#me? missing a chance to make fun of Ulfric?

[crysdrawsthings]

Who on Nirn would have thought, that giving Elanor a big ass war axe and telling her to pay a visit to Ulfric would end in disaster?

[laylacooke]

Go Our Own Way || Celeste & Layla

timing: The night of the attack on Lucas. parties: @celestelavie & @laylacooke summary: A bummed Layla has a heart-to-heart with a supportive Celeste. ♥ warnings: Mention of abuse, because of Layla & Celeste’s shitty parents.

Celeste felt a certain affinity for Layla that she hadn’t quite experienced before. It was rare to exist in the realm of both hunters and werewolves. There was a certain contradiction to it that made you an outlier in both worlds with neither truly embracing you as you were. Once she learned Layla came from a hunter family, she could understand her hesitance to trust other wolves. She only hoped that others could show her the same kindness and acceptance that Ulfric and Ariana had. The poor girl was just a kid, she needed someone to care for her and show her how to navigate the world as a werewolf, not to be forced to live on the streets. She knew the damage Layla must have caused, but she had help now. 

She was looking forward to spending the evening with the younger woman while Ulfric and Ariana were out investigating that howl. She didn’t necessarily love Ariana walking into danger, but she had to trust the two of them knew how to handle themselves. She’d trained Ariana to be prepared for this sort of thing. Spending the time and talking with Layla would distract her from her own worry. She had felt Layla approach before the front door ever clicked open. Over the years, she’d gotten used to having goosebumps a majority of the time. The constant edge alerting you of someone’s presence. It had been unnerving at first, but she’d become accustomed to it. When she heard Layla walk in, she went back out into the living area to greet her and help put groceries away. “Hey, Layla,” she called as she walked out, “I hope there were no mime sightings on your outing?” 

It had only been a few days since Layla had experienced her first decent injury, and while she still felt the occasional light-headedness, it was mostly her ribs that gave her trouble, so when Layla had returned with a borrowed shopping cart full of groceries, it was no longer apparent that she could hide anything from Celeste, unless Ariana had already told her, “No, mime sightings.” Thank goodness. That was the last thing she could handle right now. “But I did get potatoes for the banned French Fries.” She pushed the cart up as close to the trailer steps as she could, before she had picked up a few bags; deciding not to “strong woman” it today and get them all in one go.

As she slowly walked up the steps, she spoke, “So... you’re positive Ariana and Ulf don’t need my help, because I can go, if they need back up.” Since she had met Ari, Celeste, and Ulf, all Layla had wanted was to learn how to be a werewolf. Out of all the wolves she had heard about, she had truly felt like the weakest of the pack. It had been a blow to her self-esteem, when she was told to stay home, but at the same time, she knew it was probably for the best and hiding her injuries from the fight with Fran and Rio, didn’t exactly help her case, but just in case they had changed their mind, she had to ask.

Teenagers were damn good at finding trouble, though after two mime encounters of her own, Celeste decided she hardly had room to judge. She was still sore as hell from reopening the stitches on her leg after fighting Kaden’s mime. Ariana had casually mentioned it and she knew better than to press. She had a little more leeway with telling Ariana what to do, but even her input on that seemed pretty nonexistent these days. It was no matter; Layla had made it home safely and mime free. “I suppose I should make those French fries I promised you then.” She set the groceries down on the counter and unloaded them into the fridge and cabinets, leaving a few potatoes out to make French fries with shortly. 

Celeste’s head tilted to the side slightly, her lips curved slightly upward and her eyes soft, as she answered, “Layla, we’re both injured. Ariana and Ulfric are better off without us slowing them down.” She could tell she wanted to help. It seemed she and Ariana had quickly become attached. Wanting to help the people she cared for was something Celeste could understand, but there was far too much at risk. “One day I’m sure you’ll be out there trying to save the day with them. This is all still new to you and when you’re not physically at your best is not the time to be charging right in.” While she was not necessarily helpful with the wolf stuff, her face lit up as she exclaimed, “You know, once we’re both healed up, we could practice some more self-defense. I’m sure your parents made you practice plenty, but I’ll try to make it more fun than educational… Do pink boxing gloves make things more fun?” 

Layla sat her own haul down, “You don’t have to make them just for me. We can wait.” Turning around, she slowly walked back out to the cart. Grabbing the rest of it, she came back in and shut the door behind her with her foot. Putting the rest of the bags on the counter, she started to take out the remaining items, but made sure to stay out of Celeste’s way. The kitchen was already small enough as it was and two people putting away groceries was a nearly impossible feat. Instead, she went to the couch and sat down. Leaning back, Layla closed her eyes for a moment trying to let her body relax with the release of a quivering sigh.

The woman’s words seemed to have caught her attention, “Ari told you, didn’t she?” Layla looked to the floor with defeat. How had she been so stupid to go out and get herself injured already. She had just found a place to stay and someone to hang out with, and, now, she was missing out on potentially learning all the ways she could use her curse for good. “I know, but you don’t get it, Celeste...I finally find people like me who accept me,  and they’re out there doing things I need to know how to do, if I want to be able to survive, and then just like everyone else, they shut me out.” She growled under her breath, her eyes burning in frustration, but with a few, slow, and currently painful, deep breaths, she calmed down to see a smile on Celeste’s face, “Yeah, okay. I’ll go get my bow.” She realized what Celeste might think, “Not tonight obviously. Lord knows we wouldn’t want baby wolf sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong.” She realized she was being temperamental, “Sorry. I know you’re just trying to help.” Had Layla even told Celeste, Ari, or Ulf that she carried a bow with her? If not, she did now.

