l-jackson

[l-jackson]

Blair's energy was infectious and it made the time more enjoyable which was clear with how much fun the kids were having. Leo had to keep his laugh in check with how much little things were cracking him up, especially the girl who had just wanted to take a picture with him. "I mean obviously, Santa tries to get that done every year but I'm starting to think he's a capitalist, which would make sense considering it keeps him in business," Leo told her as softly as he could. The books his sisters had gifted him were definitely having their impact. "I hear that, a good and solid couch is hard to come by. Especially one that won't require you to take out a loan." He turned back to the crowd for the last group of kids before posing for a few photos with the elves. But Leo shuffled them all off so he could get a few good photos with Blair. "Oh this is definitely going on my instagram story. You know your brother is gonna love this," he teased once things started to wrap up.

"Oh, I know? Why do you think I asked." Blair let him know, as she'd been fortunate enough to have had a couple of dinners cooked by Leo and whilst everyone knew him for his talents in dance... he was just as good a cook. "What you called me?" She looked back at Leo, her face stone straight before she fell into a small fit of laughter. "I'm sorry, I had to go for it." She said, through her laughter. "I'm ready." Blair nodded, taking a deep breath before her face formed a smile that she was all to use to having to form. As insane as she'd assumed the afternoon would be, dealing with young children who were eager to let it be known what they wanted for the holidays— all had been relatively chill. The worst offensive being when a little sassy girl let her know that she wanted to take a picture with Santa solo. "Aside from world peace and more taxation for billionaires?" She asked Leo, twisting her lips. "I'm such a woman of my age... I honestly just want a couple of more furniture pieces."

[l-jackson]

"Food? That I can do. You got it." He smiled as she put the glasses on and leaned over to take a look at himself in the mirror. "Damn, I look good. Ho, ho ho," he added and laughed again, pretty sure he was having more fun this year than last year. But that could've been because of the edible that Tallulah had given him earlier since she had prescribed him an enjoyable holiday. "Let's do this shit," he told her and held out his arm for her so they could walk into the room where the kids were waiting. They went wild as they walked in, greeting them before they took their seats at the front of the room to hear everyone's wishes. They were halfway through when Leo finally got a chance to turn to her. "What's at the top of your wish list this year?"

"And typically not being the first choice would offend me but in this instance, I thank you for having a list you surely contacted before me." Blair let him know, with a small laugh before pointing out how great she believed his Santa laugh to be. "That we definitely do." She looked herself over, not believing that she was about to do this but she simply kept reminding her that this was in fact for a good cause. Plus, she did make the Mrs. Claus get up work for. "What do you mean? Weren't Mr. and Mrs. Claus always black? Because they certainly were in my house." Blair said, as the Bueller kids had grown up with figurines that depicted Santa as black. Which she'd come to learn wasn't the normal, much to her shock when she found herself at the age of five coming face to face with a white man calling himself Santa. "You might have to whip up something to eat pretty soon." She told him with bright smile, turning away from the mirror she'd been giving herself finishing touches. "Wait, wait." Blair let him know, as she noticed an integral part of his costume was missing. She located his glasses with relative ease, before making her way up to him to place them on. "And there you are. Santa Claus, as I live and breath."

[l-jackson]

[l-jackson]

"Believe me, this wasn't at the top of my list either," he replied with a perfect Santa laugh that he had been working on all week. Leo looked her over and couldn't even stifle the rest of his laugh. "We both look fucking ridiculous but somehow are making it work. At least everyone will know Mr. and Mrs. Claus are Black." Which was the main thing for him when he stepped up again every year and his mother always showed up with all of his siblings to take pictures. His usual Mrs. Claus had moved out of town last year and Leo had found himself uncertain about where to go next. But his recent friendship with Blair felt solid, nice even and though her rarely asked new people for help, he had found it relatively easy to just put it out there when it came to Blair. "But now I feel like I still kind of owe you for this so you can cash in after today. Just tell Santa what you want."

