the loyal

[nathanxfinley]

grey-finley​:

We both knew that this wasn’t going to be pretty, you said it yourself.

I know why you’re doing this, Nate, why am I going to hate you when you’re doing what you have to do for the greater good of this town?

Past me didn’t really understand the gravity of what he was getting himself into.

You don’t realize how intricately woven the web is with the people you know. I watched them cry in front of me, because of me. I can’t...I can’t go into full detail, but why I’m doing this won’t negate what I’ve said.

[nathanxfinley]

aria-magnuson​:

I think you need it, I saw how much you drank. Just plug your nose and swallow, it’s what I told myself when I first started to give blowjobs.

Want a glass, or not?

I can handle my liquor just fine without sobering up to a drink that tastes like my grandmother’s toilet water. God, Aria, there’s something seriously not right with you.

Just give me one. Jesus.

[nathanxfinley]

aria-magnuson​:

It’s a Magnuson special recipe, I’ll be running circles around everyone that’s hungover when I’m done.

I don’t think I’ll be partaking in Magnuson special recipe this year, Ari. The taste alone.

[nathanxfinley]

georgiaxfinley​:

Oh — are you here to look at a property?

I see you’re busy working. I’ll come back.

[nathanxfinley]

jeremyxgreen​:

There are better ways to get my attention than staring at me from across the park.

Memo to me, avoid this park altogether. 

[nathanxfinley]

grey-finley​:

I know… I can tell better than anyone else.

Want to talk about it?

She’s turning me into a monster.

The heartless things I’m saying to people I’ve known. You should hate me, Grey, you’re going to hate me.

[nathanxfinley]

grey-finley​:

Relax, Robin’s not here– her bodyguards woulda accosted me the moment I walked into the building.

It’s getting harder to separate myself from this character.

I think I’m starting to break at the seams, Grey. 

[nathanxfinley]

inez-finch​:

Politics is the same everywhere, this town isn’t that special. I’ve been here long enough to know that, and I’ve been to far more places than you to know what I’m talking about.

Wow… that was very uncalled for but I know that you’re just using that as a tactic to push me away even more without actually giving me a truthful explanation. I may have less money than you by a mile, but at least I’m living. Why are you pushing away someone who genuinely wants to be your friend over one night?

“You never know what you’re talking about, Inez. You make this assumption that you do when you never will.”

“Living? You call getting overly drunk at a party and making yourself out to be an embarrassing stain to Little Oak living?” Nate slowly shook his head, forcing down the bile as his mother’s words once again filled every thought. To hurt Inez, to cause her grief and stamp out her flame was to protect her. Maintain the lie as effectively as possible. “See, here’s the problem with you. You claim to be everyone’s friend, everyone’s listening ear, when you detach yourself from your own issues. You surround yourself with people in the hopes that it’ll make you forget who you lost or lessen the hurt when the truth of the matter is that you’re alone. You’re hopelessly naïve, Inez, to believe I’d ever want to be friends with someone I could easily step under my own shoe. Our so-called friendship was nothing more than a polite courtesy I no longer need now that you’ve proven the disgrace it could bring me having you in my social circle.”

[nathanxfinley]

inez-finch​:

No, I don’t understand, but I don’t have to in order to know that ‘the mayor’s son’ isn’t all who you’re meant to be. No one is made for constant stress, and one night doesn’t make you a lush. What about my opinion? I’m also the public, and I say that last night didn’t tarnish your image in any way.

Actually… you do. If I did something wrong, I should at least have the chance to fix it. I’ll even apologize to your mother if that’s what it takes.

It is who I’m meant to be and I forgot that for a single night that shouldn’t have been in the realm of possibility. I don’t expect someone new to the town and its politics to own an opinion that actually matters in the long run.

Apologizing to my mother won’t fix it, Nezzy. I know you and I joked about how poor you are, but it’s actually true. We’re from different worlds.

[nathanxfinley]

inez-finch​:

Reckless? Nothing you did was reckless. All we did was sneak into a kitchen and eat some food– it wasn’t like we robbed a bank. It is the fun you should have been having because you did nothing wrong.

Wait… what? Why?

Yes, reckless. You’ll never understand the fucking pressure I’m under as the mayor’s son. Anything even resembling an embarrassment could tank my career and my family’s reputation. Can you imagine the public opinion if they saw me as the drunken lush? That’s my sister, that’s not me.

 I don’t owe you an explanation.

[nathanxfinley]

inez-finch​:

Oh… did someone talk to you about it? We didn’t do anything wrong or too crazy, if anything you looked like you had fun for the first time that night.

My mother and I came to an understanding. I realized how reckless that type of behavior was for someone like me, so it’s not the kind I should’ve been having. It’s best we don’t talk anymore.

[nathanxfinley]

inez-finch​:

I think it’s a small price to pay for a little fun.

Uh-oh… that’s never a good sentence. What is it?

Unfortunately, there’s a steeper prince.

Look, our time at the party was great and all, but it can’t happen ever again. Getting drunk isn’t the impression I wanted to give the public.

