against the morning sun [viktor/ami]

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

Absentmindedly, Anastasiya checked the time on her phone sitting on her vanity. It was a useless motion, she already knew exactly what time it was since she’d only checked less than a minute ago, but it served to preoccupy her hands as her hair was combed out and dried. She’d meant to paint her nails as her servant blow-dried, but her efficient ways had lead her to finishing quickly, and now all she could do was wait, press buttons on her phone and avoid fiddling with her silk bathrobe until the clear coat of varnish on her nails dried. Sitting in one spot for long was terribly hard for someone like Ana who was used to always moving and always being busy. She had to content herself to staying still and sitting up straight as her hair was pulled and blasted with air until she was allowed to thread her fingers through it and work it into the style she wanted. That had taken quite some time, even with help, and by the time she was done and it had been sprayed thoroughly with hair-spray and whatever else was added on, Ana has wasted quite a bit of time. All the much better really, if she could put off leaving the room as long as possible and cut the time she’d be spending out of it.

Unfortunately, the rest didn’t take nearly long enough for her to be late really; her make-up was simple and nothing extravagant, which didn’t take much time at all, neither did getting the ridiculous dress on since she was already wearing her undergarments and jewellery could never take more than a moment as she’d already known exactly what she’d wanted to wear. Sometimes, her organisation and efficiency worked against her that was for sure. If she was the type to waste time needlessly, now would be the moment she’d want to do it. Sipping at her glass of water, she watched her dress be pulled from the bag and wanted to cringe; couldn’t it be something less ostentatious. Of course, she’d picked it herself, it had been the best of her options, but now, looking at it once more she realized that there had better be someone with a weird dress, or she’d be getting unwanted attention. It was lovely really, all soft fabric gathered and ruched in a nearly perfect way. It was smooth on her body, fit perfectly and hugged all the right places, but she hoped that it wasn’t too much. Princess or not, extravagance wasn’t Ana’s style.

Around her was a flurry of activity; people rushing around the room, Bethany and Nada getting ready on their own. There were fabric and beauty products flying everywhere while Ana could do nothing but stand in the middle of it all and feel overwhelmed. Nada was busy making herself pretty for her fiancée, and Bethany seemed to be taking much more care than usual, which made Ana suspect something was going on on her end of things. Stasiya, on the other hand, could skip this evening all together and no one would be the wiser, not would they care. While everyone would be occupied with someone else, she was going to be on her own. Unfortunately, if she didn’t attend, she was sure they would notice eventually, and she wasn’t prepared to explain that she simply didn’t want to go, especially to her brothers who liked to get their hermit sister to do more things and get ‘out there’ as they said. She didn’t want to disappoint them. For the last four years they’d been really the only reason she’d ever gone to anything like this. Her brother and her friends liked to include her in things she didn’t want to do, and she went along with it out of duty. These things weren’t optional to her; she had to go.

Now that she was in the habit of going however, despite whatever she felt, to please everyone else, she’d hit another snag. Only a few days ago one of her brothers had commented on her lack of dates at these events. Never had she felt more of a compulsion to hit him, ever. They were difficult to please, her brothers. She could go, but now she was afraid that they’d be worried about her feeling lonely the entire night. When she brought the topic up with her roommates, they shared the same sentiments. Ana was left feeling horrible. She wanted them to enjoy their night, and not have to worry about her at all. Her options were slim now; she had nowhere to go. There had been a snag in her plans that she didn’t know how to fix. Gathering up the fabric of her dress and her bag in one hand, she waved lightly before exiting the room, telling her roommates that she needed some air before the smell of hairspray began to give her a headache.

She felt ridiculous standing in the hall ways, watching people rush by quickly paying no mind to her. No one ever did, and she preferred it that way. If she could stay out of the radar, out of the limelight and just do what she wanted to, she felt as if the pressure wasn’t going to suffocate her as much. Except now, she felt very much like a deer caught in the headlights. Fortunately, she could still move, she realized, as her feet started moving of their own accord before she even realized what she was doing. When her mind finally caught up, it was too late and her hand was already knocking on the door. Oh good Lord, what was she doing?

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 948
● outfit ● here
● notes ● it's a bit bleh and long winded, sorry >.<
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

Everyone around him and actually all around the dorms was getting ready for this gala event. Viktor was sitting in one of the low chairs in the main portion of the room he shared with the other princes, and watched, over the pages of the book he was reading, as the Russian prince was unsuccessfully trying to find his bowtie. He didn't want to comment on the fact that the item of clothing was probably lost somewhere among all the rest which had found their way into the younger boy's hands and then never came back out. Like his older sister had said that one time when she'd been in the room, it seemed as though the room had eaten her brother and forgot to spat him back out. In any case, it was funny to see all the same, while he seemed disinclined to even move. He did actually shift positions after a while though, returning to his own bedroom and plopping down onto the bed to finish his part of the project that he and Bri were paired up for. He didn't want to disappoint her and what better way to finish than tonight when everyone else would apparently be going to that stupid ball event? He didn't even know what the appeal was. He only went o these types of things if he was absolutely forced, and since his younger brother hadn't been the one to do that tonight, well, Viktor was going to stay in his room and finish his assignment before going to bed early. He had plans on going to the pool at around 5 am the next day since he had his first class at 8, but then of course, nothing ever worked out when he planned it.

