he's an artist, i guess

Keira had to stop herself from smiling. It was amusing to see how he continued to try and communicate with her when she felt she had pretty clearly told him to take the book and leave. Yet, he stood in front of her, guessing that she meant that he was talking too loud. Although any other time this interaction may have frustrated her, it was a nice change from those that didn’t bother to try when she was around. Whether it was out of politeness or the continuous miscommunication, she appreciated the effort that he put into figuring out who got the book.

She watched as he motioned back and forth between herself and the book. Being mute had given her one advantage over most: she had gotten really good at reading lips and motions. Once again she nodded. It was the book she wanted, but… Was it even worth telling him to take it again? Should she take it and leave? In the moment of thought, she looked around to see if there was something she could write with and write on; sadly, nothing was close by.

Then she got an idea. And it was one that she would have never - never - expect herself to do nor will she ever suggest it another time to anyone else. But she really wanted to finish the last volume. Keira pointed at the book, then him, then herself, and finally, the table area behind the shelves. If they couldn’t decide who got the book, why not glance over it together?

Oh, so he did get her right the book! Angelo smiled to himself. But he had to wonder, why she couldn’t have said so in the first place. She must have been too polite, too thoughtful, too shy, he reasoned before glancing at her throat sympathetically.

Or she could be suffering a sore throat today. Makes sense.

The artist was about to pass the book to her at long last, as he really could just busy himself with another book—but to his surprise, she kept going! He tilted his head as the long-haired beauty continued to convey her thoughts through delicate movements once more.

In a comfortable silence, his patient gaze followed her index finger: From the book, to herself, and to the area where the tables were. It took a while, but as realisation overcame him, his indigo eyes widened slightly. “Read together?” He asked, almost inaudibly.

Angelo looked at her, then down at the book. Just when he thought she couldn’t surprise him further. What an interesting lady. His eyes gleamed as nodded to her request. Angelo led the way with the hundred-paged book about the technology and the culture in Pelagos Islands securely tucked in his folded arm.

Upon finding a nice spot to “read together”, he gently pulled a chair for the other before settling down beside her. He placed the book down between them, all the while maintaining an appropriate distance. (They were still strangers, after all.)

And for a while, it remained as silent as it did. Except now, it felt more uneasy.

Now what? He had never done this before. He glanced at her, then back at the book he had already flipped open. As much he enjoyed charades, the artist realised how difficult it might be to carry on their form of communication. And how easily awkward it could get with them being much closer than they were a few minutes ago.

So, Angelo held a finger up as if to say, Could you please give me a moment?

The brunet then, rummaged through his worn-out duffel bag that he had placed under the table. It was impossible for him to leave the apartment without a single drawing pad. He wriggled out a notepad and a pen between his other art materials. Leafing through his doodles and random ideas, he opened to a new page. And in dark ink—Angelo wrote in her peripheral view with his best penmanship:

───────『••✎••』───────── Hey. Sorry, I can’t help, but wonder if maybe, your throat is sore... or maybe you’re just really dedicated to keep silent in the library.

Whichever case, I hope this makes it easier for us to talk! ( ◠ ◡ ◠ )

- Angelo ────────────────────

•｡ ♡ When the opportunity arose for Jack to meet with a potential roommate and sort out an amicable living arrangement, he was ecstatic. Moving from the mainland to the archipelago was a leap of faith in and of itself, and without his trusty companion by his side - otherwise known as his twin sister, Jill - life started to become rather lonesome; further, he knew it would certainly help to alleviate some of the financial burdens off of his shoulders and share the expenses with another person. Thankfully, upon meeting Angelo for the first time, the two seemed to hit it off on a high note; with that, it was a natural decision to reach that they should live together. He hoped that with him in the apartment - although dirt floors and scraps in comparison to some of the other apartments Angelo could have chosen - that the apartment would be livened up with his presence; little did he expect that his artistry would become an integral piece to their living space.

“Morning,” Jack greeted back, sipping on his coffee while he sat at the dinky kitchen table reading the newspaper. On Arcadia, this was one of the quickest ways for news to spread - but he started to remind himself of his old man; nevertheless, he was comfortable in his pajama pants and lack of a shirt - typically wearing just boxers, but for the sake of his new roommate, he did not want to breach that level of comfort.

