuality, Loras didn’t really care who worked next to him at TMC, let alone someone a few floors above and in a completely different department. If they did not directly affect him, he couldn’t give a toss about who they were. That was, until they made a good story. But Leonette did matter, because according to Margaery, she was just what Garlan needed. She was a pretty girl, though— even Loras could see that through his Renly induced lust haze. She was alert and seemed bright enough, and there didn’t seem to be a thread out of order on her appearance. No wonder Margaery liked her— they dressed much the same.

 ”How have you been liking it here?” he asked, deciding to just ask casual questions rather than give her the once-over and leave. He was hungry and wasting his lunch hour, but he had an interview that was conveniently next to a food mart that sold prepackaged sandwiches.

[leonettefossoways]

Leonette wasn't sure what Loras thought Garlan had told her about him, but she didn't know much about the Tyrells, besides the fact that they were all rather attractive, if Loras' presence proved anything. It was a bit adolescent to think of such a thing, especially since this was her boss' brother. That was hardly professional, but it wasn't like she was interested in Loras Tyrell. He seemed nice enough and he had a lovely smile that made Leonette turn slightly red (like the apple pin she had on her pencil case).

If her breath caught in her throat when he leaned over, no one else would have to know.

"Me?" Her voice came out as a bit of a squeak and she cleared her throat primly, sitting a little bit straighter. Perhaps she should stand, but really, if Loras wanted to sit, he could. Or maybe she should invite him to sit. Feeling a little flustered, she allowed a faint smile, sweet and slightly bashful, to grace her face. "Oh yes, well, that makes perfect sense."

It didn't, not really, but she didn't want to say anything about that. They didn't even work together, really, but maybe Loras just took an interest because she was Garlan's secretary. "It's very...nice. Garlan was difficult to work with at first." Leonette is a bit surprised at her honesty, but the Tyrells seem to be able to get her to speak to truth, Margaery with her wide smiles and now Loras as well. "But he's great now, more accustomed to having help, I suppose."

Her eyes glanced over at the small clock on her desk just as her stomach grumbled another soft rumble and she felt her cheeks heat up again. "Am I disturbing you from your lunch?" She wanted to ask him if he'd like to go up to the cafeteria with her, but that seemed too bold. 

[leonettefossoways]

we're choking on ambition // leonette & gilly // september 24th

[gcraster]

Gilly’s days were busy. She woke up early to attend to her son (who demanded more and more attention as he got older, somehow — wasn’t he supposed to learn how to do things by himself as the years went on?!) and either spent the rest of her days in class or working at the bakery. At night, she split her time with her friends, at the bar with Val, or at home with her family (Val included, always and always and always). 

But the newest addition to her busy schedule, and the thing that she seemed to look forward to the most (surprisingly) was volunteering at the women’s clinic.

She’d only just started, so the things she did weren’t intense — although she had delusions of grandeur, almost, of changing the world One Girl at a Time, she mostly helped people fill their prescriptions or get in touch with doctors that could help. Occasionally, though, she bumped into girls who reminded her of herself, a few years ago: scared and lost and in need of guidance. It reminded her of her past, and even though it was a scary thought (who wanted to be reminded of that?) it also helped her realize how far she came, and how far everyone else could go, too.

She walked in to her shift after her morning classes, bright-eyed and optimistic. She was already tired, but she looked forward to the hours spent at the clinic. Gilly glanced around at the people waiting — a few girls sitting together, gossiping; a couple, sitting next to each other, not talking; a few people thumbing through magazines, and a woman, looking at her phone. She sat behind the front desk and glanced at the sign-in sheet, looking to see the next name that hadn’t been called.

“Leonette?” 

[leonettefossoways]

She had been in the middle of a texting war with her father over what colours should go into his next collection (he wanted purples and blues, Leonette wanted something dark, navy blues and blacks) when her name was called out and she glanced up from her phone, a faint look of annoyance on her face. It was directed at her father, mostly, but the girl who called her probably didn't know that so she pushed her phone back into her bag and stood up, smiling faintly just to ease the tension. Thankfully she didn't have to see the doctor today, the slip he had given her in the beginning of the year said she could come get her monthly pills as soon as they've finished. If anything seemed amiss, she could always talk to him. 

Leonette wasn't one to liked to pretend she was alright. If she felt sick, she wasn't above ordering someone around to get her medicine or some warm chicken soup. Walking towards the girl, she rested her hands against the counter and nodded in greeting. This one was younger, much younger than the last assistant nurse the doctor had and it made her wonder if this girl was even qualified to be a nurse. Of course, it wasn't her place to ask, but she couldn't help feeling slightly curious either way. Still, there was a nurse in charge of the medicine and one for the front desk, so she supposed one didn't need a proper nursing course to work as a secretary of sorts.

Slipping the piece of paper the doctor had given her, with the medical term for the pill and the quantity, Leonette rested her chin on a palm, her headache pounding at once side. "You're new here, aren't you?" she said lightly, just soft enough that the girl could hear her, but not too loud that everyone else would feel the need to glance over. "I've never seen you before."