He should have anticipated the same now really, because well, it was too chaotic to be otherwise. The Russian prince poked his head around the door, asking for a bowtie. Or tie. Whichever. Viktor tried not to roll his eyes too much, but unlike what he would have otherwise done – which was send the kid on his way without a word – he actually paused and stood to get to his wardrobe and pull a drawer open. Casting an eye to the other guy for a moment to see what he was wearing, he quickly fished out the item of clothing in question and tossed it at him. It has my name written on it with the words 'Give it back', he commented dryly as he sat back down again. The guy grinned and nodded his head before ducking out again, while Viktor said farewell to his tie in that moment. Well, it would serve for good use, at least. Settling back on the bed, he sighed in content as the other room fell silent and the others cleared out. Finally. It was still rather early so he guessed they would go and get wasted before the actual ball. The Headmaster would get a kick out of that, he was sure. He was just about to head for the shower leisurely when a knock sounded on the door and he frowned. Did someone forget something, and they locked themselves out? He put the reference book down and slowly padded towards the door, looking all kinds of leisure and definitely not at all ready for the sight her got on the other end. Anastasiya? he sounded like an idiot, probably, but then, who wouldnit? The Russian princess was standing in front of the door all dolled up, obviously ready for the ball, and yet … What're you doing here? This time, he sounded more like himself, and a lot more suspicious too. Was this some sort of trick, or karma because he'd helped her brother out previously? He hoped not, he wouldn't take it well, he was sure. All the same, he couldn't help but allow his eyes to wander up and down her to take her in, wondering what this was all about. Your brother already left, he pointed out, after failing to find his tie, might I add. I think he needs retail therapy. His lips quirked at the sides ever so slightly as he said this, though of course it wasn't meant ill. He just didn't think anyone could find anything in the chaos that reigned in the other bedroom.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- it was actually very fun to read!
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

Of course he was looking at her as if she was crazy; who wouldn’t? She was probably the last person he expected to see tonight, unless under the guise that she was looking for her brother; which she wasn’t. He had already texted her that he’d left, which was probably why she’d deemed it safe to come. If her brother had been here, she never would have lived this down if it didn’t go the way her mind had seemingly planned without any conscious thought. She sorely wished her mind had had a chance to catch up with her feet on the way up, offer her an opportunity to turn around and leave, and once again with her hand before it knocked on the door so she could stop herself from making a horrible mistake. Realistically there was only one possible outcome and it left only her worse for wear in the end. It could have been worse, she consoled herself, someone could have been here to witness the humiliation, but alas, the floor seemed as dead as a doornail. That comforted her and gave her a little more courage; it wasn’t all that insane, was it? There could be worse things, lots of them. At least her feet hadn’t picked someone ridiculous.

“Yes, well, I’m not looking for my brother,” she began slowly, though she had to resist slapping her hand against her forehead. Of course her brother had misplaced his tie. Doubtful he could find one of hundreds in the mess that was his room. She’d offered to help him get ready, keep his suit and accessories in her room so that this wouldn’t happen, but he’d assured her that he was a ‘big boy’ and could take care of himself. There was no doubt he’d be hearing about this later on. She was earnestly feeling sorry for his future wife and those who were going to be forced to work under him; their lives certainly weren’t going to be easy. A list of tasks was going to have to be written when he was rid of Ana’s care. It would be a nice gift for the girl who was going to be forced to take up her role. She was going to have to be a special one that was for sure. Not just anyone could deal with her brothers, even alone in small doses. They were certainly one hell of a force to be reckoned with, if Viktor’s words were any indication. At least her brother’s antics seemed to be amusing to him and hadn’t exasperated him yet. That would leave her in a very awkward predicament.

“I do hope you plan on changing,” she said, taking a moment to glance at him up and down, sizing him up just as he did her. There was no way she was going to be seen with him if she wasn’t properly dressed. At once she caught herself, realizing she hadn’t explained why she’d been here, getting ahead of herself, which was rather uncharacteristic of her. “I’ve decided you’re going to accompany me to the Gala,” she said with all finality. It wasn’t a question, she wasn’t leaving any room for him to say ‘no’ and reject her, and although it may have sounded rude in all other circumstances, it was Ana’s way of doing things. If Viktor had any sort of inkling of what she was like, he was liable to decipher the question behind it. She had the habit of just stating things as she wanted them to be, not leaving room for any counter-response and hiding her insecurities behind statements. Mentally, she was lining up solid arguments as to why this was a good idea, knowing the question would come. Slowly, her reasoning was beginning to unfold and reveal itself to her, deciding that this was the most profitable situation she could be in at the moment.

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 652
● outfit ● here
● notes ● hnnng blaah
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

In his defense, he honestly hadn't been expecting her, not tonight at least. Sure she had given him her phone number the last time she had felt in a murderous mood towards the one brother who was his roommate, but that was about it. He hadn't been anticipating any new visits soon, especially since the triplets were probably all getting ready somewhere, or well, getting drunk, whichever came first. Viktor, however, was currently stuck with their sister, who looked like she would want to be some place other than here, but she was still here, which was a curious thing at the very least. Besides, they made a funny picture all in all; she was all ready to go to the Gala, obviously, and he was simply slumming it in very simple, dorm clothing that he only wore when he had little to no intention of leaving the room. Besides, he had promised himself he'd work on the project tonight. People said he was a loner anyway, no use going to events simply to prove them wrong. Slovakia was a force in itself and he didn't need liaisons at school. They were strong enough. A common misconception of many probably, but right now he was simply trying to figure out what exactly had happened that Ana would come to his door when her brother was obviously already gone. It was something of a mystery, and Viktor didn't know what to make of mysteries. He didn't quite like them, but disliking them wasn't really an option either.

