freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie sized up the man, wondering if he knew him from somewhere. There were too many muddled memories to drudge through to spend too long thinking about it. The other didn't seem keen on giving him a hard time about drinking in the library, so he fished out his flask from his pocket again. "Hm," When the other spoke of being from a prominent family, Freddie could only be curious. "Which?" @wesxkennedy

Wesley listened to the other, nodding his head before letting out a soft sigh. "Now I get it and honestly it," he replied shaking his head in understanding. Growing up with his family, Wesley and his siblings often were forced to attend events where it was all formalities and Wes hated it and found it boring. "I can understand, growing up I was forced to attend events because my family was prominent in town and plus we own some of the largest companies and it was torture, everyone was formal and so serious. I understand you pain," he added turning to look at them. @freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie wasn't sure what he had been hoping for the man to say, but Erol's response left him wanting. Perhaps he had asked to get some direction regarding his future with Carla, perhaps it was stupid to be looking for indirect advice from a stranger in a coffee shop. He nodded slowly, nudged forward to the order counter as the person ahead of him stepped aside to pick up their coffee elsewhere. "Uh.. yeah, I guess." Not exactly a ringing endorsement for getting married.. not a cautionary tale either. Freddie shrugged a shoulder, putting his order in, his mouth feeling a bit dry. Fucking Valentine's day. He paid and shoved his money back into his pocket, giving the man a slight nod as he began to drift off the line. "Good luck on the next one?"

'What would be the point in that?' It wasn't a response he'd been expecting but it wasn't as though he knew the stranger with any degree of depth― so he wasn't altogether certain what he'd been expecting when he'd asked the question. He allowed the silence to spread between them for a moment as he shuffled forward in line and turned to glance at Freddie again. "I guess I couldn't tell you that, man. I've been married before and it didn't work out so I'm not an expert on it. It's not like it's a requirement for anything." He said with a shrug. "If you have a partner and you feel like that's the thing to do, I guess."

@freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

"Oh please." He scoffs. "I'm sure this place has seen far worse than this." He brandishes his flask for emphasis. Who did this woman think she was, passing judgment? Like she was some kind of saint. "Well, I'll pass. That's an experience I'd rather not repeat this year," he grumbled, his voice low and rough, still in denial about how serious his heart attack had been, grateful that the family had kept it all from the public. He watched Evrim carefully as she deliberated, his curiosity growing. What was she up to? Was she going to rat him out to the librarian?

"Smart choice," he muttered, his lips quirking into a half-smile. "Considering I just donated a wing."

she watches with an amused look and waits patiently for the man to collect himself. his grunt , though , causes evrim to furrow her brows. ❛ don't blame me for your antsy reaction , you're the one doing something you know you aren't supposed to. ❜ a brow arches , challengingly. it's not her fault he was caught. ❛ besides , if  i  wanted  to  give  a  man  a  heart  attack ,  this  is  not  how  i'd  do  it.  how  boring !  there's  no  creativity  here. ❜  they tsk between their teeth , thinking  about  the question  for  a  moment ,  and  it's  evident  by  the  tilting  of  her  head.  is  she  going  to  tell  the  librarian  that  a  posh - looking  man  is  drinking  in  their  library ?  well ,  if  there's  one  thing  she's  learned  about  people  who  wear  fancy  , highly tailored suits ,  they  have  enough  money  to  avoid  the  law.  ❛ no , ❜  she  ends  up  deciding  with  a  casual  tone ,  lips  pouting  outward.  ❛ not  exactly  worth  my  time.  what's  the  worst  the  old  lady  is  gonna  do ?  kick  you  out ?  like  i  said ,  you  look  like  you  do  this  often ,  so who says you haven't gotten away with it before. ❜

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie couldn't help but smirk when Carla leaned in to peck his lips. The precious warmth of her mouth lingering against his own tempted him to chase after her taste with another chaste kiss. "What would a man have to say exactly?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. With a gentle hand, Freddie lifted her chin to meet his gaze, his eyes filled with a mix of affection and uncertainty. "Cause running away with you sounds like a damn good idea," he admitted, his tone more serious than usual. Her sincerity touched him. Despite his stormy upbringing and his torrid reputation, he found himself wanting to be better for her--if that was possible. "Carla," he started, his voice wavering slightly as he swallowed his uncharacteristic nerves. "Listen… I know I haven't always been… but I want to be honest with you."

