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Sweet Seals For You, Always
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The Bowery Presents
#extradirty
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Monterey Bay Aquarium
izzy's playlists!
ellievsbear
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@atusckon-blog
You’d think I’d learn by now. It’s the same every single year. April showers don’t bring May Flowers…April showers just bring terrible humidity and even worse hair days. I hate wearing my hair up but I almost have to some days.
Try working in a bakery all day. It's a miracle birds haven't tried to make a nest in my hair yet.
And you know you can pull off any look, Alana. Let's be honest.
glory and gore ♦ amilia / thane
Thane smirked as Amilia reacted to his entrance, amused—if one could call it that—at her startled jump. He’d had little luck assimilating back into the everyday life that everyone else here seemed so good at and had really only talked to several people, finding himself eagerly avoiding most. They’re introduction, and only meeting, had been interesting to say the least, and though she was adorned in hints of purple Thane would have recognized her anywhere. He found himself watching her much like he had the night of their first meeting, smirk growing into a grin at the touch of her hand to his chest.
She was one of those ridiculously sexy people, no effort needed, and it wasn’t just because he was now ill experienced and hadn’t been around many a woman these last few years—she just was. Even in the Halloween costume that he hadn’t gotten at first. “Ah!” Eyebrow raised, tongue clicking against his tongue. “Right.” Thane found himself slightly familiar with the mermaid movie she’d referenced, enough to know who she was, and that was all that mattered. He opened mouth to ask about the whole ‘water element’ realizing just how little he knew about her, but dropped it as she broke off mid thought. Thane, confused for a moment, furrowed brows before remembering the pair of horns he’d bought and threw on.
A small chuckle, shake of his head, “It was this or a pair of butterfly wings.” Shoulders rose and fell with a shrug. “We can’t all be as put together as you.” Jaw clenched at the mention of the alcohol and he felt all too predictable and maybe a little embarrassed. He knew he’d become co dependent on alcohol, it wasn’t like he walked around pretending he didn’t, but the awareness didn’t do much on it’s own. People’s looks and comments like hers, however, made it more difficult for him to deal with his impending alcoholism. “Yes ma’am. Couldn’t resist.” Thane fidgeted, hand coming up to rub against the back of his neck and worries were lost as she licked her lips.
He watched her closely, allowing eyes to look her over. He tensed, thoughts now shifting to what they’d previously been however many nights ago. “No complaints.” What was he supposed to do? Tell her truth? I feel useless and miserable. Also, parties and small talk aren’t my thing. You’re fucking gorgeous by the way. No. That wasn’t an option. “But then again, nothing to rave about. That may be because I’m…what did you call me…a coward?” A wide toothy grin painted across his face. “What about you, love?”
"Yeah," her hands lifted, palms upward, as she glanced down at the intricate seams and fabric running down to the dark floor, the purple details glinting as the light flashed across her dress. "I look pretty good, don't I?" Amilia looked up, stifling a smirk and keeping up appearances by hiding how uneasy she truly felt. "I like them." She let her fingers touch the horns gently, careful not to pull them out of their place. Her eyes ran down across his face, obscured by the constant stream of red hues and shadows cancelling out the light. Her own neck reddened but this time from the flush creeping up towards her cheeks. The smile she'd feigned died down and left her eyes seemingly vacant for a second before flickering with life as she met his.
She'd let her arm slide down, hand joining the other as it held onto the clutch, thumb drawing circles on the metallic clasp. Coward. Amilia looked up hastily, mouth open before beginning to mumble. "That wasn't- I wasn't myself that night. Or maybe I was. Point is, I don't think you're a coward. If anyone's a coward, it's me." The awkwardly expressed apology caused her cheeks to flush even further. With her right hand, she touched her forehead briefly, collecting herself with a laugh.
"I'm a bit of a mess, I think." The statement was the most honest she'd been for quite some time. She could, perhaps, have chosen a better suited person and time for it, however. "I am single, nowadays. It's been a few weeks but it takes some getting used to."
He, the devil himself, seemed fitting of the costume. Perhaps not in the most literal sense - evil personified. She hardly knew the man but in her experience, the bad ones did all they could to hide their true nature. This devil, had kind eyes. The type of kind that had to sift through a thick layer of bad, before you could even get a glimpse of it. She wanted to dig deeper. She wanted more. More than this; simple small talk and heavy tension waiting to be released.
