THE BEAR | 2.05 "Pop"

céleste  accepted  the  bottle  without  breaking  eye  contact,  fingers  grazing  his  just  long  enough  to  make  it  seem  incidental  —  a  calculated  accident,  if  anything.  she  brought  the  bottle  to  her  lips,  taking  a  sip  —  not  out  of  need,  but  because  she  didn’t  mind  letting  the  silence  stretch  either.  his  reply  lingered  between  them,  deliberate,  measured.  a  soft  breath  of  amusement  slipped  past  her  lips,  almost  like  she  was  entertaining  the  thought—before  she  tilted  her  head  slightly,  gaze  dragging  over  him  in  a  way  that  was  half  assessment,  half  something  else.  something  more  dangerous. most  people,  standing  in  a  penthouse  like  this,  would  probably  be  fixated  on  how  he  got  here  —  the  money,  the  name,  the  effortless  access  to  things  others  could  only  dream  of.  but  none  of  that  had  been  her  first  thought.  his  wealth,  his  lifestyle,  the  privileges  that  came  with  it  —  didn’t  impressed  her.  money  made  things  easier,  not  more  interesting.  and  alec?  he  was  interesting.  not  because  of  what  he  had,  but  because  of  whatever  was  lurking  beneath  the  curated  exterior.  but  that  didn’t  mean  she  was  about  to  hand  him  that  realization. "mm."  the  sound  was  thoughtful,  considering,  but  not  entirely  convinced.  she  let  her  eyes  flick  over  him  —  not  in  admiration,  but  in  calculation.  like  she  was  still  deciding  exactly  where  he  fit  in  her  world.  "so  what  you’re  saying  is…"  she  let  the  words  hang,  her  lips  curving  just  slightly.  "you’re  naturally  inclined  to  be  this  insufferable?"  she  took  another  sip,  before  setting  the  bottle  down  with  a  quiet  clink  against  the  counter.  then,  with  the  faintest  smirk,  she  met  his  gaze  head-on.  "noted."  she  took  a  quick  gaze  across  the  new  york  city  skyline.  “at  least  you're  not  getting  exhausted  trying  to  impress  people  then.  more  energy  to  place  elsewhere.”

his smirk didn’t falter, but he captured the way her gaze moved — perceptive, knowing. most people didn’t look that closely, or if they did, they were too busy being in awe of his wealth to question what they found. celeste, apparently, was neither. it felt as though she had already sized him up and decided exactly where he fit into her world. that was new. most people were too distracted by the money, the name, the lifestyle to see past the surface. they played along, eager to impress, but céleste? she wasn’t playing at all. at her comment about the water, he chuckled before quipping, “hydration is important, céleste. i thought you, of all people, would appreciate that.” he moved toward the built-in fridge, prying it open and grabbing a random bottle without even checking the brand. voss, apparently. twisting off the cap, he held it out to her. “but if this doesn’t meet your standards, i’m sure i can have something imported. nothing but the best for my trainer, right?” her next words, though, caught him slightly off guard. not that he showed it. you don’t have to try and impress me. he let the silence stretch just long enough to make it noticeable, his eyes lingering on her frame. it was almost inscrutable, but there was something there. maybe the smallest crack in all that control. he eased a little closer, just enough to minimize some of the space between them, but not enough to cross any lines. not yet. “who says i’m trying?” his composure was level, tone light and teasing. “maybe this is just me.”

molly gordon via instagram

it  wasn’t  the  first  time  mason  had  ended  up  in  her  treatment  room  —  and  knowing  him,  it  wouldn’t  be  the  last.  harper  had  come  to  expect  the  combination  of  ego  and  deflection  that  followed  him  through  the  door,  all  six-foot-something  of  him  acting  like  every  injury  was  just  part  of  the  game.  "oh,  right,"  she  said  flatly,  one  brow  arching  as  she  examined  the  damage.  "so  this  doesn’t  hurt?"  she  said  applying  more  pressure.  the  wince  that  flickered  across  his  features  told  her  everything.  "yeah,  that’s  what  i  thought."  she  stepped  back,  exhaling  through  her  nose  as  she  moved  toward  the  cabinet,  gloves  snapping  off  her  hands  with  a  quiet  finality.  "mason,  this  isn’t  just  a  bruise  you  can  shake  off  on  the  court."  her  tone  wasn’t  cruel,  but  it  was  cutting.  "your  body  is  your  entire  job,  and  if  you  want  to  keep  doing  it  for  more  than  five  years,  maybe  start  listening  to  the  woman  who’s  literally  paid  to  keep  you  standing."  she  paused,  glanced  over  her  shoulder.  “this  might  even  be  out  of  my  hands,  mason.  and  if i’m  saying  that?  it’s  time  to  take  it  seriously.”  her  voice  dropped  slightly,  something  quieter  there.  “i  wish  it  was  just  me  being  dramatic.”

closed starter for @velvetysage ♡ ( loosely ) based on this !

