Duplicitous (F.C)

Shoot At Will.

Oliver's point of view
    Watching the sky darken whilst the stars become more noticeable throughout the night happens to be my favorite past time. The night leaves so much to the imagination. The many things that go bump in the night, or the perfect stranger that you meet and never see again. The possibilities run endless. The dark abyss makes it hard to turn back to normal reality. It's just so easy to get lost in. Besides, social gatherings have never been my favorite. Always the outcast,, never in the loop. "Oliver you must come, we're doing Karaoke." Venita exclaims through the door. Duty calls.

    "Well done, Henry." Farleigh beings fidfeting with the karaoke machine. "You and Farleigh seem to be mingling very well earlier." Venetia comments as we walk back into the party. "I'd say Hardly." She furrows her brows. "I offered him a shoulder to lean on, seeing as times are tough." "Oliver Quick." My attention falls back onto Farleigh, who's making his way over to me.. "Don't be shy." He tries to take my hand and I push it away. "I don't even know the song." Trying my best to pull away from him. "The words are on the screen Oliver." My eyes land on Calliope, who looks to be in a heated discussion with Felix and Elspeth.

The room begins to cheer as I protest making a fool of myself, but I can't help but wonder the conversation happening to my left. "You dress me up. I'm your puppet. You buy me things. I love it." The words seem odd, but I play along. "You bring me food, I need it. You give me love, I feed it." The group continues to cheer, drowning out the sound of Calliope's conversation. If it distracted the attention from her, I would continue. "And look at the two of us in sympathy, with everything we we see. I want everything it's easy." I continue the song, and the room grows quiet by the second. "I love you, pay my rent." It was a trap to embarrass me. "You tell em." Farleigh cheers. "This is your song as well, Farleigh."

"Come finish it." As my eyes trail to Farleigh, I see Calliope exit the room. "Only if you insist." He takes the microphone, pleasing the crowd. I step as I watch Felix talking to his mother. "Have the two of you seen, Calliope?" The two freeze. "She went for some air, I was about to go join her." Felix makes it seeem like everything's okay. "I'll go check on her." He shakes his head, and his mother pulls him back. "Maybe that's best, my dearest." Her forced charm is fooling no one. "She-" This is an opportunity, and I'd be foolish to not take it. "I'll make sure she's okay, you have appearances to keep." He's still set on going, but his father brings over another Henry.

I make my way to the courtyard to find Calliope sitting on the edge of the water fountain. "You must be cold." My hands brush against her arm as I place my jacket over her shoulders. "Us Americans never get cold, Ollie." Her statement makes my face scrunch in confusion. "We're cold blooded." She's anything but, even with the pressure of the eldest Catton's. "You're anything but." She deeply sighs. "The kindness you've shown me throughout the past month should be enough to speak volumes in any room you're not present in." Calliope turns to me, face full of sadness. "I ruined my relationship for boy who didn't bother to check on me." Oliver, do the right thing. "A shame, really."

"It's telling of his character; he'll be nothing more than his family, C." She flinches at the nickname, knowing it's what Felix typically calls her. "Do you think I've made a mistake?" My lips stay sealed. "Coming here." If I agree she'll be on the first flight home. "Your company is enjoyed by yours truly." She doesn't laugh at my joke. "You followed your heart, you can't regret that or it'll tear you to shreds, doll." Calliope huffs. "He'll always chose them, and I don't know if I'm ready to accept that." It angered me to see her this upset. "Elspeth has a strange way of showing her appreciation." Her eyes roll at my statement. "Seems to adore you." Gently placing my hand on her shoulder. "What I mean, she's opportunist with a slight touch of narcissism. When in close quarters she'll shoot at will, whilst in gatherings parade you like you Americans adore your First Lady."

"So, I have no chance?" A sigh of defeat escapes my lips. "Personally, I'd run for the hills before you suffocate trying to get out." She wouldn't just up and leave Felix. "But Felix, right?" Quietness speaks volumes. "I've risked a lot by following my heart, and I can't be wrong about this, Oliver." She places her head on my shoulder, yet it doesn't fully settle. "Don't die war you didn't start, doll." I can't tell a war is going on inside her head.

Calliope's point of view
    The sun peers through the window, leaving the bedroom with a sunkissed glow. Sunrise has always been my favorite time of day, yet you would almost never find me basking in the golden rays, so I settle for sunsets. Despite being old, the beds were fairly comfortable, only I had yet to get a full nights rest without waking up several times throughout the night. Something about the nightfall in this huge estate seemed unsettling. My mind wouldn't shrug off the theory of the estate being haunted, having an empty chair in the corner was no help.

    While I loved to fantasize about my paranormal theory, I knew it was something much deeper than that. My thoughts kept me up through most of the night, wondering what things have been happening at home. Living in a house with complete strangers, not knowing if one day I could just be out. How could Oliver be so right, yet I still want to run into Felix's arms the moment I see him. Something couldn't let me stray from him, even though it was hurting me. I can fix it, no really, I can.

    My thoughts are interrupted by a subtle knock on the door, which most likely would've been ignored had I been asleep. "Calliope." Felix's voice echos through the dark oak, along with Oliver's advice playing on a loop. "Are you awake?" Against Oliver's nagging words, I open the door for Felix. "Thank you for not shutting me out." The dark circles underneath his eyes makes me believe that he had the same sleepless night as me. "Felix, what happened last night-" He stops me before I can continue. "Was unacceptable, on both mine and my mum's account." I let him in to not cause a discourse in the hall so early in the morning. "We talked it out, an apology will be issued."

    "I'm not upset about someone that will never change their colors, Felix." He scrunches his face with confusion. "I'm hurt by the fact that Oliver was the one who made sure I was okay; the night followed, and you were nowhere to be found." Felix pulls me in. "Oliver insisted on it, I fully accept my negligence, I do." I pull away from him. "This isn't fair, Felix." My saddened eyes meet his. "I mean every word when I tell you all of the ways I love you, but you make it feel like a job." Every other day I'm having the same battle. "You just have to trust me, C." He holds out his hand. "Mum's turned over a leaf, and if it doesn't change, we'll leave."

    "I won't be the reason you don't talk to your family." Family is hard, but it's not something you give up on. "That's my decision to make, Calliope." He sighs. "As far as I'm concerned you're more at home I've felt than living ever living here." Felix pulls me in, this time I embrace it. "You and your charming words." This felt right, being in his embrace was far more comforting than the forced gestures from last night. "I mean every word; it will always be you for me, Calliope Sinclair." He places a kiss on top of my forehead. "It will always be you for me, Felix Catton." He smiles. "Now how about breakfast by the bank?" I furrow my brows. "What about morning breakfast with everyone?" He shrugs like it's not on his list of priorities. "We'll have many more, they won't miss us." Felix seemed sure of it. "If you insist." Oh, Felix, how you know how to turn my rainy days into sunshine...