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[myhousemyrules]

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[myhousemyrules]

[ Ransom's hands are soft. Of course they would be. He's not had to do any sort of manual labor in his life. He's got a life of wealth and comfort and luxury. She likes his hands. She likes how big and warm they are, how they feel when they cup her face or grips her hips.

She doesn't like thinking about the party. She hates those parties. She can stomach a few for a good cause, but they're all the same. People writing checks to feel like they're actually doing something while they enjoy too expensive alcohol and plates. None of it feels real. It's tiresome. ]

I told them you have a pending criminal case where I am the named complainant. [ She recites the words with practiced ease. Like she's been repeating it all night. Because she has. It's the truth even if it's not the truth they're looking for. It's an answer Cameron seems to like anyway. He thinks she's setting clearly defined boundaries.

Her nose wrinkles. She doesn't like think about that anymore. Marta reaches to fiddle with the radio to find some music she likes. ]

[trustfundee]

[ That has his brows lifting, surprise flickering across his features as he looks over to her, before a snort of wry laughter makes him shake his head. He lets her flip through the radio for a minute. ]

I'll sue you for slander. [ He teases, lifting a playful brow. He refuses to admit he's trying to cheer her up, but she looks so sad, folded into herself like this, as if she's spent all her energy on tonight. It wouldn't be surprising if she had. He navigates it because he has to, because he's good at it, and because he likes the challenge of figuring people out who think they're so smart. It's fun for him, because the fakery in that world entertains him, but she's anything but. She's real. ]

[myhousemyrules]

Add it to all the other cases you've got your lawyers working in against me. [ There's no bite or sarcasm to her tone. It's spoken with a casual lightness that seem at odds with the remark. She can't find anything she likes. He's got fancy satellite radios, but she can't find anything likes. She passes the different decades, some pop, country and hip hop.

Marta makes a squeal of delight when she lands on something play Shakira. It's not overly upbeat, but the vibe fits the quiet drive in the dark. Softly, she sings along under her breath while idly running her finger through her perfect blow out curls. ]

How do you put up with those things?

[trustfundee]

[ He remembers when she’d asked if he knew what comfortable silences were like. He thinks about it as she continues flipping through the channels of his retrofitted vintage radio and feels a smile tug in his mouth when she starts singing. Shakira—nice. He thinks sitting in someone's company listening to them hum is a version of comfortable silence. It's a rare experience with anyone other than Harlan. And since Harlan’s death, it's been almost non existent. He doesn’t like dropping his guard for it.

She stops her singing to ask him about the party. He's almost disappointed. ]

I enjoy them. [ He laughs quietly. It makes him sound like such a psychopath. ] I'm comfortable in that setting--it's easy for me. Once you figure out what everyone’s good for, it starts being fun. Like, how much money could Cam had made if I showed up like he wanted me to? [ He gives an exaggerated, smug little shrug. That’s the thing with him, he only does things when he wants to and having Cameron wave Marta around in his face was enough for him to end up flaking. ]

I didn’t think you were showing up just to see me. That’s real touching. You’d put up for the suffocation just for me? [ He looks over at her again with a sugary smile. ]

[myhousemyrules]

Money. It's always about money. Don't you all have enough of it? [ She grouses sourly. It's like no matter how much they had, rich people always seem to find ways to make more of it. It's absurd to her. His laughter delights her though. It smooths away her unhappy frown. Her eyes flutter shut as she continues to hum to the song while she listens to his voice.

Any teasing or snark from him is utterly lost on her. Where she would normally pick up on it and dish it right back to him, she takes his words now as they are and meets him with honesty. Marta opens her eyes to look over at him, green eyes peering in the low light. ]

Yes, of course. I would do a lot for you, probably more than I should. [ She blows out a sigh as her look suddenly turns wistful. ] I just wish you'd do the same for me. I wish you were all in too.

[trustfundee]

[ That's the thing with money. The more you have, the more you want. At least, that's the case for people in his and Cameron's circle. Everyone wants it for a different reason. For Ransom, it's the freedom it affords. For Cameron, it's the power and status--things people always assume he wants, but in reality, he couldn't care less about.

He glances at Marta again as she sighs. He'd thought maybe it was the party that had been making her sad, but now he sees it. It's him. And that makes a heaviness settle on his chest. He turns back to the road as they exit the highway and start their way down the private, winding road. He wants to say something light and teasing, something to deflect the uncomfortable honesty she's meeting him with. But all that comes out is a question, just as honest, just as wistful. ]

What does me being all in look like to you?

[myhousemyrules]

You and me. It's not about the money. You could do without it. I could do without it. But I need the money for my family, and how will I ever truly know you want me for me?

