. achilles heel

[dominic vinten cuvo]

Suddenly Dom begins to think of gladiators. Public battles for amusement, injury and death as entertainment. A crowd cheering for blood, weapons and wild animals encouraged, no survivors emerging. Their nights were usually at someone’s expense—hurt feelings, forgotten promises—while simultaneously trying to skirt responsibility via deflection or distraction. The four friends were on shaky ground already, trying to outsource their madness elsewhere so they could enjoy it rather than suffer it themselves. Briefly Dom remembers Calvin’s original question, the lover taken by the undertow of the fighter. Like a swarm, Calvin is on him—of his own volition or Kitty’s bidding, it doesn’t matter. “Hey, completely random question: how do you report an armed shooter?” Dominic leaned in to ask, downing his drink with a throaty hum. “Can you believe this fucking guy?” he laughed scornfully, like following her to Europe wasn’t enough. Rubbing it in Dominic’s face just as he thought he’d smoothed it over, having groveled and apologized himself back into Kitty’s orbit. “Don’t worry, he’s not a stalker—just very passionate about her location at all times,” he continued, haughty disdain spiking through his high and to be mediated by another dose, another line. The clashing view of Kitty and Calvin perturbed by the addition of Henry, no longer seeing the tantalizing draw between his two friends but rather the desperate grasp for possession of Kitty by the three of them now. Only Calvin's grasp on him breaks the harsh of his glare, searching his friend's face, brow dipping in betrayal. "This is supposed to be our night."

[kitty smith-sato]

There had been times in the past where Henry had overlapped with her core friends, of course. Her sweet sixteenth had made it unavoidable, as had her dads' vow renewal, amongst a handful of other events. But Kitty had been given notice, had been able to meticulously plan out how to have them in the same location but kept well apart, Henry distracted by his own friends or sometimes Violet, who was something of an emissary between the two. Down in this basement, caught unawares, Kitty's world is threatening to crumble and it's written all over her face. "Yes, fine, whatever," she sighs at Cal's insistence of a favor owed, knowing it would come back to haunt her.  Well, it would, if she survived the night. She watches him try to placate Dom, who's whipping himself up into a kind of feeding frenzy, the blood in the water her own. It shocks her how much she wants to stop all of this, to go back in time and decline the offer of coming downstairs, insist instead that they go back to Calvin's and make out or watch a movie or host a satanic ritual, anything but this. Storming over to Henry, she tries her best to ignore the maelstrom unfolding behind her as her voice drops to a low hiss. "Are you following me? Because this is really fucking weird Henry."

[henry albright]

VIOLET Violet locks eyes with her best friend as she’s slipping out of Henry’s grasp. Kitty’s own filling with recognition as Henry settles up against the bar to order drinks. Violet throws him another glance behind her shoulder before she returns to the crowd with her group of friends. She brushes shoulders with Kitty, muttering quickly under her breath, oh my god. As Kitty proceeds on with her mission to speak with Henry. The straw of her drink slips between her lions, allowing herself a six second slurp as she’s finally back with Dom and Cal. Her eyes roll at Dom’s dramatics, at his sudden pout as Kitty’s attention went elsewhere. Cal doing his best to distract his best friend from another Kitty and Henry reunion. So Violet continues to sip her drink and listen to the boys speak, certain that nothing she’s going to say would be satisfactory to Dom. HENRY His arm falls from Violet’s elbow, letting her return to their little group. Curious as to what she’ll say to Kitty. She gives him another look and it brings a chuckle from deep within. Waving back at her before he bellies up to the bar, requesting a whiskey and diet and trying to remember what the rest of his friends had ordered. Katherine finds him quickly, storming over to give him a piece of her mind. It was weird, the two of them being at the same place in a large city like Los Angeles. Some coincidence. “Trust me, I’m just as shocked to see you.” Henry starts, “I’m here with some of my teammates.” His head and eyes shooting in the direction of his friends, her gaze following along. Empty glasses are scattered across the table, indicating they’ve been here for a while. “No need to come and talk with me, run along and go have fun with your friends.” Honestly he wasn’t in the mood to deal with Dom, either. The bartender hands him the whiskey, but Henry leaves his friend’s drinks on the bar top momentarily. “Surprised Dom willingly let you dance with his best friend like that. Is he shooting daggers my way?”He leans in closer to Kitty. “And you look fucking gorgeous, by the way.”.

