How It Starts • •

[spencer thane briggs]

Spencer genuinely considered New York his home, which was odd. He had lived all over the world, on three different continents, and before this city, with its bright lights and infinitely busy atmosphere, he was just there. Even Auckland, where he was born and where his family lived had only ever felt like a place he stayed for brief periods while school was out. He had no friends there, no real connection to the place aside from his parents. Hell, he didn’t even have an accent. His words were spoken with an amalgamation of countries and dialectal variations. Spence often used words or phrases that didn’t belong, and people tilting their heads and looking at him as though he had just acquired a second head was common. It was a curse of living in numerous countries over a short twenty-odd years. Different colloquialisms and sayings slipped into his mind and then out of his mouth before he could realise they belonged on the other side of the globe.

It probably didn’t hurt that he was already managing one of the hottest Art Museums in New York City. He had never seen a slow day there even when he was working as a tour guide, and Spencer had put everything he had into proving that he was more than capable for the job of managing the place, even though the board had been a little concerned by his youth. In the end, he guessed his passion won them over, because they had called him the same day as his interview to offer him the position and since then Spencer had been working on making them see that they hadn’t made a mistake. He was planning events when he could, trying to cater to the youth as well so that their figures could show that they were pulling in more than just the school visits where he could spy the disinterested kids a mile away. He was trying to lure in more artists to showcase, and work with the visitors to boost just about everything they were already doing right.

Tonight was one of the private showings for exclusive guests and the members of the Whitney. Spencer’s date had cancelled last minute, citing something to do with work. He had a sneaky suspicion however that she had decided to go out to a club instead. It wasn’t anything serious, just a girl he had met two weeks back and had liked enough to swap numbers and text a few times. Still, he could always rely on KC for the time being when he was stuck at these things alone. They went together so they couldn’t be cornered by anyone for too long, but their friendship came without the stresses of having to worry about what could happen. Spencer knew about Dawson who was off on a post-graduation adventure, and he himself had never been interested in any of the Whitney employees that way. He took a firm stance on not mixing business with pleasure – it could only ever get messy. He would meet KC there, so got himself a cab outside of his apartment once he was ready, opting not to dress too formally tonight, but smart enough that he could still make a good impression.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson
WORDS! 544!
OUTFIT! Handsome Man!
LYRICS! Sex - - - The 1975
NOTES! <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

It was nights like these that KC raided Tabitha’s closet for something to wear. Where KC was rock and roll, Tabs was pretty prep. KC wore neon and sheer, Tabs claimed pastels and lace. For twins, they were nothing alike and the only thing they really had in common was wanting to live anywhere but Arizona and the blood in their veins. And KC didn’t have anything acceptable in her own closet for an private show except what she wore on the daily for her shifts at the museum. At much as she enjoyed her take on the uniform, KC felt nights like these needed some colour and flash. Nothing too look at me, she didn’t want to distract from the art around them, but definitely something that told people they could steal a glance. It might have been silly, to think about these nights weren’t for her daily black and white but for colour because she was going to be at work.

She just wished she had a date for it. But Dawson was still out traveling the world and enjoying his new found freedom away from being a college student while she still had classes and work that she really couldn’t miss. She’d already taken too much time going with him at break. And there were only so many excuses she could give to the school that would allow her time away. She wanted to save those for really important reasons. Like if for whatever reason she needed to go back to Arizona. She doubt it would ever happen but if it did, she wanted to have some excuses left in her arsenal to go home. Sighing, KC picked a dress out of her sister’s closet and headed back to her room to fix up her hair, do her makeup and pick out a pair of shoes that would match the dress she’d picked out.

She was meeting Spencer there so it wasn’t like she had a time to be ready for so she wouldn’t keep him waiting but she did have to get to the museum before the event started. She liked Spencer well enough but in a platonic nature. She loved Dawson, even if she hadn’t actually said those words to him and even if she was a little upset with him at the moment. She couldn’t go running off whenever he called, she hadn’t graduated, she still had classes and work. But she was going to put it all aside and get through this night so she could return home to her Ben and Jerry’s and the the short film she was editing together for a class. She still had to cut ten minutes to make it under the maximum length.

Shaking her head, KC zipped herself into the dress and chose a pair of shoes that went with it well she went to the door before telling her sister not to wait up for her, not that she would. With a toddler in the house, Tabs was lucky to sleep but Brooke was a good baby. KC hailed a cab outside her building, telling the driver where she was going even as she was shutting the door. Tonight they were hoping to drum up enough donations to bring in a new exhibit. She paid the driver when he stopped outside the museum and stepped onto the sidewalk, taking a moment to look around. The street was busy as usual but the majority of them were probably rushing home to their families. Smiling softly, KC headed up to the museum, pulling the door open so she could put her coat away.

