Shay was tired. So fatigued. She had alternated between helping Annie and Sherry with campaigning, set up, clean up, pep talks, and practices. It was evening when she invited Logan to the Rosales Manor to brainstorm some campaigning ideas. Vito had set them up in the study. No real privacy, of course. Shay had expected that.
She had put out some crackers and cheese, drinks, and the like for when he arrived. Naturally, Shay was going to dress up just a tad better. When the door rang, she got there before anyone else could and swung it open with a smile. Shay ushered Logan in with a quick, chipper greeting and led him to the study.
"We have to keep the door open," she said once they were inside the room.
♠♠♠
The Rosales manor was beautiful and intimidating. Logan wouldn't have gone anywhere near the home of a crime family even just earlier last month, but a lot had changed since then. He'd gained a much stronger sense of self and confidence, and his flawless Christian boy image upkeep was mostly surface now, not his only lifestyle. Sex and violence, oh my. He wasn't bothered by the demons and criminals that lived here, though he made sure to travel over subtly. The guards and how closely he knew he'd be monitored here, however, was a different case. He'd be mindful. He was used to that. How familiar, in fact. He felt right at home.
Shay looked as cute as she always did-- lightly dolled up, however, when it was the two of them, which made her even cuter. Logan shifted on his feet and bit his tongue to not comment, not wanting to risk sounding odd, not here, where a wrong move could very well be suicide. Instead, he gave his little return greetings and followed along after her, staying close and not looking around much. It was lovely here, but he didn't want to see anything he shouldn't, or make eye contact with thugs.
"I expected as much," Logan murmured, shrugging off his coat and folding it on a chair, stepping forward to quietly check out the study and run his fingers over books on the bookcases.
He went back to Shay soon enough, picking up a glass of juice and sipping some. He slipped his small planning notebook from his pocket and opened to a blank page, tapping a mechanical pencil on it. He sat down at a table, resting his chin in a palm. "This is my first time doing this. Political Alliance is similar in a lot of ways, at least. How about you? Have you been involved in campaigns before?"
Shay looked as cute as she always did-- lightly dolled up, however, when it was the two of them, which made her even cuter. Logan shifted on his feet and bit his tongue to not comment, not wanting to risk sounding odd, not here, where a wrong move could very well be suicide. Instead, he gave his little return greetings and followed along after her, staying close and not looking around much. It was lovely here, but he didn't want to see anything he shouldn't, or make eye contact with thugs.
"I expected as much," Logan murmured, shrugging off his coat and folding it on a chair, stepping forward to quietly check out the study and run his fingers over books on the bookcases.
He went back to Shay soon enough, picking up a glass of juice and sipping some. He slipped his small planning notebook from his pocket and opened to a blank page, tapping a mechanical pencil on it. He sat down at a table, resting his chin in a palm. "This is my first time doing this. Political Alliance is similar in a lot of ways, at least. How about you? Have you been involved in campaigns before?"
Shay was embarrassed; that may have been made apparent by how quickly she spoke or how frantic she was to ensure Logan felt comfortable. Her parents were cool, her family was cool, but the strictness is hard to get over. It made people, specifically people Shay was romantically or sexually interested in, uncomfortable. She kept Logan at the corner of her eye, always reading his face for a reaction. Trying to determine his body language.
Shay's face warmed. Ugh, how awkward. Hadn't Addy gotten to spend time with her boyfriends and flirt partners? Shay wasn't that much younger than her older sister. Maybe it was for the best. She rubbed at her cheeks, hoping to rub away the color there and gave Logan some time to take it all in. The study was filled with books or all sorts, old and new.
She sat across from him, not bothering to take a drink or some food for herself. Eating in front of people while they sat right across from you, staring at you. No, she didn't need that anxiety right now. She had already set out a notebook and pencil for herself. It was one she frequently used for random thoughts and squiggles.
"Always helping, but never running," she responded. "I do better in the background, where I don't have to smile at annoying people or play nice."
Politics was all games or pretty words, neither of which Shay was skilled at. She didn't play things the way others did, and she'd never been good at holding her tongue, less so no than ever.
Shay flipped her notebook to an empty page and swirled the tip of her pencil on it a few times as she thought. "First things first, did you have any plans?"
♠♠♠
Logan's resentful feelings towards strictness was a more resigned one, not anything rebellious. He wasn't a fucking idiot. He knew how polite, nonthreatening motions went. It didn't particularly hurt his pride, because he preferred to be secure over having constant indulgence, even if the latter sounded appealing from time to time. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes as his father with a lack of filter, because he wanted to reap all the benefits at once. Ambitious? Maybe. Logan was far more ambitious than he looked.