Celeste nodded, “French fries when everyone gets home it is.” A little more time relaxing would be nice. Her leg was still throbbing from where she had to re-stitch it and she was secretly hoping Ariana would cook anyhow. She turned to Layla and smiled as she took the seat beside her on the couch. They hadn’t much of a chance to speak alone. Given, it was a fairly crowded trailer at this point.

She shook her head lightly, it had been obvious she was a little sore, but Ariana had mentioned as much when she told her they weren’t asking Layla to come along for tracking down the howl. Even Ariana going with Ulfric wasn’t something she had necessarily approved of, but to some extent, she had to let the girl make her own choices. She’d trained her well and hopefully that would come into play. “She did mention it,” Celeste reasoned, “I know you want to help and one day you will be.” She shifted in her seat, trying to put more weight on her uninjured leg. Her face was serious as she looked at Layla and explained, “Sometimes the best thing to do to help is stay put. It’s the same reason I’m here right now. We’re both injured which means we’re not at our best. A small mistake can be costly to everyone’s well being. Give it time, you’ll heal, and you’ll learn even more, and I have no doubt with your training, you’ll be unstoppable.” It was strange how she could see both herself and Ariana in Layla. Considering her parents wanted her dead, she had no doubt their childhoods were similar, but she had Ariana’s hot head. She sighed lightly, “I don’t believe it’s like that, Layla. Ari cares for you, I’m sure she doesn’t want you rushing off into danger when you’re already hurt. I’m sure soon enough she’ll be wanting you coming along everywhere with your bow on the ready.” She offered a small laugh, hoping the girl was a little more at ease. Offering her a good amount of support was vital, but it wasn’t always easy to know how to help. Her eyes lit up, “You know what we could do tonight that would be helpful and not too strenuous?” She slowly rose from the couch and pointed toward the window, “Have you seen the little weird squirrels in the yard? They’re agropelters and they have a real appetite for fingers. I have some traps we could set, but if you wanted to practice with moving targets, I’ve got a few weighted knives that’d do the trick.”

Layla was kind of caught up in her own mind and thoughts when Celeste had sat down next to her. She knew the woman didn’t know her that well. She also knew that she had been acting childish. This world was still new, and even more so with all the strange and weird creatures it held. She had only learned about a handful with her parents; partly because she hadn’t been interested. Their ideals and laws just hadn’t set well with her. But for that, she was now paying the price. Getting herself into more trouble than she could handle in a town she had never even heard of.

As she let her eyes fall onto Celeste, she listened without much debate. Everything she was saying held the truth. Layla was just eager and headstrong. She wanted to prove herself to everyone and show that taking a chance on her wasn’t a mistake. It hurt when people hadn’t even given her a chance, and now that they were, she didn’t want to blow it. But if she couldn’t keep herself safe, how was she supposed to keep anyone else safe. Basic principles of psychology that she had learned in her class in school, “I know everything that you guys are telling me is true. I guess I just don’t want to fail at this. I’ve already been kicked to the curb more times than I can count and letting down the people who actually decided to take a chance on me is the last thing I want to do.” She sighed, but Celeste’s suggestion had caught her attention, “Agro-whats?” She had seen those squirrels. They were cute in a hideous sort of way, but she didn’t know they fed off fingers. However, the idea of killing them had Layla sinking back down again, “Something I should probably explain...One of the reasons me and my parents didn’t get along so well was my belief in pacifism and not hurting living creatures or causing violence. Unfortunately, it seems like no matter what I do now, especially when I change, I can’t get away from it. And my bow...I shoot competitively, not to hunt…Thought I should clear that up as well. Some werewolf I am…”

Celeste knew she had to grow up faster than most. Outside of the ultimate act of defiance in hunter families, she had to quickly learn to be level-headed in order to care for a child. Even with Ariana, it was easy to forget just how normal teenagers acted without having supernatural drama even thrown into the mix. She reminded herself patience was key if she wanted to be able to help. At the mention of pacifism, she could see why she really didn’t seem to fit into the hunter world aside from the fact she was a werewolf. That also had to be a principle that was difficult for a young, recently turned werewolf to maintain as well. 

“You’re not letting anyone down. No one wants you to be anything more or less than what you are,” she assured. To find any sort of peace, she was going to need to embrace some part of her nature, but that would take time and adjusting. She could understand the parents thing though. Hunting had never really been something that held Celeste’s passion. While she always desired to help people in some way, she never quite saw how hunting was the best way to do so. It didn’t matter that her father forced her into a number of terrifying scenarios, part of it just always felt wrong. The boom of her father’s voice had always been more fearful than any of the small monsters he’d try to put in front of her. Until she’d been faced with the reality of having to kill a child, she thought she’d be able to fit into that perfect little mold her parents had built for her. She looked to Layla, “Then we’ll leave the strange squirrels alone. Classic target practice it is. I’d never want to make you do something you’re uncomfortable with. I’ve been there myself. I’ve clearly really taken on hunter ideology.” She reached over to give Layla a gentle pat on the shoulder, “What being a werewolf is for you will look different for you than it will for anyone else. That doesn’t make you more or less deserving of support from those you care for.” 

