Realistic or Modern The Arrangement

[Luna_Marie]

I was going to write an awesome description of this one on one but then I realized my partner pretty much knew everything and I got psychology work to do.
McMajestic

 

[Luna_Marie]

A gentle sigh escaped a pair of soft pink lips as the last curl of hair was brushed away from the heart shaped face that stared back to Luna from the mirror. Today was the day, she was going to find out who her father had arranged for her to marry. While it was never Luna's choice to be given away in such an ancient tradition, she would honor her family and her heritage. When she had her violent outburst a few weeks ago, her father had reminded her of the shame she would bring her family if she refused the marriage and broke the deal. Of course she was still convicnced she could get out of it until her father mentioned that it was something Luna's mother had planned too, from the perfect mate and family deal, right down to the rabbi and priest at the ceremony. She stood from her vanity and checked her makeup one last time, giving a nod of approval. Luna slipped on her wedges and quickly journeyed down the long hallway to the staircase at the end. Her feet had the long spiral memorized and before she knew it she found herself at the bottom of the stairs. She ducked into the kitchen and checked every dish, making sure they were all keeping warm in the oven and under the special lamps. Luna had to admit it calmed her to be in her fathers kitchen, one of her favorite places to be because it resembled a real restaurants. Joseph Ara requested that Luna prepare dinner for their guests tonight to show off her virtues as a wife, something that made Luna gag to hear, but she did it anyway, wanting to please her father. The Days' would be arriving any second now and her heart raced as she adjusted her clothes and sipped a bottle of water.
She listened and waited by the swinging door that lead to the dinning room, knowing it was the first place her father would bring the Day family.​

McMajestic
(I decided to make her know)

 

[McMajestic]

Spoiler: Damon's Suit

Damon Day sat in the back seat of a limousine he knew his parents couldn't afford. His mother sat next to him, sitting up straight with her lips pursed in frustration for breathing the same air as Damon's father. She was in a beautiful yellow dress, and so Damon had thought it was an omen of peace and happiness for the evening, but the tension in the vast space of the limo told differently. Across from him, Damon's father slouched slightly, pretending nothing was wrong as he moved to straighten his tie, glancing over at Damon and winking once. He had been briefed on the situation at hand, and so of course he knew what that wink was for, but still Damon couldn't bring it within himself to chuckle or even smile back.

Luna. What an incredibly opposite name. It already told the story of him, it seemed, of how this would go. Divorce was right around the corner, but at least by that time Damon would have quite a bit of her finances in his own wallet. For his parents, of course, not him. Damon had been working two jobs since his parents went bankrupt, and was well on his way to alcohol poisoning or perhaps a drug overdose or maybe even death-by-exhaustion before he was forced to drop his entire life for some girl.

Of course, she wasn't just some girl. She was his wife-to-be. And he was the gold-digging husband who would take her for all she was worth. It was his father's plan, and still his mother had no idea what Damon's true goal was. She merely thought this was an arranged marriage, a cultural affair for the lovely Luna, something her father had forced upon the broken family in the limo. If only she knew the truth.

The limo came to a languid halt, and Damon all but launched himself out of the limo, stumbling slightly before standing straight up, brushing off his own suit and clearing his throat. "Time to turn on the charm, my boy. She's a beautiful girl," his father said, stepping out first, followed by his mother. "The charm. Right." Damon snorted, shaking his head before starting for the front door. He'd have her in bed by midnight, but that didn't mean he wanted to put a ring on it. Even if it was only for the money. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Luna heard the door and felt her heart skip a beat in anxiety. She kept her breathing quiet and listened for her father. She could hear him open the door, greet the guests, and suddenly there were footsteps down the hall. They would be in the dinning room any second. Panic filled her and she began rushing around, grabbing plates and dishes, pushing open the door and setting them around the table. Several trips back and forth from the kitchen to the dinning room and she was still walking around putting the last few plates down when she heard her father open the dining room door. She ducked into the kitchen and grabbed a pitcher of water, walking back into the room as Joseph Ara ushered in their guests. Luna didn't bother to look at the Day family as she gave the table another once over, examining the banquet of Israeli food she prepared. The pitcher made her hands feel cool and she slowly set it down on the table, looking up to her guests finally.
"Welcome, please, come in."
Her gentle accent rolled off her tongue, A polite but sad smile danced across her lips and she approached each memeber of the family, greeting them and giving them a kiss on the cheek.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