"Truth is, I barely even made it here. I thought about skipping Halloween all together, stay at home." She shook her head, chuckling. "I don't think I'm as put together as you say," Amilia paused, meeting his eyes yet again, "but I'm glad I came. But now I kind of want to get out of here." She moved across the space between them, aching to feel that warmth forming there. She tilted her head back, his length seemingly increasing the closer she got. Her left hand dropped, aligning it with his right and waiting for him to make a move.
glory and gore ♦ amilia / thane
Jaw clenched as Thane tried to push aside what seemed to have become a constant headache. There was promise of booze, and though Thane was quite uncomfortable at the thought of being around a bunch of people who he’d spent a lot of time avoiding and scowling at, he dawned a pair of devil horns that he’d picked up with the spare change he had left over from the bottle of jack he’d bought to prep himself with and ventured to the party. A quick pop of his collar, as if it would help shield him from faces that had aged significantly in the last eight years, none more than his own. Good behavior or not, prison was never kind to anyone. He swore he’d gone gray within the first year, not that it mattered. Not that it wasn’t anything a good drink or two couldn’t fix. Speaking of drinks, he solemnly stalked past the food and straight for the alcohol, muttering a few words here and there before a glass met his hands and with it and instant weight lifted off his shoulders.
As he scanned the crowd, more thoroughly, he felt severely under dressed—not that Halloween was a big event in his life. He tried to think back to his childhood, if one could call it that, and see if he’d ever liked the holiday. Surely there was once a time when dressing up had been fun, or maybe that was the impending pillowcase filled with candy. No. No. Thane couldn’t remember ever liking a holiday, only seeing Hazel happy, but that was an afterthought that he’d long been trying, and failing, to push aside.
The drink didn’t seem to go down fast enough and he quickly asked for another, rummaging through jeans for more money. He spotted the brunette through the blur of his glass and with a swig took steps to find himself at her side. “Boo.” He widened his grin, teeth showing and all, and cocked head to his side. “And what are you supposed to be?”
The familiar white fabric of a doctor’s coat fluttered by in her peripheral sight, the shrewd figure appearing to grow near. Her blood ran ice cold, her body freezing, heart skipping one beat too much before stilling entirely for a second before she could calm herself. Her head snapped to the side, searching the crowd for him. Except, him, turned out to be a she and, to Amilia’s abashment, a replica of Carrie in blood stained dress. Amilia pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing audibly – had it not been for the deafening music.
“Boo.” The word jolted her out of her trance, sending her into a new one all together. She jumped slightly, mouth open in a gasp as she turned to find a familiar face smile wickedly her way. “You scared me!” She exclaimed and used her clinquant clutch to shove at his chest lightly. The anger quickly dissolved and a laugh escaped her, cheeks flushing. Her hand remained at his chest unintentionally and Amilia was swift at retrieving it once she realized. “Hi.” Attempting to mask the grin she’d yet to loose, she delved into the character she was supposed to be. She pursed her lips, exposing her neck and narrowed her accented eyes seductively. With a low, gravelly tone, she spoke, “Soon I’ll have that little mermaid, and the ocean will be mine!”
“I’m Ursula. From The Little Mermaid?” She raised her brows in hopes of him knowing who the villainous sea witch was. “It seemed fitting. The water element and me–” she paused, the words close to rolling off of her tongue, but instead she swallowed them, their sharp, jagged edges stabbing at the inner walls of her throat. “What are you? The devil?” Amilia smirked, mimicking Thane by tilting her head. “Here for the free booze, huh?”
The scent of his cologne and the alcohol was entrancing, softening her limbs and somehow causing her mouth to water. She licked her lips, eyeing the drink in his hand as she thirsted for her own. “How, uh, how have you been?” Amilia said, recalling their last, and first, interaction. The tension was still apparent in her, and she wondered if it was in him too.
glory and gore ♦ amilia / open
She dusted the lavender tinted powder along her arms, arching her neck to drag the brush across the skin there, before running it across her pushed up and constricted chest. Indifferent eyes met her own in the reflection and hastily she averted her chestnut gaze with an empty exhale. A heartening coo travelled to her from the living room, a groggy Mr. Mittens bringing out a faint tug at Amilia's lips with it. The melancholy taking space in her chest faltering momentarily, easing the pain some as she moved towards the door. Sweeping a coat over her bare shoulders, Amilia met the dank air outside resolute and with a promising sense of confidence.
The dark had begun to creep along the streets as she arrived at Couvrir and she welcomed it. She suspected her boldly lined lids and lips, coupled with the dark arched eyebrows, presented Amilia as more malignant than how she felt. Good. Given the sullen feeling she'd abandoned at home, a night in disguise might do some good. She glances down at the gown attached to her figure, her hand grasping at ruffled purples at the legs. The black leather along her torso lined with jewels as contour, a golden sea shell hanging below the dip in her throat. The doorman hungrily runs his eyes along her figure but is met with a piercing look once he reaches her violet painted eyes and quickly returns his attention to the other approaching guests. Amilia smirks to herself as the man blends into the background. It bodes well for the remaining hours of the night.
