Fic: A Thin Line (GH, Spencer/Lila/Morgan, Lanaverse)
Title: A Thin Line
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 21 - Hate
Pairing/Character(s): Morgan/Lila, Spencer/Lila, Audrey
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Any character first appearing on General Hospital does not belong to me.
Word Count: 1703
Spoilers/Warnings: Part of the Lanaverse.
Summary: “Because, princess, we were never friends.”
Author's Notes: Written for theechochorus.
Spencer stood in the great room at Greystone sipping champagne.
He eyed the crowd through bored eyes. His father and mother chatted happily with Jake and Lana, Elizabeth cooing over the engagement ring sitting on Lana’s finger. Spencer rolled his eyes at the scene. As if that news had been a surprised.
He spied his other brother canoodling with his wife in a dark corner. He watched Molly try to bat Cameron’s hands away, before giving in and letting herself be pulled into a lingering kiss. He shook his head to clear the resentment away. He really was grateful to Cameron, because his presence by his father’s side at Cassadine Industries meant that Spencer could remain in Europe indulging in the playboy lifestyle that he’d been pursing relentlessly since his arrival at Oxford for university.
At the thought of England, he ran his gaze across the crowd looking for his date. He saw her, a tall, regal blonde, chatting with his cousin Kristina. What a striking pair they made, he mused to himself. One dark, the other light. Every man in the room was sure to be eyeing them with curiosity, likely with a healthy dose of lust mixed in for good measure.
With a critical eye, he studied the woman he’d brought with him. She just might do, he thought to himself.
Lady Janessa Hamilton, the heir to a sizable fortune, if not an actual title. She was beautiful, educated, worldly, and capable of moving in all the proper social circles that Spencer knew he’d finally be expected to endure when his father forced the issue and made him take up his responsibilities at Cassadine. Janessa really was perfect. He knew he should do the expected thing and propose to her already, and he would have if not for one simple fact.
Her perfection bored him to death.
And for that, Spencer blamed one woman. The woman who’s engagement he was here celebrating tonight.
He looked around the room once more, and finally let his eyes land on the happy couple.
Lila and Morgan.
As he watched Lila smile up at Morgan, a disgustingly happy smile, and Morgan’s look of complete adoration as he smiled back, Spencer’s hand tightened imperceptibly on the champagne flute.
His sister, Audrey, suddenly materialized at his side, slipping her arm through his. “Careful,” she whispered, stealing the glass from his hand and taking a sip.
He looked down at her in confusion, noticing just how grown up she’d become since he’d left for England more than five years ago. “What are you talking about?”
She barely tilted her head towards Morgan and Lila. “Wouldn’t want to give anything away, now would we?”
Now he looked at her in frank appreciation. “You really are my sister, aren’t you?”
An impish grin appeared for a second, before she composed herself once more. “We are Cassadine’s,” she pointed out wryly.
He chuckled, taking the glass back from her and taking another sip. “Too true.” Remembering something from years gone by, he teased, “So are you still holding onto that school girl’s crush you harbored for Morgan all those years ago?”
He felt her stiffen a little.
“Of course not,” she said airily. “Morgan and Lila have been dating for years now. What would have been the point?” Her face hardened and her eyes iced over, and she took on an imperious tone as she continued, “Besides, I’m not the one that left the country for five years, because I wasn’t the one that got picked.”
As quickly as she’d appeared, Audrey was gone, gliding through the crowd with the inborn grace of the princess that she was.
Spencer watched her go, admiration on his face. She’d grown up to be nearly as formidable as he was, which spoke well for the next generation of Cassadine’s.
He turned towards the happy couple once more. He supposed he couldn’t really put off offering his congratulations any longer. He drained his glass, placing it on the tray of a roaming waiter, and slipped on the disinterested playboy mask that he knew would infuriate Lila.
Which was just how he wanted her.
He strode across the room with purpose, stopping only once he reached them.
“Cousin,” he greeted Morgan warmly, shaking his hand firmly. When he turned to Lila, the tone was colder. “Lila,” he acknowledged, bending down to kiss her check. “Congratulations, both of you.”
“I’m glad you could tear yourself away to come home for the party,” Morgan said. “Lila didn’t think you’d come.”
Spencer raised an eyebrow at her. “Didn’t she?”
