Zach Celton

[heatherulia]

The Finals Countdown | Heather & Zach

Heather huffed and took a sip of her coffee, the third one this hour.  Honestly, she thought, what was the point of a group project if none of the other group members would do their work?  This project would count for their final grade, and they were too busy partying to do any of the assignments they had said they would, let alone email them to Heather to compile into one document.  They had to prepare a presentation on ADHD and how it impacts children at different ages, and how to combat that in a classroom, and so far the only work Heather had was her own.  No one had sent her their work, no one had contacted her to let her know that there was any issue.  No one had said anything to her.  So she had camped out in a lounge chair at the coffee shop, pulled out her books and laptop, and had furiously started typing a draft for their paper.

She shifted her weight around on the leather chair.  All of the caffeine was starting to hit, and she should get up, walk a little bit and stretch her legs, but she couldn’t.  If her group members didn’t do their work, they would all suffer, and Heather was determined to keep that from happening.  She’d put too many hours in, studying and doing homework,  to get a GPA she could be proud of, and she would be damned if she would let a couple of people ruin that with their last assignment of undergrad.  As she hit her third additional page of work, her laptop made a pinging noise and Heather opened up her web browser to find an email from one of her group members.

"Hey Heather,

My work is attached.  Let me know if you have questions.”

Heather opened up the document and read through his work briefly.  A high school freshman could have written a better paper than this member, and she let out a groan of frustration.  She’d have to add and correct his work, which would take even longer.  At this point, she wouldn’t be surprised if the other patrons had been staring at her, but Heather was so stressed she couldn’t even bring herself to care.

[mayorcelton]

Lacy, the new intern determined to go above and beyond what was expected of her at town hall, had been keeping his ear busy for the past 20 minutes, enthused about the dreams - dripping of naivity to Zach - she had about the future of politics in Tartarus. She was bursting at the seams with fervor for her hometown, prompting him to wonder if her cheeks had begun to ache from the never ending smile she wore. He wished he could distinguish his past self fluttering about in her engaged look, but knew it would never happen. He'd slid into this world, the world of countless of boards and committees striving for a better place for the townsfolk. He'd been thrust, perhaps even forcefully pushed at first, in this direction by no person in particular, just by the Celton legacy he felt a need to protect. 

A means to mask his upbringing perhaps, knowing what bringing light to it did to those who tried to helped - Brent, in particular. Of course, that had come later, when Zach was already working under his father. His work had a bittersweet taste to it, reminding him of the old days and giving him a chance to continually change the future. 

But he'd never been a Lacy.

Who had, judging by the sudden silence, gotten caught up in a stack of non-classified paperwork Betty had rustled together. Zach took the opportunity to fetch his lunch, greeting the owner of the coffee shop routinely and happily before ordering a salad and coffee. Not quite ready to return to the office, he scoured the room for empty seats. A grunt was heard from the corner, blonde hair peeking out behind a laptop. He moved across the floor, silently seating himself beside the woman and sipping at his coffee. "Computer problems?" He said in a quiet tone, warm smile directed at Heather.

[heathcelton]

A Crash Course in Polite Conversation | Zach and Heath

[heathcelton]

One of the vases sitting on a shelf in the corner of the room had caught Heath’s attention. Picking it up, he examined it as his brother busied himself in the kitchen with whatever. ”Yeah, well, I’m not sure I was always the best at looking out for you.” He’d tried so damn hard to not talk about the past. Until recently, he’d actually done a pretty great job of it. But then people had started reaching out to him for some inane reason he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It had been infuriating at first. No, scratch that, it was still damn infuriating at times. Couldn’t he just stay at home on his own, bitterly mumbling to himself while he polished off a couple of cans of beer and watched Ice Road Truckers?

But then he’d realise that he was probably better off with his brother and others in his life. Saying it had made him a better man was probably a bit of a stretch, but it had certainly improved his mood. And his apartment was a hell of a lot cleaner. His shirts were… well they were still strewn around his place, but at least some of them were folded neatly! Or as neatly as he could anyway. Most of all though, it had just made him dwell on the past a hell of a lot less. Sometimes he actually caught himself thinking towards the future without a sense of dread taking over, which was a minor miracle in itself.

Saving him from having to talk about their childhood for much longer, Zach chimed in with the plans for their meal and Heath couldn’t help but smile. “Scotch is fine with me.” Setting the vase back down as gently as he could almost expecting it to just magically fall and smash, thus ruining a perfectly nice evening. “I’ll get myself a glass, don’t worry about it.” He found Zach’s drinks bar easily enough and poured himself a large glass. Something told him he was going to need more than one tonight to calm his nerves. 

"This is good stuff," Heath remarked after downing the first glass. "Though, I suppose most alcohol tastes good when all you’ve got at home is Pabst Blue Ribbon. I gotta start getting me a better brand of beer." He poured himself another glass before turning to look over at Zach who was still busy in the kitchen. "Do you want me to fix you something? My cocktail skills are a little rusty, mind you. I think I could probably make a gin and tonic at a stretch." 

[mayorcelton]

He glanced at the broad frame of a man in the corner, the harsh contour of his shoulders hunched only slightly, barely visible to the untrained eye. For a man whose surface had been thickened one too many times, his brother had always been transparent. A walking enigma. A puzzle already assembled, but somehow the pieces had all landed in the wrong order. Blinking twice, the rugged mechanic became the young boy Zach remembered him best as, eyes already languid with the sorrow of someone far older. He cringed, recalling the way the air cracked around them as the father's callous hand turned Heath's cheek red. The sound of it sharp, cutting into Zach's skin even as he hid behind the door. Best of luck finding someone as sacrificing as his older brother. Best of luck.

He wanted to say something, argue with Heath's comment – ease the tension. He couldn't. They had lasted minutes without their regular banter – the one that hurt but you never let it show, you just returned the hurt. He would do anything to last an hour, maybe two, without the hurt.

When the older of the two left the room, Zach supported himself on the counter, palms pressed against the edge as he let his head drop, eyes fixed on the tiled floor before closing for a minute. He breathed out in a sigh, careful not to make any sound. It was enough. When Heath returned, Zach was preparing the plates, placing the steaks carefully on each and giving each plate a generous amount of the vegetables he'd taken out of the warmth of the oven. “It is good stuff. 10-year old. I think it was a present. I'll have a glass too, thanks. Been saving that one for a while, now's as good time as any.”

“Dinner is served,” Zach said in a mellow tone, not sure whether to wait for his brother to take a seat before taking his own but opting for it in the end. He used the time to fetch a pot of water, covering his tracks. He cleared his throat upon sitting down, subtly fidgeting with the napkin as he downed a few inches of the scotch. 

