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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 5, 2020 19:13:38 GMT -8
Vesta Coffee was a small operation with a spartan modern chic to its decor, and stellar ratings on its own brand of beans. Located of the 159 in the downtown of Las Vegas, it was a tight area to eat food for those not on the go, but Anthony more than recommended the siren's call of avocado toast and breakfast tacos. Ivory 's legal son rolled up with his graduation present, dialing the meter code into his phone. He was dressed in a light grey hoody with a blue and white plaid shirt, hair not as meticulous as usual and starting to look like it needed a cut under the burgundy beanie. It seemed hand-stitched, though not by someone experienced.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 5, 2020 20:56:42 GMT -8
"Abigail's" familiar BMW pulled up at the appointed time.
She exited her vehicle, dressed casual. Well for her. Cream denim pants paired worn with a silver leather jacket and navy top. White sneakers and a slim brown clutch in her right hand completed the image of comfortable chic as the hidden dragon settled her meter.
Entering Vesta, Ivory took off her dark aviator sunglasses and looked around. It took her a moment to find her boy. His look was different, but Ivory didn't hate it.
"Hey!" she said, approaching for a hug. If Anthony reciprocated she would hug him a little tighter than usual. A glance moved to the poorly knitted cap, as Ivory's brows raised lightly in interest and a smirk hit her lips. "Coffee first?"
Approaching the bar, Ivory would easily eye a selection that peaked her interest. Vesta Coffee had a few interesting specialties. And Ivory was intrigued by one of them. Fishing out one of her cards as her turn came around, she offered the barista a smile.
"I'll take a Macadamia-Almond Latte, please," Ivory requested as she thumbed to Anthony, "I got his too."
Anthony may be out of the house, but he was still Ivory's kid... and now he was a college kid. Had to help him with the aesthetic somehow. As for the barista? She got a nice tip.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 6, 2020 14:16:22 GMT -8
Hug is accepted. Without the crowd of other students she even makes it out without the bro-pat. "Glad to see you!"
As Ivory talks to the barista, Anthony offers a familiar thin smile that indicated he's equally thankful, but also annoyed. The freshman couldn't deny gifts were rad, even little ones, but he was at a point where buying his own drink was a momentary assertion of his independence. He would grow out of it eventually and recognize that these exchanges were normal and not a power struggle, or at least Ivory could reassure herself that.
"Matcha Latte, thanks." Anthony fishes out his own tip, and upon realizing he didn't have change, flushed and dropped the entire 20 in the jar.
His hand creeps to the beanie, "Um, what about it?"
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 6, 2020 14:29:46 GMT -8
The drinks in hand Ivory is more than happy to find a place to seat herself, choosing a small table.
"Hmm?" she offers as Anthony seems to get slightly defensive, "Oh! Nothing. It's a good look, actually. A friend make it for you?"
She settles in, turning of her cellphone's volume and tucking it away in her jacket. This was about being with Anthony, the rest could wait. Then Ivory raises her mug, taking in that first sip. An expression of pleased surprise hit her face for a moment as she drank.
"Fuck that's good," she says, keeping her voice low enough so as not to disturb the other patrons.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 6, 2020 15:31:37 GMT -8
Anthony gives a small, nervous laugh, looking momentarily embarrassed as he becomes self aware. "Yeah, actually!" He settles in himself, lapsing back into routine of having a hot drink with a family member.
"I didn't expect her to be into knitting? Oh- Serena. She hangs out with Wendy, the vice president," he adds, realizing as he spoke what it meant to be quiet for over a month. He wipes the green foam off his lip, surprised himself.
"Team recommended it. I think Derek works here..." His head swivels around like he was looking for the excuse to tag him in. "How was the party? What have you been up to?" There was the barest pauses, but it was a pause.
"Meet anyone?"
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 6, 2020 21:15:17 GMT -8
A smile hits Ivory's features as Amthony seemed to settle back in, granting a glimpse of himself more in line with old memories.
