kat-beckett

[kat-beckett]

daphnexdc​:

.🖤

“You’re right about that” Daphne said, a somber note in her voice now. As a police detective, she knew that all too well. It made her feel like a bad mom for looking at her phone for a few seconds instead of keeping her eyes on Dani in the crowd. If her daughter disappeared the way her sister had, she would never forgive herself.

As the subject shifted towards dance lessons, Daphne felt her mood lift. “Actually, that’s a great idea.” It had occurred to her she should probably get Dani involved in some sort of activity to get out her energy and allow her to socialize with other children. “Ballet sounds perfect, now that you mention it.” Daphne had done some ballet when she was around Dani’s age. She’d stuck with it through most of elementary school before giving it up for more time with her friends, but from what she could recall it was fun. Plus she suspected Dani would look adorable in a leotard and tutu.

But she felt her face turn red again at the mention of burlesque classes. “I’m not sure that’s for me” she said after a moment. “At least, not without a few drinks in me.” Which probably wasn’t a good idea before a workout. “But do you have a business card? I could contact your studio about arranging ballet classes for Dani.”

.

“I’m personally an advocate for child leashes. If it’s good enough to keep Fluffy safe it should be good enough to keep the two legged babies safe as well.” Kat shrugged slim shoulders, “But the hell do I know about raising kids?” Kat perked up slightly, pulling a card with the dance studio information on it from her bag. She extended it between two fingers towards Daphne. “I’ve been dancing since I was two years old. Danced for the Sanfrancisco and D.C ballet companies so I have years of exprience. I also have a teaching certificate and an associates in dance. So you know I’m qualified to be teaching the little womb raiders.”

Kat gave a wry smile towards Dani and turned back to the red faced Daphne. “Oh darling my classes are complete no judgment zones. Women, men, Non-binary and more in all shapes sizes show up to feel empowered- but I’m not one to push. If you change my mind you do have my card.”

Pulling her purse up Kat shifted from foot to foot adjusting her painting under her arm. “At the very least if this painting is ruined thanks to little tutu tornado here dance classes will give her an outlet less destructive.” This time Kat offered a genuined smile to the small tot. “I have a website on the card so you can sign up for classes, tells you everything you need and allows you to pay online too. I don’t allow parents in the studio when the kids are practicing but I do have cameras they can watch from with their private logins and of course you can watche from the two way mirrors in the waiting room if you prefer to stay around.”

[kat-beckett]

briarxbeckett​:

🖤

“I hate him too” Briar said in agreement with her sister. Actually, hate was probably a too strong emotion for what she felt for David. She neither loved nor hated him. Instead, she preferred not to think about him at all, unless she was trying to figure out how to get the remains of her trust fund from him and Dottie. Focusing on them was just so draining, mentally and almost physically as well. It was no wonder years with them had resulted in Kat developing an addiction and both sisters running as far across the country as they possibly could.

“She’s 29” she said. That much Briar had managed to unearth about her half-sister while looking into her father’s past. “Her mother is one of dad’s co-workers.” As Briar mentioned the woman her father had cheated on her mother with, her voice took on an extra note of disgust. “She grew up literally in the same city as us. Can you believe that?” The audacity of David to not only father a secret child so close in age to Briar and Kat, but then to have her living so close by. It was a wonder they hadn’t crossed paths at some point through mutual friends. Briar wondered if David had somehow been responsible for that as well. He was certainly an expert at manipulating his children, just as Dottie was.

At the mention of Dottie, Briar gave an almost hysterical laugh. “That’s the best part” she said sarcastically. “She knew! She knew all these years and stayed with the asshole.” She’d probably also played an active part in keeping their half-sister a secret from Briar and Kat, if Briar’s suspicions about her mother were correct. And they usually were.

.

