There’s a thin smile as she swallows that comment from her grandfather, the first to break the silence of forks scratching against plates and minimal eye contact. Family dinners with the Argents are never the warm, engaging evenings that they should be, and always seem to come down to an interrogation – in this particular instance, the interrogation happens to be Allison’s love life. She’s sure that Kate is grateful for the reprieve, even though this conversation will be nothing compared to that time Kate denounced going into politics and said she wanted to spend her time backpacking across Europe, Allison does know she has to navigate it carefully, and hope that lies of omission aren’t enough to trigger Gerard’s lie detector ability.
“No one in particular, no.”
In a way, that answer is the truth. She and Derek haven’t been seeing each other long enough to be considered “seeing someone” and he was being deployed soon, so will likely be gone before anything about this relationship can go anywhere. It is, for the moment, a fairly innocent encounter between two people who are invested in the bipartisan solutions her grandfather seems to be forgetting. Change is important, and the people who are currently wrangling for control seem to have forgotten that – he grandfather more so than most.
“I see.”
She also knows, however, that her grandfather doesn’t bring anything up lightly, so odds are he does know something about Derek. She’s less than thrilled with the prospect of having to discuss her love life with her grandfather, but this is where the conversation has led, and he is the one who taught her long ago that the people who back down too easily always have something to hide.
“That’s just an odd answer, as a little birdie told me that you have been spending a great deal of time with Derek Hale.”
And there it is. She swallows again, straightening in her seat, and raises her eyes from her plate so that she could meet Gerard in his challenge – he didn’t teach her to do anything less, after all. “Did this little birdie happened to be named Matt Daehler?”
“Who it came from doesn’t matter,” Victoria replies from her seat next to Gerard. “Answer the question, Allison.”
She eyes her mother for a moment, feeling the pressure in this decision as both of them have their eyes on her now. She’s lucky that her father is sitting next to her, rather than across from her, as she doesn’t think she’d want to deal with the curiosity in his eyes either.
“Yes. Derek and I have had dinner a few times.” She adjusts her position in her seat and tries to keep her eyes steely, so as not to give her real feelings away. She’s tired of her grandfather having a say over her social life, but she doesn’t think that she’s ever going to be able to stop justifying herself to him, and everyone else at this table. “I wasn’t aware that was against the law.”
“Of course not, Allison,” he begins slowly, lowering his fork for a moment as he lifts his napkin to brush at his cheeks. His voice is deliberate and careful, the kind of tone that usually comes before some kind of reprimand. Clearly she is not performing up to the family standards, and that is a situation that needs to be rectified. “Were this any other time, I’m sure you and the young Corporal Hale could engage in quite the spirited … political debate. I’ll admit that when I was young, I kept company from both sides of the aisle.”
“Something that would probably serve you better now, if you ask me.”
“Allison.” Her mother’s tone is scolding, almost as though she’s twelve, rather than twenty four, but she takes a deep breath before she continues.
“I’m sorry. You were saying?”
She’s testing his patience. She knows that, better than anyone else. She can see the way the tension is forming around the corners of his mouth, but his strangle hold on her life has to end, and she doesn’t know any other way to end it than to push back in whatever way she can.
“I’m saying that it’s about loyalty, Allison. We’re in the middle of a campaign for the most powerful seat in this country and you are spending your time giving leeway to my largest opponent’s son.”
“I had dinner with someone who’s company I enjoy because it’s nice to not talk about politics twenty four seven and he actually showed an interest in who I am and what I do. His mother doesn’t seem quite so concerned about his loyalty, so maybe you should take a page out of her book.” She pauses for a moment, just long enough to finish off her glass of wine. “And if my company is so misjudged at the moment, I think I better go. Best not to risk I don’t overhear something to share with the enemy.”
“Allison.” Chris reaches up to take her arm and hold her attention, and she glances back at him, before shaking her head.
“I think I need some space.”
Chris sighs, but nods and lets her go, letting her return to the street and gets an uber to head back to her apartment. While her original intention is to blow off steam on her own, she finds that that idea isn’t as appealing as she originally thought, and pulls out her phone again, sending a text off to Derek.
Still free tonight?
