●Singing Along●

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Get a good look? Need to get a camera after that?” she asked, raising her brow at him. He was right though, she was hardly some sweet, innocent little angel that did no wrong. She made mistakes, none of which she was sorry for. And she wasn’t shy about voicing what was on her mind, though she usually knew when to keep her mouth shut. Seb though, knew her better than that and didn’t seem to mind when she said whatever was on her mind even when it wasn’t the best of times to be bringing it up. She didn’t have to censor herself or play the Saint she wasn’t. Lilia wasn’t the type to just sit there and let people walk all over her, let them make comments while she kept her mouth shut. She had older brothers, she knew how to fight dirty and with all the names they used to call her, someone saying something rude didn’t even register with her anymore; which was why she could have awful sounding “fights” and conversations with Seb and come away from it unscathed; it was all in good fun and she’d heard plenty of the same before when one brother or the other were trying to get back at her for playing some evil prank.

“Can’t admit to the world that you’ve seen a chick flick now, can you?” she teased, laughing. She didn’t know if Seb really had seen the movie or if it was some running joke with his friends from school but that movie was where she’d heard the line before, along with quite a few others. It wasn’t an absolute favourite of hers, but it was well put together comically and that she did enjoy. Having mostly guys in the house growing up, shopping and chick flicks were pretty much the only things she and her mother had to combat against all the testosterone, male ego and pride. “Okay then, Sheriff Whelan, I believe you,” Lilia muttered, looking any from Seb so she wouldn’t start laughing.

Lilia rolled her eyes to the ceiling as though she wished that were true. “I will admit he has his good days when it doesn’t smell like a frat house but it may as well be chloroform on other days,” she said, looking at Seb deadpan, like she could convey just how terrible it really was through a look. The days they had run into Seb had been some relatively good days compared to some of the others they’d had to share. Lilia was just glad that things were being mixed up a bit with these new classes and perfumes and colognes weren’t acceptable in hospital. “I already have some of the nurses asking questions. This is all I need,” the doctor to be said with a groan as if her private life and the conversations she shared with Seb really were some big gossip farm for the nurses.

The Scottish girl really was a think second kind of person outside the sterile walls of hospital. She liked the rush of adventure, of making mistakes and getting dirty. Once she had that white coat on, she was serious and thinking about every scenario before she spoke up. She hated to be wrong in any situation but when someone’s life was in her hands, the feeling was even stronger. Of course, life wasn’t perfect, there was no such thing as perfect timing. Things just happened when they did and changes were made to accommodate the new. “I’m in trouble,” she whispered knowing it to be true and not being able to find a single part of her that cared about that.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 622
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Scrunching his nose up, Seb shook his head as though he was disapproving of what he saw. “My clothes look better on me, that’s all.”

[/color] He declared, as though she was completely ruining the potential of the outfit he had lent to her after her shower. There was no denying that they fitted him better, but then Lilia wasn’t about to walk down the runway of New York’s fashion week in them anyway! Still, it was impossible for Seb to resist teasing her, winding her up over the slightest of things. It had always been in his nature and most days it was Matt who got the full brunt of it, but the soon-to-be teenager had escaped this evening since Lilia has shown up at the door and surprised Seb. Now, she had to pay the consequences for that plan and it just so happened to come in the form of jokes, taunts and playful jibes.

“I have seen that one. Only because my ma had it one afternoon when I had the flu and Michael Caine is just great.”[/color] He said casually enough. Seb wasn’t too ashamed to admit to watching chick flicks, but the list wasn’t exactly a large one. Most of the time, he just caught snippets of whatever his ma had on while she was doing the ironing or stealing a few hours to herself in the middle of the chaos. He missed moments like that, but they were happy memories to him. “You ought to, or else you might find yourself in more trouble.”[/color] He threatened playfully, stroking what he had for a beard like some comical villain.

Seb chuckled softly at her words and the expression she gave him. “At least you can smell him coming. If you’re talking about him it’s a sort of warning system.”[/color] He joked, unable to resist the harmless jibe. If he ever had the chance Seb would only too happily tell the guy how he overdid the cologne, but unless the right opportunity arose he would only come across as rude and that was one of the few things Seb was not. Grinning, Seb couldn’t help it. The nurses and their need for gossip never failed to amuse him and even he had to poke his head into the huddled group during his hours there, just to see what all the fuss was about that week. No one had ever asked him about Lilia as more than a passing question, but now he was a little more than intrigued by it all. “And how do you answer those questions?”[/color] He smirked, propping his chin on his hand and resting his elbow against his knee, as though he was some curious school girl at a slumber party in need of a secret to share.

The last thing Seb was thinking about right now was the aftermath of all of this. He had never been a worrier like that and in this moment the last thing he wanted to do was worry. Thoughts silent and caught up in the moment, he didn’t care about what tomorrow might bring. Lilia hadn’t shoved him away and everything else that could have happened, hadn’t. Grinning, Seb arched his eyebrow and met her eyes with a mischievous twinkle in his own. “You were in trouble at least ten minutes ago.”[/color] He teased quietly, still wearing that boyish grin.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 610!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia sent Seb a very bland look before rolling her eyes. “That’s because you don’t swim in your clothes. I do,” she said, her words just as flat as the look. She felt like little orphan Annie, only Annie had clothes that fit her properly and didn’t need to fold over the waistband of the bottoms and twist and tie the top until there was some semblance of a figure showing. Lilia was all too aware that she would still get teased about it all even if the clothes did look good on her. It wouldn’t be like Seb at all to let something so easy go without a remark. And she would have been disappointed in him if he hadn’t spoken up.

