not edited
— zindabad —
(interjection, imperative) a cheer often used after a name to wish someone health and long life
origin ; urdu
"P-Phoenix talks about me with you?" My jaw dropped and my eyes widened at Phoenix's mother sitting across from me.
She laughed melodiously, "Phoenix tells me everything, sweetheart, no matter the time of day," she grinned.
"Aww," I looked over at Phoenix who hung his head, desperately trying to hide his pink tinted cheeks.
Dinner with Phoenix's parents had to be the highlight of my entire week. Not only had they invited us for dinner tonight, they dwelt upon us staying a night or two over and of course, we couldn't say no. Phoenix worshipped his parents and talking to his mother on the phone, she was too sweet for me to refuse. And that's how we found ourselves sitting over butternut squash and caramelised onion galette and eggs in cocotte with spinach purée.
If I thought Phoenix along with his brother and sister were carved themselves by the hands of God, I clearly didn't think it through what his parents looked like. His mother was elegant, she brought another meaning to the word ethereal. She held this certain love and warmth in her aura and she presented herself with grace. Everything about her screamed simplistic and minimalistic. She liked to chastise Phoenix for little things, laughing lightly when he'd mutter mama, please stop and cover his face with his hands. And tonight, her outfit was to die for - simple white satin maxi dress, topped off with diamond encrusted teardrop earrings.
"He was always such a mama's boy," his father grumbled under his breath, shooting Phoenix a pointed look. Phoenix stared back at his father wordlessly, wide eyed filled with wonder. Fucking adorable.
Phoenix's father was clearly where Phoenix and Blake got their looks from. They were nothing more than a spitting image of their father, it was unreal. Though he was just an aged version of Phoenix, he still had it all, with a chiselled jawbone, fit body, and lusciously chocolate brown hair. He might've looked only a bit older than his twenty one year old son if it weren't for the worry lines, tired eyes, angst ridden features on his face.
"Oh, don't be jealous, Cartier," his mother snickered.
His father scoffed, "I'm not jealous, poupée."
"The frown on your face begs to differ, mon amour," she gave him an all too knowing smile.
"Phoenix, can you tell your mother how I'm the better parent," Cartier looked at Phoenix with pleading eyes. Phoenix, however, stayed silent and his eyes flicked down to his empty plate.
"Oh my god," I murmured, covering my mouth as I stifled my laughs. His mother's eyes flickered over to mine, bright and wide as she had a beaming smile.
"See, even Adrianna likes me better!" She exclaimed, laughing wholeheartedly.
"Adrianna did, not, say that," he gasped dramatically.
"She didn't have to," his mother feigning pretentiousness, "I just know these things," she smirked.
"Woman, you are insatiable," he muttered, looking up at the ceiling whilst she giggled.
His parents continued fooling around, snickering at each other to the point where I was laughing so much I began tearing up. Hell, they had me wheezing in my seat as they relentlessly teased their son.
"I'm going to bring out dessert," Phoenix's mom chimed as she got up and started collecting all our plates.
"I apologise for Celeste, Adrianna, but-" Phoenix's father started with a grin.
"There's no need to," I smiled, "I love her, she reminds me so much of my mom." For some reason, it didn't hurt so much to talk about my parents with Phoenix and his. His parents reminded me of times spent with my parents, especially right now, those times spent over dinner, playfully bickering with one another. Sitting with his parents, for a foreign reason, didn't make me nervous or anxious in the least. They seemed to bring me this ease I didn't know I was missing.
"Adrianna, your father and I were pretty close, did you know?" His dad asked after a few moments with a thoughtful look in his eyes as mine widened.
"You guys were not," I looked at him incredulously.
"We were," he chuckled lightly, "You father, he was such a powerful man, Adrianna," he gave a melancholic smile.
"And your mother, Adrianna," Phoenix's mom, Celeste, expressed softly, entering the dinning room with a pie in her hand, "She was an absolute dream.
"Also, this is chocolate and raspberry tart. The old man next to me," she pointed at Cartier while he scowled, "He made it," she smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"Adrianna, feel free to shove it in her face how ambrosial it tastes," he fired back seriously.
"I can't believe you guys knew my parents," I uttered with a small smile while Phoenix placed a slice of the tart on my plate.
"Well you better believe it, babygirl, because your parents were one of our closest friends," Celeste smiled and pulled out her phone. She handed it to me and I gasped once I saw her lock screen. It was a picture of my mom and Celeste standing with my father and Cartier behind them, their arms around the girls' waist. They were all dressed elegantly, wearing bright smiles on their faces.
"This was the very last event we had ever attended together; that night is is forever engraved in my memory," she murmured softly.
"This had to have been like four years ago," I stated quietly in awe, pressing the home button to see the picture again. They looked like they were having the time of their lives' with my mom's head thrown back in full blown laughter and Celeste looking over at her, mid laughter too. My dad looked down on my mom, love glistening in his eyes and Cartier, he had his lips pressed against his wife's temple.
