Innocents abroad (Modern day AU)

[Chevi]

Lucius lost himself in the kiss. It felt just as good as he remembered, maybe even better because it was now tinged with longing and desperation. Camilla smelled good, and felt good, and he would have happily run out of air before they broke the kiss. Damn. He had no sense of control in this anymore.

Finally she pulled back, and they rested their foreheads together, trying to catch their breath. It was not an easy task.

"W-we should go back," 

She wasn't wrong. But he also did not want her to be right.

"Jacob will come looking and... I quite like this face, I'd quite like it stay un-punched." 

"We have a problem" Lucius smiled down at her, leaning into her touch, and raising a hand to run his thumb over her cheek. "You look extremely well kissed."

@Sara

[Sara]

She made a mewl of pleasure at his touch on her face and grinned lazily. He was probably right, "Then one more won't hurt, huh?" Leaning up on her toes to capture his lips, she felt intoxicated by him and couldn't pull herself away, much as sense told her she had to. It was only when she heard the door to the ballroom slam open that she broke the kiss with as much breathless passion as before. 

"Shit," She swallowed and pushed him away, leaning from her position against the wall to sneak a glance through the window to see Jacob, backed up by John - glancing towards the other end of the corridor, "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Get off of me." She pushed him back until there was a respectable distance between them. She raked her hands through her hair to try and straighten it and heard footfall coming towards the propped open door. 

"Don't say anything," She told him, warning and a slight hint of panic in her voice. Reaching into her bag she pulled out her smokes and lit one up. Jacob hated her smoking, but maybe it'd distract him from the swollen lips and flush in her cheeks. 

Finally the door creaked open and the two men frowned curiously at the scene that greeted them. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"Then one more won't hurt, huh?" 

It didn't. Lucius was not sure when she was about to come to her senses and slap him for all this, but he happily accepted the kiss. It was slower and deeper, and absolutely cancelled all sense of time. Or sound.

"Shit. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Get off of me."

Aaand time was up. And shit was about to go sideways.

Lucius stepped back, running a hand over his face. He was probably wearing half of her lipstick, although he had licked off a generous amount. Camilla made an attempt to get her hair and dress in order before anyone saw them. This was going to be a flimsy excuse for a casual conversation. Lucius folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, as far from Camilla as possible.

"Don't say anything," 

He wasn't even sure what he would say if he could. Camilla pulled out a cigarette. Jacob and John made an appearance, and Lucius gave them a small wave. He was supposed to be brooding. Probably. 

@Sara

[Sara]

Both the men paused by the door and Jacob wore a heavy odour of anger that permeated the bliss on the fire escape. "Um...what the fuck, Millie?" She felt herself tighten and then swallow her worry as his eyes seemed to be fixed on the cigarette in her hand, rather than the flush on her cheek or the hair that as askew. She supposed she could blame the wind and the cold for that, if he asked. 

"Bad habit, sorry." She chuckled, but that didn't seem to alleviate his annoyance and she flicked the lit cigarette over the edge of the fire escape as John stared down Lucius and Jacob ground his jaw. "We were reminiscing about Rome," She said with a cough, "And you know Italian's smoke like chimneys, more than the French I think." That wasn't working and her boyfriend commented; "You know I don't like it..." She arched a brow in challenge but then backed down with a sigh. "I know, I know. I tossed it, didn't I?" Jacob smiled uneasily and then finally dragged his eyes to Lucius with thinly veiled suspicion as he extended his hand to Camilla, who dutifully took it. He pulled her in to a hug from behind. "You're freezing sweetheart, do you want my jacket?" She shook her head, but before she could say anything John interjected. 

"Looks like somebody already offered theirs. Why's yours on the floor, dude?" Camilla glanced between the two men as Jacob looked confused, "Did he try something, Mils?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

Edited July 6, 2021 by Sara

[Chevi]

"Um...what the fuck, Millie?" 

Well, this was all going to hell in a hand basket. Lucius braced himself for getting hit for the second time in one night. With much less enjoyable results. Camilla argued with Jacob, who did not seem happy about any of this at all. In another situation, Lucius might have understood.

"You're freezing sweetheart, do you want my jacket?" 

"Looks like somebody already offered theirs. Why's yours on the floor, dude?"

"Did he try something, Mils?" 

Yes, and she definitely liked it.

It took a lot of effort for Lucius to keep his mouth shut. Whatever he could say at this point was definitely going to be used against him. 