Tag || spencer thane briggs
Words || 634
Clothes || Pretty Blonde
Music || Peter Pan -Kelsea Ballerini
Notes || <3

[spencer thane briggs]

These events were just another part of the job to Spencer. He didn’t see them as an opportunity to woo women or charm his way into someone’s bed. He counted the hours and usually made sure he got paid for them, too. Some of them could be interesting, entertaining nights with good company and great art, but others were a drag to work. He liked art, there was no mistaking that, but there were some rich donors to the gallery who really just showed up because it was something they felt they ought to do. They were pretentious and off-putting and reminded Spencer of far too many people he had met throughout his life already. They were the people around who he had to hold his tongue in check and offer a fake smile and faux politeness, quickly making his reasons to leave and move onto another small clique of people who were making the most of the canapés and free champagne.

The staff were great though, even when he knew they probably wanted to rip out their own eyeballs after dealing with some of the gallery patrons on these evenings. Spencer often found ways to thank them for their hard work. Sometimes it was pizza ordered in for their shifts, or he would find some spare cash to throw a small staff party at one of the bars or clubs in the city just so they could all blow off some steam when they needed to the most. It wasn’t easy putting up with school trips, new exhibitions, some of the demanding artists who showcased at the Whitney, and Spencer knew all of this first-hand since he had worked as a tour guide for years before he had made his way to manager. He had his own horror stories, funny stories, and nice tales to tell whenever one of the current employees looked like they were about to have a freak out or a breakdown over something that had happened while he had been up in his office making arrangements for something that would be happened two or even six months down the line.

Spencer got to the museum before the night was due to start just so he could check everything was in order. He wasn’t a perfectionist by any means, but he didn’t want to run into any problems or complaints once the guests had arrived. Luckily, everything was good to go and things were looking just as they should be. Staff began to arrive next and he told them where they needed to be though they already knew what they were doing since he often told them a week beforehand so they could brush up on their knowledge of the pieces or the artists if they were going to be looking at something new or unfamiliar. He had just finished looking over the guest list when KC arrived, and he looked up just as she walked in. “Evening, KC. You look as lovely as ever.” He smiled. Spencer wasn’t flirting, but he had enough manners to compliment any woman when she was dressed nicely for an evening such as this one.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson
WORDS! 527!
OUTFIT! Handsome Man!
LYRICS! Sex - - - The 1975
NOTES! <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

KC liked these extra events when she was able to work them. It wasn’t always the case and back when she’d had that broken foot, it really hadn’t been possible. She’d not been given a walking cast so she’d been left sitting at the information and security desk, pointing their patrons down the correct hallways, to the right exhibits. She had actually missed the tours while she couldn’t lead them and pouted that it was unfair. But she couldn’t do the walking tours on crutches, hell she could barely get from her chair to the break room in one piece. She lost count how many times one of the security guards offered to carry her! She was thankful that those months were long gone and she’d been able to get back to the tours. She loved the school tours, all the questions the young students had, the bright eyes. Some of the others couldn’t stand the school trips and KC understood why but she was hyper and despite the skyscraper heels she wore, she could keep up with them, throwing in little facts that couldn’t be found by asking Siri or Google. She got insider information by asking the artists themselves, talking to them and laughing with them while they were in during the set up and negotiations. And in all honesty, she would much rather deal with the children more than the artists sometimes. She never wanted to grow up and become that jaded and irritable with the world. It really wasn’t that bad and that wasn’t rose coloured glasses talking either.

The kids made her laugh when she was walking around with them, telling them what they were looking at. As the saying went, kids said the darnedest things. Whoever said it first wasn’t wrong, they certainly did. And it kept KC entertained but it was still nice to have nights like this one where there was adult conversation, no one pointing out silly things like the kids did because the adults liked to pretend they knew everything. KC had found herself fighting back laughter when someone at one of these events said the wrong thing at the wrong time and it was just terribly funny but so completely ignorant. And because these people were usually the ones that footed the bill for a new exhibit, she had to keep her mouth shut whilst they were still around so she could keep her job and keep the money flowing. It was fine really, because once they said their farewell’s, KC and the rest sat around and shared their similar stories from the night. It was their time to unwind before they had to return the next day and strip it all down to make it an exhibit once again.