[kitty smith-sato]

Watching him up close for signs of lying, it's immediately clear that he's telling the truth. Of course he was. Henry was many things, but it wouldn't have been his style to rock up where he knew she might be-- that was more her playbook. Sidling up next to him at the bar, she sighs again, shaking her hair back. "Run along?" she quotes back, temper flaring. It was no secret that Henry liked her friends as much as they liked him, believing that Dom brought out the worst in her and Dom believing the very same in reverse. With Henry she was docile, affectionate, engaging-- her scheming was pushed deeper undercover, limited to the shadows. It was Dom who Henry had an issue with so it makes her cringe that he saw her with Calvin too, wondering what kind of inferences he'd make from that. She doesn't have to wait long to find out. "It's not what it looked like, and besides, like I always told you, Dom doesn't care what I do." She avoids looking over at him, not keen to be proven wrong. "I know. Can you get me a spicy marg? Extra spicy."

[calvin keller]

While Dom may be able to hide the running monologue in his head, often spouting something so off kilter it was impossible to follow where it originated from, his expressions never held quite the same mystery. Cal watched his brows dip, saw the storm simmer in his blown-out gaze, attention oscillating from near to far and beyond. Sighing, he offers up the source of the last secret he'd uncovered, something for Dom to hold on to and offer Kitty in a rare act of kindness. "She doesn't have her location hidden on SnapMap," he says honestly, jaw inclined her direction before adjusting so she's blocked from view. His job this evening apparently, drowning his own sip dry. "It's how I knew you were together the other night." No acknowledgment of the messages or the chasm that only seemed to widen, a flash of Violet's blonde hair almost a saving grace as he looped an arm around both of their shoulders. Staring directly back at Dom, trying to muster conviction behind his waning haze. "It still will be," he promises, spinning them toward the bar for another round that's easily delivered. Unfazed by the sharp decline of Violet's drinks as he coaxes them all into long, lengthy sips. "Good things come to those who wait anyway," Cal murmurs, focused on his best friend, then Violet, mind conjuring some furious version of Kitty in the distance and what the true meaning of what he said might be, thoughts running wild in a way he wished was quieter. "Another?" He asks Dom to tamp the problem, offering a pill half held between his teeth.

[dominic vinten cuvo]

It’s worse that she goes over to him. Not even a crumb of acknowledgement thrown his way, Calvin doing her bidding instead and Violet playing both sides of the fence. His fury isn’t sure which way to direct itself, the coke raging in his blood the faster it pumped, the former feelings of celebration and joy grinding to a halt. For years he and Henry were successfully partitioned from one another, rendered an urban legend to the other with how infrequently they coexisted. For his place in Kitty's life Dominic hated him then and he still hated him now, a mere reference of his name enough to steer conversation into the ground. But worst of all, this could compromise his Botox. Calvin was often the rational friend, the one burdened with settling an argument or snuffing the flames Dom and Violet often stirred up and Kitty ruthlessly stoked. So it’s no surprise that he offers a calming force on Dominic now, registering not his words but the beckoning ease of his voice, convincing just in his measured tone that Dom tears his eyes away from them at the bar. “I actually want to throw up,” he huffs, muscle tension easing enough to welcome Calvin’s leading embrace, then registering the blonde. “Violet, give me your clutch.” The only remedy—besides a full-scale confrontation which Kitty would be desperate to prevent—now lay in a glass or pressed powder. Downing a shot delivered to him, Dominic willed himself to their distraction techniques but took pause at the flash of pill between Cal’s teeth. “I can’t be impolite,” he said, turning a wicked smile toward Violet. “Come on, Vi. I insist. You’ve got some catching up to do.”