How had Layla managed to find people so like her own personal situation? She knew they had their own unique set of issues, but the fact that together, it was as if the girl saw herself in both Ariana and Celeste. Regardless, she was grateful to be with them, despite the ever-growing doubts about certain things that regularly plagued her mind. Still, though, she would be hard pressed to find another set of people willing to take her in who understood what her life had become in a little less than a year. And while she had wished so badly that she could be out following Ariana and Ulf around, this time with Celeste was turning out to be so much more valuable than she could have imagined.

Taking the woman’s words to heart, she made sure to tuck them away in her memory, so she could think back later and reassess all the things Celeste had said to her. But one of the biggest things that had made her trust Celeste more, and accept what this night was becoming, was how she had accepted Layla’s beliefs and wasn’t trying to pressure her into anything, “You don’t know how much what you just said means to me. If it were my parents, they would be forcing me to hunt those squirrel things right now, even if I begged them not to make me do it.” She looked into the woman’s eyes, “Thank you, Celeste.” Layla felt the pat on her shoulder and the kind words to follow but knowing that she would get to throw something at a target had brought a smile to her face. She hadn’t shot her bow in so long. She had missed the feeling of it, and even if knives were different, she had found a reason to be a little happier. However, as she climbed to her feet, she could feel the pressure in her ribs, and she winced in pain.

Sometimes a little patience could go a long way. It was a virtue that Celeste had made a point of adopting into her everyday life. People could really surprise you when you weren’t pushing them too hard or too quickly in an undecided direction. It would likely be a long while before Layla truly felt comfortable with what she was and that was perfectly okay. Everyone did things in their own time and that was something Celeste had to remind herself of everyday. It was easy enough to feel like she’d been behind where she was supposed to be herself. Taking care of a child had played a big role in that, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything. It just meant her timeline wasn’t quite the same as everyone else’s. 

There was a soft smile on her face as Layla thanked her. She hadn’t thought she said anything too profound, but she knew just how much showing support to someone could make all the difference. As she leaned back into the couch cushion, she reassured, “Of course. I know how that goes and I wouldn’t force it on anyone else. I always hated being forced into that kind of stuff, too, though I never dared to argue it. Well, not until… I’m sure you can fill in the blanks seeing as I’ve essentially raised a werewolf.” As a kid, her father had somehow managed to be more frightening than any of the creatures he’d put her up against. Hunting them had never brought her much satisfaction, but it had provided security that neither the creature nor her father would hurt her. The thought made her stomach twist slightly. It’d only be a matter of time before she was forced to see the man again. Her mom would be easy enough to deal with. Her father was a whole different story. Something about his presence made her feel like she was regressing, and she’d been thankful Ariana had been far away the last time she’d seen him. She knew she appeared a bit spaced out and shook her head slightly to see Layla wincing as she stood. “You know, we can save target practice for when we’re both feeling better. My leg isn’t a fan of the whole standing thing right now anyhow. How about I put Legally Blonde on?” 

The idea of a movie instead had sounded better to Layla. As much as she wanted to throw knives at a target, she also didn’t really want to move either. She had gotten into a few tight spots on her journey north from Tennessee, but nothing as intense as she had currently been in.

Deciding to sit back down, she eased her way back into the nice, worn couch, “Guess I didn’t anticipate how painful broken ribs could be.” She sighed. Though she had been excited about going outside, until her body told her no, she had let what Celeste said swim around in her head. Her parents had a knack for forcing her into situations she didn’t want to be in and killing and hunting things was one of them. But for a moment, she tried to put herself in Ariana’s shoes, wondering what it would be like to be raised by Celeste, instead of her parents, and it brought a soft smile to her face. It also brought sadness into her heart knowing she never would have met her girlfriend had life been different, “Do you ever wish life could be different?” She didn’t want to offend or upset the woman, but she was curious. “Like if your parents had just been normal and you could just be normal?”

The weight of Layla’s question sat on her. Celeste knew the answer wasn’t quite so simple. Even when they were on the run, the bond she’d built with Ariana was something she cherished. In a lot of ways, she felt the young wolf saved her from a much darker path, but had she just been from a normal family, Ariana would probably still be living happily and peacefully with hers. Or maybe she wouldn’t have. It was hard to say. She chewed her lip as she thought it over. “That’s not an easy one, kid.” 

She wrapped her arms around her knees as she went on, “In darker moments, sure, I’ve wished things were different. That I could worry about solely normal things, but when I really think about it, I wouldn’t trade what I’ve gained in place of and because of any of that pain. Even if things are complicated, I’ve loved being able to take care of Ariana.” With a glance around the living room, which was becoming filled with all of their things, she was reminded of the kindness the world had to offer even when things seemed bleak. “Things are a bit rough right now with the whole bounty thing, but there’s still light in it all. Take Ulfric, taking all of us in, even given what I am and what you were raised to be. It doesn’t mean things aren’t hard, but I think it’s important to remember that there’s good even in the bad. At least, I’ve found it helps.” 