Normally, she would have talked Dawson into making an appearance but he wasn’t in town and she couldn’t be with him. It was surprisingly difficult to date a man not in college still like she was. He didn’t have classes anymore so meeting up on campus rarely happened, plus after he graduated, he ran off to explore the world and though she had followed for a time, she didn’t exactly have the option to stay away. She needed to go back to school. She wanted to go back to school. KC had a plan and she wasn’t going to rework that plan to suit a man, even if she was crazy about him. School had been a priority long before she’d even considered New York, long before she’d known what she really wanted to be when she grew up. But she was brushing all her thoughts, disappointments and everything else aside for the night so her mind would be on the exhibit and their guests. She arrived early so she would have some time before they all started showing up to get herself focused and so she could have some time to read over the pamphlets one more time. She knew them inside and out but it never hurt. “Hey, Spence, thank you, I was trying my hand at something else.” She joked. She wasn’t one for pastel colours and this peach dress that belonged to her sister counted as something KC would never wear. That dress had Tabitha written all over it. “You’re looking quite dashing yourself. Planning on schmoozing loyal patrons out of more money?” She teased when she reached him.

Tag || spencer thane briggs
Words || 784
Clothes || Pretty Blonde
Music || Peter Pan -Kelsea Ballerini
Notes || <3

[spencer thane briggs]

Spencer had been part of the Whitney for a while now. He considered it more than a stepping stone in his career if he was honest and he hoped the board saw that, too. He was committed to improving things there, making his own mark on the museum and gallery before whatever happened that saw him move on to newer pastures. Spencer did hope that there would soon be a day when his life would exist a little further beyond the doors of that stunning building. Lately he felt like he was taking more and more of his work home with him and it wasn’t what he wanted. A few e-mails, one or two jobs that could be done at his home desktop while he nursed a strong drink and tucked into his take out dinner – that was fine – it was the early hours when he was crawling into bed alone and still counting figures that had him questioning it all. He was twenty-nine, fast approaching thirty, and he wanted to have more in his life than a career he was proud of. Spencer could see he was becoming fast consumed by it though and that was something he needed to put an end to.

He would make a start on doing that once this night was over. This evening needed to go well before Spencer could worry about the other areas of his life. There was a lot resting on this, just like there always was whenever they opened their doors and tried to get donations from the loyal patrons who had more money than sense most of the time. Spencer had spent most of his life around them whenever he was at home in New Zealand. His parents knew plenty of people who could fit into that box and they frequently baffled Spencer. However, he had been raised well enough to hold back his bemusement and instead offer up a polite smile and usually a charming comment to bring about a small chuckle. It worked better than asking if people were completely insane and he actually wanted to keep his job at the end of it all.

“I bet you’re just glad to be out of the usual name tag.” He teased, knowing how that felt. It hadn’t been too long ago that he had worked that job, showing people around and answering questions about the art displays like he had a personal relationship with the artist. Sometimes it was draining, especially when people who clearly weren’t interested had been dragged along by someone who was. “Well, someone has to. And if I don’t then the powers that be might start questioning why they hired me in the first place.” He fiddled with his shirt collar and then sighed. “Who know who you’ll be calling boss then.” He added with a small raise of his eyebrows. Spencer still had a lot to prove, or at least that was how he felt. He wasn’t about to slack off just in case someone did think they had made a mistake putting someone so young in such a position of power. “Time’s getting on. Better make sure everything is how it should be.” One thing out of place could ruin this whole evening and Spencer could honestly do without that hassle.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson
WORDS! 558!
OUTFIT! Handsome Man!
LYRICS! Sex - - - The 1975
NOTES! <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

KC actually loved her job even though she did complain about the dress code and the fact that when she'd had that broken leg of hers no one would let her lift a finger away from the information desk. She loved art, getting to know the more intimate details of a piece or an artist. For her, it was fun. But she knew for others, it was practically life or death or something so stressful, they'd rather not think about it or even something not worth thinking about at all. This particular art wasn't what she wanted to do with the rest of her life but she could appreciate it all the more because of what her heart was set on. Her life wouldn't revolve around the museum entirely, in a couple years this would become a place she visited and not one she saw regularly, though she did plan on basing herself in New York. Hollywood might be the capital for what she wanted to do with her life but it definitely wasn't her home. New York had quickly become that for her within a few short months of being in the city. She never wanted to go back to Arizona permanently. It had barely been a home for here when she'd been growing up. Her sister sticking with her throughout everything she ever "did wrong" in their mother's eyes, her father letting her do all the reckless things she did as a child and teenager and all the friends she'd made, going out to climb were the only things that made being in the damn state bearable for KC.

