( RUINER OF THINGS.)
❛ DID I PROMISE that ? ❜ he taunts , poor facade of fabricated sincerity cracked at the edges , impish nature unfurls with each nudging & probing of hers , bursts like sunshine with a light-hearted laugh from the back of his throat , hands loosely splayed across torso pull petite frame closer to offer support . ❛ yeah , ‘course i remember —- i’m not a total airhead . ❜
cue roll of misty blue-eyes , ringlets of gold pool at his shoulder blade as a hand presses to his now fully-functional chest , mind you . all pipes are unclogged & heart’s pumping as though it hasn’t spent eternity in a dusty coffin . ❛ not total , no . ❜ retort is met with a half-narrowed gaze of mild resentment & soothed with chaste pressing of lips against rugged jaw .
soon as step nears the entrance , preoccupations seem to fade into the background just for a still second , so memories of the one who got away , more so , the one he pushed away can color his shades of blue with a reminiscent twinkle of guilt & reverence .
❝ we’re LUCKY today right? only ONE photographer? ❞ tap tap tapping away — violet merchant, heiress, founder of her own label, head of the endangered division. not necessarily in that order, any time standing still she’s CATCHING up with the curve.
she can hear the deep rumble of his response, and takes her time to look up and turn to pay attention. but she feels two pairs of eyes on her. she’s poised to stare them down. people like to do that — STARE. she’s used to it. they can’t help themselves. just like she can’t help making their insides shrivel up from the full burn of her sheer stature and reflected confidence. instead pearly green-greys find those animalistic blues that used to hound her so often — once upon a time.
it feels like a LIFETIME ago.
❝ hey! wow. what are you doing here? it’s been YEARS. oh my god. ❞ her hand squeezes the elbow at her flank, fair features SHINING against the dim streetlights. ❝ brian this is philip, we dated back in like... how long has it been... 5? 7 years! don’t worry it lasted like 10 minutes. how are you? wow. ❞ how are you. the question is punctuated with the distance closed between them arm opening for a greeting hug. it’s CALIFORNIA. it’s what they do.