When she said she wasn't looking for her brother, he was even more confused, and it was showing in his frown. Then what ARE you looking for? Or maybe, who would have been a better question, but really, Viktor couldn't think if anyone from his dorm would have caught the eye of the Russian princess. He was pretty sure the answer was mostly negative. She looked him up and down, returning his own favour, and he leaned lightly against the doorframe with one eyebrow raised. Then she took him completely by surprise with her next statement, so much so that his shock was enough to open the door a bit more so she'd be able to come inside. I wasn't exactly planning on going, was the first thing he managed after the initial shock was over. Wait, what? Why exactly had this happened again? How did this happen? He was sure she could have gone with anyone else if she'd wanted to go. And didn't she have like, friends? Viktor was thoroughly confused, but in his confusion, he was already, in his subconscious, going through possibilities for an outfit that wouldn't exactly scream extravagance, but would be subtly elegant and wouldn't make him stand out. The insane part was he was already thinking about going. This wasn't happening. And you just – decided. Just like that, he commented, though the shock was still evident in his voice while he ran a hand through his unruly hair. This was probably the weirdest night in the history of time. He hadn't really thought there would be any princess anywhere, or any girl, who would march up to a boy's door and tell him point-blank that he would be her date to a Gala. This was definitely something new. I'll have to disappoint you when I say I have nothing that would match your outfit, he finally managed with a bit more of the normal tones that he usually used. He definitely didn't have anything as pale as that what she was wearing. He wore dark colours, and that was that. But he really needed to gather his wits about him. Was he honestly even considering going? With the bossy little imp before him who couldn't stand to dance the usual dances because she was so advanced in them? He must be losing his mind. That was the answer. He would wake up all of a sudden in his own bed, with notes strewn about him, from this dream that was turning out to be weirder and weirder.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- lol he's like haha
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

Rationally, somehow, this was beginning to make sense to her. Maybe not completely, as she still thought she was completely out of her mind and that running right now was still a perfectly acceptable option, except that now, she’d just be making a greater fool of herself if she did now. The prospect of being told no was still there, but she preferred to not leave much way of rejection. She hadn’t asked a question; she’d told Viktor exactly what had happened. She had decided they were going to go together. Of course, together did not mean together, in any sense of what the other couples at the Gala would be. Honestly, she hardly knew the man, much less a good opinion of him. From what she knew, however, he wasn’t the worst person around, though it was worth mentioning that she knew few people very well. She was good at picking up information; everyone thought she just didn’t care. Which was true, in part, but when you were mostly silent like she was, you heard much more than you wanted to sometimes. It would be an advantage or a curse. And in Ana’s case, well, she knew a little too much about a few people, and mostly things she’d preferred not knowing. On the other hand, she knew very little about Viktor. His name didn’t spread around as much as others did, at all even. And she could respect that more than most. Being one to avoid the limelight herself, it was probably one of the aspects that had pushed her feet to move of their own accord.

Restraining herself, she bit her tongue to not reply sarcastically as she wanted to; it was rude and probably not going to help her situation at all. She wasn’t desperate enough to kiss up to Viktor at the moment, she could deal with a ‘no’ but if it came to it, she was going to rationalize. At least that she was good at. Proving her point, and she’d do just that. “Ah, well, that’s too bad,” she said, without much disappointment. It wasn’t a huge problem, she was sure she could convince him to go, no problem. People weren’t hard to bend to your will if you were determined enough, especially when you had valid reasons for them to do what you wanted. While the idea in itself was a little crazy, Ana was sure she could see a bit of sense in it all. Maybe he wouldn’t have been anyone’s first pick, but Viktor hadn’t killed her brother yet, or inflicted any harm, which meant that he either had the will and patience of a god, or he was someone she could put just a little bit of trust in. From what she’d gathered, he was fairly nondescript and didn’t like making things extravagant and opulent, which was exactly what she was going for today. She hated being the center of attention, so if it was possible to get in, be seen by the people she wanted and leave without much issue, all the better. The fact that she knew she could reason with him was all the better, and knowing that he was intelligent and wouldn’t jump to conclusions comforted her. He, of everyone, wouldn’t make this out to be more than it was. That in itself would be horrifying.

“I did decide, just like that. Isn’t that what princesses are known to do? Demand things they want?” Ana said, rolling her eyes. At least he sounded like he was giving in, that was encouraging, and didn’t sound as surprised as before. She wasn’t offended at his surprise; she was quite caught off guard at the moment herself, his surprise was only comforting. If he played it like this happened all the time, well, she’d be a little concerned. “All the better,” Ana said, looking at him up and down again. She couldn’t see him in anything pale. Her wardrobe went more toward light colours and pastels because they blended better with her skintone so she didn’t stand out. Anything darker created a huge contrast that would stand out far too much. “As long as it’s not bright or flashy, I honestly don’t care.”

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 705
● outfit ● here
● notes ● kay, posting quickly now xD
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

Rationally, he was probably going to regret this for the better part of the remaining school year. He was sure of it. Viktor didn't do the ball things the school hosted, even though it was something he, as first in line, should always attend. He just wasn't as sociable as all the rest of the school and for that reason he remained in his room, the library or in the pool for most of the time. It wasn't because he wouldn't have friends, he had some, but there was just nothing that would really entice him to going to one of these functions where people normally just got in trouble, or drunk. That wasn't what he aspired towards and he wouldn't be holding his breath for this one either, though Ana was currently making it very hard to consider why exactly he was even talking to her. Dolled up like she was, he had to admit, grudgingly, that she looked alright. And then he wondered whether this was some sort of bet, either on her end, or for him. He couldn't remember seeing her on the few things he had initially attended, not that he was big on remembering people who stuck to the walls, so it was either a bet that she would go, or a bet that she would go with him. He had half a mind to tell her not to worry about him and just get away from the dorm while he returned to the project he was working on. But who knew what was stopping him. He certainly wasn't feeling any more amiable towards her or her brothers, but then he wasn't exactly cold towards them either. It was a neutral middle ground, sort of. And it was precarious enough without this added strain.

