Re: The City: Sasha, Jude, Oliver
The brevity of an exchanged look, Jude with the subtle chastising when a flute of champagne was passed into Oliver's fingers. Jude with eyes shrewd and telling, but always so kind, and Oliver made a face from behind Sasha's shoulder, aimed at his overbearing brother. Oliver hadn't planned on drinking the champagne, but he greatly disliked being told what to do. "Cheers," with a tone spiked ornery, and Oliver faked a sip of the sparkling flute. When nobody was looking, his thin wrist tilted just so and he dumped all of the bubbles into a nearby potted plant.
There was talk of dancing and dull conversation, at which point, Oliver excused himself from his partners in crime(both aware and not). "I'm going to find the bathroom," he stated with total plausibility, his attention steering toward the staircase that supposedly led to the library room that housed the painting of interest. The smile that he gave Jude in passing would convey that this distraction should be performed soon. A minute and fifty seconds would be all that Oliver needed, but time always felt distorted in situations like these.