An array of lights hit her as she makes her way further inside. The band plays a familiar tune but she can't pinpoint it, far too engrossed with her surroundings. Faces she know rush by her, all painted or covered in unnatural shapes and hues. Some growl as they pass her, attempting to rattle her, entirely submerged in their characters. A mermaid with red, flowing hair spots her and the two share an amused look. "Ursula, right?" She asks, practically screaming to make herself heard above the music. "We meet again." Ariel winks and Amilia grins venomously before they part ways.
Reunion || Kayla & Ami
“Miss Kayla, I would love to have one of your world famous cupcakes.” A little girl dressed as a business woman, with her mother’s pearls around her neck and a too large coat covering her from head to toe, stood in front of the make-shift kitchen set. The younger girl standing behind the “counter” giggled and tried to nod professionally. She stammered through her words, as a kid of her age was wont to do, but her sister gave her encouraging nods, as she pretended to taste and enjoy the play-doh cupcake. “Oh this is splendid, Miss Kayla!” She said with an air of expertise, and was responded by more giggles from her little sister.
Kayla opened her eyes with a sigh, her gaze fixed on the hotel room ceiling. She had tried and failed twice by now to take a nap and get rid of her nerves. She felt silly now, thinking about how anxious she had been about people recognizing her. When she’d stepped out of the train, navigated through the station to get a taxi to the hotel, and even in the hotel during checking in, nobody had even blinked twice in her direction. And she was glad of that, this meant that all she had to worry about was getting an apartment and of course, meeting Amilia. She hoped she had made the right choice when she’d asked Nova to not tell Amilia that she was going to come back. She needed to do this right, she needed… she needed her sister. Kayla wasn’t a child anymore, she knew things might never go back to the way they were back when they were all just children, but she hoped for forgiveness.
Sometimes she wondered that if she hadn’t made those mistakes because of her own misguided jealousy and insecurities, she would never have left Tartarus. And in some way, she would never have been able to do what she had dreamed of doing as a kid. But she never dared call it a good thing, because it far from it. She had ruined a relationship, she had ruined her sister’s dreams of becoming a professional swimming champion; her guilt did not let her celebrate her own pursuit of her dreams. She needed her sister, she needed Ami so that she could say sorry a million times, and so she could tell her that it was their memories together that got her through the worst times of her life. She needed her sister, so that she could tell her how much she’d missed her.
Kayla got up from the bed, and looked into the mirror. She touched her face, as if examining it for the first time. “Would Ami recognize me right away?” she whispered to herself, her eyes brimming with tears. Shaking her head she roughly wiped off the tears, giving the mirror a million dollar smile that did not reach her eyes. “First things first, let’s get ready to find me an apartment!”
Whiskers tickled at her unrested eyelids, sore from the lack of sleep Amilia had gotten the night before. Groaning, a heavy hand scratched at the area, fingers digging into a thick coat of fur lying closely beside her face. Mittens quickly began to stamp around on the empty space beside Amilia. Her hand stretched out, absent-mindedly searching for another person but instead finding a barely touched cover, patches of it warmed up by the rays of sun coming in from the window. She blew out a breath, attempting to keep Mittens grey hair out of her mouth - a futile task. "Alright, alright. I'm coming." Her words sent the furball of a cat jumping down onto the wood panelled floor, disappearing into the kitchen within a matter of seconds.
The clock read 9am, causing Amilia to rub at her eyes and take a second look. "Huh." Normally she'd be preparing lunch by now, having already been awake for more than 5 hours on a work day. She had given herself permission to take the day off, however. Her mind felt clouded, barely able to make out a single thought before another invaded it. Guilt seemed to be a recurring theme, though. Which hardly came as any surprise, given whose bed she'd spent the night in earlier in the week.
With a second grunt, she caught a glance of herself in the mirror. She attempted a weak smile, soon followed by a shake of her head as she moved into the kitchen with Mittens. The dust gathered in each corner of her home barely caught her attention. Pick your battles, Ami. The condition of her apartment was not the right one for today. Her mother would be so very proud. She'd given some serious thought into hiring a maid. With her work hours, it had become increasingly less possible to find time for herself.
The streets were in a constant state of motion as she walked downtown at lunch, everyone from students to business men seemed to cover the town, each more hungry than the next. It had been a while, a long while, since Amilia had visited a different spot than her own for lunch. At this point, she'd become blind to the places that seemed to pop up around Tartarus. She considered stopping by Kitchen, having only tasted some of their food at Julia's birthday but opted for a smaller café - run by a obscure couple who were complete strangers to the baker. With a flat tone to her voice, she ordered a salad, finding a table outside where she planted herself, sunglasses shielding her still groggy eyes from the overbearing sun. Yawning, Amilia leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment. The murmur of the other customers filled her mind, the lull of the distant traffic soothing her.