He'd gently brush back her hair, cheekily play with edge of her skirt, and lean in to kiss her adorable nose some other time. Not here, not here. Even if the dangerous, childish flirtations were known about, not here. He knew not to push it, and that the line was thin. Very thin.
Logan ate some cheese and crackers, staring down at the empty notebook page rather than anything else. "That makes sense. I get it. Honestly, I can smile at and play nice with almost anyone, but I really don't prefer to be in the complete spotlight. Vice is a lot heavier than anything other position I've held, but it isn't President-- I'd never try for that. I'm okay with stepping up in Dorian's place, but not permanently. I'm good with support, he's good with extravagance and the real driving force behind a project."
Logan quieted, then slumped in his seat a little, leaning over against the table to reach and doodle a little unicorn in Shay's notebook. "I have plenty of plans… with Dorian. Not a lot on my own. I'm admittedly nervous about trying to put too much focus on myself. What if I don't live up to it? I'm not as flashy, I'm not sure I can hold attention for long." He peeked up to smile at her, lips curving up fondly, before coughing and moving on. "I know everyone does bake sales. A lot of cookies. I almost want to do one, though. With pies instead of cookies. Both berry and meat. Maybe some French treats. I don't know… and I figure I should do something musically involved, since I lead both Music and Choir now. One of my emphasized focuses is an investment in the arts and having plenty of funding there."
He'd gently brush back her hair, cheekily play with edge of her skirt, and lean in to kiss her adorable nose some other time. Not here, not here. Even if the dangerous, childish flirtations were known about, not here. He knew not to push it, and that the line was thin. Very thin.
Logan ate some cheese and crackers, staring down at the empty notebook page rather than anything else. "That makes sense. I get it. Honestly, I can smile at and play nice with almost anyone, but I really don't prefer to be in the complete spotlight. Vice is a lot heavier than anything other position I've held, but it isn't President-- I'd never try for that. I'm okay with stepping up in Dorian's place, but not permanently. I'm good with support, he's good with extravagance and the real driving force behind a project."
Logan quieted, then slumped in his seat a little, leaning over against the table to reach and doodle a little unicorn in Shay's notebook. "I have plenty of plans… with Dorian. Not a lot on my own. I'm admittedly nervous about trying to put too much focus on myself. What if I don't live up to it? I'm not as flashy, I'm not sure I can hold attention for long." He peeked up to smile at her, lips curving up fondly, before coughing and moving on. "I know everyone does bake sales. A lot of cookies. I almost want to do one, though. With pies instead of cookies. Both berry and meat. Maybe some French treats. I don't know… and I figure I should do something musically involved, since I lead both Music and Choir now. One of my emphasized focuses is an investment in the arts and having plenty of funding there."
He was so close, unbelievable near to her, only a table top of distance. Shay could have reached across the surface and taken his hand. Ran her thumb along the soft skin of his knuckles. Christ, she had to clear her head. That had become increasingly difficult with age; Shay had learned.
Shay wanted to apologize again for her parent's watchfulness. She felt like it was her fault, somehow, even if she knew that wasn't true. They just cared about her, were protective. She got it, even if the teenager in her was screaming.
When Logan reached across the table to doodle a unicorn in her notebook, talking about his plans, Shay patiently waited for him to finish his thought before inputting any opinion. She doodled a rose beside his unicorn.
"You don't need to be flashy to be memorable. You need something unique to you, is all, and you have that. Your music and your look. As for living up to expectations, you set," Shay gave her notebook a brief tap with the butt of her pencil, smiling at him, "never know until you try. And you'll have Dorian and me to help you along."
Feeling somewhat bolder, Shay took Logan's hand and gently squeezed it, brushing her thumb along the back of his hand. "Pies are an excellent idea. Meat pies, huh? Have you considered composing a song for your campaign? Maybe a small production of some sort? Short notice, but I could have the dance club help out."
Shay was attempting to keep her passion in check. She supposed, at her core, she was like Vito and Klaus. Grand ideas and a determination to see them through. Ambition, maybe too much for a little girl. Shay didn't know.
"Consider designing the pies with musical notes. If you can associate yourself with an image and plaster it over almost anything you do, you're more likely to stick in people's minds and get their votes."
♠♠♠
"I'm glad for that. I couldn't really do this without the teamwork." He sighed lightly. "You and Dorian are gems. Thank you." When she took his hands, his eyes flickered down, flashing nervousness and interest. He returned the squeeze. This wasn't too risky, and it was warm. He liked warm.
"They're good!" he said, grinning. "I'm not really like a horse, even if I am a unicorn, not only interested in grazing and carrots. I love meat and I eat way more food than I look like I do. Rich foods and sweets, along with stuff from magical cultures, are the best."