She knew Briar shared a similar sentiment for their father- she did wonder if it held the same bile enducing anger that she felt. Her entire life Kat lived to make them proud. To be pretty, to be smart, witty and funny. She knew four different languages, she maintained a 4.0 GPA even when she was high out of her fucking mind. Won beauty contests and paegants left and fucking right. She dated the right boys, at least on the surface - she kept her inner feelings, her inner self tightly wound and pressed into a dark corner of her mind. Because Kat knew her mom and dad would not approve. She knew it would anger them, hurt them...dissappoint them to know she was the best at playing pretend. The queen of fucking pretenses. It would make sense that she inherited it from a pair of lying pieces of shit. 

Her age stunned Kat- then her shoulder shook a quick laugh. “At least I’m still the baby.” It didn’t mean much did it? To be the youngest in a family of fuck ups and cheats. Their mother hadn’t even wanted her, she said as much the night Kat over dosed. She was a mistake, an accident- an obligation and Kat had spent every night of her life making up for it in blood, sweat and tears since she could walk. Her mind felt fuzzy and wobbly, the information Briar was giving her falling under cresting waves of her feelings and thoughts. “Did we go to school with her?” Kat asked again, her chest tight as a knot. She rubbed her face and swallowed tears. “Does she know her mother is an adulterer too?” 

Kat’s lips twitched, her fingers curling into fists. She wanted to break something, instead she poured herself another drink and rubbed the back of her hand across her face. “Why did I even try so hard.” It wasn’t a question, a statement to herself and pull pin on the dam of emotiona turmoil she’d kept locked up inside of her. “I tried to be everything, B. I really did. I wanted to be perfect, to be good and instead he’s out making more daughters and our mother- what if she had me just to say she had the last one...” Kat looked up, alarm in her features. “I am the last one, right?”

[kat-beckett]

teamdaniellecam​:

[kat-beckett]

cmweiss​:

.

“I always feel broken up about them,” Carly admitted, well aware the plurality was part of her issue.  She wasn’t ever distant about getting attached, but she wasn’t ever reticent about ripping the Band-aid away, either, leaving herself exposed every single time.  That wasn’t to say that none of them were special, or that she forgot their details.  But, in the end, she’d always left regardless of how she felt about the person she was currently seeing. 

“He actually already had a baby, a little girl and we didn’t talk about it, but I think he wanted more kids eventually.  Saying I didn’t have the most conventional upbringing is putting it mildly.  I don’t know how to do the kind of stability kids crave.”  She raised her eyebrows as she tilted her head for appropriate emphasis.  “Dirty.” 

The acknowledgment that relationships were complicated no matter what shape they came in, and the nose boop, lightened Carly’s mood considerably – at least enough to get her ass up off the floor.  “Okay, okay.  I guess I can put in the work, too.  Just depends how many targets of opportunity we can find.  Are you thinking dancing should be involved?  I think it should be.” 

.Kat softened a bit, “all of them?” she asked quietly. It felt painful enough the few times she had softened herself enough to be vulnerable, to be emotionally intimate with another person. She couldn’t imagine how anyone could ever be that vulnerable with so many people. Maybe it was more she couldn’t imagine that for herself. To give someone a power over her heart, to allow them a chance to really hurt her- it felt detrimental but she couldn’t help but admire Carly a bit for having a heart that appeared as soft as water. 

Kat tapped her nose, “Solidarity there my friend...but just some unasked for advice so feel free to tell me to blow out my ass- I was a kid raised with the mask of perfect structure. And I have the scars to prove the demand of structure.” Not that she regretted how hard her mother pushed her for perfection- sometimes Kat couldn’t tell who demanded it more. Dottie or herself. “Sometimes all a kid wants is love- the rest comes, but hey far be it for me to tell anyone what to do with their womb. I’d be a shit mom myself so my advice is probably no good.” 

Kat shivered, “well that puts him into a bit more perspective.” Kat was mildy releived when Carly stood up on her own; she was afraid she was going to have to bring the booze to her just for a little liquid courage. A total look of seriousness washed over her face, “I never say no to dancing.” She looped her arm with Carly’s. “If I do shoot me because I’ve been body snatched.”  Kat led her in a little jaunty walk towards the nearest drinking establishment. A little dance club hidden away in the basement of a sandwich shop. Kat liked a little mystery with her alcohol- “I bet we can drink for free with just a little bit of effort.” To punctuate her point Kat adjusted her dress revealing more cleavage.

