- ̗̀ & sempiternal.

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[scmpiiternal]

( & * | zacharie. ) // continued from x  &  @chemiicalisms

          & * || SLENDER FRAME SHIFTED ever so slightly as Julia bent herself over the older male’s lap, baby-pink lip caught between her teeth. Her breathing was HITCHED, the feeling of his wandering TOUGH trailing along the sensitive skin of her thighs shooting delicate t h r i l l s through her slim frame. She KNEW that she had been pushing her b u t t o n s all day, sassing off and flashing SWEET, cheeky smiles that would only push her boyfriend into a state of ANNOYANCE. ‘ Rules were RULES, ‘ Zacharie often chided her. But what were RULES if they were never broken?

          She ANTICIPATED these moments more than she should have, bending herself OVER Zac’s knee as the dark-haired young man slid up the SOFT fabric of her skirt and flipped the garment up ENOUGH to expose her ass--clad in soft, feminine underwear that wasn’t RISQUE enough to be considered s e x y. And yet, there was something about the endearing charm of thin cotton fabric--young and delicate. Just like HER.

          Julia nodded her head quickly as he spoke. ❝ Yes, SIR. ❞ she mumbled softly, SQUIRMING in his lap with anticipation. ❝ I--I can count, PROMISE. ❞

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | brinley. )

                    Feet moved slowly as she followed close to the other. Brown eyes drifting as they strolled, her mind trying to memorize and gather as many details of her surroundings as she could, all because part of her was still sure every bit of it was a DREAM. Sure if she blinked at the wrong time she’d wake up back in the mansion, back in the cabin the pair didn’t share but both slept in, back to watching her back with every step she took all while trying to convince herself the feelings deep in her stomach weren’t REAL. It was what she had resorted to when it came to the pair, trying to convince herself those warm feelings she had whenever he was around were nothing but fake feelings she’d wrapped around herself as some way to feel SAFE in a mansion full of demons. Part of her knew they weren’t fake, knew that you couldn’t fake the type of emotions that rolled through every bit of her everytime copper eyes set on those icy blues — knew you couldn’t fake that emotion she couldn’t seem to admit to.

                    It was a reaction she couldn’t pull back even if she wanted to, how easily lips curved into her soft smile when terrible jokes filled her ears was almost an automatic reaction by now. ❝Please, I’d be far more creative than that if I ever tried to kill you. I am offended you think I would do something so simple.❞ The blonde scoffed as she returned his joke with her very own. But any thoughts of jokes seemed to clear from her mind as the tiny spitfire of a woman stepped into the unfamiliar bedroom. It was unfamiliar, but it feltWARM and she wasn’t sure she could ever explain why that feeling crossed her mind in a place so foreign to her. ❝Your room is like, three times bigger than any place I’ve lived.❞ The soft voice of the woman spoke out with her own quiet laughter as hands slid into the back pockets of her jeans. ❝Then again, I suppose GIANTS need large spaces.❞

      & * || A SCOFF FELL past pierced lips at the blonde’s words--though there was no mistaking the softness in the depths of his blue eyes as he watched her. It was strange how Zaiden found himself gravitating towards Brinley in a way he had never felt before. He had done everything to RATIONALIZE the sensation, internally d e b a t i n g with the sentimental piece of him until it quieted down completely. He and Brinley were NOTHING MORE than a pair settled by Bates mansion. They were not lovers. They were not soulmates. No--those things were for the WEAK-HEARTED. They were both too s t r o n g, too stubborn to fall victim to those sorts of cliches--and thus, Zaiden pointedly compartmentalized those EMOTIONS and tucked them away in the very back of his mind, squirreled away in the crevices he didn’t d a r e explore.