“… Huh? Wait-” He folded back up the paper and set his attention on his roommate. “Changing the apartment’s look?” The brunet echoed the question and considered it, though the sight and scent of paint on his clothes led him to believe that a decision was prematurely made on his behalf.

“What were you thinking, man? I mean - I’m up for it, but I just don’t know what we’re allowed and not allowed to do…”

If he were to be honest right now, Angelo wasn’t sure if he had been thinking. He had been on auto-pilot since last night, burning in creativity. It felt like such a feverish dream. But through the power of hot grinded coffee, it slapped his sleepiness away and helped him listen to the other’s protests better.

Jack certainly sounded like his practical and more sensible older brother. Not that it bothered Angelo, but he did understand his point of concern. The apartment rules did cross his mind last night, only after repainting one side of the wall. In any case, Angelo shrugged with a yawn as nonchalantly as he could be. 

“Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it,” He tried to ease the other up, cracking a self-assured, tireless smile.

“I don’t think they would mind considering it takes them weeks, sometimes even months to fix a couple of things in our apartment. Besides, we’re doing this paint job for free with our own money. Well, my money.” He corrected before the other could shoot an incredulous look his way. Angelo stayed silent to let the logic of it all sink in. (If there were any, to begin with.)

Today Popuri was excited to hang out with one of her favorite people, who also just so happened to be her next door neighbor. Yep! Angelo! It was nice having someone she was so close to living so close! She got to spend lots of time with him. They did things together all the time.

The plan of the day was to make and decorate cookies with ingredients and candies they’d gotten during the post-valentines day sale the market was having. This wasn’t the first time they’d baked together. Popuri liked baking with Angelo because he made such pretty sweets. He was an artist, after all, so everything he decorated came out beautifully. The things she decorated were never as pretty, but in the end they all taste the same so it didn’t matter to her! As long as she had fun and got to eat lots of sweets. The table was set with bowls of candies and frosting and sprinkles and other items you could decorate cookies with. The cookies themselves were currently cooling. Popuri hated waiting, but if she didn’t then all the frosting would just melt off the cookie! “Angieeeeeeee how much longer do we have to waiiiiittttt,” Popuri whined.

Angelo looked over at the pink-haired woman with a smile.

From the moment he met Popuri, he knew he had just met one of the most precious human beings who ever walked on land. She was refreshing, fun, and above all, sweet. He liked Popuri for being so unapologetically herself. Her heart was literally in her sleeve and it felt as though she was anything but inauthentic. It was only natural for both of them to quickly grow close, especially with being next-door neighbours. And they had a surprising amount of things in common—and one of them happened to be about baking.

Baking might be a bittersweet memory, but when Popuri came to him with the idea of baking these Valentine Cookies, Angelo couldn’t say no. He laughed at her cute whine and decided to lightly touch the fresh batch. It was still incredibly heated. Not hot enough to prick his fingertip, but definitely enough to cause their frosting to drip.

“Give it three more minutes, Pops. Then, we could start!”

She seemed agitated over waiting. So, to help pass the time quicker, he motioned before them, an imaginary camera. He cleared this throat and resumed in his (best-attempted) announcer’s voice. “Hey, and welcome back to the Cookie Cuties Show! I’m your host Angelo de Luca with our very special and very lovable pink-haired gal — Popuri Paaaartridge!”

He proceeded to reenact the applause and cheer from the audience.

Iris nodded, understanding the concept far too well. How often had she needed a break from her work, and then turned around and just written something fluffy and unrelated just to keep the gears turning?

She smiled at the compliment to her kitten, reaching to pet Sapphire as she listened to him. “Taking creative breaks is vital. I find myself taking quite a few lately just to refresh myself.”

She was chagrined to realize she hadn’t actually introduced herself. “Oh, I apologize. My name is Iris. And I would be honored to have the sketch. And perhaps arrange for a commission, Mr…?”

“Iris,” he repeated her name. It was as sophisticated as Sapphire. Angelo shook his head with a cordial smile. “Please. Just Angelo.” Formalities don’t really stick with the artist that well. He smoothly tore the sketch of the adorable feline from his pad and passed it the other.

“And it would be my pleasure to do business with you, Ms Iris. Though I’m afraid, I’m quite booked this week and the next few weeks to accept any new commissions.” He made what sounded like a rather stressed out chuckle.

