[OTA] Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

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She had been told, quietly and privately, to keep an eye out for activity on a few specific accounts. None of them had had any activity yet, which she reported to Katya daily. They were David's accounts, and after her conversation with Amy the day before - it had somehow managed to be more like a conversation than their usual confrontations - Zoe

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[black0and0white]

"Zoe Kattalakis, how are you?" Excuse the hug - Adrien has not seen you in a while. "Steering clear of Raoul Fitzgerald like a good girl?"

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She squeaks a little bit before giving him a little grin. "Raoul isn't that horrible, considering." Considering some of his competition for horrible in the Spades, really. "But I think Victor makes him nervous, so that probably helps things."

[black0and0white]

"Right. He isn't that horrible, considering he's the actual legitimate spawn of Satan. Trust me, darling. I was there for his birth. The pits of hell opened up and out popped a baby." Absolutely serious. No joking here.

[headfollowheart]

"Did his head to the rotating around thing? Because that would be kind of disturbing to watch." She laughs as she leans against him. "I don't see him much, honestly."

She pauses a little and tips her head at him.

"Do you ever have to do, like, family gatherings?"

[black0and0white]

"I've sort of completely cut ties with my family, Zoe. Why would I go back to see them voluntarily? I mean, I used to, but not anymore." All the raising of eyebrows. "Why do you ask?"

[headfollowheart]

"See, I think I should have done that." Not really, but she's not looking forward to Grandmama's roast chicken and Aunt Olivia's cake this time. "It would save me from having to bring my thirty-five year old Ten of Spades boyfriend with the terrible reputation to dinner." It's not like she doesn't know, after all, what kind of man Victor is.

[black0and0white]

“Oh, so that’s what this is about?” He grins mischievously at her. “I’m personally not in the habit of letting what other people think bother me. Perhaps you should try to get into that habit as well. If not, well, good luck.”

[headfollowheart]

"Now you sound like the Ten." Not that Victor ever said as much, but she suspected that he thought she worried too much about other people. Zoe sighs a little bit. "It'd be easier if I didn't care," she says, slowly. "But grandmama isn't like Charlotte. I don't want to cut her out of my life." And she wanted her to like Victor, especially if they were headed towards what Eden thought they were headed towards.

Zoe wasn't so convinced that Victor was going to propose, actually, but neither of them were going anywhere.

[black0and0white]

"Be serious, Zoe. When all is said and done, Victor isn't a mean person. Sure, he has a reputation, but so do I, and Sophie's family hasn't come after me with pitchforks yet. I know it's different, but honestly? You two love each other, and that should probably make up for any objections your grandmama might have.

"At least, if your grandmama is anything like Roisin Thomas." That's the only experience he's ever had with Heart-like family, Zoe. He apologizes.

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"Is that...Cadogan Thomas' mother?" She asks. She knows Cadogan a little bit - they've had brief conversations - but she can't say she knows him very well. "I'm not sure. Does Roisin Thomas make jam, sling whiskey and give world-champion grade side-eye while eviscerating the deserving with sardonic humor?"

Because that's Jessica McConnell Huntly in a nutshell.

[black0and0white]

A pause, and then he pats her on the back. "You're on your own, Zoe Kattalakis. Good luck. You're really going to need it." He means it with all the love in his heart.

[headfollowheart]

Such a sigh. "Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought." Hand to face. "It probably won't be that bad. Victor dealt with David daily, after all."

[black0and0white]

"Probably not. And years from now, you can tell me the same thing when I'm worrying about Cadogan finally letting me actually meet Mrs. Thomas." He grins at her.

[headfollowheart]

"You haven't met her?" She tilts her head at Adrien. "Is Cadogan afraid of what you might come up with if you get your heads together or something?"

See, she knows you, Adrien.

[black0and0white]

"Something like that. Which is an absolutely ridiculous fear, as I keep telling him, but he doesn't seem to believe me."

[headfollowheart]

She gives him the eye for a moment. She'd never believe it, but it's markedly similar to Grandmama Jessica's. "I have no idea what might give him that idea, Adrien. You've never been mischievous in your life."