[kat-beckett]

nick-vdb​:

.

“I can’t tell if you’re serious or if you’re being sarcastic,” Nick pointed out, narrowing his eyes at her.  It was all with good humor though.  “Yeah I’m not sure I would let anyone spit in my mouth just for the sake of spitting.  But I’ve let plenty of people lick me for a variety of reasons.” 

He chuckled and shook his head.  “Sometimes.  Not always.  I drink alone a lot just because sometimes I can’t be fucked to deal with other people, you know?  It’s about the quality of company available.”  He found himself nodding before she’d completely laid out her terms.  Drinking with someone sounded better for him for tonight, and what she laid out didn’t bother him.  He was neutral so far on her company, but that wasn’t a bad spot to be, either.  “Nick.” 

.

“That’s the fun. You can never tell and you’ll wonder.” Kat wiggled her brows, “I bet they liked that, I mean-” She let a low whistle pass her lips gesturing towards him. “I mean you are aware that you look like one of those Greek pretty boy statues.”

“I did say almost. There is an exception for everything. It’s one of the only rules I live by.” Sitting forwards Kat shrugged her shoulders. “You can judge the quality of my company after the night is over. I live for honest feed back.”  Gesturing for a shot girl Kat extended her hand, “Kat, my name not the feline.” She explained, “You’re not opposed to truth barring drinking games with strangers are you?”

[kat-beckett]

cmweiss​:

.

No stranger to doing things alone that were more fun with another person, Carly found herself in the movie theater on a not-busy weekend day mostly because she was interested in the arctic air conditioning.  She wasn’t prepared to see someone she knew, even if she didn’t know the other woman well.  She also wasn’t entirely prepared to be pelted with popcorn, however accidental it seemed. 

She flipped her hand in an impatient circle, opening her mouth as soon as the words were done.  “Eh, it’s okay.  Hit me again.” 

.

“You come here to escape the oppressive heat?” Kat commented tossing a few pieces into her mouth. She enjoyed the movies, whenever things were too much, too quick- too anything and she needed an escape she could be found hiding in the dark, blowing every dime she had to see every movie in the theater. 

Popcorn for lunch and dinner- tho she was happy to see a familiar face.The smile that followed suit Kat took up an all too serious stance, holding a piece of popcorn carefully between her fingers before arching it into the air towards Carly’s mouth. “I could have been int he WNBA if only I was taller.” 

[kat-beckett]

The brutal news that she had another sister had left Kat particularly raw. It wasn't even a much older sister, but one closer to her age than Briar. A secret their father had been keeping for so long that Kat had gone almost three decades of her life without knowing a peep about her; maybe knowing she existed would be enough. The thought of meeting her made her stomach roll for reasons she had yet to work out, maybe they'd be at a bottom of a bottle- maybe she should just go home and call her sponsor. Both of those things sound dull and wrong so Kat stays at the bar.

She flirts with anyone who gives her attention, leads them around on a string, gets them to buy her a drink or two- tells them her name is Jessica, Veronica, Sophie- lies, lies, lies and it make her feel not so sad. At least for a little while, then the little house of lies she built up crumbles and Kat cuts them lose and moves onto something else. The attention span of a butterfly with the growing need for outside validation. It feels electric and makes her feel a little out of her own mind.

After the last guy got too serious Kat found an escape and moved for the bar. Sitting at a stool she pushed all of her hair into her hands and off of her neck. Turning to the man who spoke to her she offered a smile that maybe didn't reach her eyes- "Then do me a favor and order me something good." She leaned near as she spoke, dropping tendrils of hair back over her shoulders. "Since whiskey cola is my go-to drink it only feels fair." Another distraction she thought offering him a friendly smile.

WHERE: a bar? probably a bar. WHO: @kat-beckett​ & nate.

It hadn’t been part of some evil master plan. In fact, it hadn’t been a plan at all until, roughly, ten seconds ago. 