[ Her out loud train of thought is all over the place. This is something she's often contemplated. The money is the problem. She's already beginning to use it to pay for Alice's college tuition and to handle her mother's immigration issues. She can make sure her mother lives the comfortable life she deserves.

But how can she separate Ransom wants her? Truly her? She's not sure. The money will always be there. If she'd never come into the money, they wouldn't be here now. It's a tangled web that she's hopelessly caught in. ]

Why is the money so important to you?

[trustfundee]

[ He has answers and rebuttals for every broken sentence of her thoughts, but she jumps from piece to piece until she asks him a question that has him looking at her with an incredulous expression on his face.

It almost sounds like a mocking question, but she's completely sincere.

She's right. He doesn't need Harlan's money. His trust fund was released to him after college, and he's been making good use of it, funneling it into investments, spending it on his lifestyle, and making sure he dabbles in enough side projects to roll in income. It's not what his family would call a job, but he doesn't want the responsibility of a job. ]

It's not the money. It's the principle. [ He sighs, a frown wiping the play from his expression. He doesn't know how Marta is when she's drunk, but the honesty is frightening, and her sadness sinks its nails into his heart. ] I can't let you have everything Harlan's ever worked for. No matter what he thought he wanted. You and I--we're a separate issue.

[myhousemyrules]

Why? It's Harlan's money. He decided what he wanted to do with it.

[ She sounds so earnestly confused. Above all, she's always respected Harlan's wishes. Even when he insisted on killing himself to protect her. It was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. She feels residual guilt because had she insisted otherwise, he still would be here today. ]

How can you and I be separate when I have the money? The keys to the kingdom like your family says. You can't have one without the other, and I'll never know if you want me for just me.

[trustfundee]

[ There's a genuine resignation in her voice, like this is something she's tried to think through again and again yet hits a wall every time. He can feel how it's wearing down on her in the way she looks at him, like he's supposed to have an answer to her question.

He shakes his head, keeping his gaze on the road. ]

We wouldn't be here if it weren't for the inheritance. [ He echoes her thoughts out loud, keeping things real. A beat, and his next words are a little softer, apologetic, almost. ] This is just what I come with, Marta. It's always going to be a part of us. [ This is what she gets for getting tangled up in him and his family. This is the legacy Harlan left behind for her, and he'd told her he would help her with it. ]

[myhousemyrules]

No. We wouldn't.

[ Her wistful look turns melancholic. She turns her attention out towards the window. She watches the darkness pass them by. Marta's concept of time is nonexistent when she's drunk. She's not sure how long they've been driving or how close they are to his home.

She just feels so tired. Isn't money supposed to take away some of her burdens? She feels like she's just gotten so much more piled on. ]

If you promised to cover Alice's tuition and my mother's immigration legal fees, I think I'd give you the inheritance. It's more trouble than it's worth.

[trustfundee]

[ She's quiet for a long time, and as they're winding toward the end of the private road and his driveway, she suddenly speaks up, sounding so tired and small. What she says doesn't register for the first second. Then, he looks at her, brows knitting together as he tries to read the look on her face. His heart swoops to his throat. She's for real.

He's quiet as they turn into his drive and he parks. His hands come up to rub at his face and then nods, breath shuttering out as he looks at her. This is what he wanted. This is what he wanted. This is what he wanted. ]

Yeah. That's totally fair. [ He sounds surprised even to his own ears. ] Alice's tuition and your mother's legal fees. And whatever legal fees this takes.

[ He leans over to kiss her, a hand finding the curve of her cheek to hold her. A smile softens his mouth when he pulls back, bright blues meeting her eyes. He's done it. She can't be happy about it, but he's gotten what he's wanted, and fuck that part of him that clings to her, that's afraid something will change between them now. ] We'll be okay. [ He's not sure who's trying to tell that to. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ Her heart is in her throat. There's a small part hoping, urging, for Ransom to refuse. For him to say that it's not about the money. That he wants her and everything else be damned.

But he doesn't. He takes it. He agrees to her conditions. He doesn't even question her. He kisses her, but she doesn't really give anything in return. Her eyes prickle and sting as moisture collect along her waterline.

Swallowing hard, she pulls back and focuses on opening the car door to step out. She can't breathe. Her bare foot touch the gravel of the road. The deep breath she sucks in doesn't make her feel any better. Her hand quickly comes up to dash the errant tears away. She's so tired.

Clearing her throat, she wraps her arms around herself starts moving towards his house. ]

I think I need to lay down.

[trustfundee]

[ The elation is short lived. It's a bucket of cold water when he pulls back and sees the redness around her eyes and the wetness that glimmers in her brilliant greens. His stomach drops when she steps out of the car.]

