Chapter Text
He had been at his desk when he suddenly realized how much time had passed. I have to go, He thought.
Hunching over a desk, scribbling down onto pieces of paper that would be saved as possible drafts. He had spent the last few hours writing, beginning from when he woke up to now. The curtains at the window were shut, and the only light that shone in the room was a small, glaring lamp at the corner of the desk that he needed in order to see what he was writing.
His desk was so close to the window that he could see outside, the overwhelming crowds of people walking in the streets, and the cars jammed in traffic along the roads, but he did not even look out of the peripheral corner of his eye, he was focused. His phone vibrated - texts and calls from who knows - and he ignored them. He hadn’t even checked his watch, or his phone, for the past few hours, and only stopped once he had begun to smudge the paper due to being left-handed.
Setting the pencil down, the man stood up and went to the bathroom, mumbling a quiet ‘goddamnit,’ under his breath. Turning on his sink, he lathered his hand up in soap and began to scrub until the graphite was wiped off. Once he did that, he decided to check his phone out of curiosity.
He had several business-related calls and texts, and those were ignored.
Placing his palms on the sink, the man stared at himself in the mirror, dark brown pupils staring back. He ran a finger through his dark brown hair that resembled earthy soil, and was short enough to to get any snide remarks, deciding he needed to wash it. His hands traced his anchor goatee, which he would also have to shave to prevent from becoming full. He also needed to put something under his baggy eyes so nobody made any comments. He rubbed his hawk nose, deciding showering would be easier than doing all of these things separately.
The man sighed, flipping through the contacts of his phone to find the number for his driver. He tapped his foot against the tiles as it rang for ten seconds. Then, a voice answered.
“Yes, Mr. Roy?” The recipient formally said.
“Afternoon, Michael,” Declan Roy said. “I’ll need you to be here at my apartment soon. My dad’s 80th birthday is today, and I need a ride to his building.”
Declan Roy was the youngest son and youngest child of media-mogul billionaire Logan Roy. Unlike the others, who were born legitimate Roys during Logan’s first two marriages, Declan was born out of an affair Logan had with a woman named Melissa Williams, and spent the first few years of his life as Declan Williams.
Logan had known about him ever since Declan was two, but would not have anything to do with him whilst he was still married to his then-wife Caroline, whom he had been unfaithful to in siring him.
If he had brought Declan in whilst he was still married to Caroline, it would have ruined his reputation as a family man. But by bringing him in after they divorced for separate reasons, it looked, to the public, like Caroline had known about him and chose to stick by Logan anyway, forgiving him, when Declan knew she was probably furious. But that was the lie Logan told the world.
And so, a few months after his divorce with Caroline Collingwood, Logan convinced his mother to sign away her rights and sign an NDA in return for a nice paycheck, and thus he was taken in by his father and given the name Declan Roy when he was 9. Now, he looked more like the caring father taking in his illegitimate son, and since nobody knew who the affair partner was, his reputation was damaged, but not to a great extent.
But Declan now knew his father only took him in to save some face and to have a potentially useful pawn in his ambitions. His father may have grown to love him now, but at the time, Declan was a nobody to him.
By the time he had come around, awkwardly inserted into the life of being a Roy, he was a late edition. Connor, the eldest, was a grown man, Kendall was nineteen, Roman was sixteen, and Shiv was fourteen. Being introduced so late cemented Declan as an outsider in the family dynamic, and the only sibling he would really be close with was Connor.
And now, here he is twenty years later.
“Right away, Mr. Roy,” The driver, Michael, said. “And happy birthday to Mr. Logan Roy as well.”
The man’s well wishes were wasted, but Declan responded with gratitude. “Thank you very much, Michael, I appreciate it.”
He hung up, thinking about how he’d have to deal with all of his older siblings for a day, and let out an even larger sigh. He checked his phone again: 12:35. And everyone was expected to arrive in an hour and a half. Declan may not have really wanted to go, but this was still his father. Besides, he personally never liked showing up late.
Twenty-two minutes later, Declan was out the door, hair washed, beard trimmed even further, and wearing a black sports coat, maroon button-up tucked into his waist, black slacks, and a pair of black slip-ons. He clutched the bag in his hands - the bag contained his father’s birthday gift - as he exited the apartment building and stepped out onto the busy streets.