Once she'd left, she'd been pleased as punch to get away and knew without a doubt that even if New York hadn't called to her the way it had, she still wouldn't have returned to Arizona. It just wasn't for her. Thankfully there were so many things in New York that made her happy and so many things she'd yet to experience that she didn't want to leave. The people she'd met, the friends she'd made were all part of the reason she wasn't going anywhere, too. These people tonight though, were not people KC usually associated with outside of work. And even then, it was only during special events like these that she had to rub elbows with them. She was one of the luckier ones though, able to make small talk and move through the room easily enough. She knew there would be others there tonight who would most likely break out in a cold sweat and need to be rescued more than once throughout the night.

"I happen to rock that silver plated nametag, thank you very much!" KC informed him as if she was annoyed anyone would think otherwise. It was all part of the fun of being able to joke around with the people you worked with. With a sigh, KC stepped forward and corrected the mess Spencer made of his tie. "I can shmooze with the best of them and I know quite a bit about this place. Who says it won't be me?" She teased, pretending to think about it for a second. "On second thought, all that paperwork would ruin my nails. Best you keep the gig. Just don't touch that tie again, got it? I'm not spending the entire night trying to make you look presentable." She said, wiping at invisible dirt on his shoulder. "How's it going to look if your employee keeps cleaning you up, hm?" She teased, brushing her hands together. Her only issue with nights like these were that little detail that she couldn't dress the way she normally would. The patrons wanted polished and business, cocktail even; they didn't want what KC was normally rocking; which was why she habitually dipped into her sister's wardrobe for something to wear. "I'll check over the food and drinks. See if I can't hide a bottle of Sambuca for after." She added with a wink. Knowing full well how terrible she was being at the moment.

Tag || spencer thane briggs
Words || 678
Clothes || Pretty Blonde
Music || Peter Pan -Kelsea Ballerini
Notes || <3

[dawson trent naylor]

Dawson had loved the time since his graduation. He had done all the things he loved all over the country, and even outside of it! His sports and hobbies were a huge part of his life even when he had been a student, and they were something he didn’t want to let go of until his body literally couldn’t handle another minute more of them. It had been incredibly freeing to travel around with some of his oldest friends, hit courses and slopes, party on beaches and eventually just sleep in because it was what they all needed. He had missed KC when she hadn’t been out there with him and he had tried his best to keep in touch but there were places without Wi-Fi or just moments when he had been awful at keeping the time if they had promised to skype or call each other then. None of it had been deliberate, but Dawson hadn’t gone away with the intention of hurting her or harming their relationship. If his buddies had gone out to hook up, he had stayed in their lodging or just kept himself busy shooting pool instead of flirting with the local girls. Dawson had made that mistake of infidelity in his past and it wasn’t one he wanted to repeat again.

His travels had wrapped up a few weeks early after one of his friends blew out his knee in a Parkour accident. Instead of calling KC and letting her know Dawson decided to surprise her. He got back after the sun had set, but he stopped off at his apartment first just because he had left the city with too much stuff and was returning with at least another two more duffel bags full. It was a lot to carry about. He just dumped it all in his hallway and then headed right back out again, taking the time to walk to KC’s apartment. He needed the walk to stretch his legs after the journey home. He still had the time off before he was due back in work at Gotham, but he’d probably need that to unpack and settle back in to city life. So much of his time away had been spent in tents and out in the backwoods of nowhere! When he got to KC’s it was Tabitha who opened the door and told him where he could find his girlfriend. He was a little disappointed that she wasn’t at hope, but gate crashing a fancy event in his jeans sounded like it could be fun.

Dawson had to do a bit of explaining when he got to the gallery so he could get inside. Thankfully the doorman was a romantic! It took him a few minutes to locate his girlfriend, but when he did confusion washed over him. KC was there where he was expecting her to be, but she was fixing another man’s tie, smiling as she brushed down his clothes. He moved closer slowly, eavesdropping on the conversation to try to figure out what the hell was going on! When she mentioned Sambuca and winked, his mind went to places it shouldn’t and all forms of rational thought went out of the window. He lunged forward and threw a punch at the mystery man, his hand cracking as he made contact with the guy’s jaw. “That’s my fucking girlfriend, asshole!” He shouted in blind rage, throwing himself at the man again until they were both on the floor, Dawson lifting his arm up for another blow.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson & spencer thane briggs (!)
WORDS! 569!
OUTFIT! Travelling Trouble!
LYRICS! End of All Things - - - Panic At The Disco
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

KC was upset that she couldn't continue to run around with Dawson and pretend she didn't have a care in the world but she did. She was still in school and she was still at the museum, too. Spencer let her get away with a lot but she also knew what she was talking about and she made sure she worked her ass off to catch up on what she missed when she did take time off. It didn't happen all that often so she was usually allowed the time off. She had even shown up for every shift with a broken leg! She hadn't been allowed to get up from the security desk and was instead delegated to directing people to the exhibits they were looking for or a couple times, a good place to grab a meal. KC hadn't minded so much but she had missed walking around and seeing the exhibits herself. She loved answering the questions that were asked of her about the art and the museum. Being asked questions like where the nearest McDonald's was, wasn't appealing. Thank god that was long over and she never intended to get hurt like that again.