The first time he’d noticed her, it’d simply been because, well, he wasn’t blind. It was only in the moments following his appreciative gaze that he realized he’d seen her before. With Carly. He hadn’t been there for her that night, hadn’t been prepared to face that particular demon, so he’d left before reality could ruin his buzz. But he had noticed. Because, again, he wasn’t fucking blind.

Hazel eyes tracked her as she took a seat. Okay, it was a little less of a plan, and a little more of a self-serving excuse, but there was no harm in it, right? Nefarious intentions didn’t have him gripping his half-empty glass and heading for the unoccupied seat beside her. He’d have done this anyway, he told himself as he sat down. If they got to talking? Great. If it somehow made bridging this gap between himself and Carly easier? Fantastic. He conjured the mask of a smirk he’d lived in so long it had become second nature and turned it on her, swirling the honey colored contents of his glass. “Do yourself a favor and skip the whiskey.”

[kat-beckett]

br-brody​:

.

“That’s true,” Ben said, taking his moment to put on a false air of confidence and elitism.  “I am also one of a kind.  So really, the favor here is working both ways.”

He shook his head slowly.  “No.  My stamina is just fine, thanks.” He folded his arms against his chest and leaned back just a little.  “Depends on the wager.  I’m listening.” 

“Fair is fair.” Kat mocked a bow, bending at the waist with a flourish. Leaning back the small woman rolled her eyes and shook her head. A languid sigh and she threw her head back to think on it. “There is so much to offer.” Piquing a brow she gave a small hum, “Nothing with money. It’s predictable and if I’m being honest with you I’m pretty broke- dear ole ma and pa don’t fancy giving me the rest of my big fat inheritance.” It was all true, but she spoke it like a joke- they’d paid for the start up costs of her dance studio, but that was it- nothing more not while Kat continues the “stubborn fit” of refusing to see them. The thought made her chest a little tight, regardless she flashed an easy smile. 

“Hmm- I think if I win this shot, “ Kat started, gesturing towards herself, “that you have to agree to walking Baby for two weeks.” She held up two fingers. “Come to my place- of course whenever your sceduele permits, because I am nothing if not fair.” she pointed, “then you’ll take Baby on his daily jaunt around. It’s honestly a win win.” She shrugged taking a long drink from the jack and coke she’d been nursing. “Baby is a fantasitic dog and I get to rest for a few night.” Kat concluded gesturing towards Ben, “And of course if you win this shot you can name your winnings.” Kat extended her hand towards him standing up on the tips of her toes. “Fair?”

[kat-beckett]

28: is the person you are now who you expected to be when you grew up?

"Absolutely not. I was supposed to be dancing in Europe until I was too old to headline. Then retire on a beautiful, sunny island. You know what they say tho - those who can't teach."

[kat-beckett]

acosta-alycia​:

.

 There was something about women that left Aly feeling mesmerized. She still recalled her first girl crush with perfect clarity. A girlfriend of her older brother, Michael, named Violet. Violet is my favorite color, she’d stupidly told the other girl. Time had definitely improved upon Aly’s flirtation skills. Hence, how she ended up in a near stranger’s bed, staring at the bare ivory hills and valleys of her little, lithe body. Kat was a special kind of beautiful. Adorable and sexy all at the same time. The second she saw her from across the bar she knew she had to shoot her shot.

“You like kids?” Aly’s nose wrinkled slightly. She was kind of undecided on her feelings towards children. In her experience as a camp counselor they were gross and needy. Maybe, sometimes, when they were quiet, babies could be cute. It was a topic of conversation she’d been giving a lot of thought lately. Mostly because her entire family was constantly harassing her about children. “That sounds cool. Maybe i’ll come sometime, although..” She was smirking before Kat added that Aly wouldn’t need the seduction help. “Well, I got myself here..” Her eyes flickered around Kat’s bedroom, but then back to the brunette at the mention of her childhood. 