      “You know, being six-foot-four doesn’t make me a GIANT. We just enjoy having a nice and LUXURIOUS living space.” he drawled out in response, moving to close the door behind them. Tattooed hands lifted to slowly undo the buttons of his dress shirt, exposing the tattoos INKED against pale skin. Broad shoulders rolled to allow the fabric to s l i p off of his tall figure, already walking to the closet to hang it up before glancing back at the blonde. “Come on, Princess. Make yourself at home. You don’t have to STAND there you know.” he teased with a smirk. “You can take a shower, wash up, NAP...”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | sylvanas. )

                                                                                                                         for @scmpiiternal

TOO LONG had she waited for a willing victim on this night. The usual patrons had been distracted by a younger, less-dead-looking version of herself and thus, Sylvanas had been reduced to amusing herself. How many more hours could she pass here, drinking to keep herself from letting the violent anger she held within her from surfacing?

Her eyes scoured the place – this club in particular had never been BUSY as such, but it had never let her down in terms of finding a suitable man of wealth ( or power, for that matter ) to keep her company. While the responsibility of leading a band of undead was something she hardly told people on the first date, it was difficult to hide the fact that her skin was freezing cold to the touch. Whether or not people noticed this after a few drinks was hit or miss, but thankfully none questioned it further after her demonstration of how little her own heat mattered.

      & * || THE AIR TASTED of whiskey, cigarette smoke, and REGRET--all laced into each breath as Zaiden raised his own glass to his lips to take a s l o w sip. There was something about the NIGHT that was addicting and intoxicating and as cold blue eyes swept over the many bodies packed within the club, he couldn’t quite MASK the smirk on his face fully. The feeling of alcohol coursing through his VEINS was a w e l c o m e change from the heavy stress of the work environment--and with EACH passing second, the dark-haired man could feel the warmth SLOWLY seep into him.

      A single hand brushed against COOL skin--causing ice b l u e eyes to snap over and rest on the woman he had touched. Zaiden had always been the sort of man that EXUDED power, dripping in confidence like LIQUID gold, melted against his skin, and as he let h u n g r y eyes wander over her, he couldn’t help but SMIRK. “In need of a JACKET?” Zaiden asked, skipping over the NEED for a pretentious introduction. He didn’t waste much time, motioning to the bartender to refill his OWN glass of whiskey. “Another whiskey, neat. And whatever she was having.”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | brinley. )

             If her mind had been in any other position she probably would have felt proud of herself for how calm she seemed to be given the situation. The youthful blonde had gone from being stolen from the only family she had left, to this big mansion filled with horrors she never anticipated to face in her life. Now she stood in this enormous foreign penthouse with a male she hadn’t wanted to get this close to. Being close to someone brought messyemotions and it was always too dangerous — like standing too close to the spitfire woman during one of her breakdowns. It brought difficult thoughts because her darkness-filled mind wasn’t sure what was safe and what wasn’t, not when she physically felt comfortable and warm around the towering male.

    Such small things the other did always managed to bring her to a relaxed state no one else could put her in. From the tone of his light voice to the squeeze of her delicate hand in his own, they all pulled this unfamiliar sense of comfort to her and she still wasn’t sure if shedeserved that comfort. But hearing that chuckle she always held onto pushed any negative thoughts from her mind at that moment. It always seemed so easy for the two to fall back into their usual way of things. Light jokes, soft touches, bright eyes, and warm laughter — it all matched with their teasing towards each other and she couldn’t help but feel at homearound it. “So, you’re allowed in it, but you’re not allowed to touch anything. From the stories I have heard so far, that might be a good thing.” Teasing words easily fell from her soft lips as copper-colored shades remained on the other. Bright colors following as her hand lifted and lips brushed over her knuckles. Almost memorizing the action within her before shaking her head from her foggy thoughts. “Comforting promise. But I happen to be a decent cook myself, thank you very much.” They were half-joking words considering her past had consisted of her cooking for her overly hungry friends and a young child. None of them were picky considering most of them had a past like Brinley’s.

