[ maple & shades & and you other losers <3 ] -- [ mature ]

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes 

    Lauren grinned, loving his voice and him and his smile and well, pretty much loving every aspect of her husband. She was so proud of him, and in love with him. Her heart swelled with those two feelings as the song came to an end and Drew continued to sing though Lauren's little bit of energy was gone. Instead of singing along, she watched Bastian carefully, a small smile on her face.

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

It took an hour to get to DC. By then they had a few hours until the ceremony, Bastian getting out of the car, opening the door for Lauren and Drew. He picked up his little girl, feeling her arms wrap around his neck. The swearing-in ceremony would be held indoors, them being sworn in and qualified at Foreign Service Officers. The Secretary of State would be swearing them in, and the President would be speaking.

Bastian led his family into the main building, only having to flash the ID they gave him when he took the test for them all to be admitted.

People were moving about, most dressed nicely as they talked to families, military officials, politicians, other FSO’s. It was, intimidating, to say the least.

“Maybe working for the government wasn’t the best idea.” Bastian paled, clutching Drew tightly.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    Lauren walked up besides Bastian, touching his arm softly and gazing around them. "They're lucky to have you," she said calmly.

    Some men's gazes slipped to her, even old ones, but she was used to that by now. She'd been gawked at most of her life, especially by men (but there had been women too) and it never seemed to faze her. Her walk could be described as swift as a cranes, tall, heel-y, and pretty as she ventured through the crowd to pick out some snacks they were offering to the waiting crowd. She soon came back with a cookie on a napkin for Bastian and a few carrots for Drew. "Here, eat. I don't need you passing out on stage. And I know you didn't eat this morning," she gave him a pointed look, before handing Drew her carrots. Her other hand help up the cookie towards Bastian's nose. Sugar was good, he needed sugar. 

    Still some long lasting looks were plastered onto Lauren, but her eyes were only on her love. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Rolling his eyes, ignoring the looks of some men he took a bite of the cookie from Lauren’s hand. “Mhm how’d you knof?” He asked with a mouthful, swallowing. Though he broke off a piece of cookie, handing it to Drew also. His gaze wandered over the crowd, knowing that the President and them would probably arrive for the ceremony, stay for a few words, then leave with secret service.

Bastian still held onto his daughter tightly, fearing she would get lost in the crowd, or he would get lost.

His mom and dad would be coming for the ceremony only, giving them a few hours to arrive also.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    "Because you're my husband and I remember how many tests in high school you starved yourself for because of nervousness." She smiled at him, but made sure he finished the cookie before slinking her hands towards Drew's armpits and heaving her off of Bastian's hip when her daughter complained of having to go pee. "Now go meet some people and be social. I'll find you soon," she puckered a kiss at him, turning on her heel to find the rest stop and make sure Drew went potty before the ceremony. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Sticking out his tongue as she walked away, with a ‘hmph’ because Lauren knew too much about him.

Slinking off, Bastian went over to a group of official looking people and the person who had gave him the exam; talking quietly with them. When they asked him about his home life, he was proud to explain his wife and daughter to them, even showing a picture. When they asked how old he was when they married, he simply muttered “19” which received looks of astonishment, but eventual acceptance. They continued chatting, more people filtering over and Bastian lost count of how many people he shook hands with.

Glancing around, Bastian looked for Lauren and Drew once again.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    The bathroom process with a small child was always longer than it should've been, but it wasn't too long until Lauren came out of the bathroom with her washed hand grasping onto Drew's small one. The crowd had thickened in the minutes they'd been away and she found herself spending about ten minutes slipping through the crowd to find Bastian. She saw the curl of his hair sticking up through the crowd and moved Drew in front of her to walk towards him. Lauren slipped in next to him while he was conversing with some people, smiling a white, large smile at them all. "Hi, I'm Lauren, Bastian's wife," she shook two guys hands. One of them gawked a little, but covered it up with a cough. Lauren smirked lightly before picking up Drew to rest on her hip. "And this is Drew, our little star," she scrunched her nose into Drew's face, making the little child giggle. playfully and bat her away.
        "Stop it Mommy, that tickles!" she squealed and Lauren laughed lightly, glancing at Bastian with a grin. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

“I dunno.” Bastian scrunched his nose, looking at Drew. “She’s perfectly sane, either she didn’t conk her head hard enough falling from heaven or crawled out of the earth.” He leaned over and poked his daughter, “maybe she was brought here by aliens.” He teased, sticking out his tongue.