[bntailor]

Summer for wool/linen suit

[heathcelton]

A Crash Course in Polite Conversation | Zach and Heath

[heathcelton]

As the door opened, Heath’s hopes that he might not have to go through  with dinner tonight were suddenly crushed. No! He was being positive tonight! This was gonna be great and not awkward in the slightest! People went for meals with their family all the time. Heath had been able to skip out on doing that for years. It was about time he did his time. He smiled as brightly as he could as his brother greeted him, and tried his hardest to keep eye contact as he spoke. Honestly though, Heath was much more interested in looking at Zach’s home, and much much better off he was. As a result, his eye’s kept drifting, until Zach invited him in.

“It’s nice.” And that wasn’t just Heath being polite, it genuinely was a nice place. Not too small, but not too big either. Sort of minimalist, which is something Heath had tried to replicate in his own house. Unsuccessfully, he might add. But really that was just Heath being too lazy to finish the job himself and being too tight with his money to pay someone to do it for him. Still, looking at the place now, Heath wondered if a place like this would work for him. Sure it looked nice and pristine now, but if Heath was living there for a month, it’d just look like a bomb had gone off. His reluctance to clean or do anything that was remotely considered housework was probably the main reason his own home looked a lot cheaper and nastier than it actually was.

Inspecting some of the ornaments along the side, he gave Zach a cursory glance and nodded. “Thanks. I’ll just wander. But if I see anything nice, I can’t promise I won’t take it for my own apartment.” He laughed and made his way over to the large set of windows across the room. Now this is all that Heath really wanted out a home. A view. Heath couldn’t even begin to count the hours that he’d sat at home brooding in the dark, wishing for a good view. Instead, he had to look out onto a car park, where he was 90% sure that people were dealing drugs.

“You know, mom always said you’d do well.” Heath said out of the blue. He wasn’t even sure where it could from. Maybe just seeing his brother’s achievements had made his nostalgic. “I guess she was right.” There was no hint of malice or jealousy in Heath’s voice. Maybe because he was a little proud of Zach. Proud that he’d made it out of that childhood and done something meaningful. As long as some good had come of it, well, then that made Heath a little happier. “So, what are we eating?”

[mayorcelton]

Some things never change. Heath would always appear to be collected, secure in his own shoes, not preparing himself to take a leap and fly off when things got dicey; unlike the younger of the two, whose palpable nervosity you could cut with a knife at this point. Heath sounded sincere. His words weren't dripping with cynicism. "Thanks." Zach smiled and glanced at the carpet his toes were digging into. He found a slight comfort in the casual attitude he was picking up on in his brother. His home had always felt temporary, even the furniture placed thoughtfully inside each room. It was clean, simple but held no room for individuality. He'd only begun to see the difference between his home and others when he'd entered Hazel's house. It was practically falling apart, each corner more rusted than the next, and yet it screamed Hazel; genuine, grounded. Though, he suspects a few magazines thrown carelessly across the living room or perhaps a few more kitchen appliances kept out on the counters rather than tucked away in the cupboards would instantly turn his home into less of a realtor ad.

Instead of returning to the kitchen, Zach lingered in his spot. "Have at it," he said, eyes wrinkling in the corners as he laughed at Heath's comment. His heart jumped momentarily as he took in the moment before him. Heath, waiting for dinner in Zach's home. This had only been a recurring dream until this point, something to console Zach whenever he worried about their relationship. With a last glance and a sentimental smile, Zach went back into the kitchen, fingers strumming along the satin black coated counters, waiting another minute before flipping over the steaks. He crouched down to peek into the oven, the roasting side dishes cooking inside. 

Unable to keep the content expression off his face, Zach raised his eyebrows somewhat while wiping his hands on a clean towel. "Yeah? She never told me that." His memories of their mother were few and far between, often involving her allowing their father to treat Heath and Zach as badly as he possibly could. In his mind, Zach saw his mother as a background figure; simply watching. Until she left town, since then she'd merely been just another disappointment in his life. As he got older, Zach had attempted to use his maturity to see why she acted the way she did but, it never did work out that well. Zach eyed his brother, still no signs of animosity coming off of Heath. He couldn't help but to feel guilty; having been the successful one - whatever that means - while Heath took the beatings. It didn't seem fair. "She knew I had my older brother looking out for me." He gave a warm smile.

"Steaks!" Zach said, his voice less subdued than the moment before, his hand motioning toward the meat on the stove before moving onto the oven door, "potatoes and some vegetables." He shrugged at the last word, grimacing as if to say they were only for show. A hapless attempt at sounding more rugged than he was. "Want something to drink? I've got some beer, some wine, uh, and there's some scotch in the living room." 

[mayorcelton]

Up With the Birds | Heather and Zach

[heatherulia]

“No!” Heather said quickly, once Zach started apologizing. “No, don’t feel sorry.  I just - I wasn’t expecting that, was all.  Took me by surprise.  I would never - that’s to say, I wouldn’t ever think differently of you for that.  Remember who I work for?” she asked with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.  ”But I understand why you maybe wouldn’t want the world to know about it.”  She paused, hoping she was saying the right things.  Of course she was fond of Zach, of course she didn’t care if he was attracted to men or women or both, it was just sometimes hard to verbalize these things.  ”If you want me to keep it quiet, I won’t breathe a word of it,” she said sincerely.  People could be cruel; she’d seen how some of the people in Tartarus regarded Brent and Daniel and she knew that scrutiny would be worse for Zach since he was in the public eye.

She laughed when he admitted to not knowing much about Piaget. “No, you had the basics right,” she said kindly. “Besides, it took me over four years to learn all this stuff.  It’d be confusing for anyone.”  She patted his hand in a show of sympathy, as he’d seemed mildly uncomfortable. Heather knew the feeling.  Up until the past six months, she hadn’t had any confidence in her own intelligence, hardly daring to speak up in class or talk to any of her classmates, knowing that many of them thought she was an airhead or a dumb blonde.  Honestly, if it weren’t for Hazel’s faith in her, Heather probably wouldn’t have grown this much.

And out of respect to both Hazel and Zach, she decided that if they were merely friends or longtime paramours or even mortal enemies, she wouldn’t ask about it.  It wasn’t any of her business, and she knew that there was no malicious intent. “Nah, you’re fine,” she said, waving off his apology. “It’s early, after all,” she said with a smile. “But dessert sounds great!”

[mayorcelton]

He smiled fondly at Heather as she jumped at his apology. Zach had never put much stock into sexuality, believing it to be more fluid than firm in its ways. He'd mostly been concerned that the private aspect of the conversation had put her in an uncomfortable situation. "I know. Of course. I just thought maybe I was being a bit too personal." Zach shook his head, "No, no, I don't care who knows it. Tartarus is such an open and progressive town. I doubt anyone would care." He paused before continuing, "sometimes I just forget to stay professional. I don't think this," Zach motioned with his hand between them both, "is just work but you know." He smiled genuinely, fingers dancing along the glass in front of him. 

