houseofcards_rp | [OTA] Beware of Greeks bearing gifts

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[OTA] Beware of Greeks bearing gifts

Zoe's twenty-first birthday had started well enough, with murmured birthday wishes from Victor and a promise of dinner tonight before he left to start his day either in his office here or the one over at Club Castle. And it had, for a few hours at least continued well. She dropped in on the accounting office to check on Penelope - she might be taking the day off, but her assistant was still new enough that she liked to check in before disappearing for the day. Then she'd dropped into the Head of Finance's office to hand over the expenditure reports for September and smile at Edison's side-eye. He was a Six, after all, and had some idea that Zoe had plans to challenge him at some point, but there was little he could do about that.

And he wouldn't be wrong, anyway.

The day only went south when she headed down the hall and found a pair of Heart Twos with a box. The library was quiet this time of day, and she hated to let people into Victor's rooms, so she nodded in that direction, letting them put it on a table deep in the stacks and dismissing them before she opened the note. She recognized the handwriting, after all.

Darling, Happy Birthday and a belated congratulations on your impressive achievement of Five. Of course, if you'd stayed put, you could be a Nine with your dear, dear brother by now, but I'm sure you're intelligent enough to not realize that.

I'd hate to leave this day unacknowledged. These are some things I thought you'd enjoy, dear.

Charlotte Huntly Kattalakis

Well, Zoe thought as she picked up the yellowed letters and unfolded the first. They ran the gamut: letters from Charlotte, letters from Aunt Maggie, letters from someone named Maria. Correspondence of a more...professional sort - off-Deck jobs, compensation for them.

It was all supposed to upset her, Zoe thought. And it...didn't, really. She'd known even if she'd pretended not to, what kind of man her father had been. She'd seen things, she thought, and then she blinked when she saw a black velvet box tossed carelessly in the corner of the box, reaching over to pick it up. Inside were earrings, and a note old enough that the paper had started to yellow.

Για Ζωή, για εικοστό πρώτο έτος της ηλικίας της.

"Papa," she murmured, and leaned back in the chair as she looked down at the jewelry. Would he be upset with her for what she'd done with her life? Did it matter? It shouldn't, certainly, especially not after this summer, but...

Well.

Maybe it did, a little.

[Translation: For Zoe, on her twenty-first birthday.]

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21 divided by 3 is 7. That doesn't Mean much. Divided by 4 is 5.25, which is a Little Better. But 10 times 2 plus 1 is 21, and that... that's just Fantastic, isn't it.

So he'll find her in the morning, at 10:21, like Clockwork. There's a bit of a Crunch, really--there are new Twos who came to the Kitchens during his Absence, and if that doesn't make things More of a Living Hell than is Strictly Necessary, nothing in the universe can--and Supervision is more Required than usual. But it's important he find her just Now, wherever she is, to pass what's clearly a neatly wrapped binder into her hands.

"Mistress."

She'll likely open it later, find the Immaculate but Simple (for Him) paper-cut card on top of the beautifully penned sheet music he's had copied for the binder (http://rlv.zcache.com/spades_binder-p127705733724082128enqy8_210.jpg). Jazz Standards with a touch of Western Classics. Half of them he knows she owns, thought she might like a nearly Illuminated Copy of. Half are guesses, his own inexpert attempt at finding Things She'd Like.

"Happy birthday."

She's decided to put the earrings away, later, and burn the letters. Maybe she shouldn't - someone would probably tell her that it's important to keep these kinds of things - but nonetheless, when Chives finds her, the letters are gone, and the fireplace has a little new ash.

And she's reading Grimm's Fairy Tales at the same table. She even smiles when she looks up at Chives. "Good morning," she says. "It's too early for second tea, isn't it?"

First is, actually, coffee, delivered to Victor's door and poured down Zoe's throat at seven am. Second is 10:30. Lunch is 12:30, and so on. It's their routine; she likes it.

"It will arrive in nine minutes, Miss." But first, the binder has to be set down on the table, slid to her side. "I only thought this might deserve handing over a touch sooner."

To give them just a Moment together. A breath in the day. And, when a Two scurries up with the Service, he'll still Set Tea for her before vanishing again.

The barest Blip in routine.

She opens it, of course, and blinks because...music. That she hadn't really expected. Charlotte had always gotten her music before this year - including the absolutely hideous baby grand in her rooms at Heart Castle - but no one else did, because she'd never really wanted it.

"Stardust," she murmurs, trailing her fingers over an illuminated edge. "Did you make this, Chives?"

"Only the card (http://s4.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/68A4CA8E.jpg), Miss. The work had to be contracted." But hopefully that doesn't Diminish the present. Not when she looks so Captivated. When he feels like, despite being Entirely Out Of Sorts, he's finally hit on doing something Right again.

"It's a beautiful card," Zoe says, lightly touching one of the butterflies before smiling down at the music again.