His colleagues chuckled at the family, a bit surprised at the dynamic. One elderly officer who had passed out Bastian’s exams, “it explains a lot about you, when we first talked, you were speaking gibberish.”

The crowd laughed a bit.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    Lauren smirked. "My daughter is not an alien. If anyone's out of this world crazy, it's you my dear," she poked Bastian and Drew put a hand on her hip, head weaving and giving the whole 'mmhmm'. She and Lauren high fived, giggling a bit.

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

“Hey, I’m not the one who said ‘yes’.” Bastian bickered back lightly, it’s moments like these where he wishes he had a boy to agree with him. But he still loves his girls. “Plus I know where both of you sleep.” Giving one of those once-in-a-life-time serial killer grins, only to flinch at the light smack to the shoulder.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    Lauren was the one to smack him, though laughing subtly. "It's snarky things like that that make me rethink saying that word," she raised her eyebrows, though only teasing. She couldn't imagine her life without him. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Bastian smiled, knowing that was a lie.

An hour passed as the family roamed around, when Thomas and Cecilia entered they immediately were gushing over their son (in Cecilia’s case, grabbing his face and receiving an ugly embarrassed look), and granddaughter; Papa Skyes insisted on holding Drew first while Cecilia praised Lauren and Bastian, when that was over he was hugging his son and daughter-in-law while Cecilia was holding Drew and prattling about how lady-like she looked.

Once the reunion was over, they were being separated from Bastian as they found their seats in the family section near the front and Bastian was forced to wait in the back until they were called up as a class. His eyes gazed over the other few recruits, and then over the crowd; spotting Drew squirming on Lauren’s lap.

He almost didn’t realize someone was speaking and introducing the Secretary of State and them, Bastian moving behind some elder man, hands clasped firmly in front. He felt his collar sweating slightly, but tried not to think too much about it. Green eyes flashing fearfully to Lauren again.

“Thank you very much, Ruth. She got to preaching again. You've got to watch it. You know you're in trouble when she reaches for the handkerchief and starts going like this.” The Secretary of State began, making the crowd laugh.

“But, Ruth and Director Grossman and friends, it's a great pleasure to have you all here, and a special pleasure to have our President with us this afternoon to swear in this 115th class. I had the privilege of seeing these fine, young people just a few weeks ago at the Foreign Service Institute as they were completing their training.”

“And, Mr. President, I have also had the privilege of looking through their various bios, and it is a cross-section of America at its very, very best. And they are going to do such a marvelous job in going off to serve this nation in so many far-flung posts, posts that, in many cases, will be hardship posts. And they will be working their way up the ladder, and I know the day will come when we will greet them all back here at some point as Career Ministers and Career Ambassadors of the Foreign Service. That is my hope, my wish, and expectation.”

“They are joined here today, Mr. President, by the people who love them and people who cared for them and people who helped them get to this point in their lives, the members of their families. And so I would like the class to rise and applaud your family members for what they have done for you.”

“And now I would like to get them ready—not yet. The oath of office that they will take in a moment or so is the same oath that I took in front of the President a few weeks ago, and the same oath that our first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, took two centuries ago.”

“‘To bear true faith and allegiance to the same,’ you will hear within that oath. The allegiance that you are going to be bearing true faith and allegiance to, the oath you'll be bearing true faith and allegiance to, is to a written document, the Constitution, that carries the collective will and desires and aspirations of the American people, and has done so for so many hundreds of years. Our founders believed that government derives its right from the governed, and not the other way around. And it has made all the difference in the world. The world hasn't changed much since then, and you are going to be swearing your allegiance to that same oath.

And, ladies and gentlemen, if you are now ready to receive that oath, I would ask you to stand and raise your right hands.”

“‘I,’ state your name.”

Bastian felt his right hand raising, “I, Bastian Skyes.”

“Do solemnly swear,” The Secretary said.

“Do solemnly swear.” The group echoed.

“That I will support and defend,”

“That I will support and defend.” Bastian felt a lump in his throat that he quickly swallowed down.

“The Constitution of the United States,”

“The Constitution of the United States,” He found comfort in Lauren’s face. Looking at her like she was an anchor.