Rolling his eyes as she spoke, he moved away from the door and further into the main room area, crossing his arms over his chest and watching her, wondering whether he was going crazy or not for considering this at all. He was sure that even if she tried convincing him he could always talk his way out of it. At least, that was the initial idea. He didn't know how good of a debater she was though, and he knew he could simply be stubborn. And he suddenly didn't know if he had the patience for it. Maybe it would just be better to get dressed, escort her, and then return to his room as quickly as possible. That was a course of action he hadn't quite considered yet, but it was obviously something he should have done a while ago. Looking at her, Viktor wondered whether she thought he was crazy. He certainly had that idea for her. Honestly, I'm not acquainted with that many princesses to know, he replied with a snap, knowing he had sort of already given in with the previous choice of words regarding clothes. Looking at her pale dress, yes, he was sure he didn't have anything in pastel colours. He didn't do light colours. Heaving a sigh, he shook his head. Okay, remind me that I'm crazy after we're done. And wait here. Turning on his heel, he returned to his room and closed the door behind him while pulling the shirt over his head and opening a drawer to find whatever he was going to wear. He needed to fish out the seal ring as well, unlike some others he knw, Viktor only ever wore it on official occassions, it marked the whole crown prince fact since his brother didn't have it, it had belonged to his father and had been in the family for generations … more than he could count. Finally going for a dark suit, it didn't take him too long to actually get dressed, though e was muttering to himself all the while as he was doing this. Getting some of the Armani Code, Viktor finally sighed and pulled the door open again, remerging and finishing working on his tie. His hair, obviously, was a sort of artful mess, as per usual. We better leave before I change my mind, he grumbled, finishing the tie and buttoning the jacket down, opening the door for her again.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- <3
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

Surreptiously, Ana attempted to glace at her wrist to check the time, only to realize that she wasn’t wearing a watch. That was going to drive her insane the entire night; she liked knowing what time it was. She had a thing about punctuality, being on time for everything and anything obsessively. Especially in circumstances like these, when arriving late would just draw unnecessary attention upon herself. If she could get into the Gala when everyone else was arriving, there would be nothing particular or special about it, and she wouldn’t have to worry about being stared at while walking through the ballroom doors. Chances were, in the beginning, everyone would be talking and situating themselves anyway, meaning that they’d pay no heed to another person entering the room. Once that period passed, however, and everything was settled into consistency, anything that broke that would be duly noted by everyone. Something she planned on avoiding now more than ever, considering the embarrassing situation she’d gotten herself into. Get in, make sure to be seen, then get out; that was her plan. She could honestly care less about having a good time and enjoying herself, it was damn near impossible. These things were always crowded, full of teenagers making bad decisions and doing things she’d rather not involve herself in. Usually, she’d turn up around the end to do damage control of the night; make sure her brothers and none of her friends needed rescuing and had comported themselves fairly well. She wasn’t the partier by any means, and never planned to stick around long. Tonight, she’d probably have to actually make sure she was around for enough time to dispel any ideas that her brothers had. There was really only so much she could take of them.

Deciding that the move was a subtle invite in, Ana cautiously stepped over the threshold, picking up the mountains of tulle at her feet so she didn’t trip. That would just add insult to injury; the last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself right now. Certainly that wasn’t going to play in her favour. Who’d want to be seen with a bumbling mess who couldn’t even walk straight? She definitely didn’t, which assured her that Viktor might had been a good choice; he definitely had the confidence. Or was it cockiness? She still wasn’t entirely positive. One thing was for certain though, she wouldn’t look like a fool walking in next to one. “You’ll have to take my word for it then,” Ana said with all finality, knowing that she had the authority on the subject, the upperhand being a princess herself. Mainly, her idea stemmed from the observations she made, seeing more than once a princess, even princes on many occasions, simply demand something and have it fall into their hands. Ana, fortunately, was graced with the pride of hardwork, and although she was all but demanding he accompany her, keeping her nerve was quite the feat for her.

“Oh, I might as well keep reminding you; it’ll probably be hard to forget,” she replied, tugging on the pearls at her neck as a distraction, fidgeting needlessly, something that had never really been in her character. She watched him retreat and felt something akin to fear, not the victory or triumph she’d usually feel. Quickly, she pulled her phone out of her bag and started pressing the keys, hoping for at least a little comfort, which didn’t really come. Nada helped only slightly, guilting her into staying longer than she intended, which she hoped Viktor wouldn’t take offense to. Obviously he could not expect her to stay glued to his side or anything like that. That would just be ridiculous. Wrinkling her nose at her own comment, Anastasiya tucked her phone back into her bag when she heard the door open again. “Oh, but you’re already dressed,” she said, rolling her eyes and resisting the compulsion to fix his hair like she did her brothers. Her armed raised, fingers stretched out, to massage her shoulder instead as she looked him over. “Well, if that’s as good as it’s going to get,” she grumbled, turning on her heel. Sadly, the little perfectionist liked to come out and play; and even she couldn’t deny that he looked damn good in a suit.

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 723
● outfit ● here
● notes ● kay, posting quickly now xD
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

This, this was Viktor going crazy. Absolutely crazy. Never before in his life had he even considered going to a gala event hosted at Vineheart, mostly because they were no fun at all to him. All the same, he had never considered being dragged there by a two-pint something in a pastel dress either, though he had to hand it to Ana. She had guts. He didn't know if he'd have the same determination if it would be his brother giving him a hard time. Probably not. She was definitely rising on the level of respect, though she was also knocking herself off just with her sarcastic comments. If they didn't end up down each other's throats by the end of their walk to the ballroom, they'd be victorious. He cursed under his breath as he finished buttoning his shirt down, wondering where this was going to take him. Not someplace good, he was sure. The fact that he was even making an appearance at this event was going to be enough to ruin his loner reputation for a while, though he would single-handedly throttle anyone who'd demand to spend more time with him on the account that he was now 'socializing'. Viktor didn't do that. The one thing he did was look down at people and make sure they knew they were inferior to him. The only one who honestly didn't think the same seemed to be the princess waiting for him on the other side of the door, which was saying a lot since he could be rather more than an asshole half the time. With a sigh, he decided he better get this over with. The sooner they got there, the sooner they could leave.

