you could feel life burning us

Clara Lefévre is known as the Entertainer. In Summerset they work as a magician but this is only one side of their life. They are also a 34 (217) year old fae. They identify as nb and use they/them/she/her. Some people even say they resemble Tessa Thompson, but they wouldn’t be caught dead on the isle. 

Mayan had a late appointment back at the vet’s office so they decided to finish as many errands as they could so that way the weekend could just be used for relaxing.  One of the main errands, and the one being completed at this moment, was shopping for groceries for the week.  Now normally the shopping experience was aa mundane one, you get in and get out with little to no events happening.  However, Mayan saw the whole interaction play out in front of them.  Banana and all.

Mayan’s eyes went back and forth between the banana caller and the man walking away in defeat.  “By god that actually worked.  He - he does know that was just a banana right?”  To say Mayan was confused was a huge understatement.  “You have to teach me how you did that.  I always need new ways to get out of conversations.”

“I hope he does.” Clara shrugs, rather pleased that her banana stunt worked so well -- and that it’s garnered her positive attention. “Do you often get stuck in conversations you don’t want to be in? Because there’s really not much for me to teach -- you just need to do it with so much confidence that they're too taken aback or uncomfortable to argue with you.”

“Are you going towards the bread? I am and if you escort me there, it might deter that guy further.”

Doug had been minding his business, but when the woman pulled the banana out of the basket. He didn’t quite know what he was watching. He blinked, still trying to make sense of the situation that was unfolding before him. “And you’d do it with such confidence.” He chuckled. “Honestly if he doesn’t get the hint, then at least he’ll just think you’re crazy and run for the hills.” 

Clara smiles, pleasantly surprised to realize she’s not being judged, and bows with a little flourish. 

“I hope so. If that doesn’t work, I think my next strategy will be introducing him to my boyfriend --” They reach into their basket for a box of custard mix. “You think he’d find that off-puddin’?”

-

Pete’s was the local hangout and he was pretty much a regular there.  Having grown up in Summerset he knew the people who lived there; it wasn’t small enough to know everyone’s name, but you recognized familair faces and turning his head to the voice that responded, hedidn’t recognize her.

“I only get those two options?” He asked with amusement twinkling in those blue eyes of his. “Well, definitelynot bemoaning anything…and celebrating….it’s a little bit of a stretch, but my week off from work, so will go with that.” He gestured over to the bartender and without a word passed between them, he hinted to the empty shotglasses and then between himself and the new company.

“So, what brings you to Summerset?”

-

Clara considers the question briefly before offering up another possibility. “We could contemplate but I’m warning you now, I’m better at the other two options.” She smiles, happy to accept any and all cause for celebration. “Celebrate it is then!”

“I’m supposed to be on a writing retreat.” Clara makes finger quotations as she says the words supposed and writing — not having done much of the latter. “And I’m doing a couple of magic shows a week while I’m here. So I guess the answer is ‘work’. What about you? Are you a local or just here for your week off?”

generally, clara likes being approached by adoring fans -- but this morning she’s still nursing a slight hangover, would really prefer to finish her grocery shopping so she can try to squeeze in a nap before her next performance, and is starting to suspect that the extremely dull person now following her around the market is about to ask her out. the worst part is that he hasn’t let clara get a word in for quite some time -- which is a feat in itself, since even clara can admit that she’s not easily silenced either. she briefly considers pretending to recognize a passerby in order to get away but suspects even that would not be an obvious enough deterrent for her companion. 

then he asks for her phone number. she could honestly tell him she doesn’t have one, but a better idea flickers in her mind.

“of course -- wait one moment though, i think i have a call coming in.” clara reaches into her basket and pulls out a banana, then holds it to her ear. “hello? oh yes, i’ll be right there!”

she rushes away before the man can say anything else, quite proud of herself -- as she does, her eyes meet those of someone who has clearly just witnessed the entire interaction. she shrugs unapologetically. “i’d do it again.” 

Location: Pete’s

Tag: Open to all ( @theislestarters​ )

This close to the fullmoon, the shots of whiskey that he was knocking back at pete’s hardly did anything. Werewolf metabolism as the phasing of the moon slowly transitioned him from the six foot two human to a large wolf on four legs. But this close to the fullmoon and he was a little stir crazy. It was his week off from work, so he didn’t have that to preoccupy his time and going home would have made stirrings worse. He downed the last of shot glasses and turnedthe empty glass over on the counter just as another joined him. “I’m ordering another round, care for a whiskey shot?” 