Tonight there was no way she would be getting herself hurt. Not unless the stuffy rich people invited to this shindig were into pushing blonde tour guides around. Thankfully, KC knew quite a few of the people invited to the evening, spent a lot of time showing them around the latest exhibits and answering the questions they had. And secretly wishing they were smarter than the group of fifth graders she'd taken around during the school tours the whole time. With any luck though, she'd be able to move through the crowd without being stopped too many times to talk and maybe have a few minutes breather with the group from the museum. As much as she enjoyed these special nights, she really loved the decompressing over a bottle afterwards, when their jobs were done. The caterers and the cleaners would have the place looking like nothing bad happened there by morning and they would be able to get on with their work just like any other day. Maybe just with a slight headache, aversion to sunlight and the requirement of a caffeine drip.

Sambuca wouldn't have been KC bottle of choice of course, and everyone who knew her knew that about her. But it was cheaper than the tequila she liked to toss back on her nights out. And it was something she knew the caterers kept though KC seriously wondered why. Then again, she had never been fond of licorice in general. She was barely five feet away from her boss when heard the crack of bone against bone and someone yelling. She spun, taking in the scene and only having a split second to figure out what the hell was going on. "Dawson?" She asked, genuinely shocked and she quickly moved back to her boyfriend and her boss, completely stunned. "What the hell are you doing, that's my boss!" She said, clamping a hand down on Dawson's clenched fist. She knew she was probably going to end up on the floor if he followed through but it was a price she was willing to pay.

Tag || spencer thane briggs
Words || 546
Clothes || Pretty Blonde
Music || Peter Pan -Kelsea Ballerini
Notes || <3

[dawson trent naylor]

Dawson wasn’t really a fan of the art exhibitions or the events KC worked. He had tagged along to a few in the role of good, supportive boyfriend, but he was beyond relived when it came time to leave. He didn’t have a clue what people were on about when they spoke of colour hues and how it brought out different emotions on the canvas. It was paint. It was an image. Or in some cases it was slapdash art he was fairly certain he had done when he was six and stuck inside on a bad weather day. Still, people went crazy for that stuff. People thought he was insane for wanting to jump off buildings or scale mountains, but they should look at the people who would pay thousands for something that looked like spilt coffee and ketchup. They were the real sorts who needed to lay down on a shrink’s couch and have their heads examined. Dawson, however, had been raised by good people and kept those thoughts to himself. His mother would fly to New York and slap him around the head if she so much as thought he was saying such things out loud.

He was typically a laidback guy who could let most things go over his head. People could scream and shout at him and if it wasn’t personal he could handle it with a cool attitude. Sure, he was able to see red like most people, but those moments were rare. He’d stand up for his friends and had intervened plenty of times on a night out before things got out of hand, but mostly Dawson was the king of comedy and music. He was lighthearted and energetic. He motivated friends when they were down and usually had his name down for most of the open mic events in New York City. He was all about having a good time, be it with scuffed knees and a few bruises, or a song and a drink.

He didn’t expect his attempt to surprise KC to involve a fight, or even include him losing his temper. He thought it would be full of hugs, kisses and teasing comments about how he was going to steal her away from the boring people at the event. Instead he was on the ground ready to smash the face in of some guy who he didn’t even know. KC’s words registered along with her touch, just before he could smash his fist down again. The realisation did not cool his temper, but it did give him pause before he continued to brawl like some possessive thug. Maybe he had spent a little too much time in male company over the last few months. “Why the hell were you all over him?” He asked loudly, still on the floor, but twisting his head to look at KC. His anger wasn’t at her, but worry was. If leaving for a few months was going to push her towards someone else, he wouldn’t have stayed away so long. He thought they were doing alright as a couple! He thought she knew he was coming back to her, and he had called as much as a spotty cell phone reception had allowed him to. Spencer, meanwhile was still pinned on the floor, and he was hesitant to move in case this man – KC’s boyfriend it seemed – launched at him with fists again. His jaw burnt from the last punch, throbbing enough to tell him it was going to be purple before the end of the evening. He really didn’t want to be in the middle of a domestic. He’d had enough crazy relationship drama for a lifetime.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson & spencer thane briggs (!)
WORDS! 617!
OUTFIT! Travelling Trouble!
LYRICS! End of All Things - - - Panic At The Disco
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