It doesn’t take much for him to agree and give her directions to his hotel, and when she arrives, he lets her in without a second thought. “I thought you were having dinner with your grandfather tonight.”
“I was.” Once the door closes, she turns to face him again, and moves in a bit closer. “I decided I wanted better company.” He looks confused for a moment, but realization dawns on him just as she leans in to kiss him, barely hesitating as his arms wrap around her waist and pulls her in to a warm embrace, keeping her close. He clearly has been wanting to do this for a while, and a part of her is nervous to admit that so was she, so she sinks into it, kissing him back for as long as she can manage before she feels herself start to turn and he begins to maneuver her towards the bed.
She pulls back, her hands resting on his shoulders to stop him. “Wait.”
“Sorry, am I reading this wrong?”
“No. No, you are definitely reading this right. It’s just … I may have originally come over here in a delayed act of teenage rebellion so I’m kinda using you a little bit.”
He laughs, his hands smoothing over her back for a moment. “Only a little?”
“I mean, provided you’re up to the challenge, I’m sure there will be zero regrets in the morning.”
“I’m definitely up to it.”
“It’s just that you’re deploying soon, so it’s probably better if this doesn’t get serious.”
His head tips to the side for a moment, curiosity crossing his features. “Is that why you’ve been holding back? Because I’m leaving.”
“I’m just trying to be practical.” Which really is her strong suit. Even in the heat of the moment, when she’s trying to be rebellious and impractical, she feels like she needs to come clean.
“No, I get it.” There’s a bit of hesitance there, and she can’t quite put her finger on what, but it’s enough for her to want to double check. She doesn’t want to push him into something that he may not be okay with, just like lying to him wasn’t the right play.
“So … are you still good with this?”
“Being with you and pissing off Gerard? I think I am more than good,” he smirks, before tackling her to the bed for another warm kiss. “Trust me. I can work with this.”
“Good,” she laughs, before giving in and just allowing her brain to shut off for a little while. Perhaps she’ll regret being practical n the morning, but for right now, she does her best to lose herself in the moment. She has no doubt that she will be leaving the hotel room very, very satisfied in the morning.
allison/derek | potus | 1,400
There’s a thin smile as she swallows that comment from her grandfather, the first to break the silence of forks scratching against plates and minimal eye contact. Family dinners with the Argents are never the warm, engaging evenings that they should be, and always seem to come down to an interrogation – in this particular instance, the interrogation happens to be Allison’s love life. She’s sure that Kate is grateful for the reprieve, even though this conversation will be nothing compared to that time Kate denounced going into politics and said she wanted to spend her time backpacking across Europe, Allison does know she has to navigate it carefully, and hope that lies of omission aren’t enough to trigger Gerard’s lie detector ability.
“No one in particular, no.”
In a way, that answer is the truth. She and Derek haven’t been seeing each other long enough to be considered “seeing someone” and he was being deployed soon, so will likely be gone before anything about this relationship can go anywhere. It is, for the moment, a fairly innocent encounter between two people who are invested in the bipartisan solutions her grandfather seems to be forgetting. Change is important, and the people who are currently wrangling for control seem to have forgotten that – he grandfather more so than most.
“I see.”
She also knows, however, that her grandfather doesn’t bring anything up lightly, so odds are he does know something about Derek. She’s less than thrilled with the prospect of having to discuss her love life with her grandfather, but this is where the conversation has led, and he is the one who taught her long ago that the people who back down too easily always have something to hide.
“That’s just an odd answer, as a little birdie told me that you have been spending a great deal of time with Derek Hale.”
And there it is. She swallows again, straightening in her seat, and raises her eyes from her plate so that she could meet Gerard in his challenge – he didn’t teach her to do anything less, after all. “Did this little birdie happened to be named Matt Daehler?”
“Who it came from doesn’t matter,” Victoria replies from her seat next to Gerard. “Answer the question, Allison.”
She eyes her mother for a moment, feeling the pressure in this decision as both of them have their eyes on her now. She’s lucky that her father is sitting next to her, rather than across from her, as she doesn’t think she’d want to deal with the curiosity in his eyes either.