[henry albright]

VIOLET Dominic is spiraling right in front of Violet’s eyes. His gaze going back and forth between she and Cal and the direction where Kitty was standing with Henry. Her drink slows begin disappearing as she watches his erratic behavior develop more, dramatics still flying as he can’t tear his eyes away. “Oh no, you don’t.” She brings the clutch closer to her body, not willing to let any vomit near the belonging. Cal’s offering Dom a way to forget about the interaction occurring behind them. Instead he takes the shot, tempting Violet with her other vice. She desperately wants to take the bait. The pill could slip so easily in her mouth with just a simple kiss to Cal’s lips. ”I’ve already picked my poison for the evening, babes.” Slips out suddenly, her glass needle empty in her hand tonight. Frustration flooding through her. “And rude of you to offer that to an addict. I’m going to the bathroom.” She turns around, blonde hair flipping as she begins to storm away. Rehab may have been a joke for Violet but the actual overdose was still not of a mystery, touchy subject. HENRY “Won’t the core four be upset you disappeared?” Henry questions, refusing to allow his gaze wandering over to where she’d been previously. Her familiar perfume hits his senses and he smiles at the bit of attitude that’s evident on her face from his dismissal. It only makes his smile grow larger, thinking of how worked up Kitty was internally of her two worlds colliding. He gives the glass a little swirl in his hand before taking a sip, happy to have the whiskey back. Not wanting the buzz to wear off, especially if he was going to have any encounter with Dominic. Kitty assures he wouldn’t care, and Henry dares a look in his direction. Seeing the exact opposite fall on his face, Henry feels a smirk pulling on his mouth. Getting the bartender’s attention, he requests an extra spicy marg per Kitty’s request. “I wouldn’t be so sure, Kitten. He looks like he could kill me right now.” Leaning in closer to say the words, wondering if some eyes were still on them.

[kitty smith-sato]

As soon as the drink appears Kitty picks it up, aggressively stirring it as she forced herself to think. She takes a long sip through the straw, her mind momentarily wandering to her teeth enamel, as it so often did. Maybe it would all be fine; both her enamel and the evening. Subconsciously she reverts to an old tic, flicking her hair back off her shoulders though it was already cascading down her back. The cocaine was making her edgy, stuttering her thoughts... the alcohol slowed them, gave her some control back.  "I haven't disappeared, I'm right here." It had not occurred to her that her approach might be considered a defection but now it has, her stomach lurching. Only Dom had this effect on her, able to make her feel like she was doing something wrong; he had never used this power when she was actually doing something wrong, like framing someone as a pedophile or supplying an addict with drugs, no-- it was a talent solely deployed when she was hanging out with Henry, particularly when Dominic perceived it as an active choice. One glance over confirms this to be such a time, though it's evident even from here that Calvin's making a valiant attempt to keep up his end of the bargain. When she looks back to Henry, she's childlike again, chided without a word being spoken. "Won't your friends miss you? I hope you aren't the one holding the rohypnol, they'll be missing that. Or do you guys use GHB these days? I'm not up to date on date rape methodologies."

[calvin keller]

Fuck. Dominic's pivot throws him wildly off guard, eyes widening in warning toward Violet as he swallowed the pill before she had a chance. He'd rather double his dose than let her even contemplate it, furious that Dom had tried to tempt her in the first place. As if they hadn't openly been indulging right in front of her eyes, head tipping further into the air as she stormed off. "Fuck," he moans upwardly, now caught between trailing after her and leaving Dom on his own to corner Kitty, or holding his ground and hoping she wasn't off to score in silence. It's sad that his trust suddenly extends further to Violet, the silk of her hair disappearing down a dark hallway. "What the fuck, Dom." His hand clutches tighter against his glass before he realizes it, trying to remember the sensation before the fresh MDMA settled and rose in his bloodstream. He'd probably be fucked after that, a little too soft and hazy for confrontation, trying to settle the temper he knew could grow exponentially in seconds. "You're giving her exactly what she wants," he eventually sighs, trying another path of diversion. Sometimes dealing with Dom felt akin to dealing with a child; unsure of what they wanted, when, where and how they could be soothed. "I'm also about to roll so hard, you can't leave me alone like this."