People flocked, walking to and fro, talking, chattering on their phones or to each other, and creating a racket of noise, their shoes clacking on the sidewalk. Cars sped by, some blaring loud music that could be felt thrumming as the speakers pounded bass. If there’s one thing Declan hated about New York, it’s how packed and noisy it was.
Luckily, several feet off to the left, Declan could spot Michael’s sleek black car, which was so long it stuck out like a sore thumb, parked right against the sidewalk. He swore he could see some people staring. Sidestepping several careless passerbys, he managed to reach the door, open it, and hop in the backseat.
“Afternoon, Mr. Roy,” Michael spoke. He wasted no time in starting the car and driving off as soon as Declan entered.
They passed shops and stores, blaring billboards and theaters, and great big office buildings with large neon signs on the front. “Afternoon, Michael.” That was all the talking he felt like doing for now.
He did not need to tell Michael where to go, for the man had driven him to his father’s before. Declan checked his phone: 1:04. He’d get there early. Slumping in the backseat, he allowed his mind to wander to his family as the car slowly inched further and further along the road toward its intended destination.
Last he heard, Kendall was at Waystar, and was still finalizing the Vaulter Deal. Today was supposed to be his big day, but Declan had serious doubts about whether or not he’d get granted the position.
Declan briefly caught his reflection in the side mirror, and then moved away. He did not like stressing over the future of Waystar Royco, as it gave him too much stress.
But… sometimes he couldn’t belly it. Their father was also getting old. Even people like Logan Roy did not live forever. But that was out of their control, so he could only hope his older brother could land this Vaulter deal.
Shiv, he knew, would definitely be coming, and she’d also definitely bring that loud boyfriend of hers, Tom. Although he and Shiv were annoying, Declan didn’t like Tom all that much, they seemed happy, so he would leave it alone.
His ears were suddenly assaulted with the blaring of a thousand ear-pounding horns, and Declan’s head was spiked with an ache as he snapped back to reality. “FUCK!” Taking a moment to rub his eyes and forehead, he blinked, he peered out the right window to see that they were stuck in rows of cars, all blasting their car’s horns at the people in front of them. Too much goddamned noise! Declan thought.
“Apologies, Mr. Roy,” Michael spoke up automatically, adjusting the rearview mirror. “We’re stuck in traffic. Don’t worry, we’ll be there soon.”
Declan glanced at his phone: 1:29. They had half an hour to arrive at his Dad’s and be on time. But he knew where they were, and his driver was correct. Sighing, he gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the idiots all around them and get back to his thoughts.
Declan nearly groaned aloud at the thought of Roman. Every time he had to endure Roman’s mocking and jeering he grew closer and closer to blowing a blood vessel. His brother was married to a girl named Grace now, and Declan knew he would be moving on to the next soon.
Connor would be coming down from his ranch. Declan had gone up to his elder brother’s home in Santa Fe once, and he had honestly enjoyed it more than he thought he would. It was a beautiful place, with clear, sunny skies, planes of grass, plateaus, and mountains as far as the eye can see, and gentle breezes that felt good on his skin. Plus, he could tell that Connor genuinely appreciated him coming out there when none of the other Roys did.
Roys were bad enough on their own, but having them all in one place was a recipe for a headache, and it’s why Declan didn’t attend most events with them. Still, he never missed a birthday.
He shifted in his seat and peered down at his gift bag. Logan Roy was a man who viewed all materialistic items with an equal amount of indifference, so Declan didn’t try to get him something expensive, and instead just got him a signed, hard copy of the latest novel by his favorite author. The book had only come out last week, so Declan doubted he had one this quickly.
“We’re here, Mr. Roy.”
Leaning to the side, he could see a black double-gate that Declan knew led to the elevator up to a luxurious house. Security men guarded the entrance, watching everyone who came close. Paparazzi were taking shots and shouting, and there were so many cars that Michael could not even park at the side of the house.
“Very good,” Declan said as he left the car. “Even if I didn’t know where we were, I can tell this is the place. Thank you, Michael.”
He had to step outside the car and walk halfway across the road, risking getting slammed by cars just to get to the sidewalk. Flashes of cameras were blinding his eyes, and he grunted in dismissal as they began trying to get his attention. Christ, he’s not the fucking President, Declan thought. Stepping up to the entrance, then waited for the security guards to properly recognize him.