At Freddie's question, Carla lifted her torso up from the comfortable position she had previously settled in against the man, turning her head around to face him. "Oh baby, I wouldn't want to make you cry," she teased lightly as her hands lifted up to cup his cheeks, her lips pressing against his in a playful peck. "I guess you could convince me to run away with you though. Especially if we're running away to a place like this," she added. She didn't have a reason to run away, and neither a particular need to, but somewhere along the way she realized that she'd definitely be willing to leave her home behind if it meant staying with him.

[freddiefkncrane]

closed for @wesxkennedy // continued from here

Freddie replaced the cap on his flask and let out a little sigh. His solitude was ruined, but at least he hadn't been busted by the university faculty. The press would have a field day, and Nathan would throw a fit. "It's not the attention that bothers me," he admitted, tucking his flask back into its hiding place in his jacket. "It's the formalities. Everyone's so stiff. All for some scraps." He was going to give Nathan an earful for leaving him to do all this stuff; he was yearning for the warehouse.

[freddiefkncrane]

closed for @evrimaksoy // continued from here

Freddie nearly chokes on his whisky upon hearing the unfamiliar voice of a library patron, catching him in the act, so to speak. He doesn't care one iota about being found drinking in the university library; he simply loathes being snuck up on. It doesn't actually matter to him that she had apparently been there, quite settled in, before he arrived. He wipes the bit of liquor he's almost missed from the corner of his mouth, then lowers his flask but doesn't stash it away. "Trying to give a man a heart attack?" he grunts, taking no responsibility. "What? Are you going to tell the librarian on me?"

[freddiefkncrane]

Sage's curiosity was amusing to the eldest Crane sibling. Her playful questioning about Nathan and now him brought a mischievous glint to his eyes. How much could he get away with sharing without incriminating the family? Without being too flirtatious? "Unfortunately--" Freddie exhaled, leaning his elbow on the counter, closing some distance between them. "If I told you--I'd have to kill you." @sagefranklin

Sage let a soft laugh fall from her lips as she shook her head and raised an eyebrow in his direction. "You could... tell me. It's as easy as that, no one needs to know." Even though she was just teasing Freddie, she couldn't help but wonder what it was about Nathan Crane that he was hiding on the inside. She always knew there was a sense of mystery surrounding the man she wouldn't quite call a friend, yet had been just as intimate with. Taking another sip of her warming coffee, she figured she'd wait out her drink, finishing it up before she finally let the man have his peace. She'd come all this way, after all, she was at least going to entertain herself for the rest of her coffee break. "Okay, Mr. More Interesting Than My Brother, what's one more interesting thing about you."

@freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie didn't often relax, not in ways that most law-abiding people would approve of, but Carla was fairly lenient with him--based on what she knew anyhow. But this.. he could happily do more of. Freddie smirked, able to feel the teasing expression form on Carla's features even without behind able to see her eye roll in the moment. "So you wouldn't be tempted to run away with me?" he retorted, knowing full well that wasn't what she had said. And still, he sort of wanted to know if she would consider it, were he to make a serious offer. "I think you're trying to hurt my feelings."

@carlavillanueva

She'd never seen Freddie so relaxed. Even in the comfort of his home, when they were just enjoying each other's company, there was always some sort of edge around him. A notification on his phone to distract him, a phone call here and there, and he'd only be at ease when they were too occupied to care about anything else beyond each other. But here? She was very glad to see that this side of him had the potential of existing. "I'm not asking you to buy a summer house," she told him with a playful roll of her eyes. Leave it up to him to immediately jump onto grandiose ideas.

[freddiefkncrane]

closed starter (2/2) @providencepeakstarters

Location: University Library

Freddie held a false smile as he posed for yet another photo by the brand new plaque indicating the Crane family's generous donation to the university library. It was good for PR, and Freddie didn't mind an opportunity to flash a new tailored suit. He took one more photo with a group of university students who'd earned some award or something, Freddie really hadn't paid attention when they were introduced. When he could finally slip away, Freddie sighed with relief not to have to pretend pleasantries. He fished his flask out of his jacket pocket, ducking into a nearby book stack, and took a swig.