As Damon and his family were led through the house he couldn't help but indulge himself in the beautiful aesthetic. They had once had a home like this, so large and beautiful it was worth killing for. Now though, they lived in a small apartment, bumping and banging into one another in such a cramped space. As he looked around the room, he began to slow his pace, pausing to admire for a moment before rushing to catch up with the rest of his family, just in time to watch a beautiful girl with multicolored locks greet her father and mother with kisses. And then it was his turn, and he played along with the greeting, offering up a smirk to meet her sad grin.

"Well I have to say, I've never been a fan of people choosing my future, but I can't be mad about such a beautiful pick." He winked at her, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "That's how we do it in America, babe." He chuckled, moving to sit next to his mother, who was glaring at him. "What?" he asked, his voice quiet and confused as he sat. "Don't call her 'babe' honestly, Damon, where have your manners gone?" she hissed, her voice quiet but not enough to go completely unheard by wandering ears. He huffed slightly, but tried not to let his mother's frustration with the entire situation bring him down. He a girl to woo and money to steal. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Luna let herself keep a calm composure though her cheeks reddened slightly at her encounter with Damon. She cleared her throats and moved around the table, seating herself across from Damon and next to her father. Joseph looked to his guests and smiled, letting a deep bellowing laugh escape him.
"This is perfect, very very good! My wife would've loved this scene, a traditional arranged marriage, a beautiful feast. I am honored to have you all."
Mr. Ara gestured to the food, signaling for them to eat.
"Please, enjoy. I told Luna it would be a good idea to show off her virtues tonight, and give young Damon here a taste of our culture."
Luna gently drummed her fingers on the table and glanced at her father before speaking.
"I hope you enjoy, I can cook about anything you can think of. It is a love of mine. So, Damon, is there anything you have passion for? A uh.... what's the word Abba?"
Luna looked to her father and he mumbled a response as he served himself a bit of food.
"Ah yes, Toda Raba Abba, as my father says you call it, a ho-bby."
She pronounced the word carefully, making sure she said it right. Suddenly Joseph spoke up and waved his hand at his daughter.
"No no, you ask the wrong questions Mami. Hobbies aren't your concern, think of more important things, like belief! Tell me Damon, what do you believe in? Are you Jewish?"
She groaned and ran a hand over her face.
"Abba please, do not start this. Ignore him, please, I want to know about what you like to do, if we are to be married."​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Damon watched Luna's conversation with her father would amusement glittering in his eyes as he served himself some food. He looked it over once, before his gaze shifted back to Luna. "I like to run. I was on my high school's track team. Got some medals from that. I do morning jogs for miles now. And as for beliefs..." he paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. He could be honest or he could lie. Neither path seemed ideal for him. "Well I believe in hard work and morality, sir. No matter my faith if I don't uphold those things all humanity is lost." He kept his words chosen to please, meaning to make a good impression without trying to pretend to be something he was not. At least with those couple characteristics Luna's father would see him as a hard working young man with a good conscience, or so he hoped.