There were a lot of memories stored in Lilia’s mind that had her mother present. She didn’t know what she’d do without those silly little flashes on darker days. A little math for the time difference and a quick phone call usually had Lilia feeling better. So she couldn’t imagine what Seb felt like being unable to do what she did at least once a week. “He is good,” she agreed, thinking about the last time she’d seen the movie and the phone call that had to accompany it because of silly jokes and remarks made so many years before. “A little trouble wouldn’t hurt,” she said mildly though her eyes held mischief in their depths. If a little trouble was what Seb would leave it at, it would be fine. But it was Seb and Lilia, so it was never just going to be a little bit of trouble and it certainly wouldn’t be able to be described as “good, clean fun” either.

Lilia rolled her eyes at their turn of conversation. She knew she started it but it was such an odd conversation. “We could probably talk about him with him and he wouldn’t clue in. It’s probably a good thing he’s trying to be a doctor and not a detective,” she said, grinning. Though the study group hadn’t tried it yet, she would put money on it they could say what they wanted as long as they didn’t bring up a specific name and he would be oblivious. It made her wonder though, if he wore his body spray like that all the time or just when he was in class because of the horrid stench. “I make up some wildly inappropriate tale about you and go on my way,” she said casually. “It was sarcasm but thanks for thinking my personal life really is the fodder that keeps the nurses talking. I would think that would be you.” She kept her bland look hidden behind the glass of soda, hoping it was gone when she set her drink back down on the table.

“More now than before,” she muttered, looking up at Seb. “Need help wiping that grin from your face?” she asked, grinning mischievously because she could think of a few ways to get that mouth silent. She might have been a fan of the man but that smirk that said he’d just won the biggest prize at the ring toss she could do without at the moment. She wasn’t sorry this had happened. It either would have eventually or they would have separate ways to be nothing more than a fond memory. Personally, Lilia was pleased it had gone this route. She couldn’t imagine a turn around the hospital without the nurse to be there with an overly flirty quip to say. She only hoped that none of this turned towards the awkward. She would worry about that in the morning though.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 611
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Nodding his head, Seb had to agree. “True, but I prefer just not to wear them most of the time.”

[/color] He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. It was true that most days when he was at home his shirt was off, but that was more to do with laundry habits and the fact that he only had one or two t-shirts he chose to lounge about in and most of the time he just couldn’t be bothered digging them out. Still, moments like this didn’t come often and teasing Lilia about these things when she set him up so perfectly was just too hard to resist.

Seb had plenty of memories of both of his parents, but that was all he did have now. Matthew had even less and sometimes Seb had to take a few minutes to try to work out if his little brother would even remember a story from their past. Sometimes, if he didn’t, he got upset and then Seb felt terrible. It wasn’t easy on either of them, but Seb felt as though it was harder on Matthew since he was younger and still quite dependent on his parents when the accident happened, whereas Seb was an adult and living alone on the opposite side of the globe nearly. He had also had plenty of adventures and gotten up to far too much mischief in that short space of time as a college student, but he didn’t regret it then and he couldn’t regret these silly, teasing moments now either. They were just too much fun and Lilia brought out the worst in the Irishman. “I never said it would be a little trouble. You ought to know by now that with me it’s only ever a lot of trouble.”[/color] He smirked, that daring twinkle in his eyes as though he was already plotting some terrible scheme.

“I’m fairly sure that the amount of cologne he wears would contaminate a crime scene.”[/color] Seb mused, trying to picture the scenario of some alternate universe where it could possibly be true. “I’m still glad that there’s a slim chance of him ever being my doctor.”[/color] Given his specialism, Seb hoped he’d never be in hospital and have that face appear around a curtain with a medical chart. He might be an excellent doctor-in-training, but Seb had seen too much of the less professional side of him to ever trust the man with his own health! “Please, they all already know that I’m wildly inappropriate.”[/color] He scoffed, shaking his head as though it was old news to him. Most of the times his jokes earned him remarks along the lines of “you’re terrible” from some of the nurses, but they were biting back smirks and just trying not to indulge the soon-to-be nurse. He had caught them and called them out on it, just for fun some at the time.

Chuckling deeply, he pulled Lilia a little bit closer. “Definitely true.”[/color] He agreed, stealing another quick kiss in the moment. “Oh, this grin is going nowhere.”[/color] He admitted happily enough. He wasn’t ashamed this had happened, or worried about what the morning might bring. Seb had a good feeling about this and while he didn’t quite know how an innocent moment of mischief had quite turned into this, he wasn’t going to complain about it. Instead, he just claimed another kiss and hoisted Lilia into his lap, since hovering wasn’t exactly proving the most comfortable position to remain in.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 627!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

“Anyone with working eyes can see that, Whelan,” Lilia said blandly. Lil was pretty sure if Seb could get around the dress code for everywhere; he would go to school and work without a shirt. Admittedly, if he worked a bar somewhere, he would get enough tips to buy a Porsche in a handful of days. Lilia couldn’t imagine how Seb or Matthew felt. She couldn’t imagine what life would be like without her parents. She may not have spoken to them a hundred times in a day but she kept in contact enough to know missing even a phone call had the doctor in training getting a mild case of homesickness. But Seb rarely brought it up and Lilia didn’t know how to broach the subject without getting told to mind her own or have the subject changed and Seb acted coolly towards her. But as much as she needed those phone calls, she didn’t think she could go back to Scotland permanently; not unless she really had no other options. She enjoyed the city, the teasing remarks and conversations she had with her friends, like Seb. Her life was in New York now. “A girl can pretend,” she said, eyes wide as she tried to convey her best innocent look.