It didn't help that in all honesty, she wasn't being funny right now. Maybe she thought she was, but she wasn't. I'll try and remember that, he responded dryly, running his fingers through his hair again, and wondered, not for the first time, how insane he was for even contemplating doing this. It was going to be a disaster, he was sure. Rolling his eyes at her, he decided not to point out that it would absolutely be the craziest stunt either of them had ever pulled. Viktor thought about how he would ever explain this to Bri, she was bound to tease him about it, given she was the only actual friend he seemed to have here at school. Then again, she was probably going to be having a ball tonight in the literal sense of the word, while he would be stuck with little miss stuck-up Russian ballerina. He honestly didn't want to think about it anymore though. She was making it hard to just ignore. I'm sorry if I didn't leave you waiting any longer, he replied bitingly, rolling his shoulders just a bit because he hadn't worn this suit in a while and it felt foreign to him. At her last comment, he actually felt insulted, though the only reply he gave her was an icy look, right before slamming the door shut behind them and pocketing the key. Her brother was obviously not coming back before the ball was over, or even later, which meant it was safe to do so. This was getting out of hand though, he was pretty sure that they would be butting heads throughout the whole time they were at the gala. Honestly, he was going to have to figue out a way to get back at her for this. If she was a glutton for punishment, it didn't mean she had to drag him along with her. So how long is this going to last? he asked after they'd effectively left the dorms behind and were heading towards the acual ballroom. Given the amount of students in the hallways, Viktor was sure the thing hadn't actually started yet. I hope you don't expect me to be there all the way. At his count, he was probably going to make a quik disappearance after half an hour, just enough so that she would get what she wanted, he would get noticed - not that he wanted to have tha happen – and then he would be quick to make his escape, back to the dorm and the project, though he was sure he wouldn't be able to fully concentrate anymore. No, he would quite possibly spend the rest of the evening plotting revenge on the unsuspecting princess of Russia.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- lol <3
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

What was that saying again? ‘If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all’? While that may have been something Ana usually took to heart, mostly the ‘don’t say anything at all’ part, she knew she was going to be in a sour mood for the rest of the night. Something about Galas, knowing that they were just ways for all the little teenagers to get dressed up, get wasted and prove that they had more money and power than the next just put her off. There was an infinite amount of better things she could be doing with her time and having to waste precious minutes just to appease others. If she could skip them altogether, she would, but there was always going to be that sense of duty that told her she had to go, even for a little while. This was the life she’d been born into, one of extravagant parties, foolish youth and indiscretions to the extreme, and there was nothing she could do to change that. Try as she might, this was always going to be her reality, whether she liked it or not. That didn’t mean she had to be happy about it. Though she had to admit, her sour attitude at these types of events tended to just bring everyone down. Even if it was unintentional, she always felt bad in the end when her brothers and friends would look at her with pleading eyes, begging her to enjoy herself and not look like a stick in the mud. She almost felt bad for dragging Viktor into this. Almost.

If someone had to suffer with her, well, she was sort of glad it was him. On one hand, he deserved it, or at least she thought he did. Something about Viktor and his ‘high horse’ never failed to irk her in a way that irritated her. Ana prided herself on her patience and ability to deal with difficult people, but the Slovakian prince never failed to test her limits. The worst part was, she wasn’t even sure if he was doing it on purpose or not, so she couldn’t be needlessly cruel or cold toward him lest she be mistaken and it all be a misunderstanding. That frustrated her more than anything, the fact that she was going to feel like a downright bitch at the end of this. She knew she wasn’t the friendliest of people, and the least she could do was make this tolerable. He was helping her out, whether he knew it or not, and she was somewhat taking advantage of that; the fact that he didn’t know. She didn’t like feeling like she was in debt to people, so if she could make sure that he knew she wasn’t gaining anything from this directly, that she just wanted to go with him, it was going to go so much better for her. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his icy looks, truly not in the mood to return them. “I’m picky,” she said, shrugging her shoulders slightly. “I like perfection,” she said, eyeing his disheveled hair, itching to fix it. So she had a little problem with being obsessive compulsive, sue her.

“Not long,” she answered flatly, following behind him. Not liking the way she was hanging behind, she picked up her skirts and wished that she was wearing more comfortable footwear; heels were horrible. She had more sense than to wear ridiculous platform shoes or anything, but couldn’t help but wish she was tall enough to wear flats to anything. In the back of her mind she could easily recall the memory of her mother urging her to wear a heel, trying to convince her that height could demonstrate power. Ana knew that she, on her own, even with her small stature, could be more intimidating than the tallest of men. Personally, she just wasn’t a fan of staring at people’s lower chests and mid-backs. It was terrible when she couldn’t even look someone in the eye properly, especially when she actually had something to say. “I wouldn’t want to monopolize any of your precious time,” she said once they neared the ballroom, dropping the pinkish tulle. “In and out, basically. I just need to make sure none of them are going to cause any trouble,” she said, though that was only a half-truth.

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 723
● outfit ● here
● notes ● woo bunch of words that say nothing! sorry :P
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

She was definitely going to irritate him to death if he didn't manage to throttle her first, he was sure of it now. Anastasiya Svetlana of Russia was the last person in the world he would EVER consider to go anywhere with again. Except perhaps in retaliation to this particular night. Hopefully she wouldn't be expecting anything, because Viktor was already hatching up a plan, he could see the beginnings of it forming in his mind, but he carefully stored it away for later. He didn't need to think about that now. Besides, he needed to get into the gala event and out without anyone being the wiser or without anyone actually gawking at him like he'd just fallen from another planet. He tried not to think about the looks her brothers were probably going to throw at him. As if it weren't enough that he currently lived with one of them as his roommate. He would never be able to live it down if anything happened to draw unwanted attention to himself. Then again, he was doing the exact opposite by accompanying her tonight, and he was sure the youngest of the triplets – he was fairly certain it was the youngest who shared his room – was going to be talkative as hell tomorrow, after he got over his hangover that is. Viktor started plotting his escape from the dorm when the event hadn't even started yet, but hey, he managed to survive simply because he predicted things. And he could predict that the next few days would probably be obnoxiously horrible because of tonight.