      & * || HE COULDN’T HELP the small smile that crossed his lips as he watched her. The small hand placed within his OWN large tattooed one felt d e l i c a t e--almost fragile--but Zaiden knew better than to think of Brinley as breakable. There was something on the man’s expression--something WARM, and even l o v i n g--as he listened to the blonde with intent. Just listening to her speak, hearing her talk of cooking for HERSELF within the penthouse--it felt like he was finally h o m e. It was a SENSITIVE and DANGEROUS thing to think--to consider himself close to someone on t h i s level was something he wouldn’t have EVER dared to do before. Instinctively, Zaiden gave her hand a squeeze as he lead her away from the kitchen and deeper into the penthouse.

      “FAIR enough.” he drawled out, unable to keep the smirk off of his expression. “Are you going to kick me if I ASK you to make me food? Though, a part of me is afraid you’ll try to POISON me in my sleep.” It was a joke, easily rolling off his tongue and laced with a warm affection he reserved exclusively for the petite blonde at his side. Zaiden’s movements were easy as he maneuvered Brinley up the stair case and down the hallway. He paused at a door, turning the knob and opening it to expose an immaculately CLEAN and put-together bedroom. It was LARGE with clean wooden floors, minimalist decor, and windows that displayed the buzzing c i t y s c a p e of Manhattan from twenty-four floors above ground. A sigh escaped him as he finally let go of her hand--though sharp blue eyes lingered on Brinley for a moment. “This is my room.” Zaiden was careful not to use the word ‘OUR’ on the off-chance that the FORMER pet would prefer a space of her own.

[blackwingedangels]

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | ZACHARIE. )

Alessandra Goldstein was a force to be reckoned with, but on mornings like this when Zacharie woke up first he couldn’t help but notice how peaceful she looked. He knew what time it was, and he really should get up if he wanted to be on time for work, but there was something about the peaceful form of his fiance sleeping next to him that kept him in bed. Just as he made himself comfortable the buzzing of his phone pulled him from his thoughts reaching over to grab the offending device. “What do you want?” His tone hushed and sharp as he turned away, his legs swinging over the side of the bed. The conversation was short, and really nothing that couldn’t of waited until he arrived at the office but it was enough to completely pull him from bed.

Getting ready didn’t take all that long, stepping out of the bathroom a few minutes later his fingers already working on the buttons of his shirt. As he reached for his tie he found his gaze falling back onto his now awake fiance. “I didn’t wake you did I?” His voice was quiet as his fingers expertly knotted his silk tie. His tone tinged with that slight amusement and adoration that he normally saved just for Aless.

      & * || ALESSANDRA HAD ALWAYS been a hurricane. She was wild, reckless, vivacious--full of life and stopping for no one. She had always been told that her CHAOTIC attitude, her thirst for spontaneity, would only cause her to burn out and crumble up until there was nothing left--and in a way, it was TRUE. Aless always felt everything to an EXTREME. Loud, drunken laughter and the euphoric high of joy only paralleled the CRUSHING lows. Ugly tear-stains and streaky mascara down her cheeks, half-empty bottles of whiskey and cigarette ashes--every painful memory was just as important as the beautiful ones. The woman with the CHERRY red lips and spirit as wild as the wolves never thought she’d find someone who could hold her down and match her spirit at once--and yet, it seemed as if Zacharie Hendricks had managed just that. 

       Her fiance was her steadying force--and as the brunette lay on their expansive bed, wrapped up in nothing but the luxurious sheets, she couldn’t help but look completely PEACEFUL. It was the feeling of Zac’s body stirring, the feeling of his warmth LEAVING her own, that caused Aless to let out a quiet moan. She shifted in the sheets, hazy green eyes fluttering open silently as she watched his retreating figure. She couldn’t help the small SMILE that tugged at the corner of her bow-shaped lips as careful eyes--still clouded with sleep--watched her fiance get ready for the day. A breathy, raspy laugh slipped past her lips as Aless shifted on the bed, tugging up the blankets to cover her chest as she peered up at him. She didn’t bother getting up, head thrown back against the pillow and dark brown curls fanned around her head, SMIRK playing on her lips. 