[leonettefossoways]

little hiatus, big dreams // leonette & daenerys // september 3rd

[ofdragonblood-archive]

Daenerys looks at the dress Leonette has brought back, and she shook her head. No, definitely not. She immediately saw her niece Rhaenys in that dress. Looking at the dresses in her hands, she started to second guess her choices. “These? I don’t know…” She frowned slightly, looking to the rack at her side. She held the other dresses in her hands still, and looked through that rack. “There was something I spotted on the way in, it was sort of like a pale pink almost.” She shrugged, and moved hangers to the side, searching.

Then she saw it, a medium length pale…well, it wasn’t necessarily pink, but it wasn’t completely beige. Was champagne the name of the colour? Daenerys didn’t really care what it’s colour was, she liked it, and grabbed it off the rack, holding it apart from her other choices. “This one.” She stated, looking at Leonette.

It looked very nice on the hanger, having a pleated skirt, and soft lace details. Daenerys smiled at Leonette, “What do you think?” She asked, walking closer to the woman. She should try it on of course, first things first though. “I think I’ll try it on, then.” She nodded at the woman, but more herself than anything and turned around, heading for the dressing room once more. She carried the other two dresses in hand, maybe she’d still try them on.

[leonettefossoways]

The immediately rejection of her chosen dress stung a little less than Leonette had expected. Perhaps it was because, in truth, she had been a little bit surprised. Leonette had classified Daenerys Targaryen as the kind of girl that went along with orders and didn't say 'no' to anything unless she was utterly against it. She had faced customers like that before, the indecisive ones that wanted to try on everything and walked out with nothing in the end, because they still couldn't find something they liked. "You should try them on, just to check." she said lightly, hoping to ease her frown back into a smile. 

Following the Targaryen girl obligingly, she weaved through the racks, pausing every once in a while to straighten out something that didn't need to be fix, just so it didn't seem like she was going to smother Daenerys with her attention. "Oh..." Her eyes were drawn to the dress that Daenerys held up, a small smile tugging at her lips in approval. It was rather beautiful, simple yet it held a sort of grace to it that seemed to fit. Leonette wasn't sure why she didn't think of that in the first place. 

"It looks lovely, not too long either." she said softly, nodding when Daenerys said that she should try it on, her thoughts already on shoes and purses and earrings. Leonette didn't know if that was what the Targaryen girl liked, but it didn't hurt to try. Still, she hoped Daenerys would come out in the dress, just so Leonette could see how it fitted and if it needed to be shortened or lengthened. 

[leonettefossoways]

maybe i'm a different breed // leonette & squinter // 23rd september

[the-squinter]

Several days had passed after his mission ended. The entire country was still in the midst of panic and confusion. Though, for him, he couldn’t care about it; he didn’t see any purpose why he should. What’s done was done and there’s no need for pretensions. Sympathy? Grief? Panic? He never felt those; rather, only a void of apathy and somehow, pride as he finished the mission given upon him.

And as an incentive for his accomplishment, he decided to venture into the high streets of London. It was more of a routine he had been accustomed to—trained to do. At a very young age, his mother had instilled him the refined teaching of the affluent. His manners and of course, his clothing were all taught to him. The classical conditioning of his mother (such an intimate word to use yet render no meaningful implications to him) had found him adapting these doctrines. He had to dress to complement his personality and the usual ‘to make an impression’. It was a bad habit but as they said, bad habits were hard to break. Thus, he adapted it, unwillingly, and abound by it until his death.

Brow raised, he stopped walking and stood yonder in front of a boutique. Fossoways. The woman spoke of their creations endlessly (and she even had a collection of their dresses); so was he and his now dead father, some of their suits were of this designer name. Not too flashy, nor too simplistic, it’s exactly how he wanted it. He reached out for the knob and pushed the door ajar.

His eyes lingered about the boutique. Fastidious and elegant infrastructure greeted him. His mother—the woman—had an exquisite taste and he gave her credit for that. As he was about to make his way towards their newly arrived collection, he heard a voice from behind. Female. Turning on his heel, he appraised her nonchalantly. She was of average height, a mixture of Asian descent, dainty yet graceful looking. He extended his hand, a polite smile forming up on his lips. He wasn’t Akira Park now; nor Squinter. Identities he needed to keep in secrecy due to self - preservation. Akira Park for his old life and Squinter for the Faceless, but he was facing neither so a new name must be used to hide the enigma: a reminder from his mentor.

“Cedrick Radcliffe. A pleasure.” New identity, new personality. A stranger to his reality. “And help will be truly welcome.” A very strange change indeed.

