vampyrra·:
it’s in vampiress’ best interest to stay her fangs and relax as copia awkwardly grasps at nothing. he’s so quick to recover from his folly that it almost leaves her blindsided. observant little thing, isn’t he? verona’s lips relax into a more natural smile at the sound of her name rolling from his tongue. she gives him the benefit of the doubt, hardly makes a reaction out of his boyish charm. she’s still deciding herself where they stand now, two strangers dancing around each other and prodding for both excitement and answers. dark brown eyes soften as he feeds the question in her mind - “there were other papas before you? fascinating. and you are not bitter like them, amico?”
a second attempt is made at taking her hand and it succeeds, though she is sure she wouldn’t have allowed a third failure. her grip tightens only slightly before he surprises her again. “fun?” she can’t help but laugh. her free hand immediately rushing to hide her open smile as it flows from her. “i am not laughing at you, my dear,” she feels the need to clarify. doesn’t want him to shrink with embarrassment. “it’s just that out of any word to describe me, fun is not something that would come to mind. not at all.” verona is sure that her spouses would agree.
copia leads them out as she reclaims her hand to her side. curiosity gets the best of her as she glances around. the artwork, the architecture, the stray siblings that meander off to…..whatever is next for them. a fire for more burns in her chest. his words register a second later and a sly smirk aims itself in his direction. “my, my, how about treating a lady out to a drink first, papa?” she takes his humor as diffusion and raises it with her own direct way. “just kidding, of course, let’s start with the library, shall we?” she brushes off the rest of her tease and motions with her hand for him to lead on. her mind wanders to the possibility of expanding her occult knowledge, reading rituals in old latin, and diving deep into a pool of unexplored knowledge. if he paid close enough attention - there is a certain giddiness in her step.
⸸ “Others?” Caught up in his own dance steps, the front man nearly trips...literally and mentally. A tug at her grasp as he does so, catching himself before disaster strikes, only to straighten and pat the back of her hand reassuringly. “My apologies, signora. Sermons can be dizzying to deliver....and si, of course. You think antico Jorge was the first of his line? We go back the same.” He explains easily, gaining his stride once more as they approach the east wing staircase. “Not yet bitter, no.” Papa chortles lowly as if he were joking. He is not.
“How can I be, eh? When I have the privilege of meeting strangers like you.” Again, a raised brow, inviting her in. She truly is the most interesting creature he’s laid eyes on in several years. She’s putting a pep in his step as he ascends the stairs, heading in the direction of the library.
“I think you’re funny...well, fun. I think that is how I would describe you.” Once more, he searches for a reaction. This Verona guards herself well, playing close to her chest. He can’t blame her. In fact, this is the way of things within the Abbey. She’s already well adjusted! ⸸
“A drink after your tour then, bella.” He answers, trotting ahead to push open the double doors, making a rather grand show of it. The smell of books greets them immediately, the space empty and all their own after a sermon. “Ta—da!” Open arms, Copia turns back to face his guest, indicating the extensive collection surrounding them. “The Royal Library has nothing on us...well, maybe they do, but⸻” Arms fall to his sides as he twists on his heel to gaze at the rows upon rows of manuscripts himself. “They have no taste. The space looks shit.”