Upon opening her eyes, her vision was blurred for a second. Merely a few feet out on the pavewalk, a familiar figure began to take shape. Amilia's breath came to a halt, caught suddenly at the back of her throat. "Kayla?" She whispered to herself, removing her sunglasses and narrowing her eyes. But it was a woman, it could hardly be her little sister standing there, several inches taller than when she'd last seen her. The same brown strands of hair fell across her shoulders, slim limbs stretching on much like Amilia's. The older woman stood back up, leaving her order on the table as she moved closer. The sounds surrounding them suddenly faded into the background, leaving only the vibrations of the cars moving past them. Her chest ached, as if being pulled forwards, rough tugs at her heart. "Kayla," Amilia uttered, voice hoarse. "Is that you?"
Amilia & Thane // Anesthesia
Thane never thought himself perverse, but it had been a long time and looking at her, he could see all the possibilities of the night ahead. He’d rid her of the binding shirt, tangle fingers in her hair. Hell, he’d do it right then and there on the bar top if he could. He let his eyes swim over the way she held the glass in her hand, the movement of her hair as she toyed with it, sending a wave of perfume blowing his way. Lips pressed into a line and he pulled himself into a straighter posture, rising from his slump, as if woken by her scent. Thane glanced at the group of people, laughing and drinking together as if it were the easiest and most normal thing in the world, and why shouldn’t they be? They were young and happy, fooling around in secret was what you did. Life should be fun, and adventure and yes, his was really just starting, but maybe, just maybe, Amilia could be part of the fun.
“And what about me, hmm?” Thane rolled his tongue to press at the inside of his cheek, dragging eyes from the length of her legs, moving away from the swell of her chest, to meet her eyes. “What’s the story you’ve made for me?” He smirked, not bothering to look up at the barkeep who by now knew to refill the glass as it emptied, and wrapped his fingers around the glass, slowly bringing it to lips that still held a smile, eyes darting around the features of her face. With a slow and steady motion he leaned toward her, elbow resting on the bar top.
Eyebrows rose as she declined another drink, setting his own drink down. He walked his fingers along the edge of the countertop until his palm was flat against it, needing only inches to reach her if he dared. “Now why would I want to meet up with anyone when I already have you for company?” Thane allowed another smirk, head tilting to the side.
The skin on her neck burned yet somehow still shivering, the change of temperature seemingly only in her mind. She reached down into her clutch, finding the cell phone tucked inside and pulled it out, eyes scanning the screen which lit up at the touch of a button. No missed calls. No messages. She'd sent him one an hour earlier when he'd failed to show up once again - a single question mark. Aaron had simply responded with work. Amilia apparently wasn't deserving of more than a single word, he wasn't even concerned about her whereabouts. Had he even remembered their date? She felt the annoyance build up inside of her, despite knowing that he was anything but a bad guy. In fact, he was a little too good. Unlike the man next to her, she suspected.
With a quick press on the lock button, she slid the phone back into the accessory in her lap, clicking it shut by its silver handle. Amilia narrowed her eyes, teeth biting down softly on the fragile skin of her glossy lips before pursing them both. "Well..." she began, scanning his chest. "You've never been to Jamaica, I know that much. You have a past, maybe a little bit different than the rest of us." The corners of her mouth twitched as she took a deeper breath. Seeing through his exterior was more difficult than she'd thought, far too complex for her to simply guess. Amilia kept his gaze, his figure emitted a light shine, most likely a result of the alchohol settling in her blood, sending it rushing through her veins. "But you're a good guy," she continued, no longer smiling but rather moving her eyes along the scruff on his jaw.
Somehow the intimacy forming between them never registered as uncomfortable. The tight space never leaving her feeling uneasy. Instead her arm eventually moved close enough to lie against Thane's. His heat matching her own. Amilia broke eye contact then, severing the trance she'd been put in and flipping her auburn hair to the side. "A bit of a coward maybe," she teased. "I mean, you still haven't made a move. What's a girl gotta do." She sighed in a faux disappointed manner, arching her back discreetly and removing the few strands of hair resting on her flushed chest to the side.
"You certainly make a good point," she responded, fervent eyes glancing up at the man. Any doubts she might have had earlier somehow evaporated into the darkness creeping up around them.
Amilia & Thane // Anesthesia
He watched her. Watched as she ordered her drink, as she questioned him. In any other setting it would be creepy; but this was a bar and he was admittedly drunk and she was…she was gorgeous. Not that ‘pretty just when you’re drunk’ gorgeous. She was a knockout. Like the kind of girls you take care of business to in the clink. So, yes, knowing she was taken was quite irritating but be it the alcohol or the last eight years, Thane was drunk enough to press his luck and flirt…if you would call his drunken speech and staring, flirting, which he did because it was something he hadn’t done in a long, long time.