Lila met his stare levelly. “No, she didn’t.” She turned to her fiancé and smiled winsomely up at him. “I’m sure the two of you want to catch up, and we have other guests I should attend to, so if you’ll excuse me…”
Morgan nodded and bent down to give her a brief kiss. “Of course.” As he straightened he caught sight of a business associate. “Actually, I see Brian Carter is finally here and I need to discuss something with him.” He smiled hopefully at her. “Would you mind terribly keeping Spencer company till I get back?”
Lila forced a smile. “Of course not.”
“Thank you.” Morgan bent to kiss her again, and then he darted across the room and blended into the crowd.
“Well wasn’t that obliging of my cousin,” Spencer drawled. “What’s the matter Lila, still can’t stand to be in the same room as me and not be -”
“Not be strangling you?” she finished for him, refusing to give him the last word. “You’re absolutely right. So why don’t you go bother someone else.” She started to stalk away, but Spencer caught her wrist as she passed, tugging her back towards him.
“And disappoint dear Morgan?” he smirked. “I think not.”
“Why do you have to be like this Spencer?” she demanded, anger flashing in her eyes. “What can’t we just be friends?”
He gave a hollow laugh. “Because, princess, we were never friends.” He trailed the hand that still held her wrist down to skim over her palm, caressing it gently. He gave a satisfied smirk when she couldn’t quite contain the shudder that ran through her body. He took a step closer and bent down to whisper in her ear. “Now lovers? That we were, and anytime you want to resume that relationship…”
She gave him a little push backwards. “Not in this lifetime,” she hissed.
“Careful, princess,” he warned, brushing at his lapels. “People might stare if you start accosting your guests in public.”
She smiled sweetly at him, in a completely insincere manner. “And I bet you’re just waiting for me to suggest that we take this some place private so that people won’t talk.”
He was hoping. “Is that an offer?”
She laughed, and it was the same low, throaty, sexual sound it had always been. “Why not?” she offered brazenly. “The gardens are quite lovely, why don’t we go explore?”
He frowned. He knew she knew what he wanted, so the sudden acquiescence was out of character.
She smirked up at his lack of response. “What’s the matter, Spencer?” she taunted. “Weren’t expecting me to say yes?”
He offered her his arm, ignoring her comment. “Shall we?”
She took his arm and they walked out on the terrace and into the gardens.
Alone in the dark, they walked in silence for several minutes, until Spencer couldn’t stand it any longer and he finally gave into what he’d been wanting to do all night. He kissed her.
She didn’t fight it like he’d been expecting. Instead, she dove into the kiss as eagerly as he did. Their lips, tongues, and teeth battling for dominance, neither willing to give an inch, equal partners in the battle of wills that had always been their attraction.
Lila’s hands pushed his jacket off his shoulders and tugged frantically at his shirt in search of skin. One of his hands ran down the length of her body, grabbing her ass and pulling her in tighter to his body, while the other helped itself to the curves of her breasts, slipping the straps of her dress down her shoulders.
It was the same reckless insanity that the moonlight had always caused them, and Lila realized it first, as Spencer’s hand snaked under the hem of her skirt.
She pulled back, panting, shame and lust still warring in her eyes. “We shouldn’t have done that.” She didn’t look at him, but started busying herself with fixing her appearance.
Out of breath himself, Spencer simply stared at her. When she wouldn’t look at him, he seated himself gingerly on a nearby stone bench. He made no effort to straighten his own clothing. “You’re really going to pretend like nothing just happened?” he asked finally.
She spared him only the briefest of glances. “Yes.”
“How can you marry him?” Spencer demanded. “You can’t honestly tell me that he makes you feel what I can.”
Now she turned towards him. She shook her head. “No, he doesn’t.” A hint of what Spencer thought might have been pity was in her eyes. “But Spencer, he does make me feel. More than just the lust and apparently self-loathing that you bring out of me.”
At his disbelieving stare, she sighed. “You don’t have to believe me, but it’s true. This can’t happen again, Spencer.” With a final regretful look, she hurried back towards the house. Back towards Morgan.
Spencer remained on the bench, letting the chill in the night air wash over him.
He should hate her, he knew that. Hate the way she made him feel and act. And if not her, he should hate Morgan for having everything he wanted and couldn’t have.
But he couldn’t make himself hate either of them.
It was easier to hate himself instead.
With a sigh, he rose and collected his jacket from the ground where it had fallen after Lila’s eager hands had removed it from his body. He slipped it back on, and refastened the buttons she’d undone.
He started back towards the house.