He moved to take a bite of the food on his plate, grinning as he tasted it. "This is amazing, Luna, makes me wonder what other talents you have." He looked into her eyes, something mischievous in his own. Carefully, he moved his foot under the table, linking his ankle with hers. His comment seemed innocent enough, but he was certainly hinting at something else, something that definitely had nothing to do with cooking. He was cautious with his movements and his looks, not wanting her father to notice, but hoping she would. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Joseph grumbled a soft approval, but still didn't favor the answer he was given. Luna gave Damon a polite smile and nodded as he spoke of running. She smiled more genuinely as he tasted the food.
"Thank you very much, it's all my mothers recipes..."
As she looked at him she saw flashes of something else hidden in his eyes, she lifted her wine glass to her lips to avoid looking at his mysterious eyes again and sipped slowly. Luna's brow furrowed and she tried to think through his words when suddenly his ankle was against hers. She was startled and suddenly inhaled a sip of wine. Luna placed the glass down gently and had a small coughing fit, covering her mouth and looking at Damon in disbelief. As she noticed some odd looks, she struggled to say something.
"Well... um I uh...mm. Well I suppose perhaps sometime we could have a further discussion of those matters."
She took the hint but was still rather shocked by his boldness. Joseph looked at his daughter with confusion and then shrugged it away.
"So my old friend,"
He looked to Mr. Day.
"Shall we discuss further arrangements? Courting dates? Living arrangements? Luna has a lovely apartment downtown near Central Park."
Luna shifted her foot nervously but didn't move away from Damons.​

McMajestic

​

 

[McMajestic]

Damon only felt his grin widen at Luna's reaction. She didn't seem angry or scared, but certainly surprised. It was something he could play with, and maybe if he was lucky enough the next time she choked it wouldn't be on wine. For now though, he grabbed his own drink, taking a sip and trying to hide his snicker when Luna's father mentioned courting and living arrangements as if it was all to be planned by them. He blinked, glancing over at his father as he set the drink down, feeling shocked himself, though more so in an upset sort of way. He didn't move his ankle away from Luna's though, not yet.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, his voice holding a bit of bite to it. "You two are going to plan on how I'm going to woo Luna?" He scoffed, and his father turned on him with the fiercest glare Damon had ever seen.

"Don't you dare speak out of turn like that, Damon. You've known about this for weeks now," he growled, a warning in his tone even as he attempted to keep it civil. Damon bit his lip, attempting to stay calm, before turning to Luna. She had a pretty glow to her. He didn't want to wring his father's neck when he was looking at something so beautiful. "You know, babe, I don't mind marrying you because so far you seem pretty cool, but I'm not so sure I want to do it their way." He could have laughed again, seeing how red his father's face got at those words, but he kept his expression serious, even as his father stood to convey so me sort of authority. "Damon Michael Day you promised me you'd behave and you're going to behave, damnit!" His father's voice was booming. Damon let the corner of his mouth slip up. He loved getting under his father's skin, especially after he cheated on Damon's mother. Of course, this wasn't the time or place to do it, but Damon couldn't help himself. He was mad by the sudden rule changes and he wanted his father to be just as angry as he was.

Seemingly realizing this, Damon's father cleared his throat. "I'm sorry for my outburst." He turned to Luna's father. "I can assure you my son is normally not so... obnoxious." He sat back down, now embarrassed. Good. If Damon had to suffer through rules then his father would be embarrassing himself plenty of more times tonight. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Luna jumped at Mr. Days sudden outburst and her mouth dropped open. Her fathers eyes widened and he quickly looked back and forth between Damon and his father before speaking.
"Hmm well..."
He was speechless at both of the men's behavior as was Luna.
"Perhaps after dinner we can leave these two alone to get to know each other and the three of us can go have a nice evening with my private collection of schnapps?"
He was desperately trying to keep everything under control while Luna stared down at her hands. Her grey eyes shot up and she looked to Damon.
"I apologize for my fathers insensitive words Damon.... despite his lifestyle and modern businesses, he is very, how do you say it? Old school. He merely means that perhaps our next meeting date should be decided soon."
Luna looked down to her food and pushed the plate away, no longer hungry.
"But make no mistake, I am very anxious for our next rendezvous."
Deciding to play his game Luna let her foot slide up his leg slightly before slipping it away. ​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Damon turned towards Luna's father, a bit surprised by how well he was taking such an outburst, though he didn't pay much mind to it before Luna spoke up again. He nodded once, listening to her words, before pausing slightly as her ankle moved up his leg. In that moment he didn't breathe, and his mother shot him a strange look. "Damon, are you alright?" she asked quietly, genuinely concerned for her son as she always was. He waved her off, nodding once. "Oh I'm okay, mom, just curious I think." He looked straight at Luna. "Good anxious or bad anxious?" He had almost forgotten there were others in the room, almost reached across the table and pulled her close enough to ask such a question so the answer would be a kiss, but he couldn't do that. Not with so many parents in the room. "Actually don't answer that. Why don't we split up now? That way I can ensure it's just happy butterflies in your stomach." He pushed his chair back, unhooking their ankles as he stood. "Do you mind if we go somewhere else, Dove?" he asked, though he was already looking between Luna and the nearest exit.