@Sara

[Sara]

Fucking speak, you moron. She looked at Lucius pleadingly but to no avail. For fucks sake, must she do everything?! She looked up at John with an incredulous expression; "What?" She managed with a frown before shaking her head and pushing Jacob off of her as she felt his hands tighten on her shoulders. "What the fuck?" 

Her turn to get angry...or mock-angry. Men like these two were generally unused to anything but their simpering partners, and she was betting on them being struck dumb and too polite to argue. Lets hope it was a safe bet, she thought. 

"No, he didn't try anything, John. He's a friend," Jacob interjected weakly; "Then why have we never heard of him? Or why didn't you know he went to jail?" She glared at him furiously, and for a second she swore she saw him flinch. "Because we lost touch...? Because he went to jail, you idiot?" Jacob rounded and she swallowed; "Don't call me a fucking idiot, I was just looking out for you -" John joined in with a chorus of: "Me too!" Which made her swallow and recalibrate. Okay. So trying to deflect with anger wasn't working. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She held up her hands, "I just don't like the ininsuation. Lucius is a good man," He sort of wasn't, "And a friend, and..." John interjected, that smug smile on his lips that Camilla very much wanted to rip right off of his face. "Aaaand you still haven't explained the jacket, Mils?" 

 

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[Chevi]

This fight was getting out of hand fast. Jacob was backed up by his idiot friend, and while Camilla had told him not to speak, Lucius hated her being in the crossfire. Jacob was a douchebag, talking to his own girlfriend like that.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I just don't like the ininsuation. Lucius is a good man. And a friend, and..."

"Aaaand you still haven't explained the jacket, Mils?" 

"Her name is Camilla. And this has gone on long enough." Lucius noted calmly, finally stepping up to them. "I took the jacket off because I hate fancy dress parties. She was trying to talk some sense into me so I could pass as a member of your little posh gang. But I guess that ship has sailed."

@Sara

[Sara]

Well, there it was. She looked between the three men - all idiots in their own way, to her and saw the tension ripple between the three of them. She wondered how it would break. A punch up? A brawl? An uneasy truce? At this point, she really couldn't call it either way and so stood there freezing on the balcony, arms wrapped around herself. 

Silence lingered for what seemed like an interminable moment. "Right." She said and slapped her thighs, "Right, I've had enough of this," She offered each man in turn a faux-smile and then moved to push past them all back into the warmth. "You -" she pointed at John, "Are stirring shit and gossip, you -" She pointed at Jacob and almost lost her resolve, "Are being rude to a friend, and you-" She finally turned to Lucius although didn't meet his eyes as she scolded him, "You are being rude to my friends. And I'm sick of all three of you." She wasn't. She was only really sick of John - the ultimate douchebag. 

"So," Smoothing down the front of her dress and trying to ignore the tear she felt under her fingertips - probably the result of being up against the walls or Lucius' roaming hands, "If you're done comparing the size of your members, I suggest we all go in, have a drink, and forget about it?" She swallowed and waited for them to agree. She didn't want to go inside. She wanted to still be locked in that kiss, feeling the most desperate...want she had felt in months but, she also wanted to be with her friends, with Jacob - with his soft touch on her hand and the gifts...she swallowed, she felt sick. "Agreed?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Lucius would have been grateful for the excuse to throw a punch. Or two. It was stupid, all of this. Camilla was the one who finally stepped up.

"Right. Right, I've had enough of this. You - Are stirring shit and gossip, you -"

"Are being rude to a friend, and you-"

"You are being rude to my friends. And I'm sick of all three of you." 

And you were making out with a guy who is not your boyfriend, on the fire escape

"So, If you're done comparing the size of your members, I suggest we all go in, have a drink, and forget about it? Agreed?" 

No. That was the last thing Lucius wanted. It was one thing after the last thing. It was the complete opposite of what he wanted. Which was to touch Camilla again. Thoroughly. But he glanced at the other two men who looked a little sheepish, then back at her, and knew she was right.

"Agreed." he nodded, but the look he gave her probably spoke volumes. This could not be the end of it. Not if he had to go back in there and watch her hand in hand with Jacob.

@Sara

[Sara]

A chorus of 'Agreed' sounded out from all three of them and she smiled wanly, somewhat satisfied. Well, it was a start. She moved to go back through the doors, expecting all of them to follow her - which they dutifully did. The warmth hit her like a comforter and she let out a shudder in the change of temperature...and quite possibly the guilt that was already beginning to gnaw at her stomach. She felt a tug on her hand and glanced wide, dark eyes up to see Jacob. He called to John and Lucius; "We'll catch you up." 