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie gnawed at the inside of his cheek. He'd blown money on more frivolous things than a private island. His own estate was full of antiques and art pieces he could hardly recall the value of. Would Carla even want something that grandiose? She was nowhere near as materialistic as he was, though she rarely said 'no' to a nice gift. But an island? The stranger's question brought him out of his own thoughts. "Me? Married?" his brows knit together. "What would be the point in that?" @eroltilki

"If you're a fuckin' millionaire, I guess," Erol said with a slow shrug. He'd still been young when he and Violet had gotten married― he'd been excited about it; elated, maybe, was a better word but it had been a humble ceremony and their honeymoon had involved spending a lot of time camping in the mountains and enjoying time together. He couldn't imagine putting together a wedding that would cost him as much as a house and expect there to be no pressure attached to that. He glanced at the man behind him with a sheepish expression, debating whether he ought to bring attention to the low comment he'd heard. "You thinkin' about getting married? Or just annoyed by all of the bullshit they wrap around it for Valentine's Day?"

[freddiefkncrane]

"Well, I can't just tell you.. what'd be the fun in that?" Freddie teased with a tiny curve of his lips. Nathan would kill him, possibly literally, if he revealed too much. But Freddie was never afraid to invite a little chaos--especially when things were slow on the disaster front. When Sage turned her curiosity toward him, Freddie nodded, his smile growing. "That's by design. I'm way more interesting. Nathan doesn't like to share the spotlight, never did." @sagefranklin

Sage set her coffee down and adjusted herself on the barstool, appearing to make herself more comfortable in the moment. "Oh yeah? What more is there to know that I'm missing out on?" The older blonde questioned, far more interested in the man in front of her than the bagels nearby, however delicious they may smell and however tempting they may be, learning more about Nathan Crane from the man who seemed to know him best was where her attention found purchase. "You know, I don't know much about you either. Nathan's never really mentioned anything about his secretive co-owning brother."

@freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie reclined against the over-sized chaise reserved for just the two of them on their private bit of beach, eyes closed as the sun warmed his typically pale skin. He'd had his doubts at first about leaving his work behind for the duration of the trip, but he was getting more comfortable with it by the hour. Carla's company and the complimentary drinks surely helped. "A summer house then.. ?" he grinned. "I suppose I could make that happen.. if you play your cards right." @carlavillanueva

Characters: Carla Villanueva & Freddie Crane (@freddiefkncrane) Location: Some fancy beach resort in Costa Rica Closed starter

It felt utterly surreal being here, being so relaxed with absolutely nothing to do but enjoy Freddie's company. All her life she'd been on the fast gear, moving from one thing to the other with barely a few moments for herself. She'd forgotten the last time she had an entire day to herself just to relax, let alone an entire trip to do just that. Sipping on what was probably the fourth Margarita of the day, eyes set on the crystal blue sea just ahead of them, with the warm sun dancing across her skin, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Leaning close to Freddie, with her head resting against his chest, she let out a content sigh. "I could stay like this forever. i've got the sun, the sea, Margaritas, you.. all I need is Ollie and I'd literally have it all."

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie didn't get Nathan's interest in maintaining friendships just for the sake of it. He'd tried that a time or two, and it hadn't ended well for anyone. Without profit, Freddie decided, there was no longer purpose. Relationships were transactional. "There's a lot to know about the elusive Nathan Crane," Freddie remarked cryptically, sprinkling crumbs from the tips of his fingers back into the take-away bag. "Be careful what you wish for." @sagefranklin

"Sure he is," Sage was quick to answer, amused at the idea of Nathan Crane having friendships of any kind. That wasn't really what she'd call their relationship, but enemies seemed a little too harsh too. "I just didn't know he was the type to have friends. But a home, friends, I'm learning so much more about Mr. Crane than I ever knew before." The man was one of many mysteries and she could sense his brother was more so. It was difficult not to stick around when she was learning so much about the brothers who owned the distillery, ever intrigued by the aura they gave off. "You snooze you lose, right?" She joked, lifting her shoulders in a shrug as she took a sip from the coffee her hands were resting on. "And I'm never one to say no to new friends."

@freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

"Yeah." Freddie scoffed. "Then you're screwed for the wedding. Forget the honeymoon.. what are you supposed to do for that? Buy a private island?" It was unusual for Freddie to find fault with spending lavishly, but something about the topic pushed a button. Waiting on his coffee, chatting idly with this stranger, he wondered where he intended to go with Carla. He'd always assumed he'd be a bachelor forever. But with Carla his attention wandered less.. and less. At the prospect of being turned down for a proposal, Freddie twitched. Would Carla turn him down, if he were to propose? "That wouldn't happen," he murmured. @eroltilki

"You think so?" It was rhetorical more than anything but he couldn't help but ask. He would've considered himself a romantic person in a general sense but getting married or engaged on Valentine's Day did feel a hell of a lot like putting an immense amount of pressure on a relationship that wasn't necessary in the slightest. "I guess it does seem a little ridiculous, like, they'd be setting a hell of a high expectation." Erol's nose wrinkled as he spoke and he shook his head with a low laugh that held less humor than he'd expected. "It's either that or they make the grand gesture and then just get turned down which... well, I actually don't know which would be worse."

@freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie smirked at her question, till trying to understand Sage and Nathan's connection. It wasn't his business really and Nathan would be irritated with his prying-- but this understanding only urged Freddie onward. "Is he not allowed as many friends as he likes?" He shrugged, ripping a piece of bagel with his teeth. "I'm sure I haven't met them all." He let out a low laugh at Sage's joke between bites. "Perhaps he's in the cave then. He better come down before I eat all of his bagels.. or before we become friends." @sagefranklin

She accepted the answer, even if she thought it was a bit weird for the man to question if Nathan owed her money if he supposedly never owed anyone money. It was better to just let it go then uncover something she'd rather not hear about. The man they had in common was shifty at best, Sage wasn't blind to that, but it was part of the fun, right? "He have a lot of friends?" She raised in eyebrow, continuing the emphasis that the elder Crane put on the word friends. "What?" Her raised brow dropped into a furrow, caught off guard at his question. Despite claiming to be Nathan Crane's friend, she'd never actually been to where he lived. Probably for the better, she assumed. "I honestly thought he just crawled into a cave in the mountains whenever he needed to recharge. Never pictured him actually having a place to call home."

@freddiefkncrane

[freddiefkncrane]

"That won't be a problem--" Freddie merely waved his fingers to dismiss any thoughts of whatever could get in their way. What good were favors owed if he couldn't cash in on them when he liked? Nothing would stop them from his grand plans, certainly not legal formalities. Warm sand under their feet, his lips on her sun-kissed skin, that's all he cared to see. "Good." Freddie lifted Carla's hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. @carlavillanueva

Bringing their intertwined hands down to rest on the table, she offered a gentle squeeze. A silent understanding, an appreciation for Freddie doing his utmost to be good to her. And no matter how hard she had wanted to resist, how could she? Not when he looked at her the way he did, not when his lips curled up into smiles that were numerous in her presence yet so rare in the presence of others. "Two days? I can make that work. Wait, do I need a passport for this?" She had no idea where Freddie had in mind but she knew he liked to go big whenever he had something like this in mind. "Don't worry baby, I'll let you take it off."

[freddiefkncrane]

Freddie surely didn't know what it meant to be a proper boyfriend. He hadn't had the best model in that department with his own father, so he mostly just proceeded through trial and error. Thankfully, Carla was quite a patient woman. Expelling a relaxed breath when he felt Carla's hand weave together with his own, he nodded. "I'll make arrangements in the next two days." He rubbed his thumb over the back of Carla's hand. "Before you know it, you'll be sipping drinks on the beach. Taunting me in that skimpy bikini.."

Moments like this were the reassurance she needed that she had made the right choice when she got back with Freddie. The way he made her feel, the way his smile made her heart flutter in her chest, the way he would make sure she had everything she wanted and more. She wasn't with him for the materialistic things he could give her, his money or his status. The way he made her feel was more than enough. She reached up for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "All I need is an afternoon at the mall."