Marta. [ He calls, but her car door shuts. He turns and steps out too, locking the car behind him as he catches up to her, a hand finding her arm to stop her in her tracks. The gravel's sharp. ] Marta, this is a good thing. [ His heart clenches in his chest as a hand goes to her chin to tip it up. Look at him. Look at him. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ The gravel digs into her feet. It bites into her skin, but she ignores it. There's little pebbles of gravel stuck into the indentations it leaves behind. His hand stops her. She doesn't fight him. Ransom turns her towards him, but it's hard to look up at him even when he coaxes her too.

It's hard to look at him and see all her terrible fears confirmed. It's the money for him. It always has been. Money he doesn't even need. Ransom just wants it on principle because god forbid, it doesn't go to him or his family.

Her jaw clenched to keep her emotions in check. Her throat feels too tight. All she can manage is a bob of her head in agreement. ] Si-- yes. It's a good thing.

You have what you want.

[trustfundee]

[ She agrees when he expects her to push back, but she gives in without putting up a single ounce of fight. It disarms him, and he dips his chin, trying to catch her eyes. She refuses to look at him. ]

Yeah. I do--it is what I want. [ He's not going to deny it. He's wanted this from the moment Harlan wrote it all away, but there's a knot in his chest, clenched around the satisfaction that he should be feeling. What's she done to him? He wipes away a tear.

There's a small huff of incredulous laughter before he shakes his head, brows furrowing. ]

Can you not look so--Fuck, Marta. Let's get inside first. Hold on, okay? [ He'll pick her up like he did earlier if she'll let him, but this time, she feels much more distant. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ Her eyes are nearly luminous thanks to the moonlight and the tears that she furiously tries to blink back. She doesn't want to be that girl, the kind that uses tears like a weapon. It's not what she's trying to do here. But she's realized something in giving up the money. If Ransom takes it, she can't be with him.

How can she? It's never been about her. He confirms it for her. The inheritance is what he wants. She's not sure what else he wants to talk about.

She doesn't know what else he wants from her. Gently, she tugs him along, so they can go inside. She doesn't want him to pick her up like before. Her previous clingy affection has faded to resignation. ]

I'm not trying to look any kind of way.

[trustfundee]

[ He's trying to look at her and walk along with her at the same time. The gravel driveway can't be comfortable under her bare feet, but she shields away when he tries to carry her inside. There's no trace of the soft, wanting Marta, the one that said she was so happy he was here. ]

No, but you do. You look so--sad. I thought you didn't care about the inheritance! [ He's short with her and swings the door open a little too hard, throwing it against its hinges to let her inside. ]

[myhousemyrules]

Because if it's me or the money, Ransom. You want the money.

[ She's tired of talking about this. She doesn't want to talk anymore. All Marta wants to do is crawl beneath some warm, cozy blankets and sleep for a day or two.

She doesn't jump at the sharpness in his words or the way the door slams open. She simply pauses at the doorway to brush her feet clean of gravel. Her feet lead her to the couch which she drops herself on. She pulls a pillow to her chest and hugs it tight. ]

You have what you want. What more do you want?

[trustfundee]

Wait. [ The door slams shut behind him and he follows her into the living room, crouching down in front of her when she drops to the couch. He frowns, a hand reaching out but pausing before it settles on her shoulder. ]

What do you mean? It's not you or the money.

[myhousemyrules]

[ His insistence to keep beating the dead horse burns through some of the melancholy. She feels cranky and irritated. Marta rolls over to face the couch, so she's not looking at him. ]

The money is more important to you than I am. I'm done talking about this.

[trustfundee]

[ There's the edge of annoyance that laces her words, and he shuts up for a beat, jaw tense, staring at the back of her head. ]

It's not more important to me than you are. [ He finally says. ] Marta. [ He knows what she's doing. She's thrown him the money and pulled herself away. ] Don't make me choose.

[myhousemyrules]

[ She does look up at him this time. Her eyes are red rimmed and watery. It hurts to look at him. It hurts to know that she's taken a chance on him and would have gone all the way if he'd just taken her hand and joined her. ]

You already have.

[trustfundee]

I haven't. [ His heart aches seeing her like this. Her beautiful green eyes well up with tears. He takes her hand from where it grips the pillow, dropping to a knee. His other hand comes to brush away the wetness from her cheeks. He can't bear to see this like her. It feels like he's drowning. ] I'm not choosing. I'm not giving anything up. It's not mutually exclusive--why don't you see that? We can have it all, Marta.

[myhousemyrules]

[ It's so confusing. How can he go from choosing the money to holding her hand and wiping her tears? She can't hold them back anymore. She feels them slide down her cheek when he doesn't catch them. He doesn't get it. He doesn't understand. ]

We can't have it all, Ransom. Can't you see that? We're only here because of the money. All of this, all that you've done has been for exactly that, isn't it?