"You know, out of all the ways I assumed you'd be cashing in your favor—" Blair pushed the tiny glasses that were currently sliding off of her nose. "this, in no way, was one of the possibilities." Blair found herself in a Mrs. Claus get up to match the Santa Claus ensemble that Leo himself was wearing in that moment. "Be entirely real with me. How ridiculous do I look right now?" She asked, a small smile finding itself on her features. Sure, this wasn't how she planned on enjoying her afternoon but at least it was for a good cause. Spreading holiday cheer for Leo's students. ( @l-jackson )

[l-jackson]

"You wanted me to ask you out for Valentine's Day?" He didn't mean for it to sound like such an impossible thing but that was how it came out. He let out a soft laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Well true, but maybe you can join me in my take out? If I don't get back with the food Drake is gonna be mad at me, I told him we'd watch Just Wright, it's like weirdly his favorite. He also really loved the Last Holiday so maybe he's just a Queen Latifah fan which, I don't blame him at all." He heard his name being called and happily thanked them for the bag, leaving a tip. "Or you can hang out here on your own like the very strong and independent woman you are."

Blair looked up to find herself in the company of Leo, a small smile finding itself on her features. She hated to admit it, but the guy had to have some sort of talent where he could spot the moment someone was about to take her over the edge and just appear to bring her back down. "Well, I happen to like this restaurant and someone didn't tell me they clearly liked it too so maybe had they, I wouldn't have been alone." She let him know with a playful roll of her eyes. "But I really do like the food and I didn't want to be home alone, moping around like Issa from Insecure."

[l-jackson]

"The question is who wants to be at a restaurant by themselves for Valentine's Day? I don't need to see all of these people sucking face." Leo smiled as he saw her, having come to pick up an order for himself before going home to watch romantic movies that would surely make him cry. Not that he'd tell anyone that but it was his first time in a long time being single on Valentine's Day and he wasn't trying to be with the masses. "I mean unless the food is really that good, Bueller."

"No, actually the table is just for—" Blair had been saying before the hostess went off to do another task. Now, she understood that today was kind of a busy one for the restaurant industry as everyone in a relationship was surely trying to have a nice out with their significant other but what about the people like her? A single woman who just wanted to enjoy a night out by herself. "me. Is it truly such a crime for a single woman to want to enjoy a meal by herself today? I think not."

[l-jackson]

lucien laviscount

[l-jackson]

[l-jackson]

"Yeah, I didn't think it'd be breaking news but maybe I should pitch it to the local paper and let everyone else know," he teased, laughing at her theatrics. "I can respect that. But is there ever really a way to be sure? That kind of defeats the idea of taking a risk, you know? But alright, avoiding risk is one way to go." Leo had lived his life completely opposite. His entire career had started on a risk, on having the confidence to just stroll into a place he didn't belong. Even when he was auditioning he had been doing it for himself and yet it had turned his entire life around. He approached most things like that. "Exactly. Shit's a mess up there. It needs people like you."

"I mean we could. I think Flynn and I would be kicking and my brother would be amazing so I think I'd win that one actually." He focused back on his food for a moment, having forgotten how hungry he was. "Alright, alright. I respect your boundaries. I'll just have to ask Axel myself. And yes, that's exactly what I'm implying. Are you saying angels never get wild? Oof, such an insult. I hear Heaven has pretty wild parties. How could they not?"

"You don't say," Blair said, teasingly. "Thank you so much for that insight. Dancers, they are just like us, can you believe?" She said, motioning her head exploding at said insight. "Yes, yes, I am being strategic." She nodded. "Fine, you can stay on my ass about it but I'm not going to make a move until I know for certain, things are going to work in my favor." That was just the way that Blair maneuvered in just about every aspect of her life and for the most part, it'd certainly worked in her favor. "Oh, I'm also waiting for the day I find myself sitting on the Supreme Court as there's far too many outdated ideologies being represented in those chairs." She laughed at the thought of Leo fangirling over her being a supreme court justice.

"Brothers can indeed be annoying as fuck," Blair repeated after him, she knew that far too well at this point in her life. "uh huh. Would you like to trade brothers and see if you feel that way in a week?" She said, jokingly. "Yeah, he's kind of finding his footing in life. Some would say, about time, but better late than never." Blair scrunched her nose as her brothers dating life came up. "We are so not discussing my brothers dating life at this moment and time." She said, before popping a fry into her mouth. "So, I've heard." Blair told Leo as he spoke of little sisters. If only she'd been so fortunate. "Are you trying to imply that I might be one of those wild sisters?" She asked Leo. "Because I'll have you know, Leo, I am in fact an angel."