He was sure by then that his hair ruffled all the feathers she had, even though he honestly didn't know what was wrong with it. He normally wore it this way, or maybe he ran his fingers through it and made it look even more dishelved. But the way she seemed to be throwing murderous looks at the top of his head made him think she wanted to either shave him bald or smooth the strands down. Tough luck with that one, he'd tried countless times, but unless it involved a lot of hairgel, it didn't exactly work. His hair had a mind of its own currently, and especially tonight, when he wasn't feeling like doing anything with it or doing anything at all, well, it was about as horrible as it could get. Her words about being a perfectionist, while they surprised him because she said them out loud, also made him grin all of a sudden. So I noticed. He didn't know what was so funny about the situation to him that he would smile instead of glower at her, but hey, whatever worked for him, and right now something was so amusing that he was grinning still. Maybe the fact that she seemed to want to apologize for what she was doing, meaning the whole giving him a hard time for not being pristine out of the closet. Who knew. He never was though and he would have thought she'd have noticed by then. Oh well. Her flat tones only made him feel more jovial for some reason. Sure, he was still basically pissed at her because she'd dragged hm out of the room and made him dress up like he almost never did just so she could prove a point, but a thought suddenly struck Viktor that, if he was going to go down tonight, then he wasn't about to let her se just how irritated he actually was. Also, the whole idea that she seemed to be so against this whole spectacle while still going, and with him of all people, was definitely on the funny side. He would be able to laugh at it … eventually. Still, he couldn't help but add his own sneer when she so obviously went for what he thought was a try at an insult. Nice try. I'm glad you seem to consider it so, I'll be sure to give it your condolences that I seem to be wasting it here, he replied dryly. Well, he could have gone nicely and not made a fuss about it. Viktor, however, didn't like being meek and obedient. It was one of the problems his father had often pointed out. The Slovakian prince was by far too stubborn for his own good. At the mention of her brothers, he surpressed the urge to roll his eyes. They'll cause trouble regardless if you're there or not, he pointed out as they drew towards the ballroom entrance, trouble seems to kind of be their middle name. But then she would know about that wouldn't she? He was fairly certain there was something else she wasn't quite telling him.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- still taking bets xD
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

Ana felt like she’d be lucky to end this night still alive. She had obviously rubbing the Slovakian royal the wrong way, and although that hadn’t been her intention, she couldn’t but feel he deserved it slightly. While she liked to say she could deal with all sorts of people and not lose her cool temper, Viktor’s haughtiness tended to grate on her nerves more than most. She knew it was unfair given she knew very little of him, but from little information she had gathered, he was one of the ‘holier than thou’ types that she just could not stand. Sure, confidence and pride could be assets, but when you thought of yourself of a higher order than others who held no more nor any less power than you did, well, Ana could only take so much of you. As many people had often told her, it was the common folk that made the world turn, belittling them did nothing, and given that her, and everyone else’s, position and power as royals literally depended on them, Ana tended to view them as more than herself. It was evident in almost everything she did and the reason she gave no particular favour to her classmates. They weren’t the people she needed to impress after all, whether they liked her or not, she’d still assume the same position and rank in the long run, but the people of her country were the ones who matter, they were the people who could make and break her, and truthfully, she loved each and every one of them. Regardless of this, however, she hardly believed any one below her or above her for that matter, which was exactly why Viktor’s supercilious attitude toward her ruffled more than a few feathers. Someone needed to put him in his place, figuratively, and if demeaning him slightly and making him fraternize with the ‘common folk’ of Vineheart would help do that, Ana had no problem being held accountable. She did, however, have the oddest feeling that this was going to come back and bite her in the ass. Viktor didn’t seem like the type that would just let this pass without a fight.

Briefly, she contemplated ripping out his hair or hers for that matter, whichever would do at the moment. She could tell that he was amused at her declaration, though she was certain he had already known, but she felt the need to explain herself anyway, as if it would help calm the need to fix his hair like she’d do to her brothers, but they were hardly anywhere near close enough for that. If she ever touched his hair, Ana decided, that would be the day she went through the halls of Vineheart screaming that she loved him. Which would pointedly not happen. Ever. Since he was quite obviously on the list of people she didn’t even like, much less feel any sort of affection for. And besides, Ana had never shouted once in her life, it was unreasonable and she had never had the mean. Her voice rarely rose because she always managed to convey her anger, when it came, with her vocabulary. No sense straining yourself if it was unnecessary. Except, she quite felt like yelling at Viktor wipe that look off his face, since he seemed to be quite amused by her. She was much more satisfied when his sneer returned; that was much better. “Yes, spending time with the common folk of Vineheart much be such a chore than even sparing half an hour must be absolute torture.” Suppressing the urge to say something that would get her into trouble later, Ana picked up the pace, more eager than ever to get in and out of this event; the less time she’d have to rip Viktor’s head off and finally be the Russian royal everyone talked about. “Contrary to popular belief, they can behave when given proper... incentive,” the word rolled forcefully off her tongue, not exactly the one she meant to use, but it worked as best as any. Hopefully, said brothers would be able to spot, she could feign amusement and leave before they had the chance to react.

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 701
● outfit ● here
● notes ● eeeh what is paragraphs?
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

He was making her wish she hadn't done this, he could see it. It was as plain as day really, and Viktor was having the time of his life with this. It was just something that he was going to add to his list of accomplishments. While he didn't necessarily want to rub off on Ana in the wrong way, her attitude was giving him headaches. She seemed so pliant, so willing to do what others told her to do, and so motherly that he wanted to go somewhere and bang his head against the wall. Unless she wouldn't realize it soon, she would be the only responsible one in decades to come in Russia, given that her brothers really didn't seem to carry their share of the load. He had already told her what he thought about that, but then sibling bonds were an interesting twist really. They could be warped and crazy, but at the same time, this was family they were talking about here. When it came to family, more so than the person you loved, you liked to turn the blind eye. Not that Viktor would have much experience in that particular field, he was pretty sure his brother wouldn't want to upset him in a way that would lead to a feud, simply because he had a milder nature than Viktor himself. While he was usually a wallflower, he knew how to make a fuss when he needed to, and he was the Crown Prince as well. There was something to be said about upbringing after all.