"You don't have to be quiet. I would never ask that of you. There's just one person who doesn't know about my past yet, who I'd like to tell myself. She doesn't know about my exes, we haven't really had that talk yet," Zach said chuckling. He glanced up at Heather, biting at his lower lip. "I'm not going to say her name but I think you might know already." His eyes twinkled, a redness creeping up at his neck at the thought of Hazel. His eyes landed on the kitchen counter, the prints of them both still lingering and neither helping him stay focused. "If I don't say her name, it's not official, right?" Zach couldn't keep the smile off of his lips but continued to stifle it as best he could. 

With swift movements he cleared the table of used plates, making space for dessert which stood safely in the fridge. "I made some cheesecake. I wasn't sure what you liked," he mentioned as he opened it and let the chill air escape it before closing it again. Grabbing a few smaller plates from the shelf, he sat back down with the cake between them. "What about you," he began while slicing up a piece for Heather and offering it to her. "Any potentials out there? Anyone I need to threaten or at least try to?" He laughed, the image of him cornering someone for Heather and having his own ass handed to him. The most likely outcome.

[elbenalana]

One of Those || Alana and Zach

[elbenalana]

“Ms. Elben is fine,” she said with a small smile as she sipped lightly on the wine in front of her. “Been up to the same old same old, so I can’t really say much on the subject. How about yourself? How are preparations for the campaign coming along?” It probably small talk that bothered Alana the most at intimate dinner affairs. This wasn’t one, so she wasn’t peeved, but it did remind her of the sparse amount of dates she went on because of it. Well, it might not have been the only reason, but it was one of the larger ones.  That and the fact that her dates usually better suited someone she knew rather than herself. It was a fruitless circle that Alana soon ended. “A rather busy woman, indeed, but I’m sure I could pencil you in. I’d have to run it by my secretary first in order to give you the most amount of time I can afford as you know, I think unless you have me shopping for you, your wardrobe could always use improving.” As if to emphasize her point, she glanced over the simple suit he was wearing today and merely let out a soft sigh. She could hardly blame him, it wasn’t as if an eye for fine cut Italian suits was everyone’s forte, and at least Zach had the sense to know that it wasn’t his.

“I’ll tell you what,” she said as the waiter came back with their food and placed it in front of them. Before taking out her chopsticks to dig into the delectable lunch that had been served to her like she should have been doing, Alana dug around her hand stitched bag for her cell phone and scrolled through her calendar. “It looks as though…I may have my afternoon open on Friday, are you available for then?” She looked down her nose at him before scrolling through again. “After Friday the next substantial amount of time I have is..two weeks from tomorrow.” Her schedule wasn’t really that packed, but it would be the only time she was willing to deal with Zach considering it was like dressing a four year old boy. He just didn’t understand why he had to dress nice, but after some coaxing and usually some food, he slipped right into those suits like a glove.  Alana knew going into this endeavor it would be a draining afternoon, and she also knew that he would wear those suits long after they were out of season, and it made her want to keel over in a grave she didn’t even have yet. Just thinking about it gave her heart palpitations.

Suddenly finding herself without an appetite, Alana picked at her food for a bit, deciding she’d take it back to the office in a to-go box once the mayor’s business was done with her for the afternoon. It shouldn’t be much longer now, since she had offered a time. She actually gave a light laugh when he asked if any of the other candidates had come to her for suits and she shook her head. “Most of them seem better dressed on their own, or have their own stylists, but I assure you, you’ll be the sharpest looking man on that stage, Mr. Celton. Like you said, there’s no one like me in Tartarus.” She wasn’t sure quite how she wanted to take that statement yet, but for the time being it was an honest one. And although sometimes Alana wished there were more people who weren’t utterly inept at dressing themselves in the morning, she also knew that if that were the case, she’d have to work much harder to stay on top of things with the fashion section of the page and really and truly she just didn’t have the time for that.

[mayorcelton]

He let the glass of wine remain on the table. Crossing his hands on top of his worsted clad knee, Zach leaned back comfortably against the chair. He simply nodded at her answer, choosing not to prod the subject any further. "Things are swell," he began without considering his response. It was not a social call, there was no need to go into details. "We're still very much in the early stages, as you can imagine. But it's going well so far. I have a great team by my side!" He had not been able to reach this level of success without them. It had not been in the realm of possibilities without the assistance from his colleagues. At times he wondered if running for office again was more for their benefit than his own. Being elected as Mayor once more would be an immense honor but to Zach the outcome of the votes was barely important. Those working beside him in the town hall however - they had families, mortgages to pay, much more to lose than Zach. It was not the only reason for his decision to stay and not resign prior to the campaigning, of course, but it was certainly a large factor. 

Luckily she chose a date when his schedule would be more or less empty, aside for a few meetings here and there. "Excellent," Zach said while entering the date into his Blackberry before placing it back into his pocket. He huffed out an incredulous laugh then, following her glance down the suit fitted to his build. Before he could utter a response, he was interrupted by the waiter bringing in their orders. Instead he uncrossed his legs to straighten his back and began to take his first bite. Upon glancing back up, Zach noticed the waiter in the corner of his eye, standing by the bar further inside, eyeing the Mayor nervously as if awaiting a response. Naturally, Zach nodded appreciatively and gestured his approval toward the other man, who instantly stopped biting at his lip and broke into a grateful grin, returning to his job. Zach had yet to become used to this. Wherever he went, should he not have been there before, the owners would go out of their way to make a good impression on the Mayor. It was humbling yet uncomfortable whenever it happened. 

"I'll toast to that!" He smiled wide, reaching out for his wine and extending it towards Alana to clink their glasses together, all the while ignoring her comments regarding his style. She had a way of discreetly sneaking in insults into her conversations, without them really registering as offensive because of her unbelievable sense of etiquette. Alana sometimes reminded him of Amilia - through the journalist in front of him played on an entirely different level when it came to jaunty comebacks - and her fierce confidence, seemingly unbreakable. "I can only think of one but I doubt my opponents will be in need of strawberry cupcakes anytime soon," he remarked with a slight smirk while digging into his lunch hungrily.

[mayorcelton]

Up With the Birds | Heather and Zach

[heatherulia]

Romeo and Julio.  As in two men.  Did Zach really just admit what Heather thought he admitted?  To her of all people?  She would never judge him for his sexuality, but it was very unexpected for Heather to hear, especially considering his reputation in Tartarus with women.  And in addition to all of that, she’d been thinking he was actually involved with Hazel! Instead of asking more about it, or even thinking more about it, Heather decided to file away his confession in the back of her mind and forget all about it.  It wasn’t really any of her business, and besides, it didn’t change the fact that this was Zach and he’d been so kind to her.