Once more, Aly’s nose wrinkled. She took the joint back from Kat and hit it hard. High as shit was about exactly what she needed to be to talk about her childhood. The brunette coughed so hard it almost hurt, but she settled after some water and gave the joint back. “Put it out when you’re done.” Aly directed in a hoarse voice. She cleared her throat and drank more water. “I work for my family’s real estate group. They own property up and down The Americas. The last few years I’ve been opening their regional offices, which is what I’m doing here in D.C.” Life was begging Aly to slow down, but she didn’t yet know the hows and wheres. “I don’t know what I really thought I’d be as a child..” Maybe a surfer, but that certainly was just a childish dream. “My parents kind of had it all mapped out for me, you know?”

.

"If you're asking if I like them as people-" Kat paused rolling onto her side to look at Aly better. "They're okay when their parents are paying me to teach them ballet." Her eyes lowered, "if you're asking if I'd want to have my own one day, then the definitive answer is unlikely." Her nose wrinkled, "I have this theory the maternal instinct must be genetic." Kat didn't want to dwell on the thought. It was a bitter one, seldom sweet. Instead, she carved her gaze over Aly's face. Kat found her engaging just for existing. It was stupid, but Kat wanted to be her friend- at the very least she thought she'd like it if Aly stuck around a bit. She was charming, passionate, not someone she wanted to rush away. "I like the version of the story where it was me who got you here." 

Kat's leg reached out towards Aly, crossing lazily over hers. Kat propped her head upon her palm taking the joint back between careful fingers Kat took small puffs and let thick smoke cloud her vision as Aly spoke. Tiny prickles hot sadness bloomed against her chest- she could relate to what Aly was saying. Giving a lazy high nod Kat took one more deep inhale off the joint before putting it out and tucking it onto her nightstand. Her lids felt heavy, her limbs tingly and her mouth dry. The small woman sat up, to take a deep drink of water before flopping ungraciously back onto her mattress. Tracing shapes and letters into Aly's skin Kat spoke. "I wanted to be a ballerina princess sword fighter." She laughed, maybe because she was high, maybe because if she didn't laugh she'd cry. 

 Kat thought of her lost dreams and a phantom pain ghosted from the tips of her scarred toes up to her hips- the accident. The giggles subsided and Kat brushed the fly away waves   from her face and when she found Aly's eyes her gaze was suddenly soft and serious. "My parents had it all figured out too. You should be everything you want to be." Earnest as she spoke Kat thought of her own parents and the disappointment she and her sister must have been to them. The lesbian and the addict, a blight on the Beckett name- Kat's nose wrinkled with the unsavory thought of their treatment of her elder sister. A slow sigh passed her lips. "What was your ballerina princess sword fighter dream, Aly? Surely you didn't want to always be a piece in the family machine."

[kat-beckett]

[kat-beckett]

26: if you could go back in time and change one thing about yourself at any age, what would you do?

"My insatiable need to people please. It's led me to some pretty disappointing and tireless situations and relationships that just make me feel used up and spit out."

[kat-beckett]

nick-vdb​:

.

“Don’t go kink-shaming me before we even trade names,” he protested, his eyes narrowing playfully for just a moment.  “Your hard line might be someone’s flex point.  You never know.”  But, alas, he couldn’t even make himself joke.  “However, I will say I’m not into people spitting on me.  If it’s a double dipping kind of scenario, I don’t particularly care unless it’s super gross.” 

“I’m not disagreeing with you.”  He said the words with a casual shrug.  “That’s plural and implies you want me to do them with you.  Are you prepared to carry me home if I can’t handle my tequila?” 

.

“Me? Kink shame? Never.” Kat offered a sacchrine smile and a small shrug of her shoulders. “Fair point. It’s not a linear line if that means anything.” Kat spoke while making a wave gesture with her hand. “It’d be boring if it was too straight and narrow.” Kat gave a dimpled smile, “That’s good to know. I think I’d let Megan Fox lick me but even her I wouldn’t let spit in my mouth.” 

“Drinking alone implies you have a problem. So I almost never drink alone.” Kat sized him up, “I’ll drag you, carry you just as long as you buy the shots. Tho if I’m agreeing to carry you home maybe we should trade names. You know in the spirit of not taking things from strangers.”