Thane raised his eyebrows, head cocking to the side as she questioned his pale skin. “I used a lot of sun tan lotion. Ultraviolet radiation is really bad for you.” He smirked at each elongated sarcastic word. He was already in this deep into the lie. Hell, he was lying to everyone about everything. If you said something enough, you started to believe it––wasn’t that the saying? Maybe a part of him was wishing that was true, or maybe he was far too intoxicated to be worrying about any of it. His time should have been spent admiring his company and finishing whatever liquor this bar had. Wasn’t that the point? Forgetting everything.
Thane could surely find someway to ease the tension that had accumulated and come to bother, Amilia. “Oh well please, do tell. What have you observed?” Hand smoothed down his face, giving a light tug to hair brewing along his jaw. Chest rose with each breath and fingers continued to strum along the bar top. He allowed his gaze to move away from her and turned to the crowd of people they found themselves among. Lousy drunks (like him), the casual drinker, a couple of people on a drink. None quite as intriguing as his present company, but he prided himself on reading people. A trait inherited from being around his father, knowing his triggers; good days and bad. People watching was relaxing, but difficult in his current state. Thane smiled and prodded an arm on the bar, resting chin on his palm and awaited their further interaction.
Her velvety legs moved swiftly on the stool, uncrossing and then crossing once more in the opposite way than before, the chair swiveling around so that her gaze was pointed out towards the rest of the room. "Uh-huh," Amilia said with an incredulous stare, averting her eyes to glance down the glass in her hand, fingers stirring it absentmindedly with the straw. "Fine, don't tell me." She shifted her hair, mimicking a dramatic gesture, the loose curls falling down her chest in the process. With a soft movement, Amilia moved a few strands away from her line of sight, looking back at Thane with an expression far too precarious than she'd wished for.
She hadn't been truthful earlier, her reason for spending the night by herself, surrounded by colleagues on happy hour and drunken students. The strain of having a boyfriend who spent more time at work than at home with the woman waiting by the table and eventually opting for an early night, falling asleep in bed yet again with her cat pressed closely against her back - it was all becoming far too much. She loved him but by now, Amilia was more familiar with his absence than anything else.
The night had meant to be spent with the man in question, the dress clutching onto her figure being proof enough of this. But- work. The health in this town was seriously lacking, she thought to herself before focusing on Thane. "Hm, let's see. That group in the corner booth. I'm assuming they're all co-workers or friends," she said, hand pointing discreetly towards them. "Two of them are hooking up in secret." Amilia smirked down her glass, sipping at the drink. Eyes landing on Thane's chest as he looked to the side, the muscles visible through the dark shirt, the small space between two buttons opening slightly as he moved. She noticed herself drifting further towards him and Ami forced herself to lean backwards just a bit, nervously yet silently clearing her throat.
Emptying the glass in her hand, she placed it on the bar top, shaking her head as the bartender reached for the bottle with a questioning look. She didn't trust herself enough to drain yet another drink, already recognizing the dangerous thoughts clouding her mind. "So, what's next for you? Are you meeting up with someone?" Amilia smiled at the man, both hands holding onto the clutch in her lap. Why was she even asking Thane this? She had to tread carefully here. But this was practically an invitation, considering the tone of her voice.
Amilia & Thane // Anesthesia
There was a moment, when he drank, when everything became numb. It was difficult to explain. The room blurred around him, objects turning to a mesh of colors; faces turning to still life. Every motion he made felt slow and uneasy. It was as if someone was fast forwarding on pause. He let his eyes shut for a moment, hoping to stop time. Take a moment to reconnect with his body, to regain control. Chest rose and fell, each breath doing little to nothing for him. Every limb felt heavier, every inhale felt forced. When he finally did open his eyes, fingers immediately strummed against the bar top and he whistled over the barkeep, asking for another ‘73 sour before returning his attention to the woman with who, in his drunken stupor, he’d almost let slip his identity.
If he were sober, Thane would have taken no time to introduce himself. It was the polite thing to do and though there were hardly and redeeming qualities about him, he’d liked to have thought that being cordial was one of them. With an uneasy smile, nose wrinkled, Thane reached for the newly filled glass and downed the contents, letting the liquid burn down his throat. Body shook, shoulders rising and he let out a satisfied ‘Ah’, flipping the glass over and nodding for another.
“Thane.” His eyebrows rose as he gave her another looking at. Taken. What a pity. Of all the broads that he’d run into in a bar, it had to be one he couldn’t even fuck after all this chit chat. “What brings you out and about on this fine evening?”