She swallowed and limply let her hands rest in his as he took them and then leant in to leave a soft kiss on her lips. She hoped Lucius had slipped back through to the ballroom before he could see that. "You're sure you're okay?" He asked as he pulled back and squeezed her hands. She sighed and nodded with a weak smile, "Yeah, yeah. I just don't like how you get around John adn...Lucius has his problems but he's a good ma-" Jacob shook his head, "He was looking at you, Millie. " It's Camilla, you prick, "Lots of men look at me darling," She tried to venture a joke and moved out of his embrace and spun so the ruffles of her dress picked up in a pink circle. "You're dating a society beauty. Now come on, I don't want to miss dessert." She gestured with her head back to the hall and he followed her, but not without a squeeze of her shoulder. Whether that was in affection or warning, she honestly couldn't tell. 

As they made their way back into the ballroom, hand in hand she glanced to the table. The rest of the party were all seated and more wine had been laid on. Well, that was a relief. As she slipped into the seat that Jacob pulled out for her she exhaled, trying to shake her discomfort. "So, what were we talking about?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

The charity event felt like an endless time loop of forced small talk and tense glances. The worst of it was the uncertainty. Did Camilla change her mind? Had the kiss been a moment of weakness that she was intent on erasing just like their previous encounter? Was she trying to say something she couldn't say in company?

Finally, the thing was mercifully over. Lucius said polite goodbyes. There was no chance to catch Camilla alone again; Jacob went with her everywhere, which was frankly a little creepy. Lucius did not feel like leaving her without knowing if he would ever see her again, but ultimately he had no choice.

The day after was spent in wallowing. Lucius returned to his apartment and did... basically nothing, all day. There was not much to do, nothing he could focus on long enough anyway. The gala had been a disaster, personally. He was sure some rumors were already going around. He could not bring himself to care. The moments on the fire escape played in his mind over and over again. 

It felt like he was going to drive himself mad sooner or later.

@Sara

[Sara]

Camilla Birch adamantly maintained that she'd never been hungover, and she was keeping up that pretence today. The thick, expensive sunglasses she wore helped preserve the facade, as had the bloody mary she'd slammed before she'd walked over here. She didn't remember how much wine she'd drank last night, but it was enough that her head was pounding and memories of the latter half of the evening were...foggy. Jacob had, had to fill her in this morning that she'd bid on, and won a $5,000 mini break to Lake Tahoe. 

Still, more unsettling than the not-hangover was her mood. She...didn't know where she stood. She didn't even know what she felt. Jacob had been so sweet this morning, he'd made her coffee and the aforementioned Bloody Mary before he'd left for work. But then...Lucius. The kiss. She felt her stomach lurch and her chest tighten. 

Mercifully she didn't have long to dwell as it was a short walk from her own place to his. Convenient. She hoped to unnerve him a little, that she'd managed to find out his address, catch him off guard. She knew he'd talk her in circles and she liked to have the upper hand. She was buzzed in by his neighbour as she claimed to be a delivery driver, and climbed the stairs two at a time until she was outside of his door. Steeling herself, she knocked and then stood back. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

The knock on the door was unexpected. He did not hear the doorbell buzz, so it had to be one of the neighbors. Or the building manager or something. Lucius briefly considered not opening at all, but he was already pushing it with the manager lately, so he got off the couch with a sigh. Halfway to the door he realized he should be wearing more than his boxers, so he put on a pair of pants too. Close enough.

It was not the building manager.

Lucius blinked, seeing Camilla in the door. His heart reacted before his brain could, skipping a beat against his ribs. Camilla was wearing sunglasses, so it was hard to read her expression. But she was definitely on his doorstep. Lucius opened then closed his mouth in surprise.

"How...?"

@Sara

[Sara]

"Your parents were very obliging." She said with a tight smile, absolutely trying to not react to his bare chest. Mercifully, or at least hopefully the sunglasses prevented him from seeing her lingering glance...and the way her breath tightened in her chest. 