[dominic vinten cuvo]

Dominic oscillated between disavowing Kitty and trying to possess her, adamant that he was never jealous because he could have her any time that he wanted. Just like he could stop doing drugs any time too. Few people could last in the other’s lives or even survive in this friendship circle for long; many tried but few prevailed, and unfortunately one of those few was Henry. In many ways he was opposite of Dominic, which positioned him as an obvious adversary. Often Kitty got her cake and ate it too, keeping both boys on a leash, indulging whoever better fit her desires du jour: Henry when she needed grounding, Dominic when she craved chaos. And he was delivering on that promise now. "Ohmygod, it’s not coke,” he scoffed with an eyeroll, making sure that vial stayed with him at all times; not out of concern for Violet’s sobriety, but because he didn’t want to share. In reality she could walk around any corner to find some, this club practically dispensing it if you looked closely enough. “This place was your idea,” he reminds spitefully, ergo Calvin shared some of the fault. An extra dose seems a fitting punishment, Dominic decides, insulted by Violet’s commitment to being boring and Calvin’s compliance in it. The vial screams from his pocket and the drink keeps emptying each time he looks back at it. “Hm, no,” he delights to answer, giving Calvin a departing pat on the cheek. “I think I’ll go say hi to our esteemed guest. Wouldn’t want to be rude.” Refreshing his drink (where do they keep going!?), Dominic approached from behind Kitty and cleared his throat at the horrible pair. "Are you done yet? You're ruining our night."

[kitty smith-sato]

There's a version of this that could go just fine. She leans against the bar, her back to her friends and her eyes wandering to his, a group of boys nudging each other and looking on with interest. The difference in energy between the two lurking groups is palpable, but then his friends likely had no idea what he was contending with. The poisoned chalice that her group offered, one Henry had spent years trying to prevent her drinking from, having no idea that she was a key contributor to its potency. As always, when she talks to him it's easy to forget that herself, slipping into the cosplay of a normal society girl, glossy lips wrapped around the straw, a small smile on her face as he speaks to her. He looks good and her mind drifts to Venice; Aperol spritzes, room service and physical rediscovery, though he had learnt a few tricks in the years they had been apart. The version of this evening where everything turns out just fine shatters in eight words. The ever-familiar drawl comes from behind her, edged by genuine, bone-deep irritation, making the words sharp enough to slice right through her. Spinning on her heels, she looks at Dom, assessing his pupils, looking for sweat... then she remembers the botox. After a millisecond of strategising set to the heavy, rapid beating of her heart, she smiles at him, slipping her arms around his waist in a lazy hug. With her face pressed into his chest, she offers her most honeyed voice. "Dom baby, don't be a drama queen. I've almost finished my drink and I'll be right over. In fact, we can leave then. Just..." she pulls away enough to look up at him, dropping her voice slightly. "Wait with Cal and V, okay?"

[henry albright]

She heads in the opposite direction of Kitty and Henry. Aware that Cal could only hold off Dom for so long, considering alcohol and drugs were involved. She does slip into the bathroom, pacing in the stall with her phone clutched in her hand. The image of the pill in between Cal's teeth haunting her, or more so taunting the itch that tried to scratch it's way to the surface. The devil on her shoulder that encouraged the little bit of fun that could come from a dabble of coke, or MDMA.  Messages flood the screen from her father (probably upset she's disregarding his rules) her mother and few other friends as she holds it close to her body. Taking a deep breath, she exits the bathroom stall, washing her hands. Violet lost track of her drink (she finished it) and orders another. She welcomes a shot from an eager buyer, tipping back the liquor and bolting just as soon as she mumbles a thank you. Shoving through the crowd on the dance floor, finds Cal. Alone. Her free hand gripping his forearm as she's bumped into from behind. Spilling a bit of her drink on the ground between them. A giggle falling out of her mouth as Violet takes another sip. "Let me guess. He's over there, isn't he?" She wouldn't disappear because someone out of her group would always have eyes on her. If Henry had to take a guess, it would be Dom. "So where's your other half?" He means the blonde girl that used to be glued to her side. Curious as to why she hadn't made another appearance now that Kitty had approached him. He's also wondering why any of them thought a recovering addict should be in an environment such as this, but Henry holds his tongue. He genuinely laughs at Kitty's fraternity joke. She wasn't going to ever hold back with those comments on a part of his life that she hated. "Nah, we left that back at Yale. Need to keep up the stock for Welcome Week." Playing along, he sees her roll those gorgeous eyes. "We're mostly dabbling with the usual - coke." He's enjoying the moment, the two of them in a different light than their previous reunion encounter. It falls sort when Dominic makes his grand entrance. He knew it was coming, a tantrum soon to be had by Henry's own appearance in the same club. Before he can speak, Kitty steps in. Reassuring the man to return to his friends and that she'd join them. He can't resist. "Hello to you too, Dom." His voice anything but friendly. Tone filled with slight annoyance. "We'll be done soon, then she's all yours."