[nathanxfinley]

inez-finch​:

Figuring out finances with a slight hangover is not as easy as it looks.

Then I guess we shouldn’t drank as much as we did. Never doing that again.

We should talk, Inez.

[nathanxfinley]

I have a day’s worth of appointments, so make this quick.

[nathanxfinley]

maddox-rowell​:

Maddox nodded sympathetically, a part of him relieved that Nathan would continue digging into his mother’s work but he knew that it was treacherous waters. His eyes flashed at the mention of the names; Maddox was aware from Joel about Peyton, but Rory and Hale? That was new, and a problem– at least for the Fabray if her brother had anything to do with it as well. Ezra was nothing short of a rabid dog if something, or someone, was threatening his sister. “I didn’t know about Rory and Hale, Nathan. If you’re feeling up to it, I would like to hear what you have on them,” Maddox said, sobering up and placing a hand on Nathan’s shoulders, “you’re not alone, Nathan. I know it feels like that but Joel and I are right here behind you. I don’t want you to ever think we’re just using your influence to get what we want out of all this… we understand what we’re putting you through and if you ever need to talk, my office doors are always open. You don’t even have to tell me any information about the case right now if you don’t want to, this time is for you.” Of course Mads was curious, needing to know all the names of the players in Robin’s game, but Nathan’s feelings came above that; at least right then in that moment when Nate was so close to breaking.

Nate did the job a little too well, it seemed, his interaction namely with Rory was a test of his loyalties disguised as an order. He could have provided his mother with the casual wave of an excuse or walked away from the girl when given the chance, but Robin’s demands were clear, to verbally beat Rory into submission so she would lose the fight and back-talking. However cruel it was and whatever Nate pulled from his own self-esteem issues feeling so small comparing to others, watching Rory break down in tears was an image he cannot erase now. A hand landing on his shoulder brought him to a refocused center, back to the present instead of lost afloat with his own terrifying thoughts. “I know. I know I can count on you and Joel, I know I put himself in this mess when I asked for my cut. I just...I didn’t expect this.” Nathan hung his head briefly, hearing a ringing in his ears that wouldn’t cease. Voices. Her voice. “She’s, um,” The man’s gaze dropped to his palms, the half-moon marks evident, “She’s using Rory to basically be a listening ear to the ground on gossip. Possible dirt on anyone, including me. Hale has it far worse.” He paused, “His business was failing six years ago, his dad was sick, and he went to my mother for help. She took advantage of that. Pays the medical bills, gives Hale clients, and in exchange...they’re together.” It was sickening. “He wants me to protect Peyton. You have to convince Joel to pull her from the mission, Maddox, maybe there’s a better chance he’ll testify knowing she’s safe.”

[nathanxfinley]

maddox-rowell​:

Maddox kept his face as neutral as possible as the younger man lead them through the maze of people to a secluded room, his brow raising as he actually took in Nathan’s features now they were outside of the dimness of ballroom. He could only nod along as Nate spoke, crossing his arms as he processed. “Nathan,” he spoke after a time, keeping his voice as calm and level as possible, “you know we can end this at any time. Whatever you got from Robin, I can make do with– I’m not going to push you farther than you can go just so I can get a bigger charge on her.” There wasn’t much he could offer in consolidation– Madds didn’t know what the kid was going through, but he wasn’t going to break him. “Do we need to end it?”

Nathan balled his fists, digging his fingernails into the flesh of his palms as a comfort method to relieve the pressure. Pain distracts, any amount of pain takes away from the self-loathing within the man for a brief moment. Yes, he could end it and be content he gave everything he could in the name of the investigation, but what he gave thus far wasn’t enough. “No. No.” Nate shook his head several times, willing a calm level-headed mind and locking away the emotional toll. He had to pull his shit together or he would drown. “Any evidence you have the family lawyer is bound to find a way around it. Create an excuse that sets my mother free of jail time.” The man focused his resolve carefully, “I need more if it means she stays in jail. I hate her, Maddox. I’m seeing what she’s doing to the people like Peyton or Rory, or Hale, and I want her paying for every second she destroyed their lives. How she destroyed mine.” Nate used the heels of his hands to rub at his eyes. He knew he asked for this mission, this burden, but Nate wasn’t certain how much he could handle. “I don’t have anyone. I lost my friends, what little of them I even had, I can’t even talk to Grey without pretending to fight with her. My aunt knows something’s up and I can’t share with her any of it. I’m alone, Mads.”

[nathanxfinley]

maddox-rowell​:

Jesus, kid… you look like you got ran over by a train. We can talk– lead the way.

“Far worse than that.” Nate didn’t hesitate directing them along the length of the main party room they were occupying with others, veering off into an empty study Aria’s father previously used before he died and closing the door behind him and Maddox before spinning around aggressively, “Not only did I have a run-in with Peyton Adams, Mads, I had to face Rory and basically told her she breaks everything she comes into contact with. I stood there and watched,” He ran his hands through his hair, panic rising, “as I destroyed them. Look at what she’s turning me into, Maddox.”