"'Yes, is that Mr and Mrs Roscoe? Yes, yes I'm Camilla Birch...yes, Gerald's daughter! Yes, yes I'm very well thank you, yes I'm so sorry to trouble you but do you happen to know your son Lucius' address, or have it to hand? Yes, yes all is fine thank you - he was ever so sweet, walked me home but I forgot to give him back his jacket and wanted to drop it round in between classes...yes, yes...' et cetera, et cetera." She gave him a triumphant smile and inclined her head, "It turns out our dad's are golf buddies, would you believe?" 

She cleared her throat and wrapped her arms around herself. It was warmer in the building, much warmer to the frigid temperatures outside but she still felt a chill. Maybe it was him, not the weather. "Are you going to invite me in...? Or do we have to stand here and let your neighbours gossip?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

Edited July 6, 2021 by Sara

[Chevi]

Lucius stared at her little triumphant explanation of detective work. Turned out their parents knew each other. Go figure. They were called the 1% for a reason. Still, he was impressed. She had gone to all that trouble to find him. Also, he was never going to hear the end of this from his parents. 

"Are you going to invite me in...? Or do we have to stand here and let your neighbours gossip?" 

Finally catching up to the situation Lucius reached out and grabbed Camilla's hand, pulling her inside before he shut the door. She was here, in his apartment. He didn't feel like letting go of her hand.

"You never took the jacket. So... why are you here?"

@Sara

[Sara]

She squeezed his hand as he took it, a reflex she told herself, but allowed herself to be pulled through the door. Had it been anybody else she would have taken a long hard nose around their apartment. She was a judgemental person, she had high tastes and liked to see if others lived up to them, but she wasn't with anybody she was with him and her attention was solely focused on him. 

Finally, gathering her wits, she pulled back her hand and stuck it in the deep pocket of her coat, flexing her fingers. "I...don't know, I'm still drunk?" She said flippantly, trying to diffuse some of the tension that was already mounting. She circled him, stepping further into the apartment as she moved to take off her hat. Her hair probably looked shit, she thought, and ran a hand over it to smooth any hat-hair frizz. The sunglasses, however, were firmly staying on her face.

"I thought we should talk, I know we didn't get a chance to before you left yesterday." She offered him a weak smile and shrugged. "But can I have a coffee? I feel like I'm going to drop dead." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

She held his hand for a moment before letting go and moving into the apartment. It was a small studio (prices were steep enough in New York, and Lucius liked to spend money on other things), simply furnished, with quite a few bookcases scattered along the walls. His clothes from the night before were tossed to the floor, and his laptop was set up on the coffee table.

"I...don't know, I'm still drunk?... I thought we should talk, I know we didn't get a chance to before you left yesterday. But can I have a coffee? I feel like I'm going to drop dead." 

"We do have to talk." he agreed. It was not going to be an easy talk, but he would take it over never seeing her again. She had the chance to go back to her life and forget about him, and yet, here she was, playing detective. Lucius gave her a smile before moving to the small kitchen to turn on the coffee machine.

"Make yourself at home" he called back to her. "Milk? Cream? Sugar?"

@Sara

[Sara]

"I will." She gave him an imperious little smile and moved to take a seat on the couch. "And all of the above." When in Italy she drank espresso, now she was back stateside her coffee order was inappropriately basic. 

She glanced around the room - it had not been what she was expecting. Her own apartment was a sprawling two bed, not quite a penthouse but not far off, paid for by her parents whilst she was studying in Manhattan. The first year of college she'd lived at home, and then of course there was the year in Rome and now she was back in the city she had convinced them that she needed her own space. It had been a fairly easy conversation to have, she had her dad wrapped around her little finger. 

Shrugging off her coat as she mused, now she was finally warm and folding it neatly to rest over the arm of the couch she glanced up at him. "I'm surprised you're not living with your folks," She said as her eyes took in the books. She wasn't much of a reader, "I thought they'd have you under lock and key after what happened to you." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Camilla took a seat on his couch, and Lucius leaned against the kitchen counter why he waited for the coffee to pour into the cup. He was still wrapping his head around having her in the apartment. He probably should have put on a shirt.

"I'm surprised you're not living with your folks. I thought they'd have you under lock and key after what happened to you." 

"If I was living with my folks, I'd do worse than sailing an illegal ship" he pointed out. There was only so much time he was willing to spend with his family. "They still want me to finish college. They have this idea I'll make something of myself."

@Sara

[Sara]

"And do you not agree?" she arched a  brow and pushed herself off the couch, finally relenting and pushing the sunglasses off of her face and into her hair. Why was it so bright? God. Nonetheless, she moved over to his bookshelves and ran her fingers across the titles there, "For a man as well read as you, I'd expect you to have ambitions." 