And obviously, Ana was staying true to her upbringing as well. Viktor knew several people who would have gladly ripped his throat out by now, but she was being the dutiful princess and just going along with it all, although she was definitely giving him the time of his life with all the looks she sent him and the dripping words that seemed to have been covered with acid. But it all simply served to fuel his amusement further. The more she was aggitated, the better his mood became, not that he knew why exactly this was happening. He didn't hold that little love for her, he actually didn't want to go out of his way to make her feel the way she was feeling. Maybe this was a sort of first comeback for this whole fiasco that she was dragging him into. It certainly seemed like something his subconscious would do, and Viktor didn't think he would want to stop any time soon. There were limits of course, and he wouldn't be crossing any unseen lines, but he would be dancing along them just as happily. Although she was honestly getting on his nerves with the whole common folk deal. Unless you haven't noticed, the only people at the gala tonight will be royals, who certainly don't need you to impress them, and their silly servants, some of them even haughtier than their masters, he responded, keeping his tone neutral and dry, just like most of the time when he spoke. He lifted his shoulders slightly to emphasise the point. There are no common people in there, Ana. Just people pretending they're better than anyone else. Why whould I give them my time? He really didn't think anyone needed to see him do anything that would make people feel better. There was a line he would never cross. No one but the people of Slovakia actually needed to see him prove himself, and he did that frequently enough, not that many knew about it. There was something to be said about being in the shadows all the time, or being the unattainable, arrogant bastard. No one really saw what you did behind the scenes. And it suited him just right, really. On the topic of her brothers, again, Viktor simply shrugged his shoulders. They'd reached the ballroom entrance by then, and he wondered just how far she wanted this to go. Would she have them enter the room like this, or would she taunt some more? Shall we? he asked, half-turned to her, offering her his arm should she wish to take it.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- so he's not a total douche haha
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

Grin and bear it. If she could do that, she was sure she could survive anything. Even instances like this one where she wasn’t explicitly happy with what was going on. Had she been able to predict that the night would have taken this turn, maybe she would have decided against demanding Viktor accompany her. Slowly, she was coming to regret the decision and wondered what had possessed her to do it in the first place. She had been all rationality and positive points that she had apparently forgotten to take in the negative ones, namely that she and Viktor could barely get along. She was sure that if she wasn’t so grumpy and unhappy with the situation then they may have been able to be civil, but somehow Viktor brought out the worst in her and she couldn’t help but be, well, a bitch, for lack of a better term. If it had been anyone else, she was sure the evening would have passed in quiet discomfort and she would have been able to ignore their presence completely unless it needed to be acknowledged, unlike Viktor whom she always felt the need to stare, or glare at. Then again, had it been anyone else she’d dragged to this miniature version of hell, she probably would have been bored already. She had to at least give him that one; he kept her on her toes. Never a dull moment, and she could at least be thankful for that, regardless if the moments irritated her and made her want to resort to her more basic instincts and throttle something. A very rare feeling Ana only ever experienced with her brothers and the occasional cousin, when they wouldn’t listen to her, but she never acted upon it. There was a first time for everything though and she wasn’t going to rule it out just yet.

Knowing that given the type of person he was her frustrations and bitter comments were probably not fazing him at all, she knew that they were going to be useless. But for the life of her, she couldn’t reign in her acid tongue and biting sarcasm; two defense mechanisms she had always developed to their full potential but hated using. The best she could do was keep the fact that he was grating on her nerves to herself and try to appear as if she was enjoying herself. Best not to give him any more fuel since he seemed so amused at her annoyance. Well, at least he was enjoying himself to some extent, that made her feel a little bit better about dragging him here, though given it was at her expense, it didn’t lessen all that much. “I’m not trying to impress them,” she began, rolling her tongue to make sure she thought her next words over and prevent herself from saying something she’d regret. “To be frank, you’re the last person who should be criticizing anyone for being haughty.” Well, there went that plan. Someone had to say it, at least, and if it was her, then so be it. She had a reputation for being blunt and unflattering, even to her close friends, so it would come to no surprise if anyone over heard her. “They’re no better than you are,” she said, glancing up at him then out to the people who began filling the ballroom. “And no worse, for that matter,” she waved her hand slightly, indicating the lot of them, “They are people who may have a bit of a superiority complex, yes, but deserve respect nonetheless. On the matter of time, on the other hand, I’d rather not waste more than necessary here,” she gave a soft sigh, knowing that this night was sure to drag on longer than she wanted it to. “Not for the people, but for what the even represents.” Well, that was a half-truth but at least she didn't think anyone in the room less than she. Finishing her spiel, she resolutely decided that that was it for the night and she wouldn’t offer him anymore in the way of opinion, not that she didn’t have a few choice things to say to him, but she’d doubt he’d listen anyway, and she wasn’t a fan of talking just to hear her own voice. Silently, she accepted his arm, glad that they were going to get this over with.

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 715
● outfit ● here
● notes ● eeeh what is paragraphs?
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele

[viktor]

At least he was getting a kick out of simply listening to her rant. Viktor was being highly amused with it all, although granted, he was sure if she knew exactly what he was thinking, she would want to actually throttle him. He had seen that desire in her eyes on a brief occassion only moments ago, and he had to restrain himself from outright laughing out loud. That would earn him no more points than he already had, and he was sure she wouldn't appreciate it at all. She was being pushed to her limit as it were, if he had any indication given by her behaviour, bu Viktor found that it was just something he enjoyed doing. Besides, she had dragged him here in the first place. She would learn that the consequences weren't necessarily pretty. And he was already perfecting his retaliation plan deep within his thoughts because honestly, he was going to get her back for this. He most certainly was. No matter what happened or how long he had to wait. But given that she had taken up iniciative … well, he was going to see. Maybe it would be sooner rather than later, but who knew really. For the time being, both of them had to survive the night, and he had a feeling he'd be teaming up with her on the sarcasm before their brief tour of the room was over. That would definitely be a first, to be sure.