Maybe a few more hours of watching them together would help him hate them, he mused.
He hoped.
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 21 - Hate
Pairing/Character(s): Morgan/Lila, Spencer/Lila, Audrey
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Any character first appearing on General Hospital does not belong to me.
Word Count: 1703
Spoilers/Warnings: Part of the Lanaverse.
Summary: “Because, princess, we were never friends.”
Author's Notes: Written for theechochorus.
Spencer stood in the great room at Greystone sipping champagne.
He eyed the crowd through bored eyes. His father and mother chatted happily with Jake and Lana, Elizabeth cooing over the engagement ring sitting on Lana’s finger. Spencer rolled his eyes at the scene. As if that news had been a surprised.
He spied his other brother canoodling with his wife in a dark corner. He watched Molly try to bat Cameron’s hands away, before giving in and letting herself be pulled into a lingering kiss. He shook his head to clear the resentment away. He really was grateful to Cameron, because his presence by his father’s side at Cassadine Industries meant that Spencer could remain in Europe indulging in the playboy lifestyle that he’d been pursing relentlessly since his arrival at Oxford for university.
At the thought of England, he ran his gaze across the crowd looking for his date. He saw her, a tall, regal blonde, chatting with his cousin Kristina. What a striking pair they made, he mused to himself. One dark, the other light. Every man in the room was sure to be eyeing them with curiosity, likely with a healthy dose of lust mixed in for good measure.
With a critical eye, he studied the woman he’d brought with him. She just might do, he thought to himself.
Lady Janessa Hamilton, the heir to a sizable fortune, if not an actual title. She was beautiful, educated, worldly, and capable of moving in all the proper social circles that Spencer knew he’d finally be expected to endure when his father forced the issue and made him take up his responsibilities at Cassadine. Janessa really was perfect. He knew he should do the expected thing and propose to her already, and he would have if not for one simple fact.
Her perfection bored him to death.
And for that, Spencer blamed one woman. The woman who’s engagement he was here celebrating tonight.
He looked around the room once more, and finally let his eyes land on the happy couple.
Lila and Morgan.
As he watched Lila smile up at Morgan, a disgustingly happy smile, and Morgan’s look of complete adoration as he smiled back, Spencer’s hand tightened imperceptibly on the champagne flute.
His sister, Audrey, suddenly materialized at his side, slipping her arm through his. “Careful,” she whispered, stealing the glass from his hand and taking a sip.
He looked down at her in confusion, noticing just how grown up she’d become since he’d left for England more than five years ago. “What are you talking about?”
She barely tilted her head towards Morgan and Lila. “Wouldn’t want to give anything away, now would we?”
Now he looked at her in frank appreciation. “You really are my sister, aren’t you?”
An impish grin appeared for a second, before she composed herself once more. “We are Cassadine’s,” she pointed out wryly.
He chuckled, taking the glass back from her and taking another sip. “Too true.” Remembering something from years gone by, he teased, “So are you still holding onto that school girl’s crush you harbored for Morgan all those years ago?”
He felt her stiffen a little.
“Of course not,” she said airily. “Morgan and Lila have been dating for years now. What would have been the point?” Her face hardened and her eyes iced over, and she took on an imperious tone as she continued, “Besides, I’m not the one that left the country for five years, because I wasn’t the one that got picked.”
As quickly as she’d appeared, Audrey was gone, gliding through the crowd with the inborn grace of the princess that she was.
Spencer watched her go, admiration on his face. She’d grown up to be nearly as formidable as he was, which spoke well for the next generation of Cassadine’s.
He turned towards the happy couple once more. He supposed he couldn’t really put off offering his congratulations any longer. He drained his glass, placing it on the tray of a roaming waiter, and slipped on the disinterested playboy mask that he knew would infuriate Lila.
Which was just how he wanted her.
He strode across the room with purpose, stopping only once he reached them.
“Cousin,” he greeted Morgan warmly, shaking his hand firmly. When he turned to Lila, the tone was colder. “Lila,” he acknowledged, bending down to kiss her check. “Congratulations, both of you.”
“I’m glad you could tear yourself away to come home for the party,” Morgan said. “Lila didn’t think you’d come.”
Spencer raised an eyebrow at her. “Didn’t she?”
