* sorry / BABY !

when   he   FELT   her   fingers,   he   flinched.   he   had   not   been   touched   with   such   gentleness   since   his   childhood.   he   was   no   stranger   to   women   and   had   felt   their   hands   on   all   parts   of   his   body,   but   her   TOUCH   made   him   feel   different.   made   him   feel   like   he   belonged   some   place.

Irina hadn’t expected company but nevertheless she heard the other approaching before the sound of her heels even registered. Not only due to her heightened senses but the sense that this was a creature of the moon. Turning to face the woman who was speaking she smiled pleasantly as she pretended to take in the information provided. It was things she actually already knew but social graces and common sense had her nodding along. “I quite like it myself,” Irina agreed finally as the other paused. “Do you have any favorites by anyone else? I do enjoy hearing what someone who spends time with these works thinks of them. Sometimes it can give a whole new perspective I’ve missed.”

vampire. her nostrils flared, but the expression that her work dictated she keep in place at all times remained. nadia wasn’t a fan ( though she could admit how very cliche that was of her ), but she was open to remaining civil - especially while she was on the clock. “it would be hard for me to not have other favorites, given that i look at them every day,” her chuckle is only mildly forced, “but i would hate to interrupt your stroll through our gallery.”

tati always found inspiration looking at artwork, and she had heard nadia approach but turns at the sound of the voice. “ i wondered why i hadn’t seen it before. it’s beautiful. and it’s my personal favorite as well i have studied his artwork online before but first time seeing it in person. it doesn’t disappoint. and any other favorites you could maybe show me ? i’m looking for inspiration for my own artwork. and this is the perfect place for inspiration.“

“Oh.” Billie nodded, trying to process what the museum staff member was sharing with her. Billie never knew how to behave in a museum. Did she get close to the artwork for a better look? What was she supposed to look for? Brush strokes? Should she maintain some space? Sorta pretentiously bothered by the priceless works around her? What did she do with her hands? She felt pressured to offer some feedback, a tidbit of insight into the piece, to the well-dressed curator. How was it possible for someone to look so pulled together? Billie crossed her arms over her chest, wondering if perhaps she should have worn something nicer than a flannel copped from her dad.  “It’s..really nice. Good work. Really…good work.” 

“it is good work. that’s why it’s here.” she offered the other a modest smile, the sort that was meant to soften otherwise POINTED words. the painting was really nothing special, if she were being HONEST ( something she was hard pressed to be on the best of days ), but it was her job to be a fountain of knowledge, and a fan. she would have said the same thing about any one of the paintings hung around the room, save for slightly different intros. “in the nicest possible way ; i don’t think you’d make a very good art critic.”

*   VALENTINE’S   DAY   ALPHABET   /   accepting   !

MOONLIGHT.   what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

nadia is a little too into the expense of it all. valentines day is absolutely a money making scam by corporate america, but she’s the sort of woman who measures the care people have for her based off of the value of things given to her. there’s an all manner of cutesy dates that would be totally fine, but her preference is absolutely that exclusive restaurant you need to book several months in advance, that doesn’t even serve good food. a private table for two, a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of champagne. she’ll still be hungry when she goes to bed, but the fact that she was there and living it up will help her rest easy. and in spite of it all ( and how truly different she is to him, on a fundamental level ), her ideal partner on such an escapade would be elijah. that’s LOVE ! 

“  what are some fun things to do in seattle ? “  laurel inquires, new place meant new sights. something she fully planned to take advantage of today. “  or what are your favorite things to do ? “

beer bottle in his hand and looking down at the ground. elijah is a bit shaken by the most recent unfortunate event. things were happening all around seattle, it was one of the reasons he’d been deployed to this specific city. but this time, this tragedy affected someone he actually knew. sheriiff swan had helped him out plenty of times when he first started working. he can only imagine what he must be going through, not daring to think how he’d be feeling if it had one of his family members instead. “what kind of sick, twisted being could do something like that? the girl was known a bit around the city… although i’m not sure it had any relation to prior events it just… feels different.”

gianna had been roaming around the festival with friends when she crossed paths with nadia - it was then that she encouraged her company to go on without her. some time spent with the other couldn’t hurt. she was family, after all, even if the life her brother and nadia lived seemed to be so wildly different than her own. she herself didn’t realize what was happening as she was far too immersed in contemplation ( debating whether or not to buy the handmade keychain in her hand ), but once she did her eyes drifted slowly to nadia. she caught the action so easily - gianna would’ve missed it, had she been alone. “i didn’t even dare doing that when i was younger ; if i got caught my parents would’ve had a conniption. so saving pennies it was,” she shrugged, deciding NOT to buy the item in her hands and to move to the next booth. “stealing HERE, though, almost feels like it would be worse. someone spent the time to make all this stuff… it’s probably already being sold for less than it should be just to make a sale.”

so maybe she wasn’t just a concerned citizen. PERHAPS, one reason for her stepping in when it would have been just as easy allow events to transpire was because her sister-in-law was at her side. even if gianna wasn’t as easily able to see what NADIA did, she did like the idea of... looking like a good samaritan. of course, there were those in the world who simply WERE what she enjoyed seeming, but - semantics. “never? you didn’t once think to push the boundaries?” her expression turns bemused, one eyebrow lifting in faux surprise, “i was the worst teenager, maybe ever. i forget that a whole CHUNK of people go through their youth without... general devilment. it being homemade never would have even occurred to me, back then.” that was one way to put it, anyway. the smile now fixed in place was not directed at gianna, per say, nor at the situation ; it was mostly private, like she was remaining about something and enjoying what came to MIND. she was not, however, as distracted as she appeared. “did you want that?” a brief aside, a flickering of green eyes towards the dropped keychain. 

“  good eye. “  tati was relieved that the other had handled the situation, and she had only turned away for a small moment to speak to someone else. who had been looking at another trinket. her friend was LIABLE to never trust her to watch over the booth ( if something had gone missing ) whilst they used the restroom ever again, and of course the brunette had agreed. thinking it’d be no big deal for a few moments. apparently she had gotten that wrong. now that a kid had tried to steal something. “  thanks for the assist. i really don’t think my friend would forgive me if something got stolen – while i was on watch. and supposed to be watching over the booth. “  it’s an appreciative smile. “  perhaps they just wanted to see if they could get away with it ? i’m not sure, but thanks again. “