      “You did,” she quipped with ease. “But that’s okay... I like watching you get dressed.” There was a purr behind her words, a seductive touch lurking behind the true, genuine ADORATION she held for the blue-eyed man. One slender hand reached out for him with a sly grin, gesturing for Zacharie to come back to bed. “You weren’t gonna leave without giving me a goodbye KISS, were you?”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | ZACHARIE. )

@angcldxst

      & * || IT WASN’T AS if Zaiden Hendricks was any stranger to sex. No, if anything, sex was the one thing the blue-eyed man could use like a weapon more than anything. Growing up in the heart of the Big Apple meant he was constantly surrounded by warm bodies and before he was even in highschool, Zaiden found himself tangled up with boys much too old for him. It was a bad habit, an addiction that he never quite grew out of--and even now, with an international corporation at his fingertips and his twin brother all but ruling it at his side, he couldn’t quite shake it.

        Zaiden was nothing if not a strategist--and when posed with executive decisions, his decisive attitude helped him scheme up whatever would work in his best interest. The shareholders, investors, and potential business partners were all an open book--lonely, needy older men with a craving. Old 50-somethings with dead-end marriages and three children were the easiest. They wanted a change, something to make them feel alive. They wanted to feel in control of their lives and they wanted a body to help with that. All it took was an accidental stray touch, a well-timed laugh and the implication of more--and the deal was made.

        His brother often told him that using sex to clinch a business deal wasn’t really necessary--but they both knew it made the entire ordeal easier. Especially if blackmail was involved. Fooling men already trapped in their midlife crisis into fucking him and using it as blackmail was all but second-nature. All it took was one phonecall, one promise to call their wife and tell them exactly what happened--and the deal was made then and there. He’d done this too many times to count--but there were always nights that were harder than others.

        For once, Zaiden didn’t even wait till the morning after to call up an Uber. The ungodly hour didn’t deter him from dragging himself into his ride, relaying the address to his Upper East Side penthouse before slumping into silence. He was tired, worn-out, and disgusted. His skin was still crawling and all he wanted was a hot shower. Everything seemed to move in slow motion--even the digital numbers in the elevator and the way the metal doors slid open. He knew it was well past 3 AM--no normal human being was supposed to be up at this hour--but that didn’t stop Zaiden from yanking off his tie and throwing it aside, blazer following suit, before making his way into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of whiskey. He had half a mind to gulp down the alcohol straight from the bottle, but he forced himself through the motions of finding the right glass from the cabinet and pour the amber liquid into it. He didn’t even register the sound of footsteps--not until the sound of his brother’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, forcing his tired blue eyes to snap up and look at him.

        “You should be sleeping.”

I’ve destroyed. I’ve murdered. I’ve burned. I am the monster they warn about.

[bicrsacks-archived]

♛ ╳  ┊ you’ve got me on my K N E E S I’m your O N E M A N C U L T

cross my H E A R T and hope to D I E

P R O M I S E you I’ll never L E A V E your side

come S I N K into me and let me B R E A T H E you in

i’ll be your G R A V I T Y, you be my O X Y G E N

@silntmusician

[muse-with-fuse]

                                     You don’t understand?                        Then I’ll spell it out for you in your own blood.

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | zacharie. )

The cold feeling of the ice and water against his skin was just enough to jolt Zacharie Hendricks from his dreams. Sitting upright with a string of mumbled curses as his eyes landed on the figure standing at the end of his bed. He didn’t need anyone to tell him who had woken him up like this, it was more than obvious even before Aless’ voice broke through the fog still surrounding his head.

“Venice? Who the fuck is Venice?”

Wiping some of the water from his face as he blinked just trying to focus his gaze on the angry brunette in front of him. “What the fuck Aless,” he mumbled already pulling himself out of the bed. Of course he knew who she was talking about, V e n i c e, a very lovely young thing he had been spending just a little to much time with. He knew exactly who she was but he wasn’t about to come clean about her to his wife. He wasn’t as stupid as she would have you believe.“I’m awake you don’t have to throw anymore water.” He added icily running his hands through his hair with a roll of his eyes. “What has your panties up your ass?” He snapped looking over at her again. If she wanted a fight that morning she was going to get one.

      & * || UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE. Alessandra could feel her body shaking as her hand curled so TIGHTLY around the glass in her grasp that she was half-surprised that it didn’t s h a t t e r then and there. The brunette wasn’t quite sure why she was even SURPRISED by his response. It was all like clockwork; Zacharie would fly off to some picturesque villa on the European countryside and call it “BUSINESS,” all while leaving Alessandra back in their ritzy  penthouse. His own WIFE--left behind so that he could fuck around with some cheap WHORES bought to keep him c o m p a n y. Young girls with legs that spread at a SNAP of his fingers. Easy, gullible girls used for his own SICK gain--like he wasn’t MARRIED. Like he hadn’t made a commitment to HER. 

        Her blood was boiling, tendrils of pure FIRE lacing under her skin second by second before her wrist twitched out of its own ACCORD. The sound of s k i n slapping against s k i n registered before the sting against her PALM did. It was an instantaneous reaction, her hand lashing out before colliding with his cheek in a HARSH slap. Aless could feel something within her gut WRENCH at the biting sting that remained against her palm as she pulled back... and yet, she couldn’t quite bring herself to r e g r e t it. There wasn’t any GUILT behind her action, especially as her bow-shaped lips curled into a thinly-veiled snarl. 

        “Don’t play DUMB you fucking asshole ! ” She snapped harshly, hand on her hip. “Answer the fucking question. You know EXACTLY who I’m talking about, so spill it. Who the fuck is Venice?”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | aeri. )

@wanderlostqueen

       & * || IT WAS JUST his luck. Just his FUCKING luck for God ( or whoever it was up there ) to send a downpour of thick, heavy snow over Manhattan when he l e a s t desired it. It was some cosmic, karma-induced joke. Somewhere out there, a god or goddess or whatever the FUCK was out there was perched high up in the heavens to SNICKER down at him as the doors to the HendricksCorp building clicked shut to ban anyone from leaving the premises. Zaiden Adrian Hendricks was a busy man--and the absolute LAST thing the businessman needed was for a blizzard to hit just b e f o r e his meetings with the Parks.

        Zaiden had arrived to HendricksCorp’s main headquarters four hours in advance--naturally. It was in his blood to be particularly ANAL about all the details and with the Parks on their way, the blue-eyed man knew that he needed to make sure that EVERYTHING was absolutely perfect. Zacharie had yet to arrive--not that the elder of the twins quite minded. He had told his younger brother to come later, to leave the organization immediately prior to the meeting to HIM. After all, it was all but u n d e r s t o o d by now that ZAIDEN was the pickier one when it came to organizational skills. The empty office was QUIET and CALMING and as Zaiden leafed through file after file, he hardly noticed the fresh gusts of snowflakes whipping past the GLASS windows of his personal office. 

        He had merely SMIRKED as he walked into the conference room ( files tucked neatly under his arm, of course ) just as his sharp blue eyes landed on the Park’s daughter--Aeri. She, too, was an EARLY-BIRD type, something Zaiden wasn’t ENTIRELY surprised about... even if she seemed to harbor a very specific DISTASTE towards him. Not that he particularly c a r e d. He wasn’t here to prove himself to HER, after all, and as he began to neatly arrange his files for the presentation, it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.

        ... That is, until the Emergency PA system JOLTED Zaiden out of his thoughts.

       “For FUCK’S sake,” Zaiden growled out through clenched teeth at the announcement rang through the expensive-looking conference hall--and before he could comment further, the lights flickered before bathing the hall in darkness. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed out, the mild IRRITATION now touched with the faintest hint of d i s t r e s s--though Zaiden masked it perfectly under a NEUTRAL expression and narrowed blue eyes. 