"Stardust has always been one of my favorite songs," she says. "I sang it to Victor, once." Hummed it, really, while nursing his hangover the morning after they first met.

It's really a perfect gift; she hasn't had time to play the piano as much in recent weeks.

It's possible he Knew that. It's possible it was a Lucky Guess. It's not important. What's important is he's Done Well. She's been made a little Happier today.

"Will... you play for me sometime?"

"Of course I will." She traces her fingers just to one side of a shimmering star along the edge before she turns the page. Gershwin is, of course, somewhat expected. Three Preludes and Blue Monday.. Mood Indigo and Georgia on My Mind. River.

"Thank you, Chives. It's really lovely." She pauses, then, though, and looks up at him. "Will you have tea with me, when it comes?"

There's a Pause. There's always a Pause. But then, of course, there's a tilt of his head.

It's her Birthday. And, really, even if it weren't, he Does Enjoy absolutely Spoiling Her rotten.

"So please you, Miss."

And, what would you know. It's been Nine Minutes.

Perfect.

It's odd, really, that both of the Spade gentlemen in her life seem to like spoiling her rotten. They do it different ways, though; Victor spends too much on her, buys her things with prices that even make her breath catch. And Chives just...spends time with her.

It's the same result, though; she gives both of them bright, pleased smiles.

"Thank you," she says, as she clears the table a little for the Two. "Do you have a favorite song that you gave me?"

And what else Matters, really, but seeing the Best Ones happy?

"Not in particular, Miss." The tray becomes His the moment it's set down, the Two vanishing with appropriate haste as the butler's hands call into making the cups properly. "I'll admit, I've only heard of half of them at all."

"Then I'll have to play them, I suppose, and you can pick one out." It sounds nice, actually, playing for someone else. Not a crowd, of course; she's probably never going to like doing that. But for a friend.

Chives is a very dear one, after all.

"When you've the time, Mistress."

His own Time, after all, was so Malleable. Almost Magically so. Just like the Tea can't possibly already be Poured, Stirred, and yet--he's handing her the Cup.

Measuring out a second.

It's butler magic. She's long since learned never to question it but simply accept what was apparently Possible. So she warms her hands on the teacup and waits for him to sit before she speaks.

"I'm hoping the autumn won't be quite as busy as spring and summer was."

There's a moment of slight Lurching once his one cup is in hand. This isn't, after all, the Kitchen, where he's Allowed to sit. It will take a bit of Contemplating before he realizes she expects him to.

"It can never be helped, Miss Zoë." The press of his lips into a line is brief. "It's not the nature of things."

She can be patient, of course. But she's also crossing her legs and giving him an expectant look. He will sit, of course. In time.

"I know," she says softly, picking up a chocolate-cranberry scone - her favorites - and breaking it in half. "Still, there's nothing wrong with hoping."

And he can take her Expectation as an Invitation. Everyone wins. Perching on the very edge of the chair will only be a Touch awkward.

His head ducks briefly, slightly. "One has to, I expect. For... others, if not themselves."

The Best, after all, is Sincerely Wished for Victor and his Zoë.

"I think it's important to wish for yourself, too, though." She sips at her tea and watches him carefully. She's had her own mood today, her own sadness thanks to the garnet earrings still in the black velvet box to the side.

But still. It's a relatively small sort of sadness.

"No one should have a hopeless life, after all."

"And you wish it for yourself, I hope?"

He'll deal with his Own Life once hers is Secure, after all.

"I do." Zoe's eyes hit the earrings for a moment, the cause of continuing uncertainty today, really. Silly, considering it's just what Charlotte hoped to do. "I think...no. I'm already very happy."

Nothing was perfect, of course. But life was falling into place. She didn't expect a fairy tale with Victor - he wasn't, in truth, any kind of prince charming - but in a way, that's what she was getting. They loved each other. She was one challenge away from holding the same rank in Spades that she'd held in Hearts when they met. Her best friend was her family. There were little things, and not so little worries - there was something wrong with Hadyn that he hadn't been able to shake off as usual - but in general?

Things were good.

Well. If that's not something to Smile about, nothing is.

His head still ducks instinctively over the cup, not so much to hide it as almost in surprise that it's there at all.

"That's quite reassuring to hear, Miss."

He has a nice smile; it's one she wouldn't mind seeing more of, really, but that's just something Spades don't do. It's what makes her an odd one - her smile blooms easily, always, just like it does now as she nibbles on a scone.

"Victor and I will dine out tonight, I think," she says. "But I might try to sneak lunch to him today." It was her birthday, after all. She could get away with it.

"And you'll be certain to let us know if we can assist, Mistress?" Not that she wasn't completely Capable of wrangling Victor.

But Victor And Lunch might necessitate Two Pairs of Hands.

Backup is almost necessary when it comes to Victor and lunch, and it being her birthday would only go so far.

"I'd appreciate any help, Chives," she says, sipping her tea. "Thank you."

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[OTA] Beware of Greeks bearing gifts

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