As much as Lilia adored her fellow med student, she could certainly live without the guy in the day-to-day life. Friday night after their study group finished until Monday afternoon for their first class together, Lilia was rid of the over fragranced man and she didn’t have to think about him until then either. It was easier for her to take those short few days to relax and put everything school and medical on the backburner. Her weeks were filled with textbooks and classwork, Issy and housework, if her weekends were the same, she would be drove insane! “It’s a good thing he’s not going to become the next Medical Examiner then,” She said, shaking her head because she couldn’t imagine the man in a sterile building where perfumes and colognes were frowned upon. “Fingers crossed he doesn’t change his mind this year.” The Scottish girl wasn’t sure if he was ahead of the curve or if she was behind it because she didn’t know where she wanted to be. She had to keep telling herself she had time and not knowing was the whole reason she added the extra training course. “Which means they believe me until I correct them, if I correct them, that is,” Lilia said, rolling her eyes at Seb. The nurses and hospital staff they volunteered and worked around were a good group and Lilia loved spending her time at the hospital around them.

Lilia rolled her eyes, trying to bite back the smirk. “You’re still in more trouble than me,” she warned, pulling away an inch further to look up at Seb through her lashes. Getting tangled with Seb was bound to be messy but fun all the same. Laughing, Lilia locked her arms around Seb’s shoulders as he lifted her into his lap. Regret wasn’t a word in Lilia’s vocabulary. She wasn’t about to feel bad about anything that happened between her and Seb. Lilia liked where this was going and wasn’t about to worry about when the sun rose again. She leaned in, her lips brushing against Seb’s ear. “We’ll see,” she whispered, raking her nails down Seb’s chest while she trailed feather light kisses across his jaw. Lilia wanted the Irishman to lose his words. He always had something to say and she wanted to be the one to turn him speechless.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 603
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

“And those working eyes often like to look. Don’t try to deny it; I’ve seen you.”

[/color] He joked, smirking and tossing a charming wink in her direction, too. Years of dedication to sports had worked in his favour and while his athletics delights now lay in snowboarding weekends and trips, it didn’t do Seb any harm to keep in good shape. He figured with the long hours and the twisting hospital corridors he’d be running down, the fitter he was the longer he’d last without exhaustion, weariness and the aches and pains of long shifts setting in. At the end of those days he would be coming home to a little brother who would need him for something or the other. Even if it was just five minutes of advice and brotherly chatter, Seb wanted to be there for Matt. He had his dreams to chase, but he wouldn’t let them get in the way of how important his brother was to him. No matter what happened or where life dragged the pair, Matt would always come before his career for as long as the pair of them were walking the earth. “A girl can, but it wouldn’t change the reality.”[/color] He grinned.

There were a small number of men in Seb’s classes, too, but it was predominantly females. It didn’t bother him and during the first two years it also brought him more of their attention. What guy was going to complain about being in a study group of girls and convincing them to move it to a bar or club after the library walls started closing in on them all? It had its perks, but when Seb’s life changed so did the way he saw the classes and the opportunities that lay with them. He still enjoyed the fun and the laughter of the groups, but he didn’t find himself flirting or dragging them out until the wee hours anymore. He didn’t miss it either. However, unlike Lilia, none of them were overly doused in perfume or fragrances that clogged up his nose or made him choke on a frequent basis. “We should convince him to throw a party and then steal his collection from him. Maybe then everyone will get a break from it.”[/color] Seb grinned, amused by the idea of holding cologne for ransom. “If he does then I’m going to make sure to avoid his place like the bubonic plague.”[/color] He joked, although a part of him seriously meant it. The guy would be a great doctor, but the scent alone would be the worst thing when someone was feeling sick. “Even then they probably wouldn’t believe you. My reputation precedes me.”[/color] He teased, sighing dramatically as though it was some terrible curse he couldn’t escape.