Lila met his stare levelly. “No, she didn’t.” She turned to her fiancé and smiled winsomely up at him. “I’m sure the two of you want to catch up, and we have other guests I should attend to, so if you’ll excuse me…”
Morgan nodded and bent down to give her a brief kiss. “Of course.” As he straightened he caught sight of a business associate. “Actually, I see Brian Carter is finally here and I need to discuss something with him.” He smiled hopefully at her. “Would you mind terribly keeping Spencer company till I get back?”
Lila forced a smile. “Of course not.”
“Thank you.” Morgan bent to kiss her again, and then he darted across the room and blended into the crowd.
“Well wasn’t that obliging of my cousin,” Spencer drawled. “What’s the matter Lila, still can’t stand to be in the same room as me and not be -”
“Not be strangling you?” she finished for him, refusing to give him the last word. “You’re absolutely right. So why don’t you go bother someone else.” She started to stalk away, but Spencer caught her wrist as she passed, tugging her back towards him.
“And disappoint dear Morgan?” he smirked. “I think not.”
“Why do you have to be like this Spencer?” she demanded, anger flashing in her eyes. “What can’t we just be friends?”
He gave a hollow laugh. “Because, princess, we were never friends.” He trailed the hand that still held her wrist down to skim over her palm, caressing it gently. He gave a satisfied smirk when she couldn’t quite contain the shudder that ran through her body. He took a step closer and bent down to whisper in her ear. “Now lovers? That we were, and anytime you want to resume that relationship…”
She gave him a little push backwards. “Not in this lifetime,” she hissed.
“Careful, princess,” he warned, brushing at his lapels. “People might stare if you start accosting your guests in public.”
She smiled sweetly at him, in a completely insincere manner. “And I bet you’re just waiting for me to suggest that we take this some place private so that people won’t talk.”
He was hoping. “Is that an offer?”
She laughed, and it was the same low, throaty, sexual sound it had always been. “Why not?” she offered brazenly. “The gardens are quite lovely, why don’t we go explore?”
He frowned. He knew she knew what he wanted, so the sudden acquiescence was out of character.
She smirked up at his lack of response. “What’s the matter, Spencer?” she taunted. “Weren’t expecting me to say yes?”
He offered her his arm, ignoring her comment. “Shall we?”
She took his arm and they walked out on the terrace and into the gardens.
Alone in the dark, they walked in silence for several minutes, until Spencer couldn’t stand it any longer and he finally gave into what he’d been wanting to do all night. He kissed her.
She didn’t fight it like he’d been expecting. Instead, she dove into the kiss as eagerly as he did. Their lips, tongues, and teeth battling for dominance, neither willing to give an inch, equal partners in the battle of wills that had always been their attraction.
Lila’s hands pushed his jacket off his shoulders and tugged frantically at his shirt in search of skin. One of his hands ran down the length of her body, grabbing her ass and pulling her in tighter to his body, while the other helped itself to the curves of her breasts, slipping the straps of her dress down her shoulders.
It was the same reckless insanity that the moonlight had always caused them, and Lila realized it first, as Spencer’s hand snaked under the hem of her skirt.
She pulled back, panting, shame and lust still warring in her eyes. “We shouldn’t have done that.” She didn’t look at him, but started busying herself with fixing her appearance.
Out of breath himself, Spencer simply stared at her. When she wouldn’t look at him, he seated himself gingerly on a nearby stone bench. He made no effort to straighten his own clothing. “You’re really going to pretend like nothing just happened?” he asked finally.
She spared him only the briefest of glances. “Yes.”
“How can you marry him?” Spencer demanded. “You can’t honestly tell me that he makes you feel what I can.”
Now she turned towards him. She shook her head. “No, he doesn’t.” A hint of what Spencer thought might have been pity was in her eyes. “But Spencer, he does make me feel. More than just the lust and apparently self-loathing that you bring out of me.”
At his disbelieving stare, she sighed. “You don’t have to believe me, but it’s true. This can’t happen again, Spencer.” With a final regretful look, she hurried back towards the house. Back towards Morgan.
Spencer remained on the bench, letting the chill in the night air wash over him.
He should hate her, he knew that. Hate the way she made him feel and act. And if not her, he should hate Morgan for having everything he wanted and couldn’t have.
But he couldn’t make himself hate either of them.
It was easier to hate himself instead.
With a sigh, he rose and collected his jacket from the ground where it had fallen after Lila’s eager hands had removed it from his body. He slipped it back on, and refastened the buttons she’d undone.
He started back towards the house.
Maybe a few more hours of watching them together would help him hate them, he mused.
He hoped.