InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I must not tell lies"

Hope Duffield (equestri) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2025-05-15 12:24:00

Entry tags:

hope duffield, prince john

WHO: Hope Duffield, Prince John
WHEN: Thursday evening
WHERE: His place
WHAT: Grooming, manipulation, bad stuff
WARNINGS: TBA but bad

Hope had been at her job for five and a half months now, and she had worked her way up to PA already. She was incredibly pleased to had achieved that under her own steam, and far too inexperienced to realise that -in fact - she hadn't. It wasn't her own steam at all. It was grooming. The pitying looks she occasionally got from older staff she misread as jealousy. To her, she had gotten her position because she was incredible. But it was her first job. How was she to know no one worked their way up from intern to PA in five months without neoptism or favourtism or something darker? Though to be fair, with Hope it could had been any of those things - being the daughter of a senator. But it wasn't, and the older women in the office knew. They also knew they couldn't say a word.

Not that Hope would have listened anyway. John had told her some people might be jealous of how trusted she was, and they might talk behind her back. She was used to that anyway, and it didn't bother her. He had said they might lie to scare her off, but Hope had assured him she wasn't that easily scared. She was strong! She knew what she was doing!

Which was why, when a text came in from John as she was already cleaning her desk to head home, she answered it. I need a file now, no questions! You are the only one I can trust with this. Get the files off my desk, I trust you in my office not to snoop, and then bring them to my home.

She was the only one he trusted! She was exhausted and hungry, and she was supposed to watch White Lotus with Tori later, but she was trusted and she couldn't let John down. It sounded so important. And she wouldn't want to let him down. She shot off a text to Tori to tell her that she needed a raincheck and then another one to John to tell him she was on her way. He could count on her! That was why she had the job, after all!

She arrived at his doorstep, cheeks a little red from the jog from the Uber. But she was smiling when she buzzed up. She had the files in a manila envelope clutched close to her chest, and if it had been raining she would have shoved them under her light spring jacket. Luckily, everything was dry and she wouldn't be seen as having failed him.

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equestri
2025-05-15 01:55 am UTC (link)

Stay here? Hope sort of glanced around as John headed off upstairs, and she was left alone. She had no idea what to do so she gazed out the windows, watching the traffic below. What a gorgeous view to have all the time. She was sure she would park herself right here and just watch for hours.

By the time ten minutes had passed, she was getting a little warm and her feet hurt in her heels. She opened up her coat and slipped it off, revealing her cute dress. She draped the coat over her arm and then had a staring contest with the sofa, before finally just deciding to sit. She hoped he wouldn't get too mad-

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phony_king
2025-05-15 02:02 am UTC (link)

After sitting down and playing a game on his phone for a little while, John got up and walked briskly back down the stairs, this time with a much more open and friendly demeanour. He undid his tie as he descended, looking much happier.

"Hope. You saved my bacon," he said, hands open in greeting. "Thank you. I hope I didn't put you out too much." Of course he knew he'd inconvenienced her. But she had to assure him he hadn't, it was the way it worked.

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	equestri 2025-05-15 02:14 am UTC (link)
	Hope stood up quickly the second he returned, and she hoped she didn't look like she had been slacking too much. When he said she saved him, she grinned. "I'm so glad! No no, it's all fine." She was definitely going to get some take away now though, because she was ravenous. Something light and delicious. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

phony_king
2025-05-15 02:25 am UTC (link)

John pressed his hands together in thought a moment, then pointed a finger at her. "I'm going to fix you something to eat. As a thank you. I made you come all the way up here, so I'm going to make it right. No no, I insist," he said, cutting her off before she could say a word, and headed across the floor towards the open kitchen area. "Just leave your coat on the sofa, it'll be fine. I was going to make pasta and there is enough for two. You like pesto?" He gestured that Hope should follow him and sit up at the kitchen island while he worked. Pasta wouldn't take long to cook, and he could do small portions so she didn't get overly full. He didn't want to be too stuffed with carbs with doing physical activity later.

He tied an apron around his waist and turned to lean his hands on the island in front of Hope with a slightly mischievous smile. "What's your poison?" he asked, lifting a wine glass from the rack. "I was drinking malbec, but I have a lovely imported late harvest pinot gris I've been dying to open." Something a little sweeter for the lovely lady.

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equestri
2025-05-15 02:44 am UTC (link)

She had actually been looking forward to getting the take away, and letting her hair down a little. Now she was stuck in work mode for longer than she would like. But she was important to him, and she hardly wanted to upset him! Getting praise and promotion at work had become a little like an obsession for her. It was overtaking her studies, not that she would admit that yet.