“Not exactly,” she said, after laughing a bit at his wild guess. “He observed his children and his theories of how we develop throughout our lifetime were influential in almost every subsequent developmental psychologist.”  She stopped herself from elaborating, knowing that it was a bit much to take in for someone who hadn’t been studying it for the past few years.  Besides, Heather was sure Zach wouldn’t be interested in the finer points of childhood development - hell, even Heather wasn’t always interested in it. 

He took his time answering her question about what he might do if he didn’t win the election, and for a moment Heather regretted asking.  She was sure it was something he already stressed over and causing someone more worry was the last thing she wanted. “That sounds like a wonderful idea,” she said sincerely, when he told her of his idea to continue working with nonprofit organizations in Tartarus. “If there’s anyone who can help them, it’s you.”  She listened attentively as he continued to speak about his desires for what he would do in his free time if he wasn’t the mayor, and Heather couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he was looking forward to not being in charge of the town anymore.  She could have sworn Hazel’s name almost fell from his lips, and she was sure confusion was evident on her face.  Maybe they were close but preferred to keep a professional distance?  Heather had no idea, but knew it wasn’t her place to ask.  They’d tell her if they wanted her to know, and Heather was content with that knowledge. “I’m sure no one would appreciate that vacation more than Betty and Leonard,” she said with a smile. 

[mayorcelton]

There were some traces of confusion or maybe she was just at loss for words? Zach couldn't tell, she didn't continue on the topic of Italy. Perhaps he had mistaken their friendship for something more than professional. They weren't working together per se, but it's possible the confession - or what you might want to call it - put her in an awkward position. "Sorry," he blurted out then, meeting her gaze. "I mean, I didn't mean to put this on you. I haven't really kept it a secret, well, I mean, I have but... not because I'm embarrassed." The words were spilling out of him, unsure of what he could say to mend what Zach wasn't even sure was broken. "He was the only guy I've ever- you know." He smiled briefly, averting his eyes, suddenly hit with the memories from then. 

He looked at her with a dumbfounded look, utterly lost among the words she'd just used. "Ah." Zach mouthed and laughed with Heather. "I wasn't too far off, right? Okay, I was. I admit it." He bit his lower lip, shaking his head with an uncertain grin. As much as he tried to, Zach couldn't keep his old patterns from repeating, his fears of being dumb; incapable. It'd always been this way, ever since his father convinced him of it. Knowing his older brother had more of the intellect needed for this job yet Zach had the benefit of being charming. A man of the people. He wasn't the smartest but it hadn't bothered him in a while, Zach wasn't quite sure why the old him had begun to crawl out of hiding. The insecure, weak boy. He'd been this way lately, emotions he thought were gone coming back for more. 

He rubbed lightly at the bridge of his nose, drowning the contents of his glass before filling it yet again. "Sorry, I'm a little out of it this week, I think," Zach mumbled and offered an easy smile, one which grew larger as Heather spoke. "Oh, thank you." For once his smile wasn't anything but genuine, simple and perhaps uncertain but in the end, his own. Not the Mayor's. Not the over-confident Zach Celton. Just Zach. He took a long breath, nothing that was visible to the woman in front of him but it calmed him down. He noticed her reaction to what most likely did sound like Hazel's name, even though he'd wished his attempt at covering it up had worked. She didn't push it, however. 

"You're a good friend," he said then before continuing, "Dessert?"

[heathcelton]

A Crash Course in Polite Conversation | Zach and Heath

So Heath was going to dinner. Dinner with Zach. Alone. Just the two of them. In his enormous house. Heath with absolutely no social graces was going to dinner. Why had he agreed to do this again? Boy those one and a half beers he’d had at that party must have really done a number on him. The only instruction Zach had given him was to take booze. Fair enough. They were gonna need something to get them through the evening anyway. In fact Heath had gone so far as to start the evening a little early, opting to have a couple of glasses of vodka before he went out. Just a little liquid courage, he kept telling himself. 

The streets themselves were surprisingly empty for a Friday night. It was actually quite eerie to have to walk through Tartarus without seeing someone and then having the opportunity to completely ignore them, as was Heath’s custom. Heath paused in horror as he realised the entire population of Tartarus might be at Zach’s place for some sort of surprise party. He wasn’t nearly drunk enough for that. But no, Zach wouldn’t do that to him. Plus, who would actually agree to throw a party for Heath? No, he was just being stupid. This was just gonna be a nice, friendly evening of meaningless small talk, possibly undercooked food and far too much alcohol. The exact recipe for every Celton family gathering ever. The most memorable was that time their uncle had bought some eggs he’d found on the market, claiming they were not only cheaper, but better tasting than their organic counterparts. The next day, everyone had salmonella poisoning.

Zach’s house loomed ahead in the distance, the lights from inside drawing Heath to it like a beacon. All the way up, Heath tried to figure out just how best to greet his brother. Nothing seemed quite adequate and before he knew it, Heath was at the door, a bottle of gin in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Stubbing it out on his jeans, Heath threw the cigarette into the bushes and knocked on the door. Hey, maybe he’d get lucky. Maybe Zach would have had the same idea as himself and elected to get drunk beforehand. He could be lying on the couch right now, passed out. Wishful thinking had never exactly worked out for Heath though.

[mayorcelton]

In hopes of salvaging the night in one aspect, Zach had opted for one of his parade dishes - steaks with a generous amount of roasted potatoes and vegetables on the side, thick red wine sauce poured above. It was simple but effective and allowed him to let his mind wander whenever it needed to, knowing the recipe inside and out. It was a fail-safe that he'd used on a number of occasions. From what he could remember, it was a dish well liked by his brother as well. It wasn't too complicated either. Honestly, he'd probably put more thought into what would be the least provoking dish to serve than the actual taste. 

He was fiddling with a shirt, eyeing it in the mirror before pulling it off in a brisk move. He'd found a pair of darker jeans, no brand in particular. They clung to his hips in an uncomfortable way, having never previously worn them. But the thought of opening the door in an array of brands hanging off of his body, rubbing his success in Heath's face, it couldn't happen. Eventually Zach found a simple black button-down shirt which he sighed tiredly at in the mirror before surrendering and leaving the closet. 

The scent of the meat filled the apartment, assuring him that everything was as it should be. He'd suggested for Heath to bring the beverage and though he was practically jumping in his place, Zach refrained from placing anything other than a pitcher of water on the table. After which he walked through the apartment for at least 3 times, pulling at pillows and smoothing out blankets, shortly followed by Zach returning to rustle them up instead - breaking the faultless facade as best as he could. 

Zach shot up from the couch as the doorbell rang, hurrying towards the door without actually opening it. Instead he closed his eyes momentarily, breathing in and out deeply once, releasing some of the tension in his shoulders. He shoved a hand down his pocket, using the other one to pull at the lock and handle. The first thing Zach noticed was a bottle of gin, the sight offering some comfort. "Hey." The word left his mouth, followed by a release of air, chest settling in a normal rhythm. "Come in. Let me take that. Thanks for bringing, you know, medicine," Zach said, raising the bottle as he held it, instantly regretting his choice of word. 