His mother visibly rolled her eyes as he referred to Luna as a 'dove', never one to call someone by their actual name, but turned back to Luna's father. "As much as I'd love to get to know Luna more I do believe that schnapps sounds delicious right about now." She added a giggle, always charming and sweet, always one to show her smile, to be the golden light in a room of darkness. Damon appreciated his mother, and often wondered why she bothered staying with her leech of a father, but it was all business. And business was bad. And a divorce would only be worse. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Luna stood slowly.
"Yes I agree, let us leave them to their socializing."
Joseph Ara stood with a great grin and called out something in hebrew. Suddenly a few of the homes private staff entered the room and began to clean.
"Follow me, we can go out to the balcony."
Luna pushed open the door and lead Damon upstairs and onto the balcony. It was a lush area with couches and a beautiful view of the city.
She could hear her father shut the den door and his laughter echoed through the house and she could tell he was already starting the first bottle of drink just by that laugh.
"Come, sit."
Luna gently lowered herself onto a couch and crossed her legs, tucking her hair behind her ear and staring out into the city.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Damon followed after Luna, walking out onto the balcony and looking over the view of the city. It was quite beautiful, and certainly not a view he got to see much of anymore. As Luna sat down, he shrugged off his suit jacket, draping it over the back of the couch and moving to sit next to her. After a moment, he loosening his tie as well, turning to her with a smirk. "So, are we really just going to sit out here and talk or are we gonna get a real taste of what our relationship is gonna be like?" He moved his hand to rest over hers, leaning a bit closer, as if to kiss her, but he was insinuating much more than an innocent peck.

He doubted, in all honesty, his personality would ever be a selling point. He was cocky on his good days and psychotic on his bad ones. He could only home his looks and sex skills would win her over before she got too suspicious.

Meanwhile, his parents had followed after Joseph, and were each drinking at their own pace. Katherine merely sipped her drink as they talked while Damon's father, George, inhaled his alcohol, wanting a light buzz to calm down from his son. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

"Ma? Excuse me!?"
Luna stared down at his hand and leaned away from him as he moved forward.
"What makes you think you have the right to suggest such things, tachat!"
She turned her head and faced away from Damon, her fingers tapping nervously under his hand. Luna huffed angrily, feeling insulted and nervous. Her gaze shifted over the city lights and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up from how close he was. Luna felt her breathing change slightly, suddenly trying to calm herself and keep Damon from noticing. Anger and excitement combined in her chest and she felt like she was having an adrenaline rush.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Damon watched her reaction, taking in the way she leaned back but didn't move her hand away, and grinned, moving back to sit up straight and intertwining their fingers together. "Luna Day. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Like a little piece of night is always there, a little promise that the sun will always set and we will always get plenty of time to rest." He finally let go of her hand, standing and walking over to the railing, leaning on it as he peered out at his city. The one he had once looked down on, and the one he now only stared up at. "You know, if you come stand next to me, I could kiss you, and I think you'd fall in love at the same moment," he chuckled, glancing over his shoulder only to wink at her, before turning back towards the city, leaning in peaceful arrogance, sure she would come join him, sure she would take him up on his offer.