She arched a brow and not realising she didn't have the sunglasses anymore, let her gaze linger on his chest for just a moment too long before she snapped herself out of it with an awkward smile and turned her attentions back to the book. "Maybe you should put some thought  to your future," She lectured jokingly, "Maybe a career in politics? Democrat, of course. You certainly like to pick a fight?" she chuckled, "Poor joke, sorry." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"And do you not agree? For a man as well read as you, I'd expect you to have ambitions." 

"Unfortunately we have a very different definition of 'something'" Lucius clarified. For dad and mom, something started on the congressional level. Camilla got off the couch to wander around. Lucius noted the look she gave him.

"Maybe you should put some thought  to your future. Maybe a career in politics? Democrat, of course. You certainly like to pick a fight? Poor joke, sorry." 

"Do I really strike you as someone who would go into politics?" Lucius chuckled, taking the cup of coffee and adding sugar and milk. "I told you, I will probably end up working for some NGO, eventually. And then we can meet when your fancy husband brings you to charity events." The drink ended up looking barely anything like coffee, and he walked over to her to hand her the cup.

@Sara

[Sara]

"Ah yes, I forgot your life plan." It had been nine months, and what she remembered most from their afternoon in Rome was not the conversation. She took the mug, grateful for the distraction as an awkward silence bloomed at the mention of the word husband. 

Trying to make a joke out of it, add some levity, she cracked a slightly weak grin; "And then I'd give you lots and lots and lots of his money for your endeavours and for your time with me although...that might be a bit close to prostitution." She chuckled and sipped the liquid which couldn't reasonably be called coffee any more, the fact that so many extra condiments had been added made it a drinkable temperature already. 

"About last night..." She began but drew to a stop. About last night...what? She really had no idea what she'd say when's he came here, and no idea what to say now. She didn't even know what she wanted, how could she verbalise it?

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"And then I'd give you lots and lots and lots of his money for your endeavours and for your time with me although...that might be a bit close to prostitution."

Lucius grinned, but there was a pang of disappointment inside. Not for being called a prostitute, but for the idea that she thought of him as someone on the side. Next to the fancy husband who was definitely a douchebag.

"About last night..." 

"I know." he sighed, still looking at her as she sipped her coffee. He had that feeling again, the possibility of things going either was at a moment's notice. "I think... we both want something we can't really explain."

@Sara

[Sara]

She felt the tension run into the room again at his 'I know' and she felt the desperate urge to distance herself. She hadn't come here for that. Or maybe she had. She didn't actually know, she couldn't actually put a finger on what she was doing here. 

"Something like that." She said with a weak smile and moved away from him, over to the couch where she deposited herself down. She smoothed a hand over her coat, neatly folded on the arm. It looked out of place here - so austere and formal. She wondered if she looked out of place here too. 

"When I am...when I see you, granted it's only been twice," She laughed feebly, "I feel...I don't know." She frowned to herself, "Different somehow, I guess?" She sipped her coffee again, squeezing the mug in between her cupped hands to try and alleviate the pressure she felt, "And when I'm with Jacob, I feel completely different. I...don't know which one is right, but," She was gathering confidence now and her voice reflected it, "But I know relationships are built on more than chemistry and a good kiss." And I don't know if I have more than that with you. To listen to her one would think she was a woman in her thirties with a life plan, rather than a twenty year old young woman. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

She took a seat on the couch again. Alright, this was going to be that kind of talk. Lucius went and picked up a shirt from his dresser. This was not going to be the conversation to do half naked.

"When I am...when I see you, granted it's only been twice. I feel...I don't know. Different somehow, I guess?"

She definitely acted different. From how she was around the others. Last night was proof of that. Lucius wanted to make a quip about her hitting people with their jackets, but decided to let her finish her train of thought.

"And when I'm with Jacob, I feel completely different. I...don't know which one is right, but. But I know relationships are built on more than chemistry and a good kiss." 

"Damn good kiss" Lucius muttered. He watched her, sitting on the couch. He took a seat on the other side, keeping a polite distance. It was as much for his sake as hers. "Well, the chemistry is definitely there. I think we both know that." Having her within arm's reach was distracting. "But, cards on the table? I like you. I think you are hiding some parts of you, depending on who you are with. And I don't claim I really know you. But... I'd like to."

@Sara