"Serena, huh?" she said, "Just a friend or...?"
A mischievous glint hit the dragon's eyes, her eyebrows raising with some interest.
Then came the mention of a vice president and a team...
"The Student Union, right? How's that going? I remember you saying you were doing stuff with them," she mentioned. Then came Anthony's own questions.
"The party was good. An old friend put it together so... it was nice to reconnect," Ivory answered, there wasn't a reason to overly explain, "Other than that? Getting the properties set up with property management, paperwork, boring adult shit?"
The last words were said with a slight smile.
Ivory's look softened at the final utterance, her eyes resting on Anthony's features for a long moment. Leaning in, Ivory would extend her free hand, patting Anthony's forearm as her expression offered reassurance.
"Not yet," she answered, retracting her hand from his arm. Might be too cool for that now. The thought was an amusing one, but now was not a time for jokes. "but I am getting out of the house. I have the time now."
I'm remembering my promise, kiddo.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 6, 2020 22:57:30 GMT -8
He balks a bit at the question of the knitter, "Woah, we just met. She's cool, though." His hands drum the table momentarily, jumping to the out she offered,
"Makes me feel like I have an impact, even if it's small?" he explained, not embarrassed this time, more proud he was learning something about himself. From Ivory's memory he had never shown any shred of interest in the news or politics in high school.
He frowns momentarily at her statement about having time. "Cool. Was that...Evelyn?" It was surprising he knew her name.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
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Post by Ivory on Sept 6, 2020 23:11:35 GMT -8
Ivory smiles as Anthony speaks of Serena, eyes glancing briefly to the jumping hand.
Some interest?
Then comes the statement regarding his want to contribute. Ivory's smile widened. She was proud of Anthony and it showed in her face.
"I'm happy to hear that," she offers, her tone encouraging, "What have you been doing? Any specific, uh, projects? Or initiatives?"
Some interest colored her face. Ivory was never a politician herself, but that didn't mean she had no interest in politics.
A glimmer of concern hits her face as Anthony frowns, but its swiftly replaced with faint surprise as he speaks of Evelyn.
"Mhmm," she answered, "You remember her?"
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Post by Krakenbox on Sept 7, 2020 21:31:48 GMT -8
"Right now? Mostly just organizing events," he admitted. "Wendy's intense, though. She's already got all these spreadsheets and research about how a lot of the student fees aren't being utilized properly and is pushing for more inclusive scholarships that aren't..." he zoned out, trying to remember a topic that was so far out of his ballpark, but he clearly found inspired enough to pay attention, "Umm, gated by income?"
Anthony nodded, not looking directly at her as he sipped, "Yeah I saw the invite. She was around when dad was alive...? She never talked to me but she seemed to be a little nosey. What made you guys friends?"
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 7, 2020 22:07:30 GMT -8
"Oh, I see. To provide more accessibility for more students or...?" she asked. It was a noble goal and Ivory thought it was sweet for Anthony to consider.
As Anthony averted his gaze, the glimmer of concern returned.
"She was," she answered, "She visited often remember? And we visited her."
Ivory's hand ventured forward for a moment towards Anthony's, before she hesitated and pulled it back. She doubted he would welcome the touch. It was clear he was struggling with something.
"Anthony..." she said, a gentle motherly tone entering her voice, "Do you remember the talk your dad and I had with you? About love?"
She hoped the gentle prod would be enough, but somehow she knew it would not be. Anthony was surrounded by other people now, most of whom were unlikely to think as Ivory and Pendragon did. And it was clear he may have grown uncomfortable with the idea of his parents' polyamory.
"If she seemed nosey, its probably because she wanted to get to know you," she mused.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 7, 2020 22:32:48 GMT -8
"Yeah, she has this conspiracy theory," he chuckles, "That like, the only reason those special scholarships exist is so the university can virtue signal, but not actually nut up when it comes to making the country more educated." He was mixing his own jargon with the new—Wendy was clearly a new major influence.
