LOVE$ICK [griezmann]

deux: family values

LUNA
Le Cinq was one of the finest restaurants in Paris, but Luna only ever dined there whenever there was a company meeting. The thought of ending her vacation early to attend a business meeting while she was partially hungover sent chills up and down Luna's spine, but the thought of eating Le Cinq's crunch coffee mousse made her feel better.

As Luna followed the maître d' through the sophisticated gold-themed restaurant, she felt her stomach churning as they began approaching the usual table at the back of the restaurant. As they got closer, Luna saw a familiar head of blonde hair and she instinctively rolled her eyes when she realized who it was. Sitting with her father in a table set for four were Alain Griezmann, her father's best friend and longtime co-CEO and Antoine, Alain's jerk of a son. This was going to be a fun lunch.

"Luna!" Alain said warmly as she neared the table. Luna pulled the shades off her face and grinned as Alain got up from his seat to hug her. Luna leaned into his embrace happily; even though Luna absolutely despised Antoine, Alain and his wife, Isabelle, were like second parents to her. "How was fashion week? Isabelle saw lots of pictures of you in her magazine yesterday."

Luna plastered a grin on her face and pushed back all the FOMO that was clouding her brain, "Oh, fashion week was amazing. I loved it."

"That's great to hear." Alain smiled, walking back to his seat.

Luna walked around the table and leaned over to hug her dad quickly, trying not to show all the resentment she had for him at the moment. "How was the flight back, darling?" François asked.

"It was fine," Luna replied before moving to sit down in the seat between him and Antoine. She glanced at him and shot him a nod hello, which he returned curtly before directing his attention back to his leather-bound menu.

For as long as Luna could remember, she and Antoine have hated each other. When they were children, Antoine used to pull her hair and Luna used to steal his toys. When they were in the 6th grade, Antoine spilled Fanta on the white Dior dress that Luna had picked out to wear to the winter formal and Luna ripped the back of Antoine's signed vintage French national team jersey. When they were freshmen in high school, Antoine made up a rumor that Luna would make out with anyone if they gave her 5 euros and Luna accidentally revealed that Antoine used to ask his father's chauffeurs to buy him cigarettes that he'd smoke in his bathroom with his brother, Théo. It didn't help that Antoine and Luna were the smartest kids by far in their grade and they were constantly trying to beat each other to the top.

After they graduated the most prestigious private school in Paris, Luna set off for Wharton Business School in the United States while Antoine decided to stay in the continent to attend Oxford. Fast forward a couple of years, Luna decided to get her masters degree from Harvard while Antoine decided to get his from the London School of Economics. They were in separate continents for the most part of six years (not that either of them were complaining), only seeing each other from time to time back home in Paris during the holidays or whenever their parents decided to fly them home to attend an important event that they were hosting – even then, Luna and Antoine would only exchange eyerolls and snide comments.

Their parents were sure that it was just a phase and they'd grow out of it soon enough, but 26 years later, Luna Dubois still very much hated Antoine Griezmann and Antoine Griezmann still very much hated Luna Dubois. Why? Luna would say that amongst others, she hated how Antoine walks around thinking he was God's gift to everyone and Antoine would argue that he hated how Luna was a stuck-up, stubborn perfectionist who needed everything to go her way.

No one would actually bat an eyelid if the circumstances were different, but they weren't. Practically since the day they were born, François and Alain have been grooming them to one day take over Dubois-Griezmann Enterprises, or DGE. They sent them to the best schools in the world, gave them all the experience they needed and made sure they knew just how important the roles they played were. It was probably just a bit too much pressure for two little kids, but it had to be done.