[ota] the evening after

[acethatmatters]

Well. Having dinner and wine with Ms. Briony Williams wasn't one of the ways he typically spent an evening but it had been...not pleasant, really. But if he had to choose someone with whom to sit down to dinner with, at least Briony tended to remain interestingSo here he is, late in the evening, walking home from the Club district in Town. Feel

Comments

[cutslikeaspade]

Ethan was actually on his way out; the after-hours session with poor Jeremy Mitchel had gone rather well. At least the kid hadn't actually cut himself this time. But it was late and he was looking forward to a few beers, blessed quiet and hopefully more than three hours of horror-free sleep.

Suffice to say, the Ace of Spades had never even come close to that little list, but alas, Julien himself was strolling up to the castle's walkway, and be damned if Ethan turn around, step aside or cower. Those days were done.

He did, however, pause just enough to give a polite nod of recognition; no one was going to ever accuse him of not having manners, not again.

[acethatmatters]

Julien raises his eyebrows at Ethan, "heading out for a night on the Town, then? Or just going back home?"

Not that he cares, precisely. Only as much as he has interest in any of the Spades and their doings. Ethan perhaps more than most because of being David's protege, because he's training up the next generation, and so on.

[cutslikeaspade]

"Home, actually. School night." The "nights on the Town" weren't as much fun as they'd used to be. Or maybe he was just overly jaded.

Ethan was, in fact, a bit surprised the Ace hadn't made it down to the armory yet. He wasn't sure if it was a subtle insult, or just pure nonchalance on Julien's part. Ethan really didn't give a shit either way, but the curiosity was still there.

One subject he was not going to broach was David. Not ever. Because he'd given Katya his word and be damned if he break it. Not over Julien.

[acethatmatters]

Well, once one had been Outside a few times, they realized how small this Town really was. Almost a village, if one was being honest.

"How responsible of you."

It's a tossup whether Julien sounds somewhat surprised or is just making enough polite conversation until he can continue walking past the other man without being blatantly insulting.

[piquedbutler]

Julien. When you ask your butler for wine recommendations, he expects it means that you'll be bringing back a certain missing Princess to the fold by means of Romance and Cunning and possibly even Sexual Trickery.

See the disappointment. See it in the very, very slight brow arch while he holds the door, face otherwise properly Masked.

[acethatmatters]

Julien will see your brow arch and raise you a properly uplifted eyebrow himself as he enters the door.

"Good evening, Chives. I expect all things are well here?"

Sexual Trickery on the first date? Honestly, Chives, what even.

[piquedbutler]

Chives men are Informed they're going to be marry and promptly resume making babies. Declán can only imagine the rest of the world is the same.

"Still standing, sire."

And so the poker game of poker faces begins. Next comes a faint thinning of lips as the butler falls into pace a half step back from the Ace.

"A nightcap, then?"

[acethatmatters]

"A nightcap would be quite acceptable."

At least he didn't come back still holding an unopened bottle of wine, Chives. There is that.

Not that Julien, actually, has any true intent to seduce Briony back to the Spades. He just finds her a suitable sparring partner. So to speak. A no, that wasn't a double entendre. Unless one is talking about words.

And in the end, I default to the default.

[headfollowheart]

After New Year's Eve, Zoe had been in the mood for nothing so much as several quiet evenings in a row, frankly. She and Victor had dined at their table in the kitchen the first few nights of the new year, but today she'd been out - renovation shopping, she supposed you'd call it - and bringing dinner home had been easy enough.

Though the restaurants in Town were definitely simplifying their menus.

Still, she had a bag in one hand, and a photo in the other with things like paint samples in them. Someday she might get Victor to look at them. Maybe. Probably not.

"Out for an evening walk, my lord?" She asked as she caught up with him. Certainly she did not think he'd had a dinner date. No way.

Can't really blame you

[acethatmatters]

"Oh, something of the sort." Not that he'd ever been known to just take a stroll around Town. "Good evening, Zoe. Shopping?"

Because let them rather talk about her than what he's been up to, of course.

[headfollowheart]

"...Something of the sort." She'd not actually bought anything, so it didn't really count. "Looking at things for the new apartment," she clarifies. "And helping Ben Mackinnon with the same for his new project."

[acethatmatters]

"Ahh. That does seem to be the activity of late, I've noticed." Or, well, caught Victor assisting as well. Same difference.

"And how is that going, pray tell?"

Not that he's really interested for Ben's sake. Just, interested because it involves Spades.

[i_machiavellian]

One Spade was walking out of the Clubs' territory while the other was heading in - and neither of them were Spades who became Clubs. It was just slightly suspicious. But if one doesn't ask the other why he's here, then perhaps they would not have to address the elephant in the room.

"Evening."

[acethatmatters]

And one Spade was already banished from the Suit for consorting with a Club. Though that had other, political, reasons behind it, of course, beyond what these two were up to.

"Good evening, Mr. Brennan. Out for a stroll?"

If Michael says yes, he won't believe it in the least. But he probably won't call the other man out on it either.

[i_machiavellian]

Simple question or a trap? Hard to tell with the Ace. Even in the brightest time of day when they weren't partially enshrouded in lamp-lit shadows his face wasn't easy to read.

"No. And you, Lord Ace?"

[acethatmatters]

Julien doesn't, really, particularly care who Michael spends his time with so long as he isn't giving up Spade secrets in the process. That would be a good way to meet one of his knives if the Ace catches him in that before, say, the King. Who would likely be more merciful about such things. Then again, Clive has not had such a test yet. He might show more of the Bernard backbone than one might expect.

"Just returning to the Castle after dinner." Dinner with a prodigal of the Spades which...while he himself wasn't trumpeting it anywhere, certainly wasn't a secret when those working in the kitchen would of course heard him ask Chives for a wine suggestion for the evening. By now there were likely those in the Castle wondering if this meant the Ace had found himself another woman to attach his dubious affections to. Though in Athena's case, that had never gone well for anyone the former Queen had taken a disliking to.

And if anyone suggested anything of the sort to Julien, he would at the very least scoff at the idea of anything of