goddamngrenades | RP Open Post

Cup in hand he slumps out of his chair with a muttered groan, he hates pr bullshit but- he'll do it. Shower, shave, makeup, hair, he keeps a towel on as much as possible to prevent the odds of getting his ass seen.

Such a nice ass, too. And no one free to pay attention in the unlikely event it did slip - both Carolina and Delta have their heads together, discussing the event, before Carolina steps out to go deal with any immediate issues with escorting York to and from.

They're keeping it short. Delta would handle any specific questions. But York would read something, a short message for the fans, then be allowed to step back.

Well, that was the plan anyway. Would it survive engagement with the enemy known as the press? Knocking on the door, Carolina peeked back into the suite, 10 minutes prior to leaving time.

"Everyone ready?"

It's his usual casual attire, hair gelled up, foundation under the eyes to hide the shadows. Chapstick, eyeliner, and a cocky grin and he's ready to go. That and a bracelet woven by a fan and his dogtags tucked into his shirt completes the usual image. "Ready when you are."

"Then let's go." Said, as she regards him thoughtfully, noting his entire appearance. That the foundation is layered so carefully speaks of regular application and there's a flicker of sympathy in the smile she offers, before opening the door for him and Delta.

She'll lead, or at least flank his right side, Delta taking up his customary place on the left. The journey itself isn't too arduous, though they have to sneak around to a sopide entrance to skip the growing mob of reporters. They'll be facing them soon enough. One more check-in with the team already here, and Carolina returns to her charge and emotes. "Almost time to go. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I can be. They've all got their big flashy cameras out today, don't they? Gotta make sure I'm looking good." He sighs, raises a hand to drag it through his hair, stops, and frowns at the carpet instead. Almost done. He's almost done. He takes a slow breath and pastes on a crooked, cocky smile and squares out his shoulders. "Right. Showtime."

There's a light slap to one shoulder, before Carolina steps forward, nodding to both of the guards on either side of the door. Once York and Delta are both out, they'll fall in to flank behind, with the redhead leading the way. She only allows Delta to take point once they ready the conference room, making a point to have the other guards enter first, then Delta, then the star everyone else is here to see.

She'll follow from the rear. Always better to have a guard there.

And yeah, flashing cameras, a dull wave of sound in the form of voices and questions, chatter and the clicking of pens, recorders, phones- a million little technical things that hit him and leave him tense and hyperaware but unable to do a goddamn thing about it. He needs to step up to the table, take a seat, and smile. Smile and wave and take a sip of the water they'd poured out for him to steady himself.

Fine, he's gonna be fine, they're gonna be fine, Delta's at his left, he's gonna be fine.

Delta moves, but it is Carolina who notices York stall. Take time to gather himself. Slowly, moving again to his right side, she plants a hand against his upper back. A strong firm presense, even as her gaze never leaves the audience. "If you want Delta to handle all the talking, we've planned for that," she tells him in an undertone. "Just stand there, look pretty."

He should be able to handle this. It's nothing he hasn't done a hundred times before- but it's the lack of sleep, the smoke, the horrible dreams that kept him up in the first place that has him shaken. Carolina's hand is something he leans into subtly- not enough to be seen but enough to steady him all the more.

He turns to flash her a smile, one that feels more real. Why wouldn't he smile? He's good with everyone he works with- well. Everyone but Reggie. "You think? Say I trashed my voice. Kinda did."

Bless them both for that.

"Done." Said, just as Delta turns to look towards them, and there's a subtle hand signal - once that earns a quizzical tilt of D's head, before he nods acceptance and steps up himself.

The consumate professional. Echoed in how York's bodyguard slips into a stance similar to parade rest, hand drawn away from York's back to rest behind her own. Nothing here is setting off her own sense of awareness. So. So far, so good.

It's the usual round of questions to start, apparently no one wants to bring up the delay just yet. Then someone in the front, louder than the rest breaks the ice. What happened? Why was someone arrested? Is this connected to York's military career?

That, that one right there makes York frown, he was a soldier, yeah, but it's behind him, he's moved on, why can't everyone else? Jesus.

Carolina's mouth twitches but there's no comment from her, though she can't blame York's reaction to the question.

Delta, however, merely Looks at the man. It's the sort of expression dignified men barely using a fraction of their brain give to those who ask stupid questions. He explains calmly, measuredly, that unauthorised personnel were removed from the premises due to tresspassing, that the matter was in the hands of the police and that should further news be available, it will occur once the police have handled the situation to the best of their ability.

There is no comment about the military, no comment on why.

He then moves on to make a short thank you statement to fans; it sounds dry, coming from Delta, and amusing, since it was written with York's speech patterns in mind.

This is why he adores Delta. Loves him like family. That he can reduce even the most shit stirring of journalists to wincing kindergardeners with a look. York has tired to master the look. He has failed. But the conference moves on and York has, to the best of his ability, smiled and nodded along with most of the answers- when addressing the fans? He makes a heart with his hands for the camera for them to see

Which, of course, is an excellent photo moment- doing this shit he's come to expect and brace himself for the sudden spike in flashing and clicking that comes from cameras. Seriously. Digital cameras do not need flashes this bright. So he does the thing. It's something he does, it's normal, but every fucking time.

Camera city.

