pour a little salt we were never here / ft. v
baxter bit his lip, watching them waltz over to him in that dress. he hated to say it but he was practically breathless. “i’m never extra nice, don’t be silly.” he sat as directed, right in front of their vanity and watched as they fiddled with his hair. he coughed after the hairspray even though they told him to hold his breath. “jesus, i’m going to get lung cancer after that,” he complained, standing up to check himself out once again in the mirror. “just the jacket,” he said with a nod, disappearing momentarily before coming back, suit jacket buttoned stylishly right over his abdomen. “do i look appropriate?” he mumbled to them as he stole their champagne, downing the last of it. “i don’t think i’m quite ready to deal with the crowd,” he hummed, pretending to look at himself in the reflective surfaces but actually scrutinizing his best friend. “let’s go down then. no more use in stalling and i think the butler just finished announcing the latest arrivals,” he teased. “or maybe it’s the royal guard? god, i get so mixed up in your massive house.” he offered his arm, as if he were their escort to the ball. “and off we go,” baxter sang as he led them out of the room, over to the hallway and out to the grand staircase. from where they were they could quickly survey the party and mostly avoid being spotted. he scanned the crowd, looking for anyone he knew and possibly anyone that could be v’s set up. he was well prepared to go alpha male on that piece of shit.
v hid a snort and a small smile behind their pale hand at his complaint. “you and i are both going to get lung cancer either way,” they retorted, managing to repress the feeling in their chest at how good he looked (even though they knew that they would never admit it because one, baxter didn’t need his ego inflated more and two, they were pretty positive it meant nothing to him that their feelings were just bound to be unrequited.) the brunet took back the empty glass and sat it back where it was earlier. “yes, you do-not that looking appropriate ever stopped you from a party,” they stated, a small smile tugged at their currently painted lips. a small shake of their head with a slight eye roll was their reaction to his teasing. “you know, katrin. she wants it to be like german royalty like we’re in the good ole’ 1800s,” v sighed as they slipped a white lace covered petite arm into his offered arm. they could feel their nerves intensify as they came to realize the crowd in the room which made them unconsciously tighten their grip on baxter. these things were always overwhelming to them hence the few glasses of champagne earlier which still wasn’t helping. not to mention, their mother was trying to set them up with a complete stranger who just happened to be the son of some company that their father was planning to be partners with. it was as if everyone was playing a game and moving v to their choice of usage. that feeling was probably why they clung onto baxter so much because he was the least like to do so. and so the game begun with these people they didn’t care about, the stryker heir smiling ever so cryptic to mask their faux feelings to play the role of diplomat like a stryker heir would.