The scent of his cologne filled the gap in between them, a striking fragrance leaving her weak in the knees. Unlike those of the cheaper variants, this one blended in together with the other aromas present in her surroundings. The alcohol was faint but palpable should she turn further towards the bar, but it complimented the scent coming off of the stranger. She instantly felt a deep tug at her stomach, guilt swelling up inside of her chest. Aaron. This interaction held no meaning, it offered no real reason for her to be concerned. Colognes would always be her weak spot and compared to the one often sprayed across the sun touched skin on Aaron's neck, the scent exuding from the man across from Amilia eventually cooled off, blending into the ambiance of the club.
She glanced down her nose at him – Thane. "You don't seem awfully tanned for someone who's just gotten back from Jamaica," Amilia questioned him then. In truth, the disrupting array of flashing lights above them made it difficult to see the actual hue to his skin but it couldn't hurt to ask. Something was not quite right, the woman intent on figuring out the riddle presented to her. Averting her eyes, Amilia followed suit and ordered another drink. "Amaretto Sour." She eyed the bartender. A woman, jeans clad legs moving routinely back and forth behind the counter. Amilia's eyes were met by hers and she smirked before returning her attention to Thane. Perhaps her alcohol level had reached its limit. Tonight, however, she didn't care.
"Thane," she repeated and gave a nod. Reaching for the drink placed in front of her, Amilia shrugged briefly. "Long week. Figured I deserved a break from work, from everything." The music barely allowed her words to be heard, forcing her to keep her voice raised at all times. "That, and I enjoy watching people," she continued and smiled.
Drinking Alone. || Elise & Amilia
She was drinking alone again. As usual. But she enjoyed the quiet solitude, with background music from the other drinkers nearby. But sometimes it was lonely. And she needed someone to talk to, especially today of all days.
It had been a spectacularly bad day, beginning with it raining on her way to work, and ending with her smashing a mirror. Wasn’t there some sort of rule that if you broke a mirror you’d get 7 years of bad luck? Well, she’d had enough of bad luck for one day, enough to make her want to curl up and never leave her bed.
And now, her favorite seat at the bar was taken.
Luck really hated her on this day.
“Excuse me, I believe that this is my seat.” she said in icy tones, leaning to face the stranger.
With a short straw pinched in between her thumb and middle finger, she stirred the Amaretto Sour in her hand. The sinuous panelled dress slid up Amilia's bare thigh as she crossed one leg over the other, eyes turned toward the graceful dancers moving effortlessly across according to the soft tunes playing in the background. She had returned home to an empty house, only a curled up ball of fur drowsing in the corner of a darkened living room. Her eyes had found their focus on the larkspur blue Max Azria draped across a bedroom mannequin, not yet worn and far too expensive to act as decoration. The night had called for some tasteful entertainment and preferably a lack of singles harrassing her throughout the evening. She had been meaning to attend one of Couvrir's shows for a while and it was by far the only deserving place for a dress like this.
The drink washed down far too easily, leaving Amilia thirsting for another. She motioned for the bartender to return. "One more, please." She kept her voice low, even though there was no possibility of being heard above the harmony coming from the stage. Her view of the performance was clouded as a woman stepped into her line of sight. The clearly peeved brunette was a stranger to Amilia. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware this was taken." She began to collect her clutch and the drink, caught off guard by the approach of the female who looked to have been taken straight out of a fairytale, the porcelain skin catching reflections from the dancing lights above them. Normally she might've gotten confrontational but with already feeling rather foreign to the cabaret, she let it slide.
Sliding off the red leather barstool, Amilia pulled gently at the ends of her dress, which had skimmed further up her slender legs. Her lightly curled up hair falling along her jawline in the process. "I haven't been here before, I'm not quite accustomed to everything." Amilia glanced above her, the hypnotizing lights blinking in time with the music behind her, before she looked back down and offered a gentle smile. "I'll leave you alone."
Frosted Swords and Pink Dragons | Heather & Amilia
Heather could sense that there was something more that Amilia wanted to say on the matter, but kept to herself. Heather decided not to pursue what the woman was thinking, and just let it be. It already felt like a violation of privacy or friendship or both to talk to one person about their ex-spouse, especially when she knew said ex. She’d rather not get even more tangled up in it. She’d learned more than enough information about Zach Celton and his past for nearly a lifetime. Instead of saying anything more, she drained the contents of her glass and wondered what exactly was appropriate to tell Poppy to satisfy her curiosity about Heath.
Amilia’s words shook Heather out of her reverie, and instead she quickly became lost in thought about the idea of love. “I don’t know if I’ve really ever experienced enough of it to know what’s right and wrong at this point,” she said honestly. Heather wondered if she had been spared some great heartache by never falling in love only to end up disappointed and heartbroken. But at the same time, had she perhaps missed a huge landmark of the human experience? She was young, surely there was still time. She smiled and took Amilia’s next words to heart, thinking that the older woman surely knew better than her.