       “The LAST thing I fucking wanted was a SNOWSTORM of all godforsaken things.”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | illyssa. )

@angcldxst

     & * || DRAMA NEVER SEEMED to be in deficit on the Upper East Side–a truth that Zaiden Hendricks had all but GROWN UP with. Secrets and scandal were rampant throughout Manhattan… and with Gossip Girl lurking in every corner, every crevice, keeping stock with watchful eyes, there was no doubt that being sucked into the whirlwind of issues was INEVITABLE. In fact, the blue-eyed young man had been watching, himself, gauging with a m e t i c u l o u s gaze as his twin brother dug his own GRAVE and subsequently was forced to LIE in it; cheating on ILLYSSA GIORDANO was a dumb move to begin with. Cheating on her with her b e s t f r i e n d was suicide. A fact that Zaiden would murmur with the arrogant EASE of a spectator with a smirk gracing his LIPS and a glass of Scotch grasped FIRMLY in his hand. He had expected it, in all truthfulness; he awaited with BATEDbreath for the culmination of Zacharie’s blunders to come to a head with a sense of sadisticGLEE.

       What he HADN’T expected was the way his heart twinged ever so slightly in his chest when he saw h e r.

       The annual debutante gala was a marvelous occasion–bathed in rose gold, dipped in champagne, and showered with the crystalline lights shed from chandeliers hanging from arched ceilings. With his FINEST suit fitted to his body perfectly and a young, playful thing on his arm, Zaiden hadn’t expected to feel anything LESS than p e r f e c t i o n. But as the night wore on, the dark-haired young man couldn’t help but feel… OFF. It wasn’t until cool blue eyes rested on H E R. Alone, at the debutante ball. It was a spectacle, an anomaly, something out of the ordinary–and most DEFINITELY because of the drama that had unfolded. All it took was a polite smile and a well-timed ‘excuse me’ for Zaiden to dismiss himself from his date ( she was dreadfully dull, anyway ) before weaving his way through theCROWDS to find her.

      “Illyssa Giordano, alone ? How strange.” His drawl was SLOW and laced with the sort ofc o n f i d e n c e that was all but TRADEMARKED for the Hendricks. “Don’t tell me there weren’t at LEAST ten boys hounding your penthouse for a SHOT at being your date tonight.”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | brinley. )

    After all this time she still couldn’t stop herself from falling into the other’s touch as he cupped her face. His touch always brought comfort to her, from a simple hand on her back to a hug. Any touch gifted from the male managed to pull her into this pure bliss. The young blonde’s gaze landed on ice-blue colors, locking onto them like her entire life depended on holding that stone look as he spoke to her. “Thank you.” Soft, her tone was almost gentle in that moment. Not sure if she was thanking him for his own words or for everything under the sun he’d done for her. There wasn’t much she could say and she understood that. Brinley rarely asked the male for anything, but she always knew she could, he certainly reminded her enough for it to be drilled into her mind.

    The removal of his hand left a cold chill against her skin, but the touch was replaced once fingers laced with hers. It took her a moment to remember the last time the two held hands and after racing through her memories, she couldn’t place it. A small nod in agreement was all she could really offer and something about it felt pathetic to her. Just weeks ago she had spoken a confession out loud to one of her closest friends in Bates and now here she stood, this nervous feeling in her stomach. Every bit of it seemed odd to her. “You can’t cook and yet, you have a kitchen.” It was the closest thing to a joke she could pull from her little hat.

      & * || ZAIDEN WAS PAINFULLY aware of how rough the adjustment was going to be; he was all too FAMILIAR with that ache he felt in his chest each time his ice blue gaze rested on the slight blonde in front of him. Only weeks ago, the dark-haired man had d a n c e d around those three words that could CHANGE everything. Three words, eight letters--enough to cause everything around him to come CRASHING down in a fiery, chaotic m e s s. They hadn’t ONCE dared to utter those words, too scared and too proud to admit to the feelings that they hid under the surface. Zaiden knew--somewhere deep in his heart--that the connection he shared with Brinley was so much MORE than a friendship. It was a deep, unwavering BOND between the pair that had been forged over months of finding their f o o t i n g ... together.