KC had never been able to lie very well with only a few exceptions. She could lie to her mother as easily as breathing and she could tell half truths to Tabs to keep her from freaking out when she went off abseiling or rock climbing or bungee jumping. Those were easy half truths to tell because they were to protect Tabs from having a heart attack at a young age. Not that she won the award for lying twin. KC hadn't kept a pregnancy and a baby from Tabs but Tabitha had done exactly that to KC. And still KC managed to forgive Tabitha the second her blue eyes landed on that sweet little niece of hers. KC would continue to do whatever she could for the toddler that stormed into her life unexpectedly but she also had a life of her own to lead and as much as she wanted to spend her night curled up with the three year old watching children's television, she had a job to do to pay for said entertainment.

And KC loved her job. She got to surround herself with fantastic art, great people and interested children looking to see what's so special about art. It wasn't where she wanted to end up but it would keep her sane until she found real work in the film industry. A filmmaker was her final occupational destination and she wouldn't stop until she could proudly say she was a director. She wanted Dawson by her side when that happened but she also knew that college relationships didn't always last. She didn't want that to be the case for her and Dawson but KC couldn't predict the future any easier than she could predict the weather or when she would hear from the man himself next. She got it, he needed to spread his wings, explore and all of that. She would want the same thing for herself and she would have continued on his travels with him except she still had work and her short films to edit for the next term. Not to mention that short summer programme she signed up for to giver herself a leg up in the industry.

She didn’t expect Dawson to be anywhere near New York for a little while yet. So seeing him barrel into her boss like that left her completely stunned. And his reasoning for it all made her want to laugh. Spencer was the puppet master, pulling the strings to being in the donations. KC was just another pretty smile full of knowledge should someone venture to ask a question and Spencer wasn't around. And that meant he had to look his best. A tie even slightly askew wasn't Whitney best and just wouldn't do. As for the alcohol well, after boring nights like these the entire staff needed to unwind and emptying a bottle between the lot of them was exactly how they did that. KC shook her head, trying and failing to hide the soft smile in her lips. "Oh, He-Man." she said in a sigh before shaking her head once again. "I am the cute but ultimately useless sidekick here. Spencer is the man of the hour and needs to look his best to get the donations to roll in. I may as well be Alfred because someone has to fix that damn tie of his. And you could fight him to the death over my hand but then you'd end up in prison and I'm not about to start conjugal visits. And after that stunt, I doubt he'd want me anyway." she said, attempting to pull Dawson up to his feet with little success. Another sigh and shake of her head saw KC turning her attention to the other man on the floor, the one holding her job in his hands. "Please tell me I still have a job after this." she asked, biting her bottom lip nervously.

Tag || spencer thane briggs & dawson trent naylor
Words || 65
Clothes || Pretty Blonde
Music || Peter Pan -Kelsea Ballerini
Notes || <3

[dawson trent naylor]

Dawson was an honest guy. When he had met KC, he fancied her, and he made it very clear when he burst into her class armed with his guitar and ready to do what he had to do to prove he was worth her while. If he had a problem with someone he typically went ahead and confronted them straight away with it. He wasn’t the type to let something stew and simmer. He wanted to have answers and results as quickly as possible, and that meant dealing with things as soon as they happened. He was an impatient guy, and that spread through every part of his life, from the fun and playful side to the rare moments when he was serious and frank with people. For all his light hearted jokes and attitude, Dawson did wear his emotions quite openly. He didn’t see the point in bottling things up and hiding things when they would only explode eventually and cause more trouble further down the line.

It was why he never suspected any problems between himself and KC. He had no issues with her and he knew she was the type to come out and tell him straight if she had a problem with him. Every chance he had while he had been away he had called and reminded her how much he missed her, and told her that when he got back he was going to kidnap her away and not let her out of his sight for a weekend so he could simply begin to make up for their time apart. Dawson didn’t regret going on his trip after graduation, but he missed KC all the same. It had been something he had always wanted to do, and something he needed to do. It had been an absolute blast, but he was still allowed to have moments when he wished KC was there with him, to join him on the slopes or the rocks, or even just to tell her about the adventure he had that day.