[kat-beckett]

As we kick things off, I thought it would be fun to do a little askbox thing!  A description of how I like to run these can be found here.  TL;DR - don’t reblog, just like this post if you want to participate.  If you only want certain characters to participate, just throw a comment on this specifying which characters are participating and make sure their asks are open for anonymous questions.  All replies are AU/not seen by other characters.  You can reply in first person or third person.  

Please tag this one district past numbers. (with the period.)

The game will be open July 8 at 8 pm EST and will close July 18 at 8 pm EST.

If you don’t get to all the replies in that time, it’s up to you whether you delete them or save them for the next game time.  You can post old games’ replies during any game.   

The original post for this one can be found here.

Keep reading

[kat-beckett]

who - everyone @districtstarters

when - the weekend 

where - downtown

Work was a distraction enough for some time. Enough to keep her mind from reeling and painfully so. She had another sister- another woman out there who shared her DNA. It was like a consistent gut punch that she could not escape. So Kat kept herself busy. After lessons ended for the day she locked up the studio and went to the nearest theater. With a bucket of buttered popcorn and gummy sour candy Kat sat in a reclined chair eating her feelings, washing it down with a fizzy drink. The theater was mostly empty- when she left she contemplated going back in just for the couple hours of disassociation it offered her. Thinking better of it Kat hugged the half eaten popcorn to her chest and walked outside. 

She must have looked insane, joggers over a black leotard, a tight bun and tear blotched face- at least she could blame it on the movie. Popping a piece of popcorn into the air Kat intended to catch it in her mouth. Her aim terribly off the fluffy kernel bounced off another person and flopped to the floor. Looking fornlorn and wrinkling her nose she gave a little sigh. “Too bad I missed your mouth or that could have been potentially cool.”

[kat-beckett]

ID:

Name | Nickname | Age:  Katherine Beckett | Kat |  28 Birthday | Astrology:  March 21, 1993 | Aries sun, Pisces moon, Scorpio rising Pronouns | Sexual identity:  She/her | Pansexual Birthplace | Raised:  San Diego, CA  Residence:  Brookland Occupation: Dance teacher with a side hustle selling Art on Etsy  Faceclaim: Danielle Campbell

TRIGGER WARNINGS: drug abuse tw, infidelity tw, narcissistic parent tw, injury tw, overdose tw 

TIMELINE: 

1860s- The founding of Hawthorne wine in Northern California

1981- Dottie married David and pays for his medical school

May 1991- Older sister Briar Rose is born 

April 1992- Older sister Evie is born

March 21, 1993- Katherine is born in San Diego, California @ 9 pm

1996- Enrolled in Ballet and started doing child pageants 

2008- Wins Miss Teen International at fifteen

2010- Has her Debutante coming out ball 

2011- Is accepted into San Francisco Ballet Company 

2013- She has a massive fight with her mom and O.D.s (survives)

2014- Finishes rehab and skips out on being picked up by her parents and runs away to DC

2015- Kat joins the Washington Ballet 

2018- An injury puts an end to Kat’s career in Ballet, she’s gifted Baby as a consolation for her ended career

2019- Moves in with her “casual” fling and starts working on new avenues for her life and career. Still has a terse, basically non-existent relationship with her parents

2020- “Casual fling” proposes, and she bounces and gets her own place with roommates

2021- Has her own dance studio and sells art on Etsy.

BIOGRAPHY:  

Katherine Vivienne Beckett was born to be perfect. Failure was not in the realm of possibilities for the youngest Beckett child. It was never even mentioned outside of being a non-starter. Her mother, Dottie, was from old money, the heiress to the Harlow wine company. Dottie had antiquated, regal if not conservative values that she fought hard, perhaps too hard to instill in her daughters. Her own drive for perfection and success bled into the foundation of her relationship with Kat. Thus from an early age, Kat associated success and praise with love. Any deviation from the absolute best was a failure. Her father, David, was absent. At best and at worst, he wore disinterest and pretense like a coat he never took off. A serial cheater who was never home, Kat was left putting all of her external needs for parental approval on her mother.