“I probably will be if your brother comes banging my door down.”[/color] He said, nodding in agreement. Seb had to admit, it would probably be worth it though. The Irishman had dealt with big brothers in the past, but that didn’t make it an easy challenge. Each one seemed to have a different problem with him dating their sisters. He wanted nothing more than to give back into the temptation once Lilia’s lips touched his skin. Unfortunately, his head reminded him of one very important thing just as his grip tightened around her waist and his eyes closed. Reluctantly, he pulled back ever so slightly, but enough to put some distance between the two of them. “Matt’s still awake.”[/color] He told her, his eyes slightly darker than they had been a second ago. “He’d only have to crack his door open to see us and trust me, he will not spend all evening in his room.”[/color] The twelve year old would emerge at some point for a drink and some snacks. He had no idea where this thing with Lilia was heading, but he couldn’t forget his brother, not even with her in his lap driving him closer to crazy than he already was.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 712!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia sighed as though she were getting tired of this conversation. “I could say the same, you know,” Lilia pointed out, looking over at Seb with a raised brow. But she was honestly too busy with her nose in a textbook somewhere half the time that she hardly noticed. And more than once she had to have things pointed out to her because she was so blind to it. Her medical degree was where her focus was when she wasn’t taking care of her niece. Though, she was lucky to get a night out with school starting up again so soon. She had kept putting her reading off and now she was running out of time and had only cracked a half the books she needed to read through before the first day of classes. “Reality has its perks,” she said with a shrug. Lilia was starting to feel like she needed a night out, away from any responsibilities and have the only worry be not getting caught.

When Lilia had started classes back before everything happened with Theo and New York, Lilia was more concerned about having a good time and happily moving the study group to a dance club than she was highlighting half a textbook. But she had been younger back then and not as wise as she was now. She knew better and had actual responsibilities now where she only had to get to her classes on time before. Aside from that, the only difference between then and now was the cologne soaked mess she had to share a library table with and more classes than Lilia would have liked. “He would have to ask his mum and da. He lives in his parent’s basement.” She hadn’t been able to keep a straight face saying that. She may be in nearly the same boat but she didn’t live with her parents, it was her brother and she could come and go as she pleased without him waiting up to yell at her, even at her age for coming in past a curfew she didn’t have. “The smelling impaired would be the only ones able to see him,” Lilia said, grinning. As nice as the guy was, once she was done with their shared classes, it would take something serious to have her meeting up with him again. Lilia grinned, shaking her head. “Oh, they believe me. It’s so outrageous that they can’t help but think I’m telling them the truth.”

As much as she joked about her brother being some over-dramatic bodyguard, he let her have her own life. She made her own decisions and mistakes and fixed them. “He’s a teddy bear but he puts on a good show of being the bad guy,” Lilia said, laughing. She couldn’t wait until Issy was older and bringing friend’s home. She wanted to be there to see what Theo would do to those poor kids, walking into the house unaware of what they’re getting themselves into. Lilia dropped her head to Seb’s shoulder knowing he was right. “Right,” she mumbled into his shoulder before lifting her head and running her hand over her hair. “So, show me what game you were playing before I showed up. We’ll see if I can’t kick your ass,” Lilia said, reaching over and plucking the first game controller from the table. “Unless you want to send Matt over to teach Theo a valuable lesson in parenting,” she added, holding out the second controller for Seb with a wicked grin on her lips. She was kidding, partly. The young Scottish girl wanted to see where things were going with the handsome Irishman but at the same time Lilia knew his little brother came before everything else in Seb’s life and she respected that about him.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 633
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Grinning, Seb looked over at Lilia with a dark twinkle in his eyes. “I never denied looking.”

[/color] He said easily enough, shrugging nonchalantly before reaching for his drink again. He didn’t see the point in lying about something like that and it wasn’t like he was setting out to do anything terrible. His life might have been full and busy, but Seb was still a young man and there was still enough time in a day to remind himself of that with the flirtatious banter that often came whenever he was around Lilia. “It can have several if you take the right chances.”[/color] He mused, not really thinking about anything in particular. He’d just rather grow old and cringe at some of his choices than regret the ones he avoided, plaguing his golden years with what ifs and unneeded daydreams. Life wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows, but it was supposed to be lived.

Seb wouldn’t lie and say he didn’t miss the days where he had little to no responsibilities, but at the same time he preferred being who he was now to the slightly over impulsive party boy he had been a few short years ago. There were weekends when he rejoiced at hearing Matt ask about staying at a friend’s house, but most of the time it was a celebration of being able to buckle down and do some work without having to pause to ask if homework had been done and to remind the small boy about going to bed on time. It was no picnic, but Seb had made this choice and he didn’t complain. He didn’t worry about missing parties or turning down invitations now and those things seemed so minor in his life that he didn’t even feel that pang of envy whenever someone told a story or showed him a photograph. He had grown up quickly after the accident took his parents and it had all been for the better. “He lives with them and they haven’t told him how he smells?! They either lost that sense or they’re way too polite for their own good.”[/color] He said, shaking his head and running his fingers through his already messy hair. “Or those with the flu. It could be a new diagnostic procedure; how blocked is your nose?”[/color] He added dryly, his lips tugging into a troublesome smirk. Laughing, he merely shrugged again and leaned back on his elbows. “I’m an outrageous kind of guy!”[/color] He joked, chuckling deeply. “They still come back though.”[/color]

“Isn’t he an actor? I’d like to think he could put on a good show!”[/color] Seb was almost certain every brother had the same bad guy act somewhere inside of them, just waiting for the right time to unleash it. His would probably come out if high school bullies ever emerged, which he sincerely hoped they didn’t, mainly for their own sake. He was a brother, not a parent, and had no qualms about crossing that boundary of politeness and protocol like some did. He wished that they didn’t have to stop, but while Matt might have been oblivious in his room the point was that he was still too close and far too awake. Leaning over, he pressed a lingering kiss to the side of her neck and then sat back, trying to let the moment pass, reluctantly. “We hadn’t started. Matt only picked it up from the shop this afternoon.”[/color] He tossed the case at her and then moved to refill their drinks while he had the chance. It was a sudden but much needed change in the pace of the evening, but Seb knew that if it hadn’t had happened, there would only have been an awkward situation later involving a pre-teen. “I think that would only lead to Theo coming here to drag you away from me.”[/color] He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Who knows what might happen if he leaves you here with me…”[/color] Seb teased, taking the controller from her hands and settling back, tugging Lilia close as he moved. Just because they had to behave, it didn’t mean they had to sit on opposite sides of his bed.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 705!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