“... Actually, I might have to leave in a while. An unfinished canvas is calling me, but I’ve been pumped with a lot of inspiration thanks to you and Sapphire!” Angelo turned to his duffel bag, resting on the other side of the wooden bench.

Tucked in one of its inner pockets, the artist fished out the handcrafted calling cards. At a glance, it looked like a postcard with a painted image of one beautiful scenery. But when flipped on its other side, it had his contact details.

Backing away from the Board, Rin grinned brightly “Exactly! All everyone needs, aside from the basics of course, Is Adventure!” Rin pretended she had a sword in hand and was dueling some kind of monster, Draco of course joined in with a few caws of his own.

“We are a pretty wicked team~ besides, if i have the right dish on me, Draco can become 3 times his normal size! and Breathe Fire!” Problem was Rin and Draco didn’t exactly know what that dish was… and it wasn’t exactly easy to test with all these buildings around. Draco nudged rin’s hand until she placed it on his small head and gave him some pats “But uh we’d love the company, since we’re going small this time, Care to join forces?”

Angelo helplessly laughed. The duo’s synchronised gestures were too adorable, almost like a routine one would find in a street show back at the mainland. The ginger-haired teen arrived on the island as a traveller too. It makes sense that she’d be here as well, searching for something to cross the ocean for. Amused at this new information about Draco, he shoved his hands in his pockets and inclined his head with much thought.

“Huh. I didn’t know Draco could do that.” Nor did Angelo ever witness such skill back when they used to hang out. “Though, it does sound pretty wicked!” He nodded at the concept billowing in his mind: A fire-breathing Draco stomping across the land. Intimidating with explosive colours. His unexpected muse cut short at the sound of a kind invite from the younger.

Join forces? Honestly, the thought never came to his mind. He had every intention to venture alone, as companionship might only serve as a distraction or a noise in his creative bubble. 

“Ah, but I’m not looking for a wild ride,” he spoke steadily.

He was about to decline when his conscience festered within him. The duo was highly capable together, but the artist was still a little wary of them journeying alone in what could have been perilous. Rin was as feisty and as fearless as Marco, his older brother, was. She was also still young and blindly enthusiastic—making her terribly susceptible to overestimate dangerous situations!

At that point, a worried Angelo gave in. His lips curled to a smile.

Iris sat carefully and leaned in to see the drawing pad, making a little sound of delight. She hadn’t known what to expect, of course, being unfamiliar with the man’s work but oh, oh that was… “That’s beautiful. You did that just now? Just like that? That’s amazing! Sapphire, come here baby…”

She gave a gentle tug on the leash, and Sapphire obediently came trotting over, hopping up on the bench. “That really is amazing… are you an artist by trade, or is it a hobby?”

Angelo could only smile and nod along to her rapid-fire questions. He could never get used to that sound of thrill and amazement.

“I’m glad you like it,” he gleamed in her flattery. The artist still held onto his drawing pad but adjusted its position on his knee within her peripheral view. Being up close to her, he could see the intricate details of her tailored dress better. The elegant blonde certainly paid a high price for its design. And hearing her whiskered companion’s name, Angelo was amused at how unsurprising it was. 

“Sapphire is a lovely name,” he remarked nonetheless. His gaze followed the cat that joined them on the wooden bench. Angelo recalled what a few cat-lovers in his travels had to say about the ragdoll breed. They were docile and affectionate creatures which do say a lot about the owner! A gentle smile formed at that thought.

“I do both actually,” said Angelo. He pulled his drawing pad away and proceeded to leaf through his other sketches for this sophisticated lady to catch a glimpse of. (Most of them showcasing his studies in a figure’s movement.) “I take artwork commissions from paintings to sculptures. Any preferred medium of my client. But right now, I’m just doing it as a hobby. It’s ahm—what’s the term—” Angelo scratched the side of his head.

Y’know when you get that itch? it comes in different forms, a chocolate craving, needing intimate company, a day to yourself. For Rin, when the itch came in, it meant she needed one thing… Adventure. She couldn’t stay indoors most days, not that Draco would let her any way, but today she needed a little more then a walk in the woods. The 18 year old needed to get her and her little dragon’s butts on a boat and off in search of something exciting, and maybe the tiniest bit perilous. Pep in her step, Rin made her way up to the arcadia guild board. Humming and not really minding her surrondings as she scanned for a possible voyage. spotting one, and hearing a happy chirps from Draco in the background, she reached for it. Fingers gripping on the edge of the paper, just as her hand colided with someone who obiviously had the same idea.

