ca s'est arrangé

OPEN STARTER FOR EVERYONE. ( @paristarters ) late evening/night outside of le comptoir bar

          Following a few hours inside the bar, first in her office tending to some necessary paperwork and emails then mingling for a short while with the patrons, the brunette found herself breathing in the chilled Parisian night air. The coat hugging her long and slender frame was pulled a little tighter to her figure, seeking more warmth than it likely had to offer. Ever since Lena’s last meeting with her father and his associates she’d been a bit more mindful of her surroundings. Everywhere she went there was this tingling sensation at the nape of her neck that crawled up — a feeling of being watched.

          Once Lena reassured herself that her phone was in her pocket her dark gaze roamed her surroundings, looking back to the courtyard then each way along the street. Sometimes she walked, often preferring that mode to get around, even in her heels, and other times she called for a driver. It was rare that she took her 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback out of the garage and tried to park anywhere near the bar. Tonight though, the brunette was wishing she’d suffered a little frustration. Somehow, Lena was in luck when someone stopped along the sidewalk near her. She checked the time quickly on her phone, letting it peek out from her pocket. “Care to walk with me?” A friendly smile pulled her painted lips back, it was a little random but she could take that judgement over being alone. “I promise a free drink at Le Comptoir.” The twinkle in her dark eyes revealed something playful. “Not tonight, but any other night.”

Paris at night was beautiful, unlike any other major city in the world. Perhaps Céleste’s opinion was because, yes, she was born and raised in the city of light, a bias she’d acquired from the moment she realised just how lucky she was to be a Parisian. Of course, the place had its moments, but she never tired of it, even after traveling to nations all over the globe. It would always be her favorite.

After a night of meetings, followed by another meeting accompanied by dinner canal-side, the blonde made her journey to the parking station, not at all bothered by a longer walk ── it was a chance to stretch her legs after a day mostly spent sitting down. The fresh air would clear her head and she truly needed to mull over the business propositions that’d been discussed throughout the evening.

As she walked easily through the streets, the crowds of people thinning out and the stillness of the night beginning to set in, she was caught off guard by the sound of the only other person nearest in her vicinity speaking to her.

Care to walk with me? Truthfully, this person wasn’t someone she knew well, but the unspoken code was there. As a feminine presenting person, it was courtesy to accompany another if they were on their own. There were bad people out there, something she knew in her own life.

“Oh, yes, sure.” She responded with a faint, slightly concerned smile. “Are you okay?” That was the right question to ask, wasn’t it? She was usually aloof in most situations, but beneath her icy exterior, there was a decent, good-hearted person.