“Well, you are very welcome,” she said, cheeks reddening the slightest bit from embarrassment. So maybe saying she was in a bakery several times a week wasn’t the best thing to say. She couldn’t exactly un-say it at this point. Heather put away her glass right after Amilia did, and the second the glass was gone Heather was left wondering what to do with her hands. “Thanks,” she said to her companion, feeling just a little awkward. “I’m sure I’ll figure something out. Just kind of a waiting game in the meantime.” Her eyebrows rose in surprise at Amilia’s offer, and an earnest smile spread on her face. “I really do appreciate that offer,” she said sincerely. “I’ll definitely let you know! Oh, that is so kind of you,” deciding to throw awkwardness to the wind and giving the woman a hug.
She shook her head, smirking, "Don't believe everything I say, though. You can probably find a better person to talk to about love." Amilia chuckled, the fingers on her left hand absentmindedly playing with the silver jewelry attached to her right ring finger. She hoped the younger woman wouldn't put too much stock into the baker's words. She wanted nothing less than to somehow confuse Heather before the blonde had even really experienced love to the fullest.
She glanced around the room then, seeing Aaron enter through the backdoor. He had promised to show, late or not. Work had been hectic lately for him. Many unprovoked reports of beatings and mysterious accidents which as a doctor were impossible to prove to the police who were less than helpful. Still he did his best and Amilia was sure of it. "Hey, speaking of the devil. There's Aaron." Amilia pointed towards the man tugging at his suit jacket and moving to hug his brother Daniel. "Have you met him?"
She had no intention of dragging Heather over there, Amilia only wondered for her own sake. "I think I have more regulars than the bars around town." Ami laughed. "That sounded really pretentious, sorry." She grimaced in embarrassment, not liking the way it had sounded. But it was true, she wasn't even exaggerating at this point. Albeit her regulars were often of the elderly kind, often coming in each morning to buy fresh baked bread for breakfast. Students were also common, always asking for an extra large latte before settling down in the corner with their heaps of books. "It's really flattering and feels kind of like a little family, you know? So, you're officially one of us." She smiled wide at Heather.
Though it was unexpected, she welcomed the hug, arms gladly wrapping around the smaller woman and giving her a warm squeeze. "Aw, of course!" Amilia exclaimed before they let go, her hand remaining on Heather's arm for a second longer. "Besides, I'm a sucker for happy endings and you deserve one."
Oh you know, the usual. Beach, ocean, warm weather.
Right, of course.
I'm Amilia, by the way.
Jai-Jaymaica. Jamaica.
Jamaica, huh?
I've never been. What brought you there?
I wouldn’t doubt that you were.
Returning, actually.
I'm intrigued. Where from?
Nah, I don’t think so, love. I’d remember a face like yours.
You're sweet, but I'm spoken for, darling. Are you new in town?
Frosted Swords and Pink Dragons | Heather & Amilia
“Being high on frosting sounds kind of nice,” Heather said wistfully, thinking of the four coffees she drank this morning at five am because she was so nervous about this party going off without a hitch. Of course, there were bound to be minor mishaps, but she was working with Zach on this and she wanted him to know she was dependable. She crinkled her nose and laughed at Amilia’s comment that he could get a cat. “Either way, I think his pet would probably boss him around,” she said lightheartedly. He was so kind that she couldn’t imagine being able to properly train a dog or a cat, to be honest.
Heather considered thoughtfully Amilia’s words. It was true that time healed all wounds, and distancing yourself from a situation always helped to see things more clearly. “I think maybe your capability for love changes as you get older, too. I never dated anyone in high school, wasn’t ready for it at all, you know? Some people can be, and they just understand it better than others.” Heather wasn’t quite sure if she was making sense. Love was still something of a mystery to her, and talking about it with someone who was currently in a relationship and had been married to boot was not a conversation she had envisioned having. “I’m glad it’s different,” she said, giving her companion a sincere smile.”
“So I guess I should be thanking the Tusckons for Tusckon’s Bakery then, hmm? Because let me tell you, I’m there at least twice a week. It’s a little sad,” she said with a lightly teasing tone. She shrugged in response to Amilia’s question. “I don’t know. I’ve thought about it, but I just don’t really know how to ask. I guess I’m afraid of the answer.”
He can be a bit of a pushover, Amilia thought to herself without voicing the words. She knew why, they had talked about his childhood only a second ago, yet she had to bite her cheek to keep from speaking ill of him. They were still exes, she couldn't blame herself for having trouble with changing her ways. He was her ex-husband, a divorce like theirs was bound to leave some scars for life. Instead Amilia chuckled and mumbled a faint yeah, emptying the glass in her hand.
"Definitely. When you're younger, there's still so much insecurity left in you." Amilia gestured with her hand below her chest, as if pointing out the home of the naive little girl she once was. "But when you get older, even though it's better in a lot of ways, you have more scars." She smiled softly, "they can really mess with you. At least you're not scared to give in to love when you're a kid." She paused, reflecting upon what Heather had said.
