. give up the ghost

[Deleted]

Her question makes his stomach twist. He defended corporations for a living, and a very lucrative living it was too... morally, less enriching. Julian felt fine defending his clients against other similarly unscrupulous businesses, as he was tomorrow, but felt considerably less fine when defending them versus groups of aggrieved individuals. "There are no good guys," he tells her, and that as much is true. "Or," Julian starts, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose, "you could not be annoying? I think that might work for me." He grins down at her, knowing full well that his habit of alternating between hot headedness and utter coldness was just as much a part of the problem, if not more so. "I'll try to keep an even head. I'm better than I used to be."

[athena mccarthy]

The couch feels more comfortable when they're together, brimming with affection for each other. Her eyes are focused on him when he speaks, she watches as his jaw tightens ever so slightly and she comforts him by pressing her thumb softly into his bare skin. "No?" Athena wrinkles her nose when he kisses her, and leans up to catch his lips with hers. "Impossible. I was born into this role and there's no way out," she claims. She'd gotten better over the years, but she was definitely an instigator. She'd get an idea and try push it away, only to have it spill over. "I'll work on being less of a shithead."

[Deleted]

There is a comfort with Athena that he doesn't imagine he would ever be able to recreate with anyone else, even if he felt as much affection for them as he did her. A shared history, families intertwined, layered with their natural compatibility just made for maximum ease. "No, you wouldn't be you if you weren't a shithead," Julian teases. "How about you find something for us to watch? I can finish off the food, it'll be the fastest route to getting you fed."

[athena mccarthy]

When she fell for the boy with the dark hair and the sad eyes, she knew that she would never be the same. It was the way his mouth moved when he spoke to her and the line it made when he was quiet. He was so serious that she needed to poke and prod to get him to release. When she fell she just kept going, no end in sight. She grins, knowing full well that he's right. She'd burn the bacon or slice the brie too thick, she'd just be too giddy to concentrate. "I can do that," she says, pressing her lips to his cheek to say goodbye. She puts on Sharp Objects because it's something she's watched two times and still enjoys, but won't mind if she misses too much of it. She twists her hair around her index finger and raises her voice over the sound of sizzling bacon, "I'd make an ugly redhead, wouldn't I?"

[Deleted]

It's difficult to pry himself away from her but with the promise of a full evening ahead, he manages to. In the kitchen he gets to work blind baking the pastry, frying up bits and pieces, his apartment filling up with the smell of fried onions and bacon. "You'd never make an ugly anything," Julian replies, brushing his fingers against the tea towel that he had thrown over one shoulder. "What are your plans for tomorrow?" he calls out, setting about mixing a salad as the the tarts go in the oven.

[athena mccarthy]

"But red?." she narrows her eyes at him and then back at the screen, where Any Adams perfect head of hair shimmers down her back. Athena releases the coil of hair and it spins till it's just a beachy wave. All the days are blending in together and this is the first different day she's had in a while. She tries to think of something productive, but she's lost. "I might call my mom?" She questions, because surely it's the wrong answer. "Maybe I'll reorganize my kitchen cupboards."

[Deleted]

He pictures her with coppery hair, scrunching up his nose at the thought. "You were born to be blonde," he admits, drizzling a dressing over the salad. With everything prepped and cooking, he leans against the doorframe, watching her as she plays with her hair. As she speaks he wishes he had a free day, but he knows that after his court appearance he'll be bogged down with paperwork until late into the evening. "Call your mom from here, I can say hello," he says, going back on his word and going to pour them each another glass of wine.

[athena mccarthy]

She can imagine Piper on the phone trying to keep her cool. Her mom would talk quicker as she lost it, she'd be much too excited about Julian to retain any sense of calmness. "If you're sure," Athena lies up her stomach and perches her chin on a pillow so she can watch him cook. He's such a natural and he moves with such ease that it's like he was born in the kitchen. "Maybe I'll sleep in and act like a total Pretty Woman while you work away."

[Deleted]

Ruby red liquid sloshed into glasses, he closes the distance between them, handing her over a glass. He takes a sip from his and sets it down on the concrete and iron coffee table, glancing at the blanket she had left in a pile on the couch. "It's killing me not to correct that," he admits, grinning down at her. He places a kiss on her full lips. He mulls over her suggestion, weirdly loving the idea of having her around, though he knows in reality he'll be less patient and more distracted. "You can shop and take bubble baths until your heart's content."

[athena mccarthy]

She takes the glass between her fingers and makes a decision to forget sober promises. They were already here with the decision she was afraid they'd make too rashly with alcohol She takes a sip and looks down at the grey blanket on the grey couch. "It looks better," she pinches it and ruffles it more, "cozier. Everything feels better that way." Tomorrow Julian had court and she had a podcast episode called You Waxed Your Own Asshole and Then He Broke Up With You?!; their day to days really couldn't be more different. She sips her wine, "I'll keep out of your way, mostly. I mean, other than walking around naked because I don't have a change of clothes."

[Deleted]

He winces as she ruffles the blanket further. He hadn't always been so controlled, so obsessed with order and clean lines. As a teenager he was as messy as anyone, his room always covered in piles of books, discarded clothes and half-drunk cups of coffee, no matter how frequently the maid tried to stop by. At some point his life no longer felt like his own, and he supposed having full control of his environment was a response to that. With Athena present he's able to get over it. "I should charge extra if you're going to be naked in the background. Would really help to distract the judge from the mess that is this case."

[athena mccarthy]

She looks up at him. It's hard to believe it's been ten years since she left him a mess when she wasn't ready. Those years of not talking, only to have the years close and become a moment like this. He'd grown into his awkwardness, at least she thinks he did. She pulls at the hem of his pocket and feels needy for his closeness. "If it ends up in your favour we could have a real tactic here," she laughs and lets go of his clothing, to rest her cheek against the arm of the sofa and watch Amy Adams take a swing from a mickey in her car. "Will you be angry if I didn't quit the podcast?"

[Deleted]

Under her stare he feels strangely vulnerable. He grabs his t-shirt, pulling it back on and over his head. She hangs on to him and it makes him feel a strong pull towards her, much stronger than the feeble tug she's giving his clothes. But he stays standing, knowing the timer will go off any second. "I'm gonna be really boring, fair warning." He tilts his head as she asks him about her podcast, trying to weigh up his response so as to avoid seeming pissed, but also without seeming dismissive. "I meant what I said, if you aren't talking about me, I don't care about it. Doesn't bother me."

[athena mccarthy]

"Awh, Jules," she whines in protest against his shirt, "but your abs!" Athena sets her wine glass next to his and rolls onto her back. She'd been to court once for a traffic ticket and it was the most boring morning of her life, she can't imagine Julian being that dull. "I'm just going to imagine you're a crime lawyer. I'm living my true crime fantasy." She doesn't know what she expects him to say. Usually she full assumes that he dislikes when she's so brash and wthat her famous persona was a turn off. "I won't talk about you," she promises, "not a word."

[Deleted]

"I'm a defence lawyer, you'd rather imagine I keep rapists out of jail?" he says, and he's surprised by the note of defensiveness that crept into his voice. His career was not a calling, it was not something he had a great passion for, but it was hugely demanding and if he had any pride for it, that pride would come down to his own industriousness. He had a reputation for being thorough, straight to the point and extremely reliable. Thinking about it, he can see how all of that might be pretty boring to a girl like Athena. He nods, glad she'll keep him out of it. "Aren't you bored of it, though? It's a little... one note."