* of wine and re-meets ft. @tiagoixora on october 1st, leoran market
when celia was 15, she had laughed at everyone who told her that socializing and making herself seen can be fun. staying in the shadows had been her thing, always there but rarely ever talking or smiling. now, decades later, that has changed - in her eyes, connections are more than just useful. it has become quite the study for her, figuring out how to impress and charm the people the most. a starfleet captain is usually most charmed through amazement and acknowledgment, sparkling eyes and interest in his occupation, while most leorans prefer to be met on same-eye level, not quite interested in impressing with something she usually already knows most things about. especially the venpalan species has spiked her interest, curiosity about the exoskeleton and scales nagging at her brain.
the food and wine festival is perfect for socializing, she’s heard, so she makes some effort to look neat in her favorite casual dress and mother’s jewelry, leaving her leg brace covered by fabric. it takes quite the energy and effort to walk in heels, but for simple walking, the brace has worked wonders (if one ignores the pain that’s awaiting her at the end of the day, or rather after fifteen minutes of standing). but since her species of interest has proven themselves to be obnoxiously tall, two inches more come in handy.
focused on sipping wine and talking to those she’s already met before, something catches her interest - a familiar laugh she hasn’t heard in ages. excusing herself from her current conversation, she turns to see if her senses fooled her, but as she spots the hair matching the laugh, she knows they didn’t.
the leoran woman’s heart skips a beat in satisfaction as soon as she sees his conversation partners leave - fate, it has to be fate - and works her way through the crowd, until she’s close enough for her fingers to gently touch his shoulder as she walks behind him and stops in front of him.
“ixora, dearest. long time no see.” celia gives him a quick scan. he has aged, but so has she, so she isn’t complaining, especially since he hasn’t aged badly. sipping on her wine, she shifts her body weight from her left to her right leg, leaving her in a more comfortable standing position.
“what brings you here, hm? what have you been up to?”