[l-jackson]

"Because real life is not a musical. I mean it's not that I haven't had dance battles but we also have a lot of good ol fashioned fights. Verbal and physical. The verbal ones are definitely the worst," he said, laughing as he recalled a few of them. Colette had been especially good in those. "Alright, alright. I get it, you're being strategic and shit, I can appreciate it. But don't think I'm still not gonna be on your ass about it. I'm waiting for the day you're sitting on the Supreme Court or like..General Counsel in the White House and I can tell everyone I knew you when."

"Ah okay, I mean if you say so. Don't get me wrong, brothers can be annoying as fuck. But I don't think life would be as fun or as funny. But I mean Flynn is a big personality, I'm sure that can be a lot to be around. He does have a real talent though. Not to be gossipy but I heard he's dating Axel Baldwin. Have you met her yet? I mean we went to high school together but I haven't seen her in ages. But yeah, super intelligent. I mean I'm glad he's focused on something that isn't just getting in trouble so it's a big improvement." He put his hand on his chest and let out a laugh. "Please, do, remind him because he definitely forgets. Now my little sisters? Absolute angels and menaces. In Flynn's defense, sisters are wild," he told her as they finally found a spot to sit and he took out the rest of the meal.

Blair found herself smiling, as he spoke because she knew where he was coming from. It was from a place of wanting to see her succeed, it was nice to know someone was in her corner in such a way. "You got me there." She told him, before taking a small bite of a fry. "Of course, I have. Haven't you?" She asked him, teasingly. "Wait, you don't? That sort of seems a bit ludicrous. Why wouldn't y'all solve everything with a dance battle?" Blair rambled, as she would have thought that would have definitely taken care of any disagreements. If you were a better dancer than your rival, then... you automatically won. It made sense in her head. "Leo, I know how the power of words work. I'm just choosing to pick the right time to use said words." She told him, not wanting him to think of her as some sort of pushover. Which, sure she could have been seen as one as of late but she just knew that her time would come when her words would actually hold weight amongst her peers. Blair turned her attention towards Leo, at his question. She found herself shaking her head. "No, he's not literally the bane of my existence." She explained. "No, it's not terrible. I suppose I've been so used to being annoyed by him that the nicknames just sort of stuck." Blair said, taking a moment to sit in those words. While Flynn and her were not best friends by any means, they did have a mutual respect for one another. "Oh, he's one of those, huh?" She asked him, as she'd unfortunately been one of those as well. "I'll make sure to remind him just how lucky he is to have a brother like you. I wish I had someone to pick my laundry up." Blair said with a small laugh.

[l-jackson]

[l-jackson]

"Oh I'm sure you beat yourself up plenty already but all the more reason for you to say something." Leo let out a loud laugh and had to catch himself. "Okay you've definitely watched Step Up too many times. Do you think we solve every conflict with a dance battle? That's so unserious, Blair. I think you vastly underestimate how much I've been underestimated," he admitted. Sure people knew about his talent but it was because of that talent and jealousy that a lot of white people with power had tried to keep him out of other programs or advancements. Especially when they realized he wasn't there to be their buddy. "But saying nothing gets you nowhere is what I'm saying. But alright, I'll drop it." Leo nodded in understanding, though he sensed he had a different relationship with his siblings than he did. "Yeah I hear you. I mean I'm the oldest so all of them are annoying but I don't think I've ever referred to any of them as the bane of my existence. Is it that bad with you and Flynn?" Leo of course had met Flynn before, it was hard not to in a town like this. The guy knew how to throw a party but he could definitely be annoying so he could imagine growing up with him was a whole trip. But Leo couldn't imagine not getting along with his siblings. "My younger brother's in college now though so he's annoying as fuck with how much he thinks he's like the smartest person in the world. But he still needs me to come pick up his laundry so he's just a little baby still."

"Don't low whistle me right now," Blair let Leo know with a playful roll of her eyes. "don't you think I already beat myself up about it enough." She told him, as they began their walk. "Well, maybe because I can't exactly STEP UP my way through my career of choice. I'm sure you could challenge some head choreographer in charge and battle him and get up higher on the ladder. I do that at the firm, I'll be thrown back down the ladder. I like where I happen to be on the ladder." She told Leo, a small smile working at her lips at the exchange between him and his dog, Drake. "Now you're just being ridiculous." Blair teased him, thanking hi as he handed her some fries. "It was okay..." She let him know. "We took the Bueller Christmas picture which is essentially a pissing contest between my brothers. Freddie, my older brother does something and Flynn, the bane of my existence has to do something to one up him and it just keeps going and going." Blair said, with a sigh. "Siblings, you know."

