did you really have to do it to em?

[lincolnowns]

thewallaceceo‌:

Martin laughed “That’s going to be the title of your autobiography, isn’t it?” he joked “it’s the right thing to do” He looked at his brother for a long moment, looking for the signs of insecerity, but of course Lincoln believed everything he told himself “You know I really don’t get you Lincoln” he told him “you really could help these people. Be working overtime to save this place or finding cost-effective housing for them before the doors shutter,but you do this….show. This handing out flyers and telling them it’s going to be okay when you know it’s not. Who have you moved in with you after there floors closed?” He saw the tears and he had to admit he felt a little sympathy for his brother, but that was the point of the tears in the first place. All these years and apparently he and Lincoln were more alike than Martin thought “So what are you going to do to make it great?”

“You don’t think that’s a good motive?” Lincoln felt self-righteous (as usual) even though the very words he put out there were a lot more complicated than that, until Martin really got going, making him second guess himself even more. Martin was right, he hadn’t been doing shit, not really. But why was it his responsibility to sacrifice his own success to save everyone else? No one else did that. “What can I really do though? Nothing I can come up with is going to be enough to convince the owners. They’re really doing a solid for their contract partners, who will return the favor down the road, and they get to offload a property that’s just been a pain in the ass with no real liquid cash. I’m supposed to give up my dreams for a long shot that I don’t actually want?” The guilt of it all had Lincoln hot, actually sweating, and saying more than he should. He narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing to make it great? What are you doing to help, Martin?”

[thelostdyson]

Cringle // Victor & Lincoln

[lincolnowns]

thelostdyson‌:

Victor took a breathe and looked around as he waited for Lincoln to show up. Telling him that he needed to see him and it was important. He was only 50/50 on whether the man would and looking down at the gift by his feet he thought maybe this was stupid. A sterling silver office door sign that said “Lincoln Wallace-Owner” it was only a little over $150 dollars, but it felt appropriate.

@lincolnowns 

Lincoln came into the office looking worried, and a little confused at what kind of urgent crisis Victor might have that would be his responsibility. “Hey. What’s up? Everything okay?” Coming closer, his gaze was settled on Victor’s face, not veering to his feet, and thus not understanding the true meaning of the meeting. 

[lincolnowns]

thewallaceceo‌:

“Then why do you care about what happens to this place?” Martin asked “or are you just planning on playing here on then bouncing right after?” He drank the rest of his drink “I’m just saying that it’s not your job to keep this place afloat if you really don’t plan on seeing it through” He looked around “Shame though. Someone could have really made this place something. The potential was always there”

“Because it’s the right thing to do. My conscience is telling me that I should be caring more, fighting, putting my own success aside to do what’s right. But I keep not really doing that, just planning for my own future. I do want to help the people who live here, just maybe not in this building.” Lincoln cleared his throat and unexpectedly, his eyes welled with tears, basically the last thing he wanted Martin to see. “It’s definitely there. The Chelsea could be great.”

[lincolnowns]

invitation to the family ; pascal

Lincoln was really pleased to get Pascal to buy things for, and hoped to get to know him better through this process. He wasn’t exactly sure where Martin and Pascal stood, but he knew they were close, and that was rare for his brother. Maybe Lincoln hoped someone could make him normal, but that was a desperate hope, because that’s not how it worked in the real world. 

He more realistically hoped that Pascal would take Martin to the theater, and now, on a nice getaway. He’d gotten a $500 airbnb gift card and put it in a fancy envelope, and would now give it to Pascal to stay anywhere he wished. 

Under guise of Chelsea business, Lincoln had arranged a meeting with Pascal at the coffee shop, and now waited patiently at a small table in the corner. A warm, wide smile rested easily on his face as the man showed up and walked toward him, destiny falling into place. “Ho ho ho!” Lincoln said cornily, laughing at himself. “I kind of liked playing Santa, maybe I should grow out a beard. I think Santa can be black, right?”

@homopascal

[thelostdyson]

Meal Prep // Vinc

[lincolnowns]

thelostdyson‌:

Victor could see Lincoln doing his best to agree and it was almost comical how much effort the man was putting into seeming contrite, but he screwed over by enough good guys to know better. Victor can’t help but laugh “You’re such a nice guy Lincoln,” he said and sat his coat back down “but if we’re not going to talk about anything can you at least put on some music or something?”