At the next question, he bit at his lip. "I've…" he lowered his voice, not wanting to have said this out loud, even if it was bothering him. "I feel embarrassed advertising myself too much. At least, it doesn't seem to fit right to do it like the other candidates do. I'm not a fast food chain like Saucer. Having my image on buttons and with some cheesy song sounds so--" He scrubbed his face, frustrated, holding her hand tighter for a moment before letting it go. "Not me. It isn't me, right? It's kind of disheartening, though, seeing everyone else do it so comfortably. Do you think trying to incorporate something more elegant in would be taken badly? Would anyone care about that?"
He twiddled his thumbs, ever fidgety. "I do like the sound of a production. That sounds real and solid. Maybe I can make the pies cuter, too, yes."
"They're good!" he said, grinning. "I'm not really like a horse, even if I am a unicorn, not only interested in grazing and carrots. I love meat and I eat way more food than I look like I do. Rich foods and sweets, along with stuff from magical cultures, are the best."
At the next question, he bit at his lip. "I've…" he lowered his voice, not wanting to have said this out loud, even if it was bothering him. "I feel embarrassed advertising myself too much. At least, it doesn't seem to fit right to do it like the other candidates do. I'm not a fast food chain like Saucer. Having my image on buttons and with some cheesy song sounds so--" He scrubbed his face, frustrated, holding her hand tighter for a moment before letting it go. "Not me. It isn't me, right? It's kind of disheartening, though, seeing everyone else do it so comfortably. Do you think trying to incorporate something more elegant in would be taken badly? Would anyone care about that?"
He twiddled his thumbs, ever fidgety. "I do like the sound of a production. That sounds real and solid. Maybe I can make the pies cuter, too, yes."
"I don't eat that much," Shay said, "but I'd love to try one of your meat pies. I've never had one before." Shay almost groaned. If she didn't sound like an idiot, she felt like a pervert. That sentence had come out wrong. Stupid.
To keep herself busy Shay took a cracker and nibbled as he talked. She stared down at her notebook and wrote, in bold, girlish writing PRODUCTION.
"If you don't think it's you, then it's not you. No, I don't think people would react negatively to a different, more elegant approach. What kind of elegant event did you have in mind? We have plenty of students at Starlight Academy about the arts, so we can build your campaign around that.
"We could set you up with the art club, drama club, dance club. Do some events around those. Lots of kids in those clubs, too, so you'd gain favor and plenty of votes."
Shay watched Logan twitch and fidget, a frown tugging at the corner of her lips. It was in her to comfort people, even if she was a prickly child most of the time. She scooted her chair around the table to sit closer, give him a reassuring smile and gently nudge him.
"Don't worry about being like everyone else. Manta Carlos celebrates uniqueness, as do the arts. You're going to be great. If you want, I can garner the participation for the clubs you want to use and help with the technical details of the events you plan to set up. I've gotten pretty good at that."
♠♠♠
"Never, huh?" Logan said, not picking up on any awkwardness. He grinned. "Well, then your first will be the best! Lucky you. I was taught how to make them by someone who'd been doing so for years." He didn't elaborate on further specifics there. The only person he'd told about his Graham relation was Dorian, who'd even gone over and had Nanna's famous pies with him personally. His dear boyfriend wasn't a native, alarm bells didn't go off in his head at the butcher family. Shay was, and he knew she took too much interest in the darker things. She'd know who Billy Graham was. Logan would be in serious trouble if she knew.
He sat back, calming a little at the words. "Actually, it's ambitious but I was thinking… a little ball, for the candidates. Or, maybe the winners? I'm not sure I'll have the time for it while we're campaigning, but if I'm elected, it could be really nice. Music and dancing. Lovely."
He hummed. "Sounds good. I'm friends with you already, and work with Constantin in Political Alliance. It's only drama club that's more mysterious right now, but that could be fixed. I'm all for gaining more favor, however I can. I need it."
There was a moment of blinking at he getting closer, but he let his heartbeat slow again, simply staring. He huffed a laugh at what she said. "Thank you… I appreciate it. And you're very productive, aren't you? I won't make you do all the work for me, cherie. I promise."
He sat back, calming a little at the words. "Actually, it's ambitious but I was thinking… a little ball, for the candidates. Or, maybe the winners? I'm not sure I'll have the time for it while we're campaigning, but if I'm elected, it could be really nice. Music and dancing. Lovely."
He hummed. "Sounds good. I'm friends with you already, and work with Constantin in Political Alliance. It's only drama club that's more mysterious right now, but that could be fixed. I'm all for gaining more favor, however I can. I need it."
There was a moment of blinking at he getting closer, but he let his heartbeat slow again, simply staring. He huffed a laugh at what she said. "Thank you… I appreciate it. And you're very productive, aren't you? I won't make you do all the work for me, cherie. I promise."