Lack of praise left her with the fear that the love was gone, and Kat developed a sickening need for perfection. A child beauty queen who was never satisfied. No matter the number of titles or crowns, she won no matter the talents she mastered. And talented she was. Gifted in languages, piano, singing, painting, sculpting, and best of all, ballet Kat was the master of her gifts. She curated them under the best instructors money could buy. Her mother encouraged these things, her unrelenting press for the perfect socialites for daughters often putting her and Kat at odds. Kat often excused her toxic behavior as tough love and fell back into the cycle of practice, perform, praise, repeat. Eventually, her success didn’t even seem to impress her mother, and Kat was facing a terrible case of burnout.

She was exhausted, sixteen years old and already she felt spent. All of her best years seemed to be drifting behind her, more bitter than sweet Kat felt at odds with herself and who she was meant to be. All the certainty she had in life was her desire to please the people she loved, so Kat continued to do what her mother instructed. After her elder sister moved out, Dottie had even more time to pick a part Kat, push her and curate her into everything Dottie insisted a young woman was supposed to be. With her father often traveling for “work,” it was just Kat and Dottie inside the house. There was no reprieve then, only expectations that often looked like Dottie waking Kat before dawn for morning runs followed by extra ballet practice until late morning. Kat could barely stand it any longer. She had no idea who she was or what she wanted.

Quietly, she began to rebel. She was sneaking away to parties, joy riding at three a.m, sleeping with anyone and everyone. She was looking for freedom and feeling, and eventually, she found it the form of illicit drugs. The euphoria of being high was unparalleled to anything she’d felt before. Combine that with the ability to work harder and longer, and Kat was sold, hook, line and sinker. The drug abuse and rebelling continued for years, even after Kat was accepted into her first Ballet company at eighteen in San Francisco. She kept her addiction tightly wrapped for two years, worked long hours, and outperformed the girls below her and even a few senior performers. The shining moment of her young career was when she was given the role of The Sleeping Beauty in the ballet of the same title.

Kat spent most of her waking hours practicing for her upcoming role. She was stunning, acclaimed in her part as Aurora. It was the first time in years she’d felt happiness that wasn’t an artificial sort. Sadly, it was short-lived. Dottie attended the closing show, leaving before the final number didn’t go unnoticed by Kat. Her emotions were shaky, and her performance less than her best. The disappointment was personal. She felt feral. Confronting her mother, she discovered Dottie had left early to make dinner plans with a college friend. Arguably the most prominent moment in Kat’s life, she had left for dinner, a dinner she was early for; Kat exploded. Twenty years of pent-up sadness, anger, and disappointment accumulated into a vicious and aggressive fight between mother and daughter. The argument came to an end when in a rare moment of transparency, Dottie told Kat she had never wanted her in the first place.

Kat kicked her mother out of her apartment and spent the night partying when she went too hard and overdosed on a nearly lethal amount of concoction of party drugs. Kat’s so-called friends dumped her at the emergency room, none sticking around to ensure she was okay. Thankfully, Kat survived, but her entire life had felt like it had been ripped away when Kat woke up. No longer was she on the way to becoming a prima ballerina, but she was in a rehab facility. It was the most excellent form of rehab, luxury, and resort-like in many ways, but it was ultimately still rehab. Kat spent a year as a resident of Harmony Place rehab in Malibu, California. Her parents informed her, stay or lose all her inheritance. Already having lost her job and life in San Francisco, Kat obliged. The year was not a lost one but one of personal growth and therapy. Finally, the fog she had been living under lifted, and Kat knew what she had to do.