He walked into the kitchen area, motioning for Heath to come with. "So, do you want a... tour?" He grimaced, unsure of what the appropriate course of action would be. "It's not that big. I mean," Zach paused, turning away from Heath to stir the sauce simmering in a pan. "Dinner's almost ready. You can take a seat if you want, or walk around." This was already going worse than imagined, his words continously failing him.

[mayorcelton]

Up With the Birds | Heather and Zach

[heatherulia]

Heather sat back as Zach opened up to her, telling her about the love he had found in Italy.  It seemed like everyone recently had been talking about love, and Heather wasn’t even really sure if she would ever find that.  Sure, she was still young, but it seemed like by the time everyone else was her age they had had that great first love.  She idly wondered what it must have been like for Zach, the man who was normally put-together and reserved, to have fallen in such a passionate love that he would stay in a foreign country to be with someone. “Well, it’s the birthplace of romance and all that, right?” she asked with a small smile. “What with Romeo and Juliet, and all of that stuff.”

She raised her eyebrows when Zach said he was splitting the cost of the birthday party with the Hamiltons, but said nothing. It wasn’t her place to inquire further, and if they had some sort of a deal figured out then it just meant less stress for Heather.  She should be relieved, honestly.  But he brought up someone else becoming the mayor and it unnerved her a little because she didn’t like to think of someone else in charge.

“Not unless you know all about Piaget, no,” Heather responded with a laugh. “But it was very kind of you to offer,” she said sincerely.  His complacency about the election was actually a little bit soothing to Heather, and she sat back in her seat. “What would you do, then?” she asked. “If someone else became mayor?”   

[mayorcelton]

With a blush rising up his cheeks, Zach smiled and shook his head slightly, tilting it forward as he looked down into his glass. A laugh escaped his lungs. "I guess so." He looked up then, mimicking a somewhat more serious expression. "Though it'd be Romeo and Julio in this case," he said and chuckled, glancing at the blonde opposite of him, thankful in his expression. Heather's reaction had been far better than expected. Although, Zach wondered why he would ever expect anything less from a woman like her. The thought brought on a fond smile as he placed the glass back down onto the table, hand smoothing over the cloth beneath. 

"Oh, he's some kind of teacher person, right?" Zach looked up, a goofy grin covering his lips. "See, I know my stuff. You shouldn't underestimate me," he joked then, biting his tongue. His knowledge about education went about as far as any other politician's. The economy of it, the state of the school buildings. He left the actual teaching to, well, teachers. It wasn't a profession he'd considered before but then again, had he really ever approached the topic of studying something other than politics. It was doubtful, the path had been paved for him since birth. 

He pursed his lips, thinking about her inquiry. This had been his life ever since graduating high school and at times even before that. "I'd probably spend more time with charities. It's what I did when working for my dad. I went around visiting different places that had applied for funding and whatnot. Different shelters, organizations. I think it'd be nice to continue with it, especially now when I have a little more connections around Tartarus." Zach nodded briefly. "But mostly? I'd travel. Not just to my vacation villa but everywhere. I'd take Haz- I, uh," he laughed nervously. He wasn't comfortable going behind Hazel's back and revealing everything. Heather was her friend, it wasn't his place to say anything. "I'd send Betty and Leonard on a cruise. Yeah, that's what I'd do." Zach flashed a grin.

[heathcelton]

The Life of the Party | Heath & Zach

[heathcelton]

“Dinner? At your place? With actual food and stuff?” The question had caught Heath a little off guard. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had dinner anywhere but his own place. In fact he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had anything but microwave food and takeaways. It was a wonder his heart hadn’t given out on him by now. Although some would question his heart’s very existence, but that was a topic for another time. He was about done with his own self-pitying shtick for one day. 

Still, Zach’s question was still left hanging in the air, unanswered, partly because Heath was of two minds about the whole thing. Sure it’d be nice to catch up with his brother and maybe get a well-cooked meal for once. But he was also a little cautious about the whole thing. Of seeing how the other half lived. Their paths had taken very different turns at a young age. Heath lived in a small run-down apartment and barely made ends meet some months. Zach lived in the lap of luxury. He should have been proud his little brother had done so well, but all Heath ever felt was envy. 

He considered for a moment just asking Zach to come to his place instead, but he didn’t think he’d be able to take the looks of pity his brother would give him. Worse still if he offered him charity. His own little brother having to bail him out of his tiny little existence. No, Heath couldn’t think of anything worse. “Dinner at yours sounds good.” He said after what must have been an uncomfortably long pause. “I’ll try not to crack you over the head with one of your fancy chairs if you overcook the meal or whatever.”

Taking a cigarette from his jacket, Heath lit it. It was a habit Heath had picked up back in his moody, rebellious teenage years that he hadn’t been quite able to kick. “So is um… is anyone else gonna be there? For the dinner, I mean?” Having to make do without an ashtray, Heath simply deposited his cigarette ashes into an empty glass on the table. “Not that I’d mind if there was. It’s just that a heads-up would be nice.”

[mayorcelton]

Zach bit the inside of his cheek lightly as he waited for his brother to respond. Was it too forward? Should he have given the other man a little more space before... well, before suggesting dinner of all things. At his own place. Zach ran over what he had asked, each word echoing in his head. Ever since meeting Heath by his shop, Zach had turned into somewhat of a nervous wreck. All the signs of this minor breakdown was hidden from the public, of course. He'd learned how to give off a confident, secure posture. Firm handshakes and unyielding eye contact were major contributers to making a good impression. But somehow he was incapable of putting up the same shield around Heath. As with Hazel, the Mayor knew his attempts at faking a confidence and flashing a few smiles would be useless in their company. They knew him, knew his ways. Even if they hadn't spoken for years, they were brothers. 

His leg began to jump slightly beneath the wooden surface of the table, hand pressed down against the thigh to stop it as best it could. Eventually Heath spoke, however, and Zach visibly relaxed in his seat. A light smile eventually turned into a laugh. "Thanks, I appreciate it." His eyes met Heath and without thinking he kept the eye contact for a moment before averting his glance to the side and finding a spot on the table to focus on. 

"I wasn't planning on it." Zach said, not quite sure if it was the answer his brother was seeking. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. Should he invite Hazel? No, that would be awkward, right? Zach didn't know. "No, it'll just be us." He continued finally, assuming Heath was more interested in making it a two man event. They could save the dinner parties for later. Once they're normal, or less not normal, brothers. First he had to decide on what to make for dinner. Which part of the cow said "Hey, I'm sorry about things. Let's be friends"? The sirloin?

He saw Brent on the other side of the lawn waving for Zach to come over. Zach, in turn, attempted to communicate with his hands toward the proud father. "I hate to do this but he seems pretty insisting. You mind if I see what's up? Maybe you're on your way home, I mean, you can stay, I-" He paused, smiling as he dropped his head. "Dinner on Friday at my place. Bring some alcohol or something, yeah?"