About Evelyn, he mulled it over, being careful with her own feelings. "Not me. I think she got that I wasn't in the equation and respect that. She was nosy about people you guys found important, or interesting," he explained. "I get that she's sort of your girlfriend. I think? Or just someone you party with?" It had clearly been on his mind, and maybe it took the whole month to get up the nerve to ask.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 8, 2020 15:11:28 GMT -8
A look of interest glimmers across Ivory's features as Anthony relays Wendy's thoughts.
"Sounds like a smart girl," she says, "I think it has less to do with virtue signaling and more about subscribing to a detrimental system that uses students as a system of profit."
Then a shrug.
"Something you'll find is that it's easier for people to stick by old systems rather than acknowledging their faults and working to fix them," she offered, laying a simple lesson down, "Most people don't like being uncomfortable, you know?"
The issue wasn't one that Ivory or Anthony needed to worry about in regards to Anthony's education, but it was important to the Fairest to show that she understood Anthony's interest and why he was becoming more passionate about things. Plus, maybe it would encourage Anthony to keep his friendship with Wendy. She sounded like a good influence.
Back to the subject of Evelyn, Ivory digested what her son said, nodding slowly as he spoke.
"I see... I can understand why it can come off that way," she says, "Evelyn has her own way of going through life. She has a strong interest in people and that curiosity can sometimes be... forward I think? Or do you think something else is going on?"
At the final questions of who Evelyn was to her, Ivory.
"Evelyn is someone I trust and love, she was with your father too," she says, affirming the romantic connection between Evelyn, Pendragon, and herself, "She is not a replacement for him."
"You know that I value how you feel, right?" she asks, "How long has this been bothering you, Anthony?"
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 8, 2020 18:22:46 GMT -8
Anthony shrugged, noncommittal in assigning guilt to any particular group. When Ivory lays it out in layman's terms, it seems to click better as he nodded more earnestly. He's clearly reluctant to engage the question,
"Uh...I don't know her that well. She just...I don't know, I don't want her to use you?" he flinched as he said it.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 8, 2020 19:59:48 GMT -8
Ivory remains invested, looking to Anthony as he speaks and reading his face.
Then came her revelation of Anthony's true feelings... and a reminder of her own words.
Something you'll find is that it's easier for people to stick by old systems rather than acknowledging their faults and working to fix them.
This time, the hand moved forward without hesitation, grasping Anthony's and giving it a squeeze. Her expression is almost apologetic, but determined, even if it did bear a hint of guilt.
"I will never let that happen," she says, "You are too important to me, okay?"
Ivory was confident Evelyn cared for Anthony. The agreement had long been to keep it clear that Pendragon and Ivory were his guardians, but maybe it was time to change that. In order for them to work, Anthony needed to know she cared about him too. Polyamorous or not, her lovers were joining a family unit and they needed to understand that... or move on. Expecting them to become a den of mothers and fathers was ridiculous, but if they were willing to love her, but not at least acknowledge and get to know her son, was it really a relationship of trust? Was it a relationship at all?
She and Evelyn would talk. They needed to. Because this fault was on Ivory and she needed to fix it. And it would help to have Evelyn's support in setting things straight.
"I mean it," she affirms, "I love you, kid."
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Sept 10, 2020 22:20:39 GMT -8
He blinks, confused, "Um, I'm worried about you, but thanks...? Love you too."
Anthony shrugged, a little embarrassed but still appreciative. "You keep describing the fact that you mourned your husband as, I dunno, not that? You talk about 'having the time now.' Is there like a thing where your friends didn't get it?"
His tone was more on the level of a protective younger sibling. He had noticed the self-imposed isolation and the distinct lack of concerned visitors; but it wasn't like the human would have any reference to the Desire Court's pressures.
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