“Mr. Roy,” One of them said after a moment, and then they opened the gate and he passed by.
Declan nodded curtly to them and then walked down the hall, stepping into the elevator, and counting down the seconds as it shut and began taking him upwards. He checked his watch: 1:42. He was eighteen minutes early. Perfect, Declan thought. I won’t get swarmed at the door.
He could honestly say he was not looking forward to this. The only real reason he came was to catch up with family members he hadn’t seen in a long time, and to support his father. Being back here did not fill him with a sense of joy that most people would get upon visiting their parents
The elevator doors suddenly opened, and Declan smoothed away his displeasure with a smile.
Employees, cooks, and maids scurried about as he entered the apartment, and Declan took a moment to survey the opulent surroundings before he was engulfed in a warm, lanky hug.
“Declan!” Connor cheered. “You look great, man. It’s good to see you!”
This is nice. Returning the hug, Declan smiled. “You too, bro.”
When they separated, Connor stepped aside, and Declan was approached by Marcia. “I knew you would arrive early,” she said as she gently hugged him, and Declan returned the gesture, giving her the customary greeting he had given her for as long as he had known her. “Good to see you,” his stepmother said in French.
“It’s good to see you, too. You look beautiful,” Declan replied.
Pulling away, Declan’s eyes scanned the room. No Roman, Shiv, Kendall, or Logan. “Where’s Dad?”
“He went down to the firm to check up on Kendall, but he’ll be back soon.”
“Good,” Declan murmured, his eyes following around the dining room. “You’ve put together a wonderful afternoon, Marcia. I’m grateful, and so is Dad.”
“Thank you,” Marcia said with a smile, before walking off and into the kitchen, most likely to speak with the cooks.
Sensing his brother’s grin before he saw it, Declan turned around and asked, “What’s so funny?”
Connor just grinned harder. “Nothing’s funny.”
“I can see you trying not to laugh,” Declan said, annoyed. He did not like it when people did not tell him why they were laughing at him. “Just tell me what’s so funny, man.”
Connor just patted him on the shoulder. “Nothing’s funny, seriously.”
Wanting to change the topic, he looked down at the container Connor had in his hand, “What is that shit?”
“Sourdough starter. You use it to make bread without yeast. I thought Pa might like to use it to make something.”
I doubt it, Con, Declan thought, but all he said was, “I’ll take it if he doesn’t want it. For what it’s worth, I would have wanted your gift.”
“Thanks, Dec. What did you get?”
“Well, you know me, I’m a bookworm. And I was scratching my head trying to think of a gift these past few weeks, when Dad’s favorite author came out with a new novel a week back, and I was able to get a signed copy two days later. He has all the other books signed, but I know he doesn’t have this one.”
“Nice,” Connor said. “Pop will love it. Speaking of books and writing, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. You know Willa?”
He took a drink off of the table, downed it instantly, and set it back down gently, all whilst maintaining eye contact. “Yeah, your girl. She’s into theater and musicals, and she’s really nice.”
The other Roys all looked down on their relationship, but Declan knew they were the happiest couple in their family, ironically enough.
“Well, she and I were actually talking about that. You see, Willa’s interested in becoming a playwright. She wants to make it to Broadway, and of course, I want to support her.”
“That sounds great, Con. But…. has she ever actually written or organized a play before?”
Connor faltered. “Not yet, but she’s getting there, and you know she could be great. But that’s why I wanted to talk to you. I know you’ve done work writing for movies and shows before, and I would like to ask for your help in writing the script.”
Declan hummed thoughtfully, “Sure thing, Con. I can do that.” He honestly doubted Willa would make it as far as Broadway, but Connor was his brother, and he liked Willa, so of course he would help.
The kitchen doors opened, and they both turned to see Marcia returning to the dining hall. “Roman is coming up.”
Oh joy, he thought. Declan stepped towards the elevator, joined by Connor and Marcia.
The elevator emerged, opened, and out popped Grace, her children, and Roman, swaggering to the front. Declan smiled, stepping forward, intent to greet his brother with a hug; however, when Roman shouted, “Hey, it’s the Old Man and Mr. Dick!” Declan couldn’t help the scowl, even as Grace chastised his brother for his language.