[elbenalana]

One of Those || Alana and Zach

[elbenalana]

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Alana perked her ears at the sound of a voice she wasn’t expecting to hear away from television today. “Why, Mr. Mayor, to what do I owe the pleasure on this lovely afternoon?” There was no way he didn’t want something. When people came to her they always wanted something. A certain publication in the paper, unrequited love to be returned—always something. Zach Celton was no different. “Not a bad time, you can join me for lunch and we can discuss whatever it is you need for your campaign. Or whatever it is you need period.” It was silly to take a car when the Japanese place she fancied was just a block away from her work building. “Do you like Japanese?” She inquired as she pushed through the door and held it open for him to follow behind. She didn’t particularly care if he liked it, it was what she wanted, and he was tagging along for his lunch. He could get sushi if he so desired.

The host seated them at a somewhat recluse table, per Alana’s request. When she discussed business she usually liked to keep it private and not privy to public ears, but only for a while. Whatever it was that the Mayor wanted, he would surely want it front page. Especially if it was something that could boost his ratings in the pools. He was nothing if not predictable when elections were rolling around. Feeling a bit decadent herself, Alana ordered a bottle of their finest red wine to drink and left Zach up to his own devices for beverages, though she wouldn’t mind should he want the wine as well—she did get a whole bottle, after all.

Once she had ordered her desired plate of hibachi chicken and the waiter had left them in peace, Alana leaned back in her seat with one knee crossed over the other, her foot swaying in time with her cluttered mind. “Is there somewhere specific you’d like to start?” Without even waiting for an answer, she checked her watch as though she had a time quota to meet. Her afternoon was relatively open, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t find something to do if the meeting went any way she didn’t want it to. It was the perks of being the head of sections of the Chronicle. It gave her more freedom than most of her inferiors, probably the ones that were out of the office more than she was were the investigative journalists and they weren’t part of her team, not many, anyways. There was a handful at her disposal, but the way Alana floated around the social scene, it wasn’t really necessary to keep them on payroll all the time. “So, Mr. Mayor, what is it you need from me today?”

[mayorcelton]

"Certainly. Lunch it is." Zach kept himself at an appropriate distance while still walking closely behind her as they moved outdoors. The speed of her heels hitting to floor far more quick paced than his own longer strides. As the sun creeped out from behind one of the taller buildings in their vicinity, Zach pulled up a pair of Balenciaga's to protect his eyes. "I do like it. It's been a while since I've been." He answered as they walked down the stone steps. "So, tell me, how is Ms. Elben these days?" He asked, realizing he'd somehow forgotten the proper customs and gone straight to business - as much business finding a suit can be, but business nonetheless. The amount of time, energy and most of all money, that went into appearances was at times ridiculous. He knew it played a large role in who the people would give their vote to but Zach doubted the color of his tie would somehow lead him to losing the election. But those were the rules and in order to play the game, you had to follow them. Zach had a somewhat of a headstart in the proper way of dressing, speaking and behaving at political events. Perhaps the only useful thing he'd learned from his father's presence, or rather the man's career. As for the luxury that often came with his job, at least the part of it that other people could witness - well, he could certainly not complain. He lead an incredibly fortunate life and for what really? Had he even accomplished anything useful in this town? Maybe. Zach couldn't help but to dream of leaving it behind him, though. To only be with Hazel and perhaps lend his time and money to charities and youth centers, as he always has. 

"I'll have the beef teriyaki and," He glanced at Alana sitting across him, "wine for me too. Thank you." Zach ordered before leaning back into his seat somewhat, folding the napkin placed on his plate and placing it to the side, offering a smile towards the journalist. He turned slightly to the side, one leg crossing the other while he waited for the food to arrive. "I wanted to see if you even have the time to fit me into your schedule. I can imagine you're quite busy." He reached for the wine as the waitress had poured part of it into his glass, holding it in his hand as he spoke. "The campaign wont begin for another few months but as you know, time flies and we'd rather have everything covered before the take off, so to speak." Zach said before taking a sip of his drink. 

Zach smirked. "I'm quite sure you'll agree that my wardrobe needs improving and you've never disappointed me in the past." He said truthfully, not attempting to win her over but rather stating a fact. His popularity among the voters had increased considerably with Alana's assistance and as far as he knew, no other candidates had approached her. He couldn't be sure of course. "Unless one of my opponents have gotten to you first?" He grinned, the expression more that of a politician than friend. Separating personal life from his professional position had always been somewhat of a challenge. Not in the sense that he was any less genuine at work but the private Zach was certainly more scaled down. Less of the seamless outfits and flashy smiles. He only hoped Alana would see through the feigned exterior Zach often put on during work hours, if his duties became stressful. It was the only way he'd found worked in order to seem energetic and constantly ready for whatever was thrown his way. 

[stargenthasmoved]

[parliamoci]

GLADD Awards (x)

[elbenalana]

One of Those || Alana and Zach

It was a dance. A careful dance she was playing with Henry. She twisted his unconditional love for her, so very close to turning it to something darker. Part or her welcomed it, believing whole heartedly against everything he spoke to her in soft whispers when the heat of friction rose from their bare skin touching, her mind elsewhere as he whispered sweet nothings to her. Nothing in her being believed him, and more than a small part of her wanted him to hurt, to know that he was just alone as she’d be for the rest of her life, instead she’d slide away when she was finished there. She’d go back to Ace. The best friend who Henry trusted more than anything. Alana had been debating leaking their relations to the TC gossip blog for some time, the only thing keeping her from doing so was that no one else knew of the way he touched her, the way he inhaled her scent and the way she reacted to it all. Well, she supposed there were other things keeping her from leaking the story, and though she’d never admit it—one of the largest contributors to her inhibitions was her increasingly stronger feelings towards her high school sweetheart’s best friend. Henry’s feelings were no longer of concern to Alana—she wanted to stomp them into the ground for as long as she could—but the way Ace would react did concern her, and was something she oddly kept in the back of her mind these days.

When she clicked away at her keyboard behind a safe firewall, he invaded her thoughts. While she supervised the printing of the next issue with her boss, Alana pictured Ace in the back of her mind picking up an issue and flipping through her section nonchalantly. She didn’t expect him to read it—she wrote the girliest columns in the paper—but there wasn’t many people in Tartarus that didn’t read the paper and she was featured in it. And on top of that, the gossip blog demanded a large part of her attention when she finished her main work. Little nameless faces wanting the latest gossip on the dear, sweet citizens, some even giving their two-cents about what’s going on. She enjoyed the havoc most days when she was feeling particularly frustrated with her predicament. Or when she couldn’t find a couple not yet to form that she could squish together. Alana liked to think of journalism as her cherished day job, and by night she was all but a matchmaker from the heavens.  Parts inside her squealed like a little school girl when two people she pushed together worked out. She enjoyed attending the wedding for the free champagne and food, but always skipped the ceremony, knowing that it’d put her in the sourest of moods and she’d be inconsolable. Rage would engulf her and she’d leave the wedding in a huff, successfully stealing the spotlight from the bride in question—all from a bride she’d helped marry off in the first place.