“Against all enemies, foreign and domestic,”

“Against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” he knew there were possibilities he could be deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq and never come home. Bastian never had the heart to tell Lauren that.

“That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same,”

“That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.” He was faithful to Lauren first, Bastian knew that.

“That I take this obligation freely,”

“That I take this obligation freely.” Bastian hoped he wasn’t forcing himself to do this.

“And without any mental reservation,”

“And without any mental reservation.” Actually, he was mentally crazy and his suicide attempt nearly costed him this position; but they did pick him in the end after a bit of fighting on his end.

“or purpose of evasion,”

“or purpose of evasion,” yes, Bastian was totally doing this to avoid his tax fraud. Insert sarcasm.

“That I will well and faithfully,”

“That I will well and faithfully.” Didn’t they go through the whole ‘faithful’ ordeal?

“discharge the duties of the office,”

“discharge the duties of the office.” Dear god, he was nearing the end.

“on which I am about to enter.”

“on which I am about to enter.” There was no turning the fuck back now.

“So help me, God.”

“So help me, God.” Because he totally was going into a foreign country as a diplomat and probably will piss off a few people along the way.

“Congratulations 115th class. And now, to new graduates and families, it is my very great pleasure to present the President of the United States.” There was a loud applause, and by this time, Bastian had zoned out because dear God, he had actually done it. Only when he felt the nudge of the ribs that the ceremony was over and he could return to his family.

Bastian Skyes was still in minor shock. Ahem, U.S. Diplomat Bastian Skyes. Because why the fuck not rub the title in people’s faces.

He turned around and saw the President approaching, straightening his back as the man introduced himself and shook hands; clapping him on the back. Bastian merely nodded dumbly, with a "thank you, sir." As the man went to congratulate the other Officers.

Finally, Bastian was able to look for Lauren and Drew, his mom and dad, in the crowd.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    With Drew squirming in her lap and Mrs. Skyes sobbing like crazy and the roar of the speakers voice in her ears, Lauren found it hard to concentrate on what was going on. But every time she looked up at the stage, Bastian was looking directly at her as well, and she almost teared up. He looked so scared and uncomfortable but she was so happy for him she couldn't even control herself. 

    That's why when they released the ceremony, Lauren handed Drew off to Cecelia and was the first to reach Bastian. Her arms flew around his neck, hugging him against her body tightly and telling him praises. "I'm so proud of you!" After a bit of that she pulled herself away only to latch onto him in a big, lipstick-y, kiss, pulling his jaw down towards her with a grin into his lips. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Not having seen Lauren coming, Bastian was thrown off guard; but his hands moved to her waist; pulling Lauren closer. “Well, you know,” he murmured. “I did meet the President after all.” He smirked, looking up as his dad, and mom hold Drew approached. He noticed the usual ugly face when they did romantics in front of their daughter.

Bastian straightened up, arms still around Lauren. “Mom, dad, Drew.” He smiled, only to be swept into a bone-crushing hug by his mother; feeling his shoulder become wet. Bastian didn’t even notice her passing off Drew to Mr. Skyes.

When that was done, a few hiccups and “I’m so proud of you, Bastian.” from his mother, she backed off. Letting Lauren and Drew have him once again.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes:

    Lauren clutched her purse to her body, smiling so wide her cheeks hurt. But she didn't care. She was so pleased over what was happenings, she could barely stand still. "Why don't we all go out to lunch?" she offered to the group, leaving Drew with Mr. Skyes because he seemed contempt. She slid a tissue out of her purse and handed it to Mrs. Skyes sweetly. 

    Before anyone could respond, she grabbed Bastian's hand. "We'll be like, right back," she told them, then began to pull him through the crowd. Even though he protested, wondering what she was doing, she knew where to go. She'd spotted it on her way to the bathroom. A fuck cubby. 

    Making sure no one was looking, she tested to make sure it was unlocked before pulling the door open and pushing him inside. Her foot hit an mop bucket which only made her laugh as she found him in the dark. A finger covered his lips. "Don't talk. I don't care if it's unprofessional or whatever," was all she said before digging her lips into his roughly, hands clawing at the shirt beneath his jacket and pulling him towards her by his tie. 

    "Don't have much time," she breathed between his lips, hands now on his face. "But I needed your taste."


    {I had to. This is Lauren Moscow for pete's sakes. it doesn't have to be sex, but she's a ravenous woman lol}