Despite being his older brother, Roman was shorter than Declan was, to the point where he had to bend down in order to mutter, “Shut the fuck up, Roman,” as he gave him a hug.
“What’s got you so grumpy?” Roman snarked, clearly trying to somewhat watch his language in front of the child. “Don’t you know? It’s Dad’s birthday. Come on, we need some smiles.”
Declan ignored him, turning to greet his wife. “Hi, Grace.”
“Hi, Declan,” Grace said. He waved at her two children, who did the same in return.
Connor bypassed Declan to wrap Roman up in a hug. “Hey, Roman, good to see you.” Marcia had joined the group as well, greeting Roman who gave a lackluster greeting back.
“You too, bro,” Roman said. “Say, how’s the hovel in the middle of nowhere?”
“The ranch is great,” Connor said as if he did not hear him. “You should come down sometime. Declan already did, and he said he loved it.”
“Oh yeah?” Roman said, his eyes glancing at him before turning back to Connor. “Well, I’ll be sure to come over there and ah…. plant some of my seed.”
Declan rolled his eyes, but Grace’s little girl, Isla, walked up to Connor with bright-eyed innocence and asked, “You live on a farm?”
Connor’s eyes lit up. His older brother finally got to talk to someone interested in his ranch. Leaning down, he smiled and said, “Not just one, I have five.”
Isla’s eyes sparkled. “Woah.”
As Connor began his monologue, Declan heard a phone go off. He glanced at Marcia, who set her phone down with a sigh. Shiv is here, Declan thought.
“Isla, I have five farms, and underneath all my farms runs a big, giant aquifer that’s like an underground lake.” When Isla was shocked, he continued on, excited, “I have pumping rights. That means I get to take the water. And it’s very important because someday water’s gonna be more precious than gold and people are going to kill each other to try and get that water.”
Tone it down a notch. Their older brother seemed to have forgotten, in his enthusiasm, that he was speaking to a small child. Grace covered Isla’s ears and Roman pointed a finger, chastising him half-heartedly, “Oh, hey, hey, Con, don’t, don’t.”
“Kids don’t understand that kind of stuff, Con,” Declan said, patting him on the back.
Connor’s enthusiasm deflated slightly. “Right, right, sorry.” He quieted down, and then he looked back at Isla and pointed at himself. “But I’m gonna have the water. And I’ll share it with you.”
The elevator rang again, and out popped Siobhan and Tom. As they came into the room and began greeting everyone, Declan held back, making himself last. He could see, in Tom’s hand, a watch that was likely more expensive than all of the gifts Logan would be given today combined. Declan didn’t have the heart to tell Tom his Dad would probably never wear it.
When he was the last one left, he was immediately pulled into a strong hug that left him feeling squeezed. For fuck’s sake, Declan thought. “Hey, Dec! Look at you, you fucking grouch! God, how are things?!”
“Great, Tom,” Declan replied irritably. He inhaled and exhaled deeply when the older man pulled away.
Shiv stepped forward, smirking in amusement as she saw him upset. She was seemingly sizing him up with her eyes. “Hey there.” After a minute of staring at him, she pulled him into a hug that was awkward and forced. It wasn’t that Shiv hated him, Declan knew that things between them were weird, and she just sucked at properly showing affection,
“Hey, Shiv.” That was a hug he was glad was eventually over. “You guys got Dad a watch?”
“Patek Philippe,” Tom answered proudly. “Elegant and classy. A real man’s wrist-wear. It’s like having a golden egg wrapped around your wrist. Spent hundreds of thousands of dineros on this bad boy.”
Declan just groaned. “That much on a watch? Was that really necessary?”
He could understand spending a lot of money on certain things. He liked to spend lots of money on clothes and food, and filled his own apartment to the brim with the latest technology. But, individually, none of that compared to that watch. It’s boggling how much money some people are willing to just piss away.
“Are you kidding?” Tom said. “Even this much isn’t enough! Only the best for the big man! Hey, you should get one too.”
Like hell. Declan patted him on the shoulder. “It’s a great gift, Tom.” And he meant that, because it was a great gift, just not for Logan.