Once her stay at Harmony Place ended, Kat did not return home like was expected. Instead, Kat took a bus to the countries Capitol, where she spent a couple of weeks couch surfing before going to her sister looking for the family she had always craved. A year later, Kat found herself a new therapist and a new ballet company to work with. Her life didn’t feel as over as it once had, and there was hope for her future here, brighter than she had ever anticipated before. Unfortunately, three years of performing was all Kat had left when a tragic accident ended her professional career. A snapped Achilles tendon. A pop heard all throughout the theater was the last sound of her career. Over a year of Physical therapy and one surgery later, Kat knew the ballet world knew she’d never dance professionally again.

In the aftermath, Kat got the best gift ever in the form of a small black Doberman puppy she affectionately named Baby. During all her new downtime, Kat spent the time painting and sculpting. She was finding the art to be therapeutic and aid in keeping her from a relapse that some days felt inevitable. While her art sold well on Etsy, Kat could not keep things going independently and moved in with a casual fling Kat felt closer to as a friend. However, it seemed she had misinterpreted the depth of their affection. A realization that came when they produced a ring and a question Kat had only one answer for; no. Kat moved to Brookland, taking an apartment with roommates rather than marrying someone she didn’t see a future with; she was no stranger to starting over.

Kat now spends her time creating original pieces for her Etsy store, Kat’s meow. While her professional ballerina career has ended, Kat has not given up on dance. Instead, Kat resumed tentative communication with her parents if only to receive her inheritance. The money was used to buy the space for her own studio where Kat teaches ballet to all ages and private Burlesque classes for adults once a week. In between, Kat attends therapy and meetings with her sponsor. She is unlearning the toxic parts of her childhood and finding ways to honor her passions without losing herself. Some days the struggle is more complex than others. Rome was also built on ruins.

Kat is written by L.

[kat-beckett]

briarxbeckett​:

🖤

Under any other circumstances, Briar would have continued to joke along with her sister. Kat was one of the few people who could get more than a sarcastic comment out of the older woman. But right now she didn’t feel much like joking around. Not when she was carrying the knowledge of her father’s decades-long betrayal by herself. And while a part of her hated to be the one breaking this news to Kat, she believed her sister had a right to know what she’d discovered. A selfish part of her also hoped she’d feel better once she had someone to share this burden with.

“I did” she confirmed in response to her sister’s words. “I figured I had to see them face-to-face.” She’d wanted to be able to look her father in the eye when she confronted him, just to see if he could look back at her and lie. But he hadn’t even tried when she presented him with the evidence she had against him. She nodded as her sister spoke again. Then she frowned. “No. If only our father was that classy” she said with a shake of her head. “She’s younger than me but older than you, from the info I’ve found about her.” A tone of disgust was in her voice. “And the real kicker is our mother has known about this half-sister of ours for years.” When Briar had learned this, Dottie’s explanation had simply been that Hawthornes didn’t divorce. Apparently she thought staying with a cheater was better than having everyone know David had been unfaithful and fathered a child with another woman.

.

Has the world ever felt like it was finally on the proper path as if you'd been waiting your whole life for the other shoe to drop? Kat did, a bit of a hopeful cynic she had a way of creating her own worst-case scenarios, pressing hard enough on the happy surface to create her ripples of her doing. That was how it was with her father, David Beckett. A hopeful pessimist. He was absent, but there was time. Time for redemption, for something resembling the father-daughter relationship she truly wanted, but regardless of this hope there was this tiny insistent voice telling her it would never happen.

 David Beckett was a disappointment as a father and a husband. Part of Kat didn't want to believe what her sister was telling her. But Briar was a woman of many ways, talents- faults, they all were, but she was not a liar. Her father was, her mother was- they were pretenders of a disgusting degree. They had made Kat a pretender, Briar too in a stifling and horrible way. Hot and angry tears welled up fat and threatening, her fingers curling like a vice into the fleshy part of her palm. 

There was another sibling, another child- did he love them more? Was he proud of them? Did they look like him? Did they know about Kat and Briar? The questions piled up until a migraine began to form like a tension band around her head. Kat took in a shaky breath, blinked away the tears. When she attempted to speak a bitter, choked laugh came through and she covered her mouth and shook her head. "I hate him." She spoke with deathly ire, "How old is she?" Kat shuddered the thought, "Does our mother know?"