Lincoln narrowed his eyes, “Why does that sound so sarcastic? You really don’t think I am?” He guessed anyone could be biased enough against him to not see it, Martin for one, but there was still a hint of disbelief in his tone. “Sure.” Lincoln picked up his phone and texted Drew first, just a light update, before picking some 90s r&b for the speakers. 

[lincolnowns]

thewallaceceo‌:

It was too easy to have Lincoln get his guard up with anything Martin said, and yeah, it wasn’t completely surprising but still it did kinda hurt. “You know, I’m actually not here to undermine you Lincoln. If you had a plan I might can help. Like, with all these rich folks why aren’t you throwing a huge fundraiser for money and awareness. I alone know 6 senators that would be happy to lend a hand, but it’s clear you got this”

Lincoln rolled his lips into his mouth and closed his eyes, sighing. Should he fake his way through the rest of the conversation? Or just speak his mind? “Listen. I should be doing that, yes. But...” Lincoln gathered his courage to say the words aloud. “But what if this place is holding me back? I really enjoy my job here, but I’m really building a career elsewhere, bigger and better. It’ll be embarrassing to be a manager before long.”

[thelostdyson]

Meal Prep // Vinc

[lincolnowns]

thelostdyson‌:

“It’s not like I was asking you to drop everything and come to Texas for a face to face. Just, at the very least, clear the air and don’t ignore the obvious issue” he said “you were wrong and you sound like you’re feeling some kind of way because you were called out on it” He looked at Lincoln “I’m not here to hold a grudge and you’re obviously happy,which is good. If you want to do something then next time you and Drew go through another round don’t pull someone else into it. It’s a shitty thing to do”

Now that some of the heat had gone out of the conversation, Lincoln thought he could see a light at the end of the tunnel, if he could just keep his head down and not fan a dying flame. He nodded along with the rest of Victor’s points, deliberately not calling out where he felt he was being wrongly characterized. “I won’t. I haven’t, actually.” Lincoln let the silence rest for a beat or two before gesturing around the room. “Now, do you wanna call it a day? Or should we try to salvage this dinner?”

[lincolnowns]

thewallaceceo‌:

“You know what they call that? Paranoia” Martin told him “the world isn’t out to get you Linc” He took a drink of water from his bottle “This whole thing got wound so tight and you literally have a hotel full of rich and influential people at your disposal and instead of calling in favors you passing out flyers”

“Maybe not the world, no.” It was definitely just Martin, and he wasn’t going to be gaslighted into thinking otherwise. That was not a safe position to hold, trusting his brother. “Well I was thinking...” No, he shouldn’t share what he’s really thinking. “What would you do in my position?” 

[lincolnowns]

homopascal‌:

Pascal doesn’t mean to be rude, but there’s no nice way of asking, “Your career in hotel management?”

Lincoln laughed, shaking his head; this was the problem, wasn’t it? “No, I’ve been getting into more than that. Managing property on a large scale, sitting on boards, even dipping my toe into ownership and real estate. I’d really hate to just trash the traction and connections I’ve been building here.”

[lincolnowns]

homopascal‌:

Pascal can sympathize, on some level. “Whats the plan for you and Drew from here on out?”

“That, we can’t quite agree on.” Lincoln shook his head. “Drew wants us to move to L.A., but I don’t think that’s what’s best for my career. It’s really just taking off, you know?”

[thelostdyson]

Meal Prep // Vinc

[lincolnowns]

thelostdyson‌:

Victor was all but sure Lincoln didn’t give a damn about what he had to say, but it wasn’t for Lincoln. It was so Victor could finally tell the man what his actions caused. So when his arm was grabbed he looked at Lincoln and listened, albeit skeptically “Because you weren’t the only one who was confused and struggling to move on” Victor told him “you know I liked that you were honest back then. I knew you still loved Drew, would always love him and that’s why when I asked you if you wanted to really make us into something I was ready to hear no, but you didn’t say that. You said you did and before  I could even take my next breath you were gone. You know what would make me believe all the things I just told you weren’t true. If you took 5 minutes in all these years to tell me that, but you didn’t. Even now all you’ve done all day is avoid talking about anything besides this. It’s a coward move Lincoln, but hey, you got what you wanted so fuck the rest of us, right?”