Layla had been struggling to see the good in things, especially in people. The way she had been treated after the bite had broken her heart. The only person who had continued to show her kindness had been Frankie, and even that led to her making a dire decision that had wrecked their relationship, because of the consequences of Layla being a baby werewolf. But after she had fled her home, it was relying on other people and packs that had allowed Layla to see some of the true hatred, anger, and self-concern that lived in some people. Being shunned felt horrible, and on most days, she had found fending for herself a way to protect her heart, rather than taking a chance on strangers who continually seemed to let her down. It’s why she still found doubt in Ariana, Celeste, and Ulfric sometimes, wondering if there were more selfish motives at play, instead of what was best for Layla, “I’m glad that you guys have each other, and that Ulf was able to take you in, even with his instincts probably screaming no.” She had thought about Celeste’s answer. Had taken it to heart even, but it was still hard to fully give herself to these people, when she had only known them for less than a month, and it’s why she still remained closed off to what they had to offer to her most of the time for fear of what lay just around the corner.

Celeste remained quiet for a moment. As odd as their current situation was, she was grateful for Ulfric. It was obvious enough he was weary of her though he did his best to hide, but he’d made it clear he’d do anything to keep Ariana safe. There was a good chance things would get dangerous when her parents arrived. No matter what happened, it was a comfort to know that Ariana would have Ulfric. It was a darker thought. Even so, she didn’t mind acknowledging it. She gave Layla a somewhat wistful look, hoping for the day when they could have their own home again. With a weak smile, she explained, “Ulfric has shown us a great deal of kindness. I know Ariana is very attached to him and it’s evident he’s very protective of her. I know his instincts are against my very existence, but I admire his ability to overlook that and focus on the greater cause. He’s very keen on protecting both of you the best he can.” If her parents could hear her now, they’d probably slap her or worse. She hoped it offered some comfort to Layla knowing that Ulfric was inclined to protect both of them. It must have been some sort of pack instinct that he took to heart. She had to be grateful for it. “Trust takes time, though. One day, I’m sure we’ll all learn to trust each other,” she offered. These things took time, but she had no doubt one day Layla would realize that they all wanted to be here for support.

Celeste seemed well beyond her years with the advice she had given Layla, and the young wolf knew that it was all from the heart. The doubt that filled her mind was hard to break but sitting next to someone who reminded her so much of herself was reassuring. She listened intently as the woman explained things to her, including trust. And it was true. It would take time. Layla hadn’t known Ulfric like Celeste and Ariana had. She barely knew Celeste, but they had taken a chance on her. And Ariana was quickly becoming a friend she could whole-heartedly trust and rely on. Yes, the fact that she wasn’t out with the wolves investigating had stung a little, but she had her own inner demons to work on. However, tonight was supposed to be something different. Celeste had promised her a movie, and Layla had turned it into something more serious, but she was ready to move past that. At least for the time being, “You’re right. It does, and this was supposed to be a fun night. Not Baby Wolf moping night. I’m sorry. I’ve got a bad habit of doing that.” She glanced around wondering where they kept the movies, “You said something about Legally Blonde?” A movie and a good laugh were something they had both needed, and the night was still young. No, Layla wasn’t learning how to wolf, but she was learning how to become the one thing she was so desperately trying to cling to, being a better human, and who better than to learn from, but a human herself.

[celestelavie]

Food for Thought || Celeste & Luce

TIMING: Current PARTIES: @divineluce and @celestelavie SUMMARY: Celeste gets off work early and decides to drop off some lunch for Ulfric. He’d already gone home for the day, so Luce and Celeste enjoy a nice lunch together.

While she wasn’t quite sure she’d say Ulfric liked her, Celeste could pick up on the fact he felt less tense around her. Of course, he was never anything less than courteous to her and she was doing her best to show him as much kindness as possible. After all, he’d opened up his home to them and was working diligently to insure Ariana’s safety. Since she had cut from work early for the day, she decided she could bring lunch by the shop for Ulfric on her way home. There was no doubt in her mind that he’d be a fan of red meat if Ariana’s affinity for it was any indication. She’d brought two burgers and some fries with her to the shop, hoping she would catch Ulf during a break between appointments. She didn’t love hanging around in her Al’s uniform, but a short lunch wouldn’t hurt. As she walked into the shop, she saw no sign of Ulfric. She walked up to a young woman who was sitting at the counter and asked, “Is Ulfric around?” 

Usually, Luce wasn’t in the business of covering the receptionist desk. She’d done her time doing that as an apprentice, answering phone calls and getting the calendars all set up. But, the girl who usually ran the desk today had to run because of a family emergency and Luce had time to kill. The design for her appointment later today was finalized and she was more than happy to get some work done on her own art pieces. Which is why she was sitting at the desk, sketch book in front of her. When the bell above the door jangled, Luce glanced up woman who approached. Older, probably around Bea’s age or so, but cute. The uniform helped too. “Ulf? You just missed him.” Luce said with a shake of her head, glancing at the bag of food in her hands. “Let me check his calendar though, see if he might pop back in soon.” She said, scrolling through the computer, “Damn. Sorry, he’s gone for the rest of the day.”