Marcia’s phone went off with a notification, and she brightened. “Folks, he’s back.” She waved a hand, encouraging them to move. “He’s back. Find a place. Hide for the surprise. Come on.”
Everyone began to leave the living room, spreading out across the apartment in order to ambush the patriarch when he appeared.
“Oh, we’re not surprising him, are we?” Roman asked dectedly. When nobody denied it, he just shuffled along, putting food in his mouth as he snarked, “Oh, he’s gonna love this. Think last time I surprised him he took a swing at me.” He was probably not even lying.
Not a lot of hiding, Declan thought. The entire group had pretty much just gathered around the elevator to show themselves off when it came up. He knew Marcia meant well, but his Dad was pretty obvious in his dislike for surprises.
A moment later, everyone’s breath bated. There was an air of anticipation, and everyone went silent, with not even the sound of breathing or foot tapping. The maids had disappeared from sight like smoke. They formed a semi-circle around the elevator, waiting for the doors to open. Declan glanced at his phone: 2:05
The door opened up, and before the people in the elevator could even step foot in the house, a loud, resounding cry of “SURPRISE!” smothered the air. Inside the box, two people emerged. The first one stepped forward at the other’s ushering, muttering, “Hi, hi,” as he squirmed through the crowd of admirers. Declan knew that was Greg Hirsch, the grandson of his uncle Ewan and his cousin.
The second man seemed irritated. He stepped out, muttering, “Ok. Ok. Give me room. Give me room.” He stepped through the people, walking behind Greg, and Marcia followed behind him. “Thank you. Thank you. What a surprise.”
He went into the office to check on Kendall’s progress with the Vaulter deal, Declan thought. And probably to also bring up the trust change. He made it back quickly. But there’s no way Kendall signed it… Did Kendall fuck the Vautler deal?
They poured back into the living room, and then his Dad began the greetings. Despite being an old man, Logan Roy always caught the attention of others.
“Connor, primo!” He brought his eldest into a hug. “How are you?”
“Roman! Romulus!” He praised his second-youngest son. “Look at you! You look fantastic”
His daughter got a gentle greeting. “Siobhan. Sweetheart.”
“Where’s Tom?” He asked. When Shiv pointed out that he had been there the whole time, all Logan said was, “Oh, well, never mind.”
At last, it was his turn. The gaze of the gathered crowd was all over him, but Declan’s only focus was on the man in front of him. His father stepped forward and embraced him in a hug, and so he did the same. Despite his age, Logan Roy’s hugs were filled with strength.
“Look at you, son,” his father murmured. “You look like a grown man now.”
It was meant to be both a compliment and an insult, as Declan was the youngest. But he took it in stride, handing over the birthday gift he had bought. “Happy birthday, Dad.”
Then, Logan introduced the beanstalk of a man that he knew as Greg, who was almost a foot taller than the old man, except he had clearly already forgotten his grandnephew’s name because he called him ‘Craig’. Shiv pointed it out, and their cousin nervously reassured them that he got mistaken like that all the time.
As Tom tried to present his gift to Logan, his father was distracted by the arrival of his second-eldest son, who appeared in the doorway alongside Frank, and who was smoothing a smile onto his face.
“Kendall?” He sounded disappointed and dissatisfied. “You came?”
I’m glad you’re here, Ken, but this is still not good, Declan thought. He knew in any other family, Logan would be happy that his son managed to find time off of work to be at his birthday. However, their father was a different story - right now, Kendall was supposed to be working.
His second-oldest brother walked forward, replying, “Yeah, of course,” as he embraced the old man, who barely returned the affection, clearly unhappy. “Happy birthday, Dad.”
Someone’s not okay, Declan thought. He could see the anxiety in Kendall’s eyes. As he drew further into the group, everyone, including Declan himself, gathered around Kendall, making gestures of physical praise, and congratulating him on becoming the next CEO of Waystar Royco. It was, in Declan’s opinion, the fakest commendation ever.
“So!” Logan interrupted with a clap of his hands. “What’s the news?”
All focus was on Kendall, now, who reassured the old man that the deal was still going through. “Yeah, good, good,” he said in a strained voice. “We're at the one-yard line.”
Liar, Declan thought.