“Well at least you’re honest. So refreshing.” Lilia said with a light shrug of her shoulder. She knew too many guys who looked and when they were caught acted as though they hadn’t been staring. She saw it when they did it to her, and to her friends. It would have been, for Lilia, so much easier to just admit when someone was staring. It led to less tempers flaring. “And too many ‘what was I thinking’ moments.” Though honestly, she knew when she was old and grey and sitting somewhere looking out a window with a quilt covering her legs that it would be those memories she would hold onto fondly. Her life was going to be full of so many thing that could probably be overlooked, especially while she was in school. But the memory of her first procedure was going to be burned to her memory for the rest of her life.

Lilia might not have had the same responsibilities as Seb and others in the world but she had them and she was grateful for them. Without them she would be back in Scotland, already doing her residency and not really giving two damns about it all. She was serious about becoming a doctor but the rest of her life up until Jenny’s death had been of the carefree variety. She went to parties over studying and hadn’t really given a damn if she missed a night with the study group. Now was a different story. Issy may not have been hers but she was still important to Lilia and she shoulder plenty of the responsibility of taking good care of the little girl. As much faith as Lilia had in her brother, even he couldn’t do it all alone. “I couldn’t bring myself to ask.” Lilia said honestly, shaking her head. If she ever changed her perfume, she had to ask all her friends what they thought of it and then ended up on at least two occasions feeling like she was a skunk because the light scent just didn’t suit her. “I’m sure that diagnostic would go over well with the patients.” Lilia remarked just as dryly. If Lilia didn’t have the silly jokes with Seb, she was sure her life around campus and hospital would be rather dull. “Nice to see the humble side of you for once.” Lilia said blandly.

Lilia nodded, grinning as the memories flooded in. “That just means he’s a little better at it than most brothers and fathers.” There were only two years between them but that was enough to have them living separate lives at school. But there had been enough times in those few years for Theo to have used his acting skills on the boys in his baby sister’s life. She remembered most of them because they had just been hilarious to watch while others Lilia tried hard to forget thanks to how embarrassing things had gotten. Lilia caught the game case, looking it over seriously. She didn’t play many video games, not with the little time she did have to herself. Plus, she had a niece not a nephew and she was only a baby, and her father was so busy running around, chasing down auditions, memorising lines and taking care of Issy to take a minute to look at a video game, never mind actually play one. As far as Lilia knew, though usually she had her nose in a text book whenever she was home and had finished all the house work that needed to be tackled. “Interesting.” She said, setting the case on the table.

Lilia knew it was the right thing to do, settle down for the time being, maybe even the night. With Matty only in the next room, it would have been awkward if he’d needed to refresh his drink or ask Seb something. What the pair of them needed was a change of pace and the new video game seemed like the perfect excuse to calm down. Lilia rolled her eyes at Seb, even though he was right. If she called Theo now for anything at all, it would only end with her being escorted home by a brother with too many questions. “And that would be a crying shame.” Lilia said with a playful pout. The pout turned to a wicked grin in record time. “A damn good time.” She said, stealing a kiss before turning her attention to the controller in her hand, trying to figure out what the hell she was doing without asking. If she could figure it out on her own, great but the chances of that happening were pretty slim.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 779
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

It was his turn to shrug and Seb ran his fingers through his messy hair. “What would be the point in lying? You’d only find out the truth sooner or later.”

[/color] It was the same thought he had about most things. He valued honesty and was hoping that Matt would pick up that same belief from him. Plus, staring at someone because they were attractive could hardly be a bad thing. It was a compliment, if anything! “But those are usually the best moments! How else can you look back and laugh at yourself?”[/color] He already had a few of them under his belt, ranging from bad dates to bad haircuts. They were still amusing, even if they were cringe worthy and he was sure that they’d still have him chucking and wanting to hide when he was much older.

Seb wanted to make his parents proud, not only with his own choices but also with Matt. There had been relatives back home who had been willing to take in the little boy and raise him, but Seb knew that his parents would have wanted the brothers together if it were possible; and it was. In the moment when that realisation dawned on him, he had thrown away any selfish thoughts and instead concerned himself only with Matthew. He hadn’t been in need of a wake up call, but the little boy had given him something to focus on in New York when a night of partying had sounded better than hitting the textbooks and studying. He wanted to set a good example and while his grades had been impressive to start with, they got better the more he stayed home doing homework alongside Matt. “Someone needs to get drunk and confront him about that.”[/color] He concluded, acting like it was the only choice they all had. It couldn’t go on forever, surely! “You know you love it.”[/color] He joked with a dramatic wink.