Damn. Celeste hadn’t taken into account he may have not had appointments for the rest of the afternoon. It was usually a little later in the afternoon that she’d see him come home. Oh well, she supposed she had entirely too much food now. She looked to the woman who had been working on a sketch. She wondered if this was the woman Ariana mentioned was helping with Ulfric’s birthday gift. If she had to guess, the woman was a few years younger than her but clearly established in her trade. Good for her. “I probably should have called first, I was bringing lunch since I got off work early today.” Looking down at the now greasy bags in her hand, she said, “Hey, you must be the artist helping Ariana with Ulf’s birthday gift. Care for a cheeseburger?” 

“Eh, shit happens.” Luce said with a shrug. She still wasn’t entirely sure why this woman was here-- she didn’t think that Al’s was doing delivery. And if they were, they needed to work on making sure to send the delivery folks to the right location. But, when the woman mentioned her project for Ariana, bringing up Ulf again, Luce raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, that’s me. She’s a good kid, I’m surprised she wanted to do something this big for him, but it’s a cool project for me to work on.” At the offer of food, she leaned back in her chair before tilting her head towards another one of the other empty stools nearby. Perhaps it was just because of the value of magic, of everything being a give and take, but she didn’t particularly like handouts. But, a trade? She could get behind that. “Tell you what. I’ll take a cheeseburger in exchange for company. It gets boring at the desk.” Figuring that wasn’t much of a trade, Luce added, “I’ll throw in a drawing for some fries, if you’ve got them.”

Celeste was glad to hear that this was in fact the woman helping out Ariana. From what she’d seen of the updates so far, it was shaping up to be an impressive piece. Though she was sure from the outside looking in, it was odd that a teenager was making such a big gift for Ulfric. If it hadn’t been for their shared nature, Celeste would have found it odd as well. She shrugged with a toothless grin on her face, “I think she’s really excited about diving into the whole carpentry thing. Plus, he’s done a lot for both of us. She tends to be very go big or go home or whatever it is the kids are saying these days,” she explained with a laugh. The prospect of company that wasn’t a teenager or a werewolf who was merely tolerating her presence actually sounded quite nice. Taking care of tables at Al’s was truly about as social as she got these dies though as much was probably wise all things considered. Lunch with Luce sounded like good fun. She smiled wide at the woman being sure to overlook the bruised nose, “Company would be delightful. I haven’t had the chance to make many friends since moving here so most of my conversations are ‘how would you like your eggs’, teenager things, or Ulf swearing in Norweigian.” She said the last bit with a laugh. It was actually quite amusing, but she was sure he didn’t think as much. At the mention of a drawing, Celeste smirked and said, “Well, I guess it’s my lucky day then since I brought fries. I suppose if we’re dining together, I should properly introduce myself.” She extended her hand, “I’m Celeste, Ariana’s older sister and waitress extraordinaire.” She motioned to the ridiculous little 50s get-up she had to wear to work every day. 

“Sounds like it’s working out really well for her. The piece of wood she gave me should make for a good table. I’m just hoping that the design turns out how she wants.” Luce said with a nod before grabbing one of the chairs from around the desk and cleared a spot for the woman to join. “Well, I’m not ordering eggs, the teenager ship set sail a long time for me, but I do know some choice Norwegian swears, courtesy of the man himself.” She said with a grin. “Turkish is my language of choice for swearing, though.” Luce said with a wink before scooting out of the way to let the woman sit beside her. “Nice to meet you, Celeste. I’m Luce, the best thing that happened to Ulf’s shop. Short of him, you know, opening up the place.” She said, before switching gears. “How’d you and Ulfric know each other?” Was she the totally not kinky lady who was looking for the rope and mayonnaise? 

While this wasn’t her original plan, Celeste was pleased with how it worked out. She had the feeling Luce would be a little more chatty than Ulfric was with her. Bless his heart, he did try and be as kind to her as possible, but the underlying tension was hard to ignore. One day, he’d be able to trust her fully and she could hardly blame him that it was something that needed to be earned. It didn’t mean lunch with a woman who was close enough in age to her wouldn’t be a welcome change of pace. “Thank god,” she said with a laugh, “If I have to hear over-easy, YEET, or faen one more time today, I might actually lose it.” She joined her for a seat and pulled out the burgers and fries, passing Luce’s lunch down to her. “Turkish, huh? You speak fluently or are the swear words your specialty?” There was a small smirk on her lips before she picked at a few of the french fries. The next question should have been expected, but she wasn’t quite sure how to answer it. It’s not like she could just say Ulfric was her sister’s wolfy mentor or protector. She couldn’t even quite define it herself and knew it wasn’t something she was meant to understand. “I guess you could say he’s a family friend. He’s helped Ariana and myself out a great deal with things as of late, I thought it’d be nice to drop by some lunch for him on my way home.” Celeste found herself curious about Luce as well. Her face was a little bruised up which was a call for question in itself, but she seemed young and established. “How long have you known Ulfric? It seems like you’ve made quite the career for yourself here.” 