Before anyone could ask anything else, however, Kendall reached into his coat and pulled free his buzzing phone. “I’m just gonna - this is important. Uh, sorry, guys, I’ll be right back.” And he left the room in a hurry.
Logan turned back to Roman. “I hear you went down. Did you go down?”
“Oh, yeah, I did. Not so good.” Roman shook his head, confirming the doubts. “It’s a shit show.”
Not even three minutes later, Kendall reappeared, acting as if everything was okay. When asked about it by Logan, he merely said that he’d keep their father posted. It’s going badly, Declan gathered. But is it completely fucked yet? He really didn’t care about whether or not the acquisition was made, but if his brother messed this up…..
Before he had time to ponder the worst, another group emerged from the elevator - Rava and her two kids. First, the kids rushed up and wrapped around Kendall, their father.
Then, they both approached him with bright smiles on their faces, “Hi, Uncle Declan.”
“Iverson, Sophie,” Declan said softly, leaning down to wrap them both in a hug. “I’m so happy to see you guys.” He was the one who spent the most time with these two apart from Rava, and even more than Kendall, who these days was all about board meetings, and who left his family for a full year whilst he was in Shanghai simply to try and please Logan. His brother’s kids were angels and he could only hope to protect them from ending up like he and his own siblings.
He rose, shifting to his sister-in-law. “Hey, Rava.” He brought her into an embrace as his mind wandered to her and his nephew and niece.
Rava had confided with him, a few months back, when he had gone with her and the kids to Brightstar Adventure Park, promising to bankroll them so they could get all the snacks and all the gift shop items that they wanted, that she was thinking of divorcing Kendall.
By then the kids had raced off to the rides, and Declan and Rava were standing below, watching them have fun.
She likely expected him to be mad at her, judging by the nervous glances she gave him. But he merely smiled sadly and said, “I don’t blame you.”
Her face showed surprise, but he continued, “Don’t get me wrong, Rava, I love Ken. He’s my older brother, and I want him to be happy. But I also want you to be happy. And I know my brother - he’s never going to give up on Waystar. He’s hurt - it’s the way our Dad made him. You and the kids deserve someone who’ll be there for you.” Declan would always support Ken, but he was disappointed that, even after getting out of rehab, he couldn’t be there for his family, when even Roman spent time with Grace’s kids.
The kids were coming closer, racing down the stairs, and Sophie shouted, “Another one! Come on, Uncle Declan!”
Rava looked like a great big stone had been lifted off of her shoulders, and she sighed. “Thank you. I have to be honest…. I didn’t expect that from you. You’re always grumpy when it comes to matters of your siblings and I….. I guess I just expected worse….”
I resent that. He patted her shoulder gently. “Don’t worry about it. I’m always gonna be there for you guys, even if you do divorce him. Now, I’m going to go join those two on a rollercoaster.”
Sensing the longing in Kendall’s eyes, Declan rejoined the rest of the family in the living room while he and his wife talked.
He tried to go talk to Roman and Grace, only for Roman to, with a shit-eating grin and a swagger in his step, grab his shoulder and ask, “Hey, Junior, you’re 28 now - lots of years to be searching and not finding. When are you ever going to finally get a girlfriend? ‘Cuz watching you show up alone every year is kinda sad.”
Declan walked away, muttering, “Fuck off.”
Before he could start any other conversation, he heard Marcia’s voice by the kitchen doors and looked over to see her calling out for them beside Logan. “Guys, lunch in ten.”
Logan raised his fist. “Listen, just two minutes before lunch in the sitting room.” His voice rose out across the room as he gestured with his hand. “Kids. Can you give me two minutes?”
Here we go, Declan thought as the Roy children broke off from the others and trickled into the separate room. A minute after they all entered, Logan came last, shutting the door behind himself.
Kendall stood at attention to the right, alert, with his hands in his pockets. Connor was in the back, propping his hands against the window across the room, looking calm. Roman took the chair in the corner, upside down, tapping his pointy shoes together and looking bored, but listening intently. Shiv casually took a seat on the sofa. Declan himself stood to Logan’s left, rubbing the back of his head with one arm.
Their father looked around at each of his children before straightening his shoulders and starting off, “Ah. Yes…” Logan said. “So…. On the family trust, which will decide the situation in the event of my unlikely demise, I’m going to add Marcy to myself and you five.”