“I’m sure that goes down a treat during those first meetings.”[/color] He teased with a grin. He had met brothers and fathers in his time, had been through the talk of rules, curfews and ending with the threats of what would become of him if he broke their angel’s heart. It was almost like a rite of passage in the world of dating, but one that came back time and time again until that right person was found and forever started to seem believable. The video games were mainly bonding time for the brothers to remind themselves that that was what they were. They could chat about the serious stuff, the nonsense, give advice and just relax. It was a great way to unwind and it gave them both a chance to forget about school or work or anything else that just seemed to be playing on their minds. “Just try not to go too crazy and launch the controller at something. I don’t have that many things.”[/color] He joked.

He chuckled at Lilia’s pout. “Cute. Very persuasive on Theo, I’m sure.”[/color] He said dryly. It was probably a good thing that the video game was to hand. They needed a distraction that was totally innocent and would take their minds off of each other for a little while. Movies could easily be ignored and their conversation had been what had spiralled into chocolate spread and kissing. At least a video game required concentration and attention in some part. “Is that a promise?”[/color] He asked in a whisper, lips twitching into a smirk. Sussing out the navigation and the buttons quickly enough, the game began to unfold on the screen before them, although Seb wasn’t completely up to speed on what the game was about. Usually Matt read all the information while Seb grabbed the snacks and then the little boy filled him in as they were setting up.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 652!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

“Not everyone thinks that way, you know.” Lilia always knew Seb was different the most of the guy’s Lilia knew. Most of the guy’s Lilia knew acted like nothing happened at all even when she caught them! And the ones at work slowly got so drunk that they just thought a stupid pick-up line would have her pants around her ankles of their own accord. It really was refreshing to know that what Seb said, he generally meant. She wished that were the case with more men in the world. “I didn’t deny that.” Everyone had memories like that, Lilia included. How many of those she would want to remember was probably going to be a lot less than the ones she would want to forget but that was where the fun came in. You couldn’t laugh at yourself if you didn’t do anything questionable at all in the first place.

“I’ll leave that up to you to do.” Lilia said with a big cheesy grin. Lilia and the rest of the study group had a hard time fighting the inner war of telling him or keeping shut. Subtlety wasn’t Lilia’s best trait but she’d tried her best at it and failed miserably. But at the same time, she didn’t want to hurt his feelings either so she usually just sighed and turned the page in her book or did the coffee run when they were getting low. Honestly, she felt like if it came from someone outside their class or their specific group, it would probably be taken more seriously but within the study group, there were a lot of things said just to fill the empty space when things just got too quiet or too serious. “You’re good for a laugh if nothing else.” Lilia said instead of outright agreeing with him.

Lilia rolled her eyes. The handful of times she had brought boys home with her after school, it was usually Theo who went on to interrogate them all. Her parents asked their questions but let things for fairly easily. And then when he left, they bombarded her with questions. And if Theo happened to not be around when his little sister brought friends home, he demanded answers at school. Her semester in Barcelona was probably the only time no one had demanded anything from Lilia when it came to the men in her life. Her parents, Theo and Alan asked the usual questions but being so far away allowed Lilia to hold things back. It was a much needed break but at the same time, she’d found she actually missed Theo’s overprotective ways. “It’s always fun.” Lilia said dryly though it had been a while since she’d brought any one back to her place, even for a night of studying. Usually if she had a group thing, she went out somewhere and kept the people from the house for Issy’s sake. “I’ll try to control my rage.” She said sarcastically, glaring up at Seb.

“I add a sniffle occasionally. He isn’t good with tears.” Lilia said with an evil smile. A conversation about her own acting skills and using them on her brother was not what she wanted to do but it was a definite mood killer all the same. And they needed ice water showers. Thankfully that video game was already up and waiting to be played. And it would definitely keep them busy. “Maybe.” She said with a smirk. Lilia had absolutely no idea what was happening on the screen in front of them. She didn’t play video games and could probably say that until she was blue in the face and it wouldn’t really matter. They were trying to keep busy with innocent activities and Lilia was determined to try and make that work despite knowing how close Seb was and how easy it could be turn her head this way and go back to their previous discussion.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 655
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

“Because not everybody can be this fantastic.”

[/color] Seb joked, gesturing to himself like he was the model of fantastic perfection. He used those terrible pick-up lines in the past, made jokes out of them when they didn’t work and silently celebrated when they did. Things had changed after his parent’s death and that was when Seb chose to go along with the more honest route and cut back on all the casual nights of parties and beer that he had enjoyed so much when he first came to New York. His priorities had changed and with them so had his flirting techniques and style. Now, the lines were used for cheesy jokes to cheer people up when they looked down.

Shaking his head, Seb ran his fingers through his hair and then looked at Lilia with a crooked smirk. “I’ll need a good few drinks before I can spill that out tactfully.”[/color] It was one of those random talents of his that only appeared after a few drinks. At least that was what Seb thought. It was only when the buzz of alcohol was kicking in that he ever took the time to speak to friends and acquaintances about serious trivial matters that had been playing on his mind for a little while. It was a few steps before the “I love you, man” declarations. As far as Seb could recall it had never landed him in any trouble with anyone. “Oh, I am good for many things, I promise you that.”[/color] He informed her with a flirtatious wink and grin to match.

