#ceciliaq.talk

[dxrkenedheights]

where: dupont fundraiser

with: liliana dupont and cecilia quinn @blackheartatl

★・・・・・・★

"Well, you've outdone yourself, Lily. Here." Cecilia's arm linked through her friend as she passed a champagne flute over, not considering a few people had been doing the same to help Liliana enjoy herself. But, nothing was wrong with a drunk host, right? "I really have to ask how...that happened, though." she gestured subtly to Oliver Cross who was stood with his brother. Not a date that she had seen coming and even Harvey had seemed surprised. The Cross brothers were...something. The equivalent of arm-candy because their conversation left a lot to be desired. Cecilia had heard stories too, but despite her line of work, she wasn't much of a gossip. "How long has this been happening? Why the hell haven't you said something? I would've told you you're crazy." Laughing, Ceci rolled her eyes. "If someone's blackmailing you, please tell me. I can help."

[dxrkenedheights]

★・・・・・・★

"I would eat literally anything but sasuka beats pizza any day of the week." Cecilia laughed, also forgetting the time after tucking herself away for hours and no closer to any answers she didn't already have. If anything, the more she dug the more questions she'd find. It was why her and Harvey had yet to make the official leap of moving in together, Cecilia terrified he'd see her obsession and intensity and terrified to have to leave it behind. "Oh no, honestly. It's fine, I'd feel terrible disturbing you. I know how it gets." she nodded and then gestured around the kitchen. "I can help? I guess we're both bad at remembering our nights to cook, we should just switch them up or go anarchy style to whoever's in the kitchen first sort of thing?" she chuckled, sliding up to the kitchen counter.

+ CECELIA / APARTMENT, DOWNTOWN

"Okay, so you're good with saksuka?" Elif asks as she pulls out the ingredients. It's already dinner time and she'd forgot it's her night to cook. Hours of editing had flown by before she looked up and realized it was dark outside. "We can always grab pizza but...this'll taste better...trust me," she smiles at her friend and roommate at the kitchen table. "Next time you should interrupt me, Cece," Elif nods at her headphones, "I can't hear anything with those on. You can just pull 'em off." And, truthfully, these days it was very easy for her to get lost in her work, drowning out the outside world in favor of the one she'd captured on her camera. @dxrkenedheights

[dxrkenedheights]

★・・・・・・★

"Oh cute, you almost sounded convincing." Cecilia laughed, nudging into Lily softly. She returned the same look to her friend, eyebrows raised as she shrugged. Don't what? "Mm, okay. You're both overjoyed to be here and not talk much, like the last time. And the time before that, and the time before that. And the time before that, aaaand...the time before that." Cecilia sighed, making another expression with wide eyes. She wished Noah and Lily would cut to the chase, it wasn't their fault and it was clear to everybody they were right for each other. "Nice try, Lils. It doesn't count. If you're not gonna jump Noah and climb him like a tree again then you need a real date and not some egocentric radio host who literally posts bicep flexes on instagram."

"Oh, for sure. Aiyla always has the best intentions." Lily nodded and only smirked slightly. As much as the Avci was a friend, Aiyla definitely was a busy body in and out of everybody's business. There was a slight pause then and Lily just shot Cecilia a look, one that quite simply said don't. "Oh? You mean me?" she laughed and deflected all at once because it was half a truth, she wasn't exactly overjoyed to make conversation with Oliver Cross. Laughing again, Lily lightly tapped her friend's arm in return because if they weren't at an event she knew they'd be cackling like two witches. "I think the looking at lights thing is when you need to sneeze." she chuckled and deliberated how hard it would be to fake sneeze if Oliver managed to corner her again. "Well, everyone can leave me alone about not dating again now, right? This doesn't count for anything but it counts for that."

[dxrkenedheights]

★・・・・・・★

"I know so." Cecilia said back with a smile, taking a sip of her champagne. She scoffed slightly when she heard Aiyla's name, humming with a nod. "Ah, right. She probably meant well...right?" she looked between Oliver and then Liliana...supposing they looked good together aesthetically speaking, but most people close to Lily knew who's arm she'd rather be on. "I saw someone who kinda looked a little...you know. Sad? About it." she mentioned casually, as if it wasn't a touchy subject. Over the years, Lily and Cecilia became like sisters so it didn't feel out of pocket to say. She laughed slightly and tapped the other woman's arm gently. "Don't worry, if he makes a move just quickly look at the lights so you sneeze...or better yet, set a bunch of timers on your phone to go off randomly. They always ruin the vibe."

"Urgh, you think? Thank you, but it wasn't all me." Lily laughed, even Harvey had some input which she knew was actually Cecilia's and her brother was a conduit of her good ideas. She took the glass, grateful to be stolen away from a conversation that was teetering along the edge of uncomfortable politics. She scoffed about her date, possibly too loudly. "Aiyla." Enough said, along with her flat expression which said everything else. Lily gasped with a quick shake of her head, wanting to nip any potential wrong assumptions right in the bud. "Oh God, no! It hasn't happened, at all. It's like a semi-blind date thing for tonight and while I'm not being blackmailed, I do need help because...he seems to think this is the start of something beautiful."