Of course, given that the two of them seemed to be battling each other's words just because, Viktor was going to have a hard time coming to her aid if they did get into any talking situation. He would have simply enjoyed seeing her battle it out, she was notorious for her diplomatic skills. He was simply notorious for the offense he put on when needed, as shown in his recent project with Bri, where they had basically smashed and eradicated any negotiations from most of the other groups they'd been paired with. Debate was a strong point when he knew what he was doing. And while he didn't have a clue right now, she was feeing him enough amunition to go on. So, he lifted an eyebrow lightly as she spoke, trying to decide whether to feel offended or not. No, probably not. Hey, you'll never hear me deny that. Half of the chickens in there'll probably vehemently try and prove they're striving for world peace when all they're really doing is trying to find someone to get in bed with. His opinion of his school mates was very low, but granted, he had only said that half of them were like that. It was enough. For his part, he had admitted he couldb be haughty. Simple as that. Not quite so simple when she spoke, and this time, he did chuckle, although he had tried containing himself. It still escaped, and he looked at her with a bemused expression. Superiority complex? Hardly. Well, maybe the half I already spoke about. To be honest, anyone who can't take a blunt response isn't worth the time. He worked by that principle strongly, and never really backed away from it, to be sure. He was glad, however, that she didn't seem to want to be in there for long, and he nodded, waiting for her to decide whether to take the offered arm or not. When she did, it felt weird, given he'd never done this before, but there was a start to everything he supposed, and they entered the hall together – quite possibly to the shock and weird looks from those already gathered. After all, Viktor was a notorious recluse. And Ana? People probably thought she could have done much better.

TAGGED --- ANASTASIYA SVETLANA OF RUSSIA
NOTES --- lol <3
OUTFIT --- CLICK
LYRICS --- MICHAEL JACKSON
TEMPLATE --- MADE BY ME

[anastasiya svetlana of russia]

While Ana would be the last person to call herself an optimist, she could at least attempt to try and make the best of the situation. Naturally, she was a blunt person who didn’t try to embellish things in a way that wasn’t appropriate. However, if there were liable points that were going to at least help her endure this, she couldn’t help but want to bring those up. Even she needed cheering up once in a while, and at the moment, she certainly needed something to calm her. As soon as she saw her brothers and was assured that they were in one piece, and were going to stay like that, she’d be considerably less on edge. That would make the night much more agreeable. Granted, she’d rather not be here at all, especially not with Viktor, but she could console herself in the fact that there were worse people in the world. Hell, there were worse people in Vineheart. Of course, she’d never admit it, but while he made her uncomfortable, it wasn’t in the same way she was with other people. She wasn’t afraid of Viktor, nor was she shy around him, which was completely out of character for her. At least with him around it wouldn’t appear odd and unsociable if she didn’t speak to anyone, as it would have been had she decided to attend alone. He offered an excuse and suddenly, she realized why everyone was so intent on having dates to these events; with one, you could feign ignorance to everyone else in the room and they couldn’t be offended when you claimed you simply had been far too absorbed by the person you’d come with. Ana wasn’t a good enough liar to claim illness at a time like this, but this was a perfectly understandable excuse and one she would be sure to use in the future. How could she have not seen it before?

Simultaneously, Anastasiya had to suppress the urge to pout and shudder. She knew he was right and that she could offer no argument on her part to counter what he’d said, and that irked her. Not that she’d ever believed to have the upper hand in the conversation, but she was stubborn enough to want to fight against him and his claims. That she was agreeing to his opinions and could see the light in them, he that had such a low opinion of his classmates, bothered her. The shudder was from the little loss of hope for her generation. Hopefully, they’d get better. As for now, they couldn’t see that there were better things to do with their time. For the sake of their countries, she hoped they grew out of it, if not, there was sure to be a great deal more conflict in the future. “What, drawn, and talk of peace?” she quoted for her own amusement. If she had no way to belittle his comment, she wasn’t going to directly support it either. To her, Romeo and Juliet was the perfect representation of it all; the short, quick love, which wasn’t really love at all but rather two teenagers who believed that fate was more than it was, only to be parted in the morning. Except, no one died in the end at Vineheart, though she would never rule it out as a possibility. She was sure that half of the relationships and hook-ups of her peers were out of nothing but spite, whether for their parents or other royals, it differed, but it was still petty, much more than anything she’d willingly participate in. It was all completely ridiculous and useless. “How does that quote go? ‘You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.’” She added, completely content with ignored others as she usually did, or seemed to do, as she was always hyperaware of their activities.

“Yes, superiority complexes,” Ana said smartly. “You can see it in the way they stand,” she continued, pointing discreetly to a thirdyear who was talking to another. “His back is ramrod straight right now, in the face of someone who is his equal. He’s trying to be intimidating and show off; chest puffed out and all, regardless of the fact that his conversation partner doesn’t seemed phased at all by it, he doesn’t stop,” she waved her hand, not caring that she was divulging one of her biggest secrets, her ability to easily read body language. “If he was simply trying to impress, he would have given up, even unconsciously, when it didn’t work. Clearly, he thinks highly of himself. Even if you smacked him upside the head with the fact that he’s no better than anyone else, he wouldn’t understand it, or just refuse to take it as fact.” Quirking her eyebrow, she decided not to comment on the second part of his statement, knowing that it would serve her no good defending her way of speaking in relation to others, mostly because she was in agreement. If people couldn’t take the honest truth, then they weren’t really worth it.

● tag ● viktor / ami
● words ● 846
● outfit ● here
● notes ● uhm .. half of this doesn't make sense... i know...
● credits ● graphics by truds, lyrics by adele