“Okay, so I was wrong. I thought one thing and was wrong.” Lincoln’s brows creased, deeply offended at being called out like this; he was the good guy, everyone knew that. “I really thought you’d moved on, Victor, and it would be easier for both of us to just forget it’d happened, not impose myself in your life for something that happened so long ago. But...but maybe I should have, okay? Maybe I was wrong about that too.” He shrugged. “If you can’t forgive me, fine. Go. But what else am I supposed to do right now? I can’t exactly go back and do it differently.”

[lincolnowns]

thewallaceceo‌:

“I didn’t say anything was wrong with it” Martin told him, knowing how touchy his brother could get to any slight criticism “I’m just saying you are in a position to do more than hand out flyers and and offer free rooms to people”

“You don’t always come right out and say it, sometimes it’s just threaded through your judgment.” Lately it felt like every conversation with Martin was a moment away from boiling over, and Lincoln was clearly defensive, cautious. “Like what?”

[lincolnowns]

homopascal‌:

“Right, no. Sorry. I didn’t mean—” Pascal chuckles and waves a hand. “Anyway. Making sure my stuff is safe is plenty, thank you.” He sighs, looking around. “It’s really happening, huh? They’re going to destroy it.”

“No worries.” Lincoln let out a heavy sigh, nodding. “Looks like it. A few tenants have some stuff up their sleeve, but as far as I know, it’s going to be demolished, yeah. Pretty sad stuff.” His voice changes a little, becoming slightly more emotional as he realizes he means it--he is sad.

[lincolnowns]

homopascal‌:

“No, please. I don’t need another Wallace offering me their place to stay it.” Pascal assures Lincoln as he drags his suitcase out. “I’ll just crash at my parents. There won’t be an issue leaving some of my stuff here, right? I can come pick them up next week, when I have more clarify on where I’ll be staying.”

“Well, I didn’t mean my place exactly...” Lincoln looked Pascal over, wondering what Martin had really put him through. “No issue at all. I’ll make sure it’s secure. Is there anything else I can do for you? Aside from offering my most sincere apology about all this.” And his brother.

[thelostdyson]

Meal Prep // Vinc

[lincolnowns]

thelostdyson‌:

“You know, I knew a lot of shitty guys back then, but I had it in my head that you were different. That no matter how things washed out we could at least be friends at the end of it” He grabbed a dishcloth and started to wipe the counter “But you weren’t different then any others were you? I was just something you could use to try to stick it in Drew’s face that you could move on because you were bitter about him and Jameson” He turned to Lincoln “You didn’t have to say you wanted to pursue something if you didn’t, but I at least deserved a text or something in the three years it took you to have the balls to come see me, but knowing who you are now I can see that you weren’t angry about how Jameson was treating Drew. You were just pissed that for once Drew saw past your nice guy bullshit. Even if it didn’t stick” Walking past Lincoln he grabbed his jacket “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for the meal. Least I can do”

Lincoln just couldn’t stop shaking his head while Victor went off, trying to interrupt several times at really unfair statements, wondering if that’s what he really thought or if it was just anger talking. “I wanted to--I am, though--I--that’s not it!” He huffed, not even sure where to go from here. He could just let Victor leave, let the problem resolve itself, it’d at least be out of his hair. But that didn’t seem to work so well last time. Lincoln grabbed Victor’s arm instead, slowing his progress. “Victor wait. You’re wrong about most that shit, but most importantly, my motivations. Why don’t I deserve the benefit of the doubt as just a guy who was confused about what he wanted? Or struggling to move on? Or after, confused on the right thing to do?”

[lincolnowns]

thewallaceceo‌:

Martin sat back for a couple minutes and watched Lincoln go into his Captain America routine. Watching him promise one person after another that he’d make sure to help them and when he saw a break he finally walked up “I have to say at least you keep fighting until the very end, I have to give you that”

Lincoln couldn’t say he was exactly thrilled to see Martin stroll up, but he could be civil at least, here in public, like always. “What else am I going to do? Not even show up? I owe them more than that.”

[lincolnowns]

Lincoln had positioned himself in the lobby, waiting for concerned residents that he could help in some way--but he really had no answers or many ways to help. He’d still do all he could, though. It was hard watching people be put out...almost too hard. “Listen, don’t worry. Whatever you decide, I’ll help you with. Need help finding a new place? I got you.”