But even as she rocked her foot back and forth while it was crossed over her knee, Alana wondered what spicy even she could use, not only to her, but everyone else’s (with a single marital status on their tax forms) advantage. As much as she bitched and threw fits, she enjoyed seeing couples with that spark of first love in their eyes. When everything was new and the other walked on a pedestal. With a sigh of defeat, she put her work computer to sleep and grabbed her bag to head out for lunch, and with good reason, he stomach was just starting to growl which signaled it was time for some fine Japanese cuisine. Not sushi though, she wasn’t in the mood for sushi. No, she was craving hibachi chicken. Hm, yes. So with little else on her mind but the thought of getting food into her empty stomach, Alana pushed forward out of the newspaper office towards downtown for a bite to eat.

[mayorcelton]

Entering the office of a newspaper with a pension for the occasional rumour spreading, as the most noted politician in a town, was a risky move. The last time he'd been within these doors he had left feeling somewhat beaten down by the various complaints regarding his style and posture, all from the woman he was looking for on this sunny day. Zach had left his Camaro in the town hall garage and opted for a walk instead, the buildings not being too far away from each other. It had been a while since he'd dared to leave his car unsupervised in the garage at work. Only a year earlier had a certain few ladies slashed his tire and almost ruined the car. Zach smirked at the memory of mentioning it to Hazel, knowing it had been her and Aden's prank, if you could call it that, and seeing them struggle to remain unaware in their expressions. Of course, at that time, Zach was already smitten by Hazel's, well, everything and the car seemed miniscule in comparison.

He jogged up the stone steps to the newspaper, flashing a smile at the receptionist who offered one back, hers more bashful than his. She gestured for him to enter, offering directions to Alana's office which Zach were already familiar with. In the spirit of his past, somewhat cocky, self, Zach strolled through the building, nodding at some of the journalists at their desks - one of which he assumed was responsible for the gossip columns about his personal life that have been published lately. First the one suggesting he and Heather were involved, shortly followed by a piece about Heath at Julia's birthday. He never did figure out why his life was so incredibly interesting to these people. It really wasn't.

As he reached the building's elevators, the doors pinged open only to reveal Alana inside, appearing to be on her way out. "Ms. Elben! Just the person I was looking for." Zach smiled widely, hand gesturing as he spoke. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" He asked as he exited the elevator to allow others inside. Zach walked by her side as they left the building, sharing a glance with the receptionist who smiled at him. "They told me to send someone else but I figured, why not head over here myself. The next campaign is soon upon us and I'm sure a few new suits wouldn't hurt. You helped me in the past, I was hoping you'd consider assisting me once again. After all, there's no one like you in Tartarus." Zach said honestly but yet with a hint of playfulness. 

[mayorcelton]

Up With the Birds | Heather and Zach

[heatherulia]

Heather listened attentively while Zach described his stay in Italy, trying to imagine what it must have been like to see a foreign country for the first time - all of the excitement, and the wonder, it all seemed almost too good to be true. “What made you decide to stay, then?” she asked curiously, taking a sip of her drink.  ”Seems it’d be kind of hard to live by yourself in a different country.” Hell, it was hard enough living on her own in Tartarus.  She couldn’t imagine being totally independent in a place she’d never known.

“A bouncy house?” she asked, eyes shining. “That would be perfect!  I think I have a classmate who works for one of those companies that rents them out. I can talk to him and ask about pricing and availability and see how much it might cost for a bouncy house.”  She watched as Zach scribbled furiously on his legal pad, and Heather made a few notes of her own, reminders to check in with Luke about getting a bouncy castle.  Idly, she wondered how all of this would be paid for.  After all, it was only a child’s fifth birthday party.  Not exactly the same thing as a sweet sixteen.  She wasn’t sure how elaborate this should get.  

She looked up at him in surprise when he offered to help her with school, should she need it.  The idea of the mayor knowing child development theories was more than a little amusing to her, and she bit her lip to keep from giggling.  When she knew she could speak without laughing, she spoke. “Thank you for that.  I appreciate it,” she said sincerely.  

New candidates?  It just seemed so normal for Zach to be the mayor of Tartarus that she’d given hardly any thought to the fact that someone might want to race against him for the position.  She knew that despite almost widespread approval, there were a few people in town who disagreed with his thinking and that’s probably where his competitors had come from. “I’m sure it won’t be so bad.  You’ve already proved you know how to run the town.  It’s hard to beat an incumbent, anyway,” she said, hoping her words sounded supportive but also keeping in her place.

[mayorcelton]

He refrained from looking up before he could decide on what to reveal or what not to reveal. Zach felt utterly ridiculous for being so secretive but it was a part of his life that he'd kept from the public. But since when was Heather the public? "Love, I guess." Zach smirked, following Heather's suit and sipping on his drink. "I met someone there and I ended up staying for a year before we parted ways. It was mutual and as sad as it sounds. We were just heading in different directions." Zach spoke, gesturing with his hand as he did, enjoying the feeling of talking about his time there. "I was set to return to Tartarus and work on my dad's campaign and he-," Zach felt a faint blush creep up his skin, not quite sure why. "He was a dad. He had a son." The corners of his mouth twitched briefly, struck by the memory of the little boy who he'd grown so fond of during his stay. How old was he know? Zach stopped to count but decided not to, focusing on Heather instead.

"Oh, well there you go!" He flashed a smile, scribbling down a note saying Heather would take care of the castle. He looked up as she mentioned the cost, forgetting they hadn't talked about that just yet. "Don't worry about the money. The Hamiltons have put down some for the party and I'll cover the rest." Zach said quickly, always feeling slightly uncomfortable when discussing the topic of money, not wanting to come off as pretentious. "I'd like to give her the best kind of birthday possible while I'm still in office." He added finally, hinting that his salary would likely drop considerably once someone else became Mayor. 

Zach laughed then, noticing the brief amusement visible on Heather's expression. "I'm not really the right person for it, am I?" He snickered, finishing the wrap on his plate and wiping his hands with a napkin beside it. Zach shook his head slightly, reassuring her that he wasn't all too worried about the election. "Thank you, I appreciate it." He said genuinely with a warm smile. "I'm trying to remain positive about either outcomes. If I'm elected again, then that will be wonderful and if I'm not, maybe the new guy has something else to offer." 