[l-jackson]

"What?! Ah, man, Blair..." he let out a low whistle and shook his head, trying not to make her feel bad but he was sure he wasn't doing a great job at it. "Sorry, I mean, look, whatever decision you want to make but it was a great idea, I don't know why you won't say anything. I know you can't be intimidated by those bozos." He looked down to Drake. "Don't you agree?" And Drake barked which made Leo believe even more in his point. "Yeah, yeah, you know, you could fix that if you ate breakfast." But he held up his arms to show that he was done fucking with her and instead handed her Drake's leash so he could pull some fries out for her to snack on while they walked to find somewhere to sit. "You have a good weekend. You said you were doing something with your brother?"

"Uh..." Blair twisted her lips, before shaking her head. "Fuck it, no, they didn't go for it." She told Leo, as she'd sort of felt bad disappointing him. As she'd come to find out given their lunch dates? ( hang outs? links? ) was that Leo had been gifted with these really expressive eyes. So disappointing him sort of felt like telling a kid Santa wasn't real and Christmas was just consumerism hidden behind lights, albums by has-beens and bows. "But I also didn't bring up the pitch at the meeting." She elaborated, before Leo sent Drake into the building to wreck havoc.

"Now, come on, let's go." Blair said, poking at his arm. "I'm actually starving right now. Look at me, I'm withering away as we speak."

[l-jackson]

"So did they go for your pitch or were they assholes about it?" Leo stood in front of Blair's office, Drake by his side as he carried the lunch he had gotten for them. Since the first time they had run into each other, this had become a bit of a routine and Leo found himself looking forward to it. It had been a really long time since he had spent time with someone outside of his general friend group. Honestly he didn't think he ever spent time with someone who wasn't someone he had known since high school. But it was nice and had brought something into his week that wasn't just focused on work or spending time with his siblings.

"You gotta tell me before we start walking because if it's bad news I'm totally sending Drake in there to eat their shoes, seriously." @blairblr

[l-jackson]

"The one and only, yeah. Oh well, not anymore with this little homie so now he's the second best Drake in the world after this one," he said and reached into his pocket for a treat to give to the dog in question. "Do I? I think I have everyone's dream dog and I'm totally bias. Do you have a dog? He's my first one so it's been kind of mind blowing but pretty fucking cool. After all these years of my mom saying she had too much on her hands for a dog, she now spoils the shit out of him. It's pretty funny. That's where he got those little boots he's wearing. She couldn't bear to think of his precious paws hitting the dirty pavement. But yeah, maybe you're right. Really, you sure?" Leo realized then that he was a little hungry and though he usually would refuse he took the other half and didn't regret it when he took a bite. "Shit, that's delicious. Thank you."

"Of course it's the fanciest. Why wouldn't it be? I bet you have to deal with a lot of bullshit. And I mean, yeah, that too. But mostly the power suits for sure. Oh I'm coming straight to you to read this over. I won't fuck around. It'll happen soon though. I'm trying this thing out where I don't keep delaying my blessings, yanno? Hard fucking work," he joked but it was true. He had let himself linger in the in-between too long, waiting for something to happen without remembering that he was the one who made things happen. He laughed at her words and did a little bow for Drake's sake. "Yeah his namesake's value just keeps going down, huh? It's a heart breaker but I guess thats why you can't put your trust in any man,"he said with a loud sigh before taking another bite. "You're saving my life with this sandwich by the way. Lawyers really do save lives."

"Drake? Like Aubrey Graham, Drake?" She asked Leo, with a tilt of her head before nodding. "Okay, I see you. Well, it's lovely to meet you, Drake." Blair said, towards his dog with a bright smile. She looked back up at him as he mentioned her being the fun one, rolling her eyes but not at all with the vitriol she usually had behind her eye rolls. "He has good taste in sandwiches, likes to dance and loves lounging? Okay, do you actually have my dream dog?" She asked, jokingly. "Or maybe it has to do with the lack of lounging you implied before?" Blair suggested, with another bite of her sandwich before offering him the other half.