"It was," she reminisced, "four years ago on September 15th for a charity ball."
"Both your father's company and mine contributed quite a lot and I believe our companies were the sponsors as well, no Celeste?"
"We were," she agreed, "But Adrianna, it was your parents who made that event, that foundation possible. And because of that, it's become one of the biggest charities in the world, saving a vast amount of lives each year. We've," she pointed and herself and Cartier, "just been ecstatic to be able to say we were apart of making that dream come true."
"Because that's where it all started," Cartier continued, "Your father, he had this vision, this dream for this entire philanthropic institution.
"Adrianna, believe me when I say this, but your father was more than just an honourable and admirable man. And I've thanked my lucky stars because I was blessed, actually, I am blessed because not many get to say they've worked with Colten. In fact, it was your father who gave me a start in the business world. He brought me into it, teaching me-"
"I am so sorry," I said with wide eyes, "I know my father could've been quite the headache to be learning from," I feigned pity. He almost choked trying to hold back his laughter and I face palmed, attempting to hold back laughs of my own.
"Honestly speaking, working with your father was like a slow suicide, he did not take no for answer. And there was no such thing as wrong in his mind, everything had to be right," he grimaced.
"Yet my father has made more mistakes than I'm sure God could count," I snickered.
"Were you this honest with your dad, Adrianna?" He asked with an arched brow.
"Absolutely not, I was worse, far too blunt, but I mean, honesty is key, is it not," I fired back with a smirk.
"Your attitude is too much like your father, it's becoming eerie," he narrowed his eyes.
"And you are literally your mother's doppelgänger, it's eerie indeed," Celeste uttered and a small giggle slipped past my lips.
"As I was saying," Cartier huffed dramatically, "He taught me everything I know now. Not only was he a powerful and well, quite ruthless businessman, he was warmhearted and soft to those he cared deeply about. Adrianna, your father was a teddy bear," he snickered and I burst into a fit of laughter, not giving a damn.
"I know he was, that's the problem," I wiped my tear clouded eyes whilst still laughing.
"But he was also a humanitarian, a philanthropist, he was the kind of guy everyone just loved as soon as you met him."
"Thank you," I said quietly, suddenly feeling shy.
"And your mom, Adrianna," Celeste smiled a bit forlornly, "She was everything I wished to be, but she pushed me to become my own and for that, I'd forever owe her. Everything I've accomplished so far, it would've never happened if it weren't for her."
"And what did she push you to become?"
"She knew of my dreams from when I was a little girl, to be a designer."
"Wait, how long have you know my parents?"
"We went to elementary, junior high, high school, and university together," Cartier answered nonchalantly.
"Excuse me, what?" I practically shrieked the same time Phoenix's voice bellowed, "What?"
"Colten and Alessandra were the graduating class before us, but we grew up together, so even after high school, we remained close. And then believe the surprise between the four of us when we realise we're all going to the same college. Thus the start of my business career," Cartier answered.
"And your mother, she was already starting her journey to obtaining her PhD in English. Yet she knew about my aspirations, but my crippling social anxiety, so she decided to take up a fashion design class during her sophomore and my freshman year. I didn't like to be in a place, all alone with strangers, and your mom, she just knew and took up the class with me.
"Alessandra, however, she was just own world, she walked around with grace and her head held high. Your parents were high school sweethearts, if you didn't already know," Celeste chuckled lightly, "So just imagine the show put on between your parents all throughout college when all these guys pinned after your mother," she winked.
"Your father and I had quite the time during our university days. I think we even came up with this list of guys we'd have to kill for trying to steal our girls," Cartier had a foolish grin.
"Aww," I felt myself about to cry, "The friendship you guys had sounds so adorable," and they both gave me a knowing smile.
"Oh! I just remembered, son, there's a gala tomorrow night, I was hoping you'd be able to come," Cartier gave Phoenix smile.
"Hey! He's lying," Celeste pouted, "I proposed that you come tomorrow night along with bringing Adrianna as your date," her eyes flickered over at me.
"Adrianna, won't you accompany Phoenix tomorrow?" Her eyes were genuine and pleading.
"I-I, um-"
"At least think about it yeah?" She smiled softly and I felt my shoulders relax.
"Phoenix, my baby boy, you've been rather quiet," Celeste frowned, looking at him, "Tell me, are you and Adrianna together?" She smirked. I almost choked on my water and looked at him. My boyfriend. Pink tinted his cheeks but he couldn't seem to stop the smile spreading across his face.
He wrapped his around my shoulder and pulled me close against him, kissing my cheek lightly, "I don't know, are we?"
"Oh my god," his mother whined, "I thought we told each other everything, why won't you tell me this? You refuse to answer it even over the phone," she continued.
"Guess you can't always be the favourite," Cartier smirked.
"He told you?!" She shrieked, standing up abruptly and pointed a finger at him, "Phoenix, you told him before me," she all but screeched in disbelief.