     It’s still early by Clara’s standards and as nice as her room at the local inn might be, she’s not interested in spending much time in it. Especially not when there’s so many of Summerset’s fine establishments to become acquainted with— beginning with the bar, Pete’s.

  Once at Pete’s, she finds herself a stool to sit at — conveniently located next to someone giving away free drinks, which she’s not about to refuse.

  “Absolutely.” Clara beams at her generous neighbor and asks, “So what are we celebrating? Or bemoaning? Either way, I’m terrific company. I can bemoan with the best of them.”

“Sean Parker, the inventor of Napster, also known as the guy you stole that quote from in a movie.”  She laughed, but quickly dropped it when it was clear that the other was serious about her story.  “Wait you’re serious?  You know Mr. Craig and his lists?”

Emel was genuinely too shocked about Craigslist to care if she was getting the raw deal out of this negotiation or not.  “Lucky for you we absolutely do have Mozarella sticks.  I’ll get those right up for you.”  Emel looked around at the bar and lack of people.  “It’s not lively at all.  I have to agree that some entertainment would be better than this.  But between you and me, the owners are never here.  At least I haven’t met them in the short time I’ve been working here.”

“What is a napster?” Clara asks, still not following. “Just Craig. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the lists.” 

The fae claps her hands in mozarella-induced excitement. “Oh? Well, if you’re basically the person in charge, you should consider hiring some entertainment. Or even better -- an open mic! Think about it, you could scout local talent and benefit from having some free entertainment. I might even deign to perform a song or two on your opening night.”

@claralefevre​ // (the call)

   a magic show? had going to one ever killed someone? perhaps. but she still found herself some how entertaining the idea to the point of actually going. the number of things she could have done instead yet she was sitting amongst the crowd, it was definitely a show above her expectations. the witch even questioned the use of real magic twisting into the show, of course there had to be right? the place was full of nightly creatures. 

    when the audience was finished clapping, and the crowd began to part. phoebe took a step toward the entertainer, offering a polite smile when close enough. “your show was very impressive, you must have been doing this for a long time.”

the crowds in summerset are modest but enthusiastic and as if to reward them for it, clara finds herself performing grander and more complicated tricks for her exceedingly receptive audience. her show requires the use of real magic to supplement the tricks she’s mastered over the years, of course, but what’s the harm in dazzling the humans a bit?

once their performance is over, clara is approached by someone they presume to be yet another admirer. they flash the person their most self-effacing grin and attempt to sound demure when they answer, “why, thank you! i’ve been performing for a couple of years, at least -- but never for such a lovely audience.” 

she extends her hand. “clara lefèvre, pleased to meet you.”

A library isn’t usually Clara’s idea of a fun time, but the thought occurs to them as they walk past Summerset’s that one of their own books might have taken up residence within and the temptation to say hello to an old friend is too much to resist.

As luck would have it, she finds not one but two volumes of her Now You See It, Now You Don’t series... neither one are signed editions. Eager to remedy this, Clara sets them on a nearby empty table with a heavy thud and pretends to rummage through her bag as she materializes a permanent marker under her fingers. Then she begins signing.

Emel knew the reference and she was trying to hold back her laughter.  “Sean Parker is that really you?”  She said with a slight gasp.  “So what is the Craig like?”

The other person clearly met the parameters of the agreement, Emel truly was amused.  It at least made her night interesting, something that couldn’t really be said about the other customers in the bar that night.

“You know what, I can arrange that.  Anything in particular you’d like?”

“Who?” Clara asks, brows furrowed in confusion at the unfamiliar name. “Craig? Oh you know, he’s kind of a hoarder.” Clara grins and bounces onto a nearby barstool, fiercely pleased that she’s gotten more out of this deal than initially bargained for. “Mozarella sticks if you have them. Please tell me you have them.” She props her elbows on the bar and lets her face rest on her hands. “Is this your place? It’s not very lively, is it? With some better entertainment you’d get some bodies in here, stat.”