Dawson didn’t plan to get in a fight the same day he got back to surprise KC. It wasn’t like he went around throwing punches at random people who looked at his girlfriend. Normally he handled things like that better, and just ignored it unless they stepped up and actually bothered KC beyond what she herself could take care of. Dawson knew his girlfriend was tough and independent, so he didn’t swoop in to rescue her from every incident because he was very aware that she could take care of herself. It was one of the things he found incredibly attractive about her. Dawson stumbled up to his feet and shook his hair from his eyes. “You – You looked cosy. I…I came back to surprise you, but, you looked happy with him.” Dawson was still confused about everything, but he trusted KC and knew she wouldn’t lie to him. If she had met someone while he was away, then she’d tell him. That much he believed. Spencer, meanwhile, had also pushed himself to his feet, but had made certain to put some distance between himself and this strange man, gesturing to security to keep back, that it was alright. He didn’t want any more of a scene to be made. “You’re fine.” He reassured KC with a short nod, pressing his hand to his aching jaw. “But maybe you two want to go somewhere and….talk, or something.” He suggested, thinking that the quicker they were gone, the quicker the whispers and commotion would die down and the night could continue as he had hoped.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson & spencer thane briggs (!)
WORDS! 611!
OUTFIT! Travelling Trouble!
LYRICS! End of All Things - - - Panic At The Disco
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

KC actually liked these event nights, despite having to borrow her sister's tamer clothing. It was asking a lot of the fiery blonde to tone it down while she was working in the requested uniform colours. At least it wasn't a real uniform and she could put together her own choices. If she were being perfectly honest, KC didn't know how long she would have lasted if there had been a real uniform. These nights where she was required to dress as though she'd be on page six, rubbing elbows with the rich and infamous New Yorkers who donated more money than they had brains irritated her only because she couldn't wear her own clothes. She was not upper crust, designer digs. She was band tees and ripped skinny jeans. Her dresses were completely inappropriate for work and she wasn't about to spend a ton of money on a dress she would wear once because those people always remembered a dress.

The feisty blonde had only been thinking about impressing the fancy people there for the night and sitting back afterwards with the group from the museum, there to entertain and answer questions about the upcoming exhibits over drinks. Nothing more than that. She just happened to be the one with the in with the catering staff that had been hired for the night; she'd hired them as part of her duties for this evenings event. She had made sure to ask them to stock the bars a little too well and added a well-deserved bonus for them for doing so. These events weren't exactly her favourites. KC preferred to guide the kids through the halls and exhibits, hear their ideas before telling them if they were close or not and putting their inquisitive minds to rest for a short time. The adults just wanted to know that their money was going towards something they could put their name on and nothing more. They could frame and show Mrs Petrie's fourth-grade class's finger paintings and provided there was a sign that said "sponsored by so and so", it would be good enough.

She also hadn't thought anything about fixing her boss's tie for him or suggesting she be the one to hide their group's liquor bottles for later because she'd done it before and would probably do it again. KC had been and still was very secure in her relationship with Dawson. She wasn't the type to take her time getting to a point. She said it and then sat back and wondered if she should have maybe been a little less blunt. "Yeah, well, I like him well enough. He's a great boss but I happen to be in love with an idiot and Spencer is not that idiot." She teased him with a smile. He was her boss and she considered him a friend but she felt and believed he was on the same page, that they were friends only. She had Dawson, despite her overwhelming urge to hit him at the moment and Spencer, well, she didn't know who he had but he'd never crossed a line with her. KC turned to Spencer with a relieved smile and a quick nod. "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow." She rushed, grabbing Dawson's hand and tugging him through the entry and out the door. She stopped finally on the sidewalk and spun around to face her boyfriend once more. "You're an absolute idiot, you know that?" She asked with a shake of her head.

Tag || spencer thane briggs & dawson trent naylor
Words || 585
Clothes || Pretty Blonde
Music || Peter Pan -Kelsea Ballerini
Notes || <3

[dawson trent naylor]

Dawson had never been the suit and tie type. He was thrilled to have a job in the city that was happy enough to have him come in wearing jeans and a t-shirt – so long as they weren’t stained or offensive. He could never see himself working in an office with a strict dress code, or frequently going to formal events where the catering probably cost as much as a year’s rent. He wasn’t comfortable around the finery of it all. He had grown up in a house where the kids had broken the stair railing along with several vases and gifted ornaments (two of which his mother hadn’t been so angry about). He was very much a pair of old jeans and a faded shirt most days, and honestly Dawson loved it that way. He liked having his shoes worn in enough that they were comfy and just right for him. He preferred the used and worn to the splendour of riches that most formal events tried to show off. He was all for funding a good cause, but he didn’t understand why his outfit choices contributed to the matter. As it followed, he also couldn’t understand why the art events KC helped put on were so formal when most people who went to museums and galleries were tourists who were often dressed as stereotypical tourists!