“I’ll be sure to keep my extensive knowledge of memes out of lunch, then.” Luce laughed, accepting the container with the burger and fries with an appreciative nod. It beat the sandwich she’d thrown together this morning, for damn sure. She was usually pretty on top of her shit, but after the run in she and Nell had with August after the coven meeting… it had rattled her, more than she’d like to admit. Pushing the thought from her mind, she focused on the woman next to her. “Fluent, nah. Conversational enough to piss off the grandparents? Bunu kolayca yapabilirim.” She said, the language rolling off her tongue. “I can certainly teach you some swears, if you’re interested.” Luce smirked and took a bite from her burger. She hadn’t forgotten her part of the deal, but getting burger grease on her sketch pad was the last thing she wanted. So, she watched the Celeste speak instead. “He’s a good guy, he does a lotta shit like that.” She nodded, thinking back to his request for some kind of magic protection thing from her sisters. He still owed her for that. She’d have to cash it at some point. Swallowing, Luce wiped her mouth with a napkin before flipping her arm over, showing Celeste the inside of her right arm and the large lightbulb tattoo that lay there. “He did this for me when I was 18. We got to talking, about art and shit, and he told me I was wasting my time in college. Turns out, he was right. I quit school and took an apprenticeship here within a month.”

“I’m not that old, I still enjoy a good meme,” Celeste retorted with a laugh. Memes she could deal with. Her patience was running a bit thin when it came to TikToks though, especially since Ariana had discovered she could make them herself and took to pranking Celeste. It was funny how technology cycled. When she was Ariana’s age, MySpace had just been dying and was being replaced by Facebook. Now there was a whole slew of channels that she couldn’t quite be bothered with. She took a bite out of her burger and had to choke back a laugh, “Nothing quite as fun as pissing the grandparents off, or the parents too if you’re me. Do I get a translation for that bit?” She smirked as she set the burger down to trade for a few fries, “I may just have to take you up on that.” She had a mouth full of burger as she listened to Luce speak. There was no doubt in her mind that Ulfric was a good man. She knew her invite to stay in his home was primarily due to Ariana, but allowing a hunter in his home, even one that didn���t hunt wolves, was more kindness than she could have expected. She had no doubt he showed kindness to others as well. “I could see that,” she said simply, not wanting to touch too much on how Ulfric had helped her and Ariana personally. She imagined it had to be nice discovering a career and diving in at such a young age. She was happy Ariana was able to do as much as well. “That’s pretty impressive, I thought you seemed pretty young to be so established in your field. I’ve always imagined tattooing to be a pretty fun job. What’s the most fun piece you’ve ever given someone?” 

“My b,” Luce raised her hands innocently and laughed herself before grabbing a couple fries from the box. Chewing, she shrugged. “I said, I can do that easily. My sisters and I learned English and Turkish at the same time, but since we speak English all the time, it’s the one that stuck the most. That said, I can tell you all the fun swears that Ulfric doesn’t know. Like… ciğerini sikeyim.” She said with a roguish grin. “Literally, it means fuck your liver, but it basically is like… a really strong version of go fuck yourself.” She explained and took another bite from the burger before setting it back down in the tray. Dusting her hands free of crumbs, she flipped to a clean page of her sketchpad. “Thanks. It’s a good time, gives me a lot of freedom to be as creative as I want. Within the realm of what my clients are looking for.” She said with a nod. Tapping her pencil on the sheet, she began to do some rough sketches, drawing aimlessly. “Depends on what you think is fun. Visually fun, I once did a rad Neo-traditional sailing ship and mermaid scene. Fun for me personally to create, I did a great blackwork leg sleeve.” She said. “Both were great, I liked them a lot.”

“Ciğerini sikeyim,” Celeste said slowly, trying to get the pronunciation correct, “I like that one. I’m definitely using it the next time someone pisses me off.” She laughed as she picked at more of her french fries, “I get that, my parents tried to teach me French and German growing up, but really English is the only one that solidly stuck. I can order a beer in all three languages though. Clearly, I have my priorities straight.” There was a small smirk on her lips before she took another bite out of her burger. A slight pang of sadness hit her listening to Luce talk about her own career. Being on the run since the age of sixteen didn’t make for great career opportunities. Maybe one day, if things settled down and she no longer had to worry about her parents, she could actually pursue Nursing School as she had always wanted to do. “It sounds like you made a great choice hopping into the field then. I hope to get on the better late than never track with some sort of actual career. I definitely have a limited number of years of this getup still looking good on me,” she remarked with a chuckle as she gestured down towards her ridiculous 50s get-up that was customary at Al’s. She watched curiously as Luce pulled out her sketchpad. “Both sound fascinating. I’ve always toyed around with the idea of getting a tattoo, but have never actually committed to an idea. I did used to want to be a mermaid when I grew up. Given, that was six year old me’s aspiration.” 