Her eyes followed the hand to it’s owner and Rin shook her head with a smile, no wonder Draco sounded so happy, it was their favourite artiste. “Why hello there, Angelo, The draw of adventure got to you as well?”

Angelo was in desperate need of something new. A muse in mint condition for his art collection! (More specifically, for his comics.) And most of the time, his latest inspiration wasn’t going to materialise before him. No, the artist had to chase it down like a dog!

So finally, after six months in Arcadia, Angelo thought it was time for him to get his butt off and go for a grand adventure. The kind of adventure that involved more serenity and ease for his painting session. (Hopefully.) And presumably, the fittest place to start looking for the right adventure was at the islands’ renowned guild!

Angelo casually made his way towards the guild board. He stood there for a while, browsing through the quests many have wished to embark. These trending journeys were unquestionably thrilling, but possibly, too thrilling for his faint heart. The artist reached out for one of the papers. And upon hearing a distinctive jovial noise, in his bewilderment, his hand accidentally brushed against someone else’s.

“Oh, pardon—Rin?” Angelo faltered at the sight of one of his first friends in the island. The young girl and her dragon. A toothy smile surfaced. He still couldn’t get used to the sight of Draco, but he was glad his big red pal still recognised him!

“Rin. Draco.” He nodded in warm acknowledgement, then grinned wider at her inquiry.

“You bet! I needed inspiration. What better way to find it, than a voyage out in the islands’ uncharted waters?” He chuckled. Although the Pelagos Islands was already jam-packed with mysteries and secrets, it was high time for him to go beyond. Heh. To think it took six months in Arcadia to finally get that thought going in his head!

The Dance Auction has been completed, and here are all of the winning bids!

Mist - Won by Toby for 4k!

Lillie - Won by Rachel for 5k!

Klaus - Won by Alicia for 50k!

Muffy - Won by Jack for 25k!

Lest - Won by Evelyn for 50k!

Frey - Won by Andrea for 5k!

Yuzuki - Won by Popuri for 1k!

Leah - Won by Leia for 2k!

Pia - Won by Danny for 1.1k!

Keira - Won by Angelo for 25k!

Alex (SV) - Won by Iluka for 50k!

Agate - Won by Violet for 1.5k!

Will - Won by Clorica for 50k!

All winners, please deduct the money from your bank account! Have a fantastic last dance with your partner and a great rest of the Charity Ball!

Angelo had been hesitating to participate in the dance auction. He knew his generous de Luca side of him would go big if he cracked! As his mother would put it: There's nothing to lose in a good cause. However, his practical and more reasonable side butted in to remind him of how a simple amount would quickly delay his future travels. 

But at the sound of Keira’s name booming through the strange announcer’s microphone, it led him away from the bowl of punch and into the eager bidding crowd. Indigo eyes steadied at the lady he had recently met. Keira looked stunning in her gown. Dainty and delicate. No doubt she had been asked to dance tonight. (He hoped she had fun with whatever conservations went down.)

Angelo looked around for any other potential bidders for her. Would it be selfish if he stole the last chance to dance with the exquisite local? His subconscious mini-self twiddled with his fingers at the back of his head. It should be fair. Angelo arrived late to the ball. Too late to be her first, her fifth, or maybe even tenth dance of the night. He took a deep (and shaky) breath. With sweaty palms and a lump on his throat, Angelo threw his bid up like a nervous vomit. (Not as nervous as he imagined though.) 

And upon hearing the bewildered announcer’s remark about his bid, Angelo casually shrugged. Even he couldn't deny how his bid was over-the-top. But again, it's for a good cause. He waited to hear for any other bids. If he had to go further up from 25,000G, it would completely set him back from ever travelling out of Pelagos Islands. No, what was he thinking? The artist wouldn’t have enough money to sustain himself even!

3, 2, 1. The bell rang! And that was it. Angelo’s eyes widened as his smile did. He won!

Definitely worth it!

Somewhat flustered, Angelo shot a reassuring grin at Keira. A small little wave just for her to see. Whatever feelings she may have about the situation, he’ll make sure to give his good friend a wonderful time!