So she stayed. She slipped close to the kitchen and then she said, "I love pesto and pinot gris sounds perfect," with that ever-alluring smile plastered to her face. She was actually craving salad and diet coke, but sure. Pasta and wine it was. "Mind if I take my shoes off if I'm staying? They look great, but they kill my feet."

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phony_king
2025-05-15 03:21 am UTC (link)

"Be my guest," John replied with a charming smile, and decided to remove his own tie as well, tossing it across the nearest armchair. He found the wine bottle and poured them both a generous slosh of wine, and slid Hope's glass across. "To hard work," he said, clinking his glass against hers and taking a sip. "Right. Lets get this cooking! I have this whole grain fusilli that is handmade by an Italian chef, it's absolutely delightful. Excellent mouth feel." He had a pot of water on the stovetop quickly simmering, and retrieved pasta, cherry tomatoes, basil, pesto and parmesan. He even put some Italian music on the stereo, just to add to the playful feel of the meal.

And if he took a sneaky glance at Hope's dainty feet as she slipped off her shoes, well, that was his business.

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equestri
2025-05-15 03:35 am UTC (link)

Well now that he was talking about whole grain fusilli, and she could see all the ingredients, she was more into the idea. She usually avoided pasta because it was carbs, but that didn't sound unhealthy! She had discarded her shoes at the entryway, and now that she had a glass of wine in her hands and she could smell food cooking, she was more down for this.

"Cheers," she said happily. "I saw a piano in there, do you play?" she asked, taking a sip.

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phony_king
2025-05-15 03:52 am UTC (link)

John glanced across at the piano as he sliced cherry tomatoes in half with a beautifully expensive knife and set them on a tray to broil. "Oh that? I tickle the ivories from time to time. Do you?" Of course he was an excellent pianist. He'd had centuries to perfect his skill. But it didn't pay to show off. He was actually starting to enjoy Hope's company for its own sake, not just its intended outcome, and he did like it when people praised him. He drank more of his wine to encourage Hope to match his pace, counting on her being more of a lightweight than he. She didn't strike him as a heavy-drinking party girl, not with her cute swimsuit insta stories with her sorority sisters. No keg stands posted there! Then again, her father was a senator, he would have her guts if she besmirched the family name, John was sure.

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	equestri 2025-05-15 04:02 am UTC (link)
	"I was forced to learn at a young age," she nodded, "though once it became clear I was more-" she had almost said 'useful to my family' but she amended it to, "suited to being an equestrian, they let me stop. I love it though, it's a beautiful instrument. It was just never my thing." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

phony_king
2025-05-15 04:09 am UTC (link)

John smirked to himself. "Family can really get under your skin sometimes, huh?" he said, tossing the pasta in the pot. "My father never thought I'd amount to much, and look at me now." Give her a little sympathy, have her relate to him with some half truths, and top up her glass when it was starting to look a little empty so she wouldn't be able to tell exactly how much she'd had.

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	equestri 2025-05-15 04:25 am UTC (link)
	"Your father what!?" Hope asked, incredulous. "Well he clearly had no idea, did he?" she asked, amused. "I mean, look around?" She drank more of the wine and smiled widely at him. "My family never said anything like that to me." Maybe to Avery, but not to Hope, "but I know my place." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

phony_king
2025-05-15 04:46 am UTC (link)

"I have older brothers who did the heavy lifting. I'm the youngest. They all expected me to just fuck around, but they were the ones finding out, huh?" John fetched dishes to serve the pasta on and began to combine ingredients. "Knowing your place isn't all bad, but you can still do your own thing. Be a little... rebellious." He glanced at Hope, giving her a look like he understood her and encouraged her to be herself. He turned and laid out the beautifully arranged meal, two not-too-large servings garnished with fresh basil, and came around the island to sit next to Hope. Eating at the dining table was just a little too formal. Kicking his shoes off and perching at the bar was much more relaxed.

"Cheers." He raised his wine glass to Hope. "Buon appetito!"

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equestri
2025-05-15 04:50 am UTC (link)

"Oh I do a little of that when I can," Hope laughed. When she was served the pasta, she gazed down at it approvingly. "This is incredible!" she said, after clinking her glass to his. She had a little buzz going on so she was feeling chattery. "Do you cook often, or do you have someone? Our family always has more than one person. Including a pastry maker? For some reason?" She tasted the meal and grinned, "oh wow, amazing,"

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phony_king
2025-05-15 05:07 am UTC (link)

John was pleased that he'd impressed her. "I cook when the mood takes me," he said, taking a bite himself. It was excellent, of course. "Sometimes I order in. I have a guy who cooks for me, he sends it over when I prefer to be alone, or he'll come here if I have guests. He does nice pastry too." He liked sitting so close to Hope, close enough that their elbows bumped once or twice as they ate. "There are others I call on if I want something special made. Like the gelato I have in the freezer, if you're feeling rebellious enough once you've finished that." A wink, and an invitation to stay later...

