when she leaves, he puts his head in his hands. what damage the pair had wrought upon their name will be healed, slowly, and by people he pays far better than he should. they're fixing all those messes now while he sits in his chambers, alone. 

finally, he drops his arms down, gathers the rest of his things, and pockets his cell phone. summer at least knows how to contact him. no doubt she's gotten hold of his burner number. he'll find a way to browse her phone during dinner.

"oh, that you've stooped so low," he says to the air. 

at the door, his coat is gathered for him. he shrugs it on and looks up at the rail, smile breaking over his face when his darling comes down the stairs. she steps neatly past that place he smote her and he thinks, she's too strong for her own good. 

"you look beautiful, dear." he holds an arm out for her to take and then looks down at the alakazam by his side. 

they're teleported in a blink and the pokemon is quickly recalled. once inside, they're greeted warmly by the hosts. one of them marvels over summer's dress. 

'merrick prescott for two. they'll be at their usual table, cassie.' 

and awaiting them, awaiting summer, is champagne, chilled in an ice bath to perfection, poured just as she sits down. 

Summer Atreides

☉

he picks up his own glass of champagne and takes it to his lips. the time for toasts will come later, when half the bottle is gone and their lips are looser. he very rarely drinks, save for the occasional glass of wine with dinner, and he'll nurse it throughout a meal, especially when he's around anyone else. 

but with summer it's different. with summer, he can be himself. he doesn't have to be the face of the dark company. he still has to keep up his appearances, yes, but she brings out a...tender side of him. 

"the ossobuco tonight, i think," he says after glancing briefly over the menu. the saffron risotto it's served with sounds delightful, especially with the champagne. 

"and yourself?"

Summer Atreides

☉

"of course i don't mind," he says. he folds his own menu and it's only a few mere moments later that their server returns. he expects nothing less out of his and summer's old haunt. she takes their order kindly, withdrawing the menus, and then disappears, leaving father and daughter with nothing but a lit candle and some champagne between them. 

he takes his flute, but rather than raising it to his lips, holds it out across the table, rim tilted toward summer. 

"we've been through much lately. so to you, my darling, for your perseverance and your loyalty."

Summer Atreides

☉

Summer took her own glass in her hand, anticipating raising hers to her lips at the same time. However, she noticed him extend his arm out to her.

She raised her brows, but nonetheless, she extended her arm toward her father. Her cheeks tinged pink as he commenced a cheers to her. However, the compliment made her warm inside, filling the void in her heart only for a moment.

"And to your health and long prosper in our industry. Thank you, Father."

knox prescott

☉

merrick smiles deeply, his worries shrugged aside for the moment. knox may have wormed his way back into her life, but he'll always have summer's heart. because he cares, truly, for her, and that is what sets himself and his son apart. 

knox will drag her down with him and blame everyone else around him while she drowns. and he will not let that happen. 

her information about this ollie character ought to finally tidy this mess up. 

the food arrives shortly thereafter and he dines slowly, savoring the calm between them. "i hadn't known how much i'd needed this," he says as he reaches to pour her more champagne. his own glass is still only half-drank. 

Summer Atreides

☉

Summer's mind still raced. Even though they were having this peaceful dinner together, she couldn't help but wonder about Knox.

About Sam.

She thought to herself, did her father have any clue about samuel carter? Did he catch him on the tapes from the party? Did he realize that his son had a different relationship than the one Summer suggested with Ollie?

It made it harder to swallow for a moment. She cleared her throat, her own glass coming empty rather quickly. A habit she had developed from her developing anxiety and stress as of late.

"I agree. It's been a while since we've done something like this."

She took a bite of food.

"How have things been going as far as business, Father? I know from my side, but I assume from your perspective, all is well?"

knox prescott

☉

his daughter is a master manipulator, something that he prides himself in. but he's taught her everything she knows, so he doesn't miss the flicker of anxiety over her features as he talks. he slides his gaze away, admiring his glass of wine to let her have her moment. 

still too touchy. we'll have to continue with the pleasantries. he reaches forward for the bottle and takes it upon himself to top them both off.

at her question, he eyes her, brows raised. soft blues are rimmed with red veins. sleepless nights and days spent cleaning up after their mess have left him exhausted. he doesn't partake in his product, so he doesn't even have that to keep him going. 

"managing," he says. "we're over the worst of it now. it's a cause for celebration, don't you think? we'll be able to do this more often."

Summer Atreides

☉

More alcohol was poured into her glass. Of course, Summer being Summer, she didn't mind. It had become a rather unhealthy habit of hers as of late.

Of course, she wasn't aware that it was part of her father's plan to loosen her up, to rid her of her anxiety. Of course it was working.

The glass was lifted to her lips, tilted back as she sipped perhaps far too long before setting it down again. Slowly, her shoulders were beginning to relax, her brows less raised and tense.

"More often? I'd love that. You know exactly what I like, Father."

knox prescott

☉

"i know," he says with a lilt of his lips. he swirls his glass around, watching the bubbles rise and pop at the surface. the waiter comes back with their food and his stomach rumbles. he most likely won't manage more than a few bites (a quirk that comes from his anxiety, and of which he absolutely despises). often, he'll eat through it anyway, especially in the presence of other sharks, but with summer he is himself. 

with summer, he is himself. he thinks this, over and over, as he takes his first spoonful and then offers a taste to her. 

"it's wonderful. and i'm glad to hear it. you know i was never cross about the party itself. i want you to experience the world, summer, and all it has to offer. but i need you to be careful. not for my sake. for yours."

he pauses, lets that sink in, and says off-handedly, "i just hope wherever your brother is now, he's safe and not putting you or our family at risk."

Summer Atreides

☉

The silver spoon was put into her mouth, much like her entire life. Fed and given everything she wanted. At least, that was what she believed.

Summer liked to believe that she wasn't lied to or manipulated.

Her father brought up the pool party they had thrown that summer, where Rocket members came by and lounged in a star-glittering pool or absorbed themselves in sensory deprivation and overload. She thought about the day after, when she realized that her father was arriving home.

That Knox and Sam were still there.

The slap to the face, the anger, the frustration...

"Was it dangerous?" she asked, perhaps a mixture of curiosity and tipsiness from the alcohol.

"Knox... do you think he'd do that?"

knox prescott

☉

he recognizes that look. the slightly too-slow blink, the tinge in her cheeks. ah, she looks so much like her mother now. he can recall their languid, tipsy moments at dinners such as these. his gaze drops from her to his drink. he takes a sip himself and looks pained. 

"not intentionally," he says, throat tightening, thick with emotion. the worm in his heart squeals with delight. he sets his glass down and reaches a hand over to hers, hovering, thumb gliding over her knuckles briefly before he catches himself. 

his suspicions are starting to congeal into fact. he's quite sure now that if he looked at summer's phone, he'd be able to find some sort of trail leading to a burner number. he'd have some way of reaching his son. 

it's at that moment that his phone rings. he smiles apologetically to summer, holding up a finger, and then takes the call. 

"you found him? wonderful. take him to the warehouse. make him comfortable. i'll be there tomorrow."

he hangs up and nods to summer. "we've found ollie. thank you, darling. i'll be asking him some questions, but that can wait until tomorrow."

Summer Atreides

☉