      Her joke brought the slightest SMIRK to his lips, a chuckle his only response. “Technically speaking,” he drawled out after a moment, squeezing her slight hand within his OWN. “It’s Zacharie’s kitchen. I’m only allowed in it for show.” His tone was LIGHT, lacking the earlier s e r i o u s n e s s that had weighed down his deep voice earlier. Without thinking--acting on pure INSTINCT now--Zaiden raised Brinley’s hand to his lips, brushing them lightly over her knuckles. “I promise I won’t end up burning the place down. If you’re ever hungry, ask my brother to cook something for you. I’m sure he won’t MIND.”

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | blaise. )

@angcldxst

      & * || "SHH, LOGAN, HONEY...” Julia’s soft, bell-like whisper was punctuated with a gentle smile on her baby-pink lips. Fingertips gently grazed the infant’s pale cheek as she cooed at him, her motherly touch focusing on trying to calm the squirming bundle within his carrier, gently rocking it back and forth. She could FEEL the sideways glances cast in her direction--judgmental COLLEGE-STUDENTS like her snickering behind their hands over the much--too-young mother with her b a b y. Julia Laury paid no mind, all but USED TO the lingering gazes and hardly-muted whispers. Becoming a mother at SEVENTEEN hadn’t been a part of the plan for the young b a l l e r i n a. But sometimes, plans changed--and Julia couldn’t imagine her life without her son. The WHISPERS and glances didn’t bother her--not anymore. Instead, Julia’s expression remained soft--touched with the love and affection only a mother could hold--as she gently dabbed at the seven-month-old’s chin with his bib. 

       A soft sigh escaped the blonde as she pulled back, double-checking that Logan was settled before turning her attention back to the plethora of BOOKS and NOTES strewn across the table of the booth she selected in the back of the campus cafe. Out of instinct, Julia’s wide blue eyes wandered over to the entrance, teeth worrying into her lower lip. She had a study-date ( or perhaps ‘date’ wasn’t the correct word ) planned with a handsome young man a few years her senior. Blaise Burke. An English major, GRADUATE student, and definitely much too attractive for his own good--in that BOOKISH & e n d e a r i n g sort of way; they had met by chance as she scurried through the library in DESPERATE need of some classic literature novel--something the campus library had only ONE copy of. By her luck, the soft-spoken man had lent it to her after seeing her obvious STRESS on her expression--and from there, the two began to t a l k. And today, they had plans to study together. She had a DAUNTING essay to complete while Blaise had his thesis to work on. A sigh escaped the blonde as she let her thin fingers leaf through her pile of NOTES.

        Julia was absorbed in organizing her mess of PAPERS when the sound of his voice caused her to let out a soft squeak. Wide blue eyes AUTOMATICALLY flickered up to meet a pair of familiar brown ones, a sheepish s m i l e touching her lips. “Blaise !” she chirped warmly. “H-hey, sorry ! I wasn’t, um... paying attention.” She greeted quickly--just as Logan let out a soft whine. Pale cheeks STAINED a soft shade of pink as Julia instinctively moved to peer into the carseat. “Shh, Logan, baby, it’s okay, Mommy’s right here, okay ?” She whispered softly, pressing a kiss to the infant’s forehead before glancing back at the OTHER--smile just a touch embarrassed. “I--I, um... hope you don’t mind. My sister had a last minute sh-shift tonight, s-so I was out of a babysitter...” 

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | stella. ) 

   stella hated going to bed alone. whether she liked to admit it or not, she got lonely in the mansion when zaiden wasn’t there. blanket draped over her shoulders, stella sat in the middle of the king bed she shared with zade and turned on the television. at least if someone was talking, she wouldn’t feel so alone. despite knowing that zaiden would never cheat on her, she couldn’t help but worry on these nights when he got home so late. that secretary he had was pretty… but stella couldn’t think like that. instead she stared mindlessly at the blue-lit screen in front of her, clad in some lacy babydoll lingerie that zade had picked out for her–just to make her feel closer to him.

   the sound of the large door shutting beneath her brought a smile to the blonde women’s face. stella figured that if she feigned sleep, zade might get into bed to cuddle, so, as quickly as she could manage, she tangled her blanket around her further and laid her head down to make it look like she had fallen asleep watching tv. as the sound of footsteps on the wood floors got nearer, stella resisted to urge to grin and bounce up to see her best friend like an eager puppy dog and fought to keep up her sleeping act.