Alas, he loved KC, so he didn’t question it when she mentioned some grand opening or show that was being run. It was her area of expertise after all – Dawson's was climbing walls and jumping rooftops. They were opposing worlds that they thrived in, yet they had plenty in common. They both loved adventure and Dawson did wish that she could have joined him when he went away with his friends. There had been so many experiences that he knew KC would have loved. Instead he had made a promise to himself that he would take her to the best of them, let her see the things he had seen. It had been so incredible and he wanted to share that with her someday. He’d wait until she had the time to escape the city, when her classes were over and her job didn’t mind her skipping out for a week or two. Dawson was fortunate in that Gotham didn’t mind him taking unpaid time off so long as it wasn’t a regular request. He worked for an awesome bunch of people and when he was in the city he was dedicated to proving to them that he wasn’t an idiot who didn’t know he had it good. He was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life and in no rush to make that decision. He was happy with everything he had right now, and Gotham was definitely a part of that.

Dawson felt awkward after what had happened, but he still had some of that possessive adrenaline coursing through his veins. “I don’t know! You missed the last two calls I tried, and then I was out of range for you to reply – I got the messages when we were coming back into some small town with semi-decent cell service, by the way.” He paused for breath. “Anything could happen...and he was a good looking guy!” He knew he had been a grade-a idiot, but he was also madly in love with the woman at his side. He would swim oceans and climb mountains for her if he had to. Grinning, he turned back to KC. “Or maybe I’m just a fool for you.” He teased before grabbing her around the waist and spinning her around. It had been so long since he had been able to touch her in anyway. Now he didn’t want to let go.

• • •

TAGGED! KC Evania Patterson & spencer thane briggs (!)
WORDS! 868!
OUTFIT! Travelling Trouble!
LYRICS! End of All Things - - - Panic At The Disco
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[KC Evania Patterson]

KC had never been the type to shy away from a problem or a dare. Statistically speaking, she should have died a hundred times already with all the ridiculous and crazy things she agreed to do. She went abseiling down the sides of buildings and side of cliffs and climbed mountains and those same cliffs both with and without harnesses and had no issues. In all the years of participating in these hobbies, she'd only broken one bone and that had been the recent one when she'd been on that trip with Dawson. All things considered, it was a fucking excellent record. It all meant, however, that she was not shy and would speak up when something wasn't going her way and she didn't like it. She was only a tour guide at the Whitney. For her, it wasn't a lifetime gig. She wanted to be a film director, shoot the indie movies that made her feel something. None of that could be done while she was working at the Whitney but that tour guide job was what paid her bills, kept her in better food than ramen noodles and gave her something to tell her mother that didn't include her plans to be a starving artist for the rest of her life. Her mother expected her girls to have respectable jobs, find nice men to settle down with a raise sweet, little babies.

KC wanted all those things but she was still so young and was absolutely not ready for any of it. She wanted the handsome man to be Dawson, she wanted those sweet but evil little babies to look like their messy-haired father, she wanted that respectable job to be as a film director where she could show the world what meant so much to her. There was still so much time, she was still so young and she needed to figure her life out before she took any more steps towards that future. Just because her parents were young when they found each other didn't mean the rest of the world needed to walk down the same path. Besides which, KC could do that math, they weren't KC's age when they had her and her sister. They were nearly thirty when they turned two into four. No, KC was happy how things were right then. Next steps could wait until they were ready. Until then, she had everything she needed right there on that street corner. "It's a good thing I'm very good at my job or you'd be forced to take care of me until I found another one that would put up with me. And we both know I have a thing for shoes, eating my weight in tacos and drinking the same in coffee." She teased, pulling Dawson's head down enough to kiss him. She really did love this man; even if he was ridiculously jealous over nothing.

She pulled back a second or two later and slapped him playfully in the shoulder. "Did you honestly think if this weren't working out for me anymore, that I'd ghost you? I have a little more respect for you and this relationship than that." KC said, pausing for just a second to let that settle in. "I'd break up with you in a text message." She added a second later with a grin that she couldn't and hadn't even bothered to hide. Happy that Dawson was back, despite nearly getting canned for his return, KC snuggled in close, rubbing her cheek against his chest; as if she were making sure that he was real despite the fight that just broke out. "Come on. I want to go somewhere with you." She said, stepping back but keeping her hand in Dawson's. She had a plan in mind but she needed to make a phone call before it would work. She pulled her phone free and dialed up a number she knew by heart. The other end picked up almost immediately and KC smiled. "Hello, darling. I need a favour." She started, looking up into Dawson's eyes. "Can you leave the side door open for me? I'll need a couple of hours." She said laughing when her request was met with an instant of course. She wanted to surprise Dawson with a little trip down memory lane; see if he remembered the first time they ever met.

♦ ♦ ♦

TAG; dawson trent naylor
WORDS; 730
LYRICS; Peter Pan --Kelsea Ballerini
NOTES; <3