From what Amilia could disclose after their brief encounters, Heather's childhood and teen had been entirely different from Ami's. Somehow the thought comforted her, knowing that there was such a vast stream of fates and paths to walk down. She'd been heartbroken and a heartbreaker before she was 15. Maybe that said more about Amilia than the younger woman beside her. "We're all different, that's for sure. No one's better than the other and it's obvious that you're got your heart in the right place. We can't be too set on finding that right person, we'll lose ourselves in the process." She stopped before nodding with a smile, "I'm glad too."
Amilia grinned widely as Heather complimented her bakery, her hand reaching up lay across her chest. "Shush, it's not sad. It's lovely to hear, thank you." Her eyes twinkled warm brown as she spoke. A waiter walked by then, letting Amilia place her empty glass on his tray. She nodded understandingly as Heather replied, attempting to imagine how it would feel to be in her situation. "You'll know when the right time comes along, because it will. I promise." She paused, considering her next words before continuing, hoping it wouldn't be inappropriate. "You don't know me that well but I like you a lot and if you need to talk or bounce ideas or thoughts off of someone, I'm always here to listen."
I feel like I've seen your somewhere before but I can't recall where. Help me out?
Frosted Swords and Pink Dragons | Heather & Amilia
“Maybe they lied to you,” Heather responded to Amilia with a giggle, “because I can definitely tell this is alcoholic. Or maybe you just picked up the wrong one? There’s supposed to be sparkling juice as well.” Once again, she glanced around the party area, concerned that maybe something had already gone off-course during this party. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, hoping that a crisis was not in the making. She was pulled out of her worries by her colleague, who brought back up the subject of Zach. “It’s so obvious that he loves Julia. Maybe he needs a puppy or something,” she suggested. “Something he can take care of that maybe doesn’t require as much of a commitment.” Maybe he could break the cycle. If anyone could, it would be him.
Heather shrugged a bit, saying shyly, “I mean, that’s always the conclusion I jump to when there’s friction or tension of any kind between people. There’s always love in there somewhere. Any kind, really. I think our biggest problem as people is we can’t always tell the difference in what kind of love we feel.” She was completely candid, speaking from what she truly felt. She merely laughed off Amilia’s question about her dating, because hello, this was Heather and Heather was perpetually single. “If I do date someone, I can assure you that I will let you know,” she said kindly.
She gently put her hand on Amilia’s arm in a show of sympathy. “I’m sorry. That must have really been hard on you guys to have to feel like you had to be what they wanted.” She paused, considering the older woman’s words. “Maybe? Maybe they think this is the best way to get the chick to leave the nest, but it’s just very odd,” she said, unable to properly explain the feeling she got about the way they had started acting as of late.
“They really are, aren’t they?” Heather asked as she watched her employers interact with their daughter. “It’s obvious they love her in everything they do, and I know she is going to grow up so well with them,” she said fondly.
"I'm probably just high on frosting. I had to make another 50 cupcakes this morning, we didn't finish them yesterday as we'd thought." She laughed, shaking her head. Luckily the party had been scheduled to begin later in the day, which allowed Amilia to sleep for a few more hours than usual. "Or a cat!" She chimed in, "though, he's more of a dog person, I think. I honestly can't remember." Amilia drifted off, frowing as she attempted to recall whether he preferred dogs over cats. It wasn't important but she felt somewhat disappointed, not being able to remember those little things.
She tilted her head back, in awe of the girl in front of her. They had only met once or twice and Amilia had yet to pinpoint exactly who Heather was. It was clear that she had her heart in the right place, feet on the ground and most likely a more sane mind than any of the other residents in Tartarus. But there were still room left for Amilia to discover new sides to her. "I couldn't agree more." Her voice was calmer, the playfulness having disappeared and replaced with more depth. "I think that it's difficult to judge the kind of love we feel while we're still in it, you know? Once we move on and find a new love, we can clearly see the difference." Amilia added, glancing down at her hands. "Take Zach, for example. I was in love with him at one point, obviously but... I don't think I ever loved him. It was always just an infatuation. It's different with Aaron." She stopped, smiling briefly before taking a sip of her drink.
Amilia shrugged with one of her shoulders. "I mean, it was tough, don't get me wrong. But it taught me a lot as well. I don't think I would've been able to start my own business if I hadn't been taught such discipline. No pain, no gain, right?" She said, honestly. "I agree, it is odd." The entire situation sounded strange, as if there was more beneath the surface. Things Heather didn't know. She frowned, wondering what could make parents act in such a way. "Ever think about asking them about it?" Amilia wondered, hoping she wasn't overstepping any boundaries.