[calvin keller]

Predictably, the careful balance of their night out shatters in an instant. One moment Dom is admonishing him like a clueless school boy, the next he's abandoning the lightly constructed distraction plan and going straight to the source. With time ticking on the regulated beat of his heart and interest dropped in getting involved in the middle of that, Cal sets his sights on trying to find Violet, retracing the steps he'd watched her stomp, the bright lights bouncing off her hair. He's not sure why it entrances him so much sometimes, but then again he feels the same for Kitty - a shield they could use for emotions or just something to gather on their shoulders, twirl cluelessly between their fingers. Maybe he just liked girls with long hair. His mind is definitely drifting away from him again by the time someone grips his arm, no longer able to tell if it was featherlight or crushing as he peers down at the space invader. Relieved to see its Violet as the hold bleeds warm over his skin, stealing a sip from the cup she drags to her lips. He cringes when he recognizes a Vodka Red Bull but is unable to find himself caring a moment later. Fuck. Cal tugs her closer to make sure he stays anchored somewhere, feeling the bubble of appreciation and affection he had for her expand in his chest. "Like a moth to a flame," he manages, smile echoing hers as he felt the first big wash of euphoria. "I'm so glad you're here," Cal says suddenly, unable to hold it back as the place found a new shine. Not wanting anything to ruin his good mood he drags her further away from the feuding parties, swaying mindlessly to the music once again. "Kinda fucking weird he's here but...not letting that ruin our night, right Vi?"

[dominic vinten cuvo]

A story about a frog and scorpion vaguely comes to mind. He might be able to think of it if the music weren’t as loud and his feet weren’t so light it felt more like he levitated over to the reunion. Then of course Kitty’s arms around him short-circuit what little is left functioning of his brain, willing to assign his question and ire toward Henry alone. An arm slips around Kitty’s middle, kissing the top of her head with his eyes trained on Henry, a smirk left in its wake. But it registers that he was being spoken to like a child, and having Henry for an audience helps nothing. “Calvin’s done too much and Violet ran off to sell her body for drugs,” Dominic relayed with a sigh, like he was powerless to effect the outcome. “I can’t be the only responsible one here.” Finally offering some acknowledgement, Dom blinked slowly at his boyish nemesis. “Henry,” he was dismayed to say out loud, like the beginnings of a curse that must be finished once started. “Unpleasant to see you, as always,” he noted, realizing he had been disarmed of a drink when his hand came back empty. Oh, Kitty. He eyes the group of friends gawking their way, identical country club boys with fathers who would sue you. “You can go now. There’s a girl passed out in the corner, seems more your type.”

[kitty smith-sato]

Once, many years ago, Kitty had gone to visit her cousins in Kyoto. They were a very different family to hers, with parents who worked locally in a restaurant and an office, blessed with a little girl her age and a boy just a year or so older. Kitty had been excited for the sibling experience, having spent many a wistful afternoon in her penthouse playing dolls on her own, or worse, making the maid play with her. Fantasies of face painting, jello and ice cream, hide and seek where you weren't both the hidden and the seeking. She had brought her favorite dolls especially. It had taken all of twenty minutes for her fantasies to turn to ash. The younger girl was nothing short of a terrorist, holding the whole family to ransom; when she snatched Kitty's dolls and immediately started ruining them, jammy hands matting their hair, her mother had only sighed. The brother told her it was easier to just let her have them, that the tantrum would be much, much worse. Completely unrelatedly, Kitty is now looking at two parties, weighing up who the safer one to side with is. Knowing the greater potential for fallout, she presses herself into Dom's side, willing him to relax in the comfort of being picked. She slips his glass from his fingers, the mix of cocaine and alcohol a reckless one, though she allows herself to finish its contents as though the same cocktail wasn't worming through her bloodstream. Wincing at the strength, she shoots Henry a sympathetic look as Dom dismisses him. "How long are you in LA for?" she asks impulsively, not quite ready to let him slip through her fingers again, though she knows it won't please her brother. She reaches up and places a hand over Dom's mouth, tempted to cover his nose too, let him collapse to the floor right here. It wouldn't be right to let Henry be his last living sight, but it would be funny. "I better go check on V. Call me tomorrow."