[mayorcelton]

Strangeness and Charm | Zach & Thane

[thanelovell]

“Man, I don’t know of what use I could be, but I’m willing to do anything.” Thane hadn’t gone to school, he didn’t have a degree, an education. The last eight years were spent surviving among a sea of men who weren’t exactly as civil as Thane was. Lets just say, they weren’t getting out on good behavior. 

Thane smirked as Zach spoke of his secretary, realizing just how important this man was. He was realizing that he was in the presence of someone that in other, more sober, circumstances he would be taken aback by. Zach was a man of power and Thane was the guy that power was used on. He’d been used to it, hell, that was his entire existence, but Thane was a nobody and here he was talking to the next Mayor of this town he called home. He felt the urge to bow, kneel, kiss the feet of authority but all those were really just embarassment. Embarrassment that he felt for not automatically knowing who he was. For being so lost in the world around him that had sped forward while the last eight years held dreadfully still for him. 

“Yeah, I’ll definitely stop by.” A chagrin spread across his features. “Thanks.” 

Something about the way Zach spoke of Hazel seemed off to Thane, but he’d been out of the world for so long that maybe he just didn’t recognize normal social queues anymore. There was a feeling of warmth as he spoke fondly of Hazel and her career and Thane couldn’t help but feel relieved. Guilty for missing so many years of her life, but relieved. So she was okay. That was good. He was worrying for nothing, maybe it was in fact time to pop over and show his face. “You, uh, won’t tell her you saw me?” He didn’t know how often they saw each other but Thane feared Zach would get to her before he did. 

He’d reached the bottom of his coffee cup and was suddenly aware that this important man probably had a busy schedule of things he should and would rather be doing. Thane fidgeted with the cup, awkward expression on his face. “You have a million things to be doing, I’m sure and here I am taking up all your time. I should,” Thane rubbed at the back of his neck uncomfortably, thinking of how he’d keep himself busy today before returning to the bar, “leave you to it.”

[mayorcelton]

"I'm sure we can find something. If you're willing to take on some late shifts and try things out, it shouldn't be a problem." Zach said, already running through a few options he could think of in that moment. It wasn't exactly his field but he'd been interested in minimizing the unemployment in the town during his 4 year run and that itself had given him some insight into the topic. He felt the need to help Thane out, though Zach couldn't quite figure out why. Sure, he seemed like a good guy - considering why he had been locked up for 8 years prior. Everyone needed a second chance and something told Zach that there was more to the story here. Still, he felt hesitant, perhaps not as including as he'd normally be and truthfully, had the other man not been connected to Hazel, he might've seen things differently. 

He had no clue who Thane's victim had been or what the circumstances had been but being Hazel's stepbrother most likely helped him in this aspect. There were very few people around town who had met Hazel and not immediately liked her. In a small town like Tartarus, connections meant everything. It was perhaps not the most wholesome way of living but you couldn't really expect much more from the residents. Rumors were equal to proof around here, people were loyal to the point of danger. But Zach doubted it was much better in any other part of the world. Every town has its downfalls, the peaks were much more interesting and Tartarus had a fair share of those. 

"No, of course. I wont mention it." He smiled reassuringly. "You should talk to her first, man. She's your sister." Zach continued, hoping that this was the right thing to do and that Hazel would feel the same way once Thane had gotten to her. Suddenly the other man seemed eager to leave and it made Zach nervous in turn. "Just paperwork. Nothing I wouldn't mind postponing as much as possible." He joked, motioning for them to step out of the coffee shop into the street instead. "What about you? Any plans for the day?"

[mayorcelton]

Up With the Birds | Heather and Zach

[heatherulia]

“What brought you to Italy of all places, if you don’t mind me asking?” Heather asked, genuinely interested in his past adventures.  Heather had never been beyond Tartarus, at least not that she could remember, and collected stories of other people’s travels like some people collected ceramic figurines of milkmaids. “I’m so used to the heat here that I don’t know if I could stay somewhere else.  I like the sun,” she said, wondering what it would be like to experience a snowy winter.  

She was glad that Zach affirmed her ideas.  Heather always felt like she had all these great ideas, but she never had the confidence or assertiveness to bring them up to people.  She guessed she was just too shy, or worried that people would shoot her down.  Working with the mayor, knowing that people like the Hamiltons and Hazel believed in her, was worth more than she could have imagined.  Honestly, if it weren’t for Hazel in the first place she probably wouldn’t even have gotten to this point. “Right.  So fantasy.  Costumes. Magician. Do you think of anything else that would fit with this kind of theme?” she asked, wanting to cover all of their bases. “Should we have crafts, or games or something?”

“I’m sure whatever you recommend for catering would be great,” she replied mildly.  She’d only ever heard of Oliver Zane in passing but apparently he was a great chef.  She really enjoyed cooking her own food, so she didn’t go out to eat much. “Do you want to talk to the Hamiltons about that, or do you want me to?” she asked, unsure how to go about ordering this kind of stuff.  

‘Oh, I’m fine.  School’s going pretty well.  It’s weird to think about life after college but it’s getting here so I’m just trying to take things one step at a time.  It’s, uh, less overwhelming that way.”  She couldn’t help the rambling, she genuinely was nervous about facing the future and she wasn’t really sure how to answer that kind of question. “Um, what about you?  How are you doing?”

[mayorcelton]

"I had just graduated from college and we wanted to do something over the summer, Brent and I. So, we just went there for a couple of months at first and I ended up staying for a year while Brent went back home." He said, nodding as he averted his eyes. Zach had for so long kept his year abroad hidden from those back in Tartarus, all except for Brent. He wasn't quite sure whether he wanted to break pattern and tell someone about it after all this time. He wasn't ashamed of it. On the contrary, he sometimes felt that uttering the words would somehow let the memories from his time there fade as they left his lips. As if he could open a box and the time he spent there would fly away. 

"Maybe one of those bouncy castle things?" He chuckled, not able to remember the name for them. "Yes, all of that sounds good too." Zach scribbled it all down, wondering what the Hamiltons would say to all of it. They had given him and Heather free hands. They knew Zach had a tendency for the extravagant, so they had made sure he was aware that it was his responsibility. They would help out, of course, but only to a sane amount of things. Maybe he should stop himself and Heather here, before things got out of hand? It wasn't that bad yet, though. He'd give it them a little more time. 

"I can do it, it's no problem." He smiled brightly, reaching for his glass of water as he listened to Heather talk about her studies. "I think that's a good way of handling it. It can get pretty intense, I'm glad it's behind me, to be quite honest." He said, laughing slightly. "Let me know if you ever need any help or something." Zach continued before thinking, why would she ever ask him for help with her studies? At least he'd offered himself to help now. 

He paused before answering, not quite sure what the answer should be.  "I'm not sure." He started honestly. "I guess we'll be starting the new campaign soon enough. Election is next year. There's supposed to be a couple of new candidates. I don't know much about them, except from what I've heard. They sound..." Zach gestured with his hands, searching for the right word, "well-versed." Was that the right word?