It was obviously different being a guy when it came to the whole dating and meeting the family deal. His ma had always been keen and asked too many questions at the very second Seb mentioned a girl’s name. It was irksome at times, but it was something he missed now. Even the most innocent of stories had to be laced with some secret high school crush as far as his mother had been concerned and no amount of reassurance from Seb could change her point of view. He felt kind of bad that Matt wouldn’t go through any of that, but Seb could still be the annoying big brother who could read into every little situation just to try and catch the young boy out. It was actually something he was kind of looking forward to. “Please do. I don’t need to have to explain to the cops that you have temper tantrums when it comes to video games.”[/color] Seb teased, nudging her playfully as he settled back down.

“Ah, crocodile tears. A good trick, if your victim falls for it. It takes a little more than tears with me.”[/color] He said, as though this was what the conversation was actually about. Like anyone, he reached out to help someone he saw crying, but he didn’t instantly buckle the second he saw those eyes turning watery. Right now though, silly conversations and talk of things they really didn’t fancy talking about was keeping them both safe from potentially traumatising a twelve year old boy and giving him the level of blackmail that would see him through his teenage years! The video game hardly held his attention and he moved through it more on memory and instinct from previous games that had been similar. He was trying to keep his mind off of Lilia and what had just happened between them, but their flirty banter and his curiosity of what could have been were getting the better of the young Irishman. After a few minutes, distracting Lilia seemed to be the game he wanted to play, so he began nudging her, grabbing at her side and generally being a playful menace while she tried to focus on the video game. During this childish moment, he forgot his own words from a few moments before and turned his head enough to press his lips to her neck, grinning against her skin before pulling away and continue to fight through this area of the game. He was a mess of trying to control his hormones and trying to focus on the game and play the part of a responsible big brother.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 746!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia rolled her eyes at the terrible line. “You’re incorrigible.” She said shaking her head. Seb always had a line to say, always had a smirk on his lips no matter the situation, he was able to lighten the mood. Sometimes it was needed more than she let on and sometimes she wanted to hit him simply because she wasn’t in the mood for it. But no matter what he did, after she left him she felt better than before. His priorities may have changed but Seb would always be Seb no matter what twists and turns stood in his path. Seb had a way of stealing attention and holding it, making whoever he was talking to feel like they were the only one in the room. She’d lost count how many times they’d run out for coffees and she completely forgot they were in a busy café, grabbing a quick bite. “Who needs tact? Discretion is not a friend in this case.” Lilia said, shaking her head. The group had tried plenty of different plans to get this kid to clue in and nothing had worked. He was just too used to them saying crap to fill silence to truly believe anymore. It was a shame, too. He was otherwise a sweetheart, always willing to help out and all that. It was just that overwhelming cologne or body spray he used that killed any chances he had with half the women in the world.

“You’ll have to show me sometime.” She whispered, leaning closer and biting her lip. She didn’t even know why she fell victim to the same old flirting techniques used time and time again, right in front of her at work, when only half the time they worked. And yet, there she was, looking up at Seb through her laughs, biting her bottom lip lightly, hoping to bring his attention to her lips. She was being ridiculous but the whole thing of them flirting was the fact that they could be over the top and so dramatic that it couldn’t really be taken seriously. She had never been able to talk like that or fool with stupid pickup lines with the other guy’s in her life. Kellen had been an easy flirtation, probably too easy. They were together for a while but it clearly wasn’t good enough if a little distance proved too much for them. And truthfully, Lilia had been feeling bored. But that was long enough ago now that he hardly entered her mind at all. In fact it was a rare day when he did or something caught her eye that brought back a significant memory. Of course, that was also the last time Theo met any of the men in her life and that had been a real treat. She got good and hiding things after the move to New York, mostly so she wouldn’t give Theo any extra stress. Plus, there really wasn’t anyone in her life she felt needed to be introduced to him. His opinion mattered and unless she knew something would come from a coffee date, she wasn’t going to bring them around the house. Issy was still so young and Lilia didn’t want to be parading around countless “uncles”. “Oh, bite me.” She muttered, turning her full attention to the TV screen and figuring out what was happening so she could figure out the game.

Lilia grinned slowly, looking up at Seb. “You say that now...” She said, letting her words trail off like a warning of sorts. She rarely used tears to get her way with anything but occasionally, in the past the ability to cry on cue had helped her out more than once. And her own brother had taught her the trick, so it was always amusing to see him give in. Honestly, she thought he just gave in because she put so much work into getting him to give in. If she didn’t put in the effort, why would he ever agree, right? The whole point of playing the video game, which Lilia still didn’t understand was to keep themselves PG-13. And she was trying to figure out this damn video game. There was a reason she didn’t play them and her studies was just the excuse she gave for her lack of understanding. She was a quick learn though so it shouldn’t take her too long to figure things out and start kicking ass and taking names for herself. That was becoming increasingly difficult with Seb blatantly trying to disrupt her. It was bad enough she was being her own distraction, she really didn’t need his help. Not to mention they were trying to avoid exactly what he was doing now! She tried shooing him off, nudging him back but she was basically useless. “You really think that’s going to keep me from handing you your ass?” She asked with more confidence in her words than she actually had in them. She had no idea what she was doing in the first place and was only now just starting to figure out what each of the buttons did for her. She really didn’t need Seb kissing her neck just that way. He was already able to steal her attention away, all he needed was another tool to help him do exactly that.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 890
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

“Ah, you know you find it irresistible.”