He had to be sure. The more arrogant, the more attractive. The less of his real self she would see. And he most definitely didn't want her seeing the honest side of him. That side was far too wicked, far too poor. If she knew such things about him she'd never fall in love. No, better to lie and tempt her with a kiss and hope it all fell into place. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

"You are sickeningly cliche."
Luna moved her hand away as he let go and watched him go to the railing.
She scoffed at the mention of a kiss and uncrossed her legs.
"People say confidence is sexy..."
Her words purred and she slowly approached the balcony, her slender fingers trailing Damons shoulder.
"But your arrogance is not."
She snapped her hand away and stood a few feet away, clutching the rail gently. As he tried to taunt and tease her with physical attraction, she taunted and teased him by giving him the opposite of what he wanted. Luna was no doe eyed child, she knew what she wanted and how to get it. If she was to marry this caveman, she would have to train him to be a better partner.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

"Arrogance?" Damon scoffed, turning towards her with a grin. "Babe, arrogance would suggest I'm better than I think I am. But I'm not. I'm just that good." He grabbed her hand, pulling her against him now that his back was pressed against the railing. He moved to rest his hand on her cheek, his thumb brushing over the corner of her mouth as he chuckled. "Do you not think I would be a good enough kisser to make you fall in love with me?" His other hand rested on the small of her back, keeping her against him as he waited for an answer, moving closer and closer and yet not kissing her yet. That would be a privilege for her, and while he made himself sound easy he certainly wasn't. It was all up to his mood whether anything would happen, and she just happened to catch him on a good day. "And if you're so sure of your answer, then what's the harm doing it?" he added, not giving her time to answer the question. He figured she'd say no, but even if she was thinking yet it was a win-win on his part. He was challenging her, and he had a feeling Luna loved a good challenge. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Luna gasped as she was pulled and pressed against Damon, a tiny shred of her confidence blew away into the wind and her hands rested on his chest nervously.
"I am no believer in instant love. Nothing you can do tonight could change that."
Luna felt their two personalities clashing, the dominance they both fought for in their interactions was suffocating but she soaked it in, practically reveling in it. Deciding to accept his challenge and prove something to him that she wasn't even quite sure what she was trying to prove. Luna allowed him to move closer and finally forced her lips to meet his and her small hands gripped his shirt tightly, giving her a mental feeling of control over what was happening.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Even as Luna attempted to insist that love in an instant wasn't real, he could feel her movements, her tiniest wobbles, her feisty nature. And even before her lips touched his he knew it would go this way- she would kiss him. It was history. As she gripped his shirt his fingers moved up to knot in her hair, tilting his head slightly to deepen the kiss, throwing caution to the wind and stepping forward, pushing her back against the wall of the building. No doubt a thud echoed in the house, though he didn't care. She had kissed him first, and he was determined to prove her wrong, to make this the kiss of a lifetime, to make herb feel love. He wouldn't pull away until he was sure he had won.

And so a cluster of long moments passed before finally he moved his lips off hers, panting slightly as he rested his forehead against hers. Still, even for as breathless as he was, a hint of a smirk touched her lips and moved his hands to her face, his thumbs brushing over her cheekbones, attempting to soften the passionate air around them- or at least, around him. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

Luna knew it was her move to kiss Damon but she didn't prepare herself for what happened next. Her back hit the wall and she could feel his hands entangled in her hair, every sensation around her brought to full detail along with each rapid heart beat. After what felt like forever he pulled away and they both stood there panting, blown away and out of breath. When his hands moved to her face she loosened her grip on his shirt, noticing her knuckles had turned white from the force she used. Luna let out a shaky breath and licked her lips. Her eyes glowed in the night.
"As interesting and passionate as that was, one kiss cannot make me fall in love."
She spoke softly, still catching her breath.
Luna looked him over from head to toe and tilted her head to the side to look away slightly, exposing her neck, almost leaning into his touch. She needed to compose herself from the adventurous kiss.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Damon listened as she spoke, though he didn't believe her words as she tilted her head slightly, that smirk ever-present in his expression. "Oh, but dove, passion is the fuel that creates love." He laced a strand of her multicolored hair around his finger, curling it gently, careful not to pull too hard and hurt her. He admired all the colors that danced within the white blond locks, his smirk softening to a smile for the smallest moment, before he leaned down to peck gentle kisses across her neck. "And if you didn't like me you wouldn't have let me kiss you for that long," he added between his quick kisses down her neck. He moved his hands down to her waist for a moment, thinking, wondering how far he could push their first encounter, before finally letting up.