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	equestri 2025-05-15 05:34 am UTC (link)
	"Gelato, you say?" she asked, perking up. "What flavour is it?" She was definitely interested. "I went to a wedding once where they had an entire gelato bar, and all the flavours were so fancy. Like...matcha and peach, and green tea and elderflower. Things like that. I had way too much and got sick. I was like seven though, so who can blame me?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

phony_king
2025-05-15 09:38 am UTC (link)

"Maple walnut flavour," John replied. "Your little self had excellent taste. Gelato is delicious."

It was nice chatting like this. The wall that professionalism put up between them was being broken down as they got to know each other a little better. John let his eyes wander while Hope wasn't looking, admiring her beautiful long hair and how the dress she was wearing fit her body and the blush on her cheek as she smiled. She was delectable, and John smiled, anticipating his moment with a dark thrill.

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	equestri 2025-05-15 10:23 am UTC (link)
	"I love maple walnut!" she said happily. Okay, so staying here for dinner didn't end up being the worst thing ever. "It's so kind of you to make me dinner, you didn't have to at all. I was just going to get some take away but this is so much nicer." The buzz from the wine was not hurting either. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

phony_king
2025-05-15 10:37 am UTC (link)

"It was the least I could do, making you come all the way here after hours. You really have been quite the godsend to me, you know? You're a hard worker and you're dedicated to the job. I admire that." John reached out to hold her hand for a moment, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. "You could go far in the firm, if you wanted to stay in the profession. I know horses are a bit more exciting, but the law has its moments." He took his hand back, spearing a tomato on his fork and popping it into his mouth.

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equestri
2025-05-15 10:49 am UTC (link)

The touch was weird, but Hope let it happen. He was like this a lot, honestly. She took what he said at face value and replied, "honestly, I have been considering it. I mean, I still want to go to the Olympics, but as a long term career..." She could teach, sure, but she wasn't sure she wanted to. More like she wanted to own a horse property, but she had to afford it first.

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	phony_king 2025-05-15 11:01 am UTC (link)
	"You have your whole life ahead of you, Hope. You don't have to decide now. Just remember I'll put in a good word for you." John set down his fork with a satisfied sigh, having cleaned his plate. "Why don't we go sit on the sofa once you're done? I'll bring the gelato over to you." It would be much cosier to curl up together on than this bar stool. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	equestri 2025-05-15 11:07 am UTC (link)
	"That is so sweet of you," Hope beamed. That he was willing to help her out with her career was so lovely. Suck it, Xander! She went to sit on the sofa, gazing out at the twinkling lights of the city below. "This view is amazing," she said softly, maybe even to herself. "I don't think I would ever get tired of it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

phony_king
2025-05-15 11:14 am UTC (link)

John glanced over his shoulder at Hope as she spoke. "You're very welcome to come and see it again," he replied, just as quietly, before he went to the freezer to fill two cut crystal bowls with scoops of gelato. Returning with them, he also brought the remainder of the wine bottle and emptied it into their two glasses with a flourish. "What fantastic wine! Well done us getting through that!"

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equestri
2025-05-15 11:22 am UTC (link)

If she hadn't been so buzzed she would have spent more time thinking about how it was weird he had invited her to see his view again. As it was, she just smiled and gazed out at it. "It was such good wine," she said, holding the bowl of gelato in her hands. Then she glanced at him and asked, "could you play the piano?" before she could think better of it. Then she blushed furiously and shook her head, "sorry- Sorry, sir."

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phony_king
2025-05-15 11:29 am UTC (link)

"John. Please call me John." John took a bite of his gelato and set it aside on the coffee table. "For you, I will."

He decided to play Clair de Lune by Debussy, something pretty and setting the mood for a lowlit lounge at the top of the city. He wanted to see Hope relax and smile and be comfy with her feet drawn up on his couch. Wholly unprofessional of her to be half drunk with her boss like this. Such a beautiful girl was such a temptation, she must realise that.

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	equestri 2025-05-15 11:33 am UTC (link)
	The music was so gorgeous and John played it with such emotion, and Hope just melted. She ate her gelato in a daze, staring at him as his fingers caressed the keys like he had been doing it for centuries. She had no idea that he actually had. As it got to the part where the notes came faster, she just closed her eyes and let herself feel the music. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)