[/color] He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. With Lilia it was far too easy to play this guy and throw the cheesy lines out there every couple of minutes or sooner. She gave him the perfect set ups and never seriously got pissed off at him or thought him to be arrogant or despicable. He liked that about her. It made it easier to relax when she was around and enjoy her company without worrying about saying something to upset or offend her. Seb wasn’t the kind of guy who set out to do that to anyone. He cared about his friends and the people closest to him. “I’m a nurse! I need to keep my bedside manner with me at all times!”[/color] Seb said, acting shocked as though Lilia ought to have known better about such a thing. He had far too much fun joking around and teasing her.

“Just name a time and a place, sweet thing.”[/color] His eyes did flick momentarily to her lips and he did have a strong temptation to lean right over and kiss her then and there. Seb could pride himself on having some sense of self-control though, so instead he stuck with the flirty retort and a subtle wink while the smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. The Irishman had never really been in a relationship that had left him heartbroken or pining after it was over. He was still young, had only dated casually in recent years and before that came sixth form and high school, where long relationships were actually only a couple of months for most. He knew a few people who had met at fifteen and who were still together now, contemplating marriage and the future, but that hadn’t been the life for Seb. He knew he would have wanted to move away, to live his life and try to cross a number of things from a very long bucket list. He had managed a couple of them before the accident brought Matthew into his apartment permanently, but none of them had come with a steady girlfriend to see him through it all. He was kind of thankful for that. That period of his life had been a little tougher than he cared to remember and he didn’t want anyone else to have been involved with that burden, feeling left out or overwhelmed by what the two brothers were adjusting to and learning to settle in with.

Grinning, Seb really couldn’t help himself and quickly leaned over to nip at Lilia’s shoulder, which was slightly exposed from the baggy clothes borrowed from Seb. Leaning back with his grin still in place, he merely shrugged and focused his attention on the game, moving his character through the next save checkpoint. “As the lady wished it.”[/color] He said, as though he really couldn’t be to blame for acting like a small child and an overly flirty twenty-four year old all at the same time. Acting the fool was something Seb did well, and he was proving that right now as he tormented Lilia while she tried to focus on the video game. In all honesty, once he had pulled the door open and seen her on the other side, Seb had lost all interest in the game. It also slipped further from his list of wants once Matthew slipped off to his bedroom and left the pair out on the sofa-bed Seb called his own. “Yes. Totally.”[/color] He grinned boyishly, pressing his lips back against her neck and kissing that spot just a little harder than the first time before trailing his lips down to her shoulder again. All the while he was still playing the video game and doing a pretty decent job of it.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 678!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia really couldn’t get upset or annoyed with Seb and his ridiculous lines. She was the one constantly setting him up for them or walking right into them not even realising. If she could be annoyed at anyone, it would definitely be herself. But the cheeky lines and playful banter amused Lilia. She liked it, didn’t mind it in the least, so why get annoyed with it? Sometimes those silly lines and Seb’s overly confident smile were the reasons her mood turned around on darker days. “Absolutely.” Lilia said, making herself sound positively bored with the whole thing. There had been a lot the Scottish girl had picked up over the years from her brother. Lilia raised a brow looking up at Seb. “Mhmm, sure you do.” As much as Lilia genuinely cared about her patient’s wellbeing, she couldn’t carry around her cheery bedside manner constantly. She needed her sarcasm to get through the day. The day just wasn’t done without a dry and witty remark from the Scottish girl!

“My eyes are a couple inches higher there, sweet thing.” She said with a smirk. “So either look at them or kiss me.” Lilia was ridiculously pleased she’d gotten the reaction she’d wanted. It was only a little harmless flirting after all, what could possibly go wrong? Okay, so his little brother could walk out of his room to get a drink and find them all over each other but that was probably the worst thing that could happen. Now that Lilia was in New York, she had things she wanted to do with her life that hadn’t been possible before because of everything that was on her plate. Not to say that she couldn’t do any of those things with a boyfriend, but without one, it was easier. She didn’t have anyone to answer to so there was no one to disapprove of whatever she decided to do. Of course, she kept Issy in mind whenever she made plans. There was no way she could help take care of the toddler if she was bedridden or even worse, holed up in hospital. She liked the place well enough but at the end of the day, she could leave and go home; being a patient and stuck in one of those beds wasn’t something she wanted unless it was a catnap somewhere in the middle of a double.

Letting out a short yelp, Lilia jumped slightly. She didn’t know why she didn’t think Seb would take her literally. It was Seb! Of course he was going to take something like that literal! “Don’t be difficult!” She said, jabbing her elbow back into his stomach with a pleased grin on her lips. They were acting like children, trying to distract the other so they’d win the game. The only difference was that Lilia had no interest in the game and was only attempting to learn it to keep her mind off what she wanted to be doing. “Seb I’m not that easily distracted.” And she hoped she was right because there was a twelve year old boy in the next room they had to be mindful of for some time yet. She tried to ignore those kisses and play the game so she wouldn’t have been outright lying about distractions. And she did good for a few minutes, but it wasn't going to last and she was well aware of that. "Too soon to turn this off?" She asked quietly, turning her head enough for Seb to hear her.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 588
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!