"Yeah, like one of the fanciest ones, actually. It's kind of big deal." Blair let the guy know. It was something she felt proud about. The firm she'd been accepted to, well it'd been a notorious boys club but she'd managed to get in and not only get in, but prove why she belonged there. "Oh, it was the power suits? Here, I thought you'd say it was the arguing and defiance of arbitrary rules that would have clued you in to it sort of being my thing." Blair nodded as he spoke. "Oh, okay. Well, you know, when the moment comes... don't sign a thing without someone reading the paperwork." Blair smiled as he spoke of what he'd been up to lately. "That sounds like a time. And despite the jet lag, you're still here, at a park at noon. Drake, let me tell you, you happen to have a great dad." She let his dog know. "A not so great namesake, but a great dad."

[l-jackson]

"Yeah the amount of times i google 'can my dog eat this' per week is pretty high. It does look like a great sandwich. His name is Drake. Drake this is Blair. The fun Bueller," he added with a wink in her direction. "It it, it is. He's such a champ too. He does love to dance. But he loves to lounge way more. Which I think I could probably learn from." He smiled down at Drake and felt a deep well of gratitude. Dog's really was man's best friend, not that he'd ever say that in front of Ray. "He did out run me this time though so he has some tricks up them paws, obviously."

"No, never boring." Life hadn't been boring at all lately the more he thought about it. It hadn't been until he had touched down in Rosewood again that he had realized it. "Fancy law firm? That sounds like a great fucking time. Is that your thing? Law? I can see it. Power suits and all. Eh, something like that. More of a series of workshops at the moment but we're working our way to an actual established place that isn't the rec center or somebody else's building. But I just got back from some traveling. Half teaching, half working, a lot of learning. It was pretty great. I'm jet lag as fuck but I'll survive."

"Yeah, he was going for the sandwich. He was." Blair said with a small smile. "I can't blame him, it is a pretty decent sandwich. I just don't think it's for dogs, unfortunately.... what's his name?" She asked Leo, as she hadn't even been properly introduced to the dog. "I think bulldogs come with a unspoken understanding that they'll always be really chunky and you know what, that's a part of the charm. Isn't that right?" She asked Leo's dog, a grin working at her features as she'd found herself charmed.

"Yeah, I think when you agree to accept a dog in your life, you're also accepting the hijinks that come with that." Blair let Leo know. "But at least life won't ever be boring, right?" She nodded as the conversation turned towards her. "I do, actually. I'm interning at some fancy law firm around here. Yay me." Blair said. "Yeah, that timeline just about checks out. How have you been? Last I heard, you've got like a dance school or something, right?" She asked, before taking a bite from her sandwich.

[l-jackson]

"Yeah, thank you, he was going for the sandwich, huh? He always acts like I don't feed him," he said with a laugh as he got a hold of the leash again and led Drake to his feet so they could join her on the bench. "You would think with all this running off he'd be more in shape but hey, I knew what I was signing up for when I went with a bulldog of all breeds." He shook his head and reached down to give Drake a pat and scratch on the head. He talked shit but he loved his dog and he really had become his companion over this past year.

"I always thought they exaggerated in movies and shit when dogs run off but I'm learning that this shit is a full time job," he added, and was finally quiet for a second as he caught his breath. "You working around here now? Feel like I haven't talked to you since shit..college, maybe? Feels like forever."

Blair had been enjoying her lunch break at the park, choosing to believe that there was some sort of correlation between catching some sun and her demeanor. Maybe she did need to be outside, that perhaps that would put her in a better mood. And frankly, it was doing the job. It certainly beat having to deal with the boys club that were her fellow interns at the firm.

As she began to unwrap her sandwich, she suddenly found herself in the company of a bulldog. He had a leash attached to his collar so he clearly belonged to someone. "Okay..." She said to herself, looking around for the dogs owner. "I don't really know what to do in this situation, bud. But I don't think you're suppose to be alone." Blair told the dog, who was eying her and her sandwich.

"Oh, you want some of this... And here I thought we had something going on here." She joked before his owner made himself known. Leo Jackson. "No, no, he didn't." She said with a shake of her head. "Had you been a minute late, he just might have." Blair let him know. "You're good, seriously. Do you want to maybe sit down, catch your breath?"