"don't you think you're being a tad dramatic?" for all he knew, he could have a broken nose. instead of owning up to his mistake, he deflected, trying to bring some light to the situation. it was classic mason — never wanting anyone to be mad at him, despite creating a situation where someone should be. "it's not as bad as it looks. it barely even hurts."

being paranoid is funny bc like well what if i'm right

La Casa de las Flores · BROMELIA (símb. resiliencia)

she's a 10 but it's hard for her show affection so she just bullies you

céleste’s smirk lingered, amusement flickering behind her gaze. he was quick. smooth. predictable in some ways, but in others? not at all. his confidence wasn’t new to her — the men she had been around in her life had lived and breathed it. but the way he wore it, like a second skin rather than something performative, that was what made him stand out compared to all the rest. "i will be impressed if you last the entire session without needing a break." a beat. her gaze swept over him, like she was already calculating his limits before they’d even started. “not to worry .. it is after all also my job to make sure you don’t push yourself too much. or at least not to a point where you never want to book another session. as he squared his shoulders, slipping back into his usual self-assured posture, she took a step back from the window. "coach?" she arched a brow, amusement playing at the corners of her lips. "i may not do pep talks and participation trophies. but let it be known, i’m not one to take it easy." she let the words settle between them, her gaze unwavering, "i train hard." her voice was calm, steady, but there was something else beneath it — a quiet challenge, an unspoken dare.  she reached for her phone to check the time. " but we’ll start easy. now, show me the way to the gym.." a deliberate pause, just long enough for him to register that she wasn’t actually planning to start easy at all. "unless, of course, you’d prefer to keep standing there, looking pretty, and wasting time." she tilted her head slightly. "your call, jameson."

insufferable. the word dripped from her lips like something honeyed, meant to stain, but he let it seep, wearing it like a second skin. it wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last, but coming from her? well. he almost wanted to hear it again. cerulean hues moved to where she’d set the bottle down, noting the control she seemed to possess with every small action she took. alec wondered how much of it was habit and how much was defense. either way, he wasn’t in a hurry to figure it out. "exhausting myself trying to impress people has never been my style," he replied lazily. "but placing my energy elsewhere? guess we’ll see how much of that energy i have left by the time you’re done with me." his smirk deepened, but there was an undercurrent beneath it. one part amusement, one part something else entirely. whatever game they were playing, she was keeping up, maybe even a step ahead, and that was rare. but for now, he reminded himself that she was here to work. he straightened his posture, stretching out his arms before rolling his shoulders back, his expression slipping back into something cocky, self-assured. "alright, coach," alec began, "are you going to keep staring at me, or are we starting this session?"

✩ ‧ ₊⋆ .* : . CLOSED FOR : @gamecfchance

two  weeks.  fourteen  days.  three  hundred  and  thirty-six  hours.  that’s  how  long  it’s  been  since  penny  last  saw  her.  since  she’s  heard  anything  real ,  anything  beyond  the  few  scattered  texts  that  did  nothing  to  quiet  the  constant  knot  in  her  stomach.  she’s  tried  to  keep  it  together — tried  to  throw  herself  into  work,   into  anything  that  might  keep  her  from  spiraling.  but  it’s  when  she  forgets  to  do  her  warm-ups  before  the  second  act ,  too  distracted  checking  her  phone ,  that  it  really  hits.  when  she  almost  misses  four  cues  in  a  single  performance ,  her  mind  anywhere  but  the  stage ,  that’s  when  she  knows — she  can’t  keep  pretending  she’s  fine.  she  has  to  call  again.  she’s  given  drew  space.  figured  there  was  a  reason  for  the  silence ,  something  she  shouldn’t  push.  but  that  reasoning  only  gets  her  so  far  when  it  feels  like  she’s  been  abandoned — like  she’s  been  led  to  believe  in  something ,  only  to  be  left  standing  alone.  when  she’d  knocked  on  drew’s  door  a  few  nights  ago ,  her  roommates  had  no  real  answers  for  her.  now ,  sitting  curled  up  on  her  couch,  her  phone  cold  and  useless  in  her  hands ,  she  gives  in.  again.  she  dials.  voicemail.  again.  "hey. i know i said i’d stop calling. and at this point , i get it — you don’t want to talk to me. you want nothing to do with me anymore , fine. but can you just — just give me a sign of life ? please ? i feel like you at least owe me that. just let me know that you’re okay. or if you’re not. just … please , drew. please." by  the  time  she  ends  the  call,  her  hands  are  shaking.  she  stares  at  her  phone  for  a  long  moment,  then  sets  it  down,  swallowing  against  the  lump  in  her  throat.