Pleased with her quick grasp of the pronunciation, Luce nodded. “For sure, give it a shot the next time someone decides to be a dick at Al’s or something.” She said. Raising an eyebrow, Luce grinned. “I dunno, beer is very important. Alcohol’s an essential food group in my book.” She joked, amused. Though Turkish was one of the two languages she’d learned growing up, she’d been forced to take a foreign language in high school which meant she’d suffered through a couple years of Spanish. The most she could remember, beyond asking for a beer and saying that was a tiger in bed, was probably asking where the library was. “It’s never too late to start doing something new,” Luce agreed. “What are you thinking of doing, hm?” As the woman mentioned something about being a mermaid, Luce’s pencil shifted. Pulling away from the odd doodles and random assortment of shapes in uniform patterns she’d done as a warm up, she glanced up at the woman. “You like the ocean? Or just the idea of it?” She asked, beginning to scrawl some curving lines onto the page.

A proud smile appeared on Celeste’s face as she realized she had gotten the pronunciation spot on. She’d enjoyed learning new languages, but being out of practice made it easy to forget them. “You are just filled with good ideas. I can’t get written up for swearing if no one knows what I’m saying,” she mused with a small laugh. Some of the middle of the night drunk crowd deserved that level of swearing. She’d polished off her own burger and neatly crinkled up the wrapper and placed it back in the paper bag. Her eyes drifted to the sketchpad and she found herself in awe of how people could just bring things to life on paper that way. Luce’s question caught her attention and she found she felt somewhat sheepish about it. “One day, I’d like to do the whole nursing school thing. I’ve always enjoyed helping people and I’m good with first aid. Not at all squeamish, but we’ll see. Ari is starting to work now too, so it's a little less pressure on me to put in so many hours myself.” She looked down momentarily before adding, “Maybe don’t mention that to Ariana though. I wouldn’t want her to feel bad.” She smiled easily again at the talk of mermaids and the ocean. Much easier to think about than trying to tackle college after thirty. Logically, she knew college when she was taking care of a five year old werewolf wasn’t realistic, but the part of her that had been a perfectionist back in grade school still felt off about the whole thing. “What can I say? I really loved The Little Mermaid growing up. I think it was more about Ariel than it was about the ocean though,” she answered with a chuckle, “The ocean is fascinating. More of a mountain girl myself, but there’s something serene about listening to the waves.” 

“I know, right? I should start charging for all the good ideas I’ve got rattling around.” Luce replied, her easy smile still on her face. “First one’s free, next ones cost ya.” She said roguishly before returning her focus onto the image at hand. Listening came easily to Luce-- after all, it was part of her job. People liked to chatter while they were in pain. They liked to talk, to distract themselves, so she was no stranger to being able to hold a conversation while also working on a tattoo. And this wasn’t all that different. “A nurse, huh? That’s pretty cool. Helping people and doing good and stuff. And don’t worry, my lips are sealed.” She said with a shrug. Leaning back from the small ocean scene she’d drawn up, Luce scrutinized the cresting wave before taking her eraser to it. Not quite what she wanted. At the mention of the woman’s interest in the Little Mermaid, she raised an eyebrow. Oh? “That’s a big fucking mood. Ariel could get it. Then again, pretty much any of the Disney princesses can.” She said. At the mention of mountains, Luce began to draw a scene just along the shoreline of the beach. She drew in a forest scene, something similar to the way the beaches outside of White Crest looked, with tall pine trees looming just beyond the sand. “How’s this looking?” She asked, holding up the image.

“You might be onto something there. The illusive they always say if you’re good at something, don’t do it for free,” Celeste smirked and added, “Thanks for the introductory freebie.” It was nice to have someone outside of her coworkers and current roommates to talk with. She’d never really expressed her own aspirations before. With being on the run and having her parents try to track them down, it never seemed like something feasible anyhow. Ariana was dead set on staying here though so she supposed she could go ahead and enroll for classes at the community college. Luce was nice to talk to though she supposed it was part of the job. “Yes, I was thinking about enrolling in classes at the community college for the fall now that we are permanently staying somewhere and Ariana also has a job. And thanks.” Celeste had never been great at drawing or painting, so it was fascinating to see someone work at it so naturally. Luce seemed to be really in her element and there was something sort of relaxing about it. She found herself immediately laughing at the remark about Disney princesses, “I really vibed with her because of the parental defiance thing, but you’re not wrong. All the Disney princesses are pretty hot. If we’re going for hot animated chicks though, the Sailor Scouts are where it’s at. Tuxedo Mask can also get it on that note.” She looked over the drawing and grinned widely. A mountain beach scene was what she’d always hoped for in a place to build a home. She answered, “It’s looking perfect.” 

“Damn straight.” Luce said approvingly, the only time straight could be used to describe her. “You’re more than welcome. Next one though, you’ll have to pay me back. I’ll be keeping track too.” Adding a bit more detailing work onto the curl of the wave, she began to shade, adding in some of the finer lines and curves to the way it crested. It was all coming together, into one coherent piece. Her pencil flowed over the page, the image forming just as it had in her mind. “That’s a solid plan. Save money where you can and all that, nobody will knock you for community college.” She nodded. Money had never been a thing that she’d ever had to worry about-- Mom and Dad had always had that on lock. But, still. She could relate, sort of. She’d been hellbent on trying to get away from their influence on her life. Getting her cabin had been a part of that and taking her apprenticeship was an ever larger part. “Parental defiance, huh? I get that.” Luce said, gesturing to her sleeve of tattoos. Her parents had been... disappointed when they’d seen her first tattoo. But, whatever. “That’s the whole, Sailor Moon thing, right? Some of the guys at the shop have done tattoos of that show for people. I was never into it. I might have to check it out.” She said, though her eyes flicked meaningfully over Celeste. She’d much rather check her out. “Awesome. I can ink it and then we’re square for lunch.”

