Log ongoing; Closed

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

When; Thursday Afternoon
Rating; PG-13 I think
Characters; basstardchuck only_fell
Summary; Chuck and Inara have tea
Log;

After receiving Chuck's invitation, Inara dressed in a gown that for most women would have been evening wear. For Inara it was simply a tea dress. She put her hair up and walked to the Victrola. She was let in at the front door and shown back to Chuck's office. Once there she knocked lightly on the door, opened it a bit and peeked inside.

"Mr. Bass, I believe we have a tea date," she told him with a smile.

Comments

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

It was difficult not to smile back when Inara was smiling at you. And so, even if he really wasn't in the mood, Chuck smiled back.

"Ms Serra," he stood up and walked around his desk to join her. "I had the staff prepare one of the backrooms for us..." He offered her his arm.

He was determined to keep himself distracted. He would not be thinking about Blair and how cruel the City was.

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

Inara took his arm, tucking her hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Thank you. I'm terribly pleased you invited me. How is business?"

She won't ask how he is. Not yet.

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

Carrying a conversation that stirred far away from what was really bohering him was exactly what he wanted. For that, he was silently grateful.

"The performers certainly profited from your lessons," he admitted. "And I'm investing in several different ventures. It feels like making business in the City is far easier than back in my world..."

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

She doesn't see the point in providing distraction and then immediately pulling the conversation back around to the very thing she was trying to distract him from in the first place.

"I'm pleased that they did. It was an enjoyable venture for me." She paused, tilting her head as she considered his idea. "That's interesting. I wonder if it's because relatively this place is still a small town."

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

He actually considered her words. A part of him that saw everything in gains and losses and profits was fascinated by the idea.

"That might be connected to the size of the City, yes. Limited resources and such. Or maybe it's because nobody tries to bring me down at the same time..."

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

And Inara listened with genuine interest as they walked toward the back room. Business had always interested her although she'd never really gotten into a business.

"I suppose that is a big part of business whether we like it or not. It was a problem in New York City?"

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

"New York City, Upper East Side especially is full of people thinking they can succeed simply because they want to. Some don't believe I know what I'm doing despite my age and the fact that I was born into money. The rest simply don't like me and want to see me fail. The City doesn't have those complications."

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

"You are quite young to be such an adept businessman," Inara said with a soft smile. "However I'm certain it's something you make work for you instead of against you."

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

"I do try my best," he told her, holding the door to the backroom and letting her go in first. "Most of the people underestimate me because of my age. Depending on how useful they are I either let them or show them exactly how wrong they are about me."

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

Inara stepped over the threshold, head turned slightly to listen to Chuck as she did. She went ahead and took a seat at the the table. "There's a skill to being able to read people that way."

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

"It usually comes with the territory," was his only answer. Mostly because while in the City, the answer "I'm Chuck Bass" didn't carry as much weight as it id back on the Upper East Side.

"I had the staff prepare everything we might need, but because none of them are in the business of tea... I can't guarantee the quality of it all..."

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

Inara could actually sympathize with that. In her world, she could give her name and her guild license number and doors would open. The fact that that didn't apply here made things harder.

"It all looks and smells wonderful," Inara assured him. She raised the lid of the tea pot slightly and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the tea then she picked the pot up and poured a cup for Chuck before pouring one for herself. "Do you take cream, sugar or lemon?"

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

"I actually stick to coffee when I'm not having scotch... With my inexperience... I'll leave it for you to decide," he told her with a smile.

"How have you been, Ms Serra?" He asked, if somewhat suddenly. Realizing they haven't talked much, he felt slight guilt he decided to get rid of.

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

"It was always too bitter for me," Inara answered with a smile. She glanced up at Chuck, considering what she knew about him for a moment before she added cream and sugar to his tea. Her own cup got an almost obscene amount of sugar.

She tilted her head at his question. "I've been alright. I've escaped most of the curses unscathed for the most part and acquired a new room mate which has been surprisingly nice. Yourself?"

[basstardchuck.livejournal.com]

He raised his eyebrow, curious. "A roommate?" He probably should start thinking about one himself. But he couldn't bring himself to share his living space with a complete stranger.... "I suppose the ticking subdued then..."

He raised his cup and took a sip. The taste was somewhat new, but enjoyable. He smiled, approvingly. "I've been relatively lucky with curses. Seem like the City doesn't need them to make my life miserable though."

Now, why would he say this? What happened with distracting himself?

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

If it weren't revealing much more than she wanted to reveal, Inara would have been honest about how she was doing. It would have been distracting but it also would have ruined tea.

"I've had Lorne as my room mate for a while now so the ticking hasn't been a problem but with the addition of Fred...it's been nice."

She listened to him, sipping at her tea as she did. "I think it's the real things that make life miserable. The curses are fleeting. You know that there will be an end to them. We don't have such guarantees for the real things."