“Woah,” Shiv huffed. “Ok.”
“And my seat also to go to her on my death,” Logan said seriously.
That got everyone’s attention, apart from Declan. Roman sat up in his chair and Kendall’s eyes widened, but it was Shiv who spoke up first. “What?” She furrowed her brows. “Wait, that gives her double voting weight.”
“Uh-huh,” Logan said, unconcerned, as he went over to his bag. “So I’ve got some paperwork-”
“Woah, woah, woah. What?” Kendall said. “So Marcia will have two votes when you-“
“‘If’ he-”
“Well, no, Rome, it’s not an if.”
“Well, excuse me if I don’t want him to-”
“Well, it’s not really what we want in this case, Rome,” Connor cut in.
Logan had since fetched the folders whilst they had been bickering. “So, Kendall and Declan have already signed, but if I can get you all to-”
“-Two votes? I don’t think I was aware of that when I-”
“Read the small print, asshole,” Roman drawled.
Shiv turned to stare at him. “When the hell did you sign?”
“A few days ago,” Declan said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. This is going to be a major headache.
Shiv, Connor, and Roman all opened their folders in unison and began reading the contents. Kendall looked distressed at having been deceived by their father, and he looked over at him as if to ask, “What the fuck?” Declan just stared at him.
“I mean, this looks… I’m gonna have to talk to my lawyers, just for all the implications,” Shiv said slowly as she closed the folder and smiled at their father. “Just go get the full picture.”
“Of course. Sure, take a beat. But look, I love the bread - goo - but this is the present I really want,” Logan said, pointing to the folders in their hands. “So: By 4:00, good?”
He turned around, but apparently, he wasn’t done talking, because he spun back again. “Oh, also, I already mentioned to Kendall, despite the chatter and all things considered, I’m gonna give it a couple of years.”
“As in?” Shiv asked, although her eyes, and everyone else's, showed that they understood what he was going to say.
“I’ll stay in situ. As Chairman, CEO, head of the firm.”
Ah, Declan thought. Shit. This was his plan the entire time .
The entire room seemed to have come to the same conclusion. It was never going to be Kendall - their father had strung him along the entire time. For some, that meant an opportunity.
Kendall’s face fell as his goal was snuffed out, and after the brief moment of processing this revelation, his breathing began to labor as the panic set in. “Dad, wh- you - you what?”
Logan’s gaze landed on him, and it hardened. “I just said, son, or were you not listening, as usual?”
“But I’m - You’re not - What?”
“It’s no big deal. I’m staying on. We can discuss the details.”
“You didn’t tell me,” Kendall lamented.
“We can announce you’re in pole position, pending events, a move up or whatever.”
“Pending events?” Kendall repeated, attempting to quiet his outrage.
“Okay, come on, let’s eat.”
Logan left the room, not even giving Kendal a chance to talk to him. The moment he was gone, Connor sighed, Shiv shook her head, and Roman covered his mouth to smother down his laughter.
“Of, fuck!” Roman chortled.
Kendall snapped around, furious. “I don’t know what you’re fucking laughing about!”
“I’m not even laughing. What?!”
“Fuck. What the fuck,” Kendall breathed out in astonishment. “I mean, he can’t just…. Right? He’s gonna blow the firm’s credibility.” He looked around at his siblings, waiting for them to speak up, but none of them did. “Did he look OK to you?”
“Oh, come on,” Shiv said. “Ken, this is typical. It's Dad.”
Connor stepped forward, walking past Roman and Shiv. “I’m out. I’m not playing. Whatever you three decide, goes. Goodbye.” He dropped the Manila folder onto the floor, unconcerned, and walked past Kendall and Declan.
“Connor,” Shiv and Kendall both tried to call out to him at once.
“On the trust, I refuse to play,” Connor said. “I don’t want to engage. I’m water, I flow.” Then, he twirled around and left the room, leaving a moment of silence.
“I already signed,” Declan murmured, shuffling over to the exit, before he got caught in the middle of what would undoubtedly become an argument that would be a colossal pain. “So, I’m gonna follow him. Good luck.”
Tom had entered the room, asking what was wrong, He could hear Kendall asking the others if this would stand, but he left the room, deciding to re-enter the living space with Connor and the others.