      & * || THE OFFICE HAD a remarkable way of getting Under Zaiden’s skin without FAIL, each and every d a y, it seemed. Employee screw-ups, failed deals, and IDIOTIC business-partners seemed to be the norm. For Zaiden Hendricks, failure was not an OPTION--and he would do anything to make sure this fortune, his company, and his family were secure. Putting in a few EXTRA hours at the office was his o n l y option on specific nights--and though his cool blue eyes darted over to the expensive Rolex resting on his wrist time and time again, the blue-eyed man KNEW that he had no choice but to put up with a bit of extra time put behind his job.

        It was a welcome release--being able to return home. Zaiden was careful, his footsteps QUIET and each movement subtle enough to keep from making too much noise as he returned to the mansion he called h o m e. He knew it was late--and chances were that his Stella was fast asleep. The last thing he wanted to do was WAKE the slumbering blonde. Instead, Zaiden’s tattooed fingers moved to unfasten the buttons of his expensive d e s i g n e r blazer, a soft sigh escaping him. He was cautious as he slowly shifted the door open, gaze peering over to catch sight of Stella’s SLEEPING figure. A small smile graced his sharp features as the door closed silently shut behind him. Blazer folded aside and neatly put away, he undid his tie next--then his shirt, then his slacks before finally climbing into the large, king-sized bed next to HER. He didn’t say a word--didn’t breathe out anything in fear of WAKING her. Instead, he leaned in and pressed a g e n t l e kiss to her forehead.

[scmpiiternal]

( & * | zacharie. )

@angcldxst

      & * || POUTY PINK LIPS pursed and locks of wispy blonde hair curled cascading past her slim shoulders, Julia Felicity Laury found herself scrutinizing the reflection gazing back at her in the sleek, smooth surface of the mirror before her. Wide blue eyes scanned over her SLIGHT, willowy figure as the fabric of her dress hugged her slender hips. The dark, crushed-velvet material was a STARK contrast from the usual p a s t e l shades the young woman generally adorned; rather than slipping into a baby-pink frock that ACCENTUATED Julia’s rose-stained cheeks and little button nose, she had settled on a dark red mini-dress that exposed her long, t e n - m i l e legs. With her mother & father off on vacation and her older sister out of the house ( doing whatever it was that Amber did ) Julia found herself left to her OWN devices for the first time that summer.

       With her first semester at Juilliard’s waiting anxiously for her around the corner, the slender blonde knew she had only THREE MONTHS to enjoy her freedom before the stress of her workload would come back to suffocate her--and what BETTER way to mark the start of a summer she’d never forget than to go to a c l u b with her girlfriends? She dragged the tip of her finger along her lower-lip, as if to test wether the deep red lipstick painting her pout would rub off before exhaling a soft sigh. The dress she wore was shorter, more risque, than anything Julia’s parents would ALLOW her to wear. With a plunging neckline that expose just enough cleavage to turn heads and a skirt that rode up her upper thighs, Julia couldn’t help but feel a small knot of nervousness in the pit of her stomach; after all, CONFIDENCE was never her forte.

       Adjusting the strap of her purse higher up on her shoulders, Julia carefully made her way down to the first floor--only to freeze at the bottom of the staircase as her wide blue eyes landed on a FAMILIAR face. “Zac ?” Surprise mingled with the slightest hint of a stutter crept into her bell-like lilt as brows knitted together. The older man with the cold blue eyes & cool-headed demeanor was a family friend of hers; she had all but grown up with the Hendricks twins--though Julia had always been decidedly MUCH too young to truly be f r i e n d s with them. That was her SISTER’S job. An embarrassed flush stained her cheeks as she glanced down at what she was wearing then back at ZACHARIE, chewing the inside of her cheek. “I--um... I didn’t know you were coming over... I dunno where Amber is.” She apologized quickly, holding her clutch a bit closer to her chest.