And it's the question, the muffled roar of the crowed outside the pressroom, the tension, the sudden spike of lights and sound- something, any of it, all of it and he can usually grit his teeth and get by. For some reason? He just can't. His hands start to shake so he drops them to the table, presses them flat and tries to breathe through it, his grin more of a grimace as his eyes dart from face to face, camera flash to camera flash and-

He needs air. Need air but is too fucking terrified to move.

She knows that aura of terror. Sees how the confidence, even the fascade of such, drains out of him as the conference continues, and with the cameras on him, he's pinned down.

It's her job to guard him, perhaps even from himself. This crowd? She can do something about. She presses a finger against the ear-piece she's wearing, turns her head away as though listening to some distant voice - all acting, there's no one talking, the hook isn't even connected. But the press don't know that, and that's all to the good as far as she's concerned.

She steps forward, up to the table, plants a hand at York's elbow and tugs. Turns him bodily away from the crowd so that she can appear to whisper in his ear. "We're leaving," she informs him flatly, "Act like this is any old regular change of plans. We have a car on standby. Any objections?"

Too locked up to flinch at the hand on his arm and honestly? That's a blessing. He'd twitch right out of his skin if he could and THAT would cause a scene, an uproar, would ruin the whole damn point of this meetup saying he's fine. He's not. He really isn't but Carolina- god bless her. Carolina pulls him enough to make him turn, make him nod because words aren't a fucking thing right now. Delta does what he can to smooth things over because that's what he does and if he didn't have them?

Today would be balls. Hell it already is. A smile, a wave, a wink- he doesn't know what he does to the crowd as he stands but he does SOMETHING that shows he's fine, change of plans, no big deal.

And that is all she needs to martial him up and away from the table, to nod politely to Delta and start escorting him from the room. There is, of course, outcry, and a more rapid flashwave of photography, but Carolina checks her pace for no one. Not even York.

She knows what she's doing, where she's going. Walks him out of the area, straight down the corridor, then weaves into one room and out the next. Then into a stairwell - going up?

Everyone will expect them to go down. No one would think to check if they had a room reserved above. Temporarily or otherwise. Once they're in, guards at the door, she closes it. Positions him there. Then checks the room herself, again. Closes the blinds.

"We're clear." You're clear. You're safe.

Following is easy. Following her? Even easier. It takes nothing at all for her to guide him out of there and when they're out of view he does flinch at the uproar. At making a scene, he hadn't wanted to, he hates when people speculate but none of that is running through his head at the moment. Breathing. Breathing and finding somewhere secure. That's important- and Carolina takes care of half of that for him easily.

Up the stairs, waiting where she rests him, in two three out five six seven and it's not soothing, it's not settling but when the room is locked, the room is dim and she tells him they're clear? He doesn't so much walk to the sofa as lurch in it's direction, dropping to sit, face pressed into his hands as he focuses on his breathing. Secure. They're secure. Perimeter held. No bullets, no explosions, no nothing.

They're fine.

"Jesus christ."

Carolina lets him react as he needs to. Leaves him alone, to start, stepping over to the mini-fridge to pull out one of the water bottles and empty the contents into two glasses. Both are set on the side table next to the couch, for York to sip whenever he's ready.

He may need a bit to be ready. He'll find no blame for that here.

Breathing. In and out, slow and steady while his hands shake and his back locks up and his fucking eye hurts like it had before the surgery. He's fine. He's whole. There's no blood, there's nothing wrong, no one's hurt. Convincing his brain of that is a pain in the ass- it's not listening.

But his pulse does drop down to something more reasonable. Inch by inch he can relax. Reach out with an unsteady hand to grab the water and down it like he'd been in a desert for the last half hour, not a press conference in the states. "Thanks."

"Just doing my job," she replies, from where she' perched on the back of the couch, back to him. Some semblance of privacy given without leaving him alone. "Do you need anything else?"

"Lemme know when D makes it up?" He's better than he would be on his own but- Delta was kind of a grounding presence for him. Talks him back into sanity. But knowing Carolina's at the door- well. It eases his mind a fuck tone.

"Of course." That shouldn't be long, at any rate. So long as Delta could extract himself from the crowds. She meanwhile gets back onto her feet and fetches him another bottle of water - he can pour this one out however he likes.

Calming down takes longer than he'd like, but not near as long as it used to. Chalk that up to trusting his bodyguard. Or at least liking her. Either way he sips the next bottle of water, resting it against his cheek to bring himself back to the present. Okay. He's fine. They're fine.

There's a bleep on her phone, causing Carolina to turn away as she checks her messages. A smile flickers, before she stows the device, moving forwards to rest a hand on York's shoulder. "Delta says he's going to have the car brought round in 10 minutes. Think that's enough time for you to wash up and change?"

Change?

Why yes! Into the smart suit that Carolina proceeds to pull out of the wardrobe. While his eye is a giveaway, no one would be looking for a man in a business suit, even if he's wearing glasses.

"Change?" That wasn't- oh. Wow. "...You two are crafty when you want to be." Sure he hates suits with the burning of 1000 suns but- if it'll get him out without being hassled? He will pull that thing on so quick- the only reason he's not already stripping is- well. Carolina's got a hand on him.

"Sure, I can be ready. At least this place has an opaque door to the bathroom."

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