"No he didn't, my dear," he grabbed onto her hand, pulling her into his lap, "But I know my sons, no matter how stupid they are," he coughed, hiding a smile, "And right now, Celeste, our son is in love," he smiled at us tenderly.
§
"I'm sorry, my parents are questionable," Phoenix muttered whilst his finger lightly skimmed my arm. We were in his bedroom and there was a stark contrast from his room in the other mansion. While that was a deep navy blue, dressed in black furniture, this room held warm hues of brown and beige, adorned with white furniture.
"Don't be," I beamed, "I absolutely love them!"
"And they love you too," he uttered under his breath.
"Is someone jealous," I teased, arching my eyebrow.
"Yes!" He looked at me as if he couldn't believe what I just asked, "You have all their attention and I'm pretty sure they love you more than they bloody love me," he whined, getting up to sit up against the bed's headboard. Immediately, my eyes fall on his shirtless chest, trailing downwards to his very defined v-line disappearing into his joggers.
"Come here, baby," he held out his hand and I took it. Within the very next moment, I was straddling his lap, my hands against his chest to brace myself. A giggle escaped my lips and gently, he stroked my hair.
"I love you, Adrianna," he murmured.
"And I love you, Phoenix," I rushed out all too girlishly, ducking my head as I felt a deep blush.
"Adrianna, I love the parts about you that I don't even think you pay attention to. I love the way you scrunch your face up when your hair gets in the way. I love when you smile and your eyes crinkle because your simply confused. Or when your too lazy to wash your hair, so you put it in a cute bun or poison it with dry shampoo. I love when your working on calculus, how your eyebrows are furrowed and you scrunch your nose when your upset. And goddamn, when you yawn, as fucking eerie as it might sound, it's adorable. I love it all."
My face was as bloody crimson by now and a face splitting smile was etched on my face. I was left rather speechless at his confession and found myself fixated on his body, memorising each and every contour. My eyes seemed to linger on this one tattoo close to his heart and I surprised myself as much as I did him when the words fell past my lips, "Is this for Elliot?"
He smiled ruefully, subtly nodding, "Very much so."
"I-I recognised the date, I'm sorry," I muttered, suddenly feeling self conscious. It was beautiful, simple, yet intricate - two arrows crossed to make an x and in each quarter was a roman numeral; deciphered, it was December 11, 2009.
[ a|n; in the sketch above, i wrote out december, eleventh, two thousand and nine for the reader to know, the actual tattoo does not have those written out :) ]
"Étoile filante, you have nothing to be sorry about, stop apologising," he frowned.
"Okay," a shy smile made its way on my face before I gasped again, "Is this one for your mother?" In a very calligraphic script with whimsical etchings it was the name, Celeste Ophelia Kendziorsk along his arm in a spiral.
This time, he smiled happily with a light in his eye, "Yes, it's one of my favourite ones, along with Elliot's and a few others."
"Tell me about your favourites," I stated softly, looking into his eyes.
He took my hand on his, placing it over his torso, "See in the midst of Kali, there's a queen's crown along with a phrase and roman numerals?
"It says regina meis, Latin for my queen and underneath, those roman numerals was-"
"Was the day we met," I finished for him and he grinned, "That was for me," I asked in awe.
"That's not the only one for you babygirl," he answered huskily.
"Another of my favourites has to be this one on my collarbone. It says si tu veux l'amour, prépare-toi a la querre, it's French for if you want love, prepare for war, much like the Latin one I have, si vis pacem, para bellum.
"The lotus flower with whimsical tracings on my forearm is also one of my all time favourites," he turned his arm over, "Lotuses are associated with the sun disappearing and rebirthing. It's almost to say the sun died every night to let the moon breathe."
"I like that one," I whisper breathlessly because that was, in truth, what Phoenix Worthington made me. He left me breathless, wanting more and deeply craving him.
"I knew you would, love. I also love this other one for it's calligraphy work and well of course, it's meaning in English. But it's actually etched on my skin in Luxembourgish.
"Gëttin vum Mier," he said smoothly, showing me the tattoo, "It means goddess of the sea.
"And now, my last favourite," he showed me his other forearm and it was on the very inside that there were words in a small, formal printed font, "It's in Bulgarian," he chuckled, "And I got this one solely for you because of your name's meaning and it stemming from a city in Northern Italy in the Adriatic Sea.
"Si gehéiert zu der Stad Adria, wou ech sinn ertrinken an den déiwe smaragdgrünen Adria," he read perfectly while I gawked at him.
"How many bloody languages do you speak?"
"Seven, I think," he answered seriously before smirking, "Wanna know what it means in English?" And I nodded eagerly.
"Roughly, it translates to she belongs to the city of Adria, where I am drowning in the deep emerald Adriatic sea."
"Phoenix, that's really beautiful," I uttered, feeling a bit choked up as I stared at the words engraved on his arm.
"Just like you," he murmured before his lips found mine.
———
thoughts about adrianna? and about phoenix?