Just a taste. Just enough to make her want more. He was sure she would. He had to believe she would. The happier she was with him the more apt she was to let her guard down. And once that flew away the money would be easy to take, and once she was just as poor as he was currently, he would leave her, and then his life would be back on track. Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

She stifled a small groan and then pushed herself away from Damon, walking down the balcony a few feet. Her arms crossed over her chest and she bit her lip.
"I've done worse with people I've known less, don't flatter yourself."
Luna forced a calm tone through her teeth, knowing her words were true but her rudeness wasn't. She wasn't too prideful to admit she liked the kiss and that Damon was attractive, but only to herself. Luna turned back to face him, her heeled foot tapping gently. The kiss only mixed her up more.
"You have the option to refuse all of this, why are you still going through with this sham of a marriage? I am here because I must be, but you are an American man with no cultural obligation, so why the hell are you consenting to this?"
Her frustration at her confused emotions made her growl slightly and she ran a hand over her face. She didn't want to go through with the marriage but she had to, she liked Damon but she also hated him. Confusion sprawled across her face along with frustration and concentration.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

(I've been imagining them in a penthouse this whole time lol)

Damon chuckled as she moved away from him, realizing what he was doing to her. He was making a mess of things, but in the best way possible. It was all already going so well, and the first night wasn't even over with. She'd be putty in his hands in no time. But then she had to ask why. And for the first time that entire night Damon's smile faltered into something honest.

It only rested on his expression for a moment though, before he walked back over to the railing and leaned against it, smiling softly at the city beneath him. "Your culture forces this on you, and so does mine. Our dad's are great businessmen, you know? And great businessmen like to stay connected. This is my father's way of staying connected, of combining the businesses." Still, he looked down at the city, thinking about how once he had lived in a building with such a beautiful balcony. "And he's giving me money so the least I can do is marry a pretty girl for him and his business. That's more important anyways. I wasn't going to find real love." His smile slowly rose into a smirk and he turned back to Luna. "So you'll do just fine, dove." Luna_Marie

 

[Luna_Marie]

(No you're on the dot, its New York so I figured pent house works)

"You do not think you can find real love? Well I feel sorry for you then. You know they say psychopaths and such can't feel love, maybe I should be worried."
A snarky smirk flicked on her lips and she placed her hands on her hips. Luna looked Damon over head to toe, trying to fully size him up, guessing and working out what she was getting herself into. He was tall, handsome, cocky, swift, but there was also something dangerous in his eyes that attracted her but also made her want to flee.
"How about some wine? I know we are underage and all that but my father allows it since it is our way of life."
She quickly wanted to calm the situation and herself, deciding a glass of wine would help.
Luna walked over to a mini bar on the other side of the balcony and returned with one of her favorite bottles and two glasses. She set them down on the table and lowered herself onto the plush couch.​

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Again, Damon's smirk faltered at the idea of being a psychopath, but he hid it as well as he could before heading over to the couch, sitting down and loosening his tie a bit as he relaxed. "Why, Luna, are you just trying to get me hammered to take advantage of me? Because you don't even need the wine for that." He winked at her before taking the bottle, filling both their glasses and offering hers to her.

A little wine would be nice, something to calm Luna's frustrations with him if nothing else, and maybe even open a side of her he had yet to see. Although she was alright quite feisty so he doubted she could any worse.