“Yes. Derek and I have had dinner a few times.” She adjusts her position in her seat and tries to keep her eyes steely, so as not to give her real feelings away. She’s tired of her grandfather having a say over her social life, but she doesn’t think that she’s ever going to be able to stop justifying herself to him, and everyone else at this table. “I wasn’t aware that was against the law.”
“Of course not, Allison,” he begins slowly, lowering his fork for a moment as he lifts his napkin to brush at his cheeks. His voice is deliberate and careful, the kind of tone that usually comes before some kind of reprimand. Clearly she is not performing up to the family standards, and that is a situation that needs to be rectified. “Were this any other time, I’m sure you and the young Corporal Hale could engage in quite the spirited … political debate. I’ll admit that when I was young, I kept company from both sides of the aisle.”
“Something that would probably serve you better now, if you ask me.”
“Allison.” Her mother’s tone is scolding, almost as though she’s twelve, rather than twenty four, but she takes a deep breath before she continues.
“I’m sorry. You were saying?”
She’s testing his patience. She knows that, better than anyone else. She can see the way the tension is forming around the corners of his mouth, but his strangle hold on her life has to end, and she doesn’t know any other way to end it than to push back in whatever way she can.
“I’m saying that it’s about loyalty, Allison. We’re in the middle of a campaign for the most powerful seat in this country and you are spending your time giving leeway to my largest opponent’s son.”
“I had dinner with someone who’s company I enjoy because it’s nice to not talk about politics twenty four seven and he actually showed an interest in who I am and what I do. His mother doesn’t seem quite so concerned about his loyalty, so maybe you should take a page out of her book.” She pauses for a moment, just long enough to finish off her glass of wine. “And if my company is so misjudged at the moment, I think I better go. Best not to risk I don’t overhear something to share with the enemy.”
“Allison.” Chris reaches up to take her arm and hold her attention, and she glances back at him, before shaking her head.
“I think I need some space.”
Chris sighs, but nods and lets her go, letting her return to the street and gets an uber to head back to her apartment. While her original intention is to blow off steam on her own, she finds that that idea isn’t as appealing as she originally thought, and pulls out her phone again, sending a text off to Derek.
Still free tonight?
It doesn’t take much for him to agree and give her directions to his hotel, and when she arrives, he lets her in without a second thought. “I thought you were having dinner with your grandfather tonight.”
“I was.” Once the door closes, she turns to face him again, and moves in a bit closer. “I decided I wanted better company.” He looks confused for a moment, but realization dawns on him just as she leans in to kiss him, barely hesitating as his arms wrap around her waist and pulls her in to a warm embrace, keeping her close. He clearly has been wanting to do this for a while, and a part of her is nervous to admit that so was she, so she sinks into it, kissing him back for as long as she can manage before she feels herself start to turn and he begins to maneuver her towards the bed.
She pulls back, her hands resting on his shoulders to stop him. “Wait.”
“Sorry, am I reading this wrong?”
“No. No, you are definitely reading this right. It’s just … I may have originally come over here in a delayed act of teenage rebellion so I’m kinda using you a little bit.”
He laughs, his hands smoothing over her back for a moment. “Only a little?”
“I mean, provided you’re up to the challenge, I’m sure there will be zero regrets in the morning.”
“I’m definitely up to it.”
“It’s just that you’re deploying soon, so it’s probably better if this doesn’t get serious.”
His head tips to the side for a moment, curiosity crossing his features. “Is that why you’ve been holding back? Because I’m leaving.”
“I’m just trying to be practical.” Which really is her strong suit. Even in the heat of the moment, when she’s trying to be rebellious and impractical, she feels like she needs to come clean.
“No, I get it.” There’s a bit of hesitance there, and she can’t quite put her finger on what, but it’s enough for her to want to double check. She doesn’t want to push him into something that he may not be okay with, just like lying to him wasn’t the right play.
“So … are you still good with this?”
“Being with you and pissing off Gerard? I think I am more than good,” he smirks, before tackling her to the bed for another warm kiss. “Trust me. I can work with this.”
“Good,” she laughs, before giving in and just allowing her brain to shut off for a little while. Perhaps she’ll regret being practical n the morning, but for right now, she does her best to lose herself in the moment. She has no doubt that she will be leaving the hotel room very, very satisfied in the morning.