A moment later, in the midst of a conversation with Connor, in which his brother rambled about the proper amount of pesticides to put in crops without ruining the taste, he saw Kendall speed through the room, his gaze focused on the dining hall where their father was. He swung the doors open and shut them behind himself. He’s pissed.
“What was that about?” Rava asked him.
“I don’t know,” Declan lied.
Roman, Shiv, and Tom had since rejoined the party. He could barely get in another word with Marcia about Amir’s new animation project before the shouting in the dining room grew, to the point where people had gathered around to listen in, Declan included.
Logan suddenly appeared, as if on cue, smacking the doors open, bellowing, “Lunch!”
Everyone began to pour into the dining room. Declan’s eyes trailed over to Kendall, who stood off to the side of the table with his eyes lowered, looking just like how he used to when their father would shout at him fifteen years ago.
“Come on,” Logan said as he approached the head seat of the table. “Find your places. Sit.”
Kendall hurried out of the room as Marcia asked one of the servants for the seating plan. Declan personally wouldn’t mind who he was seated next to, as long as it wasn’t Roman.
His prayers were answered when he, unfortunately, got sat between Connor and Greg. There was an empty seat to Rava’s right which was reserved for Kendall. Servants rushed up to the tables to fill the empty glasses with wine as the guests all began to take their seats, chattering.
Declan’s mind was on the empty seat to his right. Is he okay?
His father was giving him a pointed look, so Declan’s eyes went back to his wine as he let his thoughts wander.
Several minutes later, Kendall entered the room later, taking a seat to Declan’s right. If it were not for the slight laboring of his breath, he would think his brother was fine, but of course, he wasn’t.
The meal continued for another ten minutes, with Shiv and Roman arguing, Grace complimenting Marcia whilst talking to Rava about their kids, Connor rambling to a nervous Greg, Kendall staring at his plate and barely eating, Logan just staring at everyone, and Declan only wanting to speak when spoken to.
Frank interrupted the sound around the room when he began to tap on his glass. “Yeah, if you’ll excuse me….” He rose from his chair, chuckling quietly. “Logan Roy. Born in Dundee, Scotland, 80 years ago today, raised in Quebec by an uncle with a print shop and a few advertising billboards and an aunt with a herd of cattle.”
That was probably the only thing Declan would ever appraise his father for - being able to create all this wealth and come this far when he was born from humble origins. It wasn’t respectable, or right, but it was impressive. Declan knew that he himself would never have been able to get the opportunities he had without the Roy family name and wealth.
Now, the whole room’s attention was on Frank, including Logan, who was staring with a smug smile.
“Logan himself has made a decent way for himself these past 60 years. Fifth largest media conglomerate in the world. A pal to prime ministers, a truth teller to presidents. He’s tough, he’s wily, but he’s always true to his word.”
Fuck these parts, Declan thought. The parts where people began to lie so blatantly always made him want to groan out loud.
“I arrived to give him legal advice 30 years ago,” Frank said. “And I never got out the door. And since that day, I’m proud to call him a friend.”
He lifted his glass off of the table and into the air, “So, let’s raise a toast. Logan Roy.”
Everyone raised their glasses in unison, some clanking them against their neighbors as they all spoke in one, single voice: “Logan Roy.”
“Thank you,” Logan said as everyone raised their wine to their lips. After a short pause, he said, “So, I think it’s time to play the game.”
“We’re playing the game?” Kendall asked.
“Well yes. It’s my birthday, so yes, we’re playing the game.”
“What’s the game?” Greg asked. Everyone around the table began to laugh instead of answering - except Declan.
Goddamnit, Declan thought as everyone scuttled from their chairs and hurried out of the dining room one by one. I don’t want to play the fucking game. Nonetheless, he moved to join them anyway.
As everyone began to leave the apartment via the elevator in order to head down to the softball field, Declan’s mind was on Kendall. Despite the control he managed to show in the presence of their father, he knew his brother was raging inside. He wasn’t going to take this lying down, and Declan knew that was going to cause problems later down the line.
“Nothing in life is ever really free,” Declan’s mother had said to him when he was 8.
But Declan did not like rattling his mind with the past. “Damn it,” he muttered, hurrying into the crowded elevator.