“What’s the running rate on your good ideas? Have to make sure I’m not taking more ideas than I can afford and all,” Celeste joked with an eyebrow raised. The normalcy of their whole conversation was a welcomed change. No talk of hunters, werewolves, or eggs and burgers. It didn’t hurt that Luce had a pretty good sense of humor and was easy to talk to. She tried to keep an eye on the page as Luce drew. There was clearly some natural talent there backed by years of practice. “Yeah, I’m pretty good about being frugal with money, given for a while it was more out of necessity.” Running off with a werewolf child aside, one of the bigger cruel shocks of the real world was how fucking expensive everything was. Growing up, she’d always had money because of her parents. It had been a rude awakening, but somehow they’d made it. She laughed a bit over their shared parental defiance. “Can’t say my defiance was quite so visual, but I’m effectively disowned,” she said with a shrug. It was a subject she tried to be casual about. The news of her parents having a bounty on her and Ariana and wanting them both dead was a little extreme by most standards. “I loved it as a kid. Then again, I tend to enjoy anything where it’s the girls saving the day. A little cheesy as an adult, but you may appreciate the outfits,” she explained catching Luce’s look over her. Color rose in her cheeks and looked down with a small smile before looking back up to Luce. She certainly wasn’t subtle, but she kind appreciated that. “Right, totally square. I still think I got the better end of this trade, but I’ll take it.” 

“Depends on what you’d be willing to pay.” Luce teased as she sifted through the cup of pens on the desk for a fine ballpoint. “Could be some good conversation or a new idea for a sketch. Or a kiss.” She flashed a cheeky grin at the other woman before setting to work with the inking. The lines were already pretty clean, but inking it in was what really brought it all together. “For sure. It’s a good way to live.” She said, though she really didn’t have much room to speak. Though she might have bought her own cabin, her parents had still done a lot for her. A lot more than she’d ever wanted. At the woman’s admission of her own familial situation, Luce said nothing. Instead, she focused on her linework. People had told her things like that before-- how they were getting a tattoo as a final ‘Fuck you’ to their parents, or as some kind of cleansing to erase the past that haunted them. And it was always better to say less, rather than more. “Makes sense why you’d relate to her then.” She replied, keeping her tone neutral. “Well, now I have to give it a watch.” Luce laughed and blew on the wet ink for a moment before taking her eraser to the picture. “Oh? You don’t think my trade was fair?”

“Hm, seems I can afford another good idea then,” Celeste retorted with a smirk. Maybe flirting with a member of Ulfric’s staff wasn’t entirely appropriate, but it was probably harmless. It was nice to get attention that wasn’t entirely inappropriate from older men during breakfast rushes. She watched Luce continue working on the finishing touches of the sketch, relieved she didn’t push further on the parent thing. Everyone had their own family issues of some sort and it was a lot more comforting to not go into the details. She rested her head on her knuckles as she observed Luce incredulously. She made the whole process look so effortless and she seemed to be really in her element. It was a nice sight to see. She imagined that applied even more when she was behind the tattoo needle. At the mention of relating to the sailor scouts, she laughed, “Thanks. And I thought that little bit of information might win you over.” Her head tilted a bit on her palm watching Luce dry the ink, there really was so much that went into drawing that was beyond her. “Oh,” she answered, “I think new art and your company is a little bit better than a not quite hot lunch, but no complaints here.”

 “How about this one-- You and me, getting drinks sometime. It sounds like a good idea in my book.” Luce asked, looking at the woman with an earnest expression. Celeste was hot, she was hot, it’d be hot. And besides, what was she gonna lose by shooting her shot? The worst that could happen was she’d get turned down. With a final look at the picture, Luce nodded to herself before putting her signature on the bottom right corner of the page. A large looping L with a slash of a V. “You thought right.” She said as she held out the completed picture for the woman to take. She could still see some places she didn’t like, some spots where the waves met that looked weird, a tree with some branches that didn’t make much sense. But, it was a quick drawing. “The way I see it, I came out with some good art practice, good conversation, and,” She picked up her half eaten burger and bit into it, “The satisfaction of eating my boss’s lunch.” 

The suggestion has caught Celeste a bit off guard, but she figured what harm could come from it? It’d been a long while since she’d actually been out… with well, anyone. She’d enjoyed hanging out with Luce and there was no denying she was a beautiful woman. What could it hurt? “I think that may be your best idea today,” she answered with a wide grin. Grabbing a pen out of the pocket in her uniform, she scribbled her number down from a paper on her order pad and handed it to Luce with a small smile still present on her face. “Text me sometime.” she advised, keeping her tone cool. As she looked over the finished product, she was somewhat in awe. Luce had finished it so quickly yet it came out lovely. A perfect little scene that she’d have to hang up in their current room. It was definitely more tasteful than that one creepy painting Ari insisted on keeping up. “I love it,” she said, “And alright, alright. We can call it even then.” She picked up her purse again and looked to Luce one last time as she left, “Hope to see you again soon.”