[leonettefossoways]

The man turned towards the sound of her voice and Leonette felt the corners of her lips pull up slightly wider. It was always nice to be acknowledged, she knew that sometimes people just ignored help or made them run for one outfit or the other. She had been forced to work with such customers before, after all, and now that she was older and much more confident (and less conservative about dropping her name) in herself, she sometimes took the difficult customers, to spare the girls some embarrassment, if anything. He looked like the kind of man her mother would want her to bring home for dinner, the constant suggestion to marry someone 'within the community' rang in her ears and she pushed forward, taking a few steps till she could comfortable shake his hand without having to stretch over a rack of clothes. 

She didn't want him to think that she found him unattractive or anything. It was quite the opposite really. He had soft hands, cool to touch and Leonette felt a shiver run down her spine, though she still had her jacket on. "Mr. Radcliffe. My name is Leonette, I hope I can be of assistance." she said with a nod. Having a bit more experience in this area helped sometimes. He seemed young enough to brush off the use of his last name, and he dressed well enough that Leonette wondered what exactly this Cedrick Radcliffe did. It was not her place to ask though, but she made a note to Google his name up, to see if he was anyone important.

"Well, let's get started. Is it your first time at Fossoways?" She couldn't remember seeing him here, but then again, Leonette only visited once a month, sometimes twice but only if her mother was around. "We have a brand new collection of menswear that my...," Here, she paused. Leonette didn't want to brag or anything, she wasn't one to simply say 'my father' to get things done a bit quicker. She only used that for emergencies. "-that we're been promoting." she adds on quickly, slipping on a smile and hoping that he didn't catch the momentary pause.

[leonettefossoways]

the smell of coffee bean // leonette & loras // 26th october, 2009

[ink-and-cigarettes-blog]

 There was something to be said for being part of a family that specialized in gossip— you would always be in the loop. Family functions were more like business meetings than anything, everyone sitting around a table, discussing what was going on in the news, everything from political scandals to business agreements, who was sleeping with who and the high cost of farm grown potatoes. Usually it was mostly shop talk— that was, until dinner was over and coffee started. That was when gossip turned from work to fun.

 And at Loras’ birthday party the other day, he got quite a juicy spot of information from Margaery. Apparently Garlan had a new secretary— and apparently she was friendly and charming and everything Margaery thought Garlan should like. Loras wasn’t so sure, Margaery’s thoughts on who someone should date and who they wanted to date not always matching, but the way Margaery went on about this fabled Leonette piqued Loras’ interest. It wasn’t that Loras was particularly fond of poking his head into his family’s affairs, but the thought of Garlan being interested in a girl at work (a secretary no less), was just rife with teasing material.

 But Loras had forgotten about the little spot of information after he met with Renly for the first time. Since their intense night of shagging, everything else had sort of drifted from his mind, other matters paling in comparison to his intense daydreams about Renly Baratheon’s arse. He had actually been going to his brother’s office in order to gloat over his recent conquest (leaving out names, of course), when he’d remembered half way up to the correct floor about his new secretary. And his new possible love interest. Thoughts of bragging left quickly, and Loras was suddenly excited to see the girl who was wooing Garlan.

 As soon as the doors pulled back Loras practically skipped into the waiting room, coming round the corner a little quicker than normal to see if she was there. Sat behind a familiar desk was a doe eyed woman with dark brown locks, sipping at what must have been unpleasant coffee if her expression was anything to go by. Approaching casually, he caught her attention with a small wave and stood in front of her desk, hands in his pockets and a grin on his face.

 ”Hullo— you must be Leonette. I’m Loras— I’m Garlan’s brother.” Loras was never ‘Garlan’s brother’. It made him sound like he was five.

[leonettefossoways]

The coffee wasn't pleasant and it did little to ease to rumbling of her stomach, but it was something. Making a note to pack a few sandwiches, just in case she might miss lunch over some paperwork or a meeting in the future, Leonette set the paper cup down, sighing softly as her eyes scanned the next line of whatever it was that she was supposed to be reading. Pointless, she thought to herself and she glanced up from the papers just in time to catch sight of a curly haired man making his way towards her, hand raised in a wave. Instinctively, her lips pulled up into a smile, practical and courteous.

"Hello." she greeted, voice growing faint when he mentioned Garlan's name. For a brief moment, she wondered what Garlan had said about her, if he had said anything at all. Was it all good or did he complain to his brother? Was that why Loras Tyrell was standing in front of her desk? Idly, she noted the close family resemblance. Margaery had the same smile as well and despite her worries about Garlan and what he had said, Leonette couldn't help but return the smile a bit more genuinely than before. 

"Leonette Fossoway, it's a pleasure to meet you." she said softly, a faint tinge of embarrassment tinting her cheeks. "Garlan mentioned a brother named Loras before." It had been in quick, just a passing mention that someone else would have brushed away. But Leonette made sure to remember every name he mentioned, just in case it may prove useful in the future. Thankfully her hard work seemed to be paying off. "Garlan isn't in right now, but I could take a message?" It was silly to think he was here because of her, really. He probably wanted to talk to Garlan, that was all.